Pure Health and Living Magazine

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Issue 1 | Spring 2013

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PURE HEALTH&LIVING

Health | Organic Living | Home Life | Family

Clear Chaos From Your Life

COVER

Keeping Chickens

Say Goodbye To Picky Eaters 5 Ways To Stop A Sugar Crash 2 HABITS To Change Your Life Forever!

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Welcome!

I’m Kathy Burden. Welcome you to my new magazine Kathy’s Pure Health & Living - a place to find information that will help you achieve optimal health, naturally, and help you provide a healthy, toxic free home for you and your family.

Our purpose is to help “baby boomers” and moms with young children. Each group is equally important, as I have come to realize that these two groups are the care providers for our loved ones. We have moms caring for young children, grandparents caring for young children, moms caring for elderly family members and baby boomers caring for their parents.

As a mother, grandmother, and an 8-year breast cancer survivor, I know all too well the importance of achieving optimal health.

Disease thrives in an acidic body and a toxic environment. I’ve spent years searching and researching different products, looking for a system to make our family healthier, naturally. I’ve learned that the human body needs 3 essential building blocks to function-air, water and nutrition-the pH3 (Pure Health 3).

As I was battling breast cancer, I learned many things about fighting disease, getting healthy, and eliminating toxins. I want to share these with you, so you too can experience optimal health and have a toxicfree environment to raise your children. Our company is founded on faith, honor and integrity. ~Kathy Burden, CNHP, RDH

CONTRIBUTORS Natural Beauty Between conducting business in the capital and wiping snotty noses, Kara Boleyn enjoys finding healthier alternatives for everyday needs.

Family Kelli Schulte has a Masters degree in education and taught for 10 years. As a mother of 5, Kelli teaches people how to transition into a healthier lifestyle.

Outdoors Brynn Bialke is a full-time engineer, aspiring “farm girl,” health freedom enthusiast, and is developing the Mother Lode Farm, LLC.

Vaccines Mary Tocco is an independent vaccine investigator, international speaker, radio host of “Healing Our World”, journalist at the Republic Broadcasting Network.

Pregnancy Nichi Hirsch Kuechle supports moms from pregnancy to parenthood as a Coach, Birth Doula and Nutrition Response Testing Practitioner in Minneapolis.

Fitness Heidi DeCoux is an organizing & productivity expert and is the founder of ClearSimpleLiving.com.

Home Jo Ebisujima is the founder of My Organized Chaos. She runs an e-course three times a year.

Organic Food Jordan Rubin, is the New York Times best-selling author of The Maker's Diet and 20 additional health titles, including Live Beyond Organic.

Pure Health & Living Contents Freedom Chick

10

The joy of keeping poultry!

31

12

2 Habits To Change Your Life

12

Heidi DeCoux gives you two simple habits to change your life forever.

De Clutter and Clear Chaos

14

5 tips to decluttering.

Living and Dead Foods

19

27

23

Are your foods “living” or processed from the “dead zone”?

Lavender

21

4 great everyday uses of lavender.

Vaccine Revolution Education

23

Mary Tocco-the growing debate against vaccines.

19

21

14

10

No ‘Poo Method woman’s experience 25 One with “No Poo”.

Sugar Crash

27

5 ways to stop a sugar crash during pregnancy.

Blessed and Miracles

29

Photographer Kara Powell’s new book.

31

Easy ways to stop your kids picky eating.

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In a recent study, groups of hypertensive New York stockbrokers who got dogs or cats were found to have lower blood pressure and heart rates than those who didn’t get pets. When they heard of the results, most of those in the non-pet group went out and got pets!

“Finding Your Freedom Chick” There are times in our adult lives when our truth and authenticity and the truth around us are revealed, thank God! It may not happen in a moment, it may not happen without trial and pain, and it may not happen without our active participation. However, the truth does set you free! I call this journey “finding your Freedom Chick”.

I can think of no other time in my life filled with such revelation and truth-seeking as when I became a new mom and further, a single mom.

smiling children in the chicken yard, spilling out grain from their pockets, and was filled with a knowing that I wanted that for my family.

There were many decisions to be made, all of which required attention. I could have taken the path of least resistance and allowed “social norms” to guide me.

Little did I know that I would be blessed a few years later to have captured many happy moments such as these with my son.

However, at this time in my life, perhaps it was becoming a mother, I developed a deep need to question the “reality” that we are presented with, from the topic of vaccination to the origin of our banking system.

I think on a deep level when we “peel the onion,” so to speak, many of us instinctively pull back to a place of comfort, to our homestead heritage, the family farm.

