Breast Milk: It’s Not Just for Babies Anymore!

Ardis September 5th, 2008

By now, most people are familiar with the many ways in which breast milk benefits babies. For example, it provides unrivaled nutrition, immune-boosting antibodies, and healthy mother-child bonding, to name a few. However, the amazing properties of breast milk are farther reaching than that; in fact, there are dozens of practical uses, from which everyone can benefit – from cancer killer to decongestant – making it a true panacea.

Here is a list of some of the many uses of breast milk – warning: this is not for the super squeamish!

1. Diaper rash – squirt some mother’s milk on your little one’s bottom to soothe and heal.
2. Clogged tear ducts – it’s not uncommon for babies to get swollen, clogged eyes as their tear ducts are coming in; breast milk can help to unclog and get everything flowing properly.
3. Scrapes, burns, and other boo-boos – breast milk will disinfect and accelerate healing.
4. Acne – baby or adult, breast milk helps take the red out and clear up those annoying breakouts.
5. Red eyes – use it as eye drops! It takes the red out and soothes those tired, bloodshot, sleepless eyes.
6. Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis) – apply every few hours for a couple days to clear up nasty eye infections.
7. Puffy under-eyes – rub a few drops under the eyes to reduce unsightly bags – it works better than cucumber!
8. Make-up remover – takes make-up right off! A great skin cleanser too.
9. Sore throat – gargling with breast milk can help soothe the sore throat of anyone willing to try it!
10. Ear infections/aches – Breastfeeding significantly lowers the incidence of ear infections in the first place, but if your child does happen to get one, putting a few drops in the ear can really help to ease the pain.
11. Cancer cure? It has been known for some time that breast milk offers protection from cancer: babies who are not breastfed are 9 times more likely to contract a childhood cancer than those who are breastfed. So, it shouldn’t come a surprise that a group of Swedish scientists stumbled upon the discovery that breast milk actually kills cancer cells – all kinds of cancer. Exposure to certain proteins in breast milk causes the cancer cells to commit suicide, while leaving healthy cells unharmed. This shines a very hopeful light indeed on potential future cancer treatments.
12. Bug bites/Poison Oak or Ivy/Chicken Pox - use like calamine lotion to relieve the itch!
13. Chapped lips – pat a few drops onto those cracked, dry lips at night and wake up with a soft, supple kisser!
14. Sore, cracked nipples – soothe and heal painful nipples.
15. Nasal congestion – squirt a few drops in a stuffed nose and blow (or suction out for your little ones).
16. Sexual lubricant – Forget the astro-glide!
17. Mouthwash/Toothache – Breastfeeding prevents tooth decay. In fact, attempts to grow bacteria in breast milk in the lab - including that which causes tooth decay - have proved unsuccessful. Anyone willing to gargle with it should reap the benefits!
18. Eczema/Psoriasis/Dry Skin – Mother’s Milk does wonders for many skin conditions.
19. Mouth, Leg, and other Ulcers - Ditto

And last, but not least…….drum roll, please!

20. Coffee Creamer! Don’t believe me? Then check out this video.

Okay, okay – so the last one is a joke, but it always gets me laughing!

So, dear readers, can you think of any other great uses for breast milk? I’d love to hear from you!

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What Happens When We’re Still

Penny September 5th, 2008

It has always been pretty easy coming up with a topic to write about each week here at Raw Mom, however, this week was different……no specific topic seemed to take root in my heart. But, as soon as the words below from Bishop E. Earl Jenkins turned up in my in-box, thanks to my sister-in-law forwarding a Streaming Faith Daily Devotional, I instantly knew why I had been fresh out of writing ideas this time around! Turns out, my mission this week is to simply be the messenger!

Bishop Jenkins’ writing deeply spoke to me upon reading it. One friend whom I forwarded it to replied almost immediately and said, “Thank you for sharing the devotional; it came at the perfect time.”

