Monsanto as a human--Monologue of a child

Everyone has heard about the evil corporation Monsanto. He is in everything! Here is a great video from the organic consumers website showing the implications of corporations being held as human beings. The funny thing is that even a child has understood the implications of this far better than anyone else. Check out the website here

First change: Your Frame of Mind

My best friend tagged me on facebook this morning, telling me I had to read this great blog from Jordan Korson about changing over to natural, toxic-free cleaners, and her journey. Of course when I read it, it made me even more excited about Shaklee's Healthy Home line because it is not only safe and effective, but AFFORDABLE to those who don't have the time or passion to make cleaners at home and it is still cheaper than making it yourself! Did you know Shaklee makes no significant profit on their cleaners because they believe it is their gift to the planet to create a safer environment for this generation and the next, coming into alignment with their philosophy "living in harmony with nature."

Here's an excerpt from Jordan's blog:

"There are so many toxic chemicals in our homes, in our communities, and in our country. We live in a toxic society. We live in a poisonous society. 

The sad and disgusting part of all of this is that it is just accepted. I often hear excuses like, “There is just too much to change, so why start? It won’t make a difference.” Even excuses mixed with humor like “Everything gives you cancer now days.” The fact is whether you want to ignore it because it is overwhelming or laugh it off because you don’t know what else you can honestly do, we are killing ourselves. We have to stop believing the lie that there is nothing that we can do. There is something we can do! And it starts with just one change, your frame of mind....read more "

Toxic bath for my baby? Why, no thank you!

What are we putting ON our kids?

FACT:     287 Industrial Chemicals—Found in a test of the umbilical cord blood of 10 newborns: consumer- product ingredients, banned industrial chemicals, and pesticides

FACT:    1,4-Dioxane and Formaldehyde—Found in 61% of 28 children’s bath soaps, shampoos, lotions, and other personal care products tested; considered probable carcinogens by the EPA

Babies’ skin is 5X thinner and more permeable than adult 

skin, making babies more susceptible to toxins .

FACT:    Phthalates—Fragrance can contain phthalates—known endocrine disrupters—which are also known to be skin irritants with potentially negative impacts on the respiratory system, liver, and kidneys

FACT:    Bisphenol-A—Found in polycarbonate plastic containers, baby bottles, and toys—is an endocrine disrupter; newborns and infants may have up to 11X more in their bodies than adults

*Raw onion on skin, motion sickness, nicotine, birth control patches.

    Going natural isn't limited to "hippies." You actually are loving your family (and self) well when you choose to use natural detergents, cleaners, bath products, and good nutrition free of these toxins that we are so accustomed to. Did you know that most women made all these products in home until around the 50s when companies convinced us that our home wasn't clean unless it smelled clean? Women bought the lie that they weren't good housewives and mothers unless their home was cleaned with these toxic cleaners that promised to make their lives easier and their homes cleaner. Guess they forgot to mention the time they would now be spending in the hospitals and doctors offices due to disease and poor health from these "helpful" cleaners. 

    I've heard this year is the year of the woman. I'd say it's time for women to stop believing these lies and be the mamma bear and protect and nourish her family by switching over to safe, natural, and effective cleaners! Great thing about Shaklee's Get Clean line is that they are not only safer for your family, but they are a lot CHEAPER! Not only are you also saving tons of money, but also time because the highly concentrated solutions keep you from running out of cleaners as fast; therefore, not going to the store every month or so. Looks like there is a product that goes back to nature AND does what they were trying to do in the 50s. No compromising here!

Fluffy GF Vanilla Cupcakes

My godson celebrated his 4th birthday last week. His parents and I threw him a Ninja themed birthday party! It was so much fun. He and his father are allergic to gluten so my best friend asked me to make some gf dishes for the party. The vanilla cupcake recipe I used, I borrowed from the gluten free goddess-- only I tweaked them a little bit and made my own cream cheese icing instead of the mocha icing since a bunch of 4 year olds would be eating it!  These might have been the greatest cupcakes I've EVER made. They were so delicious and so fluffy!

