72-Hour Emergency Kits and Food Storage

I am aware that a lot of people have different opinions on food storage, but it’s been at the forefront of my mind for a few weeks now. Not an ideal time in our business schedule, but for some reason I have felt a great sense of urgency to “catch back up”.

When I was giving a health class a little over a year ago, one of the questions asked was, “But what about food storage?” I think that there is a misconception that food storage has to be the worst of the worst when it comes to healthy food. Boxes upon boxes of cheap, colorful cereal (because they will last and were on sale!), and cans of a variety of different foods that will last forever because they’re packed with so many preservatives. Believe it or not, it doesn’t have to be that way, and I’m excited to teach you about what we are doing!

Why 72-Hour Emergency Kits and Food Storage? With massive earthquakes in Japan and the resulting tsunamis, crazy winter storms, flooding, droughts, etc. it is extremely important to be prepared. I personally am not sure anyone can logically argue that point. Think about your own preparedness for a moment…what would YOU do if stores were unavailable for more than a week? To give you a recent example. Here in Texas last month, we had some crazy ice and then snow storms. The city shut down for about 4 days. It was the most snow days the schools had ever had. Power companies were forcing rolling blackouts across the state to conserve the available power. It was frigid outside! (especially for Texas!) Trucks weren’t able to transport food and people couldn’t get to the store. Then things finally began to defrost…and people ventured out. When I went to Walmart, many of the shelves were empty because they hadn’t been able to receive shipments. There was only ONE package of toilet paper left in its aisle and I snatched it up quickly because we were out! Everyone who didn’t have food had bombarded the stores the second they could get out of their houses and stocked up on everything. The next day? Another storm. Schools and the city shut down AGAIN! I hadn’t ever seen that happen before, but even something as seemingly small as an ice storm (at first we could still see the roads, but they were just covered in at least an inch of solid ice. It looked like a skating rink.)

A couple of weeks ago, I read about the response to the potential tsunamis in Hawaii. People waited in line for hours to get things like gasoline and WATER! We can’t control the weather, and if you understand “mass mentality”, you don’t want to be in the position of need.

What if it is something as individual as you or your spouse losing your job and not having enough income while you make other arrangements?  It could be so many different things, but if we are prepared, there is nothing to be afraid of.

So here is what we are doing. This weekend, we are revamping our 72-Hour Emergency kits and over the next few weeks, updating our long term food storage (we had quite a bit before we moved and since we are sort of in a transitional period we have just been using what we had up without replacing it. –which actually is great for us this time around because we are making some big changes to the type of food we are storing.)

Alright, the next post is going to be specifically discussing our 72-Hour Emergency Kits; why we have them, what we have in them, what we are adding to them, what we are packing everything in, how many we have…everything. I’ll tell you where I found all of these things and hopefully give you clarity as to how you can confidently make 72-Hour Emergency packs that you will feel good about that will full of good food as well!

del.icio.us Tags: 72-Hour Emergency Kits,Emergency Preparedness,Healthy Food,Food Storage

The truth about drug companies comes out on ‘Shark Tank’

Scott and I LOVE the show ‘Shark Tank’ being the entrepreneurs and business owners that we are, but there was an episode Friday that left me boiling for a couple of minutes. I’ve told you before that when it really comes down to it, the food industry is a business; a business to make money, and of course just as with any business, it will fail without it. It probably won’t surprise you to know that I feel the exact same way about the drug companies!
If you don’t watch ‘Shark Tank’ or missed Friday’s episode, I’ll give you a little background. It’s a show where entrepreneurs, inventors, business owners, etc. approach venture capitalists or “Sharks” seeking money and support to further their business endeavors. There was a particular business owner Friday night who invented a little device to cover the nostril therefore blocking an extremely high percentage of airborne contaminants, germs, viruses, allergens, etc. (It looked almost like a miniature breathable Band-Aid)
Being the business savvy people that they are, the first question of the “sharks” was why this gentleman didn’t try to partner with one of the big drug companies because the product seemed to be in their “realm” of the business world. The following conversation didn’t shock me…but rather confirmed my already solid convictions. I’ll type the conversation below, and if you want to watch the entire episode and see the product, I’ve posted the link below as well.
 
Robert – “Why not just go license it to one of the big drug companies?”
First Defense Nasal Screens –“Because I did that originally. I went to one of the biggest in the United States, and they told me we were actually a competitor, and if they took the product they would shelf it, because why would they prevent it for a dollar when they could treat it for $14?”
 
I seriously sat, jaw wide open for a bit. I turned to Scott and said, “That poor guy is going to get SUED for even saying something like that!” Like I said, I wasn’t surprised, but it still shocked me to hear it! And, at the risk of being criticized, I would venture to say that they don’t want to find a cure for things like cancer either (I personally believe there already is one) because why would they teach the public that they only have to eat diets rich in the right kinds of foods, oxygenating their livings cells and tissues and ridding them of toxins for only what it costs for a healthy load of groceries, healthy water and herbs, when they could treat it for hundreds of thousands of dollars? And if they do find a “cure” it will be in some form of drug they can market and sell because…well…it’s a billion dollar industry! Anyway, enough on that…enjoy the episode! Hope you have a GREAT start to your week!

del.icio.us Tags: Shark Tank,Entrepreneurs,First Defense Nasal Screens,Cancer Cures,Food and drug administration,Drug Companies,Health and Wellness,Natural Health,Holistic Health

Vitamins–Not all create equal!

