Clean Up Your Biscuits (GF/ DF)

These gluten-free, dairy-free biscuits are versatile and taste great. We give them bonus points because they are easy to make! If you make them, let us know what you think.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups almond flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp sea salt

2 large eggs, beaten

1/3 cup Culina plain and simple dairy-free yogurt (measured, then melted)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In medium mixing bowl, combine almond flour, baking powder, and salt.

2. Gradually stir in eggs and yogurt and combine until mixture is uniform (it will be about the consistency of cookie dough.

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and scoop dough into desired size and shape, keeping in mind that the biscuits will expand slightly but not as much as a traditional recipe. (Note: the dough is sticky, so using a scoop or two spoons is recommended.)

4. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until biscuits are lightly browned and a fork inserted in the center comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Encouragement + Immunity

Your immune system is magnificent, and the whole world needs you to know that right now.

We are all aware that social distancing is an important part of our social responsibility… what if we told you that by supporting your own immune system you’re also protecting those around you who may be vulnerable?

No joke - We’re not sure why no one is really talking about this approach, so we wanted to give you a little encouragement and explanation about how amazing and important your immune system really is because the first step in boosting immunity is appreciating its immense capability.

Simply put, healthy immune systems are where bad bugs go to die.

Let’s talk about an ideal scenario: We’ll say a healthy person (Sally? Sure.) comes into contact with a virus or bacteria. We’ll call this little enemy, I don’t know… Shmovid.

Shmovid makes it’s way past Sally’s first line of defense, her skin, when she unconsciously touches her face at the grocery store. Sally has been sleeping great, exercising, limiting intake of sugar and bad news, meditating, and supplementing Vitamin D, Vitamin C, liposomal glutathione, and zinc.

So now what happens? Her ahhhhmazing (well-supported) immune system recognizes this invader as foreign and immediately launches an insanely intricate, brilliant defense. Sally was made for this (and so were you!).

Within a matter of days, not only does Sally’s body kill that particular Shmovid, it also creates a new permanent task force within her so that if any other Shmovids should ever enter her body, it will have a much harder time affecting her well-being. Perhaps with only minor symptoms (which are actually just signs that her body is working) or maybe even with no symptoms at all, victory is won.

We’ll assume that Sally is also doing her part and social distancing, especially from high risk individuals, so if she should be contagious with Schmovid (or anything else), she’s not spreading the germs to vulnerable people around her.

If the majority of Sally’s community is taking care of themselves like she is, then the same situation goes down inside each of them so that whenever society is fully released back into the public, Shmovid isn’t likely to be transmitted to our grandmas or our immunocompromised aunts because it’s run its course.

Basically, Sally just saved the world. Excellent work, Sally.

If you’re thinking, “yeah but a vaccine is coming soon so my personal health won’t matter as much.”... that’s not the whole picture. If you’re wondering why we can’t just vaccinate to create herd immunity, I hear you. Not in a million years do I want to start an online conversation about immunization ethics, but I do want to say one thing on the topic because it is not disputable. Whether a person is vaccinated or not, a healthy immune system (and strong collective immunity of society) is critical.

For one, an appropriate immune response is necessary to effectively develop immunity from a vaccine. Also, (this isn’t the best piece of news, but…) viruses mutate. Immunity from an immunization strain does not always equal immunity to a mutated strain, but a healthy immune system is much more likely to build immunity to the mutation more quickly and effectively.

Bottom line: vaccine or no vaccine, if you have a functioning immune system, the absolute best thing you can do for yourself and for the world at large is to beef that baby up. If you’d like to know our favorite strategies to do just that, you can access a free immunity module here.

We believe in you, we believe in your immune system, and the world needs you to believe in your immune system, too. Let’s save the world, together.

Best,

Beth Ann & Candice

From Barely Surviving to Thriving

I was always the “happy one.” A natural problem-solver, handling life’s challenges with a smile on my face was second nature. And if it was an act... I was even fooling myself.

But over the years and after each pregnancy, my easy hold on “mindfulness” became more challenging. Or, put another way, it became harder for me to maintain positivity and focus when my emotions felt overwhelming.

I delivered four healthy children and one miscarriage in 3.5 years. All this, while maintaining a demanding career and barely pausing to acknowledge my own needs. My previously healthy lifestyle had taken a backseat in most areas of my life.

Just reading what I wrote sort of blows my mind, actually… WHY was I surprised that it felt stressful?

Women aren’t created weak.

Mothers don’t exist to be martyrs.

Things came to a boiling point after my last child was born nearly 4 years ago. I’d experienced postpartum depression and anxiety to varying degrees after each pregnancy but repeatedly swept my feelings under the rug in order to live up to the “Super Mom” title I felt was expected of me.

Where did those expectations come from anyway?

At the time I would have pointed the finger at the people around me (who were loving and well-meaning, for the record), but after years of digging deeper, I now believe that I'm responsible for being an active participant in my own mental health.

Why do women minimize our own emotions in order to meet unrealistic standards and/or minimize inconvenience in the lives of those around us, at our own expense? Can this really be the extent of God's plan for us?

The words of scripture ring true for how we talk to ourselves as well as how we interact with others. Are you kind to yourself? Do you take the time to understand your purpose? “Your own soul is nourished when you are kind, but you destroy yourself when you are cruel.” - Proverbs 11:17

Your brain believes whatever you tell it.

Every time I intentionally neglected to observe how my body and mind were reacting, I was telling my subconscious mind that I didn’t matter.

Every time I overrode my body’s signals that things were awry, I was telling my subconscious that I can’t trust my own feelings.

Every time I chose to serve the purpose of others at the expense of serving the purpose of my soul, I was telling my subconscious that what others want is more important than my own desires.

Happiness is an Inside Job.

It has taken years of creating (and re-creating) habits that reinstated my confidence and joy. What I have tried to share throughout my journey is that the things that keep us well don't need to come from the multi-billion dollar beauty industry; they are all around us and easily accessed once you know what you're looking for.

When I am at my best, I am doing specific, teensy-tiny actions habitually every day. These are simple steps that can be done by absolutely anyone of any age, any fitness level, any season of life.

The fundamentals that have taken me from overwhelmed to overcoming are available in our first online course, Everyday Wellness. We created this toolkit and our other free resources as an affordable and easy way to build the basics of wellness back into your life. You can do this course on your own-- it's broken into 21 days of bite-sized lessons-- or with a friend to help you stay on track and accountable.

You were created to be Well

I believe with my whole heart and soul that our Creator doesn't expect us to operate in a state of distress. After all, we are better able to serve our Purpose when we are healthy in body, mind and spirit.

We are often struggling to stay afloat in the pool of life, not realizing that we are surrounded by life-rafts! If only we knew they're there or could be reminded when things feel too hard.

You are worthy of feeling your BEST. You are worthy of prioritizing your desires, your dreams, your feelings and your health. It's true what my pawpaw always said: "when mama ain;t happy, ain;t nobody happy".... we laughed but it's true! Our entire families operate at a higher caliber when we are our best.

Wellness isn't a destination.; it's designed to be a journey that can be beautiful and empowering once you're ready to be an active participant. I'm not suggesting this is always easy but it is possible.

xo,

Candice