It’s a wrap! Time for some weekly updates and awesome links. I chose the photo above for this post because I have been channeling my innermost Groovy Green Goddess lately. I have been feeling nothing less than amazing and ethereal lately. My general happiness with every moment of life and my gratitude has skyrocketed. I have no “special” circumstances in my life that make this nirvana easier to understand so I think I am just doing something really right with my diet and health of late. The winter blues that sucked me into a black hole of depression every year for the past 3-4 years… nada. There is not a black cloud in sight. I walk around with a goofy smile all day just so happy to be me and to live the life I do. I cannot say for sure which lifestyle/dietary change has brought this on, there have been many, but here are some of the recent changes I made:

• Paleo Foods – I have gone primal. I eat like a caveman… or uh, a cavewoman rather. No grains, no beans/legumes, no added sugar, and almost no dairy either. I do allow some dairy like my Passion Fruit Chobani, Jeni’s Ice Cream, and shredded Parmesan. All foods (with a few exceptions) are as high quality (organic/grass fed/local/pastured) as I can get my hands on. I went from a high carb, low fat, low to moderate protein diet to a high fat, moderate to high protein, low carb diet. I have more energy than my kids!
• I am eating lots more coconut oil and coconut products. Just today I got a delivery of Coconut Cream Concentrate to make some grain free brownies this weekend. Booyah!
• Eating more naturally sweetened dark chocolate.
• I am supplementing. This is pretty new really since the only kind of supplementing I did before was greens powder in my smoothies. I am taking Vitamin D and making it a mission to eat more eggs from pastured, local chickens. When the local organic delivery service we were using closed we were left without good eggs so I stopped eating them. Recently we found a place really close to our home that sells pastured eggs though. Woot! I am also taking fermented cod liver oil, spirulina, and bile acids (because I have no gall bladder).

Americans throw away millions of dollars worth of food every year. This food ends up in dumpsters and garbage bins and eventually in landfills where it impacts the environment. It also impacts the environment when we have to keep growing more food than we actually need. Just think about all the energy used to grow crops and the taxation of the soil. Throwing food away is highly wasteful and hurtful to our planet.

There is a movement out there that wants to change all that, and the movement is called freeganism.

What Is Freeganism and How To Use It Solve Food Waste?

Freegans are people who take the food that is about to be thrown away or has been thrown away and use it. These people talk to grocery stores, restaurants and other places that dispose of large quantities of food waste on a daily basis and ask to collect that food waste instead of the business disposing it. Others go to the extreme of actually removing food that has all ready been disposed of (dumpster diving) and eating that. This may seem radical but often times it is perfectly good food that is being thrown away. It gets tossed because they have a new shipment of fruits and veggies they need room for or they toss out the bruised or slightly imperfect foods. Other times they throw out foods that have officially expired but which will be perfectly good for another few days at least.

The goal is to reduce the impact of this wasted food on the environment in two ways. First, by saving the still edible portions of food from ending up in a landfill thus reducing waste and reducing their need to buy more “new” food. Second because they aren’t adding to waste by buying packaged food and then having to dispose of the packaging. They are helping their own pocket books in these tough economic times by reducing their food bills and many freegans also donate perfectly good food to shelters in need.

You Don’t Have To Go To Extremes To Become A Freegan

Most people’s first reaction to freeganism is anything but positive, the truth is, that you don’t have to go to extremes to become a freegan. There are some safe and hygienic ways that you can join the movement without jeopardizing your families health. Here are some tips for those who are wondering how they can help to reduce food waste and help the environment.

・ Freeganism at home – The best place to begin your freegan activities is at home by finding ways to use those left overs instead of throwing them out. There are a number of great soups, stews, smoothies, and casseroles that you make from those small portions of left overs rather than tossing them in trash.

・ Speak to local restaurant owners or managers. Make an appointment with your local restaurant owners or managers. Many restaurants throw soups, vegetables, and other foods such as mashed potatoes away at the end of the night. There is nothing wrong with these foods they simply did not use them and have policies not to serve them the next day. If you bring your own containers some restaurants will allow you to take these leftovers at the end of the night at closing time.

・ The Local Grocers Or Deli-You can also talk to your local grocer or deli, from these types of places you may be able to get large ham bones to make soups from, or small ends of meat. These are things they can’t use in their products and may be willing to give to you because it also conserves on the amount of trash they may have to pay to be hauled away.

And of course freeganism doesn’t just have to be about food. It can be about finding anything useful in the garbage, giving it a second life, and keeping it out of landfills. While freeganism may not be for everyone it is a way that you can have a positive effect on the environment while saving a little extra money as well.

Have you ever tried freegnism? Would you be willing to?

Recommended Reading:

My article with a real freegan on using on using Freeganism for Charity Work. This woman has donated almost $100,000 worth of food to charity organizations via this collection method.

Also the book, The Art & Science Of Dumpster Diving. It is a hilarious how-to guide.

