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How to Travel in Health, Vibrancy, and Gratitude

May 5, 2010

Traveling within the country

I always plan in advance when I am going to be away from home for several hours and when traveling for a longer period of time. I bring snacks like veggies, fruit, nuts, etc. when away from home or traveling. When on a road trip or camping, I bring a cooler full of fresh food and veggie juice I make just beforehand. I also bring a green food powder, like Billy’s Infinity Greens, so that when the veggie juice runs out I have an easy dose of energy and nutrients – just add water. When traveling by airplane, I also always bring my own snacks. The food at airports should be avoided at all costs. Never get stuck there hungry and unprepared. Also, I find out ahead of time where natural foods markets and sometimes where raw and vegan restaurants are at every destination. Always plan to nourish yourself with healthy, fresh food where ever you are! You’ll find yourself more energized, relaxed, and content.

Traveling Internationally

Traveling from a place of gratitude and abundance is so essential for having an enjoyable, expansive experience, and for being a gift to the places and people you are around wherever go you (rather than being a burden or bringing negativity). Be at peace with and have no expectations of having access to the same types of foods that you have at home. For instance in South and especially Central America, there are very few vegetables available. There are veggies like carrots, zucchini, cucumber, cabbage, and onion in many local markets, but for the most part they are imported from Mexico. If you are used to receiving your veggies organic and fresh from the garden or farm, like I am, it is best to see these foods as blessings and infuse them with blessings, as they are not fresh, pretty, or organic. In most countries, there is no Organic Certification and in fact the same meaning of the word ‘organic’ does not exist. There is a plethora of fresh tropical fruit: Papaya, Watermelon, Pineapple, Banana, and Plantain. Most of the fruit is not organic either. There is the potential that some fruit from very small orchards could be, but there just is no way of knowing.

Tip: Most nourishing, highest quality food to eat while in a tropical place: wild coconuts right from the tree.

Bring along what you can

I brought along Billy’s Infinity Greens, as I always do when I travel. I also brought Raw Organic Royal Jelly Powder. For solid food, I brought seeds and nuts. Dried fruit, like Goji Berries, are also great. Any food that is not immediately perishable, and is simple and full of nutrients is ideal. Jed and I only brought very small backpacks with us, so I had a minimal amount of space for food. I fairly quickly went through my solid food, as adjusted to the smaller amount of food that was available. By the time I ran out, my body adjusted to the smaller amount of food, and the coconut and fruit became more satisfying.

Know food names in the language of the country you are visiting

This is essential for receiving what you want and avoiding what you don’t want.

Blessing the Food

I am someone who would much rather fast than eat low quality food. I would prefer to live on water rather than eat non-organic food. But, while traveling, it just was not possible to do a long-term fast without have a nourishing structure to be part of. I also am not a proponent of long-term water fasting. Therefore, I had to surrender to the fact that I was going to be eating non-organic food and rather than focus on that fact, I focused on being grateful for that food. I have a practice of saying a prayer of gratitude for food before I eat it. When the quality is questionable, I also add a blessing to the food by placing my hands over it or just by speaking silent words to infuse it with love, health, and increase its vibrational energy.

Eating Raw while traveling

Eating raw while traveling in the US, or other countries where fresh, organic food is available is the easiest thing in the world! We are SO blessed! Here’s what I do: for the most part, except from time to time when there a tantalizing raw restaurant nearby or I feel a desire for more complex flavor, I eat as simply as possible. I do not require “meals” and really no preparation. I primarily mono-eat, or eat one type of food at time, for ease of digestion, assimilation of nutrients, for the pure joy of simplicity and of taste of pure foods just as they have been gifted to us. This makes traveling so free, easy, and delightful. All you have to do is bring organic veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds, sprouts, (and dehydrated snacks if you wish) with you. Fresh fruits and veggies that are easy to travel with are: all fruits, avocado, sprouts, cucumber, sugar snap peas, carrots, celery, etc. I also shamelessly stuff handfuls of mixed greens and lettuces in my mouth. If I am traveling in a car or have access to a car, I also am always visiting the local natural foods markets, or even check for raw food restaurants if I am near an area that I suspect could have one.

While traveling internationally, especially to third world countries, it can be very challenging to eat raw, especially if food quality is essential to you. Eating raw in certain areas of the world, like South America, Asia, and Africa can also create health challenges due to bad water for washing the veggies.

Find a trusted source of food

In Ecuador, I researched and guided myself to places where the food came from an organic garden, as much as I possibly could. There are a few inns and resorts throughout the country that do have their own organic gardens where much of their produce comes from. I did not eat anywhere but three trusted places the entire time we were there, and yet I still managed to pick up unwanted friends – parasites and bacteria.

