Awhile back, a friend of mine suggested I do a blog post about plastic surgery and what my opinion was on it. I had another friend who suggested I write about a scientist who was trying to develop steak made out of poop. Needless to say, I picked plastic surgery. I personally have never had any plastic surgery done, however I do have an opinion about it. If you have taken the time to know me, you would know that I have an opinion about almost everything. It's a blessing and a curse. :)
Five years ago I gave birth to my precious Bean. He was born via C-section and weighed 9lbs, 7oz. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am a smaller person and that this size baby is insanely huge for me to carry. He was. When I was 6 months pregnant people thought that I was either carrying twins or due any moment. Bean did a number on my stomach. If I could describe my stomach, it would best be described as looking like a 90 year old woman's face on my stomach. No offense to the 90 year old women out there. Do 90 year old women even read blogs? I think I will. Anyways, it's disgusting to say the least. When my kids see my stomach I have heard statements such as "is that your belly button?", "gross!" and "sick!". One time Bean asked me why my stomach looked like that and I told him that it happened after he was in my stomach. I was half expecting him to feel sympathetic or apologize. Nope. He just stared at me in disgust.
Needless to say, I am in desperate need of a tummy tuck. If I had the disposable income and down time to get one, I just might do it. The income and down time are kind of the hang ups at this point...:). I had a child, an enormous child that completely changed my body. There are so many people out there that have had the same experience whether it be a childbirth, an accident or a birth defect. I don't see anything wrong with someone trying to fix something that is wrong through a surgery that could increase their quality of life. There is a fine line here though, if you ask me. That fine line is between truly doing the surgery for yourself and the right reasons or for someone else.
For me, the surgery would be for myself, 100%. No one is pressuring me in to wanting a tummy tuck(which I will probably never have) and I would be doing it so that my body would be "normal" again. I don't want to look 20, I just want to be normal again, for myself, to feel better. So what about a woman who wants a nose job or her boobs done? Well, I think they would need to question their motivation. The motivation between someone who wanted work done on her nose because she was in a car accident versus a woman who just wants to look better is very different in my opinion. The same would go with a boob job. It depends on the motivation and that woman's circumstances. Is the woman doing it with a pure heart? Is she doing it because she just wants to feel better for herself, or is she doing it because she wants to be desired by a man and envied by women? I think that is the question that any woman needs to ask herself before signing up for any type of plastic surgery. Also, a woman needs to ask herself what she has to gain from the surgery. The answer to that question may reveal a lot about her motivation.
What does Jesus have to say about this? I really have no idea. I wonder what He would have to say if He were here right now and living in these times. But, we can turn to scripture for some clues in this area. Here are a few verses that put things of the body and appearance into perspective:
1 Samuel 16:7 - "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
James 1:23 - "Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror."
Proverbs 31:30 - "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting: but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."
We are clearly told in the Bible that a person's outward appearance is not what is important and that appearances can lead to pride. I also understand that we live in a world that is, unfortunately obsessed with people's appearances and it's hard to become immune to that. I hope that anyone who is considering plastic surgery will do so carefully, prayerfully and be in no rush to make their decision. There are more important things in life than looking "normal" or "beautiful" and I can think of better things to do with 10 grand than get a tummy tuck because I want to feel better about myself. But, it sure would be nice to feel good about my body again. ???? I guess the answer lies with you.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Tips for getting those little buggers to eat
If any of you have small children or know small children, you know that it is really hard to get those little buggers to eat. Well, let me clarify...it's hard to get them to eat healthy. I don't know about kids you know, but mine could live on candy and desserts if I let them. Yesterday I about blew my lid when both kids asked me for a treat that ONE LAST TIME!!!! I threatened to throw away anything in the house that even resembled sweetness. They just stared at me like I was crazy and waited about 10 minutes to ask again.
Tip #1: Try to keep the amount of sweets you have in the house down to a minimum. If they are easily accessible, then we know that we are going to eat them and the kids will KNOW they are there. They have a special sense for sugar. :) Even if you had no treats in the house, the kids will still find a way. If all else fails, my kids will ask for a spoon of honey. Which brings me to my next tip.
