What's your grade?

What grade do you give your family for eating the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables daily? Would you say that you eat 7-13 servings every day, or ... every week?!? I'd think half would say every week and even some I could go as far as saying over the course of a month! I'd say for me on good days, I eat between 5-7 servings. That's good I believe but I still fall short of what I should eat but I also take a fruit and veggie supplement that bridges the gap. Check out this article on food politics.

MSG

This evening I was chatting with a friend about my upcoming wellness talk (11/20) after she heard a smidgen about "label reading" she asked about MSG. I told her that I talk about other ingredients to avoid - mainly from a 'baby step' approach and that children 6 and older are encouraged to attend with their parents so that they can help at their next trip to the grocery store. I told her that MSG is one of those ingredients that are bad for you but that I will address the frauds out there, the HFCS, the hydrogenated oils and the artificial colors to start. Once a family can remove these simple bad ingredients from their every day foods then they'll look into the other ingredients that aren't healthy and reduce and eventually remove them as well. 


So when I got home I looked up "MSG and its aliases" and found some shocking articles about this ingredient. I had heard that "natural flavor/ings" was a catch all term for MSG and that's true - MSG is often found in it. Basically anything hydrolyzed, anything that is flavored from a meat product, or a yeast has MSG in it. 


The best way to avoid MSG or any of the other ingredients I will address at my talk is to simply eat whole, raw foods and never eat out and never buy anything or cook anything from a box. Hmm... That's definitely hard to do in today's America. 


What do you do to remove or better yet, reduce your MSG intake? 

Behind the times

Yes, I admit and I am SO behind in blogging. I guess I will never be the typical blogger because I really don't have that much to say.

My friend and I has started a new meetup for the Murrieta Valley titled, Wholistic Health & Wellness Co-op. It also serves as a networking group of like minded people. The co-op is through Azure Standard, a small farm in Oregon. They make once a month trips throughout California. I am responsible for the message board so with this new task and my fan page on Facebook, it has left little time to write here. Soon though, it'll be a great place to share the latest and greatest of what we're learning in the co-op group and what I'm doing through my own personal business regarding nutrition and health and wellness.

I'm gearing up for a wellness talk on the 20th where I will provide an interactive approach to label reading plus I'll do a sugar demonstration on typical foods Americans think are good and healthy. We'll watch a DVD and refreshments will be provided. Some handouts will be given so families can take the information and apply it at home. The DVD has school aged children teaching the steps to properly reading an ingredients list and its accompanying nutritional label. Children ages 6 and older are encouraged to attend the talk. If the kids can 'get it' then I know their parents will too. Getting kids involved in picking out the right foods in the grocery store is a great experience for the entire family. The talk will be held at a children's learning center. It'll be my first one at this venue. Then in December, I'll have a booth there exhibiting my business. I take my son to play at this center at least twice a month. They offer open play a few times a month to all kids. This center is operating in its second year and was founded for children with autism or those with sensory needs.

Oh the other reason I have not had time to blog is because I have been coordinating several businesses for the Toys for Tots toy drive. I am managing 12 business and most of them are family or privately owned. Boxes and posters were delivered before the start of November and the drive for 10 of them will end on the 30th of November. I have already requested publication in the local newspaper and it was printed this past Sunday. Here is the online version. The other two will end on the 3rd and then the 11th. I will be giving one of the businesses a $25 gift card to Toys R Us. They don't know who they are just yet and I'm not saying who it is either. It'll be a nice surprise. Just a small incentive for participating and actually being the first to say yes!

In Moderation

What does "in moderation" mean to you? 


I'm currently polling the members from my Facebook fan page, The HFCS-FREE Challenge, asking them what "in moderation" means to them. I will fill in the summary of their replies in a few days. But for starters, this is what it means to me: If you're reading labels and purchasing things that have no HFCS in them but every blue moon or so you drink a soda or have a piece of candy that has HFCS on the label then that would be considered "in moderation". 


The reason for this post is that there are some bloggers being paid to promote that HFCS "is "harmless in moderation and not any more damaging to health than say, cane sugar or honey" in exchange for a FIFTY dollar gift card as per this recent article under Green Parenting by Harrison Patch. 


