The No ‘Poo Method Update!

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Hey guys & gals!

I promised you an update on this crazy no ‘poo journey of  mine… and so far it’s been 3 months without using any shampoo. Wow! I seriously can’t believe it. Honestly, nothing feels better than being liberated of having to spend the crazy amount of cashola on a bottle of shampoo goo!

I’ve been playing with the conditioning part of the recipe by allowing fresh herbs and essential oils I have on hand. So far I’ve done peppermint, mint and rosemary. In fact, I just made the rosemary version last night and haven’t cracked the jar open yet. I’m excited. I’ll give it a few more days to infuse. So far the peppermint wins over the mint… and I love mint! Mint alone isn’t strong enough for apple cider vinegar (ACV).

The no ‘poo method doesn’t mean you have to be a dirty hippie type just because you aren’t producing any suds upon washing. I still “wash” my hair. I still work the no ‘poo solutions into my my scalp  as I would with “normal” shampoo. I’m not shy about letting my hair go a few days before washing it out with baking soda and vinegar just to experiment and see what state my hair is in. So far, nothing funky has occurred.  Phew! My hair and face have always been a bit on the oily side so it’s hard to say whether the no ‘poo has really affected the oily factor.

When I say oily… I don’t mean greasy or matty (my hair is really fine). It just has a bit more shine to it.  When I run my fingers through my hair it actually feels great. Going a few days without any routine either shampoo or no ‘poo it usually proves I do need to cleanse my hair unless I plan to dread it….which has actually crossed my mind.

In all actuality, most of my life I grew up with short hair. Just after I gave birth to the eco tot I chopped it off. Lately, I’ve been feeling the need for some change and have thought about hacking it off again.

But, I digress.

I still feel like I’m in the “transition” period. It’s only been 3 months… so maybe some of the oily business will let up… OR NOT! Either way, I’m on this journey for good!

The Routine

When I first started (original post here), I would fill up my pint mason glass with the baking soda and do the same with the ACV in a reused peri bottle. It was a bit of a time killer at first but now it’s part of the routine as with anything else when first learned. I’m still working on figuring out a way of having pre-made solutions without spoiling. I’m waiting on an agave nectar bottle for the baking soda rinse to switch out having glass in the tub. Then I will  have two squeezie tops which makes applying both solutions much easier.

A few months back, I cleaned out our cupboards and saved two Malt O Meal boxes for reuse. I remembered them last week and immediately filled up an empty box with baking soda for the ‘pooing part. Prior to the Malt O Meal box, I was scooping out the baking soda from a plastic bag… gross! At least this way the baking soda is contained and makes for easy storage and pouring ability.

Next, I take the ACV infusion and dump some of it into the peri bottle with water. I like adding in peppermint essential oil too. BUT, not too much or your head will tingle. ALL. DAY. lol! I learned this the hard way. One or two drops is plenty. Believe. I’ll let you know how it goes with the rosemary infusion. I’m hoping it’s heavenly… I think I may just do a rosemary mint combo too!

All in all, a few extra steps hasn’t made this a make or break deal. I still feel like I’m still in the “transition” period. It’s only been THREE months…so maybe some of the oily business will let up at six. OR NOT!

Either way, I’m on this journey for good.

How about you?

Do you no ‘poo?

Put a Little Green “umph” In Your VDay Plans: Natural Aphrodisiacs

Photo credit: Flickr creative commons

(Put a little “umph” or hump… whichever applies!)

Valentine’s day is on Sunday and you know what that means… lot’s of lovin’ will be going around.

Is it possible to green that area of your life, you ask? Why, yes it is!

Valentines day is all about LOVE so why not put a little eco in it…

If you find yourself one of those who just can’t resist all the candy hearts and red, pink and white decor …

perhaps, consider a few eco-friendly options for your loved one!

The Checklist

Flowers: Organic Bouquet or VeriFlora

Gifts: Check out Guffly or Etsy for some pretty eco rockin’ gifts!

OR make your own special something … felted mittens, jewelry; turn something old into something new, etc.

Treats/Food: Organic & Fair Trade if at all possible!

Green Condoms: Skip the latex and go for Natural Lamb

Lube: 3 words… Good Clean Love!