Deciding whether to travel raw or not

I have been eating purely 100% raw vegan organic food for nearly two years now and even just eating one meal of cooked food would be a huge shock to my body. I felt that trying my absolute best to minimize risk of food contamination while maintaining my diet for the sake of my body, my beliefs, and my consciousness outweighed the perceived ’safety’ of eating cooked foods with or without unhealthy refined oils, refined salt and seasonings. etc. HOWEVER, if you do not eat raw, or eat a percentage of raw, I do suggest that you avoid eating uncooked vegetables. Only eat fruit that has a thick peel-able skin. Do not drink anything made with ice. (Sometimes you can watch them make smooties, which is the best option for me – especially when I saw the cook dumping spoonfuls of white sugar into it!) Fresh Juice without ice or water is okay. And of course, only drink bottled water directly out of the bottle or that you have seen come from a sealed bottle.

You don’t have to eat only raw to travel healthily

Prepare several cooked meals ahead of time and pack them in glass containers or BPA-free plastic storage containers. Prepare items are good to eat cold. Bring plenty of your favorite healthy snacks with you. Stop at natural food markets, instead of eating out, if possible.

Being Different

Living in the United States and especially California is a very unique experience. There really aren’t any other places in the world that are remotely similar, in a vast number of ways. One such way is food. From my experience traveling through most of our beautiful country, California is the capitol of conscious eating and especially Living Foods. I have felt so embraced, included, and (almost ‘normal’ in California. I had the exact opposite experience while traveling in Belize and Ecuador. There was absolutely no comprehension what was eating ‘organic’, ‘vegan’, or ‘raw’ meant, and why one would do that. Some people treated me as an alien out of curiosity, but primarily as alien for being completely crazy, strange, and silly! I always do my absolute best to be in total respect and honor of people and their culture. Therefore, I was in full respect of any feelings around my way of living. My personal tendency is that I do not like attention. I try to be under the radar as much as possible. However, since eating is something that we all do regularly, and I either had to ask for what I needed (since I was entirely reliant on other people for food most of the time), or I was eating around other people and they were curious about me. Oh my, this was quite a learning and practice of awareness, surrender, and patience for me. I do not like attention, and yet I received around the clock attention. I prefer not to defend my choices around food or my way of being in general conversation, and yet I was asked what I was eating and why I eat that way for nearly every meal of every day. Phew . . . that was truly a challenge for me . . . and really positive growth.

Surrender

Surrender to what is, AND ask gracefully and respectfully for what you need if it is available and reasonable. Keep it simple. In Belize, I started out by just asking for veggie sticks, of whatever they had. It ended being carrots, zucchini, and cucumber, eventually. It took about a week (from the same people) to receive what I intended. At first I did not understand, I believed that I was asking for the simplest thing in the world. When it truth, it was more complicated for them than to make the cooked Belizean dishes that were on the menu. Most vegetables, and there are only a small few, are imported into Belize. Truly, vegetables are not a part of the Belizean diet. I stopped asking for vegetables after I understood this and discovered that these foods were imported, despite what I had been told at first. Fruits are grown in Belize, especially Papaya, which is native to Belize, but most Belizean to do not eat much fruit either. I only saw tourists eating fruit. Fruit (Papaya, Pineapple, Watermelon, Banana, occasional Mango, and very green, bitter oranges) are the fruits that are primarily available. Markets, street carts, and most restaurants will have these fruits available. It is ‘normal’ to order a fruit plate. I also happened to be staying on an island for two weeks, so I primarily subsisted on coconuts directly from the trees, and fruit. Both were relatively easy obtain without causing too much of a scene.

In Ecuador, vegetables are much more widely available. Ecuador is vastly more developed than Belize is. However, it still is the case that apart from corn, root vegetables, and legumes, vegetables (especially green ones) are only a small part of the standard diet. There are a variety of vegetables available at markets, and there are a few more places that you can stay that have their own gardens.

Keep bugs at bay

When traveling nationally, take Immune Illume, Digest The Best, and an essential oil based insect repellant with you. When traveling internationally, take the aforementioned products and a product like Miracle Mineral Solution or Adya Clear with you for purifying water and as a very potent way to ensure that no microbes or parasites are able to flourish inside your body. Miracle Mineral Solution is a very intense product, so use with care.

Easy intestinal parasite remedy

I began trying this remedy while in Ecuador, because if there was one thing I could get fairly easily it was Papaya. I did not have all of the products I mentioned above, so this was my best option. A gentle and easy option for parasites. I have not heard that it will work for bacteria, though. One-quarter of a Papaya seed consists of a highly digestible protein, which can be used to eliminate parasites. The seeds are soft enough to chew; yet they are spicy (horseradish-like). You might try blending them with juice or water & raw organic honey. Try at least twenty seeds per day for about five days.

