The Health and Wealth Vault

THE UNHEALTHY 'DIRTY DOZEN' FOOD LIST

2008-06-26T17:09:00.000-07:00

If you are serious about wanting to make a significant improvement in your diet and health today, right now... Then this dirty dozen unhealthy food list is for you! Simply ELIMINATE these food items FOR LIFE and you will have taken a HUGE step towards improving your overall health today! Just print this out and put this list in your wallet and on your fridge. Don't buy these items and don't allow them in your fridge anymore. Stop consuming POISON! Don't continue to do this to yourself or your loved ones.

The 'Dirty Dozen' are some of the most popular and widespread food products and are the least healthy items you can put into your mouth. Let me rephrase that, the below listed 'foods' are the equivalent of LIFE SUCKING TOXIC GARBAGE to put in your mouth and system. Avoid them at all costs, and improve your health dramatically!

The Dirty Dozen Food Group

1. Pork Products
2. Shellfish and fish without fins and scales (catfish, shark, eel)
3. Hydrogenated oils (margarine, shortening, etc.)
4. Artificial sweeteners (aspartame, saccharin, sucralose)
5. White flour
6. White sugar
7. Soft drinks
8. Pasteurized, homogenized skim milk
9. High-fructose corn syrup
10. Hydrolyzed soy protein (imitation meat products)
11. Artificial flavors and colors
12. Excessive alcohol

Note: If you liked this post, See the E.A.T (Extraordinary, Average and Terrible) Food List Posts also available on this blog!

My Skin Care Picks

2008-06-21T07:11:00.000-07:00

Amazon.com Widgets

Chinese Foot Reflexology and Detoxification

2008-06-20T09:08:00.000-07:00

We all know the rich and famous spend thousands of dollars on 3-day extravagant detox spas and the likes, (must be nice, grins). However, the Chinese and Japanese have a secret for achieving similar detoxification results very economically! This is through a method called foot reflexology.

Reflexology is an ancient natural therapy which utilizes energy zones on the hands and feet to provide relief for a variety of illnesses as well as to energize the body system. It has been in practice in China for thousands of years, Today, it remains a popular and common therapy in China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and Thailand and is also increasingly popular in other parts of the world including Europe and USA. In essence, the Chinese believe every meridian point in our foot reflexes to a part of our body system and can be used for targeting healing and detoxification of that part of the body, specifically.

So, How does foot detoxification work?

It is widely known that the waste products (toxins) accumulated from the food we eat, stress and the polluted air/water we take in contribute to the majority of health problems in our body. When the waste products in our body reach an excessive level, they can cause fatigue, restlessness or other health problems.

There are various methods to clear the build up of these waste products (toxins) in our body; including fasting, dieting, sweat out in a sauna, regular physical exercise or even colon-cleansing. Some of these methods are costly, some are difficult to maintain and some, done excessively, are plain dangerous!

Detoxification patches are totally safe and easy to use.

These tree extract plaster patches help to cleanse your body's waste products in an easy, trouble-free and painless way. Just wrap one sheet of plaster on the sole of your foot before going to bed, and allow it to work while you are asleep. The color of the sheet will change according to the condition of your health. Those with health problems will notice the sheets are initially darker the following morning. With regular use, the sheets will progressively get lighter and lighter, indicating a steady improvement in your health. The patch can also be applied to specific health problem areas on localized parts of the body, such as the wrist, knee, shoulder, ankle, and groin.

This patch has been found to vastly improve circulation and promote detoxification of the human body leading to general better health and well-being.

Detoxification is not a new health concept. In fact, it has been around for a long, long time. Other popular detoxification methods in modern time include the sauna, dieting, colon cleansing, detoxification pills and solutions, etc.

However, none of these detoxification methods are as easy, quick, cost effective, safe and effective as detoxification foot patches. Simply apply a detox patch to each foot before sleeping every night. Thats it! Detox while you sleep. :)

The Detox Foot Patch I recommend is an all-natural patch that you can wear overnight to revitalize your system. It uses all-natural ingredients at the optimum blending ratios. Japanese scientists took over 24 years to develop this detoxification technology.
So, what are you waiting for? Start regaining your health and vitality today by using The Detox Foot Patch to free your body from toxins naturally, while promoting a strong immune system and healthy lymphatic functions. (There are before and after pictures of the patches after they have been used on the above links (kind of brownish gross looking). You can also see the ingredients used and other beneficial heath remedies this patch is good for on the links I included above for you.)
I hope you enjoyed the health and wealth tip of the week. Bookmark us before you leave and come back next week for more tips and trends in the health and wealth industry!

