Orange Slices for Sweet Tea

Southerners love their sweet tea. I am no exception. A few years ago, however, I decided to make some dietary changes when my homeopathic physician told me I needed to give up black tea. That was blasphemy, but I found a way around it with iced green tea that works for me. While I was making changes, I decided to swap out white granulated sugar, instead using half Stevia and half turbinado (raw, unprocessed) sugar. Today, I can't tell the difference from my old brew, and I have grown partial to this new, improved version of iced tea.

I have always loved lemon slices in my tea, but I happened upon a different idea one day when I had an overflow of oranges in my produce bin. Orange slices! They are delicious and sweet in tea, great if you're craving something on the sweeter side instead of the tangier, lemony side.

Y'all know I drink my lemon straight up anyway. I don't really need the extra slices in my water or tea glass.

Recently, I have been receiving loads of oranges in my produce co-op basket each week, so I have returned to using oranges for a bit.

A nice change. Give this a try. Now is a great time to find oranges at a good price in the grocery store.

Happy day to you!
TCB

Joining a Produce Co-op

Even though I have a small garden, I decided to join a local produce co-op to take advantage of local, healthy and mostly organic seasonal offerings from area farmers. It has been a wonderful decision for my family.

Every Friday, I drop by a neighbor's garage to pick up my $13 basket of goodies. I always get more than my money's worth, and I often don't need to buy produce during my weekly grocery shopping trip.

Here's a sample from one of my weekly pickups:

Spinach, pineapple, broccoli, bananas, peaches, and apples.

I've also gotten blueberries, strawberries, kiwis, potatoes, sweet potatoes, two kinds of onions, leaf lettuce, and kale.

I had to wait a while to become a member of this co-op, as it only allows a set number of families to participate. There are options nationwide to allow your family to have fresh produce. Ask your friends to see which ones they know about. You also can search the web under terms such as "CSA, Community Supported Agriculture" and the name of your town.

It's fun to show up each week to see what surprises are in my basket. Then I get a chance to go to the kitchen and cook creatively for supper. I've used kale to make kale chips, peaches for peach cobbler, pineapple for pineapple upside-down cake, and bananas for protein-fruit breakfast smoothies.

Support local farmers and know where your food is being sourced. It's economical and healthy.

TCB

Related Posts:

Southern Blackberry Cobbler

Simple Fruit Salad

I need a little spring in my life. The weather is cold and windy, but I feel as if I'm ready for something tropical. I suppose it will be a fruit salad since I don't see a beach retreat in my near future.

In the South, we like to slather our fruit salad with a dressing that contains a whole lot of mayonnaise or cream cheese or sour cream or something  totally fattening. When I'm really in the mood for something light and sweet, however, it's hard to beat a simple salad that lets the natural flavors shine through. (And saves you about a zillion calories).

I made a fruit salad last week when the weather was extra dreary. The beauty of this Simple Fruit Salad is the God-given ability to use any fruit you happen to have in the refrigerator or sitting on the counter. For my salad, I used blackberries, bananas, navel oranges (all from Aldi), and kiwi fruit (Sam's Club). In keeping with the healthy theme, I melted one to one-and-a-half  tablespoons of organic honey in the microwave and drizzled over the fruit mixture, topping with chopped pecans and dried cranberries.

The mint in my garden has disliked the cold weather as much as I have, so I did not have it to add to the dish this time, but it makes a wonderful addition.

The sky's the limit on variations. Trade out any of the fruits for something else, or substitute slivered almonds or chopped walnuts for pecans.

After having fruit dressed simply like this, I have begun to prefer it over the traditional, heavier alternatives. (And I'm thinking I may have to exercise fewer minutes because of it all).

Add a little sunshine to your day!
TCB

Pork Tenderloin for Supper

During the school year, it's always a mad rush to get supper on the table at a decent time. By decent, I mean 6 to 7 pm, otherwise the males in my house would eat all the junk food available in the pantry just waiting for the main course.