Other acute intestinal bug remedies and cleansing assistance

(All of which I have utilized since leaving South America)

Colon Hydrotherapy, Home Enema, Colosan, or other all-natural, herbal, non-stimulant based laxative
Garlic (if you prefer to do without the odor of fresh garlic, Kyolic is a good product)
Miracle Mineral Solution
Probiotics

My most important tip

Be grateful for what is, what you have, where you are, and who you are with. Feel abundant and blessed no matter what the circumstance. You are always and will always be provided for. Right here right now is always a time to live in Love.

Click here to see photos of our incredible travel journey.

Also posted in Coconut, Food, Health, Nutrition, Travel – 1 Comment

Ode to the Miraculous COCONUT

March 17, 2010

Photo Credit: pielad

The Endless Health Benefits of the Coconut

Known as the “tree of life” in tropical cultures the wonderful fruit of the coconut palm has possibly the most health, skin, and functional benefits of any food on Earth. In recent years the incredible coconut has finally begun escaping the myths that had tarnished its name. Many still believe that it is fattening and will clog arteries because of its high saturated fat content, while in fact the opposite is true! Processed coconut products, such as sweet coconut cream, coconut sweets, and anything that has added sugar, trans fats, and chemicals will hurt your body and your waistline. Yet, fresh, pure Coconut is one of the most health-giving plants on the planet!

The following is from the Coconut Research Center , www.coconutresearchcenter.org/:

For thousands of years in traditional medicine around the world coconut has been used to treat a wide variety of health problems including: abscesses, asthma, baldness, bronchitis, bruises, burns, colds, constipation, cough, dysentery, earache, fever, flu, gingivitis, gonorrhea, irregular or painful menstruation, jaundice, kidney stones, lice, malnutrition, nausea, rash, scabies, scurvy, skin infections, sore throat, swelling, syphilis, toothache, tuberculosis, tumors, typhoid, ulcers, upset stomach, weakness, and wounds.

Published medical and scientific research also shows the following benefits:

* Kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS, and other illnesses.
* Kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum disease and cavities, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, and other diseases.
* The caprylic acid found in coconut kills fungi and yeasts that cause candidiasis, ringworm, athlete’s foot, thrush, diaper rash, and other infections.
* Expels or kills tapeworms, lice, giardia, and other parasites.
* Provides a nutritional source of quick and lasting energy.
* Boosts energy and endurance, enhancing physical and athletic performance.
* Improves digestion and absorption of other nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
* Improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose.
* Relieves stress on pancreas and enzyme systems of the body.
* Reduces symptoms associated with pancreatitis.
* Helps relieve symptoms and reduce health risks associated with diabetes.
* Reduces problems associated with malabsorption syndrome and cystic fibrosis.
* Improves calcium and magnesium absorption and supports the development of strong bones and teeth.
* Helps protect against osteoporosis.
* Helps relieve symptoms associated with gallbladder disease.
* Relieves symptoms associated with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and stomach ulcers.
* Improves digestion and bowel function.
* Relieves pain and irritation caused by hemorrhoids.
* Reduces inflammation.
* Supports tissue healing and repair.
* Supports and aids immune system function.
* Helps protect the body from breast, colon, and other cancers.
* Is heart healthy; improves cholesterol ratio reducing risk of heart disease.
* Protects arteries from injury that causes atherosclerosis and thus protects against heart disease.
* Helps prevent periodontal disease and tooth decay.
* Functions as a protective antioxidant.
* Helps to protect the body from harmful free radicals that promote premature aging and degenerative disease.
* Does not deplete the body’s antioxidant reserves like other oils do.
* Improves utilization of essential fatty acids and protects them from oxidation.
* Helps relieve symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.
* Relieves symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (prostate enlargement).
* Reduces epileptic seizures.
* Helps protect against kidney disease and bladder infections.
* Dissolves kidney stones.
* Helps prevent liver disease.
* Is lower in calories than all other fats.
* Supports thyroid function.
* Promotes loss of excess weight by increasing metabolic rate.
* Is utilized by the body to produce energy in preference to being stored as body fat like other dietary fats.
* Helps prevent obesity and overweight problems.
* Applied topically helps to form a chemical barrier on the skin to ward of infection.
* Protects from the UV Rays of the sun
* Reduces symptoms associated the psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis.
* Supports the natural chemical balance of the skin.
* Softens skin and helps relieve dryness and flaking.
* Prevents wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots.
* Promotes healthy looking hair and complexion.
* Provides protection form damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation form the sun.
* Helps control dandruff.
* Does not form harmful by-products when heated to normal cooking temperature like other vegetable oils do.
* Has no harmful or discomforting side effects.

