Busting the Bloat: Surprising Foods Behind Your Tummy Trouble

Hey Balanced Life Family,

Have you ever felt a sensation of fullness in your stomach that wasn’t because you had overeaten? It feels like your stomach is stretched tight like an inflated balloon. Well, that’s what bloating feels like.

Now, before you blame that extra slice of pizza, let’s talk about the real culprits. Everyone’s digestive system is different, what bothers one might not bother another. But here are some foods to consider that may cause bloating issues for you.

Consider your “dairy delights” like milk, cheese, and ice cream. Sadly, for some, they come with bloating. The good news is that lactose-free options exist.

Beans, lentils, almonds, and whole grains are packed with nutrients and well… gas. Who knew such wholesome things could be so mischievous?

Then we have our fruity offenders:  apples, pears, berries, and grapes which are some of my favorites. Who would guess that such a sweet snack could cause such drama?

Next, you have your carbonated chaos. If your go-to drink bubbles it might be the culprit. Soda, sparkling water, or anything fizzy can leave you bloated. Love the fizz? This may help. When you’re drinking, start slowly, (don’t gulp it down) so your system doesn’t throw a tantrum. You may see a difference.

Now, I really like broccoli, brussels sprouts, turnip and mustard greens. They are all super healthy. They’re like overachievers in the vegetable world, but they’re also bloating instigators.  

Most of these foods are good for us. But many healthy foods can cause bloating, belching, and gas. Should we stop eating them? Absolutely not! So, what can we do? If you find belly bloating is a problem for you, keep track of what you eat to get to the source of it and go lightly on those foods. Drink plenty of water and get moving (exercise helps), and if all else fails there are remedies out there. Just don’t forget to check with your doctor before trying anything new.

Remember, bloating happens to the best of us. With a little patience and detective work, you can keep your tummy and that inflated balloon feeling under control.

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational blogs sent to your email twice a month, please send your email address to me at getsomebalancenow@gmail.com I’d love to have you join our family of readers. Be sure to add this address to your email contacts to avoid it ending up in spam.

Unlock the Door to God's Abundant Blessings!

Greetings Balance Life Readers,

The blessings of God are more valuable than silver or gold. They are precious and priceless. There’s nothing we can do to earn them. However, there is a lifestyle that you can choose that will unlock the door to God’s abundant blessings.

This lifestyle must start with the change that occurs on the inside, meaning a changed mind and heart. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5 When your mind changes your heart will too because your mind controls your entire body.

We have to allow God to take control of our thoughts and actions. It’s important to ask God to help us see things the way he sees them. In other words, we have to be willing to put our lives in the will of God. This is how you unlock the door to God’s abundant blessings.

I used to think of God’s will as a scary thing. What if I didn’t want what his will was for me? As I grew in Christ, I realized that God’s will is the best and the safest place to be. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11 God has an excellent plan for my life and it’s better than anything I could ever think of. He loves me, so why should I be afraid?

Don’t you be afraid! Step out on faith and surrender full control of your life to God. Study his Word and learn what he requires of you. Ask God to make you sensitive to his voice daily so that you’ll know what he wants you to do. Trust and obey God, he has so many blessings in store for you. When you’ve allowed God to change your mind and your heart and you’ve surrendered to his will, then you’ve unlocked the door to God’s abundant blessings.  

Movement is Medicine

My Balanced Life Family,

Did you know that movement is medicine? What I’m saying is that movement has a therapeutic effect on the body. I’m talking about all types of movement. Walking around your house, climbing up the stairs, doing housework, getting up from your desk to move around the office, or getting up to move around when a commercial comes on TV. Don’t just sit for an hour or more without getting up to move.

According to an article in Psychology Today “Sitting too much for too long increases the risk of dying early. Why? Sitting for prolonged periods reduces blood flow and increases the risk of heart disease by accelerating the build-up of plaque in the arteries. Constant sitting also puts people at higher risk for diabetes, depression, and obesity.” That ought to make you jump out of your seat and start moving right now.

Even if you go to the gym or do a regular workout you still need to be conscious of moving throughout the day. It’s easy to lose track of time when you’re sitting down. I try to remember to get up every 30 minutes. My physical therapist once told me never to sit for more than an hour without getting up. Standing up and moving around every hour for about 5 minutes helps to promote well-being.

