Robyn O’Brien – What is real food?

Robyn shares her personal story and how it inspired her current path as a “Real Food” evangelist. Grounded in a successful Wall Street career that was more interested in food as good business than good-for-you, this mother of four was shaken awake by the dangerous allergic reaction of one of her children to a “typical” breakfast. Her mission to unearth the cause revealed more about the food industry than she could stomach, and impelled her to share her findings with others. This is a very informative video!

Homemade {Bailey’s} Irish Cream

I have set a new challenge for myself, ‘If I can make it, why buy it.” I think that this is much healthier, now I know exactly what is in my food and know it is not packed full of food colorings or preservatives.

Below is a recipe I have been using of Irish Cream. The best thing is you can make it stronger if you want to or more chocolaty or more coffee-y!

Homemade Irish Cream

• 2 cups heavy cream [470 ml]
  14 oz. can Sweet Condensed Milk [397 grams]
  1 1/4 cups whisky, or you can mix it up with Brandy, Rum and Bourbon to clean out the cabinet if you need too [290ml]
  2 Tablespoons chocolate syrup
  2 teaspoons instant coffee
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Mix everything together very well. Store in air tight bottle overnight to allow flavors to blend. Then you can drink!

My [plastic free] Toilet Paper

So I have been on the hunt to find toilet paper not wrapped in plastic. In the States I could at least always find single rolls wrapped in paper, but that has not been the case so far here in Norway. (If they are here they must be hiding very well!) I am not exactly on the ‘No Plastic Challenge‘, but I am working as hard as I can to eliminate our plastic use. We are first refusing plastic if we can. So that means no new shopping bags, no produce bags and no plastic packaging.

So the toilet paper was really starting to bother me, I can buy 6 rolls at a time (sometimes I find a 12 pack – yep, no Costo here). So knowing that the toilet paper packaging is not marked and is a soft plastic bothered me very much since I knew it was rather hopeless to be recycled. So the solution: Toilet Paper from Edet, it is packaged in bioplastic!

Edet had toilet paper called ‘Soft Eco’. Here is why I think it is a winner: it is made ​​of 100% recycled fiber and packed in bio-degradable plastic (aka bio plastic), its packaging and paper sleeve can be composted. The tube/sleeve is smaller the normal to make it fit more paper on each roll. Which means more can be transported in one truck, cutting production, packaging, and transportation cost and emissions. For every tree that is used (for the tubes i guess, or mabe boxes?) they plant 3 in its place. They transport only if they have to by air – minimal air transportation. It is produced in Scandinavia. And they have cut there CO2 emmisions by 80% and create there own energy from there waste.

Abeego

Goal # 32 Completed: Stop using saran wrap / plastic wrap

Well ok not 100% completed, I still have like 1/4 of a roll of plastic wrap left, but once it is gone we are not buying a new roll.

“Abeego is natural, reusable, eco-conscious food storage created with hemp/cotton fabric infused with a blend of beeswax and plant extracts. The fluid-resistant coating keeps food fresh and is easy to clean. Simply hand wash Abeego in COLD, soapy water and enjoy the long life of this breathable, plastic free innovation.” -Abeego

So let me just say that I am in love with these Abeego flats I ordered! In my attempt to rid my house of plastic wrap I came across these amazing things! At first I was a tid bit unsure how fabric coated in beeswax would keep my food fresh – but since it was a natural way and I am up for taking chance, I ordered the Multi-Pack. They only cost $15 CAD and the sweet owner, Toni, backaged them in a flat envelope to mail them from Canada to Norway for me. I was first of all OVERLY impressed with the envelope when it arrived – All paper and NO plastic! Packaging after my own heart!

So the multi-pack, also called Flats, are just like plastic wrap in function.. here is what the site says (since they say it best!). “Abeego Flats are the ideal kitchen companion for fresh food storage. Simply press and form over dishes to cover leftovers. Wrap up cheese, mold around produce, baked goods and more. Bend and shape the Flats to suit your individual food storage needs. Explore the versatility with this multi pack containing a small, medium and large Abeego Flat. Use pressure in combination with the warmth of your hands to form it tightly around the item to be stored. Abeego responds to temperature. It will be more adhesive and moldable at room temperature and will stiffen when cool, holding the shape you created.”

We have tacos every Tuesday – AKA Taco Tuesday – and we always have half a cucumber leftover, that I always hope will last until the next Taco Tuesday. But it never does, it is normally mushy. So I was super excited test this. And guess what – after one week of it wrapped in a Abeego and sitting on my counter it was still crisp and fresh – no mush!

