Childhood memories of whole wheat bread were not among my favorites.  Maybe your experiences are much the same.  Whole wheat bread was dry, heavy and gritty.  Years later, with the needs of my own family to consider, I became more conscious of the foods I was choosing.  I knew the white bread I was buying had no nutritional value at all.  We made the switch to wheat bread.  It was not appreciated by my family (!) but they ate it anyway - even if it was store bought.

I learned much about whole grains and in particular - whole wheat during the next few years.  If you have ever baked with whole wheat flour, you know that it can create a very heavy, dry product.  That’s why most recipes use a blend of wheat flour with other lighter flours.

Whole Wheat - Rich in Nutrients

Whole wheat berries are made up of 3 parts: the bran, germ and endosperm.  Whole wheat flour uses the entire grain - rich in calcium, protein, iron, fiber and containing multiple vitamin and mineral properties.

Refining Whole Wheat Grain Removes Nutrients

During the process of refining the whole wheat berries, 40% of all nutritional value is lost.  Refined flours contain only the endosperm.  Most of the bran and germ (where the bulk of nutritional value is) have been removed.  Often you’ll see the  word ‘enriched’ stamped onto bread labels - making you think it is far better.  Truth is - everything of value has been processed out.  Only a small fraction of nutritional value has been added back in and that little bit of value is no longer in its natural form.

Finding a way to use the whole wheat grain in order to make bread my family would love was my biggest problem.  I did make homemade bread quite often, but the flours were mostly refined and - for the most part not nutritious.  I used unbleached flour - thinking that it was much better - only to find out that it was still refined flour.  My attempts at making whole wheat bread left a lot to be desired.  The bread was dry and had no shelf life at all.  We usually ate it the same day and threw the rest away.

It all changed the day I heard about a way to make whole wheat bread that was moist, flavorful, chewy and had a counter life of nearly 5 days!  Life has never been the same.

The Bosch Kitchen Mixer and Wonder Mill

Up to that point, baking my own bread meant at least 5 hours of tending.  The time factor alone made it near to impossible for the average working family to even address the possibility.  When I saw the Bosch mixer in action I was impressed. This is not a bread maker.  It is an actual kitchen mixer with a powerful 800 watt motor that kneads the bread for you - developing the gluten (a stretchy protein) in the wheat, making it soft and light.

Imagine the health benefits of freshly ground wheat berries, still warm from the grinder and rich in nutrients, immediately made into the softest, chewiest and most flavorful bread you have ever tasted.  Are you ready for the best part?  In 2-3 hours - from the moment you begin grinding the wheat, to taking 4 loaves of bread out of the oven and mess cleaned up, you can be enjoying your own nutritious bread.  The Bosch mixer and the Wonder Mill grinder are two of the most amazing things I have ever purchased.

When you consider your nutritional health, think about one of the most staple products in your pantry - bread.  You eat it nearly every day.  Why not choose bread that is loaded with nutritional value, has no preservatives but still boasts a 4-5 day counter life and costs only pennies to make?  You’ll never want to buy another load of store-bought bread!

I realized years ago that spaghetti sauce purchased from the grocery store just doesn’t meet my standards for really great food.  This recipe for Italian Spaghetti has been in my family for years and is second to none.  The best part is, it’s fast and easy.  It takes about 15 minutes to put together, then just simmer slowly for a couple of hours until the flavors blend.  The aroma is amazing.  You’ll never buy another jar from the store!  Here it is:

1 pound ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1  10-3/4 oz. can tomato soup

1  12 oz. can tomato paste

1  14.5 oz. can plain tomatoes (that means no added ingredients!), chunked

1 cup mushrooms (optional)

1/2 soup can water (use the can from your tomato soup)

3 teaspoons chili powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 Tablespoons light brown sugar

5-6 bay leaves

2 teaspoons sweet basil

1 teaspoon paprika

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

2 cloves garlic, slightly smashed but left whole

Brown ground beef and onion together in oil.  Add remaining ingredients.  Mix well and simmer on very low heat for 2-3 hours.  Stir occasionally to prevent scorching.  Serve over spaghetti noodles of your choice.  I use whole wheat noodles.

We can all remember coming to a fork in the road.  Whether it involves family, career or health, the fork demands our ‘undivided’ attention!  Which way should we go?  The very decision making process can be overwhelming and stressful.

My sister tells of a time when she was just out of high school and struggling with the decisions for her future.  If you knew my sister, you would also know that making decisions was (and is) not among her favorite things to do!  The result of those decisions can be good or bad.  Always wanting to make the best decision, she found herself temporarily immobilized - struggling to make a choice.

When in that position, we somehow welcome the input from another source.  It doesn’t really matter if the advice is good or bad.  What matters is that someone offered information to help tip the balance.  Movement is good!  So is Mom’s advice.

