The Safe Shopper's Bible

This is an early post for this week but I know my week will end up to be very busy and I wanted to leave you with some food-for-thought.
Just recently I stumbled across The Safe Shopper's Bible - A Consumer's Guide to Nontoxic Household Products, Cosmetics, and Food by David Steinman & Samuel S. Epstein, M.D. This book is a true eye opener and worth the few dollars that it costs (I bought mine on half.com for $ 5.00). Even though it was published in 1995, this book offers valuable information when it comes to living naturally. The chapters range from household products (cleaning products, paint and related products, pesticides, pet supplies, auto products, art and craft supplies) to cosmetics (eye and face makeup, hair care, dental and oral hygiene, feminine hygiene, nail products, and skin products) to foods and beverages. Interestingly, when I looked under the "Skin Lotion" section, the less common and lesser known brands are the ones mostly recommended compared to well known brands such as Almay, Chanel, Clarins, Clinique, Estee Lauder, Jergens, or even Lubriderm and Oil of Olay. What these well-known brands have in common is that they use fragrances and preservatives some of which can be very harmful. Manufacturers do not have to label them as harmful as often only traces of a specific ingredient can be found. However, used on a daily basis over a prolonged period of time, even the most minimal trace adds up and can be harmful.
Some years ago I had bought a moisturizing facial cream because "advertisers told me" (you know, commercials on TV can be oh so persuasive) that I needed it for anti-aging prevention. I did not think twice, did not read the label, paid $ 40.00 for a tiny jar (and that was cheap!), went home, and used the cream only to frantically wash it off a little while later because my eyes were itching and getting puffy. How upsetting is it to spend so much money on a cream only to be allergic to it?! Synthetic fragrances and preservatives are very often the cause of allergies so if you are like me and experience or suffer from an allergy and have no idea where it is coming from, take a look at what you put on your skin. Stop using your cosmetic products for a while and see if your allergy gets better. Read the labels, research the products online, become an educated consumer. A very good reference site is Skin Deep. Better yet, make your own products! You always know what you put in your own product. You can use different ingredients depending on your need, skin type, or mood if you like fragranced products. Instead of using synthetic fragrances, essential oils are the safest substitute. Some essential oils are photosensitive (e.g. bergamot and any citrus oils) and also can cause an allergic reaction. As it is with any product, test a drop of essential oil on the inside of your forearm.

Be well and live well!

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How To Breathe Correctly

Taking a deep breath in sounds easy enough, right? The question is, are you breathing correctly. When we are born, we automatically breathe the right way; we breathe deep into our belly. If you have the opportunity to watch a baby sleep and breathe, you will see that the belly is moving up and down. As we grow older though, we sometimes forget how to breathe correctly, we tense up, and we start breathing more into our chest. You may now wonder why I am writing about the correct way of breathing. Well, upper chest breathing does not utilize the entire lung capacity. Therefore, less oxygen is being transported into our body. We may feel tense as muscles are not getting the oxygen they need.

In a few very simple steps, you can find out if you are a chest or abdominal breather:
To do this, sit straight or lie down, then place one hand on your chest and the other one on your abdomen. Take a deep breath in and then breathe out. Repeat for at least 3 times before returning to your own breathing rhythm.
Did you notice which hand was moving up and down while you were breathing? Did the hand on your chest move or the hand on your belly? Depending on which hand was moving, you are either a chest or abdominal breather.
If you are a chest breather, you may want to know that there are benefits of diaphragmatic breathing.

• Increased blood flow due to the increased oxygen supply to the brain
• Calmer feeling
• Better concentration
• Relaxed muscles
• Reduced anxiety and panic disorders

There is a simple technique to re-learn how to breathe correctly:
Start by lying flat on your back with one hand placed on your chest and the other one on your abdomen between your navel and your ribs. Breathe in and out and allow your breath to flow all the way to the bottom of your lungs. Try not to move your chest! If you have difficulty with breathing into your abdomen, try taking a book such as a text book, place it onto your chest to serve as a weight to keep you from breathing into your chest.

