Organic Skincare and Body Care Blog

3 Ways to Heal Candida Overgrowth and Get Your Health Back

May 18, 2012

by Jill Bickford

In last week’s blog post, while talking about eczema, I mentioned how candida is one of the common causes. Candida infections are a widespread issue. There are very few people that actually don’t have some candida overgrowth because of the rampant use of prescription medications that destroy the healthy balance inside the body and the Standard American Diet. I have struggled with myself with Candidiasis (Candida Overgrowth) for most of my life. I also have received multiple emails from readers wanting to know how to deal with it. I’d like to share with you what worked for me, and may help you on the road to health.

What is Candida & Candidiasis?

Candida is the scientific name for a whole family of yeasts that are naturally found in the intestines of healthy people. In small amounts, they’re helpful for digestion and nutrient absorption. Candida becomes Candidiasis when it overgrows in the body and becomes out of balance. The causes of the overgrowth or infection include: antibiotic use, a processed and sugary diet (candida feeds on sugars), nutrient deficiencies, heightened toxic exposure, and any illnesses, drugs, or treatments that cause immune suppression.

While sites of infection can include the bloodstream and organs (a systemic infection), it is most common in the skin and mucous membranes. In the skin, this results in inflammation, redness, and itching. In the mucous membranes, this results in the typical symptoms associated with yeast infection or thrush.

Some studies have shown that as many as 1 in 5 people test positive for candida overgrowth in their mucosal linings. While some people show no symptoms, most have several areas of compromised health. Any excessive bacteria or yeast that is growing where it shouldn’t will lead to an overworked immune system, and can cause a huge host of symptoms that many people mistake for other causes or simply just think they have to live with.

How do I know if I have Candidasis?

1) First, do this simple home test:

In the morning, before eating or drinking anything, fill a glass with water and spit some of your saliva into it. Then, all you have to do is keep an eye on the glass of water every 10-15 minutes for the next hour. If your saliva does nothing but float on top of the water, you have nothing to worry about. If, however, tiny sprout-like strings have begun growing, or the water has turned dusty or cloudy, or your saliva soon sank to the bottom, you likely have a candida issue.

2) Second, to confirm the test, do this questionnaire.

How to Heal Candidiasis

Here’s how to heal candida overgrowth in 3 steps:

1) If you want relief from the symptoms above, you must follow a strict anti-candida diet for at least 3 months. This involves absolutely zero sugars, fruits, grains, dairy, or sweet veggies. Dr. Gabriel Cousens has an excellent “Phase I Diet” that you can follow in his book Rainbow Green Live Food Cuisine. You can view the entire Phase I dietary plan here.

You can include superfoods, mostly green or non-sweet vegetables (no potatoes, beets, or carrots), green juices, occasional seeds (be sparing with nuts), seaweeds, and young wild coconuts (no sugary Thai coconuts). Also, raw coconut oil is composed of 48% lauric acid, which has anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties that make it very helpful in combating candida overgrowth.

2) Take high doses of healthy intestinal probiotics (acidophilus, bifidus infantis, L. salivarius, L. plantarum, L. bulgaricus, etc.) that will colonize in the intestines. These are my favorites.

Prebiotics are also valuable. These are foods that nourish probiotics (healthy bacterial flora). Prebiotics are indigestible foods that stimulate the growth and maintenance of beneficial gut microflora. The best ones to take to while on the anti-candida diet include chicory root, dandelion root, burdock root, and slippery elm bark.

3) Seek out the following herbs, which are excellent allies against candida:

- Oregano

- Garlic

- Pau d’arco and Cat’s Claw

- Olive Leaf Extract

- Grapefruit Seed Extract

- Clove & Cinnamon

- MSM

- Vitamin C

- Medicinal Mushrooms, such as: agaricus blazei, chaga, cordyceps, coriolus, lion’s mane, maitake, reishi, shiitake, tremella

There are many herbal anti-candida formulas that I’ve tried too. There are several good one’s available. Candi-Gone is a simple, more inexpensive one you can find at any health food store. I’ve used this one several times. Also, Digest the Best is a blend of anti-microbial and liver regenerative essential oils. It’s a good addition to your food or water while fighting candida.

Are you Candidiasis-free?

Healing Candida overgrowth is at least a 3 month process, for those with more severe cases, it can take up to a year or longer. Most importantly, strictly follow the diet for long enough (3 months – a year) depending on the severity of your case. Second, take high dose probiotics. And finally, supplement with the above herbs/supplements or an anti-candida formula in high doses daily. Some herbs used for anti-candida affects like oregano or neem are very potent, and should only be used in small doses for no more than a month or two at a time. Take a break from them and if you still have Candidiasis symptoms, start again. You may need to repeat herbal dosages, meaning if you are using an all-in-one formula, – you take all the pills / tinctures until you have finished all of it. Then, you take a break for about a week. After that, purchase a new one and start the formula again until you have used all it.

