Spirit 92.9

The Novak Family

Hi all, this is Scott from the Novak family. I haven't been in-touch as often as I would like to what wih the boys games and all, who knew teenagers needed just about EVERYTHING. Lots of miles put on the ole minivan. So...I will catch you up on whats happening with us over here. First off, work has been going great, I am noticeing many changes in the little stuff I do at work. Many of the calls I go on are very labor intensive, and I am noticeing that they are becoming easier, well not easier but i find myself breathing easier, and keeping up with the young guys and gals I work with. So the working out, the cardio, really works. WELL!!! It never stops amazing me. As a responder working long shifts its easy to fall into routines and habits that well aren't very good for you. Before it was midnight gas station suppers, and lots of Mt. Dew to keep you awake. Now, thanks to my wifes planning of course, and my kids encouragements its planned out healthy meals and DIET Mt. Dew.(gotta have my dew). And that in itself as changed my well work health. I sleep better, more energy when it comes to those late night early morning calls. It all really is an amazing change. I very much recommend it. PLUS...the best part. I got to go and pull about 5 pair of my old favorite jeans outa the closet. So ya working out is Working. Not just is it helping out at work but let me tell you about home. I am keeping up with four boys, two being teenagers, two babies ( don't let Chris know I said babies), and one energetic little girl. I am getting out, going places where before I was content to HEAR of there adventures, now am experienceing it with them, be it attending hockey games, basketball games or going out to search with my daughter for our new pet, eventually retreiving her from the pound. Like I said ADVENTURES. In doing so...its opening up lines of communication with my kids that I had never knew I lost. That is awesome. We are keeping on keeping, moving forward, and really kinda having fun, not everything is work work work anymore. Talk to you soon.

Scott

Greniger family

Just a little update from the Greniger clan.  We are still struggling a bit in the "going to the gym" area. Especially now since American Idol is on 3 nights of the week and I'm a huge fan. (LOL) But we will continue on!

In January Hope and I had gone in to Stillpointe for EDS, this is electro-dermal-screening. I had actually done this before, but it had been years. I have been struggling with some sort of sinus problem, it was actually waking me up at night, I would get so stuffed during the night that I would wake up coughing and have to get a cough drop, or lay on the couch in the recliner to sleep- it actually got to be every single night, and it had been going on for a year. I had been to the physician a couple times to try and figure it out. I was tested for barn lung, which is a lung ailment that people that farm can end up with, but xrays never showed anything. The EDS testing showed that I have mold toxicity, this is helpful so that we can look for the mold in our home, Hope tested positive for this as well. We live in a 1912 home, so its very believable that mold must be here, so spring cleaning here we come! SarahErin gave me some holistic "drops" for the sinus thing, also my psoriasis and a few other things. I am happy to say- by week 2 I was sleeping through the night and my sinus issues were greatly improved. My psoriasis has also greatly improved.

We have been doing some prayer counseling out of the Jubilee Christian Center in St Cloud, with Pastor Andy Leenstra. This has been amazing and we are so grateful for the opportunity to sit down with someone and have them help us through....
Books that Pastor Andy recommended for our family since we are working on the father/daughter relationship with Hope and Kevin:   Always Daddys Girl and Changes that Heal.  I am reading the book Total Forgiveness by RT Kendall and it is spot-on what I need.

I will say this though- don't underestimate how Satan will get a stronghold on you when you are trying to get back on track with God. The things that have been thrown on us and the issues that have come up are incredible. There have been times we just want to throw in the towel and say "thats enough, I guess I can't do this" but I know that so many of you have been praying for our family and we just want you to know how much we appreciate it.

Heidi (mom of the Greniger family)

The Nyhammer Family

Hello All !

It's been a while, I don't know where the time has gone these last few weeks.  It's been going pretty good. 

We've started to really make a habit of getting the the gym and more consistantly making good eating choices.  While it's a daily choice, we're now feeling more guilty if we don't get to the gym after a couple of days, not to mention I feel sluggish and kind of blah.  The weeks where I've gone to the gym 4 or 5 times that week I physically AND emotionally feel fantastic, so that is great incentive to keep it up.

Brent and I are gearing up to go on a cruise here in a few days, so I was able to do some shopping for that.  I've lost 13 pounds, and over 11 inches around various places on my body, so shopping was quite fun!  That was great motivation for me!  Brent is also in a couple of belt notches, so he is liking seeing that progress as well.

We had a great meeting with our Life Coach Jim Otremba and have enjoyed implementing some of the strategies he gave us as homework...my main one is deep breathing when I feel stressed and about to explode.  What a difference this seemingly simple technique can make!

Signing off for now...

Laurie

StillPointe Natural Health Center: SarahErin Palmer Wellness Coach and CPT

A few days ago someone has inquired as to how much protein a one should intake.  Here is some information on protein as it applies to adults and children.

