simple.green.organic.happy.

Category: Green Home & Garden

Gifts to Reduce Stress and Stay Healthy

There’s nothing sadder in this world
than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child.

-Erma Bombeck

Just kidding. The Christmas season is magical and exciting no matter what your age, but it can be harder to hold on to that Yuletide spirit as you get older. Choosing the perfect present becomes burdened by a budget, decorating and winter concerts are a strain on an already busy schedule, holiday parties are enjoyed with a guilty mental calorie count. I’m not even going to bring up travel.

The truth is that for a lot of people the holidays can be stressful, and stress puts a serious damper on your immune system. Add that to the number of people you’re around in relatively close quarters and the scene is set for sick days you simply don’t have time for.

I’m kicking back with gift ideas for those people on your list who could do with some relaxation: parents, teachers, party throwers, workaholics… and you.

Treat yourself and stay happy and healthy through December and into the new year.

Note: affiliate links follow.

Wake Up Right

I’ve been attempting to carry out a personal crusade against the alarm but my husband is the kind of the multiple snooze button. Ideally, you want to have a good bedtime routine and go to sleep early enough that you wake up automatically, without an alarm, but I know that’s not realistic for everyone, especially during the dark mornings of Daylight Savings Time. Instead, forego the adrenaline jolts and resulting sleep inertia and be awakened gently with increasing light, simulating sunrise. (This gentle wake-up light alarm clock also allows you to choose nature sounds to wake you, and works the other way, gradually decreasing light at bedtime to help you fall asleep.)

Meditation in the morning

79% of those surveyed in an IDC Research report admitted to checking their phones within 15 minutes of waking up (89% of 18-24 year olds, yikes). That’s stressful, guys. You’re jumping right into the fray by dealing with emails, scanning the news, reading up on whatever the latest outrage is on Facebook (Reese’s peanut butter trees not looking like trees, by the way: not really an outrage, just an aggregation of a handful of people making observations. We’ve reached this weird place where people become outraged about other people being outraged, when nobody was actually outraged to begin with). And then, too much time has already gone by and you’re already running late, rushing around.

Instead, take some time to ease into the day. Clear your mind entirely for calm, focus on your intentions with optimism or empowerment. Studies support again and again that meditation is good for your mind and your body, both short term and long term. For those who can’t shut down their monkey mind or SQUIRREL! mentality, try a guided meditation. I like the OMG I Can Meditate app, which has daily meditations for morning or night as well as short on-the-go options and special meditations for dealing with anxiety or attracting abundance. There’s a free option which can be upgraded to full access paid monthly or yearly.

Aromatherapy to energize your afternoon

We’ve all experienced the way that certain smells can evoke emotions and memories: there’s no denying the feel-goods associated with walking into a house where Thanksgiving dinner has been cooking, or the cleansing of the sinuses and the soul you get from the scent of pine, whether it’s in the forest or a nursery filled with just-arrived Christmas trees. I was sent the GuruNanda Essential Oil Diffuser set for review purposes and I love diffusing the included peppermint oil in the afternoon, when I tend to slump/crash and burn. The set also includes lavender oil, which is calming and great for destressing and relaxing you into sleep.

We use ours in the living room, where everyone can enjoy it and it’s a nice welcome for those walking in the front door, but I keep thinking it would be a great option for a child’s bedroom at night. (Or both. It’s lightweight and easily moved around.) The cool steam would help ward off the dry nasal passageways of winter, the muted changing color lights could act as a nightlight, and the quiet hum is comforting. Plus, the unit shuts down once all the water has evaporated— about 2.5 hours. At $20 for the set it’s honestly a great deal; you only need to use a few drops of essential at a time, so the bottle will last a long time. It’s also easy to pick up since it’s available at Wal-Mart; a similar model from the same company is available from Amazon for a few dollars more, but you have to buy your oils separately.

Take time for tea

The Brits are spot on here. Although there’s not a whole lot of concrete evidence that tea itself does a whole lot for stress, the act of making tea can. Making tea promises comfort, warmth and psychological escape, and one study found that putting the kettle on reduced stress in its subjects by up to a quarter.

