Pumpkin Spice Latte

http://www.teambeachbody.com/eat-smart/recipe/-/rcp/226817510/all/35/75

Cinnamon Apples

http://www.teambeachbody.com/about/newsletters/-/nli/273

Mason Jar Juices (pre-juiced)

Juiced 7 - 32 oz containers of juice... Yes u can prejuice... Put it In a mason jar for up to 72hours.. Im to busy to juice daily.. This works perfectly for me. Luv yall be encouraged always
1. Watermelon Ade= Watermelon and 1 lemon. ;)
2. Spinach, parsnip, lemon, parsley, cilantro, cucumber, celery, apples
3. Sweet potato, oranges, pear, apple, ginger
4. Bunch of grapes, 1 tomato, 4 carrots, some pineapple
5. Carrots, Sweet Potato, Oranges

Mason Jar Tea

1 cup of herbs to 1 quart...boil the water...pour it over the herbs...seal...and steep over night!!!

Rainbow of Juices

1)Hibiscus Herbal Infusion (Its a cup of herbs "hibiscus" was the choice i used this time.. You put hot boiling water over top of it and let it sit over night in a 32 oz mason jar.. its basically a high saturated tea.. ;) it helps with cravings, appetite suppressant etc.. while fasting..)
2) 1 Pineapple, 3 Oranges, Knob of Ginger 
3) Beet, lemon, Bunch of carrots, 1 apple, knob of ginger 
4) Dandelions, parsley, cilantro, cucumber, 1 apple, lemon, knob of ginger

YUM TO THE ME!!!! ♥

Mason Jar Salads

What you need:
- 6 large mouth mason jars
- Your favorite salad toppings (see suggestions below)
- Broccoli Sprouts (to add nutrition and separate the lettuce)
- Salad dressing(s)
- Lemon or Lime juice

Directions:
1. Start by adding salad toppings to the bottom of the jar.
2. Spread a thin layer of sprouts to separate lettuce and any wet ingredients
3. Stuff as much lettuce as possible to the top of the jar (storing the lettuce in a mason jar will keep it super fresh!)
4. You could add the salad dressing at the bottom of the jar but I leave it sepa.rate until I'm ready to eat.

Salads will stay good for up to five days.

You can alter any of these to match your needs but here are some great combinations:
- Strawberry, feta or goat cheese, and pecans with spinach. Dressing: Blackberry
- Cobb - egg, cherry tomato, onion, avocado (be sure to squeeze lemon or lime juice on avocados to keep fresh), cheese, with romaine lettuce
- Green peas, corn, black beans, onion, tomato, avocado, cilantro, and fresh lime with romaine lettuce
- Diced apple (be sure to squeeze lemon juice on apples and pears to keep them from browning), cranberries, almonds, with spinach. Dressing: A vinaigrette
- Broccoli, onion, sunflower seeds, and raisins with mixed greens. Dressing: Creamy dressing
- Garbanzo beans, cucumber, tomato, feta, with mixed greens. Dressing: A vinaigrette
- Quinoa, onion, pepperoncini, olives, tomato, and feta, with spinach. Dressing: Greek.
- BLT - bacon, lettuce, tomato (or bean, lettuce tomato)
- Beet, goat cheese, pecans, with spinach. Dressing: Balsamic vinaigrette
- Walnut, diced apple, grapes, chicken, with spinach

http://www.neatpins.com/2012/03/mason-jar-salads.html

http://karenknichols.blogspot.ca/2012/02/mason-jar-salads.html

Too Busy to Make Breakfast

Too Busy To Make Breakfast:

No mothers day sleep in for me, I need to be some where early tomorrow.
So to make sure I get my green smoothie. I wash all my greens and fruit that I want in my smoothie the night before. Put it in a large mason jar and keep in the fridge. In the morning just throw it in the blender with 1 cup of water and blend then pour it back in the mason jar, grab a straw and take it to go.