If all of the symptoms go away and have been completely gone for weeks, then stop the herbs. Also, you can now move to Phase 1.5 of the anti-candida diet for 3 months. If any of the symptoms come back, go back to Phase 1 for 3 months and start with the herbs again. You’ll want to always continue to take probiotics and prebiotics as a regular part of your diet, but you can eventually lower the dosage. It’s also important to always be taking MSM, Vitamin C, and optionally Medicinal Mushrooms for good health. I take all of these everyday, candida overgrowth or not. If you are symptom-free long term, eat a healthy, whole-foods, unprocessed diet with zero refined sugars and starches. The only sweet things to eat are fruits and natural sugars, like honey or coconut sugar. Keep high and medium-glycemic fruits and natural sugars minimal.

Fighting Candida Overgrowth can be challenging and being consistent with the diet and the herbs for as long as you need is completely essential. Over time, all of the symptoms should fade away for good.

Posted in: Acne, Beauty, Candida, Coconut Oil, Eczema, Food, Healing, Health, Nutrition, Skin and Body, Skin Conditions – No Comments

Natural Eczema Treatment: The Causes of Eczema and The 5 Ways to Start Healing It

May 11, 2012

by Jill Bickford

As I mentioned last week when I wrote about Rosacea, skin disorders are often the result of an internal imbalance. When the internal organs can no longer process the daily toxic load they’re given, or when they’re overwhelmed by unhealthy foods and chemicals, the skin acts as a conduit to release the toxins. Unfortunately, with what many consider a standard diet, overwhelm too often becomes normal, and we silence our internal cry for help by simply suppressing the symptoms of a chronic skin condition. While some natural topical remedies can help soothe and calm some skin conditions. Instead, often topical prescription medications that actually carry heavy risks are used to cover up the symptoms. But, the skin condition never goes away completely, or keeps coming back once the medication is stopped. This because the internal imbalance that is causing the skin condition in the first place needs to be addressed.

I’m going to continue this week by exploring how to heal another well-known chronic skin condition: Eczema.

What is Eczema?

Eczema is a chronic skin condition that’s usually characterized by the following:

severe skin dryness
red, swollen areas of the skin
the appearance of dry, red, flaking, blistering, and cracking rashes on the body.

It also comes with a variety of different names, and it would seem that there are many different types of eczema, but these actually only refer to where on the body the rashes tend to occur.

What causes Eczema?

There are four main causes of eczema.

1) Toxin exposure. As mentioned previously, excessive exposure to toxins will eventually overload the kidneys and liver, often causing the skin to take on the role of eliminating toxins since it has such a large surface area. This can lead to eczema or several other skin conditions.

2) Digestive issues. A low-quality diet can irritate or damage the lining of the intestine and reduce its ability to uptake nutrients and prevent toxins from crossing into the bloodstream.

3) Infection and Immune System Overload. An excess of bad bacteria, Candida, or parasites are common causes of Eczema. If the immune system is constantly fighting off one of these infections, it can also be unusually reactive to what would otherwise be every day stimuli.

4) Low thyroid function. This ultimately leads to reduced circulation. Since nutrients are delivered by the blood while waste and toxins are removed by it, this leads to waste buildup on nutrient-deficient skin, which causes the rashes that are so characteristic of eczema.

What can I do for my Eczema?

There are five ways to naturally treat eczema:

1) Address any source of Infection, like Parasites or Candidiasis with a healing diet and herbs. (Look for a future blog post on a protocol.)

2) Eat the following beneficial foods:

Aloe Vera – fights inflammation and can also be applied topically.
Turmeric – A strong anti-inflammatory with many benefits, especially for those with skin conditions.
Burdock Root – A powerful anti-inflammatory that can help with most skin conditions, including eczema.
Horsetail – Helps the healing process – useful for rashes that crack.
Nettle – Helps relieve many chronic skin conditions, including eczema.
Coconut Oil – Increases blood flow to the skin, fights bacteria, and can be applied topically to moisturize and soften.

And include the following beneficial nutrients in your diet:

Chlorophyll – Fights bacteria, aids in wound healing.
Raw Fats and Cold Pressed Oils – Helps beautify the skin in many ways.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids – Essential for body, brain, and skin health. The best vegan sources are Golden Algae oil, fresh flax oil/seeds, fresh hemp oil/seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and marine phytoplankton.
Omega-6 Fatty Acids – Small amounts help acne, rosacea, psoriasis, and eczema.
Silica – Strengthens connective tissue for strong skin, hair, and nails. Horsetail is an excellent source.
Sulfur – Builds and repairs connective tissues for beautiful skin, hair, and nails. Helps detoxify the body and liver. MSM is the best source.

3) Abandon dairy and cooked fats (except coconut oil and olive oil). These have been shown to exacerbate eczema.

4) Do a few colonics to help restore the body’s ability to detoxify itself through the colon rather than through the skin. Alternatively, warm-water enemas during a juice fast or a herbal cleanse will also help.

5) Choose an organic eczema treatment that will actually help heal and repair the skin without adding to its toxic load. For instance, every ingredient in Magic Healing Balm is specifically targeted to treat eczema as well as helping soothe skin conditions like herpes, cold sores, psoriasis, and contact dermatitis. It’s antibacterial, ultra-hydrating, and helps promote skin cell regeneration.

If you follow these five steps, you should notice some relief of your symptoms right away, and, with time, it’s possible that you will experience little or no eczema at all. As always, feel free to post your comments, questions, and personal experiences below! Especially, if you’ve tried any of the above methods and can offer what it was like for you.

