Monthly Archives: September 2019

The Lean Clean Green Hydration Box

by Mirahealth, ingredients, Lean Clean Green Box

Hydration

Each month here at the Lean Clean Green Subscription box I create a theme and then curate products around that. One because it's fun, two because it gives me the opportunity to share some great information about how to create your best, healthiest life. What I call the Ingredients For A Healthy Life.

Hydration is a theme that is near and dear to my heart. I feel that many people don't realize how important it is to stay adequately hydrated. And while not everything in the box is drinkable, it all ties together. But before we run through the products I wanted to share a few links that I believe are helpful:

Staying well-hydrated is one way to help support your body when it's hot and humid outside or if you're exercising a lot. It's also important in the colder months because you may not realize you are getting dehydrated. This article shares some good info plus gives you the hydration factor so you can figure out exactly how much you need to drink to stay well hydrated (hint: it's probably not the 8 glasses you thought it was)
Hydration is more than just drinking water. We can also meet some of our hydration needs through the foods we eat. Check out this post to see which foods are the best when it comes to hydrating your body.
Sometimes you want something that's not water but is still hydrating. A couple of my favorite choices are agua fresca and water kefir.
And remember that if you're looking for hydration, please don't rely on sports drinks. They're not as good for you as the manufacturers would have you believe.

What's in the box?

We've got some fabulous products in this month's box and I know you're going to love them too.

But first…The disclaimer: I'm not pulling stock photos when I share the contents of the box with you. These are my pictures taken of the products in my box. I'm learning how to take better pictures but I wanted you to know this is real life and yes, these are from my personal subscription.

Strawsome Glass Straws

I'm a big fan of reusable straws. And there is nothing better, in my humble opinion, than having your own straw with you, especially when you are out an about.

I've given you not one but two straws. You can leave one at home and take one on the road, or simply share a straw with a friend. The only hard part about sharing may be that they don't want to give you back your straw. Making it a perfect opportunity to go into the marketplace and order one for each of your friends so everyone has their own. And each tempered glass straw comes with their own cleaning brush.

Lean Clean Green Hydration Box - Sipping Vinegar

Sipping Vinegar

These delicious vinegars from Vermont Village are just fabulous. I've chosen the blueberry flavor for you but you can also get them in other flavors (their Turmeric & Honey is pretty awesome too).

Each bottle comes with raw and unfiltered apple cider vinegar. That means the mother is still in the bottle. These are great as a shot, as a sipping drink, or to add to other beverages for flavor and health benefits. You can even add these delicious sipping vinegars to other dishes. I'm thinking of adding some of this blueberry to my Thanksgiving homemade cranberry sauce to give it a little blueberry lift. Of course, I'll need to buy more because we all know it's not going to last from now till then.

Lean Clean Green Hydration - Wine Wands

Wine Wands

Of course if you're looking for a more adult beverage you may be thinking about wine. Part of the challenge with wine, however, is some of the ingredients. I'm talking about the sulfites and the histamines. Those ingredients responsible for that “not so great, got a headache” feeling after you drink wine. While you can buy sulfite-free wines they're often expensive. And they still come with histamines.

Using a wine wand allows you to remove both the sulfites and the histamines so you can enjoy a glass without worrying about the headache. I'm not sure how their patented process really works (I think it's magic), but they're winning rave reviews.

Try it and let me know what you think.

Lean Clean Green Hydration Box - Americona Almonds

Americona Sprouted Almonds

Of course you can't have all that hydration with a little snack. And these are my new favorite sprouted almonds. These crunchy little gems are just amazing.

When you sprout nuts (and seeds, legumes, and grains) you remove the phytic acid coating that interferes with nutrient absorption. The process of sprouting helps to boost the nutrition just a little bit. Sprouting also improves digestion. It's really the best way to eat almonds.

The folks at Americona use only 100% pure olive oil plus sea salt to make a truly tasty treat for you to enjoy.

