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Showing posts with label superfood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label superfood. Show all posts

Monday, June 24, 2013

Navitas Natural's Coconut water


You guys have read my feelings on coconut oil... and Navitas Naturals ( a company with organic products that are super healthy and delicious!) & now I am finally getting around to talking about Navitas Naturals' Coconut Water.

Above is a photo of the coconut water powder in a spoon, just so you can see what it looks like. Below is also the coconut water powder in a spoon. Hey, I get picture happy.




I'll discuss the taste of Navitas Naturals' Coconut Water and how to use it & then we'll talk the benefits!

Now, I've tried coconut water before, but never in powder form. I tried it straight from a can -- two different brands, both from a gas station. This was my first time trying it in its organic, actually healthy form.

How to Use Coconut Water powder

The Coconut Water Powder from Navitas Naturals -- an awesome superfood company -- is super easy to use because you can just mix your serving into a bottle of water & go! I like that. It comes in the little re-sealable bag, shown above, so it's very convenient. You just dump it in your water, then stir. The recommended serving is one tablespoon, but I really like adding two to a full bottle of water because I like the taste of it to be stronger. One tablespoon isn't strong, so it's very easy to drink for those who don't like a strong coconutty flavor.

The good thing about Navitas Naturals' coconut powder is that it's fine & dissolves well. It doesn't clump up, even if mixed into really cold water. I mention that because I'm a cold-beverage kind of girl and even like my coffee cold, but often times any kind of powder stuff you need to mix into water ends up being clumpy and not mixing unless you do it in warm water. It's pretty common for me to be drinking the floating clumps of my coffee or wheat grass by scooping the clumped formation from the very top of my dang water! Thankfully, the coconut powder dissolves right away. Sometimes, I'll just put the lid back on my bottle and give it a shake. No clumpy surprises. It does turn the water cloudy, which is normal because it's a white powder -- you know, coconuts are white inside. 

And if you've tried things like coconut oil before & were super grossed out by the taste or consistency, don't worry. The coconut water is not oily like that. It's like drinking a coconut-flavored water.

 You can also mix it into smoothies, shakes, etc, which I think is ahh-mazing! It makes a super delicious smoothie & works with any flavor, especially pina-colada since it blends right in. I also drink it just in water too, for the lovely, quick benefits. I have gone in-depth about the benefits of coconut water before, but will also try and list them all again here, but forgive me if I miss some of them because coconut water has a ton of health benefits.

Where it comes from
"Navitas Coconut Powder is made from the juices found inside fresh, organic coconuts. The electrolyte-rich liquid inside the coconut has been removed and freeze-dried to preserve the flavor and nutrients in the powder."


  • Each serving is only 35 calories.
  • Navitas Naturals' coconut powder is certified organic, vegan, kosher, gluten free.
  • Contains minerals, vitamins & enzymes.
  • Is one of the best sources for hydration!
  • Perfect for boosting the immune system.
  • Contains electrolytes.
  • Coconut water is low in sugar content & the sugar in it is natural.
The Taste
I have to admit, what I've heard about coconut water being one of the most refreshing drinks you'll ever drink is true. Especially when it's very cold. It's really a unique kind of taste. It's not super sweet, at all. In fact, it has a slight salty taste, but is totally tolerable. Like I said, the best way I know to describe it is as a lightly coconut-flavored water. It isn't milky tasting, but you can add your own stuff to make it that way! Again, pina-colada drink plus the coconut powder -- talk about yum!

Oh, and if you don't love the flavor of coconut or wouldn't love the taste mixed with other things like to create the pina-colada flavor, Navitas Naturals also carries it in chocolate flavor!


Now let's talk the health benefits! If you guys read my post like a whole year ago ( I done serious research on the benefits of coconut water, and they are quite impressive!) then you already know these things, but it can't hurt to re-know em!

 Coconut water is very high in potassium, containing even more than a banana at anywhere from 259-569 milligrams of the stuff, & low in calories. Potassium is an electrolyte said to promote heart, liver and kidney health as well as overall cellular function.

Coconut water also contains magnesium, phosphorous, sodium and calcium -- all electrolytes.  It's said to replace electrolytes even better (and safer!) than sports drinks.