Green Tea-Fruit Smoothie!! YUMMY :)

2008-06-11T11:05:00.000-07:00

Start your day with a burst of antioxidants by whipping up this delicious, healthy, uplifting, green tea-fruit smoothie.

Makes 2 servings, 1 cup each

ACTIVE TIME: 10 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 10 minutes
EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

2 cups frozen unsweetened mixed fruit (peaches, melon and grapes)
3/4 cup hot brewed green tea
3 tablespoons honey (you can substitute with Stevia if you prefer)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
OPTIONAL: try adding Wheat Grass Blend & Cayenne for a great Juice/Smoothie Fast Feast!
Combine fruit, tea, honey and lemon juice in a blender; blend until smooth and frothy. Serve immediately.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 169 calories; 0 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 43 g carbohydrate; 1 g protein; 4 g fiber; 1 mg sodium; 35 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (57% daily value).
3 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 1 fruit, 2 other carbohydrate

This heavenly treat is loaded with health benefits. It's a guiltless pleasure you can enjoy while you naturally detox, flushing out toxins, load up on antioxidants, (which help to combat the effects of stress and toxins). The green tea, Wheat Grass, Honey and Vitamin C help combat fatigue, promote better health, and a strong immune system. (Fasting and detoxification Substitute: Swap the fruit out for 100% organic juices.)

I hope you have enjoyed this weeks' health and wealth tip. Bookmark us and come back next week for more health and wealth tips and trends!

The BEST organic care for your face..I LOVE IT!!!

2008-06-07T20:08:00.000-07:00

Let me start with sharing that I am a research HOUND!!!
That being said, let me preface the below product review with this: There are other very high quality natural and organic products that I have selectively chosen to allow to be advertised on The Health and Wealth Vault. These products are also of an organic, pure, natural approach to skin care science. They too, have all the earmarks of exceptional pure skin care lines, I just haven't had the pleasure of trying those lines or products...yet.:) So, in fairness to you, and to those equally wonderful products I haven't yet been able to try, I just wanted to clarify this.
That being said...I want to tell you about my 'recommendation' for the week! A product I have tried. I'm in love with it, and so is my mother now. (Hi Mom :). So, if your looking for that ULTIMATE skin care line, you can read my review in the next post below.

2008-06-06T10:26:00.000-07:00

BIG Fat let down Skin Care Products ##!!*?!

...I'm sure you've had the above thought a time or two! Well, I've found a skin care line that is absolutely incredible! I have tried so many different skin care products, like I know most of you have. I have to say I've pretty much not really been ecstatic with any of them, that is why I keep trying the so called latest and greatest anti-aging skin care 'miracle'. I usually end up feeling depression and anxiety over being let down again. To be honest, I even feel kind of taken advantage of because my face still doesn't look like the model on the product infomercial! O.K., maybe I shouldn't expect THAT, (that would be a miracle, laughs) but I have hoped and looked for a long time, to find a pure, organic skin care line that could help minimize my pores and bring out that inner youthful beauty of my skin once again.
The last skin care I tried was Brook Shield's new facial skin care products made with some rare berry from some far off country. I kept seeing the infomercial on t.v. about how Brook and her exclusive French cosmetologist (the kind few can afford to see), developed this skin care line together. Anyway, it made my face breakout like it never has and I didn't get ANY positive results. The skin care masks she sells are o.k., but really just an average clay mask. I also had to go through the headache of canceling an 'auto shipment' they had set me up on, which I did not want. (Still have the original stuff sitting on my bathroom counter.. more wasted money down the 'vanity toilet'... What's a girl (or guy) to do!!:)

Yep, it was another big fat let down, one of the worst so far...I was pretty disappointed until...
I was walking through an exclusive department store and saw the words 'organic skin care' on this one line of skin care that really caught my eye. I got some free skin and body care samples, brought them home and tried them. I have to say..."I think I've died and gone to skin care heaven." THESE PRODUCTS ARE SO GOOD, it is awesome!!

Here is the results I have had: things like getting rid of my red broken capillaries, bringing back youthful glowing skin, closing my PORES!!!!, and the profound balancing of my overall skin tone is absolutely, bar none, incredible!!! My skin is loving me and I am loving my skin. I'm happy, I just 'feel better' about myself, inside and out.

So, this is my recommendation of the week!! Bad news is the skin care line is not so cheap in the department store. Good news is, that I found these products much cheaper on the internet. I am including two links in this post to the cheapest places on the net I've found these products so far. (Look to the right on my blog and you'll see a photo of the product, 'Origins'. So, just click on this link Origins Face and body skin care here. There you will find LOTS of this product line to choose from, at WAY better prices than the department stores!!) Enjoy!

