My Cooking Oil Dilemma + REVIEW: Ava Jane’s Kitchen Avocado Oil

I get ask a lot about what I think of cooking oils, and what I use?

To be honest, I don’t particularly like most oils, at all.

It’s always been a challenge for me because most of the time I don’t like the taste, the smell, something about the oil just seems off, and I question how mass-produced oils are made, if they’re even healthy for us (most grocery store and health food store oils are made using solvents and deodorizers, and the freshness of materials is questionable – that’s not good!).

Years ago when I was on a raw food diet, I had a temporary break from my “oil dilemma.” During the 4 years I was on the raw food diet, I didn’t have to worry about oils, I don’t even think I finished a single bottle of oil the entire time I was on that diet! For my salads I used fresh avocado instead of olive oil, and the only time I used oil was a small amount of olive oil in gazpacho, or occasionally I’d make a raw dessert using some coconut oil.

When I got off the raw food diet and started eating cooked food again, I was back to square one with the “oil dilemma.” What oils do I cook with?

My thoughts on oils:

Olive Oil

I never liked the taste of real olive oil (any olive oil that has no taste or odour is probably not pure olive oil, and/or has been deodorized). Finding a real, pure, extra virgin olive oil isn’t easy to find, and for me, too strong in flavour, so I rarely use it.

Coconut Oil

Oh, don’t get me started with the coconut oil! Most coconut oils sold at health food stores and grocery stores (even the cold pressed organic stuff) that everyone thinks is the miracle oil is probably made from moldy coconuts. Sorry to burst your bubble, but it’s true. I’m not saying all, but a lot.

If you ever travel to countries that produce coconut oil, go to a production site, and you’ll see the old moldy coconuts for yourself. Many times they need to leave the coconuts in the sun to dry out before pressing the oil, this is where the mold starts.

If you know anyone that grew up using fresh homemade coconut oil as part of their culture, ask them to smell and taste the coconut oil you just bought from the grocery store or health food store – they’ll tell you if it’s rancid.

I personally only use homemade coconut oil (I make it myself or I buy it from someone I trust. I live in Bali so this type of homemade oil is a household staple).

My only dilemma with using coconut oil is I don’t want everything tasting or smelling like coconuts. Coconut oil is great for some foods (like asian cuisine, deserts, some vegetable dishes, seafoods dishes, etc.), but not everything.

Vegetable Oils (Canola Oil, Sunflower Oil, Peanut Oil, etc)

I don’t like these oils. Most of these oils are extracted using solvents, they’re not pressed. That for starters is a no-go for me, I don’t want chemical residue in my oils, especially oils I’m going to heat at high temperatures and cook my food in.

Also, most of these vegetable oils are highly refined, deodorized, have very little nutritional content, and can be rancid while they’re sitting in their plastic bottles on the shelves of health food stores and grocery stores.

There’s been too many studies and evidence showing that these oils aren’t good for your health, so I prefer not to use them.

Ghee

I like ghee but my body doesn’t. I get terrible cystic pimples and stomach upset every time I eat anything with ghee. I wish this could be an option for me, but unfortunately it’s not.

Butter

If I’m not using my homemade coconut oil, I cook with butter. A good quality grass-fed butter is always best. Like coconut oil and pure animal fats, these fats can be good for cooking because they are more heat resistant, and less likely to spoil or becoming carcinogenic under higher heat.

As much as I like coconut oil and butter and that’s what I use for my cooking, I don’t like it for everything, and certainly not for my salad dressings (and the avocados in Bali are more watery than they are fatty, so it’s not always easy to get a nice creamy salad dressing texture from them).

Avocado Oil

It’s only been recently that I tried avocado oil, and not just any avocado oil, but Ava Jane’s Kitchen Avocado Oil, and my whole world has changed.

I’ve known about this premium quality avocado oil for a long time, but living in Indonesia, food products are not allowed to be shipped here. So I’ve had to coordinate getting a fresh bottle sent to my parents in Canada, and had them bring it over to Bali when they recently came for a visit.

