Goodbye sanitary pads - Hello Mooncup!

Hey everyone,

If you are male you will probably want to skip today's post.

Ok - for the ladies:

I was planning some summer vacations tonight with my boyfriend and we are thinking of going on a multiple day kayak and backpacking trip.  Of course my period would fall at the end of when we are planning our trip.  I feel like this always happens.

I am going to try and get another week off work but I thought it might be worth doing some research into products/ tricks I could use while camping. 

I did a search and it looks like many people recommend using a menstrual cup.  There are several brands out there.  I am hearing good things about the Mooncup.  The Mooncup is the newer silicone version of the original menstrual cup called the Keeper made of latex.  You should purchase a size A if you have given birth or size B if you have not or had a C-section.

I am thinking of purchasing one of these (I am thinking the Mooncup).  I definitely have some questions and concerns - I'm a little concerned that it will be too big and make my vagina bigger or not big enough and then there will be some leakage.  Yikes!

  This is a photo of the Mooncup.

READERS: I am hoping that those of you who may have experimented with menstrual cups can post (anonymously if you wish) your reviews.

This is definitely something that is very intriguing - it's like a tampon in that it is completed inserted inside you so you can use it for the beach etc.  Apparently if it is inserted properly you won't feel it.  Amazing!

And - there is no risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome since it is not made of absorptive material like tampons.

It looks like it will cost with tax about $45 and will only need to be replaced every 10 years.  Amazing!

I think this past cycle I spent almost $15 on pads.  Ridiculous!

Also - the cup only needs to be emptied every 8 to 12 hours.  Amazing!

Ok - I will definitely purchase one of these cups before my next period and test it out.  In the meantime I will conduct some more research to find out which type is best for me.  I'll let you know the results after my next cycle.

I think one of the major major benefits of using a menstrual cup is the amount of waste produced by other forms of protection.

This is something that I think you may want to consider for your own comfort and for mother earth.

Free yourself!

Goodbye all or nothing mentality - Hello moderation!

Hey everyone,

Sorry I haven't posted in a little while.  I started a new job, ran a half marathon today and am moving into a new house in just a couple of weeks so life has been busy.  I think all of these new developments in my life have definitely resulted in me failing a few challenges or commitments I had made in previous posts (i.e.; the coffee and chocolate situation - who didn't see that coming?).  Is this a big deal?  Sort of - the main reason I was adopting a lot of these things was for health reasons - so I definitely want to do my best to follow the advice I have been dishing out.  But sometimes I found these little challenges a little stressful - and stress is also a killer.  So.... moderation is key.  My mom is somebody who has always been good with moderation.  She eats really well - but indulges in a small dessert after dinner most nights, she is very careful with her money - but occasionally buys expensive clothing or paintings, she wears make-up and uses skin products - but only high end products that are less likely to contain harmful chemicals. 

I wanted to come clean and provide you with an update on where I stand in each of my commitments:

Goodbye shampoo? Yes - still no shampoo.  My dandruff has suddenly reappeared in the last week but I think this is a result of stress associated with starting a new job.  If I switch up my no shampoo routine you will be the first to know.

Goodbye nail polish?  I am wearing nail polish right now.  It's sandal season.  Not sure how I feel about this.

Goodbye deodorant?  This one is sooooo easy.  My boyfriend has also ditched the stick.  He is someone who is always hot- and he smells fantastic.

  Goodbye diabetes?  Well I don't have diabetes, but I think I could definitely cut back on the sugar.

Goodbye car? I have been riding my bike alot.

Goodbye cineplex?  I went to the World Exchange theatre downtown - which feels less corporate and didn't purchase any snacks so.... success.

Goodbye blind trust? Yeah  - I guess I have been doing more research before trying homemade recipes and tricks.

Goodbye sweet tooth? ( this post was on toothpaste).  I have been using toothpaste mostly rather than salt or baking soda.  I have been eating a lot of chocolate lately so I felt I really needed to use toothpaste for the fluoride in order to protect my teeth from cavities.

Goodbye mask?  I haven't been wearing makeup to work however I have been wearing some good quality mascara (Marcelle) and eye shadow out on the weekends.  I have been using coconut oil for lip gloss.

Goodbye stale air?  Well it's finally summer in Ottawa so I have been outside quite a bit but I still haven't started going for walks at lunch time.  Maybe this week!  This is really important - I just read a NY times article on how sitting for long periods of time everyday will kill you. AND...Working out after a day in the cubicle doesn't cut it (Yikes!).  I think I'm going to start standing at work while I read my e-mails.