Please drop a post and let me know your experience with this product line (and others)! I feel pretty confident you'll see it in the mirror, significant visible results, in just a few days. It only gets better from there!!! My teenage son has acne and we put him on the acne organic skin care and it has really, REALLY cleared up. My skin looks healthy now! (My mom says, "I will NEVER switch, I'll NEVER be without it, this is the ONE") Now, if it were only so easy to find 'THE ONE'. Anyone have a tip for me there? :)

By the way, this face and body skin care line has pure, natural, organics for every skin type (MEN too) as well as natural mineral makeup. (For an extra treat, I recommend the 'gloomaway grapefruit body cleanser/polish', what a way to wake up. I love the smell of this product! It is all natural, and has a refreshing citrus based scent that you just can't get enough of. It's awesome).

Here is the second link I told you I would include where you can find more Origins products such as the 'gloomaway grapefruit cleanser' and many other products from this line at great pricing: Find Origins on Amazon here.
Stay tuned to The Health and Wealth Vault for valuable related tips, trends & reviews each week! Other topics of interest we will be researching and writing about include organic gardens, Christianity, business and finance 101 tips, nutrition, healthy eating, vitamins, water, weight loss, digestive system health, prestress and stress, meditation, exercise, entrepreneur, money management, travel, cancer, wellness, how to get rich, diet, drugs, fitness, foods, lifestyle, hotel and lodging savings, various investments such as mutual funds and forex, and much more!

Please share any EXCELLENT tips or documents on health and wealth related products/services you know of with me at healthwealthinfo@bellsouth.net. It could be YOUR tip or article that is posted next and recommended to all our wonderful bloggers.

Wishing you the best in Health and Wealth, :)

Amanda Buckley
healthwealthinfo@bellsouth.net
http://healthandwealthvault.blogspot.com
You can also post to me on 'twitter' (Warning can be addictive!)
Also, check out The New Health & Wealth Store on Amazon!

10 Essential Health Tips

2008-05-21T10:53:00.000-07:00

B-A-S-I-C-S to practice everyday!

"He who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything." -Arabian Proverb

1. Move More
Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog; chase your kids; toss balls with friends, mow the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it's a stress buster. Think 'move' in small increments of time. It doesn't have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or tai chi or kickboxing. But that's great when you're up to it. Meanwhile, move more. Thought for the day: Cha, Cha, Cha…. Then do it!

2. Cut Fat
Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, bacon, ham, salami, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise. Thought for the day: Lean, mean, fat-burning machine…. Then be one!

3. Quit Smoking
The jury is definitely in on this verdict. Ever since 1960 when the Surgeon General announced that smoking was harmful to your health, Americans have been reducing their use of tobacco products that kill. Just recently, we've seen a surge in smoking in adolescents and teens. Could it be the Hollywood influence? It seems the stars in every movie of late smoke cigarettes. Beware. Warn your children of the false romance or 'tough guy' stance of Hollywood smokers. Thought for the day: Give up just one cigarette…. the next one.

4. Reduce Stress
Easier said than done, stress busters come in many forms. Some techniques recommended by experts are to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like. (i.e.,Soak in a hot tub; walk on the beach or in a park; read a good book; visit a friend; play with your dog; listen to soothing music; watch a funny movie. Get a massage, a facial or a haircut. Meditate. Count to ten before losing your temper or getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when possible. Thought for the day: When seeing red, think pink clouds….then float on them. :)

5. Protect Yourself from Pollution
If you can't live in a smog-free environment, at least avoid smoke-filled rooms, high traffic areas, breathing in highway fumes and exercising near busy thoroughfares. Exercise outside when the smog rating is low. Exercise indoors in air conditioning when air quality is good. Plant lots of shrubbery in your yard. It's a good pollution and dirt from the street deterrent. Thought for the day: 'Smoke gets in your eyes'…and your mouth, and your nose and your lungs as do other pollutants…..

6. Wear Your Seat Belt
Statistics show that seat belts add to longevity and help alleviate potential injuries in car crashes. Thought for the day: Buckle down and buckle up.

7. Floss Your Teeth
Recent studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing. Nobody knows exactly why. Perhaps it's because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don't? Thought for the day: Floss and be your body's boss.

8. Avoid Excessive Drinking
While recent studies show a glass of wine or one drink a day (two for men) can help protect against heart disease, more than that can cause other health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer. Thought for the day: A jug of wine should last a long time.

9. Keep a Positive Mental Outlook
There's a definitive connection between living well and healthfully and having a cheerful outlook on life. Thought for the day: You can't be unhappy when you're smiling or singing.

