Happy Halloween! As I avoid the candy bowl, I think it best to focus on a healthy way to celebrate. Pumpkin is a superfood that makes an excellent, nourishing facial mask. Alpha hydroxy acids have been shown to promote smoother, younger-looking skin by increasing the rate of cell renewal. Pumpkin is a rich source of antioxidants & enzymes that act like alpha hydroxy acids. Pumpkin also contains more than 100 beneficial nutrients, which may be used to help reverse the signs of aging.
For a simple mask, use canned or cooked fresh pumpkin. I use organic, canned pumpkin when my time is limited.
Mix 1/2 cup pumpkin with 1/4 cup of honey. The honey draws moisture into the skin and acts as an antibacterial. Apply the mask to clean, moist skin and leave it on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse off with warm water. Follow with toner and moisturizer.
Cover the rest of the mask and refrigerate. It will keep for up to week. Use once a week.
Fall is my favorite time of year. I live in the Hudson River Valley in Upstate New York, where apple orchards surround me. The landscape is absolutely stunning. Apples are one of the best, all-around, natural health and beauty fruits to be found. They contain Malic Acid, which is a natural Alpha Hydroxy Acid, or AHA. Alpha Hydroxy Acids are fruit acids with an ability to help exfoliate the skin and act as mild chemical face peels. They often help your skin to look healthier, younger and firmer. Malic Acid can: Even skin tone Reduce the signs of age spots and freckles Tighten pores Reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles Significantly reduce symptoms of rosacea Help clear up acne
For an easy Apple Facial Mask you can make in your kitchen, mash or put one apple in the food processor with 4 tablespoons of honey. The honey is a natural anti-bacterial, and humectant which draws moisture to the skin. Make a paste, apply to skin, avoiding the eyes. Leave on for 10 minutes and rinse off with warm water.
Malic Acid also has been shown to enhance the rate at which your body can metabolize and create energy. With insufficient malic acid in your system, your body’s energy production would literally grind to a halt and increase the rate of aging. Malic acid has been shown to possesses many health-related benefits such as increasing your body’s energy, immunity, maintaining oral health, reducing the risk of toxic metal poisoning and promoting younger looking skin. So literally, eat an apple a day. I drink Bragg's Raw Apple Cider Vinegar everyday. It's an amazing health tonic. I drink three glasses daily of 1 to 2 teaspoons equally of raw, organic apple cider vinegar and raw honey in a glass of water. Clairvoyant Beauty products that contain Malic Acid are the: Exfoliating AHA Scrub and the Skin Rejuvenating AHA Cream.
Enjoy the beautiful autumn weather. Get out there and pick some apples!
Lavender, a flowering herb of the mint family, has been used throughout history for the past 2000 years. The Ancient Egyptians used it in their mummification processes. The name Lavender comes from the Latin "lavare" (to wash); "Livendulo" (livid or bluish) was used by the Romans.
Lavender was referred to as Spikenard in the Bible. Mary used it on the baby Jesus. She also anointed Jesus with lavender (John 12:3) when she was making him ready for the crucifixion.
These ancient cultures were all well-versed in the uses of lavender in aromatherapy and for medicinal purposes, and this knowledge was used later in the Renaissance to protect against infection during the Plague.
The cultivation of Lavender for commercial purposes began in the Victorian Era. Queen Victoria wanted all her Ladies-in-Waiting to scent themselves with Lavender along with everyone and everything else around her! Lavender was strewn on castle floors so that each step would release the sweet scent. This caused a craze for lavender in England. Lavender was grown in every herb garden. Street vendors sold bunches of Lavender everywhere. Lavender was used in cleaning, laundry, perfume, and personal care products as well as medicinally.
Lavender is native to the Southern Alps and the Mediterranean, and different varieties grow wild and are cultivated throughout Provence. In the 16th century, the Provençal peasants produced lavender oil to heal wounds and expel intestinal worms.
True Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia) thrives in the chalky soils and hot, dry climate of the higher altitudes of Provence and was picked systematically at the end of the 19th century. At the beginning of the 20th century, fields of lavender were first planted at altitudes above 2300 ft. Since True Lavender grows best at over 2300 ft, a hybrid, Lavandin, was developed for cultivation at lower altitudes.
True Lavender has the most subtle essential oil and is highly sought after by perfume makers and laboratories. Spike Lavender (Lavandula Latifolia) has wide leaves and long floral stems with several flower spikes. Hybrid Lavender (Lavandin) is obtained from pollination of True Lavender and Spike Lavender, making a hybrid that forms a highly-developed large round cluster. French Lavender (Lavendula stoechas) is a wild lavender that grows throughout Provence and is harvested for perfumery.
