Wellness Break: Natural Products Part I

The path towards complete health and wellness can feel overwhelming to someone just starting out. Trust me, I know because I was a "product junkie", though I still love my lavish bath soaps, perfumes and body lotions. I did, however, decide to take small steps in the direction of becoming chemical free and that started with aluminum-free deodorant and fluoride-free toothpaste.

I wanted to take a Wellness Break in the middle of National Nutrition Month to share two natural, chemical-free products that I began using last year and am completely satisfied with!


Here are some health risks associated with using products that contain the following:

Aluminum: Seizures, Breast Cancer, Kidney Problems, Alzheimer's Disease and Bone Forming Disorders. (Read my blog post on why sweating is good!)

Fluoride: Tooth Decay, Certain Cancers, Thyroid Problems and Osteoporosis.

I encourage you to take responsibility for not just your nutrition, but your overall wellness and research reasons why and ways that you may begin eliminating chemicals from your daily use. As I mentioned, I am still attached to some personal items, but I am happy with the small changes that I have made! You must be willing to start somewhere.

To learn more about Tom's of Maine and all of their natural products, visit their website here.

Update: I purchased a couple of boxes of toothpaste from Wal-Mart and I did not check to see if they were all fluoride free. Unfortunately, since I did not pay close attention to my purchase, the photo above is of one that has fluoride in it. I discovered this after a week of sensing something wasn't quite right with my taste buds! So the overall message is: READ LABELS, folks! :-)

Fruit & Chia Pudding Recipe

I am not really big on Social Media, in fact, I am almost "anti-social media", but have adapted with the times (hence this blog). If I had to guess I would say that 99.9% of my Food-Mood business is received via referrals and presentations. One thing is for certain though, I have made it a point to "follow" companies or people that inspire me to be a better person in the kitchen! 

Today's blog post is in honor of the creators of Food Matters. If you are not familiar, I recommend watching the short documentary on nutrition, which can be found on Netflix. On Instagram last week, they posted a lovely Vanilla & Coconut Chia Pudding recipe that I had to experiment with!

See below my recipe that I tweaked, along with photos to match:

                                       
Ingredients: 1 cup of Almond Milk (I used Vanilla to go along with the theme), 1/4 cup of Blueberries, 1/4 cup of Raspberries, 2 tbs of Chia Seeds, 1 tbs of Shredded Coconut, 1/2 tbs of Vanilla and Mason Jars. If you prefer different fruit, feel free to substitute. Prior to this post, I used Mango and Pineapples. Yum!

Combine all of the ingridients into your mason jars.

Then seal & shake!

Place your jars in the refrigerator to thickened. The Food Matters recipe calls for 3 hours, but I found that having them settle overnight works best for me!
Enjoy!

HomeGoods Healthy!

My weekends are pretty much spent at the grocery store and at any TJX store that I may find. I have traded the nightlife in for a more domestic life and I am quite fine with it! *smile*


Anywho, just wanted to stop by and share my goodies with you. I purchased these three 8oz bags of Chia Seeds, Turmeric Powder and Coconut Palm Sugar for a total of $18! At first, I used to be surprised at the low prices found at the TJX stores, but now I marvel in it. I can honestly say that some of my go-to stores are now in competition with TJX. Of course, it depends on what you are looking for, but they are sure to please. 

Take a look at my previous blog posts to find the benefits of each:

Green Tea Water Flush

Many people ask me how I am able to drink so much water, especially if they know me personally and know that years ago I hated drinking plain water (read my blog post here). My response is always: "You have to be creative." Being that my weight requires me to drink 60+ ounces of water a day, I do not shortchange myself - I drink 60+ ounces a day!

If you are someone who struggles with drinking your daily intake of water, here is yet another way to maximize the opportunity to do so.

What you'll need:
  • Green Tea - I recommend using Green Tea because of its health benefits (Chinese and Indian medicine use green tea to improve mental health).
  • A glass jar that can be closed
  • Boiling water
Directions:
Place 1 tea bag in a glass jar and pour boiling water over it. Seal the jar and place in the refrigerator to seep. Once chilled, feel free to add ice. Repeat these steps throughout the day until you have reached your maximum water intake (prepare the jars in advance). If you find that the water is still too bland, add a 1/2 tbs of raw honey to it prior to placing it in the fridge. 

While in HomeGoods a few months back, I stumbled across this lovely mix of green tea with dandelion, milk thistle and violet. I had to purchase it and I am so happy that I did! As the seasons have been changing rapidly (freezing one day and 70 degrees the next), I have avoided getting sick and I owe it to my ability to remain hydrated.


Happy brewing!

