Starbucks published the sugar content of their six new hyped Frappuccino flavors. And I can't even, read more to see my take, healthier swaps and the shocking numbers. Tip Of The Day: Know What You're Putting In Your Body. Knowledge is power.
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As an A type personality I am ALL about lists. And planners. And white boards. And apps that make my life easier. (OH the apps). Last year, in 2014, I made a plan to track a lot of what I do in one concise place (my phone). This was a HUGE deal for me because I’m the girl that if I don’t have my planner with me, along with my cute pen and the ability to physically cross things off, I feel a little panicky. So, last year I thought I would try to simplify and let it go. What ended up happening though was I found an app to use for EVERYTHING. EVERY. THING. And at the end of my tired and busy work day I was literally having to input data into like 30 different places. (slight exaggeration. Maybe.) Water intake. Workout log. To-Do checklist. Work checklist. Grocery List. Positive things that happened that day log. Food journal. Period log. Ovulation Tracker. (yes, I totally use these apps, especially since we are trying to have Little P.) What I realized was I was OVER-WHELMED in my simplifying process. Definitely not a win. So in 2015, when I prayed on the purpose and words for my year, the first and strongest word was ABUNDANCE. However, what preceded that word was SIMPLIFY. And HUMBLE. I believe that if we SIMPLIFY, work SMARTER not HARDER and are humble in our daily life and in our tasks, we can better receive and appreciate the ABUNDANCE planned for our lives. For the past couple of months I’ve been streamlining both my home and office systems and I now think I have simplified as much as I can with how my schedule runs. I also didn’t want to cut out the few things that help me mentally, and realized that writing things out each night helps me unplug from the day. I knew I was never meant to be 100% digital. Below I’ve suggested my favorite apps for simplifying and balancing your life. But first, I put a comparison list to what I USED to use as oppose to what I cut it down to. I no longer use the multiple whiteboards thanks to my planner and I'm currently not keeping a water or food journal. I started to become too obsessive over my food log and I realize now that I can just eat healthy and look back on my menus for reference if something makes me feel sick. I also made an awesome "Hydration Station" in my kitchen where I put out 4-5 water bottles in the morning and make sure I finish them before bed. The cleaning chart in the laundry room was removed due to Wunderlist keeping track of my weekly house cleaning and Spring Cleaning list. It's an easy and stress free way to organize and keep track of my days without feeling burdened by something that is supposed to make things easier.
And what's the sense in that? I'd love to know YOUR favorite organizational apps! Comment your favorites and I may just choose my favorites to win a yummy gluten-free and dairy-free snack prize pack I got at the latest expo! It's funny how judgments are made by a single glance. Our society as a whole is so quick to judge. We can so easily judge strangers as they pass by, when we in reality don't know their stories at all. We can judge circumstances and situations based on past experiences without ever giving them a chance. And we can judge ourselves, too often, with way more harshness than we ever should. This all brings me to the photo above. It looks like a sad little disheveled cupboard. Mugs and extras haphazardly lay strewn about. No order. No organization. That's one of my kitchen cupboards at this very moment. And to me, that cupboard symbolizes another step towards the health of my family and myself. Because today, I continued purging our plastics. I sorted out all the old tupperware that can harm our food and our bodies, and what was left was a mix of mugs, glass bowls, and some old coffee (which also needs to go), all jumbled and crazy. Now, because I ADORE organization and order, those mugs will all find a nice little home. I will add back in all the glass bowls, neatly stacked, and glass carrying containers for food for when we travel or when Mr. Charming goes to work. But today, it is messy. It is out of order.
Because sometimes, when we're on the path to a better outcome. A path that is carved out of love, and good intention, sometimes it can look a little messy. A little haphazard, a little out of place. And that's ok. Know WHERE your buying: When it comes to buying organic food, you have many options on WHERE you get it. Regular chain grocers tend to charge a higher premium for organic fruits and vegetables. I opt to purchase my organic produce from stores like Trader Joes and Sprouts, as they tend to have more organic options and have closer relationships with local farmers. Your BEST bet for saving on organic produce is going to the source. Farmers Markets, or the farms if you are lucky to live in a rural area where you can build those relationships. Even living in a metropolitan area like Phoenix, there are co-ops through my Naturopath's office, or through farmers at the Farmers Markets where you can sign up to get a box of organic goodness delivered monthly to a designated pick up location. Kind of like I am doing with my Honest Essentials Bundle for my house cleaning supplies. Know WHAT your buying: To save money, not EVERYTHING you buy has to be organic. While in a perfect world we'd all eat healthy, organic food all the time, however, when we're trying to save, there is a happy medium we can apply to find balance and save some pennies. The EWG published a list of the DIRTY DOZEN. These are the fruits and vegetables most likely to be heavily contaminated with pesticides and other nasties. I also buy all of my frozen fruits and veggies that I use in my soups and smoothies organic, because I don't know where the non-organic products come from before they are bagged. On a happier note, there is also a list called the CLEAN FIFTEEN. Vegetables and fruits with thicker skins, usually ones that aren't eaten, help to protect that food from exposure to excessive toxins. This makes them ok choices to buy non-organic. Remember to still wash them very well. I have mixed fruit and vegetable washes, I just soak them for a long time in water and scrub the skins lightly without harming the fruit or veggie. If you are going to opt for a fruit wash, I suggest Honest Co. fruit and veggie wash since it itself is organic and pure. *Nosh&Nurture does not agree with corn being listed on the Clean Fifteen, since most corn is GMO. Being grain-free, I also don't consume corn. I also buy organic cabbage, as I think it's just as exposed as lettuce. Know how to keep it fresh:
Now you have all of this tasty, healthy organic food at home that you paid a little more for. How do you make it last? Remember that keeping produce in the fridge, as opposed to on the counter, is going to help it last much longer and help prohibit mold growth for a longer period of time. I generally keep my fruit in the fridge. I'll keep my sweet potatoes, onions, avocados and bananas in my fruit bowl. Also, a great way to keep onions, garlic and shallots fresh for MONTHS, you have to check out this post at The Yummy Life blog, this idea is genius. When it comes to looking at organic living from a financial perspective, remember, you will be saving a large amount of money by NOT going out to eat. By replacing your meals with home cooked, organic food, you can easily get a few healthy meals out of what you'd pay for one meal in a restaurant that doesn't pack nearly as much nutritional value. Mr. Charming and I were easily spending a lot more when we'd go out all the time than we do now. So while the grocery bills may seem a bit heftier, in the long run your health, family and wallet will thank you. |
Welcome! My name is Mandi & I hope you stay in this happy little space a while. I'm a Christian, a wife to my Mr. Charming, mama to baby Greyson, healthy food-lover, traveler, professional journalist and Personal Nutritionist who hopes to inspire others with my story...
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October 2017
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