I find myself being so frustrated about a lot of things lately. When you are diagnosed with autoimmune issues, things change. You have an answer without any answers.
If you take the time to do any research you find out how much the agencies that are there to protect consumers really do not. It makes me so gobsmacked, here in our free country, what we allow. What is put in our foods, our body products, even on our razors!
In other countries they tax unhealthy eating! Even their unhealthy items that they are taxed on have less sugar and junk in it.
Why do we allow this stuff to go on? Why do we poison our bodies? Why do we allow these things to happen? How do we change them?
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Can We Truly Change Our Lives By Changing What We Eat?
Dr. Terry Wahls changed her life! She was diagnosed with MS and her health steadily went downhill. She was in a tilt-recline wheelchair for 4 years!
See how her research led to diet changes that took her from a wheelchair to walking in a years time!
Change can be scary, especially when you have a small food budget. When you think about having to eat healthy, if you are not used to it, it can be scary!
Here are some simple tips that anyone can implement into their grocery shopping:
The more I read and educate myself the scarier this world seems to become. I wish that ignorance was bliss. That isn’t the case though. The more you don’t know the more harm you can be doing to yourself and those you love.
Did you know that vitamins and supplements could hurt you, if your body isn’t deficient in it? Did you know the best place to get vitamins for your body (this includes the heart) is from whole food?
I am on a couple vitamins because of my autoimmune disorders. I am deficient in these and they are monitored by my doctor with blood levels. However, most of my nutrition does come from me eating whole food nutrition, daily, in the form of capsules. This whole food nutrition has saved my life. I was not getting enough nutrition prior to eating these daily. Even with me following the food guidelines recommended by my doctors.
Most people know some things about heart disease. Most people know that if you have high cholesterol and high blood pressure you are at greater risk.
There are also other indicators. At a recent training event I went to for our company, we were educated by Dr. Miles. They are currently learning that a better indicator to whether or not you will have a heart attack is your homocysteine levels. I am not a doctor but I had never even heard about homocysteine levels prior to that training! It is a common amino acid that hangs out in your blood. High levels are a good indictor of heart disease.
Inflammation can be another thing that is adding to your heart disease. Inflammation is a natural defense of your immune system when you are sick or your body is healing from an injury. This is a good thing.
However, if you have a constant inflammation response you are heading into troubled waters. Inflammation of your arteries can lead to clots and other health related problems.
I have avoided “fish oil” for a long time. It has been recommended to me over and over and over. When you have an immune deficiency, your body isn’t working properly.
You see when you have an autoimmune disorder (or many like I do), your body is full of inflammation. Your immune system is on overdrive. Your body is attacking your own body. This causes inflammation. This causes illness because when you are around someone with a cold, your immune system is so busy fighting your own body that it can’t fight the foreign bodies that have entered.
To be completely honest, I did take it for about a month. To be completely honest, it was awful! I was one of those people (and maybe everyone has this happen) who would burp and would taste and smell fish! I was making myself sick from the small and taste so I gave up.
Now, I do take an omega and it is plant based and it is amazing! NO FISH BURPS!!!
What if all we have been told and believed isn’t true?
Debunking Myths, Healthy Recipes and Each Cell Has a Sex. WHAT!
What are some things you believe about heart health? Do you think the biggest sign of a heart attack is chest pain? Do you think an aspirin a day will keep the doctor away? Do you think sleep apnea only happens in overweight people?
Hear from a cardiologist who debunks 10 myths about heart health. What typical things have you heard from your doctor that may no longer be true!
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Every cell in your body has a sex. What a thought! So what does this mean for us in regards to medication and how we treat medical issues? Is it going to change the way we live? Pioneering doctor Paula Johnson describes in this thought-provoking talk, lumping everyone in together means we essentially leave women’s health to chance.
It is hard to believe we are already in June! We have hit the halfway point in 2019.
The month of June we are going to be focusing on heart health!
So often we focus on our body. We look in the mirror and see how we look and we forget about all of the important parts that help our bodies function. Our heart health is so important to our daily life. Heart disease is one of the biggest killers world wide!
In this article they focus on 15 heart healthy foods you can start to add to your daily diet!
I must admit, there is one I do not agree with fully. At least in the way they suggest you consume it. I do believe eating your Omega daily is important. I do not believe it has to be fish oil though! I eat a plant based Omega daily (no fish burps for me). I have learned that fish oil isn’t sustainable and really you are getting your omega not from the fish but the food they eat! So I personally go directly to the source and skip the fishy burps.
