Say NO to White Sugar (and white foods)

Happy Sunday....I am going to write a bit today about White Sugar and the reason we really should be avoiding it!  When we have excess blood sugar levels this can lead to a wide variety of diseases. Some of these diseases are diabetes and cancer. What is processed sugar you ask? Well let me fill ya in:
Processed (or refined) Sugars are- brown sugar, organic white sugar, fructose, and corn syrup
Try to use sweeteners that are minimally processed. These are:
maple syrup, honey, malt syrup, palm sugar/syrup, date sugar and coconut palm sugars. These sugars are still SUGAR but they are less processed and include minerals, vitamins and enzymes. They are processed more slowly in your body and tend to keep insulin levels more stable. Sugar is Sugar! There are just some better choices that will serve your body with more nutrients than "white sugars" that are more processed. Eat fruit in moderation- fruit is better for you but still has sugar (berries are lower on Glycemic index/load))

Also, we need to keep our body less acidic and more ALKALINE...So its a great idea to try to remove all "white foods" from your diet if possible. These foods are: 
white sugar
pastries- Man this is a hard one for me! yummy!
fried foods
cereals
alcohol

Increase foods that are Alkaline
veggies
greens
sprouts
sea veggies
pre-soaked beans/grainns
miso-fermented foods

Some info for today's blog is from Nourishing Connections cookbook- A must have cookbook supporting the Ceres Community Project..Can order on amazon or buy locally at whole foods/community market.

Have a great week...Be well, Amy

Breakfast Ideas

I like to think outside the box for breakfast ideas. Do we always have to eat 'breakfast foods' for Breakfast? I like to mix it up a bit for myself and our family...Here are some simple ideas to try...

Baked sweet potato and greens with olive oil
Baked oatmeal
Left over meat with a corn tortilla and eggs
Morning shake with almond butter, fresh berries and of Course some GREENS
Steamed veggies with some pumpkin seeds and olive oil

These are just some ideas and things that we eat all the time for breakfast...I will send some recipes soon...Enjoy this beautiful friday and Be Well...Amy

Happy First Day of Spring!

Today is the first day of Spring....Such a great time of year. I woke up today and asked myself a question. "what will bloom in my life today and everyday moving forward" What will I be able to create, nurture, and explore on this beautiful earth. Some days are very challenging and its hard to stay positive and to think of everything that could be "blooming" in my life etc. However, I always know I can stop and look at Nylah's smile and hear her laugh and remember so many happy times past and present. As you plant your seeds for your garden and in life, try to be in the moment and feel inspired. Spring is a time to bloom, cleanse and renew....It's a happy sunny time. This is what I type in my blog and what I try to tell myself daily.....Love to all

If you live locally, I am presenting a cleansing seminar on 4/4 wed from 7-8;30...It is low cost and will be very educational. Please email me if you would like more info..Kids welcome. amyhudgens@att.net

Ghee is amazing

I love Ghee. I use it in lots of different things. I love using it when I am cooking eggs the best. It has such an amazing flavor that is unique. Ghee is clarified butter and it's nourishing in many ways. Ghee can keep for a long time in the fridge. It is a little pricey to buy especially when you see the size of the container..but it lasts a long time and is really nutrient dense. Please see link below for some basic nutritional info on Ghee...If you have not tried it then go and get some asap...We love it and Nylah loves the taste! So good for you.....Yummy

Also, I still have space for the month of march for one person to get 1/2 off their first nutritional consult with me..So email me and we can book your appointment asap...amyhudgens@att.net  BE well, Amy

http://www.squidoo.com/ghee      

BPA is not OK

I just wanted to post some info on the dangerous issue linked to BPA. I have really been trying not to buy canned foods. When I do buy canned beans I have been buying EDEN brand b/c the cans are NOT lined with BPA..Also, eden brand canned beans contain Kombu. Kombu is a seaweed that has amazing health benefits and it also aids in digestion. I try to make big batches of homemade beans in crock pot or on the stove top to stay away from BPA...Beans are easy to make and you can freeze the left overs...Remember to try to soak your beans overnight to help with digestion and mineral absorption. If I am making homemade beans I will also add some Kombu (small piece) when I am cooking the beans. I remove Kombu when I am done b/c all the minerals etc are already in the beans without the "seaweed" taste....Here is some info I got on the web and I thought it was really helpful...Be Well, Amy

Bisphenol A (BPA) has been associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease, miscarriages, breast and prostate cancer, reproductive dysfunction, metabolic dysfunction and diabetes, and neurological and behavioral disorders (Braun, 2009; Lang, 2008; Li, 2009; Sugiura-Ogasawara, 2005).

