Welcome to Christy's Non Toxic Lifestyle. We’re all so busy managing: families, careers, households, relationships and even technology. At some point, something has to give — and eventually it will — unless we all “slow down” and start giving more attention to our health and the one body we’ve been given. Empower yourself! You can live a non toxic lifestyle!

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Favorite Spring and Summer Posts

 

Bedtime Rituals for Better Sleep

So here we are, soon returning to Standard Time again.  While we all love that extra hour of sleep, these twice-a-year “adjustments” tend to affect many of us by disrupting our circadian rhythms. According to Psychology Today, circadian rhythm is often referred to as the “body clock.” The circadian rhythm is a 24-hour cycle that tells our bodies when to sleep and regulates many other physiological processes. Click here for more!

 

Magnesium Matters!

In the past few months, several friends have commented on their insomnia, night leg cramps, depression, migraines and brain fog. Did you know that these can often be symptoms of magnesium deficiency? Did you know that magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the human body? It truly plays a big part in the health of one’s body. Even when we think we’re getting enough nutrients through our food, we may actually be deficient. Click here for more!

 

Sleep on This – Cherries!

For many of us, we’re just leaving summer season when fruits and vegetables are plentiful! One of my very favorite fruits are cherries. I just can’t get enough of them in July, when they’re in season. Not surprising is that my favorite pie flavor is cherry, too. In addition to the fact that they’re plump and juicy and just taste amazing, they actually can help with sleep. No kidding! Read on and I’ll tell you how. Click here for more!

 

My Update to Non Toxic Toes for Spring and Summer!

Don’t you love that almost everywhere we women are getting ready to don our favorite sandals and flip flops! Time to really scrub up and get our feet polished up and pretty. The Environmental Working Group and Women’s Voices for the Earth deem these smells the “toxic trio.” And each of these “toxic trio” chemicals have been classified as the most toxic by the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database that I mentioned in my article, the “Perils of Parabens.” Click here for more!

 

Sunscreens: UVA, UVB, SPF – What Do They All Mean?

I am of the baby boomer generation that didn’t use sunscreen growing up. The “in” thing was slathering baby oil all over our bodies to enhance the tanning effects of the sun. I’ll spare you the details of my sun-spotted arms and hands, but I certainly wish I knew then what I know now! When my kids came along, I thought I was being a diligent parent when it came to applying sunscreen. However, little did I know that those sunscreens, as well as many on the market today are full of toxic chemicals. Click here for more!

 

Eight Awesome Anti-Aging Tips for Summer

As most of us know, anti-aging occurs on many levels – emotional, physical and spiritual. Most of also know what “feels” healthy. I invite you to join me in continuing to seek out and make simple daily choices that honor our overall health. When we take care of ourselves we can shine at any age! Click here for more!

 

Foods for Lung Health

A few years ago, Portland, Oregon, registered the poorest air quality in the world due to the raging fires in their state. Read that again… In. The. World. Anyone who spent that particular day outside in Portland had inhaled the equivalent of 15 cigarettes according to an Oregon news source. And that smoke has made its way across the country to Maine due to the jet streams. Click here for more!

 

Spring Allergy and Asthma Relief!

Itchy eyes, sneezing, runny noses… It’s springtime, and the allergies are either starting or are in full swing. According to Dr. Mercola (mercola.com), “airborne pollen is the most common cause of seasonal allergies, also known as hay fever or allergic rhinitis. Add to that you may be an asthma sufferer whose symptoms are even worse during allergy season, even life threatening.” Click here for more!

 

Foods That Can Cause or Worsen Congestion

Hi all! Whether it’s Spring or Fall,  many of us find  the delights of of the season often bring pollen and allergies. Did you know that while you may be eating healthy, some of those foods may be causing histamines, worsening your allergies and congestion? And for those of you who suffer from regular sinusitis (inflammation or swelling of the tissues lining the sinuses), there’s some good info here that might at least help bring you relief! Click here for more!

 

How Healthy Is Your Self-Cleaning Oven?

So a few times a year,  (yes, it should be more) I tackle the big job of oven cleaning.  However, as I open my oven after many months of lots of use,  I am more inclined to procrastinate. Many of us have self-cleaning ovens, but wait, what’s that nasty smell that comes with burning throat and itchy eyes that comes with that convenience? Click here for more!

