Category Archives: coaching

How to know if you don’t have a healthy gut

January 25, 2017 Shannon Walker 1 Comment

You walk into a bakery and smell the delicious aroma of bread, pie, cake, muffins, cookies, scones, cinnamon rolls and immediately you get more saliva and *think* you are hungry and need a snack. You practically drool at the thought of a ooey, gooey cinnamon roll. Mmmmm!!! 😀 (are you actually drooling yet?! 😀 ) Some of this deliciousness takes yeast to make into bread or rolls, while the other yummy goodness doesn’t but it actually breaks down (metabolizes) into sugar – which – too much will make yeast in our gut! 🙁

“All Health Begins in the Gut” – Hippocrates

Who was Hippocrates? He is considered to be the “father of medicine” while in reality, he was a physician from Greece and lived during the time of 460-375 B.C. There are many articles written about his ethical mannerisms and how he taught students such as Meno. “Meno, a pupil of Aristotle, specifically stated in his history of medicine the views of Hippocrates on the causation of diseases, namely, that undigested residues were produced by unsuitable diet and that these residues excreted vapours, which passed into the body generally and produced diseases. Aristotle said that Hippocrates was called “the Great Physician” but that he was small in stature (Politics). (1)

Hippocrates also ended this quote with “and let medicine be your food”. In actuality, it makes sense to use real food as your medicinal arsenal. Sometimes it is hard to decipher what Real Food is due to so many articles, authors, doctors, nutritionists, health coaches or self-taught personnel telling you to do this! do that! Try this or that! Eat this herb! Try this supplement! Mine is the best! Don’t eat theirs! :-O It can be SO confusing knowing what is right or wrong; what to do or what not to do.

While I certainly don’t want to add to the confusion, I do want to share some truths I have learned. I suggest you ask your family physician what is best for your health if you take any pharmaceutical medications. There can be interactions between medications and herbs / different foods, so please educate yourself on the different possibilities. Or schedule an appointment with your personal health coach or nutritionist to discuss your supplement regime.

Obviously, if you do a Google search on “gut health”, you will get numerous pages of articles and hundreds of different ideas. The one thing they do unite on is : A HEALTHY GUT IS SO IMPORTANT! 🙂

While this subject of gut health could take many pages and many days to write, it could not be exhausted. I plan to continue sharing tips as I learn more. But for today, here are some ways to tell if your gut is not healthy. **Keep in mind that each body is different and we each process foods differently. **

If your bowels are not moving at least once or twice a day, your gut needs a little help! Fecal waste that lies in the gut longer than 12-24 hours can ferment and start to leak bacteria back into your body!
If you are not drinking enough water on a daily basis, your health is compromised. Your body becomes like a stagnant swamp when it is not “flushing” out the toxins. Take your weight, divide it in half and that is how many ounces of water your body needs each day. If you are not used to drinking water, start by drinking 8 ounces in the morning first thing when you get up.

Then add in another 8 -16 ounces between your meals. If plain water is difficult for you, add in a little lemon juice, lime juice or these wonderful packets. Keep adding in water between your meals, so you digest your food better during meal time when you don’t need to drink as much liquid! Sip it throughout the day – your body can’t process more than 8 ounces in a gulp! 😀

3. If you haven’t tried eating some of the foods on this list, you should add in some healthy foods from this list of 10 foods good for gut health!

4. If you have intense stress or anxiety, your gut health could be compromised. Our gut is like a “second brain” and many health challenges could be removed if we listen to what our body is “telling us”. (2)

5. If you crave sugar or carbs, your gut is trying to tell you something! Please consider option six below to help combat this craving! (also look at resources # 6 and 7)

6. If you are lacking a good probiotic source, consider this one . I take it and love the results I am getting! 🙂

7. If you have extra weight around your middle, your gut could be storing toxic waste. When the body gets the number of calories it needs for the moment, but we like what we are eating and keep stuffing it in, the excess tends to reside in the hips or around our waist. This is not healthy as it causes the heart and respiratory system to work harder as well as cause more for our hips and joints to carry!

Cheers to a more healthier you! Please send me an email or comment in the box below if you have questions. Watch your inbox for more info on this subject!

Blessings on your day! ~Coach Shannon

mannafoldblessings@gmail.com

Resources:

coaching

Are there cancer-causing agents in feminine hygiene products?

