HOW DO YOU PICK YOUR WATERMELONS?

HOW DO YOU PICK YOUR WATERMELONS?

Lemon olive oil elixir!

 Recipe:

1 organic lemon
3 cups filtered/spring water (good water)
2 tbsp each evoo and raw unfiltered honey
Ginger and sprinkle with organic Ceylon cinnamon

Blend for 1 minute, strain (optional) keep the pulp and add to coconut yogurt with fruit and honey! Omg! It tastes like a lemon cream pie!

Do doctors cause more cancer than humans?

 He explains how cancer cells form and what causes them. He also mentions a few things you can do to limit or kill any cancer cells.

Speaker: Professor Rhomas Seyfried

Moringa is one of the most nutrient dense plants in the world

 Moringa is one of the most nutrient dense plants in the world and it’s extremely beneficial for your digestive health

Keep Your Heart & Blood Vessels Clean Naturally

 Heart and vascular diseases are on the rise, yet simple and natural ways to cleanse blood vessels and strengthen the heart are often overlooked. Prevention is always better than cure! Here are two powerful, easy-to-make remedies to support your cardiovascular health.

1 For Elastic & Healthy Blood Vessels

Mix 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp honey, and 1 tsp sunflower oil.

Drink on an empty stomach for 10 days.

OR

Mix 1 tsp honey and juice of half a lemon in ¾ cup of warm water.

Drink before bed for 10 days.

2 For Blood Vessel Cleansing

Put 2 medium lemons through a grinder.

Add 2 tbsp honey, mix well, and store in a glass jar.

Let it sit at room temperature for 24 hours.

Take 2-3 teaspoons daily before meals or with tea.

A little effort now can protect your heart for years to come!

How to Make Laundry Detergent (Liquid or Powder Recipe)

 Homemade laundry detergent is one of the easiest parts of a transition to natural living. This natural laundry soap recipe is a great way to save money and is incredibly easy to make. It almost makes tackling that pile of dirty laundry feel like less of a chore!

Have an HE machine? Check out this HE article that addresses high efficiency washers and borax safety. The recipe is the same as the one below, but be sure to check with your washer manual before using a new laundry soap if you have any concerns.

Why Switch to Natural Laundry Soap?

Commercial detergent is loaded with chemicals like sulfates, fragrances, dyes and more. Many brands contain things like petroleum distillates, which are linked to cancer and lung disease. Fragrances in these detergents are made with a mix of harmful chemicals. (This is also why I make my own linen spray.)

Luckily, making your own laundry soap is an easy and fast process! You only need three basic ingredients to make either a powdered or liquid laundry soap. These ingredients are available at most stores, including Walmart, Target, Amazon, etc.

DIY Laundry Soap Ingredients

• Washing Soda
• Borax
• Bar Soap (Dr. Bronner’s, Ivory, or homemade laundry soap)

You can usually find a box of borax and some washing soda at your local grocery store in the laundry aisle. Sometimes I like to add a few tablespoons of baking soda to help freshen clothes. Natural bar soaps are in the health, beauty, or organic sections of the store, or online.

Natural Laundry Soap Recipe

Easily make your own homemade laundry soap with the cleaning power of natural ingredients! This powdered laundry detergent is safe for sensitive skin and free of harsh chemicals. Yield: 2.5 cups Author: Katie Wells

• Food processor (or cheese grater)

• 1 bar soap (such as Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Bar Soap or homemade coconut oil soap)
• 1 cup washing soda
• 1 cup borax

• Grate the bar of soap or pulse it in a food processor until finely ground.
• In a large bowl, mix together the grated soap, washing soda, and borax.
• Store in a sealed container like a glass jar
• To use: add 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup of soap per load of laundry.

See below for instructions on making a liquid version of this laundry soap.

Wonder What’s in These Ingredients?

Borax is a naturally occurring mineral made of sodium, boron, oxygen, and water. It’s in most of the natural soaps available now but it’s much less expensive to make your own homemade laundry detergent. Some people have concerns about borax but here’s why I feel comfortable using it, especially in my laundry room.

Washing Soda or super washing soda (sodium carbonate) is made from common salt and limestone or found as natural deposits. It’s not the same as baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), but you can make washing soda from baking soda. Here are some other great household uses for washing soda.

Dr. Bronner’s soaps are fair trade and made with vegetable castile soap and pure organic essential oils. Some DIY laundry recipes call for a bar of Fels Naptha soap or Zote but I’m not a fan of the ingredients. After years of using Dr. Bronners, I switched to this homemade laundry soap in my DIY recipe.

