6 Reasons We Get Sick by Jane

Meet Guest Blogger, Jane Barlow Christensen. Jane owns a medicinal herbal company that sells mainly to doctors. "My products and education information gives people the knowledge and tools to become their own health care physician.  It gives them the confidence to take care of every day human health issues."

6 Reasons We Get Sick

What causes some people to get sick every single year while others stay healthy and well?

Some people suffer through the entire year with a low grade cough, sinus problems and an overall feeling of tiredness and lack of energy. If this sounds like you, then read on for some simple tricks to make this stop happening.

Here are a six reasons that we get sick in the first place.

1) Vitamin D deficiency.

It is estimated that 50% of adults are Vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D is not a regular Vitamin, it's actually a steroid hormone that you are supposed to acquire through regular exposure to the sun - not through your diet.

If you are over 50, have darker skin, are obese, have achy bones, feel depressed or have gut trouble...then these are signs that you could be Vitamin D deficient.

The best way to know if you are deficient in Vitamin D and how much you need, is to have a doctor test your levels.

2) Proper hydration.

As a society we are chronically dehydrated. We are drinking way too many things that are not just plain water. Soda, fruit juice, milk, almond milk, coconut milk, sports drinks etc...and the list goes on. Just because we're drinking all these different liquids doesn't mean we're getting the right type of hydration.

We know that we are made up of two-thirds water but did you know that in the terms of the number of molecules, your body actually consists of over 99% water molecules?

How is every system in your body expected to function properly without proper hydration?

YOU NEED WATER. NOT Juice. Not flavored water. Not soda. Not sports drinks.

How can you expect your body to fight off a cold, the flu or any other microbe that comes at you if aren't taking this one simple step?

Unless you live in a third world country where access to clean water is an issue, then this is something you can start making a serious effort on today. Right now.

3) If your diet consists of too much processed sugar, refined foods, junk foods, fast food, fried foods and white carbohydrates...then you are probably someone who gets sick on a fairly regular basis.

Bottom line - if you are eating lots of sugar and processed foods you are not fueling your body for wellness. You are giving it everything it needs to live in a state of imbalance. You probably have low energy, dull skin, puffy eyes, chronic digestive issues, extra body fat and just an overall sense of fatigue and lethargy.

Time to figure out what's holding you back and make some better food choices so that your body gets the nutrition it needs to stay well.

4) Proper sleep.

If you're going to do the sleep thing right...your room needs to be cool (about 65 degrees), dark (even the light from your alarm clock gives off too much light for your body to produce the sleep hormone, Melatonin) and quiet (if you're falling asleep with the TV on...stop it!).

Your body repairs at night, when it's cool, dark and quiet and you owe it to yourself to get a good night’s sleep.

5) Exercise. Movement.

There's no way around it. You’ve got to do it. No excuses if you want to be and stay healthy.

6) And finally...stress.

Let’s be honest, this is a true killer in your health and longevity goals.   I know people who have terrible lifestyle habits, but they know how to manage their stress and are pretty healthy.

Stress is incredibly damaging to your health and can cause all kinds of disease.

So start making some small, healthy changes today. Right now! You get to decide what your life looks like.

In conclusion, here are a couple of my favorite natural remedies and herbs that can help you stay healthy while you are working on the lifestyle factors.

1) High dose Vitamin C every single day. A high dose for an adult is about 5000 mg. Try to find a brand with Rosehips, a great source of Vitamin C.

2) Try a natural anti-microbial like Oil of Oregano, Tea tree oil, Olive leaf extract and Lomatium root. An anti-microbial is something that goes after virus, fungus, yeast and bad bacteria.

3) Start drinking lots of herbal tea. Every day. Especially during cold and flu season. One of my favorites is Peppermint tea. And make sure it's organic. That's super important.

I hope you've got some of this list already dialed in. If not, and you feel overwhelmed, then remember this -

Every single small thing you do adds up to big huge things over time. Just start small. Small things compound.

You can catch up with Jane here ...

