Blog - Ancestral Nutrition

Blog June 13, 2014

The Healthiest Protein Shake

I’ve written about Herbalife. I’ve also written about Isagenix. Ditto with Advocare. I get at least one email a day asking me to review a new protein/meal replacement shake, one that promises it’s all natural (which means nothing), one that promises it will finally give you the body you want, one that promises it’s the best protein source for your body. And without fail, every single one has been just another protein shake with fifty thousand ingredients that are meant to sit on your shelf for months at a time and not decompose. Ever heard the saying If it spoils, eat it. If it doesn’t, don’t? For the most part, that’s a pretty good rule of thumb. You know would happen if you left my version of protein shake in your cupboard for weeks or months? Nothin’ good. Because it’s from real food. Because it’s from fresh ingredients that the body…

Acne June 12, 2014

My Essential Oil Routine – How To Use Essential Oils Everyday For Health and Happiness

First things first, I’m prone to both acne and anxiety. I’m very lucky like that (just kidding, I really am a lucky person). But because of these two things that are so prevalent in my daily life, I have to take active steps to keep both of them at bay. Truth be told, I could take medications for these things that treat the symptoms but not the actual problem. Instead, I choose to use essential oils – which treat both the root cause and the symptoms. Win, win! Here’s my daily routine: Morning I rarely shower in the morning, how dirty am I getting while I sleep? Because of my skin cleansing process, I wake up with balanced skin. I wash my face with water, apply a toner and a moisturizer. You can see my full routine here. I apply my deodorant, which is amazing and is the only natural deodorant that keeps…

Blog June 6, 2014

How To Detox Using Essential Oils

In the months before I got married, I can’t tell you how many women I heard were hopping on the trendy detox train. These are literally things I’ve been told, or I heard when eavesdropping: “I’m doing a three-day juice cleanse before my wedding. I’m not going to eat a single thing until we’re served dinner at the reception.” Good luck with that, lady. Not only are you starving yourself, you’re going to be eating a ton of sugar which will make you break out. You’re only going to be thinking about food and oh yeah, YOU’RE LITERALLY STARVING. “I’m only eating raw fruits and veggies the week before my wedding.” Why in the world would you do that? Again, this is just another form of starvation. Not only are you likely going to become very bloated and constipated, if you’re not eating any fat then you aren’t even absorbing…

Blog June 4, 2014

Five Ways To Heal A UTI Without Antibiotics

A urinary tract infection occurs when harmful germs enter the urethra. The germs travel up the urethra and into the bladder, causing an infection. If left untreated the infection can travel to the kidneys, causing serious damage. UTIs are incredibly common and are not fun. They can cause intense pain and discomfort. If you go to your doctor suffering from a UTI, they’ll undoubtedly hand you a prescription for antibiotics. The problem with this is that antibiotics are not selective in the bacteria they destroy, which means they kill both the bad and good bacteria. It can take years for your body to recover from antibiotics and rebuild beneficial gut flora. A lack of this good gut flora leads to even more susceptibility to infection, mood disorders and a suppressed immune system. Not to mention the fact that the overprescription of antibiotics is causing bacteria to mutate and create superbugs.…

Acne May 30, 2014

The Best Essential Oils For Acne

If you’re new to AN, you can read about my skin issues here. Basically, I started getting acne in fourth grade and it didn’t stop until my early twenties when I finally figured out that acne is an internal issue, and how to properly take care of my skin externally. When I say I had skin issues, I don’t mean a few breakouts here and there. I have deep, painful, cystic acne. Like most people who suffer from troubled skin, I had some pretty intense internal issues that I needed to take care of. I was dealing with gut issues, inflammation, high blood sugar and a lack of beneficial gut flora. All of this combined with the fact that I was trying everything under the sun (and I mean everything from creams to pills to spot treatments) just exacerbated my skin issues. I didn’t know that this was an internal issue, I…

Blog May 27, 2014

How To Get Rid Of Dry, Damaged Hair Naturally

I’ve had long hair for most of my life. Some people are short haired people. It’s easier to manage, they look super cute with a short, framed cut, they can pull it off. I am not one of those people. I cut my hair to shoulder length once and it honestly looked terrible. My face and shape is just not cut out for short hair. But one thing inevitably comes with growing your hair out and having long locks: dryness. Especially if you regularly use heating tools. Last week I wrote about my greasy roots and dry ends. Once I got rid of the greasy roots, I was still left with damaged, brittle and split ends. Not cute. It got so bad, that my hair literally started breaking off. It’s true, one side of my head has shorter hair than the other. At one point, it the damage was so…

Blog May 26, 2014

Why Are Hospitals Giving Out This Toxic Drink?

If you trust hospitals, you may not after reading the ingredients in a common drink they give out. My grandma is 88 and has spent most of her life heeding the advice of doctors. When they told her to stop eating eggs, she did. When they told her to make grains the basis of her diet, she did. And she’s suffering because of it. The woman that grew up eating fresh food from her backyard has slowly deteriorated. Over time, she lost over 50 lbs and six inches from her height. She had blood clots, surgeries—you name it. And every single time I’ve visited her in the hospital, they’ve given her Ensure. Right now she’s in a rehab facility recovering from knee surgery. What do they give her every morning? Ensure (with a side of toast, oatmeal or fake eggs – gotta keep that cholesterol down and the blood sugar…

Blog May 23, 2014

How To Get Rid Of Greasy, Lifeless Hair

About six months ago, I had the greasiest, grossest, oily hair. Except for the ends, which were extremely dry. The roots to mid length of my hair would seemingly become greasy overnight. If I washed my hair one day, it would be oily by the next. So I would wash my hair every day or every other day just to get rid of the greasiness at the roots. Turns out, this is exactly why my hair was producing so much oil. Just like with your skin, if you strip your scalp of its natural oils, it’s going to produce more oil! Then you wash it to get rid of the oil, then it produces more. It’s a vicious, annoying and not cute cycle. But the good news is that you can break the cycle and it’s not about buy new or expensive shampoos. It’s about using the right shampoo and…

Blog May 21, 2014

Does Broccoli Really Have More Protein Than Steak?

I couldn’t even believe the title of this article when I wrote it, or the fact that the idea that broccoli has more protein than steak even needs to be questioned. The answer is a resounding NO. And yet, when I was at Whole Foods last month, I came across a brand of raw vegan food that had this proudly labeled on the side of their product: Not only that, but there is a popular meme circulating the internet also stating that broccoli has more protein than steak. Where the hell these people get this stuff? First, let’s clear this up. This is particularly deceptive because 100 calories of steak is a reasonable portion, it’s about 6oz of steak. To eat 100 calories of broccoli, you’d have to eat over three cups in one sitting, which is a LOT of broccoli and much more than any reasonable person is going…

Blog May 20, 2014

How To Stop And Heal Cold Sores with Essential Oils

Ever wondered how to stop cold sores easily and effectively at home with simple, all natural ingredients? Learn how to stop your blister from spreading and heal it in no time at all. Ever wondered how to stop cold sores? Cold sores – also fever blisters — are proof that life can be pretty dang unfair. Some people get them, others don’t. If you get them, don’t worry. I got them too. Luckily, there are ways to treat and prevent them. What causes cold sores? A cold sore is caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1). Despite the name, a cold isn’t what causes the painful blisters. The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is most often the cause. You can get HSV 1 from contact with an infected person’s skin or body fluids. Between outbreaks, HSV-1 hides inside your nerve cells. So the bad news is that it’s…