Are you and your Family Prepared??

If there was a national disaster or emergency would your family be prepared? Most people and families have not even thought about or considered the possibility. Well being prepared can make a big difference in the survival and safety of you and your family. We are currently living in a uncertain time in history. With nuclear, chemical, and biological warfare looming, as well as the uncertainty of the economy, being prepared is most important in these times.

• Make Sure you are in the Know-Be informed keep up on the latest news, and updates. Do not have your head in the sand or ignore the information because you are scared. The more you know the better you can prepare.
• Have a Plan-Make sure you and your family make a plan on what to do, and where to meet when something happens. Make sure you have maps and information on where to go, and how to get there, and make sure everyone is well versed on that plan.
• Supplies-If something happens, it is important to have survival supplies ready to use. Things like water, medications, flashlight, first aid kit, battery operated radio,passport (identification), non perishable food. Things like blankets, weather gear, and cash are also essential. Most towns and villages, have a list of needed supplies on their website for reference.
• Build a Community-When disaster strikes, you and your family will band together, but having a whole community band together will be even better. Sharing supplies, and knowledge will give everyone a greater chance of survival. Also knowing your neighbors and people in the community, will help in the event that the community needs to be rebuilt.

Do Not put this off, and take it as another conspiracy theorist or paranoid person's rant.

Making sure you and your family are prepared is important and you won't regret it. Even if nothing happens at least thing were in place and you were prepared for the worst!!

Fall Acorn Squash Apple Soup!!!

Fall is here, and like I have said before I love everything Fall, and that includes soup. Below is yummy fall soup recipe. 

Acorn Squash Apple Soup

Ingredients
(Makes 4-6 servings)

1 acorn squash
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced
1 large apple, diced
2 tsp chopped fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups garbanzo beans
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried sage
4 cups water vegetable broth
2 cups apple juice
Freshly-ground salt and pepper to taste
    
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut squash in half, rub with a little oil, and place on sheet pan cut side down. Roast for 30 minutes, or until insides are tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool.  Scoop out insides of squash and set aside.

Add oil to a pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion and apple for about 5 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and sauté for an additional minute. Add garbanzo beans, squash, thyme, and sage. Cover with vegetable broth and apple juice and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat, cover, and cook until vegetables are soft, about 15–20 minutes.

Next, blend the soup by using an immersion blender or transfering it to a regular blender. If using a regular blender, be very careful as the steam can sometimes cause the lid to blow off. Allow the soup to cool for a few minutes, then blend small batches on medium speed while holding the lid down with a large pot holder or towel in hand. Serve hot, with salt and pepper to taste.



Enjoy this yummy fall soup, and send me you're recipes to be featured on the site. Also be careful some soups can be loaded with all kinds of calories and fats that you wouldn't expect in soup. Also some canned soup can contain a lot of sodium, so as always its better to make homemade.

Natural Cures for Everyday Problems!!

As we have said before we are trying to live a more green, organic, health lifestyle. So for common issues and problems we do not want to run to the drugstore and use all these chemicals and dangerous drugs on our bodies. Some may call it crunchy but we call it health. Why would I eat clean and organic, use organic products around the house and on my body, and than load my body up with all these drugs? So we have been searching for natural cures for everyday problems, and we found some great tips from the MAN himself Dr Oz. 


Try these Oz-approved cures for bloating, body odor,dandruff and more.

Baking Soda and Strawberries for Yellow, Stained Teeth
Combine 1 tablespoon baking soda and two crushed strawberries and brush the mixture onto your teeth and then let is sit for a few minutes. Baking soda is a natural abrasive that has been used for ages to clean teeth, while strawberries contain malic acid, a tooth-whitening agent. While effective, this is not a long-term solution. Rinse or brush your teeth following the treatment.

Fennel Seeds for Gas and Bloating
Fennel seeds are a natural carminative, which means they help eliminate gas. Chew on a spoonful of seeds after you’ve eaten a big meal. Keep a small bowl at home and take some with you in a pill case or baggie for when you’re on the go.

Apple Cider Vinegar for Body Odor
On its own, sweat doesn’t smell bad, but once it hits the air and is exposed to bacteria, it begins to break down and emit odor. Apple cider (or white) vinegar is said to lower the pH level of the skin, creating an environment where bacteria cannot thrive. Splash this vinegar under your arms when you get out of the shower.