The distillation is done in a steam alembic, with the dry lavender steamed in a double boiler. The essential oils are extracted from the lavender by the water vapor and are passed through the cooling coils of a retort. The condensation provides the final mixture of essence and water. A ton of dry lavender passes through the alembic in about 30 minutes. Lavandin produces from 55-85 lbs of essence, and True Lavender produces from 10-20 lbs, but of a better quality.
Some of the larger cultivated lavender fields are found in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, including on the slopes of the Lure mountains, near St. Etienne-les-Orgues, and on the Sault plateau in the eastern Vaucluse. Lavender distilleries are also located in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and eastern Vaucluse.
Lavender is harvested from July to September, when the hot summer sun brings the essence up into the flower. The older fields with narrow rows are still picked by hand. Then the lavender goes to the still. One method is to move a small still from field to field during harvesting, and to process the lavender immediately upon picking. With more and more automation however, lavender is dried for 2 to 3 days before being transported to the distillery. Whether immediate or with dried lavender, there were "mobile" stills, and later, small stills were built at many of the fields.
The benefits of Lavender in skincare are vast. Lavender oil contains antiseptic and antifungal properties and has been used to treat various skin disorders such as acne, wrinkles, psoriasis and other inflammations. Lavender is good for both normal or dry skin. Cosmetically, it appears to be a cell regenerator. It prevents scarring and stretch marks and reputedly slows the development of wrinkles. It also heals cuts, wounds, burns, sunburns and skin infections.
Commonly used in aromatherapy, its essential oils can be used alone or mixed with other oils to be applied to the skin. The many health benefits of Lavender essential oil include easing the nervous system, enhancing blood circulation and treating respiratory problems.
Lavender is primarily used in connection with insomnia, anxiety, depression, and mood disturbances. Many recent and past studies show lavender’s effectiveness in producing calming, soothing, and anticonvulsive effects in those who use it. Of several fragrances tested by aromatherapy researchers, lavender was most effective at relaxing brain waves and reducing stress. Lavender also treats indigestion, including colic, it boosts immunity and is widely thought to be a great insect repellent, appetite stimulant, immune system stimulant and aphrodisiac.
Lavender is truly Nature's miraclulous healing plant. The possibilities are endless...
You really can get rid of acne, rosacea, and eczema, naturally. How? By learning about their causes, and how to rebalance the body. By understanding that applying harsh chemicals to the skin can actually exacerbate the skin's natural oil production and make these conditions worse.
Our bodies are finely-tuned machines, continually creating new cells and getting rid of dead cells. There are three processes vital to human health: appropriation (taking in food, air, water etc.), assimilation (absorbing nutrients to create new cells), and elimination (expelling waste/toxins). If any one of these is unbalanced, this can lead to less than vital health. We need to take in the right fuel, use it effectively and get rid of by-products and waste. For example, we get rid of waste via the digestive system, the lungs and the skin; if the digestive system is sluggish, waste may have to be expelled via the skin, as blocked pores and acne. To really get rid of acne, you need to equip yourself with information about hormones, food, skin care products, dehydration, yeast and antibiotics.
If you listen to your body you will find the long-term path to clearer skin. Whether you eat a natural diet of living fruits and vegetables or eat dead junk food, what you eat may have a direct or indirect affect on the hormones which may or may not play some part in acne. When your liver gets overloaded with toxins it will send the toxins out through your skin as well as other organs of elimination. Adding a lot of fresh, raw fruit to the diet has helped many people clear up their skin; there are tons of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in fruits.
Good clear skin is often a reflection of a good digestive system. Concentrating on a diet, of mostly fruits and vegetables (preferably uncooked), and no junk food, should give you an observable improvement in your skin within 30 days. When the skin is dehydrated, dead skin cells remain on the skin which may block pores and promote acne; to facilitate the turnover, and detoxify the skin, drink plenty of water.
Good nutrition will help your skin from the inside out. Again, drink plenty of pure, filtered water, a minimum of a quart a day.
Foods to avoid include: Dairy products (milk, cheese, cream, yogurt etc). Refined and cooked carbohydrates (flour, bread, rice, crisps and chips, sugar etc). Cooked fats (fried food, hydrogenated oils, roasted nuts). Meat (beef, pork, chicken, lamb etc). All of these foods are acid-forming in the body. If you really want to get rid of acne, you need to eat more alkaline-forming foods -- fresh vegetables and fruit, nuts (sparingly) and seeds. The foods to avoid listed above also cause a sluggish digestive system. If food travels too slowly through the body, toxins build up and aren't carried away by the usual processes and are expelled via the skin, causing acne.
