This fall I've been inspired with new plans and dreams. I feel that the dawning of a new season is coming soon! I'm excited about what God has in store for me in the near future.
I'm so thankful for the opportunity I've had to serve you through this blog. I'm always encouraged when I hear from people who've been helped by it. That makes the time and emotional investment so worth it! =)
As I think about the changes I want to make in my goals and plans for the future, I'd love to hear from you about how I can serve you better.
Would you do me a favor and take a few minutes to reply to the following questions? You can post your answers in the comments or email them to me. It'll help me know how to move forward more effectively.
Thanks so much!
1. What is the most helpful/enjoyable thing for you about this blog?
2. Are there certain topics you'd like me to write more about? Or less about?
3. How often would you like to receive new posts...
every other week, once a week, more than once a week...?
4. Is the blog mobile-friendly? Do you like the appearance/format of it?
5. How often do you recommend this blog to others or share specific blog posts? What prompts you to share or not share?
6. What suggestions do you have for me to improve the blog to meet your current needs?
7. What are you thankful for today?
(Ok, this one's just for fun.) =)
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Thursday, November 5, 2015
The Great Coffee Debate
For years people have debated whether coffee is bad for your health or good for your health. Personally I'm not a coffee drinker, don't even like the smell of it. But I know that many people view coffee as necessary to life. =)
So I did some research for you. I found this article from 2010 which lists 8 reasons not to drink coffee, and I think they are valid reasons.
Then I found this article from 2015 that says coffee can be good for your heart, brain, etc.
Both articles cite studies to back up their claims. Clearly there's conflicting "data" on this topic. I'm sure it's hard to get accurate studies only about coffee when people's lifestyles are so varied and results of drinking coffee can be different from person to person.
However, there are some important, agreed-upon, facts about coffee that can guide your decision:
1) Coffee is a heavily sprayed crop (97% of it according to Dr. Mercola).
Unless you buy certified organic coffee from a trusted source, you need to know that what you're drinking contains several dangerous toxins - including pesticides, herbicides, toxic fertilizers, and sometimes mycotoxins (toxins from mold, which are even more poisonous than many heavy metals).
These poisonous chemicals are linked to all kinds of health problems including various cancers, Parkinson's, miscarriages, endocrine problems, etc. So saying coffee is good for your heart or brain is not true of non-organic coffee because of the toxins it contains, which are actually quite damaging to the heart, brain and the rest of the body.
2) Adding sugar, dairy and/or non-dairy creamers to your coffee is definitely unhealthy.
Sugar, especially first thing in the morning, spikes insulin levels and over time contributes to insulin resistance - a major indicator of disease and health decline. (For more info on that, here's a great article.)
While I think organic, raw dairy products can be healthy for many people, conventional dairy has many problems. And research indicates that putting dairy in your coffee interferes with the body's absorption of the healthy antioxidants in the coffee. So any benefit is basically cancelled.
Finally, non-dairy creamers are highly unhealthy. Just read the list of ingredients: partially hydrogenated soybean oil, high fructose corn syrup, natural flavors (which can include things like MSG - which is very toxic), etc. For more details on the dangers of non-dairy creamers, check out this article.
3) Caffeine is bad for pregnant women.
Some doctors say it's ok to drink coffee in moderation while pregnant. However, Dr. Mercola advises never to drink coffee while pregnant, because caffeine easily passes through the placenta to the baby, who does not have the ability to detox it. I would think that erring on the side of caution is always best in this situation.
4) If you do drink coffee, be sure to use non-bleached filters.
The bright white filters are bleached with chlorine and contain dangerous disinfection byproducts such as dioxin. These toxins then leach into the coffee during brewing.
I realize it's sad that in today's world you can't just drink a cup of coffee that's free of toxins. But I hope this information is helpful for you in finding a healthy form of coffee, or in encouraging you to wean yourself off of it and find better, healthier sources of energy and antioxidants. Because if you can't function in the morning without a cup of coffee, then your body is trying to tell you something.
So I did some research for you. I found this article from 2010 which lists 8 reasons not to drink coffee, and I think they are valid reasons.
