Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic. Add a few drops to any homemade cleaning solution for extra powers (disinfecting and scent)!

A few years ago, I read that studies have shown that women who work inside the home have significantly higher cancer rates than those who don’t. Repeated exposure to cleaning products is one of the contributing factors. Since then, I’ve read about a long list of health concerns related to conventional cleaning products so my household went lower toxic. In other words, we make our own cleaning “detergent” from Castille soap, vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, lemon, and essential oils. Recently, two discoveries have improved my cleaning experiences.

Eco Clean Recipe Spray Bottle

I’ve been on a hunt for a nice-looking spray bottle since I want to leave bottles of vinegar near each toilet. I finally found one that I’m really excited about: Eco Clean Recipe Spray Bottle sold by Crate and Barrel. Not only is this spray bottle better looking than most, but it also has formulas for all-natural cleaning solutions silk screened onto the bottle!

	The perfect spray bottle for homemade cleaning solutions! Sold at Crate and Barrel for $6.95.

Libman Freedom Spray Mop

When mopping floors, and especially for a quick wipe down, I find this so much easier than carrying a bucket or bottles of cleaning solutions with my mop. Not only does this mop contain a refillable spray bottle attached to it (and the spray nozzle is by the handle), but the “mop” uses a cleaning pad that is machine washable and scratch-free. This deep cleaning pad provides a greener clean while saving you money. I love it.

Click here to check out older posts that cover lower toxic cleaning options!

Olive Trees in Thassos, Greece

Olive oil as skin care is an ancient beauty secret that the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans have been using for thousands of years. It wasn’t until this past weekend, however, that I actually experienced the true skin care powers of olive oil!

My Weekend Skin Care Dilemma

My family and I spent the past weekend at a house in which the dryness from the heating system was making us extremely uncomfortable. My one-year-old would cry and point to her legs, which were red from dryness; my three-year-old became constipated; my lips were so dry and cracked that smiling was painful; and we were constantly thirsty!

Having not brought my mom-approved lotions for the girls, I didn’t have easy access to a low-toxic moisturizer so, as my one-year-old cried from the discomfort of her dry skin, I immediately grabbed organic olive oil from the kitchen cabinets to apply to my youngest daughter’s legs. I then rubbed the extra oil around my dry, cracked hands and lips. I was struck by how soothed my hands immediately felt! Moreover, I was surprised that the olive oil didn’t stay oily / sticky. It “evaporated” and/or got absorbed quickly. I’m thrilled about this simple, effective discovery!

Skin Care Benefits of Olive Oil

Apply Organic Olive Oil on Dry Skin!

Olive oil offers a natural, hypoallergenic way to moisturize the skin. It is packed with vitamins E and A, which are antioxidants that can stimulate skin regrowth. According to The Olive Oil Source, “polyphenolic components of olive oil have been compared to traditional antioxidants, such as tocopherols, used by the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry to prevent skin damage.” They recommend applying olive oil to damp skin to reduce any greasy residue. Eden Organic Foods recommends massaging olive oil on dry skin once per day until skin becomes smooth and silky. They also claim that this treatment is effective for eczema.

Applications of Olive Oil for Skin Care

Olive oil can also be used to exfoliate by mixing some coarse sea salt with olive oil to create a rub that battles dead skin. (Combing olive oil through my daughter’s scalp as an infant was remarkably effective in “cleaning” up her cradle cap!) Or, dab some oil on a cotton pad and use it as soothing eye makeup remover. You can also use olive oil as a deep conditioner for your hair.

From now on, after washing my hands in the kitchen during this long dry winter, I’m grabbing organic olive oil to soothe my mommy hands!

Have you ever used olive oil for your skin or hair? What are your favorite natural beauty tips?

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Olive Oil for Skin: Nature’s Best Moisturizer

Homemade Nut Milks: Easy and delicious!

After really enjoying nut milks made by some local restaurants, I finally bought a nut milk bag and started making my own at home. I was surprised by how easy it is and by how delicious they are even when I make them!

Both my three-year-old and one-year-old also really enjoy drinking (and making!) the nut milks. So I love that they are an easy way to get my daughters to consume the healthy nutrients of nuts.

The photos below lay out a recent evening during which my oldest daughter and I made cashew milk. Please keep in mind though that the recipe is relevant to a wide variety of nuts, including walnuts, almonds, and more! Soaking times would be the key variation and you can look that up online.

Start with the most natural (unsalted or raw) nuts that you can find. I used one 12oz bag of organic, unsalted cashews.

Soak the nuts for 2-6 hours, before blending for milk

I blended the cashews with some filtered water for about 60-90 seconds

After a few hours of soaking, I pour the nuts (and water in which they’ve been soaking) into a blender, and add enough water so that the mixture reaches the 32 oz. line. If there are more nuts than usual (because I may have some extra nuts (beyond those in the 12oz bag) laying around), then I add a little more water (above the 32 oz line). Don’t fill it to the top though, the blender needs space to do its thing!

Strain the blended nuts through a nut milk bag

I got my nut milk bag from OneLuckyDuck!

