To Be or Not to Be a Raw Vegan...

I discovered the raw food diet/lifestyle in a kind of round about way. I was already immersed in the world of organic eating and took up an interest in Ayurveda (Indian natural or alternative medicine) and yoga. One of the yoga instructor's whose blog I followed posted an article about her friend's new Raw Vegan Beauty online store. She had me at the words "beauty store". I promptly looked it up and after reading about her various health struggles and how adopting a raw vegan lifestyle and using only raw vegan skincare and personal care products had completely healed her, I became intrigued and decided to check it out.

After researching everything I could get my hands on regarding this diet, reading hundreds of testimonials from people who had been healed from whatever sickness or disease they were struggling with, I decided to give it a try.

If you have never heard of the raw food lifestyle, I'll give a brief explanation.

The raw food diet is a plant based diet where the foods are not cooked at a temperature higher than 118 degrees Farenheit (some raw foodists won't go above 115-116 degrees F). The reason behind this is that by cooking the food at a higher temperature, their natural enzymes are destroyed. Enzymes are needed to aid with digestion. And yes, I know that our bodies do produce enzymes, but in limited supply, so the bulk needs to come from the foods that we eat. By eating a heavy diet of over cooked, refined and processed foods, we are taxing our bodies digestive systems and creating all sorts of havoc for our overall health. Raw plant foods..raw organic plant foods are full of living enzymes that help to make the digestion process easier. While they do all the work, our bodies can then have energy to work on healing whatever disease we're struggling with. Plant foods are also more alkaline, whereas cooked and junk foods are acidic and having a body that is too acidic is giving sickness and disease an open invitation to destroy your health.

 Now, I knew that I wasn't going to be able to turn into a vegan overnight, if at all, or even give up all cooked foods, so how could I make this work for me?

Well, for starters, I made gradual changes. I had already cut way back on meat and dairy (about 2-3 times a week) and gave up refined sugars and starches and junk foods. At the same time, I began to increase my intake of organic, raw fruits and vegetables. Having read about all of the unpleasant detox symptoms people described going through when they went 100% raw, I decided gradual would be best for me. Ok, so I was chicken! I also knew that living in New York State would make it difficult especially in the colder months to forgo cooked or warmed food, so I basically adapted the diet to fit my lifestyle. I pretty much follow the dietary guidelines of Kimberly Snyder and Natalia Rose, which allows some cooked foods (which you cook with either organic butter or organic coconut oils only- all other oils turn to trans fats when heated at high temps), organic lean meats, eggs and some goats cheese. Also wine is allowed as it is considered to be the healthiest of all alcohols and also essentially considered raw. And organic dark chocolate (65% or higher cacao only).

I had also switched to raw, organic skincare that I purchased from Living Earth Beauty's website - mostly ISUN and Living Libations. My skin fell in love with the healing ingredients.

Just from these simple changes, I saw amazing results. Though it did take about 2 years to see any noticeable results in my skin, my overall health benefited almost immediately. And while it is much easier to eat a higher raw diet in the warmer months (since our bodies naturally crave cooler foods then), I was able to still eat about 50-60% raw in the colder months. By eating a raw green salad with a homemade oil & vinegar (stevia or honey to sweeten - no white sugar!) dressing before dinner, or having snacks of raw fruits or veggies or juicing or somehow incorporating something raw with our cooked meals, I was able to make this work. Now, that's not to say I don't still have "cheat days", because I do. I just try and make healthier choices when I do stray. It's not always easy, especially around the holidays, or at family get togethers, and of course I can never give up pizza no matter how hard I try! :-)

Maybe someday I will actually get up the nerve to go completely raw vegan, if only for awhile, but right now, I'm just trying to enjoy the journey that I am on, and looking forward to what the future will bring.

Peace and Love,
~Sabrina

Struggles..and a Ray of Hope

I spent most of my life wishing, praying and hoping that someday I would wake up and have clear, beautiful skin like everyone around me seemed to have been blessed with. I remember my mother telling me that I would "grow out of it", that by High School I'd be the one with the pretty skin and all the kids who made fun of me would be the ones with the bad complexions. Ha! While it was so sweet of my mother to give me that little kernel of hope, alas Mother Nature continued to make my life a living hell. My skin not only wasn't clear, it was worse and it was scarred. And all the kids who had tormented me continued to have gorgeous skin. Sigh...

It wasn't like I didn't try to get rid of my acne, on the contrary, I tried EVERYTHING. I went to dermatologists, used everything on the market, even tried some different natural remedies. Nothing worked.

