Fashion Prediction - The Return of the Edwardian Era/1920's.

Hello lovelies!

As we all know, the 80's are back (heaven knows why). There is literally nothing cute about 80's fashion and I still don't get it (the above pictures are NOT from the 80's.) Fashion in the 80's was really inspired by Princess Di's wedding dress - a gorgeous Victorian princess gown with puffy sleeves, smothered in lace and fitted in all the right places. Fashion designers then took this as their cue to make a mockery and a sham of Victorian patterns, introducing neon pink to a tulle, puff-sleeved frock, resulting in one of the greatest fashion aberrations in history. Thus, the 80's were born. I thought the return of the 80's was a joke at first. The only good thing about 80's fashion to me were Ray Ban sunglasses. Needless to say, the big fashion moguls of the day jumped on the 80's bandwagon and thought it would be a good idea to bring back the jumpsuit, exposed zipper, awkwardly placed pockets, neon tights, horrid wallpaper-like prints and patterns, ill-fitting cuts, and space-age color pallets. I just don't get it. Can we move on please? Like say to...The Edwardian era? I do realize there are many similarities between 1980's fashion and 1900 fashion, but the main difference I think is femininity, thoughtful ensembles that flattered the figure, didn't reveal too much, and were made of good quality, durable materials.

Personally, it's one of my favorites and I wouldn't be surprised if we all start seeing more waistcoats, elegant blouses, and layered, complex, put-together outfits. Think Jane Seymour in "Somewhere in Time" and Audrey Hepburn in "My Fair Lady."



Femininity is back, modesty is back, romantic fashion is back, and there is hardly an era in fashion I quite adore so much as the Edwardian era.


Here are my predictions:

We will see more Edwardian-inspired blazers, more full-length dresses, more riding jackets, more skirts, more blouses, more buttons, more laces, more waistcoats, more corsets, more Oxfords, more silks and more tailored, feminine cuts. It's already happening on the runways and I am, needless to say, really excited.

Here are some pictures from Christian Dior's Fall 2010 runway show:

















Isn't that fabulous?? I can honestly say I LOVED everything about this collection. What's really cool is I didn't know about this collection before I did this post - I was curious to see what the trends actually were and it turns out I was right! :)

What's great about picking a time period like the Edwardian era and into the 1920's is that there were so many layers to the clothing, we can, as a modern society, implement just one Edwardian-inspired layer in our wardrobe and it will look fantastic (ex. pairing a waistcoat with a high necked silk blouse and jeans or wearing lace-up, knee high leather riding boots with a simple dress). Fashion today is so flexible. Anything goes. We have all of fashion history to play with and play dress-up. What could be more fun than that? I love being a girl.

An organic alternative to laundry detergent.

Hello, lovelies! I'm excited about this post because I've finally found an inexpensive, all natural alternative to commercial laundry detergent. Most organic laundry detergents on the market are supremely over-priced, but to be honest, it's better to pay a few extra dollars than to continue using commercial brand detergent.



Poll time: What is your detergent of choice? Do you know exactly what's in it?

Commercial detergents like Tide, Gain, Cheer, OxiClean, etc., are all loaded with, yep you guessed it, harmful chemicals. You wouldn't be able to tell by the cryptic ingredient labels: “Ingredients include surfactants (anionic and nonionic) and enzymes.” Most commercial detergents contain numerous chemicals that are detrimental to your health, harm the environment, and, especially in the case of commercial fabric softener, have been linked to cancer. You can read more about it here, here and here .

So here's the bottom line: if you're like me and would rather not expose the largest organ in your body (your skin) to carcinogenic chemicals that cause cancer, there are options!


Oli Nuts

I used these to wash my clothes last night. My clothes smell fresh, clean, and surprisingly enough, they felt soft! Oli Nuts, also called Soap Nuts, come from India and Nepal. They occur naturally in nature and have been used as a cleaning soap for centuries. The nuts I bought came in a small muslin bag and cost $2.50. Each bag has 5 or 6 nuts, which is good for about 5 or 6 loads of laundry. You drop the entire bag of nuts into your washing machine before loading your clothes, and that's it! No fabric softener needed. The only problem I have is that they work best for smaller loads, and won't take out tough stains. Other than that, they're perfect.

You can buy them in larger quantities but I wanted to test it first and see how I liked it. Needless to say, my clothes feel and smell so clean, the nuts leave behind no fragrance. I can't recommend them enough! It's also available in a concentrated liquid, so I'll try that next.

Other good organic detergent options are Seventh Generation and Nature Clean.

