Growing up, I was proud to be an American. We were the land of the free and the home of the brave. We helped when others were in need. We were always the good guys and we protected the underdog. I don't know if it was true, but that's how I felt.

By the time I graduated college, I was sufficiently cynical that I no longer took particular pride in our country and certainly had little faith in our government to do anything right, but I wasn't exactly ashamed of being an American either. It's just that the shine had worn off for me.

When 9-11 happened, and the world came together in sorrow and prayer for our country, I was reminded of the country I loved as a child.

The Bush administration, with the continued help of the Congress, squandered all that good will by starting a war under false pretenses with a country that had nothing to do with 9-11. Traveling around the world has become dangerous or at least uncomfortable for Americans because of the arrogance of our government. After Bush's re-election in 2004, I can honestly say I felt genuine shame about this country. I've thought many times about moving over seas and giving up on The United States entirely.

Today, for the first time in well over a decade, I feel genuine American pride after watching the video, The Strasbourg Tea Party - Europe for Ron Paul, embedded below. It shows nations across the Atlantic looking upon Americans as an inspiration and as an example worthy of being followed. I am not a weepy person, but my eyes actually teared up watching it. I feel so proud to be an American today because of what these freedom-loving Europeans have seen in us. I've got my Constitution and Declaration of Independence up on my mantle so I won't again forget what my country stands for.

Coconut oil, also known as coconut butter, has been used for centuries, by various cultures, as a health and beauty product, both cosmetically as well as in food. These benefits are no doubt a result of its proven antibiotic and antiviral properties as well as its resistance to heat and light, which make it superior to other oils. Over the past several months, I've tested just a few of its proclaimed uses personally, all with remarkable success.

• Moisturizer: I was having problems with dry, red patches on my face. Commercial moisturizers seemed only to offer temporary relief while the problem became worse and worse. A small amount of coconut oil rubbed into the skin, offered immediate relief and after using it exclusively for several days, the dry patches disappeared entirely. Coconut oil nourishes the skin from the outside in the same way nutritious food nourishes the skin from the inside, and doesn't put any toxic substances into the skin like moisturizers do. It has even started to heal my dry, cracked feet after 2 weeks of daily use.
• Deodorant: This is embarrassing, but the truth is, I've had a bit of a body odor problem. Deodorants never helped much, and some of them even made it much worse. I tried many brands, as well as crystal rock salt, tea tree oil, and rubbing alcohol, without lasting success. Coconut oil fights bacteria that causes body odor and doesn't contribute to the toxins that can make odors worse. It smells great going on and it works all day long.
• Cooking oil: Most oils are light and heat sensitive, meaning that they easily turn rancid if not kept in a cool, dark place. Many actually become carcinogenic when cooked at high temperatures. Coconut oil is highly stable and is much more resistant to heat than other oils, even olive oil. The coconut flavor doesn't overwhelm the food as you might expect. Raw oil is always best, but if you are moving toward a healthier lifestyle and enjoy cooking, coconut oil is a great choice.
• Virus buster: Coconut oil is a proven virus fighter. On two separate occasions, when I was starting to feel ill with a flu or cold, I had cravings to eat coconut oil. It tasted so good, I ate it by the spoonful, like it was ice cream. I felt better by the next day and tried to eat some more, only to find that it tasted gross to eat it straight, in large quantities. Only when I'm sick is coconut oil edible that way. My body must be telling me something.

If you've got a problem that commercial products can't seem to fix, give coconut oil a try. Coconut oil is a great example of how less is more. Rather than loading up on complex formulas for health and beauty, see if nature doesn't have a simple answer. Organic, cold-pressed coconut oil, or coconut butter, can be purchased in the refrigerated section of most health food stores for around $10 and it will last for months.

Most of us didn’t have to think much about our weight when we were young. No matter what we ate, we looked and felt great. At a certain point, the pounds suddenly started to accumulate – sometimes gradually enough that we didn’t at first notice, other times it was much more obvious. This change may have been a simple result of a slowing metabolism or a consequence of another lifestyle change, such as having a baby, taking birth control, or a career change that no longer leaves room for exercise. We tend to face these body shifts multiple times throughout our lives, and it may seem harder and harder to keep the weight off.