I hope Bishop Jenkins’ words will also touch you in some way. I just feel extremely led to share them, so someone out there must need to read this. ;-)

Learning To Be Still by Bishop E. Earl Jenkins

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

Former CBS anchor, Dan Rather, found himself unprepared for a television interview with Mother Teresa. Ron Mehl described the encounter this way: “All of Dan’s standard approaches were inadequate. And the little nun from Calcutta didn’t seem inclined to make his task easier. “When you pray,” asked Dan, “what do you say to God?” “I don’t say anything,” she replied. “I listen.” Dan tried another tack. “Well, okay…when God speaks to you, then, what does He say?” “He doesn’t say anything. He listens.” Dan looked bewildered. For an instant, he didn’t know what to say. “And if you don’t understand that,” Mother Teresa added, “I can’t explain it to you.”

It’s in the place of silence that the Holy Spirit boils the truth we receive from Scripture down to its essence, reveals specific insights that are pertinent, and then applies them to our most perplexing problems and our most stubborn misconceptions. As He transforms our heart to beat in sync with His, our decisions begin to accomplish His will and we begin to reflect His character. Go ahead, try it. Open the Word of God in a peaceful place and sit in quietness before Him. In time, the Holy Spirit will illuminate a passage and it will come to life in your mind. Before you know it the knotty situation that drove you to distraction will unravel.

As you learn to “be still” in God’s presence, your greatest problems will suddenly become more manageable. He will reveal Himself to you. He will calm your emotions and relieve your mind. You’ll discover new direction, freedom from worry, and a fresh sense of peace.

Read another powerful message from Bishop Jenkins who wants to know…Are You Ready for Bigger Things?

In Peace & Renewal,

Penny

*Jinjee Talifero and daughter, Yarrow, pictured above.

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Alleviate Pain Naturally: Tricks To Soothe Your Little Ones When They’re Hurting

Shannon September 5th, 2008

The past couple years we have left our ‘HOME’SCHOOL!’ roots for a regular little neighbourhood school which has been really good for my family. This year we decided to once again do the public school thang- we take it year by year and will continue as long as it is working out, knowing we can always return to un-schooling anytime… So yesterday was ‘first day back’. We had some drama- but not what you’d expect…

Just fresh off our little tree-trekking, berry-picking, swimming adventure, one of my son’s got a ltitle too much sun. It wasn’t a bad burn at all- but the after-math was- you know, the ITCH that bites and smarts started with a vengeance at 11pm night before first day. My son woke up itching and unfortunately I had no APPLE CIDER VINEGAR or PLAIN YOGURT or ALOE VERA (in order of effectiveness) on hand so I did the next best thing which was to put him in the shower and dowse him with very cold water. Poor little tyke- not fun! Worse yet, the itching would come back within minutes and it was off to the shower again. This went on until 4:45 am. If you have never had the misfortune to experience this dastardly side-effect of a sunburn, they say this itch is WORSE THAN POISON IVY. I HAVE had it before and truly wanted to jump out the window it was so distressing, especially when it attacks all night and you become exhausted. He was such a little trouper but around 4am just broke down into tears and worried how he would make it to school in just a few hours- his BIG concern.

It was really amazing what happened. Not with the itch, but with him. He would go through periods of such frustration and discomfort that he would become so angry and undone. Now I’ll be perfectly honest, had I not gone through this terrible sanity-diminishing itch myself, I just know after an hour or so, I may have lost patience and wondered how anyone could become so enraged and upset over an ‘itch’! And I doubt I would have handled it with the respect and care this situation desperately needed. That is interesting and an incredible wake-up for me…just because I don’t ‘get it’ doesn’t diminish its importance. I love that.

Anyway, what was amazing, was how with the support of my understanding and allowing presence, my son was able to cope with an almost unbearable situation. When he would ask “WHEN IS IT GOING TO STOP?!” I would say, “We don’t exactly know- but we do know this- it is temporary and has to run its course. It WILL pass, but in the meantime this is what we have to deal with the best we can. It will be rough. But you are safe, you are loved, and you will get through it. I am here beside you and I know how bad it feels, but we will get through it together.” He could relax into it. He knew I wan’t going to make ‘light of it’ and he knew I knew it was a rotten deal for him to have to endure AND as bad as it got he would be OK.