 

Cleaning Products in Your Home

Years ago I thought I was being a super mom in that I was keeping a really clean house. Little did I realize that behind the “sparkle” I was exposing my family and pets to toxic fumes from most of the cleaning products I was using. One of the worst was bleach. Boy did my toilets and ceramic bowls shine but at an expense of poor and toxic air quality to me and my family. Click here for more!

 

The ABCs of VOCs!

From time to time I’m going to turn my blog over to a friend or colleague who is really “the pro” in their respective area of healthy living. This week I’m pleased to announce my first guest blogger, Natalie Oliva, a bright, young foodie, with a degree from the French Culinary Institute in New York. She has a passion for fresh, healthy foods that incorporate seasonal ingredients. When you hear, “Baby, it’s Cold Outside,” there’s nothing better than a steaming bowl of hot soup! Click here for more!

 

Breast Cancer: Recovery and Creation

Trust me when I say that when going through any cancer treatment, there are multiple doctor’s appointments, treatment plans, test results, medications, medication changes, surgery and treatment dates, questions, answers, notes upon notes that you take and it’s critical to keep track of this information. I know – I went through this 12 years ago. For the cancer patient, treatment brings emotional ups and downs along with fatigue and mental fogginess. It’s an added burden to try to remember and log this very important information in one place. Click here for more!

 

The Perfect Storm Theory of Breast Cancer and Iodine Deficiency

Okay, so how many conversations do you hear about this topic? Believe me when I say it’s important!  In Lynne Farrow’s book The Iodine Crisis I recently read that thyroid and breast disease “skyrocketed between 1970 and 2000.” Why would that be, I thought? I continued reading. Apparently iodine was looked at as a “universal medicine” going back thousands of years, and used primarily in it’s earlier form as seaweed. Click here for more!

 

Prevention, Healing and Tips!

As we all know, this is Breast Cancer Awareness month. There is a ton of information out there and we are being brought to further awareness each and every day, especially this month. The onslaught of information to help and comfort, while well intentioned, can also bring feelings of fear, helplessness, memories of lost loved ones, and other emotions. I know – I’ve been there. Click here for more!

 

Why are Autoimmune Disorders Rising for Women?

Did you know that 80% of people with autoimmune disorders are female? Did you know that digestive issues, headaches, low energy and even eczema can be early signs of an autoimmune disorder? What’s that, you say? According to Dr. Robin Berzin, an autoimmune disease is “when the immune system, which is supposed to attack outside invaders, starts attacking the cells in your body.” She also notes that autoimmune disorders are on the rise at an “alarming rate.” Click here for more!

 

Canola Oil Caution

This article is particularly close to my heart because it’s been an 18-year journey with huge implications in what I eat.  As we all know, one can develop allergies at any point in one’s life. Following chemotherapy and all of my cancer treatment 18 years ago, I suspected that the chemical treatments had left me with huge cooked tomato sauce allergies. Chemo can alter all sorts of things. Every time I would even try a little lasagna, chili or tomato-based soup, I would get violently ill within an hour. However, in the last few months, I discovered the real culprit. Canola Oil! Click here for more!

 

What’s Robbing YOUR Immune System?

Is it possible that we can be exercising, taking supplements, eating pretty healthy, constantly washing our hands and STILL getting sick? All around me people are sick. I hear people asking “How is it that I’m doing all the right things and I’m still getting sick?” What’s up with that? We depend on our immune systems to keep us healthy. But then, maybe we’re doing (or not doing) things that make our immune systems struggle to keep us healthy.  Our choices impact our quality of life, especially as we roll into a new time of year with different weather, food and lifestyle changes. Click here for more!

 

Kale: Caped Crusader or Thyroid Threat?

While Kale is the current superhero of the veggie world, offering a myriad of health benefits, did you know that it could potentially have a negative impact on your thyroid? Virtually every restaurant now offers a kale salad or other side dish with this media darling of the veggie world in it. We’re even encouraged to throw kale into soups and our home-made juices. Our thyroid is responsible for storing and producing hormones that affect EVERY organ in our bodies. Click here for more!

 

Top 15 Healthy Grilling Tips!