I know my blog is small and probably only read a few times a month but if they asked me, I would have definitely said no. 


Plus with them trying to change the nomenclature from High Fructose Corn Syrup to Corn Sugar .. if it's "healthy" then why the proposed name change? Why the need to pay someone (mom bloggers) to claim that it's no different than honey? How can we eat it in moderation if HFCS is found in nearly 90% of all processed foods? 


So back to the topic at hand... My followers - what does "in moderation" mean to you? 

Aldi Take 2

So I stumbled upon another Aldi Food Market store. This time in Waldorf, MD... a city that continues to develop. Waldorf is about 30 minutes south of Washington D.C. - which is a melting pot city. This lets you know there may be a nice variety of people in Waldorf, and there is. 


I was excited to see what this Aldi store offered that Hamlet's store did not. I made a special trip today. I was extremely disappointed!! This store offered no healthy alternatives. They surely carried their "Fit & Active" items... blah! 


I would love to know if there is an Aldi store near you and what types of products/brands you find within?


If I find another store in a different state, I will check it out and if the results are the same as the Hamlet, NC and Waldorf, MD stores then I will draw my own conclusion stating that they are nothing like or even remotely similar to Trader Joe's. Who are they fooling? Hmmpf!!


To your health... 
Jessica


Be sure to read your labels and look at the top of the shelves and on the bottom to get to the real good stuff. Big named brands purchase "shelf real-estate" in the stores so that you see their unhealthy products first (unless you're in the organic section then that does not apply). 

Aldi

I thought I was onto something when I stumbled upon an Aldi, food market, in a small town I'm visiting. I had read recently that Aldi was similar to Trader Joe's, however, after my visit in the store, was I mistakenly wrong! 

My friend had told me that if this particular Aldi had foods similar to Trader Joe's then they probably wouldn't be in business. That's unfortunate because even in small towns where many low-income families live is where the education of choosing healthy foods is needed most. If these people are never exposed to truly healthy alternatives then they'll always be in the dark and dependent on Big Pharma because they're sick all the time. So sad. 

I only bought 4 items because everything else had high fructose corn syrup (which you will not find ANY item in Trader Joe's with this dreadful ingredient), aspartame or a boat load of artificial sweeteners and colorings. The items I found did not have any of the above and they were few and far between.

I saw a customer picking up her items, reading the front label, and adding them to her basket. From what I could see in her basket, many of the items read, "natural" and "lite". Another customer had only the "Fit & Active" brand items in his basket. Hmmm... I thought he was onto something. I checked these items and every single one of them had the yucky ingredients as listed in paragraph two.

Case and point: Do not trust the fancy packaging on the building itself and especially on the front packages of consumables. Always read labels. READ, RESEARCH and READ Again! 

To your health,

Jessica

Healthier Version of Oatmeal - Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup honey (or pure maple syrup)
1/2 cup canola oil (grapeseed oil or butter)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 egg
1 1/2 cups oats (or granola)
1 cup of whole wheat pasty flour (or 1/3 cup of almond meal and 2/3 cup of flour)
1 cup raisins (omitted)

Special additions:
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (omitted)
8 ounces silken soft tofu instead of oil
1/2 cup of carob chips

Heat oven to 375. Combine all the ingredients except the oats, flour, raisins (or any of the special additions) and mix thoroughly. Stir in the oats, flour and your special additions of choice (I used chocolate chips). Drop the batter by teaspoonfuls on a cookie sheet and bake until golden brown. (I set the timer at 11 minutes but by the 3rd dozen, I dropped the timer down to 8.)

Recipe found in the "The Healthiest Kid on the Block" book by Dr Bill Sears.

Healthy Substitutions

As a busy mom, I used to thoroughly enjoy the Kraft Foods "Food & Family" magazine but not so much anymore mainly because the ingredients they promote almost always have HFCS. Some of the recipes are still good but substitutions are required. I received the Comfort Foods edition today and I went through the recipes and dog eared the ones that I would like to try. 

I have an upcoming wellness talk on "Beauty Becomes You" and will be serving healthy refreshments. I found a recipe in the magazine titled, "Mediterranean Stacker" and it looks pretty good; however, I will be using Trader Joe's wheat crackers in place of Wheat Thins Flatbread crackers and skipping the Oscar Meyer ham for Trader Joe's nitrate-free ham. I'm not much of a meat eater but my guests enjoy it so I'll make some with meat and some without. The other ingredients are hummus and cucumbers. For the meat-free stackers, I'll most likely add shredded carrots. 

