Abundant Life and Health Lifestyle Coaching

06/06/2023

I have several jalapeño plants available for sale. They are ready to be planted and some are already flowering.
$4 each, cash only. Must pick up.

05/12/2023

My California Bluebells are adjusting to their planters and already blooming. 😍

It’s important to me to attract the beneficial insects and not use pesticides (there so many health reasons for eliminating the use of pesticides) in my garden.

More plants are listed in the following link for attracting beneficial insects. 💜
https://pubs.nmsu.edu/_h/H169.pdf

05/09/2023

Cilantro
I know that there is a solid love or hate opinion of the flavor of cilantro.
I happen to LOVE cilantro and have come up with ways to add it to my meals. Whether you love or hate cilantro, I want to introduce you to some of its health benefits:
Settles digestive upset
Lowers blood sugar
Reduces anxiety
Protects against food poisoning
Prevents urinary tract infections
Protects against oxidative stress
These are just a few of the benefits that come from eating but my favorite is that it helps our bodies detox from heavy metals.

03/09/2022

If you take supplements (powder, pill, bar), eat any sugar-free or diet foods, drink diet or energy drinks drinks...you'll want to go check your labels.
👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇

STEVIA:
💥 It's a plant found in Brazil & Paraguay
💥 It's been used for HUNDREDS of years by natives in food and medicine.
💥 It is 250-300 times sweeter than sugar so much less is needed
💥 It is naturally calorie-free
💥 It naturally contains potassium, magnesium, zinc and vitamin B3.
💥 It is a natural anti-fungal
💥 It is a fibrous plant that can promote proper digestion
💥 Studies have shown that Stevia does not interfere with blood glucose or insulin levels

SUCRALOSE:
💥 Highly processed 😕
💥 It is a chlorocarbon which means that part of its molecular structure has been removed and replaced with chlorine molecules
💥 Has only been used by humans in foods for 18 years (since 1998) so there is no way to know it's long-term effects
💥 Was shown to decrease good gut flora by 50% and increase intestinal PH levels
💥 Can stimulate appetite, increase carb/sugar cravings and stimulate fat storage. In fact, diet sodas containing artificial sweeteners can actually DOUBLE your risk of obesity. 😱
💥 When tested on animals, those given Sucralose showed to have decreased red blood cells (anemia), increased male infertility, enlarged and calcified kidney, spontaneous abortions and a 4 TIMES HIGHER death rate in the group given Sucralose compared to the control group.

02/09/2022

GREAT info below! 🌱
WOW Facts About YOU:
Blood Sugar Balance = Hormone Balance!!
📝 The law of the body is that it must keep a certain level of sugar/glucose in the blood at all times...it fights hard for BLOOD SUGAR BALANCE.
If your sugar level gets to high you’ll die and if it gets to low you’ll die...that’s why keeping your blood sugar levels in check is the body’s main job!
When you eat, even healthy foods, your blood sugar level goes up.
Your pancreas will secrete a hormone called
🌱 INSULIN to deal with the excess sugar in your blood and bring it back to balance.
Remember that word...💥 INSULIN 💥 .
Insulin removes the sugar out of the blood and stores it in your cells. If your cells are full INSULIN stores the sugar as FAT! 😬
Insulin is a FAT STORAGE hormone!
Fun fact: your body cannot burn fat when insulin is around.
Here’s another thing...
💥 INSULIN 💥 is the MASTER HORMONE in the body!!
There is not a hormone in your body that is not effected or directly controlled by Insulin!! It also helps your cells store nutrients.
🌱 Your other hormone systems and your cells NEED to respond to insulin to do their jobs correctly and stay nourished.
🛑 BUT...and here’s the kicker...the more insulin your body has to put out (to balance your blood sugar levels) the more resistant your
cells become TO INSULIN! 📷
✅ We want/need our bodies to be SSSUUUUPPPPEEERRRR sensitive to insulin.
To “listen” quickly when insulin “speaks” to it.
But because Insulin is so powerful, if we have to much pulsing through our system, our body gets worn out and stops “listening” to it.
🧬 Our cells literally down regulate and stop reacting to Insulin.
So what does your body do? It starts pumping out EVEN MORE insulin trying to get your cells to respond which creates more problems!
Let’s recap...📝
To prevent fat storage, hormone imbalance, fatigue, weak cells and degenerative diseases our goal is to HAVE AS LITTLE INSULIN AS POSSIBLE IN OUR BODIES!!!
Annnnddddd remember WHY our body produces 💥 INSULIN 💥 ???
To keep our blood sugar levels balanced!!
If we can keep our blood sugars stable, not swinging up and down, our bodies can release less insulin and become more sensitive to it!!