Happy Liver Juice

What if I told you that your mental health and overall well-being is linked to your liver? Our organs are directly linked to how we feel and how we balance our emotions. In my research, I have learned that by treating depression, holistic practitioners in the field pay close attention to the elimination of toxins in the liver. A part of the liver’s function, as it relates to our mental state, has the ability to stabilize our emotions and prevent emotional inactivity. When our liver is full with toxins, they move throughout our bloodstream, which in turn affects our body’s natural flow. One of the roles that the liver is responsible for is the conversion of hormones released during high emotional states to elimination. When our high levels of emotions stay a little longer than they should, the liver stops functioning properly.

It is a healthy practice to tune into our body’s natural flow, so that we are not weighing them down with toxins. Having a healthy diet is one good way to restore the liver’s function, so that we can maintain a healthy emotional state.


One of the ways that I have balanced my liver, is by flushing my system out with my “Happy Liver Juice” recipe. Take a look at the ingredients below and the benefits as they can improve your liver function:

- 6 carrots (natural liver detoxifier and great for acne) 
- 2 roots of turmeric (stimulates elimination of bile in the liver and then works to strengthen the liver)
- 1 lemon (liver cleanser) 
- 1 ginger nub (stimulates better liver performance)
- 1 orange (liver cleansing enzymes) 
- ½ tbs of maca root (balances those crazy hormones)
- Pour over ice, drink & enjoy!

I recommend drinking this juice at least 1-2 times per week (to start). While you detox your liver, you begin to detox your entire body and may experience clearer skin, stronger nails, weight loss and a spike in your energy!

Benefits of Cacao

My favorite TJX stores strikes again! While perusing the specialty foods aisles at HomeGoods over the weekend, I scored a very affordable bag of cacao...not to be confused with cocoa. Cacao is actually cocoa, but in it's natural state, filled with nutrients that may provide natural energy.
Cacao has many health benefits, which include:
  • Mood enhancer - acts as an anti-depressant
  • Promotes heart health
  • Eases PMS symptoms
  • Reduces risk of colon cancer
  • Improves brain function
  • Enhances glucose metabolism
  • Aphrodisiac
  • Aids in weight loss
Here is a suggested recipe on the back of the bag:
- 12 oz almond milk
- 1 tbsp cacao powder
- 1 banana
- Ice, water & blend away!
*I added a 1/2 tbs of Maca powder and 1 tbs of hemp protein to mine.

Cacao offers an abundance of antioxidants, which exceed that of blueberries and cranberries.

Green Smoothie Recipe

My Nutribullet and I are still going strong! Since I have gotten my juicer, I have noticed that I tend to blend smoothies a lot less. So about two weeks ago, I committed to making juices every other day only and a large part of the reason also, is that I get tired of chopping and cleaning when I make juice.

So anywho, here's a quick green smoothie recipe. This is typically a staple recipe, as I usually buy the same items.

Ingredients:
- 1 handful of Spinach (or another leafy green veggie)
- 1 cup of Greek Yogurt (the one I used was Chobani w/pineapples)
- 1 banana
- 1 cup of diced pineapples
- 1/2 tbs of maca root
- 1/2 large Hass avocado
- 1 tbs of ground chia seeds
- Almond milk and water (I use equal parts and measure in my bullet cup)
- Ice cubes

Quick Juice Recipe

Here is a quick juice recipe to sample, if you ever have any of these items in your fridge!

- 1 numb of ginger
- 1 lemon
- 1/2 tbs of maca root (this is a staple lately; read about the power of MACA!)
- 1 sweet potato
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 cucumber
- 5 strawberries

Juice, pour over ice and enjoy!

Krazy for Kale Recipe

I'm sure you've heard about kale, tried kale, didn't like it, liked it but maybe didn't know how to prepare it. Here's a quick recipe to be less intimidated by it, so you can eat more of it!

Ingredients:
  • Seasonings: garlic powder, garlic salt, crushed red pepper flakes, onion powder, & black pepper
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil/Olive Oil
  • Chopped kale 
  • 4 chopped Green onions
  • 5 cloves of fresh minced garlic
  • Mushrooms
  • 1 lemon wedge 
  • 1/3 cup water
Directions:

Add a tsp of oil to your chopped kale along with your seasonings & lemon juice. Meanwhile, in a pan, heat up olive oil, add green onions, garlic, mushrooms, seasonings & slightly sauté. Add water & kale. Mix in mushrooms & cover to simmer for about 5 minutes. 

Be sure to not overcook your kale, because it is very tough, but cook until desired texture. I personally like mine tender, like collards.

Visit here for some benefits of Kale, as well as an easy recipe for Kale Chips.

Happy National Nutrition Month!