Natural Girl Diary Blog

Detox for Life

5/15/2018

There are a handful of books you read in your lifetime that are truly transformative ...
this is definitely one of them!

Filled with paradigm-shifting health information and gorgeous recipes that never bore the tastebuds, applying the knowledge in Detox for Life can reset your health and shift your body into experiencing vitality once again.

People who have followed the protocols outlined in the book have experienced better, deeper sleep, increased energy, weight loss, and so much more. Testimonials include healing and recovery from toxic chemcial exposure, migranes, autoimmune disorders, inflammatory conditions, digestive issues–the list goes on and on.

The expert guidance is provided by Dr. Dan Nuzum who was featured on the global Truth About Cancer documentary series. Dr Nuzum holds 7 PhDs and 3 Masters degerees in various medical fields. He is a world renowned toxicologist and one of the top five formulators of natural health products and supplements in the world.

People flock to him from around the globe to finally diagnose and heal from conditions that other doctors have given up on or say cannot be cured. As one of the lucky people who has had the chance to work with him, my healing from toxic black mold and chemical exposure is one of the testimonials in the book.

I am so very blessed to have found my way to this man and his life changing information, supplements, and dietary protocols.

If you are living with a chronic health issue or just plain fatigue from getting older and the stress of daily life, do yourself a HUGE favor.

Get this book, implement the protocols, and feel the results for yourself –

Because you deserve to live in a body that feels AMAZING!

To your health,

Garlic Soup - the Ultimate Cold & Flu Bomb

1/9/2017

This healing recipe is a true lifesaver; I have already made it several times this fall and winter and you'll want to know why.

While friends around me suffered with severe cold & flu symptoms for up to 8 weeks and made multiple trips to the doctor's office, I was able to heal my symptoms in a matter of days.

Here's Why:

Garlic not only increases antioxidant levels in the body, it is proven to be 100 times more effective than 2 common antibiotics AND restores health in a fraction of the time.
(Read more about the research on garlic being more powerful than antibiotics Here.)

If I even felt "on the edge" of cruddy, I would make up a batch. Once you experience this medicinal soup for the powerhouse that it is, you won't let the recipe out of your kitchen!

Garlic soup- Serves 4

26 garlic cloves (unpeeled)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) organic butter (grass fed)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/2 cup fresh ginger
2 1/4 cups sliced onions
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
26 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup coconut milk
3 1/2 cups organic vegetable broth
4 lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 350F. Place 26 garlic cloves in small glass baking dish. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and toss to coat. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake until garlic is golden brown and tender, about 45 minutes. Cool. Squeeze garlic between fingertips to release cloves. Transfer cloves to small bowl.

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, thyme, ginger and cayenne powder and cook until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Add roasted garlic and 26 raw garlic cloves and cook 3 minutes. Add vegetable broth; cover and simmer until garlic is very tender, about 20 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to saucepan; add coconut milk and bring to simmer. Season with sea salt and pepper for flavour.

Squeeze juice of 1 lemon wedge into each bowl and serve.

Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Garlic Power!!!

This recipe is from the website Complete Health and Happiness if you'd like to read more about it there.

In Empowered Wellness,

Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies

12/5/2016

These cookies are gluten free, dairy free, egg free and white sugar free. Now, no one with food allergies is left out of the fun and deliciousness of the season!

