Nutrition

Liquid Prenatal

March 22, 2013 By laceyswartz Leave a Comment

OK, this week has been a bit crazy (in a good way, but just unusually busy getting things ready for our upcoming free teleseminar on probiotics), so it’ll have to be a super quick post here…

Thought I’d just share a fun experience from my journey toward a home birth with a midwife (due mid June)…

My dear friend Sarah, from Real Food Outlaws, made some loose leaf, specially blended pregnancy tea for me when she first heard my baby #5 news last fall. I was super grateful because Sarah really knows her stuff when it comes to herbs. 🙂

What was even more fun though, was when I shared the ingredient list with my awesome midwife, and she said, “Oh yeah, that’s like a liquid prenatal vitamin right there by itself.”

Love it!

I didn’t need any more proof as to Sarah’s awesomeness, but it’s always neat to have such ringing endorsements. 🙂

While I love and respect the OBs who caught my babies #1-4 (I did not decide on a home birth because of any complaint with them), and certainly still appreciate the service they provide when modern medicine is truly needed, it is so uplifting taking this journey this time around with folks who are tuned in to and working in harmony with the abundant provision for all our needs found right within nature itself.

Here is a post from Sarah with a recipe for pregnancy tea.

You can either get the herbs from a reliable source such as Mountain Rose Herbs and make it yourself, or you can order premade from Sarah here on her poppy swap site. She has a ton of other great herbal/medicine teas available as well. Check out her site!

Cheers all! 🙂

3-Day Detox

March 11, 2013 By laceyswartz Leave a Comment

Guest post by Erin Demory, from ClearOrganics.com

With the new year in full swing and a new season upon us, many people want to shed pounds, eliminate built-up environmental toxins, ditch unhealthy habits, and clear the mental fog that may be contributing to a sluggish body and out-of-sync feeling. Revitalizing and cleansing our bodies can be done through various types of detoxification processes. Detoxification is about resting, cleaning and nourishing the body from the inside out. By removing and eliminating toxins, then feeding your body with healthy nutrients, detoxification can help protect you from disease and renew your ability to maintain optimum health. Some of the benefits of a good detoxification plan are: improved organ function, healthier skin, increased energy, reduction in allergies, a kick-start to weight loss, and improved mental clarity. Our bodies already have a built in system in place for detoxing – through breathing, perspiration, urination, and bowel movements – however these days, most people are exposed to such excessive amounts of environmental pollutants, stress, and diets heavy in processed foods, that our bodies could really use some extra help.

Where to start? Many experts recommend that all of us detox at least once a year. Some people even find it beneficial to detox 2-4 times a year, for example, at the onset of a new season. But, with so many different plans, methods, and theories on detox out there, it can be overwhelming to know the best route for you. For example, plans can last anywhere from 3 – 30 days, they can be liquid only diets, fruit and veggie only, or elimination detox (commonly used for identifying allergens), and some plans include special supplements or herbs, colonics or laxatives. The majority of us have fast paced, busy schedules filled with family, work, extracurricular and community activities. If you are like me, you probably don’t want to make huge sacrifices and disruptive changes to be healthy, such as starvation diets, difficult meal plans, or regimens that require staying close to the house for several days (or close to the bathroom rather). The good news is that none of that is necessary to perform a healthy body detoxification. A simple super-clean eating plan that focuses on whole, clean foods can do wonders for your body, and it is absolutely possible to do it in just three days, such as over the weekend. If you can stretch it out over 5 days, you’ll be feeling even better results!

First, here are some good ground rules for any effective detox plan. Note: hopefully some of you are practicing these year-round already, and if you aren’t, maybe after introducing them via the detox you will chose to continue on with them – you really will feel so much better if you incorporate them into your lifestyle. 🙂

1. Lighten the toxic load on your body: Try eliminating caffeine, tobacco, refined sugars, saturated fats, and processed foods. All of these are obstacles to cleansing, healing, and feeling your best. Also, reduce or eliminate your exposure to chemical based household cleaners and personal care products which are laden with harmful toxins that can build up in your body and potentially create a burden to your organs and even long term damage. Instead, try making your own cleaners with simple, inexpensive, and effective ingredients such as vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, and essential oils. Recipes are easily found on the internet. For your skin, hair and body, consider products that are completely free of harmful, synthetic chemicals and try to chose certified organic to the highest standard, such as those available through Miessence Certified Organics (please ask your personal Miessence Rep for more details). Not only will you be doing your body a favor, but also the earth!

