I spent a lot of time in my past researching weight-loss. How to do it effectively, how do it quickly, how to do with the best end result, and how to do with as little effort as possible. I always knew that if I had to go to that much work to figure it out it probably wasn't right. Being a competitive boxer however, I had to find ways to drop large amounts of weight quickly. I would get crazy advice from all kinds of people, and had coaches from all over the country give me advice that was really out of their league and super dangerous to give. I did everything from eating boiled chicken, rice and salad everyday for months, to eating only 900 calories a day - keep in mind, I was training 3 times a day and burning thousands of calories. I lived on soup, caffeine pills, jugs and jugs of water and spent a ridiculous amount of time in the sauna spitting into a bucket. For those of you who know nothing of the sport of boxing; it's a sport that is determined on your weight, like being a jockey, MMA fighter, or wrestler. If you don't make weight in boxing, like other combative sports you get your butt kicked. Plain and simple. One thing that I always thought about whilst trying to lose and keep off the weight was that I seemed to struggle to lose the weight at a certain point. I always felt like if I would just have a real meal, I would probably end up dropping more weight. This was an impossible concept to other boxers because the trick was to cut out calories and the weight would come off. However, no one really did the research. I also found it really strange that at a certain point in our prelim weigh-ins at our "road-work" instructors house, I would actually start gaining weight in his sauna. He was perplexed that I would go in at 101 lbs and come out 103. I felt like I knew the answer but chose to never argue it.
Looking back on this now, and having done the research, gotten the education, and spent countless hours training people, I can tell you exactly what happened and exactly what that "gut-instinct" was. Our bodies are incapable of error. They are perfectly designed. I know, you're thinking "but I get sick all the time." Or, "my thyroid doesn't work right", etc... First of all.... (and very briefly for right now) you're doing it to yourself. Genetics may be an underlying factor, but let's face it, if I asked you what you could be doing better, you would be able to think of something right away whether or not you admitted to it out loud. My body chose to hang onto the weight because I was starving it. The low calories, the repetitive diet, the over-training, the lack of sleep, the stress from trying to box at a national level, graduate from high-school and work a part-time job was overload for me. Eventhough mentally I felt like I could handle it, and it was almost a bragging right for me, my body stopped working for me to save itself. It didn't care what I was doing or feeding it, it sucked every nutrient it could get out of that lettuce, every ounce of protein and amino acids to repair my muscles from that chicken and every bit of carbohydrate it could out of the rice to keep me going for the day. Due to the lack of fat in that diet, there wasn't much there to pull from to protect my organs, so I had a lot of strange recurring infections, and kidney problems. Looking back on it all now though, I'm pretty impressed with my body for even being able to survive through that major crisis.
I'd like to point out quickly also, that I'm not bashing any sports that require you to be a certain weight. My heart is and always will be with boxing. I'm just pointing out that the lack of knowledge from myself and the coaches was the problem.
As for gaining weight in the sauna, I simply didn't have the water or nutrients in me to be able to sweat off more weight. So, my body held on to every ounce of water it could and actually started retaining it which is what caused the weight gain. Again, very impressive. I sat in on a course a few years ago with a guy by the name of Christian Limoges. He's a Naturopath who spoke on the subject of an alkaline diet and being "raw vegan". This means he eats nothing that comes from animals, and nothing that is cooked over 180 degrees. He turned me onto the claim that our bodies are incapable of error. He explained that the acidity and toxicity in a can of coke is enough to kill us, but because of our amazing systems, and their ability to filter, our liver can take that poison and turn it into sugar and it will be broken down into fat. The main function for fat is to protect our organs. So that can of poison was turned into sugar, which was turned to fat to protect our organs. Ummm... AMAZING! Keep in mind, the fat it turned into is a problem because of the fact that there are no nutrients in the can of coke and it was made from simple sugars, but it still didn't kill you and your body tried to turn it into something positive.
When we "yo-yo" diet, and cut out nutrients and calories, we are doing long-term damage to our organs, hormones, and our body, soul and mind if you will. This constant back and forth in our weight confuses our bodies and forces them into survival mode. It also makes it really difficult to have any sustainability in our plans to make these changes life-long because inevitably, you're cutting out foods; and as soon as you do that, you start to crave the simple version of it. Cut out sugars from fruit and you'll crave simple sugars like candy and chocolate. Cut out carbs and you'll start to crave bread. There's a reason why we eat with such variety. If you eat the same thing everyday, your body will begin to lack proper nutrients and muscles, organs and your ability to think clearly will be depleted.
I always said if I had to write a book with "the answer" to good weight-loss and fitness it would be world's shortest book.
Weight Loss: Burn off more than you take in; stop eating from a box and eat what the earth has supplied for you.
Fitness: Be active in some way or another everyday; stop sitting on your couch and doing nothing.
VOILA! That would be my book. Because, really guys, it's that easy. You wouldn't have to spend all that time reading food labels if you ate what came from the earth. (Especially if it's organic and free of pesticides) You wouldn't have to slave away at the gym every day if you would just keep active and moving. Walking with your kids counts as physical activity; vacuuming is another, doing laundry, gardening, these things count. You're moving and now you're eating real food with real nutrients, there's no crazy cravings or up and down energy levels and life is going good because you're not getting sick all the time. This amazing shift in lifestyle would also help eliminate your need for thyroid meds, blood-pressure meds, cholesterol meds, etc... because you wouldn't be poisoning your body with all these "man-made" boxed foods. The problems we are suffering with, are caused by our lifestyles. We take on too much, look for quick-fixes in food, and end up burning out, trying to be convenient with well... everything; and then the only ones who pay the price are us.
