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Research: Meditation does more than calm your mind, it changes your brain

“WASHINGTON — Practicing yoga and meditation can do more than calm your mind — research shows it can change your brain.Shortly after Dr. Sara Lazar started practicing yoga, she noticed a difference in her every day mental state.“It’s not just while you’re practicing yoga and meditation, it really carries over throughout the rest of the day,” says Lazar, a neuroscientist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.“It has such a profound effect on how you see and interact with the world that something had shifted in my mind.”After talking to others who shared a similar experience, Lazar decided to further investigate her observation. In her research, she found that the brains of meditators are different from non-meditators.Lazar organized a group of people who had never practiced yoga or meditation and compared their initial MRI scans to MRIs after eight weekly classes of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).When comparing the pre and post scans, she noticed a change in the hippocampus, which is important for learning and memory, as well as a change in the posterior cingulate cortex, which is involved in mind-wandering and is the region that’s destroyed by Alzheimer’s disease.Additionally, Lazar found that the medulla, which is the “fight or flight” part of the brain, got smaller. This change correlated with a change in stress, Lazar says.While the participants in Lazar’s study practiced MBSR once a week for an average of 30 minutes, she says it’s not known for how frequently and for how long people have to meditate to reap the brain benefits of MBSR. But every little bit helps.“Definitely people have reported benefits from even practicing 10 or 15 minutes a day,” she says.”

http://wtop.com/health/2015/06/research-meditation-does-more-than-calm-your-mind-it-changes-your-brain/

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68 Wholesome Foods That Contain Vitamin K

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Repost from @applepie_organics via @igrepost_app, it’s free! Use the @igrepost_app to save, repost Instagram pics and videos, Surprised to see Milk on the list? Do yourself a favour and research how the foods that you put into your body are actually WORKING for you. You’d be surprised…… good marketing makes you believe you need animal products to receive all the nutrients your body needs when in fact you can recieve all that and more from a predominantly plant based diet. #vegan #vegetarian #chemicalfree #nourish #veggies #wellbeing #weightloss #happiness 🌱

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A chronic illness is a health condition that does not have a cure.  Approximately half of all Americans have a chronic health condition.

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1 cup raw almonds

1.5 tsp Cajun seasoning -http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cajun-spice-mix-2/

1 tsp olive oil

Toss ingredients. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Cool, & enjoy! :)

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Environment FAIL: The Disastrous Half-Life of Your Sunscreen

“Just when you thought it was safe to get back in the water, new research demonstrates that your sunscreen may be damaging coral reefs and even aquatic life. Each year between 4000-6000 metric tons (4400-6600 US tons) of sunscreen washes off swimmers and snorkelers into coral reef environments.This leads to significant environmental contamination. At heightened risk are reefs, where the compounds in chemical sunscreens have been found to bleach the reefs and infect the microalgae that the corals rely on for nutrition. It’s not a pretty picture— up to 10 percent of the world’s coral reefs may be threatened by sunscreen induced coral bleaching. And while the use of sunscreen products is now banned in a few popular tourist destinations, more needs to be done to grow awareness of how destructive sunscreens can be.

The first step to becoming more sunscreen savvy is to know what to avoid. The worst offenders are the following four sunscreen ingredients know to cause coral bleaching even at very low concentrations.

Oxybenzone (benzophenone-3) – a chemical linked to hormone disruption and potentially to cell damage that may lead to skin cancer.

Butylparaben – Parabens, used as a preservative, mimic estrogen and can act as potential hormone (endocrine) system disruptors.

Octinoxate (Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate) – A hormone disruptor whose effects on estrogen can be harmful for humans, wildlife, and the environment.

4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4MBC) – A UV filter not approved as an active ingredient for sunscreen in the U.S., but listed as an inactive ingredient in some products. Linked to thyroid toxicity and hormone disruption.

Love the life aquatic

But take heart. Several companies, such as Badger, go to great lengths to make sure their products adhere to the do no harm principle and are safe for you—and the ocean. Here’s what can do to make sure that your sunscreen won’t degrade the marine environment and coral reefs.

Physical sunscreen

Use a physical sunscreen that blocks the sun whose active ingredients are zinc oxide, like Badgers, or titanium dioxide. These powdered minerals settle to the seafloor within a few hours, similar to silt, and become buried in the sediment.

Water resistant sunscreen

Choosing a water resistant sunscreen helps the product stay on your body rather than dissolve into the water.

Biodegradable

Look for a product that has been tested biodegradable—it ensures the product will break down in the water. Companies can play fast and loose with the term, however, so you may have to contact the company for verification.

