Category Archives for "Health & Beauty"
Growing up in the Philippines, I was surrounded by bamboo and we used many things made out of bamboo, from furniture, to coin banks, to cooking implements.
So it was a pleasant surprise when I began seeing fabric products made out of bamboo.
And the benefits of fabric made from bamboo are numerous: they’re incredibly soft, breathable, hypoallergenic, anti-bacterial, and provide UV protection.
And bamboo is probably the most ecologically sustainable source of fiber. You see, bamboo grows without the need for pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. And, because they mature fast, they’re very easy to replenish.
I had the opportunity to try bamboo fabric products from Cariloha, a US-based company specializing in leisure wear and other products made of a proprietary blend of bamboo.
Source: Cariloha.com
Source: Cariloha
Source: Cariloha.com
Source: Cariloha.com
The Good:
Source: Cariloha.com
If you want to give Cariloha bamboo products a try, remember that they offer two guarantees:
There’s a 90-Day Satisfaction Guarantee, which says if you don’t love the product, you can return it within 90 days for a full refund (less shipping charges).
And then there’s the Lifetime Quality Guarantee. You read that right, a lifetime guarantee. At any time after purchase, if you’re not completely satisfied with the quality of the product, you can return it and exchange the item(s).
I think it’s great that companies like Cariloha are providing various products made out of bamboo and other natural fibers. Now those with sensitive skin, those who value natural fibers, and those who want to use ecologically sustainable products have more choices. Cariloha proves that eco-friendly products can be good for you, good for the environment, and look good all at the same time.
Have you tried bamboo-based fabric products before? What do you think of them? And what are your favorite bamboo-based fabric products?
PS: I received these products for free to review on my blog. Nevertheless, I’ve provided my honest opinions about the products. :
I used to get allergic rhinitis several times a year. And it always involved appointments with a specialist, ear and sinus infections, and, finally, having to take antibiotics. Several times a year.
Until I discovered nasal irrigation.
Nasal irrigation is, quite simply, the cleansing of our nasal passages with warm salt water. It flushes away irritants and excess mucus, soothes the mucus membranes, and reduces inflammation.
Since I learned how to do nasal irrigation, I’ve been able to shorten the duration of colds, head off sinusitis infections, and avoid antibiotics altogether.
There are several ways to do nasal irrigation. Here are three I’ve tried. They’re all effective but you may choose to use different ones, depending on the situation:Continue reading
Have you ever tried to incorporate green smoothies into your daily diet, but failed?
I know I have.
I bought a Ninja Master Prep (QB900B) and books with green smoothie recipes. I even paid for a green smoothie recipe app.
But after trying a few green smoothies, I could not make a habit of drinking them.
Guiltily, I kept my mouth shut when hubby put the blender away in the pantry. It had been gathering dust on the kitchen counter. I could not protest.
But recently, I joined the 30-day Green Smoothie Challenge and learned something that has changed the way I do green smoothies profoundly.
From Jada and Jenni, the creators of the challenge, I learned a formula for making a green smoothie with whatever greens and fruits I had on hand. It’s not really a recipe, but it’s more of a template.
I realized the reason I couldn’t keep making green smoothies before was because I would run out of this or that ingredient — and therefore not be able to follow the recipe anymore. Then, by the time I did get a particular ingredient, the others would have gone bad in the fridge.
But not so with this formula. As long as you have a steady supply of green vegetables and fruits, you always have what you need to make a green smoothie.
Here’s the Ultimate Green Smoothie Master Recipe (explanation follows):
Now that you have this green smoothie master recipe, I’m pretty sure you could easily create a green smoothie any time.
For example, here’s one I whizzed together based on what I had in my fridge:
Here’s a green smoothie I quickly created using the “Green Smoothie Master Recipe.”
This green smoothie was made with:
1 cup coconut water
1 cup baby spinach
1 banana (I counted this as 1 cup of fruit)
1/2 cup green grapes
3 tablespoons hemp hearts
This smoothie turned out to be very creamy and very smooth. It certainly didn’t taste like a vegetable drink.
