When you fly on an airplane, the flight attendant always gives the familiar instruction “in case of an emergency, put on your oxygen mask on first, before helping others”. Why is this an important rule for ensuring survival? Because if you run out of oxygen, you can’t help anyone else.
What does this have to do with “fruit-bearing relationships”?
We are all caretakers in some form or another. You may have young children to take care of, teenagers to nurture, special needs family members, aging parents to look after or friends and extended family needing extra time and encouragement. Added to these needs there is the requirements of everyday life; groceries, laundry, work, bills, school, church – the list can go on and on.
It’s easy to spend much of your time and energy taking care of everything and everyone else but neglecting yourself. ( I understand the blessings and benefits of putting others before ourselves and the concept of self-sacrifice and will write about this later). But, if we are sick or exhausted physically, mentally or emotionally, the relationships around us can suffer greatly. I know in my own life, the relationship that can often end up lost in the shuffle due to little time and energy left, is between my husband and I. This is the relationship that needs to bear fruit so that we are working together in unity in all these other areas. I need to have the peace and energy leftover to share together with him.
Consequences of Being Over-Extended
Being too busy or stressed personally not only impacts close relationships, but this busyness can also greatly affect your physical health. When you feel over-extended you can experience burnout, stress, fatigue, reduced mental effectiveness, depression, over eating, headaches, emotional swings, anxiety, frustration, and inability to sleep. All of these can negatively affect your health and could lead to more serious health problems if not addressed.
Basic Stress and Health Tips
I started to research other sites as well as books and magazines and found some very generic suggestions to help combat these negative health side effects of stress and busyness.
A “put on your own oxygen mask” sort of list:
Get enough rest
Exercise regularly
Eat right
Have physicals regularly and go to the doctor when you need treatment
Spend time every day on a renewal activity ~ sit quietly at least 10 minutes and:
Buy a joke of the day calendar (I loved Barbara Johnson)
Watch a funny T.V. show or movie
Focusing on Rest and Renewal
On WellStone Gardens homepage, there are four main fields of wellness…
Nutrition: Food is Medicine, Fitness: Be as Strong as You Can Be, Recreation: Rest, Renew, Recharge, Inspiration: Everyday a New Beginning
All of these areas were mentioned in some form or other in my extended search for this post, but I think this concept of personal rest and renewal is most often neglected.
Anytime I have an opportunity to teach or instruct in person, I love to try to incorporate as many senses as possible (see it, hear it, taste it, touch it, do it….). In “teacher school” we are taught this type of instruction allows for the variety learning styles in any given classroom. This is the way I learn best, (I am a tactile-kinesthetic learner). In my experience, I have found that no matter what the age, everyone seems to retain information better the more involved they are. I know it may seem that I am going down a rabbit trail here for a minute, but stick with me.
A Method you may not have ‘heard’ of ~ The Impact of Sound
Years ago, I was an instructor in an inner-city alternative high school teaching Healthy Lifestyle Choices. I had the opportunity to attend a National Science Teachers Convention and was introduced to information dealing with music being played in classrooms specifically at 60-70 beats per minute.
Research at that time was showing the idea of the “Mozart effect” – that listening to Mozart’s music can make the brain work better – originated from a study carried out in 1993 at the University of California by researchers GordonShaw and Frances Rauscher.
Recent research by OnlineCollege.org, has found that high-anxiety students who listen to classical music with 60 to 70 beats per minute while they study, score 12% more in their maths exams on average. See more…
Several years later, when working with our youngest son who had severe dyslexia, I was introduced to a program called FastForward which worked with sound and frequency and the effect it can have on the brain. I was trained by a school district in this program and I the found research and impact over a wide range of age groups and conditions fascinating. As we worked through this program for a couple of years, we experienced remarkable results with our son over an extended period of time.
I am convinced that sound (music) can positively impact our brains and our overall health. When we are personally needing to renew and recharge so that we have something left to pour into relationships that can bear fruit, music (the sense of sound, and the feeling of vibrations) can be rejuvenating for our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health. I recently came across a new program, Wholetones, that I am very curious about and I want to try. I’m sharing the link with you, and will let you know more as I use it. (There is much, much more research in this area out there).
