I never knew I had a green thumb. I grew up with parents who kept us indoors and cautioned against getting dirty, which meant I never played in the dirt or even touched it.

And then recently I decided to grow my own food. (Reasons: concern with GMO foods, limited choice of organic produce, to show my kids where food really comes from, and my love of food and cooking fresh, flavorful food.)  As a person who never touched dirt, of course I had no idea of what I was doing.  I started off with okay results.   …And then my friend (Sandra) introduced me to small batch composting.   Suddenly my garden went gang-busters!  Everything started to look healthy and robust, really alive!

Like many people I’ve talked to, composting had never worked for me in the past. I found it difficult and it seemed to bring more bugs into my house than into my garden.  But small-batch composting (as I call it) is totally different.  It is so easy and the results make it sort of addictive.  It has made my garden so lush that my friend’s husband actually gasped when he saw my garden and immediately wanted to know why it suddenly looked so good.

So here’s how to Small-Batch Compost:

Find a spot where you can dig a small hole. Don’t worry if your soil is rock hard and you can only dig a few inches deep, that is actually deep enough.

Next throw in your compostable food waste. I dump in the refuse from my juicer, so everything is already in tiny shreds (which makes the process go faster).  But you can throw in anything that was grown from the ground.

Next cover it with dirt so that none of the debris is showing. Turn and chop the soil maybe once or twice before a week is up.

In just a week you will have dirt that looks like “devils food cake” as my friend Sandra puts it.  This dirt is so full of nutrients because you have just “fed” it.  And that is all there is to small-batch composting! Yes, it is that easy!  Make sure you spread this nutrient-rich soil all over your garden.  Mix the soil up well before you plant your seeds.  (I’ve learned to sprout them first before planting them).  You will be amazed at the speed your plants will grow and how vibrant your garden will look!

Good Luck and Happy Gardening,

Your Sensible Girlfriend

I’ll admit it, I am a recovering hoarder. I inherited my pack-rat nature from both my parents who saw value in every piece of scrap they came across. I learned to be a “maybe we will need this someday” kind of person, a “be prepared for anything” kind of person, so learning how to let go of things has not been easy.

Kitchen Area- "After"

Cluttered Refrigerator & Counter Tops- "Before"

That all changed after reading a book called Simplicity Parenting. When I learned that my children would be better behaved just by de-cluttering, I was willing to try it. The theory is that clutter adds to overstimulation which when combined with other factors (being tired, hungry, emotionally out of sorts, etc.) a child is more likely to misbehave.

I had a chance to test this theory. We were going on vacation, so in order to sublet our home, we removed all child-related things and personal items (eliminating a lot of clutter). When we returned, we kept out the few toys my boys had from their suitcases. I also added some rocks and drift wood from the beach to give them something to build with. To my amazement, my children were calmer, more peaceful and happier! There were no longer piles of toys to scatter and step over. Their play became more creative out of sheer necessity. To my surprise, they didn’t complain about having fewer toys. They were actually happier with less! Imagine that! Another huge benefit was that my husband was noticeably happier with less clutter and living with happier kids.

Here’s the science behind why this works. Our bodies produce a stress hormone called cortisol when we are overstimulated. Clutter reads like chaos/stress to our senses. So when the clutter is removed, our brain and bodies can relax. When surrounded by clutter (or noise or anything continually irritating) there is a constant flow of cortisol in our system. This is like putting your children in PMS mode, so the slightest thing will more easily set them off.

Playroom "After"

Another “wow” that I got from Simplicity Parenting was the idea that space is a precious commodity. Empty space is often worth more than the item taking up that space. Weigh the value of being calmer and happier against the usefulness of that item. Does that change anything for you? It was a huge paradigm shift for me!

Desk Area "De-Cluttered"

Where to start?
• Start small. Choose one area such as your children’s toys, your bathroom counter or your desk.

• Eliminate the obvious, eliminate another time, and then a third time with the idea of space as a commodity and the prospect of happier children.

• Fellow hoarders: It is okay to put things that you use often hidden away in a cupboard.  You don’t need to see it to know that it is there, especially if you use it every day.  If you need a reminder, you can make a “what is in this cupboard” list taped inside your cupboard if you must.

• Empty space is good.  Empty space actually calms our visual senses.

• Try to make surfaces of tables and counters as bare as you can.

• Donate what you have eliminated to a charity or gift the items to friends who would appreciate it.

Here are some helpful visuals:

Organize Your Clutter- My Children's "Art Cupboard"

(Below is a homemade curtain stuck on with “stick-on” velcro)

Hide Clutter Behind A Curtain!

No Cupboard Space? Appliances Can Be Hidden Under A Tablecloth!

Hidden Appliances- "After"

"Good Stuff" Going To Donation Center

It’s a New Year’s resolution worth following through on. My family is definitely more peaceful for it.

Wishing You A Peaceful, Joyful New Year!

Your Sensible Girlfriend

Now that our kids have had their fill of Halloween candy, I have some words of advice (on the down low) from a dentist that I “grilled” (informally interviewed) recently.

But to start, I’ll tell you that I don’t really believe that young kids need to see a dentist if you are conscious to take preventative measures (which we do).
So that said, of course, my kids have not been to a dentist yet (almost three and four years old) although most people including dentists might consider that a form of light child abuse.  (You may be one of them and may feel like reporting me to the authorities, but hold on and hear me out because it might surprise you to know that a dentist I spoke with agreed with me! (off the record, however to avoid criticism from colleagues.)

Why don’t I believe in dentist visits for my young kids?
A couple of reasons.  One is that I don’t believe my children need a dental cleaning at this age.  And second, I’ve always felt that dentists are trying to get you in as early and as often as they can in order to make a living.

The shocking thing is that this dentist said that I am right! He did say that he does see young children with cavities who do need cleanings and dental work, but they are the children who eat sugary foods, candy and drink soda or juice as a part of their normal daily diet (so if this describes your kid, please do take him or her to the dentist early and often).  However, if you are a family like us, who does not eat sugary foods and cares for your kids teeth (brushing and checking for cavities) this dentist says your children can wait to see a dentist until around five or six years old! (and that is just for a general check up to make sure everything is okay.)

So what is the best way to take care of a young child’s teeth so they don’t need to see a dentist?
AVOID SUGAR AND SUGARY FOODS.  That means all sugars including soda and fruit juice.  Again, this dentist said the kids who have cavities are the ones who eat candy, drink soda and even fruit juice regularly.  Kids don’t need juice.  Eating fruit provides the fiber that is important in their diet and also in a way scrubs their teeth kind of like a tooth brush, so less sugar is left on the teeth.  Drinking juice (or soda) is like washing your teeth in a sugar bath!
BRUSH AFTER YOU EAT.  If you eat something sugary this will help.  And here’s something you may not have thought of: carbohydrates stick to your teeth and can be almost as damaging as sugar (especially white flour types of foods).  Brushing will make all the difference since tartar only forms from food or sugar left on your teeth.  Flossing is good too, but just getting the brush into your kids mouths is sometimes the best we can do.
RINSE YOUR MOUTH WITH WATER AFTER EATING OR DRINKING.  For kids, just having them drink water will rinse off a good amount of gunk that can turn into cavity producing tartar.
CHECK FOR CAVITIES. If you see any spots on your child’s teeth, especially on the tops of the molars, go see a dentist.

That is basically it for a healthy dental regimen.

Some other sound advice from this dentist…
When your child does see a dentist, have the dentist coat the tops of the back teeth with a sealant- a thin coating of resin. Since the molars are the most used to chew (where food can more easily get stuck in small crevices) this is where the coating can be an impervious barrier and protect the teeth without being invasive.  This along with brushing can prevent kids who do eat sugar from losing their molar teeth to tooth decay.