Who ever said, “Beauty is Only Skin Deep” wasn’t a nutritionist! Lasting beauty doesn’t just come from skin care products and facials; it really starts from what we put into our bodies. Our outward appearance is a direct reflection of our inner bodies and health. Eating a diet rich in antioxidants and nutrient dense foods may seem to be the key to slowing the signs of aging and obtaining natural lasting beauty – but another little known anti-aging “secret” is to maintain a neutral pH balance.
Recent research has shown that if your body has an “acidic” pH balance then the aging process is accelerated and this can make it very difficult to retain a youthful appearance. So how do you know if your pH is out of whack? Do you need to hire a nutritionist? It couldn’t hurt, but by following some simple steps to create a neutral body pH balance, you can successfully help reverse the degenerative processes at work in your body and obtain that healthy looking glow, radiant health and natural beauty that we all covet.
What is pH balance?
It may sound like a new athletic shoe, but “pH” actually stands for “potential of hydrogen,” and is simply the measure of acidity or alkalinity in any solution (and our bodies). Dr. William Howard Hay first introduced the term pH balance in his 1933 book “A New Health Era.” He concluded that all disease is caused by acid accumulation in the human body, and he called this condition “autotoxication” (self-poisoning). Even though this concept seemed a bit far-fetched 75 years ago, it makes perfect sense in today’s holistic health revolution.
The perfect pH for your body is around 7.4. pH is measured on a scale of 0 to14 (the lower the pH, the more acidic the solution; the higher the pH, the more alkaline the solution). When a solution has a pH of 7.0, it is considered neutral. Therefore water (measured at exactly 7.0) is a neutral solution and comprises 70% of the human body. Our blood is considered balanced if it’s pH is close to 7.4 (a fluctuation of .2 up or down is still considered normal).
Is Your pH out of balance?
An imbalanced pH affects all cellular activity in the body, leading to the progression of most degenerative disease, including: cardiovascular and heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, kidney stones, urinary incontinence, arthritis, osteoporosis, cancer, diabetes, systemic weight gain, and obesity.
Research has shown that acne, rosacea, eczema and even psoriasis can possibly be signs of mild acidosis, and the acidic joint fluid found in some rheumatoid arthritis patients is believed to have a direct correlation with their painful inflammation. An acid condition can even inhibit the absorption of vital nutrients from the foods we ingest, and just as Dr. Hay concluded in 1933, studies have shown that acidosis can be a launching-pad for many chronic ailments.
How does your pH get out of balance?
One answer may surprise you . . . food protein, which is vital for maintaining your health, can also create an acidic condition in your body's pH balance. States Dr. Ted Morter, Jr., a notable pH expert, “The paradox of protein is that it's not only essential (to life), but also potentially health destroying.” Imagine that! The same protein that you need to live can actually over-burden your cells making them toxic and acidic! And remember... an acidic body pH condition facilitates accelerated aging, system degeneration and increased susceptibility to sickness and disease.
What else affects pH and causes it to become unbalanced? A mild acidosis condition (an overabundance of acid in the blood) can be caused by improper diet, but also by poor lifestyle habits or toxic emotional states. The amount of acid in the body can increase through ingestion of acid-forming foods, but it can also be affected by an abnormal metabolism or kidney malfunction. As we age, our body’s systematic removal of excess acid has begun to slow down (the lungs are not removing as much acid in the form of carbon dioxide; the kidneys aren’t able to excrete as much acid through the urine and the skin does not eliminate as much acid through perspiration). This is why you sometimes feel like you need a new carburetor.
Optimizing pH Balance
Although it seems a bit illogical, we need to remember that our bodies metabolize acid foods as alkaline and metabolize alkaline foods as acid. Acid foods (citrus fruits, vegetables, vinegar and other fermented foods) all become alkaline when consumed and metabolized and so are called “Alkaline-forming foods”.
On the other hand, alkaline foods (meats, flour, sugar, soft drinks, alcohol, aspirin and various medications) are metabolized by the body into “acid-forming foods.” That’s why the average American diet of hamburgers and processed food can and usually does contribute to a condition called “mild acidosis.” Although you can still eat some acid-forming foods, you may need to work on balancing your diet (60-80% alkaline-forming foods and 20-40% acid-forming foods) and give your body a chance to heal from distress and disease.
When Hippocrates own dietary recommendations were recently analyzed it was found that he suggested a diet of 80% alkaline - forming foods and 20% acid - forming foods which will replenish your health bank. It is the Potassium, Calcium and Sodium minerals which neutralize the unhealthy toxic acid waste in the human body. These minerals are found in alkaline-forming foods. Alkaline balance can be checked with a simple saliva test using special pH paper and a color chart.
HERE'S HOW TO TEST YOURSELF AT HOME:
1. Wait 30 minutes after a meal. Food residues, salt, etc. can remain in the saliva for upto 30 minutes after a meal, causing a false reading. Swish your mouth with fresh saliva and swallow. Repeat twice. 3rd time keep fresh saliva in mouth.
