Pumpkin Flavored What? 5 Ways to Add Pumpkin to Your Family Meals

I’ve noticed no matter what I’m writing about, my characters end up in the kitchen making something that sounds delicious, and I always end up trying out the recipe, like petit fours (miniature cakes) Whitleigh in The Wounded Warrior’s Wife rocks.

Sad to say those sweet treats turned out better in my book than in real life.

Sigh. Frown.

The character in my latest work in progress, Leanna, is a vegetarian. So, well, that’s been interesting, but I’ve surprised myself with how much fun vegetarian recipes can be. Still, I love me some chicken.

In real life, I love food just as much as my characters do, and while they all have their own specialties, my love is pumpkin. Yumness! My characters can fill you in on their concoctions, but let me welcome you to my world of pumpkin foods!

As an often frazzled stay at home mom and Army wife, I had a two strong longings: the desire for fall flavored lattes, and an overwhelming need to sneak vitamins and veggies into my family’s food. Pumpkin rose to the challenge, and long before the Pumpkin-Flavored-Craze swept the world, I was adding that orange goodness filled with vitamin A to whatever my taste-buds demanded.

What’s worked so far?

Chili:  Trust me, it’s great! Add 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree to a pot of chili. No one will know, and the fam gets the added bonus of pumpkin vitamins!



“Fall” Pancakes

Creamy Chicken Soup: Add 1/2 cup of pumpkin to a pot of creamy chicken soup. Now. it turns the soup a light shade of orange. If your fam is any sort of picky like mine, add some cheese, and/or a pinch of hot sauce to disguise. Ugh, how manipulative do I sound right now?

Pancakes: Instead of pumpkin pancakes, I call them “fall” pancakes. Add 1/4 or 1/3 cup of pumpkin puree to your pancake batter. Add 1 tsp of Vanilla extract, cinnamon, ground ginger, and pumpkin pie spice. Delicious!

Oatmeal: Yes, this has to be my favorite way to use pumpkin. I add all ingredients to taste, but to get started, add 1/3 cup of pumpkin to a pot of oatmeal meant for a fam of 4. Add about a tablespoon of brown sugar or maple syrup, 1 tsp of cinnamon, ginger, and pumpkin pie spice. I also like to add chopped almonds, chia seeds, raisins, and quinoa. It’s a hit!!

Smoothie: So many ways to do this, but one of my favorites…don’t judge, just try, is pumpkin, apple, spinach, and ginger with a squeeze of lemon. Add ice, 1/4 cup of water, 1/2 honey crisp apple, 1/4 pumpkin, handful of spinach leaves, 1/2 tsp of fresh ground ginger, squeeze of lemon, and blend!  YUM!! Plain greek yogurt, stevia packet, apple, and pumpkin with cinnamon is great blended up too. 🙂

Pumpkin Oatmeal

No matter how you decide to use pumpkin, you and your family will receive many health benefits! Long live the pumpkin craze!!

Thought up a crazy way to add pumpkin to your food? Let me know about it!

Let’s stay in touch! Sign up for the Letting Freedom Ring quarterly newsletter for more recipes, book news, sneak peaks, freebies and more!

Click to Tweet: “Two longings: fall flavored lattes & an overwhelming need to sneak vitamins & veggies into my family’s food.” http://ctt.ec/F62gY+

Click to Tweet: Pumpkin Flavored What? 5 Ways to Add Pumpkin Into Family Meals. http://ctt.ec/F62gY+

Never Go to the Grocery Store Again: Whole Foods Living Challenge & GIVEAWAY!

The Whole Foods Life Without Ever Going to the Grocery Store Again!

Challenge & Giveaway! Use the giveaway tools button at the bottom of the post to enter to win The Homemade Pantry by Alana Chernila Your email address is ONLY used to notify a winner. J

Never going to the grocery store again, now that’s a dream come true, but my family needs to eat. It’s not like growing my own food and relying on local farmers for sustenance is a valid option, right? Actually, it is, and one family is making it work rather well!

Say Hi to the Syner’s!
Hey guys! My name is Lisa Syner and I have been married to my wonderful husband, Cliff, for the past 12 years. I homeschool our 3 children on our small farm in Clarksville, Tennessee. I have a passion for the cultivation of the earth and the fruits of that labor, especially deep purple tomatoes and creamy Japanese sweet potatoes. Our family has chosen to follow Christ’s calling to love God and love others by stewarding this land and teaching others the beauty of tending, preserving and harvesting the bounty of His creation.

