Tag: lemon

Lemon Water Really is THAT Good

I know I talked about this last year, but I’ve been doing the lemon water thing for several months now and I can honestly say I see benefits. I find that it aids in digestion, wakes me up in the morning and somehow encourages me to make healthier choices throughout my day. The proven health benefits are numerous. This is an article by Jim Dillan for Healthy Ambition which spells it all out.

The Many Health Benefits of Lemon Water 11/13/2013

Lemon water is a simple and surprisingly healthy internal cleanser to start your day with. I certainly noticed a difference myself when I first started having the juice of a whole lemon in water first thing in the morning. I really like the way the sharp taste wakes you up and gets you going.

Some resources say that it’s good to have it in warm or even hot water. I suppose in this way you could use it as a healthier replacement for your morning coffee, but I personally prefer it in room temperature filtered water.
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Our Herbal Aftershave ROCKS

Our very first product that I ever made was our Herbal Aftershave. I use this product every day. No, I don’t have a beard (yet….I am getting older). I use it for removing make up, zapping acne, cleaning cuts and scrapes, and treating skin irritations. Why would I use an aftershave for something other than what it was intended? Because of how it’s made and the ingredients in it.

We use WHOLE herbs in the preparation of this product; not extracts or distillates. The entire plant goes into a vat and steeps for a period of time so all of the beneficial properties of the entire plant are extracted and absorbed into the liquid. The whole plant contains all the healing compounds found in the herb. Sometimes a single herb contains hundreds of these compounds that work together in ways that scientists don’t always understand. The combined effects of the compounds found in a whole herb often provide exactly what the body needs to heal itself. The problem with isolating a single compound is that it may not work as effectively when it’s used by itself. Increasing the concentration of one compound may also lead to side effects that aren’t seen when using a whole herb. Another issue is that chemical solvents are often used to extract the desired compound (when making an ‘herbal extract’). These solvents include acetone, hexane, benzene, and methyl chloride. Besides the fact that residues of these inorganic solvents may be found in the finished herbal extract, these chemicals also harm the environment.

That’s the ‘how it’s made’ part. Now here is what’s in it and what those plants do.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium): A powerful herb used topically to speed wound healing, and improve other skin conditions such as rashes and abrasions, calm inflamed skin. The name Achillea is derived from mythical Greek character, Achilles, who reportedly carried it with his army to treat battle wounds.

Calendula (Calendula officinalis): Calendula has perhaps the longest history of use of any herb in skin care. The flowers help stop bleeding and promote healing. Calendula is also used for chapped and otherwise irritated skin, and is good for sensitive skin.

German Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla): This herb is a natural anti-inflammatory, anti-allergen and is nourishing to itchy skin; improve skin’s texture and elasticity, as well as reduce signs of photo damage. It’s also so gentle that it’s used in many baby products.

Elderflower (Sambucus nigra): Elderflower is the oldest herb cultivated by man. It contains powerful antioxidants and phytochemicals that help prevent free radical damage.

Bay (Laurus nobilis): Bay is able to increase the blood supply to skin, restoring the skin’s healthy appearance.

Rose (Rosa Centifolia): Rose is great for all skin types, but it is especially valuable for dry, sensitive or aging skins. It has a tonic and astringent effect on the capillaries just below the skin surface, which makes it useful in diminishing the redness caused by enlarged capillaries and shaving.

Peppermint (Mentha piperita): Peppermint has cooling properties that reduce skin inflammation, skin burn and rashes In addition to soothing and calming skin, mint may also help out in another way. It contains a nutrient called perillyl alcohol, and studies have shown that it may prevent the formation of skin cancer cells.

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia ): Lavender numbs pain and heals wounds. Lavender is one of the most active essential oils against MRSA. Lavender is also moderately active against Propionibacterium acnes, one of the principal bacteria involved in acne. A Japanese study suggests that the regular use of lavender in skin preparations could suppress the aging effects of sunlight on the skin.

