baked oatmeal

This breakfast is a huge hit around here. Even for my not so much lovin' oatmeal husband.

This breakfast is packed with protein (plant based) and fiber and has no refined sugar.

This is what I did.

1/2 or 1 cube of butter ( your preference. I've done both ways and couldn't really tell the difference so now I just do 1/2 cube (NOT CUP, CUBE)

Put the butter in a 9x13 pan and melt in the oven while it is preheating to 350 degrees.

While the butter is melting and coating the pan mix 3 cups oatmeal in a large bowl (I am experimenting with gluten free oats.... I will get back to you on this whole thing.... in a while)

Add 1 Tbs. vanilla
Add 1 Tbs. cinnamon ( I usually do more for taste)
Add 2 Tbs. Pure Maple Syrup
Add 3 eggs ( or 1 or 2, depending on how many you have in your fridge)
Add 2 cups milk ( whatever you like, I like to use rice milk. It doesn't add any flavor because it's non-sweetened).

Mix all of that together in your bowl. Add to the melted butter in the pan and mix until combined.

Cook at 350 for 30 minutes.
Enjoy!!
This breakfast does not taste like boiled oatmeal. It is really chewy and so good!
It's a yum, yum, yum, yum, yum in this house!

Food Combining

http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Hopefully you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and ate lots of good healthy food. I enjoyed a delicious homemade dinner with the company of lots of loved ones.
Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, coconut oil carrots, brussel sprouts, green bean and mushroom casserole, homemade cranberries, ceasar salad.

No rolls. No pumpkin pie. (Pumpkin pie is one of my favorite things to eat!!!)

I have read this book 2 times now and I'm really sold on some of the principles. One such principle is: food combining. Basically, which foods to eat together and which foods to NOT eat together.

He says in the book, "The continued use of sweets, even fruit, after protein is the worst of the combinations, and is one of the most destructive to health. This can also be said of most fruit juices combined with protein meals"(Matsen, pg.117).

This is why I didn't have pumpkin pie after dinner. First, I was full. Second, I didn't want to confuse my system that was busily breaking down the protein from the turkey ( I know, I did eat the potatoes (starch) and a small amount of cranberries (sugar) but give me a break, I did the best that I wanted to do...)

Let me review what I know concerning this matter:
The gut of your health determines your overall well being.
Your gut health is maintained by good digestion and elimination.
Carbs are first digested by alkaline juices in your mouth.
Proteins are digested to stomach acid.
When you eat carbs and proteins together your stomach juices neutralize causing digestion to slow down.
When your food is in your gut for long periods of time bad bacteria grow and toxins release.
Eating carbs and proteins together slows digestion and therefore increases toxicity.
Increased toxicity equals decreased health.

And there you have my rationale.
Oh, and for the record I did have pumpkin pie the next morning for breakfast. Because that's the way my system and me like it!
Now you can add this book to your Christmas wish list.... I highly recommend it!

Tori's favorite Dinner

Have you ever done something seriously crazy. Like, you look back on it and think, "Wow, Did I really do that?"

Well I have, plenty of times really but I will share one such occasion.

Back in March I was going a little crazy. My husband had been out of work for a little while. We were really poor. I was hit or miss as far as emotions went. I was super happy and determined to not let anyone know I was struggling at one moment and then at another moment (inside closed doors) I was emotionally stressed and completely burnt out.

One particular week my husband went out of town for a side job. I was at home, alone, with my three babes. It was busy. I didn't have the husband to give me any relief. One day I decided to serve my friend, Tori. She had had a baby a few weeks back and I wanted to bring her a meal. Like that day I wanted too! Now!

So, in my crazy, stressed state in between juggling kids I started throwing things together. Some black beans, some brown rice, a little chicken....

The next thing I knew I had walked my 3 kids up to her house with the casserole in tow and delivered a meal THAT I HAD NEVER EVEN TRIED AND THAT I COMPLETELY MADE UP ON A WHIM!

