10 Gifts for Natural Living

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December 8, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

Know someone who has a chemical-free home?

Here are my Top 10 Gifts for Natural Living!

These are my favorite natural living products that we use in our home almost every day!

1. Wool Dryer Balls

Fabric softeners are irritating to skin and lungs.

Use wool dryer balls with vinegar and/or essential oils instead!

2. Essential Oil Diffuser Necklaces

Love something pretty that smells great and has other great benefits!

3. Microfiber Cleaning Cloths

I love using pretty colored cloths for all our house cleaning needs – with just water or natural products like vinegar and essential oils.

Blue for windows, tan for dusting, silver for stainless!

4. Refillable Spray Mop

We love making our own cleaners and a refillable spray mop with a reusable pad makes cleaning floors easy and healthier and more environmentally sound.

5. DIY gifts with Essential Oils

Here are 10 ideas of essential oils gifts to make for friends and family (or yourself!).

6. Gift certificate to Radiant Life

I love this company for glassware and supplements – especially cod liver oil!

7. Essential Oil Diffuser

We have diffusers in almost every room. I love the scent and benefits!

We use calming scents in the bedroom and attentive scents in the school room. Cleansing scents can get rid of cooking odors.

8. Himalayan Salt Lamp

We love the soft light and qualities of these lamps in our home office and bedrooms.

These lamps can reduce indoor air pollution and allergens, improves mood and sleep quality, and reduces stress.

9. Natural Makeup and Skincare Items

We especially love Lemongrass Spa (please use my code 5450) and Cowgirl Dirt for great chemical-free, pretty makeup. We love the way our skin feels and looks with the natural cleansers and moisturizers.

10. A Happy Lamp

We live where it’s damp, cold, and dim – sometimes year-round! This Go-Lite lamp has helped us the last couple years to improve mood and energy level during those darker days.

What are your favorite natural living items?

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Making a Chemical-Free Home

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April 8, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

Our journey to being chemical-free began years ago.

I never would have thought I would be a crunchy mom, but I am proud!

We’re on a journey – often with baby steps, sometimes doing the cha-cha or completely backsliding (and regretting it), but we realize that we’re so much healthier now than we were just a year ago. We’ve come so far!

We’re making a chemical-free home for our children to grow up healthy.

Chemical Free Food

We first eliminated dyes and chemicals in our food about seven years ago to help our eldest daughter with her focusing problems.

We knew it was a good decision and saw immediate results. We learned how to eat better and our pantry looks very different than it did ten years ago!

It was a gradual process with many ups and downs. We had to learn a new way of life. Some days were really hard.

We often do a cleanse after holidays or trips with a Whole30.

We mostly drink water. The kids know any juice is a treat. Homemade soda (in our Soda Stream) is a very special treat. I am thankful that the German foods and drinks are less chemical than the American ones.

We eventually adopted a way of natural eating that works for us. I don’t freak out too much if someone hands my kids a fruit rollup or cup of Kool Aid.

My kids are learning better choices and often choose the healthier alternative without being prompted because they know how the dyes and chemicals negatively affect their bodies. They prefer to feel good in lieu of the instant gratification of the fun flavors. And they read labels. They’re learning to be good stewards of their bodies.

We’re getting into fermenting now with kombucha and kraut!

Chemical Free Cleaning

Most of the commercial cleaners available in stores are very unhealthy and exacerbate allergies and illness.

When we quit using those, we felt so much better!

We use natural cleaners for most of our home cleaning. We often make our own glass cleaner, laundry soap, and dish detergents.

Vinegar and baking soda are favorite cleaning staples. I add essential oils for extra clean scents.

We use fragrance-free and dye-free laundry detergent. We love Seventh Generation or the Costco alternative, but we need to make our own since I can’t find those here. I hang dry all our clothing – except underwear. We don’t use fabric softener.

We don’t use air fresheners, scented candles, wicks, wall plugs, or wax melts in our home, office, or cars. I diffuse essential oils. Diffusers are safer than hot wax or messy chemical liquids. My husband gets very irritated to the scents in chemical air fresheners but he loves the diffused essential oils! Check out these diffusers for under $50!

We also like having houseplants to freshen the air and make it pretty.

Chemical Free Body Care

This was our most recent change in our journey to being a chemical-free home.

We started using the natural laundry soap when our second child was born and had such sensitive skin.

We realized the chemicals we use on our skin can be just as harmful (or more so) as the chemicals we could ingest.

Several of us have suffered from dry and irritated skin for years with no explanation. Removing the chemicals from our body care helps.