10. Choose Your Parents Well
Huh? :). Well, the link between genetics and health is a powerful one. But, just because one or both of your parents died young in ill health doesn't mean you cannot counteract the genetic pool handed you. Thought for the day: Follow these basic tips for healthy living and you can better control your own destiny and that which you hand down to your own children!

I hope you enjoyed the Health and Wealth tip for the week! Bookmark us and come back next week for more valuable health and wealth tips and trends!

E.A.T.: What Foods Are Extraordinary, Average, or Trouble?

2008-05-17T17:50:00.000-07:00

This is part 1 of 3 of a three part series on improving your diet once and for all, God's way!

Jordan Rubin, is a man on a mission to transform America's health one life at a time. In this three part series, Jordan Ruban has ranked foods Extraordinary, Average, or Trouble (E.A.T.) in descending order, based on their health-giving qualities. The best foods to serve and eat are what he calls “Extraordinary,” which God created for us to eat and will give you the best chance to live a long and happy life. It’s best to consume foods from the Extraordinary category more than 75 percent of the time. Part two of this series comprises foods that Jordan calls “Average,” which should make up less than 25 percent of your daily diet and be consumed sparingly. The final part of this series contains foods Jordan has relegated to the “Trouble” category, which should be consumed with extreme caution. You would be wise to avoid these foods completely!

Extraordinary Foods
Meat (grass-fed organic is best)
meat bone soup or stock
liver and heart (must be organic)
lamb
buffalo
elk
venison
beef
goat
veal
jerky (with no chemicals, nitrates, or nitrites)
beef or buffalo sausage (with no pork casing)
beef or buffalo hot dogs (with no pork casing)
Fish ( wild- or ocean-caught is best, and the fish must have fins and scales)
fish soup or stock
salmon
halibut
tuna
cod
scrod
grouper
haddock
mahi-mahi
pompano
wahoo
trout
tilapia
orange roughy
sea bass
snapper
sardines (canned in water or olive oil only)
herring
sole
whitefish
Poultry (pastured and organic is best)
poultry bone soup or stock
chicken
Cornish game hen
guinea fowl
turkey
duck
chicken or turkey bacon (with no pork casing)
chicken or turkey sausage (with no pork casing)
chicken or turkey hot dogs (with no pork casing)
Lunch Meat (organic, free range, and hormone free is best)
turkey
chicken
roast beef
Eggs (high omega-3/DHA or organic is best)
chicken eggs (whole with yolk)
duck eggs (whole with yolk)
fish roe or caviar (must be fresh, not preserved)
Dairy (organic is best)
homemade kefir made from raw goat’s milk
homemade kefir made from raw cow’s milk
raw goat’s milk hard cheeses
raw cow’s milk hard cheeses
goat’s milk plain whole yogurt
organic cow’s milk yogurt or kefir
raw cream
Fats and Oils (organic is best)
oil, coconut, extra virgin (best for cooking)
oil, olive, extra virgin (not for cooking)
oil, butter (ghee)
butter, goat’s milk, raw (not for cooking)
butter, goat’s milk
butter, cow’s milk, raw, grass fed (not for cooking)
butter, cow’s milk
avocado
coconut milk/cream (canned)
oil, unrefined flaxseed (not for cooking)
oil, unrefined hemp seed (not for cooking)
oil, expeller-pressed sesame
oil, expeller-pressed peanut
Vegetables (organic fresh or frozen is best)
raw fermented veggies (no vinegar)
squash (winter or summer)
broccoli
artichokes (French, not Jerusalem)
asparagus
beets
cauliflower
Brussels sprouts
cabbage
carrots
celery
cucumbers
eggplant
pumpkins
garlic
onions
leafy greens (kale, collard, broccoli rabe, mustard greens)
salad greens (radicchio, escarole, endive)
okra
lettuce (leafs of all kinds)
spinach
mushrooms
peas
peppers
string beans
tomatoes
sprouts (broccoli, sunflower, pea shoots, radish, etc.)
sweet potatoes
sea vegetables (kelp, dulse, nori, kombu, and hijiki)
white potatoes
corn
Fruits (organic fresh or frozen is best)
blueberries
strawberries
blackberries
raspberries
lemons
limes
apples
apricots
grapes
melons
peaches
oranges
grapefruit
pears
plums
kiwis
pineapples
bananas
mangos
papayas
dried fruits (no sugar or sulfites)
raisins
figs
dates
prunes
Grains and Starchy Carbohydrates (organic is best, and whole grains and flours are best if soaked for six to twelve hours before cooking)
sprouted Ezekiel-type bread
sprouted Essene bread
fermented whole grain sourdough bread
sprouted whole grain cereal
quinoa
amaranth
buckwheat
millet
Sweeteners
unheated raw honey
date sugar
Beans and Legumes (best if soaked for twelve hours)
miso
lentils
tempeh
natto
black beans
kidney beans
navy beans
white beans
pinto beans
red beans
split peas
garbanzo beans
lima beans
broad beans
black-eyed peas
soybeans (edamame)
Nuts and Seeds (organic, raw, and/or soaked is best)
almonds (raw or dry roasted)
pumpkin seeds (raw or dry roasted)
hemp seeds (raw)
flaxseeds (raw and ground)
sunflower seeds (raw or dry roasted)
almond butter (raw or roasted)
tahini (raw or roasted)
pumpkin seed butter (raw or roasted)
hemp seed butter (raw)
sunflower butter (raw or roasted)
walnuts (raw or dry roasted)
macadamia nuts (raw or dry roasted)
pecans (raw or dry roasted)
hazelnuts (raw)
Brazil nuts (raw)
Condiments, Spices, and Seasonings (organic is best)
salsa (fresh or canned)
tomato sauce (no added sugar)
guacamole (fresh)
soy sauce (wheat free, tamari)
apple cider vinegar
raw salad dressings and marinades
herbs and spices (no added stabilizers)
Herbamare seasoning
Celtic Sea Salt
Real Salt
sea salt
mustard
ketchup (no sugar)
salad dressings (no canola oil)
marinades (no canola oil)
omega-3 mayonnaise
umeboshi paste
flavoring extracts such as vanilla or almond (alcohol based, no sugar)
Snacks
healthy food bars
goat’s milk protein powder
flaxseed crackers
raw food snacks
healthy macaroons
healthy trail mix
organic cocoa powder
organic chocolate spreads
carob powder
Beverages
purified, nonchlorinated water
natural sparkling water, no carbonation added (i.e., Perrier)
unsweetened or honey-sweetened herbal teas
raw vegetable or fruit juices
lacto-fermented beverages
coconut water

