I have been doing a lot of research on blood sugar issues lately.  I have never been tested, but I am pretty sure I am borderline hypoglycemic.  My husband always says I treat eating like it’s my full time job because I am always trying to plan ahead and not go too long without eating or I become what we call around here…HANGRY!  Hungry, angry, yup, you get the picture.  It’s not a pretty sight.

I always have to pack snacks when we go places so the “hangry mama” doesn’t show up.

Hypoglycemia is basically a fancy word for low blood sugar.  If I don’t eat the right foods every few hours, I feel foggy, shaky and CRABBY!  If I eat junk food or a lot of carbs I am a complete mess! Anyone else have these problems?

Low blood sugar and high blood sugar lead to a lack of energy, memory loss, shaking or dizziness and mood swings.  Our brain actually uses about 25% of our bodies blood sugar, so low blood sugar affects us mentally, very quickly.  In the long run blood sugar issues can lead to damaged organs and blood vessels, high blood pressure,  heart disease, heart attack, stroke and the list goes on.

It’s long list of issues I would like to avoid!  Prevention is always key!  A little research and planning can go a long way in preventing so many health issues.

These are my top FIVE tried and true blood sugar balance tips!

1. Fiber is your friend!

NOT fiber from packaged/processed foods promising to fulfill all of your fiber dreams.  Instead, choose fiber from beans, peas and lentils.  High fiber foods break down more slowly and help to steady your blood sugar.

2. Flaxseed and other heart healthy Omegas!

Our bodies need these essential fatty acids for numerous health benefits, including heart health.  But they also help maintain a healthy blood sugar/glucose levels as foods break down in the body.  I use ground flaxseed as it is super versatile.  You can add it to recipes, sprinkle on cereal/oatmeal or use as an egg substitute. It doesn’t have a strong flavor so it’s easy to sneak into your menu!  PLUS, it is a good source of fiber…double bonus!  :-)

3. Vary your diet!

It is too easy to get stuck in a rut eating the same foods everyday.  It seems easy, but then becomes boring and we are tempted to go for less that ideal foods. I know I am guilty of this!   Try a new recipe, cook a favorite food differently, spice things up a bit!  Eating the same foods day after day doesn’t create the balanced diet our bodies need.

4. Choose low glycemic foods!

Or if a high glycemic food is on the menu, pair it with a low glycemic food to create balance.  Low glycemic foods are those that break down more slowly so blood sugar levels are not raised too quickly.

5. Choose WHOLE Grains!

Again, this is not an easy one, as the average grocery store has boxes and boxes of prepackaged foods promising “Whole Grain.”  Well, it seems to me that a whole grain should be just that…whole.  Meaning not broken down, separated, processed, bleached and so on… Look for grains in their true form, no additives.  Such as quinoa, oats, barley, buckwheat and rye.

Think twice before you eat.  A little preparation and thought can go a long way in preventing serious blood sugar and other health issues.

What are your best tips for balancing your blood sugar?

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Written by Kim, Contributing Writer

Chai has become quite a popular drink and I imagine that most of the readers here are quite familiar with it. In case you aren’t, however, chai is a traditional Indian beverage- essentially a spiced tea with lots of milk. The basic ingredients are black tea, a variety of spices, sweetener and lots of milk, of course.

Our family tries to avoid caffeine, so we enjoy a variety of herbal teas plus naturally caffeine-free teas like rooibos and honeybush, so I became interested in developing a black tea-free version of chai.

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As a side-note, I LOVE Rooibos tea. If you haven’t given it a try, you might want to do so. We began drinking it about 10 years ago and I almost immediately noticed that my dental health improved. I can only guess that the high mineral content and alkalinity of the tea has discouraged bacterial growth in my mouth. And, as a nice side benefit, a noticeable reduction of tartar on my teeth.

rooibos has a nice mellow flavor (never becomes bitter, no matter how long you may steep it) and it is naturally higher in antioxidants than even green tea.

Consequently, in the process of developing a chai blend of tea I decided to use rooibos as the base. To this I added a variety of Indian spices that are common components of chai tea (cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, etc.). Chai traditionally contains black pepper but I chose to substitute cayenne pepper. This gives a “zip” similiar to black pepper, but contributes the health benefits of cayenne.

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Certainly feel free to adjust the recipe to your tastes. If you favor cinnamon and cloves, add more of these. If you want it even zippier, you can add more ginger and cayenne.

We simply steep it as tea on its own (no sweetener or milk) but I’m sure it would be even more fabulous with these additions.

