The Invigorator: Homemade Natural Energy Booster Drink

Insert a burpee-double-back-flip right here. You’re about to be invigorated.

Both 5 Hour Energy and Monster Energy Drinks have been getting some really bad publicity. I’ve never taken either and don’t intend to, yet I’ve always been curious about what natural, non-caffeinated food sources offer an excellent energy boost.

After a bit of research, I took my daily ritual of “fresh lemon juice in warm water” up 15 notches by adding one extra ingredient:

“The Invigorator” Drink

1/2 cup lukewarm waterfresh squeezed juice from 1/4 lemon3 dashes of cayenne (red) pepper

Oooo-weeee! This is a seriously invigorating drink. Yes, it is hot. You may feel like a mini thermonuclear explosion went off inside your body, but the heat wanes pretty fast while the invigorating body slam of energizification remains. You can increase the powerfulness of The Invigorator by taking a daily dose of B12, or by simply eating healthy foods that contain B Vitamins.

B12: It’s found in meat, fish and dairy products. Just please don’t get your fish from the Pacific (the Japan Fukushima situation affecting the Pacific ocean is not improving — it’s getting worse). A deficiency in B12 can result in weakness and fatigue, so keep your food choices in check! Sidenote: My hubs (after working himself almost to the point of death and running on 1-2 hours of sleep for about a month) used B12 as a tool to recover from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

“Vitamin B12 is also used to enhance mood, increase energy, improve memory, stimulate the immune system, promote healthy sleep, and slow the aging process.” (via About.com) Say whaaat? It slows the aging process? You know you want some of that.

Cayenne Pepper: Not only does it slap you with a natural rush of energy & alertness, and aid in weight loss through its metabolic effects, cayenne pepper’s other health benefits are pretty dang impressive.

Warm Lemon Water: Yup, lemon water also aids in weight loss and pimp slaps you with energy, but would you also care to detox? Wanna boost your immune system? Or how about reduced blemishes on your skin? Yes, you need to be drinking the warm lemon water (on an empty stomach). Here’s more lemon water benefits to knock your socks off.

Now drink up, my friends! Because ain’t nobody got time to be feelin’ all sluggish ‘n stuff.

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Colds, Flu, Bacteria and Viruses: Natural Remedies I’m Using For My Family

I’ve seen no less than 6 news headlines in the last 24 hours about evil the flu virus suddenly hitting the nation hard. Huh? This could very well be media hype created by Big Pharma to wanna stick it to you with their flu vaccine (which I will NOT get, nor have I ever had) — that choice is yours.

…but I wanted to take a sec to share with you how the Greedy Family and I are fighting back this season to bolster our immune systems to thwart colds, flu & stomach viruses, and other beastly forms of sickening misery.

Vitamin C

In addition to all of us taking those tasty gummy multi-vitamins (because gummies are fun-er), my two youngest gremlins get two, 250mg tablets daily (500mg total) of the Thompson Vitamin C chewables. As for the teenagers and us adults, we take 1,000mg Vitamin C. If a cold creeps in, we kick up the dosage to 3-4 times the normal amount. Vitamin C boosts the immune system, but if your stomach is a receptacle for all things sugary, you’re doing yourself an injustice. Sugar suppresses the immune system. Do the right thing and limit sugar intake, especially when you’re sick.

Colloidal Silver

You’ll never get me to stop talking to you about this. With over 6 months of regular daily use now, I’m a live-action colloidal silver testimony. The smaller kids get 1/2 teaspoon daily, and the greedy-teens, plus me and the hubs get 1 teaspoon daily. If a cold is knocking at our door, we increase the dosage to 3-4 times daily instead of once per day. Hold the liquid under your tongue for 30 seconds to encourage the silver ions to absorb into your bloodstream. If you’re suffering from a stomach ailment (virus, food poisoning, etc), swallow the liquid right away, preferably on an empty stomach and take every 1-2 hours.

Here’s the things about the silver. You HAVE to stay on top of your dosages and be consistent for it serve you justice. NO missed dosages or being lazy about taking it on time. See also Colloidal Silver Facts Benefits and Risks.

Hand Washing

Welp, you know the basic rule: wash your hands after you’ve graced the bathroom with the presence of your bare-assed butt cheeks. But also get your kids to wash their hands immediately when they come home after school (school time is a breeding ground for germs and stomach viruses) or anytime you and your family come in from being out of the house all day. I chatting with the kids’ pediatrician last year, and his exact words were “some of these viruses can be avoided just by washing your hands frequently”. A good immune system is the icing on the cake, of course, so please do your Vitamin C and Colloidal Silver as well.