Here's an even extra-added bonus; plant your food, and now your doing even better by the planet. All of our problems are cyclical. We pollute our planet, we make food in boxes, we breathe in these toxins from all the plants that make the food in boxes, we consume all these poisons by eating food that was made in these toxic plants and then we wonder why we're unhealthy and why childhood obesity is on the rise and why there are so many cancers filling the earth. This is why. I will say this over and over again, we are doing this to ourselves.
Stop hitting the bookstores looking for the next "now diet". Understand that people in the "blue zones" of the world (these are areas of the earth where people are the healthiest and live into their hundreds"; plant their food, eat only what is naturally resourced from the land where they live, move all day to keep their environment thriving and sustainable and this gives them real motive to live. It gives them a sense importance. All of these things are important in living a long and healthy life. You can't take shortcuts if you want to sustain good health, but it also doesn't have to be major effort. Park further from the store, take the stairs instead of the elevator, consider chores at your house part of your exercise routine, and eat well. Without proper diet even the best athlete will never get the results they want. Remember, if food companies cut out the fat in something, they have to replace it with something else. If they cut out sugar, it too, has to replaced with something. The alternatives are always unhealthy and usually the same thing that's causing your health problems. Be smart about your food, be smart about what you're doing - don't just sit around; get up and walk, play with your kids, get some fresh air, turn on some music and dance in your kitchen; get more rest, find ways to eliminate the stress in your life and surround yourself with people who are living the same way. It may require more conscious effort in the beginning, but it becomes second nature in no time and the concept is actually sustainable because it's what we were designed to do.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
What are we wasting our time worrying for?
I went for coffee with a girlfriend of mine tonight, (you know who you are) :) She had told me when she got in the car that she had a mild "mini-drama" before I had arrived. A momentary lapse if you will, in her ability to think clearly about her life. She had a moment where she hated her clothes, hated the way she looked, basically hated her life. Feeling lost and confused for a short period of time. I know this feeling all to well as I spend most mornings staring at my over-flowing closet of clothes and thinking, "I have nothing to wear." And if I do find something to wear, (and I always do) I look in the mirror, think there's no way I can pull this off today and proceed to try on 10 other outfits before I realize how late it is and go flying out my door, not even aware of what I've put on.
We do this with everything. We pick ourselves apart, we torment ourselves and for what? How many times have we told our kids, our friends, and ourselves, that we're unique, beautiful, and amazing people and then we fall apart, not believing a single word of it. This behaviour is really destructive. I don't if guys feel this way. I know of some growing up who had these moments also, but it really seems to be a woman thing.
As my girlfriend and I discussed this and tied men into the conversation she passed on some information that I was told to take with me for the rest of my life: "Men really don't care". "If you're there, and available, you could be wearing a paper bag and it wouldn't matter." If this is true, why are we tearing ourselves apart constantly? And truly there are so many things that deserve more of our time. If we're really going to worry, why do we worry about useless things? I think part of the issue is we've become way to materialistic. We buy things constantly trying to fill a void that would probably be satisfied by companionship or human contact and in the end feel just as empty as we did before we bought that particular item. I, too, am guilty of this; however, I am so much more fulfilled by human contact and intellectual stimulation. I can thrive off the energy of a great conversation for days, but thrive off the energy of shopping for a few measly minutes.
I've become a wee bit of a nerd in the last few years. Wanting to read everything I see, learn anything I can whenever I can, and talk to anyone who can challenge my brain and educate me at the same time. I have to say, I've been pretty lucky lately in meeting people like that. In meeting these people and learning a plethora of things, I've felt pretty adequate for quite awhile now. I also think that my job plays a huge role in this as I see the value of life on a daily basis. People coming and going all the time with major illnesses and never knowing if that day will be the last time I see them. I know that the lady dying of cancer isn't concerned with her outfit or hair that day; and the man with Alzheimer's, he's not concerned with what people around him think of his ensemble. He's wondering if he'll wake up tomorrow and recognize his own face. Anytime I start having these momentary lapses I think about these people. It's a nice slap in the face back to reality. I have it so good, probably too good, and with the ability to see both ends of the spectrum, I very quickly appreciate what I have and what I have to offer. One constant on my mind however, is, "Am I living to my full potential?" "If I was gone tomorrow, and could look back on my life would I have been truly happy?" Of course I have two beautiful kids, and a great boyfriend, but am I doing what I want to do? Was I really honest with myself and others around me? I find all too often we hold back on saying things that are on our minds because we're afraid of another person's reaction, but you can be filtered and polite while still saying what you need to say. I also have high morals and expectations, so am I staying true to them or being passive? Again, small concerns and worries to a healthy individual, but as quickly as you can take a breath in, it can be taken away. I want to know that I've stayed true to myself until the very end. Much easier said than done of course. I'm always worried about other people and what they think and am I making them happy and what if they don't like me if I say that, and on and on and on....
One of the best quotes I ever read that my friend had put on his web page for me was:
"Don't run around trying to heal all of your friends. Do your own mental work and heal yourself. This will do more good for those around you than anything else."
How true is this? How are we supposed to help anyone else if we can't even help ourselves?! Too many people think they are being selfish by focusing on themselves, but they are actually doing more good than not. I think it's so important to surround yourself with friends who have strengths and knowledge in different areas than you. This way, when one area is weak, you have a network of people around you to help because they are strong that way. I've been really blessed to meet some amazing people in the past few years who not only support me, but challenge me. Some who question what I'm doing when I'm being an idiot, some who fill my brain with great ideas so that I can learn more, some who push me in regards to the impact I'm leaving on the planet, my kids, and my environment, some who question the person I am and who I'm trying to become, etc... These things are great because it forces me to constantly look within and make some really firm decisions, while trying to find ways to improve constantly. I think my life would be empty without these people (and again, you know who you are). I would rather spend time thinking and contemplating, as oppose to worrying and picking myself apart in a self-destructive manner.
