When we think of clean, our noses often perk up. Perhaps it’s a whiff of bleach or ammonia or detergent that lingers somewhere in an area of our memory (a most spotless one, of course) where, most likely, we connect chemicals with clean. That’s understandable in our culture since chemicals are the norm, especially when it comes to artificially scented home cleaning products. But it doesn’t have to be. We can achieve effective cleaning and fresh scents with non-toxic substances including essential oils. But, first things first: Let’s get rid of those chemicals.

Long before Mr. Clean reared his sparkly bald head, homes were not overrun with filth. They were cleaned just as often and just as effectively with ingredients you are surely quite familiar with: vinegar, salt, baking soda, oil, lemon and good old-fashioned soap. Not only are these natural products effective at cleaning everything from grimy stovetops and ovens to wood, porcelain, glass and tile, but also, they’re free of the health risks associated with chemical cleaning products. We often assume that just because products are sold to us at virtually every supermarket in the country there’s little or no risk, but it’s simply not true. Scores of scientific studies have linked exposure to toxic household cleaning products and the chemical fragrances to risks including reproductive and behavioral issues, development of certain types of cancer, neurological and developmental issues, and the onset of diabetes and obesity. Products like bleach have also been pinpointed as a majorly disruptive substance to delicate ecosystems and the evironment. And when we recognize that the job could be done just as well with nontoxic products, it’s an easy decision to ditch the chemicals that are bad for our health and the environment.

Vinegar has astounding antimicrobial properties on the same level as bleach. It can kill on contact more than 90 percent of germs. Use it virtually everywhere in your home. For jobs needing extra scrubbing power, add salt or baking soda (think stoves, caked on pots and pans, sticky fridge goop). Lemon juice can also bring shine and sparkle, and oil can both remove grime and make wood look like new.

Now to get that fresh scent. If vinegar doesn’t smell clean to you (it will eventually!), and your nose craves something a bit more fragrant, you can add a few drops of essential oils to your cleaning solution. Essential oils are pressed from pure botanicals such as flowers, barks and leaves. Unlike fragrances, which are often detergent-based, there is nothing toxic or harmful in essential oils. They have antimicrobial properties, boosting the germ-fighting power of your home cleaning and smell so much better. Try lavender, lemon, grapefruit, cedar or clary sage for a lasting fresh scent.  Mix one part vinegar to two parts warm water with the juice of one ripe lemon, one teaspoon baking soda and 10 drops of your favorite essential oils. Get cleaning!

Image: By Liamfm.

Spring can fill us full of ambition—so many fertile ideas and projects to pursue during the longer, warmer days—it’s a wonder we get any of them done. But don’t let gardening slip off your list. Even if you’re a first time food grower, push past the trepidation, and if anything, make food gardening the only project you pursue in full force this season. Why? Well for starters, it’s one of the single greatest things you can do for your health, your piece of mind and your bank account.

1. Your health: It’s not news that eating a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables contributes to maintaining a healthy body weight, fighting off major illnesses from the common cold and flu to heart disease, diabetes and cancer. And, fresh, whole fruits and vegetables give us energy with their high fiber content that helps us stay full longer. Research shows that seniors over age 70 who ate a healthy diet had fewer health problems and lived longer than those who ate less healthy foods. When we’re including fresh fruits and vegetables at every meal, that also means less room to fill up on the stuff we know we shouldn’t be eating anyway.
2. Save money: You’d be surprised just how much food you can actually grow in a very small area. Whether you’ve got a yard, a garden bed, or pots full of yummy goodness sprouting up, the more you’re eating out of your own garden, the more money you’re saving on store-bought food that’s likely come a long way from the soil it pushed up through, anyway. And if you end up growing more than you can eat while it’s fresh, preserving your garden yummies will last you through several seasons as a reminder to plant your garden again next spring! Think of making homemade tomato sauce, fruit preserves, dried fruit and leathers, fermented cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, and dried herbs and peppers. They’re an investment that will save you year-round!
3. Mindfulness: Whether we’re conscious of it or not, when we dig our fingers into soil, we’re connecting with millions of microbes and life forms that permeate out planet’s crust. We need them just as much as they need us, and this connection is an important reminder of just how co-dependent we all really are on this planet. That awareness can infuse our daily lives with pause, gratitude and a sense of wonder and joy that can alter our relationships, priorities and perspectives.
4. Sustainability: When we shop at our local supermarket or even farmers market, the food had to get there somehow. Even the most sustainable options are dependent on fossil fuels to make it to market. Stepping out into your own garden helps eliminate the transport costs and dependency on oil. You also ditch the packaging, shopping bags and boxes items were transported in as well, helping to reduce waste and toxic substances ending up in our landfills and waterways.