When I tried Ava Jane’s Kitchen Avocado Oil, it felt like the food gods had gifted me the answer I’ve been searching for.

Ava Jane’s Kitchen Avocado Oil Is Amazing.

I normally don’t get all excited about a food product, but this is certainly the exception because I’ve struggled for so many years trying to find a quality oil to use in my cooking and salads. This truly is a perfect oil, and a perfect alternative to olive oil. It tastes good, it complements salads and vegetable dishes perfectly, it doesn’t have a strong or overpowering flavour, and is even safe to use for cooking with high heat (it actually has a higher smoke point than coconut oil).

Ava Jane’s Kitchen Avocado Oil ticks all the boxes for me.

I have to say, I was so excited about this oil, I got John Cawrse, the owner of Ava Jane’s Kitchen, on the phone to tell me more about it.

There’s two things he told me that stood out, and made me love this oil even more (and it made me trust him because he actually understood his product, and the faulty practises of the food manufacturing industry):

Ava Jane’s Kitchen Avocado Oil uses only hand picked avocados (they control the picking and the ripening of the fruit to ensure none of the avocados are old, bruised, rotten, or moldy)
Ava Jane’s Kitchen Avocado Oil is un-refined (most oils on the market, even the stuff at the health food stores, are all refined to extend the shelf live of the product. If an oil is un-refined it has much more nutrition, and even though it will expire sooner than most oils, this is a good thing because it’s closer to it’s source).

When talking to John Cawrse, I felt like finally someone gets it, and is making a quality product that I can trust and use (and I want to stock up on!).

I have to say, I was so excited about the oil, I invited John to do a webinar with me to share with you how Ava Jane’s Kitchen Avocado Oil is made, what makes it different (and much better) than any other you’ll find, why Avocado Oil is much safer to cook with than most other oils, and, John is more than happy to answer your questions as well.

The webinar is going to be a lot of fun.

So before I get into this week’s webinar details, there’s something else even more important I want to tell you about.

You can get a free bottle of Ava Jane’s Kitchen Avocado Oil. Twice a year Ava Jane’s Kitchen runs a subscription drive, and sometimes for a few days they offer a limited amount of free bottles of avocado oil to everyone who signs up for one. Yes a free bottle of the best avocado oil on the planet. So before supplies run out, I encourage you to get your free bottle now (click here to get your free bottle). After you order your free bottle of avocado oil, come back here to sign up for the webinar John Cawrse and I will be doing on Ava Jane’s Kitchen Avocado Oil this coming Thursday, May 19 at 6pm PT/9pm ET.

Get a free bottle of Ava Jane’s Kitchen Avocado Oil (offer is only good until midnight, May 22, or until supplies last, so get it now!) – CLICK HERE

This Thursday, May 19 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET, I will be interviewing John Cawrse of Ava Jane’s Kitchen. To sign-up for the free webinar – CLICK HERE

If you already use Ava Jane’s Kitchen Avocado Oil, I want to know your favourite dish using avocado oil (post in the comments below)

For more of my review of Ava Jane’s Kitchen Avocado Oil, watch today’s video below.

Get a free bottle of Ava Jane’s Kitchen Avocado Oil (offer expires May 22, or until supplies last) – CLICK HERE

Sign-up for the live video webinar John Cawrse of Ava Jane’s Kitchen and I will be doing this Thursday, May 19 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET – CLICK HERE

In A Rut – How To Get Your Motivation Back?

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In A Rut – How To Get Motivation Back?

I am BACK!

Yes, it’s definitely been a while since I’ve posted on Radiance Central. I haven’t completely disappeared, I’ve just had to take a little time off to build my new website, The Clear Skin Essentials, and get it going. Now that I’ve established a good rhythm for it, I can now divide my time between both websites (awesomeness!).