Ingredients

2 & 1/2 cups plus 1 & 1/4 tsp. gluten free baking mix (or flour)
1 cup coconut palm sugar (or light brown sugar)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup Spectrum Organic shortening
1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
5 Tablespoons (non-dairy) milk of choice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix all dry ingredients together.
Add shortening and molasses. If you don’t have a pastry cutter, use butter knives in each hand and move them in opposite directions, until the shortening is cut into smaller and smaller chunks. You can also use forks in a similar manner.
When the mixture looks crumbly, it’s time to add the milk. Start with 5 Tablespoons and stir mixture with a large spoon. If it still seems too dry, add more milk, one Tablespoon at at a time. I only stir it for 30 seconds or so, until dough is beginning to stick together a little but is still somewhat crumbly. Then I roll up my sleeves and mix thoroughly with my (very clean and pre-washed!) hands. When you have an actual dough, divide it in two.
Place a baking mat, a sheet of parchment, or baking paper on a counter or large cutting board. Place one ball of dough in the center of it and place plastic wrap on top so that your rolling pin doesn’t stick to it. Now roll out the dough until it’s about 1/4 inch thick. Peel off the plastic wrap and save it for the rest of the dough.
Once the shapes are cut and excess dough is peeled away, lift the baking mat or parchment off the counter top or cutting board and place onto a cookie sheet
Bake cookies in the preheated oven for about 6 to 8 minutes. In my oven, 6 and a half minutes is perfect for a moist and chewy cookie. If you like a little more ”snap” to your cookie, then go for 8 minutes. But, because everyone’s oven is different, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on them from 6 minutes on. When they’re done, allow them to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Even if you don't have any food allergies, your body will appreciate the extra loving care that went into each healthy ingredient used in this recipe.

Enjoy!

3 Scrumptious Treats, 3 Fall Flavors: Pumpkins, Apples & Cranberries

10/25/2016

It's the season when pumpkin spiced everything takes over the country. It's also the time of year when apple pies, crisps and warm cider make their rounds. And from now until early December, cranberries are in stock in grocery stores.

To help you get into the spirit of the season, here are 3 tried and true treats that both kids and grown ups enjoy.

Warm Pumpkin Spice "Cocoa" - Dairy Free!

Ingredients

4 cups almond milk
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup pumpkin pie mix
1 Tablespoon molasses

1 & 1/2 teaspoons honey

Directions

Whisk all ingredients together in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed to your preference. Serve it up plain or add some whipped topping. Soyatoo is one dairy free option. If dairy is not a problem for you, then use whatever whipped topping you prefer. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a cinnamon stick - Voila!

Apple Cider in Apple Cups

All you need for this are apples, apple cider, and a cinnamon stick!

Cut the top off the apple, hollow it out with either a spoon or melon baller, fill with apple juice or warm cider and pop in a cinnamon stick "straw" for little ones.

Cranberry "Applesauce"

Directions

Ingredients

7.5 ounces organic cranberries (basically one container or small bag)
1 organic orange – it’s important for it to be organic because you’ll be using the entire orange peel
6 ounces quality orange juice

1/3 to 1/2 cup honey (or agave, or sugar. If you think you will serve it to a toddler or baby under 1 year of age, do not use honey as your sweetener)

Place cranberries in a bowl of water. The ones that sink are duds and should be discarded. Sift through with fingers to make sure the floaters are all plump and firm. Strain liquid and set cranberries aside. Clean orange well and cut off stem and blossom end. Now cut orange into wedges. Place cranberries and oranges in a high powered blender or food processor. Add orange juice and sweetener of choice (I use honey) into blender (or food processor) and blend on high.

Cheers to a Flavorful Fall!

Guilty of This Lunchbox Crime? Do This Instead!

9/13/2016

We have all been there. Short on time and not prepared in advance, we have all grabbed food that we know isn't good for us just to fill our stomachs.

When packing lunches for yourself or for your kids, here are some DOs and DON'Ts - simple ideas to help you ditch the processed junk and improve the nutritional value of your lunches and snacks.

AVOID
Packaged & Processed Foods

We know this, right?

Exasperated parents each and every year try to come up with healthy meals to pack for their children. I feel for them because I am one - and this isn't the most fun and easy task to try and pack things that kids like AND include some variety.

This image recently made the rounds on the internet, showing 30 days worth of lunches pre-packed for kids before they head back to school.

Every food-mimicking item (not a trace of real food) is full of chemicals, food dyes, GMOs, additives and preservatives. This diet is guaranteed to create nutritional deficiencies.

Chips, twinkies, cupcakes, and soda are daily components. Items like this are major contributing factors to attention problems, behavior issues, childhood obesity and adult onset diabetes.

I got to pack my own lunches as a kid and I chose a lot of these same items; I thought I had it made! But years of empty nutrition took a toll on my health and energy levels by the time I was a teenager.

Convenience doesn't to any of our bodies any favors in the end.

