Be Naturally Well

Social Media and…

Naturally Well — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:06:30 +0000

I finally bit the bullet and joined Twitter

I am blogging about the experience (and other stuff) over at ShelleySaid.com … but I just really GOT the whole social media thing and the power of the people. I know it’s crazy… most of you probably already get it… but I never did. I blog lots, and get some traffic, but I work hard for that traffic. You are here reading this because of hours and hours and hours of work, surfing the internet, commenting on blogs, adding value when I can, joining communities like IOWA Ave and blog catalog (see my sidebar).

It’s all well and good, I’ve enjoyed the work, so yeah it’s been a lot of fun and I have met some COOLEST people! I love jornalling about health issues, and sharing stories and recipes. So today while I was pondering Twitter, I thought,… here we have, more than any other time in the history of HISTORY, an opportunity to really INFLUENCE people from our own little corner of the world. We have the opportunity, through social media, to express our views, and make them understood in places we have only read about before.

twitter is so .. well… random. But isn’t it all? The randomness of it is what makes it so exciting, and so much like fate, destiny. If you believe everything happens for a reason, that everyone comes into each others lives for a reason then how do you account for the fact that now you can literally find hundreds, maybe thousands of people a day coming across what you’ve written through Twitter, Stumble, or Digg.

Is there a way to take that fact (the act that Twitter has 3.5 million members and growing exponentially by the day) and somehow leverage your message so that it gets heard, and shared. Can we help get people the knowledge they need to finally decide to stop eating Big Mac’s and start eating food? Can we get them the info they need to rid their bodies of heavy metals and toxins (see that zeolite bottle in the sidebar). Can we get them the iformation they need to help us STOP Codex Alimentarius in it’s tracks, to make governments more accountable, and to stop poisoning our food supply, and our water and the air we breathe?

Think about what a difference you could make in this world if you had an audience of people that would really listen?

Feel free to follow me on Twitter. I know that I have to make a difference somehow. I know I have to create, and inspire and share, and help everyone Be Naturally Well.

See you there!

@ShelleyPenney :-)

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Cheryl’s Boston Smoothie

Naturally Well — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 15:24:26 +0000

My husband’s cousin Rob and his wife Cheryl stopped over last evening on their way to Boston. I whipped up breakfast in the blender to send them healthfully on their way.

We also got talking about CODEX and the far reaching implications. I am including a link to my article on CODEX. (as a reminder… CODEX will make our vitamins and supplements illegal, and mandate irradiation of our food supply. TIME is running out on CODEX. The time is NOW to start lobbying government officials)

Cheryl’s Boston Smoothie

In the Blender

1 cup frozen 4 berry blend
2 ripe bananas
1 ripe pear
a glop of flax seed oil
1/2 cup yogurt

In the juicer

6 large carrots
2 granny smith apples

Pour juice into blender and blend.

This recipe made 3 large glasses full.

Now for CODEX…. please go read my post on CODEX and be AWARE and then be ACTIVE! This is important for our continued good health!

Go read about CODEX here

The “No More Struggle” Green Smoothie

Naturally Well — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 14:55:30 +0000

If you are like me, your tastebuds have fought back against the unique flavor of a green smoothie. It hasn’t been easy to find the right combination but today I hit it, and I think I have liberated myself from the daily green battle!

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did, because there is no arguing… the health benefits of green are unbelievable!

Use your juicer to extract the juice from

4 large handfuls of baby spinach
1/2 head celery
2 granny smith apples
1 fresh lime quartered

put half a pineapple (peeled and cored of course) into a blender, pour the juice over it and blend.

Serve over ice. YUMMY! Fills 3 large glasses

As simple as this recipe sounds, my biggest struggle to date has been to find a green smoothie that I can drink that doesn’t taste …. well… GREEN I guess! This is fruity and delicious and oh so green!

Real Doctors and Alternative Therapies

Naturally Well — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 12:59:28 +0000

Are Doctors Getting Tired of Drugs?

