Getting enough Vitamin D?

Growing up nobody ever told me about getting enough vitamin D. It was always drink your milk and make sure you get enough calcium. But I didn't know that the key vitamin that helped in absorbing calcium was vitamin D. Nowadays Vitamin D is a deficiency so many of us have without even knowing it. If you are deficient in Vitamin D, a whole slew of ailments can follow: Increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease, Cognitive impairment, Asthma and Cancer to name a few. Here are some more symptoms that may suggest you are low in Vitamin D:
Muscle pain
weak bones/fractures
low energy/constant fatigue
low immunity (getting sick often)
depression or mood swings
irregular sleeping patterns

So, the first step is to go to the doctor and find out just how low you are in Vitamin D. Next, you will need to take a suppliment that the doctor prescribes if you are low. If you don't want to go to the doctor, your daily diet should contain at least 200 international units for children and adults up to age 50, 400 IUs for ages 50 to 70, and 600 IUs for those 70 and older.

Which Fruit Juices are REALLY nutritious?

Does the juice box sitting in your cupboard look something like this?

I really didn't know that even those that do not have any "written" artificial preservatives are still not nutritious. What is really in these drinks?

Here's what I found after doing some research: 

Try to Avoid the Following

1) Juice “BLENDS" - These are mostly SUGAR, WATER and a very small amount of real fruit juice with little or no nutritional value.

2) Juice with "FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP" - These makes kids want MORE of it, get a SUGAR HIGH and literally pass out afterwards.
3) Juice that is too clear. - It's mostly water, sugar and trace fruit juices.
4) Juice that is not pasteurized - It should say it on the label.
5) Juice that has "water" as the first ingredient. How do we know if this water is clean or not?

The Good Juices
1) Juice labeled 100% Real fruit juice with nothing but the juice you want to get in the ingredients.
2) Juice that is cloudy. There's more fruit in it.
3) Citrus Juices, like orange juice. A great source of vitamin C, potassium, folate & thiamin and other vitamins.
4) Fruit Nectars - more nutrients are preserved during processing nectar than any other juices.

Another idea is to juice fruit yourself and put it into small containers ready in the fridge. Like a orange/grapefruit blend, or watermelon juice (which tastes amazing in summer). I use a blender and a strainer and make fresh juice all the time. It's super refreshing and looks so appealing when you open up the refridgerator. :)

Why we should stay away from Artificial Flavorings, Additives & Colorings

Most artificial colorings are synthetic chemicals that do not occur in nature. Usually when the body tries to digest these chemicals, some type of reaction occurs based on the body type. The FDA in my oppinion is full of crap. It's almost like they are paid by companies to shut up about things that can harm people so they "conclude" chemicals to be harmless or ok to use because a mass amount of people haven't proven they've been hurt or have died from it. Trust me, keep yourself safe and away from them and you will be pushing away cancer. Since that's the underlying cause of most foods we eat or drink with additives, preservatives and artificial flavoring/coloring.

Below is a list I've found to be the most harmful. There are probably more but if we make a note to read the labels when we buy our foods, we can seriously prevent serious health problems. In addition, it has also been found that artificical colorings can cause hyperactivity in some sensitive children.

BLUE 1
Artificial coloring used in Beverages, candy, baked goods. One (unpublished) animal test suggested a small cancer risk, and a test-tube study indicated the dye might affect neurons. It also causes occasional allergic reactions. Blue 1 might be safe for people who are not allergic, but it should be better tested.

BLUE 2
Artificial coloring used in Pet food, beverages, candy.
Animal studies found some—but not conclusive—evidence that Blue 2 causes brain cancer in male rats.

CITRUS RED 2
Artificial coloring used for Skin of some Florida oranges only. The amounts of this rarely used dye that one might consume, even from eating marmalade, are so small that the risk is not worth worrying about. So, best bet would be to give it a good wash before eating it.

GREEN 3
Artificial coloring used in Candy, beverages.
A 1981 industry-sponsored study gave hints of bladder and testes tumors in male rats.

ORANGE B
Artificial coloring used in Sausage.
Approved for use only in sausage casings, high doses of this dye are harmful to the liver and bile duct. However, that is not worrisome because Orange B has not been used for many years.