BPA is one of the most common chemicals to which we are exposed in everyday life. It is the building block of polycarbonate plastic and is also used in the manufacture of epoxy resins. According to Environment Canada (the Canadian equivalent of the EPA), more than 4 billion kilograms (4.4 million tons) of the chemical were produced globally in 2006, and more than 1 billion kilograms (1.1 million tons) were produced in the United States in 2007 (CEPA, 2009).

Present in many household products, BPA is also commonly found in the epoxy lining of metalfood cans and in polycarbonate plastic food containers, including some baby bottles, microwave ovenware and eating utensils. Because BPA is an unstable polymer and is also lipophilic (fat-seeking), it can leach into canned foods (Noonan, 2011), infant formula and other food products (Schecter, 2010), especially when heated (Brotons, 1995). Once in food, BPA can move quickly into people—a particular concern for women of childbearing age and young children. Two recent studies have explored the effects of increased ingestion of food and drink packaged in EDC-containing sources. Both found rapid (within a few days to a week) increases in BPA levels inurine and/or blood samples taken from subjects who intentionally increased their intake of common foods and drinks packaged in BPA-containing products (Carwile, 2009; Smith, 2009).

Clearance rates for BPA are quite rapid, with a urinary half-life in the order of hours to days. A recent study of samples taken from fasting people indicate that sources other than foods may also be responsible for the pervasive exposure to BPA, as levels of the chemical did not decrease as rapidly as would have been predicted were food the only source of contamination (Stahlhut, 2009). However, a recent dietary study demonstrated that eating a diet free of packaging containing BPA contaminants led to an average 66 percent decrease in urinary BPA levels after only three days on the package-free diet (Rudel, 2011). Significant levels of BPA have also been measured in ambient air (Matsumoto, 2005), house dust (Rudel, 2003), and river and drinking water (Rodriguez-Mozaz, 2005) samples.

CDC researchers have measured BPA in 93 percent of about 400 urine samples from a broad national sample of adults (Calafat, 2005). BPA has been found in blood (Padmanabhan, 2008) and urine (Ye, 2009a) of pregnant women, and in breast milk soon after women gave birth (Kuroto-Niwa, 2006). BPA has also been found in blood samples from developing fetuses as well as the surrounding amniotic fluid (Ikezuki, 2002), and it has been measured in placental tissue and umbilical cord blood at birth (EWG, 2009; Schonfelder, 2002) as well as in the urine of premature infants housed in neonatal ICUs (Calafat, 2009).

That BPA is found so extensively in people, from prenatal to adult ages, is particularly impressive given the relatively short half-life of the chemical.

Several studies using both rat and mouse models have demonstrated that even brief exposures to environmentally relevant doses of BPA during gestation or around the time of birth lead to changes in mammary tissue structure predictive of later development of tumors (Maffini, 2006; Markey, 2001; Muñoz-de-Toro, 2005). Exposure also increased sensitivity to estrogen at puberty (Wadia, 2007). Recent data demonstrate that early exposure to BPA leads to abnormalities in mammary tissue development that are observable even during gestation and are maintained into adulthood (Vandenberg, 2007; 2008).

Interestingly, some of the long-term effects of neonatal exposure to BPA may be dose dependent, with low- and high-dose exposures resulting in different timing and profiles of changes in mammary gland gene expression. In one study, low-dose exposures had the most profound effect on rat mammary glands during the period just prior to animals reaching reproductive maturity, while higher doses had more delayed effects, altering gene expression in mammary tissues from mature adults (Moral, 2008).