This is crazy to me, looking back. BUT.... now she swears it's her favorite thing to eat! I doubt it's really her favorite but it's at least super good. The second time she requested it I actually made it for my family too and I wrote it down and my family loves it as well. So, I guess the story has a good ending.

We all got a good, cheap, healthy meal out of the deal!

Here is the recipe. I will always remember this story and I will always call this dish "Tori's favorite!"

In a 9x13 pan mix up the following
2 cups brown rice ( I use short grain)
2 cups drained black beans
1 12.5 oz. can chicken drained
4 cups water
3 heaping TBS. taco seasoning

Cover with foil and cook at 350 for 55 minutes.

Grate as much cheddar cheese as you like
When the 55 minutes is up sprinkle cheese on top and remove foil (in the reverse order) and bake uncovered 5 more minutes until the cheese melts.

Also, I don't do cheese on half because I don't want the cheese and I prefer for Emmett to not have the cheese yet so you can be creative with that part of it too.
And one more thing, totally you can do this without the can of chicken and you've got yourself a vegetarian meal.

Enjoy!

Supplement Monday

Today's Supplement is Garlic. Some take a capsule. I don't have any experience with that. I do it the old fashioned way....
Take a garlic whole clove. Peel it. Cut it into fourths. Swallow it with water.
There are a lot of colds going around and I don't want one. Last night I took a clove, tonight I will do the same. Think about it, garlic is strong stuff it's bound to kill off those bad guys!


Here is some facts I found here.
Garlic and infections

There’s a large body of research which shows that garlic has numerous health benefits. Not only has it been used successfully as a natural remedy for thousands of years, but science is now proving its effectiveness, too.

Among the myriad medicinal talents of garlic, we find an apparent ability to fight infections such as the common cold, and especially to help clear up respiratory infections and lung congestion.

It keeps the delicate mucous membranes of the digestive and respiratory system healthy and can be soothing for sore throats. Early in the 20th century, it was sometimes used in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Tasty Kale chips ( I fed these to my teenage girls at church and they loved them!!)


Here are my kids drinking their Kefir to the very last drop!


Kefir Stache!

Today's healthy recipes!

Today is mighty chilly outside.
It is a perfect stay-at-home-and-bake-day!
My house was hoppin' with kids this morning. My sisters kids spent last night with us and my girlfriends kids came over this morning. All the kids played together so well which left me with not much to do except, well, create recipes.

Squash Whole Wheat Pancakes:
Left over squash from last night (about 1 cup)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 Tbs. flax ( my nephew is allergic to eggs so this is what I substituted)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 Tbs. cinnamon
! Tbs. vanilla
dash salt
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda

Mix it all together. Add water until you get pancake like consistency (about 1/3 cup)
Cook on a hot skillet! Enjoy! (Lesha your kids loved these!)

*note: I never sweeten my pancakes with sugar/honey... I figure they are going to get smothered in syrup/jam anyways so why add the extra sugar. No one ever notices and I feel better about it. And Emmett, the babe, he doesn't get syrup on his. Just good old pancakes with melted coconut oil for him. He loves it and I love that he is getting all the nutritional benefits of the coconut oil with his breakfast!


Kale chips:
2 bunches of kale. Washed and dried ( I washed it last night in vinegar water and dried it all night on paper towels on my counter)
Turn oven onto 275
Cut out the stem/rib of the kale.
Cut the leafy part into pieces, whatever size you want!
Lay kale pieces on cookie sheet and spritz with olive oil
sprinkle with salt ( I also got crazy with some batches and did wasabi because I like my wasabi!)
bake for 20 minutes.

These are so crunchy and good! They have a strong flavor but the crunch is fantastic. They are packed with nutrients! Braxton liked these. Adelle and Emmett... nope!

Gluten and Dairy Free Pumpkin Muffins:
Beat all ingredients together in mixer
2 eggs
2 cups pumpkin canned
1 1/2 cups almond flour (almond meal is the same thing)
1 Tbs. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 cup honey
2/3 cup coconut milk
2/3 cup black beans (not drained, not smashed)
1 Tbs. vanilla
dash salt

Add
chocolate chips ( I did 1/2 cup but you can do as many as you want)
Pour into greased muffin tins 1/2 full (made about 16 muffins)
Bake in 350 oven for 25 minutes
Let cool completely in tins

These came out really dense and custard-like. They were sooo good my kids are at the table begging for more.