Here we can pursue independent living and provide our children (and ourselves) with a myriad of wholesome joys, practical life experiences, and character- building moments that can only come from digging in the dirt, raising animals, and taking responsibility for producing an increasing amount of our own food supply.

Before becoming a mom, I recall viewing a nostalgic painting of two barefoot

I will never forget the day Bergen found the very first egg, how he held it so lovingly and responded to my suggestion that he name his egg business “Bergen’s Best Eggs,” with a quiet exclamation that he would name it “Lover Eggs.”

Five roosters that became aggressive, “overworking” the hens, and attacking anyone that would enter the coop-including my little boy and 80 plus year old neighbor lady who had watched over the flock one time-had to be dealt with!

Of course there is work involved in raising chickens, clearly tied to the money earned (which still comes in handy when teaching delayed gratification, averting “junk” purchases and beginning to save).

The first small flock of fifteen backyard chickens was quickly cut in half after a run-in with a coyote and her hungry pups. Even so, it became apparent that free-ranging these wonderful animals was not going to create harmony, not only in our backyard but over at the neighbors. as well.

Soon after we experienced the obliteration of any ornamental foliage, pesky window sill-sitting chickens and holes in the yard, the girls found their new home in a chicken tractor.

You can dream up about any kind of “chicken tractor” for your hens, using the material you have on hand, or go online for inspiration.

There one

and 80 plus year old neighbor lady who had watched over the flock one time, had to be dealt with! My mother had bought me a new hatchet for Christmas and I put it to good use.

can find any number of free or low-cost plans. I scaled up a small A-frame type coop that ended up being too heavy to easily move around the yard.

However, this arrangement worked fine for a season until we bought twenty-five more chicks the following spring.

The large flock was cooped up but enjoyed a large chicken run and scraps from the garden.

Things were going quite well into autumn last year, but as the holidays approached I realized I had a problem. Five roosters that became aggressive, “overworking” the hens and attacking anyone that would enter the coop including my little boy

While it was not an experience I had planned, it was empowering in numerous ways and another skill I needed to have as a “farm girl.” I remember reflecting on the experience of having to kill and butcher three roosters, and drawing a parallel to our lives.

At some point we have to realize that we have the strength, tools and responsibility to eliminate those things in our lives that are destructive, for our own well being and that of those around us. In doing so, there are rewards and wisdom waiting in the end!

By the way, the girls (hens) are much happier now, and all parts of the rooster were put to good use. We have enjoyed the meat, tasty though a less desirable

texture, made chicken broth including the healthy gelatin imparted from using the feet, used the remains of the broth to make dog food, and even couture feather earrings were a result.

Now having gained the skills of being able to raise poultry for eggs and meat, I am excited to be able to produce high quality food for much less and share it through my farming enterprise.

Next up is converting an old trailer into an “egg mobile” with a portable solar powered fence, building two large (portable!) chicken tractors for pastured Freedom Ranger heritagebread chickens and turkeys, and making my own organic supplemental and winter feed.

Is time for you to find your “Freedom Chick?” If so, please consider following my blog at www.freedomchick.com where I will be sharing a lot of related information and resources as I build Mother Lode Farm.

Brynn Bialke is a full-time engineer, devoted single mom, aspiring “farm girl”, health freedom enthusiast, working to develop a small business centered initially around poultry, Mother Lode Farm, LLC. Brynn own’s a seven acre “farmette” in southwest Michigan, about 90 minutes from Chicago, home also to her son, Bergen, and a growing number of animals including a dog (Rasta), a cat (Claws), a bunny (Fluffy Puffy), a couple of roosters and presently about thirty heritagebreed laying hens.

KICK START YOUR DAY THE GREEN WAY! We started the new year with lofty goals to get in shape or to eat healthy. By spring, many of us will have given up on most of our goals! Some of us will feel defeated, while some of us will feel relieved!

Instead of setting lofty goals that are bound to fail, set a reasonable course that gets fast results - starting TODAY! Here's the plan… Create two, simple daily habits.

Habit #1: Start your day with a fast, delicious, filing green smoothie. The process takes less than 15 minutes from start through clean up! The smoothie is packed with nutrients and good alkaline greens. Plus, it tastes yummy!! I know itʼs hard to believe, but it's true!! Even your kids will eat it.

Green Smoothie Recipe (serves 2) • • • • • • • • •

1 cup of coconut milk (plain, fresh from a carton, not canned) 1 tbsp ground golden flax seed 1 Sun Warrior protein powder – in Natural 1 serving of coconut Kiefer or other non-dairy pro-biotic 2 handfuls of spinach 2 handfuls of kale 1 large cucumber (or 2 small) 1 avocado 1 banana (frozen or fresh)

*if you need extra sweetness, add some stevia or agava to it.