I have personally faced these metabolism slow-downs three times so far, at ages 26, 29, and 31. My favorite pair of jeans alerted me to the changes right away, and I’ve managed to bring my weight back down and maintain it each time. Limiting what I eat or making drastic diet changes never worked, and usually had the opposite effect because everything seemed like a forbidden temptation that I could not resist. A totally new eating paradigm is simply not realistic for most of us because our hectic lives don’t allow the necessary time to entirely relearn how to shop and eat.

What has been remarkably successful for me is making small mental shifts about eating. Sometimes new knowledge about a particular type of food is great inspiration to make a small but meaningful change in eating habits that can make a dramatic improvement in health and fitness. To offer some ideas, I will list out a few of these mental shifts that have worked well for me.

• Avoiding partially hydrogenated oils – Once described by a health professor as “like eating cancer,” partially hydrogenated oils are found in the worst kinds of processed foods. A similar alternative might be to avoid ingredients that you don’t recognize as food.
• Green smoothies – Adding a green smoothie to my morning routine, not only gave me abundant vitamins, minerals, and amino acids from fresh greens and fruits, but also left less room for less healthy breakfast choices, like frozen waffles and processed cereals.
• Going gluten-free – You may be allergic and not even realize it. Regardless, avoiding gluten will still allow for plenty of healthy and tasty alternative treats while eliminating the cheap, wheat-based junk foods.
• Kicking the sugar habit – Sugar, particularly refined sugar, is one of the most damaging, and addictive food substances around. A bad sugar habit will cause not only weight-gain, but also mood swings, tooth and gum disease, a weak immune system, and severe PMS symptoms, just to name a few. There are plenty of treats that use maple syrup, fruit juice, or other sweeteners.
• No more processed foods – This basically boils down to avoiding anything in a can or a box. Your refrigerator will look like the produce aisle of a natural food store, and you will find you are producing almost no trash anymore.
• Only raw desserts – For those of you still struggling to find a 100% raw food diet that suits you, you may consider at least committing to only eating raw desserts. With an ever increasing selection of gluten-free, refined sugar-free, dairy-free sweets out there, it’s getting easier to gain weight and feel unhealthy even on a relatively disciplined diet.

Realistically assess your current eating habits and what kinds of diet changes you can stick to. What works well for me may not work at all for you. Think in baby steps. Give up just one thing but give it up 100%, without exception. Do some research first. Doing a Google search about the health consequences of partially hydrogenated oils or refined sugar will further discourage you from eating those foods. Bookmark helpful sites and reread them when you feel tempted to cheat on your diet commitment. In the beginning, have some healthy treats on hand that you turn to so that you don’t fall back on your old habits. Do everything you can to stick to your plan for the first 30 days. It will get much easier after you’ve had that time to adjust.

If you fail in your first attempt, there is no shame in that. It just wasn’t the right plan for you. Find an even smaller change that you can succeed at. Life is too short to feel bad physically or emotionally, so make a positive change right now.

I'm not too proud to admit it – In the 2000 election, I supported Nader. In 2004, at least for the primary, I voted for Kucinich. Obviously, most others did not. Interestingly, very few people argued with me about their political platforms. The largest obstacle to getting these long shots elected was that people didn't want to waste their vote on a candidate who couldn't win. Even in Texas, where I lived during the 2000 election, and where Bush was guaranteed a victory, liberals would not support Nader because they didn't want to "steal votes" from Gore. The Ron Paul presidential campaign is very different in that literally no one who supports him worries about taking votes from another candidate.

When people hear Ron Paul speak and are inspired to support him, they do so emphatically. They tend to come to the immediate conclusion that all the other candidates are entirely unacceptable because they don't defend the most sacred of American documents, the Constitution.

It is difficult to accuse Ron Paul of stealing votes because he pulls from all political groups. Liberal hippies, gun enthusiasts, registered libertarians, brand new voters, "old guard" republicans, and the previously apathetic, are all flocking to Ron Paul. So which campaign could possibly argue that he is stealing their votes and guaranteeing the other side a victory?

Some Ron Paul supporters are sure he will win. Some are sure he has no chance. And many others believe it's possible with a lot of hard work. But the key is that his chances of winning are completely irrelevant to the supporters' enthusiasm and dedication to getting him elected. No one is concerned about wasting votes because Ron Paul isn't just the best candidate in their eyes – he is the only candidate.