Coconut Oil: The “Healthiest Oil on Earth”
What makes coconut oil so amazing?
“The difference is in the fat molecule. All fats and oils are composed of molecules called fatty acids. Fatty acids consist of long chains of carbon atoms with hydrogen atoms attached. In this system you have short-chain fatty acids, medium-chain fatty acids, and long-chain fatty acids. Coconut oil is composed predominately of medium-chain fatty acids, also known as medium-chain triglycerides. The vast majority of commercial fats and oils, whether they are saturated or unsaturated or come from animals or plants, are composed of long-chain fatty acids.” – Coconut Research Center
All animal fats are extremely damaging to health. Refined Vegetable oils should also be avoided. Only use oils that are cold-pressed, unrefined, and FRESH.

“Our bodies respond to and metabolize each fatty acid differently depending on its size. So the physiological effects of medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are distinctly different from those of long-chain fatty acids more commonly found in unhealthy foods. They do not have a negative effect on cholesterol and help to protect against heart disease. Medium-chain fatty acids help to lower the risk of both atherosclerosis and heart disease.” – Coconut Research Center

Isn’t Coconut Oil Fattening?
Absolutely not! Coconut oil promotes weight LOSS. Long-chain fatty acids nearly always go to fat storage, while the medium-chain fatty acids are burned for energy. It is a high energy, long-lasting energy superfood! Coconut oil also helps to stimulate metabolism, so you burn more calories each day, which helps with weight loss and energy levels.

Coconut Oil is a Potent Immune Booster
Coconut Oil is overflowing with powerful Lauric Acid.   Lauric Acid boosts immunity and destroys harmful bacteria and viruses. Coconut oil is actually one of the closest foods on Earth to human breast milk.
And Coconut water is the closet thing found in nature to human blood plasma. Drinking it is like receiving a blood transfusion! The water of the coconut is also beneficial to the detoxifying organs, such as the kidneys and liver, it recharges you full of electrolytes, and it is the perfect thirst quencher.

“Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which is converted by the body into monolaurin. The action attributed to monolaurin is that of solubilizing the lipids, in the envelope of the virus, causing the disintegration of the virus envelope.” – Tom Mountford, The Health Benefits of Coconuts

“Scientists in the Philippines researched the effects of coconut oil and lauric acid on patients with the HIV virus that causes AIDS. Most of the AIDS patients showed a dramatic drop in the HIV virus count, in some cases to “undetectable” levels.” -Sheryl Walters, citizen journalist   (NaturalNews) Hopefully, more research will further substantiate these findings.

P.S. Good News: If you are allergic to coconuts, you may use coconut oil. Proteins in the coconut meat, not the oil extracted from it, cause the allergy.

Coconut: One of the most perfect Skin and Hair Beautifiers on the planet

The following except for ‘Coconut Oil for Hair and Scalp’ is from http://www.coconut-connections.com, Adapted from The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil by Bruce Fife

Conventional body care products that are made with refined vegetable oils and animal oils generate free radicals both in and outside the body. If you use a lotion or cream with refined oil in it you are in fact causing your skin to age faster. Though it may seem to bring temporary improvement, the product will actually accelerate the aging of the skin and even promote skin cancer through the free radicals that are formed from the refined vegetable oils.

The small molecular structure of coconut oil allows for easy absorption through the skin. It prevents destructive free-radical formation and provides protection against them. It can help to keep the skin from developing liver spots, and other blemishes caused by aging and over-exposure to sunlight. It helps to keep connective tissues strong and supple so that the skin doesn’t sag and wrinkle. In some cases it might even restore damaged or diseased skin. The oil is absorbed into the skin and into the cell structure of the connective tissues, limiting the damage excessive sun exposure can cause. Coconut oil will not only bring temporary relief to the skin, but it will aid in healing and repairing long-term damage.

Coconut oil for Hair and Scalp
Saturating the hair and scalp with coconut oil and leaving in for 30 minutes or even overnight for greatest benefit will condition and soften the hair and scalp and help clear dandruff and other scalp conditions.

How Coconut Oil Protects the Skin in total Harmony
Healthy skin has a pH of about 5, making it slightly acidic. Natural skin oils, also known as Sebum, also contain medium chain fatty acids, in the form of medium chain triglycerides. The combination of slightly acid pH and medium chain fatty acids in Sebum provides a protective chemical layer on the skin that prevents infection from disease-causing organisms. Coconut oil is nature’s richest source of medium chain fatty acids. Coconut also has about the same pH as the skin, supporting its natural chemical balance.

When bathing or showering, soap washes the protective layer of oil and acid off our skin. By using a coconut oil product you can quickly help reestablish the skin’s natural antimicrobial and acid barrier.

Gorgeous Products Featuring Beautiful COCONUT OIL!

