Detoxing our Lives and Our Bodies

Today, I want to talk with you for just a short bit about detox---so much is said these days about it.  Some are 'for it' while others claim it does no good and that the body naturally detoxes itself.  I believe that detox works and I believe in it.  Again, I'm NOT a doctor; this is just my opinion, but it has helped me in so many ways.  I detox through skin brushing, dry sauna, lots of hot tea, distilled water, and a few products which aid in natural cleansing of the skin and digestive system.   One of the products that I use has been created by the naturopath who I see.  It is called Yoga Detox and I add it to a daily smoothie I create in my blender each morning.  

I also subscribe to my Daily OM which is emailed to me with insightful messages.  They act as little reminders, coaches, and information that helps me on my path and keeps me on my journey with strength and conviction.  I have included the one that was sent to ME yesterday on Aug. 2, 2010.  I am not paid to endorse their site nor has anyone from their site contacted me to represent them.  It is free; it is beneficial, and I'm just sharing this magnificent find with all of you.  I hope you'll consider a detox regimen that works for you....from colon cleansing to skin brushing to just drinking more good clean water in your daily diet.  Find what works for you!

From Your daily OM: http://www.dailyom.com  

 check it out and sign up today!!

Detoxing Your Body

Our bodies move with the cycles of life and even the healthiest need a cleansing detox to renew and regenerate.When you want to start with a clean slate in life, one way is to cleanse your body. Detoxifying can be done in many ways and for many reasons, depending on your specific goals. You may feel a physical need for cleansing, or a spiritual one where you would cleanse the areas of the body that correspond to your current life challenges. If you feel, for instance, that your inner self is not shining through as you would like, you may want to do a bathing detox to clean the skin of impurities so that you can radiate your inner health like a newly washed stained-glass window that lets the light shine through more brilliantly. 

No matter how healthy and conscious our habits are, our bodies move with the cycles of life, which means that our cells sometimes need to fall like leaves from the trees before they can regenerate and be renewed. Just as we need to wash our bodies to remove the buildup of natural processes and contact with the world around us, we need to clean our bodies from the inside as well. So you may want to detoxify your blood or digestive system, or target specific buildup such as plaque or metals. Our bodies are the vessels that allow us to move through life, but we can treat them like wild gardens that need our attention to reach their full potential of beauty and balance in their ecosystem. 

The first days of a detoxification process may bring to mind an image of the dust that gets stirred up during spring cleaning. You may feel a little worse before you feel better, but that may indeed be the universe’s way of showing us the benefits by contrast. We live in a world of dualities, so we may need to experience both sides of a situation in order to find our perfect balance. Once the impurities have been cleansed, you could experience a sense of lightness or clarity of vision and purpose. You will know it worked when you feel enhanced ease as you move through the world toward your goals.

Planning for a Wedding

There's a wedding coming up in the family--my youngest daughter....it's pretty exciting.  It's been a crazy summer! She just finished her 2nd year of vet school and has had a life dream of going to Africa.   A LONG time ago, we were driving through LA and we were stuck in traffic listening to the radio and there came on the 'waves' a female doctor who just captured our attention.  She was an environmentalist way ahead of her time- an animal activist, an educator, a philanthropic woman whose message was this:  there is a causal relationship between man, animals, and the environment.  I won't go into the extent of her broadcast, but somewhere in the middle of it, the tears started to stream down my daughter's face.  "That is what I want to do with my life," she proclaimed.  Right then and there it was done.  She worked hard through high school, had a job, played in sports, was in the band, and graduated as valedictorian of her class.  Then she went on to college and received her BS, went on to receive her Masters of Public Health and is now starting her 3rd year of vet school in mid-August. 
That dream of going to Africa and learning about the animals there and how our ecosystem works was in her blood, and this year, she was accepted into the EnviroVet program, where for 8 weeks, veterinary students, doctors, and veterinarians work together to study the fragile and complicated world of this causal relationship.  Right now, she is in Tanzania.  Her wedding is September 2 and she comes home on Aug. 11, has to study for some capstone exams prior to the semester starting, then starts the semester....WOW, right?
Well, we got LOTS of the planning done prior to her leaving the US, but a lot of the 'creation' has taken place while she's away.  Her fianc'e is incredible; they've been together for over 4 years.  He and I have done so much this summer and now we're scurrying to get it all together prior to her coming home.  He calls it 'the reveal.'  The part when she walks in the door and sees all that we've done.  She'll either cry that we've done it all wrong, or hug us both and cry anyway in joy!

Prior to her future husband proposing, he came by the house to ask for her hand in marriage.  Of course, he had the ring with him.  That began the 'color theme' for the wedding.  They both liked chocolate brown and this color together, so the plans took off from there. The dinner is going to be catered; however, the dessert table is my job, along with centerpieces, and the details.  We're doing a large cupcake tower with a cake on top....I've been practicing cupcake recipes all summer, along with frosting recipes from cooked to buttercream, to whipped cream.... 

