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March 31st, 2014

3/31/2014

I have been a supporter of EWG for several years now. I am constantly looking up the products I have at home to see where they rate on EWG's scale. Now, it will be so much easier with this app whether I'm home or at the store.

I urge you to consider downloading and using it yourself and let me know what you think!

You deserve to have information about the safety of your moisturizers, shampoos and more when you shop. Now you can with EWG's easy-to-use mobile app!

Download EWG’s FREE Skin Deep App today:
http://bit.ly/1iE1nNQ (for iPhone)
http://bit.ly/1jRc2Ec (for Android)

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Some cookbooks I use for my plant-based diet

3/26/2014

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Yesterday, Mia Anderson (from my Facebook page) asked if I would share, with you, what it is I eat in a typical day to help others decide if they would want to make the change. First off, don't worry, I am not just eating salad. In fact, I eat many, many delicious warm foods (a lot of Indian). I do start off each day, most days, with a smoothie which can contain any combination of kale, spinach, chard, banana, apple, ginger, mango, pineapple, strawberries (frozen or fresh), blueberries (frozen or fresh), quick cook oats, cashew or almond milk, apple juice, protein powder, cocoa powder. And when I don't feel like having a smoothie, I'll have oatmeal.

My main source of protein is beans (black beans, adzuki, lentil, chickpea) and I nosh on almonds. But, what really makes it easy for me, especially since I love to cook, are four cookbooks I use alternately depending on what I'm in the mood for.

"Karma Chow" by Melissa Costello
"Veganomicon" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero
"Isa Does it" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
"Vegan Indian Cooking" by Anupy Singla

Occasionally, I will make recipes from "The Kind Diet" by Alicia Silverstone and "The Moosewood Cookbook" by Mollie Katzen and then there's always the Internet but that takes time and one of my favorite past times is glancing at cookbooks.

I have a few recipes listed on http://www.kathyshealthyliving.com/vegetarian-dishes.html but not as many as I should. I will make a point of adding more up there but if you buy at least "Karma Chow" and "Isa Does It" you will find you have enough delicious recipes in there to get you started.

Of course, I ALWAYS take vitamin B12 (in sublingual form) along with a B complex, calcium/magnesium with D3, liquid D3 along with other supplements.

In the mean time, what I will do in the next day or so is list my favorite dishes from these books with links to the recipes on the Internet. That can get you going.

Hope this helps! Have a great day!

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Plant-based diet and cholesterol

3/24/2014

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I don't really feel this way but this cartoon certainly made me smile! Actually, I probably know a few people who think that is why I chose this lifestyle, though. :-)

I have been on a plant-based diet since September 2012. It has been an incredible journey for me and, like I've written in the past, it is wonderful to go through life without feeling nauseous all the time.

I hadn't had a cholesterol screening since December 2011 and thought it would be a good time to get myself tested again.

Throughout the years, my total cholesterol has ranged between 175 and 196. My good and bad cholesterol were always within the limits of what the medical establishment says it should be. My bad cholesterol (LDL) has always been below the limit but pretty close to the 100-130.

So, today I was delighted to learn that my levels were much lower than they'd been over the past 15 years. I don't even remember having a total cholesterol of 145 (since I began being tested at least). But 145 is what it was today.

My HDL (healthy cholesterol) was 100 and should be above 60.
My LDL (bad cholesterol) didn't even come up in the reading. She told me that is because the machine will only give a reading if it is above 50 (optimal range should be below 129).

So, why am I writing this post? Because if you have ever had any doubt that you can affect your cholesterol with diet, this is my proof. I've heard the argument that high cholesterol can be genetic. In my family, where many members have high cholesterol, do they have it because of genetics or their choice of food? I tend to think the latter.

Even if you are sure you have a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol, it would be a great experiment to try a plant-based diet and just see if it will make a difference. Much better than taking cholesterol-lowering medication for the rest of your life.

I will admit, it was a challenge to choose this lifestyle at first...sometimes it still is. (Heck, I break down one in blue moon and have a slice of pizza). But it gets easier and the benefits far outweigh the inconveniences (especially social). Plus, for me, it tends to keep me much more calm and less angry.

I would be more than happy to talk to you about my own experience if you think you may want to try.

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Tennis Ball - Acupressure

3/19/2014

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"They say that shoulder blades are where your wings were when you were an angel."

So, you've got a knot in your back and the space between your shoulder blades...well...it's in pain. Did you know knots between your shoulder blades can cause sleep problems! Yes. It has been known to keep me up at night too.

INSOMNIA BACK POINTS: Put 2 tennis balls in a sock. Lie on them to press these points, which also relieves breathing & chest congestion.

The picture shows other acupressure points which can be helped using the same method.

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Clean Eating!

3/9/2014

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From Karma Chow (I couldn't say it better myself and I frequently say the same thing to others).

"The cleaner you eat, the more your body can actually tell you what it needs. Rather than following some diet or labeling yourself by what you eat, what about living as an “Intuitarian?” You intuitively eat what your body tells you it needs."

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The Guest House

3/1/2014

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I read this quote as I sat listening to Windham Hill music. After, I read some poetry by Rumi (one of my favorite poets). I like this...

"If I had my life to live over again, I would have made a rule to read some poetry and listen to some music at least once every week."
~ Charles Darwin

And...a beautiful poem by Rumi...

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
As an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

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March 31st, 2014

Some cookbooks I use for my plant-based diet

Plant-based diet and cholesterol

Tennis Ball - Acupressure

Clean Eating!

The Guest House

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