Here’s the Q&A with Michael Pollan, Robert Kenner, Eric Schlosser and Elise Pearlstein:

How did this film initially come about?
Kenner: Eric Schlosser and I had been wanting to do a documentary version of his book, Fast Food Nation. And, for one reason or another, it didn’t happen. By the time Food, Inc. started to come together, we began talking and realized that all food has become like fast food, and all food is being created in the same manner as fast food.

How has fast food changed the food we buy at the supermarket?
Schlosser: The enormous buying power of the fast food industry helped to transform the entire food production system of the United States. So even when you purchase food at the supermarket, you’re likely to be getting products that came from factories, feedlots and suppliers that emerged to serve the fast food chains.

How many years did it take to do this film and what were the challenges?
Kenner: From when Eric and I began talking, about 6 or 7 years. The film itself about 2 ½ years. It has taken a lot longer than we expected because we were denied access to so many places.

Pearlstein: When Robby brought me into the project, he was adamant about wanting to hear all sides of the story, but it was nearly impossible to gain access onto industrial farms and into large food corporations. They just would not let us in. It felt like it would have been easier to penetrate the Pentagon than to get into a company that makes breakfast cereal. The legal challenges on this film were also unique. We found it necessary to consult with a first amendment lawyer throughout the entire filming process.

Who or what influenced your film?
Kenner: This film was really influenced by Eric Schlosser and Fast Food Nation, but then as we were progressing and had actually gotten funding, it became very influenced as well by Michael Pollan and his book Omnivore’s Dilemma.

And then, as we went out into the world, we became really incredibly influenced by a lot of the farmers we met.

What was the most surprising thing you learned?
Kenner: As we set out to find out how our food was made, I think the thing that really became most shocking is when we were talking to a woman, Barbara Kowalcyk, who had lost her son to eating a hamburger with E. coli, and she’s now dedicated her life to trying to make the food system safer. It’s the only way she can recover from the loss of her child. But when I asked her what she eats, she told me she couldn’t tell me because she would be sued if she answered.

Or we see Carol possibly losing her chicken farm … or we see Moe, a seed cleaner who’s just being sued for amounts that there’s no way he can pay, even though he’s not guilty of anything. Then we realized there’s something going on out there that supersedes foods. Our rights are being denied in ways that I had never imagined. And it was scary and shocking. And that was my biggest surprise.

So, what does our current industrialized food system say about our values as a nation?
Pollan: It says we value cheap, fast and easy when it comes to food like so many other things, and we have lost any connection to where our food comes from.

Kenner: I met a cattle rancher and he said, you know, we used to be scared of the Soviet Union or we used to think we were so much better than the Soviet Union because we had many places to buy things. And we had many choices. We thought if we were ever taken over, we’d be dominated where we’d have to buy one thing from one company, and how that’s not the American way. And he said you look around now, and there’s like one or two companies dominating everything in the food world. We’ve become what we were always terrified of.

And that just always haunted me – how could this happen in America? It seems very un-American that we would be so dominated, and then so intimidated by the companies that are dominating this marketplace.

How has the revolving door relationship between giant food companies and Washington affected the food industry?
Pearlstein: We discovered that the food industry has managed to shape a lot of laws in their favor. For example, massive factory farms are not considered real factories, so they are exempt from emissions standards that other factories face. A surprising degree of regulation is voluntary, not mandatory, which ends up favoring the industry.

What have been the consequences for the American consumer?
Kenner: Most American consumers think that we are being protected. But that is not the case. Right now the USDA does not have the authority to shut down a plant that is producing contaminated meat. The FDA and the USDA have had their inspectors cut back. And it’s for these companies now to self-police, and what we’ve found is, when there’s a financial interest involved, these companies would rather make the money and be sued than correct it. Self-policing has really just been a miserable failure. And I think that’s been really quite harmful to the American consumer and to the American worker.

Pearlstein: The food industry has succeeded in keeping some very important information about their products hidden from consumers. It’s outrageous that genetically modified foods don’t need to be labeled. Today more than 70% of processed foods in the supermarket are genetically modified and we have absolutely no way of knowing. Whatever your position, you should have the right to make informed choices, and we don’t. Now the FDA is contemplating whether or not to label meat and milk from cloned cows. It seems very basic that consumers should have the right to know if they’re eating a cloned steak.

Is it possible to feed a nation of millions without this kind of industrialized processing?
Pollan: Yes. There are alternative ways of producing food that could improve Americans’ health. Quality matters as much as quantity and yield is not the measure of a healthy food system. Quantity improves a population’s health up to a point; after that, quality and diversity matters more. And it’s wrong to assume that the industrialized food system is feeding everyone well or keeping the population healthy. It’s failing on both counts.

There is a section of the film that reveals how illegal immigrants are the faceless workers that help to bring food to our tables. Can you give us a profile of the average worker?
Schlosser: The typical farm worker is a young, Latino male who does not speak English and earns about $10,000 a year. The typical meatpacking worker has a similar background but earns about twice that amount. A very large proportion of the nation’s farm workers and meatpackers are illegal immigrants.

Why are there so many Spanish-speaking workers?
Kenner: The same thing that created obesity in this country, which is large productions of cheap corn, has put farmers out of work in foreign countries, whether it’s Mexico, Latin America or around the world. And those farmers can no longer grow food and compete with the U.S.’ subsidized food. So a lot of these farmers needed jobs and ended up coming into this country to work in our food production.

And they have been here for a number of years. But what’s happened is that we’ve decided that it’s no longer in the best interests of this country to have them here. But yet, these companies still need these people and they’re desperate, so they work out deals where they can have a few people arrested at a certain time so it doesn’t affect production. But it affects people’s lives. And these people are being deported, put in jail and sent away, but yet, the companies can go on and it really doesn’t affect their assembly line. And what happens is that they are replaced by other, desperate immigrant groups.

Could the American food industry exist without illegal immigrants?
Schlosser: The food industry would not only survive, but it would have a much more stable workforce. We would have much less rural poverty. And the annual food bill of the typical American family would barely increase. Doubling the hourly wage of every farm worker in this country might add $50 at most to a family’s annual food bill.

What are scientists doing to our food and is it about helping food companies’ bottom line or about feeding a growing population?
Schlosser: Some scientists are trying to produce foods that are healthier, easier to grow, and better for the environment. But most of the food scientists are trying to create things that will taste good and can be made cheaply without any regard to their social or environmental consequences.

I am not opposed to food science. What matters is how that science is used … and for whose benefit.

Can a person eat a healthy diet from things they buy in the supermarket if they are not buying organic? If so, how?
Pollan: Yes, the supermarkets still carry real food. The key is to shop the perimeter of the store and stay out of the middle where most of the processed food lurks.

How are low-income families impacted at the supermarket?
Kenner: Things are really stacked against low-income families in this country. There is a definite desire of the food companies to sell more product to these people because they have less time, they’re working really hard and they have fewer hours in their day to cook. And the fast food is very reasonably priced. Coke is selling for less than water. So when these things are happening, it’s easier for low-income families sometimes to just go in and have a quick meal if they don’t get home until 10 o’clock at night. At the moment, our food is unfairly priced towards bad food.

And, in the same way that tobacco companies went after low-income people because they were heavy users, food companies are going after low-income people because they can market to them, they can make it look very appealing.

What can low-income families do to eat healthier?
Schlosser: As much as possible, they can avoid cheap, processed foods and fast foods. It’s possible to eat well and inexpensively. But it takes more time and effort to do so, and that’s not easy when you’re working two jobs and trying to just to keep your head above water. The sad thing is that these cheap foods are ultimately much more expensive when you factor in the costs of all the health problems that come later.

Pollan: It’s possible to eat healthy food on a budget but it takes a greater investment of time. If you are willing to cook and plan ahead, you can eat local, sustainable food on a budget.

If someone wanted to get involved and help change the system, what would you suggest they do?
Pearlstein: I hope people will want to be more engaged in the process of eating and shopping for food. We have learned that there are a lot of different fronts to fight on this one, and people can see what most resonates with them. Maybe it’s really just “voting with their forks” – eating less meat, buying different food, buying from companies they feel good about, going to farmers markets.

People can try to find a CSA – community supported agriculture – where you buy a share in a farm and get local food all year. That really helps support farmers and you get fresh, seasonal food. On the local political level, people can work on food access issues, like getting more markets into low income communities, getting better lunch programs in schools, trying to get sodas out of schools. And on a national level, we’ve learned that reforming the Farm Bill would have a huge influence on our food system. It requires some education, but it is something we should care about.

What do you hope people take away from this film?
Schlosser: I hope it opens their eyes.

Kenner: That things can change in this country. It changed against the big tobacco companies. We have to influence the government and readjust these scales back into the interests of the consumer. We did it before, and we can do it again.

Pollan: A deeper knowledge of where their food comes from and a sense of outrage over how their food is being produced and a sense of hope and possibility of the alternatives springing up around the country. Food, Inc. is the most important and powerful film about our food system in a generation.

Get it at Amazon (It’s on sale right now for $9.99)

We like offering organic, edible gifts because we think people really appreciate them and it leaves us feeling good that we haven’t contributed much to the planet’s problems. A particularly insidious issue comes from plastic toys for children. Not only are they bad for the environment because yes, at some point, they will end up in a dump – but also they’ve found many of these plastic toys encumbered with Bisphenol A, a dangerous and unhealthy chemical found in many plastics. Why would anyone risk the health of little kids by giving them these hazardous chemicals?

Here’s an idea for kids. These colorful vanilla and sugar animal cookies are certified organic (all natural, no preservatives, nut-free) and just overall fun. They are a great alternative to gifting plastic toys, and are packaged in recycled boxes.

O r d e r   t h e s e   n o w

When DEET was used in studies by scientists at Duke University, prolonged topical use on rats resulted in their brain death. How does that translate into human topical use? The DEET industry has always questioned these studies but have clearly known that DEET has a negative effect on health.

Whatever the case and to simply play it safe, keep yourself and your family safe: Stay away from products containing DEET. It’s that logical.

Click here to see a slideshow featuring DEET-free products.

“A higher intake of vitamin E can cut the risk of lung cancer by more than half, researchers from the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center has found.

In a new study published in the International Journal of Cancer, researchers used the National Cancer Institute’s Health Habits and History Questionnaire and Food Frequency Questionnaire to assess the dietary intakes of 1,088 lung cancer patients and 1,414 healthy participants. Participants were further surveyed about various lifestyle factors, including smoking.

The average age of the healthy participants was 60.8, while the average age of the lung cancer participants was 61.7.

Vitamin E occurs in two main groups, the tocopherols and tocotrienols. Each of these groups, in turn, contains four varieties, named alpha, beta, gamma and delta. For the current study, the researchers analyzed participants’ dietary tocopherol intake, dividing it up based on which form it occurred in.

“To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to compare dietary intakes of the different forms of tocopherols (alpha-, beta-, gamma and delta-tocopherol) and lung cancer risk,” the researchers wrote.

The researchers divided participants into groups based on intake of tocopherols in general and the four different varieties individually, then compared the rate of lung cancer between the groups.

Participants with the highest tocopherol intake were found to have a 55 percent lower risk of lung cancer than participants with the lowest intakes. The average intakes of the two groups were more than 12.95 milligrams per day and less than 6.68 milligrams per day, respectively.

A powerful protective correlation also showed up for alpha-tocopherol, with those consuming the most having a 53 percent lower risk of lung cancer than those with the lowest intake. The highest alpha-tocopherol intake averaged more than 7.73 milligrams per day, while the lowest averaged less than 4.13 milligrams per day.

Higher consumption of beta-, gamma- or delta-tocopherol alone, however, appeared to have no influence on cancer risk.

“We found consistent independent associations for increased dietary alpha-tocopherol intake and risk reduction but did not find independent associations for gamma-, beta- and delta-tocopherol in lung cancer risk,” the researchers wrote.

The European diet typically contains vitamin E in the form of alpha-tocopherol, while the U.S. diet tends to contain it in the form of gamma-tocopherol. Vitamin pills contain mostly alpha-tocopherol.

The study was not designed to analyze by what mechanism tocopherols in general or alpha-tocopherol in particular might act to reduce cancer risk.

“Our data should be useful in stimulating additional epidemiologic and basic science research in the relationship of different forms of vitamin E and cancer,” the researchers wrote.

Foods high in vitamin E include asparagus, avocado, green leafy vegetables, nuts, olives, seeds and wheat germ. A variety of vegetable oils, including canola, corn, cottonseed, red palm, sunflower and soybean are also high in the vitamin.

The new study is not the first to link vitamin E with cancer protection. The vitamin is well known to function as an antioxidant, meaning that it plays an important role in removing particles known as free radicals from the body. These electrically charged molecules are believed to be responsible for some of the cell damage that leads to cancer, other diseases, and the symptoms of aging.”

Scientists now know enough about the long-term consequences of ingesting these powerful chemicals to advise that we minimize our consumption of pesticides.

What’s the Difference?
EWG research has found that people who eat the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables consume an average of 10 pesticides a day. Those who eat the 15 least contaminated conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables ingest fewer than 2 pesticides daily. The Guide helps consumers make informed choices to lower their dietary pesticide load.

Will Washing and Peeling Help?
Nearly all the studies used to create these lists assume that people rinse or peel fresh produce. Rinsing reduces but does not eliminate
pesticides. Peeling helps, but valuable nutrients often go down the drain with the skin. The best approach: eat a varied diet, rinse all produce and buy organic when possible.

How Was This Guide Developed?
EWG analysts have developed the Guide based on data from nearly
87,000 tests for pesticide residues in produce conducted between
2000 and 2007 and collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. You can find a detailed
description of the criteria EWG used to develop these rankings and
the complete list of fruits and vegetables tested at our dedicated
website, www.foodnews.org.

“You know the feeling. You’re walking to the market, to the store, to meet a friend, all caught up in the plodding forward of your day…and then suddenly, you take notice of where you are. The light on a wall, the expressions on people’s faces, the feeling of the weather. A distinct sense of place creeps over you, and for a moment you feel like a traveler.

And yet sometimes, the desire (Overwhelming! Insatiable! Get me on a freaking bus to Belize!) for that novelty and spark of travel is overwhelming. Sometimes a sense of …” Continue reading

“1. If you hate crowds and lines, shop at dinnertime (5 to 9 p.m.) or even later. Only 4 percent of shoppers hit the aisles between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. Least-crowded day of the week? Wednesday.

2. Go ahead and reach way back for the fresh milk. Everybody does.

3. Coupons with a bar code are easy to scan. The other ones take an eternity. But if you’re willing to wait …

4. That star fruit has been here a lot longer than the broccoli. Familiar produce turns over more quickly than exotic things.

5. “The more products you see, the more you are likely to buy,” says Marion Nestle, author of What to Eat. “That’s why the aisles are so long and the milk is usually in the far corner.”

6. Like employees with a good attitude? Shop at chains that are employee-owned, suggest customer-satisfaction surveys. When employees have a stake in the profits, it shows in their attitude.

7. The “grazers” order food at the deli, eat it as they’re shopping, and get rid of the wrappers before they check out. We also call that stealing.
8. I’m not just selling groceries, I’m selling real estate. Look high and low-literally-for good values from smaller manufacturers who can’t afford to stock their products in the eye-level sweet spot.

9. We’re marketing to your kids too. That’s why we put the rainbow-colored cereals and other kiddie catnip at their eye level.

10. Be wary of “specials.” When people see signs with numbers-”8 for $10!” “Limit: 5 per customer”—they buy 30 to 100 percent more than they otherwise might have.

11. The baby formula is locked up because thieves resell it on the black market. Ditto for the cough and cold medications, smoking-cessation products, razor blades, and batteries.

12. Driving your Ferrari to the Piggly Wiggly and want to avoid shopping-cart dents? Park far, far away.

13. You’ll end up tossing 12 percent of what you buy.”

Read 16 more things your grocer hides from you

Avocados are loaded with monounsaturated fat, healthy fats. They help lower LDL cholesterol levels while raising the amount of HDL cholesterol in your body. They allow for the absorption of other carotenoids, particularly beta carotene and lycopene, which are absolutely essential for heart health.

Berries – Raspberries, blueberries and strawberries are full of anti-inflammatory ingredients, which reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer. Berries in general are important for vascular health. Be sure to only choose organic berries, as non-organic fruit tend to contain dangerous amounts of pesticides, chemicals and other toxic ingredients.

Beans Fill up on fiber with chickpeas (garbanzo beans) lentils, kidney beans and blac, beans. They have lots of omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, and soluble fiber.

Nuts Walnuts, almonds and macadamia nuts are all chock full of omega-3 fatty acids and mono- and polyunsaturated fats. Almonds are super rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Nuts contain fiber, very important and a good source of healthy fat.”

Garlic contains allicin, which reacts with red blood cells and produces hydrogen sulphide. This relaxes the blood vessels, and keeps blood flowing easily.

Salmon is extremely rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon is known to reduce blood pressure and keep clotting to a minimum. Salmon contains an ingredient called, carotenoid astaxanthin, which is a very powerful antioxidant. Important note: Choose wild salmon over farm raised salmon (or farm raised fish in general), which is proven to be packed with pesticides, insecticides and heavy metals.

Olive Oil is packed with monounsaturated fats. It has a tendency to lower bad LDL cholesterol and reduce your risk of developing heart disease. It’s best when used in salad dressings.

Oranges – Rich in Vitamin C, oranges protect arteries from free radicals, highly damaging molecules that cause our cells to oxidize. Oranges also contain folate, which processes the amino acid homocysteine in our bodies. Without folate, your risk of a heart attack is greater. Potassium in oranges play a key role in heart functions and muscle contractions. The calcium in oranges help maintain normal blood pressure, and magnesium helps your heart maintain a steady rhythm and normal blood pressure.

Spinach – helps keep your heart in top shape thanks to its stores of lutein, folate, potassium, and fiber.

Flaxseeds – Full of fiber and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, a little sprinkling of flaxseeds can be incredibly beneficial for your heart. Add it to yogurt or cereal for a healthy start in the morning.

Oatmeal is full of omega-3 fatty acids, folate, and potassium. This fiber-rich superfood is able to lower levels of LDL (or bad) cholesterol and help keep arteries clear. Choose coarse or steel-cut oats over instant varieties—which contain more fiber. Remember to add some flaxseeds and blueberries.

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Singer Sewing Machine

“So you lost your job. Now what? As an employee, you had a daily routine, health insurance coverage, and a regular paycheck. You liked the security—while it lasted. And if you sometimes daydreamed about the freedom of working for yourself, leaving a full-time job never seemed worth the risk.

But now, laid off into a recession and the worst job market in decades—2.6 million Americans lost jobs in 2008, with 524,000 eliminated in December alone—you may be thinking self-employment sounds like the best path out of unemployment. Rather than try to land one of the few open jobs out there, maybe you could work as a freelancer or consultant, at least until the job market recovers. You’re in good company: There were nearly 9 million self-employed workers in December, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But if you’re among the thousands of unemployed now trying to go it alone, where do you start?

First, step back. Decide what your goals are and how freelancing will help you achieve them, says Pamela Slim, author of the Escape From Cubicle Nation blog and a forthcoming book of the same name. “It’s obviously very easy at the point of being laid off to really come from a position of fear and desperation,” she says. Thinking about long-term goals from the start will keep you grounded and help you determine how to proceed. Once you’re clear on your goals, Slim says, you should ask: “What are the specific skills, knowledge, money, resources, information, and contacts [you] need to bring that picture to life?”

Health Care

There are plenty of nuts-and-bolts concerns that can overwhelm first-time freelancers, especially those who suddenly lost steady jobs. Chief among them is health care. The health insurance system does not accommodate… “ continue reading

Don’t be a lazy bastard.
Gah, you might be thinking, you don’t have to be such a biatch. Sorry. I can’t help it when it comes to important things. So many people I know ALWAYS use the excuse, “I don’t have enough time in the morning to prepare anything, so we (or my kids) eat cereals or protein bars. It’s easy, fast and…” – let me finish that line for you, “CRAPPY FOR THEM.” You can’t argue with me; it’s true. Now, get a conscience and get caring about you and your kids’ health! I just can’t believe I have to tell you this.

Make a yummy nutritious meal for breakfast.
Ok if you HAVE to use that stupid, lame excuse of not having enough time in the morning, then prepare some things the night before so you have little to prepare the next day. Here’s one example (but DO search online for a variety of ideas) Make some whole wheat or multi-grain scones the night before, then in the morning eat them with organic almond butter and some organic jam. Or simply with fruit. Make a quick side of scrambled eggs and voila. Yummy and healthy meal.