He would say “I HATE this stupid itch!” I would say “Me too- let’s stick out our tongue at it and tell it to Go get a life!” and he would laugh and say “It’s OLD MAN TROUBLE” (If you haven’t YOU MUST read the book AUNT NANCY AND OLD MAN TROUBLE- a fave of our whole family!). “Ya, let’s tell the itch if it doesn’t back down we will hang it up by it’s thumbs…” “boil it in oil” “run it out of town” “throw eggs in its face” The more ridiculous we got, the more we’d laugh and it became a game. The key is to ALLOW the pain an expression- even if it seems ‘mean’ it is actually healthy to LET IT OUT and not judge.

I noticed it was actually a relief for me when he finally burst into weary tears. Normally, I tense up when my children cry- like all good moms I FEEL it so much and just badly want to FIX the problem. But this time I did what I attempt but so often fail- I relaxed into his pain; It was HIS experience, and I surely didn’t want to burden him with my emotions ON TOP OF what he was already going through. Just being PRESENT was a huge comfort to him despite not being able to adequately ‘fix’ the problem. Normally I would have been feeling so sad and sorry for him- but despite empathizing and wanting to help, I actually felt incredibly proud of his struggle, and proud of my loving support. We were both empowered in the process. I strongly believe we CAN’T always help our kids with their problems, we can’t even always UNDERSTAND what they are going through, but we can offer support and the knowlege that we beleive in their ability to overcome anything they may face in life.

So we did not pretend everything was fine when it clearly wasn’t, and it was impossible for us to meditate. But we did pray together and asked our Angels for their comfort, and we did practice deep breathing together. And eventually sleep came around 5am. My husband came in at 7 to say he was going to go to go to work later so he could join us for the walk to school, and I wondered if my son could make it, but right then he woke up sooooo excited about school! It was if the night had never happened! He didn’t even complain about his green juice, packed his knapsack with a pencil and eraser, some fresh berries as part of his lunch, and was the first one out the door!

WHEW!

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Back to School: The Value of Community

Tera September 3rd, 2008

Wow.

My kids are going to school and I dare say, I LIKE IT!!

They are so, so, sooooo happy it’s ridiculous.

Sebastian is very proud of himself and loves his lunch bag and backback. He’s already announcing the fact that he has 2 girlfriends, one of which apparently holds his hand wherever she goes! (Admittedly, I question some of the “facts”.)

Mika is making loads of friends and very happy about her class, too.

We chose an alternative school to which we had to apply. It was a very rigorous application process, but now that we’re in there, I can see it was worth it. They have child-directed learning and the focus on the application of data through projects. They constantly reinforce the autonomy of the children and I’m really looking forward to being a bigger part of the school and what goes on there.

And me, well, I feel like a new woman! I mean, being a homeschooling, self-employed, single mother wasn’t necessarily fun or easy. I knew that they and I were both getting the short end of the stick, to a certain degree. Things feel different. I’m not sure where it will take us, but I’m happy to know that they are getting the time and attention and community they need, and…

…well, so am I. :-)

This past weekend in honor of my 33rd birthday, we had some amazing people get together for a visit. It was so wonderful to feel the makings of a very special community starting to grow wings here, in Montreal. The kids had a blast together, and it was so fun to see how easy the raw/eco lifestyle can be when you are surrounded by other like-minded individuals.

I really think community is one of the most important needs we have, and I’m grateful for those who contribute to this community and are a part of what we do. Watching my kids play I recognized my own child-like enthusiasm for the projects and people that are a part of what we do. Life is good.

Okay, just a few mushy thoughts. It’s been a while since I’ve posted here, and I suspect now that my muffins are off to school, it may be a bit easier for me to make this happen.

Love, hugs and gratitude!

Tera

Jo’s Brilliant Idea

Joanne September 2nd, 2008

Occasionally (OK, most days) I head over to the UK Times Online website, to check out current events in the Old Dart.

This week, I came across a very interesting article, and it’s given me an idea.

The article is about a couple of rather exclusive “mum and baby” members’ clubs that have opened in London. They each have a slightly different focus, but they provide food, massages or other relaxation treatments (for parents) and fun (for kids). They’re touted as being a great way to connect with other parents – mostly mums, I’m guessing – and children. Oh, and they’re super luxurious. And therefore, pricey.

