Homemade Household Cleaners

A while back I had a friend who accidentally splashed some typical household cleaners in her eyes. Most cleaners are not environmentally friendly for the planet, or your body. The chemicals burned my friend's eyes to the point she had to see a specialist about repairing the damage. It been over a month and she just was able to get the bandages removed from her eyes and she will be using prescription drops for some time. It got me to thinking about ways to clean without exposing my loved ones (including the furry children) to potentially dangerous chemicals.  The answer when I was growing up was to put a "Mr. Yuck" sticker on everything to let us know that these products were dangerous & to stay away.

I don't think this is a good enough solution. I've been researching homemade cleaners  made from every day items & testing them out. Here are a few that work well and will save you some serious money too.

• Baking Soda- Baking soda's mild abrasive action and natural deodorizing properties make it a powerful replacement for harsh commercial scouring powders. Sprinkle baking soda onto a damp sponge to tackle grimy bathtub rings, scour vanities, or remove food deposits from the kitchen sink. For tougher grime, make a paste of baking soda and water, apply to the tub or sink, and allow to stand for 10 to 20 minutes. Dirt, soap scum and deposits soften and are easier to remove. Slow-running drains? Keep bathroom drains running freely by pouring 1/2 to 3/4 cup baking soda into the drain, and dribbling just enough hot water to wash the solution down. Let stand for 2 hours to overnight, then flush thoroughly with hot water. The deodorizing effect is an added bonus! [Do not use this method on blocked drains.]   Carpet deodorizer: Sprinkle baking soda around the room – my son thinks this is the most fun ever. Add some dried crushed lavender or basil. Wait about 1/2 hour. Vacuum
• Lemons- there is a reason why most commercial household cleaners smell like lemons, because they not only smell good, but they're great for cleaning! Have a stinky sink? Drop a couple of lemon wedges down the disposal & run it...tah dah instantly fresh.  Have a dirty microwave? Place a bowl with lemon wedges (oranges work too) & water in the microwave. Cook for 3 minutes. The microwave will smell wonderful & the caked on gunk wipes right off ! Metal rust: Mix 2 tablespoons salt with 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Apply and rub well.
• Table Salt- is amazing stuff. Got a red wine spill on the carpet? Do not blot at it! Immediately pour a heaping pile of salt over the spot. Cover it with a towel and leave it alone for 24 hours. The next day remove the towel and vacuum up the salt. The stain will be gone.  If you have a hot spill in the oven , sprinkle it with salt. Mix some baking soda – I just toss maybe two tablespoons with into a cup, with some water to make a thin paste. Use an old toothbrush or bristle brush to scrub it down.
• Vinegar- Mildly acidic white vinegar dissolves dirt, soap scum, and hard water deposits from smooth surfaces, yet is gentle enough to use in solution to clean hardwood flooring (and doesn't leave streaks on tile floors). White vinegar is a natural deodorizer, absorbing odors instead of covering them up. (And no, your bathroom won't smell like a salad! Any vinegar aroma disappears when dry.) With no coloring agents, white vinegar won't stain grout on tiled surfaces. Because it cuts detergent residue, white vinegar makes a great fabric softener substitute for families with sensitive skin.
• Rubbing Alcohol- Rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol provides the base for an evaporating cleaner to rival commercial window and glass cleaning solutions. Use this glass cleaning spray recipe for windows, mirrors, chrome fixtures and for a shiny finish on hard-surface ceramic tiles:
  
  
  Homemade Glass Cleaner Recipe
  
  Mix in a sprayer bottle:
  
  1 cup rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol
  
  1 cup water
  
  1 tablespoon white vinegar
  
  
  Here are a few more cleaning recipes & tips:
  
  
  