I have been seeing my family doctor for quite some time now for treatment for chronic depression. This is more then just a sad feeling or a little of the "blues". Chronic clinical depression is related to chemicals in the brain… whether too much, too little, or just not getting where they need to get, it’s definitely a real problem, not a fabrication or just a "mood" one happens to be in today.

Well I’ve struggled for years on different medications and some of them do seem to work for a while but I always seem to be back in the doctor’s office after a few months or even a couple of years. So she referred me to a psychiatrist to see if he could sort me out, or offer some suggestions.

After taking a history he did recommend a regimen of rotating medications. It seems there are actually a sub-class of patients with chronic depressive illness whose brains seem to reset after being on a medication for a while so he recommends switching every few months to avoid this. And THAT is where the traditional advice stopped!

The unexpected non-doctor advice

Now he leaned back in his chair, made a steeple with his fingers and put them under his chin, crossed his ankle up on the knee of the other leg and changed his tone to conversational. He asked me if I was aware of the body of research on light therapy for depressive illness. Of course, I am aware of it, but didn’t have any kind of depth of knowledge. He proceeded to tell me about studies and clinical trials, gauging my response, and when he saw I was open, he actually took out a prescription pad and wrote a script for the "Day-Light" light therapy lamp pictured above!

OK so now I am pleasantly surprised but he’s not done! We then discuss the research on diet and depression… how consuming fatty fish several times a week for the Omegas 3 and 6 can have benefit, and how flax seed oil, olive oil and avacados would be good as well. He talked about how sweet, fat processed foods are craved by people with depression because they stimulate serotonin release (a feel good chemical) but that it quickly crashes, so no matter how intense the craving do not give in to it, as this kind of carb consumption makes things worse. He talked about how replacing the cravings with slow release carbs like fresh fruits and vegetables would be healthier for the body AND the mind.

Next we’re on to the topic of exercise and now I am really liking the guy. He talked about aerobic exercise and how it releases endorphins that elevate mood. He noted that the endorphin release has the ability to lift mood and help you feel better.

So now I am really shocked. I have never had a doctor talk to me, with any kind of knowledge, about diet. I’ve never had a doctor recommend exercise as a treatment for depression, and I have certainly never had a doctor write out a prescription for an alternative therapy device. How wonderful. How refreshing. How absolutely delightful…. Maybe we’ll get there after all!

Putting Off Needed Doctor’s Visits and Tests

Naturally Well — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 14:34:55 +0000

Sick economy has patients skimping on meds

That’s the headline of an Associated Press news story that I found onMSNBC. One of the things I am grateful for here in Canada is that, even during difficult financial times, I can still see my doctor and get tests if I need them and not have to worry that I will go bankrupt because of it. Oh, that’s an issue for another day though!

Next to the picture of the Hendricks family is this caption.

Donald Hendricks sits with his wife Rhonda, left, and their children, left to right: Demitrius, Donxell, D’Angela, Dominique and Donald III at their home in Lombard, Ill. Tuesday, Oct. 7. Hendricks lost his job this summer and tried home remedies when his kids got sick recently because he couldn’t afford the gas money to drive them to the doctor.

I think it is horrible when people can’t work and are faced with financial burden while trying to rause a family HOWEVER is this what it is going to take to drive people to look for healthy alternatives to medicine and doctors?

Don’t get me wrong, I think doctors and drugs have their place, (I am a retired nurse after all) but for even the most serious and scary diseases (cancer!?!) there are societies outside of the Western world that have treatments hailing from nature that actually work with MORE efficacy than OUR current doctor recommended treatments of chemotherapy and radiation. There are ALL KINDS of safe and effective ways to treat infections and viruses that don’t require a trip to the doctor’s office.

I have a suggestion. Why not research natural alternatives to doctors and drugs NOW. Why not start implementing some natural preventative and therapeutic measures into your life today BEFORE you are sick and can’t afford the fees for treatment. Not only will you FEEL better just knowing you are taking some steps towards better health, but you may even need to see your doctor LESS. Think of the money you could save, for example, by strengthening your immune system, and getting less colds and flu. What about removing toxins from your system and avoiding aching and tiredness now, and perhaps fibromyalgia, MS, cancer… down the road.