Yields: 24 large muffins

Ingredients:

Dry:

1 1/3 cup Brown Rice Flour

2/3 Certified GF Oatmeal Flour

2 cup tapioca starch 

1 cup organic cane sugar 

1 teaspoon sea salt 

2 teaspoon baking powder 

2 teaspoon baking soda 

2 teaspoon xanthan gum 

Wet:

2 cup  almond milk 

2 organic free-range egg

3/8 cup  pure coconut oil 

2 tablespoon vanilla extract 

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice 

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Line cupcake pan with paper liners.
3. Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
4. Add in wet ingredients one at a time.
5. Beat until smooth. Be careful that you don't over beat the batter. Consistency will be thick.
6. Scoop batter into liners filling 3/4 or less full. They will rise considerably so depending on how large a muffin you want, that is how much you want to fill it up.
7. Bake15-18 minutes.
8. Cool on wire rack.

 

Icing

8 oz package of cream cheese

1/2 cup softened butter

1/2 cup Confectioner's sugar

2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Mix cream cheese and softened butter with electric mixer.
2. Add in confectioner's sugar and vanilla
3. When muffins have cooled, ice with mixture. Mixture is easy to pipe because of it's thick creamy texture.

B aggressive, B-E aggressive about taking Vitamin B's

Here is a very helpful list about all the vitamin B's that you need to take, their benefits, AND what you may be ingesting that depletes your body of these specific B vitamins that are so important for you, helping convert the food you eat to energy, keeping your heart healthy, and so much more. Don't forget to take them all together! Easiest way is in Shaklee's Vitamin B Complex.

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) Water soluble-stored in heart, liver and brain.

Function: Called the “Morale” vitamin.  Essential for health of entire nervous system, for proper functioning of digestive system, aids growth of young children, assists the body to utilize energy from carbohydrate foods, needed during pregnancy and lactation and strenuous exercise.  Nourishes brain, eyes, ears, hair, heart, liver, kidneys.  Blood builder, maintains intestines and stomach; alleviators of pain; prevents excessive fatty deposits on wall of arteries, aids treatment of herpes, repels biting insects, protects effects of lead.

Vitamin B1 Depletors:  Negative emotions, alcohol, cooking heat, caffeine, excess sugar, stress, tobacco, surgery, raw fish and shellfish, muscle relaxants and sulfa drugs.

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) Water soluble – stored in skeletal muscles.

Function: Called the “youth vitamin”.  Essential for proper enzyme formation, normal growth, tissue formation, metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and protein.  Helps maintain good vision, skin, nails, hair.  Essential for antibody formation, sodium, potassium balance, production of red blood cells and hormones, absorption of iron, provides extra stamina and essential during periods of lactation.

Vitamin B2 Depletors:  Alcohol, birth control pills, coffee, radiation, tobacco, ultraviolet light, drugs, estrogen and sugar.

Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide) Water soluble--- stored in liver.

Function:  Assists body to perform energy producing reactions in cells.  Converts amino acid tryptophan into niacin.  Promotes good physical health, aids in healthy skin, tongue and digestive system.  Regulates levels of blood, preventing high cholesterol and high blood pressure and heart attacks.  Essential for production of male and female sex hormones, helps regulate blood sugar level in hypoglycemia and eases attacks of diarrhea. Used to treat schizophrenic and autistic children.

Vitamin B3 Depletors:  Caffeine, antibiotics, alcohol, sleeping pills, estrogen, excessive sugar, refined carbohydrates and sulfa drugs.

Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)  Water Soluble

Function:  “Panto” means everywhere-- is found in every living cell of the body. Essential for health of adrenal glands and hormones; needed for proper digestion, metabolization of fats, carbohydrates and protein, antibody formation and regulation of growth stimulation, vitamin utilization (radiation damage), May stimulate pituitary gland to put our natural cortisone.

