GreenSmoothieGirl

Getting Your Health Back Is As Easy As Finding 10 Healthy Recipes You Love

Robyn Openshaw — Wed, 08 May 2024 03:48:05 +0000

Did you know that the average American family has 10 meals they make over and over? The reason I want you to know that is this:

I think because I started with the Standard American Diet myself (let’s call it the SAD), that people eating any form of the SAD think eating right is going to be difficult–and they also think their diet is going to be miserable.

They think that they have to choose between eating yummy food, and being healthy. I remember thinking this, myself. This is what you might call a “false binary.” What if you have more than two options?

If you listened to just one thing I’ve ever told you, I hope it’s this: you DON’T have to give up enjoying food, to eat healthy.

I enjoy food just as much now as I did when I ate the Standard American Diet, and I have a little secret for you:

That is, all you need to radically change your diet AND your health, is to have 10 dishes that you can make easily, that you like. That’s so important, to find things you actually LIKE within the world of healthy whole foods.

And there’s a bit of a learning curve, to find those 10 recipes. But what if I gave you my 30 favorite recipes? The ones I make all the time. And even if you don’t like everything that I do, you could just skip the ones you don’t like, and make the ones you do a part of your life.

All you’d need to accomplish the 10 great recipes is that you like 1 in 3 of my favorite 30 recipes! And voila! You’re well on your way to excellent health at any age.

I’m happy to give them to you, get my 30 recipes for free, here. And if you look at one of them and you don’t think you’ll like it, just skip it, don’t try that one.

If you dislike a food, you’re probably NOT going to just use willpower to eat it over and over. Maybe it will encourage you to know that people eating the SAD are generally eating the same 10 recipes over and over, too.

We all have our favorite foods, and I bet you have some things you love, that fall in the categories of, or can be made with:

*greens
*vegetables
*fruits
*legumes
*nuts and seeds
*whole grains

There is ONE thing that I eat every single day, that I don’t particularly like. And that is a green smoothie.

Yeah, I’m the GreenSmoothieGirl, and I drink a quart of green smoothie every single day, for decades now, and I don’t particularly like them.

And that’s the one thing where I always say, if you don’t think of a green smoothie as food that you like, would you drink it, if it were medicine?

Green smoothies are just good medicine, for a healthy life and all-day energy.

But I LOVE everything else I eat! I’d be happy to give you my collection of my 30 favorite recipes. They didn’t even make the list if they’re a pain in the butt to make, OR if they’re expensive.

(Well, the chocolate cake I made my kids for their birthdays–it’s kind of expensive. Just one.)

I’ve included the easy ones that I personally think are delicious. Like I said, once you try 10 of them you really like, boom, you’ve just solved your whole nutrition problem.

Thanks for following GreenSmoothieGirl all these years, and I hope this recipe collection is a blessing to you.

Robyn Openshaw, MSW, is the bestselling author of The Green Smoothies Diet, 12 Steps to Whole Foods, and 2017’s #1 Amazon Bestseller and USA Today Bestseller, Vibe. Learn more about how to make the journey painless, from the nutrient-scarce Standard American Diet, to a whole-foods diet, in her free video masterclass 12 Steps to Whole Foods.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that help support the GSG mission without costing you extra. I recommend only companies and products that I use myself.

Could Structured Water Be a Key to Us All Being in Better Health?

Robyn Openshaw — Thu, 02 May 2024 19:36:41 +0000

What if the most important, life-giving WATER in your body isn’t H2O like you’ve always been taught?

What if it’s actually a different type of water, called H3O2, or structured water?

What if that difference matters a LOT? You can drink H2O out of your reverse osmosis machine, or whatever you use.

But what if drinking structured water, or H3O2, protects your cells, gives you more energy, and hydrates you – since just being hydrated has countless health benefits!

What if this may unlock some keys to your health?

Here’s what you’ll learn about in this article:

The fourth phase of water
What is structured water?
You can make your own structured water
How to participate in my structured water research
Possible health benefits of structured water
Learn even more about structured water

Did You Know Water Has a Fourth Phase?

Years ago, I interviewed Dr. Gerald Pollack, after reading his book, The Fourth Phase of Water, about his discoveries, and how the body uses and needs “structured water.”

Dr. Pollack has done two TED talks (10 years ago and seven years ago) on the “fourth phase of water.”

He discovered that water can be H3O2. How it protects us from toxicity, and has many important functions in the body.

In fact, newborns are full of this EZ or structured water, or H3O2.

What Is H3O2, or Structured Water?

We were taught water can be a gas, a liquid, or a solid. This solid is ice, of course.

But, there’s also a “fourth phase of water” we weren’t taught in school.

The fourth phase is more of a “gel,” as the water is structured into a hexagonal structure.

What if drinking this structured, or “EZ” water – which has an extra hydrogen atom and an extra oxygen atom – is far more hydrating?

So, how do we start getting more of THAT kind of water back in our bodies?

You Can Make Your Own Structured Water!

You can make your own structured water without expensive pills or gadgets!

I believe from what I am reading that there may be benefits of “structured water” you can make best, yourself, without a need for any expensive water gadget or pills.

I don’t think a pill or a gadget can possibly be as useful as replicating the conditions found in nature that once had a resilient population drinking from streams where we got our minerals, and we got EZ water right straight from nature’s optimal conditions.

There are expensive water machines out there being sold as a way to get structured water, but I just don’t think they’re necessary. And a year after you buy one of these machines, how do you really even know if it’s working?

How To Create “Structured Water” to Drink

Add a dropperful of Ultimate Minerals to a quart jar of clean, filtered water. Now you’ve replaced the minerals that filtering your water took out.
Next, put a lid on the jar, and just put that jar of water in the sunshine for an hour or longer. On your porch, or in the backyard.

You could also put the jar in front of a red-light device for just a few minutes if you live in an apartment without a sunny balcony.

Plus, you can apparently put a magnet around the jar of water, by the way, to create this kind of water.

You can try this experiment with your cat or dog.

Feel free to try this experiment for your cat or dog, too. Some of the most interesting studies or evidence that I’ve cited, in the scientific references, were done on animals!

One study showed that mineral-rich water exposed to sunlight keeps its structure for at least a month. Another study showed even 3.5 months later it held its charge, even if you microwave it for five minutes!

So don’t worry about the water losing its charge. It won’t, for at least a month.

Will You Participate in My Research and Drink Structured Water with Me?

Nobody in Pharma or allopathic medicine or public health agencies makes money if we re-discover the right kind of water. So, there’s no funding flowing in for this kind of research. So let’s do it together, you and I!

If you want to participate in my research, just sign up here.

After you click on the signup on the page above, I’ll email you with more information.

It will take you two minutes and a few bucks – all you have to do is observe what it does for you. In a month, I’ll ask you what you noticed. I’ll explain the easy steps over email.

I want to know, after you’ve done this daily for a month, what you notice. I’ll send a survey out over email, a month after you start doing this, so you can tell me what health benefits you may have noticed.

What Are the Possible Health Benefits of Structured Water?

Please report back whether you experience:

Organ, tissue, muscle or cellular repair
Detoxification from harmful chemicals
Better digestion
Better sleep
Better brain and neurological function
Higher energy
Blood sugar stability
Fertility, and the health of reproductive organs

I bring all of those up because they are the health benefits of structured water I found in a review of the scientific literature.

Why Ultimate Minerals?

Most of the supplements people are taking are just not what people think they are. I’ve been teaching about this a lot the past year or so.

They’re usually synthetic ingredients, derived from a byproduct of some industry, using petrochemical solvents, and the average consumer is unaware of what they’re even getting.

Ultimate Minerals, though, is simply fulvic and humic acids straight from ancient organic plant matter, which is what used to be in clean spring water.

And then the sunshine in mineral-rich water imparts nutrients human beings need.

My Experience with Structured Water

Many of us drink water sitting in plastic bottles, where the plastics leach into the water.

A recent study showed that 64% of bottled-water brands are just tap water. Including brands you may trust! Some really expensive water brands are literally just bottling tap water.

I have been amazed at how extra great I feel, since I started sun-charging quart jars of filtered water with Ultimate Minerals in it.

I had two sports injuries that began rapidly improving, since I started doing this.

Structured Water Isn’t A New Thing

Before you were born, people drank sun-charged water that picked up minerals from organic plant matter, in streams. They did this for thousands of years.

The consequence was a more resilient, disease-minimized population, getting nutrients and the perfect conditions for excellent strength, health, and resilience. They got all this from their water!

Now, people drink tap water with chlorine and fluoride and other toxic chemicals. Or they drink filtered water to get rid of the toxins, but that water is also then devoid of minerals.

Want to Know More?

If you want to know more about structured water, you can watch my podcast episode with Dr. Pollack – the short version of a 90-minute interview.

You can also watch my colleague Ari Whitten interview Dr. Pollack for a much longer version.

What If We Drank the Right Kind of Water?

Clean water, full of minerals, electrically charged by the sun, re-creates the conditions we lost, decades ago. What if this may be a critical key to all of us being in better health?

I want to do this research to learn more about what happens for human beings drinking the right kind of water. So, please join my research!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that help support the GSG mission without costing you extra. I recommend only companies and products that I use myself.

Apeel Doesn’t Work

Robyn Openshaw — Wed, 01 May 2024 22:15:00 +0000

Apeel is toxic, it’s made with solvents and heavy metals.

This stuff called Apeel that may be sprayed on your produce, and the store doesn’t even have to tell you it’s on your produce, on the package.

Though in the beginning, some of them were labeling it.

As the public became more aware, some were actually putting stickers saying something else, like “ORGANIC,” over the Apeel label!

But, Apeel also doesn’t even work.

Since I started investigating this preservative for fruits and vegetables, and encouraging everyone who will listen to register their disapproval of our fruits and vegetables sprayed with it with people working in our Produce departments--

--I’ve had a number of people write me saying they’ve bought apples and avocados that look great on the outside, but are rotten and inedible on the inside.

Apples and avocados are the two most common produce items to be sprayed with Apeel.

I share this with you because first of all, I think it’s a plus for us, the consumers, if this toxic coating we can’t wash off our food actually fails in the marketplace.

The founder of the company, as I dug through his applications for patents, his applications to the FDA, and his statements to early investors, originally intended his product to be sprayed on crops as they grew in the field.

