Tuesday, July 28, 2009

How's your body image?


If it's not good, it could be costing you your health.  Worrying and anxiety causes low-level stress in the body, resulting in bone density loss!  Your bones will actually be depleted of minerals that are excreted through your urine!  So drink all milk you want, but if you are constantly berating yourself or you're stressed, you could still get osteoporosis!

When negative thoughts arise, especially those about your body, ask yourself if that is something you would say to a loved one.  If you know about the Law of Attraction, what you put out you get back, so if you're worried about becoming or being fat, you're just bringing on more fat!  So cherishing yourself with love will heal and nourish your body more than any exercise or healthy food can.

Relax with friends, take a bubble bath, get plenty of fresh outdoor air to oxygenate your body as much as possible, take a yoga class, and if you're gonna eat it, love what you eat!  It's that simple!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Trust YOUrself

Ever feel like your body is in conflict?  Like your brain says one thing and your gut says another?  Maybe you don't feel right about doing something but your brain tells you to do it because you have to, or someone won't like you if you don't?

This is a battle between your mind and your intuition.  The mind is tricky, for it processes millions of thoughts, reactions, events, and experiences from the past as a way to guide you.  You may hear your parents' voices in your head, "You need a secure job with a good salary and benefits to be safe."  But you've always wanted to be an actor, your heart and your gut tells you it must be so.

Or you see your parents' and friends' bad relationships and you think, "I will never get involved in a relationship so that I don't get hurt."  But then that perfect person comes along and you start to melt a little.  Though your head keeps putting up distrust as a guard, you want this person in your life.

Most of us go through life never really listening to our bodies, our intuition, what we're feeling.  We're programmed to be logical, and think in a linear fashion.  However if this continues, if you stifle and stuff down your feelings, that is when illness and chaos can occur.  You live your life according to what you think you should do, what you have to do, and then BAM! You've got a cold, or an upset stomach, or you lash out at your loved ones.  

In this society of go go go, push push push, do do do, sit down for a second and ask yourself, "What do I need?  How am I feeling?  What's best for me?" without judgement from the mind or worrying about what others would say.  You have the right and the responsibility to listen to yourself, because at the end of the day, all you can safely say you know and have is you. 

Check out this intuition meditation from Yoga Journal.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

I'm in love...

...with garlic all over again!  Today I stumbed upon a FANTASTIC product called Majestic Garlic.  It was in the raw foods section at Whole Foods, so I picked it up and looked at the ingredients.  Everything is all-natural, fresh, looked pretty good, so I brought it home with me.  Took a little taste, and it kind of reminded me of a really garlicky mayonnaise, or the garlic dip from Greek restaurants.  Dipped sauteed veggies in it, and oh MAN was it FAB-O!

I flew over to my computer, went to the company's website, and ordered more!  They have so many different flavors, including Goji Berry, Cilantro, Curry, Jalapeno, and the list goes on!  And they're local to Los Angeles, located up in La Canada by Pasadena.  Sweet!

Go to www.majesticgarlic.com for more info, and to order from anywhere across the nation!  You must must must try it out!  And it's raw garlic, so it will boost your immune system and help you grow strong, healthy nails.  Do it!  

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

My new favorite beverage!

Throw out your milk and run, don't walk, to Whole Foods.  They now carry coconut milk in a carton!!!  The brand SO Delicious, famous for it's dairy-free desserts, expanded to coconut milk ice cream sweetened with agave nectar, and now they have milk in a big white box for your usual everyday dairy needs.

Most people have milk intolerances and don't even know it.  Try the coconut milk on your cereals, in your cooking, at least for 10 days and see how you feel.  It doesn't have the same protein but it's high in medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) which are excellent for your hair, skin, and speeding up your metabolism.  You'll see the MCFAs listed as saturated fat on the box, but it's good and vital fat your body is craving for!

And if you need something cold and creamy, I definitely suggest trying their coconut and chocolate flavored ice creams.  They make them with both soy milk and coconut milk, but stay away from the soy.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Agua agua!

Water is one of our best friends.  I noticed my basil plant getting a little droopy and wilted, it looked so sad!  All I had to do was dump in a cup of water, and within ten minutes, the guy's posture had totally improved.  Basil was shooting his leaves out in all directions and standing proud against the wind.

While I know my plant isn't human or with a personality, I can say that proper hydration has a similar effect on humans.  How many times have you ran over to the water fountain at the gym to quench your thirst?  Isn't it so gratifying?  Imagine if you could have that happy, satisfied feeling all day long.

In nutrition school I received a fabulous CD by Dr. Fereydoon Batmanhelidj.  After trying to get past his mouthful of a name, I listened to the recording only to be completely astounded.  The guy was held in prison in Iran, and in this stressful environment, he cured thousands of his fellow prisoners' chronic illnesses by having them DRINK MORE WATER.  Unbelievable!!

His book, Your Body's Many Cries for Water, is bold, compelling, and is the answer for most of our bodily ailments.  Check out his website to read the evidence.  

In the meantime, I shall continue to drink my boatloads of water a day.  It helps me feel terrific! The amount of water you need depends on your activity level, the climate of the area you live in, your height and weight.  8 cups a day is average, so figure out what's appropriate for you.  You may notice an increase in trips to the bathroom, but trust me, this is a good thing your body will thank you for.  Think of each trip as relieving yourself from all the toxins and wastes in your body.  Happy drinking!

Monday, July 6, 2009

Toxins make you fat!

Not that I'm a proponent of people calling themselves fat, but if you've got some weight to lose and things just aren't moving, you might want to consider these three things that are keeping your body from shedding pounds:

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Less gas from cows!

Crazy story...So Vermont farmers stopped feeding their cows toxic soy and corn meal, and instead gave them oxygen-rich alfalfa and flax seeds for omega-3s.  The result?  Less cow gas!  Their bellies feel so much better, their coats are shinier, and their dispositions much sunnier. And since cow belching contributes to around 2% of our greenhouse gas production, this could help the climate too!

Hmm...if cows have seen that kind of difference from changing their diet, I wonder how the majority of America would feel?

For more: Cow belching!

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Uh-oh agave!

So we all know that sugar is bad, especially processed white sugar.  Many of us foodies have turned to natural sweeteners like honey and maple syrup that still have minerals intact, and these days the big buzz is around agave nectar.  It's touted as a low-glycemic sweetener, safe for diabetics.  We were all super excited when agave came out, and now it's replacing corn syrup in a lot of health food products.

AND YET, there's a catch.  Isn't there always?  I mean, sugar is still sugar.  Agave is mostly comprised of fructose, which is the same as in high fructose corn syrup.  And agave is still a processed sugar, since it's pulled from the plant and heated.

So just be careful when reading and hearing about this sweet stuff.  Dr. Mercola thinks it's just a bunch of marketing.  Check out his article:  Agave