Vitamin B5 Depletors:  Dmethyl bromide, insecticidal fumigant, alcohol, heat in cooking (canning), sulfa drugs, estrogen and sleeping pills.

Vitamin B6 (Pyridozine Hydrochloride)  Water soluble

Function:  Called the “vitality vitamin”.  Essential for conversion of protein foods into amino acids, production of antibodies, hormone adrenalin to maintain balance of minerals, potassium and sodium for entire nervous system, formation of red blood cells, protection against effects of an aesthetics and nausea in pregnancy; prevents formation of kidney stones, converts oxalic acid into a harmless form, protects harmful effects of gamma radiation and X-rays, aids in digestion and food assimilation, helps PMS, cancer immunity, essential for adequate enzyme function, without B6 the body can barely tolerate glucose and becomes sensitive to insulin.

Vitamin B6 Depletors:  Alcohol, oral contraceptives cause severe loss; canning and roasting, estrogen, long storage, most drugs and stress.

Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid)  Water soluble, small amounts stored in liver.

Function:  Essential for entire nervous system to stimulate production of hydrochloric acid, formation of genetic cells DNA and RNA, essential for absorption of iron and calcium with Vitamin B12 and C to break down protein foods, essential for formation of new red blood cells, production of antibodies and the maintenance of sex organs.

Vitamin B9 Depletors:  Contraceptives, high temperatures, alcohol, coffee, stress, sulfa drugs, tobacco, estrogen, food processing, barbiturates, dilantin.

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)  Slightly water soluble

Function:  Calcium needed for assimilation.  Only vitamin which contains a mineral element—cobalt.  Essential in the metabolism of carbohydrate, fat and protein, blood cell formation and bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract, needed for normal growth of healthy skin, mucus membrane and nervous system, necessary for the body’s use in amino acids and vitamin D and the utliliztion of iron.  Injections of  B12 have been given in the treatment of pernicious anemia as in multiple sclerosis, great improvement as well in chronic alcoholism and diabetes mellitus and osteoarthritis.

Virtamin B12 Depletors:  Laxatives, alcohol, antibiotics, aspirin, diuretics, antacids, tobacco, caffeine, estrogen, sleeping pills, contraceptives, intestinal parasites, cooking.

Other B Viamins are B13 (Orotic Acid), B15 (pangamic Acid), B17 (Laetrile), and PABA (Para-aminobenzoic Acid)

All B’s should be taken together in one balanced complex form.

Allergies

It seems like everywhere I turn, everyone is complaining about allergies! We didn't really have a winter in Texas this year which has effected the bugs not dying off and flowers opening and closing earlier than anticipated, giving off all their extra pollen and what not to make you want to pull your hair out--or cut off your nose!

So in light of this, I have created a "Spring Into It" package to help keep you healthy through spring, whether that be allergies, colds spreading around, or overall health! I guarantee you will feel better than you ever have through Spring.

 (Vitalizer Strip)

The package is:

1) Vitalizer- Has all the daily essential Vitamins you need to be a healthy, fully funcitoning, human being. Probiotic, Carotenoids-- vitamin E, 26 antioxidants, All 7 Omega-3 Fatty Acids, 8 Vitamin Bs, Vitamin C, Folic Acid, etc.
2)Alfalfa- Helps keep the sniffles away with its anti inflammatory powers. Great for respiratory issues, runny nose, or digestion problems.
3) Nutriferon- Nutriferon is a unique blend of 4 herbs that help boost your bodies natural interferon production to fight away disease and boost the immune system. Shakelee is the only producer of Nutriferon. Anything else is synthetic interferon and has serious side effects. Sythetic interferon is what they give cancer patients if they gives you any clue how effective interferon is in the body.
4) Defend and Resist- This purple vitamin does just what its name says--Defend and Resist disease. It's made of echinacea, elderberry, larch tree and zinc.