Fluoride does help your teeth, so brushing with fluoride does make a difference, however it is not necessary to drink fluoridated water. Just getting your teeth in contact with fluoride is what matters. Fluoride strengthens the bony type material of the teeth, so if your child does have a weak spot in his tooth, the flouride can actually build up that weak spot and avert the possibility of a cavity.  I personally would only give flouride toothpaste to children who are old enough not to swallow toothpaste.  I believe ingesting fluoride is harmful and should only be used topically on the surface of the teeth and then rinsed out well with water.  My children use a fluoride-free toothpaste since they are still in the habit of sucking on their toothbrushes.  When they get older and break this habit, I’ll switch them over to a toothpaste with fluoride.

Some other tid-bits on the down low…
According to this dentist, it is true that many dentist do unnecessary cleanings and procedures in order to make money. Many dentists are not into prevention, but will “drill and fill” at the slightest sign of a cavity, where it instead could be remedied with prescription fluoride or other means. He has seen dentists take out teeth unnecessarily, and even do root canals that have done more harm than good.  He agrees with me on this — if you are generally healthy with your teeth, seeing a bad dentist can put you more at risk than not seeing a dentist at all!

I am sure many dentists would refute these claims, but just think about who stands to gain and who stands to lose. My sensible advice– teach your kids to take care of their teeth and watch the sugar intake, and you can avoid most dental problems for life.

Your Sensible Girlfriend

Kids love this time of year, while parents like me dread Halloween because of the GOBS of candy. So in looking for a solution, I came across THE answer. Here’s an article on it that I wrote for this month’s Maui Mamas Magazine:

What To Do With All That Halloween Candy?
CANDY SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS!

Goblins, ghouls, witches and ghosts… It’s that time of year again for scary things, but the most frightening of all on Halloween is ALL THAT CANDY!
I love all the costumes.  And even the “trick or treating” is fun.  But if you’re a mom like me, I cringe when I think of my kids eating Halloween candy and so much of it! Last year my toddlers scored such a loot that was astonishingly cool to them and absolutely horrifying to me and my husband (based on our usual “no sugar” nutritional sense).

Being a health conscious parent, you can hide it, donate it, negotiate about how much they can eat or just throw it away.  But I always feel kind of guilty for taking away the treasure that they worked so hard for. So how can you let your kids keep their candy, let them enjoy it and as a responsible mom, still feel good about it?  The answer: Candy “Science” Experiments!

“Drop a Warhead in baking soda water and see bubbles erupt.  Leave a Skittles in water, the “S” floats to the surface.  Melt a Starburst and see shiny oil spots form.”  These are just a few examples of candy science experiments from candyexperiments.com.

Why do it all alone when you can gather up some friends and have a Post-Halloween Candy Experiment  Party!
Kids can wear rubber gloves, aprons, and swim goggles to turn your home into a Candy Science Lab!

Candyexperiments.com suggests these experiments:
The Acid Test
Floating M’s
Color Separation (make a ROYGBIV rainbow with skittles in water)
Dissolving Hot/Cold
Sink/Float
Free For All: Let kids smash, microwave or anything else they can think of.

Here are some other ideas:

Make a Mentos/Soda Erupting Volcano

Make a Game Of It:
Guess which one will float
Guess what part will melt away last

Crafts:
Melt hard candies and lollipops and pour into cookie cutters to make stained glass ornaments.  Poke a hole and string it up for your Christmas tree!

I know my kids will be excited to try these experiments and maybe even forget about eating the candy at all!  That’s nothing to say Boo to!  Have a Happy and Safe Halloween!

P.S. Check out my last year’s blog post about Holidays- making it about tradition rather than commercialism.

Your Sensible Girlfriend

2 Year-Old Rear-Facing, 3 & 3/4 Year-Old Front Facing in Car Seat

I thought I was the only mom who continued to keep her children in the rear-facing position in the car seat after they turned one year old. I thought I was the only mom who would get strange looks and comments from others when they would see my toddlers still “rear-facing”.  And I thought I must be the only one who has experienced a serious car crash and knows that even in low speed crashes, whiplash is extremely violent to the neck and spinal cord.  But it turns out that I am not the only one.

Boys Having Fun In Car

I talked to a mom online who feels the same as I do– from the comments and strange looks to her gut feeling telling her to keep her children rear-facing.  She sent me some information that confirmed that listening to that gut feeling has been keeping our children safe.  It turns out that mothers in Sweden keep their children rear-facing until they are four years old.  Research shows that only 9 children within 5 years died in Sweden due to car crashes.  Compare that to the fact that the leading cause of death for children in the U.S. after they are one year old (once they are turned around forward facing) is from car crashes. This woman told me that it was hard to get her friends to realize the seriousness of this until she found this sobering information put out by a group called Car Safety 4 Kids.

Most parents I know turn their kids forward facing once they turn one year old because there has been information out there from pediatricians and others credible agencies that recommended doing so.  But many parents don’t realize that since April 2009, the American Academy of Pediatrics updated their recommendation to keep children rear-facing until at least two years old. In addition, they say that if your car seat allows your child to sit rear-facing beyond two years old, then they recommend you keep your child rear-facing until they are beyond the age or weight limits of the car seat in the rear-facing position.

Luckily my husband agrees with me on keeping the children rear-facing.  He met an emergency room nurse that told him to please keep your kids rear-facing until at least 35 pounds. She said that she sees so many horrific accidents that could have been greatly minimized by keeping the children rear-facing.  My oldest child is now 40 pounds, three and three quarters years old.  I just turned his car seat around to front facing because his legs were falling asleep being scrunched up.  I am glad that I kept him rear-facing for these past few years.  Now his spinal cord and neck are much stronger, so that in the event of an accident, he won’t be as vulnerable to serious or fatal injury.  (The younger the child, the more likely his or her thin spinal cord could stretch and break from whiplash; that is the same affect as decapitation!!!) Having been in some serious auto accidents myself, I know how violent and long-lasting whiplash can be.   That’s why the Swedish take this seriously to keep millions of children from dying.  If only more Americans would realize it is a matter of life and death, we could save millions of American children’s lives.

Your Sensible Girlfriend

I recently went from a size extra large to a size small in about 4 or 5 months, and a lot of people have been asking me how I lost the weight.  Some of them are men, some single women, some older, some younger, some are moms wanting to get rid of postpartum weight and some are still breastfeeding.  Many of them try to eat right and exercise.  Yet all of them are dealing with the same frustration– they can’t seem to shed the pounds.  After a while these people may start to think that they just don’t have the type of body or physical make up that will shed the weight like other people who are trim.  But I believe it is a simple combination of factors that can either prevent or assist someone in losing weight.  (FYI– I grew from my original size small to extra large after birthing 3 babies) (Some or all of this may not apply to: anyone who has health issues or disease, children, teenagers, the elderly, pregnant women, menopausal women, or other conditions I may not be aware of or can think of at the moment.)

Here’s my theory based on observations, things I’ve read over the years and my experience of being heavy and trim in different times of my life… 

It basically comes down to two things– happiness and whole foods.

We’ll talk about whole foods in just a bit, but first, let’s look at what happiness has to do with losing weight.

Happiness = weight loss. This is probably the first time you’ve even entertained the idea of the two being interrelated.  It is not part of any diet program that I’ve heard of and I have no scientific proof to back this up, but I’ve witnessed this over and over to be true.  Here’s why I believe happiness or being joyful helps you to lose weight.

I’ve noticed that many people who have a hard time losing weight think of exercise and weight loss as a struggle. They take it on as a battle that they have to fight.  When they exercise, even if it is with determination, in their minds they think of it as hard work or something they dread.  What happens in the mind is a mental fight.  One side is saying, “come on fatty, chunky-o, blubber or (other hurtful name), get to work on this!  You look (insert hurtful adjective)!  How can you walk around like this?  Doesn’t it make you feel (insert shameful adjective)?  This self scolding may make a person go out and do something toward losing weight, but think about it… is scolding the best way to motivate a person?  Even if someone wants to lose weight, they won’t feel energized and motivated by this internal criticism.  This internal criticism is like a monkey on your back.  It’s always there to scold and ironically we think this monkey is being helpful, when actually the monkey is weighing you down.  This negative energy (monkey) literally creates a heaviness in the body.  It acts like a magnetic force making your body hang on to this extra weight.