By 16, my skin had finally calmed down and stopped breaking out constantly. But I was left with scars. I'm not talking about those red marks that eventually fade away either, I'm talking deep, pitted, indented scars. The kind that you can't really hide. I told you Mother Nature was a jerk.

When I was 18, I had full face dermabrasion done to try and lessen the appearance of the scars. After my skin healed, it seemed like it had improved greatly. I felt like I could actually have a normal life. Ha!

This time around,  Mother Nature was even more cruel. I started breaking out in cystic pimples, the kind that no matter what you did, left deep scars behind. Yep...bye bye normal looking skin, hello again scarface.

 I became an expert at camouflaging my skin with make up, so it wasn't quite as noticeable. But you'd never catch me without full make up on...ever. And I never wore my hair off my face. I also had a very difficult time looking at people directly face to face. I was too self conscience, worried that they were repulsed by my flaws.

I spent years searching for products, remedies, anything that would make my skin better. I coveted the beautiful skin of the women around me and my self esteem was non-existent. I wondered what I did to deserve this since I knew I wasn't a bad person, I'm actually quite nice, a bit sarcastic and eccentric maybe, but still a pretty ok gal.

At 36, thinking that no man would ever want to marry me unless I had perfect skin (thank you very much social media jerks), I found someone who fell in love with me, scars and all, and thinks I am the most beautiful woman in the world. We've been annoyingly happily married for 6 years now. :-)

Around that time I met Kathryn Mazierski, owner of Pur Skin Spa (at the time it was Seyant in Lewiston). She asked me what I was using on my skin and at the time it was Bare Minerals, Proactiv and Oil of Olay - all of which she told me to stop using immediately. She explained that Bare Minerals, while popular, contains Bismuth Oxychloride, a cheap mineral that can cause skin irritation and breakouts. Proactiv contains benzoyl peroxide (but also parabens and other toxic ingredients), which actually damages your skin because it generates free radicals, causing the skin to heal slower and age quicker. Oil of Olay contains ingredients that are not only comedogenic (like mineral oil) but like Proactiv, generate free radicals, in turn speeding up the aging process. I ditched them as soon as I got home. For the next few years, I put my skin in her capable hands, and the results were wonderful. She not only used healing products on my skin and introduced me to Jane Iredale make up (which I no longer use due to the silicones in their products :-( ), but she also gave me nutritional guidance as well.

Sadly, I had to take a hiatus from seeing her due to having back surgery (and losing my job). I'm still recovering, so it will be a while until I can go back. I do highly recommend her - you can find her on facebook under Pur Skin Vitamin-Powered Skin Therapy on Elmwood in Buffalo. She is amazing, I cannot say enough good things about her. :-) I not only learned a lot from her, but discovered a passion for skin care and nutritional beauty.

But as much as my breakouts were helped, my scars were still very prevalent, and they bothered me more than the actual blemishes. Soooo..back to research mode. Now, I had already started switching my diet to a more organic one, but I soon discovered a dietary lifestyle that would change my health and skin forever....

The Raw Vegan/ Vegetarian Diet. I will explain more on this in my next post.

Until next time. Peace and love.

So How Do I Beat the Acne Beast?

So I mentioned in an earlier post that I was nine when my skin was taken over by acne. I'm not going to go on about how cruel kids were, or how I spent the majority of my life deeply depressed, wondering if I could ever be considered pretty, blah, blah, blah. Anyone who has or has been at one time in their lives plagued with this disease knows how it is. I'm not looking for a pity party, I'm here because I want to help other people.

Which brings me to today's topic - how the hell do I beat the acne beast?

First off, let's take a look at some of the causes of acne.

1) Hormones - pregnancy, menstruation - these can cause the sebaceous glands to produce more oil, which can result in blocked pores creating breakouts.
2) Diet - acne is an inflammatory skin disease, and any foods that cause inflammation in the body can cause acne breakouts. Diets high in processed, refined foods, dairy and sugar are most likely to produce acne breakouts or make them worse if you already have acne.
3) Stress - stress can also cause an increase in sebum production, which again, can result in acne breakouts.
4) Toxic ingredients - make up and skincare products that contain pore clogging or oil stripping ingredients can not only cause breakouts, but actually make them worse.
5) Detoxification- as you clean your body of built up toxins, some of those toxins may be released through your skin in the form of breakouts.

