Simply Fresh Living

****WARNING*** Do not read if you are uninterested, repulsed, and/or completely turned off by the details of us women’s joyful time of the month

When I started trying to transition my lifestyle to be more “green” I first began by buying more “eco friendly” products: compostable trash bags, recycled toilet paper, cut back on the paper towels, etc. but one of the things that seemed the most wasteful of all was all of the tampons I would go through in a given month, not to mention each of their individual wrapping.

Before this thought crossed my mind though an even more important one was always nagging me, if there are so many harmful chemicals, etc. in beauty products I really wondered exactly what that tampon had been exposed to before I used it. Not to mention all of the lies, claims, corruption, etc. that certain major manufacturer’s equally participate in.

Here is an excerpt from a blog post Whole Foods wrote about the dangers of tampons:

“Tampons are typically made from a variety of materials including conventional cotton, rayon or a blend of both fibers. Conventional cotton is one of the “dirtiest” crops in the modern world. According to the USDA, in 2003 U.S. cotton farmers applied an eye-popping 55 million pounds of pesticides to their fields. And global cotton production also uses high levels of pesticides.

Many of these agricultural toxins are classified as “extremely or highly hazardous” by the World Health Organization. In addition to polluting groundwater and soil, seven of the 15 most commonly-used cotton pesticides have been identified as possible human carcinogens by the EPA. (Others are known to damage the nervous system and are suspected of disrupting the body’s hormonal system.)”

Yikes!!!! So with the possibility of putting something harmful into my body for hours every month along with their extremely high waste factor I set out on some research. There are chlorine-free, organic tampons out there which are obviously safer than the run of the mill brands but just by chance I ran across, The Diva Cup!

You can read up on the specifics of the Diva Cup yourself, but the jist is that its a small REUSABLE silicone cup that you wear in place of a tampon. So you put it in, take it out, wash it out, and put it back in. And when your flow isn’t around you store it in the cute little draw string back it comes with.

After reading all about how it works, visiting the site, reading other blogger’s reviews and testimonials I was definitely sold. I picked one up at Whole Foods, it was not cheap, about 40$ if I remember correctly. But then I thought about a box of tampons, they run about 15$ depending on the variety you purchase and a whole box may not even last the entire week. A Diva Cup purchase adds up to a savings of about 140$ a year.

I needed(!) mine immediately so online purchase wasn’t an option but after searching around, iHerb, seems to have the best price at $24.70.

When I first opened it I was definitely intimidated, it seemed large, hard, and intuitively not comfortable at all. I read the instructions carefully (fold, pinch, insert, & give a little twist) it took me two tries to get it right but once it worked, I was totally fine. It was not uncomfortable at all and if anything felt weird it was just me THINKING it was weird, all in my head for sure.

Mine has never leaked, and although I would say I have a fairly moderate flow every month it has never come close to overflowing the capacity of the cup. It can be worn longer than a tampon too, so no worries about only sleeping 8 hours, being out and about and forgetting a tampon. Obviously if you have a heavier flow the wear time is going to be shorter, but from my personal experience I have worn it up to 10-11 hours with no problems. Another major plus is the “going to the bathroom” factor. Although I am sure everybody has experienced it is POSSIBLE to go to the bathroom wearing a tampon it is not ideal, not very sanitary at all (in my opinion), and something I avoid at all costs. Seeing as this has no string and sits a tad farther up and much more snug than a tampon, going to the bathroom is not only possible but completely unaffected by wearing the DivaCup.

One of the downside’s is being out and about or in the office all day, etc. Taking it out, washing, and putting back in is not really conducive to a public restroom. I have the ability to wear mine all day without this being a problem but again, if you have a heavier flow this may not be the case and it will be harder to change in a public restroom type setting. Its completely possible, but nobody really wants to be spotted carrying a cup of blood to the sink and then washing it down the drain (very very sorry for the visual but that is exactly what you have to do) This may present another downside for some people, if you are completely disgusted by what is happening within your body and want as little as possible with it’s “waste” this may not be ideal for you. Yes you are going to see it, yes you are going to have to rinse it out down the sink, and yes at first it is weird, but it’s natural, and I would take weird and natural over pesticides and chemicals on my most sensitive skin any day!

Another very TINY downside is the size of the stem. Sometimes I do find it a little hard to grab onto to take out, its a tad wide and not very long at all so it does take a couple of tries to get a good grip.

I just recently discovered the LadyCup though. It seems like the exact same thing as DivaCup but for those unapologetically obsessive girly girls like myself it not only comes with different cute patterned storage bags but there is a variety of COLORS to choose from (The Diva Cup is just a plain off white natural color) This could be good & bad though, natural color=natural substance, I would have to do more research into exactly HOW the LadyCup’s came to be the color they are because more than likely it involves some chemicals, additives, etc. The LadyCup does seem to have a longer, slimmer, stem though which would solve downside #2 I just mentioned.

So what does everyone think? Weird? Gross? No way? Or are you willing to give it a try!? Seriously the convenience factor alone is enough for me to never buy another tampon again not to mention the health implications and waste implications that accompany tampon use.

