Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Recipe | Vegan | Healthy | Homemade

May 10, 2019May 13, 2019 - Ariel Shanelle Leave a comment

Although oatmeal is certainly one of the most healthy foods for you, there are many companies that offer processed, less nutritious forms of oatmeal. Because of my family’s desire to eat real, wholesome foods I had to figure out how to make healthy homemade oatmeal. This apple cinnamon oatmeal recipe is easy to do and only takes about 10-15 minutes to make.

(This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I’ll receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much! Read our full disclaimer here.)

Once I figure out this recipe, I’ve been cooking it ever since! Oatmeal is a great way to start your day. It contains 4 grams of fiber & 6 grams of protein per cooked cup. It’s filling and there are many different flavors you can create. Plus, you can get a big container for less than $5.

A few things to keep in mind about this recipe:

Maple syrup could be replaced with a pinch of stevia extract
Walnuts can be replaced with pecans.
Cinnamon can be replaced with pumpkin spice.
Although 2 cups water per one cup oats is recommended, always check the back of your oat’s container for that company’s recommendation.
If you have extra chopped nuts or apples, sprinkle on the end result for tastier oatmeal.

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser Changed My Life – Here’s How.

May 4, 2019May 10, 2019 - Ariel Shanelle Leave a comment

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser was absolutely amazing! I haven’t read a book like this in a while. And by that I mean, a book that I could not put down and be totally consumed by. This book completely transformed my life! I became a vegetarian literally overnight and shed many tears while reading.

I certainly was not planning on giving up meat. But once you learn the truth about the meat and fast food industries, you will find it so difficult to continue to support these huge corporations that don’t care about your health or quality of life. Please keep in mind that this book was published in 2001. Therefore, many things in this book may have changed since then.

(This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I’ll receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much! Read our full disclaimer here.)

How It All Began

Before McDonald’s completely changed the food and meat industry, the world was a different place. Butchers and meat packagers were highly skilled and highly paid. Sure, the job was dangerous. However, it allowed men to live a comfortable lifestyle and take care of their families.

Also, farms were big businesses. There were no factory farms which means all meat came from the local farmer. The meat was fresh and the animals were cared for. Read more

Foods With High Fructose Corn Syrup To Stay Away From!

April 27, 2019May 18, 2019 - Ariel Shanelle Leave a comment

High fructose corn syrup is a harmful substance that companies use to sweeten their products without paying the cost of real sugar. Although it’s great for the manufacturer’s pocket, it’s destructive to our bodies. Foods with high fructose corn syrup lead to:

Inflammation
Leaky Gut
Fatty Liver Disease
Obesity
Cancer
And more

If you’re interested in learning more, you can check out my post Dangerous Side Effects of High Fructose Corn Syrup.

What Foods Should I Avoid?

There are many tasty foods with high fructose corn syrup that I bet you had no clue! Because you and your family’s health is important, I’m on a mission to expose and teach others about the dangers of this horrible substance. I want you to be healthy and live as long as possible. That’s why I’m going to share with you 12 foods with high fructose corn syrup to stay far away from.

The Daniel Plan Will Change Your Life Forever!

April 1, 2019April 20, 2019 - Ariel Shanelle 1 Comment

Q: What is The Daniel Plan?

A: The Daniel Plan is a book written by Pastor Rick Warren, Dr. Mark Hyman, and Dr. Daniel Amen that will completely change your view on food, health, and exercise. During the first trial of this plan, 15,000 people lost over 250,000 pounds collectively. People from over 190 countries joined in the movement online. [1]

I’m not kidding. This book is the real deal! If you’re serious about stepping up your health game, this book is the only tool you’ll need to do so.

How The Daniel Plan Changed My Life

When I bought The Daniel Plan, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I thought this book was just another health book, but as soon as I began reading it, I knew it was different. I was completely sucked in and could not put this book down.

It all started with Pastor Warren. He had become overweight and realized that he wasn’t being the best role model he could be. Through conviction, he announced to his congregation that he was making a change in his personal health. To his surprise, many church members supported him and signed up to take the journey with him.

Tens of thousands of people have had their lives transformed and yours can be one of them too!

This book has taught me how to read a nutrition label, the dangers of eating processed food, the beauty of eating natural foods and enlightened me to the food industries dangerous tactics. There are many foods that I’ve stopped eating because I’m worth preserving my health.

For example, my family simply does not partake in fast food anymore. I know, crazy right? Once you know what is in these foods, I guarantee you’ll think twice about spending your hard earned cash on these disease ridden foods. After all, the truth will set you free.
Read more

How To Read A Nutrition Label And Win Your Health Back!

March 15, 2019May 13, 2019 - Ariel Shanelle 2 Comments

Reading the Nutrition Label can be a bit intimidating. Have you seen how long those things are? Who can make sense of it? I hear ya. But the truth is, understanding the food label is vital to your health. And your health is important. I will help you decipher the code to teach you a simple and easy way to read a nutrition label. You’ll be surprised how simple it is!

First off, I want to stress that what we put in our mouth is the most important thing when it comes to our health. There are people who begin exercising in an effort to be healthy, but keep eating the same foods that are destroying their body. Plus, once you switch to the foods you were meant to eat, your body will feel incredibly different. Exercise will become easier!