Drinking coconut water can contribute to internal health of hair and skin too. It's also a natural anti-bacterial, which is one reason I was so happy to be drinking the stuff as you guys know I've dealt with IBS & endometriosis on and off & I happen to believe that IBS is a cause of candidiasis (candida albicans) and it absolutely can be gotten rid of. I'm proof of that, but since recovering greatly from both IBS & endometriosis, I've also had two flare ups, neither anywhere near as bad as what I'd lived with for so many years. I know how to get it under control now. One of my flare-ups were due to my dentist putting me on antibiotics for over 12 months without a single break in betwee! 12 months! If you guys know what antibiotics does to your body (and gut) then you can imagine how 12 months of them put me straight back into a horrible fit of the IBS. But I've talked and talked and talked about my story dealing with both, so I will spare the details here & be brief.

It contains monolaurin, which is an anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-prozoal monoglyceride that is used to kill lipid coated viruses such as HIV, herpes, flu, and other pathogenic bacteria. So during flu-season, remember coconut water. Coconut water, cinnamon and honey should work serious wonders during those sickly times of the year. I used them both during this winter -- religiously and was the only person besides my lovie, who also was taking these things (plus some herbs) in my entire family who did not get sick this year. Guess mom and dad and the sisters should'a followed the plan. 

My most recent flare up was within the last several months. I've had more than just a few days of that crappy, hours of pain I used to have when I was very sick with the two conditions. You guys also already know that I've used aloe vera to treat these conditions as well. So, combining another anti-bacterial such as coconut water, was definitely the right path for me. Not to mention I could certain use a boost for my kidneys since I've been taking serious amounts of calcium & well, who couldn't use good heart health?

Okay, so my problems aside. Here are some more things coconut water does:
  • -Studies have shown that drinking coconut water lowers blood pressure in 71% of people. (Source: coconutwaterlife.com)
This is why my mom started drinking the coconut water -- for blood pressure. 

Now this is something I find so interesting & have shared it before, but must do so again: Coconut water is almost identical to our blood plasma and can actually be used as a replacement, and in fact, it was -- during WWII when badly wounded soldiers needed transfusions, coconut water was given intraveneously!
  • Coconut water also contains antioxidants, which have anti-aging benefits, and we all know I love to anti-age! Antioxidants do a lot for your health besides anti-age you, though.
  • Coconut water is also a good way to get some of the nutrients needed when you're not consuming a lot of fruits and vegetables. 
  • Coconut water has long been said to be one of the most refreshing drinks. It's also been said that it hydrates even better than water.
  • Combined with olive oil, coconut water can kill intestinal parasites. Not to freak y'all out but according to Applied Ozone Systems, over 700 million people have parasites. And not to make you even more freaked out, but parasites can live in the intestines for years without us knowing. There are symptoms such as bloating, gas, abdominal pain, diarrhea, etc. but even conditions such as IBS have those exact same symptoms, so it's my thinking (or my fear) that just being safe and doing certain things to kill off anything bad that might be startin' up a life in there is best. And it's not that big of a deal, you can definitely keep things like this under check.

  • Consuming coconut water on a regular basis can relieve urinary problems.
  • Coconut water consumption can also cause acne, scars and other skin problems to clear away. This I've experienced myself.
  • Some use coconut water to help with hang-overs!
*If you guys do want to read more of what I posted in the past after doing research on coconut water, you can read a little more here.







Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Organic Perfect 3 Grass Blend Review

Perfect 3 Grass Blend is a blend of powdered wheatgrass, barley grass and oatgrass in powder form. It's organic and fermented. Perfect 3 Grass Blend comes from Perfect Supplements. Perfect Supplements has a variety of similar products, all organic and very health-beneficial. 

As someone who's tried a few different types of wheatgrass and one brand of barley grass, I have found my preference when it comes to a wheatgrass product & I am happy to say, there's nothing like the Perfect 3 Grass Blend. One reason I love it is because, unlike other wheatgrasses and barley grasses, you have three different grasses in one tub, so it's like triple the health benefits. Although there's plenty to love about Perfect Supplements' wheatgrass, barley grass and oat grass blend -- all of which I'll be sure to include in this post -- I also love that it's USDA Certified Organic. It's also fermented (this is great for the digestive system), which is something I've never encountered with a wheatgrass/barley grass/oat grass supplement before. Another great thing is it's gluten-free and vegan!