YouTube channel - Jane Barlow Christensen and get all of my healthy tips. I post a new video about once a week.
Facebook – Jane Barlow Christensen and Jane Health

Website – www.barlowherbal.com

Instagram - @barlowherbal

Visit my Guest Blogger page to get to know all my blogging friends.

Running Granny Green encourages women, especially grandmothers, to gain greater fitness by providing tips and inspiration to insure long years of joyful grand-parenting. The cookie recipes are a bonus!

Happy Running!

Carol - aka Running Granny Green

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Guest Blogger: Paulee makes decorating easy

Meet Paulee, a wife, mother, farm girl, artist, and favorite team member of mine!  Paulee has an eye for style and enjoys helping others work with the things they already have to make their homes a reflection of themselves.  She shares tips on Facebook as Perspective by Paulee.

Judith Taylor says that designers don’t follow a secret rulebook.  There are no hard and fast laws governing what we do.  We are creative types by nature and love to imagine, dream, and explore, following our intuition. 

With that said, my advice is just to have fun and put in your home only what you love!  I have found over the years that making the space in your home fit your personality is vital to your happiness level, although we sometimes don’t realize it. 

Do you ever walk into someone’s home and feel comfortable, happy, loved and at peace. You might wonder why and think, “how can I do this in my home?”

Only put in your home what you love and what makes you happy. Keep it clean and organized. One way I try to create this effortless balance is to incorporate rustic and refined, mixing textures and having a little fun!

Marie Kondo, the bestselling author of the 2014 book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” suggests keeping only what gives you joy! Decorating and refreshing your home will help you have a more joyful life surrounded by the things you love.

It’s spring and you are probably no different than me in that you want to spruce things up a bit before getting outside in the yard. There is no need to break the bank on this one. There are many little things you can do to accomplish this idea. One of the easiest and fastest ways to do this is just to move your furniture around. Call a best friend or a grab a willing husband. Sliders come in handy when doing this task and can be purchased at your local hardware store. Just put them under the feet of your furniture and push. You can also do that Spring Cleaning you have wanted to do while you are at it.

Another quick and easy thing you can do is rearrange your counter tops and coffee tables. Counters get cluttered up so easily. Thankfully, it doesn’t take long to get things looking nice again. Start by clearing everything off your countertop and replace only the items you use daily. Choose a few interesting objects that are in storage or from other rooms in the house and display them, like a wire basket or serving tray propped against the wall. Bring in some of those beautiful spring flowers and display in a jar or pitcher.  Also inviting friends over always gives you that extra push to get things just right.

If you want to elevate the feel of your home take my mothers advice. My mother taught me to always use your best. Don’t wait for a special occasion to bring out those fabulous dishes hiding in the cupboard or the glasses that Aunt Shirley gave you for your wedding. It makes you feel really special. What’s the point of having it if it just sits in a storage most of the year?

Another suggestion I have is to have fun with art and family photos. Art doesn’t have to be fussy or beyond reach. Take the time to look for art wherever you go. Seek out smaller galleries, student sales and affordable online sources and go with your gut feeling. You might even be able to make your own. Art makes you happy and can add personality to your living space and lift your spirits every day. The same goes for family photos. A simple way to freshen up photos is to swap out frames. You can pick up inexpensive frames most anywhere. Also change the photos to fit the season. Retire the old skiing pictures and fill those frames with summer activities and family vacation photos. 

I love listening to music. Music brings me happiness and peace. This can really add to the feel of a home. Music stirs emotion and can bring a creative energy to your space so get that play list going.

Remember to imagine, dream and explore, following your own unique, individual style and intuition and have fun! Of course if you need any suggestions or help I would love to assist you!

Catch up with Paulee on Facebook at Perspective by Paulee or email her at perspectivebypaulee@yahoo.com

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Happy Running!

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Guest Blogger: Anna shares a Delicious Muffin Recipe

As a Christian wife and mother, it is my desire to inspire and encourage you with the richness of God’s many blessings! I have always loved to write, and on my blog, LifeBellissima.com, I enjoy sharing a variety of topics that are near and dear to my heart — family life, homeschooling, organic food/recipes (which of course includes chocolate!) and our many new adventures in the country with a tabby cat, several rabbits and seven Rhode Island Red hens!