OR, you could just use straight up coconut oil /EVOO (I use it for a number of things!)

Skip the card: Say it all with your actions.

Now, how about a few natural aphrodisiacs to help set the mood or rather get in the mood!

An aphrodisiac is a substance such as food, drink, drug, scent or device that can arouse or induce feelings of sexual desire. Aphrodisiacs are named after Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of sexual love and beauty. Aphrodisiacs can be powerful as they trigger the release of chemicals in the brains which then stimulate certain organs.

I heart Better Nutrition magazine…

February’s issue has an interview with author Chris Kilham on how to boost libido and improve sexual health- naturally, or in non toxic fashion, if you will.

His new book,

Hot Plants; Nature’s Proven Sex Booster for Men and Woman

sounds very interesting…  I’ve already requested it at my local library. LOL! 

I’m all about doing things the natural way; even in the bedroom.

Natural Aphrodisiacs

- Chocolate: It’s the LOVE drug! Contains compounds that mimic the brains natural chemistry when we fall in love.

- Oysters: High in zinc which is considered the “sexy” mineral; important for healthy sexual function.

- Maca: Considered the King Kong of herbs in the aphrodisiac catagory!! A natural sex booster.

-  More Sexually Stimulating Foods: Mushrooms, Asparagus, Onions, Garlic, and Chili Peppers/ Banana, Fig, Pomegranate, Avocado

- Panax Ginseng: For men, nuff’ said!!

- Scents: Vanilla, Patchouli and Musk

- Touch: Skin is the largest organ and made up of many nerves… give your special someone a massage with coconut oil then to soak up the oil sprinkle on some cornstarch (for silky effect). It’s very relaxing and tingling at the same time. ooooh la, la!

So; skip the trip to Europe for the Spanish fly because these items for your sweetie could very well be in your own home.

Make this year’s Valentine’s day sustainable and eco sweet.

Peace & Love!

UPDATE:

Here are a few links that relate to this post!

Super Natural Mom discusses green romance;

Evergreen at the Happy Raw Kitchen has a wonderful breaky treat you can put together in minutes for your loved one on VDay;

Send an e card through the David Suzuki Foundation and a “generous donor” will match your donation;

What are you planning to do for your loved one?

Exit for Non Toxic Highway, On Back!

Photo credit: Jeff Keen via flickr

Yesterday, I didn’t have the time to elaborate in yesterday’s post… but the message in A Wake Up Story really hits home, doesn’t it? Just last week, I was feeling discouraged about all the toxic chemicals us moms have to worry about. A friend and I were talking about toxic chemicals (more of a rant) and I was giving her a toxic 411 lesson on all the yucky chemicals. Both she and I have tried to eliminate product containing harmful chemicals but every time we turn around; we learn about another pesky and toxic chemical to lookout for. I’m so sick of having to flipping items around to look for harmful ingredients. These companies are poisoning us AND as long as we continue to support them with our hard earned cash they won’t stop!

It’s not an easy task (nor easy being green, for that matter!) but avoiding products that don’t contain nasty chemicals is important for the sake of our lives and the planet.

The simplest item such as toothpaste can contain numerous chemicals that are known to cause cancer (found this out the other night when trying to make a decision on which one to buy; basically, it was which one is least harmful). Does this mean I need to start making my own toothpaste too? In my opinion, hell yes it does! Plus, Tom’s of Maine isn’t cheap and it STILL has propylene glycol in it! ARGH! An organic version (Jason Organics) is $8 bucks and I’m not going to spend a pretty penny on toothpaste, thank you very much (or any other overpriced “natural” product). Not right now, anyway.

Everything and it seems like everything sold in stores is bad for you. It’s impossible to avoid all of it the chemicals whether in our homes, outside, or at the movies!  What we can do as consumers and as FRIENDS is make a difference.

Tell all your friends as the Healthy Child Healthy World video implies and help spread the word! Secondly, stop buying the product and try to find an alternative. Finally, start writing to the companies and DEMAND change. This could seriously devote ones time since there are so many companies out there who are polluting the planet and our bodies (toxins + plastic). As a consumer we need to start standing up for what’s right- not wrong!  The FDA (Food and Drug Adminstration) does not require premarket health or safety studies or testing on products that hit store shelves which means were the guinea pigs who suffer!