These tallow based soap flakes designed for DIY laundry detergent also work well.

How to Make Liquid Laundry Soap

1. Grate one bar of soap with a cheese grater or food processor.
2. Put the grated soap in a pan with 2 quarts of hot water and gradually heat. Stir constantly until the soap is completely dissolved.
3. Put 4.5 gallons of really hot water in a 5-gallon bucket. These are often available for free in bakeries at grocery stores, just ask them. Stir in 2 cups of borax and 2 cups of washing soda until completely dissolved.
4. Pour the soap mixture into the 5-gallon bucket and stir well.
5. Cover and leave overnight.
6. Shake or stir until smooth and pour into gallon jars or other containers.
7. Use 1/2 to 1 cup per load of laundry.

Not only is it easy, but you can save money too!

A Note About Soap vs. Detergent

As mentioned above, there’s a chemical difference between soap and detergent. Conventional laundry detergents are formulated to work specifically with washing machines. They can work even in cold water or with hard water.

Many soaps are designed for the skin and aren’t as strong. Some sources suggest that over time, natural soaps can leave buildup in washers.

I’ve found that while this recipe works well for me, it isn’t suitable for all water types and washer types. If you’ve used natural laundry soap and experienced clothes getting dingy, this may be the reason. Newer HE washer top load machines and especially the front load washers are notorious for not getting clothes as clean as old-school versions. They can also be more temperamental when it comes to which laundry soap they like.

I’ve found one natural detergent that works brilliantly and can be used alone or in combination with homemade laundry soaps like this one. I often add 2-3 Tablespoons of Dr. Bronners Sal Suds per load as a natural detergent. Sal Suds gets out odors and is still a natural product (though technically a detergent/surfactant and not a soap). It even works as a natural stain remover.

Don’t Want to Make it?

I used to always make my own detergent but now I’ll usually buy a natural brand since there are some really healthy options. Here are some of my favorites:

• Truly Free– Just a warning… after you try this laundry soap, you may never want to go back to DIY. This is the best smelling non-toxic laundry detergent I’ve tried and it works well on tough stains and dirt. Similar to my favorite all-purpose cleaner, a huge bonus is their eco-friendly approach. The detergent comes concentrated in a small refill packet which you add to warm water in the provided bottle. Super smart!
• 2 tablespoons Sal Suds + 1/4 cup baking soda or washing soda (highly effective and super simple!) You can also use Sal Suds to make homemade dish soap.
• Emma Eco Me Detergent – Also rated well by the EWG and comes in yummy scents.
• Planet Natural Detergent – Relatively eco-friendly and cost-effective.

The most frugal option is to make your own, but these natural alternatives are a good choice if you aren’t able to make it (or don’t want to).

Other Natural DIY Laundry Products and Tips

Instead of toxic fabric softeners, try using vinegar! Simply pour a cup of white vinegar in during the rinse cycle or in the washer dispenser.

Some people report good results with adding Epsom salt to their washing machine during the wash cycle. It can help soften hard water and reduce soap buildup for cleaner clothes. Here are some more DIY laundry recipes to add to your laundry cabinet.

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Bieler’s Vegetable Broth Detox Soup

 Several times a year, when the kids grow or the seasons change (as they inevitably do), I climb into the dark abyss of our attic to find the next sizes of clothes for their capsule wardrobes. Two hours later they all have neatly organized, new (hand-me-down) wardrobes and I’m sneezing like crazy.

Those days remind me of my one remaining allergy — dust. And it’s a doozy!

I can power through childbirth no problem (I’ve had enough practice). I can also push through a 20-mile hike, but dust reduces me to a sneezing pile of grumpiness.

Bieler’s Vegetable Broth to the Rescue

I’ve gotten better about using an air filter when cleaning or switching out clothes in the attic. I also take some allergy remedies and they help a lot. But when the dust or hay fever gets bad, I pull out my go-to recipe for Bieler’s vegetable broth (and sneak in a few extra allergy soothing ingredients).

What is Bieler’s Vegetable Broth?

I first heard about this vegetable broth in the book Nourishing Traditions. Bieler’s broth was invented by a doctor named Henry Beiler as a detox soup to help promote healing and cleansing in the body. Dr. Bieler claimed that this detox soup recipe would help restore the correct acid/alkaline balance in the body. He speculated it also helped balance the body’s sodium/potassium levels.

