What it Takes to Stop Cravings

This video comes from the site Raw Foods Witch and is done by a great gal named Nathalie. (No, I didn't spell her name wrong) In the video she talks about the three levels or components of cravings and how to use muscle testing and emotional freedom technique (eft) to help you win the battle.

I hope you all find this site helpful.

What it Takes to Stop Cravings

I have been eating much more raw lately, as much as I can cram into my day and I feel great. Although, I am, admittedly, sitting here eating Havana Cuban rice and beans with spinach and tomatoes for breakfast.... at least it's half raw. lol I am in need of a trip to the grocery store today so tomorrow it will be back to green smoothies.

A little note that has nothing to do with raw foods or stopping cravings, I got my hair hilighted yesterday! I was so nervous because I wasn't sure the "no poo" thing was really working yet and the I figured this would make the ends too dry to manage without conventional conditioners. I was so wrong!! The girl even commented "this is weird, usually hilights really dry people's hair out but yours isn't". I'll be posting the story along with pictures sometime soon.

great FREE video - truth about vaccines

Vaccine Nation

It is so good to know that this information is becoming more main stream every year. Thank God!

Great recipes (Vegetarian/Vegan/Raw)

I'm not even sure how I stumbled across this one but they have some great recipes!!

http://www.neverhomemaker.com/

Day 9 - No 'Poo

There is a reason that I only use this blog to store nifty info that I come across and this is it, I always mean to keep up with things but then life happens. And, in my defense, I was without internet for a few days.
Anyway, day 9 with absolutely no shampoo or conditioner and I am doing G-R-E-A-T!!!! In fact, this morning I didn't use anything on my hair except really warm water and a wet washcloth (to help distribute the "oils") and my hair looks pretty darn good. This is especially interesting considering that there were many days that I would wash my hair in the morning and by 6pm I'd be getting that "sleek" look to my luscious locks. So, thus far I think it's safe to say that I support the no 'poo movement. I also look forward to the day that I don't have to get up and mix my "shampoo and conditioner" concoctions. I learned fairly quickly that if you mix them the night before and they sit in your cold bathroom overnight it's significantly less pleasant than just mixing it in the morning with warm water. Brrrrrrrrrrrr

To make this more real for some of you visual folks here are two older pics from before the whole No 'Poo movement (Please note, these pictures are AWHILE before this, like a year or so. Going shampoo-less does not give you lighter, highlighted hair..... duh. Also, the first two were before going out, the second was not. Going shampoo-less will not necessarily turn you against make-up or fancy hair styles):










and after (forgive the no-make up "it's been a long day" look):



Although I realize that in my other two pictures my hair is styled and probably contains a ton of gunk that it doesn't in the recent picture (as in from today) I am pretty impressed. I have used baking soda on my hair in the past as a build up remover and my hair always became so dry and felt almost brittle (I was using waaaaaay too much) so I was most skeptical about that but the ACV rinse really does make a difference. So far I have only encountered one day when I had difficulty brushing my hair and it was a day that I probably could have skipped the baking soda rinse because it wasn't looking oily at all that morning.
I hope this whole process goes as easy for anyone else wishing to try it as it has for me!

♥ Allecia

Day 1 - No 'Poo!

I've made the decision to go no 'poo (no shampoo, that is) mainly for the health benefits to myself and the environment (the idea of saving money is pretty nice as well). You can Google (or read the previous posts) to find out all about the bad stuff in your shampoo's and how your hair really doesn't need it anyway. I'm ashamed to say that I have a quite a few different kinds of shampoo and conditioner lining the walls of my shower right now. Some are organic and earth friendly, some are not but none of them make me to scream from the top of the world about how great they are. So, this is day #1 and here's what I have to say.........................

The mixture I used was:
1 Tbs baking soda to 1 cup water - shake the mixture vigorously to get them to combine. (this is what cleans your hair)
2 Tbs apple cider vinegar to 1 cup water (to condition/de-tangle). You'll want to let the water and apple cider vinegar on your hair for a minute or two before you rinse it out.
I also used this method that I read somewhere which said to get your hair wet, take a wet washcloth and run it from your scalp down to the ends of your hair to help distribute the oils.

The only "issues" I had were:
1. Do not put your mixture into a mason jar - when you are in the shower and your hands are wet and possibly soapy it makes getting the darned thing open practically impossible.

