simple.green.organic.happy.

Author: Robin Strong Elton

  • How to Make Allergy Season a Little Less Miserable

    How to Make Allergy Season a Little Less Miserable

    It’s heeeere: allergy season. Pollen, pollen everywhere and all the sneezing and itchy red eyes (or in my case, pinkeye and clogged ears) that entails. Here are some ways to find allergy symptom relief without resorting to daily medication.

    Disclaimer: in this post I mention products I received for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

    I never used to suffer from seasonal allergies!

    No, that was a surprise gift my body gave me in my late 30s that I never asked for, along with a slowing metabolism, a knee that audibly complains, and an inability to sleep more than five hours in a row. (It also gave me the puffy curls I craved back when perms were cool, now that sleekly straight hair is the thing. I digress.)

    I only realized I had allergies a few years ago, when Facebook started showing your posts from previous years on this day. Every year around the same time, I would mention that I’d been mildly sick for forever: sneezing constantly, swollen eyes and so forth. It never occurred to me that allergies were the culprit because, well, I didn’t think I had allergies.

    I’ve read that this year has been/will be particularly miserable for allergy sufferers, since we had a relatively mild winter. And I can confirm that’s already been the case for me:

    • my sinuses feel like the inside of a cement mixer
    • I mess up my eye makeup on the regular because I mindlessly rub away at my itchy eyes
    • I went for weeks only being able to hear out of one ear, and
    • sometimes when I wake up in the morning the inside of my eyelids are stuck to my eyeballs, making me momentarily panic that I have pinkeye (which I did have earlier this spring: it felt like I had sand in my eyes, and I looked like I was auditioning to be a Garbage Pail Kid. Did you even know you could get allergy related pinkeye? Because that was news to me).

    It’s gross and frankly rude.

    I don’t like to take allergy medicine (or any meds really) because they either make me feel spacey or tired or keyed up, although I did relent during the whole clogged ear/pinkeye business. But I do want to keep my symptoms at bay as much as possible to avoid going through that again.

    So it felt like Christmas when I opened a box of goodies from Similasan, as part of a blogger program with Moms Meet.

    Similasan started in Switzerland in 1980, grew popular across Europe and I think their natural remedies are pretty well known and established here in the US at this point— you’ve probably noticed them on the shelves at your pharmacy or grocery store. They provide temporary allergy symptom relief by stimulating your body’s defenses with natural active ingredients: for instance, the Similasan Allergy Eye Relief is formulated with Eyebright flowers and Sabadilla Lily, as opposed to using antihistamines or vasoconstrictors (these work by constricting your blood vessels, so they’re not recommended for frequent use. You can AND YOU BETTER BELIEVE I DO use Similasan Allergy Eye Relief as often as needed). 

    What that means is I’m able to go out in public without looking like angry Tom Ellis: 

    via GIPHY

    Don’t get me wrong, I love me some Tom Ellis and you should go watch all four seasons of Lucifer on Netflix immediately if you haven’t already. I just don’t need to look like I’m beaming hellfire through my eyeballs, it scares the children.

    My eyes feel much better, in that I don’t regularly notice how much my eyes are bugging me anymore, and I haven’t had to unpeel my eyelids from my eyeballs in weeks, and boy did I never predict that one day the simple act of not having to think about my eyeballs would bring me such bliss.

    Similasan allergy eye relief
    Meet your new best friend.

    You can print out a coupon for any Similasan product here; see who carries their products nearest you here. I’d suggest stocking up your medicine cabinet so you have what you need on hand when symptoms first strike!

    Now, obviously, the easiest way to avoid allergy symptoms entirely is to stay indoors with the ac and an air purifier running. But I’ve been anxiously waiting to feel that spring sunshine on my face after dealing with seasonal affective disorder all winter, so that’s just not going to happen.