With scouting and swimming and general running around in the evenings, it can be a challenge to accomplish supper at a reasonable hour. If you're a mama, I'm not telling you anything you don't already know.

I have about three weeks' worth of tried-and-true recipes I almost can make in my sleep...very expediently...and which are generally nutritious. Whew. I'm tired already just thinking about it. Did I mention sleep?

I always love to hear other mothers' tricks for tasty main dishes for the weekdays, so I'll share mine. Please snag it for the times you're in a super rush. This one's a breeze. You won't believe the simplicity of this dish can equal such great flavor.

Quick & Delicious Pork Tenderloin

One pork loin (Aldi has them shrink wrapped at a low price)
Bottle of Kraft Roasted Red Pepper salad dressing

Place the entire pork loin into a plastic storage bag in the morning and pour in enough dressing to cover it. (Hint: Take note of the weight of the pork tenderloin on the package before disposing of it. You'll need this tidbit of information later.)

Wa-la! Your marinade is done.

Pop it into the refrigerator to sit for the day.

When you're ready to begin supper, remove the bag from the refrigerator about 20 minutes prior to cooking. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the pork loin on a foil lined and sprayed shallow roasting pan. (Who wants to wash dishes later?) Cook 20-30 minutes per pound. (I usually cook it 30 minutes per pound because I like the meat done to at least medium well.)

When done, let it "rest" in the pan on the counter for about 10 minutes. Then carve it into slices. So tender and moist!

It's great with quick-cooking brown rice and broccoli spears. The entire meal takes about 30-45 minutes to prepare and cook, depending on the size of your tenderloin. There's little prep work and you have all the time the pork is in the oven to whip up quick side dishes.

Happy week!
TCB

Related Posts:

Delicious Chicken Casserole
Pan-Seared Salmon Fillets with Sweet Fruit Salsa

Freezing Broccoli

I have been away from The Country Belle blog for some time, and let me tell you, I was the laziest person over the holidays. Once I slipped into non-work mode, all bets were off. I managed to vacuum the dog hair from the floor and that, ladies and gentlemen, was the extent of my Christmas cleaning.

I did manage to slide myself off the couch and out of my "Storage Wars" TV-induced coma to make a little trip around the corner to a local farmer's produce stand. I've never had much luck with growing broccoli, but this man produces some outstanding broccoli every winter - nice and tender. I've never found anything like it in the grocery store.

So I bought him out one day - I think it was 13 bags of broccoli. I washed it all and let it dry thoroughly. Drying well is important to minimize ice crystals on the broccoli when you freeze it.

Then I cut each head into florets and packaged them in freezer bags. My chickens love the leftover stumps!

Now my family can enjoy the taste for many months to come. It's one vegetable everyone in my house seems to enjoy.

Using the freezer to keep a supply of locally grown produce ensures you are still eating well (and in this case, organically) when the vegetable (or fruit) is out of season. I similarly freeze strawberries in May and blueberries in June to enjoy all year long in pancakes and smoothies.

Happy New Year and happy homesteading!

Love,
TCB

Related Posts:
Why does my freezer look like this?

Hemp Heart Cookies

I tried a new recipe this weekend - a healthy cookie! I found the original recipe in some material that was mailed to me when I purchased hemp heart seeds from hemphearts.com. You can also buy hemp hearts at almost all health food grocery stores now. As usual, I altered the recipe somewhat to suit my family's taste.

Hemp heart seeds are a great source of protein, so these cookies have the added  bonus of filling you up. You can't eat many of these!

Hemp Heart Cookies

2/3 cup brown sugar
one egg, beaten
1/2 cup melted, cooled butter
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
one cup hemp hearts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the first three ingredients, blending well. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, cinnamon, and hemp hearts together. Add the dry mix to the wet mixture, stirring just until mixed.

Spoon a tablespoon of dough at a time onto a greased cookie sheet, flattening slightly with the back of the spoon. Allow room between cookies because the dough will spread. Bake until the edges are crispy. For my batch, that took about 10 minutes. Just keep your eye on them.