But that was a failure. Now he’s marketing it to produce companies to spray it on already harvested produce.

I think your best argument, if you’re willing to call Costco, or whatever grocery store you go to (and I really hope you will!),

is to tell them that produce rots on the inside, even if a preservative coating tricks the consumer because it looks better on the outside.

Retailers don’t want us to be unhappy with produce that looked good but is inedible. They know we’ll start shopping elsewhere.

I made a free wallet card for you, that you can use to see the brands that have made public statements that they will not carry produce sprayed with Apeel.

The other side of the card you can put in your wallet also shows the brands who refuse to make a comment, OR who have been caught selling Apeel-sprayed produce.

This is my 7th update on Apeel, and it takes us a lot of work to do the research and the content.

So, thank you for subscribing or hitting the ‘like’ button. I’m always interested in hearing from those of you who talk to your Produce Managers. I read everything my staff sends me from you.

Best wishes from GreenSmoothieGirl!

[If you prefer to watch this on video rather than read, you can do that here.]

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that help support the GSG mission without costing you extra. I recommend only companies and products that I use myself.

Is Walking Actually Exercise? How Walking Daily Can Radically Improve Your Health As You Age

Robyn Openshaw — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 15:28:53 +0000

What if a simple activity – walking – holds the key to combating chronic disease, reducing medical costs, and alleviating stress?

During my time in Utah, I loved hiking. And now, in Florida, I enjoy walking on the beach.

Wherever you live, you can likely find a place to walk nearby, whether it's a walk in your neighborhood or on a trail.

Walking is easy and enjoyable. Just lace up your shoes and start. Yet, its benefits are more profound than you may realize.

I examined the numerous reasons why regular walking – ideally daily, or at least regularly – is a fantastic choice for achieving and maintaining optimal health.

And also, the specific type of walking that research indicates can yield meaningful benefits.

After reading this, I bet you’ll want to walk more often.

Here’s what you’ll explore in this article:

The healthiest populations in the world walk daily
11 benefits of walking for your health
How often should you walk? And what type of walking is best?
Tips to help you walk more and gain the most benefits

Rethinking Walking

The primary preventable causes of chronic disease and premature death are unhealthy behaviors. Research suggests that the top four unhealthy behaviors are:

Tobacco use,
Alcohol use,
Diet, and
Physical inactivity

Surprisingly, only 3% of American adults had all four indicators of a healthy lifestyle, according to 2000 national survey data. Additionally, 5.3 million people are reported to die prematurely each year due to physical inactivity.¹

Maybe you eat mostly healthy and you limit or avoid alcohol and tobacco.

But, how often do you engage in physical activity? Do you view walking as a legitimate form of exercise?

Do you have the idea that if it’s not running, or CrossFit, or something very hard – it’s not valuable?

In research, participants often perceive walking as merely a means of transportation.

However, this simple activity – accessible to most – can profoundly impact your health, including mental health.

The World’s Healthiest Populations Walk Daily

People in the Blue Zones – the longest, healthiest populations – walk outside daily.

In the Blue Zones, regions of the world with the highest concentrations of people over 100, walking is an essential part of their daily lives, which contributes significantly to their longevity.^/2

In these areas, people also engage in other low-intensity physical activities, such as gardening and manual labor. Other factors contributing to their health include diet and social connectedness.

For example, in the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica, where the terrain is hilly, residents walk long distances daily, to work or to visit friends and family.

They also eat plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. But, my research in the last year has caused me to believe that physical activity is the single most important factor in our health – ahead of nutrition, even!

11 Benefits of Walking for Your Health

Why walk more? The simple act of walking decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cognitive impairment, and dementia, while also improving mental well-being, sleep, immunity, and longevity. Let’s review the research.

#1 — Walking Is Great for Your Heart

Walking, especially briskly, increases your heart rate, improving circulation and supporting heart function.

Regular walking has been shown to improve blood pressure³ and cholesterol⁴ – two well-known risk factors for heart disease.

Walking 30 minutes a day (at least five days a week) is associated with a 19% lower risk for coronary heart disease.⁵

Even better, walking is connected with a 43% lower stroke risk in women.⁶

#2 — Walk for Weight Loss

Do you think walking is less beneficial than other exercise for weight loss?

This isn’t necessarily true. Runners burned only 23 more calories per mile than walkers in one study.⁷

Walking for an hour a day was found to reduce the effects of obesity-promoting genes by half, compared to a sedentary lifestyle.⁸

Walking may even reduce your cravings for sugary snacks, which can help you stick to a healthier diet.⁹

Plus, walking is particularly beneficial for reducing belly fat.¹⁰

#3 — Walking Boosts Your Mood and Lessens Anxiety or Depression

When you walk, blood flow to the brain increases, and endorphins – feel-good hormones – are released, which reduces feelings of stress.

Walking can improve your mood, and even reduce feelings of anxiety and depression, according to a 2006 study.¹¹

The researchers recommend 30 minutes of moderate intensity, like brisk walking, for three days a week, which they say is sufficient for these health benefits.

#4 — Walking Helps Keep Your Brain Sharp

In addition to helping you feel better by increasing blood flow to the brain, walking can positively impact your cognitive function.

Walking regularly can lead to improved memory and cognitive function in older adults, according to a study conducted over 12 weeks.¹²

Walking more often is also linked with greater gray matter – a measure of brain health – and a reduced risk of cognitive impairment, in research conducted with participants in late adulthood.¹³

#5 — Walking Boosts Your Immunity

People who exercise, including walking, at least 20 minutes a day for at least five days a week had 43% fewer sick days than more inactive participants.

Walking supports healthy immunity by increasing blood flow, reducing inflammation, and strengthening antibodies, which protect you from foreign substances, like toxins and allergens.

A 30-minute walk increases immune cells, including natural killer cells.¹⁴

People who exercise, including walking, at least 20 minutes a day for at least five days a week had 43% fewer sick days than more inactive participants.¹⁵ When the regular exercisers got sick, their symptoms were milder and went away more quickly.

#6 — Walking Helps You Avoid or Lessen Arthritis

Walking is a low-impact exercise, so it doesn’t put much stress on your joints. Plus, it can help protect your joints over time and ease pain.

Walking (and any exercise) cuts the risk of developing arthritis.¹⁶ Additionally, walking has been shown to reduce arthritis pain when done consistently.

#7 — Walking Lowers Blood Sugar and Diabetes Risk

Walking is recommended to help lower blood sugar and the risk of Type 2 diabetes.

#8 — Walking Improves Lung Function

Regular movement increases the strength of the muscles around your lungs.

Brisk walking improves lung function in older adults, aged 60 and above, according to 2022 research.¹⁷

#9 — Walking is Good for Your Bones

Bone strength starts declining every year after age 40.

Walking only a mile a day can improve whole-body bone density in women, and slows the rate of bone loss in the legs, according to an older study.¹⁸

Newer research from 2022 recommends 30 minutes of brisk walking three or more times a week to prevent bone loss.¹⁹

#10 — Walking Eases Joint Pain

Walking helps protect your joints by strengthening the surrounding muscles.

For example, when you walk, your hamstrings and quadriceps – two muscles around your knee – are strengthened, which can help reduce knee pain.

#11 — Walking May Help You Live Longer

With all these proven benefits of walking, it makes sense that walking can help you live longer.

Research on middle-aged adults found that walking only 7,000 steps a day was associated with a 50 to 70% reduction in mortality.²⁰

How Often Should You Walk? And How Much?

You’ve probably heard the recommendation to walk 10,000 steps daily – something you can measure with a pedometer or other devices.

While that would be great for you, it may not be necessary.

Research suggests that walking just 30 minutes daily has benefits, which is about 3,000 steps, depending on your speed. You can also split up your time, but be sure you walk at least 10 minutes each time you walk.²¹

If you can’t walk daily, multiple hour-long walks per week could help you decrease your risk of chronic disease.

All steps count. But, some steps count more. Picking up your pace, or walking longer, could lead to even more benefits.

I cannot find any evidence that 10,000 steps is a magic number. What if your goal, if you’re more sedentary than you’d like to be, was just to increase your steps per day, to whatever works for you?

Twice a day is even better than once.

I have a neighbor who walks his dog, Bentley, for two hours, twice a day, on the beach. Bentley does not let Jeff have a walking shift off–ever!

I’d thought he was about 70, when I met him two years ago, and found out the other day that he’s actually 83!

Tips to Help You Walk More and Enjoy More Benefits

Be sure you stretch before and after walking to prevent injuries and feel your best!

Don’t forget to stretch. Loosening your muscles before you start walking is important, especially as you age. Focus on the muscles you’ll use when you walk. And then, spend a few minutes stretching after you walk, too, to reduce strain on your muscles.

Motivate with music. Motivational music improves your mood and makes exercise feel easier, according to research published in the European Journal of Sport Science.²² Plus, music with a faster temp may help you walk more quickly.

Shake up your routine. If you walk outdoors, you can keep your brain engaged by taking a different path regularly. Even doing your normal walk backward could make your walk more exciting.

Vary your speed. Walking at a faster pace is linked with more significant benefits. However, you don’t have to walk quickly the whole time. You can try interval walking and alternate walking at a normal pace with walking quickly for a set amount of time. Like two minutes of normal walking, followed by two minutes of fast walking.

Set regular reminders. It’s best to take short breaks while you work to stay focused and retain information. So, why not go for a walk? Setting reminders on your phone or computer will help you remember to get your body moving while giving your mind a rest.

Walk with a buddy. Walking with someone can make it more fun and keep you motivated and accountable to sticking to your goals. Try asking a friend or neighbor to join you for regular walks.

Feeling stuck? Stressed? Walk outside. Walking outdoors significantly improved creative thinking and the generation of new ideas, according to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology.²³ Walking outdoors also led to more relaxed, meditative states in research published in the World Leisure Journal.²⁴

Other activities count. Parking farther away and taking the stairs count as walking, too. So, don’t forget to consider those as you think about how much you walk each week. Stairwalking may even be more energizing than caffeine, as shown in a 2017 study of sleep-deprived women.²⁵

Walking Is Wonderful – Will You Walk More?

You walk every day, but why not put your legs to work for your health?

