Healthy Diet Podcast

Today is the First Day of the Rest of My Life was a song written by John Denver, the legendary folk-rock singer from the 70’s. There’s a lot of truth in that title - today literally is the first day of the rest of my life and your life. Every new day is an opportunity to ask yourself, “How will I choose to live the rest of my life.”

Though there are many aspects of that question to contemplate, today it’s my aim to focus on health and happiness. Each going down of the sun at the end of the day is a reminder that there is a new day, with new beginnings coming when the sun rises in the morning. The way I have chosen to spend the rest of my life is committing to an even simpler and healthier life style. A lifestyle that more radically reflects what I truly believe.

Being that it is Memorial Day, and I have the day off from seeing clients, I will be spending the day preparing my home and myself for a healthier, stress free lifestyle. Some of the things I have planned to do to create a simpler, happier and healthier life: Go to bed earlier, cut out TV in the evening, check email only twice a day (or so), spend time doing more things I enjoy (like practicing my bowed psaltery, walking on the beach, gardening, crocheting), eating more of the simpler foods like whole vegetables and fruits, practicing yoga several times a week, cleaning out my cupboards and closets of unnecessary clutter, and choosing joy in the midst of irritations.

How will you spend the “first day of the rest of your life?”

In joy and simplicity,

Jean

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Exercise is one of the main tenets of achieving superior health. For years I have experienced the benefits of stretching and deep abdominal breathing, and therefore have felt a natural inclination to explore Yoga. So, recently I decided to take it a step further and picked up a book entitled Christian Yoga by Susan Bordenkircher. This is a great Yoga book for people who want to integrate their Christian faith and spirituality with their yoga routine.

This afternoon, I spent a good hour outside on our deck going over the basics Bordenkircher outlines in her book: relaxation, deep breathing, and warming up. The basic warm-up exercises even included a foot stretching exercise something I was not familiar with. What a relaxing and at the same time energizing way to spend some time outdoors. I haven’t even gotten into the poses yet and I’m hooked.

I’m no Yoga expert, but this much I’ve figured out. Yoga has many benefits to it because it focuses on overall health: body, mind and spirit. Learning to quiet the mind and focus on deep breathing, muscle tension and relaxation is an art in and of itself which has many mental and emotional health benefits. Christian Yoga takes it a step further and helps the individual to focus on the triune God through out their exercise routine (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).

One of the main principles of Yoga is learning deep abdominal breathing. One of the added benefits of this type of breathing is that it gently exercises the internal organs. As your diaphragm rises and falls it’s actually massaging you on the inside. Deep breathing is not only energizing, but it also promotes healing. The process of abdominal breathing results in toxins being released and eliminated, and more oxygen being distributed to the cellular level. Finally, learning to relax your muscles is one of the best ways to counteract stress and anxiety.

Taking care of your mind, body and spirit through Christian Yoga, is also a great motivator to eat right as well. When feeling good because you are relaxed, positively energized and focused on God, there is much less temptation to make the wrong food choices and more motivation to make the right choices. A holistic approach to health is most certainly the best approach.

Jean

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People are finally catching on to the health risks inherent in drinking purified water out of plastic bottles. Unfortunately many of these plastic bottles leach chemicals into the water they are carrying. Now, let’s think about this…if we’re going to take the time to drink purified water why should we use a container that leaches harmful chemicals?

All the talk in the news lately about this serious problem was just the push we needed to finally get rid of our own plastic water bottles. We purchased stainless steel (304 grade) refillable bottles. Though there are many places from which we could order these beautiful jewel tone, 20 oz bottles (I got the red and Alan got the blue, the match our cell phones) we chose to support an organization that has been a true inspiration to us: www.PathtoFreedom.com. Their store is located at www.peddlerswagon.com .

For $11 dollars a piece the bottles are a bargain. Over time, the money spent on bottled water can easily be recouped plus we aren’t throwing our share of plastic bottles in landfills any longer. Now we fill our elegant stainless steel water bottles directly from our own water purification system at home.

These bottles are a great investment: they are beautifully designed, lightweight, fun to drink from, have a handy clip for easy carrying, keep your water cold, but most of all they are safe!

To your health,

Jean

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I keep telling my husband, “Life is going to change soon.” The reason: this summer will mark my half century milestone celebration on planet earth. Reaching the ripe young age of 50 years gives one pause for reflection: reflecting on accomplishments, desires, and unsatisfied goals. As the date grows nearer, I’ve been asking and praying about how to intentionally spend the next 50 years, Lord willing.

As a result of the recent soul searching, one new goal has evolved - transforming the majority our yard into a garden; sustainable agriculture at home. Some of the inspiration we have received to that end comes from the www.PathToFreedom.com website. Here, you can read, and be inspired too, by the Dervaes who grow the majority of their own food, on a very small plot of land.

The Devraes own a 1/5 acre lot in Pasadena, California and cultivate one half of their property. That means they garden 1/10 an acre. Out of that 1/10 acre they are able to produce 6,000 lbs of produce annually. Their garden is not only their main food source but also their livelihood. Wow! Whoever would have thought that was possible.