Tip #2: Find the lesser of two evils. A spoonful of honey is a lot better than skittles. Honey, within reason is actually good for us, extremely sweet and kids love it. Make sure you get the unrefined stuff, it has the good stuff in it. Also, there are a lot of organic options that you can choose to buy, such as hard candies and chocolate. Okay, you anti-organic people, let me say something right here. I am aware that candy is candy, however there are better choices. Again, there is a big difference between organic candy versus those skittles. The organic candy will be made from organic sugar( a lot better for you) and it won't contain artificial dyes.
Tip #3: Give in. We live in America and your kids will find that out sooner than later. Our lives are full of endless temptations. My family took a trip to Dairy Queen tonight to get a little ice cream treat. I don't see anything wrong with that as long as you aren't going there every day. I am not perfect, therefore I cannot expect my children to be. I give in to temptations just like the next person. Again, this is where not having the junk food in your home comes in handy.
Tip #4: Get creative. You know those days when you think..."I don't think my kids have had a fruit or vegetable to speak of in two days"? I've had those days and I always feel really guilty and like a horrible parent. That is when I have had those "creative moments" where I find ways to sneak in those healthy foods.
Tip #6: Get them involved. Involving your children in the cooking of meals plays a huge role in how much they are going to like it. I am sure many of you have experienced this with children before. I know that when I involve my children in the cooking, they think that the food is cool and tastes way better than if I were to prepare it by myself. Obviously, this takes patience and can't be done every night, I totally understand that. But, if there is a certain food that the family really wants to eat and perhaps one child is adamantly against it, try cooking with them. It might make a huge difference. As a matter of fact, just tonight Bean decided that he "loved" spaghetti squash. Bean didn't like it the several times we had it last year...so what was the difference? Bean cut the squash out of the garden and saw it being put in the oven and prepared. He felt like he had a part in it and it made it taste good to him. Bean had watched that squash grow from a seed.
Good luck. Those little buggers can be hard sometimes. Keep trying, their health is worth it. After all, their eating habits will have a huge impact on the rest of their lives.
Tip #1: Try to keep the amount of sweets you have in the house down to a minimum. If they are easily accessible, then we know that we are going to eat them and the kids will KNOW they are there. They have a special sense for sugar. :) Even if you had no treats in the house, the kids will still find a way. If all else fails, my kids will ask for a spoon of honey. Which brings me to my next tip.
Tip #2: Find the lesser of two evils. A spoonful of honey is a lot better than skittles. Honey, within reason is actually good for us, extremely sweet and kids love it. Make sure you get the unrefined stuff, it has the good stuff in it. Also, there are a lot of organic options that you can choose to buy, such as hard candies and chocolate. Okay, you anti-organic people, let me say something right here. I am aware that candy is candy, however there are better choices. Again, there is a big difference between organic candy versus those skittles. The organic candy will be made from organic sugar( a lot better for you) and it won't contain artificial dyes.
Tip #3: Give in. We live in America and your kids will find that out sooner than later. Our lives are full of endless temptations. My family took a trip to Dairy Queen tonight to get a little ice cream treat. I don't see anything wrong with that as long as you aren't going there every day. I am not perfect, therefore I cannot expect my children to be. I give in to temptations just like the next person. Again, this is where not having the junk food in your home comes in handy.
Tip #4: Get creative. You know those days when you think..."I don't think my kids have had a fruit or vegetable to speak of in two days"? I've had those days and I always feel really guilty and like a horrible parent. That is when I have had those "creative moments" where I find ways to sneak in those healthy foods.
- My kids always want a snack before bed. If it's been one of those bad days, I tell them that they can only have fruits and veggies for a snack. They are used to that, so they say okay and pick their snack. It usually consists of a couple different fruits or veggies on a plate and they eat it up really well. Now, I know that cutting up fruits and veggies is a lot more difficult than putting some crackers in a bowl, but if it's important to you, you will do it. Believe me, I have had those "crackers in a bowl" nights on numerous occasions, I am not trying to judge.
