So Why Are Pets So Good for Us?

For one, regular ownership of pets helps to reduce allergies and cut down on colds. It is thought that this occurs because pets help us strengthen our immune systems and lower stress, which in turn helps us stay healthy. However, those with severe allergies may want to take the extra step of finding a hypoallergenic breed of pet to bring home, which will provide many of the same benefits.

Pet Owners are More Active

Most people with pets, particularly dogs, are more active. This regular activity helps to improve heart health, reduce obesity, and in turn give us healthier overall lifestyles. Having a pet can also help people who are dealing with grief, loneliness, or depression by providing them with a non-judgemental companion who stays with them through thick and thin. This companionship is why many seniors find so much solace in sharing their lives with a pet.

How to be a responsible pet owner

There are many things we can do to improve the lives of dogs, cats, and small animals. For one, consider adopting your next pet rather than encouraging breeding. There are already more than enough domesticated pets in this world without them procreating. In the same vein, ensure your pet is spayed or neutered early. If you have your heart set on a specific breed, try search engines like Petfinder which let you narrow down your search, or look for breed-specific rescue organizations in your area.

Your pet needs to be vaccinated each year against common pet ailments, both for the safety of your pet and others, particularly if your pet spends time in dog parks or kennels. Regular health checkups can catch health problems before they become serious, so your pet can enjoy a long and healthy life.

What else?

If you have pets already, or can’t have a pet at the moment you can still support National Pet Month. Donate to your local shelter (time or money), find items they need (blankets, food, towels, cleaning supplies, etc.) or put together a fund raising event. Anything you can do can make a difference.

Visit http://www.petmonth.com for more information on National Pet Month.

Photo credit: ewen and donabel

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5 Tips To Get You Started

1. Where’s the Light?

Start by assessing the amount of light your garden gets and at what time of the day. Try to plan your garden so that some areas get plenty of sunshine while others are partially shaded; this will let you plant a variety of species. Keep in mind that shaded areas will require less watering than areas that receive a lot of sun.

2. Super Soil

The soil is your plants’ life-blood, so consider carefully the type of mix you choose to put in your garden. New gardens will require organic garden soil and possibly some manure to ensure a nutrient-rich blend, while established gardens may simply need a bit of manure or compost to refresh the soil. Also consider the types of plants you’re growing – they may each have different nutrient requirements. Remember to keep it organic!

3. Ground or Raised Beds?

Tough choice. Raised beds certainly look nicer and can make weeding and planting easier, as well as give your garden a fresh start. However, if the cost of building a raised garden is too much, then an in-ground garden is the way to go. Remember that you may still need to fence it off if you have dogs or other pets that you want to keep out.

4. Picking Plants

Finding organic seeds and plants is fairly easy, but if you can’t find a local supplier, then check online. Ensure that the plants you choose work with your garden’s light and soil, otherwise you will be in for a struggle. Also pay attention to whether certain plants should or should not be planted near each other before you put them in the ground.

5. Wise Water

Watering regularly (and more often after hot weather) is the key to growing great vegetables and fruit, but a conscientious gardener should keep Mother Earth in mind too. Watering early in the morning is best, as this will reduce evaporation and ensure that plants have enough moisture to face the heat. Try to use soaker hoses rather than above-ground sprinklers – particularly if you tend to water later in the day or at night. Finally, consider one or more rain barrels as they let you recycle the rain from your home’s roof so you can keep your garden watered without draining local resources.

Bonus Tip: Flowers

Don’t forget flowers! Even if you’re primarily focusing on a vegetable garden, adding some flowering plants can make your garden beautiful and even attract honeybees, which will help your garden pollinate more quickly.

Photo credit: jaxxon

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Why It’s Good For You

As mentioned, hemp is a complete protein – in fact, it is the most easily digestible plant protein that we know of. It contains all 20 essential amino acids required to create muscle and tissue, which is why it is a perfect addition to vegan meals.

