#26 - How to detoxify our lives!!!

Well ladies and gentleman:

I am long overdue for a new blog entry.  So here it is.  This blog shares all the changes I have made and am still working on making.  But what's more important, it shares lots of information on all the CHEMICALS in our lives!

Did you know the average woman is putting over 200 chemicals on/in her body everyday between her shampoo, conditioner, soap, cosmetics, lotions, etc.  And I'm sure men are not far behind, even though they are fortunate to not be exposed to the chemicals in cosmetics, unless of course they use them as well.

As a quick note, before I get into the nitty gritty, I should note that I DO NOT suggest that you go gung-ho like I have and revamp your entire household in just a month or so.  Obviously, that would be quite expensive to do! 

The reason I am doing so is tied to direct health issues that I have been working very hard on improving through homeopathic medicine, acupuncture, chiropractor, energy healing (all of which I receive from my wonderful husband/wife team Dr. Robert Selig and his wife, Maria at Back Up Therapeutic located in Chicago, IL), improved diet (included no meat and limited dairy - i.e. hormone free diet) and most recently I have started seeing an "integrative internist", Dr. Danuta Hoyer at Comprehensive Center for Women's Health in the Raby Institute located in Chicago, IL (for a holistic and Western approach to my medical needs) and an "integrative gynecologist", Dr. Katherine Thurer at the Raby Institute located in Chicago, IL (for a holistic and Western approach to my feminine needs) and a "naturopath", Dr. Lik at the Raby Institute located in Chicago, IL (for a holistic approach to supplements I need) and a "body talk" specialist, Tom Flesch at the Raby Institute in Chicago, IL (body talk is used to verbally reprogram your brain, i.e. your body's computer, to do what you need it to do to help your body heal itself).  As you may or may not know from my extensive blog on "homeopathy" (see blog #17), I shared my story of my personal health journey with uteran fibroids and anemia........ hence all the doctors I am seeing to work together to compliment both Eastern and Western practices.  I know I am on the right path and already have been having great results over the past 2 years with the assistance of my homeopathic doctors (starting in March of 2010).  As of Jan. of 2012, I added all the other specialists that are located at the Raby Institute and "fired" my regular "internist" and I "fired" my regular OB/GYN.  It was time to find doctors that not only knew Western medicine but had gone back to school to learn about "nutrition" and "integrative healthcare" (i.e. - doctors that not only know how to prescribe drugs, recommend blood transfusions or surgeries - but doctors that have now also learned about natural supplements, testing hormones, intravenous iron in lieu of blood transfusions and know about an overall "holistic" approach to our well being first and foremost before pushing the typical Western methods as the only options out there).

So here we go............. LET's TALK ABOUT DETOXIFYING OUR LIVES!!!!

My suggestion for the average person is to start to "phase out" the chemicals in your lives.  How?  Well, next time you run out of shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothpaste, feminine products, laundry detergent, cosmetics, lotions, etc, as you run out of each, look into finding "toxic free" and "chemical free" products that you can replace them with.  Also, consider buying filters for your shower and your sink to eliminate the "chlorine" and if possible, also the "fluoride".

THERE IS A LOT TO LEARN HERE, so truly, I suggest you take your time and revisit this blog when you have the time to sit and read up on all the various toxins that are in our households and how we can eliminate them all.  Dr. Mercola's website offers a plethora of information and videos on all of his products explaining exactly WHY certain everyday items/products we use are bad for us.  Whether or not your purchase items/products from his website, you can definitely do the research needed by listening to his videos, reading his extensive information on each of these topics and then seeing where you can purchase those items online.  Some products he offers, I could not find elsewhere, but there are some products/items that I could find on eBay or other websites for a little less.  It's all about research and making sure that you UNDERSTAND what to AVOID and what you WANT to be in a particular item/product..... a lot of which you can learn through his extensive website.

Below is information on what I've done so far and what I'm still working on.  I've given links with wonderful videos and written information.  As of the beginning of 2012, I started making these changes.