Posted in: Beauty, Eczema, Healing, Health, Skin and Body, Skin Conditions – 2 Comments

Natural Rosacea Treatment: 10 Ways to Heal from the Inside Out

May 4, 2012

by Jill Bickford

Our bodies give us so much information about what they need, but in our culture we are often not accustomed to looking or listening. Our eyes can’t see inside our bodies and look at our body systems and organs. And in many cases we actually don’t need complex machinery and medical techniques to have an idea of what’s going on inside. We have been given a permeable window to view our own health: our skin. It is in the spirit of this that I’ve decided to begin a series on skin conditions – to honor how much our skin tells us about what we need, what we’re lacking, and how we can heal ourselves.

The first skin condition I’ll be talking about is Rosacea.

What is Rosacea?

Affecting more than 14 million people in North America, Rosacea is a chronic skin condition that usually causes one or more of the following:

Red areas on the face
Small, often red bumps on or around the nose, cheeks, forehead, and chin
Telangiectasia – small blood vessels near the surface of the skin
An increased tendency to blush or become flush with color

There are also two subtypes of rosacea – rhinophyma, which causes the nose to become red and bulbous, and ocular rosacea, which is characterized by a burning or gritty sensation in the eyes.

Why have topical treatments never healed my Rosacea completely?

All skin conditions indicate that the internal organs are not properly processing nutrients and toxins. Anything that builds up in excess is pushed outward to the skin as a last resort for elimination. This dampens the skin’s ability to maintain a healthy, natural state, and often results in disorder. In Rosacea, the cause tends to be excess heat and toxins in the blood. While Rosacea is almost always “treated” topically, it is not a just a skin condition. It expresses through the skin and shows up there, but it is the expression of something that is going on inside the body. To truly heal means to rectify the imbalance that is the root cause of the condition. The root cause of Rosacea is internal.

What can I do for my Rosacea?

Here are 10 steps to help you move towards healing:

1) Remove Harmful Foods
While having a healthy diet is essential (and it can be a challenge to make complete dietary changes), what I mean here specifically is to remove any foods from your diet that worsen your condition. Each food should be singled out and removed for a week or two while seeing whether or not the rosacea improves. If it does, try adding it back in and see if it makes things worse. If so, consider removing it from your diet completely, as it’s harmful to your digestive system and will only hamper your body’s ability to absorb nutrients. For Rosacea, you will particularly need to avoid the following food items: ALL foods that heat the body or are strong in flavor, like all peppers, spices, and even garlic and onions. Also avoid alcohol, sugar, processed foods, fried foods, artificial ingredients, meat, eggs, dairy, and caffeine. (I don’t recommend ever adding any processed foods, sugar, or artificial foods back into your diet, even if you find they do not significantly worsen your Rosacea.)

2) Support your Liver
Eat liver and gallbladder supporting foods. Try starting each morning with a breakfast of light fruits, such as papaya, grapefruit, pears, apples, cherries, or similar. For later in the day, eat mostly vegetables, especially leafy greens, and raw nuts or raw seeds.
Again, throughout the day, be sure to avoid alcohol, coffee, dairy products, and sugar. Drink huge amounts of water.
Herbs to add into your diet that support liver cleansing are milk thistle, dandelion root, and burdock root. Also, Liver Rescue from HealthForce Nutritionals is an excellent complex containing liver cleansing herbs and nutrients. It’s my favorite Liver Complex.

3) Blood Cleansing & Colon Health
The best herbs for blood cleansing are Burdock Root, Nettle Root, Dandelion Root, Yellow Dock Root, Red Clover, Nettle Leaf, Oregon Grape Root, Pau D’Arco, Chaparral. Take in tincture, capsule, or tea form. Dandelion leaf, Cilantro, Spinach, Parsley, Grasses (like Wheatgrass and Barley Grass), and any high chlorophyll foods are especially great foods to eat or make into juice for cleansing the blood.

Cleansing the Colon is also essential. The best way to do this is with Colon hydrotherapy. There are also herbs, like Triphala or herbal formulas for colon cleansing that can be taken. (Avoid Senna, it can cause long-term damage with repeated use.)

4) Probiotics
When you have skin conditions, one of the most important things you can do is to take plenty of probiotics daily for healthy intestinal flora. After cleansing, it’s also very important to repopulate your system with probiotics. The best sources are supplementation with multiple non-dairy strains of good bacteria, kefir (non-dairy) try Coconut Water Kefir, and fermented vegetables.

5) Take Digestive Enzymes
Since skin disorders are usually caused by lack of nutrient absorption, digestive enzymes can help change this by increasing the amount of nutrients that are absorbed from food. Many people with rosacea don’t produce enough stomach acid and should take hydrochloric acid supplements (betaine hydrochloride) before or after a meal (just be sure to keep the dosage low enough that you don’t experience any discomfort). Pancreatic enzymes are also important to supplement with, as many people with rosacea have been shown to have a deficiency in pancreatic lipase. If you are one of the ones who are deficient in this enzyme, and you also experience indigestion, both your symptoms and your indigestion will likely improve.

6) Take B Vitamins
A common problem among those with rosacea is deficiency of B vitamins. While a B-Vitamin complex can be helpful, the best ways to administer B-vitamins are either as patches or sublingually. Both methods have significantly higher Vitamin B absorption rates than through the digestive system.