Ahh, muffins. For me, they rank right up there with smoothies for breakfast or a tasty treat!

When I was a young girl, my mom would make toast for me with butter, peanut butter and a sweet swirl of honey on top — it’s still one of my (and my mom’s) favorite ways to dress up toast. Peanut butter and honey go very well together, but what could make a muffin even better?

Add a little chocolate!

I hope you will enjoy these moist and flavorful muffins! They pair well with tea, coffee, hot chocolate or a tall glass of milk. Mmm!

Peanut Butter & Honey – Chocolate Chip Muffins

(recipe adapted from chocolatechocolateandmore.com)

*I prefer to use all organic ingredients

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 cup vanilla almond milk

2 eggs

3/4 cup smooth peanut butter

2/3 cup raw honey

1/3 cup coconut oil, softened 

3/4 to 1 cup chocolate chips

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees

-With a hand mixer, stand mixer or by hand, gently combine eggs, peanut butter, honey and coconut oil until smooth.

-Alternate flour, salt and baking powder with vanilla almond milk — mixing gently.

-By hand, fold in the chocolate chips. (add a few extra if you like ;) )

-In a muffin tin with liners, use a cookie scooper to fill each liner approximately 2/3 full.

-Bake for approximately 12-14 minutes, or until toothpick comes out of the center clean.

Enjoy!

For more delicious recipes by Anna, visit her blog Life Belissma!

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Guest Blogger: Spring Fever Fixes

I am re-sharing two Guest Blogger posts today that you may have missed. Why? They can help you cure that case of Spring Fever you might be catching. These creative entrepreneurs are using their talents to beautify and inspire the lives of others.

Paulee, owner of Perspective by Paulee

Nikki, owner of Bedhead Designs

Paulee Writes about Decorating for You!

Why do I like to decorate?  Is it to Wow? No, it is to create a beautiful space and to share moments with those I love, my family, and friends. It is to create a place where traditions are shared, and to bring people together in a comfortable setting. It is a place where I can feel relaxed and safe.  Decorating is a constant forward motion; it invigorates me and rejuvenates my spirit.  It lets me exercise my creative side and it brings me peace, happiness and joy. I think this quote says it all.

"Decoration is really all about creating a quality of life, and a beauty within that life that nourishes the soul, that makes life beautiful.  That’s what all this is about, not just what’s in and what’s out."

                                                                                                -Albert Hadley

Read the rest of Paulee’s post

Nikki Writes about Following Your Dreams

Sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage and I promise you something great will come of it.  I love this saying.  Once you dream a dream (and you know it’s a viable dream), how do you start to make it a reality? The first thing you do is JUST JUMP!!  And you must jump in with both feet!  Put your whole heart into it. If YOU don’t believe in it, then who else will? This goes for anything new you try in life—it takes a massive leap of faith. 
Speak it into existence.  I am really into affirmations.  Write down your goals in a place you can see them and then say them out loud daily to help you keep your focus.  (any Stuart Smalley fans out there?!)  If you can keep your head in the right space, you will be more successful.  Share your dream with your family and close friends.  They will be excited to hear about the progress you are making.  Sharing with them gets you talking, and excitement will flow.
Read the rest of Nikki’s post

If you have a case of Spring Fever coming on the advice of these ladies might help. If you need a nudge of encouragement, reach out to either of them and they will be sure to urge you on!

You can catch up with Paulee and Nikki on Facebook.

Perspective by Paulee on Facebook

Bedhead Designs on Facebook

Visit my Guest Blogger Page to get to know all my blogging friends!

Happy Running!

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Guest Blogger: Kimbre writes about house keeping

Meet Kimbre, she is 27 years old. She has 3 boys and is expecting her 4^th in May 2016. Kimbre and her husband spend a lot of time not only raising their children in Christ, but helping to raise other children to know Him through their church’s AWANA Club. Kimbre is starting a new chapter of her life as a “stay at home” mom. She is eager to share what she has been learning in this new part of her life.

