STARBELLYS UNITED

home of David and Ange's splurbs on Natural/conscious living that affects all aspects of our lives, and other happenings....

Wednesday, November 26

loverly Kathy is still gracing us with her presence, and paying for me to write this in a internet cafe . Thanks to David who stuffed up our home 'Putor grrrrrrrrrr grr grr
anyway its Wednesday and the day were our home is open to everyone (yes you included) to come round and dine with us, bring food if you want or not come enjoy the sites and the sounds every wednesday at Sunnyside (this is the name of our house so i found out) bye

Thursday, November 20

Fasting, I used to fast once every two weeks for a day (24+ hours). Why fasting? I was told it's good to let your body have a break from food so it can use that energy for rejuvenating and flushing toxin from your system, here's some stuff I found on fasting:

"Within 24 hours of curtailing food intake, enzymes stop entering the stomach and travel instead into the intestines and into the bloodstream, where they circulate and gobble up all sorts of waste matter, including dead and damaged cells, unwelcome microbes, metabolic wastes, and pollutants.

All organs and glands get a much-needed and well-deserved rest, during which the tissues are purified and rejuvenated and the functions balanced and regulated. The entire alimentary canal (stomach, small intestines, large intestine/colon) is swept clean, and what comes out the lower end should astonish and disgust the first-time fasters sufficiently to make fasting coupled with colon cleansing and home colonic irrigations a life-long habit.

Perhaps the most important benefit of fasting is that it thoroughly cleans and purifies the bloodstream.

Blood is responsible for delivering nutrients and oxygen to every cell in the body, and it must also carry away metabolic wastes from the cells for excretion in the kidneys and lungs.

Blood is also the body's immunological watchman, circulating white blood cells, enzymes and other immunity factors are on 24-hour-a-day 'search-and-destroy' missions against invaders.

Dirty blood simply cannot perform these functions properly. As a result, malnutrition sets in, resistance plummets, toxemia becomes a chronic condition, and germs have a field day invading your most valuable tissues.

Unless you live an ascetic life far from civilization and avoid all dietary folly, your blood and other tissues are bound to accumulate toxins and generally lose their functional vitality.

If you don't purge yourself of these toxins on a regular basis, toxemia gets worse and worse, until the body cannot stand it any longer and either purges itself spontaneously in form of diarrhea, acne, pimples, boils, 'liver spots', foul perspiration, body odor, bad breath, and so forth, or else it simply gives up the battle and succumbs to cancer, tuberculosis and other fatal conditions."


Okay that all sound a bit full on, but anyway I have noticed when I fasted regulary I was much more bright eyed, had heaps more energy etc
Anyway so today is a fast day, where I'll drink lots of water and herbal teas,and towards the end of the day I'll be getting quite hungry so I usually drink some freshly squeezed organic juice (usually carrot, apple, beetroot and ginger) then tomorrow ill eat fruit and vege, seeds and nut with lots of organic juice and water.


Tuesday, November 18

I'm on a Quest to find out the what God wants of me as a female. So I have been doing a lot of research into it, also in the way we have been created by God (yes with all the girly emotions and nuturing instincts) and what the bible says too. This has lead me to some interesting sites, articles and books, scripture passages and has turned me full circle (from hating that I was so soft and had to wear skirts and learn to knit (not that these are bad things) and to have to look after those children who are suppose to be blessings, but all around me I seemed to view them as nuisance's). Some parts of the whole being a woman/wife/mother scared me (not that I'm a mother yet) but after a lot of studying/thinking /searching I feel a whole lot better about my role, also thanks to Gentle Christian mothers online, I have learnt that being a wife and somewhere down the track a mother is different from the way I had perceived it to be. I know longer see children as burdens, but one thing that has suffered from this little educational endeavor that I embarked on is my thoughts on the way I would parent, my understanding of "womanly arts" and my view on what a mother is called to be like. In some ways I feel that it would have been better never to have researched the subject and to have just stayed unknowledgable in this area (I'm scared my ideas will just be looked down on or frowned upon) 'cos they aren't always the norm followed by Christian mothers in our churches.
as I have researched I have collected a whole lot of books and a whole file of thoughts, research,and interesting articles, from scientific, physiological, psychological child development, historical, and biblical, angles.
Please respect my thinking, it is out of much research and prayer I think the way I do. I am working on my lack of confidence. But with much discussion with David I thought I would post this.
i'll also continue to add links to sites and will be posting thoughts as well (since this is our diary) on this subject.