Be more organized – Plan for the whole week and vary meals.
This also relates to the previous idea, “don’t be a lazy bastard.” If you plan for the week, your breakfast life will be smooth as peanut butter. During the weekends, plan your meals for every week day. It doesn’t necessarily have to be something different every single day, depending on the tastes of you and your family members, but it should vary to an extent. This is important so your bodies receive a variety of nutrients instead of the very same ones day after day. For example, if you have kids love their home-made organic muesli, allow it Tuesday and Thursday one week, then for the next week allow it Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Vary the kinds of fruit and nuts you add to the muesli. Maybe once in a while add yogurt instead of whole, raw organic milk.

Make Pancakes better.
If you and your family likes pancakes once in a while, instead of using just white flour, add more hearty and healthy flours into the mix like whole wheat flour and buckwheat flour. Also, make sure if you do use white flour, that it is non-bleached and organic. Use organic ingredients as much as possible including eggs, sugar and milk.

Offer all kinds of different spreads for toast.If there’s a die-hard, “gotta have” toast in the a.m., offer different things to spread on it: Peanut butter, coconut butter, almond butter or other kinds of nut butters, tahini, organic butters and cream cheese, organic fruit and jams. Or something completely different: pickled herring, organic cheeses, a poached egg, veggies. How ’bout some organic maple syrup?

The organic tortilla is your friend for breakfast.
I’ve been recently been liking brown rice tortillas but there are many kinds that are good for your health. Tortillas are champions in convenience and you can put all kinds of things into them. Breakfast burritos, veggies and scrambled eggs, bean and cheese, fruity wraps…you will only be limited by your imagination. And if you run out of ideas, look online for more ideas! You don’t have to be alone in this breakfast dilemma.

Let smoothies rule.
There’s nothing more healthy than throwing some fruit, plain yogurt or juice into a blender and make a refreshing, scrumptious and satisfying smoothie. Add some flax seed meal into it and you may become addicted to this excellent meal in a glass. Make sure to vary fruit and ingredients for your smoothies!

Related: Why you shouldn’t eat popular breakfast cereals, More reasons to give up Cereal, especially Corn Flakes! Healthy Organic Breakfasts

Without a doubt, I am rejuvenile, not to mention too, that I have some weird connection with Weeds. There are just so many references that I can relate to, or that I already know about like the game “Carcassone,” which was incorporated into an episode. How many people even know or CARE about that? I know about it! And Dinah? They have free internet so I go there when I’m in town. Not too crazy about the food, however. Anyway, maybe it’s because I’m originally from L.A. that I simply see all of the stuff I grew up around. I haven’t lived in L.A. for a long time but it’s always fun to see my home town, a crazy wacko kooky village as it may be.

Back to Rejuvenile. Here’s an excerpt from Publishers Weekly: According to journalist Noxon, rejuveniles-adults who use childhood past-times as “a way of maintaining wonder, trust, and silliness in a world where these qualities are often in short supply”-are proliferating, and unlike other books on the topic of “kidults” (aka “twixters,” “boomerangers,” and “generation debt”), his book says this is largely good. Viewing the bright side of oft-bemoaned evidence showing increasing numbers of young adults living with parents and postponing marriage, Noxon has made an entertaining but incomplete read. In appropriately playful prose, he considers successful adults who play in rock n’ roll nursery rhyme cover bands, attend Disney World without kids, and happily plunk down 10 bucks to see Spongebob Squarepants: The Movie. Avoiding “The Downside of Now” until the end, Noxon almost admits that he isn’t telling the whole story of the rejuveniles: although it’s “nice to think of rejuveniles as freethinking romantics,” which he theretofore does, “it’s clear that outside forces also have a hand in shaping who rejuveniles are.” Those outside forces? Not crushing student loans, a stagnant job market or political age-bias, but “the media.” Of course, Noxon would probably just as soon leave worrying to grown-ups of the old school-he’ll be on the kickball field instead.

Want to get the book? Click the link below.

Rejuvenile: Kickball, Cartoons, Cupcakes, and the Reinvention of the American Grown-up

Walnut tree bark – rub walnut tree bark on your teeth. This helps remove stains from your teeth. This is one of the best teeth whitening cures.

Bicarbonate of soda – Brush your teeth with bicarbonate of soda just 5 minutes before brushing your teeth with normal toothpaste in the morning. You should see an improvement after several weeks.

Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide – Mix these together to form a toothpaste and efficiently brush your teeth regularly with this paste. It should remove all stains in a month.

Orange Peel Rub the inside of an orange peel (the white part) against your teeth and this should help in you teeth whitening treatment.

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) – Brush your teeth every night with apple cider vinegar. This is known to be an effective home remedy for teeth whitening.

Strawberries – are considered natural remedy for teeth whitening. Rubbing the teeth with strawberries daily will remove all the stains. Remember to eat them because strawberries are also good for you.

Ash – Brushing your teeth with hard wood ash is also beneficial as it contains a teeth whitener – potassium hydroxide. It may not be the most tasty but it’s effective.

Your diet matters – Certain foods you eat help your teeth stay nice and white: celery, apples and carrots clean your teeth naturally by way of chewing vigorously, and other foods like lettuce, strawberries, lemons, broccoli and spinach prevent staining by either creating a sort of film that protects your teeth from stains or cleans them well.

Brush! – To prevent discoloration and permanent staining of your teeth brush after every meal.

Lemon juice and salt – Mix the two to create a paste and apply to yellowing spots on teeth. It’s been reported that this is one of themost effective home remedies for teeth whitening.

Avoid excessive consumption of coffee, tea, red wine, carbonated drinks and smoking to ensure your teeth will keep their shiny white glow.

Lemon – Dip your toothbrush in lemon juice and brush your teeth well. This is also effective home remedy for teeth whitening. And refreshing, too!

Nail Biting – Don’t do this. This damages your teeth, and it’s just a horrible habit overall.

The healing powers of licorice: a remedy for gastritis, peptic ulcers, and abdominal cramping. Some studies report that licorice can increase gastric juices by as much as twenty-five percent without changing the natural pH of the stomach, making licorice noteworthy for proper digestion.

Licorice also has an anti-inflammatory effect. This root is often added to formulas for chronic inflammatory conditions such as arthritic and rheumatic complaints.

Notes: Always check with your health care provider if this is good for you. Licorice should not be used in excess or by people with diabetes, heart conditions or high blood pressure. Also please avoid licorice if you happen to be taking diuretics or using potassium supplements. Licorice has been known to have negative effects on estrogen-sensitive conditions, on thyroid hormone production, and it should not be combined with prescription corticosteroids.

Order Some Panda All Natural Soft Licorice

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“Why should you take the time to make homemade cleaners? Well, first of all, plenty of studies show that toxic, conventional cleaning supplies are bad for your health, your child’s health, and the planet’s health. See the following posts for more information…

* Expectant mamas should limit use of toxic household cleaning products
* Poisons Under Your Sink: Hidden Dangers of Cleaning Products
* How many cleaning supplies are under your sink that your child could safely drink?
* The Dangers of Home Cleaning Supplies

The above health issues are reason enough to make green cleaners, but just in case you need more reasons: homemade cleaners smell better, work just as well, cut down on packaging, and save you money. Lastly, this is a very simple green step you can take at home, yet the rewards are huge – cleaner indoor air quality and a healthy, happy family.

WHAT SUPPLIES YOU’LL NEED:

You need very few supplies to make homemade cleaning products. Most of the items you’ll need, you likely have around the house already…

1. A few plain old spray bottles. You can…” continue reading

While some unfortunately uninformed people do not relate health to what they eat, the more informed and educated people know better. By eating the 14 super foods highlighted in Dr. Steven Pratt’s instant bestseller, you can actually stop the incremental deteriorations that lead to common ailments and diseases. Really. Don’t believe me? Try it and find out. What harm could it possibly do to give it a try? Here are the super foods to focus on and why:

* Beans — reduce obesity
* Blueberries — lower risk for cardiovascular disease
* Broccoli — lowers the incidence of cataracts and fights birth defects
* Oats — reduce the risk of type II diabetes
* Oranges — prevent strokes
* Pumpkin — lowers the risk of various cancers
* Wild salmon — lowers the risk of heart disease
* Soy — lowers cholesterol
* Spinach — decreases the chance of cardiovascular disease and age-related macular degeneration
* Tea — helps prevent osteoporosis
* Tomatoes — raise the skin’s sun protection factor
* Turkey — helps build a strong immune system
* Walnuts — reduce the risk of developing coronary heart disease, diabetes, and cancer

* Yogurt-promotes strong bones and a healthy heart

SuperFoods includes recipes created by Chef Michel Stroot of the Golden Door Spa and teaches you how to incorporate SuperFoods and their sidekicks into your diet. SuperFoods Rx is an indispensable guide to a healthy, long, and energetic life.

Read SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life

“Fruits, vegetables and animals can be 100 percent organic. What about people?

In a fascinating experiment — on himself — Dr. Alan Greene, a pediatrician and author in Danville, Calif., decided to find out. For the last three years, Dr. Greene has eaten nothing but organic foods, whether he’s cooking at home, dining out or snacking on the road.

He chose three years as a goal because that was the amount of time it took to have a breeding animal certified organic by the Department of Agriculture. While food growers comply with organic regulations every day, Dr. Greene wondered whether a person could meet the same standards.

It hasn’t been easy.

“This isn’t a way of eating I could recommend to anybody else because it’s so far off the beaten food grid,” said Dr. Greene, 49, the founder of a popular Web site about children’s health, drgreene.com. “It was much more challenging than I thought it would be, and I thought it would be tough. There were definitely days where there was nothing I could find that was organic.”

Other writers have ventured off the traditional food grid, notably Barbara Kingsolver in “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” and Michael Pollan in “The Omnivore’s Dilemma.” But what makes Dr. Greene’s experiment remarkable is the length of time he devoted to it, and his effort to incorporate organic eating into the routines of everyday living. His findings offer new insight into the challenges facing the organic food industry and those of us who want to patronize it.

Organic farmers don’t use conventional methods to fertilize the soil, control weeds and pests, or prevent disease in livestock.

Organic methods often lead to higher costs, and consumers can pay twice as much for organic foods as for conventional products. Last week, the financial advice Web site SmartMoney.com reported that to feed eight people an organic meal of traditional Thanksgiving foods, a shopper would pay $295.36 — a premium of $126.35, or 75 percent, over a nonorganic holiday spread.

To cut back on the cost of an organic diet, Dr. Greene said he had to cut back on meat. “Whenever you go up the food chain, the costs pile up,” he said. “If you don’t eat meat at every meal, if meat becomes more of a side dish than a centerpiece, you can fill the plate with healthy organic food for about the same price.”

Questions remain about whether organic foods are really better for you. The data are mixed. This fall, researchers from the University of Copenhagen reported on a two-year experiment in which they grew carrots, kale, peas, potatoes and apples using both organic and conventional growing methods. The researchers found that the growing methods made no difference in the nutrients in the crops or the levels of nutrients retained by rats that ate them, according to the study, published in The Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

But other research suggests that organic foods do contain more of certain nutrients — almost twice as many, in the case of organic tomatoes studied for a 2007 report in The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Dr. Greene said he was inspired to go all-organic after talking to a dairy farmer who noted that livestock got sick less after a switch to organic practices. He wondered if becoming 100 percent organic might improve his own health.

Three years later, he says he has more energy and wakes up earlier. As a pediatrician regularly exposed to sick children, he was accustomed to several illnesses a year. Now, he says, he is rarely ill. His urine is a brighter yellow, a sign that he is ingesting more vitamins and nutrients.

At home, he said, the organic routine was relatively easy. Organic food is widely available, not just at stores like Whole Foods but at traditional supermarkets. He also shopped at farmer’s markets and joined a local community-supported agriculture group, or C.S.A. Because he bought less meat, the costs tended to balance out. And his family (two of his four children still live at home) largely went along with the experiment.

On the road, though, life was more challenging. In corporate cafeterias and convenience stores, he looked for stickers that began with the number 9 to signify organic; stickers on conventionally grown produce begin with 4.

When dining out, he called ahead; high-end restaurants were willing to accommodate his all-organic request. He also found a few lines of organic backpacking food that he could carry with him.

Dr. Greene reached the three-year milestone in October, but his diet is still organic. He hasn’t decided whether to keep going full tilt or to ease up in the interest of cost and convenience. In his latest book, “Raising Baby Green: The Earth-Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth and Baby Care” (Jossey-Bass), he advocates a “strategic” approach, urging parents to insist on organic versions of a few main foods, like milk, potatoes, apples and baby food.

The biggest surprise of the whole experience, he says, was that many people still don’t know what “organic” means.

“It’s surprising to me how few people know that organic means without pesticides, antibiotics or hormones,” he said. “In stores or restaurants around the country, I would ask, ‘Do you have anything organic?’ Half the time they would say, ‘Do you mean vegetarian?’ ”” [source]

Backyard Hobby Greenhouse, Green, 8 By 12 Feet

Under the Nile products offer you an alternative to conventional apparel and toys, including these excellent teething toys for your baby. All the cotton is 100% Organic, 100% Egyptian. The natural cotton assures you that absolutely no pesticides or chemicals have been used through the entire production process. The products were created because of concern about the pollutants that our children are exposed to, which includes the clothes they wear. These items are safe, pesticide-free, comfortable and naturally dyed. Accessories such as buttons and zippers are made for organically friendly elements like wood, shell or nickel-free metals. The farm that grows our cotton and makes our apparel focuses on fair trade and provides a worldwide model community for organic agriculture along with a supportive work place. The fact that we use cotton grown in Egypt makes it even more extraordinary because of the extremely soft, gentle and durable features Egyptian cotton is known for.

Note: Machine wash and dry.

Order some teething toys for your baby now

You WILL thank me for posting about this now!

About the Elliptical Trainer
Maximize your home workouts with the Schwinn 460 Elliptical Trainer, which features Schwinn’s exclusive V-Stride Technology that allows you to change stride lengths without manual adjustments or machine modifications. The 460 provides a complete lower-body workout: step to target calves and quads; walk to work your thighs and glutes, and run to lengthen your strides and engage all muscle groups.

Featuring a high-tech design, the Schwinn 460 includes 11 workout profiles built by the Nautilus Institute with instructional messages on utilizing stride lengths and foot/leg motions for maximized results. And the Schwinn Advantage workout system tracks results and programming for up to two users. You’ll get heart rate feedback via the HR grips on the static handlebars, and heart rate telemetry using the included chest strap.

The dynamic backlit touchscreen console displays workout and interval time, distance, pulse, speed, calories, resistance level, and course profile. Other features include an oversized water bottle holder (accommodates 4-inch bottle), adjustable cooling fan, and transport handle and non-skid wheels for easy storage.

Get this Schwinn Variable Stride Elliptical Trainer NOW

Though she freely admits she’s neither a nutritionist nor a doctor, more than 400,000 subscribers rely on author Lillien’s “Hungry Girl” e-newsletter for healthy eating tips. In this congenial compilation, most of which is new to the book, she gives dieters a breakfast-to-dinner approach to eating lighter with scores of easy to prepare dishes. Lillien’s recipes enlist low-cal substitutes for traditional ingredients; diet lemon-lime soda and sugar-free powdered lemonade drink mix, for example, go into her Magical Low Calorie Margarita. In some cases, such as her Rockin’ Restaurant Spinach Dip, Cheesy Chicken Quesadilla and Dan Good Chili, she approximates high-calorie dishes without sacrificing too much in terms of flavor or texture. Unfortunately, those are the exceptions-the Ice Creamless Banana Split and Cheery Chocolate Cheesecake Nuggets (which calls for diet hot cocoa mix, Splenda, fat free cream cheese and sugar free chocolate syrup) taste more like punishment than dessert. Salads are well represented, though few are served with any kind of dressing, and meat dishes can run sky high in sodium. Tips for smart eating at the office, holiday parties, trips and the movies are appreciated, but the book would have benefited from the input of a licensed nutritionist or dietician.

Get it now by clicking on the link below.

Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World

Don’t forget your self-help books, garden supplies and books, meditation/yoga DVDs, music and books, exercise equipment and kitchen appliances such as juicers, food processors and more. I’m sure you’ll find SOMETHING you need at a great price.

During this Cyber Monday, most online merchants offer free shipping too! Yay. Check out the deals by clicking below:

Organic and Health Related Products on Sale

The innovative Fellowes SB-87CS with Safe Sense Technology features an active sensor that stops shredding immediately when paper entry is touched. Designed for frequent shredding needs, the Fellowes Powershred SB-87CS delivers a high level of performance that’s ideal for small business or home office use. This heavy-duty personal shredder reduces documents to higher security confetti particles, and shreds up to 15 sheets per pass, 50-100 times per day, for a total daily capacity as high as 1,500 sheets. Equipped with a 9-inch wide front feed paper entry, the SB-87CS easily accepts standard letter or legal-size documents. SB87CS shreds CDs in a designated safety slot and the durable steel cutters also accept credit cards, staples and small paper clips. Electronic auto start/stop ensures quick & easy automatic shredder operation. Shredder automatically shuts off and alerts operator when a jam occurs, door is ajar or 7-gallon pullout wastebasket is full. Sheet capacity gauge helps prevent paper jams. Door offers convenient holder for oil, manual and shredder bags. Cabinet-style stand includes casters for portable ease.

Note: You can also throw this into your kitty’s litter box for extra absorption.

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Much more than recipes, The Self-Healing Cookbook gives fresh, heartwarming support to anyone aiming to prevent or recover from diet-related moods and health symptoms. A starter shopping list, food-mood charts, self-healer’s workbook, and healing foods glossary are included. Along with a wealth of wisdom on how to eat locally, think globally, cook with the seasons, lose weight naturally and nourish growing kids.

Word-of-mouth has carried this book to Great Britain, Canada, Singapore, Israel, and Australia. Over 21,000 copies have sold in the Japanese edition. In April, 2002, it will be published in Brazil, in a Portuguese edition. We’d love to hear from international readers where else it has found a home in your kitchens.

Get it now: The Self-Healing Cookbook: Whole Foods To Balance Body, Mind and Moods

While you have a choice, why don’t you pick the safest option for the health of you and your family? Use toxic chemical-free products and never worry about getting poisoned by them. Buy Seventh Generation products now by clicking below:

Seventh Generation Products

Since then it has been used to detoxify the body, enhance the immune system, fight fatigue, and soothe an upset stomach. This special healing formula is made with organic green tea (camellia sinensis), which is organically grown and, unlike other green teas, has a delicate flavor with no bitterness.

Green Tea has excellent antioxidant properties. This tea contains a concentrated and purified extract of kombucha-pure, which is produced without the use of refined sugar or black tea, and is made from kombucha grown in a unique medium of 32 supporting Chinese herbs.

The recipe is complemented with organic spearmint, which can help to relax the body and aid digestion; organic licorice root, to support the adrenals and enhance the effects of other healing herbs; and dong quai root, a well-known tonic. Once the benefits of these ingredients are released by hot water, you are ready to enjoy a delicious, delightful and soothing cup of tea and one that is naturally rich in antioxidants and other health-supporting qualities.

Yogi Tea Defense, Green Tea Kombucha, Tea Bags, 16-Count Boxes (Pack of 6)

The bamboo carbon creates tons of thick lather and bubbles. The other ingredients seem to work great together as well. This soap leaves your skin feeling tight and very clean.

It’s great for allergies, psoriasis, dry or oily skin, and acne too. It’s highly recommend as a soap to use when you want a deep, thorough cleanse. Use it daily to deep-clean and rejuvenate your skin.

Best of all, there are no artificial colors, fragrances, or ingredients, it’s anti inflammatory, anti allergenic, anti bacterial, and anti viral.

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Black Therapy 9 Fine Quality Soap featuring Activated Bamboo Carbon

Some of the extraordinary and healthful benefits include Air and Water Purification, Deodorization, Electromagnetic Shielding, Humidity Regulation, and the Release of Negative Ions and FAR Infrared Radiation, all of which can improve the overall environment in your home and office.

Beautiful packaging makes this product a unique and distinctive addition to any decor. Features:

Bamboo Charcoal for a Healthful Environment in Your Home and Office

Alternative Cures: The Most Effective Natural Home Remedies for 160 Health Problems

From treehugger:

“Phthalates, the plasticizer used to make vinyl soft, have been known to be a gender-bender that has been shown to affect the masculinity of rats. Even the Bush Administration, not renowned for its defence of the public against the chemical companies, has banned it from childrens’ toys.

Now new research has found new evidence of “phthalate syndrome”- smaller penises, and undescended or incompletely descended testicles- in humans. Shanna Swan, director of the Center for Reproductive Epidemiology at the University of Rochester’s school of medicine, who led the research, says phthalates are “”probably reproductive toxins and should be eliminated from products gradually because we don’t need them.”