- Some of you may have read my blog post about my Vitamix. If you haven't, it's a high powered blender(but much more). I have made so many healthy things for my kids in the Vitamix. If you don't have one, that's okay, just use the blender you have at home. How about fresh applesauce with the macaroni and cheese. Add in a banana or strawberry with it. Kids love it. If it's too tart, add in a little stevia to sweeten it up, maybe even some cinnamon on top. This way you know that your kids are getting fresh, raw fruits with a suitable sweetener. I have snuck a small carrot in there once too. I have also done some really good sorbets with the Vitamix. Add in the fruit(strawberries, bananas, apples, pears, whatever), some ice and stevia and give it a whirl. Kids love it and eat it like a treat. If you have frozen berries, mix some of those with stevia and milk and get "ice cream". Your kids will eat it and like it, but if you really want to get excited about it you can add some whip cream on top. Add sprinkles if they are REALLY hard to please.
Tip #6: Get them involved. Involving your children in the cooking of meals plays a huge role in how much they are going to like it. I am sure many of you have experienced this with children before. I know that when I involve my children in the cooking, they think that the food is cool and tastes way better than if I were to prepare it by myself. Obviously, this takes patience and can't be done every night, I totally understand that. But, if there is a certain food that the family really wants to eat and perhaps one child is adamantly against it, try cooking with them. It might make a huge difference. As a matter of fact, just tonight Bean decided that he "loved" spaghetti squash. Bean didn't like it the several times we had it last year...so what was the difference? Bean cut the squash out of the garden and saw it being put in the oven and prepared. He felt like he had a part in it and it made it taste good to him. Bean had watched that squash grow from a seed.
Good luck. Those little buggers can be hard sometimes. Keep trying, their health is worth it. After all, their eating habits will have a huge impact on the rest of their lives.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
McDonald's and why I think it's evil.
I have spent a lot of time researching McDonald's in order to prove my point of why they are evil. My research has led to a lot of speculation and dead ends. I wanted to find information that was completely disgusting and indisputable, but I just couldn't find exactly what I was looking for. Well, I could find it, but I couldn't find a lot of it from credible sources that the masses would believe. McDonald's has done a very good job at portraying themselves to the masses as a business that seeks to do what is in the best interests of their customers. You know what? I think that is the principal that McDonald's was based on in the beginning, but money made matters change in the long run. It almost always comes down to money doesn't it? God tells us in 1 Timothy 6:10 that "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
In 1940 the first McDonald's opened. It was a car hop restaurant featuring a large menu. In 1948 the restaurant became a fast food drive thru that featured only 9 menu items. In 1949 the world famous french fries were introduced, replacing the chips that they had previously served. In 1954 Ray Kroc gets involved with the McDonald's idea and it starts to spread like wildfire and by 1959 there were 100 restaurants. In 1966 Ronald McDonald appears in his first TV commercial and is an instant hit. In 1967 McDonald's goes international. Currently there are restaurants in 117 countries worldwide. In 1996 McDonald's went online. From there on out, there have only been more and more changes making McDonald's as big and as widespread as one could possibly imagine. McDonald's has become a huge enterprise and is making a lot of money off of consumers. McDonald's does support charities, including the Ronald McDonald houses that provide a lot of services for those families with sick kids. This is wonderful and I am glad that families have benefited from it.
As I said earlier, I had a hard time finding really great, scrutinizing information to give you regarding how evil McDonald's is. Here is the deal. I don't think that there is a person I know that doesn't realize that McDonald's food is NOT healthy. So, here is the question...why do so many of us still eat it? I could list all of the reasons not to eat the food from McDonald's, but many of us still will. McDonald's currently serves 64 million customers per day. We eat the food because it is fast, cheap and easy. But at what cost is that fast, cheap and easy food?