Photo Credit: She-Hates-Mondays

It’s already sunny here in Arizona and all around the country people are gearing up for Spring & Summer. It means flip flops, bathing suits, pool parties and amidst all of the fabulousness the sunshine brings it also means one other important aspect for most people, SUNSCREEN. I formed my opinions regarding sunshine at the very beginning of my “more natural way of living” adventure but it has been popping up in my life a lot lately from questions, to comments, a segment from my teacher in class last week, and of course the fact that the shining sun is in full effect around me.

In short, sunscreen is not necessary, the most “natural” and “free” brands still contain harmful fillers, there are numerous epidemiological studies showing that increased use of sunscreen causes an increase in instances of melanoma, and MOST IMPORTANTLY the sun is GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT for your body, not only great but absolutely NECESSARY to be healthy.

When the sun hits your skin (during the times of 10am and 2pm the sun is in a position in which your skin can absorb it’s rays) it turns the UV rays into Vitamin D3. Although the RDA of Vitamin D is much different the average person needs around 4,000 units of Vitamin D3 per DAY.

An average fair skinned person can produce 10,000 units of D3 by being in the sun with 80% of their body exposed (think a bathing suit or sports bra and shorts) for 20 minutes between the times mentioned above, 10am to 2pm. Along with all of the other astonishing things one’s body is capable of we are also capable of storing Vitamin D for later use. So aim for at the VERY LEAST 70 minutes a week or more depending on the color of your skin tone.

Vitamin D & Cancer

People look at me crazy when I say sunscreen actually increases the occurrence of cancer, but it couldn’t be more truthful. It increases your risk of developing melanoma significantly. When you apply sunscreen to your skin it blocks its ability to use the UV rays to produce Vitamin D, but you can not stop ALL UV rays from hitting your skin no matter how much you put on. So the UV rays that do get by your sunblock shield can not be utilized by your skin and therefore are nothing but harmful. Sunscreen also weakens your skin’s ability over time to efficiently do it’s Vitamin D producing job, therefore increasing the likelihood of UV rays damaging your skin cells.

Sunscreen is not just responsible for skin cancer though, by inhibiting your body from naturally producing it’s own Vitamin D the way it needs to you are increasing your chance of many other deadly forms of cancer. The Vitamin D council cites several different studies on their website, below is an excerpt:

“It not only reduced the unregulated growth of cancer cells by promoting normal cell death (apoptosis); vitamin D prevented new cells from becoming cancerous (promoted differentiation). It even helped prevent cancer cells from spreading (metastasis) and inhibited cancer cells from developing new blood supply (angiogenesis).”

They also go on to explain why exactly this is not common knowledge to the vast majority of people:

“Somewhere along the line, the vitamin D and cancer story took a tragic twist. As vitamin D could not be patented, it held little interest for the medical industry. Plain vitamin D3 held no promise for financial gain for drug companies or for the researchers who are often financially involved in such companies. Therefore, the medical industry seemed to ignore the evidence that simple vitamin D helped prevent cancer and that adequate vitamin D nutrition may help retard the growth of cancer.”

The next question that most people ask is how do they protect themselves then? Honestly, there is no quick fix or ingenious idea you are not aware of, just plain common sense. If you are going to be outside cover your face, wear a hat of some sort. The face is usually the biggest concern of most people. If you are going to be outside longer than your burning threshold, seek shade or cover up.

The healthier you are internally, the more it will show externally. The more beta carotene you eat will help your body create a type of “internal sunscreen” that will not only serve as providing your skin with a more bronzed color but it will take much longer amounts of sun exposure for a burn. As long as you eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and most importantly antioxidants, the common harmful sun myth of wrinkles, aging skin, etc. will not affect you.

Most people these days work in offices, offices with little natural light, hardly any plants and definitely no chance of their skin receiving the adequate amount of Vitamin D. As necessary as it is to eat right, it is JUST as imperative to get outside and give your body the Vitamin D it craves. Take your lunch outside during the sunny months or bring a change of clothes and go for a long walk before you eat.

Below are more scientific reads and additional research regarding Vitamin D:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19900346

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_D#Production_in_the_skin (basic read for how the actual production takes place)

http://www.naturalnews.com/001264.html

I was celebrating my birthday out of town this weekend with a group of friends and of course no birthday is complete without cake! When people first ask questions about becoming vegan and even taking the transition to a high raw diet it’s often situations like this they fear most. Social gatherings that involve friends and family and things like birthday cake. I always take the easiest way out and… bring my own!

I thought about bringing a vegan birthday cake that most replicated the real thing, assuming it would be easiest to find and the biggest crowd pleaser. But I quickly decided against it. This was my birthday and I was not going to think about everyone else, I was going to put myself first and I wanted only the best of the best, raw cake!

I did not want to make the cake myself though because my husband and I have been doing alot of traveling lately and the last thing I wanted was a cake preparation lingering over my head. I also didn’t want just ONE cake, I wanted a variety! Something that was sure to please everyone, even though it was entirely raw.

I came across Innocent Indulgence in the ever so handy Natural Awakenings magazine. I honestly couldn’t believe it- everything I wanted ALL in one place! Entirely vegan, entirely raw, a great variety, and from the pictures everything looked delicious.