You say, so what does this have to do with happiness?  Hold on, I’m getting to that..

Instead of struggling while trying to lose weight, I believe if you are doing things that make you happy, the weight will come off. Yes, you do need to exercise (consistently).  But if you choose something that you enjoy, that makes you feel exhilarated and free, I believe those positive energy endorphins send a message to your body’s systems to flow as they should.  This allows your body to release the fat… as opposed to when you are stressed or depressed which raises your cortisol levels (stress hormones) which tells your body  that you are in survival mode… which gives your body a reason to horde the fat.  Happy = weight loss.  Stress = keep on the weight.

During the times where I was heavy and couldn’t shake the weight, I would work out hard (again, creating struggle) doing things I didn’t really enjoy– aerobic classes, riding a stationary bike, military style boot camp exercise.  I would look at my body with disgust and the negative self talk would anchor the fat even deeper and seemed to slow my metabolism.   I was also either sad, depressed or not letting go of something in my life that wasn’t working for me. 

I think the fact that I was unhappy lead me to do exercise that felt like a punishment, affirming my unhappy state, causing a self perpetuating fat inducing downward spiral that never ended until I addressed what was making me unhappy. {I also believe that unhappiness creates a chemical reaction in the body causing your metabolism to slow down.}  When I was able to look into what was making me unhappy and let go of it, not coincidentally I got into yoga, mountain bike riding and rock climbing– activities that made me feel happy, feel free and exhilarated and again, not by coincidence, I lost weight.

My latest weight loss experience, proved my theory again. Normally I am a very happy person, but I had just been through a traumatic birth experience which deeply affected my one and a half year old son.  My daily life was highly stressful with every second of the day trying to stop my toddler from attacking the newborn baby (and any other children in his presence) in addition to the usual daily needs of a toddler and a newborn.  Just thinking about that time now gives me a heavy feeling.  On the advice of a couple of other moms, I joined the YMCA, not necessarily for the exercise, but more because they have a child-watch program.  I could get 90 minutes of time to myself and take a breather from every stress-filled day.  I started doing “zumba” (a sexy latin dance aerobics class) and swimming.  And around the same time a friend of mine started a surf moms club and I learned to surf while the other moms watched my children and vice-versa.  The zumba, the swimming and the surfing were all activities I loved and made me feel free.  There were days I didn’t feel up to working out hard so I would read a book or listen to a lecture on CD while riding the recumbent bike.  But most of the time I felt so exhilarated by the fun activities that I couldn’t wait to get to it and experience my minutes of freedom.  This is partly how I went from size XL to small.

Here’s another example of what I’m talking about. Almost every day I see a man and three ladies walking up and down a very steep hill leading up to my neighborhood.  They are quite dedicated to working out.  They’ve chosen a very difficult hill to climb.  There is no sidewalk, so they have to work hard to avoid cars.  They also probably feel like they are “really working out” because they always walk during the hottest hour of the day.  I give them kudos for trying to do the right thing.  They have been doing this since I was pregnant and are still doing it today which means it has been more than a year, maybe even a year and a half.  They all look about the same as they did when I first noticed them walking in my neighborhood which means none of them have lost any significant amount of weight.  I feel very bad for them because they are expending so much energy and so dedicated to it.  But I think the problem is that they see this as hard work and each of them is carrying that negative energy monkey on their back that keeps the weight on (unless they have a disease or condition that affects their weight).  I believe the solution to their weight loss problem would be to find some activity that they don’t see as hard work.  This would automatically change the negative speech going on in their heads because they would become focused on how much fun they are having.  They would also be feeling the “happy” endorphins in their body, and like a drug addict, they will quickly be jonesing for more.  The happy, fun feeling mixed with the endorphins is a perfect cocktail to motivate a person of any weight to want to exercise again and again.

Eating “Right”

Okay, so if you’ve found your “happy exercise”… good, now let’s talk about what you’re eating.  I believe, this is where a lot of people get lost.  They think they are eating “healthy” food or “diet” foods so they assume that plus exercise will guarantee they lose weight.  But for some reason they can’t figure out why the weight is still hanging on to them.  What are they doing wrong?  It’s simple.  Forget all the “diets” including “low fat”, “low carb”, and calorie counting.  When you are “successfully dieting”, all of those things feel like a punishment which does not help according to my happiness theory of losing weight.  It actually sets you up for a cycle of failure because you might see some results at first, but then, you won’t be able to eat this way forever and on top of that, you’re building that negative energy each time you feel you’re being deprived.

So you ask, what is really healthy and what do you eat to lose weight? Personally I don’t eat to lose weight.  Instead, I eat to nourish my body and to have a pleasurable experience through eating (again, creating happiness).  I like to enjoy the entire experience– the look, the taste, the texture, the colors of the food, the table setting and even the ambiance of the room.  But besides enjoying my food, the actual foods I put into my body make a difference in how easily I can burn off the extra weight. 

Higher quality whole foods in the body are like a high quality gasoline in a car.  The body burns the high quality food more efficiently and the result is more energy and less waste left over to turn into body fat.

What are high quality whole foods you ask?  Foods that have not been modified or processed.  Think back to the days when people ate what they had on the farm.  People in small villages traded milk for bread or cheese for eggs.  People made fresh food from scratch.  They used salt, pepper, spices, animal fat, cream and butter to flavor their foods.  They pickled and jarred fruits and vegetables to preserve them for when they were out of season.  There were no processed, packaged foods with chemical preservatives, pesticide sprayed foods, genetically modified foods, man-made products like high fructose corn syrup, white bleached flour… or even white sugar!  Hold-on, I am not saying that you need to grow your own foods and make everything from scratch.  I certainly don’t.  But if you can chose what would be closest to what people ate back in the day, those foods are the high quality whole foods I’m talking about that help a body run more efficiently.

What is also important is to eat a variety of foods. What do I mean by variety?  Before I was married, I met a guy on match.com who told me he ate very healthily.  When I asked him what he typically ate, he said chicken.  I said, “just chicken?”   He said, “no I eat a lot of different things– chicken ceasar salad, grilled chicken burgers, chicken tacos…”  While he was searching his mind for more, I decided he wasn’t the right guy for me.  He was totally sure that he was doing the right thing for his health by only eating chicken.   But his interpretation of variety was not the same as mine.

Here’s what I try to eat:

(if you don’t care to know how and why, just read the bold text and skip down to the end of my menu of foods)

A variety of whole grains– multi-grain bread (whole wheat, barley, …) whole wheat pasta, spelt flour (for baking), brown rice, oats.  (I do eat white rice and white flour on occasion, but I try to keep it to a minimum).  FYI, when you’re buying bread or any kind of grain know that whole wheat (or whole grain) is different than wheat or that grain listed without the word “whole” in front of it.  Whole means that the grain has not been refined.  That means you’re eating all of the grain as it was meant to be eaten.  Important Fact: When foods are refined and not eaten in their whole natural state, you lose important elements that help the body to digest and assimilate nutrients.  That’s why whole foods help you to lose weight! It makes sense, doesn’t it?  But somewhere along the way, someone thought refined foods were finer, maybe for the elite.  That doesn’t make them healthier… and I’m sure you’ve heard of elite men dying of heart attacks, diabetes and strokes.

A rainbow-colored variety of vegetables– Eating different colored vegetables will give your body a variety of vitamins and nutrients naturally keeping you healthy.  For example, red veggies provide a powerful antioxidant called lycopene.  White vegetables like onion, garlic, leeks contain allicin which studies show to help lower cholesterol, blood pressure and fight infections.  Orange and yellow veggies provide vitamin C, folate, and an immune boosting, antioxidant called beta-carotene.  Blue foods with anthocyanins can help reduce the risk of cancers, strokes and heart disease.  We all have heard that eating green veggies is good for you and it’s true.  They can help combat cancers and vision problems.

