Healthy Body, Happy Planet

I feel like I have used this image of Joel before, but if I was better at any of the photo-editing apps I would cross out the word food and replace it with body care products for this blog. Although organic food is pretty important too!!!

Someone suggested that I write about my favorite natural body care products. Whoever it was, thank you for this great idea. If you are not already aware, most of the "normal" body care products that are found in grocery and drug stores are full of toxic chemicals, and are detrimental to both your health and the health of the earth. Many are also lab tested on animals.

I have tried many variations of organic and natural products and some were awesome and others were downright terrible and didn't do what they claimed to do. Some are expensive too. However, I have found quite a few products that I enjoy using and find fairly affordable...and I feel good about the ingredients and manufacturing ethics too!

So I did a mini photo shoot of some of them and I'll tell you why I love them. (You may have to do a little research to see if these products are available in your country or if they can be shipped to you.)

Want a super natural smile? I thought that I had found the best natural toothpaste 6 years ago. I used the same one for a loooong time. Then when we were on our roadtrip to the USA in the fall, we ran out of our toothpaste in the final week, so we had to choose a new one. Wow! The Auromere Ayurvedic herbal toothpastes have blown the old one out of the water! We have tried the minty and mint-free (more like a licorice flavor) versions and both are awesome. The base is natural chalk, which is mildly abrasive and leaves your teeth squeaky clean! Available at many health food stores in USA and Canada.

http://www.auromere.com/Dental_Care-Toothpaste.html

How about natural shampoo and conditioner? I have tried a crazy number of these. Always looking for the one that will keep my hair healthiest. (And it's fun to try new scents too.) Well there is a man named Patrick Curelle in Vancouver who created this unscented line of hair care that is super natural. I use their unscented body lotion too. I was once told by a store clerk that I could eat it because it's so natural. But he didn't think I should try. The fun thing about this unscented line is that I use essential oils to add the aromas that I love. Patchouli-orange lotion! Mmmmm. (Couldn't find a website for this.)

What about wounds?

We bought our first jar of "magic green cream" at a Rocky Mountain music festival two summers ago. Cloud 9 Naturally is a super cool small company based in Red Deer, Alberta that invented this super-salve. We have used their Organic Comfort salve on sunburn, burns, acne, cuts, scrapes, mosquito bites, rashes, chafing, blisters and more. (I also heard that it's awesome for diaper rash.) It has some kind of magical healing properties in its herbal blend. One jar goes a long way!!! (But we always keep a backup.)

 Order straight from their new improved website:

http://www.cloud9naturally.com

Fresh armpits. We all want them. Well, I have done my fair share of research when it comes to pit sticks. Anything with aluminum-based ingredients (read your labels!) is a recipe for high levels of toxicity in your body. Throw those sticks away today!!!  Do your body a huge favor and opt to use natural deodorants. Anti-perspirants are also not good. We are designed to sweat. It's one of the ways that our bodies rid themselves of toxins. Our skin is our largest organ. Let's not stop it from doing its job. So. No surprise. I have tried many of the natural deodorants out there and many of them are useless. We then discovered Herban Cowboy natural body care products. They have quite an array of choices for women and awesome ones for men! We love the Blossom scent for ladies and the Fire scent for men. Ps. They are vegan certified too!

http://www.herbancowboy.com/

Put your best face forward. 

I personally go with the motto "less is more" when it comes to body care. Especially on my face. When my eyes feel a bit tired or puffy, I dab on a tiny spot of rich, blue Azulene Eye Cream by Earth Science, and a light swipe of the fragrance-free Almond-Aloe Moisturizer on the rest of my face (by the same company). It's light and available scented or unscented. So fresh. 

http://earthsciencenaturals.com/

An Essential Oil. 

Tea tree oil is a miracle ingredient for any medicine cabinet. I remember when my mom was part of the melaleuca products craze of the 90's.  (It's in the Latin name for tea tree.) So I developed a slight aversion to the tea tree aroma after every product in our home smelled like it. I have had to retrain myself to love it. Ok, tolerate it. There are many brands and most of them are great.

I use a dab of tea tree oil on acne when it's first showing itself. It acts as an antibacterial (which also makes it great to add to cleaning products) and also dries up the area to help it heal more quickly. 