Cleaning the kitchen is one of those things that I know needs to be broken down into daily tasks but an actual plan of action seems to elude me. I always seem to get the bare minimum done… aka cleaning the counters so I can prepare the day’s meals or loading/unloading the dishwasher so we have clean dishes to eat off of. But cleaning the spray off the backsplash and stove, wiping down the walls, or cleaning up stray peas underneath the kitchen table… forget it! This year I totally planned to hire someone to clean the kitchen for me 2-3 times a month but contributing to our retirement accounts before the deadline has taken precedence. It’s always something. Even though I LOVE the idea of having outside help, and I DO hire someone a couple times a year, I really struggle with forking over money for something I can do myself.

So I decided to sit down and write out a 30 day plan to see if I can tackle this once and for all. We shall see how it goes. I figure each item should only take 10-15 minutes tops and it will hopefully help me stay on top of the kitchen so it never gets so bad I decide that takeout sounds like the best option. I plan to hang this on the fridge and check things off each day after the relevant task is accomplished. I have my bottle of vinegar, castile soap, and tea tree oil at the ready.

Assuming that I can make the time to wipe down counters, do the dishes, and take a broom to the floor daily here are my 30 day tasks…

1. Wipe down all appliances (stove, fridge, Vita-Mix, ect. )
2. Wipe down and de-grease cabinets
3. Mop floor
4. Wipe down and de-grease the backsplash
5. Deep clean and shine sink
6. Clean the trash can inside and out
7. Clean drawers and declutter counters
8. Mop Floor
9. Wipe down all walls and baseboards
10. Clean out the fridge/freezer
11. Wipe down all appliances (stove, fridge, Vita-Mix, ect. )
12. Clean under the fridge and stove
13. Mop floor
14. Deep clean and shine sink
15. Wipe down and de-grease cabinets
16. Clean windows and sills
17. Clean out the pantry
18. Mop floor
19. Wipe down all appliances (stove, fridge, Vita-Mix, ect. )
20. Deep clean and shine sink
21. Deep clean stove
22. Wipe down interior of cabinets and pantry
23. Mop floor, wipe down and de-grease the backsplash
24. Wipe down all walls and baseboards
25. Dust light fixtures and vent covers
26. Wipe down all appliances (stove, fridge, Vita-Mix, ect. )
27. Deep clean and shine sink
28. Mop floor
29. Organize pots and pans
30. Wipe down and de-grease the backsplash

Do you have any advice or tips to offer?

When I attended the Auto Show in Detroit last week I met lots of interesting business people and bloggers that is a large part of why it was so much fun. As I was standing in line to get into the Ford press conference I met Jonathan Marshall of Parks By Nature and we chatted for quite awhile about the company and their mobile apps. I just got a smart phone a couple months ago and my main reason for upgrading was to have access to apps that would make it easier to geocache and explore our city and state parks. Parks By Nature offers an app close to my heart, though sadly they do not have one for my state just yet. Even so, I wanted to recommend it for anyone who lives in a state where they have an app and also so you can keep an eye out for your state to become available, if they don’t have it yet.

Basically, it is a mobile tour guide of your state parks. It has maps of the trails and campgrounds, weather info, event info, and lots more. You can make reservations and plan your visit using the app as well as use it to navigate if you get a little lost. From what I can tell it is very well done (ie user friendly) and very attractive to the eye as well. The rep that I met was also very excited and passionate about what they do and how it can benefit families.

If it is one of your New Year’s goals to get out and do some local exploring or take a Staycation in your own state check out Parks By Nature and @PocketRanger on Twitter. Enjoy!

One of the really fun things I got to do on my trip to Detroit for the auto show (NAIAS ) was go to the Henry Ford Museum. I got to see an exhibit that has not opened to the public yet AND had a catered dinner right there among all the amazing cars. I felt kinda bad being there without my Dad though… he would have loved it! I did however, get to have dinner with some amazing green mom friends.

As a big history buff I just love museums so this was right up my alley even if cars really aren’t.

The highlights for me had to be the car Kennedy was in when he was assassinated…

The chair Abraham Lincoln was sitting in when he was assassinated…

And Rosa Park’s Bus.

We even got to sit inside the bus. Amazing.

My daughter thought Kennedy’s car and Lincoln’s chair were morbid when I showed her the photos. It was a very solemn experience seeing them and one I won’t soon forget. That is what I love about history, how it can reach out and grab you, and make you teary eyed even many years after the fact. It makes us think, and remember, and think some more. It makes us wonder what we would do if we were put in certain historical situations. Would we be that brave? Would we be that honorable? Would we stand for that injustice?

#FordNAIAS

** Ford Motor Company paid for my travel and accommodations at the 2-day Innovation and Design Fantasy Camp event, I was not compensated in any other manner for my time. Opinions posted here are my own.**

Six years ago today on Friday the 13th I got the most wonderful gift… my last child, Mr. Parker. For years we called him Parkoo because that is what my then one year old daughter called him. Despite the fact that I was nursing him in tandem with his sister he was still the fattest little breastfed baby ever. Scrumptious! Of all my kids he has been the easiest and he does things in his own time and way. He hated co-sleeping and wanted to sleep in a crib until he hit the ripe old age of three, when HE decided he was ready for the family bed. He sleeps with me still and requires that my hand be touching him in some way before he can fall asleep.