I had the great opportunity to hang out with Lisa and her family not long ago, see their farm, pick their brains, and soak up anything they wanted to teach me. They’ve taken a whole foods diet to a new level, and I’m intrigued.
Lisa and her family were stationed in Hawaii (whoop ,whoop for another Military family!). They saw firsthand fields of produce being mass produced, quickly grown, and sprayed with chemicals. She couldn’t shake the knowledge and concern of that food being shipped out and consumed by individuals who had no clue what gunk they were putting in their body, or where the food even came from.
Not many of us scan the isles of the grocery store looking for things that are harmful for us, well, sometimes I willingly purchase some sugary treat. For the most part, we buy things that seem healthy, or the box says it’s nutritional, so in the cart it goes.

Lisa says, “People are so disconnected from God’s creation. We don’t know how to eat.” I have to agree. We try to make the right choices, but we’re mis-informed. Before the Syner’s stopped going to the grocery store, they decided to only purchase and eat whole foods, meaning nothing from a box, and only organic, grass fed meats.

“Yes, it was expensive.” Lisa nodded with a grimace on her face. “We were spending $1300-1500 a month, easy.” I may have gasped or choked on my tongue at that moment.

And after the No Grocery Store Challenge?
“We eat the same quality of food, better actually, and we spend between $680-$740.”  Lisa smiled, and I’m sure her hubby is still smiling over those savings. “We used to have so much waste, but now, we use every bit.”

This lifestyle couldn’t have been easy?
“It’s been a learning process, but we base our meals on local, seasonal foods, and it’s healthier, and cheaper.” She also adds that there’s no pizza night to fall back on, so she’s got to be prepared.
It’s really just getting back the basics of how things used to be.
They “grow slow,” using heirloom seeds (organic, Non-GMO), and raise heritage animals that are able to adapt to their environment, making them stronger, less likely to get sick, and can forgo shots other animals raised for mass production require. Their chickens cluck about providing fresh eggs, and their sheep will provide much needed milk for homemade cheese, which Lisa is very excited about. A dairy sheep! How cool is that? Local farmers and farmers markets provide what they have not been able to produce.
“Everything is made from scratch.” And she’s not lying. Even mustard, and cream cheese! “If I don’t know how to make it, I look up a recipe.” I love that attitude. “If it’s not local, we don’t buy it.” Not lying their either.

Any concessions to this way of life? I had to ask that.
“Coffee is a concession.” Totally agreed with her. “Since there are no local coffee bean farmers, we buy the beans from locally owned coffee shops. We also eat out once a month, and if we’re at a friend’s house, we eat what we’re served.”
What about treats and sweets? No chocolate?
“No chocolate.” I’m kinda sweating over this. “Veggies are our snacks. Honey, homemade ice cream is a once in a great while treat when we have excess of milk, and local/seasonal fruit.”

Any health benefits you’ve noticed?
“I have so much more energy since beginning the challenge, and my seasonal allergies are much more controlled.” Her eyes widened in a ‘Thank the Lord’ kind of way.

What have you loved most about this lifestyle?
“The anticipation.” Her eyes lit up. “Food is a gift, each season for a purpose. There’s also a freshness factor. Before doing this, I never stopped to appreciate these gifts from God.” Lisa sat on the couch with me, hand propped on her head. “I’ve also love the farmers. We’re building new relationships, connecting in new ways, face to face, and able to share the gospel.”

Gardening tips?
“We use a no till method.” The Syner’s lay cardboard on top of the ground garden area, then pile on their fall leaves, mulch, and compost. “Start this process around February.” By planting time they simply push the leaves aside and plant into the rich earth. They actually water less because of how well the mixture holds moisture.
“Fish fertilizer.” Okay, that stuff is disgusting, but, as Lisa pointed out, the Native Americans used fish in their farming, so even though it stinks, it works.