Let cool slightly.

Delicious and a healthy treat!

Enjoy,
TCB

Ch...ch...ch...Chia!

I have a new love.

I visited Earth Fare over the weekend and came home with a new package to try. Every time I visit a different healthy supermarket, I try something new.

I love Chia Snacks.

They are tasty cubes of goodness. I can justify eating lots of them because:

(a) When I eat them, I don't crave sweets like usual;

(b) They are full of calcium - 45% of the recommended daily value;

(c) They are chock full of chia seeds, which have a higher value of Omega-3's than even notorious salmon; and

(d) Did I mention they are fabulous?

And yes, they are the infamous "ch, ch, ch, chia seeds" from the TV commercials. The seeds come from a plant in the mint family and are full of easily digestible protein and lots of fiber.

I especially like them because they fill me up as well as satisfy my sweet tooth. The only problem is that I only bought one bag, and the store is not too close to my rural home. I guess that means I'm taking another trip this week. You guessed it; my bag is empty.

You can also buy them from Navitas Naturals stores. We don't have those stores in the South; they seem to be predominantly in the northeastern part of the U.S.

I give this holistic snack a thumbs up. Try it soon!

Love,

TCB

P.S. No one paid me to write this post. I just love 'em.



Quick-for-Mom Penne Pasta & Roasted Vegetable Dish

I'm a busy mom - a freelance writer from my home office, tackling an occasional PR consulting assignment, homeschooling my son, handling the books for my husband's consulting business, and general cook/housekeeper/chauffeur (you know the mom-drill).

I insist on cooking a homemade meal (or "semi-homemade" in the words of Sandra Lee) most nights, but sometimes I have little time for preparation of ingredients. And sometimes I haven't had a chance to even go to the grocery store (it's not super close to my country home), so I must cook creatively. Unsurprisingly, I needed a healthy dose of creativity the other evening when pantry staples were running a little scarce. I had plenty of variety on hand; it's just that there was only a little of this and a little of that. Hard to feed BIG BOY appetites with the pickins'.

I created this recipe on the fly, and everyone in the household loved it. It will make our meal rotation. I thought you busy moms out there may like to give it a try.

Penne Pasta & Roasted Vegetables

For this one-dish wonder, you will need:

assorted vegetables (whatever you have on hand) - button mushrooms, zucchini, sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, edamame, bell peppers, etc. Note: the sweet potatoes taste especially good in this recipe.
sea salt
ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
dried rosemary or thyme (or both)
a box of penne pasta
grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

First, make my Roasted Vegetables recipe. During the last half hour of cooking the vegetables, boil the pasta per package instructions. When the pasta is finished cooking, drain off the water and lightly pour a little olive oil over it (to keep it from clumping together). Toss well. Next, season the pasta with a little sea salt and black pepper. Stir together and add the grated cheese (as much as you like). Stir the pasta once more and then add the cooked roasted vegetables to the pasta mixture. Mix all well and serve with grilled chicken (if you want meat) and/or crusty garlic bread.

Hope you enjoy!
Love,
TCB

Squash Pasta

It's hard to convince my family members that meat is not required in a meal. I really haven't persuaded them except with one dish. But I can only pull this meal out of my hat once every 45 to 60 days. Else....well, you know. The MEAT thing.

Give this a try if you want a filling, healthy meal that is super simple. Using spaghetti squash in place of pasta helps save carbs and calories and provides plenty of fiber.

Spaghetti Squash with Marinara

Cut squash in half (This is the hardest part of the entire recipe. Use a sharp knife!)
Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and place the two halves cut-side down in a roasting pan in about a 1/2 inch of water.

Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for one hour.

The squash should be tender when you take it out of the oven. Carefully (it is extremely hot!!), use a potholder to pick up each half, draining out any accumulated water. Shred the insides of the squash into a bowl by scraping a fork through it, pulling it into strands.

All you need to do from here is top with your favorite marinara sauce. It's great to make your own, but on swim team nights, I grab a jar of Paul Newman's marinara sauce (lowest sugar count around) and go to town.

