With proper skin care, the skin will be naturally healthy and you won’t even need to wear makeup most of the time. Most days, I skip the makeup altogether, but when I do wear it, these are the recipes I use:
Cosmetics are a major source of exposure to toxins for many people, and making your own cosmetics and adopting a natural skin care routine for your skin type can go a long way toward reducing this exposure.
Homemade cosmetics are easier than you would expect to make yourself and herbal ingredients are actually good for the skin and don’t expose the body to a bevy of toxins.
Homemade Blush Ingredients:
Arrowroot Powder
organic Cocoa Powder
Hibiscus Powder
How to Make Blush:
As with any homemade make-up recipe, the amounts vary by person. You’ll have to experiment with quantities of each ingredient to find the shade that works for you. I always start with a base of about 1/2 tsp of arrowroot and darken as needed, testing on my inner arm as I go.
When you get your desired shade, store in a small jar or old makeup shaker and use as needed.
Natural Foundation
Homemade Option: At the recommendation of a friend who had used cocoa powder for natural bronzer, I started experimenting with natural foundation options, and came up with a recipe similar to a mineral make-up, though lighter, and smoother…
I start with a base of arrowroot powder (can also use cornstarch, but arrowroot works better) and then slowly add in cocoa powder and finely ground cinnamon powder until you get a shade close to your skin tone. You can then store in a jar or old powder container and use a brush to apply. It took me a few tries of mixing to get the color correct for my skin tone, but most days, a quick brush of this is all I need.
If you want to make it a more solid base so that only a little sticks to the brush, use a few drops of essential oil or vodka to mix with the powder and push down in a compact. This will make it hard like a regular compact.
I’ve thought about adding this combination to some homemade lotion to make a liquid foundation but haven’t tried it yet.
Commercial Options: If making makeup isn’t your thing but you still want some natural options, there are a few good choices. No commercial choice is as natural as the homemade option, but they are a tremendous improvement over any conventional options!
Natural Eye Liner and Shadow
Homemade Options:Always be careful when using any products, even natural ones, near the eyes. I mix up several colors of eye shadow using cocoa powder (brown shades) Spirulina (green shades) and arrowroot (light shades). My favorite is just cocoa powder with a tiny bit of arrowroot mixed in for smoothness.
For eye-liner, I either use a tiny bit of cocoa powder mixed with coconut oil, or a tiny dab or activated charcoal on a slightly damp brush. Be careful not to get either one in the eye. I store the eye shadow in an old powdered eye shadow container and apply with my finger or a very slightly damp brush.
To make a smoother eyeliner, I mix equal parts of coconut oil and cocoa butter (about 1/2 ounce of each) and add about 1/2 tsp of activated charcoal to make a black eyeliner that is thicker. You can also do this with cocoa powder for a brown hue.
Homemade Makeup Recipes
Katie - Wellness Mama 204 Comments
homemade makeup recipes natural Homemade Makeup Recipes
I get a lot of questions about natural makeup options, and this was definitely one of the tougher things for me to find natural alternatives for. In college, I practically collected makeup, and had endless tubes and compacts of makeup that never even got half used.
While there are some good natural alternatives that you can buy (see list below), the cheapest, easiest and most natural way is to just make your own, and you might have all of the ingredients in your kitchen already!
Natural Skin Care
What you do to your skin before you use makeup is just as important as the makeup you use and there are some great natural options for skin care.
Personally, I’m a microfiber convert, and only use microfiber products with natural silver fibers (antibacterial) for washing my face and for make-up removal. This is truly the most natural option you can use, since you don’t even need soap (and microfiber is great for baby too… no chemicals to irritate skin!).
For deeper cleansing and moisturizing, I’ve also use the oil cleansing method, which leaves skin very soft and smooth. You can also use a natural sugar scrub (equal parts sugar and natural oil) or natural microdermabrasion (baking soda) to make skin look younger.
With proper skin care, the skin will be naturally healthy and you won’t even need to wear makeup most of the time. Most days, I skip the makeup altogether, but when I do wear it, these are the recipes I use:
Natural Foundation
Homemade Option: At the recommendation of a friend who had used cocoa powder for natural bronzer, I started experimenting with natural foundation options, and came up with a recipe similar to a mineral make-up, though lighter, and smoother…
I start with a base of arrowroot powder (can also use cornstarch, but arrowroot works better) and then slowly add in cocoa powder and finely ground cinnamon powder until you get a shade close to your skin tone. You can then store in a jar or old powder container and use a brush to apply. It took me a few tries of mixing to get the color correct for my skin tone, but most days, a quick brush of this is all I need.
If you want to make it a more solid base so that only a little sticks to the brush, use a few drops of essential oil or vodka to mix with the powder and push down in a compact. This will make it hard like a regular compact.
I’ve thought about adding this combination to some homemade lotion to make a liquid foundation but haven’t tried it yet.
Commercial Options: If making makeup isn’t your thing but you still want some natural options, there are a few good choices. No commercial choice is as natural as the homemade option, but they are a tremendous improvement over any conventional options! Dr. Haushcka Translucent Foundation is the most natural liquid foundation I’ve found and my skin reacted well to it. I also loved Nvey Eco Liquid Foundation. I’ve also used Nvey Creme Foundation which is thicker and is mainly great as a concealer or under-eye cover.
For powdered foundation, my favorite one I’ve tried is Aubrey Organics Silken Earth which doesn’t have titanium dioxide like many of the mineral make-ups and which has almost completely natural ingredients.
Natural Bronzer/Blush
Homemade Option: Similar to above, natural bronzer and blush can be easily made with a base of arrowroot and by adding more cocoa powder and cinnamon to get a darker shade. I’ve also tried powdering dried beet root (in the dehydrator) or dried hibiscus flowers to add a pink tone which works well as long as you can very finely powder them. Store in a shaker make-up container or an old compact.
Commercial Options: For natural blush, I love Aubrey Organic Silken Blush or Nvey Eco Powdered Blush.
Natural Eye Liner and Shadow
Homemade Options:Always be careful when using any products, even natural ones, near the eyes. I mix up several colors of eye shadow using cocoa powder (brown shades) Spirulina (green shades) and arrowroot (light shades). My favorite is just cocoa powder with a tiny bit of arrowroot mixed in for smoothness.
For eye-liner, I either use a tiny bit of cocoa powder mixed with coconut oil, or a tiny dab or activated charcoal on a slightly damp brush. Be careful not to get either one in the eye. I store the eye shadow in an old powdered eye shadow container and apply with my finger or a very slightly damp brush.
To make a smoother eyeliner, I mix equal parts of coconut oil and cocoa butter (about 1/2 ounce of each) and add about 1/2 tsp of activated charcoal to make a black eyeliner that is thicker. You can also do this with cocoa powder for a brown hue.
Commercial Options: Nvey Eco Powdered Eyeliner is the best I’ve used so far and is almost completely natural.
Natural Mascara
Homemade Option: I don’t wear mascara most days, but when I want a natural option, it is an easy one to make. In a small bowl, I just mix a few drops of Aloe Vera Gel from Mountain Rose Herbs, a couple drops of Vitamin E oil, and a pinch of activated charcoal (not very precise… I know). I mix it up as I use it, though you could also make and store in an old mascara container or in a small jar and just clean the mascara wand between uses. I brush it on with a clean mascara brush, or even a used Bass Toothbrush from OraWellness.
Supplements for Skin Care
I’m firmly convinced that what you put into your body is just as important, if not more so, than what you put on it when it comes to skin health. I used to have terrible acne and since changing my diet and supplements, I don’t break out at all and my past scars have healed. The supplements that seemed to have made the biggest difference in skin health for me are:
Fermented Cod Liver Oil- for the Vitamins A, D and K, Omega-3s and Antioxidants, all which are great for the skin.
Gelatin – Which is a pre-cursor for collagen and has made my hair, skin and nails noticeably stronger and smoother (great for cellulite too).
Magnesium- An anti-inflammatory and lacking in many people’s diets. Topical Magnesium Oil seems to be the most effective for skin health.
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Friday, December 20, 2013
Do you use a night light?
What’s the Problem?
Exposure to light during the night has been implicated in depression, increased cancer risk and decreased hormone function. As this post explains:
Light inhibits the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that naturally promotes sleep. Even if you doze off, light can be detected through your eyelids—and your brain won’t produce melatonin if it’s confused between night and day, You want as much darkness in your bedroom as you can handle without tripping over things.
A good (cool and dark) night time environment is vital for hormone health, yet we often put lights in kids’ rooms. Only within the last 100 years has this even been a possibility. Before that, there was a natural cycle of light and darkness and while people might have had candles or lamps after dark, there would not have been lights on all night.
More and more research is emerging that shows a link between night time exposure to light and health problems.
Importance for kids:
Night time light exposure can decrease sleep quality, but it can also shorten the duration of sleep, leading to further problems:
Learning and memory: Sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory through a process called memory consolidation. In studies, people who’d slept after learning a task did better on tests later.
Metabolism and weight: Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies process and store carbohydrates, and by altering levels of hormones that affect our appetite.
Safety: Sleep debt contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the daytime. These lapses may cause falls and mistakes such as medical errors, air traffic mishaps, and road accidents.
Mood: Sleep loss may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness. Too little sleep can also leave you too tired to do the things you like to do.
Cardiovascular health: Serious sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels, and irregular heartbeat.
Disease: Sleep deprivation alters immune function, including the activity of the body’s killer cells. Keeping up with sleep may also help fight cancer.
The research I’ve seen shows that white and blue lights are especially harmful at night since these are the same colors of light that the body would be exposed to during the day and they trick the body in to thinking it is day time.
What to Do About It:
Making the change to complete darkness as an adult is a relatively easy process that mainly involves figuring out how to make the bedroom dark. The process isn’t always so easy for children, especially for children who are used to a night light or who have a fear of the dark.
With all the research showing the importance of night time darkness, I felt strongly that this was something I wanted my kids to do. It took a little time to get all of the kids used to sleeping in darkness, but we finally have.
We converted our kids’ bedrooms to better sleep environments by:
Removing night lights, alarm clocks, etc
Keeping the house cooler at night to facilitate better sleep
Covering windows with blackout curtains to cover artificial light from street lights and to help heating and cooling costs.
Using sound machines to help them stay asleep
Using red tone lights (like these Himalayan salt lamps that also clean the air) in hallways and bathrooms so they could see to go to the bathroom if needed but there wasn’t any blue or white light to disrupt sleep.
Helpful Tips:
These tips were helpful along the way:
Using sound machines helped sooth them to sleep and help them stay asleep. We use these machines with the kids because they can be plugged in instead of using batteries and the “rain” sound is a definite favorite.
The first few nights making this switch with our oldest, we turned on the sound machine first and read to him with the light on. Then, we turned off the light but left the door open with the salt lamp in the hallway. From here, we slowly worked up to putting him to sleep with the door closed and complete darkness.
Avoiding TV at night also helped. The blue light from TV suppressed melatonin, making it harder for them to fall asleep.
Letting older kids drink a cup of chamomile tea with a little honey (helps with any hypoglycemica issues) and some butter blended in to it. The healthy fats support hormone function and this combination has been great for sleep.
Rubbing Magnesium Body Butter on their feet before bed (and putting socks on). The magnesium helps promote sleep and is beneficial in other ways too.
Switching to organic mattresses also made a big difference for us, especially for someone who has bad allergies. The light made a bigger difference, so I wouldn’t put new mattresses as the highest priority.
Exposure to light during the night has been implicated in depression, increased cancer risk and decreased hormone function. As this post explains:
Light inhibits the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that naturally promotes sleep. Even if you doze off, light can be detected through your eyelids—and your brain won’t produce melatonin if it’s confused between night and day, You want as much darkness in your bedroom as you can handle without tripping over things.
A good (cool and dark) night time environment is vital for hormone health, yet we often put lights in kids’ rooms. Only within the last 100 years has this even been a possibility. Before that, there was a natural cycle of light and darkness and while people might have had candles or lamps after dark, there would not have been lights on all night.
More and more research is emerging that shows a link between night time exposure to light and health problems.
Importance for kids:
Night time light exposure can decrease sleep quality, but it can also shorten the duration of sleep, leading to further problems:
Learning and memory: Sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory through a process called memory consolidation. In studies, people who’d slept after learning a task did better on tests later.
Metabolism and weight: Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies process and store carbohydrates, and by altering levels of hormones that affect our appetite.
Safety: Sleep debt contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the daytime. These lapses may cause falls and mistakes such as medical errors, air traffic mishaps, and road accidents.
Mood: Sleep loss may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness. Too little sleep can also leave you too tired to do the things you like to do.
Cardiovascular health: Serious sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels, and irregular heartbeat.
Disease: Sleep deprivation alters immune function, including the activity of the body’s killer cells. Keeping up with sleep may also help fight cancer.
The research I’ve seen shows that white and blue lights are especially harmful at night since these are the same colors of light that the body would be exposed to during the day and they trick the body in to thinking it is day time.
What to Do About It:
Making the change to complete darkness as an adult is a relatively easy process that mainly involves figuring out how to make the bedroom dark. The process isn’t always so easy for children, especially for children who are used to a night light or who have a fear of the dark.
With all the research showing the importance of night time darkness, I felt strongly that this was something I wanted my kids to do. It took a little time to get all of the kids used to sleeping in darkness, but we finally have.
We converted our kids’ bedrooms to better sleep environments by:
Removing night lights, alarm clocks, etc
Keeping the house cooler at night to facilitate better sleep
Covering windows with blackout curtains to cover artificial light from street lights and to help heating and cooling costs.
Using sound machines to help them stay asleep
Using red tone lights (like these Himalayan salt lamps that also clean the air) in hallways and bathrooms so they could see to go to the bathroom if needed but there wasn’t any blue or white light to disrupt sleep.
Helpful Tips:
These tips were helpful along the way:
Using sound machines helped sooth them to sleep and help them stay asleep. We use these machines with the kids because they can be plugged in instead of using batteries and the “rain” sound is a definite favorite.
The first few nights making this switch with our oldest, we turned on the sound machine first and read to him with the light on. Then, we turned off the light but left the door open with the salt lamp in the hallway. From here, we slowly worked up to putting him to sleep with the door closed and complete darkness.
Avoiding TV at night also helped. The blue light from TV suppressed melatonin, making it harder for them to fall asleep.
Letting older kids drink a cup of chamomile tea with a little honey (helps with any hypoglycemica issues) and some butter blended in to it. The healthy fats support hormone function and this combination has been great for sleep.
Rubbing Magnesium Body Butter on their feet before bed (and putting socks on). The magnesium helps promote sleep and is beneficial in other ways too.
Switching to organic mattresses also made a big difference for us, especially for someone who has bad allergies. The light made a bigger difference, so I wouldn’t put new mattresses as the highest priority.
Monday, December 9, 2013
Three Natural Ways to Clean Indoor Air
Turns out that indoor air can often contain more toxins and chemicals than outdoor air. Everything from mattresses to pots/pans to kids PJ's can contain harmful chemicals in indoor air.
It’s best to reduce chemical exposure in any way possible, but in today’s world, it is practically impossible to completely avoid harmful chemicals. For the remaining chemicals in indoor air, there are some natural ways to help reduce your family’s exposure.
I’ve mentioned houseplants before and they are a great option for improving indoor air. We have about eight indoor plants and I’m hoping to add more soon. For those who don’t want the upkeep of indoor plants or can’t have them due to pets/kids/etc, there are some other natural options.
Besides indoor plants, these are my top three natural air cleaners.
Beeswax Candles
Regular paraffin candles are petroleum derived and can release chemicals like benzene, toluene, soot and other chemicals into the air. These types of candles do more harm than good for indoor air quality and should be avoided.
Pure Beeswax Candles on the other hand burn with almost no smoke or scent and clean the air by releasing negative ions into the air. These negative ions can bind with toxins and help remove them from the air.
Beeswax candles are often especially helpful for those with asthma or allergies and they are effective at removing common allergens like dust and dander from the air. Beeswax candles also burn more slowly than paraffin candles so they last much longer.
I personally only use beeswax candles in our house. We buy them by the case and our favorites are:
Tea-light beeswax candles
Votive size beeswax candles
Salt Lamps
Salt lamps are another natural way to clean indoor air. They are made from himalayan salt crystals and just like the beeswax candles, they release negative ions in to the air to help clean it. They are also a beautiful light source. The only downside…. my kids like to lick them!
The Himalayan Natural Crystal Salt Lamp also works as an air purifier. When lit, the lamp emits negative ions that fight against positively charged particles that cause you to feel stuffy and sluggish. The lit salt crystal clears the air naturally of allergens like smoke, pet dander, pollens, and other air pollutants. It dilutes odors so that you can breathe easier. People with asthma often find it helpful in reducing their symptoms. You can keep the lamp lit for as long as you like to maintain this purifying effect.
We don’t do night lights in our kids rooms, but if we did or if we need a light source at night for reading, we use salt lamps. The natural orange glow doesn’t disrupt sleep hormones like fluorescent or blue lights do and I find it very relaxing.
Bamboo Charcoal
Another natural air cleaning option I recently discovered is bamboo charcoal. I’ve talked about one of my unusual uses for charcoal before and we use a charcoal block water filter to remove toxins from our water.
Charcoal can have the same toxin-removing effect on the air. They work wonders for odor removal and removing toxins from the air:
“Moso air purifying bags, made of linen and filled with bamboo charcoal, absorb unpleasant odors and dehumidify the air. The porous structure of the high density bamboo charcoal helps remove bacteria, harmful pollutants and allergens from the air and absorbs moisture, preventing mold and mildew by trapping the impurities inside each pore. The Moso air purifying bag has been scientifically proven to reduce the amount of formaldehyde, ammonia, benzene, and chloroform gases emitted from everyday items such as paint, carpeting, furniture, air fresheners, chemical cleaners, rubber, and plastics. Toxin free, the bags are safe to use around pets and children. The bamboo charcoal rejuvenates when the bags are placed in sunlight once a month. You can reuse the bags for two years, after which the charcoal can be poured into the soil around plants to fertilize and help retain moisture.
I’ve found that these are also great for removing odors from cars or from the bathroom (especially if you have recently potty-trained boys who don’t always have perfect aim!).
It’s best to reduce chemical exposure in any way possible, but in today’s world, it is practically impossible to completely avoid harmful chemicals. For the remaining chemicals in indoor air, there are some natural ways to help reduce your family’s exposure.
I’ve mentioned houseplants before and they are a great option for improving indoor air. We have about eight indoor plants and I’m hoping to add more soon. For those who don’t want the upkeep of indoor plants or can’t have them due to pets/kids/etc, there are some other natural options.
Besides indoor plants, these are my top three natural air cleaners.
Beeswax Candles
Regular paraffin candles are petroleum derived and can release chemicals like benzene, toluene, soot and other chemicals into the air. These types of candles do more harm than good for indoor air quality and should be avoided.
