ALL NATURAL CHEMICAL FREE

HEALTH & BEAUTY TIPS Vol. 1

Good Day Readers,

I want to provide you some inexpensive alternatives that will reduce your exposure to unnecessary chemicals. Try them out and let me know how they work for you. I have tried #2 and #3 and they work well for me. #1 is beyond my ability since I have a shaved head. 

1. TREAT DAMAGED HAIR. Here is the best damaged hair natural treatment available.  It’s Bananas!

By Randy Fritz

Ingredients:

2 or 3 ripe bananas

Directions:

- Puree the banana completely. This is important.

- Pour the banana mixture into a glass or bowl'

- Add a few tablespoons of water during the process to get it out of the blender'

- With your hands, massage the banana puree into your hair

(This will fell smooth and milky like a conditioner should, and it does not have chemicals in it)

- Relax and wait 15 minutes.

- Rinse and shampoo your hair

2. WHITEN TEETH. Dying for some pearly whites? Rub banana peel on your teeth for about two minutes every time you brush and you'll be well on your way to that perfect smile.

3, PREVENT WRINKLES. 3 Times a Week Banana Anti-Aging Mask

By Annie B. Bond

INGREDIENTS

1 small banana

2 tablespoons fresh heavy cream

1 tablespoon organic honey

1 tablespon oat flour

Bottled or spring water

Rose hydrosol.

METHOD

Mash the banana, using the back of a fork, and then add cream, honey, and flour. Stir to mix well. You may need to add a little more cream or flour to obtain the consistency of thick cream of yogurt.

Apply mask to the clean face, including the area around the eyes and the neck, and leave on for 30

minutes. Rinse off with bottled or spring water and cotton pads, and dab on a little rose hydrosols, and allow to dry naturally.

Effect: nourishes

Skin types: dry, aging

Frequency of use: 3 times a week

Shelf life: 6 hours in refrigerator

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Treatment time: 30 minutes

Note about hydrosols: hydrosols are a byproduct of steam distillation, created while extracting essential oil. Hydrosols have properties similar to those of their related essential oils, although inevitably in a less concentrated form, but they are enriched with various water-soluble active ingredients. Their gentleness makes them an excellent way to tone, hydrate, and re-balance the pH of the skin, so they are frequently recommended as final cleansers/toners after cleansing or nourishing masks.

Removing as many unnecessary chemicals from our environment is essential to improving our health. Since we often do not know what is in the products we use even after reading the label, it is important to use natural substances whenever available. It takes a little more effort on our part however the benefit is removing one more source of unknown potentially harmful chemicals from our lives.

So let's Get Up Get Moving and Get Well and remember,

"CHIT CHAT WON'T BURN FAT"

10 THINGS THE PROCESSED FOOD INDUSTRY

 Doesn't Want You to Know.

Posted January 21, 2009. 

Source: Body Ecology

Okay they taste good … and they are easy. In fact they are everywhere you look. Processed foods seem like the answer to today’s busy lives. New fads and fancy advertisements make promises that keep us coming back for more.

But before you hit the vending machine or the fast food window, find out what the processed food industry doesn’t want you to know:

1.      Processed foods are addictive and can cause you to overeat. Whole foods are made up of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fiber and water. When foods are processed the components of these foods are modified (for example, fiber, water and nutrients are removed) and in other cases, components are concentrated. In each case, processing changes the way they are digested and assimilated in your body.

Eating highly processed or highly concentrated foods can artificially stimulate dopamine (the pleasure neurotransmitter), which plays a role in addiction. In this way, you are eating foods that lack nutrients and fiber, but create a pleasurable feeling. A food addiction starts because you feel good when you are eating these foods and they make you think they taste better. You crave that pleasurable feeling again and again and viola…this is what starts a food addiction.

2.      Processed foods are linked to obesity. Additives in processed foods, like high fructose corn syrup, sugar and MSG have been linked to weight gain and obesity. Dr. Mercola recently reported about a new study that showed childhood obesity could be reduced by 18 percent, simply by cutting out fast food advertisements during children’s programming. The Australian government is clearly more concerned about their children’s health as television advertisements to children were banned several years ago.