Vinegar

Vinegar’s acidic nature is what makes it powerful against a host of bacterial and viral pathogens. In between your regular bathroom scrubbings, on a daily basis, spray down the toilet seats, bathroom fixtures, bathroom door knobs, etc with vinegar. Let it sit for a few minutes before wiping. You can also spray down kitchen counters ‘n such with vinegar. It’s cheap. It’s natural. It’s non-toxic. And it works.

So there ya have it! Our daily routine. With 6 people in my family, and because of the potential for sickness to spread so easily in my house, I have to be extremely diligent about doing all I can maintain their health. I can’t remember the last time any of us took an antibiotic — it’s definitely been at least 2 years. These remedies I’ve listed CAN and DO WORK if you use them consistently and in the manner I’ve outline. So give it a go! And please, if you have other tips, please share them in the comments. Stay well, my friends! XO

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Uncle Ben's Whole Grain Fast & Natural Instant Brown Rice Review

The description of Uncle Ben's Whole Grain Fast & Natural Instant Brown Rice reads, "now you can get great tasting 100% natural whole grain brown rice in just 10 minutes." Well, one thing I love is quick and easy, healthy meals, so I was all over this and bought a 14 ounce box for $2.19.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 1/4 cup dry (48 grams - 1 cup cooked)
Calories: 170
Total Fat: 1.5 grams, 2%
Saturated Fat: 0%
Sodium: 0%
Carbohydrates: 36 grams
Fiber: 2 grams, 8%
Sugars: 0 grams
Protein: 4 grams

Well, they aren't lying. The directions are basically to add rice to water, boil, then turn the heat down & simmer for 10 minutes. This produced a fluffy, soft rice - not much different from white rice actually.

Each 1 cup (cooked) serving of Uncle Ben's Whole Grain Fast & Natural Instant Brown Rice provides 170 calories, 1.5 grams of total fat, 2 grams of fiber (8% of the daily value) and 4 grams of protein. The ingredients list simply states, whole grain paraboiled rice.

As I mentioned before, a 14 ounce box, which holds about 2 cups of rice, cost a little over $2.00. I liked it, my family liked it, and I would definitely buy this again. Minute Instant Brown Rice (Review) is also really good. It shouldn't be too hard to mess up rice (although, you never know with some companies), but if you're pressed for dinner prep time, then Uncle Ben's got your back.

{Website: Uncle Ben's}

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Introducing The “Natural Health Weekend” Series

Hey guys. Welcome to Natural Health Weekend! The Greedy Family and I have been using natural remedies for several years now. My research on alternative, natural treatments to resolve and/or prevent the woes that ail us has amped up. My zeal for natural health is causing me to gain a greater level of knowledge on the subject, but it would be insane for me to keep all this info to myself.

Yet  I encourage you to NOT follow my advice and recommendations blindly. Please take time to carefully consider the topics I present each weekend, do additional research on your own when you feel it’s necessary, then a make comfortable, informed decision on whether the treatments and methods I discuss are right for you and your family.

This One Thing Is Certain

Big Pharma is NOT in business to permanently heal us. This would present the issue of a one-time pharma customer who doesn’t have to come crawling back to re-purchase their products. Big Pharma is in business to make money. The majority of products they invent are designed to manage illness, not cure it. It seems every time I blink my eyes, a new pill or treatment has sprung up to “help” us.

I’m not 100% opposed to pharmaceuticals (I’ll take a pharma solution only when absolutely necessary, like an emergency tenatus shot, m’kay?), but my family’s go-to, primary source for treatment is always natural first. If you take the time to explore, you will find that there are age-old, proven, natural treatments for many of the same ailments pharma and other medical treatments are promoted.

There is no real money to be had in natural treatment by the conventional medicine gods. Why? Because they are just that — natural! On some levels, the FDA is in bed with the medical industry (crazy lady conspiracy theory alert!) with the goal to keep their cash cow thriving. Information on natural treatments is many times buried, un-promoted by the media or passed off as quackery. There is also the looming threat of ever-changing FDA rules that seek to limit our access to natural treatments.