Last year, we both contracted a bizarre rash from what we are guessing was either a swimming pool or a hot tub. After visiting a doctor, we were told it was Molluscum Contagiosum. He said there is no known cure. It looked like tiny fluid-filled blisters on our abdomen areas. As we learned, it can spread very quickly! The doctor told us to google it. ???  He also said that he could freeze them off with liquid nitrogen or we could buy a do-it-yourself skin-tag removal kit from a drug store and burn them off ourselves. We tried that. Don't try that. So painful and leaves scarring. We decided to take matters into our own hands with our knowledge of essential oils. If left unchecked, this rash can spread over most of your body and cause itch and discomfort (not to mention embarrassment).  We read that it could take up to two years to heal on its own. Yikes!!! So we used a sterile needle and slowly and patiently we pierced the bubbles (being super careful not to spread or touch the fluid inside!) and immediately applied a generous amount of tea tree oil to each spot with a cotton swab. We did this for weeks until there were no signs of them left. Yes, it takes patience and perseverance. It worked like a charm. If you or anyone you know has this rash, please share this knowledge. It will save them time and suffering. 

Have anxiety about something?

It happens to everyone sometimes. I remember the day that I first tried Bach Rescue Remedy for air travel. It made me feel at ease after just a few minutes. I felt my body and mind relax enough so that the uncomfortable idea of air travel wasn't such a big deal. A groomer also used it on my cat so she would calm down enough to shave her matted fur patches off. It made her so calm and limp as a noodle. I have also seen it work well to help restless adults and children to get a better night's sleep. It's a unique blend of flower essences and it comes in a spray, liquid dropper, cream and in gummy pastilles. It's so great. 

http://www.bachflower.com/rescue-remedy-information/

Ok. I think that's enough to fill everyone's brains for today. Check your local health food stores and if they don't carry these super products, you could nicely request that they carry some of them. 

Here is a link to a source for some of these products and it appears that they ship to much of the planet. That being said, it's always best to try to find things locally first.   :)

http://www.finlandiapharmacyonline.com

I AM.

Whenever I have a creative lull and don't know what to write about in my next blog, the universe seems to throw me a bone. In this case, it came in the form of a documentary. I don't tend to watch many documentaries these days, because I went through a phase about 6 or 8 years ago where I watched so many films about the devastation of the planet and its wildlife, peak oil, GMOs, and natural disasters that I wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out. Not a healthy view on the world. I have since then turned to sharing what positive changes I think we can all make to emphasize the beauty of life.

So...I borrowed this one, which appeared to be uplifting, from our library and it was one of the best I have seen in a looooong time. 

Quick synopsis of I AM: a very wealthy Hollywood film director "has it all"- more money, properties and possessions than anyone could ever want or need. Then one day, he has a serious cycling accident that causes him to reflect on what's truly important. He embarks on a quest to answer the question "what's wrong with our world?!" And instead, discovers what's right with our world. It's uplifting and so beautiful. I recommend a movie night.

Be the change and spread the love is the message. We don't need stuff or tons of money or fancy clothes or cars or anything that can be essentially destroyed or taken away from us.  All of that stuff that we seem to accumulate is actually clogging up our minds and spirits and preventing us from seeing through the illusion and realizing that none of it matters at all.

Our love and spirit are what is real and carries on forever to future generations. It seems all to easy to live in our own little bubbles of self-serving actions. Let's work on expanding our bubbles to include the whole world, shall we? And...don't use the excuse "I just don't have time for _____ because I'm Sooooooo busy."  I used to use that one. Then I realized that I have a choice of how I spend every precious moment of every single day. So do you. Prioritize your life.

The next time you think you need a thing to improve your life and make you (temporarily) happy ask yourself if you would be equally as devastated if you were to lose that thing (such as a new car, fancy clothes or jewelry, toys, etc). Then maybe consider investing your money (in essence, your time and energy in the form of numbers) into making the world a better place for all of us. 

Selfless acts of service are one of the best things you can do for yourself and everyone else here on this magical planet. Send a fried an actual tangible piece of mail. Yup, that's still a real thing.

