diet vs lifestyle

The new year brought with it many posts on Facebook of different illnesses.

And many of them are caused by eating unhealthily.

And now I see people on “diets” and I get so sad.

Because a diet in our country is seen as something temporary “to do” until a “problem” is “fixed”.

Forgive my overuse of “quotes”.

But it just makes me sad. I really wish people would realize what they are eating is killing them. And that what is needed isn’t a flash in the pan approach, but a total overhaul of everything they consume.

Because to me, healthy eating is not a “diet”. It has to be a way of life…a lifestyle…from now on. A week or two, or even a couple of months of doing some crazy fad are not going to be enough for me to maintain my health in the long haul.

And it’s not going to work for anybody else either.

So please, people…get healthy the smart and healthy way. By making permanent changes for the better and cutting out all the junk and chemicals. Your body will thank you for it.

*stepping down off my soapbox now*

“Carry on!”

Oops sorry…I used quotes again. ; )

a roundup of sorts

I have had the idea over and over to write a post about many of the changes that I’ve made that involve staying away from toxins in every day life. But it can be overwhelming to say the least.

So I started a list. And it’s pretty mind blowing just how long it is. And I know it’s not an exhaustive list…I’m sure I forgot something. But here goes. Forgive me for not adding links and pictures and making this post more fun looking but that takes gobs of time. And if you’re interested in a product, it’s easy to do a search and find out where it’s available in your area and what stores carry it.

I know I blogged about getting new plates. Corelle Ware. They replaced very old ceramic stoneware plates we have been using for 20-plus years. Gah.  And I still love them. Healthy food looks so pretty on them!

I wanted to replace my old coffee mugs with glass but I could never find what I wanted. So one day I was at the thrift store and found a cute set of two mugs. They are a little bit retro and I love them! And they are glass.

I replaced my drinking cups with Copco cups from Bed Bath and Beyond. They come with a lid and straw and they are BPA FREE. I also got the girl a Tervis Tumbler for her every day drinking glass and it’s BPA FREE also.

I use vinegar water in a spray bottle to clean off the kitchen counters instead of Lysol kitchen cleaner. And baking soda and Dr Bronners to scrub out the kitchen sink and bathtub instead of some sort of bleach scrub cleaner. I have made a concoction of Dr Bronners, some washing soda, water and maybe some vinegar to wipe down the bathroom counters. I just use my kitchen spray of vinegar/water to wash mirrors, instead of Windex.  On a related kitchen note, I use gloves when I handle raw meat and put the knife I use to cut open the package straight into the dishwasher, the meat in the pan/dish and the meat container and the gloves in the trash…so there is no raw meat cleanup in my kitchen. If something unusual happens and I need to clean up after raw meat, I go ahead and use bleach spray (and I follow it up with the vinegar solution to get rid of any residue), but try not to get it on my hands. But that is very rare.

I used to use All laundry detergent. And sometimes Purex. Usually the “free and clear” stuff because fragrances bother me. But now I use Ecos. I first found a monster huge bottle at Sams. I loved it except for the very huge size of the bottle. Hard to handle when it’s full. But then they stopped carrying it at Sams but I noticed it at Walmart. And it’s about $10 for a still very large bottle and it lasts forever since it’s very concentrated. It comes in a natural lavender and the free and clear, which is the one I am using.  I still use Bounce free and clear…I hate static cling. I keep thinking about trying those dryer ball thingies but haven’t done it yet. Have any of you tried them? Do they work?

I have used several brands of body wash over the years. But now I use Every Day Shea in lavender scent. It comes in vanilla mint which also smells nice. And unscented, which doesn’t smell like much of anything. I love this product because it lathers well and has a nice scent that doesn’t linger forever…and it’s a fair trade product, so I can feel sort of good about buying it. And it’s got a very short list of ingredients as well. I will say that although I love the body wash, I did not enjoy using the shampoos or lotions. But they are all a steal at around $10 for a huge bottle that lasts forever. Score.  On a side note, the shampoo left my hair feeling heavy, and using the conditioner of the same brand didn’t help. So currently I am using the shampoo to wash my foobs every morning. It’s a good thing to clean things with, just not my hair. And the lotions are ‘ok’, but if you’ve got dry skin at all, it’s just not enough. I could get by with it in the summer for body lotion, but not in the cooler months. And strangely the coconut variety that is for extra hydration is worse on my skin than the shea.