Alan and I have started out small: this season we grew lettuce, tomatoes, green peppers and herbs and you can see some of them pictured above. But through studying the Dervaes site, our plans for dinking around with gardening as a hobby, has turned onto a very realistic dream of cultivating the entire yard and turning it into an edible landscape. One day we hope that our yard will provide the majority of our vegan diet.

As we move into and through this process, we promise to keep you posted and hopefully give you encouragement on how you too can become a sustainable farmer in your own back yard…no matter what the size.

Happy gardening,

Jean

Tags: sustainable agriculture, garden, pathtofreedom, california, vegan diet

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I have been reading every place on the internet lately about the warnings of using products on our bodies (cosmetics, body washes, lotions etc) that contain certain chemicals. Although the skin is the largest organ of our body, we often think very little about the impact our body care products may have on our overall health.

Yet, think about it, there are many medications nowadays that are in patch form. Why? Because when they are adhered to the skin, the skin absorbs the medication very effectively into the blood stream. Recently I began using an essential oil blend from Nature’s Inventory for my restless legs. It is amazing how quickly the essential oils are absorbed through the skin and into the blood stream to provide the therapeutic effect.

This experience really began to wake me up to the importance of what we put on our skin. It dawned on me that most people were absorbing many things through their skin into their bloodstream that were never intended to be put inside their bodies and likely were not promoting good health. That’s when I started to search for completely natural, safe enough to eat, skin and hair care products. Because the reality is, what you put on your skin is part of your “diet”.

Sadly, so many products on the market that use the words “all natural” and “organic” are far from it. I thought I had found my utopia of skin care products when I found Pure Soap Life products. They advertise that they are made from 100 % certified organic cold-processed extracts. I trusted that. Until I began to look a little closer at the label and found that several chemicals they are using are synthetic and are possibly harmful. Chemicals such as Cocamide MEA (possibly contains DEA a known carcinogen) and DMDM Hydantoine (a preservative) that works by releasing formaldehyde into the product.

I purchased 2 Pure Life Soap products. The Coconut Body lotion, which I love, does appear to be all natural. It makes my skin very soft and I have experienced no dryness as I do with other moisturizers. The other product was the Aloe Hand and Body Wash which I was enjoying until I discovered that they were using some synthetic and possibly harmful ingredients.

Oh well, we will keep you posted on the search for truly 100% organic and safe nutritive body care products. I’m sure they are out there somewhere.

Be in health,

Jean

Tags: natural skin care, cosmetics, cocamide mea, formaldehyde, pure life soap

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We don’t usually recommend many nutritional supplements because we believe you should get your nutrition from food. But we also realize it’s not always possible to get good produce or have enough of it around all the time. Some supplementation is okay, but most of what you will find on the market today, even the ones that claim to be all natural or organic, contain chemical additives such as silicone dioxide or titanium dioxide as anti-caking agents.

Well, we’ve finally located an all natural, truly organic supplement company that doesn’t put those kinds of ingredients in their vitamin and nutritional products. The founder of the company emailed me personally in answering my inquiries to assure me that none of these artificial ingredients are in their products. I don’t know many other companies that will go to that kind of effort.

NuBody Supplements features 5 different herbal and vegetable based products to help you get the nutrition you need for specific functions such as better concentration, energy, appetite control, heart health and a general purpose multi-vitamin.

They’ve also designed several packages of their supplements to help out when you are over worked, trying to lose weight or just trying to stay in great shape. With these packages you can save significantly over the cost of buying each one individually and if you get on a monthly autoship order, you can save even more money.

Their individual supplements are:

Brain Control - For increasing mental activity and improving the thinking process.

Time Release Energy - A non-stimulant supplement for restoring energy.

Organic Health Multi-Vitamin - A general purpose multi-vitamin that contains anti-oxidants and immune enhancing ingredients.

SuperSlim Appetite Suppressant - A safe and natural weight loss solution that helps improve your energy as well.

Omega 3 Fish Oil - To help you maintain a healthy cholesterol level.

I’m ordering the Brain Control supplement later today because that’s where I can use the most help, in my thinking process. I’ll let you know how it works out.

I’m most impressed with these supplements and the company just from the standpoint that the founder related in his email to me that he was working on a degree in Nanotechnology and Biology and knows what ingredients such as titanium dioxide does to the human body. That’s why he refuses to put them in any of his products.

Thankfully there are still a few companies around that think that way.

Alan

Tags: nubody supplements, nutritional supplements, vitamins, omega 3 fish oil, cholesterol

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Being healthy means taking care of mind, body and spirit. Every week Alan and I plan an outing to refresh our relationship by reconnecting in a relaxing atmosphere. Last Saturday, as Providence would have it, was his birthday and also, one of our favorite local musicians, Mike Fred, was playing his guitar at the East Coast Coffee and Tea Company on Eau Gallie Blvd, Melbourne. This was a birthday treat.
 
In addition to the great music, the cozy atmosphere and the sweet fellowship, the tea was delectable. If you’ve read our blog much, you’ve heard me mention Numi Tea before and how absolutely fine this tea is. Well, little did I know that East Coast Coffee and tea Company carries practically the full line of Numi tea including their flowering teas. I thought I was my birthday!
 