I'm going to add some quotes from my "website page" it's not my website, it's a friend's website with a page attached for me from my 18th birthday. He was there for me through thick and thin and eventhough he was far away, he always challenged me intellectually and I respect and love him for that. We don't talk very often anymore, but when we do, it's like we never skipped a beat. Life happens, and people disappear, but that doesn't mean that they're not as important as they were before. It simply means you're both lost in the whirlwind of it all, and when you come out with a second to breathe, you'll catch up. I hope you like these quotes because they really do fit in with appreciating yourself and the ones you love.
If you get a chance, check out his website, he's an amazing photographer and has traveled the world a few times. www.brandonelliot.com
Envelop your family in a circle of love, whether they are living or not. Include your friends, your loved ones, your spouse, everyone from work and your past, and all the people you would like to forgive and don't know how. Affirm that you have wonderful, harmonious relationships with everyone, where there is mutual respect and caring on both sides. Know that you can live with dignity and peace and joy. Let this circle of love envelop the entire planet, and let your heart open so you can have a space within you of unconditional love. You are worth loving. You are beautiful. You are powerful. You open yourself to good.
And so it is!
And so it is!
Intention
Walk to the edge.
Listen hard.
Live with intention.
Practice wellness.
Continue to learn.
Play with adandon.
Laugh.
Choose with no regret.
Appreciate your friends.
Do what you love.
Live as if this is all there is.
Listen hard.
Live with intention.
Practice wellness.
Continue to learn.
Play with adandon.
Laugh.
Choose with no regret.
Appreciate your friends.
Do what you love.
Live as if this is all there is.
| "When we begin to change and work on ourselves, sometimes things get worse before they get better. It is okay if that happens, it's just the beginning of the process. It's untangling old roots. Just flow with it. |
| "An affirmation is a beginning point. It opens the way. You are saying to your subconscious mind: "I am taking responsibility." "I am aware there is something I can do to change." If you continue to say the affirmation, either you will be ready to let whatever it is go, and the affirmation will become true; or it will open a new avenue to you |
| "In order to change yourself outside, you must change inside. The moment you are willing to change, it is amazinghow the Universe begins to help you. It brings you what you need." |
| "When we begin to change and work on ourselves, sometimes things get worse before they get better. It is okay if that happens, it's just the beginning of the process. It's untangling old roots. Just flow with it. |
| The moment you say affirmations, you are stepping out of the role. You are no longer helpless. You are acknowledging your own power." |
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Good Manners Are Just Hiding on a Dusty Bookshelf
Let me start today's blog, by saying "Don't mind the constant design changes." I'm trying to find what suits me the best right now for this blog. I want the right feel for this blog and everything I write about, and I'm not quite sure I've found the magic combination?
Eventhough I write about health so far 100% of the time, there will be more to it, and I want it to look just right.
Today, like most other days, I of course forgot a lunch when I went to work. This absent-minded act is usually brought on by stumbling out of bed about 20 min later that I would have liked, dealing with an angry or "uber-cuddly" toddler or infant at around 6:00 am; and then trying to rush out the door after I've changed a diaper or two, gotten a breakfast ready for someone other than myself, put an end to a conflict, and attempted to put on a face and a professional outfit. Not to mention, I then need to take on the quest of driving successfully to work through traffic jams and never ending fender benders in a busy city.
I left the office for a half hour and grabbed lunch at an amazing deli here in town that makes home-made food and gets ravaged by anyone close to it's vicinity on daily basis, and then stopped into my local addiction hot-spot "Starbucks" for my usual "Extra hot, lactaid latte".
One thing I've noticed since moving here is that people just aren't as friendly as they are in B.C.. You don't get a friendly smile walking down the street, and generally if you smile at someone, you get one of those looks like "Oh no...What does she want?" It's kind of sad really. Mostly just because we as humans have become so afraid of personal connection and kindness that we can't even accept a warm smile from a stranger without feeling as though our space has been invaded and there's a "personal agenda" attached to the gesture. I, too have noticed I am becoming one these straight-faced strangers walking down the street, actually trying to avoid eye contact with anyone in my path and getting all flustered and nervous if it happens by accident. I've gone from a 3 year old girl who wanted to be a teddy bear when she grew, up to a shy adult trying to avoid human contact. I know this isn't my personal preference either. I LOVE talking to people. This is happening because I'm completely influenced by what I see day to day, and like everyone else, I spend more time sending text messages than talking on the phone or talking face to face with anyone I'm actually close to.
Well, today, and this happened so seamlessly I almost missed it; but this lady's cell phone was dead and she was trying to make a call and noticed her phone wasn't going to give her that option, and a young guy, not much older than myself got up very calmly, walked over and gave her his cell phone and said, "Here, is your phone dead? Use mine."
Chivalry is not dead my friends; It's just been misplaced on a dusty bookshelf somewhere. And really...how hard was that? You totally helped that lady out, because let's face it, most businesses won't even let you use their phones anymore and who carries quarters with them?
Karma will definitely be returning the favor to him, and how extremely rewarding for him?! When we do something nice for people we care about, we always feel good about it. It's fulfilling and rewarding in a way that is only possible by doing something nice. So why aren't we doing this all the time?!?! It takes less time to do a good deed than a bad one, and by doing this you're making someone feel great and that is contagious and always passed on. The energy we get from doing good things is such a positive one, while doing bad is negative and only feeds into our already unhealthy lifestyles.
