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

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

Drinking WATER Week 2 -The Hydration Challenge

We're into week TWO of The Hydration Challenge! Are you still with me? It's in full swing at our house and I feel GREAT! I've felt energetic, awake, and motivated. I even ran the last two days and exercised afterward. Any of you who know me will know that that is HUGE! I haven't had a consistent exercise routine since college. I know...it's bad. But this week has been GREAT! If you've been giving your hydrating great effort, CONGRATS! If you've slacked...don't worry, you've got another week to work on the habit. Don't give up! Your body will thank you!

Buying Healthy Groceries

I'll admit I did something the other day that will probably make you laugh. I have to say first of all that if there were a random, completely fulfilling job that I could do; if I weren't raising kids, taking care of a husband, writing books, taking care of everything that a house requires, and planning our future ;), I would LOVE to talk to people at the checkout stand about the non-food they were buying for their families. (You know like the british ladies on Oprah who ambush people for their fashion faux pas.) Of course I know that the food industry would have me shut down immediately, considering how the products that they make billions of dollars on are all of the ones in the center isles of the supermarket. You know, the ones in packages that I would be criticizing! ;).

I am always amazed when the cashier comments on all of the fresh produce I am buying, or even asks me what I use something like coconut milk for. (seriously happened a few months ago) 75% or more of my grocery cart contents are produce items. I just can't believe that that is out of the ordinary...until I happen to glance at the non-food that others before and after me try to pass off as life-sustaining nutrition. So...anyway, as I was finishing paying, another person was checking out, and I was in a blogging mindset, so I pulled my phone out, pulled up the "memo" tab and began jotting down the items that this person was buying for their family. Ready? Fruit Loops, Apple Jacks, Rice Krispies, Pringles, Marshmallows, WHITE bread, and...to top it all off...a very heavily frosted blue, purple and white cake! You might think I am making this up, but this was literally ALL this person had!

**Rant Alert**
What has happened in our culture that THOSE groceries are accepted as nutritious food for a family? Especially CHILDREN! And parents wonder why ADHD, childhood obesity and diabetes rates are flying off the charts! Here's an interesting little side note: not until my family moved to Texas 2 years ago did I ever see in my life a 5 gal. tub of LARD for sale at Walmart! I laughed first...and then I about fell over dead. I seriously couldn't believe it! And looking at the charts, the highest obesity rates are in the south!

You guys, we can do better. Mothers, we are the ones who primarily buy the food for our families! If we don't buy it...our family's have less probability of eating it! And, on top of that...we should be TEACHING them why we don't eat that food. Not hold it up on this pedestal to be desired. We are working in our family to show our daughters at a young age that they FEEL well when they eat good food, so that they'll recognize that bad food doesn't make them feel as well. We have tried really hard not to make "junk food treats" a reward. What kind of message is that sending if the things that aren't good for them are a reward for good behavior? Hmm...kind of the opposite message wouldn't you say? I'm not saying that treats or rewards are bad. Just pick better treats to reward them with. I'll give you some ideas for some soon.

My intended message for this post? Pay attention to what you are putting into your shopping cart. Pay attention to what you are presenting to your family as healthy eating habits, and don't adopt healthy eating habits from something you've read on a box or heard on a TV commercial. Don't make eating healthy food a punishment. I've met so many parents who themselves watch what they eat, and give all of the crap to their kids. If we give it to them...they'll eat it. And if they create habits around foods high in fat, sugar, and artificial everything...then that's what they are going to recognize as food. Talk about missing the boat! Those are the years where they learn the bad and good habits that they will either be blessed to keep or struggle to break later on in life! Set them up right from the start so that they'll make the right choices when they are alone! Here are the top things that I look for when it comes to grocery shopping.

1. What is on the ingredients list. If there are any artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives...I make a nasty face, and honestly a verbal "bleh" sound...and then I put it back on the shelf! I am not even tempted. It physically makes me cringe at this point in our family's journey to even consider feeding it to my family.

2. Are there a bazillion ingredients on the list?

3. I even check the "all-natural" branded products for the above #'s 1 & 2.

4. I have made a serious shift in the past few months to buying organic wherever possible. I know it's usually a little more expensive. I have some very good reasons...but that's another post for another day!