Lemon (Citrus limon): Lemon has Vitamin C which is responsible for building up collagen in our skin. Collagen is necessary to keep the skin firm and young. It’s a powerful antioxidant that can speed cell turnover and can improve skin’s ability to slough off dead cells and heal. Lemons are also highly acidic, making them effective antiseptics that can kill off bacteria on the surface of the skin.

Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana): A native North American shrub this plant was widely used for medicinal purposes by Native Americans, mainly to stop minor bleeding and reduce skin irritation.

Aloe (aloe barbadensis leaf juice): The ancient Egyptians were using aloe as early as 4,000 BC where it was known as the “plant of immortality”. It contains glycoproteins which are known to help in healing by reducing inflammation and stopping pain. Also polysaccahrides which help with skin growth and repair. It’s also believed that these two substances together help stimulate the immune system.

It took me a long time to come up with this formula using herbs growing in my garden, and there was much trial and error. But I still remember that “a-HA” moment nearly 20 years ago when I knew I had gotten it right. I love this stuff. Such a great ‘it does it all’ product.

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.

Day 15 of the Lemon Water Chocolate Diet



It started out as all diets do: good intentions and a lot of drive. But five days at a trade show last week made that all come to a screeching halt. Not that I didn’t try. I even brought Fiji water, 6 lemons and Endangered Species Chocolate WITH me to the show. Still, I fell off the wagon. Didn’t even make it through the first day. Trade shows do that to me.

Now I’m home and determined to jump back into my plan. I even have lemons at work, so no excuses. Have I even discovered anything so far from my weird diet experiment? Actually, I have. Drinking lemon water first thing in the morning isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. It’s kind of refreshing. And I really think it influences me to make better food choices throughout the day. I’m not sure why, and I’m pretty sure it’s a psychological affect. Perhaps forcing myself to do something ‘healthy’ first thing in the morning gets me in the mindset to keep making healthy choices throughout the day. Time will tell if this trend continues.

The chocolate also has an interested affect. It eliminates the craving for junk food in the evening. While those around me are snacking on ice cream, cookies and cake, I can eat an ounce of chocolate and not feel deprived. I thought I would eat the chocolate and THEN want the cookies and ice cream, but that’s not the case. The chocolate fulfills the need for ‘something bad’ (even though it’s actually good for you) and keeps me from actually wanting the other junk food. Not sure if this one is psychological or an actual physical reaction. But I’d tell anyone wanting to control their diet, especially when it comes to snacking in the evening, give this a try.

Have I lost weight? Honestly I’m afraid to even weigh myself after that trade show. Give me a week, and I’ll check. Not that I’ll share those numbers (only my cats and I know my weight, and I even try to hide it from them). But I will tell you if it went up or down.

The Lemon/Chocolate Experiment: Day 1



I started my “Lemon Chocolate Experiment” a little more than 24 hours ago. So far, so good. I even noticed some ‘results’, be they psychological or not.

First let me clarify what I am doing and why. Every morning upon waking, I drink a cup of warm water with the juice of ¼ lemon. I don’t consume anything else for at least half an hour. Then later in the day or evening, I consume 1 oz. of organic dark chocolate. Why am I doing this? I’m constantly seeing articles about new health fads: the quinoa diet, the coconut oil diet, etc. Two that consistently pop up are the lemon water thing and the dark chocolate. I’ve researched both, and both seem to have some legit scientific backing.

The supposed benefits of the lemon water include: weight loss, improved digestion, boosts immune system, balances pH (reduces acidity in your body), clears your skin, acts as a diuretic, relieves respiratory problems, freshens breath, reduces stress, helps kick the coffee habit, hydrates the lymph system, boosts energy, flushes toxins from your liver and kidneys, suppresses appetite, reduces cellulite (because it increases blood flow to the skin and helps your body flush out waste), boosts your body’s ability to metabolize fat, and lowers your risk for heart disease, strokes, cataracts and gout because of the high amount of vitamin C. With all those claims, how could you NOT want to try it?!