“Oh for Clean Sake”

Never have I claimed to be a great house keeper or even a good house keeper, for that matter, but always thought that I was at least decent. When I was still working it was easy to shrug off a messy house as my husband and I both worked 40 plus hours a week. Well, now that I stay at home there is no excuse for my lack of effort.

My husband was out of town this week for work and I thought, wouldn’t it be so awesome for him to come home to a spotless house. Ha! What did I do all week? Work on client websites and binge watch How I Met Your Mother, oops. So here it is Friday and the house is a disaster. I put on my best cleaning lady sweats and rubber gloves and get down to it.

Remember how I said I wasn’t even a good house keeper, well I decided today that I wasn’t even decent at it as I started in on my kitchen. My husband has this horrible need to always keep oil in his deep fryer even though it doesn’t have a lid. Because he wasn’t home I decided I was going to empty it. I pull the basket out and put it in hot soapy water, then I go to pour out the oil into a container to throw away when I discover… a dead mouse floating in the oil! Blah. After disposing of the nasty creature and start the fryer to soak I pulled out the microwave to find a field of mouse droppings. We live in the country so I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised, but I guess that’s what I get for not cleaning that part of my kitchen more often.

After this horrifying cleaning experience, I have decided to spend an hour a day cleaning a specific room. This is on top of the daily dishes and laundry that have to be done, of course.

Monday: Bathroom – shower, counter, sinks, toilet, floors

Tuesday: Living room – vacuum, dust

Wednesday: Office – file, organize, dust

Thursday: Kitchen – floors, counters, sinks, table, cleaning out the fridge

Friday: Light tidying before the weekend

Hopefully you all don’t struggle with keeping a clean house as much as I do, but if you do, I hope my blunders and new cleaning schedule can help you like I hope it will help me.

Catch up with Kimbre on Facebook and visit her blog Life of a "Stay at Home" Mom

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Happy Running!

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Guest Blogger: Kimberly writes about Priorities

My name is Kimberly, I am 24 years old and mother to two sweet little girls. I'm married to an amazing man and we live in a little town in Idaho. I enjoy crafting, reading, running and baking! I have an Etsy shop where I sell handmade cards, and I am currently in the process of starting my own blog. We have one dog and three chickens. We dream of having our own farm someday (hence the name of my shop and blog The Farmhouse Dream) with lots of animals, and our 12 children (No joke, that's how many kids my husband wants. Pray for me please).

Prioritizing the 'Important' Things

 “I have a really good friend who I always call to go snowmobiling, water-skiing, hunting ... you know the really important things in life...”

I was sitting in church when I heard these words. The same church I always go to, just in a different building in a different town. As the speaker said these words the congregation laughed with him as though to say, 'You're so funny. We all know these aren't the important things in life'.

Hearing these words got me thinking about how we often treat these things as the important things in our lives. How often does that television show, that conversation, that text message, or that shopping trip you had planned two weeks ago become that ALL important thing? When do these (sometimes meaningless) tasks get more of our time than our families? How often do we tell our children (and/or spouse) 'hang on, just a minute, we'll do that tomorrow or next week' while continuing to do what we are doing and never really focusing on them and what they may need at the time? Our actions never really change.

We need to re-prioritize our lives and focus on what really IS important. Not just what is important to us, but our family and our Heavenly Father as well.

We need to realize that we need to slow down and enjoy the little things. We need to take time with our children playing 'kitchen', reading stories and coloring in those never ending Disney coloring books (Seriously we just colored four pictures of Bambi ... Another one? Oh, all right.) because that is what they NEED us to be doing instead of the never ending list of laundry, cooking, cleaning, baking, etc. that we THINK we need to be doing. For our children those little things that are annoying, or a nuisance to us, are the BIG things to them. Have you ever heard the quote by Catherine M. Wallace, “Listen earnestly to anything your children want to tell you, no matter what. If you don't listen eagerly to the little stuff when they are little, they won't tell you the big stuff when they are big, because to them all of it has always been big stuff.” I love this quote! When I hear it I also think of how it applies to what they want to do and not just what they say. Our children need to have these memories of us (Mom and Dad) doing what they want to do, playing dress up, reading their bedtime stories, and making mud pies ... because at the end of the day the mud from the pies washes away and all we're left with are the memories (and photos if you remember - not my strong suit).