Then I found this article from 2015 that says coffee can be good for your heart, brain, etc.
Both articles cite studies to back up their claims. Clearly there's conflicting "data" on this topic. I'm sure it's hard to get accurate studies only about coffee when people's lifestyles are so varied and results of drinking coffee can be different from person to person.
However, there are some important, agreed-upon, facts about coffee that can guide your decision:
1) Coffee is a heavily sprayed crop (97% of it according to Dr. Mercola).
Unless you buy certified organic coffee from a trusted source, you need to know that what you're drinking contains several dangerous toxins - including pesticides, herbicides, toxic fertilizers, and sometimes mycotoxins (toxins from mold, which are even more poisonous than many heavy metals).
These poisonous chemicals are linked to all kinds of health problems including various cancers, Parkinson's, miscarriages, endocrine problems, etc. So saying coffee is good for your heart or brain is not true of non-organic coffee because of the toxins it contains, which are actually quite damaging to the heart, brain and the rest of the body.
2) Adding sugar, dairy and/or non-dairy creamers to your coffee is definitely unhealthy.
Sugar, especially first thing in the morning, spikes insulin levels and over time contributes to insulin resistance - a major indicator of disease and health decline. (For more info on that, here's a great article.)
While I think organic, raw dairy products can be healthy for many people, conventional dairy has many problems. And research indicates that putting dairy in your coffee interferes with the body's absorption of the healthy antioxidants in the coffee. So any benefit is basically cancelled.
Finally, non-dairy creamers are highly unhealthy. Just read the list of ingredients: partially hydrogenated soybean oil, high fructose corn syrup, natural flavors (which can include things like MSG - which is very toxic), etc. For more details on the dangers of non-dairy creamers, check out this article.
3) Caffeine is bad for pregnant women.
Some doctors say it's ok to drink coffee in moderation while pregnant. However, Dr. Mercola advises never to drink coffee while pregnant, because caffeine easily passes through the placenta to the baby, who does not have the ability to detox it. I would think that erring on the side of caution is always best in this situation.
4) If you do drink coffee, be sure to use non-bleached filters.
The bright white filters are bleached with chlorine and contain dangerous disinfection byproducts such as dioxin. These toxins then leach into the coffee during brewing.
I realize it's sad that in today's world you can't just drink a cup of coffee that's free of toxins. But I hope this information is helpful for you in finding a healthy form of coffee, or in encouraging you to wean yourself off of it and find better, healthier sources of energy and antioxidants. Because if you can't function in the morning without a cup of coffee, then your body is trying to tell you something.
Thursday, October 22, 2015
If You Can't Pronounce It, Avoid It
For the last few years I was using a wonderful organic shampoo that was homemade by a small business. It only had 6 ingredients and no fragrance, plus it worked great in my hair! I was SO thankful for this awesome product! Then as of August, the company was no longer in business. =(
So I began searching for an organic shampoo to replace it. I read almost every shampoo label in the health food store. I scoured the internet. Weeks and weeks of searching and I still haven't found a satisfactory product. In fact, I was shocked by what is sold as "organic" shampoo. The only truly chemical-free product I found was made out of olive oil, but it had borax in it. I don't have a great history with borax, so I didn't want to try that one.
Otherwise, these so-called "organic" and "natural" shampoos still contain various ingredients that are chemical or toxic in nature. You wouldn't believe the kind of ingredients I found in "organic" baby shampoos even! I guess companies assume that if they label their product as "natural" or "organic" consumers won't bother to read the labels and investigate the ingredients.
So, I've decided that my basic rule of thumb is this - "If you can't pronounce it, then you better avoid it."
In the process of my search I found this great website that has a list of many of those unpronounceable ingredients. I think it's a great resource for when you need info on a specific chemical. This link is for the information on an ingredient called "phenoxyethanol." When I read that on a baby shampoo label, I was pretty sure it couldn't be a "natural" ingredient. I was correct. Here's the info on it, rather scary if you ask me.
http://chemicaloftheday.squarespace.com/todays-chemical/2011/2/28/phenoxyethanol.html
The Environmental Working Group also has a helpful database, which lists specific details about all kinds of cosmetic products and what toxic rating each product has. I found the info in this database enlightening, but unfortunately I still didn't find a suitable shampoo.
