I wanted a good muffin for the fall.

I tried to find a good pumpkin muffin recipe to makeover with good ingredients but it was awful and I threw it out.  These are always a favorite when we make or take them.  They are great as a warm dessert with some coconut mint chocolate chip ice cream by So Delicious (freezer at Kroeger or Whole Foods) and a few fresh raspberries on top!

Try some delicious chocolate chip zucchini muffins for a fall treat!

Leave a comment after you make them and tell us how you liked them!

Many people are tempted to just buy their muffins packaged because it is too much work, etc.  These muffins will take about 15 minutes to mix up and about 20 minutes to bake.  Are they worth the trouble?  Definitely the taste is worth it but more importantly, what are you eating?

Compare the nutrition data of this muffin to the costco chocolate chip muffin:

This muffin

calories: 152                    Costco: 692

Fat: 9 g                               Costco: 38.1 g

Saturated fat: 6 g            Costco: 11 g

Cholesterol: 26 mg        Costco: 125 mg

Trans fat:  0 mg               Costco:  does not say….hmmm…

Sodium:  129 mg             Costco: 591 mg

Carbohydrate: 18 g        Costco: 79.2

Dietary Fiber:  2 g           Costco: 3 g

Sugar: 9 g                            Costco: 48.1 g

Protein: 3 g                        Costco: 10 g

Makes 24 medium muffins

Serving is 1 muffin

OK….692 calories??? Come ON! Even though the costco muffin is considerably larger, that is 79% more calories in one muffin, not to mention, did you see the FAT and SUGAR?  No wonder your kids act like brats after they eat breakfast!  No wonder you get brain fog and want to take a nap.

Invest some time in yourself and your family and you can still have good treats!  Oh, you are worried about how much these will cost?  Well, your initial ingredients are going to be a bit spendy but you can use them for other things or for more muffins!  The cost per muffin is still going to be less than buying them already made up at Whole Foods ($1.99)  I am going to guess roughly 75cents to a dollar each.

Oh, so you are worried your family and friends won’t like them because they are healthy?  First of all, don’t tell them!  Second, if they don’t like them then more for you!  Put them in the freezer for treats.

These are fabulous, moist with a rich chocolate flavor.  They have a low sugar and carb content compared to other sweet treats and the fat in the coconut, while saturated, is a good fat.

Serve them at your harvest party.  Make a double batch and freeze most of them, thaw by warming in the oven or let thaw and eat cold. See end of post for a shopping list.

Spelt Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

Note:  You need 2 bowls, the way you combine them affects the tenderness of the muffin.

Instructions & Ingredients
In a large bowl combine:

1 cups Whole grain Spelt flour

1 cup White Spelt flour
1/2 cup organic dry cocoa, sifted
1 3/4  tsp aluminum free baking soda
1 tsp  aluminum free baking powder
1 tsp Celtic Sea Salt

In Food Processor

Shred 2 mediums sized zucchini, then chop with S blade for a couple of pulses

Add at end of recipe:  Enjoy Life Chocolate Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

Combine in a larger bowl:
1/2 cup Raw local honey
1/2 cup extra virgin unrefined coconut oil (melt to liquid first by putting solid coconut oil in a small bowl and setting in a pan of hot water for a few minutes, DON’T microwave!)
¼ cup grapeseed Veganaise mixed with ¼ cup water
3 lg cage free organic eggs ** to make vegan see below

1 tsp organic real vanilla

Add half the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients then stir in the following:
2 cups shredded raw zucchini
1/2 to 1 cup Enjoy Life! brand semi-sweet chocolate chips (nutrition facts based on 1 cup of Enjoy Life chocolate chips, using other chocolate chips will most likely increase the fat and sugar content).

Add the other half of the dry ingredients

Pour into greased muffin tins or muffin cups, a little over half full.

Bake at 325 for 15-18 minutes, until done in the middle  -  best when warm.  You can put these in individual baggies and freeze for up to 2 weeks. (use lower temp due to honey in recipe will cause it to brown too quickly).

FOR VEGAN (no eggs): 3 tsp of Ener-g brand egg replacer, 1 Tbs more coconut oil and 1 Tbs Tbs “>grapeseed Veganaise and 2 Tbs water.  These will be a little puffier and slightly drier in texture.  This would also drastically reduce the fat and cholesterol content.

