Personal Care / Parent

New Year – Time to Juice Cleanse???

Screen Shot 2017-01-03 at 7.23.22 AM

Happy 2017.  Here we go – it’s January again which means we are barraged with advertisements for weight loss products, gym memberships, exercise equipment and anything else catering to our wellness & weight loss resolutions.  If I see another advertisement for NutriSystem, Slim Fast or anything else I will scream.  But, there’s a reason we’re flooded with these commercials…most of us make a New Year’s resolution to lose weight and / or get healthier.  In the past few weeks, I’ve received several requests from neighbors to borrow my blenders and juicer for a juice cleanse.  But is a cleanse really the way to do it?  Doesn’t that seem fairly extreme?

Here’s my background in this (as I’ve stated I’m not a doctor, this is just my personal experience) – since the late 1990s, I fairly religiously (annually) went to a fasting spa in Palm Desert.  I usually went for one week at a time, but once I actually went for three weeks.  So, obviously, I personally have experienced the benefits of a pretty aggressive cleanse.  While at this spa, the daily routine consisted of a specific menu of drinks (no solid food) consisting of water, pureed vegetable soup and other concoctions and supplements meant for purifying the body and mind.  Then, interspersed with this, you would have colonics (if you don’t know what this is…google it…I’m not sure I’m going to provide specifics in this post!), practice yoga, go on long walks in the desert and just relax.  The first few days were sometimes difficult (note:  if you choose to cleanse, do yourself a favor and gradually eliminate caffeine and sugar over a few weeks before starting otherwise you’ll be in for a rude surprise), but then I felt amazing.  My skin glowed, my eyes were bright white and yes, I did lose weight.  Why did it work?  I think because (1) I was in the middle of nowhere, and I really had no distractions or temptations; and (2) I was almost guilted into making it work because it cost a sh%&load of money (pun intended).  The real challenge then began when I went home and immersed myself back in my normal life.

Back in the real world, it was hard to maintain any consistency with my juicing because life just got in the way:  business travel, client lunches and normal life which various beet + cucumber + kale + apple juices just didn’t provide the energy for.  The transition back to eating whole foods was critical having not eaten for a while (another helpful hint – if you do a juice fast, don’t immediately go back to your previous way of eating immediately.  Do so gradually – your digestive tract with thank me).

Since having a child, I haven’t made my annual pilgrimage to the desert.  But I do juice every now and then – not for a fast, but rather to get a boost of vitamins and minerals when I’m feeling sub par.  I have a fantastic juicer, and many times create a random combination of whatever fresh fruits and veggies I have on hand.  The juicer I have is the Kuvings Whole Slow Juicer.  Why did I get this one?  It’s definitely more expensive than the ones you can get at Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, etc., and here’s why:  (1)  unlike almost all traditional juicers, it presses / squeezes the produce – you can watch it actually be crushed – this is very important because this process extracts more nutrients and fiber out of the fruits and veggies (as compared to almost all other juicers that mince up the produce and spin it around to try to get the juice out).  The Kuvings Whole Slow Juicer will produce a lot more juice (and a lot less pulp) out of the same amount of produce vs. a cheaper / traditional version;  (2) it’s powerful – you can put an entire, small apple through the feeder chute – you don’t need to cut things up into super small pieces; (3) you can juice anything – I put kale, lettuce, parsley and other “hard to juice” things right down the chute; (4) it’s super quiet – traditional juicers are insanely loud and annoying; (5) it’s relatively easy to clean and put together; and (6) there’s a 10 year warranty.  Done.  Again, it’s not cheap, but you get what you pay for.

So, I say go ahead with a juice fast if that’s what you want to do.  But, don’t think that you need to go all in for it to be effective – just living off juices for days on end can be a complete shock to your system, especially if you’re balancing every day, normal life at the same time.  My vote?  Juice, at times, to feel better.  And, here’s something that may be way too obvious that a lot of us don’t really want to do…eat whole foods, organic foods, non-GMO foods and purify your body that way.  Call me crazy, but it feels pretty good to make eating good food a centerpiece for your health.

Love and Peace,

The Almost Green Mom

Amy Smith is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Household, Personal Care / Child, Personal Care / Parent

Go Away Dry, Winter Skin!

Screen Shot 2016-12-29 at 7.31.24 PMOh, wonderful winter – dry air and all the fun that goes along with it.  In our household, we attack dry skin from every angle possible.  We have a full house humidifier system, we have individual humidifiers, we drink tons of water and we also lather on lotion.

I won’t review everything we do – not only would it take forever, but I also don’t want you to think we’re over the top (we are).

