How To Re-Grow Your Groceries (unless you have cats)

I’m going to eat healthier (how many times have I said THAT)? But this time, I’m going all out (well, my version of all out). I’ve committed to making 80% of my diet raw and vegan. Which means a lot of fruit smoothies and salads. And I want my produce to be organic, but organic can be pricey. So I decided to save a few bucks and re-grow my own.

The idea of re-growing groceries almost sounds too good to be true, so I had to see for myself if it was really possible. I had just cut up a head of romaine lettuce, but I reserved the very bottom (the “heart”). I read on line that all you had to do was place it in a pan of water and with a little time, it will eventually sprout a whole new head of lettuce, ready to harvest, eat, and repeat the process.

So I stuck the heart in a glass of water and placed it on my kitchen windowsill. For about two days, there was nothing. Then on the third day, I noticed some growth. Within a week I had several 2-3” leaves sprouting from my romaine stump. I changed the water every day (the stump gets slimy and a bit icky), excited about my little science project. Then early into the second week, I woke up and went downstairs to feed the screaming cats (they have dry food available all the time but act like they’ve been starved for weeks until I give them their portion of canned food). When I went to the sink to refill their water bowls, I noticed an empty glass on the windowsill. Half way across the kitchen, I saw the wilted sorry remains of my lettuce project. One of the feline brats must have snatched it up in the middle of the night and used it as a cat toy. I tried to resuscitate it, lovingly placing it back into its glass of water. But it never recovered. The lettuce was no more.

I plan on trying the process again, but need to find a place where the four-legged bandits won’t get to it. Incidentally, you can also re-grow green onions, ginger, celery, pineapples, potatoes and sweet potatoes. You can find how to articles and videos on line. Some stuff re-grows quickly (like celery and lettuce). Others, like pineapples, can take2-3 years to produce fruit. And if you live in a warmer climate, you can plant your re-grow projects right in the ground. Makes sense. Instead of throwing onion stumps and lettuce hearts onto the compost pile, why not bury them and watch them grow again? Just be sure to protect them from the deer and the groundhogs and the rabbits……

Top 5 Herbs For Glowing & Gorgeous Skin

This week I was going to write an article about herbs that are good for the skin, and I came across this. It is well-written, and I couldn’t agree with the author more. So I’m re-posting.

Written by By Daisy Raybould for MindBodyGreen

Everyone wants to achieve glowing, gorgeous and perfect skin. Often we go about it the wrong way and apply harmful chemical laden synthetic beauty products that end up causing more harm than good.

If you want to make a real and lasting change for your skin, opt for natural alternatives such as these magical herbal agents.

1. Chamomile Chamomile is one of nature’s miracles. It has an incredible number of benefits, and none more so than for our skin. Alpha-bisabolol – a compound found in chamomile – reportedly reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by accelerating the healing process of the skin while also possessing anti-irritant and anti-inflammatory properties. Applying a cooled cup of chamomile tea as a face wash or applying the tea bags onto your skin are two of the most effective ways to take advantage of chamomile as a natural skin healer.

2. Witch Hazel Produced from the leaves and bark of the North American Witch Hazel shrub, millions of people swear by witch hazel for its acne relieving properties. Witch hazel is an anti-inflammatory that helps to reduce inflammation of pimples. It also clears away excess sebum without drying out the skin too much. Witch hazel is also an astringent meaning it helps to tighten skin tissue and can reduce the appearance of dark under eye circles.

3. Aloe Vera Aloe vera is another of the more popular herbs for treating skin. Applied most commonly as a gel, women use aloe vera gel prior to applying make-up to keep skin moisturized while men often apply to skin after shaving to rehydrate and treat small cuts. Like witch hazel, aloe vera is another important natural remedy in the fight against acne. Its anti-inflammatory properties reduce pimple size while its anti-microbial properties kill bacteria. Rich in vitamin C and E – two of the most important vitamins for our skin – aloe vera is another of nature’s miracles for achieving healthy, gorgeous skin.

4. Calendula Calendula is a garden plant in the daisy family that, like aloe vera and witch hazel, has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. It is also a vulnerary agent that helps to heal wounds and soothe damaged skin, such as sunburn, cuts and scrapes. Many have also used calendula oil to treat eczema.

5. Lavender Lavender may be more famous for its relaxing effects of the mind, but it also helps to soothe skin, too. It is rich in a compound called linalool that assists with skin healing while also preventing tissue degeneration keeping skin firm and preventing wrinkles. To make lavender even more of an anti-aging wonder, it encourages the growth of new skin cells due to its cytophylactic properties. Lavender also helps to heal wounds, scar tissue, acne, eczema and problem skin. Being anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-toxic, anti-bacterial and an anti-septic just serves to show how incredible lavender is for skin.