Deciding to live dangerously, I plunged in and tried a new flavor (all of Numi’s teas are natural (they don’t just say natural - they don’t use excitotoxins, aka natural flavors) and organic. Although, caffeine has not been part of my diet for about 1 year, I decided to try the Velvet Garden. This tea really lives up to it’s name. An enchanting blend of rose petals and the tender bud of the tea plant (white tea) makes this a tea that will calm the mind while stimulating the imagination. Give velvet garden a try and enjoy the fragrant rose scent in your nostrils, as you sip and dream, sip and dream.

Enjoy a fun outing and reconnect with your loved ones.

Jean

Tags: mind, mike fred, melbourne, numi tea

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Winter is upon us and for most of the nation growing a garden just isn’t an option. Fortunately we live in Florida where the winters are very mild so we have a regular garden and an herb garden my wife tends in several containers on our deck. But what if you live in the frigid north or live in an apartment and would like to have at least an herb garden?

Well, you are in luck! I’ve just run across the indoor herb garden known as the AeroGarden and it’s one of the coolest little garden deals I’ve ever seen. It’s about the size of a breadbox (does anyone have one of those anymore?), it fits right on your countertop and you can grow herbs in it year round. And the best part is that the herb garden is completely dirt free using what’s known as aeroponics. Aeroponics are very similar to hydroponics and it is a system where the roots are suspended in a high oxygen and moisture chamber fed with just the right amounts of nutrients.

The garden comes with its own full spectrum light, has computerized controls that turns the light on and off, regulates nutrient delivery and it alerts you when additional nutrients and water are needed. And don’t worry about the nutrients, because they are 100% certified organic. You can grow all sorts of herbs in it like dill, cilantro, Italian basil, purple basil, parsley, mint and even small vegetables like cherry tomatoes and chili peppers and some lettuce.

The seeds for the garden are enclosed in their own dome-like seed pots that are like mini greenhouses for fast germination and growing. All you do to get started with the AeroGarden is put in your seed pods, add water, put in the nutrient tablets, plug it in and watch it grow into a nice little garden. It’s perfect for apartments, condos, trailers or as I mentioned earlier, those cold northern areas in the dead of winter.

Find out more about the AeroGarden.

Alan

Tags: indoor herb garden, herbs, herb garden kit, aerogarden, italian basil

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The first Healthy Diet Podcast of 2008 is about having a healthy colon and colon cleansing.

Show notes:

• January is a great time to cleanse your colon because all the toxic holiday junk food is behind you.
• The colon is the body’s main elimination organ. If the colon is not working properly, toxins are not eliminated. When toxins build up it results in dis-ease of the body.
• A healthy colon food moves through it in 24-36 hours.
• A person should produce 2-3 bowel movements a day, one for each meal consumed. Infrequent bowel movements mean your system is backing up.
• Some of the possible signs of an unhealthy colon are: Headaches, fatigue, back pain, gas, body odor, bad breath, acne, and allergies.
• You can view actual pictures at BlessedHerbs.com from a colon cleanse (Not for the squeamish).
• Improve colon health by eating a whole food diet high in fiber. Animal products are hard to digest and contain no fiber.
• Find a good product like Fiber Cleanse from Hallelujah Acres.
• Good information on colon health at BlessedHerbs.com .
• Start the New Year right and improve your health by “cleaning house.”

Visit the healthy recipe section of our web site for some delicious and healthy foods so you can stay cleaned out.

Alan

Tags: colon cleanse, colon cleansing, junk food, high fiber diet, colon

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When I was transitioning to a mostly raw, living food diet I always wondered, ‘What are people who say they are raw vegans really eating every day? I mean, I know what they say they are eating, but if I were a fly on the wall, what would I actually see these people eating.’ So, if you ever wanted to be a fly on the wall of the LeStourgeon home to see what we really eat on a day to day basis, read on. Today’s blog entry chronicles what I ate today.

The very first thing I eat everyday is actually not a food but a beverage - 8-16 oz of water is the first thing that goes into my body every day. Next, I ate an orange while checking email. After checking and responding to email, I wrote a blog entry and then watered our vegetable garden, cutting green onions and fresh herbs to use later. Once those chores were done, I ate about ¾ cups raw granola with almond milk and 1 very ripe banana.

As the morning grew late, it was time to make living tomato vegetable soup for our lunch. In addition to the tomato base, added veggies included sliced carrots, sweet potatos, corn, turnip, parsnips, and green onions. We ate the soup with dehydrated garden veggie crackers. Then I went off to the office for afternoon and evening appointments. For a snack a couple handfuls of sweet red grapes held me over until dinner and satisfied my sweet tooth.

After work, dinner was comprised of a large green salad filled with lots of different veggies made by Alan. With the salad I ate one small slice of 100% whole wheat crust veggie pizza and a few packaged tortilla chips. Today’s menu was totally healthy and satisfying.

Jean

Tags: raw food, veggie crackers, raw vegan, green salad

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