Lean Clean Green Hydration - Healthy Honey Facial Spray

Healthy Honey Facial Oil

Okay so you can't eat or drink this one. But it's like a hydration drink for your face. This facial oil/spray feels so good you're going to wonder how you managed without it. One of the things that I love the most is the clean ingredients. After all, what we put on our skin can migrate into our bloodstream. That's part of why using lotions and potions that contain things like artificial colors, sorbates, EDTA, and other negative ingredients is never a good idea.

Admittedly it's not always easy to find great personal care products, but I'm a fan of this facial oil. Filled with antioxidant rich ingredients and amazing for the skin, it's definitely a perfect addition to your skincare routine.

When you join the Lean, Clean, Green Subscription box family you'll get a themed box filled with holistically healthy, well-sourced products personally curated by me. Each month you pay only $47.

The September 2019 HydrationBox is worth $97.97!!

* The best part about the box is that you're in control of how often you get it. Monthly, every other month, every three months, it's up to you. And if you miss a box, or need a refill on any of these fabulous finds, as long as you're a subscriber you have access to the Marketplace. That means you can log in and still get the items you want.

If you've just found this post and you're not a member of the Lean Clean Green family, join us, you'll be glad you did.

Should You Try A Low FODMAP Diet?

by Mirachange, grains, health

What is a FODMAP?

FODMAP is an acronym used to identify a series of short-chain carbohydrates and sugar alcohols in foods that are either naturally occurring, or used as food additives. This acronym stands for:

Fermentable – these items are broken down by the bacteria in our large bowel
Oligosaccharides – “oligo” means “few”, “saccharide” means sugar. These are individual sugars which are chained together
Disaccharides – “di” means two meaning this is a molecule with two sugars
Monosaccharides –(non-intoxicating) sugar alcohols
And
Polyols – a form of carbohydrate that is only partially digested

Does your gut hurt?

Do you have significant digestive health issues? After you eat do you feel ill or very tired? Do you have cramps or other digestive health issues? If so you are probably one of the millions of people who struggle with some form of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). The causes of IBS are many and varied but the one thing that they all have in common is that they start in the gut. And many of these issues can be resolved by changing your diet.

Some people with gut health issues may try a gluten-free diet. If that doesn’t quite seem to do the trick they then look at the possibility that it’s not the gluten but the glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup which is used to dry out crops before harvesting) that is the problem. So they avoid that. And while that often helps it may not be enough. If the issues are IBS, or if there are concerns about digestion in general, you may find that a low FODMAP diet is the answer.

Common Symptoms of Digestive Health Issues

While a low FODMAP diet can be a good choice for people with IBS or related issues, it can also be supportive for those with general digestive health problems. A low FODMAP diet does this by eliminating those foods which might be triggers. Some of the signs that you may want to consider this diet include:

Abdominal pain after eating
Bloating
Bowel Incontinence
Cramping
Regular Constipation or Diarrhea
Nausea or vomiting

Is your gut health getting worse?

Maybe you are one of those people who has had some form of mild digestive health issues for years. Or you’ve been diagnosed with IBS but it’s never been “that bad.” But your gut health has been getting worse lately. While there is always a possibility that this can be part of the aging process, it can also be due to your diet.

If you have regular bloating or stomach upset after eating but can’t identify what’s causing the problem, food journaling and a dietary change can be a good way to figure out what your triggering foods are. Part of the issue is that our meals are/should be made up of a variety of foods. This makes it difficult to pin down specifically which foods are causing the problem.

And while your gut health issues might be related to any of the common food allergens such as gluten, dairy, nuts, etc, it could also be other foods. Following a FODMAP diet removes these foods, plus others, from the diet while you work on restoring gut health.

If you enjoyed this article, please join my community to receive more information and special offers with my free newsletter, Food News You Can Use (I do the research so you don't have to). This concise, informative newsletter gives you updates you need to know about the ingredients for living a healthy life.

But The Label Says No Added Nitrates

by Miraadditives, allergies, ingredients, labeling, meat

What are nitrates?

