Hey gang!  Today we have a very special guest blogger, Meghan Miller!  She is not only helping raise money for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer but has also offered to write you a really nice snapshot of what it takes to stay healthy…enjoy!  Thanks Meghan!  She also hosts her own blog here. Staying healthy is important at any age. Diet and exercise are, of course, the staples to healthy living. But what does nutrition really mean? Quite simply, it means giving your body the nutrients it needs. This can be done in the form of food, vitamins, and supplements. [...]

According to Wikipedia, “The lymphatic system….is a network of conduits that carry a clear fluid called lymph.  It also includes the lymphoid tissue through which the lymph travels….Lymphoid tissue defends the body against infections and the spread of tumors….Lymphoid tissue is found in many organs, particularly the lymph nodes.”  The body has between 500-600 lymph nodes.  The heaviest concentration of lymph nodes exist in the neck, groin, chest, abdomen and underarms and in association with the blood vessels of the intestines.  Lymph nodes are about the size and shape of a bean and have a honeycomb structure.  They play an [...]

Throughout this year we’ve talked about everything from an aching back to wheatgrass.  I’ve asked you to have a good cry, think twice about your non-dairy creamer, and made you wonder about your energy drinks.  There have been recipes for smoothies, raw ice cream, living foods and lots of other things you can make and juice with your juicer or blender.  We’ve talked about feelings (a lot) and I gave you alternatives to help you heal heartburn, warts, constipation, insomnia, cancer, stress, PMS, lyme disease and diabetes, to name a few.  Looking back at your year in health, how have [...]

So here I am on a lazy Day-After-Christmas morning getting ready for 2010, pondering “hmmm…what should I make my news resolution?”. Bam!  The idea came to me – maybe I should expand my knowledge in eating like a true raw foodist.  Yup, thats it.  Thats what I am going to do! So I do a quick search on my trusted friend, Google…and much to my chagrin a wonderful site came up: a company called Living Light Cuisine! I was quite surprised to find that they had Certified Raw Food chef’s around the WORLD that can teach you exactly what to [...]

Most of us know the feeling…..when our emotions are too much to handle and we want to deny or bury them with food.  Or if we just don’t know what we are feeling and food is the comfort we have always turned to.  I am an emotional eater.  After turning to a mostly living food lifestyle, I still tend to indulge in the sugar treat, but it only makes me feel crappy.  Alas, even the emotional eating part of my life has changed. When you feel your strongest cravings for food, chances are you are at your weakest point emotionally.  [...]

People always ask me…”Is it hard not having all your stuff?”  I say “No, I always travel with my Vitamix!  That and my toothbrush.  Good to go.” Happy Holidays….Ring in the New Year!  Yes, my Vitamix is always with me.  Thought I’d help you out with some recipes for this season.  Of course, I use my Vitamix most for green smoothies.  It always surprises me that I can drink these on cold winter mornings.  Your body gets used to having them and starts to crave them.  The past few days I was able to purchase some great organic cukes from the [...]

I’m writing this the morning of my father’s passing.  I wanted to use this as a part of my own process of grief.  And I will post it immediately. Most of you know my father has not been well.  He suffered a heart attack over seven years ago, and most of the doctors he saw told him he was a high risk and would not do any surgery.  He also did not want to do anything invasive.  He walked around for the past seven years with 30% of his heart working.  During the last years he worked through some issues [...]

Laughter is good for the soul. And now it seems, is good for the heart too!  Laughter, outward chuckles, inward joy.  Laughing at a joke or a funny movie…anything that gives you pleasure.  There’s even laugh yoga and laughter workshops. Laughter helps relieve stress, enhances your mood, dissolves fear, lessons anxiety, contributes to team work, makes us attractive to others and more pleasant to be around.  And laughter can have physical side effects too.  Laughter will strengthen your immune system, reduce food cravings, increase your threshold for pain, release endorphins, lessen pain, decrease stress hormones, and lead to the general relaxation [...]

What exactly is this simple, healthy food?  You make yogurt by adding two bacterial cultures, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, to pasteurized milk to trun it into a thicker, fermented form.  All forms of yogurt contain these cultures at the start, and many supplement with additional probiotics that are associated with specific health benefits.  The healing benefits of yogurt have been known for centuries.  The active live cultures used for the making of yogurt and kefir are the good bacteria needed for your body to function at its highest level, can help you live longer and may fortify your immune system.  [...]

The juicing craze! After all of the hype and strict regimens of the raw and juiced diet fads, the whole idea may leave a bad taste in your mouth. But you do not have to learn how to cover up the taste of juiced beets or start watching infomercials with Jack LaLanne revving up his “Juice Tiger.” There is an easy, and yes, tasty way to drink your vitamins and boost your intake of the good stuff. For starters, you may be wondering why juiced foods are so fantastic to begin with. Simply put, it’s because they are living, unprocessed [...]