Friday at the Farm...

For any of you locals, today is free day at the Superstition Farms in Mesa. They have all kinds of activities and food. They also will be selling organic produce there. Kids have a blast. It opens up at 10am. See the link here for more info. Thanks, Becky for giving me the info!

GMO foods.....

I have a friend whom I have connected to in my blog world and autism world, Ms. Terri Hirning. She has been a great source to me and she has a great blog entry for you all to check out. Click here to read about GMO foods. It's just one more thing for you to think about....if you dare. It just gives more fuel to the fire to eat local produce and organic foods.

Where to find grapefruit seed extract????

I found some grapefruit seed extract at Whole Foods but I bet Sprouts has some. Anyone know? Also, you can also use a mixture of Orange Oil and Lemon oil, 10 drops each. I can get these for you if you would like. Orange oil is $12.50 per bottle and lemon oil is $15.00. They each contain about 300 drops so they will last you a while. They are essential oils from a great company called Forever Young. You can use these oils in some water as an atibacterial spray with no harmful effects to anything. Great for cleaning in the kitchen and on toys. I am really starting to learn a lot about the healing power of essential oils and hope to blog much more about them in the future. I am in the learning process right now. I know that the quality of the oil is very important and this company only sells the pure ingredients.Email me if you would like some. Some of the other healing properties of Lemon oil are:

Anti- viral to help on colds, coughs and flu
helps rid body of phlegm
helps to decongest toxic liver
stomach acidicy


Orange Oil healing properties:

Great for skin health, helping with collagen production and cell regeneration
help with coughs, colds, chills, bronchitis
healing effect on sore muscles, strains and sprains
supports the body in overcoming colds, flu.
helps detox body after a heavy meal.
helps eliminate toxins
premenstrual tension and stress
calming

*****Chinese medicine have used these for centuries, no new ideas here, just us Americans are slow to catch on if it isn't in a prescription bottle.

Keeping it Clean.....

I have mentioned before that I was going to go all organic, and, I meant it ,but I think I am finally there. It is all baby steps like you all know and now is the time for me. I don't know why I haven't taken the full plunge, of course other than the fact that it is expensive and not always easy to find, but, I feel much better now. I don't think I would have fully embraced it if Tate wasn't autistic. His tests show he is full of pesticides so if I am spending thousands of dollars on his Dr.s, why not a buck more a pound for apples? I tried the organic basket from Bountiful Baskets but was disappointed when my basket yielded 5 heads of ice burg lettuce and 5 enormous bell peppers to name a few. If I was going to spend the money, I wanted a little more variety. The local grocery stores are very expensive and they don't carry a whole lot. My little farmers market up the street carries some good produce but I wanted more. I finally tried out the farmers market on Friday mornings in Mesa. It is outside the Mesa Community Center on University and Center. I loved it. It is small but has what you need. The big booth is run by a farmer from Queen Creek. They had local pears, apples , potatoes and much more. I filled up my bag for only 10 bucks. I swear it all tastes so much better. My little boy loved it because they had baby goats there to pet. You just feel healthy being there. Next time I will need to bring my "going green" bags and wear my tie die shirt with my hemp beads. I was a little out of place. (I really don't have hemp beads or tie die shirts, I swear.) I have also placed my first Azure Standard order, see prior blog, and I can't wait to get my order. They have some great deals. I feel like with some good shopping skills and new shops, I can get my produce for not much more than what I am paying at the stores for the regular produce.

For any of you out there concerned about the pesticides but not quite ready to increase your grocery bill, here is a good spray to help rinse some of the pesticides off. I was given this by my friend, Abby Runyan. Thanks fellow organic Mommy!

1 c. water

1 c. white distilled vinegar

1 T. baking soda

20 drops grapefruit seed extract

Mix all in a big container then transfer to a spray bottle. Spray on produce and rinse well after 5-10 minutes.

Recap....

I have done a little blog surfing today and need to comment from a fellow blogger about a post she wrote. Without naming me, she indicated about my findings about aspartame based upon one article I read. I want her and all of you to know one thing. I have studied this for a couple of years now. I have not simply read one article and blogged about my new findings. My opinions then are created by lots of research and are backed by some of the leading Dr.s around the world. To name one, Dr. Russell Blalock who is a neurosurgeon and has taken this battle on. Like him, I don't just fight against aspartame but many other food poisons like food dye and MSG. I need to talk about this because as Dr. Blalock warned, the only way we will win this fight is through blogs. The government in America is too controlled by money and the FDA works for that money. Many other countries have banned these additives that we still ingest. How come they can know that these toxins kill and America still says its OK? Money , dear friends. It is cheaper and makes food taste better. We as moms need to know better. This is my mission. For any out there who want to ignore this or only read one article supported by the FDA saying that it is ok, you are not doing your homework. Read the information from the homeopathic societies, from research Dr.s like Andrew Weil and Blalock. They get the whole picture. It is so much easier to just ignore the problems but I can't do that. You can't argue with me that food additives like the ones I have listed are in any way good for you. There is no case against that. That is not my opinion. A fact. For more information other than my opinions, please check out this article from Dr. Blalock here.

To Enlightened Homemakers Everywhere.....