Below are all of the different treats I tried:

I don’t have any pictures of the cheesecakes I was so concerned with everybody getting to try each piece and then eating mine up so fast I totally forgot

Raspberry Bliss

This wasn’t close to the “real” thing, this WAS the real thing. Did not taste a smidge different than regular cheesecake, and the topping was absolutely DELICIOUS!

Double Fudge

Again, this tasted exactly like the most chocolate-y cheesecake you have ever had in your life. It was insanely rich, maybe even too rich for some, but seeing as I am a chocolate LOVER, it was perfect. Everybody commented on how much they liked the fudge.

Lemon Island

This was the least favorite of the cheesecakes by the other people in my group. I personally loved it, it was a great balance between sweet and tangy. It was on the top of the other cakes in the ice chest though and was significantly more thawed out than the others. I think this was definitely a factor as to why some were not as keen on this flavor. The cheesecakes taste the best when slightly thawed but still cool and firm (in my opinion).

Fudge Brownie Squares

These were extremely tasty as well. They were the perfect amount of fudge and had a very nice consistency, not too dense. Bite size pieces were the best from the start.

Peanut Butter Squares

These were my favorite between the brownies and the cookies. (ignore the holes, they had birthday candles in them  It was the most delicious peanut butter cup flavor I have ever tasted. I cut them into 4 pieces to begin with but were so rich that I ended up dicing into bite size pieces.

Cocoa Nib Squares

Although these did not taste exactly like the chocolate chip cookies some may have been expecting the other people in our group still loved them! (as did I) They were light and airy and just the right amount of chocolate.

Gingerbread

Because it was my first order with Innocent Indulgence Alisha gave me the choice of a free dessert, totally awesome! I chose the gingerbread since I had not ordered it and figured I would try out as many different flavors as I could. I ADORED the gingerbread cookie dough. It literally was exploding with flavor in my mouth. It was by far the richest gingerbread cookie I have ever tasted. It comes with a vanilla creme, but I choose to eat them plain. Maybe the creme had too much true vanilla flavor for me but I just did not like it very much. I think it would have been awesome paired with a much sweeter creme made with coconut oil to offset the spicey, gingery taste of the cookies. (but again, I love all things very sweet)

Not only did all of the dessert taste amazing, but the entire ordering process was incredibly smooth. I submitted an order online (weeks in advance just to make sure, which was not neccessary) and Alisha, who is an absolute sweetheart, phoned me a couple of days later to verify the details.

I ordered an Experience Sampler and substituted a peanut butter square and additional brownie for the parfaits, which was no problem. There were 9 of us total, and I still have leftovers! We all split the cakes, each having a tiny piece of all 3 flavors. Some people didn’t even finish this much, they are all so rich and filling. Although it may not seem like a ton of food because the portions are not as HUGE as we are used to, it was more than enough. Along with the ease of the ordering process the other very convenient aspect of these deserts is that they are frozen. You can pick up days in advance and store them in your freezer until the day you need them, or like us transport them with you in a cooler without compromising flavor, texture, etc. They also ship anywhere, so if you are not in AZ don’t worry, just add the price of an icepack to your order and you will be receiving your desserts shortly Each dessert also came with detailed instructions as to the thawing process and the best way to store, cut, and serve-all great info to have.

I would reccommend Innocent Indulgence to anyone and everyone, especially for any type of special occasion or get together. Anybody else know of any other raw dessert companys? Anybody looking for raw desserts and is going to give Innocent Indulgence a chance?? Let me know!

Alisha Chasey can be contacted at: (602) 509-0744 or on the web at http://www.innocentindulgence.net/

I am an avid lover, endorser, and frequently even supplier of LaraBars to my friends and family. They are delicious, have only a couple to few whole ingredients, raw, and very minimally processed. My love for LaraBars has usually stopped me from avidly exploring other healthy bars on the market, and most often when my eyes do wander I am brought back to the LaraBar display because they are significantly cheaper and a whole lot more healthy than anything else out there I have seen thus far, until yesterday.

I ventured to a different Whole Foods than usual and these PranaBar’s caught my eye. They range anywhere from 55%-77% raw and the package informs that the part of the bar that isn’t technically raw is the nuts which have undergone a slow cooking process to “denature their enzyme inhibitors” Eating foods that contain enzyme inhibitors can neutralize some of your body’s own enzymes and can also cause swelling of the pancreas. Preferably you can destroy these inhibitors in nuts by soaking them which will get rid of the inhibitors but also still preserve their natural enzymes, but you can also destroy them by slow cooking, which is what PranaBar has chosen to do.

The first flavor I tried (seen to the right with a teeny bit of the bar left, I stuffed it all in my mouth before I remember to take a picture!) was apricot goji and BOY was it delicious! I love the texture of these bars, they are chewy and moist but not too dense and contain chunky ingredients, much more overall texture than LaraBars. This bar contained: Organic Cashews, Organic Almond Butter, Organic Date Paste, Organic Agave Nectar, Organic Dried Apricots, Organic Puffed Amaranth, Organic Goji Powder, Sea Salt. All ingredients I am more than familiar with and most importantly ENTIRELY organic! Puffed Amaranth is also not something I get in my regular diet but it is super good for you, so that is a definite plus! Amaranth is a seed that acts very much like a cereal grain, but contains zero gluten. It is super high in fiber and protein. Amaranth also contains a complete protein profile which is superior to most other grains, housing certain essential amino acids that are not usually present at all in grains.