Perfect Supplements' Perfect 3 Grass Blend is unique in comparison to any I've ever tried & I feel it's far more effective for my health needs than anything else.

Above is a photo of the tub of Perfect 3 Grass Blend. As you see, it comes in a nice little tub with a twist-on lid. It also comes with a little scooper inside! I loved that because it really makes it more convenient & it's easier to just add a scoop (or two, depending on how much you're using) to your drink without having to measure out. 

  Also, if I'm travelling, although the tub isn't tiny, I can fit the entire thing in my bag & just grab it, open the lid and add a scoop into my drink on the go. 

  The tub contains 180 grams of the Perfect 3 Grass Blend. 






I've taken photos to show the Perfect 3 Grass Blend powder. It's very fine. In fact, it's the finest wheatgrass or barley grass powder I have ever used. Being so fine, it dissolves easily in your drink.




As recommended on the jar, you take 1-2 scoops of the Perfect Three Grass Blend daily to juice, water or a smoothie or other beverage. 

I personally like it cold! I get a bottle of filtered, cold water & add a scoop, then shake the bottle well. It's usually dissolved and mixed in quickly.

I also like to add a scoop to a smoothie or milkshake. I find that it's really filling and tastier that way. It gives a nice, clean & fresh taste to a milkshake or smoothie. I think it could also be added to yogurt, which would also probably go down easily. I've even heard of people adding it to their cereal. 

A lot of times, I will get just less than half a scoop & dump it into my mouth -- just the Perfect 3 Blend powder straight, not mixed into anything. I actually started doing this for my teeth -- because I had a toothache & dental issues & since it's so good for both relieving tooth pain and dental health, one day I decided to hold the wheatgrass powder in my mouth. Now, I do that pretty often using the Perfect 3 Grass Blend. I did it in the past with other wheatgrass, but found it very hard to handle. I  either developed more of a tolerance to it or something changed because it's almost a daily habit for me to just put it straight into my mouth. I will leave it in there to mix with my saliva for a minute, then swallow with something to drink. 

Surprisingly, it actually goes down really well. You could even dump a little on the middle of your tongue, then swallow with a drink just like you would with a BC or Goody's powder. 

I once read that swishing the wheatgrass juice around in your mouth for 30 seconds before swallowing was supposed to be good because of the enzymes in your saliva or something. So this is one reason I like to do that. 

Also, I love the totally clean feeling left over in my mouth after holding in the Perfect 3 Grass Blend! Seriously. You would think it'd leave a nasty taste or something, but it actually leaves my tongue feeling deeply cleaned. Plus, it's amazing for bad breath! Coffee tongue? Hold in some Perfect 3 Grass Blend & follow with some water & your breath is good to go.

Taste

As can be expected, the Perfect Three Grass Blend does taste a lot like wheatgrass, if you've ever had it. I find that Barley grass taste almost identical to wheatgrass, but the Perfect 3 Blend, as I've said, is a combination of barley, wheat grass and oat grass. 

I'll admit, my first response when I tried the Perfect 3 Grass Blend was "it smells & tastes like a freshly mowed lawn." Yum. I happened to love the smell of a freshly mowed lawn. But all wheatgrass juices taste like a freshly mowed lawn. Your breath, however, won't smell like grass. As I said, it leaves your breath smelling fresh. It's a great remedy for bad breath.

Some people say it's an acquired taste. I tend to think most people can easily get used to the taste of wheatgrass to the point of enjoying it & even looking forward to a wheatgrass juice made with the powder. Just like black coffee. After a while of drinking coffee, most people tend to enjoy the taste and look forward to a cup. The same thing happened to me with the Perfect Three Blend. I look forward to drinking it everyday. I like how it makes me feel & the health benefits and eventually, the process of drinking it just became enjoyable.

As for those who aren't really into the taste yet or just can't enjoy it, mixing it into something else like a thick drink -- smoothies, milkshakes, etc. should do the trick.