Instead of being a "typical female" and asking "Where have all the nice men gone?", I'm going to say, "Hey! I know you're out there". The days of door opening, pulling out chairs, and acting like a total gentleman are not gone at all. Seeing today's action completely restored my faith in not just men, but mankind. If that guy could do something like that, than why can't I? Why can't you? Where's the harm in being polite? I think people feel like if they do something nice for someone and that person responds in a negative way that it means everyone responds that way and that it means they should too. This is a very destructive up way of thinking. Try the same kind gesture to someone else and see how it goes. Chances are, they'll be really grateful. And just like seeing that guy do something nice today, it will spark an energy in someone else and now you've got multiple people doing multiple good things. it's like that movie "Pay It Forward". What a fantastic concept! I wouldn't feed a meth addict and bring him into my garage to live, and if my son did that, I may ask him where he's miss-placed his brain that day for putting our family at potential risk, but good manners... you can't go wrong with that.
Anyways....food for thought. Try being nice to someone. Give them a smile, let them use a quarter or your phone, and see how you feel when you watch their face light up as they receive the acts of random kindness.
Create yourself a wonderful day... by doing something nice.
Eventhough I write about health so far 100% of the time, there will be more to it, and I want it to look just right.
Today, like most other days, I of course forgot a lunch when I went to work. This absent-minded act is usually brought on by stumbling out of bed about 20 min later that I would have liked, dealing with an angry or "uber-cuddly" toddler or infant at around 6:00 am; and then trying to rush out the door after I've changed a diaper or two, gotten a breakfast ready for someone other than myself, put an end to a conflict, and attempted to put on a face and a professional outfit. Not to mention, I then need to take on the quest of driving successfully to work through traffic jams and never ending fender benders in a busy city.
I left the office for a half hour and grabbed lunch at an amazing deli here in town that makes home-made food and gets ravaged by anyone close to it's vicinity on daily basis, and then stopped into my local addiction hot-spot "Starbucks" for my usual "Extra hot, lactaid latte".
One thing I've noticed since moving here is that people just aren't as friendly as they are in B.C.. You don't get a friendly smile walking down the street, and generally if you smile at someone, you get one of those looks like "Oh no...What does she want?" It's kind of sad really. Mostly just because we as humans have become so afraid of personal connection and kindness that we can't even accept a warm smile from a stranger without feeling as though our space has been invaded and there's a "personal agenda" attached to the gesture. I, too have noticed I am becoming one these straight-faced strangers walking down the street, actually trying to avoid eye contact with anyone in my path and getting all flustered and nervous if it happens by accident. I've gone from a 3 year old girl who wanted to be a teddy bear when she grew, up to a shy adult trying to avoid human contact. I know this isn't my personal preference either. I LOVE talking to people. This is happening because I'm completely influenced by what I see day to day, and like everyone else, I spend more time sending text messages than talking on the phone or talking face to face with anyone I'm actually close to.
Well, today, and this happened so seamlessly I almost missed it; but this lady's cell phone was dead and she was trying to make a call and noticed her phone wasn't going to give her that option, and a young guy, not much older than myself got up very calmly, walked over and gave her his cell phone and said, "Here, is your phone dead? Use mine."
Chivalry is not dead my friends; It's just been misplaced on a dusty bookshelf somewhere. And really...how hard was that? You totally helped that lady out, because let's face it, most businesses won't even let you use their phones anymore and who carries quarters with them?
Karma will definitely be returning the favor to him, and how extremely rewarding for him?! When we do something nice for people we care about, we always feel good about it. It's fulfilling and rewarding in a way that is only possible by doing something nice. So why aren't we doing this all the time?!?! It takes less time to do a good deed than a bad one, and by doing this you're making someone feel great and that is contagious and always passed on. The energy we get from doing good things is such a positive one, while doing bad is negative and only feeds into our already unhealthy lifestyles.
Instead of being a "typical female" and asking "Where have all the nice men gone?", I'm going to say, "Hey! I know you're out there". The days of door opening, pulling out chairs, and acting like a total gentleman are not gone at all. Seeing today's action completely restored my faith in not just men, but mankind. If that guy could do something like that, than why can't I? Why can't you? Where's the harm in being polite? I think people feel like if they do something nice for someone and that person responds in a negative way that it means everyone responds that way and that it means they should too. This is a very destructive up way of thinking. Try the same kind gesture to someone else and see how it goes. Chances are, they'll be really grateful. And just like seeing that guy do something nice today, it will spark an energy in someone else and now you've got multiple people doing multiple good things. it's like that movie "Pay It Forward". What a fantastic concept! I wouldn't feed a meth addict and bring him into my garage to live, and if my son did that, I may ask him where he's miss-placed his brain that day for putting our family at potential risk, but good manners... you can't go wrong with that.
Anyways....food for thought. Try being nice to someone. Give them a smile, let them use a quarter or your phone, and see how you feel when you watch their face light up as they receive the acts of random kindness.
Create yourself a wonderful day... by doing something nice.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
My favorite things...
Before I start today's blog, I have to say... I'm baffled by how many people are actually reading this thing. When I originally wanted to start a blog, I was a little skeptical because I knew whatever I put out would be on the world-wide web. This is why, like other blogs, you won't see pictures of the kids, of Phil, and of family outings.
I've gotten a lot of positive feedback with my last few posts, but I want to point out one major thing, and not because someone has pushed me in that direction; I think it's just really important to make it clear.