God didn’t make these bodies to be sedentary, so if you have the activity of your limbs, get movin'! I know that we can get so comfortable sitting that when it’s time to stand up and move our head tells us to “Get up!” but our body says “No way!”. Just think about your health, and push past your feelings, you can do it, because now you know that movement is medicine. 

Words Have Power

Greetings Balanced Life Family,

Have you ever been working on a project that was not going well and said, “I’ll never get this done.” or “I can’t do anything right.” or “This is impossible!”? Watch your words! Be mindful of the words that you speak. WORDS HAVE POWER!

Words are wonderful when used properly. However, words can do damage when they are misused. "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit." Proverbs 15:4   You can use words to encourage, motivate, instruct, uplift, and inspire. You can also use words to discourage, demean, hinder, and destroy. WORDS HAVE POWER! 

When you speak, your words go not only into the ears of others but into your ears as well. They don’t stop there, but they find their way into your soul which causes you to feel peace or torment, joy or sadness, depending on the words you have spoken.

If you go around all day speaking negative words, they will affect you. If you speak words like “I can’t do it”, you are defeated before you start. “This is going to be a horrible day.” You’ll probably get what you say. “Nobody likes me.”  You’re contributing to your chances of being disliked. “ I’ll never get a break.” You probably won’t. “My sickness is incurable.” You may never get healed.

God wants you to have a positive attitude because he made you to be victorious! So be mindful to watch what you say. "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." Proverbs 18:21 Speak positive words. Speak faith! Speak strength! Speak life! Speak success! WORDS HAVE POWER!

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational blogs sent to your email twice a month, please send your email address to me at getsomebalancenow@gmail.com I’d love to have you join our family of readers. Be sure to add this address to your email contacts to avoid the blogs ending up in spam.

Avoid Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Dear Balanced Life Family,

If you do a lot of work with your hands, you may develop carpal tunnel syndrome. I suffered from this condition a few years ago and had to get treatment from a physician. If I had then the information I’m about to share with you now, I may have been able to avoid a lot of discomfort.

When you have carpal tunnel syndrome you experience numbness, tingling, weakness, or pain in your hand. It develops slowly. At first, you're most likely to notice it at night or when you first wake up in the morning. The feeling resembles the "pins-and-needles" sensation when your hand falls asleep. Here are some things you can do to help avoid getting this condition.

Take breaks! Your wrists can hurt from working too long. It’s really important to rest them often. Setting a timer for every 30 minutes can help you to remember. You need to stop your work and take a break.

Exercise your wrist! Carpal tunnel syndrome develops when there’s pressure on a nerve in your wrist. When you keep repeating the same activity your symptoms get worse. While you’re taking a break stretch your wrist, fingers, and the palms of your hands. Make a fist, then stretch and spread your fingers.

Wear a wrist brace! That’s what I had to do and it really helped. My wrist brace had a splint to keep my wrist in the right position. I wore it at work and slept in it (doctor’s orders). In a few weeks, my symptoms were gone. I was back to normal.

Find a physical therapist who can help you with small changes you can make at home and work. They can show you changes that can ease the stress on your wrist and alleviate your carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms.

Be smart! Take good care of your wrists. They are a small part of your body, but they can cause a lot of discomfort if neglected. Remember these few tips and avoid suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome.

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational blogs sent to your email twice a month, please send your email address to me at getsomebalancenow@gmail.com I’d love to have you join our family of readers. Be sure to add this address to your email contacts to avoid it ending up in spam.

Steadfast Faith

Balanced Life Family,

Jesus requires us to have steadfast faith. Being steadfast in your faith means that you continue believing no matter what. It’s easy to have faith in Jesus as Lord of all when things are going well. When you’re walking in the sunshine, you're in good health, and your income is good. But what happens when trouble arises?

When trouble comes and life's storms begin to rise, many Christians lose faith. You must realize that you’re not alone in the storm. Jesus is with you and as long as you stay with him in faith, he won’t allow the storm to destroy you. You’ll come out stronger. You’ll have some experience. You’ll have a testimony. But you must be steadfast in faith even through the storm.

One mistake some Christians make is to leave the church when trouble comes. That’s the time you need to be running to the church. Why? To get the Word of God which will be strength to you. To fortify your faith. Troubles and storms come to test your faith. You know the saying, “No test, no testimony”.