Chai is a great option at this time of year since the spices incorporated are warming and whisper of holiday scents and treats. Brew up a cup and enjoy!

Warming Rooibos Chai Tea Blend

1/2 cup rooibos tea

3 Tbsp. cinnamon chips

2 Tbsp. dried cut ginger root

2 tsp. ground cardamom

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1/8-1/4 tsp. ground cayenne (or an equal or greater amount of red pepper flakes)

Combine all in a glass sealed jar. Mix well.

Add 1 1/2 tsp. to each cup of hot water. We use a tea ball to do so.

The Bulk Herb Store and Rose Mountain Herbs are great sources for bulk herbs, spices and teas.

The post Make Your Own Warming Rooibos Chai Tea Blend appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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The older I get, the faster the holidays come around each year!  My boys are eagerly counting down the days until their Grandma and Papa arrive here in Florida for Thanksgiving.  It is so sweet to see the wonder of the holidays through the eyes of our children. They, of course, are also looking forward to all the treats of the season while I am trying to sneak in healthy substitutions!

Here are a few healthy side dishes for the family table this year…

You can find the Apple Pecan Acorn Squash recipe here.

Find the Garlic Green Beans With Toasted Almonds recipe here.

Sweet Potato Quinoa Stuffing Recipe

What you need:

1 C Quinoa

2 C water (or vegetable broth)

2 Sweet Potatoes

1/2 C fresh Parsley

1/2 CPecan halves

1/2 C dried Cranberries (soaked in water)

Cinnamon

Maple Syrup

What to do:

Pour the dry Quinoa into a saucepan and heat on high briefly (1-2 minutes) to toast.  Toasting really brings out the nutty flavor of the Quinoa. Toss or stir constantly in the pan to keep from burning.  Turn heat down to medium/low and add water or broth.  Let simmer about 20 minutes or until soft.  While the Quinoa cooks, slice the Sweet Potatoes into bite size pieces and bake or grill until soft.  I use the indoor grill and cook for about 20 minutes on 350 degrees. Allow more time if baking in the oven.  In a large bowl, mix together cooked Quinoa and Sweet Potatoes, then add fresh chopped Parsley, Pecan halves and soaked cranberries.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and/or drizzle with Maple Syrup and serve warm.

What is your family’s favorite holiday side dish?

The post Sweet Potato Quinoa Stuffing (plus 2 more Recipes) appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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Written by Kari, Contributing Writer

This is a transitional time of year for almost everybody out there. School has started up again, summer is almost over and the cooler months are on the way. All of this means that we are going to have to pay more attention to keeping our immune systems strong so those ever present germs and bugs don’t have a chance to wreak havoc inside our bodies!

Even healthy families and houses can experience the sniffles, coughing and that ‘yucky’ feeling, but do we have to resort to the Cold/Flu aisle at the local grocery store to get us through these times?

Absolutely not!

I can’t tell you the last time I bought OTC medication for my family when those runny noses, sore throats and coughing made an appearance. I made a decision eight years ago, after my daughter was born, to take care of these issues in a better and more safe way. First and foremost my husband and I pray over our children and ourselves and speak healing scriptures over us. That is always our main defense – then we attack the natural symptoms in the body so we don’t have to just ‘wait it out’. We usually get things nipped in the bud quickly and these symptoms never go longer than a day or two.

Often times adults and children alike have weakened immune systems due to a myriad of reasons, including antibiotic use, poor nutrition, lack of activity and exercise and stress – just to name a few. Along with addressing these issues, there are several things that are in my go-to ‘health arsenal’ that are natural and safe and I feel comfortable in giving my family knowing they are beneficial to our bodies and not harmful or toxic.

How To Keep Your Immune System Strong and Treat Symptoms Naturally

1. A  healthy diet

This is extremely important. If your body isn’t getting nutritious food that support the functioning of the body, your natural immune defenses will be down and this makes it so much easier for germs, viruses and bacteria to enter in and take root. So, eliminating or decreasing processed foods, eating fresh and living foods, drinking plenty of water and eating a good variety of macronutrients (healthy carbs, healthy fats and protein) is a sure way to keep the immune system strong. We also like to make our own ‘Spa Water’ around here that livens things up a bit while adding some healthy goodness to our water intake.

2. Vitamin D

When sunshine decreases in your area and you’re not spending as much time under those beautiful rays – then supplementing with Vitamin D3 is a must. Now, D3 is a fat soluble vitamin and is better assimilated by the body when taken with a fat. This is why it’s best to take Vitamin D3 with Cod Liver Oil (which contains concentrated vitamin D, vitamin A and is the #1 source of EPA and DHA). As an added note – we also lay off the sunscreen for the most part. Unless we’ll be outside in 100 degree weather for hours on end – we don’t use sunscreen. We welcome the healthy sun to do it’s job and give us natural Vitamin D! Instead we just use coconut oil or a special oil blend I make specifically for time in the sun.

