My world just got clearer!

Things are looking brighter! Now in a more effective formula, Clear Power 12x is a plant-derived, biodegradable window cleaner that packs powerful results into every bottle. Each ingredient works together to clean shiny surfaces fast—leaving no streaks or spots behind. I use it on:
• Windows
• Mirrors
• Stainless steel
• Glass
• Phone screens
• Glass stove top.

What will you use it on?

I’m upping my protein intake

I’m adding a little over 40 g for breakfast using Strawberry ProFlex Pro and the Collagen Boost. I’m aiming for 140 g of protein, a day! I know this is a great way to start my day while giving me a great start on my daily Protein consumption.

I buy the two products at the Wellness Store—yep, my Online Shopping Club, the same store where I buy my cleaning, laundry, skin care, hair care makeup, toothpaste and more. They manufacture all of our daily household essentials! No harmful chemicals! I love that this company doesn’t have a big storage warehouse or things are sitting on shelves for months and years. It’s fresh and shipped to my door straight from them within three days of placing my order!

Omega 6 vs Omega 3

Both are important! But getting too much of one can be harmful to your health.

Omega-6 fatty acids are essential for human health and have many benefits, including: 

  • Heart health: Omega-6s can help lower LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol, which can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. 
  • Brain function: Omega-6s play a crucial role in brain function, along with omega-3 fatty acids. 
  • Growth and development: Omega-6s are necessary for normal growth and development. 
  • Bone health: Omega-6s help maintain bone health. 
  • Metabolism: Omega-6s help regulate metabolism. 
  • Reproductive system: Omega-6s help maintain the reproductive system. 
  • Insulin sensitivity: Omega-6s help improve the body’s sensitivity to insulin, which can help keep blood sugar in check.

Here’s the problem:

Omega 6’s can promote inflammation and the typical American diet contains 14 to 25 times more omega-6s than omega-3s, which reduce inflammation. So that’s why the balance of these two superstars is very important!

We should strive for a 1:3 ratio of Omega 6 vs Omega 3, meaning we should have 3 grams of Omega 3 for every gram of Omega 6.

You cannot have too much Omega 3’s!

Does Coffee Improve Your Gut Health?

The simple answer is: Yes! 

There is a direct relationship between coffee and our gut microbiome. Research shows that coffee may signficiantly increase the level of a particular good type of bacteria (or flora) called Lawsonibacter asaccharolyticus. In fact, in 2021, researchers found that out of more than 150 foods studied, coffee showed the strongest link to gut microbiome composition. So this is a good thing.

But how much should you drink?
In the studies I read, “moderate” consumption is the ideal. Guess how much that is: Four – Five cups/day!

So depending on your sensitivity to caffeine… drink up! Actually, coffee has been linked to “lower risk of all cause mortality.” That does not make it a “super food”, but it does make for a strong argument!

Harvest the Best, Wash Away the Rest! 

While modern farming has made it possible to enjoy your favorite fruits and vegetables nearly any time you want them, there are some drawbacks. At the end of its journey to your table your produce can still have pesticide residue, dirt, and other contaminants that can increase the risk of foodborne illnesses.  

Luckily, there’s new EcoSense®Harvest Pure Fruit and Vegetable Wash! 

A powerful combination of food-safe ingredients, Harvest Pure Fruit and Vegetable Wash washes away pesticide residues, dirt, grime, and more from fresh fruits and vegetables, so all you’re left with is their delicious flavor. In fact, when used as directed, Harvest Pure Fruit and Vegetable Wash removes more than twice as much pesticide residue as rinsing with water alone! This formula is not only effective at cleaning but also gentle and rinses off easily—leaving the nutrient-dense peels of produce intact with no unpleasant aftertaste. 

I LOVE this product!

Magnesium Deficiency and Cancer

Magnesium deficiency is a risk factor for multiple cancers. This essential mineral helps maintain proper immune function and regulates inflammation, both of which are important factors in cancer prevention.

Good sources of magnesium include:

  • Leafy greens
  • Fruit 
  • Chocolate 
  • Dairy (grassfed is easier to digest)
  • Beef 

But still….. it’s hard to get the necessary requirements so supplementing is important. I prefer a powder magnesium that i can easily add to my water, lemonade, protein shakes, etc. It’s one less pill to swallow, but i can also increase dosage if I prefer. Also, I recommend looking for a magnesium supplement that also has Vitamin B6. It works beautifully with this mineral for quicker absorption.

