theHealthNuttyProfessor's Top 12 Discoveries of 2012

12. Weight Watchers
Wanna lose some weight in the new year? This program helped me lose all my baby weight and more. Two words: portion control. I appreciated the customer service and felt like they were great for a nursing mommy too. Their app for iPhone or iPad worked wonders, and actually made it a fun game to track points. I followed the PointsPlus Program. You can even tweak your diet to eat what you want...vegetarian, vegan, you name it. I'm joining again in January to make sure I keep off this holiday weight. Check out Weight Watchers HERE!

11. Nutiva's Virgin Coconut Oil 
 Check out the benefits and amazing things coconut oil does by clicking here. From baby diaper rashes, to lubricant, to baking (not often you find those things in the same sentence!), it has been such a wonderful thing to have in the house! Do yourself and your family a favour, and order a jar HERE.

10. Camilia Teething Drops for Babies - Up all night with that teething babe? These Chamomile drops are amazing. I was happy to find something other than Tylenol/Advil that could help my baby cope with the discomforts of those teeth coming in. Chamomile is a great treatment for restlessness, headache, and even promotes deep sleep and relaxation. Need I say more?
Get it, HERE.

 9. William Spartivento's Organic Coffee
Holy, amazing coffee, Batman! Have you been looking for a bold tasting decaf organic coffee? It's here, folks. When I was at a friend's place recently, they offered me a cup of decaf, fair trade, organic coffee. I couldn't say no. Needless to say, it was the best coffee I've ever had! Freshly ground beans....you can't go wrong. I promise.
 Check it out here! 

8. Avalon Shampoo and Conditioner
Did you know parabens have been found in breast cancer tumours?
Parabens are chemicals used in most cosmetics as a preservative. The crazy part is that they are mainly used to save companies big bucks.
Trust me, with the studies coming out, you want to keep this chemical away from your body.
I love this Avalon Shampoo and conditioner because it's organic, paraben free, and smells fantabulous. So the best part? It's affordable. I buy the peppermint kind. But if you aren't a big fan of peppermint, there are plenty of kinds to choose from. I find some natural shampoos and conditioners leave my hair feeling oily, but this does a great job in cleaning the hair and scalp while keeping it perfectly, beautifully moisturized. Grab it, HERE.

7.  Avalon Vitamin C Face Cleanser & Avalon Vitamin C Face Moisturizer 
Remember that time when I was talking about parabens?    This cleanser is paraben free, and keeps my skin clear of blemishes. All while looking and feeling young and vibrant. The moisturizer has been great for the dry winter months, it's oil free, and smells lovely. Try the pair. Order it HERE.

 6. Davids Tea
Each of us has some stress in our lives. Sometimes, we need to just chill out, and reflect on the amazing gift of life we've been given. Isn't a cup of tea a good way to slow down? Tea is therapy for me.  Davids Tea, of course. If you haven't already heard of this place, please, I beg you....check them out. This Canadian company has it all...from Green to Herbal tea, this stuff is aaaaaaaaaaaaaaammmazing! They have hundreds of flavours of tea, many which are so beneficial to your heart and brain health. This all sounds like a win-win-win to me. Buy yourself a nice late Christmas present, or heck, Happy New Year! Try Davids Tea. You'll never want to buy any other kind of tea again. Trust me. Go, now. Davidstea.com.




5. Food Documentaries
Running blind-folded towards heart disease, diabetes, and cancer?  You bet we were.  And just like everyone else, we were not about to make any changes, and so we did not want to hear about it.  But curiosity got the best of us, and my hubby and I finally watched Food Inc.  That pretty well led to a Netflix marathon of life changing documentaries: A Beautiful Truth, Fat Sick and Nearly Dead, Food Matters, Forks Over Knives, Hungry for Change, and Dying to Have Known, to name a few.  We no longer wanted to be ignorant of what goes on in the food industry. When we saw the lives saved and diseases cured with diet change, we knew it was time to be healthier.
Grab the book HERE from Amazon. While you're there, you can also find all the amazing food documentaries that inspired our family to make some drastic changes!

 4. Breville Juice Fountain 
The benefits of juicing amaze me.  It's the most powerful way to provide your body with the nutrients it needs to keep your immune system strong...like bull! I've been reading a lot lately about how juicing can play a large part in reversing many diseases. Fascinating stuff. Juicing is coming back with a vengeance...and I'm glad it is. Stay tuned for another blog devoted solely to juicing. If you're interested in purchasing one, you can grab it off Amazon, HERE! This is the juicer we bought for our family.

