I am far from an expert, but these things have helped my family and I to be much more healthy!  I was thankful when I learned that the snack machines were being taken out of schools. Too bad the little country stroe that was stocked full daily of sodas and chips and candy wasn’t off limits to us students when I was in jr high and high school!

(1) I used to think vegans and “fitness experts” were weird. after all, what kind of nut would drink raw eggs for breakfast? I used to wonder about that. Now, as long as the eggs are organic (grass fed, or with no antibiotics in the grain the chickens eat), it's fine! 

(2) I’ve learned we don’t HAVE to eat three big meals a day--nor do I have to prepare them for my family. My husband, praise the LORD, truly IS satisfied with a very light dinner most evenings. He even prepares it himself sometimes.

(3) We don’t HAVE to eat “breakfast food” at breakfast. In fact, I feel better when I eat something like pizza, spaghetti, a sandwich, or a yogurt-fruit smoothie. yes, I WAS stuck in traditionalism (see ** above)

(4) Use organic olive oil or organic coconut oil as often as possible instead of canola or peanut. You can also use organic coconut oil for many other household and personal care uses. 

(5) Use real butter instead of margarine or oleo. When I read in a health book about how margarine is really made, I was appalled that I had been putting that negative chemical brew into my body! Butter may have more fat and salt, but it is NATURAL. Organic butter from grass-fed cows is best. 

(6) Make small changes slowly. Try wheat bread instead of white. Try brown sugar instead of white. Try wheat flour instead of white. White things means they have been bleached (do you NORMALLY add bleach to your food when you cook it? Maybe to the clothes wash, but NOT to your food, right?  

(7) Use apple cider vinegar (full of good things and all natural and good to mix with honey to raise immunity and regulate digestion) instead of white vinegar, for white vinegar has had all the beneficial properties stripped out of it. It's only good for cleaning.

(8) Use veggie pasta and gluten-free products as much as possible. By trying and getting used to one or two things at a time, these changes will stick. 

(9) Juices that are organic and have no or very little added sugar are excellent.

(10) Organic coffee tastes as good as coffee that's not, and are not more expensive. 

(11) Organic teas, especially green tea (which has antioxidants) are good to help relax you and raise immunity. 

(12) Organic candy bars and protein bars now come in multiple delicious kinds and are not much more expensive than a candy bar, which is only white bleached sugar and empty calories, unless it has nuts. Usually, though, the nuts in a regular candy bar are not organic either. 

And here's an extra: Take a daily probiotic, vitamin C, and multi-vitamin, at least. According to many health experts, we almost always need take supplements because we usually don’t get enough vitamins and minerals from the food we eat. Vitamin C, especially, can be taken in big doses, because your body will flush out what it doesn't need.  So if a cold or allergies or even stress hit, up your dosage of Vitamin C at least 2,000 milligrams!

And finally, EXERCISE! You didn’t think we were going to skip this, did you?) We started with a little walking, and gradually added more walking, then gentle floor exercises, like sit ups, and stretches and more. You can even part farther from the store and walk more, or walk in the park or around your neighborhood, or inside a huge business building or mall. Just get moving! Also, if you smile and think of good things, or even sing as you walk, you'll enjoy it all the more--and will benefit! 

Of course, the very main thing is to remember to be thankful to the LORD our God, Who created us in love and gives us every breath and strength, and wisdom to take care of ourselves! 

YOU CAN DO THIS, and YOU ARE WORTH THE INVESTMENT!

Tonja and her husband live to exalt God. They lift Him up in books (P.O.W.E.R. Girl!; LEGACY; Visions of the King; Your Holy Health; more); presentations; service in church, community, and the world; and via the "River Rain Creative" (309 videos) and "POWERLight Learning" You Tube channels.