I work for a doctor, but I am NOT A DOCTOR! I read a lot of information and clinical studies and I give advice to people everyday about the medications they're taking, the tests they're purchasing and the treatment plans they're about to embark on; but it's not my job to choose those plans of action for them. I pass on what I've learned, and any information I give out on a daily basis; because I feel everyone should have access to the information that gets put out there to the general public where I live. We should all be accountable for our health, and do whatever we can to prevent illness in our lives.
I AM, however, a fully certified trainer and nutrition specialist, so any tips, tricks, and knowledge you want in that particular area, I am more than happy to give out.
The emails have been abundant and extremely complimenting, but with a volume of readers, comes some major responsibility. So to be very clear... Always consult with a physician when it comes to matters of your health.
Ok... now that that's done....
Today, I'd like to plug a few of my favorite links.
I've never been the "New Years Resolution" type, but this year I had one. I wanted to filter out all of the chemicals in my house. This meant, I wanted to get rid of any of my products that I use on the kids, on myself, to clean my house, to cook, that contained harmful chemicals like cancer-causing parabens, and things that could cause your skin to melt off or burn and scar. Partly, because I wanted to be more eco-friendly, and because how can any of that be good for my family??
There's a site my boss gave me to "rate my products"; it works on a scale of 1-10; 1 being lowest obviously, and you can rate any products you use. This was a HUGE eye-opener for me because I thought the products I was using were pretty good. Things like Aveeno and Biotherm... they're supposed to be a better alternative. Same with my favorite hand cream by Ahava from the dead sea. Well, it turns out I was wrong - this happens to me a lot. They definitely weren't the worse things I could be using, but they still had harmful chemicals. This is why my kids were getting out of the tub and still having red blotches on their skin and dry patches on their calves and why Sophia was scratching the snot out of her face and Sebastien would get these big red circles around his eyes; he looked like me after I drink a glass of North-America wine - a racoon!
So here's the first link this morning. http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/
Check out the products you're using and see what it has to say. Remember if you link to the home portion, you can actually check out house-hold cleaning products, etc...
This link leads into my next link. I used to have the hardest time finding skin care lines. My skin isn't so much sensitive, but choosy. It has to have products that clean it well and then moisturize it like crazy. I found Biotherm 4 years ago and LOVE IT! Unfortunately, skin is the largest ogran in the body and it absorbs EVERYTHING, and I wasn't really a fan of it absorbing dangerous chemicals. So after much research, I switched over to "Kiss My Face". The website it great, because for any of you who look into good products for your skin, it's hard to know if something is really great for people who have dry skin, combination skin, or oily skin; and sometimes the little blurbs about what the product is good for isn't enough. Well "Kiss My Face" has online videos. Sort of a mini tutorial on who would benefit from the product. I'm using the "Pure and Potent" line and my skin has never looked and felt more amazing. Some major bonuses... It's way more cost-effective than other lines, I'm using half of what I would normally use from another line because it goes a long way, AND... it's so pure, I can use it on the kids. It comes in these little tubes and at first I thought "what a rip-off", but those tiny tubes last me just over a month. My favorites are: Jojoba and mint scrub, Ester-C Serum, Ultra-Hydrating Moisturizer, and the Intensive Repair Night Cream. They've got all kinds of products on there from body wash and moisturizer (I love the lavendar wash and the Olive and Shea moisturizier), kids products, makeup, hair products, candles, gift packs, etc....
They have a really great story too, so check out their webpage at: http://www.kissmyface.com/ I absolutely LOVE their line and the best part about it, is I know I'm putting healthy products on my skin, I'm not harming the planet by flushing junk down my drains, and I can use it on my kids. It's a pretty amazing feeling.
Last, but never least...I changed all the products I clean with. The tricky part to switching household cleaning products is that most claim to be "green" and guess what?... they're not. This is another situation where reading the ingredients is HUGE. "Green standards" around the world are all different, and companie can claim something "organic" or "green" but it doesn't necessarily mean it really is. This is another great reason to check your products on the database, especially if you don't know much about how this whole system works. It takes a lot of reading and a lot of talking with the right people to really know and learn what's safe.
Everyone cleans their house (I hope) and buys products to make their appliances, floors, and washrooms sparkle. One thing we don't think about, or at least I didn't think about, was what I was flushing down my pipes. Those harsh chemicals get flushed right back into our drinking water. We also flush antibiotics, drugs, and hormone containing products down our pipes as well. We're all drinking that stuff! We wonder why our daughters are getting their periods at the age of 5, and why our sons are having crazy testosterone-driven outbursts, or even worse, developing female characteristics; or why we're all tired, feeling depressed, and becomming immune to antibiotics - well guess what folks, along with our crappy diets and our overload of stress, we're consuming poisons everyday, and we're killing our planet by doing this.
I've switched everything I clean with to a product called "Nature Clean". This entire line is bio-degradable, and again...kid friendly! You still have to be careful that it doesn't get in eyes or swallowed with the glycerin in it, but it's not going to melt your finger down to the bone. It also doesn't smell! I cleaned, no, better yet, dis-infected my bathroom last weekend and had my fan on and ready to absorb the smell and when I left the room and came back in, it dawned on me that I didn't have heavy, clouded lungs, and my sinuses weren't burning. We breathe in so much crap cleaning in confined spaces and there was nothing. Not one smell. The bleach was oxygenated so it bubbled and sizzled and doesn't wreck clothes, and it cleaned better than any bleach I've ever used.
One problem I had before when I tried to switch to "green" cleaning products was that it didn't clean very well. Well "Nature Clean" has found the magic combination because my house has never been cleaner. My stove, my counter-tops, my washrooms, everything. It also feels really good to know that I'm cleaning, and my kids can come in the room and hang out. That they're not breathing in harsh chemicals.