Time Well Spent
One of the biggest issues in this area of rest and renewal can be finding the personal time for it. We’ve all used the expression “I’ll make time for this” or “I need to make time for that.” Our pastor shared in a sermon once that there is no physical way to “make time”. We are only able to “spend time”. Spending time (this requires a personal decision and commitment) refreshing yourself for at least 10 -20 minutes may be the best way for you to “put on your oxygen mask” so that you can more fully enjoy and engage in fruitful relationships. I want to leave you with this song that seems to always encourage me and reminds me to slow down for just a minute and breathe deep.
What I love about any recipe is to find a variety of ways to change it up. I know I use the word “versatile” in several of my recipes, but that is one things I am always looking for. Fried sweet potatoes are one of those fabulous “Lego” piece ingredients that you can add almost anything to. They can be served as a side dish, or just add any meat protein and you have just created a tasty dish. You can never have too many sweet potatoes around to use. Sweet potatoes also come in several different varieties that are fun to mix and match such as purple, blue, white (Hannah), jewel, garnet….. The list is very extensive. Explore different kinds any chance you get. They are all delicious!
Mix and match ingredients of your choice to create your own special flavors!
Author: Melanie Dearing
Course: Side dish or Main dish
Ingredients
3 Sweet potatoes of choice (washed, peeled and cut into thin slices)
3 Tbsp. healthy oil of choice (I use avocado oil)
2 tsp. Trader Joe’s 21 salute seasoning
Garlic and onion powder to taste
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Add in options:
Chopped red or yellow onions, chopped spinach, chopped kale, chopped peppers, chopped mushrooms, chopped asparagus, chopped green or red cabbage, shredded beets, shredded Brussels sprouts, cooked meat protein of choice (ground beef, sausage, chicken, steak…)
Instructions
Heat oil in large skillet.
Add sliced sweet potatoes (I use a mandolin slicer)
Add chopped or shredded vegetables and seasoning.
Cook covered, stirring consistently until all are tender.
Main dish option:
Add cooked meat protein of choice and heat through stirring consistently.
Experience shows me that gardening requires planning, tools and equipment, seeds, plants, good soil, fertilizer, weeding, digging, diligently watching for pests and disease, and expert advice from others. As we continue to use the metaphor of comparing our mind as a “garden” I wanted to “dig deeper” scientifically into the health benefits of the thoughts we think.
Occasionally I am asked to speak for women’s groups on a variety of subjects. During one particular Fall season, I was asked to speak on thanksgiving and gratitude. I started my research by first getting a definition of the two words. (As I research experts in the field, they too started with a definition).
Webster’s dictionary: thankful ~ “feeling or expressing gratitude; appreciative.”
gratitude: ~ “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.”
Thankfulness and gratitude are linked to overall happiness and are cultivated in our minds. We as humans have the capacity and ability to choose to be thankful and grateful in spite of our circumstances and surroundings. Just like being intentional in planting, weeding, and fertilizing an outside garden, the garden of our minds requires the same kind of diligence and intentionality.
Why This Is Important
The incredible amount of research being dedicated to the health benefits of thankfulness and gratitude is astounding. You can search for yourself by looking up “The Science of Gratitude” or “The Science of Happiness”. Again, I am not a doctor, but this research is very extensive and convicting. Benefits include:
Stronger immune systems and lower blood pressure;
Higher levels of positive emotions;
More joy, optimism, and happiness;
Acting with more generosity and compassion;
Feeling less lonely and isolated.
Resources:
Take your gratitude quiz from Berkeley University here
Dr. Robert Emmons, is one of the foremost authorities on the topic in America… gratitude power
Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy, head of the division of biologic psychology at Duke University Medical Center:
“If [thankfulness] were a drug, it would be the world’s best-selling product with a health maintenance indication for every major organ system,”
“While the act of being thankful is not a substitute for a proper medical diagnosis and treatment, it’s certainly a strategy that can be used to enhance wellness.”
“Studies have shown measurable effects on multiple body and brain systems. Those include mood neurotransmitters (serotonin, norepinephrine), reproductive hormones (testosterone), social bonding hormones (oxytocin), cognitive and pleasure related neurotransmitters (dopamine), inflammatory and immune systems (cytokines), stress hormones (cortisol), cardiac and EEG rhythms, blood pressure, and blood sugar.”
