Curiously Awesome

“The only limitations we have…are the belief of limitation.”

That is a powerful statement when you take a moment and really consider what this means or could mean for you. It’s easy and even tempting to allow yourself to slide into a passive lifestyle that just skims the surface of life…but all that can change…

I just watched an intriguing trailer to a new movie called What If? The Movie featuring Virginia Ellen.

I had read and heard that this was a movie that would push you to to new limits and force you to question many of the beliefs you hold dear…but I wasn’t prepared for the excitement I felt when I watched the trailer. That’s got to tell you something…when even a short trailer can create something that intense.

James Sinclair & LWI Pictures are attempting to redefine and challenge mainstream concepts of reality by asking “What if you held the key to unlocking the greatest discovery of mankind?”.

There are limitless possibilities and we can be inspired to follow our own innate awareness. This will allow unlimited abilities and incredible possibilities.

Prepared to be excited…watch the What If? The Movie Trailer here and see what you think. Are you ready to achieve miracles? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

New research concludes eating high-fat foods may disrupt your internal biological “clock” that mimics the 24-hour cycle of the turning of the Earth. The result could be health problems ranging from insomnia and obesity to even cancer.

The biological clock regulates the expression and/or activity of hormones and enzymes involved in sleep and metabolism. Although light is the strongest factor affecting the internal biological clock, it has recently been discovered that fat laden diets can also disturb circadian rhythms. In fact, recent evidence indicates that disruption of circadian rhythms can promote cancer in a variety of ways, including the rate at which some malignancies develop.

The recent studies indicate that eating a lot of fat could contribute to obesity because high-fat diets disrupt the phases and daily rhythm of clock genes. Researchers also suggest that eating a high-fat diet may affect other circadian rhythm-controlled systems associated with metabolic disorders.

The researchers say their findings may also explain why people who eat high-fat diets often have problems with blood pressure and insomnia.

By this time of the winter I start to feel like I am ready to escape from the long, cold winters we have where I live. As time goes by I have a harder and harder time tolerating the cold and snow and cold and ice and wind…I could do on and on. It just gets old!

When I think of a winter escape, somewhere far away and exotic typically comes to mind. In reality…it really doesn’t have to be far away and exotic, though. It can be easier and closer and still be a cure for the winter blahs.

Branson is easily within a day’s drive of where we live so my family really could do something like this! They have an appealing Hilton Branson Escape Package right now that is available at the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing and the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel. Both of these hotels have many amenities available for guests, including shops, boutiques, restaurants, a river walk and other attractions.

Branson itself is quite a destination and looks like it has something for everyone there. They have a lot of interesting winter events going on right now like The Third Annual Ice Carving, The 2009 Polar Plunge and The Second Anniversary of the Hilton Promenade. They also have great live entertainment and theaters. These hotels are located in close proximity to Branson’s golf courses, lakes, museums, theme parks and live entertainment theaters. Our family would definitely love the museums, the theme parks, and some of the live entertainment if we were to visit down there.

This would be a great cure for the winter blahs!

Evidence is mounting that Brussels sprouts keep the body free from cancer by promoting healthy DNA. DNA is responsible for cell division in the body. If DNA gets damaged cells can replicate faster than normal and this can cause cancer. Several studies reveal that Brussels sprouts have the ability to help protect DNA from damage.

The phytonutrients in Brussels sprouts have been shown to protect against heterocyclic amines. These are the carcinogenic compounds found in grilled and charbroiled meat. These carcinogens are particularly associated with colon cancer.

Research published in the International Journal of Cancer shows that Brussels sprouts protect against bladder cancer as well. Brussels sprout`s bladder cancer properties appear to come from their high levels isothiocyanates, which are potent anti-carcinogens. Isothiocyanates travel through the bladder to be excreted, making them particularly powerful against this form of cancer.

Sulforaphane is released by Brussels sprouts and has been proven to trigger the liver to produce enzymes that detoxify the body of cancer-causing chemicals They have been shown to inhibit chemically-induced breast cancers in animal studies.

Research at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle studied 1,000 men. Those who ate three or more servings of cruciferous vegetables each week had a 44% lower prostate cancer risk.

One of my very favorite grocery stores is Whole Foods Market. I don’t get to shop there very often, because the nearest one to me is about an hour away…but a trip to Whole Foods is my idea of a great excursion. Not only are the prices great, but I love so many of their items. We have our favorite crackers, I love their coffee and liquor departments, their deli is a great place to get a snack, the organic produce in their produce section is top notch, and visiting their meat department is how I stock my freezer for weeks and weeks. I seriously love this store.

This is why I was so excited to learn that Whole Foods Market is now running a podcast series covering natural health alternatives.

The topic of this month’s Whole Foods podcast is “The ABC’s of Supplements.”

There is so much misinformation about supplements out there. Many people are confused about supplements and are not sure how to choose what they need. Watching these podcasts will be a great way to educate yourself about supplements and much more. They will be covering the basics and answering common questions about various benefits and forms of supplements and lots more.

