Essential Oils: For a Wonderful Smelling and Healthy Home

Who doesn’t love walking home at the end of the day, opening the door, and smelling your favorite scent?

 Problem is paraffin candles, chemical filled plug-ins, and chemically manufactured air freshener sprays are some of the ways that we have become accustomed to making our homes smell appealing – but these products are adding to the toxic environment in our homes.

Well, I found a solution! I recently learned that my local grocery store carries essential oils. Better yet, they are natural and very reasonably priced! (You can also purchase them on the web for very reasonable prices).

I knew there were natural “air fresheners”. A search on Pinterest will give you thousands of links! I did a quick search and collected the basics here for you.

Common essential oils and their benefits:

◦   Basil: helps relieve headaches

◦   Rosemary: stimulates the mind and improves memory

◦   Clary sage: calms the nervous system

◦   Clove oil: helps relieve congestion and has aphrodisiac qualities

◦   Eucalyptus: expectorant, this eucalyptus species is indicated for children with respiratory congestion, useful for colds and flu, antiviral

◦   Ginger: relieves nausea, warming emotionally and physically.

◦   Geranium: PMS, indicated for hormonal imbalance, antimicrobial, nerve pain

◦   Lavender: improves sleep quality and calms the nerves

◦   Lemon: acts as a natural antidepressant and calms anxiety

◦   Mint: invigorating

◦   Orange: refreshes and relaxes

◦   Peppermint: relieves nausea, relieves/reduces migraines, energizing, antispasmodic, Studies say do not use around children under 30 months of age.

◦   Ylang ylang: aphrodisiac, antidepressant, nourishing

There are many more oils. Search our your favorite scents or find scents that will assist with natural remedies for things you are dealing with.

Ways to use essential oils around your home.

Make a Room Freshener:

◦   Fill a small decorative jar or dish with plain white rice and add in a few drops of oil. Place the jar in whatever room you wish to fill with the fragrance. (Peppermint or lemon work great the bathroom and lavender is soothing in the bedroom.) Click here for a tutorial on this

Clothes freshener:

◦   Dab cotton balls with essential oils and place in the corners of your drawers and closets. It also helps ward off moths!

Freshen while you vacuum:

◦   Place a few drops of oil on a cotton balls and put in your vacuum bag. Each time you vacuum it will smell wonderful!

Freshen your car 

◦   Place a few drops of oil on a cotton balls and put a plastic bag, leave it unsealed. Place it in your car under your seat. 

See full tutorial on the Live Life Whole website here.

To deodorize and clean furniture:

◦   Place a few Combine baking soda and several drops of peppermint, eucalyptus or wintergreen essential oil and sprinkle on furniture, floor, or mattress. The baking soda will absorb moisture, deodorizes and sanitizes. The essential oils will drive away dust mites and leave a clean refreshing smell.

For more research on the dust mite issue read this article: http://doterrablog.com/diy-use-these-two-ingredients-to-say-goodbye-to-dust-mites-and-hello-to-a-cleaner-mattress/#sthash.pkTJ9SDY.dpuf

If all that good smelling stuff isn't good enough reason, there is research out there at proves essential oils are beifital to our health and well being! 

Would you like some caseinate, phosphate, and diglycerides with that coco?

Ok, its not even February yet, but since this clean(er) eating think clicked in my brain i've become super aware of what is in my food. I made a simple cup of hot coco (well, i mix coco with my coffee to make a "mocha cafe" if i'm feeling so inclined the morning. 

Today while the coffee was brewing I grabbed the packet of X brand hot chocolate and glanced at the back of the box. I thought I was drinking coco, sugar, powdered milk, maybe one or two preservatives……  

WRONG! Check out the list below.  

INGREDIENTS: SUGAR, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, VEGETABLE OIL (PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED COCONUT OR PALM KERNEL AND HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN), DAIRY PRODUCT SOLIDS, COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, AND LESS THAN 2% OF CELLULOSE GUM, NONFAT MILK, SALT, SODIUM CASEINATE, SODIUM CITRATE, DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM ALUMINOSILICATE, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, GUAR GUM, ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS.

I did some research (90 minutes) to track down and figure out what these things are….. 