We love natural products for hair, face, and body.

Liz and I use natural makeup from Cowgirl Dirt and Lemongrass Spa.

I make DIY products for skin and face with natural ingredients and essential oils for our family and friends.

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Resources for Brain Health

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March 9, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert 3 Comments

Despite having a natural lifestyle, we still occasionally have a focusing issue with our children. These tips have worked for us (and our friends) to keep our kids medication-free.

Sometimes, it’s as simple as adding a nourishing, vitamin-rich diet and supplements to help kids (and adults) to focus and think well. We recognize that some individuals need medications. We also never, ever recommend ending a medication regimen without consulting your physician.

Resources for Brain Health

1. The Autism & ADHD Diet by Barrie Silberberg

Barrie Silberberg, a mother who honed her skills using the GFCF Diet with her son, who was diagnosed with ASD, gives you everything you need to know to put the diet into action with your child, including:

What the GFCF Diet is and why it’s so effective
How to start the diet
Where and how to buy GFCF foods
How to avoid cross-contamination
How to understand labels on packaging
How to make this diet work day-to-day

2. The Feingold Cookbook by Ben F. Feingold, M.D.

The Feingold Diet is a form of elimination diet where foods containing certain harmful additives are removed and replaced with similar foods that are free of those additives. When starting the diet, certain foods and non-food items containing an aspirin-like chemical called salicylate are also eliminated, and later tested for tolerance.

Happily, there is a huge selection of foods of every kind, including snacks, desserts, convenience foods and mixes that are acceptable on the Feingold Diet.

First, the diet is used as a diagnostic tool to determine if any of the eliminated items are triggering some or all of the problems you are seeing. When successful, it is continued as a treatment, and can also be combined with any other necessary medical treatments.

3. Eating for Autism by dietitian Elizabeth Strickland

What your child eats has a major impact on his brain and body function. Eating for Autism is the first book to explain how an autism, Asperger’s, PDD-NOS, or ADHD condition can effectively be treated through diet. Eating for Autism presents a realistic 10-step plan to change your child’s diet, starting with essential foods and supplements and moving to more advanced therapies like the Gluten-Free Casein-Free diet. Parents who have followed Strickland’s revolutionary plan have reported great improvements in their child’s condition, from his mood, sleeping patterns, learning abilities, and behavior to his response to other treatment approaches. Complete with 75 balanced, kid-friendly recipes, and advice on overcoming sensory and feeding skill problems, Eating for Autism is an essential resource to help a child reach his full potential.

4. Eating Mindfully by Susan Albers

What would it be like to really savor your food? Instead of grabbing a quick snack on your way out the door or eating just to calm down at the end of a stressful day, isn’t it about time you let yourself truly appreciate a satisfying, nourishing meal?

In our modern society, weight concerns, obesity rates, and obsession with appearance have changed the way we look at food—and not necessarily for the better. If you have ever snacked when you weren’t hungry, have used guilt as a guide for your eating habits, or have cut calories even when you felt hungry, you have experienced “mindless” eating firsthand. This mindless approach to food is dangerous, and can have serious health and emotional consequences. But if you’ve been mindlessly eating all your life, it can be difficult to make a change. When it comes down to it, you must take a whole new approach to eating—but where do you begin? Practicing mindful eating habits may be just the thing to make that important change. In fact, it might just be the answer you’ve been searching for all these years.

The breakthrough approaches in Eating Mindfully, by Susan Albers, use mindfulness-based psychological practices to take charge of cravings so they can eat when they are hungry and stop when they feel full. Ten years after the release of the first edition, this book continues to help thousands of readers change the way they approach mealtime. So what’s changed? For starters, there is a new section that focuses on the “occasional mindless eater.” This second edition emphasizes that mindful eating isn’t only for those on a diet or for those who have severely problematic eating habits—it’s for everyone. In addition, this new edition features over 50 new tips for eating mindfully. Inside, you will learn how to be more aware of what you eat, get to know your fullness and hunger cues, and how to savor and appreciate every bite. You will also learn how mindlessness corrupts the way you eat, and how it can manifest in a number of different eating problems. No matter where you are in your journey toward mindful eating, this book will be an invaluable resource, and you will gain insight into how mindfulness can provide you with the skills needed to control the way you eat—leading to a healthier, happier life.

5. The Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks by Heather Haupt

Fun ideas to help your kids take some breaks so they can work hard when they need to focus.

We specifically use a combination of essential oils, dietary supplements, a natural whole foods diet, cod liver oil, plenty of fresh air, and exercise to help us perform at our best.