Our skin is the largest organ we possess so looking after it is of the utmost importance. Avoid harmful chemical laden treatments and instead turn to the wonderful herbs Mother Nature has to offer us.

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Summer is finally here!  Our calendars are filled with much-anticipated beach vacations, gardening, outdoor sports, picnics and other fair weather fun.  I am a true sun worshipper, but we all know that too much sun exposure causes dryness, wrinkling, premature aging and even skin cancer.  What is a sun lover to do?

Keep Skin Exfoliated and Hydratred:  Exfoliation removes dead, dulling skin debris to prevent congestion and improve hydration from toners and moisturizers. Exfoliating the facial skin by means of a homemade scrub prepared using half a cup of yogurt, five tablespoons of ground oatmeal, a dash of turmeric and six drops of rose water can prove to be an effective option.   Perform in the mornings prior to toner, moisturizer, SPF and make-up application. Tip: Make-up will last longer on an exfoliated skin.  As an alternative to traditional moisturizers, juice extracted from cucumber or watermelon may be used for moisturizing facial skin.  Toners are a refreshing moisturizer prep, working to even out skin porosity. Our Alcohol Free Facial Toner made with rosewater and witch hazel is gentle and effective  Tip: Refresh with a revitalizing HydroSol spritz at your desk, in the car, at the gym, on the plane!

Keep Your Inside Hydrated:  Higher temperatures and more time outdoors leads to internal dehydration, which can result in headaches and dizzy spells!  Eight 8-ounce glasses of plain, filtered water every day help maintain critical moisture balance of the body and skin, and assist in detoxification. Tip: If you drink caffeinated beverages, you should triple the amount of water you drink!

Stay Dry Too:  As the mercury climbs, we naturally sweat.  Sweating is good.  But no one wants to be stinky.  So apply deodorant in the morning as usual, but keep some on hand if you know you’ll be swimming or participating in active sports.  Avoid chemical antiperspirants that keep your body from sweating (sweating is a good thing).  Our Deodorant Powder is the perfect solution.  We’ve combined the natural deodorizing properties of baking soda with the superior absorbent properties of cornstarch and arrowroot. The result is a clean, soft, delicately-scented natural powder with the odor fighting capabilities of the toughest deodorants on the market.

Apply & Re-Apply: It’s not enough to just apply sunscreen; you must apply enough, and apply frequently.   Studies indicate that most people do not apply nearly as much daylight protection as they should.  Make sure that the sunscreen used is applied at least fifteen to thirty minutes before stepping out in the sun.  There is always confusion over which SPF number to use. The truth is an SPF 30 only offers 4% more protection than an SPF 15. You would have thought it was double the protection, right? As you get up in the higher numbers (SPF 45, 50, 70+) that percentage comes down, but you’re also exposing your skin to more chemicals which might result in a negative reaction on the skin. The key to protecting your skin in the sun is to re-apply your sunscreen generously at least every two hours.   Tip: Stay out of the midday sun from mid-morning to late afternoon whenever you can. HBG recommends natural nonchemical sunscreens with “physical” blockers like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, not chemical sunscreen formulations.  The benefit of a physical sunscreen is that it acts like tiny mirrors deflecting all spectrums of the radiation away from the skin, including the dangerous ultraviolet [UV] rays.  Wear sun-protective clothing and seek shade when you can.  One blistering sunburn doubles your risk of melanoma.  Remember to get a yearly skin exam by a doctor and perform a self-examination once a month to detect early warning signs of carcinomas and malignant melanoma. Look for a new growth or any skin change.

Take Care of That Sunburn:  Hard as you try, sometimes you wind up with a sunburn.  Apply cooling preparations generously over-exposed skin, preferably at the first sight of a pink glow.  A common misconception about soothing a sunburn is that you should keep re-applying lotion (especially aloe vera-based lotion) to keep the skin moist.  But layering lotion on sunburned skin traps heat, keeping the skin red longer.  Skin must breathe to let out heat. Cold plain yogurt applied to the skin works as an anti-inflammatory and heat remover. Apply, let dry for 15 minutes, and rinse. Repeat every hour.  If that’s too messy for you, you can use my favorite remedy – a cold, wet wash cloth.  Unfortunately I have lots of experience with sunburns, and over the years I have found that soaking a wash cloth in COLD water and applying it to the burn does wonders to pull the heat out.  Once the wash cloth gets warm (and it will) soak again in cold water and reapply.  Do this until the burning sensation goes away.  Looking for an internal remedy?  Recent research reveals that consuming green tea and curcumin (an anti-inflammatory compound found in the curry spice turmeric) may help combat skin cancer. Packed with potent antioxidants, green tea may also reduce DNA damage to skin cells when applied topically, according to animal studies.  In addition to choosing green-tea-infused sunblocks and lotions, drinking 3 cups of green tea daily and regularly including turmeric in your cooking may provide protection, says integrative physician David Rakel of the University of Wisconsin’s School of Medicine and Public Health.

