Fight a Cold Naturally and Win!

USDA photo. Image Number K3644-12. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Exposure to cold germs is inevitable and most people get at least one or two colds per year.  My husband and I recently felt the symptoms of the common cold coming on – scratchy throat, sneezing, slight headache, runny nose – and we stopped it dead in its tracks!   Besides following a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables to maintain a strong immune system, the key is to attack it with natural remedies the minute you feel those initial symptoms.  The first thing I do is take Coldcalm, a homeopathic medicine you can buy at CVS.  Follow the directions exactly.  I also take extra Vitamin C (from supplements and Vitamin C rich foods) and Echinacea to boost my immune system.  American Indians chewed Echinacea root for centuries to treat colds and flu.  I drink several cups of hot water with a couple of tablespoons of fresh ginger (or powdered), cinnamon, lemon, and honey, which helps wash the virus right out.  Ginger contains nearly a dozen anti-viral compounds and has several chemicals that are particularly effective against common cold viruses.  The lemon is rich in Vitamin C and the cinnamon and honey add healthy flavor.  Adequate rest is important too.

Sometimes however, your body just succumbs to a cold and the symptoms worsen.  To the above remedies, add the tried and true cure of chicken soup with lots of garlic and onion, which contain several helpful anti-viral compounds including allicin, a potent, broad-spectrum natural antibiotic.  If you don’t mind the taste and smell of garlic, a soup made only with garlic, broth and parsley  is especially effective in lessening the duration of a cold.  Elderberry contains compounds that are active against flu viruses and offers relief from fever and muscle aches.  You can find elderberry syrup in the wellness section at Whole Foods and natural food stores.  Slippery elm is a safe and effective throat soother and cough suppressant.  It has actually been used for over 150 years and the FDA has now declared it to be effective in fighting throat and respiratory symptoms related to colds.  I also take Coldeze, a zinc product sold at CVS, which seems to shorten the length of a cold.

The above remedies are only suggestions that have worked for my family and me.  If you take medication and/or have severe or persistent symptoms, always consult a doctor.

One of my readers sent me some information about Shaklee’s Defend & Resist Product. It contains Echinacea, Elderberry Extract and Elderberry juice concentrate, Zinc and Larch Tree and works best if you start it just when you feel that first tickle and continue for 7 days.  You can chew it, dissolve and sip like a tea, or swallow. Sounds like an effective cold fighter to me!

Some information compiled from The Green Pharmacy by James A. Duke, Ph.D.

 

 

Green Moving

My husband and I are selling our house where we have spent 28 happy, important years. We raised our family here, expanding and changing the house as our family grew.  Now that the kids have gone, it’s time for another loving family.  We will move to a smaller place where we can lessen our carbon footprint.

I am sorting through years and years of accumulated “stuff”, making piles for giveaway, piles for recycling, piles for storage, piles for the kids. Vietnam Veterans, Big Brother/Big Sister, the Epilepsy Foundation and other service organizations gladly come to your home for unwanted items still in good shape or you can drop them off in their donation bins. Freecycle.org is another way to get rid of things.  Our town dump recycles electronics, appliances, books, metal, and clothes.  They also have a “dumptique” where you can dispose of discarded items – you barely get out of the car before someone grabs something!

I curse all the technology around the house that is obsolete almost immediately and comes with way too much packaging and the ubiquitous wires, plugs, and chargers that go with only one device.  I can’t believe all the CDs that no one listens to and cameras that no one uses now that we all have smart phones.  It’s shocking how quickly video games, players, and VHS tapes are outdated.   They can be donated thankfully, to thrift stores and freecycle.org.

Then, there are those things that can’t be donated or recycled and that I just can’t throw into the landfill, like dried-up make-up,  partly used personal care products, old partially used paint cans, spent markers and pens, half-burned petroleum-based candles, the countless samples doctors give out that definitely shouldn’t end up in the water table – the list goes on and on.  These items pose a real challenge.   GreenAmerica.org posted a list of where to recycle all sorts of unusual plastics like old yoga mats, Brita pitcher filters, and technotrash, and there are websites that offer ideas for reusing and crafting items like torn blue jeans. Unfortunately however, some items have to be thrown away.