2. Take a 1.0 inch strip of pH paper and wet thoroughly with fresh saliva.
3. After 1.0 minute, match the color of the pH strip with the colors on the cover of the pH paper dispenser.
4. Note the pH number corresponding to your color. For maximum accuracy we recommend you to test 2 or 3 times throughout the day.
COLOR RANGE TEST RESULTS:
Blue to Purple: 7.0- 7.0+... Healthy
Light Green: 6.0-6.5... Not in the best of health.
Yellow: 4.5-6.0... Time for a check-up!
Test Results - What they mean:
7.5 pH .. .. Ideal alkaline body level.
7.0 pH .. .. Your body is neither alkaline nor acidic.
You may be developing disease(s)
6.5 pH .. .. Your body is 10 times more acidic than pH 7.5
6.0 pH .. .. Your body is 20 times more acidic than pH 7.5
5.5 pH .. .. Your body is 100 times more acidic than pH 7.5
5.0 pH .. .. Your body is 200 times more acidic than pH 7.5
4.5 pH .. .. Your body is 1,000 times more acidic than pH 7.5
As long as there are sufficient amount of alkaline minerals in the body (potassium, calcium and sodium), the vital pH balance can be sustained. It is truly the secret of life, health and youth. If your cellular pH is not alkaline, you cannot assimilate vitamins, minerals and food supplements.
Reverse the aging process with a neutral pH balance
What’s the most efficient way to combat acidic stress in your body? Turn back the clock? Live a stress-free existence? Get rid of all your bad health habits and eat a perfect diet? While you’re at it, why not get in line with all the other New Year’s Resolution dropouts who fell over their feet while taking a giant step! Why not start with some very simple and do-able baby steps:
• Add a hefty dose of alkaline-forming foods to your daily diet. Eat a rainbow of health-giving, antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables everyday.
• Manage stress more effectively. Take time to relax, take a walk, exercise or meditate daily.
• Cleanse your body systems regularly. Try herbs like milk thistle for cleansing the liver, dandelion for the kidneys or just gently cleanse your body for one day by eating nothing but fresh raw fruit!
• Drink eight (8) or more glasses of pure water daily with fresh lemon juice squeezed in generously.
*Remember…lemons are an acidic food that is alkaline-forming once ingested.
We all want to be young, vibrant and beautiful. By following these simple guidelines, eating a diet rich in alkaline-forming natural foods and supplementing with specific nutrients to help ward off aging and promote a neutral pH balance, we can help ourselves to slow the signs of aging and obtain the radiant health natural and lasting beauty that we all desire . . .
I recently returned from beautiful Jamaica, where I was lucky enough to have fresh coconut water every day, straight out of the coconut. I have been drinking it for a couple of years now, but I had no idea just how many ailments coconut water alleviated. I knew that coconut oil was a marvelous ingredient in cosmetic preparations, but in Jamaica, I found out that just drinking coconut water is a powerful anti-aging remedy in itself - but, more of that later. Here is an article that I condensed and paraphrased, by the naturopathic doctor, Dr. Bruce Fife, who is one of the leading experts on coconut water:
Coconut water is the liquid you find inside a young green coconut. In the tropics it is not only considered a refreshing beverage but a health tonic. Hawaiians call coconut water noelani (no-way lah-nee), which means “dew from the heavens.” Coconut water has a long history of use as both a food and as a medicine. Although a variety of fruits grow in abundance in many tropical locations, coconut water is prized above all other juices. It not only satisfies thirst but invigorates the body and brings about a sense of well-being and renewed health. Women are encouraged to drink it when pregnant and nursing so their milk will provide all the nutrients necessary for a healthy baby. The first food an infant receives as it begins weaning is coconut water and coconut jelly (soft immature coconut meat).
Coconut water contains a variety of nutrients including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, enzymes, growth factors, and other nutrients. Coconut water is a good source of the major minerals like magnesium, calcium, and potassium. It is particularly rich in potassium, an essential nutrient; one 8-ounce cup of coconut water has more potassium than a banana. It also contains a variety of trace elements such as zinc, selenium, iodine, sulfur, manganese, boron, molybdenum, and others. These are derived from volcanic soils and seawater from which the coconut palms are grown. All of these minerals are in the form of electrolytes so they are easily absorbable by the human body. Many of the health benefits attributed to coconut water can be traced to its mineral content.