3. Dr. Sears' Baby Sleep Book 
I love being a mama, but let's be honest.... there are some challenging moments. Especially when it comes to sleep. I never thought I'd be one of those hippie co-sleepers or family-bed people. Who the heck does that anyway? Crazy people, right? Not quite. It's amazing the things that change when you have your own family. Everyone does what's best for their family, and we believe co-sleeping is best for ours.  Dr. Sears writes about the scientific benefits of co-sleeping. I love love love this book.
You can purchase it, HERE..

2. Dr. Mercola's Daily Updates 
I'm telling you, this guy changed my life! His daily articles are so well written, they get me every time! Some may call him radical, but I call him brilliant. He makes some pretty bold statements, but he cares about you, and it's obvious. If you want to read about ways to be healthier, you'll like Dr. Joseph Mercola.  If you like what you see, sign up for his daily emails at Mercola.com. They just might get you, every time.







And theHealthNuttyProfessor's fave discovery of 2012? 



1. Berkey Water Filtration Systems 


City drinking water is...horrible. Would I drink from a swimming pool? That's what our city water tastes like! I'd rather not cook with, or have it in my body.

The first step to good health?

Clean drinking water.

When my hubby and I moved into the city in June, we couldn't take our 300 foot deep well with us, and we soon realized...we had quit drinking water altogether.

For a couple months we bought water while trying to decide if we wanted to commit to buying not-so-great Brita filters over and over.  But thankfully, while over at our friends' place, we noticed this beautiful looking water filter sitting on their counter.  After I drank a glass, I knew we had found our solution.

Fresh tasting, clean, healthy, affordable, water.  No, wait...that's not exactly true: it is the perfect tasting, best filtered (but not mineral depleted nor acidic like reverse osmosis), lowest filter-replacement-cost-per-liter water that works without installation or electricity...and goes with you if you ever move!  Now that's my Berkey!!

Where did we get it?  Conscious Water is the place to buy your Berkey.  They are so much more than a dealer; they will educate you beyond what you need to feel confident in your purchase, and be there for you at any point afterwards to make sure that everything is meeting the high expectations you will have.

Our experience with Conscious Water was so great that I have decided to become an Affiliate of Conscious Water.  Click through HERE to solve your water problems.

Cheers, to the health of your family.




What are some of your favourite discoveries of 2012? Would love to hear about them!

TheHealthNuttyProfessor is proudly affiliated with Conscious Water, Well.ca, and Amazon.ca. Please know that it is important to me to only share products and services I truly believe in, and ones I have used personally. I will only promote things I truly believe will benefit you and your families. 

Thanks for stopping by! Like and Share if you're a health nut too.

You can't live without it.

This ingredient is found almost everywhere you go.
It is a nutrient necessary for good health.
It helps regulate the amount of water that's absorbed in and around your cells.
If we didn't consume enough of it, it would be difficult to maintain healthy blood pressure, and could compromise good brain and heart health.

Salt.

The Weston A Price Foundation states that the whole impact on sodium chloride negatively affecting your blood pressure is actually...a myth. His studies found that most people that significantly reduced their salt intake didn't notice much of a difference in their blood pressure.  Only a small number noticed a slight drop, and in most, there was no change at all.

Now that's interesting.

Did you know that it could be a negative thing to give up salt altogether?

Studies have shown that groups that majorly reduced their salt intake began to struggle with:

• hypertension
• insulin resistance
• memory loss 
• metabolic syndrome (a condition that includes obesity, and risk of heart disease and diabetes)

However, those that only modestly reduced their intake noticed a  positive change in the health of their heart.

Price found that in his studies, that 1.3 teaspoons of salt a day are actually a good amount. He discusses how salt intake, even in the 1800's was around the same amount it is today, which is about the right amount we should be getting (anywhere from 1.5-3 teaspoons a day) and puts us at the lowest risk of these diseases.

Lesson of the day: Understand that some salt is actually good for you. A certain kind that is.

Table salt is the worst kind of salt and has added chemicals. It is usually 2.5% chemicals like iodine, and sometimes fluoride. Check out this Doctor's take on salt.
Natural salt is better for you because it's got other necessary minerals in it like phosphorous. You should also get the unrefined kind. Himalayan Pink Sea Salt is said to regulate water in your body, promote sinus health, prevent muscle cramps, help with bone strength, regulate sleep, and regulates your...you guessed it, blood pressure.

Himalayan Pink Sea Salt has 84 minerals and trace elements, and is believed to be the most purest form of salt.  You can get Himalayan Pink Sea Salt at the Bulk Barn!