DO THIS INSTEAD
Homemade & Fresh is Best

Below is a list of items that my kids and I eat for lunches and snacks, as well as some great ideas that Natural Girl Diary subscribers have told us they prepare for their families.

THERMOS options

Soup or rice and black beans are delicious options, especially when the days start getting cooler.
Wrap homemade burritos in foil, then insert into the thermos to keep warm until lunch.

FRESH options

Veggie sushi (wrap in tortilla to make it more kid friendly) and veggie spring rolls
Fruit and veggies such as apple slices, carrots, cucumbers, grapes, dried fruit,
Nuts -almonds, pecans, walnuts, or seeds like sunflower seeds
Nut/seed/dried fruit bars
Fresh salads with greens, all fruit, or a combination of both
Lettuce wraps with various fillings you would put in a salad, or keep warm ingredients like lentils, beans, or falafel in a thermos to assemble at lunchtime
Fresh ingredients served in a pita pocket (greens, olives, cucumbers, tabouli)

BAKED options

Whole food waffles, muffins, and granola bars
One subscriber shared that she turns leftover sprouted oatmeal into granola bars!

NO-BAKE options

Nut or seed butter balls
No bake oatmeal cookies
Trail mix

DRINKS

Water!!!
Organic juice or fruit infused water

Often times excessive thirst is mistaken for hunger, so hydration is a key component to reducing cravings throughout the day. Additionally, understand that junk food cravings are actually your body's cry for increased nutrition.

Junk Food Cravings are Really Lack of Nutrients

I LOVE these quick snack options from Anthony Williams, a.k.a. the "Medical Medium".

Anthony says that for maximizing energy and avoiding adrenal fatigue, each meal should ideally contain a balance of potassium, sodium, and natural sugar (from fruit). He recommends these combinations:

* Apple, celery, and dates
* Orange, avocado, and spinach
* Sweet potato, kale, and lemon juice
* Cucumber, avocado, and lime juice
* Banana, dates, and romaine lettuce
* Coconut water, dried apricots and celery
* Coconut water, banana, and spinach
* Pear, berries, and mache
* Mango, figs, and celery
* Oranges, cilantro, and butter lettuce
* Raspberries, tangerines, and green leaf lettuce
* Berries, raw honey, and cucumber
* Apple, dates, and collard greens
* Banana, grape, and red leaf lettuce
* Apple, cauliflower, and cucumber
* Watermelon with lime juice, and celery juice

I hope you got a few new ideas from this list and continue to increase your energy and vitality as a result. If you have more ideas, please leave them in the comments below!

Empowering you to live better,

5 Tips for a Safe & Healthy Summer

7/4/2016

Summertime is the perfect time to pay attention to small changes you can make to improve health and safety for yourself and your loved ones.

5 Tips to Help You Have a Healthier, Safer Summer:

#1. Drink Water!

Replace sodas and other sugary drinks (kool-aid, lemon aid, juice boxes) with WATER! Water will keep you well hydrated without excess sugar.

Would you even consider giving your plants processed beverages instead of water? Think about that.

When your body is thirsty, give it water.

#2. Cut down on or eliminate processed meats.

Summer is the season of picnics and BBQs and
all of the traditional processed foods
that accompany them. Consuming a diet heavy
in processed meats increases a person's risk
of developing cancer, and children who eat
more than 12 hot dogs per month have nine
times the normal risk of developing childhood leukemia.

Increase your intake of grilled veggies, salads, and a wide variety of fruits and skip the cancer causing processed meats.

#3. Make Your Own Ice Packs

Here's a simple but important DIY for summer bumps and bruises that both kids and adults acquire:

Combine 1 part rubbing alcohol with 3 parts water. Put in Ziploc bag & place in freezer.

The ice pack gets really cold but doesn't harden so the pack can be manipulated. Athletes and moms - you'll need this!

#4. Child Safety

If you are taking children to a theme park or zoo this summer, write your phone number on their wrist or arm with a permanent marker and cover it with liquid band aid.

Photo shows the phrase "If lost, call..." followed by a phone number.

#5. Lawn & Garden Weed Killer

Have you ever tried horticultural vinegar
on weeds?

This notice was sent to me by my local
organic nursery.

