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Is "Natural" Sugar Really Better for You?

10/4/2015

You probably know by now that refined sugars are one of the worst things you can consume. Along with processed trans-fats and artificial ingredients, sugar is one of the major killers that we consume on a regular basis, and has been linked to numerous diseases, including diabetes, obesity, and cancer.

As more and more people are becoming aware of the dangers of sugar, it's not surprising that more and more sugar "replacements" are being marketed, but are they really all that much better for you than real sugar?

We now know that artificial sweeteners such as aspartame are possibly even worse for you than real sugar, but what about the "natural" sugars you hear about everywhere these days?

Today I'm going to reveal the truth with a quick rundown of the top 6 natural sugars on the market right now, and how they compare.

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Homemade Coconut Oil Toothpaste Recipe & More

9/27/2015

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You may know that most commercially available personal care products such as deodorant, lotions, shampoos, and even toothpaste are packed full of hundreds of chemicals. While most of these are "generally recognized as safe" by the FDA in small doses, what we don't really know for sure is what the impact of these chemicals may be on our health over time, with repeated use, and in combination with each other.

That's why, several years ago, after reading a truly eye-opening book, I started switching all of my personal care products to all-natural and organic versions. (You can find some of my favorites in our Recommended Products section.)

I am very happy to see so many of these types of products gaining market share, as it shows that people really are starting to wake up to what they're putting in their bodies, and making a choice to take back control of their health. As more people purchase these products, and more companies make them, the price has already started to come down, and many of these products are just as affordable as their chemical-laden counterparts - at least for the higher end stuff.

However, some of the better all-natural products still remain somewhat expensive, or at least they're perceived that way. That's why it's great that you can make many of your own products at home, yourself, for a very minimal cost. Plus, when you make it yourself, you know exactly what's in it!

This week, just to mix things up a little, I thought it would be fun to share a couple of all-natural recipes for common personal care items that you can actually make at home, using simple, inexpensive ingredients like coconut oil and essential oils. They're very affordable, easy to make, effective, and safe.

Let's start with toothpaste...

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The Anti-Diet: How Intuitive Eating Can Make You Healthier & Happier

9/20/2015

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As I've mentioned before, one of the most important things you can do for your health is to learn to listen to your body. By doing so, not only will you learn a lot about what your body needs, but you will easily and even automatically begin to make healthier choices in many areas of your life.

One of the main areas that many of us struggle with in modern life as it relates to health is eating. We are constantly surrounded by unhealthy foods, which means that making healthy food choices takes conscious effort - it's not automatic anymore. There is also a lot of conflicting information out there about what "healthy" even means when it comes to eating. Should you avoid red meat? What about fat? Do you have to buy everything organic just to be healthy? Is vegan the way to go? Should you be eating gluten-free?

It's no wonder so many of us give up and spend most of our lives overweight or even obese!

But what if we could find a way to make it easy to choose what to eat, and completely change our love/hate relationship with food? What if we could relax in the knowledge that we actually can automatically choose the foods that our bodies need and want, without any guilt or stress?

If you've read my post mentioned above about listening to your body, you may know where I'm going with this, but even I did not realize there is actually a term for it.

It's called "intuitive eating," and it just may be the end of all diets, and the one way that we can finally turn our destructive relationship with food around once and for all.

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4 Ways to Live a Longer, Healthier Life

9/7/2015

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In addition to building a strong immune system, as we discussed last week, you also need to do what you can to keep your cells young if you want to stay healthy. While your cells die constantly, the new cells your body builds to replace them can either have "young" characteristics, or behave like older ones, which accelerate aging in the body.

If you want to live longer and have more healthy years, you need to take steps to keep all of your cells healthy. After all, no one wants to live more years if those years are to be spent sick and in pain, right? A good, happy life is more about quality than quantity when it comes down to it.

Here are 4 simple things you can do to live a longer, healthier life!

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The Cure for All Disease?

8/30/2015

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Last week, we discussed the fact that your body's natural state is one of health and wholeness. In almost all cases, any deviation from this state is a result of the choices we make, and the behaviors we engage in.

