Scarcity Mindset Keeps us Addicted to Over Spending.

What if we focus on reusing and making things instead of purchasing more? 

In the Allegiance to Gratitude section of the book, Braiding Sweetgrass, has many insights that stuck out to me. There was one sentence that kept repeating in my mind and that was, “Recognizing abundance rather than scarcity undermines an economy that thrives on unmet desires.”

The idea of making gratitude a priority is an everyday practice. The media loves to bombard us with a problem and then a solution. Being problem focused creates a feeling of helplessness and that we need a savior for the solution. That savior could be a person or an object. It can keep us locked into this never ending cycle of not having enough. But when does that end? How many new dresses, cars, toys, and other things can we consume before they end up in our landfills? 

How can we be like the eagle and lead the change with our wisdom or actions that we take? I would recommend starting our day with writing down what we are grateful for and consciously practicing the mindset of abundance. 

In my personal life, instead of throwing items away I no longer want to use, I will make an active effort to take them over to the donation center. I have been guilty of throwing away clothes instead of putting them in the donation pile. When donating the clothes, I am not not only giving back to the community but I am not contributing to more pollution by filling up our landfills. 

The main complaint I have is how much plastic is used for almost everything. 

I am horrified at how much plastic is used at the grocery store. The plastic that is wrapped around the cucumbers, the plastic in the grocery bags, the containers, the packaging in general. 

 These items end up in our ocean, in our landfills, and tossed on the side of the road which causes it to seep into our soil. 

Why is plastic so bad for the environment? 

  1. Plastic bags can block sewers and waterways and encourage mosquitos. Mosquitos might carry diseases like malaria. 
  1. Turtles and dolphins mistake plastic for food and eat them. This cuts off their airways and kills them. 
  1. Microplastics have been found in our soil, water, and even salt.

How does plastic harm the environment? 

Then an idea came to me:

 What if we purchase these organic food items once and then use them to regrow other food? 

This would cut down on the amount of plastic we are buying because we are growing these items ourselves. I have seen a lot of videos of buying living lettuce in the stores. You can put the lettuce in water for a few days and sprout new roots. Once the roots are sprouted, plant them in soil, water them and you have more lettuce. This results in less trips to the stores and less contribution to the plastic build up.

I am going to experiment with this, this week. I encourage my clients to have fun with this and to invite their friends and family members in on this. 

Have you tried to grow vegetables from scraps? Which ones did the best and which ones struggled a bit more? 

Regrow veggies from scraps  

The truth about growing vegetables from kitchen scraps  

I get so emotional thinking about the destruction of our planet, but when I see this type of innovativeness it gives me hope for our future. I know that if we can do these types of changes every day, we will create a brighter future for ourselves and generations to come.

A Poem: When a Healer’s Light is Lost.

A Poem about a healer that lost their way:

A bright light that’s directionless

Blinds the eyes.

It bounces off of walls

It lurks in the shadows.

It gives people vision and then takes it away.

The light mopes around in the darkness

Unaware of the others behind.

It misses the sunrise and is addicted to darkness.

It reflects off the ground

It doesn’t aim upwards

It dims out quickly.

The darkness is where it wants to stay.

Beyond the cave is a vast light that shines in the sky.

Yet the light in the sky is more powerful

It is more powerful up high

No matter if storms arise or clouds cover.

It is confident in his vastness.

It is not alone.

It calls to the shadowy cave

The beams of light reach into the darkness.

The people see a way out.

The light peers around the corner, feeling the warmth.

The warmth touches the walls and the light expands.

The sound of running water is heard from a distance.

The trees are vast, green, and expansive.

They create canopies above the people playing in the water.

Pure joy as they float on by.

They live in harmony with the light.

Here the light does not blind people.

It is accepted.

It expands all living beings and helps create.

It is not alone here.

It can come out.

So expand your light!

Show everyone the way

The way out of this cave

They are counting on you

You have been bouncing off the walls for too long and making yourself small

It is time to take your place as a high priestess and claim your throne up in the sky.

Your light is united

Why Scrubs are Bad for Acne Prone Skin.

Have you ever gotten a zit and reached for the scrub and then the spot treatment? The next day it probably looks more inflamed and there is another one that popped up next to it. That’s because there is already inflammation in the hair follicle where the bacteria resides, you are surfacing it by scrubbing away. In addition to friction being an acne trigger, you are also disturbing the skin barrier. If you are getting common breakouts, that means your skin barrier is already compromised.

What do you do instead?