What To Look For

(derived from better nutrition magazine)

Phthalates: found in synthetic fragrances, are endocrine disruptors that have been linked to developmental and reproductive toxicity, immunotoxicity, and organ system toxicity. If it contains the word FRAGRANCE- stay away!

Propylene glycol: found in tortillas, lotions & potions, deodorant, many snack foods, etc., is linked to cancer, developmental and reproductive toxicity, allergies, immunotoxicity, and skin and eye irritation.  Also listed as 1,2-dihydroxypropane; 2-hydroxypropanol; methylethyl glycol; 1,2-propanediol; or propane- ,2-diol.

Parabens: used as preservatives in a wide variety of body care products. Also linked to cancer and developmental and reproductive damage. AKA 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, benzoic acid, p-salicyclic acid or zoic acid.

Mineral Oil: Petroleum based, linked to cancer and can be listed as paraffin.

Sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate: used as a foaming or sudsing agent – found in bubble baths and body washes, shampoos and hand washes. It can cause organ toxicity and irritation of the skin, eyes and hair. May be listed as PEG 1-4 or lauryl ether sulfate, sodium slat, polyethylene glycol (1-4)

Oxybenzone: widely used in sunscreens and other skin care products with SPF protection, is linked to endocrine disruption, reproductive damage and cell damage. AKA benzophenone-3, 2-benzoyl-5-methoxyphenol, phenylmethanone and other names.

Familiarizing yourself with these chemicals is your exit sign for the non toxic highway!

Resources

Healthy Child Healthy World

Enviroblog

MomsRising

I’m always checking out these helpful sites for the latest information! I know I’ve mentioned it before but if you’re curious to know what’s in your products be sure to check out the Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetic Safety Database. Be sure to also check out their chemical index!

Beware!

Just because a product advertises “all natural” or “organic” doesn’t always mean that it’s non toxic! Reading labels is a huge preventive measure when it comes to buying products that may contain harmful ingredients.

Have you recently switched out a product because it contained unsafe chemicals?

Please, share your thoughts!

Eco Link Love Edition: # 1

The other day I shared my favorite raw foodie sites- well, since then I’ve found even more, I really enjoy- lol!! The bloggy world is amazing. You can learn so much all in one day!

Today, I’m going to keep this short because they’re isn’t much time in my day right now to blog! Baby C has been restless and I can’t seem to keep up with everything. Which means, I’m not superwoman- after all- shh!!!! Don’t tell anyone- LOL! Honestly, though, it feels like some days I have to be Super Woman in order to keep some sanity– but that’s just me.

My husband has been working night and day since the start of the summer. He goes to work for the company and then he comes home and works on the rental house my parents own. He’s doing a complete re-model to it. It’s a lot of physical work and TIME. Besides working day and night- he’s been working the weekends pretty much all year long. Before the rental- there was a side job- and before this turns into a rant- I’m going to stop! You get the drift. Things seems a bit crazy at times and I feel like pulling my hair out. ARGH!

Since my life is a bit hectic at the moment I hope you will allow me to spare you some juicy eco details and allow me to break up the monotony…

Here are some GREEN blogs I regularly visit- in no specific order…

Read more

Green Smoothie Rocket Pops!

I’m totally loving these popsicle molds by Tovelo. My son absolutely adores them too and has not stopped asking about them since they arrived at our door last week. We have some cheapie ones from Target as well but I’m afraid those aren’t BPA FREE. Which is why I bought these they’re not lined with BPA. Instead they’re made without the yuckies and they’re groovy.

These rocket pops remind me of the “bomb pops” I grew up on from the ice cream man.  Except that the mixtures that going into these rocket pops are100% natural! I made a green smoothie version and poured it right into the molds. Hooray for healthy treats! My mom let me borrow her VitaMix blender so I could pulverize some flax seeds and I decided I would take advantage of it’s mighty power and blend up the fresh strawberries we’d bought and make popsicles for Tristan.