Chemical Industry dismisses threat

Of course the American Chemistry Council, representing the companies that make the chemical (Exxon Mobil, BASF, Ferro Corp., and Eastman Chemical) warns us to be “cautioned against over-interpreting any individual study.”

Screw that; among guys, penis size is serious stuff. Martin Mittelstaedt of the Globe and Mail writes:

“Scientists have been investigating the possible effects on boys of phthalates because rodent studies have shown the chemical has the peculiar ability to shorten the space between the anus and the genitalia in male mice exposed during fetal development. This space, known as anogenital distance or AGD, is normally about twice as long in young male mice than in females. For mice, AGD is considered a measure of masculinity and a way to determine the sex of the pups. Scientists are so confident of the effect that they’ve given the impact of the chemical on male rodents a name – phthalate syndrome.

Surveys of children have also found that …..”

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In this lively collection from an array of accomplished writers, readers meet an old woman who imparts an invaluable midnight message on a Greek island; brothers who heal old family wounds in Ireland; and travelers who awaken to the mystery of their souls in such disparate places as St. Peter’s in Rome and a dusty road in India. Contributors include Phil Cousineau, Kim Chernin, David Yeadon, Don George, and Jan Morris. The Spiritual Gifts of Travel reveals the myriad ways that travel renews the spirit. “The tales ring clear and loud with the universal need to travel the road toward self.”

Read more about: The Spiritual Gifts of Travel: The Best of Travelers’ Tales

“With Breast Cancer Awareness month fully upon us once again, retail stores have been invaded with everything pink, including “pink ribbon” candies and personal care products made with blatantly cancer-causing ingredients. Retail grocery stores like Safeway even hit up customers for donations at the cash register, promising to raise funds to find “the cure for cancer.”

The Truth: Nearly 100% of the funds are used to recruit more ……”

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“Definition

The prostate consists of 3 lobes which manufacture seminal fluid. The tube which empties the bladder passes over the middle lobe. In later life, the prostate gland often becomes enlarged and causes problems by closing off the exit of urine from the bladder. This urine retention often starts by a decrease in the force of the stream of urine leaving the body. Prostate blockage of the flow of urine because of infection or cancer can be very serious — even to the point of causing uremic poisoning within the body. The cause of enlargement of the prostate gland is the collection of mucus and sediment in the gland. Often the male hormones produced by the body are not enough to keep the prostate gland functioning well. The nitrates and nitrites in processed meats, hot dogs, baloney, and other cold cuts have a particularly important role in the formation of cancer of the prostate in the male.

Herbal Aids

General Instructions: Before (or instead of) arriving at the decision to submit to the knife and have the prostate gland surgically removed, may we offer the following suggestions: In any form of cell-deterioration, the Blood Stream Formula should be used to help clean up the blood stream. Of course the bowel must be cleared up first and foremost. Then, as a specific aid to the prostate area the following formula has aided in removing infection, sediment and the like. Male Urinary Tract: Dr. Christopher’s Prostate Formula, Cayenne, ginger, golden seal root, gravel root, juniper berries, parsley root or herb, uva ursi herb, and ginseng root. These capsules can be taken in the morning and at night, and they are best taken with parsley tea. Change the diet to the mucusless diet, and drink plenty of distilled water and fruit and vegetable juices. Cancerous tumors have a very difficult time growing when there is the presence of organic potassium in the body, so the tinctures of black walnut or elderberry or any other foods high in potassium can be helpful here, providing that the bowel is in good condition so that proper assimilation can take place. The Hormonal Changease: Dr. Christopher’s Herbal Hormone Formula will help the body produce the necessary hormones for proper functioning of the glands. It consists of Black cohosh, Sarsaparilla, ginseng, licorice, false unicorn, blessed thistle and squaw vine. Don’t worry if the formula contains estrogens as well as hormones. The body will select the substances it needs and will discard the rest in a natural formula such as this.

Gravel Root is used principally as a therapeutic agent for the urinary-genital areas, influencing the kidneys, liver, bladder, prostate gland and uterus. It relaxes moderately, stimulates, and tones the pelvic viscera and mucous membranes (helping to cast off any sediments that have settled on surfaces). It is good when used alone, or in combination with other herbs. Its popularity (note the name) has been due to its powerful solvent effect on stony deposits in the kidneys (here it can do the work alone, but its effects are improved with other herbal agents in combination). Gravel root is one of the greatest herbs to use for any kidney and urinary problem, and it is also great as a tonic and stimulant. As a nervine, it is reputed to influence the entire sympathetic nervous system.

Prostate Urinary Troubles: See formula using gravel root, marshmallow, parsley, juniper, lobelia, cayenne and golden seal.

Herbal Kidney Aid: See formula using cayenne, ginger, golden seal, gravel root, juniper berries, marshmallow, parsley and uva ursi. This will dissolve the stones that are in the kidneys, as well as clean out other sedimentation and infection in the prostate. Mix the powders and place in No. 2 capsules and take two morning and night.

Male Urinary Tract: Dr. Christopher’s Prostate Formula: (This is the same as in # 3 but already made into capsules). In case of malfunction we suggest this combination to help assist the male: cayenne, ginger, golden seal root, gravel root or queen of the meadow root, juniper berries, marshmallow root, parsley root or herb, uva ursi leaves. This will help dissolve the stones that are in the kidneys, as well as help clean out other sedimentation and infection in the prostate. Mix the powders and place in No. 0 capsules and take two or more morning and night, with parsley tea when possible….

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Amaranth flour. Its milled from the seeds of the amaranth plant, this flour boasts a higher percentage of protein than most other grains, and has more fibre than wheat and rice. It is also higher in the amino acid lysine, which some food scientists believe makes it a more complete protein than flour made from other grains. Amaranth flour can be used in cookies, crackers, baking mixes, and cereals.

Arrowroot flour: The rootstalks of a tropical plant are the source of this flour, often used as a thickener for sauces and desserts; the finely powdered arrowroot turns completely clear when dissolved (giving gloss to sauces), and adds no starchy flavor. Because of its easy digestibility, it is also an used as an ingredient in cookies intended for infants and young children.

Barley flour: This mild-flavored flour made from barley grain contains some gluten.

Buckwheat flour: A common ingredient in pancake mixes, buckwheat flour is also used to make Japanese soba noodles. It is available in light, medium, and dark varieties (the dark flour boasts the strongest flavor), depending on the kind of buckwheat it is milled from. You can make your own buckwheat flour by processing whole white buckwheat groats in a blender or food processor.

Chestnut flour: This tan flour is made from chestnuts, the meaty, lowfat nuts that are often served as a vegetable. The flour is a little sweet and is traditionally used in Italian holiday desserts.

Chick-pea flour (also called chana, gram flour or besan): This protein-rich flour is made from dried chick-peas or chana dal. This flour is used commonly throughout India, and in parts of the Mediterranean as well, in pancakes, pizzas, dumplings, soups and stews.

Corn flour: This is made from whole cornmeal, ground to a floury consistency.

Cornstarch: This silky ingredient is made from only the endosperm (starchy part) of the corn kernel. Avoid wheaten cornflour. It is used to thicken sauces and to create baked goods with a particularly fine texture.

Gluten-free flour mix: Some health-food stores carry this three-grain mixture of rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca flour. It can be substituted for 100% of the wheat flour in many recipes.

Millet flour: This yellow flour is high in protein and easy to digest. It may make baked goods somewhat coarse-textured and dry. Substitute it for no more than one-fifth of the wheat flour in a recipe.

Oat flour: Milled from either the entire oat kernel or the endosperm only, oat flour is frequently used in ready-to-eat breakfast cereals. You can make your own to use in baking by grinding rolled oats in a food processor or blender (1-1/4 cups rolled oats will yield 1 cup oat flour).

Potato flour (potato starch): Steamed potatoes are dried and then ground to a powder to make this gluten-free flour, which is commonly used in baked goods for Jewish Passover (when wheat flour may not be used).

Quinoa flour: Higher in fat than wheat flour, quinoa flour makes baked goods more moist. You can make your own quinoa flour by processing whole quinoa in a blender; stop before the flour is too fine – it should be slightly coarse, like cornmeal.

Rye flour: In combination with wheat flour, rye flour, which contains some gluten, is most commonly used in breads. Rye can be used alone for a substantial-textured bread. Light, medium, and dark varieties (with dark having the strongest flavour) are available.

Sorghum flour: A staple grain in many parts of the world. Sorghum flour works well in breads when combined with bean flours.

Soy flour: Another useful alternative.

Tapioca flour: Milled from the dried starch of the cassava root, this flour thickens when heated with water and is often used to give body to puddings, fruit pie fillings, and soups. It can also be used in baking.

Water-chestnut flour (water-chestnut powder): This Asian ingredient is a fine, powdery starch that is used to thicken sauces (it can be substituted for cornstarch) and to coat foods before frying to give them a delicate, crisp coating.

[source]

You may be surprised to hear that:

- Soy is NOT a miracle food.
- Soy is NOT the answer to world hunger
- Soy is NOT a panacea
- Soy has NOT even been proven safe

Additionally, soy is linked to: malnutrition, digestive distress, infertility, birth defects, cancer, heart disease, thyroid dysfunction, heavy metal toxicities, cognitive decline, immune system breakdown and reproductive disorders. Are you alarmed yet?

You might be asking these questions: Why have we been lied to? What can I do about it now? What can I eat that is safe, healthful and nutritious? What can I feed my children without worrying about harmful substances? Don’t wonder anymore and find out more. Educate yourself for the sake of you and your loved ones.

People who would be interested in The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America’s Favorite Health Food: Americans at risk for cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis and painful menopausal symptoms who wonder if it is true that soy might offer protection; environmentalists who are alarmed by the growing numbers of estrogens and estrogen mimickers in the environment and have begun to wonder about the phytoestrogens in soy; concerned parents who want to know whether soy formula is good for your infants and whether soy foods are good for your children; people suffering from diagnosed or as yet undiagnosed thyroid disease who fears that soy might be the cause; baby boomers who have heard that soy is the dietary fountain of youth; people afflicted with those diseases who wonder if soy might offer a cure; vegetarians who are not enjoying radiant good health and have begun questioning whether the “meat without a bone” is as good at taking care of their nutritional needs; Americans eating soy foods whether you like it or not; homemakers and dietitians who think the price is right but wonder how “the bean supreme” stacks up against meat nutritionally…

Find out more about Soy

Watch the video

[via groovy green]

Check it out here.

“We’ve all found ourselves chatting with someone whose breath could easily wilt a flower. With more than 90 million people suffering from chronic bad breath (also called halitosis), that’s a lot of wilted flowers. If you (or someone you regularly smooch) has an attack of bad breath that even Altoids won’t fix, try these eight simple tips to fix the problem.

Don’t let your tongue become a dirty carpet.
Bad breath often strikes when people aren’t properly taking care of their oral health. The odor is usually caused by decaying food particles and bacteria in your mouth. That’s why brushing and flossing your teeth is so important, but don’t forget to gently brush your tongue to get rid of even more bacteria.

A clean tongue goes a long way to warding off bad breath, says Stephen Z. Wolner, a dentist in private practice in New York City. “Your tongue microscopically is like a shaggy carpet. There are millions of filaments on your tongue that trap tiny food particles and bacteria,” he says. Get in the habit of regularly cleaning your tongue using a toothbrush, the edge of a spoon, or a tongue cleaner. If you have any mouth guards or oral devices, make sure to clean them thoroughly before putting them back in your mouth.

Mouthwash isn’t a bad idea, but it’s only a temporary fix. Granted, a little mouthwash comes in handy before a romantic dinner for two, but it masks the odor instead of tackling the source of your problem.

Chew gum like it’s going out of style.
Believe it or not, saliva is your best weapon against bad breath. That’s why dry mouth, often caused by certain medications or medical conditions, leads to odor problems. By washing away food particles and bacteria, saliva helps to eliminate odor, too.

If you’re wondering why your breath stinks in the morning, it’s largely because saliva production slows while you sleep, allowing particles and odor to linger longer. That’s where sugarless gum comes in handy, as chewing it will stimulate saliva production. Mints, on the other hand, don’t usually stimulate saliva production and only temporarily mask bad odor.

“When you chew gum it makes you salivate, and the more saliva you have in your mouth the fewer bacteria you have. It not only mechanically washes bacteria out, but we have antiseptic and enzymes in our saliva that kill bacteria,” says Wolner.

While anything that makes you salivate will improve your breath, a gum that is sweetened with xylitol is your best option. Xylitol is a sugar substitute that not only increases salvation but also works to prevent bacteria from replicating in the mouth.

Choose cinnamon — it’s sweeter.
A recent study of the cinnamon-flavored gum Big Red found that cinnamon might have breath-odor fighting abilities. Unlike other flavors, cinnamon is not just a cover-up, Wolner tells WebMD. In fact, he says, an ingredient in the flavoring appears to actually decrease the bacteria in your mouth. The only problem is that sugar gums are bad for your teeth, so stick to sugarless cinnamon-flavored gum instead….” Continued

Related: How to Tell Someone Their Breath Stinks!

The book has quite a bit going for it:

1. Beautifully made, illustrated and laid-out, this book is meant to last and be used readily and often. Typical Dorling Kindersley quality.

2. An eye-friendly typeface and bright, semi-gloss pages make this easy reading.

3. The shear breadth of the information here is outstanding. Packed into 306 letter-sized pages are the following chapters:
*The Meaning of Self-Sufficiency
*Food from the Garden
*Food from Animals
*Food from the Fields
*Food from the Wild
*In the Dairy
*In the Kitchen
*Brewing & Wine-making
*Energy & Waste
*Crafts & Skills
*Things You Need to Know

4. Good specifics on all the categories of info listed above. You should be able to get started on your way to being people of the soil. Need to know how to kill, gut, and prepare your cattle? It’s in here. Got a hankering to get off the electrical grid altogether? Helpful windmill buying advice is here. Can’t tell rye from barley? You will after reading this book.

5. A helpful list of contacts and companies that can get you started on your dream are included.

This is a fine primer on self-sufficiency. Anyone looking to escape the rat race could hardly do better than to pick up a copy of “The Self-Sufficient Life and How to Live It.”

[source: amazon]

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Why take part in a Drumming Circle?
Drumming is a vehicle to express as well as to feel. It is exercise, nurturing, social support, bonding and spirituality, to intellectual stimulation, heightened understanding and enhanced capacity to cope with life’s challenges, the benefits of recreational music-making extend far beyond music. This type of music making ultimately affords unparalleled creative expression that unites and heals our bodies, minds and spirits.

Start Your Own Drumming Circle
World-renowned author offers tips to run a successful drum circle. As the popularity for drum circles continues to grow, the need for facilitators increases as well. Written by the foremost authority in this field, Arthur Hull offers his insights, plans and practical strategies to become a facilitator – regardless of your musical background or expertise. This can be used by social workers, store owners, human resource managers, church leaders, camp leaders, nursing home activity coordinators – for anyone who wants to unify a group that will enjoy the benefits of participating in this simple activity. It’s about leadership and communication. The book covers dozens of exercises, instrument suggestions, facilitator’s shorthand, interviews with successful facilitators, and even marketing tips on how to promote and expand your events. This is the complete rhythm event facilitation handbook from the expert.

Start a Drumming Circle Now

Planet Earth

The premiere episode, “From Pole to Pole,” serves as a primer for things to come, placing the entire series in proper context and giving a general overview of what to expect from each individual episode. Without being overtly political, the series maintains a consistent and subtle emphasis on the urgent need for ongoing conservation, best illustrated by the plight of polar bears whose very behavior is changing (to accommodate life-threatening changes in their fast-melting habitat) in the wake of global warming–a phenomenon that this series appropriately presents as scientific fact.

With this harsh reality as subtext, the series proceeds to accentuate the positive, delivering a seemingly endless variety of natural wonders, from the spectacular mating displays of New Guinea’s various birds of paradise to a rare encounter with Siberia’s nearly-extinct Amur Leopards, of which only 30 remain in the wild.

With so many of Earth’s natural wonders on display, it’s only fitting that the final DVD in this 5-disc set is devoted to Planet Earth: The Future, a separate 3-part series in which a global array of experts is assembled to discuss issues of conservation, protection of delicate ecosystems, and the socio-economic benefits of understanding nature as a commodity that returns trillions of dollars in value at no cost to Earth’s human population.

At a time when the multiple threats of global warming should be obvious to all, let’s give Sir David the last word, from the closing of Planet Earth’s final episode: “We can now destroy or we can cherish–the choice is ours.”

Get Planet Earth now

From rd:

“When you think “millionaire,” what image comes to mind? For many of us, it’s a flashy Wall Street banker type who flies a private jet, collects cars and lives the kind of decadent lifestyle that would make Donald Trump proud.

But many modern millionaires live in middle-class neighborhoods, work full-time and shop in discount stores like the rest of us. What motivates them isn’t material possessions but the choices that money can bring: “For the rich, it’s not about getting more stuff. It’s about having the freedom to make almost any decision you want,” says T. Harv Eker, author of Secrets of the Millionaire Mind. Wealth means you can send your child to any school or quit a job you don’t like.
According to the Spectrem Wealth Study, an annual survey of America’s wealthy, there are more people living the good life than ever before—the number of millionaires nearly doubled in the last decade. And the rich are getting richer. To make it onto the Forbes 400 list of the richest Americans, a mere billionaire no longer makes the cut. This year you needed a net worth of at least $1.3 billion.

If more people are getting richer than ever, why shouldn’t you be one of them? Here, five people who have at least a million dollars in liquid assets share the secrets that helped them get there.

Set your sights on where you’re going
Twenty years ago, Jeff Harris hardly seemed on the road to wealth. He was a college dropout who struggled to support his wife, DeAnn, and three kids, working as a grocery store clerk and at a junkyard where he melted scrap metal alongside convicts. “At times we were so broke that we washed our clothes in the bathtub because we couldn’t afford the Laundromat.” Now he’s a 49-year-old investment advisor and multimillionaire in York, South Carolina.

There was one big reason Jeff pulled ahead of the pack: He always knew he’d be rich. The reality is that 80 percent of Americans worth at least $5 million grew up in middle-class or lesser households, just like Jeff.

Wanting to be wealthy is a crucial first step. Says Eker, “The biggest obstacle to wealth is fear. People are afraid to think big, but if you think small, you’ll only achieve small things.”

It all started for Jeff when he met a stockbroker at a Christmas party. “Talking to him, it felt like discovering fire,” he says. “I started reading books about investing during my breaks at the grocery store, and I began putting $25 a month in a mutual fund.” Next he taught a class at a local community college on investing. His students became his first clients, which led to his investment practice. “There were lots of struggles,” says Jeff, “but what got me through it was believing with all my heart that I would succeed.”

Educate yourself
When Steve Maxwell graduated from college, he had an engineering degree and a high-tech job—but he couldn’t balance his checkbook. “I took one finance class in college but dropped it to go on a ski trip,” says the 45-year-old father of three, who lives in Windsor, Colorado. “I actually had to go to my bank and ask them to teach me how to read my statement.”

One of the biggest obstacles to making money is not understanding it: Thousands of us avoid investing because we just don’t get it. But to make money, you must be financially literate. “It bothered me that I didn’t understand this stuff,” says Steve, “so I read books and magazines about money management and investing, and I asked every financial whiz I knew to explain things to me.”

He and his wife started applying the lessons: They made a point to live below their means. They never bought on impulse, always negotiated better deals (on their cars, cable bills, furniture) and stayed in their home long after they could afford a more expensive one. They also put 20 percent of their annual salary into investments.

Within ten years, they were millionaires, and people were coming to Steve for advice. “Someone would say, ‘I need to refinance my house—what should I do?’ A lot of times, I wouldn’t know the answer, but I’d go find it and learn something in the process,” he says.

In 2003, Steve quit his job to become part owner of a company that holds personal finance seminars for employees of corporations like Wal-Mart. He also started going to real estate investment seminars, and it’s paid off: He now owns $30 million worth of investment properties, including apartment complexes, a shopping mall and a quarry.

“I was an engineer who never thought this life was possible, but all it truly takes is a little self-education,” says Steve. “You can do anything once you understand the basics.”

Passion pays off
In 1995, Jill Blashack Strahan and her husband were barely making ends meet. Like so many of us, Jill was eager to discover her purpose, so she splurged on a session with a life coach. “When I told her my goal was to make $30,000 a year, she said I was setting the bar too low. I needed to focus on my passion, not on the paycheck.”

