Review: FiveSeed Lip Balm and Skin Cream

Blogging definitely has its perks.

 

Of course, primarily it’s a fantastic venue in which to write, educate, and communicate. But also, you make friends. This blogging community that I’ve dipped my toe into is incredibly supportive and kind.

 

In addition, sometimes you get free stuff

It all started when my blog-friend (we haven’t met in real life) from Greenspell decided to follow her inspiration and start a small, yet thoughtful, eco-conscious cosmetic line. Enter FiveSeed. 

From following her blog, I know that she has a passion for nature, both external and internal. She has a great respect for this home we’ve been given, and her interest in natural remedies and the body’s own wisdom is obvious. I was really, really excited when my friend announced that she would be opening a “store” on Etsy to sell her handmade lip balms and lotions. 

Image courtesy of http://www.etsy.com/shop/5seed

I ordered the Orange Cocoa Moisturizing Cream immediately. Upon my order, my friend informed me that she was sending an Orange Cocoa Lip Balm and a Peppermint Cocoa Lip Balm along with my order for me to try- for free! I love free stuff!  

Just over a week later, a package arrived for me in the mail. In a reused box, with plain old newspaper packing. Loved that. There’s nothing that makes my green heart cringe more than when I order something and it is packed full of styrofoam peanuts that were created solely for my shipment and then have nowhere to go but the garbage. And then a landfill. And I will mention that my two tin jar lip balms and my glass jar lotion arrived without a dent or crack, thankyouverymuch. Take that, styrofoam-monster! 

Just like the last review I did, I will now rate these products according to various criteria: 

  Ingredients: One of the best ways to tell if something is good quality is to look at the ingredient list. I do this  every time I buy something that is going to go in my mouth, or on my skin. A short ingredient list is usually a sign of a pure product. No funky dyes, synthetic fragrances, preservatives, or other long-winded gobbledygook. With only a handful of ingredients in both the lip balms and the moisturizing cream, FiveSeed hits the mark. Not only are the ingredients simple, recognizable, and wholesome, but they are also often organic and/or fair trade. Peaceful ingredients, in short, for every being involved. I give the ingredients a 5/5. 

Scent: Oh Dear Mother Earth. These smell UNREAL. Apparently, organic makes a difference in cosmetic ingredients because I have smelled regular cocoa butter before, and it was mild and pleasant, but I have never smelled anything like this. All of FiveSeed’s products have a high cocoa butter content and yes, you will smell it. And smell it, and smell it, and smell it, and then maybe try to eat it. All the ones I got smelled chocolatey- yet it is slightly different from the rich brown comestible we all love. It is the milder cousin, which carries none of the sharpness or bitterness that real dark chocolate carries. This cocoa is not as overpowering, so it’s more, well, wearable! The smell is still close enough to chocolate to be instantly comforting and uplifting though. I have sampled both the Orange Cocoa and the Peppermint Cocoa products, and they smell exactly as they promise: Mellow cocoa laced with either the bright tartness of orange or the freshness of peppermint. Since I’ve received my products, FiveSeed has come out with two more scents which I am looking forward to trying: Lime Cocoa and Cocoa Love. I give the scent a 4.5/5, only because I accept that some ridiculous people may not love cocoa as much as me. 

Texture: This was a category that I was prepared to be open-minded to. I have long used natural products, and I 

Image courtesy of http://www.etsy.com/shop/5seed

know their tendency to separate, or to solidify/liquify according to temperature fluctuations. This doesn’t bother me, because I realize it’s the sacrifice one makes to use pure products. My friend warned me in advance that all the FiveSeed products are vulnerable to temperature changes. The moisturizing cream sometimes “sweats” (little beads of water will surface to the top of the cream), and because of the high beeswax content in the lip balms, they may get too hard in the cold. My cream sweat on the first day, but my lip balms were perfect. My bedroom gets COLD at night but I still find my lip balm to be the right texture. I do prefer a firmer lip balm though, because I find it stays on longer. I put the Orange Cocoa Lip Balm on every night before bed and my lips are still nice and moist in the morning. The moisturizing cream, with its amazing whipped texture, absorbs really well, but it is definitely on the richer side. It’s a perfect body cream for the winter, or for drier/aging skin types all year round. I’d give the texture a 4/5, on a regular scale, but if I were comparing it to other pure and simple products, it would get a 5/5, so I’ll give it a 4.5/5 to compromise.  If you are used to some of the minor kinks that natural products exhibit, you will be very pleased with FiveSeed. If you are used to commercial products, it will take getting used to. 