He didn’t talk until four years old, save for a few words and he has this rather odd habit of pacing constantly. He dresses in costume almost every day… Ninja, pirate, superhero, etc. He refuses to have his hair cut but you’d better NOT call him a girl, even if he is wearing a black velvet blouse that he picked out himself from the women’s section of the thrift store. He doesn’t like to kiss on the lips but he is happy to kiss your cheek or arm or give you lots of hugs. He is a total mama’s boy and this mama is CRAZY about him.

Happy Birthday baby!

Yesterday kicked off the winter hiking series at our local Columbus Metro Parks. I have said it before but it is always worth repeating… the Columbus Metro Parks are pure awesomeness. All year long they arrange fun stuff for families and it is usually free.

Where I was raised a patch of green grass with a baseball diamond and a swing set was called a park. Here the parks are full of wild, forested land and swamps, ponds, or rivers with trails winding through. Each park is diverse and unique and it is so fun to explore them all. Our very first hiking experience in Ohio was organized via the park system and the winter hiking series. We have been hooked ever since. Our house is sandwiched between the larger Blacklick Woods (where we went yesterday) and a quarry park. This was not accidental.

Yesterday we set out and let my youngest choose what trail to follow… red or blue. He chose blue, the 4 mile trail versus the 2 mile.

It was in the 40s so not too cold, although too cold for what my husband dressed in… shorts and t-shirt. The trails were also super muddy because the snow that covered the ground all week finally melted. We were all pretty dirty by the time the hike was done.

Afterwards there was free hot cocoa and Snowville Creamery Chocolate Milk (a local dairy). There was also a fire and marshmallows. Had to pull up a hay bale and enjoy that too.

There was a more substantial vegetarian minestrone soup but we passed on that. In previous years it was so hot the kids couldn’t eat for about 20 minutes and this little pit stop wasn’t the end of the hike… still more to go. Mom and dad didn’t eat any because it had pasta/wheat in it. I did have a toasted marshmallow though and I snuck some sips of hot cocoa. Those kind of foods have gone extinct in our house but what can do when you happen across them in the wild?

Good exercise, good fun, and my fave people on the planet. Can’t wait for hike #2 at Sharon Woods!

Occasionally I do a link round up to highlight all the cool stuff I have come across lately. It is also nice to do a more “fluffy” post when I am short on time and that I am right now. I leave this weekend for Detroit to attend Ford’s Innovation & Design Fantasy Camp and NAIAS, (#FordNAIAS). I was invited by Ford and they are putting me up while I am there. They also invited several of my green bloggy friends and we will hopefully get to pal around while there so I am very excited. I will get to see the entire design process from start to finish and see what they have planned as far as green technology goes.

Okay, so cool links…

Liked this short and sweet post from Ruth’s Real Food, Does Your Bathroom Stink? Don’t Buy Air Freshener. Change Your Diet. I have said to people before that if they are asking my advice about what natural deodorant to use that maybe they need to figure out what in their diet is making them stink in the first place. Sometimes I think that makes me come across a bit holier than thou I think… you know, like my you know what don’t stink. BUT honestly I find that I only smell bad if my diet has also been bad. The stinky bathroom issue is the same.

LOVE this link that shoes you how to make Upcycled Sweater Boots. Amazing!

Recently had a couple people ask me about what type of strainer to use for making Kefir since metal mesh strainers are generally considered a no-no. They are harder to find but you can get nylon mesh strainers. Here is one on Amazon.

A great article from Richard Louv: NATURE’S OWN STIMULUS PACKAGE: 7 Ways to Improve Our Lives in Tough Economic Times. When money is tight it is easy to feel like life sucks and we don’t have money to do anything fun. This is a very limited way to see things. “A nature stimulus package — may be just what the doctor and the economist ordered.”

I have been enjoying Simple Mom’s ebook One Bite at a Time – 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler. Perfect for the New Year! You can get it only for only $4.00 using code HAPPYNEWYEAR (till Jan. 10). It covers 52 common projects that many take on during the year, or attempt to, and helps you work through them in steps. It’s really a marvelous value for the price.

Others books I am reading include: Lights Out: Sleep, Sugar, and Survival and The Magnesium Miracle.

I made the primal meatloaf from this recipe and OH MY GOODNESS it was GOOD! There are apples in the meatloaf instead of crackers or bread. My kids devoured it and asked me to make it once a week at least. I am not big on using ground beef since my gall bladderless body can’t handle grease (ala no burgers for me) but this was not a problem with this dish. All the grease pooled around the meatloaf so I just pulled it out and let it drain a bit on a towel before serving. No tummy issues. On a side note I am wondering if I should be taking bile salts and digestive enzymes since I am eating a lot more fats and I have no gall bladder. This is something I need to research.

Soon we will be confronted with Thin Mints again. I appreciated this article Girl Scout Cookies or Chemicals? It has an ingredient list inside the post and boy oh boy are those babies bad for us. I think it is time we stop buying this processed crap and act like we are doing a GOOD thing for kids. Or maybe I am just bitter because I tried to get my daughter into Girl Scouts this year and was told they are full unless I want to become a leader and start my own troop.