Another mistake some Christians make is having a lack of steadfast faith regarding prayer requests. If the prayer isn’t answered immediately, they waiver in faith. The scripture tells us “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.” James 1:6-7

Having steadfast faith means, I’m going to have faith in Jesus Christ through good times and bad, when I have plenty and when there’s lack, when I’m well and when I’m sick, when people are for me or against me, through the sunshine and the rain, come what may, my faith is steadfast in Jesus. “Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” Hebrews 12:2 So, hold on to your faith. Don’t doubt, and don’t listen to the “naysayers”. Be steadfast in faith!

God's Gift

Merry Christmas Balanced Life Family!

Welcome to the holiday season! It’s one of my favorite times of the year. Many say, “Tis the season to be jolly.”  I feel that it’s the season to be thoughtful and thankful.

I realize that this isn’t a joyful season for many people. Many people grieve themselves through the holidays thinking of people they’ve lost, possessions they lack, and opportunities they’ve missed.

Well, let me tell you this. It doesn’t matter what your condition may be, you have so much to be grateful for. Your heavenly Father has allowed you to possess the greatest gift anyone has ever received.

It all began when he sent his only begotten son Jesus, to earth as a baby, who was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.  That was when the sky lit up with the multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace good will toward men.” Luke 2:13 WOW! Can you imagine that spectacular sight?

Baby Jesus was 100% human and 100% divine. He brought joy to the world and the gift of eternal life. My God, what a powerful birth! That birth gave you the opportunity to have joy while living on earth, even as you endure hard times, and after this life is over, the gift of eternal life. No one could offer a better gift.

Through the hustle and bustle of shopping, gift-giving, decorating, and feasting, remember whose birthday you’re celebrating. If you don’t receive a gift, remember it’s not your birthday. As you feast, be thankful that you’re able to do so. When you turn on Christmas lights, think of it as lighting up a small part of the world to celebrate the birth of Jesus. What a blessing to have a Father who loves you so much, that he sent his son to be your savior and offer you the greatest gift of all. So let’s celebrate! HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!

Do You Need A Nap?

Dear Balanced Life Family,

Have you ever been so sleepy during the day that it was painful to stay awake? Have you ever been in school, on the job, or even in church and were so sleepy that you couldn’t stay awake? Well, if you have, you’re not alone. What you should know is that you were sleep-deprived, and maybe what you needed was a nap.

Naps are proven to be beneficial in many cases, but it’s important to nap the right way. You should have the right timing, duration, and the right environment.

Let’s talk about timing. There are factors that play a role in deciding what time you should nap. Your age, your need for sleep, and your use of medications, all need to be considered. Keep in mind, if you nap after 3 pm, it might interfere with your sleep at night.

The next thing to consider is the duration of your nap. A nap is a short sleep, during the day. May I emphasize the word short. Aim for a nap that lasts about 10 to 20 minutes. This is called a “power nap”.  Young adults may require naps that are a little longer, but if adults sleep longer, they may end up feeling groggy which will defeat the purpose.

Finally, you need the right environment for an effective nap. It should be a quiet, dark, restful place. The room temperature should be comfortable and there should be minimal distractions.

After napping you should give yourself time to wake up before resuming your activities. Remember everyone’s needs are different so adjust according to the way you feel.

Just remember, when you feel like that energizing battery in you has worn down, stretch out, relax, take that much-needed nap, and then wake up refreshed and energized, ready to take on the rest of the day.

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational blogs sent to your email twice a month, please send your email address to me at getsomebalancenow@gmail.com I’d love to have you join our family of readers. Be sure to add this address to your email contacts to avoid the blogs ending up in spam.

Do You Want God's Blessings?

Greetings Balance Life Family,

The blessings of God are more valuable than silver or gold. They’re precious and priceless. There’s nothing we can do to earn God’s blessings but, there’s a lifestyle that you can adopt that’ll make you eligible to receive them.

The lifestyle that we adopt must start with the change that takes place on the inside, meaning a changed heart and mind. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:5

It’s important to ask God to help us see things the way he sees them. We have to allow him to take control of our thoughts and actions. In other words, we have to be willing to put our lives in the will of God.

