The Juniper & Oak Wellness Weekly
- Dana King
- 7 days ago
- 5 min read
Issue 12, December 5, 2025
New to the Blog…
"Hope"…
Hope is often used interchangeably with wish. My son, Collin, as a young child would often say, “I sure do hope so” to anything he wished to get. For example, I would say something like, “Maybe it won’t rain and we can go to the park”. To which he would respond, “I sure do hope so!”. This is not hope. Hope isn’t a wish or a want. We aren’t hopeful based on what we can see or how we feel.
Hope is the anticipation and confidence that God is who he says he is and will do what he says he will do. Hope is built from trusting God’s character. It is the manifestation of remembering all the ways we have seen him move our mountains in the past knowing he will continue to do so in our future despite how things appear. Ultimately, hope is understanding sin and death have been defeated!
Let's talk about a general recommendations for a healthy diet (what your medical provider wants you to know)...
Food is the fuel our body needs to perform every one of it's functions. Let's talk about it!
We see in the order of creation how God has set the table for our every need. He created light, then water and vegetation, then animals and then man. We were not created first. All of our needs were provided for prior to our existence. When our diets are based on foods the Lord has provided, as close to the form in which he provided them, we can have full confidence we will be supplying our body with the nutrients it needs.
A healthy diet consists of complex carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
C A R B O H Y D R A T E S (Fruit, Vegetables, Whole Grains, Nuts & Seeds, Beans)
Avoid simple carbs
Provides fuel for cells, tissues & organs including the processes of the brain
Fiber crucial for healthy digestion
Complex carbs will typically have other vitamins & minerals you need
P R O T E I N S (Lean Meats, fish, Eggs, Beans/Lentils, Seeds & Nuts, Whole Grains)
Structural support - build & repair tissue
Supports immune function - antibodies
Cell growth & repair
Regulation of body processes - muscle contraction, blood clotting
Helps to maintain fluid balance
Energy
Helps you feel satisfied after a meal
Helps you feel full longer
L I P I D S/F A T S (Avocados, Nuts & Seeds, Fish, Anti-inflammatory Oils-Olive, Coconut, Avocado)
Cushioning for internal organs
Insulates the body
Brain development
Controlling inflammation
Healthy fats improve heart health
Stabilizes hormone production/blood sugar
Helps you absorb Vitamins A, D, & E
As we discussed last week, inadequate fuel creates deficiencies. Your body cannot function as it is intended without proper nutrients. Fatigue, weight gain or difficulty losing weight, headaches, bloating, joint pain, mood changes can all be traced back to a poor diet.
G E N E R A L R E C O M M E N D A T I O N S
Eat nutrient dense foods
Eat a variety of foods from a variety of color families
Avoid ultra-processed foods
Eat one ingredient foods - foods God made, in the form in which he made them- 4/5th of the time
Never eat artificial sweeteners: They are ARTIFICIAL
Add spices & herbs to your meals
Want to know more? Juniper & Oak Wellness Co. is ready to help. Click the booking links below to schedule a Discovery Call, Wellness Coaching Session, or NP Well Care appointment.
What I am loving...
CHRISTmas!
This song is mentioned in the blog "Hope". I can fully admit I listen to upon occasion all year!
I love getting out our Christmas decorations. Maybe I should say it another way, I love having the years of Christmas memories and collections surrounding me. (I am not crazy about the work and mess of getting it all out and set up.)
One of my favorite family traditions is to collect ornaments and/or nativities from the places we visit. The ornament below came from the gift shop at Tybee Island Light Station and Museum a few years ago. It is so fun to reminisce as we hang them on the tree or place them on a shelf. How blessed we are to travel and enjoy God's world!
I am making my Granny's vegetable soup this weekend. I CANNOT wait. She would can the soup mix with fresh vegetables and tomatoes from her garden in the summer. In the winter, all we had to do was add a protein. I am not nearly so industrious.
I tried to find a similar recipe to link but could not find anything worth sharing. So I will timidly share my version of her soup below. (Please know, I am not a chef or food specialist!)
What I love about this recipe is the vegetables speak for themselves. Other than salt and pepper, there are no seasonings. The flavor of the vegetables is what shines through.
This soup is loaded with complex carbs, healthy fats, protein, and fiber. (Wink, wink!)
In addition to the vegetables listed below, you can add so many others-peas, celery, zucchini, squash to name a few. My Grandmother made her vegetable soup with cabbage -this caused many a fun debate between she and I.
Granny's Vegetable Soup
Ingredients:
1 pound lean grass-fed ground beef
4 carrots, diced
1 onion, chopped
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (15.25 ounce) can (or frozen) whole kernel corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) can green beans, drained
1 (12 ounce) bag frozen okra
1 (32 ounce) quart of canned tomatoes (We get ours from a local farm stand.)
Water to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
Prep ingredients.
Cook ground beef and onions in pot over medium-high heat; cook and stir until beef is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain and discard any excess grease.
Add tomatoes, veggies, and water if/as desired.
Bring soup to a simmer; cover and cook, stirring regularly, until potatoes are tender, about 1 hour.
Enjoy!
P.S. Replace with fresh veggies when in season.
P.S.S. You can also replace with frozen vegetables instead of canned.
But GOD!
We wait for the Lord; he is our help and shield. For our hearts rejoice in him because we trust in his holy name. May your faithful love rest on us Lord, for we put our hope in you. Psalm 33:20-22
With Hope,
Dana
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