Hemp oil consists of 80% essential fatty acids, which is more than any other type of oil on earth. EFA’s are good fats that keep you healthy and help to reduce cholesterol. Hemp oil is particularly high in Omega 6 and Omega 3 essential fatty acids, which help ensure optimal brain function, metabolism, and healthy skin and hair.

The ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 essential fatty acids is 3:1, which is considered an ideal ratio by the World Health Organization for maintaining healthy. By adding hemp hearts and hemp oil to your diet you can improve digestion, manage weight, increase energy, obtain or maintain healthy cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and even control blood sugar levels.

Adding Hemp to Your Diet

Hemp comes in many forms. Hemp oil can be used as a salad dressing, or added to smoothies or meals. Hemp hearts are hulled seeds and can be eaten raw or toasted in soups, cereals, or on salads. Powdered hemp is also available for those looking to add protein to smoothies, sauces, and other foods. There is virtually no meal where hemp cannot be added to give a healthy boost.

Here are a few suggestions for adding hemp to your diet:

- Add to ¼ cup of hemp hearts (or oil) to smoothies or shakes, blend until smooth

- Add a few tablespoons of hemp hearts or powder to dips like guacamole and hummus

- Sprinkle over your hot or cold cereal

- Sprinkle on salads and soups

Hemp hearts, powders, and oils must be refrigerated to avoid spoiling, and will keep for up to three months. Look for them in your local grocery or health food store.

We Love Hemp!

At 22 Days Nutrition, we love hemp! You’ll find hemp protein in the following bars:

Nut Butter Buddha

Daily Mocha Mantra

Enlightened Pumpkinseed

Photo credit: Natural Grace

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Benefits of Walking

A 30-minute walk every day can work wonders. It can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reduce the risk of diabetes, help to manage weight and even improve your mood. Additionally, even though it is a low-impact type of exercise, walking can help to tone and strengthen muscles throughout the body, so you will see an improvement in muscle tone.

How to Begin

Getting started is easy, but it is recommended to take it slow if you haven’t been exercising lately. Start off slow for the first five minutes so you muscles have a chance to warm up. Stop for a quick stretch of your quadriceps, groin, hamstring, and calf muscles and continue your walk at a brisker pace. The last five minutes of your walk should be at a slower pace so your muscles can cool down.

The only equipment you need to get started is a comfortable pair of running shoes. If you are keen to track your progress, a GPS watch or heart rate monitor may help. Additionally, if you are looking for more of a challenge, pick up your pace; walk at the beach on soft sand or try some steep hills to increase the intensity of your workout. Start off easy to begin with (so your muscles have a chance to adjust) and then slowly increase the difficulty level by walking more quickly or by heading for hilly areas. For optimal results you will want to complete a walk every day, but if you cannot fit this in try to have at least three longer walks (45 minutes or more) per week.

Make it Fun

For extra motivation you may want to invite a friend or group of friends to join you – it will certainly make the walk go faster! If you’d rather go solo, take music or an audiobook with you to help ease stress and tension; this will also help to clear your mind so you can concentrate on getting fit. Remember to breathe slow and evenly, and enjoy the scenery! One of the major advantages of walking daily is that you don’t need to concentrate on anything, so you can get to know your city and relax while improving your health.

Photo credit: stayhealthier

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10 Ways to Reduce Your Impact on the Earth Every Day

1. Compost

There are so many reasons to compost, least among them that you are reducing the amount of garbage that goes to landfills. Even if you live in an apartment or are renting there are many portable, small models of composters that can sit on your patio, or you can inquire into setting up a compost location for your building or neighborhood.

2. Reusable Bags

Plastic bags use valuable resources to make and it takes over 100 years for them to degrade. Replacing these with reusable cotton bags helps cut down on trash, and may save you at the cash register as many stores are now giving you a refund for each bag you bring to reuse. Target and Whole Foods are just two major stores that offer a bag refund.