Pure Beeswax Candles on the other hand burn with almost no smoke or scent and clean the air by releasing negative ions into the air. These negative ions can bind with toxins and help remove them from the air.
Beeswax candles are often especially helpful for those with asthma or allergies and they are effective at removing common allergens like dust and dander from the air. Beeswax candles also burn more slowly than paraffin candles so they last much longer.
I personally only use beeswax candles in our house. We buy them by the case and our favorites are:
Tea-light beeswax candles
Votive size beeswax candles
Salt Lamps
Salt lamps are another natural way to clean indoor air. They are made from himalayan salt crystals and just like the beeswax candles, they release negative ions in to the air to help clean it. They are also a beautiful light source. The only downside…. my kids like to lick them!
The Himalayan Natural Crystal Salt Lamp also works as an air purifier. When lit, the lamp emits negative ions that fight against positively charged particles that cause you to feel stuffy and sluggish. The lit salt crystal clears the air naturally of allergens like smoke, pet dander, pollens, and other air pollutants. It dilutes odors so that you can breathe easier. People with asthma often find it helpful in reducing their symptoms. You can keep the lamp lit for as long as you like to maintain this purifying effect.
We don’t do night lights in our kids rooms, but if we did or if we need a light source at night for reading, we use salt lamps. The natural orange glow doesn’t disrupt sleep hormones like fluorescent or blue lights do and I find it very relaxing.
Bamboo Charcoal
Another natural air cleaning option I recently discovered is bamboo charcoal. I’ve talked about one of my unusual uses for charcoal before and we use a charcoal block water filter to remove toxins from our water.
Charcoal can have the same toxin-removing effect on the air. They work wonders for odor removal and removing toxins from the air:
“Moso air purifying bags, made of linen and filled with bamboo charcoal, absorb unpleasant odors and dehumidify the air. The porous structure of the high density bamboo charcoal helps remove bacteria, harmful pollutants and allergens from the air and absorbs moisture, preventing mold and mildew by trapping the impurities inside each pore. The Moso air purifying bag has been scientifically proven to reduce the amount of formaldehyde, ammonia, benzene, and chloroform gases emitted from everyday items such as paint, carpeting, furniture, air fresheners, chemical cleaners, rubber, and plastics. Toxin free, the bags are safe to use around pets and children. The bamboo charcoal rejuvenates when the bags are placed in sunlight once a month. You can reuse the bags for two years, after which the charcoal can be poured into the soil around plants to fertilize and help retain moisture.
I’ve found that these are also great for removing odors from cars or from the bathroom (especially if you have recently potty-trained boys who don’t always have perfect aim!).
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Flu Busting Gummy Bears and Elderberry Syrup
It seems that this flu season is going to be a bad one, and elderberry syrup is one of my favorite natural remedies for avoiding or beating the flu. These flu busting gummy bears combine the immune boost from elderberry syrup with the gut benefits of gelatin for a healthy and delicious way to beat the flu.
To make this recipe, you’ll need to make homemade elderberry syrup first and then make them in to gummy bears.
With flu season around the corner and signs for “flu shots” in every store, this is a natural alternative that is inexpensive and effective. It can be made easily at home.
If you or your child has ever had a bad case of the flu, you know how miserable it can be. Especially for moms, it is awful to see your children feeling so bad and not be able to fix it. Black elderberries (sambucus nigra) have been shown to prevent flu and speed recovery in those who have the flu.
Elderberries contain high levels of A, B, and C and stimulate the immune system. Several natural elderberry syrups are available at health stores or online, but usually for around $15 or more for 4-8 ounces. This recipe makes 16 ounces for a cost of under ten dollars and kids love the taste!
Homemade Elderberry Syrup Ingredients:
2/3 cup black elderberries
3.5 cups of water
2 T fresh or dried ginger root
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp cloves or clove powder
1 cup raw honey (we get from our farmer’s market)
How to Make Elderberry Syrup:
Pour water into medium saucepan and add elderberries, ginger, cinnamon and cloves (do not add honey!)
Bring to a boil and then cover and reduce to a simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour until the liquid has reduced by almost half. At that point, remove from heat and let cool enough to be handled. Pour through a strainer into a glass jar or bowl.
Discard the elderberries (or compost them!) and let the liquid cool to lukewarm. When it is no longer hot, add 1 cup of honey and stir well.
When honey is well mixed into the elderberry mixture, pour the syrup into a pint sized mason jar or 16 ounce glass bottle of some kind.
Ta Da! You just made homemade elderberry syrup! Store in the fridge and take daily for its immune boosting properties. Some sources recommend taking only during the week and not on the weekends to boost immunity.
Standard dose is 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp for kids and 1/2 Tbsp to 1 Tbsp for adults. If the flu does strike, take the normal dose every 2-3 hours instead of once a day until symptoms disappear.
Flu Busting Gummy Bears
Flu busting homemade gummy bears combine the immune boost from elderberry syrup with the gut benefits of gelatin.
Ingredients
1 cup elderberry syrup (here is the recipe)
½ cup hot water (not boiling)
¼ cup Gelatin powder (I use this one)
1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil for greasing pan
Glass container or silicon molds (My kids like the dinosaur molds and gingerbread molds the best)
Instructions
Grease molds or glass pan with coconut oil to prevent sticking.
Place ¼ cup of cooled elderberry syrup in a 2 cup measuring cup and add gelatin powder.
Quickly whisk together to temper the gelatin powder.
Add the ½ cup of hot (not boiling) water and stir quickly until smooth.
Add the rest of the elderberry syrup and stir or whisk until completely smooth.
Pour in to molds and put in fridge for 2 hours or until completely firm.
Pop out of molds and store in air tight container with parchment paper between layers.
Take daily as needed to avoid flu or take every few hours to help beat the flu faster.
Will last up to a week in the fridge in an air tight container.
To make this recipe, you’ll need to make homemade elderberry syrup first and then make them in to gummy bears.
With flu season around the corner and signs for “flu shots” in every store, this is a natural alternative that is inexpensive and effective. It can be made easily at home.
If you or your child has ever had a bad case of the flu, you know how miserable it can be. Especially for moms, it is awful to see your children feeling so bad and not be able to fix it. Black elderberries (sambucus nigra) have been shown to prevent flu and speed recovery in those who have the flu.
Elderberries contain high levels of A, B, and C and stimulate the immune system. Several natural elderberry syrups are available at health stores or online, but usually for around $15 or more for 4-8 ounces. This recipe makes 16 ounces for a cost of under ten dollars and kids love the taste!
Homemade Elderberry Syrup Ingredients:
2/3 cup black elderberries
3.5 cups of water
2 T fresh or dried ginger root
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp cloves or clove powder
1 cup raw honey (we get from our farmer’s market)
How to Make Elderberry Syrup:
Pour water into medium saucepan and add elderberries, ginger, cinnamon and cloves (do not add honey!)
Bring to a boil and then cover and reduce to a simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour until the liquid has reduced by almost half. At that point, remove from heat and let cool enough to be handled. Pour through a strainer into a glass jar or bowl.
Discard the elderberries (or compost them!) and let the liquid cool to lukewarm. When it is no longer hot, add 1 cup of honey and stir well.
When honey is well mixed into the elderberry mixture, pour the syrup into a pint sized mason jar or 16 ounce glass bottle of some kind.
Ta Da! You just made homemade elderberry syrup! Store in the fridge and take daily for its immune boosting properties. Some sources recommend taking only during the week and not on the weekends to boost immunity.
Standard dose is 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp for kids and 1/2 Tbsp to 1 Tbsp for adults. If the flu does strike, take the normal dose every 2-3 hours instead of once a day until symptoms disappear.
Flu Busting Gummy Bears
Flu busting homemade gummy bears combine the immune boost from elderberry syrup with the gut benefits of gelatin.
Ingredients
1 cup elderberry syrup (here is the recipe)
½ cup hot water (not boiling)
¼ cup Gelatin powder (I use this one)
1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil for greasing pan
Glass container or silicon molds (My kids like the dinosaur molds and gingerbread molds the best)
Instructions
Grease molds or glass pan with coconut oil to prevent sticking.
Place ¼ cup of cooled elderberry syrup in a 2 cup measuring cup and add gelatin powder.
Quickly whisk together to temper the gelatin powder.
Add the ½ cup of hot (not boiling) water and stir quickly until smooth.
Add the rest of the elderberry syrup and stir or whisk until completely smooth.
Pour in to molds and put in fridge for 2 hours or until completely firm.
Pop out of molds and store in air tight container with parchment paper between layers.
Take daily as needed to avoid flu or take every few hours to help beat the flu faster.
Will last up to a week in the fridge in an air tight container.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Why Kids Need Dirt
Thanks to modern hygiene and sanitation, we have seen lower rates of many diseases and health problems. Unfortunately, too much of a good thing can have its problems. I’ve talked before about how gardeners (statistically) live longer, and it turns out that the dirt itself can play a role in this:
The Problem:
We have antibacterial soap, antibacterial spray, antibacterial cleaning wipes and a myriad of disinfecting cleaning products. Kids are growing up in clean, disinfected, sterile environments. We go to great lengths to make sure we are protected from germs. At the same time, we have rising rates of allergies, autoimmune problems and gut related disorders (especially in children).
Could there be a connection?
Some research says yes… In fact, some research says that widespread use of disinfecting and antibacterial products (and removal/avoidance of dirt) is preventing proper formation of healthy gut bacteria and that restoring this beneficial bacteria could be the key to boosting immune function, reducing rates of allergies or digestive problems and even improving mood.
So where are these healthy bacteria and how can we benefit from them? Probiotic rich foods and supplements are a great start, but they are missing an important factor: Soil-Based Organisms (SBOs). These soil based organisms have stronger strains of beneficial bacteria that can survive through the digestive system and provide the most benefit. While fermented foods and probiotic supplements can also be very beneficial, some of these strains do not survive through the digestive system.
Just as the name suggests, soil based organisms are microorganisms found in soil.
Various cultures have known the health benefits of dirt for centuries and there is an old saying that “You have to eat a peck of dirt before you die.” It seems there is wisdom in this old saying…
In studies of what is called the hygiene hypothesis, researchers are concluding that organisms like the millions of bacteria, viruses and especially worms that enter the body along with “dirt” spur the development of a healthy immune system. Several continuing studies suggest that worms may help to redirect an immune system that has gone awry and resulted in autoimmune disorders, allergies and asthma.
These studies, along with epidemiological observations, seem to explain why immune system disorders like multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma and allergies have risen significantly in the United States and other developed countries.
How to Make Sure We Get Enough Dirt:
Step 1: Go outside. Step 2: Eat some dirt…. Just kidding!
We don’t actually need to make an effort to consume dirt to get the benefits of soil based organisms and nutrients in soil, we just need to make an effort to come in contact with it and to have our babies and children come in contact with it.
I take the following steps to make sure we get the health benefits of dirt:
Encourage my kids (including crawling babies) to play outside barefoot in the dirt as long as I know it is an area that hasn’t been sprayed with chemicals or contaminated in some other way. I garden and walk outside barefoot (which has other benefits too).
At the recommendation of this post, I also let my babies have an outside play area with organic dirt once they are 3-4 months or old enough to sit up or crawl. Yes, they get dirty. Yes, they put it in their mouths (that is the point). Usually, this area is just a small kiddie pool or pot or organic dirt with some toys in it to encourage play.
I let my older kids help my in the garden, let them play in the dirt, make mud pies and otherwise get dirty. If they’ve been playing in clean dirt, I also let them eat outside without washing their hands so they can transfer small amounts of these soil based organisms to their digestive systems.
We also all consume probiotic rich foods and drinks like water kefir, homemade sauerkraut, kombucha, and other fermented foods to make sure we are exposed to a wide variety of naturally occurring beneficial bacteria.
I supplement with a high quality probiotic/prebiotic blend that contains many of these same organisms. I also sprinkle these on the foods I feed my little ones and even dump a capsule in to the play dirt. (This brand has been clinically studied, especially in patients with IBS or digestive problems)
The Problem:
We have antibacterial soap, antibacterial spray, antibacterial cleaning wipes and a myriad of disinfecting cleaning products. Kids are growing up in clean, disinfected, sterile environments. We go to great lengths to make sure we are protected from germs. At the same time, we have rising rates of allergies, autoimmune problems and gut related disorders (especially in children).
Could there be a connection?
Some research says yes… In fact, some research says that widespread use of disinfecting and antibacterial products (and removal/avoidance of dirt) is preventing proper formation of healthy gut bacteria and that restoring this beneficial bacteria could be the key to boosting immune function, reducing rates of allergies or digestive problems and even improving mood.
So where are these healthy bacteria and how can we benefit from them? Probiotic rich foods and supplements are a great start, but they are missing an important factor: Soil-Based Organisms (SBOs). These soil based organisms have stronger strains of beneficial bacteria that can survive through the digestive system and provide the most benefit. While fermented foods and probiotic supplements can also be very beneficial, some of these strains do not survive through the digestive system.
Just as the name suggests, soil based organisms are microorganisms found in soil.
Various cultures have known the health benefits of dirt for centuries and there is an old saying that “You have to eat a peck of dirt before you die.” It seems there is wisdom in this old saying…
In studies of what is called the hygiene hypothesis, researchers are concluding that organisms like the millions of bacteria, viruses and especially worms that enter the body along with “dirt” spur the development of a healthy immune system. Several continuing studies suggest that worms may help to redirect an immune system that has gone awry and resulted in autoimmune disorders, allergies and asthma.
These studies, along with epidemiological observations, seem to explain why immune system disorders like multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma and allergies have risen significantly in the United States and other developed countries.
How to Make Sure We Get Enough Dirt:
Step 1: Go outside. Step 2: Eat some dirt…. Just kidding!
We don’t actually need to make an effort to consume dirt to get the benefits of soil based organisms and nutrients in soil, we just need to make an effort to come in contact with it and to have our babies and children come in contact with it.
I take the following steps to make sure we get the health benefits of dirt:
Encourage my kids (including crawling babies) to play outside barefoot in the dirt as long as I know it is an area that hasn’t been sprayed with chemicals or contaminated in some other way. I garden and walk outside barefoot (which has other benefits too).
At the recommendation of this post, I also let my babies have an outside play area with organic dirt once they are 3-4 months or old enough to sit up or crawl. Yes, they get dirty. Yes, they put it in their mouths (that is the point). Usually, this area is just a small kiddie pool or pot or organic dirt with some toys in it to encourage play.
I let my older kids help my in the garden, let them play in the dirt, make mud pies and otherwise get dirty. If they’ve been playing in clean dirt, I also let them eat outside without washing their hands so they can transfer small amounts of these soil based organisms to their digestive systems.
We also all consume probiotic rich foods and drinks like water kefir, homemade sauerkraut, kombucha, and other fermented foods to make sure we are exposed to a wide variety of naturally occurring beneficial bacteria.
I supplement with a high quality probiotic/prebiotic blend that contains many of these same organisms. I also sprinkle these on the foods I feed my little ones and even dump a capsule in to the play dirt. (This brand has been clinically studied, especially in patients with IBS or digestive problems)
Friday, November 22, 2013
What about your Hormones?
It seems that the more we know, the more we don’t know. New research is constantly emerging on a variety of health topics but there is a common underlying theme.
What factor contributes to weight gain during pregnancy? Hormone balance.
What causes weight fluctuations, bloating and other health symptoms throughout the course of a month? Hormones.
What causes men to naturally put on muscle more easily or lose weight more quickly? Hormones.
What is a huge contributing factor of growth in children? Hormones.
What controls ovulation, reproduction, pregnancy, etc? Hormones
Yes, when it comes to losing weight or improving health, what do we focus on? Calories… or micronutrients… or diets.
It’s all about the hormones:
I’ve heard so many cases lately of people who have improved diet, started exercising, etc but are still not losing weight or improving health markers. After talking to many of these people, it seems that the factor they all have in common is an underlying problem with hormone balance.
Certainly, diet affects hormones to some degree, but other factors can have a tremendous impact as well, especially:
Sleep
Stress
Exercise
Exposure to toxins
pregnancy or nursing
Though there is no single symptom that is a definitive sign of a hormone imbalance, factors that often indicate a hormone problem include:
sleep troubles
persistent weight gain or inability to lose weight
being hot or cold often
digestive problems
cravings
low libido
fatigue
depression or anxiety
mood swings
headaches
hair loss
What to Do About It?
For those with hormone problems, there are some important dietary and lifestyle factors that can help nourish the body so it can recover. For these people, things like dieting, extreme exercise or stress will only make the problem worse and it is more important to carefully support the body’s hormone system.
This is best accomplished by first improving factors like sleep and stress as well as nourishing (rather than depriving) the body.
As I said before: “Statistically, many people use hormonal contraceptives to help “balance hormones” or prevent acne, etc. The problem is that this is just treating the symptoms and not addressing the root cause. The body naturally moves toward balance so if hormones are out of whack, it is not from a contraceptive deficiency, but rather that the body is not producing the natural hormones optimally.”
Get Some Sleep!
While you are sleeping, your body is extremely active removing toxins, recharging the mind, and creating hormones. Skimping on sleep, even for one night, can have a tremendous impact on hormones and even one night of missed or shortened sleep can create the hormone levels of a pre-diabetic.
I shared some tips in a previous post for optimizing sleep:
A daily (and nightly) routine can make a big difference in how easily you fall and stay asleep. You’ll have to experiment to find out what works best for you but here are some helpful suggestions:
Wake up and go to bed at the same time, even on weekends to keep your hormone cycle regular.
Eat a high protein/high fat snack a few hours before bed (7pm or earlier) or consume a lot at dinner.
Avoid caffeine after 1 pm.
Install F.lux (it is free) on all computers and devices to reduce blue light and help you sleep better (it is also easier on the eyes!)
Drink enough water during the day and stop drinking about 2 hours before bed so you don’t have to wake up to use the bathroom.
Take a soothing salt bath about an hour before bed with some relaxing music or a great book.
Get at least 30 minutes of sunlight each day (even if you aren’t trying to get your vitamin D). The exposure to the wide-spectrum light during the day boosts serotonin levels, which will help improve melatonin levels at night
Avoid artificial light as much as possible after the sun goes down.
Pray, meditate or find a way to reduce stress.
Give yourself a massage before bed to release stress and help relax (Personally, I love this for home-massage)
Stretch before bed to relax muscles.
This post has some additional tips for getting great sleep.
Eat Some Fat:
Fats, especially saturated fats, are vital for hormone health as the body uses fats as building blocks for hormones. As this article explains:
When these important saturated fatty acids are not readily available, certain growth factors in the cells and organs will not be properly aligned. This is because the various receptors, such as G-protein receptors, need to be coupled with lipids in order to provide localization of function.