In the tropics where heatstroke and dehydration are common problems, coconut water is far more effective in relieving symptoms associated with these conditions than either plain water or fruit juice. Over the past two decades coconut water has been used extensively as a treatment for cholera, dysentery, influenza, and other infectious diseases that promote dehydration. Coconut water has saved thousands of lives, especially of children in underdeveloped countries. Ordinary water is not effective in treating severe dehydration caused by vomiting and diarrhea, but because of coconut water’s unique chemical composition it is able to rehydrate the body and give it the strength and energy it needs to fight off the infection. Death rates from cholera are high, but with the use of coconut water survival rates increase to 97 percent.
Coconut water has a therapeutic effect on the urinary and reproductive systems. It is reported to clear-up bladder infections, remove kidney stones, and improve sexual vitality. Medical research has shown that the consumption of coconut water can be very effective in dissolving kidney stones. Doctors in China and the Philippines, say that coconut water has demonstrated its effectiveness in patients suffering from kidney and urethral stones. They report that consuming coconut water only 2 to 3 times a week results in a significant reduction in stone size and expulsion, eliminating the need for surgery.
In Jamaica coconut water is known as a heart tonic and is used to strengthen the heart and improve circulation. Research bears this out. Studies show that coconut water consumption reduces plaque formation in arteries, thus reducing risk of heart attack and stroke. High blood pressure is one of the primary risk factors associated with heart disease and stroke. The minerals potassium and magnesium are known to help reduce high blood pressure. Human studies show that coconut water, which is a good source of both of these minerals, is effective in reducing high blood pressure and increasing circulation. Studies also demonstrate that coconut water consumption reduces the risk of heart failure in heart disease patients. The evidence is so convincing that the FDA allows coconut water to carry the claim that it “may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.”
Because coconut water improves blood circulation, it is of benefit to diabetics. Coconut water helps dilate blood vessels, improves blood flow, and reduces plaque formation. Coconut water also contains certain forms of dietary fiber and amino acids that help moderate sugar absorption and improve insulin sensitivity.
Some of the most interesting components of coconut water are the plant growth hormones, particularly cytokinins. Cytokinins are a group of hormones that regulate growth, development, and aging. In some respects they are similar to human hormones with a similar name of cytokines. Cytokinins are also known as anti-aging hormones. Cytokinins regulate cell division and influence the rate at which plants age. Depending on the amount of cytokinins present, the aging process in plants can be either accelerated or retarded. One of the active sites of cytokinin production is in the roots. From here the hormone is carried by the sap throughout the plant—much like our bloodstream disperses hormones. Portions of plants that are deprived of cytokinins age faster than normal, Conversely, if additional cytokinins are added to a plant, normal aging is retarded.
Cytokinins also have an anti-aging effect on human cells and tissues. Normal human cells, as they age, go through a progressive and irreversible accumulation of changes until they reach a stage at which they finally die. Young cells are plump, round, and smooth. As they age they become irregular in shape, flatten out, enlarge, and fill up with debris; cell division slows down and eventually stops, which is ultimately followed by death.
When cytokinins are added to the culture medium, cells don’t act their age. The normal sequence of aging slows down considerably. Cells do not undergo the severe degenerative changes that ordinarily occur.4 Although the total lifespan of human cells is not increased much, the cells remain significantly more youthful and functional throughout their lifetime. For example, treated cells after they have reached the final stage of their lifespan and no longer divide, look and function like untreated cells half their age. Treated cells never undergo the severe degenerative changes experienced by untreated cells. In all respects, their youth is extended into old age.
Because of their effects on human cells, cytokinins have been tested for the possible treatment for age spots, wrinkles, sagging, and dry skin. One of the factors that cause wrinkles and sagging skin is the aging and breakdown of connective tissues in the skin. Connective tissues give the skin strength and elasticity. When cytokinins are applied to the skin, they stimulate cell division of connective tissue which replaces older, damaged tissue with functionally younger tissue. The result is that on the surface of the skin, wrinkles tend to flatten out. Dry, aging skin is replaced with smoother, softer skin. This has led some cosmetic manufacturers to add cytokinins to facial creams and lotions.
Coconut water is the richest natural dietary source of cytokinins. Researchers have suggested the possibility that consuming a rich source of cytokinins, such as coconut water, may produce an anti-aging effect on the body, reducing risk of developing degenerative and age related diseases.
In regulating cell growth, cytokinins also prevent mistakes that may lead to the development of cancer. Normal cells are kept healthy while cancerous cells are programmed to die, preventing them from growing and spreading. Subsequently, the anti-cancer effects of cytokinins have been well documented.5-6
Summary of the Nutritional Benefits of Coconut Water:
Coconut water contains a complex blend of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, carbohydrates, antioxidants, enzymes, health enhancing growth hormones, and other important nutrients.
Because its electrolyte (ionic mineral) content is similar to human plasma, it has gained international acclaim as a natural sports drink for oral rehydration. As such, it has proven superior to commercial sports drinks. Unlike other beverages, it is completely compatible with the human body, in so much that it can be infused directly into the bloodstream. In fact, doctors have used coconut water successfully as an intravenous fluid for over 60 years.