Prenatal exposure of rats to BPA results in increases in the number of pre-cancerous lesions and in situ tumors (carcinomas) (Murray, 2007a), as well as increased number of mammary tumors following adulthood exposures to subthreshold doses (lower than that needed to induce tumors) of known carcinogens (Durando, 2007; Jenkins, 2009; Lozada, 2011). Exposures to BPA in adulthood also enhance the rate of growth and proliferation of existing hormone-sensitive mammary tumors, suggesting multiple mechanisms by which BPA may affect breast cancer development (Lozada, 2011).

Studies using cultures of human breast cancer cells demonstrate that BPA acts through the same response pathways as the natural estrogen estradiol (Rivas, 2002; Welshons, 2006). BPA can interact weakly with the intracellular estrogen receptor (ER), and it can also alter breast cell responsiveness and induce cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. It affects cellular functions through interactions with the membrane estrogen receptor (Watson, 2005; Wozniak, 2005). Along with its many other effects on cell growth and proliferation, BPA has been shown to mimic estradiol in causing direct damage to the DNA of cultured human breast cancer cells (Iso, 2006).

Cell culture studies support animal evidence that BPA has dose-dependent effects. One recent study showed estrogen-like effects at extremely low concentrations; when somewhat higher concentrations were used, there were no effects on the cellular kinase pathway being studied. And at an even higher dose, the BPA inhibited the effects of estradiol. Despite the wide ranges of doses used in the study, even the very highest was in the nanomolar region; for all conditions, they were low and in the environmentally relevant range of concentrations (Jeng, 2011).

In the presence of BPA, cells from the non-cancerous breast of women diagnosed with breast cancer had a gene-response profile associated with the development of highly aggressive tumors (Dairkee, 2008). Two new studies indicate that BPA reduces the efficacy of common chemotherapy agents (cisplatin, doxirubicin and vinblastin) in their actions against proliferating breast cancer cells when tested in cell systems (LaPensee, 2009; 2010). Thus, not only does early exposure to BPA lead to an increased risk for development of breast tumors, but exposure to BPA during chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer may make the treatment less effective. Recent data further suggests that BPA leads normal human breast cells to behave like cancer cells, and indicates that BPA may also make cells less responsive to the cancer-inhibiting effects of the anti-estrogen tamoxifen (Goodson, 2011).

http://www.breastcancerfund.org/clear-science/chemicals-glossary/bisphenol-a.html

Keep your eye on the prize....

Happy Saturday....A fried just told me " to keep my eye on the prize" and I thought I would blog about what it meant to me...As you may know I have started a nutrition business called Busy Bee Nutrition. It is still in its early stages and I am learning every day. As I start to build my business, I am trying a variety of things to see where my passion is..The problem is...I love doing so many things! I have so many ideas and only so much time...I am finding with each little project or idea I know what is WORKING and what is not working for me in this moment. I had a class today that nobody showed up to (but me). This was a first! Was it a total waste of time? No! because I am learning where and what to spend my energy on. I won't know until I try things right? So, just like my wise friend said " to keep my eye on the prize" I will do just that. I will still dream big and try new things. However, I will start to focus on a couple of projects that i am most passionate about and make them HAPPEN with total joy and success....I encourage you to "keep your eye on YOUR prize" and dream big....We can all live our best life...It just takes a little time to learn, grow and make some mistakes..heheh...Be well,Amy

Yummy Pita Chips

Had to post a cute pic of my Nylah girl....Love her! She was all dressed up for valentines day this year..So fun! Anyways, Happy Friday..I am posting a recipe that I make a couple times a week...I love these pita chips..We dip them in hummus, salsa, and eat plain...They are so good..Also, you can use different salts and oils- play with the recipe and let me know what you come up with. The chips in the grocery stores are good but the oils are probably rancid from them sitting on the shelf for so long..When you make these chips- you know what your getting! Enjoy, Amy

Baked Pitta Chips

Cut some whole wheat (or Gluten free) Pitta bread into little triangles

Place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet

Lightly drizzle with olive oil

Place sea salt, cumin and a pinch of cayenne in a little bowl and stir it up

Sprinkle salt mixture over the pitta chips

Bake on 400 degrees for 6-8 mins or until nice and crispy

This recipe was inspired by Giada on Food Network

International Women's Day..Today!

