Purge Pesky Pests with Peppermint

We all know that pesky pests are a part of nature but that doesn't mean we want to be overrun by them everywhere we go!  One specific group, wasps, really bother us on our deck and back yard during the sunny months.  Instead of reaching for a commercial wasp repellent that may be full of toxins and other unwanted items I don't want to be near (and especially not my kids), I figured I'd try a safe alternative first this year.

And so far I have been especially pleased with Peppermint!

Just a few drops of peppermint in a bottle with water seems to do the trick.  I set out with my new concoction, which I labeled "Wasp Away" to find their normal nesting spots.  The first popular spot I sprayed had two wasps swiftly fly out!  Hmmm...felt like I was on to something here so I kept spraying and I have not seen many of the little guys since.

One thing I'm not clear on is how often you must spray.  I figured after a decent amount of rain I would re-spray but I'm pretty sure it is worth doing at least once a week if you really want to keep them at bay.  Please make sure you do not spray into the wind!!  Peppermint in your eyes WILL NOT make you happy.

If there are other pests you are looking to deter, this article has a few others to try.

A truly clean smell

As a way to avoid possible toxins, I do not use products with fragrance.  However, I do love good smelling stuff!  This is one place where essential oils can bridge the gap for you.  Essential oils can be diffused, added to lotions or other concoctions, or applied to your body to enjoy their wonderful scent while avoiding toxins.  As with anything fragrant, remember the other person in the room may not be as in love with it as you are.

In my search for air freshener I just really couldn't find a product I loved that didn't have some questionable ingredients, so I definitely use essential oils to make things smell pretty and I have a favorite one for making things smell clean.

Introducing my clean friend, Purify:

Purify is a blend of lemon, lime, pine, citronella, melaleuca, and cilantro.  It can smell a little strong from the bottle and the citronella definitely comes through, but I find that it is one blend that dissipates quickly leaving a very fresh and pleasant smell.  Here is a list of ways I use Purify around the home:

• Diffuse to freshen any living space
• Added to my cleaning products to freshen and clean surfaces
• Added to my laundry detergent, even an extra drop for those extra dirty loads
• Add 5 drops to a 4oz spray bottle (top with distilled water) and spray the dickens out of everything - shoes, ball caps, boys room, linens, anywhere, everywhere, just not in your eyes.
• It also happens to provide relief from itchy insect bites, bonus!
• On a cotton ball in vents to keep that fresh smell (car vents too!)
• Add a drop to your carpet cleaner to really clean them up

As you can read, I use it pretty much everywhere odor can arise.  Someday I'll have two teenage boys, I'll probably diffuse this 24/7.  As a side note, glass bottles are the best choice when using essential oil sprays.  Specifically, citrus oils can eat away at plastic containers.

The Laundry Room: Where dirty becomes clean or does it?

When you think of your laundry room, you think clean.  It's a place to change dirty clothes into something clean and fresh, but what you are using during this process may not be providing you with a clean and fresh that is good for you and your family.

I vividly remember when I decided to overhaul our laundry detergent.  Like most people, when preparing for our first child I went out and got a special detergent for washing baby clothes.  Despite being well into my detoxing journey and despite already using an environmentally friendly detergent for my and my husband's clothes, I purchased a big name, well-marketed brand.  Why?  Well, because marketing told me this is what my baby needed.  And because this is what other mom's told me I needed.  I cringe to think back to how I dutifully and separately washed my baby's sweet little clothing.  Sadly, it was after my second son was born that I reached for that brand on the store shelf and stopped myself.  I was mentally slapping my own hand.  How could I have not questioned this before?  Why have I not looked at what was in this super special baby detergent?  Turns out, a lot of not good stuff!  Ingredients linked to respiratory issues, neurotoxicity, and a host of other non-specific ingredients, including the worst in my opinion: fragrance.  Now this company is actually one of the few I've seen disclose what "may" be incorporated in their fragrance but it's an incredibly lengthy list.

Well, although my husband had been mildly supportive of my greening initiatives at this point, I did get a funny look when I told him I was going to make my own laundry detergent.  He nicely gave me a month to "experiment."  We've never gone back.  Win-win!  During this debate I recall asking him why he felt it was so ridiculous.  Something to the effect of, "don't you think your grandma just used soap?!".  Well, she probably did.  I have to point to this amazing article with a ton of super great information and ideas:  Do you know what's in your laundry detergent? 

And let's not even get into dryer sheets...oh the chemicals! Well, maybe you might enjoy this one too: Addicted to Dryer Sheets?  These articles are just a bit of the wealth of interesting information Branch Basics has to offer.  And it just happens to be my most favorite product for cleaning I've found to date!   (Just to note: I am not affiliated with this company, I just really like their product and mission.)

So what do we do in our home?

First, we've tossed all that name brand detergent.  For a long time we made our own - I'll post that recipe below - but right now we do use Branch Basics as our laundry soap.  It is amazing what happens when you start making your clothes "cleaner."  They are lighter and less tacky, for a way of describing it.  There are likely a host of other good options out there.  My point is to just take the time to look into it.  The EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning can help you out.