Oils and Fats– olive oil, grapeseed oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, flax oil, chicken fat, duck fat, pork fat, beef fat, and lots of butter. According to Sally Fallon, author of Nourishing Traditions, most people benefit from more fat in their diet than less, especially infants and growing children.  It is really important to eat oils and fats, not only to keep your hair and skin looking shiny, but eating the right oils can also help your body function properly.  Stay away from all processed foods with hydrogenated fats and polyunsaturated oils.   The most healthful way to eat oil is to add it on top of food, like a condiment to add flavoring and a slippery texture to your food.   But eat with moderation because even too much olive oil can be bad for your health.  Heating certain oils can change it’s molecular structure so that an oil that is healthy at room temperature can become unhealthy when heated to high temperatures.  If I am searing meat or stir-frying, I use grapeseed oil or coconut oil (or animal fat) which can withstand high heat. I stay away from canola oil because it turns rancid easily, depletes vitamin E and is said to create heart lesions.  I try to stay away from safflower, corn, sunflower, soybean and cottonseed oils because they contain an excessive amount of omega-6 that can be bad for your health.  Animal fats contain saturated fat which is said to be the enemy when trying to be healthy, but according to research mentioned in Fallon’s book, saturated fat actually is necessary for healthy cell membranes, bones, liver, heart, digestive tract and helps our body in many other ways.  I cook with duck fat, pork fat, chicken fat and beef fat…. and I also use a lot of butter. I know this goes against all you’ve heard, but it actually does help your body to run better, so you will lose weight.  My sister who normally eats a low-fat diet at home, stayed at my house for a month and lost weight eating the way that I eat.  Not only that, her skin looked more supple than in usually does.  Besides that, lard is an excellent source of vitamin D, a vitamin that has been touted to boost your immune system and even prevent cancer.  Of course, everything in moderation.

Protein– Eggs, Chicken, Turkey, Duck, Fish, Beef, Pork, Nutritional Yeast, Nut Butters. My family eats a lot of eggs.  Organic eggs have more nutrients, so we try to eat organic.  Eggs are such a complete food and our body actually needs cholesterol for healthy cell membranes, for good digestion, to produce vitamin D, and get this– cholesterol is necessary to produce serotonin which is the “feel-good” chemical in the brain (creating happy weight loss).  Low cholesterol levels have actually been linked to violent behavior, depression and suicidal tendencies.  I buy hormone-free, anti-biotic-free meat and chicken because I don’t want the chicken or cow’s hormones and drugs affecting my families health.  I am the type of person who needs to eat animal protein or eggs every day.  I have tried a day here and there to eat no animal protein and I get light headed and can’t focus.  I think beans are a great thing, but my system doesn’t do well with them, so they’re not on my list.  My husband’s digestion can’t tolerate tofu, so we don’t eat it.  I usually will eat protein twice a day (including dairy and nut butters).

Here’s some important info from Fallon’s book that backs up our need for animal protein, especially if you want to understand why we need animal protein:

The protein that is important for the brain, the nervous system, for the formation of hormones (hormones regulate our metabolism), and other things like blood clotting and making breast milk are most plentiful is eggs and meat.  All proteins are combinations of 22 amino acids, eight of those are “essential” which the human body cannot make.  When the essential amino acids are in our diet, our body can usually build the other nonessential amino acids, but if just one amino acid is missing, the body cannot synthesize the other proteins it needs even if your overall protein intake is high (like beans, legumes and tofu).  Animal fats are our only sources of vitamins A and D.  Protein and fats occur together in eggs, milk, fish and meat and should be eaten together because our bodies need animal fat to assimilate protein.  Protein powders often consumed in a lowfat diet can deplete vitamin A and D reserves and calcium because the protein isolates are obtained by a high temperature process which denatures the protein. (This info was paraphrased from Fallon’s book)

Dairy– Milk, Cheese, Yogurt.

I love dairy foods.  I could eat cheese, cream, cream cheese, yogurt, buttermilk, ice cream and any dairy product for every meal and snack.  I don’t just so I can eat more variety of foods, but I do eat dairy a lot.  Because there is a good amount of fat in dairy foods, I find it keeps me satisfied for long periods of time.  I sprinkle cheese on top of pasta and salads.  I cook dairy into foods.  And I eat cheese or yogurt as a snack nearly every day.

Important note: When buying dairy products, it is important to buy hormone-free, antibiotic-free milk. Since weight loss is also regulated by our hormones (affecting our metabolism), don’t you think putting cow’s hormones into our system could make your metabolism work more like a cow?  Scary, bad image!  Taking in antibiotics through cow milk products can also affect your health over time.  If possible, look for organic milk products– which means the cow ate grasses and grains without pesticides.

Fruit: Whatever is in season; Just one serving a day.

Most people think of fruit and fruit juice as a healthy thing to eat, but that may encourage people to eat too much.  When fruit is broken down, the body uses the sugar and the fiber.  So if you only drink the juice, you are getting an abundance of the sugar without the fiber (that’s why I don’t give my children juice as regular part of their diet) .  When you eat the whole fruit, your body uses energy to digest the fiber– that means you actually burn some of the calories you just ate.  My mom loves fruit.  I think she sees it as an all-you-can-eat type of deal because she thinks of fruit as healthy.  The funny thing is, is that she won’t eat a lot of sugar, but she will chow down on a whole plate of fruit at one sitting.  Basically she is eating a whole plate of sugar.  I suspect that this affects her insulin levels (which affects metabolism).  She tries really hard to diet and exercise all the time, but is not able to shake the weight.  This could have something to do with it.

Sweeteners– Maple Syrup, Honey, Molasses, Sucanat, Agave, Brown Sugar, White Sugar.

Breast milk is the most nutritious food and it is sweet, so that gives me reason to believe we are meant to eat sweets.  I don’t have a huge sweet tooth, but I do like to eat some sweets.  I sweeten my families’ oatmeal with maple syrup, honey or molasses.  It makes sense to me that sweeteners made by nature would have more vitamins and minerals.  I bake a lot and I like using sucanat (although I use all of the sweeteners above).  Sucanat looks and tastes a little like brown sugar, maybe a little heavier in flavor.  It’s a basically sugar cane juice dried into crystals which keeps the molasses content and has the highest nutritional value of all sugars made from sugar cane.  I am adamant about not using corn syrup or eating anything made with high fructose corn syrup.  I think high fructose corn syrup (which is in almost all processed foods) is why Americans are obese, especially children.  It seems to affect my body worse than just regular white sugar.  I accidentally tested out this theory when my husband and I fell into a short stint of eating Costco hot dogs a couple times a week which come with a free soda.  After a month my body ballooned up and got pudgy from the high fructose corn syrup in the soda.  If I were to eat sugar twice a week for a month, it wouldn’t affect me that quickly and that drastically.  So I definitely stay away from all foods with high fructose corn syrup.

Desserts– Cookies, Cakes, Pies, Muffins, Chocolate, Anything Homemade, Rarely Store-bought.  Whenever I have the urge, I eat whatever satisfies my craving

I don’t believe in denying myself.  It goes against my weight loss theory based on happiness.  I also think that if you are craving a specific food, your body probably is telling you something and you should listen.  I’ve noticed whenever I did not give into my cravings right away, I would not be able to get that craving out of my system and I’d be pining away for hours or days… and then eventually I’d have to eat it to make that craving go away– those were in my overweight days.  I noticed in my slimmer days that giving in to my cravings right away, not only made me happy and satisfied me, but it didn’t make a difference in my weight.