The messages that are sent from the outside of the cell to the inner part of the cell control many functions including those activated by, for example, adrenaline in the primitive mammalian fight/flight reactions. When the adrenal gland produces adrenaline and the adrenaline (beta-adrenergic) receptor communicates with the G-protein and its signal cascade, the parts of the body are alerted to the need for action; the heart beats faster, the blood flow to the gut decreases while the blood flow to the muscles increases and the production of glucose is stimulated.
The G-proteins come in different forms; the alpha subunit is covalently linked to myristic acid and the function of this subunit is important for turning on and off the binding to an enzyme called adenylate cyclase and thus the amplification of important hormone signals.
When researchers looked at the fatty acid composition of the phospholipids in the T-cells (white blood cells), from both young and old donors, they found that a loss of saturated fatty acids in the lymphocytes was responsible for age-related declines in white blood cell function. They found that they could correct cellular deficiencies in palmitic acid and myristic acid by adding these saturated fatty acids.”
Coconut Oil is amazing for hormone health. It provides the necessary building blocks for hormone production, can assist weight loss, reduce inflammation, and even has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties.
If you really need hormone help, aim to consume 1/4 cup of added coconut oil a day. My favorite way is to blend into coffee or tea. This is the highest quality one I’ve found.
Helpful Supplements:
In a perfect world, we would be rising and sleeping with the sun, getting Vitamin D from the sun and Magnesium from the ocean while relaxing and exercising in great balance each day in a stress-free world. Since I doubt that describes any of us currently, supplements can fill in the gaps. I’ve talked about the basic supplements that I take before, but there are some specific ones that are helpful for hormone support.
Maca- A tuber in the radish family that has a history of boosting hormone production and libido. Many women notice less PMS, increased fertility, and improved skin while men notice increased sperm production, libido and better sleep. Maca is also high in minerals and essential fatty acids, making it great for hormones. It is available in powder form (least expensive option) or in capsules. Maca should be discontinued during pregnancy. The effects of Maca are somewhat cumulative, so the best results are seen after 3-5 weeks of taking Maca regularly.
Magnesium- Magnesium supports hundreds of reactions in the body and often contributes to better sleep (which is great for hormones!). There are several effective forms of Magnesium: In powder form with a product like Natural Calm so that you can vary your dose and work up slowly, ionic liquid form can be added to food and drinks and dose can be worked up slowly,or transdermal form by using Magnesium oil applied to skin. This is often the most effective option for those with damaged digestive tract or severe deficiency. Magnesium often greatly helps both PMS symptoms and menstrual cramping.
Vitamin D- A pre-hormone is supportive of hormone function. Best obtained from the sun if possible, or from a D3 supplement or Fermented Cod Liver Oil (what I do in the winter). Make sure not to get too much, and optimally, get Serum Vitamin D levels checked to minitor levels.
Fermented Cod Liver Oil- Provides many of the necessary building blocks for hormone production including Vitamins A, D, and K. It also is a great source of Omega-3s and beneficial fats.
Gelatin is a great source of calcium, magnesium and phosphate. It supports hormone production and digestive health and helps sooth inflammation, especially in joints. We use Great Lakes Kosher as I was able to verify with the company that it is sourced from grass-fed, humanely raised cows, and as such is higher in nutrients.
Vitex/Chaste Tree Berry- Nourishes the pituitary gland and helps lengthen the luteal phase. It lowers prolactin and raises progesterone. For some women, this alone will improve symptoms.
Natural Progesterone Cream- PMS and menstrual troubles are often linked to specific hormone imbalances. Especially for those with short cycles or short second phase of their cycle (ovulation through start of menses), progesterone can be the issue. I’ve seen people add only natural progesterone cream and see symptoms greatly reduce. If you do use progesterone cream, do you own research, make sure you have a good brand that is soy-free and only use for the second half of your cycle (ovulation through menses).
Red Raspberry Leaf- A well know fertility herb that is also helpful in reducing PMS and cramping. It has a high nutrient profile and is especially high in calcium and is a uterine tonic. It is available in capsule form, but makes an excellent hot or cold tea.
NOTE: Make sure to check with your doctor or health care professional before taking any new supplements, especially if you are on medications or contraceptives.
What factor contributes to weight gain during pregnancy? Hormone balance.
What causes weight fluctuations, bloating and other health symptoms throughout the course of a month? Hormones.
What causes men to naturally put on muscle more easily or lose weight more quickly? Hormones.
What is a huge contributing factor of growth in children? Hormones.
What controls ovulation, reproduction, pregnancy, etc? Hormones
Yes, when it comes to losing weight or improving health, what do we focus on? Calories… or micronutrients… or diets.
It’s all about the hormones:
I’ve heard so many cases lately of people who have improved diet, started exercising, etc but are still not losing weight or improving health markers. After talking to many of these people, it seems that the factor they all have in common is an underlying problem with hormone balance.
Certainly, diet affects hormones to some degree, but other factors can have a tremendous impact as well, especially:
Sleep
Stress
Exercise
Exposure to toxins
pregnancy or nursing
Though there is no single symptom that is a definitive sign of a hormone imbalance, factors that often indicate a hormone problem include:
sleep troubles
persistent weight gain or inability to lose weight
being hot or cold often
digestive problems
cravings
low libido
fatigue
depression or anxiety
mood swings
headaches
hair loss
What to Do About It?
For those with hormone problems, there are some important dietary and lifestyle factors that can help nourish the body so it can recover. For these people, things like dieting, extreme exercise or stress will only make the problem worse and it is more important to carefully support the body’s hormone system.
This is best accomplished by first improving factors like sleep and stress as well as nourishing (rather than depriving) the body.
As I said before: “Statistically, many people use hormonal contraceptives to help “balance hormones” or prevent acne, etc. The problem is that this is just treating the symptoms and not addressing the root cause. The body naturally moves toward balance so if hormones are out of whack, it is not from a contraceptive deficiency, but rather that the body is not producing the natural hormones optimally.”
Get Some Sleep!
While you are sleeping, your body is extremely active removing toxins, recharging the mind, and creating hormones. Skimping on sleep, even for one night, can have a tremendous impact on hormones and even one night of missed or shortened sleep can create the hormone levels of a pre-diabetic.
I shared some tips in a previous post for optimizing sleep:
A daily (and nightly) routine can make a big difference in how easily you fall and stay asleep. You’ll have to experiment to find out what works best for you but here are some helpful suggestions:
Wake up and go to bed at the same time, even on weekends to keep your hormone cycle regular.
Eat a high protein/high fat snack a few hours before bed (7pm or earlier) or consume a lot at dinner.
Avoid caffeine after 1 pm.
Install F.lux (it is free) on all computers and devices to reduce blue light and help you sleep better (it is also easier on the eyes!)
Drink enough water during the day and stop drinking about 2 hours before bed so you don’t have to wake up to use the bathroom.
Take a soothing salt bath about an hour before bed with some relaxing music or a great book.
Get at least 30 minutes of sunlight each day (even if you aren’t trying to get your vitamin D). The exposure to the wide-spectrum light during the day boosts serotonin levels, which will help improve melatonin levels at night
Avoid artificial light as much as possible after the sun goes down.
Pray, meditate or find a way to reduce stress.
Give yourself a massage before bed to release stress and help relax (Personally, I love this for home-massage)
Stretch before bed to relax muscles.
This post has some additional tips for getting great sleep.
Eat Some Fat:
Fats, especially saturated fats, are vital for hormone health as the body uses fats as building blocks for hormones. As this article explains:
When these important saturated fatty acids are not readily available, certain growth factors in the cells and organs will not be properly aligned. This is because the various receptors, such as G-protein receptors, need to be coupled with lipids in order to provide localization of function.
The messages that are sent from the outside of the cell to the inner part of the cell control many functions including those activated by, for example, adrenaline in the primitive mammalian fight/flight reactions. When the adrenal gland produces adrenaline and the adrenaline (beta-adrenergic) receptor communicates with the G-protein and its signal cascade, the parts of the body are alerted to the need for action; the heart beats faster, the blood flow to the gut decreases while the blood flow to the muscles increases and the production of glucose is stimulated.
The G-proteins come in different forms; the alpha subunit is covalently linked to myristic acid and the function of this subunit is important for turning on and off the binding to an enzyme called adenylate cyclase and thus the amplification of important hormone signals.
When researchers looked at the fatty acid composition of the phospholipids in the T-cells (white blood cells), from both young and old donors, they found that a loss of saturated fatty acids in the lymphocytes was responsible for age-related declines in white blood cell function. They found that they could correct cellular deficiencies in palmitic acid and myristic acid by adding these saturated fatty acids.”
Coconut Oil is amazing for hormone health. It provides the necessary building blocks for hormone production, can assist weight loss, reduce inflammation, and even has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties.
If you really need hormone help, aim to consume 1/4 cup of added coconut oil a day. My favorite way is to blend into coffee or tea. This is the highest quality one I’ve found.
Helpful Supplements:
In a perfect world, we would be rising and sleeping with the sun, getting Vitamin D from the sun and Magnesium from the ocean while relaxing and exercising in great balance each day in a stress-free world. Since I doubt that describes any of us currently, supplements can fill in the gaps. I’ve talked about the basic supplements that I take before, but there are some specific ones that are helpful for hormone support.
Maca- A tuber in the radish family that has a history of boosting hormone production and libido. Many women notice less PMS, increased fertility, and improved skin while men notice increased sperm production, libido and better sleep. Maca is also high in minerals and essential fatty acids, making it great for hormones. It is available in powder form (least expensive option) or in capsules. Maca should be discontinued during pregnancy. The effects of Maca are somewhat cumulative, so the best results are seen after 3-5 weeks of taking Maca regularly.
Magnesium- Magnesium supports hundreds of reactions in the body and often contributes to better sleep (which is great for hormones!). There are several effective forms of Magnesium: In powder form with a product like Natural Calm so that you can vary your dose and work up slowly, ionic liquid form can be added to food and drinks and dose can be worked up slowly,or transdermal form by using Magnesium oil applied to skin. This is often the most effective option for those with damaged digestive tract or severe deficiency. Magnesium often greatly helps both PMS symptoms and menstrual cramping.
Vitamin D- A pre-hormone is supportive of hormone function. Best obtained from the sun if possible, or from a D3 supplement or Fermented Cod Liver Oil (what I do in the winter). Make sure not to get too much, and optimally, get Serum Vitamin D levels checked to minitor levels.
Fermented Cod Liver Oil- Provides many of the necessary building blocks for hormone production including Vitamins A, D, and K. It also is a great source of Omega-3s and beneficial fats.
Gelatin is a great source of calcium, magnesium and phosphate. It supports hormone production and digestive health and helps sooth inflammation, especially in joints. We use Great Lakes Kosher as I was able to verify with the company that it is sourced from grass-fed, humanely raised cows, and as such is higher in nutrients.
Vitex/Chaste Tree Berry- Nourishes the pituitary gland and helps lengthen the luteal phase. It lowers prolactin and raises progesterone. For some women, this alone will improve symptoms.
Natural Progesterone Cream- PMS and menstrual troubles are often linked to specific hormone imbalances. Especially for those with short cycles or short second phase of their cycle (ovulation through start of menses), progesterone can be the issue. I’ve seen people add only natural progesterone cream and see symptoms greatly reduce. If you do use progesterone cream, do you own research, make sure you have a good brand that is soy-free and only use for the second half of your cycle (ovulation through menses).
Red Raspberry Leaf- A well know fertility herb that is also helpful in reducing PMS and cramping. It has a high nutrient profile and is especially high in calcium and is a uterine tonic. It is available in capsule form, but makes an excellent hot or cold tea.
NOTE: Make sure to check with your doctor or health care professional before taking any new supplements, especially if you are on medications or contraceptives.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Cracked Heels
Cracked heels can be the result of several things:
the way a person walks
poor circulation
a skin problem like eczema or psoriasis
fungal infection
nutritional deficiencies
Finding the Cause:
Since cracked heels can have a variety of causes, it is important to find the root of the problem. Often, I’ve seen cracked heels improve with dietary changes. Deficiencies of zinc, magnesium and omega-3 can contribute to cracked heels, and fat soluble vitamins and gelatin are also important.
Skin related problems and fungal infections can often be helped with regular detoxifying foot soaks and a homemade healing salve.
Personally, we take fermented cod liver oil daily and make it a point to consume wild-caught fish to maintain Omega-3 levels.
As a general rule, I suggest trying any remedy for at least a few weeks to see if it is working. For best results, try external and internal approaches at the same time.
Internal Remedies for Cracked Heels:
Consuming enough Zinc, Magnesium and Omega-3s in food or supplement form
Consuming Gelatin and Vitamin C which increase skin elasticity and may help reduce cracking
Optimizing fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin D (found in Fermented Cod Liver oil, supplements or from sun exposure) and Vitamin K (found in grass-fed butter or supplements). Consuming foods like bone broth and organ meats is also helpful.
Drinking enough water and consuming trace minerals
External Remedies for Cracked Heels:
Exfoliating with a natural pumice stone or Ped Egg (looks like a cheese grater but it works)
Soaking in detoxifying food baths or regular detox baths (here are my three favorite recipes)
Adding 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar to a warm foot soak
Using magnesium oil on the feet before bed
Using a homemade nourishing foot salve (see below) each morning and night
Using a homemade peppermint magnesium foot scrub to exfoliate feet in the shower
Cracked Heel Foot Salve Recipe:
Ingredients
¼ cup Shea Butter
¼ cup Coconut Oil
3 Tablespoons Beeswax
¼ cup Magnesium Flakes + 2 Tablespoons boiling water (Or ¼ cup of pre-made Magnesium oil, though this won’t yield as much magnesium in the final product)
10 drops Oregano Essential Oil (Not for use during pregnancy or on children)
10 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
Instructions
Pour 2 tablespoons of boiling water in to the magnesium flakes in a small container and stir until it dissolves. This will create a thick liquid. Set aside to cool.
In a quart size mason jar inside a small pan with 1 inch of water, combine the coconut oil, beeswax and shea butter and turn on medium heat.
When melted, remove the jar from the pan and let the mixture cool until room temp and slightly opaque. At this point, put in to a medium bowl or into a blender.
If in a bowl, use a hand blender or immersion blender on medium speed and start blending the oil mixture.
Slowly (starting with a drop at a time) add the dissolved magnesium mixture to the oil mixture while continuing blending until all of the magnesium mix is added and it is well-mixed.
Add the oregano and peppermint essential oils if using and whip until combined.
Put in the fridge for 15 minutes and re-blend to get body butter consistency.
Store in fridge for a cooling lotion (best consistency) or at room temp for up to two months.
Use on cracked heels at night. Apply a thick coat and wear socks until the salve absorbs.
the way a person walks
poor circulation
a skin problem like eczema or psoriasis
fungal infection
nutritional deficiencies
Finding the Cause:
Since cracked heels can have a variety of causes, it is important to find the root of the problem. Often, I’ve seen cracked heels improve with dietary changes. Deficiencies of zinc, magnesium and omega-3 can contribute to cracked heels, and fat soluble vitamins and gelatin are also important.
Skin related problems and fungal infections can often be helped with regular detoxifying foot soaks and a homemade healing salve.
Personally, we take fermented cod liver oil daily and make it a point to consume wild-caught fish to maintain Omega-3 levels.
As a general rule, I suggest trying any remedy for at least a few weeks to see if it is working. For best results, try external and internal approaches at the same time.
Internal Remedies for Cracked Heels:
Consuming enough Zinc, Magnesium and Omega-3s in food or supplement form
Consuming Gelatin and Vitamin C which increase skin elasticity and may help reduce cracking
Optimizing fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin D (found in Fermented Cod Liver oil, supplements or from sun exposure) and Vitamin K (found in grass-fed butter or supplements). Consuming foods like bone broth and organ meats is also helpful.
Drinking enough water and consuming trace minerals
External Remedies for Cracked Heels:
Exfoliating with a natural pumice stone or Ped Egg (looks like a cheese grater but it works)
Soaking in detoxifying food baths or regular detox baths (here are my three favorite recipes)
Adding 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar to a warm foot soak
Using magnesium oil on the feet before bed
Using a homemade nourishing foot salve (see below) each morning and night
Using a homemade peppermint magnesium foot scrub to exfoliate feet in the shower
Cracked Heel Foot Salve Recipe:
Ingredients
¼ cup Shea Butter
¼ cup Coconut Oil
3 Tablespoons Beeswax
¼ cup Magnesium Flakes + 2 Tablespoons boiling water (Or ¼ cup of pre-made Magnesium oil, though this won’t yield as much magnesium in the final product)
10 drops Oregano Essential Oil (Not for use during pregnancy or on children)
10 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
Instructions
Pour 2 tablespoons of boiling water in to the magnesium flakes in a small container and stir until it dissolves. This will create a thick liquid. Set aside to cool.
In a quart size mason jar inside a small pan with 1 inch of water, combine the coconut oil, beeswax and shea butter and turn on medium heat.
When melted, remove the jar from the pan and let the mixture cool until room temp and slightly opaque. At this point, put in to a medium bowl or into a blender.
If in a bowl, use a hand blender or immersion blender on medium speed and start blending the oil mixture.
Slowly (starting with a drop at a time) add the dissolved magnesium mixture to the oil mixture while continuing blending until all of the magnesium mix is added and it is well-mixed.
Add the oregano and peppermint essential oils if using and whip until combined.
Put in the fridge for 15 minutes and re-blend to get body butter consistency.
Store in fridge for a cooling lotion (best consistency) or at room temp for up to two months.
Use on cracked heels at night. Apply a thick coat and wear socks until the salve absorbs.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Do you Brush Your Skin?
f you’ve never heard of dry brushing for skin, you’re probably thinking “Why on earth would I want to brush my skin? I already have to brush my hair and my teeth.”
I shared this attitude for a while…
What is Dry Brushing?
The basic concept of dry brushing is using a coarse, dry brush to brush the skin in a particular pattern. Though I haven’t found any scientific research supporting it, there is a ton of first hand information from people who have tried it and swear by it.
Benefits of Dry Brushing:
Supporters of dry brushing claim that it can stimulate the lymph system, help the body rid itself of toxins and increase circulation or energy.
I’m not completely sold on all of those benefits, but this definitely falls in the “can’t hurt” category and I have personally noticed that my skin is softer (and possibly firmer, though this is hard to measure) from dry brushing. It is very invigorating, and it can’t hurt, so it has become part of my routine.
Especially during pregnancy, I found that dry brushing seemed to help keep me from getting stretch marks and also seemed to help tighten skin after pregnancy.
What to Do:
Use a natural bristle brush.
Start on dry skin before bathing.
Start at the feet/ankles and brush in long circular movements up toward the heart.
Always brush to the center of the body.
On stomach and armpits use a circular clockwise brushing motion.
Brush softly at first and eventually work up to firmer pressure.
After dry brushing, shower (cool water or alternating cool and hot is best)
If needed, moisturize after showering. I use a homemade body butter.
Repeat daily or as needed.
I shared this attitude for a while…
What is Dry Brushing?