Happy healthy eating!
Love,
TCB

Getting Kids to Eat Healthy

There's been a lot of discussion out in marketplace the last couple of years about ways to get kids to eat healthy foods. Since I'm really into taking care of myself through eating right, taking vitamins and natural supplements, using homeopathic remedies, eating organic and growing some of my own produce, and lifting weights, it's an important topic for me, too.

But it seems all the talk centers around how to "trick" kids into eating healthy - you know, something crazy like putting white bean puree in their homemade cookies. I have two things to say about this: (1) Gross!, and (2) Tell me why it's acceptable to let your kids THINK you're giving them lots of cookies to eat (even if you're slipping them ye olde vegetables)? Aren't you in actuality sending them the message that junk is OK? Remember, they DON'T KNOW your good intentions, or they never would touch that cookie in the first place. Not even if you said "pretty please."

I admit I have grated a few carrots and added to my crockpot spaghetti sauce to sneak an extra veggie serving in on my oblivious son. But I also plop down a bowl of spinach salad with his supper and tell him he has to eat it all because "green vegetables are good for your body."

I think it is healthier to teach your child that a cookie is OK sometimes - even the ones with lots of sugar (don't they all have it?). At the same time, I think it's wise to teach them to balance that with a healthy vegetable or two. What a better way to really learn how to eat balanced meals to create the best mix of fuel for your body.

Otherwise, don't you feel a little like you're cheating them in the nutrition education department? That maybe they will grow up wondering why cookies worked so well for them as children but are not working so well now?

Happy (and healthy) eating,
TCB

A Busy Life

I know I've been a little scarce over the last week. Forgive me - I've been busy. I know you experience the same thing from time to time. Sometimes the activities and deadlines and "to-do's" pile up one after the other and you have to duck your head down and get busy until they're all done. That's been the case with me. Some of my activities over the last week or so can be qualified simply as "MUSTS." Others have been "PLEASURES."

It's much more fun to share the pleasures, so here's one:

My sister and brother-in-law's newest addition.

We've been expecting him for a while and he finally decided to join us a few days ago. I have been waiting to get my hands on him. There's no better feeling than holding a newborn who has been blanket-swaddled within an inch of his life.

I actually thought he might show up a couple of weeks ago when I had a cold. I was dosing myself with so much Vitamin C. Mr. Country Belle just laughed and said he knew what I was doing. I did, too. I didn't want to be sick and miss my chance to hold a newborn. (By the way, Vitamin C helps shorten the longevity of a cold).

I have also been cooking - chili for my sister's family, banana bread for my homeschool mom's group, and carrot souffle for another baby shower. I'll be sharing recipes this week.

I promise I'll stay in touch every week now. I just needed last week to get it all together!! I missed everyone and their comments and emails.

Love,

TCB



Healthy Asparagus Side Dish

I'm usually poking around recipe sites and scanning cookbooks (I have a small library) for a new way to prepare a vegetable side dish. I figure the more ways I present vegetables to my son, the greater the likelihood he will find some versions he likes.

I never really cared for asparagus, but I've found a quick and easy way to prepare it that turns my tastebuds on (and the whole family's, too). It's perfect for nights when there's soccer practice (or swim team in our household) because it takes about one minute to prep and 12 minutes to cook.

Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients:
one bunch of fresh asparagus
extra virgin olive oil
seasoned salt

Wash/dry asparagus and break or cut off the tough, woody stems (usually the bottom one-third of the stalk). They will break easily at the appropriate spot if you just grasp them in both hands and try to snap in half. Make sure you purchase stalks with a smaller diameter; the larger ones are tougher.

Spread out the stalks in a casserole dish. I like to use a stone dish because it adds an extra layer of crispness.

Drizzle with just a little olive oil. I am using extra virgin that I purchased at ALDI very inexpensively.

Roast the asparagus in a preheated 450 degree oven for 6 minutes; stir and cook another 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with seasoned salt.

This is from ALDI, too, and it's a super-good price.

