♥Hi Friends!
This post is going to be something of an apology to my daughters (and my sons as well although my choices simply haven’t had the effect on them like they have on my girls). You see, I ‘ve done them a great disservice, especially the oldest two. The youngest has been blessed to grow up in a mostly different home, especially when it comes to the way I view HEALTH and HEALING. (The youngers usually do benefit from the wisdom we gain through our experiences along the path of parenthood!) Let me explain.
The second decade of my life was spent growing up in the 80’s. Awww…those wonderful years of big bangs, parachute pants and MTV (the one where they actually played music videos)! Being HEALTHY in those days consisted of eating your processed cold cereal every morning, which turns out is not the breakfast of champions we once thought. It didn’t matter that the rest of your diet consisted mostly of fast food and other “dead” foods. After all, those corn flakes were fortified with vitamins and minerals! And lets not forget about our good old VHS aerobic tapes where we were taught to move faster, harder and higher, so that we could achieve our ultimate goal, to be skinny!
And, I bought in to the idea that there was nothing I could do but watch myself age as gracefully as possible, take a pill when I was sick, and settle in to a way of life where HEALTH came to me, and that was only if I was one of the lucky ones who had good genes. I didn’t know I could go to it, or even toward it. That I could actively participate in what I thought was purely a PHYSICAL experience. I didn’t understand that HEALING was completely connected to our SPIRITS and MINDS. That was unknown to most, and those who were blessed enough to have figured it out were branded “goofy” or “weird”.
So, as I got married and had children, I watched my blood pressure and weight go up, and my energy level, bladder, stretch marks and saggy skin go down. I told my daughters that this was just what happened when you grew up and had babies. “There’s nothing you can do” I told them. After all, it was in our genes.
You can give me a little credit though. I thought I was being a good mom by telling them, repeatedly, that HEALTH wasn’t about being skinny and that their dress size wasn’t what was important. They just needed to be strong and their best self, whatever that looked like. I didn’t want them to grow up with the same body image issues that I did. And what message of empowerment was I sending? Nothing actually. Just some lip service about loving yourself and crappy genetics. I realize now how empty and hopeless my message was.
I didn’t know and I didn’t understand that even here in this preparatory state on Earth, being created in His image comes with amazing power and blessings. But that’s life and it’s okay, because I know now. And we have changed our perceptions about HEALTH in our family and we desire to help others change theirs’ too through a message full of hope.
What exactly is that message that was lost to me growing up? We are children of our Heavenly Father and with that knowledge we can actively pursue and participate in total HEALTH. It isn’t something that just comes to us, but it’s something we have to take responsibility for. As we read, study, pray, meditate, listen and empower ourselves, and because of the Atonement, we can do more, be more, and become the best disciples of Jesus Christ that we can in this mortal world. Even among all the counterfeit messages and SPIRITUAL, PHYSICAL and EMOTIONAL toxins that are all around us (and we know where they come from!) The answers really do lie in our Heavenly Father’s gospel and everything that covers! Like His plan of happiness, the Atonement, and all His amazing creations that help us HEAL. It even covers the way we eat, as we match our food choices as closely as possible to the way He created them.
So, let me digress for a moment. “To my daughters, #’s 1, 2 and 5 in the family: I love you and I apologize! But you know that now and we have been on a wonderful and HEALING journey together.” Thank you Friends.
♥Love you!
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One night my youngest came back from a young women’s activity at church. They had made orange juliuses (or however you spell it!) I remember going to the University Mall in my hometown while I was growing up and it was a real treat to buy one there. But, they really don’t make me feel good anymore and they definitely aren’t very HEALING, so together we came up with this version that is HEALTHY and refreshing!
ORANGE JULIUS
- 4 oranges, peeled
- 1 cup purified water
- 1 cup almond milk (or nut milk of choice)*
- 2 Tbsp raw honey (or more to taste)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla
- 6 cups of ice cubes (more as needed)
Place ingredients in Vitamix, adding ice last, and process until smooth.
*We’ve tried full fat organic coconut milk before. It changes the taste a little but makes it very creamy!