Natural Living 101

How I Lowered My Blood Pressure the Natural Way

2013-01-23T19:08:00.001-06:00

As a former medical assistant, I have witnessed what high blood pressure or hypertension can do to the body, including: causing strokes, heart attacks or even kidney problems.

This is why it is vital that you know your blood pressure. The normal blood pressure is 120/80 and if your blood pressure is higher than that, be sure to visit your physician.

Back in December 2012, I noticed that my blood pressure began to elevate and I was not feeling very well, so I decided to relax more, take a fish oil, eat dark chocolate several times a week and enjoy a glass of red wine with dinner 2-3 days a week.

As I made those changes in my diet, I began to feel much better.One week prior to writing this blog post, I made an appointment with the local Take Care Clinic for my dry itchy skin and discovered that my blood pressure was lower than usual.

In fact, the nurse was excited that my blood pressure was lower than it was at my last visit 6 months ago.

So, the Nurse Practitioner asked me what I was doing differently and I told her that I was taking Fish Oil! The Nurse assured me that fish oil does help to lower blood pressure and to keep doing what I was doing.

I am now convinced that the Natural Way is the best way to keep the body healthy!

Not convinced that fish oil lowers blood pressure? Check out this article: Benefits of fish oil on Blood pressure.

Have a Healthy 2013!

Shiketa

Check out my latest eCourse: 21- Days to a Healthier You

Becoming a Healthier You!

2012-11-21T06:34:00.002-06:00

In my last blog post, I told you about an eCourse that my friend Deborah Francis and I were writing. Well....We are done with the eCourse and ready to get it into your hands,so that you are empowered to become a healthier you! Check out the video below and we will see you in the Becoming a Healthier you Community!

Follow the blog today at http://becomingahealthieryou.wordpress.com

Cheers to you Health!

Shiketa
Twitter.com/ahealthier_you

The Healthy Planet Magazine Natural Living Expo 2012

2012-10-14T20:01:00.004-05:00

The Healthy Planet Magazine Natural Living Expo October 14, 2012

Every year I look forward to attending the Healthy Planet Magazine Health Expo. In fact, I am a reader of the Healthy Planet Magazine and look forward reading all of the holistic health articles in the Magazine every month.

At this years event, I was ready to meet some natural health professionals, learn something new and share some great natural health resources with you. I have uploaded some pictures from the Healthy Planet expo along with links to the websites of the vendors for your information.

As a Writer, I am always compelled to visit the table of writers and that is just what I did as I entered the expo. I stopped by the table of Christine Kniffen, LCSW, the Author of the book, The Art of Relating. If you are having relationship troubles or want to improve how you relate to others, check out Christine's website, www.TheArtofRelatingBook.com. I picked up copy for only $15 and I can hardly wait to read it! Just in case you are wondering, what relationship problems have to do with natural health; I must add that toxic relationships, can lead to poor health. This is why it is vital that you work through relationship issues.

The Art of Relating Book by Christine Kniffen, LCSW

Aroma Therapy....Ahhhhhh! I could hardly wait to talk to the ladies at this table and smell the aroma therapy oils. Essential oils can be used for a variety ailments including: depression, headaches, diabetes, blood pressure, as a disinfectant and so much more. Moreover, when I stopped by the table, one of the ladies gave me a very informative introduction about essential oils and I was compelled to take her card and invite you to visit her website. So be sure to check out Sandy Rausch (independent Distrbutor) website at www.YLwebsite.com/Sandy At this vendors table; I learned that I can add lemon essential oils to my laundry and dish water as an added disinfectant!

Young Living Essential Oils

I believe every woman at the expo stopped by this table to talk to these wonderful ladies. These ladies are representatives of Medical Thermography of Metro St.Louis. Furthermore, The company's mission is to increase a woman's chance of detecting breast cancer in its early stages with Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI).

(DITI) Is a 15-minute non invasive test of physiology that indicates early stages of breast disease. Also, the ladies shared with me that there is a supplement that women could take to prevent breast cancer and it is called: Protective Breast Formula. Moreover, I was told that I must check out Dr. Christine Horner's Book, Waking the Warrior Goddess ( A Book That Gives Your Strategies to Protect women against breast cancer)


Medical Thermography of Metro St.Louis Inc

These are photos of me claiming my complimentary screening of my spine, conducted by Dr. Matthew Stralka, DC of Creve Coeur, MO.

Completing my free health assessment

Dr. Stralka, reviewed my health history and share information with me about my health just by looking at my back..it was Amazing! In fact, Dr. Stralka believes that a Healthy spine helps to create a happy healthy life! You must check out his website today! www.gatewayhealing.com

My Discovery: What every you do not release from your spirit, will manifest in your body!

My free health assessment of my spine and stress assessment

Traveling Tea was serving up some delicious tea! There was a variety of flavors and the tea is very affordable. Study shows that drinking tea is great for your overall health and it is vital that you acquire a taste for tea..because your health depends on it. Be sure to check out their website at www.traveling-tea.com.