3.      Processed foods often contain ingredients that do not follow the principle of food combining, which can lead to low energy, poor digestion, illness, acidic blood and weight gain. An example would be a frozen meat and cheese pizza. Cheese (a dairy product), meat (an animal protein) and pizza crust (a grain product) make a terrible food combination that can wreak havoc on your digestive health.

4.      Processed foods contribute to an imbalanced inner ecosystem, which can lead to digestive problems, cravings, illness and disease. Beneficial micro flora cannot survive in your digestive tract when you are poisoning them. Like us they thrive on foods that are made by nature not by man.

5.      A diet high in processed foods can lead to depression, memory issues and mood swings. Ingredients in processed foods are often the lowest cost and sub-par, nutritionally. For example, the fats and oils used in processed foods are refined, which means they are stripped of the essential fatty acids necessary for healthy blood sugar levels, moods and memory. Your heart, hormones and brain suffer when you choose to eat these fats and oils. Instead choose the organic, unrefined or “virgin” fats and oils that are recommended.

6.      Processed foods often go hand in hand with “eating on the run” or multitasking. Most people will choose convenience if they are on the run and in today’s busy lives, who of us isn’t? Unfortunately, multitasking while eating causes people to lose touch with their natural appetite, often leading to weight gain. Additionally, multitasking sends the wrong signals to your digestive system, which needs to be in a restful mode to digest properly.

7.      Nutrition labels on processed foods are often misleading and have harmful health effects. Many labels say “sugar free,” but contain other sweeteners like agave, which is like high fructose corn syrup. Additionally, product labeling may hide ingredients like GM (genetically modified) foods and harmful additives like MSG. (These are hidden behind words on the label like “natural flavorings” or “approved spices”).

8.      Diets high in processed meats (like hot dogs and deli meats) have been linked to various forms of cancer, such as pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer and stomach cancer.

9.      Eating too many processed foods can lead to infertility and malnutrition. Processed foods, like cereal, are stripped of important vitamins and nutrients that your body truly needs. You could be eating a large amount of calories and still be malnourished if your diet is high in processed foods.

Animal studies have shown that over three generations, a deficient diet causes reproduction to cease. Today, infertility is on the rise, affecting 7.3 million people in America.

10.   Processed foods are made for long shelf-life, not long human life! Chemicals, additives and preservatives are added to processed foods so that they will last for a long time without going rancid or affecting the taste of the food. Food manufacturers spend time, money and research on beautiful packaging and strategies to lengthen shelf-life, with little attention on how the foods will lengthen your life or create lasting health.

Sources:

1.       Goldhammer, Alan, D.C., Dietary Addictions: Why eating healthfully is so difficult. National Health Association.
http://www.healthscience.org/index.php?view=article&catid=75%3Ahealthy-eating&id=398%3Adietary-addictions-why-eating-healthfully-is-so-difficult&option=com_content&Itemid=123

2.       Tsang, Gloria, R.D. and Girdler, Lauren. MSG and Your Weight. September 2008. Health Castle.
http://www.healthcastle.com/msg.shtml

3.       Mercola, Joe, O.D. Simple Change Could Reduce Obesity in U.S. by 20 Percent. Mercola.com.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/12/13/simple-change-could-reduce-obesity-in-u-s-by-20-percent.aspx

4.       Krebs, Al. New Poll - 94% of Americans Want Labels on GE Foods. Organic Consumers.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/newpoll102303.cfm

5.       Tsang, Gloria, R.D., Processed Meat and Cancer. August 2006. Health Castle.
http://www.healthcastle.com/processed_meat_cancer.shtml

6.       Fallon, Sally. Dirty Secrets of the Food Processing Industry. Weston A. Price Foundation.
http://www.westonaprice.org/modernfood/dirty-secrets.html

7.       Davis, Jordan K., M.D. Shelf Life is Not Your Life. Total Health Communications. Feb/Mar 2005.
http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/147070/shelf_life_is_not_your_life/index.html

The next time you ride by or up to a McDonald’s, Burger King, or any other fast food restaurant understand what they contribute to our community. The facts are clear despite all of the fancy advertising the only thing they contribute is disease and despair. 

