Guiltless Cafe

What's The Most Potent Nutritional Combo Around?

2010-03-20T09:39:00.005-06:00

Received this yesterday in my inbox. Thought I would share :)

The LIVESTRONG Foundation - a great cancer-awareness and fundraising group who we've worked with before - are trumpeting the powerful pairing of Ganoderma lucidum with Vitamin C as an essential part of your journey to healthier living!

Lance Armstrong's LIVESTRONG Foundation was founded with a simple purpose: to promote healthier living in general, and cancer awareness in specific. Now this charitable powerhouse is trumpeting the virtues of Ganoderma lucidum, the powerful herb that enriches every cup of Gano Excel's unique products!

In a recent article posted on the LIVESTRONG blog, journalist and mind-body-spirit health advocate Heather Vale Goss discusses the benefits of Ganoderma lucidum in building a stronger, better you.

"Several companies are now offering [Ganoderma lucidum] as a dietary supplement, and even brewing it into 'healthy' coffee and tea," Vale Goss* writes. "But what are the benefits and possible side effects of taking this Asian fungus? It turns out the pros far outweigh the cons."

Vale Goss* covers a lot of ground us Gano Excel fanatics already know, touting Ganoderma's positive effects on the immune system, its antioxidant-rich structure, positive effects on blood pressure and cholesterol, and its anti-allergen properties. But she makes two observations that really knocked our socks off, and we just had to share with you!

First, Vale Goss* tells us that pairing Ganoderma lucidum with Vitamin C boosts the powerful little mushroom's health-giving abilities into overdrive! She writes, "taking [Ganoderma lucidum] along with vitamin C, another antioxidant, helps the body absorb reishi's active ingredients by breaking down the complex polysaccarides into a more manageable size." Basically, Vitamin C spoon-feeds you all of Gano's good stuff in bite-size packets that'll make your whole body smile. Orange juice and Ganocafe for breakfast, anyone?

Vale Goss* also tells us that Ganoderma's benefits far outweigh its side-effects - independent verification of something we are Gano Excel have known for years now!

"Reishi is classified as a superior herb, which means it's non-toxic and can be taken in large quantities for a long time without adverse side effects," she writes, citing Ganoderma's 2,000+ years of use in Asia and its lack of contraindications with other treatments as proof.

So, what we've got with Vale Goss's* excellent summary is a total slam-dunk for Ganoderma lucidum! If they did brackets for health supplements like they're doing for the NCAA Championship, we'd totally be at the top! (Oh wait: they do, and we were!)

This great article as points further towards the power pairing of Gano Excel and the LIVESTRONG Foundation. Like LIVESTRONG, our company is also dedicated to spreading the news about healthier living and raising awareness of important social and medical causes. Though we're not official partners with this fine organization, we have worked with LIVESTRONG before, helping to support their global LIVESTRONG Day campaign for cancer awareness, and will continue to offer our support to their cause in any way possible. Now that LIVESTRONG has been turned on to the benefits of Ganoderma lucidum, our missions are closer than ever!

Complete article with associated links can be found here:
What's The Most Potent Nutritional Combo Around?

*Original review article erroneously named the article author as Voss. Correct name is Heather Vale Goss. It has been corrected in this posting.

Gano Excel Mexico -- Open for Business

2010-02-25T15:39:00.001-07:00

This is it! Gano Excel has officially opened up Mexico – one of the largest potential markets in the world – for our affiliates and new customers!

Gano Excel: Just the Facts

2010-01-31T10:22:00.001-07:00

At Gano Excel, simply put, we've taken a gourmet coffee and combined it with an amazing natural ingredient to create a great-tasting beverage that offers a cleaner, more sustained energy, as well as revitalization for your entire body.

Gano Excel: Just the Facts

* World's first coffee/ganoderma blend – many imitators, only one original!
* Owns and operates world's largest organic Ganoderma Lucidum plantation
* 4 Million sq. ft. of ultra-modern laboratory, distribution, and manufacturing facilities
* Plantation capable of producing 65 million ganoderma caps/3 months!
* $500 Million (US) in Sales worldwide

Golf Balls...and other stuff.

2009-12-09T07:38:00.002-07:00

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in
front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very
large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students, if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the
jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas
between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

Next, the professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the
jar.Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more
if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table
and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the
empty spaces between the sand. The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to
recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the
important things - family, children, health, friends, etc. ˆ things
that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life
would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter: like your job, house, and car.

The sand is everything else --the small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' He continued, 'there is no
room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life.'

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will
never have room for the things that are important to you.

'Take care of the golf balls first - the things that really matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled.
'I'm glad you asked'.

'It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,
there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'

how to make the perfect cup of healthier coffee...

2009-10-26T13:30:00.000-06:00

Making a perfect cup of GanoCafe Classic (Black) coffee is EASY!

With this simple procedure, you will never serve a bad tasting cup of coffee again and will always get it right when you have guests over.

1. Fill up your 10-12 cup coffee maker with water.

2. Remove the filter as you don't need it with our pre-brewed technology!

3. Empty 4 packets of GanoCafe Classic DIRECTLY in the bottom of your carafe or coffee pot

4. Turn on your coffee machine and allow it to heat the water.

5. Stir, pour and serve. Add cream and sugar to taste. Everyone will rave about its smooth flavor!

Don't have a coffee maker?

Empty two packets of GanoCafe Classic DIRECTLY into a one litre (34 fl.oz.) thermal carafe. Fill with boiling water.

You can also mix a half a packet of the black coffee per 6-12 oz cup based on taste.

How about the other products?

It's easy! The Gano Schokolade (Hot Chocolate), 3-in-1 (Cream and Sugar), and Mocha should be mixed in a LARGE 12-16 oz cup per packet.

Adjust to taste.

And don't forget, the Gano SOD Red Tea will make a full 30-36 ounce pot per tea bag, or an individual cup.

Enjoy the world's first great tasting Healthier Coffee, Tea, etc!

great ideas using your Gano Excel products...

2009-10-26T13:27:00.002-06:00

LOVE THOSE FANCY SMOOTHIES & TRES CHIC COFFEE shop favorites?
Try our delicious homemade and healthier versions...feel better and save money!

Iced Mochaccino

1 cup boiling water
2 packets Gano Excel Mocha
1 packet Gano Excel 3-in-1

Dissolve packet contents in water.
Let cool.

In a blender:

2 cups ice cubes
Gano Excel mixture (above)

Blend until smooth.
Makes 2-3 servings

Dr. Hoover’s Protein Shakes

Strawberry Delight:

1 cup water or almond milk
1 scoop vanilla whey protein (we use Cinch Shake from Shaklee)
1/4 - 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1/4-1/2 frozen mango chunks
1 packet Gano Spirulina Oats
approx. 6 ice cubes for thickness

Blend until smooth.

Vanilla Nut:

1 cup water or almond milk
1 scoop vanilla whey protein
1 TBSP raw cashew butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 packet Gano Spirulina Oats
approx. 6 ice cubes for thickness

Blend until smooth.

Gano Breakfast Blast!
An intense start to your day...especially right before you exercise!

1 scoop whey protein
1 TBSP cod liver oil
1 banana
4 packets Gano Spirulina Oats
1 packet Gano Schokolade

Blend with 8 oz of water and ice to desired thickness.
Makes enough for two power hungry people. Go get ‘em.

Super Antioxidant Cranberry Iced Tea

Boil water for your favorite teapot.

Brew 1 or 2 bags Gano Excel SOD Tea in the hot water to your desired strength.

Sweeten, if desired but not necessary. Chill.

Add one part 100% Cranberry Juice and two parts brewed chilled tea. Serve over ice. Makes plenty to share!

Pina Colada:

1 cup water or almond milk
1 scoop vanilla whey protein
1/2-1 cup frozen pineapple
1/2 tsp coconut extract
1 packet Gano Spirulina Oats
approx. 6 ice cubes for thickness

Blend until smooth.

Chocolate Fat Burning Shake

1 cup water or almond milk
1 scoop chocolate whey protein
1/2 banana
1/2 packet Gano Schokolade
1 packet Gano Spirulina Oats
approx. 6 ice cubes for thickness

Blend until smooth.

Mix and match flavors to make your own healthy creations.

Do you have a great recipe idea using Gano Excel’s products?

Shop online for Gano Excel products: Guiltless Cafe's Gano Excel Shop

If so, share them with us here: guiltlesscafe@shaw.ca

Occasionally we make something other than a great cup of healthier coffee or tea...

2009-10-26T13:17:00.004-06:00

Getting healthier -- it takes encouragement, it takes knowledge, it takes the willingness to learn and share.

We want to share, to encourage, and to give you some knowledge, in our own style as we learn together, of course!

We love to experiment in the kitchen (cooking) and our favourite new find is Epicure Selections. Here is where we share our discoveries: Inspired By Food

Buon appetito!

Real Dirt on Get Clean

2009-10-14T15:09:00.005-06:00

You know that good, healthy feeling you get when you've just cleaned house? Sorry to spoil it, but you may have just made your home dirtier.

Think of it this way. You wouldn't let your kids play with toxic chemicals, so why would you let the baby crawl over a floor that's just been wiped with them? That's much more dangerous than the orange juice that was just there.

How dangerous? Just take a look at these statistics.

•Over 90% of poison exposures happen at home.

•Common bleach is the #1 household chemical involved in poisoning.

•Organic pollutants, found in many common cleaners and even air fresheners, are 2 to 5 times higher inside your home than out.

•A person who spends 15 minutes cleaning scale off shower walls could inhale three times the "acute one-hour exposure limit" for glycol ether-containing products set by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.

•Common cleaners give off fumes that have been linked to increasing the risk of your kids developing asthma, the most common serious chronic childhood disease.

•1 in 13 school-aged children has asthma. Rates in children under five have increased more than 160% from 1980 – 1994.

•Children are highly vulnerable to chemical toxicants. Pound for pound of body weight, children drink more water, eat more food and breathe more air than adults. The implication of this is that children will have substantially heavier exposures than adults to any toxicants that are present in water, food or air.

•If your home is anything like the average U.S. home, you generate more than 20 pounds of household hazardous waste each year (the EPA designates toilet cleaners, tub and tile cleaners, oven cleaners, and bleach as hazardous waste).

Take a look at these videos on this link and you may change your mind on what lurks under your kitchen sink:

Real Dirt on Get Clean

Be sure to watch all three parts! You will be glad you did.

http://www.greenerandhealthier.com

Gano what? Ganoderma Lucidum huh? Reishi?

2009-07-03T13:38:00.002-06:00

Not sure what Gano Excel is all about? What exactly is Ganoderma Lucidum? Why Reishi? And what are people saying about Gano Excel products?

