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12 Foods You Should Buy Organic!

To buy organic or not to buy organic, that is the question. Buying organic is always preferred because it means your produce is pesticide free, and you support small sustainable farmers, which in turn is good for the environment.

However, buying organic can definitely get pricey and we don’t want to spend our entire food budget in the produce aisle. Just yesterday I chose to buy non-organic blueberries because they were almost $10 cheaper then the organic, not to mention the package of the organic was much smaller.

So which produce should we absolutely buy organic, and where can we save our money by buying non-organic? Well thanks to the men and women at the Environmental Working Group (EWG), they’ve compiled a list of what they call “the dirty dozen.” 12 foods that contain a ton of pesticide residue. Here they are:

Strawberries

Nothing better than some chocolate dipped strawberries, but if you’re not buying them organic you could be consuming more than 22 different pesticides! Shocking I know, but because strawberries have a porous skin, it was discovered that almost 99% of strawberries contained pesticide residue. Purchase organic strawberries!

Spinach

The EWG reported that spinach contains the most pesticides by weight, and a high concentration of permethrin, which is a neurotoxic pesticide. I eat spinach practically everyday in my smoothies, so it’s best to buy organic when it comes to this super leafy green.

Apples

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but not if they’re covered in pesticides. The EWG reported that 90% of apples had detectable pesticide residue, and 80% tested for diphenylamine (a pesticide that has actually been banned in Europe for being carcinogenic).

Grapes

Now I love me some grapes, especially the crushed, aged and bottled grapes=wine. Grapes are the perfect snack and easy to grab, however, more than 96% of grapes contain pesticide residue, so it’s important to buy these babies organic, even the bottled ones.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are one of my favorite fruits, full of flavor, vitamins and unfortunately pesticides. The EWG reported that one sample of tomatoes contained more than 15 different pesticides and breakdown products. WOW!

Peaches & Nectarines

I LOVE peaches, especially in a nice warm bowl of porridge. But peaches and nectarines contain over 90% pesticide residue, so buying them organic is extremely important.

Cherries

Organic cherries can be a bit pricey, but it’s worth your health to purchase organic. 30 Percent of cherries contain iprodione which is a pesticide believed to cause cancer, and is banned in European countries.

Pears

While pears aren’t the worst on this list, more than half of pears tested by the EWG contain pesticides. You are better off buying organic if you can afford it.

Celery

With the popular celery juice craze going on right now, it’s best to go organic. More than 95 percent of celery tested contained pesticides, including 13 actual different types of pesticides.

Potatoes

French fries, need I say more? Surprisingly, the potato might be the most important produce to buy organic. The EWG found that potatoes had more pesticide residue by weight than any other crop.

Bell Peppers & Hot Peppers

Bell peppers and hot peppers both contain a high amount of pesticide residue. However, even though they contain fewer amounts of pesticides than others on this list, the pesticides they contain are highly toxic, making it important to buy organic.

Foods That Don’t Need to be Organic

Avocados
Melons
Asparagus
Corn
Onions
Pineapple
Eggplant
Kiwi
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Peas
Mangoes
Papaya

Can’t find organic produce or just can’t afford it? Check out “Don’t Panic if you Can’t Buy Organic! How to remove pesticides from your produce“.

I would love to hear from you, please comment below =) and share this on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest. Mahalo!

6 Ways to Become a More Conscious Spender!

Mindful and conscious spending can be seriously challenging, especially in this consumerism focused society we live in. There is always the latest gadget, new accessory, or that cute dress that we absolutely can’t live without.

This topic is near and dear to my heart, because I haven’t always been a conscious spender. In fact, It’s only in the last year or so that I have been consciously living more minimally and mindful of my purchases, and it’s still a work in progress! I’ve reached a point in my life where I’ve realized that happiness, contentment, and fulfillment aren’t achieved by what I wear, how cute my house is, or what I own.

Gone are the days of living paycheck-to-paycheck, stressing over credit card debt, and living with the guilt of buyer’s remorse. In its place are happiness and contentment, enjoying the little things in life, having cash for travel, time spent with those I love, and generously giving to others.