Have a GREAT weekend all!

Many bloggers are listing their most popular posts of the previous year and I probably would not have followed suit but a reader asked me to, so here I go. In terms of traffic here are the most popular posts of the past year:

10 New Ways to Cook Quinoa - Over 20,000 people have visited this post and I didn’t write it until late summer. Wow! I hope it has provided Quinoa cooking ideas for lots of people.

Are You Eating the 30 Healthiest Foods? – I listed the healthiest foods selected by a popular magazine to see how many of them I was eating or not and why.

Six Benefits of Eating Locally Grown Foods – Why we should high tail it out of the chain grocery store and into the farmer’s market.

The Dangers of Soy – My horrendous experience with soy. I let my guard down and I started consuming a protein bar that had soy in it. It did devastating things to my health and it is the gift that just keeps on giving unfortunately.

Natural Sunburn Remedies – Tips and ideas for recovering from a sunburn.

Bringing Food Preservation Back To Our Kitchens – The lost art of food preservation.

Tips on Avoiding Food Waste – Most people in affluent countries waste food left and right but we can tame that beast with some creativity and planning.

Eco Friendly & Sustainable Dollhouses – Turning a classic toy and into a green toy.

Greener Tips for Healthy Skin – Reading this post again was a great reminder to break out the magnesium oil again. I need it!

Okabashi Recyclable Shoes and Flip-Flops – A greener shoe option that I reviewed.

Okay, so that is what drew the most readers in. My personal faves would include some of the above but I would also add:

Happy With What You Have – Feng Shui Tips for the Home – I am a big Feng Shui enthusiast.

Creating a Real Foods Kitchen – This was a very recent post but already gaining in popularity.

The Power of Reclaiming Domesticity

Living the Minimalist Lifestyle

Transitioning Kids to REAL Food

Here is to 2012!!

One of the things I thought I would have do without after deciding to go grain free was pancakes. Honestly I was not that sad though since I am not a big pancake eater. Of course that was before I tried these coconut pancakes. Now we have a nice treat for Saturday or Sunday mornings when all of us are together and oh my goodness they are divine! Yum!

I don’t want to list the exact recipe since we got it from The Primal Blueprint Cookbook but it would be a very wise time investment to pick it up at the library so you can try them yourself. The bulk of them is made of coconut flour, coconut milk, butter or coconut oil, eggs, and honey. We did not have any maple syrup though and we can only get the fake stuff nearby so we opted to make compote. We don’t usually buy blackberries out of season but I figured it was better than Giant Eagle brand syrup. The compote is just blackberries, honey, and coconut milk. Also on the plate is local, nitrate free sausage.

I highly recommend these pancakes! You won’t miss grains at all.

Neem is a tree in the Mahogany family and all parts of this tree, oil, bark, leaves and fruit, have long been used for medicinal purposes in India. The health benefit claims of Neem range from helping dry skin to treatment of diabetes and certain kinds of cancers. Unfortunately, there have been few scientific studies done on the various components of this tree so there is little scientific evidence to support the health benefit claims of Neem.

However, when you look at the fact that Neem is anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-septic and anti-fungal common sense will tell you that Neem would have certain health benefits as an anti-septic spray helping to fight and prevent infection. The anti-viral and anti-fungus properties make it a good choice to clear up nail fungus. And when used as a skin cream/oil it can ease itchiness, redness and dryness. A good product for itchiness is the Neem based Anti-itch Formula from Daniel’s Promise. We got to use some at the tail end of summer and it seemed to work well for my oldest boy, who is like a bug beacon. I have also been using it with success on dry and itchy winter skin with success.

But, perhaps one of the best health benefits of Neem is it’s use as an insecticide. Unlike most insecticides on the market today that use harmful chemicals Neem uses no harmful chemicals and is perfectly safe to ingest yet it has been proven to be an effective insecticide which means that eating produce treated with neem can be made safer and healthier than ever before. In addition, because Neem is not harmful to animals or to the environment using it as an insecticide protects our ground water and the rest of our environment as well as reducing the chemicals in the soil and the water. The result is not only healthier food to eat, but, healthier water to drink as well.

While it has not yet been proven it is also believed that Neem can modify imbalances that cause diabetes, digest ailments, and some nervous disorders as well as it may be a natural contraceptive. It also works as a natural insect repellent for both adults and children and may help prevent a number of skin disorders. Neem may also prevent plaque.

While most of the evidence supporting the health benefits of Neem is based on centuries of anecdotal evidence it should be understood that this is often the case with any kind of herbal medicine. The fact is, most of the medicinal qualities of Neem were discovered long before modern medicine and for many years modern medicine focused it’s studies on developing synthetic medications that mimicked the characteristics of healing plants rather than study the plants themselves. It has only been in recent year with so many synthetic prescription medications coming under fire for their dangerous side effects that scientists have begun studying the healing plant themselves to determine their benefits.

While Neem may not have all the health benefits that anecdotal evidence proclaims but, there is little doubt that this plant and all it’s parts have many health benefits both for us and for the environment.