Here are my 6 steps to optimum health. Why not do the research now, so that you can save money, worry, and youth down the road!

6 STEPS TO OPTIMUM HEALTH

EAT foods that help to create an alkaline environment in your body. That means more vegetables, fruits, and less red meat. More RAW and less cooked. Try to aim for an 80% vegetarian raw diet. Do you have a juicer? If not, you can get an inexpensive one at your local hardware or kitchen store . (Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro works just fine) Juice an 8 ounce glass of carrots and an 8 ounce glass of broccoli and drink it EVERY day. (add an apple for sweetness if desired).
DRINK water that is filtered, ionized and alkaline. If you don’t have a water ionizer already, you can get one for a couple thousand dollars at www.alkalinewaterfountain.com. If you don’t want to spend that kind of money you can get Real Water Concentrate -ionized water concentrate that turns your filtered water into an alkaline health beverage. Get more information on this Water treatment (including tons of info on acid/alkaline diets and reasons) at www.RealWaterHealth.com
DETOXIFY- with the Original Liquid Zeolite (www.naturalzeoliteliquid.com)
BOOST IMMUNE system by increasing the numbers and action of the Natural Killer Cells (a normal part of your immune system) with Agaricus Blazei (order it when you order your liquid zeolite)
AVOID toxins and poisons by using biodegradable, non-toxic cleaning and household products, eating organic produce and hormone free animal products, and drinking filtered water.
Get off the couch! Move it baby!

The Real Water Club - Real Water Health

Naturally Well — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:00:55 +0000

Real Water Concentrate

Turning your drinking water into a health drink.

I’ve made a discovery recently….. If you know me, then you know I have been on a "healthier lifestyle" quest for a while now. I’ve literally been devouring anything and everything I can on self-healing and healthy eating and lifestyle. I am definitely on a quest.

I’ve done a lot of studying on acidity and alkalinity as it pertains to our bodies, and how what we eat and drink can affect that delicate balance and over time lead to disease. I had been tossing around purchasing one of the ionizers that you see in the side panel there, but I really didn’t want to put out that amount of money right before Christmas for a major purchase like that, ESPECIALLY when I didn”t know if it would really make a difference in my body pH.

Well then a friend of mine introduced me to Real Water Concentrate from The Real Water Club. The Real Water Club is a brand new company set up to market the Real Water Concentrate to the world.

What is Real Water Concentrate?

Real Water Concentrate is a stabilized ionized concentrate that will turn any glass of water into an alkaline structured water that more closely resembles the cascading fresh water BEFORE the industrialization period when we completely ruined the earth and our resources with our pollution. It is water your body recognizes, and will help you on the road back to detox, alkalinity and health faster than anything else I’ve ever tried! As you can see, it comes in a 4 ounce dropper bottle. This one bottle treats 120 glasses of regular water. it is as simple as simple to use… just drop 1/2 a dropper full into your water. It is PRICED right too! If you join as a member of The Real Water Club, which is a FREE membership by the way, you can order your single bottle for as low as $39.95. Remember that treats 120 glasses of water.

(From the website Real Water Health)

There is a ton of information about Real Water, and the Alkaline Lifestyle on the website I put together called Real Water Health. Find out why Real Water Concentrate is the BEST solution to poor health INCLUDING weight loss! If you prefer, you can visit The Real Water Club directly by clicking. Visit The REal Water Club.

Benefits of Drinking Real Water

It raises the pH (increases alkalinity) of the beverage.
It ionizes the beverage
It is stable enough to hold those properties for days.

This could mean better hydration of cells, which often means body cells and organs which begin working like they were meant to. As well, you could experience superior detoxification, a balanced immune system, more energy, mental clarity, and a host of anti-aging benefits.

Bring your body to a more alkalized state by removing damaging acidic toxins. Turn drinking water into an incredibly powerful anti-aging beverage with antioxidant electrons that may have the ability to neutralize harmful free radicals. Experience cellular hydration like never before with Real Water’s E2-Electron Energized technology.