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The Benefits of Green Carpet Cleaning

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December 26, 2014 By Jennifer Lambert 2 Comments

When it comes to getting your carpet clean, there are few things more important to consider than the cleaners you use.

Green cleaners not only help to protect the environment against the potential for harmful chemical pollution, but can also cause respiratory and skin irritation for your family and pets.

Chemical Exposure

Traditional carpet cleaners use a bevy of chemicals to remove stains and make your carpets smell good. While they are effective in cleaning your carpets, they have also been implicated in the contribution to a number of health conditions including asthma and various allergies. They have also been shown to cause certain neurological conditions, immunosuppression and even cancer. These conditions have been seen in both humans and many pets after prolonged exposure.

Steam Cleaning

Professional carpet cleaning services often use steam cleaning as a form of green cleaning solution. When using steam, most carpet cleaning professionals don’t use chemicals at all to clean your carpets. The higher temperature and steam infusion loosens dirt and debris, allowing it to be removed manually. Steam has also been shown to be highly effective in the removal of dust mites, which are often the culprit for triggering allergic reactions.

Green Cleaning Preparations

There are also a number of green cleaning solutions that are used in conjunction with traditional hot water carpet cleaning and low flow carpet cleaning solutions. These products aid in the removal of pet stains and other stains by using naturally occurring enzymes and other certified green cleansers. Both surface cleaning solutions and pre treatment solutions are available in green cleaning preparations in order to ensure that there is no harmful chemical residue introduced into your home during the carpet cleaning process.

It is important to understand what carpet cleaning preparations are being used in your home before the technicians begin work. For example, if you are looking for Green Choice carpet cleaning Brooklyn and the company wants to use a surfactant that includes harsh chemical ingredients, it is important to know this ahead of time and find another company.

No matter what type of carpet you have, getting it cleaned regularly is the key to ensuring that your home is as clean as it looks on the surface. However, in order to ensure that you are cleaning your carpets rather than contributing to your indoor air pollution, using green carpet cleaning techniques is a must. When deciding on what carpet cleaning service to use, make sure you inquire about the company’s green carpet cleaning services.

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Homemade Face Serum

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November 12, 2014 By Jennifer Lambert 6 Comments

I LOVE using essential oils in my beauty routine.

I don’t like all the chemicals in commercial beauty products.

My teen daughters and I typically use coconut oil and some essential oils after morning cleansing.

When we want something with a little more moisture and nourishment, we add several essential oils to a blend of nourishing carrier oils.

Here’s the recipe for my favorite face oil:

1 oz. Sweet Almond Oil (Hydrates, brightens, reduces fine lines and wrinkles. Use another carrier oil if you’re allergic to tree nuts!)
3 Tsp. Vitamin E Oil (Nourishes. Antioxidant that protects and repairs your skin.)
3 Tsp. Castor Oil (Moisturizes and stimulates lash growth. Reduces puffiness and helps eliminate wrinkles and scars.)
5-7 drops Frankincense essential oil
3 drops Lemon essential oil
3-5 drops Lavender essential oil
1 Evening Primrose Oil capsule (Hydrates the skin and increases circulation. Also reduces inflammation and clears pores.)

Mix the carrier oils together in a dark glass bottle (I typically use a dropper bottle). Puncture the Evening Primrose Oil capsule and squirt it in. Add essential oils. Attach dropper lid and mix gently.

Apply every night all over face (especially the sensitive and thin eyelids!), neck, and décolleté before going to bed.

It smells heavenly and nourishes the skin.

Here is another option that can suit your skin’s needs:

Nourish from Within Sacred Body Oil

1 oz (30 ml) vanilla-infused jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis)
6 drops Frankincense (Boswellia carterii)
4 drops Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha)
3 drops Palo Santo (Bursera graveolens)
2 drops Rose (Rosa × damascena)

Experiment. Have fun. Smell great! Have gorgeous skin.

(Be aware of any nut or other allergies when you choose carrier oils.)

