[Zoya and Mineral Fusion] Reviews

I'm slowly trying to overhaul my make-up selection. Transition to natural, chemical-free products. I'm starting with the stinkiest of them all: NAIL POLISH! I've only tried to brands thus far. But, I am pleasantly surprised by both. I will offer my thoughts on Zoya and Mineral fusion.

 I felt like Zoya was more expensive and the quality paid for itself. Zoya stayed on for a very long time. It reminds me of OPI alot. Just that its not packed full of chemicals. I found Zoya at one of our local Nugget Markets.

Zoya Nail Polish is a nail polish free of toluene, formaldehyde, DBP (phthalates) and camphor. Zoya Nail Polish was specifically formulated to deliver the longest wear possible on natural nails. ." From Zoya.com

Next up[ Mineral Fusion]

Mineral Fusion doesn't speak of their nail polish on their website. These were 2 for $10 at Whole Foods. Makes me wonder if their days are numbered. Well, for the time being. I like them. Their vegan and don't stink a whole lot. They seem to stay on pretty well. All in all. I am so happy that I picked these up. It feels great changing up the stinky things! :)

Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

  

So, this chocolate cake was adapted from one of the Esther Bloom books, "Secrets of Gorgeous".


Here is the recipe :

1/2 cup organic grass fed butter
1/4 cup organic cocoa powder ( I recommend adding more, if your a chocolate lover.)
1/4 cup organic coconut milk, rice milk or almond milk
9 organic free range eggs
1 cup raw organic agave syrup plus 2 tablespoons
3/4 finely ground sea salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
3/4 cup sifted coconut flour
3/4 teaspoon baking power

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and coconut milk and mix well. Remove from heat and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, agave syrup, salt and vanilla. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Combine the coconut flour and baking powder, then whisk into the batter until there are no lumps. Pour the batter into a greased 8-by-8-by 2 pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Cool, then cover with frosting.

Frosting

3/4 cups organic lactose free whipping cream
2 tablespoons agave syrup
2 tablespoons organic grass fed butter
1/4 pound organic milk chocolate, chopped
1/4 pound dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa content), chopped

Combine the cream, syrup, and butter in a large heavy saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until mixture begins to simmer. Add the chopped chocolates. Reduce heat ti low and whisk until the frosting is smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl.

We used lactose free whip cream in a can, to make it prettier and shaved dark chocolate over the whip cream. Enjoy and Good health to you.

Sugar is cruel and evil!

I love sugar! I love it, I do. But, I can also talk behind sugars back. Sugar is like the girlfriend that you love and is pretty, but that stabs you in the back. And you actually feel it. This my friends is sugar.

I cannot overstate the disasters that follow over sugar consumption. During this season pretty little "sugar babies" are everywhere! They're just lying there, desperate at your reach taunting and softly calling out to be eaten.

Emphatically I must exclaim that sugar kills me! Every time life gets good; health wise, I bite into something or yes something(s), irresistibly delectable. At that moment life seems grand, peaceful and well great. Until, the days pass and I begin to feel a sore throat. What's that a sore throat? No, keep eating...So I do. Some sugar coated nuts here and some maple syrup on my (gluten-free) pumpkin pancakes there. Next thing I know I'm sicker than a dog. That's when I'm reminded again, just like when you have unhealthy best girlfriend or boyfriend, that it's time to break-up.

Goodbye Sugar! Love you, hate you! xoxo

Supplements I'm trying for hyperthyroid and immune system protection

• Vitamin D complex
• Free form copper
• Vitamin B complex
• Selenium
• Zinc
• Glutathione cream

I will post an update in 30 days to see if all symptoms are gone and what blood tests show.

You are what you eat

A sliced carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye...and science demonstrates that carrots greatly enhance blood flow and function of the eyes.
A tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart is red and has four chambers. Research recent shows that tomatoes are a "heart food'.
Kidney beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yet they look exactly like the human kidneys.
Onions look like body cells. Guess what? Onion help clear waste debris from all body cells; they even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes.

                                                  Coincidence? Or is this by Divine design.

The beauty of glutathione

One of the best functional medical doctors in our Nation. Can't wait to meet him!

lesson learned

What did I do this? No way!