Jill, who lives with her son in Alexandria, Minnesota, owned a gift basket company and earned just $15,000 a year. She noticed when she let potential buyers taste the food items, the baskets sold like crazy. Jill thought, Why not sell the food directly to customers in a fun setting?
With $6,000 in savings, a bank loan and a friend’s investment, Jill started packaging gourmet foods in a backyard shed and selling them at taste-testing parties. It wasn’t easy. “I remember sitting outside one day, thinking we were three months behind on our house payment, I had two employees I couldn’t pay, and I ought to get a real job. But then I thought, No, this is your dream. Recommit and get to work.”

She stuck with it, even after her husband died three years later. “I live by the law of abundance, meaning that even when there are challenges in life, I look for the win-win,” she says.

The positive attitude worked: Jill’s backyard company, Tastefully Simple, is now a direct-sales business, with $120 million in sales last year. And Jill was named one of the top 25 female business owners in North America by Fast Company magazine.

According to research by Thomas J. Stanley, author of The Millionaire Mind, over 80 percent of millionaires say they never would have been successful if their vocation wasn’t something they cared about.

Grow your money
Most of us know the never-ending cycle of living paycheck to paycheck. “The fastest way to get out of that pattern is to make extra money for the specific purpose of reinvesting in yourself,” says Loral Langemeier, author of The Millionaire Maker. In other words, earmark some money for the sole purpose of investing it in a place where it will grow dramatically—like a business or real estate.

There are endless ways to make extra money for investing—you just have to be willing to do the work. “Everyone has a marketable skill,” says Langemeier. “When I started out, I had a tutoring business, seeing clients in the morning before work and on my lunch break.”

A little moonlighting cash really can grow into a million. Twenty-five years ago, Rick Sikorski dreamed of owning a personal training business. “I rented a tiny studio where I charged $15 an hour,” he says. When money started trickling in, he squirreled it away instead of spending it, putting it all back into the business. Rick’s 400-square-foot studio is now Fitness Together, a franchise based in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, with more than 360 locations worldwide. And he’s worth over $40 million.

When extra money rolls in, it’s easy to think, Now I can buy that new TV. But if you want to get rich, you need to pay yourself first, by putting money where it will work hard for you—whether that’s in your retirement fund, a side business or investments like real estate.

No guts, no glory
Last summer, Dave Lindahl footed the bill for 18 relatives at a fancy mansion in the Adirondacks. One night, his dad looked out at the scenery and joked, “I can’t believe we used to call you the black sheep!”

At 29, Dave was broke, living in a small apartment near Boston and wondering what to do after ten years in a local rock band. “I looked around and thought, If I don’t do something, I’ll be stuck here forever.”

He started a landscape company, buying his equipment on credit. When business literally froze over that winter, a banker friend asked if he’d like to renovate a foreclosed home. “I’m a terrible carpenter, but I needed the money, so I went to some free seminars at Home Depot and figured it out as I went,” he says.

After a few more renovations, it occurred to him: Why not buy the homes and sell them for profit? He took a risk and bought his first property. Using the proceeds, he bought another, and another. Twelve years later, he owns apartment buildings, worth $143 million, in eight states.

The Biggest Secret? Stop spending.
Every millionaire we spoke to has one thing in common: Not a single one spends needlessly. Real estate investor Dave Lindahl drives a Ford Explorer and says his middle-class neighbors would be shocked to learn how much he’s worth. Fitness mogul Rick Sikorski can’t fathom why anyone would buy bottled water. Steve Maxwell, the finance teacher, looked at a $1.5 million home but decided to buy one for half the price because “a house with double the cost wouldn’t give me double the enjoyment.”

It’s not a fluke: According to the 2007 Annual Survey of Affluence & Wealth in America, some of the richest people “spend their money with a middle-class mind-set.” They clip coupons, wait for sales and buy luxury items at a discount.

No kidding! Talk show host Tyra Banks calls herself the Queen of Cheap and keeps perfume samples from magazine ads in her purse for quick touch-ups.

Sara Blakely, founder of the $100 million shapewear company Spanx, gets her hair trimmed at Supercuts.

And Warren Buffett, the third richest person in the world, according to Forbes, lives in the same Omaha, Nebraska, home he bought four decades ago for $31,500.”

^[source]

From concierge:

1. WILDFLOWER HALL
Where: Shimla, India

Guru says: Yoga was invented in the Himalayas, in caves where acolytes of Tantric bliss experimented with astrology, nutrition, sex, medicine, and asanas (postures). But cave dwelling is so 5,000 years ago: Stay instead at this cliff-side manor, once home to British commander-in-chief Lord Kitchener and now a luxury Oberoi property. Instruction with local masters who grew up practicing yoga can be arranged in private sessions or with a group. Most programs last one week and include spa and Ayurvedic treatments.

Classmates: Wealthy Indian families looking to escape the heat of New Delhi and Mumbai, as well as many European couples. The Himalayan environment attracts a steady stream of fit, young professionals into adventure travel.

Om factor: Didn’t we mention yoga was invented here? Teachers are often part of a guru-disciple lineage dating back centuries.

Prerequisites: A simple mountain pose. Better: the sweat-inducing headstand.

Extracurricular: Day-trips on the white water of the Sutlej River, hikes and single-track mountain biking trips leading to king-of-the-world views, tennis in the summer and ice skating in the winter.

When to go: The summer is warm, but not hot; wildflowers bloom in late spring; and snow falls regularly in January and February. Take your pick.

Doubles from $390; morning yoga classes included, individual yoga programs extra

Wildflower Hall
Tel: 800 562 3764

2. COMO SHAMBHALA AT PARROT CAY
Where: Turks & Caicos

Guru says: This is the spot for well-heeled yogis whose idea of Zen minimalism doesn’t extend to thread counts and evening meals. The private 1,000-acre island in the Turks + Caicos has snow-white sand and turquoise coves, and the rooms are unfussy but gorgeous, all teak and white cotton. Instructors give daily yoga classes, but the resort also attracts some of the biggest names in American yoga for retreat weeks.

Classmates: A yoga rule of thumb: When the price goes up, so does the average age of the clientele. Don’t expect the barefoot, stringy-haired hard-bodies you share floor space with at home. Instead, you’ll get moneyed couples and a smattering of New Age yuppies.

Om factor: With American yoga luminaries such as Rodney Yee and Erich Schiffmann as retreat week regulars, the level of instruction is excellent, with an average of five hours per day during retreat weeks.

Prerequisites: Downward-facing dog. If you don’t already know this pose, just watch your dog stretch when he gets up from a nap.

Extracurricular: Dive or snorkel in the most pristine waters and healthiest reefs of the Caribbean region. Or just collapse on the beach for an extended savasana.

Doubles from $680 including group yoga classes; $120 an hour for private instruction; retreat weeks $6,240 all-inclusive

Como Shambhala at Parrot Cay
Tel: 877 754 0726

3. CHIVA-SOM
Where: Hua Hin, Thailand

Guru says: This retreat, my budding spiritual narcissist, is all about you. Thailand’s top destination spa ensures no annoying classmates and no early mornings unless you want them. Upon arrival at the luxurious, secluded seven-acre property located 135 miles south of Bangkok, you’ll be assigned a Health and Wellness advisor who’ll design a personal yoga program, ranging from 3 to 21 days (or longer), and augment it with spa treatments and a nutritional program.

Classmates: There may be no one on the mat next to you (all instruction is private), but other guests do exist. Between yoga and spa sessions you’ll hobnob with British, Swedish, and Australian thirty- and fortysomethings. Most guests are women traveling with their girlfriends or mums to detox or lose weight, but there are plenty of soloists, so you won’t have to dine alone.

Om factor: High. Every morning Buddhist monks wander along Hua Hin beach draped in faded red robes.

Prerequisites: Half lotus with breath of fire (kalabati breathing). You aren’t going to be able to fake this one.

Extracurricular: While most guests don’t leave the property, we suggest shuttling into town to explore the market and local Buddhist shrines.

When to go: The most comfortable time is the dry season, October through April. But prices drop during the summer rains, May to September.

Three- to 21-day retreats from $1,530 to $10,710, including meals and yoga instruction

Chiva-Som
Tel: 949 487 0522

4. BEGAWAN GIRI
Where: Bali, Indonesia

Guru says: Bali seems tailor-made for serenity: The Balinese culture is based on harmony, and locals couldn’t be more hospitable. If you don’t come away from here feeling balanced and fulfilled, you need a personality replacement. The only decision is how upscale to go. The tippy-top is Como Shambhala Estate at Begawan Giri, where the guest villas are architectural masterpieces and the sumptuous spa overlooks the Ayung River. Yoga instructors are on staff, and the hotel hosts retreat weeks throughout the year. But Balinese tranquility isn’t limited to the elite. Australia-based yoga studio Inspya Yoga offers a handful of affordable Bali retreats each year, most of them hosted by renowned teacher Lance Schuler in the town of Ubud (just a stone’s throw from Begawan Giri). Retreat guests are lodged in a simple but comfortable compound with two-story bungalows, an open-air restaurant, and a spring-water swimming pool.

Classmates: Donna Karan at the Begawan Giri; attractive, down-to-earth Aussies with Inspya Yoga.

Om factor: Spirit saturates Bali. There are thousands of temples on the island, and even if you don’t know anything about Hinduism, it’s hard not to be intrigued.

Prerequisites: Wheel pose. Bali attracts types that do full back-bends in their sleep.

Extracurricular: Visit the mother temple complex, Pura Besakih; scale the sacred Mt. Agung volcano; dive in the pristine waters of North Bali; or learn to surf on the south coast.

When to go: Lance Schuler’s next Bali retreat is in July 2007. Begawan Giri announces its retreat week calendar in November 2006; check the website for details.

Begawan Giri: Doubles from $495, including daily yoga; retreat weeks from $3,882. Inspya Yoga: 10-day retreats from $1,009, including accommodations

Begawan Giri
Tel: 62 361 978 888

Inspya Yoga Retreats
Tel: 61 2 6687 2717

5. ADVENTURE YOGA RETREATS
Where: All over the Americas

Guru says: Perfect for those as likely to find enlightenment charging down a mountain or carving a wave as during yoga and meditation. Founder and yoga instructor Ted McDonald teams with well-known New York- and L.A.-based yogis to lead students on adrenaline-addled eco-adventures in some of the world’s wildest places. His students run rivers in Patagonia, hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu (pictured), snowboard in the Sierra Nevadas, surf Costa Rica, or scale Mt. Whitney—all between morning and evening yoga sessions.

Classmates: Young, mostly single, fun-loving sensualists who can enjoy an ayahuasca ceremony with a Peruvian shaman as much as a midnight skinny-dip.

Om factor: Low on spiritual pretense, high on thrill-seeking.

Prerequisites: Warrior III. Expect an athletic intermediate practice with lots of standing and one-legged balancing postures.

Extracurricular: Drinking fine Chilean wine, soaking in snow-banked hot tubs, and exploring altered states with Peruvian medicine men.

When to go: Scale Mount Whitney, October 5–7 ($300); snowboard Mammoth Mountain, January 12–15 and March 15–18 ($595); raft Chile’s Fútaleufu River, February 1–10 ($3,800).

Adventure Yoga Retreats
Tel: 310 455 6681

6. ESALEN INSTITUTE
Where: Big Sur, California

Guru says: A New Age hot spot since the ’60s, the institute grows its own vegetarian food, has basic rooms with a view, and hosts workshops in everything from African dance to Tantric sex. The time freeze means you kinda expect John Lennon to drop in at any moment. The yoga classes are led by internationally renowned figures such as Mark Whitwell and Shiva Rea. Too granola for you? Well, the property is outrageously beautiful, as it’s balanced on the edge of the Pacific cliffs. And the coed naked hot-spring tubs—50 feet above the swirling, crashing Pacific—are pretty nifty. Some are exposed to the elements, others are sheltered beneath dynamic cantilevered ceilings; each sucks the stress from bones and souls.

Classmates: Flower children and their ilk. Whoever they are, you’ll be seeing a lot of them. Public displays of self-assured nudity are rampant—height, weight, and body fat be damned.

Om factor: Esalen is fervently committed to a set of spiritual and ecological ideals, and attracts visitors of like minds. So it’s high on pious sanctimony and low on collective sense of humor. Which, in a way, is sort of funny.

Prerequisites: Sun salutations, the central series in vinyasa or flow yoga practice.

Extracurricular: Workshop schedules are pretty packed, but you’ll find time to comb the beach, enjoy a massage, and dip in the hot springs—if you know what’s good for you.

When to go: Hit Shiva Rea’s high-energy Thanksgiving weekend retreat, November 24–26 ($655), or learn how to develop a daily practice in Mark Whitwell’s more introspective and gentler Flow Workshop, December 10–15 ($1,120).

Weekend retreats, $655 per person, including yoga workshop, accommodations, meals, and access to hot springs; weeklong retreats $1,120

Esalen Institute
Tel: 831 667 3005

7. LIFETIME RETREATS
Where: Kangaroo Island, Australia

Guru says: This family-owned property on secluded Kangaroo Island, off the coast of Adelaide, oozes character, with three distinct villas that include the Cliff House, reminiscent of a ’70s rock’n'roll crash pad, and the earthen Sky House. A pre-arrival questionnaire not only includes queries guests about yoga habits but also favorite tunes, dining preferences, and even comforting smells from childhood (it isn’t unusual to arrive to find an apple pie in the oven). Rachel Hannaford, a former personal chef who’s fed the Dalai Lama and is now LifeTime’s general manager/yogi/head chef, teaches yoga every morning at eight, and an Introduction to Tibetan Meditation class in the evenings.

Classmates: American couples here to view the island’s diverse wildlife; group retreats full of fit Aussies.

Om factor: Up to you. Hannaford can discuss Buddhist philosophy if you like, but she’s more than happy to keep it light.

Prerequisites: Chair pose or child’s pose. A disciple of Baron Baptiste’s athletic brand of hatha yoga, Hannaford uses techniques that’ll make quads rattle and brows drip.

Extracurricular: Humans are outnumbered ten to one by mobs of wallabies, kangaroos, seals, and koalas. Romp with them (or close enough) around the stunning, unspoiled coastline.

When to go: Australia’s spring and summer, October through March.

Retreats from $493 per person per night, all-inclusive

LifeTime Retreats
Tel: 61 8 8354 2368

8. MAYA TULUM
Where: Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico

Guru says: Set on an absurdly gorgeous stretch of Yucatán shore 90 minutes from Cancún, this is the best-regarded retreat destination within the yoga community, hosting more than 50 events a year. Join a group trip sponsored by one of several international yoga stars, such as Baron Baptiste, or simply sign on for Maya Tulum’s five-night or seven-night MBS (as in mind, body, spirit) program. The price includes yoga sessions, meditation classes, three vegetarian meals per day (fish is optional), massages, and day-trips. The spa serves up specialties such as Mayan clay massage and Sobata Maya—a concentric navel massage. Oh, and there’s a sweat lodge run by a third-generation shaman named Fabian.

Classmates: Among the hippie-chic 20-to-45 set, this place is more popular than soy chai lattes. You’re liable to share hardwood with film and rock stars, politicians, and Manhattanites looking for time off from the social circuit.

Om factor: Given the Mayan context and enthusiastic clientele, expect bizarre conversations about Krishna, string theory, indigo children, 2012, Tantra, the evils of Fox News, and the holographic nature of reality. Quick: Say, “Mayan navel massage” 50 times fast.

Prerequisites: Crow pose. You don’t have to know how to balance on your hands with legs curled up like a perching crow’s wings, but if you don’t, you may have asana envy.

Extracurricular: Aside from getting sweaty with Fabian, explore the nearby Mayan ruins in Tulum and some of the largest pyramids in Mexico at Coba. Snorkeling is also first-rate.

When to go: Winter and spring are the most popular, but good deals can be had in summer and fall. Baptiste leads weeklong “boot camp” retreats October 21–28 and May 19–26. (For more information, visit Baptiste’s site.)

All-inclusive MBS retreats from $1,020 per person; Baptiste’s boot camps from $2,595

Maya Tulum
Tel: 888 515 4580

9. THE STANDARD MIAMI
Where: Miami Beach, Florida

Guru says: A state of egolessness in South Beach? Sounds suspect, huh? Well, while retaining all the retro-cool design motifs of Andre Balazs’s hip hotel brand, this property on a small bay island off the Venetian Causeway is geared around wellness. Its daily group yoga classes are open to hotel guests and the paying public, as are its pranayama and Tibetan meditation classes. The spa is off-the-charts slick, with an emphasis on water therapy—a Turkish hammam, a waterfall hot tub, a spa menu full of double entendres like “Tag Team” (four-hands massage) and “The Standard Spanking” (yes, it involves your buttocks). But it isn’t style over substance here; this place does deliver the goods. There’s a staff acupuncturist and naturopath, a diverse stable of instructors, and terrific yoga facilities. It’s generating great buzz in the yoga world.

Classmates: Two parts international travelers, one part models (and wannabes), and a garnish of Miami locals.

Om factor: Undetermined. The Standard is working to deliver age-old techniques in cool packaging. Does that make it less authentic? You be the judge.

Prerequisites: There’s a touch of Kundalini yoga here, which means holding poses longer and with a variety of breathing techniques. Endure some pain, and you’ll leave feeling high.

Extracurricular: South Beach, and all its toned and tanned glories.

When to go: This one’s wide open.

Doubles from $125; yoga and meditation classes $17

The Standard Miami
Tel: 305 673 1717

[source]

20: Saltiest Side Dish
Denny’s Honey Smoked Ham, grilled slice
1,700 mg sodium, 85 calories
Calorie for calorie, this is the saltiest dish in America.

This side is steeped in salty brine before it’s smoked, soaking up 70 percent of your daily sodium intake.

19: Saltiest Dessert
Atlanta Bread Company Raspberry Scone
1,750 mg sodium, 360 calories
This fruit scone packs the same sodium load as seven servings of bacon at Atlanta Bread Company. If you need a sweet fix, opt instead for the pumpkin bread, which has a tenth of the sodium (160 mg).

18: Saltiest Soup
Baja Fresh Chicken Tortilla Soup
2,760 mg sodium, 320 calories
Soup and salt are nearly synonymous in the food world, but Baja takes it to the extreme, sinking more than a day’s worth of sodium into a single serving. Start with a bowl of stewed black beans with a scoop of fresh salsa instead; a serving has an eye-popping, belly-filling 26 grams (g) of fiber, with less than half the salt of the soup.

17: Saltiest Burger
Hardee’s 2/3 lb Monster Thickburger
2,770 mg sodium, 1,420 calories, 108 g fat
More than 100 percent of your daily sodium allowance is trapped inside this burger’s bun. And the three slices of processed American cheese are oozing with 780 mg sodium. Try the Low-Carb Thickburger–you’ll shave 1,000 calories and 1,700 mg sodium.

16: Saltiest “Healthy” Food
Chili’s Guiltless Grill Chicken Platter
2,780 mg sodium, 590 calories, 85 g carbs
Beware the bait and switch. Many restaurants and packaged-food producers advertise their dishes as being low in calories and fat, only to jack up the sugar and salt content. Case in point: This platter actually has more sodium than Chili’s 1,890-calorie Country Fried Steak with sides, toast, and gravy. Stick with the Guiltless Salmon, the best choice on Chili’s sometimes-healthy special menu.

• 15: Saltiest Pasta
Fazoli’s Rigatoni Romano
3,180 mg sodium, 1,090 calories, 54 g fat, 101 g carbs
Salt is one of the top ingredients in Italian sausage, meat sauce, and mozzarella cheese, the three items that serve as this dish’s backbone. Simply order your noodles topped with marinara sauce and peppery chicken. The chicken has just 1 g fat and less sodium than the other toppings you can order for your pasta.

14: Saltiest Chinese Entrée
P.F. Chang’s Beef with Broccoli
3,752 mg sodium, 1,120 calories, 65 g fat
Like many Chinese dishes, this ubiquitous entrée sounds deceptively healthy. Also like many Chinese dishes, this meal is swimming in a murky brown sauce made mostly of soy sauce and oil. Skip the fried rice (it can contain up to 2,700 mg sodium on its own) and send out an SOS (“sauce on the side”) to your server.

• 13: Saltiest Breakfast
Arby’s Sausage Gravy Biscuit
3,754 mg sodium, 961 calories
Yes, cured meat and lard-riddled biscuits are found in this troubled Southern staple, but the coat of gravy carries 2,600 mg sodium on its own, making it the primary offender.

12: Saltiest Beef Entrée
Bob Evans Steak Tips and Noodles
4,131 mg sodium, 822 calories, 43 g fat
Bob lubricates his take on beef stroganoff with a huge ladleful of gravy, damning this dish before you even poke your fork into it. Try your steak without the salt bath: The regular sirloin has half the calories and a commendable 638 mg sodium.

