Natural Makeup and Skin Care: TODAY Investigates the Movement

This was a well descriptive video about the skincare products that are out there today and how the FDA doesn't mandate what chemicals the companies use. Look on the back of some of your main products, if you can't understand the word, you should be concerned that you are placing toxins on the largest organ of your body.... aka your skin! My motto has been if I can wear it I should be able to eat it or at least be healthy enough for my skin topically. Tata Harper's natural makeup and skin care products are amazing and worth the price. I purchased her eye cream and noticed changes within 5 minutes of having droopy eyes from lack of sleep and it all went away with the basic natural ingredients found in her products and naturally harvested on her farm. How cool is that!!! Yes, there is such a thing called a beauty farm, it's in Vermont.




Next time you are out buying face or beauty products look at the ingredients and if you want to know if it's harmful download this free app called "think Dirty." This amazing app tells you what ingredients are harmful and if they cause cancer, neurological disabilities, etc.. Think Dirty rates the product from 0-10, 10 being the worst and harmful to your body.

If you want to slowly start making that change over to better beauty products it's easy. I recently started subscribing to Beauty Heroes. Each month for $39 I receive a non-toxic surprise in the mail. Each of these products are from $80+ retail wise. The month of February is fabulous Valentine's gift for you! February 'Love is All Around You' Box is made up of Beauty Counter's Lustro Rose Neroli Body Oil (Valued at $73) Plus a sidekick Lip Sheer in Petal (Valued at $30). Both products are amazing!! The Lip sheer is a light pink that feels so soft on the lips, almost like silk and the body oil's aromatic fragrance is light and soothing on the skin.
Click on the link if you are interested in joining Beauty Heroes today! https://shop.beauty-heroes.com/refer/Julie-QUGKHCPE

Treat yourself for Valentine's Day! Have a Happy and Beautiful week!

Black Bean Chipotle Soup

1 Can of Black Beans
2 Stalks of Celery, diced
2 Carrots, peeled and cut
1 yellow onion, cut into 1/4 inch
2 Chipotles, chopped
1 Cup crushed tomatoes
1 Can chopped mild green chilies, drained
6 Cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 Teaspoons Cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour Cream
Thick and chunky salsa
Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Avacado sliced

Add all ingredients to the crock-pot. Cook on low for 7 plus hours until vegetables are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve and top with sour cream, cilantro, salsa, and avacado.

*If you cook over the stove, cook on high heat until carrots and celery are tender then simmer for a few more minutes

1 can of black beans

Worry about Cancer? There are natural preventatives you can take

I recently had to write a paper for my Pathophysiology class this past week on cancer prevention. It was a very interesting assignment to research a little and read that there are natural fresh fruits and vegetables that help your body prevent cancer cells from growing. 

Some of the best sources to help your immune system and overall heath to help prevent cancer would be to increase your daily intake of organic or locally grown fruits and vegetables. There are substances found in them that are known to protect the body against cancer. Phytochemicals include pigments such as carotenes, chlorophyll, and flavonoids, dietary fibers, enzymes, vitamin- like compounds, and other minor dietary constituents. It is important to choose fruits and vegetables that change with the season help get your bodies organs ready for that new season. Also, it’s a very good idea to cleanse and detox the body for spring and fall. Some of the fruits and vegetables that have been helpful are colors that are green, yellow, and orange. I have listed some of them that were listed to be helpful:

Green (Dark)	Yellow/ Light Green	Orange
Artichoke Asparagus Green Bell Pepper Broccoli Brussels sprouts Chard Collard Greens Cucumber Green Beans Green Grapes Honeydew melon Kale Leeks Lettuce (Dark greens) Mustard greens Peas Spinach Turnip Greens	Apples (green and yellow) Avocado Bananas Yellow Bell peppers Bok choy Cabbage Cauliflower Celery Fennel Kiwi Lemons Light green lettuce Limes Onions Pears (green and yellow) Pineapple Squash Zucchini	Apricots Orange Bell pepper Butternut squash Cantaloupe Carrots Mangoes Oranges Papaya Pumpkin Sweet potatoes Yams