Protein Intake

Remember, protein is like anything else you eat, too much equals storage as body fat.  It is a miss conception that the more protein you eat the more muscle is built.  Yes, protein is essential to growth and development and it keeps you fuller for longer, however, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

Most often protein is thought of as only coming from animal sources, however, almost everything we eat has a protein content- even fruits, vegetables and grains.  These proteins should also be counted toward our daily intake.  Many issues arise from taking in too much protein, mainly animal protein.  It is harder for the body to break down and can cause gastrointestinal distress if eaten in large quantities often.  Constipation and chronic fatigue is common in people who consume large amounts of animal proteins, including dairy.  Liver fatigue can also occur as a result of too much protein because of its role in detoxifying the body. Chronic high protein intake can also lead to calcium depletion, fluid imbalances and slower metabolism.   High protein diets are recognized as those consisting of 30% or more of one’s daily caloric value and are associated with higher amounts of saturated fat intake and lower fiber intake which are both risk factors in heart disease and some cancers.   Americans generally consume more protein than is necessary for good health.  Remember to concentrate on quality sources of protein:  nuts, seeds, beans, organic meats and protein dense grains.  Study the chart below to see how much protein you require.  Then take a day to document how much protein you are actually ingesting.

 

To calculate how much protein you need you first need to convert your weight in pounds to kilograms. (example: 120lbs divided by 2.2 kilograms= 54.55 kilograms)

·         If you exercise very little to not at all multiple your weight in kilograms by .8

·         If you exercise moderately to intensely multiple your weight in kilograms by 1.0 (If heightening your intensity to build muscle multiple by 1.2-1.8)

·         If you are a body builder multiple your weight in kilograms by 1.0 (during times of intense training/getting ready for competition multiple by 1.6-2.0

·         If you are an endurance athlete multiple your weight in kilograms by 1.4 (during times of long distance training as in marathon or triathlon multiple by 1.6-2.0)

(example: 120lbs converted to kilograms=54.55 kilograms multiplied by 1.0=  54.55 grams of protein per day.)

 

Children’s requirements:

·         Infants up to 5 months 13 grams/day

·         Infants 5 months to 1 year 14 grams/day

 

Lactating women should multiple their weight in kilograms by one level more than their activity level.  (Example: 54.55 kilogram individual from above when lactating would multiple by 1.2-1.8)

Dr. Susan Saetre, StillPointe Natural Health Center, Biggest Gainer Nutrition Expert

In conversations with our BG families, and with patients, I often get asked "what supplements should I take?" While this varies by individual, there are some basics we always recommend. Now in an ideal world we would get all of our vitamins and minerals from food, but since our lifestyles are hectic, we eat fast and processed food, and our soil is very mineral - depleted, supplemental nutrition is needed for most people to get a balanced diet.

1. Multivitamin: Make sure it is a complete source of vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately, these are usually big to get everything in. Many of the "one-a-day" types don't contain enough nutrients and they are coated to make them easy to swallow. This coating often does not dissolve, so many of these are worthless. Use a good health food store or a reputable source for your supplements.
2. Omega 3 (EPA-DHA). I can't emphasize enough how important it is to get essential fatty acids. Most of your brain is lipid or fat, so it makes sense that we need to support the brain function. Omega 3s are found most often in fish oil. Again you must be careful to get a "clean" source of cold water salmon that is not farm breed. Fish can have Mercury contamination, so it is important to buy from a place you trust. Most adults should have 1000-3000 mg a day. Omega3's are wonderful to ease inflammation, create smooth skin and help the nervous and cardiovascular system.
3. Probiotics: This is the "healthy bacteria" you need in your gut to help your body digest and absorb food. Probiotics are found in yogurt, but often the amounts are not high enough. You want 2 capsules a day of a supplement that  has live cultures of fructooligosaccharide (FOS). Often these live cultures need to be refrigerated. Another good source is Kefir, which is a liquid form of yogurt that can be mixed in smoothies. A recent study on "Pediatrics" magazine found that children who take probiotics, have a significant fewer episodes of colds, coughs and flu.
4. Vitamin D: Many studies show we are lacking in vitamin D which protect us from cancer and heart disease. Because we use higher numbers of sunscreen, our ability to absorb ultraviolet rays which cause vit D production in the body, we are depleted. Take 1000-4000 IU of Vitamin D3 per day.
5. Calcium: Women start losing bone density in their 30's! It is important to start early to prevent bone loss and osteoporosis. Again, here is an area where you need to invest in a good supplement so that it is well-absorbed. It should contain magnesium as well. Calcium carbonate, which is the main ingredient in products such as Tums, is not a good source of calcium. Since you need HCL to absorb calcium, using an antacid contradicts that process, so use calcium citrate or a bone-building formula.

I realize that finding the right supplements and knowing what to take can be confusing. We are happy to help you sort it out. Give us a call at 320-203-8266 with questions. We carry only high quality "pharmaceutical grade" supplements, so we can be sure they contain what they say and are well- absorbed and effective.We love to help, so feel free to call myself or SarahErin. Have a great weekend. It feels like SPRING..

