First City In The U.S. To Tax Soda!

So I think it's ironic that last week, 

I blogged about a tax on soda, (read it here)

and YESTERDAY, 

Berkley, CA passed a tax on sugary beverages, 

despite the generous amount of money the American Beverage Association used to try to defeat it.

This is the first U.S. City to pass this tax.

Is this good or bad?!


Well, considering soda is the #1 consumable item that makes up added sugar in our 
western diet, it may be the pebble needed for a health revolution ripple.

Ahead of his time, Dean of Duke University's school of public policy, Kelly Brownell 
proposed a soda tax in the early 90s. He stated that half the costs of diabetes and obesity are born by taxpayers, through the government health insurance programs Medicare and Medicaid. Those public costs "justify the government getting involved, just like tobacco taxes," he said.



FOOD FOR THOUGHT: 

When I say "ADDED SUGAR"  what does that mean to you? In my mind, it is a silent killer, and I don't think that people really understand, or even REALIZE the outcomes of over-consuming sugar, which is why I write this stuff. (Read the effects of sugar consumption here.) I know all of this, but I want YOU, my readers, to benefit. I am NOT pointing fingers or trying to make anyone feel bad about their health choices, but it is, in fact a CHOICE.
The greater the awareness I can spread, the better YOU are going to feel.

So, just for fun, I decided to do some math this morning, because, who doesn't love math?!
I calculated the % daily recommended allowance for sugar in 2 products for men, women, and children. (since the nutrition labels of foods NEVER contain the % daily for added sugar..)

TWINKIE!

Men: 50%

Women: 90%

Children: 150%

1 12 oz can of Coca-Cola

Men: 108%

Women: 130%

Children: 325%

If you haven't, please take a look at my sugar challenge. Then let me know what YOU think.

Questions, comments, suggestions, & feedback is ALWAYS welcome!  (:

Have a HAPPY, Beautiful day! 

How To Make Your Vegetables Even Healthier!

Put them in a jar and don't let them breathe for a few days!...

....essentially, that is it!

Fermented Vegetables are capable of the following:

Heal & Build Immunity!

Balance Your Inner Ecosystem!

Enhance Digestion!

Nourish Your Body!

Experience AMAZING FLAVORS!!!!

The thing I love most about fermented food is the intense flavor!! They can be quite addicting, and the energy they give you is amazing! It's like taking a probiotic on steroids!

Basically, you need to have a good inner ecosystem to have good digestion, good digestion means good bowel movements,  & good bowel movements means happiness. Basically. (side note: i think i am going to call my "movement," the Bowel Revolution).

Probiotics are microorganisms that you can add to your gut bacteria. Typically, if you have a good, broad spectrum of gut bacteria, your digestion and immunity can function properly.

Scientists are finding more and more research supporting gut health being a direct relation to just about every disease you can think of. I never believed this, until I started doing my own research. Reading books, going to classes and continuing education seminars, and also experimenting with my own lifestyle and diet.

Basically, if we eat well, and nourish our insides, our bodies will be really good to us. Our energy can increase, our skin can look radiant, our hair can be ridiculously soft, our eyes so crystal clear. We can sleep better, lose weight, think clearly, and overall feel really, really good.

Fermented veggies basically go through a process of their good bacteria flourishing in an anaerobic environment, this process makes the good bacteria reproduce and convert sugars and starches into lactic acid. The lactic acid is very alkalizing and cleansing to your blood. 

Here's how you can ferment your own VEGGIES!!  (:

I gathered all of my vegetable and washed them well. 

After it was all said and done, I ended up using:

 1 garlic clove

1 sweet onion

2 heads of cabbage (1 red, 1 green)

2 beets

1 carrot

handful of leeks

1 granny smith apple

little bunch of baby kale

2 cups of PURE water

2 probiotic capsules

So here are my veggies!

(Before you cut everything up and throw it in the food processor, save about 4 leaves from each cabbage)

And here is the Kale and Leeks and Garlic that I threw into my glass bowl. I chopped these, but everything else, I used the food processor. (Texture is all personal preference)

NOTE: Glass bowl is very important. Some metals can compromise the integrity of your good bacteria, so for fermenting, use your glass bowl.

Then, I had a great time with the food processor!

All my veggies besides Kale, Leeks, and Garlic.

Then you get to mix it all together with your hands!

Then measure out about 2 cups of your torn up vegetables..

Then add 2 cups of PURE DISTILLED water and BLEND.

After you have a nice little mix of pureed "brine"

I added 2 probiotic capsules to give it an extra boost.

I also added a pinch of Pink Himalayan Sea Salt.

Note: Stir, DO NOT BLEND THE PROBIOTICS. they are alive! 

so they would appreciate that you don't hurt them.

Then I just mixed the brine in with the veggies and packed them tightly into jars with about 1"-2" of room at the top, where i packed the cabbage leaves in so that my vegetables would be submerged in the "brine."

Now the hard part..
             waiting for them to be done. 
Usually about 3-7 days is good. The longer you let them ferment, the more tangy they will get. So again, that is personal preference.



I don't ever follow recipes, with hopes that I will inspire other people that don't like to follow recipes to get in the kitchen and make some stuff!!  (:


To see my very mediocre and very short, under 40 seconds YouTube video of what a blast I had making this, click here!! 


Otherwise, Have a wonderful day and I hope to see some comments! 

I LOVE FEEDBACK!

How To Make AMAZING EGGS!