7) Take Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is often prescribed as a natural treatment for rosacea. It’s best to take in liquid form with water. Aside from being good for you body in all sorts of ways, it specifically helps with rosacea by restoring the proper balances of acid in the stomach and intestinal bacteria.

8) Take Natural Supplements
Other great treatments include: aloe vera, chamomile, rose hips, selenium, zinc, and coconut oil.

9) Do a Full-Body Detox
If your case of rosacea is more severe and simply won’t respond to any of the above, then a full body detox may be necessary to help. The most simple way to do this is with a juice fast and a colon cleanse (regular colon hydrotherapy or an herbal colon cleansing formula), accompanied by clays like Bentonite to help absorb and carry the toxins out. This will eliminate toxins and remove any congestion in the liver. It will also allow more efficient functioning of the digestive system and other organs.

10) Soothe and reduce inflammation on the skin
Some of the best topical ingredients to apply to skin that’s inflamed from rosacea are: licorice, green tea, white tea, and feverfew.

Licorice Root contains glycyrrhizinic acid and licochalcone A, both of which have been shown to decrease sores and inflammation from multiple types of dermatitis. However, it has been shown that licorice is especially effective in reducing the appearance of redness in people with rosacea when used topically.

Green Tea and White Tea both contain a whole host of anticarcinogenic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory components. Also, green tea has potent phytoprotective properties that may reduce reactivity to ultraviolet in people with rosacea.

Feverfew contains parthenolide and tanetin, and has been shown to provide relief for inflammation caused by acne and rosacea.

These are some of the primary ingredients in my Serenity Soothing Rosacea Serum, which contains the following:

Organic White Tea Extract, Organic Licorice Root Extract, Organic Aloe Vera, Organic Jojoba Oil Infusion (Licorice Root, Oolong Tea, Feverfew, Burdock Root, Rose Hips), Organic Evening Primrose Oil, Organic Borage Seed Oil, Organic Tamanu Oil, Organic Calendula Oil, Organic Unrefined Vitamin E Oil, Organic Supercritical CO2 extracted Rosemary Antioxidant, Organic Essential Oils of Chamomile, Lavender, Helichrysum (Immortelle), Turmeric, Green Tea CO2 extract, Organic Vanilla Absolute.

Filled with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredients that will hydrate, protect, and renew collagen and elastin, it’s handmade to help calm rosacea and soothe skin irritation. You can use it alone, or after cleansing and toning and prior to applying moisturizer. Just be sure to allow it to soak in before applying any other product.

If you follow all of these steps, you should be well on your way to healing your rosacea from the inside out, and may find yourself free of something you always thought you simply had to live with before you know it.

Posted in: Beauty, Healing, Nutrition, Rosacea, Skin and Body, Skin Conditions – 2 Comments

Beauty Foods: Blue-Green Algae, Part 2

April 27, 2012

by Jill Bickford

Last week I told you all about organic blue-green algae: how it’s good for your immune system, how it acts as one of the most complete multi-vitamins ever created, how it’s an excellent source of essential fatty and amino acids, and even how it was actually responsible for transforming our planet into the oxygen-rich, life-supporting place that it is today. And there’s so much more to share about it. When consumed internally and topically applied, it’s incredible for your skin, hair, nails, and teeth. It’s one of the most powerful beautifiers there is.

What makes Blue-Green Algae so Beautifying?

As I mentioned last week, Blue-Green Algae is one of the most nutrient-dense substances on the planet. It’s highly bioavailable, with 96-98% of the nutrients being easily absorbed by the body (in contrast to the average supplement, which is only between 5 and 25% assimilable). It’s also the one food on Earth that contains Phycocyanin, a powerful antioxidant and immune booster, and the actual pigment in the algae that gives it a unique blue-green color. Blue-Green Algae consists of about 65 vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids. It’s rich in calcium, beta-carotene, vitamins B12, B1, B3, B5 B6, C, and E, and Folic Acid. It also contains many trace minerals, including selenium, zinc, manganese, iron, copper, chromium, boron, magnesium, and sulfur. This includes the important skin, hair, and nail nutrients, silicon and biotin. Blue-Green Algae is a good source of nucleic acids, the building blocks of DNA and RNA, and it contains the same eight essential and ten nonessential amino acids as the human body. Not only that, it has the highest amount of chlorophyll and the highest concentration of protein by weight of any food in existence.

Since Blue-Green Algae is such a rich source of highly active bioavailable protein (and hair and nails are made of between 95 and 97% protein) this makes it ultra-nourishing for hair and nails. All of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients also contribute to it’s being such a high-caliber beautifier.

Here’s what the nutrients in Blue-Green Algae do for beauty:

Create healthy skin cells, hair, and nails.
Improve blood circulation and deliver oxygen to the tissues of the body.
Stimulate growth of hair and nails, as well as new skin cells.
Aid in creating shiny, thicker, softer hair and stronger nails.
May help prevent or eliminate dandruff.
May assist with hair loss prevention and hair color loss prevention.
Support growth of red blood cells.
Help build collagen.
Aid in wound healing.
Help reduce UV damage to skin.
Enhance circulation to bring nutrients to the scalp and nails.
Fight free-radicals and remove toxins from the body.
Help regenerate damaged tissue.
May help with weight reduction.
Overall anti-aging effects both inside the body and outside.