There is no doubt that McDonald's is buying their meat from factory farms. They are most certainly NOT purchasing their beef and chicken from local and responsible growers. Why does this matter? Well, if you have been reading my blog, you would know that factory farm meat is very unhealthy and that buying meat from large factory farms is not helpful to our local community. In addition, McDonald's is buying all of their meat, produce and dairy products from large franchises that don't exactly have other people's health at the top of their list. McDonald's food is packed with unhealthy meats, sodium and sugars. I guess you could choose to eat one of their salads, but why? Really, what is the point? Why go to McDonald's to eat something that you may have convinced yourself would be healthy? Do you actually believe that McDonald's has your health in mind? No, they don't. McDonald's operates for one reason...to make money. And they make a lot of it.
Okay, okay. I know that all businesses operate to make money, so why am I being so hard on McDonald's? Well, I believe that fast food is a huge contributor to our unhealthy food system and obesity problem. There are numerous fast food chains that I could list on this blog as well and I am sure most of you know the names of those chains as well. The point is that McDonald's is not a good choice for any of us. No matter what way you look at it, there is no justification for McDonald's to be part of any one's diet, let alone something that is eaten every day or even a few times a week. The food is absolutely unhealthy and will only lead to serious health problems. Not only that, but every time you purchase McDonald's food you are supporting factory farms and big business.
Believe me people, I am not perfect. Just the other day we ate a pizza from Little Caesar's. I know that it's hard to live in America and not give in to the temptations that are in front of us all the time. I can truly say that I do not eat at McDonald's and haven't for the past year. It disgusts me. Little Caesar's should too. I have some work to do, just like the next person. McDonald's is the powerhouse. I see it as the head of the monster and I want to see it go down. Will you take it down with me?
Let me just ask you one question. Do you believe that when you take yourself or your family to McDonald's that you providing them with a healthy meal? If you could answer yes to this, I would seriously question your judgement. It's not just about unhealthy food either. It's about community and what type of businesses that we are supporting in order to benefit our community and not multi billion dollar companies. Just think about it...please. The only thing that we are to gain from McDonald's is constipation, clogged arteries and heart attacks. Not to mention the detriment that is brought to the animals that produce the meat that is served in their establishment and the local farmers who are yearning for business.
I'm lovin' it.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Back to school
My oldest, Bean started Kindergarten this year. I can't believe that he is already old enough to be going to school. He went to preschool at Grace Community Church, which is wonderful by the way, but Kindergarten is just....well...heartbreaking. It's facing the fact that your child is officially growing up. I don't know why our tendency as parents is to want them to stay little forever because let's face it, young kids are hard work. I definitely don't want this time in my life to last forever, but once you see it slipping away, it's also really hard to face. Back to school time got me pondering about something.
There is so much hype in our society about "back to school". It all circles around one thing...money. People are given the feeling that they need to go out and buy their child brand new clothes and really cute or cool school supplies in order to go to school. Yes, there are obviously clothing needs that need to be met and school supplies to be bought, but don't you ever think that it's all a little overboard? I really hadn't put a ton of thought in to it until Bean's first day of school. I realized that I hadn't bought him ANY new school clothes. I am not kidding. Honestly I never even thought about it until the day of. He started getting ready for school and my husband started asking me about what he was going to wear. I just put Bean in some clean clothes and old flip flops and sent him to school. That outfit happened to be a pair of shorts he's had for two years and a muscle shirt he tie-dyed at Aunt Sarah's house. So what?
A few days later I really started thinking about this whole ordeal. What kind of message would I have been sending to my son if I would have told him that his outfit was not appropriate? If I would have told him that he needed to wear this brand new outfit that I had bought for him, even if he didn't want to. We all know that what we wear doesn't make us who we are, but is that the message that we are portraying to our kids? Please don't take offense. I am not trying to diss parents who buy their kids new, really cute clothes. Please understand that my kids and our family just aren't that way. If my kids wanted new, cute clothes, I would probably consider buying them a couple outfits, but they just don't care and either do I. I understand that all families are different and I am not trying to be the judge of anyone.
I really hope that my kids grow up knowing that they are who they are, regardless of what they are wearing or what kind of backpack and binder they have. Some of those material things can be fun, but when they begin to define us it becomes a serious problem. It's a balance that us parents have to handle or our children will pay the price. Ah, America. It's a great place, but we have a lot of priorities misplaced.
