Health: Kale

Kale? What is it. Is it a superfood or is that just super-exaggerated? Here are some interesting facts I found on this amazing food.

Kathleen from webmd.com says...

• Kale, also known as borecole, is one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet
• Kale is a Nutritional Powerhouse One cup of kale contains 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and 15% of the daily requirement of calcium and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), 40% of magnesium, 180% of vitamin A, 200% of vitamin C, and 1,020% of vitamin K. It is also a good source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus. 
• Eating a diet rich in the powerful antioxidant vitamin K can reduce the overall risk of developing or dying from cancer, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Vitamin K is abundant in kale but also found in parsley, spinach, collard greens, and animal products such as cheese.

Allison from mindbodygreen.com gave the top 10 health benefits:

1. Kale is low in calorie, high in fiber and has zero fat. One cup of kale has only 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber and 0 grams of fat. It is great for aiding in digestion and elimination with its great fiber content. It’s also filled with so many nutrients, vitamins, folate and magnesium as well as those listed below.

2. Kale is high in iron. Per calorie, kale has more iron than beef. Iron is essential for good health, such as the formation of hemoglobin and enzymes, transporting oxygen to various parts of the body, cell growth, proper liver function and more.

3. Kale is high in Vitamin K. Eating a diet high in Vitamin K can help protect against various cancers. It is also necessary for a wide variety of bodily functions including normal bone health and the prevention of blood clotting. Also increased levels of vitamin K can help people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

4. Kale is filled with powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants, such as carotenoids and flavonoids help protect against various cancers.

5. Kale is a great anti-inflammatory food. One cup of kale is filled with 10% of the RDA of omega-3 fatty acids, which help, fight against arthritis, asthma and autoimmune disorders.

6. Kale is great for cardiovascular support. Eating more kale can help lower cholesterol levels.

7. Kale is high in Vitamin A.Vitamin A is great for your vision, your skin as well as helping to prevent lung and oral cavity cancers.

8. Kale is high in Vitamin C. This is very helpful for your immune system, your metabolism and your hydration.

9. Kale is high in calcium. Per calorie, kale has more calcium than milk, which aids in preventing bone loss, preventing osteoporosis and maintaining a healthy metabolism. Vitamin C is also helpful to maintain cartilage and joint flexibility

10. Kale is a great detox food. Kale is filled with fiber and sulfur, both great for detoxifying your body and keeping your liver healthy.

Dr. Mercola listed Kale as #2 in his list of top 10 best superfoods to eat

# 2 Kale

Kale is an inexpensive cruciferous vegetable that can help ease lung congestion, and is beneficial to your stomach, liver, and immune system. It's an excellent source of multiple vitamins and other nutrients, including:

Vitamin A	Vitamin B	Vitamin C
Calcium	Lutein (helps protect against macular degeneration)	Zeaxanthin (helps protect against macular degeneration)
Indole-3-carbinol (may protect against colon cancer)

How to cook it...(Kathleen from webmd.com says)

• Make a simple salad with a bunch of thinly sliced kale, red pepper, onion, raisins, and your favorite salad dressing.
• Braise chopped kale and apples, garnish with chopped walnuts, and add a splash of balsamic vinegar.
• Toss whole-grain pasta with chopped kale, pine nuts, feta cheese, and a little olive oil.
• Cover and cook a pound of chopped kale with a few garlic cloves and 2 tablespoons olive oil for 5 minutes; season with salt, pepper, and a tablespoon of red vinegar.
• Make kale chips by slicing kale into bite-size pieces, toss with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt, and bake for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees in the oven.

Give it a try. - rejoicing in the present

Creative Mementos

My husband was having a mission's trip reunion and asked me to put together a little memento concerning the trip. He asked me to do this 24 hours before their reunion party. My parents were in town and I hadn't returned until only a few hours before the party. I had no idea what I was going to do.   On the way home from my outing, I asked my dad, who had been on that missions trip, what he remembered most about the trip. He replied "Rice and beans." You see, they ate rice and beans almost every day while they were in Haiti.

Another great memory they had was playing basketball. The missions team were bored one night, after a hard days work, and needed a little entertainment.  So they took duct tape, crinkled it up and then wrapped it to make a ball. Then they made a  hoop out of cardboard, split up into two teams and had fun. They even took a movie of their craziness--it's still a fond memory.

Anyway, we arrived home about an hour before they lef for the reunion.  I ran to the dollar store and after rummaging through the store I came up with this party favor: "A Night-Out in Haiti" - Dinner and Entertainment. They received rice and beans and duct tape wrapped with a bow. They LOVED it. It was a great memory for them.

Someone said to me "you are so creative".  I just listened to some stories, and did some exploring and voila. You can do it too! - rejoicing in the present. 

Decoupage: Violin Case

Recently I took up playing the violin again.  Shhhhh, it's a secret. :-)  I'm trying to keep it as a hobby right now.  Anyway, when I bought the violin, it came with an OLD OLD OLD case.  Ugggggggggggly!

While I was at my lesson on Wednesday, my teacher gave me an idea to personalize it.  So here is what I did....

