Striving4Zen

Our systems, particularly the adrenals, do a majority of their recharging or recovering during the hours of 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. In addition, your gallbladder dumps toxins during this same period. If you are awake, the toxins back up into the liver which then secondarily back up into your entire system and cause further disruption of your health. Prior to the widespread use of electricity, people would go to bed shortly after sundown, as most animals do, and which nature intended for humans as well.

Labels: Mercola, sleep

One of the most important things you can do for your health is to make sure you’re able to get a good night’s sleep. If you have trouble sleeping -- whether it’s accompanied by frequent bathroom stops or not -- I’d recommend you take a look at my 33 Secrets to a Good Night’s Sleep for all-natural, drug-free options.
As an aside, if you DO get up to use the bathroom during the night, please whatever you do, keep the light off. Even the tiniest bit of light in the room can disrupt your circadian rhythm and your pineal gland's production of melatonin and seratonin. As soon as you turn on that light in the bathroom, you will, for that night, immediately cease all production of the important sleep aid melatonin and this has been clearly shown to dramatically increase your risk of most cancers, but especially breast and prostate cancers.

Labels: insomnia, Mercola, sleep

Walgreens is leading the chain drugstore industry's push into natural products. This month, the retailer set up planograms in 4,500 stores with eight established natural lines that have strong natural food store followings. Among the names added is Weleda, the world's largest natural skin care brand. Others include Alba, Avalon, Derma, Jason, Nature's Gate, Burt's Bees and Giovanni. Swiss-based Weleda was founded in 1921 and formulas are free of synthetic preservatives, fragrances, colorants and parabens.

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Labels: natural products, Walgreen's

Walgreens is leading the chain drugstore industry's push into natural products. This month, the retailer set up planograms in 4,500 stores with eight established natural lines that have strong natural food store followings. Among the names added is Weleda, the world's largest natural skin care brand. Others include Alba, Avalon, Derma, Jason, Nature's Gate, Burt's Bees and Giovanni. Swiss-based Weleda was founded in 1921 and formulas are free of synthetic preservatives, fragrances, colorants and parabens.
READ MORE

Labels: natural products, Walgreen's

There is no doubt that we live in a toxic world and sometimes our bodies need some help coping with big exposures such as when the neighbor uses a lot of herbicides on their lawn.
Here is a famous detox remedy for times when you know that you are chemically overloaded. It is bittersweet with some spice.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about the equivalent of the juice of one lemon)
1/6th of a teaspoon (or a pinch) of cayenne
1 to 2 teaspoons maple syrup
10 oz. filtered water

Combine ingredients in a glass, stir to blend, and drink. Drink a glass for four-five days in a row for best results.

Labels: detox, drinks, recipe

TreeHugger tries to remain vigilant in our efforts to turn our readers on to greener sex tips, and we've found more than a few ways to get down without dirtying the planet (and yourself, for that matter), from buying green sex toys to recycling them when the good vibe has gone bad. As any good car mechanic will tell you, keeping the moving parts well lubricated is a key to continued smooth operation; with that in mind, we present the products from Yes. Completely free of parabens, glycerin, hormones, silicones and petroleum products, they offer both water and (plant) oil-based lubricants designed to "change your world from the inside." In addition to the list of nasties the products don't contain, there is one that we're pleased to see: the big O, as in organic ingredients. But don't take our word for it; check out the "yestimonials" to see if the name of the product inspires you to say the same, and be sure to swing through How to Green Your Sex Life and How to Green Your Personal Care for more details on staying green between the sheets.

Labels: going green, organic, sex

Consumers who want the luxury of having a second home at the beach or in the mountains, but don't have the money to plunk down on the choicest properties, now have an appealing alternative: half ownership.
Like other shared ownership ventures, Halfshare.com gives customers the chance to get a piece of the good life, but at a much lower cost. Unlike traditional timeshares, which pioneered the concept of fractional ownership, Halfshare.com buyers aren't purchasing time in a hotel or resort, but an actual home—and all the benefits that go with owning it. Along with sharing costs, buyers share profits if the value goes up. And depending on the terms both owners agree to, the property may generate rental income, too.
Getting started is as easy as logging onto Halfshare.com, where members can browse listings of available properties throughout North America. Halfshare.com can match them with other prospective buyers based on tastes, backgrounds, interests, hobbies and lifestyles through the Buyer Match Plan. Potential co-owners can arrange to meet one another online, by phone or in person to determine if they’d make a good match. Once buyers select a property, Halfshare.com's Tenants-in-Common Agreement takes care of all the details, formalizing legal concerns and each owner’s rights. “It spells out what is expected in terms of financial arrangements, seasonal time sharing, rental revenues, re-sale, property maintenance and repair, among other pertinent details.”
Although the real estate market is currently in a bit of a slump, demand for sandy beaches, mountain air, cultural attractions and picturesque scenery isn’t likely to wane any time soon. Which means that making vacation homes affordable, fraction by fraction, could be a worthwhile start-up in almost any region frequented by tourists looking to make themselves at home.
Website: www.halfshare.com
Contact: www.halfshare.com/contact_us.cfm
THANKS for the tip!