2. Reduce the level of stress in your life: stress creates hormones which are released into your body, and in large amounts the hormones can be toxic. It is recommended that during a body detox period, we also detoxify ourselves of stressful life situations. Meditating, Yoga or other exercise for 1 hour a day, and a concentrated focus on positive thinking can help reduce stress. Very strenuous exercise should be avoided during detox.

3. Drink Water and Flush Toxins: Drink plenty of water – 64 oz or more a day will help to keep your body hydrated and assist in flushing out the extra toxins that are being kicked up. Some people also like to visit a sauna, practice hydrotherapy, or use detox foot baths to further assist their bodies with the drawing out the toxins.

4. Rest: During detox your body is working hard to eliminate those built-up toxins from your organs and tissues. So don’t be surprised if you feel a little drained and not at your best. Rest assured, you will soon! Help your body out during this time by allowing it plenty of rest.

Now for meal suggestions. As I said before, focusing on whole, natural, clean foods is the key. That means first and foremost staying away from processed! Additionally I would suggest choosing organic whenever possible, so as to ensure that you are not exposing your body to pesticides and GMO’s from conventional foods. Below are 3 or more options for each meal to take you through a 3 day plan:

1. Breakfast Options: steel cut oats topped with nuts and fresh berries; egg white omelet with fresh veggies inside; Greek yogurt topped with flax seeds and fresh fruit.

2. Snack Options (2x per day): fresh apple, orange or other fruit of choice; ½ cup yogurt topped with nuts and banana; slice of whole grain bread topped with butter of your choice (peanut, almond, sunflower, etc…); hard boiled egg; handful of baby carrots; ½ cup of raw nuts.

3. Lunch Options: Fresh baby spinach salad topped with grape tomatoes, red onions, nuts and a dressing consisting of lemon juice and olive oil (or flax seed oil if on hand); wild caught salmon or tuna fish (may opt for canned for ease/convenience) over dark greens with ½ cup garbanzo beans and lemon/oil dressing; whole grain bread or tortilla wrapped up with fresh avocado, dark greens, tomatoes, red onion and a tsp of Dijon mustard.

4. Dinner Options: Talapia (or your choice of healthy and sustainable fish from the smart seafood guide provided by the Food and Water Watch organization), seasoned with lemon and olive oil, served with brown rice and steamed broccoli; lean ground turkey burger topped with sauteed mushrooms and onions (if you feel you need bread, make sure it is whole grain) served with a large green salad with balsamic vinegar and olive/flax seed oil; boneless, skinless baked chicken breast with fresh lemon juice, 2 tsp olive oil and 1 tbsp of capers or green olives served with steamed greens such as spinach, kale or collards (if desired, add a little garlic,onion, and homemade veggie or chicken stock for flavoring greens).

In addition to following the above meal options, I would also suggest doubling your daily dosage of Miessence Superfoods during the detox period. After all, these supplements are simply certified organic, raw, vegan, and whole-food based supplements which are packed with important benefits to your body. They are both the perfect addition to a detox plan AND great for normal daily maintenance. If you have not yet tried the Miessence Superfoods, consider taking the 10 day Vitality Challenge (ask your Rep for details) which is a wonderful introduction to the Fermented Foods Probiotic, Alkalising Deep Green, and Berry Radical Antioxidant Superfoods.

Happy detoxing everyone – wishing you an abundance of good health and wellness!

Chocolate Alert

February 13, 2013 By laceyswartz Leave a Comment

Guest post from Susan Taylor at RDoncall

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Are you a lover of all things chocolate? If you are, then you’ve probably heard about some of its many health benefits. However, not all chocolate is created equal! Beware of chocolate labeled “Cocoa Processed with Alkali” or “Dutch Processed Cocoa” as it has an alkali base used to counteract some of the chocolate’s acidity. Many chocolate products on the market contain the additive Lecithin, which is used as an emulsifier to keep the cocoa and cocoa butter from separating, thereby, extending the chocolate’s shelf life. Processed versions are often also loaded with added sugars, fat, milk, fillers, and preservatives. Unfortunately, processing destroys most of chocolates beneficial flavonoids. The best option, packed with the most health benefits, is chocolate labeled raw, unprocessed, non-alkalized, and non-lecithized.

