Have You Used Thrive Market?

I am getting ready to put in my first order with Thrive Market. I have been doing some comparison shopping to see if Thrive Market will actually save me money or not. When I do order things online, I usually wait until I have enough of an order to get the free shipping.

When I first started reading about Thrive Market, I figured that it wasn't really someting I would use. We don't buy much beyond our real food at the store or farmer's market. So I started to make a list of all the things that we could possibly order through the website and then do some comparison shopping to see if it would be cheaper.


I looked for items that both my grocery store and Thrive carry to get a direct comparison. So these are items in the same brand and same size. These are not necessarily items that I purchase, but I wanted to give you a true comparison. Note that these are the prices at my local Wegmans (grocery strore) and your prices might be quite a bit different.

Here is what I found:

Bragg Organic Apple                          Wegmans $3.99          Thrive $2.55
Cider Vinegar, 16oz.
Tinkyada Pasta, 16oz.                          Wegmans $3.29         Thrive $2.95
(Depends on type of noodle*)
Justin's Almond Butter, 16 oz.             Wegmans $9.99         Thrive $11.25
Clif Bars, box of 12                             Wegmans $9.99          Thrive $14.65
Larabars, box of 16                              Wegmans $18.99        Thrive $18.95
Nubian Raw Shea Butter                     Wegmans $8.99          Thrive $7.45
Body Wash 13 oz.
Yogi Green Tea 16 ct.                           Wegmans $3.99         Thrive $3.45
Simply Organic Cinnamon                   Wegmans $4.99         Thrive $3.65
Seventh Generation
Dish Washer Detergent 45oz                Wegmans $4.99         Thrive $4.65


You can see that sometimes Wegmans is cheaper and sometimes Thrive Market is cheaper. However, one thing you can do is wait for the great deals that Thrive often offers like $15 off of $50 or wait for a percentage deal (i.e. 20% off). In addition, Thrive Market offers some items that my local store does not carry, which is nice too. (For example, I like to purchase lots of shea butter for making my own items (lip gloss, creams, deodorants, etc.) and I cannot purchase this at Wegmans. I know from my travels that there are many stores out there who don't have prices or selection like my local Wegmans, so for you all shopping at those stores, Thrive Market might be an even better deal. Just be sure to do your homework. After comparison shopping, I can see that I would be better off ordering spices, but can still pick up my hubby's cliff bars for long drives at the local store. It helps to do your homework and see which will truly be better for you.

(Also, do note that there is a membership price, but right now you might be able to try it out for free first and see if you like it.)





Please note that this is my personal link for inviting friends to join Thrive Market. I may earn a commission if you choose to place an order. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated or asked to write this post.

I am not on a diet.

D.I.E.T.

Oh that dirty four letter word.

And, yet its original meaning has nothing to do with trying to lose weight or some temporary fix.

Someone asked my husband yesterday if I was still "on that weird diet." And I don't know why, but I instantly got mad. I think it is because of the meaning of the word diet used here. Yes, my diet, or the foods that I eat, may be different than other people's choices. I choose not to eat things out of boxes or cans. I don't need frankenfoods with chemicals and other things that I don't want to put in my body. I enjoy making my own foods, even if it takes longer or makes a mess. I even like growing my own foods. I still eat pretty normal things, they just tend to be prepared differently. I eat pizza, tacos, cookies. I don't eat them all the time, but they are still eaten in my house. I also like lots and lots of veggies and I like choosing what ingredients are used in my recipes.

I don't go into people's houses and ask them when they are going to stop eating their typical foods. I don't force my food upon anyone that comes to my home either. That is their choice and this is mine. And I have no plans of stopping. I am not on a diet. And this is not temporary. I am choosing to eat healthy. I will always eat real food. Get over it.

Eating real food is something you can always do. It doesn't have to be a temporary change until you lose weight or run that race or fit in that dress. Real food brings health and it tastes way better too. Why would I ever want to go back to feeling awful or eating something that tastes bad?

There was a point about three years ago where I started to feel my worst. My fingers were so swollen my hubby had to cut my wedding rings off my fingers. That was a sad day. And from then on I have been trying to figure out how to naturally feel better.

