All Unearthed paints, plasters, and wood finishes are vegan, which means they do not contain animal products and have never been tested on animals.

Avoiding chemical exposure  is an even bigger concern while pregnant.  One of the most exciting projects that a couple go through while waiting for baby is putting the nursery together and Unearthed Paints allow mama to be involved in the painting process too since all of their paints are 100% zero-VOC and safe to use while pregnant.

Plus, the colors are gorgeous!  The color line spans the full spectrum of color from cool and muted to amazingly vibrant and are made with raw ingredients such as clay, chalk, marble, and earth and mineral pigments and that are not produced with petrochemical (oil-derived) or synthetic ingredients.

While I am impressed with Unearthed Paints products, I am even more impressed by how environmentally and socially responsible the company is.

For every square foot of Unearthed Paints, Plasters or Wood finishes you purchase, Unearthed will purchase one square foot of rain forest, and donate it back to indigenous peoples that have responsibly lived on the land for thousands of years.

Unearthed Paints line includes Clay Paint, Vega Paint and Clay Roll-on Plaster, so there are plenty of applications to choose from.  They also carry wood finishes, primers, and thinners.

1. Stand, quiet your mind, take 3-4 deep breaths in and out. As you breathe, inhale for 4 full seconds and exhale for 6 full seconds on each breath. Try to maintain this breathing pattern as you continue. If you like, set your intention for the day, such as “I am going to maintain a positive attitude throughout every facet of my day.”

2. As you reach for the carafe, think to yourself, “I am reaching for the carafe.”

3. Next, think, “I am filling the carafe with water. I am grateful to have running water.”

4. “I am pouring the water in the coffee maker. “

5. “I am putting the coffee grounds in the coffee maker. I am happy to have coffee to make this morning.”

6. “I am turning the coffee pot on. I am blessed to have electricity.”

7. “I am pulling my favorite coffee mug out of the cupboard.”

8. “I am pouring my coffee.”

9. “I am drinking my coffee. I am going to have a great day.”

You can apply this technique to virtually any activity. If you do so and you maintain a regular, deep breathing pattern, you give your lungs and vital organs a wonderful and much needed massage and allow your body to release toxins that clog up when you get stuck in a shallow breathing pattern.  Ready, Set, Breathe!  Stay tuned for more meditation blogs, including easy daily mantras and cleansing breaths.

A few years back I was suffering from recurrent bladder infections (3+ in one year!) and hated having to take antibiotics.  When you truly need antibiotics they can literally be a lifesaver, however it is well known that antibiotics are vastly over prescribed in the United States and the overuse is detrimental for individuals and the public at large.

After drowning myself in jugs and jugs or cranberry juice (I even resorted to the unsweetened 100% cranberry juice), my UTI’s persisted.  In an effort to avoid another UTI and avoid the antibiotics that oftentimes accompany such an infection, I began researching the issue and discovered that there are steps we can take as well as an amazingly safe natural product we can use when needed to ensure our urinary tract health and avoid infections.  As a result of my findings, I have not had a UTI since!

MY MIRACLE

Thankfully my research brought me to Dr. Jonathon Wright.  I stumbled upon this post from his Tahoma Clinic blog which discussed the benefits of the simple sugar D-Mannose in the fight against UTIs.  With regards to the safety of D-Mannose, Dr. Wright states:

“D-mannose is very safe, even for long term use.   D-mannose is a simple sugar, very little of it is metabolized. It doesn’t interfere with blood sugar regulation, even for diabetics. It creates no disruption or imbalance in normal body microflora. It’s safe even for pregnant women and very small children. In the less than 10% of cases where the infection is a bacteria other than E. coli, antibiotics can be started in plenty of time. (Many physicians will likely advise collecting a urine specimen for culture, if possible just before starting D-mannose, so that the bacteria can be identified as rapidly as possible in the few cases when D-mannose doesn’t work.)

WHAT IT IS AND HOW IT WORKS

As mentioned above, D-Mannose is a simple sugar that occurs naturally in both cranberries and pineapples.  Since very little of the sugar is metabolized by our bodies, most of it is excreted through our urine.

