Battle of the Diet Gurus

I saw this clip and wanted to share it with you.  It is very telling!  From time to time, I hear from different people that they are going to try this diet or that.  When I see them again after some time, they still look like they are struggling with weight.  So, what do I think of the Atkins Diet?  Oh, you may lose weight but you just might die of a heart attack in the process.  Take a look at these weight loss gurus and tell me what you think!

Chemicals in Body Care Products

When I was a little girl I had (maybe still do) a daredevil tomboy streak in me.  I would just about give my mother a heart attack when she found me scaling the door jams of my house and hanging out by the ceiling.  I would often slide down the banister of my house, climb trees and do anything that would give me an adrenaline rush.  My mom tells me that I even would swing from the drapes - yikes!   I also had a lot of friends who were boys.  Despite the fact that I enjoyed hanging out with the guys, I became very aware of girlie things.  Yes, I do enjoy more exciting things but when it comes right down to it, I am a girlie girl.  I love sun dresses, handbags and shoes and everything that makes me feel feminine.  Growing up I often would go into department stores in Boston with my mother.  Anyone familiar with the now defunct Filene's?  (Remember The Running of the Brides?  Very similar to the Running of the Bulls if you ask me.)  I loved to sample flowery lotions, designer fragrances and cosmetics.  When I slathered on the samples, I never stopped to think about what I was putting on my skin.  I always trusted that if it came from a fancy cosmetic line with some frou frou French name and a fat price tag that it had to be good.  Well, as with almost everything else that is manufactured in a chemistry lab, maybe it just isn't good for us.

There are certain tenets or axiomatic truths of health that we should cement into our brains and I think that this is one of them: Everything that you put on your skin gets absorbed and goes right into your bloodstream.  The thought becomes even more sobering when hearing that women who have breast cancer have been found with a high percentage of parabens in their breast tissue.  Other studies indicate that chemicals can increase the risk of diabetes.  The products obviously don't need to be expensive or high end to be harmful.  I see brands that look like they might be more natural by the way they are packaged.  A closer look reveals that the manufacturers can make them look natural, but the ingredients are far from it.  Think about everything that we expose ourselves to -- deodorants, shampoos, body lotions, hair spray, mouthwash, toothpaste, etc., etc.  Therefore, being careful to not expose ourselves to chemicals becomes a very critical component of reversing or preventing cancer.

Bear in mind that the cosmetic industry is not regulated.  If products need to be tested on animals, then the red flag goes up for me.  Some natural products don't need to be tested on animals at all because they are plant based and not harmful.  Unfortunately, not all natural products are created equally and some natural products do carry chemicals that aren't good. Here is a list of chemicals that are harmful and a list or sources for body care products that I trust.

The Culprits

Harmful ingredients include isopropyl alcohol, mineral oil, petrolatum, PEG polythylene glycol, PG propylene glycol, sodium laurel/laureth sulfate, sodium flouride, chlorine, diethanolamine (DEA, TEA, MEA), FD&C color pigments, artificial fragrances, imidazolindynyl urea, DMDM Hydantoin, Iodoprotynyl butylcarbamate,triclosan, phenol, phthalates and parabens.  I'm sure this list is not exhaustive, but it will rule out most everything at your local drug store.

Natural Product Resources

You don't need to go to the sources listed here. I'm sure if you search you could find clean ingredients in the products you find, but I'm just offering options in case you don't want to search. You can find clean products at health food stores or order online. (Check Trader Joe's.)  You could also make them yourself.  Here are some great sources:  (Please click on the title of each section for the link.)

Nadine Artemis - Living Libations.  

Nadine is a true flower child that is so in-tune with natural ingredients and has a great knowledge of their effect on the body.  She has an extensive line of body care products that are truly all natural.  Check out her body care line that includes lotions, dental care, shampoos, deodorants.  She also has a line of products for men.  If you have the time, check her out in these two clips where she discusses the harmful effects of petroleum (petrolatum) on the body.  These are excellent clips!

Vapour Organic Beauty

Vapour's line of cosmetics is probably among the best that I know with a high standard of purity.  They carry an extensive line of cosmetics which includes skincare, nail polish and perfume.  Their philosophy and commitment to using clean ingredients resonates with me.  Take time to look at what they put into their products here.  Vapour Organic Beauty, Tata Harper and Sally B's Skin Yummies are favorites of Celebrity Nutritionist Kimberly Snyder.

