The Pure Life

Just One Sunburn?

Just came across this interesting video that I thought was worth sharing.

“One bad sunburn before you turn 18 doubles your chances of developing melanoma.”

I think it’s time I had my skin checked!

http://www.thatvideosite.com/v/3386

Seriously, I’m calling the dermatologist TODAY.

Don’t Eat the Fries!

“Acrylamide…is in 40 percent of the calories consumed in the average American diet.” NY Times (on acrylamide-a carcinogen, or cancer-causer) Just because McDonald’s (or any other American-run place) serves it, doesn’t mean it’s normal or good to eat it! Always question authority (including the FDA).

I used to be a total Nazi about fast food, and especially, french fries. They were absolutely one of the things that did not enter my mouth or my children’s mouths for several years. My first-born, Carver, probably never had a cookie or piece of candy until he was 2 or 3. French fries would have come much later.

These days I have relaxed my restrictions, but my beliefs behind them are still pretty strong. The bottom line is still: THE MORE NATURAL THE FOOD, THE BETTER. The less natural the food gets (ie, the more processed, factory-made, less homemade, more pre-packaged) the more unhealthy and less nutritious it gets. You can’t get any more nutritious than fresh, organic veggies from your home-grown garden or fresh fruit from the trees in your backyard. It’s basic, it’s simple, it’s the way the world was made to work….yet it’s becoming the ABNORMAL in today’s American society.

The past couple years my kids have partaken of french fries as a treat. They know they don’t always get them, and they also know they aren’t good for their bodies. They are aware that eating such foods in abundance can make them sick.

This morning I was made aware of an article from the New York Times that may make me rethink those french fry “treats.”

Read this for an eye-opener. Knowledge is power.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/21/business/21chips.html?pagewanted=all

If you want more quality info on nutrition, two books that completely changed my life are:

1. Skinny Bitch, by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

http://www.skinnybitch.net/
(I know, the title kind of threw me as well, but the info inside the book has NOTHING to do with being skinny or a bitch, but EVERYTHING to do with being healthy. It’s fun and easy to read and should change your outlook on many aspects of your diet.)

2. SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life, by Steven Pratt, M.D., and Kathy Matthews

http://www.superfoodsrx.com/
(A guide on foods to ADD to your diet and why, instead of a list of restrictions on what NOT to eat.)

I’d love to hear your thoughts on these readings!

Good health to you all!
Amanda

Christmas Surprises

The other day my husband mentioned this “thing” that was brought up to him by a surfer friend. This “thing” I know he wants and would love, but quickly wrote off in his mind because “we don’t have the money for that.”

Well, this is where one of our bigger differences comes in. My husband is probably the smarter one in this area. He takes care of business first (or always). Extras come much, much later. When it comes to worthwhile experiences, I tend to throw caution to the wind and say, “just do it!” Deal with the consequences, if any, later! Sometimes this works out pretty well. Sometimes the consequences stick with me for awhile, like the time I sold my car so I could go to Chile for two months and then came back home to…you guessed it, NO CAR. And no money. And that tends to create a problem. But my logic is that I will always have this incredible experience that blows away any bad or hard time thereafter! It all works out in the end!

So my sneaky self contacted this buddy to get the info on this “thing.” Heehee. If I pull off this big Christmas surprise, a large part of him probably will do the math in his head until the end of next year and worry and wonder, but he will also have this “thing” that I know would most likely be considered a pretty high bullet on his bucket list. This “thing” that he just wouldn’t jump and do…until someone pushed him. Sometimes we all need a little push. We have one life; we should live it well and occassionally on the edge!

Here’s to my husband and his Merry Christmas and even happier New Year! (And in the New Year I’ll let you all in on the “thing!”)

Pura Vida,
Amanda

Foster Kids and Their Drugs Part II

I found one more video as I was perusing the “20/20″ website for more information on this topic. If you watch one of the three videos I posted on this problem within the foster system, watch this one.

Feel free to share your experiences and thoughts!

Foster Kids and Their Drugs

These video links were sent to my email a few days ago. “20/20″ has spent the last year researching the over-prescribing of drugs to children in the foster system. Although I’m aware of a lot that goes on in the foster system, I wasn’t aware of this as an issue before. I can’t say that I’m too surprised. America over-prescribes everyone else, so why wouldn’t we do the same for those who have serious past issues to work through?

Please watch and share your thoughts!

My Favorite Fruits

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness and self-control”

Galations 5:22-23

Probably my favorite verse in the entire Bible (at the moment, anyway).

Just had to share today…what kind of world would we live in if each one of us,

every single day, woke up and lived every moment with these “fruits” in mind and in

our actions?

Here’s to your beautiful, fruitful day!

Amanda