Nutrition Information: Servings: 24,  Calories 151, Calories from fat 79, total fat 9 g – 14%,  saturated fat 6g – 28% (half of this is from unrefined coconut oil),  trans fat 0 mg, cholesterol 26 mg, sodium 129 mg, total carbohydrate 18 mg, dietary fiber 2 g, sugar 9 g (2 teaspoons), protein 3 g, vitamin A 1%, calcium 4%,  vitamin C 3%, iron 6%

*******************************************

Shopping List:

Honestly, these ingredients will be the least expensive at Whole Foods.

• White Spelt Flour – 1 cup
• Whole Spelt Flour – 1 cup
• Organic dry cocoa (I like Green & Black)
• Aluminum Free Baking Soda (Bob’s Red Mill)
• Aluminum Free Baking Powder (Rumford)
• Celtic Sea Salt, ground fine
• Local Raw Honey
• Extra Virgin Unrefined Coconut Oil (I like Nutiva)
• Grapeseed Veganaise (produce section at Whole Foods)
• Lemon Juice or Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
• 3 Cage Free Organic Eggs
• Real Vanilla

There are some areas in my life and family where we have been stuck for a very long time, now I am beginning to see some of those things miraculously change. Although I have prayed and asked God to help, these areas have not changed for many years. For many of those years, I begged God, cried and felt so much sadness and hopelessness that these things were controlling my life.  Then I detoxed my body and began to see I could take control of something, my food, which positively affected my physical health.  I suddenly began to feel empowered.

Victory physically with my health has been amazing but other broken places have been a shadow.  Now that I know how to help my body, I have begun to be proactive in other areas.  I have the energy and the positive outlook to do so.   I believe God has abundance for us in every area of life.  Jesus said, “in this world you will have trouble but take heart!  I have overcome the world.”  He also said he came to give LIFE, and that more abundantly, not just muddling through.

Several months ago we had a guest speaker at our church, a pastor from Nigeria.  He spoke about things that don’t belong in the life of a believer and sending them away so they don’t return.  He spoke of things you just can’t seem to see a change in and how to bring that change about, taking authority over things in your life that just don’t belong there because you belong to Christ!  This resonated in my heart.

A few years ago a wise older woman said to me, “our salvation is freely given by Christ and was paid for on the Cross, however, our inheritance we have to fight for”.  She used the example of the children of Israel being given the promised land but had to go in and take possession of it and that involved battle.  The interesting thing is that the battles they fought were basically that they showed up and God did the fighting, in fact, many times the enemy destroyed themselves and the children of Israel didn’t have to physically fight at all.  This was even demonstrated in the 1960’s in the 7 day war in Israel.

Paul refers to battles in the New Testament.  He tells us to fight the good fight, to put on the armor of God and stand, he tells us that the weapons we fight with are not weapons of the flesh but they are actually MIGHTY through God.  The weapons of God pull down strongholds, they cast down false reasoning and imaginations and bring every thought into the obedience of Christ.  Those are the weapons I need in my life, mighty ones! Ephesians 6:10-17

Well, this pastor from Nigeria said we need to identify the things in our lives that don’t belong because we are children of God and belong to Him.  Then we need to tell those things to leave and not return.  That sent me on a mission to see what things in my life and family do not belong.

I made a list of my parents, Phil’s parents including his birth mother and step mother, Phil & myself.  Then I made a list under each person’s name of sins, weaknesses, struggles and burdens that I know about that do not belong in the life of a believer.  Hmmm……for a bunch of Christians each one of us had a pretty long list!

Things like financial hardships, broken relationships, pride, divorce, immorality, fear, lying, addictions to things like pornography, alcohol, drugs, bad relationships, chronic sickness, depression, even spiritual pride….you know, just everyday struggles

Once the list was made, I distilled it into categories, poverty, immorality, fear, infirmity there were 10 things.   10 common things that do not belong in the life of a child of God.  10 things I see passed from generation to generation.  These are the things that do not belong.

Then I began to pray, I said, Father forgive me first for allowing these things in my life, forgive my husband, my parents and my children for allowing these things in their lives.  According to your word, these things do not belong.

Then I went down my list.  Poverty, you do not belong in my life or in the lives of my family.  We belong to Christ.  Jesus said He came to give abundant life.  Jesus said my heavenly father would supply all my needs.  Poverty I command you to go from poverty of thought, poverty of finances, poverty of community, all forms of poverty are to go from my life and the lives of my family and are not to return.  I receive the abundance God has for my family and myself in every area because of the blood of Jesus Christ that covers my life.  I went through all 10 things.  I did this for several days.

Now I am beginning to see these things be removed and even disappear from my life and the lives of my family.  When I find myself thinking or going back to those old ways, I speak to that thing again….you do not belong and you shall not return.  I receive what God has for me and that is all.