I started out with ¼ lemon in one cup of water. I think by the weekend I will up it to ½ a lemon since it’s not as sour tasting as I thought it would be. And right now, I’m only doing it in the morning. The recommendation is if you weigh less than 150 pounds, squeeze the juice of one half a lemon (one ounce) into a glass of purified water and drink this mixture twice a day (one whole lemon a day.) If you weigh over 150 pounds, squeeze the juice out of an entire lemon (two ounces) into a glass of purified water and drink this mixture twice a day (two whole lemons a day.) The lemon juice can be diluted more according to taste.

I actually find that I’m looking forward to my lemon water when I wake up. It’s refreshing, and makes me feel like I’m doing something good for my body. I’ve found that I make better food choices during the day. I’m sure this is all psychological. And hey, it’s only been a little over a day.

On to the chocolate. There are many more articles out there about the benefits of eating dark chocolate. And the claims are just as numerous. They include weight loss, improved heart health, improved cognitive function, helps control blood sugar, has antioxidants (even more than the ‘superfruits’ acai, pomegranate, cranberry, and blueberry) which help fight free radicals, contains theobromine which helps harden tooth enamel, has anti-inflammatory properties, lowers cholesterol, stimulates endorphin production, contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant and even has cancer fighting abilities. Like I needed an excuse to eat chocolate in the first place?! BUT it must be noted that none of this applies to milk chocolate, white chocolate or even some of the lame dark chocolate. These claims apply only to dark chocolate with high cacao (65% or greater) and low sugar levels.

But what about the fat in chocolate? Some of the fats in chocolate do not impact your cholesterol. The fats in chocolate are 1/3 oleic acid, 1/3 stearic acid and 1/3 palmitic acid:

•Oleic Acid is a healthy monounsaturated fat that is also found in olive oil.
•Stearic Acid is a saturated fat but one which research is shows has a neutral effect on cholesterol.
•Palmitic Acid is also a saturated fat, one which raises cholesterol and heart disease risk.

That means only 1/3 of the fat in dark chocolate is ‘bad’ for you.

I chose Endangered Species Chocolate for my experiment. I chose this brand because I like their ingredients (low sugar, high cacao content), it’s reasonably priced, part of the line is organic, they donate to animal causes/conservation efforts, oh and it tastes good. I decided for this experiment I would eat 1 oz a day. It was hard to find a recommendation for how much to eat a day, but 1 oz seemed reasonable. The big ESC bars are 3 oz, so this made it easy for me to divide it into thirds. The nutrition content for 1 oz. breaks down as follows:

Calories: 140 Total Fat: 12 (saturated 7.3, trans 0) Cholesterol: 0 Sodium: 0
Total Carbs: 14 (dietary fiber 3.3, sugars 8 ) Protein: 1

This is not something that was gonna kill my diet. The first day I made the mistake of leaving the chocolate bar on my desk all day. There it was. Staring at me. Saying “eat me!!”. Or maybe that was the PMS talking (sorry, TMI). I finally put it into my work bag and didn’t think about it again until later that night. My boyfriend HAS to eat some kind of dessert every night. And he never gains weight. It’s so frustrating. So last night as he was looking to devour a quarter of a chocolate cake with peanut butter icing, I grabbed my chocolate bar and started gnawing on it. I’m a fan of dark chocolate to begin with, so the slight bitterness is okay with me. The fact that it doesn’t have a lot of sugar, oils or other gooey junk that instantly melts in your mouth means it takes longer to chew….longer to savour. You spend more time eating an ounce of dark chocolate than you would popping three Hershey’s Kisses into your mouth. It’s an experience. I finished my last delicious bite just as he was finishing his last bite of the giant cake wedge. And I felt satisfied. I didn’t feel slighted or cheated because I didn’t have the cake. I felt GOOD. I had eaten my dessert, enjoyed it, and didn’t feel bloated or guilty. I could get used to this! In summary, the dark chocolate made me avoid making a poor food choice, gave me an enjoyable dessert experience, and had a positive impact on my mood. To me, it was a win-win.

Let’s see what happens over the next 29 days…..