ONIONS!  I found out onions hold the power in almost any form, shape, color, fresh, raw or cooked ...
They now make their way into every pan, pot, bowl  created to increase health and wellness in the Real Food world. Its an unbeatable immunity boost concoction especially combining with fresh ginger, garlic, and herbs such as turmeric, cinnamon, lemon grass and sea salt. 
The investment into personal health is so worth the time and effort that comes from feeling energized and healthy. 
Fueling the Mind and Body with Real Food .... Your RFA Real Food Advocate ;  MEG   John Maxwell Team  ​
​
​                                      Soups . Stew . Sides. Salads 

WOW Wow! We are creating menus in South Florida ...
All this for $38.67 is really stretching the shopping dollars.  Our real food advocate mission is to work with many different desires while joining health and wellness journey of each client. Encouragement is found at the intersection  of desire to shift & change, as clients find themselves stepping forward into the goals they have defined. We take incremental baby steps, momentum paired with sustainable lifestyle shifts. 
 
This shopping trip hit the mark providing proteins, fresh berries, veggies, salad fixings, meat, counter snack ingredients of nuts, raisins, bread & almond milk. 
We were not trying to be gluten free, dairy free, organic or vegetarian. But a step forward in desiring real food focus in the household lifestyle shift, without added sugar, to accomplish a custom set of goals and challenges. We recognize that small incremental consistent steps begin right where we find ourselves, no judgement just the desire to work towards higher health and wellness. 

        "Small disciplines repeated with consistency every day lead to great achievements gained slowly over time.”
                      The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth: Live Them and Reach Your Potential - John C Maxwell

Recreation in the outdoors brings such amazing benefits. ..all things real and lifestyle reality.... 
I decided it was time to go on an adventure, up and out, into a road trip....my choices were made through this filter:

Do something NEW
Choose something never done before
Outdoor focus to make a memory...fresh air.. sunshine...
Do what you love or fear depending on your goals

Our Wins...

We had never been car camping and life has its priorities... So our recreation trip included these;
"So many beaches...so little time... Time to explore South Florida"
We never knew! Hatchbacks are sooo cool!! For Real!!
We found the "dog friendly" world... beaches.. campsites and more
LOVE to Travel!!! ..Off and driving.

"Truffle" Says;
"We are having a wonderful adventure...I met so many people yesterday...a jellyfish and lots of dogs..
Mom says its so nice to find dog friendly beaches... they really are friendly (LOL) 
She was inspired to do this "sleep in the car road trip" Not sure what she means cause I've always slept in the car...well but its new that she did too...
Whatever a bucket list is.. she says lots of people have one.... anyways...till next time"

Enjoy the Journey... Find ways to explore!  ... 

       “If we are growing we are always going to be outside our comfort zone.” –John Maxwell

                         Fueling the Mind and Body with Real Food .... Your RFA Real Food Advocate ;  MEG   John Maxwell Team

GRATEFUL..   THANKFUL ...    BEING ....     ON PURPOSE & INTENTIONAL
Life has many twists and turns of" left fields"
You feel stuck without any action ...
or holding the "catchers mitt "with more action then you are
prepared to deal with and perhaps endure....

Breathing in Grateful and Thankful no matter the circumstances reminds our minds
and body to release the pressure of the unknown to Live Life with Chosen Peace and Acceptance.. 

BE in the Present...Before you know it the present will be the past...
          "BE" FORE you DO... you must "BE"
              ..FOCUS on "BE' ING better on the INSIDE then OUTSIDE"          Character Matters.....

Fueling the Mind and Body with Real Food .... Your RFA Real Food Advocate ;  MEG   John Maxwell Team    

Delicious beyond imagination ... ohhh so flavorful ....a pot of comfort to encourage immunity strength with additional benefits that include sugar and preservative free made from scratch while investing into personal health and wellness. 
​
Special Spice Blend includes spices known for anti inflammatory characteristics, boosting your immune system to resist germs. Enjoying the smell of simmering smells taking the winter blues away with Ginger, Cinnamon, Turmeric , Curry, Garlic, Lemongrass, sea salt, pepper. 
                              Your Real Food Advocate RFA   www.realfoodadvocate.net 
                              Fueling the Mind and Body with Real Food .... Your RFA Real Food Advocate ;  MEG   John Maxwell Team   

What an incredible journey...  The RFA lifestyle shift intends to consume only what feeds our body and soul will truly make all the difference!! I personally love to hold an actual book in my hands....with a highlighter pen close to mark what jumps off the page. I dare you to fall in love with the building blocks for  investing in your future health one thought and ingredient at a time. 