11: Saltiest Frozen Dinner
Swanson Hungry-Man XXL Roasted Carved Turkey
4,480 mg sodium, 1,360 calories, 70 g fat
Yes, the nutrition data on the back suggests that the package contains two servings, but the label proudly proclaims the 1 1/2 pounds inside, and besides, how many guys are going to share their frozen dinner?

10: Saltiest Bread
Dunkin’ Donuts Salt Bagel
4,520 mg sodium, 320 calories, 62 g carbs
This bagel is more like a giant salt-encrusted pretzel, delivering 188 percent of your recommended daily sodium intake.

9: Saltiest Sandwich
Quiznos Turkey Bacon Guacamole Large Sub with Cheese and Reduced-Fat Ranch Dressing
4,670 mg sodium, 1,120 calories, 49 g fat, 116 g carbs
First, skip the large sandwich. At Quiznos, few come in under 1,000 calories and 3,000 mg sodium. Next, abandon mozzarella for Swiss, which has a tenth of the sodium. Finally, choose one of the low-calorie subs at Quiznos–the Tuscan Turkey, or better yet, the Honey Bourbon Chicken.

8: Saltiest Pizza
Pizza Hut Meat Lover’s Stuffed Crust Pizza (3 slices of the 14” large)
5,070 mg sodium, 1,560 calories, 87 g fat, 114 g carbs
A good rule of thumb: Never order a pizza with more than a single meat topping. Because if the calories don’t get you, the salt will. This problematic pie has six meats and 4,000 mg sodium too much.

7: Saltiest Comfort Food
Denny’s Meat Loaf Dinner (with Mashed Potatoes and Corn)
5,080 mg sodium, 1,210 calories, 69 g fat, 97 g carbs
There’s nothing comforting about a dinner that carries the same sodium load as 27 strips of bacon. Trade the salty loaf for the Steakhouse Strip Dinner, which has just 460 mg sodium and 390 calories (before sides).

6: Saltiest Salad
Romano’s Macaroni Grill Chicken Florentine
5,460 mg sodium, 840 calories, 53 g fat
Salads are often the biggest blood-pressure boosters on the menu, since the innocent leaves play perfect host to a flurry of briny toppings and dangerous dressings. Here, salt-laden olives, capers, and Parmesan collide with Macaroni Grill’s massive portions and its cooks’ affinity for the saltshaker.

The only reasonable insalata on the menu is the Mozzarella alla Caprese: It has 450 calories and 760 mg sodium.

5: Saltiest Mexican Entrée
Chili’s Buffalo Chicken Fajitas
5,690 mg sodium, 1,730 calories, 107 g fat, 143 g carbs
Here are a few offenders to choke on: fried chicken, Buffalo sauce, blue cheese, smoked bacon, ranch dressing, and sour cream. All make this the sodium equivalent of single-handedly downing three and a half baskets of Chili’s bottomless tostada chips. Add rice and beans and you’ve just ordered 3 days’ worth of sodium and an entire day of calories. If you’re salt-sensitive, avoid fajitas–any kind of fajitas–at all costs.

4: Saltiest Kids’ Meal
Cosi Kid’s Pepperoni Pizza
6,405 mg sodium, 1,901 calories, 93 g fat, 190 g carbs
Kids under 13 should max out at 1,900 to 2,200 mg sodium a day, according to American Heart Association. This pizza serves up nearly three times that much, plus an entire day’s worth of calories. You could feed your child 50 turkey sandwiches at Cosi for the same sodium price tag. (But stick to just one.)

3: Saltiest Seafood Entrée
Romano’s Macaroni Grill Grilled Teriyaki Salmon
6,590 mg sodium, 1,230 calories, 74 g fat, 79 g carbs
Think you’re playing it smart by opting for fish? The slather of teriyaki, which is essentially highly sweetened soy sauce in concentrated form, sinks that strategy fast. The grilled halibut, topped with a fresh tomato-basil relish instead, has just a quarter of the sodium.

2: Saltiest Appetizer
Papa John’s Cheesesticks with Buffalo Sauce
6,700 mg sodium, 2,605 calories, 113 g fat, 296 g carbs
If you were to split this appetizer with two friends, you’d still be close to downing your daily sodium allowance before you even reach for the pizza. Each stick packs the same amount of sodium as a small slice of cheese pizza, and that’s without dipping. Your best bet? Cheese pizza. Thin crust.

1: The Saltiest Dish in America
Romano’s Macaroni Grill Chicken Portobello
7,300 mg sodium, 1,020 calories, 66 g fat
With three items on our top 20 list, plus a slew of dishonorable mentions, Macaroni Grill earns its title as America’s saltiest chain restaurant. But what makes this the saltiest dish in America? One word: demi-glace, a fancy French name for the viscous salt slick that blankets this disastrous dish. You would have to eat 32 cups of potassium-rich broccoli to compensate for this sodium avalanche. [source]

From alfalfa to ginseng to yellow dock, more than 100 entries are included, featuring historical backgrounds, popular and practical uses, folklore, and bibliographies. Herbal Medicine and Botanical Medical Fads also contains related listings and essays that range from alternative medicine to food preparation and nutrition to herbs in wedding celebrations. Detailed enough for reference use by academics, the book has a natural tone that appeals to garden club members, herb and spice experts, hobbyists, and others.

Herbal Medicine and Botanical Medical Fads also includes information on:
-herb growing and marketing
-herbs and spices in literature
-medicinal herbs and spices
-federal regulations on herbs and spices
-horticulture therapy

An everyday guide for enthusiasts and a perfect place to start for newcomers, Herbal Medicine and Botanical Medical Fads is an easy-to-use handbook with wide-ranging appeal.

For more information and to sample some pages click below:

Herbal Medicine and Botanical Medical Fads

Marital Strife
Research has shown that married people tend to have fewer sleep problems than those who are divorced. But it turns out the quality of the marriage is important, too. New research out of the University of Pittsburgh indicates that happily married women had fewer troubles falling asleep, staying asleep, fewer early morning awakenings and more restful sleep compared with unhappily married women.

Being With Baby
Most new parents lose shut-eye waiting for their babies to learn to sleep through the night. But new research from Penn State University shows that parents’ sleep and their satisfaction with the infant’s night-time behavior was worse when the infants spent any part of the night with parents vs. those who slept apart. This was true even of parents who endorsed the concept of co-sleeping with their babies.

Health Concerns
Are worries about cancer keeping you up at night? New research out of the Brooklyn Health Disparities Center at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and Long Island University in Brooklyn shows that a significant number of women worried about cancer, none of whom had a history of a physician-diagnosed cancer, had trouble sleeping.

A Sleep Disorder
In cases of sleep apnea, the throat is blocked during sleep, preventing sufficient air flow to the lungs. The blockage may be caused by the relaxation of the throat muscles, too much fatty tissue in the throat–an obesity-related problem–or a naturally small airway. The condition leads people to snore as well as temporarily stop breathing during sleep, causing them to momentarily awaken.

Father Time
Sleep patterns change as we age. Health experts say that between the ages of 50 and 60, people tend to sleep lighter and wake up more frequently. More trouble falling asleep is also a common complaint. Some sleep disruption is also due to the pain or discomfort of chronic illnesses, such as arthritis, that affect the aging population.

Heart Disease
While poor sleep can contribute to heart disease, poor heart health also can upset your night’s sleep. According to research reported in the Harvard Heart Letter in 2007, people with heart failure may wake up due to breathing troubles, a result of fluid buildup in the lungs. Some people may also experience angina or chest pain, atrial fibrillation and palpitations at night, which can disturb sleep.

Too Busy
A hectic daily schedule can wreak havoc on your ability to get a good night’s sleep, particularly if you don’t make time to decompress for a half hour or an hour before climbing into bed. Most people need to spend some time processing what’s happened during the day and planning for the next to help them wind down.

Depression And Anxiety
It’s estimated that 40% to 50% of people with insomnia also have depression or an anxiety disorder. New research out of the Centers of Pediatric Sleep Disorders at the University of Rome La Sapienza shows the connection is present in children, too. A study looking at more than 100 children ages 7 to 11 who had a major depressive disorder and 200 of their healthy peers showed that 82% of the depressed, medication-free children had trouble sleeping, vs. 5% of the control group.

Medication
One option for people dealing with depression is to take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), antidepressants that affect serotonin levels. But the medications can cause insomnia, a double whammy considering that many people who face depression already have difficulties sleeping. If you’re having trouble sleeping, it might be worth it to talk to your doctor about your prescriptions.

Environment
Whether we’re just born that way or it’s a side effect of insomnia, some of us are more sensitive to noise at night than others. The temperature of your bedroom can also have an impact on how many winks you get. It’s also believed to be better to have a cool rather than warm bedroom. Some studies have shown that it’s the cooling off effect you experience after drinking warm milk or taking a warm bath that helps you feel sleepy.

You’re A Woman
Women tend to have higher rates of insomnia than men. Research suggests a host of reasons. Certain phases of a woman’s period, pregnancy and menopause all cause hormonal changes that can cause sleeping problems, not to mention the discomfort associated with pregnancy for many and the sleep deprivation often associated with child rearing.

Too Much Napping
You may think you’re doing yourself a favor by taking a nap after a restless night’s sleep. Think again. Experts say that napping during the day decreases your overall drive for sleep, which builds throughout the day, and may make it more difficult for you to fall asleep at night.

Staying In Bed
If you’re trying to sleep but having no luck, do yourself a favor and get out of bed. People tend to think that by sticking it out in bed, rather than getting up and doing something, they at least have a chance of falling asleep. But lingering can increase performance anxiety. After a while you may begin to associate lying in bed with your struggle to fall asleep rather than a restful snooze.

Late Night Eating
Eat a big meal before bedtime and you’re asking for a restless night’s sleep. Your body may be too focused on metabolizing your meal to relax. If the meal happened to be a big plate of pasta you could wind up waking up hungry in the middle of the night. Experts recommend eating snacks throughout the day so you don’t overload at dinner and making sure you don’t hit the hay until at least three hours after dinner.

[source]

The juice of the beet is high in vitamin B1, B2, C, natural sugar, sodium, sulphur, copper, chlorine, iodine and bioflavonoids. Many health professionals believe that beet juice combined with other juices like carrot and cucumber restore the health of the kidneys and gallbladder. It’s considered excellent for cleansing these organs. Finally, because the beet is a fibrous root it’s wonderful for eliminating constipation.

Now, what can you do with beets:

1. shred or roast beets then and throw them into salads.
2. slice the roasted beets and put them in sandwiches, maybe on a nice baguette with goat cheese, arugula, and salt and pepper.
3. make borscht.
4. Make your standard risotto and throw in roasted beets at some point during the cooking process. Or dice raw beets and put them in right at the beginning. They turn the grains a beautiful color. I might serve this with simple grilled fish, brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with lots of fresh herbs. This meal might be a good way to get rid of the beet greens, too — they’d be nice sauteed and served on the side with the fish and risotto. (What to do with beet greens would take up a blog entry of its own!) If you can get your hands on the nutty, chewy grain farro, you can make a fantastic risotto-style beet farro.
5. chop beets and make a pseudo tabbouleh with bulgur, chopped mint and parsley, cucumber, olive oil, lemon juice, and plenty of s&p. Couscous (not a grain, but that’s OK) tossed with beet chunks, liberal chopped basil, feta, olive oil, vinegar, and s&p is a nice side.
6. Am I crazy for imagining that beets might be good rolled in nori with brown rice, creamy goat cheese, wasabi, and chives for a beet maki?
7. Beets are also good in pasta. Caramelize some onions and toss them with spaghetti, some Greek yogurt, chunks of beets, and salt and pepper. Sprinkle lots of grated pecorino on top.
8. raw beet salad – Peel beets and grate them (a food processor will keep the juice contained). Add pistachios or hazelnuts; dress with orange zest and juice, and olive oil. Add bits of goat cheese and chopped parsley.
9. beet tart with phyllo, feta, and herbs.
10. Beets are so versatile, because they pair well with so many things: herbs such as mint, greens peppery and mild, cheeses soft and hard, citrus, creamy things, cumin.

[source]

It can prevent and treat a wide range of health problems, it cleans and purifies the home, and adds zest and nutritional value to food. Find out everything you wanted and needed to know about The Healing Powers of Vinegar. This fascinating book traces the origins of vinegar to ancient Greece and Egypt and follows its history to the present day. You’ll read advnice from leading alternative health practitioners as well as medical researchers. There’s great detail about the healthful ingredients found in two of the most important vinegars: apple cider vinegar and red wine vinegar, explaining the benefits of their vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids. Here, you’ll find the latest research about cutting-edge nutrients found in these two vinegars, including a new class of antioxidants that reduce the risk of cancer and protect against heart disease.

You will also see beauty tips and household hints as well as over 100 recipes that team-up vinegar with other nutritious foods for a healthier and longer life.

Read other people’s review of this book and find out more about the power of vinegar.

When she was a child, people thought Lorna was retarded because she did not seem to be focussing on the world around her. Lorna remembers seeing not just the world around her but seeing equally vividly angels and spirits. For many years she assumed everyone saw the same.

As Lorna tells the story of her life, growing up in a poor family, later working in Dublin, marrying and experiencing family tragedy, the reader meets, as she did, the creatures from the spirit worlds who also inhabit our own – mostly angels of an astonishing beauty and variety – including the prophet Elijah and an Archangel- but also the spirits of people who have died.

Today, it is not only the sick and troubled who come to visit Lorna, looking for healing and consolation, but theologians of different faiths and the head of a religious order in Rome are asking her for guidance too.

This remarkable document is the testimony of a woman who sees things at the far end of the spectrum, beyond the range of our everyday experience.

More about Angels in my Hair

“4 out of 5 sunscreens contain chemicals that may pose health hazards or don’t adequately protect skin from the sun’s damaging rays. Some of the worst offenders are leading brands like Coppertone, Banana Boat, and Neutrogena.

1. Keys Soap Solar Rx Therapeutic Sunblock, SPF 30
2. Trukid Sunny Days Facestick Mineral Sunscreen UVA/UVB Broad Spectrum, SPF 30+
3. California Baby Sunblock Stick No Fragrance, SPF 30+
4. Badger Sunscreen, SPF 30
5. Marie Veronique Skin Therapy Sun Serum
6. Lavera Sunscreen Neutral, SPF 40
7. Vanicream Sunscreen, SPF 35
8. UV Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30+
9. Sun Science Sport Formula, SPF 30
10. Soleo Organics Sunscreen all natural Sunscreen, SPF 30+

Read the rest

- Make a list and stick to it. Lists focus your shopping and are the single best way to save money.
- Compare unit pricing, not box size. As with good things, good prices sometimes come in small packages.
- If you only need a handful of items, use a basket, not a cart. Empty space cries to be filled.
- If it’s not on your list, don’t pick it up. According to Paco Underhill in Why We Buy: “Virtually all unplanned purchases…come as a result of the shopper seeing, touching, smelling, or tasting something that promises pleasure, if not total fulfillment.”
- Shop at the edge of the store. That’s where the healthier, cheaper items hide.
- Disavow brand loyalty and swear allegiance to the lowest price.
- Consider generics. You usually get the same quality, without the unnecessary branding.
- Learn to love coupons. With practice, you can buy almost $150 worth of stuff for $5.
- Make one big shop, rather than several small ones. You’ll save on gas while inoculating against wasteful spending.
- Buy from bulk bins. Why pay for packaging and marketing when you can reach right in and scoop out exactly what you need?
- Check your receipt. Don’t let an errant scan ruin your hard work.
- Shop alone. Science shows that we spend more when we’re with company.
- Track your spending so you can see what’s eating your money. Committed receipt hawks can spot price cycles to help guide their shopping.
- Eat a meal before shopping. Shopping on a full stomach tamps down impulse spending and keeps you focused on your list.
- Shop without a car. Nothing limits spending like knowing you’ll have to carry your goods home.

[source]

“Tyramine
Mechanism: amino acid and vasodilator
Found in: aged cheese, wine, chocolate, smoked, cured or pickled meat, processed meats, tofu, some fruits and vegetables such as eggplant, avocado, bananas and raspberries

Food Additives: Nitrites, MSG
Mechanism: preservative that excites neurons and has been linked to the onset of migraines; research is inconclusive.
Found in: Chinese food, cheese powders such as Doritos, Campbell’s soups, potato chips, frozen meals, and some salad dressings

Aspartame
Mechanism: artificial sweetener that research has linked to onset of migraines, though mechanism is unknown. Some believe it’s linked to serotonin. It’s been shown to cause neurons to fire spasmodically, burning out neurons.
Found in: diet drinks and foods

Alcohol: contains Histamines
Mechanism: histamines stimulate the immune system
Found in: wine and beer, some cheese, beef, pork, bananas”

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Famed Charles Manson prosecutor and three time #1 New York Times bestselling author Vincent Bugliosi has written the most powerful, explosive, and thought-provoking book of his storied career.

In The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder, Bugliosi presents a tight, meticulously researched legal case that puts George W. Bush on trial in an American courtroom for the murder of nearly 4,000 American soldiers fighting the war in Iraq. Bugliosi sets forth the legal architecture and incontrovertible evidence that President Bush took this nation to war in Iraq under false pretenses—a war that has not only caused the deaths of American soldiers but also over 100,000 innocent Iraqi men, women, and children; cost the United States over one trillion dollars thus far with no end in sight; and alienated many American allies in the Western world.

As a prosecutor who is dedicated to seeking justice, Bugliosi, in his inimitable style, delivers a non-partisan argument, free from party lines and instead based upon hard facts and pure objectivity.

A searing indictment of the President and his administration, The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder also outlines a legally credible pathway to holding our highest government officials accountable for their actions, thereby creating a framework for future occupants of the oval office.

Vincent Bugliosi calls for the United States of America to return to the great nation it once was and can be again. He believes the first step to achieving this goal is to bring those responsible for the war in Iraq to justice.

Get the book: The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder

All I can say is: DON’T DO THAT!

Why? Because anything processed and canned is treated with chemicals such as sodium nitrites (to keep its color and to preserve it) and salt. That’s why it can live in your cupboard for…ever! (I’m not kidding, you can keep spam indefinitely. That’s gotta tell ya something.) Anyway, in spam, these dangerous ingredients are included in high doses. There’s also a lot of FAT in it.

Try to replace meat with more healthful options. Here are some suggestions:

1. Beans (legumes) / Lentils & Sprouts – kidney beans, black beans, soy beans, chickpeas, peas, pinto beans, black-eyed peas, lima beans, to name just a few.

2. Organic Eggs and Cheese and yogurt – eggs are fortified with omega 3 fatty acids and protein. Organic dairy products are rich in protein and calcium.

3. Tofu / Seitan / Tempeh – Seitan and Tempeh are extremely high in protein while tofu contains about 1/4 of the protein of seitan and tempeh, but still a good source.

4. Vegetables! – Eat a variety of veggies and you will get a variety of nutrition. For example, the leafy parts of some veggies are really great for you: beet leaves, carrot stems, pumpkin leaves, mustard green, etc. Some other vegetables to explore are: broccoli, spinach, carrots, beets, kale, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, bamboo shoots, bok choy, chard, etc.

5. Whole Organic Milk – great source of calcium, protein, vitamin a, d, b6, b12, potassium, thiamin, riboflavin, folic acid, magnesium, zinc. Make sure to get some natural sunlight for vitamin d, which helps your body to absorb the calcium.

6. Nuts & Seeds – Almonds, cashews, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc. and their “butter” form, i.e., peanut butter, almond butter, walnuts, hazelnuts etc. (*make sure you are not allergic to these nuts and seeds)

7. Protein rich grains – bulgar, quinoa, amaranth, oats, whole wheat, brown rice, millet, etc.

8. Supplements – B12 is an important vitamin in meat and can be found in vitamins and fortified foods. (Check with your health care provider.)

9. Real Grass Fed Meat once a week – If you do not want to be a vegetarian, limit your meat intake to once a week. You really do not need more than this. This is relatively easy on the wallet and better for you. Eat grass fed meats (chicken, beef) or organically raised pork.

10 – Seaweed – is high in protein and very nutritious – and is great with sushi maki.

The combination of grains and legumes give a complete amount of protein, i.e., brown rice and beans. Make certain you eat lots of fresh vegetables and fruit, and a variety of those. Never overeat and never eat excessive amounts of one thing.

Notes: Make sure you’re not allergic to anything of these things and be sure to consult a doctor before making changes to your diet, to verify you are getting the right amounts of protein, vitamins, minerals, etc.