I LOVE pumpkin season!!!!!!

Swiss Chard

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sara-moulton/sauteed-swiss-chard-recipe/index.html

I wish I had a picture of this beautiful vegetable! Swiss chard is so beautiful! It's really good for you too.

As a side tonight I made the recipe above with fresh swiss chard. I used fresh lemon juice rather than vinegar and only 2 TBS. butter, and it was really yummy! The kids weren't crazy about it but they ate acorn squash instead and loved that so we both won!

Here are some cool facts about this vegetable that is most common in the Mediterranean.
http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=16
Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

As an excellent source of vitamins C, E, beta-carotene and the mineral manganese, and a good source of the mineral zinc, chard offers an outstanding variety of conventional antioxidants. But these conventional antioxidants are only part of chard's fantastic health benefits with respect to prevention of oxidative stress and diseases related to chronic, unwanted oxidative stress. Equally outstanding are chard's phytonutrient antioxidants. These phytonutrient antioxidants range from carotenoids like beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin to flavonoids like quercetin and kaempferol. But the range of phytonutrients in chard is even more extensive than researchers initially suspected, and at this point in time, about three dozen antioxidant phytonutrients have been identified in chard, including betalains (both betacyanins and betaxanthins) and epoxyxanthophylls. Many of these antioxidant phytonutrients provide chard with its colorful stems, stalks, and leaf veins.

As a rule, the phytonutrient antioxidants in chard also act as anti-inflammatory agents. Sometimes they lower risk of chronic, unwanted inflammation by altering the activity of pro-inflammatory enzymes. At other times, they help prevent the production of pro-inflammatory messaging molecules. Because chronic low level inflammation (especially when coupled with excessive oxidative stress) has repeatedly been shown to increase our risk of obesity, atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and several forms of arthritis, chard is very likely to show up in future studies on humans as a key vegetable for lowering risk of these health problems.

Carrot Canadian Bacon Sandwiches

So today for lunch Adelle and Emmett and I had Carrot and Canadian Bacon sandwiches. They were pretty tasty.
High protein
High fiber
Low sugar and starch!

This "sandwich" was Adelle's creation.

All I did was cut up carrots into coin shape. You know, thinly sliced just lay the whole carrot on the cutting board and cut tons of circles.

Cut up Canadian bacon into little pieces, just because Emmett eats it better that way.

I gave them each a plate with carrot coins and canadian bacon pieces. Then I dolloped a bit of hummus on their plates and handed them to them.
The next thing I know Adelle has taken the carrot, stacked it with canadian bacon, put a carrot lid on top and says, "look mom, it's a carrot sandwich."

Works for me!

Supplement Monday

Cough Syrup Alternatives

Sorry, still no pictures! :(

Useful information non the less!

Braxton has a cough. It sounds awful but he feels fine. No fever, no snotty nose. Here are some things we have been doing to help him sleep:

Humidifier in his room. This helps because the dry cold air makes the cough worse so adding moisture to the room helps a ton.

Warm water, fresh lemon juice, honey tea in the morning. When he wakes up I give him this. Honey has anciently been used to sooth the throat and the fresh lemon is a good source of Vitamin C.

Homeopathic cough syrup. The one I use is called Chestal Honey. The brand is BOIRON. It tastes really good because it has real honey in it! I get it at Super Supplements and it's not expensive. Homeopathic remedies have NO SIDE EFFECTS because they amount of substance they contain is microscopic. They are totally safe and effective and I encourage you to research them a bit if you are curious. You all probably have heard of Hylands Teething tablets? Well, they are a homeopathic remedy for teething babies. You love them, don't you!

Wild Indian Bark Syrup. This one doesn't taste as good but for a more serious cough I use this. The one is use is called Planetary Formulas Old Indian Wild Cherry Bark Syrup. It has echinacea in it with a whole bunch of other herbs. It also contains honey.

