Shopping for Health

I was thinking today about something I heard once ... maybe it was Weight Watchers, but I'm not sure. The advice was to stick to the perimeter of the grocery store for food. Great advice!

I mean think about it...

1. The produce department should always be the first stop in the grocery store. Grab your fruits and veggies, preferably organic. Maybe you can even find locally grown. The healthiest part of the store! You can often find veggie meats and tofu in this department, too.
   
   
   
2. The meat department is next. Unless you are a vegetarian. Many grocery stores are now carrying more "natural" meats, but buyer beware. Know what you are getting and read the fine print. Natural just means no artificial additives. You may still being buying grain fed and factory farm raised and it may still have gone through a large meat processing plant. However, choosing the lesser evil is still better than buying that Smithfield vacuum packed meat. 
3. Next you have the frozen food department. If you stick to healthy foods like fruits and veggies this department isn't so bad. It's actually full of healthy choices. And frozen fruits and veggies retain more vitamins and minerals than canned ones. Just don't cook them in a big pot of water. Many of the nutrients leach out into the water. Buying prepared foods in this department is not such a good idea, however. Typically, they contain tons of additives and preservatives and are highly processed.
4. Last but not least is the dairy department. This department is full of protein and healthy fats. Remember that non-fat versions often have other added ingredients to enhance flavor so read labels carefully for carbs and artificial ingredients if choosing low-fat or fat-free. Whole milk, cheeses, and butter are good for us in moderation. I prefer to choose organic and choose free-range whenever available. In health food stores you may be able to find local raw milk in the dairy section, which is what we drink.  The taste cannot be matched by supermarket milk. 
5. Then there's the rest of the store. Think about this: the shelf life on some of that stuff is years. That's not natural. Food spoils. If it doesn't spoil fairly quickly, be suspicious. Most of the center store is NOT healthy and DOES contain artificial ingredients like preservatives and sweeteners. Most of it is highly processed and much of it is high in saturated fats and low in vitamins and minerals. This is the icky part of the store. Not convinced? Download the app Fooducate and try scanning some items in the center part of the supermarket. You may be shocked at what you discover! And remember that these overly processed foods have negative consequences for your health and the health of the planet.

Of course, I still recommend and personally prefer buying from local farms. We are in a small-ish city and I am able to get fresh, local, organic products including free-range grass-fed meat, sustainably farmed veggies and fruit, raw or low temp pasteurized milk, eggs, and even honey, jams, and jellies. We also could get grains but we don't eat many grains. I buy soap from a local farm, too! 

If you aren't sure where your local organic farmers are, check localharvest.org. 

Questions or comments? Please leave them below! I love to read them! Find this information useful? Share it using the buttons below for Facebook, Twitter, or Google+ and let your friends in on it!

Learning Green Lessons the Hard Way

My family has long been watching our energy usage at home, even in the area of air conditioning, which can be a touchy subject here in the deep south! It gets pretty darned hot around here in the summertime and people typically keep the air set somewhere between 70 and 72 degrees to keep things cool and comfy indoors. 

My family learned that if we kicked that thermostat up to 76 during the hottest part of the day and 74 at night when the a/c unit wouldn't have to work quite so hard, we could indeed bear it. In fact, we got used to the temperature change fairly quickly, in a week or two, so that we didn't feel hot or icky at all when the house was 76 degrees!

Then one of our two air conditioner units went kaput! Uh oh! Not in June, just when the summer is really gearing up and the humidity is through the roof! 

Well we quickly learned that by closing off the part of the house that has air conditioning during the day, we could limit ourselves to that part of the house for the most part and still stay cool. All it took was a curtain rod hung over a doorway and pretty red curtain hanging from it. In the early evening, we pull back the curtain and open the bedroom doors to allow more air flow. Ceiling fans in the bedrooms help pull the air so that by bedtime our rooms are about 78 degrees. Though it's a bit warmer than we were used to, again it only took us about a week to acclimate ourselves to the new temperature. 

image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

Then the power bill arrived. We are using half the energy we were using this time last year! And we are perfectly comfortable! 

There are several lessons we've learned here and will carry with us into the future:

1. Our bodies can be comfortable at temperatures above 72 degrees.
2. Air conditioning accounts for a HUGE percentage of a home's energy usage.
3. A small amount of effort can net a large amount of savings on your power bill.
4. Ceiling fans are wonderful things and don't use nearly as much energy as air conditioners.
5. Curtains are cute in a doorway!

