February 20, 2008
You have also heard about it lately (in the media, from friends): parabens is the newest dirty word in health and wellness awareness. This is the word you don't want to see as an ingredient in any of your personal care or cleaning products.
It is first of all, good to have a definition of parabens: a group of petro-chemicals (from the petrol industry, like plastics, etc.) traditionally used in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical industries-- and even in food-- as a preservative. Some of the names it goes by are: methylparaben (E number E218), ethylparaben (E214), propylparaben (E216) and butylparaben. Less common parabens include isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben, benzylparaben and their sodium salts. Look on your shampoo bottle or even your frozen soy 'Stripples' and see what you find as a paraben. Kind of shocking, isn't it?
Studies have come out recently suggesting the long-term use of parabens may be connected to breast cancer and many skin problems. The 'scientific community' is torn on this-- some claiming that parabens only show small levels of toxicity and that some 'natural organic' products, such as grapefruit seed, are not shown to be effective in doing what they claim to do.
Too, manufacturers who claim their products are "natural" and "organic" are not well regulated for these claims at this time. While some products might contain organically-grown ingredients, they might ALSO contain parabens. In the eyes of the supporters of organic and sustainable farming, the two just don't make for a happy marriage. See the Oregon Tilth site to learn about what standards need to be maintained for the use of the label "organic" to be used ethically.
Now, if you are like me, you would probably just as happily want to use products that truly ARE made without parabens in them. I spent a couple of days this week clearing out the paraben-containing cosmetics and other products from my main bathroom closet. My husband was a little irritated when I attempted to shang-hai his deodorant, so I will have to make the switch with a non-toxic deodorant for him, tout de suite.
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"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it."
Matthew 13:45 RSV
"Life" intervened and I have not been posting about the Challenge as I did before. In fact, I have not been keeping my manual up either. I have, though, still been rebounding for 20 minutes each day, going to bed by 11 pm and not eating anything after 7:30 pm These are becoming entrenched habits.
I have introduced a set of
breathing exercises that really helps with my adult-onset asthma. There are some nights when I wake up at around 5 am unable to breathe in or exhale fully. I do the exercises and then have a nice little sleep.
I have been doing some reading and based on what I have observed over the past several years (and never done much about-- except got
Vega testing and confirmed my beliefs) I have an intolerance to gluten and that has increased with age. So, starting today, I am going to avoid gluten in my diet. Two of my Toastmasters friends don't eat any gluten to maintain their health. I will see what the results will be. There is an interesting explanation
here by Walter Last.
So, starting today, I am back to my binder (21-Day Challenge Manual) and implementing the following daily as habits:
DIET AND NUTRITION: I will not eat glutens
EXERCISE AND FITNESS: I will add 20 minutes of my breathing exercises to the 20 minutes of rebounding
OTHER LIFESTYLE FACTORS: I will do something to de-clutter my office.
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February 18, 2008
February 14, 2008
Many of my readers have been asking me what I think of the whole raw cacao craze. For those who don't know, raw cacao beans are now sold by different raw-food companies as the latest "superfood." Cacao beans are traditionally roasted and used to make chocolate. Now, raw-foodists have found a raw version of the beloved bean and are apparently using it for its magical properties.First, let me start by explaining what my own personal use of cacao is. I've known for a long time that cacao is a stimulant. Not as strong as coffee, but its stimulating "qualities" are easy to spot when your body is not used to eating such foods. Because of this, I often used carob powder in my recipes. Carob powder is made from a fruit and has a taste that reminds of chocolate. It is naturally sweet. Instead of being a stimulant, carob is a mineral rich food and has a calming effect. So, like most raw-foodists, I used carob powder in my recipes. But, then one day, I decided to use cacao powder. I figured: if I'm going to make something that tastes like chocolate, why not use the real thing? I've noticed that cacao has a stimulating effect, but since I was using it occasionally (i.e. less than once a month) and just for fun in some recipes, I was not too bothered by that little indiscretion. However, I never considered it to be a health food.
Now, cacao beans are sold to us at an exorbitant price under the assumption that it's one of the best things we could ever eat. I couldn't disagree more.
First of all, cacao beans are not really food. If you found them in nature, you wouldn't eat the seeds. You would eat the fruit, which is apparently delicious, and throw away the seeds. Even if you wanted to eat the seeds, they would not taste like chocolate. In order for the cacao seeds to taste like chocolate and become the cacao beans that we know, they have to be fermented first. They are fairly bitter, indicating the presence of a poison. And when I say a "poison," I'm not making this up. Just do a little research and you'll discover that cacao contains many chemicals with a stimulating effects, such as theobromine and caffeine.
Frederic Patenaude, is the author of the best-selling e-book “The Raw Secrets” and is known for his no-gimmick, BS-free approach to health and nutrition. You can get a free subscription to his "Outrageous Health & Success" ezine by visiting http://www.fredericpatenaude.com
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February 13, 2008
Hey my raw vegan friends-- what do you make of this??
AUSTIN, Minn. — If you have to come down with a strange disease, this town of 23,000 on the wide-open prairie in southeastern Minnesota is a pretty good place to be. The Mayo Clinic, famous for diagnosing exotic ailments, owns the local medical center and shares some staff with it. Mayo itself is just 40 miles east in Rochester. And when it comes to investigating mysterious outbreaks, Minnesota has one of the strongest health departments and best-equipped laboratories in the country.