December 21, 2016 Shannon Walker Leave a comment

Ok, so this is not the most comfortable subject to talk about, but I just read an article regarding the toxins that are put into commercially made feminine hygiene products. It was written by Ty Bollinger who is the founder of The Truth About Cancer. I want to share what he wrote. If you are a male and reading this, please consider sharing the article with your female family members. You may be saving a life! Women, lets share this with other girlfriends! Together, we all can help combat cancer!!

The Dirty Secrets of Feminine Hygiene Products Most Women Don’t Know

By Ty Bollinger

No one wants to discuss feminine hygiene products. Not ever.

It’s usually embarrassing and the topic can make even the strongest woman incredibly uncomfortable. Mothers purchase their daughters’ products and pray for them to read the directions instead of asking questions.

When a girl hit puberty, it’s automatically assumed that she’ll use pads for protection and sanitary reasons. Eventually, some young women may use tampons as well. They’re convenient, absorbent and, after a learning curve, reasonably easy to use. They’re on hand for when you need them. Women cycle every month from puberty to menopause and use what they require during those times.

But with studies questioning how these goods are made and what toxins they contain, women have new information to consider. The dangers sanitary products pose is a real concern. Ignoring them can lead to bigger health problems in the future.

The Science of Skin

Your skin is your largest organ. It is also the thinnest and most permeable organ. For women, this includes the skin around the delicate vaginal area. Any substance that comes in contact with your skin can be absorbed into your body, directly into your bloodstream.

It is this quality that makes topical medications so effective.

Your digestive system is designed to process compounds and rid your body of potential toxins. When something is absorbed through your skin, it doesn’t go through your body’s natural defense system. Your skin is unable to weed out the good stuff from what is potentially toxic.

A good rule of thumb in regards to skin care is that if you wouldn’t eat something, then you shouldn’t apply it to your skin.

Skin Health and Feminine Hygiene Products

Let’s talk about how conventional tampons and pads are manufactured. A single sanitary napkin can contain enough plastic to make four plastic bags. Chemicals within the plastic include potentially toxic chemicals, pesticides, and petrochemicals. That’s quite a chemical concoction to put in contact with the most sensitive skin on your body.

Since these products are considered “medical devices,” manufacturers aren’t required to disclose all of the ingredients they contain. Companies typically disclose that a pad contains foam and an absorbent material.

One woman compared a 100% organic cotton pad with a nationally known brand of pad. When burned, the organic pad burned slowly and steadily, leaving behind almost no residue other than the ash from burning. By striking comparison, the national brand pad created thick, black smoke and left behind a thick residue.

This led analysts to suspect that it contained petrochemicals, synthetic materials, and dioxins. Chemicals that have known links to cancer, heart disease, harm to developing embryos, and organ damage.

Tampons are manufactured using a blend of cotton, rayon, or a blend of the two materials. All tampons – organic or synthetic – have to pass the same standards for absorbency and protection.

Could Your Pad or Tampon be Harming You?

How can a clean, white pad or tampon cause damage? Consider whether or not that tampon is made with organic cotton. If not, chances are that it’s made with GMO cotton treated with crop pesticides. It’s a fact that 94% of the cotton grown in the United States is genetically modified.

If it’s an “odor neutralizing” product or contains any sort of fragrance, it contains a chemical soup of contaminates that can potentially cause infertility, neurological defects, hormone dysfunction, and cancer.

The average woman will use between 16,000 and 24,000 tampons in her lifetime, depending on how long her body menstruates. Without the ability to rid these toxins absorbed topically, they accumulate over a lifetime.

Tampons can also create an ideal environment for bacteria to develop and thrive. The walls of the vagina are so thin and delicate that regular use of feminine hygiene products can cause micro-tears. This presents a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) is a potentially life threatening condition caused by either a strep or staph infection resulting from tampon use.

Do you wonder why feminine hygiene products are so bright white? In order to get that pure white look, manufacturers use chlorine bleach. A by-product that forms from this bleaching process is dioxins. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes dioxins as a serious threat to public health and determined that there is no safe level of exposure.

However, the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that there is no discernible threat to the health of tampon or pad users from these dioxins as they are below detectable limits. They believe that “trace amounts” of dioxins are acceptable and safe to the human body.

If you use a product on your skin as much as 24,000 times during your life, is that considered a “trace amount” by the FDA? Clearly, the cancer-causing effects of these toxins are of very little concern to a government agency that long ago stopped caring about long-term consumer health.