When I take a look at my own personal life I can see myself focusing on things that are of little importance to my family and my Heavenly Father. I will admit that I am human though, and I do get caught up in the things of the world. But I know that I can change that, it just takes time and the ability to admit that it is something that I need to work on. The important things in life aren't how many times we went snowmobiling last winter, or how many elk we successfully hunted in the span of our lifetime. The important things are the memories we make with our families, the time we spend with our Heavenly Father, and making the world a better place for our children to live in. We need to be the examples they deserve when it comes to what is important in life.

So what can you do today to re-prioritize what is important to you?

This is Kimberly's first guest post on Running Granny Green. Give her some love by visiting The Farmhouse Dream on Facebook, her Etsy Shop, and The Farmhouse Dream Blog.

Visit my Guest Blogger page to get to know all my blogging friends.

Happy Running!

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Guest Blogger: JoEllen writes about Relationships

JoEllen Claypool is back for a second guest blog post. JoEllen is the author of The Secrets Behind the Eyes,  A Realist’s Guide to Being a Pastor’s Wife, Realistic Tips to Being a Pastor’s Wife, Are You on the Verge of a Spiritual Heart Attack  and a contributing author of the Eclectic Collage Volumes 2, 3 and 4. She serves in the ministry with her husband who pastors a small country church in Caldwell, Idaho. Understanding the impact that one person can make, JoEllen is eager to reach out and encourage others to make right choices so that lives can be saved.

THEY'RE EVERYWHERE! THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!

There is not one area of your life that you can visit where there is not a relationship with someone or something. Yes, they're everywhere! Think about all of the people that you interact with on a daily basis. Chances are, you interact with infants, the elderly and everyone in between. When you are not engaging with people, including your own self, you are having a relationship with inanimate objects: food, the TV, your computer.

Recently, I made a pie chart. The irony of that last statement just dawned on me, as one of the relationships I have is with unhealthy food ... like pie. That's an issue for another day, but I charted every hour of my day and categorized where my time was going focusing on relationships. How much time did I focus on my children? How many hours of my time did my husband get? Am I getting enough me time? How much energy was being spent on other relationships? I did this every day for a week and then combined the week's findings into one big chart. It was interesting and it showed me where I was doing well and where I needed to concentrate more efforts.

The truth is there are only so many hours in the day and they need to be used wisely. Here is another truth. Relationships take time. Your relationships with the TV and the computer take time, time that could be used nurturing human relationships. Ouch. I am speaking to myself right now. You cannot expect to have healthy relationships with people without spending time with them.
  
It is easier to steal time away from certain areas in your life for the people in your home. The balance comes when building relationships with groups of people outside of your home. You probably have pockets of people who are in your work environment, your church setting and your groups of friends. Keeping these relationships healthy is very important as well, but where do you find the time?

Well, your work hours are set, so utilize that time to "SEE" that group of people. When a church activity is scheduled, make the most of those opportunities. Take the time to truly see behind the masks that so many people wear just to survive the moment before them. Many people have built walls that are hard to break down. Maybe you are the one with the wall. We have to take risks in relationships and may have to be transparent. You have something to offer and there is a reason people are brought across your path. You need to understand that your words and actions within these pockets of people could impact their lives! What great opportunities we have everyday to make someone smile!
 
Enjoy the moments you are able to sneak in with your friends. The older we get and the busier our lives become, the harder it is to carve out time for people. That was a difficult adjustment for me when I first realized this truth. I have learned that friendship takes on a different role when you are older. I do not have the time to go hang out at the mall, but I can make time for a phone call. There are still ways to reach out and connect.

Be perceptive to the nudgings you get no matter which group of people you are with at the time. Someone in that group may need a kind word, a healing touch, a listening ear. I want to encourage you with this: take the time to look someone in the eye; you never know when they are going to let you see them.

I would love for you to visit my blog, Making the Most of Every Opportunity. You may be interested in my featured post titled "Be Careful With the Bananas" which shares more regarding relationships.

