Healthy Choices for Balanced Living - Healing Lifestyles & Spas

July 15, 2011

How to Avoid Toxic Products that May Cause Poor Air Quality in the Home

By Sarah Witts, HL&S Guest Blogger and contributor for Erik Organic, an online retailer of fine baby cribs

Tomorrow, we’ll give you a rundown of natural body detoxers in our Daily Retreat & Renew tip (if you don’t already receive them in your inbox, click on the link to sign up!). But in the meantime, we want to talk about how to detox your house of harmful products and materials that could be causing poor indoor air quality!

Indoor air quality refers to the quality of air that exists around structures, buildings and homes. The better the indoor air quality, the better it is for your health and comfort. As experts learn more about indoor air quality, their findings indicate that there are many products that can increase or decrease the quality of air around us. With this research available, homeowners can take the necessary steps to avoid toxic products that may cause poor indoor air quality. Here’s how to make your home healthier for everyone.

Limit poor indoor air quality by following these tips.

Here’s how to do it!

Limit the Use of VOC Products

VOCs or Volatile Organic Compounds come from various liquids and solids and are emitted as harmful gases. There are many chemicals that are found within VOCs and they are known to cause both short- and long-term side effects on health and comfort. In the majority of cases, VOCs are found in much higher levels indoors than outdoors. That is because they come from such products as paints, pesticides, office equipment and cleaning supplies.

It’s important to choose products that are VOC-free or at least have a limited amount of these chemicals. For starters, choose all-natural cleaning agents that are made from plant-based materials. Or, make your own solutions using vinegar and water. Do the same with paints, pesticides and craft materials. Also consider the type of finish that is being used on furnishings so that you can make a smart decision about the products you bring into the home.

Keep the Home Well-Ventilated

One of the most effective ways to improve indoor air quality in the home is to keep it well ventilated. Open the windows on a routine basis to let the outdoor air mix in with the indoor air. This breaks up the levels of VOCs and helps to clear out dust and debris. It’s also important to ventilate the home when cleaning, painting or working on arts and crafts. Also buy products in small quantities and throw away what you don’t use. This prevents harmful chemicals from leeching into the air.

Choose Reclaimed Wood Products

Instead of buying particleboard or plywood, opt for reclaimed wood products. Reclaimed wood is made from recycled materials and doesn’t use formaldehyde, a human carcinogen that is known to pollute indoor air. However, it’s important to note that even reclaimed wood can have VOCs. This type of wood is made from recycled wood components and it can be difficult to determine how the wood materials have been treated over their lifetime. That said, reclaimed wood is the better choice and limits the emissions of VOCs.

Test for Lead Paint

While there are many products that can be controlled on your own, the paint in your home is not one of them. If your home was built before 1978, you will need to check the paint for lead. A professional will need to do this job, as he will know the proper precautions to take. Lead, even in very small amounts, has been known to cause permanent brain damage. It can also linger on such items as stuffed animals. Today’s paints are made lead-free, but it’s still advisable to paint with extreme caution. Open windows and keep pregnant women and children away from the fumes.

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July 12, 2011

Fight Office Pains (the physical kind, not your coworkers)

Filed under: Healing Lifestyles Blog — Tags: chair exercises, chair stretches, ergonomic exercises, exercises for office workers, exercises in your office chair, yoga office workers — Healing Lifestyles & Spas Team @ 8:35 am

By Tom Von Deck, HL&S Guest Blogger and author of Deeper Meditation

You probably saw our Daily Retreat & Renew tip today on how to fight carpal tunnel, but there are a few other steps you can take to relieve other types of physical tension at work. In fact, there are many ergonomic exercises for office workers that not only prevent work related aches and pains, but also help you accumulate a sense of peace in daily life. Taking brief stretch breaks at work, and even at home, alleviates and prevents both stress and pain.

We’ll start with the more common ergonomic exercises and then learn some lesser known techniques. Always breathe through the nose unless noted otherwise, and remember to do each stretch with complete loving attention.

Take anywhere from 30 seconds to 5 minutes during each hour for stretch breaks at work, and you will accumulate a lot more peace.

Try a few office chair, ergonomic exercises to relieve pain.