What you need:

1. Old Instrument Case
2. Scrapbooking Paper
3. Decoupage Glue
4. Sponge Brush
5. Scissors
6. Stickers
7. Glitter Glue
8. Bling :-)

What you do:

1. Cut or tear up the Scrapbooking Paper into small squares
2. Paint the section with glue
3. Paste your scrapbooking paper
4. Then repaint the square again with glue
5. Do this until the whole case is covered
6. You can add sticker, bling and glitter to the case as well.
7. Make sure you add a coat of glue to the extra's as well

Voila!  Fun, sassy craft for an artsy girl. - rejoicing in the present
 

Kid-Friendly Decorating

BabyA LOVES to get into EVERYTHING.  That can be a problem, especially if it's dangerous thing.  If you have ever been in the entryway of our house, you will remember that, to the left, is a knee-level white brick planter box filled to the top with rocks. I also placed candles inside to give it a little charm.

This last week, Baby A decided to get into them.  The box is just his height and the rocks were calling his name.  Teaching him to not touch it was not enough-- I had to redecorate.

I took out all the rocks and stored them for a future project.  Then I thought about what to place in the box instead.  Greenery was the first thing to come to my mind. It was safe for the baby and would give the room some cheer.

I tried a few stores and finally found what I need at...YES, you wouldn't believe it.... DOLLAR TREE.   I spent about $13 for the different greens and the filler but it turned out just nice. What do you think you would have done? Please leave suggestions below. - Rejoicing in the present.

Going Home...We will miss you Julie!

If you have ever been to The Wilds in N.C....you have been blessed by the wonderful staff there.  Yesterday morning a DEAR DEAR DEAR lady, (the wife of the program director) went home to heaven after a battle with cancer. Please pray for The Wilds and the Matt Herbster Family..she left behind 5 beautiful children.

This was Matt's Note...
Around 1:30 this afternoon, Julie was promoted to be with her Savior. We are grieving at our loss, but rejoicing for Julie. She now knows about the things that are unseen. She no longer is walking by faith for she is with her King! God has prepared for her a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. II Corinthians 4-5

Thank you for your continued prayers. May God be magnified. "My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise." Psalm 57:7

This family is such an encouragement for how to endure trials.  Last night Matt went to a cold bed.  His children did not get warm hugs or kisses from their mom. When they woke up this morning, their mom wasn't there.  A month from now, there will be no mom, no wife, no sister or daughter to call and talk to.  There will be a huge hole, but this family is not dwelling on that, they are praising God that their Proverbs 31 lady is Home. "No, she is not here, for she is with her Savior." She is Home.

Please pray for the Herbster Family.  They are rejoicing in the present, even though the package was wrapped a little tighter and it's now empty inside.  God has a plan for their life and for yours.  Rejoice in the trials in your life. Praise Jesus! - RejoicingInThePresent

One Chance at Eternity

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ - Acts. 5:2.

Recently my husband and I attended a youth pastor's conference at the WILDS Christian Camp and Conference Center. While we were there, I attended a session called "Developing an Outreach-Focused Youth Group. The speaker was a deeply convicted yet very compassionate evangelist by the name of Morris Gleiser. He told a story that I think will be etched in my mind for a very long time:

One day a pastor received a knock on the door.  On the other side, was a couple who were weeping.  They explained that they lived around the corner in a neighborhood and that they had just lost their teenage son.  They said they understood that a pastor lived here. The Pastor gently invited them in, and in a matter of time, led that couple to the Lord. The couple started attending the church and grew in through discipleship and fellowship with the believers.
When the pastor would preach on salvation, they would sit in their seats and weep. Many times, they would say to their pastor "If we only knew sooner.  If we only knew, we might have been able to lead our son to the Lord." "Pastor, we don't know if our son ever heard; we believe he must be in Hell."  On and on it went. One day a few years later, the pastor was in their home over Christmas time. The couple would generously spoil the pastor with gifts out of their love for him.
That evening they were sitting and talking, when all of a sudden that pastor saw a photo. He stopped for a second.
"Is that your son?" He asked.
"Yes," They replied, "We sure miss Him."
"Did he used to mow lawns in the neighborhood?" He asked.
"Why, yes," the mother replied, "He used to raise some extra cash."
"Did he used to take off his shirt and throw it over his shoulder, while he mowed?"  The preacher went on in with his questions.
"Yes," They replied again
The preacher finally explained the reason he was asking all these questions.  "One day, your son, came by and asked to mow our lawn.  I usually do it, but I was busy that day.  So I asked your son to do it. Later on, I invited him in and was able to lead him to the Lord. So, dear parents, I know where your son is. He is in HEAVEN!!!"

That pastor had one chance, ONE CHANCE TO AFFECT THAT BOY'S ETERNITY! What if that day, he had just been to busy for that boy? What if________________________...You fill in the blank.

So how are you doing?  Do you take advantage of opportunities to witness? Are you like those in Acts that "Daily...ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ" You may only have ONE CHANCE...use it wisely.

-rejoicing in the present

Health: Bringing down a temperature

Baby A picked up a bug last week on our trip, so when we returned, we returned with a little sick boy. His temperature went up on Sunday and so I did what every other good girl does. She calls her mom. My mom wasn't home, but my Grandma, a former nurse, gave me this advice.

4 Ways to Bring Down a Temperature

1. Drink!!!! (Water is preferable)
2. Dampen: Use a cool wet rag to dampen the body.
3. Warm Bath: Run a bath. The temperature should be slightly lower than the body temperature. Use one hand to feel your body's temperature and use the other one to feel the temperature of the baby
4. Take a fever-reducing medicine.  (This is a last choice of course)

Just remember that a fever shows that the body is trying to fight off something. So, fevers are not always bad.  This method should be used when the temperature is getting out of hand.  If your child has a high temperature, try these methods. - rejoicing in the present