Delicious Beta Carotene Smoothie

Naturally Well — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 12:36:16 +0000

Bright Orange Smoothie

This one is brilliantly orange… beautiful to look and and OH SO DELICIOUS!

In Blender put

3 oranges peeled and sectioned
flesh from 2 ripe mangoes
flesh from 2 ripe peaches

Use your juicer to extract the juice from

6 large carrots
2 granny smith apples

Add juice to blender and puree.

Pour over crushed ice. Serves 3

Low Cholesterol CAUSES Cancer??

Naturally Well — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 02:25:49 +0000

Mike Adams’ Freaky Headlines

If you don’t know who Mike Adams is, you may as well get acquainted now. He is a revered health editor and writer (Natural News) , outspoken activist, and nutritional ICON. I really like nearly everything Mike has to say. So do a lot of other people based on the fact that he now enjoys a readership of somewhere around 1.2 MILLION regular subscribers.

I am an avid reader of Mike’s newsletters and stories. It was from Mike that I first heard of CODEX, he taught me about Liquid Zeolite, and he is always encouraging me to continue on my raw food journey with wonderful stories about broccoli’s cancer curing properties, and the benefits of juicing.

So anyway… Mike is on the back of the FDA at every turn around. The world needs MORE Mike Adams’. His most recent article is a doozy and once again I am grateful. Now it may turn out that one or two of his ideas are wrong, after all he can’t possibly be right all the time, but even if he is right 51% of the time the world is a better and healthier place!!

I have been resisting cholesterol lowering medications from my doctor for a very long time. I simply can not justify taking them, and whenever I feel myself wavering, Mike comes through for me again! I have bloodwork to have my cholesterol checked AGAIN (last one was 3 months ago) as my doctor has the push on for me to take these drugs. Mike comes through with the article of the YEAR as far as I am concerned!

Here it is in it’s entirety! Enjoy! (and then sign up for Mike’s newsletter!!

Low Cholesterol Increases Cancer and Death Risk

Wednesday, August 27, 2008 by: Byron Richards

(NaturalNews) In a major shot fired across the bow of the statin marketing machine, the levels of LDL cholesterol that are the artificial targets of "health" promoted by the American Heart Association (AHA) are now found to be associated with a significant increased risk of cancer and death.

The AHA recommends an LDL level of 100 for prevention and 70 for high risk patients. In the new study an LDL level of 107 was associated with a 33% increased risk of cancer and death, an LDL level of 87 was associated with a 50% increased risk. As the LDL goes lower the risk keeps getting worse. These arbitrary AHA levels for LDL cholesterol were established by "experts" with direct financial ties to the statin industry, who knew full well that reaching their artificially low target levels for LDL would require double and triple doses of statin drugs, thus dramatically increasing sales (which has indeed happened).

The Vytorin fraud has pointed out quite clearly that lowering LDL cholesterol to very low levels does not reduce cardiovascular disease. Another Vytorin study also shows doing so increases cancer risk by 64%. The new study paints the clear picture that lowering LDL too low actually increases the rate of death from any cause. This new study also points out the statistical shenanigans that the statin industry uses to hide the actual risks of these drugs in the studies that have been published.

The data was so alarming that the researchers called for a statistical reanalysis of the data from all existing cholesterol studies, using better statistical models that actually reflect true risk. The results of this new research led the authors to conclude "A low LDL cholesterol level is not necessarily associated with optimal clinical outcomes but is a predictor of cancer and death."

We have known for many years that individuals who maintain an LDL cholesterol level of 130 as they enter their 40s and 50s have much less heart disease as they grow older. This is because they are healthy and have maintained fitness in their cholesterol function and metabolism. There is no credible data to show that lowering LDL numbers with statins actually produces a similar level of health, especially to artificially low numbers. There is a huge difference between having good cholesterol numbers because you are healthy and drugging your body’s synthesis of cholesterol with statins.

