A Big Book the Keep You From the Doctor: Nutrition 101: Choose Life

Intimidating.

This was my first impression when I saw what was being downloaded into the ebook folder on my computer. But I figured there was just a lot of pictures in the file.

There are a lot of pictures in Nutrition 101: Choose Life, but there is also A LOT of content, 448 pages worth of wisdom in the co-authored book by homeschool mother Debra Raybern; homeschool mother and researcher Sera Johnson; mother and writer/editor Laura Hopkins; and mother, grandmother and former Home Economics teacher Karen Hopkins.

Content that everyone needs to know.

I want to give you the facts first and then tell you why this book, well . . . no . . . curriculum is worth every penny of the investment. You can order either the CD-ROM version for $79.95 or the book for $99.95 at

At first glance, I presumed that I would read this guide independently and occasionally glance at it in the kitchen for a scrumptious recipe.

Prior to the download, God had already been tugging at my heart to find something to begin teaching the Granola Boys about how He (God) created their amazing bodies. Recently, PBS Sid the Science Guy has been talking about how we breathe, the reason we have lungs, why we should exercise, why we need to poop, and how to eat well. The show had generated many questions:

• Is this exercise? as we bike around the neighborhood
• How did God heal your belly from having Mr. Smiley?
• How did Mr. Smiley breath underwater?
• How do you make milk?
• Do you just have to drink more milk to make milk?
• Does this have sugar in it? You shouldn't feed me sugar, Mommy.
  

And as I read through Nutrition 101: Choose Life! I began to see how God answered my prayer. The book is divided into 6 sections:

• the brain and nervous system
• digestion and elimination
• respiration and olfactory
• muscular and skeletal
• cardiovascular and immune systems
• endocrine systems and emotions

Within each section is a general overview of how each system in our body works. It is written in layman terms. The bonus is that it is actually interesting and does not read like a college textbook! Following each chapter within the sections are activities to do with younger and/or older children to reinforce what you have learned and to apply the knowledge to real life.

This manual to wellness is perfect for the schoolroom and for your kitchen. Because it is applicable to all ages, this is a tool that you can use and transform throughout your child's schooling years. And herein lies why this book really is valuable. Your child's health education is contained within the 448 pages of this guide. With each year you use it, the cost goes down. At least, that is the way that I see it.

I plan on using Nutrition 101: Choose Life! in our schoolroom this year and in the years to come. I hope to gather a few coloring pages of body parts, or even a puzzle of a body to help the boys visualize what we are learning about. And when time allows, the Granola boys will help me cook some of the suggested recipes.

If your family is struggling with constant illness, I really do think that you would bless your body and family by reading this book and incorporating its principles. I learned a lot about how my insides function, much of which I probably was never taught in high school and certainly not college!

P.S. Another reason that I like this book is because they feature Young Living oils . . . which I use, too!