Food Magic. Molly Magic.

I think my friend Molly, is a magician.  She makes magic with her words.  She makes magic at her biodynamic farm, Apricot Lane Farms.  And she certainly makes magic with her food.

Molly shared with us a few weeks ago about the magic of Coconut Oil on healing Alzheimer's disease.  The post on her blog says it best but here's a teaser, "Like the effects of a bad high-school rumor, coconut oil came out of the 80′s with a horrendous reputation.  Demonized for its saturated fat content, you’d have thought that every heart attack began with tub of coconut oil and a spoon...."

Read more and see this amazing video on this magical food on Organic Spark.

I was awestruck when I first watched this video on Molly's blog.  Seeing Alzheimer's disease take its toll on families, I wanted to know more.  I started learning everything I could about coconut oil.  Coconut oil can be used as a body and hair moisturizer, all kinds of salve, for healing digestive issues, for weight management and much, much more.  Coconut oil can improve nutrient absorption, is anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-microbial and anti-viral.  I've started taking a few tablespoons myself per day to help with nutrient absorption and tummy troubles.  I have indeed started feeling better.  Did you know that coconut oil has also been used as an effective treatment for tooth decay?

Have you tried using coconut oil to stay healthy or heal yourself?  Please share below.

Welcome to The Healthy Plate!

It's nice to have you here.  The Healthy Plate brings energy, balance and joy into your life by sharing my experiences and what I've learned through my own quest for health and balance. In our busy world, our plates tend to be too full.  Too much work, not enough time for play and rest, and poor eating habits lead us feeling unbalanced and unfulfilled. The Healthy Plate is about adding nourishment to your plate whether it be with food, fun or fitness.

I believe deeply in the body's ability to heal itself given the right combination of food, exercise and personal nourishment.  As a mom and a trained chef, I enjoy creating healthy, fast and easy menu plans to keep your family going throughout the week.  I also love to share quick recipes and fitness plans for on-the-go people and families.

I also have experienced physical and health challenges.  After a traumatic auto accident, I had to learn how to use and strengthen my body again as well as how to manage pain effectively.  In addition, I have been healing myself of an autoimmune thyroid disease for the past few years.  Because of these experiences, I have learned wonderful healing techniques to address physical pain, weight management, stress, thyroid challenges and autoimmune and inflammatory diseases such as diabetes, IBS, and obesity.

As a busy parent, I am always trying to find ways to find balance and stay healthy.  We all know what a feat that can be to accomplish when so many "to-dos" are on the list that it is difficult to actually do it all - prepare healthy meals, sit down to eat, make time for friends, family, fun, and ourselves and find time to exercise.  This blog will provide ideas, tricks and tips for putting balance back into your.  I will share information from my own experiences with health issues and from my training as a health counselor and chef.  I will also share blog posts and articles from other websites that are valuable to us all.

I hope you enjoy and please feel free to post comments and questions.  We're all in this together!  Now, what's on your plate?