(Note: Don't fill all 8 of those light bulb spots on a ceiling fan! Who needs 8 lightbulbs in one room? Besides, lightbulbs create heat! Use energy saving bulbs and fill every 2nd or 3rd spot.)

Have you ever discovered a greener way of living by accident? 

Sponsor Spotlight and Review: GAC Sports Bottle Water Filters

I recently discovered an amazing new type of water filter that has me so excited!

GAC Filters are little teabag sized carbon filters that drop right into your water bottle. GAC stands for granular activated carbon, in this case coconut carbon. The carbon is encased in a mesh bag made from plant starch so the entire filter is biodegradable! That's right - NO TRASH! 

According to their website, the GAC Filter removes chlorine, chloramine, organic contaminants, taste, and odor. 

I love that I can finish the water and leave the filter to use again next time filI up my bottle - one filter is good for up to 50 liters of water because the mesh bag has mildew-proof properties. I have been using the same filter for several weeks now and it's doing a great job and holding up without any problems. 

You'll never need another filtered water bottle with little plastic pieces that need to be replaced periodically. And I despise the pitchers that filter water because the lid always falls when I'm pouring. Besides, it's a plastic product with expensive plastic filters that have to be replaced often. Just drop a GAC filter in any water bottle and fill it with tap water! 

 

If you aren't currently using a water bottle, but purchase bottled water....you'll never need to buy bottled water again either! Americans buy millions of bottles of water each year and most end up in landfills. Switch to a water bottle with a GAC filter for a much more eco-friendly choice! 

I love being able to grab my empty water bottle when I'm running out the door to go to work or to the gym, knowing that I can fill it anywhere because my little GAC filter is sitting in the bottom! 

For a limited time, you can try a free sample by clicking here! Even the shipping is free! 

And that isn't all! GAC Filters has generously sponsored a giveaway here at Mama Making Changes! Click here to enter to win a $25 gift certificate to GACfilters.com!

B is for Bags

Click here for a full list of my posts and a list of participating blogs in the 2013 A to Z Challenge!

Aren't bags convenient? Bags allow us to carry more, stay organized, contain loose or small items, and more. But are we using them responsibly? What could we change to be a little more eco-friendly?

Think about how many different ways we use bags each day:

• Is your makeup in a bag?
• Do you keep special jewelry in little jewelry sacks?
• Did your groceries come home in bags?
• Do you buy packaged products that come in bags?
• When you buy bulk, like oats or rice, do you scoop it into a bag? Store it in a bag at home?
• Do you store food in bags?
• Do you carry a handbag or shoulder bag?
• Is your gym bag packed and ready to go at a moment's notice?
• If you are in school, do you carry a book bag?
• When you pack your lunch, do you put it in a bag?
• Do you use gift bags?

I'm sure you can think of more! They're everywhere! Did you know that in the U.S. alone, nearly 100 billion plastic bags are trashed every year, even though most are recyclable? If you choose paper bags whenever they are available, you will be surprised how much they will hold, resulting in your using fewer bags, but what about the trees used to produce them? Of course we could and should use our own re-usable shopping bags, but we don't always remember to take them with us. 

Re-use your plastic or paper bags! Use them to line trash cans, carry your lunch, sort recyclables, pack clothes and other used items for donation, store raw fruits and veggies, or line your garden or flower beds (with paper bags) to hold back weeds. See how many times you can re-use the same bag! 

Gifts that are difficult to wrap in paper, can usually be wrapped in fabric! Try a colorful bandana or other piece of fabric, knotting the four corners on top. Use a round piece of fabric and secure it on top with a ribbon or a strip of colorful fabric. This is actually a great way to upcyle clothing that has seen better days! Just cut it up for gift wrap! You can also use old tees to make shopping bags like the one at left. Get directions by clicking here!

When choosing backpacks, handbags, and other similar bags, materials matter! Many are made from petroleum-derived products and are not easily recycled. Choose bags made from recycled materials and then donate them when you are finished with them. Recycle them again if and when they become unusable. Organic cotton is always a great eco-friendly choice (and easily washable), but a Lily Bloom bag made from recycled plastic is too! 

What other ways do we use bags? What tips can you add for using bags more responsibly?