I've done some experimenting and found that the taste does seem to be masked somewhat by a strong tea.

You can also experiment with adding it to foods, so I hear. I've seen a wheatgrass+guacamole recipe online that sounds pretty tasty!  There are also loads of different smoothie recipes online for wheatgrass & the Perfect Three Grass Blend can be used in the same way you would with those wheatgrass smoothie recipes.

I've seen where you can even add it into energy bars and salads as well. 

And yet another interesting thing I've yet to try, but want to -- cranberry juice + wheatgrass. It's supposed to be a great detox drink. I think you just add in the Perfect 3 Grass Blend to cranberry juice & you're good to go. Just be sure the cranberry juice you're using isn't loaded down with sugars and junk.

*If any of you happen to be interested in more detailed recipes for foods/drinks with Perfect Three Grass Blend, do let me know & I will do a whole post on that!*

Supplement Facts on the label



                    Barley Grass Benefits


-Can improve MS symptoms, osteoporosis, arthritis and many more.
-Help recover faster from injuries such as bone fractures.
-Detoxifies the body and blood of things like common pesticides.
-Lowers cholesterol.
-Decreases pain and inflammation greatly
-Improves varicose veins, blood count, stamina, immune function and endurance.
-Gives you a sense of well-being and happiness.
-Increases libido
-Builds blood                         
-Decreases body odor!
Contains rich source of chlorophyll.
-Decreases respiratory congestion & can improve conditions such as asthma.
-Increases muscle function.

                    Oat  Grass  Benefits

-Strengthens bones, which also means it strengthens teeth, which is one reason I adore the Perfect 3 Blend! It’s amazing for my dental needs as well as my overall health.

 -Rich in antioxidants

-Balances body’s pH, which as I’ve said earlier, in a pH balanced body, apparently disease is a lot less likely to occur.

-Removes chemical neurotoxins from the body (the chlorophyll in the Perfect 3 Blend is responsible for this awesome action.)

-Chlorophyll is also known to have powerful healing properties for the entire body. If you just read up on people’s personal stories online, you’ll be totally shocked to hear what all they’ve healed by changing their lifestyle some & using wheatgrass, oat grass and or barley grass. All three together are truly nothing short of amazing!

- Chlorophyll works gently in our blood stream to support the production of red blood cells.

-Fights inflammation, aging, fatigue and disease. Wheatgrass, oat grass and barley grass all have these properties!

All three together, clearly, have so many benefits that it's impossible to list them all. Wheatgrass as well as the other two reduce bloating, which is something I'm so grateful for! I have severe bloating, which is uncomfortable & the Perfect 3 Grass Blend prevents it. It also helps immensly with all digestive issues. I've noticed a difference in my own. It's helpful for IBS as well, which is something I have struggled to keep away since I recovered from my severe case of it. 

*More about my personal experience with wheatgrasses & Perfect Supplements*

I've talked about using wheatgrass in the past. I've used many different brands and had a huge variety of effects, but I can honestly say, none has affected me just the way this Perfect 3 Blend has, and I was shocked at how quickly I seen results -- I'll describe what results in a moment.

What got me interested in wheatgrass in the first place was to help the severe IBS and endometriosis I was suffering from a couple years ago. It tried some wheatgrass tablets first & was taking them just as the bottle directed & began to experience negative stuff. This can happen when your body is toxic. When it detoxes, things happen. This is why it's okay to take it slow and start off with a small amount, then work your way up. However, unless you have a very toxic body, I don't think you would experience icky effects from Perfect 3 Grass Blend.

After taking those tablets I mentioned trying a while back, I didn't feel anything different. No energy or decreased symptoms/pain. No change in my foggy headedness, dizziness, migraines, bloating, cramps or anything. Nothing changed at all, even months after continuing with those tablets. I gave up. Then tried other tablets with similar results -- nearly nothing! Gave up again, only to go and try a different brand that was powder, like the Perfect 3 Blend that you drink. Then tried 2 more brands. I didn't experience any great healing.

Now, a few years after my first wheatgrass experiences, I've also made big changes to my "lifestyle choices." I try to drink around 3 cups of water daily, I eat healthier, although I eat little and really have an extremely hard time getting enough of the needed vitamins and minerals. So this is why I feel so intensely about this Perfect 3 Blend -- it gives me all these things that I don't get enough of in my day.

