Ice Princess's Healthy Living Naturally

What is a Labyrinth

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 13:00:00 +0000

A labyrinth is a winding path that looks like a maze, but instead it has one way in and one way out. The path leads to the center of the pattern and then back out. Some are small and only take a few minutes to walk, others are pretty large and take longer to walk. Basically any material can be used to lay out the pattern, but stone is pretty common. Labyrinths can be found in public parks, houses of worship, and medical centers. Labyrinths date back at least 3500 years ago. They were used in Greek mythology, Hindu images, on floors of Christian cathedrals and in many Gothic cathedrals in Europe. In Christianity they have been used as an act of repentance or as a final symbol of traveling to the Holy Land. They may also represent the journey inward to our own true selves and back out into the everyday world. Walking is good for a persons health and walking a labyrinth provides a meditative experience that can help the mind, clear anxiety and improve mental health. Labyrinths can be found all over the world. One is even being built near where I live that should be fun to walk. It will be located in a picnic area at the end of a hiking trail in the woods. There is a website called The Labyrinth Locator where you can search for labyrinths in any area of the world. Challenge: Use the labyrinth locator and see if there are any labyrinths near you. You could also use The Labyrinth Locator to find one if you are going on vacation someplace. It would also be a fun activity to do with the kids. If you go to the Hawaiian island of Maui, check out the Kapalua Labyrinth also known as the Dragon's Teeth Labyrinth. A family member walked it on vacation and from the pictures taken, it looks pretty cool! If you are really inspired, try building one at your house. Resources: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6313772/ https://www.webmd.com/balance/features/labyrinths-for-modern-stresses https://www.labyrinthcompany.com/pages/about-labyrinths https://www.verywellfit.com/walking-the-labyrinth-3435825 https://labyrinthlocator.org/ https://labyrinthsociety.org/ #ads More Labyrinth Resources

Benefits of Reading

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0000

I have loved to read ever since I was little reading mysteries like Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden which evolved to John Grisham and Stephen King in my teens to self help and health books the past decade. So many books, so little time as I like to say. It turns out that reading also has health/mental health benefits.

Reading helps strengthen areas of the brain
Helps with depression
Helps understand ourselves and how other people think and behave
Provides a view into the knowledge of other people. You can even learn things from people who are no longer alive .
Provides an escape from reality
Reading books, but not newspapers or magazines, is associated with living about 20% longer than non readers
Reading a book you enjoy helps reduce stress
You can teach yourself about anything that you might not normally be exposed to

I have a Kindle, but I prefer reading an actual book. You don't have to worry about blue light. It's easier to gauge progress and having the whole book in front of me makes it easier to go back and review other pages. I like to use Post It tabs for bookmarks to easily bookmark things. When you buy books, they do tend to pile up, but you can always sell them or pass them on to someone else when you are done. The Kindle helps prevent that and you can bring your whole collection with you, which is handy. Challenge: Grab a book and start reading. Make sure it interests you though. Otherwise it will be tough to finish. Libraries are free. There are also apps that let you read books for free like Project Gutenberg. The Mid York Library System Overdrive app or Libby lets you borrow digital versions of books. Thrift stores sell books for a few dollars or less. I found one on my to read list at the Salvation Army one time and saved a lot of money buying it there. Ebay and Amazon sell new and used books too. If you're not much of a reader and reading a book sounds too daunting, grab a newspaper or magazine and work your way up to a book. Resources: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277953616303689?via%3Dihub https://www.artsandmindlab.org/mental-health-benefits-reading/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5105607/ https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-reading-books#what-to-read https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2024-16892-001 #ads More Reading Resources

Importance of Vitamin D

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0000

In 2009, my Vitamin D level was 17. I had been taking a multivitamin for years, but at that point knew nothing about other supplements, vitamins, minerals, etc. My doctor at the time had me take 5000 IU of Vitamin D to bring my level up to optimal range, which is about 40-70 ng/mL. Vitamin D is one of the most important supplements just about everyone should take. Getting Vitamin D from the sun is the best way to increase your Vitamin D levels. It's produced in the skin. When you've absorbed enough, the skin produces less. Studies have found sunscreen doesn't block Vitamin D absorption. Depending on the weather and where you live, it's not always easy. Certain foods like fatty fish, fortified milk, mushrooms and egg yolks also have some Vitamin D. The amount of Vitamin D supplementation needed varies by person, so it's a good idea to get a blood test first to find out where you are starting from. Too much Vitamin D supplementation can lead to too much calcium absorption called hypercalcemia and kidney stones. Benefits of Vitamin D include:

helping with calcium absorption & maintain adequate calcium levels in the blood
helps maintain bone density to prevent conditions like rickets and osteoporosis. A Vitamin D deficiency will pull calcium from bones.
improves the immune system to help fight off illnesses like colds & flus
helps reduce risk of certain cancers
helps regulate cell growth
helps with blood sugar regulation
helps improve brain health
lowers risk of multiple sclerosis

Some signs you might want to look into supplementing Vitamin D include:

Being tired
Bone and joint pain (especially in your back)
Weak muscles, aches or cramps
Feeling depressed
Losing bone or unexplained breaking

There are 2 kinds of Vitamin D: D2 and D3. D2 comes from plants while D3 is the form that comes from the sun and animal based sources. D3 has been found to be more effective at raising Vitamin D levels as the liver metabolizes them differently. It's a good idea to take a Vitamin D supplement that also contains Vitamin K. The Vitamin K will help distribute calcium to the bones and teeth and prevent it from accumulating in soft tissues like the kidneys and blood vessels. Challenge: If you don't get a lot of sunlight, try getting more sunlight or take a Vitamin D3 supplement. 1000 IU or 2000 IU is probably a safe start, but make sure to get your Vitamin D level tested, so you know if you need more. It will take at least a few weeks to have an effect. There's an app called SuppCo that evaluates supplement brands. It's a good resource to check out if you're not sure which Vitamin D brand to start taking. Resources: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30945275/ https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-d/art-20363792 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-d-and-vitamin-k#TOC_TITLE_HDR_5 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-d2-vs-d3#TOC_TITLE_HDR_4 #ads More Vitamin D Resources

Mental Health Benefits of Bird Watching

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0000

I stumbled on bird watching by accident. I never really paid attention to them before. I always found them annoying with the way they build nests in any available nook of my porch with their droppings everywhere. There are also so many types of birds, they all seemed to look the same as they were flying by. One day, I read an article in a local magazine that mentioned an app that identifies birds by sound or you can upload a photo to be identified. It's an app created by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY called Merlin. It's very cool and it's free. I've started using it in the morning when I go outside. In the middle of April, the birds start migrating back, so the app shows a lot of different birds it detects by sound. It's neat to review, but apparently there are mental health benefits to bird watching. One study showed the improvement lasted up to 8 hours. Some benefits include:

Encourages mindfulness. Birds can come and go pretty quick, so if you're not paying attention, you could miss an interesting moment.
Bird watching distracts you for a few moments from whatever issues you might have going on.
Birds mark the seasons. It's very interesting how in the fall, most birds I have slowly leave. It's pretty quiet here in the winter. In the spring they all come back and the summer gets pretty noisy. This year I even seem to have a few new types coming.
Just being outside in nature is healing and helps relieve stress.