When they benefit we lose. It is simple and as plain as that. Yes they provide jobs for the young, contributions to charities, but the insidious damage they do overwhelms any positive contribution they may provide. Money cannot fix our health.

In our lifetime we have seen the cigarette industry sued for poisoning people with the deadly chemicals in cigarettes and now their products are clearly labeled as unhealthy. There needs to be the same grassroots effort to stop the food industry from making so many false claims about the poor quality fuel they are hoisting on our communities. They advertise their products as healthy and each day there is clear evidence exposing the debilitating outcomes their products produce when ingested.

If we want better fuel we need to demand better products and it starts with each of us. Stop purchasing the garbage they are serving up and I guarantee they will change. More evidence that the change we want starts with us. I will begin to reach out to grass root organizations and present the information I have gathered. I will also begin to talk with some of the producers and the legislators that allow them to thrive, and encourage them to change. It is time to organize and demand better fuel. I am betting if a company continued to provide bad fuel for our cars and they did not run correctly we would demand better fuel.

3 Easy Steps to Reduce the use of Processed Food.

1.      Since most food is processed, it takes effort to avoid. My first recommendation is to cook additional meals on the weekend. This way you will not be as tempted to resort to fast or pre prepared food.

2.      Get rid of the canned goods. In order to make them last as long as they do, preservatives must be used. The leading culprit is salt and as we know this can cause negative health outcomes.

3.      Get rid of the bottled beverages. In addition to the chemicals from the plastic there are chemicals used to create the flavor and the fizz. There is also the issue of the sugar content causing the body additional harm.

So let’s Get Up Get Moving and use our purchasing power to demand better and Get Well.

“CHIT CHAT WON’T BURN FAT”

Jay Henry

WHY IS EVERYONE

Gaining So Much Weight

In case you haven’t noticed, we’re living in the midst of an epidemic of childhood and adult obesity. My interest in this topic is high since it is rampant in my community and a few family members needlessly suffer from it as well.

Before we go any further, it’s important to consider why people are getting so big and unhealthy. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the major culprits.

1.     High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) – Corn farmers grow WAY more corn than they should. Why? The simple answer is because the government pays them to – corn is a heavily subsidized crop. Due to the surplus, corn is very cheap. And because of its low cost, it quickly overtook sugar as the main sweetener in commercially produced products. It sweetened and it reduced the bottom line… What could be better? Too bad it’s terrible for us. I stopped eating products with HFCS over a year ago. If you want to lose weight and improve your health, you need to stop eating it, too.

1. The new commercials for the industry say sugar is sugar and as far as taste they are correct. As it concerns your health this is a lie. Your body does not process it in the same way. As a result, fructose goes right to the liver and triggers lipogenesis (the production of fats like triglycerides and cholesterol) this is why it is the major cause of liver damage in this country and causes a condition called “fatty liver” which affects 70 million people.
2. The rapidly absorbed glucose triggers big spikes in insulin – our body’s major fat storage hormone. Both these features of HFCS lead to increased metabolic disturbances that drive increases in appetite, weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia, and more. See link below

http://drhyman.com/blog/conditions/5-reasons-high-fructose-corn-syrup-will-kill-you/

2.     Fast Food – This industry controls way more of our food supplies than we should allow. Because they are more interested in money than health, we end up with a product that is not only unhealthy and nearly void of nutritional value, but also very, very cheap.

1. In addition to the low quality protein, we also must consider the fat content and what occurs when you fry meat at real high temperatures. It increases the risk for prostate cancer and arthritis. See links below

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/08/21/pan-fried-meat-prostate-cancer_n_1818415.html?just_reloaded=1

http://www.arthritistoday.org/nutrition-and-weight-loss/healthy-eating/food-and-inflammation/cooking-temperature-inflammation.php

3.     Advertising –Television is probably the largest source of ad bombardment, but there are ads everywhere we turn. I work very hard to limit the amount of advertising I take in.

1. Although it may seem easy to avoid it is not. However, living in a conscious fashion, will help you to purposely turn off and tune out the noise. Try some nice music and book instead. 