Alternative Feminine Hygiene Products to Consider

There are alternatives that you can choose to lessen your exposure to the materials contained in various feminine hygiene products and nursing pads.

Organic cotton tampons. These products must pass an absorbency test so you are not likely to find any reduction in the quality. Organic tampons continue to test well beneath detectable levels for toxins. Look for 100% organic on the label.
Organic sanitary pads. Available in health food stores and recognized by more national supermarkets every month, these pads are a safe alternative to traditional pads. Again, absorbency is regulated so you are not losing quality by choosing a safer product. Read the label carefully.
Menstrual cup. This is an alternative to tampons or pads altogether. This silicone cup is inserted into the vagina during menstruation. Many women are choosing this option because it can be worn overnight, which is not recommended for any tampon.
Homemade products. Before WWII, disposable products weren’t available. Women had to fashion their own re-usable, washable pads for use during their periods. Some were made from absorbent towels, flannel, or similar cotton fabric. There are many resources online that provide information and even sewing patterns to make your own sanitary pads. The environmental advantages aside, you do need to wash these pads so preparation is key.

Whether you choose organic disposable products or make your own, there are alternatives to feminine hygiene products mass-produced with chemicals and plastics.

Contact large manufacturers and push for product disclosure as well. If it goes into or on your body, you have a right to know what’s in it. If you can’t pronounce it, chances are it’s not good for your delicate skin. Using safe feminine hygiene products is another aspect of living a cancer-free lifestyle.

Research is key. Find the solution that’s right for you and share the news with your females friends and loved ones.

No matter what you use, chances are it still won’t be a comfortable topic… but it may help save someone’s life!

~Ty Bollinger is a happily married husband, the father of four wonderful children, devoted Christian, best-selling author, medical researcher, talk radio host, health freedom advocate, former competitive bodybuilder and also a certified public accountant.After losing several family members to cancer (including his mother and father), Ty refused to accept the notion that chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery were the most effective treatments available for cancer patients. He began a quest to learn all he possibly could about alternative cancer treatments and the medical industry. Ty has now made it his life mission to share the most remarkable discovery he made on his quest: the vast majority of all diseases (including cancer) can be easily prevented and even cured without drugs or surgery.Ty speaks frequently to health groups, at seminars, expos, conferences, churches, and is a regular guest on multiple radio shows and writes for numerous magazines and websites. Speaking from personal experience and extensive research, Ty has touched the hearts and changed the lives of thousands of people around the world.

Ladies, there are numerous options out there for organic feminine products. Try In His Hands products or The Honest Company products if you don’t want homemade products! 🙂 And here is a link to the ones my friends make and sell all over the world- Cozy Cloths. Here is another link to a pattern if you want to sew your own.

If you have other ideas, please feel free to share them in a comment or send me an email at mannafoldblessings@gmail.com. 🙂

Have a blessed day,

Coach Shannon

coaching

Thankful Living

November 24, 2016 Shannon Walker Leave a comment

BE THANKFUL

Take time to be thankful, speak often in praise,

Arise in the mornings and grateful hymns raise;

Let gratitude fill you, show forth to the world,

The blessings of Jesus and serving the LORD.

Take time to be thankful, as “to-do lists” grow long,

Lift high Jesus’ Name, sing aloud joyful song;

Be grateful for voices and hands, legs and feet

That are able to work in the cold and in heat.

Take time to be thankful, as the world rushes on,

Not caring for others who live all alone;

To busy to help them – “I’ve too much to do!”

So they pass right on by; not caring – Do you?

Take time to be thankful, e’en when no one else,

Has uttered forth praise for all that’s in-house;

Perhaps if you start being thankful today,

The “flu-bug” of thankfulness will ne’er go away!

Take time to be thankful; give thanks in ALL things,

For dry spells in harvest or the rainbows bright rings;

Let’s be thankful for everything sent from above,

All the bounties of earth from our God, who is LOVE.

Written and © by Shannon Beeghley 10/19/12

“In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the desire of God in Messiah for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Blessings on your day! ~Coach Shannon

coaching

Raising your standard of Giving

November 16, 2016 Shannon Walker Leave a comment

Financial health- what does this involve? While this subject may not seem to fit the category of the other posts on health in terms of food health, you would have to agree that financial health would be of importance in the category of the health of our mind! 🙂

Many people lay awake at night wondering how they will make ends meet. I’ve been there. Many pour over their meager budget wondering how to make it more meager. How will I feed my family? Pay the mortgage? Put gas in the car?

