organize and eat

take an hour out of your day, put on some music and start slicing, dicing, rinsing and packing fruits, veggies and anything else. it makes it easily accessible to eat and it's fast when you need a snack. now that's fast food!

healthy options and yummy

http://mariahealth.blogspot.com/

compares foods we know to healthy alternative recipes

Fat vs. Muscle

Yes it is gross! and yucky to look at. Here is 5 lbs of fat vs. 5 lb of muscle. Same weight but the actual amount looks very different.

VIA @ Wikipedia
(In physical fitness, body composition is used to describe the percentages of fat, bone and muscle in human bodies. Because muscular tissue takes up less space in our body than fat tissue, our body composition, as well as our weight, determines leanness. Two people at the same height and same body weight may look completely different from each other because they have a different body composition.)

Do you know your body fat percentage? If you can find a place to accurately measure your body fat please do so to know your body. Did you know that fat in the belly region also means that there is fat around your organs. no good!

How do you describe your body type? Do you go by weight or inches?

Here are some descriptions I use to describe body types:
Super Skinny
Skinny
Skinny Fat
Thin
Thin Muscular (think I'm here)
Thin Fat
Average
Average Fat
Average Muscular
Athletic
Athletic Muscular
Buff
Chubby
Big Fat
Big Muscular
Big
WOW
Etc....etc....

Everyone guesses I'm around 100-110 max. I weigh 123 and no one believes me until I weigh myself. Little fat goes a long way. I'm glad I weigh that much or I'd be 100 with more fat to fit in the same jeans. I remember this girlfriend in college that wore the same size as i did. She said " I would rather weigh less than you and wear the same size"...ok...that's fine we will just have different body comps and I'll be the lean muscular and you'll be the thin fat. I'll burn more calories sitting than you will moving around... but can we still share clothes lol

when doves cry...da da da da

its no secret that i have sensitive skin and have had issues most of my early teen and adulthood years. when i removed gluten that helped tremendously. DERMATOLOGISTS just treated my symptoms with fungal producing antibiotics and never took the time to really freaking figure it out! I have seen a total of 11 different so called Dermatologists and have tried atleast 9 different medications which never worked and always gave me more symptoms. I tried microdermabrasion, peels and acid Ouch creams, and more... it was my diet (typical american diet) it was always my diet and i had to find the answers on my own. (diet is related to hormone balance and toxins) 13 years on meds on and off for what? no one helped the underlying problems. maybe its not there fault, maybe they didn't get educated on nutrition and diet that goes hand in hand with skin conditions. i felt alone for so long and the fact that doctors charged me $50-$100 to look at my face and grab a pen started to upset me. I would ask them "why do i need meds? isnt there something else?" "bactrim again!?" I would wait 30 minute the lobby and see the doctor for around 10 minutes which was not worth it after years of frustration. what changed?.....DIET and control

i am happy to say i don't have skin issues anymore after 16 years of meds, crying, insecurities, creams, doctors visits with no answers, misdiagnosis, and confusion....i am finally free from that burden. people can say "don't let that bother you", "its not that bad", "people have it worse off" all they want but until you feel comfortable in your own skin then you can move on and be confident. SKIN is important!! it shows your health up front and center, its the first thing you look at in the mirror.

if you have or know someone that has skin disorders, acne, back acne, body acne, scalp issues, discoloration, blotches, dry skin etc. let them know its all ok and there are answers. there are ways to cure and reverse it with a little help and motivation. see a doctor for food allergies, read about candida, milk and other food triggers, read about hormones (since doctors always say it but never explain in detail) read about water, alkaline and vitamins, read about how the biggest organ that we have works and how toxins are directly related...its out there and with my experiences i am a believer that its 1-3 steps away.

I am 31 and just got clear controlled skin 4 months ago. No doctors, No meds, No creams, No shots, No peels. I just improved my diet and removed the bad and cleaned out the ugly. my skin is happy and its healing time for my inner self. hurtful words and covering up scar the heart more than external scars. aaaaahhhh! big breathe :))))) if only we were educated about health at an early age so we can make better decisions and become more aware of our selves.

The one thing I started using last month that seems to really add a glow and clarity to my skin is Dove soap. No residue, its moisturizing and revitalizing, plus its smells good! I am SOOooooo in love with DOVE soap. My grandma loved it and always said "it really works." I thought ok so she loves it but come on grandma its just a soap. My dad said the same "its a really good soap, especially for sensitive skin." I have tried seriously every soap on the market. E-V-E-R-Y one! then i tried Dove and am never going back. you should definitely Try it! what do you have to lose? not but a few $$

go nuts for coconuts

I live by coconut milk, oil, and meat :) coconut soup when you feel down or sick is great!!!