Take the Challenge!
What is your challenge for the readers out there, and any advice to help them meet that challenge?
“Try not going to the grocery store for 30 days by eating whole foods from local vendors.” Sounds sort of easy, but then again, we all know things are easier said than done. To help us stick to the challenge, Lisa says, “Be committed. Find your local farmers and artisans, and ask them questions about their produce. Plan and prep what you want to eat. Have fun.”
She ends with, “It’s not complicated, it’s commitment.”
How about it Dear Readers? Are we up to this challenge?
 
 
 
For More Info on Whole Foods Living & Resources, Connect with the Syner’s @ 

Liberty Star Farms
Liberty Star Farms on Facebook
Community Resource Guide

Other Suggested Reading:


Remember to Enter to Win a The Homemade Pantry by Alana Chernila, one of Lisa’s go-to resources.

 
 

Guest Reader & Author: Sara Turnquist on Postpartum Depression

Welcome, Dear Readers!

This year I’ve set out to get to know you better, hear your story, what God’s done or doing in your life, lessons learned, trials, triumphs, recipes, and fun projects. I want to hear what you have to say, and so do a whole host of others.


 

http://saraturnquist.com/Meet Sara!

I’m a stay-at-home mom in Clarksville, TN. But I do also work at Disney’s Animal Kingdom as an Educator seasonally. I have three beautiful children: Audrey, 5, Andrew, 4, and Aiden, 16 months, and one wonderfully supportive husband, Greg. I have been a “closet writer” for many years and my debut novel will be coming out this summer.

His Eye Is On The Sparrow: Postpartum Depression


Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father….so do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. Matthew 10:29, 31

Why should I feel discouraged? Why should the shadows come?
Why should my heart feel lonely and long for heaven and home?
When Jesus is my portion, my constant friend is He
His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me.
I sing because I’m happy
I sing because I’m free
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me.

I love this song. Maybe because my grandfather sang it often and it’s a fond memory I have of him. But in the midst of my (post partum) depression, this song took on a whole new dimension (meaning) for me. This song proposes that with Jesus as our portion, we shouldn’t feel discouraged and the shadows shouldn’t come over us. You and I know that this is not true; that even with Jesus in our life, depression will come. It rains on the righteous and the unrighteous the same (Matthew 5:45). Depressive disorders fall on those who live with Christ in their lives and those who live without Him just the same. It doesn’t seem right, it doesn’t seem fair…but yet it is true. Scripture tells us that this is how it will be.

This song does, however, hit on the very thing that separates a Christ follower who suffers from depression from an unbeliever who struggles in that same darkness: “Jesus is my portion, a constant friend is He…His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me.” We have a constant friend and companion with us that walks with us through the whole thing. Even our spouses and closest friends cannot understand and may very well end up getting shut out in our attempts to escape from our lives, but we cannot escape from God. And, though it may feel like you can’t see Him at times, that you can’t feel Him (though we know feelings are deceitful, right?), He is there…every moment of every day. He is experiencing every agonizing moment of that darkness with you. He is watching over you as this verse and song says, but more than that, He is with you. Let Him be with you. Let His presence wash over you. Ask Him for that very thing. What part of your depression are you thankful He sees/experiences with you?
 
 

Wow, Sara, that was beautiful. Thank you. Could you share with us a favorite scripture and perhaps the reasoning?

For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7
There is so much hope in this verse for those who live in fear and anxiety and for those who struggle with mental illness. During my depressive episodes, I truly felt as if I was losing my mind because of the intrusive thoughts (thoughts that were not my own that came into my mind urging me to…well, mostly to hurt myself). To not feel safe in your own skin is a, well, a very scary, very crazy feeling. But that is not who God made me to be. He did not give me a spirit of fear. He gave me a sound mind. And He gave me the power to defeat what Satan has in store for me (I’m NOT saying depression is from Satan…depression is, by and large, a chemical or hormonal imbalance…but believe you me, Satan will take every advantage he can get).
 

You’re so right. You know, I love hearing how God has set people free, and I think you can relate. There’s so much more to freedom than patriotism. Would you share a time with us when you experienced God’s freedom?

