I was watching the second Gasland on HBO, and around the same time received an email from Patagonia (one of my favorite sportswear stores) about this website that let’s you enter your zip code or city and it will give you a map of the the fracking zones in your area. For those of you in the Los Angeles area, they mention in the documentary that there is fracking in Baldwin Hills, so not even major cities prone to earthquakes are exempt from this dangerous practices that contaminates the water, air and causes earthquakes. Smart right?

Since I started my health journey, we buy water from Smart and Final because I didn’t trust the tap water. Paranoid maybe, until proven right. Hopefully one day soon, I will be able to afford a high end water filter. Hint, hint, family and friends this is going on my wedding registry.

Here is a map I made of LA:

Here is the website so you can map your own town:
http://earthjustice.org/features/campaigns/fracking-across-the-united-states?sssdmh=dm23.158284&utm;_source=patagonia

1. High alcohol consumption can lead to estrone dominance . Estrone is a form a estrogen that in excess can be dangerous for the breast and uterine cells, possibly leading to cancer. High estrone can also block the beneficial effects of estradiol, which includes a healthy sex drive, helps build healthy bones, good for cardiovascular health and your blood sugar balance, protecting your nerve cells, helping memory and your skin texture (Turner 70).

2. Consuming alcohol depletes your body of much need magnesium and B vitamins. Both these nutrients activate enzymes in the body which in involved in hundreds of reactions in the body. A deficiency in either of these nutrients can lead a host of symptoms difficult to diagnose (Dean 15).

3. Alcohol is acid forming and can negatively affect the pH of you body, increasing your risk for a large range of diseases. Alcohol is often consumed with large amounts of sugary mixers which are also acid forming and contain processed and potentially dangerous ingredients. Oftentimes alcohol is made from ingredients that can cause allergies, such as wheat which contains gluten in the case of beer, potato which is a nightshade in the case of vodka, and the wine making process uses eggs.

4. Your liver has enough work to do detoxing the air, heavy metals, pesticides from your food, chemicals in your shampoo and cleaning supplies. Drinking will make these things harder for your body to accomplish, which can cause problems of toxic overload from acne to cancer, or even chronic pain (Rogers 139).

5. It’s expensive. A mixed drink in LA can cost up to $12 to $15 dollars. The places to drink such as nightclubs and bars ask for $20 covers just to get in. A decent bottle of wine is over $15 at a grocery store and more around $30 at a nice restaurant if you order the cheapest one. Ask people why they don’t buy grass-fed chicken or organic vegetables and they will tell you it’s too expensive. I would argue the actual price of alcohol is more expensive, not to mention the hidden expenses of healthcare if your health is compromised.

Source:
The Magnesium Miracle by Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D.
Pain Free in 6 Weeks by Sherry A. Rogers, M .D.
The Hormone Diet by Natasha Turner, ND

1. Cook More

This is perhaps the most important rule. The less you eat out, where you don’t know the ingredients or the quality of your food, the better your health and the happier your wallet.

2 . Grow Food

I live in an apartment that doesn’t get much light, so this particularly hard for me to manage, but I’ve grown sprouts and kefir grains in my kitchen, which are both considered cheap superfoods. Every little bit helps cut costs.

3. Avoid Packages

Not only are packages wasteful, but they tend to contain processed food with too many ingredients. The bulk aisle has some great stuff, if you want something nonperishable. I tend to get my snacks for the movies here, which saves me a ton.

4. Make Your Own Ingredients

Make your own stock. I like to make bone broth. I’ve been using the tallow from the bone broth as my cooking oil, and it’s been saving me money on coconut oil. I get cheese, yogurt, and vinegar from my kefir. I also make my own spice blends with the help of a coffee grinder. Ferment your own soda, and then add it to your own sorbet or ice cream, made with a high speed blender. The possibilities are endless for delicious food made from scratch.

5. Eat Less Animal Products

High quality grass-fed meats, eggs, and milk are expensive. Wild caught fish more so. I’m not saying go vegan, but vegan meals tend to be cheaper. That said, don’t overindulge on the cheap carbohydrates, your health will suffer. Instead, try to eat more vegetables and salads.

Source:
Image: http://education-portal.com/articles/Career_Outlook_Good_for_Green_Jobs.html

Blackstrap Molasses GI 55

Black strap molasses is all the nutrition that was taken away from refining table sugar. It’s full of minerals and antioxidants. Not the biggest fan, as the flavor can easily overpower a recipe.

Maple Syrup GI 54

I prefer Organic Grade B Maple syrup, which is darker and has more minerals. I love the flavor of maple syrup, and use it frequently as the sweetener in homemade hot chocolate, and to glaze carrots and pecans.

Honey GI 50

Contains antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, enzymes, carbohydrates, and phytonutrients. Make sure it is raw and unprocessed, local if possible as quality can be an issue. I often use honey when baking paleo friendly desserts.

Cane Juice GI 43

It’s alkaline which is important for a lot of health reasons, and a good source of sugar and energy for athletes.

Barley Malt Syrup GI 42

I wasn’t going to include this because it contains gluten, but it is still considered a natural and healthy sweetener alternative. Made by soaking and sprouting barley to make malt, then combining it with more barley and cooking this mixture until the starch is turned into sugar. The mash is then strained and cooked down to syrup or dried into powder.

Dates (other forms are date paste, date sugar, and date syrup) GI 42

Date paste is just ground up dates. You can easily do this yourself if you only have whole dates available. This is another favorite of mine since it’s a whole food I can get at my farmer’s market. It’s naturally found in nature and still contains it’s fiber and antioxidants. Dates come in different varieties that offer different flavors profiles, however most dates taste very similar to caramel, which is great for anyone looking for a dairy free alternative caramel flavor.

Coconut Palm Sugar GI 35

Also called coconut nectar sugar or coconut sugar. It is made from the sap of coconut palms. A new favorite among health nuts, like myself, soon to replace agave in popularity. Agave has a low GI, but is high in fructose which can be harmful to your health. Coconut sugar tastes and looks similar to brown sugar. I usually use this when altering a recipe that calls for brown and/or white sugar.

Stevia Extract GI 0

This sweetener doesn’t feed candida or yeast. Recommended for The Body Ecology Diet, and another favorite among health nuts. Be careful of quality, some Stevia products have some unhealthy ingredients added to them. You can also try making your own extract with vodka and stevia leaves.

Source:
http://www.sugar-and-sweetener-guide.com/glycemic-index-for-sweeteners.html

http://www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm

Image: http://www.coconutworld.biz/

Download Chart Here:
http://whole9life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/whole9-seasonal-produce-2012.pdf

It can be hard to find a comfortable ergonomic position to read in. I recently purchased the Levo Ebook & Tablet Platform Kit and the LEVO Hands Free Book Stand at the recommendation of my physical therapist and have been very happy with the results.

The stand is easily adjusts for height, and the angles are easy to change, so I have no trouble getting it positioned correctly. Although this will keep my neck in the correct position, you do need your hands to turn the page, which may affect your neck depending on your injury. My arms feel the best when I use it for movies and TV shows. For me, any way that I can improve the ergonomic setup of my home, I feel adds up. This device can be used for the couch, a reclining chair, and the bed. The base of the stand is on wheels but is extremely heavy to prevent the stand from tipping over. Although I’ve only used it for the iPad, it can handle hardcover books, magazines, and other tablet devices.