Hummus is a healthy food and very tasty! It actually made two recent lists on what foods your [kids] should eat and what foods are best for healthy skin and they are as follows.  Happy Eating!!

‎5 Foods Everyone Should Be Eating by Joy Bauer, Nutritionist of the TODAY show:
1) Seafood - cold water fatty fish (ex. Salmon), 2) Beans (try Hummus), 3) Oats (use instead of bread crumbs), 4) Eggs and 5) Spinach.

6 Best Foods for Healthy Skin By David Zinczenko of Men’s Health, Aug 16, 2010.

1)      Salmon (Omega 3s). Why? “[They] are the essential fats that, along with bolstering the cognitive powers of your brain, concentrate in the walls of your epidermal cells to help lock in moisture.”

Other Omega 3s: Sardines, Walnuts and Flax Seed

2). Carrot. Why? You’re inviting beta carotene “to nestle into your skin, fill in blotches, and give you a healthy glow”.

Other beta-carotene foods: red bell pepper, sweet potato, and red grapefruit

3). Avocado. Why? They have […] B vitamins, which also help to keep your skin looking vibrant and smooth. 

Other natural B vitamins found in: olive oil, almonds, and peanut butter

4). Beans. Why? They have “isoflavones—potent antioxidants—concentrated in the beans resulting in 20% fewer wrinkles over time (paraphrased, Zinczenko).

Other isoflavone potent foods: tofu, alfalfa, and tempeh

5). Grapes. Why? They have antioxidants called “polyphenols […] keeps middle-aged skin from sagging. That’s because polyphenols improve skin’s elasticity by strengthening collagen, the primary protein in skin’s innermost layer”. 

Other polyphenol enriched foods: grape juice, blueberries

6). Water. Why? “Water is the strongest weapon you have against lifeless skin; all the body’s processes rely on hydration, and it creates a measurable increase in the capillary blood flow to your body’s outer layer.”

Other water rich foods: Watermelon, peaches and celery

Family

This post is a tribute to my grandparents. May they rest in peace. Both passed this month and although I'm sad to not have them here anymore, I am happy that they are together again. My pops passed on the 7th and my grams passed away today. They lived a full life. They were married 60 years this past June and left behind 4 children and 9 grandkids and 2 great grandkids. My son being one of the great grands met them last month ffor the first time. What a blessing! I have such fond memories of my grandparents.

Family is important. Spend time with your family and if you cannot because you live out of the state/country then call them, email them, send them a just because card. Do something to show them you care and do it often! Time waits for no one. Be well.

Favorite Pita dish

I had an enjoyable lunch the other day but did not take a picture of the dish. Wish I had so I could show you how wonderful it tasted! 


I have no title for the dish but here's a description:


Whole wheat Pita bread (Mediterranean style is best), hummus (pick your flavor; I used Spinach Feta Hummus), Tex-Mati Pilaf Medley (for an additional filler), and your choice of veggies diced and seasoned with fresh lemon juice and Herbamere. Veggies I used: red and yellow tomatoes, red bell pepper and cucumber. Heat pita bread in toaster oven for 1 minute or in microwave for 25 seconds. Spread hummus over one side of the entire pita. Fill half of the pita with a thin layer of rice and follow with a thick layer of veggies. Voila! Bon Appetito!!

August Newsletter

I recommend you signing up for the free weekly newsletter from Fruit & Veggie More Matters. They have great nutritional tips that are easy to implement into busy lives. Just today their tip discussed "rules for the road" providing smart and sensational summer snacking. As some of you know, we came back from a couple week trip, we were in the air or on the road frequently and it was important for us to pack healthy and low sugar snacks.

Talking about sugar, have you seen Men's Health latest "Eat this, not that" segment on the 20 Worst Drinks in America? Oh my!! I am very happy to say that I've never drank any of the mentioned. Whew! But, if you do, remember moderation is key but even more importantly, finding an alternative would be ideal. More information on the drinks can be found by clicking this link.