 

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Oh blog family, how I’ve missed you! I apologize for the week-long hiatus. If I were to tell you that I’m a mother, wife, homemaker, AND business owner, you’d probably say –Enough Said! On top of that I’ve been focusing a lot of my time and energy on a very special project that we are nearly finished with, but I am still sorry for my absence.

I want you to know that I put a lot of time, research, and preparation into these posts because I want them to be valuable and accurate for you, so you’ll never see me just throw something together thoughtlessly. This post is no different, and that’s why it has taken me awhile. Sometimes there are posts I write that remind me that I could do better as well. This is one of them. (another blessing of this blog)

We’ve been asked since we were kids, did you remember to take your vitamins? I was bummed to learn that all vitamins are not created equal. Some are moderately real, others are moderately synthetic, and other are clearly synthetic (like the ones I accidentally bought a couple of years ago that were PINK…and not because they had beet juice!)

It makes sense. You figure they have got to attempt to take naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, etc. and pack them into a little pill. Of course if you want to enjoy the full range of benefits from different vitamins and minerals, you can rarely expect to get them from a capsule. They go with the fruits, vegetables, grains, and the like, that they are naturally occurring in. So if you expect to supplement your poor diet with vitamins to make up the difference, I think you’ll be disappointed when it doesn’t work! With that said, it does help sometimes to add to the healthy foods we are already eating.

Below are excerpts from great pages of information. After reading the paragraphs, click on them to read the entire article. This first one discusses the difference between some of the compounds you’ll read on the side of different vitamin bottles.

Most vitamins available for sale are synthetic, and are very difficult for the body to absorb.  In fact, they can even be harmful due to the unnecessary stresses they place upon the kidneys, and the overall immune system.  As something unknown and unnatural, chemically synthesized 'vitamins' are potentially toxic, and therefore trigger an immune response, which makes a body fatigued, and more prone to illnesses.

This next article goes into detail about the different compounds found in vitamins. I had never thought of some of these points! Take your vitamin bottles out and read the following article. You’ll see what they are talking about! They also have a chart educating you on how to read the labels. I'll be printing it out for my next vitamin purchases! 

When we say natural or whole food supplements, we're speaking of products that contain the total complex family of micro-nutrients (known and unknown) just as they are found in nature. These micro-nutrients are indispensable for proper vitamin absorption and maximum utilization. That's the only way you can have optimum nutrition. Synthetic vitamins lack this wonderfully marvelous supporting family.

I know…it’s eye opening! These are “vitamins” we read on the side of our cereal boxes, and other boxes of processed food where we are thinking…Look at all the vitamins and minerals found in this food I’m eating! I’m speaking to myself here as well! Just further proof that nature still always knows best!

Here’s one more for the road. It’s full of useful information on discerning which vitamins are beneficial…and which are the opposite!

The problem is that vitamins, when isolated or synthesized are not in their original form (apples, oranges, broccoli, spinach etc.) and they are merely chemicals. Our bodies do not recognize chemical vitamins as usable nutrients, because they don’t work the same way as whole foods.

Foods contain more than just vitamins; they also contain cofactors, enzymes and helper nutrients that allow vitamins to work. Foods are never found in high potency, so you won’t suffer any toxic side effects that have been proven to exist with all chemical vitamin pills. It is nearly impossible to overdose vitamins in its original whole food form.

As always…just some food for thought. I hope that this brings clarity for the next time you’re walking down the vitamin aisle and have THOUSANDS of little bottles staring you down!

del.icio.us Tags: Vitamins,Whole Foods,All natural vitamins,synthetic vitamins,chemical vitamins,Minerals,Children's Vitamins,Prenatal Vitamins,Multi-vitamins

Calcium Rich Foods

I promised I would post about the HUGE number of calcium rich food options we have in our world. In my last post I discussed the negative repercussions of hoping we’re getting our calcium from dairy products. We’ve been told for so long that calcium comes from dairy, that it has become who we are and that can be difficult “mental programming” to replace. We focus so much on dairy that we don’t realize that there are a vast range of beneficial, healthy, and all around life-saving foods high in calcium for us to enjoy! Plus…I’ve added a delicious calcium rich snack recipe! Your family will love it!
First, I’ll start off by letting you know that the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) of calcium are:
Infants
0-0.5 year      400 mg
0.5-1 year      600 mg
Children
1-10 years      800 mg
Young adults and adults
Males 11-24 years     1,200 mg
Males 25+                    800 mg
Females 11-24           1,200 mg
Pregnant or Lactating 1,200 mg

Calcium is the most abundant mineral found in the human body, so we know that it’s important!
Below are some examples of non-dairy sources of calcium:

**Per 3 1/2 oz serving or a little less than 1/2 cup

Kelp                                            1,093 mg
Carob flour                                   352 mg
Collard greens                              250 mg
Kale                                                249 mg
Turnip greens                               246 mg
Almonds                                       234 mg
Parsley                                          203 mg
Dandelion greens                        187 mg
Brazil nuts                                     186 mg
Garlic, raw                                      181 mg
Arugula, raw                                 160 mg
Watercress                                    151 mg
Figs, dried                                      126 mg
Sunflower seeds                           120 mg
Wheat bran                                   119 mg
Buckwheat, raw                            114 mg
Sesame seeds, hulled                   110 mg
Broccoli                                          103 mg
Spinach                                             99 mg
Walnuts                                            99 mg
Soybeans, cooked                           73 mg
Pecans                                               73 mg
Wheat germ                                      72 mg
Peanuts                                              69 mg
Miso                                                   68 mg
Romaine lettuce                                68 mg
Rutabaga                                            66 mg
Green beans                                       56 mg
Artichokes                                           51 mg
Pumpkin seeds                                   51 mg
Beans, cooked                                    50 mg
Cabbage                                               49 mg
Soybean sprouts                                 48 mg
Wheat                                                   46 mg
Orange                                                  41 mg
Celery                                                    41 mg
Cashews                                               38 mg
Rye grain                                              38 mg
Carrots                                                  37 mg
Barley                                                    34 mg
Sweet potatoes                                    32 mg
Brown rice                                            32 mg
                                      Healing Foods 118
 
It is definitely clear that a great deal of the green leafy vegetables and also nuts and seeds are full of calcium. One important thing that I have mentioned before is the concept of ‘sprouting’. When nuts, seeds, beans and grains are dry, the enzymes used to digest them are dormant, hence the reason for so much bloating and gas often after eating them. Ever wonder how “degassing” beans works? The answer? Sprouting. It’s simple and really makes a difference. Below are a couple of further simple explanations found on different websites.
Sprouting enlivens the enzymes that are dormant within each almond. These enzymes activate when they come in contact with water (the soaking process), and the nuts are “awakened”. The potential growth for each almond is to become a tree—and when we eat sprouted almonds our bodies receive this concentrated vital energy and nutrition

http://www.almondessence.com/Transforming.cfm

Soaking dried beans activates the beans to begin the germination process. Once wet, the beans release enzymes that begin to break down their complex sugars into more simple ones. It is the bean's complex sugars that give you gas and indigestion after eating beans that haven't been pre-soaked.

http://www.chezbettay.com/pages/basics1/basics_beans1.html

Sprouting is simple. Just put the almonds, beans, seeds, whatever you want to use, into a small bowl and fill with purified water. Let soak in a spot out of the sunlight. I usually just set the bowl on the countertop.

Here is a great explanation for sprouting almonds. (The same applies to other nuts, seeds, etc.) My only difference is that I only rinse them once and then put in the fridge. Only sprout the amount you plan to use in about 1 week, because they’ll be yucky past that point.

One great snack recipe for both your children and you is Sprouted Hummus. It can be used as a vegetable dip, or you can use it with salad, and it’s delicious!

SPROUTED HUMMUS

INGREDIENTS

2 TBSP fresh squeezed orange juice

1 clv raw garlic

2 TBSP raw, sprouted tahini (easy recipe below)

sea salt, to taste

1 c raw garbanzo beans (sprouted) *do not use canned beans

juice of 1 lemon or lime

optional seasonings: chopped chives, paprika, cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS

Sprout garbanzo beans overnight in bowl of purified water. Rinse and dry well. Blend all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender until creamy and smooth. Add water to thin to desired consistency. DONE!

*Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

**after sprouting the beans, you’ll have more than 1 cup. I usually use the extra beans and tahini and double/triple the hummus recipe. You can adjust the flavors to your taste. If you want it more citrus-y add more citrus, If you want it saltier, add more salt. Spicier? Add more cayenne.

 

SPROUTED TAHINI

1 cup raw sprouted sesame seeds (not roasted)

1/2 cup purified water

pinch of sea salt (optional)

Soak sesame seeds in bowl of purified water overnight. Rinse well. Put all ingredients into blender and blend to make a paste. You can save the extra in the fridge and spread on bread, veggies, etc. or you can use it to double/triple the hummus recipe. *store bought tahini can cost more than $10 for an itty bitty jar. DON’T be fooled. It’s THIS easy to make on your own!!

ENJOY!

del.icio.us Tags: Healthy Recipes,Hummus Recipe,Tahini Recipe,Calcium rich foods,Calcium,Non-Dairy sources of calcium

Pasteurization, MILK, and Dairy

 

Ok, before you read any further, you must consciously erase or temporarily turn off EVERY single bit of belief or truth you have been taught about milk your entire life. (I know what those things are…because I was ingrained with the same information)

Milk does a body good. 3-a-day of dairy. Milk makes strong bones. Milk gives your body 100% of the calcium it needs.

Now click the ‘delete’ button…even if it’s just temporarily.

*By the way, after a lawsuit a few years back, the dairy association is not longer able to claim that “milk does a body good.” Just fyi.

First of all, before going any further, you need to read this. It can’t be explained much clearer by me and it will give you the base of the coming information.

Here’s what else I know.