Whoever the powers are who "anoint" the front-runner candidates, they have made a serious miscalculation in attempting to undermine Ron Paul's campaign and relegate him to fringe status. It has not discouraged people from supporting his candidacy. On the contrary, it has inspired tens of thousands of people to work harder than they ever have to get the word out about Ron Paul. People who have never given more than a vote to a political campaign are now giving as much time and money as they can spare, toward both official and unofficial activities. You can be that not a single one will be staying home on election day.

This weekend, I had the great pleasure of riding down to South Carolina with Linda, one of the Granny Warriors, in the "Freedom Wagon". Upon first meeting Linda, or "Granny", I found her to be a little intimidating. She's a fierce lady in her 70's, smokes like a chimney, and always speaks her mind. She also laughed at me when I asked if I needed to book a motel room. But it didn't take long to realize that Linda is an incredibly kind and generous person, motivated only by a sincere desire to help people and to help spread the word about Ron Paul.

The Granny Warriors have taken their RV all over the country. Linda says she's spent maybe a total of a month at home this year and only for a few days at a time. She's also spent thousands of dollars of her own money for the road trips, materials, and even airplane fly-overs at NASCAR races. To help fund these efforts, the Grannies trade Ron Paul t-shirts, yard signs, pocket Constitutions, and other items, for donations, "whatever you think it's worth to you." In exchange, the people of South Carolina seemed to donate generously.

When other volunteers needed a supply of buttons or handouts, Linda was happy to share with them without a second thought. She knows everybody and everybody knows, loves, and respects her. Ron Paul even gave a shout up to the Granny Warriors during the Friday evening Rally. She has an endless supply of great ideas and boundless energy to carry them out. Throughout the trip from Asheville to Columbia and back again, she was discussing new ideas and plans for upcoming road trips.

The Granny Warrior's RV gets a tremendous response, both driving on the highway and parked in town. The Grannies have the ability to spread Ron Paul's freedom message to people that Ron Paul may not yet have reached. They really push the RV to its limits to support Ron Paul.

If you have already given your maximum $2300 donation to the official Ron Paul campaign, or if you are inspired by their activities, consider donating to the Granny Warriors on their website or on chipin.com.

And if anyone has any detox suggestions for 30 hours of second-hand smoke inhalation, please let me know.

I just returned from South Carolina, where hundreds of Ron Paul supporters gathered to hear Ron Paul speak at his new headquarters in Greenville and again at the Spartanburg County Courthouse.

In many ways, it was just like any Ron Paul rally you'd find on YouTube. It was great to be there in person, but it wasn't anything especially new. What I found most interesting, and what I never noticed on YouTube, is Ron Paul's shoes. He wears black sneakers on the campaign trail. He's been wearing the same pair for months, and they sure are getting to look a little beat up. I don't mind. That just means he's spending my donations wisely. And if I had a schedule as demanding as Ron Paul's, I'd be wearing comfortable shoes too.

Coordinators estimated that over 400 people were in attendance at the Greenville rally. The parking lot, as well as the overflow parking lot, were entirely filled up. Most of the attendees were from South Carolina, but a few came in from Georgia, and about 20 of us came in from Asheville to hear Ron Paul speak.

Later that evening, at the Spartanburg County Courthouse, Ron Paul spoke to a full house. Many people had to settle for listening to Ron Paul through the speakers in the hallway.

Tomorrow morning, I head out again to help out the Granny Warriors at the Ron Paul events in Columbia, SC.

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Recently, on Liberty Pundit, this statement was posted about Ron Paul: "…this man could eat a live baby on national television and it wouldn't matter a bit to his lunatic, kook supporters." (Original post: Ron Paul Scandal)

Eating a live baby is a gross exaggeration, but yes, Ron Paul could theoretically do something terrible and this kook would still support him.

To continue with the horrific metaphor of eating live babies, Ron Paul would still get my vote because all of his opponents have eaten dozens of live babies already. And then to make matters worse, they either pretended they never ate the babies even though we all saw them eat babies on national television, or they tried to convince me that those were cantaloupes, when any idiot could see they were babies.

The "dirt" that gets dug up on Ron Paul, compared to the smoldering mess that our government has gotten us into, is just not very compelling to Ron Paul supporters. So, a few anti-Semites and KKK members support Ron Paul. Big deal. So do vegans, nice old ladies, Green Party members, and good Christian folk. Ron Paul is an honest man. He has integrity. That puts him head and shoulders above the competition. That's why we are so enthusiastic about his candidacy.

