The Healthy Journal

Wishing you a Blessed and Merry Christmas. I am grateful for you and your interest in being a healthier self. Looking forward to 2016, let me know what health area you'd like to learn more about—thank you to those I've already heard from. It would be great to hear what you found helpful from Healthy Journey Cafe this past year (scroll past the Related Posts to add your comments). I'll be taking a break until after the New Year. Enjoy your Christmas and New Year celebrations with family and friends. Remember to be grateful for the blessings you have and share with those in your community who have little. I'm thankful for my family and the addition of a new daughter-in-law this past June. What a joy! But we also endured the loss of loved ones this year, leaving holes in our lives that are impossible to fill. Never the less, we have hope because Christmas is about remembering that God became man in a humble stable in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago. The birth of Jesu

In the short time I've been writing this blog, I'm thrilled to say the tide is turning. Manufacturers have seen a shrinking of their bottom line because YOU have voted with your shopping dollars and shunned foods that contain artificial ingredients (preservatives, coloring, etc) and too much sugar. Last month an article in the New York Times reported that a seismic shift in how people eat has caused big food companies to scramble. Manufacturers are responding by changing their ingredients to reflect the demand for healthier food. I originally wrote about the dangers of manufactured food, particularly in breakfast cereals, back in 2011 called The (Mad) Science of Food Packaging . Let's look at what is coming out of the research labs of the food companies and celebrate the victories consumers have achieved. In Food Makers Try to Paint With Nature's Palette , the Wall Street Journal reported how food companies were replacing artificial ingredients with real food alternati

Instead of medications or getting a flu shot, boost your health with a daily shot of health. Taking two shots a day (even one shot a day) of this health drink—one in the morning and one in the evening—will give your immune system a kick. But don't expect it to make-up for an unhealthy diet of processed foods and sugar. Nope! Shot of Health from   Ancestral Nutrition yield ~14 shots category Drink cuisine Vegan ingredients 1.5 C filtered water 7 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (ACV) Juice of 1 lemon or 1 drop lemon essential oil 1 Tbsp raw honey 5 Tbsp of collagen (if you have it) directions 1. Combine in glass jar and shake until blended. 2. Store in fridge. 3. Take 1 to 2 shots (one morning, one evening) daily I just took my shot for today and, I should add, it blows your hair back. Woo! BTW if you use Bragg's ACV (which I highly encourage), you'll be getting a dose of prebiotics as well. Prebiotics is food for the good bacteria in your gut. For more information on pro and pre

Fight inflammation by choosing the right foods. Are you tired of having sore and painful joints, catching that perennial cold or flu, experiencing itchy, dry skin, off and on allergies? You're suffering from inflammation and your immune system is not in top condition. Eat these foods to reduce inflammation: Omega-3 Fatty Acids (salmon, walnuts, extra virgin olive oil) Fiber (beans, seeds, fruits and vegetables) Herbs (turmeric and other spices) Green Tea Avoid/eliminate: Sugar Trans Fats (hydrogenated oils) Artificial Ingredients You'll be amazed at how quickly your pains and problems go away.