Coconut Oil....taking it out of the kitchen in into your beauty regime.

If you are into natural products, I'm sure you've heard all the hoopla regarding coconut oil as of late.  If not, than you are most certainly missing out!  Let me fill you in.....

After removing all of my potentially toxic beauty products, I was in dire need of an all natural moisturizer that I could use post-shower.  Now, if you browse the beauty aisle at any natural food store, you will see plenty of all natural body creams and moisturizers.  All of which are chemical-free, healthy, and pricey.(you get what you pay for!)--My problem is this:  I have a vitamin E allergy.  Unfortunately, most all natural body products are loaded with it because of it's amazing antioxidant properties (it helps the shelf life and keeps them from going rancid).  So.......I needed to find an alternative.

After doing some research online, I found organic coconut oil and figured I'd give it a try.  That was a few months ago. Lately, with the harsh, cold Maine winter we've been having, coconut oil has been a miracle for my dry hands and hair.

So far, I have successfully used the oil for:

• Removing my makeup (careful not to get it into your eye while removing mascara, it does make things blurry, although it didn't sting).
• Deep conditioner for my hair.  I focus on the dry ends.  Apply and leave it for an hour (or overnight), then shampoo it out well.
• Daily after shower as an all over moisturizer.  Note, the extra virgin has a strong coconut smell, which some find harsh.  I am one of them.  I prefer the regular coconut which is less fragrant and can be purchased here.  I do use the extra virgin for my hair/makeup etc. that I am not wearing all day.
• As a facial moisturizer before bed.  I apply it over my vitamin C treatment, then let it absorb as I sleep.  I wake up with the softest skin ever!

Some people have posted that it helps clear acne.  Can't really say I've been blemish free for months.  Also, some say it makes a great alternative to shaving cream.  My only concern is that you regularly clean your drains with a vinegar/baking soda solution, because coconut oil does return to a solid at room temperature and WILL clog your drains if it's not cleaned correctly.  FYI

Have you used coconut oil?  How has it worked for you?

Smelling good, and feeling good about it!

I've always been a big fan of fragrances.  I truly believe that out of my 5 senses, the sense of smell has to be the one I'd miss most if I lost one.  I love candles, aromatherapy, perfume, incense, you name it.  I really feel that a smell can conjure up many memories in an instant.  Kind of like music, you know?  

I really struggled when I decided to eliminate all of my beauty products that contained harmful chemicals.  One of the biggest offenders is perfume.  Most of the ingredients I can't even pronounce, and putting them onto my skin (the biggest organ) is just a risk I didn't want to take anymore.

My dilemma went like this:  I was the biggest fan of a retail store (which shall remain nameless) that sold many types of body lotions, shower gels, and fragrances.  All of which I absolutely LOVED to wear.  And then I checked the ingredients.  Major bummer.....That was a really rough day :-(

Well, after some research, I found this really nice, simple fragrance while visiting Sephora one day.  The company is called Lavinila and they make about a half dozen vanilla type fragrances in spray and oils too.  

After trying a few of them, I really settled on the plain and simple "Pure Vanilla".  It smells so pure, not heavy, and it's completely natural with no unnecessary chemicals.

Here is the link here:

Lavanila Perfume Link

This is a really great company that promises to keep their products safe and healthy.  Check out their all natural deodorant too, I love it just as much as their perfume!!

Chia Seed Breakfast Recipe

Good Morning!

Today, I started my day with a new recipe that I found using my favorite new "super food", Chia seeds.  This was a welcome change from my typical norm....Oatmeal.  Very crunchy and fun!  I used coconut/almond milk, fresh banana & strawberries, walnuts & almonds, coconut & honey.  I omitted the spices today, but I'm sure they add some amazing flavor, too.  Here is the recipe:

Chia seed breakfast recipe. 

3 Tablespoons chia seeds

2/3 cup milk of choice

Handful of fresh fruit (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, etc..)