I know this sounds like good information, but I hope you can really understand just how important this is. We live in a toxic environment. The water we shower in, the air we breathe, the food we eat (unless you're eating organic food for every meal of the day) are all loaded with toxins. We literally cannot escape it. Haven't you ever wondered why we are, as of today, the sickest society in the history of the world? More people have cancer than ever before, more people are developing diseases than ever before, more people are obese than ever before, and yet, strangely enough, more people are on prescription drugs than ever before.

I don't want to be passive about this anymore - I've seen too many people die from cancer and disease. This is entirely preventable.

It is quite literally this simple: if we eliminate all the toxins in our body, we will not be susceptible to disease. The natural state of being for a human is vibrant, energetic health.

You are absolutely polluting your body whenever you use commercial detergents. You are absolutely polluting your body whenever you ingest prescription and non-prescription drugs. It's that simple.

Your skin is the biggest organ in your body. It is the most absorbent, and therefore the most important to take care of topically. What you put on your skin will have an effect on your health. You can immediately tell when someone is ill just by looking at their skin.

So.


Take care of your skin. Wear clean clothes.

And take care.

What's the beef about beef?

Don't eat beef. Eat beef. Don't eat too much beef. Eat beef, but only if it's organic. Eat beef, but only if it's organic and kosher.

Ok, so here's the sitch.

I love beef, I do. Like one of my favorite Threadless T-shirts says: Meat is Murder. Tasty, Tasty Murder.

Whether or not you're a meat lover, there are some things you need to know (and I hope, after reading this, you will come around to the same conclusions I did.)

There are HUGE differences in organic beef and non-organic beef. Even if the package says "All Natural" that doesn't mean it's good for you. (this is a general rule too, for all foods. Food companies have lobbied Congress to allow certain phrases to be put on their packaging to make them sound as if they're healthier for you. They're not.)

The following lists comparing a conventional animal and an organic animal are taken from Kevin Trudeau's "Natural Cures They Don't Want You to Know About."


Conventional Animal:
-A conventional animal has been genetically modified in breeding, thus becoming an animal that could never occur naturally.
-A conventional animal is injected with growth hormones and antibiotics, meaning that the meat we consume is then loaded with drugs.
-A conventional animal is not allowed to roam freely or exercise normally, thus creating an incredibly toxic animal that is unnaturally obese and diseased.
-A conventional animal is fed an unnatural diet of chemicals and feed that it would never eat naturally. Conventional cows, for example, are also fed ground up cow parts, pig parts, goat parts and horse parts. Many of these ground up animal parts are from diseased, sick animals that are not fit for human consumption. Keep in mind that a cow is a vegetarian and is not designed to be eating ground up diseased animals.
-A conventional animal is slaughtered by being shot in the head with a bolt. The animal experiences incredible pain and trauma. Adrenaline, which is highly poisonous, permeates the animal's tissue. The blood, which is loaded with toxins, also permeates the tissue. The trauma increases the energy field in and around the animal to become highly negative. The animal usually dies in its own urine and feces.
-A conventional animal is usually aged, which means the animal flesh is hung in a dark room and allowed to rot. A green mold covers the rotting animal flesh. This green toxic mold is bacteria that tenderizes the meat, but also fills the meat with more toxic poisons.

Organic Animal:
-An organic animal has genetics that have not been modified by man and is in its most natural state.
-An organic animal is given no drugs, so its meat is drug free.
-An organic animal is allowed to roam naturally, grows at its normal rate, and is not loaded with toxins or diseased.
-A grass-fed organic cow eats grass as it would in nature, and the grass has not been laced with chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides.
-An organic animal that is also kosher is killed in the most humane way possible, by slicing its throat. The animal experiences no pain, is immediately drained of all blood, its internal organs are inspected to make sure the animal is 100 percent healthy, and the tissue is salted to draw out any blood and kill any bacteria.
-Organic kosher meat is not aged.


So. There you have it.

I hope your stomach turned when you read about conventional animals. Mine sure did.

I hope this has given you useful information and I hope you remember it the next time you're at the grocery store or (heaven forbid) a fast food restaurant.


Conclusion?

Yes, you can eat beef. But not too much. And as long as it's organic.

Common Sense. Commence.

Goooood afternoon, lovelies!

My but it was a beautiful day for a walk wasn't it?

Well..not too much to report as of today. I've been eating really well this week and going to bed earlier. For some inexplicable reason, I was completely dog-tired yesterday. And it wasn't just me. It was everyone. Strange, no?


