I Sneak Popcorn into the Movies

I have a confession. When I go to the movies, I pop my own popcorn and sneak it in.  Not because I’m frugal or can’t afford movie theatre popcorn. Primarily because I refuse to allow anyone to sneak toxins into my diet. How did I start this smart behavior? Well, let me tell you. Several years ago, I decided to buy popcorn at the theatre. I kicked back and relaxed in the comfy theatre style seat. I took a sip of my iced tea which had just the right amount of lemon and stevia. Oh yeah! I hook it up. Then, I ate a handful of popcorn. It tasted like sugar and plastic. I immediately stopped chowing down and pulled out my phone, opened up the web browser and typed in “movie theatre popcorn ingredients.” The trailers were rolling and my phone light was dim so I wasn’t disturbing the peace.

You might be surprised to know that this so called tasty treat is full of crap. Let’s start with the popcorn itself. The movie theatre didn’t share the source of the yellow kernels so I was left to assume they either didn’t know or didn’t understand why someone would want to know. Even though most corn in the United States is genetically modified, the popcorn experts state that popcorn comes from a different seed that has not been compromised. That’s what they say. I’m not sure I believe it. Also, most movie theaters are buying popcorn from conventional sources which means, it’s grown using insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fumigants. Then other chemicals are used to treat the corn.

Back in the day, they used to pop popcorn with real coconut oil but when Americans bought into the low fat craze, they stopped and now they say they pop it with butter. Since I’m not vegan or vegetarian, I would be cool if they popped it with ghee or butter from grassfed cows who were raised eating organic grass and if they had to have supplemental feed, I’d want that to be organic, too. Now, you know the movie theatre charges high ass prices but they definitely aren’t popping the popcorn in real butter. It’s hydrogenated coconut oil which is a trans fat and highly toxic to our body. If the theatre claims they use canola oil, it’s probably partially hydrogenated canola oil, which is also a toxic trans fat. Canola oil AKA rapeseed oil consumption is rumored to be one of the leading causes of heart disease by the way. Just the fact that they had to change the name from rapeseed oil to canola oil to make it more marketable should be a warning sign.

Then there’s the flavoring agent in butter. It’s actually worse than MSG type natural flavors. This crap caused lung disease amongst a group of workers who worked in the factory where it was produced. And you know it also has salt on it. And not the good stuff. No pink Himalayan crystals or Celtic Sea Salt. Oh no, that would be too much like right. It’s that white, poisonous craps that’s on most American tables in salt shakers. Yet another bleached body toxin. And back to that sugar. I never saw the ingredient listed anywhere but it’s in there. Trust me. I’m a former sugar addict and I know sugar when I taste it. I’ve heard from others that they tasted it to so I’m definitely not crazy.

So what’s the solution? I’ve already shared it. Pop your own! You control the ingredients and I’ll let you figure out how to get it in but I’ll tell you this.

• Get it from a clean source. I live in Ohio and we have some nice Amish people here who love to do things the old fashioned way and they just happen to sell popcorn.
• Use extra virgin coconut oil instead of butter, canola oil, or whatever oil you use. Coconut oil can withstand high temperatures so it doesn’t become poisonous to your body when you eat it. Plus, it tastes like butter. In fact, better than butter. Using this oil makes it so my vegan and vegetarian homies can indulge, too.
• Use pink Himalayan salt or Celtic Sea Salt instead of white table salt. Need I say more about that?
• If you like cheese or that fake cheese flavoring, try nutritional yeast. People debate the benefits or lack thereof of nutritional yeast. I love it and so do my husband and children. It’s a staple in our home.

So there you have it. Now you know my movie theatre secret. Thanks for reading my true confession and I encourage you to enjoy this tasty snack.

Health is Wealth

Peace & Love Family! Welcome to Love Oneness Blog! Please allow us the opportunity to reintroduce ourselves. My name is Miyat, born Monica K.C. Bentley. My Twin Flame, best friend, and husband, is Sirius, born Antwan E. Ford. We invite you to come along on our journey toward holistic health that just so happens to be a love story. We are rebranding ourselves to offer solutions of healing for the body, mind and spirit.

 
My husband, Sirius, has been on his journey for over 15 years. His journey really began with the shocking diagnosis of a life threatening disease. He was initially given only 18 months to live. And after going through the torture of orthodox medicine, he decided to completely change his lifestyle and try natural and alternative remedies to restore his health. (YouTube video about his amazing testimony to health coming soon). I already was exploring natural health options. But, after his declaration, I decided to obtain my Bachelor’s Degree in Alternative Medicine. Throughout the past 7 years, we have become masters in healing ourselves. We are having an internal love affair. Our family is the byproduct of the holistic healing we are giving to ourselves.