The 24-Hour Pharmacist- is the perfect pill for anyone seeking insight on overall health from a resource that is thorough and fun to read. With chapter titles such as “Frazzled, Frustrated and Freaked Out: Coping with Anxiety and Stress” to “More Jiggle, Less Joint Pain: What You Can Do About Arthritis” you get the sense that the author well knows what course to recommend but also truly enjoys educating others. One feature I found especially enlightening were the sections in each chapter entitled “Suzy’s Secrets From Behind The Counter”. Here is where she (Suzy) offers great little insights to live by with a perspective that only a pharmacist can give. One good example of this is in the chapter about weight loss where she explains that some drugs can make you hungry. Included in her list are sedatives and tranquilizers, antidepressants, allergy pills, female hormones and diuretics. Wow, who knew?

Read more about it here: The 24-Hour Pharmacist

1. Change yourself.

“You must be the change you want to see in the world.”

“As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world – that is the myth of the atomic age – as in being able to remake ourselves.”

If you change yourself you will change your world. If you change how you think then you will change how you feel and what actions you take. And so the world around you will change. Not only because you are now viewing your environment through new lenses of thoughts and emotions but also because the change within can allow you to take action in ways you wouldn’t have – or maybe even have thought about – while stuck in your old thought patterns.

And the problem with changing your outer world without changing yourself is that you will still be you when you reach that change you have strived for. You will still have your flaws, anger, negativity, self-sabotaging tendencies etc. intact.

And so in this new situation you will still not find what you hoped for since your mind is still seeping with that negative stuff. And if you get more without having some insight into and distance from your ego it may grow more powerful. Since your ego loves to divide things, to find enemies and to create separation it may start to try to create even more problems and conflicts in your life and world.

2. You are in control.

“Nobody can hurt me without my permission.”

What you feel and how you react to something is always up to you. There may be a “normal” or a common way to react to different things. But that’s mostly just all it is.

You can choose your own thoughts, reactions and emotions to pretty much everything. You don’t have to freak out, overreact of even react in a negative way. Perhaps not every time or instantly. Sometimes a knee-jerk reaction just goes off. Or an old thought habit kicks in.

And as you realize that no-one outside of yourself can actually control how you feel you can start to incorporate this thinking into your daily life and develop it as a thought habit. A habit that you can grow stronger and stronger over time. Doing this makes life a whole lot easier and more pleasurable.

3. Forgive and let it go.

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

“An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind.”

Fighting evil with evil won’t help anyone. And as said in the previous tip, you always choose how to react to something. When you can incorporate such a thought habit more and more into your life then you can react in a way that is more useful to you and others.

You realize that forgiving and letting go of the past will do you and the people in your world a great service. And spending your time in some negative memory won’t help you after you have learned the lessons you can learn from that experience. You’ll probably just cause yourself more suffering and paralyze yourself from taking action in this present moment.

If you don’t forgive then you let the past and another person to control how you feel. By forgiving you release yourself from those bonds. And then you can focus totally on, for instance, the next point.

4. Without action you aren’t going anywhere.

“An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching.”

Without taking action very little will be done. However, taking action can be hard and difficult. There can be much inner resistance.

And so you may resort to preaching, as Gandhi says. Or reading and studying endlessly. And feeling like you are moving forward. But getting little or no practical results in real life.

So, to really get where you want to go and to really understand yourself and your world you need to practice. Books can mostly just bring you knowledge. You have to take action and translate that knowledge into results and understanding.

You can check out a few effective tips to overcome this problem in How to Take More Action: 9 Powerful Tips. Or you can move on to the next point for more on the best tip for taking more action that I have found so far.

5. Take care of this moment.

“I do not want to foresee the future. I am concerned with taking care of the present. God has given me no control over the moment following.”

The best way that I have found to overcome the inner resistance that often stops us from taking action is to stay in the present as much as possible and to be accepting.

Why? Well, when you are in the present moment you don’t worry about the next moment that you can’t control anyway. And the resistance to action that comes from you imagining negative future consequences – or reflecting on past failures – of your actions loses its power. And so it becomes easier to both take action and to keep your focus on this moment and perform better.

Have a look at 8 Ways to Return to the Present Moment for tips on how quickly step into the now. And remember that reconnecting with and staying in the now is a mental habit – a sort of muscle – that you grow. Over time it becomes more powerful and makes it easier to slip into the present moment.

6. Everyone is…

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“Spicy Nuts.
Now regular nuts meet our A, B and C requirements. They’re crunchy and interesting and full of fat, fiber and protein. But if you had a trough of them at the office, you’d be buying new pants weekly. That’s why I like spicy peanuts, they’re self regulating. You can only eat as many as you can handle. I like Ass Kickin’ Peanuts myself.

As an added bonus, snacking on these all day really builds up your tolerance for heat. So the next time you and your brother go out for Thai food you can make him look like a total wimp (I hate my brother).

Homemade Salsa and Tortilla Chips.
Tortilla chips with any dip are crunchy, creamy and low on the GI. Salsa is the best choice for a dip because it has the highest flavor/nutrition ratio and because when you make a batch it’s good for a week. You can pack it up and take it to work, unlike guacamole, which might make it to the table before it turns brown.

And I say homemade because it’s better, cheaper and super easy. I use the Alton Brown salsa recipe (halve that unless you’re a pro linebacker) and I buy bulk tortillas from the supermarket and fry them up in some corn oil. In about 10 minutes I have a bag of chips at 1/6 the cost and they’re restaurant quality.

Deviled Eggs.
Boiled eggs have the same benefits, but deviled eggs bring a little more flavor to the mouth party (yeah, I said that). They taste great, they’re filling and they have 0 carbs which means they don’t even register on the GI. I would call them self regulating because they are not easily packed and transported.

Half a Toasted Peanut Butter and Honey Sandwich.
A whole sandwich is a bit too much for a snack, but a half is perfect. The peanut butter is the key part here, it’s got enough fat, protein and fiber to keep the GI low. The honey provides a nice sweetness with fewer calories (sugar is only 80% as sweet as honey) and it won’t create the purple slurm on one side of your sandwich like jelly will.

Don’t skip the toasting part though. The toast has a crunchy outside, chewy inside thing that makes this snack interesting; remember that’s important.

Homemade Popcorn.
This is my favorite. It’s pure fiber and carbohydrate and it’s GI isn’t too high. It tastes great and it has the most interesting mouth feel (I’m telling you, that’s important) of any snack. It’s perfectly healthy if you don’t add butter and it’s not too bad if you use a healthier olive oil butter spread. It keeps great for a day or so and if you haven’t eaten it by then (why would you not eat it by then?) throw it in a bowl with milk and sugar. Popcorn is the original cereal.

And if you make it yourself (don’t buy those overpriced bags of microwave popcorn with carcinogenic imitation butter) it’s practically free. It literally costs pennies per gallon if you pop it in a wok on your stove.

Almost free, tasty and healthy. What more could you want? Huh? You want more? 5 isn’t enough for you? Fine, whatever. Here is a 6th:

Bonus: Diced Apple with Lime.
This is big in Mexico and it’s a great way to make an apple a little tastier. Just dice it up real fine and squeeze a lime or lemon on top. The sour gives a great contrast to the earthy, sweet flavor of the apple. It also stops the apple from turning brown so you can dice it at home and throw it in a zip lock for work.

Snacking is an important part of your day but you have to snack smart. Look for things that have a low GI (fat and fiber) and always plan to snack. It’s thinking that you won’t eat anything between breakfast and lunch that leaves you standing in front of the candy machine at 10:30 in the morning, starting a cycle that’s going to ruin your day.”

“Why bother? That really is the big question facing us as individuals hoping to do something about climate change, and it’s not an easy one to answer. I don’t know about you, but for me the most upsetting moment in “An Inconvenient Truth” came long after Al Gore scared the hell out of me, constructing an utterly convincing case that the very survival of life on earth as we know it is threatened by climate change. No, the really dark moment came during the closing credits, when we are asked to . . . change our light bulbs. That’s when it got really depressing. The immense disproportion between the magnitude of the problem Gore had described and the puniness of what he was asking us to do about it was enough to sink your heart.

But the drop-in-the-bucket issue is not the only problem lurking behind the “why bother” question. Let’s say I do bother, big time. I turn my life upside-down, start biking to work, plant a big garden, turn down the thermostat so low I need the Jimmy Carter signature cardigan, forsake the clothes dryer for a laundry line across the yard, trade in the station wagon for a hybrid, get off the beef, go completely local. I could theoretically do all that, but what would be the point when I know full well that halfway around the world there lives my evil twin, some carbon-footprint doppelgänger in Shanghai or Chongqing who has just bought his first car (Chinese car ownership is where ours was back in 1918), is eager to swallow every bite of meat I forswear and who’s positively itching to replace every last pound of CO2 I’m struggling no longer to emit. So what exactly would I have to show for all my trouble?

A sense of personal virtue, you might suggest, somewhat sheepishly. But what good is that when virtue itself is quickly becoming a term of derision? And not just on the editorial pages of The Wall Street Journal or on the lips of the vice president, who famously dismissed energy conservation as a “sign of personal virtue.” No, even in the pages of The New York Times and The New Yorker, it seems the epithet “virtuous,” when applied to an act of personal environmental responsibility, may be used only ironically. Tell me: How did it come to pass that virtue — a quality that for most of history has generally been deemed, well, a virtue — became a mark of liberal softheadedness? How peculiar, that doing the right thing by the environment — buying the hybrid, eating like a locavore — should now set you up for the Ed Begley Jr. treatment.

And even if in the face of this derision I decide I am going to bother, there arises the whole vexed question of…”

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Forget White White Dresses
You might not know that many people die because of the toxic chemical process used to make wedding dresses that sparkly white. Also, there are 300,000+ illnesses (and mortalities) related to non-organic cotton farming practices (pesticides and other harmful toxins). I personally find that shiny whitey white, ugly. Anyway, get a dress that is natural, not chemically treated, not made in a sweatshop, but is made with earth-friendly materials and fabrics like: organic silk, organic wool, hemp silk, organic cotton, tencel and bamboo are the main fabrics available. You can still find eco-friendly white, that is much more natural looking than the chemical white counterparts. A note: many famous fashion designers use sustainable fabrics to make fabulous wedding dresses.

Simplicity – If you’re not into ultra fancy fashion, keep it very simple. Get a simple dress and make personal embellishments and designs yourself.

Shop Locally – Yes, this doesn’t just apply to veggies! Buy a dress from a local designer. You’ll save on transport costs and contributing to the local economy. You might also want to check out fashion design school budding students, who can make you a unique beautiful dress that will cost a fraction of what you’d spend if you’d bought a designer gown.

Lastly, about tuxes: Make sure tuxes are not chemically (dry) cleaned. Do try to find sustainable tuxedos.

The Empowered Patient – is a new must-read book from author, Julia Hallisy. She has written something so fundamentally necessary that everyone will benefit from reading it. Some background: Her daughter, Kate, had been diagnosed with a fast-spreading cancer of the eye when she was just five months old. She’d underwent chemotherapy, radiation, reconstructive surgery, and an operation to remove her right eye. She’d developed a infection directly related to hospital malpractices that led to toxic-shock syndrome and a leg amputation. Kate died in 2000. She was only 11 years old.

“The Empowered Patient is by far one of the best resources available for patients and families to learn more about their health care experiences. The Empowered Patient is all-inclusive and speaks directly to the basic concerns that are faced in health care every day, raising issues rarely discussed with patients and families by providers. It is crucial to know what to do when seeking health care in our complicated and multi-faceted system, and this valuable resource will draw a clear path for the reader. The Empowered Patient might very well be the first of it’s kind in that it will educate and enlighten those who read it about issues that are either unknown or taken for granted by the reader. In the healthcare arena, what you don’t know can hurt you. The Empowered Patient is a book that belongs in every home and will no doubt save countless lives. “

^{–Jennifer Dingman, Co-President, PULSE of America}

Available at Amazon

“Picking out a pillow must be one of the most subjective and personal choices one can make for their personal well-being. It’s just a pillow, but it makes a huge difference between having a good night’s rest and one tossing and turning. Another consideration for many is allergies. Although goose down is considered the premium choice, there are many out there who’d suffer dearly sleeping on the soft filling. So we’ve compiled a list of ten natural, eco-friendly choices for your sleeping needs worth considering…”

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Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods – “When I worked at Monsanto, I warned both scientists and executives that our GM foods may cause disease, but no one was even willing to listen, let alone investigate the unpredicted side effects. For them, it was all about profit. Now our whole population is threatened by the serious dangers described in Genetic Roulette.” —Kirk J. Azevedo, DC

The Gmo Trilogy And Seeds of Deception Set – DVD 1: Unnatural Selection: This stunning, award-winning documentary by Bertram Verhaag and Gabriele Kröber reveals harsh consequences of genetic engineering on three continents. Vandana Shiva, Andrew Kimbrell, Percy Schmeiser and others, describe uncontrollable, self-replicating GM contamination, failed crops, farmer suicides, and new GM animals that threaten natural populations. DVD 2: Hidden Dangers in Kids’ Meals: Genetically Engineered Foods: Shocking research results, inadequate regulations and warnings from eminent scientists explain why GM foods are dangerous and should be removed from kids’ meals.

Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies About the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You’re Eating – Recent news headlines have focused on the disagreement between the U.S. and Europe over genetically modified foods: the U.S. exports them, but the European Union doesn’t want to import them, believing their safety remains unproven. Are genetically modified foods safe? Longtime anti-GM foods campaigner Smith presents the “opposing” case. He offers cases where GM produced results that were at best unexpected (increased starch content in potatoes), at worst grotesque (pigs without genitals). He describes how one corporation reportedly tried to bribe Canadian government scientists into approving genetically engineered bovine growth hormones they deemed unsafe; how some scientists have reported their careers were threatened as a result of their refusal to approve certain GM products in the U.S.; and how “conflicts of interest, sloppy science, and industry influence” can distort the approval process. The cases Smith presents are scary and timely, but he explores only one side of the story. Readers looking for a balance consideration of genetically modified foods will want to look elsewhere.

Beware of the Coming Food Apocalypse! GMOs – GMOs – Beware Of The Coming Food Apocalypse! — is such a warning. Our food supply is being threatened by a new and highly controversial technology that is being unleashed upon us whether we like it or not. Unless a massive protest against this radical new science arises from the people, it may very well be too late for the human race. This book will make you angry; this book will get you mad, but it is a story that must be told. Please share it with everyone you love.

Your Right to Know: Genetic Engineering and the Secret Changes in Your Food – More than half of America’s processed grocery products — from corn flakes to granola bars to diet drinks — contain genetically altered ingredients. They are unlabeled and untested, and we are eating them. Your Right to Know is a complete, full-color reference guide outlining how unmarked genetically modified foods go from the factory to the family dining table, and what consumers can do about the health risks they present. This accessible guide is for concerned parents — as well as anyone concerned about genetically altered foods — who want to know more about the potential health risks, the organic alternatives, and the methods available to counter the corporate takeover of the food we eat

Genetically Engineered Food: A Self-Defense Guide for Consumers – The 1995 outbreak of “mad cow” disease in Europe provoked public attention to genetically engineered or modified food, a concern that has spread to the U.S. Cummins and Lilliston, food safety advocates, examine the scientific, political, economic, and health issues. With billions of dollars in profits at stake, the biotech food industry promises that new technology will end world hunger and improve public health and the environment. Cummins and Lilliston weigh those promises against the unpredictability of the new technology, and the fact that much of it hasn’t been adequately tested for safety and that its products are being distributed without labeling. Genetically modified organisms are so common that they are part of the average consumer’s daily intake in food from breakfast cereals to infant formula to margarine. The authors include information on what consumers can do, from smart shopping to grassroots lobbying, to reduce the threat of genetically engineered food. This is a thorough and well-researched look at an issue of growing public concern.

Researchers at Toronto’s University Health Network found that curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, both prevents and dramatically reverses enlargement of the heart in mice.

Enlarged hearts can lead to cardiac failure, a common and often fatal condition where the organ is unable to pump enough blood to keep the body functioning properly.

If similar results were one day duplicated in humans, the widely available spice could repair heart damage in a way no drug is able to do now, say researchers behind the study, to be published Friday in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Curcumin has the added benefit of causing virtually no toxic side effects in even relatively large doses.

Despite their earlier hopes for the ingredient, researchers were taken aback by the scope of the improvement it actually made to the mice hearts.

“That was quite a surprise,” said Dr. Maral Ouzounian, a research fellow at the network’s Peter Munk Cardiac Centre. “It was quite dramatic.”

The next step is to try to ….”

Read more

When Victoria Inness-Brown contacted me about “explosive information” concerning aspartame (Equal,NutraSweet) the controversial, artificial, chemical sweetener, I didn’t know what to expect. Despite overwhelming scientific evidence of aspartame’s danger to human health (tires have been recalled for less) it remains in 6,000 food, drink and medicinal products.

Who could imagine a private citizen would do an aspartame experiment with 108 rats for 2 years and 8 months?

The late Dr. Adrian Gross explained that rodent experiments are the means to find out what a particular substance will do to human beings.

Look at Victoria’s pictures of her animals that ingested the equivalent amount of aspartame (in human terms) of less than one diet coke a day, until their spontaneous death. Importantly…

Continue reading

First, here is a general rule of thumb of what to avoid and what to eat:

Avoid
1. Sugar – Definitely avoid foods and drinks containing sugar (high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, sugar). If possible replace sugar with organic honey.
2. Processed/Refined foods (cookies, biscuits, cakes, processed breakfast cereals, white bread and even industrially processed whole wheat breads and muffins)
3. Artificial additives and preservatives (commonly used in sweets, chips, biscuits, ready meals, soft drinks)
4. MSG
5. Caffeine (tea, coffee, cola, energy drinks)
6. Margarine and anything else with hydrogenated fats. (trans fats)
7. Milk and dairy products that have hormones and chemicals.

Eat
1.Try to buy organic and local when possible.
2. Organic fresh fruits and vegetables – vary your selection each day.
3. Organic whole grains – such as wholemeal breads, oats, brown rice, wholemeal pasta
4. Organic whole foods – foods that are not processed are better for you.
5. Lean sources of protein – uncured meats, poultry or vegetable sources such as beans or nuts
6. Hormone-free and chemical-free milk, yogurt and other dairy products.

Here are some healthy breakfast ideas. Some take longer to prepare; some are quick meals for people on the go.

1. Homemade Cereals – If you must have your breakfast bowl of champions, do it the organic way: easily throw together a mix of organic rolled oats, barley and rye flakes, seeds, nuts, dried fruits and berries.
2. Breakfast Smoothies or Juices – mix your favorite fruit and maybe add a little milk or yogurt, pack a handful of nuts to crunch on while drinking your yummy breakfast smoothie.
3. Organic Oatmeal – If you’re into a warm, soft and comforting bowl of oatmeal, go for it. Mix in fruit like raisins, bananas, cherries or whatever fruit you like.
4. Fruits – Eat a fruit or more. I love eating fresh fruit salads for breakfast (don’t eat those canned ones) and top it with a dollop of plain yogurt and also sprinkle with sunflower seeds.
5. Egg dishes – contrary to popular belief, eggs are good for you. They just have to be organic eggs (from grass-fed chickens). It’s the industrial eggs that are bad for you. Never overindulge in eggs, however. 1 or 2 should be adequate for breakfast. A little bit about eggs fyi: eggs are rich in protein, and vitamins A, B12, D and E. Also they are a rich source of calcium and zinc. There are 9 types of essential amino acids that the body cannot produce itself and has to get it through food. Eggs are one of the few foods that have all 9 types of essential amino acids.
6. Veggie Omelette (mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, etc. – add cheese if desired)
7. French Toast - instead of drenching your FT in maple syrup, try organic honey or just eat it with fresh fruit.
8. Whole wheat crepes with fruit – ‘nuf said.
9. Breakfast Burrito – salsa, potatoes, scrambled eggs, cilantro, cooked pinto or black beans wrapped in an organic whole wheat tortilla.
10. Yogurt with fruit – choose a plain yogurt, add your favorite fruit and seeds or nuts and maybe a splash of organic honey.
11. Egg and veggie sandwich-scrambled egg (or however you like your eggs) with sauteed veggies and some melted cheese in between organic whole wheat bread.
12. Veggie egg wrap – like a breakfast burrito but with cooked veggies and cheese wrapped in an organic whole wheat tortilla.
13. Organic Kashi with fruit and soy or regular organic milk – crunchy goodness.
14. Organic muesli – add some fruit and nuts and milk and voila!
15. Grilled cheese and tomato on organic whole grain bread
16. Organic rice cakes or rice crackers spread with organic peanut butter, Vegemite, a boiled egg (crushed), eggs, veggies or cheese.
17. Organic whole wheat or bran muffins with fruit.
18. Roasted pecan whole wheat pancakes with honey or fruit.
19. Whole wheat scones with blueberries or other fruit
20. Organic whole wheat bagel with cream cheese.
21. Leftovers – eat some leftover dinner for breakfast! Like, say you made whole wheat pasta primavera for dinner and there’s a serving left. Eat that! Etc.