In this jar I have 4 leaves of kale, ginger, grapes, coriander, parsley and silver beet.
~from Addicted to Raw

Mason Jar as a Blender Jar

http://www.realsimple.com/new-uses-for-old-things/new-uses-kitchen/you-need-blender-jar-10000000699904/index.html

Foods that Help get rid of Parasites

Healthy Dehydrated Fruit

http://www.housingaforest.com/healthy-dehydrated-fruit/

Easy Raw Protein Bars

http://www.rawissexy.com/2011/06/easy-raw-protein-bars-no-dehydrator.html

Natural Fruit/Veggie Wash

Activity time to burn food

Meal Plan - Label Idea

Think it, Pray it, Believe it , Live it !!!

Think it, Pray it, Believe it , Live it !!!

Ailments and Herbal Remedies

http://www.ageless.co.za/herbal_remedies.htm

Going to a funeral...for my fat!

Top 10 Sources of Veggie Protein

30 days of juicing

http://blog.williams-sonoma.com/30-days-of-juicing/

Genetically Modified Wheat may destroy your liver

http://www.naturalnews.com/037170_GM_wheat_liver_failure_GMO.html

Diet Plan that Works

http://natureinsider.com/2012/08/diet-plan-that-works-the-best-tool-for-your-health-and-weight-loss-journey/

It doesn't really matter...

Someday...

Buy Herbal Teas online

http://www.teavana.com/the-teas/herbal-teas?view_all=True

325 Free Salad Dressing Recipes

 

http://www.morerecipes.com/recipe_categories/salads_and_dressings/salad_dressings/salad_dressing_recipes_1-50.php

What is Your Face Telling You?

How to eat a Kiwano

Quinoa

Iron Rich Foods

Healthy Drinks

Sweet Potato Chips

Cut up sweet potato. Drizzle with olive oil, agave syrup, sprinkle with cinnamon, add a little vanilla extract. Put in the oven for 15 minutes. Oven temp 400.

Thickness has nothing to do with it. Do not let it be an excuse.

I found these images on Tumblr and put my pom pom high and said go girl. What do you think?

 

9 Tips to Help Balance Hormones

When it comes to health, hormones and gut bacteria have a much bigger effect than many people realize. In fact, these two factors can destroy health even if everything else (diet, supplements, etc) is optimized. Conversely, fixing hormones and gut bacteria can do a lot to boost health, even if not all the other factors are optimal. In fact, there are even studies about using certain hormone reactions to heal brain trauma.
If you doubt the very real power of hormones to affect everything from mood, to weight, to bowel health, ask the nearest pregnant woman if she’s noticed any difference in these areas since being pregnant. Or ask the nearest 13 year old girl… carefully…
If you have symptoms like fatigue, skin issues, weight gain, weight around the middle, trouble sleeping, always sleeping, PMS, endometriosis, infertility, PCOS or other issues, chances are you have hormone imbalance!

What are Hormones?

“Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers. They travel in your bloodstream to tissues or organs. They work slowly, over time, and affect many different processes, including

• Growth and development
• Metabolism – how your body gets energy from the foods you eat
• Sexual function
• Reproduction
• Mood

Endocrine glands, which are special groups of cells, make hormones. The major endocrine glands are the pituitary, pineal, thymus, thyroid, adrenal glands and pancreas. In addition, men produce hormones in their testes and women produce them in their ovaries.” (source)
Hormones are produced using good fats and cholesterol, so lack of these important dietary factors can cause hormone problems simply because the body doesn’t have the building blocks to make them. Toxins containing chemicals that mimic these building blocks or that mimic the hormones themselves are also problematic because the body can attempt to create hormones using the wrong building blocks… mutant estrogen anyone?
The endocrine system is a complex system that we will probably never completely understand, but there are some basic things you can do to boost your  body’s ability to create and balance hormones:

1. Avoid High Omega-6 Polyunsaturated Fats

I’ve talked about this before, but the body is simply not meant to consume these man-made fats found in vegetable oils. From that article:
The human body is about 97% saturated and monounsaturated fat, with only 3 % Polyunsaturated fats. Half of that three percent is Omega-3 fats, and that balance needs to be there. Vegetable oils contain very high levels of polyunsaturated fats, and these oils have replaced many of the saturated fats in our diets since the 1950s.
The body needs fats for rebuilding cells and hormone production, but it has to use the building blocks we give it. When we give it a high concentration of polyunsaturated fats instead of the ratios it needs, it has no choice but to incorporate these fats into our cells during cell repair and creation.
The problem is that polyunsaturated fats are highly unstable and oxidize easily in the body (if they haven’t already oxidized during processing or by light exposure while sitting on the grocery store shelf). These oxidized fats cause inflammation and mutation in cells.
In arterial cells, these mutations cause inflammation that can clog arteries. When these fats are incorporated into skin cells, their mutation causes skin cancer. (This is why people often get the most dangerous forms of skin cancer in places where they are never exposed to the sun, but that is a topic for another day!)
When these oils are incorporated into cells in reproductive tissue, some evidence suggests that this can spur problems like endometriosis and PCOS. In short, the body is made up of saturated and monounsaturated fats, and it needs these for optimal health.”
Bottom line: Don’t eat fats like Vegetable oil, peanut oil, canola oil, soybean oil, margarine, shortening or other chemically altered fats. Choose fats like coconut oil, real butter, olive oil (don’t heat!) and animal fats (tallow, lard) from healthy sources instead and eat lots of high Omega-3 fish.

2. Limit the Caffeine

I love coffee, a lot, but the truth is that too much caffeine can wreak havoc on the endocrine system, especially if there are other hormone stressors involved too like pregnancy, presence of toxins, beneficial fat imbalance or stress.
Cut down the coffee if you can, or replace with beneficial herbal teas (a list of my favorite recipes coming soon!). If you can’t or won’t cut the coffee, use it as a way to sneak in your beneficial fats by adding 1 tablespoon coconut oil to each cup and blending in the blender to emulsify. It is like a latte but with healthy fats!

3. Avoid Toxins

Toxins found in pesticides, plastics, household chemicals and even mattresses can contain hormone disrupting chemicals that mimic hormones in the body and keep the body from producing real hormones. Things like hormonal birth control can (obviously) do the same thing.
If you have hormone imbalance or are struggling to get pregnant, avoiding these toxins is very important! Cook in glass or non-coated metal pans (no non-stick or teflon!) and avoid heating or storing foods in plastic. Find organic produce and meat whenever possible and don’t use chemical pesticides or cleaners. There are recipes for natural cleaners on this page.

4. SLEEP

Can’t emphasize this one enough (tried with the all-caps-yelling though)! If you aren’t getting enough sleep, your hormone will not be balanced. Period.
Use these tips to help improve your sleep and just do it! This can singlehandedly improve hormones and is even linked to longer life, less chance of disease and optimizing weight.

5. Supplement Wisely

In a perfect world, we would be rising and sleeping with the sun, getting Vitamin D from the sun and Magnesium from the ocean while relaxing and exercising in great balance each day in a stress-free world. Since I doubt that describes any of us currently, supplements can fill in the gaps. I’ve talked about the basic supplements that I take before, but there are some specific ones that are helpful for hormone support.

• Maca- A tuber in the radish family that has a history of boosting hormone production and libido. Many women notice less PMS, increased fertility, and improved skin while men notice increased sperm production, libido and better sleep. Maca is also high in minerals and essential fatty acids, making it great for hormones.  It is available in powder form (least expensive option) or in capsules.
• Magnesium- Magnesium supports hundreds of reactions in the body and often contributes to better sleep (which is great for hormones!). There are several effective forms of Magnesium: In powder form with a product like Natural Calm so that you can vary your dose and work up slowly,  ionic liquid form  can be added to food and drinks and dose can be worked up slowly,or  transdermal form by using Magnesium oil applied to skin. This is often the most effective option for those with damaged digestive tract or severe deficiency.
• Vitamin D- A pre-hormone is supportive of hormone function. Best obtained from the sun if possible, or from a D3 supplement or Fermented Cod Liver Oil.
• Fermented Cod Liver Oil- Provides many of the necessary building blocks for hormone production including Vitamins A, D, and K. It also is a great source of Omega-3s and beneficial fats.
• Gelatin is a great source of calcium, magnesium and phosphate. It supports hormone production and digestive health and helps sooth inflammation, especially in joints. We use Great Lakes Kosher as I was able to verify with the company that it is sourced from grass-fed, humanely raised cows, and as such is higher in nutrients.