Part 2 of this E.A.T. Healthy Foods list continues here....

E.A.T.: What Foods Are Extraordinary, Average, or Trouble? Continued...

2008-05-16T18:14:00.000-07:00

This is part 2 of 3 of a three part series on improving your diet once and for all, God's way!

Jordan Rubin, is a man on a mission to transform America's health one life at a time. In this three part series, Jordan Ruban has ranked foods Extraordinary, Average, or Trouble (E.A.T.) in descending order, based on their health-giving qualities. The best foods to serve and eat are what he calls “Extraordinary,” which God created for us to eat and will give you the best chance to live a long and happy life. It’s best to consume foods from the Extraordinary category more than 75 percent of the time. Part two of this series (this post) comprises foods that Jordan calls “Average,” which should make up less than 25 percent of your daily diet and be consumed sparingly. The final part of this series contains foods Jordan has relegated to the “Trouble” category, which should be consumed with extreme caution. You would be wise to avoid these foods completely!Average Foods
Foods in the Average category are just that—average. Again, foods from this list should make up less than 25 percent of your daily diet.

Dairy (organic is best)
goat’s milk
cheese (cow, goat, or sheep)
cow’s milk cottage cheese
cow’s milk
plain sour cream
cream cheese
heavy cream
cultured whole soy yogurt
Amazake
low-fat yogurt
fat-free yogurt
almond milk
oat milk
rice milk
soy milk
Fats and Oils
sunflower oil
soy oil
safflower oil
Vegetables (organic is best)
canned vegetables
Nuts, Seeds, Beans, and Legumes (organic is best)
tofu
peanuts (dry roasted)
peanut butter (roasted)
cashews (raw or dry roasted)
cashew butter (raw or roasted, in small quantities)
soynut butter (in small quantities)
Condiments, Spices, and Seasonings (organic chemical- and preservative-free is best)
ketchup
mayonnaise
salad dressing
marinade
pickled ginger
wasabi
Fruits
canned fruit in its own juices
Grains and Starchy Carbohydrates (whole grains and whole grain flours are healthiest if soaked for twelve hours before consuming)
brown rice
oats
kamut
spelt
barley
corn
white potatoes
whole grain pasta (wheat, kamut, or spelt)
wheat
rye
whole grain dried cereal
Sweeteners
honey
Stevia
organic dehydrated cane juice
maple syrup
agave nectar
xylitol
barley malt
brown rice syrup
Beverages (organic is best)
pasteurized vegetable juices
pasteurized fruit juices (not from concentrate)
fresh ground coffee (limit to one cup per day)
Snacks
healthy popcorn
baked corn or rice chips
milk or whey protein powder from cow’s milk
rice protein
soy protein (non-genetically modified)

Part 3 of 3 of the E.A.T. Foods list continues here...

