Wondrous Baking Soda!

1.Washing Up To a bowl of hot water, add 1 tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda & the juice of half a lemon .
2.Dishwasher Powder Make up a powder for the dishwasher by mixing 2 tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda with 2 tablespoons of borax substitute.
3.Cleaning Sinks Either place bicarbonate of soda directly onto a damp cloth or make up a paste of soda with a little water. Wipe around the sink & rinse well.
4.Cooker Tops As above, make a paste of soda & water and apply with a cloth. Wipe over well and rinse with cold water.
5.Blocked Drains Pour about 16 tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda down the sink and then pour in about 120ml of white distilled vinegar. Put the plug in for a couple of minutes as the 2 chemicals will fizz. Rinse through with boiling water
6.Scouring Powder Mix together equal quantities of bicarbonate of soda, borax substitute & salt as a scouring powder on heavy grease and dirt.
7.Oven Cleaner Dampen the floor of the oven, sprinkle with bicarbonate of soda and dampen again. Leave the mixture overnight and then remove with a cloth. Rinse with hot water.
8.Fabric Conditioner To make your own fabric conditioner, mix equal quantities of water, bicarbonate of soda and vinegar in a storage bottle, take care as the vinegar & soda will fizz up. Add ¼ cup of conditioner to your wash.
9.Deodorising Drains To freshen drains & help prevent blockages, pour a cup of bicarbonate of soda down the drain and then wash down with some boiling water.
10.Bathroom Cleaning To clean all areas in the bathroom, including baths, sinks, tiles etc, make a paste of bicarbonate if soda and water. To give a fresh smell add a couple of drops of lemon essential oil. Using a cloth, wipe around the bathroom & rinse well to remove the white residue.
11.Toilet Cleaning To clean the toilet bowl, sprinkle in bicarbonate of soda, add white vinegar and scour with a brush.
12.Grout Cleaning To clean grout make up a paste of 2 parts bicarbonate of soda and one part vinegar or lemon juice (this will fizz up). Apply the paste to the grout with a toothbrush, leave for 10 mins and then rinse off with warm water
13.Pet Odours To help freshen carpets, sprinkle bicarbonate of soda on the carpet, leave for 10 mins and then vacuum up.
14.Fridge Odours To eliminate smells in the fridge, leave a box of bicarbonate of soda, opened in the fridge. Stir occasionally and replace after about 3 months.
15.Air Freshener Mix 8 tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda with 3- 4 drops of essential oil and place in a bowl.
16.Clean Fruit & Vegetables Place the fruit or vegetables in a bowl of water with a sprinkle of bicarbonate of soda, wash and then rinse.
17.Laundry Add ½ cup of bicarbonate of soda to a load of washing to help with the removal of stains and grease.
18.Thermos Flasks To get rid of smells in a thermos, fill the thermos with hot water and add a spoonful of bicarbonate of soda. Leave to soak for at least 30 mins then empty and rinse.
19.Chopping Board. Regularily give your chopping board a deep clean by spreading bicarb over the surface and spray with vinegar. Let it bubble for a while and then rinse with hot water.
20.Onion Odour. To remove the odour of onion and garlic from wooden or other porous surfaces, sprinkle some bicarb on to a damp cloth and rub into the surface. Rinse with water.
21.Dishwasher Cleaning. Freshen up your dishwasher by adding about 150g of bicarb and running it through a rinse cycle.
22.Plastic Food boxes. Remove odours from plastic food boxes by filling them with very hot water, add 1 tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda. a few drops of liquid detergent and 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Leave to stand for 15mins, or longer, then rinse clean.
23.Tea & Coffee stains. Use a paste of bicarb to remove tea & coffee stains from cups.
24.Microwave Cleaning. To clean the microwave wipe the inside with a solution of 4 tablespoons of baking soda to 2 pints of water. Another method is to p lace some bicarb and water into a microwave-safe cup and place in the microwave. Allow to boil for 3 – 5 mins. The damp inside walls of the microwave can be now be easily wiped clean with a cloth.
25.Cleaning Silver. Remove tarnish from silver by applying a paste of water and bicarb with a damp sponge, rinse & buff dry.
26.Rust. To remove rust from metal chair or table legs, make a paste of 1 tablespoon baking soda with a teaspoon of water. Apply to the rust with a damp cloth, scrub lightly with a piece of aluminium foil & wipe clean with a paper towel.
27.Wooden floors. Remove water spots from wooden floors by applying a bicarb solution on a damp cloth. (Remember not to get the wood too wet as this may damage it)
28.Walls. To clean marks, such as crayon, pencil or grease, off washable walls use bicard on a wet sponge and scrub gently.
29.Carpet Stains. Remove wine or grease stains from carpet by lightly sprinkling area with baking soda. Dab it up and add a little more if necessary. Leave on until the wine is absorbed, then vacuum up any residue left.
30.Septic Tanks. Wash a cup of baking soda down a toilet or drain once a week to help maintain or restore the pH of a septic tank. The regular addition of baking soda helps prevent corrosion of concrete as well as metal septic tanks.
31. 'No Poo' mix with some warm water to make a paste, follow with a diluted apple cider vinegar rinse(add a couple drops of fragrant essential oils prior to a final cool water rinse:).