The blessings of the Lord are rich and He adds no sorrow to it!

What doesn’t belong in your life?

Anyone can do this, just make your list, start with yourself.  What are the things in your life that are causing you pain, sorrow, trouble?  Is it poverty?  sickness?  loneliness?  relationship problems? addiction to something like alcohol, drugs, tobacco, food, gambling, sex? immoral relationships? divorce? You get the idea.  If you are a follower of Jesus Christ and you have accepted His sacrifice for your sin, these things do not belong in your life!  Use a concordance and read what the Bible says about these things.  Then do what I did, say to those things “you do not belong!”  Say it in faith because that is what GOD says, because Jesus death paid for our healing, and all our provision.  Then receive the things God has, abundance, community, health, freedom, purity.

I know this sounds really simplistic but done in faith, it works!  Ask God to teach you about it if you don’t understand, He will guide you into all truth.

When we first detoxed we did not consider juicing.  Too “out there”, health-foodish for us!  Too time consuming and who would pay hundreds of dollars to buy a juicer and drink carrot juice??

Now we go through a minimum of 25 lbs of carrots per week, drink at least one type of juice daily and sometimes take our juicer with us on trips!

Why did we change our minds? Hallelujah Acres founder George Malkamus had a big influence on our decision and also the father of juicing, Dr. Normal Walker.

A couple of facts that really hit home:

Both Dr. Walker and Rev. Malkamus were diagnosed with a terminal disease and juicing allowed their bodies to heal without medical interventions.  Dr. Walker lived to be 99 and Rev. Malkamus is in his late 70’s and going strong.  Good proof.

How juice works in the body. When you drink freshly made veggie and fruit juice it is absorbed into the blood stream within 20 minutes.  Then it is quickly delivered to the cells.  You have millions of cells dying and replacing themselves every MINUTE.  When a cell is dying, it will create a new cell exactly like itself.

Think about this, one cell on it’s way out, gets a good dose of enzymes, phytochemicals, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.  Suddenly this sickly cell has the toxins cleaned out and it is bathed with nutrition.  The cell that replaces it will be stronger than the one that is dying!

The alternative is the dying cell which is full of toxins and old and weak creates a new cell exactly like itself and on and on.  Your cells are rebuilding weaker.

You can help your body rebuild stronger!

What about high powered blenders instead of juicers, you know, where you get the fiber? These are better than nothing, however, when you drink a blended veggie it takes hours before it is available to the cell.  It has to go through the entire digestive process.  Juicing gets those nutrients to the cellular level fast!

Many people use juicing to recover from chronic illness, even cancer. I have seen a powerful effect on my skin since beginning a juicing regimen.  My skin is completely healed from chronic and very painful eczema.  When we began serious daily workouts we added a recovery juice and do not suffer from the typical aches and pains workouts produce.  The fresh juice neutralizes the acids that build up in the muscles and eliminates aches, pains and cramping.

What about staying well? We have not had as much as a sniffle in the last 4 years and we are out in public regularly.  We’ve not had a cold or the flu.  Why?  Our immune system gets it’s daily boost from fresh juice!

Will the juice at the grocery work? You will get vitamins and minerals for sure but you will miss the living part of the juice, the enzymes.  The enzymes are what we are looking for when we drink fresh juice.  They have powerful detoxifying effects.

What type of juicer should you buy?

Don’t waste your money on a centrifical force juicer:

• You won’t use it very long because it’s too much work to clean
• You use a lot more vegetables per glass of juice (the champion uses 1 lb of carrots for 8 oz of juice).
• They breakdown quickly

Buy a Champion, Green Star or Omega juicer

• They last about 30 years
• They are a snap to clean
• You can keep the juice longer than 20 minutes
• You get more juice out of your produce, about twice as much

Champion Juicer $350 including tax  shipping

If you live in the greater Nashville area we will teach you how to use your juicer!

Today I saw an advertisement at the grocery store for the swine flu vaccination.  It said and I quote with great vehemence “An apple a day does not keep the flu away”.

What a bunch of garbage!  Since we detoxed 4 years ago and began to live the detox lifestyle with 50-75% of our food from raw fruits and veggies and daily fresh veggie juices my husband and I have not had so much as a sniffle.  We have not had a cold, the flu or even suffered with allergies in over 4 years!

Here is some info you might find helpful as you seek to avoid all the bugs that go around this year.

Increase your family’s immunity, decrease the need for drugs and processed foods!

