Health benefits of peaches

One of the main reasons I love the summer time is for the amazing juicy fruits like peaches. Not only do they taste amazing, but there are so many great benefits to them. There is a long list but here a just a few.

 

Weight Control
One large peach, about 2 3/4 inches in diameter, contains just 68 calories and no fat. Eating peaches instead of more fattening, processed snacks, such as chips, baked goods, cereal bars and cookies, can help you manage your weight. Peaches are naturally sweet and can replace some of the added sugars in your diet.

Vitamins

Peaches contain 10 different vitamins. Peaches contain vitamin A, important to healthy vision, vitamin C, an antioxidant and tissue-builder. Peaches provide lower levels of vitamins E and K. Vitamin E is another antioxidant, while vitamin K is essential to your body’s blood clotting capabilities. Peaches are also a source of thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, niacin, folate and pantothenic acid

Minerals

A peach provides potassium, which can help you maintain healthy blood pressure as well as prevent kidney stones and bone loss. Peaches provide some magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese, iron and calcium as well. These minerals work to support red blood cell, bone and nervous system health.

Antioxidants

One of the major antioxidants in peaches, chlorogenic acid, helps scavenge free radicals — compounds that your body acquires through exposure to pollutants, food and the environment — to reduce the effects of aging and deter chronic diseases. This antioxidant may also help ward off cancer and reduce body

Fiber

A large peach provides 17 g of carbohydrates, 3 g of which come from fiber. Fiber is essential to smooth and healthy digestion, preventing constipation and ensuring digestive health. Fiber may also play a role in regulating your cholesterol levels, helping to reduce your risk of developing heart disease. An adult woman should try to consume 25 g of fiber daily, and an adult man 38 g daily.

Peaches are a lot of great source of zinc, which has anti-aging properties. The consumption of zinc-rich foods such as peaches promotes the production of antibodies and inhibits the cellular damage caused by toxins. Peaches also interferes with the aging process of male reproductive organs by boosting the levels of the reproductive hormone testosterone in the body.

So next time you’re out grocery shopping, be sure to pick up a bag of peaches for yourself.

Essential oil course

Are you looking for a guide to help you understanding the usage and importance of essential oils?

 

I definitely have a course for you to take advantage of. In this course “A guide to essential oils,” I show you daily uses for essential oils. Also I give feedback on how it has helped me during my health journey. If that sounds like something for you click here and head on over to the course. Be sure to ask any questions if you’re needing any help.

Wellness Wednesday: popcorn alternative

 

If you’ve been following me for any length of time you know I LOVE FOOD! During my transition from the American standard diet to a plant based diet, I learned more about so many different foods and spices that I never tried before. One of my favorite things to do is to snack throughout the day. My go to would always be popcorn. Just about everyday I would make stove top popcorn and season it with salt, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Well also during my transition I learned more about the food industry and what they were really doing with our food. The chemicals used to grow our food, and the effects it was having on our bodies. About 95% of the corn grown in the United States is GMO. If you’re not hip to what GMO is, it’s basically the scientist the work in the food industry modify the structure of a plant/food to allow it to grow faster without spending less month. In turn its taking away the nutritional value of that plant as well as causing hormonal imbalance in our bodies. After finding this out, I cut back on my popcorn intake and eventually let it all go completely. Knowing that information didn’t take away my love for popcorn though, so I needed to find an alternative FAST! I started researching and found that amaranth was a great go to.

What is amaranth you say!? It is an ancient grain found in Mexico. It’s a little tiny seed whose plant can produce up to 60,000 seeds alone. It’s packed with a long list of vitamins and nutrients like iron, calcium, amino acids, and so much more. To read up on more about Amaranth, check out my last blog here.

So when I first tried amaranth, I fell in love. The taste is amazing and very similar to popcorn. The only draw back is they are so small, but it’s worth it. I still use the same seasons as before and I feel like I’ve never left. So if you’re a popcorn lover like I use to be, give amaranth a try. All you need is a hot pan and amaranth seeds (no oil required). Let me know what you think if you try it out. 😃

Why meditation is apart of my daily routine.

Since being on this holistic journey, I’ve learned so much about who I am as a person and what works for me. Im still a work in progress but I find it fulfilling to go through the process of really learning who I am. During this 5 year journey, not only have I grown stronger in my physical health but also mentally and spiritually.