Eniva

Eniva has a couple of different body lotions, shampoos and lip balms that are clean.  Go to their beauty section to find these products.  The manufacturers to these products are also committed to using safe ingredients.

Mountain Rose Herbs body care products

Mountain Rose Herbs

You may remember that this is my source for coconut oil.  If you want to make your own body care products, they carry ingredients you may want to use. If you are like me and don't care to go to such great lengths, you could just purchase their clean body care products.  They also have products for men.   I find their prices to be much more reasonable than some of the other sources I have listed.

Longevity Warehouse

If you haven't already noticed, I'm a big fan of David Wolfe, The Longevity Now conferences and Longevity Warehouse.  I trust this organization to be committed to the cleanest products using the highest grade organic ingredients.

Tonya Zavasta

Remember this ageless woman?  She refuses to get any wrinkles and manages to do it naturally!  She has a great line of beauty products which includes hair, skin and dental care.

Sally B's Skin Yummies Lip gloss

Sally B's Skin Yummies

Sally has a great cosmetic line as well as a line for bath and body care products that are more reasonably priced.  She also carries deodorants and fragrances that are safe to put on your skin.  Her lip glosses look so luxurious; they are on my wishlist!

Palette by Nature

If you are interested in safe hair color, this company seems to be conscientious about using clean ingredients.

Dr. Mercola

I like Dr. Mercola's products.  He has many low cost alternatives.  I have a hard time spending 40.00 on toothpaste!  He has less expensive, clean products you can look up on his site.  Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page to the blue section.  Here he lists the products he carries which include bath, skin, dental and feminine care.

Low Cost Alternatives:

I use pure raw virgin organic coconut oil (from Mountain Rose Herbs) to moisturize my skin.  You could also use it as a moisturizing treatment for your hair before you wash it.  Nadine Artemis mentions brushing her teeth with baking soda and then rinsing her mouth with apple cider vinegar. Whoa!  Imagine the science experiment going off in your mouth!  Green clay can be used as a facial mask.  Exfoliate your skin with skin brushing.  You can use white distilled vinegar in a spray bottle as a deodorant.  There are several low cost, chemical free short cuts you can take if you search for them.

I think it really does matter what you choose to put on you skin.  Staving off and limiting exposure to carcinogens is a big part of cancer prevention or cancer reversal -- not to mention that harmful ingredients also age you faster. I have to be honest, though. I do get exposed to some chemicals.  I do a keratin treatment for my hair once a year.  It has a small amount of formaldehyde, and other not so great ingredients, I know!  The way I see it, I do so much to detoxify my body and try to have the cleanest products otherwise, that I see this once a year treatment as an exception. I don't want to look like the late Gilda Radner (SNL) during the summer months, so I decided to just pick my battles!  Otherwise I still think its fun looking for alternatives and it feels even better knowing you're limiting chemical exposure by using these alternatives. As you clear out your medicine cabinet of the chemical laden products you may have, consider switching your household cleaning products to cleaner, greener products. You can only stand to gain better health by doing so.

Enjoy the Journey!

Super Models on Super Foods

Miranda Kerr

I saved a clip and an article that I thought were very inspiring.  Check out these two ladies who have taken the time to care for themselves with good nutrition.  Carol Alt was in her modeling heyday in the 80's.  She is now in her fifties and looks amazing!  I do have to say however, there is no way I could ever eat raw meat like she does. Yuck! (Just my personal preference)  Miranda Kerr is another model who embraces whole nutritious food.  She's got a great list of superfoods we could all incorporate into our diets.  

I've been busy lately, sorry for slowing down with my posts.  Will try to keep up!  Hope you all have a great weekend! 

Enjoy the journey!

The Effect of Cell Phone Usage on Your Brain

A while ago I saw this clip on Dr. Mercola's site and thought it was so important that I wanted for you to see it as well.  Please take the time to watch it or at least scan through it.  I see so many kids hanging on their phones exposing their developing brains to radio frequencies.  What is most disturbing is when I see how so many products using these frequencies are marketed towards children.  It is always better to be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to protecting our children's brains.  Until you can get a device like xzubi, I would recommend putting your phone on speaker and holding the phone away from your head.  Keeping your phone on your body is absolutely not a good idea.  In this post, there is a woman featured who stored her phone in her bra.  She got breast cancer right in the spot where she stored her phone.  Men who hold their laptops on their laps or keep their phones close to their crotch area are at risk of affecting their fertility as well as adversely affecting their health in other ways.