3. LED Lights

A few years ago we all madly changed our light bulbs from incandescent to compact fluorescent, to save energy and reduce waste. While this is absolutely a great idea, LED lights are even better – they last up to eight times longer than CFL bulbs, and can give off more brightness per watt so you pay even less for lighting.

4. Cold Water Washing

This is an easy switch that will save you money on electricity and help to reduce greenhouse emissions. In fact, you probably won’t even notice a difference as far as your clothes are concerned. Remember to get eco-friendly cold water detergent as well.

5. Transportation

Switching from driving a car to taking transit, riding a bike, or carpooling can significantly help the planet and save you money. Even if you can only make the change for one or two days per week you are having a positive impact. If you have to drive make sure your car is tuned up regularly. Consider upgrading to an electric or hybrid model.

6. Reusable Bottles

Disposable water bottles, even when properly recycled, use up a ton of resources. Buying a good quality water bottle can save you from buying expensive bottled water – simply fill up at home. If your water is less than delicious consider investing in a Brita or water filter to give you better tasting water. Some newer water bottles even come with a built in filter so you can have fresh water wherever you go.

7. Ceiling Fans

Adding a ceiling fan to your living room or any large space in your home can help you feel more comfortable without having to reach for the thermostat. When it’s warm the ceiling fan will circulate air so you feel cooler, in cold weather it will help by pushing hot air down from the ceiling so you are warmer.

8. Organic Food

Hormones, fertilizers, and pesticides all reduce the nutrients in food and that of in the soil. Additionally, run off from farms can be detrimental to local waterways and its inhabitants. Do your family and the earth a favor by purchasing organic food. Read our blog post on why you should choose organic food.

9. Buy Local

Sure, those Peruvian strawberries are delicious, but do you know how much carbon dioxide was created to get them to your grocery store? By buying local you are supporting your own economy as well as reducing air pollution, something that will benefit everyone, not just you and your family.

10. Recycle!

You’ve heard it over and over again, but there are still many people who don’t recycle or do not recycle properly. Check out the rules on what your community will recycle. For those items they do not accept (certain plastics or CFL light bulbs) you can recycle at other locations like home improvement stores or Whole Foods.

Now you have ten new ways to be environmentally friendly. Don’t wait for April 22nd, get started now!

Photo credit: kpilkerton

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Remember back when you were growing up and you could just eat right out of your garden? Besides the occasional bug there was nothing on your produce so you got all the vitamins and minerals fresh off the vine, so to speak. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for most fresh food bought in a grocery store.

The Food Industry Has Changed

In the food industry, the primary focus has been on producing food quickly and for as little as possible. This economic approach meant that farmers and ranchers were forced to find ways to grow or raise food more quickly, essentially to make everything grow bigger, faster. This means pesticides and fertilizers are regularly employed to ensure fast growth.

All of these additives are in your food when you consume them. Although only in trace amounts, over time your body can accumulate these toxins and health problems can arise. If there’s a single reason to go organic, it is to avoid ingesting all of the unnecessary chemical associated with traditional farming practices.

What About Our Planet?

All this use of fertilizers and pesticides is essentially stripping the soil of nutrients, so more toxins need to be used to encourage produce to grow. Organic food is grown using natural, time-honored traditions of crop rotation and natural plant foods. This allows soil to retain its nutrients so we can have fresh, healthy food for many years to come.

Besides keeping the soil healthy, organic farming also protects our water by preventing the runoff of toxins into our lakes, rivers, and streams. Having fresh water for future generations is essential to keeping everyone healthy, us included.

Yes, eating organic can cost more. But not as much as you think, particularly if you can find famer’s markets where you can access organic food without paying a markup. When you think about how much we spend on products to improve our health, making a small investment to ensure that our food is safe and good to eat it doesn’t seem like such a high price to pay.

