Life Beyond Laundry

The 30 Day Challenge

2011-11-04T11:39:00.001-04:00

So What is all the Buzz about a 30 Day Challenge?

And why should you join?

Our Team is hosting a 30 day challenge…read below to see how you can join our team…. And win! We recently had a small group gathered and between nine of us….we totaled 369 lbs lost! That is better than some of the Biggest Loser results! Move over Jillian….we have a program that anyone can do, and not feel tortured or deprived! Though I do encourage exercise, it isn't necessary to lose weight, nor is it necessary to join our challenge. There is no diet… no starving… no feeling deprived. In fact… if you get started now, I will encourage you to go ahead and join all the holiday hoopla parties. You will have such great success that partaking in moderation will be easy, and you'll still lose the unwanted pounds!

This system is so simple… so easy! No crazy dieting… no feeling deprived…no feeling hungry! Read some of the testimonials…of Real Results others have gotten!

Call 478-508-2678 for more info on how you can get started!

So what does the Challenge consist of?

30 Days – commit to 30 days of consistent use so you will get the BEST results possible

A Deluxe Zija Weight Management System

Comes with 30 Day Money Back Satisfaction Guarantee! You have nothing to lose but the unwanted pounds!

Includes:

1 Case of Smart Mix
1 Case of XM+ Mix
1 XM/AM Blister Pack
1 XM/PM Blister Pack
1 Box of Premium Tea
5 XM/PM Trial Packs
5 XM/AM Trial Packs
1 Shaker Bottle
1 Business Kit

Retail value –over $500 -Your Cost $330 (includes shipping and handling)

A Free Consultation to help Set You up for Success

Each Challenge consists of a minimum of 10 Contestants – Max of 19 so you have a Great Chance to Win!

Contestant who loses the most lbs in 30 days will WIN!

You could win another FULL Deluxe System (retail value over $500!) or $250 CASH.

Triple Your Investment. in Less than a Month

2011-09-19T12:02:00.002-04:00

Need some help from my bean counter friends in Zija. I want to make sure I am not missing something.

With our current promotion one could:

Invest $660 for a package valued at over $800.

Find two more investors at $660.

Earn $200 in FOB. $100 in EBB = $300

Earn $75 TC.

Earn at least $250 in extra bonus for RA.

So....that would be $625 in earnings.

Help those people find their two investors and you find a couple more.

Earn an additional - $50 in SBBs, $300 in in FOB & EBB, $225 in TC, and $500 more for RA to bronze, with the potential to earn even more if you repeat that process again and get to gold!

SO...they could turn $660 into $625 + $1075 = $1700 in just a few weeks...

not even counting selling samples - is that right??? Math is not my strong point so I may be missing something....

If this were duplicated on a weekly basis the earnings would exponentially grow. A person could easily make $4k in their first month with this promo! We only have this week to prepare the soil by upgrading... and four weeks to create unstoppable momentum!

Water – Make Wise Choices

2011-09-10T19:04:00.001-04:00

If anyone had told me ten years ago that I would spend $2.50 for a quart of water (do the math… that is $10 per gallon!!!) I would have laughed. Now, I shake my head in wonder at how many people do just that. People will not spend three measly dollars per day on providing their bodies with the best nutrition on the planet, but they will buy WATER that is virtually free at the conservative cost of $5 per gallon. I was appalled when I did research to get up to date figures for my recent class. 60 MILLION plastic water bottles per day are tossed into the trash in the United States. Stop and think about that for a minute. Do a little simple math 60,000,000 x 365 = 21,900,000,000 or to write that out 21 BILLION, 9 HUNDRED MILLION bottles per year. Is that not insane?!!!!

I could camp out on the detriment to our environment that the bottle water industry has caused, but that isn't the purpose of this post. My goal is to help educate folks so they will drink the proper amount of water to hydrate themselves, and to help them make wise choices in choosing their water sources. Hopefully the opening paragraph is a clue that bottle water would not be the wisest choice, but if that isn't enough there is much more evidence to incriminate. There really aren't any redeemable qualities to offset the many detriments to drinking bottled water. First we addressed exorbitant expense, and environmental cost. Now let's look at the price we are paying with our health.

Plastics are full of toxins. No one will even attempt to deny that. Those toxins leach from the bottle into the water we drink. No one will deny that either. The arguments are all around how much leaches, and how much is "safe." I will leave the experts to nit-pick over nano-particles, and I will save myself hundreds of dollars per year by drinking tap water which has tested just as clean or cleaner than bottled water.

But, wait! Tap water from a city municipal source is full of chlorine, and often is "enriched" with fluoride – neither of which are good for you. If you don't believe me, have a look at this.The simple solution is to find a good filter, not to pick up a couple of cases of bottled water every week. While I was doing my research I ran across this site, and felt like it was worth sharing this comparison chart.

Once you choose your water filter and have a clean source of water, find yourself a BPA free water bottle, or even better drink out of glass or stainless steel. Then measure out the optimum amount your body needs so that you can better gauge if you are drinking enough. The simplest formula to use is to take your body weight and divide it in half. That number is the number of ounces of good clean purified water you should be drinking each day. If you are also consuming caffeine you should compensate by drinking more water. (Caffeine is a diuretic and will dehydrate instead of hydrate you.)

Adding a lemon wedge or two will add in some flavor, without negating the benefits of drinking water. Don't use the flavored water packets or additives. All the ones I have seen are full of artificial sweeteners and colors. If you aren't sure why those are bad… go back a few posts and read The Fatal Five.

Is Exercise Really Necessary to Lose Weight?

2011-09-10T18:11:00.001-04:00

Answering this question will probably upset some of my fitness fanatic friends, but I have to be honest. An exercise program is not necessary to lose weight. It is a question many people ask simply because they are at a place in their health where exercise isn't an option, or it feels like torture. I have to confess that I lost my weight before I started an exercise program. I didn't just lose a few pounds either…. I lost 54lbs BEFORE I started exercising. It was not until I had lots of flabby skin to tone up that I made myself find the time to fit exercise into my schedule. Using our weight management program which helps to balance the metabolism was all that my body needed to shed the fat.

I say this not to upset the exercise gurus who read this, but to encourage people who aren't to the place in their journey that they are ready to implement exercise. I can also offer encouragement by saying that all my clients who started out in that position, now enjoy pain free exercise and have found a way to fit it into their busy lives. Now to appease my gym rat friends a little more – even though exercise isn't necessary for your weight loss program, it *is* necessary for your fitness program. Most of us who have weight loss as a goal would also have 'being more healthy' as our 'why' for setting that goal. So, you aren't off the hook!

You can NOT be healthy without some form of physical activities which include aerobic and anaerobic routines. We might think we are healthy because we are at our ideal weight, but unless you are physically exerting yourself, your heart and lungs will be weak. You must get your heart rate up higher than normal in order to 'exercise' your cardiovascular system. Most of us are familiar with aerobic exercise, but I thought including the following description would be helpful in understanding the differences in aerobic and anaerobic so you can incorporate both in your program.

"The term "anaerobic" means "without air" or "without oxygen." Anaerobic exercise uses muscles at high intensity and a high rate of work for a short period of time. Anaerobic exercise helps us increase our muscle strength and stay ready for quick bursts of speed. Think of short and fast when you think of anaerobic exercise.

Examples of anaerobic exercise include heavy weight lifting, sprinting, or any rapid burst of hard exercise. These anaerobic exercises cannot last long because oxygen is not used for energy and a by-product, called lactic acid, is produced.

Lactic Acid contributes to muscle fatigue and must be burned up by the body during a recovery period before another anaerobic bout of exercise can be attempted. The recovery period also allows the muscles to use oxygen to replenish the energy used during the high intensity exercise.

Aerobic exercise, on the other hand, includes lower intensity activities performed for longer periods of time. Activities like walking, jogging, swimming, and cycling require a great deal of oxygen to make the energy needed for prolonged exercise.

Both aerobic and anaerobic exercises are needed for the development of physical fitness. Check with your healthcare provider before you start an exercise program. Choose activities that you enjoy, and that are readily accessible." – taken from the University of Iowa's website.

Many people think that if they are walking 3-5 times a week that should be enough. Even though that is better than no exercise, it is doubtful that it will facilitate weight loss, and it is definitely not enough to support good cardiovascular health. Zumba is the latest craze, and is lots of fun. I am a social exerciser so finding classes at the local gym was what it took for me to "take the plunge." I really like Body Pump too because it includes enough weights to double as aerobic exercise and weight training. R.I.P.P.E.D. is probably my favorite thus far, but is not the best class for beginners because of its intensity. Whether you get to the gym for a fun class, or order a DVD so you can get all sweaty and stinky in the privacy of your own home, find something to do to get your heart rate up, your lungs working at full capacity, and your muscles moving enough to at least feel it the next day. Find something to do that you enjoy, or you won't stick with it. And just like dieting… exercising is NOT going to work for you if you have a short term attitude about it. It needs to be a lifestyle change.

Even though exercise is not necessary to lose weight, it is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. As the Nike slogan goes…. "Just Do It!" Do it for your figure, but most importantly, do it for your health!

Why Low Fat is Bad

2011-07-26T12:39:00.001-04:00

As I was selecting a package of cream cheese at the store yesterday, I picked up a package of fat free cream cheese by mistake. When I read the ingredients, I was appalled. (Not that I would have purchased it, but I have become a habitual label reader.) Among other non-natural ingredients was Titanium (for color.) I will save a discussion on artificially coloring our foods for another day, but I had to mention this, because I was already prepared to talk about the benefits of having enough (good) fat in your diet.

We have bought the lie that fat is bad, and it needs to be only 10% of our daily intake…. And yet those people who adhere to the low fat, low calorie mentality are the ones who struggle with their weight… and often end up with diabetes or "metabolic syndrome." Our metabolisms were not designed to eat the "foods" we eat today. The syndrome we have is a syndrome of unhealthy eating, and misinformation. One large piece of misinformation that we have bought "hook, line, and sinker" is the notion that fats are bad for you and cause you to have high cholesterol. It is true that some fats are bad, but we have gone beyond throwing out the baby with the bathwater. Avoiding all fats is a contributing factor to the overall poor health in our nation. Our bodies NEED fat. In fact, each of the trillions of cells in our body must have fat in order to function properly. The fancy term we use for these fats that are integral to the outer structure of each cell is "lipid." Lipids, combined with certain plant based carbohydrates, send important messages to the immune system. Without enough fats in our diets, our body struggles to communicate properly…. And the end result is more frequent illnesses, cancers, and auto-immune conditions.

Our bodies need fat. Some of us even need as much as 30% fat on a daily basis. And yet, we are bombarded with slick marketing that tells us to avoid fat, but not fattening foods… just substitute low fat, and all of a sudden ice cream no longer needs to be eaten in moderation. In the first place, the dairy products in the store are bad for you, period, regardless of whether they are made from skim milk, or whole milk. Cow milk creates an acidic environment in the body. What you buy at the store has been pasteurized (killed) and homogenized (molecularly changed.) When you kill the enzymes, you facilitate "lactose intolerance." In the raw version, you would get the enzyme lactase, which is necessary to digest lactose. Our bodies don't make lactase. So the end result is NO ONE drinking pasteurized milk is able to process lactose unless they are consuming a live enzyme supplement. You'll even find special milk that has lactase added back in. Intrinsically, there is something wrong with this picture… but you will find it throughout the grocery store. We kill the food and then "enrich" it with supplemental vitamins and such that were originally there in the first place. But now I am off on a tangent… I'll save further discussion for another blog post.

Don't read what I am saying to mean that it is okay to eat any kind of fat! Fried foods should still be avoided. Hydrogenated oils (aka trans fats) should not be a part of anyone's diet who wants to stay healthy. Oh, and by the way, even if it says 0 trans fats, still read the label. If the serving has less than a gram, they can legally say "0 trans fats." Hydrogenated oils are found in many breads, most crackers, margarine, Crisco, and most anything processed that contains flour. Why? It is cheaper. And what detriment is it to us to consume it? Hydrogenated oil, like homogenized milk, is molecularly changed. In the case of milk, the fat is bound to the other molecules so the cream doesn't separate. In the case of hydrogenated oils, it is molecularly changed so that something that was originally liquid becomes solid. And then we wonder why we have hardening of our arteries, and fatty deposits all throughout our cardiovascular system. But all fats arent bad. Saturated fats are good for you, and are an important part of a balanced diet. Examples of foods containing good fats are: almonds, flax seed (freshly ground), butter (in moderation), walnuts, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, & olive oil (cold processed), cheeses, sour cream, eggs (yolk too)….in other words – naturally occurring fats. We won't lump meat fats into that list because naturally raised meat is naturally low fat!

How this relates to people being overweight could be considered theoretical… or just common sense applied. It is a known fact that our bodies respond to food differently when we are in "starvation mode." When we don't eat enough, our body goes into reserve and holds on to calories it would otherwise burn, hibernation, if you will. When we starve our bodies of fats, something similar happens. If you aren't getting enough good fats in your diet, your body won't turn loose of its stored fat, and instead you will begin to burn muscle for energy.

It is also important to know how our bodies react when we are out of balance in the foods we eat. Hopefully I can explain this in a way that is easy to understand. Our bodies produce insulin to offset the rise in sugar that gets dumped into the bloodstream when we are digesting foods. When we eat lots of carbs without a balance of fats and proteins, we overwork our pancreas trying to produce enough insulin to bring the blood sugar down to an acceptable level. This is where the "glycemic index" becomes important to consider. Though I don't subscribe to the plan on this website I like their glycemic list better than others I have seen. It is important to know that you can choose your portions wisely and still not totally give up the high glycemic foods you love. However, when all we eat are high glycemic foods, the end result is bound to be diabetes. Our undernourished cells eventually become insulin resistant (poor communication) and our overworked pancreas eventually gives out, and even "Type II" Diabetics become insulin dependent. The other thing that happens is the digestive system takes the easiest route in order to divert all the body's energy to lower the blood sugar. That "route" is to store everything as fat! We encourage this viscous cycle by eating processed carbs and avoiding fats and proteins. So… the skinny on fats is: If you don't eat enough, it might make you fat!

If you found this article helpful, take a second and share it with your friends.

Allergies - What Can You Do?

2011-06-28T22:23:00.004-04:00

In some areas there are still pollen clouds in the air, and yellow dust coats every horizontal exterior surface. We also discussed the respiratory system on Blogtalk Radio this week, and talked about allergies and asthma. With this in mind, it seems appropriate to address allergies here too. This is the time of year when everyone is wondering what the best seasonal allergy treatment is. Find relief from a seasonal/pollen allergy IS possible! And it doesn’t have to consist of over the counter drugs to mask the symtoms until the pollen clears the air either.

Not all allergies are seasonal however. Many people suffer from various food allergies, dust and mold allergies, and even allergies to certain types of animals. It is important to note that all allergies have the same basic root cause, and all allergies can be improved naturally. That is not to say there are natural allergy cures. The word ‘cure’ has become a forbidden word in the natural world. According to the FDA food can’t cure anything. Maybe a better term would be spontaneous recovery? In this case what happens with natural allergy treatments is you restore the body’s ability to handle the offending allergens properly.

First it would help to understand the basic premise: in the simplest terms, allergies are caused by improper communication within the body. When the immune system identifies foreign objects its job is to isolate and eliminate. Allergies are the result of an immune system gone awry. It attacks, but never shuts down, resulting in extreme inflammation. The standard medical treatment is to address the symptom, and not the cause. One simple way to alleviate the problem is to avoid the allergen. Of course, sometimes that is easier said than done. Another typical treatment is to take antihistamines. Our body normally produces histamines, but when allergies develop, the histamine production goes into overdrive. Using antihistamines will grant relief, but it won’t eliminate the problem. Sometimes, when allergies are severe, the protocol will include steroids. Allergies also contribute to asthma, which can be life threatening. Medications have their place, are often necessary, and are great for relieving allergy symptoms; but they will never help your body to overcome allergies.

So, what is a ‘natural treatment’ for allergies? Proper nutrition is the key… along with adequate rest and moderate exercise. Stress is a major offender in all areas of health, and allergies are no exception. There are many, many people who are finding that their seasonal allergy symptoms completely disappear when they incorporate good, quality nutrition and live a healthy lifestyle. It sounds very simplistic, and in all honesty, it is. The biggest challenge is finding real nutrition in the denatured foods we eat. The answer is to supplement with a high quality supplement which includes vitamins & minerals, amino acids, omega fats, and antioxidants.

If you are looking to learn how to treat pollen or seasonal allergies naturally, the best remedy available is a clean diet with proper nutrition. Don’t be surprised if implementing this helps your other allergies too. Regardless of whether they are food allergies, pet allergies, or pollen allergies, the solution is the same. Give your body what it needs so that it can correct the communication breakdown, and your allergies symptoms will vanish faster than the pollen does!

2011-06-14T21:37:00.002-04:00

So, I guess I got the cart before the horse. In my rush to publish an article related to the digestive system, and the radio talk show, I failed to introduce the Better Health series. I actually started writing these articles last year, but didn't publish very many of them before I put the project on hold. This time, I will follow through and cover different areas from A to Z.

The goal of this series is to explore some of the many health conditions that people suffer from today, and look at causes and solutions. You will never find me using the words “treat, cure, or mitigate” because those are words that are basically trademarked solely for the use of pharmaceutical companies. It is a sad fact, but in reality, drugs don't “treat, cure, or mitigate” either. The vast majority (95%) simply mask symptoms. The other 5 percent (antibiotics fall into this category) often fail to accomplish their purpose simply because they have been so overused. We now have what the medical community calls “super bugs” that have mutated and adapted to render antibiotics a useless defense.

We pray for cures, when in fact, the answers are right before our eyes. The causes of all disease trace back to three primary factors – toxic overload, nutritional deficiencies, and parasites. You might also see some references to viruses and bacteria, but the body could defend itself against these if it weren't for those three root causes. It is important to not discount the importance of adequate pure clean water, good restful sleep, and exercise. Those are three simple additions to anyone's regime that will improve overall health. However, many people find themselves in a state of health that prevents them from getting proper rest and exercise.

The easiest route to take becomes the one so many people walk down. First one drug to mask the symptom, then another to bring down the blood pressure, then another for cholesterol...and next thing you know, there is another drug for pain relief, one to help you sleep, and one for acid reflux. And lastly, you'll find that weight gain occurs and many times with that comes diabetes. Adding in an anti-depressant will almost inevitably happen somewhere along the way. I have a saying... “Drugs are like Lays Potato Chips. You can't just take one.” Once you start, one gets stacked on top of the other, to remedy the side effect the first one caused. At some point, people will either get fed up, or die from the combination of the original problem and the toxic overload caused by the multiple prescriptions. I am writing these articles to benefit the people that are in the “fed up” category.

So then the question becomes....where to start? Even though the answer to that question is best targeted to each individual, there are some generic guidelines to follow. First of all, don't expect results over night. Just as Rome wasn't built in a day, nor did your body get in the shape it is in overnight. It won't recover overnight either! How quickly you get your body back to optimal health will directly correlate to how committed you are to making changes. If you goal is to eliminate medications, you need to have a sit down with your doctor (or more likely PA) and tell him/her that you are making lifestyle changes and would like to come up with a plan to eliminate prescriptions as your health improves. Find out which drugs you can eliminate at your own discretion. Pain meds and indigestion meds often fall into this category. Get a base line on your blood pressure and blood work so that you can re-evaluate at reasonable intervals. If your focus is on reducing blood pressure prescriptions, keep a log. Then start making simple changes. Baby steps are much more effective than a massive overhaul. Small changes stick; major changes cause revolts. You can bring your family along on the health journey with you if the adjustments are gradual.

There are 5 major offenders that need to be removed from the diet. Some will argue that there are others, and I would agree. However, even just removing these 5 from the diet are a challenge many can't tackle. It is next to impossible to eliminate them all, so focusing on a few of the worst ones is better than being overwhelmed and quitting before you get started. Typically I suggest people just start with one at a time, and then progressively eliminate them all. Tackle the easiest one first. Success breeds success. You will be much more likely to continue down the path to better health if you find it easy to walk down.

Next week we explore what those five offensive foods are….so stay tuned! Feel free to comment with your ‘guesses’. Anyone (who has never heard me speak) that can list off all five, will win a Skinny Mini – 4 day trial pack!

ABCs of Better Health – Acid Reflux

2011-06-13T21:41:00.001-04:00

I will be writing a series of articles on various health challenges that can be addressed naturally. Emilio and I are talking about the different systems of the body on Blogtalk Radio on Mondays at 2pm. This week we discussed the digestive system, and how it affects our overall health, as well as ways to ensure that your digestive system is functioning optimally. This week's blog will briefly address acid reflux and the simplest way to overcome it naturally. Millions of Americans suffer from Acid Reflux and most of them turn to acid reducing drugs for help. Unfortunately they don't realize that masking the symptoms creates even worse problems.