For cystic based acne, I love using a cream cleanser. Spend a minute thoroughly washing your face. Go from the middle of your face and then out towards the sides where your ears are. Behind your ears and down your neck are your lymph nodes, you want to think of draining that bacteria.

Next, put your targeted serum on your skin or a pimple patch.

Lastly, follow up with a water based moisturizer. It is so important to put on moisturizer when experiencing breakouts. I can’t tell you how many clients come in with very dry skin and breakouts all over their face. Their face is not oil dry, it is water dry.

Lifestyle habits:

Make sure you are washing your pillow cases weekly.

Wipe down your phone screens.

Don’t pick at your face.

Drink half your body weight in water in ounces.

Aim for less than 8 grams of refined sugar each meal.

Know your triggers. Dairy, gluten, sugar, and alcohol can be big ones.

Work on your gut health. The skin and the gut are connected.

Want to learn more about how to test for your triggers and fix your gut health?

Ways to detox your lymphatic system so you stop getting so many breakouts?

Follow this page for an upcoming class on healing acne from the inside out.

Do you have rosacea, acne, hyperpigmentation, or aging concerns? Courses coming soon!

Here is the breakdown of the courses I will be offering. Please comment which ones you would like to sign up for.

Rosacea

  1. What are some triggers of Rosacea?
  2. Learn about why gut health and allergies are connected.
  3. What ingredients help soothe Rosacea?
  4. What labs can your doctor run to get to the root cause?
  5. Loving yourself mantras.

Hyperpigmentation

  1. Why everyone needs sunscreen.
  2. Root causes of hyperpigmentation.
  3. What ingredients help with hyperpigmentation?
  4. What makes hyperpigmentation worse?
  5. Loving yourself mantras.

Acne

  1. What are the triggers of hormonal acne?
  2. What hormones lead to acne?
  3. What ingredients help with stubborn acne?
  4. What ingredients should you stay away from?
  5. Loving yourself mantras.

Premature Aging

  1. Ingredients that you need at different stages of aging.
  2. What treatment is right for each type of aging?
  3. How to read products and know you are getting your money’s worth.
  4. Non-invasive techniques.

Guilt, Anger, and Shame Does not Care about your Organic Food.

I write a lot about herbs and healthy foods but the truth is our emotions outweigh everything we put in our body.

I recently had to quit a job that was making me sick. This last month was the worst menstrual cycle I had experienced in years. My ovarian cyst was throbbing, my flow was heavy, and my mood swings were outrageous. But to the outsider, that doesn’t make any sense. I quit alcohol almost two months ago, I eat mostly an organic diet, meditate, and take my supplements. To the sceptic they would probably poke fun at my lifestyle and use it to point out how all that stuff doesn’t work. They would probably say, maybe you need some bread or some ice cream. Chill out a little, you worry too much.

Sensitivity is not a bad thing, it’s just not as accepted in the workplace.

The truth is, my job filled me with rage and there was no way I was going to eat or meditate that away.

Meditation has never worked for me when I’m rage fueled. I need to scream into a pillow, go run or talk it out to a trusted person. My poor boyfriend has been on the receiving end of my venting many times. Journaling is not enough either. Those are where the sad emotions go. Give me a phone book to rip up or a rage room. There is no shame in anger. We just have to know how to channel it.

So anyway, back to my horrible job story:

I loved my clients but I was lied to about how my pay was set up. I was angry and full of guilt for not having more fight in me. But, I walked out after a 7 percent tip on a $270.00 service. This was after getting $250.00 paychecks a week. I was working around 32 hours a week. That means I was not getting my commission at all for about a month. Sure, some weeks were much higher than that but I was angry because I felt like all my hard work was unappreciated. It sucked to burn a bridge, but the corporation was a poison ivy bridge with a hamster wheel attached to it.

Back to why emotions do not care about the food you eat:

The more stress I have the more my body breaks down. Why is this? Because, emotions create acidic cellular environments. There is good stress and bad stress. The bad stress is what puts our body into fight or flight mode. When our body is in fight or flight mode we cannot accelerate in life. We are stuck in survival mode.

Therefore our immune system weakens, our digestion is upset, and we become ill. This is why mental health is so important. It can destroy all your hard work. It does not care about anything else. It’s like an earthquake in a pristine home. The earthquake does not care about your decorations. It wants to shake things up.

This is why I stress so hard to feel the emotions and not to bottle them up. Think about the cracks that these powerful emotions will start to cause?

This is why in holistic nutrition we talk about meditating, working out, going for walks, or going to see a therapist.