I don't want to live with
                         being swollen
                         migraines and headaches
                         not sleeping well
                         feeling depressed
                         foggy brain
                         constantly feeling like I look pregnant because my stomach is so swollen
                         being grumpy
                         fluctuations between constipation and diarrhea
                         dizzy spells that can last for days 
                         or the countless other symptoms

And these all happen when I don't eat real food, or when I go to someone's house for dinner and try not to be rude by eating the food, or meet everyone at a restaurant for food that doesn't agree with me.

People take food so personally. If I was allergic to something, they would have no problem with me passing on eating something, but the pure fact that I am making a choice not to eat it makes it somehow different. It doesn't seem to matter to some that eating certain foods make people sick. You might not be able to see the sick right away or on the outside, but the other person can feel it. And sometimes it can last a long time. I would not want to do that to someone I care about.

So, instead I choose to eat real food. This may offend you. And I am sorry. I am not willing to feel bad from food anymore. I am not on a diet. I am living my life to the fullest and this is what I eat. It helps me feel my best so that I can keep having fun.

Taco Night Makeover

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Are tacos a favorite at your house? Taco night at our house used to mean a package of ground beef or chicken and a taco kit from the grocery store. Well, don't forget the cheese! They always hurt my tummy and didn't really taste all that good either. Then I started becoming obsessed with eating real food and decided to make over our family taco night.

All of the following changes at once might be overwhelming, so choose which changes work for you, if any, and try them out. Then you can keep building on it until you have a meal you can be happy with. This is the order of the changes our family made.

Change #1: We started buying grassfed beef. It is an easy change and grassfed beef really offers many more health benefits from your typical CAFO beef.

Change #2: Buy organic veggies to put in the taco. We love spinach instead of lettuce as well. This might cost a little more, but then you don't have all the pesticides and nasty things to worry about, some of which you cannot wash off! You can also choose to grow your own, making it even better.

Change #3: Make your own taco seasoning. I have been using a similar version to Kelly the Kitchen Kop's recipe for about a year now. I love it and so does my family. And you can change it up if you feel it is not spicey enough or think it is too spicey. I love that. Plus you can choose which spices to buy and mix, including organic if you like.
I make a big batch of it so that I don't have to make it all the time. I keep it in a mason jar and just pull it out on taco night (or fajitas, or quesadillas, or etc.)

   1/2 cup of onion powder                                            (8 parts)
   1/2 cup of minced onion                                            (8 parts)
   1/2 cup chili powder                                                  (8 parts)
   1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper                                 (1 part)
   2 tablespoons of dry oregano                                    (2 parts)
   1/2 cup of sea salt                                                      (8 parts)
   1/4 cup garlic powder                                                (4 parts)
   1/4 cup of cumin (or more according to Kelly)         (4 parts)

In case you don't want to make your batch quite that big, you can use the "parts" break down. Just replace the parts with whatever measurement you like. It could be teaspoons if you rather. Or you could go bigger and change the parts to cups. Whatever works for you.

Change #4: Make your own salsa (or here) and/or guacamole. Making guacamole is pretty easy to do and there are so many tasty variations.

Change #5: Make your own tortillas. I just tried making my own last week when I realized I had forgotten to pick some up for some fajitas I was making. It was really quick and easy. Plus, you can use Einkorn or gluten free flour. It was as simple as mixing up a couple ingredients, dividing it up in balls, rolling and then a minute or less on each side in my cast iron pan. I could not believe how quickly they came together.

Our tacos are a family affair now, bringing everyone in the kitchen. The kids help chop veggies or prepare small bowls of toppings that everyone can pick and choose just how they want it. And we made changes a step at a time so that it wasn't a huge pain in the butt for everyone, including me. I was able to get used to the extra steps and fit them in our schedule. Healthy eating doesn't have to be all or nothing. You can choose to make steps towards real food each time you are preparing a meal.

Does your family enjoy a taco night? What makes your taco night special?

Two Little Steps to Eating Healthier

 

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There are so many different diets and set of "rules" out there for what is healthy. I think it is overwhelming and can be stressful when trying to choose what is the most healthy for you and your family. Healthy foods can be different for different families, just like healthy is different for various cultures.

When I first started transforming what my family had been eating, I thought I had to pick one group or camp and be perfect. And you know what? It was awful! My family hated me for trying to change EVERYTHING they were eating all at once and it was a ton of work for me to try and redo everything all at once. Most of my family does not have food allergies. I think I might be the only one, so far for sure. So we didn't have to drop anything right away for those reasons. So once I got over trying to be the perfect paleo person, I took a step back to figure out what would work for my family and what was important to me. I want them to be healthy, but I knew had to take some baby steps towards changing what they were expecting for dinner.

