Category Archives: Health

Carrot, Ginger and Orange Juice

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Both my kids are snotty. It’s that horrible fine (blurry) line between sending them to school with a bit of snot and the occasional cough (and pleading ignorance – come on parents, you all know what I’m talking about) and keeping them home (read: ex-haus-ting) and rearranging my work schedule.  Arghhhh…

I’m not a regular pill popper when it comes to my kids, but I’m also not Georg Von Trapp and do offer them meds should they need them. But my first port of call is always going natural. So yesterday we had a juice-making-marathon making carrot, ginger and orange juice. It is very cute when I add too much ginger and my 2 year old calls it ‘th-py-thy’ (spicy).

Recipe: Not a tough one guys – carrots, ginger and orange (skin peeled off!).

orange, ginger and carrot juice 2

Yesterday I also added some left over papaya and a tiny knob of pineapple (it was about to be tossed – one the best thing about a juicer is that you can use almost-off stuff and not be grossed out). If you need to sweeten it (reduce the th-py-thy-ness), apples can be added, and I had some half cut lemons that I tossed in too. I poured it in a mason jar and kept it in the fridge and the whole family had a health boost.

Take those remains and toss them in your compost or use them to make bokashi bran.

I also popped some of the juice into my Zoku-maker and made ‘ice creams’ for the kids. What a win. They are such innocent little beings, and so stoked to have ice creams as part of their dinner. Shame.

Keep warm, healthy and safe this winter.

Picture credit: www.createnourishlove.com

 

My easiest green switch yet…

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Clay newborn

So, if you don’t know all that much about how our green journey started, it had to do with a really bad bum rash, on a teeny tiny newborn, with a panicked mom and nothing that seemed to help us. Until a new natural product arrived at my midwives clinic and she suggested I give it a go. I had honestly tried a plethora of creams, medicines, ointments, powders and nothing had helped, and so I was willing to give anything a shot. And it worked. Clay powder and calendula cream. That was it.

That word calendula holds a million emotions for me. It was the first thing I googled when this bleeding, blistering, bum rash started healing. How do I get my hands on more of this goodness, and can I smother it all over my newborn to keep him safe for-ev-er? And as my research into calendula grew, so did my knowledge and understanding of natural products; what they do, why they’re so effective, how much safer they are than regular store bought products… and and and.

During my exploration of how to care for this tender tush, I was advised to not use any wet wipes, often not even a towel directly on his bum. Picture the scene: There I am, a nervous 28yr old first time mom, holding my wriggling, gurgling newborn (like Rafiki does in The Lion King) under lukewarm water (with one hand) to wash his bum (with the other hand, that’s right, no cloth), and only to have pre-placed a towel in the slither of ‘sun’ on the 1m x 1m patch of grass found in the average Vancouver backyard. Straight from the bathroom, we headed outside to the towel, where we air-and-sun-dry the naked bottom. I spent many an afternoon chasing the sun with my newborns bottom, and reading magazines. This tush was the topic of most conversations between my hubby and I. Life was exciting.

Have you ever checked the ingredients in the packet of wipes you’re currently using?

FOR EG, Huggies Cucumber and Tea Tree Wipes… (don’t be fooled by the soothing sound of cucumber and tea tree).

Ingredients: Water, Potassium Laureth Phosphate, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, DMDM Hydantoin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Malic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Zea Mays (Corn) Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Fragrance.

These wipes have a hazard rating of 7 out of 10 and ingredients have been linked to cancer, immunotoxicity, allergies, developmental problems, reproductive toxicity, organ dysfunction, endocrine disruption and cellular changes. (Source)

And so I scrapped all the wipes in the house – even the ‘sensitive’ ones (oh man, how deceived we were. I dare you to read the ingredients in ‘sensitive’ wipes). And I investigated making my own. I stumbled across Wellness Mama‘s recipe, and making ones own wipes became second nature in our house, and we used them for everything. I wrote a blog about it here.

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I was a wipes making machine. I could do it in my sleep, and as long as we were stocked up on good quality paper towel/tissues, we never ran out. Ever.

