There’s No Need To Buy: (part 7)

pesticides!

during a hot California summer, fleas are an epidemic! if you’ve got a pet- you’ve got fleas!

products like FrontLine are not only uber expensive, but also uber toxic to you and your pets! notice the warnings and precautionary instructions that such products bear! up until now the punishment for forgetting FrontLine has been an agonizing one: nights spent tossing and turning due to the excruciating burning of flea bitten ankles.

similarly- cockroaches in the kitchen are enough to send even the biggest “health freak” to Vons at midnight for a desperate can of RAID!

well, say “good-bye” to those nasty pesticides forever. there is a natural alternative- and it actually works!

meet Diatomaceous Earth. DE is nothing more than the remains of microscopic one-celled plants called diatoms. this fine powder has razor sharp edges on a microscopic level and kills insects on contact. it is not only safe for you, your pets and your garden but actually beneficial since it is chock-full of essential minerals! it can be sprinkled around your garden, swept into the crevices of your hardwood floors, brushed into your pets between baths and even fed to your pets as a dietary supplement against parasites!

it is a light powder, so avoid breathing in too much. i suggest wearing a cloth over your mouth while administering or it can be mixed with water. make sure you get a food grade quality DE and not pool filter DE. a great brand is available here in my store.

There’s No Need To Buy: (part 6)

psychotropic “mood-altering” drugs!

stress, anxiety, depression, nervousness. these manifestations are simply signs that something isn’t right! the source is for you to find. i think you’ll find it a lot easier if you are not stoned on Prozac. know what i mean?

it may be something or someone in your life: i once knew a girl who had such anxiety that she couldn’t hold down a meal. she lost about 20 pounds. her “boyfriend” at the time was openly cheating on her and frequently made remarks about her figure being too boyish. when she lost the jerk she lost the anxiety. make sense?

sometimes the source is physical: food allergies can cause restlessness and nervous tension. vitamin and mineral deficiencies can cause the same effect. the sad thing is that many people who suffer from anxiety due to a simple deficiency mistakenly turn to psychotropic drugs which in turn make the deficiency 10 times worse.

in this installment of “There’s No Need to Buy:” we will discuss simple solutions for mental stress.

1) look over your life and the people in it. is there anyone who makes you feel bad about yourself? ditch them.

2) start exercising on a daily basis. lack of exercise can cause insomnia, anxiety, fatigue and even depression!

3) write down a list of all the things you need to do. check them off one by one. this is extremely therapeutic.

4) change your diet. a poor diet can cause every symptom above. less processed foods, more whole foods.

5) clean and organize your house or apartment. top to bottom. see “There’s No Need To Buy: (part 1)”.

6) take vitamin b1. a deficiency in this b vitamin is known to cause depression. remember to take it with a good multi-vitamin so it can be completely absorbed.

7) make sure you’re getting enough calcium and magnesium. a deficiency in these minerals can cause restlessness and tension. go to the health food store and pick up some “calmag”.

8) get therapeutic massage. now were starting to relax!

9) get checked for food allergies. find a good naturopathic doctor.

10) get checked for anemia. this can be done with a blood test. anemia can make you feel lethargic and fatigued.

11) if you feel particularly fatigued and tired, get checked for mono…. seriously.

There’s No Need To Buy: (part 5)

cold/flu medicines & antibiotics!

many common ailments can be treated naturally without the use of drugs. drugs weaken the system overall when used unnecessarily.

for example, the over-use of antibiotics causes a weak immune system. a fever is your body’s effort to kill off bad bacteria. a runny nose is the body’s effort to flush something out. moreover, the body has bad bacteria and good bacteria. antibiotics kill all bacteria. that’s why the doctor recommends eating yogurt while on an antibiotic (yogurt contains good bacteria). that’s also why many women get yeast infections after taking an antibiotic. all the good bacteria is dead and the balance goes off.

although antibiotics can save lives and are extremely valuable in dire situations, they are not always necessary. if you are only moderately ill it is actually wiser to let the illness run it’s course.

here are a few things you can do to assist the body in healing itself:

1) take garlic for a cold/flu. garlic boosts immunity and helps the body fight infection.

2) eat lemon for a cold/flu. with the first signs of illness i start eating as many lemons as i can get down! all that vitamin c will usually knock it right out.

3) cut out all white sugar. no cookies, no ice cream, no soda, no juice. nothing but water to drink.

4) drink as much water as possible. i try to get down a gallon in a day if i’m feeling ill.

5) take niacin for a cold/flu. niacin is a b vitamin which causes a hot flush. the flush helps to kill off bad bacteria just like a fever. (don’t take too much!)

6) take a steam shower or sauna. again, heat is working to kill off infection.

7) take acidophilus and colloidal silver. available at most health food stores, these supplements boost immunity and promote healthy bacteria.

8) cayenne pepper for a sore throat. i gargle a little bit in water. cayenne is also works to clean the blood. i take it in pill form daily.

9) hydrogen peroxide for a sore throat. if the cayenne is too spicy try this as a gargle.

10) change your lifestyle for better immunity. if you are prone to colds and flus try- cutting down on white sugar, eating more raw fruits and veggies, cutting down on dairy, cutting out all artificial sweeteners completely, drinking more water, cutting out all fast food, taking garlic daily, taking cayenne daily, exercising daily to a healthy sweat.

