Simply Fresh Living

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!

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!!