When my girls were born, I was automatically included in a mothers’ group for new mums in our area. About nine of us would meet up every week for a couple of hours, bringing our babies to each other’s houses and watching them while we chatted. We provided each other with fantastic support, and some of us became good friends. We knew that, as first-time mothers, we could blather on endlessly about sleepless nights, sore breasts, baby bellies and mysterious baby ailments without boring each other. Once the babies became mobile, we began meeting at a local mothercare nurse’s centre, and the group eventually became a playgroup.

But we certainly didn’t have massages. Nope. Food? Yep – someone would bring a nice little naughty nibbly thing each week. And the nurse’s centre itself, while very pleasant, wasn’t what one would call luxurious. But, really, it was the support that made it so much fun. Being a mum on your own at home, with young children, can be pretty lonely.

Just imagine, though, if there existed in every town, in every city, a kind of gorgeous “Raw Parents’ & Kids’ Club”? A beautiful refuge where parents of young children could head not only for company and support, but for a lip-smacking raw nosh-up (and with take-home salads made to order)?

And for a reasonably priced aromatherapy massage or reflexology session, knowing that their children were being well cared for in a fun children’s club, just a few rooms away? A place where children could run wild through nature (with their mums keeping an eye…) or get their hands dirty in all sorts of fun, creative activities; where lively debates were held; where stimulating lectures were given for parents; and where inspiring raw-food creation classes were offered every week? An aesthetically pleasing, groovy haven that soothed the senses and made you feel as though you’d come home? The sort of business that received local government subsidies so that everyone and anyone could afford to drop in for an energy boost and dose of lovin’ care?

I’m melting, just thinking about it. Maybe I’ll file this away as one of my “brilliant ideas” (well, an idea I’ve borrowed and tweaked) that might – just might – come to fruition one day. Or maybe this is something YOU could build in your neighborhood? Dream big, baby!

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How To Attack Paper Clutter — Just Do It!

Penny August 29th, 2008

I was like a mad woman with paper clearing last week. I decided that once and for all, the paper in my home – the majority of it — just had to GO! Unlike what I had been doing — attacking a bin at a time – I decided to just DUMP it all out on the floor of my home office, and go for it. Yes, that did mean stepping over scattered piles for a few days and feeling energy being pulled down just by the mere disgusting sight of it, but taking that approach was my fast track to getting through ALL of it more quickly. So with each new day, I awoke to my temporary “job” with renewed energy to tackle the daunting task.

The rainy, windy days of Hurricane Fay made it the perfect opportunity to stay close to home being drowned by paper. On a few days, I opened the sliding door and windows for some fresh, breezy inspiration from nature. I thought of Jinjee Talifero’s article in the August issue of Pear Magazine about the upcoming raw-vegan village in Ojai, California, and how the houses in that village will be built really low to the ground to give the effect of living in nature. With windows open in my one-story home, I got a similar feeling duirng my paper project because of all of the greenery that surrounds my residence. But when I couldn’t trick my body anymore, I just had to step outside when the rain took a break. There, I retreated to the screened-in porch area, spread a sheet over a lounge chair and rested as though I was basking in the sun. The breeze helped still my mind, and watching the trees blow fiercely yet gracefully was perfect entertainment — a far better sight than piles of paper! However, when I stepped back indoors, the paper reality greeted me once again. Oh Geez! Where did all of this paper come from in the first place?

Well, let’s go back about 14 years when I took on my first newspaper and magazine writing internships while getting my master’s degree at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. My writing clips began accumulating faster than I could get them scrapbooked, so that meant bin storage for them. To that initial pile, online articles of mine that I printed out were added — and even though I managed to get a ton of them nicely stored in a large binder, the paper pile in the bins just didn’t seem to be decreasing. Then, add to that the birth of a son who eventually started producing all sorts of masterpieces of his own – from art to writing and more. Whew!

Fortunately, I did eventually reach the point of knowing I just couldn’t keep it all, so I began recycling many of my son’s paper things and made sure to stay on top of the latest junk mail and such coming into the house. But, doggon it, those bins with older stuff just stayed full for some reason.