Traveling Tea

The Sierra Club is America's oldest, largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization. Their purpose is to explore, enjoy and protect the wild places of the earth! Moreover, I was quite impressed at their dedication to assuring that we have healthier air quality, because if we have healthier air; we have healthier bodies.

Check out the Sierra Club at www.missouri.sierraclub.org and subscribe to their Free eNewsletter!

I hope that you have found the information that I have shared with you to be quite helpful. Most of all, be sure to check out the Healthy Planet Magazine, it is an awesom Natural Living Magazine!

With Natural Health in mind,
Shiketa

How to Make Delicious Sweet Tea at Home

2012-09-25T13:31:00.001-05:00

As I am shopping for my home or business on a weekly basis, I have a really crazy habit of buying sweet green or raspeberry tea from the local store. In fact, every time I go to the store; I get thristy I and I choose tea!

The only problem with that is the fact that most teas that you buy from the local store contains High Fructose Corn syrup. This is why I have decided to make my own sweet tea at home or buy my teas only from the health food market.

Today I am going to share with you a quick, easy and healthy way to make your own delicious and sweet tea at home.

1. Purchase your tea bags from your local whole foods store, prefably organic tea: green, white, chamomile,etc.

2. Boil hot water in a tea kettle on the stove or use a stainless steel pot to boil your water in.

3. Add your tea bag(s) to the cup, pour the hot water over the tea bag, add (liquid agave sweetner) and 2 slices of lemon and enjoy!

If you want to make tea for later, make several cups, wait until the tea cools down and pour in a jug that you can drink from later. This will save you lots of money and it's cheaper to buy the tea bags by the box. Moreover, you are no longer drinking a can of tea that is loaded with artificial sweetners; you are sweetening up your favorite tea with a plant based sweetener!

I look forward to reading your thoughts about this post!

To Health & Wellness,
Shiketa

21-Days To A Healthier You!

2012-09-24T19:53:00.000-05:00

Are you ready to live a healthier life? Need more healthier food choices? Are you stressed most of the time? Do you have a fitness plan?

If you answered "Yes" to any of the questions above, it's time to become a healthier you! I am currently writing a 21-Day eCourse with my good friend Deborah Francis, the Author of "The Joy of Healthy Living."

Deborah and I felt that it was time that we joined forces to share healthy eating tips from her book; share my Natural Relaxation tips that I have been blogging about for the last 3-years and to share a simple fitness plan that almost anyone can fit into their daily schedule.

Here is an overview of the first 14-days of the eCourse:

The Joy of Healthy Eating
According to Health Wise, Healthy eating will help you get the right balance of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. It will help you feel your best and have plenty of energy. It can help you handle stress better.

Day 1- The benefits of Eating Apples
Day 2- The Power of Blueberries
Day 3- Boost your Energy and so much more with Bananas
Day 4- Build a Healthy Heart and Fight Cancer with Tomatoes
Day 5- The Joy of Eating Kale
Day 6-The Super Nutrient- Kidney Beans
Day 7-The Benefits of Garlic

7 Days to Relaxation the Natural Way
“Excessive stress on a long term basis can make you obese and unhealthy, says Dr. Don Colbert, author of, “The Seven Pillars of Health.” In fact, too much stress can cause memory loss, increase your blood pressure; raise cortisol levels (stress hormones) in your body and many other health problems. This is why it is vital that you relax more!

Day 1- Massage Therapy
Day 2- Relax with a cup of Chamomile Tea
Day 3-The Power of classical music
Day 4-Meditate the stress away
Day 5-Aromatherapy
Day 6- Yoga
Day 7- Deep breathing

For more information about the eCourse, be sure to join the Natural Living 101 email list!
The Course is almost complete and we look forward to sharing it with you!

To Your Health & Wellness,
Shiketa Morgan

Connect with Deborah Francis on Facebook! Deborah's book is also featured on the Natural Living 101 blog, check it out!!

Turn off The Central Air Conditioning Unit and Open The Windows

2012-09-02T13:10:00.000-05:00

As my Grandmother used to tell me...turn off the air and let in God's Fresh Air...

I was inspired to write this blog post, because my Air Conditioning unit stopped working (one day prior to writing this post) and we were forced to open the windows in our home. The temperature outdoors was in the high 70's, however, it was humid outdoors and my daughter began to tell my husband how hot it was in the house. This is when I realized how much we were depending on Air Conditioning.

After the windows were open for about 30 minutes, the temperature in our home was much cooler. In fact, it was great sleeping with the windows open verses chilling our bodies with the Air Conditioning unit. Today I want to share with you the benefits of opening your windows and letting in fresh air. Also, I will share with you negative effects that Air Conditioning can have on the body.

The benefits of opening your windows and letting in Fresh air.

According to Natural Health Restored, "A steady supply of fresh air is very important. Fresh air provides you with a steady supply of oxygen which is needed by your brain and every single cell of your body. If you stay in a closed in area for a long period of time, you will end up breathing in the same air over and over again. The oxygen content of the air will go down continually as you (and whoever else happens to be in the room with you) breathe out carbon dioxide and other wastes."