Acid reflux is rooted in the deficiency of enzymes in our current food supply. Enzymes are necessary for proper food digestion, just as stomach acids are required. When enzymes aren't present, our bodies try to compensate by increasing acid production. The result: too much acid, and incredible discomfort. Following the typical allopathic method of treating the symptom without addressing the problem will indeed make one feel better, but in the long run it can also result in much worse problems such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, leaky gut, and even colon cancer. It is not uncommon for the 'end result' of continued medical treatment to be removal of portions of the colon!

A more common sense approach would be to determine WHY the stomach is producing too much acid. Almost always, adding good quality enzymes and improving the diet will alleviate the problem. It is also prudent to use some form of a colon cleanse to rid the body of all the undigested foods that clog up the intestines and lead to other illnesses. Much of what we consume today is toxic in some way. Very few of us eat a totally raw, organic diet...and unless we do, it is important to be proactive in supporting our digestive health.

Whether we suffer from acid reflux or not, it is prudent to do a cleanse at least yearly. There are several good enzyme products on the market, and a plethora of colon cleanses (some more detrimental than beneficial.) Care should be taken that you get a good quality product, else you won't get good results. It is not a good idea to use colon cleanse type products long term, nor should they be used as a method for weight loss. They WILL greatly enhance a weight loss program, but if they are being used AS a weight loss program, they are too harsh. One of my favorites is the "Master Cleanse" – mainly because it involves using simple ingredients you can find at the grocery store, and it isn't harsh. Even things that are healthy for us, if used improperly can be harmful. Don't confuse "detox" or "digestive support" types of products with "colon cleanse". The Miracle Tea is designed to support the digestive system and detox organs (such as the liver and kidneys) and is gentle enough to be used through the duration of the weight management program. It is also a good addition to include once or twice a week regardless of whether you are trying to lose weight or not. Enzymes and probiotics can be use daily as they are simply rebuilding the digestive environment we have destroyed with poor eating habits and excessive use of antibiotics. Many people find that when they use the Smart Mix they no longer need to supplement with enzymes. Since it is never heated during processing and hasn't been denatured in any way, it is still enzymatically alive.

Including raw foods in the diet on a daily basis will also go a long way towards restoring proper digestion. Be sure to eat seasonal fruits and vegetables, and include a wide variety. Your best bet is to buy them from a local grower if you aren't able to grow your own. Next best would be to purchase from the local Farmer's Market, but buying them at the grocery store is better than getting a fruit cup with your Big Mac. Not to downplay the benefit of trading fruit for fries, but your commitment to change needs to be bigger than that! Make it your goal to eat something raw with each meal for a week, and see if you can turn that into a habit. Your colon will thank you!

My goal in writing the ABC's of Better Health is to help people seek out natural solutions before turning to drugs for answers. There are cases which are more difficult to 'solve' but I am convinced that natural answers can be found, and it is very rare that drugs are necessary...especially on a long term basis.

Quick Easy Weight Loss, Part 2

2011-06-07T00:18:00.001-04:00

There are several mental triggers that sabotage healthy quick weight loss. Some cravings come from addictions, and others come from our body's need for nutrition, and still others are set off when we put ourselves on a "diet" that denies us the things we love most. If there was a way to overcome cravings, it would be much easier to lose weight. Let's look at some things that you can do to help.

A very simple way to help stave off cravings is to ensure you are drinking enough water. Many times when we think we are hungry, we are really just thirsty. Try it! Next time you think you are hungry or get the munchies, drink 12-16oz of water and wait ten minutes. Another neat trick is to brush your teeth. Sometimes it is a lingering taste that will trigger or tastebuds and cause us to want to eat.

Sadly, we have evolved to a point where our "food" doesn't provide us with adequate nutrition anymore, and our brain is in a constant state of signaling that it needs more nutrition, which in turn sets off a series of events which cause us to feel hungry. One easy way to overcome nutritional cravings is to provide our bodies with all the nutrition they need. I think we can all agree that we can't get what we need from our grocery store. For years the only way to get everything we needed was to take 4 or 5 different supplements, typically resulting in at least 2 hands full of pills. Now, with Zija's revolutionary proprietary Moringa product, we can have all that and then some. It not only includes all your vitamins and minerals, it includes all the necessary amino acids, the omega fats in a perfect balance, 36 anti-inflammatories, and 46 antioxidants. No other botanical even comes close to being as nutrient dense as Moringa, and Zija International has harnessed that nutritional power by painstakingly preserving it in its natural state, and utilizing all the beneficial parts of the tree. The end product contains a blend of the leaf, the seed, and the fruit. It is never heated, is still enzymatically alive, and is not denatured in any way. Most people find that they are not as hungry, and lose their sweet and salty cravings.

Probably the most frustrating and overwhelming cravings we have are the emotional ones. We eat when we are stressed. We eat when we are 'hormonal'. We eat when we are sad. We eat when we are mad. And for many, it seems as if this is the biggest challenge – overcoming the urge to eat every time our mood changes. One of the biggest hurdles to jump is the battle that goes on in the brain when these urges hit. Zija's Weight Management system addresses this with the XM3 "Body In Balance" capsule. By strategically including Dutch cocoa, and other healthy, natural, ingredients, the capsule arrests emotional cravings, helps us not be as hungry, and makes us feel full faster. As one client said, "It frees you from bondage to food." I call it coaching in a capsule because it allows people to easily push away from the table, and effortlessly walk away from the foods that used to taunt them. Self control is simple when you have the XM3 capsule on your side. To add the icing to the proverbial cake, you don't feel like you are denying yourself the things you love, so they don't tempt you like they would if they were not on the "diet menu". To top it off, you'll also experience targeted fat loss because it helps to trigger leptin production which in turn helps the body burn fat.

Using these two components of the system will help you to overcome your cravings and have healthy, quick, and easy weight loss. In another blog I will talk about the Miracle Tea, and the importance of detoxing while shedding fat.

Zija's XM3 Weight Mangement is:

A system

that doesn't restrict you…

that retrains your brain to want more healthy food….

that empowers you to be able to walk away without overeating…

that gives you victory in the battle of the bulge by burning fat.

Is it Possible to Lose Weight Safely and Quickly?

2011-05-30T16:36:00.001-04:00

Is it Possible to Lose Weight Safely and Quickly? (Part 1)

Up until recently, my answer to that question would have been a resounding no. The typical diet designed for rapid weight loss is quite unhealthy. With most programs, losing more than 1-2% of your weight per week simply means you are sacrificing muscle as well as fat. So, even though you might lose weight fast, it really hasn't improved the BMI or your health.

There are more than a handful of fad diets that can help you lose it, but how many of them will help you keep it off? The percentage of people who use a diet to lose weight and keep it off long term is very small. Diets don't work; only lifestyle changes do.

Lifestyle changes not only take time, they are hard to make. Habits die hard; addictive foods proliferate the modern diet. Combine those two simple undeniable truths, and you'll know why people go to such drastic measures to lose weight. They range the gamut from cabbage diets to gastric by-pass surgery. Others turn to diet pills that promise rapid easy weight loss like Alli. A person has to be desperate to take something that warns of side effects like these!. (Please click the link and go read, especially if you are considering using Alli or any other fat blocking product!) Gastric by-pass surgery is not all it is purported to be either. "According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in October, 2005, the rates of death from gastric bypass surgery are far higher than previously disclosed. The study of over 16,000 patients found that, among 35 to 44-year-olds, more than 5 percent of men and nearly 3 percent of women were dead within a year, and slightly higher rates were seen in patients 45 to 54. Among patients 65 to 74, nearly 13 percent of men and about 6 percent of women died. In patients 75 and older, half of the men and 40 percent of the women died. With about 170,000 gastric bypass surgeries occurring each year in the United States, as many as 4,500 to 9,000 patients may die as a result of this surgery annually. This is more than double previous estimates." If you'd like to read the whole article you can find it here. Not only do many die from gastric bypass, the after effects are irreversible. People will subject themselves to horrid side effects, risk their lives, and make life altering decisions to lose weight. Why? Is it because people don't have enough self control to make lifestyle changes? Is it because they try all the fad diets, and don't lose weight? Is it because they want instant results without any effort? Or is it because they get to a point where they don't think there is any other way?

What if there was a natural way to retrain the brain and overcome the challenge of willpower? A way to overcome addictions to carbs and sweets without having to completely give them up, or deny yourself the things you love? The main challenge most people have is portion control. When they turn to Weight Watchers or other low calorie diets, they find the pounds come off very slowly, and many of them give up before they meet their goals. Or, maybe they are among those who are motivated by accountability and they actually lose the weight. How many of them actually keep it off? People who lose weight dieting typically gain the weight back, and then some.

Check in for part two, and find out how you can make simple lifestyle changes that will help you shed the fat, and keep it off forever.

How Healthy is America?

2011-05-14T03:00:00.001-04:00

I think we can all agree that our health care system is broken. In the year 2000 (the last published scorecard from the WHO), the US was ranked 37^th in Health Care Performance. A quick look around the web (or in the local doctor's office) and it is easy to see that hasn't improved in the past 10 years. There is a huge national buzz about needing change, but no real change has been suggested, just government funding for more of the same. Will it help? Of course! But that really isn't the question to ask. We should be asking who will it help?

If you haven't watched the Town of Allopath video yet, you should. Until the problem is exposed, not many people will look for a real solution. We as a generation have grown up doing things the way we do them just because it has always been done that way. We are so far removed from Plato & Aristotle that asking the question "why" doesn't occur to us. "Why?" Because we have been taught not to question. It Is Because It Is ...that's why! We find ourselves in the era of improvement, not discovery. Without common sense questions, this is a scary place to be. "Why?" Because when we improve upon a method that is already faulty...all we get is faultier.

The model of allopathy is a case in point. It is a system of treating symptoms, not looking for causes. In a most simplistic sense, it appears reasonable. In order to expose the flaw, let's create a hypothetical example. When you have a headache a plausible solution would be to take a Tylenol, right? So....what if you have reoccurring headaches? Doesn't it make sense to try and figure out what is causing the headaches? At some point you might come to the conclusion that it is time to see a doctor to determine the problem. In most cases that requires a battery of tests which are designed to discover the cause. So far, this model seems like a good method. But what happens if there isn't a blatant explanation like a tumor? Or what happens if during the examination it is discovered that you have high blood pressure which is 'causing' the headaches? The doctor writes a prescription for a blood pressure med, and pats you on the back telling you it will get better. You are also told that you'll be taking this med for the rest of your life. On occasion you might get some instructions to exercise more and lose a few pounds along with a print out of one of the "low diets" (low fat, low carb, or low calorie). Oh, and don't forget to schedule your next appointment so you can get your prescription renewed.

There are actually a few allopathic doctors that have a little training in nutrition, but not many. In med school, the education is focused on pharmacology and diagnosis. In this case the 'diagnosis' was high blood pressure. But the real "why" was never uncovered. High blood pressure is a symptom. You might say, "But the doctor told me it was because I am overweight." Being overweight can contribute to high blood pressure, but it isn't the cause, otherwise everyone who is overweight would have high blood pressure. There are lots of skinny people that have high blood pressure. Even many doctors who consider themselves holistic in their approach, will treat allopathically with herbs instead of drugs. Though this is a better approach, it still only addresses the symptom most of the time.

It is my opinion that the best method is to apply common sense in a truly holistic way, much the same way that James Lind approached scurvy. A good first question to ask is "What is missing?" In the case of the Navy it was fresh fruits and vegetables. Deeper digging uncovered that citrus fruits we key. In the world of wellness, we do see this approach more broadly used. We even see it to a small degree in the development of the RDA. Here is a great article to read.

As we progress we are learning more about what nutrients are vital for good health. In recent years we have learned more about the importance of Omega fats, even though they aren't on the RDA list. Antioxidants have taken the front row as the baby boomers start to feel their age, because there is convincing research that antioxidants are essential to slow the aging process. We are learning more about macronutrients, and micronutrients. We are also learning that supplementing isn't good enough. We must use good supplements. Just because it says it has it all, A-Z, doesn't mean we will absorb it all.

For some people, even when they make changes to include everything necessary to promote good health, there are residual effects of prior bad choices. Toxin buildup needs to be addressed, and often parasites play a key role in preventing a wellness approach from working optimally. Sadly, we live in a world where people prefer to take a pill than to put forth the effort to take care of themselves properly.

Other influencing factors are the ever present drug reps promoting the latest and greatest pharmaceuticals on the market. Our society has evolved into a "fast food nation" that demands instant gratification. Logic isn't taught anymore, so we think more in terms of the here and now, than pondering the cause-effect relationship which forces one to ask the question, "What will be the long term result of following this protocol?" Common sense allopathy is an oxymoron. There must be a paradigm shift if we are going to make the changes necessary to improve our health score card which is inherently connected to the treatment model being used.

One Day Only Special

2011-05-12T09:14:00.000-04:00

Here's the Deal –

Today Only You can get a 4 day Skinny Mini –retail value of $30. I normally sell these for $25 but today only you can purchase it for 50% off!

For a mere $15 you can try the Zija Weight Management System. Limit of one per person please!

If you don't think 4 days will be enough OR if you want to take advantage of a better deal I have put together a Deluxe 8 Day Trial Sampler which includes:

8 days of Smart Mix

8 XM3 capsules

4 Miracle Tea bags (one tea bag will brew two days worth of tea)

And a 4 oz bottle of XM3 Energy Drink

All packaged beautifully in the black Miracle Tea box (I have people ask me if they can buy my empty boxes!)

The retail value of this Sampler is $68, you price….today only - $30!

I have a limited supply, so this offer is good for today only, and while supplies last! Shipping on all orders will be $5.00

Email me at gethelp@realpeoplewithrealresults.com or text your order to 478-508-2678

Why Diets Don’t Work

2011-05-09T23:48:00.002-04:00

Why is it that we are still seeing the epidemic rise is obesity with so many diets to choose from? Is it because all those people just don't care that they are overweight? I don't think so! Billions of dollars are being spent in the weight loss arena, and yet people aren't getting lasting results. Why? Personally, I think it is because people have been sold a lie. Diets don't work - period! Only life style changes can give permanent results, and most folks are so caught up in the eating culture of today, that they aren't willing to make the necessary commitments to garner the results they desire. My biggest challenge as a coach is not to help people lose weight, but to help them retrain their brain so that they can maintain it even after our coaching sessions are over.

We live in a fast-food nation. We expect instant gratification in all areas of life. Few people embrace the idea that it took years to get to where they are, and there is no magic that will give them back their high school figure overnight. Many people jump from one fad diet to another thinking that *this* will be the magic one that will be quick and easy. There is no way that I could cover all the different fad diets because there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of them. I will address a few of the main ones being promoted and what makes them ineffective and unhealthy.

Low Cal

At the top of the list is one that has been around for quite some time. Scientifically it can be supported that the key to success is to simply eat less calories, and move more. From a common sense standpoint it seems like a valid hypothesis. If you can burn more calories than you are consuming, you have to lose weight. While this is true, there are many people who have a "thrifty gene" that kicks in when calories are reduced. Designed to help you survive during a famine, the "thrifty gene" can sabotage your efforts if you are using this method to lose weight. If you are one of those people who have a hard time losing weight no matter what you do, you have probably been blessed with this survival mechanism. Your metabolism will adjust itself to maintain on the caloric intake provided, even if it is less than what is recommended to lose weight. I find it interesting that about 85% of the people who find themselves in this boat have an O blood type. I happen to fall into this category myself so I know your frustration if you can relate to the description above.

Even for those people who *do* lose weight on a low-cal diet, it is not sustainable long term, especially using the pre-packaged, pre-measured, "convenient" snacks and meals that are popular with this diet plan. It also is important to mention that most of these products use artificial sweeteners to lower the calories, and I have already addressed that in a previous blog. Studies show that artificial sweeteners often cause weight gain not to mention that they are neurotoxins. Reducing calories also poses a health risk. Our food is so nutrient depleted that, unless you have a food like Smart Mix in your daily regime, you will quickly find your health failing from lack of basic nutrition. Even those people who stick with a low-cal diet until they reach their goal weight rarely have long term success because it is difficult to maintain it as a lifestyle change. The biggest problem with any diet is the mindset that accompanies them. Diets are designed to get you to your goal, but they don't retrain the brain to help you think like a thin person. The end result – people return to their old habits… and often end up gaining back more than they initially lost.

Low Carb

One of the most popular in this category is the Atkins diet. Our bodies require certain carbohydrates to function properly. A low carb diet will also eventually lead to health challenges, and for most it isn't sustainable… and neither is the weight loss achieved with this method. Once you return to eating a healthy amount of carbohydrates, you will pack back on the pounds. Many of these plans allow the dieter an unlimited amount of proteins and fats, which are difficult for the body to digest, and overload the filter organs. The premise behind the low carb model is that you cause your body to go into ketosis which will induce fat burning. While I would wholeheartedly agree that it is healthy to limit the amount of processed carbs, it is important to not eliminate all carbohydrates from the diet. Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet, with proteins and fats providing the pillars for wellness. Most people will admit that they don't even feel well when the majority of their sustenance comes from proteins. A healthier alternative would be to choose a "slow carb" lifestyle where high glycemic foods are avoided, but complex carbohydrates are still an integral part of the daily menu. Even though it is true that a greater majority will achieve "success" with the low carb diet method, I don't personally know anyone who has adopted a low carb lifestyle and maintained weight loss long term. In fact, I commonly hear from people who readily admit that they were able to lose weight easily with this method, but they gained it back as quickly as they lost it. Diets don't work. Only lifestyle changes do… and in order to make lifestyle changes, you have to find a program that you can live with and one that will help you maintain your health. Overloading your plate with proteins and fats while eliminating almost all carbohydrates is unhealthy. I always tell my clients, "Ask yourself if you are eating in a way that you can live with for the rest of your life." If you aren't, whatever results you get won't be lifetime results.

Low Fat

Diets that fall into this category are the biggest hoax of them all. We have been told for the past 40 years or so that fats are causing us to be fat; fats are causing heart disease, fats are bad for us. We have heard it so much that it will probably be hard for you to change your mindset. There is a great book called, "Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill" that I would highly recommend if you aren't convinced by this short synopsis. If you haven't read my recent blog post on sugar, you might be surprised by what Dr. Lustig reveals in the lecture he recently presented. He supports the notion that fats aren't the cause of obesity or the prevalent health challenges we are facing as a nation. Just like carbohydrates, our bodies need fats. Each of our cells is coated with structures that are formed with proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. These structures form the cellular alphabet that allows our cells to communicate with each other. Without an adequate supply of proteins, fats, and certain plant based carbohydrates our immune system won't function properly.

From a health standpoint, the elimination of all the good fats from our diets has wreaked havoc. About 60% of our brain is composed of fat! Getting an adequate amount of good fat in the diet is extremely important for proper brain function. The low fat diets limit the good fats as well as the bad. Some of the popular diet aids on the market tout that they flush all the fat you consume and advertise this as a benefit. We should absolutely eliminate the bad fats. Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils should never pass our lips, but unless you want to sacrifice your immune system and proper brain function I strongly recommend avoiding a low fat diet.

What Does Work?

It should be obvious that low fat diets (like low cal diets, and low carb diets) don't work. If they did, we wouldn't be one of the fattest nations on the planet. There is a low-fat or no-fat version of everything… and yet, we are still fat. If your goal is to lose weight AND be healthy, then don't opt for a diet of any variety. Choose to make lifestyle changes. Learn what foods are bad for you and avoid them. Learn what foods are good for you and consume them. Supporting a lifestyle change with a system like the XM3 Weight Management System is not only acceptable, but it is prudent. It supports the body's natural functions and helps you establish routines that will improve your quality of life – and help you live longer. As a weight management coach, I can honestly say you won't find a healthier, quicker way to achieve your weight loss goals.

A Win/Win/Win Fundraiser

2011-05-03T01:58:00.001-04:00

Bear with me as I meander down the cyber pathway and reflect. It is amazing how life has changed over the past 20 years. When I look back, I can't even recall what life was like before the era of cell phones, and the shrinking of the world. Actually, I do remember hauling around a big, heavy black bag with a "car phone" in it! Today not only is our technology "smaller" where we can carry both our computer and our phone in the palm of our hand, but our world has shrunk too. Think about it – how many friends do you have as a result of cyber connections, and irrelevant to distance? Not only is it a quick jaunt by plane to visit our long distance friends IRL (in real life), but we can also connect and share their lives in a very real way through social media such as facebook, and the wonderful world of skype. As I ponder the shrinking of the world, I also muse about how we can expand our world through the same outlets.

It was through facebook that I met my friend Heidi, and from a link in my newsfeed that I learned of her desire to adopt a special needs child. As I read through her blog I tried to think of what I could do to help. With 13 children, and nine still living at home, I often joke that all my assets are breathing. As I mulled over different fund raising options I came up with the idea to not only help Heidi, and ultimately the little boy they are adopting, but also the folks who want to help them.

