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Category: Healthy Living

Gluten Free Challenges

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If you must (or choose) to go gluten-free, one of the challenges is getting enough dietary fiber. 
Why is that, you may wonder.

You see, on a typical diet, your doctor might tell you to eat more healthy whole grains, like wheat bran, whole wheat bread and cereals to increase your fiber intake. That can be a problem for those with celiac disease who are on a gluten-free diet since many gluten-free foods are low in fiber.

The good news is that there are plenty of gluten-free alternatives to whole wheat that are still high in fiber.

There are two types of dietary fibers – soluble and insoluble.
Soluble fiber soaks up water as it passes through your system, which helps bulk up your stool and guard against diarrhea. Examples of foods with soluble fiber include:

  • Legumes (beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans)
  • Fruits (apples, pears, oranges, prunes)
  • Vegetables (carrots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, eggplant)
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Ground flax seeds and chia seeds

Insoluble fiber helps prevent constipation. Examples of foods with soluble fiber include:

  • Quinoa
  • Buckwheat
  • Millet
  • Wild and brown rice
  • Nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans)
  • Fruits (strawberries, papayas, mangoes)
  • Vegetables (cucumber, asparagus, okra)

When consuming a diet rich in fiber, it is important to drink water to prevent constipation. Consuming about eight (8-ounce) glasses per day is recommended for adults.

To go gluten-free or not: That is the question!

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Actually, it’s not that simple.

There are benefits of going gluten free, true. For those with celiac disease, it’s a priority! If you don’t have celiac disease, there are several things to consider before going gluten-free:

  • Lack of fiber. Most Americans already miss the mark on fiber. Women require 28 grams of fiber/day, men need 35 grams. The average American gets less than 15 grams a day. That means you will need to think about taking a fiber supplement.
  • Increased risk of Type II Diabetes. Research showed that when participants ate gluten, they were less likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The study showed that the more gluten in the diet, the lower the risk of diabetes. Fiber, vitamins and nutrients found in healthy foods containing gluten proved to be beneficial to the overall health of the participants.
  • Weight Gain. Many gluten-free baked items like muffins, cookies or brownies are higher in calories and sugar than their ‘normal’ gluten-containing counterparts. That’s because the items still need to taste good and offer similar texture, but one one item is removed another is there to take it’s place and it can be in the form of a higher sugar or fat content. Because people are tricked into thinking they’re making a ‘healthier’ decision when they choose a gluten-free diet, they often don’t take the time to check labels and nutrition facts. This can lead to weight gain and mote unhealthy choices.
  • Lack of essential vitamins and nutrients. Switching to a gluten-free diet by choice means you also need to be mindful of what you eat. This makes it more difficult to maintain a balanced diet, which may lead to completely unnecessary added stress in the grocery store aisles for limited benefits. Reseach shows that people on a gluten-free diet have increased levels of heavy metals in their blood and urine – possibly due to the increased consumption of rice in gluten-free foods.

Making the choice of going gluten-free is not an easy one. Based on the way that gluten works, it’s an all or nothing decision. If you think going gluten-free is for you, please do your research.

How safe are your beauty products?

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Clean beauty doesn’t have to cost a fortune! My wellness Company’s wellness-inspired beauty taps into nature’s most powerful sources for skin enhancing ingredients and combines it with effective science to create safer products that enhance, highlight, and perfect, without breaking the bank!!

• NO hormone disrupting chemicals
• NO parabens
• NO phthalates
• NO harmful dyes or colorants
• NO mercury
• NO micro plastics

Plus, they can save you money!

The power of broccoli

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Broccoli is one of those foods you must always have in your grocery basket! 
I know I do. I often eat broccoli and in various forms, steamed, roasted, raw, in soups, stews and salads.
It’s been a staple in my kitchen for years.

Why do I believe broccoli is an essential part of my diet? Well,

  • It has strong anti-cancer properties. Studies have shown that is reduces the number and size of breast cancer cells.
  • One study shows that it helps to eliminate prostate cancer cells and reduce tumors by half.
  • It contains a high amount of fiber and antioxidants which work together to reduce inflammation and help with digestion and elimination. That, in itself, helps to prevent cancer from growing.