Although I try to eat a lot of greens throughout the week -- spinach, green peppers, potatoes, lettuce, black olives, cucumbers, etc. Those are the ones I eat most. They're beneficial, but don't give me everything I need. I also don't get enough fruits either.

On days when I know I've not eaten enough of what my body needs, I'll have extra Perfect Three Grass Blend. I love that it has taken a lot of stress off me about trying to get every single mineral, vitamin and nutrient I need. It can be really hard to get everything needed & to be honest, it gets expensive trying to eat healthy and avoid the stupid pesticides, chemicals and other crap that ruin what we need in the foods we get.

Some reasons I am using Perfect 3 Grass Blend
So that is a main reason I'm trying to keep using the Perfect 3 Grass Blend on a daily basis. Other reasons include prevention (of disease, common ailments like flu, colds and other illness as well as free radicals and all that stuff that can cause us future health problems.) Detoxification is another big reason. I've talked a lot  on my blog about my own health battles -- the IBS, endometriosis, vaccines and dental issues -- and I've been diligent in sharing everything with you guys. Vaccines and just everyday foods and such put toxins and heavy metals and crap into our bodies that cause serious problems on a daily basis as well as serious health problems for our future. I desperately needed to get all that out of my body. Almost a full year of antibiotics, vaccines that were literally pushed on me by my doctor, vaccines that have been causing me real bad problems recently & are very harmful (Gardasil, to be exact) and the dental stuff all combined with the daily crud. Those had to go in order for me to get my health back on track. I had to start "detoxing" it. I could tell I was in toxic overload! Especially with all the symptoms I was having. 

I started using the Perfect 3 Grass Blend about 2 or more weeks ago. I can't be exact, but it was maybe 3 weeks at the most. I started with one scoop daily & have worked my way up to 2 scoops (sometimes more) daily. Never have I had a single negative side effect from the Perfect 3 Grass Blend. Other wheatgrass products I've used have seemed to give me headaches, stomach upset, etc. I've experienced nothing of the sort with the Perfect 3.

I did start experiencing a change in my digestive system stuff. You guys know I started taking aloe vera internally (straight from my plant) for the endometriosis and IBS. I don't do it daily, but on a more as-needed basis like when I notice the IBS "coming back" due to certain foods, exposure to crud, etc. I started having the intense crams associated with both IBS and endometriosis again a few months ago as well as a lot of other symptoms associated with IBS as well as the vaccines I got. 

I haven't had any of the regular stomach problems in over a week, the cramps aren't happening & I feel what they call a "sense of well-being." I wake up energetic and ready to get things done. It's amazing, really. And I started noticing these effects not 2 weeks into taking the Perfect 3 Grass Blend. At first, I noticed a little extra energy upon waking, less migraines upon waking and better sleeping, which I don't know if it's a benefit from the Perfect 3 or not. I have been doing twice as much activity as I had been & I actually feel totally fine. I actually feel like doing strenous activity and doing work that requires me to put some muscle into it without getting beat. I'd never experienced this stuff when I was using the wheatgrass supplements I talked about. I think part of it is due to the Perfect 3 Blend containing all three and not just one.

Something else I've noticed -- a slight decrease in cravings. I love my sweets and can sometimes get into those moods once a month where I just keep wanting to eat all kinds of stuff. I don't know if I'm just not in that "mood" the past few weeks or if the Perfect 3 has actually somewhat knocked out all those crazy cravings, but I like it! I don't like feeling desperate for chocolate. Sweets are nice & I won't turn down my peanut butter or white chocoloate chip macadamia nut cookies, but it's nice not to feel like I must have something sweet. I hope this is an effect of the Perfect 3 Grass Blend because I would love to continue feeling this way, not desperately craving sweets. I do want sweets, but it's not near as intense as it was.

As I said, I have been really shocked at how noticeable these results are for me. I've not had this happen before, so I didn't expect to notice anything big, especially this soon. I figured maybe I'd feel a little better energy wise and be less loaded down with toxins after a month, but I didn't expect to feel good all over.