The next best part... not expensive. You can buy it from Superstore in the organic section, and it's comparable to everything else, maybe even less expensive. So there's no excuse not to make the switch. It costs the same, it's great for you and the environment, and you're house will never be cleaner. They too, have a skin care line, a kids line, and fun stuff like hand-sanitizer that I use all the time since I'm always around sick people at the clinic. The only downer about the hand-sanitizer, is that it still has alcohol in it, but it's a mere fraction of what's in other products and there's no stinky after smell or drying out of your skin. It actually moisturizes.
Check out their website at: http://www.naturecleanliving.com/
I know people say ALL THE TIME... "We've only got one planet. One person can make a difference", etc.. but it really is true. I care about the planet, I do, but I care more that my kids can live in a clean, toxic free environment, and that I teach them the importance of helping the earth and helping themselves, because I want their kids, and their grand-kids to see this amazing planet, and be able to enjoy it the way I did growing up. I'd hate to see places like the snowy rockies I frequented almost every summer disappear and being ridden with litter and death because we were too ignorant to make a change. I also see cancer everyday! I watch people melting away in front of my eyes all the time. It's devastating! To see people come in with stage 4 breast cancer, stage 4 lung cancer, stage 4 basal cell carcinoma in their nostrils, and beg to have their lives saved so they can see another day. I hear all the time in the most sarcastic way, "Everything causes cancer.." ya maybe, but that's because everything we use is toxic and here's the worst part - We created it! Our need to constantly advance into a world of convenience and no germs is the same thing that is killing us. We have an amazing eco-system and bodies that are incapable of error (and you'll hear me say that a lot) and we are destroying both of them by trying to be smarter than them.
Use the resources our planet has given us, stop, and just listen to your body for a sec. It's telling you what to do, it's guiding you into health. Stop poisoning yourselves and the water you drink and the food you eat. Stop eating from a box, and cleaning with poisons, and try cooking from scratch and using something as simple as vinegar and baking soda to get rid of smears and stains. Support companies that are doing right by our planet, by making bio-degradable products and using recycled materials to package them.
Live longer, live healtheir, and give the our children's children a chance to do the same.
I've gotten a lot of positive feedback with my last few posts, but I want to point out one major thing, and not because someone has pushed me in that direction; I think it's just really important to make it clear.
I work for a doctor, but I am NOT A DOCTOR! I read a lot of information and clinical studies and I give advice to people everyday about the medications they're taking, the tests they're purchasing and the treatment plans they're about to embark on; but it's not my job to choose those plans of action for them. I pass on what I've learned, and any information I give out on a daily basis; because I feel everyone should have access to the information that gets put out there to the general public where I live. We should all be accountable for our health, and do whatever we can to prevent illness in our lives.
I AM, however, a fully certified trainer and nutrition specialist, so any tips, tricks, and knowledge you want in that particular area, I am more than happy to give out.
The emails have been abundant and extremely complimenting, but with a volume of readers, comes some major responsibility. So to be very clear... Always consult with a physician when it comes to matters of your health.
Ok... now that that's done....
Today, I'd like to plug a few of my favorite links.
I've never been the "New Years Resolution" type, but this year I had one. I wanted to filter out all of the chemicals in my house. This meant, I wanted to get rid of any of my products that I use on the kids, on myself, to clean my house, to cook, that contained harmful chemicals like cancer-causing parabens, and things that could cause your skin to melt off or burn and scar. Partly, because I wanted to be more eco-friendly, and because how can any of that be good for my family??
There's a site my boss gave me to "rate my products"; it works on a scale of 1-10; 1 being lowest obviously, and you can rate any products you use. This was a HUGE eye-opener for me because I thought the products I was using were pretty good. Things like Aveeno and Biotherm... they're supposed to be a better alternative. Same with my favorite hand cream by Ahava from the dead sea. Well, it turns out I was wrong - this happens to me a lot. They definitely weren't the worse things I could be using, but they still had harmful chemicals. This is why my kids were getting out of the tub and still having red blotches on their skin and dry patches on their calves and why Sophia was scratching the snot out of her face and Sebastien would get these big red circles around his eyes; he looked like me after I drink a glass of North-America wine - a racoon!
So here's the first link this morning. http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/
Check out the products you're using and see what it has to say. Remember if you link to the home portion, you can actually check out house-hold cleaning products, etc...
This link leads into my next link. I used to have the hardest time finding skin care lines. My skin isn't so much sensitive, but choosy. It has to have products that clean it well and then moisturize it like crazy. I found Biotherm 4 years ago and LOVE IT! Unfortunately, skin is the largest ogran in the body and it absorbs EVERYTHING, and I wasn't really a fan of it absorbing dangerous chemicals. So after much research, I switched over to "Kiss My Face". The website it great, because for any of you who look into good products for your skin, it's hard to know if something is really great for people who have dry skin, combination skin, or oily skin; and sometimes the little blurbs about what the product is good for isn't enough. Well "Kiss My Face" has online videos. Sort of a mini tutorial on who would benefit from the product. I'm using the "Pure and Potent" line and my skin has never looked and felt more amazing. Some major bonuses... It's way more cost-effective than other lines, I'm using half of what I would normally use from another line because it goes a long way, AND... it's so pure, I can use it on the kids. It comes in these little tubes and at first I thought "what a rip-off", but those tiny tubes last me just over a month. My favorites are: Jojoba and mint scrub, Ester-C Serum, Ultra-Hydrating Moisturizer, and the Intensive Repair Night Cream. They've got all kinds of products on there from body wash and moisturizer (I love the lavendar wash and the Olive and Shea moisturizier), kids products, makeup, hair products, candles, gift packs, etc....