Here are two steps that anyone can do:

#1: Add more veggies!
If you have been eating most of your food from a can, box, or some other package, you most likely are not getting enough veggies. And my family wasn't either. So I have been working hard to include (and sometimes sneak) more veggies at all meals. I was caught the other day putting spinach and kale in a smoothie, but when the kids tried it, they could not taste it. And I convinced them that the little bits of green in the smoothie were cool. So now I don't have to sneak it anymore.

We had a big veggie garden before we started moving a lot. Hopefully we will get back to that soon. The kids loved to pick the veggies and eat them fresh. And there is just nothing like home grown veggies. The flavor, the smells... oh I love it.

#2: Make your own food. 
It is a lot easier to eat healthy if you are making it yourself. Do your kids like cookies or mac 'n' cheese? Mine do too. And when I tried to take that away, they revolted! But what I can do instead is limit how often they have these things and also make them myself so I know exactly what is in it. It does take a little bit longer, but with creative planning and help, you can keep this to a minimum. And it tastes so much better. I will write more on how I save time in the kitchen when possible, but one idea I do want to share is that you don't have to plan something extensive every night. Some nights we have really simple dinners. If I have meetings or tutoring or big projects we eat something simple or eat leftovers. On the other nights, I make something that takes more time. Again, it is all in the planning. And if you are not used to cooking your own items, you will want to find some great recipes that are tasty and will help you get comfortable in the kitchen. One of my favorite family friendly and delicious websites would be Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

 

Every single thing I have tried off her site has been amazingly delicious. I will switch out some ingredients to make it even healthier, but her recipes are just fantastic. The comments on each recipe really help as well. Just tonight we made homemade pizza using her simple dough recipe. I just switched the flour for Einkorn and then chose our own toppings. It was fantastic. We added some veggies on the side to munch on as well. It is a much better choice than ordering out or a frozen pizza. And it was super easy and quick. Now, I am not trying to say that pizza is the healthiest food ever, but it is a simple switch that makes pizza night a better choice and keeps the kids from feeling deprived.

How do you keep your family eating healthy? Are you trying to make healthier choices for your family?

My Depression Medication

I was recently reading a post on Facebook  and it was all about the side effects of someone's newest depression/anxiety medication. I was kind of surprised at all the people that I knew that were chiming in on what they take/took and how they were or did react to it. I guess the idea of popping a pill never really occurred to me. And that is not because I have never been depressed or never had anxiety. And this post is in no way trying to bash their decision. I know these people posting are trying to do what they think is best for them. And I know that they just want to feel better. I was just so surprised that they were willing to trade the chance and not feeling depressed or anxious for what was happening instead. And it wasn't pretty...

And the other thing that really alarmed we was the fact that when I google natural depression remedies, the first choices give some pretty bland advice. I see things like "set a schedule, eat right, get enough sleep, etc." And although these are not necessarily bad things to suggest, they are not real suggestions and they don't get into what might be really happening in the body. And they don't give specifics! This is my body and I know that God created it to work just they way he intended. There has to be something better than this random list and popping a not so happy pill.

I am not a doctor. And I am not pretending to be one here either. Let's just be clear on that. This is all my opinion. But to me all these medications for anxiety and depression are just bandaids. They are not helping to fix what is causing the problems. And from those lists of side effects and the things my friends were posting, it sounds like these pills create even more problems.

I have been in a bit of a slump lately. Stress and some of the directions life has me headed really had me all out of sorts. Depression, anxiety, these are very real things in my life. But I have noticed that there are some things out there that work and don't involve any side effects. Here are the things I do when I start to feel myself taking a slide into Debby Downer territory. And really, I try to do these all the time because they just make a healthy, happier me.

1. Sunlight and Vitamin D
That beautiful sun that we were all taught to hide from is actually healing. There is tons of research that shows that low levels of Vitamin D are linked to depression and sadly even dementia. And you can get some sun exposure in a smart way. Just because you are outside, that doesn't mean you have to fry yourself. In the winter I do take a liquid form of Vitamin D and a K2 vitamin to help keep my levels up

2. Magnesium oil 
I would have to say that magnesium oil is my best friend. All the many things that I could write as symptoms go away or at least as less when I am using magnesium oil. It doesn't take much and you can make it yourself. This one is really, really worth trying. I think the oil form is the best because your skin soaks it in much better that if you take it in pill form. And don't worry if you are itchy when you first start using it. That does get better. And I have noticed that when my diet does not consist of ingredients that bother my stomach, I am not so itchy. So when I do get itchy it is a reminder to stop sneaking those things that bother me.... like gluten (unfortunately.... cause I really love fresh bread...) And this leads me to number 3.