When and How Often You Eat

One of my sisters eats one meal a day of just vegetables and rice.  She is not thin, but she thinks this will help to make her a thin as she can be.  On the other hand, I eat when my children eat which is literally every couple of hours.  I actually get hungry every two to three hours, so I eat starting at six in the morning and my last meal I try to have around six in the evening.  I think eating often keeps my metabolism burning whereas my sister’s metabolism acts like a camel’s.  It stores up the little that she eats because it thinks she is in survival mode and that actually slows down her metabolism.  I’ve found that eating too late makes me gain weight too.  It’s hard to get dinner on the table by six pm especially with two children to take care of… so for about a month, I let things slide.  My husband and I started eating dinner later and later and I gained eight pounds in a month’s time. So eat early and often.

So to Recap My Simple Formula For Losing Weight:

• Do what makes you happy

• Only do exercise that feels like fun, but do it consistently

• Stop the internal mental criticism and replace it with activities that make you feel exhilarated and free

• If you still can’t shake the weight off, look at your life and assess what is like a “ball and chain” or “heavy” or making you sad and get rid of it.

• Eat quality whole foods

• Eat a variety of foods

• Eat early and often

If you follow this formula, I can’t guarantee you’ll lose weight, but I can guarantee you will be happier and healthier.

Happy Eating,

Your Sensible Girlfriend

After posting my last blog post on Tylenol (a fever reducer) being a culprit to childhood seizures, I was reminded by a friend about the danger of high fevers causing brain damage.  Since I believe in being armed with knowledge to handle future problems, here’s some information on how to evaluate and treat a child’s fever.  It comes from A Guide To Child Health by Michaela Glocker, but I’ve condensed it and changed some phrases to be more simply understood.

• Tempuratures up to 99.5 degrees farenheight are considered normal.

• Temperature between 99.5 and 100.5 is elevated (considered a low grade fever)

• Temperature 100.5 or higher is considered a fever

• If child’s skin is cool but fever is over 104 or if he has a seizure, call your doctor immediately.  If you cannot reach a doctor, administer a fever-reducing suppository containing an age appropriate does of paracetamol/acetaminophen and take the child to the hospital

• A child’s temperature can become elevated from wearing too much clothing.  In infants, this type of temperature disappears quickly by removing a hat and leggings

• Vigorous movement can cause body temperatures to rise.  Check again after baby has been lying still for a half hour

How high a temperature is safe?

There is no hard-and-fast rule.  Any newborn with a temperature over 100.5 degrees for several hours should be seen by a doctor.  Do not delay if the baby is not drinking or seems unwell. A fever that is higher than 105 degrees or fluctuates by more than 2.5 degrees should be evaluated by a physician.

** With all other cases, the decision of whether or not to consult a doctor should be based on factors other than the fever itself.

Signs of fever/Treating fevers

If your child seems different or you “don’t like how she looks”, it’s time for more detailed observation.  How is she moving?  Is she imitating others as she normally does?  Check her eyes nostrils and breathing; feel the warmth on her forehead, neck, torso and limbs.  Touch her stomach and notice any signs of pain.  Take her temperature.  If you are unfamiliar or concerned with the symptoms you observe, call your doctor who will ask you more questions about her appetite, bowel movements, vomiting, etc.

If the skin on her arms and legs feels cool and temperature is approximately 101.5

You can be sure that her temperature will continue to rise because her body has not yet given off heat through the extremities.  Her calves and feet will feel hot only when the fever has stopped rising and the body is actively attempting to eliminate excess heat. Do NOT under and circumstances apply cool compresses to her calves during the initial chill stage, but applying hot compresses made with arnica essence to the wrists and ankles is helpful.  In addition, cover the child warmly and give her some hot herb tea (chamomile is soothing and calming).  (Note that some children may be allergic to arnica.)

If her skin feels hot all the way to the calves

Apply leg compresses if her temperature is over 102 degrees.  Cool sponging can also be used, but only if it feels comfortable to the child.  These measures support the body’s effort to eliminate excess heat through the skin.  At this stage in a fever, it is important not to obstruct the escape of heat.  In cooler climates, keep your child covered, but not as warmly as when the fever was rising.  Non-chemical fever suppositories such as Weleda Chamomilla comp., Wala Aconit/China comp., or Heel Vibrurcol will help your child feel better and can be used if her extremities are not yet hot.

If your child has a febrile seizure and his skin is hot

Cool him down by wrapping him in a damp towel (water should be at room temperature)

A child with a rising fever

Feels unwell and vomits readily.  She may have a headache or stomach ache that will lessen when the fever peaks.  Do not force her to eat, but give her warm herb tea if she asks for something to drink.

Feeding a child with a high fever, but no diarrhea

Give her plenty of fluids (Slightly sweetend herb tea or milk diluted with the same amount of water, or cool luke warm diluted fruit juice (cherry, blackcurrent, pear or lemon).  A bland diet is required with no potatoes and little fat or protein; no nuts, chocolate, etc.  Do not try to maintain weight in a child with a fever; she will quickly gain it back after the illness is over.

Clothing and bedding

Must be carefully adapted to the temperature of the room and the stage of the child’s fever.  Here are some general guidelines: Fresh air, but no drafts.  In cooler climates, if the window is open, your child should stay well covered and wear a hat and a sweater if needed.  Even in the heat of summer, keep him covered, at least with a sheet.  Your child’s limbs should stay warm and he should feel comfortable.

A restless child

May refuse to stay covered and want to get up and run around in spite of a fever.  He needs the calming presence of an adult who will sing, hum, tell stories or engage in some other quiet activity.

It’s useful to have a portable cot to move around the house so that the child can be near you as you work.

Most parents don’t take play seriously enough.  I know that seems like an oxymoron, but as I have watched my child play freely I’ve witnessed invaluable creativity, discovery and problem solving going on.  (I compare it to the times when my best creative ideas come to my mind– when I’m in the shower or when I am doing some routine task that is not working my analytical mind.)  Many parents are so eager to get their kids on the academic track of reading and/or analytical brain type thinking… and there is a time a little later in childhood for that… but what these parent don’t realize is that if a child’s mind is forced to focus on developing the thinking part of the brain at an early age, that child is not developing everything else as fully.  A mind that is engaged in serious thinking doesn’t have as much free energy to develop the senses (smell, touch, taste, sight & sound) and physical mastery of the body.  According to teachings by Rudolf Steiner, healthy development of the senses and the physical body equate to a healthy sense of self and relationship to the world.  These are important ingredients for a well-adjusted child.

So now I’ve found even more to back up these theories.  The journal Scientific American just came out with an article that sources many studies finding “free, imaginative play” to be crucial for “normal social, emotional and cognitive development”.  The article points out that it makes us “better adjusted, smarter and less stressed”.  Not only that, it may even prevent your child from becoming a future felon!  So take note, parents who are trying to create mini Einsteins: step back and let your kids play as they may.

Below is a link to the Scientific American article:

The Serious Need for Play: Scientific American

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You don’t normally think of your house as being toxic, but if you’re like the average person, your house could be one of the most chemically toxic places that your family is exposed to. I don’t think of myself as a totally “green” or an obsessively natural-living kind of person, but in the last few years since I’ve been pregnant and figuring out what is healthiest for my family, it seems I’ve learned a lot on how to keep my family as safe as reasonably possible from toxic household chemicals.

How Bad Could It Really Be?

Well, if you use many popular household cleaning products like Tide, Ajax, Clorox, Tilex, Lime-Away, Windex, Dawn Dish Soap… and wash with some of the common soaps and beauty products, you have been exposing your family to dangerous toxic chemicals that have been shown to cause cancer and hormonal problems. The thing is that you might not attribute these health problems to the products you use or foods you eat because it is a collective process over time that these chemicals can eventually cause seriously altering changes to your system.

A survey by the Environmental Working Group in 2007 found that children are on the average exposed to 61 different chemicals a day, 27 of those not considered safe by the government or a cosmetic’s industry safety panel.

Here’s Some Real Proof– Dateline NBC found out just how much household toxins we ingest into our bodies!