  1. Clogged sink and bathtub drains: prevent clogs altogether with the amazing drain trap. I’m shocked at how many people don’t use a drain trap. I got one at Home Depot for under two dollars – five years ago. If you have a sluggish drain, pour a cup of white vinegar plus one cup baking soda into the drain. Let that sit for a few minutes (it will bubble). Flush with a teapot full of boiling water. If you really have issues, use a snake or plunger. Drain cleaner is honestly something you should never have in your home
  2. Everyday toilet cleaning: Sprinkle some baking soda and lemon juice into your toilet and walk away. Eventually you’ll want to return and scrub it with a toilet brush. Bachelor pad toilet cleaning: No offense guys – I’ve seen my fair share of bachelor pads though. Spray vinegar around the bowl, sprinkle with baking soda, scrub.
  3.  Musty stuff: Say you have an old suitcase or truck that’s all musty, but you’d like to use it. Fill it with recycled crumpled newspaper let it sit for a week. The paper will absorb the smell (mostly) then, fill a mister bottle with water, add a few drops of tea tree oil, lightly spray the case and leave it open to dry.
  4.   Disinfectant all purpose cleaner: Mix a few drops of natural soap, 2 cups water, and 15 drops each of tea tree and lavender essential oil (you can use just the one oil- but 30 drops, I just like the mix). You can spray this on all surfaces, like cutting boards, counters, toilets, walls, (except it will streak glass). This stuff disinfects but is so safe you can actually spray it on your baby – you can’t say that about most commercial household cleaners.
  5. Silver polish: Rub silver with plain old toothpaste and rinse with water
  6.  Furniture Polish Most of us no longer use hard-to-apply furniture wax, but rely on oil-based polish to keep furniture protected and shiny.
     This "salad dressing" version avoids the danger of silicone oil, found in most commercial polishes and sprays. Silicone oil can penetrate tiny cracks in furniture finish and enter the wood, causing problems in the event refinishing is needed. Lemon juice dissolves dirt and smudges, while olive oil shines and protects the wood:
     Furniture Polish Recipe
     Mix in a sprayer bottle:
     1 cup olive oil
     1/2 cup lemon juice
     Shake well and apply a small amount to a flannel cleaning rag or cleaning cloth. Spread evenly over furniture surface. Turn cloth to a dry side and polish dry
     
     
  Benefits of homemade cleaners:
  
  
  
• Less packaging waste. You’re not buying new bottles over and over.
• Less expensive. I actually started making homemade products before I was really all the way green – why? To save money.
• Less harmful (often not harmful at all) to humans, animals, and the earth.
• Less noxious home smell. Homemade natural cleaners always smell better than store bought. Well, except vinegar – but I have major vinegar issues. There are ways to mask the smell of vinegar though – not completely, but somewhat. Lavender essential oil and lemon juice both work some to hide the icky vinegar smell. 

I hope these tips help you keep a cleaner & safer home for your family.

If it is fun to do is it exercise?

Since I've spent the last two posts speaking about sweets, my inner critic is telling me I should focus on some exercise. This has always been a tricky thing for me. I am not a person who enjoys going to the gym, the exception being for a private pilates reformer session. For me a fun workout requires tricking my self to believe what I'm doing is not exercise. Then once I get in the habit, doing things like going to the gym is much easier and not so painful,  Here a few examples of my favorites:

Walking around the lake with a friend: Yes, its a two plus mile walk with hills, but I see it as catch up time with my friend. Or take the dog for a walk, you have to do it, you might as well enjoy it and give yourself some credit

Take the kids to the playground.... and play with them. Like me & don't have kids yet?... I take my nephews or help my friends out by babysitting for an afternoon. They get a break and I get some fun & exercise. You'll do more running around & chasing than you think you will. Pushing kids on a swing is a good workout for your arms too.

Dance classes: If anyone has ever told you dancing isn't exercise, they haven't tried it. Ballrrom & latin dancing is quite the workout, so is belly dancing. Both are a lot of fun & a great way to make new friends or even sometimes find that special someone you've been looking for

• Yoga:  A good class is always nice, but you don't have to spend any money to do yoga at home. I use it as an opportunity for some wonderful quiet time for myself. I also love stretching out tight muscles. When I'm done, I feel more relaxed & focused.  Its a great way for me to start the morning. If I do yoga at night, I treat myself to a nice long Savasana at the end, which helps me to fall asleep feeling very relaxed without a care in the world.  
• Video Games: sounds crazy right? So many games are now geared to get people moving since we lead such sedentary lifestyles now.  A friend of mine lost some weight just by playing Dance Dance Revolution on his xbox for about 15-20 minutes a day. I tried it on my playstation, its exhausting, but silly fun.  With the introduction of the Wii gaming system, there are a ton of fitness games available. 

The hardest part of exercise is always getting motivated enough to get started, even when it is fun. Just remember what Lao- Tzu Said, "A Journey of a Thousand Miles Must Begin with a Single step."

Guilt Free Gingerbread

“Had I but a penny in the world, thou shouldst have it for gingerbread.”  

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Gingerbread. Why is it we only seem to make it during the holidays?  Its wonderful stuff. As you can see from above, even Shakespeare loved it, and he was a genius.