I’ve been wanting to write a blog post for Radiance Central for a while, but what’s been standing in my way I wasn’t sure what to get started with? Do I just jump in and continue blogging about health like I never stopped, or do I do a blog post about what I’ve been up to over these past few months?

Then I got an email from a long time subscriber, and she was telling me about the frustration she’s having not being able to stick with her diet. Her head is telling her to do one thing, but she’s doing another thing. When I read her email, it reminded me of my own struggles, not just with diet, but in other areas of my life as well.

There’s some things that you choose to do, and you just do it. You get it done. Then there’s other things you sincerely want to do or goals you want to achieve, but everything you end up doing is counter your objective. You want to do one thing, but you do the opposite. Or worse, you sabotage yourself.

Since becoming a mother, having goals and getting things done has taken on a whole new dimension for me. I’ve come to realize that if I don’t like something, or I don’t enjoy the process, or the end result isn’t precious enough to me – I just won’t do it. It’s as simple as that.

Before becoming a mother, I could push myself. I could tell myself “don’t think about, just do it.” And I would push and push myself. I would keep trying. If I fell down, I’d get back up and have a go at it again. I didn’t quite care how torturous or difficult my goals were, I was driven.

But recently, as I feel like I’m juggling 50 000 mummy responsibilities everyday, I need more than a push to get things done, to take my goals seriously, and have razor sharp focus and determination.

I realize the most important ingredient is not so much knowing what to do, but feeling refreshed and inspired to actually do it.

So nowadays when I go about accomplishing my goals, I’m learning to focus on how to pump myself up with excitement and enthusiasm. I need that energy to move forward, to get my head on right to see the value and excitement in what I’m setting out to do. If I don’t do that, nothing is going to happen, or everything will fall flat as soon as I start

Let me give you a few examples:

Eating Healthy: If I don’t feel particularly inspired to eat healthy, I need to see something to remind me how delicious healthy food is. I like going on Pinterest to see all the beautiful photos of healthy recipes. It’s my go-to place for refreshing inspiration, and a strong reminder that healthy food can be just as yummy, and satisfying as anything else. Images of of beautifully made healthy food always shifts my attitude instantly.

Exercise: Instagram & Tumblr are my go to’s for extra push to exercise and get fit. As I just mentioned, I’m a visual person, so if I see photos of people exercising and looking crazy fit and healthy – that’ll definitely give me the push I need to exercise and work out. I want what they have, and that makes me move.

Taking Care Of Myself: My bathroom and bedroom must always be clean. Clean linens and a made bed always makes going to sleep at a decent hour much more inviting, and waking up much more encouraging. Clean bathroom always inspires me to take extra care of myself. In my opinion, there’s nothing more discouraging than a dirty home (and this is forever my challenge, and my motivating force as well).

Stress reduction: Overwhelm and stress can be hardcore energy drainers. It’s important to be doing things that refresh you, and takes the edge off. When I’m horribly stressed, I don’t feel alive, I feel like a drained zombie and life becomes heavy, overwhelming, and terribly frustrating. That’s usually my wake-up call that I need to bring some fun and lightheartedness back into my life (lose the seriousness, I can be so terribly serious, all the time!). Anything to break up the monotony and routine helps, like going to the beach for a quick swim, listening to my favourite music, playing hide n’ seek with Luna Ray, going to the spa, visiting a friend, going shopping, going out for dinner, etc.

Relationships: I find if there is any sort of strain in any of my relationships, there’s a strain in my life. It’s like a giant dark cloud affecting EVERYTHING. I like to reminisce, A LOT. I love looking back at my life, my friendships, my relationships, those past experiences that make me laugh at myself and think “omg, I can’t believe I did that!” This always connects me to the love and appreciation I have for everyone and just how rich my life really is.

Career & Work: I like taking eCourses (not only work related, but all sorts of courses in general). I find when I’m learning new things, new skills, new approaches, or just being guided by someone else besides myself – it refreshes me. It give me courage to try new things. And when I’m learning new things it bring more adventure into my life, I’m growing as person, and willing to explore new possibilities.