RED 3
Artificial coloring used in Candy, baked goods.
The evidence that this dye caused thyroid tumors in rats is "convincing," according to a 1983 review committee report requested by FDA. FDA's recommendation that the dye be banned was overruled by pressure from elsewhere in the Reagan Administration. Red 3 used to color maraschino cherries, but it has been replaced there by the less controversial Red 40 dye. It is still used in a smattering of foods ranging from cake icing to fruit roll-ups to chewing gum.

RED 40
Artificial coloring used in Soda pop, candy, gelatin desserts, pastries, pet food, sausage.
The most widely used food dye. While this is one of the most-tested food dyes, the key mouse tests were flawed and inconclusive. An FDA review committee acknowledged problems, but said evidence of harm was not "consistent" or "substantial." Red 40 can cause allergy-like reactions. Like other dyes, Red 40 is used mainly in junk foods.

YELLOW 5
Artificial coloring used in Gelatin dessert, candy, pet food, baked goods.
The second-most-widely used coloring causes allergy-like hypersensitivity reactions, primarily in aspirin-sensitive persons, and triggers hyperactivity in some children. It may be contaminated with such cancer-causing substances as benzidine and 4-aminobiphenyl (or chemicals that the body converts to those substances).

YELLOW 6
Artificial coloring used in Beverages, candy, baked goods.
Industry-sponsored animal tests indicated that this dye, the third most widely used, causes tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney. In addition, small amounts of several carcinogens, such as 4-aminobiphenyl and benzidine (or chemicals that the body converts to those substances), contaminate Yellow 6. However, the FDA reviewed those data and found reasons to conclude that Yellow 6 does not pose a significant cancer risk to humans. Yellow 6 may cause occasional, but sometimes-severe hypersensitivity reactions.

ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL FLAVORING
used in Soda pop, candy, breakfast cereals, gelatin desserts, and many other foods.
Hundreds of chemicals are used to mimic natural flavors; many may be used in a single flavoring, such as for cherry soda pop. Most flavoring chemicals also occur in nature and are probably safe, but they are used almost exclusively in junk foods. Their use indicates that the real thing (often fruit) has been left out. Companies keep the identity of artificial (and natural) flavorings a deep secret. Flavorings may include substances to which some people are sensitive, such as MSG or HVP.

ASPARTAME
Artificial sweetener, used in "Diet" foods, including soft drinks, drink mixes, gelatin desserts, low-calorie frozen desserts, packets. Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet), a chemical combination of two amino acids and methanol, was initially thought to be the perfect artificial sweetener, but it might cause cancer or neurological problems such as dizziness or hallucinations.
A 1970s study suggested that aspartame caused brain tumors in rats. However, the Food and Drug Administration persuaded an independent review panel to reverse its conclusion that aspartame was unsafe

BUTYLATED HYDROXYANISOLE (BHA)
used in Cereals, chewing gum, potato chips, vegetable oil.
BHA retards rancidity in fats, oils, and oil-containing foods. Causes cancer in rats, mice, and hamsters which indicates that it might be carcinogenic in humans. That is why the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services considers BHA to be "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen." Nevertheless, the Food and Drug Administration still permits BHA to be used in foods. This synthetic chemical can be replaced by safer chemicals (e.g., vitamin E), safer processes (e.g., packing foods under nitrogen instead of air), or can simply be left out (many brands of oily foods, such as potato chips, don't use any antioxidant). Best bet, buy cereals from natural food places like Trader joes or Whole foods, or look on ingredients where this is omitted.

CARAMEL COLORING
Artificial coloring used in Colas, baked goods, pre-cooked meats, soy and Worcestershire sauces, chocolate-flavored products, beer. Caramel coloring is made by heating a solution of various sugars, often together with ammonium compounds, acids, or alkalis. It is the most widely used (by weight) coloring added to foods and beverages, with hues ranging from tannish-yellow to black, depending on the concentration and the food. Caramel coloring may be used to simulate the appearance of cocoa in baked goods, make meats and gravies look more attractive, and darken soft drinks and beer. Caramel coloring, when produced with ammonia, contains contaminants, 2-methylimidazole and 4-methylimidazole.
In 2007, studies by the U.S. National Toxicology Program found that those contaminants cause cancer in male and female mice and possibly in female rats. The amounts of 4-methylimidazole are so worrisome that the State of California has proposed that a warning notice be required on food and non-food products. In 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a division of the World Health Organization, concluded that 2- and 4-methylimidazole are "possibly carcinogenic to humans."
It would be worth avoiding or drinking less colas and other beverages colored with caramel coloring, because the amounts consumed—and amounts of 4-methylimidazole—are often large. Soy sauces, baked goods, and other foods are much less of a problem, because the amounts consumed are small.

