Comparison Kills Contentment

8:20 AM Jackie Mart 0 Comments

About a month or so the pastor at my church talked about comparison.  This has become easier since we have access to Facebook profiles, reality TV shows, and other forms of media at our fingertips. We feel content until we see our neighbor down the street just re-sided their house, the new SUV parked in the driveway, your coworker got a promotion, your friend bought a new Iphone,  or that a girl we hated in high school got married before we did.. multiple examples.  We always seem to want bigger and better!

The last few years of my life I have gone from having a house, a dog, a yard, a husband to living in a small studio apartment alone. I got rid of a lot of my possessions and have realized I do not need much to be happy. Those "things" just add more stress to my life.  I recently quit my full time job to pursue my passion of starting my own wellness business. Granted I know it will be a challenge but I'm ready for it! I would much rather be doing what I love every day and just get by financially than continue to show up to a "job" that is not fulfilling my God-given purpose. My car is old but it gets me from point A to point B. I don't wear designer clothes but sure can pull myself together with what I do have in my closet. I have met some wonderful positive people lately that are my cheerleaders and am realizing who steals my energy and who I want and do not want in my life. Practicing gratitude daily keeps me content!

What about you? Are you content with yourself, your career, and your life? If not, think about ways you could change it. Take the steps TODAY and you will eventually get there! Be sure to live in the moment and don't take any second, minute, hour, day, week, month, or year for granted! Our life here on Earth is limited and remember we attract everything to us both good and bad! And why compare? We are all unique and genuinely made, perfect in the Creator's eyes!

Copyright, 2012, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness MN, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or JackieAMart@hotmail.com.

As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.

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GMOs-What You Need to Know

8:16 AM Jackie Mart 0 Comments

I definitely wanted to touch on GMOs and give you some more information considering the recent election and Prop 37 in California.  Genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) are just what the name implies. Organisms, in this case, foods that have been changed genetically, altered genetically.

According to a report by Dr. Oz, more than 80% of the foods we eat on daily basis contain one or more types of GMO. And what’s more is that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) doesn’t require that these foods be labeled. The food manufacturers take advantage of the cheaper costs of genetically modified foods and do not inform you that these potentially dangerous food ingredients are in their products.

The benefits of GMO foods are that these types of foods can be grown in less than optimal soils (thereby providing less than optimal vitamins, minerals, and other vital nutrients.)  My Dad is a farmer in Iowa and told me you can’t even buy seeds today that are not genetically modified!! That scares me!! Another alleged benefit is that there is less need for pesticides therefore making it cheaper to grow foods. This allows for less expensive foods, although the grocery prices are not lower!

Health Concerns with GM Foods
  • Increase in allergies
  • Increase in antibiotic resistance
  • Problems with endocrine system
  • Disorders of the reproductive system
  • Increase in aging symptoms

Some countries, notably the European Union does not allow GM foods to be imported. In addition, if their foods contain more than .9% GM foods they must be labeled so the consumer knows exactly what they’re getting and consuming.

The USDA and related government agencies in our country argue against any labeling here on the grounds that this would imply that GM foods are different. Well…..they are!!!  Again, when it comes to eating healthy and protecting your own health and that of your family you can’t rely on anyone but yourself to choose the healthiest real foods that are as close to the way God created them as possible.

While the list of GM foods is undoubtedly growing, here are the most commonly found GM foods:

  • Corn (which is in everything these days!!! High Fructose Corn Syrup)
  • Canola
  • Alfalfa
  • Soybeans (soy is NOT a health food!)
  • Sugar Beets


I urge you to consider the potential dangers of eating anything that has been altered from its original state and consider the evidence now starting to come to light about their impact on your health.

Avoiding GM foods can be a bit tricky since there are no warnings on the labels. The following are my recommendations for keeping GM foods out of your body:

  • Avoid all foods with corn or canola oils or by products.
  • Look for and buy foods that are labeled GMO free.

Here is a shopping guide I found: www.nongmoshoppingguide.com

  • Shop for organic foods. (By law they must contain less than 5% GM products.)
  • Plant your own garden and eat fresh foods daily.
  • Read and keep up on the latest GM foods
 
Need help cleaning up your diet? Schedule a nutrition consultation with me and I will help you avoid putting more toxins into your body!

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/genetically-modified-foods-get-facts

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/03/09/why-arent-gmo-foods-labeled.aspx

http://www.nongmoproject.org/
 
Copyright, 2012, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness MN, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or jackieamart@hotmail.com.

As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.
 

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