Benefits of Bieler’s Detox Vegetable Soup

I love the taste of this vegetable-based broth, though it certainly isn’t as flavorful as my favorite garlic soup. The vegetable broth’s benefits are in its nourishing qualities and not its taste. It’s a healthy soup used in many cleanses and detox protocols. Cancer patients often use it for an easy source of nourishment that’s easy on the stomach. I use it to calm down my allergies (see my tip for an add-in below).

I also turn to this delicious soup during illness. The high vitamin C and K content make it great for supporting the immune system. It’s naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and packed with veggies and fresh herbs.

This Broth Traditionally Contains

• Zucchini – A natural source of potassium and sodium, vitamin C, and vitamin B6
• String beans – Also a good source of sodium and potassium, as well as chromium, phosphorus, and choline
• Celery – Excellent source of vitamin K, potassium, folate, and pantothenic acid (B vitamins)
• Parsley – A multivitamin in a single plant! Parsley is a great source of vitamin K, vitamin C, antioxidants, and beneficial volatile oils. It’s said to be cleansing and nourishing to the body.

And I Often Add …

The true “Bieler’s Broth” recipe contains only the ingredients above and it’s wonderful just like that. When allergies hit, I add a few extra ingredients to help calm them down. These are all optional but add flavor and nutrients.

• Nettle Leaf – I love stinging nettle and it’s one of my natural allergy remedies. When possible, I add a few leaves of wild harvested nettle to this broth. It grows in our yard, so it’s easy to find during the warmer months. I also harvest and freeze some for winter. Raw nettle can “sting” your hands when touched, so be careful harvesting!
• Dandelion Leaf – Known as a liver cleansing herb, I like to add dandelion to this broth as well. Dandelion greens seem to help my allergies and are great for the skin. I harvest these from our yard too and freeze some in ice cube trays for winter.
• Garlic cloves – Adds great flavor, but also benefits the body in many ways.

How to Make Bieler’s Vegetable Broth

This broth is quick and easy to make. Gather the ingredients above and you can make it in under half an hour. Whether it’s the new year and you’ve resolved to start with a cleanse or just need to detox, Bieler’s broth is a great option. Here’s how to make it:

Bieler’s Vegetable Broth

Make Bieler’s vegetable broth; a soothing and nourishing broth packed with nutrients. Simple ingredients like celery, green beans, zucchini, and parsley provide nutrients and promote cleansing and detox. Plus, it tastes good! Calories 56kcal Author Katie Wells Print Recipe Pin Recipe 8 cups 1x2x3x

• Immersion blender (or regular blender)
• Large pot

• 4 cups water
• 3 medium zucchini (roughly chopped)
• 4 stalks celery (roughly chopped)
• 1 lb string beans
• 1 bunch parsley (stems removed)
• ¼ cup fresh nettle leaf (optional)
• ¼ cup fresh dandelion greens (optional)
• 1-2 cloves garlic (optional)

• Place all of the ingredients except parsley into a large pot over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Bring to a boil.
• Boil for about 10 minutes or until all of the vegetables are bright green and tender.
• Remove from the heat and add parsley.
• Use an immersion blender, blender, or food processor to blend until smooth.

Nutrition Facts Bieler’s Vegetable Broth Amount Per Serving (1 .5 cups) Calories 56 Fat 0.5gSaturated Fat 0.1gSodium 43mgCarbohydrates 12gFiber 5.1gSugar 3.6gProtein 3.6g * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

• For a more nourishing and filling soup, use bone broth or vegetable broth instead of water. Feel free to add any desired spices, though for illness and allergies, I find the bland and basic soup seems most calming.
• Store any leftovers in an airtight container and gently reheat on the stovetop.

Broth Additions and Substitutions

I already mentioned I’ll add fresh dandelion, garlic, and nettle to the broth but you can add other ingredients too. Saute some yellow onion and bell peppers in olive oil to add more flavor. Season it with a little sea salt, black pepper, or fresh lemon juice. Or try some fresh cilantro to help the body detox heavy metals.

For a heartier soup, try chicken broth or a few cups of vegetable broth instead of water. And if you like the flavor of the broth but want something higher in protein for a meal, it’s easy to add diced chicken breast to the soup.

If my allergies are acting up or the kids need something soothing during illness, then I find the original recipe works best for us. The base soup is delicious as is or tweak it to your preferences!

What are your favorite foods to eat during allergies or illnesses? Leave a comment and let us know!