It all boils down to mindset, recognizing your consumer habits and where you obtain the most enjoyment. Here are 6 ways you can become a conscious spender and feel rich with less!

1. Keep Track of Your Spending.

Tracking your spending habits is the absolute best way to be a conscious spender. It’s so easy to buy a little something here and there, and than your left wondering where did my money go? Trust me I’ve done it many times.

Keeping track of your spending is key, and I like to do this by keeping a little notebook handy and writing down everything I spend in a day. You’ll be surprised at the end of the week, at all the little unnecessary purchases that were made. Check out these 7 Baby Steps Towards Financial Freedom, to get more tips on tracking your spending. Keeping a budget and tracking your spending is key to being a conscious spender.

2. Pause Unnecessary Purchases.

Avoid impulse shopping at all costs! Every purchase I’ve made on impulse, always ends up collecting dust. Whereas the purchases I have really thought about and taken my time to make, are my most beloved items and are worn and used for years.

Avoid unnecessary purchases by staying away from temptation. Aimlessly wandering through the mall or killing time by shopping the net, will only lead to aimless spending. Avoid this by staying away from the temptation! Instead of hitting the mall, take a hike, walk the beach, go to the library or have a potluck dinner with friends.

avoid unnecessary purchases = avoid the temptation

3. Ask Yourself: Does This Bring Me Joy?

Does this sound familiar? I absolutely LOVE Marie Kondo and her excellent book “The life changing magic of tidying up.” If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it. Before I make a purchase I ask myself- does this seriously make me joyful? Not just excited in that moment to purchase it, but does it TRULY bring me joy?

By taking a moment to think about it and analyze my reasons for making the purchase, it helps me weed out poor choices and to avoid unnecessary charges to my credit card.

4. Practice Gratitude.

A very powerful antidote to overspending is practicing mindfulness and gratitude for everything in your life! Appreciating the simple pleasures such as the sunrise, a delicious cup of home brewed coffee, or walking your dogs on a beautiful afternoon, can go a really long way in providing contentment.

When you feel satisfied and full of gratitude you won’t rely on spending money to fill the emotional voids. It’s hard to feel sad and empty when you are grateful for what you have. Gratitude has been a serious game changer in my life, check out “The one habit that changed my life” to see how.

5. Choose Wisely.

Instead of that impulse buy, take your time and choose wisely. If your looking at making a purchase, make it a rule to wait at least 24 hours if not a few days to seal the deal. This totally prevents me from buying stuff I don’t need! Most of the time I forget about the item, and if I’m still thinking about it a week later and it’s something I can afford, I make the purchase.

When making a purchase (especially clothing) I’ll ask myself: Do I own something like this already? And if I do, how often do I wear that item? Do I need another piece of clothing that looks so similar to the one I already own? In addition, I’ll ask myself do I have a piece of clothing at home to wear with it? Often times if I don’t have anything to match it at home, it never gets worn. Questioning your purchases really helps you analyze your spending and avoid impulse buys.

Nowadays when I make a purchase, I choose quality over quantity. I prefer to have quality items that I appreciate and will last for decades, over something that will wear out after a year. I avoid purchasing items that are fashionable in the moment, but then will sit in the back of my closet after one season.

6. Take Control of Your Cash!

Have you added up how much money you spend in a week on take out lunch or coffee? I dare you to try it, the number might astound you! Take control of your cash by making a budget and sticking to it. You don’t have to cut out all the fun stuff; you just need to be smarter with your money.

To take control of my cash I use the Dave Ramsey Envelope System. This involves paying your bills, allocating for retirement, savings, etc. and then setting aside an allotted amount of cash (in an envelope) for play money. Once the play money runs out, so does the fun (I kid, I kid=). Seriously though you will be surprised at how conscious you are with cash money, verses using your debit or credit card.

Now I am definitely not opposed to the occasional indulgence or splurge, but I hope these tips will help you to be more mindful and conscious of your spending.

Active Recovery vs Passive Recovery!

Whether you spend your recovery day sitting on the couch or getting a massage, versus taking a yoga class or a walk on the beach, all depends on you. While everyone can agree that any type of recovery is better than none, there are differing opinions as to which is better.

Active Recovery.

