Buying a water purification system that removes fluoride can get really pricey. A lot of us are stuck with dangerous fluoride in our water. The majority of people get those mini-water filters which don’t remove fluoride. But here is a secret (which a lot of people do not know about) – you can remove fluoride naturally with just one ingredient – TULSI PLANT (find it here) It’s the most affordable way known to us!
The Most Affordable Way to Remove Fluoride from Tap Water
This incredible ground breaking discovery was done by researchers from Rajasthan University. Though we do have means available to us to remove fluoride from water with fancy purification systems, not all of us can buy them. However, this natural method is not only cheap, it’s safe and effective. What researched did is they soaked 75 mg of Holy Basil leaves in 100ml of water that contained over 7.4 parts per million of fluoride. After soaking the leaves in the water for 8 hours, they discovered that the fluoride was reduced to only 1.1 parts per million. In fact, the world health organization acknowledges that the safe level of fluoride in drinking water is between 0.5 to 1 parts per million.
What’s the Tulsi Plant?
Tulsi has been used for centuries in Ayurveda medicine as one of the main medicinal plants that possesses great healing powers. Both leaves and stems of the plant are used in medicine. The Tulsi plant is one of the most sacred, most reverent herbs in India. The Tulsi plant contains oleanolic acid, carvacol, linalool, ursolic acid, rosmarinic acid, eugenol, and other active compounds that have been proven to exhibit unbelievable health benefits. The Tulsi plant also possesses powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s also exhibits analgesic, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, antibacterial and antifungal properties. It’s used as a traditional Ayurvedic remedy for fevers, bronchitis, coughs, colds, malaria, cures rheumatism, arthritis, diabetes, relieves spasms, and even used as an insect repellant.
Poor white rice has a bad rap in the US. So much of the world depends on it as a core part of their diet, but somehow it’s been rumored as unhealthy with a stigma of little nutritional value and a cause of weight gain. Ayurveda (ancient India’s timeless science of life) believes otherwise.
There are a few foods that Ayurveda has established as good for everyone, year round, and rice is number one on the list. No matter what your prakriti (constitution, as everyone is unique) and no matter what season, rice holds a place in the diet.
However, there’s a time for white rice, and a time for brown. Ayurveda doesn’t judge rice simply on its fiber content and calorie count as a Western perspective might, but takes into account who’s eating it, when they’re eating it, and what happens to the rice throughout digestion.
WHITE AND BROWN
White and brown are obviously quite different. A grain of brown rice is encapsulated by the bran. This outer shell is full of fiber, B vitamins, and trace minerals. When the bran is removed through milling the rice is white. White rice inevitably has less fiber than brown, but it still has nutritional value and provides protein and energy. And since its outer shell has been removed it is much easier to digest.
For this reason white rice is recommended when digestive ability is low. According to Ayurveda this naturally occurs in the summer and warm months. At this time of year our agni, or digestive fire, is at its weakest. We should adjust our diets accordingly, choosing lighter foods that are easy to digest. This makes white rice a better choice than brown in the summer.
Since brown rice is somewhat heavy to digest it is best consumed in the cooler and winter months. This is when agni is at its strongest. The digestive system can handle heavier foods like brown rice better than it can in summer. No matter what time of year, brown rice can also be soaked for a couple of hours before cooking to help with digestibility.
Ayurveda takes into account not only the season but also the individual. For those who always have very good digestion and a strong agni, brown rice is generally a good choice. For those with more sensitive digestion and weaker agni, white rice is the way to go.
HOW TO PREPARE YOUR RICE?
There’s one more factor to consider- how the rice was processed. Instant, precooked, and regular old white rice, which is often coated with glucose and oil, have little nutritional value. As for all foods, organic and minimally processed are always better. Aromatic, nutty flavored white and brown basmati rices are considered in Ayurveda as the best.