Volunteer. Babysit a friend's kids. Plant a garden for someone who isn't able. Purchase a house cleaning or meals for a new mom. Bring a sick friend some flowers and a hearty meal. Pick up litter. Plant some trees that you may not live to see bear fruit, but that coming generations will enjoy. Or Smile. Just smile. Smile at everyone. Even when you don't feel like it. What do you have to lose? 

Are you doing something (even tiny) every single day to raise the level of love in our world?

Nature: The Original Internet

This morning I was feeling a little out of sorts. Low energy and very little motivation to do anything before I had to be at work. I had noticed that some excess moisture had built up on the windows of our cabin over the winter months, due to drying laundry inside and also from all of the moist seedling trays we have in there at night. So I made a tub of natural cleaning solution and scrubbed away for over an hour. While I scrubbed the mold, I felt an intense sadness, but I didn't know why. Then I climbed onto a chair to clean the top of one window and was startled by a snake skin that a former tenant must have placed up there. Interesting find. Shedding old skin?

When I finished the cleaning, I opened up all of the windows to the sunny spring air and lit some Nag Champa incense to clear the house. Ahhhhh. Much better. 

I decided to go sit in the morning sunshine on a log in the garden.  As I sat and felt the warm sun on my face and the gentle breeze in my hair and on my neck, I closed my eyes and I soaked in all of the sounds around me. I heard a woodpecker loudly knocking in the distance. I heard a pair of frogs down in the creek calling to each other. I heard the bees buzzing in the patch of heather flowers on my right. I could hear the neighbors flock of geese and some wild geese playing in the pond just over a small hillside. I heard a hummingbird squeak. I opened my eyes and saw him in a fruit tree nearby. He zoomed away. Then i noticed a pretty orange butterfly amongst the bees and purple and white heather. 

I heard another tiny clicking sound and saw something out of the corner of my eye. I looked to my left and it was a very cute, round, brown mouse. He was trotting happily along the bright green garden hose that was stretched along through the garden.  I sat very still watching him. He stopped periodically to nibble things. Then to my surprise, he made a bee line ...straight toward me. He came right to me, as if he had heard me calling his name. He came closer and closer and then jumped right up onto the toe of my boot. He seemed to say hello. Then he hopped down between my boots, and sat for a minute chewing on some clover. Next to him in the grass sat a small bumble bee warming himself in the heat of the sun enough to be able to take off on a mission. The mouse looked up at me and made his clicking sound, then made his way to the heather patch to join the bees and butterfly. I sat there smiling and enjoying the sun and the magic of nature. Then I thanked everything that was present around me and realized that the sadness and angst had disappeared. Nature IS the best therapy. The information contained within the wilds of Mother Nature is endless. 

Here is something interesting that I read:

http://spirit-animals.com/mouse/

Not so long ago, we came from nature. We are nature at our core. Eckhart Tolle says that birds, crystals and flowers are the three most enlightened forms of matter on the planet. They are the things that we humans adore and the things that we aspire to be. Light, flight and beauty. Its so true. As I typed that last line, a hummingbird buzzed around me garden chirping up a storm. She landed in the top of a cherry and tree and is watching me as much as I am watching her.  When I was little, I found a lifeless hummingbird in my father's airplane hangar. I picked him up and admired his rainbow of feathers. I said a few words for him and buried him in the forest underneath a flap of moss that covered a huge rock that we neighborhood kids had a secret fort at. We dubbed it "hummingbird rock" after that. Hummingbirds have always fascinated me. So tiny and so fast and so quick to appear and disappear. They are abundant on this property. Sipping nectar from the peach blossoms and playing tag in the sun. 

Hmmmmm....

http://spirit-animals.com/hummingbird/

Mother Nature is the origin of every single one of us. As children, many of us spent the majority of our time getting down and dirty outdoors. It was hard to tear us away from the endless wonders that nature supplied us with. Nature, not electronics, used to be the best babysitter. We were one with the wildness. Yet, as we age and "grow up", many of us humans disregard her and treat her like a moody teenager treats their parents. Eye rolls at the weather, disrespect, attitude, lack of gratitude, entitlement of her resources. Sound familiar? We all know folks that have this view of the planet. Then, one day they feel guilty, so they go visit her because they feel like it's what they are supposed to do every once in a while. An obligation. This is family disfuction at its finest. Respect your mother (earth). 