HUMIDIFIERS

I’ve tried a ton of these, from the tear drop looking one I purchased for my child as an infant (no thank you – if I have to refill it during the night, it’s no longer an option.  Also, I have no clue how humid the room is) to the more industrial looking ones with all the bells and whistles (pretty big, but also pretty expensive).  I finally decided a room humidifier that falls somewhere in the middle:  the Bionaire Ultrasonic Filter-Free Tower Humidifier. Each one is the perfect size for a bedroom (so I suggest getting more than one if you have multiple rooms requiring humidity).

Here’s why I like it:  (1)  it has a 1.5 gallon tank, which means I only need to fill it up every other day.  And this is based on some pretty heavy usage including a full, 12 hours’ use at night and another 2 – 3 hours during the day (for my child lest you think I am able to truly rest this much); (2) no filters to replace.  However, it is highly recommended to clean these every 2 weeks because mold loves moisture (pretty simple actually – put maybe 3 – 4 tablespoons of vinegar in the tank, fill it with water and run it outside for a few hours.  Rinse it out completely, wipe it down and you’re ready to roll); (3) great, easy-to-read display with a clock, speed level, timer (we never use this) and a humidity level indicator; and (4) a humidity sensor allowing you to set the humidity level you want.  This is the key for me – I want to maintain a certain level of humidity, especially in my child’s room.  I don’t want to wake up to a sauna with moisture all over the windows.

LOTION / MOISTURIZERS

So, now we have the humidity levels set, but our skin is still like an alligator’s.  In addition to drinking copious amounts of water, we use lotion.  Lots of lotion.  But, how do you find one that not only works but has the most natural ingredients?  And, why the heck are there so many options?  There’s an entire aisle in Target dedicated only to body lotion…ridiculous.  I doubt this will come as a surprise to anyone, but I refuse to buy most / all of the lotions sold in traditional grocery and drug stores.  Just take a gander at the ingredient list and try to tell me what some of those things are.  No thanks.  And I always remember a high school science teacher who tried to stump all of us by asking what the body’s largest organ is…the skin.  I don’t want chemicals seeping into the largest organ on my body.  Yuck.  (btw, be on the look out for a future blog about sunscreens).  As for my child, I’m even more focused on finding lotions with the most natural and effective ingredients possible.

On the other end of the spectrum, I’ve tried a ton of organic lotions that just don’t work – some are waxy (too much coco butter or something), some smell awful and some just don’t moisturize.  At one point I was advised to put straight coconut oil on my skin.  For me, it actually made me itch and made the skin worse.  And, for a while, I actually made my own concoction by using organic, unscented lotion as a base and adding a variety of organic oils like apricot, jojoba, etc. (this was when I lived in San Francisco and had access to an amazing co-op called Rainbow where I could buy organic, unscented lotion in bulk as well as all the oils.  We don’t live there anymore, but if you do, head over there ASAP.  It’s amazing).

So, what do we use?  For a body lotion, I’ve found a product that’s “almost green” called EO Everyone Lotion, Coconut + Lemon.  I looooove this stuff.  It’s actually made by the same company which makes the deodorant I recommended (see my blog on deodorant).  The ingredient list is pretty great (no parabens, no polysorbates, no disodium EDTA, vegetarian, non GMO, gluten free and not tested on animals)…and it smells amazing.  The lotion comes in other fragrances, but this is the one I’ve found that’s the best for me (the lavender smells a bit medicinal).  If my skin is extra dry, I will just add some organic avocado oil into my hand, mix everything up and then apply.  I bought a huge bottle of non-GMO avocado oil at Costco (another find!).  For a face lotion, I love the Korres line of moisturizers (I get them through Sephora when they have sales).  Otherwise, I strictly use PURA D’OR Organic Moroccan Argan Oil – this is a steal!.  It’s 100% organic and comes in a relatively large pump bottle (to put this in perspective, its 4 oz. bottle is about $17 – $18 vs. a 4 oz bottle of non organic, Josie Maran at $96).  I love this stuff. I apply it right after I wash my face, and then I follow up with my sunscreen.  While it’s oil, it doesn’t feel oily, and my skin absorbs it right away – no sheen at all.  The oil can also be used for hair as well, although I’ve never used it for that purpose.