And then we moved back to South Africa. And life got busier, and we now had 2 kids, and my local grocery store didn’t sell the Bounty brand of thick paper towel, and once I ran out of my original raw supplies (bought online from the States), I was stuck. I found South African ingredients that worked, but for some reason it all seemed a lot harder to continue. It wasn’t as cost effective, and wasn’t as second nature. I cringed and closed my eyes as I bought regular wipes, knowing full well how much nonsense they had in them. Until, I found, quite possibly, my ALL TIME favourite Pure Beginnings product, their Biodegradable Baby Wipes (with Organic Aloe).

I absolutely LOVE this product. We have a pack of wipes in every school bag, handbag and car. First off, they’re biodegradable, so they’re not contributing to the destruction of our earth. And secondly, they contain organic aloe and organic tea tree. They’re properly legit, and affordable! And recently, Pure Beginnings brought out the triple pack. I didn’t think it was possible to get any more excited about their wipes until I saw the triple pack.

PB wipes 3

Pure Beginnings Organic Wet Wipes:

  • 64 wet wipes per pack (or 192 in the triple pack),
  • Soft and gentle on delicate skin,
  • 100% biodegradable plant fibre,
  • Organic Aloe extract with soothing and anti-bacterial properties,
  • Organic Tea Tree oil with natural anti-septic and fungicide properties as well as wonderful healing properties.

If there was one thing I’d buy new moms, it’s these. They’re SO good for bubs, they’re safe, easy to use, they smell amazing and are biodegradable. Everyone wins!

You know how some people buy a box of nappies every month before their baby arrives? Well since we cloth diaper, I’ll be buying a Pure Beginnings Triple Pack (and some wine, and some camembert… because… I can’t wait for cheese and wine again).

(…And for the record, I haven’t made my own set of wipes since using these).

Let the journey begin…

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Debbie Pregnancy Journey

It feels as if my name has been called, I’ve walked onto a stage and I’ve been crowned – a Pure Beginnings Pregnancy Ambassador! And as the music plays, (natural) bath bubbles fall from the sky and Ruby the Rhino, Max & Minky (the Monkeys) and Ollie the Owl have joined me. (To me, this is WAY more exciting than any other pageant).

I am thrilled to partner with Pure Beginnings, one of my favorite organic and eco-certified South African brands, to document the journey of this, our 3rd pregnancy and the birth and newborn life that follows. I can’t imagine a better brand to walk this road with.

Let’s recap…

It was in January that this little life made itself known, and from the minute I saw those two pink lines, I knew this one would be different (least of which, was that it would be a she and not a he, which came as a HUGE surprise after 2 boys!). Waaa… what do I do with a girl?

It was roughly 3 minutes and 47 seconds after seeing those lines that the indescribable, inhumane, unlike-anything-ever-known-to-man exhaustion hit. If you’ve been pregnant, I’m sure you know the feeling. It’s not fun, especially with 2 boys in the house. Wow.

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Having had both our boys in Vancouver, I was not new to pregnancy but somehow this pregnancy seemed new to me. Which prenatal vitamins and supplements should I take? Who would my midwife be? How would I find a doula? Where would I birth? How would I birth? It all seemed so different. My immediate thought was to run back to Canada, but alas, that wasn’t a viable option.

clay and ryler at midwives

Over the years in which I have been thinking, researching and getting my hands really dirty (more like oily) in the ‘natural world’, and as I’ve blogged my findings, I’ve become more and more aware (and at times terrified) of how much is going on around us or within us that we simply don’t know or question. Slowly, and (more importantly) consistently, my choice of skincare has changed. While I could be better in the eating department (my month of strict Paleo starts soon – it’s birthday season and the cake is out of control), there are some new(ish) non-negotiables in our house regarding skincare. Having read an alarming article on the horrific number of chemicals found in a baby’s umbilical cord compared to generations ago, I now have a fresh start, and during this pregnancy I want to expose myself (and my helpless unborn) to as little nonsense as possible. Studies have shown that the average woman directly applies more than 200 chemicals to her skin via personal care products every day. Ermmm… that is terrifying… because we have no idea what these chemicals are or what they do.

So what does this change look like? Well regarding pregnancy, my prenatals don’t need to be coated in sugar, coloured pink and look like over-sized smarties. I’ve done enough research to know to take folate over folic acid and I’m upping my number of magnesium baths and probiotics (to avoid GBS). I won’t be bringing aluminium anywhere near my ever-growing breasts (did you know your off-the-counter deo most likely contains aluminium) and the nasties such as parabens, SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate), Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), Ammonium Laurel Sulfate (ALS) and other hard-to-pronounce, no-one-really-knows-what-they-are ingredients won’t be coming near my skin (as much as I can control).