I’ve used every shampoo under the sun as well. And to be honest I am still searching for the perfect natural alternative. (I gave up on the vinegar/baking soda routine..over time it seemed to strip my hair) I have used Burts Bees for hair…meh..it sort of weighed it down. I am using Alba Botanicals now and I like it. Not very toxic and it works well. I also just bought a small bottle of Hugo Naturals styling gel. So far so good. When I run out of the Alba stuff, I want to try Hugo Naturals for other products…they have everything from bath gel to shampoo. Would be interesting to try some more of their hair care line.

I haven’t settled on the best thing ever for body lotion, so right now I’m using a more natural line of Johnson’s baby. Works great and doesn’t smell much at all. I also use Yes To Cucumbers for hand cream. It works very well and has a light scent.

I have never been much of a scented candle kind of girl, mostly because of having asthma. But now I rarely, if ever use them. (I got one for Christmas that I have burned for a few minutes a few times.) Instead of Oust, I use Pure Citrus if I absolutely feel like I need to spritz a trash can or the air. It’s natural and smells like oranges. YUM.

I used to use mainstream toothpaste and mouthwash, but now I use Trader Joe’s toothpaste, without fluoride, and Spry mouth rinse.  The toothpaste tastes funny, but it seems to do the trick.

I know I did a post early on about using Crystal deodorant. I still love it and that’s saying something after using through a hot Texas summer. Enough said on that one. ; )

I used to use a Walmart brand knock off for Cetafil face cleaner. And then for a while I used Yes To Cucumbers brand face cleaner. I also use Yes to Cucumbers face moisturizer, which I LOVE. But lately, I have been using a mixture of olive oil and castor oil to wash my face, and believe it or not, it works great. And my skin is super soft and I’m not breaking out. Score.  You can do a search of “oil face cleaning method” and find a good explanation of this.

I used to use Ajax dishwashing soap but now I use a natural dish washing liquid. I’ve used several. And they all work very well. I have some Ajax under the sink because its antibacterial, in case I ever need it, but so far I haven’t. I also use the natural dish soap in my foaming soap dispensers throughout the house and it works great diluted in those.

I used to use run of the mill drug store makeup…Almay, Maybelline etc, but now I am enjoying using Sheer Miracle. It works great and feels nice on my skin. I bought some Burts Bees tinted lip balm to give my lips a little bit of color when I’m wearing makeup. I threw all of my old makeup in the trash. Good riddance.

I used to keep antibacterial wipes in the car for after pumping gas or after I came out of a store etc. But lately I have been trying to stick with Purell type stuff. I am a germ freak and especially during cold and flu season, I really want to wash my hands when I get in the car after each leg of an outing. So I’m trying to stay away from the wipes.

Whew…that is all I wrote down, but I will probably remember something after I post. Ha, isn’t that always the way.

***I know you know this, but all of these opinions are mine and nobody gave me anything or is sponsoring my words in any way…bla bla bla.***

Having said all of this, I daily think of new ways I could do more. I think it’s a never ending evolution really.  There is always something new to do/try in this journey. And you know I’ll tell you about it when I do. LOL

But just step back and look at all the toxins I’m not subjecting my body to with just these changes. When I think about that, it’s mind blowing. And I’m so thankful I’ve made some changes.

I have made some simple changes for the girl too, to try to keep her away from a lot of chemicals. I bought her new make up also. She uses the same deodorant and I got her hooked on a youth line of Burts Bees products and she is doing pretty well with those. I knew for her to use them, they would have to have a more mainstream feel etc, so I’ve kept it simple for her. (she won’t be washing her face with EVOO and castor oil any time soon…) But I did get her a bottle of Every Day Shea body wash and a poof and she’s happy with the results. So score, cuz it’s cheaper than Burts Bees.

If you know of any natural products, please be sure to pass the info along…I’m always interested. : )

still here…

Hi. : )

I can’t believe it’s been two months since I’ve posted. Crazy, huh?!

To answer the question bobbing around just within reach…yes, I’m fine. Life is just busy.