Removes odors in your home
It is refreshing and will give you a lift
Helps the airways of your lungs to dilate more fully and improves the cleansing action of your lungs
Alters your brain levels of serotonin which helps to improve your mood and promote a sense of happiness and well-being
Strengthens your immune system by supplying it with the oxygen it needs. White blood cells require more oxygen when working to kill and destroy bacteria, viruses, and germs. Enough oxygen will ensure that they are able to function properly

For more tips on the benefits of breathing fresh air, visit the Natural Health Restored Blog .

Negative effects that Air Conditioning can have on the body.
I am not saying that on an extremely hot day, that I will not turn on my Air conditioning, however I want to point out to you that spending too much time in an Air Conditioning building or home does have negative effects on the body and they are as follows:

Indoor Air Contamination
Spreads Disease
Can Cause Workplace illness
Central air conditioning units, according to the EPA, can spread indoor pollutants such as bacteria, molds, mildew, viruses, pollen and animal dander.

Be sure to open those windows and let in God's Fresh Air!

With your Health/Wellness in mind,
Shiketa

A Spiritual Solution to a Healthy Body

2012-08-31T20:45:00.001-05:00

As I was reading the book, There's a Spiritual Solution to every problem by Dr. Wayne Dyer; I discovered a life changing paragraph. I could hardly wait to share it with you, because I believe that it will give you a Vigorous, Loving, Healthy and Positive mindset about your body and Dr. Dyer wrote:

"I want to say unequivocally that the intelligence that inhabits your body will become whatever you project it to be. It will create a healthy or a sickly body depending on how you decide to use your mind. If you want a truly healthy body, and the ability to sow pardon in the face of any kind of injury, you must first heal your mind with unconditional love and recognize that your body is a firmly entrenched instrument of spirit make your mind vigorously, loving, healthy and positive and your body will respond accordingly."

Wow! This inspired me to not be so obsessive about the food that I eat, however, be more focused on the state of my mind. What about you? I look forward to reading your thoughts about this post.

With Your Health & Wellness in mind,
Shiketa

Join me in reading this Life Changing Book

The "Natural" Power of Crystals

2012-08-12T17:15:00.000-05:00

I was recently in the Earth Bound Store at a Local Mall and I spotted a plastic pouch that contained some crystal and the Word "Energy" was at the top of the plastic pouch.

Moreover, I was a little skeptical about a piece of crystal lifting my energy and at the same time, I was compelled to try it. The instruction on the packet was simple and it read: simply soak the crystals in salt water, allow your crystals to sit outdoors to soak up energy from the sun and hold them in your hand.

So....I decided to buy the crystals! Immediately after opening the crystals, I rinsed them, sat the Crystals on a table in my sun room for 15-minutes and I held them in my hands for several minutes. My mood was immediately lifted and my hands even had a smooth feel.

The day that I wrote this blog post, I decided to do some more research on the power of crystals and here are some of the sites that I found:

Charging Crystals
The Crystal Site
Healing Crystals for you
Crystal energy healing

I look forward to reading your thoughts about this blog post. Most of all, I would like to know how you have increased your energy with the power of crystals.

With your Health in Mind,
Shiketa
Natural Living 101

The Future Of Well Being by Deepak Chopra

2012-07-07T13:06:00.000-05:00

As a global leader and pioneer in the field of mind-body medicine, Chopra transforms the way the world views physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social wellness.

Source: http://www.deepakchopra.com/video/most_recent/step/2

Detoxify Your Body With a Trader Joes Whole Body Cleanse

2012-06-30T07:56:00.000-05:00

Trader Joes is my favorite places to shop for whole foods, health supplements, herbs and for natural products. In fact, I shop at Trader Joes everyweek to assure that I am buying healthy foods for my family.

On a recent trip to my local Trader Joes, I was compelled to buy a Whole Body Cleanse, because I was feeling sluggish and tired. So, I decided to purchase a Trader Joes Whole Body Cleanse!

Today I am going to share with you the benefits of doing a whole body cleans so that your body is operating at a optimal level of health.

Why Cleanse?
A whole body cleanse supports the body's ability to decrease toxins from external sources such as; synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, artificial hormones and processed foods. Also The Trader Joes Whole Body Cleanse supports detoxification for the entire body including the intestines, liver, gall bladder, lymph, blood and digestive systems.

What does the Trader Joes Whole Body Cleanse Contain?

A Fiber blend for safe effective cleansing
A Soothing Herbal blend to promote healthy and comfortable bowel cleansing
A Liver Liver Formula to aid in eliminating toxins and support liver function

How To Eat and Foods To Avoid While Taking a Whole Body Cleanse

Eat small healthy and balanced meals while detoxifying your body
Drink plenty of water
Try to reduce the intake of processed foods, simple carbohydrates, beef, pork and dairy
Also avoid caffeine, alcohol, sugar and potatoes along with artificial sweeteners

Are you ready to restore your energy and feel your best? Try detoxing your body with a whole body cleanse today. Check out this review that I found online about the Trader Joes Whole Body Cleanse, click here.

With Your Health in mind,
Shiketa

How to Cure That "Belly" Fat

2012-06-24T20:24:00.000-05:00

According to the July 9, 2012 edition of the First For Women Magazine, " Increasingly, eateries are whetting guests' appetites by packing their dishes with extra sugar, which can set off a chain reaction that leads to belly fat."