Check this site out for some answers to those steaming hot questions:

Gano Excel - You Tube Videos

Grab a coffee first.

Why Iced Tea May Be Better Than Hot

2009-06-05T07:36:00.001-06:00

If you take your tea cool in the summertime, you may be doing your throat a favor.

Research shows that temperature could matter when it comes to the health of your esophagus. Drinking piping hot beverages may increase the risk of esophageal cancer.

Putting the Chill on Cancer
In a study of an Iranian province that has one of the highest rates of esophageal cancer in the world, researchers found that subjects who regularly drank extremely hot tea had a higher risk of the cancer -- much higher than people who drank their tea just warm or lukewarm.

See You in 4
The theory is that regularly drinking very hot drinks could chronically irritate and inflame the esophagus, making it susceptible to carcinogens. To help reduce your risk, all you may need to do is wait a few minutes for your tea to cool. People in the study who drank their tea less than 2 minutes after it was poured from the piping-hot kettle had a greater risk of esophageal cancer than the people who waited 4 or more minutes (enough to get it below 149 degrees Fahrenheit).

Source RealAge.com

Recipe Idea:

Super Antioxidant Cranberry Iced Tea

Boil water for your favorite teapot.
Brew 1 or 2 bags Gano Excel SOD Tea in the hot water to your desired strength. Sweeten, if desired but not necessary. Chill.

Add one part 100% Cranberry Juice and two parts brewed chilled tea.

Serve over ice. Makes plenty to share!

Avoid Restaurant Catastrophes

2009-05-15T07:22:00.000-06:00

(compliments of Dr Oz and Dr Roizen, www.realage.com)

To us, a restaurant catastrophe isn’t just when a waiter spills something on you or when you accidentally miscalculate the tip. When it comes to your health, a catastrophe is what can happen in the first and last 10 minutes of a meal. But it doesn’t have to. Here’s how to dine out, enjoy your meal, and be trim and healthy, too:

Before You Go

Don’t arrive starving! Eat a little healthy fat -- like about six walnut halves -- before a meal. The healthy fat in walnuts triggers a chain reaction that slows the rate at which your stomach empties, so you’ll feel fuller faster. But the chain reaction takes 30 minutes, so plan for it.

The First 10 Minutes

• Raise a glass. Of water. To your lips. This can fill you up, so you don’t overeat.

• Ask for cut-up veggies instead of bread. Most quality restaurants (including inexpensive ones) provide this option.

• Dip in olive oil. If the restaurant brings you whole-grain bread, dip it in olive oil. People who opt for this over butter eat less bread.

• Request the bottles. Order oil and vinegar on the side. Relying on the kitchen to dress your salad -- even with oil and vinegar -- can deliver as many as 450 extra calories!

The Last 10 Minutes

• Share. Get one dessert for every four or five people, and have just a few bites. If there are just two of you, take half of the dessert home, and freeze it for a special occasion.

• Savor your wine. Ending a meal with a glass of wine lets you avoid the cloying aftertaste of sweets . . . and helps you avoid calorie-bombs, too.

• Go European. Do what many Europeans do: Make salad the last thing you eat.

Anatomy of a Step Class

2009-04-09T12:30:00.007-06:00

Okay. So if you know me, you know I am so not a stepper. Sure I like to dance but I march to the beat of my own drum. I am the William Hung of dancing. I love it and I do it but I know I am not good at it. I just do it for the love...

Enter my step class* nightmare...

Don't get me wrong, I take exercise classes and they are choreographed but I take weight classes. We do low weights at high reps to music and stick to the beat. Yup, I can certainly stick to the beat if I am doing arm curls, squats, lunges, triceps extensions, etc. No problem, I can count to four.

But no one asks me to do over-the-top, around-the-world, shase (sp?), criss-cross, t-step, and on and on and on -- ALL IN ONE SONG!

First song ends, instructors says "Okay, that was easy, let's move on to the good stuff". Excuse me?? Pardon Moi?? WTF?? No really...I got how many more of these? Are there any slow songs?

By the third song, every muscle is tired, I have never sweat so much in my life, labour suddenly seems so easy, and the little line that was forming between my eyebrows (you know the one that you think maybe Botox is the only thing that will help) is now six millimeters deeper from concentrating so hard on the instructors steps.

Oh my, I just realized I have actually been staring at her butt for an hour....man, she has a nice a--, never mind, sorry....awkward...

I manage to get through many, many songs, I don't know how many, I don't even know what the songs were since I was concentrating so hard on the steps. I even managed to figure out some of the 8 beat combinations (okay, maybe only one).

I am sure that in the middle of the night I will wake up several times and find myself trying to figure out those steps. 1,2,3,4...and 5,6,7,8. Shase-over-the-top, mambo one time, shase, turn step right...and repeat on the other side. Around the world, triple knee repeater, other side.

Round out all that stepping and breathing and sweating with a little abdominal workout (7 freaking minutes long -- who writes songs that are THAT long anyways) just in case you weren't already tired enough. Don't laugh because then I might and I am afraid to. It may hurt.

Best part? Cool down. Yeah, I like that! 'Cuz dang-nabbit I am overheating and it ain't hot flashes (this time)!

One liter of water later, a bit of toweling down myself and the general area around me, and you may ask: Will you do it again?** You betcha! I am far too stubborn to let those 20-somethings out-do this 40-something.

Honestly though, the 20-somethings are really quite nice to their elders. They don't laugh at us every time.

I do ask one thing: please, please, please don't change anything....no new songs, okay?? Please...

The real reason I will return: I want my a-- to look like that! Maybe its just a dream but a girl has gotta have her dreams, baby.

Now...where did I put those Epsom salts.........

This William Hung of step class exits stage left.

* apparently no one told this newbie stepper that this was an intermediate-advanced step class until it was too late.
** I have returned and, yeah, still three left feet but I am consistent.

What's so great about Basic H2?

2009-03-28T08:32:00.008-06:00

BASIC H2™ ORGANIC SUPER CLEANING CONCENTRATE

“If it’s safe in water, it’s safe in Basic H2™”

• Biodegradable
• Non-Polluting
• Phosphate-free
• Not a soap
• Non-toxic
• Non-irritating
• Non-flammable

Yes, a 16 ounce (473 ml) bottle costs you $10.75 CDN (plus shipping and taxes) $10.35USD
BUT...

2 oz of Basic H2 is equivalent to 728, yes 728 bottles of Windex. Remember the bottle has 16 ounces in it. No for real! Did I just hear you say CHA-CHING??

You can use Basic H2 to clean your engine (okay, well your hubby can do it for you):
30 mL in 3.8 L (1 oz in 1 US gallon) of water. Will not affect paint, gaskets or insulating material. For best results, clean when the engine is hot (ignition system will dry quickly).

Or as gentle as cleaning your fruits and vegetables:
1.25 mL (1/4 teaspoon) in a large basin of water. Wash, then rinse thoroughly with water to remove residues of sprays and grime. To crisp lettuce, use 1 or 2 drops in a bowl of water.

AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN! You will be amazed at how much money your are wasting on your current cleaners! Seriously!

Basic H2™ is the most economical and versatile cleaner you can buy. Each bottle makes about 380 times its volume of general cleaning solution.

Honestly, you are throwing your money away if you are using anything else.

Let's pretend you only use it to replace your Windex...16 oz of Basic H2 will make you 5,824 bottles of Windex!!!! So if you estimate a bottle of Windex at let's say $3 (pretend you buy it on sale) each your little investment is worth HOW MUCH??? Yeah, do the math...

This Superconcentrate Can Save You up to $12,000
The one and only Basic H2® is a versatile, superconcentrated cleaner witha thousand uses. Ninety-nine percent natural and 100% powerful, Basic H2 replaces all the cleaners you’re probably buying now—window cleaners, all-purpose cleaners, degreasers, floor cleaners, tub and tile cleaners, and more—saving you money and space. Get Clean Basic H2 is the ultimate superconcentrated cleaner! Look how much you would have to spend to get the equivalent cleaning uses! To get the same amount of clean as one 16-ounce bottle of Basic H2, you would have to spend:

• Nearly $482 for the equivalent amount of all-purpose cleaner
• $12,250 for the equivalent amount of window cleaner
• $144 for the equivalent amount of degreaser

Seriously...

Oh I haven't even mentioned the ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT of all of those empty Windex bottles. Okay, I did now.

But seriously...

I will order you some today...just say the word!

And with all the money you save you can treat yourself to a set of spray bottles and maybe a trip somewhere warmer than this freaking country

Start planning that vacation today!

http://greenerandhealthier.com

Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shaklee/27769453386

Got a great company?

2009-03-17T09:41:00.004-06:00

I know I am working with one!

Shaklee can brag about:

The 9 consecutive quarters of growth, with some being double digit growths
Being in 6 of the fastest growing markets
Being lead by a visionary billionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist
Having the highest ethics and is based on The Golden Rule
Having a 53 history of integrity
Never having had a product recall due to safety
Over $250 million invested in clinical testing, research, and development
Over 83,000 tests annually for product quality
Over 100 scientific papers, 90 of them published in peer-reviewed journals
Quality far beyond industry standards

The time is always right to do what is right. ~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Can your company say the same? No problem, we have room for you here too. Last year, we grew with another 650,000 members. This year the target is 1,000,000. Wanna be a part of it?

Not to mention that Shaklee has continued to grow DESPITE past recessions and has actually grown DURING them!

Why Direct Sales? Why Not?

2009-02-26T12:48:00.007-07:00

No really...I get weird looks all of the time when I say "Hey, I can sell you that". But really at the end of every month who is laughing? Me...all the way to the bank. Yeah, I know I haven't struck it rich yet but if I can take a check to my bank every month that basically pays for my purchases and/or allows me to save a couple of extra dollars for that vacation I love to take every year then why not?? I am going to buy this stuff anyways so why not buy it from my own store? And if I can give good service (yeah I know, what the heck is that these days) to few people and they also want to buy from my store, I got myself a mini-business going! I get what I love, I thoroughly enjoy helping you get what you love, and we are all happy. If you want you can even start your own mini-store and I can help you. Wait, I even reduce some carbon emissions along the way -- I do this all from the comfort of my home! Boo-ya, bonus!

All this and a company that has survived the tempestuous waves of more than a few recessions unscathed...no pink slip for me, I manage my own destiny, recession proof dare I say? To infinity and beyond!!

Get it?

Yeah...thought you would...he thinks it a good idea too:

Come along for the ride.

Let me show how it works!

And wait, CNN had something to say about it too:
Now hiring: Door-to-door sellers

Shaklee's New TV Advertisement

2009-02-24T15:40:00.002-07:00

Protecting our Children at Home

2009-02-13T08:46:00.003-07:00

A recent article from the Pediatrics Journal reminded us that Earth Day needs to be celebrated every day.