CYCLAMATE
Artificial sweetener used in Diet foods.
This controversial high-potency sweetener was used in the United States in diet foods until 1970, at which time it was banned. Animal studies indicated that it causes cancer. Now, based on animal studies, it (or a byproduct) is believed not to cause cancer directly, but to increase the potency of other carcinogens and to harm the testes.

DIACETYL
Used as Butter flavoring.
Diacetyl is one of the many chemicals that gives butter its characteristic flavor. Low levels are present in butter (including unsalted butter, to which extra diacetyl is added to prolong its shelf life). Much higher levels have been used in butter-flavored popcorn, margarine, and butter-flavored cooking oils and sprays. The low levels are safe, but workers in factories that produce microwave popcorn learned the hard way that long-term exposure to diacetyl causes obstructive lung disease, which is potentially fatal. Following widespread publicity around 2005 to 2007 and several lawsuits persuaded most major American food manufacturers to protect their workers (and restaurant cooks) by switching to safer ingredients.

MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE (MSG)
Flavor enhancer: Soup, salad dressing, chips, frozen entrees, restaurant foods.
This amino acid brings out the flavor in many foods. While that may sound like a treat for taste buds, the use of MSG allows companies to reduce the amount of real ingredients in their foods, such as chicken in chicken soup. In the 1960s, it was discovered that large amounts of MSG fed to infant mice destroyed nerve cells in the brain. After that research was publicized, public pressure forced baby-food companies to stop adding MSG to their products (it was used to make the foods taste better to parents).
Careful studies have shown that some people are sensitive to large amounts of MSG. Reactions include headache, nausea, weakness, and burning sensation in the back of neck and forearms. Some people complain of wheezing, changes in heart rate, and difficulty breathing. Some people claim to be sensitive to very small amounts of MSG, but no good studies have been done to determine just how little MSG can cause a reaction in the most-sensitive people. To protect the public's health, manufacturers and restaurateurs should use less or no MSG and the amounts of MSG should be listed on labels of foods that contain significant amounts. People who believe they are sensitive to MSG should be aware that other ingredients, such as natural flavoring and hydrolyzed vegetable protein, also contain glutamate. Also, foods such as Parmesan cheese and tomatoes contain glutamate that occurs naturally, but no reactions have been reported to those foods.

OLESTRA (Olean)
Fat substitute: Lay's Light Chips, Pringles Light chips.
Olestra is Procter & Gamble’s synthetic fat that is not absorbed as it passes through the digestive system, so it has no calories. Procter & Gamble suggests that replacing regular fat with olestra will help people lose weight and lower the risk of heart disease.
Olestra can cause diarrhea and loose stools, abdominal cramps, flatulence, and other adverse effects. Those symptoms are sometimes severe. Afflicted consumers can file reports with the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
Olestra reduces the body's ability to absorb fat-soluble carotenoids (such as alpha and beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and canthaxanthin) from fruits and vegetables, but an occasional serving wouldn't be a problem. Those nutrients are thought by many experts to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. Olestra enables manufacturers to offer greasy-feeling low-fat snacks, but consumers would be better off with baked snacks, which are safe and just as low in calories. Products made with olestra should not be called "fat free," because they contain substantial amounts of indigestible fat.

PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL, HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL
(Trans fat)Fat, oil, shortening: Stick margarine, crackers, fried restaurant foods, baked goods, icing, microwave popcorn.
Vegetable oil, usually a liquid, can be made into a semi-solid shortening by reacting it with hydrogen. Partial hydrogenation reduces the levels of polyunsaturated oils - and also creates trans fats, which promote heart disease. A committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded in 2004 that on a gram-for-gram basis, trans fat is even more harmful than saturated fat. Ideally, food manufacturers would replace hydrogenated shortening with less-harmful ingredients. The Institute of Medicine has advised consumers to consume as little trans fat as possible, ideally less than about 2 grams a day (that much might come from naturally occurring trans fat in beef and dairy products). Harvard School of Public Health researchers estimate that trans fat had been causing about 50,000 premature heart attack deaths annually, making partially hydrogenated oil one of the most harmful ingredients in the food supply

POTASSIUM BROMATE
Flour improver used in White flour, bread and rolls.
This additive has long been used to increase the volume of bread and to produce bread with a fine crumb (the not-crust part of bread) structure. Most bromate rapidly breaks down to form innocuous bromide. However, bromate itself causes cancer in animals. The tiny amounts of bromate that may remain in bread pose a small risk to consumers. Bromate has been banned virtually worldwide except in Japan and the United States. It is rarely used in California because a cancer warning might be required on the label. In 1999, the Center for Science in the Public Interest petitioned the FDA to ban bromate. Since then, numerous millers and bakers have stopped using bromate.

PROPYL GALLATE
Preservative used in Vegetable oil, meat products, potato sticks, chicken soup base, chewing gum. Propyl gallate retards the spoilage of fats and oils and is often used with BHA and BHT, because of the synergistic effects these preservatives have. The best studies on rats and mice were peppered with suggestions (but not proof) that this preservative might cause cancer.

QUININE
Flavoring: Tonic water, quinine water, bitter lemon. This drug can cure malaria and is used as a bitter flavoring in a few soft drinks. There is a slight chance that quinine causes birth defects, so, to be on the safe side, pregnant women should avoid quinine-containing beverages and drugs. Relatively poorly tested.

REBIANA
Natural, high-potency sweetener: Used in diet beverages. Also called rebaudioside A; sold under brand names Truvia and PureVia. Purified from crude extracts of stevia, which itself is sold as a table-top sweetener at some "health food" stores.
Just because a substance is natural, does not mean that it is safe. In the 1990s, surprisingly, the U.S. FDA rejected stevia for use as a food ingredient. Likewise, Canada did not approve stevia, and a European Community scientific panel declared that stevia was unacceptable for use in food. High dosages fed to rats reduced sperm production and increased cell proliferation in their testicles, which could cause infertility or other problems. Pregnant hamsters that had been fed large amounts of a derivative of stevioside called steviol had fewer and smaller offspring. In the laboratory, steviol can be converted into a mutagenic compound, which may promote cancer by causing mutations in the cells' DNA.
In the 21st century, Cargill and Merisant (which marks aspartame-based Equal) developed extracts of stevia that are 95 percent pure rebaudioside A and 200 times as sweet as sugar. The companies call their products Truvia and PureVia, respectively, with the nickname of rebiana. In 2008, Cargill and Merisant told the FDA that rebiana should be considered "generally recognized as safe," or GRAS. (GRAS substances are given less scrutiny by the FDA than standard food additives.) A third company, Wisdom Natural Brands, declared that its stevia-related product to be GRAS without even notifying the FDA.
UCLA toxicologists and the Center for Science in the Public Interest, however, urged the FDA to reject the GRAS claims for rebiana. They reported that FDA's guidelines call for major new food additives to be tested for two years on both rats and mice, but rebiana had only been tested on rats. The toxicologists and CSPI said that testing of rebiana in both rats and mice is particularly important, because several tests found that rebiana-related substances caused mutations and damaged chromosomes or DNA.
Despite the disagreement about rebiana's safety, just before Christmas 2008 the FDA agreed that the chemical could be considered GRAS. Shortly thereafter, beverage companies started marketing rebiana-sweetened products. If consumers find the taste acceptable and future tests do not find major risks, rebiana may well be the elusive natural non-caloric sweetener that industry has sought for decades.

SACCHARIN
Artificial sweetener: Diet, no-sugar-added products, soft drinks, sweetener packets.
Saccharin (Sweet ’N Low) is 350 times sweeter than sugar and is used in diet foods or as a tabletop sugar substitute. Many studies on animals have shown that saccharin can cause cancer of the urinary bladder. In other rodent studies, saccharin has caused cancer of the uterus, ovaries, skin, blood vessels, and other organs. Other studies have shown that saccharin increases the potency of other cancer-causing chemicals. And the best epidemiology study (done by the National Cancer Institute) found that the use of artificial sweeteners (saccharin and cyclamate) was associated with a higher incidence of bladder cancer.