Goodbye sleeping pills?  This was never really an issue however I had a lot of trouble sleeping last week - I think nerves associated with the new job.  I realized my advice about getting up and getting stuff done if you can't sleep was kind of useless.  I still felt too tired to accomplish things and didn't want to wake up my roomates. 

Goodbye oblivion?  Yep - I've got people from all across Canada, the United States and even far places like India and Malta reading my blog.  Hello!!!

Goodbye hot hot showers?  Sort of.  I've been trying to end my showers off as cold as I can handle.  Some days I can make the shower ice cold and hang out for a few minutes - other days - especially late at night, I don't do this at all.

Goodbye calorie restriction?  No - I have been really hungry all of the time - I think from training for the half marathon.  Hopefully my crazy hunger will subside now that I am taking a little break from the running.

Goodbye cravings? Yeah, no.

 Goodbye race? I think I have been doing better about just enjoying life.  I was really nervous about my job but I tried to just embrace it.

Goodbye Mona Lisa smile?  Haha - hmmm I think my teeth have been whitter but I am not sure why. 

Goodbye scented?  This one is easy - I just don't wear any perfume.

Goodbye impulsive hair chopping?  So far so good.  I told my roomate I wouldn't get a trim until November.  I am convinced my hair grows at a snails pace but she thinks I just get too many trims.  I am also taking some MSM and biotin supplements.  I have to do more research on these supplements.  I have a feeling they might have some questionable ingredients or not be very effective but I'd like to give it a shot.  My friend from Taiwan suggested eating seaweed to speed up hair growth.  I will purchase this next time I head to Herb and Spice.  I have also started sleeping with my hair in a scrunchie at night to protect it from all my tossing and turning and my friend also suggested brushing my hair with my head upside down in the morning so I will do this too!

Goodbye sunscreen?  So far so good - although it rained all week.

Goodbye chocolate and coffee? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

I look forward to hearing how you are all doing on freeing yourself from big pharma!!

I think it's important to maintain a positive attitude and experiment with different things!  Until next time... Free yourself!

Goodbye chocolate and coffee - Hello good riddance!

Hey everyone,

As you all know I am in love with chocolate and coffee.  But I've decided to give it up.  I will make exceptions for birthday cakes and holidays but otherwise I think it's time I kicked the habit.  I feel like I'm really striving to be clean and yet I regularly consume packaged chocolate bars.  I think quitting chocolate and coffee is one of the last major changes I need to make in order to achieve a high level of health.  And I think I need to quit both at once. 

Chocolate pros:
It is true that pure dark chocolate has many health benefits including high iron levels, high antioxidant levels, metabolism boosting and heart health boosting properties.  But the reality is most of the time I am not consuming $5 dark chocolate bars.

Chocolate cons:
Most of the time I am consuming processed milk chocolate with lots of saturated fats, corn syrup, refined sugar and preservatives.

Coffee pros:
Coffee drinkers have less Parkinson's, dementia, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. However, this could just be due to the common characteristics of coffee drinkers.  I have noticed that many people who do not drink coffee substitute with soft drinks like Coke and tend to be of a lower socio economic background and therefore, more prone to some of the above noted diseases.

Coffee cons:
And... coffee has some known negative effects, mostly as a result of its dehydrating properties.  Caffeing found in coffee pulls water out of the body (which is why you have to urinate so much when you drink a big cup in the morning).  This water is coming from your skin (which results in wrinkles), your mouth (which results in tooth decay) and other parts of your body.  Most Asian people I know do not drink coffee - they tend to drink herbal teas instead - and these Asian people look very young for their age.

Another benefit to quitting coffee and chocolate is that my bones will be stronger.  I have very small bones to start with so I really can't afford to losing any more bone density.  Caffeine inhibits calcium absorption and therefore prevents the remineralization of bones.  Essentially caffeine is one factor that can cause bones to become this and brittle and fracture in old age.  (Side note - do not take osteoporosis medication - it has been shown to cause hip fractures in long time users).  See link:  http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-03-11-bones11_st_N.htm

Results:
I have noticed that since giving up chocolate and coffee my hunger levels have stabilized.  I used to have terrible cravings and I always felt hungry.  Now my blood sugar levels are normalizing and everything from my mood to my sleep is feeling more steady.

Need some other reasons:
Coffee can cause weight gain.  Coffee increases cortisol levels.  Your body naturally produces cortisol when you are stressed so coffee is mimicking this.  When you are stressed your body will store as much fat as possible because it is prepping you for going for a long period of time without food.  Think hunter gatherer days.

Doubts:
The only thing that is making me a little weary about all of this is that there are some studies that show that coffee may prevent baldness and encourage hair growth.

I think I really need to quit both coffee and chocolate at once.  If I keep consuming one, my blood sugar and cortisol levels will become destabilized and I will crave the other. 