I know that there will come a point in time where my children will challenge me on this issue. I am not looking forward to that, however I have a choice right now. I can plant the seeds now and hope for the best! I am sure that there are some of you out there shouting "good luck"! All we can do is the best we can.
Bean just finished his first week of school today. He did great. And yes, his teacher and the kids are referring to him as Bean and he and I are both very, very happy about that. I love that kid.
There is so much hype in our society about "back to school". It all circles around one thing...money. People are given the feeling that they need to go out and buy their child brand new clothes and really cute or cool school supplies in order to go to school. Yes, there are obviously clothing needs that need to be met and school supplies to be bought, but don't you ever think that it's all a little overboard? I really hadn't put a ton of thought in to it until Bean's first day of school. I realized that I hadn't bought him ANY new school clothes. I am not kidding. Honestly I never even thought about it until the day of. He started getting ready for school and my husband started asking me about what he was going to wear. I just put Bean in some clean clothes and old flip flops and sent him to school. That outfit happened to be a pair of shorts he's had for two years and a muscle shirt he tie-dyed at Aunt Sarah's house. So what?
A few days later I really started thinking about this whole ordeal. What kind of message would I have been sending to my son if I would have told him that his outfit was not appropriate? If I would have told him that he needed to wear this brand new outfit that I had bought for him, even if he didn't want to. We all know that what we wear doesn't make us who we are, but is that the message that we are portraying to our kids? Please don't take offense. I am not trying to diss parents who buy their kids new, really cute clothes. Please understand that my kids and our family just aren't that way. If my kids wanted new, cute clothes, I would probably consider buying them a couple outfits, but they just don't care and either do I. I understand that all families are different and I am not trying to be the judge of anyone.
I really hope that my kids grow up knowing that they are who they are, regardless of what they are wearing or what kind of backpack and binder they have. Some of those material things can be fun, but when they begin to define us it becomes a serious problem. It's a balance that us parents have to handle or our children will pay the price. Ah, America. It's a great place, but we have a lot of priorities misplaced.
I know that there will come a point in time where my children will challenge me on this issue. I am not looking forward to that, however I have a choice right now. I can plant the seeds now and hope for the best! I am sure that there are some of you out there shouting "good luck"! All we can do is the best we can.
Bean just finished his first week of school today. He did great. And yes, his teacher and the kids are referring to him as Bean and he and I are both very, very happy about that. I love that kid.
Diatomaceous Earth
One day as I was looking to find a natural and non-chemical way to worm my animals, I came across diatomaceous earth. For the sake of having to type out diatomaceous earth throughout this blog post, lets refer to it as DE. DE is simply a powder that is made out of the exoskeletons of diatoms, which are a form of algae.
Let me explain why I would be telling you about DE. DE can be used for animals and humans alike. What DE does is kill any parasite in our bodies. DE works as a wormer, just like commercial wormers that you would buy for your dog or cat, but naturally and without the chemical agents. One of the things that is so great about DE is that the parasites cannot build up an immunity to DE like they can with other chemical products, which have to be rotated in order to have the best effect.
Ok, I know that some of you are thinking that I am a big weirdo "worming" myself. Listen. There are more than a 100 different parasites that can live in the human body and don't think that you are somehow exempt. When DE moves through your system, it attracts bacteria, fungi, viruses, pesticides and drug residues, etc. It also kills and expels any larger parasites that may have taken up home in your guts. All of this waste is then eliminated from your body.
DE is approximately 3% magnesium, 33% silicon, 19% calcium, 5% sodium, 2% iron and many other trace minerals such as titanium, boron, manganese, copper and zirconium. Silica is very good for our bodies. It helps eliminate the bad fats from our bodies. Silica is in short supply in our food system today because of the decreased quality of our food. Silica has endless health benefits, which I would encourage you to research. It is something that you will want your body to have more of and DE is an excellent way to get more of it while gaining many other health benefits as well.