First, I started phasing out all the crap I put on my skin.  I got rid of ALL the lotions for face, body, eyes and replaced them with all natural oils (blends of oils such as: apricot kernel oil, organic castor oil, sweet almond oil, organic sesame oil, organic lemongrass essential oil, organic eucalyptus essential oil, organic lime peel essential oil, organic tea tree essential oil and organic sandalwood essential oil - I buy this blend from my homeopaths office and I use it all over my body, face, feet, etc.... and I also use magnesium oil on any areas that I have health issues with and/or pains in my body.... and I sometimes slather myself with organic coconut oil which smells fabulous but can't be mixed with other oils as it changes it's state depending on temperature so in cool room temp it will be hard but in warmer room temp it will be soft and/or liquid.).

So now I moved onto the next phase of changing what I put on my skin and I just got all natural shampoo, conditioner, soap, body soap, organic cotton tampons and organic cotton pads/liners (did you know the stuff they sell us in the stores is NOT made of cotton, it's made from "wood".... oh yeah, hence it's actually agitating our system - watch Dr. Mercola's video on it, it's shocking), shower filter (eliminates chlorine) and sink filter (also eliminates chlorine) .... though my next filters will come from "Omica" instead of Dr. Mercola because Omica carries filters that eliminate not only chlorine but also fluoride.

Here's a link to Dr. Mercola's goodies (just scroll down past the banner on the top and click on "personal care" to see all the products I talked about above:  http://products.mercola.com/

BTW, have you ever Googled "fluoride and Hitler".... um, interesting stuff there, check it out.... and if you didn't know, you should know that all of our water system has fluoride in it and so does all the name brand toothpastes (except for the children's brands, go figure, cuz it's BAD for you).... I buy "Tom's fluoride-free" toothpaste but will be trying Dr. Mercola's fluoride-free toothpaste soon.  Dr. Mercola is amazing and he's local to us in Aurora, IL.  He's been featured in numerous top magazines and is a plethora of knowledge on whole health care, supplements and getting rid of toxins in our life.... and he sells many products to help us do so.

Here's a link to info on "fluoride and Hitler" (things that make you go hmmmm..... so why, do they have fluoride in our water supply in the US???):

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&sclient=psy-ab&q=flouride+and+hitler&pbx=1&oq=flouride+and+hitler&aq=f&aqi=g-s1g-ms1&aql=&gs_sm=3&gs_upl=265l2623l0l2935l19l17l0l0l0l0l312l2747l3.11.2.1l17l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=1d4096cba42e89f5&biw=800&bih=425

The next phase was cleaning products, so I did a lot of research on how to make your own cleaning products and then also found some chemical free products that include essential oils ("Method" is a mainstream brand you may have heard of that states that are chemical free but as I read through the detailed listed, at first very excited, then I found there were some questionable things such as using possibly GMO (genetically modified) corn and I forgot one of the acronyms for a particular chemical that research hasn't quite proven that it's bad for us..... yet.... so I prefer to stay away from all "maybes" and stick with basic, all natural, plant derived products). 

Here's a great website on how to do-it-yourself (DIY) with some very basic natural products that most of us already have in our homes: http://eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm

I haven't tried making my own yet to be honest, instead I've started out with this all natural, plant derived (with essential oils) line of cleaning products: http://www.goldcanyon.com/Shop/All-Products/pl/262

And then I found all natural leather cleaner and moisturizer: http://www.bee-natural.com/cgi-bin/web_store/web_store.cgi?product=furniture&category=yes&cart_id=6602433_5407

I got the "furniture amour" and the "leather finish" from the website above.

While I haven't tried making my own leather cleaners here's a great website on how to DIY: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/homemade-leather-cleaner-and-conditioner.html

My next step to well being is working on changing my bed linens to 100% organic wool and changing my cookware to ceramic.  I found great information on both on Dr. Mercola's site.  Expensive, but I have a plan.......... gonna sell a bunch of stuff around the house I no longer use that I know others will and viola, I'll have at least half my budget for this next investment.

Just scroll past the banner and click on "household" to see the many options: http://products.mercola.com/

From Dr. Mercola's site, I have already bought the "sun alarm clock" (that video is sooooooooo worth watching, I actually got the clock on eBay for $20 less, btw) and I've bought his water and shower filters (but like I said, next time I will be check out "Omica" for their filters that also get rid of fluoride, not just chlorine.  I also bought and air purifier that gives off negative ions (found one for much less on eBay) and it is making a big difference to how my air feels when I breath it in my bedroom.  I've also bought his laundry detergent, bath care, hair care, feminine products and numerous supplements like: melatonin, vitamin d, probiotics, etc.  Love his website and all his videos and tons of info.