So what does this have to do with UTIs and how can it help cure them?  The bacterium that causes most UTIs is called Escherichia coli (“E. coli”).  When we become infected with a UTI most often it is caused by bacteria called Escherichia coli (“E. coli”).  This E. coli likes to attach itself to the walls of our bladder which causes a multitude of problems.  Fortunately for us E. Coli LOVES D-Mannose.  When we drink water that has been mixed with D-Mannose, the D-Mannose makes its way to our bladder and the E. Coli lets go of our bladder wall and grabs on to the D-Mannose.  When we urinate the E. Coli leaves our body.  I am amazed by how simple and effective this remedy is.

Whenever I feel that I may be coming down with a UTI, I drink water with D-Mannose and I do not get one!  I travel with D-Mannose…I am that big of a believer.

D-MANNOSE DOSING

The usual dose for D-Mannose powder is 1/2 teaspoonful (2 1/2 grams) stirred into water every 2 to 4 hours. If the infection is not substantially better within 24 hours, it is probably not being caused by E.coli. in which case it is recommended that you contact your regular physician.

My favorite brand of D-mannose is by pure encapsulations (click here for more information).  I always keep a container or two in my home.

ADDITIONAL PREVENTATIVE MEASURES

In addition to Dr. Wright’s suggestion to utilize D-Mannose, Dr. Joseph Mercola suggests that there are simple steps you can take to help promote a healthy urinary tract:

• Drink plenty of water every day – this dilutes your urine and helps you regularly flush your system.
• Urinate when you feel the need.  Don’t resist the urge to go.
• For women, wipe from front to back and use unscented and unbleached toilet paper as many young women react to the dyes and chemicals in other toilet papers.
• Take showers instead of baths.
• Cleanse your genital area prior to and after sexual intercourse.
• Urinate after intercourse to flush out your urinary tract.
• Avoid feminine deodorant sprays, douches, and powders that can lead to irritation of the urethra and genitals.
• Only use cotton sanitary napkins and tampons.  97% of women believe they are made of cotton, but the truth is LESS THAN one percent actually is.

I hope these tips are as helpful to you as they have been for me.  Bladder infections are no fun!

Here’s to health!

Gretchen

Image via

Does the stomach ever get accustomed to eating a plant-based diet and no longer have GI distress? I am afraid of getting bloated and windy (gassy). I have IBS. Thanks!

~Dolores

Hi Dolores!

I am sorry to hear that you have IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and have been experiencing intestinal irritation.  Yes, I can assure you that the stomach does in fact adjust very nicely to eating a vegan diet.  As with many things in life, one has to give themselves time to adjust to this new way of life.  For example, I wouldn’t recommend that a person who is not accustomed to eating vegetables and legumes start eating 2 cups of beans in one sitting.

I also recommend digestive enzymes.  Raw food contains many enzymes on its own which are highly beneficial.  However, most people primarily consume cooked food and the enzymes are destroyed during the cooking process.  As a result the pancreas needs to secrete digestive enzymes to assist in the breakdown of our food.  When our pancreas becomes over-taxed, over time it is not able to secrete as many digestive enzymes.

“Eighty percent of our body’s energy is expended by the digestive process. If you are run down, under stress, living in a very hot or very cold climate, pregnant or a frequent traveler, then enormous quantities of extra enzymes are required by your body. Because our entire system functions through enzymatic action, we must supplement our enzymes. Aging deprives us of our ability to produce necessary enzymes. The medical profession tells us that all disease is due to a lack or imbalance of enzymes. Our very lives are dependent upon them!”

- Dr. DicQie Fuller, The Healing Power of Enzymes

We can assist our bodies by eating as many raw foods as possible and by taking digestive enzymes.  I personally take digestive enzymes.  I have had great results with Life Extension’s Enhanced Super Digestive Enzymes and Hippocrates Health Institute’s LifeGive Digestive Enzymes.

One other solution to keep in mind is the addition of probiotics into your daily regimen.  Read a past Ask Grettie column about probiotics.

If the above solutions do not solve your GI issues, you may have a food intolerance or allergy which may be causing some of the uncomfortable inflammation in your digestive tract.  Keep a food log and see if you notice any patterns with regards to when you experience your GI issues and whether it is related to the consumption of certain foods.  A great way to determine the offending food is to put yourself on an elimination diet.  Basically you remove possible food triggers for a week and then slowly add them back one at a time to see if your symptoms return.  If the symptoms return after adding back a particular food, then you have found your culprit (some people have more than one).  I used an elimination diet to determine my gluten intolerance.