The good news is even if you are put on medication, you can still doing these 9 steps to help improve your heart even more!
What is one out of these nine you could start doing today?
In this Ted Talk, Richard Weller talks about his research with the sun and your cardiovascular system. Yes, the sun causes skin cancer but is it needed to keep other systems healthy?
My allergy/sensitivity to medications is extensive. When I go in for any appointment, the review of my meds takes longer than the appointment itself. Since being diagnosed with Hashimoto Thyroiditis, I have been doing a lot of research because of things I have read. The more I learn the more livid I become! There are two medications that I will never be able to be without. One is a blood thinner and the other is thyroid medication.
Currently there is not a single blood thinner out there that does not have either: gluten or dairy in it.
And the worst part is: THEY DO NOT HAVE TO TELL THE CONSUMER!!!
I take this every night. I have taken a blood thinner for over 12 years now. I was on warfarin for the longest and my levels were not stable for long periods. Since learning about this I have found out that the brands that I had been taking had both gluten and dairy in it. The medication I am taking now only has dairy in it. It still gives me pain and grief each night but I have ZERO other options!
Why are these companies allowed to use common allergens in their medications, vitamins, supplements and do not have to disclose they have gluten or dairy as a filler in it? Why is this allowed? How is this okay?
It is allowed and it is okay because it is such a small amount. They need these to be effective. What I have found online is that because it is such a minuscule amount it should not bother anyone. Well guess what, it bothers me and I am certain I am not the only person who it bothers.
Now being placed on a thyroid medication I have done research and there are two that are without fillers. One of them my Endo does not believe in using. He has agreed to put me on it (which I am thankful for) but because he doesn’t use it, he is treating it like the common med that is used and he is unwavering because he doesn’t believe in it. So here I am, on a medication that won’t hurt me with side effects from the fillers, however I have a doctor who doesn’t agree with the medication and won’t learn the best way to use it and what labs to do.
So you see, it isn’t that I am allergic or sensitive to 95% of those medications. It is that I am having a reaction to the fillers that are in the medications I can’t handle! I have been having struggles with medications since I can recall. Literally in 8th grade I was put on pain meds because my brother smashed my finger in a van door (while this may not sound bad, they had to call an ortho specialist in because it was hamburger). It was Good Friday and on Easter Sunday I about passed out in church and we figure out it was the pain med. That was the first time either. Antibiotics were a guarantee for stomach cramps, diarrhea and headaches.
This is really frustrating to me.
While these companies do not have to provide the consumers, they do have to include the information with the product. So, maybe you can develop a good relationship with your pharmacist and go from there. If you don’t want to take the time to create a relationship you can always go to DailyMed which I have seen on a few site because it supposedly has a searchable database of package inserts.
This is frustrating and it isn’t just for me I am sure. There are a lot of issues out there and this should not be one I am dealing with on a daily basis, but it is.
Let’s talk about some more ways to get nutrition into your body so that you can maximize the movement you are doing in your day to day life!
Healthy Starts for Healthy Families
We have incorporated the healthy starts for healthy families programinto our daily life. The biggest problem we have in our home, especially with the two youngest children is their love of anything that isn’t healthy.
When we learned about the healthy starts program, I was willing to try it out. I mean, it was a one year commitment to the worlds largest study on children and nutrition!
I was desperate and wanted my family to be eating a lot more fruits, veggies and berries. Until this program came into our life, I was not successful at incorporating anything daily into their diets. Well that is unless it was junk!
Now, every day we eat our whole food nutrition from the healthy starts program. My children willingly choose a variety of fruits and veggies.
Another perk was that because of a donation made in the children’s name (by our sponsor), with our adult purchase, the children eat free for 4 years!
Healthy Starts for Healthy Families FactHealthy Starts for Healthy Families FactPeanut Butter Chocolate Cookie Smoothie
Here is another quick and easy way to get nutrition in your body! Complete Smoothie! Here is a recipe for Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie Smoothie!
The Ripple Effect of Nutrition
In this video, Valerie Miles, M.D. talks about the next generation. She addresses how what we eat, what our children eat does to the generations to come!
But what if everything we have learned over the years about exercise, nutrition and how to eat is all wrong? Are you willing to try something new to see if it changes how you are living and thriving?
What Does Healthy Movement Mean To You?
What do you think “healthy movement” really means? I when personally think about movement, the first thing that comes to mind is exercise at a gym. I know you don’t need a gym to workout but that is what I think about.