DE is also very useful in the garden and home. DE kill insects with it's razor sharp microscopic edges that damage the insects bodies, thus drying them out. The bugs are essentially dehydrated and unable to survive. I have used DE on my garden this year on a regular basis with very good results. I put it in an old taco seasoning container and just spread it around any areas that seemed to be affected by bugs. The same goes for any insect infestation that you are having a problem with, just sprinkle it wherever you are experiencing a problem. Even carpets can do well with a dusting of DE to eliminate any pests that want to take up home.
Like I said earlier, I started my search for DE when looking in to a natural wormer for my animals. I have been using DE for my animals for awhile now and have had pretty good results. I mix it in with the goats feed, the dog food and spread it around my chicken coop. DE can eliminate the mites that chickens are so prone to. Since using DE I have not had a mite outbreak with my chickens. My dog had a really bad infestation with worms and I used a horrible chemical wormer on him to get rid of it, but since have been giving him DE mixed with his dog food and he has been doing great. I don't even remember the last time the goats have been given a commercial wormer and they are all doing well. There is a time and place for chemical wormers, however DE can do the job most of the time and it's a lot safer for our animal friends. I think that the wormer I had to use on my dog was the result of owner error(that would be me). I was not consistent enough due to laziness. If DE is used consistently with animals, I am convinced that one would have no need for commerical wormers. You can do the reasearch and see if you come to the same conclusion.
So, if you decide to try out DE in your life, let me tell you a little more. I buy my DE from Bridgeport Farm and Garden. It can also be purchased online. I use it whenever I think about it. Just mix about a teaspoon or so in with some water. For humans, it is suggested that you take between one to two tablespoons a day. Start small and work your way up. See what works best for your body. Don't worry, you can't overdose on DE. Whatever your body doesn't use will just be expelled from your body.
As a warning, please never buy pool grade DE. It has been treated at high temperatures and with chemicals and is toxic to animals and humans and should only be used in pools. Always be sure that you are purchasing food grade DE. Also, if you are using the DE for animals or the garden, purchase the animal grade DE, which is much cheaper than the food grade that we need for us humans. You can buy DE for your animals and garden in a 50 lb bag at the feed store for relatively cheap. Also, there is information out there that will warn that inhaling DE may cause potential damage to your lungs. This seems to be associated with the non-food grade DE. So, to be careful, don't be huffin' it. :) I think this warning is overplayed and dramatic, but...let's be on the safe side of things. I don't think there have been any deaths related to DE!
Let me explain why I would be telling you about DE. DE can be used for animals and humans alike. What DE does is kill any parasite in our bodies. DE works as a wormer, just like commercial wormers that you would buy for your dog or cat, but naturally and without the chemical agents. One of the things that is so great about DE is that the parasites cannot build up an immunity to DE like they can with other chemical products, which have to be rotated in order to have the best effect.
Ok, I know that some of you are thinking that I am a big weirdo "worming" myself. Listen. There are more than a 100 different parasites that can live in the human body and don't think that you are somehow exempt. When DE moves through your system, it attracts bacteria, fungi, viruses, pesticides and drug residues, etc. It also kills and expels any larger parasites that may have taken up home in your guts. All of this waste is then eliminated from your body.
DE is approximately 3% magnesium, 33% silicon, 19% calcium, 5% sodium, 2% iron and many other trace minerals such as titanium, boron, manganese, copper and zirconium. Silica is very good for our bodies. It helps eliminate the bad fats from our bodies. Silica is in short supply in our food system today because of the decreased quality of our food. Silica has endless health benefits, which I would encourage you to research. It is something that you will want your body to have more of and DE is an excellent way to get more of it while gaining many other health benefits as well.
DE is also very useful in the garden and home. DE kill insects with it's razor sharp microscopic edges that damage the insects bodies, thus drying them out. The bugs are essentially dehydrated and unable to survive. I have used DE on my garden this year on a regular basis with very good results. I put it in an old taco seasoning container and just spread it around any areas that seemed to be affected by bugs. The same goes for any insect infestation that you are having a problem with, just sprinkle it wherever you are experiencing a problem. Even carpets can do well with a dusting of DE to eliminate any pests that want to take up home.