E.A.T.: What Foods Are Extraordinary, Average, or Trouble?

2008-05-15T18:15:00.000-07:00

This is part 3 of 3 of a three part series on improving your diet once and for all, God's way!

Jordan Rubin, is a man on a mission to transform America's health one life at a time. In this three part series, Jordan Ruban has ranked foods Extraordinary, Average, or Trouble (E.A.T.) in descending order, based on their health-giving qualities. The best foods to serve and eat are what he calls “Extraordinary,” which God created for us to eat and will give you the best chance to live a long and happy life. It’s best to consume foods from the Extraordinary category more than 75 percent of the time. Part two of this series comprises foods that Jordan calls “Average,” which should make up less than 25 percent of your daily diet and be consumed sparingly. The final part of this series (this post) contains foods Jordan has relegated to the “Trouble” category, which should be consumed with extreme caution. You would be wise to avoid these foods completely!

Average Foods
Foods in the Average category are just that—average. Again, foods from this list should make up less than 25 percent of your daily diet.Trouble Foods
Foods in the Trouble category should be consumed with extreme caution and should be completely avoided, if possible.
Meat
pork
ham
bacon
sausage (pork)
rabbit
ostrich
emu
imitation meat products (soy)
veggie burgers
Fish and Seafood
fried or breaded fish
Shellfish including ALL:
crabs
oysters
clams
mussels
lobsters
shrimp
scallops
catfish
eel
squid (calamari)
shark
Poultry
fried or breaded chicken
Lunch Meat
ham
corned beef
soy lunch meat
Eggs
imitation eggs (i.e., Egg Beaters)
Dairy
soy cheese
rice cheese
homogenized milk
low-fat or skim milk
commercial ice cream with sugar
processed cheese food
American cheese (singles)
yogurt with sugar or artificial sweeteners
any dairy product with added stabilizers, preservatives, sugars, or artificial sweeteners
Fats and Oils
lard
margarine
shortening
canola oil
corn oil
cottonseed oil
any partially hydrogenated oil
Nuts and Seeds
nuts roasted in oil
honey-roasted nuts
Condiments, Spices, and Seasonings
all spices that contain added sugar or preservatives
Fruits
canned fruits in syrup
Beverages
commercial beer and wine
sodas
chlorinated tap water
fruit juices or drinks with artificial flavors
fruit juices or drinks made from concentrate
Grains and Starchy Carbohydrates
bread or crackers made with white or unbleached flour
pastas made with white or unbleached flour
white or unbleached flour
dried cereal with sugar
white rice
instant oatmeal
pastries
baked goods
Sweeteners
sugar
corn syrup
high fructose corn syrup
Artificial sweeteners, including:
aspartame
sucralose
acesulfame K
sorbitol
maltitol
Miscellaneous
snack foods with sugar, partially hydrogenated oils, artificial sweeteners, or unbleached flour

Pure Organic Hair Care Picks

2008-05-12T11:54:00.000-07:00

Amazon.com Widgets

Health Biz-In-A-Box Opportunity!

2008-05-11T12:35:00.000-07:00

Want to get healthy and wealthy at the same time?? Well, I found this completely automated $1,497 site for next to nothing that offers excellent potential from over 90 different health related Income Streams.
I definitely think this health & wealth biz-in-a-box is worth a mention on the blog. I'd definitely say go check it OUT! I did, and it really looks like an exciting fantastic opportunity.
The product selection is excellent! There is a HUGE mall of products and tons of ways to make money. You get to do something that you have interest in and 'improve' YOUR health at the same time. You don't have to set up your own website, hosting, ISP, none of that. You don't have to find your own products, ship them, NONE of that. This is really a fantastic, plug-n-play, biz-in-a-box.
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Yoga Helps Fight Mid-Life Bulge

2008-05-10T13:36:00.000-07:00

Yoga practice helps middle-aged people lose weight and keep it off, suggest new studies published in the online journal Alternative Therapies In Health and Medicine.

Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center surveyed 15,500 men and women to assess their weight and yoga histories between the ages of 45 and 55.

For purposes of the study, regular yoga practice was defined as practicing at least 30 minutes once a week for four or more years.

20-Pound Gap

Statistics showed that the subjects who were of normal weight at the age of 45 and did not practice yoga consistently gained about 10 pounds, while those who performed regular yoga routines lost 3 pounds during that same 10-year period -- a difference of 13 pounds.

There was a wider gap between people who were overweight at the age of 45. The non-yoga group gained about 14 pounds, while the yoga group lost 5 pounds -- a difference of almost 20 pounds.