This is a batch I whipped up last week and sent them over to Chad for a tasting- he approved, but then popping the entire thing into his mouth doesn't count, does it?  

The bridesmaids will be wearing chocolate brown dresses.  Their nails will be done in a tiffany blue color called:  'for Audrey' named after Audrey Hepburn who appeared in Breakfast at Tiffany's....

The flower girls dresses are super cute---the organza is poofed at the bottom and filled with chocolate brown petals....

There's a butterfly 'theme' to the wedding as well, and the flower girls' 'glass slippers' have silver butterflies on them....The girls have already had a 'dress rehearsal' with official throwing of the petals in the yard!

The boutonnieres are simple and elegant and consist of natural and artificial flowers...dried stock and organza ribbon wrap with a pearl pin to fasten....the colors here aren't completely clear, but the brown and blue theme is carried out here in a subdued way.

Cupcakes will be wrapped after baking....some will have silver, some white, some tiffany blue...some with this laser cut butterfly wrap and topped with a personalized edible design with the bride and groom's name

Some of the cupcakes will have sugary butterflies on top!

We were able to find some tiffany blue sanding sugar...it's really pretty on top of the cupcakes and other treats...tastes good, too! 

Favors are chocolate brown boxes filled with organza bags of organic lavender so that guests can tuck them into a drawer at home and be reminded of the wedding a long time afterward.

Silver wedding plans were dipped in paint and Martha Stewart's tiffany blue glitter to be rung during the reception to encourage a sweet kiss from the bride and groom....

In keeping with the Bride and Groom's eco-friendly nature, plantable butterflies will be handed out and guests will be encouraged to soak the seed-embedded papers and plant to grow wild flowers where once may have only been weeds....what a lovely way to spread beauty in the world....don't you think?

So, there's a lot done but a lot left to do.  The cupcakes have to be baked and frosted and decorated at the last minute.  I've got to get a box of last minute 'fixer-uppers' to take along since the wedding venue is a bit of a ways from the house...scissors, band-aids, needle and thread....you know....

so for now, I hope you're having the time of your life in Africa Amanda....

Perseverance and hard work once again paid off....

We're all waiting for you to get home and walk down the aisle....I mean through the woods since it's an outdoor wedding....

Hope you like the DIY projects so for...let me know what you think!

Bio-Dynamic Sustainable Farming

I'm a huge fan of farmer's markets, especially when the produce comes from biodynamic farms and/or organic farms that offer 'shares' to community members.  It's a healthy and incredibly wonderful trend and I'm a huge proponent of healthy fruits and vegetables that have not been treated with pesticides, chemicals, and other growth stimulants artificially produced.

It is a fact that fresh fruits and vegetables are an essential part of a good diet, but oftentimes, we do not realize how many chemicals, pesticides, waxes, and other synthetic ingredients are found on our fruit and vegetable choices at our grocery stores.  When possible, seek out local farms and markets.  Buy from farms that are sustainable and organic.  "Sustainable agriculture systems are designed to take maximum advantage of existing soil nutrient and water cycles, energy flows, beneficial soil organisms, and natural pest controls." ( http://eap.mcgill.ca/sustain.htm )

Biodynamic Farming is NOT new--it had its beginnings in the 1920's when issues began to arise on farms throughout the world and land did not produce the amount of crops it once did. "Essentially, biodynamic farming and gardening looks upon the soil and the farm as living organisms. It regards maintenance and furtherance of soil life as a basic necessity if the soil is to be preserved for generations, and it regards the farm as being true to its essential nature if it can be conceived of as a kind of individual entity in itself — a self-contained individuality. It begins with the ideal concept of the necessary self-containedness of the farm and works with furthering the life of the soil as a primary means by which a farm can become a kind of individuality that progresses and evolves."  ( http://biodynamics.com/  )

In Northern Colorado alone, there are several farms that use these practices and honor the earth with their work.  One is Happy Heart Farms ( don't you just love their name?? )
       http://www.happyheartfarmcsa.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=3  

Another is Grant Farms: http://www.grantfarms.com/home.php

One of my favorite organic farms in the country is in Oregon.  Through their website, you can order herbs, serums, and products that can be trusted for their purity and good health.  If interested, you can visit their website @: http://www.oregonswildharvest.com/whole_health/backyard_medicine_chest

This Sunday, check out your local farmer's markets and take a look and see which stands are featured from farms that are organic, sustainably farmed, and/or bio-dynamic farming.  Support these local farmers who have undergone strict and stringent regulations to meet these high standards of the bio-dynamic/organic process.

And for more information, check out the following websites and educate yourself about wonderfully healthy foods in your area.  You may even want to volunteer at one of the farms--you get a discount on the produce, learn the trade, and get some exercise in the outdoors!  Have good family fun this Sunday and go visit a great Farmer's Market!  Check out the following website to find a farmer's market near you! http://www.localharvest.org/
  and for MORE information, visit:

http://www.biodynamics.com/nabdap-announce

http://attra.ncat.org/organic.html

Even the Prince of Whales believes in Organic Gardening....shouldn't you??