Renee Jain, certified coach of positive psychology “When my coaching clients ask me why gratitude exercises work, I let them know that humans have something called a negativity bias where ‘bad stuff’ in our life outweighs the good by a measure of about 3:1,”
There’s no wrong way to keep a gratitude journal, but here are some general instructions as you get started.
15 minutes per day, at least once per week for at least two weeks. (Studies suggest three times per week might actually have a greater impact on our happiness than journaling every day.)
Write down up to five things for which you feel grateful. The physical record is important—don’t just do this exercise in your head. The things you list can be relatively small in importance (“The tasty sandwich I had for lunch today.”) or relatively large (“My sister gave birth to a healthy baby boy.”). The goal of the exercise is to remember a good event, experience, person, or thing in your life—then enjoy the good emotions that come with it.
As you write, here are nine important tips:
Be as specific as possible—specificity is key to fostering gratitude. “I’m grateful that my co-workers brought me soup when I was sick on Tuesday” will be more effective than “I’m grateful for my co-workers.”
Go for depth over breadth. Elaborating in detail about a particular person or thing for which you’re grateful carries more benefits than a superficial list of many things.
Get personal. Focusing on people to whom you are grateful has more of an impact than focusing on things for which you are grateful.
Try subtraction, not just addition. Consider what your life would be like without certain people or things, rather than just tallying up all the good stuff. Be grateful for the negative outcomes you avoided, escaped, prevented, or turned into something positive—try not to take that good fortune for granted.
See good things as “gifts.” Thinking of the good things in your life as gifts guards against taking them for granted. Try to relish and savor the gifts you’ve received.
Savor surprises. Try to record events that were unexpected or surprising, as these tend to elicit stronger levels of gratitude.
Revise if you repeat. Writing about some of the same people and things is OK, but zero in on a different aspect in detail.
Write regularly. Whether you write every other day or once a week, commit to a regular time to journal, then honor that commitment. But…
Don’t overdo it. Evidence suggests writing occasionally (1-3 times per week) is more beneficial than daily journaling. That might be because we adapt to positive events and can soon become numb to them—that’s why it helps to savor surprises.
It is in your best interest for overall health to focus on The Garden of Your Mind with much care and focus. Scripture fully supports what scientific research is saying. One of my favorite verses is 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 “Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Doughnuts are a morning time (or snack time) sweet treat favorite. These delicious wonders can be made ahead of time and frozen to pull out any time you have the craving. Remember any sweets are meant for special times and should be consumed in moderation as a “treat”. They can be made as full sized doughnuts or little mini doughnuts as well.
I have tried a variety of options when making doughnut (even banana flour). This recipe has gone through several revisions, but according to my grand daughters and friends that have tried them, this is a keeper.
I have found that the easiest way to have little ones help is to scoop the dough into a disposable cake decorating bag and allow them to squeeze the dough into silicone pans. I place the empty bag over an empty narrow pitcher to hold it while I scoop in the dough.
Sometimes you just want a real doughnut, but without the gluten, grain and frying. This recipe is the perfect option.
Author: Melanie Dearing
Serves: 9 large doughnuts
Ingredients
2 ½ cups blanched finely ground almond flour (I use Honeyville)
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. coconut flour
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon (I use Ceylon)
1 tsp. zest of one orange
¼ cup melted coconut oil
¼ cup melted ghee (can substitute organic butter or applesauce)
4 Tbsp. organic maple syrup
2 tsp. vanilla
6 large eggs (room temperature)
Sprinkle lightly with coconut sugar (optional)
Chocolate glaze:
1 cup Lily’s dark chocolate chips (sweetened with Stevia); melted
½ cup heavy coconut cream (I use Trader Joe’s)
Mix together in small bowl and dip cooled doughnuts to glaze.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly grease doughnut pan with healthy oil of choice (I use coconut oil)
Combine all dry ingredients in food processor and pulse until mixed together.
Add all wet ingredients and pulse until the batter is smooth with no sign of flour.
Scoop batter into disposable cake decorating bag and cut hole in the bottom. (The batter is very thick and this is the easiest way to squeeze into doughnut pan.)