I don't feed birds. Maybe some day I will, but I'm surrounded by woods with various wild animals and a lot of squirrels and chipmunks, so I don't want to attract them. The birds I have just come naturally to stay in the woods. One type I had last summer was a Scarlet Tanager. It's a very pretty, bright red bird that lives in the woods. It was really cool to see the few times it came out of the woods. Challenge: Give the Merlin bird app a try. It's free and is in the Apple and Google Play stores. Once downloaded, you create an account and allow location access. Then go outside and use the sound id feature to hear what birds are around you. It's pretty cool! Resources: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-20207-6 https://time.com/6231886/birdwatching-mental-health/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9623220/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mindfully-doing-what-matters/202405/birding-your-way-to-well-being https://www.birdsandblooms.com/birding/birding-basics/birding-health/ https://www.happiness.com/magazine/art-culture-leisure/mental-health-benefits-of-bird-watching/ #ads More Bird Watching Resources

Benefits of Sunlight

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 19 May 2025 13:00:00 +0000

The weather is finally on the upswing after a long, cold, snowy winter. Just about every day in January and February was below freezing. The amount of daylight hours was low. Spending time outside wasn't very enticing. Now that it's finally spring with longer hours of daylight and warmer temperatures, it's a good time to start getting on board with going outside and getting more sun. Moderate sun exposure is a great natural, free tool to use in healing yourself. The benefits of sunlight exposure include:

Is a major source of Vitamin D which is a key vitamin in preventing illnesses
Improves mood and relieves depression by increasing serotonin levels
Helps regulate circadian rhythm which improves sleep
Lowers blood pressure
Improves the immune system
Helps reduce stress and anxiety

In the 1600's, sunlight was used to prevent rickets, a condition of weak bones in children. Sunlight has also been used to treat tuberculosis, a bacterial infection affecting the lungs. I try to get at least 10 - 15 minutes of sun per day, midday between 10am and 2 pm is best. Not a lot, but enough to get benefits. You should avoid getting too much sun. Too much can lead to bad sunburns, premature skin aging and an increased risk of skin cancer. When I was younger I sat in the sun for about an hour reading. Afterwards, my legs were sunburned really bad. It was really painful, hurt to walk and they swelled up. I ended up going to the ER. They just recommended putting aloe vera gel on them and keeping them elevated. They healed, but it wasn't a fun experience, make sure you are mindful of time spent in the sun. To avoid overexposure, you can do things like wear a hat, sit in the shade or under an umbrella. There is also protective clothing now. When using a sunscreen, check the ingredients. The Environmental Working Group has this list of safer sunscreens. Challenge: Try going outside for about 10 - 15 minutes at least 5 days per week, morning/midday is best, but anytime is better than nothing. Even if it's cloudy, you'll still get some benefits. I usually use my bird app, Merlin, and/or go for a short walk late morning. It definitely gives a burst of energy. Resources: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2290997/ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-much-sunshine-you-need-daily https://www.calm.com/blog/benefits-of-sunlight https://drhyman.com/blogs/content/7-strategies-for-optimal-sun-safety #ads More Healing with Sunlight Resources

Best Foods to Buy Organic

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 05 May 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Every year, a group called the Environmental Working Group (EWG) comes out with a couple of lists called the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen. The Dirty Dozen lists the foods that have the highest pesticide levels. The Clean Fifteen lists the foods with the least amount of pesticides. Organic food is the cleanest, most nutritious food to buy in the store. The price of organic food tends to be higher than non-organic. The Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen lists are a good guide to use to figure out which foods should be bought organic with the least impact on spending. Basically, foods on the Clean Fifteen list can be bought non-organic as the pesticide exposure is low. Foods on the Dirty Dozen list should be bought organic as the pesticide exposure is high. Even if you can't afford to buy every food on the Dirty Dozen list organic, at least try to buy a couple of items. Start with the ones you eat most often. Then as you can, work through switching the other items to organic. The 2025 lists aren't out yet as of this post, but the 2024 Dirty Dozen list includes: 1. Strawberries 2. Spinach 3. Kale, collard & mustard greens 4. Grapes 5. Peaches 6. Pears 7. Nectarines 8. Apples 9. Bell and hot peppers 10. Cherries 11. Blueberries 12. Green beans The 2024 Clean Fifteen list includes: 1. Sweet corn 2. Avocados 3. Pineapple 4. Onions 5. Papaya 6. Sweet peas 7. Asparagus 8. Honeydew melon 9. Kiwi 10. Cabbage 11. Watermelon 12. Mushrooms 13. Mango 14. Sweet potatoes 15. Carrots BTW, the EWG also offers a search functionality to review the chemicals in skin care products. It is available on the Skin Deep page. Challenge: Review the fruits and vegetables you buy. If any you eat regularly are on the dirty dozen list, work on switching over to buying them organic if you don't currently. Resources: https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/clean-fifteen.php #ads More Organic Food Resources