Price: For products with such quality and integrity, these are cheap! FiveSeed’s prices range from $4-13…and these are all full-size portions. In my opinion, the products (packaging included) could not be better quality, but the prices are definitely bargain. They are affordable for personal use, but indulgent enough for gifts. I give the price a 5/5. 

Even though I don’t have an official category for this, I have to give FiveSeed extra points for her efforts for having the lightest carbon footprint possible with her recyclable packaging and packing materials. This woman is passionate about the environment. FiveSeed also has a blog that goes into more detail about the products and the company’s intentions. Oh, and did I mention that 5% of all profits from FiveSeed go to the Jane Goodall Institute? This is a company with a lot of heart. 

FiveSeed’s products get an overall rating of 19/20, but clearly there is more going on than just points. Please check out my friend’s wonderful products and consider supporting beautiful and ethical endeavours like FiveSeed’s. I look forward to her success  

Mmmm…anyone feel like some cocoa?  

Take care, 

 

Alex

The Choice to Be Happy

 I have a confession to make.

Ever since I was a little girl, I have been…

…A BIG WORRYWART!!!

Worrying has plagued me for as long as I can remember. I worried about the first day of school, I worried I would never find my pink stuffed bunny ever again, I worried I would grow a watermelon tree in my belly when I swallowed a seed, I worried about the dentist, I worried about holding hands with a boy, I worried about new haircuts, I worried about living away from home, I worried about my weight, I worried about my grades, I worried about finding a job, I worried my wrist would never heal, and, for the most ironic, I worried about the stress my worrying was causing me.

It wasn’t until I was in my preteens that I began to realize that I had some control over my thoughts. At this point in my life, worrying had pretty much taken over. I was extremely attached to my mum- I couldn’t even stay overnight at a friend’s house! Even small things like taking the bus to school by myself seemed like a huge mountain to overcome. I constantly had free-floating anxiety which would sometimes erupt into dizzying panic attacks, often for no apparent reason. It was a horrible way to live. I was fearful for every coming day and expected every little incident to turn into a catastrophe; I felt like I was drowning.

I don’t remember my exact turning point, but some time after my twelfth birthday, I became aware of the connection between my voluntary thoughts and my seemingly out-of-control feelings. However, it wasn’t until I entered high school that I began to actively challenge my thoughts, and change my patterns of thinking. With loads of advice and support from my parents, counsellours, and a solid group of friends (THANK YOU! ), I finally lifted myself up to a place where I could breathe.

I made an active choice to be happy and less anxious, and that was my biggest step.

These days, I am generally a very positive, grateful, and joyful person. When my mind is idle, it usually slides towards thoughts of people and experiences I am thankful for, or the things I am excited about in my future. I think of my blessings, past and present, and anticipate more of them. However, I know Anxiety is something I have to stay on top of; If I let things slide too much, my tendency towards worrying can get the better of me.

I was reading Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff by Richard Carlson the other day when I was reminded again of my progress. Point #92 in his book says this: “Realize the Power of Your Own Thoughts”. The following is my summary of Carlson’s words:

This may seem obvious, but we are always thinking. Often, our thoughts float around and expand automatically, without much awareness, much like breathing happens without having to think about it.  However, unlike breathing, we should never forget that we are thinking. The other perhaps obvious thing to realize is that our emotions always begin with a thought. If you could have one piece of mental health wisdom, it would be that. How we feel is a result of how we think. To prove the point, try this exercise: Try feeling angry without thinking of angry thoughts….Can’t do it? Ok, now try to feel sad without conjuring sad thoughts…No success? What about feeling stressed? Or jealous?…No? I think I’ve proved Carlson’s point. Emotions (negative and positive) can’t exist if we don’t feed them. We feel what our brain feeds us…Simple, eh? Accepting this truth, we can become responsible of our emotions, and decide how we want to feel. If you’re feeling sad, monitor your thoughts. They are likely depressing and negative. If you’re feeling happy, listen again to that inner dialogue. It is probably optimistic and cheerful. No coincidence there.

We all know people who seem to have it all, and who are miserable. We probably also know people who seem to have nothing, yet they are loving and joyful. Sometimes the way we feel is more the product of how we think rather than what our life is like on paper. Our thoughts are habit forming, so if you are accustomed to being a Negative Nancy, your thoughts will want to stay in that dark place.  Changing the way you think takes practice, but I promise you, your emotions will follow them obediently.

