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Health

A New Line of Fashion to Add to your Wardrobe

I want to introduce to you a new line of fashion to add to your wardrobe… conscious clothing.

It’s a simple way to keep toxins out of our bodies, land and our lifestyle.

I won’t bore you with ALL of the harm our clothes are causing, but I’ll touch on some of the basics:

Most clothes are made from cotton.  And many traditional cotton farmers ensure they get healthy crops by spraying pesticides and herbicides, including glyphosates.  Glyphosates are known, even noted by the World Health Organization, as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” Probably?  And it’s still okay that it’s being used?

Those same glyphosates leech into our skin and bloodstream; runs into aquifers used by other farmers and is blown throughout the atmosphere.  The same chemical that is supposed to “maybe” cause cancer?

Another thing glyphosates are known for is killing beneficial gut bacteria.  That’s your immune system! 

And did you know that cotton clothing requires 1/3 of a pound of chemicals for a single shirt, chemicals that are harmful to our environment?

I could go on and on.  They’re all examples of how the clothes we buy have a huge impact on or health and environment.  So we should be just as mindful of what we put On our body as we are about what we put IN our body.

So what do you do?

Consider resale stores and clothing swaps. You can take clothes you have and sale them for other clothes. This is a great way to get rid of kid clothes as they grow as well.

  1. This can be such a fun experience, especially if you’re crafty.  Take clothes you already have and create new ones.  I get it, most of us probably aren’t going to become overnight fashion designers and start upcycling our entire wardrobe, but it’s an option.
  2. Buy eco-friendly clothing. By wearing organic and eating organic, we lower the demand for so many toxic chemicals and we force farmers, scientists and engineers to come up with something better for our guts and environment.  I realize it really isn’t feasible for most of us to get rid of all of our clothes and start over with everything organic;.  But we all can limit the amount of new, traditional clothing we buy.  If you are going to shop new, make the majority of your purchases organic. 

I can’t pretend that my entire wardrobe is filled with conscious clothing, but it’s definitely the goal! I will admit, I’m in my 40’s and I still have clothing from high school.  How’s that for leaving less of a footprint!

As a commitment to sustainability we offer organic clothing with affirmations that reflect techniques that lessen our footprint.  Check out our merchandise… we have everything from shirts, hoodies, bags, even a graphic novel in the form of an e-book! 

Health

Calendula

Calendula officinals: None of us are immune, we all get cuts and bruises. But we don’t have to make the scars permanent.

Calendula officinalis is known to help you heal faster, it’s edible, and you can grow it! 

It’s also known as the Pot Marigold because they are in the same family, but don’t confuse it with ornamental marigolds. They do not have the same medicinal uses and are not all edible.

Calendula officinalis has so many benefits that even the FDA couldn’t deny its super powers. The FDA has approved it for internal and topical use.

Herbalists suggest using it to treat cuts, abrasions, sores, insect bites, diaper rash… even hemorrhoids and athletes foot!

I was surprised to learn how many medicinal things this pretty yellow flower is known to do.

Medicinally, it’s said the petals have been used since the 12th century! Internally it was used for things like fevers, upset stomachs and ulcers.

But its main use was similar to how many use it today, externally as a remedy for skin conditions and wound infections.

How it’s used:

Nothing is wasted! The entire plant can be used in herbal medicine… for tinctures, extracts, and teas.

If you’re not growing your own plants, I suggest using dried petals for tea, about a tablespoon  to one cup of water, or a small handful of dried whole flowers.

You can drink the tea for its healing powers, rinse with it to help with sores inside your mouth, or gargle it for sore throats… among other things.

You can also grind the flowers into powder for ointments and oils.

And although the petals are a little bitter, they are edible.  Some people add them to their leafy salads.

 So no matter how you choose to use it, just use it… the natural benefits make it worthwhile.

Click here for a list of dozens of other natural remedies using things you may already have in your home.

Health

Black Rice

Benefits of Black Rice

What really makes black rice a nutritional powerhouse?

Anything called “forbidden” automatically peaks my curiosity.  So of course when I first heard about black rice, I was intrigued!  And after learning about all of its benefits, I eventually became obsessed.  So of course I have to share with you what I found and one of my favorite recipes!

I’ll start with a quick history of why black rice is known as “forbidden rice.”

The story is that in ancient China, black rice was reserved for royalty and wealthy because it was believed to be the healthiest of all rice varieties, meaning it would ensure longevity.

So common people were not only forbidden to consume it, they were also forbidden to grow it.  Sound familiar?

Well it’s not forbidden anymore, so why not reap the benefits!  And there are so many, including being a good source of iron, fiber and protein.  But the main thing that makes it a superfood is a pigment also responsible for its black-purple color – Anthocyanin.  It’s one of the most powerful types of antioxidants and has also been found to have potent anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects.  In fact, I learned that when it comes to antioxidants, black rice is 30 times more effective than white rice.