Here’s what you need:

3-4 pineapples spears

1 1/2 cups of strawberries

1 banana

1 big handful of your favorite green- we used spinach and it was probably a little less than a handful. -

About a 1tsp of agave (optional)

ENJOY!

This is definitely something the kids will love to snack on for a treat. What makes it so great is that your kids will eat it right up and not care a bit about the greens AND it’s a perfect way to cool off in the summer.  My son LOVES this recipe.  Create your own and have fun with it!

What’s your favorite summer smoothie mixture?

35 Wk. Pregnancy Update: Preparing For a Homebirth

 

35 weeks pregnant and 34 days to go! It seems longer when you think of it in days rather than weeks. It’s just around the corner though. I can’t believe how fast it’s gone. It feels like I just announced the news. I can’t believe I’m going to be caring for another baby.

We’re spending some quality time with Tristan lately and trying to get in lots of snuggles and cherish the moments we have with him while he’s still our only baby! We took him to the zoo recently and realized it would be the last time we’d go as the 3 of us. It was bittersweet.

I just wish we could bottle up all this time and go back to it whenever we wanted. I know that Tristan is really going to enjoy having a little brother around which is why we wanted to get pregnant in the first place so he could have a playmate. Tristan is going to make a wonderful Big Brother and he’s expressed so much love to Clark by kissing my belly every morning, throughout the day and at night. From “Morning Clark” “whuv you Clarkie” “nigh-night Clark” to just “Clarkie”. He was calling him “Chuck” for awhile but when we seriously asked him to tell us his brothers name he said Clark and hasn’t gone back to Chuck since.

I feel well. At times I get a little light headed and feel woozy. With all the blood being pumped to take care of Clark it drains me some days. I tend to drink more water on those days, like today actually. No swelling has occurred or anything abnormal. My emotional state is good and I’m happy to know that a baby will be arriving soon.

 Going through Tristan’s 0-3 month old clothing really put it into perspective for me. Not to mention the his bumGenius XS’s we still have that are just way too cute. It’s so hard to imagine how small they were when they grow like weeds. I’m not sure if Clark has dropped but it sure feels like he has because my pelvis is sore.

We been preparing for the homebirth/waterbirth and have received the birth kit and water tub. The water tub is eco friendly in the toxic sense as the vinyl it’s made from does not contain phthlates, lead or cadmium.  I’ve been cleaning our home with non toxic cleaners- of course and making sure that every nook and cranny doesn’t get missed. Spring cleaning has already begun in this household. I’ve gone through old boxes and cleared out the clutter. It’s all part of nesting and I’m enjoying it. It makes me feel good.

I’ve even gone through most of Tristan’s old clothes- we didn’t get rid of any of his clothes. Re-using his clothes will save us a ton. Plus, all the other miscellaneous items we kept that we’re no longer using. Soon it will all get put to use again.

I’m planning to make an eclectic birthing CD that I’ve just been writing down on a list…I think I have too many but too much is better than not enough. Artists like Ziggy Marley, Jack Johnson, Eddie Veder, Coldplay, 311, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jewel, Nora Jones, J.C. Lodge, Collie Buddz, Billy Joel, The Beatles, Led Zepplin, etc. I have many more but I won’t go on. You get the drift. Some of it will also be music that’s soothing and mind opening.

I’m hoping it will inspire me during birth and Clark will be born in an welcoming atmosphere. I sterilized 4 bags of clothes that contain items like towels, hand towels, wash clothes, a sheet set, Clark’s first outfits and cotton hats, 3 bumGenius diapers and receiving blankets.

To sterilize we placed items in a paper bag sealed with masking tape and put in the oven at 200 degrees for an hour. A large pan of water should be place on the bottom of the oven.

We still need to get a new sterile hose for filling up the tub, spout adaptor and I need to find out about surgical scissors for cutting the cord. I think the midwives provide the scissors…because it wasn’t listed on the birth kit and I don’t remember being responsible for those last time.

We’d like to fill up the tub once before the birth to make sure that there are no flaws- leaks…and I plan to do that and share with you sometime this week.

Other than that, we’re pretty much set. My sis has volunteered to make us a few meals so that we don’t have to worry about a few dinner’s just after the birth…and we too plan to do the same. Going to make some black bean soup and a vegetable lasagna to freeze for the day of birth. Oh! and need to get a few items for the labor aid tea and freeze it too so we don’t have to worry about it the day of.

