25 February 2012

Seventh Generation Dish Soap Review

Seventh generation dish soap is the only dish soap I will use. It is plant derived, non-toxic, and free of dyes and synthetic fragrances. It is biodegradable and they do not test their products on animals. It comes in a 25 oz. bottle in 4 scent choices; Lavender Floral & Mint, Lemongrass & Clementine Zest, Fresh Citrus & Ginger, and Free & Clear. You can also get a 50 oz. bottle (Free & Clear and Lemongrass only). I can't decide which one I like best.

I like how they disclose all of their ingredients. Just last year they switched sodium laureth sulfate with sodium lauryl sulfate because they can remove 1, 4-dioxane, a known carcinogen. Not many companies out there care this much about their customers and the environment.

If you are looking to make a switch to a more natural dish soap, then this is a great choice. Seventh Generation dish soap cleans wonderfully and smells great. I have been using it for over a year and I have put it to the ultimate test. When I make my homemade moisturizer I make quite a mess in my blender. This soap cleans off all the oil with no residue. It is much less drying to your hands and the essential oils make washing dishes therapeutic. It feels good knowing I am not using harsh chemicals on the dishes my family eats off of.

It runs about $3 a bottle and is widely available. You can purchase it on amazon. You can also purchase it from Vitacost. If you have never purchased from them before then follow the link and we will both get $10 off a purchase. You will only receive $10 off if someone refers you. All you do is sign up and they will send you a coupon code. Once you are a member then you can refer others and you will receive another $10 for each referral. They have a great selection of products and I have found some great deals.

I have not been paid to write this review. I enjoy many Seventh Generation products and I am more then happy to spread the word.

Do you enjoy using Seventh Generation dish soap? What is your favorite scent?

http://www.seventhgeneration.com/


18 February 2012

Enter to win a $10 Gift Card to Diaper Junction! (CLOSED)

I love the selection at Diaper Junction!
One winner will receive the gift card by email. The winner will be chosen March 10th, 12.01am EST. Good Luck!

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO GET TO THE FORM   :)




17 February 2012

Have a Green Home....and I'm not talking about the color.

With all the advances in green energy technology, it is so easy to start converting your home into a green energy home. A green energy home utilizes renewable resources to provide electricity, hot water, heat and peace of mind.

There are several ways to implement your green energy home plan. The first is solar energy. In a green energy home you can install solar hot water panels which heat and store water for use and you can install solar panels, which use photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electricity. These systems can be pricing if purchasing them and having them installed by a professional, but there are many great resources available to build your own solar panels and solar hot water systems that can reduce the cost greatly.

If you are just building your home, a great way to make it a green energy home is to include passive solar design during construction. This means taking advantage of south facing sides of the house for heating and cooling. By installing lots of highly efficient windows and heat retaining bricks and stone on your south facing areas, you are taking advantage of passive solar techniques to develop your green energy home.

Another addition to the green energy home would be a windmill. Windmills are used to generate electricity from the renewable resource wind. Windmills can be installed on rooftops or in yards and offer pollution free electric. Windmills can be purchased from retailers or there are a wide variety of affordable kits available for the motivated do-it-yourselfers to handle the implementation of their own green energy home plans.

If you have a stream on your property, you may also add to the efficiency of your green energy home with hydroelectric power. This is also a great pollution free option that is easy to maintain and works as long as there is water available.

The ultimate green energy home would combine all of these resources. By using wind, water and solar to generate electricity you are looking not only at huge savings and possible profits from your electricity usage, but you would truly be green as each of these options contributes little to global warming. To further combine passive solar design and solar hot water systems, you are reducing your energy needs exponentially and truly living the dream of going green.

A green energy home doesn’t require more maintenance than traditional homes. Solar technologies require little to no maintenance and wind and water turbines require only regular oiling for peak performance. There is no better time to create your green energy home and start living your dreams in green.

Learn how to do all this here: Home Made Energy

14 February 2012

Ecos Laundry Detergent for Cloth Diapers


One of the most important parts of cloth diapering is choosing the right detergent. I would not recommend using homemade laundry detergent like the one here on my site. It contains soap which will build up on the diapers and eventually cause them to repel. Then you will have leaks and your baby may get a rash. Your diapers might start to stink no matter how many times you wash and rinse them. So, If you have any of these problems, consider changing your detergent.
Most other commercial detergents can be equally damaging to diapers if not more. Most of them contain nasty chemicals and fragrances and I wouldn't even recommend using them on your clothes. Check out my post about toxic ingredients in laundry detergents and cleaners to find out more.

