The "bloom"!!

With the winds blowing and the temps moving up and down radically there has been a large number of folks coming through with bronchitis and the "crud" :( I call these afflictions "blooms". When you feel like your whole head and bronchial area has been overcome by heaviness and sometimes this is accompanied by drooping of the sinuses. At the first signs start the cayenne powder (a pinch or more) over any beverage (especially good over lemon water). Grab your oregano oil and place 5 drops into a glass of water and drink as often as needed or grab your capsules and take them as often as needed one at  a time. Cayenne binds to mucous and increases body temperature. Oregano aids in opening, clearing and killing bacteria :) After the one two punch start your fenugreek for the congestion ( best done in liquid but can be done in capsule). Fenugreek can be taken liberally and will work quickly. If the lungs are the main concern then add in mullein or our wonderful combo Wild Indian Cherry Bark Syrup by Planetary Formulas. Create yourself a medicine cabinet with these items...it will only benefit you in the future. As back-ups buy yourself the CB from Liddell Laboratories and ScH from the same company. These products are homeopathic and are easy to travel with and are very fast effective. When you ask what I do for my family this is it. When it comes to the bloom it is best to throw down the offensive! Stay well out there and arm yourself.

Chickpea and Potato Curry *with your produce box*

2 1/2 cups of water with 2 tsp of sea salt
14 oz of stewed tomatoes or tomato sauce
16oz chickpeas (soaked for 8 hrs or canned)
3 Russet potatoes (sliced and quartered)
1 md vidalia onion
1tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp ginger
1 tbsp curry
1 tbsp cumin
2 tsp salt
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cayenne (or to taste)

Place in pot and simmer for 35 minutes or until tender :) Simple Simple! Place over steamed green beans (from your produce box) and Red jasmine rice!

Fat Metabolism and the waist line

With summer right around the corner and spring break behind us it's time to get serious about the extra cells around the waist line. Besides summer we have to be aware of the increased risk of heart disease with extra weight around the heart. There are several methods and foods that can be consumed and avoided to help our progress. We know that a diet rich in whole grains, plant beased proteins and fat metabolising fruits and veggies can be a big and enjoyable help. There is also a lot of buzz going around about the HCG Diet and supplement. I have seen rapid results with this and we have the product for under $40. For those of you not too keen on the restrictions to the diet and or the use of hormones to facilitate weight loss, here is another option. Fat is utilized for energy when we consume the right kinds and amounts. When we work out if we maintain an aerobic heartrate and are not breathless then we are burning fat :) If we become breathless we are burning glucose (simple enough?). I am currently using a product called Fat Metabolism Factors (FMF )by Michael's Naturopathic Formulas and love how it has helped me spur my burning forward. FMF has a blend of herbs and amino acids specific to lipid metabolism and emulsification. If you have a sluggish liver or gall bladder, have high cholesterol or have some extra weight around the mid section, you have choices! Enjoy yourself a grapefruit or some lemon in your water! Enjoy a brisk walk or slow jog around your block! After your Aerobic cardio do some strength training to firm up and build muscle that will burn fat while you rest :) Definitely come by Clear Conscience Natural Market and we can help you out!

What's for dinner??!

How about cooking up some organic quinoa (takes 20 minutes and we use a 2-1 water to grain ratio) pressure cooking some pinto beans (soak them for 8 hours or slightly less with Kombu then cook on high for 14 minutes) and while those two items are cooking themselves steam some tempeh for ten minutes and then throw it in a pan with coconut oil, tamari and some Snap Dragon venaigarette! This is one of the simplest and tastiest dinners you could provide for your family. They'll love it and you'll be shocked at how quickly it throws together. If you don't have a pressure cooker and the beans sound too complicated then use the tempeh as your primary protein. Tempeh is fermented soybeans, easy to digest and will take on any flavor you want it to. We added the Java Ginger Sesame venaigarette and the flavor was divine!! You only need to cook the tempeh for 2-3 minutes on either side and we cubed it to soak up more of the flavor. Come by Clear Conscience Natural Market and we can help you gather all of the ingredients!!

Sprouts: Grow 'em Eat 'em Love 'em

Those of you who frequent the store know that we love our sprouts. We sell the jars and an abundance of seeds to sprout. Do you realize how easy it is to do?? You start with a simple bean or seed. Soak the chosen one overnight. Keep the sprouts in a dark, warm place (you can keep them in the kitchen under a small towel if you need to). The next morning rinse. Rinse again in the evening. Rinse them twice a day for two to three days. On the third day (for most items) place them in the sun and let the chlorophyll rise to the top :) Even for someone without a green thumb, sprouts are easy and fulfilling. For an added benefit try soaking the beans or seeds with kombu. Kombu helps in breaking down the enzyme inhibitors naturally occurring in beans, seeds, nuts and grains. Enjoy your sprouts on, or with, everything. They are nutrient dense and easy to assimilate!

http://www.sprouts-as-medicine.com/   Quick read :)

Beaming with Gratitude!!

Today we we're apprised that our awesome customer base had voted us as Reader's Choice by Around Canton magazine :) What an amazing, unexpected surprise. Our Clear Conscience family is so grateful to all of our customers, Thank you! With all of the ups and downs you have stuck with us. When we had issues with our AC you still came! When our computer died you were patient! When we moved our location you dealt with the chaos! From our standpoint you all deserve this award just as well :) It is our pleasure to continue offering you the best customer service available in Canton and Cherokee county!!! We look forward to many more years of serving you the best products and education here at Clear Conscience.  Thanks go out to all of you!!

Spring Break is only the beginning of the season

I hear it more than once per day: "I need to lose a few pounds to wear my bathing suit this year!" . This is a loaded statement. To lose those stubborn pounds you need some radical changes. These changes are best done slowly to minimize stress on the body and your mind. Here's where you start: eliminate some key ingredients from the food you eat, exercise more and take supplements that will compliment the changes you are making. Ingredients that should be avoided are typically the ones found in packaged goods (the ones you've all be warned about). High fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, white sugar, white flour, aspartame, acefulmae K, sucralose (splenda) and artificial colors (they'll wire your mind and then drop you hard!). Exercising a minimum of 30 minutes 4 days per week. Supplementation should match your dietary changes and exercising. Take a good multi vitamin/mineral, geared for your gender. Take your fatty acids (fish oil, flax or a combo). Pick an antioxidant (like astaxanthan) to offset the oxidative stress from increased activity.

After you have made the commitment to change,  make sure you stay motivated. Remember you goal! Set your intention and keep it! If you get distraught don't hesitate to ask for support. Jessie , here at Clear Conscience, has helped numerous people get to where they want to be. She's not a pusher of diet products but knows the ones that could give you the edge.

Now... get started!!   :)