Image by gregor_y

Meditation is practiced by millions of people around the world every day. If you’re not one of them, you’re still likely to be familiar with what a stereotypical “mediation practice” looks like. Whether it’s a roomful of monks holed up in quiet monasteries, yogis, sages or priests communing with their higher power in spiritual pursuits, or someone seated cross-legged on a beach at sunrise. Stillness, especially for a person always on the go, can be a bit intimidating. But we can all benefit from meditation, from wherever we are, and in whatever ‘spiritual’ context suits us. In fact, there are quite a few impressive health benefits to meditation that make it totally worth your while to give it a try.

1. Lowers cholesterol levels and the risk of cardiovascular disease: The human body is a pretty weird thing.  We go to all kinds of trouble to watch what we eat to make sure our bodies are the healthiest they can be (and it is without question an important thing to do!), but did you know that meditation all on its own can reduce your cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease? It all boils down to stress.  Hormones released when the body is stressed act like free radicals, which destroy healthy cells. Cholesterol is what our cells use to repair the damage, and that can lead to excess amounts of cholesterol in the body. Meditation can reduce stress levels significantly, dropping cholesterol levels and reducing the risks of more serious illnesses including cardiovascular disease.
2. Develops intuition: We all want superpowers, right? Well, as it turns out, we innately have quite a few, including the power of intuition. You’ve probably experienced the phenomenon before—a feeling of just knowing something was going to happen. Meditation can enhance this skill by helping you to focus your attention and by limiting distractions, which allows the mind to become more aware of its self and its environment, leading to an ability to anticipate things without actually knowing them.
3. Patience: In this fast moving world, it’s so easy to feel caught up and anxious, even we don’t need to be. Rush hour traffic, for example, can make us feel like we are pressed for time, angry and irritated, when we might not have anywhere to be to get so angry about in the first place. It’s the classic case of losing our patience, which triggers stress; and we now know that causes health issues. Meditation offers the opportunity to be present in each moment—not the past or the future, just the now—and can cultivate a more mindful sense of being and a more patient approach to life.
4. Speeds Healing: Studies have found that patients with a variety of illnesses achieved faster recovery results when they practiced meditation during their healing process. Visualizing the body recovering from injury and illness, and quiet focus on the breath have been attributed to the results.
5. Boosts Memory: People who frequently meditate show an increased thickness in the cerebral cortex, which helps to encourage mental sharpness and memory ability. It can also improve focus, concentration, learning and reasoning skills while decreasing anxiety, depression and stress.

Image: HaPe_Gera

Regardless of season, getting out into nature is one of the healthiest things we can do for our bodies. The fresh air can revitalize and energize us, and being out among trees and grass, birds and butterflies—no matter how few or how many—is always a good thing. It can also provide us with a healthy and free workout any day of the year (read no more excuses!); and if you’ve got a taste for fruits, you just may be able to find a free and yummy snack along the way too.

Whether or not your town is home to city stairs (typically built in mountainous or hilly towns to access homes built up into the hills before the family car became our main mode of transportation, or to get down to beaches), finding a nearby staircase is one of the best-kept exercise secrets. Stepping works your thighs and buttocks, calf muscles and feet. Jogging or running up several flights of stairs can boost your heart rate and burn fat. Adding arm weights can help to tone and strengthen your arms and shoulders as well. In lieu of an expensive gym membership—and the cost of gas to get there—you can stay healthy and fit while getting to know your neighborhood better and saving your money.