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
For the moment I'm using a "natural" shampoo that has less than 10 ingredients. Unfortunately it does contain parabens, a kind of preservative used in many cosmetics. (Parabens are endocrine disruptors and have been linked to breast cancer.) Thankfully, I found out this month that my organic shampoo maker is back in business! So hopefully I'll soon have my healthy shampoo again. In the meantime, I encourage you to read the labels on your shampoo and find the least toxic option you can. And with all your personal care products, remember this rule of thumb:
If you can't pronounce, better avoid it."
So I began searching for an organic shampoo to replace it. I read almost every shampoo label in the health food store. I scoured the internet. Weeks and weeks of searching and I still haven't found a satisfactory product. In fact, I was shocked by what is sold as "organic" shampoo. The only truly chemical-free product I found was made out of olive oil, but it had borax in it. I don't have a great history with borax, so I didn't want to try that one.
Otherwise, these so-called "organic" and "natural" shampoos still contain various ingredients that are chemical or toxic in nature. You wouldn't believe the kind of ingredients I found in "organic" baby shampoos even! I guess companies assume that if they label their product as "natural" or "organic" consumers won't bother to read the labels and investigate the ingredients.
So, I've decided that my basic rule of thumb is this - "If you can't pronounce it, then you better avoid it."
In the process of my search I found this great website that has a list of many of those unpronounceable ingredients. I think it's a great resource for when you need info on a specific chemical. This link is for the information on an ingredient called "phenoxyethanol." When I read that on a baby shampoo label, I was pretty sure it couldn't be a "natural" ingredient. I was correct. Here's the info on it, rather scary if you ask me.
http://chemicaloftheday.squarespace.com/todays-chemical/2011/2/28/phenoxyethanol.html
The Environmental Working Group also has a helpful database, which lists specific details about all kinds of cosmetic products and what toxic rating each product has. I found the info in this database enlightening, but unfortunately I still didn't find a suitable shampoo.
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
For the moment I'm using a "natural" shampoo that has less than 10 ingredients. Unfortunately it does contain parabens, a kind of preservative used in many cosmetics. (Parabens are endocrine disruptors and have been linked to breast cancer.) Thankfully, I found out this month that my organic shampoo maker is back in business! So hopefully I'll soon have my healthy shampoo again. In the meantime, I encourage you to read the labels on your shampoo and find the least toxic option you can. And with all your personal care products, remember this rule of thumb:
If you can't pronounce, better avoid it."
Thursday, October 15, 2015
New Cancer Resource
Just a quick post today to let you know about a great new resource. It's a series of documentaries called "The Truth About Cancer." It includes interviews with health experts from all over the world! (Including some experts I already knew about and highly respect, such as Jordan Rubin and Dr. Mercola.) All nine episodes of this docu-series will be free to watch online for a limited time.
If you click on this link, you can sign up by email to receive notification for each new episode:
https://go.thetruthaboutcancer.com/?a_aid=550894055d93f
I realize cancer can be a controversial topic, but I think this series of documentaries provides, at the least, a different perspective on cancer, and at best a lot of helpful information and useful tools.
Below is the video of Episode 2: "Cancer Facts and Fictions, Breast Cancer, Hormones, Skin Cancer & Essential Oils"
This video is worth watching even just for the info on essential oils (that starts a little more than half way through the video). I found it very informative and encouraging!
Let me know what you think and please pass this info along to anyone you think would benefit from it! Thanks!
https://go2.thetruthaboutcancer.com/global-quest/episode-2/?a_aid=560559b6b73a9
If you click on this link, you can sign up by email to receive notification for each new episode:
https://go.thetruthaboutcancer.com/?a_aid=550894055d93f
I realize cancer can be a controversial topic, but I think this series of documentaries provides, at the least, a different perspective on cancer, and at best a lot of helpful information and useful tools.
Below is the video of Episode 2: "Cancer Facts and Fictions, Breast Cancer, Hormones, Skin Cancer & Essential Oils"
This video is worth watching even just for the info on essential oils (that starts a little more than half way through the video). I found it very informative and encouraging!
