I'm all about natural cosmetics...YES, I LOVE to get dressed up, wear makeup, take care of my skin, but NOT at the expense of putting chemicals and unsafe products on my body....there's a story there, but I'll keep it for another time.  For now, I'm just saying that for ME, I don't want products on my skin that will be absorbed and do harm.  There are enough chemicals and carcinogens in our air and it's pretty difficult to not breathe, so we need to do what we can to limit harmful substances. 


There are MANY companies that are safe and natural, but just because they say NATURAL and even ORGANIC, does NOT mean that all of their ingredients are safe.  


A few of my FAVORITE cosmetic/ health and beauty companies are: 


MyChelle--I'll tell you more about them in my next blog; female owned, Colorado based
http://www.mychelle.com/


Lotus Moon-- and the gal who got it all started is just the greatest! - San Francisco
http://www.smbessentials.com/


Bubble and Bee -- another great female-owned company  Utah company
http://www.bubbleandbee.com/


There are others I love, but this is a great start and I want to go into detail about them and why I like them....I mean I LOVE them....REALLY, I do!!


I will be doing some youtube videos on these companies and show you the products, how I use them, and a little more about me...so stay tuned!


In the meantime, you can do some research yourself....check out:
The story of cosmetics:  


http://storyofstuff.org/cosmetics/ 


AND, you can subscribe to 'chemical of the day' and learn about what NOT to use here...check 'em out!


http://chemicaloftheday.squarespace.com/  


For now, it's Saturday, the LAST day of July---I can hardly believe it, AND, I'm going to go do something fun....


Love you all!!

It's REALLY FRIDAY!! and Ducks eat FISH

It's Friday and one of the things I'd like to do in my blog is have an interesting fact or recipe or piece of learning that is fun, entertaining, maybe a bit silly at times....

Over the years, I've heard so many stories about mallard ducks...any kind of ducks actually and whether or not they eat fish.  People argue, debate, etc. but a picture is worth a thousand words, right?  

I recently checked on the web and there still disagreements on whether or not they do eat fish.  Check out this site:

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/ponds/msg0413231328353.html 

It's actually a GREAT site for information....but like with anything, do your due diligence and get a couple of opinions before you think you know everything.  A week or so ago, I was up in Estes Park and I was watching this duck swim around a small pond....he seemed to be gliding effortlessly....and then....

He dunked down into the water and pulled up....

You guessed it:  a FISH

Have a GREAT FRIDAY and I'd love for you to tell someone about my blog....I gotta get the word out.....love you all!!!

The Girl Gets Real

Make Informed Decisions Regarding Your Health

One of the things about living purposefully is making choices that have positive outcomes.  Of course, we can't predict all outcomes; however, we can use data, research, best practices, common sense, professional opinion, and a number of other information sources to formulate those choices.  We also need to 'tune in' to our own needs, our own health, our own feelings, our own journey.  What works for one MAY not work for another.  This week, my middle daughter was suffering from some severe back pain. She is 29, very active, physically fit, and takes good care of herself.  However, heredity, a job that requires lengthy sitting at a desk, and some recent kick-boxing classes took their toll.  On Sunday evening, I ended up having to take her to the emergency room of the local hospital since all Emergency Care facilities at already closed.

After the normal 'check in' procedures, we began the 'wait.'  In the family room, many people were gathering with tissues in hand, people streaming in and out.  Obviously, something quite tragic and maybe even fatal had taken place.  A mom with a fussy baby comforted her infant near the back of the room.  An impatient-looking man was holding some sort of prescription bottle in his left hand and he glared from time to time.  My daughter could not stand nor could she sit at this time, but they put her in a wheelchair and she used her arms to lift her body from the chair to take pressure off of her spine.  In time, her arms began to shake and go numb.  I then asked if there was a place where she could lie down.  We were ushered into a room where her vital signs were taken and then sent back out into the waiting room.  More new faces had entered the room at this point. I won't go into all of the details, but the 'short version' is that after 4+ hours, she was released with two prescriptions for muscle relaxers and pain and still feeling no better.  There were no explanations of why, how, when....just 'call your doctor tomorrow.'

As the week progressed, the pain got worse, and after several days of high doses of a codeine derivative and muscle relaxers, she was given an appointment to have a procedure done which was never really explained to her.  We went home, did our own research, and then SHE decided to have the procedure.  It is called an Epidural Steroid Injection and it is given directly into the spine.  I've included a photograph of what the procedure looks like as it is being performed.  Had we not done our own research, she would have went into the office thinking she was receiving a shot in the 'behind.' Point of story: this procedure has risks.
Andrew Weil, M.D. - How Medical Treatments Really Work from Andrew Weil, M.D. on Vimeo.  I am an advocate of Dr. Andrew Weil.  He does not 'bad mouth' western medicine, but he does believe in the whole body health methodology and I urge you to watch the video and make your own decisions.

EVERYONE'S body is different.  YOU must get in tune with your body and figure out what works for you.  As far as the epidural steroid injection goes, some people receive benefits; some do not; some have severe adverse reactions; some hardly feel the shot.  Some have internal bleeding and some even die, even though that outcome is very rare.  Be informed and make good choices...don't 'let' things happen to you- be proactive and ask lots of questions.

 

Spinal Epidural Steroid Injection Procedure

One of my segments in this blog is going to be REAL HEALTH.  For me, real health is about combining all methodologies of health care and using the forces of body, mind, and spirit for the ultimate health.  I am NOT a doctor, so I am not recommending a plan for any one of you, but I AM telling you that you MUST educate yourself about the care you receive and the choices you make in health care...it is the care of YOUR BODY.  Make wise choices, ask for explanations, get second opinions, read, research, and get in tune with your body.  Understand its individual nuances....listen to your inner voice and give your body what it needs to be at its optimum health.  Your choices today affect YOUR health tomorrow.

This segment of my blog will include topics like, but are not limited to:

• Spirituality as a part of Health
• Integrative Medicine: Whole Person Medicine (see Dr. Weil's video) http://vimeo.com/channels/drweil
• Organic Foods & their role in your life
• How to buy the best foods for the least amount of money
• Recipes for healthful nutrition
• Alternative therapies
• My own experiences w/ my health and the health of friends and family members
• The power of prayer
• Water and its relevance to health
• Heart, Mind, Soul Alignment
• Healing Touch
• Skin Brushing
• Dental Health and its affect on the rest of the body

I hope you'll join me and add your own voice---I'm always interested in learning new ideas and philosophies and it is within this realm that we will ALL be more healthy.

Welcome---come on in!

I think that's this is going to be so much fun....for you AND me.... I hope you'll join me as I bring tons of information to you about how I've gotten to this place...this very REAL place in my life where every single day is a learning and an adventure. 


I will be open and candid about topics from health and beauty to decorating and dressing....from holidays and families to raising children, puppies, and kittens.  I'll tell you about my dreams, my passions, my goals, my life....and all the stuff between those lines.  AND, I'd love for you to share and grow with me.  


I love to cook, garden, sing, dance, be a mom, grandmother, partner, friend...I'm a bit of a creative soul and I'm longing to reach out farther than my English classroom could ever allow me...across the country and across the globe.  I want to connect; I want to teach; I want to share. 

My BIG red pot!

So......come on in!  There's always something cookin'!