Be leaders my friends. Refuse to accept the junk being peddled all around us. Be examples for your family and friends. Thank you for reading. Spread the word and lets help fix the terrible habits that have been created all around us. Sometimes...big changes come just by raising awareness.

Camber

The Hydration Challenge -Day THREE

Hey everyone! How did you all do yesterday? There are at least 10 of us that I personally know of who are participating in the hydration challenge! I did about the same yesterday as I did the first day; about 54oz. I definitely plan to do better today. I got a late start both days due to busy mornings. It seems like I struggle the most remembering to drink water before noon.

On the plus side, I have personally felt a great deal of energy the last 2 days. I have accomplished a lot of tasks, and with regard to my personal systems...let's just say that the "garbage crew" now seems to be operating at a healthy level. I can't think of a better way to say that so I hope that will suffice. Oh the blessings of hydrating! I hope that you are doing well, and feeling well also. Keep it up! This is a GREAT habit to create!

How was day TWO for you?

The Hydration Challenge -Day TWO

Alright! How did you fare on day ONE of the Hydration Challenge? Scott and I did pretty well for the first day. It is really a habit that you have to consciously create. I was supposed to drink between 62.5-93.75 oz and I ended up last night at about 56oz of pure water, plus I had a delicious breakfast of grapefruit, apples, blueberries, almonds, and flax oil that should have added to that. *I'll post a picture of that amazing breakfast and the easy recipe in just a couple of minutes. I had great, steady energy levels throughout the day yesterday, and accomplished so much! I LOVE those days!

How was your first day? I'm am really excited about the number of you who have joined the challenge! It's nice to be not only accountable to ourselves, but others as well. Others who are working toward the same goals! Comment on your Day ONE experience and although you may not have seen big changes yet, you may have experienced something new! Can't wait to hear about it.

Our Bodies are made from Water -THE HYDRATION CHALLENGE!

   I find it fascinating that just as the earth is made up of roughly 75% water, our bodies consist of an average of 60-85% water. The obvious conclusion would be that in order to operate at a high level of health, we must have adequate water to do so. In fact, water is crucial for the health of the systems in our body as it carries oxygen to each of our cells. No oxygen in our cells = DEAD CELLS. Dead cells = ill health and even cancer. Water therefore is a necessary component of optimal health.
How much? Here is a quirky equation that I found that you can take a look at for fun. The best advice I have been given with regard to daily water intake is to drink 50-75% of your body weight in ounces per day. That is the amount that you need for all of the functions and processes that your body encounters throughout the day. Water lubricates joints and muscles, promotes healthy skin due to high levels of hydration, slows aging due to hydrated cells, and removes toxins from our organs, tissues and muscles. Because of all of the things I just mentioned, you will experience much higher levels of energy due to the high function of all of your bodily systems. An all around win win win!
   So why do we feel the need to drink other "energy stimulating" beverages? If you are hydrated...there will be no need. I haven't drank pop in over 6 years. ZERO caffeine in over 6 years, and I'm a mother of 2 active children. It's truly been a blessing. I have to give some IMPORTANT information to those of you who drink or know people who drink caffeinated sodas, especially DIET sodas. When you watch commercials on TV, or walk around the grocery stores, you'll notice a HUGE amount of products promoting their "SUGAR-FREE" nature. It's TRASH. Please do not be fooled. If you read the ingredients list of probably 95% of sugar free products, one of the ingredients is ASPARTAME. Please...even if you don't read any more of this post...at least read that article on Aspartame. It will scare you. Years back I worked for a chiropractor, and we had a wonderful patient who was suffering from Multiple Sclerosis. He admitted to drinking diet drinks. The doctor suggested that he give up the habit. As soon as he did, his symptoms of M.S. greatly decreased. It's amazing to me that 'sugar free' products are heavily promoted to those people suffering from diabetes and yet ironically...one of the side effects of aspartame is DIABETES! Anyway, whether you want to lose weight, improve the appearance of your skin, eliminate stiff joints and muscles, enjoy a higher level of energy, or ALL OF THE ABOVE...try...just try to get rid of the other drinks; all of them, even just try for two weeks and I guarantee the results will blow your mind! It's amazing that if we just take the time to study how our bodies work, the ways to health will become so much more clear!