The information provided in the Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine was very informative for preventing cancer. There are some helpful ways to help keep optimal health. The optimal health food diet is based on the following principles:

1.    Eat an assortment of fruits and vegetables – mainly green, yellow, and orange colors, but the other colors can be good too.
2.    Reducing your daily exposure to pesticides, heavy metals, and food additives. If you can’t afford organic you can peel off the skin or remove the outer layers of the leaves to reduce the pesticide levels.
3.    Eat to support your blood sugar control. You don’t want to eat more sugar than your body actually needs.
4.   Consuming high intakes of meats and other animal products put ones self at a higher risk for heart disease and cancer. If you want to eat meats it should be fish, white meat or poultry.
5.  Eat the right types of fats. Some healthier options are olive oil, coconut oil or macadamia nut oil. Keep salt intake low, potassium intake high. Try to use salt substitution or low-sodium foods. American diets is the reverse of sodium to potassium with a ratio of 1:2. The average health ratio for potassium to sodium is 50:1. The average K: Na ratio for some common fruits and vegetables are carrots 75:1, potatoes 110:1, apples 90:1, bananas 440:1, oranges 260:1.
6.     Avoid food additives. If you can avoid foods that have artificial food colors, especially those that begin with FD&C. Also, cutting out artificial sweeteners (Aspartame, Acesulfame-K, and Saccarin)
7.  Take measures to reduce foodborne illness. Washing your fruits and vegetables with spray or some soap and water will help remove and unwanted germs from the outer layer. Keeping the temperature of chicken and other meats used when sitting out. Make sure any canned or boxed foods you purchase don’t have dents or cut open.
8.     Drink sufficient amounts of water each day. It’s good to drink a minimum of 48oz a day.
9.    Exercise is an important aspect of removing toxins that build up in our muscles. This is just another way to detox the muscles from unwanted build-up of lactic acid and other things. 

Here is a diet below includes anticancer phytochemicals

Upon Rising

·         8 ounce glass pure water with fresh juice from half a lemon (carotenes, coumarins, flavonoids and limonoids)

Morning – Breakfast

·         3 egg white omelet with tomatoes, peppers, celery, and spinach (carotenes, coumarins, flavonoids and limonoids)

·         2 cups green tea (polyphenols)

Morning – Snack:

·         Handful of raw natural almonds (lignans and sterols)

Afternoon – Lunch

·         Smoothie – scoop of whey protein powder, flaxseed, kale, ½ avocado, ½ cup blueberries, ½ cup raspberries, ½ cup blackberries, unsweetened green tea (carotenes, dithiolthiones, glucosinolates, and thiocyanates, flavonoids, lignans, and polyphenols)

Afternoon – Snack

·         1 ounce dark chocolate (at least 70% cacao)

·         Handful of pumpkin seeds (lignans and sterols)

Evening – Dinner

·         4 ounces chicken breast

·         Serving of baked sweet potatoes

·         Serving of brussels sprouts

·         Bowl of fresh mixed berries

·         2 cup of green tea (carotenes, dithiolthiones, glucosinolates, and thiocyanates, flavonoids, and polyphenols)

The above diet calls for drinking an adequate amount of fresh water.  For a 150 pound individual this would mean 75 ounces per day.  Fiber goal should be 25 grams daily.  Eat more fish and use turmeric which is a polyphenol for flavoring.  Avoid red meat and limit alcohol consumption, red wine in moderation is a good polyphenol.  Do not eat trans fats and limit your salt intake. 

Eating a healthy diet and being physically active are good for you. That's why the American Cancer Society developed nutrition and physical activity guidelines. This printable pdf contains tips to help you make those guidelines a part of your everyday life and to help you stay well (Living Smart, 2010).  Once you learn the food items that help to prevent cancers you can easily incorporate them into your daily diet.  The diet plan I made above is very extreme and includes mostly foods that have phytochemicals that have antioxidants, enhance the immune function, antitumor properties, enhance antioxidant mechanisms, block cancer-causing compounds from damaging cells, enhance detoxification, direct antitumor effects, block estrogen receptors, modulate hormone receptors, block carcinogens, and block carcinogen formation.  