H1N1 Swine Flu – everything you should know!

Dr. Joseph Mercola had devoted many years to keeping millions up to date on health issues.  He has an entire staff devoted to researching current issues and telling the truth.  There are many articles on his site regarding the H1N1 Swine Flu.  I highly suggest you look at it and find answers based on truth, not media and government propaganda.

Protecting yourself and your family.  “They” say there is nothing you can do, I just don’t believe it!  You can boost your immune system and let your body do it’s job.  Here are some ways:

1.  Stop eating refined sugar. Everytime you eat any refined sugar you reduce your immunity for 6-8 hours.  If you have refined sugar at every meal you are in great danger of many diseases, not just this flu.  Words that mean refined sugar: cane juice, dehydrated cane juice, sucanat, sugar, Use natural sweeteners such as raw local honey, raw agave nectar or stevia.  These are all available at Whole Foods Markets or at many grocery stores health food sections.

2.  Eat fresh, raw fruits and veggies and drink fresh raw veggie juice. These contain powerful disease fighting properties.  Shoot for 50% to 75% of your daily food in raw fruits and veggies and raw veggie juice.  (raw means not cooked, steamed, broiled, baked, fried, frozen, get the idea?)  Champion and Green Star Juicers

3.  Take probiotics. These are the good bacteria that fight off viruses, disease and bad bacteria.  Garden of Life has one called “Primal Defense” (they also have one for kids). UDO’s is also a great brand.  There are different types for kids, adults, senior adults.  If you have been on antibiotics it has been suggested you can take up to 4 times the recommended dose.  I would work up to that slowly, start with the recommend dose and add one each day to make sure it is not too much for you.

4.  Wash your hands and protect your hands with a good antiviral. A great one is called “Thieves Oil”.  An interesting story behind the oil:

During the Plague of the 15th century, certain thieves robbed the dead without becoming infected. Finally, four thieves were captured in Marseilles, France, and charged with robbing the dead and dying victims of the plague.

At the trial, the magistrate offered them leniency if they would reveal how they managed to avoid contracting the dreaded infection, in spite of their close contact with infected corpses. It was disclosed that these thieves were perfumers and spice traders who had rubbed themselves with a concoction of aromatic herbs (cinnamon, clove, and oregano).

The formula for the Young Living Essential Oil blend, Thieves, is derived from the aromatic herbs used by the thieves of 15th century France.

Thieves Oil is a proprietary blend of therapeutic grade, 100% organic, aromatic oils containing Cinnamon Bark (Cinnamomum verum), Clove (Syzygium aromaticum), Lemon (Citrus limon), Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus radiata), and Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis CT 1,8 cineol).

This website gives a recipe for making your own, however, buying all the essential oils can be expensive.

Young Living Oils offers a hand sanitizer (around $7.00) and spray to spray (around $12) on toilet seats and door handles you can carry in your purse or send with your kids to school.

Especially use these at the office where germ carrying bacteria are 400 times greater than at home.

If you are interested in purchasing Thieves Oil hand sanitizer, spray or the oil itself, give me a call at 615-975-0186 or email me. email address for The Wellness Workshop

Let them eat…..Sandwiches!

My favorite food for most of my life was a sandwich, on two beautiful slices of homemade bread, slathered with sauce, piled high with thin slices of meat and cheese, thin slices of juicy tomatoes, cold, crisp cucumbers, crisp lettuce or spinach and crunchy sprouts.  In fact, when I was in the fourth grade and spending the night at my favorite teachers home, she took me to the grocery store and I could pick out anything I wanted.  I picked the little packages of skinny meat (you know the chemical, hormone no nutrition kind) and bread (“wonder” of course because I liked to roll the bread into little gummy balls – which, by the way is really what happens in your colon) and cheese so I could have a sandwich.  I was THRILLED when I got to put the whole package of skinny meat on my sandwich because at home I only got 2 skinny slices!

One thing I gave up when I began the detox lifestyle was sandwiches, and really without looking back.  That meal just did not help me to fulfill my wellness goals.  A thing of the past, don’t look back.

Then I discovered sprouted grain bread. This bread actually has true nutrition, lots of fiber, vitamins and minerals and is tasty!  There are several types of sprouted bread, the best, of course, is the one I make myself!  However, I don’t make it for you so that isn’t helpful.  I would you know but it would cost you about $225.00 for 18 sandwich rolls, if you are willing to pay that, let me know and I’ll be happy to oblige.