Many people drive to work at a job they hate, but don’t feel they have a way out. Financial stress has caused many a heart attack or anxiety attack. It can cause irritability, anger, bitterness, fear, or broken marriages. The credit cards are maxed out and you live paycheck to paycheck, typically not really even making it to the next paycheck. Life seems bleak with no hope. Is there a way out of this cycle, this unending hamster wheel that keeps rolling the faster I try to run from job to job???

THERE IS HOPE! 🙂 I just felt this subject of financial health is important to discuss and want to share some of the ways I have been helped with regards to finances. Money is not a bad thing. How we choose to handle money impacts our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Luke 16:11 “Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of worldly wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you?”

“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:8

“The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.” Proverbs 22:7

I have several friends in the past couple years who have diligently worked on debt elimination and have achieved their goals. One person said it was the biggest weight off his back! After careful planning and talking to several advisors, both personal and professional, I am well on the way to financial freedom in the next 1.5-2 years! Each little bit that you pay extra on your loans will soon snowball into a greater effort! Skip those daily doughnut or bagel and coffee stops! Pay extra and be the example to the next generation. Show that we don’t HAVE to be bound by debt/student loans/credit card debt. Live with fewer materialistic items so you can be debt free. Have a garage sale/bake sale/craft sale. Get your children involved and teach them the true benefits of saving quarters so they add up to dollars! 🙂 Print this out and show yourself you can save 25 cents a week! Here is the template for saving $1 a week for a year.

Here are some ideas below to stretch your dollar farther or ways to assist in changing your beliefs about money. Some people want to know if investing is scripturally legitimate. They want to know if money is evil. Money can be used for good or evil. It is the love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil. The Bible never condemns money itself, only the misuse of or the wrong attitude toward it. (CBFS)

Blessings on your journey to true financial health! I am here cheering you on in your successes! It is truly liberating to cut up the credit card after paying it off! 🙂 When God blesses you with a check in the mail from an anonymous giver, give Him a tenth, then use the other amount with wisdom. When you are given more than enough, raise your standard of giving! You will reap the blessings.

One final thought is to work with a financial coach. I gained a lot from this financial coach. She has many resources on the subject of financial health. ~Coach Shannon

coaching, drinks

Homemade Vanilla Coffee Creamer

November 9, 2016 Shannon Walker Leave a comment

Coffee… what’s not to love? It is something to look forward to each morning, or it is something to wrap your hands around as you and a friend talk out the problems in your worlds. The fragrance is soothing to many, the taste is something acquired. It can be bitter or sweet or semi-sweet. It can range in many flavors, colors and tastes.

One taste many people have acquired is having a flavored creamer in their cup of dark brew. These come in many different choices too. I tried to google “How many different coffee creamer flavors are available?” but only got recipes and not a statistic! 🙂 I suppose there are as many flavors available as there are people! Ha! 😀

Here are the ingredients from Coffee Mate Creamer- Water, Corn Syrup Solids, Vegetable Oil (High Oleic Soybean and/or Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and/or Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and/or Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed), and Less than 2% of Sodium Caseinate (a Milk Derivative)**, Mono- and Diglycerides, Dipotassium Phosphate, Artificial Flavor, Carrageenan. **Not a source of lactose. Seriously, who would want to drink processed ingredients like that when homemade is so much better and just as easy to make??

I was looking to make my own, and found a recipe on the side of a Watkins vanilla box!

I decided to concoct my own with the ingredients I already had. Here is the recipe I created:

Vanilla creamer

3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.

Mix in a pint Mason jar and put in a shaker ball (from your shaker bottle). Screw the lid on tight and shake till blended.

I want to try it with coconut milk sometime and maybe add in some cocoa powder. Or try it with peppermint extract and cocoa. So many possibilities of flavors and KNOWING what you are putting into your body!

You might wonder how I made the lid? 🙂 Just take the old milk carton and draw around a Ball canning lid, then cut to fit! I found this idea in a video on Facebook and it has worked amazingly well! These lids will work for children who like Cheerios and you don’t want them spilling the entire snack jar onto the floor! 😀

Here are some websites of other homemade flavored recipes!

