by Vicki Burg | Aug 18, 2018 | Health
When spending the week/ weekend doing things you love that fills your soul and helps you refocus your mind, life is good. Fishing, swimming, or just simply relaxing, it doesn’t matter. Yes, kids will still fight like normal, whine and argue but what we focus on is the smiles, the giggles, the laughter and the memories that comes from everyone being completely relaxed and having fun. No agenda, no plans, just being. I think this breathes a lot of fresh air and soul building into all of our bodies. It is much needed in this technical, tv watching, hustle of life. It is still the simple things that fill the soul. The friendly glances with a giant smile on the kids face, the warm smile or grin from your spouse which all show the true and genuine comfort of just being. It is moments like these that we treasure and our children will always remember. They don’t remember the fighting or the arguing, they remember the laughter, the joy and the fun.
I often wonder why people don’t do more of this. This is something that doesn’t cost money and can actually be a fraction of time or your whole weekend. You get to decide how much time your body and soul is needing to recharge. I feel that recharging should be a daily goal along with a longer weekend recharge. For me, a daily recharge is usually coffee on the porch with a good book or my journal. Sometimes it is a late night motivational video in my office when the house is quiet and everyone is sleeping peacefully. Everyone recharges differently, maybe yours is a run, a hike or a great movie. It doesn’t matter what it is, all that matters is that you are honoring that recharge. It makes the weeks, months and years long if you skip this very important part. Your vehicle cannot run on empty and neither can you. Fill your soul daily with little things. It will recharge your body, mind and soul, I promise!
by Vicki Burg | Aug 2, 2018 | Health
Do you ever look at the back of the shampoo bottle and research those ingredients? This is a loaded question for all of us. The average woman applies approximately 168 chemicals to her body daily. Some women are even as high as 515 chemicals a day. Most people are not aware of the dangers of this. We think we are using safe products that are keeping us looking younger, getting rid of the cellulite, the stretch marks and covering up those big old bags under our eyes to hide the lack of sleep we are getting. Well, I am here to help you understand that those products are often filled with the most dangerous chemicals and applied to the largest organ on our body, our skin. It only takes 26 seconds for the chemicals in your skin care products to enter your bloodstream. Here is a list of the top 10 chemicals to stay away from;
- DEA (Diethanolmine) – found in over 600 home and body care products and is a possible carcinogenic to humans.
- Nonylphenols – used in cleaners and shown to disrupt hormones
- Petrolatum – found in lotions and lip products – it is a known carcinogen and endocrine disruptor.
- Triclosan (abbreviated TCS) – it is found in antibacterial soaps, hand sanitizers and also in toothpaste. It has been found to affect the male and female hormones and also has an impact on the thyroid. They have also found that it may contribute to antibiotic resistant germs.
- Propylene Glycol – found in cleaners, shampoos, lotions, deodorants and toothpastes. It is linked to kidney disease, liver disease, dermatitis and can damage the cell membranes causing rashes and dry skin.
- Parabens – used as a preservative and germicide. It is found in skin care products, lotions, creams and deodorants. It is often found in breast cancer tumors and is banned in Japan and Sweden.
- Fragrance – found in soaps, cleaners, perfumes, lotions and shampoos. Chemicals found under the name fragrance can lead to loss of muscle control, brain damage, headaches, memory loss, speech, hearing and vision problems.
- Alcohol – most mouthwashes have a higher alcohol content than most alcoholic beverages. It is linked to cancer of the mouth, tongue and throat.
- Phthalates – found in cleaners, lotions, body sprays and deodorants. It is a known carcinogen and has a long list of health ills ranging from infertility, trouble losing weight, birth defects and yes even certain cancers.
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) – found in shampoos, soaps, conditioners, cleaners and toothpaste. It is often used to degrease engines and floors. It is banned in Europe and Canada and can cause hair loss, cataracts and rashes.
I know this all sounds overwhelming and I remember thinking, Where do I start? I started in the easiest place first. My bathroom, which contained my lotions, perfumes and body care products and then I continued to eliminate these chemicals from our home one by one. It is a slow process but the wonderful effects you start to feel will change your life forever and could change the course of your family and friends lives as well. Now is the time and you have a choice. Know better, do better. Choosing Young Living helps me to know we are living without all of these terrible chemicals in our home. It all adds up over the course of a lifetime!
by Vicki Burg | Apr 26, 2018 | Health
Have you ever thought about all the choices that you make in a day, a week or a month?
We make choices every day based on the food we want to eat, the clothes we want to wear and the places we want to shop. We get to choose what we want. We all love having choices but often times don’t realize how much our choices are making an impact on ourselves and our families.
What did you eat today? Did you choose processed foods because they are quick and easy (I get it, I promise) or did you choose wholesome good foods cooked from scratch? The choice can be simple, but it is never easy. We know the difference between healthy food that nourishes our bodies and the junk food that just gets us through to the next meal or afternoon slump at our desks. Do you know what was in your lunch, your beverage, or your snack? When was the last time you looked at the back of a package of something you were going to purchase? Interestingly enough, I started looking at labels very carefully when our daughter was diagnosed with a severe dairy allergy. I started looking for the obvious, dairy. What I didn’t understand at first is that it is hidden under all different kinds of names. Wow, that was an eye opener!
The other thing I noticed as I was inspecting labels was some products had 8-10 ingredients listed and the same product but in a different brand had 4-5 ingredients. Why all the extra ingredients was my first question? Of course, the answer was quick. The more fillers they add, the cheaper it is to make. Basically, it isn’t even real food at that point, or have any nutritional value! As if that wasn’t bad enough, I learned that those “other” ingredients were really just a preservative to give food extra shelf life. Well, holy cow, I don’t have any desire for my loaf of bread to sit in my cabinet for 2 weeks and never even grow one speck of mold on it. Seriously, that is not food, that is just down right nasty. So, what the heck do we do? I know, it can be very overwhelming and difficult at times. We try to live by an 80/20 rule in our house. (Note, I said try!) I am a mom of 4, a wife and have a busy business, I don’t win all of the battles in this house. But I do the best I can for my family and to educate them on what to choose also.
We look at labels and pick the products with the least amount of ingredients in it. We try to stick with dye free products and try to cook from scratch as often as we can. The key point is education and moderation. If you don’t know what the product is and it is listed on products in your pantry, google it. Is it a cancer causing ingredient? (I promise they are out there and in a lot of our foods!) Is it a hormone disruptor? Or is it known to make us addicted to that particular product? Yes, they put all kinds of toxic and unnecessary ingredients in our food and most people don’t even know it! But remember, you have a choice!
Here are a few tips for the next time you are at the grocery store or preparing your grocery list:
- Check out the ingredients list on products you already have in your home and decide if you feel that product has any nutritional value, if not then limit the amount of times you purchase and consume this food.
- Walk around the perimeter of the grocery store. The perimeter is where they have the meat, fresh produce and dairy, these are usually the healthier options for all of us.
- DON’T go to the store hungry. Eat a little something on the way to the store, or shop after you have had a meal. You will be less impulsive and make healthier choices!