You CAN have great sprouted grain bread at much less than $225.00 for 18 sandwich rolls.  For around $5 bucks you can pick up either Ezekiel bread, Alvarado Street Bakery bread or Berlin Bakery Sprouted Spelt bread.

If you want to make it yourself, you can buy sprouted flour from Shiloh farms and make your own sprouted grain bread.  Hey, you can even have my $225 bread recipe for free, it’s on my website.  The recipe is at this link http://www.recipes.wellnessworkshopcoolsprings.com/sproutedgrains.html

So NOW I  enjoy a wonderful sandwich with lots of fresh flavors.  Here is my current fav:

Savory Spinach Sandwich

• 2 slices sprouted grain bread (see names of breads above)
• Green Goddess Dressing (recipe below) on each slice
• Layer with: 2 inches of fresh baby spinach, sliced avocado, thinly sliced veggies – mine are fresh tomato, cucumber, avocado and red onion.  Top with any kind of green sprouts (like broccoli or alfalfa).

Slice at a diagonal and serve with a crisp green salad and/or some veggie soup.

TRUST ME you won’t miss the meat or the cheese.  This is a very satisfying sandwich, come on, just give it a try!  Even kids like it.  I received the best email about this sandwich after one of my classes:  This mom of a 10 year old and 13 year old wrote this:

Green Goddess Dressing:

This dressing is to-die-for if you like savory things.  It is a fav in my classes.

Layer the ingredients below, as listed, in your magic bullet (what you don’t have one?  this is a must-have) or food processor or blender:

• 1 cup grapeseed veganaise
• 2 Tbs raw apple cider vinegar
• 1 lg clove fresh garlic (or 1 tsp minced)
• 3 green onions, white and green part cut in chunks (remove root end)
• 1 good pinch of fresh dill (fill the palm of your hand)
• 5-6 fresh basil leaves

Whir in bullet and stir as needed until well blended.  For a thinner dressing add more of the raw apple cider vinegar, for thicker sandwich spread, add less.

Use as a sandwich spread, dipping sauce for veggies or as a salad dressing.

This recipe makes about 2 cups, it will keep for at least a week, if it lasts that long.  You might want to note before hand that while it is healthy, it is not low calorie so you shouldn’t eat the whole thing at one sitting!  Just a touch!

How often is it reasonable to have a sandwich like this? Once or twice a week, provided you are eating 50-75% raw fruits and veggies the rest of the day!

Happy Sandwich!

Celeste

For more information on healthy eating and more great recipes go to:

The Wellness Workshop

The Wellness Workshop is joining forces with Focus Fitness personal training studio in Berry Hill. The relationship will become an integral part of the Total Health Makeover program. As you work toward attaining higher levels of mental, emotional and physical performance in your daily lives, a regular program of physical activity is essential. Focus will be offering fitness assessment and program development to supplement the other significant lifestyle changes you discover as part of the Total Health Makeover program.

Focus Fitness is more than building strength, endurance and the physical capacity of the body. Stewart Breeding, founder of Focus understands that ultimate performance enhancement is about the MindBody connection. The mind is an essential component of every training program, including weight management, rehabilitation and sport specific training. The extensive range of clientele includes first time exercisers, elite competitors and individuals of all ages who are ready to change. Stewart and his staff utilize traditional methods of exercise science and fitness combined with the expertise of Dr. Tiffany Watson, a sport and exercise psychology consultant and performance enhancement specialist. This results-driven method makes Focus Fitness the only MindBody performance studio in Nashville. Take advantage of this invaluable opportunity to Get Focused!

How long do you want to live? Another hour, year, perhaps 20 or 50 years?

Many times I’ll hear people say they don’t want to live to be really old.  They are afraid of being stuck as an invalid in a nursing home. What if you were strong in your mind, body and spirit?  What if you were loving life, feeling great and making a difference?  How long would you like to live if that was your life?

I love the true-life story of Dr. Norman Walker who lived at least be 99 years old. I was originally told he lived to 115 but according to an article about him on Wikipedia, his death certificate stated he was 99.  Regardless of if he was 99 or 115, how would you like a eulogy like this?

“Norman W. Walker: He was not ill (when he died) – he had no disease in his body, he never suffered any pain, and his mind was clear and active to the very end. He simply went peacefully to sleep and did not awaken. He had outlived all of the members of his family. H is survived only by his wife Ruth (Helen Ruth), who has worked with him tirelessly, in complete dedication to all of his principles of healthful living.”

Or your could have the eulogy of one of the kings in the Bible “he died to no one’s regret”.  Hmmmm…..I think I’ll follow Norman Walker!

