Healthy Habits

Green Savers

We recently had Matthew Lillard from Green Savers perform an energy audit on our home.  He reviewed our home's heating & cooling units, windows, lighting & appliances, and insulation, He also used thermal imaging to detect any areas that were leaking.  He sent us a very professional report with recommendations on ways we could make our house more energy efficient and eco-friendly along with saving us money!

Check out the article, Free Low to No Cost Green Tips, in their latest newsletter.  They break down the cost savings of various changes you can make to your home.  Great for someone who wants to make simple, low cost changes on their way to going greener.

You can learn more about Green Savers at www.yourgreensavers.com.

Carbon Footprint

 

Go Green Tip:
You can learn the impact your choices are having on the environment by calculating your carbon footprint.  You'll be amazed at how your decisions effect the world around you!

There are several websites that help you determine your footprint along with ways to reduce the impact you are having on the environment.

Here are a few to visit:
JurdyGreen.com
Daily Green
Carbon Footprint
American Forests
An Inconvenient Truth

Want jurdy's green toons?  Go to www.jurdygreen.com and subscribe now!

Share a Ride

Go Green Tip:

A simple way to cut down on gas emissions is by sharing a ride. 

By carpooling, the average commuter could save 500 gallons of gasoline per year--and with the price of gas these days--save a lot of money as well!

Another result for the average commuter would be the elimination of roughly 550 pounds of poisonous exhaust emissions annually.

Sharing a ride would be the equivalent of taking over 67 million cars off the road!

Want jurdy's green toons?  Go to www.jurdygreen.com and subscribe now!

Woman to Woman Initiative

What do women want?  The chance to live a healthier life, to give that gift to others, with an income opportunity that offers freedom, more time to spend with family, extra income and the possibility to qualify for luxurious trips to fabulous destinations, all while making a positive difference in the world!  Shaklee offers women (and men) the chance to take charge of their lives! 

The National Woman to Woman Initiative was created to allow women to come together to learn and share what is important in their lives.  To focus on issues of importance to women -- women's health at every age, children's health, healthy homes and a healthy income that can help create financial security for women and their families.

Click here to hear a brief clip addressing women's heart health.
Click here to listen to a clip about children's health.

My goal is to bring women together, offering them the chance to learn how they can improve their health and make a difference for others.  This can be in a group setting or by individual appointment. 

Let me know when you'd like to schedule your Woman to Woman Initiative meeting!

Choose Paperless

Go Green Tip:

Change your status with major utility companies and your telecommunications providers and request your statements and bills be emailed to you instead of posted.  Then, pay your bills online instead of writing checks and mailing them.

Unsubscribe.  Remove yourself from mailing lists, journals, magazines and articles that you don't read.

These small steps have a huge impact by reducing paper, electricity use, fuel and labor.

Greening your Spring Cleaning

Go Green Tip:

Green Cleaning 

My favorite green cleaner can be used for a variety of tough cleaning jobs--windows, floors, dusting, removing wallpaper, hand washables, coffeemakers, ironing, even a fruit & vegetable wash!

This cleaner is also great for a variety of outdoor uses--swimming pool tiles, pressure washer, wash for cars, boats, RVs, bug repellant, boat algae, fish odors, house plants, rose bushes, greener lawns, non-toxic pesticide and more!

• Window Cleaner for less than a penny a bottle!  Mix only 2 drops in 16 oz spray bottle of water.
• General Cleaner for less than 3 cents a bottle!  Mix 1/4 tsp in 16 oz spray bottle of water.
• General Cleaning: Cleans doors, walls, woodwork, appliances, bathroom fixtures & tile.
• Floors: 1 Tbsp per gallon of water.
• Air Filters: 1/4 tsp to qt. warm water.
• Dusting: 1/8 tsp in pint of water, spray on and dry with clean cloth.
• Wallpaper: Excellent for removing wallpaper. 1/2 Tbsp per gallon of water. Soak wallpaper with sponge & peel or scrape.
• Coffeemakers: Dilute 1/8 tsp in pot of water. Run through cycle and coffee stains will rinse away.
• Hand Washables: 1/2 tsp to a basin of lukewarm water.
• Ironing:  A few drops in steam iron keeps the jets & interior clean.
• Fruit & Vegetables:  Use 1/8 tsp in pint of water (spray bottle with solution kept by sink is convenient). Wash & rinse immediately. Helps remove spray residue, dirt & waxes, also removes grit from leafy vegetables.

