In 1954 Dr. Kojima discovered interferon, and its crucial role in building your body’s immune response. He then spent over 40 years dedicated to finding a way to naturally boost interferon production.
UNREAL: A New Unjunked Kind of Candy
This week we were out and about and decided to stop into CVS for a little treat. Yes, even we eat junk from time to time. While at CVS, we came across these candy bars that looked a little futurist and I had to take a look. They were called Unjunked by UNREAL. They claim no GMOs, no artificial colors, sweeteners, preservatives and less sugar. I was thinking to myself, ya but they probably taste like CRAP. But I was in an adventurous mood so I decided to give them a try. They were on sale for 2 for $2 so a little pricier than regular junk. Here is what I got {unjunked M&Ms, Snickers and Reeces PB Cups}:
As you can imagine, I couldn’t wait to rip open the packages, but for the blog’s sake I was gentle in case I wanted to take more pictures of the packaging. But here is what the Unjunked candy looked like out of the packages:
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised that the Unjunked candy actually tasted really good and close to the original junk version. For the price, I’d go with the UNREAL 8 {Snickers} and UNREAL 88 {Reeces} as those were the best value.
The story behind the UNREAL brand is pretty neat too. Basically, a dad confiscated most of his son’s candy one Halloween, which of course caused an uproar. But the kid decided to show his dad that candy wasn’t bad, so he searched the internet. The kid ended up finding out the candy was actually full of bad things and so the dad was right! But they decided together that there has to be a better a way and so they went on a search to find the solution. Corn syrup? Out. Partially hydrogenated oils? Out. GMOs? Out. Artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives? Out. Reduced sugar by over 40% per serving on average? Check. They also decided key ingredients needed to be responsibly sourced, supporting farming communities and preventing destruction of the rain forests. All ingredients needed to be non GMO. Dairy needed to come from pasture raised cows with no antibiotics or added hormones. Why? Because it’s the right thing to do for people and the planet.
Sample comparison {from UNREAL’s website}:
Here is a sample ingredient list:
I have to say overall I was pretty impressed, especially when I read the story. So for now, we’ll buy this Unjunked version of our favorite treats – on occasion! Keep in mind this is still CANDY, with sugar, so it doesn’t give you cart blanch to go hog wild…..but if you are going to have a treat hear and there why not choose an alternative without the GMOs, HFCS, artificial flavors, colors & sweeteners – just my opinion of course!
5 Strategies for Staying Healthy this Winter
Americans get more than one billion colds a year. So why is it that we have smartphones but still no cure for colds and flu? It’s because we’re dealing with smart viruses. Any one of hundreds of viruses could launch a cold or flu attack, and chances are that this year’s flu virus won’t be the same as last year’s. That’s because viruses have the uncanny ability to constantly morph into new variations, making it nearly impossible to develop a simple cure.
Having said that, there’s still much you can do to stay strong and healthy all winter. Talk to your doctor about the best ways to protect yourself and give these prevention strategies a try:
- Wash Your Hands: Washing hands remains the most effective way to protect yourself and your family from colds and flu. Lather, rinse, repeat throughout the day. Do it long enough to sing “Happy Birthday” twice.
- Get Enough Sleep: Sleep may be your immune system’s secret weapon, according to recent scientific research. Less than seven hours of sleep a night made people three times more likely to catch a cold than those who got eight or more hours of zzzs.
- Exercise: While very vigorous physical activity (like running a marathon) can put a damper on your immune system, most scientists agree that moderate physical activity actually helps boost the immune cells that fight off invaders.
- Fuel Yourself with Good Nutrition: An orange a day (along with strawberries, bell peppers, potatoes, and other vitamin C rich fruits and vegetables) can help keep the doctor away. Lean meat, fish, and other protein sources also provide the amino acids needed to help maintain your immune system. Don’t forget to fill in nutritional gaps with immune supporting nutrients like zinc and vitamins D, A, C and E. Harvard scientists even suggest vitamin D supplements may help reduce the occurrences of colds. The scientists found low vitamin D levels in nearly 20,000 Americans increased their cold and flu risk.