Spending time with her is what we ALL need more of. Hands down. She holds the secrets and answers to everything, and many of us have forgotten how to ask with our hearts because the e-version of the worldwide web is at our fingertips. What about the original World Wide Web of Life? The one that is engrained in all of us? So many have forgotten how to access it. No wifi required. No electricity even! Time to shake off the dust and relearn to connect with your true roots.

Get into the wild. Into the forest. Into the sun and rain and mud. Into the garden. Get into the rhythms of the sun a moon and the seasons and the plants and animals. Plug yourself into the original source. Make. the. time. Even 15 minutes each day. For you. Notice how you feel. Really notice.... 

24 Hours of Gratitude

Let's start with the irony of this experiment. I found this image while mindlessly scrolling through Facebook,  which I have complained about plenty of times. (I try not to spend much time staring at my phone screen these days, but sometimes it just sucks me right in. Especially when I know I have something else to get done that I am not excited about.)

Anyway, I am so glad that I stumbled upon that little green square. I said out loud right then and there, "What an awesome concept. I'm doing this. Starting now."

Ahahahahaha!!!

Yeah, right. About 5 minutes later I grumbled when my iPhone wasn't doing what I wanted it to. I said "Does that noise mean that I'm complaining?!" I made a self-reffing call on that one. So, I started over. I think I made it about 10 more minutes before complaining about something or other that humanity does that irritates me. I laughed at myself and realized that this would prove to be much more of a challenge than I initially thought! Pure determination and full presence was what I needed.

Going a bit deeper, I realized that some of my unspoken thoughts were equally as negative as the ones that escaped my lips. How many times in a day do you let yourself be annoyed, irritated, judgemental or just plain bitchy? Yikes! If we all said everything that we were thinking out loud, we could all be labeled as sociopaths and avoid each other like the plague! Ahh. Well, thank goodness that most of us have built-in censors. 

So. I decided that if I DID notice a negative thought arise, as long as I caught it, corrected it to be more true, and moved on, it could count toward the 24 hours of positivity. 

I eventually made it through 24+ hours without being a whiner or negative thinker. The funny part about this whole thing is that I would consider myself a very positive person to begin with. However, when I really got present within my own thoughts, I became frighteningly aware of the reality of the human mind.  It likes to seek out negatives or injustices or unfair things or people that are "wrong" or weird, or little stuff that isn't up to our standards, or, or, or...

I was listening to Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth (literally, for like the 10th time) on the morning of my successful 24 hour stint...it may have been part of my success that day... He said, "the mind wants to want, more than it wants to have." It's so true. We need to be grateful for what is and what we have now and stop the thwarted wanting! Geez!

I will sometimes meet people who I refer to as "having an Eeore cloud over their heads". You know, the cute little donkey from Whinny the Pooh that has a pet rain cloud that follows him? Nothing is ever good or fair or fun for these folks. They always seem to find the negative in everything. This. is. so. exhausting. For everyone. It's simply unattractive to other humans. Like a natural repellant. These are the times when I wish I had the art of teleporting mastered. For now, I will try to listen fully. Ask yourself if what they (or you) are being negative about is really the issue. Usually there is something deeper happening that they (you) haven't resolved. 

Sometimes a poor choice they (or you) have made way back has manifested some ugly realities for them in the present. If you feel brave enough, ask them (or yourself) if they are willing to look at the issue at hand from a different perspective. How did they get here? Are they willing to change their thoughts or habits to create a more positive outcome? What is their intention by being so negative? Are they seeking attention, sympathy and commiseration? Don't give it. This will only confirm that being negative and whiny works in their favor.  Compassion and empathy is what is needed here. Listen. Acknowledge their feelings of anger, sadness or discomfort. Then, in a kind way, ask what they plan to do to turn things around for themselves. This might help to turn that cloud into rainbows and sunshine. Or at least a fluffier, happy cloud?

