ENRICHD: Body On #OnGoesIn

ENRICHD Body on, body in, body out are a series of straight forward ways of upgrading commonly consumed foods and skin care products, and a way of deciphering the messages your body is giving you. 

This is ENRICHD Body On:

What you put on your body may be soaking in through your skin, your gums, scalp or lungs when you breath in... It has to be worth thinking about twice and making a wise choice...

The more I research for the book I have been co-authoring with Jefferson Deperon for 3 years now, the more obvious it becomes that the environment we create for ourselves may directly impact our health...

Here are some of the Enrichd Body On tips:

Laundry detergent - for clothes and bedding, you might just be breathing that stuff in, and absorbing the ingredients of your laundry detergent through your skin. Think on that for a second... Now read the ingredients of your current detergent, do you know what they are or what they do, or what effect they may have on your health?  It's not funny, it's potentially deadly.  In the UK? Consider Bio D. Stateside? In the US try Better Life (Clean Happens)

Toothpaste - brushing unknown ingredients into your gums = silly. Make an informed decision when choosing your toothpaste or make your own (I have been playing with coconut oil, baking soda, turmeric and mint oil). There are many toothpastes to choose from that are made from plants, oils and foods. They're definitely our first choice.

Mouthwash - common high-street brand? No gracias. Without getting into too much detail on all of the suspect ingredients, remember that alcohol (which many mouthwashes contain) is a great delivery system into the blood stream - but what are you delivering? How about a plant based mouthwash, make your own and/or swish coconut oil or sesame oil for up to 20 mins (it's called oil pulling).  And, another one to play with - Oil pulling is practiced in Ayurveda as a means of keeping the mouth healthy (sesame or coconut oil can be good options).

Conditioner - it may soak into your scalp, so choose wisely or make your own.

Shampoo - see above. We buy ours from the local farmers market, it is handmade and contains honey and a load of awesome herbs.

Deodorant - spraying the ingredients in most deodorants into you arm pit, in my opinion = silly.  Really... Snap out of the marketing hypnosis and find a way to not use that crap or find an alternative.

Aftershave - bottle of unpronounceable ingredients on your face? I'm not even sorry for saying - that's just dumb and again, and has almost certainly become so common due to the result of heavy marketing (the food industry in the USA spend around $6 billion per year marketing you know...).  You can upgrade it to natural oils, and find the right ones for you, some kind really smell aweful.

Moisturizer - I like organic extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil.  Or, make your own using an oil base and essential oils.  It's so simple and you probably have it in the cupboard already! If your skin is already oily you probably don't need to moisturize.  I use organic olive oil almost daily and occasionally coconut oilto shake things up a bit ;)... Recently I've been experimenting with jojoba and apricot kernel oil.  If you use olive oil keep it well clear of your eyes, it can sting.

Oh, and avocado for face masks!  Mix in some cacao too if you want to really go for it.

Body Scrub - Organic coffee grounds (after drinking it) can make a great body scrub, and may even stimulate circulation.

Shower filter - use one or become the filter - get it? Water on, and may goes in through your skin.

Tooth brush - recycled or bamboo are available, because you and the planet are worth it.

Synthetic Sunscreen - try natural oils on the outside and foods high in beta-carotene, antioxidants and vitamin E to protect you from the inside. Limit time in the sun to not burn.  More on sunscreen here.

Deep cleaning - there is more to humans than the physical. It has been said that you can clean more deeply with salt baths, eucalyptus, rue, or the ocean if you are close.  Remember, we are just cells, molecules, atoms and inside there, it's ever changing energy!

We are just scratching the surface here, there is SO much more to come from Body On, but I wanted to share this with you now.  I keep adding to this list every now and again and feel free to send in your ideas and discoveries!

I hope you read those words with an open mind, I want you as healthy and awake as possible...

Love.

98% NOT Stevia - Stevia (dickheads...)

Which Stevia is the best stevia?