If you’re ready to change your health like no way before, continue reading. There’s no turning back now!

(This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I’ll receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much! Read our full disclaimer here.)

What Is The Serving Size?

When you read the nutrition label, the first thing you’ll see is the serving size. In order to give you a proper listing, the company has to use some sort of measuring. The serving size tells you the amount of food you need to eat to receive all the nutrients/toxins listed below. Usually, the serving size is an amount that’s easy to measure like a cup or a package. Think of it this way, “This much gives you these results.”

For example, if the serving size is 1 cup and there are 2 servings per container, that means you’ll be eating 2 cups per container. You’ll be consuming 2x the nutrients on the label if you eat the whole thing. It’s pretty simple. Ask yourself, “How many servings am I eating?” Read more

Yes! Too Much Sugar Can Kill You! Here’s Why.

March 11, 2019May 13, 2019 - Ariel Shanelle 4 Comments

It seems like sugar is such a hot topic. Health experts are constantly talking about reducing sugar intakes, switching from one form to another, and more. What’s the truth though? How can someone possibly know what to avoid when it seems like we have to avoid everything?! No wonder so many people give up trying to live healthily! It’s too confusing!

I hear ya! But I’m here to break this sugar thing down the best I can so you can know exactly how to avoid sugar and which sugars to avoid.

First off, let’s take about the negative side effects of sugar and why you don’t want to eat it in excessive amounts.

How Is Sugar Bad For You & What Does It Do To The Body?

In today’s world, it’s no surprise sugar is in everything we eat. From soda pop to fruit juices, candy bars to granola bars; there is literally sugar everywhere! About 200 years ago, the average American only consumed around 2 lbs of sugar per year. Today, our intake has increased to about 152 lbs of sugar per year. [1]

Why? Because the food industry is more concerned about making a buck than our child’s health. I mean, if your child gets sick then the medical industry will be booming. It’s a win-win for them, but a lose-lose for us.

The American Heart Association and the World Health Organization recommend that adults should only consume about 5% of their total calories from sugar. For men, this can be 38 grams and for women, it’s less than 25 grams of sugar daily. However, the average can of soda contains as much as 39 grams! Yikes!

So then, realistically, how are we supposed to drink things like soda and still live a healthy lifestyle? This part sucks, but you really can’t. Products like soda have no nutritional value and are void of anything healthy. I wish these kinds of products didn’t exist, but since they do, we just have to say no.

For example, I started removing all sorts of added sugar from my diet. I only allow myself to consume a lot of sugar in one sitting if the food is a fruit. Other than that, I don’t consume soda, juice, sweets, and the like. I haven’t felt bloated and I’ve had more energy.

The good news is once you rewire your taste buds, natural foods (like fruits) will taste so much better! I mean, waaayyy better!

(This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I’ll receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much! Read our full disclaimer here.)

Acne Breakouts

Does it seem like you’ve tried everything under the sun and still cannot get that annoying acne off of your face? The cure may be simpler than you think! Foods filled with sugar cause insulin and blood sugar to spike. This leads to an increase in oil production, androgen secretion, and inflammation. All of these factors greatly impact the skin and can cause acne. [2]

Who would’ve known the foods we eat can have such a powerful effect on our skin?

Don’t believe me? A study conducted with 2,300 teenagers concluded that those who constantly ate foods with added sugar had a greater risk of breaking out with acne by 30% [3] Also, studies prove that diets with low-glycemic (low sugar) levels are directly connected to a lower risk of developing acne. On the other hand, high-glycemic (high sugar) diets yield a much higher risk of producing acne. [4]

The next time you’re about to indulge in that entire box of chocolates, ask yourself if the acne you’ll experience afterward is worth it.

The Difference Between Corn Syrup and High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)

March 10, 2019March 25, 2019 - Ariel Shanelle Leave a comment

Fructose goes right to the liver and triggers lipogenesis, which causes liver damage to 70 million people around the world annually. [1]

How’s that for an eye-opener? Liver damage is no joke. Unfortunately, it’s only one of the horrible effects of regularly consuming high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). One of the questions I’ve recently come across is, “Is high fructose corn syrup and corn syrup the same?” This is a great question because they sound so similar! However, they are certainly different and in this post, I will tell you why!

Can you do me a favor? I want you to do some critical thinking and identify a clear difference in naming. Are you ready? High fructose corn syrup and corn syrup. Do you see the difference? That’s right! The only real difference between the two is the fact that one has high fructose. Sometimes we use the term HFCS so much that we tend to group the words as one. However, we have to remember the ‘high fructose’ part makes HFCS unique.

Fructose is sweeter than glucose, which is the substance table sugar is made of. Therefore, by finding a way to incorporate more fructose to sugar is genius! The only problem with this solution is it’s causing massive harm to those who are consuming it.

How Is High Fructose Corn Syrup Worse Than Corn Syrup?

While sucrose can be digested throughout the whole body, fructose can only be digested in the liver. When a person consumes large amounts of fructose, the liver can become overloaded.

Picture this: You’re at work and your boss is giving you too much work to get done in your shift. You start off fine, but as the final hour approaches, you begin cutting corners and doing things wrong. You begin shoving work in areas for the next shift in hopes your boss won’t find out. That person you’re imagining is your poor liver! Read more