According to Dr. McDougall, the six leading causes of food allergies are dairy, eggs, chocolate, nuts, shellfish, and fish.  Becoming vegan will automatically remove four of the six most common food allergens from your diet…yet another reason to praise vegan diets!  If nuts and chocolate are not your triggers, then it is time to move on to the elimination of the following potential allergens from the vegetable kingdom, wheat (and/or gluten in general), corn, citrus fruits, tomatoes, and strawberries.

Please keep in touch and let me know if the above recommendations help solve your GI distress.

Here’s to health!

Gretchen

Image courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/wakingphotolife/

**Do you have a questions for Grettie? She is here to answer any of your health and nutrition related questions! Email her at askgrettie@chicvegan.com .**
—–

Gretchen Tseng is a Nutrition Specialist with Certification in Plant-Based Nutrition through Cornell University. At a young age she experienced a series of illnesses which propelled her to seek nutrition based solutions. Gretchen is absolutely passionate about sharing the health benefits of a plant-based lifestyle and can be found doing so through her website Veggie Grettie . Gretchen lives in Southern California with her husband, two children, and 4 legged best bud. She dreams of living on a farm someday surrounded by animals and the most amazing organic garden she can imagine.

Forks Over Knives covers the work of Dr. T. Colin Campbell, author of The China Study, and examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting animal-based and processed foods.

One in every three people in the United States is overweight. At least 10% of our population has Diabetes and that rate is growing steadily every day. Todays children are said to be the first generation who will not live as long as their parents.  These statistics are staggering.  Yet, there is one thing in common with all of these facts – these afflictions are 100% controllable by a proper diet and lifestyle.  Forks Over Knives does more than just wax poetic on this fact – they show it in action. What you see will change your life.

Forks Over Knives is a profoundly important film. If you care about your health and the health of your family and loved-ones, you will watch this movie and share your knowledge with the world.

Chic Vegan wants to help the start of this revolution by giving away 5 FREE DVDs of Forks Over Knives.

***All you have to do is leave a comment below stating how you are going to use your DVD (and the knowledge gained from it) to spread the word and create a nutritional revolution. Only those signed up for Our Newsletter are eligible to win, so if you haven’t done that yet then get on it! ***

**If you want to be entered to win TWICE, then tweet this: “Win a FREE DVD of Forks Over Knives (@forksoverknives) from @Chic_Vegan! http://bit.ly/pInAEf “

This contest ends on 8/30!!

One year ago today I became vegan, so I am calling this my “Vegan Birthday,” as it is soooo much more than an anniversary. When I became 100% vegan, a whole new “me” was born. I felt an almost immediate sense of peace and connection with my deep inner self and with Mother Earth, even stronger and more meaningful that I had felt before. So today I celebrate this birthday by telling you my story and sharing the recipe for a lovely vegan lasagna I have planned for my family.

But first, let me share a little more with you about my vegan journey. Prior to taking the plunge to complete veganism, I was a vegetarian for over 20 years and truthfully, even before that had never eaten meat. Well, I had tried some kinds of meat out of sheer parental and peer pressure, but I never liked it. Even as a very young child, I thought it unnatural and cruel to eat an animal. I remember vividly many Thanksgiving dinners as a child where I just looked at the turkey on the table and thought everyone was insane for eating it. I mean, how could they eat it? It was an animal with thoughts and feelings and, in my opinion, RIGHTS! So I lived my life mostly vegetarian and then at age 19, I became a vegetarian for good. I remember my family and college friends thinking I was going through a “phase” or a “crisis,” thinking I would soon snap out of it and rejoin the carnivores. I am happy to say that never happened!