Just to show you how the average family is actually ingesting hundreds of chemicals, Dateline NBC’s Josh Mankiewicz’s report tested the blood levels of two different families. One family he called “The Greens” were the “conscious” family who would use biodegradable products, ate what they considered a healthy vegetarian diet and bought mostly organic foods. The other family, the “Browns” who are maybe more like your average family, live a life of convenience– using teflon pans, quick and efficient household products and eating whatever is fast and convenient. The lab results showed that both families had roughly the same number of chemicals in their bloodstream (close to 50 different chemicals), but more important than the number of chemicals is the amount of each chemical in the body. The “Browns” had up to 4 times the amount of those chemicals than the “Greens” in their system! The chemical culprits–
•Perfluorochemicals, or PFCs which are found mostly in non-stick cookware, furniture, clothing and fast food containers.
•Parabens used as preservatives in cosmetics and products like moisturizers, shampoos, shave gel and toothpaste. Both women had higher levels of parabens from using cosmetics.
•Phthalates used to make plastic products from water bottles to children’s toys to shower curtains, and are also a key ingredient in paint, cosmetics, and anything with fragrance.
The “Browns” kids who admit to drinking a lot of bottled water and microwaving in plastic containers had the highest level of phthalates.  The “Greens” who had lower levels of phthalates said they consciously bought mostly wooden toys for their children and it was only at other kids homes that their kids played with plastic.
•Triclosan, a pesticide found in most anti-bacterial liquid hand soap. The “Greens” showed barely a trace because they’ve always avoided using anti-bacterial soap.
•Bisphenol A, a toxin and possible carcinogen found in recycled and reusable plastics like baby bottles and the inner lining of most canned goods.  The “Greens” had higher levels of BPA, possibly because they eat a lot of canned beans in their vegetarian diet.

So what is a family to do about all these toxic chemicals in our homes?

Newsweek magazine ran an article called Nine Ways to Avoid Household Toxins. Here’s a shortened version of that article:
1. Filter Your Water. A simple water filter can capture a lot of pollutants.
2. Know What ‘ s in Your Grooming Products. Shampoos, lotions and makeup can contain a number of toxins like parabens and phthalates, which have been identified as hormone disruptors and may be linked to certain cancers.
3. Don’t Eat Microwave Popcorn. The inside of a microwave popcorn bag is usually coated with a chemical that can break down to form perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). PFOA has been linked to cancer and birth defects in animals and preliminary epidemiological studies suggest that a pregnant woman’s exposure to PFOA may reduce her baby’s birth weight.
4. Don’t Get Stain-Protection Treatment. These treatments usually contain perfluorinated chemicals.
5. Limit Use of Canned Food and Plastic Containers. Most canned goods are coated with a resin lining derived from Bisphenol-A (BPA).
6. Use PBDE-Free Electronics. Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE) are a family of flame retardants.
7. Don’t Use Paint Made With Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC).
8. Patronize a Perc-Free Dry Cleaner. Perchloroethylene (perc) is also a VOC and is most commonly used in dry cleaning.
9. Dust and Vacuum Weekly. Toxins like PBDE can settle into the dust in your house
For more information here’s the link to the Newsweek article: http://www.newsweek.com/id/161841

Now you must be wondering, what can I buy for my family that isn’t loaded with chemicals?

Here’s Some Non-Toxic Solutions For Cleaning Your House:

For household cleaning there are a few all natural, environmentally friendly alternatives that I use that are inexpensive, easy to use and really work. You can use the following ingredients alone or in combined formulas instead of commercial household cleaners.  I haven’t tried using all these formulas myself.  I found these cleaning formulas from an online site called Eartheasy.

You can make your own cleaning products using the following:
•Baking Soda- cleans, deodorizes, softens water, scours.
•White Vinegar- cuts grease, removes mildew, odors, some stains and wax build-up.
•Soap- unscented soap in liquid form, flakes, powders or bars is biodegradable and will clean just about anything. Avoid using soaps which contain petroleum distillates.
•Borax- (sodium borate) cleans, deodorizes, disinfects, softens water, cleans wallpaper, painted walls and floors.
•Washing Soda- or SAL Soda is sodium carbonate decahydrate, a mineral. Washing soda cuts grease, removes stains, softens water, cleans wall, tiles, sinks and tubs. Use care, as washing soda can irritate mucous membranes. Do not use on aluminum.
•Cornstarch- can be used to clean windows, polish furniture, shampoo carpets and rugs.
•Citrus Solvent- cleans paint brushes, oil and grease, some stains. (Citrus solvent may cause skin, lung or eye irritations for people with multiple chemical sensitivities.)
•Trisodium phosphate (TSP)- a mixture of soda ash and phosphoric acid. TSP is toxic if swallowed, but it can be used on many jobs, such as cleaning drains or removing old paint, that would normally require much more caustic and poisonous chemicals, and it does not create any fumes.

Cleaning Formulas:
All-Purpose Cleaner: Mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda (or 2 teaspoons borax) into 1/2 gallon (2 liters) water. Store and keep. Use for removal of water deposit stains on shower stall panels, bathroom chrome fixtures, windows, bathroom mirrors, etc.
Another alternative is microfiber cloths which lift off dirt, grease and dust without the need for cleaning chemicals, because they are formulated to penetrate and trap dirt. There are a number of different brands. A good quality cloth can last for several years.

Air Freshener: Commercial air fresheners mask smells and coat nasal passages to diminish the sense of smell.
• Baking soda or vinegar with lemon juice in small dishes absorbs odors around the house.
• Having houseplants helps reduce odors in the home.
• Prevent cooking odors by simmering vinegar (1 tbsp in 1 cup water) on the stove while cooking. To get such smells as fish and onion off utensils and cutting boards, wipe them with vinegar and wash in soapy water.
• Simmer water and cinnamon or other spices on stove.
• Place bowls of fragrant dried herbs and flowers in room.
•Use a diffuser to diffuse essential oils into the air. The essential oil company Young Living makes different blends, just to name a few– Thieves blend reduces airborne bacteria and mold, Immune Power blend helps boost your family’s immune system, Purification helps with respiratory symptoms, emotional balance and skin and hair, Citrus Fresh blend helps to boost the immune system and fight infections as well as balance your emotions.

Bathroom mold: Mold in bathroom tile grout is a common problem and can be a health concern. Mix one part hydrogen peroxide (3%) with two parts water in a spray bottle and spray on areas with mold. Wait at least one hour before rinsing or using shower.

Carpet stains: Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray directly on stain, let sit for several minutes, and clean with a brush or sponge using warm soapy water.
For a heavy duty carpet cleaner, mix 1/4 cup each of salt, borax and vinegar. Rub paste into carpet and leave for a few hours. Vacuum.

Dishwasher Soap: Mix equal parts of borax and washing soda, but increase the washing soda if your water is hard.

Dishwashing Soap: Commercial low-phosphate detergents are not themselves harmful, but phosphates nourish algae which use up oxygen in waterways. A detergent substitution is to use liquid soap. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of vinegar to the warm, soapy water for tough jobs.

Disinfectant: Mix 2 teaspoons borax, 4 tablespoons vinegar and 3 cups hot water. For stronger cleaning power add 1/4 teaspoon liquid castile soap. Wipe on with dampened cloth or use non-aerosol spray bottle.

Drain Cleaner: Pour about 1/2 cup baking soda and a 1/2 cup of salt down the drain, then 1/2 cup vinegar. The resulting chemical reaction can break fatty acids down into soap and glycerine, allowing the clog to wash down the drain. After 15 minutes, pour in boiling water to clear residue. Caution: only use this method with metal plumbing. Plastic pipes can melt if excess boiling water is used. Also, do not use this method after trying a commercial drain opener–the vinegar can react with the drain opener to create dangerous fumes.