Another issue is "dirty" electricity that comes from computers, microwaves, lamps, etc.  I have a friend who works in a room with high EMF (electro-magnetic frequencies), and consequently decided to try grounding/earthing to deal with that problem.  The difference he experienced is remarkable; he swears by grounding and says that he even grounds while he sleeps.  The results he has experienced from grounding have been that his back pain is now gone, he sleeps like a log and he no longer experiences lactic acid soreness when we works out.  I personally have only heard of it (grounding while sleeping that is) and not experienced it - other than walking barefoot in the grass.  I'm considering trying it.  I'll let you know if I do.  (Earthing products are available at Longevity Warehouse.)

On another note, I found a fantastic blog titled "Chris beat Cancer."   Take a look at it when you can.  I love it so much I have added it to my blog list. Scroll down and watch the segment on Fox news where you can hear his story in a nutshell.  Wow, absolutely amazing!  So much good stuff on this blog I could barely stop reading!  This is definitely going in my cancer file!

Enjoy the Journey!

Some Interesting Cancer Quotes

One of my sources for herbs and natural products is Hope For Health.  I purchased some green clay from them once and have been receiving their newsletter ever since.  In their newsletter is a section titled "Cancer Quotes."  This section was so amazing that I contacted them and asked them if I could copy the whole section and post it.  As with many natural healing sources, they were more than happy to oblige.  They just want to get the word out to anyone who will listen.  Here are the quotes:

__________


Polls and questionnaires show that three doctors out of four (75 percent) would refuse any chemotherapy because of its ineffectiveness against the disease and its devastating effects on the entire human organism.  This is what many doctors and scientists have to say about chemotherapy:


"The majority of the cancer patients in this country die because of chemotherapy, which does not cure breast, colon or lung cancer.  This has been documented for over a decade and nevertheless doctors still utilize chemotherapy to fight these tumors." (Allen Levin, MD, UCSF, "The Healing of Cancer", Marcus Books, 1990).


"If I were to contact cancer, I would never turn to a certain standard for the therapy of this disease.  Cancer patients who stay away from these centers have some chance to make it. (Prof. Gorge Mathe, "Scientific Medicine Stymied",  Medicines Nouvelles, Paris 1989


"Dr. Hardin Jones, lecturer at the University of California, after having analyzed for many decades statistics on cancer survival, has come to this conclusion: '...when not treated, the patients do not get worse or they even get better'.  The unsettling conclusions of Dr. Jones have never been refuted".  (Walter  Last, "The Ecologist", Vol. 28, no. 2, March-April 1998)


Many Oncologists recommend chemotherapy for almost any type of cancer, with a faith that is unshaken by the almost constant failures".  (Albert  Braverman, MD, "Medical Oncology in the 90's", Lancet, 1991, Vol. 337, p.
 901)

"Our most efficacious regimens are loaded with risks, side effects and practical problems; and after all the patients we have treated have paid the toll, only a miniscule percentage of them is paid off with an ephemeral period of tumoral regression and generally a partial one" (Edward G. Griffin World Without Cancer ", American Media Publications, 1996)

"After all, and for the overwhelming majority of the cases, there is no proof whatsoever that chemotherapy  prolongs survival expectations.  And this is the great lie about this therapy, that there is a correlation between the reduction of cancer and the extension of the life of the patient".  (Phillip Day, "Cancer: Why We're Still Dying to Know the Truth"  Credence Publications, 2000)

"Several full-time scientists at the McGill Cancer center sent to 118 doctors, all experts on lung cancer, a questionnaire to determine the level of trust they had in the therapies they were applying; they were asked to imagine that they themselves had contracted the disease and which of the six current experimental therapies they would choose.  79 doctors answered, 64 of them said that they would not consent to undergo any treatment containing cis-platinum - one of the common chemotherapy drugs they used - while 58 out of 79 believed that all the experimental therapies above were not accepted because of the ineffectiveness and the elevated level of toxicity of chemotherapy." (Philip Day, "Cancer: Why We're Still Dying to Know the Truth", Credence Publication, 2000