The other bars contained similar ingredients and you can check out all the flavors and their nutritional info on their website, located here. The coconut acai flavor was just as delicious as the apricot goji, I couldn’t pick a favorite between the two. Today I tried the pear ginseng flavor. It contains the same standard ingredients but also has ginseng powder. I was not as big of a fan because I am not entirely keen on the ginseng taste, but it still was not bad at all and the taste really was pretty subtle.

The best part is these bars are only about .20 cents more in price than LaraBars. I personally believe they are larger in size and more filling as well so it is definitely worth it.

Any other “raw” bars out there on the market that you have tried and liked? Anybody going to take a chance and try out some PranaBars now, let me know!!

This blog is centered around food, and I of course believe that nutrition is our number one weapon against disease, ailments, and premature death. But, there are also a number of other things that greatly contribute to poor health including the various chemicals that we use on a daily basis to sustain some sense of “beauty.”

I in no way wanted to compromise any of my beauty factor when I decided to live as healthy as I could, and you shouldn’t have to either! There are tons of natural (and most often cheaper) ways to achieve the same results without harsh chemicals seeping into your body through your skin, mouth and skull ultimately resulting in cancer and various other diseases.

Hair

I already mention my shampoo & conditioner regimen here and here which basically just involves baking soda and coconut oil. Easy, simple, cheap, and most importantly entirely safe. I guess even more importantly is that my hair looks no different than when I used extremely expensive hair products that always promised me the best. hair. ever.

Teeth

To whiten teeth rinse your mouth out with Hydrogen Peroxide before each brushing. In a jar or bowl make a paste using baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to use in place of toothpaste and brush with this after rinsing. The hydrogen peroxide does not taste that good when you spit it out, but after brushing your mouth will feel surprisingly clean. Not minty fresh but really, honestly, deep down clean. And the taste will be gone. Be sure not to swallow any of the hydrogen peroxide when rinsing, and most people say they start to see results in about 1 month. Considering that white strips are not even regulated by the FDA this definitely beats Crest WhiteStrips on the safe factor as well as on the price. Super cheaper than toothpaste too.

Another way to whiten teeth can be done with orange peel and strawberries.

Rub the inside of an orange peel over your teeth for 30 seconds. This will take time to see results but in conjunction with the baking soda and hydrogen peroxide you will be in good shape! Strawberries can also be used, mash up strawberries and mix with baking soda and use as toothpaste. Brush with just baking soda after. Strawberries are such great teeth whiteners due to the presence of malic acid. Malic acid is a natural astringent which will help remove discoloring on the surface of your teeth.This can be done once a week, it is acidic and over use can be damaging so limit to once a week.

Acne

The ongoing struggle with acne is an ugly one, even if it is just a flare up once a month or so or a continuous fight that seems to never end. Personally I never saw any relief from any topical creams, astringents, face washes, etc. prescribed by my dermatologist. The only thing that ever seemed to help my skin was antibiotics and since that is obviously out of the question now I have turned to my diet. Diet is not always enough though and the tips below can help force those stubborn little friends that pop-in for a visit on our faces and back’s to leave as soon as possible.

Salt & Vinegar: Start with a small amount of vinegar and add salt until it stops dissolving. Use a cotton swab to dab pimples, I do this up to 3 times a day.

Tea Tree Oil: Tea Tree Oil is a powerful astringent, I apply this over my entire face after washing once a day to help reduce bacteria and prevent breakouts before they start.

Rose Water & Lemon Juice: Mix an equal amount of lemon juice and rose water and use as a spot treatment. If your skin is super sensitive only use a tiny amount, this is an awesome mixture to use if you ever find yourself cursed with acne on your upper back.

Moisturizer: As I discussed in my spotlight on coconut oil it is the best thing to moisturize your skin. It’s not only super hydrating but ideal for the face because its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal-as well as a powerful antioxidant.

Nails

I know I probably sound like a broken record at this point but COCONUT OIL! Rub coconut oil all over your hands, cuticles, and nails and cover in gloves before you go to sleep. Using MSM as a supplement is also VERY effective in helping nails grow stronger and longer, in addition to joint benefits, allergy relief, and more! Read all about it here.

Getting enough good fats in your diet will help for nails to not become brittle, yellow, or break as easily. Avocados, coconut, flax oil, and hemp oils are all extremely efficient and optimal ways to get enough of those essential fatty acids.

Safe nail polishes that won’t contribute to poor nail health in the future definitely exist but are always much more than I am willing to pay for colorful nails (even though I love them). I am going to treat myself to a manicure and pedicure next month at Pure Nails here in Scottsdale though, I will write a follow up to share how I liked them!