The basic concept of dry brushing is using a coarse, dry brush to brush the skin in a particular pattern. Though I haven’t found any scientific research supporting it, there is a ton of first hand information from people who have tried it and swear by it.
Benefits of Dry Brushing:
Supporters of dry brushing claim that it can stimulate the lymph system, help the body rid itself of toxins and increase circulation or energy.
I’m not completely sold on all of those benefits, but this definitely falls in the “can’t hurt” category and I have personally noticed that my skin is softer (and possibly firmer, though this is hard to measure) from dry brushing. It is very invigorating, and it can’t hurt, so it has become part of my routine.
Especially during pregnancy, I found that dry brushing seemed to help keep me from getting stretch marks and also seemed to help tighten skin after pregnancy.
What to Do:
Use a natural bristle brush.
Start on dry skin before bathing.
Start at the feet/ankles and brush in long circular movements up toward the heart.
Always brush to the center of the body.
On stomach and armpits use a circular clockwise brushing motion.
Brush softly at first and eventually work up to firmer pressure.
After dry brushing, shower (cool water or alternating cool and hot is best)
If needed, moisturize after showering. I use a homemade body butter.
Repeat daily or as needed.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Natural Mama: Vegetarian Chili
Natural Mama: Vegetarian Chili: Eating Clean is treating your body right. It is eating the way nature intended. You eat the foods our bodies evolved to function best on,...
Vegetarian Chili
Eating Clean is treating your body right.
It is eating the way nature intended. You eat the foods our bodies evolved to function best on, and that makes you feel – and look – fantastic. When you Eat Clean you eat more often. You will eat lean protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats. These practices keep your blood-sugar levels stable and keep you satisfied. The best part is that if you need to lose weight it will happen almost without you having to try. And yes, you can have a treat now and again.
Best of all, Eating Clean keeps you feeling great and full of energy. In fact, you can forget all about the days when “dieting” meant feelings of hunger, lethargy or deprivation. Eating Clean is not a fad; it’s a way of life. When you Eat Clean your body will react by losing weight if you need to lose, maintaining a healthy weight if that’s where you are, and even gaining weight if you are too skinny. But regardless of whether you want to lose, maintain or gain, you will feel better than you ever have before. Never worry about counting calories again. You will never have to diet. Eating Clean will keep you lean and healthy for the rest of your long life.
Vegetarian Chili
Who doesn’t have a chili recipe somewhere in their cooking repertoire? The hearty dish warms you up from the inside, keeps you lean and will make plenty for leftovers. Vegetarian chilies are getting more and more popular.
Ingredients
• 2 Tbsp / 30 ml chili powder
• 1 Tbsp / 15 ml garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp / 15 ml ground cumin
• 1 tsp / 5 ml ground sage
• 1 eggplant, peeled, cubed and salted (see salting method below)
• 2 firm green zucchini, cubed and salted as with eggplant
• ½ cup / 120 ml best-quality extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 large onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 each red, green and yellow bell pepper, seeded and deveined, coarsely chopped
• 4 stalks celery, chopped, leaves included
• 1 cup / 240 ml flat beer
• Handful fresh basil, chopped
• Handful fresh oregano, chopped
• 2 x 6 oz / 175 ml cans tomato paste
• 2 cups / 480 ml peeled and coarsely chopped Roma tomatoes
• 1 tsp / 5 ml sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Juice of 2 fresh lemons
• ¼ cup / 60 ml unsulfured blackstrap molasses
• 4 cups / 950 ml kidney beans (any broad bean will do)
• 2 cups / 480 ml fresh or frozen corn kernels
Method for Salting Eggplant
Do not skip this step! Eggplant has a bitter component in its flesh that can be unpleasant. Peel and cube the eggplant. Place in a good-sized preparation bowl and toss with about 2 tsp / 10 ml of fine sea salt. Place in a bowl and let stand, covered, for about an hour. The bitter juice will collect in the bottom of the bowl.
Transfer the eggplant to a colander and rinse well. Dump the rinsed eggplant onto a clean kitchen towel and pat dry. The eggplant is now ready to use.
Method for Toasting Spices
In a small dry skillet, add chili, cumin, garlic and sage. Toast over medium heat until spices become fragrant and just begin to smoke, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat. Set aside.
It is eating the way nature intended. You eat the foods our bodies evolved to function best on, and that makes you feel – and look – fantastic. When you Eat Clean you eat more often. You will eat lean protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats. These practices keep your blood-sugar levels stable and keep you satisfied. The best part is that if you need to lose weight it will happen almost without you having to try. And yes, you can have a treat now and again.
Best of all, Eating Clean keeps you feeling great and full of energy. In fact, you can forget all about the days when “dieting” meant feelings of hunger, lethargy or deprivation. Eating Clean is not a fad; it’s a way of life. When you Eat Clean your body will react by losing weight if you need to lose, maintaining a healthy weight if that’s where you are, and even gaining weight if you are too skinny. But regardless of whether you want to lose, maintain or gain, you will feel better than you ever have before. Never worry about counting calories again. You will never have to diet. Eating Clean will keep you lean and healthy for the rest of your long life.
Vegetarian Chili
Who doesn’t have a chili recipe somewhere in their cooking repertoire? The hearty dish warms you up from the inside, keeps you lean and will make plenty for leftovers. Vegetarian chilies are getting more and more popular.
Ingredients
• 2 Tbsp / 30 ml chili powder
• 1 Tbsp / 15 ml garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp / 15 ml ground cumin
• 1 tsp / 5 ml ground sage
• 1 eggplant, peeled, cubed and salted (see salting method below)
• 2 firm green zucchini, cubed and salted as with eggplant
• ½ cup / 120 ml best-quality extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 large onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 each red, green and yellow bell pepper, seeded and deveined, coarsely chopped
• 4 stalks celery, chopped, leaves included
• 1 cup / 240 ml flat beer
• Handful fresh basil, chopped
• Handful fresh oregano, chopped
• 2 x 6 oz / 175 ml cans tomato paste
• 2 cups / 480 ml peeled and coarsely chopped Roma tomatoes
• 1 tsp / 5 ml sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Juice of 2 fresh lemons
• ¼ cup / 60 ml unsulfured blackstrap molasses
• 4 cups / 950 ml kidney beans (any broad bean will do)
• 2 cups / 480 ml fresh or frozen corn kernels
Method for Salting Eggplant
Do not skip this step! Eggplant has a bitter component in its flesh that can be unpleasant. Peel and cube the eggplant. Place in a good-sized preparation bowl and toss with about 2 tsp / 10 ml of fine sea salt. Place in a bowl and let stand, covered, for about an hour. The bitter juice will collect in the bottom of the bowl.
Transfer the eggplant to a colander and rinse well. Dump the rinsed eggplant onto a clean kitchen towel and pat dry. The eggplant is now ready to use.
Method for Toasting Spices
In a small dry skillet, add chili, cumin, garlic and sage. Toast over medium heat until spices become fragrant and just begin to smoke, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat. Set aside.
Eggplant and Sweet Potato Stir Fry
A technique originating from China, stir frying is a method used to cook bite sized foods quickly at high heat while stirring often. It keeps your meats tender and your vegetables crisp. A tip r that I have learned is to prepare all of your ingredients in advance.
Whether a person is at a healthy weight, underweight or overweight, the body will react appropriately when on the eat clean diet. Those who are at a healthy weight will stay at a healthy weight. Those who are underweight will gain weight, while those who are overweight will lose weight. The reason for this, is that the foods a person eats on a clean eating diet are natural foods that the human body is designed to eat. There are no counting calories or watching the amount of carbohydrates on the clean eating diet. It is as simple as eating a balance of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy products.
Eggplant and sweet potato stir fry
Ingredients:
* 1 cup reduced sodium vegetable broth
* 2 Tbsp. natural unsalted almond butter
* 2 Tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
* 1 Tbsp. Tapioca starch
*1 Tbsp. ground coriander
*1/4 Tsp red pepper flakes
*1 TBSP. coconut oil
*3 Japanese eggplants
*1 large sweet potato
*1 yellow bell pepper
*4 scallions
*3 cloves garlic
*1 Tbsp. thinly sliced ginger
*4 plum tomatoes
*1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
*1/2 packed cup torn Thai basil or basil leaves
* Fresh shrimp with the heads on
Instructions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together broth, almond butter, soy sauce, cane juice, tapioca, coriander, and pepper flakes. Set aside.
In a large wok or frying pan on high, heat oil so that it coats the pan. Add eggplant, sweet potato, bell peppers, scallions, garlic, and ginger; stir until the vegetables are crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.
Stir in broth mixture, tossing to coat. Bring to a simmer until eggplant and sweet potatoes are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in lime juice, basil, and shrimp.
Whether a person is at a healthy weight, underweight or overweight, the body will react appropriately when on the eat clean diet. Those who are at a healthy weight will stay at a healthy weight. Those who are underweight will gain weight, while those who are overweight will lose weight. The reason for this, is that the foods a person eats on a clean eating diet are natural foods that the human body is designed to eat. There are no counting calories or watching the amount of carbohydrates on the clean eating diet. It is as simple as eating a balance of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy products.
Eggplant and sweet potato stir fry
Ingredients:
* 1 cup reduced sodium vegetable broth
* 2 Tbsp. natural unsalted almond butter
* 2 Tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
* 1 Tbsp. Tapioca starch
*1 Tbsp. ground coriander
*1/4 Tsp red pepper flakes
*1 TBSP. coconut oil
*3 Japanese eggplants
*1 large sweet potato
*1 yellow bell pepper
*4 scallions
*3 cloves garlic
*1 Tbsp. thinly sliced ginger
*4 plum tomatoes
*1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
*1/2 packed cup torn Thai basil or basil leaves
* Fresh shrimp with the heads on
Instructions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together broth, almond butter, soy sauce, cane juice, tapioca, coriander, and pepper flakes. Set aside.
In a large wok or frying pan on high, heat oil so that it coats the pan. Add eggplant, sweet potato, bell peppers, scallions, garlic, and ginger; stir until the vegetables are crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.
Stir in broth mixture, tossing to coat. Bring to a simmer until eggplant and sweet potatoes are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in lime juice, basil, and shrimp.
Monday, September 30, 2013
5 Natural Face Mask Recipes
For those of us who don’t have the time to escape to a spa for relaxation, these homemade face masks are a great solution for giving skin a boost. Even better, they are all made from completely non-toxic ingredients… in fact, you can eat most of them!
1. The Basic
Use some bentonite clay or kaolin clay and add enough water to make a paste. Apply to face in a circular motion until face is covered. Let dry and use a warm, wet washcloth to remove.
Good for: All skin types
2. Tropical Mask
Mash one banana with 1 tablespoon of honey and mix until it forms a smooth paste. Apply to face and allow to stay on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse well.
Good for: Dry skin.
3. Chai Mask
For a delicious smelling mask that also gently exfoliates skin, mix this mask that doubles as a sweetener for Chai tea. In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of honey and 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg.
Rub on face and let sit 20 minutes. Remove with a washcloth and warm water. (Note: some people react to cinnamon or nutmeg on skin. Test a small amount on your inner arm before using)
Good for: oily or normal skin.
4.The Guacomole mask
For dry skin, mash 1/2 of a ripe avocado with 2 tablespoons of honey and apply to the face. Let sit 20+ minutes and rinse well.
Good for: All skin types, especially dry skin.
5. Cool Cucumber Mask
This one is especially great for oily or inflamed skin. Blend 1/2 of a cucumber with 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 teaspoon of bentonite or kaolin clay. Add additional clay if needed to create a paste. Apply to face and leave on for 20 minutes.
Remove with a washcloth and warm water.
Good for: All skin types, especially cooling for acne prone skin.
Aftercare:
After using a face mask, a sea salt spray or 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar diluted in 1 cup of cool water work as great toners to lock in the effects.
I find that these all work best in combination with the Oil Cleansing Method for completely natural skin care.
Have you tried any of the masks? Leave me a comment telling me how they worked for you.
1. The Basic
Use some bentonite clay or kaolin clay and add enough water to make a paste. Apply to face in a circular motion until face is covered. Let dry and use a warm, wet washcloth to remove.
Good for: All skin types
2. Tropical Mask
Mash one banana with 1 tablespoon of honey and mix until it forms a smooth paste. Apply to face and allow to stay on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse well.
Good for: Dry skin.
3. Chai Mask
For a delicious smelling mask that also gently exfoliates skin, mix this mask that doubles as a sweetener for Chai tea. In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of honey and 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg.
Rub on face and let sit 20 minutes. Remove with a washcloth and warm water. (Note: some people react to cinnamon or nutmeg on skin. Test a small amount on your inner arm before using)
Good for: oily or normal skin.
4.The Guacomole mask
For dry skin, mash 1/2 of a ripe avocado with 2 tablespoons of honey and apply to the face. Let sit 20+ minutes and rinse well.
Good for: All skin types, especially dry skin.
5. Cool Cucumber Mask
This one is especially great for oily or inflamed skin. Blend 1/2 of a cucumber with 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 teaspoon of bentonite or kaolin clay. Add additional clay if needed to create a paste. Apply to face and leave on for 20 minutes.
Remove with a washcloth and warm water.
Good for: All skin types, especially cooling for acne prone skin.
Aftercare:
After using a face mask, a sea salt spray or 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar diluted in 1 cup of cool water work as great toners to lock in the effects.
I find that these all work best in combination with the Oil Cleansing Method for completely natural skin care.
Have you tried any of the masks? Leave me a comment telling me how they worked for you.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Homemade Glass Cleaner Recipe and All-Natural Homemade Scouring Powder
Sometimes the best things in life are free… or really, really cheap, like this home recipe for natural glass cleaner. It has a somewhat strong smell that completely evaporates once dried. In a 16 oz or bigger spray bottle mix:
1 pint water
2 tablespoons vinegar
10-15 drops essential oil (I use peppermint,it helps mask the vinegar smell)
Shake bottle and spray on windows. Use crumpled newspaper or cotton cloth to wipe off. If you have always used commercial window cleaner in the past, mix a couple drops of liquid castille soap or liquid dish soap in some of this mixture the first time you clean the windows to remove detergent residue.
This easy recipe for homemade scouring powder cleans everything from stuck on floor messes to tile goo. (Not that I’ve ever experienced those personally…) It is inexpensive to make and cleans better than store brands without the vague smell of chemical warfare. I knew that this stuff worked well, but to put it to the test, I restrained myself from cleaning the bathroom for two whole weeks (meaning I was incredibly busy and didn’t get time to clean it for two weeks). It was bad… really bad. I also knew that my kids would be soaking in said freshly cleaned tub that night and didn’t want them to lose any skin pigment from the cleaners I used so I turned to this natural homemade powder.
Ingredients
2 parts baking soda
1 part salt
1 part borax powder
To make:
Pour ingredients into jar or bowl.
Mix or stir until well mixed.
If you want to make a shaker, put in a pint or quart mason jar and poke some holes in the top (carefully) with a sharp serrated knife.
To Use:
Lightly wet surface with water or undiluted white vinegar (for really bad messes)
Sprinkle powder on and let sit 5 minutes
Scrub with sturdy brush until clean
Rinse with water or vinegar (for really bad messes)
1 pint water
2 tablespoons vinegar
10-15 drops essential oil (I use peppermint,it helps mask the vinegar smell)
Shake bottle and spray on windows. Use crumpled newspaper or cotton cloth to wipe off. If you have always used commercial window cleaner in the past, mix a couple drops of liquid castille soap or liquid dish soap in some of this mixture the first time you clean the windows to remove detergent residue.
This easy recipe for homemade scouring powder cleans everything from stuck on floor messes to tile goo. (Not that I’ve ever experienced those personally…) It is inexpensive to make and cleans better than store brands without the vague smell of chemical warfare. I knew that this stuff worked well, but to put it to the test, I restrained myself from cleaning the bathroom for two whole weeks (meaning I was incredibly busy and didn’t get time to clean it for two weeks). It was bad… really bad. I also knew that my kids would be soaking in said freshly cleaned tub that night and didn’t want them to lose any skin pigment from the cleaners I used so I turned to this natural homemade powder.
Ingredients
2 parts baking soda
1 part salt
1 part borax powder
To make:
Pour ingredients into jar or bowl.
Mix or stir until well mixed.
If you want to make a shaker, put in a pint or quart mason jar and poke some holes in the top (carefully) with a sharp serrated knife.
To Use:
Lightly wet surface with water or undiluted white vinegar (for really bad messes)
Sprinkle powder on and let sit 5 minutes
Scrub with sturdy brush until clean
Rinse with water or vinegar (for really bad messes)
Monday, September 16, 2013
3 Natural Detox Bath Recipes
Nothing is more relaxing that a warm bath… except perhaps a relaxing warm detox bath that also helps cleanse the body…
Seriously- these detox baths will help remove toxins from the body and they also tend to make you tired so I suggest doing them before bed!
If you struggle with toxins or skin issues these natural recipes are a simple, easy and inexpensive way to boost health! I’m always up for a warm bath, and these natural add-ons help improve health while you relax!
Salt Detox Bath Recipe
1/4 cup Sea Salt or Himalayan Salt
1/4 cup Epsom Salt
1/4 cup Baking Soda
1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
Favorite essential oil if desired (I use 10 drops of peppermint or lavender)
What to do: Dissolve Salt, epsom salt, and baking soda in boiling water in a quart size jar and set aside. Fill tub with warm/hot water and add apple cider vinegar. Pour salt mixture in and add essential oils if using.
Soak in bath for 30 minutes or as long as desired. Note that with any detox bath, you may feel tired or lightheaded when you get out. I don’t recommend doing this while home alone or before going somewhere in case you are tired or need help.
This bath is great for soothing skin irritation, boosting magnesium levels and overall detoxing.
Clay Detox Bath Recipe
1/2 cup bentonite clay
1/2 cup epsom salts
essential oils if desired
What to do: Dissolve the epsom salts in a warm/hot bath and add essential oils if desired. For the clay there are two options:
Vigorously mix the clay in to a small amount of water until the clumps are mostly dissolved. Do not use metal for this! I mix with a plastic spoon in a glass jar. Add the clay mix to the bath and soak for at least 20 minutes.
Mix that clay with a small amount of water to make a paste. Stand in the tub full of water and rub the clay mix all over your body to create a skin mask and let dry for 5 minutes before sitting down. This provides direct contact with the skin and effectively pulls toxins from the skin. Soak in bath at least 20 minutes or as long as desired. While soaking, use a wash cloth to scrub any remaining clay off the skin.
This bath is great for removing a lot of toxins as the clay binds to heavy metals and the epsom salts help pull a variety of toxins from the body while replenishing magnesium levels.
Oxygen Detox Bath Recipe
2 cups (or more) of Hydrogen Peroxide
1 Tablespoon dried Ginger Powder
What to Do: Fill the tub with warm/hot water and add the hydrogen peroxide and dried Ginger. Soak in tub for 30 minutes or as long as desired. This bath is especially helpful during illness as the ginger helps clear congestion or alleviate body aches. It can also be helpful for allergies or skin irritation.