I think the benefits outweigh the potential negatives so I'm going for it.

Free yourself!




 

Goodbye sunscreen - Hello shade!

Hey everyone,

I am quite fair and burn relatively easily.  Last summer I was pretty vigilant about wearing sunscreen, even on weekdays - when my only sun exposure was at 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.  At the end of the summer - I was still white as a ghost however I felt that I had done the right thing.  Well - it turns out maybe I hadn't.

Some recent studies suggest that sunscreen may accelerate or promote skin cancer.  Why?  Here's a few reasons:

1) Vitamin A - which is found in many high-end facial moisturizers/sunscreen is photocarcinogenic.  This means that when it is exposed to the sun it can cause cancerous tumours.  Vitamin A, often in the form of retinol, is often added to sunscreen because of its antioxidant properties.  It is also believed to reverse skin aging.  But it turns out it this "anti aging favourite" becomes nasty when it reacts with sunlight.  For more info: http://www.aolnews.com/2010/05/24/study-many-sunscreens-may-be-accelerating-cancer/

2) Many of the ingredients found in sunscreen lotion are absorbed into your skin and are often hormone disrupting and adversely affect the immune system.

3)  Even weak sunscreens will block UVB rays from reaching your skin surface and will consequently reduce the production of Vitamin D by 95%.   Vitamin D is important for healthy bones as well as a healthy immune system, preventing multiple sclerosis and certain forms of cancer.  I think it is important to note that many fatty fish are also a good source of Vitamin D.

4) Sunscreens often contain oxybenzone, a chemical that absorbs UVA and UVB rays.  Oxybenzone produces free radicals when it reacts with sunlight.  Free radical damage can lead to cancer.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) tested 500 sunscreens and found that only 39 were up to par.  I would recommend you check out the EWG's full ranking of sunscreens.

http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/best-beach-sport-sunscreens/ 

Another thing that is pretty shocking is that even the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other national cancer research and dermatology institutes don't believe that sunscreen is very effective in preventing skin cancer, if at all.  In 2009, the National Cancer Institute stated: “It is not known if protecting skin from sunlight and other UV radiation decreases the risk of skin cancer. It is not known if non-melanoma skin cancer risk is decreased by staying out of the sun, using sunscreens, or wearing long sleeve shirts, long pants, sun hats and sunglasses when outdoors”.

Check out the link below for more information.

http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/full-report/health-agencies-question-sunscreen-efficacy/

Why is everybody wearing sunscreen when the leading institutions do not even know if it is effective?

Here is what I am going to do with this information.  For this one - I am not going to try and tell you what to do because the stakes are high.

1 - I will not wear sunscreen.
2 - I will wear a hat, bring an umbrella to the beach, use a t-shirt etc.  when I am in the sun between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.  - I think the umbrella at the beach is really key for being able to comfortably read.  I can't lie on my back - even with sunshades and read a book comfortably.
3 - I will not be afraid of getting a little bit of natural sunlight, HOWEVER, - I will not get one burn this summer.  I promise.
4 - I will continue to eat a diet rich in Vitamin D food (ex. salmon, vitamin D enriched milk).
5- I will do regular skin checks to make sure that I don't have any new odd looking moles.  See the attached link for a guide on what to look out for: http://www.golfdigest.com/images/magazine/2008/07/maar02_skin.gif


I hope you keep your eyes and ears open for information on the best way to protect yourself from skin cancer.  Please share any additional knowledge on skin cancer below.  Free yourself!

Goodbye impulsive hair chopping - Hello waiting!!

Hey everyone,

Until recently, my hair had been the same length for a long time.  The funny thing was - this was not at all intentional.  My plan was always to grow my hair out really long- but every 4 or 5 months I would get fed up with my thin hair and head to the salon.  I would usually just request a trim  - but they often took a little extra off.  If other Ottawans are looking to grow out their hair, and are willing to spend some money, I would recommend SAAB salon on Bank Street.  The stylists at SAAB really listened to me and respected my long term hair goals.  The problem was it ended up costing me $85 with the tip for such a subtle change.  So - I made the mistake of trying different salons - where the stylists would take more than half an inch off and would add too many short layers, etc. 

Side note: I think my hair experience - as perhaps trivial as it may seem- can teach everyone a lesson.  In order for things to change - you can't keep repeating the same behaviour.  Sometimes you just need to be patient and wait.

This past Dec 30, I decided I really wanted a new look, so I went to the salon and asked for shoulder length hair- and they gave me like a couple inches above shoulder length - of course.  Most people think it looks better now - since my hair is quite thin so it looked a little scraggly when it was longer.

