Health & Nutrition (15)
Tip #27: Out With the Nasty Toxins!
Have you ever really enjoyed yourself on vacation and come back home feeling sluggish, bloated and down? Have you ever noticed that your skin has lost its glow and appears dull and saggy? Well, these symptoms are many times due to toxin overload in the body and especially the liver (the skin’s main telling organ).
We are exposed to toxins everyday! Toxins are rampant in our food, the air we breathe, the chemicals we put on our skin daily, etc. This is why I feel it is VERY important to detox your system on a regular basis!
The four main ways the body detoxes are found in the word P.U.R.E.
P is for Perspiration
U is for Urination
R is for Respiration
E is for Elimination
I like using methods of detox that follow this acronym and that are easy to use so that I stick with them. Some of the detox tricks that I use regularly are as follows:
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Drinking LOTS of water daily to flush the system. I squeeze a lemon into the water in the mornings for extra detox! (Urination)
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Walking daily outside (briskly) for 30-45 minutes to really sweat out those toxins! (Perspiration and Respiration)
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Eating lots of fiber daily (such as avocados) and drinking my daily GREEN drink for regularity. (Elimination) Click here to find a delicious Green Drink!
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Using my InfraRed SAUNA Blanket weekly for one hour to really detox and rev up the metabolism to maintain my weight. (Perspiration)
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I take a good Probiotic daily to maintain good digestion and immunity. (Elimination)
After doing these simple detox tricks using PURE, I find that my skin glows, my weight stays even and I just feel better inside! I hope you can use these tricks to really make a difference in your overall health and skin beauty!
I always knew through common sense that much of my health future would be due to what I ate each day. But, through the years there have been all kinds of diets introduced through the media touting health benefits and weight management, which made it hard to tell which ones were really good for me.
When I turned 50, someone forwarded me a video of a Doctor who had been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, and she found that she was able to reverse most of the symptoms of her MS by following what is known as the "Paleo Diet".
Although the video intrigued me, the real turning point came when less than a week later, my personal physician (a holistic, alternative practitioner) told me that he and his wife had started a diet that he really believed was great for health. He called it the "Hunter-Gatherer" diet. As he described it to me, I realized he was referring to the "Paleo Diet".
Here is a definition which I found which describes the Paleo Diet:
"a diet based on the types of foods presumed to have been eaten by early humans, consisting chiefly of meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit, and excluding dairy or grain products and processed food."
In its most basic form, it is a diet that consumes foods that our ancestors (caveman) would have eaten. WHOLE, UNPROCESSED FOOD!
From that point on, my husband and I decided to try the Paleo Diet, and we LOVE it! There are many delicious recipes out there in books and on the internet. Here are some great paleo recipes.
I can honestly say that this diet is one that has measurably changed our health. One example, my husband always struggled to get good blood work numbers each year for his physicals. After starting the Paleo Diet, ALL his lab numbers improved. My lab numbers were always pretty good, but now they are even better!
Another major benefit we noticed was the ease of maintaining our weights on this diet (which is actually a lifestyle, not a fad diet). Also, the Paleo diet fights inflammation in the body, which is a major cause of so many illnesses today. I noticed that my joints and back hurt much less when I started eating the Paleo foods.
TIP #8: Oh those Veggies-Sometimes Easier To Drink!
Written by Glamma MisaIf you are like me, you probably have a hard time eating the recommended 5-9 veggies/fruits per day! Even though I do believe everyone needs to supplement certain vitamins, I know it is always better to get my vitamins from whole foods instead of a pill!
When my kids were growing up, we were always struggling to get them to eat the many veggies per day that we knew they needed. That is why we starting making the "daily green drink" for all of us.
We found that it is so much easier to get a couple of our daily veggies and fruits consumed by drinking them in a delicious smoothie-type drink! Here is an example of how we do it:
In a blender, mix the following and drink a large glass once or twice daily:
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup "no sugar" added juice (grape or pomegranate or orange)
2-3 cups of organic spinich and kale or greens blend (Keep these in the freezer so they will make drink cold each time)
1/2 cup organic baby carrots
1/2 cup organic baby tomatoes
1 pear or 1 cup berries for flavor or 1 banana
2 Tablespoons Organic Virgin Coconut Oil-Try Nature's Way Organic
1 Scoop Greens Powder-Try Organic Greens
Blend well until desired consistency.
My kids actually would ASK for the green drink! They loved it, and I felt good that at least a couple of veggies were being consumed by them daily!
Another alternative is to buy a "juicer" and make the drink. We found that a blender worked just fine, although the drink is a little thicker with the blender!