1 tablespoon of walnuts or slivered almonds

1 teaspoon of shredded or flaked coconut (optional)

1 pinch of cinnamon

1 pinch of cardamom

Drizzle of honey or sweetener of choice 

INSTRUCTIONS

In a bowl, mix the chia seeds with the milk. Let sit for at least 10 minutes so that the chia seeds soak up the liquid. If you are in a rush, you can heat the seeds with the milk in a pot which will expedite the absorption process. 

Once the liquid is absorbed, top with berries, nuts, spices, coconut flakes, and honey. Enjoy!

Here is some general info on the health benefits of Chia seeds:

1. Help weight loss. Chia seeds are popular for weight loss. They reduce food cravings by preventing some of the food that you eat from getting absorbed into your system. This blockage of calorie absorption makes them a great diet helper.
2. Feel fuller faster: They can also help your diet by making you feel full. This is because they absorb 10 times their weight in water, forming a bulky gel.
3. Hydration for athletes: They are also great for athletes because the "chia gel" can hydrate the body.
4. Reduce your blood pressure: There's evidence to suggest they can reduce blood pressure.
5. Omega-3: They are the richest plant source of Omega-3 (the vital fats that protect against  inflammation—such as arthritis—and heart disease). In fact, they contain more Omega-3 than salmon!
6. Benefits for diabetes: Because chia seeds slow down how fast our bodies convert carbohydrates into simple sugars, studies indicate they can control blood sugar. This leads scientists to believe chia seeds may have great benefits for diabetics.
7. They are easier to digest than flax seeds, and don't need to be ground up.

Is cholesterol really the cause of heart disease??

I read this article today and found it interesting.  This is not the first time I've read an article like this, but it really does makes some sense to me.  Especially since I've known quite a few people who have suffered heart attacks/stroke that were healthy/fit/not overweight.

http://www.tunedbody.com/heart-surgeon-declares-really-causes-heart-illness/

My Latest Cholesterol Numbers are in.....ugh!

2 weeks ago, I had to go back to my doctor after suffering from some horrible side effects of the statin drug I have been taking for the past couple of years.  (skin numbness, headaches, memory loss....yeah, memory loss/fogginess!  I feel like I'm 90 some days!)

My last test was a year ago, and for the 1st time, my numbers came back under 200 mg/dl!  They were total 188 mg/dl...which, in my world, is amazing!!

So, I figured, that I could possible begin to add some of the unhealthier foods into my diet (just a little), like cheese, dessert, you know, the fun stuff... Well, a year and 10 pounds later, I'm at 264 mg/dl. (while still on meds)......... boooo!!!

So, I convinced my nurse practitioner to let me stop my statins for 6 weeks to help my nerve issues and memory "fogginess".  She reluctantly agreed, and I am now back to my strict vegetarian/vegan diet.  I'm hopefully optimistic that my numbers won't skyrocket, but the "realist" in me knows that the hammer will probably drop, and hard, at the end of my 6 week statin "vacation".  I feel so much better without the drugs, and feel amazing eating a cleaner diet.  We'll have to see what the numbers bring in 6 weeks.

For those interested:  My cardio exercise consists of 3-4 days of "Zumba" dance, and during the winter I snowboard pretty much every weekend. :-)

Welcome to my new blog...

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to my new blog!  It's been quite a while since I've done the blogging thing, but after having a few close friends tell me that I really need to be blogging again, I figured that I would humbly accept the challenge.  

My blog will be mainly directed at heathy alternatives that I have adopted in my lifestyle to eliminate the need for chemical laden products in my life (whether it be for body, home, medicinal, you name it).  I most certainly cannot eliminate them all, but I have fun trying to find/make alternatives that actually work and sometimes even work better than store bought products!

Along with making more natural products for my body and home, I am currently embarking on a vegetarian/vegan type diet to help lower my genetically derived high cholesterol.  This, in itself, is a very long story that I have been living since my teen years.  I will post more detailed posts on my experience in this blog, in hopes of maybe helping someone else in my shoes one day.

For now, Welcome.