Health is wealth. Health is the most valuable gift a person has. It is not money, material possessions, or your relationships. Your health is the one component in your life that will define your potential to succeed in all other facets of your life. Health is the one thing that is most taken for granted, especially in our society. Our total destruction or resurrection depends on how we respect our bodies, and nature. We must become aware of the poisons and toxins we put into our bodies, and the effects they have on us. “Poison is substances causing illness or death when eaten, drunk, or absorbed even in relatively small quantities”, according to Queen Afua, in her book Heal ThySelf for Health and Longevity. When we heal,we must be prepared to heal physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. We must heal completely.

 
Let me start by taking a realistic look at the state of health in the United States. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the United States ranks 37th in the world in regard to Health. Many people may not see this as alarming. However, the average medicine (drug) developed by major pharmaceutical companies cost anywhere between a minimum of about $4 billion and as high as about $11 trillion.Big Pharma is big business. These statistics alone begs to question, if pharmaceutical companies can spend that much money on the average drug, then why does the U.S rank in 37th in health? Are people really being cured? Are Big Pharma companies really searching for a cure? It’s time to consider what it means to be treated for a disease.

According to Medical News Today, nearly 75% of all deaths are attributed to just 10 causes, with the top 3 of these accounting for over 50% of all deaths. We are just going to discuss the first 3 causes of death and some common diseases!

1. Heart Disease describes several conditions, which relate to plaque (mucus) buildup in the walls of the arteries. As plaque builds, 5he arteries narrow making it difficult for blood to flow. Heart disease kills 1 out of 4 people. It is the leading cause of death affecting more men than women. Coronary Heart Disease costs $108.9 billion each year.
2. Cancer is defined by uncontrolled growth and the spread of abnormal cells. Cancer affects people of all genders, ages and ethnicities. Anyone can develop cancer. The chances of developing cancer increases with age, exposures to carcinogens (chemicals & toxins) and genetics. The National Institute of Health (NIH) estimate over $200billion spent in 2009 alone. Interestingly, the World Cancer Research Fund estimates one-third of cancer cases… are related to being overweight, obese, inactive (sedentary) or having poor nutrition. AND GUESS WHAT?! About 40% of the US population is obese. $147 billion are the medical costs associated with obesity. When is the last time you had a discussion with your doctor about nutrition? Never mind, working in harmony to construct a plan to adjust your eating habits and lifestyle.
3. Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease is the collection of lung disease that causes airflow blockage and breathing issues including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). It is estimated medical costs will rise from $32.1 billion in 2010 to $49 billion in 2020. Smoking is the primary factor, although exposure to air pollutants play an significant role as well.

High Blood Pressure affects one third of Americans. Some of the risk factors that cause high blood pressure is being overweight, or obese, not exercising enough, excessive amount of salt intake, poor eating habits, and stress. Luckily, these factors are ones you may control. Blood pressure is a major factor related to stroke.

Diabetes ranks the 7th leading cause of disease. 29.1 million Americans have diabetes. Diabetes can be genetic. However, most cases can be controlled or prevented with proper nutrition.

 
Some of the foods to be aware of that can cause disease are meats, sugar, salts, fried foods, fast foods, starches, and dairy. The purpose of meats are to provide protein. But meats also cause infections, constipation, headaches, cancer, and premature aging. Instead of eating meat, some substitutes are beans, peas, tofu, TVP, lentils, nuts seeds and sprouts. Sugar, in the form of corn syrup, corn sugar, white sugar, or brown sugar, can cause hyperactivity, stress, bone deterioration, poor memory, loss of hair, and bladder cancer. The best source of natural sweets come from fruits. Salt is an inorganic mineral that cannot be absorbed by cells. It can irate the bloodstream and stomach and blocks digestion. It also causes high blood pressure, kidney and liver disease. Kale, celery, carrots, lettuce provide natural sodium. Or as an alternative use Himalayan salt or Sea Salt. Fried Foods clog arteries. Symptoms of fried foods can manifest as cold hands and feet, sluggishness, heart palpitations, headaches, swollen ankles and hands, and high blood pressure. Flushing your system with lemon water can cleanse your system of plaque and mucus. Starches, such as white bread, white rice, and macaroni are difficult to digest. They clog the colon causing constipation. A clogged colon is responsible for 90% of our diseases, according to Dr. Robert Wood, quoted in Heal Thyself… Eat whole grains such as tabouli, bulgar wheat, couscous,etc. and only before sunset. Otherwise, you can wake up feeling fatigued, anxious, and depressed. We consume dairy to provide calcium for growth and strength of our bones. However, dairy causes allergies, asthma, hay fever, vaginal discharge, fibroids, and boils. Alternatives to dairy are almond milk, green vegetables such as kale, broccoli, spinach and wheatgrass, and herbs, like spirulina, dandelion and alfalfa, which are high in calcium.