I feel so overwhelmed with life most of the time. I spend a significant amount of time doing things directly related to my health (shopping for healthy food, exercise, juicing, making things I used to buy…from foods like bread to things like lip balm…and it all takes time!). And then there are the things we are all familiar with..cooking and cleaning and folding laundry. Ya know..the usual.

I juiced yesterday and saved half of the juice to drink today. So I just had that with a tall glass of hot green tea to wash it down.  Yum. Juicing takes a lot of time. From gathering my veggies to clean up, it takes about 50 minutes. So it is a commitment. But one I am more than willing to make. We recently got a cheap-o frig for the garage so I can store overflow and more fresh veggies, mainly to juice. Score for me.

But I am doing ok. There are times that this journey feels very lonely. No one I come in face to face contact with shares my newfound enthusiasm for health and proper eating. So to say that I can be a bit or a lot of a wet blanket sometimes is an understatement. And that is what I mean about lonely. Not even my own family really shares my desire to work hard to eat what I should be eaten to stay healthy. They are happy to see me doing good things; don’t get me wrong. But it ends before picking up the fork with the kale begins…

I don’t really even know why I am posting this. I’ve said it all before. But I guess I just needed to reach out because I know you’re there, cheering me on from the bleachers as I continue on this strange journey.

Thanks for cheering me on and caring about me.

I have had post ideas pop into my head lately, but it’s the time to write them out that eludes me. Perhaps I can find time to come here more often. I’ve missed y’all. Hugs! : )

shorts thoughts on random stuff

We are finally getting a little cold snap. I think it was supposed to be around 32 this morning. A couple of days ago I was wearing shorts. Such is the way of fall and winter in Texas. I uncovered my arms this morning and noticed the chill in the house, but it wasn’t until I got up that the funny thought hit me. If I had nipples boobs, they would be pointy this morning. I was cold.

The other day I was shopping around for bras for my girl and I had a random thought. I hoped nobody asked if they could help me because I feared I would give them a minutes long diatribe about how *I* get my bras at the hospital because I’ve had a double mastectomy, thankyouverymuch. But of course, nobody actually helps in department stores these days, so I think I’m pretty safe.

The girl and I are both PMS’ing at the same time. I wonder if we should wear special tee shirts or post a flag out doors…or at least text the hubs to warn him.

Fun times…hope you have a great day! : )

Sheer Miracle

In my quest to find healthier products, I’m always on the hunt for replacements for this or that. One of the things I finally decided I wanted to replace was my make-up. I’ve always been a pretty basic girl…Almay or Neutrogena. Simple drug store stuff. But when I read the label, it was loaded with chemicals and things I couldn’t pronounce. And a few things I could pronounce, I knew were bad for me.

I had pretty much just decided I’d never wear make-up again. There are many days that I felt fine just being a natural, sometimes not so fresh-faced looking girl. But then there are the other days, that I want to feel and look a little more put together that made my heart pang a little bit as I brushed past my old make-up basket shoved into a corner in the closet.

So I started researching and found a company called Sheer Miracle. (this is not a sponsored post…they have no idea who I am…just sharing something I like) And now, back to the show…I really liked that it wasn’t loaded with a bunch of stuff and it seemed healthier to use than many similar products I’ve read about. And the prices were pretty reasonable too, which was a great bonus.

So I ordered a sample kit, which I love the idea of, because I could order 4 sample sized products (a two weeks supply if used every day) for less than $10 including free shipping. Score.

I finally got them in the mail last week. In the interest of full disclosure, there was a mix-up on the order and I originally got somebody else’s order in the mail. I had to email them to get it straightened out and then there was another mix-up and my replacements were never shipped so I had to email them again, and promptly after that email, my stuff came. I was beginning to think it would be a sheer miracle if I ever got my stuff, but it did come. And I’m so thankful.

I love this stuff. I bought the equivalent to base, powder, under eye correction and blush. They had several options in those four categories, but no options for other things like eye shadow, but you can order samples of those very cheaply. I plan to do that soon.  And then make a ‘real’ order for regular sized pots of everything.