22 Days Nutrition’s Commitment to Use Organic Ingredients

At 22 Days Nutrition, we are committed to offering you healthy, delicious products. To ensure that you are getting the most health benefits from our vegan nutrition bars, they are USDA Organic Certified. To reduce the impact on our planet, 22 Days Nutrition products are produced using solar power.

Photo credit:  Shantel Ruiz

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But one bona fide superfood that we should all be adding to our diets is quinoa (pronounced “KEEN-wah”). Not only is this little grain-like nugget delicious, it’s also good for you, easy to prepare, and perfect for those who need gluten-free alternatives to traditional grains and flours.

Quinoa is Not a Grain

Although in appearance quinoa may look like a grain, it is actually a relative of vegetables like Swiss chard and spinach. It is a healthy carbohydrate that is low in fat and high in fiber and complete proteins. Quinoa is also full of magnesium, antioxidants, and riboflavin. The complete protein is very important for those who do not consume animal products as it provides everything our system needs to build and repair tissues in the body.

How to Use Quinoa

Now you’re wondering whether it tastes good? The answer is yes! It’s a bit more flavorful than brown rice, manages to be soft yet crunchy at the same time, and has a definite nutty note to it. The rest depends on preparation; you can boil it with water and coconut milk for a yummy breakfast, or use broth for a hearty side dish. It can also be ground into flour and substituted for wheat flour. Honestly, you can use quinoa in just about anything! Those of us who love brown rice but hate how long it takes to cook should really be jumping for joy – cooking quinoa on the stovetop takes a mere 15 minutes. Now that’s fast.

Popular uses for quinoa include as a replacement for oatmeal or cereal, a rice-like side dish, hot or cold salads, or even Tabbouleh. Quinoa flour can be used to make cakes, breads, muffins, cookies, bars, and pastries – anywhere you would normally use other types of flour (note that you can’t directly substitute quinoa flour for wheat flour, some other ingredients are needed to balance out the changes in starch levels).

So where do you find this wonderful grain-like substance? Health food stores most definitely carry quinoa, but so do many standard grocery stores, alongside rice and other grains. One of the best things about quinoa, besides the fact that it’s so good for you, is that it is readily available and easy to add into your diet. What’s your favorite way to prepare quinoa? Share your recipe in the comments!

Photo credit: SweetOnVeg

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Juicer or Blender?

While having a juicing machine will certainly help you juice more quickly and easily, you can always simply start out with a blender or food processor to chop up your fruits or vegetables and then strain out the pulp using a sieve to give yourself fresh juice without spending any additional cash on appliances.

However, be aware that a juicer will give you more flexibility while juicing by allowing you to use fruits and vegetables that have a lower water content, such as bananas and avocados. Juicers are certainly well worth the investment by giving you a quicker, easier way to make fresh juice, but you are welcome to use an alternative method if you are not sure whether the juicing lifestyle is for you.

Fresh Juices Are So Good for You!

By juicing your own produce and drinking it while still fresh, you are capturing the essence of the fruits and vegetables, with zero added preservatives, sugars, or food dyes. You can also mix fruit and vegetable juices to create healthy alternatives to store-bought juices without sodium for those looking to lower their blood pressure. Add in fresh greens like spinach or kale to create ultra-healthy concoctions full of enzymes, vitamins and minerals, and nutrients. As an added bonus, juice is absorbed and digested quickly and easily by the body so you get a healthy kick more quickly than by eating the same ingredients.

Juice for the Day

Try juicing in the morning so you can have fresh juice all day long to take to school or work and avoid the afternoon caffeine crash. All you need is a good thermos or a refrigerator to store your juice prior to drinking.

Juicing for Your Family

The whole family can benefit from healthy juice, and can have fun coming up with their own recipes using all sorts of fruits and vegetables. Have kids mix their favorite fruits and sneak in a vegetable or two for added health benefits.

Instead of buying processed juice or paying a premium for organic, preservative-free juice, you can make a small investment in a quality juicer. It will not only save you money in the long run, it will provide you with healthy, pure fruit and vegetable juice so you and your family can satisfy your thirst as well as increase your consumption of vitamins and nutrients.