Give it a try sometime.


Til next time,  Merry Christmas, and stay healthy ya'll! 

Like and share and let everyone else know you're "healthnutty" too.



References

http://www.westonaprice.org/vitamins-and-minerals/salt-and-our-health

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/09/20/salt-myth.aspx

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hyponatremia/DS00974\

http://products.mercola.com/himalayan-salt/

Drink one of these a day to boost your immunity.

They're my fave thing to make. And thankfully, my hubby and my kid love 'em too.

Smoothies.

 I drink one of these a day. Mostly because they are so good for you! But honestly, they're incredibly deeeeeeelish! So get out your blender, and prepare to be blown away by the yumminess I'm about to share with you!

Did you know that having this HealthNutty Smoothie could provide you with cancer fighting nutrients? 

Medjool dates, mango, strawberries, and bananas all boost the immune system! They have vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, fibre, and iron. 
Spinach contains a huge amount of fibre, antioxidants, and can even help with vision, skin, bones, and benefits the central nervous system.
Kale is high in vitamin K, calcium, and iron.

Now that sounds like a good, hearty snack.

Not to mention, they're a great meal replacement, they hydrate you to give you a great energy boost, and they give you your sweet fix!

This really only takes a few minutes to throw together, I dare you to try it!

theHealthNutty's Smoothie Recipe

1 ripe banana
1 cup frozen mango
1 cup frozen strawberries
3-4 medjool dates
Handful of baby spinach
1 leaf of kale
1.5-2 cups water (we like our smoothies thick and creamy, but add more water depending on what consistency you like)

If you want to get extra "nutty", try using Almond milk or rice milk instead of water. It'll make the texture creamier.

Let me know what you think, and share your smoothie recipes too! I'm always up for trying something new.

Stay tuned for some cool juicing recipes in the next few months, and a segment on the benefits of juicing in an upcoming blog as well!

Until next time, stay healthy ya'll!

 Share and Like the Blog and tell everyone you're a healthnut too!

Everyone should have this in their first aid kit.

This bacteria fighting, anti-fungal oil comes from Australia. A tree called 'Melalueca'.

I'm talking about tea tree oil.

I started using the stuff when I struggled with acne. It was amazing to see the difference it made in healing my skin. It's pretty potent stuff, but it does some incredible things.

If you try to find it in a store, you'll most likely see it in the pharmacy/ first aid section. The reason is because it has antibacterial qualities that will fight off infection. It has been used to treat and heal wounds and skin infections.

My man, Doctor Mercola wrote an article talking about how tea tree oil can help yeast infections because it is anti-viral, and anti-candida. Check out the article HERE.

 A friend and mentor of mine told me that using drops in a bath can help treat/prevent yeast infections, and a drop or two diluted on toilet paper can also help keep urinary tract infections under control.

When Oliver was born, he had cradle cap. I tried using different products, but found a shampoo and body  wash  2 in one, I loved that was Organic. It was made of olive oil, and tea tree oil. It has a nice light, clean scent. Even I use it as my soap lately! And since it's a foaming wash, I find it lasts months!  You can get it online cheaper than in the stores, AND get it shipped to you free in Canada, by clicking HERE. It really is one of my fave products.

We always keep tea tree oil on hand. It's always in our first aid kit. If you want some good old tea tree oil, you can purchase Nature's Harmony Tea Tree Oil drops by clicking here!

Other cool uses of tea tree oil:

Treats dandruff, athletes foot, insect bites, lice, and it's even a pain reliever.

Just make sure you follow the instructions in use because if you buy pure tea tree oil, it shouldn't come in close contact with your eyes, and is super poisonous to ingest. Keep it away from your kidlets!

For more info, check out this info site and their reviews on tea tree oil: www.bodyecology.com,

Until next time, stay healthy y'all!

Why I believe this super food is best, straight from the local farmer.

It might seem odd to some people that the first solid food I gave my 8 month old baby was....egg yolk. After researching and researching, I decided that this was probably the best thing for the healthy development of his brain. You think I'm crazy, right?

Did you know that the fatty acids in an egg yolk is supposed to be beneficial for the development of his central nervous system? I was game if Ollie was game. And I'll tell ya, he sure loves his egg yolk.

I was amazed to learn that organic free-range eggs have more nutrition than the ones you'd buy at the grocery store. I was even told that eggs you buy from the grocery store could be up to a month old. That grossed me out! I will admit, there are some days where it's just so much easier to grab a dozen eggs where I'm already shopping, but I know that buying from our local farmer is:

 1. A healthier option
 2. Supports our farmers and local businesses.
3. Our chickens are being treated fairly, where proper hygiene is optimal.....and therefore, there is less chance of salmonella poisoning.