Published medical research and clinical observation have shown that coconut water:
Makes an excellent oral rehydration sports beverage - replaces electrolytes from exercise, heat stress and illness
Aids in exercise performance
Natural isotonic beverage – contains the same level of electrolytes found in human blood
Has 15 times the amount of potassium as most sports and energy drinks (264 mg vs 12.5 mg /100 ml)
Reduces problems for infants suffering from intestinal disturbances
Cardioprotective: helps regular blood pressure (due to high potassium); improves circulation
Reduces swelling in hands and feet
Prevents abnormal blood clotting
Aids in kidney function including those with kidney stones; Nutritional support for those with urinary tract/bladder problems
Helps balance blood sugar in diabetics
Improves digestion
Reported by some people to reverse cataracts
Contains nutrients that feed friendly gut bacteria
Helps relieve constipation or diarrhea
Possesses anti-aging properties
Nutritional support for healthy skin: restores strength and elasticity to skin; reduces age spots; reduces wrinkles and sagging
Regulates the functioning of the intestine which promotes smoother, more hydrated skin
Enhances healing of wounds and lesions
Supports good vision and provides nutritional support in those who have a tendency towards glaucoma
Contains potent antioxidants
Nutritionally supports immune function
Provides nutrients important in preventing osteoporosis
Young coconuts are available at many health food stores and at Asian markets. But they don’t look like the brown, hairy ones with which you may be familiar. Young coconuts have only a portion of the husk cut off, leaving about an inch covering the shell. The husk is white and often shaped like a large toy top, with a point on one end and flat on the other. They are perishable so you will find them in the refrigerated section of the store.
You can now get coconut water from many health food stores, Asian markets and some grocery stores.
From an Article by Dr. Bruce Fife, N.D.
Dr. Bruce Fife is a certified nutritionist and naturopathic physician. He is the author of 20 books including Coconut Water for Health and Healing and serves as the director of the Coconut Research Center, www.coconutresearchcenter.org.
The first Earth Day was a glorious Spring day, on April 22nd, 1970, by all accounts. Thousands of people celebrated and honored Mother Earth around the country, from Berkeley, CA to New York City. Back then, the pollution in the air was so bad that you could literally see it; not just in L.A. but in New York as well.. The rivers were so poisonous, that the fish died, whole eco-systems died; toxicity was at its height. Earth Day was born as a response to these conditions.
I was in New York City for the first Earth Day in 1970. I was only seven years old, so that might have had something to do with it. My mother was very active in the environmental movement in those days and was actually involved in the establishment of the first Earth Day. I remember being dragged around the City to grocery stores where she would hand out flyers about the hazards of phosphates and the importance of biodegradability. There was a floating food co-op every week; I loved the week when it was our turn to host, it was like playing grocery store.
Now, Earth Day makes me want to cry, because people around the world are celebrating it 41 years later. Starting as a small, grassroots movement, it has finally hit the mainstream of our consciousness: from the auto industry to the fashion and beauty arenas, meaning the consumers. Because we, the consumers, have had enough of the beauty we love in our planet being destroyed before our very eyes.
That’s why I am a big supporter*, and am consistently amazed at the wonderful work of the Rainforest Alliance. The Rainforest Alliance works to conserve biodiversity, and ensure sustainable livelihoods, by transforming land-use practices, business practices, and consumer behavior. Meaning, they work in a holistic way to improve the underlying causes of environmental degradation, not just its symptoms.
At Clairvoyant Beauty, Earth Day feels like a national holiday! It is the cause that holds the most meaning for us, for how we treat our planet is how we treat ourselves really, when you come to think about it. If you take the time and effort to take care of your health and your skin, you will see results. Your eco-system will become healthy, and your skin, radiant.
I moved to an organic farm in Upstate New York to live the bucolic life; the wide-open spaces allowed me the space in my mind to really focus on what I wanted to do, and to create Clairvoyant Beauty, which I now bring to you. I’ve made the products as green as can be, and I hope you enjoy them, from Mother Earth to you.
*A portion of every sale we make is donated to the Rainforest Alliance
You really can get rid of acne, rosacea, and eczema, naturally. How? By learning about their causes, and how to rebalance the body. By understanding that applying harsh chemicals to the skin can actually exacerbate the skin's natural oil production and make these conditions worse.
