Keeping Organic Affordable

Eating healthy foods is ultimately cheaper than living a toxic life, but it takes some time to train yourself to shop wisely and to really appreciate the benefits of quality nutrition. Plan meals for each day of the week (including how you will recycle and redesign leftovers), make a list and avoid temptation in the aisle: what you used to spend on cookies, snacks, soda, chips, etc. should instead go to organic produce and real food.

There are also some things you can do to begin cleaning up your diet without going totally organic. The most important thing you must do if you live in the United States or any other developed country and want to be on the healthy side is READ LABELS!!!! Start by avoiding the toxic chemicals in most foods like High Fructose Corn Syrup (found in almost 80% of all products on your average supermarket shelf), Aspartame, Artificial Flavors and Colors, and Hydrogenated oils. By simply eliminating these ingredients from your kitchen cabinet, you will have done yourself and your family an INCREDIBLE service. (I have an artist friend that refers to these ingredients as "drugs masquerading as food").

I live near the beach and have had a hard time growing my own food (as I used to do in northern California) because of the sandy soil here, but i do have a great avocado tree and grow herbs indoors. Anything you can grow at home is worth the couple of hours of tending that you might have to do each weekend.

I also make my own yogurt - an extremely easy money-saver. A half-gallon of organic milk is about the same price as a quart of organic yogurt, so you save big and get lots more nutrition from the living and freshly fermented probiotics.

At the end of each week, I grab the scraps of veggies that are starting to get a little rough around the edges and make a creamy pureed vegetable soup that I freeze in small containers. When i make chicken soup for my daughter (extremely picky eater) i add a bit of this veggie puree, it thickens the soup and gets her to eat all the stuff she would not touch if she recognized it (kale, carrots, okra!)

Keep at it, and you will find new ways to save every day. The more time passes, the more your kitchen will be well-stocked with healthy basics that offer long-term benefits such as sea salt, organic sugar or maple syrup (in large quantities – try Cosco), and organic cooking oils. The conversion to organic is worth every effort.

As added insurance for all of us trying to live a healthier lifestyle, let’s keep abreast of local and national laws, amendments and propositions surrounding food and the governance of organic farming and labelling. More on this in upcoming posts…

Bon appetit!

Getting Good Vibes Around Money Matters

In this difficult economic climate ridden with rising health care costs and inflation, it's more important than ever to maintain a positive attitude toward money and set your sights on personal prosperity. Moreover, train yourself to feel prosperous and blessed as of this very moment. If you are reading these words, all you must do now is believe that your personal vibrational frequency attracts your (seemingly) external situations and not the other way around. Remember that many will ride out this depressive economic era seemingly unscathed. Resolve to be among those, understanding that your own projections will be met by manifestations in your external reality.

Many of us are held back from embracing prosperity by fears, ignorance, prejudices and other subconscious motivators that taint our attitude toward money and wealth. The thought of becoming wealthy instantly throws us into a subconscious panic. We immediately begin to question our existing paradigm: What would become of me if my income were to suddenly increase dramatically? Would I become a better person? What would my friends think? Would money bring out the best or the worst in me?

And it is this very panic - the pure emotional power of it - that attracts that very thing you fear most: economic insecurity.

The fact of the matter is, you won't know how money will enhance, change, transform or elevate your life until you actually start to see larger sums than ever before coming into your hands. But if we can judge by example, we all know of people who have made personal fortunes without sacrificing their personal values. In fact, for many, money represents a source of power and the opportunity to invest in causes that we righteously believe in, including such things as alternative energy, holistic health care, research foundations, charities, and grass-root political organizations. Your positive example will also help inspire others, and your personal prosperity will directly and indirectly serve the economic betterment of those you love.

There are a multitude of ways to increase your household income quickly, easily, and without a lot of investment up-front. Many home-based business opportunities have cropped up all over the Internet and - in spite of the many spammers and ripoff operations - quite a few are actually legitimate companies that can help you to earn that extra income you need. The Internet has made it possible for those of us with creative talents, unique services and innovative money-making ideas to grow our wealth in a plethora of creative new ways that weren't even conceivable only 20 years ago.

The first step to becoming financially solvent is to educate yourself in the areas of strategic planning, investment strategies and financial products offered by banks, insurance companies, investment firms and other financial institutions. Learn to distinguish between a Hedge and a Mutual Fund, an IRA and a Money Market Account.

In this day of electronic technology and global markets, the archaic financial systems of the Industrial Age are being replaced by new systems that conform to the New Information Age. Get with the times by reading as much as you can about financial matters and becoming savvy on the subject. Contrary to the once-popular belief that "finances are boring" turn your creative juices in the direction of designing your desired (and deserved) lifestyle. Education is an asset you can build without much financial investment, thanks to the information available online today.

By increasing your knowledge of accounting, banking, investment products and sources of passive income, you improve your self-esteem in this area and your chances for transmitting the right vibrations with regards to your financial future. Remember to always acknowledge the bounty of riches that you have already received, and be grateful for the knowledge you acquire along the way. When it comes to planning your financial future and designing your dream life, the journey should be as enjoyable as the perceived destination - in fact, the journey itself is the real prize!