Being a mostly reformed anxiety disaster, I can attest to this truth. Like I said, it’s something I always have to keep on top of. I regularly try to coax my thoughts to more peaceful territory, and when I find myself snowballing down Panic Mountain, I do my best to halt my catastrophic thinking, and redirect them. When I choose to think happy and peaceful thoughts, I eventually feel that way too.

Here are some great and easy exercises that I use to “train” my brain to think positively:

1) If you find yourself worrying excessively about something, remind yourself of incidents in the past when you worried for nothing! I don’t know about you, but my life is packed with examples of times when I fretted and stressed myself silly over a presentation, a trip, or a date that I was SURE would end disastrously, yet they all went well! I am learning that worries are very unreliable predictions of the final outcome.

2) Keep a journal! This is my favourite form of therapy. When I journal, my first goal is to just spew my tangled thoughts out, just for the release. Then I try to make sense of them, and then I try to reframe my feelings in a more positive way. Sometimes this is the most important part. Reading back on journal entries is a great, concrete way to perform exercise #1. It will give you perspective, and remind you of challenges you have overcome.

3) If the idea of writing pages of your feelings makes you want to gag (not everybody loves writing!), try a simple Gratitude journal. Pick a time every day (usually before bed or first thing in the morning is best) and write down three things you are grateful for that day. Just list them! If you can’t think of three, start with one. Everyone has time to do this. Even Oprah. Even You!

What do you choose?

Take care,

Alex

Beating Winter Blues, Eating Lentil Greens

In general, I think it’s the rule rather than the exception that people tend to dread winter. Who can blame them? Winter means less sunlight, bulky clothing, and more shovelling. It means drippy noses and foggy glasses. Yuck.

I avoided one winter the year I lived in Ecuador teaching English. My Christmas backdrop that year was green grass, colourful blossoms, and eucalyptus trees. I wore shorts.

I’ve never been a huge fan of winter. I’m not really into winter sports (although I’d like to start) and I enjoy wearing fewer clothing rather than more (interpret that as you may). I hate being cold, but mostly I love the sun, and I miss its long daily visits of the summer. I can wear millions of layers to control how cold I get, but I can’t control the sun. If I could tie a string to the ol’ fireball and pull it closer whenever I wanted, I would. While I don’t get depressed (must be all those essential fatty acids I eat!), I usually experience a lag in energy during the winter months. I would rather snuggle under the covers than bound outside to lift my face up to the sky.

Sound familiar?

I thought so.

However, winter doesn’t have to be so bad. There are aspects of the season that we can’t control, but we can always control how we react to them, and how we treat ourselves. We all have the ability to find winter’s particular charm. It may not become our favourite season, but let’s try to find that silver lining, the one dusted with sparkling snowflakes.

Here are some things I like about Winter, and some things that help me get through it:

1) A Hearty Bowl of Soup and Some Homemade Crusty Bread

What’s that? You say you’d like some recipes? Well, wouldn’t you know that a delicious soup recipe follows this post, and that it goes perfectly with this bread (that I never get tired of promoting….because it’s that good.) This is a fantastic meal idea, especially when your soup is veggie based and has some protein in it. A fresh loaf baked along with a simmering pot of soup makes a lovely marriage on a cold, dark night. Doesn’t that sound like something you’d want to come home to?

2) Flannel Sheets

As if getting in to bed at the end of a long day wasn’t appealing enough, flannel sheets make this ritual absolutely divine. Cotton sheets can sometimes be on the chilly side, especially if your bed is close to a window. Unless you have a pet buffalo to drape its warm furry body across the bed to warm it up before you get in, the first minute in bed may be shiver inducing. Flannel sheets are like jumping into a bed that just came out of the dryer. Mmmm. So cozy.