If you have access to outdoor city steps, you know they can often wind up through beautiful neighborhoods bursting with wildlife and nature. If you don’t have access to city steps, seek out a nearby building (perhaps a local hospital, parking lot, city building or college campus) where access is free and stairs are many is a great option. You can also skip the steps altogether and opt instead for a hike through a local park, neighborhood or college campus. While hiking on a flat route may not give you as much of a workout as stairs, it can burn calories, provide you with an aerobic activity, and did you know that walking actually works every muscle in the body? (It’s recommended by health experts that we all walk at least 5 miles every day!) You may also find a flat terrain provides you with the ability to walk farther than on hilly surfaces or steps, and if you add weights here too, you can increase the workout’s impact on arms and legs.

Of course, an incredible added benefit of outdoor exercise activity, especially during the warmer months, is the opportunity to forage for free fruits! Apples, plums, peaches, lemons, pears, berries—all grow in a number of climates, and often in your neighbor’s yards. You may find them bursting in public parks too. And you can reference maps, like the ones on FallenFruit.org that highlight the types of fruits available for picking throughout various U.S. neighborhoods, perfect for a mid-workout snack, or to save for later.  Getting to know your local neighborhood and the food growing there further connects you to the region, and that’s always healthy.

Image: By Alan Light

If you live in California, you may have started to hear about a campaign underway that would give Californians the right to know if they’re eating genetically modified foods. The Label GMO campaign, started by the Committee for the Right to Know, is the result of a grassroots coalition made up of consumer, health and environmental organizations along with food companies concerned about food safety. If enough signatures are gathered, the initiative will be on the 2012 ballot, and if passed with enough votes, would require mandatory labeling of all foods sold in the state containing GMOs.

The significance hinging on the campaign’s success will be a resulting profound and potentially lasting impact on the health of Californians, and could also alter the course of genetically modified foods for the rest of the country as well.

With an overwhelming amount of genetically modified corn, soy and canola dominating our nation’s food supply, it may be quite surprising to realize that most people don’t even know what a GMO is. For example, as much as 86 percent of the corn grown in the U.S. is genetically modified and designed to produce its own pesticide. Corn, soy and canola are found in most processed fast and junk food items, and according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, nearly 80 percent of all processed foods now contain GMOs.

Companies manufacturing genetically modified foods have received support from the U.S. government, as a number of Wikileaks documents revealed high-level American government pressure being felt throughout Europe on behalf of companies like Monsanto—the St. Louis, MO-based seed and pesticide company and largest seed manufacturer in the world. Most of the European Union has strict bans or restrictions on GMOs because of lacking science supporting its safety for humans or the environment. Microsoft founder Bill Gates is also a proponent of GMOs. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has put resources and funding behind developing GMO crops as a means to end world hunger and poverty issues despite a growing number of issues including low crop yields, pesticide resistant plants and insects, rising food allergies and other serious health issues.

According to the Label GMOs campaign, while the science is indeed lacking on the safety of genetically engineered foods, moreover, the right to know what we’re eating has been usurped by the absence of any government regulations or voluntary transparency from any of the multinational seed companies dominating the landscape of American agriculture.

Fifty countries—including most developed nations—currently require labeling of genetically modified foods, and it’s time for the U.S. to make the same requirements, according to the Label GMOs campaign. If California becomes the first state to force genetically modified foods to be labeled, other states may soon follow, giving more Americans the right to make informed decisions about their health.

Even if you’re not a California resident yourself, you can support the campaign through alerting your friends and family.  You can also sign the petition directed at the FDA, calling on the agency to enact a nationally regulated standard similar to the USDA Organic Seal, which would require labeling on all GMO foods sold throughout the country.