Thanks to a friend who buys her organic free range eggs by the dozens, I decided to check out a little local shop/farm that sells things like flour, spices, and even candies in bulk. They provide me with about 4 dozen eggs every few weeks. We buy a lot of eggs because they're good for you, and heck at $3.75 a dozen, they're cheaper than buying meat!

There's a great guide on buying your eggs and what to watch for with labels at the stores. There are differences between free-range, free-run, and cage-free. Check out  Dr. David Suzuki's descriptions.

So, remember that time when I said organic free-range eggs have more nutrition than commercial eggs? This is what Doctor Mercola posted on his website recently:

"Testing has confirmed that true free-range eggs are far more nutritious than commercially raised eggs. In a 2007 egg-testing project, Mother Earth News compared the official U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrient data for commercial eggs with eggs from hens raised on pasture and found that the latter typically contains:

• 1/3 less cholesterol
• 1/4 less saturated fat
• 2/3 more vitamin A
• 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids
• 3 times more vitamin E
• 7 times more beta carotene

The dramatically superior nutrient levels are most likely the result of the differences in diet between free ranging, pastured hens and commercially farmed hens."

So there you have it. This was all very interesting to me. And very soon, I was on the organic free-range egg "bandwagon."

If you're intrigued, Check out more from this awesome article from Mercola.com here.

Until next time, Stay Healthy ya'll!

What you may not know about this amazing product.

In February I gave birth to our first baby. A boy. We named him Oliver. He's pretty cute. At least, I think so. From the time I found out I was pregnant, my passion and fascination with health became a million ba jillion times more important, now that I was responsible for a whole new life. A life that was growing and developing inside me! What a responsibility. 

I remember when Ollie got a bum rash when he was about a month old.  I mean, you'd peel back his little butt cheeks and see these sore looking pimples. It looked unpleasant, and uncomfortable for my little chunker. So, I went to a store and bought some zinc cream (Penaten or Sudocrem).  I was going through jar after jar, And it wasn't even helping. Not to say these products are bad, but did you know that zinc doesn't kill bacteria or yeast? Some babies are even allergic to zinc. I found that it also didn't wash off easily. And I wasn't overly thrilled with the smell of the stuff. AND, you can't use zinc when you are using cloth diapers. ANNNNNNNND, I believe it contains amounts of Cetylpyridnium chloride, which is a chemical that can be toxic. I know, I know, it's trace amounts of the stuff. But why, oh why, would I want to put that on my baby's bum if I could heal his little rash with something else?

Virgin Coconut oil.

It has healing agents, and has antibacterial properties! It's even anti-fungal, and it is said to kill viruses,  and even help with YEAST infections! It smells like you are in Hawaii all year round every time you do a diaper change, it spreads well, and it's easy to wash off. And did I mention it took us about 3 months to go through a container of the stuff?

 I found it amazing to read, as I haven't personally tried this yet, but coconut oil supposedly speeds up the healing of bruising by repairing damaged tissues. This makes me excited. Coconuts have to be one of God's coolest creations! 

After some research, I learned that Coconut oil is good for cooking, it helps your digestive system, it helps absorb calcium into the body, it's so great for skin moisturizer, and if you're feeling lucky tonight, it's a great lubricant!

Check out this website to see some other amazing uses and health benefits of coconut oil:
http://www.organicfacts.net

Oh yeah, when Ollie had a diaper rash, I used the Sudocrem for days and his poor little bum didn't get better. When I started with the coconut oil, it healed in less than a day.
A friend of mine had gotten a prescription filled to help her little girl's bum rash because nothing else would work. She was about to get another prescription filled when she tried the coconut oil. Miraculously, the rash was gone within 24 hours. No need to wait in the doc's office again for that! Pretty cool stuff.

We like to use the Nutiva brand, and if you check out the link, and purchase from Well.ca, you'll help me keep writing the cool stuff I write, as well as get to have it shipped to you absolutely free anywhere in Canada. 

Purchase Nutiva's Virgin Coconut Oil here.

Until next time, stay healthy ya'll.

Welcome to theHealthNuttyProfessor Blog!

Hey everyone. I'm a mama and wife, and am really excited about sharing some of the wonderful things I've learned about health and nutrition. I'm here because I'm passionate about helping others. 
I realized that you just might be interested in some of the things I'm passionate about, too.
So, here goes.
Stay tuned, first official post coming soon.