I spent last weekend making a gingerbread house with my 2 little nephews and it got me thinking about how much over-processed food they eat on a daily basis, let alone during the holidays.  I always am trying to come up with healthier snacks for the boys as often as possible when I am with them. They love cookies, as most small children do.  In trying to find some healthier cookie ideas, I found the following recipe in the November 2008 issue of the Yoga Journal.  I gave it a try and it wasn't bad at all. It definitely had a lot less sugar than conventional gingerbread cookies, as well it is suitable for someone with gluten allergies. Don't be intimidated by some of the unusual ingredients, most can be found in the health food section of your grocery store.

Recipe makes about 5 dozen Cookies

2 1/3 cup brown rice flour

1 1/2 cups amaranth flour

1 1/2 cups arrowroot powder

2 Tbsp baking powder

2 Tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1 Tsp ground ginger

1/2 Tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 Tsp ground cloves

1 Tsp Sea salt

1 cup amber agave nectar

1/4 cup dark molasses

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/3 cup canola oil

2 Tbsp Vanilla Extract

Note: grinding your own spices always gives much better flavors (especially nutmeg), but if you don't grind your own try to at least buy organic spices. They really make a difference. Cold pressed oils are also always preferable, make sure you look for a notation on the label to see if its cold pressed. If it doesn't say anything, its not.

Directions:

1. In a large bowl stir together the rice and amaranth flours, arrowroot and baking powders, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the agave nectar, molasses, applesauce, oil and vanilla. Pour into the large bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix well.
3. Cover & chill the dough for 2 hours or more.
4. Sprinkle a work surface with arrowroot powder. Divide the chilled dough into 4 equal parts. Roll out the dough to 1/4" thick.
5. Cut out the gingerbread with a cookie cutter and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat.
6. if you want to decorate eyes, buttons or noses on the cookies, you could press raisins, currants or nuts into the dough before baking.   
7. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 6-7 minutes. The cookies will be slightly soft when 1st removed from the oven.  Allow to cool 5-10 minutes and then move to a rack to finish cooling.

Enjoy!

The Scoop on Chocolate

 The holiday season is here and that means I am surrounded by chocolate. There are ads on the TV every few minutes and gift boxes of the stuff from friends are taking over my house.  I hear a lot in the news these days about the health benefits of eating chocolate, but there is so much information out there. It is hard to discern what is the truth and what is simply a marketing campaign. I did a bunch of research and I'm here to share what I found with you.

Chocolate can be good for you.  This is true, as long as you are eating it in moderation, and munching the right kind.  There is a growing amount of scientific evidence that the natural antioxidants found in dark chocolate may reduce the risk factors for heart disease, help with anxiety and reduce bad LDL cholesterol. The first key to understanding this research is that the results were based on the consumption of dark chocolate. They do not mention milk chocolate because the dairy products in milk chocolate (especially pasturized milk) cancel out most of chocolate's natural antioxidant properties.  Dark chocolate contains a lot of flavanol antioxidents, especially a very specific one called resveratrol.

Resveratrol is a particularly potent antioxidant compound, produced by certain fruits and vegetables, including: raspberries, grapes, mulberries and peanuts.  It is different from almost all other antioxidants because it can cross the blood- brain barrier, which helps to protect your brain and nervous system. The highest concentration of resveratrol found in nature is the  muscadine grape.  Many researchers believe that this is why the "French Paradox" exists: (the observation that French people with poor diets who drink wine have better cardiovascular health than one would expect).  The reason resveratrol is so concentrated in wine is that its got a very high solubility in alcohol. Dark chocolate doesn't contain as much resveratrol as wine, but has more than another popular source, peanut butter.

Before you grab your keys to make a bee-line for your favorite candy aisle, there are few pieces of information you should know:

1. Typical, commercial  chocolate contains less than half of its naturally occuring antioxidants remaining after processing. Products with the least amount of processing seem to offer the greatest benefits.  
2. The products found to contain the highest levels of flavanol antioxidants in descending order are: cocoa powder, followed by unsweetened baking chocolate, dark chocolate, and semi-sweet chips.
3. Organic chocolate offers minimal processing and also can benefit the planet by offering fair trade practices. Look for a notation on the product's label.
4. As with anything else, the key to enjoying chocolate's benefits is practicing moderation. Dark chocolate is still high in sugar. If you eat too much you will have an insulin spike causing a sugar crash. Many studies I have found recommended eating about an ounce and a half of dark chocolate per day.
   