Image: Millions Against Monsanto

January always seems to rush by as we transition back to post-holiday life. And those worthy resolutions we swear we’re going to stick to this year can be left in the wake of our other priorities as life so often sweeps us up in a frenzied fashion. A healthy body—a most common resolution—is vital to a healthy mind, healthy relationships and a healthy home. But sticking to a diet resolution can soon become unrealistic, unappetizing. So instead of vaguely resolving to lose a few extra pounds, or “eat better,” why not give yourself some healthy goals you can really honor?

Cleansing can sound a little scary if you’ve never done it before, but it can actually be very easy. While there are some extreme cleansing programs like fasting and herbal detoxes, you can greatly improve your health with relatively simple changes that will make you feel lighter, clearer and more vibrant in no time. Here are four you can get started on anytime of the year (but we recommend now):

Up your water intake: We all drink water, or at least, we all should. It’s not only vital for hydrating our entire body so that it functions properly, but it is critical in moving toxins out quickly too (like the fruitcake and eggnog most likely still lingering in your system). If you sleep eight hours (as you should!) that means you’re waking up dehydrated, which slows the elimination and detoxification process. Start every morning with at least 8 ounces of spring or purified water. Add the juice from a lemon or lime to increase your hydration and help the cleansing process. And make sure to drink plenty of water throughout your day, preferably not with food, but rather an hour before or after.

Freshen up: Trading in one cooked meal a day for a fresh raw salad and some fruits will improve your health in a number of ways. First, you’re getting lots of enzymes that can be killed through heating. Enzymes help the body to break down toxins and move them out. Fresh fruits and veggies also contain lots of antioxidants that can also help to stop (and even reverse) the damage caused by free radicals (toxins that can come from a variety of sources). Raw fruits and vegetables also contain lots of water—which ups your hydration. They are fiber-rich, which improves your elimination and helps you to feel full and energized.

Skip the junk: Of course, it’s easy to grab a sugary energy bar, a muffin or some other carb-heavy processed foods when you’re hungry and in need of a boost. But research shows that refined carbs make you gain weight, and they lead to an inevitable crash that leaves you searching for the next boost. It’s an unproductive cycle, so skip the junk and opt instead for superfoods like chia or hemp seeds (literally, a few spoonfuls will deliver noticeable results, or mix them into a smoothie), raw nuts, or even a bowl of oatmeal or brown rice.

Consult with a specialist: Environmental toxins, food sensitivities and other factors can cause us to feel unhealthy, lack energy and even struggle with our weight. A naturopath or holistic health practitioner can help you to identify possible sources of toxins in your body and set you on a course for healing that may include herbs or supplements to enhance the work of a cleansing diet.

If the holidays were even moderately good to you, that can mean piles of brand new stuff waiting to be integrated into those already dense piles of other stuff. (We’ve all got a little hoarder in us, don’t we?) Add to that the holiday gift-packing supplies, the leftover bedding from houseguests, all the food, and of course, all those extra bottles of alcohol.  Regardless of what you’ve resolved to change in your life this year, a cluttered home can be a counterproductive distraction.

Living in the modern world requires the assistance of lots of things, but too much of those, and a generally disorganized living space, can be indicators of bigger issues. Author and PhD Margaret Paul says that “Clutter is created and maintained by a wounded, frightened part of oneself, the wounded self – the part that operates from the illusion of having control over people, events, and outcomes.” On the flipside, an obsessively sparkling house can also result from a need to have control over one’s external environment. So, ok, a little mess is not the worst thing in the world, but how can you best manage your living space and your things this year? Here are some tips:

Start Small: De-cluttering your home can feel like an overwhelming task, especially after the holiday frenzy. Commit to starting with just one room, closet or particularly cluttered area and work it until it feels light, organized and easy to navigate. The ideal situation is to know exactly what’s there at all times without much effort, be it an empty table or a well-organized drawer.

The Zone: New stuff happens all the time. Designate one particularly easily cluttered area of your home to always be clutter-free. Perhaps it’s the kitchen counter or your bed. Whatever it is, by sticking to your commitment, it’ll become easier to make the rest of your home clutter-free as well.