To make the nut milk extra yummy, add approximately 1/4 cup agave syrup, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

You’re done! If you’re going to drink some right away, then you may enjoy blending in some ice cubes. If not, then refrigerate in a glass jar! I try to drink ours within three days.

Homemade nut milks made from cashews, almonds, walnuts, etc. are much easier and more delicious than you may think!

Nutritional Value of Nuts

Below is some basic nutritional information on the most common varieties of nuts. To learn more, we encourage you to check out LiveStrong.

Cashews

Cashew nuts grow in tropical and subtropical regions (think Brazil, India, Vietnam), inside a small, pumpkin-shaped fruit called cashew apples. A 1 oz serving of raw cashews (about one handful) contains 157 calories, 12.4 g of fat (only 2.2 saturated), 5.2 g of protein and 1g of dietary fiber.

Cashews also offer vitamin K (required for blood clotting), vitamin B-1 (converts blood sugar to energy) calcium and iron. Studies have shown that cashews positively impact cholesterol levels, may help individuals lose weight, and can women decrease the chances of developing diabetes.

Walnuts

Walnuts are high in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and are packed with a plethora of vitamins making them a true superfood. 1 oz of walnuts, or about 14 walnut halves, contain both omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids to boost heart health and help prevent cardiovascular disease. Walnuts also contain measurable amounts of the following nutrients; vitamins C, E, B6 and K, folate, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, choline, betaine, niacin, calcium, iron, potassium, thiamin, zinc and selenium. For all these amazing nutrients you get 185 calories and 18.5 g of fat (but only 1.7g is saturated ), 3.9 g of carbohydrates, 1.9 g of fiber and are 4.3 g of protein. To top it all off, walnuts have phytosterols that boost the immune system, reduce blood cholesterol and a lower the risk of some forms of cancer.

Almonds

Almonds are a great source of protein and vitamin B2. This tree nut offers 7.62 g of protein for only 1 oz ( about 23 whole pieces) of raw almonds. (As a comparison, one egg contains only about 5g of protein.) A 1 oz serving of raw almond also offers 3.3 g of fiber as well as measurable amounts of copper, manganese and potassium.

Pecans

Pecan trees thrive in warm climates which is why they are native to the southern United States and Mexico. Pecans are high in omega-6 fatty acids, which can reduce the risk of heart disease and a serving of pecans also contains potassium, copper, thiamin, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus. A 1 oz serving of raw pecans has 196 calories, 20.4 g of fat, (only 1.8 g saturated fat), 3.9 g of carbohydrates, 2.7 g of dietary fiber and 2.6 g of protein.

Brazil Nuts

Brazil nuts are large, nutrient-dense nuts that grow on trees in the rain forests of Peru, Brazil and Bolivia. A 1 oz serving of Brazil nuts offers 4 g of protein, 2 g of fiber, 187 mg of potassium and zero cholesterol. Brazil nuts also contain magnesium, phosphorus, copper and thiamin and have been known to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Do you have any experience making homemade nut milks? Or have you ever tried making nut butters? If so, share your experience below!

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Since some of you are new readers and some of you are regulars, I wanted to take the time to highlight the tools we have recently added throughout TheSFile.com. These tools are designed to help us achieve our mission of taking the work out of healthier living and have others, especially parents, make healthier choices!

Healthy Child Healthy World		Healthy Child Healthy World Widget. This widget links to the Healthy Child website with the Latest News, Top Posts and Top Topics on their website. Healthy Child Healthy World is a wonderful nonprofit that is dedicated to raising awareness on how to “create cleaner, greener, safer environments” for children and families. You may find this widget throughout TheSFile.com, on the Homepage, Parenting, Pregnancy, and Household websites. It is in the lower left right section of each page, below The S File™ Live Twitter Feed and the list of Post Categories.
The S File™		The S File™ Shopping Lists. Each site — Health, Parenting, Pregnancy, and Running A Household — contains one-click access to an online The S File™ Store, which is essentially my shopping list by these respective categories. Access to these sites allows you to purchase our favorite products that we have highlighted on the site. This list includes various books, cookbooks, food containers, natural remedies, food, and much more.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission		Recalls by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. On the upper right hand section of the Parenting site, below the “Search” function, there is a widget with a live update of Breaking News and Recent Recalls from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. These headlines link to the CPSC’s official website for additional information. We think it’s imperative for individuals, especially parents, to be up-to-date on all current recalls.
HealthyStuff.org		HealthyStuff.org Widgets. There are two widgets by HealthyStuff.org that make healthier shopping much easier. These widgets rate the toxicity levels of various products such as cars, cell phones and toys. We used them to help address the nausea we kept experiencing when driving in our car. Turned out, our car has high levels of chlorine! Thanks to the HealthyStuff.org widget for helping us out!

Anytime you need a reminder of all these great tools, just refer back to the Tools category. Future tools will be added to this category as well. Try them and let us know what you think!

We have three step stools for my 2.5 year old daughter and two step stools for the adults. This is by far the most convenient one because it collapses easily to lean against walls and is very light. My daughter is able to move this stool easily to any location she desires.  We have the 9″ one and haven’t tried the taller 16″ one but I may be getting it soon because the 9″ is so convenient.  The 16″ one would be great for my closet!