Anyway, to sum up this whole idea: try it yourself. Do a 24 hour gratitude challenge. Invite a friend or your spouse to do it too. (Then you can help keep each other on track.) Ooooh. See if your kids can do it, if they're old enough to understand self-reflection. It will be a great learning experience for all of us. 

Like me, you will be exponentially more aware of those pesky negative thoughts that arise. So we can trap them in a jar, examine the heck out of them, then release them back into the world as positive, loving thoughts. After all, everything is connected, so let's make this life better for everyone. 

I took this photo in NYC back in October. It was painted on a building in an alley. I knew I would use it eventually. 

I am so grateful that you just read this piece of my whirling thoughts.

Have a beauty-filled day. 

Ps. If you have 10 more minutes, watch and listen to this beautiful piece of art. It's worth every second.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsgP8LkEopM

Seeds of Life

Colorful Veggie Art at work

It's been a funny thing for me to work as an "employee" again, after being self-employed in one way or another for a decade. I have had to practice super-clear communication, as well as humbleness, compassion, patience and humility, amongst other things. It's been a great way to test myself. Am I walking the talk? I am doing my very best. I have struggled some days and am also excited for each new day and the fun and challenges each one brings. Personal growth happens when you least expect it. A diamond in the rough.

I have struggled to find time and inspiration (and energy!) to write a new blog post because I have been busy and tired. But...the seeds have been planted (literally and figuratively) and new life is all around us. Spring has sprung on Vancouver Island! And so I write....

Resident black bamboo by the creek on the property.

For about 10 days now, there has been a chorus of hundreds of frogs after dark in the ponds and wetlands around our home. It sounds amazing. The pink cherry blossoms are beginning to pop out around town. A bee buzzed by me while I examined our winter-flattened garden beds. It's sandal time again!!!

We began planting the seeds for our garden about a month ago. We started the ones that need a longer growing season such as tomatoes, peppers, onions, leeks, basil and other herbs. We also started a variety of Marigolds that were brought back from the flowers grown at the Taj Mahal in India. So excited to see those beauties bloom this summer!

I find that soaking most seeds overnight in a cup of water helps them to germinate quickly and helps them retain the moisture needed to sprout. 

Our tiny house is being taken over by flats of tiny green seedlings. But we are ok with the temporary guests, as we know the payback this summer and fall (and maybe even winter!!!) will be 100-fold with luscious fresh veggies. We took a full-day workshop from a local gardening guru this weekend. It was so much fun and we both feel more confident to dig into the soil in our new climate.

Speaking of fresh veggies...I recently started sprouting various seeds again. I learned how to do this from a good friend a few years back, but with our traveling bug, I had gotten out of the sprouting loop. Sprouting is a way to eat fresh, green, living veggies all year long!

Here's how we do it:

A clean glass canning jar

A piece of window screen

A strong rubber band (or one of those orange lid sealers for canning)

Purchase seeds that are specifically for sprouting. This will guarantee success (and not result in disappointment). 

Add 2-3 teaspoonfuls of seeds to the jar (different seeds make different sized sprouts). You will have to experiment with amount of seeds to the size of the jar. Add enough water to cover the seeds. Place the screen and rubber band over the top of the jar. Let the seeds soak overnight. 

Each morning and evening thereafter, rinse the seeds/sprouts with cool water and then tip the jar on its end (opening facing down). Be sure to rest it in the sink or in a dish drying rack on a slight angle so that air can get into the opening. If you lay it flat face down, it will prevent airflow and things could get funky. That's it. So simple. Let nature do its thing. 

It's up to you how long you let the sprouts get. Regardless of the size, once they have sprouted they are living and full of enzymes and nutritional goodness. If you place them in the sunlight in a window for a few hours before eating, they will become brighter green!  Add them to salads, sandwiches, wraps, or just eat them alone. Yum!

Here is a link with some more info on sprouts. In case you need more convincing...

http://sproutpeople.org/sprouts/nutrition/science/

The other craft that I have just began to learn about is wild fermentation. It was suggested to me by several friends and wellness professionals in the last year. So when two people sent me the same link to this YouTube video (posted later in this blog) in the same day, I knew it was about time I tried this at home. 

I recently purchased this locally-made Korean kimchi and it's unbelievably tasty. Sort of like sauerkraut or pickles. Vinegary and so good! So I set out to create my own version, which is substantially more affordable and even fresher!