They have a really great story too, so check out their webpage at: http://www.kissmyface.com/ I absolutely LOVE their line and the best part about it, is I know I'm putting healthy products on my skin, I'm not harming the planet by flushing junk down my drains, and I can use it on my kids. It's a pretty amazing feeling.
Last, but never least...I changed all the products I clean with. The tricky part to switching household cleaning products is that most claim to be "green" and guess what?... they're not. This is another situation where reading the ingredients is HUGE. "Green standards" around the world are all different, and companie can claim something "organic" or "green" but it doesn't necessarily mean it really is. This is another great reason to check your products on the database, especially if you don't know much about how this whole system works. It takes a lot of reading and a lot of talking with the right people to really know and learn what's safe.
Everyone cleans their house (I hope) and buys products to make their appliances, floors, and washrooms sparkle. One thing we don't think about, or at least I didn't think about, was what I was flushing down my pipes. Those harsh chemicals get flushed right back into our drinking water. We also flush antibiotics, drugs, and hormone containing products down our pipes as well. We're all drinking that stuff! We wonder why our daughters are getting their periods at the age of 5, and why our sons are having crazy testosterone-driven outbursts, or even worse, developing female characteristics; or why we're all tired, feeling depressed, and becomming immune to antibiotics - well guess what folks, along with our crappy diets and our overload of stress, we're consuming poisons everyday, and we're killing our planet by doing this.
I've switched everything I clean with to a product called "Nature Clean". This entire line is bio-degradable, and again...kid friendly! You still have to be careful that it doesn't get in eyes or swallowed with the glycerin in it, but it's not going to melt your finger down to the bone. It also doesn't smell! I cleaned, no, better yet, dis-infected my bathroom last weekend and had my fan on and ready to absorb the smell and when I left the room and came back in, it dawned on me that I didn't have heavy, clouded lungs, and my sinuses weren't burning. We breathe in so much crap cleaning in confined spaces and there was nothing. Not one smell. The bleach was oxygenated so it bubbled and sizzled and doesn't wreck clothes, and it cleaned better than any bleach I've ever used.
One problem I had before when I tried to switch to "green" cleaning products was that it didn't clean very well. Well "Nature Clean" has found the magic combination because my house has never been cleaner. My stove, my counter-tops, my washrooms, everything. It also feels really good to know that I'm cleaning, and my kids can come in the room and hang out. That they're not breathing in harsh chemicals.
The next best part... not expensive. You can buy it from Superstore in the organic section, and it's comparable to everything else, maybe even less expensive. So there's no excuse not to make the switch. It costs the same, it's great for you and the environment, and you're house will never be cleaner. They too, have a skin care line, a kids line, and fun stuff like hand-sanitizer that I use all the time since I'm always around sick people at the clinic. The only downer about the hand-sanitizer, is that it still has alcohol in it, but it's a mere fraction of what's in other products and there's no stinky after smell or drying out of your skin. It actually moisturizes.
Check out their website at: http://www.naturecleanliving.com/
I know people say ALL THE TIME... "We've only got one planet. One person can make a difference", etc.. but it really is true. I care about the planet, I do, but I care more that my kids can live in a clean, toxic free environment, and that I teach them the importance of helping the earth and helping themselves, because I want their kids, and their grand-kids to see this amazing planet, and be able to enjoy it the way I did growing up. I'd hate to see places like the snowy rockies I frequented almost every summer disappear and being ridden with litter and death because we were too ignorant to make a change. I also see cancer everyday! I watch people melting away in front of my eyes all the time. It's devastating! To see people come in with stage 4 breast cancer, stage 4 lung cancer, stage 4 basal cell carcinoma in their nostrils, and beg to have their lives saved so they can see another day. I hear all the time in the most sarcastic way, "Everything causes cancer.." ya maybe, but that's because everything we use is toxic and here's the worst part - We created it! Our need to constantly advance into a world of convenience and no germs is the same thing that is killing us. We have an amazing eco-system and bodies that are incapable of error (and you'll hear me say that a lot) and we are destroying both of them by trying to be smarter than them.
Use the resources our planet has given us, stop, and just listen to your body for a sec. It's telling you what to do, it's guiding you into health. Stop poisoning yourselves and the water you drink and the food you eat. Stop eating from a box, and cleaning with poisons, and try cooking from scratch and using something as simple as vinegar and baking soda to get rid of smears and stains. Support companies that are doing right by our planet, by making bio-degradable products and using recycled materials to package them.
Live longer, live healtheir, and give the our children's children a chance to do the same.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Gluten Free That Won't Make You Gag.
As some of you may know, Sophia, my daughter, is allergic to almost everything - Gluten, dairy, chemicals, feathers, dust, mold, pollen, you name it... I chalk it up to the fact that we had a horrible pregnancy together and there is no way you can come out of something like that unscathed.
Although, most of her allergies can be treated by a "Naet Practitioner", someone who specializes in allergies and sensitivities, the whole gluten and dairy allergy is really a blessing in disguise. Gluten and dairy cause inflammation in the body and are usually the cause behind bloating, auto-immune disorders and other things like ADHD and autism. No one knows what really causes the above mentioned, but studies show that people who have removed dairy and gluten from their diets have amazing results. Most kids with these horrible childhood illnesses have major turn-around with they way they behave and interact when they adopt an inflammation-free diet. For adults, we usually have less indigestion, less symptoms associated with PMS, Menopause, muscle cramping, fatigue, etc...