I must say that I agree 100% with that statement above. In fact, several weeks prior to writing this blog post, I decided to try a new green apple tea that was sold at a local gas station. That tea was so delicious, however, I noticed that I was started to gain some extra belly fat after one week of drinking 32 ounces of the green apple tea everyday on my lunch break.

Then, I discovered why I was gaining that extra belly fat after reading, Jorge Cruise Article in the First For Women Magazine. In the article, Cruise listed examples of foods that were "belly bad" and foods that were "belly good." I was quite surprised to discover that by simply choosing foods that are lower in sugar grams; you will shed pounds and lose that excess belly fat.

Jorge Cruise is the author of The Belly Fat Cure and has found that a diet low in simple carbs or low in sugar can help women lose as much as 4 to 9 pounds of belly fat a week.

I've already started reducing the number of carbs that I ingest on a daily basis. In fact, after reading Cruise's article, I now choose unsweetened teas or diet lemonade when I am dining out.

I once heard one of my favorite doctors (Don Colbert) say that, "Belly fat can lead to diabetes and it is bad for your overall health. In fact, Dr. Colbert Colbert also said (while speaking at my church) that you can tell how healthy an individual is by looking at their waist size.

Are you ready to lose that belly fat? Be sure to Order The belly Fat Cure Today and Visit Jorge Cruise Website today! Join his email list and download your Free Menu.

To Your Health,
Shiketa

10 Reasons to Drink Carrot Juice

2012-06-17T18:37:00.000-05:00

Photo Credit: Healthy Foods

Start drinking this amazing juice on a regular basis

and you just might have a healthier body.

~Carmen T Wilson

I was recently shopping for some grape fruit juice at the local Trader Joes store, I discovered a quart of Carrot Juice. I immediately picked up the quart of carrot juice, because I know how beneficial that carrots are in your everyday diet. In fact, my goal is to drink more 100% juices to detoxify my body and studies show that carrot juice is one of the healthiest life style choices.

If you are like me and do not like the taste of Carrot juice, here is a simple way to sweetened the juice: add some orange juice or freshly squeezed lemonade to help make the drink more enjoyable.

In this blog post, I will be sharing with you 10 health benefits of drinking carrot juice and they are as follows:

Loaded with Vitamin A, E, B and many minerals
Helps to reduce the risks of many different types of cancers including skin and breast cancer, along with helping to eliminate cancer-causing free radicals in the body.
Strengthens the bones, teeth, nails and hair
Extremely beneficial for the liver
Improves eye sight
Beneficial for Prenatal health
Excellent source of Vitamin C
Drinkable Source of Potassium
Loaded with Antioxidants
Excellent Nutritional Supplement for dieters

As mentioned above, I purchased my 100% carrot juice from the store, however, I strongly believe that you will get all of the benefits of a raw carrot, by simply juicing at home.

Juicing is a great way to detoxify your body and feel more energized. For more information on Juicing, check out Dr. Don Colbert's book, Toxic Relief

Warning: If you have kidney disease, you should avoid too much potassium, as it can be harmful to your organs.

With Your Health in Mind,
Shiketa

Source (s):
http://www.carrotjuice.com/enjoying-all-of-the-health-benefits-of-carrot-juice.html
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-health-benefits-of-drinking-carrot-juice.htm

2 Natural Home Remedies For Radiant Looking Skin

2012-05-16T20:30:00.003-05:00

Are you ready for more radiant looking skin? Do you want to avoid all those skin products that are loaded with toxins and claim to naturally give you radiant looking skin?

Have you noticed that you skin is aging? Don't worry, your beauty secret just may be in your kitchen!

If you answered yes to any of the questions above, this post is just for you!

Today I want to inspire you to try two all natural Anti-Aging Home remedies that will give your face a glowing and rejuvenated look: Coconut Milk and Avocado!

According to stop-age.com, aging is unavoidable and everyone has to face it sooner or later, but what’s really important is to age gracefully. The first signs of aging appear as fine lines on our face. Here are a few simple home remedies everyone can try out at home to keep facial skin looking fresh, youthful and reduce the signs of aging:

Coconut milk: Can help you get that radiant look of your skin. Take raw coconut and squeeze milk out of it or buy a whole coconut and take the milk of it. Apply this coconut milk on your face and it will give your facial skin a glowing effect.

Avocado mask: Avocado contains a lot of natural oil, as we age our skin become dry, avocado really helps to give you a young and fresh look because of its oily nature. Simply apply either the mash or slices of avocado on your face and your skin will get that rejuvenated look.

For more natural beauty tips, visit http://www.stop-age.com/anti-aging-home-remedies

With Natural Health in mind,
Shiketa
Follow on Facebook!

5 Health Benefits of Lemons

2012-05-06T09:10:00.000-05:00

According the Deborah Francis, Author of The Joy of Healthy Living, " lemons contain flavonoids that have antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. While these flavanoids have been shown to stop cell division in many cancer cell lines, they are perhaps most interesting for their antibiotic effects."