You might be focusing (and trying to control) all the wrong things

I’m sharing all this because sometimes the more excited you are about your life and the possibilities, the easier it is to actually get things done.

If you can’t stick to a goal or plan, it might not be because you’re not organized enough or you don’t have a proper plan, but because you haven’t pumped yourself up with enough excitement and passion to actually do it.

Knowing what can switch your attitude from “blah… maybe tomorrow” to “YES! Right here, right now!” isn’t about your goal, it’s about being excited about what’s going to happen. It’s about the possibilities, it’s about trying something new, it’s about revealing just how magical life really is.

It’s so great to be back! And if you have adult acne do check out my new website , The Clear Skin Essentials, (plus join the FREE Acne Solutions 5-Day Email Course).

For more on shifting out of rut-mode, check out today’s video below.

Want to do a juice fast to kick start healthy eating, refresh yourself, and get inspired and energized again? Join the upcoming juice fast starting this Monday, May 9. CLICK HERE to get started now!

REVIEW – Living Libations Natural Tooth Care Products

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REVIEW – Living Libations Natural Tooth Care Products

I’m excited to do this review of Living Libations Natural Tooth Care products.

I recently did a review of Nadine Artemis’ book, Holistic Dental Care (Nadine Artemis is the founder and innovator behind Living Libations). I learned so much from the book, that I was excited to apply what I learned to my daily dental care routine, plus try out the Living Libations Tooth Care product line.

The natural tooth care products I was using before Living Libations

I’ve been using natural tooth care products for the past ten years. I got interested in other approaches to dental care through my grandfather. You see, my grandfather lived to 103 years old, and he had perfect teeth (and was in perfect health). He did something very different to anyone I know. His entire life he brushed his teeth with a tooth brush and a bar of soap. He never used mainstream toothpaste. The last twenty years of his life, he also used a Waterpik in his daily tooth care routine.

About ten years ago I decided to follow my grandfather’s lead, but instead of using a bar of soap to brush my teeth, I used Toothsoap or Dr. Bronner’s Soap. I found it worked just as good as toothpaste to clean my teeth, minus the questionable ingredients in mainstream toothpaste that you’re warned not to swallow. I also found brushing my teeth with soap to be very gentle on my sensitive teeth and gums. The only drawback using soap to wash my teeth was it didn’t give me that fresh taste toothpaste does, and I found it to be quite drying like most toothpastes.

Over the last ten years of using soap to brush my teeth, I’ve also tried and experimented with other homemade toothpaste recipes and even some natural toothpaste products because as good as the soap was, I yearned for the fresh minty taste that I got from regular toothpaste. Unfortunately, for the most part, the recipes and products I tried either left me completely disappointed, or worse, some of the things I tried irritated my teeth and gums so much I could barely eat after using them.

Because of my bad experiences with natural toothpastes and DIY toothpaste recipes, I often shudder at the thought of trying any other natural tooth product again. I tend to just stick with the soap, or I have found brushing my teeth with coconut oil to also be effective and therapeutic, especially if my gums or teeth are feeling extra sensitive.

My love for Living Libations products

You all know how much I love Living Libations skin care products (read my reviews of some of my favourite Living Libations face and skin care products here and here). Some of you asked me to do a review of their tooth care line. Part of me was excited to do it, but another part of me was terrified – what if their products turned out to be as bad as everything else I’ve tried? Or worse, what if the products irritate my teeth and gums like all the other natural stuff?

Despite my fears, I went ahead and tried some of their tooth care products. After reading Nadine Artemis’ book Holistic Dental Care, I knew that her approach was all about being gentle on the teeth and gums, while at the same time, she strongly emphasizes the importance of thoroughly cleaning the teeth, mouth, and gums (which I like).

And yes, I was pleasantly surprised by the tooth care product range by Living Libations. In fact, they far excelled my expectations. I will go as far to say that I won’t ever return to using soap to brush my teeth, and I have now found safe and perfect tooth care products that does everything I want and more!