I am planning two wellness talks this month. The first is Thursday, August 26 at 6:30 to be held in beautiful Wine Country Temecula. My friend, Jan Tucker, will be hosting it at her home and she will provide education on skin/home care going beyond "green" with quality ingredients. She'll give you tips on how to identify what chemicals are toxic and how to avoid them all together. I will be addressing nutrition on how it will help achieve sustained internal health while growing your hair and keeping your skin aglow. This wellness talk, I am spearheading a Drive for Dress for Success San Diego and we are looking for new women's business shoes and handbags in excellent condition. These items are tax deductible and they will go to help local disadvantaged women get back into the workforce. Your in-kind donations are appreciated!  Please contact me for details. 

The other talk will be held on Monday, August 30th on Pregnancy. There will be several guest speakers and will be held at Beautiful Life Ultrasound in Murrieta. Both events are free. Come mingle, learn, and enjoy some refreshments. 

Last week, I conducted a wellness talk on Nutritional Label Reading. It is shocking that many people do not know how to read labels and /or identify the ingredients that are red flags and this is one of the reasons I enjoy doing these talks. I can show people. It doesn't cost them a thing - just their time. I am appreciative to my sponsor for providing a plethora of nutritional resources that I use at my talks. I am also connected to many medical professionals in this organization that provides endless tips on eating healthier. Eating whole foods is just one of many things that we can do to enhance our lifestyle and live a long and satisfying life. 

At this Label Reading talk, I did a sugar demonstration illustrating how much sugar, in teaspoons, are found in everyday consumables, many of which are marketed to be healthy, like Yoplait Yogurt or Yogurt fruit snacks. Learning to read labels and avoiding specific ingredients, one quickly can discern which products to buy in the store. Some red flags to avoid: high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors (dyes), and anything hydrogenated. Your label may tell you 0% trans fat but when you read the label and it has hydrogenated oils, it certainly does include trans fat. Natural News put out a new but brief article on label reading.

Did you know that "A study at Harvard of 80,000 women showed for each 2% increase in the amount of calories from trans fat, a woman’s coronary risk jumps 93%!".  Do you think it's worth eating those Ritz crackers? Many of your favorite crackers have hydrogenated oils AND high fructose corn syrup. That's a recipe for weight gain among other ailments that can lead to diabetes, heart problems, and high cholesterol.

Are you subsidizing your illness or investing in your wellness?

Handbag and Shoe Drive for Dress for Success & Wellness Talk

You may participate in the handbag and shoe drive by attending our free, fun, and transformational event -OR- by dropping your items (new shoes and purses in excellent condition) to a Coldwell RE office in Murrieta by the 27th of August. If you wish for a tax receipt, you'll need to sign in with your full name and address when you drop the materials off. ** If you're out of the area, you may mail in your items to the undisclosed address including your name and mailing address.

Come learn how to look and feel your best inside and out!

Being truly natural is transforming! 
* Learn why and how to detox your home, body and life with healthier, safer, truly natural products that are beyond "green" yet economical (includes cosmetics, personal care items, cleaning methods and more). 

Being truly healthy is a gift!
* Learn nutrition tips to encourage your hair and skin to glow and grow in addition to promoting sustained internal health.

Giving back is truly loving!
* Feel good by participating in an optional shoe and handbag drive for Dress for Success, a non-profit organization promoting the economic independence of disadvantaged women. Bring tax deductible donations: new women's shoes (no sandals), purses in excellent condition, or cash donations (checks payable to Dress for Success San Diego). 

The location of the wellness talk will be in beautiful wine country of Temecula. (Address will be provided when you RSVP. Please annotate in your RSVP if you'll be participating in the drive only.)

Location of RE office - leave comment below. 

Dress for Success is an awesome organization that I have supported in the past. Several years ago while I was attending a community college, I co-founded an organization called Women on Campus and we held a Victorian Tea for Women's History Month (March) and raised over several hundred suits for Dress for Success. It was a SUCCESS for sure! I would like your help to raise the items that the San Diego office needs currently - handbags and shoes. Let's rally together and help women get back into the workforce and with their best foot forward. 

Thank you in advance for your participation in the handbag and purse drive and if possible, attendance at my wellness talk. 