Many of us will be enjoying our grills this upcoming summer season, whether your food of choice be meat or veggies. No one wants salmonella from uncooked meat, poultry, or seafood, but let’s also make sure we aren’t ingesting toxins from overcooked, burnt food or inhaling carcinogenic smoke either. Did you know the smoke from our grills contains toxic chemicals that we inhale when we’re standing over our grills? Not fun news to hear. Click here for more!

 

Scrumptious Summer Salads!

I love salads! With summer around the corner and having so many choices in fruits and veggies, it’s the best time to be creative and experiment. It’s great fun putting the basics together, then grabbing leftover meat, chicken and fish, blueberries and strawberries, then raiding the pantry for nuts and seeds! I have a few favorite salads I make every summer, but every year I think most of us like trying some new, easy and healthy recipes. Click here for more!

 

Be Aware – The Dirty Dozen

For the past few years, strawberries have topped the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) list of The Dirty Dozen. The Dirty Dozen refers to the list of fresh fruits and vegetables that are likely to contain the most pesticides. I rinse all of my fresh fruits and vegetables before I eat or cook with them, especially those with skins you are intended to eat. I pay close attention to the EWG’s annual Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides, and make sure to wash these 12 + 2 extra thoroughly. Click here for more!

 

Musings on Spring Delights!

When the leaves burst forth and I can enjoy tulips on our breakfast table for next to nothing in cost, I am ready for SPRING! I cherish colors in the garden and eagerly await our first farmer’s market opening. I’m a sucker for new cookbooks bursting with visuals that get my mouth watering. I’m ready for new adventures outside that take me out of the gym rut. And May’s strawberries are divine!! They are totally worth the wait!! My son’s birthday is in May and strawberry shortcake has always been a favorite! Click here for more!

 

The Clean 15

Avocados are not only an exceptionally nutritious super-food, they have topped the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) list of The Clean 15. According to EWG, the fruits and vegetables on the list had the lowest pesticide load, and consequently are the safest conventionally grown crops to consume from the standpoint of pesticide contamination. Click here for more!

 

Delicious Summer Beverages – Hold the Processed Sugar

Someone recently told me that June is National Fruits and Vegetables month! And with the abundance of these food items in our stores and at our farmers markets, we can create some delicious, thirst quenching summer beverages without the use of sugar. And these can certainly carry into July and August! I’m always on the quest for creative drinks that everyone loves (including me) and that are so much healthier. I’m listing a few of my favorites along with some newly discovered drinks that I’m going to try myself! Click here for more!

 

Lemon Balm Wild Blueberry Iced Tea

During these hot days of summer, here’s one of my go-to ice teas. Not that they weren’t refreshing last month, or any month, but many of us are experiencing temperatures over 90 degrees! I love this recipe because it’s easy, healthy and delicious, especially when paired with lemon balm tea. I can easily make a pitcher a day when the grand-kids are visiting! And if you don’t know much about the health benefits of wild blueberries, read on! Click here for more!

 

Summer Fruit – How Much Sugar?

It’s almost time and we’re starting to see more  fruits and veggies are coming into abundance. Each summer I can hardly wait for those big, ripe, juicy organic cherries and grapes to arrive at the markets. Sadly, but honestly, I admit to gorging on more than a few in any one sitting. It’s healthy fruit, right? Well, while they’re healthy, they do contain natural sugars, so it’s important to be mindful in keeping helpings to a palm sized serving. Click here for more!

 

Women’s Hormones: A Delicate Balancing Act

This is the first of a two-part series on Women’s Hormones, for Part 2, click here. Show me a woman who sleeps soundly eight hours every night, has a high libido, hasn’t gained weight in years (with proper diet), is emotionally stable 24/7/365, doesn’t experience bloating or any mild depression and whose brain is as sharp as a tack, and I’ll show you a woman with perfectly balanced hormones. (And, I’ll sell you some swampland in Florida!) Click here for more!

 

The Perils of Parabens!

It is a fact that 60 percent of whatever we put on our skin goes into our bloodstream. Sixteen years ago, following nine months of breast cancer treatment, I attended a weekend retreat sponsored by Natural Health Magazine. That began my journey into the “non-toxic” world of new choices and options that I would embrace and share with my friends and anyone who wanted to know. My biggest “AHA” moment came from learning about parabens, which I had been slathering most generously on my body for most of my life! Click here for more!

