Spring is in the air! And this is a great time to thoroughly clean your home.

But wait … Before you get started, have you ever thought about the the kinds of ingredients that are in the cleaning products you use?

Could they potentially pose a threat to your health? Definitely things to consider … Right?

I think many of us are under the false assumption that we have to use heavy-duty commercial cleaning products (loaded with toxic chemical ingredients), in order to keep our homes clean and free of germs.

Fortunately, this is not the case! And good thing, because we are constantly being exposed to all kinds of hazardous materials, chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, toxins, nuclear debris, etc. that are polluting the quality of our air, water, food, and environment.

The last thing we should be doing is polluting our homes with toxic chemicals.

I’ve found that we can actually make our homes a healthier, and much safer place by getting rid of potentially harmful, toxic chemical cleaning products, and using natural, non-toxic solutions, instead.

You can buy such cleaning products, but I like to make my own homemade herbal cleaning formulas. I think it’s a fun, simple, and cost effective way to create a naturally clean home, safe for children, and pet friendly too!

It’s also a great way to contribute to a cleaner environment!

Eco-Friendly Household Cleaning Checklist:

The great thing is you probably have most of these items already!

Baking Soda – non-toxic abrasive, cuts through oil and grease, and absorbs odors.

White Distilled Vinegar – a disinfectant, deodorizing, mold-inhibiting, and cuts oil and grease.

Washing Soda – cuts grease and removes stains.

Borax – a disinfectant, deodorizing, removes stains, mold inhibiting, and kills cockroaches and ants. Breaks down easily in the environment.

Lemon Juice – a mild bleach, stain remover, mold inhibiting, and a deodorizer.

Salt – mild abrasive and disinfectant.

Essential Oils – the majority are antiseptic and antibacterial, and smell good too.

My favorite essential oils for cleaning are lemon, orange, lavender, and peppermint.

Below I have some great formulas for various household cleaners. Give them a try, or use them as a guide to create your own cleaning formulas!

D.I.Y. Eco-Friendly Household Cleaners:

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

1 cup borax

10-12 drops lemon essential oil

Use ¼ cup in toilet bowl. Flush toilet. Sprinkle Toilet Bowl Cleaner inside bowl. Let stand for 30 minutes or overnight. Scrub with toilet brush.

Anti Bacterial Soap Concentrate 

This recipe comes from the book, The Cure for all Cancers, by Hulda Clark. I like to have a bottle of this formula in the kitchen and bathroom.

Borax

Water

In a half gallon glass jar or jug, pour the borax powder to fill to a depth of 1/2 an inch. Fill to the top with water and shake a few times. Let settle. Pour off clear part into dispenser bottles.

Floors

2 gallons warm water

1 cup white distilled vinegar

10-12 drops peppermint essential oil (optional)

In a bucket, add water, vinegar, and essential oils. Stir with mop. Ring out mop, so it’s damp. Wash floor.

Windows & Mirrors

1 cup water

1 cup white distilled vinegar

7 drops lemon essential oil (optional)

Add to a spray bottle. Shake well. Spray on windows and mirrors. Wipe clean with a cloth rag.

Dusting Cloth

1 cup hot water

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 drops lemon essential oil

4 drops lavender essential oil

In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together. Dip clean cotton rags into the mixture.  Wring them out and hang dry. Store in an air tight container. Use them for dusting. When rags get dirty, wash and repeat dipping and drying  process.

Laundry Detergent

2 cups borax

6 drops orange essential oil

6 drops lemon essential oil

Mix ingredients well. Use ½ cup per load of laundry.

Air Freshener Spray

Many commercial air fresheners are loaded with chemicals and artificial fragrances that simply mask odors. Essential oils are amazing because they actually neutralize odors.

12 drops of your favorite essential oil, or blend of essential oils

2 1/2 cups water

Add ingredients to a spray bottle. Use fine spray. Shake before use. Spray into air.

Carpet Deodorizer

This recipe is really great for eliminating and neutralizing funky pet odors.

2 cups baking soda

5 drops lavender essential oil

4 drops lemon essential oil

Mix ingredients well. Sprinkle on carpet. Leave for at least 1 hour, or overnight. Vacuum thoroughly.

 Tip: I like to use a broom and sweep the mixture into the carpet before vacuuming.

Do you have any non-toxic house cleaning recipes or ideas you’d like to add? Please do!