If you need any further information, you may contact me by posting a comment.

Sharing a recipe, HFCS-Free of course!

Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Pasta Blend, Rotini

Grass-fed, Hormone and Antibiotic Free Chicken Tenders

Organic Diced Tomatoes (Can, 14.5 oz) Italian Blend (or make your own)

Bread Crumbs seasoned with various Italian spices

Parmesan Cheese

Organic Mushrooms

Medium Yellow Onion

Rosemary

EVOO

Egg

Combine bread crumbs, your choice of seasonings and parmesan cheese. Dip chicken in egg lightly beaten and then into heated frying pan with EVOO. Cook 5 minutes on each side or until no longer pink. Boil water for pasta (or use rice, quinoa, etc in place of pasta). In separate frying pan, add EVOO, onion, mushrooms and tomatoes. Sprinkle dried rosemary and heat until thickened.

Drain pasta, add chicken and cover with sauce.

Buon Appetite!!

Extended Breastfeeding

This is late but I while I was on the East Coast I received comments and looks while I nursed my toddler son in public. Nothing was rude just curious. Some asked why I still do it after 12 months. One said her pediatrician told her she could stop at the year mark. I'm guessing most think there is no more benefit to the mother or the child after twelve months. I'm thankful that I live in California (being that there are many attached parents here, holistic families, natural ways of living) and there are plenty of resources and people who say shoot for 12 months minimum and stop when you and the child want after that. 


I like the Kelly Mom web site because she has a plethora of resources for every question pertaining to raising children. The information found therein supports extended breastfeeding. The other day while back home I was leaving a play date that turned into a mom's event with wine and sushi and kids playing in the yard, I left and said my good bye to one of the mothers there who later I found out nurses her soon to be 4 year olds. Wow! I was moved by that! I would have liked to stay for the wine but frankly I haven't had a sip of it since before I got pregnant. My last drink was December 19th, 2007. I surely miss red wine, too. We lived in Italy for 3 years and brought back several cases of Italian red wine, mostly a sweet brand my husband and I fell in love with. When we first move to Italy we weren't wine drinkers. That all changed! But even with that said and as much as I miss the wine, I can live without it right now. I know that I can wait between feedings or when my son was younger I could pump and dump but honestly, I can wait, really. Edit: Just as I was proofing this post, I remembered I did have wine since my son has been born. I had a few ounces of red wine at a Moms Night In last November. I was out for a few hours and knew I had time to have something before getting back to nurse my son.  Some would say having a little alcohol (wine) in the milk is not bad for the baby and that it would help him sleep better. 


Okay back to the original posting: I'm enjoying the ability to nurse my son because I understand the health benefits for both of us. Breast cancer runs in my family and I know extended nursing helps decrease the risk that I will develop it. I also know that my son will have less ear infections, will get sick less, will fight many infections because of the antibodies found in the milk - yes... even now. My son will be 23 months old in a week or so. We are happy. He is "easy like Sunday morning" most of the time. His cool, calm and collected personality I trace back primarily to his dad but also to the amount of bonding we have done because of the breast feeding relationship. I have no idea when we'll stop. I've always said that I'll let him decide. I'm sticking with that for now. 


Breast feeding comes in handy on the days he doesn't want to eat much other than drink cow's milk. At least I know that he's getting more nutrients through my milk because I eat healthy. I hope that this post will offer you some encouragement as you make the decision to breast feed or not and how long you will nurse. I applaud you for trying. I am happy for your little one if all you decided to do was offer your baby the colostrum that comes right after you deliver your bundle of joy. That's liquid gold. Lastly, don't let someone else help you make the decision to no longer nurse. There are many families that aren't supportive... I can say that I didn't have 100% support from many people around me but I knew in my heart it was the best thing for my son. 


Edit #2: After I posted this I logged into Facebook and saw a dear friend post a thread about World Breastfeeding Week - Virtual Celebration. Belly Laughs Doula & Baby Services owner, Maggie Jennings, wrote the following: "Breastfeeding gives babies all the nutrients for the best physical&mental development. The AAP recommends babies be exclusively breastfed for 6 months, then continue (w/food) for 12 months min. whereas the WHO recommends babies 2 years min! Both organizations say breastfeeding should continue for as long as mom & baby want."
What impeccable timing! 