Here are some interesting statements I found regarding coughs/colds and medicine vs. honey.
I found them here
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/12/22/is-honey-more-effective-than-cough-medicine.aspx

"A research study has determined that children who get a dose of honey cough less and sleep better than those who get cough medicine with dextromethorphan (DM), the ingredient in most over-the-counter products for coughs."

"DM cough medicines, which earn about $50 million in sales each year, have previously been shown to be of little benefit to children."

Remember not to give honey to babies under the age of 1!!!

Kefir - in Turkish means "feel good"

Don't you want to feel good? Well here you go. Kefir is something that I discovered about a year ago. Not to gross you out but when I read to Jeff the Turkish meaning of the word Kefir he said, "yeah and in English it means, "large poop!" Yes. I guess. Kefir is so good for your intestinal tract and we all know now from following this blog at least, that when your intestine is healthy, the rest of you is healthy! So yes I guess Kefir means "feel good" and/or "large poop!"

I used to get my Kefir at the Co-op and it was expensive but Haggen sells it now and they have different flavors. My kids love the raspberry. They drink it up and I let them because of all the good bacteria in there. I think it's better than yogurt, health wise, and the cool thing is that it is super easy to digest so I give it to Emmett as well.

Read the article below if you are still interested and check it out at the grocery store in the dairy section with the milk/yogurt.

Here is what Dr. Mercola has to say about Kefir.
I found this article at http://products.mercola.com/body-ecology/kefir.htm

"Discover the Incredible Health-Promoting Benefits of Kefir"

If you are serious about boosting your immunity and increasing your daily energy, then adding traditionally fermented foods to your diet is a must.

Although not widely known, the health benefits of these foods are tremendous. I am a major proponent of traditionally fermented foods, and in my book, you'll find many recipes that include these nutritional bonanzas.

And now, you can achieve the amazing health benefits of traditionally lacto-fermented food with this exceptional Kefir Starter that I recommend to my patients and use on a daily basis myself.

Beneficial Fermented Foods vs. Commercially Processed


Long ago, food preservation was accomplished through lacto-fermentation, a process that adds a host of beneficial micro-organisms to food. This makes them easier to digest , increasing the healthy flora in our intestinal tracts.

Because fermentation is an inconsistent process, commercial food processors developed techniques like pasteurization -- a method that literally destroys dozens of precious enzymes -- to help standardize more consistent yields.

Sadly, I believe that modern culture has sacrificed many of the advantages of traditionally fermented healthy foods for faster and cheaper methods of mass production. In my opinion, our immunity and digestive health have been overlooked. I believe that it's time to return to the health-promoting foods of our past.

Why You Should Drink Kefir

Kefir, which means 'feel good" in Turkish, is an ancient cultured, enzyme-rich food filled with friendly micro-organisms that help balance your "inner ecosystem" to maintain optimal health and strengthen immunity.


Kefir's tart and refreshing flavor is similar to a drinking-style yogurt, and it contains beneficial yeast as well as the friendly 'probiotic' bacteria found in yogurt. When used regularly, the naturally occurring bacteria and yeast in Kefir combine symbiotically to help balance your intestinal flora and boost your immunity.

Among its many beneficial powers, Kefir:

Provides supplemental nourishment for pregnant and nursing women*
Contributes to your healthy immune system
Promotes a relaxing effect on the nervous system and benefit many who seek a restful night's sleep
Helps support your normal intestinal tract function, promote bowel movements and your healthy digestive system -- and is beneficial after the use of antibiotics to restore balance to the digestive tract
Curbs unhealthy food cravings by making your body more nourished and balanced
Kefir's Superior Therapeutic Nutrition

The exceptional nutritional content of Kefir offers a wealth of healthy benefits to people in every type of condition. More than just beneficial bacteria, Kefir contains minerals and essential amino acids that help your body with its natural healing powers and maintenance functions.

The complete proteins in Kefir are partially digested and therefore more easily utilized by the body.