2. Baking soda and water don't taste completely horrible (think of salt water) but the feeling of it running into your eyes is slightly less than pleasant. I think I'm going to go to a beauty supply store and see if I can find something with an applicator type tip to help keep from repeating this one.

3. It's a good idea to know how much liquid your container will hold prior to filling it so you're not wasting ingredients (or spilling water all over your counter and floor).

Aside from some small snafu's it's not a bad day #1 at all! I was really concerned that I wouldn't be able to get a brush through my hair, as it tends to get dry and knotted very easily but that wasn't the case at all! I did use the entire solution of 2 Tbs ACV/1 cup water to rinse my hair, but that's okay (at least for now). It took longer to dry than it has been, which I think is a good sign because when my hair is healthier and more moisturized it seems to take a longer to dry than when it is un-healthy and dry (it is practically dry before I take the towel off my head). I was able to brush it with no problems, which warranted a huge sigh of relief. It doesn't look bad right now (though it's only been a few hours), it isn't as frizzy as I thought it might get either. Yay for day #1, I'm extremely interested in seeing what the next couple days and weeks will bring and if the conversion to a no 'poo lifestyle will remain this easy!

♥ Allecia

The "No 'Poo" Movement

No shampoo, that is. There is a plethora of information out there about this whole no shampoo lifestyle but here are a few links to get your started:

Going No Shampoo Successfully

Going No 'Poo?

No 'Poo Update

The No Shampoo Revolution

I've decided to give this a try myself and will be blogging about my personal experiences so keep an eye out for that as well!

7 Foods Experts Won't Eat

7 Foods Experts Won't Eat

The 7 foods experts won't eat

How healthy (or not) certain foods are—for us, for the environment—is a hotly debated topic among experts and consumers alike, and there are no easy answers. But when Prevention talked to the people at the forefront of food safety and asked them one simple question—“What foods do you avoid?”—we got some pretty interesting answers. Although these foods don’t necessarily make up a "banned” list, as you head into the holidays—and all the grocery shopping that comes with it—their answers are, well, food for thought:

1. Canned Tomatoes

The expert: Fredrick vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A

The problem: The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Unfortunately, acidity (a prominent characteristic of tomatoes) causes BPA to leach into your food. Studies show that the BPA in most people's body exceeds the amount that suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. "You can get 50 mcg of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that's a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young," says vom Saal. "I won't go near canned tomatoes."

The solution: Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need resin linings), such as the brands Bionaturae and Coluccio. You can also get several types in Tetra Pak boxes, like Trader Joe's and Pomi.

2. Corn-Fed Beef

The expert: Joel Salatin, co-owner of Polyface Farms and author of half a dozen books on sustainable farming

The problem: Cattle evolved to eat grass, not grains. But farmers today feed their animals corn and soybeans, which fatten up the animals faster for slaughter. More money for cattle farmers (and lower prices at the grocery store) means a lot less nutrition for us. A recent comprehensive study conducted by the USDA and researchers from Clemson University found that compared with corn-fed beef, grass-fed beef is higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium, and potassium; lower in inflammatory omega-6s; and lower in saturated fats that have been linked to heart disease. "We need to respect the fact that cows are herbivores, and that does not mean feeding them corn and chicken manure," says Salatin.

The solution: Buy grass-fed beef, which can be found at specialty grocers, farmers' markets, and nationally at Whole Foods. It's usually labeled because it demands a premium, but if you don't see it, ask your butcher.

3. Microwave Popcorn

The expert: Olga Naidenko, PhD, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group,

The problem: Chemicals, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in the lining of the bag, are part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility in humans, according to a recent study from UCLA. In animal testing, the chemicals cause liver, testicular, and pancreatic cancer. Studies show that microwaving causes the chemicals to vaporize—and migrate into your popcorn. "They stay in your body for years and accumulate there," says Naidenko, which is why researchers worry that levels in humans could approach the amounts causing cancers in laboratory animals. DuPont and other manufacturers have promised to phase out PFOA by 2015 under a voluntary EPA plan, but millions of bags of popcorn will be sold between now and then.

The solution: Pop natural kernels the old-fashioned way: in a skillet. For flavorings, you can add real butter or dried seasonings, such as dillweed, vegetable flakes, or soup mix.