SODIUM NITRITE, SODIUM NITRATE
Preservative, coloring, flavoring: Bacon, ham, frankfurters, luncheon meats, smoked fish, corned beef.
Meat processors love sodium nitrite because it stabilizes the red color in cured meat (without nitrite, hot dogs and bacon would look gray) and gives a characteristic flavor. Sodium nitrate is used in dry cured meat, because it slowly breaks down into nitrite. Adding nitrite to food can lead to the formation of small amounts of potent cancer-causing chemicals (nitrosamines), particularly in fried bacon. Nitrite, which also occurs in saliva and forms from nitrate in several vegetables, can undergo the same chemical reaction in the stomach. Companies now add ascorbic acid or erythorbic acid to bacon to inhibit nitrosamine formation, a measure that has greatly reduced the problem.
Several studies have linked consumption of cured meat and nitrite by children, pregnant women, and adults with various types of cancer. It would be wise for pregnant women to fully avoid eating nitrites altogether especially those in bacon, sausage, and ham which causes cancer in humans.

Which Protein is best and healthiest?

One of the most important things we need in our diet is Protein. It is needed for skin, muscles, glands and organs. We also need protein to help our body repair cells and make new ones. Without it in our diet, we could not survive.

The most healthiest form of protein comes from Fish, Beans, Eggs, Dairy and Nuts. Even though Beef, Chicken, Turkey, and Pork are other forms of protein, I do not think they are the healthiest due to the saturated fat content and other additives that contibute to their processing.

Here is a list of proteins in foods that I found from Wikipedia. I have started with the highest containing foods to the lowest.

Fish
•Most fish fillets or steaks are about 22 grams of protein for 3 ½ oz (100 grams) of cooked fish, or 6 grams per ounce
•Tuna, 6 oz can - 40 grams of protein
Beans (including soy)
•Tofu, ½ cup 20 grams protein
•Soy milk, 1 cup - 6 -10 grams
•Most beans (black, pinto, lentils, etc) about 7-10 grams protein per half cup of cooked beans
•Soy beans, ½ cup cooked – 14 grams protein
•Split peas, ½ cup cooked – 8 grams
Eggs and Dairy
•Whey Protein Isolate - 1 scoop - 20 grams (can be found at health food stores, get the one with no additives and you can mix it in a blender with banana and milk as a smoothie)
•Milk, 1 cup - 8 grams
•Cottage cheese, ½ cup - 15 grams
•Yogurt, 1 cup – usually 8-12 grams, check label
•Soft cheeses (Mozzarella, Brie, Camembert) – 6 grams per oz
•Medium cheeses (Cheddar, Swiss) – 7 or 8 grams per oz
•Hard cheeses (Parmesan) – 10 grams per oz
•1 Egg, large - 6 grams protein
Nuts and Seeds
•Peanut butter, 2 Tablespoons - 8 grams protein
•Almonds, ¼ cup – 8 grams
•Peanuts, ¼ cup – 9 grams
•Cashews, ¼ cup – 5 grams
•Pecans, ¼ cup – 2.5 grams
•Sunflower seeds, ¼ cup – 6 grams
•Pumpkin seeds, ¼ cup – 8 grams
•Flax seeds – ¼ cup – 8 grams

Can chlorophyll make you happy?

Did you ever think that the plant sitting in front of your window can contribute to your mood? Well, guess what, it can do a LOT more than you think. First of all, what is Chlorophyll? Basically, it's the green color in plants. It consumes the carbon dioxide present in the air and releases oxygen. It is also found in edible form  by juicing or eating wheat, barley, oat grasses and alfalfa. The benefits of eating/drinking chlorophyll from research studies shows that chlorophyll effects blood regeneration, reversing the signs of aging, the reversal of anemia, decrease in colon cancer risk, and other forms of cancer can be adversely affected by the use of chlorophyll. There have been no reports of adverse side effects from the use of chlorophyll. It has also been found that they are able to bind with carcinogenic compounds. When bound to these carcinogens, chlorophyll and chlorophyllin may keep them from being absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract.
That's the healthy aspect of it. But now how about the mood?