Let’s be honest here, in an ideal world it would be nice to have all the money and time to go to unlimited yoga classes, cryotherapy sessions (all the rage in the celebrity world) and massage treatments, but our bank accounts just wont allow for that. Often times we only have one rest day and may be crunched for time, but the best kind of recovery is to get your body moving.

Instead of doing absolutely nothing, how about try a low intensity exercise that will help with muscle recovery by increasing the blood flow to your muscle tissue. Personally I love to do something less intense like walking my dogs on the beach, hiking, yoga (skip the pricey classes, and YouTube some recovery yoga), or take a long swim.

Working at a lower intensity as opposed to doing absolutely nothing totally helps your recovery time, and believe it or not you actually feel less sore then if you just sat around! Active recovery gets your circulation going, helping increase the amino acids and oxygen in your muscles so they can repair themselves.

Passive Recovery.

Remember that the whole reason for recovery is to allow your muscles to grow. When you workout you place a lot of stress on your muscles, which causes tiny muscle tears. The soreness you experience 1-3 days after a workout is due to all of those tiny muscle tears, and it’s during recovery that your muscles will heal and strengthen. In addition, amino acid supplementation is super important for muscle recovery.

One of the most important passive recoveries is sleep; it heals you from the inside out. The hormone Prolactin is released during deep sleep, and its anti-inflammatory properties are important for joint recovery. Also, during deep sleep your body will repair any muscle tears that occur during the day.

Listen to your body!

As you can see there is no right or wrong with recovery, neither active nor passive is better than the other. Rather, it depends on your body and what you need at the time. Personally I believe both active and passive recovery is important, I exercise 4 days a week and on my off days I often surf or hike.

Yet there are days that I’m just too pooped to do anything, and that’s when I listen to my body and take a break. I often spend these days binge watching my favorite show and being a couch potato, which is totally ok! The rules are pretty simple, listen to your body and do what’s best for it, and don’t neglect movement completely!

What is your favorite recovery method? Please comment below =)

What’s Really in Your Tap Water?

Water is one of the most important things in life, but if you’re still drinking straight from the tap, you’re seriously hurting your body! For YEARS I drank from the tap because it tastes pretty good in my neighborhood, and honestly I thought, “how bad can it be.” Boy was I in denial!

The problem is, most of us don’t have any idea how many chemicals and contaminants are in our water. Tap water and even spring water contains chlorine, fluorine compounds, pesticides, hormones, Trihalomethanes, and even prescription drugs just to name a few.

Seriously, your tap water is funky!

To protect us from illnesses, tap water is treated with carcinogens like chlorine, ammonia, and then fortified with fluorine. Then after being treated with a bunch of chemicals, your water has to travel miles to you in an underground pipeline, and along the way it’s picking up industrial runoff, contaminants, and pesticides.

In fact one study conducted by The Environmental Working Group found that around 85% of the American population consume tap water that is laced with over 300 contaminants!

Bad effects of tap water!

When the water is treated with chlorine it doesn’t only kill the pathogenic bacteria’s, it also kills our beneficial gut bacteria. Just like antibiotics, chlorine is very harsh on your gut flora, and can negatively impact your gut micro biome. In addition, regular consumption of chlorine can lead to health issues such as cancer.

In some states fluoride is added to water to promote dental health, but several studies have shown that it causes neurotoxicity and reduces IQ in children. It also encourages tumors and the rapid growth and spread of them. Arsenic poisoning causes a wide range of problems including skin issues, physical problems, cancer, and organ failure just to name a few.

Stay away from bottled water!

The world spends over 100 billion dollars on bottled water every year! That number is staggering! Personally, I’ve never believed in spending money on something that is free. Besides the fact that the bottles end up in landfills, pollute our oceans and kill wildlife, bottled water is practically unregulated.

In fact bottled water is less regulated than your own tap water! The FDA does not require bottled water companies to disclose where the water came from, how it was treated, and what contaminants it contains. Just another huge reason to avoid bottled water!

Bottom line!

With these results it’s a no-brainer that a water filtration system is the best way for you to prevent toxic chemicals and carcinogens from entering your body. If you still have doubts about the water where you live, check out The EWG’s Database. You can enter your zip code and it will list the different chemicals and carcinogens in your water.