So, why did I wait so long to become vegan? I don’t really have a good answer for that except to say that in my early 20’s my life changed in some pretty unexpected ways. I suffered from a lot of depression and really was just “muddling” through for many years. I always remained vegetarian, but for some reason I didn’t explore or learn more about being vegan. However, in the last 5 years, through soul-searching, yoga and meditation, I began to find the “real” me. I learned that the peaceful, passionate person I am inside is just who I am at the core and that embracing it would be the most beautiful thing I could do. Part of that journey led me to a college friend, Meredith, who had been vegan for about 5 or 6 years. Meredith really helped me understand the connection between the commercial meat industry and the environmental devastation in the world and it all started coming into focus for me. So, last year on August 1st, I woke up, declared I was vegan and began this adventure that has brought me more peace and joy than I could ever imagine.

My husband and my daughter (who just turned 18) are not vegan or vegetarian, but they do try to go meat-free at least one day per week. They also have tried many of my vegan meals and are slowly starting to find that vegan food is yummy! On that note, I am going to make an awesome vegan lasagna for my family for dinner tonight. See recipe below. What do you do to celebrate YOUR vegan life?

Vegan Spinach Lasagna

• 1/2 lb. vegan lasagna noodles
• 2 10-oz. packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
•  1 lb. soft tofu
• 1 lb. firm tofu
• 1 Tbsp. organic raw or maple sugar (optional, or to taste)
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp. organic lemon juice
• 3 tsp. minced fresh basil
• 2 tsp. organic sea salt
• 4 cups organic tomato sauce
• Shredded Daiya mozzarella cheese (optional)

Directions

• Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
• Squeeze the spinach as dry as possible and set aside.
• Place the tofu, sugar (to taste or optional), almond milk, garlic powder, lemon juice, basil, and salt in the food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Pour in a separate mixing bowl. Stir in the drained spinach.
• Cover the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with a thin layer of tomato sauce, then a layer of noodles (use about one-third of the noodles). Follow with half of the tofu filling. Continue in the same order, using half of the remaining tomato sauce and noodles and all of the remaining tofu filling. End with the remaining noodles, covered by the remaining tomato sauce. Top with some vegan cheese (Daiya is good!) if you like, but it is just as good without it.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
• Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Dear Grettie-

I have an ulcer.  What can I do naturally to help it heal and what can I do in the future to avoid its return?

-Andy

I am sorry to hear that you have been suffering with an ulcer as I hear they can be extremely painful!  Unfortunately you are not alone as it is estimated that 1 in 10 people will succumb to this fate during their lifetime [1].  As I mentioned, ulcers can be extremely painful since they are basically open wounds in your esophagus, stomach, or intestine.

My research indicates that there are definitely actions you can take to help heal your ulcer and prevent them in the future.  I do want to mention that it is very important you be diagnosed by a doctor and consult your doctor while designing your treatment plan.  The advice below should not be considered medical advice as I am most definitely not a doctor.

Ulcers can also be very serious business.  Ulcers resulting in bloody vomit (especially if it resembles coffee grounds) or stool (bloody or black) are cause for immediate medical attention.

POSSIBLE ULCER CAUSES

The general belief used to be that ulcers were caused by stress and eating spicy foods.  While those behaviors can definitely exacerbate an ulcer, it is now widely believed that the main culprit in the formation of ulcers is a bacterial infection from Helicobacter pylori (otherwise known as H. pylori).  H. pylori is common and affects “1 in 5 people under the age of 30 and about half of the population older than 60 [2].”  The theory is that somehow (possible causes listed below), the mucosal lining of the stomach and small intestine becomes compromised and at that point the H. pylori is able to invade.

The second most common cause of ulcers is believed to be the long-term use of anti-inflammatory drugs (Advil, Aleve, Motrin) [3].

Contributing factors to the deterioration of the mucosal lining can be:

• Smoking – Nicotine will increase the amount of acid in the stomach
• Food Allergies – There is some research indicating that food allergies (which often result in a high amount of irritation) can be responsible for ulcer formation [4]
• Alcohol consumption – irritates the lining of the stomach
• Coffee, tea, and carbonated beverage consumption – also irritates the stomach and increases stomach acid
• Vitamin K deficiency – Vitamin K is a key nutrient connected with blood clotting
• Radiation
• Burns

STEPS ONE CAN TAKE TO PREVENT ULCERS

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, you should eliminate the contributing factors listed above and follow these nutritional tips:

• Eat foods containing flavonoids – like apples, celery, cranberries (including cranberry juice), onions, garlic, and tea may inhibit the growth of H. pylori.
• Eat antioxidant foods –  including fruits (such as blueberries, cherries, and tomatoes), and vegetables (such as squash and bell peppers).
• Eat foods high in B-vitamins and calcium – such as almonds, beans, whole grains (if no allergy), dark leafy greens (such as spinach and kale), and sea vegetables.
• Avoid refined foods – such as white breads, pastas, and sugar.
• Eat fewer red meats (YEAH TO THE VEGANS!) and eat tofu (soy, if no allergy) or beans for protein.
• Use healthy oils –  such as olive oil or vegetable oil.
• Reduce or eliminate trans-fatty acids – found in commercially baked goods such as cookies, crackers, cakes, French fries, onion rings, donuts, processed foods, and margarine.
• Drink 6 – 8 glasses of filtered water daily.
• Exercise at least 30 minutes daily, 5 days a week.

NATURAL REMEDIES FOR ULCERS

If you are already suffering from an ulcer make sure you follow the advice above.  In addition, several references agree that the following can be quite helpful in the healing process:

• Fresh cabbage juice – up to 1 liter per day (divided throughout the day).  Dr. Garnett Cheney from Stanford University’s School of Medicine performed several studies resulting in the documentation that “the majority of the patients experienced complete healing in as little as seven days [5].”
• Bananas – Eating bananas 3 times a day with almond milk does a fantastic job of neutralizing stomach acid and coating the stomach lining.
• Lime – aids digestion
• Mastic gum – is useful for its antimicrobial benefits and has been used in the Mediterranean for Middle East for thousands of years.  Research has shown mastic gum to be effective against 7 strains of H. pylori bacteria [6].  Take 1,000 to 2,000 mg daily in divided dosages.
• Apple cider vinegar – Naturally very high in vitamin K, apple cider vinegar helps blood clot and is also a natural antiseptic.  Add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to a glass of water and drink it as maintenance.  When in an acute episode, add up to a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to water and drink in order to help neutralize stomach acid.  Drink until you feel the pain subside.
• Probiotic supplement (click here to see a past Ask Grettie post about probiotics).
• Vitamin C, 500 – 1,000 mg 1 – 3 times daily – Vitamin C may be helpful in treating bleeding stomach ulcers caused by aspirin use.
• Eat alkalizing foods – click here for a Veggie Grettie post about the importance of an alkaline diet.
• DGL-licorice standardized extract – 250 to 500 mg 3 times daily, chewed either 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals — may help protect against stomach damage from NSAIDs. Glycyrrhizin is a chemical found in licorice that causes side effects and drug interactions. DGL is deglycyrrhizinated licorice, or licorice with the glycyrrhizin removed.
• Cranberry - 400 mg twice daily.  Some preliminary research suggests cranberry may inhibit H. pylori growth in the stomach.
• Peppermint standardized, enteric coated tablet – 1 tablet 2 – 3 times daily — may help relieve symptoms of peptic ulcer. Each tablet contains 0.2 ml peppermint oil. Be sure to use the enteric coated form to avoid heartburn.

**Do you have a questions for Grettie? She is here to answer any of your health and nutrition related questions! Email her at askgrettie@chicvegan.com .**
—–

Gretchen Tseng is a Nutrition Specialist with Certification in Plant-Based Nutrition through Cornell University. At a young age she experienced a series of illnesses which propelled her to seek nutrition based solutions. Gretchen is absolutely passionate about sharing the health benefits of a plant-based lifestyle and can be found doing so through her website Veggie Grettie at www.veggiegrettie.com . Gretchen lives in Southern California with her husband, two children, and 4 legged best bud. She dreams of living on a farm someday surrounded by animals and the most amazing organic garden she can imagine.

A long time ago I stopped believing that the only quality source of Omegas and DHA were from little fishies. Omega 3 and DHA do not naturally exist in fish. They come from the algae that they eat. So why not skip the (often toxic) middle man and go straight to the source? Genius!

Getting a healthy dose of Omega 3 is important for overall health and well being. My life has drastically changed for the better since I have started eating and supplementing healthy fats. My skin, hair and nails look fabulous! I feel more energetic and I can concentrate much better. I just feel good.