SUGAR ~ I expected this one. I'm ok with it. Its a pretty natural ingredient.

CORN SYRUP SOLIDS ~ Really? Do Americans need anymore processed corn syrup in their diets?

VEGETABLE OIL (PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED COCONUT OR PALM KERNEL AND HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN) ~ I couldn't find an easily accessible explanation for what oil would be for in a dry mix.  

DAIRY PRODUCT SOLIDS ~ Assuming this is dry milk, wish it was labeled as that. Dairy product solids makes it sound so….. icky.

COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, ~Cocoa has been treated with alkali going back over 150 years. There are several reasons, the three most common being: It darkens the cocoa, reduces the bitter taste of cocoa, and makes the cocoa powder disperse better in beverages.” (Link to Source)  Honestly, i'm willing to stir my coco a little extra if it means I don't need to ingest this each time I drink hot coco. 

CELLULOSE GUM ~ A polymer with the alternate names of cellulose sodium glycolate and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose. Totally unnatural. A man made item. Cellulose gum is extracted from wood pulp and cotton cellulose. The powder can absorb up to 20 times its starting weight. Only the purest cellulose gum is fit for human consumption; the rest is used in non edible items. In the food world it is typically used to thicken or bind ingredients and also is used to make things sweeter. Cellulose cannot be properly digested by humans. It has neither health benefits or harmful effects  Luckily it is similar to eating paper, it just passes through your system.   (Link to source)  Eating paper, yuck, but at least it isn't toxic!

NONFAT MILK ~ Wondering how this is different that the "dairy product solids" listed above?

SALT~ This is in every recipe and its a small amount. Ok with me. 

SODIUM CASEINATE, A food additive and for industrial purposes. Some people are allergic to sodium caseinate, and it has been linked to some human diseases, mainly autism and gastrointestinal problems. Consult with an allergy specialist if you suspect an allergy or intolerance to any casein-based product. such, caseins are now used primarily in food production, where they add nutrition, flavor and specific consistencies. (Link to source)  Gastrointestinal problems….. possible links to autism…. EEEEK! I'm fine with natural chocolate flavor why do we need to add all this other stuff to "create" the flavor?

SODIUM CITRATE, Also know as Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate is a tart flavoring used in candy, soft drinks, ice cream and sherbet and is often added for its antioxidant properties. Sodium citrate buffers acidity in jams, ice creams and candy. (Link to source)  This is actually an ok ingredient. Not that we all need to ingest tons of it, but it is one of the few additives that isn't on the "bad" list.

DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE,Used as a food additive to lower acid levels in processed foods and act as a stabilizer. Dipotassium Phosphate can act as a skin and eye irritant along with causing vomiting and diarrhea if consumed directly in quantities. Inhaling Dipotassium Phosphate can irritate the lungs and can cause distressed breathing. (Link to source)  How much acid is in basic hot coco? Do we really need this to reduce acid? Also, not feeling great about the fact that is can cause vomiting and diarrhea. 

SODIUM ALUMINOSILICATE, Sodium aluminosilicate is the predominant silicate added to foods in the United States, according to the Food and Drug Administration. As an anticaking agent, it prevents clumping in dairy-based drinks, milk powders, sauce and gravy mixes, soup mixes, salt and seasonings. You may also find this silicate in household products, such as latex paint and laundry detergent. (Link to source)  I can appreciate the idea of non clumped hot chocolate but it wouldn't take much to give it a little stir to break it up or a smash of the packet to unclump it. Is america this lazy?

MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, Monoglycerides and diglycerides are food additives commonly used to combine ingredients containing fats with those containing water, two types of ingredients that don't ordinarily combine well. Food manufacturers typically use them to extend a product's shelf life. Made in part of fatty acids, they are similar to triglycerides, the predominant fat in food according to the Harvard School of Public Health, except they are classified as emulsifiers rather than lipids. (Link to source)

I really don't want any extra fat in my diet. Thank you very much. 

GUAR GUM  ~Made from the guar bean and is used as a thickener. I can appreciate that it is at least a natural source and is used o make my coco creamy.   But just another unnecessary step. 

ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS. ~When you see this you need to run and hide. This could be anything. Anything artificial. They don't even have to tell you what it is. You want to risk ingesting something that has ingredients you aren't privy to? NOT ME!

So what has this taught me!?!

I am throwing away all the hot chocolate mix in the house and making my own natural hot coco mix. 

Best yet, the recipes are all over the web and I already have all the natural ingredients in my pantry!

Clean Eating Promise To Your Body

https://dareesinsights.wordpress.com/2012/12/31/fasting-for-change/

February Challenge: Love Your Body by Eating Clean(er)

A year ago,  February 2014, I challenged myself and all of you to find something you loved every day. I managed to get 25 out of the 28 days with the chalkboard art graphic of something I loved.

This February I am going to kick off another challenge!

February is a shortest month of the year so why not use it as a trial for healthy living!?!

Last year I did a lot of exercise and I'm feeling great. This year I think it's time to challenge myself to make even more changes, specifically in the everyday foods I eat.

Despite all the exercise I've done and my overall daily healthy eating, haven't lost that last 10 pounds of baby weight that I want to get off of me. (Although I know some of that is gaining muscle and losing fat from running and all that kind of thing…)

But after lots of reading and investigation I've come to a realization that I've crossed that threshold into the mid 30 range and it's not just about exercise our calorie consumption (a.k.a. quantity). I really think it has to do a lot with quality. 

I'm really thinking at this point I need to seriously think about metabolism and hormones and overall healthy body balance. 

I've talked before about feeding our kids good food and organic versus healthy versus junk food I think it's time for me to really step up the game and see how much of a difference clean eating makes.

So here's what I'm going to do. I am going to take the month of February and challenge myself to gradually switch my family over to eating high(er)-quality food thought the entire month of February.

Over the next three weeks I'm going to do a series of posts about healthy eating geared towards moms who cook for kids and families. I will also setup a basic framework for the February healthy eating challenge.

I would love to challenge you to join me. No need to jump on the organic or vegan bandwagon, just make some small steps to making your families eating a little more healthy. 

Let's get together, share some tips, recipes, resources, and most importantly encouragement to love your body by eating cleaner and healthy.

Let's make February the eat healthy and love your body month! ❤️

Gym memberships for moms....

As my month long gym membership trial comes to an end I find myself wondering if I should invest the money in a membership to try and 'motivate' myself to go more often. However, each time I have the conversation in my head it ends the same way.  I find it hard to find extra time to go to the gym and I don't want to sacrifice time with family and the few precious bits of free time I have to go.

It is very difficult for mom to find time to go to the gym and do a full "workout". I know there are those "supermoms" who somehow make time to work out every day and do all that kind of stuff and that's all  well and good but for me just working a job (at time multiple jobs) and taking care of the child (yes I only have one but it's still a lot of work) walking the dogs, finding a precious few minutes to spend with my husband, keeping up with general housework, shopping for groceries and other needs, preparing meals, and add in any other social and life requirements…. that leaves me with little time to go to the gym.

About a year ago there was a mom who made a statement about how everyone should work out and there was a lot of feedback both positive and negative towards her the link here. http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/17/opinion/navarrette-maria-kang/index.html

Everyone has their choices…  For some, going to the gym and doing a cardio resistance training work out is a top priority.  I am not here to judge, each person makes their own decision based on what they have in their life. Some woman may work part time or stay at home, some may have childcare, a housecleaner, and other help. I do not have those things.

Yes, staying healthy is a priority for me but sacrificing time away from the other things in my life to go to a gym isn't something I am willing to do right now. 

I would rather take the dogs and my daughter on a walk to the park and see may daughter play and enjoy yourself. I might do a few lunges and pull ups on the equipment while she's playing, in doing this I'm still getting exercise and I have happy pets and a happy daughter.

My two pups and I taking a stroll.

There are some great tips out there for moms of young kids on how to incorporate fitness into your schedule while keeping family first. This is one of my favorites:

http://www.alexharalson.com/2013/09/9-workout-tips-for-super-busy-moms.html

In the end i'm going to make the choices that match with my current lifestyle and fit with my priorities. If that means spending a summer day playing in the backyard to be with my husband and daughter may not burn a lot of fat and won't give me a deep muscle work out but I move, I get some exercise, and I feel a lot stronger mentally because of the choices I make. So join me in joining the motherhood gym where health is important but family comes first. 