Spray 20% horticultural vinegar with yucca extract instead of toxic roundup for a much safer, healthier garden and lawn.

To A Safe, Happy, Healthy Summer,

5 Simple Tips for Greener Spring Cleaning

3/15/2016

March 20th marks the first day of spring and that means one thing: Spring Cleaning!

Today's consumers are more educated than ever. They realize that toxic chemical ingredients are in everything from make-up and personal care products to household cleaners. We all want to eliminate the toxic load in our lives and cleaning alternatives are a great place to start.

Here are 5 Simple Ways that you can go greener with your spring cleaning today:

#1. Replace Your Toothbrush if You Haven't All Winter.

Once you replace it, be sure to soak your toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide solution (3% in 97% water), in a shallow bowl, once a week for 5 minutes to keep it clean.

#2. Keep Non-toxic Shower Cleaner in the Shower.

This is an easy fix - simply replace the peroxide bottle top with a spray nozzle from a dollar store spray bottle . Spray down the shower after every use and squeegee the walls and glass clean.

#3. Make Your Own Dryer Sheets

Sprinkle several drops of lavender essential oil on a hand towel and throw it in your dryer when drying clothes. This will help the laundry smell fresh without the carcinogenic chemicals contained in store bought dryer sheets.

#4. Refresh the Garbage Disposal

A slice or two of lemon rinsed down the drain with the disposal running will instantly freshen the smell of the sink and help kill bacteria.

#5. Make Your Own Air Freshener

Remove the metal ring from a small glass mason jar. Place a square of fabric inside the metal ring where the circular lid used to be. Fill the jar about an inch with baking soda and sprinkle your favorite essential oil fragrance into the baking soda, stirring it to mix. Secure the new permeable fabric lid top and place anywhere in the house you want it to smell nice!

I hope these simple tips have showed you how easy it is to incorporate healthier methods into your spring cleaning routine, and that you'll try some of them soon!

To Your Health,

Thanks & Giving: A Practice for All Seasons

11/25/2015

Have you ever noticed that there are two active components to the word Thanksgiving?

On one hand, we are asked to be thankful and express Gratitude.

On the other, we are called upon to give and express Generosity.

The health and psychological benefits of expressing Gratitude and Generosity are numerous. Let's start with Gratitude:

Next, the benefits of Giving and paying our blessings forward:

But Wait! There's More!

A study of more than 3 thousand volunteers showed that regular helpers were 10x more likely to be in good health than people who don’t volunteer. (Luks, Healing Power of Doing Good, xi)

And consider the following:

People 55 and older who volunteer for 2 or more organizations have a 44 % lower likelihood of dying – which is a stronger effect than exercising 4 times a week or going to church!

Adolescents whose primary motive is helping others are:

•3 times happier than those who lack altruistic motivation.

•More active, involved, excited, and engaged.

•Less depressed with a lower suicide risk

•Less likely to fail a subject in school, get pregnant, or abuse substances.

•Feel more competent and have higher self-esteem.

(study conducted by Christine Carter, PhD - sociologist and happiness expert at UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center)

I want to hear from you!

One way my family has paid blessings forward is with the creation and sharing of Blessings Bags. See my post written for the site How Does She HERE to learn more. This post has been pinned nearly 30,000 times, having a ripple effect of its own and inspiring acts of generosity in several countries and all across the United States. You never know how far one act of kindness will travel!

Please comment with inspiring acts of kindness you have shared, or acts of kindness that you have been the recipient of below.

Happy Thanks & Giving!

The Value of a Mother

5/7/2015

I don't know if anyone can appreciate the true value of a mother. I certainly couldn't until I became one.

Before I had kids, if I was tired I could sleep-- imagine that! Even if I had work deadlines and didn't sleep for a few days (yes - I once pulled three nights of all-nighters in a row) I was guaranteed to sleep as much as I needed to once the job was complete. But with kids - forget it! The job is never complete, and always changes.

My firstborn slept great for a couple months of his life, then didn't sleep through the night again for nearly THREE years. Sometimes, he was waking every 30 minutes, all night long. I had no idea that my exhausting new role of "mom" meant that I would not only work hard all day, but also work taking care of a baby all night, too.