Get a Glow without the Wrinkles:  The #1 cause of lines and wrinkles is sun exposure. If you want to look young, avoid the sun. It’s really that simple.  But there are those of us who still think we look better with a summer glow.  Fake it!  There are lots of fake bake products on the market (self-tanners) that can give you the look of a suntan without having to lay out for hours.  Or use a bronzer instead.  A bronzer will darken the complexion subtly and “warms” your skin tone without making it look fake.  Our Health Glow Mineral Bronzer gives you the flexibility to cast a hint of sun or give you that beach babe look.

Don’t Have a Hair Emergency:  Exercising in the scorching heat or swimming laps in the pool can zap the radiance right out of your locks. Boost your shade with these DIY tips:

Blondes –  Counteract brassiness and remove product buildup by mixing together a quarter cup of mild shampoo and one tablespoon of baking soda. Coat dry strands with the paste, leave it on for 10 minutes, and then rinse.

Brunettes –  After shampooing and conditioning hair, combine a quarter cup each of white distilled vinegar and distilled water and two drops of peppermint oil (to offset the vinegar scent). Saturate damp hair with the leave-in mixture before blow-drying to add instant vibrancy.

Redheads –  To reignite your hot hue, boil a quart of water and drop in three chamomile tea bags; steep for five minutes. Remove bags and cool the liquid in the fridge. Then spray the infusion on clean, damp hair and sit in the sun until hair is dry.

So get out there, have fun, but stay protected.  ENJOY YOUR SUMMER!

Spring Cleaning, Naturally



Sure commercial, chemical-based cleaning products are convenient, but at what cost? The American Association of Poison Control Centers recorded many exposures to household cleaning substances were serious enough to require treatment in a health care facility. Testing of 20 top cleaning products commissioned by Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE) for the report Dirty Secrets revealed hidden toxic chemicals such as toluene, 1,4-dioxane, phthalates, chloroform, a synthetic musk and several known allergens. Because cleaning product companies are not required to disclose ingredients, consumers have no way to know that these chemicals are lurking in products they buy and use in their homes. In the US, 1 in 3 people suffer from allergies, asthma, sinusitis or bronchitis (US National Center for Health Statistics). Treatment for these conditions should include reducing synthetic chemicals in the home environment.

There are many inexpensive, easy-to-use natural alternatives which can safely be used in place of commercial household products. Here is a list of common, environmentally safe products which can be used alone or in combination for a wealth of household applications.

Baking Soda – cleans, deodorizes, softens water, scours.

Soap – unscented NATURAL soap or castille in liquid form, flakes, powders or bars is biodegradable and will clean just about anything.

Lemon – one of the strongest food-acids, effective against most household bacteria.

Borax – (sodium borate) cleans, deodorizes, disinfects, softens water, cleans wallpaper, painted walls and floors. Is borax safe? Borax is considered a mild skin irritant similar to baking soda. The MSDS lists borax as a health hazard of 1, similar to salt and baking soda. A health concern with borax is with its potential to disrupt the reproductive system. Studies have not been done in humans regarding this; however, potential reproductive issues in mice are suspected from high levels of ingested borax. Use of borax for home cleaning formulas, where no borax is ingested, has not been shown to pose health hazards. Borax is a natural substance which is non-carcinogenic, does not accumulate in the body, or absorb through the skin. It is not harmful to the environment.

White Vinegar – cuts grease, removes mildew, odors, some stains and wax build-up.

Cornstarch – can be used to clean windows, polish furniture, shampoo carpets and rugs.

Salt – scrubbing. Thick kosher salt gives power to your elbow grease. To clean stubborn soap scum, combine baking soda and kosher salt and scrub.

Hydrogen Peroxide – disinfecting, removing stains. Hydrogen peroxide is a powerful disinfectant. To kill mildew, combine baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to create a paste, put on mildew and allow to sit for a few minutes before wiping away.

There are other healthy habits you can institute which will keep your home clean and free of toxins:

Exchange Indoor Air

Many modern homes are so tight there’s little new air coming in. Open the windows from time to time or run any installed exhaust fans. In cold weather, the most efficient way to exchange room air is to open the room wide – windows and doors, and let fresh air in quickly for about 5 minutes. The furnishings in the room, and the walls, act as ‘heat sinks’, and by exchanging air quickly, this heat is retained.