1. Cows milk is made for baby cows. Just as human milk is made for baby humans. Here’s an interesting blog post.

2. The protein structure of cow’s milk is extremely different than the protein structure of human milk, therefore making it extremely difficult and/or impossible to digest for people young and old. In fact, goats milk is the most similar in structure and digestion to human milk and that’s the reason it is recommended to those with little ones who are allergic to milk. Here’s another interesting blog post.

3. Cow’s milk is mucous creating. Below is an excerpt from another interesting article. You’ll definitely want to make sure and read the entire article as well.

MUCUS

Mucus (the unhealthy kind, thick greenish-yellowish in color) greatly sabotages the health of Westerners, especially here in the U.S.

Mucus is the result of excess acid in the body, referred to as acidosis. This acidosis stems from eating far too many acid-forming so-called foods, i.e. meat, dairy products, refined grains, refined starches; processed foods, etc.

The acid-forming foods break down in our bodies via the digestion process. A byproduct produced in our bodies from dairy consumption is LACTIC ACID.

Lactic acid forms and stores in the blood and tissues of the body. It is produced by anaerobic respiration. It is what is responsible for the stiffness after you work out.

Lactic acid inflames the mucous membranes (internal skin). To protect the body, the body begins to produce vast amounts of thick mucus to serve as a barrier between the acid and the mucous membranes; but because we eat so much acid-forming foods and non-stop, more acid is produced in the body and in turn the body has to produce more mucus; well, the mucus builds up so much so that the mucus now becomes a problem to the body. The mucus obstructs the mucous membranes and now there arises a problem with the blood and skin, usually of an inflammatory nature.

Mucus causes inflammation (burning). It the medical world, inflammation is denoted by the suffix 'itis.' The English word (actually a suffix) "itis" denotes or means "inflammation" and said inflammation is due to mucus which is the result of eating too much acid-forming so-called foods, i.e., meat (hot dogs, hamburgers, steaks, fried chicken, pork chops, sausages, fish, lamb chops, shrimp, lobster, etc.), pizza, potato chips, cake, donuts, spaghetti, pasta, bread, bagels, muffins, etc. Yes, all the good tasting stuff (that only seemingly taste good due to the chemical food additives added to them).

The excess mucus eventually stores in areas of the body whereby there is space and room for it, i.e. joints, female reproductive tract, etc. or will store in certain organs where the energy is low so as to convey a metaphysical message to the person.

In Western medical language, wherever the mucus stores in the body and causes inflammation, the disease is named after the body part (in Latin) and usually ends with the suffix 'itis'; so for example, if there is excess mucus in the vagina, the disease is called 'vaginitis.' If there is excess mucus in the bronchi tubes, the disease is called 'bronchitis.' If there is excess mucus in the 'arthr' (joints of the arm), the disease is called 'arthritis.'

Appendicitis = inflammation of the appendix
Arthritis = inflammation of the arthrs (joints)
Bronchitis = inflammation of the bronchi
Carditis = inflammation of the heart
Colitis = inflammation of the colon
Conjunctivitis = inflammation of the conjunctiva
Diverticulitis = inflammation of the diverticuli
Hepatitis = inflammation of the liver
Meningitis = inflammation of the brain and spinal cord
Nephritis = inflammation of the kidneys
Otitis = inflammation of the ears
Phlebitis = inflammation of the veins
Prostatitis = inflammation of the prostate gland
Tendonitis = inflammation of the tendons
Urethritis = inflammation of the urethra
Vaginitis = inflammation of the vagina

Any disease ending with the suffix 'itis' lets you know that there is inflammation present caused by excess mucus buildup and the particular disease.

Also, any disease ending with the suffix 'itis' can be healed by simply removing the mucus from the body. You first stop eating the things that cause the mucus - the good-tasting stuff, usually junk foods. Then, you work on dissolving and removing the mucus. This is done by using certain herbs such as Mullein leaf, Yerba Santa, Boneset, Comfrey Root, Fenugreek Seed, or Coltsfoot or ready made herbal compounds such as Dherbs.Com Mucus Buster, Acid Buster, Lungs Formulas and the 3-week Lungs and Respiratory Cleanse.

Next, you begin eating things that will repair the area that was damaged by the mucus and which will also prevent mucus formation and proliferation in the body.

Read more: http://www.dherbs.com/articles/dangerous-dairy-238.html#ixzz1GCiPltHn2.

4. And if all of that wasn’t enough for you to digest (pun intended)…milk and dairy products are PASTEURIZED. Pasteurization is done to “protect” us from harmful bacteria, but it also has some other nasty effects. Here’s a great link that will help you weed through any of the confusion if you were to try and Google “milk and pasteurization” on your own. It’s SO difficult to know who’s right…and for the right reasons. (no money motivated!!) The author of my FAVORITE book on health stated the following,

“One day I found some information by Dr. Paul Auster, an expert on pasteurization and homogenization. He explained that the high temperatures required for pasteurizing dairy products not only killed enzymes, they also created a poisonous chemical called xanthine oxidase (the XO factor), which went directly into the arterial system and formed plaque. Alarms went off in my head. Heart disease caused by hardened plaque in the arteries has risen dramatically across the country over the past hundred years. So had our intake of pasteurized dairy products.