So why is it so nutrient rich compared to other types of rice? Basically it’s sold as a whole grain.  That means black rice isn’t stripped of its nutrients during the milling process.

I haven’t found any reasons not to eat the nutritional powerhouse, other than it is a little more expensive than traditional brown and white rice.  I pay $3-$4 per pound for organic black rice, compared to about $2 for organic brown rice. Please let me know if you find a better cost for the same quality of course.

For me, it’s worth the extra cost to give my body the royal treatment.  Plus, I love the nutty flavor.

Below is a yummy recipe for the Fried Black Rice that you see in the photo. 

What you’ll need:

* 1 cup black rice

* 2.5 cups veggie broth or water

* 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil

* 1 medium onion (finely chopped)

* 1 clove of garlic (finely chopped)

* 1 carrot (finely chopped)

* 1 lemon for juicing (1/3 cup)

* ¼ cup Tamari or soy sauce

* 1 teaspoon salt

* ½ teaspoon pepper

* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

* 4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

* 2 tablespoons green onions

 

How to Make It

  1. In a saucepan, add black rice and cover with broth or water. Bring it to a boil, then cover and cook for about 35 minutes. (When I make it in my Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker, I use 2 cups of black rice to 3 cups of water for 18 minutes.  You can also make it in a solar oven)
  2. In the meantime, add oil to large skillet or wok and stir-fry your veggies (onion, garlic, carrot)
  3. Stir in the black rice and Tamari or soy sauce and season with salt and pepper
  4. Add fresh basil, cilantro and green onions
  5. Serve

 

Remember, our goal is self sufficiency so keep it simple.  Use what you already have at home if possible to create your nutritional masterpiece.  You can add tofu or meat for protein.  Get creative and share your photos and recipes!

 

Health

Disease prevention

LIFE HACK: Preventing disease

So let’s talk about ways to put your immune system on beast mode. They are forgotten jewels that many of us have taken for granted.  I know I did. But…If you implement these… it’ll make it easier to offset disease and illness. So let’s get into it…..

One of the biggest weapons for health is the sun.  The vitamin d… created by the exposure to the sun… not only helps with things like healthy bones… optimal heart function and  cell growth… but did you know that humans can actually photosynthesize the sun’s energy?

We can photosynthesize the energy directly OR by having enough chlorophyll in our blood when we’re exposed to the sun.

The chlorophyll molecule continues to absorb the sun’s energy and transfers that energy into you.

 So it’s critical that we get the sun… especially since there are so many diseases associated with low vitamin d… like diabetes… high blood pressure… multiple sclerosis… asthma in children… cancer… the list goes on.

But the key to getting the biggest benefit is your diet and hydrations have to be on point. So eat green first then get some sun for a free energy and an extra immune boost.

The next benefit is grounding.  Do you remember  how good it felt as a child to run around outside barefoot?  Well there was a reason!

Grounding or earthling is the process of reconnecting to the Earth’s subtle, natural, electrical energy. The grounding points on the body are the palm of your hands and bottoms of your feet.  So grounding happens whenever you touch or walk barefoot on grass, sand, dirt, or on concrete.

Throughout the day we may pick up charge, or extra electrons from our phones, wifi, microwaves, stoves, computers, driving in our cars, carpet, other electrical devices, you name it. 

This extra charge is noise as far as the body is concerned. When touching the Earth, a path is created for this extra charge to flow out of the body or into the body…whichever is necessary… in order to bring the body back to its most natural balanced electrical state.  This removing or pairing of electrons helps rid the body of free radicals. This is where our immune system is most efficient. It’s the natural energetic state that humans experienced throughout history when we lived in direct contact with the Earth.

As time went on we started to wear shoes and became disconnected and lost this lil added benefit.  Some of us may go days, weeks even months without ever touching the earth… which means we’re carrying around these charges and free radicals inside of us.

Here is a picture of blood while grounding. You can see the blood is in motion when naturally exposed to a ground.  This reduced blood viscosity makes it easier for the blood to deliver oxygen and nutrients to your cells.   

The journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine says “Grounding appears to be one of the simplest and yet most profound interventions for helping reduce cardiovascular risk and cardiovascular events”

The benefits don’t just stop there folks…     

Some to the benefits included but are not limited to:

Improved sleep, reduced pain & inflammation, more antioxidants, accelerated healing of injuries, less clumping of red blood cells, and reduced blood viscosity.

Keep in mind… walking barefoot indoors… on surfaces like your carpet, wood, or tile… is not grounding… because those surfaces are insulated from the earth.

THE easiest way to ground is to touch the earth.  You can walk outside barefoot.  Trees are grounded, so you can touch a tree.  And if you want to take it to another level, garden barefoot.   So reclaim the full potential of your immune system. 

Eat green, get sun and stay grounded

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