6. Exercise Lightly

If you have hormone imbalance, intense extended exercise can actually make the problem worse in the short term. Sleep is actually more important, at least during the balancing phase, so focus on relaxing exercises like walking or swimming and avoid the extended running, cardio and exercise videos, for now….

7. Lift Heavy Weights

While extended cardio can be bad, short bursts of heavy lifting (kettlebells, deadlifts, squats, lunges) can be beneficial since they trigger a cascade of beneficial hormone reactions. Aim for a few sets (5-7) at a weight that really challenges your, but make sure to get help with form and training if you haven’t done these before as bad form can be harmful!

8. Eat Some Coconut Oil

Coconut Oil is amazing for hormone health. It provides the necessary building blocks for hormone production, can assist weight loss, reduce inflammation, and even has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties.
If you really need hormone help, aim to consume 1/4 cup of added coconut oil a day. My favorite way is to blend into coffee or tea. This is the highest quality one I’ve found.

9. Fix Your Leptin

Leptin is a master hormone, and if it is out of balance or if you are resistant to it, no other hormones will balance well. Fixing leptin will also help boost fertility, make weight loss easier, improve sleep, and lower inflammation.
Here’s a how-to guide on fixing Leptin.

For more info on this article vist here

Fast food? No thank you

Bodybuilding.com - The Female Training Bible: Everything You Need To Get The Sexy Body You Desire!

Bodybuilding.com - The Female Training Bible: Everything You Need To Get The Sexy Body You Desire!

Healthy eating at Chopotle? Is it possible?

War on Health - Gary Null's documentary exposing the FDA

JENNIFER NICOLE LEE'S 1,000 CALORIE WORKOUT PART TWO

JENNIFER NICOLE LEE'S 1,000 CALORIE BURNING WORKOUT JNL FUSION WORKOUT

10 Weight Loss Commandments

The starters exercise plan

Cancer fighting foods

Top GMO foods

Juice recipes

 

 

Vegetable Super Juice

Ingredients:
1 whole cucumber
4 sticks of celery
2-4 handfuls of spinach
8 lettuce leaves
Optional boosters: parsley and fresh alfalfa sprouts
Water

 

Healing Juice

Ingredients:
3-4 Carrots
125g Fresh Spinach
Handful of Flat Leaf Parsley
2-3 Sticks of Celery
Water

Blood Builder (Iron-enriched)

Ingredients:
2 bunches Grapes
6 Oranges
8 Lemons peeled
1/4 cup Honey
Water

Ginger/Lemon Cleanse

Ingredients:
1-inch slice Fresh Ginger Root
1 Fresh Lemon
6 Carrots with tops
Apple
Water

Stomach Cleanser

Ingredients:
1 bunch Grapes
1 basket Strawberries
3 Apples
4 sprigs Fresh Mint
Water

Constipation Cure

Ingredients:
1 firm Papaya
1/4-inch slice Ginger Root
1 Pear
Water

Tomato Tonic

3 large, ripe tomatoes
6 leaves leafy lettuce
Cucumber (about a 2-inch piece)
1 garlic clove
Handful of fresh cilantro or parsley
Small wedge of lemon or lime

Grapefruit + Mint Juice

*requires a juicer

Ingredients

• 2 grapefruits, peeled and sectioned to fit into the juicer
• 8-10 leaves of fresh mint

Apple Fennel Splash

1/2 fennel bulb
2 apples
1/2 small red cabbage
Small wedge of lemon or lime

 High Blood Pressure Reducer

2 garlic cloves
1 handful parsley
1 cucumber
4 carrots with tops
2 stalks celery

Greens Tonic

3 ribs celery
Big handful of spinach
2 stalks of asparagus
1 large tomato
1 carrot

Greens and Carrots

Big handful of parsley or cilantro
Big handful of spinach
2 ribs celery
3-4 carrots