Labels: Halfshare, innovative, investing

Alba Botanica's Golden Tan Sunless Tanning Lotion (www.albabotanica.com), for instance, uses no paraben preservatives, artificial colors, animal derived ingredients or animal testing. Even better, the product uses another natural ingredient, erythrulose, which is derived from beets, to tint the top most layer of skin a natural golden color.
Kiss My Face’s Instant Sunless Tanner (www.kissmyface.com) uses walnut shell extract as a coloring agent and heavenly mango nut oil for moisturizing...we’re talking a seriously sensual scent and a nice golden-brown tone to boot!
Nature’s Gate’s Upper Tanagement (www.natures-gate.com), which is paraben free and contains certified organic ingredients, also uses squalene, an ingredient derived from olive oil that prepares the skin so that the color goes on very smoothly and the added caramel will make your skin look and smell good enough to eat—though I wouldn’t recommend it.

Labels: natural products, skincare, sunless tanners

Simple yet highly effective poses to detoxify our bodies. Seated in Half Lord of the Fish Pose, sit up super tall with a straight spine, bending 1 leg over the other. Anchor the elbow outside of the leg and take a nice deep twist. Ahhh ... This position stimulates the liver and kidneys, and aids in the detox process. Take 20 deep breaths (helps to purify and oxygenate the blood). Repeat on other side.
Next, fold over into Child's Pose and take 20 deep cleansing breaths there. This pose calms the central nervous system.

Labels: detox, yoga

A statement asking Congress to end water fluoridation in the United States has been released by the Fluoride Action Network (FAN). Over 600 professionals, including a Nobel Prize winner, officers in the Union that represents Environmental Protection Agency professionals, and members of the National Research Council panel on fluoride's toxicology, have signed the statement.The report urges Congressional members to “recognize that fluoridation is outdated, has serious risks that far outweigh any minor benefits, violates sound medical ethics, and denies freedom of choice.”It cites eight recent events that call for an urgent end to water fluoridation. Among them:
A 500-page review of fluoride’s toxicology by the National Research Council of the National Academies, published in 2006.
Evidence from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that found 32 percent of U.S. children have dental fluorosis, which is caused by fluoride.
The American Dental Association’s 2006 policy change, which recommends not giving fluoridated water to infants for the first 12 months of life.
A Harvard University study that found a five- to seven-fold increased risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer) among young men who were exposed to fluoride between the ages of 6 and 8.
The CDC’s recognition that fluoride is beneficial in reducing tooth decay when it’s applied topically, not taken systemically.
The statement calls for members of Congress to sponsor a new Congressional Hearing on Fluoridation that requires those who continue to support water fluoridation to provide scientific basis, under oath, for their continued recommendations.According to one of the statement’s signers, Dr. Arvid Carlsson, winner of the 2000 Nobel Prize for Medicine, "Fluoridation is against all principles of modern pharmacology. It's really obsolete."
Fluoride Action Network August 9, 2007
Medical News Today August 10, 2007

Labels: fluoride, toxic, water

Most of us unconsciously breathe in a shallow way, not fully exhaling all of the carbon dioxide from our bodies. As a result, we don’t benefit from being fully oxygenated.
In the next 24 hours, try this breathing technique: From your abdomen, breathe-in through your nose and out through your mouth, for 10 seconds each time. Practicing 10 minutes a day, even when not feeling stressed, can improve relaxation responses.
Although it seems like a small thing, deep breathing is pretty important.
Always consult a physician before starting any exercise routine.
Thanks!

Labels: breathing deeply, meditation, stress

I have always heard that NYC has some of the country’s best water – but I, and I’m sure many others - chalked it up to an urban myth. However, my friend was quick to explain to me that our water supply is in fact one of the country’s best.
The Catskill Mountains’ watershed supplies NYC with its drinking water, and as a result of its integrity and undisturbed natural water filtration process, New York is one of only 5 major cities in the US with drinking water pure enough to not require purification by water treatment plants.
But is bottled water better for us than tap water? It depends. Believe it or not many brands of bottled water just slightly purify tap water. Add to that the low stringency in regulation for bottled water versus that for municipal water. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates municipal water and requires multiple daily tests for bacteria whose results are available to the public. Bottled water is regulated by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), which only requires weekly testing that doesn’t have to be publicly reported.

Labels: bottled or tap, NY, water

1. Only use glass baby bottles and dishes for your baby
2. Give your baby natural fabric toys instead of plastic ones
3. Store your food and beverages in glass -- NOT plastic -- containers
4. IF you choose to use a microwave, don’t microwave food in a plastic container
5. Stop buying and consuming canned foods and drinks
6. Avoid using plastic wrap (and never microwave anything covered in it)
7. Get rid of your plastic dishes and cups, and replace them with glass varieties
8. If you opt to use plastic kitchenware, at least get rid of the older, scratched-up varieties, avoid putting them in the dishwasher, and don’t wash them with harsh detergents, as these things can cause more chemicals to leach into your food
9. Avoid using bottled water; filter your own using a reverse osmosis filter instead
10. Before allowing a dental sealant to be applied to you, or your children’s, teeth, ask your dentist to verify that it does not contain BPA.

In the event that you do opt to use plastic containers for your food, be sure to avoid those marked on the bottom with the recycling label No. 7, as these varieties may contain BPA. Containers marked with the recycling labels No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 do not contain BPA (however they may contain other unsavory chemicals that you’re best off avoiding by using glass instead).

Why avoid BPA?

