Unite Now! YOU can help to end world destruction...

The world is at the edge of economic disaster because it is based on a system of greed and competition, where few benefit and many struggle. 

Wars have raged over religion, land, resources, and money. 

Oil has spilled and polluted our beautiful oceans and rivers.

This is madness and it is NOT the vision that our world is meant to be. 

Here is hope for a better world...

Where YOU, along with others of like-mind, have the power and ability to make a change. 

Unite Now!

Every person is precious. 

www.nutopia.cc

I am so very pleased to announce a project that is so near to my heart. This is a project that Moshe Daniel has been working on for many years. I have joined him in the planning and implementation of this plan to heal and unite the world under a flag of peace. What a beautiful vision it is. Please check out the site and unite with us to end suffering, war, division, hatred, greed, and the destruction of our beautiful and sacred planet.

The Big Fat Lie

The Big Myth: Fats are Bad...

When I was in college, I studied Exercise Physiology and Nutrition. During these four years, it was constantly pounded into my head that fats are bad. I was taught to teach my clients to eat 'fat-free' foods. In my life, I ate fat-free yogurt and fake butter. 

We learned the guidelines of cholesterol, and what a doctor considers to be too high. I was told that if a person's cholesterol level was too high, then they would be at an increased risk of heart disease. Even at that time, I questioned what they were teaching me. I asked many college professors why the incidence of heart disease was increasing every year while the guidelines of cholesterol levels were decreasing.  They could never explain this to me. More than ever doctors were/are putting their patients on cholesterol medications and successfully lowering their cholesterol, and yet the rates of heart attacks and heart disease were/are ever increasing. This didn't make sense to me. As a matter of fact, it still doesn't. 

It wasn't until my Naturopathic training that I began to learn the truth about fat. While studying basic anatomy, we learned that the liver actually produces cholesterol from fats that we consume from the diet. These fats come from eggs, meat, dairy and other fatty sources. 

The body uses this cholesterol for MANY different processes. Cholesterol is needed for cell walls, membranes, the production of hormones, vitamin D, the myelin sheath of the nerves, the bile acids that help to digest fat, and much more. 

CHOLESTEROL IS A NECESSARY BUILDING BLOCK FOR OUR BODY!

What happens if you don't have enough cholesterol? Well... your body cannot produce those very necessary things listed above. This can look like depression, headaches, multiple sclerosis (since cholesterol is what protects our nerves), Parkinson's disease, and many many others. We wouldn't be able to bear children and we wouldn't be able to concentrate or focus. Since cholesterol also protects our body from toxins like heavy metals (mercury, aluminum, etc), these metals would wreck havoc in our body (sometimes causing some of the above mentioned diseases like Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, etc).

This is a very serious thing folks. Good fats are so important to incorporate into our lives so we can live with abundant health. Some of the healthiest cultures consumed animal fat, high fat raw dairy products, and real butter. Everyone should be eating good fats, especially pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding their baby (who especially need fat to build their brain and nerves). 

So, you might ask, what is the truth behind cholesterol's link to heart disease?

They do find cholesterol build-up in artery walls. Yes. However, in order for cholesterol to build-up, your arteries must be damaged. Cholesterol is simply going there to do the patch up work (which might go way out of hand if you are eating a horrible diet). 

Your arteries become damaged by many different toxins in the environment. One of the biggest is cigarette smoke and environmental pollutants. Another cause of damaged arteries is CHLORINE. If you live in a city, you are getting this from your drinking water. Our bodies also absorb this from swimming pools. A third cause is stress/anxiety/emotions. 

A healthy lifestyle is very important to maintain the health of your body. This includes incorporating good fats into the diet like real butter, coconut oil, fish oils and others.When shopping, looking for organic butter where the cows have been grass fed (or even better if you know a local farm that sells it). Buy organic cold-pressed coconut oil and use it for cooking and salad dressings. Eat a healthy diet that has plenty of fruits and vegetables, and exercise! Finally, minimize the stress in your life. I don't think I can stress this enough... stress=illness!