Ways to Beautify with Blue-Green Algae

Consuming Blue-Green Algae internally is the best way to receive all of it’s goodness. Last week, I mentioned the best ways to consume Blue-Green Algae. Some of the favorite full-spectrum Green Superfood Formulas that contain Blue Green Algae are Vitamineral Green and Billy’s Infinity Greens. Blue-Green Algae can also be applied on skin and hair for extra nourishing and beautifying effects.

The best way to deliver its nutrients into the skin in a fun and nourishing way, is by applying a Mask. This wonderful Blue-Green Algae Mask is soothing and hydrating.

Also, Morrocco Method Shampoos and Conditioners are the only shampoos and conditioners I use. One reason I love them so much is because they include one of my most favorite ingredients ever, Blue-Green Algae.

Blue-Green Algae is also wonderful for teeth and gum health. The incredible Oral Care Elixir, Oralive, contains Blue-Green Algae.

Blue-Green Algae is miracle food that I love to enjoy daily in food, drinks, and in my skin, hair, and oral care products. It is truly one of the most wonderful beauty foods on the planet.

Posted in: Beauty, Beauty Foods, Food, Healing, Health, Nutrition, Skin and Body – No Comments

Beauty Foods: Blue-Green Algae, Part 1

April 20, 2012

by Jill Bickford

prozacblues/flickr

In the world of beauty, we are so accustomed to considering a top down perspective, that when we actually think of beauty, most of us begin to think of the immense world of lotion, soap, toothpaste, conditioner, shampoo, makeup, and so much more… Since beauty expresses itself on the surface, we relate to it on the surface. It’s not often that we consider beauty as coming from inside, from a cellular level. Any treatment that is applied and has lasting benefit does so because it is absorbed by our skin into our body and used as the nutrients for the production of new cells. This would of course mean that the very first and best thing that we give ourselves in the name of self care is a whole and nourishing diet. That’s why this week and next week, I wanted to explore one of my most favorite foods and one of the most nutrient-dense foods on planet Earth – Blue Green Algae. Blue-Green Algae includes Spirulina, Chlorella, and Klamath Lake Blue Green Algae. Not only does it play an important role in the evolutionary history of life on this planet, but it is naturally brimming with all of the building blocks necessary for our cells to thrive.

Blue Green Algae was born nearly 2.8 billion years ago, when the atmosphere of Earth began rapidly filling with oxygen. Known more technically as cyanobacteria, Blue Green Algae are actually microscopic organisms that are capable of photosynthesis, and were responsible for the worldwide transformation of the planet from a largely barren place into one that can readily support life. This change in the atmosphere resulted in an explosion of biodiversity, eventually causing the appearance of every living, growing thing that we see in the world. Even today, cyanobacteria are still responsible for between 20 and 30% of the oxygen in our atmosphere.

Like all living things, blue green algae is made up of carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins, and minerals. What makes blue green algae so unique is that almost all of the essential components of its cells are the same essential components of our cells, making it up to 98% assimilable by humans. That means that the health benefits that come from a daily regimen of organic blue green algae are both vast and profound.

A Deeper Look

Blue Green Algae is:

composed of 60 to 70% protein with a complete amino acid profile – it contains the same eight essential and ten nonessential amino acids as the human body. These are absorbed up to four times more readily than those found in meat protein.
incredibly nutrient rich, containing 64 different vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. Not only is it a good source of selenium, zinc, manganese, copper, iron, calcium, vitamins B1, B6, B12, C, and E, but 97% of all of the nutrients found in Blue-Green Algae are readily available for absorption in the human body. By contrast, the average multi-vitamin is between 5 and 25% absorbable.
made up of 7% lipids, 45% of which are essential fatty acids – those that we cannot synthesize and must get from our diet. Even though Blue-Green Algae contains alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), it has been shown to raise the levels of good fatty acids (ALA, EPA, and DHA) significantly more than can be explained just by what it contributes in ALA.
filled with more biologically active chlorophyll than any other food source. Chlorophyll is an important phytonutrient and acts as a powerful antioxidant.
also filled with phycocyanin, a photosynthetic pigment like chlorophyll that gives it its bluer shades. It also acts as a powerful anti-oxidant with many additional anti-inflammatory properties.

Health Benefits

Increased immune system strength
Stimulation of stem cell release and mobilization, aiding in tissue regeneration
Strengthen of hair, nails, and skin combined with full-body anti-aging effects
Generalized benefits to the gastrointestinal, nervous, endocrine, and cardiovascular systems, including aiding digestion
Food craving abatement and weight reduction
Pain reduction

Adding Organic Blue-Green Algae to Your Diet

Personally, I eat organic Spirulina, organic Chlorella and Klamath Lake Blue-Green Algae every day. My personal recommendation is that you try mixing either a Blue-Green Algae powder or a Blue-Green Algae containing Green Formula, such as Vitamineral Green, with water, fresh juices, blended drinks, or your favorite smoothies. Feel free to add it into to any raw food that you currently enjoy – sauces, dips, dressings, or any kind of cracker or other raw snack that you’re planning to dehydrate. There are plenty of powders and formulas available, and as long as you’re sure to never heat them above 115°F, they add an incredible nutritional boost to anything you add them to.

