New Years Resolutions

Ok, here we go...

1-Put myself on the list of priorities. This will involve me taking the time and energy to worry about me, instead of just the rest of the people in my house! I hope to gain health and happiness and lose weight. I plan to run 3 times a week and do yoga once. Stick to the weekly dinner plan!

2-Plan one activity with the kids each week. Anything from a museum to the zoo...

3-Get on budget and stay there. We have a household budget that is edited down to the penny...Now if we follow this budget and don't go over it, we will be RICH! :) Also in this one, for the first 3 months of the year, I intend to spend money on food and gas alone. We do not NEED anything other than that.

Good luck on any resolutions you may be making, and Happy New Year.

Shampoo, and Deodorant, and Makeup--Oh my!

Ok, so there is LOTS of yucky stuff in your life, and it goes WAY beyond just your food.

This is a huge issue with both adults and children. Your shampoo likely contains everything from cancer causing agents to hormone disrupters...And that explains your PMS...(Not really, but it may add to hormone related things)

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/index.php

This website above is a great reference point for any product you might have in your house, what is in it, and what side effects it might have.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a common ingredient in cosmetics/shampoos, etc. It is a major irritant, lots of people have issues with it on their skin. An ingredient in it is a carcinogen--meaning it causes cancer, and it increases the frequency of canker sores. This is most likely found in everything from your shampoo to your toothpaste.

Parabens are a preservative in cosmetics that have been shown to increase your risk of breast cancer and they have estrogenic activity associated with them--acting like fake hormones in your body.

Synthetic fragrances can cause everything from headaches to rashes.

Aluminum in your antiperspirant can cause everything from cancer to alzheimer's.

So what can you do?? Remember that you skin is your largest living organ!! Everything you put on it is being absorbed into your body. Check out the skin deep database. Find products that are "green" and healthy for you and your family.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the California Baby line for the kids and adults! I use the Tea Tree and Lavender body wash on the kids, myself, and as a face wash. The wash is super concentrated, so it lasts a long time, and the packaging has no phthalates, and is made from post consumer materials!!!

Also to make life easier, go to www.thegreenguide.com and look up personal care on that website. It is put together by National Geographic and takes into account a products effects on you and the environment.

Happy shopping!!! :)

PCRM

PCRM=Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

I am a fan of theirs on facebook, and I get their weekly or so emails. Every few months they run a 21 day kick start program to become a vegan. If you sign up for the emails, each day you will get a little tip, recipe, meal plan etc, to help you in your quest to become a vegan. This is also a great website for referencing---Especially since I think that most of health comes thru diet.

Thomas Edison 1902--"The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest her or his patients in the care of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease."

"Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet." —Albert Einstein

Visit www.pcrm.org!!!

This is the link for the vegetarian starter kit--http://pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vsk/index.html

After a lot of thought, I think that if you are only going to do one thing to help the planet, the one thing that you can change and have the greatest impact is to stop eating meat all together...Driving an SUV pollutes TONS less each year than eating meat. Recycling takes a lot of energy! STOP EATING CARCASSES! It will make you healthier and the planet healthier.---Or hunt...At least the karma from that animal won't be nearly as bad... :)

Interesting...

I get the Wysong newsletter emailed to me periodically...They are a great company--their website offers a great basic plan for lifestyle/eating.

This was on the newsletter this morning! AHHH!

10 Random Health Facts You Never Knew
Here are some interesting, and maybe even frightening health "facts." Whether they are true or not is anyone's guess. They are at least worth a good laugh.
1) Some parts of the world protect their babies from disease by bathing them in beer.
2) There are more than 1,000 chemicals in a cup of coffee. Of these, only 26 have been tested, and half caused cancer in rats.
3) There are more bacteria in your mouth than there are people in the world.
4) According to U.S. FDA standards, 1 cup of orange juice is allowed to contain 10 fruit fly eggs, but only 2 maggots.
5) Apples are more efficient than caffeine in keeping people awake in the morning.
6) Strawberries have more Vitamin C than oranges.
7) You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching television.
8) It is possible to go blind from smoking too heavily.
9) Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people do.
10) During your lifetime, you’ll eat about 60,000 pounds of food; that’s the weight of about 6 elephants.

Well, I am glad I don't drink orange juice, and I am a little upset that I am left handed! ;)

This is his optimal health pyramid--http://www.wysong.net/PDFs/ohp.pdf

A great day...

Today all we did was play outside in the snow...whether it was the dogs or the kids, we played. And no plastic toys made in China were required. :) What a great way to spend the day. Out in the elements with nothing but each other.

Remember that everyday when you go shopping for food, toys, clothes, etc, you are VOTING! Make sure you believe where you money is going. If you believe it is ok to harshly raise and kill animals, buy a McDonalds cheeseburger. If you think it is ok to let your kids drink out of cups and bottles with BPA--this is a hormone disrupter that has been shown to cause cancer. (Most industrialized countries have outlawed it--Not the USA), put your money there.

Choose to buy organic, free range eggs, where the chickens can wander and produce eggs with way more omega 3s. Play outside! Outside air is way cleaner than any indoor air, and once a baby is about 6 weeks old, they can regulate body temperature just fine!

PS---And we went to see Santa tonight...who knows where the candy canes full of high fructose corn syrup came from?!

Why???

This blog is for Megan because I respect the fact that she wants to learn...Learning can be fun and exciting! :)

Why is it called I want celery! Because that is what Isabella said to me when I was trying to find a name that wasn't taken...We ruin our kids. They are born loving things like celery and apples until we introduce them to the crap that is out there. My daughter is a huge fan of turning down Portillos in favor of an apple or whole wheat pasta.

What did I learn today?

More than that, what I want to share today is Dr. Greenes top 10 things you should feed yourself and your kids ORGANIC!

1-Milk

2-Potatoes

3-Peanut Butter

4-Baby Foods

5-Catsup

6-Cotton

7-Apples

8-Beef

9-Soy

10-Corn

Bonus-Wine

(see this link for reasons why...http://www.drgreene.com/555560.html)

Also here is the "Dirty Dozen"--These fruits and veggies should NEVER be bought unless they are organic. They are loaded with pestisides!!!

Peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, kale, leafy greens, grapes, carrots, pears.

The top 10 fruits and veggies you can buy conventional are:

Onions, avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, mango, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, cabbage, eggplant, papaya, watermelon, broccoli, sweet potatoes.