Over 2 dozen flavors and 10 ways to flavor your coffee without buying flavored coffee

Have fun concocting your own recipes and let me know what works for you! 😀

~Coach Shannon

coaching

The silent monster

November 2, 2016 Shannon Walker Leave a comment

(Join me here as I invite guest blogger, Alisha Bonnell, to share some truth in learning to manage the silent monster…)

“Do you remember how as a child, you would always have “dad” check under your bed / in the closet for those nasty, scary, unwanted “creatures” out to ruin your night sleep (also known as monsters)?

Do you remember how your dad, knowing how important this monster hunt was to you, would exaggerate and pretend to pull and tug on those “darn monsters” and then with a big kick, he’d kick them out the door?

Yeah I remember that too! To me, my dad was (and still is) my superhero.

Do you remember when you reached the age of “there are no monsters in my closet or under my bed. Actually monsters don’t exist!”

I was so happy when that age came. I don’t know about you, but I just knew that I would never have to deal with that problem ever again.

Haha, yeeeeah, well …. was I wrong!

So … umm … I have this big scary monster … and well, he likes to think he’s my shadow. He seems to follow me everywhere.

In fact I’ve decided to name him! Yes, yes, I’ve named this monster. I figure, if he’s going to stick around, then he just needs to have a name. I’d like to introduce the monster named …

R E J E C T I O N

You see, Rejection has always been in my life. Of course, as a young girl, I didn’t realize who exactly was following me around. Actually, I didn’t realize it until I was bawling my eyes out the other night. As I thought about / analyzed everything I have experienced in my life, it made perfect sense … it was/is all due to Rejection (can you say light bulb moment?).

Allow me to give you the brief history between me and Rejection:

Rejection first made his appearance the day my father walked out on me and Mom. I couldn’t understand why my “daddy” left.

At ten years old, my childhood best friend left for CA without saying goodbye.

I was always the last one chosen for games.

No one really liked being my friend.

I was told (by a guy) that I was too fat for any guy to like me.

… fast forward to this year …

I was given attention and affection by someone who could see I was naive and insecure. Who was a master of words, and knew what I needed / wanted to hear. Who has been given the opportunity to really show me that they meant what they said. Have they? Nope, Rejection has won the battle once again.

This last experience has really torn me apart. It changed me, for the good and the bad. It opened my eyes. It has made me grow up a bit more than before. It has made me make a huge decision in my life.

I feel God has allowed me to experience what I experienced this year for this one reason.

I have been living my life accepting Rejection. Making him my “best friend”. Allowing Rejection to be the norm in my life. Expecting to be rejected by everyone I become close to.

I didn’t know it until just the other night, but me allowing Rejection to be the norm, has affected more than one aspect of my life. It has affected:

>> my Spiritual life

>> my attitude

>> my outlook on life

>> my trust

>> my attitude towards family

>> my attitude towards friends

And while it has affected those aspects of my life, the irony behind all this is this:

I’m terrified of Rejection!

Haha yeah I know, can you say contradictory? I hate the thought of being rejected. To this day, I think about the possibilities of being rejected.

Daddy leaving us

Friends leaving for no reason

Never being loved by a man to call my own

…. the list could go on!

What am I going to do about Rejection?

Well, I could go about it the childish way …

“Daaaaaddy! Daaaaaaaddy, heeeelp! There’s a monster following me around! He won’t leave me alone. Get him please Daddy, please!”

… and in a way, I did just that! Confused now? Let me clear up the confusion with the following verses:

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.” Psalm 34:17-20

I didn’t call out to my earthly Daddy, I’ve called out to my Heavenly Daddy. My Daddy has delivered me out of my troubles. He has saved me!

So to answer the question “What am I going to do about Rejection?”, I’m conquering him with Scripture! I’m tired of living my life accepting Rejection as the norm.

Now I know this new road isn’t going to be easy. I’ll always have Rejection longing to come back into my life, but I can’t live captive to him … I need to overcome. As 2 Corinthians 12:9 says:

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

I will gladly allow His power to be made perfect in my weakness. He is the strength I need to overcome. I can do all things (Philippians 4:13).