To me, this is THE most important vegetable we can eat. Plus, we have so many options on how to prepare it: In soups, stir fry’s, raw, steamed, etc. I truly believe everyone should make it a regular diet item throughout the week!

My favorite online shopping club

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When you shop on Tuesday, your package is scheduled to arrive on Monday, but it shows up three days later, on Friday morning before a hurricane hits. Just in time delivery or what some of my fellow shoppers would call a shopping club win.

I used to think that I had to choose between buying inexpensive toxic household and personal care products over those more expensive, safe, non-toxic products. That is until I found this amazing shopping club 20 years ago where I can have both…safe, non-toxic products AND affordability!

I was never more grateful for my online shopping club than I was during those Covid lockdown years! With the Covid lockdowns, empty shelves due to supply-chain issues and now these crazy inflation costs are even affecting big box stores like Costco, Target and Walmart. This shopping club just didn’t have those issues (although they did limit the number of hand sanitizers you could buy at one time). There were also no supply-chain issues. All thru the lock downs, I still got my monthly shopping order delivered right to my door on time.

All of the products and packaging are made in the US and that makes a huge difference. I also save money every month because of the just in time manufacturing and deliver.

Not only am I a non-toxic purchaser, I am a bargainshopper! I like a deal and I like saving. I can’t add up the thousands of dollars I have saved by shopping at my shopping club for my monthly household and personal care necessities over shopping at Walmart!

Cheers to 19 years since ditching the bleach and all the other toxic products I used to buy, beating inflation and putting my family first and never looking back.

I am a life-time happy shopper.

Sweet Cream & Willow

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I love this Affinia Antiperspirant & Deodorant! I know I stay dry and smell fresh all day long!

This unique antiperspirant and deodorant comes in two scents: Sweet Cream & Willow and Vanilla Musk & Jasmine. I used the Sweet Cream & Willow. I find it neutralizes odors and absorbs moisture for up to 48 hours, leaving my underarms hydrated yet clean and dry.

Raise your hands if you want to try it!

Safer for your home

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I learned that prevention was the way to go back in 2004. I found shopping with a responsible manufacturer who cared about safer ingredients actually mattered. This was especially important when it came to household products I use daily.

Now, I am helping as many people who would listen and are willing to make the switch.

Tide; Gain; Arm & Hammer and so many more national brands that you find in your.. -the worst by far all the Dollar stores. Most of the national brand and off-brand products contain Formaldehyde to some extent —not to mention several other well-known carcinogens. Most of which are known to cause skin issues and other allergic reactions. Besides containing fillers which serve no purpose, many of them can cause free radicals.

One surprising facts are that many of the 100 fluid ounce containers that claim to do 64 loads contain more water and fillers than actual detergents.

My favorite online shopping club has safe laundry soap that’s more affordable than Tide. It also smells amazing and cleans better because of it has the ability to break down enzymes – even in cold water. Plus, you use less— only 10 mLs (2 TBS) per load.It’s easy to use as it has a pump that pumps a pre-measured 10 mLs.

I love my laundry detergent:

  • Contains No Chlorine Bleach
  • Contains No Formaldehyde or Carcinogens
  • Contains No Phthalates
  • Is Biodegradable
  • Contains No Harsh chemicals
  • Contains No Fillers
  • 32 fluid ounces can safely clean 96 laundry loads

Today, with budgets tighter than ever, it’s good to know that one 32 ounce bottle can last me nearly 10-11 months. I couldn’t believe it, so now I date the bottle when I start a new one. It proves to me that I’m still saving money on my laundry. It comes in three favorite scents: Garden Lavender; Mountain Fresh and Scent-Free

MILK THISTLE 

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Milk thistle is a spiky purple flowering plant in the same family as the daisies and ragweed. It’s considered an herb, so the FDA does not regulate it. Milk Thistle encourages healthy liver function, promotes healthier skin, aids digestive health, boosts your immune system and more.

I first learned about milk thistle when my dog, Rusty, came down with Cushing’s Disease —a disease that affects the liver. The vet told me to get it and, if you know me, I had to research it. I discovered that Milk Thistle offers quite a few benefits — more than I knew. Then, I found out it was also good for diabetes.