Pregnancy is a beautiful gift. I’ve always thought of it as carrying the most incredible responsibility with the least amount of control. I cannot control the growth of this little life, the amount of amniotic fluid I have, my baby’s sex, eye colour or the number of chambers in its heart. What I can control, is what I expose myself to, what I consume and what I smear on my skin. I can read, research and learn, and with that, make better choices for myself and this little life. I’m certainly not perfect, but I’m trying.

I’d love for you to join me in this conversation, and on this journey!

xxx

*WIN* a Pure Beginnings Organic Baby Gift Set! Enter on our Facebook page by commenting on what your fave PB product is and tag a friend for an extra entry! Compo is nationwide and closes on Monday 23 May, 2016.

Baby-Gift-Pack-large-510x600Good Luck!

The Benefits of Grounding (no, I don’t mean your kids)

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We’ve just come back from Wilderness. Let’s not get into it, sob sob, it was so absolutely amazing, I’m still sad it’s over. We joined old friends from a pre-Vancouver season and it was as if nothing had ever changed (barring the 4 kids we had produced between us in the time gone by)…

In the back of my mind, I was secretly stoked with all the grounding that was going on. No, not the ‘naughty child type’, but the the ‘touching the ground for the sake of your health’ type. Otherwise known as earthing.

kids sitting on beach

I first learnt about grounding from my guru Wellness Mama. She explains it like this:

‘The theory is that our bodies are meant to come into contact with the Earth (a “grounding” force) on a regular basis. Positive electrons in the form of free radicals (ever heard of those guys?) can build up in our bodies and direct contact with the ground balances this out as it is a negative grounding charge.

Our bodies and cells have electrical energy, and especially with the high prevalence of electromagnetic waves, Wi-Fi and mobile phone waves, many of us have a high amount of positive electrons built up in our bodies’.

And the truth is, we’ve never needed grounding as much as we do right now. I used to be all proud of my attempts at getting my kids ‘grounded’ by sending them to school barefoot, and watching them run on the grass, but that had a lot to do with not finding shoes in time for school and the school being pretty blasé about it. Win-win.

wilderness view from top of stairs

According to emerging research, grounding/earthing can be beneficial in:

  • Reducing inflammation by defusing excess positive electrons
  • Reducing chronic pain
  • Improving sleep
  • Increasing energy
  • Lowering stress and promoting calmness by reducing stress hormones.
  • Normalizing biological rhythms including circadian rhythm
  • Improving blood pressure and blood flow
  • Relieving muscle tension and headache
  • Lessens menstrual and female hormone symptoms
  • Speeds healing – used in some places to prevent bed sores
  • Can eliminate jet lag
  • Protecting the body from EMFs
  • Shortens recovery time from injury or athletic activity
  • Reducing or eliminating snoring
  • Helping support adrenal health

You see, it used to happen naturally:

‘Throughout history, humans have spent time outdoors much more than we do in modern time and have been in direct contact with the soil. From walking on the ground barefoot, to gardening or tilling the soil, humans have always touched the earth… until recently.

Now, we live in houses, wear rubber shoes, are exposed to EMFs daily and don’t often come into direct contact with the ground.

Have you ever noticed that you sleep better on a beach vacation after walking in the sand or being in the ocean? The sand and ocean water and both naturally conductive materials and both help ground the body and remove excess positive electrons. For the same basic reason that we ground electrical outlets to avoid the build up of excess positive charge, our bodies need the same ground effect‘.

the effect of grounding

(These two slept like a dream on holiday…)

Think about it…

And so here’s how you go about being intentional about grounding.

‘To work, you must be barefoot and in contact with rock, dirt or water. The beach/ocean is possibly the best place as not only are sand and salt water extremely conductive, but salt water is also very high in magnesium. Perhaps this is why many people seem to sleep better on vacation at the beach!’

There are fancy pants things such as grounding/earthing mats (some that you can sleep on), but I’m yet to see these available here in South Africa. And with the prevalence of beautiful beaches to stroll, mountains to climb, trails to walk, fresh grass to run on – nature all around us – we have no excuse to not be more proactive about getting our feet.on.the.earth.

kids standing on beach

Have you tried grounding and ever noticed the benefits?