It is not likely that yoga's fat-fighting potential is due to the physical activity itself, according to the study's lead author, Alan R. Kristal, DrPH.

"During a very vigorous yoga practice you can burn enough calories to lose weight, but most people don't practice that kind of yoga," he notes.

Body Awareness a Factor

"From my experience, I think it has to do with the way that yoga makes you more aware of your body. So when you've eaten enough food, you're sensitive to the feeling of being full, and this makes it much easier to stop eating before you've eaten too much," Kristal explains.

"Most people practice yoga in a way that's not aerobic enough to burn a lot of calories, so it has to be some other reason," adds study co-author Denise Benitez, owner of Seattle Yoga Arts.

"People who regularly practice yoga develop the inner resources to stay with a little bit of discomfort," she says, hypothesizing that those inner resources help people to stay with the discomfort that is caused when they deny themselves junk food.

In order to accurately measure the effects of yoga on weight maintenance and loss, these preliminary findings will need to be replicated, Kristal cautions.

Yoga Tips

The following tips for enhancing one's yoga practice, offers Benitez, may be particularly helpful for those who wish to maintain or lose weight:

1. Practice in a room without mirrors and pay more attention to your internal experience than to your outer performance.

2. Learn to feel sensations more and more subtly, so that you become deeply involved in and curious about small movements -- sometimes called micro-movements.

3. In your poses, find an edge for yourself where you are challenged but not overwhelmed. At this edge, practice maintaining a clear, open and accepting mental state.

4. Give yourself permission to rest when you feel overworked.

5. Pay close attention to what you are saying to yourself as you practice, and make an intentional effort to appreciate your own efforts and innate goodness.

6. Go to class faithfully, arrive early, and talk to a few people before class begins.

7. Buy your own yoga mat and bring it to class.

8. Realize that the development of qualities like patience, discipline, wisdom, right effort, kindness, gratitude and many others will arise from your yoga practice. These qualities create a steady and soft mind.

9. Find a teacher who offers a balance of gentleness and firmness and whose teaching inspires you to practice from your highest self.

10. Recognize that simply attending class is a major statement of courage, self-care, and positive momentum. Realize that you are inspiring others as you become more true to your deepest desires.

About the author:
Rita Jenkins is a health journalist for Daily News Central, an online publication that delivers breaking news and reliable health information to consumers, healthcare providers and industry professional. Copyright 2005 Daily News Central

How To Do An Annual Financial Checkup

2008-05-10T13:22:00.000-07:00

Your Guide to Financial Planning.
Are You On the Road to Financial Freedom or Do You Need to Make a U-Turn? You may have had your annual physical exam and taken your car in for scheduled service this year, but what about your annual financial checkup?

If you were on a long road trip, you'd stop occasionally and look at the map to see if you were headed in the right direction, wouldn't you? An annual financial checkup serves the same purpose. It's an opportunity to review how you've done financially over the past twelve months and make sure you're still headed in the right direction.

A good time to do your annual financial checkup is before the end of the year so you can take advantage of any tax-saving strategies, but if you can't fit it in during the busy holiday season, plan on doing it as soon after the new year as possible.

Identify Your Goals
The first step in your financial checkup is evaluating your financial goals.
Have you made progress on them this year? If not, where have you fallen short? Can you figure out why? Have your goals changed during the year? If so, revise them and write them down.

Evaluate Changes in Your Personal Situation
Have changes in your personal situation taken place in the last year or do you anticipate any major changes in the near future? A job change, divorce, adding a baby to your family, retiring, buying a house, getting married, or moving can alter your income and your lifestyle significantly. You may need to adapt your budget, your spending, your savings, and your investments. Having time to plan for these changes in advance will make the transition much smoother.

Protect Your Assets
Next, evaluate your protection of your assets. Review your homeowner's or renter's insurance, health insurance, auto insurance. Don't forget to protect the greatest asset of all - your income earning ability - with long-term disability insurance.

Prepare for the Unexpected
Review your will, and if applicable, your estate plan. Have any changes taken place that require updating?

Evaluate Your Investment Performance
Calculate the return on each of your stocks, bonds, or mutual funds. Are you satisfied with their performance compared to the rest of the market? If you don't believe the investment will recover its losses, it may be time to sell the dogs.

Evaluate Your Debts
How are you doing on controlling and paying down debt? Evaluate your Debt To Income Ratio. Has your credit card debt decreased this year? If not, it's time to figure out where the leaks are taking place and try to plug them. It's difficult to get ahead and invest when too much of your income is going to interest payments on credit cards.