3) A Fetching Winter Coat

Don’t feel fetching during the winter? Then get a stylish winter coat that makes you feel happy every time you put it on. Take time to look for a coat that reflects your personality. Bonus points for colour! Look for good quality fabrics and intelligent tailoring. When you try it on, make sure you can rotate your arms fully, sit down, and do a little dance. Also make sure that you buy a size big enough to accommodate a sweater underneath. I LOVE my winter coat. I got it at H & M last winter and it makes me feel cheery every time I wear it. It’s red and delicious. And I get lots of compliments on it, which is another good way to feel fetching

4) Sun on White Snow

There is something so incredible about the look a of bright sunlight on white snow. You know what I’m talking about. No matter how cold it is, it is hard not to be thankful when confronted with such beauty when you step out your front door on a day like that. But even on days when the sun is hiding, try to find beauty outside. Appreciating art, especially in nature, exercises our often poorly neglected right brain, and helps to balance our thoughts. If the day is dreary look up at a tree, whose dark, bare branches appear like black lace against the pale skin of the sky. If it’s snowing, catch a snowflake on your mitten a take a close look before it melts. Snowflakes are endlessly fascinating to me, each like a miniature fleck of ornately carved glass.

5) Wooly Socks & Pyjamas + Warm Drink + Good Book/Magazine/Newspaper

If you’ve exhausted the beauty of the outdoors, get inside and follow the above equation. When it’s a shit-storm outside (pardon my French), take the opportunity to stay put! Reading in comfy clothes with a mug of something hot is a simple pleasure that I feel people often overlook. It’s one of my favourite things to do, and I find it incredibly recharging. Bonus points if you can light a fire in your fireplace. Double bonus points if you can play footsies with someone you love

6) Tobogganing

WheeeEEEEeee!!! Need I say more? You’re never to old to gather up a group of friends, find a hill, and take a ride. Failing a proper toboggan or sled, a big sheet of cardboard (like from a flattened box) usually works as a recyclable hill vehicle. Wear proper waterproof gear, and make sure that there isn’t a mystery thin ice patch/highway/bear den at the bottom of the hill that you might uncontrollably slide into. And bring band-aids.

7) Christmas Lights

I secretly don’t hate the people who leave their holiday lights on all year-long. I suppose in July, when the coloured lights start confusing enamoured bumblebees, it might be a bit ridiculous, but when the days start getting shorter, I find bright holiday decorations to be a great recompense. I have a set of white lights that I’ve had strung up around my headboard all year. Sometimes I’ll turn them on instead of my reading lamp and have myself a Happy Holiday in July

…And now for that Hearty Bowl of Soup

Here you go

Ingredients:

2 c dried lentils*

1 bunch rapini (about 5 cups chopped)

6 medium carrots, coarsely chopped

1 large onion, minced

1/2 c Bragg’s liquid aminos (or tamari sauce, but use less)

3 T coconut oil or ghee

1 t dried oregano

1/2 t dried sage

1/2 t dried thyme

9 cups of filtered water

*If you have time, soak those lentils! Overnight if possible.

Directions:

- Add oil/ghee to a large pot on med/high. Add onions and spices and stir until onions are clear and fragrant.

- Add water and Bragg and bring to a boil

- Add lentils and cook until tender (about 30 minutes or so, less if they were soaked)

- Add carrots and cook for 5 minutes, then add rapini, and cook for another 5-10 minutes, depending on how well you want your veggies done

- Serve with crusty whole grain bread or a dollop of organic yogurt on top.

***Freeze several good-sized containers for later consumption! Now that’s convenience food!

Happy, safe, and healthy holidays, everyone! Stay warm!

Take care,

Alex

Throw It In or Throw It Out!

My boyfriend once asked me, “Have you ever screwed up in the kitchen? Like, have you ever made something that turned out to be totally disgusting?”  He asked this as we were enjoying something or rather that I had made that night. I love to cook, and my boyfriend is a big fan of this. It works out well.

I thought about his question…”Not really”, I replied, “At least not since I’ve been old enough to understand the basics of cooking.” Sure, I’ve made mistakes, forgotten ingredients, overcooked, undercooked, and over-seasoned, but nothing has been so terrible that it hasn’t been edible, and many “mistakes” have turned out to be happy discoveries for a new spin on a dish.

Until yesterday.

Sigh. I was going to make some of my Zucchini Bluffins, but then I decided to experiment. I wanted something different, and something to use up some of the mammoth quantity of strawberries I had frozen in the freezer from the summer’s bounty. I’m not going to go into the details about the rest of the ingredients, but let’s just say I was trying to cram too much stuff into one little muffin. I popped them into the oven, and when they finished baking, I took them out of the oven and took a whiff. “Hmmm,” I thought, “these smell…weird.” I let them cool off a little before I tried one.