Happy International Women's Day...March 8th is a special day in history for women..I thought I would share some history about this day with you today...I am so honored to be a woman. I am so grateful for the women in my life. My mother, grandmothers, friends and my "little lady" Nylah...Enjoy this day..Be Well, Amy


International Women's Day (8 March) is an occasion marked by women's groups around the world. This date is also commemorated at the United Nations and is designated in many countries as a national holiday. When women on all continents, often divided by national boundaries and by ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and political differences, come together to celebrate their Day, they can look back to a tradition that represents at least nine decades of struggle for equality, justice, peace and development.

International Women's Day is the story of ordinary women as makers of history; it is rooted in the centuries-old struggle of women to participate in society on an equal footing with men. In ancient Greece, Lysistrata initiated a sexual strike against men in order to end war; during the French Revolution, Parisian women calling for "liberty, equality, fraternity" marched on Versailles to demand women's suffrage.

The idea of an International Women's Day first arose at the turn of the century, which in the industrialized world was a period of expansion and turbulence, booming population growth and radical ideologies.


Following is a brief chronology of the most important events:

1909
In accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party of America, the first National Woman's Day was observed across the United States on 28 February. Women continued to celebrate it on the last Sunday of that month through 1913.

1910
The Socialist International, meeting in Copenhagen, established a Women's Day, international in character, to honour the movement for women's rights and to assist in achieving universal suffrage for women. The proposal was greeted with unanimous approval by the conference of over 100 women from 17 countries, which included the first three women elected to the Finnish parliament. No fixed date was selected for the observance.

1911
As a result of the decision taken at Copenhagen the previous year, International Women's Day was marked for the first time (19 March) in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, where more than one million women and men attended rallies. In addition to the right to vote and to hold public office, they demanded the right to work, to vocational training and to an end to discrimination on the job.

Less than a week later, on 25 March, the tragic Triangle Fire in New York City took the lives of more than 140 working girls, most of them Italian and Jewish immigrants. This event had a significant impact on labour legislation in the United States, and the working conditions leading up to the disaster were invoked during subsequent observances of International Women's Day.

1913-1914
As part of the peace movement brewing on the eve of World War I, Russian women observed their first International Women's Day on the last Sunday in February 1913. Elsewhere in Europe, on or around 8 March of the following year, women held rallies either to protest the war or to express solidarity with their sisters.

1917
With 2 million Russian soldiers dead in the war, Russian women again chose the last Sunday in February to strike for "bread and peace". Political leaders opposed the timing of the strike, but the women went on anyway. The rest is history: Four days later the Czar was forced to abdicate and the provisional Government granted women the right to vote. That historic Sunday fell on 23 February on the Julian calendar then in use in Russia, but on 8 March on the Gregorian calendar in use elsewhere.

Since those early years, International Women's Day has assumed a new global dimension for women in developed and developing countries alike. The growing international women's movement, which has been strengthened by four global United Nations women's conferences, has helped make the commemoration a rallying point for coordinated efforts to demand women's rights and participation in the political and economic process. Increasingly, International Women's Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of women's rights.

http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/women/womday97.htm (info from web)

Adaptogens- Stress Blockers!

I love adaptogens and have taken them for a little while now. They make me feel like my reaction to stress is less crazy (well... adaptogens and a nice nervine mixture).  I take Ashwagandha, siberian ginseng, and mushrooms. Here is a little intro on adaptogens (from the web)...I am happy to help with any questions about adaptogens..Be Well, Amy

Adaptogenic Benefits for Your Body

Adaptogenic benefits are thought to be practically endless for human kind. For most of his life, Dr. Israel Brekhman dedicated his time to finding a natural way to bring happiness and health to all. He traveled to a remote area in the wild Russian jungle and mountains, known as the Primoyre, to find a variety of plants that would provide adaptogenic benefits to people.