Spring Cleaning

I am feeling the need to do some spring cleaning. Yes my house needs spring cleaning the house always needs cleaning but I'm talking about a little bit of spring cleaning in my life.

 Lately I find myself overwhelmed by the amount of activities that I'm helping with or lending a hand for participating in the number of emails and getting the sort through each day time to clean out. 

 

Do I really need all those emails from websites that show how to make cute cards and cute scrapbook pages? I can always search the web if I really need an idea and it will provide me with plenty of ideas...

Time to unsubscribe or block all those emails so that I'm not tempted to clutter up my life and eat up time going through them.

Ahhhhhhh! Feeling better already...
 

Now it's time to look at the committees I'm on and nicely resign from a few and bring it down to just one committee meeting once a month.....

I am feeling so much better! This is the way its supposed to be. I want to come home from work and be able to take of what needs to be done at home and then spend the rest of the time with my family. I don't want to be constantly burdened by the thought of what I need to do and where I need to go next.

 

There are all sorts of other spring cleaning tips out there, tips for home cleaning, fitness programs, healthy eating cleanse programs, and more. However, I need to be on my way. It is time to spring clean my life by listing out my priorities and cleaning out the rest of the "clutter"!


While in the midst of this "spring cleaning life" revelation I did a bit of web searching and found a few good links I thought I would share:

This website gives a few good tips on how to do a mental/spiritual spring cleaning:
http://www.beliefnet.com/Wellness/Personal-Growth/5-Ways-to-Spring-Clean-Your-Life.aspx

If you are looking for some tips on how to do a spring cleaning of your digital world take a glance at this story:
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2014/04/5-quick-tips-to-spring-clean-your-digital-life/


 

Natural VS Organic VS Healthy….. What is a mom to do?

After my little yogurt ordeal in the grocery store the other day I got to thinking about healthy eating and the challenges that moms face when having to provide their children with healthy foods in such a challenging time.

We all want to feed our kids the best. I know when my daughter was born I wanted to give her the most 'organic' and 'natural' foods I could. Especially when first introducing solid foods that first year. When we switched to milk I vowed to buy the good stuff (lets rephrase that, I bought the expensive stuff) so she wouldn't get hormones and all those other "terrible" things that I read about as a new mom…..

Here is a study from Stanford about organic vs regular produce…. I consider Stanford a pretty good source. I was surprised by this study. https://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2012/09/03/research-shows-little-evidence-that-organic-foods-are-more-nutritious-than-conventional-ones/

Fast forward 4 years…. I am still trying to provide healthy foods for all of us but i feel like i am fighting a losing battle. Between living on a budget and the cleverness of the advertising companies along with limited time (I am a full time working mom) and a host of other things in life.

We are not the prime example for organic healthy eating……  However, we are not unhealthy either.

I'd say we fall right in the middle. I decided to do a bit of my own web research and share some tips on how I balance todays mass produced foods with some healthy choices for my family.

1. We decided to purchase our beef locally from a farmer who raises and slaughters his own cattle. The cattle are very well cared for. Raised in small numbers. Hormone free. Feed a primarily grass diet with supplementation of oats, hay, and other healthy materials during the winter months. Let me tell you, I have never liked red meat. This meat is phenomenal!

2. We garden during the summer. We have a 4'x8' raised garden bed and we grown lettuce, tomato, spinach, carrots, strawberries, lots of herbs and more. (we tried beans and peas but I can't seem to win the war against aphids.) Gardening is easy. Gardening is fun. Gardening is a great way to get your little ones outdoors and involved so they see where food comes from.

3. I read nutrition labels carefully at the store.

4. I cook as many meals as I can during the week
To me this means: We don't eat out often and don't microwave or heat up boxed dinners. I don't make everything from scratch, but I find ways to incorporate as many fresh and healthy ingredients as I can while still making it in a doable amount of time.