Read JoEllen's previous post

Slow Down! You Move Too Fast!

Visit my Guest Blogger page to get to know all my blogging friends.

Running Granny Green encourages women, especially grandmothers, to gain greater fitness by providing tips and inspiration to insure long years of joyful grand-parenting. The cookie recipes are a bonus!

Happy Running!

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram.

Guest Blogger: Nikki shares her Word of the Year

Guest Blogger, Nikki, is back today with an idea for making your New Year a success.  Nikki is an entrepreneur and owner of Bedhead Designs.  She is a homeschool mom who volunteers in her church and community. She recently helped her husband (and kids) remodel a very old and broken home. Thanks, Nikki, for taking time to share your thoughts with us!

Do you set New Year’s goals? I often set them…and come mid-February, I have forgotten all about them! Last year, I heard about a word of the year, and I thought it was brilliant! I could remember one word all year! Haha!

I hadn’t picked a word yet for this year.  I had all but given up because I hadn’t found one that felt right. Then, I read this amazing article. It’s called A Vow to 'Soften', So Your Loved Ones Can Shine.  Soften.  It spoke to my very core! Soften seemed to settle right in. When I thought the word, I felt myself letting go, softening.

One of my favorite lines in the article is: “I felt myself being less of a controlling manager and more of a peaceful nurturer. As my inner barriers weakened, my ability to respond more lovingly, more patiently, and more openly grew.” My children are homeschooled.   I love it, but it’s very time consuming, and can be frustrating when you are all things to everyone all the time! I feel this word, soften, is just the inspiration I need to be the mother, the woman, I want to be.  It’s easy to keep one word in the front of my mind. I can see it there, and when I’m interacting throughout the day, it can help guide me. I also plan to think of the things I CAN do. I’m so done with trying to ‘stop’ doing things. It is so hard to STOP, but it’s much easier to DO.  I can soften my tone.  I can take the time.  I can encourage.  I can be there. See how much better that feels? It’s really quite freeing!

This year will be my year to soften my rough edges and to make sure my loved ones know by deed, first, then word, that I love them.  I invite you to try a ‘word of the year’.  I think you will find it a great way to make positive changes in a softer, gentler way. (see, it’s right on the tip of my tongue!)

Follow Nikki @bedheaddesigns on Instagram and visit her Etsy shop!

Read Nikki's previous guest posts
Sharing Traditions
Follow Your Dreams

Visit my Guest Blogger page to get to know all my blogging friends.

Happy Running!

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram.

Guest Blogger: Karli's Top 3 Tips for Fitness

 

Karli is a stay-at-home mom and Health Coach with Take Shape for Life. She is currently expecting baby boy number four! I'm glad to have her back for her second Guest Blogger visit.Read her Top 3 Tips for getting and staying healthy!

The TOP THREE things I think are essential to be successful while getting and staying healthy are:

Preparation.  First, it's important that you're properly prepared.  I suggest starting with a list of goals. This is not something to take lightly. The best goals are SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely. Write them down and put them somewhere you can see often.  Take pictures and measurements, clean out cupboards, get rid of anything tempting, and tell the people closest to you what you're trying to accomplish.  After you've started, be prepared by taking meals with you and be intentional about deciding what you’ll do before you get to an event so you’re not caught off guard. Be prepared.

Accountability.  Answering to someone helps us make better choices, keeps us more conscious and aware of the things that we are doing, and encourages us to be honest with ourselves and the person we are reporting to. Another thing accountability helps us do is take responsibility for our actions.  When I was in high school and college, I used to blame my weight issues on anything or anyone I could.  It definitely wasn't my fault I was overweight.  It was my situation, my circumstances, the world, etc.  Blah, blah, blah. Seriously. Someone should have slapped me in the face! I finally learned and recognized the importance in taking responsibility for the things that were in my control.  I was overweight because I ate too much.  I was overweight because I loathed exercise and didn't want to get off my butt and move. It was MY fault. This thought may depress some, but for me it was a huge wake up call.  If it was my fault, it was in my control. If I had caused it, I could undo it! I had the power to choose to change. I made the choice and have kept myself accountable to it ever since. Now, when I choose to make unhealthy choices for my body, I own them and realize I must also be willing to also take the consequences that come along with them. Be accountable.