    Here are some practical tips to help keep allergy misery at a minimum:

    • wear sunglasses and a hat when you spend time outside, and get changed when you get home
    • shower and shampoo at night so you’re not taking pollen to bed with you
    • if you line dry, throw your clothes in the dryer for at least a couple minutes to minimize pollen
    • wipe your dog down before giving pats, if he’s been outside
    • wash your bedsheets or at least your pillowcase frequently
    • check the pollen counts before leaving the house (pollen.com has an app, My Pollen Forecast is well-reviewed). If it’s a particularly pollen-laden day, be sure to pack your eye drops and nasal spray and opt for indoor workouts— I used to sneeze incessantly for HOURS whenever CrossFit had us run outside.

    Don’t forget that pets can suffer from seasonal allergies too! You’ll want to talk to your vet about the best methods for alleviating their symptoms. I know it’s time to give Karma a little something when she starts chewing on her grinch feet.

    Feel better and GET OUTSIDE!

  • Let’s Talk About Elderberry for Cold and Flu

    Let’s Talk About Elderberry for Cold and Flu

    We’re hurtling into that time of year: my youngest brought home a nasty head cold and generously shared with the rest of the family. Like everybody else, I’m looking for anything that will help boost immunity and keep us from getting sick and missing work or school. In this post, I’m discussing one option that was new to me: here’s the skinny of using elderberry for colds and flu. Elderberry fruits

    I received this product for free from Moms Meet to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided.

    Last week I got sick. I was a sentient ball of phlegm. I had a tiny fever. My throat was sore. I had an overall feeling of yuckiness.

    I’m still waking up at night thanks to a lingering cough, but aside from that, I shook that cold pretty quickly, as did my eldest (who caught it while visiting and brought it back to Philly, so many apologies to all his friends who also got it). My other two, who found themselves as an unintended control group, were actively sick wayyyyy longer; in fact, they kept insisting that I must have caught another, less severe cold. 

    It’s anecdotal evidence, not hard science, since we can’t quantify exactly how sick each of us was, but the only difference in how we treated the cold? Jake and I took an elderberry supplement that had been sent to me by Moms Meet as part of their blogger program. (Cass and Mav went with a more traditional treatment of Advil and/or Nyquil, and we all used eucalyptus oil in hot showers to help clear out the congestion.)

    What is elderberry?

    Elderberry in this context refers to the fruit of the elder (Sambucus) tree, and the extract is said to have a lot of beneficial properties, particularly when it comes to your immune system.

    Think of it this way: dark blue and deep purple fruits contain antioxidants called flavonoids— specifically the flavonoids referred to as anthocyanins— which fight the damage caused by free radicals. These are fruits that are hardy under less than ideal conditions, and they pass that hardiness on to you (the epitome of “you are what you eat”). The United States Department of Agriculture places the highest concentration of anthocyanins in black elderberries, nearly double the amount found in any other fruit. 

    What is elderberry good for?

    According to WebMD, there’s sufficient research to be able to say that elderberry reduces the severity and duration of the flu and the common cold, and also aids with constipation. There’s also a host of other ailments elderberry is rumored to help with that there isn’t enough research to support just yet, from heart disease to gingivitis to allergic reactions to chronic fatigue.

    How do you take elderberry?

    Do a quick search and you’ll find lots of recipes for DIY elderberry syrups. Use caution, though: the quality of your elderberries may vary, as will the dosage achieved. I discourage foraging because you don’t know what pesticides might have been used in the area and the plant does have some similar looking relatives. DO NOT use the leaves, stems, unripe fruit, or uncooked fruit, as this can cause unwanted side effects like vomiting or diarrhea. 

    Sambucol

    A safer option to DIY is a supplement, where there is some level of quality control when it comes to source material and consistency of dosage. The supplement we tried is called Sambucol, whose extract:

    • has twice the natural antioxidant capacity of blueberries and more than 50% the overall antioxidant capability of cranberries
    • is produced from whole black elderberries; it the equivalent of up to 1000 black elderberries in every 120ml bottle.

    As you can see from the photo above, Sambucol has a number of elderberry delivery systems, including a (delicious!) gummy immunity boosting, cold and flu preventative. There’s a version that’s adjusted for children as well as a sugar free option. I sent the lozenges to Philly with Jake, and he shook that cough much faster than I did.

    When to use caution with elderberry

    As with any medication or supplement, talk with your pediatrician before using elderberry with young children. In addition, elderberry can cause lessened efficacy of immunosuppressants (which makes perfect sense, when you think about it). 