1. Shoulder Rolls. Sit with your back straight, palms on thighs and feet flat on the floor. Inhale and pull your shoulders all the way forward and up and and then backwards in a circle. Remember that this is a stretch break, so you should make wide enough circles so that you feel a gentle stretch. Repeat 10 times. Exhale and Rotate your shoulders in the opposite direction. Repeat 10 times.

2. Head Rolls. Sit up straight with your feet flat on the floor and your arms comfortably on your lap. Drop your head forward. Roll your head to the left for a full 360 degrees making the widest circle you can. You’ll feel a gentle stretch. Repeat 10 times, switch direction and repeat another 10 times.

3. Cat Pose in a Chair. Like the above ergonomic exercises, sit up straight with your feet flat on the floor and your palms on your lap. Leading with the center of the front of your chest, inhale and push your chest and head forward and upward, then stretch your head back as far as it will go. You are looking straight up and feel the stretch at the point between your shoulder blades. Exhale as you pull the point between your shoulder blades backwards and let this lead as your chest caves in and your head drops. Again you will feel this a lot in the point between the shoulder blades.

4. The Twist. Stand up and put your arms straight to the sides, level with the shoulders, with fingers together. Keep your feet a comfortable distance apart with knees straight. Rotate your arms and trunk to the left with your nose following your left arm. Then, “swing” to the right with your nose following your right arm. Do this ergonomic exercise a total of ten times.

5. Neck Rotations. Stand up and put your hands on your hips. Give your spine and neck a little upward pull so that you feel a light stretch. Inhale and turn your head to the left so that your nose is pointing to your shoulder. This whole motion is initiated by the point between your shoulder blades. Exhale and look to the right using the same method. Repeat this exercises 5-10 times.

6. Face Scrunches. Scrunch up your face and contract it as much as possible. Then, try to expand your face by stretching it as big as possible. When stretching, your eyes will be wider and your eyebrows will move upward as far as they can.

7. Shake it out. This ergonomic exercise certainly isn’t a stretch, but it will have a similar effect on your ability to accumulate peace in your life. Stand up and shake your left foot, then your right foot. Shake out that tension. Shake your knees from side to side, then your hips, then your chest and shoulders. Inhale deeply through the nose, then audibly exhale through your mouth while wobbling your head from side to side. Your cheeks will cause your breath to make that funny sound that horses make sometimes. Lots of fun!

Slip these ergonomic exercises into the brief down times of your day for a month and watch your energy levels and productivity flourish. You will realize the power of stretch breaks at work after you experience the effects.

Tom Von Deck is an international corporate meditation trainer, speaker and author of Deeper Meditation. Tom is a firm advocate of taking stretch breaks at work for the purpose of enhancing meditation, which is also a great ergonomic exercise for pain control in its own right.

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July 8, 2011

The Dos and Donts of Eye Skin Care

Filed under: Healing Lifestyles Blog — Tags: best practices for eye care, dos and donts of eye care, eye skin care, eyecare, how to prevent wrinkles, how to take care of your eyes, prevent wrinkles, protect your eyes — Healing Lifestyles & Spas Team @ 8:32 am

By Sara Roberts, HL&S Guest Blogger and Writer for Just Eyewear, a discount online retailer

Tomorrow, HL&S will release a tip about how to reduce eye strain by practicing eye yoga (Sign up for it here). So don’t miss it!

But if you are concerned about how to supplement eye exercises with proper skin care around your peepers, have no fear. Your eye area is much more sensitive than other surfaces and as such, is especially prone to fine lines and wrinkles. Other common problems include dark circles and puffy lids.

Keep these few things in mind to keep your delicate skin in tiptop shape:

1. Catch Some Z’s

Makeup will only go so far in banishing dark circles from the under eye area. The best way to prevent these circles is to get a full eight hours of sleep. You can also sleep with your head slightly elevated to prevent fluid from collecting in the lower eyelids. Be sure to remove all makeup before you turn in for the night.

2. Try non-toxic eye creams

Since the skin around the eyes is more sensitive than the rest of your face, it makes sense that you would use a different skin care product on this delicate area. When applying eye cream, be gentle and avoid rubbing it in with a heavy hand. There are many different eye creams that treat everything from fine lines to puffy eyes. Be sure to look for an eye cream that fits your skin situation.

Try using a special, nontoxic cream on delicate skin around the eye.