"Despite advances in recent years and the decrease in fatal poisonings, unintentional child poisonings remain an important public health concern" said U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) investigators Robert L. Franklin and Dr. Gregory B. Rodgers.

Through improvements in product packaging has lowered the occurrence of child poisonings, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (USPC) found that in 2004, there were over 86,000 accidental poisonings of children under 5 years old.

According to a recent study in the Pediatrics Journal (Dec 2008), 55% of the involved products had "child-resistant packaging", most often oral medications. The most common cause of poisoning in the remaining 45% of cases involved cleaning products.

Parents and caregivers need to recognize that child-resistant does NOT mean child-proof, and that all potentially toxic products (meds, cleaning products, lighter fluid, antifreeze etc.) must be kept out of the reach of children.

This is the most important single reason for switching to Shaklee's Get Clean products. Then you can remove toxic cleaners from your home forever! Get Clean is 100% nontoxic, they are 100% biodegradable, they work marvelously, and they will save you a ton of money in the long run, because they are so concentrated. And for a gift bonus, think of all the packaging that won't end up in your landfill.

Source: Reuters Health and the Pediatrics Journal
Frank M. Painter, D.C.

Reishi in the News

2009-02-11T12:09:00.001-07:00

10 Diseases Linked To Soda

2009-02-11T12:04:00.001-07:00

(As posted on Dr. Mercola's website)

Statistics shows that Americans drink more soda than ever before. They account for more than 25 percent of all drinks consumed in the United States. More than 15 billion gallons were sold in 2000 -- about one 12-ounce can per day for every man, woman and child.

But here’s some information that may keep you away from opening the can:

1. Extra pounds

Soda is a significant contributor to obesity. Drinking a single can a day of sugary drinks translates to more than a pound of weight gain every month. And diet soda is just as likely to cause weight gain as regular, or even more -- it may sound counterintuitive, but people who drink diet soft drinks actually don’t lose weight. Artificial sweeteners induce a whole set of physiologic and hormonal responses that actually make you gain weight.

2. Liver damage

Soda damages your liver. Consumption of too many soft drinks puts you under increased risk for liver cirrhosis similar to the increased risk faced by chronic alcoholics.

3. Tooth decay

Soda dissolves tooth enamel. Soft drinks are responsible for doubling or tripling the incidence of tooth decay. Soda's acidity is even worse for teeth than the solid sugar found in candy.

4. Kidney stones and chronic kidney disease

Colas of all kinds are well known for their high phosphoric acid content, a substance that changes the urine in a way that promotes kidney stone formation. Drinking one quart (less than three 12-ounce cans) of soda per week may increase your risk of developing kidney stones by 15 percent.

5. Diabetes

Anything that promotes weight gain increases the risk of diabetes. Drinking soda also stresses your body's ability to process sugar. Some scientists now suspect that this may explain why the number of Americans with type 2 diabetes has tripled from 6.6 million in 1980 to 20.8 million today.

6. Heartburn & acid reflux

Heavy consumption of soda is a strong predictor of heartburn. Many carbonated beverages are very acidic. They also deliver a lot of air in the form of carbon dioxide, which can cause distension of your stomach. And that distension appears to be associated with more reflux.

7. Soft drinks = Soft Bones = Osteoporosis

Soft drinks containing phosphoric acid are definitely linked to osteoporosis (a weakening of your skeletal structure) because they lead to lower calcium levels and higher phosphate levels in your blood. When phosphate levels are high and calcium levels are low, calcium is pulled out of your bones.

8. Hypertension (high blood pressure)

Experts have reasons to believe that overconsumption of soda leads to an increase in blood pressure. It doesn't matter if the soda is regular or diet.

9. Heart disease

Heavy soda drinkers are more likely to develop risk factors for heart disease. Research shows that drinking more than one soft drink a day is associated with an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome -- a group of symptoms such as central obesity, elevated blood pressure, elevated fasting blood sugar, elevated fasting triglycerides, and low levels of HDL or "good" cholesterol. Having three or more of the symptoms increases your risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

10. Impaired digestion (gastrointestinal distress)

Gastrointestinal distress includes increased stomach acid levels requiring acid inhibitors, and moderate to severe gastric inflammation with possible stomach lining erosion. Drinking sodas, especially on an empty stomach, can upset the fragile acid-alkaline balance of your stomach and other gastric lining, creating a continuous acid environment. This prolonged acid environment can lead to inflammation of your stomach and duodenal lining.

Sources:
Squidoo January 23, 2009

New addition!

2009-02-10T08:33:00.002-07:00

No I didn't have a baby...

Check 'er out:

Inspired By Food

Just dessert!

2009-01-22T08:59:00.002-07:00

I love claymation, I love desserts, perfect combination:

A Little Morning Fun

2008-11-28T08:28:00.006-07:00

Normally in the mornings I prefer one that is dark, strong, and hot....but this morning was different.

I was really feeling a bit adventurous and decided on one that was sweet, strong, and hot -- it's gotta be hot or forget it. When I came to the end of it I felt a certain sadness and wanted more. So I indulged...

...in another coffee ;)

Happy Day to You All!

10 Keys to Work/Life Balance

2008-11-13T07:58:00.000-07:00

(compliments of mercola.com)

Today’s employers seem to want more of your time than ever. In the U.S., the average worker puts in 55 hours a week. Meanwhile, text messaging, cell phones, and Blackberries can keep you tethered to the office even when you’re technically “off-duty.”

How can you keep up with your always-on career and still find time to do what you need to do at home, spend time with your family, enjoy some kind of social life, and just plain relax?

1. Attitude is Everything

No matter how much you love your job, no matter how big a part of your life it is, ultimately you need to be able to “turn it off” and spend some time not working. This is hard for many people, because their work is an important part of who they are as people. This can be admirable, but an always-on-the-job attitude can be harmful in the long run.

2. Keep a Rational Schedule

The more you’re trying to juggle, the more important it is to make a good schedule and keep to it. Block out all your work and non-work commitments and make sure to allow plenty of downtime and non-work time.

3. Learn to Say “No”

If you’re having trouble keeping on top of everything going on in your life, it may be that you’ve committed more time than you have. Make a point of seriously considering any request that comes your way, and double-check your schedule before taking anything else on. When it’s too much, don’t be afraid to refuse.

4. Enjoy List-Free Time

Stop making lists of things to do in your off-time. When your non-work time feels like just so much more work, then stop. Drop the list for a day or two, and take things as they come.

5. Keep it Organized

There’s nothing worse than finding yourself faced with overtime or extra working days because you didn’t get enough done at work.

6. Batch it

Batching tasks can be a great way to get more done in less time. You’ll work faster and better because your mind is only on one thing, and when it’s done, you can forget it.

7. Clear Your Mind

Do whatever it takes to confine all the things you’d be liable to worry about to a trusted system where you know they’ll get taken care of, so you can spend the rest of your time without worrying.

8. Get it Wrong the First Time

Give yourself a set amount of time -- say, an hour -- to do the job, no matter how poorly. Let go of your perfectionism and just do as well as you can in the set time. You may have to go back and fix it, but you’ll be charged up by knowing the “heavy lifting” is already done.

9. Keep the Lines of Communication Open

Let the people closest to you know what’s going on in your work life when things get hectic, so they don’t feel like your lowest priority or worse, suddenly abandoned. And keep your ears open to hear what they tell you, too.

10. Be Honest With Yourself

This is the hardest one, but also the most necessary. Part of your weekly review should be to ask yourself “Am I happy with all this?” And follow up by looking at how well you’re doing of balancing everything.

Sources:
Lifehack.org September 3, 2008

Oh Dear...

2008-11-04T16:10:00.002-07:00

*giggle, giggle*

In case you missed any of it: Transcript of prank call between Sarah Palin and "The Masked Avengers"

GET CLEAN® PERFORMANCE COMPARISONS

2008-11-04T15:36:00.005-07:00

Of course I already know this because I use the products everyday but some of you may need proof:

GET CLEAN® PERFORMANCE COMPARISONS

A number of Get Clean® products were tested by an independent laboratory against name-brand products purchased at retail outlets. Here are the results:

Basic H2® Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate
• Cleans 45% better than Pledge® Multi-Surface Clean & Dust™ Wipes on vinyl flooring(1)
• One 16-oz bottle equals the cleaning uses of 5,824 bottles of 26 oz. Windex®(2)

Dish Wash Concentrate (Liquid)
• Twice as effective on grease as Method® Dish Soap and Seventh Generation® Natural Dish Liquid(3)

Dish Wash Automatic Concentrate
• It takes more than 2-1/2 boxes of Cascade® 45-oz. powder to clean the same 48 loads cleaned by one pouch of Get Clean® Dish Wash Automatic Concentrate(4)

Fresh Laundry Concentrate HE Compatible (Liquid)
• Outperforms Shout® Advance and rivals Spray’n Wash® with Resolve Power on spot removal(5)
• 30% better at removing soil and stains than All® Small and Mighty® Free Clear HE in high-efficiency washers(6)

Nature Bright® Laundry Booster and Stain Remover
• Outcleans OxiClean® on grass stains by 60%(7)

Soft Fabric Concentrate
• Rivals Downy® April Fresh Ultra Concentrated Fabric Softener Liquid at de-clinging static(8), plus you use only one third the amount(9)

Soft Fabric Fragrance-Free Dryer Sheets
• Rivals Bounce® Fabric Softener Sheets with Febreze® at reducing static cling(10)

Notes: All the comparisons mentioned above are valid only for the named product(s) marketed at that time. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

1. Performance comparison done February 7, 2008.
2. Label comparison done June 6, 2008.
3. Performance comparison done June 6, 2007.
4. Label comparison done June 6, 2008.
5. Performance comparisons done August 9 and January 31, 2008, respectively.
6. Performance comparison done January 28, 2008.
7. Performance comparison done January 31, 2008.
8. Performance comparison done January 21, 2008.
9. Label comparison done January 21, 2008.
10. Performance comparison done January 21, 2008.

Green Goes With Everything

2008-10-01T08:59:00.005-06:00

Just like that a simple enough statement.

http://greengoeswitheverything.com

Green is a colour

Green is a movement

Green is a lifestyle

Blue and green should always be seen.

Sometimes I just like sharing, learnt that in kindergarten.

Peace out.

Death of the Clock: Reclaiming Your Time

2008-09-18T11:36:00.004-06:00

Wish I wrote this but yeah, I didn't. Enjoy!

Death of the Clock: Reclaiming Your Time

Article by Zen Habits contributor Jonathan Mead

We live our lives around the clock. We wake up at a certain time, work on a schedule and base our performance on the amount of time it takes us to do things. More things done in less time = good. More time needed? Deadline not met? Unacceptable.

