Monday, June 25, 2012

Coconut Milk ???

picture of coconut milkMy daughter and I are lactose intolerant and usually drink soy milk.  I have been hearing so many negative things about soy lately.  My daughter convinced me to try coconut milk.  YUM.  But now I am hearing so much conflicting information.

I found an article - "3 reasons why coconut milk may not be your friend" by Chris Kresser, L. Ac

It basically says to drink coconut milk that does not contain the following:


  • Bisphenol-A (BPA)
  • Guar Gum
  • Fructose
He lists all of the reasons why one should avoid these things and provides alternatives, brands without these ingrediants and a home made recipe.  

So, I keep searching to see what else I can find and I find a post titled "Coconut and Almond Milk in Cartons not a Healthy Buy" by SARAH, The Healthy Home Economist.  This post lists a couple things in the coconut milk that are not good for you;

  • Vitamin A Palmitate
  • Vitamin D2
Sarah goes on to tell us why these are bad for us and offers alternatives and a home made recipe just like the previous site.  

I go ahead and grab my container of Coconut Milk and look to see what is in mine....

Guar Gum, Vitamin A Palmitate and Vitamin D2.... it seems I have a bad choice here.  I guess that I will keep researching and see what else I can find.  

Anyone got any info or ideas?


Monday, June 11, 2012

Meditation


meditation  (ˌmɛdɪˈteɪʃən) -n.
1.the act of meditating; contemplation; reflection
2.contemplation of spiritual matters, esp as a religious practice



I just recently joined a Women's Circle led by an amazing woman Jen Trulson.  She has had many different groups that I wanted to join but a lot of them just haven't worked with my schedule.  A few months ago I found her Women's Circle and the time commitment was only one evening a month.  Yahooooooo, I can do that!  I signed up and a few months later, here I am!


I won't get into the details, but the group talks about different topics and then we have a guided meditation in closing.  I've meditated before.  Maybe once or twice.  WOW.

Let's back up a little bit....

I have been a mom for almost twenty four years.  I have been surrounded by noise and devoting myself to my family for twenty four years.  I still have a teenager at home and a few toddlers here and there and I never even considered what silence sounds like.  I don't mind the noise, it is full of love.  No complaints.

Now that I've dipped my foot into some quiet time, I am completely addicted.  I love the quiet.  Who knew?  I find myself wondering what people are thinking when I talk about meditation.  I know that a lot of people do meditate, but the people that don't kind of look at me funny.  Maybe I've looked at people funny in the past for the same thing.


I have been finding different guided meditations and have found several that I love, in fact, I don't think I've found any that I don't love.  :)   I have just gone on YouTube and searched through the millions of meditations there.  What I do know is that just ten minutes of meditation can completely change my entire being.  I'm officially in love!


Here is an some information that I found that may help answer some questions, for those of you that don't meditate but are curious about it.  Enjoy!

This article taken from - Pick The Brain




These are some of the benefits of meditation:

  1. Improved concentration – A clear mind makes you more productive, especially in creative disciplines like writing.
  2. Less bothered by little things – Do you sometimes allow yourself to get upset by little things? It is the nature of the mind to magnify small things into serious problems. Meditation helps us detach. We learn to live in the here and now, rather than worrying about the past or future. We do not worry about meaningless things, but see the bigger picture.
  3. Better Health – There have been numerous studies pointing to the health benefits of meditation. The reason is that meditation reduces stress levels and alleviates anxiety. If we can reduce stress, many health benefits follow.
  4. Knowledge of Self – Meditation enables us to have a deeper understanding of our inner self. Through meditation we can gain a better understanding of our life’s purpose.

Is Meditation Religious?

The great thing about meditation is that our philosophy/religious belief is not important. Meditation is about consciousness. The beliefs of the mind become trivial. We dive deep into the heart of the matter to gain access to our soul – our inner reality. Therefore, mediation can (and is ) practiced by people of different religions or no religion.
But I don’t have time To Meditate
Many people like the idea of meditation, but feel they don’t have enough time. When you really want to do something you can find time. Get up earlier or watch 30 minutes less TV. Meditation requires an investment of time, but clearing the mind makes the the rest of the day more productive. Nothing is better than the feeling of inner peace. What is the point in being tremendously busy but unable to enjoy it? Meditation is not about retreating from the world; it gives us inspiration. Whatever you do, if you have peace of mind, your work will be more enjoyable and productive.

To read the rest of the article, please go click here!  

Let me know what you think.  Do you meditate?  Why or why not?

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Get Healthy in 2012 - Anti-Aging Foods


I have found that the more time I spend trying to figure out what to eat, the more amounts of conflicting information that I find.  I can find you articles that support something and just as many articles that do not support the same thing.  How are we supposed to know what to eat?  Who are we supposed to believe?  

I will continue to read all of the articles, but I tend to resort back to the same thing every time.  Organic locally grown products are the best for our bodies.  The biggest problem that people struggle with is that these things cost more than the processed stuff.  There are a lot of struggling families out there just trying to get by and it is tough to find healthy things to feed our families.  

Here is an article that I found about foods that are "anti-aging."  I thought it was pretty good information to pass along to you.  I'm not sure how "anti-aging" they are, but they seem to be healthy choices and I'm all about healthy choices!  Enjoy!




1.  Tomatoes contain large amounts of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant.  Lycopene helps reduce the chances of several cancers - most notably prostrat cancer - and is also associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis.  It may even help prevent skin aging.  One of the quirky things about tomoatoes is that the amount of lycopene they have actually increases when you cook and crush them, so tomato paste and sauce are more powerful than fresh tomatoes.



2.  Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fat, which can help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.  It also has high antioxidant levels, a beneficial effect on cholesterol levels, and an anti-inflammatory effect.  No wonder the Mediterranean diet is so healthy!  Choose cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil for maximum benefit - but don't go overboard.  Remember, one tablespoon has 120 calories (13 grams of fat!)






3.  Like tomatoes and olive oil, grapes, grape juice, and red wine also contain antioxidants.  Drinking a moderate amount of red wine - one or two drinks a day - has been shown to increase longevity.  Be careful, however, because drinking too much can shorten your life instead!











4.  Nuts have fat, but like olive oil it's the "good" fat - monounsaturated.  Eating 5 ounces a week has been linked to reduced risk of heart disease.  They're also a good source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants.








5.  Whole grains, especially sprouted whole grains, contain a lot of fiber, as well as antioxidants.  They help protect against cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and contribute to maintaining a healthy weight.  So skip the Wonder Bread, and cut a slice of a multigrain loaf instead.





6.  There can't be enough said about the benefits of omega-3 fatty acides, and salmon is rich in them.  They help prevent cancer, reduce inflammation, coronary heart disease, and other health problems.  In most cases wild-caught fish are healthier than farm-raised fish.








7.  Blueberries have one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants.  They help prevent urinary tract infections, lower cholesterol, and help slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease.  All the other berries are great too, plus they taste practically like candy!






8.  Garlic has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years, used for everything from treating the common cold to serving as an antiseptic.  It can help regulate blood sugar and has anti-cancer properties.



9.  Loads of antioxidants make spinach a strong weapon against aging.  It also has high levels of folic acid, which helps fight cancer, heart disease, and mental disorders.








10.  Used medicinally for thousands of years, tea contains a large amount of antioxidants.  It may boost your metabolish, help prevent diabetes, life your immune system and mental alertness, and lower stress hormone levels.  Drink up!