Cacao, the bean from the Cacao tree, is possibly the healthiest part of chocolate as it contains over 300 compounds including the antioxidants theobromine, phenylethylamine (PEA), serotonin plus vitamins A, C, E, pantothenic acid, B1, B2, B3 and minerals magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium, and manganese. Theobromine, PEA, and serotonin are all mood enhancers which may account for the sense of well-being you experience when eating chocolate. Studies have shown chocolate may help improve blood circulation, cholesterol levels, boost brain power, and act as a mild cough suppressant.

Cacao’s ORAC score (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) is near the top of the list for antioxidant capacity. ORAC measures the effectiveness of an antioxidant to absorb free radicals that cause cell or tissue damage – the higher the ORAC score, the higher the ingredient’s antioxidant power.

Instead of a box of highly processed, unhealthy chocolates, consider show your valentine some love this year by replacing their morning java with a raw cacao beverage – definitely a healthy alternative as it is loaded with antioxidants and bliss-inducing compounds.

A great supplement to consider is Miessence’s BerryRadical which contains not only certified organic cacao powder but the certified organic antioxidant foods pomegranate, acai berry, goji berry, raspberry, blueberry and strawberry – plus two special ingredients that take the ORAC score “off the charts” compared to most products on the market. The ingredients are freeze-dried to preserve freshness and BerryRadical contains no chemicals, preservatives, or fillers. Check out the Berry Radical presentation below for more information about this amazing product. For less than the price of a fancy latte, you can find your bliss the healthy way – give BerryRadical a try!

Berry Radical presentation – Don’t miss page 23 especially!

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For information on how you can try a 10-day supply of Berry Radical, click here.

Vitality Challenge

February 1, 2013 By laceyswartz Leave a Comment

Enter the raffle at the end of this post for a free 10-day supply of certified organic superfoods.

It hardly needs to be said that people are struggling with health, even in countries with an excess of “food.”

People are overweight yet undernourished due to the regular consumption of “food-like things,” such as fast foods and highly processed packaged foods. Three of the top four causes of death are diet related and thus preventable, and there are 561,000 patented pharmaceutical drugs yet increasing rates of cancer and heart disease. Our food supply, homes, and environment are poisoned with alarming numbers of toxic synthetic chemicals, and babies are being born pre-polluted with over 200 industrial chemicals already in their bodies.

So, what do we do about this?

Well, it starts with a shift in mindset toward reconnecting with the way the natural world is designed to work. I know an expert in beneficial probiotic bacteria who sums it up well when he says… “We adhere to the principals of Mother Nature. We know that the only way to good health is through working with Her by using Her wisdom in its natural form. We are not arrogant like [so many who] believe they can improve upon Her.” While I would personally give this credit to Creator God, and others would express it in still different ways, the overall value is the same… The more natural the better.

While there are many steps we can take, such as reducing our direct exposures to toxic substances and reducing the toxic burdens we place on the natural resources that sustain us (as an example: choosing truly organic products in our homes, such as household cleaning and personal care supplies, is one way to help both our own health and the health of the planet), we can only reduce our toxic exposures so far. There are many sources of toxins – both man-made and natural – all around us that we cannot control.

The key then, is to fuel your body with nutrient dense, potent, truly natural, “clean” and sustainably grown (organic) foods so that your own natural detoxification systems can function as intended and do their assigned job of keeping you healthy.

But this is often easier said than done. Whether for money, time, or know-how reasons, many people transitioning off the modern-day, “conventional” industrialized food systems onto cleaner, more sustainable (and quite frankly, God-honoring) systems of daily nutrition face some real challenges today. Let’s face it, buying organic can be expensive (though there are ways to do it on a tight budget). It also takes both time and at least a bit of know-how to prepare fresh, healthful foods for every meal. In our fast-paced, rat race culture, it is so much easier to hit a couple quick buttons for a microwave meal.

While we should work toward eating 100% clean and fresh, truly natural foods, that goal is rarely accomplished over night, and sometimes, we never reach 100%… unless perhaps we stop hanging out with friends and family who aren’t making these changes yet… which I do NOT recommend… relationships are vital for your health also!

