The Beauty of a Thistle

I look at this flower upon this Thistle bush and wondered at its power.

It’s hard to imagine that something this beautiful came from such a place.

I contemplated its struggles to survive amongst the thorns and thistles.

But here it is with all its beauty, strength, and wisdom.

Center yourself ‘til all else fades, taking deep breaths of sunshine.

Take in the storms that can empower you for beauty beyond belief.

Sway with the hard winds to build strength beyond measure.

Drink in the heavenly substance that will sustain you.

Reach for the sunlight that gives you everlasting warmth.

Open your heart to receive all that God has just for you.

After all of the struggles from storms that have gone by

One day you stand out above the crowd.

Poem written by Brenda Stevens, 11/11/11, Copyright © 2011

Photo taken by Brenda Stevens while in Tennessee, 2010.

So HOW Important IS Water?

Well, human life cannot exit without it!! We can survive for weeks, or even months, without food, but we can only live for a few days without water.  Our bodies are more than half of it!! So water is an essential nutrient and we shouldn't take advantage of it. We need plenty of water to maintain good health.

It has been said to us before that we should drink about eight glasses of water daily. Don't you think this is another "one-size-fits-all" recommendation? My doctor (Dr. Olivier) has suggested to me that I should drink the equivalent of half my weight in ounces of water daily. (I'm telling you, it's a hard task for me to do, but I keep trying.)

Here's an example:

If a person weighs 160 pounds, half of that is 80 -- the number of ounces you should be drinking. Eighty ounces is 10 eight ounce glasses. Anything less would be depriving your body of important nutrients.

Dr. Leigh Connealy, Newport Natural Health, also suggested to keep into consideration if you are taking any antihistamines or if the weather is dry or you just had an intense workout for these are important factors that may make a difference in your personal water intake. Personal water intake needs to be adapted for each individual's lifestyle.

Dr. Connealy also states there are controversies as to whether or not other liquids can replace water. A lot of experts do not agree! Some think that coffee, tea, wine, beer, soda, and similar beverages count toward the "eight glasses a day." Dr. Connealy disagrees and here's why...
"Caffeinated and carbonated beverages, for example, have a diuretic effect, increasing urination by irritating the bladder and creating the sensation that one needs to urinate. Furthermore, sodas and coffee increase the body's acidity, posing additional health risks..."

Being well hydrated means your body's organs have the water they need to function properly. Think about it; we lose water during our sleeping hours due to respiration (breathing) and perspiration. Plus our body has been undergoing a detoxification process while we sleep. Dr. Connealy says, "Drinking water first helps replace what was lost during sleep and helps remove toxins from the nighttime purification process, making water the "solution to pollution" that accumulates during the night."  So drink plenty of water first thing in the mornings, after you awake from your 7 to 9 hours of sleep, to rehydrate, BEFORE grabbing that cup of coffee. Your body just might appreciate it!!

Another very important factor.....Don't RISK Dehydration! Some people wait until they FEEL thirsty. THIRST is a sign of dehydration. I find it is always best to keep a bottle of water with me at all times and drink from it often.

Here's to your health!

The Lord heals your diseases, redeems your life from the pit, satisfies you with good, shows compassion to his children, and knows your frame. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
Psalm 103: 3-14

Are You Suffering from Gluten Intolerance?

A growing number of individuals are wondering if they are suffering from gluten intolerance and are researching gluten sensitivity. I for one am one of those people.

So what is gluten?

Gluten is not a protein itself but rather a protein composite that can be found in wheat, rye, barley, kamut and spelt. It provides an elasticity and glue-like capacity to hold its flour products together and provide them with a chewy texture.

Some argue that the peptide sequences in rice, corn, and oats contain some form of gluten, but for the sake of studying gluten intolerance, these other grains are considered safe as their protein profiles do not match the profiles of the "troublesome" grains. However, some may need to avoid oats because oats are often harvested and processed alongside wheat and thus may be cross-contaminated.