I experienced a lot of freedom during the course of my recovery from depression. It was a hard place to be in for sure, but it was also a place of healing. In the depths of my depression, everything was dark, there was nothing there but this inescapable gloominess. I couldn’t even find God, though I cried out for Him. I knew He hadn’t abandoned me because His word says He never would, but I felt all alone. Where was He? Why couldn’t I see Him? But now, as I walk in freedom from that darkness, I look back and see, just as the poem “The Footprints in the Sand” proposes, one set of prints during that time. What? He was carrying me to be sure. And I now believe that I couldn’t see Him during that time because He was holding me so tightly that my face was pressed into His shoulder, blinding me. But how did I find that freedom? Through faith steps. I had to let go of the need to see the whole path. God only showed me the step in front of me, as a lamp unto my feet. And even at that, sometimes only dimly lit. I found that I would have to take that step in faith and then trust that He would provide enough light for the step after that.

There’s nothing about what your describing that sounds easy, but totally worth every step you took in blind faith. We all struggle in our walk with God, what affected your walk the most through the depression?
The fact that I felt He wasn’t there. During my second episode of post partum depression, I struggled with why He would allow this to happen to me again. I struggle through verses like…”I am the Lord and there is no other, the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity. I am the Lord Who does all these.” Isaiah 45:6b-7  How do I deal with that? A kind, merciful, gracious God “creating calamity” in my life, “creating” this darkness that threatened to swallow me whole? But I had much to learn about being disciplined. About what lengths He would go through to draw me to Himself, to teach me, to mold me. (Again, not saying depression is a sign you are being “punished” by God. Quite the opposite…but I DO believe that God causes ALL things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

I have held on to that verse for years, Sara! It’s given me strength in good times and in bad. For our readers out there who may be experiencing depression, what three things would you say to someone who is struggling?
1)      God is there – you may not believe it, you may not see Him, but He is there, in that darkness with you; He feels it, He cries for you, with you, over you; this is a time He can draw you close to Him, if you only let Him.; quiet yourself and let Him speak to you, dear soul; you would be amazed…the God who sings over you (Zephaniah 3:17) wants to speak into your heart in the silence if you’ll only let Him
2)      Take one step at a time – one step out of bed at a time; one faith step at a time…don’t try to see the whole road, just look for that one step in front of you.
3)      Don’t trust your feelings, trust His word – your heart is “more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick” (Jeremiah 17:9) It is not to be trusted. The Word of God is “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword…discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12); our emotions are fallible; God’s Word is not; so when your feelings or when intrusive thoughts threaten to take you down the wrong path into negative thinking or something worse, turn to God’s word to find the truth
 
Sara, thank you for being here with us, and thank you for your transparency. It’s been such a pleasure having you here today!
 
Connect with Sara:
 
Other Suggested Reading:
 
Be a Guest on My Blog 🙂
I love hearing from my readers and so does everyone else! Have a testimony to share? Something cool God has done for you? A recipe the world needs to know? What about a DIY project you’d like to teach us? Then I’d love to have you as a guest on my blog! Shoot me an email at authorhannahconway@gmail.com to get started.

Healthy from the Inside Out–Minus the Parasites

Retreat in the CountryTaking time for yourself is a must. We all need rest and rejuvenation. I decided to take time for myself by spending a rest filled and rejuvenating spa weekend with my best gal pals in the world at Retreat in the Country in Frankfort, Indiana.  A big shout out to the Morgan’s for the best weekend ever–well, best weekend ever until Stephen gets back home. Another big shout out to my Mom and Dad who watched my kiddos for the entire weekend! My family is amazing!

This was no ordinary spa. Oh yes I detoxed, and learned what it means to eat clean, but to be completely honest, this past weekend was more like spiritual retreat. Where do I even begin? Let’s start with the blood!
The owner of the spa, Mrs. Kim Dunn, took a sample of my blood and was able to tell me things about my health that was…well…terrifying….incredible…and all together enlightening. Scripture says that life is in the blood. I’m even more convinced!