Watch them disappear!

Happy Easter!
He is risen!

TCB

Why Does My Freezer Look Like This?

Why does my freezer look like this?

Well, actually it doesn't today. This is how it looked at the beginning of the fall season. Now all the little white packages take up about 3/4 of the same space in my freezer. The little white packages are all venison, in various forms. Did you know deer meet is very low fat? I often don't even have to drain it when I brown it for recipes. If it is prepared correctly in the field, it doesn't have a wild taste. Often, my family doesn't have a clue whether they're eating beef or venison.

Why is this important today? Other than it's another way to sneak a little healthy into your suppertime?

It's raining today. Just like almost every other day this week. And I've run out of groceries. Who wants to drive all the way to town and then lug groceries in the rain out to the parking lot and into the car? Hallelujah for the stockpiled freezer. Looks like we're having venison meatloaf tonight.

Know where I got my stockpile? I knocked a hunter over the head as he was loading his truck at the meat packing plant.

April Fools.

I'd never do that, silly. I just asked him real nice-like at the beginning of the season if he'd save a couple for me. I only had to pay a $55 processing fee per deer. Seems like a good deal for 6-12 months of meat (depending on how much you eat!).

Love to you,
TCB

Treating Headaches Naturally

My son has suffered from migraine headaches for the past three years. Along with a pediatrician's help, we discovered they may be triggered by drops in blood sugar caused by going too long between meals. Adding snacks seemed to help the headaches dissipate somewhat, but they still sometimes cropped up without warning.

If you've ever suffered with migraines, you know the onset of one pretty much means the end of your day. My son would have to go to bed in a dark room and sleep it off until the next morning. He missed a few fun activities along the way, like a Monster Jam and fishing trip with Dad.

Since I am a big proponent of natural remedies, I decided to see if we could treat his headaches in a manner better  than a daily dose of ibuprofen.

One product we tried is called PastTense, an essential oil that comes in a roll-on bottle. I purchased mine from a company called doTERRA, whose oils are very pure. When my son feels a headache coming on, we roll a "stripe" of PastTense across his forehead and at the nape of his neck. It almost always alleviates the headache within 1-2 minutes. I have lent my PastTense to others to try, and they all have experienced similar results. I have written about essential oils before, such as in the post Essential Oils for Good Health.

PastTense contains many individual essential oils:

• wintergreen
• lavendar
• peppermint
• frankincense
• cilantro
• roman chamomile
• marjoram
• basil
• rosemary.

We also are experimenting with making sure he adds more magnesium into his diet, so he never gets to the point where he needs PastTense. Our sources have been nuts (almonds mostly), seeds (roasted pumpkin seeds are a favorite), broccoli, raw spinach, and brown rice. Magnesium deficiency can cause migraines. Magnesium is known to relax muscles and blood vessels. This magnesium focus has been helpful in alleviating headaches for my son. Every headache case of course is not simplistic, and I'm not suggesting doing what we are doing will solve everyone's problems. But for us, this natural course has worked. I am happy to put away the ibuprofen.

In good health,
TCB

Top 3 Things that Keep Me Healthy

Top 3 Things that Keep Me Healthy

There are three food and/or natural substances I can’t live without:

(1)   Lemons – I drink ½ of a squeezed lemon after each meal to aid in digestion. No heartburn! See my Drink Lemon for Good Health post for more information.

(2)   Flaxseed Oil or Flaxseeds – Add seeds to your morning cereal or to your noon salad for a healthy dose of omega 3 essential fatty acids. Or you can simply take a teaspoon of organic cold-pressed flaxseed oil, available at your local health food store. Flaxseed reduces inflammation in your body, a precursor to all kinds of bad sicknesses and diseases and helps keep your arteries clear of cholesterol’s effects.

(3)   Lemon and Peppermint Essential Oils – I only use the doTERRA brand because I believe in its purity. Just one drop of each oil in my “shot” glass of water first thing in the morning, and I have just taken a natural liver detox, helping my liver to more successfully do its filtering job for the day.

