Archives for April 2012

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Stretch Your Way to Happy

28 April, 2012 by 15 Comments

When Marlee was just a toddler, she would stretch endlessly. When I would go to get her up in the mornings, she would stall saying, “Hang on, I’m not finished stretching yet.” And she would stretch to one side, then the other, procrastinating because she didn’t want to get out of bed. 


But she always got up in the best of moods! 


Stretching does so much for our mind and body. When I get up in the morning, I try to take lessons from Marlee and stretch for a minute. I’m immediately energized and awake. At night, if I can’t sleep, I stretch my arms and legs as far as I can, hold the stretch, and then relax every muscle in my body. 
There is something that happens when I do this that feels like peace washing over me…which is why I picked the prescription verse above. 


I’d like to think that I’ve had the peace of God many times in my life, but nothing like I felt when He healed me in 2010 of seizures, depression, and addiction. I was in the car listening to a song by Phillips, Craig, and Dean called Mercy Came Running, being totally thankful for the mercy that God showed me when He chose to heal me, and I literally felt peace wash down over me, starting at the top of my head, running down my hair and face, then over my shoulders—kind of like the green slime kids get poured over them on Nickelodeon, only not so gooey! 😉


When we stretch out our muscles, we release endorphins in our brains that give us a peace of sorts…a sense of well-being and calmness. Maybe not as good as God’s peace washing over you, but he did create the hormones in our brain, so in a sense, it is His peace! 


Here are a few other ways stretching is good for you: 

  • Stretching relieves your body of stress, therefore decreasing your cortisol levels and increasing your serotonin levels.
  • Stretching helps put your muscles in a more relaxed state, therefore helping you sleep better.
  • When you stretch, you are focused on your muscles…contracting and relaxing them with a regulated breathing pattern, which also increases serotonin.
  • Stretching increases blood flow in your body, therefore reducing the stress on any particular system in your body (cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous system).

So the tip to a happier you for today is simple—stretch. If you read Monday’s post, and you have your post-it note up to remind you to say your “trust” prayer, just use it to remind you to stretch too. Again, it only takes a few minutes and what do you have to lose? 

From my heart, 
Celeste
Filed Under: Beating Depression, Brain Functions, How to be Happy, Overcoming Addiction, Physical Wellness, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , ,

Make-a-change Monday~Blind Trust

23 April, 2012 by Leave a Comment


When I was little, I remember playing the “trust” game with my friends. You know, the one where you stand in front of someone and blindly fall backwards, trusting them to catch you? It’s really hard to do. 

•   Sometimes they catch you
•   Sometimes they are just mean and decide to let you fall
•   Sometimes they claim they didn’t know you were about to fall back

Either way, sometimes you turn out okay, other times, not so much.
How would it feel to know that no matter when you decide to close your eyes and fall backward, there would always be someone there to catch you? 
You see where I’m going with this…there IS always someone there. God. 
If you believe in our almighty God, it’s not hard to know He’s there. The hard part is actually trusting Him—having the faith to know that He is there and He is in control, no matter what the situation. 
Bad things happen we don’t always understand. 


If you click on the links to the stories above, you will see something they all have in common. No matter how hopeless the situation seemed, God used it to expand the boundaries of His kingdom. That’s His plan. 
As humans, we live bound by the limits of time. Everything in this world has as beginning and an end, and it’s hard for us to comprehend eternity. God created time, and His desire is to spend and infinite amount of it with His children in His kingdom—a paradise we will know as Heaven. 
So today’s make-a-change Monday is to work on our spiritual self—and I promise when our spiritual self is in good shape, our physical self follows along. 
Every morning when you wake up, pray this short prayer:
“God, I’m putting my trust in you today. 
No matter what happens, good or bad, I know you have it under control,
 and it’s all part of your plan to create an eternity beyond my wildest dreams.”
And just so you don’t forget, get out that all-purpose post-it note, write “trust” on it, and stick it on your alarm clock. Gotta love those post-it notes! 
Just in case you are thinking, “If God has this big plan, it doesn’t matter if I pray or not,” let me say this: 
Prayer doesn’t change God. Prayer changes us.
 Praying “tunes us in” to God and His plan,
 and makes us more aware of His presence in our lives.
Just try it. Even if it’s just words starting out, God will begin working in your heart. Remember, it’s all about small changes. Try it for 3 months and see if your thinking changes. What do you have to lose? 
I’ve got my post-it note up to remind me! 😉
From my heart,
Celeste


Filed Under: Living in Faith, Make-a-change Mondays, Making Changes, The Power of Prayer, Your Relationship with God Tagged With: , , ,

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Do what you love

22 April, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I love to take pictures of people. It’s both challenging and rewarding to capture the essence of someone’s personality in a photograph. Sometimes you can see personality characteristics in a photograph that you can’t see in real life. We were created in God’s image, and every single one of is is a masterpiece created by the Master Creator. 


