If you followed the Five Weeks to a Healthier Home, I have a sixth thing to add.
RELAX.
As scary as it can be to realize all the chemicals around us and in our food, it's also important to realize that the amount of exposure is an important factor as to whether or not we will experience ill effects. Also some immune systems are better at fighting off disease than others- you've all heard of people who smoke their entire life and never get lung cancer and the health conscious person who dies of it. But clearly the healthier our bodies are they better equipped they will be to fight off the toxins that are introduced daily.
I've created this Organic Living Guide which includes a lot of information about toxins in our food and environment and what you can do to avoid them. It's basically a reference of the most common exposures and what you can do about it. This information is not meant to scare or cause paranoia, but to inform so that you can make an educated choice rather than having these chemicals "forced" on you.
It's interesting to consider our lifestyle versus the lifestyle of say, the Amish. They live like our ancestors lived and are virtually free from the environmental toxins that plague the rest of American's. It's also interesting that diseases such as Autism are virtually non-existant among the Amish communities. They also have very low incidences of allergies, ADHD,obesity and cancer. It seems pretty clear to me that the soaring rates of these diseases are directly linked to our environment- the food we eat and the chemicals we use in our home.
I'm not suggesting we become Amish, but perhaps we should try and get a little closer to our roots. Plant a garden, turn off the tv and live a real life, try making things rather than buying everything, minimize the "stuff" in our lives, buy quality things rather than cheap plastic, eat real food that isn't laden with chemicals and genetically modified by scientists.
Our generation is supposed to be the first where parents will outlive their children. We CAN change that, at least in our own families. American disesases ARE preventable and many are even reversible. The first step is eating right and exercising. What are you waiting for? Grab some veggies and get outside!
Before I jump into the topic of week 5, I want to announce a giveaway of Sweet Milk Handmade Lotion!
A few months ago I discovered this homemade lotion made by Mandy and asked her to send me three different scents of her choosing. I could not have been more happy with what I received! The lotion is so smooth and creamy (I can even apply it right after shaving and it doesn't burn my legs) and her scents are amazing! I have never used creamier better smelling lotion in my life. I'm so in love with it.
One lucky winner will receive three 2oz bottles of Sweet Milk Handmade Lotion! Just scroll to the bottom to enter. And if you aren't the winner, but still want amazing lotion, just email Mandy at tylermandyjack {at} hotmail {dot} com. You won't believe her prices- a 2oz bottle is just $2.50 and an 8oz bottle is $6.50, lip balm is $1.75!
Now, on to our last challenge... We know that pesticides have been linked to all sorts of nasty things. We don't want it on the food we feed our children and we don't want it on the grass they roll around in during the summer. Here are some resources for having a healthier outdoor space.
{Week 5 Challenge: A SaferYard}
1. Rather than spraying chemicals to kill bugs in the yard and garden, try these safer solutions.
3. Natural bug spray (for you): I think we all are aware or have at least heard of the dangers of DEET.
But if you live in tick and mosquito country the threat of lyme disease or west
nile virus can be just as scary.
Here are a few homemade recipes you can try (I have not tried any of
these):
Here are some safer alternatives to DEET (I have not tried
any of these products), however if you live in a highly infested deer tick area,
wear long clothes and spray the DEET only on clothes, do not make contact with
skin and do not use on small children.
Do you know what's in the shampoo you use on your hair every day? Would you be surprised to discover a chemical in your shampoo could put your unborn child at risk for abnormal brain development, and could contribute to Alzheimer's or other nervous system disorders? I sure was. I was even more surprised to learn that my baby shampoo had chemicals linked to cancer in them!
And shampoo is not the only concern. Anti-perspirants contain aluminum which is believed to contribute to breast cancer, sunscreen contain toxins that could contribute to cancer and reproductive problems, nail polish is linked to birth defects, and some makeup contains neurotixins, carcinogens and toxins linked to cancer.