You can also try and add different fruits and veggies to find your favorite type. Just make sure to add lots of greens! Try and drink one each morning for increased immunity and energy through the day!
I think I will go and make one right now :)
TIP #19: It Has Been Around for 1000's of Years!
Written by Glamma MisaWhat if there was a "magical" pill that could cure most of the diseases that are plaguing us today? Well, there is a supplement that has been used for thousands of years in many areas across Asia to PREVENT many of the diseases that are so widespread today in America. The supplement is called Turmeric extract, with its main active ingredient, Curcumin!
The main reason this supplement is so effective at fighting disease is because it is HIGHLY anti-inflammatory. As I have mentioned before, inflammation is the root cause of so many diseases, such as cancer, Alzheimer's, heart disease, skin disorders, and arthritis.
I discovered the benefits of Turmeric when I was suffering from Arthritis pain symptoms in my lower back. My uncle mentioned this supplement to me during the holidays in 2014 that he found really helped one of his friends with pain. Turmeric has been found to be just as effective as anti-inflammatory drugs, but with no drug-induced side effects.
However, my primary introduction to Turmeric was through my son. He had recently started suffering from severe cystic acne primarily on his face and back. Therefore, being my son, he began searching for a holistic approach to acne, and he stumbled across Turmeric online as a quick and long term fix to Cysts. He is able to take a few at night if he feels the start of a cyst, and it will dramatically reduce any swelling on the cyst by morning. He also takes a couple of the supplements in the morning as a preventative to new cysts and this has really helped manage his symptoms!
We were so impressed with the alleviation of our symptoms that we researched other benefits Turmeric provides, such as:
1. Turmeric dramatically increases the antioxidant capability in the body, which fights many cancers and diseases.
2. Studies show it can be just as effective as anti-depressants in fighting depression.
3. Turmeric boosts levels of brain hormones which increases growth of brain neurons and fights brain diseases.
4. It improves insulin sensitivity for diabetes management.
5. Turmeric is wonderful for pain management due to its anti-inflammatory benefits.
For our family, this is one supplement we will NOT be without. Luckily, it is not expensive and can be found at this link:
It is important to note that turmeric is best taken with a black pepper extract for ultimate absorption and effectiveness in the body.
I am really excited about a new (inexpensive) supplement that my husband and I recently started taking for our health. It is called Chlorophyll, and it is made from the green pigment in plants. Many green veggies that we should all eat contain Chlorophyll (spinach, kale, broccoli, lettuce, etc.).
As my husband and I sometimes struggle to eat enough of the daily greens, we really love drinking the liquid Chlorophyll with water or adding it to our "green" drinks. The brand we purchased has a mint flavor from Now.
The list of health benefits is almost endless with Chlorophyll to include the following:
1. It works as a detox for heavy metals in the blood. Chlorophyll cleanses the blood and supports a healthy digestion for toxin removal.
2. It deodorizes the body internally alleviating bad breath or body odor!
3. It is loaded with antioxidants that fight cancers.
4. It aids the liver in a purifying mode.
5. It helps to clear skin problems because it balances the alkalinity in our bodies. Most of us are heavy on the acidic side due to our diets of red meat, heavy sugar and processed foods. The Chlorophyll helps to balance this problem because of the high alkalinity in it bringing our bodies back into the proper PH.
6. It helps to eliminate parasites and candida yeast which is due to heavy sugar diets. It also helps to curb "sweet tooth" cravings thus encouraging weight loss.
7. Chlorophyll removes carcinogens from unhealthy food that has been eaten when taken before or after eating.
8. It oxygenates the blood to give us more energy! This one is huge for me as I have struggled with fatigue in the past due to thyroid problems.
I could go on and on with many other health benefits, but basically this is one POWERHOUSE supplement for the whole family.
Because Chlorophyll Liquid is VERY green, you must be careful not to spill it on clothes. Also, swish your mouth out after drinking it, or you may temporarily look like the "Green Goblin":)
I LOVE eating foods that are tasty and nutritious and filling at the same time! That is why I eat NUTS and SEEDS everyday!
Even though nuts are high in fat, they do NOT make me fat! In fact, this is the first time in my life that my weight has been kept under control easily! And, I attribute much of that to the nuts and seeds that I consume daily!
One of the biggest reasons that they help to control weight is that they are filling. The amount of fat and fiber and protein in them is what keeps me full longer and that helps to prevent blood sugar highs and cravings (more ammunition to help ward off the dreaded Diabetes)!
On the skin and beauty side, nuts have tons of vitamin and minerals and antioxidants that keep skin supple and wrinkle-free. The healthy fat that they contain also contribute to skin health!