3. Probiotics

The health of your gut can determine your overall health. It’s important to keep our gut populated with good bacteria and eating probiotic-rich foods is the best option. Full-fat yogurt, dairy kefir, coconut kefir, amasai, summer sun pickles, water kefir, kombucha, kimichi and beet kvass are good examples of cultured food alive with good bacteria. If needed, supplementing with a high quality probiotic is the next best option.

4. Herbs

Used since the beginning of time, herbs are amazing and there are so many things you can make with them that strengthen your immune system or attack the bad invaders if they’ve already settled in. A few of my favorite recipes that we use all the time are Elderberry Syrup, Safe Cough Syrup, Natural Remedy for Sore Throats and Immune Strengthening Herbal Tea Blend. I also like to incorporate essential oils for even better results. Even simply combining eucalyptus, rosemary and lavender essential oils with some almond oil makes a good rub when you have congestion and a stuffy nose.

5. Juicing

I am a huge advocate of juicing and for many reasons. I have experienced nothing but positive results with my family ever since we began juicing 5 years ago. Regular juicing removes toxins, cleanses on a cellular level and gives your digestive system a break! If you need to treat symptoms you see coming on – add ginger, garlic, beets, parsley or wheatgrass! Here are some of my day to day recipes we like in our house.

Choosing to make our own products has not only saved us a lot of money, but I also believe it has saved our bodies from untold amounts of damage. I have always valued the remedies of years gone by that were used by old-time grandmothers from the farm, civilizations that only had the substance of the earth to rely on and just good old common sense!

There’s no reason to fall prey to these transitional symptoms that try to show up this time of year. Start with a solid foundation of a good diet and include the other beneficial goodies as a way to keep your immune system strong and to treat symptoms naturally!

Take charge with your family’s health and make a quality decision to only take care of them using safe and natural methods! Doing this is a long term investment that pays off with long and healthy lives!

Make yours a LIFE WORTH LIVING and be confident in the fact that it is possible when you realize the reality of HEALTH MADE EASY!

Some good points to remember:

In what ways are you creating your families health arsenal?

*this post is linked to: Encourage One Another, Titus 2sdays, and WFMW*

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As summer wraps up and we prepare to head our kids back to school, we want to be sure to give them their best start.

One very simple and important way to do that is by giving them a power packed breakfast each and every morning! In the rush to get everyone out the door, breakfast can easily be overlooked.

But missing this very important meal of the day can set our children and ourselves up for failure. We are unable to concentrate and lack the energy we need for a successful day.

Our children’s bodies and brains are still developing and truly need that fuel first thing in the morning. If you are very pressed for time, consider a protein packed smoothie, on-the-go, for a great start to the day. If you have a little more time, consider this protein packed recipe: Toasted Quinoa Porridge!

Quinoa is actually a seed rather than a grain, which explains its high protein content. It contains all nine essential amino acids, is high in iron, fiber, calcium, potassium and a wealth of other necesarry nutrients. I love the toasted nutty flavor of quinoa. It is lighter than oatmeal, but still very filling and keeps me going until lunch, with no blood sugar crashes.

What you need:

1/4 Cup Quinoa (rinsed and dried)

1/4 Cup Water

1/4 Cup Milk (regular, rice, soy or almond)

What to do:

Toast the Quinoa kernels in a pan over high heat for about 2-3 minutes. Toss the kernels in the pan as they pop. When the Quinoa is a nice golden brown, add 1/4 cup water. Simmer over low heat for 5-7 minutes or until the liquid is mostly absorbed, then add 1/4 cup milk. Simmer for 10 minutes, adding more milk if needed. Simmer longer and add more liquid for a softer porridge.

Top with Apple and Pecans, Bananas and Walnuts or Golden Raisins with Maple Syrup and Brown Sugar. Yum, to a power packed breakfast!

What is your favorite power packed breakfast??

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Written by Kim, Contributing Writer

You may have in mind a whole list of wonderful healthful habits you’d like to incorporate into your lifestyle. We all know, however, that the steps between good intentions and practical application can seem arduously uphill.

I always encourage folks to start with small, “do-able” goals. For instance, if you’re new to healthy eating, you might simply strive to choose a fruit over an otherwise poor snack selection. Or maybe you want to eat salads regularly. These both may seem like “do-able” goals, but without the practical preparation, even these small goals won’t be met.