{Week 4 Challenge: Safer Skin}
1. Go through your cosmetics and check the ingredients. Look for these toxic ingredients and these dirty dozen chemicals. Also, check the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database to see how safe your cosmetics are. I think you'll be surprised how many things you use everyday contain toxic chemicals. I immediately tossed my anti-perspirant, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, heat protectant, and hair spray and lotion after reading the labels.
2. Replace your cosmetics with safer alternatives, organic is best, or try making your own! This includes, but is not limited to:
Shampoo/hair products: Food Babe has some great holistic hair care recommendations including several organic shampoo brands. Wellness Mama also has some great recipes on her website. Unfortunately for me, organic and homemade shampoos make my hair too oily, so I've settled for a midway product- Aveda- it has some chemicals but isn't as harmful as the shampoo I previously used and ranks a 5 on the Skin Deep database.
Toothpaste: some questionable chemicals in toothpaste include fluoride ,
Triclosan (linked to damage to liver, kidneys, heart lungs, sterility and
more), Sodium Hydroxide (used in drain cleaner), and artificial dyes, flavors
and colors. Here are some alternative solutions: Weleda Tooth Gel, Kiss
My Face Kids Toothpaste, Toms of Maine (I use this for me), Burts Bees, Green
Beaver, Jason Natural Cosmetics (I use this for my kids), Natural dentist. See
more at Healthy
Child Healthy World.
Deodorant: There are several organic/natural/aluminum-free options for deodorant. I tried using the crystal,
but it didn’t work well for me on warm days (others have recommended the liquid
version). After discovering the Wellness Mama site I was desperate and decided to try her deodorant recipe and it actually
works for me! You can also try natural brands
such as Bubble and Bee, Jason, Alba, Kiss my Face, Burt’s Bees’ and Tom’s of
Maine.
Sunscreen: There are several safer options of sunscreen, here are a few: Skin Deep, Alba Botanica, Avalon Baby, Badger, Burt’s Bees’, California Baby, Kabana Green Screen, Dolphin Organics (the one I’m currently using).
NailPolish: Nail Polish contains chemicals linked to cancer and birth
defects such as toluene, DBP and formaldehyde, even if the bottle doesn’t
list it, the state
of California discovered many still contain them.Zoya is one of two
companies in the CA
nail polish study that did not contain the toxic trio. Some other safe
brands of nail polish are PRITI NYC and Piggy Paint.
3.
I have some news I've been dying to share, but haven't been able to...until now...we FINALLY know where we're moving...
To Germany!!!
We are SO excited. I LOVE Germany and have been dying to get back there. The bad news is I have to leave town NOW to get my car shipped and do all the fun processing and shipping.
In other news, we are expecting another baby in February! This pregnancy has been much harder on me than the others (I couldn't possibly have forgotten?). I felt pretty miserable until week 14 and lived off beans, quesadillas, and quacamole. I had zero desire to cook and the thought of anything sweet made me feel ill. Like magic, once I hit week 14 I started to get my energy and appetite back and actually cooked my first non-mexican meal, now I feel pretty much back to normal. And though I've only gained 5 pounds, unless I wear loose shirts, it's pretty obvious that I'm pregnant. I just hope I can find that maternity box I buried in the storage unit and hoped I'd never need again...
Anyhow, posts will be intermittent until the end of October while we get all moved, but I'll try to at least post a few updates on facebook...
Also, Congratulations to the Piper Reed book winners!
Look around your kitchen, playroom, and bathroom. What is the most common "substance" in each of these rooms? In my home it is PLASTIC. Plastic tupperware containers, plastic bottles, plastic toys... It is everwhere. Isn't it nice that the most common substance in our home contains chemicals that "promotes obesity, diabetes, testicular cancer, breast cancer-like changes (and resistance to life saving chemotherapy) and even reduce sperm counts"1?
This demon lurking in plastic is known as BPA (also found in canned food). It affects the brain, sex hormones, is linked to cancer, thyroid issues, infertility, obesity and more. It's a pretty bad dude. Read this article to find out more about BPA.