My next mission, as I mentioned, is to buy the ceramic cookware and the wool bedding from his website and the "aroma turbo oven" that you can use instead of horrible microwaves. 

Oh and I cook with Himalayan salt all the time and start my day off with it every day.  Check out my blog entry on table salt vs. sea salt vs. Himalayan salt, check it out, quite fascinating: http://www.sunshineandvitality.blogspot.com/2011/04/table-salt-mortons-vs-sea-salt-vs.html

As an added bonus, I go and pump my own FREE spring water from a spring right here in Chicago (it's closed for the winter now, so for now I get the water from a machine at Whole Foods, but I'd prefer fresh spring water that hasn't been processed in any way).  Check out how to "find a spring near you" which will help you find a spring ANYWHERE across the ENTIRE NATION: http://www.sunshineandvitality.blogspot.com/2011/04/6-find-spring-near-you-get-free-water.html

Here's a blog on the benefits of water: http://www.sunshineandvitality.blogspot.com/2011/04/benefits-of-water-how-do-we-know-if.html

So now we get to cosmetics, did you know how many toxins are in the average cosmetics and even companies like Mary Kay who claim that are offering non-toxic or better options (who are not necessarily doing so). 

I've done lots of research, so check out what I've found below.  Of course, I know the average consumer has not realized yet and therefore has no concern for the fact that the majority of cosmetics we use are very harmful to our health, but I feel, we should all be educated about the toxins found in cosmetics.  Luckily, I rarely wear make up, only for special occasions, so I can honestly say I might buy one new item of make-up once every 1-3 years and I might wear make up at best, 1-5 times a year, whereas the average woman wears it 5-7 days a week, so this should be of even greater concern to the average woman.

So here's a lot of info. I've found on the topic that I think will interest most of you and enlighten you about how much toxins there truly are in most cosmetics.

This is a great article that enlightens us on how many chemical toxins we've put in our body on average per day from all of the lotions, creams, shampoos, conditioners, body scrubs, cosmetics, etc, etc, that we use regularly, it's quite alarming: http://toxicfreeawareness.com/2010/09/11/organic-and-toxin-free-cosmetics/

This website has great information on what toxins to avoid in cosmetics and how/where you can find toxic-free organic cosmetics: http://www.essential-organic-living.com/organic-makeup.html

This is a blog entry I found that has some interesting info:

http://www.healthy-communications.com/8coschemicals.htm


This article talks about the "Campaign for Safe Cosmetics" that was started in 2001 and guess what, Mary Kay doesn't want to sign it.  So obviously, they are not making a complete effort to be toxin free as per the guidelines that Europe established long before the US decided to start this "campaign" to get cosmetic companies on board in following the same guidelines:  http://safecosmetics.org/article.php?id=281

This website lets you look up different cosmetic lines and check the amount of toxins in their products.  Here's the main website page to check all cosmetic lines on: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/search.php?hq=Mary+Kay&search_group=everything&ptype2=

Here's a link to an amazing website with all sorts of essential oils and other great natural products: http://www.livinglibations.com/

Great article re heavy metals found in most cosmetics: http://shine.yahoo.com/green/heavy-metals-found-many-cosmetics-not-listed-labels-194900866.html

Article re top cosmetic companies resume cruel animal testing: http://www.naturalnews.com/035078_cosmetic_companies_animal_testing_cruelty.html

So where am I going to get my replacement toxin-free, organic cosmetics from???  Well, gonna do more research but here's some links I've found so far: http://www.google.com/search?q=toxin+free+cosmetics&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7ADRA_en

The link re "Make-Up Junkie - Top Toxin Free Beauty Brands" is probably the first one I will search on that list in the link above.