Toss everything in your blender (we use a Vitamix in our home). Blend until smooth. Pour into mugs.

Serve with a spoon - it's thick and you'll want to scrape the bottom of the mug! For super-fast clean up, blend water on high for 30 seconds (3/4 full) and then rinse it out under the faucet.

BURST WORKOUT! Habit #2: On the days you can't do a full workout, do a "burst workout!" Studies show that burst workouts are extremely effective at burning calories, building your cardiovascular strength, and increasing your energy. The best part is that it only takes 11 minutes! By Heidi DeCoux

Sprint Routine (11 minutes) •

5 minute warm up walk

•

45 second sprint

•

45 second recovery walk

•

45 second sprint

•

45 second recovery walk

•

45 second sprint

•

2 minute cool down walk

If you want to take it to the next level, then create the "habit" as a NonNegotiable Activity (NNA)! Itʼs the one small thing you do, everyday, no matter what. Instead of making a lofty new years resolution, incorporate one small non-negotiable activity (NNA) into your daily routine.

Adding new, healthy things into your life is much easier -- and way more fun -- than cutting out things. I find that as I add in new healthy habits, my bad habits disappear on their own.

Consider adding one new healthy NNA to your daily, weekly, or monthly routine, for the next 12 months. If you complete that, then in one year you will have accomplished a lofty goal, without all the loft!

An 11 minute exercise routine seems pretty reasonable, right?

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5 TIPS TO SPRING CLEANING Clutter is not only unsightly but it始s also not good for your mind and soul. How many times have you misplaced something and before you know it, you are stressed and angry? How many arguments have started over something a simple as dirty clothes left on the floor, and how many times have bills or deadlines been missed because the important piece of paper was filed somewhere in the chaos?

Having a home where everything is organized might feel like an impossibility, especially once kids arrive on the scene, but it isn始t that hard to achieve. If you get the rest of the family on board, half of your battle done. Here are a few tips to get you on your way...

1. Call A Family Meeting. Make it fun, without finger pointing. Voice your complaints and ask the rest of the family for suggestions. If the kids never hang their school bags up, find out why. If they leave their pajamas on the floor, get them to suggest a place to

keep them. If your partner can never find the car keys, make a new home for them. You are far more likely to succeed with the rest of the family helping.

2. Everything Has A Home. If everything in your home has its own home, no one has an excuse for

leaving things lying around. Plus, it makes finding things easier too! Donʼt be afraid to use labels until everyone has gotten the hang of things.

3. Form New Habits. If the mail just gets dumped on the counter throughout the week, then make it a habit to sort the mail over the bin and put the important things into an “in” tray. If you are sick of waking up to a sink full of dirty dishes, then bite the bullet and make the effort to wash them after dinner. It might feel like a real strain at first but it becomes easier, and waking up to a nice clean kitchen is a much better feeling. To make it easier, challenge yourself to do it for just

one week, then see how you feel at the end.

4. Have A Regular Purge. It is easy to get over-cluttered.

Think of all the new things bought into the home, and compare them to the amount of things you throw out.

Exactly! So, it is necessary to regularly go through your home and get rid of anything that is old, broken, outgrown or no longer needed. If it is still in an acceptable state, then donate it or pass it on. Make this part of your regular cleaning and get the rest of the family thinking in this mindset too.

trolley, think about exactly where it is going to live. It might be the “best thing since sliced bread,” but if you donʼt have room for it, it will soon become the next bit of annoying clutter. The same applies to kids toys and clothes, do you really need it and where will be kept?

You might not achieve or even want a “Zen-like” minimalist home, but having an organized home, free of clutter will help you feel more relaxed, less stressed, and allow you to enjoy your home more.

6.

5. Think Before You Buy. Before you pop the latest ʻmust haveʼ item in your shopping

Jo Ebisujima is the founder of My Organized Chaos. She helps busy moms and dads to organize their home and kids so that they can have more time to do the fun stuff.

She runs an e-course three times a year and also takes on one on one clients. www.my-organized-chaos.com

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Killer Foods Are your foods living—packed with nutrients that nourish life and vitality —or are they from the “dead zone”—processed foods full of life-sapping ingredients? By Jordan Rubin New York Times best-selling author of The Maker's Diet

Iʼve always said that you need to eat to live, but if your foods arenʼt life-giving, then theyʼre most likely life-taking, especially if theyʼre made with ingredients found in most conventional foods, snacks, and beverages.