{Week 3 Challenge: Eliminate Toxic Plastics}
Fortunately, there are safer plastics out there. Ones that are labeled PET or HDPE are much safer than PVC as are those labeled #2, #4, and #5. This is a great guide to decoding those plastic numbers. Get rid of those containing BPA and replace with safer alternatives.
1. Stop microwaving and storing your food in plastic containers! Microwave safe means it's safe for the container, not safe for your body. Use safe alternatives such as glass or silicone.
2. Replace your hard plastic water bottles with a stainless steel version. I love our Klean Kanteen's!
3. Minimize plastics in the kitchen. Avoid using hard plastic stirring and measuring utensils, use wooden,stainless steel or glass instead. Stop eating off plastic. For those with small children, this is nearly impossible. Fortunately, there are a few safer alternatives:
4. Check to see if any of your toys are on the most toxic toy list (the foam alphabet letters that all three of my boys chewed on in the bath were on this list!). Next, check the toxic toy database on HealthyStuff.org. Toss out the worst offenders. Check this website for tips on purchasing safer toys.
*I'm not including cookware in the challenge, however, Teflon and aluminum are less than desirable cooking options as their safety is continually in question. Here are some safer cooking alternatives (I hope to replace my teflon pans when we move!)
I had the opportunity to read the book Piper Reed Forever Friend, the sixth book in the Piper Reed series by Kimberly Willis Holt. It was such a fun book, Ethan and I enjoyed reading it together and the content was timely as we are getting ready to move to a new duty assignment (hopefully overseas!)
Piper is a spunky nine-year old navy brat who lives with her family (mom, dad, two sisters, a dog and a goldfish) in Pensacola, Florida. This book follows her adventures as her family moves to a new duty assignment in Norfolk, Virginia. Piper is sad to leave her old friends and school behind but is also excited that her old neighbor and best friend, Michael, moved to Norfolk a few months earlier.
Piper had big plans for living in Norfolk, but finds them falling apart when she discovers that not only is she no longer living down the street from Michael, but he seems to have found a new best friend. This move is not turning out to be what she expected and she finds herself missing Pensacola. How will Piper adjust to her new life? Will she ever make friends in Norfolk?
One lucky reader will have a chance to find out! Enter below to win one of three Piper Reed books!
I also had the privilege of interviewing Kimberly Willis Holt:
Q: I just read my first Piper Reed book and have to say it was a really fun read! There aren't many book series designed for military kids and I wondered if some of Piper's experiences were also your own growing up?
A:Like Piper, I'm a military kid with two sisters and a Navy Chief dad, but I was the oldest. I saw life more seriously than my fun-loving middle sister. Some of the things that happen to the Reed family in the series "sort of" happened to us. We had clubs and owned a poodle. We sang our Louisiana version of Country Roads in the back seat of the car. Most of the series is made up but inspired by things that "sort of" happened.
Q: Did you always aspire to be a writer or was it something that developed later in life?
A:Ever since second grade I loved to write, but I never thought I could be a writer until seventh grade when a thoughtful science teacher encouraged me to show my poem to a creative writing teacher. I wasn't a great student because I read slowly. I loved reading and writing though. So it was a secret dream until that day in seventh grade when two teachers made me think it was possible. Teachers are powerful.
Q: Is there a particular place you go or routine you follow to get the "writing zone"?
A:I write a lot of different places--in bed, a chair in my bedroom, the screened in porch, and coffee shops. Wherever I begin a story is where I end it. That's how important ritual is to a creative person. Returning to the same place every day makes the writing begin more easily. And when I write, I write by hand on yellow legal pads. I think better on yellow.
Q: As you well know, growing up in the military has it's pro's and con's. It can be especially hard for children to constantly leave friends and be apart from extended family. Is there any advice you would to give to military mom's to help make military life a positive and enriching experience for their children?