You can click on the links in the name to order and start feeling better right away. Oh, and when you order this in the month of March, Shaklee will also send you $100 worth of Cinch free! You will also get a free membership as well. That is over $120 dollars worth of free product. Talk about a great deal!

It's your Birthday! It's your birthday!

On Monday, I turned 26 years old. For the last couple of years, my birthday has been an odd thing; not really a celebration, and not particularly something I mentioned to people. I've never really made a big deal about my birthday and didn't really know why. I always felt like it is odd to announce to the world "I have a birthday and it is on the 27th and you better celebrate it!" Most likely out of fear that no one would want to celebrate it and secondly, because it was uncomfortable to ask to be celebrated and be the center of attention. My birthdays 22-25 were nothing to brag about, but something to remember.

22nd birthday: I got locked out of the house I was living in after only being in Germany for 3 weeks, having no cell phone,  no key to the family's house I was an au-pair to and they weren't answering the door bell--oh and did I mention it was FEBRUARY in Hamburg so extremely cold! Thankfully, I caught the last train to the next village, hopped over the electric gate of my ONE friend who I had just celebrated, and the father let me in and stay the night there. Needless to say, it was a little scary thinking I might freeze to death after just arriving in Germany. Also, I got yelled at by the parents for the whole episode...

23rd: The first thoughts in my head when I woke up was "Why am I still alive?"...yeah, I know. And I wasn't suicidal or majorly depressed, but that was what came in my head. I definitely think it was demonic. But I was super stressed in this time period and wasn't used to the dark winters of northern Germany and couldn't wait for Spring to come and rescue me form the darkness--literally.

24th: I had returned back to the U.S. and had been home for only 4 months to get married and it ended after two months. I was openly depressed on this birthday and in counseling :)

25th: Twenty five was by far better than all the other birthdays in that I was in a great place in life--not depressed, not spinning out in insanity, and joyful in all that God had done in my life. The only thing is that I didn't really tell anyone about my birthday and when it came to the day of it, everyone already had plans and our normal Sunday night prayer group wasn't meeting. I ended up having drinks with a really sweet friend of mine which was wonderful in and of itself.

26th: (Alright, now she's getting to it!) This birthday has been by far my favorite birthday! I have been given the best gift and it wasn't anything purchased--though they were all great too! This gift came in a small package in the way of Phoebe, the girl I nanny. She found out it was birthday about two weeks beforehand and started planning out how she was going to celebrate it. She spent one whole weekend creating my gift, carefully thinking about what exactly I loved. She even decided she was making me a gluten free cake. Last friday when I hugged her goodbye and told her I would see her on Monday, she screamed "On your birthday!!" And started dancing around with this look of priceless joy and delight. She couldn't wait to celebrate my birthday and was so happy I would be watching her on my birthday so she could celebrate me. It was then that I realized I had been robbing people of the joy of celebrating me on my birthday. It is a good thing to be celebrated and let people love you.

My heart was softened that day and able to receive all the love that was poured out that birthday morning starting with my English student, who greeted me at the door with a warm "Happy Birthday!" and had beautiful, yellow tulips, a strawberry cupcake, and the sweetest card. I then went to tutor my friend Michelle's son and had forgotten to tell them it was my birthday (oops!) and they quickly assembled some strawberries together and put a candle around it and sang to me--so sweet and thoughtful! And then Phoebe and Torben were exploding with joy when I picked them up and made a huge deal about the cake they made and decorated. Phoebe did a dance around the table where the cake was. I would included footage below because it might be the best birthday song ever, but it keeps messing up the upload! Then my evening ended with spending time with Jill and Burke--two very dear friends near to my heart who are moving to Uruguay for a long time. This was our last long evening together eating great food,  drinking delicious red wine, and enjoying the Lord together and sharing of all His goodness and faithfulness in our lives. I couldn't have asked for a better way to end my birthday day!




Now that is a cake!

Phoebe and Torben ready to light the candles!