Bike To Work Day

Today is Indy Bike To Work Day 2013 and if you are out driving today, pay special attention for more bike riders out on the road than usual.  Noblesville is organizing their own Bike To Work Day, sponsored by Commuter Connect and Riverview Hospital.  

I love the idea of promoting biking and providing more bike friendly roads.  However, we also have to become a bike friendly community and be aware of riders in areas without trails.  My husband used to ride occasionally rides his bike to work from the North side of Noblesville to 96th street.  He loves the exercise and saving money on gas is a nice bonus.  However, a couple years ago there was someone he knew who was biking to work and was hit by a car on the 96 street bridge over 69, the same bridge he crosses as well.  So, I just want to remind us all to be aware on the roads and be safe as we share them.

Here are some tips from the Sustain Noblesville Committee that will help us enjoy biking to work or for fun:

• Have your bike checked over by your local bike shop.
• Always wear a helmet to protect your head in the event of a crash.
• Ride in the right-most lane that goes in the direction that you are traveling.
• Obey all stop signs, traffic lights, and lane markings.
• Look before you change lanes or signal a turn, indicate your intention, and then act.
• Be visible and predictable at all times, wear bright clothing, and signal turns.

Click here for a link of fun things happening downtown Indy today if you are "biking" in the area.  Or just fyi in case you want to plan ahead for next year.

Although I am not biking to work today.... I am looking forward to getting my bike out and going for a fun ride this weekend.

Natural Solutions to Allergies and Asthma

In my last post "Understanding Allergies", I talked about how allergies are the result of a dysfunctional immune system, outlined stats on the growing number of allergy sufferers and the cost of allergies.

Allergies can be caused and/or triggered by: 

*Alcohol, sugar and simple carbohydrates

*Toxins… e.g. chemicals, cleaning products, second-hand smoke

*Stress (Cortisol also can damage every organ system in the body, leading to depressed immune function.)

*Lack of nutrients

I believe when we understand what’s happening during allergy attacks, treating them naturally seems like common sense. 

What Are Some Natural Solutions to Allergies?

·       Rebuild Immune System…

Eat Allergy-Fighting Foods. A German study, published in the journal Allergy, found that participants who ate foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids were less likely to suffer allergy symptoms than those who didn’t regularly eat these foods. Omega-3s help fight inflammation and can be found in cold-water fish, walnuts and flaxseed oil, as well as grass-fed meat and eggs.

To help keep airways clear when pollen counts are high, add a dash of horseradish, chili peppers or hot mustard to your food — all act as natural, temporary decongestants. It’s also a good idea to avoid foods that you’re slightly allergic to until the air clears.

·         Avoid mucous producing foods

o   Sugar (and sugary soft drinks)

o   Wheat and baked goods

o   Dairy

·         Work towards eating 6 to 9 vegetables a day

Adding supplements can be a smart to boost your immune system 

·        Vitamin C – Natural anti-histamine.  Safe to help symptoms until you build up your immune system.

·       Nutriferon (Immunity Booster) - Because allergies are an immune response, building up our immune system is smart and I recommend Nutriferon, an exclusive Immune Booster developed by Dr. Yasuhiko Kojima, the world-renowned immunologist who discovered interferon in 1954, he dedicated 40 years of research to finding natural compounds that would provide a boost to interferon production. This patented botanical blend is found in Nutriferon and is the only immunity supplement in the U.S. created by the discoverer of interferon.

Restore Digestive Health & Eliminate Candida Yeast

• Probiotic to restore balance in digestive health
• Alfalfa – natural decongestant

Remove Toxins and chemicals

Chemicals can trigger allergy/asthma attacks and as you know, I am a big proponent of removing chemicals from our homes.  Here are a few things to consider ...

• Switch out all traditional brand chemical cleaners to safe non-toxic cleaning options or make your own.
• Laundry products are a key area often missed.  Just because the label says fragrance free doesn't mean it is chemical free and won't affect you (many time it is long term exposure we don't consider).  If we think about it... our cloths lay against our skin all day and our sheets, all night.  Most products remain lodged in the fabrics and are often an irritant.
• Consider any added fragrances in products.  Fragrances are considered a trade secret so companies do not have to disclose the ingredients which are often synthetic chemicals.  According to an article by the Campaign For Safe Cosmetics, 1 in every 50 people become sensitive to fragrances and can remain so for the rest of their life.  They also confirm that fragrances often trigger allergy and asthma attacks.  ie. think about your perfume the next time you put it on.
• In a recent post Celebrate Earth Day By Learning About Your Home Environment, a friend of mine, Brian Schutt, shared some interesting statistics on the impact of chemicals in our homes.  Brian also recommends adding an air purifier onto your furnace... a safe and smart solution for everyone but especially anyone suffering from allergies and asthma.

Essential oils 

My friend Pam Howard has shared some allergy tips on her website today also at BeHealthyBeHappyWellness.  I hope you will take a look at her suggestions and especially about the essential oils which can help with allergy symptoms and can also be a great natural alternative to add fragrance in our homes.  One of my favorite essential oils is lavender and the added bonus is that it relieves allergy symptoms!  But I also learned that Peppermint isn't just for the holidays... it is great for sinus headaches and very refreshing. 

Understanding Allergies

Allergy Anonymous.... = AA

*You hoard Kleenex in your pockets, your purse, your briefcase, your desk drawers, your car, under your pillow...