 The needle stung more than I thought it would. No judging. 
Check out the computer screen. Yup. That’s my blood frolicking around. Did you know red blood cells glow! It was so amazing to see!
What did my blood reveal about my health? Ugh. I really don’t want to tell you but I have to. Embarrassment aside for the good of all those reading, I learned that I have heavy metals in my blood/body. How did they get there? Yeah, I asked that too. Well, the environment, canned foods (tomatoes are the worse), tap water, any vaccines or flu shots I may have had, hair coloring, skin and hair products, and painting. I use Shaklee all natural cleaners, so I know that no metals or chemicals were in my blood from cleaners. These metals need to come out A: for my brain health and prevention of Alzheimer’s, and B: to get rid of my fat cells. These metals are hanging around in my fat cells living it up, making me jiggle, and I’ve had it with them! So I’m getting rid of those bad boys with ionic foot baths, infra red saunas, and a heavy metal detox spray . Children with Autism often have high amounts of heavy metals in their blood. A heavy metal detox is often beneficial for children with Autism. 
What else did my blood tell me? 
“You’re healthy!” She tells me, and then dives into a list of not so good things about my blood that made my skin crawl…

  • She could tell that I have been under stress for a very long time. Um, yes, aren’t we all? Stress is such a killer! It leads to 80% or more of diseases. SO…I have to work on deep breathing and making sure I’m getting at least 7 hours of sleep each night.
  • My body really likes and needs more vitamin B, which I knew. 
  • I have distress in my right lung more than likely from air pollution and being around second hand smoke. Nice. 
  • I have undigested fat floating around in my blood like they’re having a block party or something! This means I’m having a digestive issue and should take a digestive enzyme. Will do.
  • I need to cut my carbs. I thought eating multi-grain stuff was okay…guess I eat too much of it.
  • And um…I have parasites. UGH! I’m so disgusted with myself. Apparently most people have them. Most, if not all pet owners have them. Cat people are worse, lol. You get parasites from shaking hands, sharing drinks/food, touch shopping carts, letting your pets lick you and basically anywhere people are gathered. Yes, even church. No one wants bugs, and these parasites take joy in sucking the nutrients from our body. Click here for symptoms of parasites. I say, death to them all! How to get rid of them? Up your raw garlic and onion intake. There is also an herbal remedy by Pure Herbs, Ltc. called W.-W, that I’m giving to the kiddos right now and putting in the dog’s water.  
  • On a positive note, she really liked the vitamins I take….
 Gross stuff coming out of my body during the detoxing ionic foot bath
Me getting ready for the best massage in the world!
I’m not new to natural health and wellness, by any means. I’ve been a Shaklee distributor for awhile and have had the privilege of helping others create a healthy and happy home the natural way. However, what I learned this this weekend was like adding a new dimension to what it really means to be healthy, and I have been left even more in awe at the intricate way in which God designed our bodies and intended them to function. It’s difficult for me to try to cram everything I learned this weekend  into a blog post. To help summarize I think I’m gonna use those oh so trustworthy bullet points. 
  • Drinking hot lemon water 20 minutes before breakfast not only helps with digestion but it helps to cleanse the liver and gallbladder. 
  • Ice cold water helps you lose weight, but should be consumed in the afternoon. Drinking too much ice water over stimulates your body and can weaken it.
  • Room temperature water is good for hydrating the body
  • Drink purified water. This place had a filter that would put back in the important minerals we needed. It rocked! Literally, it had rocks in it.
  • Use Sea Salt when cooking. It has the minerals our body needs and table salt does not.
  • Whole milk is better for our body than skim or 2 %. Taking the fat out of milk just makes it like drinking sugar and sugar is the anti-nutrient. She buys her milk from the Amish.
  • We should eat foods as close to the way God made them. Raw veggies, raw fruits. She said that if milk naturally has fat in it, then that’s the way we should drink it. Everything in moderation of course.
  • Some veggies, like broccoli, unlock more nutrients when steamed that we couldn’t get if we ate them raw.
  • Most, if not all American’s should take a digestive enzyme. I can hook you guys up with that, click here.
  • Chewing your food thoroughly is the first process of digestion. Enzymes in our saliva start the digestion process, so busy Mom’s like me, HAVE to remember to slow down and chew!
  • Everything is made of energy. With that said, negative emotions can be stored in our body and cause health problems. When the Bible talks about unforgiveness being a bad thing, that goes for our health too. 
  • Positive emotions are also stored in our bodies. A good thing. When the Bible talks about thinking on good, pure, noble things, there’s a health benefit that goes with thinking positive. 
  • Our blood type actually gives us a HUGE clue as to how we should eat. I dare you to google “Eat right for your blood type.” 
  • No one should ever eat pork. Sigh. I miss bacon already. When God gave strict food laws to the Jewish people there were medical reasons behind everything He said NOT to eat. Pork happens to be an animal infested with parasites. Yes, the parasites die when the meat is cooked, but their bodies still remain and so do all of the toxins from their little parasite poo poo.  
  • Anything fried is toxic to the body and you are literally eating cancer causing agents. Ugh. Huff. Goodbye my deep fried fatty filled foods.
My brain hurts from revisiting all of this information! I highly encourage you to check out the Retreat in the Country and the services they offer, and if you lovely people ever have any health and wellness questions, shoot’em my way. I’m happy to help.  I hope you are able to take away something that will help to make you and your family healthy from the inside out —minus the parasites. 🙂 