4.     Plastics, pesticides, and Teflon –. Research shows these chemicals release endocrine disrupting compounds that can cause an increased resistance to insulin and can damage our genes. I’m switching to cast iron pans, reusable containers, and organic food.

1. Information on the dangers of these products is widely known and published. You will find it easily by doing a search. 

What else can we do?

As responsible family members, parents, coworkers, and friends we should do what we can to help ourselves and our loved ones. Be a catalyst for change in your sphere of influence. Don’t talk about the change… “BE THE CHANGE YOU WISH TO SEE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.”  Don’t condemn others for their problematic behavior; help them change it by changing yours.

Here are some other things we can do to lead a healthier life and, in many cases, improve our financial well-being at the same time.

1.     Plan ahead – Plan your meals out a week or month ahead of time. Make a shopping list before you go to the store, and base it on your menu. Going on a trip? Pack you meals. If you don’t, you’ll wind up stopping for burgers, fries, and HFCS soda pop.

2.     Drink more water – Don’t drink fruit juices or soda pop – they’re not good for you. Drink water instead, and try to stick to non-fluoridated water (well, distilled, or spring water). Just do your best to avoid bottled water – remember, we’re trying to avoid that pesky plastic!

3.     Eat more organic local food – This is something my wife and I have completely adopted. Don’t worry; it doesn’t have to be more expensive. We actually spend less money on food now than back when we ate “conventional” food. 

For many communities this is not possible since they have no supermarket and very few places to grow anything in the inner cities. I do suggest that you make the effort to eat local and be organically smart. For instance pesticides on leafy greens are absorbed but with apples and oranges it is not.

4.     Eat less – One disturbing thing to note is that a lot of the heavily processed foods on the market today have addictive agents in them, so it might not be your fault after all. Does this make you mad?

1.     This should piss you off. To think that this is allowed, “Only in America,” is outrageous. See the link below for more information

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-11-11/fatty-foods-addictive-as-cocaine-in-growing-body-of-science.html

5.     Turn off the TV – Go spend creative time with loved ones. If you can’t think of anything to do other than watch TV. I don’t have much more to say on this topic.

6.     Get more sleep –There is a correlation between sleep deprivation and weight gain. See the link below

1.     The researchers found that the group that got less sleep ate an average of 549 more calories per day than the group that slept well. One investigator noted that, “Sleep deprivation is a growing problem, with 28% of adults now reporting that they get six or fewer hours of sleep per night.”

http://www.inquisitr.com/206619/sleep-deprivation-equals-weight-gain-study-suggests/

7.     Grow a garden, preserve the food, and learn to cook – Fifty years ago, things were very different… People still knew where their food came from, how to preserve it, and how to cook it. That’s no longer the case. The only thing we know is that if we need food, we either go out to eat, or we head to market. This needs to change, and that change can start with baby steps… Just make little changes every week and you’ll be surprised at how quickly you and your family adapt, and how happy you’ll be with that change.

8.     Don’t tell your kids, show your kids – Don’t expect your kids to do things that you don’t do. If you want them to be healthier, then you need to be healthier. If you want them to eat better, then you need to eat better. Help them! Sometimes all they need is an example and a little encouragement.

We need to make a change!

Remember… Nobody is going to change things for you, and they shouldn’t have to. It’s time we started taking control. It’s time we stopped living a reactionary life and started living proactively. It’s time for us to stop complaining and start evoking change in our lives and the lives of those we love!

Research has shown that obesity has a dramatic impact on life expectancy. The information is out there and perhaps you are not able to take all of the steps suggested above but you will be able to do some. Change one and improve your health a little; do 2 and improve your health a little more; 

I am sure you get my point. Start with changing one thing this week to improve your health. Stay in this moment and do not become overwhelmed by your perception of the task ahead. Mountains are climbed one step at a time.

I hope you will join me in my effort to improve the health in our communities across the globe. We do not need the permission of government the food, medical or pharmaceutical industry. Change arises out of grass root efforts. 

The industries listed above have no incentive to change unless you stop buying their harmful products. Change your life for the better it is likely you will provide some incentive for those around you to do the same.