Tips to Heal Dry Skin

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Every year, starting in the late fall until early spring, my hands get really dry. They sometimes crack and bleed. I've tried a lot of different hand/body lotions/creams over the years. Some helped, but never completely healed the dryness. What has helped this year, I discovered completely by accident. I've had a bunch of small business, homemade soap bars that I've been working through using up since last spring. I'm not normally a fan of bar soaps because they get messy, especially when the bar is almost gone. I'm powering through that though because I'm really impressed with the improvements I have had. The bar I'm currently using is a bar soap made from goat milk and has calendula oil in it. Calendula is a variety of marigolds known as pot marigold. One of it's benefits is improving skin health. Goat milk also has skin care benefits, including: - gentle on the skin, doesn't remove the skins natural fatty acids and may help moisturize the skin by replacing missing fats - contains fatty acids, cholesterol, Vitamin A and selenium - contains lactic acid which is a alpha hydroxy acid that helps with removing dead skin cells. This may help prevent acne by preventing pores from being clogged. - contains probiotics which may help the skin maintain it's natural microbiome Before using it, I was in between bars and using more cheap, chemical filled pump soap. My hands were cracking and bleeding, especially on the knuckles. They cleared up right away once I started using the goat milk soap. I also make my own pump soap with coconut oil and castile soap, but that didn't seem to help. Goat milk soap seems to be the magic remedy for my dry hands during the winter. A few other things I do to help with dry skin during the winter: - wear dish gloves when doing dishes - use a gentle dish detergent like Seventh Generation or Myers - wear gloves when outside until the weather warms up Challenge: If you suffer from dry skin, give goat milk soap a try. If you are unable to purchase it from a local maker, check out Etsy. There are a bunch of sellers on there. Resources: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/goat-milk-soap-benefits#benefits https://angelapalmer.com/skin-care-benefits-of-goat-milk/#:~:text=Goat%20Milk%20Rejuvenates%20Your%20Skin&text=Goat's%20milk%20contains%20lactic%20acid,Yay! https://www.bangordailynews.com/2019/07/24/homestead/used-in-skincare-products-goat-milk-benefits-are-backed-up-by-science/ #ads More Goat Milk Soap Resources

Benefits of Walking

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Movement is a big key to improving health. An easy way to move is to walk. Walking is the ultimate, universal exercise. The majority of people can do it and it's free. The benefits of walking include: - reduce blood pressure - lower cancer risk - improves pain and function in musculoskeletal disorders - improves sleep and mental health - increases resilience - strengthens bone, joints like knees and hips and muscles - improves mood and mental clarity - helps maintain a healthy weight - reduce sugar cravings - gets the lymphatic system moving which helps with drainage and swelling - strengthens immune system leading to less colds and flus and quicker recovery when sick - walking for 15 minutes after a meal has been shown to reduce blood sugar When it's cold outside the idea of walking outside might not be very appealing, especially if you aren't very active. What I do sometimes is just walk in place while I watch tv or doom scroll. What I discovered while my kids were virtual learning during the plandemic was that YouTube is full of walking videos. Just search for walking workout. There's even a Walk at Home channel. They are actually pretty fun. Some channels even have videos that take you on a walk outside. I also use a treadmill that's pretty fun. It's a small, compact treadmill that doesn't take up a huge amount of space. It's pretty basic, nothing too fancy, but gets the job done. Challenge: Start tracking how many steps you get in a day. If it's less than the recommended target number of 8000 - 10000 per day, try getting more active. Any extra steps in the day is a good start. Take 5 minutes and walk in place while watching tv or listening to a podcast. Then slowly bump the time up to 30 minutes. Also, evaluate if it helps you feel any better. Resources: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10643563/ https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2016/03/benefits-walking https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/5-surprising-benefits-of-walking https://health.clevelandclinic.org/benefits-of-walking https://www.consumerreports.org/health/benefits-of-walking-a3407007507/ #ads More Walking Resources

Health Effects of Burning Candles

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 13:00:00 +0000

I like to burn candles every now and then, but normally I just use a candle warmer because it's a little safer. Apparently, burning some candles gives off toxins. Paraffin wax candles give off toxins like volatile organic compounds (VOCs), benzene and toluene. Candle wicks can also give off toxins. Candle fragrances also give off toxins like hormone disrupting chemicals called phthalates. Some health effects burning candles could cause include headaches, nasal congestion, coughing, wheezing and allergies. I know I've gotten a headache from certain scents that were mostly like chemical filled. The best bet is to use candles made of pure beeswax or coconut wax. Wicks should be made out of unbleached cotton or hemp. The fragrance used should be from pure essential oils instead of artificial fragrances. Also, try to buy organic candles. Organic candles also ensure that no harmful chemicals or synthetic processes are used in their production. I like to buy candles at craft fairs made by local companies. I think there is more care taken and better materials used in making the product than buying a random candle from a large retailer. Etsy is also probably another good source to buy candles, although you can't smell the fragrance you are buying first. I do have a bunch of Yankee Candles. They may not be the healthiest alternative, but it looks like they are at least partially made with soy wax, which is better than parafin, but definitely worse than beeswax, and natural fiber wicks. I think overall, if you are going to burn candles every day, then you should make sure they are made of the healthiest ingredients. If it's less than once a month, probably not a super big deal to obsess over the ingredients, but pay attention if you happen to not feel well at the same time. Candles can get a little pricy, so another option is learn how to make them yourself. I made them using a kit with my grandmother when I was little. It was a pretty old kit, so it probably used paraffin, but it was pretty easy to do. Just melt the wax, add the scent, set the wick in the jar, pour the scented wax in the jar and let cool. Some makers are making them prettier by setting dried flowers or small stones on top of the wax before it cools and using wooden bowls or pretty jars. Challenge: Assess your candle collection, especially any that you burn regularly and review what ingredients it could be made of. If you notice any that make you feel unwell when being burned, toss them out. Try to gradually upgrade the candles you use to be made of more natural ingredients. Resources: https://organicbeautylover.com/home/best-organic-candles/ https://orbasics.com/blogs/stories/guide-to-non-toxic-candles-the-best-10-non-toxic-candle-brands https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36631840/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33964641/ #ads More Candle Resources

Coconut Oil in Coffee

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000

I like coffee, but I can't handle caffeine. It makes my heart beat too fast and I feel a little anxiety. Kind of weird. A local company, Utica Coffee, makes really good coffee, so once in a while I'll drink a really weak cup of caffeinated or their decaf. Coffee can have mold, so I thought I would try a few different brands that are decaf, organic and mold tested. I tried one brand, NO FUN JO DECAF, and it instantly gave me brain fog. It was pretty weird, but reviews thought it contained gluten and/or caffeine. I'm currently working through a bag of Purity decaf. It's a little pricy, but it's supposed to be the top tier, clean coffee. I also like The Organic Coffee Co. Ground Coffee - Gorilla Decaf. It's more affordable. They are both medium roasts. They both taste fine to me, but I'm no coffee expert. There are health benefits to drinking coffee. These include helping reduce the risk of stroke, heart disease, diabetes and improve brain health. Adding coconut oil to coffee offers additional health benefits. Coconut oil contains healthy fats called medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). MCT's don't get stored in the body as fat like other fats. Instead, MCT's go directly to the bloodstream where they can be used for energy. The MCT's in the coffee can help improve metabolism, increase energy, raise HDL cholesterol levels. The fats bind to the caffeine in the coffee and provide a slow and steady stream of energy. Coconut oil is the highest natural source of lauric acid which is antiviral and antibacterial and helps suppress hunger. Coconut oil may help improve blood sugar, improve digestion and gut health. The one thing I've noticed with adding coconut oil to coffee is it makes my brain feel more focused and clear thinking. It may have increased my energy, not sure, but there was definitely not any crashes. My energy level is pretty even. So far, I've only used a teaspoon, but up to 2 tablespoons is recommended. It's also recommended to only drink it once per day to avoid digestive issues. It's also recommended to blend the coffee with coconut oil in a blender or with a handheld immersion blender. Otherwise the coconut oil just sits on top of the coffee. Blending it will make the coffee frothy. I haven't tried that. I just stir it in with a spoon, but it still mostly sits on top of the coffee. It doesn't bother me though. There are 2 types of coconut oil, refined which is more processed and unrefined called virgin. Unrefined has a stronger coconut taste. I usually just use Aldi brand coconut oil. It's an organic, cold pressed, virgin coconut oil. I've also used the Spectrum brand. One thing to note, coffee is addictive due to the high caffeine content, so start off slow or use decaf if you aren't normally a coffee drinker and want to give it a try. Challenge: If you are a coffee drinker, drop a spoonful of coconut oil into a cup of coffee. Try it for a week and see if you notice any benefits. Resources: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coconut-oil-in-coffee#dosage https://www.onnit.com/academy/coconut-oil-in-coffee-benefits/ https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/coconut-oil-in-coffee #ads More Coffee Resources

