I Sprouted!!

I am just so proud of myself!

I sprouted my long-grain brown rice for the very first time. I couldn't stop there. I sprouted some green split peas and red lentils.

I am a bit new to the sprouting thing but am always broadening my "natural and healthy foods" horizon. Sprouting has several health benefits. It just makes sense. Live foods are healthier than dead foods, and if it can sprout, you know it is "alive".

My mom is reading a book that says, "If it doesn't rot or sprout, you can do without."

Yeah, yeah, I know--M&Ms don't sprout.

If you are wrinkling your nose and furrowing your brow thinking, "what is she up to now?" you can go here to find some sprouting links.

Home Made Dishwashing Detergent

I have been searching high and low for a recipe like this. Found it, I believe, here. Lots of great tips on that blog!



This detergent is so easy to make, and only calls for 3 ingredients!!!



Here's what you need:



*1 cup baking soda



*1 cup borax



*2-3 TBSP unsweetened lemonade or citric acid. (My slightly obsessed friend said she saw just plain citric acid at Sprouts, our local health food store.)



**Just mix and use about 2 TBSP per load.





I have used it now for about 4 loads of dishes, and it seems to be working just fine. I've got one of those "wash before you wash" dishwashers, so my dishes don't go in with big chunks of food left on them. Don't know how this home made detergent would do on unrinsed dishes. Anyway, I like it--it's a keeper!

Works For Me Wednesday: Yogurt & Eczema

I just wanted to pass along this article from Stonyfield about the positive effects yogurt can have on eczema.

Two out of my three kids have suffered with this skin condition as babies and into their toddler years, and Stonyfield yogurt has been a part of their daily diets for quite some time. I also use Dannon Naturals yogurt. Now at ages 6 and 3, my two are eczema free and have been for a while.

While I have used many other natural remedies over the years, which is another post in and of itself, maybe their daily dose of Yo Baby/Yo Kids yogurt has been a tremendous help! I have been very fortunate to be able to keep allopathic treatments far, far away.

Visit Rocksinmydryer for more WFMW tips!

Bella Lucce

I recently got in touch with an old, elementary school chum. In fact she (Lela) was my very first friend when I moved to Tennessee in 4th grade. She was the only peer that was truly nice to me, and the only classmate to attend my birthday party that spring.

A few years ago I was hoping to see her at my 10 year high school reunion, but she was unable to come. Since then I have been meaning to get in touch with her, but you know how things go, I just wasn't getting around to it. Finally, through another friend, I tracked down her info. in order to drop her a line. I knew she had started her own skin care business, but had NO IDEA how successful this gal had become!! After sending her an email, I decided to browse her site, Bellalucce.com and was simply amazed.

Her products are all natural which is right up my alley, and not only that they are made with the most exotic and delicious sounding ingredients imaginable! The Chocolate Spa collection sounds absolutely heavenly, and the Pumpkin Glow Body Scrub would be great for this pumpkin lover!! (Hubby, feel free to take notes. :)) And that is just scratching the surface of her amazing line of beauty products.

Her business was voted 2007 Indie Beauty Business of the Year! Wow, I was and am so impressed. She has an inspiring "rags to riches" story, and I am truly happy for her!!! You can go to her home page now and register to win a Bella Lucce gift box.

It has been fun chatting with my old friend and reminiscing a bit. :) I would love to know what you think of her products!

Works For Me Wednesday: Grapefruit Seed Extract

Since I am right in the middle of battling a cold/sore throat, I thought I would take a moment to share a wonderful, natural product that I use instead of antibiotics.

For a couple of years now, I have been using Grapefruit Seed Extract for the whole family. Mostly I use it when someone is sick, but I have used it as a preventative also. I have even added a few drops to water and used it as a multi-purpose cleaner. After doing quite a bit if research, I have found many other uses for it, too. Here, is where you can take a moment to read about Grapefruit Seed Extract.

The actual brand that I buy is NutriBiotic The Original GSE Liquid Concentrate.
This link will take you to the home page. It is easy to spot this stuff in a white bottle with a red cap. I buy it at my local health food store, and a 4 FL. OZ. bottle costs around $20.00. It lasts a long time, though. I have had the same bottle for over a year. It just takes a few drops, and there are about 4000 drops per bottle. We take ours in a little bit of orange juice instead of water since the taste is quite horrible!!!

I just found out that Elijah Wood uses this product as well. Now I really feel special!!

Anyway, I make sure that we never run out of this amazing formula--it has definitely worked for us!

For more fantastic tips go here.

Works For Me Wednesday: Natural Carpet Deodorizer

Want an alternative to perfumey, sneeze inducing, allergy inviting carpet powder? Well, search no further. Here is yet another way to incorporate baking soda into your everyday life!