Pick a Carrier Oil:

Carrier oils for Normal skin: Almond, Hazelnut, Apricot kernel, Jojoba, Evening Primrose
Carrier oils for Dry skin: Almond, Olive oil, Apricot kernel, Soy bean, Avocado, Wheatgerm, Jojoba, Carrot, Evening Primrose
Carrier oils for Oily skin: Almond, Hazelnut, Apricot kernel, Grapeseed, Jojoba
Carrier oil for Mature skin: Almond, Hazelnut, Apricot kernel, Wheatgerm, Evening Primrose, Carrot, Rosehip, Pomegranate, Borage

Pick the Best Essential Oils for Your Skin Type and the Scents You Love:

Essential oils for Normal skin: German Chamomile, Lemon, Geranium, Fennel, Lavender, Jasmine, Rose, Neroli, Frankincense, Carrot Seed
Essential oils for Dry skin: German Chamomile, Lavender, Calendula, Sandalwood, Geranium, Patchouli, Rose, Rosemary, Neroli
Essential oils for Oily skin: Cedarwood, Geranium, Clary Sage, Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Lemon, Peppermint, Frankincense, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Juniper, Grapefruit, Rosemary, Neroli
Essential oils for Mature skin: Rose, Geranium, Myrrh, Patchouli, Lavender, Citrus, Frankincense, Neroli, Fennel, Clary Sage, Sage, Cypress, Sandalwood

I see an improvement in my skin texture and clarity, especially as winter approaches with its cold air, drying wind, and indoor central heating.

What are your favorite scents?

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10 Natural Remedies to Keep on Hand

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March 21, 2014 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

Every natural remedies cabinet should be well-stocked.

I like to teach my kids how to practice self-care and be proactive about their health. We keep our cabinet well-stocked with natural remedies.

It’s frugal and smart to try to stay healthy year-round with good food, herbs, supplements, teas, and essential oils.

10 natural remedies:

Chamomile

The tea is good ingested and as a humidifier (Put a towel over a steaming bowl and inhale.)

Eucalyptus

Invigorating. Apply diluted oil to chest, back, feet or diffuse. Great as a shower soother.

Melaleuca

Apply diluted tea tree oil topically or diffuse.

Honey

Great to soothe sore throats and if you can get local product, the pollen could help with any seasonal discomfort. (Lemon is great with honey!)

Apple Cider Vinegar

ACV has so many amazing benefits. I take a shot every morning.

Raw Garlic

Will shock anything right on out of your system. (Take with ACV for extra oomph!)

Raw Onion

Place a slice on feet and cover with socks. Great for fevers and other ailments.

Lemon, Lavender, and Peppermint trio

Apply 1 drop of each essential oil diluted with a carrier oil to base of the throat twice a day for allergies, congestion, or sinus irritation.

Inhale on palms or diffuse.

You could also get the fresh herbs and some lemon slices for tea or a cold drink with honey!

Lavender is calming. Lemon and Peppermint are invigorating. This trio smells fresh!

Meat Stock

Add a spoonful of ACV to chicken, turkey, or beef bones to get all the nutrients out. Cover with water. Add veggies like carrot, celery, tomato, aromatics like onions, ginger, garlic, and seasoning like peppercorns and salt and herbs. I often use a slow cooker overnight. Smells and tastes great. Soothing and warm. Freezes well.

Elderberry Syrup

I recommend buying at a health food store rather than foraging. We really like the gummies!

What would you add to this remedy list?

We take supplements and cod liver oil every day.

Make sure you eat well, get good sleep, and drink plenty of water to flush out your system and stay healthy!

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Cleaning Laminate Flooring

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January 30, 2014 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

Did you know laminate flooring comes in wood or tile/stone? I love the looks and ease of it. When we buy a house after the Air Force has finished moving us around, I will look into this!

Laminate flooring is extremely popular in today’s décor world, and for many good reasons! Not only is laminate flooring a beautiful and less expensive alternative to hardwood flooring, but laminate flooring is also extremely durable and easy to maintain. It is always recommended to check your manufacturer recommendations before using cleaners on your laminate floor.

Below are a few helpful tips to keep your laminate flooring beautiful and shining:

Avoid soap based detergents.
Avoid “mop and shine” products, as they can dull the film on your laminate flooring, causing permanent damage.
Never use abrasive cleaners or any material that can scratch your floor.
Never use wax or polish on your laminate floor.
You can vacuum your laminate flooring with the wand attachment.
Regular cleaning with a dust mop is highly recommended.
Spills should be wiped up immediately with a cloth or sponge.
Damp cloths and mops can be used, but it’s important to not over saturate your floor.
Use only recommended laminate floor cleaning products.

Laminate flooring is a great addition to any home, and can last a lifetime with very little maintenance. If you’re considering installing laminate flooring, consider visiting your local Flooring America and speaking to their flooring professionals.

I love to clean my floors with my spray mop and its Velcro pad using warm water and essential oils such as Thieves or Citrus.