5. I balance my choices knowing that sometimes life isn't going to be perfect and we will occaisonally eat at a fast food restaurant, occasionally make boxed mac and cheese (see how i make mine a bit more healthy here), and yes, sometimes I will give in and buy a food because my daughter sees the cartoon character and begs for it and at the moment it makes my life easier.

I would love to be super mom and serve only the best but there is no such thing as 'supermom'. There is just me and I know that the decisions I make for my family in the moment are the best I can make at that moment. The older I get and the more life experience I have I realize how hard life is. I try not to judge other moms and I hope other moms don't judge me. If we all look into our hearts and know that we are doing the best we can for our families in the decision we make today then we are doing good.

In todays world, I feel like healthy isn't a place one can be but instead it has to be a goal that we strive for.

What choices do you make that make your families food choices a little healthier each day?

Some other resources for you to check out:

a great blog about a mom and her move from feeding her son all organic and her quest for knowledge about todays pesticides and todays foods. http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/the_kids/2014/01/organic_vs_conventional_produce_for_kids_you_don_t_need_to_fear_pesticides.html

http://www.stonyfield.com/blog/natural-and-organic/

here is a great ABC news piece on how labels can deceive:
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2014/02/natural-vs-organic-how-food-labels-deceive/

In my mind Mayo Clinc is a pretty good place to get healthy and medical information. Here is a piece they wrote about foods:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/organic-food/art-20043880

Maragine vs Butter....

Piggy backing on the idea of misleading advertising....
Margarine is often marketed to be better than butter....
However, I only use it when making "real" pie crust (Simply because real butter just doesn't work. Although I do have a great gluten free pie crust recipe that doesn't use margarine.)

We went back to real butter for everything else several years ago!

Look at this picture about the process of manufacturing margarine and maybe do a little research. What do you think?

 

False Advertising Frustration

I went to the grocery store the other day to pick up a few things and I was going to get yogurt for my kid. Yogurt is good (aka healthy) snack for a kid, right? My daughter was with and asked (begged) for the yogurt 'tubes'. 

While glancing at the option she spots Miss Piggy.

 

Well played advertisers one for you none for me......  

 

Next to it was the Simply GoGurt and On the label it reads...

-No High Fructose Corn Syrup

-Good Source of Calcium & Vitamin D

-Natural Colors and Flavors

 

Look at all those amazing words making my mind tell me how much better this box of yogurt!

 

"Well shoot" my mind says, "it must be healthier than the other yogurt." 

"BUT MOM I want Miss Piggy Yogurt." says my daughter.

 

Ok time to investigate. Time to really read the labels.

Will it have less sugar since it has no high fructose corn syrup? 
Less calories or fat?

Nope, each have 9g of sugars, and all the other nutrition facts are exactly the same in both products.

So what makes the Simply GoGurt any healthier or better than the other yogurt. I am a mom that wants to make good healthy choices for my child.....

Keep reading the label.... We are now down to the fine print on the bottom half.
All the % of vitamins are the same in both products....

They both start with low fat milk and ingredient #2 in both is Sugar, then modified corn starch, gelatin, tricalcium phosphate*, vegetable juice (for color), Potassium sorbate** (for freshness) Carrageenan*** (for thickening) Vit A, and Vit D.

*Calcium phosphate is also a raising agent (food additive) E341. As a mineral salt found in rocks and bones, it is used in cheese products. It is also used as a nutritional supplement.

**Potassium sorbate is used to inhibit molds and yeasts in many foods, such as cheese, wine, yogurt, dried meats, apple cider, soft drinks and fruit drinks, and baked goods

***are a family of linear sulfated polysaccharides that are extracted from red edible seaweeds. They are widely used in the food industry, for their gelling, thickening, and stabilizing properties. Their main application is in dairy and meat products, due to their strong binding to food proteins


THESE PRODUCTS ARE EXACTLY THE SAME THING. The only difference in the product is that the boxes are different! I was actually upset when I made this conclusion. The advertisers are making my think I am buying a simple healthy yogurt when in fact it is the same exact sugary yogurt as all the others.

Do you have stories about being "duped" by adverting?

Time to hunt for a new yogurt!
What yogurt do you buy?