Crazy Sexy Diet

I've been following the work of Kris Carr for a few years now.  Eight years ago she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, incurable. Instead of giving up, she decided focus on healing herself. She filmed a documentary, Crazy Sexy Cancer, that showed us doctor's visits, emotional breakdowns, and discovering green smoothies.  She has written three books now, Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips, Crazy Sexy Cancer Journal and the new Crazy Sexy Diet. 

Crazy Sexy Diet is a great tool for anyone hoping to heal themselves from any ailment, or someone simply wishing to convert to a healthier diet. In her book, Kris encourages readers to "eat your veggies and shake your God pod."  Eating a high alkaline diet, and moving your body, are two important keys in her lifestyle guide. Ten chapters cover topics such as testing your PH, the truth behind sugar and milk, detoxing your body, juicing tips, meditation, healthy snacks, supplements, and most importantly, her 21 Day Adventure Cleanse. The cleanse is worth the price of the book.  Kris' cleanse does not restrict how much you can eat, only what you eat.  She provides daily encouragement, through affirmations, fun tips, and exercise suggestions. The cleanse also includes a weekly juice fast, giving your body a day of rest to release as many toxins as possible.

With guest articles from greats such as Dr. Brian Clement, Emily Deschanel, Rory Freedman and many more, this book is packed with excellent tips for converting to a healthy lifestyle that will make you feel great and heal your body.

The Acid/Alkaline Balance

Our bodies are meant to be slightly alkaline, around 7.35.  However, because of our diets, most people are highly acidic.  The more acidic your body, the more prone you are to health issues, such as the common cold, autoimmune disease, cancer, etc.  Harmful bacteria thrive in an acidic state, making it more difficult for your body to perform basic functions.  Eating a diet high in Alkaline foods can prevent disease, and even eliminate disease if you already have it.  That doesn't mean you can't eat from the acidic side, but it's best to eat at least 60% alkaline foods.  If you are combating a disease, closer to 80% is better.  This chart will show you where foods fall in the acidic/alkaline balance.

Acidic/Alkaline Chart

As a rule of thumb, if you just make sure that 2/3 of your plate is filled with green vegetables, you are probably good.  It's also a good idea to buy PH strips (you can get them from any pharmacy) and test your PH levels. It's best to do it in the morning, after your first elimination but before you eat, to see what your standing level is.  If you are below 7.0, you might want to focus on improving your diet.

Green Smoothies are a great and easy way to get those essential alkalizing veggies into your body.  Snacking on almonds, or almond butter, adding Cinnamon to your food and switching your sweetener to Stevia will also help.  Start making the shifts, and you will feel better and your body will thank you for it.

Hair Loss for Women, Why It Happens and Tips for Stopping It

Last night a friend of mine sent me a message asking me if I had noticed an excessive amount of hair loss since becoming a vegetarian. Oddly enough, I had a similar conversation with another friend a few weeks back, who is not a vegetarian, but also noticed increased hair loss. I have noticed this for a few years now, and so far it's not obvious to an outsider, but my hair is much thinner than it used to be. I did a little research, and shockingly, this is a growing issue for women of all ages.  It's also believed that reasons for women's hair loss are very different than in men.  Some of the reasons I found include: hormone imbalance, autoimmune disorders, anemia, thyroid disorders, various medications, and a stressful event. 

After looking into this further, this is one common factor that may help stop this.  Most people are not getting an ample amount of B12/Folic Acid.  It is not available at all in any vegetarian diet; people who eat meat do get this, because of the bacteria stored in a cows tissue.  However, with the change in diet for cows and the excessive use of hormones and steroids, I believe even meat eaters are not getting an ample amount of this vitamin. It is very easy to add a supplement to your diet, 1-2 pills daily with food.  B12/Folic Acid is not just important for your hair, but for those who may have found themselves experiencing some of the health issues listed above, specifically anemia, thyroid issues and stress, will find that adding this supplement will balance out some of those issues.

Aside from taking this supplement, another factor in hair loss is likely our diet.  Most people have a very acidic diet, filled with processed foods, overly cooked foods, very few fruits and vegetables and high in animal product.  The more acidic your body, the more prone to disease. Also, most of the foods on the Standard American Diet are very low on vitamins and minerals, so when your body is deficient, it starts to pull from your bones and anywhere else it can in order to function, which would account for hair loss.  This would also be a factor if you have an autoimmune disease. 

Hair loss is not fun, so take your vitamins, eat your veggies, and enjoy a long life of luscious locks!