Tryptophan, one of the essential amino acids abundant in Kefir, is well-known for its relaxing effect on the nervous system. Because it also offers loads of calcium and magnesium -- both of which are critical for a healthy nervous system -- Kefir in the diet can have a particularly calming effect on the nerves.

Rich in vitamin B12, B1, and vitamin K, Kefir is an excellent source of biotin, a B vitamin which aids the body's absorption of other B vitamins, such as folic acid, pantothenic acid, and B12. The many advantages of maintaining adequate B vitamin intake range from regulation of the normal function of the kidneys, liver and nervous system to helping promote healthy looking skin, boosting energy and promoting longevity. Kefir's ample supply of phosphorus -- the second most abundant mineral in our bodies -- helps utilize carbohydrates, fats, and proteins for cell growth, maintenance and energy.

Kefir vs. Yogurt

Ingredients: Kefir Culture Starter
Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis
Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris
Lactococcus lactis subsp. diacetylactis
Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris
Lactobacillus kefyr
Klyveromyces marxianus var. marxianus
Saccaromyces unisporus
Carrier: dextrose, waterfree
While both Kefir and yogurt are cultured milk products, they contain different types of beneficial bacteria. Yogurt contains transient beneficial bacteria that keep your digestive system clean and provide food for the friendly bacteria that already are present. Kefir actually helps to colonize your intestinal tract -- a feat that yogurt cannot match.

Additionally, Kefir contains several major strains of friendly bacteria not commonly found in yogurt: Lactobacillus Caucasus, Leuconostoc, Acetobacter species, and Streptococcus species. It also contains beneficial yeasts, such as Saccharomyces Kefir and Torula Kefir, which help balance the intestinal flora, including promotion of beneficial yeast in the body by penetrating the mucosal lining. They form a virtual SWAT team that housecleans and helps strengthen the intestines.

Kefir's active yeast and bacteria may provide more nutritive value than yogurt by helping digest the foods that you eat and by keeping the colon environment clean and healthy. The curd size of Kefir is smaller than yogurt, so it's also easier to digest, making it an ideal food for babies**, the elderly, and anyone with digestive health concerns.

What if I'm Lactose-intolerant?


Unlike yogurt, the lactose in Kefir is all digested by the time it is ingested, and some of the proteins have been broken down -- so even most individuals with sensitivities to milk can use it.***

Kefir can be made from any type of milk: goat, cow, or sheep. Kefir is made from gelatinous white or yellow particle granules. This makes Kefir unique, as no other milk culture forms these granules.

hows that for some popcorn!

Last night I concocted something rather yummy for snack. It was healthy too!

Popcorn. Popped in my whirly pop! Popped in butter, not oil.

After it was popped I melted the following together:

1 Tbs. pure, raw, honey
1 Tbs. butter
dash of cinnamon

Then I salted the popcorn with sea salt and poured the melted mixture on top.
Stirred it up.
Gave it to the fam for a Family Home Evening treat.

It was super yummy. The amount of sugar was microscopical and it was from the pure natural honey. The popcorn tasted like fall. It was a good treat.

Try it!

Supplement Monday

Oh my! I don't consider myself a very tech-y person per se but geeze, I am so frustrated lately without the full use of a normal working computer. Argh!! No pictures anywhere! Blah!

Thanks for standing by and being patient.

Today's supplement is actually a SUPPLEMENT REVOLUTION!!

The products are called Mannatech and they are what I have been using for the past while since my nutritionist recommended them. I know they have helped to get me to the healthful state I am feeling and I will continue to use them and give them to my family.

Unfortunately I am under oath that I cannot tell you that they will heal your ailments or cure your aches and pains but trust me when I say that they will greatly support your healthy lifestyle and I believe that they are the best supplement out there. They are real, people! They are made out of the foods that our bodies want/crave but that we don't feed them enough of. Studies have shown that real food vitamins are digested and absorbed way, way, better than the synthetic ones. Plus, they are derived from good, natural, ingredients. What is there not to like?

