Updates to Healthy Eating

It has been over two months since I posted to my blog. Isn't it amazing how time flies? So many exciting things have been happening during this time!

My Blendtec™ Blender finally arrived! I LOVE it! Laurie was right. I am using my blender many times a day. I have been using Nature's Knockout's recipe for Green Smoothies. They are delicious! I think I could drink an entire pitcher in one sitting if I allowed myself to do so. My daughter, Raye, and several of my younger daughter's friends love the green smoothies. Even the 8 year old and 11 year old neighbor girls like them. Each time the 11 year old comes over, she asks me to make her one! Now, my three younger children don't even want to try it, only because of its color. I will get them to try it one of these days!

The blender was such a wise purchase. Blendtec™ is a little bit pricey, but it has already paid for itself several times over. I have seen this brand of blender in several local Starbucks™locations. Used properly, this will last me for years, unlike some of the other brands that can be purchased at a local discount store.

I have been doing most of my grocery shopping at Whole Foods Market. My diet is consisting mostly of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads, raw honey or SweetLeaf Stevia® Sweetener instead of white sugar, organic, fat-free yogurt, and very lean cuts of beef, skinless chicken breasts, and fresh tuna and salmon. The fish is Pacific, wild fish. The beef is grass fed. I didn't think to find out about the chicken. I'll have to do that. I am cutting out all foods that are "white," for example, bread, rice, pasta, sugar, and flour, just to name a few.

I have substituted cold pressed extra virgin olive oil with organic red wine vinegar for store bought salad dressings. The oil and vinegar dressing I have made is very tasty. I don't miss the creamy dressings at all. I have found that I actually like to taste the greens and other vegetables in my salad. The new dressing just gives the salads a little bit of an enhanced flavor. Tonight's dinner was my healthy version of tuna salad. I used fresh baby spinach, uncooked, two cans of tuna packed in water, two tablespoons of Flaxseed Oil, a sprinkle of unground Flaxseeds, one tablespoon of my homemade dressing, and a dash of sea salt. Wow! This was the first time I made tuna salad without mayonaise, and I like this new recipe so much better! My 14 year old daughter refused to try the tuna salad because she said that tuna and spinach don't go together! That's her excuse and I guess she's going to stick with it! 

The hardest part about my dietary changes is my children's attitudes. All but the oldest are complaining about not having the junk food in the house. I'm hoping that in a few years they will realize what I have been trying to do and thank me for it. I won't hold my breath though! Another thing I need to keep working on is getting off of the diet soda (I like the carbonation) and drinking healthier beverages. I'm thinking about looking into seltzer water with a squeeze of lime. That might satisfy my craving for the carbonation. I'll let you know what I find out.

As crazy as the weather has been, I have to admit that my exercise program has been a flop. BUT, I am not going to give up. I just have to bite the bullet, so to speak, and check with my local community center to see what kind of facilities are available and what the price of a membership would be. I still believe that walking, even if just for 5 minutes a day and working up slowly to 30 minutes or more per day would be of great benefit to me. I STILL need to look into Yoga classes. I know that Yoga is great for reducing stress and balancing out the physical and mental realms of life.

My daughter, Raye, had commented on my last post with a question and a discovery that she and some of her "Mock Trail" teammates made while looking at some makeup. I have invited Raye to write a guest blog about the legal case her team had learned about that raised the red flag while they were out shopping. She will also talk about what she thinks of the products she has tried so far, and of my idea of having this blog and YouTube channel.

Speaking of the YouTube channel, my channel is FINALLY up and running! I had started it a couple of months ago, and made a video that I only wanted Tiffany and Laurie to see in the beginning. Now that I have a new, working camcorder, Raye and I made a video to explain what the channel is about. I then opened up the video made for Tiff and Laurie to the public so that everyone can see what I looked like in the very beginning of this project. I hope you like my new channel! I will be posting videos that show the products I am now using, as well as a "product toss out" video where I get rid of all of my old, toxic products! My channel will also document the visible changes during this journey. You can link to my YouTube Channel here: Mommawins' on YouTube  Please don't forget to subscribe to my Channel as well as this Blog! Also, please leave comments! I'd love to hear from you!