Adaptogenic benefits can vary depending on the plants. Adaptogens generally help a person cope with stress, anxiety and fatigue, but again, various plants can provide much more according to your needs. Adaptogens are agents that come from plants. They are nontoxic, they increase a person’s resistance to various physical, chemical and biological stresses, and they help the body maintain homeostasis. The adaptogenic benefits of these agents are vast.

For example, the adaptogenic benefits of Reishi, or Lingzhi, are different from the adaptogenic benefits found in Ashwagandha, also known as Winter Cherry. Reishi is a mushroom that has been used for medicine in China for the past 4,000 years. Known as the “mushroom of immortality,” Reishi’s believed adaptogenic benefits are its ability to stabilize blood pressure and serve as a kidney and nerve tonic. The adaptogenic benefits of the winter cherry root, a traditional medicine in India, deal with endurance and the ability to fight off colds. Winter Cherry also has adaptogenic benefits like the ability to help rejuvenate the body, strengthen the immune system and control insomnia.

Adaptogenic benefits can range from stress, anxiety and fatigue relief to helping with issues with the immune system, liver, kidneys, cardiovascular system and more.

Amazing Tulsi Tea

I love Tulsi tea. I drink it everyday. It has so many amazing health and wellness benefits. If you have not tried Tulsi tea then go grab yourself some today and drink up...You can buy it at any health food store. They have all types of Tulsi tea. I love the "original" no-caffeine Tulsi. I put a little local honey in it and Enjoy! Here is information about Tulsi Tea: Be well, Amy



Also referred to as holy basil tea, this herbal brew's adaptogens serve as powerful anti-stress agents that protect your body from a wide range of health concerns.

The adaptogens guard against and deal with physical, chemical, environmental, and emotional factors that produce high levels of stress that compromise physical and mental health.

Potential Health Benefits

• Strengthens the immune system, promotes longevity and enhances well-being.
  
• Promotes heart health by lowering cholesterol and high blood pressure.
  
• Reduces the negative physical and psychological effects of stress.
  
• Increases the body’s efficiency in using oxygen, which improves stamina, strength and endurance.
  
• Promotes respiratory health.
  
• Helps with digestion and gastrointestinal problems.
  
• Neutralizes dangerous biochemicals that contribute to cancer, degenerative diseases and premature aging.
  
• Facilitates healthy liver function.
  
• Reduces cell and tissue damage from sun rays, radiation therapy and other radiation sources.
  
• Relieves inflammation from arthritis and other diseases.
  
• Helps fight infections.

It is important to note that, while there is scientific evidence that supports many of these health claims, additional research is needed to further substantiate medicinal impact and safety -- as with any herbal therapy. Always consult with your doctor before using herbal treatments to address and support your healthcare needs.


http://www.learn-about-tea.com/tulsi-tea.html    

Allergy and Immunity

So the pollen is everywhere and people are starting to complain about Allergies. If you suffer from allergies first thing you can do is boost up your immunity. The stronger you are the less allergies you may get. Some easy tips on allergy/immunity help:

Make some immunity broth or bone broth- so nourishing and great for immunity

Drink Nettle tea- amazing for allergies

Good old vitamin C

Keep your diet clean, clean., clean

Probiotics- 70 percent of your immunity lives in your gut

Move your body- exercise helps lymph detox

These are just some easy tips to help with Allergies and Immunity...Be Well, Amy

sunday fun day

Happy Sunday! what a beautiful day...Sundays are normally my day to get ready for the week. I call it "Sunday fun day" I prep food for the week, meal plan, sometimes shop (mostly food shop on Mondays). I will say that at first when I started implementing Sunday fun day it seemed like ONE MORE THING TO DO...However, I have found over time that if i don't participate in "Sunday fun day" i end up feeling more frazzled and stress during the week when it comes to meals and having nourishing foods in the fridge. SO here are a few little tips to create your own Sunday fun day:

"Sunday Fun day foods"
Cook up a cup or so of grains - soak first if you can

wash and cut up lettuce, carrots, any veggies (if there washed and ready you will eat more)

bake some chicken, same time bake some sweet potatoes, as tour baking these saute some greens

you can make some immunity broths or bone broths and slow cook all day- add to grains for extra nutrition.

sit down and plan out meals for 3 days for the week...you can plan one day for left overs and one day for a special creation. When you get home at it's 6 pm and you say "what am I gonna cook/eat for dinner" you can rest assure that you already have some grains, protein and washed veggies in the fridge. All you have to do now is do minimal cooking to have a nourishing and balanced meal within a half hour or less...Hope this helps..i have many more tips if you would like to talk to me one on one...