Minimize Dust

Remove clutter which collects dust, such as old newspapers and magazines. Try to initiate a ‘no-shoes-indoors’ policy. If you’re building or remodelling a home, consider a central vacuum system; this eliminates the fine dust which portable vacuum cleaners recirculate.

Use Cellulose Sponges

Most household sponges are made of polyester or plastic which are slow to break down in landfills, and many are treated with triclosan, a chemical that can produce chloroform (a suspected carcinogen) when it interacts with the chlorine found in tap water. Instead try cellulose sponges, available at natural foods stores, which are biodegradable and will soak up spills faster since they’re naturally more absorbent.

Keep Bedrooms Clean

Most time at home is spent in the bedrooms. Keep pets out of these rooms, especially if they spend time outdoors.

Use Gentle Cleaning Products

Of the various commercial home cleaning products, drain cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners and oven cleaners are the most toxic. Use the formulas described above or purchase ‘green’ commercial alternatives. Avoid products containing ammonia or chlorine, or petroleum-based chemicals; these contribute to respiratory irritation, headaches and other complaints.

Clean from the Top Down

When house cleaning, save the floor or carpet for last. Clean window blinds and shelves first and then work downwards. Allow time for the dust to settle before vacuuming.

And let’s not forget how expensive cleaning products can be. Why buy them when you can make SAFER products for just pennies using ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen? For some great natural cleaning recipes, check out our “Spring” board on Pinterest.

Valentine’s Day….Honeybee Style! (much better than Gangnam Style)



Valentine’s Day is tied for my favorite holiday! My other favorite holiday is Halloween (because you can dress up and be anyone you want that day and no one thinks it’s weird).

I was born four hours shy of Valentine’s Day. But for the first 19 years of my life, my mom made a big deal about it by getting me a heart-shaped cake, heart-shaped treats, etc. And I loved it. I miss her.

As an adult, Valentine’s Day is still very special to me (and not just because it’s so close to my birthday). It’s a great day to take some time out to let another person know just how much they mean to you. I’m not talking the traditional jewelry, flowers and perfume thing (not that there’s anything wrong with that). But do something personal and special for the one you love. And you can do it for little or no money at all. Here are some suggestions:

1. A personal note. Don’t let Hallmark tell your loved one how you feel. Put it in your own words. It means so much more. Feeling crafty? Make your own Valentine’s Day card. You can download Valentine’s fonts for free and even print free cards, but add your own sentiments. Check out our Valentine’s Board on Pinterest for links.

2. Dinner. It’s impossible to get dinner reservations on Valentine’s Day. That’s one of the bad things about having a birthday so close to a holiday. So, why not cook TOGETHER at home? You can make a meal that’s healthier, less expensive AND get exactly what you want. We posted a link to some great recipes from The Food Network on our Pinterest Valentine’s Board.

3. Bath Time! There are few things more romantic than taking a bath together. Don’t have a tub? Improvise – take a shower! But really, the bath tub is more relaxing. Light some natural candles, turn off all the lights, fill the tub with some wonderful bath salts or natural bubble bath gel. Use a homemade sugar scrub. And have a large cup or pitcher nearby. Nothing feels better than having warm water poured gently over your body by someone who loves you – try it! And guys, shampoo her hair. AND give her a scalp massage in the process. She will melt. Find sugar scrub recipes, bath salt recipes and other bath time ideas on our Pinterest page.

4. Ahhhh massage. Nothing feels better than a massage AFTER a romantic bath. Your muscles are loose from the warm water and you’re all nice and clean (i.e. you won’t be rubbing stinky feet). I’m personally a fan of massage bars. They’re less messy than massage oils. We posted a wonderful step-by-step guide on how to give a killer massage on our Pinterest page. We also posted recipes for creating your own massage bar.

5. Sleepy time…or whatever. “Clean Sheet Night” is always the best night in my opinion. I swear I sleep better on clean sheets. Some folks like to have scent in the bedroom too. I’m not a big fan of that, but if you’re into it, use a light bulb ring with some essential oil, or a Scentsy burner with meltable natural wax you can make yourself (recipes on – you guessed it – our Pinterest page!) What I AM a big fan of is soft, snuggly blankets! I hate being cold. And in Pennsylvania it gets COLD this time of year. Not Minnesota cold, but still too cold for me. So wrap her in clean sheets, warm snuggly blankets and a warm, clean massaged YOU.

Don’t forget to check out our Valentine’s Board on Pinterest for more recipes and great ideas:

What are YOUR favorite things to do on Valentine’s Day?