Happy Chemical Free Cleaning!

Shahné

We don’t have to give up the things we enjoy in order to live a healthier lifestyle. There are countless ways that we can improve and enhance the quality of our lives and promote better health.

The purpose of the Healthy Lifestyle Upgrades Series is to share information, tips, and ideas that will inspire people to live a healthier lifestyle. I really want to emphasize that even the smallest and simplest adjustments to our lifestyles can make a world of difference to our health and well-being.

It doesn’t matter who you are or what your situation is, there are always things you can do to create a healthier life for you and your family.

The key concept to remember when making healthy lifestyle upgrades is optimization. In other words, “How can you take what you’re doing and make it better (for you)?”

Below, I’ve listed a few ideas to consider as you think about this question and how you can start making healthy lifestyle upgrades today!

Things to Consider When Making Healthy Lifestyle Upgrades

(1) Live a Naturalistic Lifestyle. I believe that the more naturally we can live the healthier we can be. When we make the effort to avoid and/or reduce the amount of toxins and chemicals that we expose ourselves to we can establish a cleaner, safer, and healthier lifestyle for ourselves (family, pets, and planet too).

Ways to Support a Naturalistic Way of Life Include:

• Choosing Organic and/0r Locally Grown Foods. We can avoid and/or reduce our exposure to toxic health threatening chemicals like pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, antibiotics, hormones, etc. found in conventional foods. Buy organic and locally grown foods whenever possible. Homegrown and wild foods are even better!
• Preparing Meals at Home. Use fresh, whole foods to create nutritiously delicious meals. Establishing a whole food diet allows us to be in control of the quality, quantity, and types of ingredients we eat, as well as avoid and/or limit our consumption of artificial chemical food additives, preservatives, flavors, colorings, etc. found in packaged, processed, and fast foods.
• Clean Up Your Personal Environment. We may not have much control over our exposure to environmental toxins and pollutants, but we can reduce the level of toxicity within our personal environment(s). For example, we can opt for organic and natural household cleaning and personal care products. We can do things like get a water filter, air purifier, shower dechlorinator, etc.

(2) Substitutions & Alternatives. You’ll find that there are healthier substitutions and natural alternatives for just about anything and everything. For example, to avoid the consumption of the chemicals, pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, etc. found in conventional beef, you could opt for grass-fed beef. Or maybe you’re looking for a healthier substitute for butter. Why not try coconut oil?

(3) Optimize Regular & Daily Habits. Finding ways to optimize habits and things that we do on a regular and/or daily basis is significant. Over time, small changes do add up! For instance, when you realize your toothpaste has fluoride in it, a toxic substance that causes health related conditions such as bone diseases, you’ll most likely want to purchase a fluoride free toothpaste or find some sort of natural alternative (free of fluoride). Or maybe you’ve just learned that your daily cup of coffee is loaded with harmful mycotoxins and is highly acidic, which can cause health discomforts such as headaches, nausea, heartburn, anxiety, nervousness, gastrointestinal issues, etc. Does this mean that you have to stop drinking coffee? No. It just means that you need to upgrade. In this case, switching to a low acidity, organic brand of coffee would be a better choice.

(4) Read Ingredients Labels on Food & Non-Food Items.This is important because many of the foods and products that we purchase have strange chemical ingredients. So, if you don’t know what an ingredient is or how to pronounce it, it’s probably best to avoid it. Even foods and products labelled “organic” or “all natural” can have questionable ingredients. So don’t be fooled by tactful marketing propaganda!

That concludes this post. I just wanted to give everyone an idea of what this series is all about. Hopefully you didn’t find it overwhelming. And if you did, please don’t!

Once you start making healthy lifestyle upgrades, you’ll begin to see endless ways that you can optimize and enhance your lifestyle!

Stay tuned!

Best of Health,
Shahné

I’m a huge advocate of making things from scratch. Whether it’s preparing my own meals at home, making my own household cleaning products, personal care products, beauty treatments, etc., I think, there’s a real health advantage in doing so.

We often don’t think about the “hidden” toxicities that are commonly found in the products that we use, but we should. This is one aspect of a healthy lifestyle that should not be overlooked.

ALWAYS read the ingredients list of ALL products (both food and non-food) that you buy. And, don’t be fooled by labels that read “organic” or “all-natural.” Many of these products still contain harmful chemical ingredients.