One more recommendation is to Get Up Get Moving and Get Well and remember

“CHIT CHAT WON’T BURN FAT”

Based on research from Matt Jabs with comments in red from Jay Henry

WILL PAUL RYAN

HELP US BE WELL

by Marion Nestle

AUG 18, 2012

Guest post: Paul Ryan’s Views on Food Politics

Daniel Green, a student at Cornell, asked whether I intended to write about Paul Ryan’s views on food politics.  He volunteered to put something together with his colleague, Dr. Margaret Yufera-Leitch.  Here are their thoughts:

Few Americans had heard of Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) until last week when he was announced as Presidential-hopeful Mitt Romney’s November running mate. A Janesville, Wisconsin native, former personal trainer and Oscar Mayer Weinermobile driver during his college days, Ryan is a strong advocate on the Hill for the P90x exercise routine and avoids eating fried foods and desserts (yes, even on the campaign trail).

But how do Mr. Ryan’s personal beliefs impact his voting on food politics related matters?

Obesity prevention

In the case of obesity, prevention has been shown repeatedly to be the best medicine. Of the $2.6 trillion spent on US health care in 2010, 95% went for disease treatment leaving only $421 per American per year for prevention—not even enough money for a 1-year gym membership in most states.

In an interview with Politico, Mr. Ryan admitted to maintaining 6-8% body fat with a healthy BMI of 21, admirable for any working professional. But Mr. Ryan, who has voted against every Affordable Care Act related bill, takes the stance that what you eat and what you weigh are both matters of personal responsibility. 

In 2005, he voted for H.R. 554 “The Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act” also known as the cheeseburger bill, which aimed to ‘prohibit weight gain-related or obesity-related lawsuits from being brought in federal or state courts against the food industry.’ The bill was passed by the House but failed to even go up for vote in the Senate. The legislation was featured in the 2004 Morgan Spurlock documentary Super Size Me, where Marion Nestle also made her on-screen debut.

According to a recent report by the Bipartisan Policy Center, by 2020 Obesity will cost America $4.6 trillion dollars annually and healthcare costs related to obesity will consume 19.8% of U.S. GDP. The sudden rise of obesity is a clear sign that, as a country, we have fostered an obesogenic environment that will require commitments from both the public and private sectors to reform.

Given that 70% of Americans are overweight and obese, we have collectively demonstrated that public service announcements alone have not yet resulted in the significant population-wide behavior changes needed to reverse obesity and more importantly alleviate a strained U.S. Health Care system.

SNAP Benefits

One of the most important programs available to lower income Americans is the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly referred to as Food Stamps, which provides access to fresh foods for low-income families. Given that increased fruit and vegetable consumption are cornerstone habits of the Preventative Medicine conversation, why has Mr. Ryan argued to cut SNAP by $33 billion over the next ten years?

Affordable Care Act

Paul Ryan’s choices to repeal $6.2 trillion dollars of support from the Affordable Care Act and obesity-related provisions, demonstrates a lesser degree of support for preventative care than his widely publicized exercise regime suggests.  Perhaps with unemployment still high and unsure economy, America has bigger fish to fry than fixing the food system and reversing obesity but at least for now, Paul Ryan will take his fish broiled.

 Paul Ryan Food Politics Fact Sheet

Favorite Exercise Program:	P90x
BMI:	21 (Healthy)
Dietary Restrictions:	Doesn’t eat desserts or fried foods
View on cause of Obesity	Personal Responsibility
Country of Origin Labeling (COOL)	For
Farm Bill	Against
Food Safety Modernization Act	Against
Healthcare Reform (Affordable Care Act/Obamacare)	Strongly against
Menu Labeling	No direct comment- but against Obamacare which includes it
Repealing the Prevention and Public Health Fund	For
School Lunch Reform and Child Nutrition Reauthorization	For
Soda Taxes	No direct comment

So there you have it, hypocrisy and a lack of concern for the 47%. These folks have more gall than most drug addicts. They eat and live well but do not and will not promote the same for you and I. There seems to be a conspiracy to make us sick via; contaminating our fuel sources with genetically engineered products; lying to us with negotiated truths; providing the instant gratification of pharmaceuticals rather than fruits, whole grains and veggies. I know most of you have probably already made up you minds about the election and the politics of food has no traction so this is non political FYI.