If you’re looking for more specific drink recipes, I invite you to take a look at this book by Bethanne Wanamaker, which contains recipes for many wonderful and vitalizing drink elixirs, some of which call for organic Blue-Green Algae.

Posted in: Beauty Foods, Food, Healing, Health, Nutrition, Skin and Body – 1 Comment

Organic Dental Care – Oralive by Ascended Health

April 13, 2012

by Jill Bickford

Ascended Health takes a very different approach to dental care than we are used to seeing in the world. Their philosophy is that we need to not only kill harmful bacteria in our mouths, but we need to create a positive, nurturing environment for the good bacteria to grow and flourish. They see the human body itself as a type of large donut, with what most of us would consider our inside as actually still being our outside–and it’s a surface that’s covered with bacteria. These bacteria defend their natural environment from bad bacteria, and are as much of an important part of our health and well being as our immune system itself. In pursuit of sustaining, preserving, and nurturing our natural internal ecosystems, they created Oralive.

A Unique Approach to Dental Health

Ascended Health’s multi-faceted holistic approach to wellness has four key points.

First, they are entirely non-chemical and non-pharmaceutical. They use natural herbs, healing oils, and magnetic earths in everything they create because these are the kinds of things our bodies evolved with, recognize, and know how to ultilize.

Second, they use oxygen. While modern dentists often use oxygen to kill bacteria as well, the danger lies in the forms of oxygen that they use, such as chlorine dioxide or those bonded with fluorine or other poisonous compounds. These are not only harmful to our bodies sensitive tissues, but create an environment in which all of the good bacteria that we co-exist with cannot survive.

Third, they help reset the body’s bioterrain by using high energy mineral earths from Mt. Shasta, Sedona, Wyoming, and Vanuatu that are filled with primordial archaebacteria and trace minerals. Not only do they bind heavy metals and toxins with naturally occurring zeolites and activated carbon, they help recreate the natural environment for all of the good bacteria that makes the oral cavity their home.

And finally, everything they handcraft is infused with conscious vibrational energy.

The result is Oralive: a living paste filled with minerals, enzymes, and pro-biotics in their raw, natural state. And not only does it promote natural oral health, but it helps whiten teeth from the inside out.

How to Use Oralive

To use oralive, all you have to do is place a dab on your tongue and swish it between your teeth for at least a minute. This will allow all of the rich nutrients to absorb through your gum mucosa. Once you’re done, you’re welcome to rinse, but oralive is actually designed to be swallowed. It’s filled with super green botanicals, marine phytoplankton, herbal essential oils, and tissue regeneration factors, making it an excellent dietary supplement.

You can also brush with Oralive, using it as a holistic alternative to toothpaste. It has a vibrant, minty flavor, and it’s gentle enough to use anytime during the day. The volcanic earth readily absorbs any odor, including garlic.

A Deeper Look at the Ingredients

Oralive contains:

Camu Camu – A natural source of vitamin C

Calcium – Helps rebuild gum and bone

Xylitol – Inhibits cavity-causing bacteria

Horseshoe Nettle – A natural source of highly bioavailable silica (necessary for gum regrowth)

Brahmi Amla, Folic Acid, and CoQ10 – Excellent nutrients for tissue regeneration

Blue Green Algae, Pau D’Arca, Aloe Vera, Noni, and Peppermint Leaf Extract – Further aid tissue regeneration

Essential Oils of Neroli, Jasmine, Spikenard, Rose Absolute (bulgaria), Rose Otto, Melissa, Arnica, Licorice, Mint, Turmeric, Holy Basil, and Ginger – Inhibit the bacteria that cause cavities, gum disease, and inflamation

Marine Phytoplankton, and Astaxanthin – Powerful antioxidants that promote tissue health

And every ingredient is contained in a foundational bed of natural magnetic mineral earth.

Ultimately, Oralive is an incredible all natural, sustainably sourced, raw, vegan, organic dental care supplement that may whiten teeth; inhibit plaque and disease causing bacteria; alleviate gum pain, bleeding, and inflammation; and help give you naturally fresh breath. Many people have found great success using Oralive where other treatments and methods have failed, and I’d recommend it to anyone interested in true holistic oral health that arises from deep healing of dental issues at their source.

Posted in: Oral Care, Skin and Body – No Comments

Refreshing Lemon Vitamin C Body Scrub Recipe

April 6, 2012

by Jill Bickford

Here’s a fun organic body scrub recipe that’s perfect to try now that we’re heading into Spring. Use it to exfoliate, increase circulation, and help diminish skin discoloration. Right away you’ll be left with soft, glowing skin, and using it regularly will give you a more even skin tone. It’s a two-step recipe that’s easy to make at home.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon Truly Natural Vitamin C Powder

1 cup Organic Jojoba Oil

1 cup Organic Raw Brown Sugar

juice of 1 large Organic Lemon

2 drops Organic Lemon Essential Oil

3 drops Organic Lavender Essential Oil for a soothing and relaxing scrub

3 drops Organic Peppermint Essential Oil for an invigorating and refreshing scrub

Instructions

First, combine the brown sugar and lemon juice in a glass bowl. Then, add the rest of the ingredients and stir until everything is completely blended. It’s best to store the final product in a glass jar, which will last up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

Application

You can use either a dry application (in the shower before turning on the water) or you can apply the body scrub on wet skin after cleansing yourself with soap or body wash. Scoop a small amount from the jar with your fingertips and massage it onto your skin using a circular motion. Be very gentle on more delicate areas and be a bit more vigorous on rough areas. Rinse and towel dry.

