Jena DeMarco

Since becoming a mother of my two girls, I have felt the importance of feeding and teaching them about a healthy life style. With this interest I am always looking for more information and to share what I learned. I'm so excited to share with you what I have learned these past few years, here on Simply Healthful.

Emily Yates

Good health is so much more than eating well. It encompasses everything from positive, uplifting thoughts, vibrant energy, an inner sense of peace in our spirit, to a good diet, loving relationships, and all things that encourage us to grow in light and in truth. When we engage our lives in seeking these things, we become healthy and healthy becomes us. There is no separation. There is a quote by The Talmud, which says, “Every blade of grass has its Angel that bends down and whispers over it, Grow! Grow! Grow!” I too believe we are divinely guided and prompted for growth in all things that are good. If we seek that guidance and listen to it’s wisdom we not only find ourselves in a greater sense of health and well-being, but we are then able to help, lift, and encourage those around us to grow and become all they are meant to be as well.

I am a home-schooling mother of two boys with our third baby on the way. For the past five years, I have studied and learned about how to help my children and family eat and live nutritiously. I am an Herbalist, and have studied many modalities of holistic health, as well as being certified in Calyco Healing. I love spending time with my children and family, reading good books, listening to beautiful music, cooking, and being outdoors. I believe we all have the capacity to be vibrant, healthy beings and to share our light with all those around us. Nelson Mandela said, “We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” Just as I have found joy in healthy living, may you also be blessed to find the same!

Heather Harden

I will always remember as a little girl my friends asking, “Why does your Mommy make you eat brown bread?”, or, “Why do you eat adult cereal?” Or, my favorite, “What do you mean you don’t have any Kool-aid?” Back when healthy nutritional-food wasn’t as popular, my mom would go against the grain to make sure my little body was getting what it needed to grow. In high school, my Great Grandmother came to live with us. She also taught me the importance of eating a nutrient filled diet. Her favorite staples were salmon, brown rice and sweet potatoes. After I started having babies, she sent me a letter asking if they were getting their omega 3 oils because their little brains needed it. I love her! I will always be so grateful for the knowledge they taught me at such an early age. That knowledge is now being carried on to the next generation.

Now that I am married with four small children, I am trying my hardest to teach them the importance of taking care of their bodies. I love teaching my children and husband about healthy foods and explaining to them why our bodies need them. I especially love watching them eating and enjoying healthy foods. It isn’t always easy to get them to eat the healthy alternatives but I do my best to find fun, family friendly recipes that they really enjoy. One of my favorite things to do is finding and making healthier desserts for them to enjoy.

I truly believe the way we feed ourselves not only physically, but spiritually and mentally can make a huge difference in our lives. I also believe that teaching children this important knowledge from an early age will help guide them to make good healthy choices as they grow up. I hope that you will enjoy my family friendly recipes and ideas. If you have questions or requests, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

Liz Rosenbaum

For nearly a decade, Liz Rosenbaum and her husband Matt, were co-owners of a family business in the scrapbook industry. Liz enjoyed her role in the company, but felt as though something was missing. After recognizing that she was no longer passionate about her career, she and her husband chose to sell the business they had dedicated so much of their lives to, and begin pursuing new and exciting dreams.

Exercise, nutrition and anything health related, was something Liz had always been interested in. So it was only natural for her to choose a career in the health and fitness industry. Liz became certified as a personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and trains women in her private home gym. Liz also coaches groups of women during intense, six-week fitness camps held at a local dance studio.

Liz is a unique fitness trainer as her passion lies not only in helping women work toward their physical goals, but also in helping women restore inner peace and acceptance of themselves - regardless of what their fitness level is. She specializes in helping women overcome their inner critic and provides insight on how to love both your spiritual and physical body.

In hopes to reach women all over the world and to encourage a love of health and wellness in others, Liz has her own fitness blog which she updates regularly with enthusiastic and inspiring words of wisdom. Liz is a firm believer that in order to experience complete happiness in life, one must nurture and care for their physical wellbeing, just as much as they do their emotional and spiritual wellbeing. You can learn more by visiting her website at: http://www.lizrosenbaumfitness.com/

Katie Waite

Katie is a sassy lady. She has two children. One of her children has autism. She likes to wear many hats, and depending on the day, she likes to be… a creative genius, an event coordinator, a professional organizer, a list maker and a list accomplisher, a Marshalls shopper, a writer, a composer, an artist, a student of the arts, an advocate for special needs children, a wife, a mother, a friend, someone who loves to work with teenagers, and last but not least she thinks napping is super important. She is striving for better health, and more patience. She struggles with different health issues, but through experimenting with traditional and alternative medicine, she is learning to balance her everyday life. She also doesn't take herself too seriously… unless she is being serious.

Kathleen Waite

Kathleen Waite, mother of 9, grandmother of 24, amateur gardener and fruit “orchardist,” raised by a mother who read up on nutrition and practiced what she read on her family, Kathleen has continued in the same footsteps of reading and practicing. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Child Development and Elementary Education from Brigham Young University, and a private piano/organ studio of 40 weekly students. She has continued her own piano studies with the Jane Tan “Well Prepared Pianist” three year training course and private organ lessons. Practicing is great whether it’s in the kitchen or on the keyboard!

Julene Ballard

Julene Ballard is married and a mother of five children. She taught elementary school for six years, but now she stays home and keeps busy with raising her children. She enjoys reading, planning parties, running, and spending time with family and extended family where she lives.

After having significant health problems which doctors could not properly diagnose, Julene turned to a healthier lifestyle to help her. This includes better nutrition, regular exercise, and getting proper sleep. She also has a diabetic son and a son with significant food allergies which has increased her knowledge about diet, nutrition and health.

{photo credit: Heather Gibb Photography}

Marleen Gunnerson

Growing up I remember my mother always searching for the healthiest options for our family. At a young age, doctors had wanted to fuse my mother’s back to remedy her severe scoliosis. My grandmother would not sign for it. She knew if that were to happen it would have limited my mother’s ability to live her life. She would not have been able to have children, run, or play sports. I am so grateful my grandmother had the courage to look elsewhere for help. Through chiropractic therapy she has been able to live a full life including having a family—birthing nine children. This is how I was raised, to not give up hope when others tell you to.

I have always looked up to my mother for making similar decisions with her own family. When I was 21, I went on a proselytizing mission for my church to Connecticut. During the last few weeks of my mission I was struck sick and diagnosed with Lyme disease. In hope that I would not have the debilitating effects of the disease haunt me my whole life, my mother and I searched for more promising solutions other than antibiotics.

At the time my parents had started a new way of ‘living’. They had come across the Alkalarian way of eating and had seen results in their health. After much thinking, reading, and praying I decided to join them in this endeavor. I feel this extreme change in the way I ate was the catalyst to my interest in living healthy. Through much trial and error, as well as a husband and two babies (update: I have 3 beautiful girls now!), I have been expanding my knowledge on how to keep my body healthy. Along with my husband and children, I am striving to take care of the body I have been given.

In a world where most everyone chooses differently, I felt it necessary for there to be a resource guide for people like me who find they are working against the grain of society. I hope those who are looking for something more when it comes to living well will find refuge here.