Me and The Morgan’s rested up, rejuvenated and ready to take on the world! 

Keeping Your Kids Healthy Naturally: Interview with Lisa Smith

Today we welcome Lisa Smith, a Natural Health & Wellness Consultant with Shaklee for over 20 years. Lisa is here today to share with us about how she keeps her family healthy all year long naturally and provides a nice life for her family through Shaklee Health and Wellness Products. 

Lisa: That’s right! First of all, thank you Hannah for inviting me on your blog! I know you love the Shaklee products as well and have had great results with your son who struggled with eczema. 
 
Yes, I love the products and my son doesn’t struggle with eczema or earaches anymore. I could go on and on about Shaklee, but Lisa, I would love for you to share your story.  Would you begin by sharing with everyone what Shaklee is?
 


Lisa Smith and Family

Lisa: Well, Shaklee has been the nation’s number one natural health and wellness company for over 50 years. The products are always safe, always natural and always guaranteed to work–we have the research from the nation’s leading health professionals to prove it. Our products have even been featured on Oprah and Dr. Oz. 

                                         
Thank you, Lisa. Can you tell us your story and how Shaklee has helped your family?
Lisa: Sure.  My father introduced me to Shaklee in 1985. He began using Shaklee Basic H which is a natural cleaning product, on his farmground as a soil enhancer. Shaklee nutrition made a big difference in the health of my parents as well.
I have been using Shaklee products for 25 years and have had great health benefits for myself and my family. We started our business with Shaklee along with my cosmetology career in 1984. I used the skincare and cosmetics on all of the clients in my salon. In 1992 I closed my hair salon and went full time in Shaklee. I have been a stay at home mom for the past 21 years enjoying a GREAT lifestyle along with our family.

We have 3 boys Joshua-21, Jacob-18, Noah-11. They have been raised on Shaklee products and have enjoyed great health. We have had only 2 antibiotics between the three boys in 21 years and only 1 of our sons has had an ear infection.


I have to interrupt here. Did you say in 21 years of parenting only one of your sons has had an ear infection and you have only had 2 antibiotic prescriptions.  That is unheard of!

Lisa: Yes, that’s right. Just two antibiotics and one ear infection. You know, Hannah, God gave us awesome bodies and when we give them the nutrition they need, it’s amazing what kind of healing can take place. 
How has Shaklee changed your family’s life financially?
Lisa: Hannah, I can’t even begin to tell you what a blessing this business has been. When my husband was laid off, our Shaklee income was all we had, and without it meant our family would have sunk. Right now I make over $100,000 every year and have made over a million dollars in this business since I started. I did all of this in the middle of a cornfield in Indiana all by just helping people out. When you share Shaklee, you change lives…you get to give health. I am the luckiest woman a live because I get to help others every single day and make a living doing it. So far,through Shaklee, we have been on 20 all expense paid trips from Shaklee including such beautiful places as: Maui, Hawaii, the Big Island of Hawaii, Hawaii, 5 Caribbean cruises, an Alaskan Cruise, Barcelona, Spain, San Diego, California, New Orleans, Louisianna, and Vancouver, Canada, and most recently Atlantis, Bahamas.
Our oldest son Joshua graduated with a Bachelors degree in animation from the Art Institute of Indianapolis. He recently became a FAST TRACK DIRECTOR and has decided to build a Shaklee business to help pay off his college debt! Our son Jacob also wants to build a Shaklee business when he turns 18 this summer! It is exciting when your children want to build a Shaklee career with you! 
We thank God everyday for our Shaklee business.
What advice would you give Momma’s out there wanting to keep their family’s healthy all year long the natural way?
Lisa: I would tell them to call you up right now Hannah and start their children out on the Shaklee products. Start with the cleaners. It’s important to get the toxic things out of your home. Then move on the vitamins. I would love to talk with your viewers to share more info on Shaklee products.
Lisa, thank you for sharing with us today!
No problem!! Here’s to your and your viewer’s health! 🙂 
Lisa Would Love to Hear From You! Tell her Hannah says Hi!