So I leave you with this:

This girl doesn’t care if she’s still the last one to be chosen in games – I’ve never been a fan of kickball anyways. If I’m never loved by a man to call my own, that’s okay. I’m already loved by a man who thinks I’m to die for (literally!). If my friends decide to leave that’s fine, can I ask one thing: will you please let me know what I did wrong, so I don’t repeat it with my other friends? I’m ready to live my life as an over-comer of the not so scary monster …

… I’m ready to live it in the hands of the One who made me, loves me, and will never leave or forsake me! “

coaching, vegetables

The wonders of Purslane- your backyard weed

September 14, 2016 Shannon Walker Leave a comment

Purslane 1 — Purslane (Portulaca sativa)

One day you are walking out your back door and find a little plant growing up beside the patio. You wonder what it is, and remember you have a book inside that describes plants in your backyard. After getting it and comparing pictures from the book to the real life plant, you decide it is purslane. Reading a bit of the paragraph, you discover some incredible information! Who knew that weeds could be so tasty and full of nutrition? This little powerhouse of nutrition is a necessary ingredient in your salad bowl!

Purslane is usually growing along a building or out in the driveway. It has a slightly juicy yet a tangy taste that is very mild. I found a large plant of it and made several meals from the one plant! Purslane looks like a spread out succulent that has reddish colored stems about the size of a #2 pencil with dark green oval leaves. (The sun was so bright the day I took this picture, you cannot see the red stems!)

Most people think you have to eat fish, walnuts, avocados etc to get your Omega 3… Well, it turns out that purslane comprises of MORE Omega 3 fatty acids than any other vegetable plant! Herbalist James Duke says that 3.5 ounces of purslane contain 400 mg of ALA. (1) If you have some chickens in the backyard and feed them some purslane, they will lay eggs with 20 times more omega’s than regular eggs!! 20 times!!! That is a huge inflation! 😀 Munch munch!

Purslane has been used in the herbal world for many things-

burns
headaches
stomach problems
intestinal problems
boils
cough
shortness of breath
arthritis
cardiac tonic
muscle relaxant
anti-inflammatory
diuretic
psoriasis
osteoporosis
eyewash
depression
urinary tract infections
kidney stones
hemorrhoids
asthma
dysentery & bleeding
wounds or breast infections

It also helps increase uterine contractions, has antibiotic and anti-fungal properties, kills parasites, treats appendicitis and the American Indians infused the leaves in flaxseed as a liniment for a stiff neck!

CAUTION: Even though purslane has evidence of relaxing muscles and increasing uterine contractions, it should not be used in excess amounts during a pregnancy. (1)

Purslane is also high in antioxidants, omega 3 & 6 fatty acids, melatonin, glutathione, vitamin A, B, C, E, beta carotene, magnesium (450mg / cup), calcium (2000mg / cup), potassium (8000mg / cup), Co-Q10, and zinc to name a few!! Wow!! 😀

You can see in the photo above, I had chopped some of the leaves and put it in with lettuce, topped it with fresh salsa and blueberries for a sweet crunch. I used a peach vinegar for dressing, but you can eat it with any salad dressing. It can be used in smoothies, salads, potato salad, soups, stir fry or Asian dishes.

Go search your yard for some purslane and let me know how you use it!

Here’s to your health! ~ Coach Shannon

Resources:

Backyard Pharmacy; Weeds That Heal

coaching

I never thought I would reach them…

August 4, 2016 Shannon Walker Leave a comment

Do you find yourself wishing for things or circumstances to change, but life keeps happening and nothing seems to be changing? Do you struggle to just keep your head above water, above the daily grind of the work/home/school schedule and wonder if you ever will get a moment of “me time” to sit down and catch your breath? Let alone plan or fix a meal after a long day at work… when is there time for that?

Allow me to encourage you a moment. When we get tired (and I mean REALLY tired) of where we are in life – never seeming to get ahead- then we will FIND the time to sit down and write down some goals. The hardest part is trying to carry out those goals after writing them down.

Recently, I was very tired of never seeming to get over the hump and was spinning my wheels. I finally took a leap of faith and JUMPED on board with a group of coaches who led me through some classes that really cleared up the vision and future for me and my business. I still have to do the work of implementing the different goals and suggestions, but have felt more inspired for the future than I ever have! 🙂 I have surpassed some of my goals and feel even more determined to put forth more effort for the remaining 6 months of this year!

If you are feeling stuck in place and need a boost, send me an email at mannafoldblessings@gmail.com. I will listen and guide you in making better choices if you are ready to make a change!

Be Blessed,

Coach Shannon

Find me over here @createdtopersevere

coaching, fruit

It’s strawberry time!