Personally, I want to live as long and strong as I can.  My life is certainly not perfect and I have many challenges in living with intention but my heart keeps starting over!  Some of my intentions are:

• My daily food choices are based on giving my body what it needs to function well and rebuild stronger not weaker.
• I plan my life around the things I know God wants me to accomplish and the things I know keep my body healthy.  Things like good, real food, daily fellowship with my creator and in His Word (the Bible), daily exercise and nourishing loving relationships.
• I seek God’s direction for my life
• I make it my goal to give good gifts to those I work with and for, gifts of love, life, joy and peace.

While doing my part, I also recognize that my life is in the loving hands of the Creator of the Universe and He knows my days from beginning to end.  I could do all these things and still die at a young age.  But whenever my time is to go home with the Lord, I will have lived a great life!

One of the biggest obstacles to good health and a sense of well being is right between your ears…..your thinking! Negative thoughts reign across all methods of health care as the  numero uno cause of poor health and disease.

Negative emotions like fear, worry, selfishness, bitterness, unforgiveness, resentment, pride, revenge and hatred will sabotage all your good efforts at staying healthy.

The great news is your thoughts are relatively easy to change. The first step is just to decide to change them, the rest will fall into place.

A great place to start is the 40 day fast from negative thinking at this website:

http://fromtheinsideout.us/

A good plan to follow to attain long life and peace is found in Proverbs 3 from the Bible:

The author of this book gives 10 simple ways to attain long life and peace.

The author said not to forget his commands but let your heart keep them…and they will add length of days and long life and peace to you. Interesting words, Let Your Heart Keep Them! (the word LET implies we have a choice).

1. Do you want to find favor and high esteem in the sight of both God and Men!

• Here’s How: Let mercy and truth be your guide in your thoughts and your words.  Make mercy and truth so important that it is as if they were written in big words around your neck.  Make mercy and truth your rule for every word and action.

2. Do you want some direction for your life?

• Here’s How: Trust in the Lord with all your heart.  Do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge that He is in control.

3. Do you want healthy strong bones and body?

• Here’s How: Do not be wise in your own eyes or follow your own form of wisdom.  Respect God enough to do what He tells you to and depart from evil.

4. Do you want to be overflowing with abundance of provision and have the work of your hands prosper?

• Here’s How: Honor the Lord with all your possessions and give him the first 10% of all your increase.

5. Something to remember when you are going through a learning curve in life.

• The lord loves you so He corrects you and disciplines you, just like a father disciplines and corrects the child he loves.

6. Do you want to be really happy?

• Pursue and find wisdom and understanding.  Her proceeds are better than the economy or the stock market. (True wisdom is living life from God’s point of view).

7. What will wisdom and understanding get you?

• Length of days, riches and honor and all her paths are peace.

8. Want to see some of the results of God’s wisdom?

• He founded the earth by His wisdom
• He established the heavens and the universe by His understanding
• The sea and clouds were set up by His knowledge

9. Want to know what God’s wisdom and understanding will do for you?

• Life to your soul
• You will be known as a person of grace, as if it were a sign on your neck
• Walk through life in safety and not stumble
• No fear when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet
• No fear of sudden terror or trouble
• The Lord will be your confidence
• You will not be caught in a trap that will keep you from life and peace

10. Here are some more instructions for life and peace:

• Always do good if it is in your power to do it
• Always help someone right when they need it, not at your convenience
• Always live in peace with your neighbor and everyone for that matter,  because  we live in community for safety
• Always choose the way of freedom, not oppression

God’s secret counsel is with the upright! He gives GRACE to the humble.

These are the keys to long life and peace.  They really aren’t hard.  All they require is for us desire God’s best and not our own.

There are some things I need to constantly be working on myself.  trusting in the Lord and not going by my way of thinking.  Always seeking God’s point of view and His wisdom instead of getting upset about my circumstances.  Reminding myself of how much God loves me and choosing to receive His love on a daily basis.

I want long life and peace, do you?

Colon Hydrotherapy, aka, Colonics

I want to introduce you to my favorite health care practices and some local, middle Tennessee practitioners I highly recommend.

Today its Colon Hydrotherapy, aka Colonics

I’m not going to expound about what this is, you can read more at the link above,  but just to say, I lost 10 lbs after my first colonic!  Guess what I was full of……I have now had a total of 35 since my first one in 2006.

I went an entire year in 2008 without even one colonic, sadly, so my first one in 2009 I lost 2.6 lb and 2 inches off my upper tummy, waist and hips!  Amazing, my tummy is no longer looking like I am 9 months prego.