Because a good nutritionist knows that you cannot heal when you are in an internal prison of emotions.

It is so important to feel the emotions. But if the same negative emotions become a pattern and there is a trigger you can change. Change it. It’s not worth the reactivation of your autoimmune issue or a potential heart attack.

If you are going through a ton of stress right now, find the ways that work for you to manage it.

Sending you all a big hug. Life can be stressful but you are not alone. Keep healing and don’t let anyone take your power away. You are here to learn and grow. Not to build someone else’s dream.

Do what lights you up and treat your body like the temple it is.

Have a Painful UTI? D-Mannose can Help. No, I don’t mean that Jar of Mayonnaise that’s sitting in your Fridge.

What is D-Mannose? 

D-Mannose is a simple sugar that is produced in your body from glucose.  It has been said to prevent e.coli bacteria from sticking to the uterine walls. 

What is D-Mannose and can it help UTIs? 

Let’s learn more about this simple sugar that does not spike blood sugar. 

Interesting facts about D-mannose:

  1. It is a diuretic, which helps your system flush out the infection. 
  2. It is a prebiotic, which provides food for probiotics. This can help keep the microbiome in balance. 
  3. D-mannose gets filtered through the kidney and gets released directly into the bloodstream. What this means is, it will not spike blood sugar. So it is still safe for diabetic types or those who deal with insulin resistance. 
  4. Some studies have shown that it can raise blood sugar in hypoglycemic individuals. 
  5. Combining D-mannose with clean filtered water would elicit healing in the water element. The kidneys and urinary bladder work together simultaneously within this element and this sugar molecule is filtered out through the kidneys and into the urinary bladder. 
  6. Because the associated fluid of the water element is urine, as that becomes healthier it can then improve the kidneys. 
  1. Benefits & Uses of D-Mannose | Organic Facts 
  2. D-Mannose: A Sugar to Prevent Recurrent UTIs? 
  3. D-mannose: Uses, Side Effects, Dose, Health Benefits, Precautions & Warnings

How can it prevent bacteria from establishing colonies in the urinary tract? 

After D-mannose is filtered through the kidneys, it’s receptors act as a protective layer to line the urinary tract. The receptors then glue themselves to the bacteria E.coli and then it’s flushed out when we urinate.  

D-Mannose: A Sugar to Prevent Recurrent UTIs? 

Foods that contain some D-mannose:

D-mannose: Benefits and risks for people with diabetes 

  1. Apples
  2. Cranberries 
  3. Peaches
  4. Mangoes 
  5. Aloe vera
  6. Seaweed

 How effective do I feel that D-Mannose is for improving Urinary Tract Infections?

After researching more about D-mannose, I think it is effective for urinary tract infections because of its ability to bind to E.coli and flush it out of the system. I love how it is a safer option for those with diabetes. The standard recommendation is to drink a ton of cranberry juice or apple juice. This could spike blood sugar to dangerous levels. Since this is filtered out through the kidneys and does not enter the bloodstream, it bypasses that potential issue. An added bonus is that it avoids the use of antibiotics, which can destroy all the bacteria in the gut, including the good ones.

Are you so Burnt out that Coffee Doesn’t even Work Anymore?

You are not alone in feeling like this. Between the rising costs of living and having to go full force into working again, we all are feeling exhausted. Luckily there is a herb out there that protects your adrenals so you don’t have to rely so heavily on caffeine. I still love coffee but after the second cup, the jitters are not worth it.

So how can siberian ginseng help and what is Siberian ginseng? 

This small woody shrub also known as, eleuthero, belongs in a category of adaptogens. What does adaptogen mean? Plants that restore our bodies and bring it back into balance.

So, when we talk about restoring balance, how does it do that? It can help your body handle stress by regulating the endocrine, nervous system, and immune system. Also, if our adrenals are vulnerable and depleted from adrenal fatigue, this woody shrub can protect the adrenals from being overused.

What are some interesting insights about Eleuthero?

1. Natural Stimulant 

It can be a substitute for caffeine if you crave that stimulant but can not handle the crash after coffee. This provides that edge without the burn out. 

2. It regulates our HPA Axis

It can regulate the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal-Axis. This includes the endocrine, nervous and immune system. Preventing potential burn out or balancing out an out of whack thyroid. 

3. It can help keep you mentally sharp

 It has been known to boost cognition, something that can be beneficial      for those who suffer from a sluggish thyroid. Hypothyroidism can lead to brain fog for many people. 