Hope some of these tips were helpful for you! Leave comments with any other great home “remedies” you have found, tried, or were thinking of trying but just weren’t sure of. Is there any one beauty product you think you could just NEVER live without!? Let me know, there may be a natural substitute out there somewhere waiting for the chance to tackle the job. Have a great weekend!

Before I get into detailed accounts of the good, bad, and ugly of our 30 day raw adventure I am going to post a collection of things we discovered along the way that made it easier for us, were interesting, or we just really liked. As always, its important to understand that nobody’s experiences are the same, even mine and my husbands were extremely different and we were basically eating the exact same food. Different things work for different people but a lot of these tips are easy and universal.

• The Power of the Green Smoothie: seriously, they are something to live by. There are tons of accounts out there of just 4 days of drinking green smoothies people had less wrinkles, looked ten years younger, hair started growing back.. honestly I have nothing like that to share. And although I do not have noticeable miraculous changes yet, I am a HUGE advocate for these drinks. There is a lot of research/debate out there of juicing vs. smoothies but I will share what has worked best for me. I work full time, leaving my house about 7:30/8 and getting home around 6 so as most of you, I definitely do not have oodles of time for juicing, smoothing, etc. To make two full glasses of juice for my husband and I it would take me f o r e v e r. On occasion I am craving juice, a smoothie just sounds too heavy, and I will take the time. But definitely not everyday. So I opt for a juice/smoothie combo or solo smoothie. I juice things like apples, pears, cucumbers, and celery and add the juice to a blender with my greens (chard, kale, romaine, leafy, spinach, etc.) I often throw in bananas, coconut, and various supplements depending on the day. Look for tons of my experimental green smoothie recipes coming soon to my recipes page! This way I am not waiting forever to juice TONS of produce (also not throwing out as much because as hard as I try I am really bad about using the leftover juicer “mush”) If you do not have a juicer, no worries! The solo smoothie recipes require blender only and I add things like agave, dates, or raw honey to sweeten them up

• EQUIPMENT: once you start reading about raw food, raw food blogs, recipes, advocates, etc. you can very quickly become overwhelmed by all of the equipment, equipment, equipment. Before I started on this adventure I did have a juicer, my husband got it for me for Valentines Day last year so I was lucky! It was $100 at Costco, its a centrifugal juicer, and while not the best it has totally sufficed for now. There are even cheaper models out there for less than 50$, yes they will be harder to clean up and won’t produce as much juice but if you’re on a budget and don’t mind it, grab one of those while you save up for something better. Besides my juicer the only other piece of equipment I have is a Cuisinart blender. It was a wedding gift, so yes again lucky I did not have to buy one. It was also $100 so definitely not the cheapest but  not the best by any means. If you are thinking of trying out some raw recipes, are interested in making more vegan food at home, or just want killer smoothies in the morning the blender is definitely the most important in terms of priority and dollars. Save up and spend the extra money if you can, it will make your life SO much easier. I am currently saving up for this guy, and let me tell you I can not wait! I do not have a dehydrator yet and we are doing just fine without-although I may get one someday they are definitely not necessary to be successful and often the recipes sound like a lot of work anyways.

• Salads: Salads were a lunchtime staple in my diet for a long time. Trying to think of new meals to not get bored can get tiring, so for lunch I stick with a salad everyday. Honestly after awhile, you will look forward to that salad I promise. I keep mine super simple

Leafy Lettuce & Spinach

Cherry Tomatoes cut in half

Avocado (the good fat really helps digestion of the veggies and is super important for me (as you will find out)

Carrots (sometimes if I have time I attack a carrot with my peeler and add some shredded on top)

Pinenuts (if your stomach isn’t super sensitive throwing on some pine nuts is delicious too)

Dressing: this is my FAVORITE dressing and its soo simple and gives the salad what it needs

Olive oil

1/2 of a lime juice

Raw Honey to taste

This salad takes about 10 minutes total preparation time, I often make mine at night before I go to bed in a transportable container and then its already to pack in my lunch bag in the morning, if not its not a big deal to make it before I leave because like I said, it doesn’t take that long!

• Desserts:

You WILL get sweet cravings. And yes you may be able to take your mind off of them but usually, its best just to give in! Keep some dates, cacao powder (available at Natural Grocery Stores, I use this brand) and dried fruit or peanut butter on hand. Place 1 cup of dates, 1-2 Tablespoons raw cacao powder & peanut butter/nuts/dried fruit in the food processor and you immediately have something chocolately, chewy, and DELICIOUS. Shape into bars, balls, or just eat straight out of the processor. Make a batch and store in your fridge so you have something quick and easy to grab if you need a quick and healthy naturally occurring sugar pick me up!

Have any of you made a transition to raw foods? What were you experiences like? Anybody interested in learning how to easily incorporate more raw foods into your regular diet? Share in the comments or shoot me an email!

Sometimes I am completely overwhelmed with the amount of things to do, buy, keep, recycle, in order to live a “greener” lifestyle. Its a lot to think about and although it would be AWESOME I know most people out there are not in a position to throw away their entire makeup bag and buy all new face friendly toxic free makeup, or pull up their carpet and lay new hard flooring, or spend a fortune on organic cotton bedding when the bedding they have is perfectly comfortable. I will get into most of these issues later and yes you can definitely buy better makeup, and yes carpet harbors allergens, and yes organic cotton is obviously better but buying all new things when not necessary would be greenl-y irresponsible anyways! So here are some quick (& random) tips that anybody can implement that are often cheaper and easier. When it comes to your body and the environment, seriously, every little bit counts.