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Making Soap

Today I unveiled my first self-made soap and I must say I am pleasantly surprised. The entire process was so much easier than what I had imagined especially after reading book after book, articles and internet sites including watching videos on youtube about the cold-process soap making. What initially scared me was handling the lye as every book, article, and internet site warned of the danger that can be involved. However, prepared not only with a ton of knowledge but also with an outfit similar to a deep-sea diver, I felt daring enough to start the experiment. I put on my googles, gloves, had on a long sleeve shirt and an apron in case I spill some lye, and had my kitchen prepped so that all areas that were exposed and even remotely exposed to the soap-making process were covered with paper and towels. I felt safe and got to work.
First I measured the lye, then the distilled water, and next, I poured the lye into the water. Since the lye-water heated up to over 200 degrees, it took several hours to let it cool down to almost 80 degrees. I instantly realized that making soap from scratch includes a lot of patience because I had to wait almost 5 hours until the lye cooled down to the desired temperature. Next time, I will prepare the lye the day before so that I eliminate the waiting period. A note on safety though, if you have children or pets, keep the lye-water mixture out of reach and clearly label the content!!!
After the lye cooled down, it was time to heat up the oils until it reached the same temperature as the lye. Finally both lye and oils had the same temperature and I could begin combining both with a stick blender. Instead of mixing the soap mixture by hand, I had seen on youtube that a stick blender works just as well if not even better. So I poured the lye into the oil mixture and started mixing until tracing began. Initially I had no idea what tracing looks like. Sure I read all about it but then seeing and experiencing it for myself was yet another matter. I think I mixed a bit too long, I had to make sure about the tracing, so in the end, the mixture looked somewhat like vanilla pudding. I quickly mixed my essential oils into the soap and poured the mixture into the prepared soapbox. I scraped off the sides off the pot... ooopss, too late. I later read that one should not do that... oh well... Then I covered the box, covered it with a blanket, and left it alone for 48 hours.
After 2 days of waiting, I put on my "diving outfit" again and headed back into the kitchen to check on the soap. The googles and gloves are a safety precaution because the lye in the soap is still reactive after 48 hours. So I took the soap out of the box and my initial thought was, "hm, looks like a huge bar of cheese" but it smelled wonderfully due to the essential oils. I cut off the top layer, the layer that was from the scraped out sides of the pot. I am still a bit unsure why one should not scrape the sides of the pot but I can imagine that it must have something to do with the lye and that there may be too many traces that have not mixed with the oil. After the top layer was gone, I cut the soap in bars and tiny pieces that I want to give out as samples. After that, I put the bars and pieces into a brown paper bag to dry for about 4 weeks. The paper bag served as my "dry and dark place." That meant 4 weeks of waiting to find out if the soap is usable or not.
So today was the day I used the soap for the first time and like I said, I am pleasantly surprised. The coconut oil in the soap contributes to a fine and foamy lather. Since 5% of the oils were not saponified - meaning the alkali base (lye) combines with the fats or oils - the soap is creamy and while cleansing still gives enough moisture to the skin so that the skin does not feel dry and stripped of its protective layer of sebum. Watch out friends and family, you know what you are getting for the next occasion :-)

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You are what you think

There is great power in our thoughts. We all have it; self talk or the thoughts we think to ourselves. You may already know what I’m referring to. If you don’t, I’ll give you an example: you’ve said something you shouldn’t have or you’ve made a mistake- you think “why did I do such a thing” or “I’m so stupid.” This is harsh and extreme but these are the very thoughts we are having. We’re our own toughest critics, often demanding more than others expect. We need to enforce new habits and retrain our mental processes to do different. Why? Well, because we eventually begin believing our own negative self talk and what we emphasize will ultimately grow. If you think about it: what precedes any action, well, why a thought doesn’t it? It must begin as a thought or idea for it to finally become reality.

I believe the cure to this is in affirmations. Affirmations are statements declared to be true; always in the positive and in the present, as if it already exists. So, let’s (literally) convince ourselves of ways to benefit and grow. I suggest we learn to accept our own self worth, first believing we are loved and deserving of all the good the universe has to offer. Without this basic and primary belief, nothing more is possible or can grow from within us. Once the foundation is set, we can believe and learn to trust anything is possible. And anything is possible; as long as you first plant that seed. When the seed is nurtured and reinforced with repetition, it can and will come true!

Some affirmations I like are:

I love you, I really really love you!
I love and approve of myself.
I am loving and lovable.
I love the world and the world loves me.
(taken from Louise L Hay & Shakti Gawain)

When said in the mirror, they become even more powerful. Make this a habit; perhaps it’s first thing when you get up in the morning. Incorporate it into your routine when you wash your face or brush your teeth. Paste it to your mirror until it becomes something you do naturally and most of all…. believe.