It may seem like a no win situation, especially since some of those causes are virtually impossible to avoid, but by changing the things that you can control, you will see a difference. Here are a few things that I changed in my own life that helped my skin.

1) Cut out/back on dairy - there are many delicious, more healthy and easily digestible alternatives out there to cow's milk. I personally love Almond Milk. There are also almond and coconut yogurts which are amazing  as well (Silk and So Delicious are my favorite brands). I also cut out processed/refined foods and meats as much as possible and increased raw fruit and veggie intake.
2) Switch to more natural makeup, skincare and personal care products - Lack of funds has me using a very simple beauty routine: Dr. Bronner's Un-Scented Castile Soap as a face & body wash, organic coconut oil as a body moisturizer and leave in hair serum, local honey as a mask, baking soda as an exfoliant (add a few drops of water to form a paste), raw apple cider vinegar & water as a toner, jojoba oil mixed with a few drops of tea tree oil as a daytime serum/moisturizer. At night, I use a mixture of argan & tamanu oils mixed with an essential oil blend that is specifically for acneic skin (plus has anti-aging and scar healing properties). I'll post some DIY recipes in a future post. For make-up, I prefer mineral make-up that is bismuth oxychloride free ( a skin irritant known to cause acne ) such as Faerie Organic, Lucy Minerals or Everyday Minerals Jojoba Base.
3) Focus on hobbies to decrease stress - I started playing piano and singing again and created this blog, all of which help to keep me from dwelling on whatever issues may be going on in my life at the moment.

Just by making a few simple switches to my diet and lifestyle, I noticed a huge difference, which encouraged me to keep on the path I found. I've had acne since I was 9 and I recently turned 42, but my skin looks a million times better now than I ever dreamed it could. It may take some time, but the results will come. Remember, if you take the more natural route via diet and lifestyle, you're allowing your body to heal and healing takes time. Just don't give up. :-)

Until next time. Peace and Love.

Detox...the Dreaded "D" Word?

Spring..a time of renewal. A time of new beginnings, of birds singing, flowers blooming. A time to shed the heavy layers of winter clothes in favor of more skin revealing outfits. Spring is also the perfect time for detoxing our bodies. What is detoxification and why should we do it? It's simple really. Detoxification is the process of removing toxic substances from our bodies. Whenever we eat processed, fried, or any kind of junk foods, toxins build up in our bodies. Stress, pollution, using personal care and cosmetic products with un-healthy ingredients can also cause toxins to build up. When your body becomes overburdened with toxins, inflammation sets in, which leads to sickness and disease. Our bodies were designed to detox naturally via the liver, bowels and skin. However, depending on a person's lifestyle, some of those toxins may get "stuck" - which is why some people are chronically achey, bloated, unable to lose or gain weight, have dull, blotchy or inflammed skin and lackluster hair. Toxins sap not only your energy, but affect your overall health and beauty as well.

Soooo.....how does one detox? Basically, anytime you cut back on, or eliminate the "junk" out of your diet and lifestyle, your body will detox. How fast or slow this occurs depends on how much or little you remove. There is one little caveat that I will mention up front: detoxing can be (but doesn't have to be) quite unpleasant. If you decide that you wanted to "quick clean" your system for instance, you may experience a variety of detox symptoms that may make you wish you had left well enough alone (this is one reason I have chosen to slowly detox my body - I'm a bit chicken of the process). Some of these symptoms may include the following:

- Skin breakouts - uh, yeah, like I need more of those!
- Bloating, stomach pains
- Headaches
- Food cravings
- Trouble sleeping, nightmares

- Diarrhea and constipation

- Fatigue, drowsiness, low levels of energy

- Irritability

- Congestion or mucus that feels like a cold

You may read these and ask why the hell would anyone want to go through all that?! I'll tell you why - these symptoms, while unpleasant, don't last. Unlike keeping the toxins tucked away, nice and neat inside your cells, which will cause you to continually feel like crap, detoxing purges them out, and when they are gone, you feel better than you ever thought you could. Even though I chose to detox slowly,and I'll probably have to do a deeper cleanse once my back is healed, I have still noticed a difference in my appearance at least. My hair is healthier (also the result of using organic haircolor), my skin doesn't break out like it used to, I look younger than my age. I don't have a weight problem. Hopefully soon I won't have back or hip pain anymore. 