- Power up with Plant Extracts: Scientific research has led to the discovery of a combination of plant extracts that naturally boost the body’s own production of interferon, a component of the immune system that helps fight off viruses. Other plant compounds found in elderberry and echinacea extracts can help, too. Take these when you feel the first sign of something coming on, and continue taking them for about a week as needed.
Photos updated:
Image credit: elenathewise / 123RF Stock Photo
Image credit: omgimages / 123RF Stock Photo
7 Tips for Choosing a Quality Soy Product
When shopping for a good protein source, the information can be overwhelming. Many media sources try to persuade you away from soy {see my previous article debunking the soy myth}. But we have a different story. It’s not soy, but the way it’s been processed that makes it unhealthy. Soy in it’s right non-GMO form will actually heal your body of many ailments. Consider these tips when shopping for your soy protein:
7 Essential Tips for choosing a quality soy product:
by: Dr. Brouse
1) Were the soybeans ORGANICALLY GROWN?
Studies have shown decreased levels of food nutrients and increased levels of nitrates in chemically fertilized crops, when compared with their organic counterparts. There is a connection between the ingestion of nitrates & CANCER! Therefore, it is important to know that pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides have not been used during the growing process. In particular, with soybeans, since they are such a hardy plant, a powerful and DEADLY weed spray called Round Up is usually used. For your safety, you must know that your soy products are organically grown. [Shaklee soy is organically grown.]
2) Were the soybeans GENETICALLY ENGINEERED?
Genetically engineered soybeans are much cheaper to purchase, and most companies producing soy products look for ways to save money. [Shaklee soy is certified non-GMO (i.e., it is guaranteed to contain no genetically-modified organism.)]
3) Does your soybean powder contain ALL of the nine essential amino acids?
One of the most valuable features of the soybean is that it is a complete protein and provides ALL nine of the essential amino acids. The body requires these daily to produce hormones, digestive juices, antibodies, and enzymes. HOWEVER, not all soybeans are created equal. Quality and amino acid content will vary based on soil conditions, and variable growing and harvest conditions. If one essential amino acid is missing, the immune system can be depressed 30%, and many important body functions are delayed or stopped. Therefore, it is essential that each batch of soybeans be checked for amino acid content if we want to depend on the soy isolate to provide a GUARANTEED supply of the nine essential amino acids. [Shaklee soy contains all nine essential amino acids.]
4) Were the crushed soy flakes washed in alcohol or water?
Alcohol washing destroys isoflavones content up to 88%! It is the isoflavones that reduce the risk of breast, prostate, lung and bowel cancer! As well, it is the isoflavones that are so beneficial in hormone balancing and increasing bone mass. [Shaklee soy is washed only in water.]
5) Was the “anti-thyroid”, “anti-growth” substance in the raw soy removed?
Asians, who have consumed large amounts of soy for years, have known that RAW soy contains an “anti-growth”, “anti-tyrosine” substance. Tyrosine deficiency will cause low blood pressure, low body temperature, and restless leg syndrome. Therefore, Asians always lightly cook their soy foods to deactivate the “anti-tyrosine/anti-growth” substance. Shaklee has designed an extracting process that removes this substance, yet keeps the soy in a raw form in order to maintain the HIGHEST LEVEL OF AMINO ACIDS and ISOFLAVONES, which are very sensitive to heat. [Shaklee removes all pro-goitrogens from its soy.]
6) Is your soybean food RAW or heated?
Amino acids are very sensitive to heat. In some studies, cooking protein has been shown to destroy up to 50% of some ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS. If an individual consistently consumes a diet that is lacking in all of the essential amino acids, inadequate brain development and hormones, or other body tissue development can be the result. [Shaklee soy is raw.]
