NaturalCounselor Health and Wellness Blog For Women

Spring can be your sign not only to start with a green cleanse or green detox, but also to make your home toxic free and eco-friendly with green detox at home ideas.

While taking care of the “environment in you” with a green detox, you can also begin by becoming more aware of the environment around you .

From all around us we absorb toxins from the food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink, etc. So to be healthy, we also need to take care of our house, making it both cleaner and greener, eco friendly and toxic free.

Try these green living and chemical free cleaning green detox at home ideas.

I. Let’s start with the kitchen, one of the most popular rooms in the house

• For washing dishes, cleaning the floor or counters, doing laundry, switch to earth friendly, non-toxic products containing natural ingredients, without dyes or perfumes. Sometimes white vinegar (for cleaning glass deposits) or baking soda (for the sink) can do the trick.
• Switch to healthy preparation surfaces and pots and pans, for example:

Bamboo: bamboo cutting boards (always use separate boards for meat and vegetables to avoid cross contamination);

Teflon Free: eco friendly, non-toxic, Teflon free cookware (teflon coating breaks down and emits certain chemicals and particles at certain temperature; studies show that Perfluorooctanoic acid, a chemical used to make Teflon has been linked to cancer and birth defects; avoid Teflon-coated cookware especially if it’s scratched); do your research and choose wisely, paying attention to the description of the product.

II. Next step is your bathroom

• switch to soaps that contain natural ingredients, towels made of organic materials, shampoo without harsh chemicals;
• use a head shower filter to remove harmful substances from your shower water.

Did you know your skin is your largest organ? Our skin breathes to help us get rid of toxins, but can you imagine how much chlorine and other chemicals you can absorb through your skin while inhaling hot steam during your 10 minute shower?

III. Everywhere Else

• when repainting, look for water-based latex paints low in gaseous chemicals (benzene and formaldehyde can be a source of air pollution in the house);
• for the floor use environmentally sound materials with non-toxic ingredients (bamboo, solid wood, cork, etc.) Vinyl flooring is cheap but it may release harmful chemicals;
• look for eco friendly materials for your carpeting too. Sometimes they are a little bit more expensive (i.e. pure wool carpet) but it’s worth spending money, especially if you have kids and want them to be healthy;

Its never too late to start making the right choices to be healthy and raise a healthy and happy family. So, let us be choice smart and chemical free.

Breathe (only clean air), smile and be happy.

© Irina Wardas, HHC

Women’s Holistic Health and Nutrition Coach and Counselor

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Most of  people think that having cravings is a bad thing and that we have to do our best to get rid of them.

It’s not true!

Our cravings tell us that some brain chemicals are missing in our bodies. Having cravings is a unique way of our bodies communicate with us and a wonderful tool for finding which foods work best for us.

In general, we might have cravings if we:

• don’t drink enough water (dehydration is considered to be a mild hunger);
• are bored, stressed out, dissatisfied with our relationship, (emotional eating);
• eat too much sugar, salt, processed food;
• don’t eat enough seasonal foods;
• have hormonal changes;
• don’t eat some foods for a long period of time.

Tips to Beat Sugar and Chocolate Cravings

Whenever we have cravings, our body tries to tell us something, which means it’s time to learn how to listen to our body in order to understand its needs and imbalances.

• Feel like eating sweet foods?

It always means that your blood sugar is low and your body is asking for energy.

Try to eat more sweet potatoes, yams, winter squash, beets, carrots.

Whole foods such as grains, beans, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds will be very helpful because they contain complex carbohydrates – chains of three or more single sugar molecules linked together- and are digested slowly and steadily.

Studies show this helps control blood sugar, diabetes, and insulin levels. Because whole foods are rich in fiber, they can help with weight loss and detox of your body.

• Feel like eating chocolate?

Did you know that chocolate (dark, healthy for us) is very rich in Magnesium? People who crave chocolate may have a  low Magnesium level. They can also eat more whole foods, such as beans ((mung, aduki, black), whole grains (buckwheat, millet, barley), nuts and seeds (almonds, cashews, sesame seeds). A good source of Magnesium is spirulina, dried seaweeds, chlorella.

Learning how to listen to our bodies can be a rewarding process.

Let us be crave smart to feel and look fabulous, shall we?

Breathe, smile and be happy.