Meditation (and much pray) played a big part of the transformation of my life. I realized that I couldn’t fully heal from my physical pains if I didn’t first heal from the mental ones that haunted me on a daily basis. When I first started meditation about 3 years ago, it was very hard. I didn’t know what I was doing, and I just felt crazy laying on the floor quiet and still. The process wasn’t working for me because my mind was racing and getting the absolute best of me. Not only did I say the process was stupid and worthless but I thought it as well. I knew something had to change though, I couldn’t continue on living sick, tired, and broken.

So I decided to seek help on how to properly meditate. The easiest and least expensive things was to google and watch youtube videos. It worked for a while but I’m a hands on type and really needed guidance. I then sought the help of a yoga instructor from college. When I approached her, she said she remembered me taking her class and even then she could sense there was something great about me (SN: that goes to show that the right people see greatness in you even when you’re broken and hopeless). I told her what I needed help with and she with no hesitation guided me through the process. I went to her for about 8 months until she moved out of town. Going through that brought up so many emotions that for so many years were buried inside. Once that part of me was healed, everything else just fell right into place. The symptom from having lupus were little to none existent, my skin was clearing up, and my surroundings became easier to handle.

Today I meditate daily for about 30 minutes, sometimes an hour. During that time I speak greatness over my life and the lives of those I love. I speak about the intentions I have for my future along with the plans and dreams I have. I then lay completely still and quiet on the floor allowing God to take over. Allowing more visions to flow and the steps and actions I need to take in order to get those things done. When I’m not doing that I love to ride my bike, or calmly walk while listening to nature and all its beauty.

I’m not perfect, I still have bad days and sometimes my mind gets the best of me. Im still learning and being a student. The difference now is I know how to center myself and calm down those thoughts that use to take over me. I know now that whatever I focus on, will magnify, grow, and become greater than I’ve ever imagined. That’s why I only think, speak, and listen to positivity to insure my life is always in Divine Order. 🙂

Plant based foods that fight inflammation

 

As promised in the video, I have listed a few more of my favorite foods that help with reducing and fighting inflammation. There are so many more foods but to no go on and on here are my absolute favorites that I consume on a regular basis. Listed are also their benefits and if consumed on a regular basis can bring much improvement to the body. Hope you enjoy. Be sure to like, share, and comment on whats your favorite.

• Clove

-It is a powerful fast-soluble antioxidant

-Fights fungal infections of skin, ears, and vagina

-maintains the bodies enzymes at normal levels.

• Ginger

-clears sinus channel

-eliminates nausea

-helps with aching muscles and joints

-removes throats and nose congestion

• Rosemary

-iron

-calcium

-phosphorus

-potassium

-zinc

-maintains blood pressure

-controls heart rate

Vitamins A, B, and C

-Protects from lung cancer

-prevents brain disorders like Alzheimers

• Turmeric

-improves eye health

-aids in weight loss

-lowers insulin resistance

-natural pain killer for joints and muscles

-Detoxifies liver

-Aids in better health

-Antibacterial

• Purple Potatoes

-lowers blood pressure

-No excess weight gain

-Increases antibacterial

• Flax seeds

-reduces insulin resistance

-contains Omega 3

-Prevents bone lose

-increases bone density

-Reduces risk of cardiovascular disease

-aids in brain development (especially in children)

-treats eczema, psoriasis, and other skin diseases

• Leafy greens

-contains calcium

-potassium

-Vitamin A,C, and K

-reduces swelling

-contains folate

• Walnuts

-Vitamin E

-Calcium

-Fiber

-contains Omega 3

• Sea plants (kelp, seamoss, and nori are my favs)

-prevents aging and chronic disease

-Lowers cholesterol

-solves mineral deficiencies

-Detoxifies the body

-balance thyroid function

• Peppers (red, yellow, green, orange)

-high Vitamin C levels

-beta-carotene

-anti-inflammatory

-antioxidants

-anti-cancer

-anti-fungi

• Onions (purple is my fav)

-heals infections

-vitamin C

-regulates blood sugar

-improves skin conditions

• Berries (raspberries, blueberries, Blackberries, etc)

-prevents aging

-prevents cardiovascular disease

-prevents arthritis

-fiber

-improves digestion

-reduces asthma and arthritis

• Avocado

-potassium

-aids in heart health

-high in fiber

-lower cholesterol

How to eliminate the generational curse

For so long we’ve all heard that sickness is hereditary.