Homemade Fruit & Veggie Wash

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I recently read this article about how our ancestors wouldn’t recognise some of the fruit and veggies we eat nowadays because of how humans have altered them over the years and it got me thinking.

It made me aware… again… of how quick we are to give ourselves a pat on the back or a noddy badge for bulk buying *healthy* fruits and veggies for our families but how healthy is healthy?

Yesterday I bought a punnet of seedless grapes (…hang on… how do they produce ‘seedless’ grapes I wonder) and it clearly said on the box ‘preserved with sulphur dioxide’. That doesn’t give me the warm and fuzzies – not sure about you.

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Apparently “sulphur dioxide is a poisonous gas which is sprayed on fruit, and acts as a preservative, enhancing its color and preventing mold.  Airborne inhalation of this chemical has lead to a rash of breathing problems, premature birth and premature death.” Source: Living Pure and Simple Blogspot.

Soooo… how’s about we try do something about this.

First prize we buy local and organic. If you can’t do both, first go local. A lot of the reason we have chemical preservatives on our food is because our food needs to travel from far away to get to our table. The whole farm-to-table idea. Having said that, it’s not always possible.

(Side thought… Micheal Pollan has written some EXCELLENT books on this matter – including The Omnivores Dilemma, In Defense of Food and a great quick read/conversation starter Food Rules. Food Rules was the catalyst for a stimulating discussion of 5 new-to-Vancouver-and-Regent friends (now close as family) on a road trip from Vancouver to San Fran and back again). 

The next step we can take is in our own kitchens. Can we wash our foods in such a way that it minimises the nonsense that has been sprayed/fed/forced onto our delicious food. Well yes, there is.

Thanks to Wellness Mama – here is what she has suggested. And no surprises here, the DIY homemade wash – includes… our old and underrated friend, white vinegar.

Wellness Mama says: “Organic or not, if I didn’t grow the produce myself or get it from family friends who are trusted farmers, I always make sure to carefully wash all produce that we eat. This is especially important with non-organic produce, but I even wash organic store-bought produce as well.” Isn’t she inspiring?

apples in buckets

Different fruits and veggies are treated differently on farms. The Clean 15, Dirty Dozen list is a good benchmark to use when thinking about what to buy organic and what you can wash at home. Screen print this baby for quick access when out shopping.

Fresh market fruits and vegetables


Store Bought Wash?

The University of Maine studied the most popular store bought fruit and vegetable wash brands (in the US) and found that not only did many of them contain chlorine (to kill bacteria on the produce), but in lab testing, they were no more effective than using distilled water. That’s distressing. 

Unfortunately, neither commercial washes or distilled vinegar completely removed waxes, pesticides, and other residue from produce.

The Solution?

Homemade fruit and vegetable washes are effective at removing residue from produce and also help preserve the fridge-life of these foods since bacteria that may cause decay is removed.

To be most effective, different vegetables call for different methods of washing, but three simple and inexpensive recipes will clean virtually every type of produce.

Here is how Wellness Mama does it (and I’m hoping to follow suit):

1. How to Wash Most Fruits and Vegetables: The simplest and least expensive natural produce cleaner is plain white vinegar. For most produce with a skin, this is all I use. I’ll place the fruits and veggies in a freshly cleaned kitchen sink (or a large bowl), fill with water,  and add 1 cup of white vinegar.

I let soak for up to an hour, scrub gently and rinse. To prevent decay, I let dry fully before returning to the fridge.

carrots

2. How to Wash Lettuces and Greens: Lettuces and greens are more delicate and more difficult to wash. They also are more likely to contain insects or other little visitors.

For greens, I dissolve 2 tablespoons of salt in 2 cups of water and add the juice of one lemon. I spray this on the greens, let sit for about a minute, and then add them to a sink of diluted vinegar water. I soak for about 15 minutes, rinse in cool water and dry completely (a salad spinner helps), before putting in the fridge.

Growing greens

How to Wash Berries: Berries are perhaps the most difficult to clean because they are so delicate and take on the flavor of anything they come in contact with (vinegar flavored blueberries anyone?).

I use diluted fresh lemon juice to clean berries. I mix 2 cups of water with 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice and spray on the berries. I make sure the berries are well coated and then soak in fresh water for about 15 minutes. Dry completely before storing in the fridge!

berries

Shoooweeee. This does seem like a lot of work – but I guess your conviction will lead you to do what you must. Green Goods also sells Triple Oranges’ Fruit and Veg Wash (500g) for R57.00 if you would like to try the ready-made option.

