Due to family obligations and life demands I have decided to make the challenge a weekly deal...I think I bit off more than I could chew on this one....hehehe...but I will be posting a new challenge weekly and other odds and ends so please check back frequently and very sorry for the inconvenience Green Babies!


Love and Light,
Nirvani

Day 17 of the 365 Day Green Home Challenge...

For today's challenge I am making Ghee, also known as clarified butter. Making it is as simple as one, two three... Some of the benefits of Ghee: It is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid and it can withstand high temperatures without oxidizing or smoking. It has a nice buttery, nutty flavor! Also many who are lactose intolerant can handle Ghee because it is strictly butter oil. I like to make up a batch on the weekend to use all week. It is great for sauteing, pan frying, or roasting...it is a wonderful alternative to other oils.

 

Directions:

Melt four sticks of organic unsalted butter in saucepan over medium heat...Let boil. You will see the milk solids separate and rise to the top of the butter. The butter will start to turn brown after about 20 minutes. Set a piece of cheese cloth over a sieve. Pour melted butter over cheese cloth. the solids will remain in the cloth. You now have pure Ghee oil. Pour into an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to two months. Give it a try Greenie Babies!

Love and Light,

Nirvani

Day 16 of the 365 Day Green Home Challenge...

Hello Greenie Babies, 

    Here is some fantastic information about dust/bed mites....it is rather an eye-opener. So strip those beds and do some serious disinfecting...your family's health could depend on it!

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What's In Your Sheets?

If you could put your sheets under a microscope, you might be surprised - and a little freaked out - by what you would see. Almost very bed has dust mites, which are microscopic bugs that feed off of dead skin cells. These little things live, die and reproduce in the same bed sheets that you sleep in. The only way to keep these creatures under control is to wash your bed sheets on a regular basis. Otherwise, you may develop an allergy, or even a lowered immune system. As gross as dust mites are, they aren't the only things hiding in your bed sheets. Here's what you also may be sleeping in:


Dead skin cells - Your body sheds about a million skin cells a day, so some of those are bound to come off when you sleep. Unfortunately, dead skin cells are a tasty snack for dust mites.

Oils - Your body secretes natural oils as you sleep, which, of course, end up on your bed sheets.
Sweat - If you get too hot during the night, your body will sweat to cool off.

Bodily fluids - Saliva, blood, urine, fecal matter and bodily fluids from intercourse are all liable to show up on your bed sheets.

Food crumbs - If you like to bring that midnight snack to bed, there's probably crumbs and other food particles that are begging to be eaten by bugs.

How Often Should You Wash Your Bed Sheets?

• If you're washing your sheets only once a month, that's not going to cut it. Your sheets need to be washed at least every other week, but weekly is ideal.
• It's also important to wash your pillow at least twice a year. Pillows can harbor mold, yeast and bacteria, which can cause diarrhea, asthma or bronchitis. If you have never washed your pillow, you may want to consider throwing it away and getting a new one.
• If you are taking care of someone who is sick, you should try to wash the sheets every day so that person isn't recuperating in a germ-filled bed. If you aren't able to wash them every day, then just changing the pillowcase daily should suffice.

How to Wash Your Bed Sheets

The key to keeping bedding clean is to know how to clean it. It's important to follow the manufacturer's care instructions, but if you aren't familiar with them, then follow these tips to clean everything from sheets to comforters:

1) Bed Sheets

• Wash them in hot soapy water and let them dry completely in the dryer.
• Don't wash them with clothes as it might damage the sheets or cause them to become fuzzy.
• If the sheets have a stain, tend to it before washing.
• For a natural way to brighten white sheets, add a quarter of a cup of lemon juice to the wash and wash with warm water.
• Use medium or low setting when washing or drying. High heat can cause the fibers to weaken, which can lead to rips and tears.
• Ball your sheets up when you put them in the washer. This will prevent them from stretching out and losing shape.

2) Blankets

• Wool blankets should be washed in cold water and put on a low spin in the dryer.
• Electric blankets should not be dry-cleaned since the solvents used can damage the wiring.
• If you don't want to wash your blankets often, vacuum them in between washings to remove dust and lint.
• Mend any rips or tears before washing blankets.

3) Comforters/Bedspreads

• Test your comforter or bedspread for colorfastness before washing it. Dip a corner of the bedspread or comforter into a bit of the detergent to see if the color bleeds. If it does, have it dry-cleaned instead.
• Consider cleaning your comforter or bedspread in a commercial washer and dryer. Your own appliances may not be able to tolerate the wet weight of the bedding.
• Wash your comforter in cold water and dry it on low heat. Or, hang it on a clothesline and let it air dry.

