By Donna Schuller

ORANGE COUNTY, CA (ANS) — “At the end of ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food…In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all of the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.” Daniel 1:15 & 20

Healthy Family, Happy Life

Just this past May I released my newest book, “Healthy Family, Happy Life: What Healthy Families Learn From Healthy Moms.” I have decided I would like to give away a few of my secrets by sharing a practical lesson from each chapter.

For the next several months I will be talking to you about health and wholeness; as in becoming more like Jesus. Some people hear the word “Healthy” and they immediately think of food, diet, and exercise. Or maybe they think about all their physical ills and pains, their “unhealthy” issues.

This book is not specifically about those things yet as you read-on be prepared to learn a bit about living a healthy life from the inside out. This would include your spiritual life, your emotional life, and “yes” your physical life.

The Bible tells us “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with man.” (Luke 2:52)  Although he was God he was also human and this meant that he too had to make food choices on a daily basis. My hope and my desire is to get you to make bett er food choices as you face each day, so that you too can grow in “wisdom and stature” the right way!

According to health guru and well-known businesswoman Patricia Bragg, “you are what you eat, breathe, think, say and do.” I agree with her and I try to practice what I teach my family and my clients. I am also constantly looking for new ideas on how to do things better. Today I’m addressing the subject of health from the physical side. We are going to talk a bit about adding healthy snacks to your day. The human mind always does better it you train it what “to do” vs. what “not to do.”

I know it’s sometimes tough to eat healthy. It can be even tougher to get your children, grandchildren (or sometimes even your husband) to make nutritious choices. Even so, it’s so important that you encourage them to do so. One way is to prepare a menu that has some fun in it! In chapter one of my book, “Healthy Family, Happy Life: What Healthy Families Learn From Healthy Moms,” I talk about how important it is to serve a raw fruit or a vegetable at every meal. And guess what? It may be easier than you think to prepare something “ordinary” with a fun new twist.

Make sure that your vegetables are purchased from a reliable grocer or grower and are certified organic and not genetically modified. You don’t want to un-do all the good you’re doing by consuming all of those nasty chemicals that are found in insecticides.

Make sure your bananas are not too ripe or they will have too much sugar. Kiwis and tangerines are considered low-sugar fruits as are berries and apples too.

Preparing your fruits and vegetables ahead of time is a great way to grab something healthy when you need to race out the door in the morning. Make sure you wash and dry them before placing them in small plastic bags, or better yet, small reusable airtight containers. Even organic fruits and veggies should be washed before consuming.

Stay tuned for my new series of writings as we go through each chapter of my new book, “Healthy Family, Happy Life: What Healthy Families Learn From Healthy Moms.” I will encourage you to live a strong and a healthy life and along the way I will be adding l ittle tips that tie into my new book. We will continue to look at the whole person, body, mind, and soul.

God wants you to be strong and healthy in body, mind, and soul so that you can be awesomely equipped to build his kingdom on earth. In future articles I will be addressing the subjects of exercise, sleep, staying well, overcoming hardship, goal-setting, communication skills, and why it’s important to love yourself, others, and God.

Donna Schuller with her husband, Dr. Robert A. Schuller

Donna Schuller is a certified nutritionist, body-mind-soul and family dynamics coach, author, and blogger. She speaks globally on women’s and family issues and is the author of three books, “Woman to Woman Wisdom” and “A Legacy of Success, Building Hope for Tomorrow,” and “Healthy Family, Happy Life: What Healthy Families Learn From Healthy Moms.” Donna is married to Dr. Robert A. Schuller and she appeared regularly with him on the Hour of Power internationally televised church service for many years. She has four grown children and three grandchildren. She grew up in Orange County, California where she still spends close to 50% of her time. She also lives part-time in San Jose’ del Cabo, Mexico where she and her husband are building a faith community called “The Gathering.” She is the co-founder of “The Call” which is a monthly telephone meeting dedicated to helping people become more like Jesus. For more information, encouragement, and help in living a Godly life from the inside out, please visit her website at: www.donnaschuller.com