Notes:
The warmer the water, the more powerful the detox effect will be.
If you have chlorine and fluoride in your water, I recommend adding a few tablespoons of bentonite clay to any of these baths to help absorb the chemicals so they aren’t absorbed into the skin.
Any of these natural ingredients can be used alone or in combination for a cleansing effect.
All recipes can be doubled or tripled but this will increase the detox effect.
Seriously- these detox baths will help remove toxins from the body and they also tend to make you tired so I suggest doing them before bed!
If you struggle with toxins or skin issues these natural recipes are a simple, easy and inexpensive way to boost health! I’m always up for a warm bath, and these natural add-ons help improve health while you relax!
Salt Detox Bath Recipe
1/4 cup Sea Salt or Himalayan Salt
1/4 cup Epsom Salt
1/4 cup Baking Soda
1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
Favorite essential oil if desired (I use 10 drops of peppermint or lavender)
What to do: Dissolve Salt, epsom salt, and baking soda in boiling water in a quart size jar and set aside. Fill tub with warm/hot water and add apple cider vinegar. Pour salt mixture in and add essential oils if using.
Soak in bath for 30 minutes or as long as desired. Note that with any detox bath, you may feel tired or lightheaded when you get out. I don’t recommend doing this while home alone or before going somewhere in case you are tired or need help.
This bath is great for soothing skin irritation, boosting magnesium levels and overall detoxing.
Clay Detox Bath Recipe
1/2 cup bentonite clay
1/2 cup epsom salts
essential oils if desired
What to do: Dissolve the epsom salts in a warm/hot bath and add essential oils if desired. For the clay there are two options:
Vigorously mix the clay in to a small amount of water until the clumps are mostly dissolved. Do not use metal for this! I mix with a plastic spoon in a glass jar. Add the clay mix to the bath and soak for at least 20 minutes.
Mix that clay with a small amount of water to make a paste. Stand in the tub full of water and rub the clay mix all over your body to create a skin mask and let dry for 5 minutes before sitting down. This provides direct contact with the skin and effectively pulls toxins from the skin. Soak in bath at least 20 minutes or as long as desired. While soaking, use a wash cloth to scrub any remaining clay off the skin.
This bath is great for removing a lot of toxins as the clay binds to heavy metals and the epsom salts help pull a variety of toxins from the body while replenishing magnesium levels.
Oxygen Detox Bath Recipe
2 cups (or more) of Hydrogen Peroxide
1 Tablespoon dried Ginger Powder
What to Do: Fill the tub with warm/hot water and add the hydrogen peroxide and dried Ginger. Soak in tub for 30 minutes or as long as desired. This bath is especially helpful during illness as the ginger helps clear congestion or alleviate body aches. It can also be helpful for allergies or skin irritation.
Notes:
The warmer the water, the more powerful the detox effect will be.
If you have chlorine and fluoride in your water, I recommend adding a few tablespoons of bentonite clay to any of these baths to help absorb the chemicals so they aren’t absorbed into the skin.
Any of these natural ingredients can be used alone or in combination for a cleansing effect.
All recipes can be doubled or tripled but this will increase the detox effect.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Why Do Gardeners Live Longer?
There is a lot of evidence, most anecdotal, some scientific, about how gardeners live up to 14 years longer than non-gardeners. That’s a pretty impressive life extension and it certainly bears further research.
1. Get Enough Vitamin D
Typically, gardening isn’t done at night, so while tending a garden, one is usually in the sun consistently. The body naturally produces Vitamin D from sun exposure, and since Vitamin D is protective against types of cancer and heart disease, it is logical that those with higher Vitamin D levels could live longer.
How to Get the Benefit: Even if you don’t garden, you can spend some time in the sun and get enough Vitamin D. Make sure to optimize these factors so that you are producing Vitamin D and not burning!
2. Play In the Dirt
Gardening, by its nature, means sticking your hands in the dirt. While our society shuns dirt and invents things like chemical had sanitizer, dirt can actually be good for you! In fact, lack of dirt, and the soil borne organisms that come with it, has been linked to higher auto-immune disease.
Soil is an incredibly rich source of natural bacteria, minerals and microorganisms. Touching the soil regularly exposes the body to beneficial (and small amounts of harmful) microorganisms that can boost the immune system. Since beneficial bacteria and gut health are so vital to overall health, it is logical that the immune boosting properties of dirt could increase longevity as well.
How to Get the Benefit: You can take probiotics and eat fermented foods, but you still won’t be exposed to the same variety of micro-organisms unless you get your hands dirty!
3. Getting Grounded
Gardeners spend time touching the earth and the soil. According to the book Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever, this alone could have tremendous benefit.
The theory is that many of us rarely or never touch the earth with bare skin, and certainly not for extended periods of time. This leads to a build up of positive electrons in the body from electrical energy, electromagnetic frequencies, WI-FI and more. The earth acts as a ground, just as it does for electrical outlets, reducing the extra positive charge.
The author speculates that this build-up and lack of contact with the earth can lead to inflammation and disease. Gardeners, by touching the earth are “grounding” themselves and removing this extra charge.
How to Get the Benefit: Walk around barefoot outside for at least 20 minutes a day or use an Earthing Mat when sleeping.
4. Stress Relief
Many gardeners cite relaxation and stress relief as reasons that they garden. Stress negatively affects hormones and increases risk of disease, so having a positive outlet for stress is tremendously beneficial for health. Balancing stress hormones has a positive effect on everything from blood pressure, to cortisol levels to inflammation.
How to Get the Benefit: Regularly make time to do something relaxing that you enjoy, preferably outside.
5. They Eat Vegetables
Logically, gardeners often grow vegetables, which means that logically, they also probably eat them. Consumption of more vegetables and less processed foods means more nutrients, antioxidants and less toxins. Win-win.
How to Get the Benefit: Eat a lot of vegetables… ’nuff said.
6. They Exercise
Lifting plants and soil, raking, and digging… it all requires low-level activity and weight lifting. These activities provide the positive benefits of exercise in a relaxing and sustainable way. Another win-win.
How to Get the Benefit: Every week make time for exercises like heavy lifting and light exercise like swimming, hiking or walking.
1. Get Enough Vitamin D
Typically, gardening isn’t done at night, so while tending a garden, one is usually in the sun consistently. The body naturally produces Vitamin D from sun exposure, and since Vitamin D is protective against types of cancer and heart disease, it is logical that those with higher Vitamin D levels could live longer.
How to Get the Benefit: Even if you don’t garden, you can spend some time in the sun and get enough Vitamin D. Make sure to optimize these factors so that you are producing Vitamin D and not burning!
2. Play In the Dirt
Gardening, by its nature, means sticking your hands in the dirt. While our society shuns dirt and invents things like chemical had sanitizer, dirt can actually be good for you! In fact, lack of dirt, and the soil borne organisms that come with it, has been linked to higher auto-immune disease.
Soil is an incredibly rich source of natural bacteria, minerals and microorganisms. Touching the soil regularly exposes the body to beneficial (and small amounts of harmful) microorganisms that can boost the immune system. Since beneficial bacteria and gut health are so vital to overall health, it is logical that the immune boosting properties of dirt could increase longevity as well.
How to Get the Benefit: You can take probiotics and eat fermented foods, but you still won’t be exposed to the same variety of micro-organisms unless you get your hands dirty!
3. Getting Grounded
Gardeners spend time touching the earth and the soil. According to the book Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever, this alone could have tremendous benefit.
The theory is that many of us rarely or never touch the earth with bare skin, and certainly not for extended periods of time. This leads to a build up of positive electrons in the body from electrical energy, electromagnetic frequencies, WI-FI and more. The earth acts as a ground, just as it does for electrical outlets, reducing the extra positive charge.
The author speculates that this build-up and lack of contact with the earth can lead to inflammation and disease. Gardeners, by touching the earth are “grounding” themselves and removing this extra charge.
How to Get the Benefit: Walk around barefoot outside for at least 20 minutes a day or use an Earthing Mat when sleeping.
4. Stress Relief
Many gardeners cite relaxation and stress relief as reasons that they garden. Stress negatively affects hormones and increases risk of disease, so having a positive outlet for stress is tremendously beneficial for health. Balancing stress hormones has a positive effect on everything from blood pressure, to cortisol levels to inflammation.
How to Get the Benefit: Regularly make time to do something relaxing that you enjoy, preferably outside.
5. They Eat Vegetables
Logically, gardeners often grow vegetables, which means that logically, they also probably eat them. Consumption of more vegetables and less processed foods means more nutrients, antioxidants and less toxins. Win-win.
How to Get the Benefit: Eat a lot of vegetables… ’nuff said.
6. They Exercise
Lifting plants and soil, raking, and digging… it all requires low-level activity and weight lifting. These activities provide the positive benefits of exercise in a relaxing and sustainable way. Another win-win.
How to Get the Benefit: Every week make time for exercises like heavy lifting and light exercise like swimming, hiking or walking.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Improve Your Sleep Naturally
Recently, I posted about balancing stress hormones and the dramatic impact this can have on overall health. Today, I’m elaborating on one of the most important and most-often missed aspects of reducing stress.
I’ve written before about the importance of sleep, and I’m sure you’ve read it many other places as well. Yet, statistically, most of us (me included) don’t always get enough quality sleep. Some of us struggle to fall asleep, others to stay asleep, and others to make time to actually get enough sleep.
Not surprisingly, sleep is a hormone dependent process, and with all the variables in our lives that can affect proper hormone balance (foods, toxins, artificial light, etc) it makes sense that many people struggle with sleep. This is also why times when hormones change often have a negative effect on sleep (menopause, puberty, pregnancy, etc)
While mainstream thinking might recommend a pharmaceutical option to help deal with sleep issues, artificially augmenting the hormone system to induce sleep isn’t without its problems (just check out the side-effects and warnings list!) and can have an impact on other hormone functions as well.
Often, lack of quality sleep stems from one or more lifestyle causes, and it is important to address these underlying issues as they can impact more than just sleep.
The Problem
Lack of sleep = Stress on the body = weight gain, premature aging, hair loss, hormone imbalances, infertility, and lowered immune function.
Hormone problems that cause sleep disturbances don’t just begin at bedtime, and they can’t be fixed by just addressing them at this time. Ever noticed that animals don’t have trouble sleeping and waking when they are supposed to? They don’t toss and turn to fall asleep and they don’t need pills to help them do so (speaking about outdoor animals… I don’t have any, but indoor animals could potentially have some of the same struggles that humans do).
Proper sleep hormone production (melatonin) depends on proper hormone function during waking hours (serotonin and others). As the endocrine system is a complete system, hormone imbalances (PCOS, Endometriosis, etc) can often lead to poor sleep and vice versa.
Stress hormones can have a tremendous impact on the sleep cycle as well, and it is a two-way street. Lack of sleep elevates stress hormones, and stress hormones can cause sleep problems.
Optimize Sleep While You Are Awake
To optimize sleep during the night, one must also optimize factors during waking hours including food, supplements and exposure to light/outdoors.
Getting a quality night of sleep actually begins when you wake at the beginning of the day and there are many factors that can have a dramatic impact on sleep length and quality.
-Foods for Sleep
Just as foods can impact health in other areas, foods can contribute to good or bad sleep. To help improve your chances of quality sleep, these are the best foods to consume:
Healthy Fats- such as coconut oil, organic and pasture raised meats, eggs, avocado and butter all help provide your body with the necessary building blocks to manufacture sleep hormones.
High Antioxidant Foods- Also important for hormone production and removal of toxins that can impede sleep. Focus on vegetables, high nutrient fruits, and herbal or green teas (green tea early in the day only).
Quality Proteins, especially at dinner: For best sleep, it is better to stop eating at least 4 hours before bedtime, and preferably by 6pm every night. Your evening meal should include proteins, vegetables and healthy fats. Eating enough protein at this meal will help prepare the body to enter the sleep cycle.
Avoid:
Sugars: Sugars and carbohydrates, especially at night, can cause a blood sugar spike and crash that will lead to difficulty falling or staying asleep. Many people crave carbohydrates (chocolate, anyone?) in the evening, which is a sign of an underlying hormone problem to begin with but eating carbohydrates late at night can cause problems falling asleep or lead to waking in the middle of the night when blood sugar levels drop.
Grains- I’ve written before about the negative effect grains can have on health, and if you have an intolerance to grains, this can cause physical stress in your body, which alters the hormone cycle and can impede sleep.
Vegetable Oils- No one should ever eat them anyway, but I have a theory that just as these artificial fats can cause problems in new skin formation(skin cancer) they can cause problems in the hormone cycle, as hormones need (saturated) fats for production and giving the body the wrong building blocks for hormones can wreak havoc with hormone production.
-Supplements for Sleep
Sadly, it is often difficult to get enough nutrients from foods as our soil is depleted and foods are picked before ripe so they can be shipped around the world. Especially if you struggle from a health challenge or sleep problem, it is often helpful to supplement some key nutrients, at least in the short term, as you build your body back up.
Fermented Cod Liver Oil/High Vitamin Butter Oil Blend (also great for remineralizing teeth)-I have personally noticed a difference in my sleep quality since adding this to my regimen. I take it in the morning and at night (about 1/2 tsp each time) and don’t sleep as well when I don’t. The presence of fat soluble vitamins A, D and K plus Omega-3s can explain why this particular supplement is great for promoting hormone production and improving sleep. For this reason, it also helps balance other hormones (in cases of infertility, etc) and is great for growing children.
A couple tablespoons of coconut oil melted in a cup of herbal tea per day can help give the body the building blocks to make sleep hormones
Magnesium- Many people are deficient in Magnesium and this particular deficiency can have a big impact on sleep quality. Some people find that just adding a product like Natural Calm about 30 minutes before bedtime can really improve sleep.
Gelatin- Many of us eat a disproportionateamount of animal muscle meat compared to bone broths, organ meats and marrow. If you aren’t a fan of consuming liver daily, drinking natural gelatin (from grassfed sources) can help balance your intake. Consumption of only muscle meats, which are higher in stress hormones, can cause problems in the sleep cycle. Personally, I often drink a cup of chamomile or herbal tea with a tablespoon of gelatin dissolved in it each night a couple hours before bed.
If you have a solid diet and are already taking the things above, specific sleep related herbs might help your fall asleep. Try my sleep tincture, or some chamomile or catnip to help you relax.
-A Healthy Daily Routine
A daily (and nightly) routine can make a big difference in how easily you fall and stay asleep. You’ll have to experiment to find out what works best for you but here are some helpful suggestions:
Wake up and go to bed at the same time, even on weekends to keep your hormone cycle regular.
Eat a high protein/high fat snack a few hours before bed (7pm or earlier) or consume a lot at dinner.
Avoid caffeine after 1 pm.
Install F.lux (it is free) on all computers and devices to reduce blue light and help you sleep better (it is also easier on the eyes!)
Drink enough water during the day and stop drinking about 2 hours before bed so you don’t have to wake up to use the bathroom.
Take a soothing salt bath about an hour before bed with some relaxing music or a great book.
Get at least 30 minutes of sunlight each day (even if you aren’t trying to get your vitamin D). The exposure to the wide-spectrum light during the day boosts serotonin levels, which will help improve melatonin levels at night
Avoid artificial light as much as possible after the sun goes down.
Pray, meditate or find a way to reduce stress.
Give yourself a massage before bed to release stress and help relax (Personally, I love this for home-massage)
Stretch before bed to relax muscles.
-Cold Therapy for Improved Sleep
If lack of sleep is really affecting your life and you are willing to try anything to improve it, consider cold therapy (and you might lose some weight too). This method has been around for a while and if done correctly, it can help you sleep like a rock.
Mark Sisson has written about it before, and some research shows that it could also help with a host of problems like Chronic Fatigue, heart issues, and even possibly cancer/tumors.
From what I’ve read, full immersion in a cool bath (below 60 degrees) is most effective, though even a cold ice back on the front and back of the neck can be helpful for improving sleep and weight loss. I’ve noticed a difference from using cold therapy two ways:
After dinner, sitting with ice packs on the front and back of my neck for 30 minutes
After dinner, dipping my face in a bowl of very cold water (about 50 degrees) and holding underwater for as long as I can, up to 30 seconds. I do this several times and it definitely helps reduce stress/improve sleep. There is a theory that this activates the dive reflex, which helps reduce stress.
The Sleep Environment
Your sleep environment is also extremely important for sleep quality. Artificial light, warm temperatures, sudden noises, and EMFs can all effect sleep quality, but these things are almost always fixable. Again, you’ll have to experiment to figure out what works best for you, but in general, here are some tips:
Remove ALL artificial light, including the light on your alarm clock, TV light, phone, etc. I use blackout curtains because we have artificial light outside, and cover my clock light with a towel. Our kids don’t have night lights, and they typically sleep very well.
Keep the temperature around 65-68 degrees and always below 70 degrees.
Try some white noise like sounds of rain, ocean or our kids’ favorite, Gregorian Chant (though if any of them ever decide to become a cloistered religious, they will have trouble… chant always puts them to sleep!)
Trade out your jolting buzzing alarm clock for a gentle sunlight alarm clock that will wake you up much more gently. I don’t know about you, but my dread of the sound of the alarm clock sound always caused me to wake up a few times in the early morning in anticipation of it
Try an earthing mat. I am still experimenting with this one, but there is some evidence that sleeping on a grounding mat reduces your exposure EMFs and improves sleep quality. While I have noticed a big difference on myself, I don’t know how much is mental, so I’m experimenting with having the kids sleep on it without them knowing what it does. The book Earthing explains more of the theory behind this method and I’m working on finding a good source of the mats. According to the book, you can also create the same effect by spending time barefoot outside on dirt, grass or rocks daily for at least 30 minutes (If you garden barefoot in the middle of the day, you’ll get three benefits in one! Exercise, Vitamin D and the negative electrons from the earth)
Going to bed before 10pm (or transitioning to this schedule) will also greatly impact your body’s healing ability, as there are supposed to be additional benefits to sleep before midnight.
I’ve written before about the importance of sleep, and I’m sure you’ve read it many other places as well. Yet, statistically, most of us (me included) don’t always get enough quality sleep. Some of us struggle to fall asleep, others to stay asleep, and others to make time to actually get enough sleep.
Not surprisingly, sleep is a hormone dependent process, and with all the variables in our lives that can affect proper hormone balance (foods, toxins, artificial light, etc) it makes sense that many people struggle with sleep. This is also why times when hormones change often have a negative effect on sleep (menopause, puberty, pregnancy, etc)
While mainstream thinking might recommend a pharmaceutical option to help deal with sleep issues, artificially augmenting the hormone system to induce sleep isn’t without its problems (just check out the side-effects and warnings list!) and can have an impact on other hormone functions as well.