For my child, I think I’ve tried everything from California Baby Super Sensitive Everyday Lotion (worked in SF, but not here at altitude), The Honest Company Face and Body Lotion (didn’t work at all for us, even when I mixed in the organic body oil.  And when I found out they were sued for misleading consumers with its 100% natural claim when some ingredients weren’t, it kind of pissed me off) to pure avocado oil and much more.  So, what do we use?  I combine two lotions actually.  If I had to choose just one, it would be Weleda Baby Body Lotion, Calendula.  Not only does it smell amazing, but it has 99% organic ingredients.  The ingredient list is digestible (literally for most of the ingredients).  It’s not cheapest alternative, but let me know if you find anything with an equivalent ingredient list for cheaper – don’t think so.  If my child’s skin is irritated with red bumps, I also reach for a 2nd lotion which I originally found at Whole Foods (then bought it off Amazon because it was significantly cheaper) called ShiKai Borage Therapy – Natural Dry Skin Children’s Lotion.  The smell isn’t awesome (not awful either), so I do mix it with the calendula lotion.  And, I’d argue this is another “almost green” product – the ingredient list is rather short and mostly amazing, but it’s not perfect.  In a day, my child’s red bumps were gone.  Voila!

So, stay hydrated, use your humidifiers and apply the right lotion.  Hopefully that’s the best equation to get you through a dry winter.

Peace and love,

The Almost Green Mom

Amy Smith is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Food / Drink

Milk – Cow vs. Plants

Oh milk.  I will preface this blog by noting I’ve never been a cow’s milk fan – I just don’t like the taste.  Growing up, I would dump out the milk from my cereal bowl and just eat the frosted flakes.  When visiting friends while pregnant, I was given a huge glass of cold cow’s milk.  Where did this association between cow’s milk and health come from?  Is it even valid?  Has the production of milk changed so much that we should be rethinking our consumption of it?  This blog seeks to provide some links to research on various types of milk (dairy and alternatives), and it comes from someone who has sought out cow’s milk alternatives for decades.

COW / DAIRY

Screen Shot 2016-12-11 at 9.23.53 PM.png

Growing up, I would always watch the milkman deliver milk to our house – in glass bottles on the front step (I’m showing my age).  This was before the use of growth hormone, added DHA, organic, etc.  I remember loving watching the milkman drop off the bottles and hearing the clanging of them against the metal basket.

We now go to the grocery store and are faced with dozens of choices just for cow’s milk.  Gone are the days of the milkman, and we now have (predominantly) a milk supply chain that is like the Ford assembly line on steroids (literally).  The vast majority of cow’s milk (unless it’s marked that it doesn’t have this additive) contains genetically modified growth hormone (known as rBST or rBGH).  This hormone was approved by the FDA in 1993 and produced by Monsanto.  It’s injected into cows to make them produce more milk.  The FDA puts language on non-rBST dairy products, stating that there is no significant difference between them and rBST products.  Really?  From personal experience on my own fertility journey, I was injecting myself with various hormones (including growth hormone), and it definitely had physical and emotional effects on me.

Aside from my personal beliefs and experiences, there are countless scientific studies which show links between the growth hormone in milk and early puberty, various cancers and other troubling things (please read the Global Healing Center‘s summarized version of the effects of growth hormone – at the bottom it cites numerous other credible sources of information).

I can’t fail to mention that rBST has been banned by the European Union, Canada, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Israel since 2000.  When it came time to give my child milk (around 1 year old), I decided to only give her cow’s milk that was organic, non-rBST and had added DHA.  The good news is that non-rBST milk is readily available at most grocery stores – the containers will have language noting it does not contain growth hormones.

Aside from the rBST additive, there was a very impactful study done by Uppsala University in Sweden a few years ago on the negative impact of cow’s milk in general to our health, including children’s (it was published in the British Medical Journal, for which you need a subscription.  But, here’s a link to a Washington Post article which summarizes the findings).  Interestingly, the study cites that any sort of fermented dairy, like yogurt or cheese, does NOT have the negative effects associated with milk as they do not contain the problematic milk sugar, D-galactose (hope this isn’t getting too geeky for you!).   People seem horrified that skipping cow’s milk will result in calcium deficiency – for goodness sake, you can get the calcium other ways.

What do we do?  Neither I or my toddler (3 years old) drink cow’s milk – I personally don’t like it, and my child doesn’t ask for it.  I’m not convinced it’s the healthiest way to get calcium and protein.  We both have a variety of other calcium sources including organic yogurt, some organic cheese, organic lean protein, white beans and other things.

So, if it’s not obvious, cow’s milk isn’t a fan favorite of mine. And, if you believe we are animals, we are the only animal that drinks another animal’s milk – a little weird if you ask me.  But, if you are still bound and determined to drink cow’s milk, get organic, non-rBST and try to get grass fed versions (I’ve seen one at Whole Foods).  And, don’t forget to also look for growth hormone in other dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, cream and ice cream.