But it’s not just the clock that gives us anxiety; it’s basing our worth on how productive we are. We have this false belief that if we just finish everything on our to do lists, we’ll be done. After that, we can finally be happy, right? Unfortunately, that time never comes.

We always find more things to do, more projects to work on, more ways to improve and optimize. But when we base our happiness on achievement, we’ve joined the cult of productivity. Being productive is no longer a means to an end. It’s the end entirely. And it’s a sickness.

Here are some signs you’ve contracted the productivititis:

Inability to sit still for prolonged periods of time while playing games or spending time with friends.
Accidentally leaving your planner at home causes you to break into a cold sweat.
Lack of a highly-detailed action plan induces blurred vision, lack of ability to focus, and severe anxiety.
You feel that saving time is a serious accomplishment. Clearing your inbox in 40 seconds less than yesterday is cause for a monumental celebration.
Painting, laying out on the beach, and other non time-based activities are considered a horrendous sin against productivity.

Part of the reason for this obsession with productivity is we think time is money. But time is not money. Time is life.

Now, I’m not trying to throw the baby out with the bath water (actually, I don’t want to throw any babies anywhere — I’ve always thought that was a morbid expression). There is certainly a need for productivity and accomplishing goals. Without them, we would probably be pretty damn bored. But the problem is that we think more is the answer.

We want bite-sized happiness and short bursts of satisfaction. We go to theme parks and insist on going on every ride. We take trips and vacations, where we require that every attraction and monument be visited. We schedule our weeks trying to fit as many appointments and tasks in it as possible. All of this is done with the thought that someday, far away, we can relax.

If doing more isn’t the answer, maybe it’s doing less. Maybe it’s slowing down enough to actually enjoy the experience. Maybe it’s slowing down enough to remember what the hell you did two days ago, without having to look to your day planner.

With technology, we can get more done quicker than ever before. So isn’t that supposed to result in more free time and increased happiness? If so, why is it that most of us feel that when we’re not doing something productive, we’re uneasy? Why is it that when our time isn’t structured, we feel guilty?

In this article, Leo gave some good advice for how to break free from the clock. I think it’s important that we reject living our lives based on an arbitrary measurement. But I also think it’s important we question the values that brought us to this place. I think it’s possible that our search for happiness in productivity is largely due to a lack of being able to find satisfaction in the present moment.

Here are some suggestions for regaining the control of your time:

1. Keep a balance. There are bound to be sacrifices that we must make in life for the future. Sometimes we have to use stepping stones to build our way to success. Sometimes we have to work a job that we don’t necessarily like, in order to make connections to move our way up. Sometimes we need stepping stones. Just try to keep a balance between goals that are long term, and doing things that make you happy now.

2. Stay in perspective. Sometimes we need to drop goals that are no longer serving us. Having the courage to quit a goal that’s no longer aligned with you is okay. What matters most is that you stay authentic.

3. Future goals. Are the sacrifices you’re making now a part of a larger purpose? Our long term goals should enable us to have more free time to do what we want in the future, not create more stress. If the stress outweighs the benefits, it’s likely that your goal is not authentic and is mostly ego-based.

4. Say no. How often do you say yes to a commitment when you really want to say no? A lot of our freedom is stolen simply because we are unable to selfishly claim ownership of our time.. Realize you can only do so much. There’s no point in helping a hundred people if it’s making you miserable. That’s not a very good example to set for others.

5. Is increasing your productivity increasing your happiness? If you’re getting more done, but not making more time for the things you want to do, something is wrong. The point of getting things done is not to have more time to get things done. It’s to have more time for the things you truly enjoy.

6. Slow down. You’ll enjoy your time much more if you’re not constantly in a hurry. Something that’s helped me greatly is pretending as if what I’m doing is the only thing that exists at this time in the universe. This highly focused state doesn’t just make me enjoy what I’m doing more, it also makes me more effective.

7. Just be there. We enjoy the time we spend much more when we’re “in the zone.” That is to say, we have completely lost track of time. We’re not judging what we’re doing, we’re just doing it. We’re not thinking about it, we’re just flowing.

8. Follow your natural rhythms. We tend to try to force ourselves to be productive when we feel like relaxing. Doing this, we end up working against ourselves. Try to pay attention to your natural rhythms. When you feel like being productive, go with it.

9. When you feel like relaxing, don’t hold yourself back. Doing nothing is not a crime. It’s essential.

If we can learn how to be more content, our productivity can have more meaning. Our productivity can be the result of our happiness. Not the other way around. Cultivate meaningful productivity and start to re-claim your time.

Remember, time is not money. Time is life.

This article was written by Zen Habits contributor Jonathan Mead of the Illuminated Mind blog.

Grow up already!

2008-09-09T13:12:00.004-06:00

Apparently some daft fool decided that since he paid good money for his Oasis concert ticket, it allowed him to go on stage and pummel band member Noel Gallagher off the stage and into some speakers bruising his ribs and hips. Puhhlease...buddy stay home next time. You are an idiot.

Apparently fellow band member and brother Liam Gallagher felt it would be appropriate to accidently place his fist into the idiot's face a few times. Keep on trucking, Liam...keep on trucking.

Perhaps they have never been to Alberta...

2008-09-09T12:53:00.005-06:00

The Canadian Press
September 9, 2008 at 1:28 PM EDT

TORONTO — It's that time of year again – the Canadian Automobile Association's annual poll of Ontario's worst municipal roads gets under way today.

Last year, the Greater Sudbury area garnered four of the top 10 spots on the list of axle-busting, pothole-covered streets and roadways.

In all, more than 65-hundred Ontarians submitted votes online or at CAA-approved repair shops and stores across the province.

The focus of this year's campaign is the toll that crumbling roads and bridges have on people's health, their wallets and the environment.
The association is calling for all levels of government to commit to sustainable long-term funding for roads.

Voting closes Oct. 20.

Surely, Alberta, perhaps even Edmonton alone would come out on top -- or would that be the bottom? Apparently bad enough that this guys feels the need to document them. Mayor Mandel, are you listening? I know you are...

In the meantime, I am glad my Eclipse has great handling!

Where the hell is Matt?

2008-07-28T12:46:00.003-06:00

About Matt

Matt is a 31-year-old deadbeat from Connecticut who used to think that all he ever wanted to do in life was make and play videogames. Matt achieved this goal pretty early and enjoyed it for a while, but eventually realized there might be other stuff he was missing out on. In February of 2003, he quit his job in Brisbane, Australia and used the money he'd saved to wander around Asia until it ran out. He made this site so he could keep his family and friends updated about where he is.

A few months into his trip, a travel buddy gave Matt an idea. They were standing around taking pictures in Hanoi, and his friend said "Hey, why don't you stand over there and do that dance. I'll record it." He was referring to a particular dance Matt does. It's actually the only dance Matt does. He does it badly. Anyway, this turned out to be a very good idea.... read more

A simple act, sharing happiness around the world. Life really is that simple isn't it?

Matt is my new hero.

Watermelon Season!

2008-07-21T08:46:00.002-06:00

Seeing as I ate almost an entire watermelon myself yesterday (yeah so what, it made me HAPPY okay) it was great to see this arrive in my email inbox this morning from www.realage.com:

1. It's loaded with lycopene. Watermelon juice actually gave tomato juice a run for the money in a recent study of lycopene levels. That’s good news for your body, because early research suggests that lycopene may be a cancer crusher.

I feel slightly super-hero-ish this morning...like I can crush anything

2. It can make your skin pretty. Watermelon is loaded with a key compound credited with helping skin's healing and regenerative processes. Say no more -- bring on the melon!

I feel pretty, oh so pretty, and witty, and...

3. It's practically calorie-free. With fewer than 50 calories in every cup, watermelon is one smart way to satisfy a sweet tooth. And with a whopping 141 grams of water per cubed cup, watermelon will keep you hydrated, too.

suddenly I have the urge to pee....AGAIN......but I guess that is better than the smurf pooh from eating too many blueberries...I kid you not!

I think I will go buy another one...yum, yum.

Everything has Changed

2008-07-16T13:45:00.007-06:00

I was inspired by my friend's blog today. She wrote about the lead singer of the Barenaked Ladies, Steven Page, and his recent arrest for drug possession.

Here is my letter to Steven:

Dear Steven

The Sound of Your Voice has always been Easy to listen to. Today I find my thoughts Adrift and Everything has Changed.

I hear Angry People speaking of you with only Half a Heart. Oh I know in One Week there will be The New Sad and I Can I Will I Do think you may be Down to Earth and not as guilty as a man running from a Bank Job but still you have me confused you should be at Home, a Celebrity in your condo with oceanfront views, instead you're most wanted on the 6 o'clock news.

Pinch Me, it can't be true. It's All Been Done before but never by Some Fantastic member of BNL. I'll Be That Girl that listens to your Box Set and I Live With It Everyday in the Old Apartment and maybe begin to think now you are only Second Best (Ed, What a Good Boy you are).

In the end I hope The Wrong Man Was Convicted and the ladies you were with were not Alternative Girlfriends and they will simply say "Blame it On Me". You will Go Home, get the Alcohol In The Car, and find The Humor of the Situation.. Afterall, that's Life in a Nutshell and really you are only Falling for the First Time. Soon enough The Flag will be waved on yet another proverbial Brian Wilson, the paparazzi will Leave, and Everything Old Is New Again.

Next Time, fight the War on Drugs. Remember what they taught you in Grade 9 and don't be so Crazy. You know...If I had $1000000, and I were you, I would be Vanishing for a while.

This is Where it Ends, I am Running Out of Ink, I think I will just go Shopping...Who Needs Sleep? Except perhaps Intermittently.

For now, I need a Gin and Juice. I know in the end you will write a Little Tiny Song, it will be Off the Hook, and it will Sell, Sell, Sell.

For you it may be all Fun & Games but for me Everything has Changed. Am I the Only One?

Stress Relief...

2008-07-08T15:14:00.001-06:00

You know you wanna....

BUBBLEWRAP!!!!

Must have more....

Random U.S. election thought...

2008-07-06T12:57:00.003-06:00

Why is it that there are fifty contestants to chose from for Miss America, at least 24 voting choices for American Idol, but only two for President of the USA?

Just wondering...

12 Food Additives to Avoid

2008-07-03T13:42:00.003-06:00

Reprinted from Dr. Mercola's newsletter
www.mercola.com

Including something new in a food isn’t always a good idea, especially when it comes to your health. Here are 12 additives to subtract from your diet:

(Please understand these are not Dr. Mercola's assessments, but those by MSN Health and Fitness. Dr. Mercola's comments and recommendations are in his comments below.)