Two pieces of advice my mom will always be remembered for are:

1.  If it won’t matter in five years, it’s not worth fretting about.
2.  God can’t steer a parked car - so don’t just sit there - do something!

When faced with decisions that very well might matter in five years, it is only natural to weigh your options carefully.  That might include a bit of fretting.  Taking the first step down a new road can be scary.  Doing nothing can also be scary!  When the fork in the road brings you to a stop, remember to first breathe a prayer for direction, look over your options, then take the first step.  Getting moving is the hardest part.  God can’t steer a parked car!  But, once put into motion, He can direct you to the right road.

Diets: we can’t live with them and can’t live without them!  But, with the vast array of potential diet plans to follow, which one will benefit your body the most?  Do you choose the low fat, low protein, high protein, high carb, no carb, vegetarian or one of countless others?

Making Healthy Choices?

I was on a particular high protein eating plan for 18 months.  Yes, I actually stuck with it and lost 25 pounds in the process.  I looked great and felt great as well.  The problem with this diet was - I was not allowed to cheat outside of the ‘cheating hour’.  Even after 18 months, I still felt trapped in rules and regulations on a daily basis.  Eating out was very difficult and getting off schedule kept me on my toes trying to plan alternative meal times - not to mention finding ‘allowable’ food choices.  It also required considerable planning and prep time.  It was not very user friendly - but I was seeing results.

The kicker was when I had a routine cholesterol test run and got the word that my bad (LDL) cholesterol (which was already on the high side) had more than doubled over the past year.  My good (HDL) cholesterol had also doubled - which was good, right?  But, what to do about the bad?  I had to make a change.  Something was obviously wrong with the kinds of foods I was eating.

My husband’s cholesterol tests, on the other hand, had always come back better than average.  He ate protein 3 times a day, enjoyed brats, bacon, eggs, and just about any fatty food he wanted - with a near perfect cholesterol test - that is, until I listened to all the recommendations about low fat, low protein, more fruit and veggie diets and I decided to ‘fix’ him.  It was the responsible thing to do!

My husband also had a cholesterol test a year after I put him on a ‘healthier’ diet.  Get this.  After 40 years of close to perfect, his cholesterol nearly tripled in one year.  I was stunned.  That’s when I began my search to find out why.

Perfect for Your Friend, Poison to You

Many of us choose an eating plan that comes with the recommendation from a friend or family member.  It worked great for them.  So, it should work great for you as well, right?  Maybe not.

I found a book called, The Metabolic Typing Diet by William Wolcott and Trish Fahey.  The Metabolic Typing Diet is based on individual responses to food - how your body reacts to, breaks down and metabolizes what you eat.  The foods that might be a perfect fit for your friend, might be like poison to you.

Included in the book is a 65 question test to determine your metabolic patterns or tendencies.  Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I needed very little protein and more carbs.  My husband needed high protein and very few carbs.  We were both eating exactly the opposite of what we were supposed to eat - according to this diet plan.

Eat for YOU!

My husband has happily gone back to his low carb, high protein, high fat diet.  I have (happily) gone the opposite direction to high carbs, limited fat and low protein.  I cook the same meals;  he just takes most of the protein and I eat most of the carbs!  It works out great.  I also discovered that I had to be careful of which carbs I ate.  Some caused cravings and weight gain.  The good news is:  blood tests are back to normal.

Your body is designed for you and you alone.  All the patterns and needs are individual and should not be lumped into a catch all group.  By learning to eat the way your body was designed to eat, you - and your body - will be happier and healthier.

As you sail the seas of life, are you ready to take on the open water or are you still safely anchored near the shore - watching, wishing and longing for something to change?  Do you sometimes feel a burning desire to just pull up anchor and catch the wind?  What holds you back?

Fear Is a Direct Result of Your Self-talk

Fear of the unknown - or maybe even fear of the known - is probably right at the top of your list.  Knowing what you need to do and doing it are two very different things.  Much of fear is a direct result of your own self-talk.  Have you noticed that when you replay negative thought patterns over and over again in your mind, you actually come to believe them?  Be mindful of what you say to yourself.  What you say is what you’ll get.

Maybe you have taken the first step toward that free-sailing freedom, but something is holding you back.  Have you really pulled up the anchor, or are you just safely letting it drag along the bottom where it can snag on rocks and other debris along the way? 

What Baggage Are You Carrying?

Try this very powerful example for yourself.  Place a chair at one side of a room.  This chair represents you.  Now place a chair out of reach on the other side of the room.  This chair represents your goal.  Are you the type to always keep one hand tightly on your own chair - while reaching for your goal?  Maybe you are the type that actually drags your chair with you as you move toward your goal!  Do you get the picture?

Isn’t it time to let go of your anchor?  Meet your fears head on, take a deep breath and take that first step forward.  The winds of freedom are blowing strong.  You can do it!  Reach down, pull up anchor and catch the wind!