70% of kids think fast foods are more nutritious than homecooked foods In fact, most Americans have a serious problem with what theyʼre eating, and it starts at a young age. For example, most kids arenʼt aware of what foods give life or take it away, including the 70 percent of polled kids ages 6-to-8 who think that fast foods are more nutritious than healthy, home-cooked foods.

Maybe thatʼs why high-calorie, lownutrient foods, snacks and beverages account for more than one-third of their daily calories.

And speaking of kids and junk food. . . statistics say that in recent years, kids aged 7 to 12 spent $2.3 billion—and teens spent a whopping $58 billion—on unhealthy snacks and beverages.

They have a lot to choose from, too, because there are over 320,000 processed foods, snacks, and beverages on the market.

The problem is that these so-called “foods” are literally “killer foods” that harm health. In fact, kids and teens now have health problems which typically affect those who are middleaged and older, including heart, liver, blood pressure, blood fat unhealth and other weight-related health risks.

For instance, high blood pressure in children has tripled in the last 10 years, and one in eight kids have two or more heart disease risk factors, while more

than one-third of kids and teens is overweight or obese.

The American Academy of Pediatrics now requires pediatricians to monitor calcium and blood pressure at age two and complete a lipid profile between the ages of two and eight.

Our kids arenʼt the only ones experiencing this fallout, however. Overall, Americans live sicker and die younger than people of other high-income countries, according to a new study released by the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine.

That should not be—and here are some of the biggest “killer food” offenders.

Unfortunately, in the United States weʼre mostly fed by corn. Thatʼs a problem.

Most of the corn in

conventional foods is genetically modified (GM) corn which poses many health dangers, including tumor formation; liver, kidney, and other organ damage.

Then thereʼs sugar and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). We eat a whole lot of it, too—about 170 pounds of sugar per person per year.

There are over 320,000 processed foods, snacks, and beverages on the market Simply put, excess sugar messes up the body, including weight; cells; immune, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems; mental, emotional, neurological and metabolic health;

mouth and teeth; bones and skin; veins and internal organs; blood sugar and blood pressure.

Sugar is found in many forms, but high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is the most health-threatening of all. It ages cells faster than sucrose does; contributes to cancer cell proliferation; damages the brain and slows learning; robs the body of vitamins, minerals and enzymes; increases risk for heart disease; impairs the pancreas from releasing insulin normally; contributes to fatty liver; raises serum triglyceride levels and blood pressure levels; and converts to fat more than any other sugar.

Sugarʼs everywhere, too— including soda, which has up to 17 teaspoons of sugar (mostly HFCS) per can, and provides more added sugar to a 2-yearoldʼs diet than cookies, candies and ice cream

combined. Likewise, an average teenage boy drinks at least three cans of soda each day, while the average American drinks an estimated 56 gallons of soft drinks, including sodas, each year.

Thatʼs not all, though.

Foods frequently have artificial sweeteners, including aspartame and saccharin.

Saccharin is on the “Hazardous Substance List” for irritating the skin and causing skin allergies Aspartame is a neurotoxic substance that has been associated with numerous health problems, while saccharin is on the “Hazardous Substance List” for irritating the skin and causing skin allergies.

Most soft drinks, including sodas, also contain phosphoric acid—which blocks the absorption of calcium and magnesium and contributes to fragile, easily fractured bones, bone loss and osteoporosis as well as fatigue, unhealthy blood pressure and blood sugar as well as impaired immune responses.

Add in a variety of artificial flavorings, colorings, and preservatives—and you have a concoction of chemicals which sap physical and mental health.

As if that werenʼt bad enough, what killer foods donʼt have in them makes them bad, too.

Conventional foods, snacks and beverages have little to no nutritional value as far as healthy proteins, carbs or fats, but theyʼre also lacking in vitamins, minerals, enzymes and other important nutrients.

So, what about you? Are you, your kids, your family, and friends going to enter the “dead zone” with conventional killer foods or turn towards life-giving foods?

I believe the choice is clear.

Choose life.

Jordan Rubin, one of America's most recognized and respected natural health experts, is the New York Times best-selling author of The Maker's Diet and 20 additional health titles, including Live Beyond Organic.

He’s on a mission to transform the health of this nation and world one life at a time by creating superior quality health and wellness solutions while teaching the principles of Biblical health, abundant living and environmental stewardship. Learn more about Jordan and his mission at Beyond Organic.

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The Vaccine Education Revolution

By Mary Tocco

In 1979, I was married to a chiropractor and we were planning for our first child. Wanting to understand how vaccines protected, I began my personal investigation into the world of vaccines. I found a book by a well-known pediatrician, Robert Mendelssohn, called Confessions of a Medical Heretic.