Now bear with me again, as I do some "mind wondering". Cut me some slack. I am not ADD… just overwhelmed with compassion, and a little overtired. As a wellness consultant and weight loss coach, I am always looking for ways I can help people. How can I marry my desire to assist with the fundraising efforts, and my concern to help people with their health? What if I open up my doors to all those who are already, to some degree, attached to the idea of helping add a brother to the McFarland clan? I get to help more people and Heidi at the same time.

My heart is heavy for the people who are caught up in the pharmaceutical web, entrapped by the side effects of symptom masking drugs. Once in the trap most are forced to add more to counteract the side effects of the first prescription that is designed to be a maintenance drug instead of correct the problem. The challenge becomes balancing helping people with not overstepping my bounds and making recommendations that would be considered "treating" a condition. Trust me when I say that most health challenges are a combination of nutritional deficiencies and toxic overload. It isn't that difficult to address nutritional deficiencies, and it is amazing how the body comes into balance, and health is restored when you do!

As a weight management coach, my job in one sense is easier, but challenging all the same. Ultimately the only people I can help, are the ones that not only WANT help, but the ones that are READY for help. If you find yourself at your "tipping point" and are looking for alternatives, I would like to volunteer my coaching services… and will donate 100% of the proceeds to the McFarland fund. In addition to that, any orders placed from here will have all the proceeds directed to the McFarlands. If you want to learn more about some of the benefits you can expect read this, even if you don't read anything else. This is truly a win/win/win situation. AND I win too because I am helping my friend Heidi, helping bring their little boy home, and helping you to get your life back. I know what it is like to have debilitating health challenges, and I know what it is like to wish there were no mirrors in the house. If you want to love the way you feel and love the way you look, I can help you. In fact, I guarantee it! If you aren't satisfied with my coaching services, or with the improvements you experience when you get started on the best nutrition on the planet…you get your money back (keep in mind that Heidi will also have to give up the proceeds) – no questions asked!

Water, Just How Important Is It?

2011-05-03T00:45:00.001-04:00

Recently a friend asked me my opinion about a water filtration system. As a wellness consultant, the topic of water comes up quite often. Since the second half of the radio show this week was concerning oral hygiene I chose water as the topic this week.

Without oxygen, we can only live for a few minutes. Without water, life is only sustainable for a few days. Food, on the other hand, is something we can live without for a few weeks. In that context, water is the second most important component to life, and yet we often neglect to focus on our need to stay properly hydrated. For many, it is simply ignorance. We don't know what we don't know. Most people think they know based on what they have been told. Sadly, we have been taught incorrect information in many areas for the past 30-40 years. Water consumption happens to be one of those misconceptions.

Everybody knows we should be drinking eight 8 oz glasses of water a day, right? What if I told you that was way off base for most people? Somehow, it was determined that we could arbitrarily drink a standard amount, regardless of our weight or body composition. Somehow, we've been led to believe that a person weighing 50 pounds needs to consume the same amount of water as a person weighing 300 pounds. Let's bring common sense into the picture for a moment before I share with you the "formula" for determining how much water you need.

Our bodies are at least 75% water. Is 75% of 50 even remotely close to 75% of 300? Would it stand to reason that maybe our generic rule isn't really applicable in the real world? The simple formula to use is to drink .5 ounces for every pound of body weight. For example, a 200lb person should drink 100 ounces of water per day. It is important to understand that we are talking about WATER here, and not liquids. Drinks containing caffeine will actually dehydrate instead of rehydrate, so if you are a caffeine consumer, you will need to add to your calculations. I suggest that you not only drink half your body weight (times ounces) but also match your other liquid consumption ounce for ounce. In other words, if you drink 12 ounces of coffee per day, and another 20 ounces of tea, you need to add another 32 ounces of water to the formula above. For our hypothetical person above, that would mean 132 ounces, or just a little over a gallon per day.

Most people say, "Wow, that's a lot of water! How can I ever drink that much?!" Amazingly, it really isn't that difficult! It helps to have a way to pre-measure, or measure as you go. Get yourself a BPA free water bottle and calculate how many you'll have to drink to meet your quota for the day. Some people like to pre-measure their water into a pitcher and keep it in the refrigerator. Another way to be sure you get your water in is to play games with yourself. Make yourself drink so much before each meal, and pour up a glass every time you think you are hungry. Interestingly, most people will find that they weren't really hungry at all. Our signals have gotten so mixed up that we often mistake thirst for hunger. Keep your water bottle with you at all times, and sip on water throughout the day.

It is important to note that the KIND of water you consume is just as important as consuming it. Not all water is safe. Not all water bottles are good for you. As you begin to transition to healthier living, you need to transition away from mindlessly making choices without considering whether or not those choices will affect your health. We have been using plastics for years without questioning their safety. It has only been recently that there have been studies conducted to see if plastics are a part of the overlying problem with chronic conditions and illnesses. If you visit plastics.org you will be sure to find numerous articles claiming that safety has been established. However, you can also find research that indicates otherwise. BPA has become a buzz word in health circles. Marketing trends are following by labeling plastic containers as BPA free. Don't be fooled into thinking that "BPA free" is synonymous with "safe" though. When you move away from the hard plastics containing BPA you enter the realm of soft plastics that are laden with other alarming chemicals that have been linked to a myriad of problems, including estrogen imbalance, and hormone linked cancers. My container of choice would be glass, with stainless steel coming in second. If you have to use a plastic bottle, purchase a BPA free hard plastic bottle that you can fill from the tap and reuse. If you want some reference articles to consider you can read about BPA here, and what Consumer Reports has to say in this article. For more info on the softer plastics check this out.

Other reasons not to use bottled water would be cost (conservatively $7 per gallon) and pollution. Think of how many millions of water bottles litter the landfills! A simple way to do our part would be to use the money we would spend on bottle water and invest in a good water filtration system that will remove the chlorine and the fluoride from our drinking water. Even if you don't have a lot of money to put towards a filter, you could at the very least by a faucet filter that will remove some of the toxins. Most all of them remove chlorine. If you want to spend a little money for a top of the line filtration system you can buy a carafe from here that is inexpensive, and yet produces some of the purest water available. Reverse osmosis systems are good at removing a high percentage of contaminants from water, but they also deplete the minerals. Water filtration systems that create Hunza, clustered, ionized water are best, but also the most expensive. Distilled water should not be used regularly because there is evidence that it is so stripped of minerals that will actually cause the minerals to be depleted from your body. It is safe to use during a fast or cleanse, but not recommended as a constant water supply. Again, remember – do the best with what you have. Doing something is better than doing nothing!

Is Your Sweet Tooth Killing You?

2011-04-26T00:12:00.001-04:00

I have heard it said that "we are digging our graves with our teeth," and I think that is a fairly accurate statement. I would add to that and say, "we are drinking ourselves to death," as well. After watching a medical lecture called "Sugar The Bitter Truth" I feel even more compelled to educate on just how evil sweeteners are. The presentation is a full hour and a half and is filled with statistics and diagrams that would bore most folks to tears; but for me, it was riveting. If you are able to sit through it, and actually grasp what is being said, you will never look at fructose the same again. For those who don't have an hour and a half to spare, I am going to summarize some of what I learned. You can also read this article published in the New York Times, "Is Sugar Toxic", by Gary Taubes who, like me, is convinced that Dr. Lustig is onto something.

But before I delve into the dangers of sugar, humor me and allow me to go off on a rabbit trail for a minute. I need to first address what NOT to do in response to what you are about to learn about fructose. Even though artificial sweeteners weren't addressed in the lecture, I think it is important to draw your attention to some of the side effects that come from using Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal, Amino Sweet) and Sucralose (Splenda). I find it disturbing that so many people in the health and weight management industry encourage the use of artificial sweeteners like Aspartame and Sucralose. Not only are there numerous reports and studies that suggest they are dangerous, there is little evidence they help with weight loss. In fact, according to Consumers' Research Magazine, "There is no clear-cut evidence that sugar substitutes are useful in weight reduction. On the contrary, there is some evidence that these substances may stimulate appetite."

If you want to check a list of 92 different documented side effects of Aspartame you can see them here. Another good reference, if you want to know more about the history of Sucralose and its safety, can be found here. There are a few sites that will defend the use of artificial sweeteners, but you'll notice they have a vested interest. I have never found a true health advocate encouraging the use of artificial sweeteners. So my suggestion for those who use artificial sweeteners is: do your due diligence. Research for yourself the many side effects, and then ask yourself is the risk worth the benefit. With research suggesting that there IS no benefit, making a decision to remove them from your diet should be easy. Actually following through may prove more difficult than you think though because they are addictive just like caffeine. If artificial sweeteners are a part of your daily life, prepare yourself for withdrawals when you make the decision to quit!

Now, with that off my conscience, let's get back to fructose and the bitter truth about sugar. Fructose is a fruit sugar right? And if you believe the ads that are being run, there is no difference between high fructose corn syrup and sugar. If you will to take the time to listen to Dr. Lustig, you'll learn what makes both of them detrimental, and why high fructose corn syrup is the greater of the two evils. In 2009 he participated in the UCSF Mini Medical School for the Public and his lecture was posted on youtube titled: Sugar The Bitter Truth (with over a million viewers to date.) In the hour and half presentation he helps the audience see how America has been hoodwinked. As the amount of sugar consumed has skyrocketed (now an estimated average of 141 pounds per person yearly) we have seen a similar rise in obesity. The statistical graphs he presents are astounding. As we reduced our fat intake as per recommendations beginning in the early 80's, our sugar intake has increased. Interestingly there has been an almost identical rise in obesity. Coincidental? I don't think so! I can't do his research justice here, so if I have piqued your interest click on the title above to watch it yourself.

He goes on to demonstrate that it is actually fructose that is causing the rise in heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. What if he is right? These are all conditions that are occurring at epidemic rates. And they are all preventable, and reversible…contrary to what the drug companies want you to think! An easy way to determine if Dr. Lustig is on to something would be to add the healthy fats back into the diet, and get the fructose out. It is doubtful that we'll see a nationwide campaign to make that happen, but it can certainly happen on an individual level.

If you are a person who is already plagued with one of the above conditions, or if you'd just rather not get to that point, a good place to start would be to make pure filtered water your drink of choice.
Eliminate sodas and juices (even the 100% fruit juices) completely. When the fiber is stripped from the fruit, the fructose laden juice that is left over becomes almost as unhealthy as soda. "Don't drink your calories" is a good motto to have, but don't fool yourself into believing that "diet low calorie" drinks are okay either. They are toxic, addictive, and have too many side effects for me to even list on this forum.

If water is too bland for your taste buds, squeeze some fresh lemon into it. You don't have to give up your Java, but limit yourself to one cup. I'll even give you permission to sweeten it as long as you only use a teaspoon of sugar. If you are hung up on low calorie, choose stevia. Be careful of the brand you pick though. Pick one that is naturally processed. "Stevia in the Raw" is a good choice. "Truvia", on the other hand, is manufactured by Coca Cola. Need I say more? Wine, in moderation, is actually good for you, and would be an exception to the rule about drinking your calories. Red wine is better for you than white, and a glass per day is even recommended by some doctors. Milk will have to be the topic for another blog; but unless it is raw, it should be avoided. If your only options are the grocery store, the best choice would be almond milk, with rice coming in second, and soy being among the list of "never consume" foods. Changing your drinking habits should only be the beginning. Ideally, you should eliminate all high fructose corn syrup from your diet, and reserve indulging in sugary confections for special occasions.

If you have been inspired to make changes, great! If you haven't… watch the video! My short blog post only offers a taste of the bitter truth that Dr. Lustig so eloquently serves up.

Sugar, The Bitter Truth

2011-04-22T21:34:00.002-04:00

It has been awhile since I watched this, but it is the most thorough presentation I have ever encountered when it comes to explaining the correlation between the health issues we are having and the sweeteners we are using. Since I will be blogging next week on sweeteners, I thought this would be a good video to post. It is lengthy, but worth taking the time to watch, even if you do it in segments. You will never look at sugar, or other sweeteners, the same again!

Sugar The Bitter Truth

Is Our Food Really Food?

2011-04-18T10:18:00.001-04:00

Good nutrition is vital to health, no if, ands, or buts about it. Remember the old adage, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away"? We NEED good nutrition for our bodies to function properly. Unfortunately for us, eating our fruits and vegetables like grandma told us to just isn't enough anymore. Considering our food supply it is no wonder that we, as a nation, are suffering from so many chronic conditions. Our immune systems have been disarmed. It would be like sending a soldier into battle with no ammo, and no method of communication. That would be considered homicide, and yet we are doing this to our own bodies on a daily basis. Our food has become ammo against us, instead of the tools our bodies need to stay healthy.

But wait, how can this be if we are one of the most obese nations in the world? Obviously there is no lack of food, right? Wrong! There is no lack of calories, no lack of things to put in our mouths, and no lack of dishes that delight the taste buds. We are overweight, but we are also woefully undernourished. The answer the government has given us is to eat more. A quick look at the latest info at www.mypyramid.gov will just confuse the average reader. But the bottom line is: eating more is not the answer!

First we need to establish the problem. It is really very simple. There is a lack of real foods with real nutrition. Not too many years ago 90% of the purchases made in groceries stores were non-processed. We bought fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh cuts of meat, fresh milk, dairy products, and eggs. Today, only a few decades later, 90% of what we spend our money on comes in a box, bag, or can and the majority of the ingredients are words we can't pronounce. These provide us with calories, and are "fortified" with vitamins and minerals (in an attempt to replace what has been processed out) but they really don't provide us with absorbable nutrition.

It might seem that the answer is simple too: just buy unprocessed foods. Follow grandma's suggestions, eat more fruits and vegetables, and everything will be fine, right? Unfortunately, it isn't as easy as it seems. Even the non-processed foods in our stores have problems because of the nature of our society. Produce purchased from the grocery store is shipped from hundreds, sometimes thousands of miles away. Why is this a problem? They have to be picked long before they ripen so they don't have the nutrients that we expect them to have. Some of the statistics are staggering. Broccoli, for instance, has lost 80% of the calcium just since the 1940's. It takes 53 peaches today to provide the same amount of vitamin A you could get in just 2 peaches back when the baby boomers were growing up. These are just a couple of examples. The depletion percentages vary, but suffice it to say that we are not eating what our grandparents ate.

It isn't just about green harvesting either. The soils are used for mass production which strips the soil of all the nutrients. Chemicals are added back in to "fertilize", but those chemicals are only resupplying the three nutrients needed to make the produce LOOK pretty. The other seventy+ nutrients are ignored, and hence even the real food has less nutritional value than it used to. Many of us are turning to organic to avoid the harmful chemicals used to fertilize and make farming easier. Organic is definitely better. Chemicals used to kill bugs and weeds can't be healthy. Organic doesn't really provide a total answer either though because organics are also green harvested and are now being mass produced. They are just as nutrient depleted as their pesticide, herbicide, chemically fed cousins. If you are going to spend your buying dollars on organic, at least take the time to find a local organic farm, and get your money's worth.

Our simplest answer up until recently has been to supplement, but there is still a problem. The issue with supplements, especially vitamins and minerals, is that most of them are synthetic and your body doesn't recognize them as food. With some supplements we are doing more harm than good. Since our bodies don't recognize the synthetic versions, our filter organs (like the kidneys and liver) are just bombarded with more things to filter out. Calcium based kidney stones are most likely from supplemental calcium, and the calcium that is added into foods to "fortify" them. Many savvy shoppers have turned to the natural, whole-food, supplements which are definitely a better choice. Even those are only 80-85% absorbable though, and the cost can be prohibitive. At one time I was spending more than $300 per month on supplements just for myself.

Personally, I have found what I consider to be the best answer available. In 2009 I found the super food of super foods – Moringa. The glitch I ran into is that it doesn't grow near where I live. There are many different varieties of Moringa and it grows in many different countries, but the most nutrient dense variety is the Moringa Oliefera, and it grows up to 5 times more nutrient dense in southern India. As I continued to research, I realized that you need to ingest all the different parts of the tree to get the full benefit. I later stumbled upon a source of Moringa Oliefera that grows in Southern India, contains all the beneficial parts of the tree, is 100% bioavailable, still enzymatically alive, hasn't been heated or denatured in any way, and processed according to UK organic regulations. Now, regardless of what I am consuming, I know that my body is getting the proper nutrition to be armed and ready for the daily battle to remain healthy in a world where the food we eat isn't really food anymore.

Real People With Real Results – Wellness and Weight Management Tips

2011-04-12T07:00:00.001-04:00

Beginning this week you will see this blog transition to include wellness and weight management tips that will correlate with a blogtalk radio show at www.blogtalkradio.com/elevate-the-soul I have teamed up with Emilio at www.lifetreestation.wordpress.com to spread the word to the blogtalk world. In radio land I am also now being featured on Cumulus Radio station every Tuesday morning as their Health Expert, and this blog will serve as a forum to expound on the health tips being shared on Z93.7 Lite Rock. In addition, you could also hear some ads running on the Clear channel radio stations. We will be auctioning off several combo packages with www.clearchannel.com in May.

Since this is the inaugural blog post for www.realpeoplewithrealresults.com I want to start out by congratulating you for seeking answers, and looking for ways to be more healthy and attain your weight management goals. After spending the last decade speaking, coaching and encouraging people just like you, I decided it was time to expand my borders. In a country where the majority of people are overweight, and a staggering number find themselves in the obese category, finding a way to reach more people has compelled me to transfer my coaching to an online setting, and blogging is just one more way to expand the education process.

Each week I will address a particular health or weight related issue that I touch on via Cumulus Radio stations. I am also co-hosting a blogtalk radio show every Monday at 2pm with Emilio at www.lifetreestation.com If you want to join us visit www.blogtalkradio.com/elevate-the-soul or dial in to ask questions or share your experiences 347-215-7828

The topic this week will address the three major reasons that people have health challenges: Malnutrition, toxins, and dehydration.

Convincing everyone to agree that we are bombarded with toxins isn't difficult. They are in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. Toxins are used to preserve, toxins are used to sweeten, toxins are used to flavor. They are the end result of the machines we use, and every breath we take is laden with tiny molecules that cause oxidative stress in our bodies. Not only does oxidative stress cause us to age faster, it puts us at risk for disease because it lowers our body's defense system. It is no wonder that cancer is occurring at epidemic rates.

With proper nutrition, oxidative stress damage is minimal, and outwardly just looks like the normal aging process. However, if our cells aren't "armed" with good nutrition, they are unable to ward off the attacks. Sometimes the result is recurring illnesses. Other times we find ourselves facing chronic problems. Auto-immune conditions are a result of an immune system that can not communicate properly. Contrary to what many think, it is not an "over active" immune system that causes auto-immune conditions. Proper nutrition can restore the communication so that the body no longer attacks itself. Watch for another blog devoted just to this topic. In the mean time, realize that we can't get our nutrition from our current food supply anymore. We green harvest even the organic foods you buy at the store. Picking green means that the fruit or vegetable is still nutritionally deficient. So how do we increase our nutrition if we can't get it from the grocery store? Start buying your fruits and vegetables from someone who grows locally; or even better – grow them yourself. Even if you live in the city container gardens are extremely efficient. Zija's Smart Mix has the most concentrated absorbable nutrition you can obtain and should be a part of everyone's diet.

And lastly, one of the easiest things you can do to improve your health is to drink purified water. As a nation, we are just as dehydrated as we are malnourished and overweight. The old adage that 8 eight ounce glasses of water is all you need has deceived everyone into thinking they are drinking adequate amounts of water. Only if you weigh 128 pounds or less does that rule apply. In order to stay hydrated you must drink .5 ounces of water for every pound you weigh. Using that formula a person weighing 200lbs would need 100 ounces of water. Just as important is the source of your water. Bottled water should not even be considered unless it is in glass or a hard plastic that is BPA free. According to Dr. Russ Bianchi, the soft collapsible bottles are "blown" like glass, and cooled by filling them with water. Heating plastic causes toxins to be released, and it leaches into the water. Save yourself hundreds of dollars per year by getting a decent filter to put on your faucet, and drink out of glass or BPA free plastic. Other reasons not to drink bottled water would include the enormous amount of waste that we are creating, and the astronomical cost. The cost of bottled water is somewhere between six and eight dollars per gallon!

If you are concerned about your health, these are some of the simplest things you can do to live longer, and improve your quality of life.

Welcome 2010! Ressurecting the Blog....