Bonus tip: Don’t be fooled by a “reef safe” claim. There is no regulation for the term, so it means about as much as the term “natural.” Knowing what ingredients to avoid, and what to seek out, is your best bet. Physical sunscreens are the safest choice for you—and the environment. So do the right sunscreen. Our coral will thank you.”

http://blog.vitacost.com/bath-beauty/environment-fail-the-disastrous-half-life-of-your-sunscreen.html?csrc=EM-HEALTH20150606F:HB-mainarticlecta&_mid=430440&_rid=430440.67602.123036

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LIFE Straighten Up America Exercise1 PosturePod

I love these videos. They are so great to teach your kids to do everyday. This will improve posture from text neck and will encourage them to get out of being flexed over all day!

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11 WORST SUNSCREENS FOR KIDS

May 22, 2015

“Parents and caregivers know that applying a safe, effective sunscreen to children is one key to protecting them from sun damage. Sunscreen should never be your child’s first line of defense against the sun, of course, and the reality is that some products may actually do more harm than good.

Here’s what to avoid:

Spray sunscreens – They can be inhaled and don’t cover skin completely.

SPF values above 50+ – They try to trick you into believing they’ll prevent sun damage. Don’t trust them. Useful SPF protection tops out at 30 to 50.

Oxybenzone – This common ingredient can disrupt the hormone system.

Retinyl palmitate – Here’s another ingredient to avoid. It may actually trigger skin damage on sun-exposed skin.

Here’s our list of the worst sunscreens for kids.

They each have at least three strikes against them: sky-high SPFs and potentially harmful ingredients oxybenzone and retinyl palmitate. Two have another strike against them: They’re aerosol sprays that can harm sensitive young lungs. Convenient? Yes. Good for kids? Absolutely not. ...”

http://healthychild.org/11-worst-sunscreens-for-kids/

See also, EWG’s Guide to Sunscreens: http://www.ewg.org/2015sunscreen/

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A Dirty Little Secret: Your “Organic” Strawberries Aren’t Really Organic

“Shock! Certified organic strawberries aren’t so organic after all. Although organic strawberries sell for 50% to 100% more than conventional berries, organic strawberries are fumigated with toxic chemicals, including methyl bromide, at the beginning stages of their life-cycle.

Methyl bromide, is used to sterilize the soil before strawberries are planted. It’s not sprayed on the fruit. It’s a soil fumigant that kills just about everything it touches. Many hybridized seed varieties have been created that can only grow in sterile soil. ...

BOTTOM LINE

Prior to the fruit bearing stage virtually all strawberries regardless of if they continue on as conventionally grown berries or organic ones—are treated with toxic chemical fumigants and other unsavory pesticides.

Strawberries are particularly subject to pests. It takes a lot of toxic chemicals to keep production and thus profits up in these vast monocrop strawberry farms. The U.S. is the world’s largest producer of strawberries. California is responsible for approximately 75 percent of the fresh and processed strawberries exported. Almost 90 percent of U.S.-grown fresh strawberries come from California. It’s also where the majority of the world’s strawberry nursery plants emanate, but there’s not one single organic nursery there....”

http://www.realfarmacy.com/dirty-little-secret-organic-strawberries-arent-really-organic/

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Bronchitis Home Remedies 

by Staff – Best Health Magazine

“Anyone who’s suffered from bronchitis knows what a pain it can be. But if you treat yourself right with these simple home remedies, you can help clear your body up.

Your goal when you have bronchitis: Thin the phlegm in your chest and get it moving, so you can cough it up and out. The most direct approach to your lungs is the air you breathe, so inhalation treatments are a first resort. Think of them as a steam cleaning for your airways. The right food and drink can also help to keep mucus on the move. At the same time, you’ll want to get some germ-fighters into your body’s ecosystem so the bugs that cling to that mucus are mightily discouraged. Here’s how to proceed:...”

http://www.undergroundhealth.com/bronchitis-home-remedies/

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HOMEMADE REAL NON-GMO VITAMIN C GUMMIES

by Ursula Herrera – Creative and Healthy Fun Food

“Vitamin C is necessary to support a strong immune system and maintain good cardiovascular health. It promotes eye health and helps prevent colds.  Vitamin C  is also a great  flu-fighter.  These Homemade Real Non-GMO Vitamin C Gummies are made from fruits that contain lots of naturally-occurring vitamin C.

Did you know that most supplements are made synthetically from GMO corn? Think about vitamin C for example.  How do they make it? They use corn syrup to synthesize ascorbic acid. If you have a multivitamin at home check it out. Look at the labels. Most vitamins are not made from real food sources. Pretty disappointing isn’t it? They also contain lots of preservatives, added sugars, and in many cases artificial sweeteners. ...

I made these delicious gummies juicing organic clementines and oranges.  I used my cold press juicer. Because they don’t produce as much heat, cold press juicers keep more of the fresh ingredients’ nutrients intact. You can just juice one fruit or a combination, it is up to you.  A clementine has about  36.1 mg of vitamin c and an orange 51.1 mg. I also added raw honey .