AND NOW... THE HYDRATION CHALLENGE. Today, being Monday is the perfect day to begin. I would like to challenge all of you to participating in a Hydration Challenge with me. I'll do it...you'll do it...and then we'll talk about it. You don't have to do anything else but cut out all beverages other than water for two weeks.

  Here's the run down:
  *Drink 50-75% of your body weight in oz. each day for TWO WEEKS.
  *Divide it evenly throughout the waking hours of your day.
  *Make an effort not to drink much if any water in the 30 minutes before and after your meals. It will dilute the nutrients in your food as you digest.
  *Don't drink ice cold water. The closer to your body temperature...the less work your body needs to do to use it.

  As an example, if you weight 130lbs, you would take 130X.50=65 oz     130X.75=97.5oz  A person weighing 130lbs would drink 65-97.5 oz of water per day. Write the total on a sticky note where you'll see it all of the time. Carry a nice water bottle around with you, preferably one with the oz. printed on the side, and keep it filled and refilled each time you finish. Now, some of you may worry that you'll spend the entire day in the bathroom, but I was shocked to find out that when I distributed the water intake evenly throughout the day, rather than flooding my body with water every few hours, my body was using nearly ALL of it! TRY IT...I DARE YOU...and let me know how it goes. I'm excited to do it with you! Ready...GO! Happy HYDRATING!

Really Bad, Good & Really Good Food

   To say that figuring out what is good for you is confusing would be an understatement! Turn on the TV, the radio; open a magazine, or just take a stroll down any aisle of the supermarket and you are bombarded with packages and advertising all saying that their product is "healthy"! Let me just get something out there...and don't think that I'm some type of "conspiracy theorist", because I have plenty of better things to do, but people... IT IS A BUSINESS! Selling food is a BUSINESS! A multi-BILLION dollar industry. Of course there is going to be confusion. These businesses want you to buy their products.

   I got really tired of trying to decipher what I was watching on TV, hearing on the radio, and seeing everywhere I went, and so I looked somewhere else. I wanted to learn how the body worked, what foods were divinely created for it, and then even after all of that...see what was actually working! I always laugh when I see healthcare professionals who physically look like they wouldn't know health if it slapped them in the face: nutritionists who need to take a few lessons of their own. Why would we want to take advice from people like that? As with anything in life, if you want something for yourself; want to reach a goal..talk to people who have that for themselves and have been successful in those goals.
   So, here's what makes sense to me. And I say "makes sense" because usually if things don't make sense, they're not true. We have bodies made of living tissues; bodies made to run off of living foods; foods they don't have to work very hard to benefit from, or even benefit at all! I have come up with a system that makes it pretty easy for me to discern if something is the most beneficial for my body, and it's so simple that I taught a group of 3-12 years olds this same thing a few months ago. Ready?...

~Does it come from a plant, a vine, or a tree?...does it come from the ground, an animal...or the sea?~

   Now...don't try and tell yourself that french fries come from the ground, (the way they are presented at stores or restaurants) or that fruit loops come from a tree. They come from a very special kind of tree...a 'Fac-tree'. The other day I wrote that I felt there were 3 main categories for quality eating; Really Bad, Good, and Really Good. I told you that we generally fall between the Good and Really Good categories in our family. Let me give you a couple of examples of things that could fall into those different categories. Now that you have the rhyme from above...you'll understand more of how I determine which categories things fall into.

Let's use an easy one like peanut butter for an example:

Really Bad                        

- Peanut Butter in a jar that is made with partially hydrogenated oils, hydrogenated oils, or even sugar.

Good

- Peanut Butter in a jar that has no more than 2 or 3 ingredients. Mainly peanuts and some type of oil (not hydrogenated)

Really Good

-If you're going to buy peanut butter in a jar, get one with simply 1 ingredient on the list. Peanuts.
-Adams makes an organic brand of peanut butter.
-And the best of all? There are many delicious replacements for peanut butter that can have greater health benefits. Things like sprouted almond butter, cashew butter, etc. I'll have to do a tutorial video making one of these butters to show you.

To sum things up, look for foods, and drinks for that matter (saved for a different post) that fall under the umbrella covered by the rhyme. Look for those foods in their most natural, unaltered state...and you will be doing better than probably 95% of our country right now. More to come. Stay tuned!

Camber