Balms and Manna - Balms and Manna Blog

An All-Time Favorite Snack!

9/23/2024

AN ALL-TIME FAVORITE SNACK!

I'm always looking for healthy, fast, yummy snacks. Not just ones that I love but ones that I can share with other people too!

Most nuts are roasted in peanut oil (which is a no-no) for me. That makes me sad because I love nuts but can actually eat so few of them that are available at the store.

I thought that surely roasting your own nuts couldn't be that hard. I searched for a recipe and sure enough, I found one! And not only is it easy but it's better than any roasted nuts that I have eaten (pre- peanut allergy that is)!

So here it is: Rosemary Roasted Nuts

4½ cups raw, whole almonds, cashews, walnuts or any combination
1½ tablespoons HOT water
1½ teaspoons sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 drops of Rosemary essential oil
sea salt to taste

Heat oven to 375 degrees and lightly spray a large baking sheet. Place the raw nuts in a large ceramic mixing bowl (we'll be adding the hot nuts back into it, so don't use plastic).

Stir 1½ teaspoon of salt into the hot water until mostly dissolved (it hardly ever completely dissolves for me - it's okay if it doesn't), pour over the nuts in the bowl and mix until all are coated. Transfer to prepared baking sheet, spreading the nuts in a single layer.

Bake for about 8 minutes, stir well and spread back into a single layer. Bake for 6-8 minutes more, depending on how your oven cooks (Mine is usually perfect at about 16 minutes total, but your oven may vary, so may take 5-10 minutes longer).

To test doneness, the nuts should be nicely browned, inside and out. Keep an eye on them, this is when they can burn quickly - but you don't want them undercooked either or they won't be crisp.

When they are done baking, put the hot nuts back into the large bowl and pour the olive and rosemary oil over them. Toss well until all the nuts are coated. Leave the nuts to cool in the bowl, or spread out on the pan again if you need them to cool more quickly. The nuts will soak up the oil as they cool.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature. You may notice that they nuts are soft in the first minutes out of the oven. Oil them and let them sit and they will crisp up and be wonderful!

Help a Friend and Get Paid to Do It!

9/9/2024

HELP A FRIEND AND GET PAID TO DO IT!

When we find something we love, we tell everyone about it! You can do that about me too!

Do you have a friend who is struggling with feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, moody, have digestive or hormones issues that keep them from functioning in daily life? You might not know how to help them but you can send them to someone who does!

Refer a friend to me and if they book a Personalized Wellness Package, you will get one consultation free!

Schedule a Discovery Call to Learn More

5 Tips to Go Gluten Free

8/19/2024

5 TIPS TO GO GLUTEN FREE

Tip #1- Read Labels
Start reading all labels to familiarize yourself to gluten containing foods. Processed foods, baked goods, cereals, snacks, and pastas are common ones.

Some less obvious sources:

Alcohol
Sauces- barbeque, ketchup, mustard, etc
Bran
Brewer's yeast
French fries
Deli meat and cheese
Soy sauce
Soup

Tip #2- Choose Naturally Gluten Free Food
Cook with foods that are naturally gluten free.

Use potatoes, quinoa, spagetti squash and rice instead of pasta.
Use lettuce or wraps instead of buns.
Choose ice cream or chocolate for dessert.
Use cauliflower pizza crust instead of store bought pizza.
Make soups, skillets, meat & potatoes and salads instead of sandwiches or wraps.
Eat eggs, yogurt and meat for breakfast instead of waffles, cereals and pastries.

Tip #3- Find Your Favorite Gluten Free Substitutes
These are my favorites:

Breads- Sami's or Udi's
Flours-
- Namaste- easy to use, good texture and taste. Also has lots of mixes (pancakes, muffins, etc)
- Bob's Red Mills- has different options of flours
- Crushed Whole Cell Floor- not gluten free but sometimes the body can handle this even when you are sensitive to gluten.
Simple Mills- my favorite brand for gluten free- it's cleaner, great taste and healthier but pricer
Siete- chips, tortillas
Nut Thins- crackers
Cereal- Rice Krispies, Rice and Corn Chex are gluten free

Tip #4- Get New Recipes/Cookbooks
Danielle Walker is one of my favorites! Her recipes are simple and easy to make. She uses almond and coconut flour. They are the healthiest option but they can have a "squeaky" texture.