Walking daily, or as often as possible, at a brisk pace (i.e. quickly and energetically) may be best. But, those 10,000 steps you’ve likely heard about? You might not need that many to gain significant benefits.

Just 30 minutes of walking, which can be broken up into 10-minute segments, is good for many benefits, according to research. Though, of course, walking more can give you even more results for your health.

Thinking about all the benefits of walking – for improved mood, heart health, immunity, and so much more – I wish we could all go on a walk together, come walk on the beach with me!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that help support the GSG mission without costing you extra. I recommend only companies and products that I use myself.

References

Lee, I. M., Shiroma, E. J., Lobelo, F., Puska, P., Blair, S. N., Katzmarzyk, P. T., & Lancet. Physical Activity Series Working Group (2012). Effect of physical inactivity on major non-communicable diseases worldwide: an analysis of burden of disease and life expectancy. Lancet
Ungvari, Z., Fazekas-Pongor, V., Csiszar, A. et al. The multifaceted benefits of walking for healthy aging: from Blue Zones to molecular mechanisms.
Murtagh, E. M., Murphy, M. H., & Boone-Heinonen, J. (2010). Walking: the first steps in cardiovascular disease prevention. Current opinion in cardiology. https://doi.org/10.1097/HCO.0b013e32833ce972
Williams, P. T., & Thompson, P. D. (2013). Walking versus running for hypertension, cholesterol, and diabetes mellitus risk reduction. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. https://doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.112.300878
Zheng, H., Orsini, N., Amin, J., Wolk, A., Nguyen, V. T., & Ehrlich, F. (2009). Quantifying the dose-response of walking in reducing coronary heart disease risk: meta-analysis. European Journal of Epidemiology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-009-9328-9
Take a walk, reduce your risk of suffering a stroke. Harvard Health Publishing.
Wilkin, L. D., Cheryl, A., & Haddock, B. L. (2012). Energy expenditure comparison between walking and running in average fitness individuals. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e31822e592c
Walking may lessen the influence of genes on obesity by half. Science Daily.
Ledochowski, L., Ruedl, G., Taylor, A. H., & Kopp, M. (2015). Acute effects of brisk walking on sugary snack cravings in overweight people, affect and responses to a manipulated stress situation and to a sugary snack cue: a crossover study. PloS One. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0119278
Hong, H. R., Jeong, J. O., Kong, J. Y., Lee, S. H., Yang, S. H., Ha, C. D., & Kang, H. S. (2014). Effect of walking exercise on abdominal fat, insulin resistance and serum cytokines in obese women. Journal of Exercise Nutrition & Biochemistry. https://doi.org/10.5717/jenb.2014.18.3.277
Sharma, A., Madaan, V., & Petty, F. D. (2006). Exercise for mental health. Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.4088/pcc.v08n0208a
Nishiguchi, S., Yamada, M., Tanigawa, T., Sekiyama, K., Kawagoe, T., Suzuki, M., Yoshikawa, S., Abe, N., Otsuka, Y., Nakai, R., Aoyama, T., & Tsuboyama, T. (2015). A 12-Week Physical and Cognitive Exercise Program Can Improve Cognitive Function and Neural Efficiency in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.13481
Erickson, K. I., Raji, C. A., Lopez, O. L., Becker, J. T., Rosano, C., Newman, A. B., Gach, H. M., Thompson, P. M., Ho, A. J., & Kuller, L. H. (2010). Physical activity predicts gray matter volume in late adulthood: the Cardiovascular Health Study. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181f88359
Nieman, D. C., Henson, D. A., Austin, M. D., & Brown, V. A. (2005). Immune response to a 30-minute walk. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000149808.38194.21
Nieman DC, Henson DA, Austin MD, et al. Upper respiratory tract infection is reduced in physically fit and active adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine.
National statistics. Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
National statistics. Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Novotová, K., Pavlů, D., Dvořáčková, D., Arnal-Gómez, A., & Espí-López, G. V. (2022). Influence of Walking as Physiological Training to Improve Respiratory Parameters in the Elderly Population. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137995
Krall, E. A., & Dawson-Hughes, B. (1994). Walking is related to bone density and rates of bone loss. The American Journal of Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9343(94)90111-2
Lan, Y. S., & Feng, Y. J. (2022). The volume of brisk walking is the key determinant of BMD improvement in premenopausal women. PloS One. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0265250
Paluch AE, Gabriel KP, Fulton JE, et al. Steps per Day and All-Cause Mortality in Middle-aged Adults in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study. JAMA Netw Open. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.24516
Lee, I. M., & Buchner, D. M. (2008). The importance of walking to public health. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.
Elliot, D., Carr, S., & Orme, D. (2005). The effect of motivational music on sub-maximal exercise. European Journal of Sport Science. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461390500171310
Oppezzo, M., & Schwartz, D. L. (2014). Give your ideas some legs: The positive effect of walking on creative thinking. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0036577
Bailey, A. W., Allen, G., Herndon, J., & Demastus, C. (2018). Cognitive benefits of walking in natural versus built environments. World Leisure Journal. https://doi.org/10.1080/16078055.2018.1445025
Randolph, D. D., & O'Connor, P. J. (2017). Stair walking is more energizing than low dose caffeine in sleep deprived young women. Physiology & Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.03.013

Images

Walking in Costa Rica image used under a Creative Commons license from Pexels
Walking feet image used under a Creative Commons license from Pexels
Image of man stretching from Free Range Stock

This Is What’s Actually In Your Supplements

Robyn Openshaw — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 22:42:31 +0000

Shellack, plastics, heavy metals, petroleum products, and solvents.

All of these are used in the vast majority of the supplements North Americans are buying. Like 99% of them.

And what’s the “nutrient” in your actual supplement? You probably won’t believe the following list. But I’m going to tell you; please feel free to fact-check me:

Vitamin D: the grease from sheep’s wool

Vitamin C: an industrial byproduct of GMO corn (and ascorbic acid isn’t even actually “Vitamin C”--fact-check me by looking it up in PubChem)

Vitamin A: Byproducts of the fish industry, or processed palm oil, and acetone (nail polish remover) (this is not the “Vitamin A” found in food at all)

Vitamin B1: coal tar, ammonia and acetone

Vitamin B2: GMO lab-made bacteria, acetic acid, and acetone

Vitamin B3: coal tar, ammonia, formaldehyde

Vitamin B5 (“niacin”): isobutyraldehyde, formaldehyde, often alcohol (and you wonder why people turn red, which is in no way a “detox”)

Vitamin B6: petroleum ester, hydrochloric acid, formaldehyde

Vitamin B7: fumaric acid

Vitamin B9: petroleum products, chemical acids and acetylene (and it’s folic acid, not the folate found in food, not the same at all)

Vitamin B12: cobalt (heavy metal) and cyanide

Choline: ethylene, ammonia, hydrochloric acid

Vitamin E: processed oils, rancid long before you use them, and several chemicals

Vitamin K: coal tar, GMO hydrogenated soybean oil, hydrochloric acid, nickel (heavy metal)

Don’t believe me? This isn’t easy to find by googling.

For the book we are writing, we are struggling to get the “straight skinny” on some products.

For instance, I cannot get a single “vegan Vitamin D” company to tell me how they make their product, and whether solvents and other chemicals are involved. The base is some kind of byproduct of algae.

It seems to me that if they’re not using solvents and heavy metals as that entire list is, above–they’d tell me so.

Another reason maybe they don’t write me back is that there are so many companies involved in the supply chain. From the coal-tar supplier, to the manufacturer, to the transport companies, the distribution companies, the private-labeling companies, and the marketers.

Would you eat an orange if it was passed around to 8 different companies before it finally made it to you, 6 months to two years later? No? Well, think of the preservatives and stabilizers that must be used, to keep those pills from going bad like an orange would.

But you CAN learn this stuff–please do fact-check me. You will not learn this stuff from your functional medicine doctor.

How many doctors do you think research all the companies who touched the product she sells, and what they did to the product?

Some of you will send this to your FMD, and I will get angry messages or comments below from them.

But in all fairness, it’s not that they’re bad people scamming you; they just literally don’t know what I’m telling you here. They trust these billion-dollar companies who put your doctor’s labels on customized orders for them.

Because there are dozens of companies in between your practitioner, and the synthetic product shipped out in large vats mostly from India and China.

Your functional medicine doc just bought the marketing pitch from some billion-dollar company, and put his label on it. (Or not. Maybe he just buys wholesale from Standard Process, where he gets a great markup / profit margin on a cheap product.)

It’s what monetizes. Your $129 office visit might be once a year, but your “Vitamin D” autoship is recurring revenue. Your practitioner isn’t entirely to blame! She also feels compelled to provide what patients want. Who wants to make diet and lifestyle change, when you could take several pills instead, in one big gulp?

Your functional medicine doc is under pressure. Her patients actually WANT to leave the clinic with $800 of Hopium, even if they might gripe about the price tag.

Some people are reading this and getting really mad. Because if they take it, they want to believe it’s good. (Hey, where have we seen that before? 2021, anyone?)

I wish I weren’t telling the truth here. But I am. I haven’t written the manifesto here, only a few pieces of the puzzle–but I’m working on it. And yes, it will have references.

This blog post is just the “Cliffs Notes” from the BOOK on what’s really in your supplements, that I’m working on with a co-author.

I’m going to prove all of this to you, and I will have to self-publish the book because my previous publishers would not touch this subject with a ten-foot pole.

Why? These products are made and distributed, as raw materials, often assembled in the U.S. but made mostly in labs in India and China, for pharmaceutical companies. The most powerful and lucrative industry on Earth.

Chinese and Indian companies then ship raw materials to middlemen, who put labels on 5 bottles or 100 bottles for your chiropractor or naturopath. As well as larger companies that sell via influencers’ and marketers’ affiliate links.

Pharma knew by the 90’s there would likely be more money in “nutraceuticals” than in drugs, by the 21st century.

My last publisher was one of the “big six” publishers in the U.S. and I got a large six-figure advance.

To bring this book to you, I’ll be financing and publishing this myself. There’s just no way a publisher would agree to put this book out there.

You’ve been living in the 21st century for a quarter of a decade now, since supplements became possibly even more lucrative for manufacturers and middlemen than drugs are.