Here are a few of the ones I eat most often and some of their health benefits:
WALNUTS: Loaded with Omega 3 fatty acids that are very beneficial to brain and heart health (Have you ever noticed that a walnut kind of looks like a brain :)
ALMONDS: Loaded with Fiber and the antioxidant Vitamin E for fighting cancer.
BRAZILIAN NUTS: Lots of Selenium which is a powerful antioxidant!
CASHEWS: Full of Iron and Zinc which help immunity!
PECANS: Lots of Oleic Acid which studies have found fight Breast Cancer.
PUMPKIN SEEDS: Loads of Magnesium and Plant Phytosterols known to fight Prostate Cancer.
So, next time you feel like reaching for the chip bag, why not grab a handful of nuts and seeds instead and be a little "nutty" for the day :)?
You know something works when your college freshman asks if you can buy him some for his dorm room! When my son started college, we shopped for all his dorm essentials. But, he was the one that added APPLE CIDER VINEGAR to our shopping list!
He told me it definitely helps him when he starts to feel a cold and sore throat coming on. We always had our kids gargle with a couple of tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar and six ounces of warm water the instant they felt sick. It is a health remedy I learned from my Mom for getting rid of sore throats quick and it really helps!
But what I love about Apple Cider Vinegar is that it is good for so many other health issues, too. I like to drink a tablespoon with a glass of water daily as it helps with my digestion. It is very good for gall bladder health and breaking up gallstones!
One of the biggest benefits that studies show for ingesting Apple Cider Vinegar is that it helps lower blood sugar to stave off diabetes. This is a HUGE benefit as so many people struggle with pre-diabetes and diabetes these days!
The Apple Cider Vinegar that is the best one to buy is the Bragg's Organic Unfiltered "With the Mother". The "Mother" is loaded with anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties to fight infections.
Finally, I love drinking Apple Cider Vinegar because it has been shown to help with weight management and energy. If you drink a couple of teaspoons of Apple Cider Vinegar, just be sure to dilute it in a glass of water before drinking it and rinse your mouth afterwards. It is very acidic and can damage the enamel on your teeth if left on them.
If you are interested in learning more about the MANY benefits and uses of Apple Cider Vinegar, here is a wonderful article about it: Link
When my grand-baby was around 4 months old, she started eating solid foods. I knew that my daughter only wanted to feed her whole natural fruits and veggies (not processed food from baby jars). So when she stayed with us, I had to find the perfect food to feed her. That's when I fed her the AVOCADO (or the "Alligator Pear" as some refer to it).
The avocado represented the "perfect" 1st food for my grand-baby. It is a SUPER-FOOD with over 20 vitamins and minerals in each avocado. It has an abundant amount of healthy fats known as monounsaturated fats that help the developing brain (and us "old" brains, too :)
The avocado is easily digested and has a whopping 10-15 grams of fiber in each one! Because of the high fiber content, it helps stave off diabetes because it digests slowly and reduces blood sugar spikes. Additionally, because of the amount of fiber and healthy fat, avocados help you feel full longer which helps to maintain a healthy weight.
I make sure to eat at least one avocado daily because one of the most fabulous benefits about avocados is that they contain a good amount of Carotenoids which help with eye health. Maintaining healthy eyes is very important to me as I have suffered from eye problems due to some thyroid issues I have struggled with.
Another very healthy benefit of avocados is that the type of fat that they have in them helps the body absorb other nutrients that are fat soluble. For instance, adding avocado to a salad helps your body absorb more of the nutrients from the other veggies!
As for skin health and beauty, the avocado has large amounts of Antioxidants such as Vitamins A, C, and E! You can even make a nourishing face mask with an avocado to apply topically to the skin. I find that the OIL is so wonderful that I add the oil to my hair when I am shampooing for added shine.
Added to all of that, avocados fight cancer, Alzheimer's, heart disease and high blood pressure (they even have more potassium than bananas)!
My husband and I are delighted our grand-babies love the avocado and we try to feed them one every time they visit.
I wanted to expand on my last article which discussed baking with coconut flour. Coconuts deserve a whole article to be written about them because they have tremendous health and beauty benefits! They are truly a WONDER food, and I love foods that serve multiple purposes!
The most important benefit that we found when we starting eating and cooking with coconut oil was the good energy that it provides. We like to add a couple of teaspoons to our protein shakes or just cook and bake with the organic/unrefined variety. Coconuts are a form of saturated fat (Medium Chain Fatty Acids) that the body uses very efficiently. This type of fat is HEALTHY for your body, and it does NOT make you fat! It actually has been shown to help people lose weight because it speeds up the metabolism and helps to stabilize blood sugar levels.