Check out this nice list of juicer recipes from Zesty Cook.

Photo credit: Vegan Feast Catering

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It’s rather amazing how much time and energy we spend on eating healthy and avoiding additives and preservatives in our food, but how little we think about the cleaning products we use and the fact that many are filled with toxic chemicals. Instead, we could be using eco-friendly cleaners that are better for the environment, as well as being better for everyone who lives in your home.

Is It Really Clean If You Use Toxic Chemicals?

Take glass cleaner, for example. Most store-bought glass cleaners contain ammonia, coal tar dyes, butyl cellusolve (a neurotoxin), alcohol, and glycol ethers. All these chemicals can end up in the atmosphere in your home. Ammonia is an irritant that can cause chemical burns and eye damage, as well as damage to the lungs and other organs. So why use glass cleaner when you can have a safe alternative? Mixing equal parts vinegar and water (or lemon juice) in a labelled spray bottle can be equally effective to household glass cleaners, and will give you the peace of mind of knowing your home is chemical-free.

Homemade Eco-Friendly Cleaners

Many standard cleaners can be easily replaced with “green” cleaners or home cleaners. Vinegar is a very powerful grease cutter and can be used with water as an all-purpose cleaner for nearly all types of surfaces. For very dirty areas full-strength vinegar can be used, or you can make a scouring cleanser by using ¼ cup baking soda, one tablespoon of liquid soap and a tiny bit of vinegar. Other safe cleaners and disinfectants can be created using safe ingredients obtainable from most grocery stores. If you like the “smell” of household cleaners look for home recipes that let you add essential oils like lemon, tea tree oil, or cinnamon (among others) to leave your home smelling spring fresh.

A Word of Caution

If you need a particular type of cleaner and cannot find a home recipe, at the very least try to find a green alternative at the store. Be cautious though, as many of these types of cleaners may say they are “green” while still containing harmful chemicals. Avoid cleaners that contain acetone, ammonia, bleach (sodium hypochlorite), diethanolamine (DEA), D-limonene, formaldehyde, methylene chloride, parabens, phosphoric acid, sodium lauryl sulfate, turpentine, and xylene.

So get cleaning, but this year use all eco-friendly products, your house will love you for it!

For a long list of recipes for household cleaners, check out EarthEasy.

Photo credit: go_greener_oz

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Kettlebells are used in many popular weight training programs, and are perfect for developing an at home program that targets multiple muscle groups at the same time. Working out with a kettlebell requires concentration and when done properly can help to develop full body fitness, strength, and stability.

Because kettlebells are designed in weights ranging from 2 lbs. all the way up to 100 lbs. you can start slowly to build up muscle strength, without worrying about hurting yourself with too much weight. Since you likely only need one set of weights at a time, kettlebells offer you a very affordable at home workout option, without having to make a huge investment in equipment, or find room in your home for a large exercise machine.

Kettlebell Workouts

Finding exercise routines with kettlebells is easy, there are tons of websites and videos online that can guide you through using the weights to target different muscle groups. To get started, check out these moves from FitSugar.

There are also more advanced routines that can be purchased on DVD or online so you can really make a difference in your body shape and muscle strength. We like this kettlebell workout from Jillian Michaels.

Why Workout with Kettlebells?

People who work out with kettlebells find that they get all the best of their workout, including increased flexibility, fat loss, and sleek muscle definition. Since kettlebells can target all major muscle groups and provide all types of body training, you also get more of a workout in less time, which is perfect for people who don’t have a lot of time to work out.

You can find kettlebells wherever exercise equipment is sold, or you can try online retailers (although because of the weight you may find shipping fees are a bit high). Remember to start off very slowly – you don’t want to hurt yourself with excessive weight or too fast of movement. If in doubt consult a personal trainer, and always clear a new exercise routine with your physician first.

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