 Potassium Juice

3 carrots
3 stalks celery
½ bunch spinach
½ bunch parsley

Fresh Strawberry, Apple & Lime Juice

*requires a juicer

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups fresh organic strawberries, remove stems and cut in half
• 1 organic apple, cored and cut into large pieces
• 1 organic lime, quartered

Skin Cleanse

Ingredients:
1 Cucumber with skin
1/2 bunch Fresh Parsley
1 4-oz. tub Alfalfa Sprouts
4 Sprigs Fresh Mint
Water

BONUS:

Cleansing Veggie Broth

BOIL:
3 carrots
3 kale leaves
2 celery
2 beets
1 turnip
½ bunch spinach
½ head cabbage
¼ bunch parsley
½ onion
2 garlic cloves

If you choose to do a cleanse and have a hard time schedule wise here is a sample schedule 

Your cleanse schedule will be the same for all three days:

 Adjust times to correspond to your waking schedule.

1_ 7:15 am//morning tonic of lemon/ ginger/ cayenne or warm water w/ lemon. Within 1 hour of waking.

2_ 8:15 am//green juice one hour after your morning tonic.

3_ btwn 10- 10:30//mid morning snack of herbal tea/ fruit juice or nut milk (choose one).

4_ NOON//green juice lunch.

5_ btwn 2- 2:45// mid afternoon snack of herbal tea/ fruit juice or nut milk (choose one).

6_ btwn 4:30 - 5:30// green juice dinner. Listen to your body if you need to have your dinner earlier do.

7_ btwn 6:30 - 7:30 pm//  evening snack of herbal tea/ fruit juice or nut milk (choose one) Time depending on how early/ late you had dinner.

8_ about 7:30 - 8:30 pm// herbal tea (optional) If you had earlier dinner you'll have earlier tea.  You may choose to skip tea all together. Stop all drinking 2.5 - 3 hours before bed.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

1. Pre-Make your first few juices for day 1.

2. Consider pre-making your morning tonics the night before or make enough for all three days tonight.  The lemon/ginger/cayenne stay really fresh in the fridge.

3. Consider removing temptations from your kitchen or section off an area of the fridge and counter just for your cleanse foods!

4. Practice self care rituals while on the cleanse:
-positive self talk: My body is completely healthy. I accept myself.
-body brushing or oiling the body
-light walks and stretching
-baths
-naps
-reading, journaling, doodling

5. Know that you can and you will show up for yourself each and everyday.  You'll make your juices and delight in taking time for your body, mind and spirit to cleanse.
Source for schedule and helpful rules