 
Knowing most diseases can be prevented by choosing to eat nutritious, vitamin and mineral rich foods can be the difference between life and death. It’s time to take your health seriously. It’s your responsibility. Let your food be your medicine!

 

 

 

References

Queen Afua. Heal ThySelf  for Health and Longevity. A&B Publishers Group. 2002

Www.medicalnewstoday.com

Www.nlm.nih.gov

http://www.who.int

Miyat and Sirius journey into health started when Sirius was diagnosed with a life threatening disease. Miyat obtained her Bachelor’s of Science in Alternative Medicine and now is a Holistic Health Specialist, Certified Reiki Master, Holistic Doula, and Blogger. Sirius is a Life Coach, specializing in nutrition, meditation, and relationship counseling. Be on the look out for website coming soon!

Facebook: Miyat Israel

Facebook Fan Page: Love Oneness

Facebook: Monica KC Bentley 

YouTube: Love Oneness 

Periscope: Monica KC Bentley 

 

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Tae’s Home-made Vegan Lasagna Recipe

This lasagna recipe is inspired by my grandmother’s famous amazingly tasty lasagna. To this day I haven’t tasted a lasagna quite like hers but mine have always followed her step by step process to ensure that each layer is filled with yummy goodness. Now, that I’m vegan I truly missed the great flavor of grandmas lasagna and envy others who still get to eat it. So I took it upon myself this summer to re-create this recipe with some added stylings that I have picked up through my 16 years of self taught cooking.

Ingredients

⦁ 2 packs of Brown Rice Lasagna Noodles

⦁ 1 Bushel of Kale Greens  cleaned and chopped

⦁ 8 cherry or grape tomatoes sliced

⦁ 2 medium diced red bell peppers

⦁ 1 large diced red onion

⦁ 2 minced cloves of garlic

⦁ 2 fresh sprigs of thyme (optional)

⦁ 2 Bay leaves

⦁ 4 tbsp of coconut oil

⦁ 1 pack of ground veggie meat or veggie chick’n (optional)

⦁ 1 pack of Vegan Cheddar Cheese

⦁ 1 pack of Vegan Mozerella Cheese

⦁ 1 tub of non GMO hummus ( the bigger the better and red pepper is the most tasty)

⦁ Organic Sunflower seeds ground up with Italian seasonings and a bit of pink Himalayan salt  for topping (optional)

⦁ (2) 28 oz can of organic tomato sauce

⦁ 1/3 cup agave nectar or organic cane sugar

⦁ 1/3 cup of Braggs aminos/ or coconut aminos

⦁ 4 tbsp of organic chilli powder

⦁ 1 tsp of garlic MRS dash

⦁ 3-5 tbsp of Italian seasonings

⦁ 2 tbsp of dried basil

⦁ 1 tsp of Pink Himalayan Salt

Supplies

⦁ 1 large pot

⦁ 1 large frying pan

⦁ 4 large serving spoons

⦁ 2 large serving bowls

⦁ 1 casserole dish

Assembling the Red Sauce

One of the amazing things I discovered on my journey of cooking has been to always season your own sauce! We used to buy jarred sauce when I was younger but I always felt it lacked the complexity needed to accent the flavors in most of my pasta dishes. So I began to flavor my own. This particular recipe is an adaptation of a traditional Italian red sauce with a twist of south east Asian flavor. It sounds a little weird but all this means is that it has a slight spice and smoke added into its flavor. Be it that we aren’t cooking with meat or meat products this spicy & savory flavor will aid in satisfying the meat flavor element we are accustomed to tasting in this dish. To amp up the flavor I like to make my own sauce from almost scratch. I use pureed and already made tomato sauces with no flavor. Please use organic non-BPA cans for the best flavor and healthiest results. This gives me the opportunity to infuse my own flavors into the sauce while avoiding unnecessary preservatives & sweeteners.