1. Sodium Nitrate (also called Sodium Nitrite)

This is a preservative, coloring, and flavoring commonly added to bacon, ham, hot dogs, luncheon meats, smoked fish, and corned beef. Studies have linked eating it to various types of cancer.

2. BHA and BHT

Butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydrozyttoluene are used to preserve common household foods. They are found in cereals, chewing gum, potato chips, and vegetable oils. They are oxidants, which form potentially cancer-causing reactive compounds in your body.

3. Propyl Gallate

Another preservative, often used in conjunction with BHA and BHT. It is sometimes found in meat products, chicken soup base, and chewing gum. Animals studies have suggested that it could be linked to cancer.

4. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

MSG is an amino acid used as a flavor enhancer in soups, salad dressings, chips, frozen entrees, and restaurant food. It can cause headaches and nausea, and animal studies link it to damaged nerve cells in the brains of infant mice.

5. Trans Fats

Trans fats are proven to cause heart disease. Restaurant food, especially fast food chains, often serve foods laden with trans fats.

6. Aspartame

Aspartame, also known by the brand names Nutrasweet and Equal, is a sweetener found in so-called diet foods such as low-calorie desserts, gelatins, drink mixes, and soft drinks. It may cause cancer or neurological problems, such as dizziness or hallucinations.

7. Acesulfame-K

This is a relatively new artificial sweetener found in baked goods, chewing gum, and gelatin desserts. There is a general concern that testing on this product has been scant, and some studies show the additive may cause cancer in rats.

8. Food Colorings: Blue 1, 2; Red 3; Green 3; Yellow 6

Five food colorings still on the market are linked with cancer in animal testing. Blue 1 and 2, found in beverages, candy, baked goods and pet food, have been linked to cancer in mice. Red 3, used to dye cherries, fruit cocktail, candy, and baked goods, has been shown to cause thyroid tumors in rats. Green 3, added to candy and beverages, has been linked to bladder cancer. The widely used yellow 6, added to beverages, sausage, gelatin, baked goods, and candy, has been linked to tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney.

9. Olestra

Olestra, a synthetic fat found in some potato chip brands, can cause severe diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and gas. Olestra also inhibits healthy vitamin absorption from fat-soluble carotenoids that are found in fruits and vegetables.

10. Potassium Bromate

Potassium bromate is used as an additive to increase volume in some white flour, breads, and rolls. It is known to cause cancer in animals, and even small amounts in bread can create a risk for humans.

11. White Sugar

Watch out for foods with added sugars, such as baked goods, cereals, crackers, sauces and many other processed foods. It is unsafe for your health, and promotes bad nutrition.

12. Sodium Chloride

A dash of sodium chloride, more commonly known as salt, can bring flavor to your meal. But too much salt can be dangerous for your health, leading to high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.

Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Americans spend about 90 percent of their food budget on processed foods, which contain a staggering number of artificial food additives, preservatives, colors and flavor enhancers. That your health suffers as a consequence of this assault should come as no surprise.

To review each of the mere dozen mentioned here could fill several books, and would still only be the tip of the iceberg. As you may already know, I wrote an entire book just on artificial sweeteners, called Sweet Deception. The book is currently out of print as we sold out of the last edition, but we hope to have it back in print by the fall.

However, when it comes to food additives, perhaps one of the most important aspects is the health ramifications they have on your children.

New Study Confirms What Astute Parents Have Known for Years

The issue of whether or not food additives such as artificial colors contribute to behavioral problems in children has been disputed for many years. Fortunately, this may soon change.

A carefully designed randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in the journal The Lancet last year may have finally shifted the tide (for a free PDF of the full study see this link).

It concluded that a variety of common food dyes, and the preservative sodium benzoate – found in many soft drinks, fruit juices and salad dressings – do cause some children to become measurably more hyperactive and distractible.

The seven ingredients tested in the study included:

Sodium benzoate (E211)
Sunset yellow (E110)
Quinoline yellow (E104)
Carmoisine (E122)
Tartrazine (E102)
Ponceau 4R (E124)
Allura red AC (E129)
The results of this study have already prompted the British Food Standards Agency (FSA) to issue an immediate advisory to parents, warning them to limit their children's intake of additives if they notice an effect on behavior.

Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, the U.S. has not issued any similar warnings.

The worst behavioral responses from the additives were seen in the three-year-olds, compared to the older children in the study. But even within each age group, some children responded very strongly, and others not at all, indicating there are individual differences in how well your body can tolerate the assault of artificial additives. One theory is that the additives may trigger a release of histamines in certain sensitive kids.

Still, I believe that food additives such as preservatives, sweeteners and colorings should be avoided as much as possible, regardless of whether they have a marked effect or not as they clearly have no redeeming nutritional value, and can carry major long-term health risks.

Food Colors May be as Damaging as Lead in Gasoline on Children’s Brains

Another recent article, published in the British magazine The Independent on April 5 2008, reported that artificial food colors (but not the preservative sodium benzoate) are now set to be removed from hundreds of products in the UK because the results of the study mentioned above also indicate that the E-numbers do as much damage to children's brains as lead in gasoline, resulting in a significant reduction in IQ.

The lead author, Professor Stevenson, and his three colleagues have stated:

"The position in relation to AFCs [Artificial Food Colors] is analogous to the state of knowledge about lead and IQ that was being evaluated in the early 1980s ... Needleman [a researcher] found the difference in IQ between high and low lead groups was 5.5 IQ points ... This is very close to the sizes obtained in our study of food additives."

Officials at the British FSA are advising the food industry to voluntarily remove the six food dyes named in the study by the end of 2009, and replace them with natural alternatives if possible.

True to form, the food industry claims the additives are used in a mere “handful” of products, but the website ActionOnAdditives.com has already identified more than 1,000 food products that contain them – most of which are targeted at children.

BEWARE -- Already Banned Food Additives Still Found in Children’s Medicines

Another thing you need to be aware of, as a parent, is that when an ingredient is banned for use in food, it is not automatically banned for use in other areas such as medicine.

According to an expose’ by the British Food Commission last year, food additives that have already been banned for use in food and beverages are still used in a majority of pediatric over-the-counter medicines.

Their survey found that ALL BUT ONE medicine out of 41 contained an additive that had been banned.

The additives found in these drugs included:

Synthetic azo dyes
Maltitol and sorbitol
Benzoate and sulphite preservatives
Chloroform
The justification for using these toxic compounds is what you'd typically expect from an over-the-counter pharmaceutical trade group: Unlike foods, additives in medicines are used in small quantities and are only taken for a short time.

Does that make you feel any better?

This is just one more reason why it’s so important to question what your doctor or any other health professional may prescribe or recommend for your child, no matter what side of the counter it comes from, as many pediatric drugs can certainly be harmful, if not downright toxic to your child’s health.

Sugar and Salt

White sugar is named in the list above but I would have to disagree and identify high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as far more problematic than white cane sugar. HFCS is the number one source of calories in the U.S. and causes far more damage than white sugar.

Salt is another challenge, as it can and is a health food for many, but it needs to be the right type of salt. Nearly all commercial salt is highly processed and heated to very high temperatures and has many additives added, which are also potentially toxic. So it would be wise to avoid processed foods with conventional salt added.

However, unprocessed salts, like unrefined sea salts and Himalayan salt can be an important part of a healthy diet. Personally, it is uncommon for a day to go by in which I don’t use Himalayan salt. I am a protein nutritional type and tend to do better with high quality salt.

www.mercola.com

Hakuna Matata

2008-06-19T08:20:00.005-06:00

Always a favourite song for everyone...and these guys do a great job with it.

Just a happy song for you on a Friday morning...TGIF!!

GroovyGrooves.com - The Grooviest Dancing, Singing, and Musician Videos

A lot can happen in 25 years...

2008-06-12T14:34:00.003-06:00

Yesterday marked the 25th anniversary of wedded bliss for hubby and I. Okay, maybe bliss isn't the right word for it.

A lot can happen in 25 years.

For us, as the young couple from June 11, 1983 we have gained 3 grown children, numerous in-laws & outlaws, nieces & nephews, a few pets come and gone...same with some friends. We have lived in a few different houses, even built some of them. We built a business together, raised a family, and created many moments, some good, some bad, but all memorable.

Oh yeah, we have gained a few pounds since then and our hair has either gotten smaller or thinner and thank goodness we have thrown away the head bands, the leggings, and the shoulder pads...but I think my kids have found them. Sheesh.

Over the years, the one things we always seemed to need more of was time. Necessity being the mother of invention, we have seen plenty of "time-saving" inventions over the last 25 years.

Look how much we have gained over the last quarter century, according to a list put together by USA Today. The top 25 inventions are listed below. Supposedly saving us time. How is that working for you?

1. Cellphones. Car phones were around in the 1970s, but it wasn't until 1983 that Motorola introduced the first widely available handheld cellphone. The DynaTAC 8000x weighed almost 2 pounds, but it still cost $3,995.

Just fabulous, now I have no time to myself...I can run but I can't hide because you will just call me on my cell.

2. Laptop Computers. It was about as portable as a sewing machine. But the 28-pound Compaq Portable – Compaq Computer's very first product – was the first portable IBM-compatible PC on the market. More than 53,000 sold in the year after its 1983 launch, despite a price usually topping $3,000.

Sure, now I spend time blogging, emailing, surfing, scanning, printing, loading, updating...I even had to learn a whole new language...but I can do it anywhere...so long as I can steal that free wireless internet signal...

3. BlackBerries. An obscure Canadian pager company, Research In Motion, shortened attention spans around the world with the launch of the BlackBerry mobile e-mail device in 1999.

Have you tried to set these things up? Yeah, need I say more? Think of what you could have been doing in that time.

4. Debit cards. Ka-ching! Who needs cash when you've got a debit card? They took off after Visa launched its check card in 1995. Before then, less than 2% of Americans used debit cards. Ten years later, debit card transactions exceeded those on credit cards.

Let's see, before debit cards I took out cash. When the cash ran out I was done spending. Now I can email my banker from my Blackberry and get my overdraft increased. If only I could find time to program it.

5.Caller ID. Bill collectors and your annoying Uncle Ned are easy to ignore with this invention introduced by BellSouth in 1984 in Orlando. Caller ID followed voice mail, an invention created a decade before to make up for declining secretarial employment.

Ignore the bill collectors, sure, but how many of you have called people back just because you saw their number show up...oh I know you have...what do I have to say about that? Leave a message after the beep...

6. DVDs. Americans traded all those hours rewinding video cassettes for hours watching directors kibitz about behind-the-scenes antics with the introduction of digital video discs in 1995. Consumers spent $7.4 billion on DVD rentals last year, up 10%. VHS rentals plummeted 74%, to $281 million.

Hmmm, HD or BlueRay?