I used to think of God’s will as a “scary thing”. What if I didn’t want what his will was for me? As I began to grow in Christ, I realized that God’s will is best. Abiding in God’s will is the safest place to be.  “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11 God has an excellent plan for my life. It’s better than anything I could think of. He loves me, so why should I be afraid of what he wants for me?

Don’t be afraid! Step out on faith and surrender full control of your life to God. Study the Word of God and learn what he requires of you. Ask him to make you sensitive to his voice, so that you’ll know what he wants you to do. There’s a blessing in obedience.  Trust God, he has so many blessings in store for you, but if you don’t get into his will, you may never receive them. Your decision all depends on whether or not you want God’s blessings.

Music is Powerful

Hi Balanced Life Family,

Music has a powerful influence on our health. It can boost memory, mood, and endurance. It can reduce stress, and pain, and contributes to heart health. It depends on the kind of music you’re listening to that determines how it affects you. Yep! Music can be pretty powerful.

According to an article from Harvard Medical School, music can improve your memory. Music engages multiple parts of your brain that can help with memory.  Whether you play an instrument or simply kick back and enjoy, your memory can reap benefits from music.  

I also mentioned that music can boost your mood. Healthline reports research review showed that “listening to music, particularly classical combined with jazz, had a positive effect on depression symptoms”. It’s harder to remain depressed when your day includes beautiful music. Music helps to brighten your mood.

If you’re stressed out, put on some good gospel music, and if no one is around, don’t be afraid to sing along whether you have vocal skills or not, it makes you feel so much better. I listen to gospel music while doing chores at home and during my early morning workouts at the health club. It wakes me up, lifts my spirit, and gives me endurance while I exercise.

Harvard Health reports that music can help ease your recovery from a cardiac procedure, helps to get you back to normal after a heart attack or stroke, and even helps to lower your blood pressure a tad. That’s really good news.

So, family consider incorporating some good wholesome music into your busy day. I sincerely believe it will help you feel better because music is powerful.  

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational blogs sent to your email twice a month, please send your email address to me at getsomebalancenow@gmail.com I’d love to have you join our family of readers. Be sure to add this address to your email contacts to avoid the blogs ending up in spam.

Never Give Up!

Hello Balanced Life Family,

So many of us have loved ones that we are praying for. We want to see a change in their lives. It may be a child whose lifestyle is ungodly, a spouse who is hard to get along with, a friend who has an addiction, or it may be something else. Whatever the problem, I want to encourage you to never give up on them. Keep loving them and praying for them without supporting the wrong that they do. The scripture tells us to   “Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thess. 5:17

You may have been praying, hoping, and fasting for a long time, but never give up. I know sometimes it may seem like a hopeless situation, but God answers prayer. Here’s the thing that discourages so many people. God has his own time frame and you don’t know what it is. You may think this is a “right now” problem, but God knows the process that has to take place. Have faith! Trust God! Never give up!

You may feel like it’ll take a miracle to change him or her. Well, God specializes in miracles. Jesus said in Matthew 19:26 “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Read the story of Saul in the Bible, who persecuted the Church. Nobody thought he’d change, but God miraculously changed his life and used him to write almost half of the New Testament. (He wrote 13 books of the Bible.) His change came in Acts 9:1-6.

Your loved ones need your prayers. They may not be able to pray for themselves. They need you to never give up on them because God is faithful, and he answers prayer. It may have been a long time. You may be tired. It may seem impossible, but your miracle may be closer than you think. NEVER give up!

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational blogs sent to your email twice a month, please send your email address to me at getsomebalancenow@gmail.com I’d love to have you join our family of readers. Be sure to add this address to your email contacts to avoid the blogs ending up in spam.

Five Tips to Improve Your Quality of Life

Greetings Balanced Life Readers,

Everyone should desire to live well. You don’t want to merely exist you want to live life and feel good. I have five tips to share with you to improve your quality of life and there are more to come.

1st Tip: What you put in your body is important. Eat more veggies. I don’t expect you to give up meat and refine carbs completely, but a plant-based diet has been linked to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, and fighting diabetes. So, let’s add more veggies to our diet.

2nd Tip: Stand up! Prolonged sitting is not good for your health. If you remember to stand up and take a few minutes to move around, you can prevent some long-term consequences of prolonged sitting. A study in the Annals of Internal Medicine proved this fact. If you can’t remember to stand, set an alarm to remind you to stand every 30 or 45 minutes.