This is why I so greatly appreciate the simple, nutrient rich, diverse, food-only nutritional support products from Miessence. Yes, I do sell them now and have a financial interest in this post (I value upfront disclosure and hope you do too), but I am genuinely a VERY happy customer first and foremost. And as I did back in 2010 when I made a big shift in my company affiliations, if I find something better than these products, I’ll change again and tell my readers about it. But, so far – and I have seen many options out there – these are still the best I’ve found.

And beginning February 1st, Miessence has put together a 10-day supply of the superfoods for people who want to give them a try.

In a clinical trial, of 24 people who participated in the 10-day “Vitality Challenge,” here were the results…

3 did not follow through (for unknown reasons)
3 experienced no observable change (likely people with super healthy diets already)
2 experienced severe detox reactions (likely people with very unhealthy diets to start) Note – if this is you, it’s recommended to do the Challenge over 20 days instead of 10 to lessen the severity of your detox.
16 experienced clear, observable improvements to their health and well-being

Potential benefits of incorporating this variety of super potent, super concentrated, raw, organic foods into your daily routine, via the Vitality Challenge include:

Eliminating toxins
Improved immunity
Improved skin and hair texture
More energy
Improved focus and concentration
Improved nutrient absorption

Sound worth a 10-day try? I have two options for you…

1- Get more details on the Vitality Challenge, and/or
2- Enter my Rafflecopter raffle for a free Vitality Challenge Pack.

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To request additional details on the challenge, fill out the “Read Your Labels” form above and to the right – put “Vitality Challenge” in the ‘How you found me’ field.

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To enter the raffle for a free Vitality Challenge Pack, use the Rafflecopter widget below. NOTE – You can come back and add more valid entries any time up until the end of the raffle period. – a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jumpstart Diet

January 9, 2013 By laceyswartz Leave a Comment

Guest post by Susan Taylor, from RDonCall

After the holidays, we all want to lose a few pounds and start eating better. However, instead of making the same hollow New Year’s resolutions as last year, commit to making changes that will have a real impact on your life. Eating healthy is not rocket science–it just takes a little planning to turn a resolution into a reality. Here are a few suggestions to help jumpstart your diet and start 2013 off right.

1- Eat Your Greens. Packed with vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, leafy green vegetables such as collards and kale have a myriad of health benefits. These hard-working veggies may aid in the prevention of chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and osteoporosis. Their high fiber content may aid in weight loss by promoting satiety, thereby decreasing hunger pangs. Choose organic if possible to limit exposure to pesticides and chemicals.

2- Love Those Antioxidants. These free-radical fighters are found in fruits and vegetables–by protecting the body against cell-damaging free radicals, these super foods may aid in decreasing your risk of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, and dementia plus provide potent anti-aging benefits. Again, go organic if possible.

3- Good Bacteria. Believe it or not, all bacteria are not bad. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria found in the gut that keep it functioning properly. Good sources are fermented foods such as live cultured yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, micro algae, and kombucha tea.

4- Fiber is Your Friend. Foods high in fiber such as green leafy vegetables and fresh fruits are great for weight loss as high fiber foods make you feel full but with the added benefit of being low in calories.

5- Get Your Sleep. We are all guilty of burning the candle at both ends; however, studies have shown that people who don’t get enough sleep are prone to weight gain plus an increased risk of potentially serious diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.

6- The Sunshine Vitamin. According to recent studies, Vitamin D may help your waistline as well as your bones, as women with the lowest Vitamin D levels, gained the most weight over a five year period. Fish such as herring, catfish, and salmon are high in Vitamin D as are fermented cod liver oil, egg yolks, mushrooms, and if necessary, fortified foods such as milk and orange juice.

7- Move It To Lose It. Exercise is not only a fantastic calorie burner but is a key player in the prevention of heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and cancer. Commit to an activity you enjoy doing on a regular basis.

Unfortunately, it can be a challenge for busy people to fit in those 7-10 servings of fruits and veggies into our daily routines. The Miessence Vitality Pack is a simple solution to this dilemma. It includes BerryRadical antioxidant superfood, DeepGreen alkalizing superfood, and InLiven probiotic superfood–these high quality supplements are certified organic with no added fillers, preservatives, or chemicals. Just one teaspoon a day of each of these ultra concentrated superfoods is all you need to kick your vitality up a notch–make 2013 your best year yet!