Feed your brain, feed your nerves, and feed your body.

   And, more importantly, throw out the big fat lie that fats are bad!  

**If you are concerned about your cholesterol, please seek the help of a qualified Naturopath or practitioner.**

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Svea is a traditional Naturopath, classical homeopath and holistic doula. Her private doula practice can be found here. 

Soothe Your Skin, Nourish Your Soul!

One of my favorite hobbies consists of making all-natural herbal salves, since it is so difficult to find safe and pure lotions and substances. I have explored the isles at Whole Foods and other health food stores, and very few times have been impressed with what I found.

Over the last couple of years I have been experimenting with the best recipe for an all-natural lotion. I have used organic Almond oil, Jojoba oil, Olive oil, Grapeseed oil, and many others. I love the feel of each of these in their own ways, however, I was still searching for the BEST oil for my skin.

I finally found that oil . . . organic cold-pressed virgin COCONUT OIL! This tropical oil slides on the skin so easily and soaks in quickly, with no oily residue. I even explored further, adding beeswax and different essential oils, but still found that I like 'untouched' coconut oil (although I made some pretty magical blends!).

I have also found that coconut oil contains many healing properties. This amazing oil not only nourishes the skin, but it actually takes part in the healing processes of the skin as well. Coconut oil has proven to be effective in treating eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, and other skin infections. It also decreases wrinkles and prevents premature aging... who wouldn't want that, right?!

Coconut oil is so versatile and can be used for a variety of things. Many people use coconut oil for cooking, since it is the most stable at high temperatures. Others use it to nourish and heal their hair. Furthermore, people add it to their salads, desserts, and anything else that requires oil. Be creative!

I use Coconut oil everyday and benefit with well nourished and healthy skin! If you love a tropical smell, you will adore the coconut smell, while getting a pure and all-natural product too.

So, start soothing your skin and nourishing your soul with Coconut oil!

*When purchasing coconut oil, you want to find organic, cold-pressed virgin coconut oil. This has proven to be the best for eating, using on the skin, and cooking too.

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Svea is a traditional Naturopath, classical homeopath and holistic doula. Her private doula practice can be found here. 

The Truth About Our Emotions

The mind is chief.

All things are mind made.

You are what you think,

having become what you thought.

-THE BUDDHA- 

It seems like every where I turn lately I meet someone who is chronically ill. They tell me about how they've tried 'this remedy' or 'that remedy' and 'nothing seems to help.' Being a Holistic Health Practitioner, I see change in the lives of people all around me, however, can still see out of the corner of my eye the world that has become so sick.

So why all the illness? Is it because of our fast food nation? Is it because we don't get enough exercise? Is it because we work in stressful situations? Is it because of the pollution that we see?

If I try to wrap my mind around all of these things, I realize how difficult it is to truly find the root cause of an illness. An illness can be caused from any of those things, especially since we have adopted such unhealthy lifestyles.

My experience has shown me that you don't get sick just because. My experience tells me that you are sick because there is something in your life that isn't working for you anymore. Yes, this could be on a physical level, where the food that you are eating is no longer working for you. However, and more importantly (and on a much deeper level) you could be sick because you are in a life situation that is no longer working for you.

Let me give you an example now.

Bob goes to work every day, and has for the last 35 years. He hasn't liked his job since day one, but felt like he had to do it to support his family. Every day he wakes up and feels a tremendous dread to get out of bed and go to work. On the days he doesn't have to work he jumps out of bed full of energy. He continues this pattern for many years. One day he realizes how worn down and tired he feels, so he goes to the doctor to get a diagnosis. His Physician diagnoses him with "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome" and sends him on his way. Bob never connects that his "disease" is caused from his feeling of dread toward his job. For the next few years he continues at his job, but feels worse and worse...nothing helping him. He takes remedies and medications. Bob feels a little better, but still experiences the exhaustion that he previously felt.