As soon as I double check with Laurie and Tiffany to make sure it is all right with them, I will be posting links to their YouTube Channel. In the meantime, it is very easy to find both if you click on the link to their website.

Next time, I will be discussing in-depth the new products I am using for my hair and skin, and how well they are working for me, as well as other exciting changes! If I can do this, anyone can! Until then, here's to good health for everyone!

Preparing For Natural and Healthy Changes

Before I begin, I would like to once again thank Nature's Knockout and Lauren Holly for cheering me on with this project, and also for giving me permission to post the links to their websites on this blog. I truly believe in "paying it forward," so I am also posting links to their favorite charities. For those of you who can, please give generously in any way you can. I cannot thank these ladies enough for the courage they have given me to work on this life-changing project. Positive results definitely come from associating with positive people!

One favorite charity of Nature's Knockout is Globus Relief. Laurie Vukich tells me that this is one of those rare charities that puts every penny into changing the lives and bettering the conditions of those living in third world countries. Laurie had the privilege of seeing their work in action while she was on location in Africa. It seems fitting that I was able to catch a couple of tweets that Laurie and Tiffany posted on Twitter today talking about the people and things for which they are grateful. Laurie and Tiff, thank you so much for continually putting a smile on my face.

Lauren Holly's family began The A Fund, in memory of Lauren's little brother, Alexander, who passed away at the age of 14. This fund is set up at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York, for students studying Architecture and Archeology. This scholarship helps students with a financial need who are in good academic standing. For more information, please visit the website address listed at the left of my blog. Lauren, thank you for your time, your thoughts, and your immense energy! It is truly contagious!

Also, a very special congratulations and "break a leg" to Azer Greco, Lauren Holly's oldest son. He has landed a part in the series, Really Me, which will begin to air on the Family Channel in Canada this April. Azer is a darling young man with incredible talent. He can also be seen in the Hallmark Channel's, The Town Christmas Forgot, starring both mother and son. That was shown over the Christmas holidays a few weeks ago, so be looking for it on the Hallmark website! Azer's new Facebook Fan Page, Azer Nation, was kicked off on January 17, 2011. You can find the link to his page under Lauren's links to the left of this blog.

As you can tell, I am very excited for all three of my "heroes," and Azer, who no doubt will become another hero of mine! Please visit their websites and links. We would all appreciate it. Let them know that you linked to them through my blog!

Now for my update! Trying to write this post has been very challenging with all of my children at home as they were trying to prepare to go back to their schools after the Christmas break. My two college students just went back on January 16th. Every time I'd sit down to write this, something else would come up that needed my attention. For those of you who don't know me, God and my four children come before anything else in this world, so now you know why this post has taken so long to write!

The last couple of weeks I have been reading and re-reading the Natures Knockout website, as well as their blog, Be a knockout, naturally. I made a list of the harmful ingredients to watch out for, and began to go through my house to see what I could keep and what must go. Oh, my! There is a lot that is going to go! I am still not completely finished going through everything; however, I decided to start shopping around for products that Laurie and Tiffany recommend or have rated on their site. 

I began by shopping at Whole Foods Market to see what they had to offer in health and beauty, and consumables. My first purchase was Alba Coconut Milk Facial Wash. I absolutely love it! My face feels so soft when I am finished washing it, and it doesn't have that dry feeling I would get when I used other soaps or facial cleansers. Another thing I noticed was that I went through the entire day without an "oil slick" on my face. That has to be a record for me. I used to say that if you could take the skin on my face and wring it out like you would a washcloth or towel, the oil from my face would just pour out like extra water. So far, so good! I was also very pleased at the price. I paid $11.99 for an 8 ounce bottle. I don't need to use a lot, so this bottle will probably last me at least twice as long, if not more, than the other products I had been using. My old products were filled with toxic ingredients. I'll be very glad to throw those out!

