DIY Moisturizing Lotion
MOISTURIZING LOTION
(Makes Two 2 oz Jars)
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 Cup Organic Sweet Almond Oil
2 Tbl Organic Coconut Oil
2 Tbl Bees wax
1/4 Cup Organic Aloe Vera Gel (Food Grade)
1/2 tsp Vitamin E oil
8 Drops Organic Lavender Essential Oil
4 Drops Organic Ylang Ylang Essential oil
DIRECTIONS:
1. Blend aloe vera, vitamin E, and essential oils and let stand a room temperature.
2. Melt almond oil, coconut oil, and beeswax
3. Add aloe vera mixture with oil mixture and use emulsifier until it’s really creamy
4. Pack in jars and label
Notes:
Because the aloe vera is food grade, perishable, and refrigerated, store jars in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them. Then, try to use the whole jar in 2-4 weeks.
I simply LOVE this lotion and use it multiple times a day on my hands, face, and whole body. You can even use a little on your hair. It smooths on a little oily at first, but it quickly absorbs to soften your skin.
Italian Sauerkraut
INGREDIENTS:
- 14 oz. can or jar of sauerkraut
- 2 cups of cooked rice
- 1-2 lbs. of cooked ground turkey or beef
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 cups of your favorite spaghetti sauce
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1-2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese or Italian blend of your choice
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Cook rice as directed on package and set aside
- Brown ground turkey or beef and set aside
- Arrange ingredients in layers of an oblong size cake pan
- Sauerkraut
- Cooked rice
- Ground beef
- Diced onions
- Spaghetti sauce
- Mushroom soup
- Mozzarella chees
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes, until cheese is nice and brown
Homemade Mexican Salsa
I got this recipe several years ago in San Diego from you sweet young Mexican-American named Carmen. It has been a family favorite of ours for many many years! And what's so wonderful about this is that it's very easy and very tasty!
INGREDIENTS:
- Can of Diced Tomatoes (24.5 oz)
- Bunch of green onions (about 5-6 medium size)
- Bunch of Cilantro
- Canned or fresh jalapenos
- Fresh garlic or jarred minced garlic
The last three ingredients you can adjust to your own taste.
DIRECTIONS:
- Put all ingredients together in a food processor or blender. I use my very inexpensive Ninja blender bought at Walmart.
- Blend all ingredients together for 10-15 seconds or until you get an even consistency. Adjust the last three ingredients to your taste and re-blend.
- Once you get it to your liking, pour your salsa in your favorite bowl and start dipping!
NOTES:
I sometimes pre-make a jalopeno mixture by blending jalopenos and garlic together and store it in the fridge until I make salsa again. It is also very handy for those who need to "kick it up a notch" on their nachos, burritos, etc.
DIY Sugar Foot Scrub
I got this foot scrub idea from Jamie at Family Savvy. I saw so many posts on Pinterest where people were soaking cracked heels in a mixture of Listerine and vinegar. Jamie made this variation for something she could easily do at the end of her shower.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/3 Cup Listerine (I had the blue cool mint bottle)
- 1/3 Cup White Vinegar
- 2 - 3 Cups of Sugar (depending on the consistency you want)
- 4-5 Drops of Peppermint Essential Oil (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
- Pour sugar in a mason jar
- Mix vinegar and Listerine in a small bowl
- Pour this mixture over sugar
- Stir until it is mixed well
- Add drops of peppermint essential oil if desired
DIY Healthy Deodorant
FINALLY A HEALTHY DEODORANT THAT WORKS!!!
- No Artificial Fragrances
- Paraben-Free
- No Aluminum to clog your pores
- No GMO
We've all heard the dangers of harmful chemicals finding their way into consumer products, including cosmetics, deodorants, and antiperspirants. The following is a list of the top five chemicals to avoid in antiperspirants and deodorants.
Aluminum
The average antiperspirant contains aluminum which is a metal used to clog your pores thus eliminating sweat from escaping. Studies have shown that aluminum is linked to breast cancer, prostate cancer, and Alzheimer's disease. You might think you are safe by switching to deodorants, but commercially sold deodorants still have other harmful ingredients.
Parabens
Parabens are chemicals used to preserve products and are found in an alarming amount of cosmetics, sunscreens, lotions, deodorants, pharmaceuticals, as well as foods and beverages. Often more than one paraben is used in a single product. They are known as: methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben. The CDC performed a test on 2,548 individuals during 2005-06, and found paraben chemicals in the urine of most of the people tested. Females had significantly higher concentrations of methylparaben and propylparabens than males. This can probably be attributed to the amount of make up, lotions, and perfumes they consume. Why is this bad? It's bad because parabens have been linked to disturbances of our delicate hormonal balances. This can be seen in young girls beginning puberty much earlier than young girls in the past. There is also concern that parabens can increase the risk of hormonal cancers, birth defects, and organ toxicity.