At that time, Dr. Robert had been the guest on The Phil Donahue Show and other major TV talk programs and what he had to share was very controversial.

In this book he made some shocking claims that vaccines were not protecting our children and that infectious illnesses had declined dramatically before the vaccines were introduced. As I read further, Dr. Mendelsohn wrote that the vaccines may be worse than the diseases and that they are like the “game of roulette.” He authored a second book, How to Raise a Healthy Child In Spite of Your

Doctor, where he states, “The purpose of the pediatrician is to vaccinate…to indoctrinate your children into a life-long dependency on medical interventions.” My interest was perked!

The Deal Was Sealed I searched the libraries for more books on the subject and after much looking, I found a few other books that validated Dr. Mendelsohnʼs statements. I discovered that vaccine policy was driven by politics and greed, and that the powerful medical establishment refused to acknowledge vaccine injuries.

Historically, vaccines had a bad record for safety and efficacy. As I continued my studies, I also learned about the benefits of natural immunity and how for centuries, humans lived and adapted to their environment. It was apparent that we could not vaccinate our child.

Going Public In 1995, I testified before the Michigan Health Policy Committee against a bill that was introduced against a bill that would remove our stateʼs philosophical vaccine exemption. In helping to defeat the bill, and finding testifying empowering, I decided that I needed to start educating people on the dangers of vaccines. I began to speak around the state of Michigan, and at that time I knew about 10 people who felt the way I did about vaccines. There were only a few organizations dedicated to this cause back then. I helped start a state organization, Michigan Opposing Mandatory Vaccines (MOM), the first state group in the country dedicated to this cause. I continued to reach people

and by 2003 I had my first web site, and in 2006 released my 2 DVD set, “Are Vaccines Safe?” This DVD is still considered one of the best educational tools available. I am now an international key note speaker and have reached thousands face-to-face with my passionate message: make informed vaccine decisions.

I have watched this movement grow from a few hundred people to many thousands of parents, immunologists, surgeons, PhDs, biologists, researchers, medical doctors. There are thousands of web sites exposing the flaws supporting the pro-vaccine camp. The vaccine education movement is growing by leaps and bounds daily and parents are the fuel pushing the

movement. As the government works to discredit those of us who are tirelessly working to expose the corrupt system in control of the vaccine machine, I continue to fight the media and others who try to silence me.

Each state in the country has vaccine exemptions available. There are three basic exemptions: religious, medical and philosophical. Some states have only a medical exemption, requiring a doctors signature and stating that the vaccine would be detrimental to the child. Many states have all three exemptions. To check your own stateʼs exemption rights, please see the link below and check with your local/state health department for details.

Request the law in writing so that you are fully informed on how to exercise your rights.

Mary Tocco is an independent vaccine investigator for 32 years, international speaker, radio host of “Healing Our World,” Republic Broadcasting Network journalist and natural health care advocate. She is co-founder of Heart For Autism, a non-profit organization and is on the Board of The World Association of Vaccine Education (WAVE) and director of vaccine research and education for Michigan Opposing Mandatory Vaccines (MOM) Mary’s website is www.childhoodshots.com

“No ‘Poo?” Me

By Kara Boleyn

If you are familiar with the natural living movement, then you have probably heard of the “no ʻpoo method of hair washing. The no ʻpoo method means not using shampoo to wash your hair.

Whatever your reasoning may be, decreasing the amount of chemicals you expose yourself to, saving money, having healthier hair, no ʻpooing is definitely a lifestyle change.

Shampoo strips your hair of dirt, but also of its natural oils, causing your scalp to produce even more oil in order to moisturize your scalp and strands.

So, the more you strip your hair of its natural oils, the more you end up needing to shampoo. It is these natural oils that make your hair strong and shiny, so by removing them, we are weakening and dulling the hair shaft.

I stopped using shampoo and conditioner about six months ago. I knew that I should expect a period of transition during which my scalp would “learn” that it

did not need to produce so much oil and my hair would most likely look and feel awful. I also knew that if I could make it through this transition period I would (supposedly) have to wash my hair less frequently; have healthier, shinier hair; and have more manageable, less frizzy hair – thus saving money on shampoo, conditioner, and styling products.

My current hair regime is this:”wash” with a solution of 1 tablespoon of baking soda to 1 cup of very warm water, applied generously to the scalp, and scrubbed in with my fingertips; “condition” with a solution of 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to one cup of warm water applied mostly to the ends and then combed through; rinsing with cool water. I have, and continue to, fiddle with my ratios depending on whether I

feel my hair is too dry or too oily. It is certainly not an exact science.

My transition period lasted a couple of months. I was already an every-otherday hair washer when I began, so I started out no ʻpooing every other day.