Well what if I said it wasn’t!?

What If it’s just a collection of habits we’ve picked up over time from family and we ended up sick like them!?

It’s not their fault, it’s just what they knew. Especially in the black community, we eat so many things that ultimately are killing up slowly. We shouldn’t have children suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and arthritis. We’ve been programmed to believe that what we call “soul food” is good, but it’s only doing us harm. And don’t get me started on the fast food. Due to advertising, a large population of people are sick because of convenance and what’s shown on a daily basis. There are so many studies out there that show why meat, dairy, and other processed foods should not be consumed, especially with children.

What if we could break those habits with a simple mindset shift!?

Breaking the habits of bad eating, lack, and depression. It’s true that our foods dictate our lifestyle. If you’re constantly eating heavy processed foods, then you’ll eventually end up heavy, tired, and taking multiple medications to mask what’s really going on inside. If you’re tired, you don’t want to be productive, or find the time to actually take care of yourself. Continuing in this condition leads to depression and an unkept lifestyle.

Being someone who has battle some type of illness all my life, I know that the best person to take care of me is me. Doctors are great, but they can’t make money if you’re not sick. So it wasn’t until I truly changed my mind and seemed information for myself, is when I truly started to heal and become whole again.

It’s time we stop relying on others to take care of us and start taking care of ourselves. Be strong, be you, and take your life back. You only get one chance on this earth, and it shouldn’t be spent sick and tired.

What are your feet telling you

We’ve all experienced some sort of foot pain at some point and time in our lives. Like that time you bought those shoes that you just couldn’t live without, even though they were too tight.

There have also been times when we have had a nagging pain that just wouldn’t seem to go away. Something like a ball getting lodge in the bottom of your foot.
The foot is one of the most sensitive parts of the body. With each foot there is 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments, 19 muscles and tendons. Which makes up about 25% of the bones in the body. On each foot there are over 7,000 nerve endings called reflexes that correspond to every organ and system within your body. So when your experiencing foot discomfort, it could be something serious.

For instance, people who are diabetic can experience getting a foot or toes removed if symptoms become deadly. That’s why regular foot care is important.

Massaging the feet regularly can bring some very noticeable changes over time. The benefits of getting foot massage can be:

•Relaxation
•improves circulation
•Normalizes gland function
•pain management
•revitalizes enters
•promotes overall well-being
•strengthens immune system

Getting services like reflexology can began a turnaround in a persons overall health. Also it wouldn’t hurt to walk outside in the grass sometimes. Doing so allows to electrical energy from the earth to enter into the body, which allows for healing. Nature is the best medicine you know.

Be sure when getting any body work done that the products used are chemical free, and preferably food based. This is to insure no pathogens enter into the body through the skin, causing any damage the the organs or cells.

If you’re a “do it yourselfer” like myself, massaging with coconut oil is always a great route to go. Going through each toe and massaging top and bottom of the foot brings much relief and comfort from the long day. Also, try and wear the feet out as much as possible to avoid bacteria build up and fungus.
So next time you’re out getting your grooming work done, be sure to think of your feet as well. You’ll be glad you did.

Two Years Later (Life as a Vegan, June 2015)