• Start by deciding its time to change it up for real....
• Slow it down to focus enjoyment on immunity building ingredients that deter disease
• Be intentional: Bring balance to your mind in growth and resource reading.
• Journal your progress sprinkled with "Grateful and Thankful" to make it complete. 

                                         "Goals may give Focus, But Dreams give Power"
Wisdom from best seller author John C Maxwell fueling lifestyle shift in mind and body. 
              The process encourages personalized plans that result in growth momentum.

I know the growth process in my own life has been exciting, stretching, painful at times but so worth the result. The study together with others brings accountability making greater progress. Interactive Group Study & Retreats are available by phone and in person with seasonal dates through RFA Real Food Advocate. www.realfoodadvocate.net; We look forward to you joining the journey. 

                                  Fueling the Mind and Body with Real Food .... Your RFA Real Food Advocate ;  MEG   John Maxwell Team   

So if you are like most of us.. our daily responsibilities can get the best of us...and we often forget to hydrate enough throughout our day.  It takes a small amount of planning to have fresh ingredients on hand.  I do my best to include fresh lemons or limes on the ingredient shopping list for home and work. When you  add fresh citrus to your water, detoxing benefits are yours as you sip throughout the day.

But what if you prep "spa or detox water" as you run errands to and from work...now that's luxurious and certainly brings benefits of investing in special effort on your part! In traveling around the state of Washington always looking for the lovely fresh fruits and berries in delicious for ice water add.. and yes I definitely eat them at the bottom of the cup for an extra boost of nutrition. Cheers to good health and best choices.

Loving the lifestyle shift www.realfoodadvocate.net

Make it Real: Herbs...Fresh Fruit...Citrus...they make everything taste better...all part of natures plan to boost your immunities and energize your body without inflammation and disease.

Oh, I remember.. Ive been there for sure, HBP, Heart Blockage, Mental Exhaustion, Brain Fog, Anxiety, Depression, Nerve Damage, Compromised Organs, Balance challenged, Infection & Inflammation. Its worth fighting to get your health back by making it real, naming reality. Truth propels you toward solutions.  Join us, journey to learn DIY Tips, Tricks & Health & Wellness Lifestyle Hacks.

Looking for how to find your way? We are living a Lifestyle shift with a 28 Day Challenge as a resource. Schedule into a small group or attend one of our delicious REAL FOOD RETREATS, there are many options to start transforming your tomorrow. www.realfoodadvocate.net

LOVING our new pan from Bed Bath & Beyond... Red Copper 12 in, stovetop & oven up to 450 Degrees

 REAL FOOD is not found in a cereal box! And just to emphasize the point even our puppies know boxed cereal is simply not fit for consumption...filled with sugar, colors, preservatives, and fluff that tastes ohhh so good but does absolutely nothing to nourish the living body of humans and pets. 

Its time to go through the cupboards...assess the value behind the doors, in the bags and boxes. What did you discover about yourself? How much was real food?    What clues are on the labels? Are the contents inside loaded with sugar ?  Be sure to review the ingredient list carefully. Chances are if you cant pronounce something, and the list is really long, best to avoid.

​So this exercise will create an awareness that may result in feeling stuck on snack and breakfast choices. Join our REAL FOOD ADOCATE community to explore and learn together.      www.realfoodadvocate.net

How I love my newest discovery of spiralized zucchini and yellow squash. You cant help but notice how much easier your digestion process feels for the rest of the night. Its perfect for so many who need to find a Gluten Free GF "spaghetti" option. This gives multiple choice options for Vegetarian, Paleo, Keto, Gluten Free and more.  We used grass fed beef, creating a homemade marinara simmering with specifically selected herbs to reduce inflammation, improve mental clarity.. all that done through Real Food. 
There are many choices from basically a hand twist by "Veggetti", or hand crank from "Cuisinart" to the "Veggie Bullet", fully electric that spits out the circular spirals  literally in seconds. These are a few examples we tested and there are many more.

Today while the snow fell…it was a great day to explore ancient grains filled with flavor and free from GMO changes, todays test.. a GF Scone Recipe that was delicious. We chose to have a bit of savory to join up with naturally light sugar free fruit preserves. nicely enhancing fresh ginger, shredded cheese and craisins.
​
2 ¾ cups flour (Premium Gold) GF Flour includes, Amaranth, Buckwheat and more.
​                                (All in 1 True Replacement for All-Purpose Flour)
½ cup Butter ( Coconut Oil option)
3 Teas Baking Power (aluminum free)
2 Tab Sugar 
1/3-1/2  cup Almond/Coconut milk
1/2 Teas Salt
½ cup Craisins
1 cup grated cheese (optional)
2 Eggs
¼ Fresh Grated Lemon Zest
1/8 cup Couscous
2 Teas Vanilla
1 Tab Fresh Minced Ginger
Dry ingredients – Mix lightly, and cut in butter; add fluid, do not overmix. Hand form.
Real Food comes in many naturally Gluten Free (GF) ingredients.  
The base recipe gives you lots of options to add or delete your ingredient list.
​

