Surviving Irene

I certainly hope everyone "weathered" the storm alright yesterday. I will start off by saying we could have had it a lot worse in Beacon but things were not great.  We had power at my house but my neighbors behind us and on the other block over did not have power and still don't. The water started pouring into our basement around 1pm yesterday  - the cat was doing the back stroke and the carpet did not fair too well either. About 1 inch in the back room basement and more water coming through the masonry around our fireplace! Yikes! Needless to say it was a very stressful day yesterday and thank goodness everyone is OK. That is the important part.

I just read my horoscope for the day and it is pretty inspiring: Hope you don't mind me sharing.

You will get greater satisfaction from this day if you turn away from you current distractions, so feel free to forget about your messy house, forget about the bills you have to pay and forget about that annoying noisy neighbor. Instead, if you put a little effort into seeing the bright side of life, you will create a cloud of positive energy that could stick with you for weeks or even months. Sometimes all it takes to get yourself in a good mood is to choose to be in it.

Have a great day everyone and keep safe & dry!

Warm regards and love -

Erin

Age Spots, Liver Spots & Sun Spots -Oh my!

I discovered about a year and a half ago that I had some changes in coloring on my forehead. Well it turns out these spots are called age spots or in a nicer term; sun spots.  I was mortified and at first thought I was the only one who was noticing them until someone pointed them out to me. I immediately went into the bathroom and cut thick bangs so that you could not even see my forehead at all. It was my way of concealing what I did not like about my face.

The bangs did not last for long as I felt like a little kid with them and the spots seemed to fade a bit. Just recently however I had to cut them again. ( this time I went a little thinner on the bangs and they are more of a fringe.) My need for doing this again is that the spots seem to get darker in the summer time for some reason.

First things is first - What Causes Age Spots? The sun does. The term ‘age spots’, or lentigines, refers to the brownish spots that, over time appear on your face and body as a result of overexposure to the sun. As we age our skin is subjected to more and more sun damage. Our skin has what is called ‘melanin pigment’ which absorbs sunlight and helps naturally protect our skin from UV rays. However as we age, our skin's natural ability to fend off UV rays from the sun begins to deteriorate, and as a result, we see the development of age spots. [1]

Of course if you have any raised or abnormal looking spots on your face or body that changes shape or color please, please get them checked out by a dermatologist to make sure they are nothing serious.

This then lead me to do some research for an all natural way to lighten them or help make them go away all together. Don’t get me wrong I have no problem with going to the store and buying Olay Regenerist or some other chemical but I would rather explore the natural remedies first. Here are a few ideas I found.

1)      Try dabbing some buttermilk on your age spots. The lactic acid and other ingredients in the mil are extremely beneficial to the skin. Cosmetic companies have taken advantage of this natural beauty secret by putting milk into many skin cleansers and bath products.

2)      I know, I know this one sounds a bit crazy but believe me when I say garbanzo beans can help fade age spots. Take about a ¼ cup and smash them together. Spread on your face or wherever the spots may be and let dry. Rinse off and repeat this every night for at least a month. This is not the fastest way I would prefer to make them go away but it sounds promising.

3)      Dandelion is a wonderful diuretic and detox herb, but it is also highly effective for helping fade age spots. Break open a dandelion stem and rub the sap on the spots 2 x per day. This sticky remedy is also effective on warts.

4)      One of the all time best things to have in your cupboard is Apple cider vinegar.  It has many household and beauty uses but yes, it is also helpful in fighting age spots as well.  Combine two teaspoons apple cider vinegar and one teaspoon orange juice and dab onto spots.  Again it may not be the fasted cure but it does help.

Good luck with those spots!

Warm regards and love –

Erin

[1]- http://www.agespots.net/causes.aspx

All Natural Markets

Local Health Food Stores & All Natural Markets:

We have an all natural market in my town and I am sure you have one close to you as well. Just look in the Yellow Pages under “Health Food Stores”, or consult GreenPeople’s on-line database to find one near you. Beacon All Natural Market is located right on Main Street in Beacon, NY and offers a wide variety of all natural items. I go there for some of my essential oils ( although there prices may be a bit higher than some of my other sources ) and offer a great selection of products that I cannot find locally anywhere else.

Local markets such as this one provide a valuable resource for the person who is looking for a Whole Foods or Trader Joe market experience. They offer hard to find items, nutritional items and vitamins, all natural body care, plus organic produce and one of a kind items from local artisans.

Health Food Store benefits

Although some conventional grocery stores are finally carrying organic produce and natural products in limited quantities, you’ll pay a higher price for them than at a health food store on average. Be sure to shop around. While my local Wal-Mart store carries some similar items but with a higher price tag. The main philosophy of health food store owners is that we should only use products that are healthy for us and for the environment. Every business must make a profit to stay in business, but not necessarily at the expense of our health or the environment! The successes of large health food store chains such as Whole Foods have proven that a business can achieve success while remaining true to this philosophy. Health food stores carry not only a wide selection of organic produce, but also carry most all the other types of products you would find at a conventional store – only these products are more healthy for us and the environment. Let’s take a look at what’s offered.



 Locally grown produce (seasonal), eggs, cheeses, grass-fed meats & grass-fed milk
• Organically grown produce, eggs, poultry & cheeses
• Major brand vitamins, herbs & homeopathy
• Organic bulk grains, nuts, & dried fruits
• Cruelty-free face & body care
• Gluten-free products
• Organic prepared foods & juice bar

All Natural Markets are worth a look. Go visit one today!