Here it is, I've done lots more research and am about to do another blog entry on all the goodies that I have tried so far for my hair, make-up and nails.  But as a quick reference, here's some GREAT websites to check into (if you check out my blog #28 you will see more details on all the products I have bought so far from these sites):

http://www.justnaturalskincare.com/hair/thick-ALL-products.html

http://www.100percentpure.com/

Here's info on my new favorite website for ALL NATURAL, completely CHEMICAL-FREE and TOXIN-FREE make-up, make-up remover, nail polish and nail polish remover (the only products I do NOT suggest from their site are ones that list "hydrogenated oil" as an ingredient as truly that's a modified oil that is one step from "plastic" so if we're trying to be all-natural, why would we want that on our face? The rest are fabulous).  http://www.suvarna.co.uk/

The above is a UK based website, so if you'd like to check out how much you would actually be paying in dollars, here's a convenient link to convert pounds to dollars (no surprises that way): http://www.unitconversion.org/currency/british-pounds-to-us-dollars-conversion.html

Hope you enjoy all the info. I shared.  As consumers of the free world, we need to stick together, support each other and always enlighten each other as well.  I hope that the info. I have shared here has done that for you.

Please feel free to share this blog with your friends and if you like what you read, please "join" my blog so you'll get automatic emails when I add a new blog entry.

#25 - Vegan Lasagna Recipe

“Vegan lasagna recipe”Lasagna Ingredients:
One package (organic) lasagna noodles
2 jars of “Organicville Italian Herb” pasta sauce
2 packages of “Yves” “meatless” ground meat
4 cups of fresh spinach
1 yellow onion
1 lg. tomato
1 lg. portabella mushroom (optional)

“Ricotta Cheese” Ingredients:

1-2 packages “firm” (organic) tofu
NOTE: If you like lots of "cheese" then use 2 packages of tofu and DOUBLE all the ingredients below for the "ricotta cheese" mixture:

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbl oregano (fresh, if possible)
2 tbl basil (fresh, if possible)
2 tbl parsley (fresh, if possible)
1-2 tsp “Himalayan salt” (add till it tastes good)
1-2 tsp pepper (I used “garlic & pepper spice mix) (add till it tastes good)

Additional ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil (to use in water and in lasagna tray)

Preparing “ricotta cheese” mixture:

Put tofu in food processor or blender and blend till very smooth
Remove and place in bowl
Add remainder of ingredients (remember to double the ingredients if you are using 2 packages of tofu instead of one) and whisk together, then set aside

Preparing “meatless” meat mixture:

Dice up onion, tomato and portabella mushroom
Warm up saute pan
Add olive oil (2-3 tbl)
Let olive oil heat up for about 30-45 seconds
Added diced up veggies and saute till soft and/or lightly browned
Add both packages of Yves “meatless ground", stir until nice and warm
Add one jar of pasta sauce and stir until nice and warm
Turn off heat and set aside

Preparing lasagna noodles and spinach:

-Bring 4-5 quarts of water to full boil in large pot
-Add 1-2 tbl of olive oil (this keeps noodles from sticking)
-Do not break noodles in half when placing in pot
-Place about 5 noodles in at a time (edge will stick out – gently push on middle of noodle and/or edge that is sticking out, with wooden spoon, until entire noodles are submerged under water)
-Repeat this process till you have put all noodles in the pot of boiling water
-Cook no more than 10 min. (check that noodles are almost fully cooked, but are still “al dente”)
-You do not want to fully cook the noodles since they will be baked thereafter, they should be soft but not too soft
-Do not leave noodles in water when they are done cooking, as the hot water will continue cooking them and making them softer. When they get to desired consistency, remove water, rinse noodles and set aside
-Separately: Chop up spinach and thoroughly rinse all dirt out of spinach leaves, then set aside (spinach should not be boiled or cooked prior to being placed in lasagna mix)

Assembling lasagna: (at this point, turn on oven to preheat at 450)

-I like to use a glass lasagna tray (stainless steal or disposable foil trays will work as well)
-Pour a couple tbl. of olive oil in bottom of tray and use brush to brush bottom and all sides on the inside of the tray with the olive oil (this will prevent the noodles from sticking to the tray)
-Open second jar of pasta sauce and brush a couple tbls. over olive oil on bottom of tray
-Gently start to take lasagna noodles apart, if possible, without ripping them so you have full length strips (if they do rip, just layer them)
-Place 3-4 noodles side by side (lengthwise) to cover the width of the tray
-Brush another a couple more tlbs. of olive oil on top of noodles
-Use 1/3 of “meatless” meat mixture and spread over sauce and noodles
-Place another layer of noodles on top of “meatless” meat mixture
-Put another layer of pasta sauce on top of noodles
-Take 1/2 of the “ricotta cheese” mixture and place on top of sauce and noodles
-Take 1/3 of chopped fresh spinach and put on top of “ricotta cheese mixture”
-Repeat the steps above one more time (noodles, sauce, meat, noodles, sauce, cheese, spinach, noodles, sauce)
-Top of lasagna should have generous amount of sauce (you can add a “vegan shredded mozzarella cheese” on top if you like (I didn’t really care for the one I tried, but everyone else loved it…. it tasted more “parmesan-y than mozzarella-y, but it did make a nice crispy top”