Dr. Auster went on to say that milk pasteurization killed a vital dairy enzyme called lactase. We were not able to produce it ourselves, and without it, it was impossible to break down the lactose. I cut out all dairy, even through it was a mainstay of my diet, and after only a few days, I awoke one morning with no congestion. I could breathe through my nose for the first time in years…” The Cure pg. 43.

Ok, that’s enough for now. I’ll let you try and regroup. Now that I’ve exposed the “problem” you are probably asking yourself…how can I change? Even after reading the first article I linked to at the top you still may be asking yourself…”But HOW can we get enough calcium, if we stop drinking milk or eating dairy?” (I know…old habits and programming die hard) Well, what kind of help would I be if I gave you a problem…but didn’t give you a solution? Coming right up…a diet rich in calcium without dairy and milk…COMIN' RIGHT UP!

del.icio.us Tags: Milk,Dairy,Pasteurization,Mucous,Allergies,Plaque

All Natural relief from ALLERGIES!

Good morning everyone! This is not the post for the day that follows our theme, but I HAD TO quickly post about a miracle that occurred in our house last night! 2 mornings ago I woke up with a scratchy voice and throat. As the day went on, my discomfort progressed into a full blown stuffy/runny nose, itchy eyes, THE WORKS, allergy event. Any of you who have been to Texas or live here know that the pollen can come on with a vengeance, in  terrifying amounts, and in the words of the My Little Ponies, the weather here changes "willy nilly". Anyway, a miracle occurred last night! :) Starting 2 days ago, I began taking 2 tbsp/3 times a day of raw unfiltered Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar. YOWEE that stuff is intense; so intense that you have to make sure that you swallow it right so it doesn't make your eyes tear up. Anyway, each time I took it...my head and nose cleared and felt great. Then after a bit the pressure would return and I could tell that it was time to take some again. Well, everything that I read had said to do that for 3 days, so today would be my 3rd day, and I plan to take it today as well. Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar is the cure-all remedy for EVERYTHING...but that is another post for another day!

I also read about my beloved essential oils, and found a GREAT remedy, that I had Scott help me with last night. I am not stretching the truth one bit when I say that I slept like a baby and woke up COMPLETELY CLEAR! In fact, this remedy worked so well that it surprised even me...a true blue believer! What a relief! And of course...for any of you other allergy sufferers...here it is!

Ingredients

Sweet Almond Oil (or other carrier)
Lavender Essential Oil
Tea Tree Essential Oil
Peppermint Essential Oil (do not use if pregnant)

Scott mixed a drop of each essential oil in his hand and massaged it into my face in my sinus areas; forehead, temples and cheeks. Once that was all massaged in, we repeated, one drop of each oil + carrier and massaged that all over my upper chest and neck. Repeat the same process on your upper back and  neck up toward your skull. My sinuses and upper back and neck were so sore, but it felt so good! The peppermint opens up your sinuses and it felt SO good to breathe! Once he was done with that, he also massaged some on the tips of my 4 small toes on each foot. That is the point on the feet that links to the sinuses in Reflexology. Anyway...I am converted! I am SO happy!

Children’s Health–Artificial Colors, Flavors and Preservatives

 

tap…tap….Is this thing on? Is anyone still here? Oh good…Scott always makes me nervous when he reads my posts and says, “YOU SAID THAT?” but this site had record views over the last two days, so guess I did something right. That’s why I created this blog…to be honest; SOMEBODY has to be. So thank you for your return. I hope the things that you are learning are blessing your lives and the lives of those in your families.

I am SO excited for the post today. It will be packed with information that will be so valuable! The other day I made a list in my post of the average child’s diet in America. Here’s what I know…

1. The majority of children in our country eat this way. That diet has been ingrained in our parents, and their parents since they were kids roughly a half century ago; when the “convenience” movement really began to soar. It’s all over the shelves at the supermarket, and it dominates daytime cartoon TV. Having a McDonald’s happy meal has become a rite of passage. (Lucky for me, our oldest still calls McDonald’s "Old McDonald’s”) I guess it’s a blessing in a way that this way of eating in our country is only a couple of generations deep, maybe that means it won’t be impossible to reverse.

2. A sad number of children are marked by the label ‘A.D.D.’ or ‘A.D.H.D.’ Or…along those same lines, your child may not have ever been “diagnosed” with anything, but do you ever find that they have a difficult time focusing? How about being obedient? Do they struggle to sit quietly for any length of time? Does it ever seem like they aren’t in control of their mind or body?

3. There was a very interesting study done about 6 years ago linking hyperactivity in children to artificial colors, flavors and preservatives. Make sure to read it here. Whenever my kids end up being served foods that are not on our families “approval list”, (we don’t actually have a physical list…this is just for your mental note) their behavior is night and day different from normal, and I pump them full of water to try and dilute the junk. I remember a handful of years ago having a discussion with a parent at a meeting we were at. This person’s daughter was rolling around on the floor, not able to hold still. The parent made the comment, “She’s so wild…we can’t figure it out.” whilst the child was snacking on a ziploc bag full of colorful marshmallows. hmmm. I had a good chuckle.