After the first use, my hair felt amazing!

It was clean, smooth, and voluminous. But after about a weekʼs time, it began to take on a waxy, heavy feeling that crept farther and farther down my strands with each “wash.” I also developed dandruff during this time, which had never before been an issue for me.

At this point, I can only surmise that it was sheer stubbornness that kept me at it.

A couple of times, I added a small drop of dandruff shampoo to my baking

soda solution and it helped slightly, but I knew it wasnʼt the answer.

I learned that the dandruff eventually subsided with time and a periodic drop of tea tree oil in my baking soda solution.

Since the no ʻpoo solutions have no “slip” and are more difficult to maneuver on the scalp, I still occasionally add a very tiny drop of regular shampoo to my “wash.”

I havenʼt found the perfect ratios for my solutions just yet; and I suspect that they probably will fluctuate from time to time anyway, but I have found that persevering through

the bad-hair days has paid off.

The amazing hair that I had after first trying the no ʻpoo method has become a pretty regular occurrence

The payoff? Way more great hair days than bad.

I havenʼt bought a single hair product (other than baking soda and apple cider vinegar) since August. I am washing less frequently (which means I am getting a little more sleep most days).

My hair is not frizzy anymore. My daily exposure to potentially harmful chemicals has decreased drastically.

The amazing hair that I had after first trying the no ʻpoo method has become a pretty regular occurrence, even though I am “washing” much less frequently (only twice a week now).

Verdict: If you have the persistence/patience/ stomach for the transition period and are seeking a healthier/more simple lifestyle (that includes great hair!), I highly recommend the no ʻpoo method.

Kara Boleyn is a wife, mother, and working professional striving to strike a balance amongst her many roles.

Between conducting business in our nation's capital and wiping snotty noses. Kara enjoys DIY projects, decorating, and finding healthier alternatives for everyday needs. Kara resides in Northern Virginia with her husband and two sons.

5 Easy Ways to Prevent a Blood Sugar Crash!

For New and Expecting Mamas, keep a small protein-based snack on your bedside table. The suggested snack most providers give is saltine crackers.

This might help with the nausea but does nothing to maintain your blood sugar.

If you want to avoid nausea AND passing out from a blood sugar crash during the night as you either a.) waddle to the bathroom in late pregnancy to pee or b.) wake up to nurse your baby, then you need to feed your body with protein.

When you wake in the morning, eat within 36 minutes of rising.

This doesnʼt need to be a full meal, but it will behoove you to grab a boiled egg, protein shake, cheese stick, yogurt cup or handful of trail mix almost immediately out of bed.

1

Believe me when I say you WILL feel the difference. You will have more energy, will “wake up” more quickly, can last longer until you can sit down to your first meal of the day and everyone in your life will find you easier to be with!

2

Eat 5-6 times per day. This doesnʼt necessarily mean grazing. What this means is to slim down your 3 square meals and boost-up snacks in between. If youʼve ever raised a toddler, their eating schedule is what yours should look like:

• breakfast • mid-morning snack • lunch • mid-afternoon snack • dinner • a little something before bed Eating small, frequent meals and starting your day with a bite right after you wake is your key to kickstarting your metabolism.

3

Your snacks can be simple, such as dried apricots and almonds in your desk drawer at work, or a cheese stick and apple in the car, or popcorn made with

coconut oil, covered in butter and sprinkled with nutritional yeast.

Know your proteins.

Eating nutrientdense here is what really matters. There are multiple ways to get protein during each snack and meal.

4

Keep this list handy on your fridge or in your purse for when you find yourself staring at a vending machine. Grab the item with the least amount of sugar and highest amount of nuts/ seeds.

• Whole fat dairy items such as milk, kefir, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese • Nitrate free beef jerky, turkey sticks, deli meats • Nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts,

pumpkin seeds, peanuts are family favorites • Quinoa (keen-wa) is a gluten free whole grain with nearly 9 grams of protein per cup Set yourself up for success.

I know, we sometimes have those mornings when you can hardly get yourself ready for the day, but taking the time to set yourself up for success will pay off big time.

5

to breastfeed your baby.

Think nutrient-dense and what you can grab quickly that will help your health, not hinder it.

Avoid the symptoms of a blood sugar crash: irritability, cold sweat, feeling lightheaded or shaky, by making healthy choices with the foods you are eating and by putting yourself first so you can best care for those around you.

Keep it simple with tasks such as peeling the boiled eggs the night before, or throwing all the ingredients youʼll need for your smoothie in the blender and setting it in the fridge.