Sooo.....As many of my friends can contest I can be a bit of an extremist. I desperately wish that I wasn't but sometimes I just can't help myself! Recently, in April I blogged that I had visited the doctor and he had declared me pretty healthy. He was astounded at my thyroid levels and said I was functioning in the optimal range. Upon hearing this absolutely fantastic news I continued my little regiment of supplementing and at times a little more than necessary. 

Well sad to say I began feeling moments of when it felt like my heart was jumping out of my chest. I ignored it until it got painful. Then I'd think oh well maybe its a gas bubble, not really my heart. UNTIL...my heart pounded non-stop for 3 days straight and my bpm was 130. I knew something was up but attributed to taking a little too much of an natural energy supplement (alpha lipoic acid). I love energy I loved waking up having energy without the use of coffee and tea. It was great! I was working out twice a day on some days. Unfortunately for me I do have an underlying thyroid issue. My continuous use and  over excess of dl-phenylinlanine and l-tyrosine. I caused myself hyperthyroidism. Which looks like this:

Symptoms

• Anxiety
• Difficulty concentrating
• Double vision
• Eyeballs that stick out (exophthalmos)
• Eye irritation and tearing
• Fatigue
• Frequent bowel movements
• Goiter (possible)
• Heat intolerance
• Increased appetite
• Increased sweating
• Insomnia
• Menstrual irregularities in women
• Muscle weakness
• Nervousness
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat (palpitations or arrhythmia)
• Restlessness and difficulty sleeping
• Shortness of breath with exertion
• Tremor
• Weight loss (rarely, weight gain)
  
  
  Not so fun after all. So energy is pretty deflated! Heartbeats are pretty bad. I'm so dizzy too. Can't work out for awhile until  I've been on stuff for my heart for a while. This condition is serious and can be fatal. Basically, I one hundred percent will change my ways now. No more extreme I can do this all by myself attitude. This is scary and I want my life back yet again! Thankfully, at this time my eye isn't bulging anymore! It actually happened one eye bulged while the other sorta shrank back like a little turtle. So even though I read at least 1-2 health books a week. I still need to slow down with my assumptions of overdosing can be better!  Again, I cannot reiterate this is genuinely my other lesson learned!

my best friend, lover and my enemy---EXERCISE

My gym shoes. I love you lil guys. Just because we are on a doctor mandated break doesn't mean I don't miss you! Pilates is my only option right now. :( I promise when my heart gets better we can go for a walk or I'll take you to your favorite spot--the gym!

5 REASONS I EXERCISE

1. It literally makes me happy!!! Exercise makes your brain release a great happy hormone which in turns gives you serotonin.

2. It makes me feel strong. Often I fool myself into thinking that I can't do things. But when you run a 5-k or complete a boot-camp class I realize I'm not as wimpy as I thought! Yay me!
3. Lengthens, Straightens, Elongates my body.
4. My immune system cannot function without it! Either can yours! Studies show that people who exercise actually do get less colds/flus and when the flu comes knocking the symptoms are notably less than those who have no exercised! Yahoo!
5. Detox. Simply put sweating helps your body naturally detox.

The Paleo-Candida free-Parasite free-Cancer Free Diet

80% VEGETABLES AND 20% FISH & ORGANIC MEATS

DYING TO LIVE

Aerial view of my nightstand full of supplements for everything. 

 I just want to feel good. It's funny for me that all I want to do is live. You know, just live. I make so many concessions when it comes to food, diet and exercise. I often get tired of just not feeling good without a ton of effort. Okay, enough of my pity party! After many breakdowns, tears, etc. I realize that I have to just live like I'm dying. Which is funny I think of times when people have made fun of me about this. But in reality that is extremely cruel and unfair. Some if us do have auto-immune diseases or hidden cancer cells. And gosh darn it!We just want to feel good. So, you suck up all your sugary beverages and treats and I'll be over here with my green apples. This isn't a girl just being high maintenance to be a brat or be skinny. Its to function and maybe sometimes have more energy.

  So for me to feel good and be like the rest of you means that I must follow this following list:

• no dairy
• no corn
• no grains
• no sugar
• no coffee
• no  chocolate
• no tomatoes, red peppers, eggplant
• no peanuts
• no cashews

For me this strict life, is just something I have to accept and write about. 

Great Must Reads

This book is filled with interviews from notable doctors around the world. many of whom have left typical medical practices because they were tired of seeing patients needlessly die. Great tips for supplements. touches a lot on the prevention of cancer.