I will be a regular visitor…let me know if you will be too!

A vitamin D deficiency can cause many health problems, including many kinds of cancers, osteoporosis, depression, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular issues and others. Many health issues can be prevented by getting an adequate amount of vitamin D.

As many as 36% of all Americans are deficient in vitamin D.

Healthy individuals are often able to convert adequate sunlight exposure to vitamin D. This may not be the case for everyone, however.

A study was conducted by University of Wisconsin researchers on people who lived in Hawaii. The participants in the study spent an average of 11.1 hours in the sunlight per week. None of the participants in the study used any type of sunscreen.

Even though the people in this study received a great deal of sunlight exposure, 51% of them were deficient in vitamin D. The conclusion is that as the body ages its ability to convert sunlight to vitamin D through the skin is reduced.

Obese people are often vitamin D deficient. This is because these people store vitamin D in large amounts of body fat where it becomes inaccessible.

Whether people get their vitamin D from sunlight, vitamin supplements, foods rich in vitamin D, or some combination of these sources, no one should ignore the body’s need for this vital nutrient.

The economy is tightening up more and more every day. It can be a very frightening thing when you just aren’t sure exactly how you are going to make your money stretch throughout an entire month. We have been there more times than I care to remember…hopefully we won’t be revisiting this kind of financial situation personally…but honestly…I don’t think any of us can really predict how difficult things might get for each of us as we progress through these tough financial times. What can you do when you have mouths to feed, a mortgage to pay, and bills coming due? Not being able to meet these financial obligations can be overwhelmingly stressful. Many people are also in the position of having very little credit available to them now, too…so it just may seem like you have run out of options!

Though I think most people hate the thought of payday loans, it is nice to know that this service does exist for emergencies. We have never had to resort to taking out a quick easy payday loan, but having this available as an option is at least a little comforting.

Yellow Leaf Financial offers both payday loans and cash advances. They can help get you the cash you need when you need it fast.

There are an abundance of safe and natural home remedies that can be used to combat many of the ailments that are keeping you from looking your best.

Skin

Make a paste of honey, oatmeal, and egg white. Use as a daily face cleaner.

An exfoliating scrub can be made with sea salt mixed with olive oil. A little lemon juice can be added for a refreshing, cleansing scrub that will kill bacteria.

Eyes

Use cucumber slices to reduce swelling. They are also packed with silica which reduces inflammation. Put Chamomile tea bags over the eyes to reduce dark circles.

Hair

Rub sodium bicarbonate into the scalp instead of shampooing. This will get rid of dead skin on the scalp. Drench the hair in a mixture of egg yolk, olive oil, and the water from boiling potatoes afterward. Wrap in a towel and leave on for 30 minutes.

Lips

Use natural lip balms that won’t suck the moisture out and avoid flavored toothpastes. Drink plenty of water. Put some aloe vera juice on your lips. Vitamin A is important repairing the skin and also boosting the immune system. Carrots, tomatoes and green leafy vegetables are good sources of vitamin A.

Feet

For athletes food, combine one part white wine vinegar to four parts water and soak your feet for 20 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle some bicarbonate of soda between your toes and rinse your feet after fifteen minutes.

Warts

Garlic has been used successfully to treat warts. Rub a clove over the wart for as long as you can. You can then bandage the garlic to your skin and sleep with it. Do this regularly until you see the wart fall off.

Cellulite

Add some coffee powder to your moisturizing lotion. Rub this paste on the areas with cellulite for at least one minute for each day. The essential oils cedarwood, juniper, patchouli and rosemary are also effective to remove cellulite.

I have just become reacquainted with the coolest grant program that is open to any community group that wants to start or continue a garden in their community. The groups that are eligible to participate are groups like garden groups, schools, youth groups, community centers, camps, clubs, and treatment facilities. This is for groups only, not individuals…but isn’t this cool? Just think of how a community could benefit by being awarded one of these grants!

This program is called Fiskars Project Orange Thumb and by entering you may be the lucky recipient of a Project Orange Thumb grant of up to $1,000 in plants and up to $1,500 in Fiskars gardening tools. Isn’t this neat?

This year will be the sixth successful year that Project Orange Thumb has provided over 100 community groups with over $300,000 to use to create and develop their own special community gardens.

Don’t delay, though. There is a deadline for applying for this grant and it is February 17, 2009. This just goes to show that even in the dead of winter it is NOT too early to start preparing for spring!

A big thanks to these blogs for coming out on top for the month of December. I really appreciate you including Curiously Awesome in your daily (or almost daily) dropping. If you have a chance, I recommend checking these blogs out. I visit them daily and you’ll be glad you took a look. Thanks all!

60 Were Enough

Mrs. G

Lofty Matters

Mommy’s Little Corner

Merydith’s Place

Pinow Web Surfer

Altered Events

Melissas Homeschool

Couple’s Footprints

Photography by KML