1. Baking Soda & Vinegar

Ditch those harsh cleaning products! Get a $.50 spray  bottle and fill it up with water and vinegar. Sprinkle your countertops, toilets, showers, floors, carpet with baking soda and spray the water/vinegar on top. It will fizzle, let sit for a second and then wipe up well! It will get any mess out, messes did exist before 409 and our Grandma’s didn’t have any trouble keeping their homes clean. Even better, use baking soda to wash your body. It exfoliates amazing and doesn’t pose any risk to your skin or body. Pour baking soda in a jar or bowl, add a tiny bit of water and stir into a paste. Rub it all over-it has no odor, leaves behind no residue and trust me, you will still feel squeaky clean. If you like an aroma in your daily wash-off add a couple drops of peppermint essential oil, lavender, etc. It’s good for you, good for the environment and to further reduce waste buy baking soda and vinegar in bulk from Costco, etc. Seriously a 10lb bag will run you about $7 and trust me-you will never run out. Vinegar is super cheap too. Spray the vinegar/water combo on your mirror and wipe up with a cloth, it will leave it streak free!

2. Reusable Bags

I know you always see the reusable bags for purchase where you go, but seriously, buy some. Do not think you have to spend a lot for these either, Whole Foods sells the large ones for less than $1. Pick up 5, go to the grocery store, unload your car and immediately put the bags back into your backseat/trunk. This way you will always have them for those unplanned grocery store trips. Do not stop at the grocery store though, take them to the mall, Target, anywhere you plan on consuming! Nobody likes all those bags once they unload their purchases anyways, they are a nuisance and this is honestly the easiest way to reduce your waste in a big way. When you shop for produce as well, do not load up each kind of fruit and vegetable in their own bag each time. Do it once and bring your clear produce bags back. Or buy a sack and put them all together, super cheap and simple.

3. Pass on the Papertowels

Paper towels are like bad comfort food. They are a go-to in the kitchen. Easy, fast, and less stressful. They are expensive and add up though, and they all add up in your garbage. Buy a set of dish towels, heck by 3 or 4 sets. Designate a washcloth that stays near the sink and is wet, use this to wipe up greasy stuff, wet spills, etc. and just rinse off when done. If you don’t like hanging it over your sink faucet put a tack up on an empty, inconspicuous wall space and hang it there. Leave a few towels out that are designated dry towels-use them for crumbs, wiping your hands, you get it.

4. Used

Want that new book, CD, or DVD? Get it off Amazon! Used books, movies, and even a ton more are a lot cheaper used and a WAY better choice. When making any kind of purchase contemplate for a second whether it’s use is at all affected by having already been utilized.

5. Smoothies

This may seem like the odd ball out, but just like the rest of your body, your digestive system needs to rest too! Blend up your favorite frozen fruits, fruit juices, non dairy milk, ice, even cacao powder if you would prefer a milkshake type smoothie. Your body will be able to soak up all of the nutrients with a very minimal amount of work. It’s much cheaper to make these guys at home than buy them at a smoothie shop. You can make up a huge batch and as long as you store in an airtight container it can last 2-5 days in your fridge. Buy organic and local fruits to use and you will be doing a favor to the environment too.

These all seem easy enough and I hope some of you will consider 1 or all before your next purchase, grocery trip, cleaning day, shower and/or breakfast! Any other tips you have found that were super easy to implement and made you feel good about helping yourself or your environment? Share in the comments!

First, let me reference yesterday’s post about Blue Nile Cafe and a review of their organic, raw menu by providing a coupon to this lovely place!!

You can print it from here or pick up a copy of the January edition of Natural Awakenings (or check it out digitally) for more! The ad also states they are offering organic raw options EVERYDAY, not just Sundays & Mondays-very exciting. The coupon does expire at the end of this month but I will check again next month to see if there is one available for February

But onto today’s topic.. Coconut Oil! I discovered coconut oil this summer and I could not imagine my life without it! Not only does coconut oil aid in fighting off numerous diseases, it helps prevent certain other diseases and conditions (like cancer, heart diseases, kidney problems, and diabetes) assists in digestion, boosts metabolism, strengthens teeth and bones, helps stabilize blood sugar AND helps maintains optimal cholesterol levels. These can all be attributed to the presence of capric acid, caprylic acid, and lauric acid. Not only does it do ALL of that but according to the way your body breaks down the above acids, coconut oil is also antibacterial, extremely moisturizing, anti-fungal, protects cells from oxidation, and can even help alleviate muscle fatigue. Below I have listed all of the different ways I use it on a regular basis!