4. The majority of the foods on that list I made of the average child’s diet contain one, two, or all three of these things. (artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives)  Just take a quick walk to your pantry and take a look at the ingredients. You may be surprised...or horrified.

The saddest part about all of this is that we have been raised tasting “non-foods”. Our palates actually prefer the flavors of “test-tube” food over the flavors of REAL food…for awhile. Believe me…that changes. I can’t stand the flavor of "vanillin” anymore, the artificial vanilla flavor found in most chocolate candies, and even some people’s pantries. I LOVE chocolate, but I will honestly pass now if it’s not REAL. It’s not even appealing anymore. My tastes have recovered. Here is one other article that you MUST read about how flavors, colors, and preservatives are manufactured. Here it is. Don’t miss it.

Now, this is still a subject that is quite controversial. Both sides argue that they are right.  (The food industry and the rest of the world). There are suggestions that genetics play a part in ADHD as well. Here are my thoughts about that.

1. ‘Genetics’ seem to be the scape-goat for all things nasty that no one wants to claim responsibility for, because that obviously puts things “out of our control” as I stated in my last post.

2.  Here’s the thing about genetics. They change; they evolve…and they do so in response to OUR HABITS. How many of you make specific food or crave specific food because “that’s what your mom always made” or even your grandma? So, yes certain things may be genetic…but a great deal of that comes through HABITS passed on. You can even have genetic “imbalances” in your body, but that doesn’t mean you are destined to be on the same path as those in your family. There are always going to be things that you can do to “strengthen those weaknesses”. Never throw your hands up and accept that things are out of your control.

My conclusions? If there is already a strong possibility that these artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives are dangerous…why risk it? It’s not worth it to me…and I can confidently say that they don’t exist in our house. Now…in true Camber fashion, I have to leave you with something mind-blowing. I can help it. I just feel making you aware of things is really important. Ignorance may be bliss…but that doesn’t take away the consequences of bad food choices for ourselves and for our children. One of my favorite comparisons is to gravity. You may not like gravity…but if you step off a cliff, you are going to fall. Plain and simple. Now below is a preview of the link above that will blow your mind.

Have you ever even stopped to wonder what might be in:

Strawberry Flavor?

amyl acetate, amyl butyrate, amyl valerate, anethol, anisyl formate, benzyl acetate, benzyl isobutyrate, butyric acid, cinnamyl isobutyrate, cinnamyl valerate, cognac essential oil, diacetyl, dipropyl ketone, ethyl acetate, ethyl amyl ketone, ethyl butyrate, ethyl cinnamate, ethyl heptanoate, ethyl heptylate, ethyl lactate, ethyl methylphenylglycidate, ethyl nitrate, ethyl propionate, ethyl valerate, heliotropin, hydroxyphenyl-2-butanone (10 percent solution in alcohol), a-ionone, isobutyl anthranilate, isobutyl butyrate, lemon essential oil, maltol, 4-methylacetophenone, methyl anthranilate, methyl benzoate, methyl cinnamate, methyl heptine carbonate, methyl naphthyl ketone, methyl salicylate, mint essential oil, neroli essential oil, nerolin, neryl isobutyrate, orris butter, phenethyl alcohol, rose, rum ether, g-undecalactone, vanillin, and solvent.

mmmm…sounds delicious.

Ignorance is bliss? No…awareness is KEY!

Make a difference today! Don’t be afraid to be a leader.

del.icio.us Tags: Artificial Flavors,Artificial Colors,Preservatives,A.D.D.,A.D.H.D.,hyperactivity,children's health,Fast Food Nation

An intro to this subject of HEALTHY EATING habits for children.

 

I figured for a week like this…why not start with an intro to the subject that will help you to appropriately place the rest of the info coming soon. There is SO much information about these things it can be extremely frustrating to sift through. Each side says something different, and it really makes you question what is real. Believe me, I know; I’ve been there! Even just this morning while trying to find the resources to share with you I found myself frustrated once again! So…if it will help, let me share with you my rationale when it comes to deciphering this propaganda and fluff.

1. Who will benefit from what is being read (specifically meaning what does a company or entity have to gain or lose by what I am reading).

2. Does what I am reading make sense when using my other senses to SEE if what they are saying is true.

I will use those 2 criteria and apply them to each of the things that I suggest to you and then let you decide.