A:Wherever we lived, my mom made our house a home. We also took Sunday drives to explore the places beyond our house or short trips to somewhere wonderful. When we lived in Norfolk, we visited Colonial Williamsburg and Washington D.C. When we lived in Washington state, we visited Canada. We took a vacation to Barcelona when we lived in France. These are the advantages of a military childhood. At the same time that my parents exposed to our new surroundings, they always told us stories about our Louisiana heritage. My first book is dedicated to them. The dedication says To my parents, Ray and Brenda Willis, who showed me the world, but gave me roots. I think that makes for a happy childhood. We all want to feel like we belong somewhere.
A big Thank You to Kimberly Willis Holt! Enter to win a signed hardback copy of Piper Reed Forever Friend by Kimberly Willis Holt! Also, one lucky reader will win a signed paperback copy of Piper Reed, Navy Brat and one reader will win a signed paperback copy of Piper Reed, Rodeo Star!
As a mother, one of my primary responsibilities is to keep a clean home. Though it might be difficult to tell since the moment I vacuum someone runs through with dirt and the moment I sweep and mop someone spills juice. I never stopped to consider that the things I am using to keep my house relatively clean could actually cause my children harm.
Many chemicals include toxins that can trigger respiratory infections, headaches (and my husband thought I was just making excuses for not cleaning ;) cause damage to the brain or nervous system, decrease sperm count and yes, even cancer. This is a great article, How Toxic are Your Cleaning Supplies? Which outlines several of the dangers as well as good solutions.
These chemicals are not limited to cleaning solutions. How about antibacterial soap? Every good mom knows she needs to protect her children from bacteria. But what if your antibacterial soap and hand sanitizer were actually making your children more sick? Studies are showing that an ingredient found in most antibacterial products called Triclosan (yes it was in my soap) can actually do more harm than good. Instead of killing only bad bacteria, it kills ALL bacteria. Even the good guys that protect your immune system. This creates a bacterial resistance which in effect creates superbugs which our body cannot effectively combat against and is much worse than the germs the soap is supposedly protecting us against. Not good.
Even our laundry detergent contains chemicals that have nasty things linked to cancer and reproductive toxins. Check this article to see what chemicals are in your laundry detergent.
{Week 2 Challenge: Cleanup Household Cleaners}
1. Toss those toxic household cleaners. Replace them with organic versions or try making your own. There are many great websites out there with recipes, my favorite is Wellness Mama.
2. Toss the toxic soap and sanitizers. Replace them with organic soap (including body wash). I love the bath soap from Bubble and Bee and have replaced my liquid dish soap with Dr Bronner's (dilute with water) and thoroughly cleaned out my toxic foaming pump bottles and replaced them with a diluted mixture of Dr Bronners for foaming handwashing soap. I also use Dr Bronners hand sanitizer spray.
3. Replace laundry and dishwashing detergent with a non-toxic version or make your own. There are lots of options out there, I have not personally tried to make my own. I use the Seventh Generation brand.
On the way to visit my family this week, I stopped in Manti and was able to take some pictures of the beautiful temple there. To download these and other free temple pictures, please visit http://freeldstemplepictures.com
The next pictures aren't quite so beautiful...There is a lot of dirt in Utah, especially southern Utah. My boys love it (especially Grant who "swam" in the mud). I loathe it. Here is some of the fun they had this week {followed by several baths each}
As I began searching for resources on organic eating, I came across information about chemicals that are all around us. I was surprised to learn how many of these toxins were in my home. In fact, it seems like almost all the products I use on a daily basis from tupperware to shampoo to sunscreen contain toxins that have damaging long-term effects anywhere from ADHD to cancer.
I made a goal to eliminate whatever toxins I could from my home immediately, and those that I can't do now, I will eliminate when we move this fall. I realize spring cleaning is over, but summer is a great time to prepare for the upcoming school year.
I've broken down the most frequent toxin exposures into 5 easy weekly steps. Obviously it's impossible to eliminate exposure to all harmful things, but there are small simple steps you can take to limit the risk to young (and unborn) children.
{Week 1 Challenge: Organic Food}
Buy organic produce, meats and dairy starting this week!