Radiant Love Butter
Delectable edible love lotion for moisture, massage, and play. For body, hands, lips – everywhere. A body or massage oil that glides, slides, smoothes and soothes skin. An organic orange swirl of vanilla and cinnamon dipped into raw oils of cococreme, jojoba and cacao butter for body, hands and lips.

Jai Baby Joy
Fresh infused vanilla beans dipped in coconut crème, jojoba and marula creating a loving oil to glide over a baby’s Jubilant skin. A beautiful libation for the whole family: beauty and baby massage oil for all faces to tiny toes, a blessing for pregnant tummies, for soft supple skin after bathing, and a very kissable men’s aftershave. Babies and bellies get yummier!

Everybody Loves the Sunshine
Let the sunshine in! Nourishment for sun-soaking and sun-soaked skin. Rich oils of the desert: jojoba plant, virgin coco-crème, red raspberry, seabuckthorn, schizandra berry, immortelle, carrot, rose, cape-chamomile, lavender, turmeric, lemon, palmarosa are a cooling canopy to restore and adore your heavenly body. So nourishing it is, the deep drink your whole body has been thirsting for. This Beautiful formula harmonizes your time in the sun.

Best Skin Ever and Ultra Restore & Ultra Sapphire also feature Coconut Oil

Enjoy the Coconut Love!

Also posted in Beauty Foods, Coconut, Coconut Oil, Food, Health, Nutrition – 1 Comment

Adult Acne: I Explain the Causes and Offer Ways to Heal it Forever

January 12, 2010

Photo Credit: aehack

I received the following email from a lovely woman named, Belene, last week. I asked her if I could share our correspondence because I felt it might also be of help to others out there, possibly you. She graciously agreed. Thank you, Belene!

If you would like to know more or if this information was helpful to you, please let me know in the comments below.

Belene’s Email:

I am emailing you because I am having facial problems I have never encountered in my entire life. For the past 5 weeks, I have had severe acne from temple to temple and smaller bumps on my cheeks and chin. Each day I get a new pimple and they are scaring. I am of Ethiopian descent and the scaring is black. Prior to this I had almost flawless skin. If I were to have a break out it would be a single one. Not every sq nanometer of my face. Please advise.
Thanks so much.
Bliss

My Response:

Hi Belene,

Nice to meet you!
Thank you so much for your inquiry.

I understand how you might be feeling. Acne can be a troubling condition. I had acne for many years until recently – I tried everything to heal it over that entire period of time and nothing seemed to work. My skin is beautiful now and I found that it was caused many factors, some of which took some time to heal.

Acne is a complex issue. There are a plethora of possible causes including:

Diet
Toxic load in the body
Stress & Stored Emotions
Hormone Imbalances 1) Increased insulin production can signal the body to release extra male hormones, called androgens, which are involved in pimple formation. 2) Changes in the hormonal balance, such as those brought about by pregnancy, menstruation or hormonal abnormalities.
Medication – including some contraceptive pills, anabolic steroids, some anti-epileptic medications, lithium and iodine-containing medications.
Chlorinated industrial chemicals may induce the occupational skin disorder known as chloracne.
Rosacea can often be confused with acne – some causes include small intestinal bacterial overgrowth; demodex mites, caffeine; foods high in histamines (red wine, aged cheeses, yogurt, beer, cured pork products, etc.); microdermabrasion and chemical peels; high dosages topical or nasal steroids or benzyol perioxide. Also a very acidic diet contributes to rosacea.

I have some questions for you:

Have you changed your diet recently? You could be detoxing.
Have you had an abnormal amount of stress lately?
Have you experienced any changes in your health recently?
Could it be Rosacea? Have you used any corticosteroid (cortisone) creams or any steriod type medication?

Here are my recommendations:

1) First, try to determine if it is indeed acne or rosacea. You might need to see a dermatologist to determine this. You may also look for an alternative medicine practitioner that can make this determination. You could also diagnose yourself by researching online – I do this all of the time.

2) Good skin care makes a significant difference with both conditions. If it is acne, look for products that are antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant. With ingredients such as MSM (methylsulfonylmethane, a vital naturally occurring sulfur compound), Niacinamide (vitamin B4), Willow bark extract, Neem, Zinc Oxide, Witch Hazel, and Lavender, Tea Tree, Rosemary, and Chamomile Essential Oils.
Click HERE for some products that will help.

If it is rosacea, I would recommend very soothing and healing products for you, such as Rose Cellular Renewal, RoseGlow Face Creme, RoseGlow Serum, Seabuckthorn Tamanu All Over Lotion, Blue-Green Algae Mask

3) A healthy diet and body free of toxins is also essential. I definitely recommend a healthy Vegan diet. A Raw Vegan diet is even better for beautiful, blemish-free skin. Regardless, specifically steer clear of sugar; refined starches and grains; alcohol; caffeine; chocolate; dairy products (especially pasteurized cow dairy), red meat, and all processed and chemical foods. Consume an abundance of fresh vegetables and vegetable juices. Eating foods with Omega-3 fatty acids and fermented foods or a non-dairy pro-biotic supplement is also important for clear skin. Increase your pro-biotics for sure.

