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My Favorite Alternative Sweeteners |
| Last week we talked about many of the issues with added sugar and refined sugar. This week I want to talk about a few alternatives that may help you to crush that occasional sweet tooth. Personally, I am not a big sweets fan. I generally would never really crave a candy bar or soda. But occasionally, I do like to have a little sweetness in my life. Many times when people are looking for sugar alternatives some of the things that are brought up are aspartame, sucralose and other synthetic sweeteners. For years, these have been touted as better alternatives to sugar some would even say halither. Healthier or not they are still not good. If you are still using these, its may be time to find some better choices. Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, ace-K, and saccharin have been the subject of heated controversy for years due to their potential for harm. While all of these sweeteners are supposedly "safe" and sugar-free, they now are being scrutinized more closely. A host of issues from, headaches, poor digestion, and crohn's disease are all said to be side effects of their ingestion. |
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| So what are some better choices? Here are just a few alternatives that I like: Stevia - Listed first, but not necessarily my favorite. As far as health it is a pretty decent alternative, however the taste is just not as good for me as some others. It is native to South America and has been used for hundreds of years in that region to support healthy blood sugar and prompt weight loss. This zero calorie and zero carb alternative has been a "go to" for many seeking to sweeten our Haelan 951. Stevioside is the element in the leaves that makes it more than 200 times as sweet as sugar. Monk Fruit - One of the most popular sugar substitutes for low-carb dieters is monk fruit. Monk fruit contains compounds that, when extracted, provide 300–400 times the sweetness of cane sugar, but monk fruit sugar contains no calories and has no effect on blood sugar. Many popular brands do add in the sugar alcohols (Erythritol...not my favorite) to give it a more sugar like texture and consistency but, I have found that just a tiny amount of Monk Fruit powder works for me. Allulose - Many new allulose reviews have started to show up recently, claiming that it mimics the taste and texture of regular sugar with only a fraction of the calories and carbs. And they are right! It is about as close to the real thing as you can get. Here is the cool part, it has also been linked to multiple health benefits. Not only can it bump up both weight loss and fat loss, but it may also help stabilize blood sugar levels, support liver health and decrease inflammation throughout the body. Not bad. Allulose, also known as D-psicose, is a simple sugar found naturally in several food sources, including figs, raisins, maple syrup and brown sugar. This is becoming my new #1 favorite. Here is a list of a few more healthier sugar alternatives. Honorable mentions
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thegrownetwork.com
| Essential oils are amazing healing tools! They've been found to relieve stress, boost energy, have healing properties, enhance your immunity, and much more! But what you may not know is that there are many ways that they can boost your oral health. Here are just a few examples: Fight Bad Breath: Essential oils such as Peppermint, Tea Tree oil, Myrrh, and Eucalyptus can help fend off bacteria that causes bad breath. They have anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties that keep your breath smelling fresh all day! Treat Gingivitis: The antibacterial properties of clove and tea tree oil can treat gingivitis and other gum issues. Cinnamon is another essential oil that can be used to treat gingivitis because of its antimicrobial potency that fights against the bacteria responsible for gum disease and also stimulates blood circulation to the gums, in turn promoting healthy gums. Relieves Toothache: Clove essential oil has been used for hundreds of years to relieve tooth pain so it’s no surprise that it’s on this list. Since clove has pretty strong germicidal properties, dentists have actually used clove to disinfect root canals and relieve pain. Fight Cavities: Rosemary essential oil is a natural disinfectant that can help remove bad oral bacteria that causes cavities, bad breath, plaque buildup, and other minor dental issues. Clove and tea tree are other essential oils that benefit the prevention of tooth decay. And, then there’s oil pulling: the ancient Ayurvedic practice that many claim is more effective than brushing your teeth with toothpaste. Add 1 drop of clove or tea tree to your oil pulling regimen for extra strength benefit to remedy sensitive teeth and so much more. And the best part is that not only are these oils extremely effective at managing mouth pain and gingivitis, when used properly essential oils can also help reduce your risk of chronic disease. Pretty cool, huh? I love how the side effects of natural medicine are always more benefits! Speaking of more... there is so much more you can do with essentials oils when it comes to improving your oral health and hygiene, and you can take a deep dive with this weekend's freebie!!! → Go HERE to download this NEW eBook, “Essential Oils for Oral Health & Remedy Guide,” and… Discover How to Manage Bad Breath, Gingivitis, Cavitities, Sensitive Teeth & More with Essential Oils! |
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| Learn all you need to know to heal your mouth naturally and promote good, dental hygiene with essential oils… so you can protect that beautiful smile → Download, “Essential Oils for Oral Health & Remedy Guide,” HERE. Have a great weekend! |
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Mental Health MondayIn this week's MHM, I’m talking about another lesson I’ve learned from nature. It doesn’t rush, it doesn’t try to control, it doesn’t pressure itself. It is when I am surrounded by nature that I am reminded of how important it is to take a lesson from it, to slow down, to surrender our timeline, to trust that things are happening as and when they are meant to. Trying to heal from a place of tension and control is just going to make it more difficult. But, when we can slow down and be present, we open to the potential of our healing and the abundant ways to achieve it that surround us. Things that seemed impossible, now seem totally doable. Anxiety, fear, and stress are transformed into hope, joy, and faith. Chaos is replaced with peace.So, check out my newest MHM vlog below to learn about the benefit of slowing down, surrendering your timeline, and being present in your healing journey. Check it out on the Solis YouTube channel here |
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Resources: EventsWe are so intensely focused on our physical healing after a diagnosis that we often forget about the emotional healing that very often plays a role in our physical health. Old emotions we are holding onto and traumas that we are keeping at bay and have yet to heal cause us a lot of low-level stress that we may not even be aware of consciously. But you can bet your body is aware of it. And chronic stress has so many negative impacts on our health, not the least of which include lowered immunity and increased blood sugar and inflammation, cancer's best friends!If you haven't taken a look at the needs of your emotional healing yet, or you have but are struggling to heal and release old emotions and traumas (or new ones!), definitely check out the series below. It starts on July 19th and will follow the usual schedule of having some content available each day for 24 hours before the next is released. You can find out more and register below (you have to give them your email in order to receive the links to watch during the event, but you can always unsubscribe after the event is over). You can learn more and sign up to receive the daily links to watch here |
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Lessons Cancer Taught Me: Year 3In my first year after diagnosis, I started to have realizations about different things I was learning from cancer: ways I was changing, positive growth I was experiencing, and how my perspective on life was shifting. I started writing them down, and it is something that I continue today. I am currently sharing my lessons from year three in the Facebook group, so if you have missed any of them, visit the link below to see the most recent one, and then meander through the posts on the group wall or search "lessons" in the group's search bar to see the others. I will keep posting until I share them all. I hope they speak to you and help you find some pockets of light in your own darkness.Click here to read the most recent one on Facebook And if you don't have Facebook, click here to read the most recent one on Instagram |