I have used it one time so far. I’ve never worn mineral make-up before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. But I read a little bit and then started playing. It only takes a tiny bit to get decent coverage. After applying a thin coat of the ‘base’, I topped that with a very thin layer of the HD powder…the white stuff. It really gives my face a bit of an air brushed look. Very soft looking. (I read that if you get too much it can go into ‘white face’ but I didn’t have that problem). I also used the pink under eye corrector (before the base and HD). It came with instructions which I followed. And got good results covering up the dark under my eyes. And the blush is a very pretty shade…again with the  ‘just a tad’ routine. A little goes a long way. But I came away looking fresh and natural but not overly glammed. I am loving this product. I compared the prices of this with other mineral make-ups and found it’s much less expensive. Will definitely be ordering more.

some shopping love

I heart you Bed Bath and Beyond!

Really. : )

I was in BBB over the weekend looking for an immersion blender. I had the most delicious soup last week and now I have an urgent need to make it at My house…over and over.

And with my limited diet, it’s a big deal when I find something new and healthy. And yummy.

So anyway, I was in BBB over the weekend looking at ‘stick’ blenders. And one of the employees asked me if I needed any help. So I told her what I was hunting for. I was wanting the Kitchen Aid model without all the extra attachments etc. (I already have choppers and whatever else all those weird things do…all I need is the blender) But the only Kitchen Aid they had in the store was the tricked out one for $100. She pointed me toward a Cuisinart brand that was more basic, but I have a personal blender that is Cuisinart brand and it just doesn’t work very well for me. I was thinking out loud mentioning that fact and she told me I could bring it back. I told her I’ve had it almost a year. Doesn’t matter. I told her I didn’t have the box or receipt. Doesn’t matter.

(Also, the Cuisinart brand stick blender isn’t very highly rated, just an fyi. The personal blender is a great product, but it just doesn’t work well for my needs. another fyi)

So I came home and gathered up all the pieces to my Cuisinart and took it to the store to be issued store credit. And then I ordered my Kitchen Aid stick blender…with a coupon! It will arrive in about a week and I still have almost $40 in store credit.

I heart you, Bed Bath and Beyond. (and no, this is not a sponsored post…just me gushing over great service and friendly employees being helpful and doing their jobs…and making one customer very happy in the process)

such a long day

Yesterday was such a long day. It doesn’t help that it started at 5am when I woke up and couldn’t fall back to sleep. UGH.

I got up and got it together because I was expecting a crew to work in my back yard. After all the drama we’ve had and all the “we were going to move but we never found a house and now we’re sort of thankful because our needs are different now than they were a year and half ago” stuff, we are getting a new fence. We have had issues with unwanted (bad) dogs getting into our yard for a couple of years. And little more than small patch jobs after the fact. We realized we are going to have to shoulder the responsibility of redoing an entire wall of fence…and pay for it. Not cheap! 

We haven’t used our yard in two years. Let that one sink in. Two years that we have felt like prisoners in our own home.

So after all the waiting and the bids and what not, we finally found somebody to come and do the fence. A metal SOLID fence that is 7 feet above the ground and one foot below. The dogs are diggers (bored most of the time). That should fix their little red wagons, as my parents used to say.

They arrived and started working and then I headed to ‘the big city’ for my onc appointment. 40 miles one way. They were busier than usual and I had to wait a while but that was ok. He was a sweetie as usual and finally I was on the road for home…so tired and sleepy at this point. It was after 1pm when I got home, and I still needed to eat. So I threw my lunch together. And then went to the gym. Did I mention that I was wiped out? But I still managed to do my usual cardio. It felt good and then I crashed in the car and felt so tired I couldn’t move. And then I came home and made dinner. Last night was one of those nights that ‘in the olden days’ I would have called and told the hubs he needed to bring home take out. But I can cook healthier than that, so I persevered.

The only thing keeping me going was knowing I could go to bed soon. And then I went to bed and finally fell asleep. Only to wake up at 3am this morning and not be able to fall back asleep. I finally did get in another nap before time to wake up ‘for good’. Now I’m waiting for the fence guys to come again to bury the posts and dig the trench. And tomorrow, they install the actual fence and we will be able to use the yard again.

I am already asking for a yard swing for our swing set. And some twinkle lights for the patio. We might even be able to take our new-ish camera outside and get a little practice with it.

Vitamin D not from a bottle, here I come. : )

Is it nap time yet?