"Doctor Ulrich Able, a German epidemiologist of the Heidelberg Manheim Tumor Clinic, has exhaustively analyzed and reviewed all the main studies and clinical experiments ever performed on chemotherapy...  Able discovered that the comprehensive world rate of positive outcomes because of chemotherapy was frightening, because, simply, nowhere was scientific evidence available demonstrating that chemotherapy is able to 'prolong in any appreciable way the life of patients affected by the most common type of organ cancer.' Able highlights that rarely can chemotherapy improve the quality of life, and he describes it as a scientific squalor while maintaining that at least 80 percent of chemotherapy administered in the world is worthless.  Even if there is no scientific proof whatsoever that chemotherapy works, neither doctors nor patients are prepared to give it up (Lancet, Aug. 10 1991).  None of the main media has ever mentioned this exhaustive study: it has been completely buried" ( Tim O'Shea, "Chemotherapy- An Unproven Procedure")


"According to medical associations, the notorious and dangerous side effects of drugs have become the fourth main cause of death after infarction, cancer and apoplexy" (Journal of the American Medical Association, April 15, 1998)

__________

Think about it.  Natural methods for healing include detoxifying, building the immune system and allowing the body to do the healing using plants and foods that are provided for us in abundance in nature.   Modern Medicine's approach to cancer is never to detoxify, but on the other hand, to douse the body with incalculable amounts of carcinogenic toxicity.  Am I the only one who thinks that this is incredibly backwards?  I side with the naturopaths, nutritionists and enlightened, responsible doctors who firmly believe that the human body can and will heal itself if it is given the right tools and conditions. I love this recent post by Celebrity Nutritionist Kimberly Snyder -  it's a must read!  Here's a quote from a brilliant man who was far ahead of his time: "Leave your drugs in the chemist's pot if you can cure the patient with food." - Hippocrates.  Just some food for thought. Click here for an alternative therapy.

Coming up soon: Chemicals in Body Care Products



Enjoy the Journey!

The Benefits of Juicing

When I was a child, I remember my dad using an almond and brown colored juicer (back in the 70's) and juicing carrots.  I dreaded when he did this because I hated carrot juice!  I would drink it slowly and suffer through the ordeal.  The irony of this is now I've taken on my father's role and I'm juicing for myself and my family.  And oh, how I love juicing!  My mouth waters just thinking of it.  My dad wasn't very creative with combinations and just stuck to carrots, but the simple act of providing something nutritious for my sisters and me imprinted something very valuable in me.  I now look back on this childhood memory with gratitude.  My dad still juices to this day - he's even taken on green smoothies!  As long as I have breath, a juicer and some fruits and vegetables, you know I'll be juicing too!

I have been asked by friends, "So which is better, juicing or green smoothies?"  My answer is, "They both are great, do both." When starting a whole foods, plant based program, it has to be easy.  Because it takes all of ten minutes to prepare, green smoothies just naturally work best.  When you are ready to invest a lot more time, juicing is just second to none.  I always have a green smoothie or fresh juice in my fridge, sometimes both at the same time.

So here are some benefits of juicing:

Juicing is one of the best ways to consume a wide variety of fruits and vegetables

People naturally gravitate to certain fruits and vegetables.  The problem with this is that they do not expand beyond their comfort zone to get important nutrients from other produce.  Rotating vegetables and trying new things is a lot easier when you can drink them.  My children are not particularly fond of asparagus and beets, but they have them in veggie juices.  What is surprising to many is how good it can taste.  I fill my pitcher with 1/3 vegetables.  The next two thirds I fill with citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruit and maybe a couple of apples.  My husband and I drink it straight.  My kids, like to add in some orange juice to mask the flavor a little more.  Either way, they are getting much more nutrition than the average American child is.

Juicing is a great way to detoxify and heal the body

Juicing is very detoxifying.  Yes, getting fiber from green smoothies and whole foods is great, but sometimes it is also good to just saturate the body with life giving nutrients that are most bioavailable from juice. When a body has been weakened by the standard American diet and way of living, absorption becomes an issue.  People, myself included, can rush through a meal and not chew food properly for maximum benefit.  Juice is already predigested and 100% absorbable.  It is also concentrated nutrition.  There is no way I am going to sit down to a large platter of fruits of vegetables, it's just too much.  But I can have it very easily with a few glasses of juice.

