On the Rebound(er)

I have a new favorite thing...rebounding!!! If you've never heard of it, it is basically jumping on a little trampoline. Seem a bit, well, cheesy and 1980's-ish?  Perhaps it is, but I truly love it. During our recent trip to Texas, I stole my mom's rebounder out of her shed and brought it back to Montana with me. ;)

There are lots of health benefits of rebounding, one of which is getting your lymphatic system flowing.  Apparently the lymph in your body has no way to move unless you move it.  Enter the rebounder.  It aids your body in moving around lymph which in turn helps flush out toxins from the body. Add to this the fact that rebounding is fun and it is a win-win!  :-)  This may sound strange, but 20 minutes of bouncing on that thing makes me happy.  Can't really explain why, it just does.  I grab my Ipod, start jumping and I start to feel better.  If I am having one of those afternoons where I am feeling like taking a nap, I rebound for 15-20 minutes and  feel refreshed.

For all of you doubters out there, give it a try and see how sore your calf muscles are in a day or two.  When I first started, I couldn't believe how sore my legs were and I run several days a week!  It has also helped me to have more of a booty...or at least it is lifting the one I have. Never a bad thing.

Here's a pic of a popular rebounder. If you don't have a rebounder or can't afford one, get outside and jump on your kids trampoline!  It's fun, really!!!  Plus, it is good for your kids, too.

*Note for girls only: For those of you who have had children and don't always remember to do your kegels, rebounding can cause a little problem. You know what I am talking about. Keep at it, though, because it also aids in eliminating the problem. It has for me anyway. (Is this oversharing? :-) )  So, grab a good sports bra and start jumping!

A few links to check out, if you are interested...
http://www.energiseforlife.com/rebounding_benefits.php
http://www.evolutionhealth.com/rebounder/rebounding-benefits.htm
http://www.naturalnews.com/031739_rebounding_cell_health.html
http://www.urbanrebounding.com/benefits.html

Well, these are tasty!

I've recently discovered this wonderful muffin recipe from Simple Bites Blog. Aren't food blogs the best!?  Anyway, here is a link to this most fabulous of muffin recipes...

http://www.simplebites.net/how-to-make-the-best-muffins/

Of course, the gluten-filled wheat version is fantastic and tasty, but I have been trying to cook with less grains. I decided to try a gluten-free version of this recipe and it has turned out quite well.  I am still experimenting with quantities, etc, but the few gf batches I've made so far have been good enough to share!

Gluten Free Version:

*Substitute 1/4 cup coconut flour for the wheat flour.
Coconut flour may be spendy, but you use a lot less than when using wheat flour.
*Add 1 or 2 extra eggs.  I've yet to decide on the egg thing, though I am leaning toward using 3 eggs total.
*As usual when baking gluten-free, make certain your other ingredients are free of any traces of gluten.
*I use coconut palm sugar rather than cane sugar, but that's just a preference of mine.  I also sprinkled a bit on top before baking.
*Note:  this is a gluten free version, but not grain free.  The oat/buttermilk combination make such a lovely, tasty batch of muffins, though. :-)

Happy Baking!