Fenugreek Seeds for Dandruff
More chronic cases of dandruff are caused by conditions like psoriasis, eczema or a fungus called malassezia that runs rampant in the scalp. This causes scalp skin turnover to happen too fast, making the skin flake off faster, resulting in dandruff.

The key to treating dandruff is to keep the scalp very clean and to avoid irritating shampoos and hair products. You can also create a scalp-conditioning mask using fenugreek seeds. Soak two tablespoons overnight and then grind them into a paste. Massage the mixture into your scalp and let sit for an hour. Shampoo your hair and rinse with 1 fresh tablespoon of lime juice mixed with water.

Lemon Balm for Cold Sores
Known to reduce healing time and, in some cases, prevent cold sores from coming back, lemon balm is a calming herb with antimicrobial properties. Look for lemon balm cream, ointment or supplements. You can also buy the herb itself, brew it as a tea and apply it with a cotton ball to a sore.


We are not saying in anyway that all conventional medicine is bad. Some are life saving and life sustaining. We just don't want to use medications the can cause toxin in your body, when there are natural ways and methods!!

Exciting News!! Read all about it!!

In April we featured a post on Zumba, we gave an overview of the program, but didn't go too deep. Well since that time, a lot has happened in regards to our involvement in the Zumba world. Our editor Lauren has caught the Zumba bug, and has taken lots and lots of classes. Zumba came naturally to Lauren because of her extensive dance background, both taking and teaching classes. With a growing passion for Zumba, and support from her family, and friends, she has recently received her certification and now is a certified Zumba Instructor. Now that
we have a Zumba ambassador in house we wanted to
revisit the topic of Zumba and the many benefits it can offer
everyone and anyone!!

Zumba is a fitness brand and company, founded in 2001. Zumba classes are offered in 185 countries around the globe, because really we really don't need to know the language to dance. Zumba was really founded by accident. Beto Perez the founder, was a group fitness teacher, that turned one of his classes into a dance party. After that first class, his students wanted to do it again and again. Zumba is often referred to exercise in disguise, because you are getting a complete total body workout, but it feels like a party. Now I'm sure you are thinking how do you lose weight dancing around, and there have been those individuals at the gym who have watched and laughed at those in Zumba class. But I invite those naysayers to take just one Zumba class, and I know they will see the benefits, and fall in love. Zumba is intense (usually 45-60 min) workout where you sweat, and party, and the results are unbelievable. Some Zumba participants have seen some crazy awesome weight losses, 100, 60, 45 pounds, all from having fun!!

Zumba is available for everyone, Men, Women, kids and babies. Zumba has customized programs for Older Adults, called Gold that is geared to keep our older generation active and health. Zumba also has a program for children ages 4 to 7, called Zumba Kids and Zumba Kids Jr. And Zumba even has a program for the little ones called Zumbini for babies, these programs for babies and kids, get them started on the right foot with fitness, showing that its fun and beneficial and they will hopefully lead a health and fitness lifestyle through out their lives. You can be at any health and fitness level to go to Zumba, and you can take it at any pace depending on that level. Zumba is a no judgement zone, so come however you are, and enjoy the party!

In November Lauren will be starting a kids Zumba program, and is hoping to add a few classes for adults too. Stay tuned for all the class details as they come.

Also Lauren is in the Zumba network and an affiliate which means that if you want Zumba gear, and accessories, you can purchase them through her and get a 10% discount. To order (click on the ad in the middle of the page) and check out her officially instructor website go to http://laurencantore.zumba.com/ 
Affiliate Code is :103183 (put that in, to get the discount).
And Remember "Join the Party"!!

Great Vegan Recipe; Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers!!

Have you ever wanted to go Vegan? Or maybe give your body a break from meat, dairy and eggs for one meal? Whatever your reason, the recipe below is from Lisa Oz, (Dr Oz's Wife) and if your anything like me, your okay with having portobello mushrooms instead of ground meat. Enjoy!!

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers

Ingredients
4 Portobello mushrooms, stems removed
 
Marinade
3/4 cup sake
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Juice of one lemon
 
Sandwich
4 crusty rolls
1/2 cup watercress
Grilled yellow and red bell peppers (optional)
Vegan mayo (optional)

Directions
Mix all marinade ingredients together. Place mushrooms (gills up) on baking sheet. Gently spoon marinade over mushrooms every 10 minutes for a half hour.