How to Add More Fiber to Your Diet

If you are looking to lose some weight or balance your blood sugars, turn to fiber to help you reach that goal.
Here are a few easy steps:

  • Increase your fiber intake gradually. Consuming a lot of fiber at once can have unintended consequences; such as constipation. To ensure a smooth transition, try increasing your fiber intake by five grams daily until you reach your goal.
    As long as each meal contains roughly 10 grams of fiber or more, you’ll consume enough.
  • Fill your pantry with shelf-stable ingredients. Keep items like nuts, seeds, and canned beans on hand since they have a longer shelf life and are easy to add to meals. You can sprinkle slivered almonds on a salad for a crunchy boost, coat baked salmon in a flaxseed crust, or add beans to a vegetable soup.
  • Double up on vegetables. Most vegetables contain some fiber, but certain options are better than others. Veggies high in fiber include artichokes (yum!), Brussels sprouts, spinach, broccoli, and carrots. (Pumpkin and avocado are also high in fiber but are actually fruits.)
  • Don’t forget about fiber-rich snacks. If you know you’re falling short on fiber in your meals, use snacks to balance out your daily needs. Think toasted and spiced nuts, vegetables, and fruits like raspberries and apples. Pair with a source of protein or fat (like cheese) to slow the release of sugar into your bloodstream.
  • Add fiber to every meal. Thirty to fifty grams is a lot of fiber; you don’t want to eat all of that at once, or your GI tract may suffer. It’s better to break it up to include fiber in every meal and snack. That could look like a chia pudding for breakfast, a salad with crispy chickpeas and avocado for lunch, or a bowl of chili served over cauliflower rice for dinner. 

If you don’t know what your fiber goals should be, think 28+ grams/day for women and 34+ grams/day for men.

𝐃𝐘𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐂 𝐃𝐔𝐎

Stains don’t stand a chance with this winning combination.
My two-and-one-half year-old granddaughter decided to paint more than the paper in front of her today.
I am so glad I have these products on hand!

Part of the EcoSense line, these two are furniture savers when those little artists are around! I don’t think I could be without these two products when the little ones are around!

I started cleaning with Pre-Spot and followed up with Sol-U-Mel. You’d never believe it had been painted red!

Live Longer With A Daily Walk

Here are the facts:

  • If Americans over 40 walked as much each day as the most physically active members of the population, they could extend their life span by at least five years, a new study finds.
  • The least physically active 25% of the population stood the most to gain, according to the predictive model: For each hour of walking they do, they can extend their life by about 6 hours.

Christopher Schneble, MD, Yale Medicine sports medicine physician and assistant professor of orthopaedics and rehabilitation at Yale School of Medicine (who was not involved in the study) says……

“Engaging in physical activity can result in improved preservation of bone density, improved strength, reduced body fat, and better cardiovascular health. It can also lead to improvements in both mood and cognitive function. Improving things like heart rate, blood pressure, or the amount of excess body fat can all help decrease how hard the heart must work to pump blood throughout the body, which in return is protective.”

So schedule in some time to walk and set a goal to walk every day! Your body will thank you for it!

Palm Oil by any other name

In an era where conscious consumerism is on the rise, many of us strive to make informed choices about the products we bring into our homes. Yet, there’s a stealthy ingredient hiding in a multitude of everyday items, from our favorite snacks to our bathroom essentials, that often goes unnoticed—palm oil. 

While palm oil itself isn’t inherently malevolent, its clandestine presence in countless products has raised concerns about its impact on the environment, wildlife, and indigenous communities..

What’s the problem with palm oil?
Palm oil is a controversial and widely debated commodity due to its environmental and social impact. Here are some of the main concerns associated with palm oil production:

  1. Deforestation: One of the most significant issues with palm oil is its link to deforestation. Large areas of tropical rainforests in countries like Indonesia and Malaysia have been cleared to make way for palm oil plantations. This destruction of natural habitats contributes to biodiversity loss and can threaten endangered species like orangutans, tigers, and rhinos.
  2. Habitat Destruction: The expansion of palm oil plantations often leads to the displacement of indigenous communities and local people who depend on these forests for their livelihoods. This can result in social conflicts and human rights abuses.
  3. Environmental Impact: The conversion of forests to palm oil plantations contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Forests, especially peatlands, store significant amounts of carbon, and when they are cleared and drained for palm oil cultivation, carbon is released into the atmosphere.
  4. Burning Practices: In some regions, including Indonesia, palm oil companies have used slash-and-burn techniques to clear land for plantations. This practice not only releases enormous amounts of carbon dioxide but also causes dangerous air pollution and haze, affecting human health.
  5. Biodiversity Loss: The monoculture nature of palm oil plantations reduces overall biodiversity. Many species cannot survive in these plantations, which are often devoid of the diverse ecosystems found in natural forests.
  6. Water Pollution: The use of pesticides and fertilizers in palm oil cultivation can lead to water pollution, harming aquatic ecosystems and potentially affecting human health when contaminated water is used for drinking or irrigation.
  7. Ethical Concerns: Labor abuses and poor working conditions have been reported in some palm oil plantations, raising ethical concerns about the treatment of workers.

It’s important to note that the palm oil industry has made efforts to address some of these issues through initiatives like the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), which promotes the use of sustainable practices in palm oil production. However, criticism has arisen regarding the effectiveness and enforcement of such initiatives.