Guys, colon cleansing is for men too….I’ve seen MANY men who look like they are carrying twins and colon hydrotherapy, especially when accompanied by detoxing,  eliminates that look.

How does it work? Basically you go into a very private and spa-like room, lay on your back while the colon therapist cleanses your colon.  The process is quite relaxing and professional.  They can tell a lot about how you digest food, if you have yeast, excess gas, even parasites.  20 minutes later you are finished and feel fantastic!

There are many benefits besides looks and weight loss, this quote is from the Cleansing Concept site:

“In the 50 years I’ve spent helping people to overcome illness, disability and disease, it has become crystal clear that poor bowel management lies at the root of most people’s health problems. In treating over 300,000 patients, it is the bowel that invariably has to be cared for first before any effective healing can take place.”
Bernard Jensen, D.C., Ph.D.: Tissue Cleansing Through Bowel Management

Our Flagship detox program is called a Total Health Makeover and includes colon hydrotherapy with the detox program and several other cleansing and healing modalities.

People who go through the Total Health Makeover rave about their results. Reducing medical symptoms from 60-100% in just 28-days, losing from 6-21 lbs, finding their six pack (abs, that is) and more energy, better sleep and yes, even better sex!

For more information on the Total Health Makeover call 615-975-0186.

Where to find colon cleansing near you:

If you live or work in Nashville or on the east side of I-65 there is a great spa called Cleansing Concept. You will love it, you feel like you are in luxury and Kalia is professional and really knows her stuff.  They also have some good detoxing modalities like ionic footbath, infrared sauna (another fav of mine) and massage therapy.  Be sure and tell Kalia Celeste sent you!

If you live or work on the west side of I-65 there is a great spa called In Harmony. Janice and the girls there also really know thier stuff.  They offer several cleansing modalities as well.  Be sure and tell Betsy that Celeste sent you!

If you don’t live in the Nashville area, check out this website and find a colon therapist near you.

If you don’t live in the Nashville area, check out our on-line detox program:

Virtual Detox Class

Next time I’ll introduce you to some of my favorite middle Tennessee Chiropractors!

Until then, why not get clean from the inside out with a colon cleanse and a detox?

Celeste

Since I can remember I have HATED exercise!  Even as a little girl, going out to play meant taking my dolls or an animal or my friend, finding a spot outside with NO bugs and sitting, talking and probably eating.

Unlike my husband, who spent all day on his bike, skateboard, snow skiing, movement for me is about getting from one place to another.  For instance, when I was a teenager, I rode my bike daily – it was that or ride the bus or walk; my bike reduced the time spent moving my body so I rode my bike everywhere.  I was in GREAT shape in those days.

I’m not lazy about work, I will work my tail off, stand up, walk around etc., but the work of exercise seems like meaningless time spent, after all, where is the end goal?

Well, this summer I finally decided to accept the blatant truth.  My 52 year old body needs movement.  I had been about doing about 5 miles of walking daily for several years and it did FEEL good to get out and walk in the sunshine and listen to the wonderful song birds of Tennessee.  As long as I have a person to walk with, someone to talk to, I love to walk; so my husband and I walked together.

When we moved into town in the spring of this year we had a different but equally beautiful walking route.  My husband, the mover that he is decided he would start running one of our now 6 miles daily.  He thought he would just make that his goal for the year, just one mile a day and then walk 5.  By the end of the first week he was running almost 3 miles and worked up to 4 and stopped there by the end of the first month.  SO MUCH FOR MY WALKING PARTNER.  Not to be left out there by myself, I decided I would also try running, the thing I had hated the most!

At first I just did intervals, from light pole to light pole.  Then I would make a goal to see how long I could “stand it”.  Then I pushed a little farther.  Soon, I too was running 1 mile, then 2 and then almost 3!  Unbelievable, for the first time in my life I was (to quote Forrest Gump) “I was ruuuunnnning”.

I must admit it feels GRRREAT when I am finished.  My best days are the days I run.  Now I am going to the next level.

A new client has inspired me with her story of exercise and becoming a personal trainer.  I have other clients who are personal trainers whom I admire and love but who are so far beyond my level of strength and fitness they scare me; I know I will get there but not yet!

This lady started out like me and now is fit, confident and moving forward in many areas of her life.  So I am going to submit my lazy will and my body to her direction.  I’ll let you know how it goes.   By the way, this totally fit woman lost over 4 points of body fat that exercise could not eliminate during her detox!  Amazing!