Now that I’ve been drinking quite a number of green smoothies, I’ve become more adventurous. Inspired by a recipe in 365 Vegan Smoothies, I made this green smoothie. As you will notice, it has twice as much vegetables as in the Master Recipe:
This is what I call “Anemia-Buster Smoothie,” because it has more than 50% the RDA for iron (based on my own estimates).
This iron-rich green smoothie has:
1 cup coconut milk beverage
1 cup baby kale
1 cup baby spinach
1 orange (segments only)
1/2 avocado
1 banana
3 tablespoons hemp hearts
Baby kale and baby spinach are both rich in iron, and the vitamin C in the orange enhances the absorption of iron. I thought the amount of liquid in the orange would let me use less than 1 cup of coconut milk beverage. But then again, the avocado made the drink too thick, so I still ended up using about a cup of liquid.
In case you’re wondering, this is how I blend all the ingredients:
First, I pour the liquid. Then I drop in my booster, which is usually hemp hearts. This lets them soften in the liquid so they get ground into smaller pieces better. Then I add the greens, pushing them in with a spatula. Finally, I add the fruits, sliced into about 1/2- to 1-inch pieces.
I close the lid of my blender, and pulse a few times until all the ingredients have settled on the bottom of the jar and have been chopped into smaller pieces. Then I pulse in longer spurts (I can only keep the Ninja running for a maximum of 15 seconds at most, at a time). One or twice, I open the lid and scrape the sides of the blender jar, then pulse some more.
Sometimes, I taste a small amount of the smoothie and add a bit more liquid if it’s too thick. After one or two more pulses, it’s ready!
By the way, according to Health Canada, one serving of fruit or vegetable is equivalent to 1 cup. Therefore, one serving of this Green Smoothie Master Recipe contains 2 servings of vegetable and 3 servings of fruit. Isn’t that an easy way to get more fruits and veggies into your diet?
As I mentioned above, I started drinking green smoothies daily so I can get my iron levels up to normal — and at the same time overcome the tendency of iron pills to cause constipation. So far, I’ve been successful in the latter. I’ll have to wait a few weeks to find out if my iron levels have gone up.
An unexpected benefit of all these green smoothies is that I’ve been eating a lot less chocolate and non-nutritious foods. This is because 16 oz of green smoothie is very filling. In fact, I have to drink it in place of a meal. It makes me so satiated that I have not been looking for my usual chocolaty after-lunch treat. Well, that certainly was NOT part of the plan! But if it means getting healthier without feeling deprived, well, then I’m all for it.
How about you, do you drink green smoothies regularly? If so, what recipes do you rely on? Do you use a similar master recipe? What are your favourite ingredients? What benefits have you experienced so far?
Do share your experiences, tips, and advice in the comments below.
In fact, I have been all too aware of breast cancer.
In the past year, two people close to me have been diagnosed with breast cancer, gotten mastectomies, and gone through chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
And then a few weeks ago, another person I know was found to have pre-cancerous calcifications in her breasts. She will have a double mastectomy to avoid cancer altogether.
Anyway, I’m telling you all this to let you know that we can do something to avoid cancer.
I came across an article that was empowering, because it gives us many different ways to reduce our chances of getting breast cancer. They all boil down to avoiding cancer-causing toxins in our food and environment:Continue reading
For years now, I’ve been battling adult acne, and I’ve been looking in vain for skin care products that are natural and toxin-free.
Unfortunately, every time I switch to natural, organic products, my skin would break out again. I simply haven’t been able to find a product or combination of products that would help keep my adult acne at bay.
Until now.
After months and months of trying different products, I’ve finally found a skin care regimen that’s mostly natural and organic and free of the Dirty Dozen.
Below are the products I use, why I use them, and the effects they’ve had on my skin, as far as I can tell. It’s a pretty long list and I’m quite shocked that I would need so many skin care products on a daily basis! But keep in mind, I have combination skin, which means I practically need two sets of products: one for my acne-prone T-zone, and another for the rest of my face.