Great for Outdoor Use!

    Outside Windows: 1/2 tsp in “ortho-type” spray applicator full of water. Makes 2 gallons of solution for     windows and screens.  Squeegee dry.

    Swimming Pool Tiles: 1/2 tsp in qt of water, apply with sponge.

    Pressure Washer: 1/2 oz to 20 gallons of water. Heavy Duty—use 1 or 2 oz per gallon of water.

    Automotive: Wash your car using 1/2 Tbsp per gallon of water. Wash small areas at a time and rinse  off. Wipe windshield, windows and chrome dry after rinsing. You’ll love the shine!

    Camping & Boating:

Bug Repellant: Rub on neck, arms, hands and face. Flies, Mosquitoes, Chiggers & Fleas will not bite where it  has been applied.

Cleaning & Washing: Coat bottoms & sides of pots and pans before placing over campfire. It is all you’ll need to take for dishwashing, bathing, shampooing, & laundry. It won’t harm fish, vegetation or wildlife!

Wash your R.V., Boat & Camper: 1/2 Tbsp per gallon of water. Great for awnings, too!

Boat Algae: 1/2 Tbsp per gallon of water.

Fish Odors: 1/2 Tbsp per quart of water.

    Gardening & Plant Care:

House Plants: 2 drops in a gallon of water. Water plants and they will flourish. Use to wipe down leaves.

Rose Bushes: 1/2 tsp per gallon of water. Spraying on rose bushes will protect them from red spider mites & other infestations & diseases.

Greener Lawns: 1 Tbsp in “ortho-type” sprayer applicator full of water. Makes 2 gallons of solution. Irrigate immediately.

Recycling Tip: Dispose of used cleaning solutions on your shrubs or lawn for a greener, healthier yard.

    Non-Toxic Pesticide:  Fleas inside-- Mix 1/2 tsp in 16 oz water. Spray floors, baseboards, etc.

Want jurdy's green toons?  Go to www.jurdygreen.com and subscribe now!

Food Focus: Greens

by Tobey Shilling, LPC, RN, MCAT, CMT-BC    to-beyhealthy@comcast.net  

Leafy greens are some of the easiest and most beneficial vegetables to incorporate into your daily routine.  Densely packed with energy and nutrients, they grow upward to the sky, absorbing the sun’s light while producing oxygen. Members of this royal green family include kale, collard greens, swiss chard, mustard greens, arugula, dandelion greens, broccoli rabe, watercress, beet greens, bok choy, napa cabbage, green cabbage, spinach and broccoli. 

How do greens benefit our bodies? They are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium,  phosphorous and zinc, and are a powerhouse for vitamins A, C, E and K. They are crammed full of fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals. Their color is associated with spring, which is a time of renewal and refreshing, vital energy. In traditional Asian medicine, the color green is related to the liver, emotional stability and creativity. Greens aid in purifying the blood, strengthening the immune system, improving liver, gall bladder and kidney function, fighting depression, clearing congestion, improving circulation and  keeping your skin clear and blemish free.

Leafy greens are the vegetables most missing from the American diet, and many of us never learned how to prepare them. Start with the very simple recipe below. Then each time you go to the market, pick up a new green to try. Soon you’ll find your favorite greens and wonder how you ever lived without them.

Recipe of the Month: Super Simple Savory Chard

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 7-8 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

 

Ingredients:

1.5 pounds red or swiss organic chard

1 tablespoon extra virgin, cold pressed, organic olive oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons water

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions:

1. Wash the chard leaves and strip the leaves from the stalks.
2. Coarsely chop the greens.  In a large skillet or stockpot with a lid, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes, until golden.
3. Turn heat to medium high. Add greens and stir to coat with oil. Add 2 tablespoons water, cover, and cook until greens are wilted and soft, about 5 minutes.
4. Taste the greens to make sure there is no raw edge to the flavor. Turn off the heat. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve hot with fresh lemon wedges for squeezing.

5 Easy Ways to Go Organic

The article "5 Easy Ways to Go Organic," written by Dr. Alan Greene, has received a lot of attention since being published in October 2007.  It became the most popular article on the entire NY Times website and is again on top in the Health category.  Click Here to view the article.  Make sure to forward the article to everyone you know!  Let's keep the conversation g oing and get the word out about going organic!   

You can also learn more tips from Dr. Greene in his book, Raising Baby Green.