Based on this study, the effects of having plants around your home can contribute to a more positive performance level. Another study actually proves having green plants around can actually make someone feel uplifted and happier than someone without plants in their home. The chlorophyll contained in plants helps clean the air as well so that "stuffy" feeling isn't there.  There are several plants such as aloevera, schefflera, rhoeo discolour, pelargonium etc. which can affect our mood positively and also relieve us from stress.

That definately gives me more reason to get more plants in my home, how about you?

When is BREAD not good for you?

Well I'm not going to lie, I'm a bread-o-holic. I love it so much and I eat it with every meal. I think though, it is finally taking the best of me. Not only has it caused me to add on extra pounds, but it's also making my tummy flora not behave so good along with the rest of my body. I recently went to my kinesiologist and he mentioned my body is not responding well and it's because of too much bread as 1 of the factors. A Kinesiologist is one who practices alternative medicine for diagnosis and determination of therapy. According to practitioners using Applied Kinesiology techniques, it provides feedback on the functional status of the body. So if you have a unexplainable problem going on with your body then these people are good for finding out what it is. For me, I started getting weird symptoms of facial tingling as well as tingling in the back of my neck. Now he told me there were other things i needed to do to balance my body again. My vitamin D was very low and my cholesterol was really high.
Bread is one of those foods that helps contribute to high cholesterol because it becomes sugar in the body. And the more sugar you have the more the body stores fat and that's where cholesterol gets stubborn and doesn't melt away. That and the lack of exercise.
Luckily, I found out before worst signals started happening, and now I am exercising as well as limiting my bread intake and increasing my fruits, vegetables and vitamins.

How to Stay Full on a Vegetarian Diet

If you've recently converted to being Vegetarian, how do you stay full? Most people who are not, usually eat meat 2 to 3 times a day. And that keeps them full along with breads and other foods. So for those of us who prefer to eat healthier, what can we do to make sure we get enough nutrition as well as the feeling of being full for more than 5 minutes at a time?

Here are 10 ways to make sure you will feel great about eating healthy and feel full at the same time.

1) Drink water before and after your meal. Water is a great filler-upper. Even though it seems empty, it contains volume, so it will trick your brain that it is filling up and kills hunger pains.

2) Add protein to every meal. It can be from beans, soy, tofu, yogurt, milk, egg whites, or cheese. Or make have protein shake with whey isolate, berries, and vanilla yogurt ice cream.

3) Eat more frequently. Instead of having 3 meals a day, go for 6-8 meals spread out every 2 hours or so.

4) Drink Decaffinated coffee after you eat. You might say why Decaf? It's not really so much the caffeine, it's the taste of the coffee and the signal it sends to your brain that makes you forget you are hungry. For some strange reason, coffee does that whether with or without caffeine. The less the better.

5) Add soup to your meal. Just make sure it doesn't have any heavy creams. It will fill you up and be satisfying to your tummy since it's warm.

6) Add salad to your meal. It's another healthy filler that won't cause any damage :)

7) Eat slowly. Savor the tastes of what you are eating so it gives your body time to realize, "hey, I'm full!"

Since the brain doesn't know it's full until after eating for a 1/2 hour.

8) Smell your food. Another brain signal to make us realize we ARE eating.

9) Drink water with your food. This is probably the best ways to make yourself feel full fast. And no guilt at all since it's just water.

10) Use a smaller plate. Since we eat with our eyes, if we use a big plate and we put a little food in it, we may think we are not eating enough already and in our minds we are already not full before we finish eating!

Almond Milk, Soy Milk, Rice Milk...which tastes better, which is least Processed?

I personally am not a big fan of milk. Only on rare occasions I will have it if it's with cocoa or some other mixture. So with that said, what are the substitutes that I can make that will satisfy my craving and also give me the nutrients I need that milk has?

In the market, there are 3 types of popular milks: Soy Milk, Almond Milk and Rice Milk. This article: HERE is pretty good at talking about the differences. But I also did my own research.