Here's what I used:

1 small head red cabbage

1 daikon radish

1 small bok choy

1 yellow onion

2 large carrots

Few cloves of garlic

Small chunk of ginger root

Pinch of dried chili flakes

Sea salt (several teaspoons)

As you will see in the YouTube video, Sandor suggests chopping or grating all of the veggies finely. Sprinkle salt over them (to taste) and knead the mixture together to get the juices flowing. (If you want it spicy, add the chilies after the kneading. I learned the hard way. It burns.)

Pack the mixture firmly (with the juices) into a glass jar. Be sure all veggies are submerged under the salty brine. This is key for success. You will have to push them under a couple of times each day, since they will float to the top. Cover jar with a plate or something non-metal to keep out dust and flying/crawling flies etc. Wait a few days and taste test. If you prefer a more vinegary taste, wait a bit longer, tasting every now and again. That's it. So simple. Let nature do the work. 

PS. Do not overfill the jar. Leave more room than I did here. Why? I came home from work to see purple juice all around the jars on day 2. The fermentation action creates air bubbles under and around the veggies, thus forcing the water level up and over the rim. If you leave at least an inch of space it should be ok. Just remember to pack the veggies back down with a spoon (forcing some of the air pockets out) at least twice a day. :)

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=i77hU3zR-fQ

I'm so excited to try my first batch of kimchi! Here are some of the health benefits:

http://www.wildfermentation.com/whats-so-wild-about-fermentation/

In Remembrance

A special man left our world last week. My father-in-law passed away at home in northern Alberta. I only knew him for a year, but he left a very big impression on me, and hundreds of others, too.  He was full of wisdom, humor and love, and lived to share these with others. 

I remember the first time I met him. It was just over a year ago. It was cold and snowy, but his big mustached smile and hearty bear hug lightened my soul. He was so excited to meet me. I felt like a celebrity during that visit. And most visits thereafter. What a warm welcome.

Luckily, I was also warned about his mean cribbage skills, and I practiced up all of last winter. I was no match for him. But I had fun trying. When we moved up north last spring, I spent many, many hours challenging his mighty crib skills. Mostly to no avail. I think I won a mere half-dozen games in those 6 months. But who's counting?

I often cooked meals in his kitchen. He would sit at the counter, playing cards vs. his iPad while I chopped and stirred.  He was always excited to be my taster when I made up new recipes.

On numerous sunny afternoons, we stood on the deck and reflected on life's challenges and blessings. His perspectives were always appreciated, though not always agreed upon. His advice to enjoy every day and not work like a dog until you die were dually noted.

One morning, I sat at his kitchen table writing one of these blog posts. He asked what I was working on and I told him about my blog. He asked me to show him how to read it, so I offered to subscribe the blog feed to his email. Two days later I asked him if he read any of the blog posts. "I read every one of them", he said. "You have some very interesting ideas. Keep it up." That was very encouraging.

The day we told him that we would be departing northern Alberta and heading for the West Coast was a sad day for him. We knew he loved having us just outside his back door. 

Life pulls us all in different directions, yet we keep a piece of each other in our hearts. We both had a feeling that we may not get to visit him again on that autumn day when we drove the moHo away from the farm toward the coast. Life was calling us to somewhere else, and we answered.

We are so thankful for the gift of quality time with family and friends. How many families have feuds that have been dragging on for months or even years? How many arguments go unsettled, then suddenly someone passes away?  Is there an axe wedged in your family tree that is preventing members from getting along? Is it about something trivial? Have you forgotten why you are even angry with each other?  Ask yourselves if it's worth the ego battles, or if loving each other outweighs being right. Life is short. It's been said a million times. Because it's true. If your family nemesis was gone tomorrow, would you have regrets?

At his remembrance service, we were escorted into a community hall where hundreds of faithful friends and community members came to show their gratitude and respect. I was amazed. I don't even think I know that many people, let alone be blessed enough to have that many show up at a memorial service. That says a lot about a person's life. When you are gone, what kind of legend will you leave behind? When you leave the world, will it be a better place than when you checked in? That is my hope for all of us.