Happy Gums Clay Toothpaste

As I mentioned above, I’ve always had disastrous results using any tooth product or DIY toothpaste recipe that contains clay. The worst experience I had was a few years ago I made a well known blogger’s homemade toothpaste recipe made with clay that left my gums and mouth sore and swollen for over 2 weeks. The only way I could remedy the situation was brushing my teeth with coconut oil and gargling with salt water a few times a day. It was an awful experience and since then I won’t let any clay come near my mouth, or any coarse or abrasive material or ingredient.

So as you can imagine, I was nervous trying Living Libations Happy Gums Clay Toothpaste. Real nervous. Luckily, the clay didn’t irritate my gums or teeth, and the toothpaste has proven to be the best I have ever used.

It’s not only safe, natural, and an effective toothpaste, but best of all it doesn’t leave my mouth dry, and… it makes my mouth minty fresh!

Yes, minty fresh.

To get the most out of this product, it’s really important to follow Nadine Artemis’ tooth care protocol. I use very little of the tooth paste (the size of a tiny crumb!) on a dry tooth brush, and I LIGHTLY brush my teeth for a few minutes (I aim to brush my teeth for 3-5 minutes, as lightly as possible). Nadine Artemis emphasizes brushing lightly for longer, as opposed to brushing roughly or strongly for shorter periods of time (which is what most people do).

Following her protocol of how to brush my teeth more thoroughly and more gently, I do get a much deeper and efficient cleaning. I’ve tried using her technique of light brushing for longer periods of time with tooth soap and regular toothpaste, but it doesn’t work because you can’t have the soap or regular toothpaste in your mouth too long or it starts to burn, and leaves your mouth REALLY dry. But on the other hand, using Living Libations Happy Gums Clay Toothpaste doesn’t burn if you’re brushing your teeth for longer time, and as long as you don’t brush your teeth too roughly, it won’t irritate your teeth and gums either.

I have to say, I’ve been so pleased with this toothpaste, and my new brushing style as well. I’ve notice a significant decrease in tartar build up along my gum line (I’m prone to that), my teeth and mouth are much cleaner, and my gums feel much stronger (post pregnancy I’ve had very sensitive gums).

I just love how clean and fresh this product makes my mouth feel. This is the only product I have ever found that doesn’t make my mouth feel dry after cleaning, which is a huge plus.

Happy Gum Drops

I really love this stuff.

If you want to take flossing to the next level and really clean in between your teeth and maintain a healthy gum line – add Happy Gum Drops to your teeth cleaning routine.

Pretty much I use one drop of Happy Gum Drops on my dry tooth brush (with the Happy Gums Clay Toothpaste) to brush my teeth, and another drop on my dental floss (run one drop of Happy Gum Drops along the surface of your dental floss right before flossing your teeth).

Since starting to use Happy Gum Drops, I will never stop using it. I have used Living Libation Yogi Tooth Serum before, which can be used the same way as the Happy Gum Drops (put a drop on tooth brush and/or coat your dental floss with it), but the Yogi Tooth Serum is some seriously strong stuff! It has neem oil in it, which is strong in flavour and smell (and not necessarily minty fresh, more like earthy curry!). Neem has great anti-bacterial and medicinal properties, but for my mouth (and regular use), I much prefer the freshness of Happy Gum Drops, and I love it so much, I’ll never skip a use.

I also want to mention to those of you that have sensitive teeth – I would recommend brushing your teeth with coconut oil and one drop of Happy Gum Drops on a dry tooth brush. This for me is a great way to clean sensitive teeth and gums. It will leave your mouth fresh and clean, the essentials oils in Happy Gum Drops are anti-bacterial, and the combination of coconut oil and Happy Gum Drops is completely gentle and non-irritating.

I must mention as well, Living Libations sent me Dr. Tung’s Smart Floss, and oh my goodness, this is the best dental floss I’ve ever tried. It works great at breaking up tarter, it’s strong yet very soft, and it doesn’t shred, break, or fall apart when flossing. For best results, use it in conjunction with Happy Gum Drops.