Step 1:  Start by adding in 2 tbsp of organic coconut oil to a large pot on medium heat.

Step 2: Once the oil is heated add 1/2 of the diced onion,  1 of the diced bell peppers,  1 of the minced garlic cloves, and cherry tomatoes in that order allowing each veggie to sweat in the pan for at least 30 sec or until it begins to get tender. Add a dash of pink Himalayan salt to caramelize the onions quicker.

Step 3: Once you’ve got your veggie mix going add in half of your total dried seasonings in now to open up and release their flavors as well.  (Organic chilli powder, garlic MRS dash, Italian seasonings, dried basil, & Pink Himalayan Salt)

Step 4: Now open and add cans of tomato and tomato sauce stir in well and let it cook through on medium heat for 3-5 mins.

Step 5 : Add in bayleaf,  sprig of thyme, fresh Italian parsley, and half of the Braggs aminos to taste stir in and let cook for another 3-5 mins

Step 6 : Taste and add more dry seasonings as well as full amount of agave or sugar stir well and let cook for 3 more mins and then turn it down to a low simmer for another 5-7 mins.

Now you have an amazing flavorful sauce that will complement this dish well.

Prepping the Noodles

This is pretty easy but just in case you don’t know how to boil noodles especially gluten free ones please follow the boiling instructions on the back of the package adding in olive oil, salt , and a bay leaf for flavor. Let them boil while you prepare the filling.

Let them drain and cool 5 mins before the filling is finished.

*TIP: Run the noodles gently under cool water to quickly cool them down. I like to use my hands to place them into the casserole dish*

Making the Filling

Now this is the part where most traditional lasagna recipes call for meat, but here you can use a veggie substitute or just veggies, I’ve done it both ways and its great either way.

Step 1:  Start by adding in 2 tbsp of organic coconut oil to a large pot on medium heat.

Step 2: Once the oil is heated add 1/2 of the diced onion,  1 of the diced bell peppers, and 1 of the minced garlic cloves in that order allowing each veggie to sweat in the pan for at least 30 sec or until it begins to get tender. Add a dash of pink Himalayan salt to caramelize the onions quicker.

Step 3:  Add in the remainder of the aminos to add to the flavor. Stir in well and let stand for another 30 sec on medium heat.

Step 4:  Add in veggie meat or chicken and let it cook through for about 6 mins or until browned. If you are using chicken let it cook for an additional 5 mins on medium low or until the chickns texture is suitable. (optional)

Step 5: Add in fresh parsley and  kale greens or any other veggies you would like to have in the dish and let it cook until it is tender and a bright green. Don’t over cook because they will be going into the oven.

Step 6: Taste and add any last seasonings.

Place into a large serving bowl with its own serving spoon.

Setting up your Stations & Assembling your Lasagna

Step 1: Make sure sauce, noodles, and filling are in their own large serving bowls with serving spoons.  Pre heat oven to 350 for 10 mins

Step 2:  Set out Hummus with own large spoon and make sure the casserole dish is centered for layering.

Step 3: Create First layer of the lasagna by  putting down noodles until the entire base of the casserole dish is covered, then add sauce, filling, hummus, then shredded cheese.

Step 4: Repeat step 3 until the casserole pan is full try to save the most cheese for the top layer to create a nice thick cheesy melted layer on top. You can also add sunflower seed topping if you so desire.

Step 5:  Place casserole dish into the oven and let it cook for 25 mins or until the top is nicely browned.

Step 6: Serve with home made ciabatta garlic bread & salad for an amazing meal the whole family will love.

Come back and let us know how you enjoyed creating this wholesome version of a fan favorite in the comments below!

Every Part of You Is Precious; Even Your Butt

I’m writing this blog post, mostly out of a favor to a woman named Barbara. I met Barbara at a Jamaican Pizza Joint that sells the best Vegan jerk chicken you’ve ever dreamed about… but that’s another topic.

Barbara’s the mom of a beautiful little baby girl that almost made me consider having another… then I remembered that I like sleep. While I was loading my four children into my hand-me-down minivan (ain’t family awesome!), Barbara walked up and asked if my 2 year-old was wearing a cloth diaper.

Why yes, she was.

Remember my post about chemicals in my hair.. well, I’m even more freaked out about chemicals on my butt. And about the same time I decided I was done with relaxers, (at least the first time) I also decided my babies would wear as few Pampers as possible.