Labels: BPA, Health, toxins, water bottle

Farmacia Urban Healing is getting aggressive about well-being.
Starting this month, the British retailer and holistic health-and-beauty brand is strengthening its high street presence by introducing Urban Healing Pods in House of Fraser doors, expanding its existing department store concessions and revamping its stand-alone flagship here.
"There's an increasingly big group of people who want natural wellness," said Sanjay Bhandari, Farmacia's co-founder and chief executive officer. "People are looking beyond traditional beauty and cosmetic surgery.
"That's why the firm began opening Urban Healing Pods, or 300- to 500-square-foot shop-in-shops in five House of Fraser doors in the U.K. starting this month. The spaces feature consulting areas complete with vitamin scanning systems, which can detect nutrient deficiencies, hormone and organ imbalances, food intolerances and the presence of toxins in the body. Initial 15-minute scans are complimentary, however, if a client wishes to have a more in-depth consultation they can choose to pay for the service. A 75-minute skin profile, for example, costs 115 pounds, or $228 at current exchange. The pods sell a selection of Farmacia's supplements and own-brand treatment products.
Read More...

Labels: beauty, Holistic Health, House of Fraser, skincare, UK

This is a great social, psychological and physical experiment:

Six weeks without a wash: The soapless experiment.

Labels: BBC, chemicals, Soapless experiment, toxins

There's nothing better for our ego than a cool winter day with 0% humidity. Profound Beauty's Arctic Chill ($22) has our hair convinced it's mid-December year round. The magical mousse-like substance instantly eliminates any trace of frizz. For more information: 800-762-9350

Labels: frizzy hair, haircare

A study published in Dermatologic Surgery (March 2006, pages 376–379) found that repeated microdermabrasion treatments may have diminishing or even depreciating results instead of increasing benefits. This study, entitled “Effect of Serial Microdermabrasion on the Ceramide Level in the Stratum Corneum,” noted that high ceramide levels are an indicator of a healthy stratum corneum (the outer layer of skin). Microdermabrasion is a procedure for superficially exfoliating skin using a machine that thrusts aluminum oxide crystals (abrasive, scrublike particles) onto the face while simultaneously vacuuming off the used particles. After the first session, ceramide levels were evaluated to establish a baseline. After the second and third sessions, ceramide levels increased, but after the fourth and fifth sessions ceramide levels decreased. Perhaps most significant is that there was no visible difference in the overall appearance of skin (you can’t see the results of ceramide-level changes in the surface of skin, but they affect the healthy function of skin). This study involved only 11 participants, so it is hardly conclusive, but it makes you wonder about spending your money on this procedure if it ends up providing little to no benefit and possibly not even helping in the long run.
SOURCE

Labels: microdermabrasion, skincare

Find guidance is at kidsafeseafood.org, a site developed by SeaWeb, an environmental group, with nutritionists, pediatricians and chefs. For those concerned about the environment and mercury content, it recommends wild salmon, tilapia, wild shrimp from American waters and farmed mussels, scallops and crayfish.

Labels: healthy dining, healthy links, seafood, tips

A newly opened upscale children's boutique on the Upper West Side says it will donate all its profits to the Children's Aid Society and is putting some of the young people to work in the store.
A Time For Children, which philanthropists Marjorie and Michael Stern opened about six weeks ago, from the outside looks like any other charming, expensive Manhattan boutique. But the fleece pullovers and hardcover picture books that hang in the window are a front, of sorts, for a social experiment occurring inside.
The store, sandwiched between a paint-your-own pottery studio and a large toy store, West Side Kids, between 84th and 85th Streets, is donating 100% of its profits to the Children's Aid Society, a children's service provider. The store is also staffed by 14 teens from Children's Aid Society centers who work in pairs with a supervisor to learn retail skills.
READ MORE

Labels: charity, innovative, NYC

Choice compared a number of these so-called super-juices and found that:
-their health claims are exaggerated.
-the products are overpriced.
-most of the drinks are sold via a Network Marketing (or MLM) process.
Certainly the drinks contain a range of nutrients, but you may be surprised at the (often touted) antioxidant content.
For example (Note: TAC = Total Antioxidant Capacity)
-You’d need to drink almost five 30mL serves of Tahitian Noni Juice to match the TAC of a navel orange (2540).
-Three 30mL serves of Xanberry Mangosteen Juice Plus would still fall short of matching the TAC of a cup of strawberries (5938), raspberries (6058) or cultivated blueberries (9019).
-The TAC of the humble Red Delicious apple (5900) is roughly equivalent to ten 30mL serves of Himalayan Goji Juice.
What about the scientific evidence? Choice provides some examples of potential health benefits. However real clinical trials on humans are scarce.
The Bottom Line:
Fruit contains a vast array of nutrients - and most of us are not consuming enough fruits or vegetables. However, no single fruit or food will ever be the solution for all of our ailments, and - if anything - a diverse diet is best.
These super-juices are pricey and come with a number of spurious and anecdotal health claims.
Be sensible and wise. It's both sad and astonishing to see people with a diet consisting of pie and chips believing that a bottle of super-juice will make them well (via)

Labels: acai, goji berries, mangosteen, superfoods

THE KITCHEN
Countertops: Skip the harsh chemicals and clean countertops with an all-purpose cleaner made of baking soda and water. Dissolve 4 tablespoons of baking soda into one quart of hot water and put in a spray bottle. The baking soda acts as a mild abrasive and deodorizer. This cleaner is safe and effective for cleaning cooked-on foods and other unsightly kitchen messes.
Silver: Tarnished silver and silverware buff up to their shiny best with an application of white toothpaste. Rub regular white toothpaste into the silver and wipe with a soft cloth; rinse with water or a damp sponge. Silver is left tarnish-free—and minty-fresh!
Stainless Steel: White vinegar on a sponge cleans any stainless steel surface or appliance. Seriously. The vinegar kills 99% of all bacteria, and is great for cleaning grease and grime and making that steel shine. Don't worry—the vinegar smell evaporates quickly.