Here are some suggestions on yummy brands of organic chocolates to try:  Nirvana, Equal Exchange, Chocolove, Green & Black's and Grenada Chocolate Company. Most are available in the natural food section of your local supermarket or your favorite health food store.

I hope this information has cleared up some confusion regarding what types of chocolate are the most beneficial and that you have a sweet holiday season!

Healthier for the Holidays

I've always hated the vicious cycle of worry about weight gain and overindulgence during the holidays. First we are programmed to feel we need to lose weight before they arrive so we'll look good in all the pictures/ fit into the special outfit . Next comes the stress and running around. Shopping for others becomes a duty and eats up most of our well earned relaxation time. Next we over-stuff ourselves and then have sugar crash from all the sweets which makes us want to sleep. When I stand back and look at the big picture, I think, this is not sounding very merry to me.

The holiday season doesn't have to be this way (and no you don't have to give up all that good food either.) What most of us don't know are ways to counteract some of the chaos and stress the holidays create in our lives. Here are a few tips I use to keep my sanity in check(I try to practice them every day but in December they especially help): 

•    Have a plan: simply by buying some of your holiday gifts earlier in the year, you free up valuable time on your already packed schedule. Also make a few meals in big batches so you can freeze them. That way, when you've had a busy day and are short on time you can enjoy a healthy homemade meal instead of grabbing chinese or a pizza.

• If you do go out and fight the crowds at the last minute, stay well hydrated and please wear comfortable shoes.

• If you enjoy holiday music try to play some quieter soothing songs in your car in between destinations. You'd be amazed at the difference it makes. 
• Think deeply about the gifts you are going to exchange. One meaningful, thoughtful gift means a lot more than a pile of impersonal ones.    
• Don't try to hit every holiday party you're invited to.  Take the time to decide which ones you'll enjoy the most, and attend those. The idea is to make deliberate choices about how you are going to spend your time. 
• Keep your favorite holiday traditions.  You say you celebrate Christmas, or Hannukah, or Kwanzaa the way you do because "that's the way my family's always done it." Choose the parts of the tradition that you love, that have meaning for you. Do away with the rest, and replace it with new traditions.    
• Focus on making memories rather than fulfilling the idea of the "perfect holiday." The perfect holiday is the one that is spent with the people you love, relaxing and enjoying each other's company. Anything else is extra, and you can decide to do away with any or all of it. It's up to you.      
•  If you're going to eat a heavy meal try to eat it earlier in the day (lunch if its possible) and have a lighter meal in the evening. It will give your body the extra energy it needs to get through that tough afternoon and you won't feel overstuffed and bloated when going to bed.

• Feeling peckish in the middle of the day? Snack on some almonds or a bit of cheese (organic cheese is always preferable) to give your body some much needed fuel that will last.
• When you awake in the morning think about at least two positive things coming up in your approaching day. You'd be amazed at the difference it makes looking forward to something instead of spending the day in dread. 
• When you arrive home from a hectic day, take a few minutes to enjoy a brief meditation or just enjoy some quiet time before worrying about what to make for dinner.

Wishing you & yours a holiday season full of lots of happy memories, love, light & laughter!

Meditation

Let's face it, we live in an extremely fast paced society. We don't do tasks anymore...we "multi task". And as a result, most of us are very stressed out, tired and have about 10 thoughts in our head at once, at any given time. And time is now considered a luxury. It isn't. Having time for yourself is a necessity for your health, and general peace of mind.

Have you found yourself frustrated waiting in long lines? You get upset if the cashier is too slow, or the customer dumps a big pile of change on the counter, and starts counting so slow it seems like they're counting backwards. Often people in the line exchange expressions of frustration with each other. Instead of getting frustrated, try slowing your breathing, and fall into a gentle meditative state by thinking of a wonderful place, or other pleasing thought, and the time slips by so fast you might have to be reminded your next!


Meditation allows us to quiet our minds, relax, focus, and concentrate on one single thought...or nothing at all. There's the old cliché that meditation is just sitting around staring at a candle. It's true. It's one very effective way to start learning to meditate. But think about fire, when ever someone starts some kind of fire, one person will inevitably say how much they love watching fire, and everyone instantly agrees. While the flame from a candle isn't the same, it can be just as exciting to gaze at. It's peaceful, pure, bright, and even has a visible aura around it. It's beautiful. A stunning, small flame made from an element of destruction. Ironic that it is used to bring about a peaceful, or romantic atmosphere.  