In the book, Deborah also shared many health benefits from ingesting lemons and today I am going to share five of those health benefits with you:

Lemons aids in Reducing Blood Pressure. The phytonutrients in the lemons help to control dizziness, nausea and high blood pressure.
Lemons Promote digestion. Lemons alleviate heartburn, constipation, bloating, belching and parasites
Lemons Promote Healthy Gums and Teeth. Lemons help to freshen the breath, reduces tooth aches and cures wounds on the gums.
Lemons help to fight inflections in the throat.
Lemons helps the body to flush out toxins.

Here are some ideas of how to incorporate/ingest lemons on a daily basis:

Drink a glass of room temperature water with fresh lemons every day.

Using lemons for skin care, Read more

Try a Poppy Seed Lemon Cucumber Salad, Read more

With Your health in mind,

Shiketa Morgan

Be sure to get your copy of The Joy of Healthy Living Book! You will enjoy all the health tips in the book.

My Recent Natural Health & Beauty Findings

2012-04-15T18:19:00.001-05:00

I am so excited to share some of my natural health & beauty findings with you! In fact, when I travel, I am on a hunt for natural products!

While I was waiting to get a massage at the Spa Shiki at the Lake of the Ozarks, I decided to check out their Natural Supplements and their Inhalation tubes caught my attention.

In fact, the Inhalation tubes caught my attention because I love aromatherapy and the affects that it has on the body. The inhalation tube that I bought was for mental clarity. All that is required is to simply waive the tube in front of my nose and inhale.

I decided to purchase the mental clarity inhalation tube because I tend to have very busy days and half way through the day...I can use a Mental BOOST!

For more information about inhalation, visit http://www.MyRainbowOfHealth.com.

After several hours at the Spa Shiki, we stopped by the Cosmetics Store, because I was on the hunt for some natural skin care products and I discovered that the Cosmetics store sold Origins; my favorite skin care product.

I love Origins products because they are all natural and very gentle on my skin. Moreover, I have very sensitive skin and Origins products seems to be a great match for my skin type. When I was in the Cosmetics store I noticed a trial size kits of Origins White tea facial cleanser and moisturizers.

I decided to give the product a try and I loved it. In fact, my skin was so refreshed after using the cleanser and the moisturizers. Try Origins Today!

My last stop was at the bath and body store. Again I was on the hunt for some all natural beauty products and I discovered the Vanilla Verbena Stress reducing body Wash with essential oils.

After a day of shopping, I took a nice hot bath with the Vanilla Verbena body wash and it was a relaxing experience.

This blog post was not intended to promote any particular product, however, it is intended to inspire you to go natural when shopping for health and beauty products!

I look forward to your feedback about this blog post.

With Natural Living in Mind,
Shiketa

Lemon Grass Tea is Great For Your Health

2012-03-18T18:22:00.000-05:00

Today I was cleaning up my kitchen and I noticed a box of Lemon Grass Tea; I thought I would give it a try. So I boiled some water, soaked my lemon grass tea bag in the hot water, added two teaspoons of liquid agave and a slice of lemon.

That tea was so delicious, that I decided to do a Google search on the health benefits of lemon grass tea and take a look at what I discovered about lemon grass tea;

Lemon grass is a diuretic
Aids in the detoxification process of the liver, kidneys, bladder, digestive tract, and pancreas
Helps kick start the metabolism
Relieves symptoms of nausea, menstrual cramps, and skin infections
Curing insomnia and calming the body down
Aids in weight loss along with many other health benefits

Wow!!! Now that's a lot of health benefits in one cup of tea! If you have not already tried lemon grass tea, I hope that you give it a try soon. It is lemony delicious and great for your health!

To Your Health,
Shiketa

Source: http://www.lemongrasstea.org/

Photo Credit(s):
http://www.yousaytoo.com/lemon-grass-tanglad-tea/948834
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/lemon-grass-ginger-iced-tea-10000001611618/

Current Studies Suggest That This Tea Lowers Blood Pressure & Cholesterol

2012-03-03T21:06:00.000-06:00

Do you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol? If so, you may want to check out Hibiscus Tea.The Hibiscus tea hails from Nigeria- where hibiscus tea is known to help to cool the body in hot weather. Moreover, Current studies suggest that Hibiscus tea is effective in maintaining healthy Blood Pressure and Cholesterol levels.

Other health benefits of drinking Hibiscus tea includes:

It helps to strengthen the immune system
Powerful Antioxidant
Includes Anti-Inflammatory Properties & Mild Anti-bacterial properties

As you can see, there are many health benefits to drinking Hibiscus tea. As always, I thought I would try the tea before I wrote this blog post. So I stopped by the local Whole Foods Store to purchase some Hibiscus tea and it was only $9.99.

The tea was quite delicious. I simply, boiled water, added a hibiscus tea bag to the cup of water, added some lemon and two teaspoons of liquid agave sweetener. I loved the blueberry flavor!

* If you are currently taking medication for blood pressure or high cholesterol, it is suggested that you contact your physician before trying hibiscus tea.

See the Health & Wellness Disclaimer for the Natural Living Blog.