_____________________________
Want to know more? For more fascinating info on blood sugar and insulin watch this video!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iTjDi2ZO0n8
_____________________________
WOW Facts about Plexus & Blood Sugar & Your Hormones:
Plexus Slim 🍷 was designed to help support BLOOD SUGAR BALANCE!!!
Balancing glucose helps keep your Insulin levels low!
That is one of the reasons we see such a wide variety of health transforming stories and feel SO good on Plexus Slim!!!
The first things you notice are...better sleep 💤 sleep balanced moods, increase energy levels 🏃‍♀️ , reduced inflammation and reduced cravings for sweets and carbs. 🍞
That’s a small snippet of what Plexus is. Now that we’ve cleared that up: what is plexus not? I’m glad you asked...
📷Plexus is NOT a diet.
📷Plexus is NOT a meal replacement.
📷 Plexus is NOT a fad.
📷Plexus is NOT an energy drink.
📷Plexus does NOT contain artificial sweeteners, colors or flavors.
📷Plexus does NOT contain stimulants.
Plexus itself is a wonderful TOOL to help balance your body in an all-natural way 🌱
Doctors are approving it. Pharmacists are using it. Dietitians are recommending it.
And pink drinkers are feeling better than ever!!!

01/26/2021

01/03/2021

What have you done to refill your cup?☕️

I recommend everyone take at least 10 minutes per day for themselves but I realize that many people just don’t find those few moments everyday. We get so wrapped up in day to day life and taking care of our families and homes. It is important to find some time on the weekend for yourself
"Me" time or "self care" time is a must. It is the greatest gift 🎁 that you can give to those that you love ❤️.
You need to schedule some time each week that you can refill your cup.
The time that I spend taking care of myself is usually different from day to day. Sometimes it’s a bath and book, other days it’s planning or reflecting and journaling.
The important part is that you do something for you to refill and refresh You.

01/01/2021

2021 is here! Happy New Year!!🎆
So often we convince ourselves that with the New Year we are going to take up new healthy habits and implement a new diet.
The thing that is often not addressed is our mindset and the need to start with a healthy mind.
To have long term success with our waist size and a healthy lifestyle, we must first address the health of our heart and mind. Are you living in stress, anxiety, or trauma? Your body will reflect that.
Dr. Caroline Leaf is one of my favorite authors and teachers on neuroplasticity and developing a healthy mindset. As you retrain your brain, your body will follow.

Dr. Caroline Leaf posted this on her IG account this past week.
"Diets are not sustainable and research has shown those who diet generally put the weight back on. Why? Because often the mindset behind the actions is toxic and quite often coming from a place of trauma. This is not sustainable because our brains and bodies are not wired or designed to hold on to toxicity for long. Our minds will fight it like a virus and there will be a constant disconnect resulting in disequilibrium, mental health issues, anxiety, etc.
So before starting a diet question your mindset. If your mind is not right, nothing will work. Rather than wanting to lose weight to impress others, focus on making healthier choices to set a good example for others like your children. Rather than wanting to go down in sizes to feel valued (extrinsic motivation), focus on moving your body because it’s good for your mental health (intrinsic motivation)."
#2021
🎇🎆

12/06/2020

There is so much missing or misrepresented information out there.
Today, I’m compelled to uncover some of the information that has been covered up regarding masks.😷
There seems to be widely varying recommendations regarding masks and their effectiveness, depending greatly on where you live.
For instance, I know many people who have been led to believe that If they just wear a mask, they aren’t going to get Covid-19. I think the results are proving that this simply isn’t entirely true.
What we DO KNOW is that wearing a mask can be a tool to decrease the risk of being infected by the virus. It is not going to prevent the spread of the virus.
We do know that the average person touches their face more than 400 times a day. (I probably touch my face many more than that.) We also know that if you are wearing a mask, scarf, or some other type face covering, that were are more conscientious of not touching our face, eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. For this reason, masks can be quite effective in helping us not being infected with an illness. Masks do become dirty while we wear them and can harbor many pathogens. If we are not thoughtful and careful in how we handle masks, they can become problematic.
Additionally, masks are not recommended for people who already have lung and breathing issues.
However, for the person who IS infected with the virus and may be shedding the virus, the masks have proven to be helpful in reducing the spread. The mask does reduce the amount of virus that is expelled from the infected person. It’s not perfect and it won’t stop all the particles from escaping into the surrounding environment. Yet, even a minuscule amount of virus that is kept from contaminating the surrounding area will slow the spread of the virus.