A company called The Conscious Box recently contacted me and asked if they could send me one of their “boxes”. I had never heard of the company before but I was familiar with what they were offering. I have seen it in one other place and fell in love with the concept. For whatever reason I never ordered though. Instead I would just see a link or a mention somewhere and think to myself that “gee I need to order of one of those” and then promptly forget. Thanks to this inventive company I finally got my goodie box! It is just as fun and exiting as I suspected it would be.

The idea is that you buy a monthly subscription and get a box filled with mystery goodies delivered to your door each month. You have no idea what will be in the box only that it will be a mish mesh of green and ethical goodies. Each month you get pure and natural products from organic food to vegan beauty supplies. The companies behind the products are all ethical and purpose driven businesses and the hope is that you will discover and fall in love with some wonderful new products and companies. You get to support companies that are working to make a happier, healthier planet, and a healthier you with natural and safe products. There is a card in the box with tips for ways to reuse the cardboard box your goodies came in. LOVED the idea to use it as a window box and plant flowers in it or use it as a picture frame! Attached to the box is a card with the monthly theme. For November it was gratitude, which is an easy sell when you open such a yummy box. The little quotes about gratitude were awesome at any rate.

I think the reason I love this concept so much is because I love surprises. Getting a surprise box every month is so much fun and I get to try stuff I might not otherwise have tried. Almost every single thing in the box was new to me. Woot! This is what came inside my November box:

A Mary’s Gone Crackers Double Chocolate Cookie – Yum! Dark, rich chocolate and by a company that makes several crackers that I love. I had no idea they made cookies though. Guess I haven’t been to Whole Foods in awhile. The only issue I had is that it has soy in it. As you may know… soy and I are not on good terms.

Funky Monkey Dried Pink Pineapple – Another yum. Major yum. They are vegan, raw, and gluten free. My kids descended on these like vultures and begged that we keep buying. These would be perfect for school lunches IMO.

Living Nutz Bodacious Banana Bread Walnuts – We are not newbies to Living Nutz. They are fracking awesome in our estimation. We had never had the Banana Bread Walnuts though. Yummo! They do in fact taste just like banana bread. You can buy them at Raw Food World.

KIND Almond and Coconut Bar – I have seen these around but never tried one before. Whoa baby they are good!

Honest Kids Tropical Tango Punch – What can you say about juice boxes really? My 5 year old drank it up and claimed to liked it, LOL. They are organic, contain half the calories and sugar of most children’s drinks, and have no high fructose corn syrup.

CocoaWell Pills- These I had never seen before. Apparently they give you a dose of cocoa without the calories and fat you would get from eating chocolate. The cocoa is infused with green tea and acacia catechu – nature’s richest sources of pure plant flavanols. Fair trade!

Glee Gum – We got mint and lemon-lime. Glee Gum is a natural gum alternative, with no preservatives, artificial flavorings, or colorings. It is also the only gum on the market which contains chicle in its gum base. It is not 100% plastic free gum but it comes much closer than other gum products. My 11 year old son liked the mint flavor and my 7 year old daughter HATED the lemon-lime for the record.

Pharmacopia Organic Verbena Body Lotion and Body Wash – These two smell divine, that’s for sure. Since we don’t buy products like these they seemed like a super luxurious shower treat. Formulated with certified organic ingredients and an aromatherapy blend of essential oils.

100% Pure Nourishing Cream – We got Vanilla Bean and Green Apple. – Haven’t tried them personally since I am not big on lotion and I don’t have a need for it really but I suspect I will enjoy them sometime this winter.

Loved the experience of getting this box and I will definitely have to become a subscriber!

Anyway I selected the Jambu Nottingham Barefoot boots. They come with grey/black, brown/blue, and red/black color scheme options. I chose the brown/blue. I love that they can be worn up past the calf as a high boot but yet rolled down to mid calf for a shorter boot. It is like getting two pairs of boots in one. The former would be perfect for tighter pants and the latter for bulkier pants and jeans. They actually are minimalist as well. It’s very much like wearing pair of barefoot shoes, but slightly heavier and much warmer. The fit is very snug, which is going to take a bit of getting used to for me because usually, if I am not wearing five fingers (were all my toes can stretch out), I am wearing flip flops or other shoes chosen specially for their “roominess”. Though I suspect that come winter and the temperature dips to 10 degrees, the snugness won’t bother me as much. I can see some nice leisurely strolls at our local parks this winter, sporting these boots.

The upper part of the boot is a knit material (bonus for natural fibers) and the bottom part is nylon. You would expect that in a winter boot though. I am not sure what the inner liner is made of, but it is soft and comfy. The outsoles are made with partially recycled rubber, rice rubber to be exact. This allows flexibility and natural motion which emulates the one of a kind feeling that only walking on sand can give you. They are warm, comfy, and very minimalist. Other than being a bit too snug for my personal liking, they are a perfect minimalist shoes option for winter. In my estimation they run at least a half size small, so ordering up might fix that.

What are you wearing this winter?