Find gluten free people to follow on social media for great gluten free recipes

Tip #5- Enjoy What You Can Eat!
Instead of wishing for or missing what you used to eat, embrace the new things you are eating. Find new recipes, ingredients and have fun creating and savoring what nourishes your body!

Find more recipes, tips and the "whys" for going gluten free inside my Personalized Wellness Program!

Sugar. A Love-Hate Relationship

8/5/2024

Sugar. A Love-Hate Relationship

Sugar. It's a love-hate relationship. It's addicting- even more than cocaine! It tastes good, so we like to eat it but it's so bad for us. Which we probably all know to some extent. And that we should eat less. But sometimes knowing exactly how damaging it is motivates us eat less.

One of the scariest things sugar does is causes inflammation. Inflammation manifests in joint pain, skin issues, digestive discomfort, irritability and mood issues, weakened immunity, sinus congestion and disesases. Diseases that no one wants- like cancer, fatty liver, cardiovascular disease, leaky gut and type 2 diabetes.

The average American consumes 22 teaspoons of added sugar daily. That's a lot of sugar! And then we wonder why we don't feel good and diseases are on the rise.

The American Heart Association's recommendation for daily added sugar is only nine teaspoons for men and six teaspoons for women.

You can start reducing added sugar by the obvious things:
*Sugary drinks like sodas, coffees, energy drinks and juices
*Sugary treats like donuts, cookies, pastries and any type of dessert

Then there's the harder, less obvious things:
*Salad dressings
*Condiments- ketchup, pickles, mayo, etc
*Processed food
*Breakfast foods- pancakes, cereal, oatmeal

Upgrade your sugars by choosing brands that have healthier sugars.
Read the label on everything! These are the things you want to avoid:

Corn syrup
High fructose corn syrup
Corn syrup solids
Malt syrup/sugar
Pancake syrup
Brown rice syrup
Agave syrup
Fructose
Dextrose
Maltose
Sucrose
Sugar
White granulated sugar
Powdered sugar
Brown sugar
Maltodextrin
Aspartame
Splenda
Sweet & Low

Sugar upgrades:

Honey
Molasses
Raw sugar
Coconut sugar
Stevia- make sure there are not additives
Dates/ date paste
Maple Syrup
Monk Fruit
Mashed bananas
Applesauce
*Sugar alcohols-xylitol, erythritol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol

*These aren't absorbed well and can cause digestive issues in some people so use them cautiously.

If you aren't feeling your best and are ready to quit sugar, schedule a discovery call to see how a Personalized Wellness Program and help you to feel happy, more energetic and yourself again!

How Stressed Am I?

7/22/2024

HOW STRESSED AM I?

There is no denying that we live in a very stressful world. Busy schedules, the drive to have more, pressure to keep up with the Jones, broken and difficult relationships, emotional poverty, toxins surrounding us in the air, our homes and our diet all contribute to our stress load.

And yet sometimes, because this is all such a part of life, we don't even realize how stressed we are. It's easy to become calloused to what our bodies are telling us. Or just accept the symptoms of stress as "normal".

The first stages of stress is when our bodies perceive a stressor and responds to it. This can be manifested in any of the following ways. The more symptoms we have, the greater our stress is.

Exhaustion
Alcohol Intolerance
Anxiety
Digestive Issues
Dry and Thin Skin
Hair Loss
Brain Fog
Fungal Infections
Thyroid Imbalances
Low Body Temperature
Pain in the Shoulders
Poor Memory
Weakness
Weight Gain/Loss
Allergies
Blood Sugar Imbalances
Decreased Sex Drive
Cravings- Especially Sweet and Salty
Headaches
Irritability
Mood Swings
PMS
Sinus Problems
Depression
Dizziness Upon Standing
Sick Often/ Frequent Infections
Inflammation
Low Blood Pressure
Heart Palpitations
Sleep Issues

Well, how did you do? If you have more than 10, it's time to take action. Stress, when not addressed, becomes chronic and the body's reserves become depleted. All body functions become compromised and lead to chronic diseases and autoimmune issues from which a weakened body has a reduced chance to recover.

Stress is one of the largest root causes to all health challenges and the biggest impact on wellness. If you are going to do one thing to change your health, this is where to start!