Conclusion:
Masks are not perfect and they are not a 100% prevention method, but they are a beneficial tool.

I would never encourage someone who is healthy, to wear a mask while you are outside and exercising and you are already socially distancing. It is not good for your body to have the restriction on oxygen intake or the concentrated exhaust to be congested by the mask.

I’m going to take this a step further and share my personal beliefs regarding the masks.
I believe that everyone should be able to make the choice to wear a mask based on their personal needs. I do not believe that it is right that any government mandate a medical practice on the mass public with no regard to an individual’s medical and health history. Giving the public all the information, what we do know and what we don’t know is crucial!

I greatly appreciate those individuals who may unknowing be infected and chose to wear a mask in public. I hope that everyone who is knowingly infected would choose to stay home and allow others who are well, to help them so that they do not have to risk infecting others. But please, don’t leave the house without a mask if you are infected. Please understand that even if you are not feeling bad, you can continue to infect others for weeks to come. The average infected person continues to shed the virus for 20-37 days, even after the symptoms have vanished.

I am 100% against the shaming of anyone who has a differing opinion about the personal use of a mask!
If it relieves someone’s anxiety of contracting the virus by wearing a mask- WONDERFUL! That’s a good thing!

The more we relax and don’t carry stress with us, the healthier our immune system is.

If you are a proponent of wearing a mask, please DO NOT shame others for not wanting to wear a mask!
There are vast numbers of our population that have PTSD and are triggered by wearing a mask and having their nose and mouth covered.
If you are someone who calls them "selfish" or “careless", I implore you to Stop It! You do not know anyone else’s struggles or story. You don’t know the trauma they have experienced or the PTSD that they live with, the debilitating anxiety and panic attacks that are being triggered by having something covering up their face.

Please stop shaming people for their choices when you don’t know their reasons why.

12/03/2020

Don’t obsess about the foods you are eating and how they are making you fat.
Instead, consider how you are going to nourish your body today.

12/03/2020

For years, I've been preaching the importance of having sufficient levels of vitamin D serum levels for fighting the seasonal flu. This has become more evident than ever in our current times.
Vitamin D3 supplementation is easy and financially affordable.
The Journal of Nature published an observational study of patients with Covid-19. The study observed a group of 154 people, ages 30-60.
Of those that had a minimum level of vitamin D in the blood serum, they found that patients had less severe symptoms and did not require ICU care.
Those in the group who were considered to be vitamin D deficient had a 7% higher fatality rate.

I will post the link to the study in the comments for those of you who would like to read it.

09/29/2020

I've heard "just eat healthy and you're ok"... Or, " I get all my nutrients from food".
Ummm no you can't😊 not anymore and here's why...

Why supplementation IS SO important! 👇🏻
1. Current commercial agriculture techniques leave soil deficient in important minerals, causing the food grown in this soil to share the same mineral deficiencies.
2. Many foods are shipped long distances and are stored for long periods of time, both of which cause the depletion of vitamins in these foods, including the important B-complex and C vitamins.
3. Food processing, cooking, and preserving leads to nutrient depletion in our food supply that makes it difficult to obtain adequate nutrition from foods alone.
4. Many fruits and vegetables are genetically bred to improve visual appeal and crop yields, not nutritional value, which frequently results in lesser nutritional values than our ancestors’ food supply.
5. Erratic eating habits, insufficient chewing of food, eating on the run, and stress contribute to poor digestion, making it difficult for our bodies to extract all the nutrients it needs from food.
6. Pharmaceutical drug use has escalated over time. Most medications deplete essential nutrients, making people more vulnerable to deficiencies.
7. Specific times in life and health conditions may result in higher needs of certain nutrients. For example, folic acid needs tend to be higher during pregnancy, while menopausal women may be vulnerable to calcium deficiencies.
8. Increasing levels of environmental pollution in our air, water and food may cause our bodies to use more nutrients than normal to detoxify and eliminate harmful substances. This is especially true of the antioxidant vitamins, some of which include: the “ACE Vitamins:” Vitamins A, C, and E.
9. We all have genetic weaknesses, including higher needs of some nutrients, higher rates of depletion for certain nutrients, and an increased likelihood of genetic expression of some illnesses if vitamin or mineral deficiencies are present.
10. Many nutrients have been proven to aid in the improvement of many, many, many health conditions! Google it to find out all of the different conditions nutrients can help with!