There has been much deliberation on this subject of “health” over the last half century since the entire “processed foods” industry was born. It has become our way of life in America; the only way some know. It’s all about speed and instant gratification, and it comes at a steep cost. People are sicker than ever. It is considered the “norm” for adults in their later years to be dependent on some lifesaving drug or another. Most adults are overweight, and an increasing number of them are even morbidly obese. (Please don’t think that I am being offensive, I am just stating facts.) Children even have “guts” and an alarming number of them are becoming diabetic. **RANT ALERT**  I can’t apologize for getting so worked up about the things that I just said, because WHAT THE CRAP! HOW in the world do we not step back and question…Is this normal? Why do we accept that something “out of our control” is happening and that we just have to adjust and adapt to it? IE: frequent doctor visits and dare I add a COMPLETE dependence on doctors for EVERYTHING, insulin shots, gastric bypass surgery, diets, weight loss “miracle” pills, lifelong dependence on cholesterol medications and the like? Those all sound like “quick fixes” to me; like putting a band-aid on a gaping wound. HOW is this acceptable? Sorry, not in my house…and we may end up being some of the only 75 year olds not dependent on drugs. With regard to my comment about children having “guts”, I have taken notice over the past 5 years that there is an alarming trend occurring; one that did not occur when I was young (not very long ago). A few years ago, I was enjoying a day at the water park with my family. In looking around, I was shocked to see that nearly every single child had a gut. Some bigger than others, but nonetheless still there. Even the skinny kids (arms, legs, face) had a protruding belly. As a kid I remember that there were a couple of heavy kids here and there, but the majority of the kids were lean and had flat stomachs. I don’t mean this to be mean to these children. I wouldn’t ever want them to feel bad about themselves, but it really opened my eyes. Now I know that little bity kids have bellies because that is where all of their organs are housed, but these were big kids, 6-18. So of course, I go on a search for what the trends are in our country and how they fit together with what we are seeing on the inside.

First, nearly EVERYTHING that kids eat is processed. Chips, juice-boxes, cheetos, crackers, candy, macaroni and cheese, lunchables (I used to beg for these as a kid), go-gurts, cereal, fruit snacks, cheese, milk, sugar, (yup…all by itself!), cookies, pastries, bread, etc. (Did I miss anything? Sounds like the diet of MOST kids to me) At the same time there are stupid commercials like the “Hidden Valley Ranch” commercial talking about their product being the only way to get kids to ENJOY vegetables. Seriously? Their sugar filled, artificially flavored and preservative ridden product? Give me a break. And then there’s the hilarious (I’ll admit) commercial about the “full serving of vegetables” in the can that mom doesn’t want dad to inform the kids about. I know you’ve seen it. Here’s the ridiculous part about that; the industry is preying on our “dysfunction” toward healthy vegetables that THEY created, by then giving us yet another UNHEALTHY solution.

Stick with me friends. If I described your family’s habits above, don’t give up. We’ll cover it ALL! Using the 2 criteria from the beginning of this post, we come to some awesome conclusions!

…and exhale….Now I can take a breath! Hold on to your seats!

del.icio.us Tags: Children's Health,Healthy Eating,Natural Health,Nutrition and Health,Nutrition,Diet and Nutrition

What's coming THIS WEEK!

Hey! I hope that you all had a fantastic weekend! I first wanted to say how excited I am by all of your interaction and excitement with this blog! I LOVE your emails, phone calls, and private messages. I am so sincere when I say that I am PASSIONATE about the things that I write about here, and I get so excited to see and hear about some of the things affecting you all! Thank you! I hope you are seeing wonderful blessings in your lives through positive changes in your health.

With that said, I am really excited about the week ahead! The last two weeks were spent talking about wonderful things for women to benefit from when it comes to natural health. This week....it's all about KIDS! I am really looking forward to the posts this week, and I hope you are too! I'll cover things like artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, MILK, healthy snack ideas, healthy lunches, and the HORRIBLE standard that has been set as the average child's diet. If you have something specific that you don't see here, just leave a comment about it. I've said it before, but we as parents, especially mothers, have a great responsibility and a great influence over what our children put into their bodies. Especially while they are young, it is our responsibility to teach them GOOD habits that will create healthy lifestyles for them throughout their future!

Thank you so much for all of your contributions! Thank you for your excitement, and THANK YOU for your kind words! I hope you really enjoy the posts this week!

A GREAT book about enjoying HEALTHY SKIN

Naturally Healthy Skin: Tips & Techniques for a Lifetime of Radiant Skin

I felt that it was fitting for these past two weeks of talking about all around beauty for women, to write about an awesome book that I stumbled upon about a year ago. I always LOVE when I find more things that reaffirm that my desires to cut unhealthy products out of my life and that what I am using to replace them are correct. It always feels good. This book is full of insights ranging from the individual make up of our skin, to fantastic recipes and recommendations. The author begins by talking about taking care of your skin from the inside out, then moves on to the things we can do outside as well. She covers skin care for every different skin type and gives recommendations for each. She goes into detail discussing different carrier oils, essential oils, herbs, and food remedies for everything you can possibly think of including things like; cancer, age spots, what cellulite actually is, and how to get ride of it; dry skin, eczema, rosacea, sunburns, poison ivy, wrinkles and more. It’s a GREAT TOOL! I’m so glad that I found it. A couple of my favorite “home remedies” are below:


Freshly squeezed Pineapple Juice

Pineapple has the fruit acid known as Beta-Hydroxy Acid. I know you’ve heard that word. It’s all over every health and beauty commercials we see and hear. As we get older, our skin doesn’t “turn over” as fast and can result in a back up of dead skin cells. Pineapple contains enzymes (bromelain) that will help dissolve those skin cells.


Banana

Bananas contain another fruit acid, Alpha-Hydroxy Acid. You’ve heard of it too, I know. Alpha-Hydroxy Acids increase your skins hydration and help break up the dead skin cells so that the Beta-Hydroxy Acids can dissolve them away.

