Any BōKU® fans or fitness enthusiasts in the Ojai, CA area are welcome to come to our own Boot Camp to work out with us! Our fitness Boot Camp takes place at Soule Park from 8-9am Monday through Friday. Be prepared to work and sweat while gaining strength and endurance and having a great time!
Mike Adams was a guest of BōKU® Boot Camp during his recent California visit and called it:
“An amazingly fun way to get some good exercise as you start your day.”
This recipe makes for a very tasty and refreshing salad and dressing.
Yield: 1 cup
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon raw honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 scoop Boku
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
In a bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, honey Dijon, Boku and a pinch of salt. Let rest 5 minutes to full hydrate the Boku. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until completely emulsified. Correct seasoning.
Summer will soon be upon us, the weather is warming and it’s time to show some skin. Most people understand that they must use caution when exposing their skin to the sun, while also getting enough unhindered UVB exposure for vitamin D production. However, there has been a lot of debate over the safety of common sunscreen lotions, and with good reason. Most sunscreens that you will find in stores contain ingredients like parabens, oxybenzone, octinoxate, cinnamates, and homosalate and other chemicals that can have ill effects on health such as actually promoting cancer!
Even some of the more “natural” sunscreens natural UV blockers that are micronized or nano-sized to make them more transparent on your skin. The trouble is that these are non-reactive while on the surface of the skin, but the tiny nano-particles may enter the skin, the effects of which are still unknown. This article details a study that found that nano particles of zinc oxide are twice as toxic to colon cells as larger particles if accidentally eaten: http://www.physorg.com/news189862905.html. Does that sound like something you would want on your skin?
Fortunately, there are safer manufactured sunscreens. Both Badger Sunscreen SPF 30 Face Stick and Loving Naturals Sunscreen, SPF 30+ contain Non-nano zinc oxide and have earned scores of 0 on the Environmental Working Group’s Safest Sunscreens List. You can see the entire list here: http://www.ewg.org/cosmetics/report/sunscreen09/Beach-Sunscreens
If you want complete control over what goes into your sunscreen to make sure it is truly all natural you can always make your own at home! Just purchase zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide in cream or powder form. Make sure it’s not nano or micronized, and DO NOT inhale the powder, it’s best to use a mask and gloves while handling them. Add a tablespoon of one or each to about 8 oz of olive, sunflower, jojoba, eucalyptus or other oil, feel free to mix them and add any essential oils you wish and add 1 oz of emulsifying wax. All of these ingredients are available online from cosmetics or soaping suppliers like this one: http://www.camdengrey.com/
Of course nutrition plays a large role in sun protection as well. Eat foods with plenty of antioxidants like fruits and berries; foods rich in carotenoids like tomatoes and red bell peppers and watermelon; and drink plenty of tea especially green tea for natural internal sun protection.
Our favorite health food vlogger Natalie talks about what makes coconut a super food:
Now you know why we added organic coconut flour to our BoKU Super Protein. Not only does it add a nice light flavor, but it’s loaded with nutrients, a truly super food!
Spring is here, the weather is nice now it’s time to put on your strappy sandals or comfy flip-flops right? Well for those who have painful and unsightly corns of calluses on their feet might not be so eager to show them off. Here’s some info to help you understand how corns and calluses come about and how to make them go away.
Corns are painful growths on the outside of the foot. They look like wart-like bumps or hard fleshy knots on and around the toes. Corns can resemble infected calluses and warts and can become painful when pressure is applied to them. They also can swell up and become irritated. The usual treatment is to cut them away with a sharp instrument.
What Causes Corns?
Corns can result from poorly fitting shoes or infected calluses or warts. Soft corns often occur between the toes, while harder corns are usually found on the tops of the toes. Corns can also be the result of poor walking or gait problems.
Treatments for Corns
Aromatherapy treatments include rubbing lemon or verucas essential oil on the infected area to help relieve pain. Apply flower essences topically, including Rescue Remedy Cream, arnica, and herbs such as calendula petals. These can be applied two to three times a day. These treatments help soften the tissue and act as anti-inflammatory agents.
You can also try hydrotherapy with an application of hot and cold temperatures (hot water and ice).
Consult your podiatrist, osteopath, or chiropractor, who can evaluate your natural gait to determine if you are walking in an irregular manner, thus causing the rubbing and irritation that results in corns.
Other Considerations
Nutritional supplementation includes vitamin A and vitamin E; both can be found in foods like eggs, spinich and kale or applied topically. Wellfitting shoes and clean socks are also recommended.