Those popular breakfast cereals are industrially processed and have high levels of salt, sugar, preservatives, dyes and fat – which can dramatically increase a person’s risk of developing serious health problems in later life. Processed cereal, cereal bars, bread and cookies contain large amounts of salt, sugar and hydrogenated fats. Oftentimes people are unaware of the amounts they are actually eating, which can be very dangerous for their health.

Let’s see. What are some potential problems with eating these breakfast cereals. Shall I count the ways?

1. Strokes – Consuming large amounts of salt, sugar and hydrogenated fats increases the risk of having a stroke.

2. Teeth Problems – All that sugar can lead to serious dental issues, and we know what that means. Do you want yourself and your kids to have false teeth for the rest of your/their lives?

3. Preservatives – BHT, BHA, and TBHQ are common preservatives found in in beverages, ice cream, candy, baked goods, soup bases, potatoes, breakfast cereals, dry mixes, enriched rice, animal fats and shortenings containing animal fats. They may also be listed as “anti-oxidants” because they prevent the fats in food from oxidizing or spoiling. These preservatives cause allergic reactions and are known to affect kidney and liver functions, brain function and may also convert other ingredients into cancer-causing substances.

4. MSG is not a good message to the body – MSG, also known as monosodium glutamate, is linked to infertility and brain damage lab animals and people who’ve eaten MSG complain of headaches, chest pains and numbness.

5. Sugars, (high-fructose) Corn Syrup , refined starches and sweeteners (NutraSweet, Equal, Sweet’n Low, Sucralose, Acesulfame-K) rob your children of their health, and artificial sweeteners have been linked to brain damage, MS, Lupus and other central nervous disorders.

6. Pesticides – pesticides, hormones and synthetic food additives have been known to affect brain development, behavior and learning abilities in kids.

So, what SHOULD you eat? Stay tuned. I’ll write about that in another blog post…

Needless to say, I don’t want to be subjected to bad breath odor. Don’t make me hurt you!

Maybe you don’t even know you HAVE bad breath. That’s the worst – because you do want to tell a person they can kill a man with just one blow…of their breath.

Check if YOU have bad breath. How? ASK someone. That’s the easiest. Don’t be too offended if they say, “…you have the most disgusting breath EVAR. I’m so glad you asked because you really need to do something about that and everyone was afraid to tell you. You are so good to find out because you do have the most heinous breath I’ve ever smelled. I mean, your breath smells like a gravely diseased cat that ate a rotting can of tuna got hit by a car and rested in the sun for 3 weeks – and now it is in your mouth!” Ok, ouch. That might hurt a bit but be thankful to know about it.

How to tell someone they have bad breath.
Oftentimes, people with bad breath just don’t know they have it, and they don’t have the decency to ask (like above) someone – hee. Well, it’s hard to tell someone they have halitosis without feeling like you’re going to hurt their feelings. Too bad. Suck it in and just do it. Just say:

1. Dude, your breath is killer, man. Can you stop hitting us with it??
2. Is halitosis your middle name? Would you be better off with NO middle name?
3. Wow, whoa! Your breath bloody stinks! OMG!

Ok, ok. I’m not THAT heartless. Just joking a bit there. Say something short, sweet and to the point:

1. I think you have a breath problem and I thought you’d like to know.
2. I don’t mean to offend you but your breath could stand some improvement.
3. You might want to know that your breath is not that great.

Ok, it’s not going to be easy (you can likely say something more diplomatic) and that person WILL be embarrassed. That’s ok because from there you can suggest some reasons why they might have it then suggest some solutions to combat the issue.

Why do you have bad breath? The Causes
1. Smoking – smokers have AWFUL breath. Stop!
2. Food – foods that have volatile oils is a big source of halitosis. Garlic and onions are popular and very well known culprits, but other vegetables and spices can also give you bad breath. Even after digestion, the pungent oils are absorbed into your bloodstream then to your lungs where they give off breath odor until the food leaves your body.
3. Nose, Mouth and Throat Problems – Sinus infections can be a source because nasal discharge from your sinuses into the back of your throat can cause mouth odor. Persistent snot can cause a foul odor. Mononucleosis, strep throat and tonsillitis and can cause bad breath until the infection clears. Upper respiratory infections including Bronchitis will give you bad breath because you’re coughing up odorous sputum.
4. Fasting – When you don’t eat, there’s a break down of chemicals in your stomach that causes a stink.
5. Dental Conditions – Periodontal (gum) disease and poor dental hygiene give you bad breath. Food particles remain in your mouth, which collect bacteria and emit hydrogen sulfur vapors. A colorless, sticky slime of bacteria (plaque) forms on your teeth.
6. Diseases – Sometimes bad breath is an indication that you have a disease. Always seek professional medical help. Lung abscesses and chronic lung infections produce horrible smelling breath. Other illnesses can cause a distinctive breath odor. Liver failure causes a fishy odor. Kidney failure can make your breath smell like pee. Diabetes causes a specific breath odor. Other diseases that cause bad odors in the mouth: hiatal hernias, stomach reflux (gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD).

Treating and Preventing Bad Breath
1. Brush your teeth and tongue after every meal. If it means brushing your teeth at work, do it. It’ll only help you and you won’t have to get the embarrassing talk from your colleagues.
2. Floss your teeth regularly, at least once a day.
3. Get your teeth flossed and cleaned by your dental hygienist at least twice a year.
4. Choose a soft bristled toothbrush and change it at least twice a year.
5. Drink plenty of water.

Natural Remedies for Bad Breath (to accompany regular brushing and flossing etc. – above)
1. Parsley – Chew on fresh parsley because it’s rich in chlorophyll and is a natural neutralizer and deodorizer.
2. Cardamom seeds – These seeds freshen your breath if you chew on some seeds.
3. Rinse your mouth out at least twice a day with water.
4. Tea – Fenugreek seed, commonly called “methi” tea helps fight bad breath.
5. Sage – Bad breath that is caused by oral infections may be treated with the anti-inflammatory and antiseptic action of thujone, one of the active ingredients in common sage. To make a tea, pour 1 cup boiling water over 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh sage leaves (1 to 2 teaspoons dried), let steep, then strain. Drink the tea slowly for maximum effect.
6. Peppermint – The menthol in peppermint can mask bad breath but only temporarily. Steep 2 tablespoons chopped leaves and flowering tops (or 1 teaspoon dried peppermint) in 1 cup boiling water for 10 minutes. Strain, then drink.
7. Myrrh – Myrrh, because it is a natural antiseptic, kills mouth bacteria. Make your own mouthwash by stirring 5 to 10 drops of myrrh tincture into a glass of water. Mixing the tincture with mint or rosemary tea will enhance its breath-freshening effect and mask myrrh’s unpleasant taste. Note: Be very careful to watch for skin irritation.
8. Fennel seeds – If you’ve eaten at Indian restaurants, fennel seeds are often given to you after dinner. You should chew a few seeds and this will help freshen your breath.
9. A Well-Balanced Diet – will promote an efficient digestive system and reduce the number of odor-producing bacteria.
10. Acidophilus – Foods that contain acidophilus (Lactobacillus acidophilus) such as yogurt products, help restore the natural balance of friendly bacteria in the digestive tract. An imbalance of intestinal bacteria can contribute to bad breath.
11. Fiber in Foods – When you eat foods rich in fiber it fights against constipation. When you have regular bowel movements toxins that can potentially cause bad breath are eliminated. Foods rich in fiber include: whole grains, peas, beans, prunes, brown rice, currents, etc.
12. Vitamin C – If you have bad breath from gum disease, eating foods rich in vitamin C will protect gum tissue against cell damage and speeds healing. Foods rich in vitamin c: strawberries, oranges, red bell peppers, tangerines and other citrus fruits, red cabbages to name a few.

Related: You have hemorrhoids!
[photo source thanks to Jenny Rollo]

First things first. What’s in soda?
High fructose corn syrup (which is soooooo sooo bad for your health), caffeine, carbonic or phosphoric acid and dyes. Nothing in soda is good for you. Even the water.

Why should you stop your beloved drink:

1. It destroys your bones – Soda pop leaches calcium from the bones. What does that mean? It means that you can develop a calcium deficiency and your bone density will be lower than normal, and that means you risk higher incidents of fractures. And we all know: Broken bones are no fun.

2. It’ll rot your teeth. Do you want rotten teeth? I didn’t think so. Imagine what your smile will look like. The sugar, and there’s lots of it in soda, contributes to a degradation on your tooth enamel, which leads to decay. The other substances in soda: carbonic or phosphoric acid will dissolve the calcium right out of the enamel, leaving a softened surface that lets bacteria enter the teeth and cause it to ROT. A NOTE: diet soda will rot your teeth too so don’t think you can play the “get out of jail” card with that one.

3. It will make you gain weight. Let’s call it the “soda diet” in which you participate to get FAT or OBESE! Consuming a lot of sugar and calories in soda causes weight gain. We’ve all seen that Americans are the fattest people on the planet. That’s nothing to be proud of. It’s really sad. But why are they? They eat too much. Duh!! but they also consume the most SODA than any other country. Do we see a correlation here? Answer: Yes. Guess what? A 20 ounce bottle of soda has 17 teaspoons of sugar! Haven’t you seen people coming from 711 and drinking a BUCKET size soda? Geez. That’s embarrassing.

4. Risk of Diabetes Increases – Weight gain will increase your risk for type 2 diabetes. What does it mean to have type 2 Diabetes? Your body does not make enough insulin to move the sugar into your cells and/or has trouble using insulin. If left untreated, over time serious health problems can develop. Diabetes is the leading cause of heart disease, kidney failure (read colas cause kidney problems), blindness, and amputation of feet or legs. Complications can be prevented or delayed by carefully monitoring and controlling blood glucose levels.

When people have mental health issues, particularly with depression, it takes a huge effort to get better and recover, but the greatest challenge remains in trying to stay well from that point on.

With Optimism software, users actively learn about their depression. They monitor patterns in their life and begin to see the various internal and external factors that affect their health. Once these factors are realized, it makes it easier to take control and leave depression far behind them. Users will no doubt learn a great deal about what really triggers depression. Maybe it’s a certain food or lack of sleep. Perhaps it’s from watching disturbing films or from a stressful work environment. Optimism helps people focus on specific triggers and they’ll know what to avoid if possible. Users will learn so many important things about themselves, and this will help them control their lives better.

Optimism features:
* Prompts users to keep a health record of all things that impact their mental state of being, both positive and negative. From there, it helps find strategies to stay healthy.

* Charting Changes – Optimism charts users’ triggers, symptoms and healthy activities to be able to identify relationships between the three in a simple, visual way.

* Reports – Optimism generates reports that document the triggers, symptoms and healthy activities so users can print records or helpful history to email to their health provider.

Optimism is quick and easy to use, only taking 2 to 3 minutes each day to enter data, and only a little bit longer to look more closely at the charts.

People, work on getting rid of (if not controlling) your depression, and stay mentally healthy. Try out this software and plan your health. Create a “Stay Well Plan,” which can be seen as a dynamic document that you adjust as you learn more about managing your illness. Print or email it to your health provider or aids, so they know how to help you stay on track.

Download the free demo now (for Mac)

NOTE: PC version should be released some time next month (February). I’ll post it when it’s available.

First off, let’s define hemorroids as best as we can. Basically, it’s a swollen anus due to inflamed veins in your anus and rectum. Sometimes, they can be very uncomfortable and itch or bleed.

Hemorrhoids can develop from any increase in pressure in the veins in the lower rectum. Common sources of pressure and hemorrhoid causes include:

• Constipation and the accompanying straining
• Diarrhea and the continuous expulsion of loose stools
• Sitting or standing for a long time, especially sitting on the toilet
• Obesity
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Genetic tendency to develop hemorrhoids

You may be asking, “Why talk about this???!” Sorry if it’s a bit embarrassing, really. While this condition is known to affect older (50+) people, that sad news is that today, more and more younger people are afflicted with it because of obesity, which is increasing at an epidemic speed, and because of the all the tech people now, who spend hours upon hours sitting down in from of their computers. Face it, hemorroids are here, whether you like it or not.

When should you see your doctor about these pesky critters?
Generally speaking, go seek medical attention if your hemorrhoids do no improve with self-care, or if they cause pain, or bleed frequently or excessively.

If your poo is black, tarry or maroon in color, see your doctor immediately. These types of stools can indicate more extensive bleeding elsewhere in your digestive tract. Lastly, go to emergency care if you feel faint and lightheaded and notice large amounts of rectal bleeding.

How to treat the problem
If you have a mild case, your doctor might prescribe over-the-counter medications. Otherwise, more intense treatment might be called for: infrared treatment cuts off the circulation to small blood vessels, which will shrink the hemorroids. Surgery is the last resort treatment when all else has failed.

More natural treatments and prevention

Eat foods high in fiber – Eat meals loaded with vegetables, fruits, grains. Later, when you pass your stools, you will not need to strain.

Avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time – take frequent breaks and move around.

Exercise – Exercise is best whether you have hemorroids or not but if you do have hemorroids, exercise helps you to have regular stools and also helps you avoid sitting for too long.

Drink plenty of fluids – a sufficient amount of water and juices keep your body hydrated and healthy.

Don’t strain – When you “go” #2, try not to push too much because it puts excessive strain and pressure on your veins in your lower rectum.

Keep that area clean – wash well there and dry!

Now, that wasn’t too horrible for you, was it? Thank me for NOT including a photo on this post.

1. Be present – I don’t just mean be there in attendance, I mean make yourself fully present in a mindful way. A “present” state of mind will mean that you are focused on the now. You are committed to the present moment and that means that when you’re interacting with people, you are more absorbed in what they are saying right now. You need to be present to be a good manager or employee. You give meaning and purpose to those around you. In business, if you are “present” you will usually get what you need. If you aren’t present, you miss your task or you miss what someone is saying – and those things could be very important.

2. Give full attention to your activities – This is also a state of mindfulness. Concentrating on tasks gives meaning to that task. It helps you get your task done in an efficient way because you are focused on it, even on the smallest task – This activity requires very focused attention and when you are mindful of your concentration to your work, you cannot be more efficient with your task. This ends up with the best work you can offer.

3. Make sure your state of mind is optimal before entering a meeting – This point is very important. How can you assess your state of mind? Before your meeting, go to a quiet place so you can determine your state of mind. You need to be aware of what is happening and how you feel; you need to be in a state of mind where your emotions are calm and positive. You should be in a positive state but if you’re not, try to divert your negative feelings and thoughts aside by focusing your thoughts on happy, wonderful things. Words are powerful, so say to yourself, “I am calm, positive and will have an efficient, productive meeting.”

4. Be aware of your relationships with colleagues – Say, for instance, you are a manager and you don’t get along with your employee. Figure out why, and try to change it to a more positive relationship. Once you can see possibilities of problematic issues between the two of you, you can go from there. If you are mindful, you will realize the weaknesses, the conflicts and the differences in personalities. These things shouldn’t prevent you from having a decent relationship. When you are mindful and fully aware of all aspects involved in employee/manager relationships, you can work it out so that you have the relationship that is necessary to have an efficient and happy office environment. Listen to your colleagues and employees and be in the present. Give them value and value what they have to offer. Try to understand where they’re coming from. The results of this behavior will astound you.

5. Laugh – Try not to take yourself so seriously. Have fun when you can. While laughing and goofing around may not be appropriate for some circumstances, at the right moments, it’s the best thing an office can have for morale.

6. Know Yourself – Knowing yourself helps you to make the right choices about how you respond to people and situations.

1. Indoor Rock Climbing – There’s nothing better than rock climbing to tone up your muscles while at the same time, giving you a pretty good workout. Go with some friends and make it a fun, group activity.

2. Bowling – This activity would be relatively low on the physical workout barometer but it will get you out of the house, get you moving, get your hand-eye coordination working (or not), and can be really fun with a group of friends.

3. Ice Skating – You can be the next Michelle Kwan or Todd Eldridge if you can handle the cold. Skate outdoors if any places are available near your home or go to an indoor place. Remember to wear appropriate clothing and earmuffs to keep warm. Not into Ice Skating, try in-line skating/rollerblading (or roller skating if you can find them), and you won’t have to deal with getting cold.

4. Dance Classes – You can spice up and heat up your life with salsa dance classes or any other kind of dance (jazz, hiphop, ballroom, line, etc) that grabs your interest. Work up a sweat, burn off those cookies AND ice cream you polished off the other day and look great all year long.

5. Yoga / Tai Chi / Pilates / Spin Classes or the Gym – These are more obvious activities I thought I’d list just in case they haven’t occurred to you. I particularly love Tai Chi but if it’s not for you, try Yoga or another kind of martial art. Maybe even give a go at the martial arts dance hybrid from Brazil, Capoeira.

6. Wii Night (or Day) – Yup! I’m gonna suggest video games to get into shape. Yay and vive les video games! Don’t argue with me; the Wii Sports games like the boxing game or tennis game – will get your heartrate up and even get you sweaty. It’s a mega fun thing to do especially with friends and family, and it’ll give you a pretty good workout, too.

7. Indoor Swimming – What?! You don’t have your own indoor swimming pool? Oh well – Sometimes the local public pools are open. If they are open during these winter months, forget about goosebumps and try to muster up all the strength you need to go for a swim. It’s one of the best ways to exercise because it’s easy on all the joints, but you’ll feel like a million bucks afterward.

8. Rajio Taiso – Wha??! No, I didn’t sneeze just now. Rajio Taiso (radio calisthenics) is a funny and relatively short calisthenics workout developed in Japan a long time ago to get students and workers moving before they started their day. It’s short (about 6 minutes) and effective, if not a bit dorky and quirky. Here’s a vid.

10. Have Sex – Duh. The obvious one right?? It’s so obvious that I almost forgot it.

UPDATE: I forgot #9! (Thanks, Ronald!)

9. Indoor Racquetball / Indoor Tennis – These activities will get your heart pumping in no time at all. They’re probably some of the best cardio-vascular workouts you can get, you’ll be happily sweating up a storm, burning off those mashed potatoes and will perk you up for the rest of the day.

Mind Training, The Great Collection (Library of Tibetan Classics) is an English adaptation of the first anthology of techniques for cultivating altruistic thoughts and coping with the inevitable challenges of everyday life. Presenting 44 of the original texts — including seminal works such as “Leveling out All Preconceptions” and “Eight Verses on Training the Mind” — Mind Training combines eloquent translations and historical commentaries to demonstrate how anyone can learn to exude love, compassion, and perseverance.

Click here for more information

Sorry bout the unrelated cannibalistic reference from Silence of the Lambs. I’m a brat!

From NewsTarget:

“Two years ago this month a good friend of ours joined us for a humble beginning of our natural nutrition and whole food preparation classes. She was one of those students who just took everything and ran with it. She lost about 15 pounds, her bowels started moving better and she looked ten years younger.

For all of this, she complained that she was being driven crazy with hot flashes and did not want to go on hormone therapy. She decided to come see me professionally.

I spoke with her and quizzed her about her diet. She had been following our health program exactly. I figured that she just needed an infusion of plant based hormones.

I explained to her that plant hormones are the best protection in the …”

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What you eat is so very important, which is why this blog starts with “Diet” – obviously, not having anything to do with “dieting” per se but focusing on eating right.

When you eat real organic fruit and vegetables, you body doesn’t take in any of the toxic pesticides that get sprayed on non-organic produce. (In most cases, the chemicals stay underneath the skin.) If you haven’t heard, pesticides were not meant to be consumed AND they are not good for your health.

Another effect you might notice when switching to organic food is that some of your illnesses might disappear. For example: psoriasis , depression, allergies, sinusitis, constipation, asthma, congestion, rashes – to name just a few, are some of the many, many maladies caused by unheathful foods, the worst culprits being processed foods, and factory farm meats.

All this isn’t to say you shouldn’t exercise and adopt healthy lifestyle options (like quitting smoking) it’s just a hypothetical, “If you had to choose one thing…”

This subject is just the tip of the iceberg, and you’ll find me blogging more specifically about the dangers of bad food, as well as the benefits of Real Food. Stay tuned, readers!