7. Lithium rechargeable batteries. How many AAs does it take to power a laptop? Almost no one knows, thanks to the durable rechargeable battery Sony brought to market in 1991. It made its debut in a Sony camcorder – and has provided juice for laptops, cellphones, digital cameras and other portable electronics ever since.

Oh frick, I forgot to recharge the batteries...

8. iPods. Walking down the sidewalk hasn't been the same since November 2001, when Apple introduced its iconic portable digital music player. It wasn't the first player, but fans declared it the coolest and easiest to use by snapping up more than 100 million of them.

See "Blackberries"

9. Pay at the pump. Filling up the tank became even more self-serve when a gas station chain in Abilene, Texas, invented technology that turned the pump into a quasi-ATM.

Okay, this one I don't mind so much but really I do miss the old "We Jump to the Pump for You"...don't you? Now I spend hours in the cold winter months looking for a Full Serve station...so much for reducing my emissions.

10. Lettuce in a bag. Americans discovered there's more to salad than iceberg lettuce drowning in bottled dressing after the rollout of mixed lettuce greens in a bag. Fresh Express in Salinas, Calif., made that possible by inventing a high-tech plastic bag introduced nationwide in 1989. That helped ignite a whole consumer category of portion-controlled foods, such as bagged baby carrots.

Can you spell "Salmonella" (in-a-bag)?? Yeah, please wash your lettuce-in-a-bag.

11. Digital cameras. Kodak unveiled a digital camera for professionals in 1986, when consumers were still getting millions of rolls of film processed in labs. Apple followed with the first consumer version eight years later. But it wasn't until this century that cameras got affordable, driving consumers to buy a forecast 30 million this year.

Delete...oops, oh crap.

12. Doppler radar. We became a nation of weather fans as Doppler radar brought up-to-the-minute images to TV starting in 1990, a dozen years after the Weather Channel's launch turned forecasters such as Jim Cantore into celebrities.

Now my kid freaks over Tornado Warning

13. Flat-panel TVs. RCA pioneered flat-panel technology in the late 1960s. But it took nearly four decades before consumers got the idea. This year, 68% of all digital TVs sold are forecast to come with flat panels.

Did you just blink? I think so, and in the meantime your neighbour just bought a better one than yours.

14. Electronic tolls. Throwing quarters in a tollbooth bin became a thing of the past when the North Texas Tollway Authority started its TollTag system in the Dallas area in 1989. Now, millions of commuters prepay tolls and rely on electronic gadgets attached to their cars to zip through toll plazas.

What's a toll? LOL...I love Alberta.

15. PowerPoint. Lecturers from CEOs to sixth-graders display topic headings and charts with the click of a mouse. PowerPoint was invented by Forethought. Microsoft bought Forethought in 1987, unveiled its Windows version in 1990 and changed public speaking forever.

So after your child has spent hours and hours preparing their essay, the teacher now wants it illustrated and set to PowerPoint...yeah whatever.

16. Microwavable popcorn. We can credit – and blame – food scientists for simultaneously making possible lunch-in-a-hurry and that terrible burnt smell wafting from the office microwave oven. General Mills paved the way with the launch of Act II non-refrigerated microwaveable popcorn in 1984.

And we will all die from the microwaves, yada, yada, yada...

17. High-tech footwear. Plain canvas sneakers got tossed to the back of the closet when Nike launched Air Jordans in 1985, followed by Reebok's The Pump in 1989, giving rise to the performance-footwear industry.

See #13...don't blink.

18. Online stock trading. Investors jettisoned pricey stockbrokers after an Ameritrade predecessor offered online stock trading in 1994. During the market runup that followed, CNBC's Maria Bartiromo became a household name, and PCs morphed into slot machines for a new breed of investor: day traders.

Yup, now every idiot (this includes me) can lose money online because they don't know what they are doing...all from the convenience of their living room.

19. Big Bertha golf clubs. A World War I cannon inspired one of the biggest golf innovations when Ely Callaway created the oversize, wide-bodied stainless steel wood he dubbed Big Bertha in 1991. Callaway Golf followed up with the Great Big Bertha, Biggest Big Bertha, Great Big Bertha II, Big Bertha 454 and today's Big Bertha 460.

Golf widows unite...

20. Disposable contacts. A scream followed by, "No one move!" once routinely signaled that someone had dropped a pricey contact lens. Daily disposables – contacts worn for just a day before they're tossed – arrived in the USA in 1995.

Disposable...need I say more?

21. StairMaster. Arnold Schwarzenegger's breakout performance in Pumping Iron wasn't enough to get Americans pouring into gyms. Technology led the way with the StairMaster, one of the first machines to turn gyms into modern exercise arenas after it was introduced in Tulsa in 1986.

Laundry holder, clothes hanger, dust collector, oh come one you know it's true.

22. TiVo. The gadget is now a verb, with 4.4 million subscribers TiVo-ing their favorite TV shows. The digital device changed TV-viewing habits after the first TiVo was shipped in 1999.

Now you get to save countless hours of television which you will never really have time to watch anyways because you are too busy programming you electronic gadgets to make your life easier.

23. Purell. Germs trembled, and parents rejoiced ("What in the world is that on your hands?!") when Gojo in Akron, Ohio, created Purell hand sanitizer. The market for packaged handwipes and towlettes took off amid health scares over avian flu and post-9/11 threats.

Or you could just wash your hands with that stuff, what's it called? Oh yeah...SOAP.

24. Home satellite TV. The dishes that receive signals were once so big and pricey, they'd pull down your house if you tried strapping them to the chimney. But the 1994 launch of service from DirecTV led to today's supercompact dishes and lower prices, beaming tonight's Dancing with the Stars to the USA's more remote places.

More channels to surf...more time to waste...more re-runs.

25. Karaoke. What makes you sound so very good singing Stairway to Heaven? Two stiff drinks get you on stage in front of amused and horrified co-workers. But it's the karaoke machine invented in 1983 that really did the trick. The most popular karaoke song today? Patsy Cline's Crazy, says Karaoka.com.

Alright, I admit, I like this one and that song..."Crazy, I'm crazy for feelin' so lonely...
I'm crazy, crazy for feelin' so blue.....".

And so 25 years later one thing has stayed the same...we are still married...and what have I learned? I'll keep the old model...I like him!

Now, I gotta go...the Wii I ordered is in and I need a good workout but first I gotta figure out how to set it up.

Perceptual Experiment

2008-06-06T10:09:00.001-06:00

A very cool experiment...

http://transformationteam.net/video/perceptual_experiment_tc

Give it a try!!

Ahh, rural living at it's finest...

2008-06-05T10:50:00.000-06:00

So we are sleeping soundly last night...

I wake up around 2:30 am to the feeling that perhaps a moth landed on my bed...you know that fluttering wing kind of vibration that you hear/feel from a big ass moth...yeah that.

Hubby is also waking up at this point with a definite WTF coming out of his mouth. We were both half asleep and he asked me to turn on the light. I struggled and managed to find the switch (I am a heavy sleeper, lol, and I need my eight hours).

Not being very happy at this point in time we both look around the room to see what had pretty much hit the bed next to hubby's ears and brushed by his remaining hair. We see this dark thing flying around the room in obvious distress...

"It's a moth" says hubby

"It's a fricken bat" says me

"It's not a fricken bat" says hubby...obviously thinking I am nuts and a big scaredy cat.

It flew out of the room...we are now laughing at each other as we follow it into the main area of the house. Note: he still think it is a moth -- apparently he thinks we have big ass black moths out here. I am still pretty sure it is a bat.

I hand the "fly" swatter to him. We nearly pee ourselves laughing as he chases this damn thing flying at Mach speeds around the house, they are fast and silent, did you know?? That is a funny site at 2:30 am...burly hubby with a fly swatter, ducking, swatting...kind of squealing (think like a girl) as it whizzes by his head.

He finally says to me, "I think I need a broom"

Okay, I think I just dribbled in my jammies...

I go to the broom closet and before I can even grab the broom I hear

Ugh, hmph, thud. "uh, yeah, it is a bat"

Ewww....

Funeral services were not held but viewing is available on my front lawn at your convenience.

The Mocha Showdown

2008-05-08T12:51:00.002-06:00

Starbucks, Caffe Mocha - no whipped cream Grande-sized with 2% milk
16 ounces
Calories 312
Total fat 8.0g (Saturated Fat 4.0g)
Cholesterol 25mg
Sodium 125mg
Total Carbs 41.0g, Dietary Fibre 2.0g, Sugars 31.0g
Protein 13.0g

Tim Horton's Cafe Mocha
Medium size only 10 oz so smaller size
Calories 180
Total Fat 8.0g (sat Fat 6.0g)
Sodium 170mg (:shock:)
Total Carbs 27.0g (Dietary Fiber 1.0g, Sugars 24.0g)
Protein 1.0g

Gano Excel Mocha*
Serving Size is one sachet which makes 16 oz when mixed with hot water
Calories 130
Total fat 4.0g (Sat Fat 3.5g)
Sodium 25.0mg
Total Carbs 22.0g (Sugars 16.0g)
Protein 1.0g

*Not too mention the added health benefits of consuming reishi (Ganoderma Lucidum).

Conclusion: Gano Excel WINS! And so do you...yummy flavour and healthier for you!

13 Random Health Facts You Never Knew

2008-04-08T07:11:00.005-06:00

shared from health ranker blog

I love sharing lists like these that are both educational and entertaining. Well, some of these “health facts” are more like “un-health facts” (especially #6), but they’re interesting nonetheless.

1) Motorists who talk on cell phones are more impaired than drunk drivers with blood-alcohol levels exceeding .08.

2) Banging your head against a wall burns 150 calories an hour.

3) In some parts of the world, they protect their babies from disease by bathing them in beer.

4) The word ‘gymnasium’ comes from the Greek word gymnazein, which means ‘to exercise naked.’

5) Sleeping can help you lose weight! Compared to an eight hours of shut-eye, each one-hour decrease in sleep duration was linked to almost 3% more body fat.

6) The average American eats at McDonald’s more than 1,800 times in their life.

7) There are more bacteria in your mouth than there are people in the world.

8) According to U.S. FDA standards, 1 cup of orange juice is allowed to contain 10 fruit fly eggs, but only 2 maggots.

9) You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching television.

10) It is possible to go blind from smoking too heavily.

11) Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people.

12) You are about 1 centimeter taller in the morning than in the evening.

13) During your lifetime, you’ll eat about 60,000 pounds of food -- that’s the weight of about 6 elephants.

Sources:
health ranker blog

Simplifying Shaklee and Your Life

2008-04-04T09:09:00.005-06:00

If you have stopped by my site or if you know me then you already know that I am a Shaklee distributor. So you may be asking, why, or maybe you don't really care. Anyhow...I had someone recently ask me to simplify Shaklee for them and this is what I wrote:

Why Start With Shaklee?