Often, lack of quality sleep stems from one or more lifestyle causes, and it is important to address these underlying issues as they can impact more than just sleep.
The Problem
Lack of sleep = Stress on the body = weight gain, premature aging, hair loss, hormone imbalances, infertility, and lowered immune function.
Hormone problems that cause sleep disturbances don’t just begin at bedtime, and they can’t be fixed by just addressing them at this time. Ever noticed that animals don’t have trouble sleeping and waking when they are supposed to? They don’t toss and turn to fall asleep and they don’t need pills to help them do so (speaking about outdoor animals… I don’t have any, but indoor animals could potentially have some of the same struggles that humans do).
Proper sleep hormone production (melatonin) depends on proper hormone function during waking hours (serotonin and others). As the endocrine system is a complete system, hormone imbalances (PCOS, Endometriosis, etc) can often lead to poor sleep and vice versa.
Stress hormones can have a tremendous impact on the sleep cycle as well, and it is a two-way street. Lack of sleep elevates stress hormones, and stress hormones can cause sleep problems.
Optimize Sleep While You Are Awake
To optimize sleep during the night, one must also optimize factors during waking hours including food, supplements and exposure to light/outdoors.
Getting a quality night of sleep actually begins when you wake at the beginning of the day and there are many factors that can have a dramatic impact on sleep length and quality.
-Foods for Sleep
Just as foods can impact health in other areas, foods can contribute to good or bad sleep. To help improve your chances of quality sleep, these are the best foods to consume:
Healthy Fats- such as coconut oil, organic and pasture raised meats, eggs, avocado and butter all help provide your body with the necessary building blocks to manufacture sleep hormones.
High Antioxidant Foods- Also important for hormone production and removal of toxins that can impede sleep. Focus on vegetables, high nutrient fruits, and herbal or green teas (green tea early in the day only).
Quality Proteins, especially at dinner: For best sleep, it is better to stop eating at least 4 hours before bedtime, and preferably by 6pm every night. Your evening meal should include proteins, vegetables and healthy fats. Eating enough protein at this meal will help prepare the body to enter the sleep cycle.
Avoid:
Sugars: Sugars and carbohydrates, especially at night, can cause a blood sugar spike and crash that will lead to difficulty falling or staying asleep. Many people crave carbohydrates (chocolate, anyone?) in the evening, which is a sign of an underlying hormone problem to begin with but eating carbohydrates late at night can cause problems falling asleep or lead to waking in the middle of the night when blood sugar levels drop.
Grains- I’ve written before about the negative effect grains can have on health, and if you have an intolerance to grains, this can cause physical stress in your body, which alters the hormone cycle and can impede sleep.
Vegetable Oils- No one should ever eat them anyway, but I have a theory that just as these artificial fats can cause problems in new skin formation(skin cancer) they can cause problems in the hormone cycle, as hormones need (saturated) fats for production and giving the body the wrong building blocks for hormones can wreak havoc with hormone production.
-Supplements for Sleep
Sadly, it is often difficult to get enough nutrients from foods as our soil is depleted and foods are picked before ripe so they can be shipped around the world. Especially if you struggle from a health challenge or sleep problem, it is often helpful to supplement some key nutrients, at least in the short term, as you build your body back up.
Fermented Cod Liver Oil/High Vitamin Butter Oil Blend (also great for remineralizing teeth)-I have personally noticed a difference in my sleep quality since adding this to my regimen. I take it in the morning and at night (about 1/2 tsp each time) and don’t sleep as well when I don’t. The presence of fat soluble vitamins A, D and K plus Omega-3s can explain why this particular supplement is great for promoting hormone production and improving sleep. For this reason, it also helps balance other hormones (in cases of infertility, etc) and is great for growing children.
A couple tablespoons of coconut oil melted in a cup of herbal tea per day can help give the body the building blocks to make sleep hormones
Magnesium- Many people are deficient in Magnesium and this particular deficiency can have a big impact on sleep quality. Some people find that just adding a product like Natural Calm about 30 minutes before bedtime can really improve sleep.
Gelatin- Many of us eat a disproportionateamount of animal muscle meat compared to bone broths, organ meats and marrow. If you aren’t a fan of consuming liver daily, drinking natural gelatin (from grassfed sources) can help balance your intake. Consumption of only muscle meats, which are higher in stress hormones, can cause problems in the sleep cycle. Personally, I often drink a cup of chamomile or herbal tea with a tablespoon of gelatin dissolved in it each night a couple hours before bed.
If you have a solid diet and are already taking the things above, specific sleep related herbs might help your fall asleep. Try my sleep tincture, or some chamomile or catnip to help you relax.
-A Healthy Daily Routine
A daily (and nightly) routine can make a big difference in how easily you fall and stay asleep. You’ll have to experiment to find out what works best for you but here are some helpful suggestions:
Wake up and go to bed at the same time, even on weekends to keep your hormone cycle regular.
Eat a high protein/high fat snack a few hours before bed (7pm or earlier) or consume a lot at dinner.
Avoid caffeine after 1 pm.
Install F.lux (it is free) on all computers and devices to reduce blue light and help you sleep better (it is also easier on the eyes!)
Drink enough water during the day and stop drinking about 2 hours before bed so you don’t have to wake up to use the bathroom.
Take a soothing salt bath about an hour before bed with some relaxing music or a great book.
Get at least 30 minutes of sunlight each day (even if you aren’t trying to get your vitamin D). The exposure to the wide-spectrum light during the day boosts serotonin levels, which will help improve melatonin levels at night
Avoid artificial light as much as possible after the sun goes down.
Pray, meditate or find a way to reduce stress.
Give yourself a massage before bed to release stress and help relax (Personally, I love this for home-massage)
Stretch before bed to relax muscles.
-Cold Therapy for Improved Sleep
If lack of sleep is really affecting your life and you are willing to try anything to improve it, consider cold therapy (and you might lose some weight too). This method has been around for a while and if done correctly, it can help you sleep like a rock.
Mark Sisson has written about it before, and some research shows that it could also help with a host of problems like Chronic Fatigue, heart issues, and even possibly cancer/tumors.
From what I’ve read, full immersion in a cool bath (below 60 degrees) is most effective, though even a cold ice back on the front and back of the neck can be helpful for improving sleep and weight loss. I’ve noticed a difference from using cold therapy two ways:
After dinner, sitting with ice packs on the front and back of my neck for 30 minutes
After dinner, dipping my face in a bowl of very cold water (about 50 degrees) and holding underwater for as long as I can, up to 30 seconds. I do this several times and it definitely helps reduce stress/improve sleep. There is a theory that this activates the dive reflex, which helps reduce stress.
The Sleep Environment
Your sleep environment is also extremely important for sleep quality. Artificial light, warm temperatures, sudden noises, and EMFs can all effect sleep quality, but these things are almost always fixable. Again, you’ll have to experiment to figure out what works best for you, but in general, here are some tips:
Remove ALL artificial light, including the light on your alarm clock, TV light, phone, etc. I use blackout curtains because we have artificial light outside, and cover my clock light with a towel. Our kids don’t have night lights, and they typically sleep very well.
Keep the temperature around 65-68 degrees and always below 70 degrees.
Try some white noise like sounds of rain, ocean or our kids’ favorite, Gregorian Chant (though if any of them ever decide to become a cloistered religious, they will have trouble… chant always puts them to sleep!)
Trade out your jolting buzzing alarm clock for a gentle sunlight alarm clock that will wake you up much more gently. I don’t know about you, but my dread of the sound of the alarm clock sound always caused me to wake up a few times in the early morning in anticipation of it
Try an earthing mat. I am still experimenting with this one, but there is some evidence that sleeping on a grounding mat reduces your exposure EMFs and improves sleep quality. While I have noticed a big difference on myself, I don’t know how much is mental, so I’m experimenting with having the kids sleep on it without them knowing what it does. The book Earthing explains more of the theory behind this method and I’m working on finding a good source of the mats. According to the book, you can also create the same effect by spending time barefoot outside on dirt, grass or rocks daily for at least 30 minutes (If you garden barefoot in the middle of the day, you’ll get three benefits in one! Exercise, Vitamin D and the negative electrons from the earth)
Going to bed before 10pm (or transitioning to this schedule) will also greatly impact your body’s healing ability, as there are supposed to be additional benefits to sleep before midnight.
Natural Mama: Help Balance your Hormones
Natural Mama: Help Balance your Hormones: When it comes to health, hormones and gut bacteria have a much bigger effect than many people realize. In fact, these two factors can destro...
Help Balance your Hormones
When it comes to health, hormones and gut bacteria have a much bigger effect than many people realize. In fact, these two factors can destroy health even if everything else (diet, supplements, etc) is optimized. Conversely, fixing hormones and gut bacteria can do a lot to boost health, even if not all the other factors are optimal. In fact, there are even studies about using certain hormone reactions to heal brain trauma.
If you doubt the very real power of hormones to affect everything from mood, to weight, to bowel health, ask the nearest pregnant woman if she’s noticed any difference in these areas since being pregnant. Or ask the nearest 13 year old girl… carefully…
If you have symptoms like fatigue, skin issues, weight gain, weight around the middle, trouble sleeping, always sleeping, PMS, endometriosis, infertility, PCOS or other issues, chances are you have hormone imbalance!
What are Hormones?
“Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers. They travel in your bloodstream to tissues or organs. They work slowly, over time, and affect many different processes, including
Growth and development
Metabolism – how your body gets energy from the foods you eat
Sexual function
Reproduction
Mood
Endocrine glands, which are special groups of cells, make hormones. The major endocrine glands are the pituitary, pineal, thymus, thyroid, adrenal glands and pancreas. In addition, men produce hormones in their testes and women produce them in their ovaries.”
Hormones are produced using good fats and cholesterol, so lack of these important dietary factors can cause hormone problems simply because the body doesn’t have the building blocks to make them. Toxins containing chemicals that mimic these building blocks or that mimic the hormones themselves are also problematic because the body can attempt to create hormones using the wrong building blocks… mutant estrogen anyone?
The endocrine system is a complex system that we will probably never completely understand, but there are some basic things you can do to boost your body’s ability to create and balance hormones:
1. Avoid High Omega-6 Polyunsaturated Fats
The human body is about 97% saturated and monounsaturated fat, with only 3 % Polyunsaturated fats. Half of that three percent is Omega-3 fats, and that balance needs to be there. Vegetable oils contain very high levels of polyunsaturated fats, and these oils have replaced many of the saturated fats in our diets since the 1950s.
The body needs fats for rebuilding cells and hormone production, but it has to use the building blocks we give it. When we give it a high concentration of polyunsaturated fats instead of the ratios it needs, it has no choice but to incorporate these fats into our cells during cell repair and creation.
The problem is that polyunsaturated fats are highly unstable and oxidize easily in the body (if they haven’t already oxidized during processing or by light exposure while sitting on the grocery store shelf). These oxidized fats cause inflammation and mutation in cells.
In arterial cells, these mutations cause inflammation that can clog arteries. When these fats are incorporated into skin cells, their mutation causes skin cancer. (This is why people often get the most dangerous forms of skin cancer in places where they are never exposed to the sun, but that is a topic for another day!)
When these oils are incorporated into cells in reproductive tissue, some evidence suggests that this can spur problems like endometriosis and PCOS. In short, the body is made up of saturated and monounsaturated fats, and it needs these for optimal health.”
Bottom line: Don’t eat fats like Vegetable oil, peanut oil, canola oil, soybean oil, margarine, shortening or other chemically altered fats. Choose fats like coconut oil, real butter, olive oil (don’t heat!) and animal fats (tallow, lard) from healthy sources instead and eat lots of high Omega-3 fish.
2. Limit the Caffeine
For all of the coffee drinkers out there, caffeine can wreak havoc on the endocrine system, especially if there are other hormone stressors involved too like pregnancy, presence of toxins, beneficial fat imbalance or stress.
Cut down the coffee if you can, or replace with beneficial herbal teas (a list of my favorite recipes coming soon!). If you can’t or won’t cut the coffee, use it as a way to sneak in your beneficial fats by adding 1 tablespoon coconut oil to each cup and blending in the blender to emulsify. It is like a latte but with healthy fats!
3. Avoid Toxins
Toxins found in pesticides, plastics, household chemicals and even mattresses can contain hormone disrupting chemicals that mimic hormones in the body and keep the body from producing real hormones. Things like hormonal birth control can (obviously) do the same thing.
If you have hormone imbalance or are struggling to get pregnant, avoiding these toxins is very important! Cook in glass or non-coated metal pans (no non-stick or teflon!) and avoid heating or storing foods in plastic. Find organic produce and meat whenever possible and don’t use chemical pesticides or cleaners.
4. SLEEP
Can’t emphasize this one enough (tried with the all-caps-yelling though)! If you aren’t getting enough sleep, your hormone will not be balanced. Period.
5. Supplement Wisely
In a perfect world, we would be rising and sleeping with the sun, getting Vitamin D from the sun and Magnesium from the ocean while relaxing and exercising in great balance each day in a stress-free world. Since I doubt that describes any of us currently, supplements can fill in the gaps.
Maca- A tuber in the radish family that has a history of boosting hormone production and libido. Many women notice less PMS, increased fertility, and improved skin while men notice increased sperm production, libido and better sleep. Maca is also high in minerals and essential fatty acids, making it great for hormones. It is available in powder form (least expensive option) or in capsules.
Magnesium- Magnesium supports hundreds of reactions in the body and often contributes to better sleep (which is great for hormones!). There are several effective forms of Magnesium: In powder form with a product like Natural Calm so that you can vary your dose and work up slowly, ionic liquid form can be added to food and drinks and dose can be worked up slowly,or transdermal form by using Magnesium oil applied to skin. This is often the most effective option for those with damaged digestive tract or severe deficiency.
Vitamin D- A pre-hormone is supportive of hormone function. Best obtained from the sun if possible, or from a D3 supplement or Fermented Cod Liver Oil.
Fermented Cod Liver Oil- Provides many of the necessary building blocks for hormone production including Vitamins A, D, and K. It also is a great source of Omega-3s and beneficial fats.
Gelatin is a great source of calcium, magnesium and phosphate. It supports hormone production and digestive health and helps sooth inflammation, especially in joints. We use Great Lakes Kosher as I was able to verify with the company that it is sourced from grass-fed, humanely raised cows, and as such is higher in nutrients.
6. Exercise Lightly
If you have hormone imbalance, intense extended exercise can actually make the problem worse in the short term. Sleep is actually more important, at least during the balancing phase, so focus on relaxing exercises like walking or swimming and avoid the extended running, cardio and exercise videos, for now….
7. Lift Heavy Weights
While extended cardio can be bad, short bursts of heavy lifting (kettlebells, deadlifts, squats, lunges) can be beneficial since they trigger a cascade of beneficial hormone reactions. Aim for a few sets (5-7) at a weight that really challenges your, but make sure to get help with form and training if you haven’t done these before as bad form can be harmful!
8. Eat Some Coconut Oil
Coconut Oil is amazing for hormone health. It provides the necessary building blocks for hormone production, can assist weight loss, reduce inflammation, and even has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties.
If you really need hormone help, aim to consume 1/4 cup of added coconut oil a day. My favorite way is to blend into coffee or tea. This is the highest quality one I’ve found.
9. Fix Your Leptin
Leptin is a master hormone, and if it is out of balance or if you are resistant to it, no other hormones will balance well. Fixing leptin will also help boost fertility, make weight loss easier, improve sleep, and lower inflammation.
If you doubt the very real power of hormones to affect everything from mood, to weight, to bowel health, ask the nearest pregnant woman if she’s noticed any difference in these areas since being pregnant. Or ask the nearest 13 year old girl… carefully…
If you have symptoms like fatigue, skin issues, weight gain, weight around the middle, trouble sleeping, always sleeping, PMS, endometriosis, infertility, PCOS or other issues, chances are you have hormone imbalance!
What are Hormones?
“Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers. They travel in your bloodstream to tissues or organs. They work slowly, over time, and affect many different processes, including
Growth and development
Metabolism – how your body gets energy from the foods you eat
Sexual function
Reproduction
Mood
Endocrine glands, which are special groups of cells, make hormones. The major endocrine glands are the pituitary, pineal, thymus, thyroid, adrenal glands and pancreas. In addition, men produce hormones in their testes and women produce them in their ovaries.”
Hormones are produced using good fats and cholesterol, so lack of these important dietary factors can cause hormone problems simply because the body doesn’t have the building blocks to make them. Toxins containing chemicals that mimic these building blocks or that mimic the hormones themselves are also problematic because the body can attempt to create hormones using the wrong building blocks… mutant estrogen anyone?
The endocrine system is a complex system that we will probably never completely understand, but there are some basic things you can do to boost your body’s ability to create and balance hormones:
1. Avoid High Omega-6 Polyunsaturated Fats
The human body is about 97% saturated and monounsaturated fat, with only 3 % Polyunsaturated fats. Half of that three percent is Omega-3 fats, and that balance needs to be there. Vegetable oils contain very high levels of polyunsaturated fats, and these oils have replaced many of the saturated fats in our diets since the 1950s.
The body needs fats for rebuilding cells and hormone production, but it has to use the building blocks we give it. When we give it a high concentration of polyunsaturated fats instead of the ratios it needs, it has no choice but to incorporate these fats into our cells during cell repair and creation.
The problem is that polyunsaturated fats are highly unstable and oxidize easily in the body (if they haven’t already oxidized during processing or by light exposure while sitting on the grocery store shelf). These oxidized fats cause inflammation and mutation in cells.
In arterial cells, these mutations cause inflammation that can clog arteries. When these fats are incorporated into skin cells, their mutation causes skin cancer. (This is why people often get the most dangerous forms of skin cancer in places where they are never exposed to the sun, but that is a topic for another day!)
When these oils are incorporated into cells in reproductive tissue, some evidence suggests that this can spur problems like endometriosis and PCOS. In short, the body is made up of saturated and monounsaturated fats, and it needs these for optimal health.”
Bottom line: Don’t eat fats like Vegetable oil, peanut oil, canola oil, soybean oil, margarine, shortening or other chemically altered fats. Choose fats like coconut oil, real butter, olive oil (don’t heat!) and animal fats (tallow, lard) from healthy sources instead and eat lots of high Omega-3 fish.
2. Limit the Caffeine
For all of the coffee drinkers out there, caffeine can wreak havoc on the endocrine system, especially if there are other hormone stressors involved too like pregnancy, presence of toxins, beneficial fat imbalance or stress.
Cut down the coffee if you can, or replace with beneficial herbal teas (a list of my favorite recipes coming soon!). If you can’t or won’t cut the coffee, use it as a way to sneak in your beneficial fats by adding 1 tablespoon coconut oil to each cup and blending in the blender to emulsify. It is like a latte but with healthy fats!
3. Avoid Toxins
Toxins found in pesticides, plastics, household chemicals and even mattresses can contain hormone disrupting chemicals that mimic hormones in the body and keep the body from producing real hormones. Things like hormonal birth control can (obviously) do the same thing.