2010-01-04T13:42:00.002-05:00

So, as I look at the date on my last post I cringe. Obviously blogging wasn't a high priority in 2009! 2010 will be different. How many of us that that at the beginning of a year? So many things have happened in the Shaw house since I last blogged I don't even know where to start... so I won't. We'll just leave the last eleven months in a vacuum. It doesn't mean anything horrible happened, it just means I am looking ahead, and not behind.
What I AM going to do is use this blog as a platform to address some issues that are near and dear to my heart. What better to talk about at the beginning of the year than goals? Stay tuned because I will begin posting about the ABC's of better health, and will not only revive the blog, but give it new life. Last year I toyed with different methods of reaching more people. This year, I am going to worry less about the method, and more about taking action. Systems are great, but for some of us they immobilize us and we never move past trying to develop the best, most effective program. So without further adieu:

What do you intend to do in 2010? Did you achieve your goals in 2009? If not, why not? What can you do differently in the coming year to make your dreams become a reality? There comes a time when commitment has to give way to action, else it remains a never fulfilled intention. It may just be a southern colloquialism, but I grew up hearing. “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” After having spent the past several years immersed in personal development books I have come to the conclusion that our generation has redefined “intention.” According to Brian Klemmer, if we intend to do something, we make it happen. If for any reason, it doesn't come to fruition, it is because we lacked intent. I have discussed this with friends and family, and they don't agree. We always look for excuses, don't we? Part of it might have to do with the context in which Klemmer explains it, but we do have choices. When we say we “can't” do something, it really means we won't make that choice because of the consequences. It isn't that we failed at our intentions, it just wasn't worth the cost... we didn't really intend for it to happen. We might have hoped that everything would fall into place so that it happened without much effort, but we weren't really ready to achieve our goals regardless of the cost. Like many others words, “intend” has lost its potency. When our words lose meaning, our ability to live them out does too. So, if we want to empower ourselves, we have to return to the unwatered down definitions of the words we choose. Rethink your resolutions, your goals... Are you living life intentionally, or just letting what happens, happen?

Words, once filled with energy and power, are becoming more and more anemic as we allow ourselves to expect less and less. We live in a society where we struggle to express ourselves because so many words have lost their meaning. We've crippled ourselves in so many ways by attenuating our words to the point that many are meaningless. I belabor this point simply because we can set goals all day long, and make declarations about our intentions, but only when we embrace them fully will we get the results we are seeking.

So again, I ask... what are your goals? What is your track record for actually achieving what you set out to do? Do you desire to improve your success rate? Would you like to know how to have bullseye AIM when it comes to reaching your target? What are your challenges? What is holding you back? I ask these questions with sincerity, not rhetorically. I'd love to hear from you!

Cheating Just a Little

2009-02-11T22:20:00.003-05:00

I wanted to blog tonight. I needed to blog tonight, but my brain wasn't cooperating. Too many wheels turning to focus. So I thought I would resurrect some old articles that I wrote.
When I think about how quickly people turn to drugs to fix their problems it makes me cringe. Why? Because I know enough about pharmaceuticals to know they are dangerous, deadly even. Not just an isolated case here or there. I am talking about unbelieveable numbers of deaths. You can get your head around if you compare it to a jumbo jet plane crashing every day - several hundred people per DAY die from properly prescribed drugs. My question is, if you look at the analogy, how long would the airlines still be allowed to put planes in the air if they were causing several hundred deaths per day? Can you even begin to get your head around that? It baffles me!
Several years ago a friend became a statistic.
...and so I wrote...

In Memory of Becky

My friend Becky died recently. They found her in her bed with a benadryl blister pack in her hand. Apparently she was trying to counteract the reaction she was having to a drug she had been prescribed. She became another statistic. The cause of death was a properly prescribed dosage of a pharmaceutical. So, as Becky’s friend I ask, “Where was the double blind placebo study that proved that the combination of drugs she was taking was safe?” I so often hear that question as a challenge when I try to educate people about micro-nutrients. People want to know where the research is that proves that food is safe, but don’t think twice about mixing their drugs. Just because a drug has been tested as ‘safe’ doesn’t mean that it has been cross-tested with other pharmaceuticals that are being taken simultaneously. In fact, rarely are drugs tested in conjunction with other medicines to see what the effect would be.
For Becky, it proved to be fatal. What bothers me the most is that she had been to the ER several days before with breathing issues as a result of the drug combination she was taking. I have to wonder if Becky would still be alive today if she had listened to me. I feel like I failed her even though I know she made the choice. I can’t help but wonder though, if I had presented it differently, or provided her with more scientific data – would she have listened? My wonderings brought me to the point of writing this article in memory of Becky: to remind me why I am so passionate, to help those I have offended understand why I am so persistent, and to encourage people to take their health seriously.
Some people think I am pushy and a bit overzealous when it comes to promoting nutrients and utilizing natural means for healing and maintaining health. I try really hard, but I have a difficult time walking away when people I talk to prefer to stick with conventional methods. Becky’s death has reminded me why... I am zealous because I care. It is because I care that I am writing this article and it is because I care that I have a hard time giving up and letting people make their own choices. I wish I had been more persistent with Becky. Her death has given me a renewed passion to educate people. For those that I have personally offended by things I have said and written, please know that it is because I care.

I recently read an article (with the statistics and references to back it up) that said that in reality the medical system is responsible for almost 800,000 deaths per year outnumbering heart disease and cancer to make “health care” the number one cause of deaths in America. I was astounded. If you want to read the article email me, and I will send you a copy. Sooner or later the medical system is going to crumble. I am already hearing from friends that the insurance companies have begun to “rate” people based on their lifestyle. If you make unhealthy lifestyle choices the premiums are higher. Why? Because the likelihood of preventable conditions increases when you don’t actively pursue being healthy. This is how insurance companies can get around the pre-existing condition exclusions. You might not have diabetes when you apply for insurance, but if you are overweight they can charge you a higher premium and they can raise premiums for those that are already enrolled. Others tell me that prescription coverage is also changing. Insurance companies can’t afford to keep everybody happy anymore. Folks are being told that they’ll have to buy their own anti-depressants now. What is going to happen to the already failing medicare system when the baby boomers start retiring enmasse? It’ll go belly up because of the sheer volume of people with chronic health conditions. The only apparent answer is for us to take control of our own health and preventively seek wellness instead of waiting to be broadsided with illness and degenerative diseases. It makes me sad because so many people are like Becky and are complacently happy taking a handful of medications morning, noon, and night. It only makes sense that if 95% of all Americans are going to die of a preventable cause the only way to be a part of the other 5% is to actively employ prevention! Don’t wait until you are sick and tired of being sick and tired to pursue wellness. In the long run it is cheaper and you get the opportunity to live longer as an added benefit. If you are already exasperated with your health (or lack thereof) it is not too late to change. It is too late for Becky...

Lessons in Life

2009-01-29T23:25:00.003-05:00

Here I am, coming to the close of the week, and though I can look back and see accomplishments, I still wonder what I've done with all my time. Hey, some days just making it through is an accomplishment! This was one of those. I am not quite sure why the kids were getting on my last nerve. Nothing out of the ordinary was happening. But some times it is the same ole, same ole, that grates on you like fingernails on a chalkboard.

Part of my frustration comes from the looming project of letter writing, and flyer designing. Our new YES (your economic stimulus) plan has me really excited about helping people. My biggest challenge is finding the time to get on the horn and let everyone know what's coming down the pipeline, so I decided the best method of broad exposure was to write a letter and send out a mass mailing. I am no wordsmith, so facing that project head on is daunting, to say the least. Knowing it had to be done, and realizing that the longer I procrastinated, the harder it would be to put pencil to paper (or fingers to keyboard), I gave myself an ultimatum to 'get-r-done' today.
I did manage to complete a rough draft for one part of the mailing, and my dear cousin who puts up with my mooching off of his marketing skills agreed to proof it for me. One down, two to go. Typically I get into the 'on a roll' mentality and tend to improve my motivation and ultimately the outcome once I get past the 'getting started' barrier.

Not so tonight. For some reason I decided to treat myself to a home spa. The Sensual Bath Salts have been calling my name ever since Beth wrote up such a lovely review for Hannah at
http://plussizemommy.blogspot.com/2009/01/feature-of-day-hannahmade-soaps.html
So, after the kids were all tucked in bed I gather together all my goodies and headed to the tub. Not only did I enjoy the Salts, but I snagged some of the Sugar Scrub too. My tub was lined with Pamper Yourself goodies. As a birthday present to myself I ordered some things from www.terrafirmacosmetics.com while they were having a sale. I am not a big 'masque' person, but when I eyed their Chocolate Mask, I decided I had to give it a try. I still regret not taking advantage of the Spa credits I had in Cancun to experience a Chocolate Honey Wrap. Doesn't that just sound yummy! While I lounged in the tub with my dead sea salts, I applied the masque, enjoyed a Wild Berry Jack (Daniels) wine cooler, and snacked on the last of my Java Twix. Just as a side note, if you ever see Java Twix in the store don't buy one - they are addictive! It is a good thing they are a limited edition, or I would quit telling myself that nothing tastes as good as thin feels. I am a danger to myself when it comes to chocolate. I also took with me Jack Canfield's book, Success Principles and managed to read a couple of chapters while getting only a small amount of chocolate masque on one page.
I have to say, I feel much better after my Spa. However, it didn't facilitate a mood to finish writing letters or proposals. It relaxed me enough to make me think I could actually go to sleep if I went to bed. So now I have this eeny-meeny-miny-moe thing going on: Do I write, or do I go to bed?
I opted to write a short blog just to say I had accomplished something, even though I have gotten to the end of writing here and realize I didn't even cover the topic I had intended to write about. I think I'll procrastinate and save "Lessons In Life" for another day. Post script title... ???? Pampering While Procrastinating?

Expanding my Horizons and Still Trying to Connect the Dots

2009-01-22T01:23:00.008-05:00

Well, the past few weeks have been a furor of webby bloggy kind of sedentary activity for me. We launched Hannah's biz at http://www.hannahmadesoaps.blogspot.com/ and I have been consumed with finding ways to accelerate the discovery process. Seeing as how I am the sole investor, it is in my best interest to make it profitable as quickly as possible. Hey, I just want my seed money back! Actually, I really want to see the business take off for her so that she can benefit from all the hard work and diligence she has invested in bringing this dream to fruition. It isn't just about making soap either. This girl is up every morning milking goats, and in peak production, she milks twice a day. The goat milk that goes into our soap is farm fresh let me tell ya - farm fresh!

Simultaneously to this venture, I decided to take a bit of a detour from wellness coaching. Well, actually I just added another job to juggle, but, since I've had such phenomenal success with Oh So Lean, I launched a Biggest Loser Challenge that will run through May. I wish I had some before pictures to show you... but you know what a size 14 looks like, right? 170 lbs on a petite sized 5' 4" frame ain't purdy. I avoided the cameras so much that I have no 'before' pictures. Which doesn't really cause me any duress, except that I'd like to have a dramatic pictorial testimonial page. All that to say, I now have another blog http://www.perfectbodyshapeforyou.com/ that just went live. I'll be fast and furiously transferring some articles I have written in the past, so hopefully you'll find some helpful information there if you are looking to lose weight and/or be more fit. I'll also be adding new content as time permits. My goal is a weekly post that will be educational and motivational. Wednesday's Weight Loss Tips? Or something a little more original maybe.

I do have an 'after' picture, even though I am still a work in progress. This was taken back in November when we went to Cancun (all expenses paid - the best vacation ever!)

I have been rambling about my activities, but I really haven't gotten to the meat of what is on my mind. Much of the time I have invested over the past few weeks has been overwhelmingly eye-opening. I feel a little like Alice peeping into the tiny door of another magical world. How long does it take one to get acclimated to the world of web 2.0, bloggydom, the social network sphere, and all that still lies over the horizon, undiscovered? I am not really sure how to balance it all. I can remember when I worked in IT part of the software we used compiled the data collected from multiple sources and reported the merged streams all in one place, in a way that was manageable. I am envisioning something like that for this newbie to be able to keep up. Somebody somewhere tell me it exists... please? You know - a split screen with all your social networks flashing updates, color coded ones to let you know when something really urgent needs your attention. Even if that handy dandy tool isn't on the market yet, I'd just like a simple tutorial on how to link blogs together, build buttons, badges, headers, and scrolling button ads. I guess I am asking too much. Hopefully, all our new followers will bare with us as we tackle each challenge, one search at a time. In the meantime, I'll try to put up a widget with links of all the blogs I am currently managing. What I find most frustrating is hindsight. Not knowing to build all the blogs under one umbrella. Maybe I'll explore the import blog option so that I don't have people thinking I have a split personality... signing half my comments as me, and the other half when logged in to Hannah's site. Sometimes I forget to note that I am operating under an alias.

Thanks for listening to my ramblings. Please feel free to leave me tips or instructions on how to make any of the above tasks easier or less time consuming. I will become your most faithful follower if you do. :)

The Long Version

2009-01-08T22:37:00.005-05:00

In 1967 I came into this world skinny, and then I ate. LOL Okay, so I wasn't fat as a kid. I was a string bean. I could eat anything and never gain an inch. When we had pizza, I got a medium one all to myself. When we had spaghetti, you couldn't see the flowers on the rim of the CorrelleWare for the pile of noodles. Then, puberty hit and with it came curves.
I was a bit obsessive compulsive as a teenie-bopper so my solution was to binge and starve. I waited tables as my high school job, and my daily diet consisted of either milk shakes, ice cream, french fries, and hot ham & cheeses (in that order), or salad. There was no in between for me -I looked to my uniforms to tell me what the menu of the day would be. Back then, I was a size 3/5. Then I went off to college and learned how to eat healthy (or at least the America way), and exercise. Despite my rigorous workout routines, I gained the freshman 15 my first quarter! My wardrobe had to expand with me, and when I got married a year later, I was finding that a size 6 was snug, and 8's were required if I wanted to bend at the waist.
We were in college, and living on a $35 per week grocery budget (think lots of pasta and potatoes.) We kept such a busy schedule that exercise was a luxury. Two years into the marriage our family of two grew. From there life accelerated in warp speed fashion, and birthing babies became a bi-annual event. In between times, I was nursing so 'dieting' according to my method of thinking wasn't allowed. I managed to get my figure back pretty quickly, until baby number 4. I actually GAINED weight after he was born. I had exercised religiously during the pregnancy, and was very careful with my food choice (in a healthy way). He was born skinny just like me, but my body wasn't making enough to satisfy him. In hindsight, I probably should have just upped my water intake. Instead, I used it as an excuse to eat everything but the kitchen sink, to borrow a worn-out phrase. And that started the beginning of my matronly figure. With each subsequent baby (remember I have given birth to 12) I gained a few more pounds, and lost a few less before beginning the cycle again.
During this time, I had health challenges that sent me searching for answers. I became a health nut. We grind our own wheat, make our own bread, you get the picture. Sugar is very limited, and we have some general rules - no sodas, no artificial sweeteners, no MSG, no nitrates, no food dyes, no high fructose corn syrup, no hydrogenated oils... so by all accounts we should all be skinny. With a no-purchase list like that, there really isn't much else to choose from! Don't laugh though, through diet changes and nutritional supplementation I got my life back, and restored my health. I became a wellness consultant, and started sharing what I learned. Even still, the fat clung to me with the tenacity of a pit bull. I gave up, and consoled myself that at least I didn't fall into the category of 'obese', just overweight.
Then something happened. It was subtle, but it hit me like a locamotive. Subtle in that, I can't pinpoint when my attitude changed. I had been reading lots of different personal development books to help me improve my business skills. I also turned 40. Approaching the top of the hill was a defining moment for me. I remember moving beyond the 'want to' and stepping across the threshold of 'have to'. I wouldn't say I had a mid life crisis. Forty was the best year of my life - thus far. I will say I made a midlife re-evaluation. What I decided was that it was possible to find the Perfect Body Shape that was buried under the years of accumulated blubber.
I became a certified Perfect Body Shape coach, and began the journey along with my clients. If you have ever tried dieting and found that it didn't work, or that it didn't 'stick' (meaning the weight returned later), then I have good news! You didn't fail, your diet failed you!
What do I mean by that? Do some research... look at the statistics, particularly the steady gain in the nation's weight problems while we've been fed propoganda about low fat, low carb, low calorie diets. Heart disease has gone up since we swapped out our saturated fats and replaced them with 'better for you' hydrogenated oils. Diabetes has sky rocketed while all the 'low fat' dieters wonder why they aren't losing weight. Low cal folks might lose it right along with the low carb folks, but the fat will return... and usually with a vengenance. My problem was that I wasn't eating the right things, or that I was eating too much. I wasn't eating enough, or often enough, to satisfy my thrifty gene that had been in overdrive since high school.
So, I implemented low glycemic healthy meals 5-6 times per day. I supported my body with the proper nutrition designed to help support weight loss. And I lost weight, along with a few dress sizes. I still had some problem areas though, and I was frustrated (but not enough to find time to exercise.) Then I added in a patented peptide product that targets fat loss. The inches literally melted away. I achieved my goal, and then some. I started out my journey forcing myself into size 14 pants. Now my size 6 clothes fit loosely. I have blogged on the Lean for Life group at Fabulously40. I posted my baseline, and where I am now. I am only one inch off my goal in the waist and hip area.
The only area where I have failed is exercise, which leaves me with flab. This year, it has to go! Exercise can no longer be avoided. So, I started an Oh So Lean Challenge at Fabulously40 to help me stay focused, and I joined the ModernMom Challenge for back up support. Please leave a comment and let me know I have folks in my corner (or watching over my shoulder) to help me with my exercise goals. Let me know if you need some encouragement. I was born to be a cheerleader!

2009 Biggest Loser Challenge

2009-01-08T10:40:00.002-05:00

Since I linked to my blog, that means I am committed to posting about my Lean for Life/Perfect Body Shape journey. However, my momma duties dictate that I can't do it now. I promise to journal about it tonight. I am gathering the troops to start a Biggest Loser Challenge, with the prize being a month's supply of nutritional support products. We have weekly cheerleading - encouragement calls. I am connecting with moms around the globe to form a support team. I lost mine, now I want to help you lose yours so I can enjoy the journey of success again, vicariously through all my cyber buddies. NOTHING feels as good as rediscovering your self esteem, and appreciating your hard work in the mirror - except maybe the satisfaction of helping someone else get comfortable in their own skin.

You can go here to learn more about a *healthy* patented technology that targets fat loss. And best of all, it comes with a 6 month satisfaction guarantee. http://www.mtexpro.com/preenroll.php?uname=codeoflife&nopop1=&er=1&firstin=1&promocode=goland3/biggestloserchallenge
It helped me go from a tight size 14 to a loose size 6!
I'll blog more later tonight. For now, I'm off to supervise the kidlets getting their school done. This afternoon we'll be visiting with old friends. Old, not in age, but in length of friendship... just to clarify (in case she reads my blog! LOL)

I can't believe...

2009-01-05T02:09:00.002-05:00

1)that is is 2am and I am still up &
2)that it is Jan 5th and I am already 4 days behind.
Jan 1st came and went, with no New Year's Resolutions broadcast to the world so that I might hold myself accountable.
So, here goes - albeit, 4 days late.
I hereby resolve to:
spend more time enjoying my family - wording choice was intentional - subtly different than enjoy spending time... but different all the same;
devote more time to prayer and meditating on God's Word
be a good role model as a Weight Management Coach by exercising more
be more focused on what I need to accomplish when I am on the computer
and get my new blogs up and running as well as help Hannah establish a profitable business at http://hannahmadesoaps.blogspot.com
2009 is a year I have claimed for myself as my year to shine. The spark has ignited, and the flame is flickering. I enjoyed spending a couple of days participating (not just watching) in a Parelli Clinic with Raja right before Clay left to go back. It was amazing. I can't wait to continue to develop what we started there. My goal for this year is to complete level one.

Life Beyond Laundry

2008-12-22T21:06:00.003-05:00

I am still working on sorting out how to blog in a way that would educate, encourage, and entertain. In my mind, I have finally come to the conclusion that I need to separate my personal life blogs from my health and weight loss coaching. Not everybody who cares about losing weight or restoring their health is interested in a 'day in the life of' the Shaws. Not everybody who is curious about life with a dirty dozen wants to read about my passion for improving people's quality of life. So, even though I know I can't please all the people, all the time... I have the card carrying People Pleaser Personality that does everything humanly within my power to achieve the impossible. Enter - Life Beyond Laundry. I'll be reformatting this blog soon and it will be dedicated to sharing insights I have gained (mostly through mistakes) and momentary glimpses of wisdom. Being a mom of twelve, I've had lots of opportunity to make mistakes, and try again. I am still learning that there is life beyond laundry. Mountains of laundry. My goal for the new year is to post at least once a week, even if it is just a funny story. You might even be priviledged enough to get a few glimpes of my goofy little urchins while they are keeping me from being too serious about life.
I will also be launching a new blog with the URL www.sweetlanguageoflife.com which will be focused on health, wellness, and weight loss. I have them linked to one another. As we enter 2009, I'd like to help make it a year to Shine... for anyone who wants to improve their quality of life. And since my plate isn't quite full enough with my own business, I decided to take the plunge and help my 13yo daughter launch her own online biz at www.hannahmadesoaps.blogspot.com
Tell me what you are doing differently in 2009. What are your goals? Did you make a New Year's Resolution? I look forward to reading comments.