Let me know what you think and please pass this info along to anyone you think would benefit from it! Thanks!
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Things I Like About Living Naturally
Ok, so there are a lot of things about this EI life that are difficult, challenging, even ridiculous. But I don't want to forget that there are also things I appreciate about having to live naturally. Here are a few. =)
Things I like about living naturally...
- eating healthy, home cooked food (yum!)
- smelling like peppermint (from using peppermint essential oil) =)
- learning to appreciate simple pleasures in life
- not having to buy all kinds of hand soap, dish soap, body wash, facial cleanser, etc. (I just use baking soda for everything)
- having people complement me on the gray streaks in my hair because they look "sparkly" =) (seriously, it's happened twice!)
- not having to spend time deciding which shoes to wear with each outfit (um...blue sport slides or black sport slides?)
- becoming a master at "repurposing" things
- lots of opportunities to use my creativity to find alternate solutions to problems
- being thankful for the "little" things that most people take for granted (like having a pillow for my head, water I can drink and clean laundry)
- meeting lots of great people who are also on this journey
- knowing that the patience and perseverance required for this life is building character in me =)
Ok, so I don't always feel thankful for that last one, but deep down I know it's a good thing. Of course we would all choose to have a perfect life if we could. But I've accepted that on this earth no life is perfect. I certainly wouldn't have chosen this EI life, but I am thankful for the benefits that come with it.
How about you? What things in your imperfect life are you thankful for?
Things I like about living naturally...
- eating healthy, home cooked food (yum!)
- smelling like peppermint (from using peppermint essential oil) =)
- learning to appreciate simple pleasures in life
- not having to buy all kinds of hand soap, dish soap, body wash, facial cleanser, etc. (I just use baking soda for everything)
- having people complement me on the gray streaks in my hair because they look "sparkly" =) (seriously, it's happened twice!)
- not having to spend time deciding which shoes to wear with each outfit (um...blue sport slides or black sport slides?)
- becoming a master at "repurposing" things
- lots of opportunities to use my creativity to find alternate solutions to problems
- being thankful for the "little" things that most people take for granted (like having a pillow for my head, water I can drink and clean laundry)
- meeting lots of great people who are also on this journey
- knowing that the patience and perseverance required for this life is building character in me =)
Ok, so I don't always feel thankful for that last one, but deep down I know it's a good thing. Of course we would all choose to have a perfect life if we could. But I've accepted that on this earth no life is perfect. I certainly wouldn't have chosen this EI life, but I am thankful for the benefits that come with it.
How about you? What things in your imperfect life are you thankful for?
Friday, September 25, 2015
The Ridiculousness...
I apologize that this post is a day late. I actually had it written on Wednesday, then that evening our kitchen drain got clogged and we had another disaster on our hands. I spent the last two days staying away from the house so my mom could use liquid plumber, which didn't work and she had to take the sink apart, and it's still not completely fixed. It's been an ordeal. Just one more thing to add to this crazy, ridiculous month. Anyway, here's the post I originally wrote. Thanks for your prayers for us!
This EI life is never easy. But sometimes it goes past being difficult to just plain ridiculous. The last month or so has been like that for me.
We had the worst pesticide spraying ever in our neighborhood! It contaminated our garage and laundry room and almost everything in our kitchen. My sweet mom spent days scrubbing out kitchen cupboards, soaking our dishes in vinegar, washing the walls, mopping the floor, etc. We had to throw out some organic food that got contaminated. I used the same 5 dishes (that didn't get contaminated, praise God) for days. We're still not quite finished putting things back to "normal" in the kitchen.
Not only that, but since the laundry room was full of the awful pesticide, I couldn't go out there. So my mom has been doing all my laundry again. It's taken several times of soaking and washing to get all the pesticide out of my laundry. It's been ridiculous!
In the midst of all this, I've still been detoxing like crazy. Toxins are coming out so fast (especially while I'm sleeping at night) that every evening I spend an hour or more detoxifying my bedroom - washing the wall next to my bed, mopping the floor, putting on clean bedding and curtains, etc. Because of all this, I haven't been able to get to bed til midnight or later most nights. Not a good thing for my body.