So what is gluten intolerance? Gluten Intolerance must be separated into three distinct categoreis: Celiac Disease, Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, and a Wheat Allergy. 

Technically wheat allergy is not a gluten intolerance. This is a histamine response to wheat, much like a peanut allergy or hay fever. Some people experience hives while others might experience stomach pain.

Celiac Disease occurs when the proteins in gluten trigger your immune system to overreact with strong and unusual antibodies. The antibodies wear down the little hairs called villi, which line the walls of your intestine. These little hairs grab and absorb nutrients as foods pass through your lower digestive tract. As this disease slowly destroy the little hairs (villi), then you become less and less able to process any nutrition from your food.

Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity is currently a little more difficult to pinpoint, because those that suffer with NCGS suffer very similarly to people with Celiac Disease, but the blood test which identifies and diagnoses this disease returns as negative. The only way to find out if you might have NCGS is through a gluten free diet.

When Gluten Intolerance Causes Weight Gain!

Most Celiac Disease sufferers lose weight, but because of the body's will to survive, some will experience weight gain. And here's why.... When the antibodies triggered by consuming gluten damages the little hairs (villi) along the lining of the small intestine, the amount of nutrients these villi can absorb diminishes. For most, this will cause some degree of weight loss. For others, this creates an insatiable appetite. The body wants more food so it can try to obtain the nutrients needed to survive and thrive. Villi damage can also impede fatty acid absorption, which in turn can cause an increase in appetite and reduce your body's ability to break down fats.  

WOW! This has opened up a whole new avenue for me. I think that to help myself along with my weight loss program, I should try a gluten free diet, but what I am finding out is the gluten containing foods have more protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals than the gluten free counterparts. I suppose I will have to do a little research to find a healthier blend of flours and not overindulge!!  I believe new flours like quinoa, buckwheat, bean and nut flours are a good place to start.

Here's to your health!

The Lord heals your diseases, redeems your life from the pit, satisfies you with good, shows compassion to his children, and knows your frame. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast lovd.

Psalm 103: 3-14

I am in no way suggesting that anyone follow any suggestions that I might have on my blog. If you are experiencing any type of symptoms of any sort, please see your doctor.

A Terrific Teacup Tuesday

Yes, I said it! It's a TERRIFIC TEACUP TUESDAY!!

I love visiting the other blogs on Teacup Tuesday, hopefully to meet new people

and enjoy what they have to share.

As I have said before, I don't have the beautiful sets of teacups. Tea Time is all new to me.

Although I love drinking tea, I never thought of collecting beautiful tea sets. I think that I should start...

So what I would like to share with you are some gifts that I received from some elites

that get to travel all over the world. They not only bring me back some kind of treasure,

but they also brings gifts back to all others in my office. It makes us feel appreciated.

This cup has the flower on one side and the sun and moon on the other.

It was brought back from Spain.

This beautiful gift is from India. It has beautiful peacocks all around it.

I believe it can be used to hold pencils, but I just set it on top of my desk for viewing.

I love the detailed work.

Thank you wonderful people for thinking of us on  your travels. 

It feels wonderful to know that you appreciate us on your long journeys.

3 John 1:2 - Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health
and that all may go well with you, 

even as your soul is getting along well.

I join Pat at Artfully Ooglebloops for Teacup Tuesday.

MAD MONDAY MOSAICS!!

Hello, my name is Brenda. I just starting blogging a few months ago and am finding out that I enjoy doing this very much! It's a challenge to find things to write about. This Mosaic Monday, I thought I would tell you about my youngest granddaughters and a little about myself.

I love taking photos and changing them slightly to bring more flare. I love art and being creative. I also love my family very much and spending time with my granddaughters.

These are my youngest granddaughters. Since we live close to each other, I do get to see them and I take them to church on Sundays. My other grand children (1 girl, 3 boys) and great-granddaughter (belongs to the 1 girl) lives far away. Sad to say that I don't have any pictures of them to share with you.