When some workers at the plant, which kills and butchers 19,000 hogs a day, developed neurological problems, health officials were called in.
And the disease that confronted doctors at the Austin Medical Center here last fall was strange indeed. Three patients had the same highly unusual set of symptoms: fatigue, pain, weakness, numbness and tingling in the legs and feet.
(more...)February 11, 2008
"Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging and helping out. ~Hebrews 10:24 The Message"
Today I received a number of DVDs in the mail that, through the benefits of breathing exercises, are going to help me with my goal to become stronger and trimmer. I was thrilled with the little leatherette calendar book and pen and flashlight that came as a bonus I don't recall being advertised. I watched the first DVD and participated in the workout. I felt quite invigorated... even did some facial exercises that will help me to look younger. We'll see. Exciting. You to might want to try it out... seems like good value, especially for people who like to do their workouts with video guidance. Click
here to learn more.
I'm planning to do an interpretive reading at Toastmasters on Wednesday. I'm reading from the anniversary copy of the book "
Beautiful Joe"-- a book that my Grandma Rempel read to me when I was a child. I can recall being moved to tears by Joe's plight as a child.
Off to bed soon! God bless!
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February 10, 2008
"Don't compromise yourself-- you are all you've got" ~Janis Joplin
A productive day.... talked with Clara in the a.m., did another page on my website, added to the
Smoothie Moves newsletter, and did a blog.
February 7, 2008
Be brave. Be strong. Don't give up. Expect God to get here soon. ~Psalm 31:24 The Message
I connected with an old friend tonight... we hadn't spoken on the phone for EIGHT MONTHS! So, we had lots to talk about. She is going to Holland in April, has been learning to use the computer, and will be taking Doula training in the fall.
I had a headache for a good portion of today but was able to do a page of my website, although not without glitches or gremlins, or whatever.
Off to bed pretty soon!
God bless,
Cynthia
February 6, 2008
As far as sunrise is from sunset, God has separated us from our sins. ~Psalm 103:12, The Message
I heard on
VOAR Christian Radio this morning that that today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, 40 days from the day we generally celebrate the rising of Christ from the tomb--Easter. I had forgotten about Ash Wednesday, but it seems fitting that I had already decided to do another go at this 21-day challenge to develop new and better habits.
At this point I am (1)rebounding 20 minutes each day, (2)not eating after 7:30 pm and (3)in bed before 11 pm. I feel great about accomplishing these feats in my life. I know I'm still pretty far from goals to be slim and trim and glowing with health, but I'm on the way!
For this next
set of 21 days I have the following habits that I wish to install:
(1) 2 raw vegan meals a day
(2) 10 minutes of breathing exercises (I'll start with Yoga and carry on with the other program when my DVDs arrive)
Note: My husband just displaced something and I went into
his office and found it. I began my own ten-minute clean-up and got distracted by finding the instructions about installing some software for my camera, so I'm taking time out to do that and still have 4 minutes of tidying left. Life is dynamic, what can I say?
Blessings!
(3) Spend 10 minutes tidying and putting order into my office each day-- I am the Church clerk and the Secretary for my Toastmasters Club, as well as trying to build a website and run an internet business. I need ORDER in my life. 10 minutes a day is about 10 minutes a day more than I am doing right now... maybe I can get into the habit of filing things as I bring them into my office... hmm.
Blessings!
Cynthia
February 3, 2008
I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it all I've got. No sloppy living for me! ~1 Corinithians 9:26 - The Message
I've finished the 21 day Challenge and have picked up some good habits I hope... not eating after 7:30 is no biggie, and I've actually rebounded for 20 minutes a day and gone to bed before 11pm for ALL or MOST of the 21 day stretch. Not sure that I am ready to start with some new NEW habits quite yet. I'm busy working slowly on my new website. Tomorrow is the Women's lunch at the Church. I was going to do a Raindrop Technique with a friend, but I decided I need a little more time for prep.
February 1, 2008
Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously towards others, the way God lives toward you. ~Matthew 5:48 The Message
This is Day 19 of the 21-Day Challenge to make life-changing habits.
Last week in Toastmasters we had a couple of visitors. This week only one of them returned and he signed up to become a member of our club. He obviously had listened and worked hard all week to improve his speaking skills. He also incorporated last week's "word-of-the-night" into this week's table topic, something I haven't come across before. Last week's word was "munificence" meaning monetary generosity.
Today I went to my volunteer shift at the maternity home. A very tired resident answered the bell. She hadn't slept well during the night. I sat down and she went and dug up her new craft project, a scrapbook.
While I was there the housemother came up to tell her (the other girl was still asleep) that they would be interviewed by the local newspaper today, if they wanted to be. She was very excited.
I drank a green smoothie while I was there (run it up at home and then take it along with me in a tall lidded jar). She said it smelled good, reminded her of a job she had had as a grounds keeper at one time. She went on to say that she thinks she will raise her baby as a vegetarian. I offered to bring her a green smoothie next week if she would like, and she seemed genuinely interested in the offer. She wants avocado and grapes in it (?).
This evening we talked to our younger son on the phone. Last night I talked to my Dad. The phone is a gift but doesn't make up for having the real people near by.
God bless,
Cynthia
www.manitobaharvest.com