I am a bargainer and I am on a tight budget. That being said I also care a lot about what I put into the bodies around here and I do sacrifice a lot of other things to ensure good food and supplements for my family. It's worth it to me and I know that it works! I would rather pay a little more for something that I know works, then a little less for something that I don't know is working.

Check out my new link on the right sidebar.
Watch the video if you have a minute.
Read my story on the website if your curious.

Have a Happy, Healthy, Monday!

simple steps

One of the reasons I started this blog is because I want other people to learn that living a healthy lifestyle doesn't have to be difficult and you also never have to be perfect.

We went to some friends for dinner the other night and I made it very clear that we eat whatever anyone else will cook for us. We are not picky or food snobs. For example, take my Grandma. Love her! Love her gravy and mashed potatoes. Love her cube of butter on each saltine cracker. Love her homemade tapioca pudding... do you get the picture? I love my grandma and I love her cooking. When she has us in for lunch/dinner we jump at the occasion. It's a treat and treats are o.k. In moderation.

That being said I have to tell you something because it's pretty awesome. My kids have not asked (or eaten) for one piece of Halloween candy. Are you serious? Yes! I am totally telling the honest truth. Not once have any of them even asked for one. That's amazingly awesome. They just don't care about it. Do you know why?? Not because my kids are perfect. Not because I'm perfect. Not even because I deprive them ( I will argue this forever, my children are not one bit deprived!) Simply because it's not a normal thing for us to have candy. My aunt Angela, on the other hand, always has chocolate. My kids know this. When we go to her house, they ask for chocolate. Every time. Never fails. Do you get my point??? You set yourself up. So just think about that and make small steps toward changing some of your habits.

Here is a nice healthy lunch. If it sounds good to you try implementing it into your routine. It's a typical lunch for us around here and we all enjoyed it, Emmett 21 months, Adelle 3 (going on 13) and I.

2 cans tuna fish (one albacore, one regular) drained well
a squirt or two of mayonaise
Lundberg Sea Salt Rice chips (google these! my blogger isn't functioning well enough for me to add the link!)
snap peas
cucumber slices

The secret simple step is when you tell your kids lunch is ready, or even for yourself, put the veggies on the table first. Always have veggies washed and cut up in your fridge so that they can be easily grabbed. I get my kids all seated at the table, give them the veggies to munch on, while I make the tuna. If you put it all in front of them at once they are going to go for the chips, they just are. So have the veggies out first. They will eat them while they wait. They don't like waiting when they are hungry so it's a win, win, win!

Next let them grab some chips from the bag for their own plates. Scoop them some tuna on their plate as well. They like being independent and helping themselves to the rice chips. This is fun and makes them feel empowered. If they chose to dip their chips in the tuna, great. If they chose to eat their chips plain then get them a fork to eat their tuna. They don't have to eat it all. They do have to eat the tuna before they get more chips. Put them in charge. If they want more chips, they will eat more tuna. My kids love this lunch but they do favor the chips so I have to set boundaries. In the end it all gets eaten.

Healthy parts of this lunch include:
Rice chips have no added sugar. They are made from brown rice. They are gluten free and wheat free.
snap peas are a good vegetable that kids love. They are high in fiber too.
cucumbers are an alkaline vegetable. Double bonus. Most of our bodies are acidic and we want to be neutral so adding alkaline foods is always recommended.
Tuna is a good, lean, protein.

To flu shot, or not to flu shot....huge debate!!

So my friend, Amanda, commented on a post a couple days ago and asked me my take on the flu shot.

I will disclose what I think, feel, know, believe.... but not in any order.

Getting a flu shot is a personal choice and there is much debate. You have to chose a side.

I feel strongly about where I stand on the topic and I will tell you why. However, I really want to stage the fact that these are all my opinions and experiences and if you end up getting the flu, it's NOT MY FAULT!

I do not get flu shots. Ever. I will not give them to my children.