Tuesday!

October 5th Balance

Whether you are suffering in this life, or smiling with opulence and power, your consciousness should remain unchanged. If you can accomplish even-mindedness, nothing can ever hurt you. The lives of all great masters show that they have achieved this blessed state. --Paramahansa Yogananda, "Man's Eternal Quest"

Monday!

October 4th Balance

Do not make unimportant things important, nor concentrate on trifles at the expense of vital matters, or you will hamper your progress. Impulsive actions that are not in keeping with one's duties are undesirable. --Paramahansa Yogananda, in a "Para-gram"

Bliss!

1 cucumber
1 green apple
1 lemon, peeled and seeded
1 piece of ginger
1/2 head of Romaine lettuce
1/2 Haas Avocado
water for blending


I have a really good day when I have a quart of watermelon rind juice, some watermelon, the Liguid Light shake, a few pints of green juice, and some coconut water. Wow! Wow! Wow!

Yummy Brekkie!

2 TBS chia seed
2 TBS hemp seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
raisins and coconut to taste (about 1 tbs. each)
sm packet stevia or Tbs. maple syrup
almond milk

Wonderous Coconut!

Foods that have an incredible array of health benefits that go well beyond just their nutrient value are considered 'super-foods.' Mothers' milk is considered the most perfect food on the planet for human consumption do to its ideal nutritional content and immune boosting compounds. The closest match in nature to mothers' milk is found within the coconut. This tropical staple is loaded with many powerful fatty acids that give it a unique taste and an abundance of health enhancing benefits.

Coconut oil is rich in healthy small to medium chained saturated fats called medium chain triglycerides or MCTs. Most common vegetable or seed oils consist of long chain fatty acids (LCFAs), also known as long-chain triglycerides or LCTs. The LCTs put more strain on the pancreas, liver, and GI tract. The body must package these LCTs with carrier proteins that require special enzymes to effectively metabolize.

These MCTs are smaller and permeate cell membranes easily without the need for carrier proteins and special enzymes. MCTs are sent directly to the liver where they are immediately converted into usable energy rather than being stored as fat. In fact, MCTs do not depend on bile or pancreatic enzymes to be effectively metabolized. This makes coconut oil fully digestible by those who have had their gallbladder removed.

Coconut oil is the most stable of all the commonly used fatty acid sources due to its high composition of saturated fats. This stability is very important because it reduces the free radical load on our bodies. Physiologist and biochemist Ray Peat, Ph.D. considers coconut oil to be an antioxidant due to its resistance to oxidation and free radical formation.

Coconut oil helps to balance hormones, stabilize blood sugar levels and boost the cellular healing process. It is also known to stimulate the thyroid and reduce stress on the liver and pancreas. This increases metabolism and helps us burn fat more effectively. Additionally, coconut oil increases our energy levels due to its very clean and easy digestive process.

Both mothers' milk and coconut oil are rich in the immune boosting lauric acid which is converted in our body to monolaurin. Monolaurin contains extraordinarily powerful anti-biotic, anti-viral, and anti-fungal properties. Unlike man-made anti-biotics and anti-virals these fatty acids pose no danger within our bodies. They are completely harmless to us, yet powerful at destroying harmful microbes by damaging the cell membrane of these competing organisms. This makes coconut oil one of the best foods to eat during cold/flu season.

These MCTs are also known for their ability to speed the healing process of cuts and bruises by destroying dangerous microbes and enhancing cellular metabolism and tissue repair. It is also very soothing and great at reducing stress when it is applied onto face, temples, and scalp.