Baking lasagna:

Place lasagna tray in preheated (450 degree) oven and bake for 30-45 min. (make sure that layers are hot by cutting a little piece and trying it.... a nice semi-crusty top is a good sign it's ready, but always taste test to be sure)
Viola, dinner is served!!!!
Soooo yummy!

The key is to make sure that every layer of your lasagna has pasta sauce throughout it. I made a second batch and did not put that much sauce in the layers and it didn’t taste as good. Then I went back and added more sauce and it was perfect!
So, with the “meatless ground" and the tofu-based “ricotta cheese”, the flavors are really brought together with the pasta sauce, otherwise it becomes a little too dry!

Good luck, enjoy and tell me how it went! I believe it took me about 45 min. to put it all together and no more than 45 to let it bake!  I've now made it 3xs and every time I've shared (with "carnavores" no less), every last one of them has said they LOVED it and would "never guess that there WASN'T any meat in there.

Of course, if you don't like using "meat substitutes", you can play around with the recipe and add other veggies (like mushrooms zuccini, squash and/or eggplant if you're a fan of any of these) and OMIT the meat substitute.

Below are pictures I took when I prepared this for my family in LA over Thanskgiving wknd, 2011.  I did not have one LARGE glass dish, so instead I used 2 small ceramic ones (you can't tell from the pics, but they are not full sized dishes, more mid-sized), so that's why I ended up layering and making 2 lasagnas instead of one.

 

 

 

My next challenge is how to take a fabulous "vegeterian" recipe for "Baked acorn squash with bread pudding stuffing" and turn it into a fully "vegan recipe" (I got the butter and milk covered.... but not sure what to sub for the eggs.... suggestions??)

 

 

#24 - Laugh your way to happiness & longevity!!!

I don't know how many of you have ever heard of "laugher yoga", but if you haven't, one thing I will say is that most of us are missing laugher in our lives.  On average children laugh 300 times a day.  Years ago, the average adult American laughed 15 times a day (way less than children obviously), and now, unfortunately in the times we're in with high-stress work environments, longer working hours, lack of jobs, constant electronic interference, psuedo online relationships and the list goes on and on..... we (American adults) actually only laugh about 5 times a day (if that).  How sad is that!

Think about the last time you had a REALLY good laugh, I mean so good that you started crying and you thought you were going to pee your pants and/or start hyperventilating cuz you were laughing so hard?  I can honestly tell you in the last 10 years, for me, that's maybe been a handful of times.  Yet, in high school I had a great friend that together we'd make each other laugh so hard that I'd fall out of the chair gasping for air and literally would crawl away to another room or outside of the house just to catch my breath and stop crying from laughing so hard.

I miss those moments!  Laughter is truly a key to longevity!!!!  One of the oldest women on this earth, at age 122, stated that the key to living so long was "laughing on a daily basis".

So, if you are here in Chicago, I invite you to join me to attend the next laughter yoga class in Skokie next month on Dec. 17th, 2011 (a "meetup" group is organizing it.  If you haven't heard of meetup, they are nationwide and you should check them out, any interest you have, someone has probably created a meetup group for it.... and it's free to join, just create a user name and search your neighborhood at: www.meetup.com).  Here's the Skokie laughter yoga meetup: http://www.meetup.com/Laughing-Yoga-Club/events/26786301/

And here's a great website on a local Chicago organization that offers laughter yoga to corporations and other group settings.  The website gives a lot of amazing information on what laughter yoga is all about, so it's worth checking out (they don't seem to offer regularly scheduled classes, but seem to be contracted for events instead, but nonetheless, totally worth checking out their website).  And if you are not in Chicago and are interested in laugher yoga near you, I suggest you simply Google "laughter yoga" and add the name of the city you're in and see what you come up with.  http://www.laughteryogachicago.com/laughter_yoga_why_now.htm

Let us all live in love, laughter, sunshine and vitality!!!!