It's March and I am offering my Nutrition Consultation Special again. I am offering 1/2 off your first appointment with me for the first two people who email me..Also, you will be able to give a 25.00 off coupon to a friend for their first visit with me...Last month I offered this special on my blog and the two people emailed me within hours...So please let me know if you would like to take advantage of this special...Look forward to hearing from you...email me at amyhudgens@att.net    ..Thanks Amy

Happy Friday....I am so glad the sun is out today. So I have been thinking lately that I need to revamp Nylah's snacks...I really need to focus on making sure she has more protein throughout the day..Also, more fats! She loves to snack on fruit (I am sure this is normal) but I really see a difference in mood and behavior when she has more mineral dense foods, protein and healthy fats...So I am going to start getting some recipes going. Once again, Nylah has inspired me and is such a reminder to eat better and nourish my own body. I will keep you posted on the snack recipes soon...I am knee deep in creating a kids cookbook...So this is perfect timing for new recipe creations..I would love for any of you to get inspired and send me what you create..Who knows maybe it can be featured in the cookbook...?? As for now I will leave you with a little simple healthy snack....A special little treat...

Dates stuffed with almond butter and shredded coconut on top (just a sprinkle..) Yes, dates a sweet and a have some SUGAR..But they are also very alkalizing to the body. Almond butter has great protein (can also use sunflower seed butter (seed not a nut) or cashew butter) Shredded coconut is very nourishing and has good fats..So there ya go..I know I was trying to get away from the sweet snacks but we love dates! More to come soon....

Breakfast Bar yum yum's

I made these breakfast bars for a local preschool a while back..They are not my made up recipe but they are amazing....Try them! Happy Thursday..Its cold and rainy here in santa rosa...I am drinking Tulsi tea and chilling when Nylah is sleeping..Tulsi tea is amazing..Tulsi is an adaptogen, super antioxidant, immune booster and many more amazing health benefits..You can buy it at whole foods or maybe your local grocery store (olivers in sonoma county) Tulsi is great to calm  the nerves...Enjoy an cup or two a day...Be Well, Amy

Breakfast/Vital Snack bars

(Recipes & Remedies For Rejuvenation Cookbook)

1 cup lightly toasted nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, or cashews)

1/2 cup medjool dates (make sure they are pitted)

¼ cup dried cherries

¼ cup dried figs

2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds

2 tablespoons unsweetened, organic dark chocolate powder or carob powder

1 scoop vital Scoop (or 1 tbls protein powder)

1 teaspoon Maca Powder

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon orange zest

2 tablespoons hot water (or a little more if necessary)

¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Using a food processor, grind nuts to a powder, and put into a bowl. Set aside

Add dates, cherries and figs to food processor with dark chocolate powder, vital scoop powder, maca, spices and zest and pulse. If mixture is to still, add a little hot water to help blend into a thick paste. Add ground nuts and coconut and process until mixture forma a ball.

Press mixture evenly into a 9x13 inch pan or a smaller pan if a thicker bar is desired. Allow to chill in refrigerator for about 1 hour. Cut into bar shapes and carefully lift out of pan. Bars can be wrapped individually for snacks or stored in an air tight container

Nutrition information-added by Amy Hudgens

Mejool dates are very alkalizing to the body

Flaxseeds are a great source of fiber and omega 3’s ALA.

Maca is an Andean root that grows in Peru. Also know as “Peruvian ginsing”. Maca provides vit c, fiber, fatty acids and a subtle energy boost. (do not use if Pregnant)

Cinnamon and Nutmeg are great spices for warming the body

Cashews and Almonds are both great sources of protein and fats

I used rice protein powder and carob powder