Other than that, I’m just a ticking time bomb…

P.S.

Don’t forget to check out the Newbaby.com widget on the right hand side for my midwife vlog and others! 

Keeping Your Heart in Mind: Sprouting Beans

By Jill Nussinow, MS, RD, The Veggie Queen™  www.theveggiequeen.com

Photo courtesy of Google images

Simple food often satisfies in heart matters. Plant-foods contain heart protective antioxidants and phytochemicals. Perhaps the best food for heart, and overall, health has to be the bean, and other legumes. Most often thought of as poor man’s food,  it’s likely that in these times we will think of them as what they are: life saving and life giving.

Today I share a simple thing to do with beans: sprout them. Yes, it’s easy, fun, delicious and nutritious. Use organic beans of any kind. Get your equipment together. You need a quart glass jar, a jar screen or piece of cheesecloth, and a rubber band. (One student asked about using pantyhose as a jar cover but I don’t know if it works. I have semi-successfully used a paper towel when that’s all I have.)

Put 4 tablespoons of beans in the jar. Fill with clean water, put on your choice of cover, and let sit overnight, or all day. Dump the water out (use it to water houseplants), rinse and now turn the jar at an angle, upside down, and put into a bowl in a dark cabinet where you will remember it. 

Rinse and drain thoroughly each morning and night for 2 to 4 days, until the beans have a short tail. Taste a bean and if it’s crunchy and delicious, it’s ready to eat.

If the beans smell funky or are slimy, toss them into the compost – they’re bad. This rarely happens, unless you’re in a very warm and humid climate.

Use the bean sprouts as salad or salad toppers, turn them into raw hummus or use them in cooking, which only requires a few minutes. My favorite legumes to sprout are garbanzo beans and lentils of any kind. Sprout the ones you love.

Simple Sprouted Bean Salad

2-3 cups sprouted beans and/or other sprouts

2 tablespoons honey mustard or Dijon plus 2 teaspoons agave syrup

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1/4- 1/2 teaspoon  salt

The salt is one quarter to one half teaspoon.

Combine dressing ingredients in a small glass jar and shake. Pour over sprouts and serve.

I usually have a jar of sprouts going at all times. It varies what I grow according to my whim. 

La Cocina Verda (The Green Kitchen)

 

The kitchen is a commonplace for Tristan and I to be…we love to eat! Feeding Tristan can be a challenge but we have a lot of fun being creative. Since I’ve become a mom I’ve learned there are challenges when it comes to finding all the necessities required to feed your beloved lil’ greenie. For one, you can’t get bamboo utensils or bowls anywhere in my town- PVC Free Bibs- what are those?, So Easy Baby Food food trays-you’re going to make your own baby food-what the…, how about ORGANIC foods in general for a baby/toddler! The reaction to my green baby saga was always gently nubbed. In any case, it took some time to aquire the items we needed for Tristan before birth…but we finally had what we felt was adequate and considered him our little Green Guy and our kitchen La Cocina Verde!!

Shopping List:

- bamboo- utensil set- bambu products

-.bamboo bowls

-Sustainable Highchair – Babylon Toddler Highchair

-Organic cotton bibs or PVC Free Bibs made by Bumkins

- Cloth napkins-(organic whenever possible or recycled fabric) to wipe up spills and messy faces! http://www.fabkins.com/ or recycled paper towels

- So Easy Baby Food Kit, non toxic- for storing your homemade baby food

- Cast iron pots/and skillet- non toxic, no teflon, and great for iron deficiency- iron leaches into food while being cooked

- Organic groceries and snacks whenever possible 

- Non toxic sippy cup/bottle and other baby feeding accessories

- All natural, non toxic, cleaning products and hand soap

- Glass storage containers- operation out with the plastic!!!

Check out The Soft Landing http://www.thesoftlanding.com/ for an array of PVC/BPA free unique items!