One of the best ways to fight depression—or even just the blues—is to do something that you love. For me, photography is one of my “somethings.” Here are the reasons photography makes me happy: 

  • It is a creative outlet
  • It keeps my mind focused and busy
  • It allows me to interact with people
  • It allows me to do something for someone else
  • It gives me a sense of accomplishment

All of these reasons I enjoy photography actually increase the endorphins and chemicals (serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin) in my brain that increase my mood and sense of well being. Doing something that you love, whether it’s photography, music, gardening, carpentry, etc…have most of the characteristics I listed above. 


So my tip for a happier you today is to do something that you love. Whether you make money or not is irrelevant. Getting paid for doing what you love sometimes makes it more rewarding, and sometimes it makes it less. It’s all the other reasons that make it worth it. 

For me, spring is a great time for photography which is what led me to this tip today. With senior pictures, proms, and mother’s day, my camera has been busy. And I was blessed to get to photograph one a God’s new creations last week too! So I thought I’d share a few of God’s masterpieces with you today as seen through my lens 😉

So go do what you love and be happy! 
From my heart, 

Celeste
Enjoy! 😉

Gotta love the horse in this one! :D

Filed Under: How to be Happy, Life Through the Lens, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Make-a-change Monday~A Yummy and Natural Sugar Substitute

16 April, 2012 by 1 Comment

I took today’s prescription verse from The Message—a modern-day language translation of the Bible. I’m not sure Solomon was really speaking of “fast food” here, but how well it applies to today!  

We’ve been talking about sugar lately—how it negatively affects us physically and emotionally. But the artificial sweeteners are just that—artificial. We reach for both sugar and artificial sweeteners because we want something fast and easy (and sweet). 
So today, I am giving you just a little easy tip for your make-a-change Monday. 
How many of us love sugar in our coffee? I’ve gotten a little better over the years; I used to drink a little coffee in my sugar! 
There is a natural sweetener that has gained a little popularity recently…enough so that it can be found at Wal-Mart! It’s Agave Nectar. Here’s you a picture: 
Last Monday’s make-a-change was to do a sugar fast…or a least a sugar decrease 😉 In that post I told you about how sugar causes our pancreas to produce insulin, therefore prohibiting it from producing glucagon, thus increasing our belly fat 🙁 This means it has a high “glycemic index. 
Sugar (glucose), or anything that rapidly converts to glucose in the bloodstream, has a high glycemic index. Foods that do not rapidly convert to glucose, but rather convert slowly, creating a lower and more steady level of blood glucose, have a low glycemic index and are much better for you. 
Here’s a link to tell you all you need to know about Agave Nectar and the beneficial effects. 
So when you hit the grocery store this week, pick up a bottle of Agave Nectar and try substituting it for your sugar necessities this week. 
It’s especially good in coffee and oatmeal! 
Let’s keep making those good little changes and see how far we’ve come by the end of the summer! Hopefully we will see happier and healthier versions of ourselves. 
I want to see the me God wants me to be. 
From my heart, 
Celeste
Filed Under: Eating to Live, God's Pharmacy, Make-a-change Mondays, Making Changes Tagged With: , , , ,

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~The Artificial Sweetener Conspiracy

14 April, 2012 by 1 Comment



Since we’ve been talking about how sugar affects your health, I thought it would be helpful to look into the plethora of sugar substitutes available to us today that are FDA approved. 


My research, most of which I already knew, brought me back to the conclusion I shared in an old blog post, God’s Pharmacy. We just can’t leave well enough alone. God gave us some great stuff when he created the earth! But we insist on manipulating it to suit our desires. 


Here is a great list of the FDA approved artificial sweeteners available to us I found in an article on the Spark People website: 


Acesulfame-Potassium (Acesulfame-K) goes by the brand names Ace-K, Sunett and Sweet One. It is a combination of organic acid and potassium that is often blended with other sugar substitutes.