Living - In Theory: Here’s the Deal…

2008-12-12T14:54:00.000-05:00

Living - In Theory: Here’s the Deal…

HP Magic Giveaway Contest

2008-12-11T00:38:00.010-05:00

While I was visiting a friend's site, I noticed she had a joined a contest http://livingintheory.blogspot.com/2008/12/heres-deal.html so I thought I would check it out. I was expecting to 'sign up' with my name and email address and have equal odds of winning. When I reviewed the criteria, I considered not entering. After I decided to go ahead and take the plunge (what's to lose) and began reading everyone else's posts, I contemplated what I might write about that could even come close to competing with the incredibe giving hearts of the other contestants. Not that I think I'll win, but I am posting about it all the same, because I think it is an ingenious way to encourage people to think of others ahead of themselves, and try to make the world a brighter place.
So, here's the deal: HP is offering a mega give-away, and allowing each sub-contest to be run at the discretion of the chosen bloggers who are awarding the prizes. I happened to find this one (click on the title to learn more), but apparently there are 50 simultaneous Blogger Magic Giveaways going on. http://http//www.hp.com/united-states/campaigns/blogger-magic/

including one at http://www.techiediva.com/2008/12/06/techie-diva-presents-the-hp-magic-giveaway/ and another at
http://merlotmom.blogspot.com/2008/12/its-here-hp-magic-giveaway-begins.html
One of the fun things about entering is you get to visit some really cool blogs. You might even find a few you want to follow. Each blogger sets his or her on rules. Most of them encourage you to at least tell how you would share the magic.

In the Living in Theory contest, our challenge is to write about how we impact the lives of others. I am not quite sure where to begin. As a mom of twelve, nine still living at home, I guess I could say I impact lives everyday. My hope is that through nurturing and instilling compassionate values in my children my investment will be compounded as they can far out reach me in making a difference in the world.

If you read any of my other blog posts, you'll realize that I am passionate about health. My goal, or mission statement, if you will, is to impact the lives of thousands through helping them learn more about wellness, and how to improve the quality of their lives. Nothing is more gratifiying to me than to be able to help someone recover their health, and get their live back (outside of watching my children grow up and achieve their dreams.) I am especially concerned with helping families with special needs children. Part of that drive comes from losing a son (who had a medical condition) ten years ago. I always think... "if I had known then what I know now would things have been different?" So I make it my goal for other parents to not have to ask themselves that question.

I am a MannaRelief Champion and I raise funds to sponsor children with medical challenges. The sponsorship provides Optimal Nutrition for children and helps to improve their quality of life. I also personally sponsor an orphanage through MannaRelief. A long term goal of mine is to take my family on a MannaRelief missions trip where we would actually participate in distributing product, and meeting the children. Currently I am working with a family that has two children with special needs. Both boys have seen great results and the parents would like to keep them in the program. As the economy suffers, so does charitable giving. As their champion, I am on a mission to find the funds to keep them enrolled.

How does this relate to what I would do with the HP Majic Giveaway prizes? It doesn't really, except that one of the boys who is autistic would greatly benefit from having the touchscreen computer. I would love to be able to offer it to this family for their son.

Also in my rambling blog posts is the saga of our family, and our current separation from Daddy. My wonderful husband is on the other side of the country while we are here, waiting for our house to sell. He is incredibly lonely, and having a laptop to 'link' back home would help him trememdously. It is, in fact, on our items to purchase list... only I have yet to take the time to search out the best deal. With us having to stretch our budgets to cover his living expenses as well as ours, winning the contest would allow us to save that laptop money for other things while we stretch our dollars.

With as many children as we have, we are probably one of few families that *could* actually use all the giveaway ourselves. However, we aren't in need of another printer. I am perfectly happy with the HP we currently have, so I would donate it to the local Pregnancy Center, or the Care Cottage (which is a liason for children who are in the DFACS system.) The mini would be perfect for my younger children to do their school work on and would help me keep my sanity when we pack the caravan to drive thousands of miles across the country. I am sure it would help to eliminate the incessant "are we there yet" questions that will no doubt test my last nerve without a portable DVD player to distract them.

Even after I have written all this, there were so many contestants who are far more deserving, and had much loftier plans in place were they to be the lucky winner. I think the neatest thing about this contest is that it doesn't matter who wins. Just by participating, we have stimulated our thoughts (and hopefully our actions) about how to pay it forward and make the world a better place. So, by all means, check out Sugar's blog (follow the title link) and share what you are doing to make a difference. Entertain the idea of winning, and how you would share the Majic.

The Pursuit of Dreams

2008-12-11T00:32:00.003-05:00

Helping my children pursue their dreams gives me immense satisfaction. I encourage lofty goals. I want them to reach for the stars, and see where the path leads them. I hope you'll take a moment to visit Hannah's website. Pamper yourself while your there, and help a little girl as she tries to find her place in this world.

Everything is a process

2008-11-15T15:11:00.000-05:00

So, I am trying to get my head around this blog thing.. still.

Wondering how to connect my feeds so that I can update just one blog, and it forwards itself to all my social networks.

I know it can be done. I see it happening all around me, but I am not connecting these dots. :)

I have been contemplating setting up my own webite, complete with all the bells and whistles. I am a person who could either be called lazy... or expedient, depending on your perspective.

My goal is always to get as much done as I can while putting forth the least amount of effort possible. Really, it isn't because I am lazy. I just like to multiply my time. More for less - it is the only way to make 'more of me.' That used to be my generic excuse for not getting things done. "If only there were more of me"... or "there just isn't enough of me". Now, I am determined to turn that into a positive. I am going to make more of me.

How can I reach a bigger audience? Connect the internet dots...

I am open to suggestions. I pride myself in being teachable. Show me a better way, and I'll implement it. How can I get the best ROI? I love to share and educate. I want the world to know there are answers. Writing for my local paper touches hundreds, perhaps thousands. I want to touch thousands - millions. I want to wake up slumbering America. For such lofty goals, I need a large platform. I see bloggers with huge followings. They are just every day people, sharing their lives, their joys, their tears. I am just an ordinary mom, with an extraordinary vision. (And an extraordinary number of people who call me mom!) I want others to be able to learn from my mistakes, and my experiences. Being a mom times twelve gives you lots of diverse experiences!

I have the dream, I have the drive, I will achieve my goals. I'd prefer it to be sooner rather than later. This is a shameless plea for help from any of my internet savvy computer guru friends or family. Left to my own devices, it might take me years to decipher the code on my own!

Follow Your Dreams

2008-10-15T09:24:00.006-04:00

Rachel:Living Life Differently; Following Her Dreams.

She is studying Parelli Natural Horsemanship which is based on building a partnership, trust, and respect. What fun to gallop bareback and bridleless over hill and dale! Actually I would say Parelli is as much about Life as it is Horsemanship.
My favorite Pat-ism is: "Take the time it takes; it takes less time."

She spent the summer in Montana, and is now back in Georgia. She has taken a full-time job with the Thompsons to pursue her dreams. Hopefully we'll get to see more of her before we move.

Looking at Life a Little Differently

2008-10-14T17:27:00.003-04:00

Time for Change... but not the Obama way.
I am excited that we have come to a point of change in our lives. Turning the big 4-0 has made us reflect on where we are, where we wish we were, and how to get there from here. We are making big changes... and the reality is sinking in.
Being a mom of twelve is a badge I proudly wear, but being a geographically single mom isn't looking so appealing. I know the Lord has a plan, and it is a perfect plan. But I am beginning to doubt our soundness of mind in deciding to pack the wagon and head west. I used to think I would have been a bold frontierwoman, but I have always been in awe of the women of the west who lived without their men for months on end. My fortitude will soon be tested. How will I measure up? With just a few short weeks to go, reality is beginning to look me in the face.

Other changes are also on the horizon. My blogspot is taking on a new look, and a new function. As a local wellness consultant and weight loss coach, I reach out and touch hundreds of lives. Being able to facilitate face to face health seminars has been so gratifying, but I am realizing that in order to help more people I must concentrate more on connecting on a cyber level. My passion is to enable, empower, and encourage people to take control of their health. As a mom, I realize that I set the stage not only for myself, but my whole family. I lead, they folllow (idealistically). Reaching out to other moms seems to be a good way to broaden my scope of influence.
The tone of my blog is changing to reflect my desire to touch more lives, change more perspectives, and in my own small way, have an impact on a little segment of history. We as moms don't realize the potential we have as we mold and shape the next generation. Are we going to create a society that follows like sheep, or will we raise up thinkers and doers, movers and shakers? What has God called us to do? For what were we created? When we turn to toxic chemicals to make our lives easier, or toxic medicines to make us feel better, who are we relying on? In this day and age when the world is blissfully complacent with doing things like we've always done them... what will we be remembered for? My hope is that I can help others reach their full potential, be all the God created them to be, and take care of the temple God provided them with to bring glory to Him.
It is truly a time for change. Will we turn to God and search for wisdom and a return to common sense, or will we (as a nation) continue to play follow the leader and become a statistic in the system of sickness we have created? Is this what we want for our children (who are already sicker than we were at their age)?
Are you ready to look at life differently? What kind of changes are you willing to make? How can I help?

Sharing Hope.........

The dream takes shape

2008-10-05T15:27:00.000-04:00

I thought I'd post some pictures of our latest family additions. Everyone asks the same question...

I thought you were moving to Colorado? It is true. We are. But I rationalize.

You got *how* many horses? Yeah, well... I am a sucker. What can I say? They were purchased at basement bargain prices, but the increased cost of feed sure has made up for the savings. LOL

So here are some of my rationalizations:

If Sierra hadn't died last year, she'd be going with us - so it began as a trade off. And the bonus horse... well, the rationalization is that we gave Georgia away so we are one less pony, but I guess that won't hold water when the Thompson's arrive with Elisabeth's surprise. But, like children - what's one more, right? I am sure we'll have to sell more goats to find room. And, Rachel will probably keep Parrin, so that will give us a little more room.

This is how it went....

(For those who don't yet know, we purchases 3 of the Trexler rescue horses at the Georgia Equine Rescue Auction.)

We arrived and looked over the horses that were in the paddocks outside, and I asked questions about the ones I had picked out as possibilities. Much to my delight, the little filly that I liked in the pictures was a farm favorite, a pocket pet, the friendliest one. In person, she wasn't as pleasing to my eye as some of the others, but personality is important too. Ashley Hope was goo-goo eyed over another grey that 'is coming around' the volunteers told us. They were all so beautiful, and the before/after pictures made me want to reinstate lynching. I never even made it into the barn to see the horses in the stalls before the bidding began.

We found a spot to set up the chairs by the auction ring, and watched as they brought out horse number one. She was beautiful but petrified. She stood shaking all over as the auctioneer begged for a bid. I restrained myself as the hammer came down at a mere $60 for a beautiful, well bred 5 yo Arabian mare. Several more horses walked in and out of the ring before my horse pranced in calmly with her head held high. I was fearful that the positive comments of the volunteers would cause her to bring a premium price. Not so - I got her for a measly $130. Had I been my right mind, I would have packed everyone up and headed home.

But no, I was riveted. I don't even remember what happened next. I just know I found myself bidding. I couldn't stand to see the price tags so low. These horses had been impounded for a whole year. The auctions help to cover some of the costs of care. So in my mind I excused my waving hand as a way to help drive up the prices. In that I was successful. Many of the volunteers thanked me, over and over. In the end, we only walked away with three horses. I guess it could have been worse. No, honestly - I would only push the price to $100 and then I would stop. I am sure that I would have arrived at a point of restraint earlier if my tactics hadn't worked so well.

I bet we helped them bring in at least an extra thousand or two. Considering that with papers, those horses could have easily sold for several thousand each puts it into perspective. It still makes me sad, and mad. I wish there was some way we could get papers on these girls. DNA testing is the only way, and it appears to be a long shot. Not enough information is available.

Now that we have them home, and they have settled in so has reality. One of the horses actually belongs to my oldest daughter, Ashley Hope. She is supposed to be finding a place to keep her. I will be boarding one of them at a friend's until we move.

I thought I would post a couple of pictures. The gray in the picture with Christopher is Raja. That was the first time her feet have ever been trimmed, and she was better behaved than many vetrans. The other gray is Xena - Ashley Hope's... and the bay is Alina. Both of them have a *long* way to go before they are even to be considered tame in my book. We can halter them, and lead them around, but they prefer not to be touched. Lots and lots of friendly game! Parelli is an amazing system though and they are coming around very quickly. We have already mastered the catching game. The first night, it took over an hour for Christopher to be able to touch Alina. Now they face us and come to us. These aren't the greatest pictures, and don't really do them justice, but it is what I have for now.

We are Wonderfully Made!

2008-08-31T16:43:00.000-04:00

This is an excerpt from one of my favorite videos. Anyone who sees this and isn't left with a sense of awe and wonder at how God created our amazingly complex bodies, doesn't really 'get' it! Dig into cellular biology a bit - the complexity of the factories that comprise each and every one of the trillion cells in our bodies will leave your head spinning. It takes a LOT more faith to believe that we could have evolved by 'chance' than it does to be humbled by the words of Isaiah. Truly His thoughts are far above ours!
It is also amazing to me how our bodies can maintain health with all the toxins and unhealthy foods we subject them to. What is most encouraging is that our bodies CAN recover when we support them with proper nutrition!

I tried several times, unsuccessfully to embed the video. Even with DSL it is too big of a file to upload. So.... here is the link:

http://www.mediafire.com/?ty6dy06dulr

can it get any crazier?

2008-08-17T20:20:00.000-04:00

We still haven't moved the upstairs furniture back. The floors aren't finished. Either I will apply the finish coats tomorrow, or we'll have the professionals back on Wednesday. Either way, we have to prepare for vacation, and get stuff out from downstairs for that. In the midst of all that we have to get tires for the van, and have the air conditioner worked on. It is usually hectic just getting ready for vacation when there is nothing else going on. I can't imagine what this week is going to be like. The landscapers aren't finished yet either. We've had much needed rain, but it left us with lots of mud. They are supposed to be back tomorrow.
I'll be posting some pictures at some point, both of the house and the kids. Last night to escape the fumes we went out to eat. The whole family... A rare occasion as it costs us a week's worth of groceries to eat out, but it was enjoyabe. We ended up bringing home enough left overs to have lunch today. I don't know how people eat so much! No wonder we are the fattest nation in the world.

a few quick things

2008-08-11T20:31:00.000-04:00

Life is crazy.
Thursday & Friday we are having the upstairs floor refinished, so packing has started in earnest. We packed up books from the loft/library today so we could move the stand alone bookshelves and desks out. I probably packed 20 boxes, and it looks as if we didn't make a dent. All the bedroom furniture will also have to be moved, and closets emptied. It will be a good chance for us to get the upstairs organized and cleaned up though.

Tomorrow the landscaper starts moving dirt around. The gutters went up last week.

My dad and his wife Alice were visiting for the past week, so not much got done. We'll be doing double time this week and next before leaving for vacation on Friday.

The deck and porch still have to be pressure washed and resealed. We're going to do that ourselves.

Jesse started sanding in the bathroom today. We are finally getting things done that I have wanted to do for years. Too bad we're doing it for somebody else to enjoy. :(

After the landscaper leaves we'll finish working on the flower beds, and I'll post some more pictures. Rachel, you won't recognize the front yard.

I wanted to take some pictures of Matthew today. He decided to 'pack himself' in a box. It was too cute, but the camera is missing. I expect there will be more opportunities.

We're making icecream tonight with the last of the fresh peaches of the season. While my dad was here we went to Dickies and got two bushels. They are packing a big cooler home with them filled with the frozen peaches we put up. We ate as many as we froze! I'll miss Georgia peaches when we move to Colorado!

More about our house

2008-08-08T10:24:00.000-04:00

Many people have asked for more information about our house, so I am going to post specifics.
For a quick link to the pictures, they are here: http://luvmy12kids.blogspot.com/2008/07/pictures-as-promisedfirst-house.html
Location:
60 minutes to downtown Atlanta, 30 minutes to Macon, 5 miles from Forsyth, 3 miles off of I-75. Serenity in the country, but convenient for a commute.
Exterior:
The fenced areas are approximately 3 acres. Cross fenced to divide the larger pasture from a medium sized paddock, and a small connecting paddock. Loafing shed opens into the larger pasture and the connecting paddock. We have ponies and goats on the pastures. We have planted Bermuda several times, but every time the drought has taken most of it before it gets a good root system. This year I planted Bermuda with millet, and it is doing some better. If stalls were put up in the barn, and horses could be taken on and off the pasture, it could probably support two, maybe three with supplemental hay.
The rest of the property is wooded, and there is a small creek in the wooded area. There are also dog runs, and a chicken coop down by the barn.
Interior:
The house is 2764 sq ft finished with an additional 1024 sq ft unfinished in the basement.) 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath, cathedral ceilings, open floor plan, with the great room, kitchen, & dining room all open. 3 bedrooms are upstairs, the master is on the main floor.
The master bedroom has 2 closests. One is a huge walk-in closet with a window (that I use as a nursery & closet.) There is a loft/library/office upstairs. Mudroom connects the oversized (676sq f) two car garage. Basement is partially finished -two rooms. My husband uses one room as an office/reloading (ammo) room, and the other room was built as a play room, but it is used as a bedroom currently. There is a small storage room, and the rest is open and unfinished. We use it as an exercise room and a school room for the older kids.

Built it in 1999. We just had gutters added, and are having some additional landscaping done as well as resealing the porch and deck. We replaced the upstairs air conditioning unit this year, new dishwasher, new stove. We are also redoing the upstairs bathroom, and having the floors refinished. It is completely wood throughout - floors, and walls, even ceilings (excluding the basement.) We share a private drive with my mom, and one other family, but we are at the end of the road so it is very secluded.

Email me at codeoflife@bellsouth.net if you want more information. We will be listing it with Martie Brown @ ReMax the beginning of Sept.

internet rabbit trails

2008-08-05T01:38:00.000-04:00

Tonight I was itching, and not wanting to go to bed. So I decided to spend some time catching up on emails. Dr. Mercola's latest headline caught my eye, so I went off to read about Gardasil (HPV vaccine) and teen paralysis. There I found a link to the 14yo girls website, and believe it or not, a similar thing happened to them that happened to Angie http://www.angie-rhoads.blogspot.com/ when they interviewed her last June. The family posted their full statement at http://www.jenjensfamily.blogspot.com/ and they are searching for comparables in hopes of finding the proper course of treatment. From there I went to Alex's site, and read her story http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/angelsforalex which is very similar, except that Alex has deteriorated much further. Then I went on to read Marcy's story http://www.everydayisprecious.com/home.html which led me to want to share their stories with others. I, of course, think there are natural solutions to most any health challenge, but their challenges are great, and much damage has already been done. I think about how Clay has complained with knee and neck pains, and I agonize at the thought of being in Rob's shoes. Life is so fragile. The Lord is so merciful to keep us hanging in the balance. If you have a few minutes, go and read these stories, pray for these families, and count your blessings.

Connecting the Dots

2008-08-03T18:52:00.000-04:00

When you are an analytical person (like me) it makes life much easier to live if the dots we are supposed to be connecting are clearly labeled. Sometimes though, there are a myriad of choices and none of them offer clues. The fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much, but the journey God has in store for us is one that we would never choose for ourselves. I look back over the past few years, and wonder what would have happened if I had chosen dot A instead of dot B as a turning point for the tapestry my life is weaving. Every bend in the road gives us the opportunity to pick another path, start out on a different route, make radical changes...or even minor ones that will forever affect us.

I am grateful for the many blessings in my life, the infinite mercy showered upon me by my Heavenly Father, and the grace that helps me along the path, even when the going gets tough.
I am thankful that I have a wonderful husband who unconditionally loves me, and a quiverfull of blessings that God has entrusted me with. I can not fathom what life would be like without them.
As we stand at the fork in the road, my fervent prayer is that God will indeed direct our path. As I peer into the horizon searching for the next 'dot', I struggle to see clearly. To some readers, this may all sound vague. In its vagueness, it encompasses many of my current challenges. My soul aches for days gone by when life was simple, and suffering loss was alien to me. My childhood was far from normal, but even with a dysfunctional family, and all the warts that accompanied it, I had my needs met and I never felt unloved. Over the past 10 years, I have suffered much. God has taught me much, and I have learned to lean on him as my rock and my fortress. I remind myself that the pain I have endured doesn't compare with the sufferings of others, and I focus on my blessings. This is something I cognitively choose to do, else I would constantly be wallowing in self pity. Today I am distracted by a bad case of poison ivy which seems to be going septic fast. I have little dots popping up everywhere. The constant itching is driving me crazy. Dwelling on other things helps, so I thought I would write a bit today. Maybe it is the effects of the Benadryl, or maybe it is just the nostalgia I am feeling about lost fellowship with some of my dear sisters in Christ, but my heart is heavy and aching today.

Lord help me to know your will, and be in humble submission. Help me to die to self, and live for you. Give me the strength to continue the journey in my weariness. Lift me up and carry me, keep my head above the waters, and give me the faith to wholly trust in you.

Life in the fast lane...