Related: Wired’s “Healthy Habits Can Mean 14 Extra Years“

1. When you find yourself having a terribly negative attitude leading to grumpville, slap yourself with a large trout. (figuratively speaking, of course) Just stop yourself. It’s you who has control over your emotions. If you cannot control your own emotions, seek professional help.

2. During these times of unpleasant thoughts, try to examine WHY you feel that way. What is the evidence and proof that you should be able to feel this way. If you can find vast reasons to substantiate your negative feelings and attitudes, try to beckon your compassion. Try to laugh. Try to smile and even force yourself to think the opposite. How? Just understanding you’ll feel better, should be a great incentive.

3. When jumping into negative attitudes, try to conjure up different scenarios for why something is happening. Try to envision that all is happening for a better future outcome. Imagine that things will get better. Example: You break your leg on the ski slope. No one is immediately around to help you so help is delayed. Don’t jump into the conclusion that you’ll die. Don’t jump to the conclusion that your leg won’t heal correctly. Look for reasons that will help you not to do that again! Maybe you need ski lessons. You know that won’t happen again. That’s positive, right?!

4. Think about a positive attitude as much as you can, if not all the time. Even say out loud, “I have a positive attitude!” Words are powerful and you’ll be amazed at how that can change your life.

5. Remember that a positive attitude makes you feel good. ‘Nuf said.

What Joseph Campbell says may shock some: These shattering moments of your life are exciting. They feed you. They are your sustenance. You need them to grow and so you should be happy about your suffering.

Usually when I’m suffering, I’m so not happy about it.

But I understand what he means by that. When you reach your lowest points, you cannot but wonder why these things are happening. You wonder what is the point? How can you live your life to the fullest? How can you grow personally? Who are you? Why are you here?

While the bad times are some of the most miserable times of your life, I encourage you to celebrate them. They are these moments that push you toward that personal transformation that will ultimately lead you to happiness and peace with yourself.

Nothing is exciting
if you know
what the outcome is going to be.
~ Joseph Campbell from Reflections on the Art of Living

Videos like these have been circulating for a while, and admit it. They are oh so very cute, cuddly and adorable and they will tend to give us all a warm fuzzy feeling all over but face it, it is so very wrong. Cell phones are direly dangerous to people, especially babies and toddlers. Keep these away from them! Geez, are you evil?

As an adult you have a choice of whether you want to expose yourself to electromagnetic frequencies (EMF) and radio frequencies (RF), which are microwaves, but little kids don’t know any better. If you want to microwave your brain, you go! Personally, I am not that fond of putting microwaves up to my head, but whatever. If you believe the industry when they say that cell phones are SAFE, just remember: “industries” also said asbestos, thalidamide and blood supply and PVC were safe. You know, for the bottom line. Manufacturers ALWAYS deny the existence of any dangers. It’s just plain obvious for evil corporations to say stuff like that, so don’t be a naive twit. So you think they are telling you the truth when they say there’s no documented evidence? If you do, you are ignorant and just plain idiotic. Guess what people, they LIE. Yes they do (Remember the tobacco industry saying that smoking has no dangers??? Puhleeze.) Do you think these cell phone companies care about what will happen to people? Answer: NO. (They just want to SELL.)

To be noted: There ARE warnings on those products to “limit the use of these products.” Yes, there are warnings. I WONDER WHY?!

Anyway, please try to keep these EMF and RF emitting devices away from vulnerable parties (babies, toddlers, ill people and the elderly), and please use your devices sparingly.

If you think I’m an alarmist, conspiracy theorist, good for you. Go ahead and live your life that ignoramus way. But maybe if you care (especially about your family), you can do a little research on your own about this subject. In any case, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Links: Cell Phone Dangers Revealed, Patents Prove Cell Phone Dangers from Wired, Hidden Dangers of Cell Phone Radiation, Chemical and Cell Phones, Harmful Effects of Cell Phones, Hazards of the Wireless Age

Chamomile – Chamomile has been used used in Europe, South America, and Mexico for insomnia and restlessness combined with irritability. Chamomile oil can also be put in bath water to soothe nerves. There are mild sedative effects associated with chamomile. The FDA considers chamomile to be safe and the herb has no known adverse effects. Don’t tale chamomile if you’re pregnant or suffer from any chronic disorders of the digestive tract, including ulcers and ulcerative colitis.

Oats – oats have a mild sedative effect and has long been used as an herbal treatment of insomnia. Oats are rich in vitamins A, B1, B2 and E, manganese, zinc, calcium, phosphorus. They are also used to treat nervous exhaustion and “weakness of the nerves. Oats are thought to stimulate sufficient nervous energy to make sleep possible.

Magnesium – Magnesium is helpful for relieving restless leg syndrome (RLS) and for treating insomnia. It is needed for bone, protein, and fatty acid formation, making new cells, activating B vitamins, relaxing muscles, clotting blood, and forming ATP – the muscle’s energy source. About half of the body’s magnesium stores are found inside cells of body tissues and organs, and half are combined with calcium and phosphorus in bone. Only 1% of the magnesium in the body is found in blood. Sources of magnesium include green vegetables such as spinach, as well as nuts, seeds, and some whole grains. The magnesium content of refined foods is usually low.

California Poppy – California Poppy was used by the Native Americans as a gentle sedative for children and the elderly. Although California Poppy is closely related to the Opium Poppy (Papaver somniferum) it has a markedly different effect on the central nervous system. California Poppy is not a narcotic and does not contain opiates like the Opium Poppy and is not addictive. In fact, rather than disorientating the user, it tends to normalize psychological function.

Medicinally, California poppy is a plant with sedative, analgesic and antispastic activities. It is particularly helpful if sleep is difficult from anxiousness and acute pain. It lessens both nerve centered and muscular pain, calms the mind and relieves anxiety.

Note: Please consult your private physician before undertaking any new methods for your insomnia.

“Feeling stressed, anxious, overwhelmed or fatigued? Having trouble making decisions, falling and staying asleep and solving problems? A bit low on energy, just all-around baked? Life does that to us sometimes. The good news is…there’s a short list of simple practices that, done regularly, can pretty quickly un-bake your brain…and your body!

A NASA study revealed that…

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For the longest time, I couldn’t listen to The Goldberg Variations without thinking about Hannibal (The Cannibal) Lechter from Silence of the Lambs – let alone eat fava beans.

It made me sad because I love this recording by Glenn Gould. Luckily, I did overcome it and disassociated the two. Finally. Yay.

My baggage aside, one of the best things you can do for your life, is to stop everything and JUST listen to beautiful music for a while. You don’t have to spend the entire day doing this; just spend some allotted time to step away from the chaos of life, and just…chill. And chilling with music rules. Some of you are so used to multi-tasking and always doing a million things at the same time. You know I’m talking about you. Your days are filled with a continuous string of tasks back to back to back sans cesse, if you know what I mean. Calm, serenity, quiet, peaceful – well, these words do not exist in your life’s vocabulary.

Cut it out!

Do yourself a favor and find great music, like Glenn Gould: The Complete Original Jacket Collection

About Glenn Gould: The Complete Original Jacket Collection
Each of the 60 single and 9 double CDs consists of the exact recordings as first issued on vinyl and looks like a miniaturised form of the original disc: the CDs are in cardboard slipcases in the original design, and the CD itself is designed to look like a LP.

The bonus CDs include the last great interview that Glenn Gould gave the American journalist Tim Page in 1981 and an essay on Johann Sebastian Bach and the fugue that Gould recorded in 1972 for a bonus LP. They also feature a number of late recordings that never appeared on vinyl: fragments of the “Italian Album” and Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll in its orchestral version — Gould’s recording debut as conductor and his last recording of all, made on 8 September 1982 with members of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Another rarity is Gould’s own film music to George Roy Hill’s Slaughterhouse Five from 1972.

So whether you want to lose weight, improve energy, or just eat more nutritiously, Eating For Life can help you reach your goals.

100 Healthful Recipes

The holidays are here, ready or not. For some, it’s a festive, merry time of year and all is neato and chill, in an endless happiness. For others, unfortunately, it’s the dreaded time of the year filled with sugar plum psycho madness with a ginormous slice of hell and anguish and a side of stress attack.

This post is for the latter group, those of you who find this time of year the Grumpy Solstice, the “I’d rather be under a rock” holiday season and well, “I wish I wish I wish it was over!” kind of folks.

Many things can lift your mood so here is a quick suggestion:

Mood Lifting Gift Basket contains tasty organic and natural treats (popcorn, ginger chews, fruit leather, chocolate chip granola bar, vegetarian chicken flavored noodle soup, peppermint water), Yogi Calming herbal medicinal tea, Kava Kava and Ginko Biloba supplements, organic lemonade lip balm, tissue to wipe away the tears, and a teddy bear. How can this NOT lift your mood? Get this gift for yourself or for someone you know, who might appreciate its purpose.

Sure, watching the news can be extraordinarily upsetting and you might’ve been a million times better had you not seen it, in general, it’s a good thing to know what’s going on in the world, the environment and your health. More specifically, you have to know that it is, in fact, essential to know what you’re doing to your body: what are you eating? Is that low-fat product good for you? How is it good for you? They are saying that obesity is going to shorten the lifespan of the next generation and beyond. Is it really OBESITY or is the real reason in the actual food they are eating. Do you know what’s in mac n cheese (the box version)? A bunch of chemicals, that’s what. And what about all the junkfood? You know, as time goes on, there are more and more toxic, and detrimentally hazardous ingredients in food that is making everyone fat and prone to disease, including your kids (and if you don’t have kids, other people’s kids, you know, the future) The food industry is the real culprit in the obesity issue that is plaguing the U.S. To eat more healthfully consult other sources like books. Learn how to read between the lines on the ingredient lists. If you can’t monitor the dangerous elements your kids are eating, who is going to do that for them? No one. Teach them what is good and bad. Sometimes it’s hard to know, but you have to find out.

Keep yourself informed; learn which companies are unethical and downright evil in the name of money. You really must know what’s going on: it’s your life at stake and it’s the future at stake.

Check out these sources:
The Ominvore’s Dilemma
Food for Profit: How the food industry undermines our health
Real Food
What to Eat
Monsanto
The End of Food: How the Food Industry is Destroying Our Food Supply
The Untold Story of Milk
Nutrition and Physical Degeneration
The Story of Corn
In Defense of Food
The Crazy Makers: How the Food Industry Is Destroying Our Brains and Harming Our Children
An Unnatural Order: Roots of Our Destruction of Nature
Mad Cowboy: Plain Truth from the Cattle Rancher Who Won’t Eat Meat
Prisoned Chickens Poisoned Eggs: An Inside Look at the Modern Poultry Industry

Eco Gift Expo

Eco Gift Expo
Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, 1855 Main St., Santa Monica
Sat., Dec. 15, 9 am – 8 pm and Sun., Dec. 16, 9 am – 5 pm
($10 online, $15 at the door; free for seniors and children under 12)

2. Watch a movie at home together – Rent a romantic comedy or romantic drama or even an erotic film (if you and your partner are up for that kind of thing).

3. Give each other a massage – grab some nice, natural massage oils and treat each other to a sensual massage. Now, where you massage is up to you, I’m just suggesting general ideas.

4. Take the day off work – If both of you can manage to take the same day off of work you can plan to spend a whole day and perhaps the night together (depending on your home life). This is especially great for parents to do while their kids are in school during the day. Plan a gourmet picnic and go to the beach or park or somewhere beautiful. If it’s too cold out, have the picnic in your living room or bedroom…

5. An Evening with Whipped Cream – Need I say more?

6. Feed each other blind-folded. Not blind folded at the same time! Take turns feeding strawberries dipped in quality chocolate and other smooth aphrodisiacs to your blind folded partner. Savor every moment…

7. Read an erotic story to each other – Ok, it doesn’t have to be erotic; it can be a romantic, light story or whatever you’re in the mood for. Your goal is to spend focused, quality time with your mate.

8. Paint each other – Find edible or at least non-toxic body paints, strip down and paint each other! Fun!

When someone you care about hurts you, you can hold on to anger, resentment and thoughts of revenge or embrace forgiveness and move forward.

Why do we hold grudges and become resentful and unforgiving?
The people most likely to hurt us are those closest to us — our partners, friends, siblings and parents. When we’re hurt by someone we love and trust — whether it’s a lie, betrayal, rejection, abuse or insult — it can be extremely difficult to…”

Read the full article

From BBC:

“Modern life is too demanding to turn out the lights and we’re more sleep deprived than ever before. How can we get back in the habit of grabbing shut-eye?

“But we place no importance on it in our culture. When you are sleep deprived you are putting yourself in a…”"

Read the full article

Be You TV

1.) It’s Fun. You’ll laugh a lot with these games and your happiness will come out like an uncontrollable happy attack.

2.) It’s Exercise. There’s nothing like getting your circulation going and your heart pumping to make you feel good. You haven’t heard? Exercise is GOOD for you. Try to get your 2D butt to turn into a 3D butt.

3.) Coordination. Hand and mind exercises help you. Your clumsiness might even be reduced. I said “reduced” not eliminated so don’t get your hopes up too high.

4.) Positive Quality Time. Spending fun time with family and friends is so good for you, it’s a duh-ism.

5.) Brain Games. The brain games are particularly great for stimulating and exercising your gray matter. Keep that muscle in shape and you’ll be alert way into your 100s. (If you live that long.)

NOTE: Remember that this activity should be done in moderation.

Get Your Wii Now

“My neighbor and I were having a conversation not long ago and she’d mentioned that she and her family have been looking to replace their doors and windows, frames included. They were considering PVC. By the way, PVC in French is PVC (pey’ vey sey).

Me: “WHY??! Why on earth would you get PVC doors and windows and frames? Or anything PVC for that matter?!”

Her: “Euh, calm down. What is so wrong PVC? It’s convenient because we don’t need to paint it, you know.”

Me: “PVC is terribly toxic for you, your family and the environment. And it’s cheap plastic, and plastic is ugly. If you care about your family, you won’t allow anything made from PVC in your home. Do you know that all hospitals in France had to replace all the PVC because it was endangering lives? It is a health and safety requirement because it is extremely detrimental, but the home improvement industry and the plastics (oil) industry have hidden its danger from the general public. Just like with asbestos, a while a go. No one thought asbestos was hazardous, but look now. mesothelioma, the cancer specifically related to asbestos in homes skyrocketed. The number of people who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma has increased significantly in the past 30 years. Although many advances in treatment have been made, there is no cure for this type of cancer. Industries eventually had to fess up and stop producing it and selling it. And now, you can’t use asbestos anymore. Well, it’s the same with PVC, except that they haven’t gotten to the ‘fess up’ part.” It makes too much money for them so they will continue to sell the cheapest and most toxic kind of plastic known to man until the law says they can’t anymore.

Me: “I’m sure in the 70s, people were saying stuff like, “Oh! We’re getting our home insulated with asbestos! We’re getting asbesto ceilings and floors. Isn’t that great!!!?”

Me: “Today, you’re saying, ‘Oh! we’re getting new PVC windows, doors, gutters, pipes, hoses – isn’t that great!?’ NO. that is not great. PVC is the new asbestos. By the way, you know those vertical window blinds? They’re made of PVC.” (My sweetie calls it Pour Votre Cancer.)

Her: “So why is PVC so horrible?”

What is PVC?
There’s a good reason why manufacturers call it, “PVC.” Calling by its real name lends some hard and horrible reality to what PVC actually is. You may be saddened to hear that PVC stands for Polyvinyl Chloride. Sounds bad, doesn’t it? It’s actually much worse than that.

It has become apparent that this seemingly harmless plastic, PVC, is one of the most environmentally hazardous consumer materials ever produced. Although it appears to be the ideal building material, PVC has high environmental and human health costs that its manufacturers fail to tell consumers. If you’ve learned that PVC is totally safe, you’ve been lied to. PVC (polyvinyl chloride or vinyl) is the worst plastic from an environmental health perspective, threatening major, singular hazards from its inception to its disposal. In other words, PVC becomes harmful the second it’s created until it is disposed of – and even at that point, it still poses toxic exposure inside a landfill or incinerator. That means it emits toxic compounds when it’s being made, while you have it and when it gets disposed of.

The Making of PVC and Beyond
During the manufacture of the building block ingredients of PVC (such as vinyl chloride monomer) dioxin (the most potent carcinogen known) and other persistent pollutants are emitted into the air, water and land, which present both acute and chronic health hazards. During use, PVC products can leach toxic additives, for example flooring can release softeners called phthalates. When PVC reaches the end of its useful life, it can be either landfilled, where it leaches toxic additives or incinerated, again emitting dioxin and heavy metals. When PVC burns in accidental fires, hydrogen chloride gas and dioxin are formed.¹

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is unique in its high chlorine and additives content, which makes it an environmental poison throughout its life cycle. Vinyl chloride is a known human carcinogen, which can lead to a number of cancers, endocrine disruption, endometriosis, neurological damange, birth defects, impaired child development and reproductive and immune system damage. PVC releases dioxin and other persistent organic pollutants during its manufacture and disposal and cannot be readily recycled due to it chlorine and additive content. Furthermore, additives are not bound to the plastic and leach out. ^{1, 2}

Dioxins from PVC – The Impact
Dioxin’s impact doesn’t stop there. As a persistent bioaccumulative toxin (PBT), it does not break down rapidly and travels around the globe, accumulating in fatty tissue and concentrating as it goes up the food chain. Dioxins from Louisiana manufacturing plants migrate on the winds and concentrate in Great Lakes fish. Dioxins are even found in hazardous concentrations in the tissues of whales and polar bears and in Inuit mother’s breast milk. The dioxin exposure of the average American already poses a calculated risk of cancer of greater than 1 in 1,000 – thousands of times greater than the usual standard for acceptable risk. Most poignantly, dioxins concentrate in breast milk to the point that human infants now receive high doses, orders of magnitude greater than those of the average adult.²

Lethal Additives
PVC is useless without the addition of a plethora of toxic chemical stabilizers – such as lead, cadmium and organotins – and phthalate plasticizers. These leach, flake or outgas from the PVC over time raising risks fthat include asthma, lead poisoning and cancer.²

Construction and PVC
The construction industry has been unaware of its true cost and long considered it a cheap convenient material. Piping, vinyl siding, and vinyl flooring are the largest and most familiar uses of PVC. Roof membranes have been a growing area. It is also used in electrical wire insulation, conduit, junction boxes, wall coverings, carpet backing, window and door frames, shades and blinds, shower curtains, furniture, flues, gutters, down spouts, waterstops, weatherstrip, flashing, moldings and elsewhere. Fortunately, for each of these uses, there exist a wide range of cost effective alternative materials that pose less of a health hazard to workers and the public at large.

Alternatives
Replacing PVC in your projects is easier than you may think. A number of resource guides are available to help you find green construction materials. But beware: some construction materials labeled “green” actually contain recycled PVC/vinyl and frequently require virgin PVC mixed with the recycled.

* Piping
Cast iron, steel, concrete vitrified clay, and plastics such as HDPE (high density polyethylene).

* Windows & Doors
Recycled, reclaimed or FSC certified sustainably harvested wood, fiberglass, and aluminum.

* Siding
Fiber-cement board, stucco, recycled or reclaimed or FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified sustainably harvested wood, OSB (oriented strand board), brick, and polypropylene.

* Roofing Membranes
TPO (thermoplastic polyolefin), EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer), FPO (flexible polyolefin alloy), MBM (modified bitumen), NBP (nitrile butadiene polymer) and low-slope metal roofing.

* Flooring & Carpet
Linoleum, bamboo, ceramic tile, carpeting with natural fiber backing or polyolefins, reclaimed or FSC certified sustainably harvested wood, cork, recycled rubber, concrete, and nonchlorinated plastic polymers.

* Wall Coverings & Furniture
Natural fibers such as wood and wool, polyethylene, polyester, paint.

* Electrical Insulation and Sheathing
Halogen free, LLDPE (linear low-density polyethylene), and XLPE (thermoset crosslinked polyethylene)

Guides
NorCal ADPSR Architectural Resource Guide
Greenpeace PVC Alternatives Database
Environmental Building News“
Sources: ¹ Greenpeace, ² Heathly Building Network

Thanks to Why Travel to France for providing this article.

Don’t fret, I say that with a smile! haha.

If you try to smile more often, it will make a huge difference in your life. 1) People will react more positively toward you; maybe those people were grumpy (for whatever reason) and when you approached them all happy and everything, it changed their outlook. it can oftentimes cause a happy chain reaction; 2) Forcing yourself to smile may make you feel ridiculous especially if you don’t happen to feel like it but by doing so, it creates a sort of chemical reaction that will uplift your whole being. Why DON’T you want to smile, anyway. Just try to do that more often and you’ll see the positive results.