My name is Tammy Dooley and I am a personal trainer at Focus Fitness in Berry Hill.  My journey to wellness began 3 years ago when I became a client at Focus Fitness, working with the studio’s owner, Stewart Breeding as my personal trainer.  At 46 years old, I was 38 lbs overweight and had been in recovery for 5 years after battling a 20 year eating disorder.   It wasn’t long until the weight dropped off and I found that age doesn’t have anything to do with being strong and healthy.  My desire to help others led me to personal training.  Over lunch with a friend, one afternoon we were discussing the desire to eat healthier and wanting to go to Whole Foods, without feeling as though we were in a foreign country.  She recommended, Celeste with the Wellness Workshop and I have just completed the 28 day cleanse.  It has been a blessing to have Celeste walk me through the process of shopping smarter and eating healthier meals!  I didn’t feel that I needed to lose weight, but I did lose 5 lbs during the last month and a remarkable 4.8% body fat!  Without any doubt, I can truly say that at 49 years old, I am healthier and stronger now than I was in my 20’s!  The body will respond at any age when it is given the proper nutrition and exercise!    Thanks Celeste for all you do.

Tammy has a great plan for starting out.  Today I went for my assessment. She is checked my strength, flexibility, conditioning and endurance.  She measured my body fat, bmi (is that the same thing?), Vo2 (something to do with how well you breath or something like that and mine was GREAT!) and a few other things to give me a baseline.  Then we will come up with a plan that I will actually do and then we will measure my success.

The hour went by REALLY fast.  I felt great just doing the little bit of exercise we did together and I’m excited to do more.  The place, Focus Fitness, was full of happy, encouraging, engaging people of all ages and walks of life.  That was comforting because gyms freak me out.  I didn’t feel like I was in a place I didn’t belong.

Maybe you already work out and need to go to the next level?  Focus Fitness’ top training programs can help you do that, or you could check out my friend Angie Kirk’s executive group program at D1 in Cool Springs.

Eating well has done great things for my body but there is definitely some toning and strengthening and specific areas of fat loss that I need to address.  Why not join me this fall, the weather is cool and inviting to get outside and move!

By the way, Focus Fitness is participating in our Total Health Makeover program.  Are you ready for a new you?  Call us at 615-975-0186.

Oh, the answer to the question, how can I start liking exercise?  You just have to start doing it.  Find something that is reasonable for your time and budget, something you can commit to for an extended length of time and then do it.  When you miss a few days, start again.

Right Action brings Right Thinking which brings Right Feeling!

I don’t know about you but it gets discouraging to try and make changes in your life for the good; especially when it comes to food and health.  It seems like experts, magazines and books, even professionals you trust contradict each other.  It makes you feel like giving up because you don’t know who to believe.

Deception is the order of the day in our world.  Advertisers use sex, power, love, fear to motivate us to buy and use their products, most of the things they say and project are deceptive.

You have to really pursue truth in order to find it. I use these guidelines to measure truth:

1. Does it match the Word of God, the Bible.
2. What is the motivation for producing the information, it is money?  Is it just that someone wants to share the truth with you for no personal gain? (if they are a professional, are they motivated by money or helping you?)
3. Motivation again, who sponsored the study or research?  Were they searching for truth or a way to market their product?
4. Is the advice they give as close to nature as possible?
5. Does it have common sense as the foundation?
6. Can I trust the source?

Here are some links to information that meets this criteria and articles I think you should read.  Most of the people below have things they want you to buy, but their info is well researched, true and trustworthy.:

Two “must reads” from Dr. Mercola (you should sign up for his newsletter):

• The Swine Flu was spread by the World Health Organization through Vaccinations (by their own admission)
• Cell phones are dangerous for everyone’s brain, but especially kids

Other author’s articles I recently  found helpful:

• What is a “Free Radical and an Antioxidant”
• 3 Keys to your child’s future success (things I wish I’d known 30 yrs ago)

For more about  Truth check out my blog:

How to have long life and peace

For more about food and health check out our website:

The Wellness Workshop

If you want to learn truth about food and how to live a healthy lifestyle check out our Virtual Detox Class.

Virtual Detox Class

Celeste
PS:  Here are some authors I trust, there will be some variation in their opinions, however, they all agree we should all eat mostly plants with a small amount of animal protein.

Dr. Don Colbert, MD:  7 Pillars of Health, Eat This and Live

Dr. T. Collin Campbell:  The China Study

Dr. Joel Fuhrman, MD: Eat to Live

Dr. Jordan Rubin: The Maker’s Diet