The molds I used for this recipe are the Freshware Super Star Gummy Mold and Freshware Toy, Car, Block and Bear Gummy Mold. Aren’t they adorable? They are made of good quality silicone and are so easy to use and clean. You don’t even need to oil the molds, the gummies will come right out! You will need a total of 3 molds for this recipe. You can also use vanilla extract but it is totally optional.

If you would like to add more vitamin C to these Homemade Real Non-GMO Vitamin C Gummies, like for example if you are fighting a cold, or if you were buying a supplement but would like to make your own, I recommend adding Organic Vitamin C Powder. Each tablespoon has 500mg of vitamin C and it comes from organic whole fruits.  I will let you do the math and determine how much you would like. Most multivitamins that need to be taken daily contain 60mg of vitamin C. The recipe will make about 45 gummies using my molds.

Homemade Real Non-GMO Vitamin C Gummies

Prep time 20 mins; Total time 20 mins 

Ingredients

1½ cups juiced oranges and clementines. (You can just use one fruit or both, a cup is usually 4-5 medium oranges)

4 tablespoons plain gelatin

2-4 tablespoons raw honey (use 4 if you like them extra sweet)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract *optional

1 tablespoon Vitamin C powder *optional if you want extra vitamin c

Instructions

Pour juice into a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and let sit for a couple of minutes. Let the gelatin “bloom” (it will get wrinkly looking on the surface ). When all the gelatin is absorbed, whisk to combine.

Place the saucepan over medium heat on the stove. Let the liquid warm, but not boil. Let all the gelatin dissolve. It takes about 3-5 minutes to make the liquid really smooth and thin.

Add the honey and if using, the vanilla extract and vitamin c powder. Mix well.

Pour into your molds or loaf pan and refrigerate for about 2-3 hours.

Remove from molds. If you used the loaf pan, cut your gelatin into small squares.

Store in the refrigerator - they will last 2-3 weeks.

http://www.undergroundhealth.com/vitamin-c-gummies/

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It’s accumulative too. So don’t think you will eat mcdonalds and burn it off at the gym. No siree, they’ll embed in your organs. Nasty!! #chemicalfree way to be!

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First post on this blog.  I just thought I would start by introducing the disease, what it affects and common symptoms. It’s a bit basic for now, but I will be posting more!

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MOM DETECTIVE ON THE SOCCER FIELD: IS ARTIFICIAL TURF TOXIC?

" It’s another gray, rainy day in New England and in a few short hours I’ll be driving a car filled with energetic young children to one of their four weekly soccer practices. Unless thunder and lightening kick in, their practice will go on, rain or even snow notwithstanding. The synthetic turf field the children play on is ready for play regardless of the weather.

For this reason and more, the demand for synthetic turf fields has grown to the point where more than “8,000 multi-use synthetic turf sports fields can be found throughout North American schools, colleges, parks and professional sports stadiums. About half of all NFL teams currently play their games on synthetic turf and, since 2003, over 70 FIFA U-17 and U-20 World Cup matches have been played on synthetic turf soccer fields.“

What is artificial turf?

Artificial turf was originally invented by Monsanto in the early 1960’s and has taken several forms since then, with the most recent being “crumb rubber.” This type of artificial turf, which contains tiny black crumbs of rubber made from old car tires, can contain zinc, benzene, carbon black and lead, among other toxic substances. As many parents well know, these “black crumbs” travel home in our children’s shoes, uniforms and hair, and ultimately end up on the floor of our cars and homes.

Artificial turf and cancer:

Now we’re learning those black crumbs may be doing more harm than good. Soccer coach, Amy Griffin began doing her own investigation when two of her goalkeepers from the University of Washington were diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins lymphoma. She compiled a list of 38 American soccer players — 34 of them goalies – who have been diagnosed with cancer. Ethan Zohn, a former professional soccer player, winner of the reality-television series “Survivor”, co-founder of Grassroot Soccer and a Hodgkins lymphoma survivor, had similar findings. He’s compiled a list of 50 or so goalkeepers who’ve battled cancer.

...

Here are a few suggestions for concerned parents and children:

Wash your hands immediately after playing on a turf field. Showering is probably the best idea.

Encourage your children to take off their cleats and socks outside your home, so as not to track in the “black crumbs.”

Advocate for team benches on the sidelines so the players don’t have to sit directly on the artificial turf.

Request that goalkeeper training take place on the natural grass, not on the turf.

Encourage discussion in your city or town about the safety of these fields. Be present and vocal if your community is contemplating installing an artificial turf field or playground.

... "

http://www.momscleanairforce.org/artificial-turf-toxic/

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Here's Why Fruits And Vegetables Have Those Annoying F*%king Stickers On Them

http://www.upworthy.com/heres-why-fruits-and-vegetables-have-those-annoying-fking-stickers-on-them?c=tkp1