This is part of the reason I like to make my own stuff. I get to be in control of the ingredients that I use. And by doing this, I know that I’m avoiding and/or limiting my exposure to a ton of toxic chemicals (like artificial fragrances, preservatives, dyes, etc.).

Which is definitely a health advantage! Our bodies don’t like synthetic, man made substances.

There are several toxins that are known to cause health related complications. Personally, I think that ALL toxins are going to pose a threat to our health and well-being.  So the more naturally we can live the better (for our health and environment too).

Don’t you think?

With that said, I’ve been enjoying this DIY Peppermint Lavender Moisturizing Shampoo. My hair LOVES it!

It’s simple and fun to make! And most importantly, it’s void of toxic chemical ingredients like sulfates, parabens, phthalates, petroleum derivatives, etc. that are commonly found in shampoos. This recipe is truly all-natural.

Best of Health,
Shahné

There’s a lot of focus on liver cleanses these days, which are great and I do recommend, but cleansing your kidneys is just as important.

Just like the liver, the kidneys, are major detoxification organs of the body, and should be cleansed. Cleansing your kidneys will support the healthy functioning of these organs, so that they can keep doing what they do!

The kidneys are a pair of organs that filter the fluids of the body. They receive filtered blood from the liver, and filter it again, reabsorbing essential nutrients and water back into the bloodstream, and excreting waste products and unuseful materials through the urine.

The kidneys have a very important job! If your kidneys aren’t functioning properly, or they completely fail, things can get pretty ugly!

Which is why, it’s critical that we understand how to take care of these precious organs. Keeping our kidneys in good health is a necessity in today’s world where we are constantly being exposed to all kinds of pollutants. Which means our bodies have to process and deal with these toxicities. This includes everything from the air we breathe, food we eat, water we drink, to the personal care and household cleaning products we use.

But, there’s no need to worry. The key is to be conscious about these things, so that we can make informed decisions and choices that will better help us to optimize our current lifestyle to a healthier one. There are always things we can do to enhance the quality of our lives.

I think there’s a lot we can do to reduce our likelihood of developing unnecessary health related conditions and diseases. With that said, this post is meant to provide information that can help support kidney health, and prevent the occurrence of developing kidney complications.

Below, I have a list of what I consider to be some of the best kidney cleansing and supporting foods and herbs.

Start adding these into your diet. Add them to things you’re already eating. For example, if you eat a sandwich for lunch everyday, throw some cucumbers and parsley in it! That simple.

Best Foods and Herbs for Supporting Kidney Health

Note: I always recommend buying the best quality foods that you can. Opt for locally grown, organic, and/or homegrown options. Look into local farmers markets, and food co-ops for fresh produce. Check out your health food store or Mountain Rose Herbs for some of the herbs listed below.

Parsley: Easily add to salads, salad dressings, fresh green juices, wraps, sandwiches, pizza, dips, and soups.

Bee Pollen: Add a teaspoon to smoothies, unpasteurized yogurt, and cold cereals.

Pumpkin Seeds (Raw): Sprout and add to salads, or “toast” them in a dehydrator with a light coating of olive oil and your favorite seasonings.

Vitamin C Botanicals: Rose Hips, Camu Camu Berry, Hibiscus Flowers: These can be made into tea, or purchased in capsules and powders.

Lemons: Help reduce the formation of kidney stones. Squeeze lemon juice into your water, onto your salads, or try the popular Master CleanserThe Master Cleanser Lemonade:  2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice,1-2 tablespoons maple syrup, a dash of cayenne pepper, and 8-12 ounces water.

Cucumbers: Great in salads, sandwiches, burgers, and wraps. They’re also great for juicing, snacking, or this Cucumber Hummus  looks delicious!

Raw Apple Cider Vinegar: Helps prevent the formation of kidney stones. Use in salad dressings, or add 1-2 teaspoons to your water. Have you tried this apple cider vinegar weight loss drink?

Cranberries: Can help treat and prevent urinary tract infections. It’s also been shown to be effective for preventing and dissolving kidney stones.  Cranberry capsules are an easy and convenient way to help support urinary tract and kidney health.

Aloe Vera: This herb contains compounds that help prevent kidney stones. Aloe vera gel can be mixed into beverages.

Nettles: Are a natural diuretic and blood purifier (aka kidney cleanser). You can make a tea, or add nettle powder to your foods and beverages. I add nettle leaf powder to all of my smoothies and salad dressings.