But I think I'm looking a little "new mom" ish.  This is not meant to offend new moms- they are busy running around and need a functional haircut.  Also - I understand that a lot of hair falls out post-pregnancy.  But I am still in my mid 20s and do not have a newborn so I think the cut does not suit me.  These are supposed to be my glamour years!!!

My hair is now layered - with the longest layers just a little bit past my shoulders and the shorter layers just past my chin.  I don't style it for a few different reasons.

a) heat is bad for your hair
b) I bike to work with a helmet on my head
c) I don't want to put any product in it

Since the no shampoo (no poo) method - my mom (my cheeleader) says my hair is much healthier and thicker.  I adopted this no shampoo method about a month after chopping off so much of my hair.

So I'm sort of caught - although I think my hair looks really healthy, it is pretty boring and not at all stylish - but I don't want to put any products, highlights, whatever in it since it is delicate and thin and this will only slow down the growing process and thin it out even more.  I also have beaded hair, also known as monilethrix.  People with monilethrix have trouble growing long hair since each strand has a tiny knot about every millimeter down the hair strand and is prone to splitting at these knots.  Most people don't notice it - except hairdressers - but under a bright light you will see that my hair has little stripes going down the hair shaft.   To be honest - I'm not 100% sure that I have moniletrhix since my hair was able to get so long.  Most google images have pictures of people with super short patchy hair.  Perhaps I have a mild form of this.

Here pictures (OF OTHER WOMEN) of my pre and post New Years haircut.

Pre New Years hair

    

(My current haircut - it's a little longer right now)
                                                                                

So I'm asking you readers - what should I do?  I guess my goal is to keep it really healthy and go back to my old length or longer but with thicker hair this time around.  If you have any tips, good in between cuts, good foods to eat, maybe staying in down- dog for hours on end so that a lot of blood rushes to my scalp, please send me a comment.

I think I might do a before and after "Freeing myself from Big Pharma" photos next New Years but until then I will not be posting photos of myself.

If you have any tips - please share the love.

Free yourself!

Goodbye scented (read toxic) products - Hello fragrance free!

Hey everyone,

Today we will be discussing scents.  I was reading the following article in the Life section of the Globe and Mail and it inspired me to do a post on fragrances.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/work/wacky-workplace-rules-no-beards-no-gossip-no-deodorant/article1638154/

The article is fun but the comments are hilarious.  Most of the comments had to do with people venting about smelly co-workers.  I don't believe that wearing deodorant prevents bad odor - but rather regular showers, clean clothing and a healthy lifestyle will keep you from offending your neighbours.

Here are some of the problems with fragrances in many beauty/cleaning products:

1) Perfume/ Cologne:

Most perfumes and colognes do not list all of the ingredients on their labels. The excuse: to protect the brand's "secret recipe".  This recipe is often a concoction of hormone disrupting petrochemicals.  Please find below a link to a great report entitled Not so sexy, by the Environmental Working Group, which tested commonly used brand name scents such as Chanel, Armani, Britney Spears and many more.
http://www.ewg.org/notsosexy
I would recommend forgoing perfume an cologne and just eating well and exercising instead.

2) Laundry detergent / Dryer sheets:

Do not dry clean - apparently the dry cleaners use a chemical called perchloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene which can cause central nervous system damage and is toxic for the environment.  My boyfriend wears suits frequently and gets his jackets and pants dry cleaned.  I think I am going to invest in a clothes steamer for him because this information makes me a little nervous.

I am currently using a fragrance free President's Choice laundry detergent and I hang dry all of my clothing so I don't use dryer sheets.  I have never paid much attention to the ingredients in my detergent - but tonight I am going to take a look to make sure there is no phosphates or chlorine.  I have read some posts on making your own laundry detergent - but they seem extremely time consuming and don't appear to be that effective.  Smelly shirts cause bad odor so make sure to wash your shirts after 1 or 2 uses.  Many pants on the other hand do not need to be washed so frequently.  I have a friend who used to work in the fashion industry and she said jeans are "cooler" if they are not washed with soap (I think because they get almost a duller -vintage look).  She suggested spot cleaning jeans if they get stained and putting them on a clothes line to air them out.

Want more tips on non toxic cleaning around the house:
I stumbled upon this great site which offers more natural solutions to most household cleaning products - from wood varnish to air fresheners.
http://www.oregontoxics.org/kitchen_laundry.html

3) Deodorant  / Antiperspirants:

Check out my earlier post on this topic.  Use baking soda instead!!

4) Air fresheners:

Use baking soda in the fridge, in the bathroom and open all the windows to get some fresh air in your house. 