Like I said earlier, I started my search for DE when looking in to a natural wormer for my animals. I have been using DE for my animals for awhile now and have had pretty good results. I mix it in with the goats feed, the dog food and spread it around my chicken coop. DE can eliminate the mites that chickens are so prone to. Since using DE I have not had a mite outbreak with my chickens. My dog had a really bad infestation with worms and I used a horrible chemical wormer on him to get rid of it, but since have been giving him DE mixed with his dog food and he has been doing great. I don't even remember the last time the goats have been given a commercial wormer and they are all doing well. There is a time and place for chemical wormers, however DE can do the job most of the time and it's a lot safer for our animal friends. I think that the wormer I had to use on my dog was the result of owner error(that would be me). I was not consistent enough due to laziness. If DE is used consistently with animals, I am convinced that one would have no need for commerical wormers. You can do the reasearch and see if you come to the same conclusion.
So, if you decide to try out DE in your life, let me tell you a little more. I buy my DE from Bridgeport Farm and Garden. It can also be purchased online. I use it whenever I think about it. Just mix about a teaspoon or so in with some water. For humans, it is suggested that you take between one to two tablespoons a day. Start small and work your way up. See what works best for your body. Don't worry, you can't overdose on DE. Whatever your body doesn't use will just be expelled from your body.
As a warning, please never buy pool grade DE. It has been treated at high temperatures and with chemicals and is toxic to animals and humans and should only be used in pools. Always be sure that you are purchasing food grade DE. Also, if you are using the DE for animals or the garden, purchase the animal grade DE, which is much cheaper than the food grade that we need for us humans. You can buy DE for your animals and garden in a 50 lb bag at the feed store for relatively cheap. Also, there is information out there that will warn that inhaling DE may cause potential damage to your lungs. This seems to be associated with the non-food grade DE. So, to be careful, don't be huffin' it. :) I think this warning is overplayed and dramatic, but...let's be on the safe side of things. I don't think there have been any deaths related to DE!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Coconut oil
Now that I am writing this post, I was trying to think about how I first got introduced to coconut oil and I can't remember. I am sure it was during some crazy internet search that led me to this wonderful oil that I now know and love. So, what is so special about coconut oil? Well, a lot of things.
Don't panic when I say that coconut oil is made from 90% saturated fat. Remember the blog post I did on the difference between healthy and unhealthy fats? If you don't, read it here. Well, coconut oil actually increases your good cholesterol and decreases the bad cholesterol. There is information out there that will tell you the opposite, that anything with saturated fat is going to clog your arteries and give you a bad cholesterol report. I encourage you to do your research and come to your own conclusion, but I don't believe that. The reason that coconut oil is different from some other unhealthy saturated fats is because it is so quickly absorbed and used by the body.
Nearly 50% of the fatty acid in coconut oil is lauric acid. Lauric acid has wonderful benefits for our body including adverse effects on bacteria, yeast, fungi and viruses. Lauric acid is actually a main component of breast milk and helps to protect babies from illness. Don't take this information lightly. These benefits can also be achieved from external use. Coconut oil's antibacterial and anti fungal properties can help with common skin ailments many of us suffer from.
Let's talk about the uses for coconut oil. I am sure there are a lot more uses than what I do, look into it. I use coconut oil for cooking as much as I can. Now, I use cold expeller pressed coconut oil. It is hard and smells and tastes like coconut. Anything other than cold pressed is junk if you ask me. Better than margarine, but not the best. Keep in mind, you can't use coconut oil in place of all oil used in your home because it does have a sweet taste to it. You have to experiment with it and see what works for your taste buds. I will use coconut oil for things like frying veggies, pancakes, quesadillas, etc. What ever I can't use coconut oil for I use butter or olive oil(extra virgin).
Coconut oil is an excellent moisturizer. I don't buy any lotion anymore because it's mostly all horrible. I use all coconut oil, including on my face and in my hair in place of gel or conditioner. I also use it as the main ingredient in my homemade deodorant. Have questions? Just ask me, I would be happy to elaborate further.