If you have hormone imbalance or are struggling to get pregnant, avoiding these toxins is very important! Cook in glass or non-coated metal pans (no non-stick or teflon!) and avoid heating or storing foods in plastic. Find organic produce and meat whenever possible and don’t use chemical pesticides or cleaners.
4. SLEEP
Can’t emphasize this one enough (tried with the all-caps-yelling though)! If you aren’t getting enough sleep, your hormone will not be balanced. Period.
5. Supplement Wisely
In a perfect world, we would be rising and sleeping with the sun, getting Vitamin D from the sun and Magnesium from the ocean while relaxing and exercising in great balance each day in a stress-free world. Since I doubt that describes any of us currently, supplements can fill in the gaps.
Maca- A tuber in the radish family that has a history of boosting hormone production and libido. Many women notice less PMS, increased fertility, and improved skin while men notice increased sperm production, libido and better sleep. Maca is also high in minerals and essential fatty acids, making it great for hormones. It is available in powder form (least expensive option) or in capsules.
Magnesium- Magnesium supports hundreds of reactions in the body and often contributes to better sleep (which is great for hormones!). There are several effective forms of Magnesium: In powder form with a product like Natural Calm so that you can vary your dose and work up slowly, ionic liquid form can be added to food and drinks and dose can be worked up slowly,or transdermal form by using Magnesium oil applied to skin. This is often the most effective option for those with damaged digestive tract or severe deficiency.
Vitamin D- A pre-hormone is supportive of hormone function. Best obtained from the sun if possible, or from a D3 supplement or Fermented Cod Liver Oil.
Fermented Cod Liver Oil- Provides many of the necessary building blocks for hormone production including Vitamins A, D, and K. It also is a great source of Omega-3s and beneficial fats.
Gelatin is a great source of calcium, magnesium and phosphate. It supports hormone production and digestive health and helps sooth inflammation, especially in joints. We use Great Lakes Kosher as I was able to verify with the company that it is sourced from grass-fed, humanely raised cows, and as such is higher in nutrients.
6. Exercise Lightly
If you have hormone imbalance, intense extended exercise can actually make the problem worse in the short term. Sleep is actually more important, at least during the balancing phase, so focus on relaxing exercises like walking or swimming and avoid the extended running, cardio and exercise videos, for now….
7. Lift Heavy Weights
While extended cardio can be bad, short bursts of heavy lifting (kettlebells, deadlifts, squats, lunges) can be beneficial since they trigger a cascade of beneficial hormone reactions. Aim for a few sets (5-7) at a weight that really challenges your, but make sure to get help with form and training if you haven’t done these before as bad form can be harmful!
8. Eat Some Coconut Oil
Coconut Oil is amazing for hormone health. It provides the necessary building blocks for hormone production, can assist weight loss, reduce inflammation, and even has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties.
If you really need hormone help, aim to consume 1/4 cup of added coconut oil a day. My favorite way is to blend into coffee or tea. This is the highest quality one I’ve found.
9. Fix Your Leptin
Leptin is a master hormone, and if it is out of balance or if you are resistant to it, no other hormones will balance well. Fixing leptin will also help boost fertility, make weight loss easier, improve sleep, and lower inflammation.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Natural Remedies for Eczema
The Diet Connection:
I feel it is important to note that all of the topical remedies in the world didn’t help us until we addressed the underlying problem, specifically: diet and lifestyle factors that were causing/contributing to the eczema to begin with.
Just as you can’t out supplement a bad diet in other areas, topical remedies don’t address the underlying problem that is causing the eczema to begin with.
Certainly, eczema and other skin issues are complex conditions with a potential variety of causes, but there do seem to be some common things that help (both dietary and other).
What is GAPS:
“The protocol in Gut and Psychology Syndrome is basically an intensive nutritional program to heal the gut lining. It focuses on soothing and healing the gut lining with foods like bone broth and beneficial fats while boosting beneficial gut bacteria with probiotics and fermented foods.
Depending on the severity of the patient, one either begins with or works up to the Introduction Diet, which is the strictest part of the protocol, focused on intensive healing. There are then stages as the person begins to introduce other foods. The most difficult factor of the GAPS diet is that in order to be effective, especially in the beginning, one must be 100% compliant. This means a lot of preparing foods at home, as practically any foods prepared by someone not familiar with the protocol will have things that can aggravate the gut.”
If you or a family member struggle with skin problems, allergies or behavior struggles, I’d definitely recommend at least checking out the book Gut and Psychology Syndrome to see if the protocol would be helpful for you.
Of course, once diet has been addressed, there are some things that can be used topically to speed healing or limit discomfort during the healing time. For us, these things were helpful:
1. Coconut Oil
You can use coconut oil for everything. It is one of the things that would absolutely be on my list in a you-are-going-to-an-island-and-can-only-bring-five-things type situation. You can use it for skin, hair, teeth, health and even soap making at our house, but it is also great for eczema (as long as the person isn’t allergic/intolerant to coconut!).
Use a thin layer of coconut oil or a coconut oil lotion bar helps cool eczema itching and pain. For those sensitive to coconut oil, these hypoallergenic lotion bars work really well too.
2. Sea Spray
For eczema that is wet/oozing, I’ve found that drying it works better than trying to moisturize it and offers relief. For this, we use a homemade salt and magnesium spray. I’ve often heard people with skin problems say that they felt better at the beach, and it makes sense. Between the Vitamin D, the magnesium and the minerals in the water, the beach is great for skin health!
For those who don’t live near the ocean, this homemade spray can help achieve some of the same benefits at home.
3. Fermented Cod Liver Oil
Sounds nasty (doesn’t taste so great either) but fermented cod liver oil is one of the supplements we take daily. From a past post:
“Fermented Cod Liver Oil (FCLO) is recommended by the Weston A. Price Foundation and is a great source of healthy fats for the body. This supplement is also an integral part of the tooth remineralization process as detailed by Dr. Price and by Rami Nagel in Cure Tooth Decay. These two help reduce inflammation in the body and lead to healthy cell, hormone and brain development. They are especially important during pregnancy and for children while their brains are developing.
Cod Liver Oil/High Vitamin Butter Oil are a great source of the fat-soluble vitamins A,D, E and K and as such are supportive of hundreds or processes in the body. The supplements are rather pricey, but we’ve seen a big difference from adding this to our regimen (including skin health!)
I take Fermented Cod Liver Oil in Capsules or Fermented Cod Liver Oil/High Vitamin Butter Oil blend in Gel Form.
Yes, the taste is terrible but you can sneak the chocolate flavored gel into smoothies though icon smile 7 Natural Remedies for Eczema
4. Magnesium Baths
For some people with eczema, soaking in water makes it worse. For those who tolerate it, magnesium baths and other types of detox baths can be helpful in skin healing.
I regularly add a cup of epsom salts or magnesium flakes and a few tablespoons of Himalayan salt to my kids baths. When I have the time, I take relaxing baths in this mixture also.
When I can’t take the time for a bath, magnesium oil also helps. Amazingly, I notice the benefits of transdermal magnesium (baths or magnesium oil) much more quickly than when I take internal forms of magnesium.
My favorite magnesium bath recipe is:
1-2 cups of epsom salts or magnesium flakes(magnesium flakes are absorbed much more easily)
1/2 cup Himalayan or Sea Salt
1/2 tsp of natural vanilla extract
10-15 drops of essential oil of choice (I love lavender and mint)
These three detox bath recipes are also all great if the person can handle warm water.
5. Probiotics
Just as with the Fermented Cod Liver Oil, probiotics are one supplement that seems to make a noticeable difference with skin health (if the problem is diet/gut related). For us, high quality probiotics were vital when we were intensively doing GAPS.
Probiotics and probiotic-rich foods are another element that is often missing from the modern diet. I’m constantly seeing more research on the many ways that gut bacteria influences our health. In the past, people often preserved food by fermenting it, which also was a good source of probiotics for them. Now, most foods are dead, and we rarely ferment them in the traditional ways, so we don’t consume probiotic rich foods without a specific effort to do so.
We also make an effort to wash our hands and our food (a good thing with the chemicals on them these days) which also wash off the beneficial soil-borne micro-organisms that provide friendly-bacteria to the gut.
Since gut bacteria is so important, probiotics are one supplement I always make sure to take. You can get some probiotics in fermented food and drinks such as:
Kombucha Soda
Water Kefir
Sauerkraut
Lacto-fermenting almost any vegetable using whey (how to make whey)
You can take Bio-Kult Probiotics (developed by the founder of the GAPS diet… it doesn’t have to be refrigerated) and I’ve heard about digestive improvements from this brand. We all take these as a daily maintenance, but at the first sign of digestive troubles or illness, we double or triple the dose until we are better. I also took these to heal after I got food poisoning, and was back to normal in a couple of days.
6. Additional Gelatin-rich Foods
I’ve mentioned that bone broth was an important part of a healing diet for us, and this was partially because of its high gelatin content. Gelatin is very soothing to the gut and is also great for hair, skin and nail health.
Homemade, nutrient dense bone broth is incredibly easy and inexpensive to make. There is no comparison to the store-bought versions which often contain MSG or other chemicals and which lack gelatin and some of the other health-boosting properties of homemade broth.
In selecting the bones for broth, look for high quality bones from grass fed cattle or bison, pastured poultry or wild caught fish. Since you’ll be extracting the minerals and drinking them in concentrated form, you want to make sure that the animal was as healthy as possible.
There are several places to find good bones for stock:
Save leftovers from when you roast a chicken, duck, turkey or goose (pastured)
From a local butcher, especially one who butchers the whole animal
From local farmers who raise grass fed animals (ask around at your local Farmer’s Market)
Online from companies like US Wellness Meats (also where I get grass fed Tallow in bulk- they sell pre-made high quality broth) or Tropical Traditions (I order high quality beef, bison, lamb and chicken bones from them at good prices)
This recipe for broth is my favorite and is an adaption of the recipe in Nourishing Traditions.
For those who aren’t ready to jump in to having a pot of boiling bones on the stove, some of the same benefits can be obtained from taking Gelatin as a supplement instead. We use Great Lakes Kosher since I was able to verify with the company that it is sourced from grass-fed, humanely raised cows, and as such is higher in nutrients.
I also use Gelatin in recipes like:
Homemade chewable vitamins
homemade probioitc marshmallows
homemade “Jell-o”
Homemade fruit snacks
7. Homemade Healing Salve
For scars or blisters from eczema that take longer to heal, a homemade healing salve can be helpful. One thing that is helping is this homemade healing salve.
My homemade healing salve is helpful on eczema as well as: cuts, bruises, stings, poison ivy and skin irritations. It also helps diaper rash and baby skin irritations- just don’t use with cloth diapers or line them first!
I feel it is important to note that all of the topical remedies in the world didn’t help us until we addressed the underlying problem, specifically: diet and lifestyle factors that were causing/contributing to the eczema to begin with.
Just as you can’t out supplement a bad diet in other areas, topical remedies don’t address the underlying problem that is causing the eczema to begin with.
Certainly, eczema and other skin issues are complex conditions with a potential variety of causes, but there do seem to be some common things that help (both dietary and other).
What is GAPS:
“The protocol in Gut and Psychology Syndrome is basically an intensive nutritional program to heal the gut lining. It focuses on soothing and healing the gut lining with foods like bone broth and beneficial fats while boosting beneficial gut bacteria with probiotics and fermented foods.
Depending on the severity of the patient, one either begins with or works up to the Introduction Diet, which is the strictest part of the protocol, focused on intensive healing. There are then stages as the person begins to introduce other foods. The most difficult factor of the GAPS diet is that in order to be effective, especially in the beginning, one must be 100% compliant. This means a lot of preparing foods at home, as practically any foods prepared by someone not familiar with the protocol will have things that can aggravate the gut.”
If you or a family member struggle with skin problems, allergies or behavior struggles, I’d definitely recommend at least checking out the book Gut and Psychology Syndrome to see if the protocol would be helpful for you.
Of course, once diet has been addressed, there are some things that can be used topically to speed healing or limit discomfort during the healing time. For us, these things were helpful:
1. Coconut Oil
You can use coconut oil for everything. It is one of the things that would absolutely be on my list in a you-are-going-to-an-island-and-can-only-bring-five-things type situation. You can use it for skin, hair, teeth, health and even soap making at our house, but it is also great for eczema (as long as the person isn’t allergic/intolerant to coconut!).
Use a thin layer of coconut oil or a coconut oil lotion bar helps cool eczema itching and pain. For those sensitive to coconut oil, these hypoallergenic lotion bars work really well too.
2. Sea Spray
For eczema that is wet/oozing, I’ve found that drying it works better than trying to moisturize it and offers relief. For this, we use a homemade salt and magnesium spray. I’ve often heard people with skin problems say that they felt better at the beach, and it makes sense. Between the Vitamin D, the magnesium and the minerals in the water, the beach is great for skin health!
For those who don’t live near the ocean, this homemade spray can help achieve some of the same benefits at home.
3. Fermented Cod Liver Oil
Sounds nasty (doesn’t taste so great either) but fermented cod liver oil is one of the supplements we take daily. From a past post:
“Fermented Cod Liver Oil (FCLO) is recommended by the Weston A. Price Foundation and is a great source of healthy fats for the body. This supplement is also an integral part of the tooth remineralization process as detailed by Dr. Price and by Rami Nagel in Cure Tooth Decay. These two help reduce inflammation in the body and lead to healthy cell, hormone and brain development. They are especially important during pregnancy and for children while their brains are developing.
Cod Liver Oil/High Vitamin Butter Oil are a great source of the fat-soluble vitamins A,D, E and K and as such are supportive of hundreds or processes in the body. The supplements are rather pricey, but we’ve seen a big difference from adding this to our regimen (including skin health!)
I take Fermented Cod Liver Oil in Capsules or Fermented Cod Liver Oil/High Vitamin Butter Oil blend in Gel Form.
Yes, the taste is terrible but you can sneak the chocolate flavored gel into smoothies though icon smile 7 Natural Remedies for Eczema
4. Magnesium Baths
For some people with eczema, soaking in water makes it worse. For those who tolerate it, magnesium baths and other types of detox baths can be helpful in skin healing.
I regularly add a cup of epsom salts or magnesium flakes and a few tablespoons of Himalayan salt to my kids baths. When I have the time, I take relaxing baths in this mixture also.
When I can’t take the time for a bath, magnesium oil also helps. Amazingly, I notice the benefits of transdermal magnesium (baths or magnesium oil) much more quickly than when I take internal forms of magnesium.
My favorite magnesium bath recipe is:
1-2 cups of epsom salts or magnesium flakes(magnesium flakes are absorbed much more easily)
1/2 cup Himalayan or Sea Salt
1/2 tsp of natural vanilla extract
10-15 drops of essential oil of choice (I love lavender and mint)
These three detox bath recipes are also all great if the person can handle warm water.
5. Probiotics
Just as with the Fermented Cod Liver Oil, probiotics are one supplement that seems to make a noticeable difference with skin health (if the problem is diet/gut related). For us, high quality probiotics were vital when we were intensively doing GAPS.
Probiotics and probiotic-rich foods are another element that is often missing from the modern diet. I’m constantly seeing more research on the many ways that gut bacteria influences our health. In the past, people often preserved food by fermenting it, which also was a good source of probiotics for them. Now, most foods are dead, and we rarely ferment them in the traditional ways, so we don’t consume probiotic rich foods without a specific effort to do so.
We also make an effort to wash our hands and our food (a good thing with the chemicals on them these days) which also wash off the beneficial soil-borne micro-organisms that provide friendly-bacteria to the gut.
Since gut bacteria is so important, probiotics are one supplement I always make sure to take. You can get some probiotics in fermented food and drinks such as:
Kombucha Soda
Water Kefir
Sauerkraut
Lacto-fermenting almost any vegetable using whey (how to make whey)
You can take Bio-Kult Probiotics (developed by the founder of the GAPS diet… it doesn’t have to be refrigerated) and I’ve heard about digestive improvements from this brand. We all take these as a daily maintenance, but at the first sign of digestive troubles or illness, we double or triple the dose until we are better. I also took these to heal after I got food poisoning, and was back to normal in a couple of days.
6. Additional Gelatin-rich Foods
I’ve mentioned that bone broth was an important part of a healing diet for us, and this was partially because of its high gelatin content. Gelatin is very soothing to the gut and is also great for hair, skin and nail health.
Homemade, nutrient dense bone broth is incredibly easy and inexpensive to make. There is no comparison to the store-bought versions which often contain MSG or other chemicals and which lack gelatin and some of the other health-boosting properties of homemade broth.
In selecting the bones for broth, look for high quality bones from grass fed cattle or bison, pastured poultry or wild caught fish. Since you’ll be extracting the minerals and drinking them in concentrated form, you want to make sure that the animal was as healthy as possible.
There are several places to find good bones for stock:
Save leftovers from when you roast a chicken, duck, turkey or goose (pastured)
From a local butcher, especially one who butchers the whole animal
From local farmers who raise grass fed animals (ask around at your local Farmer’s Market)
Online from companies like US Wellness Meats (also where I get grass fed Tallow in bulk- they sell pre-made high quality broth) or Tropical Traditions (I order high quality beef, bison, lamb and chicken bones from them at good prices)
This recipe for broth is my favorite and is an adaption of the recipe in Nourishing Traditions.
For those who aren’t ready to jump in to having a pot of boiling bones on the stove, some of the same benefits can be obtained from taking Gelatin as a supplement instead. We use Great Lakes Kosher since I was able to verify with the company that it is sourced from grass-fed, humanely raised cows, and as such is higher in nutrients.
I also use Gelatin in recipes like:
Homemade chewable vitamins
homemade probioitc marshmallows
homemade “Jell-o”
Homemade fruit snacks
7. Homemade Healing Salve
For scars or blisters from eczema that take longer to heal, a homemade healing salve can be helpful. One thing that is helping is this homemade healing salve.
My homemade healing salve is helpful on eczema as well as: cuts, bruises, stings, poison ivy and skin irritations. It also helps diaper rash and baby skin irritations- just don’t use with cloth diapers or line them first!
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Bronzing Lotion Bars
This most recent one was inspired by a reader from Hawaii who mentioned that she added coffee infused oil to get a bronzing effect. This inspired me to create a bronzing/bug-repelling/sunscreen bar that would be great for the beach. The sunscreen part is optional as we like to get Vitamin D when possible. If you aren’t used to natural sunscreens, I would test this carefully at first as it is only around 15 SPF.
I found that these bars left a mild bronzing effect, a little sun protection and pest protection. These also smelled wonderful and summery! I’m packing a bunch for the beach (tip: keep in the cooler though so they don’t melt!). If you’d prefer, the beeswax can be left out for a lotion instead.
How to Infuse Coconut Oil with Coffee:
To get the natural bronzing effect, I infused coconut oil with finely ground coffee. I made a big batch so I’d have some to store, but you could cut this in half.