Because Shaklee offers us products that are everyday that’s why!

Now you are thinking…what is she talking about?? Okay I will simplify…

First of all, where do you shop for your toothpaste, shampoo, household and laundry products, skincare, makeup, plus vitamins and food supplements you may use in your home?

Consider what it could mean to you to re-direct your spending by simply changing your brand and your “store”. Instead of buying those products from your regular big-box store, you purchase them from your own Shaklee store. Not so difficult of a concept right? If you did indeed have your own store or even if your best friend had their own store you would be buying from that store.

You decision is to change brands to products that are just as good, or most likely better than what you currently using from “Big Box” store or your favorite supermarket. Pretty easy so far right?

Okay, now you are buying your $135 - $150 dollars in products (100 point value of product) you used to buy anyways but you are buying them from your store. Keep in mind that you do not have to buy this amount every month to remain active with Shaklee, you just need this amount to collect commission. There are NO minimum requirements with Shaklee.

Now that we have that all figured out... Do you think you can tell 6 people about Shaklee and get them to do the same…change their buying power, their brand power?

Basically, here is an example of how easy it is to make it work.

You now have 100 in points value and you have found 6 other people who also understand the concept, see the great value and benefits to the Shaklee products, and are also purchasing 100 in points value. Take your 100 points and add it their 600 (100 each) for a total of 700. You just earned your $150 bonus. So you spent $150 on everyday products and you just earned $150. If you did this in your first month, your products could be free from then on.

We can of course expand from there…those 6 people tell 6 people and you now have 43 in your group including yourself (because your points count too). If they continue with their buying power and purchase their 100 points, you just made yourself a whopping $2000 in bonus! Pretty sweet.

What did you do to earn that income? You redirected your spending, your buying power.

The scenario I described is just the tip of the iceberg in my opinion. Think of the potential. Think of the fact that you can be on vacation or home playing with your kids, and your downline team (associates and customers) will still be doing their laundry, cleaning their house, taking their vitamins, washing their hair, and brushing their teeth…so you will still be earning.

Now that is buying power! Are you feeling powerful? I know I am!

Business Opportunity Info
Project MAHMA (Moms At Home Making A difference, and a lot of money)

So, in a nutshell, that's why!

Or maybe you are thinking who cares, just let me shop:
USA or CANADA

No pressure, no problem, all the power to ya!

Birth Order of Children

2008-04-03T12:20:00.004-06:00

I received this via email and found it to be quite entertaining. Perhaps because I am the mother of three, maybe because I come from a family of three, but mostly because you just can't deny it -- it is soooo true!

BIRTH ORDER OF CHILDREN
1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN
confirms your pregnancy.
2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.
_____________________________________________________
Preparing for the Birth:
1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.
2nd baby: You don't bother because you remember that last
time, breathing didn't do a thing.
3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your eighth month.
______________________________________________________
The Layette:
1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold
them neatly in the baby's little bureau.
2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard
only the ones with the darkest stains.
3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?
______________________________________________________
Worries:
1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper,
a frown--you pick up the baby
2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten
to wake your firstborn.
3rd baby: You teach your three-year-old how to rewind the mechanical
swing.
______________________________________________________
Pacifier:
1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until
you can go home and wash and boil it.
2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it
off with some juice from the baby's bottle.
3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.
______________________________________________________
Diapering:
1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour,
whether they need it or not.
2nd baby: You change their diaper every two to three hours, if needed.
3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to
complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.
_______________________________________________________
Activities:
1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing,
Baby Zoo, Baby Movies and Baby Story Hour.
2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaners.
_____________________________________________ _________
Going Out:
1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter,
you call home five times.
2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to
leave a number where you can be reached.
3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees
blood.
______________________________________________________
At Home:
1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.
2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older child
isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.
3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from
the children
______________________________________________________
Swallowing Coins (a favorite):
1st child: When first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the
hospital and demand x-rays
2nd child: When second child swallows a coin, you carefully
watch for the coin to pass.
3rd child: When third child swallows a coin you deduct it from his
allowance!

2008-03-20T09:02:00.003-06:00

From the website www.mercola.com

Interesting...very interesting...

Treating Cancer -- With Herbs

Many of the chemotherapies used to fight cancer in modern medicine were developed from natural substances.

For instance:
Taxanes used to treat prostate and breast cancer came from yew trees.
Vinca alkaloids, which are used to treat malignant lymphomas, are made from periwinkle plants.
The anti-cancer drugs topotecan and irinotecan come from a component of the Chinese Happy Tree.
Scientists are increasingly focusing on plants used in traditional medicine in their search for new compounds. About three-quarters of the pharmaceutical compounds used today came from plants used in traditional medicine.

Professor Dr. Thomas Efferth from Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum in Heidelberg, for example, has begun analyzing 76 Chinese medicinal plants that are believed to treat malignant tumors and other growths. Extracts from 18 of the plants were found to significantly suppress the growth of cancer cells.

“With this success rate of about 24 percent, we are way above the results that could be expected from searching through large chemical substance libraries,” Efferth said.
Sources:
Eurekalert March 4, 2008
Molecular Cancer Therapeutics January 1, 2008, 7, 152-161

Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Most pharmaceuticals that are derived from plants are typically from one “active” component of the plant that is then isolated and synthetically replicated. In contrast, most traditional medicine remedies use whole plants in their natural state, which is a far cry from the lab-produced cancer treatments used in modern medicine.

While herbal remedies can indeed be powerful, they are typically far safer than most medications. Still, I do not widely support using them as your primary healing approach as they rarely address the primary cause. Like drugs, herbs and other plants are frequently used as band-aids that fail to address the root cause.

However, when used wisely by someone trained in this science they can be enormously beneficial adjuncts to the healing process, and I believe that it is wise to use them. Just be careful to continue to search for the reasons that you initially acquired the health challenge.

Cancer Treatments: Chemo or Natural?

While I don’t normally focus on the details of cancer treatments, it’s worth pointing out that it is very rare for cancer to only have one cause. Rather than simply being caused by a malfunction in your DNA, or a faulty gene you “inherited” from your grandmother, cancer is more typically triggered by a combination of the following:
Nutritional deficiencies
Toxins in your environment
Emotional conflicts
Hormonal imbalances
Often, cancer can actually be treated, and reversed, by addressing these variables through dietary changes, purifying your environment, and addressing your emotional state.

Chemotherapy is rarely the best option for cancer treatment, as it usually doesn't cure cancer or extend life, and it really does not improve the quality of your life either. Dr. Ralph Moss, who is the author of eight books on cancer treatment, has reviewed thousands of studies as part of the research for his books -- and he has not found one single good study that shows chemo cures cancer or extends life.

What chemo does do, however, is expose your body to toxins that kill all cells that multiply and divide rapidly. This includes not only cancer cells, but also other rapidly multiplying and dividing cells, such as bone marrow, reproductive system cells and hair follicles.

These are powerful drugs that present an assault on your system -- one that your body must then overcome along with the cancer. And the effects do not end right after the treatment. One UCLA study found that chemotherapy can actually change the blood flow and metabolism of your brain in ways that can linger for 10 years or more after treatment.

Preventing Cancer: 12 Tips to Live By

No one wants to battle cancer, and there is good news because I believe you can VIRTUALLY ELIMINATE your risk of cancer and chronic disease, and radically improve your chances of recovering from cancer if you currently have it, by following these relatively simple risk reduction strategies.

1. Reduce or eliminate your processed food, sugar and grain carbohydrate intake. Yes, this is even true for whole unprocessed organic grains, as they tend to rapidly break down and drive your insulin and leptin levels up, which is the last thing you need to have happening if you are seeking to resolve a cancer.

2. Control your fasting insulin and leptin levels. This is the end result, and can be easily monitored with the use of simple and relatively inexpensive blood tests.

3. Normalize your ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats by taking a high-quality krill oil and reducing your intake of most processed vegetable oils.

4. Get regular exercise. One of the primary reasons exercise works is that it drives your insulin levels down. Controlling insulin levels is one of the most powerful ways to reduce your cancer risks.

5. Normalize your vitamin D levels by getting plenty of sunlight exposure and consider careful supplementation when this is not possible. If you take oral vitamin D and have a cancer, it would be very prudent to monitor your vitamin D blood levels regularly.

6. Get regular, good sleep.

7. Eat according to your nutritional type. The potent anti-cancer effects of this principle are very much underappreciated. When we treat cancer patients in our clinic this is one of the most powerful anti-cancer strategies we have.

8. Reduce your exposure to environmental toxins like pesticides, household chemical cleaners, synthetic air fresheners and air pollution.

9. Limit your exposure and provide protection for yourself from information-carrying radio waves produced by cell phone towers, base stations, phones and WiFi stations.

10. Avoid frying or charbroiling your food. Boil, poach or steam your foods instead.

11. Have a tool to permanently reprogram the neurological short-circuiting that can activate cancer genes. Even the CDC states that 85 percent of disease is caused by emotions. It is likely that this factor may be more important than all the other physical ones listed here, so make sure this is addressed. Energy psychology seems to be one of the best approaches and my particular favorite tool, as you may know, is the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). German New Medicine is another powerful tool.

12. Eat at least one-third of your food raw.

For more info visit: www.mercola.com

Earth Hour 2008

2008-03-10T20:32:00.006-06:00

It started with a question: How can we inspire people to take action on climate change?

The answer: Ask the people of Sydney to turn off their lights for one hour.

On 31 March 2007, 2.2 million people and 2100 Sydney businesses turned off their lights for one hour - Earth Hour. This massive collective effort reduced Sydney's energy consumption by 10.2% for one hour, which is the equivalent effect of taking 48,000 cars off the road for a year.

With Sydney icons like the Harbour Bridge and Opera House turning their lights off, and unique events such as weddings by candlelight, the world took notice. Inspired by the collective effort of millions of Sydneysiders, many major global cities are joining Earth Hour in 2008, turning a symbolic event into a global movement.

Help us make Earth Hour 2008 even bigger!

Beyond turning off your lights for one hour at 8pm March 29, 2008, please click on the link and sign up to show your support!

Add your name to the Earth Hour movement here. Once registered, you'll receive useful tools and tips to help you get even more involved.

Join me, sign up for Earth Hour 2008

International Women's Day March 8, 2008

2008-03-07T08:23:00.003-07:00

Tomorrow is International Women's Day.

We should take some time out tomorrow to toast our "sisters" that came before us and ensured that we were able to do what we want, when we want, so that we will never WANT.

In North America, women have been empowered, we want that for our sister's around the world as well.