How's the interest rate on your mortgage? Should you consider refinancing? Even a small dip in rates can make a big difference over the life of your mortgage, but you have to consider closing costs to see if it's worthwhile.

How's your credit score? If you haven't ordered your free copies of your credit report, now's a good time to do it. Go to AnnualCreditReport.com.

Reduce Your Income Taxes
This is a good time to plan for next year's taxes. What can you do to minimize them? Add up all your allowable deductions and see if you can itemize. Review the list of allowable deductions and make sure you take advantage of any you're eligible for. Consider bunching deductions into one year or accelerating deductions by paying tax-deductible items early to help you reach the threshold for deducting. For instance, medical expenses can only be deducted if they exceed 7.5% of your income. If you're close, pre-paying an orthodontist bill or scheduling that elective surgery before the end of the year could save you some money on taxes.

Review Your Retirement Plans
How are you doing on your retirement funds? Are you contributing the maximum to your 401(k) plan? This is one of the best tax-reducing strategies available. If your employer doesn't have a 401(k), does it offer any other kind of plan? If not, set up an IRA on your own.

How'd you do? If your financial health is in good shape, congratulations! If it can use a little work, at least you know where you need to concentrate your efforts.

From Jeremy Vohwinkle

Colour Your Diet

2008-05-08T13:54:00.000-07:00

Purple grapes, blueberries, kiwi fruit, bananas, peaches and strawberries make an appetizing fruit salad. A fruit salad is much more appealing with a full colour variation, than if it only has one or two colours. How important is it to have colourful meals? Is it just because it looks more interesting and pretty? Or is there a purpose to it?

In traditional medicine, the doctrine of signatures is followed. This means that different herbs and foods are classified for their healing properties according to their colour and shape. For example, yellow plants, such as dandelion, are known for their liver healing properties. This principle can also be used in our daily diet. I learnt from my mother, as a child, that a meal should always contain a variety of colour; this is a part of a balance diet. If we eat a diet which is lacking in some colour, such as green vegetables, then our diet will be out of balance and health problems relating to that colour will occur.

It is well known that different colours have different effects on us. Red and yellow are warming and stimulating. Turquoise, blue and violet are cooling and sedating. Green maintains balance and harmony. Our food can have a similar effect.

Each colour has its own energy vibration and will vibrate with different parts of the body. The colours represented by the chakras also represent the part of the body most affected by that particular colour. So each organ has its own colour that it relates to. When the colour is provided through the diet, it will energize the corresponding chakra, or energy centre, and provide positive vibration through the body's organs and glands in that area.

A rainbow diet will provide you with all the nutrients and vitamins you require. The nutrients provided in a food will relate to the requirements of the chakra the colour corresponds to. Each food will energize, cleanse and heal its corresponding chakra. The outer cover of the food usually represents the colour vibration it radiates to and the action it will have on us. Some foods have more than one colour vibration, for example a pink grapefruit radiates to both yellow energy from the skin and pink from the flesh. A Haas avocado radiates to both indigo and green.

It is best to include foods of all colours in our diet, but when our system is out of balance, we can concentrate more on certain colour foods. This will help to harmonize the body and bring it back to equilibrium.

Red foods help us to have plenty of energy and meet life's challenges. The assimilation of food and removal of toxins is enhanced. Red helps us to get in touch with our basic life-force energy and keeps us motivate and able to achieve our life's goals. It gives us courage, strength and a feeling of confidence. Depression can be lessened with extra red plant foods. As red is our base, it can help us to be more grounded. Red stimulates the adrenal glands giving us the ability to survive. Red is excellent for those suffering from anaemia, blood disorders or who are always cold. If you are run-down or extremely tired, re foods can be stimulating and energizing. Red fruits and vegetables can regenerate depleted energy, build up the immune system and help to clean out the retained toxins and bad vibrations.

Orange and Yellow supply us with plenty of energy and an alert mind. They enhance our immune system, also improving blood circulation and digestion. They are warming colours that radiate joy. They help to remove blocked emotions and enables us to express ourselves more, allowing us to enjoy stronger relationships. Orange is also linked to our sexuality and our sex organs. Oranges and yellows encourage us to be more sociable, outgoing, and optimistic. They are a creative colour as they open up our minds to new things. Orange is a great tonic for both the physical and mental aspects of our lives, giving boosts to spleen and digestive and sexual organs. Anti-oxidants are high in orange foods; these help in destroying toxic cells and in the repair of some cellular damage.

Turquoise, blue and violet are cooling and sedating; Green maintains balance and harmony. Ironically, our foods' colors have similar cellular effects from the inside as colors do from the outside on us. Color your diet and enjoy a more vibrant life today.