3rd Tip: Don’t forget to breathe! Simple breathing exercises can make a big difference if you make them part of your daily routine. Try this when you feel angry, anxious, irritated, or nervous. Experts say it reduces stress, calms you down, lowers blood pressure, improves the immune system, and increases energy. Need I say more?

4th Tip: Reduce your pre-bedtime exposure to the blue light from TV, computers, smartphones, and tablets. An article in AARP reported that doing this for a week can improve sleep quality, reduce feelings of fatigue, improve concentration, and help prevent mood swings. WOW!

5th Tip: Music is powerful! Did you know that music is good for your brain? Harvard Medical School reports that music promotes well-being, enhances learning, stimulates brain function, improves quality of life, and even promotes happiness. Listening to music can make working at home, in the office, working out at the gym, or simply relaxing much more enjoyable. So, remember to add some music to your day. Just be sure that it’s wholesome music, not trash.

If you want to improve your quality of life, remember these 5 tips. They may be just what you need.    

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational blogs sent to your email twice a month, please send your email address to me at getsomebalancenow@gmail.com I’d love to have you join our family of readers. Be sure to add this address to your email contacts to avoid the blogs ending up in spam.

The Urgency of Now in Repentance

Welcome back Balanced Life Readers!

I’d like to share an experience that I had. One Saturday morning I was ironing my favorite white shirt. I didn’t know that someone had left water in the iron a few days before, which caused rusting. Unknowingly, I added more water. As I was ironing, I pushed the steam button and out came a blast of this yucky brown water. Have you ever done that?

Well, now the shirt had a big ugly spot on the front. I thought it was ruined! I immediately ran into the bathroom, turned on the water, put it under the running water with a little soap, and without too much effort the spot came right out. What does this experience have to do with repentance? Well, I got rid of a spot before it became a stain. Stains are stubborn and hard to remove.  So it is with sin that remains.  

When you receive new life in Christ, your body is the temple of God. The church is in you. It’s pure, it’s clean, it’s holy. However, when you get out of your godly character, and commit a sin, whether you mistreat someone, spread gossip, falsely accuse someone, lie, cheat, fornicate, or sin in some other way, repent immediately. That sin is a spot on your spiritual life. Don’t let it become a stain. Your church has a blemish, but thank God it can be cleansed if you repent. "Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin"…. Psalms 51:2

If there’s something ungodly in your life, God wants you to repent right now. Get rid of it! He’ll forgive you.

Repentance is the action of sincere regret that has two elements, sorrow and change. Yes, you have to be sorry, but proof that you are sorry is in the change that you make. Change your behavior so that you don’t commit that same sin again. Saying “I’m sorry” is not repentance. It’s not enough. If you’re sincere and you want God to blot out that sin, you must make a change. The longer you wait to repent, the harder it gets to do it. Don’t put it off. When you first feel that condemnation, stop and repent.

Catch that spot before it becomes a stain so that your growth in the Word won’t be hindered. The scripture says "Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”  Ephesians 5:25-27

God has given his people a spiritual spot remover. It’s called repentance. Use it IMMEDIATELY when needed!

Time For A Break

Dear Balanced Life Family,

I started writing blogs in 2017. I’ve written more than 100 blogs. Whew! (To God be the glory!) I hope that they’ve given you spiritual inspiration and enlightened you with health tips that’ll help to improve your lifestyle.

I’ll be taking a break for the summer. Part of staying healthy is knowing when to take a break. God doesn’t want us to be stressed out. I intend to resume posting 2 blogs monthly beginning in September. In the meantime, you can always visit my website at www.getsomebalance.com to read blogs that you may have missed or forgotten about. God has blessed my website and there’s a lot of good information and inspiration there.

May God shower you with His blessings, surround you with His peace, and keep you by His power. Thank you for being a loyal reader. See you in September 2024!

When God Says No

Dear Balanced Life Family,

Have you ever prayed for something and it didn’t happen? God said NO! God knows what is best for you because he has infinite wisdom. He understands you better than you understand yourself. Will God’s will always be what you want? Absolutely not! But, what you want is not always what’s best for you.