Skin

• I rub coconut oil over my entire body after a shower, it makes my skin feel SO soft and the great thing is you barely need any-it goes a very long way.
• I also use it as a facial moisturizer. Just a tiny dab works for my entire face and my skin is extremely soft there too.  It may feel oily as you are applying but it actually does not clog your pores at all, and as a plus it is antibacterial and soothing so it helps prevent and aid in the healing of breakouts
• Manicure Cream Rub some of this on your cuticles and you will be in heaven! It makes my nails feel so silky and keeps my cuticles and winter-dry knuckles extremely happy all of the time

Hair

• Coconut oil is an excellent conditioner. Rubbing it on your scalp helps prevent and treat dandruff and itchiness. It also keeps your hair silky and shiny all of the time. Again, a very little goes a long way here as well.

Food

• Coconut oil has a butter consistency that makes it ideal for baking, stir-frying, deep-frying and any other cooking adventure you embark on. The flavor is extremely mild and despite that you may be afraid it will leave a coconut-y taste, it really doesn’t at all. It has a very high “smoke point” so it’s ideal for high temperature cooking and the safest of any other oil options (When oils are heated long enough the healthy compounds break down and reactions take place forming unhealthy substances. Olive oil, canola oil, walnut, etc. all have lower smoke points than coconut oil meaning this process takes place sooner and at a lower heat)
• Coconut oil is an amazing addition to smoothies! It can add great flavor when taken internally can help strengthen the immune system, fight off numerous viruses (even hepatitis, herpes, measles, ulcers, gonorrhea, urinary tract infections and yest infections-crazy!)
• It is also used in many healthy, vegan, and raw recipes from cupcakes to cookies to frosting, etc. (I will feature some of these recipes soon on my new “recipes” page)
• I use coconut oil as an everyday replacement for butter as well. I put it on toast and veggies for added flavor and creaminess.

Pets

• This seems odd-but pets can immensely benefit from the power of this superfood as well! I feed my dogs about 1 tablespoon a day each, not only are they obsessed with it but it helps keep their coats, skin, teeth, and joints super healthy from the inside out.

Healing

• Coconut oil can be gently melted using a candle warmer, stove top, oven, or even microwave and used as a wonderful massage oil. It not only feels great on the skin but is helping prevent wrinkles, eliminating dry skin, and treating skin problems like eczema and psoriasis.
• It can also be applied directly to infections. It works by forming a protective layer that can keep out unwanted particles from coming in contact with the infected area, as well as speed up the healing of the wounded tissue.

Nutiva makes an organic, cold pressed coconut oil that I really love! It is $11.99 for 15 ounces and it lasts my husband & I forever, even with all of the times we use it everyday. When you think amount how much money you can save by using this even just as a lotion and conditioner, its an amazing deal. It can be purchased in bulk quantities to save even more money- you can split with a friend or just opt to keep a large amount on hand considering it does not go bad very easily and as you can see, has a never ending amount of uses. If online shopping isn’t your thing there are a variety of brands that are available at all natural grocery stores and I have even seen it at Safeway a time or two!

Is there any other uses you have found for coconut oil that I missed? Share your coconut loving stories below- I would love to hear!!

About 5 weeks ago my husband & I signed up for our first ever CSA! I had done extensive research on local CSA’s when we lived in Gilbert and had never quite decided on one. I knew I wanted it to be grown entirely organic but I also wanted the farm to be fairly close to my house. I was concerned about price too of course and surprisingly there were a lot of different options once I started looking. When I moved to Northeast Mesa I decided it was finally time to buckle down and make a decision. The closet Whole Foods is 15+ miles away, the nearest grocery store, Safeway, has a sad amount of organic produce, and when we moved it was one of my largest overall goals to support even more locally than we already have and reduce our carbon footprint (especially when it came to commuting back and forth as we now did not live as conveniently located to everything as we used to).

I revisited some of my old searches and then began searching for farms in Mesa. I came across Love Grows Farm and their CSA, ran by Michael Thompson. I emailed them with various questions and received a response the very same day. Michael was very friendly, informative, and all around extremely helpful. The farm is located near Mesa Drive (McQueen Rd) and McKellips Rd and is fairly close to our house, which I really liked. They offer 13(!) pick up locations, from the farm directly is an option but it is on Thursdays & Fridays which are hard for my husband & I to make. They did have an option to pick up from a nearby farm on Saturday mornings though which also happens to be close to our house-perfect! I had never been a part of a CSA before or even knew anybody personally that had either so I did not exactly know what to expect. Looking back, I should have done more research, more corresponding via email with different coordinators, and really evaluated what I would be getting for the price. I made a quick decision based on time, the fact that Michael promptly replied to my emails and answered all of my questions, and location. Overall I have been pleased with Love Grows Farms but when my 10 week share is up I am excited to try out different CSA programs until I find the one that is indeed the perfect fit for my family.