Some things to incorporate in your diet/lifestyle to help your body detox:

- Raw fruits and veggies - these are the most cleansing foods on the planet. Eat them plain, juice them, throw them in a smoothie, but do eat them..and lots of them! Not only do raw plant foods keep their enzymes intact which helps digestion, but they are packed with water and thus help to keep you hydrated. Make sure they are organic and if not, rinse well. 

- Water, water, water! Water is truly the elixir of life, so drink up! If you can't stand to drink plain water, add fresh lemon juice - lemon helps to detoxify the liver, plus it tastes good too. :-) 

 - Exercise..doesn't matter what it is..just do something to get the oxygen flowing

- Switch to natural, non-toxic personal care & skincare products (I'll post later about different products I've tried and how to buy natural on a budget)

- Find a hobby or something that you enjoy that can de-stress you. 

Everyone's body is unique and will respond differently to detoxing. How you choose to do it is up to you, but I strongly encourage you to do it - your body will thank you! Some of the benefits include clearer skin, weight loss, mental clarity, increased energy, more stable emotions, less aches and pains and the list can go on.

For tips, recipes and more on detoxing, I recommend Kimberly Snyder's book "The Beauty Detox Solution" and Natalia Rose "The Raw Food Detox Diet"

Peace, love and happy detoxing! :-)

Chickweed and Huh?

Ahhhh coffee...sweet elixir of mornings, how I love thee. But wait you say - isn't coffee "bad" for you? Isn't it acidic and cause inflammation in your body? Isn't it a diuretic, causing dehydration, thus making it a beauty stealing food? And don't people usually add milk and/or sugar to it, making it even more unhealthy? Yeah, yeah, yeah...However, I happen to drink organic, low acid coffee and I use almond milk or organic, non-gmo soymilk and either organic stevia or xylitol as a sweetener...soooooo, I don't feel so guilty! So to all you coffee haters I say, keep your hands off my cup of organic, non-gmo joe and leave me be! :-P

Obviously, I haven't had my morning coffee yet..so moving on. :-) The reason for this post and essentially this blog. I wanted to share my love of all things healthy, natural, and organic, as well as my own health struggles and victories. But like I stated in my last post, it's not that easy. Finding a starting point is proving to be quite a brain teaser for me, but I think I'll just start at the beginning.

I was nine when my skin decided that it was going to turn on me. While most girls my age were playing with Barbies or hanging with their friends, I was busy learning how to hide the nasty blemishes that took up residence on my face with foundation and cover up. To make a really long, and an even more painful story short, my skin became so bad that if I had have had the option, I never would have left the house. To say that my self esteem suffered is an understatement. The scars that acne left behind were way more than just skin deep. To this day, I am still struggling to gain confidence in my looks. While I don't have acne like I used to, I do still get the occasional blemish or two once a month, and I do still have some scarring, but thankfully those are healing (more on that in a later post).

While I could write a book about the effects acne has had on my life and self image, I want to focus more on things that can help to heal it. So, back to the title of my blog. I chose "Chickweed and Blush" because I wanted a name that would encompass all of the things this blog would be about in a nutshell. Chickweed, besides being a cool name, is an herb that has been used to help acneic skin (it also has many other medicinal qualities) and Blush..well, besides the fact that it is a make up item and goes with my theme, skin looks more healthy and radiant when it has a rosey glow. ;-)

Well, lovelies, my brain has decided to take a nap on me, which means I need to go feed it some fruit or veggies. :-)

Until next time! Peace and love.

Girl on a Green Mission

I've always been interested in natural healing and healthy eating. It was how I was raised, and for the most part, I never really strayed from my upbringing. I knew that what I put in my body had a direct effect on my overall health, but what I didn't know until a few years ago, was that it mattered just as equally what I put on my face/body. I was first introduced to this idea when I met an amazing esthetician, friend and skin mentor named Kathryn (who runs Pur Skin Spa on Elmwood in Buffalo. Oh how I miss you!) She was the one who informed me that certain ingredients in products can actually make your acne/skin condition worse, even if they state they are for helping acne (ahem..Proactiv..) Of course, being the research fanatic that I am, I went right to work, reading and learning everything I could about the various ingredients used in make up and skincare. I tossed everything I owned shortly after and restocked with more skin friendly, non-toxic products. It wasn't really that extreme of a thing for me to do since I had already moved to an organic, mostly raw (mostly) vegetarian diet (to my husband's horror at first, but soon learned to love).

