There are so many reasons to eat clean but my favorite reason is this first one:

• 80% of what you look like is due to what you are eating

When I first heard this I was SHOCKED. I mean, I knew it was important to eat right but I had always believed that exercising was a lot more important than what I put in my mouth. So I decided to actually put it into practice and see what happened. I had been working out regularly for about 9 months but I hadn't really cleaned up my diet. I was getting all kinds of frustrated because in 9 months I lost a whopping....2 pounds...

Ahhhh...summer's here! Finally!

One of the things I like best about this season is the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. How wonderful to be able to get so much fresh, local produce and in such marvelous abundance.

I make a concerted effort to buy local as much as possible.  Local farmers depend on our support so they can keep doing what they do best - feeding all of us! Seek out ways to support all your local artisans. Purchase not just fruits and vegetables, but also local bread, meat, cheeses, wine, honey, whatever you can find. Here in Virginia I've found the most delicious local honey. Yummo!

Though it does sometimes mean going to a few places to get the items you want, it's totally worth the trip. It's so satisfying to know your dinner came from just a few miles away versus shipped across the country.

What's even better is growing your own fruits and vegetables. I applaud anyone who takes the time and effort to plant a garden. It's definitely a goal of mine.

Happy summer!!!!

Confused about which fish is safest to eat? When choosing which fish to eat, it's important to remember to make sensible seafood choices to help save our oceans and sea life. Below are some of the the best choices for fish. These are abundant, well managed and fished or farmed in environmentally friendly ways.

I've been making my own laundry detergent for several months now. I was prompted to do this because I realized how toxic commercial laundry detergents truly are. Besides being unbelievably high in artificial fragrances, laundry detergents contain a number of highly toxic chemicals. Here is a list of what you'll find in most everyday laundry detergents on your supermarket shelf:

• Linear alkyl sodium sulfonates (LAS): These are synthetic ingredients commonly listed as anionic surfectants. Carcinogenic and reproductive toxins such as benzene are released into the environment during the production of this chemical.
• Petroleum distillates: These chemicals have been linked to cancer, lung damage, and damage to mucous membranes.
• Phenols: This is rapidly absorbed and causes toxicity througout the entire body. Phenols, even at very low exposures, affect the central nervous system, heart, blood vessels, and lungs.
• Sodium hypochlorite: This is similar to chlorine, which is highly toxic and is linked to more household poisonings than any other chemical. It can cause reproductive, endocrine, and immune system disorders.
• Artificial fragrances: Many of these are made from petroleum and do not degrade in the environment. They can cause skin and eye irritation.

So what's the alternative? Homemade laundry detergent! I make it using Borax, washing soda, baking soda, and soap. And yes, it DOES get your clothes clean! So what exactly is Borax? Borax is made from the naturally occurring mineral sodium borate. It does not contain phosphates or chlorine. It is formed from repeated evaporation of seasonal lakes. Washing soda is simply soda ash which os neither toxic nor corrosive.

I am currently working on producing homemade detergent for purchase on this website. A clean lifestyle not only means eating clean but also living clean. This means using products that are natural, that don't contain harmful, toxic ingredients, and that are environmentally friendly.

What's even better is that it's actually cheaper to buy the ingredients to make it myself than to purchase highly toxic commercial detergents.

I'd love to hear from everyone on this. Please e-mail me or post a comment below this article.

I love it when I come across information like this because it shows how misleading food labels can be.

Apparently, when you buy prepackaged beef that has labels like " all natural beef" or "no antibiotics ever", what it actually means is that  no hormones or antibiotics are used in the processing of the meat. WHAT??? In other words, no antibiotics or hormones are used when they cut up and and package the meat! Talk about false advertising!!!!

This beef label decoder analyzes certifications for beef in 5 categories:

Here are some tips on how to keep your immune system healthy without resorting to vaccinations:

• Avoid sugar and processed foods - sugar hampers the immune system
• Increase your intake of Omega 3 fatty acids
• Get plenty of sleep - fatigue hampers the body from it's ability to fight off infections
• Find ways to reduce stress in your life
• Increase your vitamin D levels - one great way to do this is to spend some time outdoors every day
• Exercise - this helps to increase circulation which helps your immune system to function more effectively
• Wash your hands - this simple yet effective step helps to stop the spread of viruses

Let's all try to stay healthy this holiday season!