In the current study the ideal LDL cholesterol level was 126. The researchers were able to identify a bell shaped curve, in terms of a departure in either direction from this ideal number. LDL over 146 or less than 107 was associated with 33% increased risk of cancer. LDL over 164 of less than 87 was associated with a 50% increased risk. The risk keeps getting worse the higher or lower the number progresses away from the ideal of 126. LDL in the range of 108 – 145 had no statistically significant cancer risk, although being in the center of this range is clearly best.

There have been a number of studies in the past that link low cholesterol and cancer risk. However, these studies could not prove that the cancer was not already there prior to the start of the study – which has been the main argument used (besides statistical manipulation) by the statin industry to deny the association. In the new study this issue was taken into account by eliminating participants with less than 2.5 years follow up after the start of the study, thus demonstrating that the results were not due to pre-existing cancer.

Needless to say, this study was not part of the marketing machine propaganda that is rampant in universities and "scientific" journals that have been used to promote the statin scam around the world, while actively blackmailing and blacklisting any authors, institutions, or journals that dare to step on Big Pharma’s statin toes. This study was published on August 26, 2008 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. It was carried out in Hong Kong with Chinese patients who had type II diabetes – the exact patient who is forced onto aggressive cholesterol lowering with statin drugs in America.

It is quite clear that scientific knowledge and advanced statistical analysis are no longer under the control of Big Pharma and its legions of scientists, universities, and medical journals that are on the take, misrepresenting data, and actively suppressing negative findings. The truth is coming out because Big Pharma is targeting the citizens of the world as a new market for statin sales. And they are also targeting our children, wanting infants seven months of age to have LDL levels of 50 and keep them at that level their whole life (with drugs, since such levels are totally abnormal).

The insanity must stop. Americans have been conned. Big Pharma and the American Heart Association should be held responsible for past crimes and future intended crimes against the health of our citizens under the false pretense of improved cardiovascular health.

Sources:
Link to full Canadian Medical Association Journal article: http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/179…

Link to fully referenced version of this article:
http://www.wellnessresources.com/health…

About the author: Byron J. Richards, Board-Certified Clinical Nutritionist, nationally-renowned nutrition expert, and founder of Wellness Resources is a leader in advocating the value of dietary supplements as a vital tool to maintain health. He is an outspoken critic of government and Big Pharma efforts to deny access to natural health products and has written extensively on the life-shortening and health-damaging failures of the sickness industry. www.wellnessresources.com askbyron@wellnessresources.com

Reprinting this article: Non-commercial OK, cite NaturalNews.com and BeNaturallyWell.com with clickable link.

New FDA Produce Irradiation Rule - See CODEX!!!

Naturally Well — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 20:06:43 +0000

The Call Has Gone Out… Fair Warning!

f ever there was a time that we were given fair warning that we need to make our voices heard, it is RIGHT NOW ! The FDA has put into effect the "Produce Irradiation Rule" to irradiate ALL iceberg lettuce and spinach.

Dennis Olson is a professor of animal science and directs Iowa State’s Linear Accelerator Facility, one of only two commercial-sized irradiation facilities for food research and demonstration on a U.S. university campus……

"It would have to be new construction, that’s for sure," Olson added. "We wouldn’t expect any immediate adoption, and in fact industry won’t move forward unless they are sure there won’t be a backlash from consumer activists. The other issue is that there is a lot more product now being labeled organic, and you cannot irradiate products labeled organic."

source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/119195.php

If you don’t know about CODEX I URGE you to watch these 2 short videos on CODEX and pass it on to as many people as you can. Rally together to contact your local Government official and say NO very loudly to food irradiation and anything else that will further diminish the nutritive value of our food supply.

Never in the history of the world has so much been at stake as far as our world health projections. CODEX, the irradiation of our food supply and the regulation of all foods and nutrients will be the direct cause of 3 million deaths from malnourishment and disease that we are unable to fend off because of weakened immunity. Become aware, and then tell everyone NOW> CODEX is set to be fully implemented around the world by December 2009!

Bringing New Life to my Menus- My dehydrator!

Naturally Well — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:20:13 +0000

Live and Raw Just Got Easier!