To Your Health,
Shiketa

I look forward to reading your thoughts about this post and your thoughts about Hibiscus tea!

Order Your Tea Today!

5 Super Foods For a Healthy Heart

2012-02-19T17:37:00.000-06:00

According to Dr. Don Colbert, "Americans have significantly more heart disease and for one reason alone: the toxic state of the Standard American Diet. What you eat is the single most important factor when it comes to your health. While God created many foods to nourish and protect our bodies, a few stand out when it comes to heart health."

The 5 Super foods that Dr. Colbert believes standout (When it comes to heart health) are as follows:

Pomegranate
Blueberries
Salmon
Spinach
Walnut

I hope that you have been inspired to incorporate all five of the super foods above, so that you will have a healthier heart and lower your risk of heart disease.

To find out more information about the Super Foods that Dr. Colbert recommends for a healthy heart, read the entire article now, Click here.

To Your Heart Health,
Natural Living 101
Shiketa

A Natural Way to Drop 10 pounds in 3-Days With Soup!

2012-01-29T15:47:00.000-06:00

Source: http://www.weightlosstips.co.uk

According to a weight loss discovery in the January 23, 2012 edition of the For Women First Magazine, by consuming the New Basic Slimming Soup twice a day; you could lose up to 10 pounds in as little as 3-days!

I was quite amazed at this discovery. In fact, I called my husband and told him about the soup, then I asked him to stop at the grocery store on the way home to pick -up the ingredients for this new slimming soup. The soup looks delicious and healthy!

Moreover, the article in the For Women First Magazine, also indicated that if you suffered from: anxiety, fatigue, depression, aches or pains, that you could speed up the weight loss process by adjusting the recipe. Check out the ingredients for the Slimming Soup recipe,click here.

For More Natural Living or Healthy Living Tips, be sure to subscribe to this blog or follow my Fabulous Woman blog.

To Your Health,
Shiketa
You will also find my health tweets @naturaliving101 and on Facebook!

Yoga Poses For Weight Loss

2012-01-04T09:00:00.001-06:00

According to Jennifer Livinia, in the article, The Five Best Yoga Poses for Weight loss; "If you're looking to yoga as a way to help you lose weight, know that it's a great piece of your overall fitness plan.

While nothing can replace cardio and strength training, those that turn to yoga for weight loss tend to have more success because yoga helps deal with the internal and external issues that might be contributing to your weight issues."

If your goal is to lose those extra pounds this year, give Yoga a try! It's a great way to calm the mind and work out all of your organs. Today I want to share with you a video that includes Yoga poses that promotes weight loss or a healthy body weight, check it out the 7- minute video below:

Be sure to check out Jennifer's article: The Five Best Yoga Poses for Weightloss.

To Your Health,
Natural Living 101
Shiketa

Health & Well Disclaimer

3 Steps to Developing a Lifestyle that Promotes Weightloss

2012-01-02T14:17:00.000-06:00

As I walked through the local grocery store on January 1, 2012, I noticed that the grocery store was advertising a wealth of weightloss products such as: Slim fast, protein bars, weightloss magazines, books and health & wellness drinks.

I thought to myself, I wondered, Why is it that the stores tend to promote weightloss at the beginning of the year? In fact, I believe that, in order to maintain a healthy weight; we must develop a life style that promotes weightloss.

Since 2006, I have bought many weightloss books and I have discovered many secrets to losing weight. Today, I am going to share with you 3 easy and natural ways to maintain a healthy body weight:

Upon waking up in the morning, drink a glass of room temperature water. Drinking water upon waking up in the morning increases your metabolism, increases your energy and it promotes weightloss.
Drink Green tea on a Daily basis. Studies show that Green Tea Consumption Enhances Exercise-Induced Abdominal Fat Loss in Overweight and Obese Adults.
Walking. God gave us two legs so that we can move our bodies. Moreover, walking is the most natural way to maintain a healthy body weight. Also, it's not a very strenuous exercise and it also reduces your stress level. If you are not an outdoors person, buy a treadmill. Whatever you decide to do, walk at least 30minutes to 1-hour a day!

More Weightloss tips to come throughout the month of January. In fact, This month's theme is to inspire you to create a lifestyle that promotes a healthy weight..the Natural Way!

To a Healthy New Year!

Shiketa Morgan, Editor in Chief
Follow on Twitter @naturaliving101

Resource Links:
http://www.duncandowntown.com/benefits-of-drinking-water-at-wake.html
http://greenteaweightlossinfo.com/green-tea-extract-dosage-whats-the-right-amount-for-weight-loss/
http://www.cookinglight.com/healthy-living/fitness/better-fitness-walk-00400000001776/

Are You Watching Those Calories?

2011-12-04T15:07:00.001-06:00

Two weeks before writing this blog post, my husband bought me a treadmill. I was so excited, because one of my goals for this year was to get a treadmill. To be quite honest with you, I do not like to work out at the gym. In fact, I prefer to work out at home or walk the neighborhood to burn calories or to reduce stress.