5) Take a look at your diet:

Here is a great article from Psychology today on eliminating red meat consumption to smell nicer.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/homo-consumericus/201002/you-want-smell-better-don-t-eat-red-meat

I hope you consider alternate ways to keep the air around you smelling pleasant.  It doesn't need to cost much, and I don't think we should obsess over it either.  Free yourself!

Goodbye Mona Lisa smile - Hello peroxide punch!

Hey everyone,

As all my faithful followers know - I've been working on getting my teeth whitter.  I tend to smile with my mouth closed because I don't like my slightly off-white teeth. This Mona Lisa smile makes me look kind of timid or mischievous in photos.

When I visit the dentist for my bi-annual cleanings, the dental hygienists sand blast my teeth with baking soda.  I have asked the dentist if they can do anything more drastic but he has recommended that I don't do anything else since my enamel is already thin.  Apparently I grind my teeth while I sleep - I have been given a night guard to wear but I recently stopped wearing it because I don't like the idea of putting plastic in my hot mouth.  I believe the heat from my body must slowly break down the plastic and I don't want plastic accumulating in my body. On top of this, the night guard was uncomfortable and my boyfriend doesn't think I grind my teeth since he has never heard anything.  I assume I must have done this before when I was a stressed out University student.  Now my life is relatively free and easy - I am not being sarcastic.

Last night I brushed by teeth with baking soda, then I dipped my toothbrush in 3% hydrogen peroxide and brushed the front of my teeth and later on I brushed my teeth with a regular toothpaste containing fluoride.  I intend to do this about once a week.  This morning I noticed my teeth are definitely whitter than usual.

I heard about using regular hydrogen peroxide to whiten teeth from a blog of a woman who was using baking soda instead of regular toothpaste.

I think the hydrogen peroxide was effective and a much more affordable solution than buying white strips or fancy mouth wash.  But I am not sure it is healthier than alternate solutions.  The European Union only allows hydrogen peroxide concentrations of up to 0.1% to be sold over the counter.  Although hydrogen peroxide is a normal product of metabolism and is found in the body - studies have shown that it can aggravate the risk of cancer caused by smoking.  The British Dental Journal suggests refraining from using hydrogen peroxide without gum protection given its tumor promoting effects.

Other studies have suggested that hydrogen peroxide can wear down the enamel of your teeth.  However, most of the research I have come across has suggested that, overall, hydrogen peroxide is safe.

I'm really looking forward to my next dentist appointment.  I think I won't say anything until the hygienist gives me her initial thoughts.  Then I will have quite a few questions for the dentist:

- Is hydrogen peroxide safe to use on a weekly basis given that I do not smoke?
- Does baking soda wear down my enamel?
- Is sea salt or baking soda better for my teeth?

A friend told me that the no toothpaste method can cause little black dots to appear on my teeth.  I have been on the lookout for these black dots - which apparently go away once you use a regular toothpaste. 

I guess I'm not really comfortable giving any concrete advice yet with respect to dental hygiene.  I would definitely not use anything containing hydrogen peroxide if you are a smoker and I would refrain from using a hydrogen peroxide whitener often.  I don't think the crest strips or bleaching trays are safer than just dipping the toothbrush in a hydrogen peroxide solution.

I would say that my teeth feel a little bit more sensitive today so - I think I'll probably only use this method once a month.  Until my next encounter with peroxide - I think I will try a couple of other methods.  Sunday will be the day when I experiment.

1) I will mash a fresh strawberry and apply it to my teeth using a toothbrush or finger to brush my teeth.
2) I will dip my toothbrush in apple cider vinegar.  Apparently this is a great way to remove tartar without damaging your enamel.
3) I will rub the inside of an orange peel onto my teeth.

Let me know if you have any other low-cost home recipes for beautiful teeth.  Free yourself!

Goodbye race - Hello experience!

Hey everyone,

I wanted to do a movie review of Into the Wild, a Sean Penn movie starring Emile Hirsch.  It's a true life story of a recent university graduate who is sickened by the materialism of the world and decides to escape society's expectations of a recent straight As college grad and back pack around the U.S. with almost no money.  I watched it for the first time tonight.

Well - I loved the premise of the movie but felt it was a little melodramatic and I guess still a little too "clean" - his encounters with people seemed too perfect- it was missing the awkwardness and struggle of everyday life.  I thought the characters were too flawed or not flawed enough.  My boyfriend pointed out that it is definitely something that only the rich would find romantic.  I did find the movie truly entertaining and I am not sure if I would have enjoyed it had it been more "real".

The soundtrack was great too!  But it got me thinking- there is all this great music playing while he is on his adventures - and this tricks the viewer from feeling the loneliness and perhaps fear that the character must have felt early on.  Movies often turn very regular mundane scenes into something beautiful and moving by adding big music in the background.