LAUNDRY
Whitening: Borax is a natural mineral, and can be purchased at your local grocery store. Add 1/2 cup to the washing machine during the wash cycle. OR Try ready-made eco-friendly non-chlorine bleaches like Ecover.
Fabric Softener: Yes, it's our old friend vinegar again. Add 1 to 2 cups of white vinegar to the washing machine during the rinse cycle for super-soft clothes and sheets.
Starch: Instead of spending money on store-bought spray starch, make the real thing by adding 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to a spray bottle full of warm water. Spray on shirts while ironing.
Stain-removal: Next time you spill red wine on yourself (or someone else), try to treat the stain immediately. Place cloth under the stained area, and pour club soda on the stain. Add salt and let it sit—the salt will lift the stain. Brush off the salt and launder as usual.

BATHROOM
Toilet bowl: Cleaning the toilet just got a whole lot easier. Simply pour about a cup of borax into the toilet bowl and leave overnight. (Make sure children and pets do not have access to the bathroom.) In the morning, give the toilet a quick brush and then flush.
Clogs: It's not glamorous (unless you have a really special plunger), but your first defense against a clog should be a good old-fashioned plunger, as over-the-counter drain openers can be highly toxic. If that doesn't work, consider using a small plumbing snake (or augur) or eco-friendly products like Earth enzyme drain opener. These drain openers work overnight breaking down the, ahem, organic matter and don't contain caustic chemicals.
Tiles: To clean tile floors, walls, and showers, mix two tablespoons of borax and a little lemon juice into a spray bottle full of hot water. Borax disinfects while fighting mold and mildew; lemon is naturally acidic and great for cutting mineral build-up. An eco-friendly ready-made cleaner like Seventh Generation Bathroom Cleaner is also a good option.

LIVING ROOM
Windows: It must be the easiest cleaning solution ever: simply crumple up a sheet of newspaper and wipe your windows clean. Not only does this polish the glass, it also leaves a film that resists dirt.
Wallpaper: Remove wallpaper smudges by rubbing white chalk on them. Chalk naturally absorbs dirt. Simply brush off the chalk residue with cloth and the smudge will come off with it.
Wood furniture: Polish wood furniture with olive oil on a cloth. A little goes a long way towards gorgeous, shiny surfaces. A good store-bought eco-cleaner is Method's Wood for Good Furniture Polish.
Carpet: Deodorize carpet by sprinkling baking soda on the surface and letting it sit to absorb odors. Then simply vacuum it all up.
SOURCE

Labels: cleaning, DIY, non-toxic, tips

Scientists have suspected for decades that exercise, particularly regular aerobic exercise, can affect the brain. But they could only speculate as to how. Now an expanding body of research shows that exercise can improve the performance of the brain by boosting memory and cognitive processing speed. Exercise can, in fact, create a stronger, faster brain.

This spring, neuroscientists at Columbia University in New York City published a study in which a group of men and women, ranging in age from 21 to 45, began working out for one hour four times a week. After 12 weeks, the test subjects, predictably, became more fit. Their VO2 max, the standard measure of how much oxygen a person takes in while exercising, rose significantly.

But something else happened as a result of all those workouts: blood flowed at a much higher volume to a part of the brain responsible for neurogenesis. Functional M.R.I.’s showed that a portion of each person’s hippocampus received almost twice the blood volume as it did before. Scientists suspect that the blood pumping into that part of the brain was helping to produce fresh neurons.
Read article here.

Labels: brain, exercise

The problem is that all shrimp have not swum in the ocean – most are farm raised. This means that they since they are larvae, shrimp are placed in pools and confined for months until they are large enough to be sold. And just like conventional chickens, they are given antibiotics to ward off disease before they are taken away as tasteless versions of themselves (again, just like chickens their flavor is muted by the lack of exposure to their natural habitat).
And it gets worse ... 90% of shrimp sold in the US come from Southeast Asia or Latin America where environmental regulations leave much to be desired. The issue is so hot that even Wal-Mart announced this year that they would only buy their yearly 50 million pounds of shrimp from farms that are certified as environmentally sound by the Global Aquaculture Alliance or the Aquaculture Certification Council.
So short of kissing your shrimp cocktail goodbye what is one to do? Look for wild or domestic shrimp. If shopping, markets will usually list the country of origin next to their seafood. But if you’re eating out or at a party ... you’re pretty much on your own. However, just like restaurants advertise free-range chickens they are starting to do the same with seafood…ever seen “line caught” or “wild” on a menu? I’m sure you’ll start paying attention.

Labels: antibiotics, fish oil, shrimp, toxins

Here's a unique way to get rid of those nasty sweat stains from gomestic.com:

To remove perspiration stains from white T-shirts, dissolve two aspirins in half a cup of warm water and apply to the area of the fabric where the stain is. This should be left for a couple of hours before washing.

Labels: cleaning, laundry, T-shirts

To help truly sparse brows, Anastasia recently came out with a brow enhancing serum called Nu Brow ($35) that vows to restore, reshape, and condition overplucked eyebrows. According to the company, it is selling an average of 1,000 units a week at Sephora stores.
SOURCE

UPDATE!
Review from Amazon:

Didn't work and don't waste your money, May 26, 2007
By Linda (Highland Lakes, NJ, USA) - See all my reviewsI bought this product based on the description and reputation of Anastasia products. I was extremely disappointed. I have used this product for almost 7 weeks and have not seen any growth or a hint of it. My eyebrows grew nothing more than when I don't pluck my own brows for same length of time. Based on my experience, I will not purchase it again. I have tried Billion Dollar Brows that is available via internet and saw better results - back to Billion Dollar Brows.