Coconut oil is fantastic for keeping the skin and connective tissue strong and supple. It helps protect skin from the aging effects of free radicals and naturally reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles. It is also one of best nutritional moisturizers for our hair and scalp. Applying coconut oil has been known to enhance texture and highlights in hair while eliminating dandruff and dry skin.

Using Coconut Oil: (Always get Extra-virgin coconut oil)
1.Rub into hair and onto skin as a moisturizer after shower.
2.Use as a natural deodorant by applying to underarms.
3.Use coconut oil when you cook due to its incredible stability
4.Take 1-4 tsp of extra-virgin coconut oil in raw form daily
5.Use coconut milk for shakes, smoothies, and creamy recipes
6.Snack on coconut

Thought of the Day!

One purpose in discovering your own personality is to know how you affect others.
Consciously, or unconsciously, people feel your personality, and their reaction is a clue."
- Paramhansa Yogananda

Quest to be Greener, ecologically!

It's official I'm no longer a Ebay virgin! I purchased a lovely handwoven S. Asian styled short-sleeved, People Tree Nepalese-crafted shirt from a lovely seller in Olympia, Washington in good ole USA! It's a really lovely shirt that's been made with love(It's nice knowing that talented artisans(hand weavers etc.) have not been exploited in any way.

Did you know that one hand loom saves a tonne of CO2 a year. In India, the textile or 'Khadi' (sp) industry is still the second biggest trade after agriculture?

My aim is consume less overall and if I do purchase essential stuff it will be from a resourceful source that's kind to people and planet ie freecycle, ebay, thrift shops etc. I draw the line with second-hand under garments thought!

Luscious, lemony surprise!

Appreciated a rather healthy and scrummy concoction(raw vegan cereal:) of sprouted buckwheat, ripe bananas and the juice of 1 lemon. This was especially sublime as this was a experiential dish full of bioflavonoids, amino acids, calcium, rutin, b vitamins, vitamin c and would make an ideal healthy fuel start for all the family(I'm sure growing children would appreciate this too:). I was soo exited that I had to share this yummy recipe with ya all!

Namaste!

I am Blessed!

I am Blessed!

I appreciated a scrummy kale salad(I adore kale and determined to grow it in my garden forest when circumstances allow:) with the most deliciously-juicy sweet cherry tomatoes on the vine, garlic, pink salt, lime juice, rocket, red bell pepper, chili and olive oil dressing. It has to be one's favourite balanced meal in the Universe!

Positive News!

Inspired by this month's Yoga and Health magazine, one took advantage of the glorious sunny weather we've been blessed with lately, here in Blighty and took myself to the local park to for some restorative healing in the form of the Tibetan Rites and ancient asanas. I got over one's self-consciousness and just got on with it!

Just like to share with you a inspiring corporate business story that one read in the UK press recently(I loved it soo much I had to share with you all:):

Grocer's Organic Rooftop Allotment

'A London supermarket is sourcing organic vegetables - from it's roof. Lettuce, Curly Kale, Beets and Tomatoes are sprouting at Budgens in the Broadway, Crouch End, in what is believed to be the first supermarket garden. Food in the Sky was devised by store owner Andrew Thornton and designer Azul-Valerie Thome'.

Source: ES June 2010

It was soo refreshing to read that supermarket employees can really make a differenceto the community(Good work, Guys:) and may this be a start of many supermarket / corporate rooftop gardens!

Hemp Power!

Why Hemp?

The humble hemp seed is the most sustainable crop on earth! It's versatility is just mind-blowing! Unlike cotton production which poisons agriculture workers, uses up resources and contaminates water supplies, hemp grows abundantly without the use of fertilises and vast amounts of water.

*As a food it's a complete protein source as well as being a powerhouse of omega 3 essential fatty acids(essential for a healthy brain and heart:). These good fats help you to release excess weight unlike the undesirable trans fats in processed foods.

* As a clean fuel source unlike fossil fuels(oils, coal, tar etc.) that pollute and contaminate land and rivers significantly contributing to global warming and the mess we're in now.

* Hemp makes an excellent and durable fabric for clothes(bags, diapers etc.) and has far superior tensell strengh to cotton and repels more ultra violet rays then any other fabric.

*Hemp makes excellent ethical, skincare preparations(moisturizers etc.) it must be down to all the nourishing omega 3 essential fatty acids(I especially love the UK-made Yeoh brand:)

* Hemp makes a ethically-sourced paper unlike tree paper!