Reference:

Murray, M. T., & Pizzorno, J. E. (1998). A Health Pomoting Diet. In Encyclopedia of natural medicine (3rd ed., pp. 48-67). Rocklin, CA: Prima Pub.

Stay Healthy. (n.d.). Retrieved June 25, 2015, from http://www.cancer.org/healthy/index

How to Avoid Food Additives & Preservatives. (2013, January 16). Retrieved June 25, 2015, from http%3A%2F%2Fhealthychild.org%2Feasy-steps%2Favoid-risky-food-additives-preservatives%2F

Living smart: The American Cancer Society’s Guide to Eating Healthy and Being Active [Consumer brochure]. (2010). Retrieved from American Cancer Society Inc. website: http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/content/@editorial/documents/document/acspc-044197.pdf

Bruises and how to heal them faster nauturally

I haven't posted anything for a while with school consuming my extra time. I thought I would write something about bruising and what has been my lifesaver. I have had 2 experiences in the last 6 months with the use Arnica salve. I first stumbled upon it at my local Target. I originally purchased it due to dry skin here in Arizona. Since my amazing purchase I have used it on several bruises I just happen to find. 

Christmas day (2014) was one of those days that went down in "Nelson" history.... That morning my youngest sister and I really wanted waffles and fresh squeezed orange juice. I went to grab the pitcher and not knowing there was a crack grabbed for the pitcher and sliced my finger almost to the bone. My sister at the time is waiting for nursing school and she was great! First we poured vinegar on the wound to help clout the blood faster. After 4 hours of bleeding we went to urgent care and I ended up with 3 stitches. What an experience! Once I pulled out my own stitches the healing process began and the skin finally closed up.
Since my tragic accident at Christmas causing me 3 stitches in my finger, the wound began to heal nicely with a combination of Tea Tree Melaleuca alternifolia, Lavender Lavandula angustifolia and Lemongrass Cymbopogon citratus essential oils. The skin started closing up within 2 weeks, but the 3rd week I removed my stitches myself. Once the skin was completely closed i began to lather Arnica salve Pomada de Arnica on which sped up the healing time and reduced the scar to a small line as you can see in the last photo. 

My next mishap was just  March 8th, 2015. It was your typical Saturday...... I was chatting on the phone with my sister while sitting on my small bathroom sink. Suddenly, I fell backwards and twisted which caused me to land sideways on the toilet seat before falling to the ground (it was a horrible experience that happened very fast).The right side of my body hit the hardest causing a huge bruise on just above my right hip. When I landed on the tile floor my ribs were extremely sore and still hurt almost 3 months later. My middle sister heard the whole thing take place and was about to drive over to make sure I was alright, I told her I was fine and I would be over later to watch a movie. 

Boy, after a few hours the skin didn't discolor- just hardened, but I could feel it was coming. A lump the size of a baseball, red and purple discoloring of the skin and multiple broker vessels. I also think I might have badly bruised or even fractured my ribs. Each day I began to lather the Arnica salve each night before I went to bed to see if it would help heal it faster than just naturally doing nothing. Low and behold I took pictures of the progress and the healing that took place. Normally bruises last 2+ weeks for me, but after 8 days you can see that it was almost all gone. I have been very fortunate to not have had this bruise longer and that it was in a good place to cover up. I laughed with my sister and said it looked like I had been in a nasty fight. Thank goodness I wasn't. 

Here are some useful benefits for Arnica:

• Bruises
• Sprains
• Soreness and swelling/ muscle spasms from sports activity
• arthritis that is set off by seasonal change or general muscle and joint pain

Available In:	Tincture, homeopathic ointment, cream, salve and pills
Herb Drug:	Some people are sensitive to the compound helenalin found in arnica. If you develop a mild rash, then you are probably helenalin-sensitive and should stop using arnica.
Interaction:	Arnica is toxic if it gets inside the body. Never apply arnica in any form on broken skin or on an open wound. Never take arnica internally unless it's in the form of homeopathic pills that contain too little arnica to cause harm.
When Buying:	Look for pure arnica extract, homeopathic pills with 30x dilution, or topical applications.
Dosage and Warning:	External ointments and tinctures: Rub or massage arnica tincture freely onto injured area, only if skin isn't broken. Arnica compresses: Mix 1 tablespoon of arnica tincture in 1 pint of purified water. Dip a gauze pad in the mixture, then put it on the arthritic joint or bruised area. Homeopathic arnica pills: Pour 4 pills into the cap of the bottle, them toss them into your mouth, under the tongue. (Never handle homeopathic pills, in order to preserve their energetic qualities.) The pills can be taken every two hours for the first 24 hours after the injury, but not within a half-hour of eating. Use the 30x dilution as a first aid treatment for minor injury and prior to dental work to reduce bruising.
Child Dosage:	Half the adult dose