*Your friends tease that your eyes are so swollen and red that you look like you just came out of a chick flick.

*You are sneezing, eyes watering and everyone around you is using hand sanitizer ... you keep telling them it is just allergies, they keep using hand sanitizer.

The trees and flowers are budding but your eyes itch and your nose feels like it is going to fall off every time you step outside.  You wish you could enjoy Spring but instead you wish it away.

Any of these sound familiar?  Chances are good that you or someone close to you experience some degree of allergy symptoms.  Let's take a look at allergies today....

Understanding Allergies and the Cost of Allergies

An allergy is an over-reaction of the human immune system to a foreign protein substance (allergen).

60 million people have asthma and allergies (1 out of 4) and incidence is increasing.

Is the most frequently reported chronic condition in children, limiting activities for more than 40% of kids.

*8 million kids have respiratory allergies

*7 million have non-respiratory allergies

*400 Americans die each year due to drug allergies from penicillin (200 from food allergies)

Annual Cost of allergies – $7 Billion

*Nearly $6 Billion in medications

*Major cause of job absenteeism

            *4 million lost work days/year

            *Resulting in cost of $700 million in lost productivity

Asthma

*20 million Americans suffer from asthma

*Asthma in children has quadrupled over the last 30 years

*1 out of 13 children in U.S. has asthma

What Can You Do???

If you are one of the many people who suffer from allergies and want to learn how to combat allergies naturally without medications and their side affects, come Tuesday night to learn more...

What:  Shaklee event focusing on Natural Solutions for Allergies

Where: Delaware Township Bldg, 9090 E. 131st Street, Fishers, IN  46038

When:  Tuesday, 5/14/13 ...  7 pm - 8 pm   

RSVP:  https://www.facebook.com/events/455567617860663/455567621193996/?notif_t=like

We will discuss natural ways to combat allergies, increase your immune system to reverse allergies and Pam Howard is sharing samples of essential oils that have shown success alleviating symptoms.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!

Mother’s Day offers each of us an opportunity to celebrate and show our appreciation for the mothers in our lives. Mothers help raise us, raise our loved ones and shape the people we become as adults. They give us life, lessons and love like no one else can.

Expressing your love and appreciation for the moms close to you means letting them know that you want them to be happy, healthy and just as beautiful as ever. 

Mom's often give more to everyone else in their lives and don't take enough time for themselves.  Mother's Day is just one day we set aside to recognize how much we appreciate the Mothers in our lives.  As a Mom, it is important to prioritize our health and adopting healthy living is an excellent way to assure that we will have plenty of mommying left to do. 

This Mother’s Day, let the mothers closest to you know how special they are...  Moms, Grandmothers, Aunts, Sisters and Friends. They’ll be glad you did.

Make Easy Household Cleaners In Seconds - Guest Post

Good Morning and Happy Friday!

I am over at BeHappyBeHealthyWellness and I hope you check out the short video we posted on how to make your own non-toxic cleaners from Shaklee.

We wanted to show you how quick and easy it is to make your own cleaners vs. buying traditional chemical brand name products.  

The big bonus is how much money you can save and they are safe to use around our kids and pets!

Check out the video and blog post here.

Study links Roundup with Parkinsons, Cancer and Other Health Issues

Have you heard the saying April Showers bring May Flowers?  I would argue that this year it should go... April Showers bring May Weeds.  If you have flower beds in central Indiana, you know that we have received a lot of rain and that has resulted in our lawns growing like crazy and weeds popping up in our flower beds/gardens, well, like weeds.

For the last few years, I have avoided using chemicals like Preen and Round Up to eliminate weeds and have instead, relied on the old tradition of weeding by hand or with my hoe just like my parents have done for many years.  I usually can get a head start and get the first weeding done without too much trouble but this year has been very different and my recommendation is if you haven't gotten out there in your flower beds yet, you better get started before the weeds take over...



I want to share a recent study that caught my eye about the common chemical Roundup causing Parkinsons, Cancer and other serious health concerns.  I hope it will make us think twice before we use chemicals in our flowers and gardens!

Here is part of the article from Huffingtonpost...


Heavy use of the world's most popular herbicide, Roundup, could be linked to a range of health problems and diseases, including Parkinson's, infertility and cancers, according to a new study.

The peer-reviewed report, published last week in the scientific journal Entropy, said evidence indicates that residues of "glyphosate," the chief ingredient in Roundup weed killer, which is sprayed over millions of acres of crops, has been found in food.

Those residues enhance the damaging effects of other food-borne chemical residues and toxins in the environment to disrupt normal body functions and induce disease, according to the report, authored by Stephanie Seneff, a research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Anthony Samsel, a retired science consultant from Arthur D. Little, Inc. Samsel is a former private environmental government contractor as well as a member of the Union of Concerned Scientists.

"Negative impact on the body is insidious and manifests slowly over time as inflammation damages cellular systems throughout the body," the study says.

I believe we have become too dependent on chemicals and unfortunately we didn't think about the long term consequences they might have on our health and on our children.  I admit I am a busy Mom and there are times I wish there was an easier way... an easy button like the commercial.  However, the study shows what a lot of us have known all along... although some people are chemically sensitive, chemicals may not show affects on our bodies immediately; more often the harmful effects show up over a period of time of being exposed.

I hope you will take the pledge to eliminate or reduce chemicals in your flower beds/gardens and if you have some tips on keeping weeds away naturally, please share in the comments.