SOY

Screen Shot 2016-12-11 at 9.26.10 PM.png

Soy seemed to be all the rage years ago.  I remember everyone and their brother ordering soy lattes at Starbucks.  I also remember my endocrinologist (I’m hypothyroid) to NEVER have soy as it could disrupt the proper functioning of my thyroid.  Also, my fertility doctor told me to avoid soy because there are studies linking increased soy ingestion to fertility issues.  Yes, “western” doctors telling me to avoid soy like the plague!  That’s enough for me, but I’ll also provide you to documented studies on it so you can decide for yourself.  Select studies are provided by Harvard School of Public Health, Mayo Clinic and Scientific American.

Then come a few arguments like (1) I like the protein in soy because I’m vegetarian; or (2) certain cultures have eaten soy for generations and are healthy.  Just understand that the soy we have today is generally mass produced and is genetically modified (according to USDA survey data, 94% of the 2016 soybean crop was genetically modified).  Also, soy acts as a phytoestrogen (mimics estrogen) in our bodies which can have negative implications (see studies cited above).  So, I say think twice before having soy milk, edamame and certain veggie burgers (look at the label – many contain soy).  Soy is off my list as an alternative – time to move onto another cow’s milk alternative…

ALMOND

Screen Shot 2016-12-11 at 9.26.53 PM

Now we’re talking.  Here’s why I like / love almond milk – of the alternatives, I find it to be the tastiest on its own as well as in things like smoothies and coffee.  And, nutritionally, it appears to be the best option.  We usually buy cases of the organic, vanilla unsweetened almond milk at Costco.  You can get almond milk almost anywhere these days, including organic, at stores including Safeway and Costco.  Again, I encourage you to buy organic, and read the label!  Many almond milk varieties have a lot of strange ingredients in them as well as a lot of added sugar.  As I’ve always said, if you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it.  And I’m going to call BS on anyone who says almond milk isn’t as nutritious as cow’s milk.  It does not have as much protein as cow’s milk (but there are much healthier sources for protein anyways), and sometimes doesn’t have as much calcium (but, you can buy versions fortified with calcium so they have as much or more than cow’s milk).  Here’s  a comparison of 1 cup of my Costco’s Kirkland Signatures Organic Unsweetened Almond Non-Dairy Beverage Vanilla (note:  this one is not fortified with calcium) vs. Horizon Organic DHA Omega-3 2%Reduced Fat Milk:

ALMOND COW
Calories 30 130
Saturated Fat 0g 3g
Cholesterol 0g 20mg
Protein 1g 8g
Vit A 10% 10%
Vit C 0% 0%
Calcium 2%* 30%
Iron 2% 0%
Vit D 25% 25%
Vit E 50% 0%
Vit B2 25% 25%
Vit B12 50% 20%
Zinc 10% 0%

*not fortified with calcium.

If you’re super into it, you can make your own almond milk (you can find recipes online.  I tried this a few times before I had a child and it was delicious…but, now I just buy it prepared).  So, I say, drink up your almond milk.  In my view, this is the best cow’s milk alternative out there.

OTHERS

I won’t review every other type out there because there are so many these days – oat, rice, hemp (all too watery and grainy for my taste), hazelnut, macadamia, etc.  I’ve tried each of these, and I still prefer almond.  But if your goal is to avoid cow’s milk, know there are many alternatives out there which will fit the bill. But, again, check the ingredients and the nutritional aspects – some have virtually no nutritional value.

So, almond it is for me.  If you’re not a fan, maybe you can go halfsies and put half organic cow’s milk with half organic almond milk and work your way up.  Again, I’m no doctor, so this is my personal view which is based on pretty substantial research and decades of taste testing.

Love and peace,

The Almost Green Mom

 

 

Gifts

Last Minute Green Toys for Babies & Toddlers

Tis the season!  And, if you’re like me, you still have some gifts to cross off your list.  I feel like I’ve received 100s of emails over the past weeks, advertising every toy under the sun.  How do you choose?  Well, a lot depends on the age of your child and what his / her likes and dislikes are, your budget and your desire to choose green options.  I’m a huge fan of supporting the more alternative companies, those who not only use real materials to build toys (shocker), but also have a grander purpose to their business (thank you Patagonia for donating ALL revenue to environmental causes on Black Friday).

I know some of the green toys look like someone made it out back in the tool shed…but many of them are not like this, and in fact, are best-selling toys alongside the plastic rattles, chew toys and rubber blocks.  So, trust that these toys are not only better for you, your family and the environment, but also well accepted and good on your pocketbook.