Minimally processed white rice doesn’t deserve its bad reputation. It’s all about who’s eating it and when. The general rule is to go for white rice in the warmer months and brown rice in the cooler. If you’re one of those people who could practically digest rocks then yes, take advantage of brown rice’s nutritive value year round. If digestion is a little slower, go with white. As the rest of the world already knows, there’s definitely a place for rice in the diet.
During the day a wide range of toxins and chemicals end up in our blood stream. These are waste products formed by our own body or chemicals absorbed through the food we eat, the air we breathe in, medication we take, or cosmetics and household products we use.
Your body has its own detoxification system. It is constantly filtering blood to eliminate harmful compounds to maintain health. The kidneys, liver, intestines, lungs, and skin are our main filtration systems. By eating the right kind of food you can aid your internal organs to filter more toxins out of your blood stream and avoid build-up and disease.
So cleansing your blood comes down to aiding your liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs, and skin to eliminate more toxins and avoid build-ups.
Top 15 Foods And Herbs To Cleanse Your Blood:
1. Garlic
Raw garlic is loaded with sulfur, an essential mineral that helps the body to get rid of toxins. It stimulates your liver to produce detoxification enzymes to filter toxins out of your blood stream. And on top of that, garlic keeps your intestine free of bad bacteria, parasites, and viruses. Find here more information on how to use garlic as a medicine.
2. Dandelion
Loaded with antioxidants and other phytonutrients to eliminate toxins out of your digestive tract and eliminate free radicals. Fresh dandelion leaves or dandelion root tea stimulates the liver and pancreas to pull toxins out of your bloodstream. Dandelion has been used for ages to cure liver issues.
3. Apple
Packed with vitamins, minerals, fibers, and detoxing phytonutrients. A compound found in apples stimulates bile production and helps the liver to get rid of toxins. Apples are high in soluble pectin fibers. Those fibers bind cholesterol and heavy metals to cleanse blood and intestines.
4. Beets
Packed with antioxidants and other beneficial nutrients, beets are an excellent way to protect your body from free radicals and stimulate the liver to eliminate more toxins out of your blood stream.
5. Parsley
Parsley works as a diuretic which helps your kidneys do their job and eliminate more toxins through your urine.
6. Carrots
Carrots are rich in vitamins (A, B6, C, and K), potassium, and glutathione, a liver cleansing protein. For a better detox effect eat them raw, as cooking destroys most glutathione.
7. Leafy Greens
Leafy greens like spinach, cabbage, broccoli, and kale are powerful antioxidants that help cleanse the entire body. Adding more leafy greens to your diet is the best way to improve overall health. They are filled with fiber to cleanse our digestive tract and loaded with vitamins, minerals, and other powerful nutrients. Find here more information on how to detox your body with these 8 leafy greens.
8. Broccoli Sprouts
Although broccoli has strong detox properties, its sprouts are even better. They contain 20 times more sulfurophane to get rid of toxins than broccoli.
9. Lemons
Packed with loads of nutrients and antioxidants, lemons activate your liver to eliminate toxins. Drinking lukewarm lemon water in the morning alkalizes your body and releases enzymes to convert toxins into water soluble compounds that can easily be eliminated through your urine. Lemons are loaded with vitamin C, a vitamin your body needs to produce the liver-detoxing protein, glutathione. Find here 8 health benefits of drinking lemon water.
10. Flaxseed
Contains healthy omega-3 fatty acids that help your body get rid of blood sugar. And on top of that they are high in fibers which bind and eliminate a wide range of toxins.
11. Turmeric
“The Queen of spices” has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for ages to treat liver and digestion issues. Its active ingredient, curcumin, helps your body to speed up it detoxifying processes. Read here more about the amazing health benefits of turmeric.
12. Basil
Basil supports the liver and kidneys to eliminate toxin build-ups. Great for digestion, infections, and works as a diuretic to eliminate even more toxins.