Lucy

PS Going to improv comedy shows, watching America's Funniest Home Videos, watching comedic movies that truly make you laugh, are all great sources for laughing as well. 

#23 - Benefits of Hemp Seeds & other GREAT sources of PROTEIN

If you're vegeterian, vegan or raw and are looking for a great source of "protein", hemp seeds (aka hemp hearts) is a great source! 

Here's some great links on why hemp seeds are so good for us and why they are a "complete protein resource":

http://www.chii.ca/hemp-seed/hempseed.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/447808-are-hemp-seeds-good-for-you/

http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/03/hemp-seed-nutritional-value-and-thoughts.html

Here's a link to the ones I personally purchase - there are many other sources online as well, but I trust this one because my "homeopath" carries it in his office and I know anything he carries, he has thoroughly researched the product and manufacturer and I can be assured that it is THE BEST OF THE BEST (also try your local WF to see if they carry them): http://www.hemphearts.com/ - Ok, well, I did not find the "purchase" info. on their website, but they have lots of great info. about the product there, so check it out, but in the interim, to purchase email: clark@hemphearts.com OR call: (403) 380-1958.

For MORE great sources of protein, also try adding the following to your diet:

1) chia seeds (you make them into a "chia jell" to use in your "super smoothie" - check out my blog #14 on a great "super smoothie recipe" and how to make chia jell.... super easy),

2) spirulina (contains THE highest amount of digestible protein per serving ON THIS PLANET.... oh yeah, you heard me, it takes the cake over "meat" (meat only offers 20% of protein per serving, btw).......... we've been brain-washed to believe that meat is our only source of protein when there are so many other sources) - Spirulina offers 60-65% protein PER serving!!! - Check out my blog #22 for more info. on a great "spirulina supplement".

3) chorella (contains the 2nd highest amount of digestible protein per serving on this planet).  Chorella offers 55-60% protein PER serving!!! - Check out my blog #22 for more info. on a great "chorella supplement".

4) nuts and/or seeds

5) dark leafy greens (collard greens, chard, kale, spinach are all great sources)

6) sprouts (all kinds, they are an amazing source of protein)

I strongly suggest you invest in a "spirulina supplement" and/or "chorella supplement" if you are on a "raw, vegan or vegeterian" diet........... this will give you the optimal amount of digestible protein without turning to meat AND.............

IF YOU ARE ANEMIC, these amazing supplements (Spirulina & Chorella) should really help you, as they have helped me (and I've battled Anemia for 8 years now (since 2003) and no "iron supplements" that MDs prescribed helped (they just made my constipated), then my homeopath got me on these supplements and it was night and day what it does for my energy.  Check out my blog #22 for more info. on which products I suggest and why!

#22 - Benefits of Spirulina and/or Chlorella supplements

OMG, what can I say about the AMAZING benefits of Spirulina and Chlorella!........ so, sooo, sooooooooo much!!!!

They are GREAT for people that are ANEMIC and/or looking for an amazing plant-based "complete protein" that gives us far more protein than "meat" does per serving without the nasty side effects and diseases that regular meat ingestion can eventually cause (see below for more details).

Also, if you compare the amount of "complete protein" we consume per serving from meat (a mere 20% per serving) vs. Spirulina (60-65% per serving) vs. Chlorella (50-60% per serving), I think we can do the math to figure out who are the TRUE WINNERS HERE................. NOT meat!  We've been brainwashed to think so AND to believe that plants CANNOT give us enough "protein" yet that's not true at all.  Check out my blog #23 for MANY more non-meat sources of protein!

First off, PRODUCT IS EVERYTHING............... so I HIGHLY recommend buying from "Healthforce Nutritionals".

Why Healthforce Nutritionals?

Their products are "Vegan" so NO animal-derived products are used (but then again, Spirulina and Chlorella are a "blue-green algae" found in the sea, so they have nothing to do with animals), but certifying that the product is "vegan" also goes beyond that, it means it was not produced in a factory that processes any meat or dairy products.

(Note: All information I've listed below is direct from Healthforce Nutritionals website/products)

Spirulina offers 60-65% protein per serving.