What You Can Look Forward To In This Series

The spotlight on natural treatments.Product reviews.Zero-cost tips to help you naturally manage or resolve your issues.News on Big Pharma folly.The official Natural Health Reference Page here on Yum Yucky…and don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for upcoming Natural Health vlogs!

Get ready to be educated, informed, and empowered to take greater control of your health. I can’t wait to get this thing busting wide open at the seams! I was initially going to start the first topic today, but I felt I owed you guys a better detailed, deeper explanation behind the importance of this series. So there ya have it!

…and now in other news…

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Put It In Your Food Trap! Zevia Natural Soda, Barbara’s Baked Cheese Puffs, and Quaker Hearts Cereal

…but before we get into this round of featured Food Trap selections, I first need to bitch to you excessively about the Attune Mint Chocolate Probiotic Bar. I drove 35 freaking miles round trip because the Attune store locator said the Bar was carried at this hippie-ish natural food store that’s real out of the way ‘n such. So I drive really far (on my lunch break, at that) and the store doesn’t have the damn Bars. Attune Chocolate is highly delicious and probiotically beneficial. I’ve been wanting another taste for close to a year now, but I’m done searching high and low, and racking up vehicle mileage in an expedition to find this elusive bionic chocolate bar. Yes, you can order it online, but you also have to pay a premium for heat-sensitive shipping. I’m too cheap for that. Oh, and somebody owes me gas money.

Zevia Ginger Ale Natural Soda: Lemme just break it down to you like it says on the can: “Zevia contains no sugar and no calories. It’s made with 100% natural ingredients, including Stevia, a botanical sweetener used around the world for hundreds of years. It’s what soda should always have been.” Nice! It also contains the sugar alcohol erythritol, which doesn’t effect blood sugar and is no big deal to me (unless you get gassy from it). Zevia is decent tasting. It reminds me of store brand ginger ale — not terrible but not the #1 best ginger ale either. I detected a slight aftertaste after slurping a few gulps, but still definitely worth trying if you can find it at the store. I also peeped Cola, Orange and Grape flavors of Zevia.

No caffeine, no gluten, zero net carbs. Zero calories and fat, Sodium 20mg, Sugars 0, Erythritol 7g, Protein 0g

Barbara’s Baked Cheese Puffs: It’s a cheese puff. How fancy could it be? Welp, the natural cheesiness really shines through. And it’s made with cornmeal, which gives it a pleasant texture and taste that’s NOT like the others. Consider it a healthier side item to eat alongside a sammich or while couch-assing. Barbara’s Baked Cheese Puffs have no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives, and no hydrogenated oils either, so it empowers you to get puffy with no guilt. Unfortunately, I allowed Greedy Kid #3 to run off with the bag after dinner. I trusted him. But by bed time the whole dang thing was empty. Yes, I’m a terrible mother for insufficiently monitoring the child’s greediness. Just go on and say it, why don’t ya.

150 Cal for 1.5 cups, Fat Cal 90, Total Fat 10g, Sodium 200mg, Carbs 14g, Fiber 1g, Sugars 1g, Protein 2g

Quaker Hearts Cereal: This one can be accurately described as “fake Alpha-Bit’s cereal for grown-ass folks and kids who eat too much damn sugary shit”. It has pretty much the same feel, size and visual texture of the infamous Alpha-Bit, but with a tad less sugar and shaped like little hearts instead of bits of broken off vocabulary pieces. The taste is highly Alpha-Bitsy with the perfect low-key touch of sweetness to encourage continued cereal whoredom to prevail. I freaking love it, but still not able to find Hearts Cereal consistently stocked at every store I lurk at. That’s a low down dirty shame.

110 Cal for 3/4 cup, Fat Cal 15, Total Fat 1.5g, Sodium 160mg, Carbs 23g, Fiber 3g, Sugars 6g, Protein 2g

Well that’s it for now, so go on and start chewing on something. I’m really liking this new Put It In Your Food Trap feature. Definitely more to come!

Oh, and one more thing: Diets In Review just did an article reviewing the meal planning site, FoodOnTheTable.com. There’s a few quotes from me about the usefulness of Food On The Table, so check out the article to see if it’s something that might be helpful in your own meal planning.

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Grab My FREE eBook! Yum Yucky’s Guide To Homeopathic Remedies and Natural Cures for Colds, Sinus and Allergy Woes

Well, howdie-dooo! I’m so excited about this, guys. Go on and snag a FREE copy of my eBook, Yum Yucky’s Guide to Homeopathic Remedies and Natural Cures for Colds, Sinus and Allergy Woes.