Here are a few things I learned that benefit from milk thistle:

  • LIVER HEALTH. Helps to fight free radicals in the liver. Researchers believe it is the most well researched plant in the treatment of liver disease.
  • DIABETES MANAGEMENT. Some studies suggest that Milk Thistle can help lower blood sugar, but precautions are necessary for those with hypoglycemia.
  • BONE HEALTH. Studies show that Milk Thistle can strengthen bones, prevent bone loss and osteoporosis.
  • BRAIN HEALTH. Since Milk Thistle is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, it is suggested that it can help with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, and help with slowing down cognitive decline.
  • CHEMOTHERAPHY AID. Milk Thistle is known to help with the different side effects of chemo and improve chemo results, but that may be because milk thistle is both an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory.

Recently the Wellness Company where I shop came out with a new supplement, Berberine.This Berberine has milk thistle added to it. Because I have diabetes and asthma, I am trying this supplement to support my liver and pancreas. I like the bonus of two supplements in one. I love it when I can get a double or triple benefit from one supplement. Saves me money!

Did you know your body sweats just as much in cold weather as it does in warm? 

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You probably don’t notice it as much because sweat evaporates faster when it’s cold. The air is also more dry because the cold climate has less humidity, and that can easily lead to dehydration. In the winter, air is typically more dry because the cold climate has less humidity, and that can easily lead to dehydration.

Research shows that feeling anxious can cause you to sweat more and dehydrate more easily. Also, dehydration can lead to physical ailments like headaches, fatigue, and weakness.

If you start to feel the symptoms of dehydration (such as dry mouth or low energy), you may want to replenish with electrolytes. Electrolytes are essential minerals such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium. They help with bodily functions including balancing blood pH and blood pressure, helping fix tissue damage, regulating nerve and muscle function.

Fresh juices containing ingredients like beets, cherries, spinach, or kale are naturally full of electrolytes. Try coconut water as it is full of potassium, calcium, sodium, and magnesium. 

So just because it’s cold outside, don’t let your guard down on staying hydrated!

Are you feeling depressed?

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DEPRESSION TIPS:

Shower. Not a bath, a shower. Use water as hot or cold as you like. You don’t even need to wash. Just get in under the water and let it run over you for a while. Sit on the floor if you need to.

Moisturize everything. Use whatever lotion you like that makes you smell yummy? Use whatever you want, and use it all over your entire dermis.

Put on clean, comfortable clothes. Put on your favorite underwear. Those ridiculous boxers you bought last Christmas with candy cane hearts on the butt? Put them on.

Drink cold water. Use ice. If you want, add some mint or lemon for an extra boost.

Clean something. Doesn’t have to be anything big. Organize one drawer of a desk. Wash five dirty dishes. Do a load of laundry. Scrub the bathroom sink. Pick up 30 things and put them away.

Blast music. Listen to something upbeat. Blast something that’s got lots of energy. Sing to it, dance to it, even if you suck at both but no one is watching so just have fun.

Make food. Don’t just grab a granola bar to munch. Take the time and make food. Even if it’s ramen. Add something special to it, like a soft boiled egg or some veggies. Prepare food, it tastes way better, and you’ll feel like you accomplished something.

Make something. Write a short story or a poem, draw a picture, color a picture, fold origami, crochet or knit, sculpt something out of clay, anything artistic. Even if you don’t think you’re good at it. Create.

Go outside. Take a walk. Sit in the grass. Look at the clouds. Smell flowers. Play in the snow. Put your hands in the dirt and feel the soil against your skin. Make a snow angel or go sledding.Throw snowballs.

Call someone. Call a loved one, a friend, a family member, call a chat service if you have no one else to call.

Talk to a stranger on the street. Have a conversation and listen to someone’s voice. If you can’t bring yourself to call, text or email or whatever, just have some social interaction with another person. Even if you don’t say much, listen to them. It helps.

Cuddle your pets if you have them/can cuddle them. Borrow a doggie to play with. Take pictures of them. Talk to them. Tell them how you feel, about your favorite movie, a new game coming out, anything.

These tips may seem small or silly to some, but this list helps keeps people alive.

Things to consider:

At your absolute best you won’t be good enough for the wrong people. But at your worst, you’ll still be worth it to the right ones. Remember that. Keep holding on.

In case nobody has told you today I love you and you are worth your weight and then some in gold, so be kind to yourself and most of all keep pushing on!

And, finally, find something to be grateful for!