Friday, November 14

So one year married to David, what has it been like?
David is a interesting young man, Moved from the care of his ma and pa into the care of me, I feel I have been in a interesting place where he was still soft enough to mold because of this, so I introduced him to a world of colour.(sounds like a Kodak moment)
a world of vinyl record and retro funk deco styles, and to my delight I discovered there had always been another "David" hiding behind shirts, collars, ties and vests, and David that lapped up the vibrant yet chill atmosphere I strived to create, but I am yet to get him to pose for my life drawings, (even though his body is the exact replicar of Michelangelo David), all in all a grand year all round, and I love the fact that we got married in November 'cos it's got that energy of the summer ahead and the feel that everything is grand.

Quote of the day:
"we shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time"
-T.S Eliot

This quote i have used in one of my murals it has got to be one of my all time favorites

Tuesday, November 11

hey a bright idea
What do you others out there think of the whole GE issue (i mean in everyday food where the genes are tampered with to make the plant frost resistant/Spray resistant/bigger yeilds etc) not the "IN THE LAB" genetic engineering, (medicinal advantages)

- even though the Labour government has released a draft proposal for legislation that will allow for the first time ever the creation of GE designer babies (this involves the genetic engineering or either the sperm,egg or embryo, This could invlove the involve the insertion of new genes considered desirable or deletion of genes considered undisirable)
the a general overview of the bill can be found here
the actual bill can be found here

ok what are peoples opinions on GE food and Babies?
As a Christain do you think it is right? or wrong?
I'm a bit scared this might turn into a huge debate (or maybe just frizzle) so be nice and respect other opinions (including mine)

Good ol' Round up aye (it can be found in many-a garden shed) active ingredent glyphosate .
here's a little ditty from the Soil and Health Association on NZ

"a link between glyphosate and non-Hodgkin lymphoma,(Cancer) a possibility that can no longer be ignored. That being the case, it can be concluded that a precautionary approach should be taken to any further use of glyphosate in New Zealand until a definite link can be established or refuted with certainty." -- italics added by me.
"Non hodgkins lymphoma has risen 73 percent in the US since 1973 (about the time RoundUp was introduced). (wow that's a coincidence isn't it?)

So you might say yay to GE onions or (Roundup-ready herbicide resistant onions) but lets take a look at what the US Department of Agriculture itself says --overall herbicide usage has increased since the introduction of herbicide-resistant crops. In particular, it says that up to 30 percent more herbicide are being used on herbicide resistant Soya beans (what is to say this won't happen to clean green NZ onions. (yummy) (by the way Organic (not using any toxic or harmful chemicals) Onions are being grown in the Hawkes Bay with great success)it looks like some people have the right idea :)

and a further note to add
"to accommodate RoundUp ready crops, regulatory authority's world wide agreed to a 200-fold increase in acceptable residue levels of herbicide in our food"

information from
-Soil and Health Association NZ
-article by Dr Robert Anderson from
Physicians and Scientists for Responsible Genetics -

Monday, November 10

This is a special blog to our friend Aaron
When yer head gets twisted and yer mind grows numb
When you think you're too old, too young, too smart or too dumb
If the wind's got you sideways with with one hand holdin' on
And all the time you were holdin' three queens
-bob dylan
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AARON (for saturday)might not be da best quotebut i had to add a touch of dylan
just thought il'd add thatit seem there is alot of moving and shaking going on in the organics industry at the moment, my estimate that thing are going to start happening clean green nz may still happen just stay away from thoughs GE onions
2 artical feature in the news today
#1NZ's organic produce export industry
#2Rebuilt school to become world centre for organics (ar'nt sure what the Japaness have got to do with it?)

Well what a glorious weekend spent with my admirable husband, Saturday was spent going supermarket shopping (sorta) in the David and Ange way,(no trolleys filled with glossy plastic covered food) yep you guessed it commonsense organic shop, supermarket shopping just seems to have a whole new feel if you shop at commonsense, Blah Blah
more like a cane basket with brown paper bags filled will nuts/seeds, brown rice, whole grains, unbleached flours,dried beans etc
but oh what to do with all thoughs paper bags?!
And what about fruit and vege you may ask? What a blessing vegie home delivery is, a box of the freshest organic vegie goodness delivered to our door(yep up all thoughs steps)every Wednesday. Oh what a box of delight , and once that box is open there is no way to cop out of your 5 plus a day, you have the vegies so now you got to eat them!!

Anyway as we try and live an organic lifestyle (not just avoiding toxins and chemicals in foods but in everything in our home from dishwashing liquids to toothpaste to air freshener and what we put on our skin etc etc)
so I guess as you read this the greens of the background become quite fitting.

David once again proved himself as the modern-sensitive-new-age-husband and stepped over that invisible line to create some sensual mouth watering delights in the kitchen over the weekend, he has come a long way since his mothered days in Upper Hutt.