To start: Place 2 cups of coconut oil in a small saucepan or double boiler. Add 1 cup of very finely ground coffee (the finer the better). Simmer on low heat, stirring often, for several hours until the oil takes on a dark color. Strain through cheesecloth or old t-shirt and let cool. Use this for the coconut oil in the recipe below.
Bronzing Bar Ingredients:
1/2 cup coffee-infused coconut oil
1/3 cup beeswax
2 tablespoons (or more) of Zinc Oxide (For those concerned about contaminants or nano-particles, this version has larger particles)- optional
15+ drops of Bug off blend essential oil (avoid citrus essential oils) – optional
dark mineral makeup for extra bronzing-optional- to color (start with about 1/2 tsp)
How to Make:
Combine all ingredients except essential oil in a quart size glass mason jar and carefully place this jar in a small saucepan of water on the stove.
Turn the burner on and bring water to a low simmer. Stir ingredients constantly until they are melted and smooth.
Add essential oils and stir until mixed.
Carefully pour into molds or whatever you will be allowing the lotion bars to harden in. I used these silicon flower molds, though any mold would work.
Allow the lotion bars to cool completely before attempting to pop out of molds. These could be made in different shaped molds or made in a square baking pan and then cut into actual bars.
How to Use:
Store in a cool or dry place for up to six months.
To apply to skin: hold bar in hand and carefully rub on dry skin. The heat of the skin will transfer some of the lotion bar to the skin. I store my lotion bars on a small plate on my dresser and bathroom counter. Add more or less menthol for a more or less potent bar.
Notes:
The dark color will not show in the bar, especially if you add zinc oxide but will darken the skin.
For extra bronzing, 1/2 tsp of dark mineral makeup can be added.
If you are new to using natural sunscreens, increase sun exposure gradually to make sure you do not burn. The zinc oxide is optional if you would prefer just a bronzing bar. Some color can transfer to light color clothing, so be careful wearing white or light colors until lotion has fully absorbed in to skin.
Ever made lotion bars? What is your favorite type?
I found that these bars left a mild bronzing effect, a little sun protection and pest protection. These also smelled wonderful and summery! I’m packing a bunch for the beach (tip: keep in the cooler though so they don’t melt!). If you’d prefer, the beeswax can be left out for a lotion instead.
How to Infuse Coconut Oil with Coffee:
To get the natural bronzing effect, I infused coconut oil with finely ground coffee. I made a big batch so I’d have some to store, but you could cut this in half.
To start: Place 2 cups of coconut oil in a small saucepan or double boiler. Add 1 cup of very finely ground coffee (the finer the better). Simmer on low heat, stirring often, for several hours until the oil takes on a dark color. Strain through cheesecloth or old t-shirt and let cool. Use this for the coconut oil in the recipe below.
Bronzing Bar Ingredients:
1/2 cup coffee-infused coconut oil
1/3 cup beeswax
2 tablespoons (or more) of Zinc Oxide (For those concerned about contaminants or nano-particles, this version has larger particles)- optional
15+ drops of Bug off blend essential oil (avoid citrus essential oils) – optional
dark mineral makeup for extra bronzing-optional- to color (start with about 1/2 tsp)
How to Make:
Combine all ingredients except essential oil in a quart size glass mason jar and carefully place this jar in a small saucepan of water on the stove.
Turn the burner on and bring water to a low simmer. Stir ingredients constantly until they are melted and smooth.
Add essential oils and stir until mixed.
Carefully pour into molds or whatever you will be allowing the lotion bars to harden in. I used these silicon flower molds, though any mold would work.
Allow the lotion bars to cool completely before attempting to pop out of molds. These could be made in different shaped molds or made in a square baking pan and then cut into actual bars.
How to Use:
Store in a cool or dry place for up to six months.
To apply to skin: hold bar in hand and carefully rub on dry skin. The heat of the skin will transfer some of the lotion bar to the skin. I store my lotion bars on a small plate on my dresser and bathroom counter. Add more or less menthol for a more or less potent bar.
Notes:
The dark color will not show in the bar, especially if you add zinc oxide but will darken the skin.
For extra bronzing, 1/2 tsp of dark mineral makeup can be added.
If you are new to using natural sunscreens, increase sun exposure gradually to make sure you do not burn. The zinc oxide is optional if you would prefer just a bronzing bar. Some color can transfer to light color clothing, so be careful wearing white or light colors until lotion has fully absorbed in to skin.
Ever made lotion bars? What is your favorite type?
Strength Training and Carb Cycling
Reverse Pyramid Training, or RPT, is considered by many, including myself, to be one of the most effective training methods for putting on muscle and/or strength with the least amount of time invested. When training for strength, you need to limit volume due to the high intensity of the sets. Since you are typically working with 70-90% of your 1RM (1 Rep Max, the maximum amount of weight you could lift a single time), each set is very taxing on your central nervous system. For this reason, low rep RPT is usually limited to one or two main exercises per workout, with the other exercises performed in a less intense fashion. Furthermore, a de-load week, a week where you reduce the weight to approximately 80% of normal so that the body has some extra time to recover, is usually done every 4th week (i.e. push the weights for three weeks, then spend a week taking it easy). To help illustrate a RPT strength workout, below is a sample back workout.
The workout is started with everyone’s favorite exercise, deadlifts, done in a RPT fashion. You’ll do 2 sets, with 4-6 reps per set. For the first set, go all out, BUT do not go to failure. You should rarely, if ever, go to failure due to the risk of burning yourself out as well as regressing in strength. Once you finish your first set, drop the weight enough to be able to do an extra rep (i.e. if you did 4 reps, decrease the weight enough that you can do 5 reps, usually about 10%). Rest approximately three to five minutes, and then do another set stopping before failure. You should be out of breath after each set, especially with deadlifts. Rest five minutes, then move onto weighted chins. Again the rep range will be 4-6; however, this time you’re doing three sets. Just like deadlifts, the first set will be max effort, stopping just before failure. Weight will be dropped by about 10% between each set, and the rest interval is three minutes with a five minute break after completing the exercise and moving onto bent-over barbell rows. For this exercise, the Starting Strength method will be employed, in which you take your 7RM weight (the amount of weight you could lift 7 times before failure) and attempt to do three sets of five (always stop before failure). Once you are able to achieve five reps for all three sets, you increase the weight by 2.5%.
Progression of exercises done in RPT fashion should be done as follows: once you reach the upper end of a rep range, increase the weight by 5% and work back up. The individual sets should be progressed independently. For example, if you can easily get six reps on your second set of deadlift, then increase the weight for the second set on the next workout by 2.5-5%.
The split I have found to work the best is pull, push, legs done on either Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday (you need a day of rest between each workout and at least two days between the pull and leg workouts due to deadlift). The only exercises done in RPT fashion (with max effort on the first set) are the big compound lifts: deadlift, weighted chins, bench press, and squats. The exercises that are not designated RPT or SS should be completed with about 2 reps short of failure. The following routine proved to be very effective during my last cut, enabling me to retain if not improve strength while on a caloric deficit.
Sample Workout:
Monday- Pull
Deadlift – 2 x 4-6 (RPT)
Weighted Chins – 3 x 4-6 (RPT)
Bent Over Barbell Rows – 3 x 5 (SS)
Preacher Curls – 2 x 8-10 (Optional)
Wednesday – Push
Bench Press – 3 x 4-6 (RPT)
Standing Press – 3 x 5 (SS)
Incline Dumbbell Press – 2 x 6-8
Weighted Dips or Scull Crushers – 2 x 8-10 (Optional, but highly encouraged)
Friday – Legs
Squat – 3x 6-8 (RPT)
Leg Curl – 3 x 5 (SS)
Lunge – 2 x 8 (per leg)
Standing Calf Raise – 3 x 8
If you have serious issues with one of the exercises listed above, there are suitable substitutions (i.e. leg press if squats hurt your lower back or incline barbell bench press for incline dumbbell bench press, etc.). DO NOT, however, start adding exercises. If you are doing RPT correctly, then this is more than enough volume. By the time you finish the workout you should be tired and ready to feast on your post workout (PWO) meal, rich in protein, fat, AND Carbs.
Carb Cycling
Carbohydrate cycling, where you eat more carbohydrates on workout days and less on rest days, is an important factor in gaining strength without excessive fat. But, before I go any further, I need to explain that carbohydrates are not the enemy. Studies have shown that as long as dietary protein and fat are sufficient, a diet that is higher in carbs results in approximately the same amount of fat loss as one very low in carbs (any difference in weight loss was due to extra water weight loss on the low carb diet)3. The key is to ensure that you obtain healthy fats (such as saturated fat) and protein (be careful not to overdue protein as it does have a toxicity range), filling the rest of the calories with non-toxic carbohydrate sources (I prefer sweet potatoes, bananas, and white rice). Furthermore, intermittent carbohydrate consumption actually produces benefits toward hormone regulation.
Eating a consistent low carb diet (under 100 g or 400 calories per day) makes gaining muscle and strength either very difficult or impossible (trust me, I have tried and failed with that one). The caveat to this is if you are new to lifting or coming back from an extended break, in which case you will likely gain strength/muscle no matter what you do. Studies have shown that eating low carb for extended periods of time, especially at a caloric deficit, will cause multiple hormone levels relating to metabolism to decline. For example, active T3, a thyroid hormone that plays a major role in energy production, fat-burning and muscle gain, will decline when not enough cellular energy is available over time (i.e. low calorie or low carb diets)2. Another example is leptin, a hormone that has an effect on the production of epinephrine, T3/T4, neuropeptide-Y, and many others (all hormones that affect the metabolism)1.
And if those aren’t reasons enough for you, the cycling of carbohydrates can make the cycling of calories effortless. By keeping fat and protein approximately the same on a daily basis, adding a large carbohydrate rich meal right after working out will not only bring your calories up on workout days (crucial for strength gains), but it will also help you negate the above hormonal issues while still losing weight in the long run. If your goal is to gain weight, it will help keep the fat gains to a minimum while putting on lean mass.
The reason the optimum time to ingest excess carbohydrates after working out is due to their insulinogenic effect and their contribution towards replenishing glycogen stores. Contrary to the belief that ketones can be used to fuel the muscles during high intensity workouts, the truth is that the body requires glycogen for this type of activity2. When on a ketogenic diet, the liver and kidneys are able to make a limited amount of glucose, however, much of it gets used by the brain and other bodily functions. Therefore, after performing an intensive workout, especially if done fasted, you have the lowest glycogen reserves, meaning you can then eat a sufficient amount of carbohydrates before the body starts storing it for future use (a.k.a. fat). Furthermore, the insulin spike that is caused by ingesting a large amount of carbs (insulin spikes are necessary for maintaining healthy hormone levels) will aid in shuttling nutrients to the muscles, which is desirable for both muscle gain and recovery2.
A good PWO meal has a somewhat equal amount of protein and carbs (if not slightly higher in carbs) and a good dose of fat. Don’t be afraid of eating a sizable amount of calories; in fact, I think this should be the largest meal of the day. I personally am a huge advocate of raw milk, and my post workout meal is usually ½ gallon of raw milk and 3 bananas (about 280 g). The meal has over 100 g of carbs, over 72 g of protein (optimum casein-whey blend from the milk), and over 72 g of fat (of which 50 g is saturated fat). Do whatever works for you (i.e. if you can’t or don’t drink milk, don’t go down a pint of raw milk because I do it). My wife is currently unable to drink milk, therefore her current PWO meal is 350 g of potatoes, 100g of onion, and 2 cloves of garlic cooked in 2 Tbsp coconut oil, 2 pastured eggs cooked in 1 Tbsp butter, and 2-4 oz. grass fed ground beef with seasoning and cooked in 1 Tbsp coconut oil. Both my wife and I also taper carbohydrate consumption throughout the rest of the day, with the last meal of the day only consisting of about 10% carbohydrates (by calories).
With the RPT program outlined above, enough calories to sustain muscle growth, and the cycling of carbohydrates, you have the tools needed for sizable strength gains. If you have any questions feel free to ask, and as always, let me know how it works for you.
The workout is started with everyone’s favorite exercise, deadlifts, done in a RPT fashion. You’ll do 2 sets, with 4-6 reps per set. For the first set, go all out, BUT do not go to failure. You should rarely, if ever, go to failure due to the risk of burning yourself out as well as regressing in strength. Once you finish your first set, drop the weight enough to be able to do an extra rep (i.e. if you did 4 reps, decrease the weight enough that you can do 5 reps, usually about 10%). Rest approximately three to five minutes, and then do another set stopping before failure. You should be out of breath after each set, especially with deadlifts. Rest five minutes, then move onto weighted chins. Again the rep range will be 4-6; however, this time you’re doing three sets. Just like deadlifts, the first set will be max effort, stopping just before failure. Weight will be dropped by about 10% between each set, and the rest interval is three minutes with a five minute break after completing the exercise and moving onto bent-over barbell rows. For this exercise, the Starting Strength method will be employed, in which you take your 7RM weight (the amount of weight you could lift 7 times before failure) and attempt to do three sets of five (always stop before failure). Once you are able to achieve five reps for all three sets, you increase the weight by 2.5%.
Progression of exercises done in RPT fashion should be done as follows: once you reach the upper end of a rep range, increase the weight by 5% and work back up. The individual sets should be progressed independently. For example, if you can easily get six reps on your second set of deadlift, then increase the weight for the second set on the next workout by 2.5-5%.
The split I have found to work the best is pull, push, legs done on either Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday (you need a day of rest between each workout and at least two days between the pull and leg workouts due to deadlift). The only exercises done in RPT fashion (with max effort on the first set) are the big compound lifts: deadlift, weighted chins, bench press, and squats. The exercises that are not designated RPT or SS should be completed with about 2 reps short of failure. The following routine proved to be very effective during my last cut, enabling me to retain if not improve strength while on a caloric deficit.
Sample Workout:
Monday- Pull
Deadlift – 2 x 4-6 (RPT)
Weighted Chins – 3 x 4-6 (RPT)
Bent Over Barbell Rows – 3 x 5 (SS)
Preacher Curls – 2 x 8-10 (Optional)
Wednesday – Push
Bench Press – 3 x 4-6 (RPT)
Standing Press – 3 x 5 (SS)
Incline Dumbbell Press – 2 x 6-8
Weighted Dips or Scull Crushers – 2 x 8-10 (Optional, but highly encouraged)
Friday – Legs
Squat – 3x 6-8 (RPT)
Leg Curl – 3 x 5 (SS)
Lunge – 2 x 8 (per leg)
Standing Calf Raise – 3 x 8
If you have serious issues with one of the exercises listed above, there are suitable substitutions (i.e. leg press if squats hurt your lower back or incline barbell bench press for incline dumbbell bench press, etc.). DO NOT, however, start adding exercises. If you are doing RPT correctly, then this is more than enough volume. By the time you finish the workout you should be tired and ready to feast on your post workout (PWO) meal, rich in protein, fat, AND Carbs.
Carb Cycling
Carbohydrate cycling, where you eat more carbohydrates on workout days and less on rest days, is an important factor in gaining strength without excessive fat. But, before I go any further, I need to explain that carbohydrates are not the enemy. Studies have shown that as long as dietary protein and fat are sufficient, a diet that is higher in carbs results in approximately the same amount of fat loss as one very low in carbs (any difference in weight loss was due to extra water weight loss on the low carb diet)3. The key is to ensure that you obtain healthy fats (such as saturated fat) and protein (be careful not to overdue protein as it does have a toxicity range), filling the rest of the calories with non-toxic carbohydrate sources (I prefer sweet potatoes, bananas, and white rice). Furthermore, intermittent carbohydrate consumption actually produces benefits toward hormone regulation.
Eating a consistent low carb diet (under 100 g or 400 calories per day) makes gaining muscle and strength either very difficult or impossible (trust me, I have tried and failed with that one). The caveat to this is if you are new to lifting or coming back from an extended break, in which case you will likely gain strength/muscle no matter what you do. Studies have shown that eating low carb for extended periods of time, especially at a caloric deficit, will cause multiple hormone levels relating to metabolism to decline. For example, active T3, a thyroid hormone that plays a major role in energy production, fat-burning and muscle gain, will decline when not enough cellular energy is available over time (i.e. low calorie or low carb diets)2. Another example is leptin, a hormone that has an effect on the production of epinephrine, T3/T4, neuropeptide-Y, and many others (all hormones that affect the metabolism)1.
And if those aren’t reasons enough for you, the cycling of carbohydrates can make the cycling of calories effortless. By keeping fat and protein approximately the same on a daily basis, adding a large carbohydrate rich meal right after working out will not only bring your calories up on workout days (crucial for strength gains), but it will also help you negate the above hormonal issues while still losing weight in the long run. If your goal is to gain weight, it will help keep the fat gains to a minimum while putting on lean mass.
The reason the optimum time to ingest excess carbohydrates after working out is due to their insulinogenic effect and their contribution towards replenishing glycogen stores. Contrary to the belief that ketones can be used to fuel the muscles during high intensity workouts, the truth is that the body requires glycogen for this type of activity2. When on a ketogenic diet, the liver and kidneys are able to make a limited amount of glucose, however, much of it gets used by the brain and other bodily functions. Therefore, after performing an intensive workout, especially if done fasted, you have the lowest glycogen reserves, meaning you can then eat a sufficient amount of carbohydrates before the body starts storing it for future use (a.k.a. fat). Furthermore, the insulin spike that is caused by ingesting a large amount of carbs (insulin spikes are necessary for maintaining healthy hormone levels) will aid in shuttling nutrients to the muscles, which is desirable for both muscle gain and recovery2.
A good PWO meal has a somewhat equal amount of protein and carbs (if not slightly higher in carbs) and a good dose of fat. Don’t be afraid of eating a sizable amount of calories; in fact, I think this should be the largest meal of the day. I personally am a huge advocate of raw milk, and my post workout meal is usually ½ gallon of raw milk and 3 bananas (about 280 g). The meal has over 100 g of carbs, over 72 g of protein (optimum casein-whey blend from the milk), and over 72 g of fat (of which 50 g is saturated fat). Do whatever works for you (i.e. if you can’t or don’t drink milk, don’t go down a pint of raw milk because I do it). My wife is currently unable to drink milk, therefore her current PWO meal is 350 g of potatoes, 100g of onion, and 2 cloves of garlic cooked in 2 Tbsp coconut oil, 2 pastured eggs cooked in 1 Tbsp butter, and 2-4 oz. grass fed ground beef with seasoning and cooked in 1 Tbsp coconut oil. Both my wife and I also taper carbohydrate consumption throughout the rest of the day, with the last meal of the day only consisting of about 10% carbohydrates (by calories).
With the RPT program outlined above, enough calories to sustain muscle growth, and the cycling of carbohydrates, you have the tools needed for sizable strength gains. If you have any questions feel free to ask, and as always, let me know how it works for you.
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