Picture credit: wallpaperbeta.com, www.goodfruitandvegetables.com.au, www.vermontvacation.com, www.npr.org, www.destinyhoperose.com, www.activevegetarian.com

What I’m eating this evening

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This recipe just popped at the bottom of the latest Yuppiechef mail out and it looked so delicious I couldn’t help myself but drool over the recipe and scribble it down and pin it that minute. (Check out my alternatives to make it a little more paleo-y).

I love these, no fuss, throw it all together and pop-it-in-the-oven recipes. And this one looks goooood – too good not to share. So thank you to Yuppiechef and Lisa Grey.

Coconut and Lemongrass Chicken Bake

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Ingredients:

Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: 45 min | Serves 4

8 free range chicken pieces, bone on (usually I don’t love chicken on the bone, but I’m making the exception here. Also, use the bones to make your own chicken stock in your Wonderbag).
250 g/1 cup coconut cream
1 lemongrass stalk, thinly sliced
1 small red chilli, thinly sliced (go easy on the chilli if serving to your kids).
1 lime, cut into rounds
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp soya sauce
Salt and black pepper to season
250 g egg noodles (go with cauliflower rice if you’re going paleo).
200 g mange tout (also known as snap peas for us less fancy)

…and a bunch of coriander. We always need coriander.

Lemongrass-Chicken-plated

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°c.
2. Place the chicken pieces into an oven-proof casserole dish (something similar to the Yuppiechef Rectangular Baker). Top with coconut cream, lemongrass, chilli and lime rounds. Drizzle over the honey and soya sauce and season. (I’d squeeze some extra lime in too – love lime). 

prepping-lemongrass-chicken

4. Bake for 45 minutes, until the chicken is golden and cooked through.
5. Five minutes before the chicken comes out of the oven, prepare the noodles and snap peas. Place the noodles into a glass bowl, pour over boiling water and set aside for 3–4 minutes. Drain. Blanch the mange tout/snap peas in salted boiling water.

lemongrass-chicken-dish

Pour yourself a glass of wine, call the family to the table and serve. (Yes please!)

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Lemongrass-Chicken-eating

Right, so I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but I don’t think I can stuff it up – I’ll let you know how it goes. Who doesn’t love Asian flavours, lemongrass, coriander, coconut milk… yummmmm.

Enjoy!

All pics and recipe: www.yuppiechef.com

A little love for Oh-lief

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My journey to a green(er) lifestyle came in 2012 when my oldest responded incredibly well to a natural skin product (after trying many medical alternatives). So I could completely relate to sisters Christine Buchanan and Louiza Rademan who had the same conviction when it came to Christine’s pregnancy and her little boys birth. We felt like kindred spirits.

After arriving back in SA in 2014, this brand was one of the few I noticed popping up all over the place. And one I was excited to see was locally and hand made in South Africa (Cape Town!), with love.

Their Story

Growing up in a household where green and organic were valued principles, Christine found herself in a predicament while pregnant with Liam, her first baby boy. In her quest to find a skin care range to use during her pregnancy, Christine was dissatisfied with the conventional body products on the market. Not satisfied with using, harmful products, Christine and Louiza set out to develop a new range of natural baby and body products, based on old family recipes.

The result was Oh-lief’s complete range of Natural Body products, made from 100% natural and organic, raw ingredients, sourced locally.

Their Philosophy

“We believe in safe products for babies, toddlers and families, which is why none of our products are harmful to sensitive skin or the environment.”

100 % Natural. 100% Good.

Founded in 2010 by sisters Christine and Louiza, Oh-lief was born out of their love for nature and the desire to use products that would not harm their skin or the environment. (The perfect green combination – rethinking what is truly healthy as well as being environmentally aware).

Oh-lief = REAL Organic Products, Made with Love.

Their name references olive oil, which is the main ingredient found in all their products, as well as their love for all things natural. Their products do not contain any harsh chemicals, artificial fragrances, petroleum, parabens, artificial colours or nut oils. They use a base of organic olive oil and beeswax, which is combined with the natural properties of a number of other organic ingredients to form a complete range of products that is ideal for all skin types. Voila. Fantastic.Oh lief

Overseas I started making a number of my own baby and skin products, based on Wellness Mama’s Baby Care recipes, and so for me the colours, smells and textures of the oh-lief range felt incredibly familiar. Based with olive oil and beeswax (as are mine and many of Wellness Mama’s), the products last a long time. Really, you need such a small amount – it goes far!

