Challenge Monday
Household Cleaner Swap Challenge!
It’s pretty ironic when you think about it. We use all these different products to clean our homes, but sometimes we end up exposing ourselves to toxins and doing more harm than good!
In an average household, there are over 60 toxic chemicals in the cleaners we use every day.
Exposure to these chemicals over time have been linked to asthma, cancer, reproductive disorders, hormone disruption and neuro-toxicity.
Although we can’t avoid exposure to these chemicals completely, we can significantly reduce it by choosing more natural brands.
The first step is to know what to look out for. Here’s a short list:
- Phthalates are known endocrine disruptors, which get into our system through inhalation or direct contact. (It’s found in many fragranced household products, such as air fresheners, dish soap, and even toilet paper.) Companies don’t have to disclose what’s in their scents, so you probably won’t even know it’s there! Look for the word “fragrance” on the label when buying household products.
- Perc (Perchloroethylene) is a neuro-toxin and is classified as “possible carcinogen.” Exposure is most often through inhalation. It can be found in spot removers, carpet and upholstery cleaners and dry-cleaning.
- Triclosan is an aggressive antibacterial agent that can cause the growth of drug-resistant bacteria. It’s found in liquid dishwashing detergents and hand soaps labeled with “antibacterial.”
- Ammonia is a powerful irritant that can cause chronic bronchitis and asthma when being inhaled over an extended period of time. It’s typically found in window cleaners and polishing products.
- Chlorine is a respiratory irritant and it may seriously disrupt thyroid glands. Chlorine is everywhere - in cleaning products, fumes, even in city water to get rid of bacteria. Tip: use baking soda and vinegar for cleaning instead. Also, add filters to minimize chlorine going through tap water.
The good news is you can use a lot of ingredients you probably already have at home and make your own DIY cleaners.
Check out this list of 67 homemade recipes you can make right at home:
www.keeperofthehome.org/2013/06/homemade-all-natural-cleaning-recipes.html
This will not only save you a lot of money, but is much better for your body.
Your challenge this week it to look through all of your household cleaners and replace one (or all!) with a healthier, more natural one.
Are you ready? Let me know in a comment below!
Tuesday Tipster
One of the main reasons why people often find they can’t sleep is because they’re thinking about all of the things they need to do the next day.
Keep a small notebook on your night table and write down everything in your head. This will tell your brain you don’t have to remember it anymore and will actually help you fall asleep faster.
Recipe Wednesday
Cucumber Berry Breakfast Pasta (serves 1)
INGREDIENTS:
1 cucumber, spiralized (or peeled into ribbons using a veggie peeler)
juice of ½ -1 lime
6 large basil leaves, julienned into ribbons
handful of berries (blackberries are great)
kiwi fruit, diced
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds (and/or poppy seeds)
sprinkle of bee pollen (optional)
sprinkle of coconut (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Toss your spiralized or ribboned cucumber together with julienned basil in a bowl.
Squeeze your lime on top and toss again, then load the mix onto a plate (or into a bowl). Sprinkle on your black sesame seeds then top with a little more basil, kiwi fruit and blackberries (which I halved) and then follow with your other chosen superfood toppings. (We went with bee pollen and coconut.)
[Credit: TujaWellness.com]
Thoughtful Thursday
What does being “fit” mean to you? Fitness has different meanings for different people. It really depends where you’re at currently. If you have weight to lose, maybe being fit means that you need to drop a few pounds and start a fitness program. Depending on your fitness level, that might be the beginnings of a walking program. Or, if you have been working out for a while, it might mean completing your first 5K run or increasing your weight training program.
The thing to remember is any improvement is movement in the right direction! Unless you are an athlete who depends solely on a specific performance level for income (which isn’t something most of us have to worry about,) you are really only competing with yourself.
Assess your current fitness level and create fitness goals based on weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly goals. Even small increments of improvement will mean a major increase in your fitness level by year’s end.
Weekend Warrior Workout
3 rounds as follows: 50 reps round 1, 40 reps round 2, 30 reps round 3. Burpees remain the same. Complete in your best time with proper form.
Warm-up and cool down for 5-10 minutes each.
- 50 Cross-body Mountain Climbers 1-1 (knee in towards opposite shoulder)
- 5 Burpees
- 50 Jumping Jacks
- 5 Burpees
- 50 V-ups
- IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION ABOUT EXERCISES REACH OUT TO ME