Daily Archives: May 16, 2012

What Are You Putting on Your Skin, Body and Hair?

Posted on May 16, 2012 | Leave a comment

It’s shocking how complacent we’ve become about the dangerous ingredients that are common in most everything we put on our skin, hair and body.

chemicals

The irresponsible manufacturers that risk our health to line their pockets, go on making big money because we don’t believe they would sell anything toxic, or because we’ve just given up trying to find an alternative.

Well, I am not part of either group, and you should not be either! Read labels, put the product back on the shelf if it contains any of he following, and look for organic, mineral/herbal based products.

1. The word “fragrance” on an ingredient label means that product can contain up to 4,000 different unknown ingredients, most of which are synthetic and hazardous.

Lab Work

2. Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) and its close relative Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is a toxin commonly used in many soaps, shampoos, detergents, toothpastes and other products that we expect to “foam up”. Both chemicals are very effective foaming agents, chemically known as surfactants.

Unfortunately, both sodium laureth sulfate and its cousin are also very dangerous, highly irritating chemicals.

Far from giving “healthy shining hair” and “beautiful skin”, soaps and shampoos containing sodium laureth sulfate can lead to direct damage to the hair follicle, skin damage, permanent eye damage in children and even liver toxicity.

3. Parabens are the most widely used preservatives in cosmetic products. Chemically, parabens are esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid.

The most common parabens used in cosmetic products are methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben. Typically, more than one paraben is used in a product, and they are often used in combination with other types of preservatives to provide preservation against a broad range of microorganisms.

Did you know that parabens have been found alive and well in cancer cells?

And here’s an eye-opener:

Does the FDA regulate the use of preservatives in cosmetics?

“The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) does not authorize FDA to approve cosmetic ingredients, with the exception of color additives that are not coal-tar hair dyes. In general, cosmetic manufacturers may use any ingredient they choose, except for a few ingredients that are prohibited by regulation.”

WOW!

Well, yesterday, as I was browsing through job ads.. I stumbled on a job opening at a place in Berkeley called 100% Pure.

100% Pure

I worked just a few blocks away from them two years, and never heard about their products!

Imagine my excitement when I researched their products and ingredients and found that they are as close as any product I’ve seen or tried to being…100% pure!

Gift With Purchase

Here is a product I can buy without thinking twice about what I’m absorbing into my body. There are no parabens no laureth-sulfates, and no ingredients with names I can’t pronounce or spell, and no animal testing!

I just ordered my first batch of cosmetics to try.  Will let you know what I think!

If all goes well, I may add them to my preferred products and try to get a discount for you.

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Posted in Body Care, Face Care

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North African Couscous with Vegetables

Posted on May 16, 2012 | 1 Comment

Couscous is known as ‘the North Africa national dish’. In Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Libya couscous is a staple.

Preparation

The semolina is sprinkled with water and rolled with the hands to form small pellets, sprinkled with dry flour to keep them separate, and then sieved. Any pellets which are too small to be finished granules of couscous and fall through the sieve will be again rolled and sprinkled with dry semolina and rolled into pellets. This process continues until all the semolina has been formed into tiny granules of couscous. This process is very labor-intensive. In the traditional method of preparing couscous, groups of women would come together and make large batches over several days.
Thankfully we can buy pre-steamed and dried couscous at most markets.
In Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia, couscous is generally served with vegetables (carrots, potatoes, squash, etc.) cooked in a spicy or mild roth or stew, and some meat (chicken, lamb or mutton).
This is a family recipe.  I have modified the amount of butter and oil to bring it into an acceptable range for good health!

Recipe

The Couscous
  • 2 1/4 c. whole wheat couscous
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 c. seedless organic raisins
  • 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2-1/4 c. boiling water
The topping
  • 1/4 c. organic butter
  • 1/4 c. virgin olive oil
  • 2 white organic onions, finely chopped
  • 2 lbs. organic grass-fed lamb, cut into bite size pieces
  • 5 c. fresh organic tomato juice (can used organic canned
  • 2 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp. allspice
  • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 lb. organic squash or zucchini, quartered ( I use a mix of both)
  • 1 lb. organic russet potatoes, peeled and quartered

Stuffed hot peppers (opt.)
  • 1/2 lb. jalapeno peppers
  • 1 c. chopped organic parsley
  • 1/4 lb. ground organic, grass-fed beef
  • 1 omega-3 egg
  • salt and allspice
  • 3 Tbs. coconut oil (or extra-virgin olive oil)
Combine couscous, salt, cinnamon, raisins and olive oil in a bowl.  Stir well to mix, add boiling water and stir again.  Cover and set aside.

Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onion until golden. 

Add meat and stir until brown on all sides. Add tomato juice and seasoning, and cook covered over medium heat for 40 minutes.

Add vegetables. Cover with boiling water and simmer on low for 20 minutes, or until vegetables are done.

To make the peppers:
In the meantime, heat a skillet over medium heat (no oil needed).  Brown the ground beef, and add parsley. Break the egg over the meat and stir well. Add a dash of salt and 1/8 tsp. allspice. Stir and remove from heat.

Wash peppers, remove stem and seeds without breaking shell. Stuff them with beef mixture, and saute in the Coconut oil over medium heat until lightly browned.

Add to vegetables, cover and cook over low until vegetables are done and sauce is slightly thickened. Remove from heat.  (Alternately, you may serve the peppers as a side dish).

Presentation:
Scoop couscous into a large bowl, making a well in the center.  Spoon vegetables into the middle over couscous.  Remaining vegetables are served in a separate bowl. You may also mound the couscous and decorate with the vegetables.

Traditional  garnishes are chopped parsley and garbanzo beans.

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Pros of Probiotics – Digestive Health

Posted on May 16, 2012 | Leave a comment

So, so many of us take it for granted that our stomach is doing a good job of digesting the food we eat. Hmm..how can we tell?

Well, we could run and take a slew of blood tests to see what our vitamin and mineral and body’s antioxidant levels are. Or we can help our gut by eating a good selection of fermented foods, like yogurt, kefir, bread, cheese, miso, tempeh, vinegar and olives.

What are the health benefits

of probiotics?

Probiotics may seem new to the food and supplement industry, but they have been with us from our first breath. During a delivery through the birth canal, a newborn picks up bacteria from his/her mother. These good bacteria are not transmitted when a Cesarean section is performed and have been shown to be the reason why some infants born by Cesarean section have allergies, less than optimal immune systems, and lower levels of gut microflora.

Probiotics are believed to protect us in two ways. The first is the role that they play in our digestive tract. We know that our digestive tract needs a healthy balance between the good and bad bacteria, so what gets in the way of this? It looks like our lifestyle is both the problem and the solution. Poor food choices, emotional stress, lack of sleep, antibiotic overuse, other drugs, and environmental influences can all shift the balance in favor of the bad bacteria.

When the digestive tract is healthy, it filters out and eliminates things that can damage it, such as harmful bacteria, toxins, chemicals, and other waste products.

Self-dosing with bacteria isn’t as outlandish as it might seem. An estimated 100 trillion microorganisms representing more than 500 different species inhabit every normal, healthy bowel. These microorganisms generally don’t make us sick; most are helpful. Gut-dwelling bacteria keep pathogens (harmful microorganisms) in check, aid digestion and nutrient absorption, and contribute to immune function.

Probiotic therapy may also help people with Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome. Clinical trial results are mixed, but several small studies suggest that certain probiotics may help maintain remission of ulcerative colitis and prevent relapse of Crohn’s disease and the recurrence of pouchitis (a complication of surgery to treat ulcerative colitis). Because these disorders are so frustrating to treat, many people are giving probiotics a try before all the evidence is in for the particular strains they’re using.

Shopping for Probiotic Supplement

When shopping for probiotics you need to know which strains you’re buying and the reputation of the manufacturer.  It’s best to consult with a nutritionist or your doctor before you buy some.

A general maintenance live probiotic supplement is available from the company I represent here.  It’s safe and pure. It contains a potent probiotic bacteria culture of Lactobacillus fermentum PCC, that helps relieve symptoms associated with occasional gastrointestinal (GI) discomfort, occasional bowel irregularity, diarrhea, and other common digestive discomforts.

I take probiotics with my breakfast and dinner.  As we age our digestion needs a little support.

As always, let your primary care provider know what you’re doing.

 Note: Remember to read the How to Order Online post to get the lowest  prices.

Be Well.

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Posted in Nutrition, Nutritionals

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