Natural acne remedies with homemade face mask recipes

Why spend tons of money on face masks that are filled with harsh chemicals that produce things such as cancer. Everything you will need can be found in your kitchen to create a healthier and more beautiful skin.

Honey is an antibacterial that has been used throughout the ages to dress wounds (one of my favorite ingredients). It is an excellent choice to use on troubled skin by itself or as a base with other ingredients.    **Always choose organic, raw honey.

Masks can be left on for up to 30 minutes, although some people put up with the mess to leave them on overnight. After that time, rinse thoroughly and use coconut oil as a moisturizer if your skin feels too dry.

Honey Mask Recipes for Facials:

Cinnamon and Honey

Two tablespoons of honey to one teaspoon of cinnamon. Cinnamon is also an antimicrobial. You can also use a 1:1 ratio for short or overnight spot treatments.

Yogurt and Honey

Use a 1:1 ratio. Be sure to use plain, whole- fat yogurt. This mask is very nourishing to the skin.

Strawberries and Honey

Mash up strawberries and mix with honey with a roughly 1:1 ratio. Strawberries are high in salicylic acid and vitamin C, providing nourishment for the skin along with opening and shrinking pores.

Avocado and Honey

Mash one avocado and add one tablespoon of honey. Mix well. This is a nutrient rich mask.

Lemon and Honey

Use a 1:1 ratio. Vitamin C from the lemon nourishes the skin and fights infection and lemon tones the skin as well. (You can also use straight lemon juice for spot treatments).

Turmeric, Milk, and Honey

Turmeric has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Use 4 tablespoons turmeric to 4 tablespoons honey. Add 1 tablespoon of milk or yogurt. Turmeric will leave the skin yellow. Use any astringent (like lemon or apple cider vinegar) to remove the yellow tinge.

Other masks to help clear your skin blemishes

Egg whites-- Whip and apply. Egg whites are said to help fade acne scars and to help with breakouts due to the protein and vitamins they contain. They also help curtail excess sebum.

Papaya--Mash and apply. The enzyme, papain, helps to reduce inflammation and prevent infection.

Orange peel--Grated, mashed peel with water or mix with aloe vera. The citric acid works as an astringent while the vitamin C helps promote new healthy cell growth.

Banana peel--Rub the inside of the peel over your face. Banana peel contain lutein, a powerful antioxidant that reduces swelling and inflammation while promoting healthy cell growth.

Oatmeal - make one serving of oatmeal and add 1 tablespoon of raw honey. Use after it completely cools. This is a mask to reduce inflammation and to soothe the skin; it is not a mask that will kill bacteria.

To truly heal your skin, you must treat more than the outside (the symptoms); you must treat the cause. A full healing will involve detoxing, balancing the gut and eliminating Candida, eating a very healthy diet, and balancing your hormones (men, women).

Sources:

http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com

http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com

http://www.healingthebody.ca

15 Reasons You Should Be Drinking Lemon Water Every Morning

If you are looking for an easy trick to improve your life and overall health, than look no further. Drinking lemon water first thing in the morning is a pretty simple routine to get into and will have tremendous effects on your overall health.

Since I started this simple and surprisingly healthy habit a few years ago, I definitely noticed the difference. Not only does the refreshing taste wake me up in the morning, it helps to kick start digestion and finalizes my body’s natural detoxification processes… And lemons are packed with vitamin C, B, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, enzymes, antioxidants, and fibers.

*According to the Ayurvedic philosophy, choices you make regarding your daily routine either build up resistance to diseases or tear it down.