13. Blueberries
Blueberries are one of Earth’s greatest and powerful healing foods. They are packed with antioxidants, have anti-inflammatory properties, and are great to purify your blood from toxins and free radicals. To learn more about the amazing healing properties of blueberries, as well as other berries, have a look at the e-book The Healing Berry Guide. This e-book will teach you how to transform your health with berries and is a must for berry lovers.
14. Avocado
Avocados are excellent for overall health. They lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and contain high levels of glutathione known to detoxify the liver of toxins and carcinogens.
15. Cilantro or Coriander
Cilantro aids our body to get rid of mercury and other heavy metals that end up in your bloodstream via the food you eat or the polluted air you breathe in.
And don’t forget to drink enough water to flush those toxins out of your body and get enough sleep. While you are sleeping your body has the time to cleanse itself and naturally get rid of toxin build-ups. If you are interested in detoxifying your body, you can find more useful information in the e-book The Detox Guide. This guide will teach you how to use detox to cleanse and energize your body naturally and safely.
Got Milk? More like, “got osteoporosis, cancer, skin and gut issues, and mucus build-up?” There are multiple reasons why you should ditch milk and dairy products, but these 10 reasons may finally just convince you to kick your habit to the curb.
Aside from the shocking actions of the dairy industry, which involve newborn baby calves being torn away from their mothers so that their mothers can be used for milk, and the baby for the veal industry (where they spend their miserable lives unable to turn around in tiny metal crates), milk can cause things like osteoporosis, cancer, constipation, diarrhea, asthma, ear infections, inflammation (i.e., arthritis), bronchitis, diabetes, high cholesterol and so much more.
“The biological purpose of cow’s milk is to support the rapid growth of a calf. Humans have no nutritional or medical need to consume the milk of cows or any other non-human species. Cow’s milk has significant levels of female hormones, and usually contains antibiotics, pesticides, saturated fat, and cholesterol — substances that definitely do NOT do a body good!” — Michelle McMacken, MD
Here are 10 shocking reasons why you should ditch the milk and dairy products, and opt for tasty nut-milks and cultured coconut yogurts and ice creams instead!
1. Contributes to extreme growth of cancer
“Casein, which makes up 87% of cow’s milk protein, is the most relevant cancer promoter ever discovered” – Dr. T. Colin Campbell, The China Study
“It appears that when individuals do not have the correct enzymes to metabolize many of the hormones naturally found in any type of cow’s milk, a glass of milk can flood the body with excess estrogen. This raises the risk of developing or accelerating the growth of existing breast cancer.” -Susan Wadia-Ells, Founding Director of Knowbreastcancer.net
“Some dairy products, such as whole milk and many types of cheese, have a relatively high saturated fat content, which may increase risk. Moreover, milk products may contain contaminants such as pesticides, which have carcinogenic potential, and growth factors such as insulin-like growth factor I, which have been shown to promote breast cancer cell growth.” -The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
There are many cases that point to the fact that milk has the potential to cause cancer, specifically breast cancer. The growth factors (specifically IGF-1, the “Miracle-Gro” for cancer cells), and hormones in cows’ milk are not only linked to breast cancer, but they are also linked to other hormone-related cancers like prostate, ovary and testicular cancer.
Whether your milk is conventional, organic or raw, it will contain these naturally-occurring reproductive and cancer-causing hormones, since cows are milked while pregnant.
2. Triggers problematic skin issues
If you want good skin, don’t eat dairy! Milk and dairy products contain inflammatory substances and growth hormones that clog your pores and cause acne, psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis. I have heard many accounts of people quitting dairy and their skin clearing up, myself included.
IGF-1, a hormone found abundantly in milk, also triggers inflammation in the body, triggering ugly redness and swelling that makes acne so difficult. Your body also produces excess sebum (oil) upon dairy consumption, which creates a breeding ground for the P. acnes bacteria, who feed on sebum and produce inflammatory by-products.