Coconut In Modern Medicine (read more here)

Modern medical science is now confirming the use of coconut in treating many of the above conditions. Published studies in medical journals show that coconut, in one form or another, may provide a wide range of health benefits. Some of these are summarized below:

 

• Kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, and other illnesses.
• Kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum disease and cavities, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, and other diseases.
• Kills fungi and yeasts that cause candidiasis, ringworm, athlete's foot, thrush, diaper rash, and other infections.
• Expels or kills tapeworms, lice, giardia, and other parasites.
• Provides a nutritional source of quick energy.
• Boosts energy and endurance, enhancing physical and athletic performance.
• Improves digestion and absorption of other nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
• Improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose.
• Relieves stress on pancreas and enzyme systems of the body.
• Reduces symptoms associated with pancreatitis.
• Helps relieve symptoms and reduce health risks associated with diabetes.
• Reduces problems associated with malabsorption syndrome and cystic fibrosis.
• Improves calcium and magnesium absorption and supports the development of strong bones and teeth.
• Helps protect against osteoporosis.
• Helps relieve symptoms associated with gallbladder disease.
• Relieves symptoms associated with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and stomach ulcers.
• Improves digestion and bowel function.
• Relieves pain and irritation caused by hemorrhoids.
• Reduces inflammation.
• Supports tissue healing and repair.
• Supports and aids immune system function.
• Helps protect the body from breast, colon, and other cancers.
• Is heart healthy; improves cholesterol ratio reducing risk of heart disease.
• Protects arteries from injury that causes atherosclerosis and thus protects against heart disease.
• Helps prevent periodontal disease and tooth decay.
• Functions as a protective antioxidant.
• Helps to protect the body from harmful free radicals that promote premature aging and degenerative disease.
• Does not deplete the body's antioxidant reserves like other oils do.
• Improves utilization of essential fatty acids and protects them from oxidation.
• Helps relieve symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.
• Relieves symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (prostate enlargement).
• Reduces epileptic seizures.
• Helps protect against kidney disease and bladder infections.
• Dissolves kidney stones.
• Helps prevent liver disease.
• Is lower in calories than all other fats.
• Supports thyroid function.
• Promotes loss of excess weight by increasing metabolic rate.
• Is utilized by the body to produce energy in preference to being stored as body fat like other dietary fats.
• Helps prevent obesity and overweight problems.
• Applied topically helps to form a chemical barrier on the skin to ward of infection.
• Reduces symptoms associated the psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis.
• Supports the natural chemical balance of the skin.
• Softens skin and helps relieve dryness and flaking.
• Prevents wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots.
• Promotes healthy looking hair and complexion.
• Provides protection from damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
• Helps control dandruff.
• Does not form harmful by-products when heated to normal cooking temperature like other vegetable oils do.
• Has no harmful or discomforting side effects.
• Is completely non-toxic to humans. 

  Benefits of coconut oil!

  The health benefits of coconut oil include hair care, skin care, stress relief, maintaining cholesterol levels, weight loss, increased immunity, proper digestion and metabolism, relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer, dental care, and bone strength. These benefits can be attributed to the presence of lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid, and its properties such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, soothing, etc. the good stuff!!!
  

  How is Lauric Acid Used by our body?

  The human body converts lauric acid found in coconuts (found in mothers breast milk) into monolaurin which is claimed to help in dealing with viruses and bacteria causing diseases such as herpes, influenza, cytomegalovirus, and even HIV. As a result of these various health benefits of coconut oil, though its exact mechanism of action was unknown, it has been extensively used in Ayurveda, the traditional Indian medicinal system.
  

  
  

my life in the kitchen

went to Costco....

way too many people walking slow and buying too many cookies and breads. felt out of place a bit with all the free samples and mayhem...but oh to not depend on food to make me happy is freedom.

so of course I smelled the fresh bread and watched people take samples of food then smelled the bread again LOL I then bought my produce, went home and ate a peach with a small chicken salad with a tall glass of water.... had energy and was productive. ask yourself why the bread? why the processed? you'll be healthier inside and out plus you save mucho mula $$$

if your going to eat what your going to eat then that is cool just in moderation :)

FIGHT THE URGE! IT IS STRONG! BE STRONGER!