Recently I was sent a month’s supply of Opti 3 Complete Omega 3 and DHA capsules.  The capsules came at the best time possible – I was just leaving for a road trip across the United States and needed a portable omega supplement.

As you probably know, I only review and feature products here that I absolutely love. And love these, I do. Opti 3 supplements are pretty awesome. I’ve felt great the past month – even better than before when I was taking an oil supplement that cost a whopping $35 a month. My favorite part about these are the capsules themselves. They have a really cool texture. All of you texture eaters out there know exactly what I’m talking about! These supplements are 100% vegan, which is close to a miracle since vegan Omega capsules are very hard to come by.

Are you currently taking an Omega supplement? If not, you should be!  Here are some benefits of supplementing Omega 3 with DHA every day:

• Beautiful skin, hair, and nails.
• Improved cognitive function. (You can focus better and remember things more often.)
• Less inflammation (which can improve a myriad of health problems)
• Better mood
• Helps improve Cardiovascular disease and diabetes

And that is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

My whole entire life I have suffered from intense, debilitating migraines. If you are a migraine sufferer, you feel my pain. You know what its like to not be able to see or speak. You’ve spent days on end vomiting and shaking, laying in a pool of sweat with the blankets pulled over your head. Some of you may have ended up in the hospital before, unable to walk or see straight, with numb limbs and slurred speech. People often think that migraines are no big deal or “just a headache” and you should man up and get on with your day. But the truth is -  you can’t. Migraines are horrible, life-altering afflictions and anyone who has never experienced one should consider themselves VERY lucky. Oh darling – I know all of this all to0 well.

But, I have exciting news! In the past few years I have managed to get the 7-12 intense migraines a month I was experiencing down to 1-2 not so bad headaches that can be avoided if I catch them early enough. I did all of this WITHOUT taking drugs.

What Causes a Migraine?

In order to understand how and why certain things can help us and certain things can not, it is important to understand how migraines work. There are plenty of things that can trigger a migraine – menstrual cycle, food, stress, weather, or  smells just to name a few. However, the cause of migraines are a little bit more complex. Whatever trigger you have causes blood vessels in your brain to enlarge and send stress signals to other parts of your brain, which then inflame and cause pain. This intense pain then activates the sympathetic nervous system in your body that triggers the nausea, shakes and overall feeling of grossness that we all know and love.

The Problem with Medication

People with severe migraines are often given prescriptions for vasoconstrictors (triptans), which solve that pesky problem of those floppy enlarged blood vessels in your brain that started this whole mess in the first place. For many, these medications are a godsend. At the first sign of a migraine you just pop one and poof… its all gone. You also get a nice little nugget of euphoria to go along with it. I’m not going to lie… I LOVED my Imitrex. I wouldn’t leave the house without it. It helped me finally be able to function in everyday life again without being worried that a migraine would strike. Then, things started to go downhill. The migraines started to get more frequent and more intense. Eventually, I would have to take 3 or 4 Imitrex to get rid of a migraine. Sometimes no amount of drugs would make me feel better.  I knew deep inside that something was wrong with all of this. One day, a few years ago, I stumbled across an article discussing the effects of vasoconstrictors on migraines. The idea is that, as with anything in life, when you do things the easy way, you get lazy. Well, my blood vessels were lazy little bastards. They were relying on the medicine for so long that they forgot how to constrict all by themselves. Hence the frequent pain I was feeling that was growing more intense every day.

While Imitrex makes your blood vessels lazy, pain killers can eventually create what are called rebound headaches. Rebound headaches are when the use of painkillers actually causes another headache, creating a viscous cycle of pain and discomfort. If you ever want the migraines to go away you need to stop popping so many pills. This is probably a ballsy statement to make considering I am nothing even close to a doctor.   To be quite honest, I didn’t stop taking Imitrex by will. I quit my job, lost my health insurance and couldn’t afford to pay $200 for 10 pills.  So I weened myself off of it. I would only take a pill when I felt a doozy starting or if I felt a headache coming on when I had to do something important that day.  I would supplement with Excedrin migraine (which is pretty effective in itself) whenever I could. As I was taking less and less Imitrex, I was noticing that the migraines were becoming less frequent and less intense.