My favorite teas of the moment were sent by Choice Organic Teas; organic, fair trade, and manufactured in a certified organic facility where Green-e Certified renewable energy certificates (RECs) from wind power are purchased to offset 100 percent of the facility’s electricity. I love the Breathing Space (peppermint, echinacea and eucalyptus) in the morning, Irish Breakfast ironically in the afternoon, Simply Detox for Sunday brunch, but they offer tons of delicious and health-centric options. Loose leaf teas are available.

Sweat away stress

Getting your daily 30 minute sweat session in clears your head and fills you with those feel good hormones, along with all the obvious health benefits. Exercise helps you to sleep better and can strengthen circadian rhythms, although you may need to experiment to find the best time of day (some people will find it harder to fall asleep too soon after exercising).

I personally recommend a high intensity program like CrossFit, which keeps you completely mentally involved during your relatively short workout: no room to stress about things. You could gift a month of classes to CrossFit, Zumba, swimming, whatever works for you and promise to meet up for class a certain number of times a week. Or, gift a race registration and train together. Just get out there and move— and as a bonus, you won’t pack on those pesky winter pounds.

Brain dump before bed

Losing sleep has many adverse health repercussions along with increased stress levels and suppressed immunity. If the chaos of the holidays along with a never-ending to-do list and a chatty brain keep you from easily drifting off to sleep, journaling can be an immense help. I recommend keeping a notebook next to the bed and on the fronts of pages, dump out the contents of your brain: everything you need to do, things you need to pick up, people you need to call, etc, until the well runs dry. Then, turn the page and list three things you are grateful for that day so that you’ll see them tomorrow night. You’ll go to bed relieved of the burden of worrying you’ll forget something, and with gratitude in your heart.

I’m a firm believer of nice notebooks, they’re just a joy to use and keep you committed. This black leather-bound journal is 8 inches tall with nice paper and gilded edges for just over $11.

What are your favorite ways to destress for a healthier, happier you— during the holidays and beyond?

November 29, 2016
Is Tree Farming Eco Friendly?

A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself.

Forests are the lungs of our land,
purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.

―FDR

I want to talk about tree farms for a hot second.

This came up in conversation a while back when I was discussing Christmas trees within a group on Facebook. Basically, the debate was over whether an artificial tree was the better option because it could be reused a number of years, as opposed to resources being used to grow trees that are then cut and soon after disposed of.

I think this is a pretty common misconception, or at least common enough that I feel compelled to write about it. But as I see it tree farming— the growing of trees as a crop to be used, whether to make paper, lumber or decorative indoor shrubbery on which to hang tinsel— is actually a pretty good thing for the environment.

For starters, trees fight climate change.

This is, all by itself, a very solid argument in defense of tree farming. Trees store carbon and produce oxygen; managed trees produce less carbon from decaying plant matter. And tree farms are continually planting new trees to replace the ones cut down, to remain sustainable.

Tree farms provide habitat for wildlife.

Humans: they’re everywhere. And they’re edging wildlife out of their natural habitat. With every parking lot and superstore and road built to accommodate the ever growing population, it becomes harder for animals to move from green space to green space. Tree farms are a place that local wildlife can pretty much depend on to continue to provide shelter for years to come, and in some cases have helped animal species rebound from the brink of extinction. (Obviously, federal wildlife refuges serve this purpose too; the difference is that tree farms aren’t necessarily government owned.)

Treed areas are good for human health too.

Tree farms mean more trees. It’s important to protect existing forests, but the addition of more tree farms means more people in the presence of trees and a host of associated mental and physical health benefits. Even being able to view a treed horizon from your bedroom, office or car window can make a difference.

Here’s a handy dandy infographic on tree farms; it’s interesting how it reframes the why of recycling paper.

Your thoughts on tree farming and paper recycling?

October 7, 2016
Get a FREE Mrs. Meyer’s Everyday Luxury Set from Grove Collective
Keep reading to find out how you can get this Mrs. Meyer set for free.

As rosemary is to the Spirit, so lavender is to the Soul.