Tooth Truth Powder Polish

If you are a regular green juice or green smoothie drinker like me, you need a tooth polish. If you are a coffee or tea drinker, you definitely need this tooth polish. Anyone that eats or drinks food that can stain or dull their teeth, would benefit from using Living Libations Tooth Truth Powder Polish.

This Tooth Truth Powder Polish is a fantastic tooth polish for brightening and whitening your teeth without using harsh chemicals or bleach.

Because I have sensitive teeth and gums, I only use it once a week. I find that’s all I need to keep my teeth shiny, bright, and white. Over time I’ve noticed my teeth getting even brighter, which is always a plus.

So far the tooth care products I have tried, Happy Gums Clay Toothpaste, Happy Gum Drops and Tooth Truth Powder Polish, makes taking care of my teeth a pleasure. It might sound kind of strange, but I actually look forward to my tooth care routine every morning and night! I guess when something is so good for you and you see and feel the results, you can’t help but get excited about it.

I strongly recommend Living Libations Tooth Care products, and I also recommend Nadine Artemis’ book Holistic Dental Care. If you want to take your tooth care protocol to the next level and enjoy healthy clean teeth, I strongly recommend following Nadine Artemis’ tooth care protocol (found in her book and website) and do give her tooth care products a try. You might end up like me, a total convert!

Product Links (click on the links below):
Happy Gums Clay Toothpaste
Happy Gum Drops
Tooth Truth Powder Polish
Dr. Tung’s Smart Floss
Holistic Dental Care book by Nadine Artemis: review and webpage
My other reviews of Living Libations skin care products: review 1, review 2
Living Libations (website)

Have you tried any of Living Libations tooth care products? If so, which ones, and which ones are your favourites? Post your comments below.

For more on my review of Living Libation Tooth Care products, watch today’s video below.

Got adult acne or breakouts? I’ve got a whole new website dedicated to helping you clear up your skin easily and naturally! Check out The CLEAR SKIN Essentials, and join the FREE Acne Solutions 5 Day Email Course and discover how to get clearer skin in 2 weeks or less!

Biggest Mistake I Made When Starting My Online Business + Webinar Announcement

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Webinar Announcement

I super excited to announce that I will be co-hosting a live webinar with Frederic Patenaude on the “7 Biggest Mistakes When Starting An Online Business In Natural Health” this coming Thursday, January 28, 2016 at 5pm Pacific Time/8pm Eastern Time. Click Here to sign up.

Frederic Patenaude has a few online businesses and has been working in natural health for over 20 years. For the past ten years he coaches and teaches other business owners how to build successful online businesses. When I started my first website Raw Radiant Health back in 2009, I took Frederic’s course, How To Succeed With Your Alternative Health Business, to make sure I started my website and online business properly from the start, and Frederic has been my business coach and mentor all these years.

I am super excited to co-host this webinar, “7 Biggest Mistakes When Starting An Online Business In Natural Health” with him. This is REALLY IMPORTANT information for anyone thinking about starting an online business or blog in natural health, as well as for those of you who might already have an online business and want to get more traffic on your website and make it more profitable.

Click Here to sign-up for the webinar. There will be a limited time replay (to get the link, you’ll have to sign-up to the webinar). Do try to make it to the live webinar because we’ll be doing live Q&As at the end, and it’s an opportunity for you to connect with Fred and I, and get the most out of the webinar.

The Biggest Mistake I Made When Starting My Online Business

In spirit of our upcoming webinar, I thought I’d share the biggest mistake I made when starting Radiance Central.

This is a terrible mistake, and one I don’t want you to make.

Luckily I made this mistake back in 2011, when the internet wasn’t as “saturated” as it is today. If I started Radiance Central today, in 2016, and made this same mistake, Radiance Central would have never taken off. It would fail. And I’ll be honest, I do struggle with the repercussions of this mistake, and I’m always experimenting with different solutions to fix it.