If you've ever tried anything "gluten free" from the grocery store, it's probably made you want to yack. I bought a cookbook not too long ago to start trying some gluten free options for when Soph is eating with the rest of us, and I'm not going to lie, I was worried... Gluten free used to make me think of dog food, and gooey, sticky textured food with a sort of bitter flavor. However, I found a book called "Quinoa 365" and after using this book, I've found some AMAZING recipes. The best part too, is they have recipes for breakfast, snacks, lunch, appetizers, dinner, cakes, desserts, and baby food. I'm adding a cookie recipe today and please keep in mind that just because you can live a life free of gluten and dairy, there is still sugar, fat and calories in these foods. People always seem perplexed that they've cut out so many things from their diet and they are still gaining weight; but calories are calories. If you take in more than you're burning off, you're going to gain weight. If you consume more sugar than nutrient-rich food, you're going to gain weight and lack proteins, vitamins, minerals, and carbs. It's that simple.
So enjoy this amazing recipe, but don't eat the entire batch on your own.
It's not dairy free, but you can supplement the chocolate chips for dairy free ones and the butter for lactose free butter. I've also found that making it with cane sugar makes them too sweet and gives the cookies a more granular texture.
A note about Quinoa:
Quinoa is high in vitamins and minerals such as riboflaven, calcium, vitamin E, iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, folic acid, and beta carotene.
Per 1 cup of uncooked Quinoa:
Calories 626
Total Fat 10g
Saturated Fat 1g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 8mg
Total Carbohydrate 109g
Dietary Fiber 12g
Protein 24g
Per 1 cup of cooked Quinoa:
Calories 222
Total Fat 3.5g
Saturated Fat 0g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 13mg
Total Carbohydrate 40g
Dietary Fiber 5g
Protein 8g
ENJOY!
Although, most of her allergies can be treated by a "Naet Practitioner", someone who specializes in allergies and sensitivities, the whole gluten and dairy allergy is really a blessing in disguise. Gluten and dairy cause inflammation in the body and are usually the cause behind bloating, auto-immune disorders and other things like ADHD and autism. No one knows what really causes the above mentioned, but studies show that people who have removed dairy and gluten from their diets have amazing results. Most kids with these horrible childhood illnesses have major turn-around with they way they behave and interact when they adopt an inflammation-free diet. For adults, we usually have less indigestion, less symptoms associated with PMS, Menopause, muscle cramping, fatigue, etc...
If you've ever tried anything "gluten free" from the grocery store, it's probably made you want to yack. I bought a cookbook not too long ago to start trying some gluten free options for when Soph is eating with the rest of us, and I'm not going to lie, I was worried... Gluten free used to make me think of dog food, and gooey, sticky textured food with a sort of bitter flavor. However, I found a book called "Quinoa 365" and after using this book, I've found some AMAZING recipes. The best part too, is they have recipes for breakfast, snacks, lunch, appetizers, dinner, cakes, desserts, and baby food. I'm adding a cookie recipe today and please keep in mind that just because you can live a life free of gluten and dairy, there is still sugar, fat and calories in these foods. People always seem perplexed that they've cut out so many things from their diet and they are still gaining weight; but calories are calories. If you take in more than you're burning off, you're going to gain weight. If you consume more sugar than nutrient-rich food, you're going to gain weight and lack proteins, vitamins, minerals, and carbs. It's that simple.
So enjoy this amazing recipe, but don't eat the entire batch on your own.
It's not dairy free, but you can supplement the chocolate chips for dairy free ones and the butter for lactose free butter. I've also found that making it with cane sugar makes them too sweet and gives the cookies a more granular texture.
Double Chocolate Cookies
Makes 3 dozen
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white or cane sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups quinoa flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Blend in the eggs and vanilla and stir until the mixture has a smooth consistency. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend well. Stir in the chocolate chips. Roll into 1 1/4 inch (3cm) balls.
Place the balls 2 inches (5cm) apart on a large, ungreased baking sheet and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Bake on the center oven rack for 8-10 min. The cookies will be puffy and soft when removed from the oven but will flatten when cool. Store in a sealed container for up to one week or freeze for up to one month.
A note about Quinoa:
Quinoa is high in vitamins and minerals such as riboflaven, calcium, vitamin E, iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, folic acid, and beta carotene.
Per 1 cup of uncooked Quinoa:
Calories 626
Total Fat 10g
Saturated Fat 1g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 8mg
Total Carbohydrate 109g
Dietary Fiber 12g
Protein 24g
Per 1 cup of cooked Quinoa:
Calories 222
Total Fat 3.5g
Saturated Fat 0g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 13mg
Total Carbohydrate 40g
Dietary Fiber 5g
Protein 8g
ENJOY!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Welcome to my page
Hello Everyone.
I've been wanting to do a blog for awhile now, but didn't think I really had anything to blog about. Then I realized I actually have a lot of things I could share.
Some things to expect on this blog will be: Recipes, links to websites I find useful or interesting, information on new and interesting health facts, hot topics that are coming up between my friends and I, regarding parenting, relationships, life... you name it.
So let the blogging begin. If at any point you have suggestions, or have cool information for me to add, send it my way and I'll make it apart of my blog.
Thanks for following
Be Well
I've been wanting to do a blog for awhile now, but didn't think I really had anything to blog about. Then I realized I actually have a lot of things I could share.
Some things to expect on this blog will be: Recipes, links to websites I find useful or interesting, information on new and interesting health facts, hot topics that are coming up between my friends and I, regarding parenting, relationships, life... you name it.
So let the blogging begin. If at any point you have suggestions, or have cool information for me to add, send it my way and I'll make it apart of my blog.
Thanks for following
Be Well
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