I’m a sucker for monthly subscriptions. One of my favorite sites is Grove Collaborative (formerly ePantry), which stocks natural cleaning and beauty products. Basically, you create your “pantry” of products and the schedule you’d like it shipped on; before the order is sent, you’re emailed a reminder and you can decide if you need to add or remove anything. Or, if you realize that you’re about to run out of something, you can go ahead and opt for “send now.”

Right now, I’m scheduled to get a delivery every two months of Mrs. Meyer’s laundry detergent, dish soap, hand soap and dryer sheets, along with a set of Grove Collaborative sponges, which works out just about perfectly in terms of our usage. I am OBSESSED with the basil and rosemary scents. I LOVE THEM. As I’ve mentioned a million times on this site, I’m really sensitive to scent. Mrs. Meyer’s scents are not at all overpowering, I don’t associate cleaning with the smell of chemicals and just in general the fragrance of herbs is something that makes me happy.

I’ve also ordered Mrs. Meyer’s toilet bowl cleaner and multi-surface cleaner, and I love those too. The concentrated refill of the multi-surface cleaner lasts a really long time. Everything I’ve tried from that brand has been effective and gentle and great smelling. Plus: the pretty vintage-esque packaging. (Dang, I hadn’t realized how strong my Mrs. Meyer’s love was until I wrote this.)

Of course, Grove Collaborative carries more than Mrs. Meyer’s. The usual suspects of green cleaning products are represented— Dr. Bronners, Seventh Generation, Method etc. They have a nice selection of lotions and body washes and facial cleansers. There’s shaving lotions and feminine products and dental care, along with household stuff like sponges and paper towels and sandwich bags. Everything I’ve purchased has been competitively priced, often the best price I’ve found online. AND! It ships really fast too.

…the Grove Standard:

Uncompromisingly healthy.
Beautifully effective.
Sustainably minded.
Amazingly affordable.

OK. HERE COMES THE PART WHERE I TELL YOU HOW YOU CAN GET A FREE MRS. MEYER’S EVERYDAY LUXURY SET.

I’m not sure if it happens with every order or if it just seems like it, but Grove Collaborative often runs these offers where they’ll add a freebie to your delivery— so you get to try a bonus item for free. And until Sunday May 1st, if you’re a new customer you get an awesome freebie with your first order, the Mrs. Meyer’s Everyday Luxury Set. That includes:
- a Mrs. Meyer’s candle: made from vegetable waxes, with a lead free cotton wick
- a Mrs. Meyer’s hand soap
- a Mrs. Meyer’s dish soap
- Grove Collaborative walnut scrubber sponges, which are made from crushed walnuts: tough on messes, gentle on pots and pans
- shipped for free.
To claim your free luxury set, click right here on my affiliate link.

(If you’re already a Grove Collaborative customer, you can still claim a Mrs. Meyer’s hand soap for free with your next order when you use this link.)

You do need to spend at least $20 on that first order to get your free luxury set. As I’ve said, I highly recommend just about everything in the Mrs. Meyer’s line. Here’s what Grove Collaborative suggests as a possible first order:

That’s a lot of good stuff for 26 bucks.

Other products I’ve liked and will order again: Method body wash in White Tea, Seventh Generation dishwasher soap and glass cleaner, Acure Organics Facial Cleansing Gel Superfruit + Chlorella Growth Factor, the Yes To line in general but especially the face cleaning towelettes, the Grove Collaborative hand sanitizer, and of course Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds.

There are a limited number of sets available and this offer ends Sunday May 1, so grab yours now. Here’s the official walkthrough:
1. Sign up for Grove Collaborative here. You’ll receive the Mrs. Meyer’s Everyday Luxury Set for free when you sign up.
2. Answer 4 quick questions about your home. Grove Collaborative will use this to customize your first basket (this takes under 30 seconds!).
3. Once you’ve answered the questions, you can finalize your basket of products to suit your household needs by adding or removing items.
4. To receive this offer, your order needs to total at least $20. Choose the combination of products and scents you love and receive in your first box (this is the hardest part— I agonize over this every time).
5. Click “Finish & Pay” and place your order.
Let me know what you order and if you love it!
April 26, 2016