3. Linked to chronic disease
The milk protein, casein, is not only linked to cancer, but it is linked to other chronic diseases like osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, dementia, and allergies. The long-term health effects of milk and dairy consumption are often neglected, with people who fail to attribute their health woes to the one thing they can’t seem to get rid of – milk and dairy.
4. The dairy-calcium myth
The American dairy industry heavily promotes the consumption of milk as your sole source of calcium. This, is in fact, a myth. Calcium from plant foods are well-absorbed by the body, much more than calcium from dairy.
Because dairy products are acid-forming, they literally leach minerals out of our bones.
So if you are consuming dairy to “make your bones stronger” then you may actually be doing just the opposite.
In fact, The Harvard Nurses’ Health Study, which was conducted over 12 years, and followed over 75,000 women, found no protective effect of increased milk consumption on fracture risk. In addition, increasing calcium intake from dairy products increased fracture risk amongst those participating.
5. Lactose doesn’t digest properly
Dairy is a big reason people are chronically bloated, and suffer from digestive issues. After a human baby turns two years old, they slowly stop producing the enzyme Lactase, which is required to digest the sugar, Lactose, found in milk. So, technically, we are all lactose intolerant, but because humans continue to drink milk far into adulthood, signs of poor digestion to milk go unnoticed. Since adults have no lactase to break down milk, the undigested milk sugars end up in the colon, manifesting as bloating, nausea, cramps, flatulence and diarrhea.
6. You’re NOT a baby cow
This one is pretty straight forward. A baby cow doesn’t suckle from a human breast, a cat breast, or any other breast other than a cow breast. We also wouldn’t drink milk from a pig, a dog, or a cat, so what makes cows’ milk any different? We are the only species in the world that drinks the milk of another species. Not only that, but humans consume milk long after weaning. Think about this connection, and question if you would ever wander into a field and suckle milk from a cow. If you wouldn’t, then why are you still consuming it?
7. Makes weight maintenance difficult
The high saturated fat content in milk makes losing weight difficult. In addition, dairy products all contain varying amounts of lactose (milk sugar), and the protein in milk generates an insulin response, both of which hinder weight loss.
When I gave up dairy my bloating went away and my waistline slimmed dramatically!
It makes sense that milk and other dairy products would do this to a human being, considering the fact that milk is designed to help “fatten up” the baby (whether human or cow or goat). Cow’s milk is designed to grow a 90 pound calf into a 2000 pound cow. But not many people recognize this, and continue drinking it despite its body-fattening effects.
There are SO many options to choose other than dairy! There are plant-based milks (hemp, hazelnut, oat, rice, almond, flax, and coconut), yogurts (coconut, almond), cheeses (raw cashew cheese, daiya cheese, etc.) and ice creams (ones made out of coconut are super yummy, but I prefer making my favourite – raw fruit ice cream!).
10. Cheese is un-naturally addictive
Which is probably why it is so hard to ditch the dairy habit in the first place. People love their cheese. Whenever I ask people if they could give up dairy the first thing they say is,
“oh, I could never give up cheese. It’s just TOO good!”
Well, what if I said that your brain is actually just addicted to cheese, and that the flavour isn’t really the thing that keeps drawing you back (trust me, smell cheese after being 5 years raw vegan, you will gag).
When our body digests milk, little protein fragments called casomorphins are created, which have a strong opioid effect on the brain. So we can kind of compare cheese to heroin – dependence can develop with ongoing “administration” (or consumption in this case), which can lead to extreme withdrawal syndromes if abruptly discontinued.
Giving up cheese can be hard, but sticking to a gradual discontinuance over the period of a week to two weeks will wean your brain off the euphoric feeling it receives after eating a bunch of cheese. It only took me one week to completely remove cheese from my diet, and I never thought once about it after the fact (mainly because I felt 500x better).
Read more at http://livelovefruit.com/2014/12/why-you-should-ditch-milk-and-dairy-products/#IShKsujIbsZd4j6s.99
My switch to washing hair with baking soda and apple cider vinegar was supposed to last only a month, but now I can't stop.