3. Repair your leaky gut.
If you are eating a typical American diet, chances are your guts are a mess. And even if you are not, if you have a food intolerance your guts could still be a mess. And there a bunch of other reasons your guts could be a mess too. Maybe you don't show other symptoms besides the depression, that you have noticed, but it definitely could be all starting in your guts. Some researched and doctors are saying that depression is considered an inflammatory disorder. Yes, it all comes down to inflammation. I seem to be reading this all over the place. Inflammation, inflammation, inflammation....) So the key here is to get rid of the foods or somehow fix the other issues that might be causing the leaky gut and then heal those guts. I know that is easier said than done as I am still trying to do it!

4. Sleep
The importance of sleep really needs its own post or series of posts. But seriously, sleep is important. And I am not talking about 5 - 6 hours. I am talking about not watching that TV show at night and getting your butt in bed for 8+ hours. We really love to talk about how little sleep we got. I know I was the queen of it. I was proud that I could work until 3 am and get back up at 5 am and do it all over again. And I did that for WAY TOO LONG. And now I am here. Broken. And trying to fix the awful things I did to my body. I have a long way to go on this one, but I am working on it. And you really should too. It doesn't cost a thing. And the magnesium oil mentioned in #2 will make easier for you to calm your mind and get restful sleep.

Just be sure to put yourself in a good position to get good sleep. It might not be as easy as just hoping in bed at first. There are lots of tips out there for getting better sleep. Here are some that I like.

5. Eating Fat
Yep, I said. I LOVE FAT. Now, don't start going crazy on me. I am not sitting here eating a Big Mac and smiling. I am talking about good fat, like coconut oil, grassfed butter, avocado.....  There are lots of people looking to eating healthy fats to make happy brains and happy people. You might want to check that you are getting enough Omega 3 Fats as well. I try to get mine through cod liver oil but have been looking into maybe using krill oil.

6. Good Exercise
Sadly, I really hurt my body in my over exercising days. Constant cardio for hours and hours a day was killing me, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't exercise at all. There is a lot of research out there showing that exercise works better than the typical anti-depressant pill handed out at the doctors office. In fact, there are studies showing that Zoloft worked about as well as a brisk 30 minute walk, but the people taking Zoloft were more likely to have recurring depression, where the people walking were not.

For my exercise, I am now concentrating on HIIT and yoga or Pilates to help clear my mind and give me that little pep in my step again. I love the HIIT because it takes such a little amount of time to make a big impact and I love the others because they relax me. I also love to walk in beautiful places, soaking in sun and fresh air. This really helps clear my mind and help me feel like me.

7. Stress Management
This one is still something I am working on. I am very very very far from perfect. Did I mention that I am not perfect. Nope. I make so many mistakes it is almost comical. And staying stressed out when I know I should trust in the Lord is one of them.

And I don't know about you, but I feel like these are all really connected. If I do some of them better, others get better too. If I exercise, sleep well and eat well, my stress is way down. I feel like I can handle the day. However, I know that I need to keep growing and bettering myself.

One of the things I would like to do more that I think would help is journaling. Because I am choosing to sleep instead, I have been writing down three things that I am thankful for each day when I wake up. It takes less time and helps me focus on the good right as I am starting my day. And as I pray at night I also like to thank the good Lord for specific and general things as well. I think it is important to sometimes be specific to really open our eyes to all that is good in our lives. I have also been working on deep breathing. More on that and stress management to come.

Do you suffer from depression or anxiety? What are you doing to help feel like yourself again?


Photo Credit

The Quest for the Cures... A DocuSeries on Cancer

Life has been a little stressful, and I haven't had time to post like I would have liked. However, I wanted to be sure to share this quickly for those that might need it.

 

There is an interesting Docu Series on Cancer showing for free right now. I have not watched these all yet. In fact, I am just now watching the first episode, but it might be interesting for some of you out there.

The link to the first episode can be found here. Each episode airs for about 24 hours or so and then the next one is available. And you can find out more here as well.

Let me know what you think.