As a follow up, we thought it important to address the underlying question - just what is health? What does it mean to be healthy, and what steps can we take to achieve that state (if we have lost it), and to maintain it (once we have it)?

While there are probably thousands of factors that affect our health, luckily we don't have to address all of these different factors individually.

In fact, there is really only ONE main area which determines whether or not we are healthy, and whether we stay that way. If you can keep this one facet of your bodily systems healthy, you will greatly decrease your odds of contracting any disease, and greatly increase your odds of living a long, healthy, and happy life.

Just what is this miracle "cure"?

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Health Is Your Natural State

8/23/2015

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Today I wanted to clear up something that has been bugging me for some time. It's perhaps a touchy subject in some ways, so I will do my best to be clear that I'm not pointing fingers at anyone.

Rather, I am attempting to point out a common error in thinking, which is leading our country down a dangerous path when it comes to the topic of health and disease. Luckily, the choice is up to you....

Which path will you choose?

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Gluten-Free Is Healthier: Hype or Truth?

7/26/2015

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If you're at all interested in health (or even if you're not), I'm sure you've noticed the proliferation of "gluten-free" foods popping up everywhere. Everything from cakes and candies, to pasta, tortillas, and beer can be found in gluten-free versions, and most restaurants now have many gluten-free options on the menu.

But is the "gluten-free" craze just another fad, or does it really mean something? How much does gluten really affect your health? This week, we're delving into the details to uncover the truth about gluten, and what kind of impact it has on your health.

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49% Of Americans Eat This Unhealthy Food Every Day...

7/5/2015

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I saw this headline in my email inbox the other day, and thought, hmmm.... High-fructose corn syrup? Nope, that's got to be more than 49%. Hydrogenated oils? Processed foods? Milk? Bacon? :-)

Actually, the truth is more surprising than that, because it's a food that many people think of as "healthy." And it's not an ingredient at all. In fact, it can make a whole meal, and is probably the most common lunch staple in America.

What is it, and why is it so unhealthy? Read on and find out....

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Does Your Body Recognize Your Breakfast?

6/14/2015

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Example of a TRULY healthy breakfast...

Let's face it: if a caveman sat down to breakfast with you, he probably wouldn't recognize a thing on your table.

He actually wouldn't see frosted flakes, bagels, Cheerios, or English muffins as food at all.

Unfortunately, neither does your body!

Biologically, humans just don't evolve all that quickly. In fact, while it may be the 21st century, your body still craves the same foods that your ancestors ate for thousands of years. Some nutritionists call these important foods "primal nutrition."

Primal nutrition is considered by many to be the basis for good health, as it contains the proper mix of fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that our ancestors got from the whole, natural foods that they ate regularly.

But just how bad is the typical "healthy" American breakfast anyway, and how can you make healthier choices without being bored out of your mind?

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8 Foods You Shouldn't Buy Organic

5/31/2015

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We've all heard how much healthier organic foods are for you, but we also know that buying only organic foods can get pricey pretty quickly. If you want to make your food dollars work efficiently for you, and get the most bang for your buck, so to speak, while still taking care of your health, there are a few strategies you can use to eat healthy without going broke.

We've shared some tips for saving money on organic food in previous posts, so I won't cover those again here today, but be sure to check those out as well. (Of course, the best way of all is to grow your own food! But we'll save that for another day.)

One great way to make sure you're eating healthy is to choose whole, unprocessed foods. Processed foods command a premium, as we have previously mentioned. You're paying a lot for someone else to process and package your food for you - and in the process, you're also losing nutritional value. Whole, natural, unprocessed foods are cheaper by the pound than any seemingly "cheap" processed items you can buy - and better for you, to boot. Want to save money on food - and eat healthier? Buy the fresh, unprocessed ingredients, and make it yourself!

But another thing to be aware of is that some foods are more important to buy organic than others. You can strategically save money and still buy and eat healthy foods, if you know which non-organically raised foods to avoid, and which ones are okay to eat. That way, you can put the "organic" portion of your food dollars towards foods that really shouldn't be eaten any other way.

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