For instance, it’s not enough to rid your shelves of less-than-ideal foods. You need to intentionally stock your pantry and refrigerator with great options. So if you want to make healthy snack selections, be sure to have your fruit bowl and cupboard stocked with attractive, easy-to-grab options for you and your family.

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And if you want to eat salads on a daily basis, there are simple steps to encourage this along as well. Having pre-washed lettuce on hand (whether store-bought or hand-washed by you) is probably the biggest help. If you haven’t invested in a salad spinner yet, you’ll find this to be a handy tool for expediting this process. Be sure to have some basic salad toppings (tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, etc.) always on hand and then “mix things up a bit” by offering other toppings (dried fruit, nuts, toasted seeds, chickpeas or kidney beans) on a regular basis.

I sometimes keep a little bin of salad toppers in the refrigerator that automatically comes out with our salad course (seeds, nuts, oils, sprinkles, dressing, etc.) so everyone can further customize their salads. You don’t want your family to become bored with the “same old” green salad.

Keeping salad prep simple increases the chances of it becoming a regular part of your diet. We all know it’s all too easy to drop the salad from our meal plan when time gets tight or energy gets low.

Click here for an excerpt from my Everyday Wholesome Eating book for more tips on simplifying salad preparation.

And don’t forget that a great dressing can really make a salad. There are more healthful options in grocery stores now than there were years ago, but it’s always best if you can prepare your own salad dressings. I find I don’t need to be shy applying dressing when I’ve made it myself because I know it’s full of good stuff!

Many dressings are super simple (like my Italian Dressing, just combine and shake!) and some require only a little more preparation (like my Ranch Dressing made from sunflower seeds!), still ready in under 5 minutes. You can find other dressings in my cookbooks that are quick, easy and far cheaper and healthier than store-bought!

I hope one or more of these suggestions help you along with some of your first baby steps towards better health!

What other steps do you think we can take towards better health?

The post Baby Steps towards Better Health (plus salad tips!) appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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Or since you can’t find a healthy sweet treat, instead of grabbing a piece of fruit you grab some crackers or chocolate. I have found myself there many times and then regretting the decision later. 

Not that chocolate or crackers are bad, unless you keep grabbing handful after handful or breaking off more and more chocolate… Ahem.  So, these easy cocoa almonds are a great alternative to choosing crackers or chocolate. These provide you with a crunchy, chocolate-y taste you’re looking for. And your kids will love them too!

All you have to do is plan ahead, which is something I am working on at the moment. It only takes about 20 minutes, hope you enjoy!

Yes, I realize they’re in a reindeer bowl, lol!

What you need:

2 C almonds (or nut of your choice)
1/4 C sweetener (I used real maple syrup but you could also use stevia and water)
2-3 T unsweetened cocoa powder
dash of salt

What to do:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place some parchment paper over a baking sheet and set aside
2.  In a small pan, heat sweetener and salt over medium heat
3. Turn off heat, then add the almonds, stir until they are completely coated
4. Spread the almonds on the parchment paper and bake for 10-15 minutes
5. Put the cocoa in a paper bag then pour in baked almonds and shake until covered, let them cool
6. Enjoy!

What’s your favorite healthy treat?

The post Easy Cocoa Almonds {A Healthy Sweet Treat} appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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I have made several different recipes with pumpkin, mostly breads and muffins but haven’t made a gluten free version yet, so here ya go… just in time for Thanksgiving! 

What you need:

What to do:

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees
2. If almond flour is coarse, blend up to make flour finer, I used a vitamix- only for about 10 seconds or you’ll make almond butter
3. Combine wet ingredients into a medium bowl, mix well
4. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, mix
5. Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly
6. Scoop batter into a buttered (or coconut oil-ed) muffin pans until 3/4 full
7. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until brown, time depends on your muffin sizes
8. Enjoy!

What’s your favorite pumpkin recipe?

The post The Best {Gluten Free} Pumpkin Muffins appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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I’m always on the look out for natural alternatives and healthy recipes, and I’m sure you are, too–especially if you read this blog.

With all the gluten intolerances, food allergies and reduced sugar guidelines so many readers face today, I’m glad to be able to make quick substitutions like these:

You can also substitute 1 cup sugar for 1 teaspoon of… find the rest of the recipe here at Keeper of the Home.

What is your favorite recipe to use healthy real food substitutes?

The post Real Food Substitutions and No-Bake Cookie Dough Balls {a perfect holiday treat} appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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