Now, with this latest round of paper reduction, I decided to get ruthless like never before. Simply ruthless! I now have one binder designated for my son’s keepsakes and have organized it with tabs from age 4 to present. His binder also includes a section for home-schooled keepsakes. On the other hand, while my writing clips are now out of the bins thanks to my plastic-reduction process, they are stacked awaiting a home — a scrapbook of some kind, I guess.

On many a day I have been tempted — very tempted — to simply let ALL of this paper go! Imagine that….a PAPER-FREE HOME! Ahhh, bliss! But there’s that part of me that wants to hold on to some paper memorabilia from my son’s early years – for his children! Who knows, he or his future wife might want to show it to their kids someday, especially those interesting, creative stories he wrote. Then, because I’ve written so much about parenting and the varied things I’ve done with my darling son, well, I want him to have those “journals” around when I’m not. So, rather than letting it all go, I decided to find my balance; one book with his paper keepsakes and, hopefully, one with mine will do the trick.

To add fuel to the fire — or should I say fuel to the paper – in the process of this major paper-shedding project, a strong urge to get as much plastic as I can out of here came upon me! I had been wanting to go that route for a while, and then, viola, there was Ardis’ article to turn up the heat. So, like a mad woman, I began attacking plastic.

One area I have really nailed is the clothes department. Yes, I have scaled those down to a minimum. Who would have thought I’d want to be a minimalist with clothes considering how many of them I’ve had over the years. These days, it’s all about simplicity for me, though. Who wants to spend forever trying to figure out what to wear? Not me! That indecisive process used to be fun, but long gone are those days.

In fact, I’ve minimized my clothes so much that I decided to give up my half of the master bedroom closet. I got tired of being weighed down by my husband’s many clothes when I stepped in there, so it was best for me to make that an area I don’t have to enter at all. Now, between dresser drawers and a smaller closet in another room, I’m joyfully set with clothes storage. This arrangement works perfectly for me.

My books have also been reduced significantly, but it’s quite a challenge trying to get them down to my goal of only 12 books. Again, who would have thought? Think about it, though….. If Jesus managed to choose only 12 disciples, I certainly should be able to select the 12 books that serve me best at this stage of my life, right?

Now, the only thing that remains to be attacked is one more closet with MORE BINS, and I suspect that’s going to take a while because they have a whole bunch of pictures in ‘em that are yet to join existing photo albums. Anyone have any effective solutions for quick and easy photo organization? If so, please, please let me know.

With Thanks,

Penny

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When kids don’t listen

Shannon August 28th, 2008

Liam and SenseiKids get a bad rap!  They are constantly accused of ‘not listening’ or ‘not paying attention’ when nothing could be further from the truth!  Kids from the age of 0- 5 barely understand the concept never mind know how to do that. 

You see, at that stage of development, they just don’t have any filters.  EVERYTHING goes in.  This means that your kids aren’t trying to shut you out- they couldn’t even if they wanted to- and believe me, they don’t want to.  Our kids and men for that matter are very much like dogs- they WANT to please us!

What actually happens is this:  because they lack the psychological software necessary to erect barriers, they are absorbing everything in their immediate environment on a very deep level.  And they become completely engaged.  So if they are playing, or looking at a bug, or seemingly ‘staring off into space’ they are actually so absorbed in their own thought processes which are directly tied into their whole being that they literally can’t hear or see anything else that may be going on around them.  See the truth is they have incredible focus!  It is 100%.

Understanding this gives us a different perspective and appreciation for those moments when we want their attention…we need to learn how to approach them.  What I recommend is to use your discretion.  For example, when they are staring, or equally absorbed in what they are doing, please avoid jarring them out of their concentration with a fast movement like grabbing them to pick them up, or with some loud directive.

Research shows that in those moments kids are literally creating brand new nerve synapses in their brains - they are getting smarter!   Instead, watch them for a moment, and then when you are ready, carefully approach in a gentle way respecting their space as you would anyone else who was concentrating on something.  Get down to their eye level and see if they notice you first so you don’t actually have to interrupt them.  Then say softly, ‘Hi there.  Its time for…” and do what you need to do once you have brought them back to reality.  Like I said, use your discernment- obviously if they were in some sort of danger you wouldn’t worry about interrupting them to do whatever you needed to for their safety.