The youngest granddaughter says to me, "BB, do you know how much I love my family?"  I said, "No, how much?" She said, "100%! And I love cookies 10%, french fries 15%, but I love my sister 150%!" She sure has her percentages down!!

These girls are the light of my life!! They are energetic and have big imaginations. I love to watch and be a part of their energy and everything they do. I am exhausted by the time they leave.

Both the girls are dancers; ballet, tap, jazz... They both have auditioned for the "Nutcracker" again this year. They both now have a part in this awesome production.

The girls love acting and being creative. They are animated at just about everything they do. They make my world a better place.

The older sister said to me, "Do you know that I have 4 stomachs?" I said, "No, really?" She said, "One for junk food, one for healthy food, one for my families cooking and one for other people's cooking." I laughed, but then she said, "I have five stomachs; one more for everything else!"  I said, "YEAH, FOR TICKLING!"

And it was on!!!

Our favorite shopping place is the Dollar Tree. I tell them that they both can pick out three things each. They beg for a fourth, but I tell them they have to make up their minds and put one back that they really don't want. Watching them looking over the items to make that decision encourages me. There are some things in this life that we can do without. We just have to make up our minds to what is more important.

We love looking through the purses. The girls will pick a few they like just to model them for me, while I take picture after picture. Then we go back to the house where they try on my makeup. We also get out the markers, crayons, color pencils, and paper to create something fantastic! 

It's always a fun day when they are around.

I am linking with "In Other Words and Pictures" and "Little Red House" for this Mosaic Monday.

How to Lose 10 Pounds 50 Ways....

Joy Manning from Prevention has listed 50 different ways that we can shed 10 pounds. She states that what helps one person lose weight may backfire on another. The only successful way to reach and maintain a healthy weight is to find what works for you. There's a million ways to gain 10 pounds (and very quickly I might add), but here are 50 ways to lose them.

1. Studies show that dieters who guzzled plenty of H2O lost more weight than those who didn't.
2. Divide your normal portion meal by two and save the rest for later. It's possible to feel full on less food.
3. Vegetarians have lower body weight than their meat-eating peers. Go meatless 'til you shed a few pounds.
4. If Vegetarianism is not helping, then swear off eggs and dairy. Cheese can be a diet killer.
5. Eliminate all packaged foods. Eat only fresh ingredients you've prepared. No bags, boxes, cans or cartons.
6. Diet 2 days a week. If you can't stay with a program, slash those calories to 650 a day 2 days a week.

7. Read the Nutrition Fact labels.You will find sugar in unexpected places; pasta sauce and frozen entrees.
8. Eliminating floury foods like white bread and pastries will kick-start your weight loss plan.
9. Replace alcoholic beverages with water. Alcohol is nothing but empty calories.
10. Take short 2 minutes walks after sitting for 30 minutes. This will bump up your weight loss.
11. Studies show that fidgety types burn more calories than their stationary peers.

12. Studies show that those who don't get enough sleep eat more and reach for more fattening grub.
13. Thirty minutes of sex burns at least 60 calories for a 150 pound woman.
14. Meals eaten away from home have 134 more calories, on average. Eat at home. (A tough one for me!)
15. Start a weight loss blog. Then you're not just losing for yourself. ;)
16. Call it the humiliation diet, but many credit the accountability for their weight loss success.  (hmmm....)
17. You are more likely to show up at the gym if you have someone to go with. Find a buddy.
18. Bring a taste of "The Biggest Loser" to your workout for extra motivation.
19. Veg out! Fill two-thirds of your plate with vegetables, which are less caloric dense and more nutritious.
20. Studies show that snacking on shelled pistachios shed more pounds than those who ate other snacks.