Upon my first bite, I wrinkled my nose. They were not what I was expecting, but maybe a second bite would be a better judge: More nose wrinkling and my tongue stuck out. Ok, so maybe these were not great stand-alone muffins, but maybe I could salvage them by using them with a spread of nut butter to mask the taste? There were so many super ingredients in there! I didn’t want them to go to waste! I thought about bringing them to work and freezing them, only to be eaten when desperately hungry. But even then, I bet that every time I ate one, I would  just barely be choking it down. I would hate every minute of eating this muffin, no matter how I put it.

Then I remembered one of my favourite sayings (everybody, say it with me!): THROW IT IN OR THROW IT OUT!

…And into the compost the muffins went!

This is one of the clearest ways to express something I feel very strongly about: Don’t treat your body like a garbage can. Yeah. Cause you know who eats garbage?

Garbage monsters. And sometimes goats.

I HATE throwing away food. I am VERY careful about making sure my food doesn’t go to waste or go bad before I get a chance to make something delicious with it while it’s still fresh. I’m almost compulsive about my food economics, and can’t understand how some people throw out a crisper drawer of rotten produce and repeat the same pattern every week. However, the subject of timely food usage will be saved for another post. What I wanted to express there was that I really, really hate wasting food or throwing it out.

HOWEVER, I also refuse to turn my body into a trash receptacle, and throw unhealthy food into it just for the sake of not feeding the green bin. So, to recap: Rule #1- Body isn’t a waste bin, Rule #2- Try not to waste food.

Certain times of the year (hmmmm, I don’t know, maybe the HOLIDAY SEASON) are quite challenging for those of us who choose to focus on healthful foods. This is the time of year (and it’s starting already!) that people begin bringing in cookies and cakes to work, department stores are giving away candy canes and chocolates, and holiday parties (and associated junk foods and beverages) are filling up our calendars. Even we ourselves are guilty of contributing to the excess! During the holidays, we feel the need to stock our cupboards with sweet treats and keep bowls of chocolates on the coffee table. We invite our loved ones to our houses and stuff them (and ourselves) to the point of nausea with rich food. It’s how we show our love.

So where does all this extra food go?

Well, unfortunately, it goes into our mouths, even when we don’t really want it to. Here are some examples of common situations where we all turn our bodies into a waste disposal vehicle.

Example #1: The Waste-Not-Want-Not

This is the category that I am most prone to fall under. This person hates the site of food going into the garbage, or just feels a vague sense of guilt when every last crumb isn’t consumed. This person is challenged when they are the host of a party, and are left with mounds of leftovers at the end of the night. Because they hate throwing food out, they will keep that extra tub of ice cream, the plate of cookies, the tin of squares, and the bags of chips. They will keep these things, and eventually consume them, not because they are of especially good quality, or even because they are particularly tasty. This person will find themselves eating the stale chips and forking dry cake into their mouths just to get it over with, just to use it up. The thought doesn’t occur to them that it may be more valuable to spare their bodies this shock than to just cut their losses, throw the junk food away, and technically have wasted a few bucks.

Example #2: The Carpe Diem

This one is sooo common, and the Carpe Diem will identify themselves easily with the words, “Oh, just this once” or “Well, it’s the holidays and I’ll go on a diet when it’s over”. They give themselves an excuse to gorge themselves on treats for weeks, because, after all, it’s a limited time offer! The holidays are the only time when we are allowed to stuff ourselves with abandon, and not worry about the consequences…Right?? This person will feel almost frantic at parties and potlucks; they will want to try everything at least once. They will feel guilty each time they find themselves with a sore belly, but push the thought away with, “Just this once”.

Example #3: The Martyr

This person has the best intentions. She is often “the heart of the house”, and wants the best for her children, her husband, or her elderly parents. She eats the junk so her loved ones don’t have to. “My family shouldn’t eat this,” she says, polishing of the box of chocolates her neighbour sent. She thinks only of the people she is “saving”, but not of her own exhausted and sugar-toxic and congested internal organs. She also probably has a bit of the “Waste-Not-Want-Not” personality, because otherwise she would just toss the excess sweets. She will probably hide the goodies from the rest of her family, but allow herself to have access to the junk. Ironically, the Martyr may also exhibit the reverse: She may supply her loved ones with an endless quantity of chocolate, pop, and cookies, but deny herself. Her intention is to treat her family and see them happy, and it always comes out of love. She will say things like “I keep cookies in the house for the kids”, and even though she knows they aren’t good for anyone, she can’t help but give in to her family’s sweet tooth. She hates to see anyone denied.