Unfortunately, the other products I was looking for were out of stock. The associate at Whole Foods asked what exactly I was looking for. When I told her, she looked it up in their system and ordered each product for me. I was ecstatic! I have never been in a store like that where they were willing to order one item of a brand for a customer. Usually most places want a larger order placed before they special order anything. So, in about a week or so, I should be receiving Gabriel Organics Seaweed Hydrating Mask, Jason Natural Red Elements Eye Lifting Cream, and Skin Organics Lavender Silk Face and Body Scrub! We are looking at approximately $60.00 or so for all of these products together. Considering the quantity and quality of each product, I feel like I've made out like a bandit! The face and body scrub is only $19.00 for a 5 month supply. The eye lifting cream is only $20.00, and the seaweed hydrating mask is only $25.00. Oh, and I do not pay shipping or handling fees.

I then went to the grocery section of the store. Everything looked delicious. I had my list of healthy foods that I wanted for the week and began filling my basket. My 20 year old daughter went with me, so she picked out some things that interested her also. I think we walked out of the store not spending much more than $100.00 altogether. I didn't know it was possible to walk out of a supermarket without spending a lot more than that!

I have chosen to try the products that I have mentioned above for several reasons. My face is combination oily/dry, with a lot of blackheads, whiteheads, and uneven skin tone. I also have cholesterol deposits on my right eyelid which are raised and yellowish white in appearance. And, of course, I am beginning to see my wrinkles. I want to get my skin back to a healthy state before applying makeup on a regular basis. Since I am just now beginning to get wrinkles around my eyes, forehead, and mouth, I am hoping that getting into a good skin care routine will help ward off further wrinkling and reverse what has already happened. As soon as I can post the video of me that I sent to Laurie and Tiff on YouTube, you will see what I mean. I will warn you, though, it is a very raw video of me with a completely bare face that points out just about everything!

Since I've slowly been changing out the food in my house, I have noticed that I feel healthier and more satisfied eating the foods from Whole Foods Market than I had when eating regular grocery store items filled with preservatives and junk. I tried one of their yogurt parfaits and thought I was in heaven. I then tried a yogurt parfait from one of our local chain supermarkets on a different day, and I just felt like I had ingested a food filled with heavy fats. I don't know how else to describe it. The one from Whole Foods Market was definitely superior to the other. I don't feel lethargic after eating now. I feel revitalized.

Of course, along with the changes in products and consumables comes the purchase of new items like a mixer, a blender, and a replacement for my bad camera so I can continue to film these changes and let you see them on YouTube. I will let you know when that happens. Hopefully it will be soon! I would really like to make a video to follow up on the original video I will be releasing. Right now, only Laurie and Tiff have the link to see that video!

Laurie tweeted me a great creamy vegetable soup recipe that I am dying to try! Also, on their website they have a recipe for a green smoothie. I am hoping to get my new blender this week so that I can try their smoothie. It sounds yummy!

I'm sure that some of you are thinking, "That's all she's done in the last few weeks?" Well, I have to admit, once I log onto Nature's Knockout on the internet, I can sit here all day and night looking at every possible link. I have actually done just that for at least 3 days during this time. The rest of the time that I've had to work on this project, I have been using my magnifying glass to read ingredients on labels of products already in my house. No wonder the ingredient listings are so small. There is a lot of toxic junk in those products. 

In my next post, I will be talking more about the dietary changes I am making, along with my personal exercise program, how I am doing with my new products, and new product purchases. In the meantime, please feel free to comment below. Let me know what you want to hear about, or just let me know that you stopped by. And, please don't forget to check out the links for Nature's Knockout, Lauren Holly, and Azer Greco. Thanks!






Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, nor am I a licensed cosmetologist. I am not affiliated in any way with Nature's Knockout other than being a big fan of theirs. I am also not affiliated with any hair/cosmetic manufacturer, retailer, or beauty salons, or professionals in said businesses. I hold no licenses to practice in any of these professions. I hold no affiliation with the makers of the products I mention in my posts, nor am I compensated to mention them. The opinions stated in my blog are strictly my own. Before beginning any diet or exercise program, please consult your physician.

New Year, New Beginnings!