2008-07-28T14:52:00.000-04:00

I wanted to take a minute to post, knowing that it very well could be the last one I have time for before we move. No decisions have been finalized, but we have many home improvements to make before the house goes on the market at the end of August. The line-up of projects run continuously (and sometime simultaneously) back to back from now until then. We are scheduled to go on vacation the 22nd, and my hope is to be completed with everything, and have the floors refinished while we are gone. As always, more hours in the day, or more days in the week are needed. My life seems to be driven by tyrrany of the urgent, and this is no exception.
Although I am not looking forward to being a 'single parent', the idea is not near so overwhelming as long as we complete all our projects before that day arrives. Too bad we aren't in a position to move out before we sell. That would be much less stressful!
I decided to tackle the most hated task first, so a yard/moving sale is slated for this Saturday. I love to *go* to yard sales, but despise having them. It never seems like it is worth the effort. However, if we can sell a few things off, it is less to pack, and less to keep cleaned up. Hopefully we can make a few dollars. Either way, it is motivating us to de-clutter, which is a necessary task. We have a 65 Chevy truck, ready for restoring, that I would LOVE to sell this weekend. We also have a 12 passenger van that needs to find a home. Moving them out of the yard will make a huge difference in my opinion. I am 'remodeling' the yard with new flowers, and hopefully will get a dump truck load full of mulch soon to dress up the flower beds. I am going to really hate leaving it after putting in so much work. I am told landscaping will sell a house sooner than the interior will. I am trusting that God is going to sell it for us, since he provided the job.

His timing is always perfect.
Even when it feels like your world is spinning too fast to keep up.

JC - the Ober buck we have for sale

2008-07-22T09:02:00.001-04:00

These are pictures of Eidwynn - the only daughter we have of JC that has freshened. She was actually sold, and came back to us (much to our delight) last week. He clipped her right before he brought her back so there is still some of the gray underhairs showing up across her back. She is almost dry, but is probably one of the easiest milkers on the property. She is NOT for sale - but is posted as an example of one of JC's daughters. I didn't take pictures of the doeling we kept from this year, but will try to do that and post them later.

JC - he was being uncooperative, and wouldn't set up very well. You can get an idea of his coloring. He actually darkens in the winter, which is backwards for most Obers. His light color is definitely his biggest fault. He is very level (when set up), wide, and deep. All of his kids have been dark, except one and the doe he was bred to was also light. He has champions all throughout his bloodlines. If we weren't moving, I wouldn't be selling any of these animals. I am hoping to breed JC to my Obers from Arizona before he leaves. I have a buck waiting to be shipped from Sir Echo after we move to breed my other two JC daughters to.

Melody and her doelings

2008-07-22T08:51:00.001-04:00

Melody's udder - empty. Her two kids are almost 2 months old, and keep her pretty milked out.
She is a dream to milk though. She has great attachment, and a beautiful udder, with the only fault being not quite enough rear height. We have never let her fill up for more than 12 hours, so I don't know if that would correct itself when she is full. The other pictures are candid ones of her and the doelings in the pasture. One doeling is already sold. If the other sells we will keep Melody. If Melody sells, we'll keep the the other doeling.

Button - Fizz's doeling from this year

2008-07-22T08:47:00.000-04:00

Button is our first Ober colored cross. She is the result of an accidental breeding when JC got into the pen.

and more goat pictures -Fizz and Trixie

2008-07-22T08:36:00.001-04:00

Fizz is dam raising so we rarely get to see her udder full. Because we'd like to see her grow some more we have not been milking her, although her kid is still in the pasture with her. When we were milking we were getting approximately an extra quart per day. Below her pictures are pictures of her full sister from this year, Trixie (who is also for sale.) These does are typical of what Orion produces. I am planning to wait as long as possible to rebreed Fizz in hopes that she will get a little more size on her.

Here the most recent pictures.

Now the Goats....

2008-07-21T22:24:00.001-04:00

For those of you not 'into goats' you can just skip this post. I am having to post pictures here because I have not had the time to figure out how to update our farm website www.geocities.com/ayrsmoss We are reducing the herd in preparation for our move. We have 4 LaMancha milkers and will only be keeping two. I have taken updated pictures, but alas, the cord to connect the camera to the computer is hiding under piles of papers, or otherwise unlocatable (if that is a word). We also have three doelings for sale, and an Oberhasli buck. Expect another goat related post soon with those pictures. Email me at codeoflife@bellsouth.net if you are interested in any of our goats. Thanks for taking the time to look.

Fizz as an intermediate kid. She is very long, level, and wide. She is also an Orion daughter. She has matured alot, but didn't grow as much as I would have liked. She freshened as a yearling with an accidental breeding. Her buck and doe kid were Ober experimentals. Button, her doe kid, is also for sale. Her registered name is Ayrsmoss OFN Apricot Fizz.

Melody - also an Orion daughter, as a senior kid in her winter coat. See below pictures of other Orion daughters for an example of what her udder looks like. As soon as I find the cable to connect the camera to the laptop I will upload the newer pictures.

Bronwyn in showmanship with Michael. She is conformationally very correct with her main weakness being rear udder height. We have tried unsuccessfully to get a doe out of her three years running. Her buck kids are always the nicest of the kid crop, but because she is registered as a recorded grade they have never seen a showring. I am hoping to breed her back to Orion before he is sold. She kidded in January and is still in milk. We'll start drying her off as soon as she is bred.

Orion as a two year old. He improves toplines and udders. His kids are a bit slow to mature. He is much deeper now, but scruffy. He throws predominantly cream/apricot colored kids but we have gotten two black bucklings and some gray moon spots. He has incredible bloodlines. His registered name is Devonshire SX Orion if you want to search ADGA.org

Above is a picture of Belle's udder - a 2 year old, first freshener out of Orion. These are typical of Orion's daughters.

Below is an udder pic of Celeste, a yearling daughter of Orion's.

This is Cordial last year. Her udder was much nicer this year, but a bout with mastitis caused one side to dry up completely. She has freshed twice, last year with a buck and a doe, and this year with twin experimental bucks. If her udder recovers with her next freshing she will be a nice show doe. Otherwise, she would still make an exceptional brood doe. Before we started drying her off she was giving a gallon of milk per day, just on one side. Her registered name is Ayrsmoss Strawberry Cordial.

Pictures as promised....first the house

2008-07-21T22:12:00.000-04:00

The kitchen area - which is connected to the dining/great room.

A picture of the great room from the top of the stairs.
The cathedral ceiling and loft.

A truly southern home complete with a wrap around porch and swing. French doors that enter into the master bedroom are around the corner. We dreamed of a jacuzzi on that end after the kids were all grown. The view from the master bedroom is beautiful. We left trees right up agains the house on that side.

The barn, chicken coop, and dog runs. Interior of barn and fenced areas sit on concrete. It is wired for electricity, but not connected. Open barn area could easily house 3 or 4 horse stalls.

There is an 8 x 16 loafing shed connecting the back pasture to the side pasture that is wired with lights and an outlet for fans, and the charger for the electric fence.

A view from the front. We have added Forsythia bushes and extended the flower beds. Lots of Irises and Daffodils. I am going to miss springtime in Georgia. There are also azaleas at the top of the yard.

These are pictures from last year. We have made some upgrades since they were taken, and are currently working on some more. If you are interested in a ten acre farmette (about 3 acres fenced) in the country but only minutes to convenience and less than an hour from Atlanta let me know. I wish we could pick it up and move it with us, but we can't. I am trusting that the Lord will send a buyer quickly. I am not relishing the idea of being a single parent. Clay hasn't accepted a job yet, but we are planning in that directon. We have several offers on the table.

A if it wasn't long enough...

2008-07-20T15:52:00.000-04:00

I can't seem to find an 'edit' option so that I can remove all the ads at the end of the last post. I am interested to see how many folks will actually read the entire article anyway!
If you are interested in finding out ways to support and build your immune system let me know. Our family hasn't been to the doctor sick but once in almost 10 years. Compare that to constant sickness when the older four children were little, and it is a clear indicator to me that nutrition plays a KEY role! It also confirms what many say about vaccinations. Those four are the only ones who were vaccinated.... go figure.

Long but worth the read....

2008-07-20T15:41:00.000-04:00

From time to time I will post things of revelance to my business as a wellness consultant here. I have never been an advocate of vaccines since I took the time to do some research. This is really bigger than vaccines though. It is something that needs to be posted all over the internet. It won't be published by mainstream media; THAT I assure you! Please take the time to read it in its entirity - share my blog url with others - or cut and paste it. We need to educate ourselves and encourage others to do the same!

Natural Solutions Foundation Health Freedom eAlertThis Intelligence Report Could Save Your Life.
www.GlobalHealthFreedom.org www.HealthFreedomUSA.org www.NaturalSolutionsFoundation.org www.Organics4U.org www.NaturalSolutionsMarketplace.org
JULY 19, 2008
HEALTH FREEDOM INFORMATION YOU NEEDPLEASE FORWARD AS WIDELY AS POSSIBLE
NOT SUBSCRIBED TO HEALTH FREEDOM eALERTS YET?