TWO YEARS!! I can’t believe it’s been that long since I’ve eaten any dairy. It’s been even longer since I’ve had a piece of meat. These last two years have taught me a few very valuable lessons. I’ve noticed that I’ve grown to become stronger and more energized. Not only has it changed my outlook on food but life in general. Here are a few of them.
1. Patience – When I first started the journey, there were instant changes. I was so excited! About 8 months in, my body started to fight back. As it was saying, “Girl we didn’t ask for this.” One month I would feel like a million bucks. The next month it felt like I was making the wrong decision. Regardless to what I felt, I stuck with it. I knew that temporary discomfort couldn’t compare to the overall benefits I would receive. I recreated meals that I enjoyed so they would fit into my new vegan lifestyle. I learned to slow down and listen to my body.
2. Endurance – There were absolutely days I really wanted to give up and bite into a fish sandwich. Early on I would wake up with cravings, and despite anything I did it would not go away. I continuously found myself wanting to quit. I had to remind myself why I started this journey. I began to remember the nights in the hospital, the pain of drawing blood, and all that money I spent on co-pays and medication. I refused to go back to that, no matter how hard it was.
3. Acceptance – the hardest part about this entire journey was getting use to EVERYONE questioning my decision. I felt attacked; no one seemed to understand my reasons and thought I was just crazy. Even today, there are still family members and total strangers that try to teach me what the proper diet is for me. Instead of defending myself, I just allow my health and progress speak for itself.
4. Creativity- not to brag but my cooking skills have gotten even better. flips hair
Learning about new foods and spices and combining them in dishes have really expanded my taste buds. Dishes that I enjoyed in the past that consisted of dairy or meat, I’ve recreated to fit my new lifestyle. Foods that I would have never considered in the past are now my favorites.
I find myself even now growing and changing each and everyday. There are foods I knew nothing about that I love. Also I’ve adopted something I call “90% raw vegan meal a day.” Basically I eat an uncooked (raw) vegan meal majority of the day and one cooked vegan meal. Doing this my body is taking in more nutrients and getting everything I need to stay healthy.

I’m so excited to share my progress over the next few years as well as share a few of my favorite recipes. cookbook coming in the near future

Resolutions

First I would like to start off by saying, THANK YOU.
To everyone that has taken the time to read my post, I REALLY appreciate you.
I never thought I would be doing anything like this, I am truly grateful for the support.
GREAT things are coming in the near future 🙂

I’m sure many of you have already started things of things that you want to improve on for the new year. I know for me, I’m working on writing more and working towards expanding my audience. I want to reach more people with my message about my vegan eating and putting out more info on Lupus.
The most common resolution has to be weight loss and fitness. Well, I think I can help in this area. If you haven’t heard, Urban Remedy is a great company that caters to organic, holistic eating. They provide many guidelines on juicing, vegan, and organic eating.
So if diet is one of your resolutions, check out the links below. I’m sure you’ll enjoy.
Be on the look out this upcoming year, I have a lot of projects that I am excited to start implementing 🙂

Urban Remedy LLC

food substitute

So if you really know me, you know I LOVE to eat. A few of my favorite dishes are made with rice, noodles, and pasta. With that I have to be mindful of how much of those items I consume because those foods are heavy in unhealthy starch. Starchy foods aide in inflammation, joint pain, and weight gain. So of course I had to come up with an alternative because I just couldn’t see myself not eating pasta anymore. I was reading a recipe one day that required rice but it wasn’t used. Instead the recipe used cauliflower instead. Lets just say I tried it, and loved it. All you need is a good knife to get the cauliflower fine like rice would be. It’s a little bit fluffier than rice but still just as good. Add a little salt for taste and you’re good to go.
Cauliflower is low in calories and high in nutrients. Here are a few benefits of eating cauliflower.
1. Antioxidant
Cauliflower is a very good source of vitamin C and manganese, which are both powerful antioxidants. With these antioxidants, you can be certain that eating cauliflower regularly will help protect you from free radical damage and reduce your risk for diseases caused by oxidative stress, such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
2. Anti-Inflammation
Cauliflower also contains high amounts of vitamin K and omega-3 fatty acids, which help decrease inflammation. Potentially, regular cauliflower consumption can help decrease the risk of inflammation-mediated diseases such as arthritis, obesity, diabetes mellitus, inflammatory bowel disease.
3. Cardiovascular
By decreasing chronic inflammation, cauliflower is able to maintain the patency of the blood vessels and keeps excellent blood flow to essential organs of the body.
4. Digestive
A cup of boiled cauliflower delivers about 3.35 g of dietary fiber, which helps clean your digestive system and gets rid of unnecessary substances.
5. Nutritional
Cauliflower also contains vitamins B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine) and B9 (folic acid). It serves as a good source of proteins, phosphorus and potassium.
If cauliflower is still not your thing, try wild rice and black noodles. Both every tasty but still needs to be consumed sparingly. Try it out, you may just add another favorite to your meals. 🙂
What are some food substitutes that you use. Share 🙂