You might consider a green juice fast for at least several days or more – this will be intensely healing and alkalizing to the body.

4) Your body may need help detoxing. I highly recommend Colon Hydro-Therapy!!

5) Acne can also be caused by poor fat metabolism. This means that the liver is not capable of fully digesting and assimilating all of the fat and oil entering the system. The health of the skin is often a reflection of the health of the liver. There are various ways to cleanse the liver. Drinking water with lemon every day helps. Eating Raw, Fresh, Organic Fruits and Vegetables is important. I add large amounts of dandelion to my fresh juices for liver cleansing. Milk Thistle and Dandelion Root in tincture or tea form are also simple ways to keep the liver healthy. Avoiding drugs, alcohol, and for some of us, even chocolate, which has a stimulating effect on the body and taxes that liver, is essential. Also look into doing liver flushes and cleanses, seasonally, or more frequently for a congested liver.

6) Hygiene is important. Change your pillowcase regularly and avoid touching your face with your hands unless you have just washed them.

7) I have all of the above covered and still get a pimple or three from time to time. Hormonal imbalances, stored emotions, and stress can also contribute to acne breakouts. I participate in various forms of therapy, healing, and other practices to take care of my emotional well-being.

I wish you many many blessings towards your healing. Do not hesitate to ask any more questions you may have. Keep me updated on your progress, if you like, as well.

Warmly,
Jill

Also posted in Beauty, Skin and Body – 1 Comment

5 Ways to Start Making Healthy Skin Care Choices

October 13, 2009

Photo Credit: dead redhead

I apply the same principals to skin care as I apply to food. Both are entering my body, whether through my skin or through my mouth. Therefore, both need to be as close to nature as possible, completely pure, and entirely free of chemicals and synthetics. Unlike the food industry, there are no legal standards for personal care products sold in the United States, meaning that we need to be savvy when shopping for healthy skin care.

1. Become a Conscious Consumer

Read labels! If you can’t pronounce it, forget about it. And if it doesn’t sound natural, it probably isn’t.
You might expect a product labeled “pure, natural and organic” to be, well … pure, natural and organic. But you might be in for a surprise.
Because there are no legal standards for organic or natural personal care products sold in the United States, companies can, and often do, use these terms for marketing purposes. Just because a product is found in a natural foods store, for example, does not automatically mean it’s safe. Read and analyze the ingredient list carefully before buying.

All of the products we will soon be carrying on LivingEarthBeauty.com are 100% pure, organic, vegan, raw, and natural. I use all of our products and I would never put chemicals on or inside my body. Rejoice in safe, natural, luxurious, and powerfully effective skin care and forget the rest!

2. Check the Skin Deep Database

The Environmental Working Group has a wonderful comprehensive database called Skin Deep that anyone can use to check the safety of an ingredient or skincare product.
SKIN DEEP – COSMETIC SAFETY DATABASE

3. Bring Your Own

What about when you go someplace where you are subject to their products, such as a hair or nail salon? Find a hair salon in your area that uses safe, natural products, or do it yourself at home. I have been performing my own pedicures at home lately, and when I do go to a salon, I bring my own toxin-free nail polish (base coat, color, and top coat). Every salon I’ve chosen to has been more than happy to use my products. Also, make sure the salon is well-ventilated; if the smell bowls you over when you walk in, choose a different salon.

Look for Nail Polish that is free of phthalates, formaldehdye, toluene, and acetate/acetone. Aquarella and Suncoat Water-based nail polish are safer brands. To check if your nail polish brand is safe visit the Skin Deep Database.

4. Take a Stand for Safe Cosmetics

Join The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, and only purchase from stores that participate. Living Earth Beauty is an official signer of The Compact for Safe Cosmetics. By signing this compact and having our products approved as safe, we have pledged that all cosmetics and personal care products made by the manufacturers we carry exceed the formulation standards and deadlines set by the European Union cosmetics directive to be free of chemicals that are known or strongly suspected of causing cancer, mutation or birth defects.

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is working with more than 100 endorsing organizations, responsible businesses and thousands of citizen activists to shift the cosmetics market toward safer products and to advocate for smarter laws that protect our health from toxic chemicals and encourage innovation of safer alternatives.

5. Stay Informed and Spread the Love

Sign up for our Newsletter here to stay up to date on safe and healthy skincare. Tell your friends and loved ones about protecting themselves from harmful chemicals and share your healthy products with them. Choosing products that are natural, healthy, and close to nature is simple when you feel how sensuous, fulfilling, and enjoyable they are!