If you want to see what else Maggie is talking about visit her Facebook fan page or her personal website.

All the best,
Jessica 

It figures or does it?

Since February, every month around the 15th, I take my measurements - chest, waist and hips. Up until this month, I would lose a half inch in my waist and hips and lose some weight, too. I'm not on a diet but I'm trying to lose weight the natural way - by eating healthy. At this time in my life, finding extra time to work out is not possible, but I do park further from the store or choose to walk the long way at different venues. I took my measurements today (the 20th) and I actually gained a half inch around my waist and hips but when I weighed myself, I weighed the exact same as I did before I left for vacation three weeks ago. How is that? Interesting to say the least. Maybe I actually weighed less last month because I know I've gained a few pounds from my vacation. I can see it in my face, err, my chin. Needless to say, I'm back on my game. I'm looking forward to slimming down, tightening up and continuing to feel good. Talking about feeling good, all during vacation, my stamina was UP! I had no issues with fatigue. It's a fact that when you eat healthy, you can thoroughly enjoy your day without any issues - sickness, fatigue, headaches, etc.
Be Blessed!

Vacay winding down

In a short few days, we'll be home from our 2.5 week vacation. What a blast we've had. I reunited with many family members that I haven't really seen in nearly 10 years and others who we've spoken with but not seen in about five years. It has been a wonderful time. We are going to miss our friends and family members but hopefully sometime in the near future we will be able to relocate our jobs to a city and state closer to our peoples. Once we get home and back in the swing of things, I should be able to catch up and write more on the blog. I am not sure how the other folks can keep up! How they can write in their blog each and every day! Who knows maybe in a few more months I can do the same though I don't feel I have THAT much to share ...(yet). Until next time, be well. :)

Vacay

I'm gearing up for my first vacation in over 2 years. We are flying across the country to visit with family and friends. We'll be flying or driving over the next 3 weeks. It's going to be fun but exhausting since this will be the first time my son has been on a plane or in a vehicle longer than 3 hours. I'll drop a post here and there if I get a free opportunity. Take care.

Sunscreen

Last summer I chose "Kiss My Face" sunscreen for my child. It's paraben free and has 8% Zinc Oxide, a natural mineral, found in the product. Supposedly good sunscreen have at least 6% ZO. It comes in a spray bottle making application a cinch for little ones. Before I purchased this product, I checked the Cosmetic Database to ensure it was a decent product and I believe it scored a 4. This year when I checked the rating again, I could not find the exact product listed and then I saw that most of their items average a 4 though many of their items are upwards of a 7. This led me to find a new product this summer. 


The EWG put out a list of top sunscreens based on their results found on this database so I chose a 100% vegan sunscreen: Loving Naturals. I found the product on Amazon and it comes in a 2.7 ounce bottle for about $12 with tax and shipping. Somewhat pricey but what I found out so far is that a little goes a long way. I primarily use it for my son's skin. The only thing I do not like about it is that it takes awhile to absorb into the skin leaving you a pastey white appearance until it does. Though I've read that it's best to apply sunscreen on 20 minutes before going into the sun - not as soon as you're already out there. So the "whiteness" goes away for the most part. So far it has protected my son's skin from any sun damage. His friend borrowed the sunscreen and it covered him very well. His mom (he's almost 2 years old) missed his shoulders and that's where a minor sunburn appeared. 


Along with being 100% vegan, it is also cruelty free. Another great aspect of this product is that there is a "born" date AND an expiration date. It is also a US company. SPF is 30+. 


The ingredients found in this sunscreen are as follows: Grape Seed Oil, Organic Sunflower Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides (derived from Coconut Oil), Soy Wax (Non-GMO), Organic Sesame Oil, Organic Plum Kernel Oil, Candelilla Wax, Organic Cocoa Butter (Fair Trade), Organic Hemp Seed Oil, Organic Macadamia Nut Oil, Organic Cocoa (Fair Trade), Organic Green Tea, Sea Salt, Water. 