Benefits of indoor house plants

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Plants are a great way to add ambience to an indoor space. Studies have been done to prove houseplants also actually have health benefits and improve indoor air quality. Plants can improve indoor air quality because they emit water vapor which pulls the toxic air down into a plants roots where it's converted into food for the plant. The plant then releases clean oxygen. In the 1960's B.C. “Bill” Wolverton, an environmental scientist working for the military and then NASA, did work using plants to clean waste water. Once he discovered plants can remove pollutants from water, he moved on to seeing if plants could cleanse the air in tightly sealed buildings. His experiments showed they did, leading him to write a book called How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 Houseplants That Purify Your Home or Office. Some of the pollutants in the air that certain plants can remove include: benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, mold spores, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Some plants help lower the humidity which can help prevent mold from forming. Some beneficial indoor plants include: - Peace lily - Requires little light and like warm, humid areas such as bathrooms. - Palms such as Areca palms (also perfect cat-safe indoor plants), bamboo palms, lady palms, and reed palms - Require bright light. - Spider plant - Requires a little bit of light, but are easy to grow. They also produce 'babies' which can be cut off and replanted into their own pot, so once you have one plant, it's easy to add more for free. - Snake plant - Prefer a sunny location. It's best to have a couple of them in their own pot and grouped together. They create their own microclimate, making them more effective at removing mold and other toxins. - Ferns - Require little light and are good for high humid areas like bathrooms. - English ivy - Require little light and are good for high humid areas like bathrooms. These are also best grown as a hanging plant. This is one of the best plants to remove mold spores from the air. They also remove benzene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde from the air. - Philodendrons - Removes formaldehyde, benzene and carbon monoxide. This is also an easy plant to start more plants from. Cut where there is an elbow and replant in it's own pot. - Aloe plants - Removes formaldehyde. This plant is also great to have on hand for burns and sunburns. Just break a piece of a leaf off, split it open and rub on the affected area. - Rubber plant - Removes formaldehyde, mold and produces a lot of oxygen. - Calathea - Removes benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene and are ideal for bathrooms. In addition to helping clean the air, indoor plants can improve mental health, mood, reduce stress, anxiety and cortisol levels. Studies have also shown kids concentrate better in classrooms with either real plants or posters of plants. Challenge: If you don't have any plants in your home, work on finding one you like that would be suitable for your environment. Review the lighting, water requirements and the pollutants removed to see which would be best for you. Plants can usually be purchased at stores like Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, grocery stores or greenhouses. There are also websites like https://bloomboxusa.com/ where plants can be ordered and shipped to you. Note: I've never used bloombox and have no affiliation, but they look like a good option to order plants from. Resources: https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2007/ps_3.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_Clean_Air_Study https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19930072972 https://www.homesandgardens.com/life-design/houseplants-that-prevent-mold https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/gardening/g40742429/best-indoor-plants-for-health/ https://time.com/6258638/indoor-plants-health-benefits/ https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/best-air-purifying-plants #ads More Indoor Plant Resources

Benefits of Eating Garlic

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000

It's that time of year to plant one of my favorite spices, garlic. Garlic is considered nature's antibiotic. It is very well studied and has many papers published on it's health benefits. Garlic's health benefits include:

Improves heart health, including reversing early stage heart disease by removing plaque build up
Reduced risk of cancer including stomach, colon, esophagus, pancreas, and breast.
Helps control blood pressure
Is antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal properties which helps prevent colds, infections and increases recovery time when sick
May help prevent Alzheimers/dementia
Help regulate blood sugar
Increases metabolism which can help with weight loss

Garlic is one of the easiest plants to grow. If you've never done it before, you should try it. You'll never buy grocery store garlic again. Take a good quality garlic bulb from a farmer's market or purchase online from a seed site. Break the bulb into cloves. Stick each clove into soil vertically with the side that was attached to the clove on the bottom. Then cover each bulb with soil. Garlic can be planted directly in the ground, in a raised bed or a container. Garlic doesn't need a large area to grow. Mine grow in 4' x 4' raised beds. I also plant them a few inches apart with rows about 4" apart. Once planted, you don't have to do anything else. They just grow on their own. The big thing is to make sure there is good drainage to prevent the cloves from rotting. Partial shade to full sun is also important. In the northeast plant garlic in the fall. I usually try to do it around Columbus Day or within a few weeks after. In the spring/early summer, the garlic will grow garlic scapes. They are a shoot that grows out of the middle of the plant with a flower at the end. When the garlic starts growing scapes, cut them off down towards the leaves. You can eat them raw, cooked or pickle them. They taste like garlic only milder. Cut them early, otherwise they get tough. Cutting them also directs energy of the plant to grow bigger garlic bulbs. Harvest garlic when the top few leaves start turning brown. Usually sometime in July. Just dig down in the soil around the plant and gently pull up as you loosen the soil. Then all you have to do is dry them before storing. I leave them on a cookie sheet and when I get around to it, I cut the stem off, brush off the dirt and put the garlic bulbs in a brown paper bag in a cupboard where it's dry and dark. You know garlic is fresh when you cut a clove and your fingers get covered in garlic oil. Challenge: Eat more garlic. Take it slow though if you are not used to it. It's pretty potent and could cause digestive issues. Raw garlic has the most benefits. Crush or chop it and let it sit for about 5 - 15 minutes. That helps activate the beneficial allicin and allow it to be better absorbed by the body. I use garlic in soups, stews, roasted vegetables, salad dressings. I also like pickled garlic from local farmer's markets. Read the labels though. Some makers put sugar in it and can be really sweet. I don't like those. The kind I like the best is Habanero Pickled Garlic from a local cider mill, Fly Creek Cider Mill. That one doesn't have any sugar and is a little spicy. Resources: https://draxe.com/nutrition/garlic/ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/6-surprising-ways-garlic-boosts-your-health https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265853#uses https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7402177/ #ads More Garlic Resources

Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000

A new habit I picked up recently is drinking warm lemon water before eating breakfast. I squeeze half a lemon into a small glass mason jar, fill half with warm water and the rest with room temperature water. If I can't make warm water quick, I just use all room temperature water. I'm not sure I notice any health benefits, but it is nice to drink. Drinking lemon juice is also a good way to get antioxidants from the Vitamin C, which can only come from food. Some of the reported health benefits of drinking lemon water include:

Acidity helps improve digestion
Citric acid helps prevent kidney stones
Helps with hydration
Calcium and potassium in lemons help lower blood pressure
Vitamin C in lemons helps improve skin appearance
Helps balance pH which will help relieve chronic pain, improve bone health and protect against disease
Helps with healthy aging based on a study conducted with mice, which found giving them lemon increased their lifespan.
Helps improve heart health

Apparently adding olive oil to lemon water will increase the health benefits even more. Some benefits of olive oil include improving heart health. I've just started doing this with a small amount of olive and am working my way up to a tablespoon. I'm not sure I like it as well as plain lemon water, but if it helps, it's worth a try. Just make sure to use a good quality olive oil as mentioned in this previous post. Also, keep an eye on your cholesterol levels as too much olive oil could cause an increase. Challenge: Give drinking lemon water a try. Squeeze half a lemon into a glass cup. Fill the rest with warm or room temperature water. Drink it first thing in the morning before eating. TO up it a notch, try adding a little bit of good quality extra virgin olive oil and work up to 1 tablespoon. Resources: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/benefits-of-lemon-water https://www.livescience.com/lemon-water-benefits https://draxe.com/nutrition/benefits-of-lemon-water/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6403313/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5452232/ https://www.livestrong.com/article/475782-the-healing-benefits-of-olive-oil-lemon/ #ads More Lemon Water Resources

Benefits of Olive Oil

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000

The primary oils I use for cooking are olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, butter and ghee. I drizzle olive oil over most things I make. It is one of the healthiest oils, but you have to make sure what you use is real, good quality olive oil. Benefits There are 3 grades of olive: refined, virgin and extra virgin. Extra virgin olive oil is what you want for the most health benefits. It is the least processed. It is a key food in the Mediterranean diet. It contains antioxidants, including Vitamin E. It is a monounsaturated fat, an omega 3 fat. Seed oils are omega 6 fats which are polyunsaturated. Olive oil health benefits include:

Decreases inflammation
Lowers risk of heart disease
Protects against cancer and cell damage
Helps with cholesterol by lowering LDL (bad) and raising HDL (good)
Good for the skin and can be used to make skin care products
Protects against memory loss and nerve issues

How to choose There are tons of olive oil brands, but many aren't real olive oil. They can be refined and sometimes contain other cheaper oils like canola. The best way to choose a good quality olive is to buy:

extra virgin which is the purest form of olive oil
avoid light olive oil
review the country of origin. It should be from one grower or country like Italy or Greece.
buy olive oil that's in dark glass or metal, avoid plastic and clear glass
make sure there is a harvest date on the bottle
look for certification seals on the label

Brands I tend to buy Partanna Robust Extra Virgin Olive Oil or California Olive Oil's 100% California Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Consumer Reports has a list of approved olive oils here. Challenge: Review your olive oil usage and the brand you use. Choose one from the Consumer Reports recommended list, if you're not sure of which brand to buy. Aldi's brand is on the list and is reasonably priced, so that may be a good one to start out with if you live near an Aldi's. I buy Partanna from Walmart's website and have it shipped to me. It is also reasonably priced. Resources: https://www.consumerreports.org/health/cooking-oils/how-to-choose-a-good-extra-virgin-olive-oil-a8557720032/ https://www.bonappetit.com/story/how-to-buy-olive-oil-beginners-guide #ads More Olive Oil Resources

Salad Dressing Risks

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0000

I eat a small tossed salad as a side dish just about every day with lunch and dinner. Thousand Island salad dressing is my favorite. Unfortunately, it's high in calories and usually has bad oils. Finding a healthy bottle of salad dressing in the grocery store is tough. There are brands that seem healthy, but if you look at the ingredient list it usually has an oil like canola oil, sweeteners and preservatives that make it not a good option. If a bottled salad dressing does have suitable ingredients, it might not taste the greatest. The easiest thing to do is just make your own. It takes a little time, but in the end it's cheaper and better for you. You control the taste too. What I tend to do is drizzle olive oil and a vinegar over the salad. I alternate between red wine and balsamic vinegar. Apple cider vinegar would also work. A drizzle of juice from a real lemon or orange is also a healthy option. If you use lemon, don't use bottled unless lemon is the only ingredient. I use this bottled lemon juice when I don't have lemons on hand. For years I used bottled lemon juice without realizing it had preservatives in it because I never thought to look at the ingredient list. Another thing I do is add herbs to the salad. I just lightly sprinkle over my tossed salad any combination of herbs I feel like. I tend to use cilantro, oregano, parsley and black pepper. Sometimes I toss in basil or Italian seasoning. A little cayenne pepper, which helps improve circulation, would add some heat. Putting olive oil based homemade salad dressings in the refrigerator will firm up the dressing, so you have to let it sit out at room temperature a bit before using it. That's why I tend to just drizzle and sprinkle the olive oil, vinegar and herbs over the salad without mixing them all together. Honestly, if you use a good green base of something other than iceberg lettuce, a homemade salad is so much better than a restaurant salad. I have a hard time ordering salads out because a lot of restaurants don't tell you what the green base is and a lot of times it's iceberg lettuce, which ends up being really disappointing. Even some restaurants you wouldn't expect just use iceberg. I would much rather pay a little bit more for good greens. A lot of restaurants also don't have salad dressings that use healthy ingredients. It's so annoying when you get a packet of dressing full of bad ingredients. I try to go with a house salad dressing, vinaigrette or an oil and vinegar dressing. The dressing is what adds a lot of calories to a seemingly healthy meal like a salad. Many dressings also tend to be full of sweeteners, which I really don't understand. It's a tossed salad, if you need sweetness, adding some fresh or dried fruit would work and be more nutritious. Challenge: Assess the ingredients list of all the salad dressings you currently use. If they don't use olive oil, have preservatives or any form of sweetener, toss them. They are not a good option. Just make your own with ingredients you control. Add herbs to enhance the flavor. Resources: https://insights.ibx.com/healthy-salad-dressing/ https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2022/09/turn-over-new-leaf-ditch-your-salads-harmful-chemicals-healthier https://mommypotamus.com/5-scariest-things-salad-dressing/ #ads More Resources