I know that title is a mouthful, but this is a really important subject. The weather is getting cold and germs are on the hunt. We’ve gotta stay healthy so we can continue to be bad asses and plug away at our goals with minimal downtime from sickness.

My family has been using homeopathy and natural alternatives for several years now, and it WORKS!

This is what I share in the eBook:

What is Homeopathy?How it’s helped my entire family and why it can help you, too.Why it’s more effective than traditional western medicine.Details on the specific products my family uses.

For those of you who are wondering about the Sugar Beast eBook release, yes, that’s still on the way. But the Guide to Homeopathic Remedies and Natural Cures is here for you right now, just in time for the icky season of colds, coughs and other germy infestations. I hope you enjoy it!

Click HERE to snag the free eBook.

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Van's Natural Foods Belgian Waffles (Multigrain)

I'm working on converting the family to using food products with a better ingredients list, and more whole grain products. Their chief complaint is with the taste, and while there have been a few products that I'm not allowed to bring back in the house (the kids don't like whole wheat bread with seeds/ grains visible), there has also been quite a few successes - including Van's Natural Foods Multigrain Belgian Waffles.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 2 waffles (76 grams)
Calories: 190
Total Fat: 7 grams, 11%
Saturated Fat: 0.5 grams, 3%
Sodium: 330 mg, 14%
Carbohydrates: 32 grams
Fiber: 6 grams, 23%
Sugar: 3 grams
Protein: 3 grams

A Belgian waffle is identified by its larger size, lighter batter and higher grid pattern which forms deep pockets and has larger squares - according to Wikipedia. This Van's variety seemed to meet all those criteria, but it also had a darker than usual brown color which was a little off putting. I decided to put these waffles to a kids taste test with 2 boys & 2 girls - Justin, Hunter, Tasha & Alexa - all of whom were slightly reluctant because of the color (a darker color than appears on the packaging I might add).

The waffles were topped with syrup and bananas, and they all liked it. Hunter & Tasha liked it the most - I believe the word yummy escaped their lips between bites . Justin, the oldest, thought it was just okay - but that's high praise coming from a slightly moody pre-teen. Alexa liked it the least, but she's also the youngest & the pickiest eater - she was turned off by a square waffle .

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When I tried them, I have to say they were pretty darn good too. Slightly crunchy, because that's how my toaster oven does it! Move over Eggos - Van's Belgian Waffles are about to become a main stay in this house.

Each serving of 2 waffles provides 190 calories, 7 grams of total fat, 0.5 grams of which is saturated (11% & 3% of the daily value), 330 mg of sodium (14% of the DV), 6 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugars and 3 grams of protein. Less calories than Van's Natural Foods Organic Soy Flax Waffles, but a few more than Kashi GoLean Waffles (Original), Kashi Heart to Heart Honey Oat Waffles and Nature's Path Organic Optimum Power Waffles Review.

A box with 6 Van's Natural Foods Multigrain Belgian Waffles cost $3.29 which is a little more expensive than some other brands, but since we only eat waffles once or twice a week, it was really worth it. In addition, there are quite a few reviews of waffles that are delicious and have either organic or have an all natural ingredients list and the same or less calories than ... other brands.

{Website: Van's Natural Foods}

View the original article here

Van's Natural Foods Belgian Waffles (Multigrain)

I'm working on converting the family to using food products with a better ingredients list, and more whole grain products. Their chief complaint is with the taste, and while there have been a few products that I'm not allowed to bring back in the house (the kids don't like whole wheat bread with seeds/ grains visible), there has also been quite a few successes - including Van's Natural Foods Multigrain Belgian Waffles.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 2 waffles (76 grams)
Calories: 190
Total Fat: 7 grams, 11%
Saturated Fat: 0.5 grams, 3%
Sodium: 330 mg, 14%
Carbohydrates: 32 grams
Fiber: 6 grams, 23%
Sugar: 3 grams
Protein: 3 grams

A Belgian waffle is identified by its larger size, lighter batter and higher grid pattern which forms deep pockets and has larger squares - according to Wikipedia. This Van's variety seemed to meet all those criteria, but it also had a darker than usual brown color which was a little off putting. I decided to put these waffles to a kids taste test with 2 boys & 2 girls - Justin, Hunter, Tasha & Alexa - all of whom were slightly reluctant because of the color (a darker color than appears on the packaging I might add).