  • 200 times sweeter than sugar
  • 0 calories per gram
  • Heat stable (can be used in cooking and baking)
  • Produces no glycemic response
  • ADI: 15 mg/kg body weight per day

Aspartame goes by the brand names Equal and NutraSweet. It is composed of two amino acids (proteins), aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Aspartame is one of the most thoroughly tested food additives, according to the FDA. People with the rare heredity disease phenylketonuria (PKU) should not consume aspartame.

    • 160-220 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 4 calories per gram (metabolized as a protein), but because such a small amount is needed to sweeten foods and beverages, the calories provided by aspartame are considered negligible.
  • Not heat stable (cannot be used in cooking or baking)
  • Produces a limited glycemic response
  • ADI: 50 mg/kg body weight per day

 

 

Neotame is one of the newest artificial sweeteners approved for use in packaged foods and beverages.

    • 7,000-13,000 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 0 calories per gram
  • Heat stable (can be used in cooking and baking)
  • Produces no glycemic response
  • ADI: 18 mg/kg body weight per day
  • Rapidly metabolized and excreted

 

 

Saccharin goes by the brand names Necta Sweet, Sugar Twin and Sweet ‘N Low.

    • 200-700 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 0 calories per gram
  • Heat stable (can be used in cooking and baking)
  • Produces no glycemic response
  • ADI: 15 mg/kg body weight per day

 

 

Stevia (Rebaudioside A) goes by the names PureVia, Sun Crystals and Truvia. It is a steviol glycoside, one component of the stevia plant that provides sweetness.

    • 250-300 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 0 calories and 0 carbohydrates per gram
  • ADI: 0-4 mg/kg body weight per day
  • Metabolized by the body into steviol, which is not absorbed in the blood and therefore leaves the body unchanged

 

 

Sucralose goes by the brand name Splenda.

    • 600 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 0 calories per gram
  • Heat stable (can be used in cooking and baking)
  • Produces no glycemic response
  • ADI: 5mg/kg body weight per day
  • Poorly absorbed and excreted unchanged

 

 

Want to know what they all have in common? They are all synthetic chemicals. 


I could write all day on the dangers of these artificial sweeteners. The lists are unending of the problems they can cause, the studies the have been done to prove their safety (or risks), and the questions they leave unanswered.


Now here’s a fun little list of possible dangers of artificial sweeteners: 

  • Weight gain (I know, quite ironic isn’t it?)
  • Headaches
  • Allergies
  • Depression
  • Anxiety and Panic Attacks
  • Gastro-intestinal disorders
  • Cancer
Pretty scary, right? 



The stevia seems to be the most promising of possibilities for a good natural sweetener, but  the form approved by the FDA sold in the US has been chemically altered. 


So why do we put these chemicals in our bodies? 


I’m going to give you some great articles to read if you’d like to read further, but I’m summing it up. 


In one of the articles I read on the safety of Stevia and the concern for it’s FDA approval, this statement stuck out like a sore thumb: 


In the U.S., we like to go to extremes,” adds toxicologist Ryan Huxtable of the University of Arizona in Tucson. “So a significant number of people here might consume much greater amounts.” (Nutrition Action)



Now read today’s prescription verse. Yes, I know it’s about wine—a little wine that is— but shouldn’t it apply to everything? It’s about moderation and using what God gave us. When it comes to sugar and artificial sweeteners, I’m going with plain old unsweet. If I must have something sweet, a little cane sugar (the most natural form of sugar we can buy) seems to be the safest answer. If the natural form of stevia is easy to buy, I will use it as well. As for all the rest, STAY AWAY! They are nothing but trouble. 


Hope you found this post helpful! 

From my heart,

Celeste



P.S. Here’s the link to my stack of delicious article if you’d like to do some more reading for yourself: The Artificial Sweetener Conspiracy


P.S.S. Don’t forget to read Monday’s post for make-a-change Monday. I have one great tip for you to help you change sugar habits that I didn’t reveal today 😉


Filed Under: Eating to Live, God's Pharmacy, How to be Happy, Making Changes, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Make-a-Change Monday~Surprise!