Be healthy.

Love,

TCB

Essential Oils for Good Health

Essential Oils for Good Health

Essential oils are an ancient remedy for ailments, illnesses and general physical and emotional distress. They are mentioned in the Bible; remember, the wise men brought baby Jesus frankincense and myrrh. Why was that? Essential oils have medicinal qualities that help heal the body.

I have been using essential oils for a few months now. I signed up with a company named doTERRA because I wanted to begin to build an inventory of oils as my “medicine kit.” One of my favorites is actually a blend of several essential oils. It’s called DigestZen, and I use it to treat my reflux and general digestive upsets.

DigestZen contains seven essential oils:

• Ginger
• Peppermint
• Tarragon
• Fennel
• Caraway
• Coriander
• Anise.

Essential oils are very concentrated extracts from flowers, berries, roots, leaves, stems, seeds, and the bark of plants.

I use DigestZen in conjunction with my lemon routine, which I explained in the post Drink Lemon for Good Health. I rub one drop of oil on my stomach and one on the part of the bottom of my feet that corresponds to the stomach on a reflexology chart. You can find reflexology charts online. I use one in a book I’m currently reading, “Modern Essentials: A Contemporary Guide to the Therapeutic Use of Essential Oils.”

Whenever I feel a little upset stomach, or I’ve eaten something I shouldn’t, I use this oil. I must say it makes me feel better within 30 seconds. And I really love it because it is natural (like the lemon) and has nothing to do with pharmaceutical drugs, which are just a band-aid anyway. By using this combination, and staying away from the black tea and oatmeal that doesn’t specifically agree with my body, I have been free of prescription meds for 9 months now. And I feel better than ever.

In good health,
TCB

What I'm Reading Now

I'll admit I'm a book-a-holic. Usually, I can be found juggling several books at once. If I'm not reading a book, then you know I must be SO BUSY I'M READY TO SHOOT MYSELF.

Thought I'd tell you what I'm reading in January and February, in case it is something you don't know about.

(1) "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. I'm only a few chapters into this one, but the overall theme is teaching Christians who want to be wholehearted for God how to shed their lukewarm ways. One point that stood out to me so far is about how we so often come to prayer with our laundry list of "please help-me's." In Revelation Chapter 4 we get a brief picture of the God we pray to. Chan prompts us to think about how great and majestic He is before we even bother to open our mouths with our prayers. This book has a great web site with short chapter videos, too - http://www.crazylovebook.com

(2) "The Social Media Bible" by Lon Safko & David Brake. Need I say more? Thought I'd learn a little more about the social media fun ride. This big honkin' book is very comprehensive, providing a background to web technology's beginnings. It may be a little basic for those who have been playing in the social arena for a while, but it does serve as a great resource book since it has an expansive index. It is helpful reading for those who want to marry their social media work with marketing endeavors.

(3) "Modern Essentials: A Contemporary Guide to the Therapeutic Use of Essential Oils" by Abundant Health LLC. This is a very reader-friendly medicinal resource book about how to use essential oils to treat common ailments. I have used this book effectively in conjunction with some of my essential oils to relieve stomachache, toothache, and sinus congestion. The book is even great because it lets you know when an essential oil is safe or not to use on children and if you're preggers.

Happy reading!
TCB

Pass the Avocado, Please

They say your taste changes every 7 years. I guess I'm going through my 6th rotation now because I've suddenly found I like avocados. (Who are "they" anyway??)

Yes, I've tried them before. Turned up my Southern nose every time.

But in the last six months I've started getting a taste for them after one day deciding to give them one more try. I read about all the good things in avocados. Yes, I know they have a fairly high fat content, but it's almost all the "good" monounsaturated fat. Good for your heart (and your skin). Just glowing, dahling.

So, I've been playing around with avocados. Sorry, hubby. Had to be done.

Here's my new healthy lunch when I'm feeling EXTREMELY, BEARISHLY hungry and just need to be full.