My 20 year old daughter and I decided to do some shopping two days after Christmas. We ended up going into a store that sells skin care and makeup products with the intent to make a decent sized purchase. A salesperson approached us, asking if we needed help. When I started to speak to let her know what I was looking for, another associate walked up to tell the first associate that her appointment was waiting, and that she would take care of us instead. Once I began speaking to the second associate, she told me that she would look for the products I wanted. My daughter and I continued to look at the different products on display, while the salesperson went to look for a product. Ten minutes later, we noticed that the sales associate was engrossed in conversation with a couple of girls in their late teens to early 20's. We knew that the associate didn't look for what I had asked about, and she definitely was not coming back to wait on us. So, we walked out of that store without spending a single penny! That's the company's loss; not mine.

The lesson that my daughter walked away with was interesting. If a woman is not drop dead gorgeous, if she is overweight, or if she is older, as was my case, the associates of this company didn't care to spend their time with those types. My daughter was angrily amused (her words, not mine), with a look of disgust on her face. I smirked as we walked out. You see, I am used to that type of treatment. I am 45 years young!
Since July of 2010, I've developed an interest in using natural, safe products, both inside and out. I have been suffering from several genetic diseases that have taken a toll on the inside of my body and on my appearance. My interest in July started while I was visiting Lauren Holly's website. She'd been working on a movie, and posted a video showing herself in her trailer with her makeup artists. Lauren also posted the link to her artists' website. The moment I checked out Nature's Knockout I was in complete awe! I have been checking their website daily, as well as continuing to visit Lauren's site, ever since. Needless to say, these women are amazing! It was then that I knew that I could turn my health around with natural, safe products.

The celebrity makeup team who created Nature's Knockout is mother/daughter duo Laurie Vukich and Tiffany Vukich-Correa. These ladies have done major research on ingredients that are used in everyday products. I shook my head in dismay when I saw their list of toxic ingredients in those products. To think that I was putting all of that junk in or on my body! Oh, my!

I was diagnosed with non-alcohol related, genetic liver disease, along with genetically high cholesterol, and then later on, diabetes. I was already dealing with degenerative disk disease and arthritis and degeneration in my tailbone and hips, so the newer diagnoses were just adding insult to injury. When the liver diagnosis came, I learned that everything we breathe, products put on our hair and skin, and the things we consume all have to be filtered by the liver. Just imagine how we tax our livers to work overtime in trying to filter all of these toxic substances.

Finding Nature's Knockout is exactly what I needed. My doctor is thrilled to hear about the changes I am making with the help of Laurie and Tiffany's website. Laurie and Tiffany have an abundant amount of information on many different products, as well as an excellent rating system for the products that they recommend. They also have makeup and hair tutorials on Nature's Knockout's YouTube Channel for people of every age. Now that I have found them, I don't know what I'd do without them!

I invite you to journey with me as I take what I am learning from Laurie and Tiffany and putting it to use to turn my health around to become the "natural knockout" I was meant to be. I decided to make it my New Year's Resolution to get healthy by getting rid of all of the toxic substances I've been using and replacing them with the suggestions on Nature's Knockout's website. I am also going natural and organic by shopping at Whole Foods Market, quitting smoking, and following a healthy diet.
After the experience my daughter and I had at the store that I mentioned earlier, I am going to prove that even a person my age can turn back the clock and look and feel younger with these healthy changes. It is going to be quite an experience so hang on for the ride!

I would like to thank Laurie Vukich and Tiffany Vukich-Correa for their permission to talk about my experience with their site and to provide links to their website. They have been very instrumental in helping me to get this project up and running. I would also like to thank Lauren Holly for her amazing website, her thoughtfulness, her willingness to reach out to her fans, and her amazing ideas. Thank you, Laurie, Tiffany, and Lauren for literally saving my life!




Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, nor am I a licensed cosmetologist. I am not affiliated in any way with Nature's Knockout other than being a big fan of theirs. I am also not affiliated with any hair/cosmetic manufacturer, retailer, or beauty salons, or professionals in said businesses. I hold no licenses to practice in any of these professions. The opinions stated in my blog are strictly my own. Before beginning any diet or exercise program, please consult your physician.