 

The Super Power of Women’s Hormones!

Did you know that with hormone support we have the ability to minimize the damages done by aging? Did you know that with appropriate hormone support we have the ability to stay at or near our optimal weights, recover from illnesses more quickly, and protect our bones, hearts and brains from deteriorating? Best of all, did you know that with hormone support we can actually age gracefully AND feel great? Click here for more!

 

Non Toxic Insect Repellents to the Rescue!

Summertime and the living is easy, except when the flies, gnats and mosquitoes join the party. I can’t tell you how many toxic sprays and creams I covered myself with many years ago without knowing the chemical dangers. The most well-known chemical in insect repellents is DEET. Did you know that it melts plastic and fishing line? Of course it’s effective and insects are smart enough to stay away, but do we want to be putting that stuff on our skin? Not me! Click here for more!

 

Is Your Car Making You Sick?

I recently learned that the temperature inside a car on a hot July day can be 40 degrees hotter than the temperature outside. So, if it’s 90 degrees outside when I jump in the car, inside it’s a raging 130 degrees! Of course it’s hot and most everyone’s first move is to turn on the A/C to cool down. Not so fast, everyone! We’ve all heard how it’s not healthy to leave a water bottle out in the sun. The plastic, when heated, releases toxins into the water. Well, the same thing is happening when we jump into our steaming, hot cars. Click here for more!

 

Top 10 Travel Tips for Staying Healthy

“Let the games begin!” We all have heard that Thanksgiving and Christmas are the busiest travel times of the year. So is the spring and summer! While the beginning of the holiday season brings us together for joyful times with family and friends, we are also at a higher risk for getting sick when we jump on an airplane to visit them. In the spirit of recognizing how busy we all are, and wanting to simplify this post, here are my Top 10 Travel Tips for staying healthy while flying this year: Click here for more!

 

Posture Alignment to the Rescue!

Did you know that many of one’s “aches and pains” can be attributed to poor postural alignment? Believe it or not, foot, knees, hip, back, shoulder and neck pain can all be attributed to walking incorrectly and leaning to one side or the other without even knowing it. The good news, and I speak from personal experience, is that MOST of these issues can be treated successfully without analgesics and/or surgery. More good news, you can get help with a personalized session from a certified postural alignment therapist on zoom in the comfort of your home. Interested? Click here for more!

 

Where to Begin?

I can’t tell you how many times my readers tell me that they really want to live a more “non-toxic” lifestyle but they don’t know where to begin. They also express concerns about doing this in an affordable way. Believe me, I know. I started this journey 15 years ago. I admit it can be overwhelming, but I do have a few suggestions for making the transition easier! I’d like to add that it’s important to give yourself a high five for EVERY change you make, even if it’s one thing a month. Click here for more!

 

The Art of Doing Nothing

Consider reduced stress of transportation to and from a demanding work environment. Consider being able to squeeze in a 20-minute meditation or nap during the day. Consider that these actually enhance our immune systems. Less stress, rest, and relaxation equals stronger immune systems as well as adrenal strength, our fight and flight responses to stress. Let me say it another way: Stronger immune systems = lower risk of and quicker recovery from illness. Click here for more!

 

The Healing Power of Reiki

It’s an understatement when I say I had the good fortune of being introduced to Reiki nearly 20 years ago! I had been diagnosed with cancer and was looking for anything to help me heal. I am so grateful that I am open to trying new things, especially healing modalities, as long as it doesn’t involve pain! I’ve learned that the world is abundant in healing resources. We just have to know how to tap into them. Click here for more!

 

On Pins and Needles – Acupuncture 101

After decades of being prescribed antibiotics by my doctor for my chronic and frequent sinus infections, I tried my first acupuncture treatment 25 years ago. It was time to to try something different, and I was delighted that I could breathe so much better after my first treatment! I learned that regular treatments could help me manage my allergies and build and maintain my immune system. Click here for more!

 

Probiotics 101

It seems like you can’t turn around these days without hearing something about probiotics. But what are probiotics, really, and why should we care? Twelve years ago when I started taking probiotics, not many people were familiar with them. Certainly it was new for me. I participated in an herbal healing weekend in 2003 and was officially introduced to probiotics. I’ve been taking them twice a day ever since. Click here for more!

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