Propylene glycol
Propylene glycol is a petroleum based, odorless, and colorless liquid used in many deodorants and antiperspirants to provide a smoother consistency for ease of application. Research has shown that large quantities can cause damage to the central nervous system, liver, and heart. But consumer safety advocates are now questioning their use in small quantities as well. Since Propylene glycol is also used in shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, and even foods, we are getting this exposure from various sources.
Here are some of the foods and drinks that Propylene Glyco is present in:
- Ice cream - to prevent ice crystals and to maintain a creamy texture
- Artificial sweetener Sorbitol - as a preservative
- Icings - as an emulsifier
- Soft drinks - to preserve flavor
Phthalates
This chemical is used in cosmetics, synthetic fragrances, body care products, and plastics. They serve to create an improved consistency. This chemical has also been linked to disruptions of hormones and an increase in the likelihood of cell mutation.
Triclosan
Triclosan is used in deodorants, hand wipes, anti-bacterial soaps, dish-washing detergent, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shoe insoles, and mattresses. It is used mainly for it's anti-bacterial properties as well as a deodorizing agent. Triclosan may disrupt thyroid function and has been linked to liver and inhalation toxicity.
In Summary
I know it can be overwhelming trying to avoid the massive list of dos and don'ts of a healthy conscience lifestyle these days, but every decision you make in choosing something healthier brings you one step closer to better health.
That said, here is the deodorant recipe that works the best for me and keeps the best consistency even in warmer temperatures of your house.
DIY Organic Coconut Deodorant
(Makes One 2.5 oz Container)
INGREDIENTS:
- 5 Tsp Organic Coconut Oil
- 5 Tsp Organic Bees wax Pastilles
- 5 Tsp Almond Oil
- 1/4 Tsp Baking Soda
- 2 Tsp Organic Arrow Root or Organic Cornstarch
- 2 Vitamin E Softgels
- 5 Drops of Organic Lavender Essential Oil
- 5 Drops of Organic Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
- 2 Drops of Organic Tea Tree Essential Oil (optional)
- Deodorant Container 2.5 oz (1/3 Cup)
* *ARMPIT ALERT* *
Many people have discovered (myself included) that homemade deodorants eventually cause your armpits to get irritated and red. After reading this article from a fellow blogger, Lisa Lise, I reduced my baking soda dramatically and now I have the perfect combination. Still fights odor too!Another pitfall of having your baking soda ratio too high is that you can't smell your essential oils, thus it is a waste of time and money to add them.
DIRECTIONS:
- Heat coconut oil, beeswax, and almond oil in a double boiler until melted
- Whisk in baking soda & arrow root or corn starch until creamy
- Remove from heat
- Add contents of vitamin E capsules by puncturing with pin and squeezing into mixture
- Add essential oils (add less or more depending on your preference)
- Pour into deodorant container and allow to sit until fully set. (I sometimes speed this up by placing it in the refrigerator or freezer).
- Add your own labels
Notes: This is the recipe that finally has the right smooth consistency and doesn't melt in warmer room temperatures. I've also decreased the amount of baking soda because continued use with higher levels of baking soda can cause underarm irritation and redness. This article, by Lisa Lise, really helped me understand this better.
Organic Ginger Carrot Soup
I like carrots, but not terribly. This recipe totally surprised me because it tastes great and I like knowing that it's basically pretty healthy.
Don't let the label "Organic" scare you off. I've recently joined the organic wagon, but if I had to categorize myself, I would say I'm "mostly organic". I try to use the Environmental Working Group's 2014 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce to buy the clean 15 and avoid the dirty dozen, but sometimes you just have to buy what you usually buy. Buying organic can certainly be more expensive and I understand that lots of folks are already on a tight budget, so you can just use what you have.
I got this recipe out of the Cuisinart Smart Stick Variable Speed Hand Blender's Instruction and Recipe Booklet, but I made some changes.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium shallots (I used one medium regular white onion)
- 1 Tbl finely chopped fresh ginger (I used powdered ginger to my own taste)
- 1 Tsp kosher salt, divided (I use unrefined Celtic Sea Salt).
- 1/2 Tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided.
- 2 lbs carrots, sliced
- 1/2 Tsp ground cumin
- pinch ground cloves
- 1/4 Tsp ground cinnamon
- 5 Cups vegetable or chicken broth, reduced sodium
- 1/2 Tsp fresh lemon juice (I omitted this)
- 1/4 - 1/2 Cup heavy cream (my addition)
DIRECTIONS:
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the shallots (onions), ginger, and a pinch each of the salt and pepper.
- Saute until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the carrots and raise the heat to medium-high.
- Saute for 2-3 minutes or until carrots are heated through and just starting to get tender.
- Add the remaining salt, pepper, and spices. Stir until carrots are fully coated.
- Add the broth and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and let soup simmer, uncovered, for about 25-30 minutes (carrots should be completely tender).
- Stir in the heavy cream to your preference and blend well.
- Liquefy the soup using an emulsifier, hand mixer or blend in batches with a blender.
- Taste and adjust your seasonings as desired.
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