Benefits

Both vitamin C and lemon help to fade skin discoloration and create an even skin tone. Lemon also aids in clearing congested skin, and helps to reduce cellulite, especially when combined with a scrub applied in a circular motion over problem areas. Vitamin C stimulates collagen production and, because it’s a powerful antioxidant, repairs skin damage and encourages cellular renewal. Just make sure to always use natural, food-based Vitamin C and not synthetic, isolated Vitamin C.

Jojoba oil is a perfect skin hydrator. Of all of the oils, Jojoba is the closest match our skin’s natural oils.

Raw brown sugar, when scrubbed over the body, removes dead skin cells and increases circulation. It also contains glycolic acid – an alpha hydroxy acid that helps detoxify, moisturize, and condition skin.

Enjoy!

Posted in: Beauty, Do It Yourself Beauty, Skin and Body, Skin Care Recipes – No Comments

Intoxicating Scents: Organic Perfume and Cologne

March 30, 2012

by Jill Bickford

Perfume, fundamentally, is the sexual attractant of flowers… squeezed from the reproductive glands of plants, perfume is the smell of creation, a sign dramatically delivered to our senses of the Earth’s regenerative powers — a message of hope and a message of pleasure. ~ Tom Robbins

The histories of incense, aromatherapy, and perfume date back to some of human beings’ earliest history. Incense in its first form was discovered around 4,000 B.C. by the Mesopotamians who would burn different resins and woods at their religious ceremonies. Eventually, they began soaking these woods and resins in water that they then rubbed on their bodies. A thousand years later, this made its way to Egypt, and perfumes have been discovered in the tombs of queens and pharaohs.

Perfume In The Modern World

Unfortunately, somewhere along the way we stopped simply using oils or soaking woods and resins and started utilizing a whole host of synthetic processes to create our scents. Some of the chemicals and ingredients with the biggest health risks that you’ll encounter in personal care products hide under the word “fragrance”. It’s a blanket term that the cosmetics industry uses to mask a product’s actual chemical contents. Most companies claim that the main reason for this is so that competitors can’t steal their product’s unique scent, which is reasonable, but the net result is that hundreds of chemicals are added to products without consumers’ knowledge. Since “fragrance” is considered a trade secret, there’s nothing that says those companies have to state what they’re using.

Sensitizers are one type of hidden chemical found in fragrances. They can cause immune system damage and create a permanent allergic reaction in the person who has come into contact with them. Some of these sensitizers affect as many as one in fifty people.

Phthalates are a very broad class of chemicals also found in fragrance. Many of them have been linked to hormone disruption. In particular, diethyl phthalate (DEP) is commonly utilized in fragrance products and has been shown to cause a wide variety of health problems, including sperm damage in men.

You’ll also find synthetic musks in many fragrances, such as musk ketone, galaxolide, and tonalide. These chemicals accumulate in the human body (and in breast milk) and have been shown to disrupt hormones.

Many fragrance chemicals have also been labeled as neurotoxins.

A Healthy Alternative

Fortunately, this doesn’t mean that we can’t smell wonderful and enjoy lovely aromas. We can do this without using synthetic chemicals or risking our health and wellbeing. Whether used alone or blended to create unique scents, essential oils, absolutes, and pure extracts of plants and flowers not only give us the best perfume in the world, they also offer powerful health benefits. Essential oils are extracted directly from plants, yet “perfume” or “fragrance” oils are synthetic and artificially created and thus can also be quite toxic. Even so-called “natural” perfumes and oils can be made with “fragrance” oils. So, be sure to look for scents made with pure plant and flowers essences – essential oils, absolutes, and extracts only.

In nature, a plant’s oils help provide nutrients, protect it from disease, and keep harmful insects at bay. This is what gives essential oils their healing, medicinal, antioxidant, and antibiotic properties. When applied to the skin, essential oils usually reach every cell in the body in the next twenty-one minutes, regenerating DNA, removing toxins, and providing powerful antioxidants.

So, if you’d like to smell amazing and get skin and health benefits at the same time, look for perfumes and colognes made with essential oils. Here are the most divine and unique organic perfumes and colognes I’ve ever come across. These are most natural perfumes available and are made only from pure essential oils. There are various blends to suit everyone with floral, exotic, earthy, woodsy, sultry, sweet, and etherial scents to choose from. Enjoy the sensual wonders.

Posted in: Beauty, Essential Oils, Perfume, Skin and Body, Toxic Beauty – 2 Comments

What You Should Know About Organic Mineral Makeup and Mineral Foundation

March 23, 2012

by Jill Bickford

Mineral makeup is one of those product revelations that makes you wonder why anything else ever existed in the first place. In short, it’s exactly what its name implies: makeup made entirely of minerals. Of course, as with so many things in the cosmetics industry, there’s a lot of intentional confusion that has been created about it. So, I’d like to clear up some of those misconceptions, and tell you why mineral makeup is so amazing.