21. A recent study showed that eating one grapefruit daily helped 58 percent of subjects to lose weight.
22. Paying by credit card shows vulnerability to impulse buying for more fattening snacks you shouldn't have.
23. A recent report: scented cosmetics make us crave foods they remind us of, which make us eat more.
24. Before digging in, consider the healthiness of your food chooses.
25. Do anything with your hands to keep your busy. This will distract you from your cravings.
26. Have an athletic goal. It motivates us to exercise regularly in a way that nothing else can.
27. Fitness can be fun. Join a sports league.
28. Quit sugary drinks! Some supersize sodas have 500-plus calories. Juice isn't much better. Drink water.
29. While your dining companion devours a cheesecake, order up a skim cappuccino instead.
30. Join a program. US News recently rated Weight Watchers the best choice for weight loss.
31. Standing burns at least 30-percent more calories than sitting.

32. Is there such a thing as a treadmill desk? Studies suggest you can burn an additional 800 calories during your workday--if you continually walk at a very slow pace. If there is one....I WANT ONE!
33. Eat soup for dinner! Soup has high water content, low-calories, and filling! Stay clear of the creamy kind.
34. Stop the yo-yo dieting; you only get fatter. Instead, make a serious lifestyle change.
35. Quit snacking. The real reason the French don't get fat is it's cultural faux pas to eat between meals.
36. Go gluten free. It's not a miracle diet, but can be a short-term experiment to can lead to weight loss.
37. Cayenne pepper really can rev up your metabolism, according to recent research.
38. Walk or ride your bicycle to work.

39. Eat breakfast! Those that eat a morning meal have shown to be slimmer than those that skip breakfast.
40. Low-fat dairy consumption seems to speed weight-loss. Scientists credit the calciu.
41. Eat more yogurt. Studies revealed yogurt ranked the best for maintaining a healthy weight.
42. At the TOP of the list for foods that make you add pounds.....POTATO CHIPS. Drop them...
43. Take a long bicycle ride around your hometown to see the sights, while torching a ton of calories.
44. Sign a contract with yourself. If you don't shed the pounds, then give money to a charity you don't like.

45. It is suggested to weigh yourself daily. (To me, it only brings on stress...I don't think I will be doing this.)
46. A short daily meditation can help you keep binge-inducing anxieties in check.
47. Drinking 8 or more glasses of ice water a day may help your body burn fat.
48. A creative outlet is likely to boost your self-esteem and take your mind off food.
49. Brush and floss. Who wants to ruin their minty-fresh breath with a snack?
50. Before you dig in, visualize yourself eating a treat. Scientist suggests if you do this mental exercise, you are likely to eat less of what you first imagined.

As stated above, choose what you think will work best for you.

Here's to your health!

The Lord heals your diseases, redeems your life from the pit, satisfies you with good, shows compassion to his children, and knows your frame. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
Psalm 103: 3-14

(Photos provided by Microsoft)

I LOVE TEACUP TUESDAY! A time for visiting friends....

I would like to share with you today my beautiful cup

gifted to me by my dear friend Marianne.

This is a Thomas Kincaid cup. I love the little cabin.

I found the lovely little shoe at a Thrift store 

and the bottle opener with the cute kangaroo was found at a yard sale.

The patina on this item looks very nice to me...you can tell

that it is old and it's wore, but it can still be used. Only now

technology has rendered it's use.We now have twist offs.

This wonderful cup is used mostly in the winter for hot cocoa

or a nice spicy tea.

And it usually is housed on top of my 70's bread box until

the cold wintry mornings come a callin.

The colorful little feather was made for me by my granddaughter

one morning while in her Sunday school class. I didn't have the heart to just

throw it away, so I gave it a place in my Thomas Kincaid cup.

A special friendship, a special cup, and a special feather!

I am a blessed woman...


I am joining Susan for her creative Teacup Tuesday.
I am also joining Sandi for her delightful post for Teacup Tuesday. 
I would like to also include Terri for her celebration for Teacup Tuesday. 

The Lord heals your diseases, redeems your life from the pit, satisfies you with good, shows compassion to his children, and knows your frame. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
Psalm 103: 3-14