For kids a little older, around 5-10, what works really well is to let them know what is on the schedule in bite size pieces (not the whole pie! ie:  “First we are going to the bank and then to shopping and then the post office and after that to pay a parking ticket and then…” A simple ‘we are leaving to go shopping and run errands” is enough.  

TRANSITION TIMES like leaving the park, or stopping play to come and wash hands for dinner, etc, can cause alarm in small children…Why?  Because it may be unwanted, but actually more so, it is unexpected.  This can create anxiety.   Children feel secure when they know what is coming.  Give warnings of about 5- 10 minutes just before the transitions.  So if you are somewhere and its time to get going- that is NOT the time to tell your kids.  Five to ten minutes prior to that is what works best whenever possible.  Kids are so focused on what they are doing they FEEL it in their little bodies and it is so unpleasant for them to be ripped away from being in ‘their zone’ without a little notice. 

Just give a friendly reminder, “In 10 minutes we are leaving so begin to pack up…” Then in 5 minute let them know they have a few more minutes and now is the time to finish up. Refrain from just ‘telling’ them.  Go and do it with them and ensure they are ‘hearing’ you.

For things like school, or other events that happen regularly, what is helpful is to plan ahead.  The worst thing is to be rushing around in the morning - it sets the wrong tone and can throw everyone off balance for the entire day.  So the night before, just before bedtime, begin the process of teaching your kids what clothes work best together by doing it with them until they get the hang of it.  Every kid learns differently, so you have to gage when it is appropriate to initiate this and when to hand it over to them. 

But the main thing is you are modeling a success strategy called ‘BEING PREPARED’.  It is a skill for life.  So set aside a few minutes every night for this important ritual.  (In a near future article I will give really powerful tips for how to get your kids to bed and off into dreamland peacefully)   Once the kids are settled for the night, you need to do one more thing to prepare for morning. 

Make sure your kitchen is clean and tidy and you have decided what breakfast will be.  By doing this last step the night before, you are creating in advance a beautiful start to the day.  Some moms even put the placemats and bowls and spoons on the table the night before so the table is all set for morning. 

You might make their lunches now too, unless you are an early bird who functions best rising early before everyone else. I never did that, but I did make sure night dishes were put away and sinks and counters were clear of clutter - I might even put a little spray of flowers that we had gathered that day from a forest walk, or a little stone or leave in the centre of the table, perhaps beside a little candle- anything to make the table and therefore the whole kitchen look cheery and welcoming for us all in the morning.  

So remember, approach focused children with respect and reverence for their learning, use 5 minute warnings for all transitions, prepare whatever can be done in advance to avoid rushing at the last minute, and then smile inside knowing you are ‘creating the space’ for your loving, harmonious home. 

For MORE GREAT TIPS go to: www.rawmom.com/raisingchildren/index.html

SHANNON LEONE is a Mom, Artist, Writer and WELLNESS COACH with 20 years experience in Natural Health whose background includes: Assistant Fitness Director of the Parkview Club in Toronto, Licensed Aestitician and Colon Hydro therapist, Raw Gourmet Chef, Director of THE LITTLE FRIENDS FOUNDATION, Creator of THE FRIENDSHIP FLAG GAME for kids age 1-100, and Filmmaker RAISING CHILDREN RAISES US- a DVD on Conscious Parenting. 

Shannon has appeared on TV’s Woman to Woman, Daytime, Body Mind Spirit, International Radio and many Magazines.  Find Shannon also at rawmom.com.

For personal or group Coaching and Seminars: 1-866-LEONE-11 sjkleone@yahoo.com

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Are You Looking After Yourself?

Joanne August 28th, 2008

tired woman, momI’ve asked myself that question a few times over the past few weeks.

In my extended family, it’s a line that’s sometimes bandied about, a pop-culture reference to an ad that ran here in Australia a few years ago. A young woman has moved out of home and her concerned father rings to ask ‘Are you looking after yourself’? She rolls her eyes, sticks her fork into the advertised microwaved freezer meal (TV dinner), and says ‘Yes Dad, I am looking after myself’.

No, I’m not at the point of tucking into a freezer meal, but I sure ain’t been looking after myself in the way that I should.