You know that God loves you. You know by faith that God is real. You know that he hears you when you pray. So . . . what do you do when you pray for something that you really want, and it doesn’t happen, because God said NO?

The first thing your flesh wants to say is “I know this can’t be God.” “Satan . . . the Lord rebuke you!” But deep down inside you know that it’s God. That’s when you have to put yourself in the will of God because that’s the best place to be. Surrender to the perfect will of God, knowing that even this will work out for your good, because … "we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

Face it! God is not going to say yes to every request you make. So you must ask for wisdom, to recognize his will, and grace to accept it. The answer NO isn’t a bad thing. When it comes from God, it’s actually a blessing in disguise. He has a great plan for your life. The scripture says in Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Trust God! Submit to his will! Even WHEN GOD SAYS NO!

Clean Hands A Healthier You

Balanced Life Family,

Thank God for hands. Without them, there are so many things that you might not be able to do. You greet with a handshake. You cook, eat, pick up things, open doors, open this blog (well you did), and so much more.

You need to take care of your hands. It’s important to keep them clean. Keeping your hands clean is one of the most important steps you can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Many diseases and conditions spread by failing to wash hands with soap and clean running water.

Always be sure to wash your hands thoroughly when you come into the house from outside, before eating, after using the toilet, changing a diaper, blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing, touching garbage, pets, raw chicken, or anything that might transfer germs.

Washing your hands with soap and water is the best way to reduce the number of germs on them in most situations. If soap and water are not available, you may use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Seriously, hand-washing can be like a do-it-yourself vaccine. It provides protection for you. It includes five simple and effective steps: wet, lather, scrub, rinse and dry. It’s just that easy. So, wash your hands often and avoid spreading germs. It’s quick and simple and it can help keep you and others from getting sick. Hand-washing is a win for everyone, except the germs. Cleans hands make a healthier you.

To read more blogs that give health tips and spiritual inspiration click on this link and enjoy. www.getsomebalance.com

When Adversities Come

Greetings Balanced Life Family,

As sure as we live, we will be faced with adversities. There are so many different kinds. They come in the form of afflictions, bereavement, disappointments, failures, trials, tribulations, and the list goes on. It’s so important to know what to do when you’re faced with them.

Adversities challenge us. Without challenges, we’d never know about the amazing power of God. Think of adversity as God’s university because if you let him take you through, you’ll learn so much about him.

The scripture tells us that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1 Since God is there to help, call on him. God’s hotline is always open to his children. He won’t reject your call. Yes, he’s managing the whole world, but he’s never too busy to help you.

Since we’ve committed our lives to God, he won’t let adversities destroy us, break us, or keep us down. “We are troubled on every side, but not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed;” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9. God is a deliverer and he gives us victory every time.   

So, when adversities come know that you have help. God can do anything. He’ll hear your call because he has a listening ear and he’s full of mercy. He is omnipresent, which means he’s always there. He’s omnipotent, which means there’s no higher power. Just call him!

Sometimes he’ll remove adversity and sometimes he’ll give us strength to go through it, but he promises if we go through, he’ll be with us. He never goes back on his promise. God is faithful and he is our help. No, we can’t avoid adversities, but when they come, we have help from on high. 

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational blogs sent to your email twice a month, go to my website at www.getsomebalance.com click contact in the upper left corner, and fill out the short form. I’d love to have you join our family of readers.

Put Some Fish on Your Dish

Hey Balanced Life Readers,

One Saturday, quite a while back, I went to a Chicago fish market on State Street. This was my first time going there, so I was totally surprised. What an experience! It was a small place, that was crowded with people. Old people, young people, angry people (I guess they were tired of waiting in line), passive people, but most of all noisy people.  As I entered, I had to take a number, but the noise level was so high that it was hard to hear when my number was called. I saw every kind of fish I could think of and some that I had never heard of or seen before.

People were buying fish like it was going out of style. Why? Well, I guess people just love eating fish, and it can be prepared in so many different ways. It’s so delicious and it’s good for you too. I love fish.

Experts have said that fish is the world’s best source of omega-3 fatty acids, and it has other health benefits too. Fish is loaded with important nutrients such as protein and vitamin D. They also say that fish may lower your risk of heart attack and stroke, increase gray matter in the brain (tissue in your brain that processes information, stores memories, and makes you human), helps prevent and treat depression, is linked to the reduction of type 1 diabetes, may help prevent asthma in children, may help protect your vision in old age, and it may help to improve your sleep. Whew! That’s a mouthful and quite an impressive list of benefits.