The real problem fats in our diets come from trans fats. You get these trans fats from products such as margarine and refined, highly processed oils. In our house, we use either real butter, coconut oil or olive oil for our FATTY needs! In my opinion, these are the fats that are best for us. Real fats, that are used and expelled from our bodies. Now, let me say this. All fats need to be consumed in small amounts. Too much of anything(other than Jesus) is a bad thing. Just because these fats are "good" for you, doesn't mean that you can consume as much as you want and stay thin. Use common sense.
We have been lead to believe that anything high in saturated fat is automatically bad for us and should not be consumed. This is simply not true in my opinion. It comes to a point where you have to make a decision for yourself and your family. What kind of fat are you going to consume? Is it going to be healthier oils like coconut, olive oil and real butter or are you going to purchase margarine, spray butter and canola oil? Whatever choice you make is going to make a positive or negative impact, and I encourage you to do the research and make the right choice. We have truly been misled and it's time we stop listening to marketers who only want to make a buck and start depending on our own smarts. Always remember, the closer to it's natural state, no matter what it is, is best.
Don't panic when I say that coconut oil is made from 90% saturated fat. Remember the blog post I did on the difference between healthy and unhealthy fats? If you don't, read it here. Well, coconut oil actually increases your good cholesterol and decreases the bad cholesterol. There is information out there that will tell you the opposite, that anything with saturated fat is going to clog your arteries and give you a bad cholesterol report. I encourage you to do your research and come to your own conclusion, but I don't believe that. The reason that coconut oil is different from some other unhealthy saturated fats is because it is so quickly absorbed and used by the body.
Nearly 50% of the fatty acid in coconut oil is lauric acid. Lauric acid has wonderful benefits for our body including adverse effects on bacteria, yeast, fungi and viruses. Lauric acid is actually a main component of breast milk and helps to protect babies from illness. Don't take this information lightly. These benefits can also be achieved from external use. Coconut oil's antibacterial and anti fungal properties can help with common skin ailments many of us suffer from.
Let's talk about the uses for coconut oil. I am sure there are a lot more uses than what I do, look into it. I use coconut oil for cooking as much as I can. Now, I use cold expeller pressed coconut oil. It is hard and smells and tastes like coconut. Anything other than cold pressed is junk if you ask me. Better than margarine, but not the best. Keep in mind, you can't use coconut oil in place of all oil used in your home because it does have a sweet taste to it. You have to experiment with it and see what works for your taste buds. I will use coconut oil for things like frying veggies, pancakes, quesadillas, etc. What ever I can't use coconut oil for I use butter or olive oil(extra virgin).
Coconut oil is an excellent moisturizer. I don't buy any lotion anymore because it's mostly all horrible. I use all coconut oil, including on my face and in my hair in place of gel or conditioner. I also use it as the main ingredient in my homemade deodorant. Have questions? Just ask me, I would be happy to elaborate further.
The real problem fats in our diets come from trans fats. You get these trans fats from products such as margarine and refined, highly processed oils. In our house, we use either real butter, coconut oil or olive oil for our FATTY needs! In my opinion, these are the fats that are best for us. Real fats, that are used and expelled from our bodies. Now, let me say this. All fats need to be consumed in small amounts. Too much of anything(other than Jesus) is a bad thing. Just because these fats are "good" for you, doesn't mean that you can consume as much as you want and stay thin. Use common sense.
We have been lead to believe that anything high in saturated fat is automatically bad for us and should not be consumed. This is simply not true in my opinion. It comes to a point where you have to make a decision for yourself and your family. What kind of fat are you going to consume? Is it going to be healthier oils like coconut, olive oil and real butter or are you going to purchase margarine, spray butter and canola oil? Whatever choice you make is going to make a positive or negative impact, and I encourage you to do the research and make the right choice. We have truly been misled and it's time we stop listening to marketers who only want to make a buck and start depending on our own smarts. Always remember, the closer to it's natural state, no matter what it is, is best.
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