We have 5 air purifiers we rotate through the house, but my mom still coughs when she's near me (that's when you know you're detoxing a LOT). I'm thankful to be getting rid of more toxins, but at the moment the process feels pretty ridiculous!
I could go on about several other problems I'm dealing with right now, but I don't want to depress you. =) My mom said that she'd never have thought of doing laundry as a "trial." Trials are things like losing homes or jobs, or going through cancer, etc. And while those are awful things, I think "trials" aren't always the big catastrophes. Sometimes they're made up of so many small difficulties that life just feels overwhelming. I admit that's about how my mom and I feel right now. We'd sure appreciate your prayers.
Right now we're holding on to God's promises - that He won't gives us more than we can bear, that He's always with us, that He does work all things for our good somehow. He is still faithful, even when life is ridiculous.
This EI life is never easy. But sometimes it goes past being difficult to just plain ridiculous. The last month or so has been like that for me.
We had the worst pesticide spraying ever in our neighborhood! It contaminated our garage and laundry room and almost everything in our kitchen. My sweet mom spent days scrubbing out kitchen cupboards, soaking our dishes in vinegar, washing the walls, mopping the floor, etc. We had to throw out some organic food that got contaminated. I used the same 5 dishes (that didn't get contaminated, praise God) for days. We're still not quite finished putting things back to "normal" in the kitchen.
Not only that, but since the laundry room was full of the awful pesticide, I couldn't go out there. So my mom has been doing all my laundry again. It's taken several times of soaking and washing to get all the pesticide out of my laundry. It's been ridiculous!
In the midst of all this, I've still been detoxing like crazy. Toxins are coming out so fast (especially while I'm sleeping at night) that every evening I spend an hour or more detoxifying my bedroom - washing the wall next to my bed, mopping the floor, putting on clean bedding and curtains, etc. Because of all this, I haven't been able to get to bed til midnight or later most nights. Not a good thing for my body.
We have 5 air purifiers we rotate through the house, but my mom still coughs when she's near me (that's when you know you're detoxing a LOT). I'm thankful to be getting rid of more toxins, but at the moment the process feels pretty ridiculous!
I could go on about several other problems I'm dealing with right now, but I don't want to depress you. =) My mom said that she'd never have thought of doing laundry as a "trial." Trials are things like losing homes or jobs, or going through cancer, etc. And while those are awful things, I think "trials" aren't always the big catastrophes. Sometimes they're made up of so many small difficulties that life just feels overwhelming. I admit that's about how my mom and I feel right now. We'd sure appreciate your prayers.
Right now we're holding on to God's promises - that He won't gives us more than we can bear, that He's always with us, that He does work all things for our good somehow. He is still faithful, even when life is ridiculous.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Some Random Health Notes
The last three weeks have been pretty awful for me. Our neighbors took turns spraying pesticides, then last week someone near us sprayed industrial strength pesticide. That one was so awful it contaminated almost everything in our garage and house. We are still in recovery and decontamination mode, and I've barely been able to keep up with daily needs. I'm behind on emails and blog posts. So today I thought I'd just post some random health notes that I've been thinking about lately.
Dangers of Pesticides
Obviously this has been on my mind. Pesticides/herbicides are designed to kill and destroy. To say that they can kill pests/plants without causing harm to humans is simply untrue! They are poisons. They do damage. They may not kill a human right away, but the toxins in these products cause all kinds of health problems, including cancer, reproductive problems, and brain impairments such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's.
If you aren't already aware of the dangers, please check out these articles which give specific details about how/why pesticides are so dangerous - to people, pets and the environment.
And please keep sharing this information with others so we can work together for a healthier world.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/04/29/pesticide-exposure.aspx
http://www.nrdc.org/health/pesticides/
This site lists some alternatives to pesticides -
http://www.pesticide.org/
Resource for Parkinson's
I did some research for a friend lately about Parkinson's. Ironically, I learned that there's a proven link between exposure to pesticides and Parkinson's. High numbers of gardeners/landscapers who regularly used pesticides, later were diagnosed with Parkinson's. This makes sense because many of the chemicals in pesticides directly affect brain function.
