Healthy Living

Top 10 Fruits & Veggies to Try Organic

Non-organic, or conventional, fruits and vegetables are sprayed with pesticides and grown in nutrient depleted soil. Plants that have no peel, like berries, tend to absorb more of the pesticides that are sprayed onto them than those with a peel.

Organic veggies are rumored to have a more vibrant flavor.  After I switched to eating organic fruits and veggies I noticed many tasted way better.  I never liked apples until I tried them organic, and now I LOVE them.  I found conventional apples to be kind of waxy with bitter taste, and organic ones to have a more sweet and juicy flavor.  Also, organic foods contain double the vitamins & minerals found in their conventional counterparts.

Read Laurel's entire article Top 10 Fruits & Veggies to Try Organic

Laurel Pehrson, our official Raw Food Recipes Expert

Recipe: One Wild and Lucky Salad

This salad was inspired by posts from my FB friend Lana Sutton. She had been showing how people can eat from their yard..."weeds" that are edible and tasty, and she shared some ideas and pics of salads from her own yard.

I've been wanting to try this for a couple of days, so I ran outside this afternoon to pick some wild violets before my husband mows tomorrow. I got brave and sampled some yesterday (amazingly no tummy ache followed), and found the white ones seemed sweeter than the purple, so I picked more white blooms than purple.

Read Michelle's entire article Recipe: One Wild and Lucky Salad

Michelle Young, our official Food for Thought and Tummy writer

How to Make a Fashion Statement Vegan-Style: 3 Steps to Compassionate and Stylish Dressing

Ginger Burr, Our official Vegan Fashion Expert says:

Only a short while ago veganism was a foreign concept to most people. Few had ever heard the term at all and those who had were unsure as to what it meant other than that it might be an extreme form of vegetarianism. All that is changing rapidly. With the heightened attention to global warming, there is a growing movement, especially among young people, to adopt a vegan lifestyle. More and more restaurants are offering vegan options, and health benefits aside, it is now a well-known fact that one of the most effective ways to save our planet and reduce greenhouse gas emissions is to stop eating meat.

Read Ginger's entire article How to Make a Fashion Statement Vegan-Style: 3 Steps to Compassionate and Stylish Dressing

Why Women Overeat

Karen Schachter discusses why women gain weight, the psychology of eating and our relationships with food that affect our weight. Learn how to to lose weight.

How to Get Your Sweet Fix Safely

Shane “The People’s Chemist” Ellison, M.Sc., Natural Health Expert of IdeaMarketers.com says:

"If you could make one simple change in your diet to help you melt fat, sleep better, and improve your memory ... wouldn't you do it? What if that same simple dietary change could increase your energy, conquer depression, save your eyesight, restore your mental alertness, get your bedroom energy rockin', and increase your lifespan?

"This may sound too good to be true. But it's not. And you don't have to take drugs. Nor do you have to try some newfangled experimental supplements. Or stop eating. Or even give up the foods you love.

"It's as simple as reducing the amount of sugar you eat."

Read Shane's full article here

Your Hidden Weapons of Fat Destruction

Shane “The People’s Chemist” Ellison, M.Sc., Natural Health Expert of IdeaMarketers.com says:

"You have weapons of fat destruction. And you are hiding them - probably unknowingly. This explains why your waist is being overcome by enemy number one: unsightly belly fat. Are you ready to obliterate it?

"As a biochemical evil-doer, belly fat slowly destroys quality of life. Among men, it yields boobs. It keeps your soldier from standing at attention. Among women, it stores the "junk-in-the-trunk". It smothers sex drive. It zaps life-giving energy. It disrupts mental focus.

"This evil-doer is very demanding. Belly fat screams for ice-cream and soda without warning. If you don't yield to its desires, it holds you prisoner by making you feel edgy, light-headed, and generally pissed off until you give in."

Read Shane's full article here

Fulfillment Begins Here

Karen Schachter, LICSW, CHC, Psychology of Eating Expert at IdeaMarketers.com says:

"Have you seen the new documentary movie, Young At Heart, yet? (If not, don't worry, I won't spoil it). The film is about a chorus group ("Young At Heart") of men and women between the ages of 70 and 92 who sing and perform rock and roll, with great success, all over the world.

"Essentially, though, this movie is about passion, connection, and living life to the fullest despite obstacles and setbacks. In spite of fears of how they might sound, or making mistakes, or what others may think, these incredible people get out there, show up fully, and allow themselves to engage in doing what they love. The experience of being part of this group and living so authentically is truly fulfilling and life-enhancing for them."

Read Karen's entire article here

Why Soft Drinks Contribute to Obesity

Helmut Beierbeck of NaturalNews.Com says:

"(NaturalNews) The introduction of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in the seventies coincided with a marked rise in obesity in the U.S., leading to speculations that there might be a causal connection between HFCS consumption and weight gain (1). This seemed all the more plausible since HFCS consumption grew much faster than any other food intake.

"On the other hand, obesity rates also increased in Europe and other parts of the world where sucrose (table sugar) remained the major caloric sweetener. This seemed to argue against a connection between HFCS and weight gain, particularly since the fructose/glucose ratios of high fructose corn syrup and sucrose are quite similar."

Read Helmut Beierbeck's entire article here.

The Missing Ingredient In Your Diet

Karen Schachter, LICSW, CHC, Psychology of Eating Expert at IdeaMarketers.com says:

"'Whatever a person frequently thinks and reflects on, that will become the inclination of their mind.' - Buddha

"'What we repeatedly think shapes our world.' Jack Kornfield (The Wise Heart)

"Is self-acceptance something that comes hard for you, especially if you are struggling with some "imperfection" (bodily or otherwise)? If so, you are certainly not alone. Most of us have been taught, on some level, that we need to be, act or look a certain way. When we don't reach that standard, we often become self-critical, judgmental and even ashamed.

"There is no aspect of ourselves that we judge with a more critical eye than our bodies. We have been taught from the time we were little what we SHOULD look like, how our bodies SHOULD be, what is "acceptable," and what will bring us approval and "love" from others."

Learn about the missing ingredient in your diet here

Wal-Mart's $8 Cure to Deadly Blood Clots and Poor Cardiovascular Function

Shane “The People’s Chemist” Ellison, M.Sc., Natural Health Expert of IdeaMarketers.com says:

"Prevention of heart attack and stroke doesn't have to be risky. One safe and inexpensive supplement can keep blood healthy, while controlling blood pressure! And you don't need a prescription to get it.

"One minute you are enjoying a stroll in the park and the next you feel as if an elephant just stepped on you. Clutching your chest and violently gasping for air, you suffer the eventual outcome of heart disease: a premature heart attack or stroke.

"The blockage comes from a blood clot and inflammation, usually within the coronary arteries. Millions of American's are choking down blood pressure meds (beta-blockers like Lopressor, Toprol-XL) and aspirin (or the deadly Plavix™) to avoid the death sentence."

Read Shane's entire article here