9 April, 2012 by 2 Comments
My oldest daughter, Miranda, turned 18 on Saturday. We asked her repeatedly what she’d like for her birthday, and the only answer we ever got was “love.” First, she loves being loved, and second, she couldn’t think of anything she really wants. If you know Miranda, you know she is loved. She demands love and attention, but more than she demands it, she deserves it. 
Miranda had her birthday all planned out in her mind, and of course the day didn’t go at all as planned. Most things typically don’t, right? 
At the end of the day, she was a little bummed out. She didn’t want to be, but I could tell she was. 
What she didn’t know was the amount of “love” she’d be getting on Sunday. We had a big surprise birthday party planned for her. It turned out great. We surprised her for sure and had a house full of her friends jump out at her yelling “surprise” when she walked in the door. 
The previously bummed-out Miranda was now smiling from ear to ear.

  • She loved her friends for caring enough about her to be there
  • She loved being the center of attention
  • She loved the fun we all shared
  • She loved that we love her enough to have planned it
  • She loved the surprise    
The surprise built her up. 
The surprise made her feel special. 
The surprise made her feel loved. 
God commands us in scripture to build each other up. There is enough tearing people down in our society don’t you think? 
So…today’s make-a-change Monday is to surprise someone. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate surprise party. You could:
  • Take a bag of groceries to someone in need
  • Grab a Starbucks coffee and take to a friend
  • Plant some spring flowers for a neighbor
  • Babysit for a friend to have a night out
  • Take a friend to a movie
The possibilities are endless…and the blessings are plenty. 
You never know what small gesture will make a difference.
Was Miranda blessed by being the recipient of a surprise? Absolutely. Was I a pleased-as-punch, camera-toting mom? You betcha! The slightly bewildered, on-top-of-the-world look on her face was priceless; one I wanted to remember forever. 
Surprises are good for everybody!  
…And remember,
I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,
 you did it to me. (Matthew 25:40 ESV)


From my heart,
Celeste

P.S. I’d love for you to leave me a comment with your surprise, and any blessings received!


Filed Under: Just for Fun, Make-a-change Mondays, Making Changes, Parenting Tips, Your Relationship with God Tagged With: , , , ,

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Rest

7 April, 2012 by Leave a Comment



These next two months will hold many moments for me to stop and reflect. My firstborn is 18 years old today and will be graduating from high school next month. If time were personified she would obviously have wings. I’m really not sure where the last 18 years has gone. 


I look back at clouded memories wishing every moment had been recorded. But they weren’t. 


It’s up to me to hold those memories close to my heart.


It’s up to me to remember the good times, and let the bad memories remain in the past. Because let’s face it—they are not all good memories. 


Which brings me to today’s tip to a happier you: Take time away to rest and create some great memories with those you love. 


This week was spring break, and my family definitely made memories this week we will carry with us forever. With money a little tight right now, we—well, David— ran upon a Living Social deal and rented an RV for the week. Now let me tell you, camping for this girl is the Fairfield Marriott!


We spent three days as a very close-knit family of five. 

  • No television
  • A shower the size of a locker
  • A kitchen table converted to a bed
  • Five suitcases crammed in a pile in the corner
  • Wet towels and washcloths hanging on open cabinet doors

With those circumstances, we spent great family time.

  • We play game after game of cards and UNO on the table/bed before anyone slept on it
  • We didn’t have the distractions of a normal home: No laundry or dishes to be done, no cooking, and no point in straightening up.
  • Lots of outdoor time together hiking and climbing on rocks up the river

We had a great week and actually spent time together as a family, which life has a way of making impossible sometimes. 


The funniest memory of the week, though, was one I wouldn’t have anticipated. In an RV, there’s the dreadful task of emptying out the “black water.” For all you campers, you know what that is. For those of you like me, it’s the poop tank. 

The law of gravity is quite an important one to consider when emptying out the poop tank. There is a nice sized brown tube that connects from the RV to the hole in the ground that I suppose is a septic tank of sorts. The more experienced campers had a nice little wire rack that held the tube at the correct angle to drain the poop. We weren’t in the “experienced camper” category. In order to empty the tank, all five of us had to hold the tube off the ground at the correct angle. When it got too heavy in one spot and sagged, we had to get the “wave” motion going with the tube to drain it correctly. Teamwork! There’s nothing quite like feeling the weight of human waste flowing through a tube to create a family bonding moment that will last forever!  