Shortly before I wrote this blog post, I was walking on the treadmill and watching the amount of calories that I was burning as I walked on the treadmill. Moreover, as I watched the numbers of carbs and calories burned increase on my treadmill panel, I realized that it is more work to burn off the calories than it is to attain them.

I began to think about the number of calories that are in a bag of chips or a candy bar and I thought about how much time it takes to consume the calories in our foods. For example, I love to eat granola bars and an average granola bar is less than 150 calories.

I discovered that when I walk two miles per hour for at least 30- minutes a day on the treadmill, I will burn 110 calories. Then I wondered how much weight I will lose if I burned 500 calories a week or more?

Have you really thought about how many calories that you consume on a daily basis? Are you moving your body enough to burn off those extra calories? Have you thought about the affects that calories have on your bodies? Do you have a goal to lose weight or to simply maintain your weight?

According to Jeff Lindstrom, a professional trainer, "When you consume too many calories, you simply do not have the metabolism to burn it off and this leads to weight gain." This is why it is vital that you keep an close eye on the amount of calories that you consume on a daily basis.

A 2009 long term-study published in "The New England Journal of Medicine" found that the fundamental rule of calories in and calories out can be successful in weight management. If you eat 1,500 calories a day, you must expend 1,500 calories a day in order to stay at the same weight.

How many calories should you consume on a daily basis to maintain a healthy weight?

Dine Wise.com Advisory Board of Food Experts recommends these caloric guidelines:

* 1,500 calories per day for women who want to lose weight

* 1,800 calories per day for women maintaining their weight
* 1,800 calories per day for smaller stature men who want to lose weight
* 2,000 calories per day for smaller men maintaining their weight
* 2,200 calories per day recommended for men who want to lose weight

I hope that you have been inspired to pay close attention to the amount of calories that you consume on a daily basis and develop a plan to move your body to burn off those extra calories. Check out the articles below for more calorie burning tips and tools!

Looking forward to reading your comments about this post.

To Your Health,

Shiketa

Follow on Twitter @naturaliving101

Source(s) and Recommended Reading

http://www.livestrong.com/article/98174-calories-burn-lose-weight/#ixzz1fbJ1ChE7

http://ezinearticles.com/?10-Eating-Tips-and-the-Effect-of-Too-Many-Or-Little-Calories&id=4713229

A Natural Remedy For Dry Skin

2011-12-03T18:45:00.000-06:00

Do you suffer with dry skin? If so, I know how you feel. In fact, I've had dry skin since I was a teenager and I have found only one solution to my dry itchy skin and that is......."Lye" Soap!

I was recently out shopping in a local health store and found a bar of Lye Soap. The package around the soap included the words, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR DRY SKIN. Seeing those words, influenced me to buy the soap, without even questioning the price.

The manufacturer of the soap is GRANDMA'S Pure & Natural. If you are looking for a great "All Natural Soap" for dry skin, eczema, acne or psoriasis, consider using Lye Soap.

My first experience with using Lye soap began back in the summer of 2011. I must say that it was the best soap that I had ever used on my skin. In fact, I did not need to use lotion, oils or moisturizers after bath with Lye soap.

Using Lye soap helps to soothe your dry skin, however, it is best to get to the root cause of your dry skin. In the WEB MD article, What's Causing Your Dry Skin problem, the author wrote: "Dry air is probably the most common cause of dry skin, especially during the winter," says Kenet, "It draws the moisture right out of the skin." Dry skin during winter even gets its own name: winter itch."

I have developed a obsession for natural skin products. In fact, when I find natural soap, I buy it! Check out my Natural Skin Care Findings on a Trip to Siver Dollar City Last Summer!

To Your Natural Skin Health,
Shiketa

Health Disclaimer
Feature your All Natural product on this blog!

Tips For Making This Thanksgiving: Happy, Healthy and Guilt Free by Deborah Francis

2011-11-23T09:37:00.001-06:00

Thanksgiving is traditionally a time of year when families get together and overlook indulgence in food as they enjoy their time together. As we know if you really LOVE your Loved ones you will take care in what you eat this Thanksgiving. We all want to make it to the Christmas and New Year season without regrets of food that may have tasted great but was not beneficial for our waistline. So without further delay I would like to share my Top 5 List of Making this Thanksgiving: Happy, Healthy and Guilt Free.

Tip 1: For appetizers look to using fresh fruits and vegetables. Serving a vegetable and/or fruit tray will begin the festivities on a healthy note.

Tip 2: After appetizers you can opt to serve soup and/ or salad. Filling up with healthy, fresh vegetables before the other courses of your meal is a great way to prevent overeating. Homemade fresh soups and salads are antioxidant rich and curb your appetite. Here is a suggestion using the super foods kale and gogi berries.

Kale and Gogi Berry Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 large head of kale (about 4-6 cups)

• 1 cup finely chopped red onion

• 1/2 red bell pepper

• 1/2-3/4 cup chopped carrot (2 small carrots)

• 1 English cucumber (2 cups chopped halves)

• 1 avocado, chopped

• 1 & 1/4 cup chopped grape tomatoes (or other variety)

• 1/2 cup mixed raisins and Goji berries

• 1/4 cup ground flax seed

• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Dressing: Add your choice of dressing or opt for apple cider vinegar and extra virgin olive oil with some tossed fresh herbs.