There are so many others, but those are a couple of my favorites.  I LOVE having these tools. It never ceases to amaze me that we have been blessed with so many things from nature to help us enjoy optimal health. I am so grateful for the knowledge of these things! Now I’m ready to create beautiful and radiant skin…spring is right around the corner!

del.icio.us Tags: Healthy Skin,Skin care,Face mask recipes,Essential Oils,Carrier Oils,Natural Skin care

All Natural Glamorous MAKE-UP!

Today’s post is probably my FAVORITE for the week. In the preview to the theme for these posts, I mentioned that it is possible to be both All Natural AND Glamorous. That makes me SO excited, because although I want to be chemical free and natural, I also want to feel beautiful and sexy! Yup, I said it! Gotta look good for my man!  

When I first started looking for ways to cut the chemicals out of my facial routine, I found myself frustrated because everything that I found was SO stinkin’ expensive. Way out of my price range at the time. I searched and I searched and I searched. I’m seriously like the queen of Google searches. Anyway…all of my searching brought one AMAZING result! Let me introduce you to my FAVORITE MAKE-UP in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD!

HONEYBEE GARDENS

All Natural, chemical free, no fillers, parabens, preservatives, no crap!…and no this is not a paid endorsement! I seriously just LOVE this makeup! I love that they have everything I need and that I barely have to use any of the mineral shadows because they are REAL and so a little bit goes a long way. Another perk is that this makeup costs the same, if not less than some of the companies we see commercials on TV for every single day. We’re talking about a small little mineral eye shadow that has lasted me 2 + years now that costs $5.00. It’s AMAZING!

Ok, I’ll breathe now and just get right to the goods. Below I will do my best to link to all of my favorite shades, and you can find what works best for your skin tone. Now, I know I keep sending you to this Edible Nature website…but it is seriously a gold mine! In the past I have always bought this makeup directly from the Honeybee Gardens website…but I about had a heart attack when I found it cheaper on the Edible Nature website. The only reason I could think of is that they get a bulk discount. Anyway…if you want my advice…I’d pull up both websites at the same time. I’ll give you the links…and you can read the detailed descriptions and look at the color samples and decide with exact colors you want on Honeybee Garden’s site (the color samples are pretty difficult to distinguish on Edible Nature’s site)…and then just click over to the Edible Nature site to actually order. They are at least $1-2 dollars cheaper for everything. I’m so excited!

I’m also going to be posting a makeup tutorial for any of you who struggle to put on makeup, want tips, or just wonder how I do mine. I cover everything so if you want to watch it…I’ll post it as soon as I can get Scott to load it up on this computer for me (He’s so great!)

Powder Foundation

(I have olive skin tones so, read on HBG’s site to decide what will work for you. Their explanations have always been spot on accurate in my experience.)

Pressed Mineral Foundation –Malibu

*You will notice that they offer a “makeup compact and puff” for an extra $7 or $8 dollars. I haven’t ever bought it. I just use my own big powder brush and it’s perfect. So…if you don’t want to splurge for the compact, you won’t be missing anything.

Mascara

Mascara was one of the things I was most excited that they had when I found HBG. It’s not waterproof, but it is water resistant. So, unless you’re diving in a swimming pool or bawling your eyes out…it lasts all day, and never flakes! NOTE: For easy, safe eye makeup removal, I use Sweet Almond Oil. Just put a little in your fingers, close your eyes tight and rub. Wipe softly with some toilet paper.

 

Black Magic  Espresso  Chocolate Truffle 

Eyeliner

Similarly to the mascara, I hated putting products around my eyes that were chemical. I want youthful skin that ages beautifully, and loading a bunch of “crap” on my face didn’t seem like the best way to do it. They have great eyeliner colors to choose from and they go on nice and smooth. One note: I’ve noticed if I push too hard on my eyelids, I’ll break off the tip of the pencil, so just be gentle when you apply and it will be perfect!

Jet Set  Passion  Smoking Gun  Envy  Brown Sugar  Blue Jeans     Belgian Chocolate

Lipgloss

Innocence  Glam I Am  Hollywood  Viper

I use “Innocence” and love it. I will probably order “Hollywood” next, because those peachy colors work well with my skin. Pick the one that is right for you skin tones and you’ll be in good shape!

They have Lipsticks and Lip liners, but I don’t usually use them. Find the colors you like on HBG’s site and then find them to order on Edible Nature’s site.

Finally,

Eye Shadow and Blush

I combined these two because HBG has a TON of mineral shadow powders that are not only used as eye shadow; but eyeliner, blush, lip color, and even water-based nail polish! I know…it’s REALLY exciting! There are way too many different colors for me to link to here, but I’ll post the ones that I use and love, and then you can decide which you prefer for your skin and personal taste!

Chai            Flirtatious            Gypsy          Martini

  Sunset Strip      Temptress          

These shadows can be applied wet or dry. I apply some as both eyeliner and shadow. I use the peachy “sunset strip” as my blush, and the non-sparkly, matte “Chai” as my face contouring color. They wear beautifully throughout the day and I couldn’t be more in love!

Phew…I’m pooped! Ok…so each one of those makeup names is a direct link to that specific product. For some reason Edible Nature isn’t completely search friendly…so I hope that the links help! Also, here’s the link to Honeybee Gardens.

Enjoy your beautiful face!