My girlfriends and I have often wondered over the years: why doesn't anyone tell you that when you marry and have children that your time will now be dedicated to endless piles of household chores just to keep everyone fed, in clean clothes, and with enough clean dishes for everyone to eat on - and that these things will happen each and every day - like the movie "Groundhog's Day"?!

You will find yourself in a fog, and wonder what became of the person you once knew. That independent, care-free, well-rested gal will seem like a distant memory.

The good news is that the kids grow, the household dynamic changes, and you will find free time for yourself increasing as the years go by. Then- much to your surprise- you may even miss it a little!

Losing yourself - including your self esteem in the process of raising kids - is also not often discussed.  For me, it took a meeting with my financial planner to help me begin to restore it. He asked me if I had any idea what a stay at home mom (or working mom) is worth, in terms of dollars. He asked me if I had any idea what it would cost for my husband to hire out help to replace me if- God forbid- anything should happen to me. I was fully unprepared for what it would cost (strictly financially) to have others fill all the roles I played.

I think it's an amazing self-esteem restorer for any mother to see!

To all the mothers out there, I want you to see your worth. Even if it's strictly calculated as a dollar amount to illustrate a point, I think you'll be surprised.

Finally, let's not forget the tremendous value mothers provide that can never be calculated. Thanks for all you do that is beyond payment and beyond measure.

To read another extraordinary ode to motherhood by one grateful husband to his wife, check out this article: Fathers - You Can't Afford a Stay-At-Home Mom!

Estimated Pay a Stay-at-Home Mom Would Receive for Her Hours of Work

Estimated Pay a Working Mother Would Receive for Her Hours of Work

Click on image below to calculate the total of all your mom jobs!

(Infographics and salary calculator from salary.com)

Happy Mother's Day!

Non-Candy & Low Sugar Easter Ideas

3/30/2015

Check out these trinkets, treats, healthy snacks and post-Easter crafts to keep the holiday festive while avoiding sugar overkill.

Calmer kids not wired up on sugar equals a more pleasant holiday for all!

1. Egg Filler - stickers, squinkies, stamps, rubber balls, plastic jewelry, hair clips, coins and matchbox cars will all fit inside plastic eggs (cars may require a larger size egg).

2. Adorable Healthy Snacks - Love this bunny fruit and veggie plate made from grapes, apples, carrots, dried apricot for the nose and strip of green bell pepper or cucumber to connect nose to mouth (made of apple pieces). Even grown ups would appreciate the hummus filled clay pots with carrots - yum!

photo from the prime pursuit

photo from la receta de la felicidad

3. Decorated Strawberries - Natural colors could be achieved via strawberries blended to yogurt for pink, a bit of spinach added to vanilla yogurt for green and of course, plain yogurt for white. You could also melt white chocolate and add food color, or melt candy chips (available in the baking section at craft stores). It's up to you how low sugar you'd like to go. The orange "carrot" coating was achieved by melting the candy chips.

photo from momma wishes

4. Treats served in plastic eggs - A variety of items can be contained in one display when eggs are placed in a carton (how cute)! Though I would skip the jelly beans in this example, some of the ideas are: raisins, nuts, crackers, berries, carrots, apples, and yogurt covered raisins.

photo from modern magazine.com

5. Crafts & Games from plastic eggs - I love the idea of placing either a glow bracelet or a flameless LED light inside the egg. Hide the eggs at night for continued fun or craft a little lightning bug out of your glowing orb.

photo from mommysavers.com,
idea from raisinglittledisciples.com

photo from apartment therapy.com
get instructions here

Hope these ideas add more fun to your celebration!

Happy Spring!

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About Natural Girl Diary

Natural Girl Diary is a website on a mission!

Experience the joy of natural living through our whole-food, plant based recipes, natural health information, positive messages, and "green" crafts through this website, our newsletter, facebook page and pinterest boards.

In~ Joy!

About Stephanie Mullani

Stephanie Mullani is the Owner & Creator of NaturalGirlDiary.com, and the Owner of Tru Publishing (wwwtrupublishing.com), an independent press that produces books on holistic solutions and proactive approaches to help us better care for ourselves and our earth.

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