What is mineral makeup?

The best mineral makeup tends to have 4 or 5 ingredients at most. In any ingredients list, you’re most likely to see titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, mica oxide, and iron oxide. The minerals used in the makeup I carry are mined from the earth using the best sustainability and green practices available, then they’re cleaned up in a controlled environment to prevent any heavy metal toxicity, and finally oxidized to give them their rich palate of colors.

The ultra fine powders glide on like silk, and the minerals they’re made of offer a whole host of skin benefits, including full UVA/UVB protection and anti-inflammatory properties to help reduce redness and irritation. Mineral makeup is great for sensitive skin or anyone who’s acne or rosacea prone. If you’ve struggled with skin conditions or sensitive skin and thought you could never wear makeup because of it, mineral makeup may be for you.

What about all of those commercial mineral makeups?

At the current level of regulation, mineral makeups only have to contain a tiny percentage of real minerals to be marketed as such, and the other ingredients can include: cheap fillers like talc; toxic parabens; bismuth oxychloride, ferric ferrocyanide, or other skin irritants; and all kinds of dyes and perfumes. Stay away from these ingredients! I’ve written before about these kinds of chemicals here.

How do I choose a mineral foundation?

Now, once you’ve decided that you want to try mineral makeup, the biggest challenge is choosing a color that will look like you’re not wearing any makeup at all. So, first you need to determine your skin tone. Is it warm or cool? Skin with golden, peach, and olive undertones is considered warm, while skin with pink or blue undertones is considered cool. If you can’t tell by looking closely, or you’re unsure, a quick and easy test is to look in a mirror and hold up a piece of silver jewelry next to your face. Next, hold up a piece of gold jewelry. If you have a cool skin stone, the silver will bring out the glow of your skin and the sparkle of your eyes. If you have a warm skin tone, the gold will. And if both look right for you, you have a neutral skin tone.

After that, you’ll need to match the color to where you plan to apply it, which is most likely your face. Something that the inside of your wrist and your neck have in common is that they don’t get the same amount of sunlight as your face does. So, apply the makeup along your lower cheek, right above the jawline, then look at yourself in natural light. Looking at yourself in natural light is especially important because artificial light can change the way your skin looks.

If one specific color doesn’t work, feel free to experiment with others and blend your own mixtures. Eventually, you’ll find some that you love. Once you see the natural look, the way it improves your skin, and feel the feeling of wearing no makeup at all, you’ll never go back to using anything else.

Posted in: Acne, Beauty, Makeup, Skin and Body – 2 Comments

Organic Skincare with Bee Mana

March 16, 2012

by Jill Bickford

Alive and Potent

A few weeks ago I shared with you some of the very special and magical organic skincare ingredients that I use in my own Living Earth Beauty line. This week we’re continuing with a look at some more of the magical gifts from nature that I love to use for healing and beautifying skin.

Bee Beauty

Bee Beauty is a raw facial oil moisturizer. It’s wonderfully hydrating, so it will leave your skin feeling soft, and it’s used to diminish fine lines and wrinkles, firm skin, support collagen renewal, reduce hyperpigmentation, and restore the skin’s proper pH balance!

What makes my skin love Bee Beauty?

Bee Beauty is made with a wide variety of potent skin treats, including MSM, superfoods, superherbs, green tea, aloe vera, and the finest blend of oils (such as seabuckthorn and pomegranate) and essential oils. The most unique ingredient, however, is triple concentrated Royal Jelly, or Bee Mana.

What is Royal Jelly?

Bees are incredibly advanced, amazing beings and are essential in many ways to life on Earth. The production of Royal Jelly is just one of the miraculous things that they do. Royal Jelly is a precious substance that is made by worker bees in bee hives. The worker bees fill special larval cells with it when their hive needs a new queen. The larvae in these cells eat nothing else, triggering a change in their development process and turning them into queen bees. The Royal Jelly, or Bee Mana that I use harvested gently and ethically, without harming any bees. It’s unique and powerful combination of nutrients makes it a very potent and beneficial food for humans too, as well as a wonderful skincare ingredient.

Why is Royal Jelly so good for me?

Royal Jelly, or Bee Mana is packed full of complex B vitamins (including B12), trace minerals, enzymes, fatty acids, antibacterial and antibiotic components, and even trace amounts of vitamin C. It contains acetylcholine which aids circulation and assists in relaxation. It contains 5% 10-HDA (10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid), a unique fatty acid found only in royal jelly that enhances immune function. It also contains some of the essential building blocks for collagen, so it helps your skin cells regenerate. Overall, it has been found to have an anti-inflammatory effect, helping skin remain youthful. Unlike every other royal jelly available, the bee mana from Immortality Alchemy that I use is Certified Organic – the first of its kind. And it’s triple concentrated! The Bee Mana apiaries are located in remote forests and herb farms, far away from any industrial area, so it’s the purest and most potent Royal Jelly available. I eat Bee Mana and use Bee Beauty daily – my health, vitality, and glowing skin show what a wonder it is.

Posted in: Beauty, Beauty Foods, Facial Oils, Ingredient Spotlight, New Product Spotlight, Skin and Body – No Comments