7) Has CALCIUM been added to your soy powder?
Some negative reports about soy say that soy powders are VERY ACIDIC and cause bone loss because it causes calcium to be drawn from the bones!!!! The raw soy bean is a NEUTRAL food–neither acidic or alkaline. However, the removal of the soybean oil (which is essential so the soy powder will not go rancid very quickly), makes the powder very acidic. Therefore, adequate calcium (which is very alkaline) must be added to cause the powder to be neutral again, or it can cause the above stated problem. Many protein powder manufacturers do not add any or enough calcium. [Shaklee soy has added calcium for proper pH balance.]
About the Author:
Dr. Brouse is a widely recognized authority in the fields of nutrition and prevention of chronic degenerative diseases. Dr. Brouse has a Master’s in Biochemistry and is a Doctor of Chiropractic. He was an Associate Professor of Clinical Nutrition for 14 years and found the renowned Sunnyside Health Center in Clackamas, Oregon in 1977. Since that time many people throughout the world have regained a greater measure of health while following the recommendations of the clinic’s health professionals.
Photo added 10-11-13: Image credit: martinak / 123RF Stock Photo
Quinoa Veggie Chili
I’ve been wanting to do more vegetarian dinner options and remembered that I had an amazing quinoa chili for lunch one day a few months ago. It was so good, I decided to whip up a batch of my own creation with some locally grown veggies. I was surprised at how easy it was and quite frankly how great it tasted. [Read more…]
15 Bean Stew/Soup
We had a crazy busy weekend planned which started with a garage sale and ended with a lot of meals and snacks prepped for the week. I am about to pass out! But the week should be a breeze.
Friday night we prepped and set up for our neighborhood bi-annual garage sale. We like to participate in this, not only is it fun, we make a few extra bucks AND we purge a bunch of stuff we’ve accumulated over the last few months. I know – if we didn’t buy the stuff we wouldn’t need to purge, but most of the stuff is our son’s old toys and clothes, plus any additional nick nacks or kitchen items we just don’t need anymore. The bonus is that whatever we make at the garage sale goes towards our son’s birthday or Christmas presents. Dave Ramsey would be proud!
After the garage sale on Saturday morning, it was off to the grocery store for the weekly shopping, then came all the cleaning and prepping. I like to wash all the fruits and veggies when I get home from the farmers market or grocery store so that it’s easy to just grab and go or prep for dinners. I made sure to not only prep for the week’s snacks {typical snacks packs below}, but to also prep the veggies for the dinners for the week.
On Sunday, we went to church and a birthday party, then I prepped some meals for the week. I made 15 Bean Stew {below}, beef enchiladas, turkey meatballs, chicken tenders AND prepped a kale & apple stuffed pork tenderloin {recipe and post to come later this week}. All I can say is I am BEAT – but this week should be a breeze! Plus, the extra bonus is we have two meals frozen – I froze 1/2 the enchiladas and 15 Bean Stew!
15 Bean Stew/Soup
Author: LiveGreenEatClean
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Ingredients
- 1 Bag Hurst Ham Beans {throw away the seasoning packet}
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- salt & pepper to taste
- 3 cloves of garlic {minced}
- 1 onion {chopped}
- 2 lg tomatoes {chopped} or 1 can of diced tomatoes
- 6-9 cups of filtered water
Instructions
- Soak beans overnight.
- Add all ingredients to crock pot, with enough water to cover at least 1-2 inches above mixture.
- Cook on high for 6-8 hours, checking every so often to see if you need to add more water or if beans are cooked.
Notes
You can mix this up by adding veggies like carrots, celery and squash or add meat like chicken, ham and/or sausage. Lots of options.