Consistency.  This one is vital.  It doesn't just mean be consistent once, or until we reach our goals, its long term, pretty much fooorreevveerr.  {sandlot reference}.  I read something recently that said change is the combination of effort and time. {elna baker} This spoke to me because it's been my tendency in the past to be consistent until I get the thing I desire and then once the goal has been achieved, the consistency becomes less and less til suddenly, it's a rarity.  For lasting change, we have to be consistent in our efforts over time.  That might mean saying no to junk food more often than not. Maybe it’s choosing to exercise 5-6 days a week til it becomes a habit so tightly woven that we can't imagine not fitting it in. Or choosing sleep over an extra hour of Netflix because we value how great we feel when well rested.  Being aware of the things we put into and do to our bodies because we recognize and realize its inherent beauty and value.  I know that making these choices consistently over time will enable me to reach my fundamental goal, which is simply Freedom.  Freedom from sickness and disease.  Freedom from being controlled by food.  Freedom to spend time with the people I love most.  Be consistent.

Before and After Baby #3

If you're truly interested in attaining your goals and are ready to take the plunge and do these three things listed above, let me know.

You can find me here:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/healthconfessions

Blog: http://www.healthconfessions.blogspot.com

Web: http://www.youfit.tsfl.com/explore

Email: zkyoufit@hotmail.com

Text: 541.216.2018

Read Karli's first Guest Blogger post about Knowledge

Visit my Guest Blogger page to get to know all my blogging friends.

Happy Running!

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Guest Blogger: Jane writes about her best daily practice

Meet Jane Freund, an author, speaker and book coach based in Boise, Idaho. Previously, Jane taught Communication for ten years at Boise State University.

My Best Daily Practice

One of the best things I've done for myself is to take perfection off my table of expectations! One of the benefits of doing so is admitting that I am a human being who makes unintentional and intentional mistakes. Furthermore, I interact with other humans who do the same. Such errors can be in my personal life when I miss a crucial date, say something I shouldn't or otherwise screw up. In terms of my professional life, I can forget a meeting, blow off a deadline or do something that I should not. Of course, others are guilty of making similar or other mistakes that affect me. So what am I to do?

At the end of the day, I have a choice: unpack my bag of mistakes and deal with them OR carry them into the next day. Simply put, am I going to forgive or hang onto the offenses on the road to building a first-class grudge? I have found that the best thing to do at the end of each day is to forgive and to move on. Please note that I did NOT say stuff your feelings but rather acknowledge and deal with them. Facing the feelings is at the core of forgiveness. The feelings may be small and more easily dealt with bigger ones that have likely hit old nerves.

I define forgiving as "A premeditated decision (NOT a feeling) to let go of negative feelings toward someone who has hurt you." If I wait until I FEEL like forgiving, I may never get around to it (particularly if the offense hits an old nerve). Rather, I CHOOSE to forgive so that I will feel better. Hanging onto the negative feelings takes energy I would rather expend in more positive ways.

Think of forgiving as making a healthy choice for YOU! When I made the choice to start forgiving on a daily (if not more frequent) basis, I began feeling better physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Oh and if you are waiting for the other person to forgive first, then I have a question for you: Why are you giving YOUR power to somebody else? You have the capacity to feel better without somebody else's involvement. That's a much easier route to take!

Most importantly, forgive yourself because then you will feel better about yourself and in turn, about others as well.

Jane Freund is an author, encourager, speaker and book coach who has written 17 books and helped over 70 people achieve their publishing dreams. Her latest book is "Fascinated by Forgiveness - A Practical Guide for Forgiving & Being Forgiven". In addition, Jane taught Communication for ten years at Boise State University. Her books can be found at http://www.amazon.com/Jane-Freund/e/B003U516LY/, https://www.etsy.com/shop/JaneFreundship, and Smashwords. You can find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/janefreundauthorspeakerandbookcoach/

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