Chemicals directly sprayed on fruits and vegetables cannot simply be washed off, some residue will remain no matter how diligently you scrub. These pesticides have been linked to cancer, ADHD and autism.
If you cannot afford to buy 100% organic, then buy these dirty dozen as organics and the clean fifteen you can buy non-organic.
Dirty Dozen (contain the most pesticide residue- Buy Organic!)
celery
peaches
strawberries
apples
domestic blueberries
nectarines
sweet bell peppers
spinach, kale and collard greens
cherries
potatoes
imported grapes
lettuce
Clean Fifteen (little to no pesticide residue)
onions
avocados
sweet corn
pineapples
mango
sweet peas
asparagus
kiwi fruit
cabbage
eggplant
cantaloupe
watermelon
grapefruit
sweet potatoes
sweet onions
Why should you buy organic meat? The main reason is because 70% of antibiotics in this country go to farm animals. That's right, cows and chickens. Why? Because they are fed unnatural diets that fatten them up faster and live in cramped quarters- they are fed antibiotics to prevent them from dying before they go to market. Unfortunately, these antibiotics create superbugs (heard of MRSA?) which spread to humans from contaminated meats or crops (like spinach) contaminated by animal waste. Even chicken feed is found to contain high levels of arsenic that is passed on to our children.
Here's a great article about why it's worth it to buy organic eggs (try finding someone local!) and how buying hormone-free milk reduces your risk of cancer.
I know you're really not going to like this one, but I have to put it out there. Studies have shown that processed meats cause cancer. This includes lunch meat, hot dogs, sausage, pepperoni and my favorite, bacon. Fortunately, you CAN buy organic versions of these foods that do not include the cancer-causing nitrates! Applegate Farms is a favorite brand of mine, found at Whole Foods.
Week one is definitely going to be the most challenging week, but it will also have the greatest long-term impact on your family. You'll find that organic meats can be quite expensive, which is another great reason to base your meals primarily around vegetables and use meat sparingly. I have quite a few meatless meal ideas on my Fabulous Foods website. The thing to remember also is exposure amount- a tiny amount of chemicals won't cause immediate harm, but repeated exposure over time can, so don't feel guilty if you have to resort to fast food or "normal" food from time to time but try to limit exposure if you can.
Also, and this is my personal non-scientific opinion...I believe that a normal healthy body is designed to fight toxins including those used in pesticides and if we feed our body healthy foods most of the time then it will be prepared to combat the toxins we do introduce from time to time. However, if we are fueling our body primarily with junk, it won't have the tools to effectively combat the toxins and then our body starts to break down and results in headaches, fatigue, weight gain, and possibly even cancer. Continue to Week 2
This is a last minute giveaway and is only running for a day and a half so spread the word!
You may or may not have heard that certain city governments are boycotting Chick-fil-A because of the CEO's support of God's definition of marriage. I don't know about you, but I thought that one of the motivating factors in the establishment of America was for freedom of religion. That means that our government doesn't get involved when a person adheres to a certain religious belief- especially one this nation was founded on. These individuals can boycott away- but they have no right to use our government to do so.
Christians everywhere need to stand up to support the Bible and the future of America by taking a stand in this issue. Some claim that Christian's stand for God's definition of marriage is "hateful". We and God, do not hate the sinner, only the sin. We cannot stand guiltless before God if we do not stand to support and protect His laws. Having an opinion and peaceably defending it is not hate. We are simply trying to protect long-standing traditions and values that this nation was founded on.
Chick-fil-A's company president Dan Cathy said it best:
“We are very much supportive of the family – the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.”
and
“I think we are inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say, ‘We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage,’” he said. “I pray God’s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we would have the audacity to try to redefine what marriage is all about.”
Three readers will receive a $10 gift card to Chick-fil-A! Enter today, winners will be chosen Monday so that hopefully the cards can reach the winners by Wednesday! And yes, I am aware that this goes totally against my "real food" pledge, but standing for something is more important. Besides, their chargrilled chicken sandwich with honey mustard sauce is to soooo yummy ;)
Please show your support and visit Chick-fil-A this Wednesday, August 1.