Greniger family. OOPS! I guess I pushed enter too soon. Pastor Andy mentioned to buy a ring and have it be my "forgiveness" ring. If I am having difficulty forgiving, (which I am) I can just look at this ring and say a prayer to ask for forgiveness for myself and also just a reminder for me to fogive those that have hurt me...Sometimes when you have been hurt so deeply you can't just say "I forgive" just that one time and expect it to all be gone, maybe for some people? Anyway, I went to KOHL's, one of my favorite places and they had these rings out for Valentines Day, they are inspirational rings, This one has the words I LOVE YOU on it. I bought that ring (only $16 with my 15% coupon!) and I wear it already. I love it. I love having that reminder that God loves me, that God forgives me, and because he forgave.....I need to forgive too. Isn't that cool?
As for weight loss? Oops, only 4 lbs. But I've been keeping it off!

Greniger Family update:
Hi this is Heidi, mom of the Greniger clan. Wow, we have had some ups and downs this week. Superbowl Sunday brought the HUGE desire to eat eat eat, and then get off track, which then in turns gets depressing, and makes you feel like giving up. LUCKILY! Hope and I had our first session with our life coach, Pastor Andy last week. Wow......and we thought Mike the trainer gave us a work out. This was pretty intense too. Yesterday I saw Andy on my own. It is so FREEING to have someone listen, and then validate your feelings, then pray with you and (hopefully) give it all up for good and move on. I have some hurts I've been hanging on to for about 5 years and I really feel ready to just be done with it. Although I'm having difficulties forgiving people for a bad situation that had happened, I am done seeing it define my life. Pastor Andy made the suggestion that I read the book Total Forgiveness, so I went straight to Barnes and Noble and put it on order.He also suggested that I made a sort of covenant with God, that I go and find a ring

Hi, this is Mike from the Novak family. Well, this week turned out pretty good. Jake, Greg, and I only got to the gym on Wednesday since the weater was bad, but it was fun. We played basketball and went swimming together. My dad and mom made it there Tuesday and Wednesday, Dad lost 11 pounds so far! Also this week we bought some board games so we could play as a family. We havent been able to get everyone toghether to play yet. Thats cause we just bought them today. We also got some foam swords to play with. Everyone loves swords. Those have been getting everyone pretty active lately.

StillPointe Natural Health Center: SarahErin Palmer Wellness Coach and CPT

I am offering a Fitness Assessment class through Sartell Community Education starting Thursday February 18th at 7-9pm in the District Office Boardroom.  This class will meet once a month for 3 months.  During our time togther we will spend the first part of the class talking about nutrition and exercise; the remaining time will be spent going through a curcuit of health and fitness tests including resting heart rate, blood pressure, cardiovascular endurance test, strength test, flexibilty test, body fat analysis and optional hip to waist ratio/ measurements.  Each participant will have a goal sheet and a facts sheet in which they can track their progress each month.  The goal is to see how much healhier and fit you can become during the three month period.  It will be very exciting and rewarding to see your numbers improve each month!

To sign up for the class please call Sartell Community Ed at 320.253.4036  The course number is: 513W and the cost is $60 before February 14th, $75 after.  Hope to see you there!

In Health,

SarahErin Palmer

Dr. Susan Saetre, StillPointe Natural Health Center, Biggest Gainer Nutrition Coach

Hi everyone,

I've been reading your journals and you are doing so well. Congratulations. We are really enjoying working with you, and find that you all have interesting and "unique" challenges!

I think some of the main challenges are time, planning ahead for meals and snacks and how to include the kids. I remember the days of getting kids off to school with somewhat of a healthy breakfast, before going to work myself, and then having to deal with dinner, activities, homework and life! It is so easy to go with fast food or processed food when things get hectic, so the challenge is how do we feed the family in a healthy way when time is limited?? This is where planning comes in. I think SarahErin suggested that you pick a day - usually Saturday or Sunday - and plan meals and snacks for the week. This takes some practice, but if you establish it as a habit, and stick with it for 4-6 weeks, it will be part of your routine. So what are some ways to accomplish this?

• Use the crock pot. Find a few meals that your family likes, use fresh or frozen vegetables, meat etc. and cook them, put them in bags and freeze enough for a family meal. That way you will have something for nights when you don't have time to cook, but won't have to resort to processed food.
• Make smoothies for breakfast. Research shows that children who eat high sugar/carb cereals for breakfast "crash" around 10 AM. If you don't have time for breakfast, use a good protein powder and mix it with yogurt, frozen fruit, bananas, juice, or whatever you and your kids like. Throw in some Dynamic Greens (powder we have here that provides the equivalent of 20 servings of fruits and vegetables) and you have a healthy, "power meal" that will keep you going until lunch. I actually take a protein drink at about 3:00. It helps me have energy for the rest of the afternoon, and I'm not starving at dinner, so I eat less. When my kids were younger (they are in college now), I used to make a blender of smoothies and put it in the freezer at night. I would re-blend it in the morning, so it took 5 minutes to get breakfast ready. Add a piece of toast with nut butter, and you're good to go in a short time.
• Plan snacks. In an earlier post, I suggested putting 3 or 4 snacks together the night before, take a lunch cooler to work and use the snacks when you get hungry during the day.

I hope some of these suggestions will help you stick with the plan, yet make life a bit easier. My confession is that I don't cook very much - my husband is the cook in our house - so I've become adept at finding fast and easy ways to get meals on the table. Have a great week.