 

Here are three facts about Disposable Diapers:

• They don’t leak. That’s thanks to not good fabric, but straight up chemicals. The same chemicals that are linked to Toxic Shock Syndrome (in tampons). Seems reckless to expose your baby (especially baby girls) to that risk.
• You just throw them away, along with everything else. Disposable diapers make up 2% of waste nowadays. They are typically not biodegradable, and are 70% trees. At least you can recover the energy from the 30% petroleum that is left over.
• They don’t stink up your house. Instead, they stink up the landfills with poop. Hey, it’s not like the Pamper people didn’t warn you, they clearly say flush the shit down the toilet… yet who does that?

 

So now that you know the facts, here are some truths about Cloth Diapers.

They are cute

If your idea of cloth diapers is something like this:

 

You’ve got it all wrong.. Cloth diapers actually involve a cover, the diaper, and possibly a liner and look more like this:

Check out Rumparooz, Blueberry, and Thirsties for some super cute diaper covers that don’t leak. (These are just some examples… find your favorite brand! Mine is this one:

They Can Be Simple

Everyone always asks me if it’s hard to deal with cloth diapers… The answer is ‘not really’. First thing, forget about the safety pin.. That’s only used at baby showers to scare pregnant moms. Real cloth diapering moms use Snappis.

Modern cloth diapers can be all-in-one or even pre-folded so that you don’t have to do any work. Pre-folded ones are the ones you’ll find in stores like Babies-R-Us and Walmart. You’ll need a cover and some Snappis to go with them.

I indulged and bought these… working on kid#2 and year #3

You don’t have to touch Poop

C’mon now, that shit is gross. Try getting flushable liners that make it super easy to go cloth. Tear off the flushable liner, place in a diaper, baby poops, lift dry part of liner, flush it all down the toilet.

If you do not want to waste paper, you can also use a diaper sprayer… it’s like a personal water hose in your bathroom.

My final cloth diapering advice is laundering. Do not make it more complicated than it needs to be. Seriously. You can either wash as is in your washer or pre-soak in 10% bleach water (not recommended on bamboo diapers). Some people recommend against that, especially if you buy the high-end diapers, but that’s what I do when they are particularly soiled.

Here is a pretty straight forward guide to washing cloth diapers.

If you absolutely don’t want to wash diapers, or you are a new mom, and could use some help…. Hire a diaper cleaning service – It’s surprisingly reasonable, especially when they provide the diapers, soap, and labor. Yeah, I cheated and used them for the first 6 months of two of my children – don’t JUDGE ME!!

Got more cloth diaper questions? Ask away – I’ve got 8 years of poopy diapers under my belt.

Zits – Face Invaders with a Message

So you woke up one morning and found a zit dead square in the middle of your eyebrows. You’re devastated and your flawless skin has been compromised. Maybe you’re taking important pictures or meeting a new client. Maybe you have a hot date with your significant other and you want to look your best. Whatever the situation, your face looks like an explosion and you need help. Sometimes, a simple swab of lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or witch hazel infused with tea tree oil will do. Unfortunately, these remedies are temporary solutions and will only work for the long term if you address the underlying issue.

Take a close look at my picture above. My face tells a story about a holiday weekend of yummy food that’s not good for me. I didn’t cook it, didn’t check the ingredients, and consumed way too much. Since I rarely eat this way, my body went into an acidic and mucus filled state in a short period of time.  My belly was bloated beyond recognition and I woke up the next morning with a big old fat zit on my forehead. Some folks live in a constant state like this. For me, this is not the norm. Like any other woman, I can be a little vain and I thought the world would end if I didn’t eradicate the invader on my face and get my belly back to normal. I declared war. In war, you must understand the nature of your opponent and it’s strategy. What I know is that a zit between my eyebrows is a strong indication that my liver is kicking ass to get rid of the toxins I consumed and it needed some help getting rid of the crap. I decided to forgo to the temporary solutions and pick a more viable strategy I call Operation Detox. I started with a huge cup of hot lemon water and added a heaping scoop of coconut oil. Then I swallowed six of my amazing Blood Magic capsules full of my proprietary herbal formula known its liver cleansing and nourishing properties. I ate fruit and salad all day long and of course consumed more than a gallon of water along with several mason jars full of nettle and mullein herbal infusions. I will continue to take Blood Magic, drink herbal infusions, and follow this eating regimen for as long as I’m led.

So the next time you spot a zit on your face, know there’s an underlying issue and it’s usually related to either your diet or the endocrine system disruptors in your personal care products. If you’re experiencing a skin issue and you’re looking for natural remedies, feel free to reach out for a free thirty minute consultation.

Love and light!