3 Simple filter options!

Under counter filters are awesome because there tucked away and out of site, perfect for homes that are small with less storage. Once installed they’re easy to use, and you will always have an abundance of clean water at hand. Check out the Aquasana under counter filter, they claim a 96% reduction of contaminants including lead, mercury, asbestos, and so much more!

Counter top filters use water pressure to force water through the filtration process, removing more toxins than the standard water filter pitcher. Counter top filters require minimal installation and don’t take up much room on your counter. I personally love my Berkey water filter system, not only does it look great on my counter, but the water tastes so good! Check out my honest review of the Berkey System here!

berkey water filter — The Big Berkey Water Filter

Water pitchers work great for the space challenged because they’re portable, fit easily in the fridge, and are the most inexpensive option. Water pitchers do a pretty good job at filtering out the nasty stuff, but it’s not quite as good as the other two options. While the initial cost is low, the filters need frequent replacement, and I don’t know about you but we drink A LOT of water, and constantly filling the pitcher is kind of a pain. Nevertheless, Aquasana makes an amazing water pitcher option for those in need.

I hope this blog helps you understand what’s in your water, and the need for a good water filtration system. I love to hear from my followers, please comment below!

What I Feed my Dog to Prevent Bladder Stones!

The diet you feed your beloved fur baby plays an important role in the treatment and prevention of bladder stones. Stones can form in the urinary tract when minerals are concentrated in the urine, then crystalize. Find out how I realized my dog needed a diet change, by reading Cupcakes story here!

Please consult your veterinarian before making any changes to your canines diet. I am not a veterinarian, nor an expert in dog nutrition, but this is the only diet that I have seen do wonders for my dog Cupcake, who has had bladder stones since she was 3 years old. If you are not satisfied with modern veterinarian medicine and keep having recurring problems in your dogs health, try this holistic approach.

What I feed Cupcake!

Cupcake is on a low protein, high vegetable diet. As a general rule, I feed her 30% protein, and 70% fresh raw vegetables. In addition, I will add rich plant-based fats to her meal, and fresh fruits for a snack.

Protein: ground turkey sautéed with excess water removed, lightly steamed fish, boiled chicken (fat removed), sardines, eggs.
Vegetables: zucchini, broccoli, celery, green beans, cucumbers, carrots, cauliflower, peas, sweet potatoes, Brussel sprouts, pureed pumpkin, butternut squash.
Plant-based fats: coconut oil, avocado, olive oil, peanut butter, almond butter.
Fruits: banana, apples, watermelon, strawberries, raspberries, peaches, pears, pineapple, oranges, mango.

Chopped raw vegetables with ground turkey

What Cupcake eats in a day!

I usually batch prep the protein and vegetables at the beginning of the week. If I’m making ground turkey, I will cook a whole package, separate it into small containers and freeze what I’m not using. The same with the vegetables, I will chop a batch of fresh vegis every 5 days or so and keep it in the fridge. Unfortunately, because the vegis are fresh, you can’t make too big of a batch because it will go bad.

Breakfast: 30% ground turkey, 70% vegetables (green beans, cucumber, zucchini, carrots), 1/4 an avocado, 1 TSP of coconut oil drizzled over food.
Snack: Sliced apples with peanut butter or diced bananas with goats milk.
Dinner: 30% ground turkey, 70% vegetables (same as above), 1 TBSP of sardines (she goes nuts over this), olive oil.

Depending on what I have in the fridge at the time, I may throw in some sweet potato, breadfruit, brown rice, or quinoa. I occasionally will give her a store bought dog treat, but I stay away from the ones filled with junk. If your looking for a tasty treat without all the bad preservatives, you have to try Rocco & Roxie Jerky Dog Treats, my babies go nuts over these things!

Conclusion

Cupcake basically eats what I eat, and thats what I love about it! It may sound like a lot of work to make your dogs food, but its really not so bad! After I got the hang of it, prep time is maybe about 20 minutes a week, and as a result Cupcake has been stone free since she started!

I would love to hear from you, If you have any questions or thoughts please comment below!

Category: Uncategorized