So while we must exercise, eat correctly, clean house, work, and all the other stuff that takes our time, don’t forget to take time to just get away and rest and spend quality time with your family. And if you decide to embark on a camping trip, be sure to call me for tips on the poop tank! 
From my heart,
Celeste


Here’s a few snapshots from our trip…hope you enjoy! 😉


Filed Under: Family Focused, How to be Happy, Life Through the Lens, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , ,

Sometimes You Just Have to Suffer

5 April, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Do you ever feel like God has left you or forgotten about you? Do you think Jesus thought His father forgot Him? 

Jesus did not want to endure the pain and agony of the cross. But He knew that His crucifixion must take place for God’s plan to be carried out. 
God never left Jesus during His suffering. When Jesus hung on the cross at the very end of his life, He separated Himself from God when he sacrificed Himself for the sins of the world. He became sin, and where there is sin, there is not God. But at the moment Jesus gave up His spirit, He bridged the gap… 





…between sin and God—between us and God. God’s plan was that of a Divine Conspiracy and Jesus knew His suffering would end with the greatest miracle ever on earth. And it was his death and resurrection that would bring the gift of salvation and eternal life to mankind. 


Jesus was God’s son. God didn’t enjoy seeing His son in pain, but He knew the extreme measures that must be taken to wash away our sin—to purify the corrupted heart of man. After all, he did create us. 

Haven’t we all known someone—or been that someone—who had to hit rock bottom before he/she saw the light and decided to make changes? 
I look back at my seven years of hell and am amazed at all that I learned during that miserable existence. God taught me things I couldn’t even see at the time. And though there were many moments I wished I could cease to exist, I wouldn’t trade them for anything now that I see what God was teaching me. I’m guessing Jesus felt the same.
We are God’s children. When God looks at us, He sees Jesus. No one wants to endure hardship and pain, but God has a plan, and just as Jesus’s pain was necessary for the salvation of man, we must endure trials in order to carry out God’s plan for us.
Your pain and suffering could just be the best thing to ever happen to you. 

It was for me. 
From my heart,
Celeste 
Filed Under: Beating Depression, Chronic Illness, Fighting Your Fears, Living in Faith, Living with Purpose, The Power of Prayer, Your Relationship with God Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Make a Change Monday~A Sugar Fast

2 April, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I am currently reading Made to Crave, by Lysa Terkeurst, and I love it. I’ll talk more about the book at a later date, but for now I just want to share one of Lysa’s suggestions for today’s make-a-change. 

Lysa explains we are made to crave. God designed our bodies to crave, but more importantly, he designed our soul to crave…Him. When we sacrifice something our body craves and replace that physical craving with a spiritual craving, we grow closer to God. It’s really that simple. 
But denying ourselves our physical cravings is not simple at all. It requires will power and prayer. 
On Saturday I shared with you what sugar does to your brain—how it affects your emotions. Today I want to share just one thing sugar does to your body that will help motivate you even more: 

When you eat sugar, your pancreas produces insulin to break it down. When your blood sugar is low, on the other hand, your pancreas produces glucagon to find something in your body it can break down to use for energy. The only time your body produces glucagon is when your blood sugar is low. Here’s the kicker…the glucagon targets fat in your body, especially around the belly area, to break down into glucose for your body and brain to use. 
I know it gets confusing and takes a little backward thinking, so think of it like this: 
The less sugar you give your body, the more fat your body will break down to use as energy. 
Giving up sugar is tough, but the less we eat it, the less we crave it. 
So today’s make-a-change is to give up sugar, or at least cut back. Word of warning though, don’t switch to “diet” drinks and “artificially sweetened” products. And if it says “sugar free,” make sure it doesn’t have the artificial sweeteners either. I’ll talk more about artificial sweeteners soon, but for now, know that the only sweeteners you should use in substitute for sugar are Xylitol and Stevia. 
So when you want that Pepsi—40 grams of sugar— at the movies, say a quick prayer, and choose water instead. (And save a few bucks!)

…And you may just get in a few more—or a lot more—conversations with God throughout your day! 

From my heart, 
Celeste
 P.S. For ways to decrease the sugar in your diet, check out my delicious stack of helpful articles with lots of tips and hints; but beware of those artificial sweeteners. There are still many believers in Nutrasweet and the like…

Filed Under: Beating Depression, Chronic Illness, Eating to Live, Make-a-change Mondays, Making Changes Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,