CLICK HERE TO BECOME A
HEALTH FREEDOM MOUSE WARRIORhttp://www.healthfreedomusa.org/index.php?page_id=187
What I Have To Tell You Is Not Comfortable or Pretty. But this Report Could Save Your Life,Especially the Action Steps at the end of this Report & Video.
Dr.Laibow's Blog and Video Report on the Avian Flu Threat:http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/index.php?p=742 Let's start with a few quotes:
"The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable." - H L Mencken
"No country and no people can be free and ignorant at the same time." - Thomas Jefferson
"The only safe vaccine is the one that is never used." - James Shannon Former National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director
"I haven't got a flu shot and I don't intend to." - George W. Bush 2004 Presidential Candidate
This Natural Solutions Intelligence ReportCould Save Your Life.
Or you can ignore it, but that choice might kill you. It's your choice. The tale which you need to hear is a long, complicated one, winding its way from China to France by way of the First World War, Rockefeller's Oil Cartel, Sanofi-Pasteur and Iraq to its final destination: A syringe full of something claiming to be a vaccine against the now-deadly Avian Flu imported from China and filled in a plant in the US. Filled with what? Nothing good. This is not a story to be told in a few brief paragraphs. It is long and complicated but I urge you to read it and then to take the steps listed and please, SHARE THIS INFORMATION AS WIDELY AS POSSIBLE.
Avian Flu Has Already Been Weaponized
I'll give you the bottom line first: based on Gen. Stubblebine's careful analysis of the existing evidence, Avian Flu has already been turned into a pandemic virus with a lot of sophisticated help from people who are not your friends, but who are very good at weaponizing organisms, like the previously innocuous bird flu virus, H5N1. There is a basic virological fact you need to know to make sense of what comes next: it is impossible to make a vaccine against a virus that does not yet exist. Public relations efforts to the contrary, IF a vaccine is being made against the Avian Flu virus in its pandemic form, that means that the pandemic virus already exists. Period. End of discussion. So that fact that the Avian Flu vaccine is already being manufactured in China by Sanofi-Pasteur, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the French arm of the Rockefeller oil cartel (Total Petroleum) is confirmation of what you are about to read. If you allow it to be introduced into your body, there is no reason to imagine it will be anything but an unmitigated disaster for your immune system and for you. We believe it's planned to be that way. I do not know A. True Ott, PhD, but he was kind enough to send me a PDF file recently in which he puts a lot of the pieces together that I have been finding in my own research. Some of his conclusions I have serious difficulty with, but parts of his chronology are used here with appreciation. Let's start with the basics: H5N1 is a benign, commonplace virus which most birds carry with no harm to themselves or humans. Humans also have viruses we have no problem with: these viral companions keep our immune systems healthy and humming. Only under the stimulus of novel and dangerous toxins which your body has no way to get rid of (detoxify), and stress which overwhelms your coping capacity, does an innocuous virus mutate and become something that can make you sick or kill you. All human cases of H5N1 have occurred in areas of sick birds in large concentrations such as factory farms where handlers come into contact with stressed and sick birds in toxic surroundings where toxic residues are concentrated at high levels. For example, in Vietnam, where thousands of gallons of Monsanto chemicals such as Agent Orange were dumped in huge amounts following the Vietnam war outbreaks of Avian Flu are not uncommon. These outbreaks occurred in highly toxic environments, where crowded, sick factory farm chickens have been inoculated [supposedly] against Avian Flu. It will also become deadly, of course, when labs are employed to alter it so that it becomes an efficient weapon of mass destruction. The US has had a program to accomplish exactly that for over a century now, astounding as that may seem! Our best intelligence estimate is that pandemic Avian Flu already exists. It appears to have been turned into a massive viral threat through bioengineering by the United States, fusing the deadly genome of the 1918 Pandemic, mis-named the "Spanish Flu", with the DNA of the H5N1 virus in a growth medium of human kidney cells to make sure that the virus recognizes human cells and knows how to invade them. Please re-read that paragraph again and consider the threat that poses to you and your family.
The Spanish Pandemic Rides Again
The genome of the 1918 pandemic so-called "Spanish Flu" was recently intentionally resurrected. Because of that ressurection, the Avian Flu, and its vaccine, are now a US government-instigated threat to life - your life.
The Spanish Flu, which was not Spanish at all, was created in the US through an early bioweapons program and injected into healthy young men (i.e., 'soliders') as the first mandatory vaccination in the military during WWI (also known as the "War to End Wars" and the "Great War"). The "Spanish Flu", which originated in Kansas on US Military bases, killed a minimum of 50 million Americans. It was one of the deadliest pandemics in modern history. It was also one of the most successful biological weapons ever created.
Time Line To Disaster
This may be one of the most important chronologies you will ever read:
April 6, 1917:
US declares war on Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Germany, and the Ottoman Empire.
America swings into full production of War material.
American men are drafted into military service and deployed for training in Spain
ALL NEW RECRUITS ARE GIVEN MANDATORY VACCINATIONS --- One of which is a "broad-spectrum" live virus influenza vaccination
Rockefeller makes millions in vaccine sales while consolidating Standard Oil contracts worldwide
The first British soldiers committed to World War I are deployed to Iraq to protect American oil interests there
Following mass vaccine injections, U.S. soldiers are crowded into troop ships and sent to "train" in Spain. Seasick, stressed soldiers aged 18-34 exhibit influenza symptoms on the voyage
Immediately after arriving in Spain, U.S. soldiers are "trained", that is, exposed to, the various forms of gas they will experience in the trenches in France
Exposure to these highly toxic gasses causes the live-virus influenza organisms to mutate into an extremely lethal, and highly communicable, form of virus
Millions of young, healthy men and women aged 18-34 die worldwide as a result of vaccinations combined with novel and highly toxic chemicals
November 11, 1918
Armastice with Germany and its Allies
Following the end of "The Great War" - The heads of the various multi-national banks met in conference at San Remo in 1924 to assess war reparations for Germany.
John D. Rockefeller and the Rothschilds have consolidated and vastly increased their wealth through actively funding both sides of the war
March 28, 1924
Rockefeller formes a French oil conglomerate calling it "Total", the "French Company of Petroleums" aka CFP
TOTAL is awarded a controlling interest via Deutsche Bank's stock in the Turkish Petroleum Company in Baghdad which was eventually renamed the Iraq Petroleum Company
The Iraq Petroleum Company was confiscated and nationalized by Saddam Hussein in 1990.
TOTAL Inc. is a true multi-national mega-corporation which operates in more than 130 countries and has over 110,000 employees.
Now the Avian Flu - Oil - China - US - WMD connection starts to get interesting.
Here's the Play: Oil to Drugs to Death
Two of TOTAL's prime, wholly-owned subsidiaries are the pharmaceutical giants Sanofi-Aventis, and Sanofi-Pasteur. Both are world-leaders in the development and testing of experimental vaccines, which are manufactured primarily in China. On March 23, 2005, NIH, through the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, announces the initiation of a program to develop a vaccine for Avian Flu, asserting that although there have only been less than a handfull of cases, Avian Flu poses a vast public health menace.
http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/news/newsreleases/2005/avianfluvax.htm
And it is clearly true that a weaponized virus does present a massive threat to public health. That's the whole point of weaponizing it, isn't it? For a look at Sanofi-Pasteur's plans for its profit (and perhaps your death). You can confirm their plans here: www.sanofi-aventis.com/Images/060706_IR_en_tcm23-13319.pdf
But please come back when you finish reading. The information below is critically important to you.
As a side note, the Chinese factories of these two pharmacetuical mammoths are (unlike Sanofi-Pasteur's Swiftwater, PA, factory, according to dissidents such as Harry Wu, et. al.) staffed in part or entirely by poltical and other prisoners working under brutal slave labor conditions. China has a long history of Western Pharmaceutical manufacture, according to Wikipedia.
Bear in mind that most influenza strains and their hosts adapt to each other after roughtly two years, so that the same strain of flu no longer causes symptoms. Of course, once a strain has been weaponized, there is little reason to think that it will revert as natural strains do. It, or the vaccine it seems to legitimize, will go on killing and killing and killing. Or is the word "culling"?
To date, there have only been around 385 human cases identified worldwide (if those identifications are trustworthy, of course), with only 243 deaths. To put the absurdity of this effort into perspective, Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD), which researchers believe is heavily associated with aspartame consumption, is a leading cause of death which, according to the CDC, for example, killed 460,000 Americans in 1999 and the numbers keep rising (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5106a3.htm). but Aspartame is not under the gun. Instead, Avian Flu is.
To quote Dr. Ott, "There are 6.7 Billion humans on planet earth. This equates to a statistical infection rate of .000000004215 percent. In other words, statistically speaking, you are over 100,000 times more likely to be hit by lightning in your home than to contract the "Bird Flu."
Given the shockingly obvious lack of a real threat from an unweaponized H5N1 virus, how can we explain the Bush Administration spending billions of dollars preparing each of the 50 States for what it drums into us is the "inevitable Bird Flu pandemic" anticipated to kill half or more of all Americans and similar numbers of people around the globe?
Back to the Time Line
March 1997:
Zero confirmed "H5N1" human cases exist anywhere in the word
The U.S. Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Ft. Detrick, Rockville, Maryland, the US research center for biological weaponry, commissions Dr. Jeffery Taubenberger to lead a research team to ISOLATE the 1918 Flu Virus' genetic code, the most lethal pathogen in history
Aug. 24, 1997:
Brevig, Alaska. Research Team member Johan Hultin sends well-preserved 1918 flu virus specimens (from a frozen body killed by the 1918 flu) to Dr. Taubenberger's lab in Maryland.
Days later, Taubenberger detects the genetic fragments for which he has been searching.
The 1918 virus' RNA-based gene fragments are analyzed by computer sequencing in order to reveal its complete genetic code. Even with a super-computer, this code sequencing will take years to complete.
October, 2003:
Taubenberger's team finally deciphers the deadly 1918 flu virus' entire genetic code - completing a 6 year project.
Taubenberger's colleague, R.G. Webster, publishes article in American Scientist Magazine declaring: "The world is teetering on the edge of a flu pandemic that could kill a large fraction of the human population".
October, 2004
Dmtry Lvov, head of the Russian Virology Institute declares that up to one billion people around the world could die during the next pandemic.
June, 2005:
At Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York (alleged to be Rockefeller controlled), Taubenberger,Peter Palese and Adolfo Garcia-Sastro create plasmids, or DNA rings, from the 1918 killer virus, permanently "stabilizing" its genetic material for use as a biological weapon
This is the final step in revitalizing the deadly pathogen but the press is told tit will only to be used as a "vaccination tool" - even though the disease is currently non-existent.
August, 2005:
Taugenberger's team inserts plasmids into human kidney cells which then transfers human DNA into the virus making it "human specific"
The 1918 virus, responsible for the death of millions around the world is now ready for use by humans
Sept. 9, 2005:
The UN in New York City issues a world-wide press release introducing David Nabarro as the "UN System Senior Coordinator for Avian, Human Influenza".
Sept. 29, 2005:
Nabarro issues an "Official U.N. Warning" that "an outbreak of 'avian influenza' would kill between 5 million and 150 million people on each continent."
Oct. 2005:
Pres. Bush's newly appointed secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS, the parent organization of both the CDC and the FDA), former Utah Governor Mike O. Leavitt, intensifies multibillion Pandemic Bird Flu preparations
Dec. 2005:
Bush solicits Congress for $7.1 Billion to fund "preparations" --- $3.3 billion is immediately allocated to Leavitt's HHS
January 24, 2006
Department of Homeland Security awards KBR, a Halliburton subsidiary, a $385 million contract for US detention centers
Jan. 2006:
Leavitt launches website - www.pandemicflu.gov - on which he says: "Let me be clear. It is only a matter of time before we discover H5N1 in America. The migration patterns of the wild fowl that carry the virus makes it appearance here almost inevitable!"
China hosts the "International Pledging Conference on Avian and Human Influenza" in Beijing and is promised massive sums of money from the west --- Leavitt alone commits $334 million in funds to aid China's research into "vaccine development".
Leavitt has a long history of fostering Chinese trade activities as Utah's Governor
March 2006:
Breaking new ground, Leavitt's HHS allocates funds to a private television network to produce a "made-for-TV" movie about the "bird flu"
Leavitt jokes that he wants "the handsomest actor" to play his character
Leavitt declares on HHS website (exactly as John D. Rockefeller declared in 1916): "The best defense against influenza is VACCINATION."
Leavitt further declares: "The current U.S. capacity for manufacturing egg-based vaccines is not sufficient to supply our entire population. HHS is supporting research into [human kidney] cell-based vaccine manufacture of producing vaccine domestically
April, 2006:
HHS announces a $97 million contract for the development of cell-based flu vaccine.
Leavitt declares: "The FDA can use its Emergency Use Authorization authority to permit the use of unapproved products if there's a reasonable belief the products may be effective."
32 states pass laws which make resisting inocculation once ordered by the governor a felony.
These laws join Patriot Act I, II, BARDA, BIOSHIELD I, II in making drug treatment and innoculation mandatory once a Pandemic is called.
Unlimited quarantine without review is mandated under these laws for those who resist innoculation under Pandemic conditions.
Fully staffed, empty detention centers exist all over North America. The largest, in Alasks, is roumored to have a 2.5 million person capacity.
December, 2006
New York Times reports Gulf War Syndrome positively linked to vaccination of Veterans.
More than 100,000 vets contracted the syndrome during the 1991 Desert Storm Operation.
More than 20,000 vets have died to date from this syndrom believed to be triggered by squalene, a vaccine "adjuvant."
All modern vaccines contain squalene
April 17, 2007:
The Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA) branch of HHS utilizes its Emergency Use Authorization authority and awards a license to produce H5N1 "Bird Flu" vaccines to Sanofi-Pasteur.
FDA Bird Flu approval letter states: "We have approved your Biologics License Application (BLA) for Influenza Virus Vaccine, H5N1, effective this date. You are hereby authorized to introduce or deliver for introduction into interstate commerce, Influenza Virus Vaccine, H5N1, under your existing Department of Health and Human Services U.S. License No. 1725; however, we acknowledge your statement provided in your submission of April 5, 2007, that Sanofi Pasteur Inc. does not intend to license this product for commercial distribution, since it was produced under contract to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of national pandemic preparedness initiatives. Influenza Virus Vaccine, H5N1, is indicated for active immunization of persons 18 through 64 years of age at increased risk of exposure to the H5N1 influenza virus subtype contained in the vaccine."
Among the required post-market studies on this untested vaccine are;
Protocol submission: Study DMID 04-077: "A randomized, double-blinded, phase I/II, study of the safety, reactogenicity, and immunogenicity of intramuscular inactivated influenza A/H5N1 vaccine in healthy children aged 2 years through 9 years."
Final study report submission: September 30, 2008.Study DMID 04-076: "A randomized double-blinded, placebo-controlled, phase I/II, dose-ranging study of the safety, reactogenicity, and immunogenicity of intramuscular inactivated influenza A/H5N1 vaccine in healthy elderly adults."
Study DMID 05-0043: "Revaccination of healthy subjects with intramuscular inactivated subunit influenza A/Vietnam/1203/2004 (H5N1) vaccine representing a drifted variant.
"Study DMID 05-0090: "Evaluation of a booster dose of A/Vietnam/1203/04 (H5N1) vaccine administered at 6 months to healthy adult subjects after a two dose schedule at 0 and 1 month."
Study DMID 05-0129: "Open label evaluation of H5N1 vaccine at vaccine manufacturing facilities."
Study DMID 05-0130: "A single center, open label, phase I/II study of the safety and immunogenicity of two 90 µg doses of intramuscular inactivated influenza A/H5N1 vaccine in healthy adult subjects."
Nov. 26, 2007:
Leavitt's HHS orders 100 million H5N1 "vaccines [doses]" from Sanofi-Pasteur. Expected delivery date, August, 2008.
Sanofi-Pasteur issues a press release announcing their lucrative HHS contract (100 million vaccines @ $15 USD each) and declares that the cell-based vaccine will be mass produced in the company's CHINA facility - then shipped to Stillwater, PA for hypodermic syringe-friendly packaging.
Approval and contract have all been consumated in the absence of offical human testing.
Jan. 2008:
Covert 'human trials' of Sanofi-Pasteur H5N1 vaccine is conducted on 350 homeless vagrants in Poland.
According to London Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/poland/2235676/Homeless-people-die-after-bird-flu-vaccine-trial-in-Poland.html) and Examininer articles, this results in 21 "instant" deaths and over 200 severely incapacitated or hospitalized." Development and sales of H5N1 vaccine continues.
February 14, 2008
U.S. Air Force Gen. Gene Renuart, commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, and Canadian Air Force Lt.-Gen. Marc Dumais, commander of Canada Command, sign a Civil Assistance Plan that allows the military from one nation to support the armed forces of the other nation during a civil emergency.
"Our commands were created by our respective governments to respond to the defense and security challenges of the twenty-first century, and we both realize that these and other challenges are best met through cooperation between friends....
The plan facilitates the military-to-military support of civil authorities once government authorities have agreed on an appropriate response."
Avian Flu response is a part of NorthCom's mission, and according to Gen. Stubblebine's analysis, appears to be the primary element in its mission: http://www.northcom.mil/Avian%20Flu/index.html
June 17, 2008
Dr. David Nabarro, UN Influenza Coordinator, welcomes a donation of 60 million doses of H5N1 Avian Flu vaccine by Sanofi-Pasteur.
This adds to the stockpile of a previous donation of 30 million doses by GlaxoSmithKline Dr. Nabarro said that good progress had been made but Avian Flu could still kill as many of 150 million people.
Avian Flu still entrenched in Viet Nam, Bangladesh, India, Egypt and India [sic] says Dr. Nabarro.
Outbreaks recorded in 60 more countries according to US Influenza Coordinator.
But the people who make vaccines are ethical and look out for our best interests don't they? The cold, hard fact is that vaccine makers are neither ethical nor concerned with health and longevity of their recipients. Remember: vaccination remains an uninurable risk: no parent, physician or pharmaceutical company can buy insurance against vaccine induced harm. The insurance industry refuses to accept the risk. That's why Congress created the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program that is funded by a special tax added to the cost of each vaccine shot: we pay to protect pharmaceutical company profits.
Vaccines can be used for a great deal more than just for what it says on the label. After all, faced with a syringe of fluid, who is to say exactly what is in there and what the intended, or unintended outcomes of being injected will be?
It takes a huge amount of faith to allow a hypodermic under your skin. That faith is, the Natural Solutions Foundation believes, without significant basis.
Shielded by the FDA, vaccine (and drug) manufacturers are immune from prosecution for wrong doing and continue to do wrong with horrifying impunity. That's even BEFORE the Avian Flu weaponization and subsequent vaccine development. A few examples out of many, many will sufficice:
April, 1930
Eli Lilly, makers of Thimerisol, inject the product into 22 people with meningitis who all die. Lilly publishes the "study", claiming that thimerisol, 50% mercury by weight, is safe.
1972:
World Health Organization (WHO) Bulletin No.47 refers to creation of an immune virus and suggests that a useful way to study the effects would be "to put it into a vaccination program and observe the results."
It is theorized that WHO used the smallpox vaccination program in Central Africa for this study, since the spread of HIV infection coincides precisely with the most intense and recent smallpox vaccination campaigns.
Information on the Central African countries most infected with HIV precisely matches WHO figures indicating the number of people vaccinated in these areas.
The virus requested would selectively destroy the T-cell system. (1972 Federation Proceedings of WHO).
1974
Henry Kissenger writes a classified "National Security Study Memorandium 2000: Implications of worldwide population growth for U.S. security and overseas interest (NSSM 200)" which identifies India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria, Mexico, Indonesia, Brazil, the Philippines, thailand, Egypt, Turkey, Ethiopia and Columbia as targets for initial population reduction.
The Philippine Supreme Court found that 3 million Philippinas between 12 and 45 years of age were given this vaccine.
Native American Woman and Black women in the US received this vaccine.
Sterility rates in Native American Women in the US is over 35%.
Sterility rates in Black Women in the US is over 25%.
December 1976
No epidemic of Swine flu surfaces despite rapid approval and respone to perceived threat following 1 death of a solder at Ft. Dix, NJ.
Swine Flu innoculation program shut down after risk of death and polio like syndrome from the vaccination is found to be almost 12 times greater in vaccinated than unvaccinated people. 5% of people afflicted die, 10% are crippled or maimed for life.
http://www.haverford.edu/biology/edwards/disease/viral_essays/warnervirus.htm
May 1987:
The Times of London reported on its front page that smallpox vaccine administered by the World Health organization had triggered HIV/AIDS.
100 Million vaccinated Africans are at risk.
Areas with highest vaccination rate show highest HIV/AIDS rates.
Robert Gallo, discoverer of the HIV/AIDS virus, defends those figures and says, "AIDS researchers will keep their mouths shut because they are paid to do so."
November 28, 2002
A rider tacked onto the end of the Homeland Security Bill confers immunity from liability prosecution on Eli Lilly and other manufacturers of vaccines. June 1990:
Court case reveals that babies in Los Angeles were used as human gunea pigs with a experimental measles vaccine called Edmonston Zagreb high titer measles vaccine (E-Z ). From 1989-1991, Kaiser Permanente and LA County Dep't of Health and CDC injected 700+ "mostly minority" babies with unlicnesed experimental vaccines with fraudulently-obtained parental consent.
E-Z is closely associated with increased death rate in infant girls in Sendgal, Guneau Bisseau, and Haiti before their second birthday.
Most of the families are not aware to date that their child was used as a human guinea pig.
March 19, 1992
Dr. David Heymann, head of the office of research for the World Health Organization's Global Programme on AIDS, and Harvard pathology professor William Haseltine refuse to discuss the possibility of AIDS transmission via vaccines.
Dr. Heymann states in a phone interview from Geneva, "The origin of the AIDS virus is of no importance to science today. Any speculation on how it arose is of no importance." Haseltine is even more adamant. "It's distracting, it's nonproductive, it's confusing to the public, and I think it's grossly misleading in terms of getting to the solution of the problem. It's over, it's done with, it's very, very, very unlikely it happened that way, and it's another nonsense article. It's the worst kind of reporting as far as I'm concerned."
World Health Organization (WHO)Uses Vaccines to Make Women Sterile1972:
WHO begins its "Special Programme" in human reproduction with programs for both male fertility control through vaccines and female fertility control
1985
WHO Vaccines for smallpox and tetanus are laced with female reproductive hormones to induce permanent sterility to "eliminate 150 million excess Sub-Saharan Africans" according to WHO documents.
July, 1989
After years of denial, a scientific paper demonstrates conclusively that WHO tetanus vaccines used in the Philipines contained female reproductive hormones, inducing permanent sterility without consent or knowledge of the women treated.
Tetanus toxoid is linked to the human reproducitve hormone to overcome immunological tolerance to the hormone and prod the body of the woman into producing antibodies to her own reproductive hormones.
1990
Women between the ages of 12 and 45 are targeted for a 5 injection series of "tetanus" shots.
Boys, men, children and older women are not given the shots.
Tetanus ordinarily requires a single booster every 10 years.
The 5 shot tetanus protocol is used with vaccines which contained female reproductive hormones to render the women of Tanzania, Nigeria, Nicaragua, Mexico and other countries infertile
Oxford University Press publishes article titled "Bypass by an alternate carrier of acquired unresponsiveness to hCG upon repeated immuniztions with tetanus-conjugate vaccine' confirming method of inducing sterility requires multiple vaccinations.
1993:
WHO committes more than $356 million on "reproductive health" research.
Funding for abortificant (abortion producing) vaccine comes from many sources.
$90+ million contributed by Sweden
$52+ million contributed by Great Britain
$41 million contributed by Norway
$27 million contributed by Denmark
$12 million contributed by Germany
$5.7 million contributed by US
$61 million contributed by UNFPA
$15.5 million contributed by World Bank
$2.5 million contributed by Rockefeller Foundation
$1+ million contributed by Ford Foundation
$716.5 thousand contributed by IDRC (International Research and Development Centre of Canada)
April 2000
Observer Newspaper rerports Glaxo, Pfizer, Squibb and Genentec experimented on children at Incarnation Children's Center, NY.
Incarnation Children's Center is run by Columbia University which was paid to experiment on children, mostly wards of the state minority children.
Babies as young as 6 months were injected with double doses of experimental measles vaccine.
Children as young as 4 were given multi-drug cocktails.
More than 100 orphans and babies were used in 36 experiments.
March 2008
Haruna Kaita, a pharamceutical scientists and head of a Nigerian Universtiy analysed the latest WHO vaccine in Indian labs.
Sterility agents were among the contaminants found in the samples.
According to the local population of the Akha, a Thai hill tribe, pregnant women are forced to receive the vaccine in order to get ID cards for their children.
Violent still births and miscarriages result.
ACTION STEPS
I Told You It Was A Long Story, But One You Needed to Hear. Now What Can You Do To Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones?
First of all, remember that you have an immune system. Back at the beginning of this article I told you that viruses (and bacteria, for that matter), do not make you sick if you are equipped with a healthy immune system and you are non toxic. That means change your eating habits TODAY. The intake of refined sugar, pesticides, flouridated water and toothpastes, etc., artificial colors, flavors and preservatives and genetically modified foods (found in everything that does not explictly say "Certified Organic") all depress your immune system. Buy "Organic", wild crafted, food that is locally grown by people you know (and don't assume that just because a field is nearby, the food is not sprayed or genetically modified or both). ASK! So Step One is to alter your diet and make eating for life, not for the moment, your number one food priority. Please, take this seriously. Step Two is to harvest and cultivate information. When the Pandemic is about to be released (and, God willing, it will never be), there will be increased propaganda rumblings to "prepare" you to submit to the schemes for control and innoculation. Stay in touch with your local community advanced health care advocates (including NSF local organizers, alternative practitioners, health store and food co-ops, etc)... keep your eyes and ears opened and let us know if you come across any information that may help us all. The Natural Solutions Foundation gets information from all over the world. Our friends are inside of corporations and outside of them, inside of governments and outside of them, inside of news media and outside of them. We hear things early and we WILL let you know what we are hearing as soon as we hear it.That means that you need to open our emails when you get them and at least skim them. It also means that you should share the fact that there are free Health Freedom eAlerts for which other people need to be watching, as well. They need to be on the list so they can have early warning as well. Send everyone you know this link,
http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/index.php?page_id=187,
and ask them to join the free distribution list. It's very good insurance: it costs nothing but can save lives. There are two other lists you need to join to stay informed and empowered. The first is our powerful and vibrant No-Forced-Vaccines Yahoo Forum at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/no-forced-vaccination/join
The second list is about GM "foods". Check out Natural Solutions Foundation's Trustee Ralph Fucetola's most recent blog on the topic, http://vitaminlawyerhealthfreedom.blogspot.com/2008/07/five-action-steps-to-protect-from-gmos.html
Organic foods may be expensive: cancer is a lot more expensive. So is forced sterility. So are lethal allergies.
Since Genetically Modified "food" is so omnipresent in the food supply and so very dangerous, find out what you can do about it, and how to avoid it, by joining the Natural Solutions Foundation No GMO Yahoo!Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/no-genetically-modified-foods/join
Step Three is to develop your "exit strategy." Once the Pandemic drums start beating, it is time to get out of the US until the insanity is past. Where to go? That is a matter of personal decision. If you do not have a passport, you cannot go anywhere. Get one.
If you do not have a plan, you will not go anywhere. Make one.
Come visit us in Panama, for example, in the lovely Valley of the Moon. Go to some place sane and stay there with your kids while this insanity swirls around. No one knows what the vaccines will contain or what they will do. If you want to play roulette with the intent of the vaccine makers, that is your choice. I have my passport to hand and I will use it. I hope you will, too. The Valley of the Moon: http://www.naturalsolutionsfoundation.org Step Four: keep up to date with the Advanced Health Care options that could save your life. Research the potential value of natural remedies such as grapefruit seed extract, colloidal or ionic silver, or immune system boosters like Echinacea. Check our www.Organics4U.org and www.NaturalSolutionsMarketplace.org for some good choices. More will be posted as we continue to enhance these member services.What's Step Five? To keep us empowered to bring you the information and the iveoptions that empower you. That means donating to the Natural Solutions Foundation. Even if you have given before, please give again. Your donations are fully tax deductible. Click here, now, to make your generous recurring donation (http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/index.php?page_id=189)
If you have not given, now would be a good time to do that. Recurring donations of any amount entitle you to membership in the new Health Freedom Heroes Forum along with our local organizers and key advocates. Wouldn't you like to be part of that group?
Every penny donated to the Foundation goes toward our work. General Bert and I receive not a single cent in payment for the work we do. We do it because we know that it is vitally important and that no one else besides the Natural Solutions Foundation is doing it! We, all of us together, are the single most effective, and largest Health Freedom organization in the world. Thank you for making that possible! We brought this important Health Freedom Intelligence Report to you so you can be aware of the threats to your health and freedom... and being forewarned is, we trust, being forearmed! And please have Hope; the threats are real, but the solutions are natural...
Yours in health and freedom, Dr. Rima Rima E. Laibow, MDMedical Director Natural Solutions Foundation www.HealthFreedomUSA.org
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getting ready

2008-07-18T10:13:00.000-04:00

The day is coming and it is time to prepare. We have so much to do in order to put the house on the market! Goats to sell, cleaning to be done.... Cleaning, cleaning, and more cleaning. It would be so nice for someone to come along and want to buy - as is!
I am going to take some pictures this weekend. If you know of anyone interested in a custom designed log home on 10 acres in middle Georgia, please have them contact us! :)
There will also be lots of pictures of the goats we have available posted too... simply because I never learned how to update our geocities website. The pedigrees are there, but the pictures are 3 years old! www.geocities.com/ayrsmoss
I am so ready to know our destination. We have been weighing in pros and cons. Clay really likes the company in Denver, but the salary offer isn't what we were hoping for, and the cost of properties there is comparable to here. Wyoming has fewer people, less taxes, and cheaper properties. They also have more snow, lots of wind, and not much water. Clay has yet to connect with the company there, but the opportunity looks promising with the potential for more money.
Please pray for us to have clarity and direction, and that God would direct our paths!

One more....

2008-07-02T12:21:00.000-04:00

Vicoria sharing with Lacie, one of the last of the Pyr-emma puppies. All were sold but Lyra, who will most likely stay with us.

Victoria is sporting the latest in personal hairstyle creations. You can't really see in this picture but she did a nice whack job on herself. Thankfully I have mellowed some, and previous experiences have taught me that hair does grow out. Applying the question "will it matter 30 years from now?" always helps me keep things in perspective!

so peaceful

2008-07-02T12:19:00.000-04:00

Playing his Ace

2008-07-02T12:15:00.000-04:00

Cleaning off the camera, and I found some the kids had taken. They are teaching him at an early age how to play his cards right! LOL

Just Us

2008-07-02T11:00:00.000-04:00

This is not exactly what I would call a good picture, but it has everybody in there. This was taken at Rachel's going-in away get together. Why we didn't do it at the beginning of the day I don't know. Pictured left to right, back to front - Christopher, Rachel, Matthew, Ashley Hope, Michael, Hannah, Jesse, Luke, Rebekah, Clay, Elisabeth, me, and Victoria. It inspired me to start wearing a tad of make-up... and to get a new hairstyle. One day I'll find the time! I did take some time out for me last night and had the most relaxing body massage. I still feel the effects of the wreck I was in two years ago. I can't believe how much better I feel to have my skeletal system back in its proper places. I think I must have bruises on my bum, but I felt my pelvis slide back into place. I slept better last night than I have in ages! I have decided that one of my goals is to get to a place financially where I can budget for a weekly pampering.

Because I Said So

2008-07-01T22:51:00.000-04:00

It is funny how God takes us down rabbit trails to lead us back to Him, and to remind us of who we are - where we've been. Several times over the course of the last few days Joshua has been the topic of conversation. Then tonight while reading Amanda's blog the Lord led me down memory lane. Tears filled my eyes as I read of another mother's pain and struggles. The realization that Joshua would be ten years old this fall struck me like a slap in the face. The hurt never goes away. It still physically hurts, like the weight of several hundred pounds of bricks laying across my chest. I am so thankful that the Lord is my Rock and my Refuge. My struggles over the past few years pale in comparison to the death of my sweet baby. Gratitude fills my soul as I ponder how merciful my Heavenly Father has been to me, even when I was at my lowest. Life and death are in His hands. I am so thankful that He filled my heart with praise when my sinful wretched human nature only wanted to be angry and bitter. It is not I, but He who gave me the ability to Praise Him, Even in the Storms of Life. I have wept bitter tears, but God prevented my heart from being filled with bitterness.
As a tribute to Joshua, I wanted to post the journal I wrote a few weeks after he died. I posted it quite a while back on my CafeMom homepage. It is good to remember and not forget. The age diffrence between Michael and Elisabeth is so small. There is no noticable gap, but I always feel like there is someone missing. It hurts that everyone seems to think talking of him is taboo. It is true that it makes me emotional, but it almost feels like we dishonor him by never talking about him.