Our bodies are finely-tuned machines, continually creating new cells and getting rid of dead cells. There are three processes vital to human health: appropriation (taking in food, air, water etc.), assimilation (absorbing nutrients to create new cells), and elimination (expelling waste/toxins). If any one of these is unbalanced, this can lead to less than vital health. We need to take in the right fuel, use it effectively and get rid of by-products and waste. For example, we get rid of waste via the digestive system, the lungs and the skin; if the digestive system is sluggish, waste may have to be expelled via the skin, as blocked pores and acne. To really get rid of acne, you need to equip yourself with information about hormones, food, skin care products, dehydration, yeast and antibiotics.
If you listen to your body you will find the long-term path to clearer skin. Whether you eat a natural diet of living fruits and vegetables or eat dead junk food, what you eat may have a direct or indirect affect on the hormones which may or may not play some part in acne. When your liver gets overloaded with toxins it will send the toxins out through your skin as well as other organs of elimination. Adding a lot of fresh, raw fruit to the diet has helped many people clear up their skin; there are tons of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in fruits.
Good clear skin is often a reflection of a good digestive system. Concentrating on a diet, of mostly fruits and vegetables (preferably uncooked), and no junk food, should give you an observable improvement in your skin within 30 days. When the skin is dehydrated, dead skin cells remain on the skin which may block pores and promote acne; to facilitate the turnover, and detoxify the skin, drink plenty of water.
Good nutrition will help your skin from the inside out. Again, drink plenty of pure, filtered water, a minimum of a quart a day.
Foods to avoid include: Dairy products (milk, cheese, cream, yogurt etc). Refined and cooked carbohydrates (flour, bread, rice, crisps and chips, sugar etc). Cooked fats (fried food, hydrogenated oils, roasted nuts). Meat (beef, pork, chicken, lamb etc). All of these foods are acid-forming in the body. If you really want to get rid of acne, you need to eat more alkaline-forming foods -- fresh vegetables and fruit, nuts (sparingly) and seeds. The foods to avoid listed above also cause a sluggish digestive system. If food travels too slowly through the body, toxins build up and aren't carried away by the usual processes and are expelled via the skin, causing acne.
Who ever said, “Beauty is Only Skin Deep” wasn’t a nutritionist! Lasting beauty doesn’t just come from skin care products and facials; it really starts from what we put into our bodies. Our outward appearance is a direct reflection of our inner bodies and health. Eating a diet rich in antioxidants and nutrient dense foods may seem to be the key to slowing the signs of aging and obtaining natural lasting beauty – but another little known anti-aging “secret” is to maintain a neutral pH balance.
Recent research has shown that if your body has an “acidic” pH balance then the aging process is accelerated and this can make it very difficult to retain a youthful appearance. So how do you know if your pH is out of whack? Do you need to hire a nutritionist? It couldn’t hurt, but by following some simple steps to create a neutral body pH balance, you can successfully help reverse the degenerative processes at work in your body and obtain that healthy looking glow, radiant health and natural beauty that we all covet.
What is pH balance?
It may sound like a new athletic shoe, but “pH” actually stands for “potential of hydrogen,” and is simply the measure of acidity or alkalinity in any solution (and our bodies). Dr. William Howard Hay first introduced the term pH balance in his 1933 book “A New Health Era.” He concluded that all disease is caused by acid accumulation in the human body, and he called this condition “autotoxication” (self-poisoning). Even though this concept seemed a bit far-fetched 75 years ago, it makes perfect sense in today’s holistic health revolution.
The perfect pH for your body is around 7.4. pH is measured on a scale of 0 to14 (the lower the pH, the more acidic the solution; the higher the pH, the more alkaline the solution). When a solution has a pH of 7.0, it is considered neutral. Therefore water (measured at exactly 7.0) is a neutral solution and comprises 70% of the human body. Our blood is considered balanced if it’s pH is close to 7.4 (a fluctuation of .2 up or down is still considered normal).
Is Your pH out of balance?
An imbalanced pH affects all cellular activity in the body, leading to the progression of most degenerative disease, including: cardiovascular and heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, kidney stones, urinary incontinence, arthritis, osteoporosis, cancer, diabetes, systemic weight gain, and obesity.
Research has shown that acne, rosacea, eczema and even psoriasis can possibly be signs of mild acidosis, and the acidic joint fluid found in some rheumatoid arthritis patients is believed to have a direct correlation with their painful inflammation. An acid condition can even inhibit the absorption of vital nutrients from the foods we ingest, and just as Dr. Hay concluded in 1933, studies have shown that acidosis can be a launching-pad for many chronic ailments.
How does your pH get out of balance?
One answer may surprise you . . . food protein, which is vital for maintaining your health, can also create an acidic condition in your body's pH balance. States Dr. Ted Morter, Jr., a notable pH expert, “The paradox of protein is that it's not only essential (to life), but also potentially health destroying.” Imagine that! The same protein that you need to live can actually over-burden your cells making them toxic and acidic! And remember... an acidic body pH condition facilitates accelerated aging, system degeneration and increased susceptibility to sickness and disease.