Labels: beauty, eyebrows, new product, Nu Brow

Fruits and vegetables contain polyphenols, compounds that reduce oxidative stress and prevent chronic diseases. The antioxidant properties of polyphenols are responsible for their anticancer, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties and can prevent capillary fragility and platelet aggregation. The authors report the phenolic, flavonoid, and flavanol content as well as the antioxidant capacity of a number of fresh vegetables, herbs, and spices consumed in Central Italy. The authors also studied these same parameters in cooked vegetables, salads, and common Italian salad dressings.
The authors obtained and tested 27 different types of vegetables, 15 different types of herbs, six spices, and 10 dressings. Phenolic compounds were assayed according to the Folin-Ciocalteu method, and total phenolic content was expressed as caffeic acid equivalents in mg/g fresh vegetable. Flavonoids were determined by the method of Eberhardt et al1 and flavanols according to that of Arnous.2 Antioxidant capacity was measured using the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) method. Using a multiple linear regression model, the authors provided significant evidence that ORAC values are strictly dependent on the total phenols (P = 0.048) and flavanols (P = 0.001), and that the contribution to ORAC of the flavonoids is not significant (P = 0.156).
Among the vegetables showing the highest phenolic content were the artichoke, beetroot, cabbage, broccoli, red chicory, red chili, and yellow pepper. The authors report that different cultivars cause vegetables of the same family to possess significant different phenolic, flavanol, and ORAC values.
The authors measured the loss of phenolics and antioxidant capacity in vegetables that need to be cooked. Steamed vegetables retained about 80% of the phenolic and ORAC values of raw vegetables; boiled vegetables retained only 30% of antioxidants. The preferred cooking process for vegetables should be steaming at the mildest temperature and for the least possible time to protect phenolics and vitamins.
Among the aromatic herbs receiving high ORAC values were garden sage, marjoram, rosemary, and garden thyme. Their values are many times greater than those of the vegetables studied. The authors showed that introducing aromatic herbs into salads markedly increases the phenolic and ORAC values of the whole salad. Lemon balm and marjoram at a concentration of 1.5% w/w increased by 150% and 200%, respectively, the antioxidant capacity of a salad portion.
Among the selected spices, cumin revealed the highest ORAC value, although its phenolic and flavonoid content were not the highest. Fresh ginger also made a significant contribution to the antioxidant capacity.
Noting the importance of the use of salad seasonings, the authors state that extra-virgin olive oils, carefully produced using freshly gathered olives at the right degree of maturation, should be the principal condiment for their content of phenolic compounds, which, because of their marked antioxidant capacity, protect the cardiovascular system.The authors stress the importance of educating consumers on the benefits of varying vegetable consumption, choosing those that have the highest antioxidant capacity to promote a healthy diet, and the need to introduce aromatic herbs as a seasoning supplement in the diet of every age group. Results of this analysis provide "a simple and compelling tool for nutrition professionals to guide family vegetable consumption" and "can be used in public health campaigns to stimulate the consumption of vegetables able to provide significant health protection in order to prevent chronic diseases."
SOURCE

Labels: Anti-oxidant, health food, phenols, salad, study

There's no good research evidence to support the practice of food combining. However, many people have found food combining to be essential in their overall health, and many healthcare practitioners continue to support this practice despite the absence of research evidence.
Sometimes proper food combining just means avoiding extremes.
For example, some food combining advocates recommend eating protein alone or carbohydrates alone rather than protein and carbohydrate together. However, this goal is essentially impossible, since most vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes contain both proteins and carbohydrates. You would have to eliminate all of the above foods from your diet in order to avoid eating protein and carbohydrates together. However, large amounts of protein (like the 80+ grams of protein that would be found in a 12-ounce steak) together with large amounts of carbohydrates (like the 40+ grams of sugar found in an 8-ounce glass of grape juice) might be a taxing combination for your digestive tract. The combination of these two foods might be harder on your digestive system than either food alone. Nonetheless, we see the basic problem here as one of going to extremes (too much protein at once and/or too much sugar at once) rather than food combining.

Large volumes of water during a meal can raise the stomach pH level. Exactly how this impacts digestion is not clear from research studies. But a person with insufficient stomach acid might have his or her digestion even further compromised by drinking large amounts of water with meals, because strong stomach acid concentrations are needed to help digest proteins and to trigger other digestive events in the small intestine. So in general, we encourage high-volume water drinking between meals rather than during meals. Advocates of food combining sometimes take this same approach to water drinking.

There is no research evidence that the practice of waiting an hour or more after eating fruit before consuming other foods is necessary or beneficial. However, many people report better overall digestion when they follow this procedure, and a good number of healthcare practitioners advocate fruit consumption separate from meals. There are a number of theories used to support this practice involving the fermentation process and how the fruit fermentation might take place at the expense of other digestive events. However, we have once again found no research evidence to indicate that fruit with meals is a predictable problem. As you can see from our website, we do include fruit as an ingredient in our recipes and find it to be delicious.