Email: ljsmith9395@embarqmail.com 
Website: http://lsmith.myshaklee.com/us/en/about_our-shaklee-story.html

Wellness Tip: Liver Cleanse!

So…I will do this if you do it–

Actually I will be doing it regardless, but come on, do it with me. Cleaning my liver sounds terrifying…oh, if only we were made like some assembly toy where we could take a part the limb or organ that needed a good scrubbing, but we are not, thus we must keep our bodies in fine running condition.

Why clean the liver? Well, it does a lot and we–with our American way of eating and drinking–do a lot to it. The liver helps to regulate hormones (including estrogen). It helps metabolize carbs, stores and processes vitamins, helps maintain healthy sugar levels and creates bile which helps break down the fat in the food we eat, among other really great things. The fact that the liver helps to break down fat is enough for me be all gung-ho in making sure it’s functioning well.

How do you cleanse your liver? Well…of course we ALWAYS want to drink lots of water. The rule of thumb with water drinking–drink half your body weight in ounces of water, ie. if you were to weigh 100 pounds then you would drink 50 ounces of water.

Here are what my friends from Shaklee Natural Health & Wellness, suggest for a good, solid liver cleanse:

You will need: 6 quarts apple cider
6 teaspoons Epsom salts
½ cup cold-pressed olive oil
½ cup lemon juice
The liver & gallbladder cleanse is an important detoxifying agent. It helps restore normal functional capacity of the liver & gallbladder and if an individual has gallstones
NOTE:
A. This cleanse is NOT recommended for:
1. people under 25 years of age
2. pregnant women, or
3. people with known large gallstones (larger than a dime … this can be determined by an ultrasound). These individuals can still do this cleanse, but MUST FIRST have the large gallstones shattered by sound waves by their doctor.
B. Plan to stay home the evening of the 6th day.
LISTED BELOW ARE THE STEPS TO FOLLOW:
1. Day 1 through 6, drink 1 quart of apple cider DAILY (fresh extracted vegetable juices may be substituted for apple cider).
 It is preferable that you purchase additive-free apple cider.
 Keep your diet vegetarian style (fat free) for a more thorough cleansing. Eat as much as you like of fat free foods.
 Continue with your regular supplements.
2. At noon on Day 6 eat a normal vegetarian lunch.
3. Three hours later, take two teaspoons of epsom salts dissolved in about one ounce of hot water. That taste may be objectionable to some people. If so you may follow Epsom salts with a little citrus juice (fresh squeezed if possible).
4. Two hours later, repeat step three.
5. Four your evening meal on Day 6 you may have only citrus juices or citrus fruits (eg. grapefruits, oranges, etc.)
6. At bedtime, in a blender, whip ½ cup of warm olive oil (cold-pressed) with ½ cup of lemon juice. (It is better to use fresh lemon juice, but bottled juice is permissible.)
 Drink the mixture quickly – do not sip slowly.
 (Some people occasionally reported slight to moderate nausea when taking the olive oil & lemon juice. This nausea will slowing disappear when you go to bed. If the olive oil induces vomiting, you need not repeat the procedure. This occurs only in rare instances.)
7. Following step six, go immediately to bed. Lie on your right side with your right knee pulled up close to your chest for at least 30 minutes.
8. The next morning, one hour before breakfast, take two teaspoons of epsom salts dissolved in two ounces of hot water.
9. Resume your normal diet on Day 7 & continue your normal nutritional supplements.
NOTE:
People who have chronically suffered from gallstones, biliousness, backaches, nausea, etc. occasionally find small gallstone-type objects in the stool on Day 7. These objects are light green in colour. They are very irregular in shape, gelatinous in texture, and vary in size from grape seeds to cherry pits. If there are several of these in the stool, you should repeat the liver cleanse in two weeks.