There is only one thing I am bummed about though, that is that I want one in like 18×18 inches – haha. Toni has been very helpful in all ways, so I think I will have to make a request (or if you are reading this Tone, this is a request for bigger sizes!) I am very excited about this product and have been telling everyone. Give them a try, and if you like them (I am sure you will!) – then spread the word! Kudos to Toni on that, she is really helping eliminate the plastic consumption.

You can find out more information about Abeego here.

Oil Pulling

Mentioned in Ayurvedic medicine, Oil pulling is the act of swishing one teaspoon of oil throughout your mouth for 15 minutes first thing in the morning. It is like a natural mouth wash. It is mentioned in the Ayurvedic text “Charaka Samhita” (3000BC) and refered to as “kavala graham”.

Oil pulling has been reported to cure these following issues: Teeth and gum problems; including toothache, loose teeth, bleeding gums, and yellow discoloration. Allergies. Asthma. Back pain. Arthritis and joint pains, Skin problems, including eczema. Ulcers. Digestive problems. Insomnia. And more.

Studies have shown that after just 45 days of oil pulling plaque is significantly reduced. The thought is that pulling oil through and it combining with the salivary alkali starts the oil to saponifi or turn into soap. Soap removes plaque. Other studies also show lower bacteria counts in the mouth after oil pulling.

So it claims lots, I was most interested in that it claims to whiten teeth and help with the thyroid/metabolism (ill take all the help I can get since I have a bad thyroid).

There are many skeptics out there, here are what a few have said after trying it out.

I was a skeptic who decided to see if it works. Now after 5 weeks of oil pulling I can say it works for gums, teeth, better sleep, removal of mucus from your lungs or troth (I am not sure where it is coming from) but, after oil pulling I spit lots of it (it looks disgusting). As for detox I am not sure yet. And I am not sure how will I see if it works or not. I do have occasional constipation, water retention, allergy and arthritis in one joint. I will continue for another 2-3 months to see if any of it goes away. [via]

[I] began oil-pulling about 2 months ago. Since then I have reversed documented nerve damaged and avoided my 5th back surgery. My arthritis in my knees is much better. I have lost weight and my cellulite is going away. My teeth are whiter, my gum tighter. [via]

I started oil pulling a few months ago. I hate to say it, but I gagged the first time I did it, and was not able to continue. … Now I do oil pulling every day … My three loose teeth are no longer loose. No more sensitive teeth- I can eat hot, cold, etc. without any discomfort to my teeth at all. Severe and repetitive plaque buildup on the inside of my lower front teeth literally fell off in my mouth and has never come back. Arthritis in my fingers is gone and has never returned. [via]

So here is how you do it. First thing in the morning, on an empty stomach (no food or drink) place one teaspoon of oil in your mouth. You should use cold pressed sesame oil, cold pressed sunflower oil or coconut oil. Swish the oil around in your mouth for 15 to 20 minutes. Make sure to get the back of the teeth and under the tongue. The oil will start to dilute and then become white and foamy. Do not keep the oil in your mouth over 20 minutes, if you were to your body could start to reabsorb the toxins it has just pulled out. When you spit out the oil, it is recommended to spit it in the toilet due the the fact it can be full of toxins. Next you brush your teeth (I recommend with pure castile non-gylcerin bar soap – but more on that in another article).

It is said to work because the oil mixes with your saliva and activates enzymes in your mouth. Those enzymes draw out toxins from the blood. You can oil pull up to 3 times a day, as long as each time is on an empty stomach. It is also recommended that you are sitting while doing so, I am unable to find any reason why it says this. Anyone and everyone can do this, even pregnant women – however small kids that would have trouble not swallowing should probably not since the oil is pulling toxins out of your blood that should not be ingested.

I have been oil pulling now, and I will continue. I feel that my teeth felt firmer and and my gums softer (it is like a gum massage). I found the process to be somewhat relaxing too, but maybe it was because I could not talk and was sitting – hence not running around. I had some canker sores that just would not go away that disappeared within hours of my first ‘pull’ and have not come back. I also had been having a major stuffy nose the seem to just disappear – but with some work, like in the testimony above I too had lots of mucus coming up after. I will have to have been doing it longer to give you more results.. Ill post more in a few months – but for now I am sold! I would like to say though that if you are around others in the morning, beware they might be very grossed out – which I guess I can understand, I was told it just sounds funny.

So the bottom line is that trying it cannot hurt, it is a all natural product. You can buy it in glass and recycle the bottle. It is an oil that you probably eat and cook with. There are no schemes getting you to buy some extra chemical altered product. Nope! Just go into the kitchen and get a spoon full of oil! If anything you spent an extra 15 minutes relazxing in the morning – which I bet has great benefits on its own.

Have you Oil Pulled? or Are you going to try?