Sponsor Spotlight: Sprout San Francisco Patemm Pad

I was thrilled when I learned that the super-cute eco-friendly boutique, Sprout San Francisco, was sending me there patented Patemm Pad to try! Sprout San Francisco's website features hundreds of natural and organic items for babies and your home. They even have an online registry for expectant families! The Patemm Pad is their brand new, unique item designed to replace both your changing pad and your diaper bag, supposedly making it easier to take baby on the go. 



I received the El Patemm Pad in Storm White Twill, which is actually gray with white elephants on it. It was folded in such a way that one handle strap kept it closed and another served as the actual carrying strap. There were no snaps or buttons or velcro. The organic cotton fabric is covered in a substance that feels like plastic, which their website lists as a CPSIA-certified laminate that is BPA free. It's waterproof and machine washable, too! Which means, it's okay if your little wants to chew on it! 

Opening the patemm pad, I found that it's a large circular pad with pockets all the way around the outside edge. My niece is 15 months and tall for her age and she fit on the 28 inch pad easily. 




Next I stuffed the pockets with diapers and wipes and baby powder and folded the pad up to see how it handled the extra items. It folded up easily and the items inside were completely out of sight. There is a handle on each side of the pad so you don't have to fold the sides in a specific order. I was actually quite surprised! It's much more compact than a diaper bag and lightweight, too.



Bonus? She thinks it's a pocket book so now she wants to carry her own bag! 


To find out more or get your own Patemm Pad, click here to visit Sprout San Francisco.


Between November 28 and December 7, 2012, you can win a Patemm Pad in the Green Gifts Giveaway Hop! Click here to go to the giveaway now!

10 Easy Ways to Get Greener Now (Part II)

Getting serious about going green can be difficult at times and sometimes requires us to get a little less comfortable. But other changes can be easier and don't require much of an adjustment at all. Here are 10 suggestions for simple changes you can make to get greener now:

1. Plant a fall garden, or even just one thing that's edible. What to plant and when varies depending on where you live, so if you aren't sure, try this interactive map from Mother Earth News. Just click the appropriate link to the right of the map and then click the month you want to plant for a list of seeds you should sow now. 
2. Buy local food. Go to the nearest farmer's market and save money by asking for seconds (the slightly less than perfect specimens of fruits and veggies). Be sure to ask where it was grown because many booths will have food that was shipped from other states. While you're there, look for milk, eggs, or pastured meats, too.
3. Freeze your leftovers. Too much food ends up in landfills that are already overcrowded. Save money too if you buy and cook larger quantities of meat, then slice and freeze the leftovers for sandwiches, soups, pastas and more. Leftover veggies can be frozen for a later pot of vegetable soup.
4. Re-use glass containers. Larger pickle and jelly jars make great canisters or use them to store buttons, loose change, kitchen utensils, etc. Smaller jars and bottles can be used as drinking glasses or portable water bottles. Even smaller containers can be re-used for dried herbs and spices or those miscellaneous screws and things that you find in your husband's dirty pants pockets.
5. Plant ivy. Use less electricity in the summer by planting ivy around the foundation of your house. It will block hot sunlight and keep your home cooler. 
6. Use the water while you wait for it to heat up. When you wash your face or shower, you let the water run till it's hot, right? Brush your teeth while you wait. Or capture some of the water in an old milk jug to water plants later. Get inventive with this one!
7. As the nights get cooler this fall, turn your ceiling fans on reverse. They will push the rising warm air downward and keep you comfy without turning up the thermostat. 
8. Stop junk mail. Register online at OptOutPrescreen.com to stop receiving unsolicited credit and insurance offers. You can choose to opt out for 5 years or forever. Stop unwanted catalogs by signing up at CatalogChoice.org.
9. Plug your electronics into power strips. Those electronics and chargers are drawing electricity even when not in use. This is called phantom energy. By turning off the switch on the power strip when they are not in use, you stop the flow!
10. Switch to CFL light bulbs. You don't have to switch all at once, which would be expensive and wasteful. As bulbs blow, replace them with CFLs, which use less electricity to put out the same amount of light. These bulbs cost a little more but, in addition to saving you money on the power bill, they also last longer, which means you purchase fewer bulbs in the long run and put less garbage in the landfills. 

For more ideas on how to go green without going crazy, check out the previous list of 10 Easy Ways to Get Greener Now. If you have your own easy ideas to share or any other comments, please leave them below. I always love hearing what you have to say!