 While slaving over all that baby food you’ll need a handy dandy recipe book to glance over. I’ve used this one on many occassions…

* Organic Bay and Toddler Cookbook- easy recipes for natural food by Lizzie Vann

Organic Food For Thought: Just about any baby food recipe can be converted to an organic one! Also, most organic baby food books offer lots of insight about wholesome natural foods and most recipes for go refined sugar!

Tristan throughly enjoys his greens… he’s bound to have a little green in him! ; )

Our little green bean loves the following recipe and it’s packed with iron too!

*Steam- peas, carrots, spinach, broccoli, and quinoa (cook quinoa seperately) puree in food processor!  Freeze and serve as needed.

What’s your favorite baby food recipe or accessory? Any suggestions…??? 

Make Your Own Organic Butter~

Growing up, my husband made butter using a mason jar. Yep! Butter. Fresh and creamy sweet butter. No real method just pour and shake. There’s nothing else to it…except the heavy cream that is. After pouring the heavy cream into a jar tighten the lid and shake away! My hubby is quite the butter shaker…so I let him take care of it, usually. The picture’s below were taken a few months ago when we decided to photograph the butter making experience. Not really good photo’s I know. Yesterday’s butter making process did not get photographed… I thought of it after the fact. The heavy cream came out looking like a “stick” of butter is was pretty amazing! We used a peach jar (2 1/2 cups) that we recycled and also use a daily drinking cups (they resemble mason jars).  Were not usually precise unless were baking…  this is what we did yesterday though- an entire one pint carton of heavy cream was poured into a mason/peach jar. Hubs shook for 20 minutes or so maybe a litte less and a ball will start to form. The liquid will also seem heavier and start to clump together…and viola’! You’ll need to pour out the excess liquid (buttermilk), drain or use a cheesecloth and squeeze out. The buttermilk can be used, but there won’t be much.  This process work’s for us!  It makes approx. 8 oz of butter- a fair amount. We haven’t bought packaged butter in months. No packaged butter for us… means no waste and also means were not contributing to the energy consumption required to produce it.  We like knowing our butter has been produced here at home, with our own two hands! While we don’t have a cow to actually get it from the source, were hoping to have a goat soon! More on that soon!!!! Making butter is also a great actiivty to do with your kids. Get them to do all the shaking. I’ve had my sister’s kids participate and they thought it was really fun. Be sure to have warm muffins ready to slather the homemade butter onto -because the kids will want a quick taste!

It you’d like a recipe on butter making…check out the link below!

http://crunchychickencooks.blogspot.com/

What do you enjoy making from scratch?

“Boni Ami” means “Good Friend”, so if you like Bon Ami please tell your friends about it!!

                                                                                                                   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The title  slogon caught my eye as I reached for the golden canister of cleanser on a bathroom cleaning sprint, while Tristan was out (I try to clean when he’s away). You know, the one with the fluffy yellow chick  on the front!  “the  secret” is – Bon Ami- Earth Friendly Cleanser!!  I’ve never really stopped to check out the canister before in it’s entirety. The chick on the front is very cute and sweet- but, that’s not the reason we buy it…how bout’- NO chlorine, NO perfume, NO dye, NO phosphorus and totally BIODEGRADABLE! Bon Ami has been in business since 1886!! An impressive eco-scouring cleanser beating out top competitors were all familiar with! The original non scratching cleanser…” when you care about your family, your earth, and your home…”  Having many uses from shoes, garage floors, boat teakwood trim, fiberglass campers, and China- it certainly does the job! The Earth Share logo also caught my eye- another bonus! Bon Ami is recommended by leading companies such as Chantel, Pyrex, Regal and Corning Ware to name a few. Their packaging contains in excess of 75% recycled materials. What’s not to like? Especially, the wonderful vintage ads… Check out their website to get tips and find out the many uses of this ”earth friendly” wonder cleanser. www.bonami.com

What a great feeling to know you’re child is safe in the tub after you’ve scoured it!! It not only leaves behind sparkle and shine your sense of smell is still intact! Add Bon Ami to your next grocery list. I just love this stuff! My mom has been using it for as long as I can remember. I use it mainly for everything in the bathroom except for the windows. I’m sharing “the secret” with you ladies, now it’s your turn!!!  What’s your secret??                                                                                                                                                                                   Read more