Red Clover: A great blood purifier, so it will help cleanse the kidneys. I like to sprout red clover seeds and add them to salads. I also use the dried herb to make tea, as well as, add it to my daily smoothie.

Dandelion: A natural diuretic, so it will promote urination which will aid in the elimination of wastes. You may be interested in this recipe for Dandelion Root Coffee. Fresh dandelion greens can also be added to salads, or juiced with other vegetables.

Chanca Piedra: This South American herb helps break up any kidney stone formations that could be present, as well as, stones in other organs. It also has the added benefit of dilating the ureters and urethra, so that the stone(s) can be passed with less pain. You can make a tea, purchase in capsules, or as a liquid extract.

Noni Root: This herb provides great kidney and adrenal support. It can also be used as a thickening agent. You can add noni powder to smoothies, dips, cereal, unpasteurized yogurt, salad dressings, no bake energy bars, etc.

Reishi Mushroom: A Chinese herb supportive of kidney health. You can make a tea using the whole mushroom. This tea makes a great liquid base for smoothies and soups. Or, buy it as a powder, and add to smoothies, dips, dressings. etc. It’s flavor is undetectable, so it’s really easy to add to your foods and beverages. Reishi is also available in capsules, and liquid extracts. In general, this is a great herb for everyone. It is an immune booster, and promotes overall wellbeing.

Rehmannia Bark: Another Chinese herb supportive of kidney health. Make a tea.

I’d also like to point out that kidney cleansers are also known as blood purifiers. So, when you see an herb or food that has a blood purifying effect then you know it’s also cleansing for the kidneys.

In order to really support healthy kidneys, I think, it also makes sense to be aware of things that aren’t so great for your kidneys.

Foods to Avoid and/or Limit for Healthy Kidneys

Processed Foods: Basically anything in a package! These foods are high in refined salt and loaded with sugars, unhealthy fats, and artificial preservatives and additives. This includes cookies, chips, crackers, bread, pasta, ready made meals, cereal, canned foods, etc. Eat real food. Center your diet on fresh, whole foods that are grown locally, organically, and/or homegrown. If you want a cookie, make your own using wholesome ingredients. This is a far better choice, and even tastier!

Animal Protein: Eating an excessive amount of animal protein can be overwhelming to your kidneys. The filters of the kidneys are delicate and can easily be clogged by animal protein. Cutting back on your consumption of things like beef, chicken, pork, pasteurized dairy products, etc., and adding more plant-based protein sources is a great way to go! There are so many delicious, and nutritious vegan and vegetarian food ideas, so don’t be afraid to try new things!

The kidneys do have other intolerances, but I wanted to address processed foods and animal protein, because I feel that the overconsumption of these two food categories is common. Which, I think, is detrimental to the health of our kidneys, as well as, our overall health.

Well, that concludes this post. I hope you found it helpful!

Best of Health,

Shahné

What are your favorite kidney cleansing foods and herbs? Please comment below 🙂

In one of my earlier post’s, “Is Your Diet Causing You Dental Problems?” we learn that our diet has a direct correlation to the health of our mouth.

If we understand this, then it makes sense that a healthy diet will promote a healthy mouth; strong healthy teeth, gums, and tongue. In addition to this, practicing good oral hygiene is just as important.

In my opinion, there is absolutely no need to use toxic, chemical laden oral care products to support healthy teeth and gums.

Below, I have several all natural tips that I have found to be effective in maintaining (or promoting) a healthy smile.

Use an All Natural Toothpaste or Baking Soda (aluminum-free). Most commercial toothpastes (and oral care products) contain chemicals, alcohol, artificial preservatives, flavors, and colors. Avoid toothpastes that have fluoride and sodium lauryl sulfate – a harsh detergent. Also make sure to read ingredient labels, even on those products labelled “natural” or “organic,” they often contain questionable ingredients. I recommend Estrella Toothpaste and Mouth Rinse. I like to brush with baking soda, sea salt, and a blend of essential oils. This combination keeps my teeth white, my breath fresh, and my gums healthy! You can also just use baking soda – great for whitening and cleaning the teeth, as well as, deodorizing bad breath!

Brush in Circular Motions. Brushing your teeth using a gentle, circular motion will stimulate tissue regeneration which will support strong healthy gums. Remember to brush along your gum line using this same technique. This can be especially beneficial for those with reseeding gums.