Healthforce Nutritionals products are "100% TruGanic".  What does that mean?  TruGanic (a trademarked term) means it is a "purist, hard-core quality standard significantly beyond Organic.  In addition to no pesticides being used anywhere in the growing process, TruGanic include authentic standards for production, non-toxic cleaning agents, pest control, electromagnetic radiation, processing agents, additives, air quality and actual verification of purity."

"Spirulina is a water-grown, 100% vegetable plankton.  It is a blue-green algae that grows in fresh water lakes throughout the world... and is probably the worlds single #1 superfood.  Incredible source of full spectrum, non-toxic absorbable nutrients and compounds including 60-65% protein!"

"The protein in Spirulina contains all eight essential amino acids, making it a complete protein.  It is a highly beneficial substitute for isolated protein powders (especially those of animal origin).  Unlike the high uric acide forming protein from animal products that contributes significantly to osteoporosis and can cause kidney stree, Spirulina's protein is gentle on your kidneys and its Pycocyanin has been shown to actually help orotect against kidney failure!"

"Spirulina provides high levels of chlorophyll, and also contains iron (non-toxic in whole plant form), vitamin A (as non toxic beta carotene), a full spectrum of carotenoids: B-1, B-2, B-6, E and K.  In addition, Spirulina provides a vast array of minerals, trace elements, acids such as: DHA, GLA and others which have been shown to possess potent anti-viral activity, chlorophyll, and other beneficial pigments."

"Spirulina is a whole food source of concentrated nutrients that has been used for centuries.  The ancient Aztecs thrived on spirulina from Lake Texcoco in Mexico.  In addition, Spirulina is still harvested by the native peoples who live around the lake in Chad, Africa."

************************
So what about Chlorella, you ask?  Many of the amazing benefits of Spirulina are offered in Chorella as well.  It is also a "blue green algae" and all of the the facts I listed about "Healthforce Nutritionals" product above, also apply to their Chorella product. 

Chlorella offers 50-60% protein per serving.

It is beneficial to our body to switch up the blue green algaes we give it, so I suggest alternating back and forth between a jar of Spirulina and a jar of Chlorella. 

It's best to purchase a jar of at least "500 tabs" at a time as you will take anywhere from 20-25 tabs+ per day.  Oh yes, remember this is an actual FOOD and therefore, since it is beneficial to feed our bodies protein throughout the day, the best way to do it is to take 5-6 tabs at a time at least 4-5 times a day!  I keep a jar on my desk at work and another one at home to start my day off with!

Here's some links to Healthforce Nutritionals amazing products:

1) Spirulina (500 tabs): http://www.pureformulas.com/spirulina-manna-500-tablets-by-healthforce-nutritionals.html
2) Chlorella (500 tabs): http://www.pureformulas.com/chlorella-manna-500-tablets-by-healthforce-nutritionals.html
3) Digestion Enhancement Enzymes (120 tabs): http://www.pureformulas.com/digestion-enhancement-enzymes-120-high-potency-vc-by-healthforce-nutritionals.html

Check out my blog #24 for more information on why "digestion enhancement enzymes" are essential to our bodies (especially if we are on a "raw", "vegan" or "vegeterian" diet!)

PLEASE WATCH FOR MY FUTURE BLOGS that will give very detailed information on specific "super foods" including: Spirulina and Chlorella. 

But first, I will posting about all the benefits of doing a "28 day raw food cleanse" and clearing DECADES of gunk built up in your colon from eating meat and dairy and taking prescription drugs and OTCs (over-the-counter drugs).  The average woman loses between 15-18 lbs. during the cleanse period and the average man loses between 20-25 lbs.  Depending on your body structure, height, etc, you can expect to lose at least 10% of your total body weight during a "28 day raw food cleanse" following the protocal that I share AND of course, like I mentioned before "product is everything", so using the "Ejuva" product is ESSENTIAL to the success of your TRUE cleanse!!!

#21 - Benefits of taking "Allicin Garlic" during cold/flu season

You may have heard that garlic is good for you... but did you know that the "Allicin" it produces is a highly effective, safer, and less expensive natural alternative to many prescription drugs.


Many medicines only relieve symptoms, but Allicin deals with the cause.


And did you know that Allicin can fight a wide range of disease-causing microbes and parasites, including some dangerous yeast and bacteria organisms that are resistant to drugs and antibiotics?