I’ve been burning the midnight oil for a few too many weeks, absorbed in the process of giving birth to my latest baby: a fantastic raw-food recipe book for children. I’ve been testing, re-testing, ditching ideas, dreaming up new ideas and toiling over a hot keyboard. The book just has to be edited, illustrated and designed, and it will make its way out into the world – hopefully to touch the lives of children in a profound way.

But all that giving has taken its toll – like Monique, I tend to be somewhat single-minded when I have a project on the go. I let slip many of those self-nurturing habits that we all know need to be maintained. And now I’m feeling just a wee bit burned out. A 24-hour sleeping stint might just about balance out the sleep debt…

Do you find that, too? Do you give so much to an exhilarating project that you “forget” many of your usual self-care habits in your quest to reach completion?

I heard recently about the concept of extreme self-care. “How indulgent!”, I thought. I dismissed the idea entirely, wondering how people could be selfish enough to justify giving that much to themselves. But, gee, it makes sense. I could actually be enough more productive, even happier, even more “there” for my girls if I actually made my self-care a priority, instead of an “I’ll fit it in when I just finish this…”-type thing.

So, baby steps. Tonight, to bed at a reasonable hour. Tomorrow, maybe a long bath. (“What?” Monkey Mind rebels at this one.) Next week, perhaps 100% raw for, say, five days – although, does “raw” chocolate count?

For a change, I might just be able to answer an emphatic “yes” to the “Are you looking after yourself?” question. Imagine that!
 

Why You Should Avoid Plastic Like the Plague and 10 Ways to Do It!

Ardis August 22nd, 2008

There are many reasons to avoid plastics. One major reason is bisphenol-A, or BPA, an estrogen-like chemical added to most polycarbonate plastics – from water bottles and food containers to the linings of tin cans, and - most alarmingly - to many baby toys, baby bottles and sippy cups. Research has shown BPA is associated with early puberty in girls, feminizing of boys, and reduced fertility in both sexes. In fact, in utero exposure is linked to abnormal development of the sex organs in the fetus. BPA is also associated with an increased risk for obesity and certain cancers, such as breast and prostate.

Certainly anyone with fertility issues or children should be very concerned. Luckily, it is fairly easy to find bisphenol-A free products now, for children and adults, but is that enough?

Before I became a mom, I led a fairly plastic-free life: I carried my own glass water bottle, brought my own bags to the grocery store, rarely ate out and rarely bought packaged foods, and stored everything in glass or ceramic containers. Now that I’ve got a toddler, however, I seem to be swimming in it; and I can only imagine that, with another little one on the way, it’s going to get worse.

Even if you manage to avoid buying any plastic items for your child, you are sure to be given tons! We are lucky in that most of the things our son has have been handed down from two cousins a year or two older than he. We’ve never had to buy any clothes, and many of his toys are hand-me-downs. However, the toys keep multiplying and – never mind those annoying battery-operated noise-makers - they are overwhelmingly made of plastic!

Besides the fact that plastic can never be truly safe (who knows what other compounds are leaching into the environment and our food), plastics leave a terrible footprint on the environment.

By now, you’ve probably all heard of the big, plastic stew brewing in a vortex in the ocean that is twice the size of Texas – a horrifying visualization and seemingly irreversible prospect; and it is frightening to think that every piece of plastic ever created is still with us. This has many repercussions, to name a few:

• While plastic is not biodegradable, it is photodegradable – sunlight breaks the plastic, still molecularly intact, into little bits which get mistaken for plankton and other food and is ingested by all forms of marine life. This is killing, disabling, and making sick so many of these animals.

• These plastics make it back into the human food chain as well: if you eat seafood, you not only have to worry about mercury, but also contamination from plastic.

• Plastics absorb other toxic substances, such as pesticides and PCB’s and then, transported by the water, leach them elsewhere.

Moreover, recycling plastic is not a viable solution since only a couple types of plastics melt at low temperatures; tougher plastics only melt at high temperatures and release such toxic gases, they are basically un-recyclable. Furthermore, of the recyclable plastics, the quality degrades and the plastics are contaminated with residues (foodstuffs, etc.) so they cannot be remade into food containers. Thus there is still the need for as much new plastic production for food containers.