Out of the three for me, I found Soy Milk to taste the best and have the best consistency closest to milk.
Rice and Almond milk are a bit more watery in the consistency I've noticed. All three have natural flavors (which are not detailed) and sweeteners to make them taste better. Make sure the brand you buy does not have Aspartame or Artificial flavors or Preservatives. Almond Breeze brand seems to taste the best for those who like to get less calories and carbohydrates. Soy has about the same calories as regular nonfat milk.  Most brands also have added A & D Vitamins in them so you can get your servings as if you were drinking a glass of milk. The big bonus with Soy milk is the protein and fiber that comes with it.
My favorite flavor in the Soy Milk is from Walmart's Original Great Value Soy Milk. It tastes better than any other brand I've tried. And it's a lot cheaper too.

Transitioning from Meat to Soy

I am not a vegetarian, but since my husband's recent issue with liver problems, I have been making a lot of meatless food lately. And I have to say, it really feels good. Even though I am not a vegetarian, I'm also not a big meat eater either. I rarely eat beef or turkey and occasionally I will have chicken or fish. So making a switch to meatless nights really didn't freak me out. And honestly, I feel a lot lighter lately. You know how sometimes when you eat a heavy meal you feel so heavy and tired? Well, since being on this type of diet, I feel light and comfy and eating has been a lot more enjoyable knowing good things are being consumed. I have found some really good stuff at Whole Foods Market that taste truly amazing! And the best part is, there is no artificial preservatives or colors or additives so mainly we are eating soy and spices. I love it. It does cost more to eat healthier but I think in the long run it will be well worth it.

There is another part to this as well. Can eating too much soy be a bad thing? Well, according to this article, it can. So if you are one that needs to not eat meat, don't replace everything with soy made products and make sure they are not processed soy products. 1 item a day that's soy is enough.

My Raw Food CRAZE!

I know you've probably heard it somewhere. But, yes RAW foods are what amazing! And there is so much nutrients in them.
I've heard people feeling better than they ever thought possible, thinking better, having more energy and glowing!

Well, I've started incorporating this RAW FOOD in my diet at least 3 times a week to start with. This includes a full day of any vegetable, fruit, juice, nuts, grains. Only thing is....most of the stuff I am used to involves heating then eating. Including bread, eggs, etc...So by doing this I think it will be some kind of cleanse and maybe the kidneys and liver will get a break. I'd love to hear if anyone out there has tried this and how they stick with it?

Why I skip certain vaccines

Ok, Ok, I know some of you who read this might get a bit upset with me when I say I skip certain vaccines for my child. Well, let me tell you the reason, then you can judge me however you wish. Firstly, I am not someone against vaccines. I think that we are lucky in this day and age to have them. And I am so thankful for that. Especially for so many diseases that can be prevented, there is a way to stay healthy. The thing I'm against is loading up a child on so many at one time even those which are not really necessary.

Autism is on the rise, so is depression and so many other mental illnesses. And even if the media says there is no link to them and vaccines, it doesn't mean it's true. Nobody knows why Autism is on the rise but there are some people who swear on their lives that before they took certain vaccines their child was just fine. So I want to be careful and won't give him the ones that I don't think he really needs like the flu shot (which has mercury in it) or the Hepatitis B (a sexually transmitted disease) shot which has so many side effects linked to it and so many additives in it. And if I do decide to give him vaccines I will do my research on companies who use lesser chemicals then others. For example one can have Formaldahyde in it and one does not. I'll go with that one. You see what I mean?

To me, the fewer chemicals shoved into my kid the better. Thank you. If you would like to read a good book about some hidden information about vaccines : Click Here!

Hello World!

I have decided to start this blog to keep track of my daily encounters with "Chemicals" and what I do to bypass them.

Have you ever thought about the "STUFF" they add to our food in the grocery store to make it last long? Or how about the medicine we take to help us feel better when we are sick?
For the most part, all we care about is if it does it's job, right? Make us full or make us feel better.
That's all good and dandy except when too much of that "STUFF" gets loaded into our bodies and then repercussions result. Then what? You really don't want to know. But let's just say you will be going to the doctors a lot more.

I've got to say one thing. Science is great and for those who find cures and help people I have nothing against that. I am only against those who use STUFF for their own personal gains and could care less how it affects us. So with that in mind, I am going to write as much as I can about how to NOT use those products and DO use the GOOD products that would benefit us instead. :)