Why is palm oil used?
Palm oil is used in a wide range of products and industries for several reasons:

  1. Versatility: Palm oil is highly versatile and can be used in both food and non-food products. Its semi-solid consistency at room temperature makes it suitable for various applications.
  2. Texture and Consistency: In the food industry, palm oil is often used to enhance the texture and consistency of products. It provides a creamy and smooth texture, which is valuable in items like margarine, ice cream, and bakery goods.
  3. Long Shelf Life: Palm oil has a long shelf life due to its high saturated fat content. This makes it an attractive choice for processed foods, as it helps extend the product’s freshness and prevents spoilage.
  4. High Melting Point: Palm oil has a higher melting point compared to many other vegetable oils. This makes it suitable for use in products that require stability at high temperatures, such as frying oils and baked goods.
  5. Flavor Neutral: Palm oil has a relatively neutral flavor, which means it doesn’t significantly impact the taste of the final product. This makes it a suitable choice for a wide variety of food items where a strong flavor is not desired.
  6. Cost-Effectiveness: Palm oil is often more cost-effective than other vegetable oils, which makes it an attractive option for food manufacturers looking to keep production costs down.
  7. Non-Food Applications: Palm oil is also used in non-food products, such as cosmetics, personal care items, and cleaning products. Its properties, including its ability to create stable emulsions and provide moisture to the skin, make it valuable in these applications.
  8. Biofuel Production: Palm oil is used as a feedstock for the production of biodiesel, a renewable and environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels.
  9. Industrial Uses: Beyond the food and cosmetic industries, palm oil is used in various industrial applications, including lubricants, candles, and soaps.

It’s important to note that while palm oil offers many functional benefits, its production is associated with environmental and social concerns, as discussed in a previous response. As a result, there has been growing awareness and efforts to promote the responsible and sustainable production of palm oil to mitigate its negative impacts. Consumers and companies are increasingly seeking alternatives and supporting sustainable sourcing practices to address these concerns.

Did you know destructive palm oil sneaks into your food using these 25 ingredient names.
Avoid them at all costs!

Palm oil often gets packaged under a multitude of different names, which can make it challenging for consumers to identify its presence in products. This practice is employed by manufacturers to obscure the use of palm oil and may involve a variety of alternative names, such as “vegetable oil,” “vegetable fat,” “palmate,” “sodium lauryl sulfate,” or even specific chemical compounds like “palmitate” and “stearate.” 

This is a full list of 25 alternative names for palm oil:

  1. Palmitic acid
  2. Hydrogenated palm glycerides
  3. Palmitate
  4. Vegetable fat
  5. Stearic acid
  6. Palm stearine
  7. Glyceryl
  8. Palmitoyl tetrapeptide-3
  9. Vegetable oil
  10. Stearate
  11. Palm kernel oil
  12. Palmolein
  13. Sodium palm kernelate
  14. Octyl palmitate
  15. Etyl palmitate
  16. Sodium kernelate
  17. Palm kernel
  18. Palmate
  19. Palmityl alcohol
  20. Sodium lauryl lactylate/sulphate
  21. Palm fruit oil
  22. Sodium lauryl sulfate
  23. Elaeis guineensis
  24. Palmitoyl oxostearamide
  25. Sodium laureth sulfate

Here is a list of products that often contain palm oil:

Food Products:

  1. Processed Foods: Many processed foods, such as cookies, crackers, and baked goods, contain palm oil as it helps give these products a desirable texture and shelf life.
  2. Margarine: Palm oil is used in the production of margarine to achieve a creamy consistency.
  3. Instant Noodles: Palm oil is often used in the preparation of instant noodles.
  4. Chocolate: Some chocolate products contain palm oil as an ingredient.
  5. Ice Cream: Palm oil may be used in ice cream to improve its texture and prevent melting.
  6. Snack Foods: Many snack items like chips, popcorn, and fried snacks are made using palm oil for frying.
  7. Baked Goods: Palm oil is used in various baked goods, including bread, pastries, and doughnuts.
  8. Nutella and Similar Spreads: Palm oil is a common ingredient in chocolate spreads like Nutella.
  9. Instant Soups and Sauces: It can be found in instant soups and sauce mixes.
  10. Cereals: Some breakfast cereals may contain palm oil.

Non-Food Products:

  1. Personal Care Products: Palm oil is used in cosmetics, soaps, shampoos, and skincare products due to its moisturizing properties.
  2. Cleaning Products: Some cleaning products, such as detergents and soaps, contain palm oil.
  3. Biofuels: Palm oil is used as a feedstock in the production of biodiesel.
  4. Candles: It can be used in the manufacture of candles.
  5. Industrial Lubricants: Palm oil is utilized in industrial applications, including lubricants.

It’s important to note that palm oil can be listed under various names and aliases on product labels, making it challenging for consumers to identify its presence. To make informed choices and support sustainable practices, consumers often need to look for specific certifications like the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) or choose products explicitly labeled as “palm oil-free.”