Healthy living.

Morning everyone!

This is a piece from my morning.

Winter blues and winter weather can bring skin change, a feeling of sluggishness,

and generally the season of flu and feeling a little less than on top form.

I personally suffer from dry skin and have to adjust my skin care routine slightly in these winter months. I am using totally organic and home made products now.

As I have got older James and I have become more 'health aware'

I think becoming a mother and a wife made me think a lot more about what we eat as a family

and how we keep healthy.

As a rule, we tend to eat a very Mediterranean diet.

We love Olives, watercress, garlic, fresh vegetables, grilled meats etc.

There is an increasing awareness for the benefits

comparison of Organic food products,

fortunately the supermarkets now have a wonderful selection of organic products, that are of good

quality and also affordable. I used to find the organic products were very expensive in comparison.

Most products on the market have an organic alternative.

Most of the products in Asda have an organic alternative, not all state it on this list, but the eggs, tomatoes etc are also organic.

I recently had to re think my diet and change what I ate as I discovered I have a wheat intolerance.

At first it seemed that I would not be able to eat anything, but also, a great 'free from' range exists in supermarkets these days.

I have found it to be a far healthier diet, cutting out wheat based breads, pizza bases, pastas & snacks etc.

Something I recently discovered was this:

It is called a '9 bar'

It is made with Mixed seeds, sunflower, pumpkin, poppy, carob, honey, oil and hemp.

It is gluten free & also dairy free.

I found it a great breakfast bar and as a snack.

Seeds and flax have a good source of omega 3, which are good for skin cells.

For the kiddies:

We are blessed that we don't have children who are too fussy about what they eat.

From babies, they have generally eaten what we will be eating- I used to just blend it

and not season what they ate.

There are a few things Jessie has a dislike to, like spicy food, but on the whole,

they eat very well. For on the go snacks and lunch box food, there are some great healthy,

organic options, dried fruits, fruit bars, smoothies..

Something we like at the moment, (although the range is aimed at babies/toddlers)

is the Ella's kitchen range. Pure, organic products, in a squeezy container, for drinking.

They do savory meals-designed for babies,but Jessie and Ellie enjoy the fruit puree.

It is just like a fruit smoothie-to go!

So, thats a few of my healthy eating ideas.

Stay Happy, stay healthy, be blessed and anointed and filled with the knowledge of God!

blessings,

Ellie has lost her comforter.

Did anyone have a childhood comforter? I did. I sucked my 'pointy' finger upside down, whilst stroking my nose with my middle finger. I would clutch onto an old pair of p.j's that had become my tatty comforter since a very young age. I called it my 'cuddly.'  

I remember exactly how cuddly looked, he  was made of white cotton, soft to touch, with a red apples design all over them. I would swing cuddly around and around in the air to make it cold before snuggling it up to my face. I also remember how devastated I was when my younger brother decided to 'lose' my cuddly at a restaurant in Dubai. He 'accidently' put it one of their outside trash bins! - I never saw that cuddly again! Grrrr!

 Well Ellie has lost her comforter this weekend. She took it with her to church and we cant trace it. We have searched everywhere, even in the school lockers..It isn't being found! 

Bed time has been difficult, as  Ellie only wants  to cuddle her 'Rabbie.' We have tried giving her other soft toys, but its 'Rabbie' she craves! She wants the comfort that has been with her since she was a babe. No replacement comforter will fill her void.
 As I was thinking about this situation, I was thinking about when we, as adults, lose our comfort. Nothing can replace the comfort that God gives to us. When it is lost, we may try to replace it with other types of comfort. Food, wine, television, whatever we try and use, it is never a good enough substitute. We need to cry out for our true comfort- God!!

'Even though I walk
       through the valley of the shadow of death,
       I will fear no evil,
       for you are with me;
       your rod and your staff,
       they comfort me.' Psalm 23:4

' You will increase my honor
       and comfort me once again.' Psalm 71:21

'I remember your ancient laws, O LORD, and I find comfort in them.' Psalm 119:52

May your unfailing love be my comfort,
       according to your promise to your servant.  Psalm 119:76

Lets pray that Ellie finds her comfort soon!