Aside from ingesting coconut oil, I found that the oil has many beauty benefits. Coconut oil is antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral. It keeps your skin glowing when it is in your diet and can be used in many of your face and body creams or products. One of my favorite moisturizers is by Eminence Organics called "Coconut Age Corrective Moisturizer" and can be found at this link.
Another fantastic use of coconut oil is for the hair. It can be used in place of expensive hair serums or gels. It adds shine to hair and really tames and moisturizes dry fizzy hair! I have a jar of coconut oil in my bathroom closet that I rub directly on my hair after washing as I am blow drying. If you do try it on your hair, just be sure to use very little so that it doesn't leave your hair too greasy. You can always add more, if needed. Another tip is to apply a good amount to your hair for a couple of hours (with a plastic cap over your head) followed by your regular hair-washing. It really adds moisture and shine!
You can even shave with it or find a body cream that is made with coconuts for after shaving. I use it to remove my eye makeup and that saves money!!! We also put a couple of tablespoons in our daily green drinks for fantastic energy!
One of the biggest challenges we found with the Paleo Diet when we first started doing it was that we no longer would be eating the usual breads. After a short time we got used to it, and we started feeling much better staying away from the grains!
However, we every so often get a craving for some baked goods, so we had to find the recipes for baking some breads and muffins that were Paleo.
The flours that are mostly used for the Paleo Lifestyle are ALMOND Flour and COCONUT Flour! Here is one of our favorite recipes that my husband loves making. These muffins are good for breakfast with a nice Egg Omelet with veggies and some bacon (All Paleo)!
PALEO BANANA NUT MUFFINS:
4 Ripe/Soft Bananas, mashed with a fork
4 Eggs
1/2 Cup Almond Butter
2 TBSP Coconut Oil, Melted
1 TSP Vanilla
1/2 Cup Coconut Flour
2 TSP Cinnamon
1/2 TSP Nutmeg
1 TSP Baking Powder
1 TSP Baking Soda
1/4 TSP Salt
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with cups. In a large bowl, mix using a hand blender the bananas, eggs, almond butter, coconut oil and vanilla.
2. Add the coconut flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Blend until it is a wet mixture.
3. Scrape sides of bowl with spatula and pour batter evenly into muffin tins, filling each about 2/3 full.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes (check with toothpick until clean). Serve warm or store in refrigerator. Makes 12 muffins.
Other variations include adding blueberries or small apple pieces.
These muffins are really yummy, and the only sugar in the muffins comes from the fruit. My Grand-babies LOVE them, and we do too! :)
More...
Recently, when my husband and I were coming home from running errands, we noticed a new nursing/Alzheimer's care facility being built nearby. I commented to my husband that this was the fourth one I had seen in recent months being built within five miles of us.
My husband and I realized that the reason so many of these facilities are being built is due to the fact that they are expecting HUGE numbers of people in America to need this type of assistance in the future. Aside from the staggering cost of these homes is the staggering statistic that more than 13.8 million Americans will be affected by Alzheimer's Disease by 2050 according to the Alzheimer's Organization. That is nearly TRIPLE the patients that have the disease right now in 2015!
If you are like us, the thought of living our later years in a nursing home or worse, contracting Alzheimer's disease, scares us thoroughly! That is why we find doing all of the things that the experts suggest to prevent the disease is so important. Among some of the tips are the following:
1. Eat a healthy diet filled with antioxidant-rich vegetables and fruits, like the Paleo Diet!
2. Keep your blood sugar at a healthy level, preventing diabetes.
3. Exercise regularly.
4. Keep your mind active.
5. Enjoy an active social life.
Along with these items, I was really excited to learn about a recent study of an antioxidant supplement that my husband and I take daily. It is called RESVERATROL, and it is found in foods such as red grapes, red wine, cocoa in dark chocolate, and blueberries.
Here is what the CNN article said about the study on Resveratrol supplementation on Alzheimer's patients:
"The study is encouraging enough that we should certainly go ahead and do a [larger] clinical trial because we showed that it is safe and does have significant effects on Alzheimer's biomarkers," said Dr. R. Scott Turner, professor of neurology at Georgetown University Medical Center and lead investigator of the study..."
Aside from the promising studies on Alzheimer's Disease, Resveratrol has been shown to help cardiovascular health, cancer prevention, lower inflammation and it is often referred to as the "fountain of youth" (we all can appreciate that)!
My father has been taking a Resveratrol supplement for many years and is still leading an active life of acting and travel. My mother loves red wine and is also still leading an active life of exercise and travel! All of these reasons are good enough for my husband and I to love taking this wonderful supplement and eating foods rich in Resveratrol.