Using a grill brush, grease up your grill with olive oil. Preheat with medium or high heat. 

Place mushrooms (gills up) on grill. Close lid and let mushrooms grill for about 5 minutes, lifting the lid to baste with marinade every few minutes. For cross-hatched grill marks, turn mushrooms 90 degrees and cook for about 3 more minutes.

Flip mushrooms over and cook for 3 minutes. Grill times may vary, so gently press where stems used to be. Once they’re soft and juicy, remove from heat and let rest for a few minutes. If using peppers, baste peppers with olive oil before grilling.

Arrange sandwich with watercress, peppers and mayo (if using). Enjoy!

Cured Vs. Uncured!!

This morning as I was having breakfast, I noticed on my Turkey Bacon package that is said the meat was uncured. I thought to myself "Does eating uncured meat really make a difference". Being the health conscious person that I am, it shocked me that I didn't know the answer. So once we set out to research and uncovered the Good, Bad and Ugly about Uncured meat.

Uncured Means:

No Sodium Nitrites-According to extensive research nitrites can cause cancer in many situations. When meat containing nitrites are heated on high temperatures, the nitrites mix with amines, a compound naturally present in meat, to form nitrosamines, a carcinogen. A 2011 study, done by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that those who consumed dietary nitrites had higher levels of gastrointestinal cancer. 
No Artificial Preservatives-Most uncured bacon contains no artificial preservatives. Meaning uncured is healthier, but can also go bad faster, so make sure to use it before it goes bad.
No MSG-Uncured bacon is also free of MSG, Monosodium glutamate. MSG is a food additive that cause some symptoms in consumers such as sweating, nausea, chest pain, and headache. 


But Make sure to.....
Make sure to check the sodium content, because some uncured has more salt to replace the list sodium nitrites. Also make sure to buy uncured from a reputable company that used enough natural ingredients to prevent infections.



Needless to say after all this research my UNCURED turkey bacon tasted that much better. 

How to Lower Cholesterol Without Medicine!

High Cholesterol effects 17% of Americans. There is also a large part of the population
that is at risk. Medicines first instinct is too prescribe Cholesterol medicine, but you can
do a lot to lower it naturally. Below is a shopping list from Dr. Oz, of foods that can help lower
your cholesterol naturally! Next time you go to the grocery store take this list, and stock up to help lower or prevent high cholesterol. 

Low-Cholesterol Shopping List
Bananas: Bananas contain a healthy serving of soluble fiber, which helps lower cholesterol by

interfering with the absorption of dietary cholesterol.

Salmon: Salmon contains omega-3 fatty acids, which help to slow plaque buildup in your 

arteries. They also help raise levels of HDL, the protective "good" cholesterol, and

lower triglycerides.

Sardines: Like salmon, sardines contain a good dose of those artery-protecting omega-3 fatty acids.

Olive oil: Olive oil contains antioxidants and monounsaturated fats, which have been shown 

to lower LDL, or "bad" cholesterol. Pick extra-virgin olive oil for the biggest effect.

Garlic: Whole garlic may help to prevent oxidation of LDL, which helps limit cholesterol's 

damaging effects on our vessel walls.

Spinach: Lutein, a pigment found in some vegetables including spinach, has been shown
to prevent cholesterol accumulation in arteries. Spinach also contains vitamin E, 

which helps prevent plaque buildup.

Grapes: Like bananas, grapes also contain soluble fiber, which helps decrease dietary 

absorption of cholesterol. An antioxidant compound found in red grapes may also help

lower bad cholesterol and triglycerides.

Dark chocolate: In some people, antioxidants such as flavanols that are found in dark

chocolate may lower LDL, as well as lower blood pressure and increase blood flow to 

the brain and heart.

Avocado: Good fats in avocados help to boost good cholesterol, which helps protect 

arteries from the effects of bad cholesterol. It also contains beta-sitosterol, which can help

reduce the amount of cholesterol absorbed from food.

Japanese eggplant: Japanese eggplant is packed with cholesterol-lowering fiber and 

contains several compounds that may work to lower LDL.