So recently I tried two of their Body Range products, The Natural Olive Hand Wax and the Grapefruit & Sweet Orange Natural Body Wash. I love a good body wash and I’m becoming more and more aware of my skin as an organ and what I put onto it, becoming what sinks into it. The body wash has a gentle citrus scent, but is not overpowering. I also love a pump bottle (portion control and all). The hand wax is perfect for dry skin and a very effective moisturizer. The beeswax is also great for strengthening your nails, and the tin is a super addition to your handbag.

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Psssst: The family sunscreen goes with me everywhere, as does the insect balm. Mozzies drive me insane. 

Personally, as a mom (and as a doula), I feel like this is another one of those great (local) brands, doing great things while using minimal and quality ingredients. If you’re a label watcher – you’ll love these guys.

For more info you can contact them on their website, facebook, twitter or email them on info@ohlief.com.

Images: www.ohlief.com

Gratitude Jar

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The Gratitude Jar. Every year I say I’m going to make one, and every year I don’t. Alright, in fairness, I only saw this idea on Pinterest a couple years ago but I’m choosing this year to be intentional about gratitude and so, here goes.

The idea is to get (make/decorate) a jar, try and write down something that you’re grateful for each day, put it in there, and read through them at the end of the year (New Years Eve). So before the happy thought or moment slips past, grab a post-it and pen, scribble it down (a memory, a thought, an emotion related to something, a moment you wish to hold onto) and pop it in the jar.

Gratitude Jar - just peachy blog

(Or you could get something a little more fancy like this – read more here).

Cliche ahead – but isn’t life made up of the small stuff? The chilli poppers your hubby bought on the way home from work, the smell of fresh clean linen, that extra long coffee and laugh-till-you-cry with a close friend, a song that inspires you, a surprise delivery of your favourite flowers, or when your toddler potty trains himself… (WHAT am I talking about? That’s NO small thing!!).

We are so so busy nowadays that it is easy to forget about the beauty and depth in these seemingly small things. Sure, jot down your trip to Thailand or your new convertible, but I think reading back, it’s going to be the new puppy who was added to the family, the look in your kids’ eyes at Christmas, your fave new recipe or the all-nighter spent playing Monopoly Deal with your besties that will bring the smile to your face on Dec 31.

Homemade Gratitude Jar

If you like reading some science behind it all, an article written by the Huffington Post concluded that regarding gratitude research, this is what has been found…

– A daily gratitude intervention (self-guided exercises) with young adults resulted in higher reported levels of the positive states of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, attentiveness and energy compared to a focus on hassles or a downward social comparison.

– In an experimental comparison, those who kept gratitude journals on a weekly basis exercised more regularly, reported fewer physical symptoms, felt better about their lives as a whole, and were more optimistic about the upcoming week compared to those who recorded hassles or neutral life events (Emmons and McCullough, 2003)

– Participants who kept gratitude lists were more likely to have made progress toward important personal goals (academic, interpersonal and health-based) over a two-month period compared to subjects in the other experimental conditions.

– Grateful people report higher levels of positive emotions, life satisfaction, vitality, optimism and lower levels of depression and stress. The disposition toward gratitude appears to enhance pleasant feeling states more than it diminishes unpleasant emotions. Grateful people do not deny or ignore the negative aspects of life.

Interesting huh? And so let’s hold onto these memories a little longer. The benefit of gratitude to the human spirit/soul is invaluable. Let’s live with thankful hearts and flex our gratitude muscle this year…

Gratitude

In the midst of less

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Two days ago, a friend of mine was robbed. Badly. Her house completely cleared out by criminals. I wanted to vomit listening to her talk about how quickly, silently and professionally it happened. Poof. Gone.

And now she has the tedious task of trying to itemise everything that was stolen and claim from insurance. Please, I can barely remember what I have in my handbag and I stare into it everyday – how on EARTH are you supposed to remember what was in that bag in the back cupboard. Spare linen, towels, Christmas decorations, that old tennis racquet?

