Living Well Naturally

Clean your home without chemicals

2012-04-12T08:20:00.000-04:00

Many of our home cleaning products contain dangerous petroleum based chemicals. Even if you're label savy, manufactures don't have to list the chemicals contained in their "secret formulas." When used inside our homes, these chemicals build up and contaminate the air we breathe, at the very least causing allergies and respiratory distress. The use of antibacterial soaps and cleaners is unnecessary as plain old soap kills these same germs.

If you're concerned as I am about the dangerous effects that modern cleaning products can have on your health, you'll find the article written by Dr. Mercola very useful. It provides helpful information on how to use common household products like vinegar, baking soda, borax, hydrogen peroxide, etc for all your cleaning needs around the house.

Here is the link to Dr. Mercola's article, How to keep your home clean naturally.

If you prefer the convenience of ready made natural cleaners, Solay Wellness offers a complete line of home cleaning products such as a multi- purpose cleaner, laundry liquid, dishwashing liquid, and a fruit and vegetable wash. Here's more information on their products. (for the cleaning products, click on the highlighted words below, then select "Natural Home", then the "cleaners" tab)

Solay Simple Cleaning Products

Conventional cleaning products might be affective in killing germs on your hardwood floors or your kitchen counters, but they leave behind dangerous chemicals that could potentially harm your family. Solay simple natural cleaners utilize the power of natural salt to safely clean and sanitize your home without jeopardizing your health. National health and wellness club member tested and approved.

An apple a day

2012-02-29T07:40:00.000-05:00

It's not just an old wives tale - An apple a day really can keep the doctor away.

A recent study was done where 6 people were placed on a diet low in antioxidants for 2 days, then followed with 600 grams of unpeeled red-delicious apples. Afterward their blood was taken at 0, 3, 6 and 24 hours. Their white blood cells where exposed to a significant oxidant stress in a test tube, and found that the apple consumption protected the cells. As time passed over the next 24 hours, the protection decreased, so an apple each day does indeed provide anti-oxidant protection.

Preventing damage to your white blood cells from oxidation helps prevent all kinds of illnesses. It's important to eat the peel as well, and if at all possible eat organic apples to avoid chemical sprays.

Thinking of remodeling your bathroom?

2012-02-29T07:19:00.000-05:00

Bathroom and kitchen renovations usually give you the biggest return on your money spent. And if you're planning to sell your home anytime in the future, your bathroom and kitchen should be up to date to attract buyers and get the best price for your home.

When it comes to bathrooms, buyers tend to want a large luxurious bathroom, complete with a soaking tub, separate shower, double sink vanity including the trendy vessel sinks, and an overall spa-like feeling where they can relax away the stress of the day. Granite and marble countertops and floors are always a plus, even if you're planning your remodeling project for your own pleasure because of their durability and timeless style.

Large scale renovation is not usually for the do-it-yourselfer and is best left to qualified contractors. If you have a San Diego bathroom remodel planned, consider Lars Remodel.com. Their site offers remodeling tips to help with the planning of your project, and their experienced remodeling San Diego experts can help every step of the way in the design and building of the bathroom of your dreams.

(sponsored by LarsRemodel.com)

Celery - herb or vegetable?

2012-02-28T08:47:00.000-05:00

Some sources list celery as an herb, while others as a vegetable. The history of celery dates back as far as King Tutankhamun, as garlands of celery leaves were found in his tomb, and was used to make the winner's wreaths for Ancient Greece's Isthmian Games.

As a vegetable, celery is used around the world in many dishes. It's seeds are used to make a valuable volatile oil used in perfume and the pharmaceutical industry, and also contain an organic compound called apiol. Celery salt is made from both the seeds and roots of the plant. Celery seeds were used to relieve pain as far back as 30 AD, but it's not recognized by modern medicine. Celery was also grown because of it's anti toxic properties and thought to be a cleansing tonic. Celery is often used in weight loss programs because of it's low calorie/high fiber content. There's a common belief that the human body has difficulty digesting celery, and that negative calories result because more calories are burned than can be extracted.

A small number of people are allergic to celery, and these reactions can result in severe anaphylactic shock. Celery root is known to cause more problems than the stalks, while the seeds contain the highest levels of allergen.

The wild form of celery is called "smallage," and the whole plant has an earthy taste and distinctive smell. Leaves are used in salads and the seeds as a spice. In North America, commercially grown celery is usually the Pascal variety. Cultivars are available for home gardeners, and are very similar to the wild varieties but have more stout leaf stems. The two classes are white and red, with the white cultivars being the best overall flavored, and crisp and tender tasting.