June 1, 2016 Shannon Walker Leave a comment

Needing some new recipes for strawberries? I’m seeing lots of posts about them on social media and I am wishing I could go pick some out of my patch! However, my strawberry patch is in my imagination, so I don’t have to go far! 😀 haha!

Last year I found one the width size of my cup!

Strawberries are rich in vitamin C, fiber, folate and potassium. The USDA-ARS Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging states they are a great source of antioxidants and places them among the top 5 antioxidant- rich fruits!
Strawberries fight against cancer, heart disease, memory loss, stress and anxiety. One source states “According to a research at Tufts University, the antioxidants in strawberries could prevent or even reverse problems like memory loss, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease – all conditions blamed on free radical damage.” Eat a strawberry (or three) after a stressful day and it may increase your dopamine- the happy chemical in your brain! 🙂 (1)

Here is a recipe to try!

Strawberry Electrolyte Drink

By: Shannon Beeghley, LPN, NS, CHHC

-3 cups of coconut water
-1 cup of frozen strawberries
-1/8 teaspoon of sea salt
-2 tablespoons natural sugar or honey, to taste

Throw into you blender and let it run until everything is thoroughly mixed together and the mixture is smooth.

And a healthy jam recipe I want to try!

Toss a few sliced strawberries in with some fresh garden spinach, a sprinkle of slivered almonds and drizzle with a poppy seed dressing! Ooo-la-la! 😀 Add to smoothies, on top granola & yogurt, fresh strawberry pie…. YUM!

Word of caution- there are allergy concerns for a few people when it comes to strawberries. Be sure to ask your friends if they or their children have strawberry allergies before your cookout get- together. Also, it is very important to properly wash your locally grown (or store bought) berries to avoid any harmful bacteria that can cause disease. Ask your local berry farmer if they used any fertilizer sprays. Berries can be washed in a light vinegar/water mix to clean off fertilizer sprays etc. Rinse the berries several times before consuming! Fresh berries will keep about a week! (If they last that long! 😀 )

How do you eat your strawberries?

~Coach Shannon

Resource:

Eat and Heal by the Editors of FC&A Medical Publishing

coaching, Miscellaneous

Homemade “Bleach”

May 25, 2016 Shannon Walker 4 Comments

Hi everyone! Do you ever wish you could have a safer bleach alternative? Something without a chemical smell or hazard to your health or small children?

I worked with a nurse a few years ago, who worked in surgery, and she told me they would educate women about the dangers of chlorine bleach & that it can cause breast cancer. When you search the web, (1), (3) you will find pros and cons to using Bleach, but it IS made of chemicals. If the scientists making it are using gowns, gloves, goggles and face masks, shouldn’t that indicate there is a respiratory hazard of breathing in the chemicals? Do you wear gowns, gloves, masks and eye goggles before doing laundry or cleaning your house with bleach? 🙁 Bleach is corrosive and will eat at skin or anything it is placed on. It breaks down elastic in underclothing pretty quickly, if washed in it frequently.

I once thought I would mix bleach with another “harmless” cleaning agent and I immediately got a foaming mist of horrible smelling “gas” coming up out of the bucket! I failed to read the label which states to never mix Clorox with any other chemical cleaning agent! 🙁 So I quickly opened the windows and got the fans going to draw out the harmful gas.

I have not used Clorox for a long time. Instead, I make my own with only 3 ingredients using a recipe by Jillian that I found online! (There are many different recipes for bleach alternatives online! Just search and find the one you like.) It really does whiten my clothes. For gray- dingy looking socks or under- clothing, allow them to soak for several hours before washing.

My mom used this Natural Bleach Alternative recipe on an old dry rag to wash mold off my painted walls and baseboards. The mold came right off with some gentle rubbing! 🙂

Recipe:

12 cups water
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup hydrogen peroxide

Mix. Add 2 cups per wash load or put in spray bottle and use as a household cleaner.

NOTE: I cut this recipe in half and used an old half gallon empty vinegar jug to store the Natural Bleach Alternative in.

Happy environmentally green & safe cleaning! 😀

~Coach Shannon

Resources:

Mannafold Blessings in Health

Category Archives: coaching

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It’s strawberry time!

Homemade “Bleach”

Change your words, Change your life!

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The Science of Skin

Skin Health and Feminine Hygiene Products

Could Your Pad or Tampon be Harming You?

Alternative Feminine Hygiene Products to Consider

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Change your words, Change your life!