Directions:

1. Chop vegetables and mix in a large mixing bowl. Reserve flax seed, walnuts, raisins and gogi berries for sprinkling on top.

2. Tear the leaves of the kale and chop into small bite-sized pieces. Wash and dry kale leaves.

3. Mix the vegetables, kale leaves, and dressing in a large bowl until thoroughly combined.

5. Place in fridge to ‘marinate’ for 10-15 minutes. Serves 4.

Tip 3: You have options other than actual meat based Turkey for the main entrée. You may opt for one from the suggested list or a combination of two.

Alternatives to serving Turkey

*Gardein brand vegetarian “meats” are universally loved. Gardein meats are delicious, aesthetically appealing, easy to use and absorb other flavors well, so you can cook with them and add any spices you like, just like real meat.

**Tofu Mock Turkey Loaf.

**Healthy Lentil and Rice Loaf

**TVP and Tofu loaf

**Natures Burger Mock Meat Loaf

I truly hope that you enjoy this Thanksgiving with family, friends, and all Loved ones joyously laughing while enjoying a healthy meal.

Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving from our Family to Yours!

If you are interested in living a happy and healthy life pick up Joy of Healthy Living: The Guide to Eating Right for Life at Amazon and Barnes and Noble .com December 2011.

Do you want complete physical, mental and social well being? Do you believe that you are what you eat? Fruits and vegetables are the key to unlocking solutions of all questions you are having about Your Health and Your Wellness.

The Joy of Healthy Living: The Guide to Eating Right for Life is an: Easy-to-read and filled with positive, practical information and tips on the powerful health benefits of fruits and vegetables for every day, at every age and stage of life. This book will provide…

• Solutions for health and nutrition including cancer, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes , and more

• Eating for healthy aging

• Functional foods with health-promoting phytonutrients and antioxidant power.

• Overcoming Food allergies and intolerances, including celiac disease.)

• Carbohydrates and the glycemic index

• Eating for high performance (sports)

• Feeding children– with guidance on high performance based on nutrition from fruits and vegetables

• And more!

Get The Joy of Healthy Living: The Guide To Eating Right For Life at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.com, December 2011.

Deborah Francis, MSED

Health and Wellness Consultant, Author and Speaker
Connect with me on Facebook!

Deborah Francis is CEO of the Joy of Healthy Living, LLC. Recognized health and wellness expert, Deborah promotes the correlation of eating right as a healing tool towards prevention and pursuit of good health. As a wife, mother educator, entrepreneur, author and speaker, Deborah supports her “Joy of Healthy Living” message with practical ways to eat to live as opposed to living to eat!

As an accomplished author, Deborah has written numerous books, including Built To Prosper For Women: The Principles of Self Mastery this comprehensive guide uses real life wisdom to delve into what limiting thinking can do, and best of all, how to conquer this thinking and rapidly transform your life. It is time to learn and apply the principles of success, so you can position yourself to live well and prosper in all areas of your life may they be spiritual, mental, physical or financial. This book inspires you to take action to be empowered to stay healthy in mind, body, and spirit. • Be a winner, no matter what they say!

7-Tips For A Healthier Thanksgiving

2011-11-20T16:11:00.001-06:00

As my husband and I shopped for Thanksgiving dinner today, I was very selective of my ingredients. In fact, over the past few years, I have learned how to make healthier choices in the grocery store and I want to inspire you to make healthier choices for your family this holiday season.

This Thanks Giving, my menu includes: Mustard Greens, Sweet Potatoes, Turkey (for the meat lovers), Black eyed peas, macaroni, potato salad, Stuffing (I call it dressing), Cakes, pies, spaghetti and drinks.

About five years prior to writing this blog post, my Thanks Giving meal also included Chitterlings and Ham. I am so glad that we decided to cut the pork!

Just in case you are wondering, how you can make the holidays at your home much healthier? It's easy, choose healthier ingredients!!!

I am going to share with you, some all natural and healthy ingredients that are low-cost and are healthy for your family:

Replace the white sugar with Organic or Raw Sugar.
Instead of using seasoning salt, use Sea Salt, red onions, spices and green peppers to add flavor to your foods.
If you have to add meat to your Greens, beans or Cabbage, consider turkey necks. Ham Hocks are high in fat!
For those egg lovers, choose organic or vegetarian fed eggs for your cakes and pies.
Don't forget the milk. If you want low-fat cakes and pies, consider Almond or Coconut milk. If you don't like plant based milk, choose organic milk.
Are you a butter lover? Consider using a soy based butter like smart balance. It has no animal fat and still taste like butter!
Spaghetti lovers! If you just have to include meat in your spaghetti, use ground turkey. It is much lower in fat than Ground beef.

Be sure to Keep the Hot Foods Hot and the Cold Foods Cold!

I hope that you have been inspired to make healthier choices this holiday season. In fact, your decision to choose healthier ingredients will have a great impact on your family's health!

Happy Thanks Giving to you and your family!

Shiketa Morgan
Follow Natural Living 101 on Facebook and T witter