The benefits of meditation that many experience are feeling of peace, improved concentration, and a feeling of being more in touch with ones self. Not to mention, helping lowering your blood pressure & heart rate. 

The whole point of meditation is to relax and concentrate, so you can't be disturbed while you're trying to meditate. Turn off the phone, find a place where you will not be disturbed by people, your cell phone, computer sounds, TV, and such. Turn them all off . It's VERY important not to pressure yourself into trying to get certain results of any kind. Breathe in deeply, allowing your stomach to expand and retract. Don't worry about your lungs, they'll fill up without your help. So take in a deep breath, hold it for the count of 3 to 5, and exhale the same amount of seconds that feel right to you. After doing this breathing exercise just 3 times, should make you feel more relaxed, so you can imagine how good it would make you feel if you kept doing it as much as possible. 

Try this  outdoor winter meditation:

Sitting on a bench, walking in a park or along a snowy street is an opportune time to practice regular even breathing. If sitting - counts 1, 2, breathe in; counts 3, 4, breathe out. And, if walking - take 2 steps while breathing in; 2 steps while breathing out. After a few minutes seep within to your own center of warmth. Reflect that in the meeting of stillness outside and within, we reach a natural balance of appreciation and connection with the rhythms of life; the coming and going of day and season. Finish your outdoor meditation with a deep breath in and out; going indoors revitalized!

A Falsely Accused Vegetable

Brussel Sprouts: most people hear the name and cringe. Many individuals have a stigma in their brain that says "if its good for you it has to taste lousy." And even more unfortunately, brussel sprouts are why they believe this to be true.

Here are the facts:
-most people have never tried brussel sprouts out of fear, because the veggie has received such negative press
-many of the ppeople who have tried them ate them when they were mushy or overcooked
-if you eat the smaller sprouts, preferably fresh off the stalk they actually have a very mild flavor & are not bitter
-Brussel sprouts are a great source of Vitamins A, C & k, as well as being chock full of antioxidents and a great source of fiber.



I know these few reasons are not enough to convince most of you to try them. The same was true for my family. So I did a little experiment. For thanksgiving dinner I prepared them in disguise as a slaw. I did not say what the slaw was made of and most members of the group loved it. When I told them what they were eating they didn't believe me. My dad's exact words were "just don't use the name brussel sprouts in the dish's name. Just call it slaw. That way no one will miss out. This is great."

Here is my recipe for the "Just Slaw", its super easy to prepare (makes 8 servings)

• 1/2 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt plus additional for seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup whole grain Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 pounds organic brussels sprouts, trimmed(if you can find them on the stalk even better)
  
• Candied Pecans (I prefer the sweet & spicy ones form Trader Joe's)
  

Whisk mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, and sugar in small bowl; whisk in oil. Season with coarse salt and pepper.
Bring large pot of water to boil. Add 1 tablespoon coarse salt. Add brussels sprouts. Cook until crisp-tender and still bright green, about 5 minutes. Drain; rinse with cold water. Cool on paper towels. Using processor fitted with 1/8- to 1/4-inch slicing disk, slice brussels sprouts. Transfer to large bowl. DO AHEAD: Dressing and brussels sprouts can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately; chill.
Toss brussels sprouts with enough dressing to coat. Let marinate 30 to 60 minutes. Mix in some pecans. Place slaw in serving bowl. Top with remaining pecans.

Hopefully, you will give this tiny but powerful vegetable a chance.

Starting Over

Ok so I haven't written in months. After an amazing weekend of classes at the MT Nittany Institute of Natural health I feel renewed and have a better direction of how I want to use this blog. I wanted this blog to be about living a life in balance. In order to do that I need to talk about how a healthy lifestyle is incorporated into all aspects of our lives, not just by what we eat or how often we work out.

For starters, I will be touching on terminology that is used to describe "alternative medicine practices" that the every day individual would not know what it means. I will do my best to include references and offer sources for further information.

I also will use this space to talk about my "conscious change project" for the Holistic health Practitioner program I am taking at the MT Nittany Institute of Natural Health, in State college, PA. I am trying to get back into shape and I despise traditional exercise. I do not, however, despise yoga, in fact I quite miss doing it. SO, for the next 6 months I will be offering the meditations and pose series that I use each week to address a particular issue.

I will continue to discuss my thoughts on nutrition & offer some recipes that are yummy and really good for you too!

I don't like the stress and pressure of waiting until January 1st to attack a new resolution. I feel as if it almost sets us up for failure. Instead I am starting right now. Be Good to yourselves.