Tomato Paste     6 oz (1 part)                      
Water                  12 oz (2 parts)
Garlic                    1 teas  minced ( fresh or dehydrated)                                    
Sea Salt                1 teas
Italian herbs       1 tab
Brown sugar (opt)1 tab
Herb Combo (opt)1 tab (equal of turmeric, curry, ginger, lemongrass, ½ pepper, cinnamon, coriander)
Milk                      12 oz ( 2 parts)

Apples are for love...and for keeping the doctor away...along with real nourishment. Whether you eat them fresh, or cook them down into applesauce...or apple butter...they are not only delicious but nutritious. 
​As your REAL FOOD ADOCATE we love to share where you can find the fun activities... A workshop for Heirloom Apple Butter Make & Take classes may be reserved through the Cashmere Cider Mill in North Central Washington. Your group reservation will need to be planned in advance to accommodate a special occasion, family reunion, bachelorette party, Date nights and more :)  This very cool activity is part of REAL FOOD RETREATS, a 5 day, 4 night inclusive getaway offered in Washington, & Florida. 
Real Food Retreats Reservations may be booked through www.realfoodadvocate.net

... While our national celebration of Fathers Day occurs in June, I write this in August in remembrance of my one and only earthly Father. Especially since Fathers Day should be every day in the truest sense of love and memory. I was blessed with a wonderful father, and I am keenly aware as I write.. that is not the case for everyone......
​Fresh Blackberries......The freshest are best acquired early morning since they ripen in the heat of Summer. The brier patch has an intoxicating aroma even as you approach from a distance. The containers you bring along may struggle to fill quickly due to the continuous sampling required to stay motivated.
​My father, who had the softest hands ever from years of delicate fine furniture creation of upholstery, recovery and design.
His late in life accomplishments included food acquisition, specifically free, and the preparation for future enjoyment, as he gleaned, simmered, canned, and stored delicious berries, spread indulgently on morning toast. Never mind that his bronzed arms  would be covered in so many scratches from insistent vines holding him hostage as he separated them from the blackberries.

​I dedicate this day to my Father; You knew it was better for the soul to read a book then watch TV. You declared a media fast over your entire life with occasional glimpses through newsprint covering  basics. Most importantly you invested time.. heart and energy into countless people you mentored around the globe. The role model to so many as you joined the journey and came alongside .... Through sickness and health, a living dedication of your  love of Jesus Christ as your personal & Eternal Savior.
So today, fresh and wild black berries found alongside the Columbia River banks; You are remembered... as I walk.. reflect...inwardly and prayerfully picking berries. And the world that once you dwelt.... well it would not look so familiar... Yet...maybe?....
Toasting to your memory..  I'm eating the berries......Missing You......Your baby daughter....

Blackberries Benefits: Consumption of blackberries found to promote healthy tightening of tissue, creating natural spa qualities, a great non-surgical procedure making your skin appear younger. As you weave this beautiful berry into your daily routine, consumption helps with brain focus and alertness, while maintaining higher memory retention resulting in clearer brain thought and overall function. The high tannin in blackberries assists in reducing digestive inflammation, hemorrhoids and calms system from diarrhea. Be sure to change it up ...choosing variety, as a snack,  in  cereal or smoothie.

but I have always loved cinnamon, as a little girl I favored cinnamon sprinkled on whole grain toast instead of jams or jellies.  As an adult I choose to add cinnamon to most all hot beverages consumed in my day.
Its difficult to choose a favorite in the world of spice, but cinnamon certainly is a common ingredient worldwide.
 By just reaching in the kitchen cupboard you will discover the many secret health weapons found through spices.
Many report feeling benefit from their blood sugar seeming more balanced, sugar cravings are calmed,
and  much more.

​The simple ways my day includes cinnamon...
​      Sprinkled onto almond milk or coconut milk hot chocolate
      Oatmeal for breakfast
​      Whole grain pancakes smeared with coconut oil, sea salt, & cinnamon
​     Savory herb mixture recipe that we make monthly which includes cinnamon,  a daily sprinkle on  
                eggs, oatmeal, salad, and meats
      Sweet Potatoes
     
Cinnamon offers a wide variety of neurological benefits, its amazing qualities increase brain health shown through  rigorous studies.  Five proven brain benefits of cinnamon are shared here.