Why We Choose Shaklee Soy
Why we choose Shaklee Soy:
A complete protein containing all of the 9 essential amino acids is essential for long-term human health (Shaklee’s soy contains all 9 essential amino acids). It’s not the protein that is important; it’s the amino acid content of the protein that is important. Further; these Amino Acids are in the same balance as found in the human body.- Enzymes are essential for protein utilization (when protein is heated to 110° the enzymes are destroyed. The enzymes are necessary for protein utilization. That is why Shaklee does not go over room temperature when producing the product.
- Phyto-chemicals and Phyto-estrogen, which are essential for maximum human health, are not found in animal protein. Although they are not nutrients like vitamins and minerals, scientists believe these plant chemicals show much promise in the prevention of cancer.
- Producing an alkaline condition in the body improves the immune system and reduces the chance of viral and bacterial growth. An acid condition, which is produced when meat and dairy products are eaten, reduces the immune system, increases the level of viral and bacterial growth and will lead to many problems. Soy products are result in an alkaline ash helping to create the alkaline condition essential for long-term health.
- Extracting the protein isolate from Soy using a water wash to maintain the phyto-chemicals and phyto-estrogens in the soy. Many companies use alcohol to wash their soy. Shaklee uses only water to wash the soy, which is why we have the highest levels of phyto-chemicals and phyto-estrogens in our soy.
- Shaklee soy does not raise the blood sugar level. When we start the day by increasing our blood sugar levels we will experience blood level swings, which will cause us to be tired and irritable all day long.
- Animal protein takes too long to digest and as we get older it becomes difficult to properly digest meat, which leaves too much residual acid in the body. Meat contains too much saturated fat and cholesterol.
- Shaklee soy is very digestible, has only 25 calories per tablespoon, is very low in saturated fat, contains no cholesterol and quickly absorbs into the blood, which is very important in maintaining your blood amino levels.
- Most proteins take too long to digest to maintain the amino acid and protein level. The body then must attack the muscles. This is why we lose muscle mass during our lifetime. Shaklee soy is readily available to the blood.
- The lower the carbohydrate ratio to protein, the more valuable the protein is to the body. But, some carbohydrate must be present for the body to metabolize protein.
The quality of raw material that goes into soy products depends on the soil in which the soy is grown; the conditions under which soy is grown make a large difference in its value. (Also, Shaklee soy products are made from NON-GMO [genetically modified] soy plants.)- Bio-available is a term, which refers to the ability of the body to use the food we eat. Simply, “Is the stuff on the label available to the cells?” All Shaklee products are clinically tested on people, not animals, to prove their components are in the blood stream and available to the cells. Most people can feel the effects of our Soy product within minutes of ingesting it. This feeling is confirmed by tests showing level of amino acids and protein levels in the blood.
- Blood amino acid levels play a tremendous role in maintaining health in the human body. We tend to eat large volumes of food because low blood amino acid levels are never satisfied by saturated foods which are high in calories, fat, and carbohydrates. These will alter the body’s performance and never bring the body into balance.
- The storage cells in the body either store fat or protein. Using Shaklee protein daily can help maintain the protein in the storage cells. The body will always have a supply of amino acids stored, reducing muscle loss and fat storage.
- Protein can’t be utilized in our metabolism with out adequate B3, B6, potassium, phosphates, and carbohydrates. Most meals do not contain adequate amounts of the right levels of B and potassium, phosphates, or carbohydrates to properly utilize the protein we are eating. Our Shaklee soy is completely metabolized by the body for full utilization.
- Soybeans contain a full spectrum of natural phytochemical compounds that may have health benefits; compounds like phytates, phytosterols, saponins, phenolic acids and protease inhibitors. What really sets soy apart from other plant foods is a class of compounds called isoflavones.
- Soy is the highest quality protein available from nature. We are what we eat. Our health is going to be affected by the quality of protein we consume. Shaklee soy is the very best money can buy.
- Shaklee does 26 separate tests on every raw material that is used to insure the highest quality possible. If any one of the tests fails, the raw materials are rejected.