Stevia is a something I'm happy to consume.  I'm a sweet person ;) but if I'm going to use one it will actually be Stevia.  And derived from a trusted source in a trusted ethical way.  As with almost all foods, when food marketing and food marketers get their sticky little brains on to it it can become confusing... Watch this video for an insight into food marketing:

I'm currently LOVING Omica Organics Stevia which I believe is one of the high integrity stevia sweeteners available today.

Stevia, the stevia leaf...

Trust yourself

Paleo? Raw? Vegan? Which diet is best for you?

Today I was taking a quick swim in the warm Caribbean-like waters of Florida (so thankful to be here!), when I noticed a gent being filmed while performing some very impressive push ups - I'd call them flying push ups or superman push ups where he was pushing himself up into the air high enough to take on the superman pose.  You know the one. He did about 6 in a row, on the sand.

I finished my good morning swim the same time he was finishing his photo shoot, we chatted a little, I complemented his push ups (to begin the conversation) he said I could do them, I agreed.  We chatted a little more, turns out he is another celebrity trainer.

The point of this rather odd story?

As we chatted further, and after mentioning the Enrichd smoothie book and our forthcoming book, we got on to the subject of food and diets.

He said he didn't eat red meat because his doctor told him not to. Fair enough and that can be a good thing for a lot of people.  But then went on to say his digestion wasn't too good, but felt BETTER when eating red meat.  He became more animated and energized as he told me that he felt more energized and better when he ate red meat.  See what happened there?

The message in this story is not about red meat.  

(Image by Gregory Siff for Bite Me Dieting)

Of course listen to your doctors advice, especially if you are having digestive problems, or any health concerns, but it might be worth getting another opinion too, perhaps a different doctor, a doctor from a another culture or country or academic background.

Or perhaps listening to the one who knows you best - your body.

Final notes: The state of many farms and they way they treat animals is disgusting, that is why doing a little research and being selective can pay off for everyone. 

Of course choose the highest quality foods that you can afford and those that have had the most positive effect on the planet.  If you eat meat it's highly recommended that you choose at least organic or wild / grass fed.  This is also particularly relevant for eggs and the life of the chicken.  If your meat is non-organic or you do not know the farm / source then it is highly likely the animals were fed genetically modified (GMO / GM) feed, or treated with genetically modified hormones (rBGH - recombinant bovine growth hormone).  No thanks ;)...

Having spent a good amount of time chatting with, and outright questioning one of the owners of Muddy Boots, I feel confident in saying they are easily accessible and providing meats from some of the highest grade UK farms and abattoirs.  We spoke at length about animal welfare, animals emotions and the abattoirs.

Non Stick vs Cast Iron

Cast Iron or Non-Stick?

This is a really quick, yet possibly very important write up on Non-Stick / TEFLON pans and Cast Iron Pans. 

"Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), linked in laboratory animals to an increase in tumours of the liver, pancreas and testicles and reduced fertility, is one of the chemicals used in the chain of reactions that makes the common non-stick surface Teflon." (The Guardian, 2015)

Teflon Flu is a term given to an illness caused by inhaling the chemicals released when TEFLON (DuPont) nonstick pans are used to cook foods.

There is even a study showing birds dying from inhaling Polytetrafluoroethylene (TEFLON)

Birds are known for having a sensitive respiratory system so it does not necessarily mean that TEFLON non-stick pans are going to kill us but the birds dropping dead is definitely a warning sign. Remember 'canary in the coal mine' being used to let miners know if the air was safe or not?

Remember when Non-stick pans became all the rage? I don't wonder who it was that created the 'rage' or marketing hype.... it was of course the manufacturers, or moreover, their marketeers.

This is another case of our grandparents and generations before being on the right side of health, the right side of the boom in marketeers selling us things we do not need and that could be deadly. Generations before used cast iron for cooking.... and thankfully it's coming back!

The dangers around non-stick pans appears to be linked to the fumes that come from them and the leaching of Polytetrafluoroethylene into food.