What you may THINK of as “natural,” likely is not in any way natural.

The ingredients of the “vitamins” in my list above? They and others made with byproducts of many industries, sold to you as “nutrients,” comprise over 99% of the “supplements” sold in North America today.

Read them again, above, and then imagine what you’re actually taking in a “B Complex” blend, or a “multivitamin!”

Sit and think for one minute about how an orange has dozens of known nutrients in it.

And ask yourself, how did they isolate just ONE of those nutrients, and put it in a pill, with a shelf life of a couple years?

(Remember, the raw materials have their own shelf life. If you put your raw material on the last day of its two-year shelf life, you’re golden. You can still give your final product a two-year expiration date, or none at all.)

The whole concept is actually ludicrous on its face, but in our high-trust society, most of us have just never thought about that.

Petrochemicals, solvents, shellac, heavy metals, plastics–they’re in 99% of the supplements you thought were natural–because, well, someone you admire promotes them, and because you didn’t get a prescription to buy them, so they must be “natural,” then, right?

That is some very flawed thinking. I used to think the same. Before I really thought about it, and started researching.

Dried, organic, wildcrafted herbs made by a couple of holistic grandmas with a small farm? That is so 1970.

They still exist, even if they’re endangered species. The list above and “nutraceuticals” like them are only 99%+ of the supplements you may be buying on Amazon, Vitacost, or from your practitioner.

A really good supplement and a really good privately owned company who deeply cares about the same quality you do–is beyond rare. (In case you’ve ever wondered why, after 18 years, GreenSmoothieGirl has only two supplements–well, now you know.)

Billion-dollar companies sit around boardrooms and on the manufacturing floor trying to figure out how to minimize costs to improve profit margin. The little clinic you go to? They didn’t make their own product. They bought it from one of the huge companies.

Ever wonder why your “holistic” friends taking 40 pills a day aren’t healthier than your friends on 5 prescription drugs? (Unless they’re also eating a lot healthier. Sometimes they are.)

But take note of how our friends taking the 40 “natural” pills have persistent health problems despite very meticulously trying to cover all their bases with “supplements.”

They tend to be highly educated, they read a lot, and they’re very serious about their health. That’s what’s so sad about this whole topic.

I wonder how much healthier they’d be if they WEREN’T eating handfuls of petrochemicals and metals and plastics! They’d also have more income to spend on better things.

NAC? DMSO? Melatonin? Fish oil? Feel free to write GreenSmoothieGirl or me personally on Facebook with a supplement if you want to learn more about what’s REALLY in it. (Spoiler alert: all of those are just as problematic.)

While I won’t be able to answer all, I’ll read them all, and we are researching as many products as we can in our work for this book. People send me links to products they have questions about, every day.

And I am deeply sorry that I cannot research or know every brand. Just be aware that for every order of 40-gallon ascorbic acid drums shipped out of China, there are tens of thousands of small brands eventually putting their label on it.

Your “holistic” practitioner isn’t a scam artist; she just literally doesn’t know.

Well, this might get me kicked right off Substack. I’m calling out the elephant in the room. This won’t be popular with pharma, with functional medicine, or with people who had some short-term result from some pill.

(We’ll cover that topic too: how a pill that gets a short-term result in a symptom or lab number, even if it doesn’t actually help you, is the “holy grail” for manufacturers and marketers. Most don’t even get a short-term result.)

I know this wasn’t a comprehensive or well documented piece, my friends. This is a quick summary and an op-ed piece. I know this leaves you wanting more.

But I am working that up, and like I said, it won’t be a blog post–it’ll be a book.

PS: If you are convinced about synthetic vitamins, but not convinced you get enough from food, a company called Pure Synergy uses (see ingredient lists) only whole-food and superfood ingredients high in the nutrient on the bottle. A rare company uses good ingredients, but shelf life will be short.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that help support the GSG mission without costing you extra. I recommend only companies and products that I use myself.

9 Recipes To Treat Seasonal Allergies Naturally With Food

Robyn Openshaw — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 19:24:28 +0000

It’s that time of year again. The trees are blossoming, flowers are in bloom, and there’s pollen floating through the air—lots and lots of pollen. Achoo!

Allergic rhinitis, hay fever, seasonal allergies—whatever you want to call it. If you’re one of the 10–30% of people worldwide who suffer, put down the foil pill packet and look to your kitchen instead.

Your diet can help or hurt, depending on what you’re eating. Before we dive into the foods to eat (and avoid) with seasonal allergies, let’s talk a little more about how it all works.

[Green smoothies can be part of your plan to feel better if you experience seasonal allergies. Our Spring 9-Day Green Smoothie Challenge begins Monday, April 22nd. You Can Still Join for Free!]

In This Article

How Seasonal Allergies Work
What Triggers Seasonal Allergies?
The Benefits of Beta Glucan
Foods to Eat for Seasonal Allergies
Recipes for Seasonal Allergies

How Do Seasonal Allergies Work?

When you are exposed to a substance you are allergic to, you produce antibodies.

These are proteins that help fight off and neutralize the allergen, and trigger your body to release histamines.

Histamines are a natural part of your body’s immune system response. They are neurotransmitters communicating messages to your brain, and are what cause the typical allergy symptoms you experience, like a runny nose and itching.

Histamines basically let your body know something’s up by causing blood vessels to swell, which lets your white blood cells, the soldiers of your immune system, know just where to go to start attacking the allergen.

You may know the word “histamine” from allergy drugs, also known as antihistamines. These are great at masking symptoms of seasonal allergies, but that’s just the problem—all they do is mask. To really control allergies, aside from leaving the country to get away from all the irritating pollen, you have to get to the source.

What Triggers Seasonal Allergies?

The runny nose and sneeze attacks from allergies are caused by histamines being released by your body.

Here are some of the most common environmental triggers for allergies:

Pollen: You’ve seen pollen floating through the air, building up on your car, leaving trails of yellow dust wherever it goes. This is what helps plants grow and thrive. The plants can be pollinated by wind or insect, and the wind is what gets you. If you’re particularly sensitive, you can view your local pollen count or forecast here.

Dust mites: Dust mites are microscopic, so you can’t see them. The best way to avoid them is simply to keep your house clean. Dust surfaces regularly, wash your linens, and vacuum routinely to avoid buildup.

Mold spores: Also microscopic, mold can travel just like pollen does in the air. It can grow in damp atmospheres, so rainy spring can be the perfect time for it to thrive and make you go through a box of tissues a week. Hang towels to dry well after showering, check your pipes for any leaks around the house, and if you’re more sensitive to mold than others, you may even want to avoid keeping house plants. Their soil can potentially contain irritating mold.

Pet dander: Cats and dogs have a tendency to shed, and even if you don’t have a pet, the fur and dead skin cells can get picked up by the wind, too. Make sure you’re grooming them regularly (brushing their hair and bathing) to get rid of potential free-floating irritants.

A quality indoor air filter is a great solution for clearing airborne allergens in your home or work environment.

A Natural Substance That Might Help: Beta Glucan

Beta glucan is a form of dietary fiber found in barley, oats, yeasts, and algae, and some mushrooms, such as maitake and reishi. It's one of the most studied and exciting compounds found in nature!

In particular, this study performed in Ohio highlighted the relieved symptoms of "ragweed allergy sufferers." The participants using beta glucan demonstrated an increase in energy, emotional well-being, and physical health. They also reported a decrease in sleep problems, nasal symptoms, eye symptoms, and non-nasal symptoms. Overall, 56% of participants described improved quality of life compared to the placebo participants.

My family and I have personally experienced the benefits of this remarkable compound. We turned to beta glucan when we found out that my son was allergic to cats. His allergy was so bad that we had to return the kitten we had just brought home. A few weeks later, after taking beta glucan, we were able to reunite with the kitty, and Tennyson has been free of allergies ever since!

What Foods to Eat for Seasonal Allergies?

Now that you know what might be triggering your sneezing, wheezing, and sniffling, you’ll want to stock up on foods that help both calm the inflammation and strengthen your immune system so you can avoid being so susceptible to the allergies in the future.

Citrus fruits, kiwi, bell peppers, broccoli, and brussels sprouts. These fruits and vegetables contain high amounts of immune-boosting Vitamin C, and consuming them can help lower levels of histamine in the body. Our bodies can’t make or store Vitamin C, so we have to get it through our diet through fresh produce options like these.

Nuts and seeds (walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, etc). Foods that contain omega-3 essential fatty acids have anti-inflammatory effects that can help reduce the frequency of hay fever. They also help balance out the overconsumption of omega-6 fatty acids in the Standard American Diet, helping to calm inflammation further.

Apples, peppers, onions, berries, parsley, dill, cilantro, green and black tea. What do all of these foods have in common? They contain a potent antioxidant known as quercetin, which acts as a natural antihistamine. You can also get quercetin in capsule form, but I suggest getting it in your diet as a first line of defense so there’s already antihistamine activity in your body when allergy season comes around. Be proactive, rather than reactive, with this food group.

Pineapple. This tropical fruit contains bromelain, which is an enzyme known for its anti-inflammatory properties, particularly in the nose and sinuses. Bromelain is a common remedy for hay fever, but again, I prefer the food source over a pill. You might as well enjoy some delicious fruit along with its healing benefits!

Turmeric. Along with its anti-inflammatory qualities, turmeric, or the active compound in it known as curcumin, helps inhibit the release of histamine in the body. It’s best absorbed with some black pepper, so feel free to spice up the veggies listed above and roast them for an immune-boosting dinner.

Raw, local honey. Anecdotal evidence, including my own experience, suggests that eating raw and local honey regularly throughout the year can provide microdoses of local pollen for your immune system to get used to. While not yet proven through independent research, the idea is that when the pollen count is high, you can be better adapted to its presence.

Recipes for Seasonal Allergies

You’ve got your list of the best foods to eat during allergy season, now you’ll need to do something with it!

Since green smoothies are an easy way to get a lot of histamine-fighting fruits and vegetables into your diet quickly, I’m including several smoothie recipes for seasonal allergies, but here are a few more recipes (including a dessert!) to get you started on your rhinitis-free season:

Green Smoothie Recipes for Seasonal Allergies:

May your eyes be free of redness and your nasal passages clear!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that help support the GSG mission without costing you extra. I recommend only companies and products that I use myself.