"Because I Said So"

There are qualities in our parents that we want to emulate, and there are some that we vehemently vow never to copy. I can remember as a child being given the answer, "because I said so." I hated that answer! I vowed never to respond that way to MY children because, as a child, I felt like it was a cop-out. My parents just didn't want to take the time to explain, or they didn't have a reason (or so I thought then.) With six living children, the oldest being ten, I have to admit that I have broken my vow more times than I can count. It didn't occur to me until I was a parent that "because I said so" is an answer that we must give when the explanation is beyond the comprehension of the one asking the question.

I was lying in bed, screaming from the depths of my soul WHY WHY WHY when that still small voice inside said…."because I said so." Now, please don't think that I have gone off my rocker so far as to think that God was "speaking to me." It was just a realization that God doesn't cop-out by not answering our WHY's. He just knows the answer is more than we can comprehend in the dim light of this world. Even if he offered us HIS reason, it would never be good enough for us while we still are at war with our flesh.
As the weeks pass, I still struggle to move past the "whys." I have had to admit to myself that they will never completely quit haunting me. I received a letter from a saint of 68 years. She recalled her loss as if it were yesterday. So my question after reading her letter was, "How do I move on?" Paul says in Philippians 3: 13, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Joshua Caleb was born October 16th. God called him back to sing with the angels on Nov 19th. Five short weeks to enjoy a precious blessing from above didn't seem like enough time to me. Joshua was born with aortic stenosis (a heart defect). He had a heart cath when he was 6 days old which corrected the problem. The autopsy showed that he had suffered a heart attack (presumably caused by a blood clot from the procedure) several days later that went undetected (even though I took him to the emergency room suspecting something was wrong .) He died three weeks later from the build up of scar tissue. The cardiologist said that his heart literally exploded from the pressure. Even in his death God was merciful. Clay was home. We had just stopped in long enough to grab a bite to eat. I don't even like to think how I would have responded had we been on the road. God could have left us wondering if there was something else we could have done that day to save him. Calling 911 and performing CPR always works in the movies. The autopsy was clear that it was beyond human efforts to save him that day. So why didn't God intervene? Why does He allow His children to suffer such agony? You don't have to search the scriptures far to find where David and Job ask the same questions. The answer is clear…"because I said so." And that must be enough for we haven't the ability to comprehend the mind of God. We have had many people offer us verses of encouragement. (And they have all been encouraging.) However, knowing that he is able to worship God perfectly -without me there to enjoy it too… doesn’t' quench my selfish desire to be a mommy to him here on earth. Even knowing that God is going to use it for something good rings hollow when you ache to nurse the child you labored to give birth to. It is only when you stop to realize that it was God that breathed life into him in the first place that the healing begins. Isaiah gets to the heart of the matter when he says, "Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding.." We have to give up on the idea of ever understanding why and learn to accept…"because I said so."

Penned December 1998

How Long Has it Been?

2008-06-22T14:48:00.001-04:00

WOW - my last post was in April, and here we are approaching the end of June!
I woefully underestimated the asset I gave up when we packed up Rachel and sent her off to become part of another family for 6 months. In my mind I tried to prepare myself for 'forever' because I was fully expecting them to love her just as much as we do. True to my instinct, they have asked her to stay with them when they move back to Georgia in October. I am excited for her, but sad to think that things will never be "the same" again. Welcoming a new little one into the family is a miniscule adjustment compared to the emotional roller coaster you ride when they try out their wings and find themselves flying for the first time. Word of wisdom that I myself would do well to heed: Enjoy the time you have with your kids. Eighteen or so years may seem like forever on the front end of it when you are up all hours of the night, changing countless dirty diapers, and constantly trying to keep up with the workload of wearing 10 hats at once, but it seems like a breath in the wind in hindsight when it is too late to rethink how you might be able to find more hours in the day. So why is it that experience is called the best teacher when in reality by the time you have 'experience' and have learned, you are beyond being able to do it better?

Yesterday was a day of celebrating for Hannah and I as we reduced our milking herd by four, sold three puppies, and reduced our kitten population by half. After seeing the monthly feed bill, I am considering selling one or two more! We now have seven goats in milk, but we are only milking 3 of those twice daily. Two of them are nursing babies, one is being dried off, and one is down to being milked just once per day. We still have four or five more goats to sell, but at least the chores are now more manageable.

We are still praying for more rain. We had to move Hannah's pony, Taffy, and her baby across town until we get some grass growing. We planted 150lbs of grass seed, but unless it rains soon it will be very expensive wild bird feed.

Clay has a job interview in Denver on July 7th. It is funny - I can remember as a little girl wanting to live in Colorado, but for the life of me I don't know why. It would be a neat place to live, but I never visited there as a child. My prediction has been that we will move about the time Rachel returns to Georgia. Colorado would be good though, because as part of her Parelli program she will have to train for several months in Pagosa Springs. If Christopher can ever connect with Brandon, he might be able to get a job as a farrier there too.

Chistopher got his forge yesterday, and is already trying to talk me into buying him a 100 gallon propane tank. He is offering to trade knives for it. LOL I think he would do better to continue with his custom hoofpick idea. He is fabricating hoof picks from old horse shoes. I think if he customizes them with personal names, and markets them as 'green' he would find a market.

What other news in the Shaw household? Hmmm.... We have our vacation scheduled for August 22-29 in the Orlando area. Hot, I know.... but there will be water, and it will be an opportunity to get away. Clay and I are going to Cancun in November. I won the incentive trip with Mannatech again. I am excited. We were supposed to go several years ago when the hurricanes took out the entire coast. I have already told Rachel I need her back at least for that week. :)

I would love to know I have friends who actually read this thing. I think the title of my blog was a bit of a plea from my heart. I feel like all my dots have been disconnected. I so miss my long distance friends. Locally, my life is wrapped up so much in my family that I don't have any friends that I spend much time with. For the past week I have been without my computer (my laptop literally crashed to the floor) and I realized how much I turn to the 'net' to read blogs, emails, stay connected. I started blogging as a way to keep in touch. However, I am not sure if anyone actually sees this but me. Please leave me a comment, send me an email... let me know I am not talking to myself!

tomorrow is the day

2008-04-27T16:14:00.000-04:00

Rachel leaves. We've had a whirlwind week, and she still hasn't started packing. We survived the goat show - sold one puppy and 3 goats (yahoo!) with still quite a few more pups to go. I need to get serious about advertising them. They are eating us out of house and home. I guess if I wasn't opposed to feeding them a diet of genetically modified corn with little or no meat it would be cheaper.
I spent the entire day on Friday bathing puppies, but alas - puppies are puppies and the floor under the shavings in the pens was red clay. Need I say more? I was very frustrated with the travel arrangements and the shape they arrived in. I was quite the nag about it too. The girls dutifully bathed them and put them in the pen (remember the red clay) wet. Sigh - now they need another bath before I can even take pics for advertising.
Our trip to deliver Rachel to Swainsboro for her summer adventure has turned out to be two-fold. We are picking up a dream horse for my friend's daughter Maci. I am still jealous, but very happy that I was able to play a part in making a child's dream come true.He is a beautiful bay SE Arabian gelding. Now we just need to find a horse for Jesse before he gets discouraged and gives up.
I am still not sure how I am going to stay afloat without Rachel. Hopefully the other older children will step up to the plate and be more willing to help out. Christopher also has the opportunity to travel some with Pat's personal farrier and glean from him. He is pretty excited about that!
I'd love to write more, but rising pizza crust awaits me.

A few pics

2008-04-13T18:44:00.000-04:00

I thought I would post just a few pictures. I will be glad when the charger comes in for our camera! Of course, Rachel has been my chief picture taker, so I will have to train myself to take the time to snap some shots. I still can't believe she is leaving in just a few short weeks! Actually less than three - wow, I am SO in denial!
We had her going away party yesterday and I am exhausted. Due to unavoidable scheduling conflicts I was already sleep deprived from the campout on Friday night.
Hannah and Elisabeth are earning the camping badge in their Keepers group, and THIS happened to be the only weekend any of us could spare a night and a morning away from our other duties. We almost got rained out, which would have been a blessing. Instead we were rained *in* Saturday morning. Actually even that was a blessing in disguise. We couldn't pack the tent so that saved us a few minutes. In retrospect, I am thankful we were able to fit it all in.
The rain blew over before most of the guests arrived for the party, so the kids were able to play outside. We fed over 50 people, but I still haven't sat down and calculated an exact number. Thankfully the rain didn't last all day, and the temps were perfect.
We smoked Boston Butts and a Turkey, and somehow I managed to get the Black Forrest Torte made. Wonder of wonders, it was even ready before the camping trip on Friday. Knowing how I tend to wait until the last minute, that was a huge feat for me! We also made fresh strawberry ice cream which was a big hit. There is a "pick your own" strawberry farm just few miles from us. We went on Thursday and picked.
Our days for the rest of the month are jam-packed. We have so much to get accomplished before Rachel leaves. My goal is to update my blog at least with a quick note once a week.

"Bic-toya" loves to read!

2008-04-13T18:41:00.000-04:00

Although this isn't the nicest pic - It is classic Rebekah!

2008-04-13T18:39:00.000-04:00

'Lisbeth & Matt-chew

2008-04-13T18:35:00.000-04:00

Hannah and Taffy

2008-04-13T18:32:00.000-04:00

Some of the goaties and Georgia

2008-04-13T18:29:00.000-04:00

Christopher and Belle

2008-04-13T18:27:00.000-04:00

Rachel & Erik

2008-04-13T18:22:00.000-04:00

"Miracle Violet" - Ain't she purdy?

2008-04-13T18:21:00.000-04:00

Becca and Victoria with Arnold & Danny

2008-04-13T18:18:00.000-04:00

and the days go by

2008-04-06T14:09:00.000-04:00

I thought I'd hop on and post a short blog since I don't know when I'll have another chance.
With Rachel leaving the end of the month, and activities planned every weekend from now until then, I know life will be crazier and busier than ever.
Hannah, Matthew, and I had a great time in Dallas. Mannafest was definitely different this year, but we enjoyed it. I have been waiting to pick up the book "Go Giver" until we got there. Not only did I buy the book, but I bought the 'package deal' after Bob Burg spoke. I enjoyed Robert Kiasoki too, but I think I liked Bob's message better. It was more applicable. Giving hope to others is such a part of the Mannatech mission, and I found his message to be a proverbial shot in the arm (in a good way.) I came home rejuvenated and ready to share with a renewed passion. I have also come to realize that offering financial hope is just as significant and meaningful as restoring health. Now I have to somehow marry my priorities so that they are balanced.
We roomed with Vickie and her daughter Nicole which was really fun. It is always a treat to find a long distant friend is even more delightful IRL. We went to the aquarium and zoo on Monday before we left.
This week was filled with catch up chores, another Parelli clinic on Sat. and the selling of animals. We sold 3 Obers and 2 puppies on Saturday, but they will not go to their new home until June. 3 puppies down, 6 more to go! It is odd that the girls are selling faster than the boys. If we end up moving north soon, we may keep one of the males.
Next weekend is Rachel's going away party, then a long weekend clinic several hours away where I will mostly stay with them, and the last weekend of the month is a goat show. Rachel will leave on Monday or Tuesday after that.
Somehow in the midst of all this we have to ramp up school, find time to take Rachel shopping for the things she will need in Montana, and get the day to day things done. It makes me tired thinking about it!

Another Bend in the Road

2008-03-23T22:35:00.000-04:00

I have waited to blog about this until I knew it was going to happen. Rachel is going to Montana to spend the summer with the Thompsons. They are her Parelli instructors, and have been such an inspiration to her to pursue her dreams. She'll fit right in. I am so excited for her, and yet overwhelmed at the thought. I guess I am getting another good dose of reality. I used to poo-poo the idea of a 'mid life crisis', and though I prefer to call it a mid life evaluation, I understand the struggle to come to grips with the idea that half of your life is behind you. It is a good thing to stop and consider if you are headed in the direction you want to be, and ask yourself what needs to change. It doesn't, however, give people a license to sin, or quit and start over. Now I find myself with an overflowing house full of children, and yet suffering from the 'empty nest' syndrome. And she hasn't even left yet! Just when they grow up and mature enough for you to be able to embrace them as comrades as well as your children, they flap their wings and leave the nest. Knowing where she is headed, and the challenges she has facing her, I can say with confidence that she will come back a different person. This is an opportunity for her to make great strides in her training. She'll easily earn her blue string (level 2) while she's there. Christopher is determined not to let her get too far ahead of him, and knowing his tenacity, he'll be ready for his assessment in the fall.
I leave on a red eye with Hannah and Matthew for a week in Dallas on Tuesday. I am looking forward to it, and hoping it will be a good time to connect with Hannah a little better. It is deja vu for me, and I am trying to do things differently, and praying for a different outcome. I want to be a wise woman and build instead of tear down. I am just so emotionally driven that it hard for me to reprogram. It is funny how your kids can learn to push your buttons. I am working really hard at not letting that happen. Rachel, my peacemaker, has been a great help in that dept. Hopefully I won't regress when she isn't around.
Our schedule is SO booked for the next 5 or 6 weeks. There is not a single weekend that we don't have something going on. Most weekends we're juggling at least two events - sometimes three. I won't have time to get my breath before Rachel leaves. In a way I guess it will be good because I won't be dwelling too much on it.
I'll try to post if I have a spare minute. I am wondering how I am going to find time to exhale, much less spend any time on the computer.

And the Lord directs our Path

2008-03-09T22:37:00.000-04:00

Sometimes it looks as if we are choosing our steps, but the Lord always has his hand on us, guiding us, and directing our paths. I am thankful for the opportunity to begin to dream again, but Noble won't be the one to fulfill it. Gut instinct coupled with encouragement from many wise counselors gave me the inclination to do some further research before I drove 5 hours to see him. I called the trainer who had him for almost a year, and the breeder who first owned him. The information they shared was very revealing to say the least. Leaving out unnecessary details - suffice it to say that he SHOULD be gelded. He is a carrier of a genetic defect called SCID which is fatal when matched with another carrier. It is particularly prevalent in Arabians.
So the dream is alive again, but it will remain just that - a dream... for now anyway.

We have also made the decision to sell down our goats so the children can focus more on horses. The challenge will be to find a way to financially support our 'habit' with horses. Goats and their by-products are much more marketable and breaking even is at least attainable. I am told the only way to make a small fortune in the horse industry is to start with a large one. I am still leaning toward buying and selling - and breeding. I was even thinking that it would be really cool to market Parelli Ponies - but I am sure that we'd have to come up with another name. I think it would be a great market though - to play the seven games and get them to level 2 - then include in the purchase price an introduction to Parelli and how to have a relationship with the horse with an emphasis on safety. I was also thinking about OTT TBs - restarting them and then finding suitable partners for them would be a way to rescue some horses and support our habit too. Like with goats, I think our challenge might be letting them go! :)

New pictures might still be a long time coming. We got a new battery but apparently it is the charger that is not working. It may be a challenge to find a new one since they don't even make the model we have anymore.

The Horse of My Dreams

2008-03-02T21:27:00.000-05:00

Life has its twists and turns, ups and downs, hills and valleys. These past couple of years have been challenging to say the least. God is gracious though, and knows when we have shouldered all we can bear. It looks like there is a major curve coming up in the road I call life. When I was a little girl, I had grand dreams. Somewhere along the way I was convinced that dreams don't come true, and I accepted that. My dreams were tucked neatly away and I proceeded to grow up. Adults don't have time to dream. The day to day tasks simply take too much energy. Somehow or another though, when Rachel and Christopher started their Parelli journey, that dream began to stir in me. A dream to have a horse farm, to raise Arabians, to make horses an integral part of my life again....
Another dream began to take shape about a year ago. We started thinking of moving to Montana. We put the house on the market. Nothing happened. The dream began to wilt and with it my hopes of fulfilling my childhood dream. The horse farm and the move to Montana are intertwined. I don't see one happening without the other, although God has a way of directing our paths - even when we are choosing our steps. When it comes to choices in life, timing is everything. Being at the right place at the right time - or even the wrong place at the right time can change your life forever. A series of events has begun that will begin a turning point in our lives. It looks very promising that hubby will get a job with a very good company in Idaho or Montana. At the same time, I have the opportunity to aquire the foundation for a breeding farm. I don't believe in coincidence. I saw a post on a forum about a black Arabian stallion the same day that Clay talked to the headhunter about a company in Idaho/Montana.
My hope is renewed; my dream is alive. Noble Knight is his name. Isn't he the most gorgeous horse you ever saw? I won't know for sure until I meet him face to face, but my heart tells me he is the horse of my dreams. We're planning a trip down in a couple of weeks. I may burst with excitement before then!

A Dream of a Lifetime - Noble Knight

2008-03-02T21:23:00.000-05:00

This is so inspiring!

2008-02-10T16:03:00.000-05:00

For those who think that it isn't possible to home birth or even have a vaginal birth after a C-section, you gotta watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlfVzq1YrRg

For the life of me, I can't figure out how to embed the code so the video shows up in the blog. If anyone knows how, please enlighten me!

babies, babies, babies

2008-02-10T15:31:00.001-05:00

Spring is in the air! We have daffodils blooming, the Forsythia is covered in little yellow buds for the third time this year, and we have goat babies everywhere. Sadly for our farm revenue they are all bucks but one. This seems to be a year for difficult kidding. I am beginning to think I would enjoy being a mid-wife or a doula though. Two times we have ended up loading the laboring doe up and hauling her to the vet for more experienced assistance. The first time was with Elisabeth's goat late on a Saturday night, the only icy weekend we've had. All three babies were mis-presented, and we ended up with two bucks and a still born doeling. Next delivery progressed well with a little help from Oil of Evening Primrose, but we got two more bucks. This time, they were experimentals so their market value is less than it will cost to bottle raise them. This past week, Luke's goat went into labor but didn't progress. To my uneducated eye, it appeared that she was prolapsing so off we go again - this time in the van with all the two legged kidlets in tow as well. With a little help from the vet, she delivered our first live doeling. Luke had already decided to name her Idaho. Her sister from last year is named Montana. Bismark and Dakota are both names in their pedigrees. I thought he might like Helena, but Idaho she is.
As usual, the bottle feeding chores are distained by all but the youngest of the children who can't quite manage the task alone. This is only the beginning of birthing season, with more scattered arrivals from now until June.

We are also expecting our first litter of marketable puppies. Eriel and Parrin make a great pair. Soft fluffy white fuzz balls are due sometime this month. Mara's belly is beginning to round out too. Wonder how many kittens she'll have, and if any will be calico? She is due a trip to the vet to end her mommying days!

When all the kitty, puppy, and kidding excitement calms, we should be welcoming a Dartmoor foal into the world. THAT will be the most exciting birth! I can't wait. Nothing smells better than a newborn foal's breath. I know, I'm weird!

Other happenings at the Shaw house:
Ashley Hope stopped by for a visit yesterday. It was short so we didn't get to visit much. She arrived late, and we had committed to go to Thomas' Eagle Scout ceremony. She got here about the same time we all started getting ready so it was pretty chaotic. I have never been to a Scout ceremony; it was quite interesting. It is conducted more like a court hearing where they had to "prove" Thomas was worthy of the honor. There weren't many dry eyes by the time it was all said and done. Thomas has overcome many challenges to become a very responsible and capable young man!

We are planning to attend another Parelli clinic at the end of the month. It should be fun, as all the students are homeschoolers. Now we just have the challenge of finding someone to hold down the fort. Clay has a shooting match that weekend, so we'll ALL be going this time. Hopefully I am up for the challenge of trying to keep up with everyone. It can't be too different from going to a goat show. Maybe Sandy will be willing to milk the goats for us?!?!

I am a bit apprehensive and excited about the thought of Clay getting another job and moving. I like surprises, and am open to go anywhere God wants us, but I struggle with wanting to know WHEN. It'd be nice to know where too. Will it be Montana? Idaho? Wyoming? the Carolinas? Texas? and now Alabama and Mississippi are possibilities.... Hurry up and wait!

I guess I should close. The afternoon is slipping by and it is too beautiful not to be outside today. We normally go for a walk on Sunday afternoons, but I think Clay has slipped off to take a nap.

Hopefully, we'll get a new battery for the camera soon. I'd like to post some pics.

My first Blog

2008-02-03T21:51:00.000-05:00

I have avoided blogging forever. But I feel very disconnected from my friends... from the world. So we'll see how good I am at keeping it current. I do post frequently on CafeMom so you might check that link if things are quiet here.
I will post more later about happenings on the farm. We are in the middle of kidding season. So far it is all bucks and no does (live ones anyway.) Rebekah picked our first (and probably only) crocus today. I planted quite a few, but it was years ago. Typically we don't see many. It probably just isn't cold enough here. It won't be long until all the daffadills are blooming though. Sunny yellow butter-cups waving in the breeze are one of my favorite landscape scenes.