If you move well, you also live, think and live well
We don’t need “workouts” to move
Movement does more than just “get us into shape”
So many great points and suggestions! I think I have found a “new” site that I will be referencing on a regular basis! I hope you take a few moments to read this article. There is so much important knowledge you can gleam from it!
Where does your nutrition come from?
There is so many amazing blogs, newspapers, articles and anything you could think off on the internet! That also means there is a lot of conflicting information about what is correct to eat or drink.
We all have our own opinions and it doesn’t mean one is better than the other. However, the question I keep coming back to is, when people first came to exist, what did they eat?
I do not care if you believe in creation, the big bang, electric spark, panspermia or another theory on how life came to be. One thing that everyone can agree upon is that when humans were first here we did not have factories, processed foods, fast grown animals with hormones and antibiotics, pesticides, supplements, or fast food restaurants that provided quick meals.
The food that was eaten was the food that could be grown, harvested, hunted and picked.
So how does any of this play into healthy movement and our bodies?
How do we form our eating habits? We do no just start eating food and loving or hating everything. We learn from those around us.
Typically when you are growing up, you just eat what your parents put in front of you and what they eat. When you get older and get into school you either eat what the school provides (and don’t get me started on the lack of “nutrition” that goes into school meals) or what is sent to school with you.
Then as you get into middle school and high school things start to change. Looks really start to matter. Kids start to talk about others and become critical of what they wear, what they eat and how much they weigh.
What if we could teach children and reteach adults to listen to their bodies? To eat when you are hungry? To eat slowly so your brain can catch up with your stomach? How would that change America and our obesity problem?
In this TED TALK Sandra Aamodt talks about “Why diets don’t usually work”. Are you willing to be open and honest with your children and take in the reality of how we really should be eating as adults? Are you willing to change how you are eating?
This May we are talking about Movement. Do you know how nutrition affects your movement? If you are not getting the proper nutrition, if you are only eating sugars and processed foods, no mater how much you move and how active you are, there is no way to be healthy.
Today we are talking about the good, the bad and the processed foods.
I wish I could say you could walk through a store and have common sense to know what to avoid. The problem that a lot of people have is not knowing. Undereducated and low income can make it difficult to have access to healthier foods.
I admit, we have processed foods in our home. We are working on eliminating them completely! Because the truth is: processed foods are addictive, make you gain weight and steal your health!
What Is So Important About Knowing About Nutrients?
Nutrition is important because it fuels our body. It won’t do you any good though if you do not understand the different parts of nutrition.
Most people know that they need to eat but many do not understand the components of a good meal or snack. So one of the best places we can start is to learn about the different parts of nutrition.
Interested in learning about important nutrients like proteins, carbohydrates and fats? Click the image above to learn the importance of each one in your daily food choices.
Real Food vs. Supplements
Hopefully most people know that real food is the best place to get the vitamins and nutrients we need to live. At some point though, we dove head first into taking supplements! We have been told by doctors, nurses, chiropractors, and lay people that there was no way to get the nutrition needed from our foods and we had to take supplements.
So what happens when research tells us now that those people who are getting their nutrition from real foods vs. supplements are living longer? Do you stop taking supplements and jump into just real food? What is considered “real food”?
Click to learn more about how you can live longer by getting your nutrients from real food!
Learn to Eat With Joy!
Have you wondered about the diets that come and go? What is healthy for you, what is bad for you and how do you figure it out before you try it? In this Ted Talk, Joanna Mcmillan talks about “Eating for Real Change” and most of all she helps you learn how to eat with joy!
Not everyone is a fan of water. The biggest proof of that in the stores is how many water flavoring enhancers there are. Most of them use fake sugars (which are not good for you) or a lot of real sugar. Then look at all the added in ingredients and who knows what you are actually putting in your body.
Water Infusion Ideas
The sad thing is that most of them have health claims on them. At least they claim they are healthy because of how we think: no sugar, no calories, no carbohydrates. But that isn’t the only thing that matters when we are consuming them.
I am one of the rare few who do not mind drinking straight water. Put some ice in a cup, put some water in it and drink. But that isn’t everyone. If you are someone who is trying to improve their health and trying to increase their water intake without adding a bunch of unnecessary chemicals here are some great options for you!