Anywho. As the days pass, I find myself becoming more and more passionate about eating well and being healthy. And I find myself becoming more and more appalled at the "food" provided for us here in the United States of America.

I've been doing some reading. Because you have to read if you want to know anything. Medical doctors are not the end-all, be-all of health knowledge. Take your health in your own hands. Find out how your body works, find out what it needs, and do your best to take care of it.

Current List:
-Natural Cures "They" Don't Want You to Know About
-Alternative Cures

I also want to get "Let's Have Healthy Children" but it's out of print. My mom told me it was the book she read when she was raisin' us kids, and she did a pretty dern good job.

Awesome story about my mom:

First of all, she is amazing. She is smart, she is intelligent, she finds things out for herself and is relentlessly curious. She had read about the benefits of taking folic acid during pregnancy but when she asked her doctor about it, he basically laughed in her face. She did it anyway - and had four healthy children. Years later, doctors now swear that getting enough folic acid in your diet is one of the most important things a pregnant woman can do to ensure the health of her baby. Doy.

Oh, also, she knew about and lost 30 pounds on the HCG diet way before it became the fad it is today. I remember telling people about it a year ago, and they looked at me like I was crazy. Well, now it's one of the most popular diets in the country because it actually works. It is unapproved by the FDA and is not supported by and medical doctor.

I use these example to iterate my contention that doctors don't know everything.

Consider this:

You don't get a headache from a lack of aspirin. You get a headache either from:
A)stress
B)low-blood sugar
C)dehydration
D)a combination of the above.

Consider this:

Drugs are poison. That's why they're called drugs. Every single prescription and non-prescription drug you put in your body absolutely is harmful.

Consider this:

For a nation that is more obsessed with diet and exercise than ever before, we are still the fattest people in the world. Obesity and prescription drugs are in the top 3 causes of death in the United States.



Before I rant for too long, let me just say this:

EDUCATE YOURSELF.

The most important thing you can do for yourself is read, read, read, read and read some more. Buy books on natural therapies, look for homeopathic doctors in your area, eat organic foods, cook, be kind to your body.

Doctors are basically trained to prescribe drugs and perform surgery. Which, in a serious situation, is exactly what you might need. If I've been in a horrific accident and I have a piece of metal lodged in my chest cavity, I will absolutely want to be taken to a hospital and be administered drugs and have the doctor perform surgery on me.

Other than that, you really don't need drugs.

I am open to any thoughts, comments and criticisms. I'm trying my best to educate myself about my body and the best way to take care of it.

Also, allow me to humbly submit to you that the food industry is not interested in providing actual food. In any given pre-packaged product by a major food producer, there at least 200-300 chemicals injected into the food that they are allowed to not print on the ingredients package.

Stay away from artificial sweeteners. PLEASE.

Stay away from food that contains ingredients you can't pronounce. PLEASE.

A woman came into work the other day and ordered an iced-venti black tea with 6 splendas. I had to bite my tongue to stop myself from yelling "Do you WANT to die?!?"


Sigh. Anyway. I'm sure I come across as a nut. I think because this is all new to me, I'm just incredibly avid and anxious to tell everyone.

But you know, I really do think the world is waking up and finally realizing the abominable state of health we've put ourselves in. Check out the new show Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution on Hulu. It's great.

You know what I think, dears? I think we all know what's good for us and we know what's bad for us. It seems to me, that eating healthy is just not convenient. We know eating organic is better for us, but I don't think we realize just how bad NOT eating organic food is for our bodies. We know it's good for us to eat smaller portions and go to bed early, but we don't know just how bad it is for us to NOT do those very things. We know to eat our vegetables and not eat too much meat, but we don't really realize just how bad it is for us to NOT eat our vegetables and to eat too much meat (especially conventional meat.)

Ok ok now I'm ranting. But honestly. Educate yourself. Take your health into your own hands. Most doctors are not interested in your health. They make more money by prescribing drugs.

Rant over.

Read read read!

Top Five Nutrition Books I Recommend:

1. Michael Pollan's "Food Rules"

2. Kevin Trudeau's "Natural Cures They Don't Want You to Know About"

3. Alternative Cures

4.Adelle Davis' "Let's Have Healthy Children"

5. Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food"

Gearing Up!

Hello lovelies!

So, my co-workers and I are starting our very own "Biggest Loser" challenge. Starting Monday, we will report our weight and BMI (body mass index), and for the next 12 weeks, try to get in the best shape of our lives! The person who loses the most (percentage-wise to their own body mass) wins the pot! We're each putting in about $20. I'm stoked! You know, having accountability, no matter how little is so helpful.