Finally, Bob sees a Practitioner who helps him find the root cause of this Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. They determine this to be an emotional root. Bob ponders a life changing decision, and finally decides to quit his job. After a week of rest, Bob is back to his normal state of health.

Did you know that healing could be so quick? I am incredibly amazed to see the healing that I am honored to see!

Your emotional state is so important. Why not live a life that is happy and healthy? Why not work somewhere that you love? Why not be in a relationship that nourishes and supports you in every way?

One of my favorite quotes says that "Life is too short to be anything but happy."-Author Unknown. 

So, the truth about our emotions is that they rule and govern our entire lives. You deserve nothing other than to be happy. Take the power of healing back into your own hands! 



*Disclaimer: I am not a Doctor and do not diagnose or prescribe. Some people are in very advanced states of illness and might need more than 1 week to heal (this is simply an example that I like to use). Healing takes time and patience. Some people take a whole lifetime to develop a dis-ease, so those very people should be patient and willing to allow time for their bodies to heal and come back into balance. You should seek a qualified Practitioner when embarking on this journey. 

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Svea is a traditional Naturopath, classical homeopath and holistic doula. Her private doula practice can be found here. 

Bee Pollen: Nature's Superfood!

In my studies I have been totally impressed with the lives of bees. I love eating raw honey because of all the wonderful benefits that it provides. Another Superfood that I discovered in the last year comes from bees too... BEE POLLEN!

We constantly hear the term "Busy as a Bee." This term is 'oh so true' for the life of a bee. Bees work double duty all the time: collecting pollen from flowers to feed its hive while also pollinating more than 80% of all plants and flowers.

Bee pollen is the male reproductive part of a flower that the worker bees collect. These bees pack the microscopically fine powder into granules by adding some nectar or honey from their honey sacs. They then take this back to the hive where they then add a special enzyme to prevent germination. It is used as the food for the young bee, and provides every nutrient needed for proper growth and development. Without this bee pollen a hive of bees would die.

Bee pollen contains nearly every nutrient required by humans, making it one of "nature's complete foods." The free amino acids found in bee pollen (as well as many other nutrients) are so readily used by the body that this food is phenomenal for people with protein deficiencies.

In the past, scientists have realized the amazing nutrient content of this food. They replicated Bee Pollen in a lab--every nutrient, amino acid, and fat molecule. Essentially, they thought they created the perfect supplement, however, when they fed this to a hive of bees, the bees all died! This just shows that we cannot artificially replicate this food, and that, in fact the bee adds a "magic element." To this day, the mystery remains unknown--there are still elements present in bee pollen that science cannot identify.

For many centuries, Bee Pollen has been considered to be a superfood amongst different cultures. Chinese medicine has regarded pollen to be a nutritive and energy tonic. Other cultures have used it for a surprising number of applications, including: increased endurance and vitality, aiding recovery from many chronic illnesses, cleansing and building the blood, extending longevity, preventing cold and flu, decreasing allergies, and so much more.

I have been taking Bee Pollen now for a few months, but haven't really stopped to marvel at the incredible nature of how it is "made", as well as the long list of benefits that it provides. Every day I grow to appreciate this beautiful nature food much more than the previous.

Take this into consideration:
A bee that works 8 hours per day, for one month, will gather only 1 teaspoon of bee pollen. One pellet of Bee Pollen contains over 2 million flower pollen grains, while 1 teaspoon contains more than 2.5 billion flower pollen grains. WOW!

I suggest that you add this to your diet EVERYDAY. Start small. Take 1/2 teaspoon per day for a couple of days, then boost up to 1 teaspoon. If possible, buy local. Bee pollen that is local will help with seasonal allergies, and can be guaranteed fresh and pure. The results are endless with this superfood. In my own practice I have seen Bee pollen help with muscle atrophy, unnecessary weight loss, allergies, digestive disturbances and much more.




**Be very careful if you have severe allergies. In rare occasions, bee pollen can cause a severe allergic reaction. Consult your natural health practitioner if in question.**

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Svea is a traditional Naturopath, classical homeopath and holistic doula. Her private doula practice can be found here.