Fruits, Berries, Veggies and Herbs are your new best friend! I am not kidding, it will blow your mind when you try this. Here are a few of my favorite ways that I utilize these 3 simple ingredients:
Create Ice Cubes with Mint: I went to the dollar store and purchased a couple ice cube trays (our fridge has a built in ice maker). In the summer on our TG (urban garden) I grow spearmint and chocolate mint. I just pick a few leaves and then put water in and freeze. After they are frozen I put them in ziplock bags and keep them for putting into my water (and even in my complete shakes; chocolate and mint are to die for in this household). In the winter if I do not have any on TG, our local store now has “Living Gardens”. They are organic little herb plants that come in 1, 2, and 3 root packs. You can do the same thing with those as I do with the ones I have on my TG.
Create Ice Cubes with Berries: Now what you do here will depend on how intense you want your flavor. I do this two different ways. The first way is really easy. Pick out the berry you want. You can make them all with the same berry or you can put a couple different into one spot. Just put 2-3 depending upon the room, fill with water and freeze. Store in the ziplock bags until you want to use them. Then the intense flavor way. Blend your berry (or berries) up in a blender or immersion blender. Fill each ice cube spot 1/4-1/2 way with your berry mix and then the rest of the way with water. Freeze them and store in a zip lock bag until ready to use. I have even forgotten at times to fill it the rest of the way with water. It still froze and it still tasted amazing. And just like with the full berry you can mix and match any berries you want.
Infusion Cups/Bottles and Pitchers: These are really easy to use. Pitchers will allow for a more intense flavor because you mix it up the night before and let it soak overnight. It truly infuses with your water and gives you a great flavor. You can also do the same thing with the infusion cups but you are not going to have as much water ready to go in the morning. You can get them at local stores and also from Amazon. Prices vary from $10.00 on up.
Infusion Pods: This is the same concept as the cups and pitchers but they are not as big. They will fit in a glass or your existing water bottle with a wide mouth.
Put The Cut Up Fruit, Veggie, Berry or Herb Right In Your Glass: If you are going to be home all day, just cut up what you would like your flavor to be and put it into your glass. Nothing gets easier than this! Your flavor will infuse as you sit there and sip all day long. You can even put it into a bottle you have at home to infuse it if you do not want to buy an infusion pitcher. We have done this with quart mason jars and also a half gallon one. Just put a few of them together with the ring/lid and keep it in the fridge and as I finished one, mix up a new flavor and put the empty jar in the fridge.
Now that we have talked about how you can add flavor without using the store bought enhancers lets talk about great combinations:
Apple + Cinnamon (use a whole cinnamon stick; this is one for an infusion not in a cup and that sits overnight)
Orange + Vanilla Bean (Slice an orange, with rind. Slice half a vanilla bean down one side, open it and scrape out the “beans”. Place sliced orange, vanilla bean scraps and the shell in your jar of water. Let infuse)
Watermelon + Mint
Watermelon + Basil
Cucumber + Mint
Orange + Blueberry
Raspberry + Blackberry
Strawberry + Lemon
Cucumber + Lemon + Mint + Rosemary
Beetroot + Lemon + Mint
Cucumber + Blueberry + Mint
I do recommend using glass pitchers or stainless steel over plastic. I also do recommend that to get the best flavor you let each infusion sit for at least 4 hours if not overnight. Which is why when we are not drinking straight water, we infuse overnight.
Do you have a favorite infusion combo for your water? Or did one stick out to you that you want to try?
Just wanted to make a really quick update! Tonight for dinner we had mashed sweet potatoes with real maple syrup and cinnamon. We emptied the bottle of syrup and so it gave us a new water infusion jar! So Jack David helped make it happen! You can see our photo below!
We reuse things here: Turned a real maple syrup jar into a water infusion jar. Tonight we used blackberries and raspberries!
Even with everything I had known and all the videos I had watched – I am blown away at how fast everything has grown!
Last night I even picked some of the food off from it and ate it with my veggie burger! In THREE WEEKS!
If you have been on the fence about the tower garden, I highly encourage you to get it! Go here and get it!
There is nothing that is as impressive as having a TG of your own, growing your own fruits and veggies and herbs and flowers and picking it to eat during the THIRD week of growth!
It just blows my mind.
Have questions – please ask me! We have one right now because that is all we purchased but to be honest, I see us purchasing the family set before summer is over in 2018.
Not only is this saving us money on our food bill, this is helping our end goal of becoming healthier, helping our end goal of helping others become healthier and it is amazing!
Last night I even picked some of the food off from it and ate it with my veggie burger! In THREE WEEKS!
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