These Stores & Brands Refuse to Use Apeel

Robyn Openshaw — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 23:40:51 +0000

Maybe you’ve seen that I’ve been investigating what’s really in Apeel that is sprayed on some of our produce, and which stores and brands tell customers they refuse to carry food from suppliers spraying this toxic synthetic coating.

The materials-science PhD owner of Apeel Sciences says his product is “plant-based” and says various things about what the substrate is, he’s said it’s grapeseed, and he’s said it might be any plant-based material. But his filing with the FDA shows various chemical solvents and heavy metals used in the manufacture of the product.

After the past year of my research, I’ve put together a wallet card for you. Of the brands we know have made public pledges to us, to not carry produce sprayed with Apeel. And, on the back of the card, we have also included brands who have been caught selling produce sprayed with Apeel.

It is critical that the consumer be aware of which brands are safe and which aren’t, because first of all, some organic-certified produce is being sprayed with Apeel. And second, they apparently don’t have to label the package with Apeel, if it’s been sprayed with it. Because once consumer awareness began to grow, consumers have been documenting, with video, stickers placed over a package printed with the Apeel label, that says “organic” or something else, covering up the Apeel logo.

Please get the wallet card for free using this link we’ve provided. If you want a printed and laminated card, for a small charge we’ll send you that as well as our other small printed guides. Such as a half-page guide on how to make over 1,000 plant-based meals with what’s in your fridge. And what sweeteners are toxic, to avoid. And what ingredients on food labels are neurotoxins.

Get the Genius Guides if you want to be a smart shopper, but you’re also welcome to just get the Apeel Brands wallet card, and print it out for yourself.

(If you prefer, watch the video version of this blog post, here.)

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that help support the GSG mission without costing you extra. I recommend only companies and products that I use myself.

Why You Shouldn’t Be Afraid Of Sugar In Fruit And Other Whole Foods

Robyn Openshaw — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 14:37:19 +0000

Many years of diet advice has trained us to avoid sugar at all costs and to feel guilty about consuming it whenever we slip.

Sugar-free snacks and sugar-free desserts all replace sugar with ultra-processed ingredients and have negative health impacts of their own.

But would you believe me if I said sugar is GOOD? And also, carbohydrates are good.

If the sugar is found in the package of a whole, natural plant food such as fruit, vegetables, grains (many don’t contain gluten!), starches like potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, corn, and beans — these “sugars” are part of a package that is highly nourishing, and a great deal of scientific evidence shows it to be good for you!

[Our Spring 9-Day Green Smoothie Challenge is coming up soon, starting on April 22nd. Along with an abundance of great-for-you greens, you'll get to enjoy delicious, healthy-sugar fruit in our well-loved and new recipes. Join Free Today!]

In this post:

The Problem With Sugar
Refined Sugar vs. Whole-Food Sugar
Dangers of Refined Sugar
Why You Shouldn’t Be Afraid of Sugars in Whole Foods
Vitamins and Minerals Commonly Found in High-Sugar Fruit and Other Whole Foods

I actually eat sugar (and carbohydrates) all the time—as does every long-living, disease-resistant population currently alive on the Earth!

But it is the right kind of sugar, the forms that won’t damage your health: the natural sugars found in whole plant foods.

The Problem With Sugar

The average American consumes 57 pounds of added sugar every year¹.

All that sugar is digested pretty quickly, so it ends up in your bloodstream almost right away.

This heavy influx spikes your blood sugar and signals your pancreas to secrete insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar by delivering it into cells.

Insulin release is a natural response to eating, but the more sugar you eat, the more sugar goes into your blood, and the more insulin needs to be released.

This cycle leads to massive inflammation throughout the body, which can set off a cascade of health problems.

Chronically high blood sugar is linked to numerous health issues, including:

Diabetes
Heart disease
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Depression / anxiety
Fatigue
Cancer
Fatty liver disease

It can also make other issues you’re experiencing worse, like making acne flare up, joints ache, skin age faster, or weight harder to lose.

But there are different types of sugar, and it’s only the kind you’ll find in processed foods that can lead to these health problems.

Avoid refined, concentrated sugars, but don't fear sugars in fruit or other whole foods.

Refined Sugar vs. Whole-Food Sugar

We need to distinguish the different types of sugar in order to effectively nourish ourselves.

Refined sugar is the white, granulated table sugar you know very well, the one you stir in your coffee and bake cookies with. It can also be high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is what you’ll find in many, if not most, sugar-containing processed foods on the grocery store shelves. You’ll also find refined sugars listed as cane sugar, dextrose, maltose (anything ending in -ose), etc.

Natural or whole-food sugar is just what it sounds like: sugar that occurs naturally in whole foods. Whole-food sugars come from ingredients like dates and other fruit (fresh or dried), starchy vegetables (potatoes, squash, etc.), and grains. They also come with their fiber still intact, whereas refined sugars have had the fiber stripped away.

Dangers of Refined Sugar

As you can see, there are a lot of health problems associated with chronically high blood sugar. Let’s go a little more in depth to see how exactly refined sugar affects the body:

Sugar can have a negative effect on your immune system. A 2014 study published in the Journal of Immunoassay & Immunochemistry found that sugar suppressed the body’s ability to defend against threats to the immune system, which could leave you susceptible to disease and bacterial infection².

Sugar can cause behavioral problems in children. Hyperactivity, aggression³, concentration problems⁴, and more—all things you can expect when your kids load up on refined sugar. This is a hotly-debated topic in pediatrics, but do you really need a doctor to tell you how your kids will react to eating candy? You’ve seen it with your own eyes!

Sugar damages the kidneys. According to the National Kidney Foundation, sugar does not typically pose a problem if consumed in moderation, but when blood sugar gets too high, it could cause damage, especially in diabetics⁵. Excess sugar will come out in urine, which can damage the kidneys’ blood vessels as well as their ability to filter out toxins in your blood.

Sugar increases harmful cholesterol and decreases good cholesterol. Cholesterol protects our cells from toxins, and the more toxins we eat, the more cholesterol has to build up to keep them out. There are two types in our bodies: the good kind (HDL) and the bad kind (LDL). It’s been found that added, refined sugar intake can increase the bad and decrease the good⁶—the opposite of what we want!

Sugar can cause copper, chromium, calcium, and magnesium deficiencies. All of these nutrients are critical for blood pressure and blood sugar regulation⁷. When your blood sugar is high, your body uses these vitamins and minerals to help get it back in balance. When it’s chronically high? Then you’re on the road to chronic nutrient deficiencies.

Sugar can lead to cancer of the breast, ovaries, pancreas, colon, and rectum. Remember that part about sugar suppressing the immune system? Cancer is a potential result down that path, and sugar has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer⁸, ovarian cancer⁹, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancer¹⁰, among others. Not only that, but for cancer patients, sugar can fuel the growth of cancer cells¹¹.

Sugar is food for cancer cells and weakens your immune system.

Sugar can weaken eyesight. Have you heard of diabetic retinopathy? This is a category of vision disorders that can be brought on by diabetes, including macular edema, which causes macular fluid to leak in the eye and blur vision. There is also proliferative retinopathy, in which blood vessels leak into the eye, or glaucoma, a condition that diabetics have a heightened risk of developing. Elevated blood sugar can thus weaken your vision over time¹².

Sugar can cause hypoglycemia¹³. Hypoglycemia is the fancy name for low blood sugar. How can you have low blood sugar if you’re eating sugar? Your body may be producing more insulin than needed, or if you have diabetes, you may be using too much insulin after your meals. Its job is to get glucose (blood sugar) out of the blood and into your cells, so if there’s too much, your blood sugar will end up low. On the opposite end of the spectrum, chronically high blood sugar can cause adrenal fatigue, which can then lead to issues properly regulating blood sugar. A vicious cycle!

Sugar can produce an acidic stomach. Sugar creates an acidic environment. Just think of your dental hygiene. We brush our teeth after eating sugar because if we let it sit there, bacteria can eat it and create acid, which pulls minerals out of our enamel and causes cavities. Now think about what that sugar is doing sitting in your stomach and making its way through your body. Sugar is an acid-forming food, and acidity in the body is the opposite of what we’re striving towards. The more alkaline, the better.

Sugar can increase the risk of coronary heart disease. Even if you aren’t overweight, a high-sugar diet will make you more likely to die of heart disease. Sorry to be a Debbie Downer, but the numbers don’t lie. In a major study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers found those whose sugar intake was 25% or more of their daily calories were over twice as likely to die of heart disease compared to participants who took in no more than 10%¹⁴.

Sugar can lead to alcoholism, particularly in those who are prone to emotional eating, according to the Addiction Hope recovery organization¹⁵. Soothing one’s self with sugar is a very common coping mechanism, and there can be a whole lot of sugar in alcoholic cocktails—and guess which one has a faster effect on the body? That’s right. While our food is absorbed in the small intestine, alcohol can have near-immediate effects because it can absorb into your body through your stomach lining before it’s even digested. If you’re addicted to sugar, there’s a strong chance that alcohol may become an issue as well.

Sugar can cause fluid retention. That bloating you experience after eating a lot of sugar? It might be caused by insulin resistance, which can happen over time if you have constantly fluctuating blood sugar levels. Insulin resistance means your body isn’t using this hormone properly, and if it’s secreted without being able to do its job, your insulin levels remain high. This will make you retain sodium by increasing the reabsorption of sodium in the kidneys, and thus fluid¹⁶.

Sugar can cause headaches, including migraines. While certain mineral deficiencies can cause headaches and migraines (like copper, which can be the result of overindulging on sugar), the pain can also come from hypoglycemia. Adding to what I mentioned above, eating high-sugar foods can cause insulin to be overproduced, which will quickly lead to low blood sugar and a potential headache. This is known as reactive hypoglycemia¹⁷.

Sugar increases the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. Have you heard about Type III Diabetes? That’s the new name for Alzheimer’s in the medical community¹⁸, which is a condition linked to inflammation. What can cause that inflammation? You guessed it. According to the National Institute on Aging, this inflammation “adds to vascular problems in the brain,” and “it appears that Alzheimer’s is both a cause and consequence of vascular problems in the brain.”19

Sugar stresses the pancreas, causing damage. The pancreas is where insulin is produced, and constantly spiking blood sugar taxes the organ by continuously stimulating it to secrete insulin. Diabetes develops when the pancreas isn’t able to produce enough insulin the keep up with the amount of sugar in the blood. A stressed out pancreas can’t efficiently do its many jobs, such as glucose metabolism and aiding in digestion.