The more you learn the better chance you have to succeed. Hopefully you use the information to improve your health and wellness via exercise and better fuel choices. The fact that the elite are eating different than what they are recommending or legislating for the masses is incredibly revealing. Give it some thought, "Can you trust some one who creates laws that allow you to slowly kill yourself?"

I have to give it to Paul Ryan, he is fit as a fiddle. Kudos to him for his hard work and that six pack. Use him as an example and follow his lead regarding health and wellness. Clearly he, Gets Up, Gets Moving and is well. His food politics not withstanding, his wellness is something to emulate and duplicate for yourself. So Get Up Get Moving and remember,

"CHIT CHAT WON'T BURN FAT"

I QUIT

SMOKING!!!!

CHANGING ONE THING 

Habits as defined by Webster are, “an action or pattern of behavior that is repeated so often that it becomes typical of somebody, although he or she may be unaware of it.” Addiction as defined by Webster is, “a state of physiological or psychological dependence on a drug.” Smoking is both and I am no longer defined by either. I have Quit Smoking.

Aside from the biological repercussions, it is a filthy habit that stains my fingers, teeth and even the walls, floors and windows of my home. When I was smoking, I often had to clean the inside windows of my truck because of the yellow film left from the cigarette smoking. I have also burned holes in my clothes, rugs and sometimes the furniture by accident while smoking cigarettes.

Presently I am entering my third week of non smoking after approximately 38 years of smoking Newport box. Yes this is the brand of choice for the smokers in my community. It cost me 7 dollars a day for 38 years. I am betting you are doing the math even as you read this. Skip that step, here is the math. Based on an average cost over the years of $5.00 a pack, the cost in money is approximately, $70,000.00 up in smoke. I know I wish I had that money in the bank right now.

This is not easy but it is also not as hard as I thought. I am using the Nicotine Replacement Patch which helps with the addiction to the nicotine but not the situational addiction. It also does not assist with the muscle memory. If you smoke or used to smoke, you know what I mean. Hand to ashtray, hand to mouth, and having something in your hand are all a part of the addiction. So it is more than the biological addiction that I have to beat. I need to find a way to change what I believe about cigarettes and the role they play in my life.

My experience with changing significant habitual behaviors requires a great deal of will power but I am learning it is more than just will power that will help me. In order to really change this behavior I will need to change my belief system and yes like most of us, intellectually I know the health risk, monetary cost and ancillary damage it does. Hell, I knew that every time I lit and smoked a cigarette. If my behavior is going to truly change and stay changed I must reassign and reassemble my beliefs as it concerns cigarettes.

The truth is that if my belief system remains the same I will smoke again the minute I am stressed or I permit myself to fail. Yes we do give ourselves permission to fail. We do it through rationalizations and mistruths. We fool ourselves into believing we are doing what is required when we are not doing what is required to create change in our lives. As a result we fail and it stretches across various areas of our lives because the internal mechanisms we utilize to deceive ourselves and others are hard wired and not easily shut off or removed.

My mother often likes to share the story of my father buying me electrician’s tools when I was very young. One the tools was a pair of wire cutters. She tells me that I cut up all of her blinds with this tool. My response is, “I was given a cutting tool with nothing to cut.” Well it is similar with our tools of self deception; if we have them we will use them. 

However becoming consciously aware that we are deceiving ourselves will increase our ability to overcome and be successful at whatever change we are attempting to create in our lives. Difficult as it may be, I am working hard to follow my own advice about health and wellness that I promote to others on a daily basis.

The pundits say the ingredients in cigarettes are some of the most addictive substances that exist on the planet. That may be the case but I am certain I have the right stuff to step away and leave this debilitating habit behind me. I am dropping the baggage to improve my life and fatten my pockets a little.

To tell the truth, my body is craving a cigarette right now but my mind is resisting the urge. I hope you will join me in changing one thing in your life that will improve your health and wellness. Start small, add one or remove one small behavior that will increase your ability to be well and stay well. You can start by Getting Up, Get Moving, and Get Well….. Challenge the Status Quo

Remember, “CHIT CHAT WON’T BURN FAT”