Whoo hoo! We love free stuff. And there's a great gift on the way to one lucky winner.
The nice folks over at PurelyGreat are offering up a F-R-E-E 50 gram container of Women's Citrus Deodorant. Made with only four natural ingredients this deodorant contains no aluminum and is vegan friendly.
According to the Environmental Working Group's (EWG) Skin Deep Database many deodorants have chemicals which are known to be bad for our health. The EWG lists these chemicals as potentially causing cancer, as endocrine disruptors, neurotoxins, highly allergenic, and or causing organ system toxicity.
If you've been looking for a great smelling product that doesn't have any of these chemicals in it, this may just be the answer for you. After all, the object is to help you smell better, not to add more chemicals to your daily load.
Here comes the legalese:
1. This giveaway is limited to the USA and Canada (sorry folks who don't live in either of those countries)
2. Grains&More makes no guarantees regarding prize delivery and is not responsible for any possible taxes or fees
3. Grains&More has received no compensation for this announcement
4. The contest is open for one week from 2/29/12 to 3/06/12
5. The winner will be chosen at random and all results are final
It's never the same two weeks in a row. My snapshot of what I find interesting. Information and news about health, nutrition and/or holistic living. Here's what's on my mind.
Three weight loss drugs make second bid for FDA approval - I'm not a huge fan of weight loss drugs (no surprise there). Unfortunately many of them are stimulants and easily abused. The other problem is that even though they often come with some sort of documentation about meal plans they do not, in my opinion, adequately address educating people about understanding nutrition and specifically understanding their eating habits and how they contribute to their overweight. We are surrounded with generalized statements but often nothing to support lifelong habit and thought changes. This is why people yo-yo, they haven't learned how to meet their own needs when it comes to their diet. I do hope these products will continue to be refused approval.
A connection between superbugs and antibiotic use in livestock - it frustrates and infuriates me that over 70% of our antibiotics are used in livestock feed and yet the industry refuses to see a connection between that usage and the rampant increase of superbugs. Well, now we have PigMRSA to prove the point. How to avoid antibiotics in your food? Unfortunately there is no labeling requirement that shows how much antibiotic the animal on your plate has eaten. The only way to avoid it is to choose meat marked "natural" and labeled with the statement that it does not contain hormones, antibiotics or preservatives. This label however is not regulated. A better option, if the budget will allow, is to choose organic meat, dairy, and eggs. This is a regulated label and the animal is not allowed by law to have antibiotics, GMO feed, hormones, or preservatives.
In a Squeaky-Clean World, a Worm Might Help Fight Disease - in a nutshell this article talks about the possibility of pig whipworms being helpful in stimulating the immune system. Here we have yet another scientist looking at the Hygiene Hypothesis which I wrote about here and here. This is a different take on adding organisms to the body to support health. Another one that has gained some attention recently is fecal bacteriotherapy which appears to be helpful in remitting C. Difficile infections and a variety of Irritable Bowel Diseases. While I'm not certain that in our modern culture many people would be open to the idea of either of these therapies, they certainly seem to point to a need to stop being so hyper-clean. The antibacterial everything in our environment may actually make us more sick in the long run. Consider a return to good old-fashioned soap and water.
Antibiotics don't work for most sinus infections - Unfortunately we have become accustomed to taking antibiotics for everything. As a result many of us are walking around with weakened, overwhelmed, inflamed guts that do not have adequate probiotic colonies to support good health. If you have to take an antibiotic, seriously consider if it is necessary before just popping those pills. And don't forget to take a good probiotic with your antibiotics to replenish the good bacteria which are being wiped out right along with the bad. I often suggest that people take probiotic supplements for 60 days after their last dose of antibiotic.
Someone asked for a suggestion for probiotics: One probiotic that I like a lot is Innate Response's Flora 20-14 Ultra Strength. With 20 billion CFUs in 14 different clinically proven strains, this is a supportive supplement to recolonize your gut. It can be purchased at a discount through my Virtual Dispensary please contact me for your access code.
This commercial was seen during the Superbowl. I think it's sweet but also carries a powerful message. I just found out that all proceeds of the song, The Scientist, available on iTunes, go to the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation, an organization dedicated toward helping to create more sustainable food and support farmers. That's a mission that I can believe in.
I like Mark Bittman and watch his youtube channel a lot. I also happen to love both clementines (which are still easily available here in TX) and clafoutis. So this looks like a great combination for a simple dessert that makes use of seasonal ingredients.
What I'm reading:
The Magnesium Miracle - This book highlights how important this essential nutrient is to our health. Magnesium is important for heart health, weight management, diabetes, mental health and more. As a matter of fact the book lists over twenty-five conditions that are related to magnesium deficiency. It also talks about magnesium in synergy with other minerals and ways to get more magnesium into our system. I've known for a long time that many people are walking around deficient in magnesium. I'm enjoying this book and learning already.
My husband and I were fortunate enough to be able to take a Wild Edibles Foraging Tour with Merriweather today. He's always interesting and engaging, offering an amazing depth and breadth of information about edible, non-edible, and medicinal plants.
The ground was very wet and muddy at the Spring Creek Greenway Nature Center due to all of the rain we've had lately. And trust me, all of that rain is a good thing after the drought we've had for the last two years. However the muddy terrain didn't hold back our eagerness to follow Merriweather over log and trail in pursuit of the knowledge he had to share.
There are rules to wildcrafting or edible foraging:
1. Respect the law - in Texas it is a crime, carrying fines of up to $500, to rustle. That includes plants. So if you're going to harvest you need to ask permission first.
2. Respect the land - just like I learned in Girl Scouts all those years ago, leave it cleaner than you found it and if you packed it in, pack it out.
3. Respect the plant - make clean cuts so the plant can stay healthy and do not over-harvest.
4. Respect yourself - know, definitively, what you are picking and planning to eat. Don't assume because you could be risking your health.
It was a fascinating class and I think everyone was struck by the vast number of edible plants in our environment that we are not aware of. There was a mind-boggling amount of information. Although there are other books out there, I'm waiting for Merriweather to write one of his own because I'm sure it will be good. He has a unique point of view when it comes to sharing this information.
luna moth | photo: miradessy
There were lots of neat things to see during the class, not just plants. One was this beautiful luna moth which patiently clung to the branch, allowing us to turn it over so everyone could photograph "the pretty side."
In spite of the chilly weather, overcast conditions, and muddy terrain everyone appeared to enjoy the expedition tremendously.