©Irina Wardas, HHC

Women’s Holistic Health Coach and Nutrition Counselor

Have you included changing your bad habits in your New Year Resolutions? Did you listen to my interview with Lorena Heletea, Life Success Consultant on changing habits? You should.

I also would like to share with you an excerpt from the article Six Ways to Change Your Habits by Madeline Vann, MPH I found in online magazine www.everydayhealth.com

* Make your old habit difficult or unpleasant. One of the factors that keep us locked in a bad habit is that it may be easier and more rewarding than a good habit. You want to reverse that balance. For example, if you want to stop playing video games and get more sleep, try moving your computer or game center out of your bedroom and into the unfurnished, unventilated basement. Likewise, people who want to give up snacking on unhealthy chips or cookies should ban them from the house.

* Make changing habits rewarding. Just as you make your old habit unpleasant, try to make your new habit easier to do and more attractive. For example, if getting enough sleep is the issue, make your bedroom more comfortable and relaxing. If healthy eating is your concern, find ways to make nutritious snacks more available and tasty.

* Get support. It often helps to be with other people who are trying to change similar habits. This can give you emotional support when times get tough as well as tips and ideas for achieving success.

* Believe in yourself. People who believe in their ability to carry out lasting change and feel competent enough to carry out the various steps involved, whether that means switching to a healthier diet or learning to use condoms for safer sex, are more likely be successful in changing habits. One way to strengthen your belief in yourself is to take note of small successes on your way to the big goal.

* Use affirmations. Creating affirmations — positive statements that support your ability to make change — is a powerful way to begin changing habits “as long as [they] are grounded in reality,” says Harry Wallace, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.

* Take baby steps. Break the process of change down into steps — and take note of your success at each stage. This will build your belief in your ability to succeed. The steps you take can include: committing to making the change, education about the change you want to make, preparation for change, practice, and repetition. 

Click to listen to our discussion with Frankie Picasso on How to Find Our Mojo and Overcome Mid-Life Crisis.

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition Coach, Counselor and Radio Show Host

NaturalCounselor.com

How much would you like it if you could get through the Holidays and the Cold / Flu Season staying healthy and happy, and without gaining too much weight?

I would like to share with you ten tips to stay healthy and feel and look fabulous:

1. Start your day with a glass of warm water flavored with the juice of ½ lemon. This simple drink will help detox your liver and colon and can help suppress your appetite. As for me, I like to take a glass of warm water with 1 tbsp organic apple-cider vinegar and ½ tsp organic honey.

2. Eat as many high-fiber foods as you can,  My favorite high fiber foods are: fresh fruits, raw green leafy vegetables (kale, collard greens, dandelion greens, spinach, arugula), whole-grain oatmeal, barley, asparagus, beans, cabbage, carrots, garlic, kale, sweet potatoes, cranberries, prunes.

Also, try to consume plenty of foods that are high in pectin, such as apples, carrots, beets, cabbage, citrus fruits.

3. Wash your hands to eliminate germs that can make you sick.  Don’t touch your face if you don’t need to: germs can enter you through your face (eyes, nose and mouth). Its easy to end up touching your face hundreds of times a day; the fewer time the better.

4. Take a break from protein, dairy products, fat and sweets, instead eat more: soups, such as Pumpkin Soup, Mushroom Pumpkin Soup, Butternut Squash Soup, Fennel Soup, etc; grains, such as brown rice, millet, quinoa, buckwheat (especially good for weigh loss); and seasonal vegetables.

5. Drink more water or drink teas with nettles, ginger, clover, dandelion, burdock root.

6. Use detox spices such as turmeric, coriander, cumin, fennel, rosemary, oregano, ginger. Try an Immunity Boosting Spices Mix.

7. Use omega-3 foods daily (walnuts, flax seed oil or freshly ground flax seeds, salmon)

8. Between meals have healthy snacks (walnuts, raisins, almonds, prunes, figs, carrots, celery, etc.)

9. Move your body (also known as exercise) – take a short walk before and/or after your meal.

10. Take time to reduce stress and  relax: listen to music, enjoy nature, spend time with your friend, dance, or maybe have some extra sleep .

Visit my Radio Show for Women for more tips on “Boosting Your Immunity During Cold and Flu Season” with Naturopath and Raw Food Coach Pamela Reilly

And never forget to breathe, smile and be happy.

© Irina Wardas, HHC

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition Counselor, Coach and Relationship Expert