Recipe for Natural Carpet Deodorizer:


* 10 drops Tea Tree oil
* 10 drops Lemon oil
* 20 drops Lavender oil
*1 16oz. box of baking soda


Mix baking soda and essential oils very thoroughly in a large bowl. Make sure the lemon oil is mixed well so that no undiluted lemon oil stains your carpet. ( I had no problems with this) Store mixture in a glass jar or airtight container.



When ready to use, sprinkle onto your carpet and allow to sit for about 10-20 minutes. Then vacuum it up! ( A clean large spice container that has holes works nicely for sprinkling onto the carpet.)



Recipe came from www.aromaweb.com


FYI:


Medicinal properties of lemon oil: antibacterial, antiseptic, antifungal, antiviral, calming, diuretic, lowers blood pressure. Lavender oil: analgesic, antibacterial, antifungal, anthelmintic (destroys intestinal worms), anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antiviral, decongestant. Tea tree oil: antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, analgesic, decongestant, causes sweating.


Oil info came from the book, What To Do When Antibiotics Don't Work! By, Dirk Van Gils




I have used this recipe many times and it definitely works for me!!!

For more great Works For Me Wednesdays, visit Rocks in my Dryer.

Works For Me Wednesday: Lavender

Lavender has become one of my very best friends, in fact my hubby as referred to me once or twice as the "Lavender Lady". A few years ago I began using a homemade lavender spray to disinfect my home instead of Lysol. I just fill a 20 oz. spray bottle with water and add about 10 drops of lavender oil. Swish and you are ready to mist just about any surface! I do avoid getting it on the wooden furniture,though. I lightly mist couches, door knobs, bedding, bathroom surfaces, stuffed animals, the "air" in general, and I even use it to clean my kitchen counters, the fridge, etc, etc... The best part is, you don't have to worry about it being toxic to your kids. In fact sometimes I mist them!! Inhaling the fumes leaves you feeling calm and relaxed.




You can find the essential oil of lavender at most health food stores. Here is a photo of the kind I buy. (Aura Cacia) There are many other great brands, though. Just depends on what your local health food store carries.








Here are a few facts about the pure essential oil of lavender for those who may not be familiar with it.





*natural antibiotic


*natural antiseptic


*natural sedative


*natural detoxifier


*promotes healing and prevents scarring


*stimulates immune system





**Though most essential oils are considered safe when used correctly, always keep out of reach of children. Most oils should not be used unless they are first diluted.

One of the books that I have found most helpful concerning the subject of essential oils is, The Complete Book Of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy, by Valerie Ann Worwood.

For more Works For Me Wednesdays, go here.

Health Nut

I claim to be a health nut, not a health freak. I never want to be labeled a hypocrite in this area so I will admit right off the bat that I have an insatiable sweet tooth! I absolutely LOVE chocolate, most desserts, anything with carbs, a good juicy fast food hamburger every once in a while(although I might have a harder time enjoying this treat after viewing Superkraut's cow photos), Papa John's pineapple pizza, M&Ms( it is nothing for me to eat a huge bag in one day), and well the list goes on and on. Now that I have a clear conscience, I can move forward with what I really wanted to write about.
Alot has changed since I was a little girl, and there is still lots of changing to do. My grocery shopping fantasy is to one day be able to do ALL of my grocery shopping at Wild Oats! (Ecxept when I need that bag of M&M's) I grew up on Hamburger Helper, canned veggies, Little Debbie's, Kool-Aid, antibiotics, and nuked food out the whazoo, but ever since I started seeing a Chiropractor at the age of 14, I have been hooked on anything and everything that has to do with a natural, alternative healthy lifestyle. What is really funny, though, is that I am married to someone who cares as much about this topic as I care about camping. Any reputable matchmaking company would have never put us together based upon our eating habits. Come to think of it, we are pretty much opposites about everything, but since it was The Matchmaker who put us together, I can confidently say we are just right for one another. I would HATE to be married to someone just like me!! (I am kinda hard to live with!)
For over a decade I have spent many hours researching herbology, aromatherapy, homeopathy, healthy eating, etc... and have been trying my best to put all of the knowledge I have acquired into practice. There is still SO much more I want to learn, and half the stuff I have already learned I have forgotten. While I am by no means an expert, I hope to use my blog as an outlet to share some of the things that I have learned. If you have any tips, please share. I'm on the edge of my seat when it comes to health!
My pictures wouldn't load, and I am tired of trying. So I will go ahead and post pictureless=(

Ahhh! The Smell of Bleach

In today's modern world of chemical chaos we (or at least I did) tend to think of the word CLEAN when inhaling the noxious, overpowering scents of Bleach, Pine-Sol, Endust, Ajax, and the list goes on and on. Now, that I have been using more natural products, I can barely go down the cleaning isle in the store without holding my breath!



I have been experimenting with more natural cleaning alternatives for quite some time now, but still haven't mastered the art of getting rid of mold that way. Unfortunately, I still have to resort to the other stuff=(. When I don't have time to prepare my own concoctions from scratch, which has been alot lately, I use Seventh Generation. So far I like it. Go there now to print coupons!!