Find out where you body is in the stress response, your unique causes of stress and specific things you can do to address your stress inside my Personalized Wellness Program! Check out the details or schedule a Discovery Call to get started!

What Goes on in the Gut?

7/8/2024

What Goes on in the Gut?

There is a lot of talk today about how important our gut health is to our overall health. It's true! But how does it all work? And what is really going on in the gut?

The Intestinal Mucosal Barrier

Our body has a protective mucosal layer of cells made up of epithelial cells that separates the external from the internal environment called the mucosal barrier. These barriers are found in our nose, eyes, reproductive tracts and our digestive tract.

It’s our body’s first line of immune defense and protects us from toxins and bacteria that we might pick up from our food and the environment.

The small intestines is where most of our nutrients are broken down and absorbed. It is also responsible for a large part of our immunity and is a chemical barrier by protecting the body from foreign invaders and toxins. So the integrity of our digestive system is important to our overall health.

Anatomy of the Intestinal Mucosal Barrier

There are several layers that make up the mucosal barrier.

The first layer is where partially digested food and good and bad bacteria pass from the stomach to the large intestine. This is called the lumen.

Under the lumen is a thin layer of epithelial cells and a mucus membrane. They are held together by tight junctions.

The area below the epithelial cells is a called the lamina propria which houses the immune system and is protected by the epithelial cells. The lamina propria is where the gut connects to the bloodstream.

How the Intestinal Barrier Becomes Damaged

Things such as antibiotics, toxins, poor diet, dysbiosis, stress, low stomach acid, infections and medications contribute to increased inflammation. This starts to destroy the borders of the epithelial cells, flatten them and they become porous. This leads to poor digestion and poor absorption. If this is left unchecked it will continue to damage the epithelial cells and lead to increased movement through the cell walls or destroying the tight junctions.

Zonulin, a protein molecule, allows the tight junctions to tighten up in a dynamic system to prevent inflammatory particles, toxins and infectious diseases from passing through but at the same time, can open to flush out unwanted materials that have crossed into the lamina propria. Too much zonulin damages this dynamic movement adding stress to the liver and leading to oxidative stress.

What About My Intestinal Barrier?

After reading this maybe you think you might have problems with a leaky gut or with the muscosal barrier. Or just curious what your intestinal gut health is like. If so, let's schedule a discovery call to take a deeper dive and talk about testing and things you can do to strengthen and support your gut lining!

Stress Management 101

6/17/2024

Don't just talk about your stress. Actually stop and do this exercise.

List your top stressors. Find at least one small thing you can do to balance each stressor. It might simply be changing your thoughts about it. Or maybe it's setting boundaries with it (time, interactions with people, things you will and won't do, etc).

This is not about living in a stress free society. Increase your ability to manage and handle stress by unloading your stress bucket daily. Make a list of all the things that bring you joy and refresh you. Do something every single day to keep your stress bucket from being the reason you don't feel good!

Five Tips to Make Healthy Eating in Social Settings Enjoyable

6/3/2024

FIVE TIPS TO MAKE HEALTHY EATING IN SOCIAL SETTINGS ENJOYABLE

Sometimes making healthy choices can feel like you are swimming upstream. But no place seems more difficult than at social events. Whether it's a group of close friends, visiting out of town family or a larger gathering, it can be hard to stay consistent with your healthy choices.

In Daniel 1:8, Daniel purposed in his heart to stay committed to the food choices he knew was right. We have to first know, believe and embrace our decisions to take care of our bodies no matter what the situation. This helps us to make good choices no matter what social situation we find ourselves in.

But despite purposing in our heart, sometimes a few tips can be super helpful in keeping our committments. After a decade of making healthy choices, I have a few tips that can go a long way in helping social events be enjoyable!

Tip #1- Choose wisely
Say no to things that aren't a part of your food plan. Most of the time, we can choose what food we put on our plate. Fill up on meats, veggies or fruits and skip the desserts and breads,

Tip #2- Plan ahead
Talk to the host or person planning the event before you go. Ask what the menu is/tell them your food restrictions so you know what you will be able to eat. I've found that most hosts are grateful you asked and are more than willing to commodate you. If the options are limited or they aren't able to accommodate you, eat a snack before or bring your own food. This might seem awkward but actually it's less awkward if you talk about it before rather than they wonder why you aren't eating much.