In the morning, you blend it, pour it and grab your peeled boiled egg on your way out the door or into the nursery

Nichi Hirsch Kuechle supports moms from pregnancy to parenthood as a Coach, Birth Doula and Nutrition Response Testing Practitioner in Minneapolis. She teaches a variety of live and virtual workshops. You can get Nichi's New Parent Tool Kit, for free ($30 value!), by going to: www.MyHealthyBeginning.com.

Have A Blessed Session!

By Kara Powell I have a mother like many of you do. She is fabulous at most everything. Cooking, house type duties, every motherly job and question you might have. She has never been the “showy” model of a woman, but she is beautiful in her own right, inside and out. But for family portraits and portraits with her children, I felt that we, as her kids, always came first. Does this sound familiar?

I hear this daily in my profession. Fabulous mothers taking care of their households, families, husbands and so many other things.

This Christmas, I decided I would take things into my own hands and finally set up an extended family session with my brother's family, my family and my mom and dad. This was not easy to do.

Everyone complained about doing it, and the day of the portraits, it was very hectic.

several set-ups, so that you can capture this rare time that you are all together.

Whether you live in Houston or have just come in for the day, this is crucial to do for your family.

However, do you know who was the most excited about these images? My mother.

She said she finally had images of her whole family, including her!

I have had a mother and her two daughters come in for a session. Next week, I get to meet a grandmother, mother, daughter and grand-daughter. Can you imagine what this image of four generations is going to look like? How it is going to be cherished?

Unfortunately, most mothers seem to be behind the camera these days, and are missing from the images. This is why I came up with the “Blessed” session.

Please do not put this off until you lose twenty pounds. Your children or grandchildren will not see those extra pounds in the images.

Blessed sessions are designed for several generations to come to my photography studio and spend a day or half a day pampering themselves and spending quality time with each other.

They will only see the loving bond you share. And true professional photographers will know how to pose you, so you won't see those extra pounds. :)

We provide hair and makeup, wine and light hors d’oeuvres. Each of you will have an individual session of about an hour and then we will also do a group session with

So collect all of those girls and come on in!

I would love to capture how Blessed you really are.

Kara Powell Photography (Just Click!)

Kara’s Book Kara Powell always wanted to have her own children and start a family. So when her doctor told her that it would be difficult for her to conceive because of her endometriosis, she was devastated.

Despite this obstacle, Kara was determined, and for the next five years she and her husband found themselves on an odyssey that tested their patience, faith and their marriage.

In Expecting a Miracle, she shares this remarkable journey along with the true stories of fifteen other families who struggled and triumphed over infertility. Â Expecting a Miracle was written to inform and most importantly, inspire and give hope to the millions of women and their families who are going through a similar struggle. Here is a triumphant testimony that explores and celebrates motherhood, family, the miracle of life and the power of faith.

Click here to purchase Kara’s book

Say Good Bye To Picky Eaters Does the thought of dinnertime overwhelm you? Kids bouncing all over, thoughts of “mac and cheese again” bouncing through your head, the constant uttering of “Sit Down!, Eat!” Kelli Schulte tells you how to stop picky eaters!

Moms all around struggle with getting their kids to eat, let alone getting them to eat “healthy.”

Our family is no different. At five my daughter struggled with some severe medical issues that caused our family to go on an extremely severe diet, which did bring healing, but it also birthed a great deal of creativity to get her to “eat!”

Dinnertime can be a time of bonding and enjoyment for your family, filled with healthy food and children who will eat it!

Never Give Up Many people give their child a food, like an avocado, the child pushes it aside, the parent says, “Oh, you don’t like avocados.”

Never again is an avocado served to the child because they tried it and they didn’t like it!

Exposing children to a new food 10 to 20 times is necessary If you look at the research many say exposing children to a new food ten to twenty times is necessary. In our home it took many more than twenty exposures! For example, potatoes in any form were not a favorite.

For an entire year I made potatoes of some sort and put about one tablespoon on my daughter’s plate every

night. At first she needed to have it on her plate, then she had to touch it, then she had to take a bite of it, then she had to take three bites of it.

Over the course of a year she then began to eat the entire tablespoon of potato and asked for more!

A Fun Dinner Table Dinnertime can bring much stress to families, little wiggly bodies and “ick” can be defeating.

It is time for a new attitude about dinner.

Set a timer for ten minutes, and tell everyone that they are to sit at the table until the timer beeps, and then they can ask to be excused. Then fill up that ten minutes and keep them busy as they eat: what we do is

they have all been taught that it is not ok to do this at Thanksgiving dinner at Grandmas!

This pretty much fills up the ten minutes. As they are successful with the ten minutes extend the time to twenty minutes. Focus becomes the family connection not the food!