Here is an example of all of the produce I have received during the past 5 weeks or so of participating:

Spaghetti Squash, Kale, Rainbow Chard, Basil, Spinach, Spring Mix, Okra, Melon, Oranges, Lemons, Tomatoes, Leeks, Fennel, Butternut Squash, Golden Beets, 1/2 dozen – 1 dozen eggs, and more

Highs of my Love Grows Farm CSA experience:

• Michael is extremely friendly and always quick to respond to emails
• Location of the farm & variety of pick up locations
• Only 10 weeks long, although this is pretty standard, many other CSA’s do have much longer commitment times that span more than one season
• very small farm ran by a small farm family
• The team creates “Farm Casts” (videos posted on their website) where you can see what is going on around the farm weekly
• Use OMRI certified soil or all organic ingredient soil
• Large quantities of produce, extremely varied

Lows:

• Seeing as my husband and I do not eat eggs we requested if instead of eggs are two shares could be substituted with additional produce, which was not an option. We do not know anybody else within the CSA to inquire whether anybody would like to trade and although I did not pursue the request further Michael did not initially help facilitate a conversation with other members or provide me with other member’s contact information
• Uniformity of shares- Upfront we purchased two regular shares a week as we go through A LOT of produce. When we initially arrived to pick up the bags they were not labeled per member or by size (they offer regular, family, etc.) We were given two random bags and they had different contents as well as different amounts. Not completely different, but not the same. I don’t have as big of a problem with this, but my husband really does. He wants to know he is getting exactly what he was promised for his money and also that it is fair between members. He likes to know there is some method to the madness and does not do well without understanding all of the details.
• Pick-up Personnel. Since we are not able to pick up at the farm directly on Thursdays & Fridays we pick up from Superstition Farm on Saturdays. Unfortunately the people that work there are no affiliated with and have no information regarding the CSA. Last week the bags did have member names, and there was only one with my name. My husband informed them we always pick up two bags but since there is never the same people working they did not know that and did not seem to know a way to confirm that what we were saying was accurate.
• Organic. Although they use mostly certified organic soil and the rest is made with organic ingredients this farm does not have their official Organic certification. It does take time and money and on their website they disclose their farm was built for and operates under the organic guidelines and they will be obtaining the certification when they indeed have the time and money. I understand completely and it does not bother me, but some people are more sticklers when it comes to being actual organic produce!

Once the 10 week commitment time has expired with Love Grows Farm I am going to try Lewis’ Organic Farm. They operate their CSA a little differently and allow the members to choose (via email) exactly how much of which type of produce they would like to receive the next week. It seems like a process that would provide my husband with much more ease as well as eliminate any type of waste from receiving a large quantity of something we may not be able to use all of before it goes bad.

Share your stories regarding CSA experiences, wants, desires, or questions!!

Recently I came across a flier advertising that Blue Nile Cafe now had Raw Sundays & Mondays. What!!?? Blue Nile Cafe is a very quaint Mediterranean/Ethiopian cafe located on the southeast corner of Rural & University in Tempe, AZ right next to ASU campus. They have an awesome menu with a section specifically identified as vegan and the service is always extremely friendly. I don’t possibly know why I waited so long to check out what Raw Sundays & Mondays was all about but I am so happy I finally did!! Honestly, I figured the advertising was a bit embellished and expected to just find one featured raw dish: salad, guacamole, fruit and the like but I was totally off base.

Blue Nile actually has an entire raw menu available on Sundays and Mondays all day, that changes each week. It features starters, entrees, and even desserts! That is not even the best part though, it is also entirely ORGANIC! yippee! all you could ever want in one totally rawsome restaurant. These are not just salads or even pates, they are delicious gourmet entrees!

My husband & I started with  hummus (not raw but I adore the hummus there) it comes with pita bread by default but you can always substitute chopped veggies and even raw, fruit & vegetable crackers!!

I ordered the raw lasagna and it was everything I had hoped for. The piece was an incredibly huge portion that I definitely could not finish. (It still tasted spectacular the next day for lunch). It had hints of citrus and even a tease of minty flavor to it, very tasty. My husband ordered a carrot onion bread sandwich and it did not disappoint either!! The bread was extremely soft and pliable ( and not too gooey) and just dripped with that incredible “grilled” onion taste. It was stuffed with a spicy horseradish-y mayo, tomatoes, sprouts, avocado and cucumber all very fresh and even better because they were of course, organic.

On the dessert menu I spotted “cinnamon rolls” so I HAD to have them. Cinnamon rolls are one “food” I often miss (I use that term very loosely) Their smell and thinking of their oh so gooey texture always delights me. These were very different than your typical cinnamon roll as they were made of dates and figs and did not resemble a bread-y texture, but they were still unbelievably tasty. Again, portion size was huge, coming with 5 small cinnamon rolls.

Our total bill was $43.. seems like a lot but that included an appetizer, two entrees, and a dessert. It also included lunch for me the next day as we had leftovers of both entrees. And for a completely organic, prepared raw meal-it was completely worth it to me!

Highs of my visit:

• Complete menu with a variety of choices
• Organic
• Nice staff
• Fair price for the quality
• Satisfaction of supporting local businesses!
• Huge portions

Lows:

To be honest there were none, it was an overall great experience and I would recommend to anybody!!

Hopefully some of you get the chance to stop by there sometime. I know they haven’t always had Raw Sundays & Mondays and I am not sure how long they plan on continuing with them, but I do know its worth checking out for sure! You can look at their other day-to-day menu online at their website as well bluenilecafe.net

Let me know what you think-I will be back to visit Blue Nile soon in the upcoming weeks to see what other raw treats have rotated onto the menu!