Deodorant 411

On a side note, I've personally made my own deodorant and have the recipe on this blog; however, it does take a lot of work and cleanup.

The other option is the new deodorant that just came out from Ava Anderson Non-Toxic that has the same ingredients as the one I've made and really works.

The ingredients are:
Organic coconut oil, organic beeswax, organic shea butter, organic cocoa butter, aluminum free baking soda, organic arrowroot powder, organic tea tree essential oil, organic peppermint essential oil

Ready for some GMO salmon?

For the past 20 years, AquaBounty, a multinational biotech company, has been developing a giant Atlantic Salmon in the deep forests of Panama.

ABC Dateline was able to go into the laboratory (which they constantly mentioned resembled the Jurassic Park movie) and interview CEO of AquaBounty Technologies, Ron Stotish. He mentions that these are "very healthy, beautiful, Atlantic salmon."

However, there's one big difference...

Basics of Herbs

I found this herb illustration from Illustrated Bites that I thought was incredibly useful.

Tap Water = Allergies and Asthma???

Image Source: BU Today

Water, one of the most important elements in life and something we cannot live without. You would think all water is clean...or at least should be. The problem lies in the fact that we have pretty much polluted our lakes, streams, oceans, rivers and every other source of water.

With this contamination comes the need to "clean" it. How do we think everything needs to get cleaned? Through high intensity chemical compounds that kill bacteria and quite a bit more along the way, including good bacteria in our own bodies.

Organic Chocolate Cake Recipe

Chocolate is one of my favorite things in the world! As a result, I'm going to share my favorite organic chocolate cake recipe and chocolate ganashe frosting with you =)

Organic Chocolate Cake

Organic Moroccan-Style Stuffed Acorn Squash

I recently tried Space Girl Organics, an organic produce delivery in Central Florida, where you order a weekly box of organic fruits and vegetables that are in season. They are shipped to your door and ready to consume.

I wanted a variety of veggies and fruits I don't normally buy so I can try new recipes, and low and behold, I received an acorn squash. I have never purchased squash nor did I know what to do with it. So my hubby, being the foodie he is, found an awesome recipe that, of course, I tweaked, and it came out delish. So I'm sharing =)

Whole Foods sells GMOs

While this is no surprise to me, it seems that many shoppers of Whole Foods and other natural health foods stores are unaware and extremely trusting of anything in the store because its been marketed as "healthy" and "natural".

They fail to realize how much of the store is actually made up of GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) foods and products.

GMO Chocolate...really???

I love chocolate. You can say I'm a chocoholic. If I could live off of chocolate and didn't gain any weight, I would. You get the picture.

So yesterday, my husband sends me an article about my favorite thing containing GMO. Read the article and hear me rant:

Article:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/15/us-cocoa-indonesia-idUSBRE89E1DA20121015

My rant:

I see Monsanto written all over this!!! I’m ticked off! Now I have to spend money on organic chocolate! This is so frustrating. The reason those cocoa beans died was because of the stupid government-sponsored cocoa beans!!!!!!!!!! This is iritating! Why can’t they just leave all the farmers alone and let them grow their stuff on the soil God gave us with the seeds he provided for us that have not been cloned or genetically altered????

Is this so hard to ask????


Thank you for reading. 


Stay Healthy, my friend (think accent of the Dos Equis XX beer guy <--- he's so awesome)

Genetic Roulette: SAY NO TO GMO!!!

After posting on my blog on GMO's and outlining what's happening right now with our food, I had a few individuals start looking into this topic.

I was then sent an amazing video called "Genetic Roulette: The Gamble of Our Lives." This video is almost an hour and a half, but well work the watch!

If you don't watch the whole video, take this away: Say No to GMOs! For the health of yourself and your family, it's imperative! If you want to check out my previous post, click here.

For more information on this movie, visit their website at: http://geneticroulettemovie.com/

GMOs = Silent Killers

If rats get tumors and cancer when they eat the same GMO induced food we eat as a society, what is it doing to us? 

Let's start at the basics. What is GMO? GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organisms which is being used to create food, even though it has been proven through scientific research and tests that they are unfit for human consumption.

The uprise is that Monsanto (the enemy of our food and health and hence nicknamed MonSatan) has not only gone against family farms to put them out of business, but they are in cahoots with the government to

7 Side Effects of Soda

This is nothing new to my blog but if you want a quick refresher on the ingredients to stay away from, check out a previous post on Bad Ingredients.

Stay Healthy!

My 10 Day Juice Fast

About a week ago, I watched the documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead after my sister recommended it. She started juicing and lost 8 lbs in 10 days.

Since I've been in a rut and this documentary was incredibly inspiring, I decided I would do the same. My husband researched juicers we finally decided on the masticating juicer: Omega 8006. We ordered it....and waited anxiously.