Now, if Ron Paul actually eats a live baby…I'll think about registering as a Democrat and voting for Kucinich instead. Vegans don't eat babies.

Animal activists, when promoting the vegan diet, often focus on the health benefits because they believe that people will care more about their own health than about animal suffering. We need to rethink this strategy. A vegan who is out of shape, has bad skin, or is sucking down potato chips, has no business telling anyone how to be healthy, and has little chance of convincing a meat-eater to go vegan on health grounds.

In this age of limitless vegan junk food options, the vegan diet is no longer a free ticket to better health. Most vegans, just like the rest of the Western world, are not healthy. The only difference is that many of the unhealthy vegans believe they are healthy by mere virtue of the fact that they are strict vegans, regardless of how many vegan donuts and corn dogs they consume. If you are still telling people that veganism will save them from diabetes and cancer, you are spreading misinformation. Because of the wide array of acidifying, sugary, processed vegan foods, it is quite possible to develop these life-threatening conditions while maintaining a vegan diet. There is nothing wrong with discussing health issues with the public, especially when combating the misconception that one cannot be healthy on a vegan diet. Eliminating meat and dairy is certainly an important aspect of optimal health, but so is eliminating many other ingredients that may still be vegan.

If you are vegan for health reasons, then by all means, promote the vegan diet on those grounds. Health-seekers will find your enthusiasm and experience inspiring. If you don't actually know much about what constitutes a healthy diet, telling omnivores that they need to be vegan to be healthy will not be effective. Even if your statements about health are true, the fact that they come from a disingenuous place will show through. On the other hand, if you speak from a genuine passion for ending animal suffering, thoughtful, intelligent people will appreciate your honesty and integrity and will be more open to your message, even if they don't agree with you.

Veganism is an ethical movement. It is not a health movement. Those who eliminate animal products from their diets purely for health reasons don't tend to identify with the label "vegan." Why would someone who is only interested in improving his health take advice from a vegan animal rights activist? People are more confused than ever about health issues these days, and are wary of those who push their health solutions for ulterior motives – whether those motives are financial or political. This confusion also causes dieters to shift their opinions every time a new study comes out. If you convince people to switch to a vegan diet for health reasons, all it will take to lose them is a new Atkins-like diet fad, extolling the virtues of a meat-based diet.

Even if a person doesn't support the idea that an animal deserves its life, they can still look at the horrific conditions and abuses of factory farming and make a compassionate decision to eliminate or reduce the animal products in their diet. Public opinion is shifting in favor of animal welfare, so don't perpetuate the perception that people don't care about animals. But if you still want to show meat-eaters that veganism is a path to good health, then set a good example and actually be a healthy vegan.

Invisalign, which offers a series of removable trays to align the teeth, has become a widely popular alternative to traditional braces. Invisalign trays are nearly impossible to detect, making them especially popular among adults who don’t want the adolescent look of braces. Rather than being cemented to your teeth like traditional braces, they can be removed entirely when eating or brushing your teeth, so you no longer have to worry about abstaining from certain foods or not being able to floss properly. While Invisalign offers considerable benefits, there are negatives as well which should be considered. No one told me about these reasons to not get Invisalign.  I offer them now so that other people can make more informed decisions:

• Although it is easier to brush and floss, any bacteria not removed from your teeth and gums will spend 20 hours a day locked inside the Invisalign tray. Your visits to the dentist may turn up more gum pocketing and plaque build-up than you are used to as a result. There can sometimes be a bad taste and odor from wearing the tray, particularly first thing in the morning.
• Every time you eat, you need to thoroughly clean your teeth and your Invisalign tray before putting it back in your mouth. For frequent snackers (like me), this can be quite a hassle, and may require you to adjust your eating schedule. On the other hand, this can be an added incentive for those trying to break bad eating habits or lose weight.
• You must be very disciplined and organized; leaving your tray out for more than 4 hours per day, even occasionally, will reduce the effectiveness of the treatment. If you often find yourself running to work or school in a hurry after breakfast, and have a tendency to leave things behind, you may want to think twice about Invisalign. Going without it out for an 8-hour workday is not an option. Also, even disciplined patients have a tendency to slack off over time. This will inhibit the effectiveness of Invisalign. Consider the length of your treatment when deciding which method to choose. I consider myself very disciplined but toward the end I got very sloppy. As a result, my last two trays didn't fit exactly right.
• The treatment process for many people includes “shaving” your teeth down to create more space in your mouth for the teeth to move. This shaving is uncomfortable, but there is no lasting pain from it. If you have fillings in the areas needing to be shaved, the process is significantly more cumbersome and uncomfortable.
• At the end of your treatment your teeth may not be perfectly straight. The orthodontist can do nothing about it except take all new impressions and get a new set of trays, which can add months onto your treatment plan. With traditional braces, the orthodontist can make a quick adjustment to fix any misalignments.
• Although not scientifically studied, some people have complained about allergic reactions to the plastic used in the Invisalign trays. Allergy symptoms complained of include sore throat, cough, nausea, or constant throat clearing which goes away when the tray is removed. I did not experience any problems like this personally.
• Once the treatment phase is over, and you enter into the retainer period, you have to wear the Invisalign tray every night, indefinitely. If you’re already experiencing problems with allergies, gum disease, or tooth decay, this can be a serious issue. You may be able to work with your orthodontist to use a traditional style retainer, instead of the Invisalign tray. I have been wearing my retainer tray now for 2 years and I am completely sick of dealing with it.

Whether to go with traditional braces or Invisalign, will be dependant on your lifestyle, habits, and personality. While there are pros and cons to every option, don’t let that deter you from going forward with orthodontics. If crooked teeth are annoying your or preventing you from smiling and feeling great about yourself, then the benefits of orthodontics will far outweigh the downsides.

Even though the Invisalign braces were a big hassle, I am so happy with the way my teeth look. I smile a whole lot more than I used to and I never cover my teeth anymore.

Have you had positive or negative experiences with Invisalign? I'd love to hear about it!

Since starting down the raw food path, I've met a lot people struggling with answers to health and diet questions. Some people transition to a raw food diet quite easily, while others have to invent clever strategies for staying on raw food. Food cravings can be intense as our bodies struggle to kill off unhealthy intestinal bacteria and build up healthy internal flora. If you're constantly struggling with binge eating, feelings of deprivation, or lack of health and vitality, staying 100% raw may not be your best path to good health.

A common strategy for transitioning to raw is to eat a certain percentage of raw food. This can be a great strategy, provided that when you are eating cooked food, you choose healthy cooked food. If you are eating 75% raw and 25% Twinkies and fried tofu, you're missing out on the beneficial effects. Those processed foods are making your body more acidic and feeding the anaerobic bacteria in your gut, worsening your cravings.

Another popular strategy is to eat a lot of gourmet raw foods that mimic cooked favorites. There are dozens and dozens of gourmet raw food recipe books and a wide array of pre-packaged raw food snacks and desserts. Restaurants and grocery delis are adding raw selections to their menus. These are great for a fun delicious treat, but they are not part of a healthy, long-term diet plan. They tend to be high in sugar and fat, low in natural water, and lacking in substantial nutrients as compared with a fruit- and vegetable-rich diet. Eating raw junk food makes us feel sluggish and bloated, much like with any other junk food. The idea of staying raw at all cost is not necessarily the best strategy. Maintaining a raw food diet is supposed to be the means to being healthy. It is not the end in itself. If we are raw but unhealthy, then we have completely missed the point.

There is another alternative, and I'd like to suggest that it is superior to an all-raw diet that relies on fancy gourmet dishes and desserts: eating a mixture of raw foods and healthy cooked foods. The bulk aisle of natural food stores offer a variety of high protein, high fiber, mineral-rich, gluten-free grains such as quinoa, amaranth, and wild rice. These are all easy to prepare and can be mixed with raw fruits and vegetables for a very satisfying and tasty meal. Squashes, which are difficult to prepare raw, can be cooked and eaten plain to add healthy variety. Lightly steamed vegetables, while losing their enzymes, do retain most of their nutrition and cancer-fighting qualities.

Raw food is supposed to be about energy, vitality, and good mental and physical health, and for a lot of people, it is. If you aren't one of those people, don't beat yourself up over falling off the raw food wagon. Concentrate on good health first. Once you clean out the toxins and unhealthy bacteria and build up a healthy internal ecology, your body will demand nutritious, natural foods. Junk food won't even look like food anymore. You'll know raw food is the best diet for you because your body won't want anything else.