- Stress is the greatest factor in protein utilization in the body. Under stress the body’s demand for amino acids increases six times. Soy is so readily available to the body; it can help counter these changes. Other proteins just take too long to digest and do not supply an adequate amount of amino acids. So in most cases the body must attack the muscles to try and get the amino acids that are needed.
For more information or to order Shaklee Soy Protein visit our website.
Read my other blogs on Soy:
1. Is Soy Really as Unhealthy as You Think
2. 7 Tips for Choosing a Quality Soy Product
Hatch Green Chile Shrimp Cocktail
One of our favorite restaurants is Chuy’s in Texas. Each year they host a Green Chile Festival. My husband in particular loves this special time, but so do I! Chuy’s celebrates their love of the Green Chile with three weeks of food, fun and tons of flavor. They claim to be the first to bring the Green Chiles to Central Texas in the early ’80s and we thank them for that! Every year they contract with family farmers in the Hatch Valley of New Mexico to grow over a million pounds of the very best Green Chiles on the planet just for them. And all I can say is yum!
I was lucky enough to find a couple Green Chiles in our local grocery store and thought what the heck – we can make something with this. But then I lost inspiration! I wanted something different, not just added to rice or tortilla soup. Then this past Sunday was the last day of the Chuy’s Green Chile Festival and I decided to go outside my comfort zone and get somethine new and not typical of what I consider TexMex {aka fajitas or tacos}, so I had the Hatch Chile Shrimp Cocktail! All I can say is YUM! I was so happy with my choice.
Then I remembered I had some Green Chiles at home and I could reproduce this tasty treat for later in the week. Here is my version. I have to say we loved it. YUMMO!
Hatch Green Chile Shrimp Cocktail
Author: LiveGreenEatClean
Recipe type: Appetizer
Prep time:
Total time:
Ingredients
- 20 pre-cooked medium shrimp (diced)
- 2 Tbsp roasted Hatch Green Chile (diced)
- 2 Tbsp tomatoes (diced)
- 2 Tbsp avocado (diced)
- 1 Tbsp cilantro
- 2 Tbsp homemade cocktail sauce
- Juice of ½ lemon
Instructions
- Dice all ingredients and mix together! Serve on a bed of lettuce. YUMMO!
Save $3400 by Switching to Non-Toxic Cleaners!
Health isn’t just about what you put in your body, it’s about everything around you.
As you may have read in my previous post Is Your Home Toxic? there are natural and nontoxic cleaning choices from Shaklee, that are Safe for You, Your Home, and Your Planet called Get Clean®.
Get Clean’s cornerstone product, Basic H, was pioneered in 1960 as one of the first non-toxic, biodegradable cleaners, years before being “green” was even a movement or cool!
FACT: 1 bottle of Basic H2 equals the cleaning power of 5,824 bottles of 26 oz. Windex®!
The Shaklee Get Clean Starter Kit:
– Has no harmful fumes or hazardous chemicals.
– Rivals or outperforms 20 national leading brands.
– Has the equivalent of $3400 in conventional cleaners {much more if you only use it to clean windows}
And when you purchase the Get Clean Starter Kit you also make a positive impact on the planet:
– Keep 108 pounds of packaging waste from landfills.
– Eliminate 248 pounds of greenhouse gas.
So what is in the kit? Not a lot of products, but these cleaners are super concentrated. Shaklee sells you the cleaner NOT the water. All you have to do is measure them out and add water! Here’s what you get:
As you can see, a one-time investment translates into years of toxin-free, good-for-the-environment cleaning!
Get Clean saves a ton of space too!
If you are ready to transform your house into a safe and healthy home, please don’t hesitate to contact me or order online! Don’t forget there is a 100% money back guarantee.
Why Supplement?
Poor nutritional habits are becoming a national epidemic. Fast food sales have increased by 2,000% over the past 30 years and 90% of Americans fall short in getting all the essential nutrients they need from diet alone. But you are in control. Countless studies show nutrition supplementation can positively affect your health. Watch this video to learn more!
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