Squeeze the dough evenly into prepared doughnut pan.
Bake until doughnuts are firm to the touch, with just a little give (about 20 minutes for large doughnuts about 10 minutes for mini) I use silicone pans and place on cookie sheet.
Allow doughnut to cool and transfer to plate to frost or glaze.
This post is a continuation of The Garden of Our Gut from last month. Be sure to read that post, if you haven’t had the chance, first because it will bring you up to speed to help you better “digest” this information. (pun intended)
Consistent across the board
When I am researching large amounts of information regarding overall health, I look for consistency across the board from many different resources. For example, across the board any health resource will agree on the importance of diet and exercise for improved overall individual health and wellness. Variations in philosophy and techniques come in to play, but the premise is consistent.
In terms of digestive health, bone broth is consistently suggested and encouraged and is a recipe on my website. Currently, there is a growing trend that I am finding over and over from so many different sources of the importance of probiotics in daily foods choices. Again, the post from last month gives a great foundation of resource information.
Consuming Kombucha, cultured vegetables and kefir are wonderful ways to implement a variety of probiotics into your system every day. Sources state that these living bacteria aid in overall health from everything from hormonal health from Dr. Sara Gottfried , digestive health from Donna Schwenk to the gut- brain connection from Dr. David Perlmutter
From Knowledge to Practice… Step by Step
Now the question comes into play about how to incorporate these foods and drinks into your personal diet on a daily basis. This week we build on taking kefir and making an easy anytime kefir “pudding” in a jar. It is great for a ready-made breakfast addition, but my family uses it as a quick snack though out the day. I make 3 quart sized jars at a time to keep in the refrigerator. I know I use the word “versatile” 0ften in my recipes, but again, this is another one that can be totally reworked to your own personal tastes or what you happen to have on hand.
I will give some step by step pictures here and then send you to the finished recipe. This is really so easy, it just takes your personal desire and commitment to try making it to see how truly quick and tasty it is. When you do this, it does actually become part of your personal comfort zone. That’s when health change happens.
If you need more experienced instructions, go to Donna Schwenk at cultured food life (Her video is given above).
What I want you to understand is that I am NOT an experienced expert and I am doing this. My little kefir grains are growing faster that I can keep up with. I want to encourage and cheerlead all you newbies out there that anybody can do this.
Kefir Review
Step 1:
You will need whole milk and kefir grains or kefir starter and at least 1 glass quart jar. (I do 2 every day). Fill Jar with milk leaving about an inch or two space at the top.
Step 2:
Add kefir grains and store covered for 24 hours. I place mine in my cabinet.
Step 3:
Strain kefir grains through a sieve into another jar and add fruit of choice for 2nd ferment. (I love using chunks of oranges). Back in cabinet for another day, then refrigerate for use.
So easy! The next day repeat the process all over again.
Pudding In A Jar
Okay, now you have your kefir. How do I make my kefir pudding? Again, Donna Schwenk is more experienced and her videos are easy to follow. I had to do some adapting for personal taste and amounts needed per day. I am giving a simple play by play here, but the variations are truly endless!
Step 1:
I take my kefir with oranges from the refrigerator and blend it in my Vitamix blender with 3 Tbsp. of a sweetener mixture of monk fruit and chicory root. Use the amount and type of sweetener you prefer. (By the way this is delicious as-is)
Step 2:
I pour 2 cups of this kefir mixture into a 1 quart jar.
Step 3: Add;
Fruit of choice (examples: one ripe banana, ¼ cup blueberries…)
1 cup gluten free old fashioned rolled oats. Add more for a thicker pudding, reduce for more of a yogurt style. (I plan to also try buckwheat goats at some point and I will give you an update on how that goes).
1/8 cup black/white chia seeds and ¼ cup hemp seeds to jar and stir well. Yogurt style below on left has double the chia seeds. Adjust to taste and texture you prefer.
Step 4:
Cover and place in refrigerator overnight. The next day it is ready to eat. I like to top it off with my own favorite add in mix of unsweetened shredded coconut, pine nuts, goji berries, raw pumpkin seeds, raw sunflower seeds, and raw hemp seeds.
This is all so healthy and delicious. It can be eaten as breakfast, a snack or even dessert!