Fabric softener: To reduce static cling, dampen your hands, then shake out your clothes as you remove them from the drier. Line-drying clothing is another alternative. You can also purchase dryer balls to use as a chemical-free option. Dryer balls tumble in the dryer to lift and separate your laundry, allowing the air to flow more efficiently. As a result, your clothes dry faster and feel fluffier. The soft tips on our dryer balls massage fabrics to naturally fluff and soften them without the use of chemical-laden dryer sheets or liquid fabric softeners. They are completely reusable and safe for use on all fabrics. The unique design causes the fibers to relax, leaving clothes softer and towels more absorbent. You’ll save hundreds of dollars on fabric softeners, dryer sheets and energy. The two reusable balls can be used over and over again and cost about $12.
Here’s a link to an online site where you can buy them: www.simplygoodstuff.com/dryer_magic-dryerballs.htm

Floor Cleaner and Polish:
vinyl and linoleum: add a capful of baby oil to the cleaning water to preserve and polish.
wood: apply a thin coat of 1:1 oil and vinegar and rub in well.
painted wood: mix 1 teaspoon washing soda into 1 gallon (4L) hot water.
brick and stone tiles: mix 1 cup white vinegar in 1 gallon (4L) water; rinse with clear water.
Most floor surfaces can be easily cleaned using a solution of vinegar and water. For damp-mopping wood floors: mix equal amounts of white distilled vinegar and water. Add 15 drops of pure peppermint oil; shake to mix.

Furniture Polish: For varnished wood, add a few drops of lemon oil into a 1/2 cup warm water. Mix well and spray onto a soft cotton cloth. Cloth should only be slightly damp. Wipe furniture with the cloth, and finish by wiping once more using a dry soft cotton cloth.
For unvarnished wood, mix two teaspoons each of olive oil and lemon juice and apply a small amount to a soft cotton cloth. Wring the cloth to spread the mixture further into the material and apply to the furniture using wide strokes. This helps distribute the oil evenly.

Lime Deposits: You can reduce lime deposits in your teakettle by putting in 1/2 cup (125ml) white vinegar and 2 cups water, and gently boiling for a few minutes. Rinse well with fresh water while kettle is still warm.

Metal Cleaners and Polishes:
aluminum: using a soft cloth, clean with a solution of cream of tartar and water.
brass or bronze: polish with a soft cloth dipped in lemon and baking-soda solution, or vinegar and salt solution.
chrome: polish with baby oil, vinegar, or aluminum foil shiny side out.
copper: soak a cotton rag in a pot of boiling water with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 cup white vinegar. Apply to copper while hot; let cool, then wipe clean. For tougher jobs, sprinkle baking soda or lemon juice on the cloth before wiping.
gold: clean with toothpaste, or a paste of salt, vinegar, and flour.
silver: line a pan with aluminum foil and fill with water; add a teaspoon each of baking soda and salt. Bring to a boil and immerse silver. Polish with soft cloth.
stainless steel: clean with a cloth dampened with undiluted white vinegar.

Mold and Mildew: Use white vinegar or lemon juice full strength, with small amount of salt. Apply using a sponge or a spray bottle, and do not rinse.

Mothballs: The common mothball is made of paradichlorobenzene, which is harmful to liver and kidneys. Cedar chips in a cheesecloth square, or cedar oil in an absorbant cloth will repel moths. The cedar should be ‘aromatic cedar’, also referred to as juniper in some areas. Cedar chips are available at many craft supply stores, or make your own using a plane and a block of cedar from the lumberyard.
Homemade moth-repelling sachets can also be made with lavender, rosemary, vetiver and rose petals.
Dried lemon peels are also a natural moth deterrent – simply toss into clothes chest, or tie in cheesecloth and hang in the closet.

Oven Cleaner: Moisten oven surfaces with sponge and water. Use 3/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup salt and 1/4 cup water to make a thick paste, and spread throughout oven interior. (avoid bare metal and any openings) Let sit overnight. Remove with spatula and wipe clean. Rub gently with fine steel wool for tough spots. Or use Arm & Hammer Oven Cleaner, declared nontoxic by Consumers Union.

Paint Brush Cleaner: Non-toxic, citrus oil based solvents are now available commercially under several brand names. Citra-Solve is one brand. This works well for cleaning brushes of oil-based paints. Paint brushes and rollers used for an on-going project can be saved overnight, or even up to a week, without cleaning at all. Simply wrap the brush or roller snugly in a plastic bag, such as a used bread or produce bag. Squeeze out air pockets and store away from light. The paint won’t dry because air can’t get to it. Simply unwrap the brush or roller the next day and continue with the job.
Fresh paint odors can be reduced by placing a small dish of white vinegar in the room.

Rust Remover: Sprinkle a little salt on the rust, squeeze a lime over the salt until it is well soaked. Leave the mixture on for 2 – 3 hours. Use leftover rind to scrub residue.

Scouring Powder: For top of stove, refrigerator and other such surfaces that should not be scratched, use baking soda. Apply baking soda directly with a damp sponge.

Shoe Polish: Olive oil with a few drops of lemon juice can be applied to shoes with a thick cotton or terry rag. Leave for a few minutes; wipe and buff with a clean, dry rag.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Mix 1/4 cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar, pour into basin and let it set for a few minutes. Scrub with brush and rinse. A mixture of borax (2 parts) and lemon juice (one part) will also work.

Tub and Tile Cleaner: For simple cleaning, rub in baking soda with a damp sponge and rinse with fresh water. For tougher jobs, wipe surfaces with vinegar first and follow with baking soda as a scouring powder. (Vinegar can break down tile grout, so use sparingly.)

Wallpaper Remover: Mix equal parts of white vinegar and hot water, apply with sponge over the old wallpaper to soften the adhesive. Open room windows or use a fan to dissipate the pungent vinegar smell.

Water Rings on Wood: Water rings on a wooden table or counter are the result of moisture that is trapped under the topcoat, but not the finish. Try applying toothpaste or mayonnaise to a damp cloth and rub into the ring. Once the ring is removed, buff the entire wood surface.

Window Cleaner: Mix 2 teaspoons of white vinegar with 1 liter (qt) warm water. Use crumpled newspaper or cotton cloth to clean. Don’t clean windows if the sun is on them, or if they are warm, or streaks will show on drying. The All-Purpose Cleaner (above) also works well on windows.

What If I Want The Convenience Of A Store Bought Product, What Can I Buy?

If you’re not into making your own formula cleaning products, here’s an all natural, non-toxic all-purpose cleaner that you can buy called Thieves Household Cleaner. This cleaner uses a pure essential oils (clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and rosemary) as its active ingredient. It is made by a company called Young Living which is known for it’s high quality therapeutic grade essential oils. The anti-microbial power of Thieves’ essential oils combined with a non-toxic coconut oil based cleaning solution is safe for your whole family. You can dilute this concentrate to clean almost everything in your household and use Thieves Household Cleaner in place of: all laundry detergents, bleach, dish washer detergents, spot/stain/grease removers, carpet shampoo, tub/tile/toilet cleaners, oven cleaner, floor cleaner, glass/mirror cleaners, cleaning and preventing mold and much more! It is a great stain remover, yet gentle on surfaces including leather, upholstery, painted furniture and clothing. I’ve read that professional cleaning services are using Thieves Cleaner and receiving feedback from their clients that they are experiencing fewer allergies at homes and at work. And employees of cleaning services are ill less often because using Thieves Cleaner helps prevent colds and flus and is effective in clearing up allergies and sinus issues. Thieves Cleaner is very gentle on the skin and safe for children and pets. It is economical to use because you use just a small amount diluted with water in a spray bottle or bucket.

Here are the Dilution Ratios:
Light Degreasing 60:1
Medium Degreasing 30:1
Heavy Degreasing 15:1
Floors 100:1
Walls 30:1
Upholstery, Fabrics, Carpet Spotting 40:1
Carpet 100:1
Glass 320:1
Pots and Pans 100:1
Hand Cleaner 1:1

How Do I Know What’s Safe To Buy For Shampoos, Soaps, Lotions and Cosmetics?

