2009 – Page 4 – Vibrant Life

01 JUL

Green Cleaning

With an arsenal of cleaning supplies handily available on aisle seven, plus the fact that I abhor cleaning, it hadn’t crossed my mind to make my own natural products. Yet when my wobbly nephew recently chewed the edge of the coffee table, freshly smeared with jelly, I raced to the rescue. I want him to be able to lick every surface in the house in a gross-yet-worry-free spree of toddlerness. But I’ve used commercial cleaning agents throughout my home with unspellable and potent—even poisonous—components. What residues have I—and others—been unintentionally inhaling, absorbing through the skin, or even eating?
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01 JUL

Stevia

Stevia rebaudiana—commonly known as stevia, sweetleaf, sugarleaf, the sweet herb of Paraguay—has remarkably sweet leaves. At a time when alternative sweeteners are in strong demand, stevia appears on stage as a big player. This sugar substitute is natural (nonsynthetic) and has zero calories.

In addition, water extracts of stevia are up to 300 times sweeter than sucrose, and the taste lasts longer than sucrose. The sweet taste is a result of two similar glycosides (stevioside and rebaudioside A) that are found in the plant’s leaves.
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30 JUN

Whitening Teeth on the Cheap

I don’t know about you, but I’ve completely bought into the hype of teeth whitening. Several of those Crest kits have been used, plus specialty toothpastes and gels, plus a few of those mint-flavored ampoules — all to keep my pearly whites a radiant shade. As I pondered the latest solution, a $100 month-long kit with guaranteed results, I felt a mixture of inadequacy and stupidity. How white is white enough, anyway? How much money am I willing to spend on brightening my smile? Well, okay, a bit, actually. When I notice that all the other teeth in my photos make mine look yellow, I start up the shopping again. Hmmm. With a sigh, I replaced the kit on the shelf.
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17 JUN

Too much produce? Impossible. . . right?

I’m produce crazy. Really, I am. I pick up a CSA delivery from the co-op on Mondays, then visit a Wednesday market in a neighboring town for bakery goods, followed immediately by a bike ride to our town’s market three blocks away. I am also growing loads of veggies, if I can keep the snails and slugs away long enough to form actual vegetation. My husband brings me eggs from a co-worker’s chickens, and I nab local milk and tofu at the co-op. There’s even a third market I visit once a month for fresh cheese, honey and any organic meat my husband requests. All in all, I’m feeling pretty lucky about my bountiful surroundings this summer.
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11 JUN

Rabbit-proof Gardens

Grrr. I admit it — I was angry. Walking along the gardens that flank my porch, I was aghast to see all my hard work transplanting seedlings and starters had been ravaged by pests. And large pests of the fuzzy bunny type chew straight down to the core. Squash, zucchini and cucumber were indistinguishable without leaves. Totally armless, stick figures of tomatoes, eggplant and pepper waved in the wind. I had to start again, losing weeks from my growing season. What could I do to keep the rabbits from eating my second efforts?
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28 MAY

The Gardening Begins

It’s planting time in Kansas! Okay, so it’s been planting time for a while, but I don’t have my own tiller. I had to wait out a few rainy weeks before my parents could bring theirs across from Missouri and dig up my patch. (Thanks, Mom and Dad!) I’d already started seeds indoors using egg crates (pictured). I still have plenty of things to start from scratch, but the lettuces, radishes and carrots will take no time to sprout.
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01 MAY

Look On The Bright Side

There’s a proven connection between positive thinking and a number of life benefits, including a stronger immune system, lower stress, and better coping skills.

If thinking positively has so many advantages, why don’t we all live in a state of complete bliss and happiness? The answer is twofold: Consistently adopting a positive attitude is not always easy, and few people care to admit that they are negative in the first place.

In researching this article, I spoke with dozens of men and women in an attempt to find someone who would admit to battling negativity. My success rate? Zero. These same people were also (understandably) hesitant to talk about those they know who tend to have a more pessimistic outlook.

26 MAR

White Vinegar and Baking Soda

Vinegar is a natural sterilizing agent, and white vinegar’s clarity is preferred for cleaning. With similar acid content and purpose, it can replace lemon juice in most cleaning solutions, and essential oil may be added to mask the scent. Vinegar has thousands of household uses. Visit www.vinegartips.com to see some of them.
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09 MAR

Non-toxic Products—Worth the Scrub?

With spring around the corner, I find myself stuck aboard the cleaning wagon. When I first started making homemade cleaning products, I’d occasionally find it challenging to get an area completely spotless. It can be frustrating to scrub twice as hard, when a chemical-laden spray used to eat through the grime in seconds. Using all the tips I’d learned, I was always able to get it clean, but not without some effort.

The good news is that there’s an easy way to spare myself the intense, muscled scrubbing: the monthly onceover. When I stay on top of things, revisiting each room weekly, the cleaning isn’t more than a basic wipe. Such a relief.
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01 MAR

Cincinnati "Chili Mac"

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon light olive oil 1 cup chopped onion 1 medium green bell pepper, diced 1 medium red bell pepper, diced 1 small fresh hot chile, minced, or one 4-ounce can chopped mild green chilies 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes 2 16-ounce cans red or pinto beans, drained and rinsed 1-2 teaspoons good-quality chili […]