07 February 2012

How to Make the Best Lotion or Baby Butt Cream! Safe for cloth diapers!




A bit of info: Most people don't know but lotions contain chemicals and mostly water (Even ones for your face and sensitive skin). These ingredients actually dry your hands more. Some lotions contain greasy mineral oil (ex. Vaseline) that actually coats your skin and wont allow it to breathe. Same goes for baby butt cream. The last thing I want to put on my son is a bunch of chemicals. So now I am in control of what goes into our lotions and on our skin. It is so easy to make too! I hope you all enjoy this and pass it on. Over time you can collect more ingredients to add to make it a one of a kind. Since this recipe does not contain any water there is not need for preservatives.

06 February 2012

How to get pregnant naturally




Infertility may be broadly defined as the inability to get pregnant after trying for at least one year without using any birth control. In Western countries, infertility affects an estimated 15% of the population. While a part of them are trying to conceive using alternative methods like IVF, others prefer to optimize the chances of getting pregnant naturally. Trying to get pregnant naturally may be very important, since many couples and individuals who are diagnosed with infertility may be able to get pregnant without treatment (and hence should be defined as "subfertile" rather than "infertile").

When trying to get pregnant naturally, the most important factor is to understand the menstrual cycle and the timing of ovulation, which leads to the optimum chances of getting impregnated. Usually, ovulation occurs around the fourteenth day, and hence, to get pregnant naturally, a couple should have as much sexual intercourse as possible between the twelfth and the fifteenth day. Different women have slightly varying menstrual cycles.Hence, to improve the chances of becoming pregnant, it is imperative to study one's periods, and calculate exactly when one ovulates.

Determining the signs of ovulation.

To check for the right timings of ovulation, a woman can do one, or many, of the following things:

. Keep a calendar. Keeping a calendar to chart the days is an easy and effective method to determine the right time to have sexual intercourse.

. Keep a check on vaginal fluids. Mucus discharge from the vagina usually becomes heavier, thinner, clearer and stretchy during ovulation when compared to the usual times.

. Feel the inside of the vagina. During ovulation, the cervix is softer and slightly more open than usual.

. Keep tabs on any sharp pain in the abdomen. Sharp pains in the abdomen, or some slight spotting, may be indicative of ovulation.

. Other physical conditions. Headaches, bloating, breast tenderness and pain may be signs of ovulation.

Having checked for ovulation, there are some other things that an individual can do to increase the chances of getting pregnant naturally. These include lying still for a while after having sexual intercourse, avoiding the bathroom for about thirty minutes after having sexual intercourse, and most importantly, figuring out how many times one should have sexual intercourse.

Men often neglect their own part to play in this whole scenario. The sperms need to be of the correct constitution, correct shape and correct motility too, or else, however fertile the women may be, impregnation does not occur naturally. A way of ensuring that the sperms are undamaged is by wearing boxers instead of briefs. Boxers help in keeping the testicles from overheating and damaging sperms.

For both women and men, the anatomical and hormonal factors are not the only ones to be monitored and corrected. In most cases, failure to conceive may result from an improper diet, undue stress, the use of drugs like alcohol and nicotine, and even environmental factors such as proximity to harmful doses of pesticides. Abstinence from such factors goes a long way in ensuring a pregnancy.

One should always keep in mind that the holistic approach to solving a problem is the optimal way to tackle infertility. Getting regular health checkups, taking supplements to combat existing problem, exercising and stress reduction techniques are only part of the holistic solution to infertility which considers the problem as part of a whole unlike the conventional approach which tackles a specific body organ in its attempt to heal. The holistic approach is not only a surefire way to increase your chances of conception it also guarantees a safe and healthy pregnancy.



This article is based on the book, "Pregnancy Miracle" by Lisa Olson. Lisa is an author, researcher, nutritionist and health consultant who dedicated her life to creating the ultimate pregnancy solution guaranteed to permanently reverse the root of infertility, help you get pregnant quickly and naturally and dramatically improve the overall quality of your life,  without the use prescription medication and without any surgical procedures. 
Learn more by visiting her website: HERE