Everyone should know about their own brain.  Serotonin, GABA, Acetyl-choline, and Dopamine are the 4 major brain chemicals. Its necessary to know which one dominates you and which ones you might be deficient in. These can have a direct baring on your entire life. At the sickest point in my life I was severely  deficient in all four! Talk about major personality change and depression!

While I don't agree with every word in this book. The overall theme is great and she is a great writer.  One could learn a lot from it.

I love this book and always will. If you struggle with acne this book  is for you! 

Spring is so sweet..unless you have allergies

This spring here has been absolutely exceptional.The air so sweet smelling and lovely flints of cotton everywhere. I'm smiling and coughing all at the same time.

Well, a ton of us all got caught off guard this year. So, now you can hear us coming from a mile away either with our trigger happy sneezes, coughing, sniffles etc. UGH! Anyhow, here are a few tips that I've re-learned from my allergies this season. Do a few that suit you and you will feel relief in no time.

• Take a probiotic early before the season begins. ( I missed this mark majorly this season!)
•  Take vitamin A ( at least 25,000 IU and C 1000 mg
•  Take some zinc if you get  seasonal skin allergies like hives, eczema, or itchy eyes.
• Organic Apple-cider vinegar
• Lastly if you feel like its causing a sinus issue slam some garlic. I know it stinks but so do anti-biotics and chemical decongestants. 

Ups and downs and some good small turnarounds.

Being sick and being young just don't mix well. People of older generations will often remark," Your too young to be sick", followed up by " when I was your age I never got sick." Guess what Grandma? You probably didn't! Food, water, soil, and air are all extremely laden with toxins now. Many older adults were able to partake of the many non-pasteurized delights that promoting good health. Unfortunately, for me and my generation we happened to be anti-biotic generation. Anti-biotics in food, water,and we had to take them for every cough or itch we had. I recall loving the taste of penicillin and ugh to penicillin! 


So, here I am basking in my anti-biotic body.I am so depleted that if I have a cup of coffee I will get sick from the acidity. Thankfully, I can rebuild my flora and make a happy healthier person. Therapeutic levels of probiotics and fermented veggies are gonna be my best friends!




As my journey plugs along  I have some news. I am happy to stay that I went to the Dr. he thought that my thyroid levels were low because of my symptoms and complaints. Mind you, I have not been on thyroid medicine for years. I have been supplementing with DLPA and L-tyrosine both in free forms. Guess what? They're working! Alas, all my research has paid off I'm finally doing something right. However, my CBC wasn't very good and I'm pretty sure that after I finish this cleanse I am going to have to jump to a parasite cleanse..Ugh..I'm not ready for the looks of that!

Ah the joys of cleansing

Each day gets better! This is day four back on the cleanse. No sugar no caffeine. Its amazing a year ago today I couldn't live without cups of tea or coffee to get through the day!I just ran a ton of errands, my stamina was fine. I wasn't dragging or lagging! Also, an added benefit the fact that I'm no eating sugar my blood sugar doesn't drop as often requiring less food at meal times. I don't even feel HUNGRY! Man I forgot how glorious cleansing can be! Join me! Good health to you!

Recipes

Veggie scramble for two

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 red pepper chopped

1/2 green pepper chopped

1/4 c of spinach

4 eggs

In a bowl mix eggs, peppers and spinach. I add pink Himalayan salt, and some everyday organic seasoning. Put in skillet on stove-top medium heat. Stir as needed. Serve. Enjoy. :)

Sleep Sweetly :)

Nothing beats a great night sleep...If you want to be healthy too, you must get rest. But, your rest must be complete. Sometimes getting to sleep can be a problem. I have found the following to be very very helpful.

1. A sleep mask
2. Pure lavender oil dabbed on my wrists and temples
3. 3-5 mg of Melatonin
4. Standardized Valerian root
5. California Poppy Seed Extract

Nightmare of Cortisone

This is Wikipedia definition of cortisone:

is a steroid hormone. It is one of the main hormones released by the adrenal gland in response to stress. In chemical structure, it is a corticosteroid closely related to corticosterone. It is used to treat a variety of ailments and can be administered intravenously, orally, intraarticularly, or transcutaneously. Cortisone suppresses the immune system, thus reducing inflammation and attendant pain and swelling at the site of the injury. Risks exist, in particular in the long-term use of cortisone.