Second, I've tossed the dryer sheets, mostly.  I now use wool dryer balls.  I also use PurEcoSheets Dryer Sheets.  They are reusable dryer sheets and they work great in combination for me.   My biggest issue, static, is really hard to tackle during the dry, cold winter.  At that point, I use the dryer clothes made by The Honest Co.

Missing that fresh scent?  Well, in my mind that's a good thing because it was full of toxic chemicals but hey, I get it.  For fresh scent, I add a drop or two of essential oil to the dryer balls.  I love lavender for this.  My laundry room sometimes smells like heaven.

I hope this will inspire you to take a look at the items you are using to clean your clothing, towels, and sheets.  After all, you are spending all day in this stuff.

I wish I had credit to give for this recipe but I sadly do not know and it might likely be a combination of several recipes I read at the time.  I do not have a HE washer at this time but I see no reason why it wouldn't work with one. Perhaps start with a smaller amount to test it out.

HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT

2 cups Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
2 cups 20 Mule Team Borax
1 bar Dr. Bonner's pure castille soap, shredded.

I shred the soap by hand with a cheese grater or in my food processor.  I store it in a large container with a lid.  Once all the ingredients are in the container, put the lid on, and give it a good shake and stir.  I use 2 tablespoons per load.

Bye Bye Trans Fats

We have to celebrate a bit of a food victory.  Yesterday the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its final determination that partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), the main source of trans fats, are not actually safe for human consumption.  Yeah!

I'm sure you've heard of the evil trans fat before.  Trans fats are easily produced and allow food companies to extend the shelf life of their products, as well as provide additional, rich flavor.  They are not so good for your arteries and heart.  The subtitle in the FDA's own press release should be enough to let you know the significance of this action, "Action expected to reduce coronary heart disease and prevent thousands of fatal heart attacks every year."  Wow.  Glad we figured this one out.

The FDA has allowed a three year compliance period for companies to remove all PHO's from food.  However, as always, make sure you carefully read your food labels.  Unfortunately, I mean really read them.  If an item has less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving, that information does not need to be disclosed on the "Nutrition Facts" section of the food label so you must check the ingredients label for any PHOs. 

If you need help determining what is in your food, the Environmental Working Group's Food Score Database is a great place to start.  A quick look at some specific peanut butters, crackers, and other snacks is provided here.

At the end of the day, it is great to see a step taken forward but as consumers we still need to be diligent about what we choose from the store shelf.

Fed Up: A review #FEDUPMOVIE

 Before I tell you more about this film, let's play a small round of TRUE or FALSE!

1. True or false: It is healthier to eat a bowl of corn flakes than a bowl of pure sugar.
2. True or false: You can maintain or lose weight just by managing the calories you take in vs. the calories you burn
3. True or false: Low fat versions of foods are clearly a better, healthier choice than the original (full fatty) recipe.

 If you answered true to all of the above then you really should take the time to watch this film because the correct answer to all of these is false!

Fed Up (released May 9, 2014) has been on my Netflix watch list for some time.  I'm so glad I finally made time to watch it.  While I'm sure this is not everyone's past time, my husband and I enjoy watching documentaries about food.  And we definitely enjoyed this one.

Fed Up chronicles America's food policy and ideology during the last 30 years.  It is full of interesting facts, perspective on how the government has shaped our eating habits, and also chronicles the struggles of American's trying to overcome the obesity epidemic.  It will definitely be eye-opening for many.  It may make you angry as well.  It mostly made me sad.

While I have an active interest in wellness and have spent countless hours reading to figure out the healthiest options (and I may still not always be right!), not everyone has that interest and may simply rely on what is passed down from their family or what the current trend is.  It saddens me to see so many people not getting the true information they need and a part of it falls on the shoulders of the government.  Regulations are good but they can create barriers.  Policies are great at promoting ideals and setting change into motion, but not when they are compromised by special interest.

This film devotes time to reviewing some of the policies surrounding the school lunch program. Two points that stayed with me were that 80% of our schools have agreements with either Coca Cola or Pepsi.  And second, that pizza and french fries are vegetables.  How can we expect our children to make good choices or understand what a healthy diet looks like when this is what they face every day they go to school?  As a parent, I find it frustrating! 

However, one point the film examines is something that has frustrated me for some time.  If I could make a PSA it would be "EAT REAL FOOD PEOPLE!"  However, every where you turn there are all these options marketed to you that make it sound like it's a good option, like it will indeed nourish your body or help you lose weight.  This goes back to the true or false game above.  No, not all calories are created equal.  Your body knows exactly what to do with 100 calories of real food. How to process it, how to use it, and how to dispose of it.  Your body does not know what to do with 100 calories of processed food.  It will most likely just become more fat and I'm pretty sure no one wants that!

To conclude, this is a wonderful film and well worth your time to either change your perspective on eating or to solidify your choice.  For more information you can head to the Fed Up website.

And I'll say it one last time, EAT REAL FOOD.