Rethink Portion Sizes To make your eater successful take away that huge dinner plate and give them their dinner served on a salad plate. Give them just a small portion of meat, veggie, salad, a bite or two. Then when they take two bites of meat it is all gone and they will ask for more!

This makes them successful eaters and helps you to see they actually are eating.

Have A Favorite Handy When serving something new, make sure you have something they like on the table to fill up on.

For example, my kids love my Italian salad, so when I make a new food I make a huge Italian salad. If they do not like the main course they can fill up on salad.

Start Young The earlier you start the better. My oldest two have had the hardest time because they had the Oreos and Ice Cream.

Little Chefs Invite your kids into the kitchen with you. This teaches them a value for cooking, they feel empowered over the food and tend to eat what they help to create!

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bless our food, everyone shares their favorite part of the day, and shares one thing they are thankful for.

Dinner Time Playtime Yes, let your kids play with their food. It is a critical part of developing good eaters; that is why developmentally they go through a phase of “finger foods,� and the more they touch and experience their food the better eaters they will be. To this day mashed potato sculpting is one of our favorite dinnertime activities. And yes,

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My younger ones only know coconut ice cream and gluten free cookies. Start early and then do not give in as they get older!

Presentation Silly, but true, presentation does affect how kids eat. I clean my fruits and veggies on shopping day. So, when it comes to making up my kid’s plates I can easily make them look pretty! If we are having chicken for lunch I will throw on some green broccoli and some red apples and voila an amazingly colorful plate in moments.

Educate Teaching your kids why your family chooses to eat the way you do develops in them a value for eating well of their own choice, not under the control of their parents.

When you also teach them the truths about

For more ideas on getting kids to eat well see Kelli’s Book, Kingdom Kids Nutrition. For healthy recipes and tips for moms go to her blog. Click here

chemicals in processed foods, and how it affects their bodies. They will choose the good stuff. I have done this from their earliest ages, and am amazed at what I have heard come out of the mouth my 3-yearold.

Veggie Success My best advice with veggies is trying them many different ways. If your child won’t eat steamed broccoli, try raw, sautéed, grilled, roasted, and you will be bound to find a way they like it.

You are Your Child’s Best Role Model How you eat is how your child will eat. If you are not eating the veggies, skipping meals, and reaching for a chocolate snack instead of a piece of fruit, then your child will learn this from you.

If you eat meals with them, eat your veggies, clean your plate, snack on whole foods they will do the same.

Yes, getting kids to eat can be frustrating, but you can choose to make it a fun adventure. We all know that dinner table battles never work!

Implement these tips, keeping dinnertime light and fun, and watch as your kids begin to eat and you all cherish dinnertime together!

These kids always get their Sunshine Heroes!

Multiple Vitamin & Mineral

Probiotic Powder

For more information click the suppliment name you think would suit your Super Hero!

Elderberry Immune

Click to buy RAW CHEESES & AMASI CULTURED DAIRY From Kathy’s Store!

Clean Clothes without Detergent or Hot Water Installs in Minutes, Simple to Use

There’s no need to get a new washing machine. LaundryPure 4G installs on all brands and models, upgrading their effectiveness.

• Eliminates the need for detergent* • Prevent odor-causing bacteria without bleach • Help eliminate allergic reactions due to detergent residue • Get towels softer and fluffier and help clothes last longer • Make whites whiter and colors brighter • Protects your home – A fail-safe leak protection circuit • Designed with you in mind – designed smaller for easier installation • Friendly to people, the planet and your pocketbook - LaundryPure 4G eliminates the need for hot water cycles.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON DETERGENT FREE WASHING

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Why Fresh Air ?

Have you ever thought about what's really polluting your home environment? Little ones bring the day's germs home with them and spread them everywhere. Garbage cans are funky. The smell of leftover spicy food can linger for days. And who knows what surprises our pets bring in with them.

Now imagine eliminating that pollution at the source. We're not talking about spraying a cloud of flower-fragranced chemicals. Our solution is as easy as pushing a button to keep things cleaner and safer to touch, not to mention smelling fresher. The FreshAir Surround by Vollara is a revolutionary air purifier that does so much more than clean the air. Using the same science as nature, FreshAir Surround destroys odors, eliminates smoke and reduces harmful contaminants ordinary cleaning can leave behind.

Benefits of Fresh Air • Removes airborne contaminants and allergens reducing asthma and allergy symptoms for a healthier body • Freshens air and removes odors in otherwise staleprone environments • Removes dirt and dust from the air to make cleaning easier • Optional Ozone Free bulb allows for operation without creating ozone

Click Here To Buy Now From Kathy’s Store