Food Craving Solution

Sproating rules

Menstraution and herbal remedies

Natural sources rich in "iron" include: yellow dock root, burdock root, dandelion root, elderberries, red raspberry leaf, rooibos, and mullein leaf. Green vegetables such as parsley, greens, chives, and spinach are also great sources of iron. Blackstrap molasses (unsulphured) also provides a good amount of iron. Dherbs.com offers you 100% organic iron in our "Iron Phosphate" formula (capsules and liquid) which does not cause constipation like pharmaceutical grade iron pills do! Natural sources of "calcium" include: comfrey root (don't believe the hype about liver toxicity), oatstraw, horsetail, and red raspberry leaf. All green leafy vegetables are good sources of calcium (if you juice or lightly steam them). Dherbs.com offers you 100% organic calcium in our "Calcium Formula".
Herbs to coagulate the blood and stop excessive bleeding include: goldenseal, cranesbill (alum root), dragon's blood, manjistha, musta, shepherd's purse, lady's mantle, yarrow, cayenne, Solomon's seal, barberry, and heal-all herb. Dherbs.com sells a very effective, safe and sane "Styptic Formula" that greatly helps to arrest profuse bleeding.
Herbs to regulate and normalize the menstrual cycle and flow include: maca, black cohosh, blue cohosh, dong quai, mugwort, red raspberry leaf, wild yam root (best and highest source of natural progesterone), squawvine, false unicorn, chaste tree berries, lycii fruit, red clover tops (best and highest source of natural estrogen), licorice root, sarsaparilla, and angelica. Dherbs.com "Moon Cycle" formula (capsules and tea) is very effective in normalizing and regulating the menses. It's the best all-natural formula on the market for all menstrual-related complaints and is far safer than 'Midol', a harmful man-made drug that is very toxic.
Herbs that counteract menstrual cramping and spasms include: beth or birth root, crampbark, fennel seed, anise seed, and wild yam root. Herbs that counteract menstrual related pain and headaches include: white willow bark, black willow bark, feverfew, meadowsweet, birch bark, wood betony, wild lettuce, peppermint, wintergreen, and woodruff. Dherbs.com offers a wonderful oil: "Menstrual Cramp and Abdominal Oil" that can help to alleviate and ultimately eradicate menstrual cramps and spasms.
Herbs that help soothe the nerves during the menstrual cycle include: nerve root or lady's slipper, kava kava, jatamansi, valerian root, lavender flower, passionflower, hops, skullcap, chamomile, and linden flower. Dherbs.com "Nerves Formula" (capsules and tea) is an effective formula that is 100% safe, sane, and effective for all nerve complaints.
Herbs that give energy for fatigue during the menstrual cycle include: ginseng (all species), ashwagandha, schizandra berries, jiwanti, yerba mate, green tea, suma, codonopsis bark, kola or bissey nut, and guarana seed. Dherbs.com "Energizer Formula" (capsules and tea) is an effective formula to increase energy levels naturally.
Herbs for mental stimulation during the menstrual cycle include: gotu kola, gingko biloba, bringraj, ashwagandha, ginseng, holy or blessed thistle, kola or bissey nut, yerba mate, and guarana seed. Dherbs.com "Brain Tuner" formula (capsules and tea) is an effective compound to increase mental stimulation.
Herbs that counteract constipation during the menstrual cycle include: senna leaves and pods, cascara sagrada, buckthorn, aloe vera resin, rhubarb root, jalap root, bibitaki, mandrake, black walnut hulls, poke root, slippery elm bark, Irish moss, guar gum, acacia gum, and psyllium Husks. Dherbs.com "Bowel Mover" (capsules and tea), "Colon Formula", and "Sen-Fen" formula are effective compounds for all colon complaints including constipation.
Herbs that strengthen the uterus during the menstrual cycle include: ashoka, squawvine, false unicorn, pumpkin seed, cocculus root, and saw palmetto. Dherbs.com "Yoni Formula" is an excellent compound that addresses all uterine complaints. We feel all women should take this formula since all women have a uterus. Even if you have had your uterus removed, you should still take this compound because the phantom (ghost) uterus still benefits from it.
Natural remedies to counteract breast soreness and tenderness during the menstrual cycle include: (oils) [internally and externally] evening primrose oil, borage oil, black currant oil; (externally - massaged into breasts) olive oil, coconut oil, shea butter, sweet almond oil, avocado oil, grapefruit seed oil, rose hip seed oil; (essential oils that can be added to breast massage oil) fennel seed oil, clary sage, grapefruit peel oil, and rosemary; (herbs) saw palmetto berries, honeysuckle flower, red raspberry leaf, red clover tops, yew tips, poke root, wild indigo, and red root. Herbs that counteract eclampsia during pregnancy include: white peony bark, deer tongue herb, milk thistle seeds, dandelion root, burdock root, carbon (activated charcoal), uva ursi, grapevine leaf, and Oregon grape.