Incredible things happen when you juice.  People lose weight very easily because they are getting so many nutrients; they don't have as many cravings or don't get as hungry was they would before juicing.  Also, since juice detoxifies the body, the fat that was storing the toxins can finally be released from the body.  If a whole, plant based food program is included while juicing, all sorts of ailments just disappear.  Also, juicing is excellent for building your blood, better skin tone, better hair, clearer thinking, etc., etc.  I have shared this clip from Dr. Young twice before.  Skip it if you have already seen it.  If you haven't, I urge you to take time to watch it now.  Excellent info!

Some important info to get started

Juicing is going to take some time.  It takes an hour for me to fill a pitcher of juice between prepping vegetables and fruit, dismantling juicer and clean up.  Some may say, "I work full time and just don't have the time."  Well, juice on the weekends.  Drink as much of the fresh juice as possible right after juicing.  Refrigerate and consume the next day's portion within 24 hours.  If you can get an airtight seal on your container of juice it will help to prevent oxidation.  Light also breaks down juice.  Get creative in covering your juice to block light.  Freeze the next portions in mason jars that will be used up in the week.  Some nutrients will be lost, but not all, in the freezing process.

Get a good juicer.  I have a centrifugal juicer which is not optimal.  I have my eye on a masticating Omega Juicer.  Slow masticating juicers do not heat up like centrifugal juicers.  Heat destroys nutrients and we don't want that after all the work we put into juicing.

Use as much organic produce as you can afford.  Clean produce that is free of chemicals will be better for your body.  I believe that organic produce also has more nutrients than conventional produce.

Here is a great site with excellent info on juicing.  Make sure you give juicing a fair shot.  Commit to juicing for at least a few weeks.  If you get detox symptoms, try to at least get over that hump.  I always feel great when I drink fresh juices.  I  get an energy boost and just generally feel pretty good about life.  Honestly, there must be some feel good endorphin producing chemicals in juice and raw food.  There is much to be sad about in this world, but I really feel pretty good most of the time.  Sometimes I feel like I'm top of the world.  I am going to say this at the risk of sounding like I've lost my marbles - I do at times feel a crazy vibration.  In talking to a friend of mine who is also a raw food nut, I learned that he has experienced the same thing.  Check out the previous link - turns out I'm not crazy!  This article mentions an electrical vibration that occurs at the cellular level.  (Although I do not agree with adding acidic animal products to my diet, I agree with most everything else in the article.)  For this reason it is advisable to not drink juice, take superfoods, or any other raw concentrated nutrition at bedtime.  Your cells get so jazzed and bouncy with all the nutrients and electrical energy they're receiving that they may decide to have a party and keep you up most of the night. 

Don't believe me?  If you doubt that the body can really experience such results, try it yourself and go mostly raw.  Take superfoods, drink green smoothies, eat sprouts and drink veggie juices!  Give it a good month or two before you come back to me to refute my claim!  You may or may not experience the buzz, but you will feel absolutely incredible and you won't be disappointed!

Enjoy the Jouney!

The Effects of Your Lifestyle Choices on Brain Function

I apologize for not getting to my juicing post yet.  I just can't pass up this fantastic information.  I am loving the excellent info that's coming out of the Longevity Now conferences in California.  They have quite the line-up of great speakers and leaders on nutrition and natural healing.

Anyhow, I have mentioned in previous posts that when you get on a raw food diet, one of the first things you experience (after the horrible detox symptoms) is clarity of mind.  I'm not talking about something existential or mystical, I'm talking literal!  It's like all the garbage that's lodged in your body and brain cleans out and clears up and allows you to see the world with a mind that for the first time is open to the clear blue sky. 

This is a clip where Dr. Daniel Amen, MD, discusses and shares illustrations on what really happens to your brain when you feed it the highest grade nutrition and live a health promoting lifestyle.  He also shares images of brains that live on fast food, alcohol and habits that are detrimental to healthy brain function.  The difference is absolutely unbelievable.

I truly believe that living beautifully means to not just focus on the externals.  It means to nourish and cleanse ourselves from the inside out.  To understand the connection of mind (brain in this case), body and spirit.  To respect your body - a truly spectacular gift you've been given - and care for it the best you can.  Being intentional and focused in regards to health ultimately leads to freedom from disease, freedom to be happier and youthful and opens the mind to opportunities that may have been missed with a clogged body and foggy mind.  It enables our bodies and minds to more effectively pursue excellence in all we endeavor to do.

Take the time to see part one and part two of this excellent clip! (The clip is titled "Can Fat Shrink our Brain?")


Enjoy the Journey!