As humans we have an amazing ability to heal ourselves with thoughts and diet (as you will see below), and taking pills rarely leads to an answer.. and surely never a cure. Pharmaceuticals toxify our systems, and trigger autoimmune diseases. Pharmaceutical companies are also huge advocates and practitioners of animal testing .

So, what can you do to drastically decrease your migraines in intensity and frequency? The following is what worked for me.

Keep a  Diary

Write down everything you eat, drink, feel and experience for thirty days and also note when you get headaches, migraines or even feel kinda icky. This will help you understand what your triggers are and allow you to avoid them. Sometimes finding a trigger can be tricky and you really have to look. I tried keeping a food diary a million times and could never find a trigger. Eventually, I realized that my trigger was gluten, but it took a few days to actually effect me. Other triggers like sugar and caffeine, you will see within a few hours. Look for things like humidity and temperature, your mental state and the tightness in your shoulders and neck. Once you have figured out your triggers, do everything you can to remove them from your life.

Take Magnesium and Feverfew

If you take anything away from this article it would be this: TAKE MAGNESIUM. Get 250mg chelated magnesium supplements and take one every night before you go to bed, always. EVEN if you take a multivitamin with magnesium in it. It takes about 3 months to really get in your system, but you will notice a dramatic decrease in your migraines and you will also notice that they are not as painful. There is a very strong connection between migraines and magnesium deficiency. You may be getting enough magnesium in your diet but you may not be absorbing it (another reason to look into eliminating gluten). Feverfew has also been shown to reduce the frequency of migraines if taken every day.

Change the way you think

I suffered from migraines for so long that I considered them a part of me. I always referred to them as “my migraines”  like they were a child of mine that I cuddled and loved. Bad idea. Separate yourself from your afflictions. Try to keep your ailments off your mind as much as possible. The less you think about them the less they will happen. Its The Secret, or something like that.  Sadness, hopelessness and anxiety can also be severe migraine triggers. The benefits of positive thinking and relaxation are profound with any ailment. Take some time every day to meditate and relax your mind. Say affirmations every day. Something like “I am incredibly healthy and thriving. I never feel any pain and am in the best of health.” If you convince yourself that your migraines don’t control your life, you will find that you really do.

Exercise

Exercise helps solve every problem you could ever have, and you should do it for at least 30 minutes every day.  It really helps relieve stress, which is an obvious trigger. It helps increase your intake of oxygen, which will greatly help. You will also sweat out toxins and metabolize possible triggers quickly. Some people do find that rigorous exercise is a migraine trigger, but that is not a reason to stop all together. Go for a light stroll every night after dinner. Practice gentle yoga. Just move your body and move it often.

Breathe Right

I have breathed away migraines before. For serious! Deep breathing while concentrating on relaxing your body (concentrating on upper back, shoulders, neck and face) can put an end to your pain or at least make it much more tolerable. If you are a yogi, you will find that your pranayama breathing can help immensely. Learn more here.

Acupuncture and Massage

You can get acupuncture to specifically help with migraines, both as a preventative measure and as pain-management. I have had a lot of success with acupuncture and its use for the treatment of migraines is well documented. I would also recommend, if you can afford it, getting a deep tissue massage once a month. If that is not an option, employ the use of your friends and loved ones!

Raw Foods

Something else I’ve noticed is that when I am eating more raw, alkaline foods the migraines are non-existent. In fact, when I did my 30 day raw adventure, I only had two migraines the entire time and they were very minor. Some would say that the increased mineral absorption helps prevent migraines and the live enzymes help create an overall alkaline balance in the body that keeps all physical ailments at bay. Some would also say that the overwhelming amount of toxins in conventional and processed foods also cause migraines. Now I know that eating raw is a huge commitment, and unrealistic to some lifestyles. However, I would highly recommend drinking one green juice a day and making sure you increase your consumption of raw fruits and veggies.  (Keep in mind that some foods in raw form might be migraine triggers for you!)

Get in Tune with Your Body

Start paying attention to what you feel like when a migraine is about to come. There are usually warning signs if you look close enough. Some people will get a pain in their neck or jaw. Others will feel dizzy. It might just be a “feeling” you can’t explain. When you start to feel this way, go into a dark, quiet room, lay down, and do some deep breathing. If you are at work or somewhere you are unable to do this, try to relax a bit, slow your mind, and breathe deep. Sometimes when I feel a migraine coming on I drink a green juice and/or a big glass of water with a teaspoon in apple cider vinegar. Sometimes massive doses of alkalinity can scare a migraine away.