Nitrates and nitrites are preservatives frequently found in preserved meats such as deli meats, hot dogs, sausages, etc. Nitrates are seen as the less harmful of the two, however, they can turn into nitrites which are linked to more serious health concerns.

Nitrites help keep the meats looking pink and can prevent the growth of listeria or botulinum bacterias. Unfortunately, however, consuming high amounts of nitrates and nitrites can be bad for your health. And nitrites can further degrade into nitrosamines (which are highly carcinogenic) when exposed to the amino acids in the stomach.

Health impact of nitrates

Studies have shown that people who eat a lot of processed meats tend to have a higher than average risk for cancer including pancreatic and gastrointestinal cancers. Other studies indicate a link between nitrosamines and diabetes, Alzheimer's, and liver disease. So even if you're not highly sensitive to nitrates, consuming a lot of them is not a good idea.

“No nitrates” on the label

Sometimes you'll see labels that say “no nitrates.” You may be wondering how they're preserving the food. The answer is they're still using nitrates, they're just using a different form, usually celery juice or celery salts.

This is a case of manufacturer manipulation. Because of what these food/based nitrates are, the current FDA rules allow for the product to be labeled either No Nitrates or No Added Nitrates. (Similar to how they allow certain glutamate-rich products to be labeled no added MSG).

Because of consumer demand for cleaner labeling, some food producers are choosing to manufacture with these food-based nitrates. They then use Front-of-Package terminology to lure consumers to their products. However, some people are very sensitive to nitrates, even the food-based ones. So once again it comes down to reading the ingredient panel and knowing what’s in what you are eating.

Symptoms of allergy or sensitivity

The symptoms of nitrate sensitivity include headaches, sinus issues, stuffy nose, sneezing, runny nose, itching, hives, or asthma. It can be difficult to pick out if it's specifically due to nitrates as these symptoms can be found with other ingredients as well.

If you think you are sensitive you can check with a doctor for an allergy test. You can also do an elimination diet and avoid all sources of nitrates. Those added to the food, as well as the vegetable-based sources listed below. When doing an elimination diet it's important to keep a food journal so you can closely track your symptoms in relation to the food you are consuming.

Food sources of nitrates

High nitrate vegetable sources include:

Beets
Cabbage
Carrots
Celery
Collard Greens
Green beans
Lettuce
Parsley
Radishes
Spinach

Plus, when these ingredients are juiced, the longer they sit the more the nitrates convert to nitrites. So if you make juice that includes these kinds of vegetables, it's best to drink it right away rather than letting it sit.

If you're looking to consume low nitrate vegetables, these are:

Artichokes
Asparagus
Broad Beans
Eggplant
Garlic
Green beans
Mushrooms
Onions
Peas
Peppers
Summer Squash
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes

It's also important to know that industrial fertilizers are high in nitrates. This means that commercially grown crops tend to have higher levels. In other words, the more nitrate-rich the soil they are grown in, the higher the nitrate level in these vegetables.

Sources

Hord N.G., Conley M.N. (2017) Regulation of Dietary Nitrate and Nitrite: Balancing Essential Physiological Roles with Potential Health Risks. In: Bryan N., Loscalzo J. (eds) Nitrite and Nitrate in Human Health and Disease. Nutrition and Health. Humana Press, Cham.
Nothlings, Ute, et al. Meat and Fat Intake as Risk Factors for Pancreatic Cancer: The Multiethnic Cohort Study. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Vol. 97, No. 19. October 5, 2005.
Tong, M, et al. Nitrosamine Exposure Causes Insulin Resistance Diseases: Relevance to Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis, and Alzheimer’s Disease. J Alzheimers Dis. 2009; 17(4): 827–844.

If you enjoyed this article, please join my community to receive more information and special offers with my free newsletter, Food News You Can Use (I do the research so you don't have to). This short newsletter gives you updates to help you stay informed about the ingredients for living a healthy life.