Grocers Take Note: How Green Parents Shop

More and more people are becoming aware of the need to be more eco-friendly and are willing to make changes to help the cause. Some are willing to make only small changes for now, while others (like me) are jumping head first into green living and making some major changes. Green moms and dads want to teach and share a healthier, greener way of living with their children, too, with the expectation that their generation will continue in the same tradition. We want our families to realize the impact their choices have on themselves and the world around them.

A big part of green living is what we eat and what we feed our families. But do grocers take us seriously? Do they think about what we are and are not willing to buy? A report from EcoFocus Worldwide shows that they certainly should. According to their research, 50% of moms will change brands when given a more eco-friendly option and 2 out of 5 are willing to pay more for a more eco-friendly choice. 

Of course, sometimes it can be difficult to know what the true eco-friendly choices are when shopping. Not all brands are what they seem. "Natural" doesn't always mean what you would think it does and some "organic" brands are actually using GMO ingredients. The term "greenwashing" refers to these brands that would have you believe you are making a better choice when really you are not. For example, Burt's Bees is owned by Clorox and Naked Juice is owned by Pepsi-Cola. Neither is a green company. 


My best advice is to grow it and/or make it yourself whenever possible. When you can't? 

• Look for certifications on products,like the Energy Star logo, Green Seal, USDA Organic, Fair Trade Certified or the Forest Stewardship Council logo, to help you choose products that are truly eco-friendly. To learn more about certifications on labels and what they mean, check out Consumer Reports eco-labels.
• When a product has a claim to be natural or green, look beyond the labeling for an explanation. If they don't list the how and why, they may be greenwashing. 
• Buy groceries at the local farmer's market before heading to the supermarket and you may be surprised at how little you from the grocery store. More than vegetables and fruits are available. We buy meat, milk, eggs, bread, butter, cookies, soap, and more at our market! Just be sure to know who you are buying from and what their growing practices are. It's okay to ask! "Are these vegetables organically grown?" "Were these grown locally or did you ship them in?" "Where is your farm?" And beware pretty produce...organically grown foods are typically not as picture perfect. 
• When you find brands you trust, buy them often and recommend them to friends and family. What we buy directly impacts what grocers carry. How we spend our money tells them what we want on the shelf. 
• Do your research! Food is a lot of what green blogs talk about and you can blog hop your way to a ton of knowledge, learning from the experiences of others. 

Next time you shop for groceries, pause for a moment and ask yourself, "What is my shopping cart saying?"

Natural Hair Color Ideas

When I was younger, I used to dye my hair a nice auburn color. I loved the way the auburn looked with my complexion and my hair tends to get auburn highlights in the summer anyway. Lately I've been thinking about going back to auburn hair. Now I'm older and smarter and greener, though. I don't want to use major brand hair colors because of all of the chemical ingredients. I began exploring other options.
Of course, the first option that came to mind was henna. Lush sells 4 different vegan varieties of henna hair color, each offering up a different color, from bright red to dark indigo. Their Caca Marron is supposed to create an auburn color, which is exactly what I'm looking for. However, I'm not sure I want to spend $24.95 plus shipping on a product I've never used before. I don't know anyone that's ever used it either, and I hear it's not a good idea to use henna without help.
I did some research online for other options. On herbcompanion.com I found some great ideas for DIY hair products. They offer home made recipes for shampoos, deep conditioners, and hair colors. Following is an excerpt from their site:

Chamomile: This will lighten fair hair. To make a rinse, pour 2 cups boiling water over 1/4 cup chamomile flowers. Cool; strain before using.
Rhubarb: This also will lighten hair. Use 1/4 cup chopped, fresh rhubarb to 2 cups boiling water. Cool; strain before using.
Sage, lavender and cinnamon: These will darken hair. Use 1/4 cup sage or lavender (or 3 cinnamon sticks, broken into small pieces) to 2 cups boiling water. Cool; strain before using.
Hibiscus flowers: These will give red highlights to light or dark hair. Use dry flowers or herbal tea containing hibiscus flowers. Steep the flowers in boiling water to the shade you desire. Cool; strain before using. Remember you can always go darker, so start out with a weak mixture.

Read more: http://www.herbcompanion.com/Body-Care/Shimmer-and-Shine-with-Homemade-Herbal-Shampoos.aspx?page=3#ixzz1vHNWux9v

Now, I just have one question. Where in the world do I find hibiscus flowers? Maybe I will try the cinnamon sticks first. They should be a little easier to get my hands on. I'll let you know how it turns out!