It’s a lot of work to dispose of things properly, but it feels good, it’s cathartic.  I keep coming back to the thought however, that we all have way too much stuff!  Recycle, yes, reuse yes, but let’s reduce too!  Now, in my next phase the key is not to re-accumulate!  Who needs anything anyway?

If you aren’t familiar with Annie Leonard’s “The Story of Stuff”, it’s really worth watching this clever 20-minute animated documentary about the lifecycle of material goods.  Click here to visit her website.

 

Frozen Lemons

One of my readers sent me a write-up about the secret of frozen lemons.  Rather than just using the lemon juice and wasting the rest of this nutrient-rich fruit, freeze it.  Wash it first and once frozen, grate the unpeeled lemon and add it to salads, soups, stews, ice cream, cookie dough, chicken and fish dishes, rice, martinis, whatever, for much added nutrition and taste.  What a great idea!

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We all know that lemons are chock full of Vitamin C, which helps to neutralize free radicals linked to aging and most types of disease, as well as fight colds and flu.  But did you know that lemons contain more health benefitting nutrients than other citrus fruits like oranges or tangerines?  They contain citric acid, flavonoids, B-complex vitamins, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and fiber.   Surprisingly, the lemon peel contains as much as 5 to 10 times more vitamins than the lemon juice.  Below is a list of some of the many benefits of this powerful and flavorful little fruit:

• Lemons contain more potassium than apples or grapes.
• Lemons help restore balance to the body’s pH even though they are acidic.
• Lemons help detoxify the liver and improve regularity.  A large glass of water with fresh lemon juice is an important way to start the day.
• The citric acid in lemon juice helps to dissolve gallstones, calcium deposits, and kidney stones. 
• The lemon peel contains the potent phytonutrient tangeretin, which has been proven to be effective for brain disorders like Parkinson’s disease.
• Lemons have powerful antibacterial properties; experiments have found the juice of lemons destroy the bacteria of malaria, cholera, diphtheria, typhoid and other deadly diseases.  They can also destroy intestinal worms. 
• The Vitamin P (bioflavonoid) in lemons strengthens blood vessels and is useful in treating high blood pressure.
• Lemons contain 22 anti-cancer compounds, including naturally occurring limonene, which studies have shown slows or halts the growth of cancer tumors in animals.

As we make our way through what is being reported as a severe cold and flu season, throw a couple of lemons into the freezer and “grate” your way to good health!

 

Information compiled from www.care2.com and http://www.nutrition-and-you.com.

 

 

 

 

Paper Napkins or Cloth?

 

“In a Gentle Way You Can Shake the World.” – Gandhi

When I came across this wonderful quote, I started thinking about gentle changes that positively impact the earth.  One such change is to switch from paper to cloth napkins.  It sounds silly, but here is the math.  If 50% of the U.S. population used 3 paper napkins a day, that would total 450,000,000 napkins for 1 day or 164,250,000,000 napkins over a 1-year period.  That’s a staggering number of paper napkins!

The manufacture of both cloth and paper napkins obviously uses resources and energy. According to a report published by the Environmental Paper Network, however, the paper industry (which includes all paper products) is the 4th largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions among United States manufacturing industries, and accounts for 25% of landfill waste and 1/3 of municipal landfill waste.  Additionally, in the manufacture of paper napkins, the chlorine bleach used to whiten them contains toxic compounds and the dyes in decorative napkins are also questionable.  And, paper napkins are only used once!

napkins (Photo credit: pinprick)

Cloth napkins alternatively, can be used over and over, often lasting for generations.  They can be energy intensive too, but there are several ways to minimize their environmental impact.

• Unless it’s organic cotton, it’s best to avoid cotton cloth napkins.  Cotton is labeled the world’s “dirtiest” crop because of its heavy insecticide usage.  Instead use linen (which comes from the fibers of the flax plant), hemp, vintage or your own made from fabric remnants.

• Reuse cloth napkins for 2 or 3 days, depending on how dirty they get.  Buy different colored napkins for each member of the family.  I jokingly match the napkin color to each family member’s personality, my napkin being green of course.  You can also individualize napkin rings.

• Wash the napkins with regular loads of laundry with environmentally safe detergent, and air-dry them.  In addition to saving energy by air-drying them, I find I don’t have to iron them!