************************************

Many thanks to Jambu for sending me a pair of shoes from their Fall line!

1. What are some of the most prominent breastfeeding myths that you encounter?

It is amazing how many myths seem to circulate among new moms. One of the most common is that moms need to “drain” their breasts. It is true that some women will feel very full, nurse their babies, and then feel “empty” afterwards, but that is not necessarily true for most women. Some women never feel full, and never feel “drained”, yet their babies are satisfied after they have been fed. The truth is that a breast is never really “drained” because when milk is drawn out of a breast the brain receives the message to refill the breast again with milk. Therefore, rather than worrying about feeling empty or drained, a woman should give her baby the amount of milk the baby needs to feel satisfied and to produce six to eight wet diapers within a twenty-four hour period. If this basic guideline is followed, then the healthy mother’s breast and brain will learn how to adjust to the baby’s needs, regardless of the mother’s own sensations.

2. What tips do you think will help women overcome most breastfeeding obstacles they come across?

Some women give birth, plop their baby on the breast, and the mom and baby breastfeed happily for years without any problems. Unfortunately, that is not the typical scenario and most women and babies take a while to learn the art of breastfeeding. There are women who get sore nipples, while others have babies who do not seem satisfied, and some moms get engorged breasts. In general, the remedy to most of these problems is twofold. First, make sure that the baby has a good deep latch onto the breast, and then see to it that the baby is swallowing milk and not just hanging out. If this simple but essential advice does not produce the desired results, the good news is that most breastfeeding problems can be overcome with a competent lactation consultant, patience, and a good sense of humor.

3. Can childbirth affect the breastfeeding experience?

After twenty years of working with mothers and babies I can safely say that the birth experience does have an impact on the breastfeeding experience. Medication used during labor does seem to affect most babies, often making it more difficult for them to coordinate the suck-swallow-breath pattern that is necessary for a baby to master breastfeeding. This is not to say that some women who have fabulous labors and deliveries won’t have babies that don’t nurse well, or in the reverse, that women who have horrible labors and deliveries can have the best nursing babies. However, a woman should know that a baby usually needs to be very alert in order to learn how the breast works, and that both the medications given during labor, as well as the position of the woman during childbirth can impact upon that learning process, making it easier or more difficult for the newborn to breastfeed.

4. Does diet have an effect on breastfeeding?

It is fascinating to know that breast milk stays consistent in its vitamin and mineral content across the world, no matter what a woman eats. This means that if you were to test the breast milk of two moms whose babies are the same age, the vitamin and mineral content of their breast milk will be practically the same, even when the mothers’ diets are completely different. This is true because the body produces breast milk to match the needs of the growing child. Therefore, it is safe to say that it doesn’t really matter what the mother eats because the breast milk will be consistent and healthy according to the developmental needs of the infant. That said, many babies are, nevertheless, affected by what their mothers eat due to individual health issues. Some babies will get blood in their stools if the mother consumes dairy, while others will cry horribly if their mother drinks orange juice. Although each mother-baby dyad is different, as a general rule-of-thumb, it is best for moms to stick to a high protein and vegetable diet, with fruits and whole grains mixed in. (And please try to limit the dairy products. You don’t need to consume milk in order to produce milk.)

5. What advice would you offer to busy moms you have to juggle breastfeeding and an outside job?

Juggling breastfeeding and an outside job is definitely challenging. Some women are advised to rent a hospital-grade pump to leave at their work place, in order to pump while being away from the baby. This may work for some women, but not for most. Although there are women who are fabulous pumpers and can mechanically express ounces of milk while at work, there are others who cannot manage to pump at all, which leaves them majorly depressed. However, it should be known that the success of pumping depends on several factors. One of the factors has to do with the location of the milk producing ducts which are within the breast. Some women’s ducts are so far back into the breast that they are never properly compressed while pumping. Another factor to consider is how well the flange of the pump part fits the particular woman. The majority of flanges available fit only a very small percentage of the population, resulting in only a small number of woman who can properly pump. Finally, one must take into consideration the power of the pump itself. And there’s no way around this one, it’s just that same old story, the more expensive pumps do work better. So, my general advice to women is this: if you pump well, then pump when you are at work, but if you do not pump well, then just give your baby formula while you are at work and don’t stress yourself over it. But, still the most important advice is breastfeed and talk with your precious baby as much as you can when you are not working.

Many thanks to Sara Chana for taking the time to answer some questions!

I have to admit that I am not terribly great at “play”. I do lots of stuff with my kids and I am a very attentive and involved parents but actually playing with my kids has always been a struggle for me. Sure we play around often with tickling or thumb wars, little stuff like that, but kicking a ball around in the yard, playing catch, or playing dolls or dinosaurs is not really something that comes easy to me. So for me it does take some planning to make sure my kids actually see me being a playful parent. Some of the ways we play are below…

Board Games – This kinda play is a-okay with me. We have lots of games and we play pretty often. It could be UNO or could be an educational game that teaches about medicinal uses for herbs. Its all good! My husband, my two older kids, and I all play online games as well. Hubby plays with our oldest son and my daughter and I often play together as well.