1. Cinnamon may delay or reverse cognitive impairment.  Cinnamon reduced oxidation in the brain while improving cognition.
2. Cinnamon may be beneficial for Parkinson’s disease. A study found cinnamon protected dopamine production systems while improving motor function in Parkinson’s patients.
3. Cinnamon may curb food cravings. As a brain chemical involved in glucose and cholesterol, eating cinnamon may decrease your overall food in take to assist in weight reduction
4. ​Cinnamon’s scent can boost your memory.   The simple act of smelling cinnamon can improve memory performance.
5. Cinnamon is a source of antioxidant manganese.  Two teaspoons of cinnamon provides approximately half of recommended daily consumption of manganese, crucial for brain and body health as a powerful antioxidant. 
6. There are many more resources to review Dr Axe and many others.

Today I picked up "Apple Cider Vinegar" Natures Healing Miracle by Bragg Health Crusades , Patricia Bragg Health & Lifestyle Educator one of Americas Pioneers.
​This is a  wonderful review for me, the lifestyle shift plays out in so many ways, choices of my daily habits, eating choices, reading material, how I spend my time, and how my thoughts affect my actions.
​This caught my emotions and heart in the struggle today and what a great reminder...
​                                                    Thank you Christian D Larson

Pain..the kind that cancels out your daily plans, paralyzes your schedule,  challenges your mind, and so much more.
​My years spent in pregnancy, & multiple C-Sections brought  back pain, intermittent, crippling, and the answers were rare as I struggled to find the reasons. I found myself immersed in x Rays, doctors prescribing anti-inflammatories, couch sleeping not out of choice but necessity while unable to walk to the nearest bed.  Due to my legs being a full inch shorter one from another, aggravation would occur,  inflammation setting into lower spine. I found that the spine alignment or in my case, not aligned will depend on proper muscle care to hold the spine in place correctly.  
​The back spasms would throw me uncontrollably to the ground unable to stand, walk, or take care of necessities. I vividly remember the day I was unable to stand fully upright during x rays...what humiliation...
How I wish I knew then how inflammation may come for a visit and take up residence far too long...but there are far better options then prescribed medications. Most pain really does come from inflammation with so many natural remedies and options to change the course.
Thankfully a physical therapist described how best to work with the challenges and encouraged a required lifestyle shift....
​Today, 20 years from pregnancies and back spasms, I realize how thankful I am for lifestyle changes  made so long ago....and how far away from anti-inflammatory medications I have come,  my journey has  definite measured success.

I hung up the phone after a family member called to ask, "What do you think of prednisone?"... My mind flooded with memories of years gone by, unknown sources of pain and maladies where doctors would say..."Here try this"... without actually knowing the cause or source of my many symptoms.  My skin with agonizing blisters oozing and crusting and spreading for weeks at a time with over 40% of my skin covered, no comfortable position for weeks.  It was at my lowest point I would give in and take the prescribed prednisone, and it would never change my outcome, only worsen the agony. 
I mean prednisone is a steroid...really?  And believe me I had the next layer of issues, instant weight gain, voice change, unbelievable memories played out...

Is my instinct that far off to think that as the doctors would surround me one episode after another they would prescribe prednisone for the unknown sickness and not be concerned for my future? Oh and  must not forget all the pain killers offered me as well. I would ask myself, what more can I learn and implement to break the debilitating cycle taking me always down and never up.

​I discovered Prednisone = Glucocorticoids = adrenocortical steroids ...in case you get a kick out reading the generic definitions.

​So, what I do think of prednisone?? Just Don't!! Don't start, don't continue, just don't go there.
I now understand that my organs & body systems were overwhelmed by environmental toxins from so many sources.  My body was screaming out for help through my skin, of course adding chemicals only made it worse and more challenging to find a balance. The balance that I still struggle to find over a decade later wading through ingredient lists, agriculture treatments on foods, water sources and more.

​My experience offers simple solutions, look to real food, real herbs, real not packaged,  real not synthetic, real not man made. You will find it is not a quick and convenient "fix" ..  real food takes time when you choose to make a lifestyle shift.
             REAL FOOD TAKES TIME: Time to acquire, Time to prepare, Time to nourish, Time to heal.

Organic growers would define organic by the type of land management …watching carefully over the type of ingredients used for pest management, fertilizer, sprays, oils etc.
But some would define organic by the type of seeds used in your garden or farm land. Seeds without changes made to their basic DNA of the fruit or vegetable.
In recent years large corporations introduced GMO seeds producing GMO foods, enter major complications. Who really knows the actual definition …and as I wander through our local membership club and see the organic marketplace increasing  I fear that these new “organic” labeled products may have been compromised. And the general population…? Do we truly understand the implications of long term consumption of GMO foods?  The question begs to be asked…how do we really define "organic" in the world of food. What is real food? Is there such a thing anymore…..  (take picture of organic license letter)
​