Sugar increases the amount of fat in the liver, known as fatty liver disease. Harvard Medical School notes that a likely cause is insulin resistance, which we’ve already covered as a result of chronically high sugar intake²⁰. While there aren’t many symptoms aside from a little sluggishness, if left to progress, it can lead to further damage. Fatty liver disease is also linked with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, according to Harvard.

Staying away from sugar and eating healthy foods instead promotes a happy, healthy liver.

Sugar can cause kidney stones. Fructose is one of the worst sugars out there—it’s triple the amount of glucose. Aside from being very taxing on the liver, it can cause uric acid production and thus the formation of kidney stones, according to a 2019 study²¹. Not only are they painful, but kidney stones can lead to chronic kidney disease if you’re not careful about minding your diet.

Sugar makes multiple sclerosis symptoms worse. MS is a disease of the central nervous system that often causes debilitating fatigue. Because excess sugar consumption can also lead to fatigue, it’s advised that those dealing with MS stay away from high-sugar foods.

Why You Shouldn’t Be Afraid of Sugars in Whole Foods

The fiber helps keep blood sugar balanced.

Natural sugar will still impact your blood sugar levels, as any food you eat will.

But when sugar is in its whole-food form, meaning it hasn’t been stripped of its fiber, it enters the bloodstream at a slower pace and doesn’t require so much insulin to process it all, so blood sugar rises a normal amount.

On the other hand, refined-sugar ingredients like granulated sugars and syrups don’t have that fiber, so it impacts blood sugar immediately.

This is where it gets problematic, because as I mentioned, blood sugar imbalances are associated with a whole host of health conditions.

It comes with extra nutrition.

Refined sugars are generally present in processed foods, which typically are lacking in nutrition.

Whole foods containing natural sugar bring with it important vitamins and minerals that help keep your body healthy and protect against disease and infection (more on that below).

These nutrients also help your body in the process of digesting your food, so if the food you’re eating is low in nutrients, you are contributing to possible deficiencies.

Refined sugar is linked with cancer.

Refined sugars, on the other hand, have been associated with various cancers, as there really is no benefit to them nutritionally and it’s been found to actually fuel cancer cells that are present in the body²².

Vitamins and Minerals Commonly Found in High-Sugar Fruit and Other Whole Foods

Eating whole fruits and other foods containing natural sugar is a reward in itself simply for the delicious taste.

And, these foods come with plenty of incredible nutrients that make eating fruit (or other high-natural-sugar whole foods) worth it.

Here are a few of the most important:

Vitamin C: Our bodies aren’t able to make or store Vitamin C, so it’s very important that we get it from our diet (and not from ascorbic acid pills!) so that it can support our immune system. Citrus fruits are quite high in this vitamin!

B vitamins: There are several kinds of B vitamins, but in general, they support our energy production as well as nerve function, hormone health, proper detoxification, and formation of red blood cells. You’ll find these vitamins in whole grains and legumes, as well as citrus, bananas, avocados, and cantaloupe.

Vitamin A: This vitamin is fat-soluble, meaning it is more bioavailable when eaten with a good source of healthy fat. Vitamin A is found in many orange vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash. Roast them with coconut oil to absorb more of their nutrients.

The best way to get in all of your required vitamins is to eat a large variety of different colored fruits and veggies.

Antioxidants: Many fruits, especially the darker berries like blueberries and blackberries, are high in antioxidants, meaning they help fight off free radicals. Not a bad tradeoff for all that sweetness! Some of the vitamins listed above also have antioxidant properties, and you can also find them in whole grains.

Phytonutrients: Phytonutrients are protective plant chemicals (naturally made). If they protect the plant, they’ll protect you too! For instance, onions, which are naturally sweet, have more phytonutrients the more pungent the flavor is, and tomatoes contain lots of phytonutrients within their seeds.

Enzymes: Enzymes are what help us properly break down the carbohydrates, fat, and protein in the food we eat. They are absolutely critical for digestion and assimilation, making sure that we get all the nutrients we’re supposed to from our diet.

If you pick something up at the store and eye the nutrition label for the sugar content, make sure you check to see where it’s coming from so you can see if it’s from natural or refined sources, and decide if it serves your health.

References

“How Much Is Too Much?” SugarScience (University of California San Francisco).
Rahiman F, Pool EJ. “The in vitro effects of artificial and natural sweeteners on the immune system using whole blood culture assays.” Journal of Immunoassay & Immunochemistry. 2014;35(1):26-36. doi: 10.1080/15321819.2013.784197
Prinz RJ, Roberts WA, Hantman E. “Dietary correlates of hyperactive behavior in children.” ournal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 48(6), 760-769. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.48.6.760
Goldman JA, Lerman RH, Contois JH, Udall Jr. JN. “Behavioral effects of sucrose on preschool children.” Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. (1986) 14: 565. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01260524
“Sugar and Your Kidneys.” National Kidney Foundation.
Welsh JA, Sharma A, Abramson JL, et al. “Caloric Sweetener Consumption and Dyslipidemia Among US Adults.” JAMA. 2010;303(15):1490-1497. doi:10.1001/jama.2010.449
“Precious metals and other important minerals for health.” Harvard Health Publishing: Harvard Medical School. July 2018.
Jiang Y, Pan Y, Rhea PR, Tan L, Gagea M, Cohen L, Fischer SM, Yang P. “A Sucrose-Enriched Diet Promotes Tumorigenesis in Mammary Gland in Part through the 12-Lipoxygenase Pathway.” Cancer Research. January 2016. Volume 76, Issue 1. DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-14-3432
Pizzuti L, et al. “GLUT 1 receptor expression and circulating levels of fasting glucose in high grade serous ovarian cancer.” Journal of Cell Physiology. May 2017 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.26023
Kennedy S. “Does Sugar Cause Cancer?” Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. May 11, 2015.
Peeters K, et al. “Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate couples glycolytic flux to activation of Ras.” Nature Communications. Volume 8, Article number: 922 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-01019-z
“Diabetic Retinopathy.” American Optometric Association.
“Hypoglycemia.” Mayo Clinic. Sept. 07, 2018.
Yang Q, Zhang Z, Gregg E. “Added Sugar Intake and Cardiovascular Diseases Mortality Among US Adults.” JAMA Internal Medicine. 2014;174(4):516-524. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.13563
“Addicted To Sugar? You May Be At Risk For Alcoholism.” Addiction Hope.
Horita S, Seki G, Yamada H, Suzuki M, Koike K, Fujita T. “Insulin resistance, obesity, hypertension, and renal sodium transport.” International Journal of Hypertension. 2011;2011:391762. doi: 10.4061/2011/391762. Epub 2011 Apr 12.
“Reactive Hypoglycemia - Hypos After Eating.” Diabetes.co.uk.
de la Monte S, Wands JR. “Alzheimer's Disease Is Type 3 Diabetes–Evidence Reviewed.” Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology. 2008 Nov; 2(6): 1101–1113. doi: 10.1177/193229680800200619
“What Happens to the Brain in Alzheimer's Disease?” National Institute on Aging. May 16, 2017.
“When the liver gets fatty.” Harvard Health Publishing: Harvard Medical School. May 9, 2018.
Johnson RJ et al. “Fructose increases risk for kidney stones: potential role in metabolic syndrome and heat stress.” BMC Nephrology. 2018 Nov 8;19(1):315. doi: 10.1186/s12882-018-1105-0.
“Scientists make breakthrough in linking sugar to cancer growth.” Globalnews.ca. October 20, 2017.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that help support the GSG mission without costing you extra. I recommend only companies and products that I use myself.

An Important Health Warning You Need to Know About Leafy Greens

Robyn Openshaw — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 13:06:58 +0000

Dear GreenSmoothieGirl: I’m trying to eat more leafy greens. Should I be concerned about pesticides? Do I need to always buy organic?

Leafy greens are extremely nutritious. Wanting to consume more leafy greens is how I discovered green smoothies and became the GreenSmoothieGirl.

That’s why they’re called green smoothies – because you add leafy greens. (They don’t have to actually look green!)

I love my daily glasses of green goodness. But, the leafy greens you choose to eat matter for your health! I highly recommend buying organic.

Here’s what you’ll discover in this article:

Why are leafy greens so good for you?
Potential health concerns with leafy greens
How to avoid pesticide exposure in leafy greens
The best way to consume more leafy greens

Great Reasons to Consume More Leafy Greens

Swiss chard is a great leafy green to add to your green smoothies!

Leafy greens are low in calories and fat. They are also particularly rich in vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients.

Leafy greens include:

Spinach
Lettuce
Kale
Cabbage
Mustard greens
Celery
Bok choy
Chard
Watercress
And others

Consuming greens regularly has been associated with the prevention of a wide range of health conditions, such as:

Lowering your risk of cancer¹
Significantly reducing the likelihood of getting heart disease²
Protecting against neurodegenerative diseases, like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s³
Helping you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight⁴

A daily serving of leafy greens can significantly lower age-related cognitive decline, according to research published in the journal Neurology.⁵

That’s why having at least one daily serving of leafy greens – about one cup raw or ½ cup cooked – is recommended for brain health.

One thing that makes leafy greens so powerful for your health is chlorophyll – one of the most powerful natural antioxidants.

Chlorophyll is similar to your blood and can bind to harmful substances in your body and eliminate them from your body. This detoxifies you and helps protect you from many illnesses and health concerns.

Additionally, leafy greens can help:

Boost your immune system
Improve your gut health
Lower your unhealthy cravings
Give you lasting energy

Reading the rest of this article is the perfect inspiration to join our 9-Day Green Smoothie Challenge! It’s coming up this month, it’s free, and we do it to great fanfare twice a year! We want to help you “up your game.”

Your Kale and Other Leafy Greens May Be Contaminated

So, leafy greens are fabulous for you.

But, there’s something else you need to know:

Most non-organic kale and other leafy greens are grown with cancer-causing chemicals.