Read more: http://dherbs.com/articles/menstruation-myth-46.html#ixzz23XXM2DCJ

8 Foods to prevent Anemia

Produce Codes Demystified

Exercise Countdown 5-4-3-2-1

17 Deadliest Decisions You Can Make by Marc

17 Deadliest Decisions You Can Make

1. Not loving what is. – Love what you do, until you can do what you love.  Love where you are, until you can be where you love.  Love the people you are with, until you can be with the people you love most.  This is the way we find happiness. 
2. Waiting and waiting and waiting. – Good things don’t come to those who wait.  Good things come to those who pursue the goals and dreams they believe in.  “Coulda, woulda, shoulda…” stop it!  Don’t blame your past for what you don’t have.  Blame your present.  Ask yourself this:  “What can I do NOW that will bring me closer to where I want be?”
3. Changing who you are because others have changed. – People change.  Get used to it.  Accept it.  Wish them well anyway.  Be happy anyway.  If you’re  being true to yourself and it isn’t enough for the people around you, change the people around you.
4. Letting heartache define you. – Don’t allow your temporary wounds to permanently transform you into someone you aren’t.  A strong person is not the one who doesn’t cry.  A strong person is the one who cries for a moment openly, and then gets up and fights again for what they believe in.
5. Running away from problems. – Running away from your problems is a race you’ll never win.  You may not be proud of all the things you’ve done in the past, but right now is a new beginning.  It’s doesn’t matter who you used to be; what matters is who you are today.  What you do TODAY can improve all of your tomorrows.  So don’t run; instead do something positive
6. Being ungrateful. – Even in the most peaceful surroundings, the ungrateful heart finds trouble.  Even in the most troublesome surroundings, the grateful heart finds peace.  Choose to see the world through grateful eyes; it will never look the same again.
7. Allowing long-term anger to occupy your heart. – The best medicine is a strong dose of love, laughter and letting go.  Just like we would never allow even a tiny bit of poison to be in our food, let us not allow even a tiny bit of anger to live in our heart.
8. Believing that beauty looks a certain way. – We’re taught to believe that miniature waists and perfect tans are beautiful.  We’re made to believe that blonde hair with blue eyes will win every time.  But the truth is originality is beautiful.  Big brown eyes, green eyes, blue eyes alike.  Curves, and lots of them.  Your natural skin tone is beautiful.  Your hair color and your smile.  Your voice, your laugh, and your personality.  Every inch of you that shines with your unique essence.  You’re truly beautiful, just like the rest of us.
9. Letting your expectations run rampant. – Everyone has their own challenges, everyone has their own journey.  It is meaningless to compare one with the other.  Always love and accept the real people in front of you, not the fantasy of who you hope and wish these people could become.
10. Disrespecting others. – Treat people the way you want to be treated.  Karma is only unkind if you are.  No matter what happens in life, be good to the people around you.  If you do, you’ll leave a great legacy behind regardless of the dreams and ideals you choose to pursue.
11. Disrespecting yourself. – Being kind to yourself in thoughts, words and actions is just as important as being kind to others.  The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving others, and forgetting that you are special too. 
12. Putting up with unfaithful friends and lovers. – The people who want to stay in your life will always find a way.  Real friends and lovers stay faithful.  You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot in someone’s life.  Never force someone to make a space in their life for you, because if they truly care about you, they will create one for you.
13. Rushing love. – It’s not hard to find someone who tells you they love you, it’s hard to find someone who actually means it.  But you will find them eventually.  So don’t rush love – don’t settle.  Find someone that isn’t afraid to admit they miss you.  Someone that knows you’re not perfect, but treats you as you are.  One who gives their heart completely.  Someone who says, “I love you” and then shows it.  Find someone who wouldn’t mind waking up with you in the morning, seeing your wrinkles and grey hair, and then falls in love with you all over again.
14. Neglecting your most important relationships. – Relationships built on a foundation of love and respect can weather many storms and earthquakes.  This foundation can be checked, maintained and kept healthy with generous doses of acceptance, forgiveness, listening, gratitude and considerate actions.
15. Trying to control every last detail about everything. – Sometimes it’s better not to assume, not to wonder, not to imagine, and not to obsess.  Just breathe, do what you can, and have faith that everything will work out for the best.  When you least expect it, something great will come along – something better than you could have ever planned for.
16. Never taking risks. – Life is inherently risky.  There is only one risk you should avoid at all costs, and that is the risk of doing nothing.  Get out there and make something happen, even if it’s just a small step in the right direction.  Strive for progress, not perfection.  
17. Giving up on YOU. – Sometimes life doesn’t give you what you want; not because you don’t deserve it, but because you deserve better.  No matter how many times you break down, there should always be a little voice inside you that says, “NO, you’re not done yet!  Get back up!”  That’s the voice of passion and courage.  Life is a journey, often difficult and sometimes incredibly cruel; but you are well equipped for it as long as you tap into your talents and gifts.

Green Smoothie Guide

A few healthy recipes