What else affects pH and causes it to become unbalanced? A mild acidosis condition (an overabundance of acid in the blood) can be caused by improper diet, but also by poor lifestyle habits or toxic emotional states. The amount of acid in the body can increase through ingestion of acid-forming foods, but it can also be affected by an abnormal metabolism or kidney malfunction. As we age, our body’s systematic removal of excess acid has begun to slow down (the lungs are not removing as much acid in the form of carbon dioxide; the kidneys aren’t able to excrete as much acid through the urine and the skin does not eliminate as much acid through perspiration). This is why you sometimes feel like you need a new carburetor.
Optimizing pH Balance
Although it seems a bit illogical, we need to remember that our bodies metabolize acid foods as alkaline and metabolize alkaline foods as acid. Acid foods (citrus fruits, vegetables, vinegar and other fermented foods) all become alkaline when consumed and metabolized and so are called “Alkaline-forming foods”.
On the other hand, alkaline foods (meats, flour, sugar, soft drinks, alcohol, aspirin and various medications) are metabolized by the body into “acid-forming foods.” That’s why the average American diet of hamburgers and processed food can and usually does contribute to a condition called “mild acidosis.” Although you can still eat some acid-forming foods, you may need to work on balancing your diet (60-80% alkaline-forming foods and 20-40% acid-forming foods) and give your body a chance to heal from distress and disease.
When Hippocrates own dietary recommendations were recently analyzed it was found that he suggested a diet of 80% alkaline - forming foods and 20% acid - forming foods which will replenish your health bank. It is the Potassium, Calcium and Sodium minerals which neutralize the unhealthy toxic acid waste in the human body. These minerals are found in alkaline-forming foods. Alkaline balance can be checked with a simple saliva test using special pH paper and a color chart.
HERE'S HOW TO TEST YOURSELF AT HOME:
1. Wait 30 minutes after a meal. Food residues, salt, etc. can remain in the saliva for upto 30 minutes after a meal, causing a false reading. Swish your mouth with fresh saliva and swallow. Repeat twice. 3rd time keep fresh saliva in mouth.
2. Take a 1.0 inch strip of pH paper and wet thoroughly with fresh saliva.
3. After 1.0 minute, match the color of the pH strip with the colors on the cover of the pH paper dispenser.
4. Note the pH number corresponding to your color. For maximum accuracy we recommend you to test 2 or 3 times throughout the day.
COLOR RANGE TEST RESULTS:
Blue to Purple: 7.0- 7.0+... Healthy
Light Green: 6.0-6.5... Not in the best of health.
Yellow: 4.5-6.0... Time for a check-up!
Test Results - What they mean:
7.5 pH .. .. Ideal alkaline body level.
7.0 pH .. .. Your body is neither alkaline nor acidic.
You may be developing disease(s)
6.5 pH .. .. Your body is 10 times more acidic than pH 7.5
6.0 pH .. .. Your body is 20 times more acidic than pH 7.5
5.5 pH .. .. Your body is 100 times more acidic than pH 7.5
5.0 pH .. .. Your body is 200 times more acidic than pH 7.5
4.5 pH .. .. Your body is 1,000 times more acidic than pH 7.5
As long as there are sufficient amount of alkaline minerals in the body (potassium, calcium and sodium), the vital pH balance can be sustained. It is truly the secret of life, health and youth. If your cellular pH is not alkaline, you cannot assimilate vitamins, minerals and food supplements.
Reverse the aging process with a neutral pH balance
What’s the most efficient way to combat acidic stress in your body? Turn back the clock? Live a stress-free existence? Get rid of all your bad health habits and eat a perfect diet? While you’re at it, why not get in line with all the other New Year’s Resolution dropouts who fell over their feet while taking a giant step! Why not start with some very simple and do-able baby steps:
• Add a hefty dose of alkaline-forming foods to your daily diet. Eat a rainbow of health-giving, antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables everyday.
• Manage stress more effectively. Take time to relax, take a walk, exercise or meditate daily.
• Cleanse your body systems regularly. Try herbs like milk thistle for cleansing the liver, dandelion for the kidneys or just gently cleanse your body for one day by eating nothing but fresh raw fruit!
• Drink eight (8) or more glasses of pure water daily with fresh lemon juice squeezed in generously.
*Remember…lemons are an acidic food that is alkaline-forming once ingested.
We all want to be young, vibrant and beautiful. By following these simple guidelines, eating a diet rich in alkaline-forming natural foods and supplementing with specific nutrients to help ward off aging and promote a neutral pH balance, we can help ourselves to slow the signs of aging and obtain the radiant health natural and lasting beauty that we all desire . . .
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