Also posted in Beauty, Health, Skin and Body – 20 Comments

Unraveling the Myth of Aging & Disease

September 17, 2009

photo credit: fatboyke

Choose to End Disease

Disease and premature aging is so prevalent in our world, especially here in the United States, that it seems natural to us. Accepted as a fact of life that happens to nearly all of us. Only if we are really, really lucky, we may manage to dodge it. Most disease is not just something flying around that hits us if we are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Disease and pre-mature aging is something we are doing to ourselves, a choice we make every day. Unfortunately, we do not often know that we are actively causing our own demise. We live in a world where artificiality is prized, in the form of the foods we eat, the chemicals we use on our bodies and in our homes, the drugs we take, what we use and do for work and entertainment. Even our own bodies are filled with artificial parts or missing crucial organs for aesthetic or medical reasons.
Disease is our body sending the message that it has been working overtime to remove the toxins we have been putting into it repeatedly for years and it is now burnt out and has had enough! We have ignored all of the signals it has been giving us in the form of “symptoms” over the years and it is giving us the ultimate signal in the form of disease. Disease is simply a message from your body to you. It is NOT death sentence. Sometimes when a disease manifests, we feel like its victim. We feel like a victim of our bodies.

Our bodies make no mistakes. If our bodies were prone to mistakes, our evolution would have ceased long ago. We hold the ultimate empowerment. Our bodies are infinitely more advanced than any machine or pill we could ever invent. We were born empowered as the most miraculous manifestations on the planet. We have the power to create disease, we have the power to heal disease, and we have the power to never have disease and live a long and vibrant life. We trust our bodies so little, that we truly are led to believe that once we have a disease, we’re done for! That we either have to live with it for the rest of our lives, or we try to “kill” it by exposing ourselves to even more dangerous things than the disease itself, such as powerful drugs and radiation. The truth is that disease can be healed in a shockingly short amount of time. The body has the innate capacity to create, regenerate and heal itself, but accumulated toxicity interferes with the body’s own healing wisdom and mechanisms.

Our bodies are working tirelessly to undo the damage caused by our choices every day. Type II Diabetes (previously known in the medical community as Adult-Onset Diabetes) is caused by over-consumption of processed foods, sugar, and bad fats. Type II Diabetes is being cured every day after only a month or two of a diet change! (See Raw for 30, the work of Dr. Gabriel Cousens, and Dr. Neal Barnard). Cancer patients told that they only have two months to live, have healed themselves, with tumors disappearing in a matter days. (See The Gerson Institute). This type of rapid healing is normal and natural. Healing is NOT a miracle, our amazing human bodies are! We are DESIGNED to be perfectly healthy always. We are DESIGNED to thrive! We are actually capable of living extremely long, vibrant, youthful lives, perhaps even decades or a century longer than we currently are. Our bodies are a miracle, the ultimate example of divine perfection. We are a condensed version of the entire universe!

“The cell is immortal. It is merely the fluid in which it floats that degenerates. Renew this fluid at regular intervals, give the cells what they require for nutrition, and as far as we know, the pulsation of life can go on forever.”
Dr. Alexis Carrell – Nobel Prize Winner

What Causes Disease?

Nature Deficit Disorder. As humanity has become more and more “civilized,” “industrialized,” and techno-cratic, the more prevalent and common diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease have become. The more we have disconnected from ourselves, our source, and from nature, the more degenerative disease shows up. The more we become separated from the Earth, the more diseased we become in our body, mind, and spirit. We can be so removed from ourselves that most of the time we do not realize that we exist within or beyond the shell of our skin. Why do we forget about the intricate, complex universe inside of us? Perhaps because we can visually witness a wound or injury healing, but we are not able to visually witness the healing of the body on the inside in the same way. It is obvious to us that if we have a bicycle accident with internal injuries, our bodies heal with rest, care, and gentleness. We do not get on a bicycle the next day with the potential of causing further injury. This is how disease is caused in the body – repetitive internal injury to the body, without allowing it to heal. This repetitive injury comes in the form of anything unnatural, such as the “food-like substances” (Michael Pollan) we eat, the chemical-laden water we drink, the toxic vaccines we receive, the endless pharmaceuticals and drugs we take, the chemicals we clean with, spray on our food, and especially put on our precious bodies. “Headaches are not caused by a Tylenol deficiency.”

Anything that is manufactured by humans and does not come from nature is toxic to us. We consume these toxins over and over, day after day, not allowing the body to heal from the damage done by these toxins. The body is made to be perfectly healthy and is always trying to return that perfectly healthy state when damage is done. The only way it can heal is by receiving a rest from the damage, and by hopefully, eliminating everything that is damaging the body.