Friday, November 7

Ok a bright new day has emerged from what was a day of unsteadiness, I tend to sink into a hole now and then of thinking I'll never succeed in anything, and in great fear that all creativity has left me behind. What am I actually doing?, why do I have all these plans in my head but when the opportunity bounces along in front of me I lack the confidence to stretch out and grab it. GRRRR

I feel a quote from the great bob Dylan fits in will here

"In the dime stores and bus stations,
People talk of situations,
Read books, repeat quotations,
Draw conclusions on the wall.
Some speak of the future,
My love she speaks softly,
She knows there's no success like failure
And that failure's no success at all."


so I have sailed another storm that I inflicted on myself and have docked with my weak self-confidence still holding by a thread
"and I will succeed I will indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed) Kid you'll move mountains!"

All's good and it's another day,

Thursday, November 6

so now im all grown up, THANKS , didn't I marry such a loverly guy ?! Well done in convincing me that Sybrand now lives down the road from Bodega bar/venue, felt kinda guilty in thinking we were going to bible study then we ended up in a bar, nice work David and Matty,

yet the melodic sound emerged , thus commercial softish mushy rock , not saying I didn't enjoy it, but he is on the musical road to money, he has to fight the fight with many other musicians who work not to get sucked into the pit of sell out, money above musical artistry, lets all hope he can do what he does and make it by, by just using his talent and not surcoming to the weight above his head, dean chandler

thoughts of the day: why david and i use 'healthy' health care products!! with out yukky things

Triethanolamine (TEA):
Can cause severe facial dermatitis, irritation and sensitivity. Used as ph adjuster. Reacts with stearic acid to form oil in water emulsions, typically lotions. May contain nitrosamines, known carcinogens. Its main toxic effect in animals is due to its over-alkalinity. It is used as a coating agent for fruits and vegetables.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate:
An ingredient in 90% of commercially available shampoo and conditioner. Corrodes hair follicle and impedes hair growth. Is found in car wash soap, engine degreaser, toothpaste, cream, lotion, and garage floor cleaners. Penetrates your eyes, brain, liver and remains there for long-term. Degenerates cell membranes and can change the genetic information (mutagenic) in cells and damage the immune system. May cause blindness and lead to cataracts. Eyes can not heal properly. Retards the eye healing process. Studies also show that these additives react with the ingredients of food supplements or cosmetics, to form carcinogenic nitrates and dioxin. All of this may enter the circulatory system with each shampooing or each oral ingestion. The end result being that these harmful ingredients can be retained in the liver, heart, eyes, kidneys and muscles for several years after being used. It is further reported to cause eye irritations, skin rashes, hair loss, dandruff and allergic reactions.

. Propylene Glycol:
It is the most common moisture carrying vehicle other than water that is used. Found in most shampoo and conditioners, even foodstuffs such as cakes & muffins. Derived from petroleum products. Also used in anti-freeze, de-icer, latex, paint, and laundry detergent. It can cause irritation of nasal and respiratory passages and if ingested, can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It is documented to cause liver abnormalities and kidney damage. Research also shows it is mutagenic, and a contributor to cardiac arrest. Japanese studies show it damages cell DNA (genetic code). Strongly degreases and dries the skin.

Coal Tar:
Many kinds of shampoo designed to treat dandruff & flaky scalp contain it. Disguised with names FD, FDC or FD&C colour. Coal tar causes potentially severe allergic reactions, asthma attacks, fatigue, nervousness, headaches, nausea, lack of concentration, and cancer.

Wednesday, November 5

This is the picture of the day
yep mama carrying da baby (yeah)
Yes today is a sunny day! Inside and outside
quote of today which fits in quite well with today as it is my 21st

"Congratulations!
today is you day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!

You have brain in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.

You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.

Oh the places you'll go!!"

I was blessed with this book for my 18th birthday which was a interesting time having just finished School and I had moved out of home a few months before,
I guess it just as interesting time now having almost been married a year, endeavoring on an artistic journeys, through the great land of self employment,

Tuesday, November 4

today is not sunny nor cloudy!? i couldn't find my book of sun today (i actually have a book with that title) so heres a little dity from another book

"To laugh often and love much
to win the respect of intelligent
people and the affection of children:
To earn the apprreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friend/;
To appreciate beauty:
To leave the world a better place, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition:
To know that even one life has breathed easyer because you hav lived.
That is to have succeeded.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson


Word of today=insouciant (in soo' së ønt, -shønt) - calm and untroubled, carefree, indifferent

I'm struggling to live up to my insouciant ways today;

Monday, November 3

i'm sad today :(

Sunday, November 2

okay alls a bit crazy at the moment but if there is news it will be out on Wednesday (if David lets me)
hehe or maybe not ,
arrrkkkkk
yeah i am now able to initiate the furture exploration of my own mind, this journey will take you's through many realms of things important to me(or just on my mind).