Car Games – Long drives are a great time to play as well… SlugBug (with no hitting), I Spy, the license plate game. We love them, they give us an opportunity to play, and they keep kids occupied.

Nature Play- Every year we do a series of winter hikes put on by our local Metro Parks system. There are usually about a dozen or more and they are a great way to see every park in full winter glory and be together as a family. By playing nature identification games along the way and by encouraging everyone to compete against their own hike times it makes it more fun for everyone. We also go sledding a couple times a year. This year we plan to try a new adventure and go Snow Tubing at Mad River. Can’t wait!! If we can find some good, used equipment we would also like to start cross country skiing and snowboarding.

In the warmer months we play together at festivals and do other organized activities. Indoor and outdoor golf is something we all love. Mini golf as a family and the driving range with Daddy for my two oldest. My husband and son like to attend Big Game Day at a local paintball place too. Despite my aversion to be bruised from head to toe by paintballs, I have decided to attend the next one in the spring with them. It was important to my son to share his love of this game with both parents. So now I have to find some second hand fatigues and it is ON!

This past weekend we took the kids apple picking again and we had a blast running through the orchard rows and lifting the kids so they could reach the highest (and juiciest apples). It was also fun to kick errant apples out of the main walkway so no one would trip on them. This upcoming weekend we plan to push our kids around inside tractor tires at Pigeon Roost Farm.

Indoor Play – We have at least one hard core roller skate/roller blade enthusiast and it makes sense since both my husband and I skated several hours a day for most of of our childhoods and many of our dates were spent at skate parks. Taking the kids to roller rinks is fun for all. We are also lucky to have indoor water parks that can be used during any weather. Spraying each other with water, riding double on the lazy river, going down terrifying water slides and screaming, together … it is what occupied the latter half of this past weekend actually. For any Columbus locals who read, we went to Coco Key Water Resort at Cherry Valley Lodge. LOVED it! We actually live 5 minutes away from the Fort Rapids Indoor Water Park but CoCo Key has frequent specials and group buy deals. We just bought 5 more days passes to Coco Key yesterday (via a group buy site) that we will use around Christmas time.

Affordable Fun – I know some people hate group sites like Groupon and Living Social but we use these sites primarily to buy tickets for events and play opportunities. Water resort passes, tours at historic places, museum passes, mini golf, paintball 2 for 1 deals, skiing passes, etc. It makes it a lot easier to play when you can afford to do really fun stuff and these sites can make that possible for 50-60% off the normal prices.

So, that is how we get our play on… what about you? How do you play with your kids?

This post is part of Green Moms Weekly. Join yourself by blogging about the weekly question or read what other moms have to say including Rachel at Happy Green Babies (this is where you can join in), Carrie at Natural Moms Talk Radio, Terry at Green Choices for You, and Emily at The Crunchy Coach. Enjoy!

The weather is getting cool, nights are getting darker, life is moving a little bit slower, and things are winding down in your summer garden. But perhaps you don’t want to give up gardening just yet. Heck the weather is perfect for outdoor enjoyment right? There are still some gardening tips and strategies that you can employ to get you back outside and some dirt under your fingernails. You can add some color and life to your garden, and prepare it for winter. Depending on where you live, fall can be a very busy time in the garden. Here are some ideas:

Earthy Colors!!

Fall is a beautiful and colorful season, and you can add some of that color to your garden this time of year. Chrysanthemums (mums) come in a variety of yellows, bronzes, reds, and purples and they are a very popular flower this time of year so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding them at your local nursery. It’s worth noting, however, that mums will return each year – they’re perennials. So take that into consideration as you decide on their placement in your garden.

Get the Weeds Before They Seed

Weeds plagued you all summer and if you get a bit lazy, fall is the time when many will go to seed, sending the makings of next year’s plant invasion all over your yard. Thankfully, fall can be rainy (it has been in Ohio), and wet soil is easier to pull or hoe weeds. Get rid of those unsightly things now and you’ll thank yourself next spring.

You can also get on top of weed control in the fall by laying down several layers of newspaper or cardboard on top of your garden beds or soil once the plants are spent. Anchor the newspapers/cardboard with rocks or soil and, by the time spring arrives, the weeds will have been deprived of the light and air they need to sprout. The organic material will also start to decompose, which enriches your soil.

Take Care With Your Tools

Investing in good garden tools is just one of the ways we make the gardening process easier and more efficient. At the end of the season take care to clean your tools and hang them in the shed or garage for storage so they will not get rusty and/or broken.

Plant Bulbs

When fall is in the air, it’s time to think ahead and put spring in the ground. There are a variety of bulbs that need to be planted in the fall and it is so easy to do. Dig a hole, drop the bulb in, cover it up, and go have a glass of apple cider. Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinths, Crocuses, and Allium (my fave!) are typically planted in the fall so they can complete their growth cycle in time to come up in spring. If you grow garlic, it will need to be put into the garden in the fall as well. Plan out the places where you want the flowers to bloom in spring and make sure it is an area with good drainage. A little work now will bring you so much happiness in the spring.