Some fish are healthier to eat than others. Some of the best fish are fatty fish such as salmon, lake trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, and tuna.

Fish can be an important element of a healthy meal, just remember not to deep fry it. Fish can be baked, pan-seared, or grilled. I don’t recommend frying your fish because grease is not your friend. It can clog your arteries, and you certainly don’t want that.

So, who says we have to wait until Friday to have fish? Work towards keeping your heart healthier any day of the week. PUT SOME FISH ON YOUR DISH!

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Distractions

Hi Balanced Life Readers,

To those of you who drive a car, you know that on the road there are many distractions. When driving we have a destination that we want to get to however there are so many things that compete for our attention on the way there. People on the street, other vehicles, billboard signs, traffic signals, the radio, our cell phones, and perhaps kids in the back seat, have probably competed for our attention at some time or another.

On this Christian journey, we have a destination. We want to make it to our heavenly home, but there are so many distractions on the way. Satan and his demons work hard to distract us. The Bible tells us to “Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.” Proverbs 4:25 That’s how we defeat distractions.

Satan tries everything he can to distract us from God’s ways and lead us into sin. The Bible tells us “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” Colossians 3:2 Satan uses temptations. He knew us before we got saved. He knows what appeals to our flesh. He knows how we used to act in certain situations, and he’ll try to use these things against us. “But we know if God be for us who and be against us?” Romans 8:31

We also have to realize that all distractions aren’t evil. We get distracted by the busyness of life, problems in life, and even no-harm social events in life. What is important is that we are aware of these distractions, and not allow them to hinder our walk with God.

Never get too busy to read and study your Bible and develop an active prayer life. Don’t let the devil throw distractions in your way that will make you think that attending Sunday services and weekly Bible studies aren’t important. Don’t be distracted or influenced by the way the world defines a Christian. Worldly Christians can do whatever they want as long as they profess to believe in God. Instead, let the light of Christ shine out through your everyday life, and don’t let distractions cause you to miss your heavenly destination.

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational blogs sent to your email twice a month, please send your email address to me at getsomebalancenow@gmail.com I’d love to have you join our family of readers. Be sure to add this address to your email contacts to avoid it ending up in spam.

Why Do I Always Feel Hungry?

Are you someone who seems to feel hungry all the time? Do you find yourself gazing into the refrigerator or the pantry just wondering what you can eat? Well, if you are there’s a reason for that.

One reason may be that you don’t eat enough protein and fiber-rich foods. Carbohydrates will provide quick energy, but protein and fiber help you sustain that energy. They fill you up and leave you feeling satisfied.

Some of you feel hungry because you do distracted eating. When you eat, you should sit down and pay attention to what you’re eating. Make it an enjoyable experience. You shouldn’t be staring at the TV, reading, or doing something on your phone. Distracted eating will cause you to finish your food and hardly remember eating it, which may cause you to soon crave more.

Then there are those who simply eat too fast. Slow down! Eating too fast makes you feel like the meal is over too soon, and then you want more. Did you know that it takes about twenty minutes for the brain to send out signals that the stomach is satisfied? Most people’s meals don’t even last that long!

There’s another group called the “Stress Eaters”. Stress Eaters aren’t eating because they’re hungry. They eat because they are upset, nervous, worried, excited, afraid, or because of some other emotional reason. All of these emotions cause stress and can cause you to eat when you aren’t really hungry.

Did you know that sleep plays a significant role in regulating hormones which can affect your eating habits? There is a hormone called ghrelin, (known as the “hunger hormone”) which stimulates the appetite and makes you feel hungry. When you don’t get enough sleep, elevated levels of ghrelin are released. This causes you to crave food, especially sugary foods.

So, you see, there are many reasons why some people always feel hungry. If you identify with any of these scenarios, I want you to know that it’s not just in your head. There is a reason for it and now maybe you know how to control it. If this doesn’t apply to you maybe you know someone who could benefit from this information. Please feel free to share.

If you enjoyed this blog, please let me know by sending your comments to getsomebalancenow@gmail.com I’d love to hear from you.