Best Types of Cookware

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0000

I have been working on upgrading all of my cookware and cooking utensils to healthier versions like cast iron and stainless steel. I had a 20 year old set of non-stick pots and pans I replaced with cast iron pans. An enamel cast iron dutch oven is my go to for soups and stews. I have a lot of spatulas and spoons that are all plastic and have been using them for years. Luckily the dollar store has stainless steel versions, so I'm working on replacing those too. I also use glass like Pyrex for things like baking or casseroles.
Non-stick cookware, such as Teflon, contains chemicals called PFOA's and PFA's. PFOA's have been banned since 2014, so if you have Teflon cookware older than that, which some of my pans are, it probably contains it. These chemicals can cause issues like hormone imbalances and cancer. Over time they peel too, so that gets into your food. I had these plastic spatulas that I noticed were slowly melting into the food I was eating. Also avoid aluminum as that is bad for the brain and can cause neurological issues.
Porcelain enamel is a better choice than Teflon. It is non-stick and made of metal. The safety of it depends on the type of metal though and what is used for the coating. They are expensive too and may chip a little over time. 100% ceramic cookware is a good choice, but do a lot of research on ceramic brands and the materials used before purchasing. Make sure you are buying real ceramic. Some ceramic coated cookware can contain chemicals and some ceramic cookware is made of aluminum with a ceramic coating.
Stainless steel cookware is another good choice. It can be pricey and is not non-stick.
I like cast iron pans. They are reasonably priced, durable and last forever. It's best to avoid cooking acidic food in them at high temperatures, as it can leach iron into the food that could cause excess iron to accumulate in the body. They are great for meats and vegetables. With a good seasoned base, cast iron becomes non-stick and even works for eggs.

Ideally, choose cookware that is a single material and does not have a coating with chemicals, like glass, stainless steel and cast iron.

Challenge:
Cookware can be pretty pricy, so a little at a time, go through everything and start replacing anything that could be toxic, like plastic and non-stick pans, with healthier alternatives. The dollar store has stainless steel utensils. Antique or thrift stores often have cast iron pans. They may need seasoning, but that's easy. Clean the pan, spray it with avocado oil and put in the oven. Bake upside down for an hour at 400 - 450. Let the pan cool in the oven. It may take a few tries to get a good base, but is definitely doable.

Resources:
https://www.health.com/safest-type-of-cookware-8425731
https://mindfulmomma.com/non-toxic-cookware/
https://www.cleaneatingkitchen.com/what-is-the-safest-cookware/

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Types of Salt

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Everyone is familiar with the iodized salt used for cooking found in grocery stores, but there are also other salt options available. Salt types include:

Table salt - common iodized or non iodized salt
Kosher salt - larger, less refined table salt good for brining
Sea salt - less refined with more trace minerals than table salt
Himalayan pink salt - harvested by hand in Pakistan, thought to be the purest form of salt and has over 84 types of trace minerals, good as a finishing salt
Celtic sea salt - contains the minerals magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium and has the lowest amount of sodium
Fleur de Sel - from France and used as a finishing salt
Himalayan black salt - used in vegan cooking to simulate the taste of eggs
Flake salt - dissolves quickly and used as a finishing salt
Black Hawaiian salt - comes from Hawaii and has activated coconut charcoal added to it
Red Hawaiian Salt - comes from Hawaii and contains iron
Persian Blue - a rare, higher priced salt from Iran
Smoked - sea salt smoked over a bed of coals

Each type of salt is mined from a different area and has it's own texture. Some are large and coarse while others are smaller and dissolve easier. Some contain more minerals than others. However, the minerals aren't in high enough amounts to provide a significant health impact. I like to use this Celtic sea salt in the first cup of water I drink after waking up to re-hydrate with a few electrolytes. It was recommended by a thyroid doctor that I follow online, just ust use a very small pinch though. I think every type of salt has it's own purpose. The less refined, the better, but iodized table salt is a good way to get iodine since it's good for thyroid health and is only in a handful of foods like fish and sea vegetables. It's not healthy to have an excess of salt, but the body needs sodium, so don't be afraid of salt, just don't overdo it, which is easy to do, and make sure to get your sodium levels tested to ensure they stay in range. Also track your blood pressure if you are going to increase your current sodium intake. You don't want to accidentally increase your blood pressure too. If you have a tendency to use too much salt, try switching out some of it with black pepper. Challenge: Switch up the salts you use. Put a small pinch of Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt in your first glass of water for the day or try using Fleur de Sel as a meat seasoning. Just be mindful of how much salt you are using. The body only needs about 1500 milligrames. It doesn't take much to increase your sodium levels, which leads to health issues like high blood pressure and water retention. Resources: https://www.purelyplanted.com/post/which-type-of-salt-is-healthiest https://www.ecowatch.com/9-different-kinds-of-salt-which-is-the-healthiest-1891079937.html https://www.verywellfit.com/what-kind-of-salt-is-healthiest-4157937 https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326519#summary https://www.thehealthy.com/nutrition/healthiest-salt/ #ads More Salt Resources

Benefits of Bone Broth

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0000

I make soup every week because it's a quick and easy lunch. It's packed with nutrition and I don't have to spend time thinking about what to eat for lunch. I was making soup with chicken, vegetable or beef regular broth, but switched to using chicken or beef bone broth. It is a little more expensive depending on the brand, but has more nutrients than regular broth. It helps the body easily absorb calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon and sulphur. Bone broth contains collagen, which provides the body with amino acids. Collagen helps improve joint health and may help improve osteoarthritis. The gelatin in bone broth helps seal the gut lining, improving nutrient absorption and helping prevent leaky gut where particles cross over into the blood stream causing illness.
When bone broth is cooked, tendons and ligaments break down which releases chondroitin and glucosamine sulphates. They are also good in improving joint health.

Bone broth is easy to make yourself in a slow cooker with water and bones from organic grass fed beef or chicken. I usually buy it from the grocery store though. Make sure to read the ingredient labels. Some contain sugar and other ingredients I wouldn't want in a broth.