So what are you waiting for to jump start your day with this incredible easy morning routine. Its benefits are endless.

1. Improves Digestion

Lemon juice has a similar structure to your stomach’s juices and helps to loosen and flush out toxins from the digestive tract. Lemon juice can help ease indigestion, heartburn, and bloating. It also helps to move your bowels in the morning, hydrates your colon, stimulate bile production, and infuses water in your stool.

2. Boost Immune System

Lemon juice is rich in vitamin C, which helps strengthen the immunes system and fights cold and flu. But not only vitamin C is important for a good working immune system, iron is another important nutrient, and lemons improve the ability to absorb more iron from the food you eat.

3. Hydrates Your Body

It is important to stay hydrated. Especially during the summer months. Plain water is best, but many people find this boring and are not drinking enough of it. That’s where lemon comes into play to make things more interesting. So feel free to not only start your day with lemon water, but drink as many glasses as you wish during the day to stay hydrated.

4. Boost Energy

Lemon water gives you an instant boost of energy and improves your mood right at the start of your day.

5. Promote Healthy And Rejuvenated Skin

Lemons are a rich sources of antioxidants that prevent free radical damage. These free radicals are responsible for pre-mature aging of your skin. Vitamin C helps to maintain your skin’s elasticity to prevent the formation of wrinkles and decrease blemishes.

6. Reduce Inflammation

Lemons have the ability to remove uric acid from your joints. Uric acid built-ups are one of the major causes of inflammation.

7. Weight Loss Aid

Although lemon water on its own is no weight loss miracle, it can definitely help you to achieve faster and long term results. Lemons assist in fighting hunger cravings, boost metabolism, and give you a stuffed feeling, making it less likely to snack in between meals.

8. Alkalize Your Body

Although lemons have a sour taste, they are one of the most alkalizing food sources on Earth. Too much acids can cause inflammation, obesity, and major diseases like cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Click here to learn more about the importance of alkalizing your body.

9. Cleansing Properties

Lemons help your entire body to flush out more toxins to prevent built-ups and damage to your cells, tissues, and organs. It stimulates your liver to produce more enzymes and work more efficiently. Lemon juice works as a diuretic to keep your urinary tract toxin-free and can also change the pH levels which discourage bacterial growth. This is very helpful for people who often suffer from UTI (urinary tract infection). And like mentioned before, lemons loosen and flush out waste from your digestive tract and cleanse your colon.

10. Antibacterial and Antiviral Properties

Lemons have antibacterial and antiviral properties. They help fight the flu, cold, and soothe a sore throat. Although people who drink their daily lemon water every day are less likely to get these in the first place.

11. Reduce Mucus And Phlegm

Lemon water helps to reduce mucus and phlegm formation. People who drink cow’s milk are often more sensitive for mucus production. So starting your day with lemon water can definitely help to lessen mucus if you’re not ready to go dairy-free.

12. Freshen Breath

Lemons freshen your breath and fight mouth bacteria. Although lemons are great for your overall oral health, avoid drinking or using it undiluted. The citric acid can erode tooth enamel, so don’t brush your teeth with it, but have a glass of lemon water instead.

13. Boost Brain Power

The high levels of potassium and magnesium show beneficial effects on our brain and nerve health. Lemon water can give you the boost you need to fight depression and stress. It creates mental clarity and more focus, making it a great drink for students or people with busy and stressful jobs.

14. Anti-cancer

Lemon’s antioxidants not only protect your skin from ageing, but also reduce the risk of several types of cancer. They are great in neutralizing acids as well. Cancer loves to grow in an acidic environment. Alkalizing your body may stop cancer cells to grow and may reduce the risk of getting cancer in the first place.

15. Get Of Caffeine

Many people are able to get off caffeine by replacing their morning coffee by lukewarm lemon water. It gives a similar energy boost to wake your body and boost energy as one cup of coffee would.

How To Make Lemon Water

Making lemon water is super simple. It takes less than 5 minutes of your precious morning time. Just squeeze half a lemon in lukewarm water. If you weigh more than 150 pounds, use a whole lemon.