For babies and toddlers, we are huge Hape toy fans.  This brand is generally made of all wood and provide a variety of sensory benefits (colors, shapes to move, toys to pull, tools to pound with, etc.).  A few of our favorites include the Hape Rainbow Wooden Rattle, Hape Early Melodies – Mighty Mini Band Wooden Percussion Instrument, Hape Walk-Along Puppy Wooden Pull Toy, Hape Scoot Around Wooden Ride on Bike and the Hape Early Explorer All-in-One Wooden Easel with Paper Roll (note – if you buy another paper roll from a craft shop, make sure the width works with this easel).  Check out all the Hape toys – there are a lot, they’re green and they are extremely sturdy.

For babies and toddlers, we have all heard how important it is to focus on fine motor skills – toys such as stackers, blocks, magnets and lacing / beads all fit the bill.   After trying endless options at home, friends, libraries, toy stores and almost everywhere toys are available, I would recommend Green Toys My First Stacker, Magformers, which are like Magna Tiles but cheaper (not necessarily green, but an unmatched product for your child to build with), Melissa & Doug Latches Wooden Activity Board and MegaBlocks Big Building Bag (not “green,” but I’ve found they are the best in terms of value and quality).  As with Hape, each of these brands has a wide variety of offerings – I encourage you to investigate and choose a few (or more).

I am also a huge fan of books.  Please see my post on Todd Parr books – I cannot recommend these highly enough for children of the toddler age.  For babies, Workman Publishing Indestructible books are amazing – as the company says, they are “100 percent baby-proof, chew-proof, rip-proof, and drool-proof. Printed on a unique nontoxic, paper like material that holds up to anything babies can throw at it.”  And it’s true – we have a least half a dozen of these books, and my child LOVED chewing on these, especially when she was teething (and you can actually throw them in the dishwasher or washing machine).  Amazing idea, and you can’t beat the price.

Don’t ever forget the old standbys – pots and wooden spoons, cardboard box forts, playing outside, music and singing – the cheapest alternatives, and many times the most enjoyable for both you and your child / children.

Peace and love,

The Almost Green Mom

Amy Smith is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Personal Care / Parent

Deodorant – To Aluminum or Not To Aluminum

Screen Shot 2016-12-11 at 9.30.41 PM.png

I never really thought much about the deodorant I was using.  That was until several years ago, when a ton of articles seemed to appear about a supposed link between aluminum (the main ingredient in traditional, “non-green” deodorants) and things like dementia and Alzheimer’s.  To be fair, there seem to be other studies which suggest there is no link.  But, I decided to err on the side of caution and try to find a green brand which did not contain aluminum.  What a chore!

When I was pregnant with my child, my body seemed to change a lot.  One of these changes seemed to be ridiculously excessive sweating – like I had a faucet on in my armpits.  It was ridiculous – enough so that a good friend told me I should try the clinical version of a drugstore deodorant (note to friend – you’re a true friend if you tell me I have pools of water under my arms and smell like a farm animal.  Thank you).  So, I spent the $8 – $10 for Secret Clinical Strength…and it worked!!!!!  Loved it.  I tried a few other of the clinical versions of brands, but they didn’t seem to work as well for me.  Secret Clinical Strength has 20% “aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly” which is the stuff that helps you stop sweating and smelling like a pig (note that basic versions of deodorant generally have maybe 15% tops).

So, the clinical strength was working.  But, I still wanted to try to find a non aluminum deodorant.  I probably tried a dozen.  To be clear, natural deodorants typically do not include antipersperant ingredients.  So, you may still sweat.  But, the goal is that you don’t smell (hence, why they’re always just called deodorants).

First, I tried Toms of Maine.  For me, this felt like someone had lit a fire under my armpits.  It was horrendous.  Never again.  I tried almost every other brand I could find at Whole Foods, Sprouts and Vitamin Cottage (Natural Grocers) including Taylor’s Pits, Desert Essence (another one that burned like I was holding a lighter to my armpit), and even one of those funky crystal rock things (I was desperate!).

Then, I couldn’t believe it, but I found one:  EO Organic Deodorant Spray.  There are a few different scents, but I really liked the citrus one.  It comes in a smaller, blue spray container, and IT WORKS!.  I don’t even feel that I’m sweating, and there is definitely no sweat odor.  And yes, I’ve asked people if I smell.  I have no shame.  Fortunately, people told me they didn’t smell anything at all (like I said early, my friends are brutally honest, so I trust them).

So, give EO Organic Deodorant Spray a try.  I think you’ll be happily surprised.  And, whether there is a true link between aluminum and cognitive degeneration or not, you have a deodorant that works as well as the clinical ones!

Love and peace,

The Almost Green Mom

Amy Smith is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
1…3456