The good news is that I found a wonderful resource about recovering from Parkinson's!
http://www.parkinsonsrecovery.com/
I was impressed with this site because it expresses many of the same concepts I've learned, such as:
- the body is able to heal itself when we provide the help it needs
- recovery is possible
- always look for root causes
- then use various natural means to help the body resolve those root causes
If you know someone dealing with Parkinson's, this is a great resource. There's a ton of information on the blog, plus there are archived radio programs and much more.
Eat the rainbow
One other note is something I heard in an interview with a nutrition expert. She mentioned this concept about diet of "eating the rainbow." I thought it was a fun way to evaluate and pursue a healthier diet. She suggested you take three days and simply write down everything you eat. Then on the fourth day, take markers and put a corresponding colored line next to each item. So if you ate an apple, put a red line. If you ate bread, put a white or brown line. Etc.
She said most people eat a majority of white/brown/yellow foods. (Mostly starches, processed foods, grains, junk food, etc.) By putting colored lines next to each food you'll get a visual representation of what your diet looks like. If you eat a lot of green or orange foods, you'll notice that right away. If you're missing blue, purple or red foods, you'll see that too.
Since listening to her interview I've been inspired to eat a more rainbow-like diet. =) I went to the health food store and came back with blueberries, kiwi, apples and a tangelo.
I realize eating a healthy diet is a tough thing, with so many individual variables. But I hope maybe this idea will give you something fun to try. =)
Ok, that's all for today. I hope your week is going well.
Blessings,
-Joanna
Dangers of Pesticides
Obviously this has been on my mind. Pesticides/herbicides are designed to kill and destroy. To say that they can kill pests/plants without causing harm to humans is simply untrue! They are poisons. They do damage. They may not kill a human right away, but the toxins in these products cause all kinds of health problems, including cancer, reproductive problems, and brain impairments such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's.
If you aren't already aware of the dangers, please check out these articles which give specific details about how/why pesticides are so dangerous - to people, pets and the environment.
And please keep sharing this information with others so we can work together for a healthier world.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/04/29/pesticide-exposure.aspx
http://www.nrdc.org/health/pesticides/
This site lists some alternatives to pesticides -
http://www.pesticide.org/
Resource for Parkinson's
I did some research for a friend lately about Parkinson's. Ironically, I learned that there's a proven link between exposure to pesticides and Parkinson's. High numbers of gardeners/landscapers who regularly used pesticides, later were diagnosed with Parkinson's. This makes sense because many of the chemicals in pesticides directly affect brain function.
The good news is that I found a wonderful resource about recovering from Parkinson's!
http://www.parkinsonsrecovery.com/
I was impressed with this site because it expresses many of the same concepts I've learned, such as:
- the body is able to heal itself when we provide the help it needs
- recovery is possible
- always look for root causes
- then use various natural means to help the body resolve those root causes
If you know someone dealing with Parkinson's, this is a great resource. There's a ton of information on the blog, plus there are archived radio programs and much more.
Eat the rainbow
One other note is something I heard in an interview with a nutrition expert. She mentioned this concept about diet of "eating the rainbow." I thought it was a fun way to evaluate and pursue a healthier diet. She suggested you take three days and simply write down everything you eat. Then on the fourth day, take markers and put a corresponding colored line next to each item. So if you ate an apple, put a red line. If you ate bread, put a white or brown line. Etc.
She said most people eat a majority of white/brown/yellow foods. (Mostly starches, processed foods, grains, junk food, etc.) By putting colored lines next to each food you'll get a visual representation of what your diet looks like. If you eat a lot of green or orange foods, you'll notice that right away. If you're missing blue, purple or red foods, you'll see that too.
Since listening to her interview I've been inspired to eat a more rainbow-like diet. =) I went to the health food store and came back with blueberries, kiwi, apples and a tangelo.
I realize eating a healthy diet is a tough thing, with so many individual variables. But I hope maybe this idea will give you something fun to try. =)
Ok, that's all for today. I hope your week is going well.
Blessings,
-Joanna
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