It has been six months since I stopped using shampoo. It all started as a short experiment when my editor asked if I’d try the ‘no poo’ method just for the month of January. I agreed reluctantly, and together with Margaret Badore, dived headfirst into the world of extremely alternative hair care. Our experiment resulted in this post: “The No Shampoo Experiment.” While Margaret went cold turkey for a month, I continued to ‘wash’ my hair with baking soda and condition with apple cider vinegar.
I never dreamed I’d still be doing it at the beginning of July, but here I am, a staunch convert to the 'no poo' method with no intentions of going back. There are so many things I love about it, and this is what I tell people who are curious about my strange hair-washing habit.
There was almost no adjustment period for me, which I think is common for people with really thick hair, or hair that is washed no more than once or twice a week. The biggest hurdle for me was psychological and getting over the fleeting smell of salad dressing in the shower as I poured vinegar over my head. (Don’t worry – it dissipates immediately and there’s no residual odour.)
My hair is getting healthier and more manageable the longer I avoid shampoo. It gets less greasy and I can go longer between washes, usually 4-5 days. It is softer, shinier, and less frizzy than before. I have fewer bad hair days, and can get the natural, loose curls I like with just a bit of coconut oil rubbed into my damp hair.
There have been only two times that I used natural shampoo instead of soda and vinegar, and that was when I travelled to Honduras and Mexico for writing assignments this spring. Both times I thought it was better not to get questioned about a strange white powder in my luggage. I saw a big difference after washing with shampoo. My hair was drier and frizzier, and it looked greasy within two days. I also noticed that my scalp was itchier after using shampoo, perhaps because the natural oils were stripped away.
I love how the no ‘poo method fits in with my quest for Zero Waste living. In six months, I’ve gone through one cardboard box of baking soda and I’m only halfway through the same jar of vinegar. There are no empty plastic bottles of shampoo and conditioner to toss in the recycling bin, nor the accompanying host of hair care products that I relied on to tame my hair.
If the no ‘poo method has intrigued you for a while, why not give it a try? You might be pleasantly surprised at the result. Here is what I do:
Measure 2 tbsp baking soda into a 500 mL/1 pint glass jar. Wet hair. Fill jar with water and stir to dissolve baking soda. Pour over head and scrub into hair. Rinse. Measure 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar into same jar. Add water, pour over head, and rinse almost immediately.
(These amounts are for long hair. If yours is short to medium length, use 1 tbsp of baking soda and vinegar in 1 cup of water. If your hair doesn’t seem clean enough once it’s dried, use a bit more soda next time.)
I can’t help but notice that a lot of young people these days have hunched/rounded shoulders and very poor posture. Take a look around you and you’ll see it, too. Look in the mirror – you may even be one of them.
I find it alarming that such young people are already getting rounded shoulders. But I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised because these days most people spend the majority of the day sitting and doing things with their arms in front of them like typing, texting, driving, playing video games, etc.
But we aren’t designed to do this – humans were made to move! When most people sit at a desk or look at their computer or phone, they drop their chin, tilt their head forward and round their shoulders. Caught you, didn’t I?!
Other people generally at risk to develop rounded shoulders are people (especially men) who like to workout just their biceps and chest and neglect their back. If they don’t already have rounded shoulders from doing this, they are likely to get them due to muscle imbalances (another reason to work your entire body – not just the areas you want to look good). Older folks tend to get rounded shoulders from lack of flexibility, years and years of poor posture and it not being corrected. People who drive a lot get used to sitting in a position where they slump forward. Those who hold children or cook all day also are at a greater risk. Anyone sitting at a desk for a large part of the day have a much greater tendency to get the dreaded shoulder hunch. Runners and cyclists also round their shoulders due to the nature of the sport.