“The person who takes medicine must recover twice; once from the disease and once from the drug.”
Sir William Osler, MD, co-founder of Johns Hopkins Hospital and School of Medicine, father of Internal Medicine.

“Our body is the best drug-producing company and laboratory there is. Upon demand, we will create our own anti-depressants, anti-cancer, anti-biotics, pain relief medication etc. with no prescription needed, literally no side effects, in the precise dose and concentration and administered exactly where it is needed for as long as it is needed. No human brain can even begin to comprehend these complex processes. What makes you think that a medical doctor after a rather brief interview, makes a snap diagnosis and is able to come up with the exact amount of the right chemical that is missing?”
Dr. Tudor Marinescu

“Chronic conditions (diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer etc.) develop as toxic accumulations, layers upon layers, over a long period of time. There is no wonder pill in nature that will make you get totally well overnight. The opportunity one is faced with is to travel the sometimes sinuous path to unveil the real cause of dis (un) ease, instead of reaching for the “quick, drive thru” fix that brings with itself a greater toll down the road.”
Dr. Tudor Marinescu

Our bodies are a sacred creation, an expression of divine love, perfection. Many of us are so disconnected from their bodies, that we make no connection between our mind, soul, and body, when in truth we are one synergistic being, everything we eat, drink, do, think, feel affects every aspect of our being. Just as if we steal something, there are repercussions with the law; if we say something hurtful to our partner, there are repercussions in our relationship; if we use chemical laden, genetically modified foods and beauty products, there are repercussions in our body and our entire being.

Back to Nature

I recently heard an incredible interview with David Wolfe. He spoke of the metaphysical and spiritual reasons behind heart disease. He said that disease of the heart can be caused by a lack of love from mother or emotional charge around mother. Mother being “THE mother” or the Earth. Heart Disease comes from not touching the Earth directly, from not being in intimate relationship with Her, as we as “Earthlings” are designed to be. When we are not in direct contact with the Earth, our bones decalcify (calcium leaves our bones and goes into the bloodstream) and our arteries calcify (balancing out all the calcium in our bloodstream by putting it somewhere). The earth is charged with negatively charged electrons, so all positively charged calcification and sclerosis of the arteries reverses itself when we are enveloped in that negatively charged field. When we touch the Earth with our bare hands or bare feet (yes, that means no shoes or socks), the negative charge helps protect us instantly, at the speed of light, from atherosclerosis.

Have you have noticed how different people who live a a very urban city are from people who live more connected with nature on a daily basis? I lived in New York City ten years ago and was so shielded in my sensitivity at the time, that I was just one of many unhappy-feeling people. I was so taken aback when I was recently attending classes at a nutrition school in the heart of the city. This was a group of some of the most healthy people in the entire city. The students I met that lived in the city were, in general in much poorer health and less happy than the students from smaller towns and places where there was more concentration of nature. The New Yorkers I met were the ones in the group drinking coffee (it is rare to find a nutrition specialist that drinks coffee on a regular basis). They felt and looked tired and run down. We are not meant to live on pavement, in skyscrapers, and eat only the chemicalized creations we find at so many restaurants. Our hearts and our bodies yearn for connection not only with ourselves and with each other, but with nature. The happiest, healthiest, most ageless people I have ever met are the people that are the most deeply connected with nature in the way they live, eat, and care for themselves.

We are made to exist harmoniously in balance with one another and with our Earth. Our mother Earth provides us with the absolute perfect foods to nourish our bodies, and the perfect medicines to heal our bodies. Most foods, even the completely artificial ones, are derived from plants. All medicines, even the chemical drugs so prevalent in our world now, are derived from plants. Why not just return to the Source?

Eat plant-based foods directly from nature, from the soil or from a tree, as they were made to be consumed just for us. Use lovingly-crafted products and skin care made directly from the Earth. Touch the Earth directly, feel the warmth of the sun on your shoulders and feel the coolness of the soil beneath your feet. Allow yourself to revel in the beauty that surrounds us and feel how deeply we are loved and enveloped in it.

“When before the beauty of a sunset or a mountain, you pause and exclaim, “Ah,” you are participating in divinity.”
Joseph Campbell

Through our communion with nature, we come closest to the Source of our existence. Nature, in its pure, untainted state is a perfect synergy. Every living being and element in nature is a creation of love and perfection. By returning to nature, we return to our highest potential as divine beings.

“Nature is the visible face of the spirit. It is to nature that the soul goes for rest, renewal, and vision. Through the ages Buddha, Christ, Mohammed, and the prophets all sought vision in the wilderness. It is there they came closest to the Source of their existence. Leaving behind the social self they sought holy ground where Earth, Spirit, Nature, and God are one.”
Sparrow Hart

How do you notice disconnection from nature causing disharmony or disease? How have you chosen to reconnect?

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