Example #4: The Warrior

This is probably the male version of the Martyr (although, of course, these types may exist in either gender). This is the guy that has to maintain his tough image, lest he be ridiculed for being a wimp. He is the one that is forced to chug the beer or finish the last piece of pie. People may even contribute to his plate (I am guilty of doing this to my own boyfriend!) because they know he will finish it if they can’t. He is a hero in the form of a human garburator, and it is a role that he may be secretly proud of. Of course, his pride does nothing for his health, and he will suffer the consequences. Warriors will encourage other Warriors to compete with their consumption prowess.

We all have our reasons for eating unhealthily, or eating beyond our digestive capacity at one sitting. My intention is not to criminalize occasional overindulgence, but I want us to be aware of our behaviours. Remind yourself that there is a choice when considering that tin of cookies your sweet Aunt Bertha (the Martyr) sent to you: You can throw it in (your body, and use it like a garbage), or you can throw it out (into the actual garbage, and let the raccoons worry about their cholesterol ). Have consideration and respect for your body and think about the effects of food before you put it into your mouth. Ask yourself “Is this food healing for me, or is it harming me?“ If you know the food isn’t good for you, you can still eat it, but don’t make up excuses. Your body doesn’t care about excuses. It will respond directly to your actions.

The holidays are tricky because we all want it to be a time of indulgence. However, limiting ourselves to just one time a year creates that frantic “limited time offer” mentality. If you tell yourself that you can indulge in moderation (in a variety of ways, not just with food) all year-long, you may find that the compulsion to orally vacuum up every cake in sight will diminish. Maybe you won’t feel like you have to eat as many pieces of pie as you can now because you’ll be on a strict diet come the New Year. Maybe you’ll start listening to your body, and it will tell you it wants a snuggle instead of a cookie, or a good night’s sleep instead of a bottle of wine. There are simpler, healthier ways to show our love to ourselves and to others.

During the holidays, sometimes even warring countries will agree to stop the combat for a moment of peace. Let’s stop the war on our bodies and create peace inside too.

Take care,

Alex

I’ll Get the Vaccine When Pigs Fly

Hallowe’en is a few days away, but instead of ghouls, goblins, and ghosts, it’s threats of Swine Flu that’s keeping many of us up at night.

What’s interesting about this issue, is that there is a widespread debate going on: Do we take the vaccine or not? This is the first time I have seen so much public conflict over a vaccine. I think people are starting to ask some important questions: “Is it safe?”, “Are there alternatives?”, and “Who can we trust?”

I have made my own decision about the vaccine, but I still have many questions, above and beyond the ones above. I’d like to focus on what you can do to naturally support your immune system, but first, I’d like to share a bit of what I know about H1N1 and its vaccine.

Increasing numbers of confirmed cases of H1N1-related illness and death are plastered across the media every day. For some reason, this flu has struck special panic in the public. I think we can all agree that the swine flu seems scarier, more common, and more deadly than anything we’ve seen. However, does the seasonal flu scare you? Every year in the US, over 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related complications, and about 36,000 people die from flu-related causes [Source].

I’ve gotten seasonal flus before, like everyone else. I was sniffly, achy, and rather miserable for the day or two I spent in bed, and then I got over it. I was working at my university’s daycare when the seasonal flu vaccine first became available. My job was basically to be a human kleenex. I wiped noses, got sneezed on, drooled on, licked, and even got vomited on every single shift. I never even considered getting the seasonal flu vaccine, and now that I work in a slightly less, er, intimate job, I still feel the same way about any flu vaccination.

According the Centre of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the swine flu “vaccine will be made using the same processes” as the seasonal flu vaccine [Source]. You might ask then, “How is the seasonal flu vaccine made?”

To start, the virus is developed inside a chick embryo for several weeks. When the virus is cultivated, it is de-activated by formaldehyde. Formaldehyde, used as a disinfectant and a preservative, is a known carcinogen [Source]. The dead virus is then preserved with something called thimerosol, which is 49 percent mercury by weight.

Mercury is one of the most toxic heavy metals we are exposed to. Some vaccines carry up to 25 mcg of mercury, deposited right into your bloodstream; This is over 250 times the Environmental Protection Agency’s safety limit [Source]. If you or your child get multiple inoculations at one time, this number increases. Mercury is a neurotoxin (it damages our brain and nervous system), and mercury contamination is the reason why pregnant women are advised to stay away from eating canned tuna fish. If pregnant women are not supposed to eat canned tuna, why are they supposed to be among the first in line to be immunized? According to the CDC, it is not safe to vaccinate children under 6 months of age…Why is it then, that a developing fetus is to be exposed to the vaccine through their mother?