When you spend the majority of your time with your arms in front of you, it becomes habit for your body to round the shoulders. As a result, the muscles in the upper back and neck strain, overstretch and overwork. The chest muscles shorten, the small muscles between the shoulder blades weaken and the back muscles stretch and lengthen. Smaller muscles that are not designed to be postural muscles have to work doing a job they were not designed to do.
And all this poor posture can have a tremendous impact on our health. Poor posture causes all sorts of muscle and ligament imbalances which can lead to chronic back, neck and shoulder pain, headaches, fatigue, difficulty breathing and other more devastating health problems. If you are having pain, it’s important to see a physical therapist and/or a chiropractor who can help your muscle imbalances and align your spine properly.
When your body is aligned it means that your heels, knees, pelvis, and neck are directly stacked on top of each. Your body will not only be able to move so much more efficiently, but you will be able to carry heavier loads, tire less easily, have better digestion and will be less susceptible to injury.
The good news is that the earlier we catch our rounded shoulders and bad posture and take steps to correct it, the greater and faster the results. And if you’ve had bad posture and rounded shoulders for awhile, be patient. With gentle yoga poses and stretches like the ones below, you will start to see excellent posture results over time. You will also notice increased shoulder flexibility and less chance of shoulder injuries.
These stretches, yoga poses and exercises are very important to work into your regular training program for improved posture and to combat rounded shoulders. If you sit at a desk or have your arms out in front of you for a large portion of the day (driving, texting, typing, etc.), it’s extra important that you do these as often as you can.
6 Stretches to Prevent Rounded Shoulders:
The first 3 can be done sitting on a chair, standing, kneeling, or sitting on the floor. These are great stretches for someone with a desk or office job and can be done (and highly recommended) anytime throughout the day.
Back Bound Hand Pose
Shoulder Squeeze
Cow face Pose
These 3 yoga poses are excellent for expanding and stretching the chest, strengthening and reducing tightness of the shoulders, releasing tension in the back, all which will give you excellent results for rounded shoulders and better posture.
1. Baby Cobra Pose
2. Bridge Pose
3. Camel Pose
BACK BOUND HAND POSE Squeeze your shoulder blades down and together and bring both arms and hands behind you. Grab the right elbow with the left hand and then grab the left elbow with your right hand. If this is too hard, grab your wrist or forearm with the opposite hand. Take a few deep breaths. Lift your chest and keep your shoulder blades down and back. Now repeat by grabbing your left elbow with your right hand this time.
SHOULDER SQUEEZE STRETCH Bring your shoulder blades down and back and clasp your hands behind you. Slowly lift your arms as far as you are comfortable as you squeeze your shoulder blades together. I like to pretend there is an orange in between my shoulders and I am trying to squeeze the juice out of it by my shoulders. Breathe deeply for a few breath cycles as you are doing this stretch.
COW FACE POSE Place the back of your left hand on your lower back and slide it up as far as it will comfortably go. Now stretch your right arm up and bend your elbow reaching behind you to grab your left hand. This is difficult, so if you can’t do it, do not worry. Just go as far as you comfortably can and over time you will get better and better. Remember to keep your chest lifted and your shoulders down and back. Hold for a few breath cycles (30 seconds or so) and then repeat sides.
BABY COBRA POSE Lie on your stomach with your hand directly beside your shoulders. Inhale and slowly press yourself up, keeping your elbows bent. Breathe deeply for a few breath cycles and then come back down.
BRIDGE POSE Lie on your back, knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Take a deep breath and raise your hips off the floor as high as you are comfortable going. Now draw your shoulders down and back and clasp your hands together if possible. Try to reach them as far to your feet as possible. Breathe deeply for a few breath cycles and lower your body gently to the floor.
CAMEL POSE Kneel on the floor with your back to a chair. Keep your feet hip width apart and grasp the chair with your hands. Now push your pelvis forward and lift your chest to the sky. Breathe deeply as you keep pushing your shoulder blades back and down and keep lifting your chest as far as you can comfortably go. Hold this pose for a few breath cycles.