Again, please don’t make this same mistake I made. This is a warning!

What was the terrible mistake I made when starting my online business?

When I started Radiance Central, I was terrified of limiting myself to a niche or specializing in one particular thing. I thought that if I built a website that was more broad, covering a general topic like “natural health” or “healthy living,” I would be able to reach a wider audience, help more people, have more opportunities, and more topics and ideas to present in the blog and videos. Back when I started Radiance Central, lifestyle blogs were popular, and I thought by going in that direction I would have a wider reach.

Big mistake.

Huge mistake.

The worst mistake.

The opposite of what I expected, happened. Without having a defined niche or specializing in anything specific, it was really hard to build an audience. And without an audience, you can’t build a successful online business.

Building an audience is number one. An audience is all the people who come to your website/blog, and keep coming back. But in order to come to your website and connect with what you’re doing – they have to be able to find you. And, if your website is too vague, too broad, and doesn’t specialize in anything in particular, it’ll be close to impossible for anyone to find it, or stick around.

Here’s an example how a niche website or blog can be a total success:

I want to illustrate an example of how a niche website can be successful:

Let’s say you are a vegetarian, and you go to the doctor one day and they tell you you have diabetes and must go on a diabetic diet.

You go home and do an internet search on “vegetarian diabetic diets”. The first three items that come up on your google search are from 3 different websites: “NaturalHealth.com”, “AmericanAssociationForDiabetes.com”, and “DietForVegetarianDiabetics.com”

Which one are you going to click on? If you’re a diabetic vegetarian looking for a diabetic diet, you’re probably going to click on the third one, “DietForVegetarianDiabetics.com.” Over there you’re not just going to find one article on a diet for vegetarian diabetics, but you’re probably going to find a whole library of articles for vegetarian diabetics, plus vegetarian recipes for diabetics, shopping lists, success stories about vegetarian diabetics, resources, etc. Everything you need and want is all going to be on that one website. Instead of spending 10 seconds scrolling through an article, you’ll probably spend a few hours. You’ll also probably bookmark the website for future reference, think about your other friends who are vegetarian diabetics that you want to tell them about the website, and you might even buy their recipe eBook too.

A lot more connection and magic will happen on a niche or specialty website (like the one I described above), than on a broad or general website. Right?!

Nowadays there’s billions of websites on the internet, and in order to be successful, you must standout. You must do something or provide something that keeps people coming back wanting more. The only way of doing that is building a website or blog around a speciality or niche, where it’s the go-to place offering solutions or resources for a particular problem or need.

How to choose a niche

In 2016, “natural health” is not a niche, it’s too general. Even diets like paleo or raw food diet, those are not niche either. Health coaching, weight loss coaching, life coaching, etc., – none of those are niche enough either.

What you need to do is narrow those topics down even more. For example:

If you want to build a website or blog on a specific diet, your website need to specialize in an area of that diet, or a result someone wants to get from that diet, or a target market needing help with that diet.

For example, let’s say you want to do a website on paleo diet. Instead of just doing a paleo diet website (that no one will find), narrow it to: paleo diet for muscle building, paleo diet on a budget, paleo diet for house wives, 5-minute paleo meals for working people, 3 ingredient paleo recipes, etc.

By specializing in something very specific, it’ll make it much easier for the people that are looking for your information and products to find you (and rave about you). And, the easier it is for people to find you and understand exactly what you are offering – the more chances of your website being a complete success.

What if you already have a lifestyle blog or very general website that you’re struggling with, how to niche it down?

There’s two things you can do:

1- Think about how you can narrow down your website’s specialty or topic, and do it. I’ve known people who chosen a niche and changed their website overnight, or others who have slowly transitioned their website to a more specific niche.