So, now that you’re convinced it’s not enough to just seek out “safer” forms of plastics, what can we do to reduce the amount of plastic polluting our environment and our bodies? Here is a list of 10 tips to help avoid and reduce your use of plastic:

1. If you must buy bottled water, opt for glass options when available (Voss bottles come in glass in a couple sizes) or try to always come prepared – bring your own bottle of filtered water from home. Sometimes, this just isn’t practical, but consider which has the greater impact: occasionally drinking a glass of tap water or that plastic water bottle….

2. Store produce and leftovers in cloth bags or glass containers.

3. Not only can you bring your own cloth shopping bags, you can also re-use those plastic bags your produce comes in on subsequent shopping trips.

4. Wrap prepared lunches and snacks in wax paper.

5. Bamboo and stainless steel are excellent BPA and plastic-free options for sippy cups, eating utensils, and plates!

6. For gift-giving occasions, like birthdays and Christmas, often friends and relatives ask what you, or especially, your child would like or need. Don’t be afraid to ask for used and hand-me-down items. People will still give you/your child beautifully wrapped boxes of toxic delights – say thanks, gracefully, and accept the lovely thought. If it is not something your child is totally into, consider returning it, or if not, be sure to donate or pass down when the child is done with it!

7. Think long-term. Plastic really can be that miracle product that lasts a lifetime. Try to limit the plastic you get to durable things you will hang on to for a long time.

8. Buy in bulk (bring your own paper bags or re-use those plastic produce ones), and only bag produce when absolutely necessary.

9. If you eat take-out regularly, carry your own cutlery, and for the die-hard, consider bringing your own non-plastic to-go containers!

10. Turn scrap plastic into art projects with the kids! Think of creative ways to re-use plastic – perhaps build a colorful collage or sculpture – or try one of the many suggestions listed here.

Can you think of more ways to reduce our plastic use? Please let me know!

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A Little Gift to Get You Grounded! (Feedback needed…)

Penny August 22nd, 2008

I’ve recently been struck with the desire to help women feel grounded and put that extra step…that little extra pep in their days via a brief daily tune-in. This tuning-in exercise would include finding a quiet spot at the start of the day to focus on the breath and be lovingly and lightly guided through an audio meditation of sorts with a few powerful affirmations to help set the tone for that day.

I know, I know…….there is nothing new under the sun, and neither is this! However, when we take those not-so-new things and fuel them with new energy loaded with love and passion, well, they turn out to be new on some level, don’t they? For some, they become a breath of fresh air.

After sampling the rough draft of this idea I have in mind, Zoe Desmond from PurelyRaw.com and TheLighthouseWebWorld.com, commented:

“That was AMAZING! The words you said were so simple, but because I could hear your voice and feel your energy and emotion behind it, I just felt so filled up with Love and Energy from this. Even though I do this a few times a day on my own, this was a completely different experience. And when you said at the end that you Pray that I have a lovely day, I felt that so much in my heart that tears came into my eyes. It is so right that you intend this for women to listen to every day. We need this support, we need to hear someone else giving us words of support, because we are always doing that for everyone else. It just doesn’t have to be complex or long, just simple words of Love and support like those really can shift a lot. If I feel stresses at all today, I will play it again. Just knowing that makes me feel so supported. Listening to this has made me decide to put one of my best dresses on today, instead of just jeans and a shirt!! Please, please make 365 of these every year!!”

I would love to eventually create “365 of these every year” as Zoe generously requested, but perhaps I better start out slowly and build up from there.

And, by the way, if you don’t get to do the exercise in the morning, it would still work at night, as was the case with TJ, a home-schooling mom of three. She said: “This would have been THE PERFECT way to start my day, but still felt great doing the exercise this late (10 pm). I will have a nice, peaceful sleep.”

So, Raw Mom readers, I’d love to get some feedback from you, too.

~ Would something similar to this — but one that includes background music and a higher quality voice message — interest you?

~ Do you feel that having something like this available on a fairly regular basis would help jumpstart your day? If so, how much time would you set aside to “tune in” this way…..5 minutes or less, or more?

~ Would you rather listen to it on your computer or MP3?

Thanks for your feedback. I look forward to hearing from you.

Peace & Love,

Penny

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