Floss. Your toothbrush can’t clean out those tight spaces between your teeth, so you’ve got to floss! I’ve been using Smart Floss. It’s thicker than your average floss, so it works great for getting plaque, harmful bacteria, food, etc. out of those tiny little cracks and crevices.

Tongue Scrapper.  This is an essential detoxification tool used to effectively clean your tongue. Using a tongue scrapper will leave your tongue feeling and tasting clean, and help combat bad breath. If you don’t have one of these then buy one!

Essential Oils. Are great to add to your oral care routine. Use them to whiten your teeth, freshen your breath, kill harmful bacteria, and support healthy teeth and gums. You can add 1-2 drops to your toothpaste, or get the head of your toothbrush wet, dip it into some baking soda (aluminum-free), add 1-2 drops of essential oil(s), and brush.

My Favorite Essential Oils for Healthy Teeth and Gums

Myrrh – astringent and antiseptic.

Peppermint – great breath freshener and helps relieve toothaches.

Cloves – healing, antiseptic, and a great breath freshener.

Note: Only use organic and/or steam distilled essential oils.

Magnesium. Is responsible for more than 300 biological processes in our body. It also promotes gum regeneration. This may be especially helpful if you have receding gums. Add a drop of ionic magnesium to your toothbrush before brushing. I also add a few drops to all my beverages and foods.

Magnesium Rich Foods to Add to Your Diet:

Greens – Include a variety of green leafy vegetables in your diet. They are an excellent source of magnesium and chlorophyll. Chlorophyll helps fight against bad breath because it neutralizes odors. Also, eating greens naturally brushes and cleans the teeth. Try this yummy kale chip recipe.

Cacao (Raw Organic)– Chocolate in its purest form! Is the best natural source of magnesium, along with iron, phosphorus, copper, zinc, and manganese. Learn more about raw cacao.

Almonds (Raw Organic Unpasteurized) – A great source of magnesium and healthy fats. Have a handful as a snack, slice and add them to salads, or make your own almond milk or butter.

Silicon. Is an essential component in the make-up of our connective tissue, hair, skin, nails, bones, joints, tendons, cartilage, and blood vessels. Silicon helps prevent cavities while nourishing and strengthening the teeth and gums.

Silicon Rich Foods to Add to Your Diet:

Alfalfa – Sprout alfalfa seeds and add them to a salad, wrap, or sandwich. Learn how to easily sprout seeds in your own kitchen!

Cucumber (silicon found in skin) – Cut into slices, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt or Himalayan salt. Note: If you want to benefit from the silicon in cucumbers don’t peel the skin off the cucumber. Make sure to always buy organic, so you avoid eating harmful pesticides and chemicals!

Bell Pepper (silicon found in skin) – Add to salads, or dip in hummus.

Supplement: I like to use Living Silica in my beverages and foods as much as possible. I also use it on my skin after I get out of the shower.

Sulfur. Helps build strong enamel, and strengthens the teeth.

Sulfur Rich Foods to Add to Your Diet:

Maca Root Powder –This sulfur rich superfood is also a great source of plant based protein. Add powder to smoothies, dips, ice cream, etc.

Brassica Family Vegetables – Cabbage, kale, broccoli, brussels sprouts, etc. Enjoy them raw in salads, vegetable juices, or lightly steamed with a little olive oil and sea salt.

Radishes – Slice and add to a salad.

Supplement: MSM – I add this to my morning apple cider vinegar or lemon water.

Vitamin C. Is necessary for maintaining healthy gums. It plays an essential role in the production of collagen. Vitamin C also helps to maintain healthy teeth and bones.

Vitamin C Rich Foods to Add to Your Diet:

Hibiscus Flowers – Make a tea.

Camu Camu Berry – Add powder to smoothies and juices.

Rosehips – Make a tea.

AFA Blue Green Algae (from Klamath Lake) – The powder can be used in smoothies, dips, salad dressings, etc. Or, take it in capsule form.

Coenzyme Q10. Supplements have been found beneficial in some cases of gum disease.

These are my all natural tips for white teeth, healthy gums, and fresh breath. Give them a try! You don’t need to do it all at once. Just start implementing what you can, and feel comfortable doing.

To a Healthy Smile!

Shahné

What do you think? Are you currently using some of these tips?

What are you going to try first? Please comment below 🙂