I know I really should watermark my images, I hear all the time about people stealing images but what's really disturbing are psycho's stealing images to pretend they're their own family's photos!
However...I'm lazy. I don't want a second copy of watermarked images taking up space on my computer and don't really want to bother with the extra step. I probably will for important photos in the future, but rather than go back and do that for all the images I've already posted, I've disabled the right click function. Now, obviously there are still ways around that, but it makes it just a bit more difficult for a thief. So, if you're lazy like me and don't want to watermark all your images but still want to keep the creepo's away, you might want to consider adding a simple anti-right click code to your blog.
When my husband deployed I experienced a host of behavioral problems I hadn't previously encountered, at least not to this extent. Some of them were a natural result of the growing process while others I am certain were because of the stress of having daddy gone and moving to a new state.
While I still haven't mastered all the behavioral problems (some I fully admit are due to laziness on my part) I have found some great resources that help point me in the right direction.
The first is Love and Logic. I read the book Parenting with Love and Logic and then a friend let me know they also have cd's you can buy. There are actually a ton of resources available in their online store, and I am excited to try a few of them.
The approach of giving your children choices rather than authoritatively commanding them teaches lifelong decision making skills that are essential once they get out into the world. It does require a lot more patience and thought on the part of the parent, and I notice when I get lazy my children's behavior declines.
The second is Positive Parenting Solutions. I bought the book If I have to tell you one more time! (the story of my life) and really loved it. A lot of the focus is on logical consequences for behavior, the only problem is I have a hard time thinking of logical consequences for illogical behaviors!
A lot of the techniques seem perfect for older children but not as easily applied to toddlers. I still need more help! Then, I discovered that they offer online parenting videos called Positive Parenting Solutions.
Even better, they are offering a free membership for military families! I have just started to watch the videos and it is such a great help to me. I hope that combining these two resources will help me become the parent I want to be.
If you're active duty and especially if your spouse is deployed, be sure to sign up for Positive Parenting Solutions, they are well worth your time!
I have been feeling the need lately for some serious intellectual stimulation (being with three boys 24/7 will do that to a person). As much as I'd love to enroll in another master's program, that just isn't an option for me right now, but I knew I had to do something...
I've had a Khan Academy app on my phone for a while now but hadn't actually used it. I finally decided to try it out and I'm sure glad I did! I downloaded the Chemistry and the Calculus video sets. I was really surprised at how well these videos are put together and short enough you could easily fit in a lesson a day no matter how busy you are. They are explained in a way that makes perfect sense and it's so nice to see the exercises worked out right in front of you. Although I admit, after viewing the first calculus video I realized I needed to start over at Algebra and work my way up...
You can view the videos through the iTunes app or online at http://www.khanacademy.org, the online videos are more extensive. There are a variety of subjects available including many facets of math, science and history. Right now I am working on the US History Overview course, the Art History Course (fascinating- especially since I've been to a lot of these museums & historic sites), Chemistry and Algebra. I haven't taken Algebra since my first year of college at age 17, and I hated it. Now, I'm enjoying algebra! It's actually fun to work out the equations and I'm enjoying higher level thought processes again. Yes, I'm turning into a total nerd ;) And while I will probably never use electron configurations and won't need to calculate the sum of three consecutive odd integers, there are several formulas which are useful in "real life" and there is just something fulfilling about expanding the mind. Plus it gives me greater confidence that I will be able to help my children learn these things when they are older.
The best part is that it is absolutely free! I am learning so much faster than I learned in college and am enjoying it so much more. Forget facebook and pinterest, enlarge your cranium!
A HUGE thank you to Daren Hatch of Daren Hatch Photography for his willingness to share these photos of the Anchorage, Alaska LDS temple and some beautiful images of the Salt Lake Temple lights! You can download these and other temple pictures absolutely free, at http://freeldstemplepictures.com/
mango