    How to buy elderberry syrup and gummies

    If you’d like to give Sambucol elderberry supplements a try— and again, I can vouch that it really did seem to help with the severity and duration of my head cold— check with the store locator for where you can buy locally. You can also order directly from the website.

  • The Health Benefits of Almond Butter vs Peanut Butter

    The Health Benefits of Almond Butter vs Peanut Butter

    Obviously, if you have a peanut allergy, you need alternatives to peanut butter. But even if you don’t, you might want to give almond butter a try! Here’s why.

    Look, I love peanut butter as much as the next person, but if you haven’t been checking out the ever-growing number of PB alternatives, you’re missing out.

    Heads up: I received this product for free from Moms Meet. Compensation for this post was provided, opinions are my own.

    Even though my own kids don’t have a peanut allergy, they often had a student in their class that did. And since PB&J is pretty much a lunchbox gold standard, we’ve tried a ton of the other butters out there over the years to find an allergy-safe substitute. If that’s been your experience too, you’ll be happy to know that not only is almond butter a tasty option, but a better-for-you one too.

    The Health Benefits of Almond Butter vs Peanut Butter

    Now, clearly what brand of almond butter or peanut butter you’re eating makes a difference, so read those labels before buying. But speaking generally, when you opt for almond butter over peanut butter you get:

    More fiber.

    Almost twice as much. This is a pretty big detail if you’re trying to lose weight, since that fiber will help you to feel fuller longer.

    More good fats, fewer bad fats

    Almonds contain more monounsaturated fats (by about 25%) and less saturated fats than peanuts do.

    More minerals and vitamin E

    Almond butter has more magnesium, iron, phosphorous and calcium than its peanut butter counterpart, as well as vitamin E (which is good for immunity, fighting inflammation, your skin and eyes, and a whole lot more. Make sure you’re getting plenty of vitamin E).

    But does it taste good?

    I think it does. My most recent foray into almond butter came courtesy of a sampler of Lindsay Almond Butters, as part of a review through the Moms Meet blogger program. This brand is a worthy contender as far as peanut butter impersonators go: it’s smooth and easily spreadable, and tastes very similar to peanut butter—ideal if you have picky eaters who might balk at accepting almond butter on its own terms. It does separate a little, like most butters that keep preservatives, emulsifiers, etc to a minimum do, but not nearly so much as some “natural” peanut butters or PB alternatives can.

    It’s made with 100% California almonds and a touch of honey, and once you pair it with jelly on a sandwich, cut apple slices, celery, or whatever your kid’s favorite PB delivery mode might be, I’m not sure they would even notice the difference. Since my favorite is a peanut butter and peanut butter sandwich, I’ve been happily eating my Lindsay almond butters open faced on whole wheat toast, for a little bit of a boost before I go out for a run.

    Because I’m running again. Early Spring 2018 me thought it was a good idea to sign up for an October 8K race. September 2018 me isn’t real happy with Early Spring 2018 me.

    Anyway. To sweeten the deal, Lindsay Almond Butters have no hydrogenated oils, preservatives, GMOs or gluten, plus they are kosher. You can find them in Classic Creamy, Classic Crunchy, and Honey Cinnamon at a retailer near you; if you have a Costco, Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club or Safeway nearby, those are good places to check. (The crunchy is fantastic, by the way, crunchy PB lovers. I’ve been maybe sneaking a spoonful every now and again, when I just need to eat a little something to calm a rogue hunger pang.)

    Lindsay and Sustainability

    The Lindsay brand is family owned and operated, growing their almonds on the same land where they’ve cultivated olives for the past 100 years (and holy cow, do they ever have a variety of olives, as well as peppers, olive oil and pickled veggies; if you like any of those things you should really check out their full product lineup and recipe ideas). Since they’re located in California, they’ve made huge efforts when it comes to water conservation, and reuse their by-products and processing water to power the grid—enough to power 1800+ homes/year— and feed the soil.  And over the last five years, Lindsay has cut its carbon footprint by a third: pretty impressive.

    One more thing

    I highly suggest you go follow Lindsay on Instagram and Pinterest. Because yum.