4 Tips from various sites, reputable newspapers and studies just in case you still have non-stick/teflon for while you save up the 20$ or to get a cast iron pan:

1) Pre-heating non-stick/teflon is likely to release the fumes which can kill birds and could make humans sick. Non-stick/TEFLON pots and pans quickly reach the temperatures which produce toxic particles and gases (which can enter your lungs). For more on this research "Teflon toxicosis"

2) Do not use non-stick in the oven because ovens will easily reach the higher temperatures.

3) Use an exhaust fan over the hob (knowing that will only suck out the Polytetrafluoroethylene that does not embed itself in your dinner)

4) Find $20 or so to buy a cast iron pan. Boiling water in cast iron is not recommended because it can rust them, almost everything else you might use one for in the kitchen is cool. Boil water in a suitable glass or ceramic kettle.

A couple of tips on cast iron:

1) Season it.  A lot of people are saying to soak the pan in flax seed oil for 18 hours, I will look more into this and let you know.

2) The handle can get HOT so make sure you use the right towel / glove to use when holding it.

IMPORTANT: Often people will say "Can't I eat or do anything???" Well, you can of course, you can do whatever you wish and please, and even if you eat foods known for causing illness you can think your way out of it (google 'The burning monk' for a case of mind over matter - the Monk meditated and did not move or make a sound as he burned from life to death. The thing I'm interested in is exotic possibilities for humans, imagine what could be possible for you, your friends, your children, your family, the human race if we were only eating foods and using utensils etc that were good for us, imagine the extra resources we'd have individually and collectively.... the more of us that are thinking and taking action taking into consideration past (production methods) present and future implications of purchases and the foods we eat, the more space there will be for______________ <fill in the blank with whatever your greater desires are for you, your family and the planet>

And a little note to depart:

" Environmental hazards: Manufacturing PFCs and the consumer products that contain them poses great risks to the environment and wildlife. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says PFCs present "persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity properties to an extraordinary degree." "

Resources for this write up:

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/jan/25/are-my-non-stick-pans-a-health-hazard-teflon

http://www.ewg.org/research/canaries-kitchen

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3276392/

Got TEETH? These gum and teeth health tips could save you...

Alternative natural toothpaste and dental health.

I had a cavity last week!  And then a filling... (not the mercury / amalgam type).   Before I got the filling the first thing I found was a natural pain killer to get me through the weekend.  I found that raw garlic + salt + black pepper crushed together (I chewed it) worked a treat! Temporarily..

Following this, I decided to do some reading on the subject of gym and tooth health. 

Here are some basic take away point, many inspired by the awesome presentation (bottom of this post) by Nadine Artemis:

- Food and diet is a great way to maintain overall health, including oral health.  If we don't get enough minerals in our diet, minerals are sometimes taken from teeth to support more important organs (1)

- Mouthwash has been linked to oral cancer (2)

- Salt Water can be used as a mouth wash and, because salt is full of minerals, it could benefit your gums and teeth.  TOP TIP: Make a large glass of salt water and leave it in your bathroom, rinse

- Botanicals like cinnamon, cardmin, need, clove, mesquite, pepper mint, frankincense are all ancient botanicals that you can use to take care of the teeth.

- Botanicals also get digestive juices flowing and some are anti-viral, antibacterial, and can stimulate the lymph.

- Certain botanicals activate the hypothalamus.

- Dr Price looked at cultures not invaded by 'modern foods', they hardly found any

- It's good to have plaque removed and to take care of teeth externally.

- Gums and tongue are living tissue

- Many off-the-shelf tooth products might be killing gut flora, brushing chemicals into bloodstream, decomposing collagen, hindering hormones.

TOP TIP: Floss, get the food out from between your teeth.  Simple.

References:

1) Role of Ayurveda in management of oral health. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3931197/

2) European study reveals new causes of mouth and throat cancer. http://www.gla.ac.uk/news/archiveofnews/2014/april/headline_320819_en.html