In addition to formaldehyde and mercury, the vaccine cocktail includes aluminum (another neurotoxic metal linked to Alzheimer’s); ethylene glycol (anti-freeze); detergents; Octoxinol 9 (a vaginal spermicide…now what the heck is that doing in there??); and others [Source]. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), this is safe.

The swine flu is said to be more contagious than the seasonal flu because we have not yet developed a natural immunity to it. I believe this to be a very relevant argument, and ultimately, any decision is about intelligently weighing the odds. If your informed decision is not to take the vaccine, consider the following: In contracting this infection, we have two routes of entry: The mouth and the nose. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly and don’t eat, put your fingers in your mouth or nose before washing your hands. When you’re done eating, tasting your fingers, or picking your nose (gross!), wash your hands again. These preventative measures protect us AND those around us to the spread of disease. In short, I believe we can control these routes of entry to a large extent. To the extent that we cannot, your best line of defense against any illness is this: Your Immune System.

Your immune system is what recognizes foreign pathogens, or disease, and attacks them. If our immune system is strong enough, it will protect us even if we do come in contact with H1N1. For the next little while, I want to you to think of your immune system as your own personal Superhero. I’m serious. Picture your immune system wearing blue tights and a cape and stuff.

Without further delay, here is the plan for Immune System Boot Camp…

Natural Ways to Protect Yourself and Boost Your Immunity:

-As mentioned above, maintain good hygiene. Wash your hands, don’t share drinks, foods, or cosmetics, and be careful of where you eat.

-Get lots of sleep. Don’t push your boundaries. The body needs 7-8 hours to function properly, but it may need more if it is under any kind of stress. As much as your schedule allows it, go to sleep early and take naps if you feel you need it.

-Take some vitamin D. Vitamin D is an excellent immune system tonic and it is no coincidence that the flu season coincides perfectly with darker days. We get vitamin D from direct sunlight, and in North America, a large part of our year is spent indoors, deficient of this healthy supply of vitamin D. I was talking to a coworker of mine who grew up in India who remarked that there is no “flu season” there. India is hot and sunny and people spend a lot of time outdoors. I also noticed this “no flu season” phenomenon when I was living in Ecuador, where the sun is also strong. In addition to supplements, food sources of vitamin D include cod liver oil or other oily fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines.

-Reduce your sugar intake. There are many reasons to reduce (or eliminate) pop, sugary cereals, white bread, and candy from your diet, but the main reason here is because sugar depresses your immune system. Sugar and refined flours also feed the bad bacteria in our gut, which can dominate over the immune supporting good bacteria.

-On a related note, help populate the good bacteria in your system by getting regular doses of live lactobacillus bacteria in the form of good quality, organic yogurt or kefir, or from an acidophilus supplement (the refrigerated brands are best) found at health food stores.

-Get your Vitamin C! Long known as a disease-fighter, Vitamin C is abundant in many raw fruits and vegetables, and is easy to obtain from the diet. Include well-washed, uncooked fruits and veggies in your diet every day, and your body will respond positively.

-Garlic and Oregano are amazing and powerful natural antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory substances. I can’t stress how useful these are in stopping incoming illnesses! Whenever I feel like I’m coming down with something, I’ll take either a dropperful of oregano oil (found at most health food stores) in water or just simply chop up a fresh clove of garlic and swallow it with water (no chewing required!). As an option, follow either of these methods with a good warm salt water gargle to take the taste out of your mouth and further inhibit the growth of bacteria. Please note: Garlic is best taken on an empty stomach so that you don’t get stinky garlic burps. I tend to take mine 2-3 hours after dinner, before bed. Check out how holistic nutritionist Meghan Telpner takes her garlic!

-Follow Dr.Weil’s advice and look into astragalus.

Now is the time to take extra special and loving care of yourselves. Drink lots of water, eat good quality food, and get lots of rest. If you can’t resist following the news stories, remember to take them with a grain of salt….and then gargle with it

I wish you all the best health! Spread the word!

Take care,

Alex

Ps. For another great article, please check out what Dr.Elson Haas has to say.