Nearly 60% of kale samples tested were found to be contaminated with a possible cancer-causing pesticide that was banned in Europe 15 years ago, according to an Environmental Working Group analysis.⁶

While leafy greens’ popularity has soared, the amount and type of pesticide residue on kale and other leafy greens has expanded considerably.

The pesticide identified in the EWG analysis is DCPA, or Dacthal, which the U.S. EPA classified as a possible carcinogen in 1995. The EPA blamed it for increases in liver and thyroid tumors, as well as harm to the lungs, liver, kidney, and thyroid.

Non-organic kale farming relies on multiple synthetic pesticides, including DCPA.

Leafy greens, including kale, spinach, collard, and mustard greens, are regularly listed on the EWG’s Dirty Dozen list of the fruits and vegetables most contaminated with pesticides.

Over 100 pesticides were detected in kale, collard, and mustard greens – and a single sample contained up to 21 different pesticides.⁷

This is why I think it’s so important to buy organic greens. And talk to your grocer about how important organic-certified produce is to you.

Other Concerning Pesticides on Leafy Greens

Overall, green leafy vegetables are more susceptible to environmental changes and pest attacks.⁸ So, more pesticides are used on them.

Additionally, due to their large surface areas, leafy greens are expected to have high pesticide residue levels.

There’s no national registry of pesticides used on fruit and vegetable crops, so it’s unclear which pesticides growers are spraying.⁹

California is the only state that requires pesticides grown on crops in the state to be registered, so the human exposure can be tracked.

These are some of the other potentially concerning pesticides used in leafy greens:

Organophosphates are a widely used class of pesticides that are commonly used on leafy greens – which pose potential threats to the brain and nervous system.¹⁰ They are neurotoxic to humans, posing a risk to normal neurological function and children’s development.

In the EWG analysis, one out of every four of the leafy green samples contained two types of insecticides, bifenthrin and cypermethrin. Research shows that these pesticides are associated with adverse neurological outcomes, such as ADHD, particularly in children.¹⁰

You might be getting low doses of pesticides in leafy greens and other produce you consume. But the thing is, repeated or continuous exposure builds up over time, potentially causing serious harm to your health.

Pesticides also have the potential to damage your endocrine system – causing problems for your hormones.

Your Best Bet is to Choose Organic Leafy Greens

Even if you thoroughly wash your produce, it still may contain traces of pesticides.

Some pesticides are even systemic, meaning they are taken in by the plant’s root system and can’t be washed off.¹¹

To reduce your pesticide exposure and the risks to your health, research has shown that organic produce has fewer pesticide residues than conventional.¹²

As a general rule, you should always choose the organic option for the leafy greens you’ll put into your green smoothie.

I also grow my own, in a Lettuce Grow vertical growing system, which I keep on the patio. They give you a set of free seedlings when you order a Lettuce Grow garden.

Organic leafy greens usually aren’t significantly more expensive than conventional greens – and if you’re going to consume them often, you want the cleanest and healthiest option possible.

However, if you can’t find organic, conventional produce is still a better option than processed food or animal products for your health, overall. They eat conventionally sprayed plant foods, which concentrate in animal flesh, excretions, and eggs.

People Love The Results They Achieve with Green Smoothies

People love their results when consuming regular green smoothies with leafy greens

Green smoothies are great because they are the easiest way to get more leafy greens in your diet.

These are only a few of the countless testimonials we’ve received over the years from people after consuming more leafy greens in green smoothies:

“Green smoothies have changed my life! I always felt tired and cranky and always a little hungry, but as soon as I added green smoothies, I felt AWESOME! They give me everything I need. I love my green smoothies!” – Brendon C.

“Green smoothies have saved my life! I had been in a state of depression for the past 4 years. I was put on depression medicine, but it never helped. I started making a green smoothie every day, and I feel AMAZING, WONDERFUL, and FULL OF LIFE.

I have had tons of energy. I can fall asleep faster at night and feel rested when I wake up. I have had fewer cravings for sweets and processed foods, my motivation is back, and I have lost 8 pounds in 2 months. Green smoothies are here to stay!” – AB

“I have had an iron deficiency most of my life, and the green smoothies have helped tremendously!I am losing less hair in the shower as a result. My daughters love the green smoothies! They even ask for them now and love watching me make them. It is so good to be able to give them a way to get good veggies in their diet without fighting with them. Thank you for changing our way of life.” – JoAnn Y.

“I started drinking green smoothies almost three years ago and lost over 30 pounds, regained my health, and felt 10 years younger. My children never need visits to the doctor unless they have been injured. The evidence is so obvious that I cannot ever cease this miracle drink.” – Julie G.

Overall, green smoothies are ONE really easy way to get tons of raw, organic plant foods in the diet.

And THAT is the secret sauce. More raw, organic plant foods. That is the holy grail, if there is one, or the fountain of youth.

Enjoy the Benefits of Daily Leafy Greens with Our Upcoming Green Smoothie Challenge

Want an easy and delicious way to consume more leafy greens and enjoy the benefits? Our Spring 9-Day Green Smoothie Challenge begins soon on April 22nd, 2024.

The top results people experience from consuming green smoothies include more energy, improved digestion, a more positive mood, improved skin, and weight loss.

It’s a fun, uplifting experience – and an excellent way to reawaken your hope and health after a long Winter.

When you join our FREE challenge – 20,000 people have taken it so far! – we’ll send you:

Daily recipes with videos,
A shopping list,
Exclusive deals for your smoothie success, insider tips,
And an invitation to a private, supportive community on Facebook

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that help support the GSG mission without costing you extra. I recommend only companies and products that I use myself.

References

Zhang, Y. (2004). Cancer-preventive isothiocyanates: measurement of human exposure and mechanism of action. Mutation Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2004.04.017
Pollock, R. L. (2016). The effect of green leafy and cruciferous vegetable intake on the incidence of cardiovascular disease: A meta-analysis. JRSM Cardiovascular Disease. https://doi.org/10.1177/2048004016661435
Nwanna, E.E., Oyeleye, O.B., Oboh, A. A, Boligon, & Athayde, M.L. (2016). In vitro neuroprotective properties of some commonly consumed green leafy vegetables in Southern Nigeria. NFS Journal.
Bertoia, M. L., Mukamal, K. J., Cahill, L. E., Hou, T., Ludwig, D. S., Mozaffarian, D., Willett, W. C., Hu, F. B., & Rimm, E. B. (2015). Changes in Intake of Fruits and Vegetables and Weight Change in United States Men and Women Followed for Up to 24 Years: Analysis from Three Prospective Cohort Studies. PLoS Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001878
Leafy greens linked with slower age-related cognitive decline. National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/leafy-greens-linked-slower-age-related-cognitive-decline
Temkin, A. Almost six out of 10 kale samples tainted by pesticide banned in Europe 15 years ago. EWG.com.
EWG Science Team. (2024). EWG’s 2024 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.
Alqahtani D, Al-Mutairi M, Alrashed N, Alajmi R, Alowaifeer A (2023). Determination of Pesticide Residues in Leafy Vegetables and Dietary Risk Assessment. Journal of Toxicology Risk Assessment. doi.org/10.23937/2572-4061.1510056
Park, A. (2019). Kale Is One of the Most Contaminated Vegetables You Can Buy. Here’s Why. TIME.
Kamel, F., & Hoppin, J. A. (2004). Association of pesticide exposure with neurologic dysfunction and disease. Environmental Health Perspectives. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.7135
Eat the peach, not the pesticide. Consumer Reports. https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/health/natural-health/pesticides/index.htm
Curl, C. L., Beresford, S. A., Fenske, R. A., Fitzpatrick, A. L., Lu, C., Nettleton, J. A., & Kaufman, J. D. (2015). Estimating pesticide exposure from dietary intake and organic food choices: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Environmental Health Perspectives. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1408197

Image Notes

Swiss chard image used under a CC BY 2.0 DEED Attribution 2.0 Generic license on Flickr by eflon

Are Your Relaxing Candles Secretly Harming Your Health?

Robyn Openshaw — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 16:34:09 +0000

Dear GreenSmoothieGirl: I love using candles, but I’ve read they use toxic ingredients that burn into the air we breathe. What’s the truth?

Candles have been used for thousands of years – for their soothing effects.

Today, candles are popular, with approximately $2 billion in sales annually in the U.S.¹

But, there’s a burning secret you need to know about candles if you, or the people you care about, ever use them:

Most candles are loaded with toxins with the potential to harm your health – and some candles can even be harmful to you when they aren’t even lit.

I’ve never sold candles and I don’t use them much, due to what you’ll read here.

But do you have to avoid candles altogether to reduce toxins in your life? Or, do safe candles exist?

Here’s what you’ll discover in this article:

Why do you need to protect your health from toxic chemicals?
A shocking truth about candle makers
What ingredients in candles are concerning?
What type of candle is most concerning?
Do better candle options exist?
Alternative to candles for your home

Why You Need to Protect Your Health from Toxic Chemicals

The truth is, we live in a “toxic soup” world – with over 80,000 chemicals² registered for use in the U.S., in our air, water, and food.

When your body’s detoxification systems become overwhelmed, they can’t remove toxins from your body anymore.

Instead, the toxins are stored in your fat, muscles, bones, brain, liver, and other organs, which can seriously impact your health.

If you want your body to keep detoxing you as it should naturally, it’s important to know something about toxic chemicals in the products you use, and how you can take steps to protect yourself.

In truth, you can’t protect yourself 100% from toxins, but every step you take to reduce your toxic exposure makes a difference in your overall health, so you don’t overwhelm your detoxification systems.

If you like candles, what I’m going to share with you next might shock you.

Candle Makers Are NOT Required to List the Toxic Chemicals in Their Candles

Candle makers are NOT required to list or disclose toxic ingredients.

If you think you can read the labels to protect yourself from toxins in candles, think again.

Candles don’t have warning labels. And, very few regulations exist around the ingredients used in candles, so companies can put in pretty much whatever they want.

Furthermore, manufacturers are NOT required by law to list or disclose hazardous, toxic, or carcinogenic compounds used as ingredients in candles.

The only regulations on candles are related to fire safety, and not allowing metal-cored wicks unless they don’t exceed the maximum allowable lead limit.³

When it comes to candles, no one is protecting you. Even labels, such as “clean” or “all-natural,” might not mean what you think they do.