The waffles were topped with syrup and bananas, and they all liked it. Hunter & Tasha liked it the most - I believe the word yummy escaped their lips between bites . Justin, the oldest, thought it was just okay - but that's high praise coming from a slightly moody pre-teen. Alexa liked it the least, but she's also the youngest & the pickiest eater - she was turned off by a square waffle .

sponsor

When I tried them, I have to say they were pretty darn good too. Slightly crunchy, because that's how my toaster oven does it! Move over Eggos - Van's Belgian Waffles are about to become a main stay in this house.

Each serving of 2 waffles provides 190 calories, 7 grams of total fat, 0.5 grams of which is saturated (11% & 3% of the daily value), 330 mg of sodium (14% of the DV), 6 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugars and 3 grams of protein. Less calories than Van's Natural Foods Organic Soy Flax Waffles, but a few more than Kashi GoLean Waffles (Original), Kashi Heart to Heart Honey Oat Waffles and Nature's Path Organic Optimum Power Waffles Review.

A box with 6 Van's Natural Foods Multigrain Belgian Waffles cost $3.29 which is a little more expensive than some other brands, but since we only eat waffles once or twice a week, it was really worth it. In addition, there are quite a few reviews of waffles that are delicious and have either organic or have an all natural ingredients list and the same or less calories than ... other brands.

{Website: Van's Natural Foods}

View the original article here

Van's Natural Foods Belgian Waffles (Multigrain)

I'm working on converting the family to using food products with a better ingredients list, and more whole grain products. Their chief complaint is with the taste, and while there have been a few products that I'm not allowed to bring back in the house (the kids don't like whole wheat bread with seeds/ grains visible), there has also been quite a few successes - including Van's Natural Foods Multigrain Belgian Waffles.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 2 waffles (76 grams)
Calories: 190
Total Fat: 7 grams, 11%
Saturated Fat: 0.5 grams, 3%
Sodium: 330 mg, 14%
Carbohydrates: 32 grams
Fiber: 6 grams, 23%
Sugar: 3 grams
Protein: 3 grams

A Belgian waffle is identified by its larger size, lighter batter and higher grid pattern which forms deep pockets and has larger squares - according to Wikipedia. This Van's variety seemed to meet all those criteria, but it also had a darker than usual brown color which was a little off putting. I decided to put these waffles to a kids taste test with 2 boys & 2 girls - Justin, Hunter, Tasha & Alexa - all of whom were slightly reluctant because of the color (a darker color than appears on the packaging I might add).

The waffles were topped with syrup and bananas, and they all liked it. Hunter & Tasha liked it the most - I believe the word yummy escaped their lips between bites . Justin, the oldest, thought it was just okay - but that's high praise coming from a slightly moody pre-teen. Alexa liked it the least, but she's also the youngest & the pickiest eater - she was turned off by a square waffle .

sponsor

When I tried them, I have to say they were pretty darn good too. Slightly crunchy, because that's how my toaster oven does it! Move over Eggos - Van's Belgian Waffles are about to become a main stay in this house.

Each serving of 2 waffles provides 190 calories, 7 grams of total fat, 0.5 grams of which is saturated (11% & 3% of the daily value), 330 mg of sodium (14% of the DV), 6 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugars and 3 grams of protein. Less calories than Van's Natural Foods Organic Soy Flax Waffles, but a few more than Kashi GoLean Waffles (Original), Kashi Heart to Heart Honey Oat Waffles and Nature's Path Organic Optimum Power Waffles Review.

A box with 6 Van's Natural Foods Multigrain Belgian Waffles cost $3.29 which is a little more expensive than some other brands, but since we only eat waffles once or twice a week, it was really worth it. In addition, there are quite a few reviews of waffles that are delicious and have either organic or have an all natural ingredients list and the same or less calories than ... other brands.

{Website: Van's Natural Foods}

View the original article here

Weight Loss $$$ - Win The Weight (new) Natural Weight Loss!!!

Hottest New Weight Loss 2010. The Most Powerful And Unique Guide To Lose Weight Naturally Using Special Step-by-Step Method by Dr John Goodman.

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Superior natural weight loss aid - improves effectiveness of any diet

Perfect for people with little to no success with diets and who want to get significantly more out of their weight loss efforts. Videos on how to use acupressure for weight loss. High conversions on targeted traffic and a generous commission (65%).

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