Tip #3- Ask to bring a dish
Asking to bring a dish allows you to make at least one thing that you can eat without concern. Plus it makes it easier on the host.

Tip #4- Stick with the basics
When eating out, choose salads or simple meat dishes. Often there is grilled chicken or some kind of salad options. Ask for oil and vinegar dressing if none of the dressings are suitable for you.

Tip #5- Be choosy
Before going out to eat, look at the menu online for healthy dishes. If eating out with friends, give them suggestions of a few places that work for you. Often they are happy to choose from your options.

With a little planning and purposing in your heart, you can both enjoy your food and really focus on the reason for the event- connecting and enjoying time together!

Get tips like this to help you not just uncover root causes of your health concerns but to create consistent and lifelong changes that will keep you feeling energetic and yourself! Learn more here.

What If Money Grew On Trees?

5/20/2024

WHAT IF MONEY GREW ON TREES?

One thing I often hear people say is, "Being healthy is so expensive. I can't afford that." It's true, a healthy lifestyle can be more costly than eating cheap processed food.

But what if I told you that the best things to live a healthy lifestyle were actually free? That God made them available to anyone just for the taking. Sounds like money growing on trees. Too good to be true.

But it is true! Let's explore all the things you can access for free to live healthy and whole!

Exercise
So many ways to do this!

Alone in the solitude and soaking up the beauty of creation.
Together with a friend or with the whole family for bonus connection.
Doing the things you love- biking, swimming, hiking, baseball, basketball, the activities are endless.

*Bonus* Exercising for 10 minutes- like a walk - after meals will help slow the carb spike and significantly balance your blood sugar.

Drinking Water
Anything other than water you have to purchase- milk, tea, coffee, soda, energy drinks. It's just simplier, easier and healthier to drink water.

Sleep
Going to bed by 10 pm is medicine for the body! Blood sugar balance, more energy, less brain fog, less inflammation, weight loss, the list goes on and on. It's even better if you get 8+ hours of sleep!

Morning Sunlight
Opening the shades and getting the sun in your eyes or going outside first thing in the morning helps to reset your circadian rhythm. This promotes more melatonin as the daylight fades which gives you better and more restful sleep.

Manage Your Stress
This alone will go a long ways in better health! Some stressors like jobs, relationships or schedules are pretty difficult to change. But you can set boundaries on the time you devote and the thoughts you think about them, limits on apps, social media and saying no to social commitments.

But it's more about increasing your ability to manage and handle stress by unloading stress bucket daily. Do something every single day that is fun, renewing and relaxing!

Grounding
Getting your barefeet on the ground helps to neutralize the electricity in your body, promotes calmness and less toxicity.

God is the author of every good and perfect gift . And He gives all these things freely without discrimating by financial status. Because He wants everyone to enjoy the gift of good health! So go out and take the gifts that are freely offered. Just not on trees!

Don't Let Travel Derail Your Health Habits

5/13/2024

DON'T LET TRAVEL DERAIL YOUR HEALTH HABITS

It can feel so celebratory when you finally get to that point where your health habits become part of your daily routine. Changing your habits IS a big deal and you should celebrate all that hard work!

But what about navigating changes in routine like traveling that upset the rhythms you have at home?

Don't plan to fail! Plan to succeed! If you don't have a plan, it won't happen. Here are a few easy things to avoid being derailed when you travel.

1- Purchase a vitamin sorter and take it with you when you travel. They even have travel ones for longer periods of time.

2- Take your water bottle with you. And use it! Even if the water isn't filtered this keeps things moving and helps with constipation.

3- Make single serving snack baggies of your favorite protein snacks. You can stash it in your purse or car for when you need something and there aren't healthy choices available.

4- Use individually packaged items. My favorites are Natural calm magnesium powder, doTERRA's electrolytes, probiotics, Lifelong Vitality sachets and collagen. Many supplement companies have their products in individual serving packages. Check to see what they offer.

5-Plan ahead and consider obstacles. Where and when in your day will you exercise? Will you have time to alone to do some devotions or gratitude? If you don't have a plan, it won't happen.

6- Talk to your hosts ahead of time. If you are staying with friends, tell them your food sensitivities. Offer to bring your own food if cooking around that is difficult. Tell them your bed time so you can get good sleep. Ask them to not burn candles if you are sensitive to scents.

With intentionality and a plan, you can be as successful on the road as you are at home!