Oh, and I can't forget the teeth! I have a root canal that my dentist didn't cap & three teeth he temporarily filled over a year ago &  they do often cause me some pain. Remember my posts about when I quit using toothpaste & made all those changes & stuff? Well, I do still feel some discomfort in those teeth, so a week ago, it flared up and was giving me some minor problems & I took some of the Perfect 3 Grass Blend, held it in my mouth on the tooth twice that day & have been great ever since! 

That reminds me, I also oil-pull using sunflower oil & on an oil-pulling forum I read often, someone said they used wheatgrass with a small amount of water similar as you would with oil-pulling. They just swished it in their mouth everyday and said it made huge differences for their teeth & even for cavities! I have read so much about people saying their cavities are better or even gone from using wheatgrass. This is something I also hope to accomplish -- better dental health. 

Besides the Perfect 3 Grass Blend, I have been working to make sure I drink plenty of water, I've added some seabuckthorn oil into my diet  & am also incorporating some MSM into my diet for a little while -- to help further detox, especially due to the vaccine I recently had. I think it will work wonderfully while using the Perfect 3 Blend together to give me even better results, extra detox & better sleep. 

I know this is really lengthy, but you guys know me. When I get excited about something, I get carried away & I like to include everything I can about something I love & I didn't want to leave out any detail on this one! Even still, I know I've not included every single health benefit there is to be had with the Perfect 3 Grass Blend. I am sure there will be more benefits to come as I keep using the Perfect 3 Blend, so if you guys are interested, I'll do updates as I continue. If you have questions, I'm happy to try and answer them, as always & I love hearing from ya'll too!


 
More about the company Perfect Supplements

As you can tell, I'm super impressed with the company and the Perfect 3 Grass Blend. I wanted to share more about the company, though and some great things about Perfect Supplements:

Perfect Supplements products consist of pure and natural ingredients that are USDA Certified & backed by scientific research. They contain no chemical additives, preservatives, toxic pesticides, animal product fertilizers.The ingredients are wild-harvested or organic. They're also free from fillers, flow agents and artificial ingredients such as magnesium, stearate, silica or rice. The ingredients in Perfect Supplements' ingredients are fairly traded and their suppliers comply with ethical labor standards. 

All of their products  comply with Good Manufacturing Processes (GMP). Perfect Supplements are also accredited with the BBB. They have a 100% money back guarantee and their products are lab-tested for highest quality ingredients.

This is something else awesome about Perfect Supplements, their vow: "We vow to never profit at the expense of another human being."

UPDATE:

This isn't a huge update, but I just found out something pretty darn interesting and couldn't resist. Be forewarned though, this could gross you out! I have been good and refrained from being too gross on my blog. I've talked about private parts and irritable bowels, but I have always stopped there. I've never gone so far as to really talk about poop & I never thought I'd see this day, but guys. I have to talk about it. I know, it's disgusting & I'm gross. 

I just wanted to say, though, that due to the chlorophyll content in this magnificent 3 Grass Blend,  you very well could notice that your... waste... is suddenly very green! I say this because, um.. well,... um.. My, uh, my friend. She had been using the Perfect 3 Grass Blend and just a while ago, noticed that her poop is very bright green. Not an icky green, either. A bright, bright green! It's pretty interesting, actually. But when my uh, friend told me this, I had to come make an update here. So, if you happen to try the Perfect 3 Blend and notice green in the toilet bowl, don't freak. It's due to the chlorophyll content. There are other reasons for green colored stuff ("stuff is a nicer word than poop, so we'll call it that) such as iron or due to your "stuff" passing quickly through the intestines or something. 

It's been two days since I published this review (I published it on the 18th, so today is the 20th) and my uh, friend didn't notice any changes in her... stuff until tonight. It could be because she upped her intake of the Perfect 3 Blend last night to about 1-1/2 more scoops than she'd been taking. No big deal and no other changes besides the color in the ... stuff. Just thought I'd share that! It was strange because I'd never heard of wheatgrass or oatgrass or barley grass causing your stuff to turn green, so it was surprising. I've also taken other wheat grass and barley grass supplements in the past (I mentioned this earlier in this post) and never noticed any green stuff myself.