4. Nonorganic Potatoes

The expert: Jeffrey Moyer, chair of the National Organic Standards Board

The problem: Root vegetables absorb herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides that wind up in soil. In the case of potatoes—the nation's most popular vegetable—they're treated with fungicides during the growing season, then sprayed with herbicides to kill off the fibrous vines before harvesting. After they're dug up, the potatoes are treated yet again to prevent them from sprouting. "Try this experiment: Buy a conventional potato in a store, and try to get it to sprout. It won't," says Moyer, who is also farm director of the Rodale Institute (also owned by Rodale Inc., the publisher of Prevention). "I've talked with potato growers who say point-blank they would never eat the potatoes they sell. They have separate plots where they grow potatoes for themselves without all the chemicals."

The solution: Buy organic potatoes. Washing isn't good enough if you're trying to remove chemicals that have been absorbed into the flesh.

5. Farmed Salmon

The expert: David Carpenter, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany and publisher of a major study in the journal Science on contamination in fish.

The problem: Nature didn't intend for salmon to be crammed into pens and fed soy, poultry litter, and hydrolyzed chicken feathers. As a result, farmed salmon is lower in vitamin D and higher in contaminants, including carcinogens, PCBs, brominated flame retardants, and pesticides such as dioxin and DDT. According to Carpenter, the most contaminated fish come from Northern Europe, which can be found on American menus. "You can only safely eat one of these salmon dinners every 5 months without increasing your risk of cancer," says Carpenter, whose 2004 fish contamination study got broad media attention. "It's that bad." Preliminary science has also linked DDT to diabetes and obesity, but some nutritionists believe the benefits of omega-3s outweigh the risks. There is also concern about the high level of antibiotics and pesticides used to treat these fish. When you eat farmed salmon, you get dosed with the same drugs and chemicals.

The solution: Switch to wild-caught Alaska salmon. If the package says fresh Atlantic, it's farmed. There are no commercial fisheries left for wild Atlantic salmon.

6. Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones

The expert: Rick North, project director of the Campaign for Safe Food at the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility and former CEO of the Oregon division of the American Cancer Society

The problem: Milk producers treat their dairy cattle with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST, as it is also known) to boost milk production. But rBGH also increases udder infections and even pus in the milk. It also leads to higher levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor in milk. In people, high levels of IGF-1 may contribute to breast, prostate, and colon cancers. "When the government approved rBGH, it was thought that IGF-1 from milk would be broken down in the human digestive tract," says North. As it turns out, the casein in milk protects most of it, according to several independent studies. "There's not 100% proof that this is increasing cancer in humans," admits North. "However, it's banned in most industrialized countries."

The solution: Check labels for rBGH-free, rBST-free, produced without artificial hormones, or organic milk. These phrases indicate rBGH-free products.

7. Conventional Apples

The expert: Mark Kastel, former executive for agribusiness and codirector of the Cornucopia Institute, a farm-policy research group that supports organic foods

The problem: If fall fruits held a "most doused in pesticides contest," apples would win. Why? They are individually grafted (descended from a single tree) so that each variety maintains its distinctive flavor. As such, apples don't develop resistance to pests and are sprayed frequently. The industry maintains that these residues are not harmful. But Kastel counters that it's just common sense to minimize exposure by avoiding the most doused produce, like apples. "Farm workers have higher rates of many cancers," he says. And increasing numbers of studies are starting to link a higher body burden of pesticides (from all sources) with Parkinson's disease.

The solution: Buy organic apples. If you can't afford organic, be sure to wash and peel them first.

Handy dandy travel tips - backpacking

Nomadic Matt is a young backpacker type who wants to help others let go of their 9 -5 lifestyles and live a little bit. It's a pretty cool blog with some gems of info for anyone who'd like to give backpacking (or frugal travel) a try!
http://www.nomadicmatt.com


I think this one is pretty self explanatory. Why pay $100 a night for that fancy hotel when you can stay at a hostel for a fraction of the cost? Really, is your vacation about seeing the sites and enjoying what the town has to offer or staring at your pretty (and often pricey) 4 walls?
http://www.hostelbookers.com

How much will it really cost me to take that trip?

This handy little calculator helps you to accurately estimate the amount you will spend on gas based on mileage and vehicle type.
Visit costtodrive.com

What's in my food?

Ever wonder what harmful things are lurking in your food? Visit whatsinmyfood.org to find out!

These website even offers a neat little app that you can download to your cell phone, who could ask for anything more?