Oh Yeah! I unpacked my Excalibur 5 tray dehydrator last evening and set it up on the counter, and then I spent the rest of the evening reading about what kinds of foods etc.

When I ordered it I was mostly thinking raw crackers and cookies, to enhance my meals so I don’t feel like I am eating celery, carrots and apples all the time. I realized last evening though that this is going to be a fantastic way to save all the abundant fresh produce to eat year round.

My family is eating so much more raw then they used to. It is interesting, because I have never considered myself the driving force behind what my family eats. Even though I am home all day, I never spent much time in the kitchen, and everyone pretty much forages :-) for themselves. Of course when the kids were little it was different.

What I’ve noticed though, is that because I am taking time every day to plan a healthy menu, my family is following my lead. The other night I made a broccoli and cauliflour salad. Justin suggested maybe I could snap some green beans that he could eat raw since he isn’t fond of Broccoli. So I did, and his beans were sitting necx to the salad. When it came time to sit down, I noticed his plate was mounded with broccoli salad, and no beans! I said, "Hey, I thought you didn’t like broccoli". He said, "I don’t BUT this looks really good!". Oh man, I laughed!

So anyway back to the dehydrator. Right now I have 4 trays of tomatoes and 1 tray of garlic cloves dehydrating. It was easy…. I simply washed and sliced the tomatoes, and put them on the trays…the dehydrator is a LOT bigger than it looks in the picture too, and holds lots of food! I am going to dehydrate tomatoes, garlic, onions, peppers, carrots, zucchini, hot peppers, … you name it … everything I can get my hands on from the farmer’s market. I bought a huge grocery cart full of fresh veggies and tomatoes today and all for $30. In the winter at the grocery, that same amount of produce will cost 4 times that amount. (Don’t forget I live in Canada!)

I am going to powder some of it and put it in jars to use for cooking, and some I am going to store in chunks in mason jars to use in soups and stews for the family who like their hot meals in the winter! (I probably will too!)

I am also going to do the crackers, and maybe try some raw cookies too. It is SO easy. I will probably have the thing running daily for the first month while I prepare for winter. This is SO much easier than canning or pickling, and MUCH more nutritious as I am saving all the nutrients and enzymes. Very little is lost in the dehydrating process.

Read this article about Dehydrating foods, from Excalibur:

Raw Food Dehydration health benefits

Many people are now choosing to follow a raw food diet for the extreme health benefits of eating only raw, unprocessed foods. One way to follow this type of diet is to dehydrate raw foods, so that they are conveniently available. Dried vegetables and fruits provide convenient and delicious additions to all types of meals.

Raw foods, also known as living foods, are uncooked, free from animal products, organic, easy to digest and highly nutritious. Anyone following this lifestyle consumes a large portion of uncooked, unprocessed and often organic foods in their diet.

Some raw food dehydration requires refreshing the dried food. Refreshing is accomplished by soaking or cooking the dried food in water until the desired volume is restored. Depending on the food being refreshed, you would adjust the amount of water and the length of time.

Here are some general guidelines for refreshing various dried foods:

Root, stem and seed vegetables are soaked for 30 to 90 minutes in enough cold water to keep them immersed.
Spinach, kale, cabbage, chard or tomatoes are refreshed by covering with warm water.
Dried fruits are soaked in warm water. Of course, dried fruits can be eaten as is, and do not need to be refreshed to enjoy.

Another reason raw food dehydration is so popular is that dehydrating does not subject the foods to high temperatures associated with traditional canning. This has an added nutritional benefit because when a raw food is heated to an internal temperature of over 120F, the majority of its nutritional value is lost, particularly the enzymes. In addition, the canning process also leaks out water-soluble minerals and vitamins, thus depleting the nutritional value even further.

Another added bonus of raw food dehydration is the ability to make a beverage like a juice or smoothie using the powdered fruits and vegetables from the dehydration process. This allows you to boost the nutritional value and content of your raw food beverage even further!

Visit Excalibur Dehydrator online store to learn more about the health benefits, ease and convenience or raw food dehydration.