So now that you can be sure to clean your house with non-toxic products, what kinds of personal care products and cosmetics can your family use safely?
Here to help is a non-profit public health organization called Environmental Working Group (EWG). They have a great website that offers a safety guide database for children’s personal care products. You can either type any brand name product into their search engine to see its “hazard score” or you can click on a type of product, like shampoo– and the site provides a list ranked from least hazardous to most hazardous. Here’s the link: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/special/parentsguide

What Are The Main Chemical Ingredients To Avoid?

EWG also offer a list of the main ingredients to avoid that are “linked to significant, well-documented health effects, or have been found unsafe for use in children’s products”. Below is a short list. For the full list go to: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/special/parentsguide/ingredients.php

Ingredients to avoid always:
* 2-BROMO-2-NITROPROPANE-1,3-DIOL
Allergen that forms cancer-causing chemicals
* BHA
Causes skin depigmentation
* DMDM HYDANTOIN
Allergen that forms cancer-causing chemicals
* OXYBENZONE
Allergen; forms free radicals to damage skin
* TRICLOSAN
May disrupt growth hormones from the thyroid
* BORIC ACID & SODIUM BORATE
Unsafe for infants according to industry experts
* DIBUTYL PHTHALATE & TOLUENE
Found in nail polish/play makeup; hormone disruption, cancer concerns

Personal Care Products:
Ingredients to avoid when possible:
(Info from The Environmental Working Group)

* FRAGRANCE
Allergen; neurotoxic, hormone disruption concerns
* DYES
Some cause cancer and are banned outside the U.S.
* FLUORIDE
Teeth stains; neurotoxic when swallowed
* CETEARETH & PEG compounds
Can contain cancer-causing impurities
* PARABENS
Hormone disruption, cancer concerns
* TRIETHANOLAMINE (TEA)
Allergen that forms cancer-causing chemicals
* BENZYL & ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL
Skin irritation and neurotoxicity concerns
* METHYLCHLOROISOTHIAZOLINONE & METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE
Allergens with neurotoxicity concerns
* IODOPROPYNYL BUTYLCARBAMATE
Chemically similar to neurotoxic pesticides

Why Do We Have To Worry About All Of These Chemicals?
The Environmental Working Group reports that “due to gaping loopholes in federal law, cosmetics companies can put almost any ingredient they choose into their products, with no requirement to safety test. Companies can also claim that their products are gentle and natural even when they contain artificial chemical ingredients or harsh skin irritants.” The EWG says that children are even more vulnerable because they have thinner skin than adults which absorbs more chemicals into they system. They also breath in more air contaminants without the acquired protection that adults have to the bloodstream and the brain. The EWG says these chemicals have been linked to “allergies, nervous system problems, cancer, reproductive risks, and hormone disruption.”
For more information on this see: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/special/parentsguide/summary.php

Why Doesn’t The Government Protect Us?

The EWG found that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has no authority to require premarket testing of personal care product ingredients for safety. Also the FDA does not have the power to require the recall of a harmful product. Instead they rely on the personal care industry to police itself. An EWG investigation found that “the panel chooses criteria regarding sensitivity and irritation for 80 percent of its safety recommendations, ignoring more serious health concerns such as cancer, birth defects, and hormone disruption, and as a result finds more than 99 percent of ingredients reviewed safe as used.” In addition they found that “products made and marketed especially for babies and children are not required to meet any additional health and safety standards.” So again, before you buy, make sure you check with EWG’s Parent’s Safety Guide To Children’s Personal Products at : http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/special/parentsguide

What Can You Do About Harmful Chemicals In Plastics?

The harmful chemicals in plastics, Bisphenol-A (BPA) or Phthalates are found in food storage containers, water bottles, baby bottles and children’s toys.  Here’s how to keep your family safe:
•Look for bottles made with polypropelene or polyethelene or glass which do not contain BPA or phthalates.
•Buy a polypropelene water bottle and fill it with filtered water rather than using store bought bottled water.
• Look for BPA/Phthalates-free alternative for baby bottles and sippy cups now on the market. Brand names are Born-Free, Kleen Kanteen, Medela just to name a few. The website called Safe Mama has a long list you can check out: http://safemama.com/2007/11/22/bpa-free-bottle-and-sippy-cup-cheat-sheet/
•Avoid bottles made from polycarbonate plastic– Avent, Dr. Brown’s, Evenflo clear, First Years, Playtex, Sassy, Tuppercare and the plastic in most store bought bottled water.
•Also avoid using plastic containers in the microwave
•Use waxed paper or a paper towel over food instead of plastic wrap
•Use glass food storage containers (pyrex) instead of plastic (tupperware)
•Avoid eating canned foods– most cans are lined with BPA
•Avoid using infant formula– cans are also lined with BPA, Breastfeed whenever possible, or chose powder over liquid for lower amount of BPA leaching
•Buy children’s toys made from natural wood, organic cotton, wool, stainless steel or silver.
For more information about BPA go to: http://www.bisphenolafree.org/

Where Can I Buy Safe Toys For My Children?

Here are some of my favorite toy websites that sell either natural toys or toys that inspire the imagination:
•novanatural.com
•The Playstore
•finewoodentoys.com
•oompatoys.com
•Magic Cabin
•North Star Toys

What About The Toys I Already Have; How Can I Tell If They Are Safe?

If you want to check out the possible toxic dangers of a specific toy or brand here’s a link to HealthyToys.org’s search engine:

http://www.healthytoys.org/product.searchbrand.php

Disposable Diapers Contain Toxic Chemicals Too!

One more thing I have to mention is the toxic chemicals in disposable diapers.
The super absorbent chemical, sodium polyacrylate which absorbs and holds fluids in the diaper has been linked to toxic shock syndrome, can cause allergic reactions, and is lethal to cats if inhaled. Death has occurred from ingestion of just 5 grams of this chemical. Pediatric journals contain reports of this chemical sticking to babies’ genitals. When the baby’s skin gets wet, this super absorber can pull fluids form baby’s skin. Dioxin, the most toxic of all cancer-linked chemicals, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is a byproduct of bleaching paper. Even in the smallest detectable quantities, dioxin has been known to cause liver disease, immune system suppression, and genetic damage in lab animals. Dyes found in some disposables are known to damage the central nervous system, kidneys, and liver. There are some disposable diapers that are somewhat safer because they are dioxin-free, like Seventh Generation.
For more information about chemicals in disposable diapers go to: http://www.ecobaby.com/cloth.htm

An Easy Alternative To Disposable Diapers– The New Generation Of Cloth Diapers!

Here’s another alternative to disposable diapers:
You may not be aware that there are now easy to use cloth diapers that work similarly to disposables. They are much easier to use than the old fashioned diapers and pins our grandmothers used to use.
My vote for the “ease of use” catagory is a brand called Dream-eze. The inner fabric is organic cotton and the outside fabric is a breathable waterproof fabric that keeps wetness contained inside. What sold me on them is that they are known to be one of the only leak-proof diapers out there on the market. Make sure you buy the Dream-eze “All-In-One” (AIO) diaper with the waterproof outer lining rather than the cotton-only version.

Here are some sites where you can purchase them online: www.heinyking.com/store/c/124-Dream-Eze-AIO.html
www.diaperco.com/store/c/2-All-In-Ones.html
www.dapperdiaperstore.com/catalog.php?category=83

https://www.kellyscloset.com/Dream-Eze-All-In-One-Diapers_p_753-3346.html

Keeping Your Family Toxin-Free–The Bottom Line

Okay, so now that you’re armed with all this information, I hope you feel that you have some doable options to keep your family safe. That said, the reality is that we are surrounded by chemicals and for most of us living in a modern society, we won’t be able to avoid them altogether. The key is to remember to focus and act on the things that you do have control over… and with just that alone, your family will be healthier and safer than the majority of people around you.