All in all I loved the movie because it got me thinking about focusing on experiences.  I think it's time I focus more on positive experiences.  I think I may have lost track of this - or maybe I never really focused on it.  Sometimes life just feels like a race.  I am always chasing a higher level at work, a more fit body, all of my to-dos....  but I want this to change- I feel like I am at a point in my life where I can take a deep breathe and start pursuing things with experience in mind rather than the end result.

I encourage you to think about experience too!  Free yourself!

Goodbye cravings - Hello taste buds!!

Hey everyone,

This is going to be a short post because I am going on a hike in Gatineau park shortly.  Yay fresh air!  As you may have seen from my comment on my last post, the intermittent fasting experiment was very challenging.  I was golden until about 1:00 p.m. and then I just couldn't get food off my mind. I decided to only do a true 24 hour fast and ate at about 8:30 p.m. last night, so it had been 26 hours since my last meal.

I have decided that for now I will not fast on weekdays since it is disruptive at work and I think I will fast once a month.  (Maybe the first Sunday of every month - like what Mormons do).

One thing I did notice was that my food last night was much more tasty than it would have otherwise have been.  I had carrots, soup ....... and then cashews and chocolate chips (that I was supposed to save for baking) lol, but anyways, the carrots and soup tasted better than they normally would have.

I have read that fasting can help you appreciate healthy food.  Before people used to have fruit for dessert - and it was a treat (think orange in your Christmas stocking) - now fruit for dessert is seen as something reserved for miserable dieters. 

There are a lot of other benefits to intermittent fasting that I didn't mention in my last post - like improved skin, white eyes, protection against colds, better digestion and elimination.  The list goes on.

Also- I came across this great example online yesterday.  Apparently, when an animal is sick, it stops eating.  This is because its body knows that fasting will allow it to heal faster because all of the animal's energy is going towards the healing process rather than digestion.

Ok - I should get going.  I just want to assure people that I do not have an eating disorder.  I am naturally a thin person who works out a lot - but - I have a healthy appetite.  I just really enjoy challenging myself in different ways.   I also want to stay healthy for as long as possible.  I guess death is something that really scares me and I haven't come to terms with it yet.

Well - on that sad not I guess I'll say .... Free yourself!

Goodbye calorie restriction - Hello intermittent fasting!

Hey everyone,

As I mentioned in my insomnia post, my whole attempt at calorie restriction has been a huge fail.  I think I ate a chocolate croissant right after I finished the post.  A good alternative to calorie restriction is intermittent fasting.  This is what I am doing today.  I have not eaten since yesterday at dinner.  I do not plan on eating or drinking anything but water until tomorrow morning.  Why?  Because it is extremely healthy.  I haven't decided how often I will fast.  In one study, it was found that men saw the most benefits when fasting every second day while women saw the most benefits when fasting every eight days.  I think I will start with once a month and make my way down gradually to once every eight days.

Apparently Mormons are among the healthiest group of Americans and it is suspected that the cause is the low smoking rates and the fact that they fast on the first Sunday of every month.  A study by the American Heart Association also did a study on the benefits of fasting while controlling for drug use, alcohol and tobacco.  The result: the individuals who fasted were always better off.

I think this is all pretty logical: think of our hunter gatherer days.  People wouldn't have antelope just hanging around all the time waiting to be chewed.  People had to chase their pray.  This meant that you would eat when you could but there were periods without food.  I was reminded by this while reading "Pillars of the Earth" which takes place in 12th Century Europe.  I won't give the novel away - but I'll say that many of the characters go for extended periods of time without eating much.

The most impressive part of intermittent fasting is that it can help prevent cancer and can even help indivduals going through chemotherapy.   I think this is really important so here is the full article:
http://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20080331/fasting_may_improve_cancer_chemotherapy

There are two aspects to the protective and healing effect of fasting with respect to cancer.

1) There are less errors made in the regeneration of cells when you are fasting.  It is believed that a major cause is that the body is able to put more energy towards regeneration.  Eating is actually very taxing for your body and also produces many oxidants.

2) As the article above notes, fasting may protect healthy cells when you are undergoing chemotherapy.

A study from the National Institute on Aging also has conducted tests (with mice) which had led researchers to conclude that Calorie Restriction and Intermittent Fasting dietary regimens can ameliorate age-related deficits such as Alzheimer's disease.
 
How am I feeling right now?  Generally I feel ok - maybe a little irritable, but I know that I will just need to adapt.  Apparently this diet is especially hard if you eat a carb heavy diet which I do.  Most proponents of this diet try to follow a primal diet which consists of fruit, vegetables, meat and a small amount of nuts and grains.  Where's the chocolate?