Gather FOOD!

      eggs
      red pepper
      onion
      tomato
      arugula
      zuchini






















   coconut oil in your pan!
 

chopped onions in your pan!!

 then add the red pepper..

                               


then add some zucchini...

then get distracted by the kitty cat..

add tomato..

break the eggs in..

stir the eggs in..

add special spices and seasonings or whatever you want..

add some arugula....

stir in that arugula...

it's all getting nice and cooked. (:

VOILA! DELICIOUS EGGS!!!

it is literally that easy. 

add whatever you want. 

tomatoes cook quickly and so do leafy greens.

the onion, pepper, and zucchini take the longest to cook.

that's why they jump in the pan first.

you don't have to be a gourmet chef, just experiment.

i do NOT follow recipes, 

i just throw stuff in.

...i also took all of these pictures.

i am pretty proud of how pretty they look! (:

HAPPY COOKING!!!!

BOWEL MOVEMENTS & YOU!

Bowel Movements RULE! 

                      ..so...

This evening I will be making a new video on how to ferment foods!


I think it will be helpful for anyone, whether you have GI issues, or you just simply want to improve your bowel movements, probiotic rich foods are a good, easy, cheap way to do that!!  (:


I know a lot of you have seen these adorable poop charts, but I wanted to put them here in my blog because I love the visuals.

..i might add that if you take a probiotic supplement, to know it is working would be to see your stool as missile-shaped. (above: top-middle)

I could literally talk about the GI tract all day! Lately, I have focused a lot of my research efforts on maximizing energy and learning how to have optimum bowel health.

Hippocrates has been quoted as saying: 

"All disease begins in the gut."

Which we are just finding out, 2,000 years later, through scientific research, just how true those words are.

Hippocrates being the "Father of Medicine," said: 

"Let thy food by they medicine and let they medicine by they food."

I cannot stress the importance of these words.

You can spend a little time and money on your health now, and a lot less later, 

or you can spend no time on your health now, but a lot of time and money on it later.

Don't ever be shy to talk about your poop. 
You would be surprised how many people suffer from bowel disorders, food intolerances, & allergies.

This poop blog is definitely for EVERYONE, but especially for my friends with bowel issues. 
I know there are a lot of you, and I hope you guys watch my fermentation video and find it fun and entertaining, but most of all, I hope it helps your health.

Are You Ready To Pay More For Soda?

...that's right! 
It is probably coming..

The United States once held the position of: industrialized country with the most severe weight problems.

..Only to be passed by Mexico(70% overweight, 32.8% obese)... 


so what did Mexico do?


THEY BEGAN TAXING SODA! 

Starting in January of 2014, Mexicans have had to pay a 10% tax on soda.








what did this do?

           Sugary Drink purchases decreased by 10%

           Non-Sugary Drink purchases increased by 7%

           Plain Water purchases increased by 13%
**first quarter of 2014 compared to 2013**







Talk of this tax is gaining 
momentum in California. 

San Francisco has bee crunching numbers and is estimated that the funds raised would total $35 million to $54 million annually.

What will that money go to?

children’s nutrition and physical education programs.






What are your thoughts and concerns on this?

Feel free to leave feedback in the comments, I am REALLY interested in what you think!




To find out what sugar is doing to you, click here.

Less Is More With Melatonin & The Little Known Importance of Sleep

Research is showing that the ordinary 3mg tabs of melatonin is less effective at treating insomnia. 

The recommended dose is 0.3mg, 10x less than a typical OTC melatonin tab.

I worked in a psychiatric facility, and patients were often prescribed 3mg as the small dose, and up to 9mg as the large dose. 
                   This is 10-30x the effective dose!


Studies also suggest that taking the higher dose leads to higher plasma melatonin levels during the day, making people feel less energetic.


To see a slightly more in depth article from MIT, click here.

Getting a good night of sleep is ESSENTIAL to having good energy. The 3 most important things to good health are good nutrition, exercise, and SLEEP!



Side Effects of POOR SLEEP include:

• High blood pressure
• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Stroke
• Obesity
• Psychiatric problems, including depression and other mood disorders
• Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
• Mental impairment
• Fetal and childhood growth retardation
• Injury from accidents
• Disruption of bed partner's sleep quality
• Poor quality of life

Useful tips for getting a better night's sleep COMING SOON!  (:

That Banana Has A Lot Of Sugar!

HEY! that banana has a lot of sugar in it! 
...about 14g to be exact.


Well, I have yet to write about the difference between natural fruit sugars and added sugar, but to put it short and sweet, the sugar from processed foods do not contain the amount of fiber a fruit does. The importance here lies within how your body metabolizes a rush of sugar(soda) VS a nice steady release of sugar(fruit).

In my video, I talked about bananas containing inulin, which is a prebiotic. 

Prebiotics feed your intestinal bacteria, keeping everything in the gut happy. Since your gut bacteria is your first line of defense for your immune system, we can see why the fiber is important. 

The banana also contains about 17.6% of our Vitamin C intake, so another good nutrient for our immune system.


Potassium and Vitamin C aid in oxygen 
transport throughout the body, to renew 
and revitalize you skin.


Bananas are good for post work-out recovery 
and muscle response.

Bananas also help your kidneys and eliminate fluid retention.. which can give you a more youthful appearance. 

I love eating bananas plain, but i also enjoy putting almond or cashew butter on them, as well as adding them to smoothies.

1 banana

1 handful of strawberries

1 cup of coconut milk, or more!

a couple ice cubes.



...and you have a banana-strawberry smoothie!  

Be sure to watch my YouTube video about Bananas if you have't seen it!