So the main point that is that this synthetic form of can wreak havoc on your endocrine system. Your endocrine system regulates major organs that secrete hormones that regulate your body. This can influence your bodies temperature, how easily you put on wait, your energy level, all things you just don't want to mess with!These hormones regulate various functions of the human body these include metabolism, growth and development, tissue function and mood. Just to name a few. Overuse of this drug can cause a great imbalance in one of the most important systems in your body. The thyroid, pineal gland, adrenals kidneys, parathyroid, hypothalamus are some of the organs affected.

As you may already know to feel better sometimes requires feeling worse. So to me is it truly worth it? That's a question you will have to answer. For me the answer is heck no! Recently, I was told by a Orthopedic Surgeon that I had a small meniscus tear. He suggested that I receive a cortisone shot to help alleviate the inflammation. I said are there any side-effects? He said, "No they are minimal." Really? Is a not being a able to walk minimal? I walked in the Doctors office and limped out, pissed. The reactions I experienced were insomnia, hot flashes, mood swings, low-immunity, heart palpitations, head-ache, stomach ache, and most of extreme swelling. I realized I needed this toxin out.

This is what I did. Call me extreme, I don't care. When you suddenly see your entire body change and your a gimp. Desperate circumstances scream for desperate extreme measures. I immediately started taking more vitamin c 6000 milligrams, 8oo milligrams of magnesium glycinate, 1120 milligrams of charcoal and a ton of pure water with added 2 tbsp of chlorophyll, 3 mg of melatonin for sleep and to balance the imbalance of hormones. I took hot steamy baths with peppermint and Epsom salts. It took about 5 days to re-balance once I started cleansing. You could almost see the inflammation go down in my knee.

Cleansing Rules I live by

• Drink at least half your body weight of pure water
• Add organic lemon in the AM
• Add 1 or 2 tsp of chlorophyll
• Body brush before you bathe
• Limit your use of perfumes
• 30 minutes of sweating a day ie; dry sauna, exercise, steamy bath
• Eat as much organic as possible
• Grass fed or organic poultry, eggs etc
• No farm raised fish
• Buy a shower filter
• Do not resist the urge to eliminate
• Eat the rainbow ( variety of colors and kinds) in vegetables change them up regularly
• No sugar, coffee, alcohol, no sugar substitutes, limit or eliminate lactose products
• Take Vitamin C
• Limit certain fruits such as bananas and red grapes

* When you cannot afford organic meats buy "grass fed" or "no antibiotics" "hormone free".

Also, if you can't afford organic the following are less toxic non-organic:

1. asparagus,
2. avocados
3. bananas
4. blackberries
5. blueberries
6. broccoli
7. Brussels sprouts
8. cabbage
9. cantaloupe from the States
10. carrots
11. cauliflower
12. chard
13. corn
14. eggplant
15. grapefruit
16. kiwi
17. lettuce (Romaine)
18. okra
19. onions
20. peas
21. radishes
22. tangerines
23. tomatoes
24. watermelon

Cleanse AM

Hollywood loves cleanses, why? Hello! Because a great side-effect of cleansing is you lose weight. If you do it right. Now, the cleanse that I am currently using is truly in my opinion, the BEST on the market. But, you have to be smart. The whole purpose of a cleanse is to rid your body of toxins, so if your shoving doughnuts, beer, red meat, sugar down your throat. Good luck honey, because the cleanse isn't really going to work.

Cleanse Rules for me

Take AM pill with pure 8 ounce glass of water

Drink warm organic lemon water

30 mins later eat breakfast

before beginning any program consult a healthcare professional first. I am by no means a doctor. I am simply chronicling my journey and my healthy ways to live. good health to you.

The Journey Again

So, I recently received a cortisone injection in my knee. Sadly, predictably, and unfortunately for me, it did not work. Instead, it's left me with a myriad of different symptoms. Symptoms that I refuse to live with. I will tell you how I was able to reduce many of the reactions in a post called cortisone injections. After all the cortisone aftermath, as well as a different medications I knew my body needed a major cleanse. So I will chronicle the journey and steps of a proper cleanse. I am going to use the Renew Life Cleanse Smart.