I encourage you to do this slowly.  I'll keep you posted on my results.
Until next time... Free yourself!

Goodbye hot hot showers - Hello cc-cc-o-co-c-olddd showers!

Hey everyone,

I'll start with an Irish curse:  "the end of the feast is frowning."

PS: (the feast is a long hot shower)

Yesterday my roommate was telling me that her cousin had posted something on facebook about the health benefits of cold showers.  I thought I would explore this further.  Wow - it definitely seems to be accepted that cold showers are an effective tool for anti aging, preventing injury, improving sleep,....

I have always known that you should rinse your hair with cold water before getting out of the shower to close the tip of the cuticle.  Your hair will appear shinier and be less prone to split ends.  But this is just the beginning.

When you take a cold shower - blood will rush from the extremities of your body.  This will increase circulation and help eliminate toxins from the blood and your muscles.  After your shower, the fresh blood being pumped to your skin will also provide nutrients and oxygen to the skin and will give you a youthful glow.

Another benefit, is that when you shower in cold water, the pores of your skin stay closed which prevents any chemicals from products (if you are using them) or municipal tap water from penetrating your skin barrier.

Apparently it improves fertility in men.

It will make your skin more elastic, tighter and more moist.  Hot water removes your skin's natural oil and will make your skin loose.

Apparently the increased blood flow has also been reported to help people suffering from depression and anxiety.

It will help you lose weight by increasing your metabolism up to 80%.  I read online that a women lost ten lbs without changing anything in her diet and exercise regimen.  Hot water causes food to pass through your intestines more slowly - which is uncomfortable and a major cause of weight gain.

Several experts do not recommend this method if you are more than 7 months pregnant.  There has also been some websites advising women who are menstruating or men that have just ejaculated not to take hot showers because their bodies are working hard enough.  Also - it is not advisable to shower for more than 10 minutes with cold water.

I have never taken a 100% cold shower in my life.  I love my hot showers.  So this is really troubling for me.

I would like us to do this together since it won't be easy at first - but I think we will gradually enjoy it.  It helps that summer is coming.

My approach will be to start off in a lukewarm shower and go back and forth between cold and lukewarm for the first week.  I'll check back in after that.

The last thing I want to add is that cold showers will be a great way of cutting on your energy and water bills and protecting the planet.

I am really excited about this one!  Hope you are too!  Free yourself!

Goodbye oblivion - Hello Proctor and Gamble!

Hey everyone,

Just a quick update.  I have a stat counter on this blog to track how many people are following it and which city they are from.  Anyways - I noticed that somebody in Europe working from a Proctor and Gamble computer address checked out my blog.  Big Pharma is worried....rightly so.  I have essentially told you that you do not need to buy:
- shampoo
-conditioner
-body soap
-facial soap
-facial moisturizer
-body moisturizer
-toothpaste
-nail polish
...
and that is only the beginning.  Here are what topics to expect in some upcoming posts:
1) laundry detergent
2) household cleaning products
3) fashion
4) when to wake up
5) yoga
6) sunscreen
7) bug spray

Please feel free to make some recommendations below.  Free yourself!

Goodbye sleeping pills - Hello dark and cold nights!

Hey everyone,

I wanted to start with a quick update on how I am doing on sticking to all of the promises I made in the previous posts.

No shampoo, no conditioner, no hair product:
This is going great, I don't even think about it anymore.  Quite a few people have commented that my hair looks thicker.  Now - I don't have gorgeous hair - but I never have - so this isn't like some tragedy.  But if you are like many other women I know, you will have resign yourself to having very healthy shiny hair, but I don't think that you would be able to straighten it, or curl it.  (you need a serum for the straightening and hairspray to hold the curls - and these products may not come out easily without the help of "SLS"!!!). I think my hair will look better in about one year when it is longer.

No soap:
This is probably my most successful change:
I haven't used moisturizer on my body or face in a couple of months either since my skin is no longer dry and I no longer have eczema.  I occasionally rub some coconut oil under my eyes to prevent/get rid of wrinkles but I don't think it makes a difference.  I will assure you that I don't smell bad - but I wouldn't say I smell good either - because I am not wearing perfume.  I just smell neutral.  To be honest, the smell of other people's deodorant and perfume or cologne has become much stronger and almost too sweet and artificial.  I think my sense of smell is getting much stronger.  I would also like to note that I have not had any breakouts since adopting this no soap method.  This is pretty incredible.  Spread the word to any teenagers you know.  They need to free themselves.