Allicin fights viruses, including: Flu, Colds, and Herpes.
Allicin also fights: fungus, yeast, and bacteria, including hard-to-treat yeast infections.

You get all the benefits of consuming "raw" garlic without the bitter taste NOR the harsh smell on your breath!

I take 1 capsule per day of a product called: "Alli-C" which contains a combination of: 1) allicin powder, 2) vitamin c, and 3) citrus bioflavonoids "which work synergistically to help support your body's natural defense system." (see below for link to purchase online)

The product I mentioned above is amazing because of the combination of the 3 supplements it offers within it, so you are getting a triple dose of "feel good" to boost your body's immune system!!!!

You can purchase it online at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Allisure-Allicin-Powder-270-Josling/dp/B004VXIWR0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1319307873&sr=8-3


If you cannot find this exact same product, then I suggest you find an "allicin garlic" supplement and take that throughout the cold/flu season to avoid catching any viruses AND avoid needing "flu shots" or "antibiotics" from your MDs.  Ick!  It's always about drugs, drugs, drugs in this society.... but I'm here to tell you it DOES NOT NEED TO BE THAT WAY and taking a daily dose (1 capsule) of "allicin garlic" should help ward away the mainstream flus and/or common colds!

Check out this link to more info. on Allicin Garlic benefits: http://www.astrologyzine.com/health/alli-c-benefits.html

Please, please, please..... stop the maddness.... stop taking annual flu shots, stop taking prescription drugs at the drop of the hat without doing your own research on the pluses and minuses of using them AND stop taking all the OTC (over-the-counter) drugs that also "suppress" our symptoms at the first sign of: congestion, stuffy nose, runny nose, lack of sleep, caughs, soar throat, etc, etc (forget about the crafty slogan Niquil has drilled in our heads)....

instead consider taking a supplement like "Alli-C" or at the very least a "allicin garlic" supplement, to help avoid or clear up those symptoms without needing to take DRUGS!  Ick!  Really, do you have any idea how many symptoms we've suppressed back into our bodies over the years that are just waiting to re-emerge in a worse form later on. 

Truly, the answer is to learn more about "homeopathy" (check out my blog #17 for more info.) and finding some great supplements such as the "Alli-C" I mentioned above, and the "Vitamin C complex" I mention in blog #20 and the "plant derived MSM" I mention in blog #21, as well as the Spirulina and/or Chorella supplements I mention in blog #22.

Be healthy, be smart and remember to live in SUNSHINE and VITALITY. 

And I mean it LITERALLY when I say "live in sunshine".... check out my blog #11 for more info. on why we're "Vitamin D deficient" and the "benefits of natural sunshine".

#20 - Truly Natural Vitamin C supplement

If you are looking to add "Vitamin C" to your diet, then you should look for a product that is "truly natural."

If you haven't found one on your own, I have found an amazing one that I highly recommend:

It's made by Health Force Nutritionals. 

Here's a link to their website, but you can also "price search" the web for other places that sell their product as well:  http://www.healthforce.com/shop?page=shop.product_details&category_id=2&flypage=garden_flypage.tpl&product_id=31


So why choose Health Force Nutritionals as your source of a "Vitamin C Supplement"?

A NOTE STRAIGHT FROM THE MANUFACTURER:
"Vitamin C never occurs as an isolate in nature, it is part of an entire Vitamin C complex."

Here's a list of all the reasons listed on the product that I believe make this Vitamin C complex product (from Health Force Nutritionals) superior to other supplements that are usually based on isolated Vitamin C:

1) one tsp. contains naturally occuring, absorbable, non-toxic Vitamin C complex from a whole food extract of Acerola Berry,

2) it contains naturally occuring co-factors incl. bioflavinoids, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients,

3) it is naturally buffered,

4) it does not contain: "isolated Vitamin C", 

5) it does not excrete in large amounts in the urine (visible as a yellowish tint),

6) it is not highly acidic, and

7) is non-toxic and does not cause nutrient imbalances (does not imbalance iron or copper levels or cause anemia, etc.).

To purchase this amazing product, check out their website at: http://www.healthforce.com/shop?page=shop.product_details&category_id=2&flypage=garden_flypage.tpl&product_id=31

ALSO, PLEASE CHECK OUT MY BLOG #19 that talks about 2 amazing benefits of pairing Vitamin C with MSM in your daily diet!!!