Eventually expand this to other areas in your life as you’d like to see become reality.

I’ll be there right along with you…. Good luck!

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Buddhism

What is Buddhism?

In my life I have made many serious mistakes, disappointments, lies, and have hurt many people. For me the very essence of my spirituality relies on me learning to see the good in bad, no matter how difficult it may be. When I first started to study Buddhism, I learned that the true path to a good life first begins with facing your past. Karma is everywhere, no matter how little or big the evil deeds were. If you want to cleanse your spirit, you have to own up to your past. This to me was horrifying, to have to face all the shit that I have done, but I knew in my heart this was the only way. Buddhism has taught me to face my fears, and never regret. If there is one thing I know in life to be true, it’s that accidents don’t happen. Everything happens for a reason, good or bad, these circumstances in our lives are there to teach us lessons. I can look back at every hardship in my life and appreciate it and can honestly say I have learned from it. Although at the time my lesson learned may not have been clear, I always trusted in my heart that with faith I will always survive. I am the person that I am today, and proud of it, because of my past. You cannot stress over problems you have no control over, for example; if you do not have money to pay rent, worrying yourself sick will do you no good. Instead of worrying…why not take action, so you can’t pay rent….ok …what are your next available options? Another major part of Buddhism I learned is never be afraid to ask for help. Western culture teaches us to suffer in silence, not to let people know your problems, pretend everything is ok, look like a happy family. If you live your life like this then you will truly never know how many people around you were suffering right along with you. We must communicate and express our feelings openly and honestly.
It’s ok to be imperfect; and make mistakes, it doesn’t matter what you look like, it doesn’t matter who you love, it doesn’t matter how much or how little money you have, there is no such thing as being smart or dumb, it’s not about bad or good. In Buddhism we are all equal, we are all reflections of one another, in every person lies a piece of yourself. Buddhism is about loving yourself just the way you are, loving one another with openheartedness. It is being honest even when everything important to you is on the line. It’s about finding happiness within yourself, regardless of your circumstances. Only you can fill the emptiness that lies within you, we all have the capability to do so. As soon as you realize that true happiness comes from within, then you will be able to conquer all of life’s challenges with a smile. Suffering is a state of mind, not surrounding circumstances.

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Moisturizing Facial Cream

Today I made a wonderful, nurturing facial cream that is great for mature and sensitive skin. The cream has such a smooth consistency, almost like whipped cream. It leaves the skin moisturized without feeling oily or sticky. It came out so good that I just had to share it :-)

30 ml Almond Oil
3 ml Borage Seed Oil
3 ml Calendula Oil
5 ml Perilla Seed Oil
5 ml Rosehip Oil
5 ml Wheat Germ Oil
4 ml Vitamin E
6 g Shea Butter
6 g Cocoa Butter

2 g Beeswax
6 g Borax
1 g Stearic Acid
15 g Vegetable Emusifying Wax
1 g Xanthan Gum

20 ml Lavender Hydrosol
130 ml distilled Water

8 drops German Chamomile Essential Oils
7 drops Frankincense Essential Oils
4 drops Geranium Essential Oils
4 drops Jasmine Essential Oils
10 drops Lavender Essential Oils

1 teaspoon Honey
1 tablespoon Aloe Vera Gel

If you wish to make this cream yourself but don't know how, check out the step-by-step instructions listed here. 

Enjoy!!!

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Change is inevitable

Today I feel somewhat creative in my writing so I'm posting again. This time, I feel like talking about Change.

It is change,

continuing change,

inevitable change,

that is the dominant factor 

in society today.

by Isaac Asimov

Change is all around us - the seasons change and those living in NorthEastern United States feel that the temperatures got cooler, our environment overall is changing and many countries / regions experience drastic changes like earth quakes, floods, or droughts. Technology is changing and with that our wants, needs, and possibilities are changing as well. Needless to say, our economy is changing as well and our needs change but also new opportunities arise. Sometimes friends move or families relocate and we are left with a void or with a new start. With so many sources of change and often just as many stressors that affect us on a daily basis, we may feel overwhelmed, uprooted, treated unfairly, afraid, and/or out of control. Our first defense usually is to hold on to the past not wanting to go with the change. However, when our mind calms down, when the whirlpool that sucked us to the ocean's ground can go no further, we finally let go. And that is the moment we emerge again, only more stronger and with a new willingness to approach life.