     4. It can improve sleep quality

Sleep quality is extremely important when struggling with adrenal fatigue and this can help you get deeper rest, and wake up more refreshed. 

5. Siberian Ginseng is connected to the water element in the five element perspective

According to the five element perspective, this root or herb can protect and heal the adrenal gland. 

6. It is an immune system booster

Within the gold element of the 5 element perspective, you have the immune system as being associated with the Thyroid gland. You can improve the thyroid through strengthening the immune system.

How effective do I think Eleuthero is for improving adrenal fatigue? 

I think it is effective for improving adrenal fatigue because it can improve sleep quality and increase energy without depleting you after. With adrenal fatigue it is challenging to wake up without feeling exhausted. This could help give your body the energy it needs to function without the crash from caffeine. 

After reading this blog post, what are your thoughts? Is Siberian ginseng something you would incorporate into your routine if you were struggling with a sluggish thyroid or adrenal fatigue? I have used this when dealing with burnout. It elevated my mood and helped me flow better through my day. The best part was I avoided the shaky feeling I often get from coffee and the mid day headache that follows. 

Resources:

Herbal Treatments for Hypothyroidism

 Benefits of Siberian Ginseng

 Ginseng and how it benefits HPA Axis

 Thyroid problems and solutions to help

Dr Axe’s article on Siberian Ginseng 

Enzymes, the Pac Men of the Digestive System.

Enzymes! 

They do so much more than just break down your Food. 

Probotic and prebiotic have been gaining a lot more popularity lately. But, what about enzymes? I am sure many of you have heard that if you are lactose intolerant you lack certain enzymes that break the milk protein down. But, did you know that enzymes can have therapeutic effects? They are sensitive to their environments but highly effective when used correctly. 

What are enzymes? 

I like to refer to enzymes like little pac men, because they chomp up our nutrients for us. Especially when it comes to our digestive system. The enzymes gobble up our carbs, proteins and fats. Every living thing on this planet has enzymes. They can build things up or break them down.  Let’s dive a little deeper with five insights about enzymes. 

  1. Without enzymes, there would be no wine, cheese or bread. Enzymes help ferment and transform those items into the indulgences we know today. 
  1.  Enzymes are sensitive to their environment. Did you know that enzymes need the proper alkalinity and acidity to work? That’s why if there is not enough stomach acid, the enzyme pepsin can not break down protein properly. 
  1.  Statins can raise liver and muscle enzymes. This causes the enzymes to over produce and can lead to damage of the liver and muscles. 
  1.  They are finding success in enzyme therapy. These enzymes are able to restore the body back into its natural harmonious balances. Studies have shown it to be successful with treating cancer, joint problems and cardiovascular disease. 
  1.  When you want to use enzymes to help with your digestion, it is best to take them within five minutes before or after you start eating. If you forget to do that, it can be taken while eating or thirty minutes after your meal. 

After reading up on enzymes, I am looking forward to seeing what discoveries they make when it comes to enzyme therapy. It also makes me reflect on how important it is to monitor not only your microbiome balance, but your acidity levels in your stomach. It reinforces why I should not reach for that cold sparkling water with my meal. We do not want to put out the stomach fire until thirty minutes before or after our meal. The enzymes need acidity to work. 

What are your thoughts? What type of hot beverage do you love that you could add with your meal instead of a cold beverage? 

Resources:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34502086/

https://www.britannica.com/science/enzyme 
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/21532-enzymes

Have a Sensitive Stomach? Here is an Herb and Amino Acid that could help.

One Amino acid and Herb that will Ease Stomach Pain. 

There is a lot of talk out about going on detoxes to rid ourselves of bad foods and toxins. But, what about healing our digestive tract? What do we do? In this article we are going to go over an amino acid and an herb that can help to bring your gut back into harmony and balance. 

The first one is L-glutamine:

L-glutamine is the largest amino acid found in our bloodstreams. Your body does make a lot of L-glutamine, but it also uses a lot as well. Since it makes up 60 percent of your skeletal muscle, you can see why it’s so important to include this in amino acids that heal. 

Irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, leaky gut, and diverticulitis. 

How does it help with that? 

  1. It reduces intestinal inflammation that can lead to food sensitivities. Food sensitivities can make conditions like Crohn’s disease worse.  
  1. It is an amino acid that helps feed the cells in your small intestine. This provides the building blocks to repair the damage. 
  1.  L-glutamine should be consumed with room temperature foods, because the heat will hurt the effectiveness. 
  1. Some foods that contain glutamine are; spinach, cabbage, beets, grass fed beef, eggs, sunflower seeds, and quinoa
  1. Glutamine is the largest amino acid found in your body, so you can see how supplementing with L-glutamine is very important.  