Yes, she recognises that it is only stuff and that her family is safe. Yes, she is feeling the overwhelming emotions of how invasive and personally uncomfortable this kind of intrusion is, and yes, she has cried about the loss of her grandmothers wedding ring and her exceptionally sentimental items which are now probably on the black market. And yes, this is NOT okay.

We are privileged to own these things. Most of the world is much poorer than we are. And so, how can one not understand that there are less fortunate people everywhere desperate to steal and sell something to provide for his/her family, or replace their contents that were destroyed in a shack fire. I’m not using this post to open the ‘white privilege’ can – just to acknowledge the other stories so often not heard. This still does NOT make it okay. (It just raises lots of questions which I’m not going to ask here or now).

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And so to avoid further (and very real) fear of trying to protect every THING we own with exorbitant insurance costs, anxiously double checking locked doors, paranoid we are being watched and targeted, feeling obsessive-compulsive about a strange noise in the night or whether we pulled our phone from its car charger when we left the car, how can we distance ourselves from this often very real way of thinking and living in South Africa.

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I remember in Vancouver, feeling like everything was temporary. It was a great way to live. We drove an old 1997 Honda Accord called Seymour (see-more) because all we wanted it for, was to get from A-B and that is what it did. And if I scraped the wheel rim on the pavement – well whahh – no big deal. We swapped clothes and baby paraphernalia between friends and while we like nice stuff (and bought nice stuff) we didn’t need to accumulate because we couldn’t keep it forever. We value respecting each others things (ask my kids how I shout at them when they throw books) and know full well the result of buying cheap, buying twice. So we are not necessarily regulars at the Chinese shops, nor Woolworths, and yes, we do have some very lovely things I would be very upset if they were ever stolen. But we were able to fit all of our early contents into 14 boxes that sailed from Vancouver to SA, and this made life (and certain decisions) much simpler and happier. There’s something very healthy about living with little. And my minimalist friend Joshua Becker hits the nail on the head for me OFTEN.

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In no way am I saying that my friend is materialistic or a hoarder. In fact I think she is one of the few who are not. This incident has simply made me think about my own life, and my own stuff and the importance I place on them, the value I expect them to add to my life and whether that is right or not. Also, it’s making me wonder how much less worry-filled my life can be, by intentionally owning fewer things. And I’m inspired and deeply challenged by this thought.

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I’ve read about those people who buy nothing but food and regular household needs for a year. No new clothes, no coffees out, no spontaneous splurging. They challenge themselves to not go out and spend (and appreciate what they have and make the best of it). While I’m not one of those, I’m intrigued by them and cannot deny that they must experience an unbelievably extraordinary year.

Besides, stuff creates dust and mess. And nobody needs more of that.

Read more by Joshua Becker here.

Healthy skincare resolutions we all should make

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Thanks to Peta at The Little Green Box, we have some really practical and simple skincare advice for the new year.

Get your beauty sleep – aim for 7-8 hours at least. After all it is called “beauty sleep” for a reason.

Don’t forget about your neck – the neck is often forgotten when applying moisturisers and can show a significant amount of aging. So don’t stop your skincare routine at the chin.

Commit to wearing sunblock everyday – it’s never too late (or too early) to commit to protecting your skin every day. Choose a sunblock that contains UVA and UVB protection in a lightweight formula. Try Kalahari a SPF 40 (R240/60ml) OR our Natural Lab SPF 30 (R180/50ml) (available at The Little Green Box).

Another sunscreen range I love is the oh-lief Sunscreen range. Read more about happy honest sunscreen here.

Schedule a facial – It’s best to get a facial every month or two for best results, but if that’s not possible, aim for at least one with the change of each season. You skin renews itself every 28 days and thus needs the care monthly. If you are on a budget try an Express facial rather than skipping your facial.

Why not swap out that one brunch, or one extra item of clothing a month and use that money to pamper your skin? 

Don’t pick blemishes – picking leads to inflammation and scarring. Let Mother Nature do her job and heal it.

Assess the products you are using – toss products that are older than two years or products that have changed colour and consistency. Aim to use products that are free of petrochemicals, parabens, synthetic fragrances or colourants, alcohol, sodium laureth sulphate and PEGS. All these ingredients are dangerous to long term health.

YES YES YES!!!! And drink lots of water.

Keen to sign up for more green and honest advice? Please email Peta at  to be added to her mailing list.

Picture credit: www.onefinedae.com