2- Survey your audience and ask them what they like and don’t like about your website. Ask them what their challenges and struggles are, and what they want help with. Ask them what they want more of on your website. Through conducting surveys you’ll get a better idea of how to better serve your audience and it will give you ideas on how to narrow down your niche or what to specialize in.

For more on choosing a niche and my biggest mistake when starting Radiance Central, watch today’s video below.

To learn more about building a successful online business, do join the live webinar this Thursday, January 28 at 5pm PST/8pm EST. Click here to register.

If you’re interested in taking a course on how to build a successful online business in natural health, I strongly recommend taking Frederic’s course How To Succeed With Your Alternative Health Business starting February 8, 2016 (I’ve taken it twice and will be a guest speaker on the upcoming course). To get a $100 discount on the course, use the coupon code: NATASHA (special discount only good until January 31, 2016).

Diet & Health Goals Now That I’m In My 40s

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Diet & Health Goals Now That I’m In My 40s

Last weekend I turned 40! The big 4-0 (and thank you so much for all the birthday wishes!).

Looking at where I am right now, a lot has changed and shifted in my diet and lifestyle in recent years.

My goals and focus in my 30s

Back in 30s, I was really focused on weight loss and reversing Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and all the symptoms that came with it (including adult acne, infertility, cysts covering both my ovaries, and hormone imbalances).

By my mid-30s I was able to completely reverse PCOS and all the symptoms, plus I lost 30 pounds and have kept it off for the past 5 years. That was a huge accomplishment for me.

When I was 37, I got pregnant with our daughter Luna Ray, and after giving birth, I breastfed her for 2 years and 2 months (she stopped nursing 2 months ago).

In all, my 30s were all about balancing my hormones, weight loss, getting rid of the PCOS, getting healthy, and having a baby.

Now, in my 40s

And now I’m 40. And I have to say I’m still working at getting my hormones and body back to balance after pregnancy and breastfeeding. Since giving birth I find it extremely difficult to build muscle, and my body just feels “skinny saggy!” It’s not like in my twenties and thirties where I’d go back to the gym and my body just snaps back into shape. This is taking a lot more work!

I do believe this challenge of building strength and muscle is a combination of post-pregnancy hormones and getting older. But it makes me even more determined to get strong and fit, and build up my body to be stronger and healthier than before.

I find what works best for me at this time in my life is being on a lower carb diet. It doesn’t mean I cut out carbohydrates completely or go on a super low carb diet, it just means I eat a lot less carbohydrates. I do this by cutting my portions of carbohydrates in half instead of taking them out of my meals. This works best for me because I still get my carb fix at all my meals, and it reduces cravings, and keeps my energy up.

I have to say in recent years I do feel a lot better having more proteins and healthy fats in my diet. Back in my twenties and early thirties I was on a high carb diet, which worked for me back then, but not anymore. I need the the proteins to balance my blood sugar, and I need the fats to build and support my hormones.

My metabolism too is a lot slower. I embrace that and tend to just eat a lot less. I find the more I am connected to what my body needs, my appetite, when I’m full, and my energy levels – I am able to intuitively know what I need and how much.

Lastly, stress-reduction is a big one for me these days. I can’t handle stress like I used to. In fact I don’t like to be stressed at all. Maybe this comes with age, and perhaps I’ve got much more responsibilities now that I have a child and family. Whatever it is, I don’t like to be rushed, I don’t like to be overwhelmed. I don’t like being on the edge. I like rhythm and even routine (OMG, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it’s true, ha ha ha!).

My Health Goal For My 40s

My main health goal for my 40s is to be strong and fit. When I turn 50 I want to be fitter and more in shape than I am now. I embrace getting older, and I especially love a challenge (as long as it’s not stressful).

For more on my diet & health goals now that I am 40, check out today’s video below.

On my new website The Clear Skin Essentials, I recently put together an article and video on what I do to keep my skin young, click here to check it out!

Want to lose weight, start taking better care of yourself, and feel absolutely fabulous? Join the upcoming 7 Day Juice Fasting Program starting February 1, 2016. Click here to sign-up!