Read more about gender inequality here: Gender Inequality

Where your white band tomorrow for all women.

"The fight against poverty requires justice and equality for women. Around the world, women and girls are more likely to face violence, have fewer rights and receive less education than men.

And because women are often denied fair compensation for their work, poverty rates among women are much higher.

Gender equality is a key part of making poverty history. Policies that promote the health, education and rights of women make huge contributions towards alleviating poverty. Any serious attempt to eradicate poverty must work towards gender equality....

...Take action online

Our friends at Oxfam Canada have a petition to the Prime Minister calling for him to support gender equality and an end to violence against women. Sign the Oxfam petition here"

Quoted from www.makepovertyhistory.ca

Living the Life of Luxury with Lorre and still Go Green!

2008-03-04T09:05:00.006-07:00

Not sure if I want to laugh or yell "you go girlfriend"

But I am in a sharing mood this morning...plus she does mention Shaklee!

Luxury on a Budget with Lorre

Emptying the Nest

2008-03-04T07:52:00.003-07:00

One down, two to go.

No seriously, I love my children with all of my heart and soul but I am not one of those parents that hopes they will stay forever and dreads the day they fly the coop, leave the nest, yada, yada, yada.

Our first child fled the coop this past summer. Let's get real folks, I miss him dearly, I repeat, I miss him dearly. What I don't miss is the laundry, the cooking, and the cleaning for him.

I love you my boy and you can stop by for dinner whenever you want...just call first...or better yet, have us over for dinner!

Give 'em wings.

You know you are getting older when...

2008-03-04T07:48:00.003-07:00

Okay...I am not quite here yet but I can see it happening...yikes!

You know you are getting older when...

You're asleep, but others worry that you're dead.

You have a party and the neighbors don't even realize it.

You can live without sex, but not without glasses.

Your back goes out more than you do.

You quit trying to hold your stomach in, no matter who walks into the room.

You buy a compass for the dash of your car.

You are proud of your lawn mower.

Your best friend is dating someone half their age... And isn't breaking any laws.

Your arms are almost too short to read the newspaper.

You sing along with the elevator music.

You would rather go to work than stay home sick.

You enjoy hearing about other people's operations.

You consider coffee one of the most important things in life.

You no longer think of speed limits as a challenge.

People call at 9 pm. And ask, "Did I wake you?"

You answer a question with "Because I said so!"

You send money to PBS.

The end of your tie doesn't come anywhere near the top of your pants.

You take a metal detector to the beach.

You wear black socks with sandals.

You know what the word equity means.

You can't remember the last time you laid on the floor to watch television.

Your ears are hairier than your head.

You talk about "good grass" and you're referring to someone's lawn.

You get into a heated argument about pension plans.

You got cable for the weather channel.

You can go bowling without drinking.

(author unknown)

New Website Look

2008-02-07T07:30:00.003-07:00

Did a little revamping and tweaking and I think I like it. My www.GuiltlessCafe.com website has a new look. I hope that this new format will allow me to add more (and maybe motivate me too).

Anyways, check it out, tell me what you think. www.GuiltlessCafe.com

I will talk more about the businesses I am involved in in this blog so, come back now, ya' hear?

Later

Election USA Super Tuesday

2008-02-05T13:13:00.000-07:00

The National reports, the US campaign is so engaging that a majority of Canadians would trade in their vote in the next Canadian federal election for a chance to cast a ballot in the American race.

We haven't had a majority of Canadians vote on anything for a while.

Interesting...and frightening...

15 Ways to a Better Life

2008-02-05T07:53:00.000-07:00

Well, I don't know if they really work but my life is pretty good thus far. So, here they are:

1. Eat real food, eat more raw foods (nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruit), don’t eat too much, eat more plants. Not that I don’t like a good steak or anything…just eat less of it.

2. Eat fibre. Eat it whenever you can, sneak it in if you have to. You CAN find yummy ways to at fibre. Don’t be afraid.

3. Avoid partially or fully hydrogenated oils. Guess what, they lied to you about margarine. Don’t eat it. Butter really is better – just don’t eat the whole stick. Use cold pressed and unrefined oils (extra virgin olive oil, macadamia nut oil).

4. Omegas. Take some. 3, 6, 9, they are all good, even better when you get them all. Look for good supplements preferably certified organic-cold pressed and unrefined. Eat fish more often.

5. Do not eat fried foods, no really, stop it. Bake your foods instead.

6. White is bad. No I am not racist, I am talking about food. Avoid white foods (white potatoes, refined white flour, white sugar, white pasta etc.).

7. Try to eat unprocessed foods. Shop on the OUTSIDE aisles at your local grocery store. Dangerous high-glycemic foods lurk in the middle aisles. Stay calm and stay away.

8. Eat your beans. They are good for you!

9. Eat smaller meals and eat snacks but choose healthy snacks.

10. Drink water. Just water…don’t add “stuff” to it.

11. Avoid artificial sweeteners. Use natural sweeteners: honey, maple syrup, or stevia. If you really want to use sugar, find raw unprocessed sugars. They actually taste better.

12. Lower your salt intake – hide that saltshaker, well at the very least keep it off the table.

13. Your mom was right about taking your vitamins – find a good one and take it. Do your research. Educate yourself.

14. Walk, cycle, run, LIFT WEIGHTS, do something.

15. Enjoy yourself. Do things you love to do. Spend time with people that make you happy. Avoid the negatives in life. Laugh. Love. Live.

Disclaimer: The above statements have not been evaluated by any governing agencies nor will they ever be evaluated by any governing agencies. Heck, I don’t even care if you evaluate them. I just thought they sounded good when I wrote them.

The Italian Mother

2008-02-01T09:51:00.000-07:00

I am Italian. My parents are first generation Italian-Canadian immigrants. They are proud to be Canadian but they are also proud to be Italian, proud of the heritage, proud of their family, and ultimately proud of their homeland, the motherland. They should be proud, period.

I also married an Italian man. Along with my Italian husband came a large Italian family. Lucky, hey? Actually, I am. Growing up, there were five of us, my parents, myself, and two brothers. My parents left everything back home in the “old country”, including the relatives. I admire them for leaving everything to take a risk such as that just for our future, their children’s future (despite the dang cold weather we have here, really dad, what were you thinking? You lived in the Mediterranean?!).

Along with this sacrifice came the lack of big family dinners, lots of aunts and uncles, more cousins than you can count, and of course, a Nonna (grandmother). Nonna is the hierarchy of the Italian family. Oh, I know you have heard the Italian man is the head of the household, the king of the castle, the Godfather, blah, blah, blah. Try to tell Nonna that. In reality, as I quickly learned through the courting years with my husband, the Nonna is the supreme leader of any Italian household.

Funny though that the typical North American woman has always felt that only here in the free country will a woman be considered an equal to a man or perhaps even superior. Not so, in an Italian family, the woman is the ruler. Outwardly, you would not think so and it would never be publicly displayed because, really, what would the neighbours think? But, if Pappa made the wrong decision while at an outing together you would be sure that Mamma would be pulling his ear when they got home and telling him how things will be and the next day Mamma would get her way of course, all the while convincing everyone that it was Pappa’s idea. The only one that can change Mamma’s mind is Nonna. If Nonna said it was so, then so it was, no one questioned, and no one went against her wishes. Her importance in my husband’s family was so vital that upon her passing the togetherness and closeness was never the same. Perhaps, it had now been handed down to the Nonnas next in line (our generation’s mothers) that now each family had its own tightness. Or perhaps the family just got too big and family get-togethers became too difficult, whatever it was it was never the same without Nonna.

Having seen this first hand at many a family gathering with my husband’s family, I began to question and observe what was really happening in our house. Was Dad really in charge as I had thought all these years? I would watch and I would listen. My mother always seemed as thought she respected my father’s words and decisions with such high regard and to this day I don’t doubt at all that she did but somehow I could see she really did have and still has something else. She has meaning and conviction. She believes in the family, the strength of its closeness, the importance of its love. Perhaps there was so much more to her words, “Your father thinks…”.

The Italian woman holds her head up high. She walks with honour. Her husband also walks with his head high and with honour for he has a strong wife, and she tells him “Stand up straight and be proud!” And he listens.

Listen Up!

2008-02-01T09:46:00.000-07:00

I multitask..doesn't every mother...but because of this, I think I may have a really short attention span. You see, I finished writing that sentence and then I stopped. What was I going to write after that? I am never really sure so then I make something else up and hope that I will remember what I was really going to say before everyone stops listening to me and walks away. It doesn’t always work.

In my family, if you stop to take a breath someone else starts talking and if you are like me you won’t remember what you wanted to say when they finally give you a chance to speak. I have three older children and a self-employed husband. They always have so much more to talk about than me it seems. Or maybe it is just that as a mother I have assumed the role of listener over the years.

I work from home, handling the administrative side of the business my husband and I have built up over the last 15 or so years. I have worked out of the home as well when the children were school aged but we have always had our business to run so I was never working full time away from the home. This has allowed me the privilege, although I sometimes may have questioned that description, to be here for everyone. I am here when someone needs a ride, when someone needs some food, or when someone needs an ear. Mostly, I am here, and they have all learned to count on that. Unfortunately, on the flip side, it seems to have taken away my ability to be anything but The Listener. I work alone all day and speak on the phone very rarely. When I do, I am listening to customers. When my family comes home, I am listening to them.

Here is how it typically plays out: Imagine a table at dinner, the food is home cooked and the house has been cleaned, the family sits around talking about their respective days. They all seem to be talking to me. Or maybe I just feel that way and I have the desire to listen to everyone talking. I try to listen to one, then the other, then another, now the first is clamoring for my attention again, “I didn’t finish”, throw in a parent or an in-law or two, they demand respect, oh dear, oh no, who was I listening to in the first place? I think you get the picture. See I maybe really do have a short attention span.

How do I treat this developed affliction? How do I get others to listen to me? Wait, I sound pathetic. When I attend a party or a get together at a friends’ home, they listen, they even tell me I am entertaining sometimes. I do get invited again so this is a good sign, right? Well then, what is the problem? Why is it that at home I am The Listener? I am fun, I am intelligent, I have things to say. Really.

Now my children will read this and end up saying “But sometimes you don’t listen. Sometimes you just LOOK like you are listening”.

Err, umm, yes, I do that too.

Remember I work from home and many a days I have been busy doing my work and the school bus arrives, the kids let themselves in, sit down in the empty chair near my desk that awaits there arrival and proceed to tell me about their day. I tried really hard to listen all those times but I really needed to finish what I was doing so I could make you all some supper!

Talk to me, then but wait for your sister to finish her story first.

My first BLOG

2008-02-01T08:43:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are.

I have joined the millions of "bloggers" out there. Now if only I could think of something clever to write...