4) Quilts

• Wash quilts the same way as a comforter.
• If the quilt is filled with batting or is old and fragile, hand-wash it.
• If the quilt has silk or velvet on it, do not wash it.

5) Pillowcases

• Machine-wash pillows in cold water and dry them on a cool setting.
• Fluff pillows daily to get rid of lingering dust and dead skin cells.
• Air out your pillows frequently to freshen them up. Hang them on a clothesline or near an open window.

If you're washing sheets for someone who is sick, hold the bedding away from you and make sure you wash your hands afterward. Wash the sheets in warm water and dryer them on a high setting.

http://www.symptomfind.com/health/washing-bed-sheets/

Love and Light,

Nirvani

Day 15 of the 365 Day Green Home Challenge....

Yes Greenie Babies! Sex....you heard it right...It is good for you...actually great for you...in sooo many ways....So today's challenge is to get your groove on...This one should be a given;)

You know the old say "An apple a day keeps the doctor away"...So go get your groove on!

Sex cures mild depression according to recent study of 293 women. American psychologist Gordon Gallup reported that sexually active participants whose male partners did not use condoms were less subject to depression than those whose partners did. One theory of causality: prostaglandin, a hormone found only in semen, may be absorbed in the female genital tract, thus modulating female hormones. Besides, by having regular sex, the body releases endorphins into the bloodstream, producing a sense of euphoria and a feeling of well-being.

Sexmaking can burn up those calories you piled on during dinner and make you lose weight. Unbelievably, sex burns at least 200 calories (about the same as running 20 minutes). In fact, British researchers found out that by having sex three times a week for a year, you can work off the equivalent of six Big Macs because a person aroused has a pulse rate of about 70 beats per minute to 150, the same as that of an athlete putting forth maximum effort. Sex tones up every muscle in the body. And if you are a frequent reader of Men’s Health magazine than you probably already know that the bed is considered the single greatest piece of exercise equipment ever invented.

Sex relieves headaches because immediately before orgasm, levels of a hormone called oxytocin surge to five times their normal level. This hormone releases endorphins, which relieves the pain of everything from headaches to arthritis to even migraines.

Sex reduces the risk of heart disease in men. According to the Queens University study in Belfast, hat by having sex three or more times a week, men reduces their risk of heart attack or stroke by half.

Sex help you have better teeth. Kissing, saliva washes food from the teeth and and plaque buildup. Besides, researchers have found that sexual etiquette usually demands the brushing of one’s teeth before and/or after intimacy, which would help promote better oral hygiene.

The more often you have sex, the more sex you will be offered. This principle is based on the fact that a sexually active body secretes large quantities of pheromones, a subtle sex perfume, which drives the opposite sex crazy, making him/her to want for more.

http://www.healthmedicalarticles.com/6-reasons-why-sex-is-good-for-your-health/

Love and Light,

Nirvani

Day 14 of the 365 Day Green Challenge...

When it comes to green living, reducing the amount of energy you use is one of the easiest and most effective things you can do. 

While electricity itself is not unfriendly to the environment, the production of it is as most of the facilities we use to generate electricity are powered by fossil fuels. 

Fossil fuels are not renewable and the output from these facilities produces carbon which leads to global warming.

Luckily, there are several things you can do to reduce your energy consumption and the bonus is that you’ll also save money on your utility bill!

1. If you’re not using it, then unplug it. 

Many electronic devices today have LED’s that draw energy even if the device is not powered on. Your VCR, Coffee Maker and even your electric toothbrush all use a little bit of energy when plugged in. 

Those little bits can quickly add up, so when your appliances are not in use, try to get into the habit of unplugging them.

2. Shut down your computer. 

While it’s nice to have your computer always ready for use, it also uses a lot of electricity. When you go to bed at night, power off the computer, monitor and printer.

3. Get a programmable thermostat. 

Getting an automatic thermostat can be a great way to reduce your heating costs, be it from oil, gas or electricity. With a programmable thermostat you can set it to the optimum temperatures and then forget about it. 

Set it to 68 degrees Fahrenheit for daytime use when people will be home and 55 degrees Fahrenheit when you are sleeping or at work. 

4. Make your water heat more efficient. 

Set your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit and get an insulated sleeve for it to insure it is working as efficiently as possible. 