What Are the Main Concerns with Candles?

Candles are fast becoming one of the most common unrecognized causes of poor indoor air quality, according to the executive director of an American Lung Association project.⁴

Some researchers say candles are a “ubiquitous”⁵ source of indoor air pollution.

Candles potentially release many concerning chemicals, with impacts on cancer risk, inflammation in the lungs and throat, cognition, hormone disruption, cardiovascular disease, and other negative impacts on health.

The main dangers with candles are the emitted levels of these substances:

VOCs (volatile organic compounds)
PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons)
PM (particulate matter, aka soot)
Fragrance ingredients

Dangers of VOCs

VOCs are common in many products, such as furniture, cosmetics, and cleaning products.

Many VOCs are generally considered harmless at low concentrations. However, some classes are concerning for inhalation, especially when concentrations build up indoors.

Exposure to VOCs can cause headaches, irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat, nausea, and damage to the liver, kidneys, or central nervous system.⁶

Some VOCs are suspected or proven carcinogens.

Burning several candles at once was found to exceed the U.S. EPA’s increased risk of cancer for three types of VOCs: acetaldehyde (a Class 1 human carcinogen⁷ that causes damage at the cellular and gene levels), formaldehyde (linked to cancers of the nose, throat, and sinuses⁸), and acrolein.

Some scented candles even act as powerful sources of VOC emissions whether they are lit or not!⁹

So simply having toxic candles in your home, and not even lighting them, could be a concern.

Dangers of POHs

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (POHs) are created from the burning of coal, oil, gas, wood, garbage, and tobacco.¹⁰

Wax burning from candles made of petroleum is a significant source of POHs.¹¹

Many POHs found in candle fumes have been identified as carcinogens.¹¹

In particular, chronic exposure to POHs has a connection with bladder cancer, as well as a substantial risk of lung, skin, and bladder cancer.¹²

Exposure to POHs also causes significant potential risk for throat and upper respiratory tract irritation.¹¹

Dangers of Candle Soot

All candles produce soot. However, the amount differs depending on the type and quality of the wax.

Soot particles are very small, and are easily inhaled and deposited deep in the lungs.

Animal studies show that mice exposed to candle soot particles are associated with cytotoxicity and inflammation in the lungs¹³ – as well as telomere shortening, a marker for the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Elevated soot levels have also been found to affect short-term cognition significantly.

Dangers of Fragrance Ingredients in Candles

Most scented candles are loaded with potentially harmful ingredients.

When you look at a candle, you may see the term “fragrance” or “parfum” – this is the fragrance loophole that allows fragrance ingredients to be listed under these generic terms.

In truth, petroleum is the source of 95% of the chemicals used in synthetic-scented candles.¹⁴

Frequent use of these scented candles in unventilated rooms may increase the chance of developing bladder cancer.¹⁵

The most common complaints from synthetically scented candles are vertigo, headaches, respiratory issues, watery eyes, stuffy nose, chest tightness, and a dry, irritated throat.¹⁴

Additionally, phthalates are used in candles to prolong the fragrance’s longevity. They are known endocrine disruptors, which can disrupt hormone balance, leading to conditions such as breast cancer, endometriosis, and reproductive harm.¹⁶

The Major Ingredient in Most Toxic Candles

Most toxic candles are made from paraffin. And paraffin is derived from petroleum.

The black sludge from the bottom of oil barrels goes through a refinement process,¹⁷ where it is whitened using bleaching agents that are 10 times stronger than household bleach!

Toxic dioxins, known to be carcinogenic, are created through this refinement process. They can cause negative effects on reproductive, development, and immune systems.

Paraffin also releases carcinogenic chemicals when burned. The soot is similar to the soot released from a diesel engine – and can be as dangerous¹⁸ as second-hand cigarette smoke!

Gel candles may be the worst. They are made from a mix of petroleum and plastic.

Do Better Candle Options Exist?

Beeswax candles can be a safer, non-toxic candle option.

Terms like “all-natural,” “non-toxic,” or “safe for the family” mean nothing.

Everyone’s definition of safe is different, and none of those terms have regulations behind them. (In short, they mean whatever the marketer wants them to mean.)

“Plant-based” also means nothing, as some candle makers who use this term use paraffin wax in their candles.

All-natural candles made from beeswax, coconut wax, or soy wax (or a combination of these) are better options.

But, watch out for blends, because they can be deceiving! Most blends are just paraffin wax with a small amount of natural wax.

Beeswax candles with cotton wicks have a natural sweet honey fragrance. However, beeswax candles are often bleached or tinted with artificial colors. If you’re looking for a clean beeswax candle, look for a natural, deep-honey color.

Soy candles burn clean and don’t give off much soot¹⁹ – and they burn about 25% longer than paraffin. However, most soy candles are likely made with GMOs.

A Safe Non-Toxic Candle Option

Currently, MADE SAFE® is the only non-toxic certification organization that offers certification for candles.

This seal confirms that a household product is free from all toxins known or suspected to harm human health, animals, and ecosystems.

Certified goods have been thoroughly examined by researchers and scientists to ensure they’re made without known dangerous chemicals, like endocrine disruptors, VOCs, and carcinogens.

Fontana Candles are certified MADE SAFE®. They use beeswax, coconut oil, 100% pure essential oils, and certified wooden wicks.

GreenSmoothieGirl exclusive deal: you can save 15% off Fontana Candles. Use code GREENSMOOTHIEGIRL when you check out!

Tips for Burning Candles to Reduce Their Concerns

Anytime you burn a regular candle, do it in an open space (i.e. not a small bathroom) with a cracked window to allow the fumes to be released

Avoid burning multiple candles at once to reduce toxic exposures

Avoid candles made with paraffin and gel candles

Wax melts burn at slower temperatures and may be less toxic, though it’s still best to choose ones made with natural wax

Use a candle snuffer to put out candles rather than blowing them out

Choose candles made with natural materials, such as beeswax, coconut, or organic soy

Choose candles scented with pure essential oils, rather than synthetic fragrances

Choose candles made with 100% cotton, hemp, or wood wicks

Be careful not to burn candles too long, because this increases the amount of soot

Burn candles for special occasions and not regularly

Add more indoor plants to help keep your home ventilated

Alternatives to Candles for Your Home

Make or buy non-toxic potpourri and burn it on your stove

Use a diffuser to enjoy the scent and benefits of 100% pure essential oils

Use battery-powered candles for ambiance – they don’t burn but do give off a relaxing light

Use Himalayan salt lamps for ambiance instead of candles

Take a bath and add five to 10 drops of 100% pure essential oils

Make or buy 100% pure essential oil sprays

Candles Are A Secret Source of Toxins and Air Pollution in Many Homes

Many of us love candles for the peace they bring us and how they improve the ambiance in our homes. But, candles have exploded in popularity – and the quality of most candles is extremely poor and loaded with toxins, especially candles made with paraffin (petroleum) and synthetic fragrances (also largely made from petroleum).

The serious risks to your health just aren’t worth it with regular candles. If you’re seeking some calm and a boost to your home ambiance, choose safer candles, burn them less often, and choose alternatives to candles.

Every step you take to reduce your toxic exposure matters for your health!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that help support the GSG mission without costing you extra. I recommend only companies and products that I use myself.

References

Ahn, Jeong-Hyeon et al. (2015). Characterization of hazardous and odorous volatiles emitted from scented candles before lighting and when lit. Journal of Hazardous Materials. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2014.12.040
Safer chemicals. Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments. https://envirn.org/safer-chemicals
Shen, Y. (2022). Candle Safety Standards and Regulations in the US: An Overview. ComplianceGate.
Downey, C. (2014). Toxins in Burning Candles, Candle Wicks, and Incense.
Verdugo, I., Cruz, J.J., Álvarez, E. et al. (2020). Candle flame soot sizing by planar time-resolved laser-induced incandescence. Sci Rep. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-68256-z
Volatile Organic Compounds' Impact on Indoor Air Quality. EPA.
Rajendram, R., Rajendram, R., & Preedy, V. R. (2016). Acetaldehyde: A Reactive Metabolite. In Neuropathology of Drug Addictions and Substance Misuse. Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-800213-1.00051-1
Formaldehyde. Proposition 65.
Formaldehyde. Proposition 65.
Ahn, J. H., Kim, K. H., Kim, Y. H., & Kim, B. W. (2015). Characterization of hazardous and odorous volatiles emitted from scented candles before lighting and when lit. Journal of Hazardous Materials. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2014.12.040
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Factsheet. CDC.
Orrechio, S. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in indoor emission from decorative candles. Atmospheric Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2010.12.024
Adamowicz, J., Juszczak, K., Poletajew, S., et al. (2019). Scented Candles as an Unrecognized Factor that Increases the Risk of Bladder Cancer; Is There Enough Evidence to Raise a Red Flag?. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). https://doi.org/10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-19-0093
Anderson, C. et al. (2021). Emissions of soot, PAHs, ultrafine particles, NOx, and other health relevant compounds from stressed burning of candles in indoor air. Indoor Air.
Nazir, Z., Habib, A., Ali, T., Ghouri, H., & Haque, M. A. (2023). The unknown risks of scented candles! what science has to say: an editorial. Annals of medicine and surgery (2012), 86(1), 16–17. https://doi.org/10.1097/MS9.0000000000001524
Adamowicz, J., Juszczak, K., Poletajew, S., Van Breda, S. V., Pokrywczynska, M., & Drewa, T. (2019). Scented Candles as an Unrecognized Factor that Increases the Risk of Bladder Cancer; Is There Enough Evidence to Raise a Red Flag?. Cancer Prevention Research.
Hormone-Disrupting Chemical Detected in 90% of Europeans, Research Shows. Science Alert.
Paraffin wax. Wikipedia.
Scented candles can be as harmful as cigarettes, doctor says. Boston 25 News.
Rezaei, K., Wang, T. & Johnson, L.A. (2002). Combustion characteristics of candles made from hydrogenated soybean oil. Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-002-0562-y

Image Sources

Toxic image used under a Creative Commons CC BY-SA 3.0 license by Nick Youngson
Yankee Candle image used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license by Katy Warner on Flickr
Beeswax candle image used under a Creative Commons license from Skylar Kang on Pexels