SOURCE

Labels: digestion, food combining, Myth

The best type of olive oil is that which is "extra virgin." Extra virgin olive oil is made from the first pressing of the olives, contains the lowest level of acidity (the marketplace standard for labeling is less than 1%), the best taste, and the highest level of antioxidant phytonutrients.
The next best would be virgin olive oil. While it is also made from the first pressing of the olives, it has less antioxidants, more acidity (up to 2% is allowed here) and a taste that is not as rich as extra virgin olive oil.
"Pure" olive oil is actually refined oil that is created through chemical processing. One method of refining olive oil involves the use of a strong sodium hydroxide solution to "wash" the oil; other methods involve steam distillation of the oil. All refinement methods expose the oil to heats of at least 140-160F.
"Light" olive oils are only light in terms of their taste and color; they are not lower in calories or fat. To a certain extent, the richer and deeper shades of color in an olive oil correspond to the concentration of polyphenol phytonutrients in the oil. These polyphenols may be the most heart-supportive nutrients that olives have to offer. Once they are processsed out, the oil may become classified as "light," but light and other refined olive oils are nutritionally inferior to extra virgin and virgin olive oils because of this more extensive processing.
The other consideration would be whether or not to buy organic olive oil. There's no question about organic olive oil being your best choice. It's clearly your best choice. Although the nutrient density of the organic oil may not be vastly greater than the nutrient density of non-organic oil, the presence of toxic residues is likely to be enormously different. You're going to get a lot less potential toxins in the certified organic oil - especially pesticides and fungicides.

Labels: health food, olive oil, organic

Going green is the hottest business trend around, but the entry of big-league companies into an industry formerly dominated by small businesses has led to confusion--and more questions--about what is and isn't organic. Mark Kastel, co-founder of The Cornucopia Institute, a watchdog group for the organic industry, thinks the majority of organic companies act honorably. He worries, however, about the unscrupulous few navigating what remains largely an honor system. And the USDA has yet to aggressively go after bad actors: It has collected civil penalties from just two companies since its certification program took effect in 2002, one of them a Canadian company, for violating organic labeling standards. The USDA has "consistently shown no desire to aggressively enforce the big-gest issues that face the organic community in terms of improprieties," Kastel says.
Read more....

Labels: going green, organic, standards

California law requires the government to list products containing chemicals that cause cancer or birth defects, and three compounds long used in nail salons — toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate — are on the list.
Toluene is a colorless liquid used as a solvent, formaldehyde helps harden nails and dibutyl phthalate is a plasticizer that makes nail polish flexible. A leading supplier to nail salons, OPI Products, announced in March that it would begin removing toluene from its products. Last year, the company said it was removing dibutyl phthalate.
In Springfield, Mass., a community group received a $100,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to build a salon with a high-quality ventilation system to serve as a model for salon owners and workers. The grant came after public health experts at a Springfield hospital found that six Vietnamese nail salon workers had miscarried, while others had rashes, fungal infections and asthma.
Read article....

Labels: chemicals, nail salons, toxins

TOO many carbs in your diet?
Remember, Japanese eat little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans, Mexicans eat lots of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans, Chinese drink little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans, Italians drink lots of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
Conclusion: Eat, drink what you want. Speaking English is what kills you.

Labels: humor

Marcus Francis, a stylist from LA who is often in New York also, suggests that if you want to wear your hair curly, wavy, and even frizzy there are many products that you can use to tame your mane. Look at Oprah...fabulous in curls.

-L'anza strait line smoother and Jonathan IB shield humidity lock out shine spray.

Marcus Francis Chris Chase Salon182 9th Ave @ 21st 212.206.7991

Labels: frizzy hair, haircare, products

Continuing on our quest for a few good fats, today we tackle the fat-friendly nut with tips from Marisa Moore, RD, LD a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association:
Almonds contain heart healthy unsaturated fats, plus 3 grams of fiber per serving, and calcium. Add slivered almonds to your salad instead of croutons. (1 ounce: 20-24 pieces)*
Walnuts offer omega-3 fatty acids. Toss toasted walnuts on a fruit salad or low fat yogurt. (1 ounce: 8 - 11 halves)
Macadamia nuts have higher levels of monounsaturated fats, such as those found in olive oil. Add them as crumb topping to baked fish (1 ounce: 10 - 12)

VJD goes nuts for Better Than Roasted™ nuts because they’re soaked in water to extract digestive inhibitors called “phytates” (organic acids), which are present in the hulls of nuts and can block our uptake of certain minerals. We also have a stash of tasty Everybody’s Nuts!™ pistachios (packed with antioxidants) for smart snacking.
*1 ounce = 1 handful = ¼ cup nut halves = 180 calories

Labels: health food, nutrition, Nuts

Good news for the lactose intolerant: sushi, not milk, may be your best source of calcium … among other nutrients.
“Sea vegetables and seaweed are higher in vitamins and minerals than all other vegetables,” according to Julie Lerner, founder of WholeBody Nutrition. Her tips for getting more “super veggies” in your diet:
Veggies of the sea: Start with a seaweed salad, followed by rolls wrapped in Nori (green wrapping paper). Both are loaded with minerals and trace elements that are no longer found in land vegetables due to soil depletion (think magnesium, iron, potassium, and chromium).
The right rolls: Go for the healing ingredients found in Hamachi rolls (yellowtail) and dragon rolls (eel, shrimp, flying fish roe)—they have antibiotic properties, counteract obesity, and strengthen bones while aiding digestion.
Sea sides: Add small amounts of bite sized pieces of the greens to your favorite soups and salads. Use Dulse flakes in place of regular table salt, or try some smoked Dulse—it’s like beef jerky, seaweed style!