So, along with reporting to you all the lovely, happy and healthy things I find, I will be using this blog as a tool to help me stay on track! I want you to take the journey with me. My goal is to lose 15-20 pounds. And hey! Maybe I'll make an easy 100 bucks!

So! I will see you all Monday! :)

Eating Meals.

Hello lovelies!

I wanted to share with you one of the best food tips I've learned. It's amazing to me how many people in this world (especially in this country) don't know how to eat. I am including myself in this category. For the longest time, my relationship to food has been something like this:

-I'll eat when I'm hungry..but won't stop until I'm stuffed.
-I'll eat when I'm bored
-I'll eat when I'm not hungry but I'm in a social situation so I feel like it's 'polite' to eat the food provided
-I'll eat to reward myself for eating well
-I'll eat to comfort myself for eating poorly
-I'll eat too much, and too quickly
-I'll eat/graze/snack throughout the day, rarely when I'm even feeling hunger
-I'll eat to punish myself for eating poorly. Yes, you read that right.
-I'll eat standing up or in front of the computer.



These are all habits I've had over the years and haven't been brave enough to pinpoint. These are unhealthy habits. And I'm finally learning to change them. I'm learning to love and respect my relationship with food. Ideally, my 'food relationship' will look like this:

-Eating to satisfy my hunger. Not to feel stuffed.
-Enjoying food.
-NOT CLEANING MY PLATE. I was raised to always clean my plate, and this rule has stuck with my throughout my adult life. It's not healthy to stuff yourself - and it's something I'm still working on. It's hard to reverse this habit - but once it's done, it could be the best thing you can do for yourself.
-Eat like the French. Isn't it incredible that the French, who seem to eat nothing but bread, butter and fats are still one of the leanest, healthiest, long-lived people on the planet? It's because they know how to eat. The French rarely snack throughout the day, they eat their meals with friends and enjoy the food over a long period of time. They do not go back for seconds and they eat smaller portions. I truly believe you don't have to deprive yourself of rich foods - you just have to keep it in moderation. Which leads to...
-"Everything in moderation. Even Moderation." -Oscar Wilde. When you do allow yourself to indulge, keep it under control. DON'T have the mentality "Go big or go home." Not a good idea.
-EAT MEALS!! Seriously, this has been such a huge help for me over the past two weeks. Rather than stockpiling my groceries for the week, which only leads to binge-eating in dorm room, I've been taking the time to go buy my meals at the local farmer's market. Three times a day. I get my salad and my kombucha, and I sit in the sunshine and enjoy my meal for at least 20 minutes. I really let my taste-buds enjoy the flavors, and I try to savor every bite (although, the first bite is always the best.) I know this isn't the best option for everyone, but if you can just take the time out of your day to enjoy an actual meal instead of just grazing throughout the day, your body will love you. Mealtime is rarely enjoyed by Americans today. Most of our eating is done in the car or in front of the TV/computer. Ideally, you should eat meals at a table, on a real plate, with foods that contain simple, fresh ingredients.
-Take your time! The Chinese have a proverb that says "Drink your food, chew your drink." This means you should really chew your food until it becomes like a liquid, allowing you to savor the taste and flavor for as long as possible - and then to move your drink around inside your mouth so you can really savor how it feels, and how it tastes. This is a simple rule that's really helped me to slow down my eating.
-Cook. As often as I can, I want to be able to cook my own meals. Since I don't have a kitchen, I go to the next best thing. The farmer's market. The ingredients are fresh, locally produced, and are made to order right there on the premises. The best food you can eat is the kind you make for yourself! THIS DOES NOT MEAN HEATING UP A MICROWAVE DINNER.


When I have kids, I will not allow a microwave in our house. They will learn to cook their own meals at a young age, they will be taught to 'eat their colors,''leave a little on their plate for Mr. Manners,' they will go shopping with me for groceries at the local market, they will learn that 'if you're not hungry enough for an apple, you're not hungry,' they will be taught that real food comes from the plants that grow in the ground, not the plants that are built by man.



So, there you have it! I hope this was helpful/enlightening/encouraging in some small way. Also, if you haven't yet read Michael Pollan's book "Food Rules" I highly recommend you do so! It is the best book on nutrition I've ever read, and a lot of what I wrote about in this post comes from that book. You can get it on Amazon for $5 or at any bookstore for about $11.



As always, be lovely, happy and healthy today!

Much love,

EE