5. Use your lighting wisely. 

Switch to more energy efficient lighting like LED lights or compact fluorescent lights and be sure that you don’t leave lights on overnight or when no one is in the room.

6. Energy efficient laundry. 

Even doing laundry can be an opportunity to save on energy. Make sure you always clean the lint basket after each load and be sure to set the appropriate water level in your washer. 

Doing these will help your washer and dryer run more efficiently.

7. Set the right temps in your fridge. 

Your refrigerator should be set to around 40 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer between 0 and 5 degrees Fahrenheit for most efficient use. 

Also, make sure you clean out all the dust bunnies behind and underneath the fridge.

8. Don’t run the dishwasher until it is full.

Make sure there is a full load in the dishwasher before you run it and use the energy saving cycle.

9. Buy energy efficient appliance. 

Using energy efficient appliances can help reduce energy usage as well as your electric bill so the next time you are in the market for a new appliance, make sure you look at the energy star rating and buy the most efficient model you can afford.




These are some great tips to get you Greenie Babies moving toward a more Green lifestyle. Good Luck Greenie Babies!




Love and Light,
Nirvani

Day 13 of the 365 Day Green Home Challenge....

Flaxseeds and flaxseed oil are popular among vegans and vegetarians who want a non-animal source of Omega-3 fatty acids. However, everyone can benefit from adding flaxseeds into their diet. While flaxseed oil contains higher levels of Omega-3 than the seeds, the seeds actually have many more benefits than just the oil. Here are 10 health benefits of flaxseeds and flaxseed oil:

1. Flaxseeds are a a great source of fiber and work as a natural laxative. They are a great way to keep things regular.

2. Flaxseed oil contains concentrated amounts of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fat. Vegetarians and vegans often use this as a substitute for fish oil, although there are differing opinions over whether the Omega-3 in flaxseed oil is as beneficial as that in fish oil.

3. Ground flaxseed has been shown to work just as well as statins in lowering cholesterol.

4. Flaxseeds are a good source of magnesium.

5. Flaxseeds contain high levels of lignans. Lignans may protect against estrogen-dependents cancers such as 

breast cancer.

6. An ounce of ground flaxseed per day was shown to regulate estrogen levels in post-menopausal women.

7. Flaxseeds have been shown to protect post-menopausal women from heart disease.

8. Flaxseed decreases insulin resistance and may protect against diabetes.

9. Preliminary research in mice shows that flaxseeds may prevent or slow the spread of prostate cancer.

10. Studies in mice show that flaxseed may prevent or slow the spread of melanoma. 

    As with everything, moderation is key. Too many flaxseeds may cause negative effects. Just one tablespoon per day is enough in most cases. If you are unsure how much is right for you, ask your doctor how much he or she recommends.

     I eat flaxseed in and on just about anything...I put it in my Green shakes and in my oatmeal and even sprinkle it on my salad....Wonderful healthy benefits Green Babies! Especially the added protection against cancer....so I challenge you to go out and get some and make it a happen to use it every day!

Love and Light,

Nirvani

Day 12 of the 365 Day Green Home Challenge...

   For today's Green Challenge I am making Homemade Deodorant...Yes you heard it right....how will you give up your anti-perspirants?? Well to tell you the honest truth...anything that has been invented to stop one from perspiring is really not good for the body and can be potentially unsafe. Not only is your body meant to perspire, but also it is through these pores that your body rids itself of impurifications and toxic substances that enter the body, also your body temperature is regulated by its ability to perspire. If you would like to know more about this I suggest you do a little research on line and see for yourself.
     Now body odor is another story altogether...I am all for deodorizing oneself, but instead of putting unnecessary chemicals on our body that can seep into our pores and wreck all kinds of havoc on our internal systems, we can find natural ingredients that work just fine...it may take you a bit to find the right blend of essential oils that work best with your body chemistry...

Ingredients:

1/4 to 3/8 cup baking soda
1/4 to 3/8 cup cornstarch
5 tablespoons coconut oil
Essential Oils (I used cedarwood, teatree, and vanilla)

Blend all ingredients together...do a little online research to make sure the Essential Oils you use are safe for skin and also it is good to try a little on the wrist to make sure that you do not have a reaction.
I've saved up all of my used deodorant roll up plastic bottles to be refilled...Use a spoon to put deodorant batter into bottle and push down well....It may seem as if it is not thick enough...just place in the fridge for several minutes and it will become nice and solid. So give it a try Greenie Babies...I would love to have some feedback on this one...

Love and Light,
Nirvani