08/07/2020

Tuna stuffed tomato on a bed of lettuce.
Side of avocado and blueberries.

03/19/2020

3 things you need to know about probiotics and your immune system with Dr Hartman.

03/19/2020

*****Covid-19*****
The type of virus has a crown therefore it is a coronavirus. There are 3 characteristics we know about it.
Its Novel--meaning its a new virus that our bodies are not familiar with so it is not familiar with how to handle it.
Its efficient--meaning it spreads quickly.
Its virulent--once it attaches to a cell, it penetrates quickly to change the DNA of the cell and kill the cell. This virus attacks the lungs.

Let's talk about what you can to do to while we

*****The 5 Ps*****

Prepare--Prepare your body, your family, and your home.
Two weeks of supplies. I encourage curbside pick-up, if your local grocery store has online shopping.
Now is the time to get the good old board games out and other activities that your family can enjoy together. Pull out those old family recipes.

Protect--Wash your hands and face often. Pay special attention to your fingers and fingernails. Sing the ABCs while washing.
The virus spreads through the nose. We tend to touch our face over 100 times a day without realizing it. Wear a mask or any makeshift mask. A simple scarf can help, it helps remind us to not touch our face.
So far, there is no evidence that the virus can be absorbed through the skin or is airborne.
The virus is droplets that live on surfaces that we touch and then we touch our faces.

Don't Panic--When we get stressed it dials down or depresses our immune system. We also do not make good decisions when we panic.

Preload--Equip your body with all the right things to give your internal soldiers a fighting chance! You have an army of Natural Killer (NK) Cells inside your body. If you nourish your NK Cells, they will fight the battle for you.
-Foods that feed those NK cells, include fruits, vegetables, and seafood. Use fresh or frozen food whenever possible. Limit sugar and processed foods as much as possible.

-Positivity: Feed your body good thoughts! When you believe your body will fight for you, it fights harder to keep you well.
Use this time as personal growth. Reframe the brain- Look for opportunities and solutions. (Don't look at this as a begrudging time that you are stuck in your house together! It will only suppress your immune system.)
*Laugh often, visit with friends and family over the phone or various apps that allow you to do video visits, keep a gratitude journal, pray and meditate on scripture frequently throughout the day. This is a great opportunity to reconnect with one another with our voices.
*Stay calm and relax often. Take a warm Epsom Salt bath (20 minutes will help the body to release built up toxins). Listen to your favorite music, read a book, have a picnic in the backyard.
*Make your time at home productive. Limit screen time! Too much time sitting in front of the screen (tv, computer, tablet, phone) depressed the body and mind.
*Movement mobilizes your immune system!! Your body makes its own medicine when you move! Take a walk around your house, even better if you can get outdoors.
*Get lots of fresh air and sunshine! The ultraviolet light is
known to kill the virus. Vitamin D from the sun is essential to every part of you body functioning correctly. Breathe deep cleansing breaths outside will calm your body as well as release built up toxins. Have fun! Find the blessings in this time together in your home.

Parents--The best thing you can do for your children is mirror healthy ways to cope with stress and stress management. How we respond to these times will model to our children how they should respond.

03/13/2020

Remember, stress is a big immune suppressor, so don’t let worry overcome you right now during the chaos of the C-virus.

Eat well, sleep well, and do not skimp on supplements. They boost your immune system! 🙌🏻

Tips for natural immune boosters:

-Prebiotics
-Vitamin C
-Vitamin D3
-Elderberry
-Echinacea
-Omegas
-Probiotics
-Zinc
-Selenium
-Multivitamin
-Colloidal Silver
-Oil of oregano
-Garlic
-Turmeric
-Bone Broth
- Detox baths (I personally use 1 C Epsom Salt, 1/2 C Baking Soda, few drops essential oils)
- Drink your water!!!

01/11/2020

“Protein is critical for your health and weight management. Your muscles, hair, skin, nails, are made up of protein. Beginning at age 30, we start to lose lean muscle- about 10 oz. per year, often due to lack of exercise and poor diet. Protein not only helps support lean muscle so that you can combat the natural aging process, but it also helps you feel full.” – Dr. Jim Logan

So, what exactly is protein? Protein is an essential macronutrient required to sustain life and build muscle mass. Muscle mass helps fuel metabolism.