When I first made these changes, some people thought I was a little crazy to say the least, especially with the vegetarian part - my family is primarily die hard carnivore. But, like I stated above, I'm mostly vegetarian - probably more flexitarian. The one thing I am not flexible about, however, is what I use on my face and body. Here's why - Your skin is the body's largest eliminative organ, and as such, not only expels toxins but can also absorb them - your skin can absorb up to 70% of what you put on it. When you use products that contain pore clogging ingredients (such as mineral oil, petroleum, etc..), you're not allowing your skin to "breathe" and the result can be..you guessed it, acne!

There are many other reasons why I chose to "go green", but I'll save that for another post. For now though, here are a list of toxic and acne causing ingredients to watch out for when shopping for your skincare, make up and personal care products (this list is just a few examples..there are more..lots more):

Benzoyl Peroxide: Frequently used in acne products, the MSDS states: “Facilitates action of known carcinogens. … Possible tumor promoter. May act as mutagen; produces DNA damage in human and other mammalian cells in some concentrations. Also, toxic by inhalation. May be harmful if swallowed and in contact with skin. Eye, skin and respiratory irritant.”

DEA (Diethanolamine), MEA (Monoethanolamine), & TEA (Triethanolamine): This foam booster is a skin/eye irritant and causes contact dermatitis. Easily absorbed through skin to accumulate in body organs, even the brain. Repeated use resulted in major increases of liver and kidney cancer.

Dioxin: Won’t appear on an ingredient list. Often contained in antibacterial ingredients like triclosan, emulsifiers, PEGs and ethoxylated cleansers like Sodium Laureth Sulfate. Dioxin causes cancer, reduced immunity, nervous system disorders, miscarriages and birth deformity. It’s a hormone-disrupting chemical with toxic effects measured in the parts per trillion–one drop in 300 Olympic-size swimming pools! Our bodies have no defense against its damage. Most visible example was Yushchenko, the Ukrainian President, who suffered from dioxin poisoning and looked old overnight.

DMDM Hydantoin & Urea (Imidazolidinyl): Just two of many preservatives that often release formaldehyde which may cause joint pain, cancer, skin reactions, allergies, depression, headaches, chest pains, ear infections, chronic fatigue, dizziness, and loss of sleep. Exposure may irritate the respiratory system, trigger heart palpitations or asthma, aggravate coughs and colds.

FD&C Color & Pigments: Synthetic colors from coal tar contain heavy metal salts that deposit toxins in skin, causing skin sensitivity / irritation. Absorption can cause depletion of oxygen and death. Animal studies show almost all are carcinogenic.

Parabens (Methyl, Butyl, Ethyl, Propyl): Used as preservatives and aren’t always labeled “parabens.” They’re used in deodorants and antiperspirants and have been found in breast cancer tumors. Parabens, as xenoestrogens (hormone disruptors), may contribute to sterility in male mice and humans. Estrogen-like activity causes hormone imbalance in females and early puberty.

PEG (Polyethylene glycol): Made by ethoxylating Propylene Glycol. Dangerous levels of dioxin have been found as a by-product of the ethoxylation process. PEGs are in everything including personal care, baby care and sunscreens.

Phthalates: Xenoestrogens are commonly found in many products, usually not listed on labels. Health effects include damage to liver/kidneys, birth defects, decreased sperm counts and early breast development in girls and boys.

Propylene Glycol (PG) and Butylene Glycol: Petroleum plastics act as surfactants (wetting agents, solvents). EPA considers PG so toxic it requires protective gloves, clothing, goggles and disposal by burying. Because PG penetrates skin so quickly, EPA warns against skin contact to prevent brain, liver, and kidney abnormalities. There is NO warning label on products where concentration is greater than in most industrial applications.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES): Detergents and surfactants that pose serious health threats. Used in car washes, garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers and 90 percent of personal-care products that foam. Animals exposed to SLS experienced eye damage, depression, labored breathing, diarrhea, severe skin irritation–even death. SLS may also damage skin’s immune system by causing layers to separate, inflame and age.

Sunscreen chemicals: Avobenzone, benzphenone, ethoxycinnamate, PABA are commonly used ingredients that are known free radical generators and are believed to damage DNA or lead to cancers.

Triclosan: Synthetic “antibacterial” ingredient with chemical structure similar to Agent Orange! EPA registers it as a pesticide, posing risks to human health and environment. Classified as a chlorophenol, chemicals suspected of causing cancer in humans. Tufts University School of Medicine says triclosan is capable of forcing emergence of ‘super bugs’ it cannot kill.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-toxic-12-beauty-ingredients.html#ixzz2OWf4PCEt