The one that we have been taking is found can be found here.
Finally, please note that it is important to take a Resveratrol Supplement that is made from Muscadine grape skins and seeds, as they carry a high amount of Resveratrol.
TIP #7. That Awesome Vitamin-C
Fifteen years ago something very scary was happening to me. Every three to four months I would develop a 104 degree fever and be diagnosed with a severe case of Strep Throat. My body would be in complete pain and my throat was on fire! For at least five years I had this happen to me over 15 times!
Each time it happened, the only thing I could do was head to an emergency clinic for antibiotics (each time they had to put me on stronger antibiotics just to get the fever down). The last time it happened in 2002, I asked the doctor if there was anything that I could do to prevent this from happening so often. He looked at my chart and said "No, not really. You will just have to get antibiotics each time it reoccurs. There is nothing we can do."
I left the doctor that day with my prescription, burning up with fever, and I decided to fight back. I drove straight to a health food store where my youngest sister worked and asked her if she knew of anything I could take to boost my immunity. (Keep in mind, at this time I did not take any supplements and knew nothing about all-natural holistic ideas.) She told me she would recommend me starting with something very simple and basic. She sold me daily packets of Emergenc-C, which contains 1000mg of vitamin C.
AMAZINGLY, after I started taking the vitamin C that day, I NEVER developed Strep Throat again! It has been over fifteen years since the last bout. Additionally, I rarely develop colds. If I do catch one, it is very short-lived and mild. When I realized how wonderful Vitamin C was for my immunity, I immediately started my whole family on daily doses. My kids rarely contracted any colds or viruses from that point on.
Additionally, I learned that vitamin C fights cancer, heart disease, and builds collagen for the skin. The body does NOT store vitamin C, so it must be supplemented daily. Many foods contain this vitamin, but I found that taking a supplement with at least 1000/mg a day works best in boosting my immunity.
Tip #6. One Of My Favorite Anti-Oxidants
One of my favorite antioxidants is called Astaxanthin. It provides superior skin anti-aging benefits, along with skin protection from the sun. After taking the supplement for awhile, it provides me with a natural looking tan from within. It helps keep the skin smooth, supple and wrinkle-free. My sister even noticed those benefits when she started taking it.
Astaxanthin comes from micro algae, and it is the substance that gives salmon and shrimp the pink/coral color.
It's antioxidant capability is over 500 times more potent than Vitamin E and over 6000 times more potent than Vitamin C. As you know, antioxidants are the fighters of free radical damage in the body that can cause cancer and other diseases. It also works by reducing inflammation in the body, which also fights disease.
I usually take one 10mg daily of the Nutrition Champion Astaxanthin brand that can be found at this link.
TIP #5: The Sunshine Vitamin
When I was a child, my sisters and I ALWAYS played outside. We would many times stay outside during the summer all day long and only come back into the house when it was turning dark. Back then, we didn't have cell phones, computers, or cable TV. Basically, we went outside to escape the boredom!
These days, kids stay inside and play on the computer or they watch TV or they play on their phones. I only go outside for any length of time when we are on vacation. I always wonder why I feel so alive and healthy when I am on vacation. It is the SUN and its ability to provide the body with Vitamin D!
I really never thought about Vitamin D (which is actually a hormone) and its effect on my health, until about 5 years ago when my doctor added the Vitamin D (25-hydroxy) test to my bloodwork panel. The results were shocking. The doctor told me I was in a severely deficient range and that I needed to supplement with Vitamin D everyday. At that point, I decided to have my husband and children tested, and they were all severely deficient, also! They needed supplementation immediately to bring their levels into a normal range, too.
We all began to supplement with 2-3 drops (4,000 to 6,000 IU) of Biotics Bio-D-Mulsion Forte. Luckily, the drops are very inexpensive and the bottles last about six months!
After about three months, we all retested and ALL of our Vitamin D levels were brought into an Optimal Range. Now, we retest with our annual bloodwork and continue to stay in range with 2-3 drops daily.
I feel grateful that my doctor discovered this deficiency in me because I learned of how important Vitamin D is to a person's health. So many people are deficient in this vital nutrient. Even if we are in the sun these days, we are wearing sunscreens, which block the Vitamin D. The consequences of low Vitamin D have been linked to numerous cancers, diabetes, alzheimers, heart disease, depression and many many autoimmune disorders!
I always urge my family and friends to get tested by their doctors and to supplement if necessary. Many of them have found out they are also deficient!
Finally, it is important to retest a few months after starting Vitamin D supplementation to find the optimal level for your body. Then, yearly thereafter!