Surface Sweep: Shelves, dressers and countertops are like clutter magnets. Keep your kitchen counters free except for major appliances. Tables, shelves and dressers should house only lamps, minor decorations or fresh flowers.

Ebills: Junk mail and important mail can clutter up desks, tables and sofas. Eliminate the excess by switching to electronic billing, and recycle your junk mail right from the box, avoiding bringing it into your home at all.

Sentimentally Speaking: Gifts, family heirlooms, the art project your niece made you for your birthday quickly pile up around the house. Relationships transcend things. An experience or a photo can be a much more meaningful connection to a loved one rather than clinging to a dust-collecting item. Donate them or store valuables in marked container in the closet or garage rather than scattered throughout the house.

1 in 2 Out: We all inevitably accumulate more things over the year. Whether you’re replacing an article of clothing or a household item, stick with the rule that for every one new item in, you donate or toss two. Stick with absolute necessities and see if you can’t find new uses for old clothes or get to that book you swore you’d read three years ago but never did.

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/untilblack/2401320114/sizes/z/in/photostream/

Are you still trying to figure out what to do with the home gym you got last holiday season but still have yet to use?  If you’re struggling to find a fitness regiment that you can actually stick to without spending an enormous amount of money on equipment that takes up half of your living room, perhaps you want to consider some of these options for getting in shape and staying that way!

1. Ditch the home systems: While these can look amazing on television, chances are you won’t use them as frequently or effectively as you should. Most will lose their value almost immediately as well, decreasing any resale value.
2. Get a trainer: For about the same price as some of those fancy elliptical machines or treadmills, you can invest in a personal trainer to work with either at a gym or at home. They’ll help you identify target areas (inner thighs, stomach, etc) that could most benefit from regular exercise and help you craft a workout for those areas. Perhaps you only use the trainer for a few weeks or months, or even just a consultation visit, but nonetheless, it can help you to identify where you should be focusing your attention.
3. Try new things: Nia, Spinning, Karate…they’re all different exercise programs that work muscle groups in different ways. One of the biggest challenges in sticking to a fitness program is staying engaged. When we get bored or know what comes next, we can easily lose interest and drift, causing our bodies to do the same. Add a dance class one week, try a new yoga teacher, keep it fresh and interesting!
4. Walk: We might not think of walking as the way to a super strong and healthy body, but walking is the only exercise that works every muscle in the body. Every muscle! A number of health experts recommend we walk approximately 10,000 steps per day—that’s close to 5 miles. Most of us walk far fewer than that in a week! Park furthest away from the grocery store entrance, take the stairs, commit to walking anywhere in your neighborhood that’s under 2 miles. Take leisure walks and hikes around town or in nature where the fresh air will recharge you.
5. Buddy up: When we’re by ourselves, it’s easy to cheat and skip a rep. But when we work out with a friend or exercise buddy, we can keep each other motivated and supported. We also tend to push ourselves just a little bit further (never to pain though!) when we’re working with someone else. Games are a great way to exercise and spend time with a friend or loved one. Tennis, racquet ball, basketball—you don’t even have to be good to get the benefits of the workout.
6. Boost your protein: A healthy diet is part of a fitness routine and is critical in helping to flush out toxins in the body, and foods high in protein help us to build new muscles, blood cells and tissue.

Image credit: By lululemon athletica

Humans are not plants, yet we share a similar biological behavior in synthesizing vitamin D from
the sun. Aside from the cool factor of getting an important nutrient in this manner, absorbing
vitamin D is necessary for a number of reasons. And as the winter months creep in by way of
shortened and often cloud-covered days, our access to the health-giving sun’s rays diminishes,
robbing us of its benefits, mainly helping the body effectively utilize calcium. Bones rely on
calcium for growth and density; and calcium is essential for heart and nerve function among
many other roles in the human body. So if we’re not able to expose skin to sun for some 15
minutes each day, we must turn to our diet for vitamin D.