Enlightened Homemakers of America, Uncle Sam needs you! Are you listening? Are you reading and watching debates? Do you know the issues and what is at stake? Now is not the time to stand by idly. No election in our time has been so important and we must voice our opinion. We cannot let others decide for us. I hope all of you are registered voters. I pray and hope that you all will show up to the polls. I hope that you know the issues and know what we need as a country. I am scared to death of what is going on. I am mostly scared that people aren't paying attention. So, to you I make the plea. Vote. Vote for morality. Vote for freedoms and less government. Vote because you want God in our country. Both candidates have good things to say and if you just listen to their candy coated promises, both look like they will save the world. However, actions speak louder than words. If we are known by the company we keep, then Mr. Obama must NOT be allowed to be our leader. His closest friends are a terrorist who bombed the pentagon, politicians who ran Fanny Mae and Mac to the ground and his church leader who is one of the most radical racist on the planet. This is the church Mr. Obama belonged to for 20 years. A church that blasted the government, our country and white people. It is a church of hate. You will certainly not hear much about this by the media as they are mostly left wing liberals themselves. You need to do your research. This is a man that will push for gay couples to have the same rights as those who are heterosexual saying there would be "No distinction" between the two. Senator McCain may not be the everything we want, but , he loves our country, he has always been a moral man who knows what the Constitution means. That's who I want in my corner. There is no room for radicals. That is what destroyed so many other countries. Enlightened Homemakers, I beg, please become politically enlightened. Our votes will make a difference. You have 33 days to decide.

More Recipe Blogs....

Ooooh, I just found another wonderful recipe website to pass on. It is called Blog Chef and can be viewed on my link to the right. I love it because it has so many great Chinese recipe's with great photo's. Can't wait to try them out!

Popcorn the old fashioned way....

My little Tate loves popcorn but almost all microwave popcorns are out because of the ingredients. Even the popcorn that doesn't have butter contains some tocopherols. Thanks to a fellow blogger, Terri Hirning, who blogged about this little contraption, Tate can have delicious popcorn with all the good taste and without the bad ingredients. I saw it at Target but never bought it. Then, I stopped by the Nie Benefit garage sale this weekend and picked up a brand new in box one for $2! What a deal. We tried it out and it is great! I love being able to choose what I want in it. We used pure coconut oil and cinnamon. After it was done, we sprinkled a little salt and a little sugar. Delicious! It was so easy and the kids thought it was so neat to see how it pops. I remember my dad making popcorn on the stove growing up before the microwave days. Tate saw me put in the kernels then later watched as I poured the fluffy popcorn out. He looked completely surprised. Mommy is magic! Oh what fun and little popcorn can be.

Thanks to all for your good ideas on your blogs! I love being enlightened by all. Thanks for your inspiring comments and pick me ups.I also want to shout out a Happy Birthday to my wonderful Husband! If you want to know why I love him so much, check out his comment on my last post! Love You!

For any still intaking Aspartame....

I believe one of the major contributors to all auto immune problems, including MS, autism and ADD is the chemicals in our food. As you all know, my main issues are with aspartame and all MSG ingredients which are in almost everything! Check my prior blog about what MSG is in. Anyways, here is another article about aspartame I just recieved in the Natural News website. Read up, oh, unless you are STILL drinking diet drinks and don't want to quit.



"NaturalNews) High intake of the artificial sweetener aspartame may lead to the degeneration of brain cells and various mental disorders, according to a research review conducted by South African scientists from the University of Pretoria and the University of Limpopo and published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

"We propose that excessive aspartame ingestion might be involved in the pathogenesis of certain mental disorders, and also in compromised learning and emotional functioning," the researchers concluded.

The review of prior research found that aspartame, marketed as NutraSweet, Equal, Canderal and Tropicana Slim, leads to both direct and indirect changes in the brain when consumed in high quantities. Among these effects, the chemical can disrupt amino acid metabolism and structure, degrade nucleic acids, and interfere with the function of nerve cells and hormonal systems. It also appears to change the concentration of certain neurotransmitters in the brain.

The researchers also noted that aspartame appears to cause excessive signaling of nerve cells, and nerve cell damage or even death. By disrupting the functioning of the cells' mitochondria, or energy source, aspartame leads to a cascade of effects on the whole system.

"The energy systems for certain required enzyme reactions become compromised, thus indirectly leading to the inability of enzymes to function optimally," the researchers wrote.

This directly contradicts a review published in 2007, which concluded that "aspartame is safe at current levels of consumption … no credible evidence was found that aspartame is carcinogenic, neurotoxic, or has any other adverse effect on health."

Aspartame is a widely used artificial sweetener, particularly in food and beverage products marketed as low calorie or "diet." It is used in more than 6,000 products around the world.

The chemical has been controversial since its introduction, with a number of studies linking it to cancer and neurological and behavioral disorders. People have reported experiencing headaches, insomnia and even seizures from aspartame consumption.

The FDA and the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA), however, continue to insist that the sweetener is safe.

Sources for this story include: foodqualitynews.com."

Azure Standard....

I love all the great tips and ideas I get from my fellow enlightened homemakers. Thanks for the emails. I have to pass this one on so you can all benefit. There is a company called "Azure Standard" that sells everything under the sun in the health line. You place your order once a month and it is delivered at any number of drop offs all over the U.S. They have anything from organic produce to ice cream to essential oils. They carry bulk grains (i.e. Spelt, for you Angela) and gluten free products. You can go to their website and request a free catalog here.Get it now because it takes you a good week just to get through it. I am in love. They have some great expeller pressed raw coconut oil for a great price in the sale booklet. Everything is cheaper than I can get at the health store. As you all know, the healthy food is much more expensive. This helps take that pinch off. The organic apples , for instance, run just under $1 per pound instead of $1.99 at the store. They even carry a coconut yogurt for the lactose intolerant. I can't wait to place my first order. Thanks, Linda Merrill for the tip!

Also, I am picking up my first organics basket from bountiful baskets. Anyone else there ordering their organic? Let me know what you think so far.