Challenge:
Switching from regular broth to bone broth is a quick and easy swap to add more nutrients to your diet, so find a brand you like and give it a try the next time you make soup or just heat it up and drink it from a cup.

Resources:
https://draxe.com/nutrition/bone-broth-benefits/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323903#recipe
https://thehealthychef.com/en-us/blogs/wellbeing/the-healing-benefits-of-bone-broth
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8618064/

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More Bone Broth Resources

Cinnamon for Better Health

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0000

One of my favorite spices is cinnamon. I use it for anything I bake, even if the original recipe doesn't call for using it. It's an easy way to add flavor in place of a bunch of sugar. Cinnamon also has health benefits, including: - lowers blood sugar - has antimicrobial, antibiotic, antifungal and antiviral properties - contains antioxidants - protects heart health - lowers inflammation - improves brain health - protects against cavities and bad breath Turns out there are different types of cinnamon. The cinnamon commonly found in grocery stores is cassia cinnamon. It is cheaper to produce. It has higher amounts of a substance called coumarin. It occurs naturally in cinnamon, but in high doses or prolonged use it can cause chemical-driven liver damage. Another cinnamon type is ceylon cinnamon. It also has coumarin, but in lower doses, so this is the kind of cinnamon I use. It's lighter in color and texture. Challenge: Try switching out any cassia cinnamon you may use for coumarin. I use this brand, but there are many others. Use caution with cinnamon when pregnant as some people think it may induce labor. Resources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4466762/ https://draxe.com/nutrition/health-benefits-cinnamon/ https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/general-science/coumarin-illegal-chemical-causing-americans-miss-out-sweet-treat #ads brand, but there are many others. Use caution with cinnamon when pregnant as some people think it may induce labor. Resources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4466762/ https://draxe.com/nutrition/health-benefits-cinnamon/ https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/general-science/coumarin-illegal-chemical-causing-americans-miss-out-sweet-treat #ads More Cinnamon Resources" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More Cinnamon Resources

Importance of Magnesium

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Magnesium is my favorite supplement. It is a mineral that most people are deficient in. It's harder to get it from food because the quality of soil food is grown in has become poor due to poor farming practices. Years ago, my then doctor recommended taking magnesium for headaches. Over the years, it has greatly helped, particularly magnesium citrate. Turns out besides helping with migraines, magnesium has a bunch of other health benefits, including: - improve bone health - regulate blood pressure - help regulate blood sugar - reduce risk of a stroke - helps with depression and anxiety - improves sleep There are a bunch of different types of magnesium, each with it's own additional benefits. These include: - Magnesium chloride - Magnesium lactate - Magnesium malate - Magnesium taurate - This form may help reduce blood sugar and improve blood pressure. - Magnesium L-threonate - Magnesium sulfate - Magnesium glycinate - This is formed from elemental magnesium and the amino acid glycine. It is easily absorbed and may have calming effects. - Magnesium orotate - Magnesium lysinate - Magnesium chelate - Magnesium citrate - This is bound with citric acid. It is easily absorbed and is helpful for constipation. Too much can have the opposite effect, so reduce the dosage if that happens. This is the type I like to take for headaches around the eyes and forehead. I also take it when I can't sleep. - Magnesium oxide - This combines magnesium and oxygen. This is the type typically found in multivitamins. I never include this in the total amount of magnesium per day that I take because it's not really absorbed by the body that well, so it's not good for raising overall magnesium levels. It's used for digestive issues like heartburn, indigestion, and constipation. Some foods that provide magnesium are: almonds, spinach, cashews, pumpkin seeds, bananas, black beans, avocado, oatmeal, bananas Challenge: If you don't use magnesium, think about trying it. Consult your doctor first though, especially if you are taking any medications or have kidney issues. A few brands I've used include: Bioptimizers Magnesium Breakthrough - This is pricier, but I take 1 capsule in the morning, so a bottle lasts a little longer. I think it has helped improve my sleep. It combines a bunch of different types of magnesium into 1 capsule. Swanson Magnesium Citrate - Super Strength - This is what I take for headaches and when I have trouble sleeping. Natural Vitality Calm, Magnesium Citrate Supplement, Anti-Stress Drink - I drink this after dinner. It's a powder, so it's easy to control the dosage. Start small because it's pretty potent. Doctor's Best High Absorption Magnesium Glycinate Lysinate - I used this for a long time, but recently switched to using Bioptimizers instead, not sure if this helped with anything, but it's cheaper and does have a lot of positive reviews on Amazon. This combines magnesium glycinate lysinate and chelate into 1 tablet. Resources: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/magnesium/ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/286839 #ads More Magnesium Resources

Benefits of Lentils

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Every week on Sunday, I make a batch of soup in the slow cooker. I alternate between black bean, chickpea, brown lentil and red lentil soup. It makes a quick, healthy, easy to grab lunch during the workday. I fill them with vegetables like carrots, celery, garlic, onions and mushrooms. Beans and lentils are a good meat alternative, source of protein. I like lentils because they are low glycemic, meaning they won't cause a blood sugar spike. They don't have to be soaked like some dry beans. They are low cost. A bag of lentils can be bought for a few dollars. I only use about 1/4 - 1/3 cup of lentils per batch of soup, so a bag lasts quite a while. Lentils are versatile too. In addition to soup, they can be used as the protein in salads or be made into burgers. Lentils are also full of health benefits, some of which include: - help lower blood pressure - contain iron which is important for low iron issues - help reduce risks of diabetes, cancer, heart disease - are full of fiber - great source of plant based protein - contain vitamin A, vitamin K, folate, iron, and zinc - help improve blood sugar control as they are low glycemic - contain prebiotic carbohydrates to help with gut health Challenge: If you never cooked with lentils, give it a try. Find a recipe online or checkout my lentil soup recipes: Green lentil soup Red lentil soup Resources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5713359/ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/health-benefits-of-lentils https://www.marthastewart.com/8192192/health-benefits-lentils #ads More Lentil Recipe Resources

What is Fire Cider

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000

The more I seek alternative remedies for health issues, the more I think herbal remedies are one of the key things to try. Herbs come from the earth and each one has it's own set of healing properties and nutrients. I tend to favor kitchen herbs and spices like ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, basil, oregano, etc. as they are more familiar. One of my new remedies is Fire Cider. Fire Cider is a spicy, fermented, apple cider vinegar based tonic. It was created by herbalist Rosemary Gladstar in the 70's. The base recipe contains a powerhouse of ingredients: apple cider vinegar, garlic, horseradish, ginger, onion, cayenne pepper and honey. You fill a jar with those ingredients and let it sit for 3 - 4 weeks, strain it and the liquid left is the fire cider. The recommended dosage is 1 - 3 tablespoons per day. The ingredients on their own all have health benefits:

apple cider vinegar is great for helping lower blood sugar. It's also antibacterial shown to kill MRSA and e-coli bacteria and helps improve cholesterol.
garlic is nature's antibiotic. It's also great for the heart.
horseradish is spicy and is helpful for colds/flu, clearing sinus congestion.
ginger is helpful for digestive issues and reducing inflammation.
onions are from the same family as garlic. It contains Vitamin C and may help with certain cancers.
cayenne pepper is great for circulation and also helps clear congestion.
honey has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties and is full of antioxidants. It's great for coughs. Taking a spoonful of raw, local honey is supposed to help with allergies.