When your body gets the flu, or any virus for that matter, it is because your body is weak. Sorry, it's the truth. I like to refer to my garden vegetables to illustrate this point (thanks to my friend Andrea for teaching me about my healthy garden veggies). When you grow a garden you want to make sure the soil is healthy. Then you want to make sure to water regularly, fertilize if necessary... to ensure healthy growth of plants. Pests don't attack a healthy plant. That is hugely important. The pests don't even bother with your garden if it is healthy. If the ph levels are correct, if the ground drains well, if water and sunlight are available...no problem. Same thing goes for your body. If you have a healthy system then the bugs don't bite. The germs don't have anything to grow and spread on in a healthy body. They simply die. My choice is to build up the body. Make it strong so that the germs don't have any place to stay. Strengthen the immune system by:

1. Eating well (low sugar consumption, high veggies, fiber, healthy fats...)

2. Drink water (NOT SODA) and drink a lot of it!

3. Take vitamin supplements (especially vitamin D and C)

4. Exercise

5. Get good sleep

6. Eliminate stress (yeah right!)

Those 6 steps are the flu shot alternative that I chose to live by. I really know that for us, they work. My kids have gotten the flu but Braxton for example, he's 6 years old and he's never had a flu shot. He's had the flu 1 time in his life. It was a bummer but he got over it and we move on which brings me to my next point.

When/if you do get the flu it is your body talking to you. It's screaming "Something is really wrong here. I am broken. Fix me!!!" You need to listen. Don't put on the ear mufs (flu shot) and pretend everything is ok. That will only lead to more sickness and yuckies. Just listen. Take a day off. Take a nap. Let your neighbor watch your kids and bring you some soup. Whatever. But listen to your body because it knows. Sometimes I get frustrated with our society. Go, go, go, go. Sometimes you do need to stop and sometimes it takes a nasty flu bug to hit that home for us.

Along with that my son, when he did get the flu, was down 2 days and then fine. As you work on building up your immune system you may still get the flu, but, the healthier you are the shorter lived it will be and you won't be out as long. So it's a bit of a wake up call I guess to let you know you still have some steps to take to full health.

So that is my story and I'm sticking to it. Bottom line:

Don't eat sugar. It seriously is so not good for you!!

Halloween Candy Buy Back 2011

Halloween Candy Buy Back 2011

Date/Time: Thursday, November 3, 2011 from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Location: 405 32nd Street, Suite 100 (located behind REI in Sehome Village)

Halloween is coming, and normally it's hard for any dentist to get excited about that day because of all the candy kids will eat. However, this year will be different with our office. Dr. Faith Bult is putting her money where her patient's mouths are. Why? Because she knows how damaging too much candy can be to children's teeth. Dr. Bult sees the effect of popular sticky candy in the mouths of her young patients.

Take a look at some interesting facts:

• Global sugar consumption for kids increases by about 2% annually and currently sits at 50 million tons per year.
• Halloween is the king of candy consumption holidays, with annual sales totaling more than $2 billion.
• Candy, as well as hurting children's teeth by causing cavities, can also lead to hyperactivity and weight gain.
• In some cases, the wrong types of candy can lead to broken teeth and damaged braces.

So this Halloween Dr. Bult is hoping kids will pick out a few favorite pieces and then turn in the rest for cash. She will be paying kids $1.00 per pound of candy. The candy will then be shipped to our local troops who are serving overseas via Whatcom Homefront and Soldiers' Angels.

Here's how to participate:

• Bring your child/children to our office on Thursday, November 3, 2011 between 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm.
• We will weigh the candy* and pay your child a dollar per pound of candy.
• Your child will receive a special blinking toothbrush, toothpaste and floss, a free-meal coupon to Red Robin Gourmet Burger restaurant and various other items as supplies last.
• The candy will be shipped to our local troops serving overseas, along with toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss, via Whatcom Homefront and Soldiers' Angels.

*Candy must be unopened with no bites.

We encourage kids to still dress up, go out, have fun, and yes, even eat some candy (of course, still brushing your teeth afterwards). But after picking out the best of their stash kids will probably still have about 10 pounds left. Bring the excess in to our office, get paid for the amount of candy donated, receive a free bag of goodies and help us send the candy overseas to our troops who rarely get candy from home. We hope that you will take advantage of this special opportunity!

Dr. Faith Bult