A note about juicing: many people prefer not to do juicing because of the mess and cleanup needed as well as how much money it costs in items in order to juice enough. Another main complaint is that you lose all the fiber in the fruits.

The Benefits

After juicing for 10 days, I've never loved and believed in it so much. The benefits of juicing are:

• Can reduce risk of cancer
• Serves as a great cleanse
• Boosts the immune system
• Losing weight (in a healthy way)
• Removes toxins from the body
• Aids in digestion through the natural enzymes
• Helps the body receive pure nutrients and minerals in an active state
• Helps you eat more fruits and vegetables that you probably would eat or could in a given serving

New Ava Anderson Dish Soap

Order yours today at: 
http://avaandersonnontoxic.com/jenelle

Parabens...steer clear!

Parabens are chemicals widely used as a preservative by cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies in everyday products used by most individuals in the United States. Mostly found in shampoos, conditioners, lotions, makeup and perfumes, their efficacy as preservatives, in combination with the low cost are two reasons they are so commonly found in these products. 

Some of the many common products containing parabens

However, this unfortunate chemical group is not banned from products. They are toxic and low concentrations have been found in breast cancer tumors. Another major concern is the fact that parabens mimic estrogen, which may be a factor in the increasing prevalence of early puberty in girls.

DIY Deodorant

Today I tried my hand at making my first all natural deodorant! I've been using natural deodorant's for over a year now and wanted to finally try my hand at it. I got a recipe from a friend who uses it so I tweaked it a little and tried it for myself.

Here's what you'll need:

Let me put a disclaimer saying I take great pride in a clear picture but somehow seemed to have missed this one and it came out terrible. Sorry.

• 2T - Baking Soda
• 2T - Arrowroot Powder
• 1T - Witchhazel 
• 1T - Coconut Oil
• 1T - Shea Butter (or Cocoa Butter)
• 2T - Beeswax (I used local beeswax which is best...good luck cutting it up)
• Essential Oil (I used several drops of Tea Tree Oil and a few of Eucalyptus - Tea Tree is great because it's antibacterial)
• Empty Deodorant container (save one from a previous use)

Use a double boiler to melt the oils (Coconut oil, Shea Butter, Beeswax, Essential Oils), then add Witchhazel, Arrowroot, and Baking Soda slowly to the oils off the heat. It's preferable to use a real silver spoon (I found a great one at an antique shop for under $10). The reason is it doesn't pick up any bacteria and is a clean metal perfect for mixing.

Once you've mixed everything, drop it into the deodorant mold (container). Then refrigerate for a bit and it's ready to use =)

Remember, it won't be as pretty as the one's you buy in the store, but you know and see all the ingredients that go in it and it's beneficial for your skin and body.

Enjoy! =) Feel free to share in comments other ingredients you've used or other recipes. I'd love to try it!

Is your cleaner clean?

Let me begin by saying I've been removing any toxic cleaners, detergents, facial and cosmetic products (which is why I sell Ava Anderson Non-Toxic) from my home. Working part-time at a health food store, I found a new product we started carrying that caught my attention. It stated it was "non-toxic", "all-natural" and safe for everyone in the family.

But something bothered me.

It didn't list ingredients...it simply said "Coconut derived ingredients and natural oils". You know what that means to me? NOTHING!!! Coconut is how they derive some of the most toxic and cancerous ingredients. Just because it comes from a natural source DOES NOT mean it's still natural after they distill, heat and overprocess in order to make it what they want. They usually, then, mix it with overly toxic ingredients and say it's "natural" after they've altered the molecules of the "natural" source. Yes, it upsets me.

Even though it bothered me, I still purchased it because I figured it's can't be that bad.

Well, after the first time I used it, I had to open all the windows. It was a stronger smell than ammonia! In fact it smelled stronger than Windex but similar. I thought I would give it another try (it didn't even clean well and cost me $12.99). The next time I used it, my husband came into the bathroom where I had just finished using it and he couldn't believe the smell.

Then, he did a little research to see what the "REAL" ingredients were (I was embarrassed I didn't do this myself). What he found was more than a little disturbing. This is an excerpt:

Their active ingredient that they called butylcelosolv is Czech for 2-Butoxyethanol acetate, also known as Butyl Cellosolve. According to the Skin Deep Database, which rates it a 6 (moderate hazard), butoxyethanol has ties to cancer, reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, and more. (source) It’s used in hundreds of cleaning products, even as an oil spill dispersant, and “provides cleaning power and the characteristic odor of Windex and other glass cleaners. It is the main ingredient of many home, commercial and industrial cleaning solutions.” (source) It may not be a major environmental contaminant, but it certainly doesn’t sound safe!