Etsy

The Fighter

Challenge:

Resources:

https://www.almanac.com/how-make-fire-cider

https://www.marthastewart.com/1514670/fire-cider

https://greatist.com/eat/fire-cider-benefits#recipes

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/fire-cider-benefits#benefits

https://scienceandartofherbalism.com/what-is-fire-cider/

More Fire Cider Resources

Using Art to Heal

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000

I am a big fan of art. I'm not the greatest at it myself though. The closest I can get to making anything artistic is tie dye and weaving potholders. There are a lot of creative people out there. We have a lot of art and craft fairs locally. The work some people create is really amazing. Even browsing Etsy is a great way to view what people are creating. Art is fun to look at, but it is also another tool used in healing. It is commonly used in treating mental health conditions including trauma, depression, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), stress, substance abuse, anxiety and even cancer. The idea is that expressing yourself through creativity helps reduce stress and improve mental wellness. A person creates art to represent how they feel on the inside. Bringing those feelings out helps with healing on the inside. Colors are associated with emotions. For example, red is anger, yellow is happy, blue is calm. All kinds of art may be used in therapy including drawing, painting, photography, coloring, sculpting, pottery. Even tie dye is a form of art. Many of the dye artists I follow have recovered from substance abuse by making tie dye. People who are physically unable to create art can guide an art therapist on what colors to use and the art design. Creating a work of art helps boost a person's confidence and self esteem by providing a feeling of accomplishment. I know every time I finish a project, it's pretty rewarding to look at it and know I created it. Opening up a fresh tie dye is like opening a present. It's exciting to see the end results. Challenge: Try incorporating art into your life. Do something simple like grab a box of crayons and print out a coloring sheet from the internet or do something more complicated by learning how to draw. Take a class or watch some free videos on YouTube. Just try to have fun with it. Resources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9472646/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8397377/ https://www.priorygroup.com/priory-treatment-programmes/therapy-types/art-therapy #ads More Art Therapy Resources

Risks of Storing Food in Plastic Containers

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0000

I have a bunch of plastic food storage containers that always seem to pile up and fall out of the cupboard whenever I open it. It's so annoying that I'm finally switching over to having a small supply of glass containers instead. I do tend to randomly break glasses, so I hope this works out.
I got a couple of glass container sets for Christmas. I also use mason jars to store food. I started doing that just because I have a bunch of extra ones on hand, but they are actually a pretty cheap option. There are various size options and you get a dozen in a set for less than $20. They work out pretty well for re-packaging items like flours, nuts and seeds that come in resealable bags. Glass is much easier to clean than plastic and can safely be used to heat food without weakening the container. The only downfall of glass is breakage, so you just have to be a little more careful.
Storing food in glass containers is much better for your health. When my son was a baby, BPA in plastic was in the news. His pediatrician said it was just a media thing. Years later, the health risks of BPA are well known and you can buy plastic containers without BPA. That's a start, but they still contain many other chemicals. Another chemical called BPS is also substituted for BPA. These chemicals have been found to cause a wide variety of health problems, including thyroid issues, cancer and hormone regulation which affects issues such as infertility, reproductive problems. Plastic chemicals can also cause birth defects and developmental problems in children. Plastics may affect metabolism causing weight gain.
Plastic containers break down over time. Heating food in plastic containers and older containers are more likely to leach chemicals into your food which then end up in your body, building up over time and causing health problems.

Challenge:
Work on reducing your usage of plastic containers in favor of glass containers.
A few options are:

Glass storage containers
Mason jars

Resources:
https://www.foodmatters.com/article/5-reasons-to-avoid-plastic-containers
https://www.ecowatch.com/plastic-container-health-risk-2653620879.html
https://www.center4research.org/plastic-wrap-plastic-food-containers-safe/

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Benefits of Time Restricted Eating

noreply@blogger.com (Ice Princess) — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Fasting is a health area that I have avoided until a few months ago. I like to eat and on a regular schedule with breakfast, lunch and dinner. My alternative wellness doctor suggested intermittent fasting to try moving my blood sugar lower. For years the HbA1c has fluctuated between 5.6 and 5.8, not in the diabetic range, but always in the pre-diabetic range no matter what I do. I only weigh about 100 lbs, so there's not exactly weight to lose. Anyways, I agreed to try intermittent fasting and it hasn't been as bad as I imagined. I had about 11 hours between dinner and breakfast and have pushed it to 14 hours. It was easier for me to push breakfast a little later than to move dinner earlier. I really haven't noticed any health improvements other than losing a few pounds, so I guess the real test will be to see if there is any improvement in blood sugar numbers when I get re-tested. Time restricted eating is only eating during a certain window of time during the day. For example, I'm eating between 10am and 8pm. I don't eat anything outside of those hours. Most of that time is spent sleeping, but in the early morning when I am awake, I just drink water, green tea with lemon and a small cup of lemon in hot water, no food. The bare minimum eating window should be 12 hours for most everyone. Variations after that could be not eating for 14, 16 or 18 hours. Other variations include fasting for 24 hours one day per week and then a 12 hour window the rest of the week.
There are supposed to be health benefits associated with time restricted eating and fasting. They include the following:

weight and body fat loss
increases autophagy which is the bodies ability to repair and clear out bad cells
improve blood sugar regulation
reduced inflammation in the body

Challenge:
Try going 12 hours between dinner and breakfast the next day. You can still consume unsweetened liquids that don't have calories, like water. Black coffee and green tea are ok. You don't have to decrease the amount of calories you normally eat. You just have to eat normal, healthy foods in a shorter amount of time.

Resources:
https://drjockers.com/best-intermittent-fasting-strategies/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7262456/
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/time-restricted-eating
https://draxe.com/nutrition/time-restricted-eating/

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