In the spirit of change, this blog will change its format from mainly focusing on skin care and homemade body products to include a broader variety of topics such as wellness, buddhism, spirituality, massage therapy, or body-mind connection. Look out for new topics coming soon. Also, my first homemade soap is ready to be unveiled next weekend so I'm going to write something about that as well.

Be well and live well ♥

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Midterm Time

For many students, this time of year is crunch time for midterms. To get through this time as relaxed as possible, I gathered some tips and suggestions from my own experience as a student which I still am...

Time Management

• Study a little bit on a daily basis instead of cramming the material overnight. 
• Read the material and write it on note cards. The combination of reading, especially reading out loud so that you hear the spoken words, and the mechanics of writing will enhance your ability to remember what you studied. 
• Repeat the material as it is the repetition that makes the brain remember. 
• Start researching for your paper ahead of time so that you only have to write the paper but don't wait to write the paper until the night before it is due. 
• Set aside a specific time per day and keep to that schedule. The routine will help you reduce the stress level that you will automatically accumulate the closer you get to the exam or due date. If you are procrastinating like me, this will actually help you. 

Nutrition

• While junk food is so readily available and we even crave it when we are in stressful situations, try to eat healthy. Instead of potato chips, eat a handful of walnuts. 
• Try to nourish yourself with fresh vegetables and fruits. If the carrot sticks are not tasty enough, dip them in humus or lemon juice. I am more than aware that vegetables may taste a bit bland but herbs and spices can really enhance their flavor. I love roasted zucchini, squash, asparagus, portabella mushrooms, onions, and sliced garlic that I spread out on a baking sheet, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, drizzle with a little olive oil, and bake for about 10 minutes in the oven by 400 degrees. Sprinkle with a little lemon juice and grated parmesan cheese. Hm, so delicious and nourishing. The recipe can serve as dinner or as side dish. If you like something of more substance, mix the vegetables over pasta or rice. Add a piece of chicken or fish and you have a full meal.
  

Aromatherapy
Diffuse essential oils to stimulate your learning process and boost brain power.

• Bergamot is uplifting and relaxing. It enhances self-confidence. In case you have to give a presentation just dap a drop behind your ears or on your wrists before you go into class. (Note: test for allergies and photosensitivity prior to using).
• Frankincense helps to focus the mind and overcome stress and despair
• Lavender is calming and relaxing. Great to use for anxiety.
  
• Peppermint is great to use while studying. Dr. William N. Dember of the University of Cincinnati studied peppermint's ability to improve concentration and mental sharpness.
• Brain Power™ gives your brain a boost with essential oils that are high in sesquiterpenes. Use it to clarify thought and develop greater focus.  This is a blend from sandalwood, cedarwood, melissa, frankincense, blue cypress, lavender, and helichrysum essential oils. 

If you use an essential oil while studying at home, try to sniff on the same oil prior to your exam and even during your exam. The scent may help you remember what you studied.

How to use Essential Oils?
Diffuse essential oils using a device that disperses the oil into the air in a micro-fine vapor. There are many different diffusers on the market but if you want something stylish, check out the Home Diffuser by Young Living. The diffuser spreads the aromatic benefits of essential oils through the air without damaging their important constituents.

Exercise
Exercise helps get oxygen to your brain which in turn will help you focus and retain the information you learned.

Rest & Relaxation

• Get enough rest. Especially the night before your exam! I know, I know... clubbing and hanging out with your friends, you say, relieves your stress. Well, if it worked for you in the past, that's great but if it didn't (and it won't when you get older) you may want to get some rest before heading for the exam.
• Relax your mind in between studying with exercise, yoga, tai chi, reading a book, listening to music, dancing, etc. 
• And last but not least, stay calm, breathe, meditate...

All the above mentioned tips and hints helped me get through school and especially exam time. Good Luck!

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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Wellness is part of this blog thus I do not want to miss to mention that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I just got my annual checkup. Did you?? Breast Cancer Awareness is very close to my heart because my mother is a breast cancer survivor ♥
We cannot raise enough awareness about this important issue. According to the ACS - American Cancer Society, heart disease (26%) is the leading cause of mortality in the United States, followed by cancer (23.1%). Approximately 192,569 women in the US have been diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2009 (ACS, 2009).
Please get checked! Call your doctor or go to a free clinic in your neighborhood but do not miss out on early detection.
Be well!!!

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