Paper napkins are clearly more convenient, and for entertaining large crowds, picnicking or eating on the run, they make sense. Just make sure to use recycled paper ones.  According to MotherNatureNetwork, “If every household in the U.S. replaced one package of virgin fiber napkins with 100 percent recycled ones, we could save 1 million trees.”

Most of the time, however, use cloth ones.  Dig out your grandmother’s beautiful linen napkins and find yourself brought back to a simpler, slower time when gathering around the dinner table for meals and conversation was routine. That’s a pretty gentle change to me!

Information compiled from greengroundswell.com, mnn.com and thedailygreen.com.

 

 

Green New Year’s Resolutions

2. New Year’s Resolutions (Photo credit: lism.)

The New Year is a time for starting fresh and making resolutions, some of which we keep and most of which we don’t.  This year go beyond the “lose weight, exercise more” typical resolutions and add some “green” ones.  Think back over the year to your newly acquired green habits and add to them.   For example, add one new item to your recycling that you have previously not recycled, like printer cartridges. (Staples recycles old printer cartridges and you can download mailing labels from HP to send back used ones.)  Recycle plastic bags at Whole Foods.  I keep a bag handy to store plastic bags and take them to Whole foods whenever I shop there.  Simple!  If you are not already bringing reusable bags to the grocery store, then start doing so.  If you are, add reusable produce bags, or bring reusable shopping bags on other errands as well.

Lower your carbon footprint one day a week by walking, biking or taking public transportation instead of driving.  Replace your light bulbs with energy-efficient CFL or LED lights.  One day a week eat vegetarian, a completely local dinner or even a raw meal. Try cutting out processed foods from your diet.  One day a week cut down on your appliance and technology usage or better yet, don’t use them at all.

Replace one of your conventional cleaning products with a non-toxic one.  Check out greenwithbetsy.com for simple recipes to make at home.  They work just as well and you will feel good knowing you are not breathing in toxins!

It only takes three weeks to make or break a habit, so start  your green resolutions now and they will soon become part of your daily routine. You may find you lose that weight and are exercising more simply by being more green!

Happy 2013!!!

Christmas Quote

“The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree:  the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.” – Burton Hillis  

This quote is quite poignant especially in light of the horrific tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut where Christmas this year and for years to come will never be the same.  I hope that one day, somehow, they will be “a happy family all wrapped up in each other” once again.  My heart and prayers go out to the 26 families who lost their loved ones and the entire Newtown community.  

On a personal note, I feel so fortunate to have all three of my kids home for Christmas this year.  Our family is scattered from one coast to the other, so it is even more meaningful. 

Happy Holidays to all! 

Making Jam The Old Fashioned Way

Last weekend my friend and I spent a fabulous morning at a jam making class at the Green Briar Nature Center in Sandwich on Cape Cod.  This post isn’t exactly a green tip, but rather a description of class that is a true throwback to an era when life was slower and simpler, a time when you cooked with ingredients you or your neighbors grew, a time when people took the time to talk to one another without smart phones, without Facebook, without Twitter.

The Green Briar Nature Center is located in a charming old house near a pond and adjacent to the famous Briar Patch of the Thornton Burgess’s children’s stories.  There are nature trails, a spectacular wildflower garden and a natural history library.  The center also offers year round weekly jam making classes in an old-fashioned, turn-of-the-century (and I mean the 20^th century!) kitchen.   The recipes are the originals from the early 1900’s; we made cranberry hot pepper jam. The cranberries were local and came from the farm next to ours in East Sandwich.  The ingredients and jam making utensils were nicely laid out for each participant.

My friend is an expert jam maker, but even for a novice like me it was easy.  Friendly volunteers guided us through each step, making sure when the jam was ready to be jarred, we did it correctly.   Lined up one right after the other, we chopped and stirred, talked and learned about each other’s lives, and asked questions of the more experienced jam makers.  It reminded me of the old quilting bees when woman would gather and sew and chat.  In this jam making class, men participate too.

Making Jam at the Green Briar Nature Center

What a pleasant respite from the hustle, bustle of the holiday season and a special way to spend time with a friend.  What a lovely gift homemade jelly makes!  The center also has a gift shop with more homemade jams and jellies as well as other handcrafted items.    I can’t think of a greener holiday gift than a morning at an authentic jam making class!  Visit www.thorntonburgess.org for more information.