Peel, pit and mash one avocado. One is all you need - you'll have leftovers.

Add hemp hearts.

I usually end up using about four tablespoons of them. In case this is a new food to you, hemp hearts are shelled hemp seeds. They are chock-full of protein, amino acids, and good-for-you Omega 3, 6 & 9 fats. I buy them at http://www.hemphearts.com/ They also are available at some health food stores, if you have one nearby. Hemp seeds give my "Avocado Surprise" recipe some texture and stick-to-your ribs bulk.

Next, I chop and add fresh tomatoes.

Stir it all together and add a sprinkling of garlic salt to your taste. I don't feel bad at all about adding this little bit of sodium since both avocado and hemp hearts are sodium free.

I like to eat this mixture with organic blue corn tortilla chips or lime flavored tortilla chips. Either way, I promise you will not be hungry before dinner. I can manage to only eat half. It will save OK for about one day, but after that, the avocado turns a little brownish. So...share it with your friends right away.

To good health and happy eating,

TCB

Drink Lemon for Good Health

As I mentioned in my December 29th post, One Resolution at a Time, I make it a habit to squeeze the juice of one and one-half lemons per day, drinking 1/3 of the juice periodically throughout the day after each meal.

Here's about how much juice that amounts to:

I just squeeze it in the morning and leave it out in a glass container I sip from throughout the day.

The lemon juice aids in digestion and has helped me kick the acid reflux medication I had taken for many years. I've been using the left lemon system for eight months now and am not looking back.

If I feel a slight case of heartburn coming on, I reach for a little lemon juice now instead of an over-the-counter antacid. Works like a charm. Sounds counterintuitive, but from my understanding, reflux problems such as mine result from too little stomach acid, not too much acid as I previously thought. So lemon juice is helping out the body's natural acids to properly digest foods.

Hope this helps you, too, in your quest for good health.

Love, TCB

One Resolution at a Time

When I was young and naive (ha ha), I made a list of 5 to 10 new resolutions at the beginning of each year. Now that I'm older and wiser (har de har), I know that's a really futile activity on which to spend my time. But I do spend some time each December reassessing my goals and what I most want to accomplish. Then I try to write JUST ONE resolution for the New Year.

In 2009, my resolution was simply to spend the year decluttering my house, and ultimately I hoped, my everyday life. I did accomplish some of this, but I will admit the decluttering continues throughout 2010 and will ramp up in 2011. I don't see it as a failure, however, because isn't that what a real resolution is all about?  A lifestyle change and not just one check box in the course of your life?

In 2010, my one resolution was to get healthy and get myself off the reflux medication I have been taking for years. I wanted to get educated about what was best for my body so that I could keep kickin' it into high gear even when I am 95! I am optimistic about traveling when I'm old and gray!!

I will admit I floundered for the first few months of the year, but then I started getting some great reading recommendations from my healthy friends and trainer at the gym where I work out. The books I read are about using food to heal your body. Then I met a wonderful alternative physician who worked with me to determine what was going on with my body. With his help, I stopped eating just a few foods that did not agree digestion-wise with my body and gained energy I was missing. With the addition of drinking juice from 1 1/2 lemons per day (to aid in digestion), I was off the medication! That was seven months ago, and I haven't needed anything since.

Although I did not set out to lose weight, I happily dropped nine pounds and two pant sizes and got back to pre-pregnancy weight! All without dieting, but just eating whole foods that were right for my body. Now don't be mistaken, I splurge with my sweet tooth and country cooking all the time, but with overall healthier practices, my body handles it all much better. Resolution achieved!

So what about 2011? This will be my year of forgiveness. TMI would not be appropriate, but there are a couple of people I have been struggling to forgive for things I feel they have wrongly done to me. So I am giving myself a year of forgiving, to heal myself and move on. I call it decluttering the mind and soul. Vive decluttering!

Hope you have a resolution in mind that will leave you happier and healthier at the end of 2011. Go easy on yourself. I've learned it takes a lot more time than what I was giving myself to accomplish the things I really want to achieve.