New soap

I was at the farmer's market the other day and I found a new booth - Kreamy Soaps. I spoke with the rep for a few minutes and decided to purchase two 4-ounce bars of Orange Oatmeal bar soap for $10. The cost was seemingly high compared to the soap you can find in the store. I used to think that a 6-pack of Dove or Oil of Olay for $8 was absurd but now that I'm a more informed consumer, that was ridiculously cheap and not very good for my skin. So, I've been on a mission to replace all my personal care items with quality products. 


With Kreamy Soaps there is no "fragrance" and this is a big deal for me. Why? Because the word fragrance can mean over 1,000 different ingredients. It's a catch all term. Many of the ingredients, as I have mentioned in a previous post, are banned in the UK but yet remain "safe" here in the U.S. 


I have yet to actually try it on my skin as I'm finishing up another local brand. I'll report my results here in a few weeks. I was just excited to share a new product with you that uses only essential oils and not "fragrance". They are also moving their products away from corn and soy oils.  :)

Nutritional Newsletter from May

Blessings family and friends - 

I hope this month's newsletter finds you at peace, healthy and highly favored.  

If you haven't tried vegan dishes, I want to encourage you do so this month. Vegan dishes use fresh fruits and veggies and other unprocessed ingredients.  

Last month I conducted an Earth Day inspired Wellness Talk and we had a great time. Wish you could've made it! I miss seeing and fellowshipping with many of you. Hope that our paths will cross soon.  

I had another event slated for May 24th that focused on Pregnancy Health: Conception through Postpartum. 

Call me to schedule a mini presentation in your home for your family. I can show one of several short DVDs and provide highlights of the product and business. I can meet your needs... it's whatever you want to learn more about.  

In a few months, I will be coordinating the efforts of a shoe and handbag drive for Dress for Success, a non-profit based out of San Diego, who "promote[s] the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life". I hope you'll consider helping out. Items should be no older than 3-5 years and in relatively good condition. If you wouldn't buy it used then do not donate it. Inbox me for details. 

P.S. I know many of you are located out of California, please do not think even for a moment that I can't help you in your journeys. I can! I will! There are plenty of resources online and over the phone that I can share with you. Please do not let distance be a hindrance to getting on the right track to a healthier lifestyle. 

Talking about hindrances, do not let money be another one. Remember this: Your financial situation is temporary but your health may be permanent. Please do not wait for a crisis. You can choose to be proactive.  My immediate family is aspiring to live pharmaceutical-free especially now as we're in our 30's but even more so when we reach our 70s. Dr. Bill Sears turned 70 in December and is on NO pharmaceutical medicine.  He is cancer free.  Now that's hope! 

Are you living to eat or... eating to live? The choice is yours!

I love you guys! Take care of yourselves and I will be seeing you around... eventually :)

Long time...

My apologies for not writing anything for the last nearly 3 weeks. It's been a good but busy several weeks. I conducted a wellness talk in May on Pregnancy Health. It was a fabulous event. One of the gals that attended is going to meet with a mentor of mine, Diane Sears, and I for lunch tomorrow in the hopes of working together in the near future. It'll be a wonderful relationship I know it! 


I'm gearing up for another wellness talk later this month on the 17th that is geared towards Nutrition for All Ages. My teammate, who's a nurse practitioner, will be helping me teach (and reach) people, the importance of eating more whole foods. 


My fan page on Facebook, The HFCS-FREE Challenge is winding down from its first 6 weeks. Our challenge ends this Sunday but that this will not be the end of the fan page. We'll kick off another challenge on Monday. I'll be writing up the memo for the new challenge soon. 


Over the last week though, I have been consumed by the BP Oil Spill / Disaster. I became a fan of a page on Facebook titled 'Boycott BP'. I've learned so much about this supposed accident (I call it an incident, more like it was planned then an ooops to me - my personal speculation). 


My physical therapist told me tonight that I must have a special set of goggles to see all the bad stuff in the world. He said that he sometimes gets nervous when I ask questions about his products or what his family eats. We laughed it off. I met him 4 months ago and he was a big soda drinker. I told him about HFCS and Aspartame (in diet) and for the last two months, he has not drank soda. He said he has no taste for it. I said, see, making small meaningful changes over time will stick and then your eyes and ears will be opened to so much more out there. 