Here’s a must-read from the Janitorial Products Pollution Prevention Project:

2-Butoxy Ethanol is one of the most toxic of the glycol ethers.

You should use products containing butoxyethanol with extreme care. It is a poison that can easily absorb through your skin to harm you. When working with it, always wear gloves and goggles and be sure the you have enough ventilation.

The product I'm talking about is Charlie's Soap. They claim so much on their bottle and fail in every respect. I was beyond disappointed, I was upset!

I didn't use gloves because it said it was safe for the hands...etc.

Lies! Don't believe everything you read...read ingredients! In detergents or cleaners, they don't always have them. While Seventh Generation isn't always the cleanest, they ALWAYS label the ingredients. Clearly they feel they have nothing to hide.

For more info on Charlie's Soap, check out this blog: click here.

Sour Cream Raisin Squares

The name is definitely not what first attracted me to this recipe. What did was the fact that I already had all the ingredients in my kitchen to make it, minus one: the sour cream. Aside from that one ingredient, it really sounded delicious. But with a name like that, how could I not include sour cream?

So I went for it and it turned out to be one of the most delicious desserts I've EVER made (and I've made my share of desserts).

Here it is for you to try and share your thoughts with me =)

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
1 cup organic cane sugar
2 cups 100% whole wheat flour (or almond flour)
2 cups regular oats
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. sea salt or Himalayan salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

Filling:
4 egg yolks
2 cups (16 oz) sour cream
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 cup organic cane sugar

Here we go...

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; gradually add to the butter and sugar mixture (mixture will becrumbly).

Set aside 2 cups; pat the remaining crumbs into a greased 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes.
Cool (but don't turn off the oven).

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the filling ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for about 5-8 minutes.

Pour and spread over the cooled crust. Sprinkle with the reserved crumbs. Bake for 15 minutes longer.

Then enjoy this delicious, addictive dessert. WARNING: Do not eat the whole thing by yourself! =)

New Products, New Hostess rewards, New Specials...for a NEW YEAR!!!

Ava Anderson Non-Toxic just came out with new products to start off the new year! Check out these great new products!

Ava BODYsoap bar

Ava BODYbutter

Ava BODY Lemon Body Sugar Scrub

 In the month of January, hostesses qualify for DOUBLE HOSTESS REWARDS! That means extra free products and discounts! For more information click here!

Same ol' New Years Resolution

Happy New Years Readers!!!

When the majority of American's create their New Year's Resolutions, 99% (my own made up stat...lol) have some sort of weight loss goal. In addition, this stat is true: 80% of resolutions are renounced by February.

Here's a way to really try to hit those weight loss goals and KEEP it off! First, make a healthy diet change, for life. Don't go ON A DIET. It never works, because when you lose the weight and "get off the diet" you gain it all back plus some extra lovin'.

Here's a list of 8 ways to make the change for a healthier you:

1. Eat more greens! I don't care if you buy Green Vibrance (which is amazing) and take a scoop of it a day in a shake or if you eat raw greens...just do =)

2. Take time to eat breakfast. I hear the complaint all the time about not having time or not wanting to because all they need is coffee. Uhhh...wrong! The word comes from breaking the fast from your previous meal usually about 15 hours before. You need to get your metabolism jumpstarted or it will lag the rest of the day leaving you without energy and fuel.

3. Get more fiber. Women need 25-30 grams per day and Men need 30-35 grams per day of fiber. Most Americans get about 10 grams. It's no wonder most of Americans are constipated and unable to detoxify properly. Flax seed, rice bran, fruits, vegetables and beans are a great way to boost up your fiber intake. Start reading those labels people! =)

4. Go wild with berries: blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, cherries...they provide a powerhouse of antioxidents. I usually buy frozen berries and add a scoop of my green's powder for an awesome smoothie jam packed with nutrition.

5. Cut out hydrogenated trans fats. Read labels and make sure none of it has anything "hydrogenated oil" or "partially hydrogenated oil". This oil is what raises the bad cholesterol, clogs arteries and gives you the lovely fat around your body.

6. Avoid artificial flavors. From vitamins all the way to candy, these sneaky colors make it onto 80% of children's food and about 75% of our grocery store. This is what gives coloring to the food. As if it matters what color it is. There are natural ways to color things (aside from leaving it the color it was intended to be) through beet juice, carrots...etc. Stay away from "Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5...etc)

7. Stay away from White Sugar or High Fructose Corn Syrup. Or any corn syrup for that matter. To really shed those pounds, stay away from refined and highly processed sugars. These raise insulin levels, and can lead to a myriad of diseases starting with obesity.

8. Drink more green tea. It's full of antioxidents and can help with weight loss and cancer prevention. It has so many benefits, it's no wonder its been an ancient tradition in Asia.

Hope this gets you off to a good start! Happy New Year!