Labels: health food, seaweed, sushi

Natural skin care brand Derma E has a busy fall planned, as the company expands its reach into drugstores, starts a massive repackaging effort and introduces its new organic line, Organic Expressions.
With more than 90 paraben-free, vegetarian skin and body care products, the 25-year-old brand is currently sold in more than 5,000 natural retail stores such as Whole Foods Market, Wild Oats, GNC and Vitamin Shoppe, and online at dermae.com.
With demand for natural products on the rise and mass retailers introducing their own natural sets, the company decided to expand into about 3,000 food, drug and mass channels.
Read more....

Labels: natural products, organics, skincare

August 17, 2007 -- A new presidential report on cancer takes aim at numerous targets including tobacco companies, the food industry and the federal government for doing too little to subsidize and promote healthy foods and exercise.

"Ineffective policies, in conjunction with limited regulation of sales and marketing in the food and beverage industry, have spawned a culture that struggles to make healthy choices - a culture in dire need of change," said the President's Cancer Panel report released yesterday.

Labels: cancer, government

Dunkin’ Brands forms nutrition advisory panel

CANTON , Mass. (Aug. 15) The franchisor of Dunkin’ Donuts, Baskin-Robbins and Togo’s said it has formed a panel of health and industry experts to advise the company on adjusting the brands’ menus to prevailing health trends.
Dunkin’ Brands said the board would assist management with research and perspective. It is not clear how active a role the advisory board would play. In recent years, a number of other fast feeders have formed blue-ribbon panels, ostensibly to guide the chains’ respective menu-development efforts. Both McDonald’s and KFC, for instance, have panels of mothers. Some observers have said those advisory bodies were organized more for public relations reasons than for help in actually crafting menus.

Full article...

Labels: health trend, nutrition

Regular pit stops at your favorite vending machine for that sugar filled pick-me-up may not be routine anymore. YoNaturals Inc. is pleased to announce the introduction of the YoZone, a hi-tech vending machine that is dedicated to vending only natural and organic snacks and beverages. YoNaturals has appointed local distributor "Organic Vending Specialties" to spread the word that healthy vending has finally arrived and is here to stay.

In a market previously dominated by "junk food," YoNaturals offers a healthier vending alternative for schools, corporate offices, shopping centers, fitness centers and much more. Each machine is filled with items such as Vitamin Water, Clif Bars, Function Drinks, Fiji Water, Hansens Natural, Kashi Granola Bars, Guru sugarless, caffeine free energy drinks, Pirates Booty, Stacys Pita Chips, Tazo Iced Tea and more. In fact YoNaturals offers over 150 healthy products. Each YoZone machine displays customized graphics to match various location types, giving them a colorful and fresh feeling, much different from the dark and bleak look of traditional vending machines.

Labels: healthy snacks, innovative

The guys over at Men's Health say we should think of beets as red spinach since they are loaded with nutrition. They are high in folate an important nutrient for expectant mothers, even before they conceive! It is also high in betaine, which works with folate to help reduce inflammatory compounds that can damage your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease. Plus, the pigment that gives beets their crimson color has been identified as a potent cancer fighter in laboratory mice.
Beets are tasty roasted and make a great topping for a salad. You can also peel them and grate them for a salad topping. Plus the leaves can be used just like you would chard!

Labels: beets, health food

Wu Long tea is rich in these 3 substances: catechins, theaflavins and thearubigins. These substances act as antioxidants, which destroy free radicals and are completely natural.

Be advised, grocery store versions of Wulong or any teas have much lower levels of these antioxidants because the leaves have been extremely processed. The oxidation process reduces the catachin level. To get maximum potency and value of Wu Long tea I suggest you find a good online tea store and not waste your money on pre-packaged name brand type wu-long tea.
Also it’s nice to know there are no side effects to drinking Wu-long tea; it tastes great and is good for your soul!

You are doing yourself a favor every time you drink a cup….slowly undoing the effects of aging.
http://www.wulongtea-info.com is packed with more information on Wu–Long tea - including details regarding other health benefits , tea preperation and more: please visit:wu-long tea Find the top online tea outlets selling the best wu-long teas: How to buy wu long online

Labels: anti-aging, Anti-oxidant, Oolong Tea, Wu long Tea

The beverage and food industries have sought the "perfect sweetener" for decades. It's no secret that standard table sugar (sucrose) and its even worse cousin, high-fructose corn syrup, rots teeth, leads to obesity, and is a major contributor to diabetes. So chemical companies have concocted an armada of synthetic sugar alternatives such as saccharin and aspartame that have been linked to everything from cancer to neurological disorders. Now Coca-Cola and Cargill have announced they have "developed" the perfect natural sweetener.
The sweetener is stevia, a zero calorie plant-based sweetener that has been used for hundreds of years. In Japan, 40% of the sweeteners consumed are from stevia, so it can't really be called a "new" sweetener. But here in the U.S., likely due to lobbying of the FDA by synthetic sweetener producers, stevia has been hidden in the shadows by strange labeling requirements that keep the average consumer from even understanding what stevia can be used for. Coca-Cola and Cargill plan to bring a patented version of stevia to the mainstream as the perfect natural sweetener by removing some of the bitter aftertaste. Is this good news or bad news?

Labels: artificial sweeteners, Cargill, Coca-Cola, Stevia

Natural personal care is growing at a rate five times that of other businesses, said retailers. Brands are popping up left and right promising "natural" benefits.