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Keep Calm

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December 27, 2012 By Jennifer Lambert 2 Comments

I’ve had many friends and acquaintances ask me recently about how calm my children are.

Is that a good thing?

Calm is not the point. Connected to self during any and every experience is the point. Can a child learn to be with themselves when they are anxious, happy, angry sad…? That’s the point. That’s emotional intelligence.
Lisa Dion

I know that my kids do get rambunctious, but they always seem to be calm and collected when it really counts. When other kids are ricocheting off the walls and their parents are embarrassedly hushing them and stage whispering threats, I am usually inwardly smiling at my kids’ stellar behavior.

See my Pinterest board on parenting. I am constantly learning. I am certainly no expert!

Whereas I find my friends’ compliments a great affirmation, I can’t take all the credit here.

I think most of us have intelligent, active kids. Society often teaches that we have to stifle their natural exuberance or break their wills.

I strive to have a great relationship with my children. They trust me. They know I want what’s best for them. I seek their opinion and strive to satisfy their needs and desires.

We’ve run the gamut with making sure our kids are healthy and productive.

Elizabeth was “off the charts” for ADHD when she was about 5-7. We went the medication route for about a year. She stopped eating. She is super skinny anyway, so that didn’t work for me at all. I looked into more natural ways to manage her moods and focus abilities. We changed our diet and started eating more naturally. If it has lots of unpronounceable ingredients, we rarely eat it.

Now, we do have healthier treats (without a lot of sugar and additives and dye!) but we occasionally eat things we shouldn’t. We use Annie’s mac and cheese rather than Kraft. We eat lots of fruits and vegetables. We buy the best meat, dairy, and eggs that we can afford. I limit the prepared snack items we keep on hand.

I rely on essential oils and dietary supplements for brain health.

Then, in my research, I discovered cod liver oil. I cannot praise its properties enough! The kids are calmer, more focused and attentive, complete their school work quicker than before. Some of this is that they are maturing and growing up these last few months, but I know the cod liver oil helps. Our kids love the Cinnamon Tingle flavor. I take the orange capsules. There’s no flavor, no aftertaste, and no reflux or burps.

We’ve taken this liquid multivitamin for years. I highly recommend a multivitamin since our diets are just never good enough. The kids have so much more energy when they take this daily. It’s worth the expense.

I also take Evening Primrose oil capsules and a multi-B complex in addition to cod liver oil every day. I try to take a multivitamin too, but I find if I remember to take my oils and B, I’m energetic enough.

Also? Our skin looks radiant.

We go outside lots for fresh air and sunshine. I think it helps the kids to be active and loud and act like children in the freedom of our back yard or the park. Daily walks help me too.

These essential oils are the ones we use daily.

Thieves oil maintains our immune systems. We rub it on our feet before bed. We rarely get infections now! When Tori recently got a cold, it was much less than previous years.

Lavender works wonders on the little cuts and scrapes and skin abrasions so common in kids. Alex and Tori have dry, sensitive skin and break out around their mouths periodically, but after a couple days of lavender oil, it’s all gone. Tori knows to dab it on herself when she starts breaking out. We also limit her milk intake.

Frankincense helps brain development and heightens spiritual awareness. There’s a reason it was a gift to Jesus and it is a precious substance. I put it on my face Sunday mornings before church. Tori loves the scent and often asks me to massage her face with it. It helps moisturize skin better than commercial products!

I use several happy oil blends like perfume every day to help me conquer negativity and moodiness. I have suffered from low grade depression since I was about 12. I can’t tell you how much better I feel since using these oils. I sometimes put oil blends on Tori to help her if she’s going to be experiencing a tough situation, like our church Christmas pageant. She’s painfully shy and it gives her strength to get through it.

I use a peaceful blend often on Kate to keep her from bouncing off the walls. I often use it in my bath water after a tough week (before you think: “Ew”…I shower daily, but I only get to lay in a bath weekly, if I’m lucky!).

Liz has come such a long way from when we were at our wits’ end with her lack of focus and hyperactivity. She is learning how to manage on her own and recognize her mood triggers and find memory helps to learn better. She is learning that when her blood sugar plummets, she needs to eat. Her attitude is affected.

Tori isn’t quite so much the space cadet with her supplements and oils. We’re learning what works best as she grows and matures.

Of course, prayer and mindfulness are also extremely important.

The things we do work well for our family. I don’t know what issues you may have with moods, behaviors, allergies, etc. I am not a doctor. I’m just a mom. These are just our experiences.

The kids often watch me and take my lead. If I stay calm and teach peace, they learn this and will practice it.

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