A number of products are fortified with vitamin D supplementation—most commonly milk and
orange juice. But you can also find it in energy bars, breads, cereals and other processed foods.
While these sources are certainly helpful, it’s always best to eat a well-balanced diet that contains
naturally occurring nutrients. And just as vitamin D’s most potent delivery method comes in a
most unique form, the strangeness continues with only a few foods naturally high in vitamin D.

We think of milk as containing vitamin D—and it does—but it’s added in. There are naturally
occurring levels of vitamin D in all dairy, but other dairy products like whey, cheese and yogurt
tend to have lower levels of D because they’re not made with fortified milk. Certainly organic
dairy is going to be more nutrient dense than conventional. A healthier animal can supply more
adequate nutrients not stripped out by harsh chemical drugs and food.

Mushrooms, particularly shiitakes, are an excellent source of vitamin D, especially when dried.
Mushrooms are fungus—technically not a vegetable—and have unique behaviors that include an
extraordinary ability to soak up lots of sunlight and retain vitamin D much like humans do.
Eggs are another naturally occurring source of vitamin D. While one egg will only provide about
ten percent of your daily D needs, it’s certainly an accessible addition to your diet during periods
with limited sun exposure.

A variety of fish are abundant in vitamin D, too: salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, tuna,
catfish and cod liver oil. A small tin of sardines can provide 70 percent of your daily D needs!
Exercise caution when purchasing fish—especially tuna and salmon. Bluefin tuna is a critically
threatened species; and most salmon consumed in the U.S. is farm-raised, injected with
colorants, fed diets of hormones, genetically modified grains and other unappetizing
supplements. Instead, seek out wild-caught salmon, or opt for smaller fish like the mackerel and
herring, which are also a better choice because smaller fish have a lower risk of mercury
contamination.

Image by:  Doxi

What is it about the holidays that make us eat…so much? Certainly food is a celebration in and of itself, keeping us alive and nourished (and oh so tastily to boot), but is there anything worse than feeling like a stuffed turkey for hours (or days!) after eating one?

Perhaps it’s just simple mathematics (and let’s face it, most of us are no good at math!). The equation looks something like this: Lots of people gathered together for hours or days multiplied by lots of pre-food-food snacking on chips and dips and appetizing appetizers (which are usually enough to categorize as an entire meal) multiplied by a full-on succulent meal that’s so good you just have to have seconds and of course that gets doubled with too many delicious desserts, and you end up with a week’s worth of food in your belly in just a few hours. Ouch.

But don’t bust out the stretch pants just yet…try these tips for keeping yourself satisfied and full without the pains of indigestion or having to up your wardrobe size…

1. Eat ahead of time. It’s kind of like the rule about never grocery shopping when you’re hungry. Indeed your eyes are way bigger than your stomach, but you can trick them easily by being full before they set their sights on Grandma’s sweet potato pie or cousin Ruth’s incredible gingersnap cookies. Eat healthy foods before the big meal like a green salad, steamed veggies and whole grains that will keep you feeling full and satisfied for longer and you’ll find you’re less interested in over-eating.
2. Drink lots of water. Our bodies are funny, and we often confuse hunger with thirst. Staying properly hydrated can keep you from feeling hungry. Drinking during meals can actually upset your digestion and cause gas and bloating, but drinking several glasses of water an hour or two before a big meal can drastically reduce the chances of you overdoing it.
3. Go Slow. The French take hours to eat, and they eat some of the fattiest, richest foods on the planet yet have some of the healthiest citizens. Their trick is no trick, really. They eat slow, which allows for the body to know that it’s full. So even though they’re eating calorie-rich foods, they’re eating moderate amounts of them and allowing the body to digest over time rather than getting several hundred calories all at once. If that means you’re the last one at the table, so be it. But you may find that if you’re eating slowly others may slow down too.
4. Start Small. Our tendency can often be to fill every conceivable spot of a plate with food. And on holidays like Thanksgiving, it’s easy enough to do with so many yummy dishes. But rather than fully fill your plate, try starting with just a biteful or two of each dish, which may be enough for an entire meal.

Photo by Joe.