Keep Record

Make sure to take note of the days you get a migraine or headache on the calendar. Try to write as much information as possible so you can pick up on a pattern. Make note of the intensity, length and any possible triggers. If you are female, make sure you write down your menstrual cycle to see if the migraines come during any specific time of your cycle.

This will also be helpful to see if any of the aforementioned tactics work for you. We are all different people and the things that have worked for me may not work for you and vice versa. Keeping record will aid you in experimenting with different tactics. Remember, it takes at least 3 months of change before you will see results.

In Short

To sum up an insanely long post, here is the plan that I use to keep migraines at bay.

Daily

• Meditate for 20 minutes.
• Take a good multivitamin, magnesium supplement and feverfew supplement.
• Exercise for at least an hour.
• Make sure I am breathing deeply and evenly, especially when I am feeling stressed or anxious.
• Eat a diet high in raw foods. Drink a green juice every morning. Avoid trigger foods.

Monthly

• Get acupuncture specifically for migraine prevention.
• Get a deep tissue massage.
• Evaluate the previous month and try to find a pattern in migraines.

When I feel a migraine coming on

• Lay in a quiet room with an eyemask on and relax.
• Breathe deep healing breaths.
• Drink a green juice or a water with some Apple Cider Vinegar.
• If the migraine comes and it is intense and debilitating, usually one Excedrin Migraine will do the trick!  (Just a little over a year ago I was taking 300mg of Imitrex and multiple Excedrins! I’ve come a long way, baby!)

Thankfully, Most of these lifestyle changes like exercise, eating raw and meditation are habits that everyone should have, migraine or not. On top of preventing extreme headaches you will feel more energetic, healthier, and lose weight if you need to. You may also find that some of your other ailments might disappear as well!

Further Reading

Living Well with Migraine Disease and Headaches: What Your Doctor Doesn’t Tell You…That You Need to Know

 The Migraine Brain: Your Breakthrough Guide to Fewer Headaches, Better Health

A Brain Wider Than the Sky: A Migraine Diary

The Magnesium Solution for Migraine Headaches

So, what about you?  Tell us your migraine story. What have you tried that worked and didn’t work?

Photos from Deborah Leigh

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The skin is the largest organ of the body, so sensitivities, irritants and emotions can be “written all over your face”. I have always taken good care of my skin. If I did not soak, lather, tone and slather, my skin actually hurt!

About 13 years ago, I made a conscious decision to simplify my laborious, multi-step skin routine: I purchased a handmade bar of soap.

11 years ago, I decided to put my creative background to work and devise my own custom, chemical free, handcrafted recipes for my extremely sensitive, ‘red-headed’ complexion. Those recipes have formed the basis for my shop, “Angelic Soap”.

A few years ago, advanced ASYRA testing confirmed my suspicions of being intolerant, sensitive and allergic to a laundry list of chemicals and foods. It was at this point, that I turned to a vegetarian, and ultimately, a vegan diet.

As my diet evolved, so did my soap recipes. The bulk of my soap is vegan and created with food grade ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, organic, raw cocoa and shea butters, organic soy cream, organic, raw coconut butter and cream, rose and orange blossom waters, organic almond milk, organic hempseed, apricot kernel and avocado oils.

I make Angelic Soap in the time-honored traditions of cold and hot process like a pioneer woman, but what makes my soap outstanding is the uncompromised quality of the ingredients. There is nothing in my soap that does not benefit the skin. Amendments include calendula (marigold), homeopathic tinctures, French clays, organic herbs, spices and more.

The soap is colored with natural ingredients like clay, turmeric, chlorophyll, or nothing at all. As for scent, I use the finest essential oils and the occasional skin-friendly essence for a stronger scent.

Here is what you will not find in Angelic Soap: Sodium Laureth Sulphate, Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, Propylene Glycol and parabens.

I invite you to visit my soap shop at http://etsy.com/shop/angelicsoap There you will find many indulgent, luxurious and downright sexy vegan choices for all of your heavenly bodies!