The second is Peppermint: 

Peppermint is an easily accessible herb that heals the digestive tract by relaxing stomach muscles and is mainly targeted towards those suffering from IBS or a spastic colon. I can think of a time when I have gone to the bathroom too many times and peppermint tea has helped to soothe my stomach. 

  1. Peppermint helps to calm stomach muscles and can ease the feeling of gas. 
  1. It can ease vomiting and retching caused by chemotherapy. 
  1. Peppermint oil is known to kill bacteria. 

Some examples are:  e.coli, salmonella, and staphylococcus

  1. Peppermint oil relieves those suffering from IBS but it is not ideal for those with acid reflux. Because it relaxes the pathway between the esophagus and the stomach, it can lead to heartburn. 
  1. It can be used as an enema to relieve intestinal spasms for those getting an exam of their lower intestine. This is also known as a colon x-ray, where air is pumped into the colon to produce images.  

Resources: 

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265214

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/peppermint-tea#TOC_TITLE_HDR_8

https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/By-the-way-doctor-What-can-you-tell-me-about-peppermint-oil

https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/barium-enema/about/pac-20393008

https://healthyfocus.org/l-glutamine-benefits/ https://www.livestrong.com/article/249890-list-of-foods-that-contain-glutamine/

Top Six Things that Can Prevent Cancer

Cancer Prevention

Did you know that about 15% of cancer is genetic and 85% is due to lifestyle habits? That means through these prevention steps, we can lower our chances of getting it.  It is important if there is a family history of cancer, to get yearly check ups since the genetic factors place you at higher risk.  

In this blog we will explore prevention tips that are about food recommendations, environmental tips, and the emotional side of prevention.  After researching this topic, it answered my question as to why a lot of incredible people have gotten cancer? I used to ask myself, why do the good ones have to get sick? I did get my question answered and it turns out that prevention is not just about the foods we are eating but also our ability to own our emotions and how we handle conflict. Did that last part sound a little out there? Keep reading and I hopefully will answer some of your questions. As always, you are welcome to leave a comment and I will get back to you. 

Here are some insights on cancer prevention: 

  1. Don’t smoke. Smoking increases your risk for lung and breast cancer. Second hand smoke can be just as dangerous. If you live with a smoker, you are at a 24% greater risk of getting lung cancer. 
  2. Go easy on the booze. High consumption of alcohol increases the risk of liver, throat, colon, and breast cancer. This is because of the free radicals and inflammation that alcohol causes. 
  3. Move your body. The more you move your body, the less chances you have of getting cancer. In particular colon and breast cancer. 
  4. Check your vitamin D levels. There is a strong correlation between low vitamin D levels and cancer. 
  5. Eat organic food! Pesticides and herbicides have been linked to increased risk of cancer. 
  6. Eat more of these rainbow looking organic whole foods.

Cruciferous vegetables because they contain glutathione which aids in our bodies ability to detoxify toxins. 

Some examples are: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and cabbage. 

Berries because they are high in antioxidants. Antioxidants fight free radicals, which can be food for cancer growth. 

Some examples are: Blueberries, Raspberries, Cherries, Camu Camu, strawberries, and goji berries. 

Herbs and Spices!

Turmeric fights cancer and inflammation in the body. 

Cilantro has also been shown to fight inflammation. 

  1. Be your authentic self

I saved this one for last because it is not talked about as much. According to The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine page 100, C types of personalities are found to be more cancer prone. 

What does C type mean? 

C type personalities tend to suppress their emotions, especially the angry ones. They are overly nice, avoid conflict, overly patient, and often feel hopeless. My theory is that these emotions get bottled up inside and create acidic environments in our bodies. So, if you are reading this and struggle with setting boundaries, please seek help. I know there can be a lot of fear around saying no to people or being seen as rude. I used to be this way and suffered from chronic pain in my body. That energy has to go somewhere. It can get stuck inside of your body and cause an acidic environment for your cells. 

Whenever you are feeling angry…

Scream into a pillow, shake your body out, sing loudly in your car, talk to a therapist, or learn what skills work through those emotions. Anger is a powerful emotion, so choose a powerful tool to work through it. 

I hope this blog post provided some reminders of cancer prevention and that you also learned something new. 

Have a wonderful week! 

Resources:

The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine Third Edition, Page 99 

https://draxe.com/nutrition/cancer-fighting-foods/ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/anti-cancer-diet/