Ideally, natural items will be made with at least 95 percent natural ingredients and contain no ingredients with any potential suspected human health risks. Ingredients that should never be used include parabens, sulfates, petrochemicals, glycols, phthalates, diethanolamine or DEA and formaldehyde.

Labels: natural products, personal care, skincare

As Fa Park, president of New Jersey-based Incoco, was surveying the cosmetics market to see what was missing, he realized something crucial: Despite all the advances made in the industry in the past few years, nail polish still didn't dry that much quicker.
"The drying process takes a long time and is still difficult," said Park. "It hasn't progressed that much."
So Park invented Dry Nail Appliqué, a self-adhesive nail enamel that is designed to have the look of a full manicure, but can be done in a few minutes — anywhere.
The Dry Nail Appliqué is currently shipping to some 5,800 Walgreens across the U.S. It comes in 20 different colors, such as Pink Satin, Red Velvet, Berry Rich and Chocolate, as well as six French manicure shades.
Read More....

Labels: innovative, manicure

Graceful Services You're going to have to walk up a few flights of stairs, but this coma-inducing massage parlor is a steal, at $60 for 60 minutes. For $80, you can get a facial with watermelon, sea salt, and ginger masks brought in from China. Open till 10 p.m. 1095 Second Ave., Second Floor; (212) 593-9904, gracefulservices.com. E, V to 53rd St.; 4, 5, 6 to 59th St

Labels: massage, NYC, on the cheap

The night before: Drink two glasses of hot water with lemon to stimulate the kidneys and eliminate fluid.

Just before bed: Put a tablespoon of chopped parsley and a teaspoon of crushed dill seeds into glass. Add boiling water, stir, cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Pour through a strainer and then sip slowly. Parsley is a natural diuretic and the dill eliminates gas.

First thing in the morning: Drink a large glass of hot water with lemon.

Breakfast: A small bowl of oatmeal made with half a cup of oats, half a cup of skim milk and one cup of water — no salt. One small pot of Yakult, a probiotic drink from Ireland, and a sachet of Beneflora, a food supplement. Both contain beneficial bacteria that aid with digestion.

Lunch: One apple, a generous bunch of grapes, one ripe banana ("they're more digestible if they've started to go a little speckly," van Straten says) and more hot water with lemon.

Afternoon snack: Two cups of fennel tea (available in health food stores) and six dates, the semidried variety. Fennel helps eliminate gas and dates are a source of fiber and iron.

Before heading out to sunset cocktails in that new mini: One glass of parsley tea and one spoonful of slippery elm (an herbal powder available in health food stores) mixed into a paste with a little cold water and topped off with boiling water and a teaspoon of honey. It acts as an antacid and digestive protector to soothe the stomach.

Labels: diet, quick fix

Alpha lipoic acid is a very powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory agent. Since it is almost non-existent in foods, we need to take it as a supplement on a daily basis. Alpha lipoic acid is unique among antioxidants because it is soluble in both fat and water. This means that it can reach all areas of the cell to provide free radical protection. It also makes it exceptionally compatible with the skin due to its fat solubility.
Perricone readers know that I strongly discourage eating foods that contain sugar or other forms of sweeteners, as well as foods that rapidly convert to sugar when eaten. Unfortunately, many of these foods are our mainstays—such as breads, pasta, potatoes, cookies, snack foods and so forth.
As a dermatologist, one of the reasons that I so vehemently discourage this is because these foods are highly damaging to the skin. When we eat foods that raise our blood sugar such as those described above, we are setting ourselves up for the creation of Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs), which is the topic of my next book due out this fall. These AGEs are formed when a sugar molecule attaches to a protein. Collagen is the protein substance of skin, tendon, bone, cartilage, and all other connective tissue. As you might guess, the sugar molecule has a high affinity with the collagen protein. Once it attaches to the collagen it glycates the protein causing it to stiffen. This leads to wrinkled and sagging skin.

Labels: Alpha Lipoic Acid, Dr. Perricone, skin, supplements

The evidence continues to mount that shorter bursts of activity with rest periods in between is one of the most effective ways to exercise. This alternating technique, known as interval training or high-intensity interval training, has been around for decades but is experiencing newfound popularity as its benefits are publicized. This most recent study confirmed that interval training results in more fat burned -- even when the session was not done at an extremely high intensity -- and a study earlier this year found that it can improve your cardiovascular fitness and your body’s ability to burn fat.
During my college years, and about 15 years after that, I used to do interval training, but stopped it and just did endurance training since I haven't regularly competed for 15 years. I had no idea that the interval training had so many other benefits. Now however, as the benefits of interval training keep pouring in, I have been reawakened to the importance of short bursts of activity done at a very high intensity to reach your optimum level of fitness. Therefore, I now incorporate interval training (sprints) with endurance cardio training (running), pull-ups, dips and singles tennis (when I can find someone to join me!) You certainly don't have to run to achieve these benefits, and can receive similar effects using properly supervised weight training. I believe that incorporating interval training into your exercise routine will be a welcome relief for most, particularly those who dread hour-long cardio workouts.
Although interval training requires intense periods of exercise (more intense than you may have normally done), the session is broken up with periods of rest, so it really goes by much faster yet produces excellent results. This technique should help just about everyone who uses it; just be sure to start out at your own pace.
So remember, along with some endurance cardio training, be sure you are also incorporating interval-type training and strength training into your exercise routine. As with many things in life, when it comes to exercise, having some variety built in will help you to get the most comprehensive results for your mind and body.

Labels: burn fat, exercise, interval training, Mercola