I've made a lot of changes in my life since my involvement in a nutraceutical company. My husband keeps reminding me that I told him we would be making baby steps but lately I'm making changes by leaps and bounds. I can't help it. When I receive new reputable information, I can't just sit around and wait for a better day to enact. I do it now. Gosh, if time or money wasn't an issue, my family would have made many more changes. Over time though, I will become the hippie of the 21st century. Yep, another thing to laugh off. I'm embracing it (which is easy to do living in Southern California). When/If we move back East, this lifestyle may be a little difficult to maintain as everyone out that way is go-go-go! 


Take care and God bless. 

Celebrating 40 Years - Earth Day, Part III

The third series to my Earth Day posting centers around cloth diapers. I, myself, am not a cloth diapering momma but I understand the importance of education and reducing our footprint on the earth with cloth diapers. I attended a class on it when my son was 4 months old. I felt that I didn't have enough support around me to give it a try and succeed. Of all the mommas I know that cloth diaper their little ones, they have a lot of family around to help them making that what I call a challenge an easy feat. My challenge in my son's early months was breastfeeding and I suffered from thrush for 14 weeks! I couldn't see myself dealing with that and learning the cloth diaper curve. I stuck through the breastfeeding where many other mommas would have given up. The pain associated with thrush is worse than child birth! And, from my ticker below and as of the date of this posting, my son, at 20 months, is still nursing. Yay me! Yay for my son!!


I'm truly humbled by my own breastfeeding experience that I hope I can be of encouragement to someone else.  Thanks for listening to my digression. 


So... back to the topic at hand.


My third guest speaker from my Earth Day talk was Deanne Perry, a local WAHM, president and owner of Dream Diapers. You can find more on her site. Her business is mainly cloth diapers but she also sells other earth friendly items like snack bags, lunch boxes, econuts or soap nuts, along with a few other things. She runs a table at our local farmer's market on Wednesdays. She teaches a diapering 101 class each month along with other workshops she runs. I believe she is one of two women that sell cloth diapers in our area.

Celebrating 40 Years - Earth Day, Part II

This post is dedicated to a new friend and partner in a like-minded business: cherishing and preserving one's health - Leslie Kirchmeier with Hallelujah Acres in Fallbrook, CA. I found her while reading the newspaper, "Good News, etc". She has a health column. Eight months ago I asked to be added to her email distribution list for her culinary classes. She offers evening and morning classes, weekend and 5 and 10 day retreats. She is a Certified Raw Food Chef.  I've been wanting to attend one of her evening classes since last October and just this week I attended one. We made Rawvioli, Ceasar Salad and Coconut Cream Pie. All vegan foods! Wow! My palette was amazed - taste buds were soaring heights they've never soared before. 

I am relatively new to the Vegan approach. I went to my first Raw Foods Meetup in February and was hooked ever since. I'm not a Vegan. I am actually considering the Flexitarian Lifestyle - a term coined by Michael Pollan, where I eat meat dishes from time to time and I'm considering only fish. 


Back to Leslie though. So I asked her in March if she would want to serve as one of my guest speakers for an Earth Day inspired wellness talk. I asked her if she could demonstrate a Vegan dish and she chose Spaghetti with Marinara. At the talk, she addressed the importance of eating whole, living foods. 

I asked her to return for my wellness talk this month focusing on Pregnancy Health. I asked her if she could share some baby food preparation recipes and give the new moms some viable options of what nutritious foods to eat that are easy to prepare, serve and eat. I'm looking forward to what she'll bring to the table. 


People from all over the country and sometimes outside of the U.S. come to her 5 and 10 retreats. Here's their website URL. They're in the process of updating it. You can search on "Hallelujah Acres" to find other lifestyle centers in the U.S. I believe I saw one listed in Florida. 

She shared with us her personal testimony:

Ten years ago I was diagnosed with cancer, and after enduring traditional medical treatments I was given 1-5 years to live.  It was at that time I changed my diet and lifestyle to a plant based diet and healed my body from cancer.  I have been passionate about teaching the good news of health for the past eight years and was the owner of a Lifestyle Center in Fallbrook where we taught people hands-on how to heal themselves.  I am very concerned for the upcoming generations being raised on processed, chemical laden food and look forward to sharing my knowledge with others.  ~ Leslie Kirchmeier, Health Minister