Trees and Shrubs

Now is a good time to prune back trees and shrubs, including shrub roses. It’s also a good time to plant them. In the fall, trees and shrubs are in a dormant state, and the planting and pruning are less shocking to the plant.

The growing season is winding down but there is still MUCH to do! What are doing in the garden right now?

The Box Appetit has removable nesting containers so that half your lunch can be heated while the other half can remain cold.

The bento lunchbox is a smaller, sleeker version. Its unique design, deep tray and sauce container make it easy to use as a take-out container and to enjoy any meal on-the-go.

Enjoy!

It is that time of year so I  have been posting regularly about greening the upcoming school year. I have been doing this for a couple years so it is habit now but yet even I need reminders and motivation sometimes. Going to Walmart and tossing the cheapest stuff in the cart as fast as you possibly can is certainly tempting when your to-do and  your to-buy list is super long. If it were easy all the time then it wouldn’t be called “making an impact” would it? Even green parents can start to run low on steam and that is why I am loving the Green Your School Year challenge from Recyclebank.

Recyclebank is a community I first discovered a year of so ago. It is a place where a community of 2 million members keep track of their goals and successes while keeping it green. This is facilitated by great information and pledges to do just a little more. For this school year they kicked off a challenge to help parents keep the school experience green. In the first phase you walk through a nifty tutorial for shopping for greener school supplies. Right off the bat they recommended carpooling with another parent or family so you are conserving resources just making the trip to your local store. This was a step that escaped my mind for sure. Pledge to carpool and you get your first 10 points in the challenge!

Next up… pledge to buy green, recyclable, or recycled school supplies for another 10 points. As an added bonus they also have a download for you with a checklist of items to check/consider when researching companies and brands that you may purchase from. I love, love, love that they encourage people to research the ethics, certifications, and integrity of the companies and products you want to purchase.

The next screen had two quiz questions.. which I got right. Ding, ding! No doubt this feature is designed to help educate us on what to look for in these products and also make us aware of trends in family spending. They should turn this into a video game. ;) A link follows this page and and it provides a resource for you to recycle qualifying electronics and they offer up to 200 bonus points in return. I saved this info for future use.

Further on there more polls and informative links for keeping school supplies sustainable, including the wardrobe. It was a VERY fun tutorial and I enjoyed participating. I think I got all the available points could, minus the extra credit recycling points but I may end up finding some stuff to recycle and claim some of those too. When the challenge concludes they will be awarding some great prizes to some lucky winners including Bodhi Electric Bicycles (Yowza!), a solar backpack, gift certificates to department stores and grocers, lunch kits, vitamins, etc.

The next phase, which starts in a couple days is all about the first day of school. So after you join up and claim your points for greening the school shopping experience, make sure to check back with Recyclebank for the first day challenge. Good luck!

This post is part of a campaign sponsored by Recyclebank.

The kind folks at Shambhala Publications sent me a book recently that they knew would be right up my alley. Despite the fact that I blog about a more natural family life, getting out in nature, homesteading, etc I do it from the viewpoint of someone who lives in the city. I can see the Columbus city skyline from the top floor of my house. I actually love city living but I I feel it is important to bring in those parts of rural life where we can. This is why we garden, make our own yogurt and kefir, drink out of Ball jars, and lead simple “country” lives whilst living in the city. Heck if we had a fenced yard we’d be raising chickens too. In both major cities I have lived in… Phoenix, Arizona, and now Columbus, Ohio I chose a home based upon its proximity to nature. You can have the best of both worlds.

I want my kids to enjoy nature and feel it is an important part of their lives. We are lucky enough to have access to beautiful and wild metro parks, creeks, ponds, and farmland all around the city. Getting out in nature is not hard if we get in the car and drive just a bit… or walk. The design and sprawl of some cities though might make this hard for other parents which is why I love the ideas in It’s a Jungle Out There!: 52 Nature Adventures for City Kids. It is written by the same gal, Jennifer Ward, that wrote the book I Love Dirt, which we also have in our personal library. It is  full of good, useful ideas for helping city kids “connect” with nature. After that, all they need is an adventurous spirit and the will to get outdoors.

The book has a retro look and feel which I liked right off the bat. The illustrations (by Susie Ghahremani) remind me of something you see in Peter Rabbit. The adorable pictures just made it that more fun to read but the real gem is the content. It is organized by season, which I love. In the spring section is has ideas for creating a wild space for children, getting familiar with worms and seeds, playing nature observation games, and studying birds. In summer there are activities for sidewalk fun, bug watching at night, getting messy in ponds and puddles, and finding animal nests in the city. In Fall there were more crafty ideas mixed in among the games and activities. In winter there is lots of observation going on as well as snow play activities.

I had fun reading through it myself while the kids were outside playing and I know that we do not have much trouble finding fun nature activities but if we do this is a great resource. This book would serve very well as part of a larger homeschool curriculum too and perhaps it will since we will be donating our copy to the local library system.

It can be educational and just plain fun as you take full advantage of whatever green space your city offers. Nature can be found among the tall buildings, traffic, and general busyness of the city. All it takes is the will and a little creativity.

How do you get your city kids outside?