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