No toothpaste:
This one is going ok.  I have been really craving chocolate lately so I think I've been judging my teeth especially harshly.  I have used conventional toothpaste on nights where I have been out (drinking wine lol).  But otherwise I have been using very fine sea salt.  I love the taste of it and actually really enjoy brushing my teeth.  Are my teeth whitter- no - but I have only been using this method for a few weeks and I definitely need to think about my coffee and chocolate consumption if I am serious about pearly whites.

No deodorant:
No problem.  I even ditched the baking soda for a while but with the increased humidity I have decided to use baking soda during the week when I am at work.

No makeup:
I have been wearing normal mascara on special occasions but otherwise I haven't been doing anything.  I didn't have a chance to try the foundation recipe in my make up post.  To be honest - I really don't think I will since my skin has been so clear lately.  Especially in the summer.  Even if your skin isn't flawless, I would recommend ditching all the cover up and foundation.  Let your skin breathe!

Caloric restriction:
FAIL!

Fresh air:
I am training for the half marathon and have been biking to work so I am definitely getting some fresh air and loving it.  I haven't implemented the lunch time walks yet though.  It keeps raining :(  I have been really happy lately so I will attribute my good spirits and non-bitchiness to the fresh air.

Ok - Sleeping pills

Lately I have been meeting all sorts of people who have a lot of trouble sleeping.  This post may frustrate some of them since most of my recommendations are anecdotal.  But ... I don't have all of Big Pharma's minions working for me so for now we will have to experiment with different methods.

I'll start by providing you with some possibly surprising news:

People who said that they slept as little as 3.5 hours lived longer than those who slept 8 hours or more.
People who said that they had insomnia lived a little longer than those who did not have insomnia.

Here are some recommendations pulled from my personal experience and the novel Thrive by Brenden Brazier (a Canadian ultra ironman superman).

1) Don't watch TV, especially before bed.  TV viewing is actually a stressful activity.  The bright lights and action on TV causes the body to release cortisone which in turn leads to weight gain -the body thinks that it is being attacked and prepares for a long period of famine by retaining as many calories as possible.

Ok - back to sleeping - the bright lights from a tv and a computer will interfere with your body's natural rhythm.  Humans are meant to sleep when it is dark and be awake when it is light.  If you work shifts, then you would probably want to sleep in a basement where there is as little light as possible.

2) Make sure you are not too hot.  Sometimes I need to go sleep on the couch to cool off.  I always fall asleep instantly.  I feel guilty because I love my partner - but I really find two people in one bed is just too hot sometimes.  Right now is the perfect time of year because I can just leave the window open at night.  I think that coolness is also related to our body's natural rhythm.  I would recommend taking a shower before bed, since this will help cool you down and again - if it is 1 a.m. and you are tossing and turning - maybe head to the couch or ideally, the basement.

3) No caffeine or sugar.  Try to limit any caffeine and sugar consumption before bed.  I do find I have a hard time sleeping if I am hungry - so it will be important to still fill up on healthy food.

4) Exercise and fresh air.  I went on a ski vacation for the first time in my life this winter and I have never slept better.   I think being outside exercising all day and breathing in all that fresh air really tired me out so my body knew it needed some solid rest.  Also, I have ran a half marathon twice before and fell into this crazy amazing deep sleep a couple of hours after the race.  It was out of this world.  I couldn't walk when I got up but that is another story.

Many people are exhausted from the long hours they work, family drama, driving their children all over the place.  This mental fatigue needs to be matched with physical exhaustion.  I am sure people "feel" physically exhausted.  The truth is that your body is simply become weaker and weaker if you do not work it out.  That feeling of sluggishness is due to poor circulation.  Flip the switch.  If you are an extremely busy person I would recommend going for a walk after dinner and doing some lunges, squats, push ups (can be on your knees), sit ups and stretching when you get home from your walk.  These weight bearing exercises will exhaust you quickly and can be done in your living room.

Many people wouldn't think twice about going to the hospital or the doctor's office if something was wrong.  But many people don't take the time to exercise daily.  If you don't put in some pain now, you'll feel the pain later.  It's time we look at exercising as medicine - not as something frivolous and vain.

5) Finally, if you cannot sleep, don't lie in bed trying to fall asleep, get up and try to get a head start on some of tomorrow's tasks.  You will have even more trouble falling asleep the following night if you spent your "awake time" lying in bed. 
6) Do not use prescription medicine.  Many people report feeling groggy or hungover after taking sleeping pills.  This means you will likely move slower the next day and not experience the necessary physical exhaustion to enhance your natural sleep.  Also, people often become addicted to sleeping pills and may even hurt themselves or die if they combine this type of medication with alcohol or other medicine.  Prescription medicine abuse is second only to car accidents in the cause of accidental deaths in the U.S.
Experiment with some of my recommendations above and let me know how it is going. Free yourself!