Why use lukewarm (or room temperature) instead of cold or hot water to make this healing morning drink? Well, hot or cold water takes more energy to process, so your first glass in the morning should be lukewarm or at room temperature to slowly wake your body and kick start digestion.

If you love the taste feel free to add more lemon water to your diet during the rest of the day, cold or hot. It adds up to your daily water need, is less boring than plain water, and adds tons of benefits for body and mind.

Enjoy!

Ear infection: Acute Otitis Media- Inflammation of the Middle Ear

Since entering my third semester in my ongoing studies for my associates degree in Complimentary Alternative Medicine I have learned a lot about the human body and how it's fascinating when it comes to fighting against bacteria, viruses, and other diseases.

 

This week I learned about the ear nose and throat, mainly about the inflammation of the middle ear also knows as earaches. This can be caused by bacterial or a viral infection in the middle ear is often associated with an upper respiratory tract infection. This is most common in children, the mucus and fluid build up in the middle ear and provide resistance due to poor diet, stress, lack of sleep, or faulty elimination.

 

Symptoms of an ear infection:
Usually, the first sign is persistent severe ear pain. There may be some hearing loss, fever, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may all occur in young children. Infants and toddlers my repeatedly pull at their earlobe.

 

Wellness protocols:
Always ensure if you have a child with these conditions get diagnosed first by a healthcare provider. If they prescribe antibiotics in several cases, natural healing methods can supplement allopathic treatments.
A diet rich in raw fruits and vegetables, fresh juices, quality proteins, and whole grains is vital to build up the resistance to infection. Restrict dairy products to one or two servings per day and avoid completely during an ear infection. Avoid sugar, white flour, and processed foods, which provide calories but little micronutrients. Sleep is vitally important.
The nose, throat, sinuses, and teeth should also be examined to check for secondary infection, which will complicate the picture.

 

*Do not put any substances in the ear if the child has ear tubes inserted or if there is a possibility that the eardrum is ruptured.

 

• High doses of Vitamin C supplements
• Gently massage over the Eustachian tube in a downward direction.
• stimulate blood flow and drainage of the middle ear by applying hot (but not boiling), then cold towels over the ear and Eustachian tube. Apply hot for 3 minutes, then cold for 30 seconds.
• Propolis is a natural and effective antibiotic and can be given orally and used within the ear. Use 3-drops of propolis tincture to 7-drops of boiled water. Place a few drops in the ear three times a day. Mix the propolis with garlic or halibut oil for increased effectiveness.

 

Herbal Protocols:

• Warmed garlic and clove oils mixed can be dropped into the ear and are antiseptic and soothing.
• Warm Mullein oil is effective when 2-drops are placed into each ear. Be sure the mixture is not too hot. Test on your inner arm first before applying.

Homeopathic Remedies for Childhood Earaches:

• Belladonna 30c: Sudden, bounding pain, sudden high fever, red face; Often children wakes in the middle of the night screaming.
• Chamomilla 30c: Nothing pleases them, can't be consoled, will often throw toys after crying for them.
• Pulsatilla 30c: weeping, wants to be carried all the time.

Herbal Formulas:

Garlic Oil
8oz garlic, peeled and minced
olive oil, warm, sufficient to cover
Warm the oil in a bowl over a pot of water or using a double broiler. Never put oil directly over heat as it can easily catch fire.
Place the garlic in a large jar.
Add sufficient oil to cover the garlice
Shake and then place in a warm place for two to three days
Strain through cotton or muslin, bottle, and keep refrigerated
Use 10 drops three times a day

Chamomile Ear Blend
1/2 oz Chamomile (German) or (Roman)
1 Cup Boiling Water
1/2 Cup almond oil
1/2 Cup vegetable glycerin


Prepare an infusion of chamomile using the chamomile and boiling water. Strain and add the almond oil and vegetable glycerin. Shake the mixture well. Soak cotton wool in this mixture and insert into the ear.


Ear Blend
1oz distilled water
1oz calendula tincture
1/4oz propolis tincture
1 to 2 drops of fresh nasturtium juice (optional)
Measure the qualities with a syringe. A few drops of the juice from crushed Nasturtium leaves can be added. Use 4-5 drops in the ear, four times a day.