Warm regards and love –

Erin

Recipe of the week:

Beer Can Chicken

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

·         1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds)

·         1 12 ounce can beer (room temperature)

·         2 cloves garlic, minced

·         2 sprigs fresh rosemary

·         2 teaspoons olive oil

·         1 teaspoon dried thyme

·         1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed

·         Juice of 1 lemon

·         For Rub:

·         1 teaspoon paprika

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped

·         1 teaspoon dried thyme

·         1/2 teaspoon black pepper, ground

·         1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Preparation:

Combine all rub ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.

Remove giblets and the neck from chicken. Sprinkle all over with rub, including cavity. Open can of beer and discard half of it, ( or drink it – no sense is waiting good beer! ) . Place, minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, lemon juice, and pepper flakes in it. Make sure to pierce two more holes on the top of beer can. Place chicken on top of can.

Preheat grill for a medium heat. Place birds on grill balanced by the beer cans. Grill over indirect medium heat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until internal temperature of thigh is 180 degrees. Remove chicken when finished cooking and let sit (with beer can still intact), for 10 minutes before carving.

Enjoy!

Warm regards and love –

Erin

Make Your Own All Natural Body Scrub:

It is that time of the year when we need to remember to keep our skin in the best shape we can. The sun, salt water , pool water and heat do a lot a lot of damage to your skin, so I have a simple way for you to create your own spa like scrub right at home.

You can create your scrub using sea salt or brown sugar or both. Brown sugar can be used on the face and is a bit gentler on the skin. Sea salt scrub alone is not meant to be used on the face ( the face requires a much gentler scrub ). They are great for buffing dry skin off of elbows, knees, ankles and arms. For best results, scrub the sea salt into the rough areas of your skin while showering. This will slough the dead skin off and cleanse your skin to allow essential oils to be absorbed. ( Be careful as the oils in the scrub will make the tub a bit slippery. )

In addition to being a cost-effective way to save money, homemade body scrubs make a great gift. They look great packaged in a hinged fruit-preserving jar with rubber rim; you can buy them at any craft or home goods store.

Once you try it you will be hooked!

Here are a few recipes to try:

Brown Sugar Scrub:

1 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup sweet almond oil
2-3 capsules Vitamin E
1-2 drops of Vanilla Extract

Sea Salt Body Scrub:

1 cup sea salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup almond oil or olive oil

Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil

Brown sugar and oatmeal Scrub:

3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup ground oatmeal (not instant)
1/4 cup pure honey
3/4 to 1 cup (or to total saturation) Oil of choice -  jojoba, grapeseed or sweet almond oil – you can always use olive oil as well.
1/4 tsp essential oil (optional) Vanilla works nicely. Though this smells great on its own.

Directions: Mix Well - Your ingredients should be wet but not saturated.  Keep in airtight container and it will last about 3-4 weeks.  Use about 1 tablespoon in the shower to exfoliate. You will have to re-mix before every use. You should apply the scrubs to warm, damp skin, in a circular motion. Once rubbed in, go ahead and rinse off with warm water, again, using a circular motion. Once it is all rinsed off, dry your body – you should not need to apply a moisturizer. Your skin should feel velvety soft and smooth.

Happy creating! Let me know how you make out with your scrubs.

Warm regards and love –

Erin

Lavender Essential Oil :

This blog will provide information you need to delve into the world of all natural beauty products, essential oils, herbs, and other things all natural that come up along the way that I feel are important to talk about on this subject and many more. My role as a mother of two, a wife, a friend, a daughter and a full time employee, give me the ability to witness all aspects of life and see what we have too much of and what we are lacking and try to balance love, family, play time, and work all at the same time. 

Life is about balance. I hope you feel the same way and can take away some bit of infromation that you will find helpful in your life. - enjoy!

Lavender Essential Oil:

I thought I would start my very first all natural blog by providing information on one of my favorite and what I feel is a most beneficial essential oil. I keep it right in my kitchen for burns and abrasions. Lavender is one of the only essential oils that can be applied “neat” or directly to the skin without any carrier mixed with it. This means when you get a small burn from the stove (like I am likely to do when I cook : ) is to put a small amount of oil directly on the burn and it instantly relieves that horrible burning feeling. It doesn't have too strong of a camphor smell, it is light and floral. I have used it for soap, lotion, and bath salts and is wonderful for all. It will also help to promote healing of the skin faster. It is just a wonder oil and it smells heavenly!

Lavender Bulgaria Essential Oil: Lavandula angustifolia, ( steam distilled flowering top, Bulgaria.) ( *note: Bulgarian lavender is one of the middle of the road lavenders – not too expensive and has the same properties as some of the more expensive oils )

Lavender's aroma is floral, herbaceous, light with woody undertones. Among its many properties, it's known to be analgesic, antidepressant, antirheumatic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antiviral, bactericide, cicatrizant, decongestant, deodorant, diuretic, fungicide, sedative. Soothes the spirit, relieves anger, valuable in manic-depressive cases.

Lavender has a sedative action on the heart, assists in bringing down high blood pressure, and relieves insomnia and muscular spasms and rheumatic pains. This is the first essential oil one should reach for in the case of minor burns and sunburn, keep a bottle in the kitchen (away from open flame!). Useful with menstrual problems, bronchitis and headaches, helps lower blood pressure. Useful in a diffuser in the delivery room to calm and relax everyone in the room.

May be useful with nausea, vomiting and colic. Keeps insects away. Purifies the air. Promotes growth of new skin cells, great healing effect on burns and sunburn, acne, psoriasis, boils, fungal growths and scarring. Lavender is one of the safest essential oils to use with children and the elderly. Blends well with bergamot, chamomile, citronella, lemon, and pine.

I hope you will find some of this information useful and are able to incorporate it into your daily lives.  Please bookmark my page and visit us again soon.

Love and warm wishes –

Erin

      

Of course always consult a doctor before use and keep away from children. For topical use only –do not ingest. This is for informational purposes only and is not considered medical advice and claims have not been certified by the FDA.