*The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was a disaster waiting to happen Oil is far from ethical and ultimate kills many lives on land and sea. People go to war over oil, fueling the ego and greed mentality. It plays a huge contribution to the deforestation of the rainforests(whether for animal production, industry or paper production) is wide-spread pollution and environmental degradation on a global scale. We can't plant enough trees, they're our lifeblood! I'm scared for our children's future. Ultimately, all this is down to is unnecessary irresponsible human behaviour. Time to mend our ways perhaps?

* Reuse, Recycle, Reduce

* Eat and wear Hemp(Go vegan, eat a plant-based high-water fuelled diet:)!

* Pratise Yoga / Meditation

Oopps!

I forgot to mention...... some excellent ethical personal care brands that put people and planet prior to profit that are definitely worth mentioning(I love them:)

* Dr. Bronner's castille soap all-purpose cleanser is utterly-delightful!

*Tom's of Maine toothpaste(You can make your own from baking soda, dried orange / lemon peel:)

* Kingfisher Toothpaste(UK)

*Oliva(sp) The pure olive oil soap that's all saponified olive oil(biodegradable:) from Greece!

No Poo!

I just like to share a no frills recipe for cleansing and conditioning hair. It also confirms that the mass-produced personal care products on sell on the market today are not only harmful to humans, mammals and the environment; they use up valuable vital resources and therefore unnecessary. These products are often full of toxic chemicals that destroy life. ie eco-systems, human and marine alike.

One way to change things is to 1, make your own 2, only support ethical companies that care:

*Jason US

*Green People UK

*Faith in Nature UK

* Avalon US / CAN

Remember! Good(Ethical)business thrives on supply and demand like any business, the more people that support good business the natural health industry will thrive and we all be healthy as a result, relying innately on our intuitive healing powers then 'big pharma'.

No poo: mix a little baking soda with water(simple:)

Rinse: diluted apple cider vinegar

DIY alternative: Indian soap nuts or a mixture of gram flour and water(mix, strain through muslin / stocking use the liquid part for washing hair:) You can also cleanse your body with this. As a rule of thumb(Human body is the largest organ)if you can't eat it, forget it!

An alternative to overpowering scent of the toxic fragrances / perfumes try a few drops of pure essential oil instead ie Jasmine, ylang Ylang, lemongrass etc.

Food for Thought!

Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.

~ Albert Einstein

We get old because we stop playing?

Sub-atomically we are one. We are all particles. Under a microscope you are a vibrating string theory, energy!

The soul never dies.

There is only one book: the book of nature

There is only one caste:the caste of humanity

There is only one religion: the religion of love

Nature's Beauty Secret!

Why do we need MSM?

Why do we need sulphur? Unknown to most of us, sulphur is one of the five basic elements of life. Sulphur is so critical to the formation if connective tissue that without it we would literally be shapeless pools of protoplasm! Sulphur also provides the chemical links that create collagen and keratin needed for beautiful, healthy skin, hair and nails. Sulphur is an activator of thiamine, Vitamin C, biotin, pantothenic acid. Sulphuris used by the liver to manufacture bile, a key element in digestion and is an important component in insulin production. Sulphur also is essential in maintaining the body's crucial acid/alkaline(pH) balance. For all these reasons and more we need an abundant supply of sulfur.
But as scientists have found, the depletion of our soils and the heatand processing used in food preparation destroy or greatly reduce MSM levels in our fruits, vegetables and meats. Research has also shown that MSM levels decrease with age, resulting in symptoms of fatigue, tissue, and organ degeneration and increase susceptibility to disease. Fortunately, researchers have now developed MSM as a dietary supplement and have used it in research studies with extraordinary results!

Wake Up!

Our health equals the health of wildlife and Earth. We are all connected. What you do each day impacts wildlife thousands of miles away. People should recognize that and adjust their lives accordingly to be a part of the solution rather than carry on being part of the disease we are calling global warming.

Home Remedy for Head lice

For head lice problem wash your hair with vinegar. It will kill all the nits in two days. Apply coconut oil to your head after shampoo and condition. Add ten to fifteen drops of tea tree oil into shampoo bottle and use it daily. Rub listerine mouth wash on your head. This will kill all the lice. Massage your head with mayonnaise and comb it after 2 hours. This will kill all the lice and their eggs. Apply a mixture of lemon and butter on your head, wait for 15 seconds and then rinse your head.