3. Wear sunglasses all the time

Bright sunlight forces us to squint, which ultimately results in crow’s feet around the eyes. Buy sunglasses that have UV protection in addition to protecting the skin from fine lines like these. A good looking pair of sunglasses makes for an excellent fashion accessory, so be sure to choose a pair that goes with your wardrobe.

4. Use a gel mask to reduce puffiness

There are a number of remedies for puffy eyes, including cucumbers and chamomile tea bags. But the nice thing about gel masks is that they allow you to treat puffy eyes while remaining mobile. In addition to minimizing puffiness, gel masks can provide relief for allergies and sinus infections. Anything cold will do if you don’t have a gel mask.

Try a gel mask to reduce puffiness around the eyes.

5. Use eye makeup wisely

When all else fails, makeup can be a last minute solution for hiding flaws, as long as it is applied correctly. To hide dark circles, use a dab of concealer that is one shade lighter than your skin tone. Eye shadows can also improve the look of tired eyes. Use neutral tones such as nude or taupe. To brighten your eyes, apply a small amount of shimmery white eye shadow to the inside corners.

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July 7, 2011

Save your hair from the sun and sand … with home remedies

Filed under: Healing Lifestyles Blog — Tags: home hair remedies, how to fix dry hair, how to fix oily hair, oily hair remedy, protect your hair from sun and sand — Healing Lifestyles & Spas Team @ 9:48 am

By Sarah Ellis
HL&S Guest Blogger and handbag stylist for Handbag Heaven

We know, we know.

We can’t all make it to Maui this summer as our lovely Jolene did for our our Daily Retreat & Renew Tip today on how to bring Hawaii to your home. But if you’ve been inspired to recreate a little Hawaii pampering in your home, don’t forget about tending to your summer beach hair!

It’s no secret that the sun and surf can leave your hair absolutely fried and dried. But how do you make the most of your hair this summer? I’ll tell you how to use at-home fixes, that your wallet and your mane will thank you for.
Whether it’s heat from the sun drying it out, humidity making your hair a frizzy mess, or salt water and chlorine stripping your hair of oils, it’s a time when all of us should be taking steps to protect our hair.
But luckily, we’ve got simple hair mask recipes that can be made with ingredients found in the kitchen – no expensive salon treatment needed! Just roll up your sleeves and peek in your cabinet!

For oily hair: This technique will properly moisturize without making your hair too oily – leaving it silky smooth and happy!

Ingredients:
Egg
Water

Directions: Separate the yolk from the egg white and beat the egg white. Add a tablespoon of water to the yolk and beat it until creamy and then combine the two egg parts. Dampen your hair with warm water before you apply the mixture. Massage it into your hair and then rinse out the egg mixture with cold water. Repeat until the egg mixture is gone – but make sure you rinse out all the egg when you’re finished!

For dry hair: Chock full of moisture rich ingredients to make your hair shine!

Ingredients:

¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup almond oil
¼ cup coconut oil
¼ cup avocado oil
1-2 Tbls. warmed honey
Water

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir. Dampen your hair before you apply the mixture. Smooth the mixture onto your hair and let it sit for 30-45 minutes before rinsing out. Voila! Instant conditioner!

Try a home remedy for dry or oily, beach and sun-damaged hair.

Other healthy hair tips include:

1. Try to skip a wash if you can. Shampooing your hair strips it of essential oils, so waiting between washes can keep it extra moisturized. I have normal-to-oily hair so it’s hard for me to skip a wash and look decent, but wearing a headscarf or a hat helps you lengthen the in-between time when your hair isn’t looking its best.

2. Use conditioner. If your hair is extra dry, try one of the at-home remedy masks every one to two weeks, or anytime you’re looking for some extra shine.

3. Protect your hair from the sun! Just like your skin gets burnt, UV rays can strip your hair of color. Whether you have a dye job or natural locks, the sun will naturally bleach out your color. For some, this is welcome, for others not so much. Either way, make sure you’re protecting your hair AND scalp from burns with hair products that contain SPF.

4. Trim regularly. Depending on hair length and type you may need to get it trimmed more or less, but make sure that you’re regularly trimming split ends. Anything you can do to prevent frayed ends will keep damage to a minimum. The average hairstylist will tell you 6-8 weeks is a good time for a trim, but if I’m growing my hair out I usually shoot for 8-10. Again, it varies according to your hair type and style, but make sure you are at least trimming as needed.

Follow these simple rules and try the at home remedies for glorious glowing locks!

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