There’s No Need To Buy: (part 4)

we, as a society, have been brainwashed to believe that we need industry in order to live a full life. we have handed over all responsibility to a far off company. we no longer know, nor do we care, how our everyday products are produced. if we did, we would need to buy far less.

we are so starved of such basic knowledge that we are quite at the mercy of the market. and if this trend continues, we will have no other choice but to consume that which is made available, no matter the quality.

somewhere amidst the colorful billboards, air-brushed commercials, clever slogans and glamorous magazine ads, we have forgotten that companies are for profit and that quality is often sacrificed for such.

it is no mistake that the food made popular by advertising encourages unhealthy conditions which lead to the sale of drugs.

it is no mistake that drugs made popular by advertising are meant not to heal, but to “maintain” conditions by constant use. and it is not by accident that these are very addictive.

personally, i do not own a television. to me it is quite a scary thought that millions of people over the country are watching the same images at the same time. i, for one, do not want to have the same experience as everyone else. i find that watching t.v. stifles my motivation and creativity as well as my individual thought. where a great movie will inspire and encourage action, t.v. only sedates.

imagine all the extra time you will have on your hands when you stop watching t.v.! just enough time to learn how to make things yourself. just enough time to stop being a slave to the market.

There’s No Need To Buy: (part 3)

hair products!

you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on shampoos, conditioners, gels, hair sprays, etc. in order to have great hair!

the overuse of product leads to dry, frizzy, hair which leads to the use of more product.

the first step is to stop shampooing everyday. the second step is to stop shampooing with harsh detergents. conventional shampoos contain industrial solvents because they are cheap. quality organic shampoos are great but too expensive.

here are some great recipes to make your own hair products at home, hair products which are free from harsh chemicals.

homemade shampoo- combine 1/4 cup liquid castile soap, 1/4 cup aloe vera gel, 1 teaspoon glycerin and 1/4 teaspoon light vegetable oil. mix well. apply liberally to wet hair.

quick shampoo- mix baking soda and water into a thick paste. apply to roots and scrub. rinse well. works wonderfully.

dry shampoo- between washes excess oil can be tamed with cornstarch or baby powder. apply to roots. a great quick fix.

shiny hair rinse- after shampooing rinse hair apple cider or white vinegar and cool water. the smell won’t stick, don’t worry.

conditioner- mix 5 drops rosemary oil with 1 teaspoon almond or olive oil. work oils through dampened hair. rinse with cool water.

deep conditioner- comb 1/2 a cup of real mayonnaise into damp hair. let sit for 20-30 minutes and rinse with cool water.

conditioning tonic- beat 2 egg yolks until frothy. add 2 teaspoons of gin and beat until foamy. massage into hair and rinse with warm water.

hair spray- boil one halved lemon in 2 cups of water. reduce to one cup. strain and place in a spray bottle. add one ounce of rubbing alcohol to preserve, otherwise store in the refrigerator. salt water also works as a hair texturizer.

dandruff solution- white vinegar is a great dandruff treatment. mix 2 teaspoons vinegar with 6 teaspoons water and apply to scalp. mixture can be left on overnight. you can also try 1 part lemon juice to 2 parts vinegar as a scalp treatment.

the de-frizzing miracle- before bed wrap damp hair in a silk scarf and leave on overnight. you will wake to beautiful silky smooth locks.

There’s No Need To Buy: (part 2)

i used to make long lists of all the things i wanted to buy. i thought i’d be perfect- if only i could get my hands on a bunch of expensive merchandise. and if it wasn’t expensive- i didn’t want it. needless to say, i have changed. unfortunately, this is a real confusion for many women. i think it’s the product of too much t.v., who knows.

it comes down to one question: to consume or to create? concentrate on the latter and you will be much more satisfied.

here are some tips on how to break the pattern (and save lots of money):

1) instead of spending $15 on a bottle of eye make-up remover- use a bit of olive oil on a cotton ball. you’ll be amazed.

2) temped to buy that $100 conditioning treatment at the salon? do it yourself with an egg yolk and olive oil mask.

3) while we’re at it, why go to the salon at all? lemon juice and sunshine are all you need for beautiful highlights. henna costs $5 and has given me the prettiest shade of red- one a chemical dye could never achieve. and of course there’s hydrogen peroxide. i mix equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide if i want to go a few shades lighter in the summer (use a spray bottle to apply). look we just saved $300.

4) make your own facial mask rather than buying one for $30. beat egg whites until they go thick and foamy. apply, let dry and rinse. plain yogurt is also a great mask.

5) have you ever paid $14.99 on a lip plumping gloss? yuck. try this instead: exfoliate your lips with a toothbrush, then apply lip balm and a touch of cayenne pepper from the spice drawer.

6) to soften feet, douse in olive oil or vaseline and quickly put on a pair of socks (this can be messy). leave on overnight. works better than your $40 pedicure.

7) apple cider vinegar is a good facial toner. one more thing you don’t need to buy.

8) need a new wardrobe? go to the supermarket and buy every color of RIT dye in stock. now the fun begins. tear through your old clothes. dye everything you don’t wear. be creative. when in doubt dye black. i do it on the stove top.

see how easily we can stick it to the man!? if any of you ladies out there have a tip of your own, please leave it in the comments!

There’s No Need to Buy: (part 1)

cleaning products.

i probably save hundreds of dollars a year because i do not buy cleaning solutions. i make my own. first- they are expensive. second- they are not only toxic to the environment but also to your body! and lastly they are completely and utterly unnecessary. i hope, with all my heart, that someday my name is placed on a list of threats to the cleaning supply industry. today i will teach you how to make your own for a fraction of the cost you spend today on toxic, chemical, carcinogen crap!

almost everything you’ll ever need to clean can be cleaned with common household items. let’s go down your average cleaning day check-list:

first you’ll want to dust and wipe down all your surfaces. this can be done with a spray bottle of white vinegar and a damp rag. i like to add a little lavender oil to my spray for a natural scent. don’t worry- the vinegar smell will evaporate soon. white vinegar is a natural disinfectant and a good grease cutter. for extra disinfectant power trade your vinegar for a spray bottle of cheap vodka.

next windows. here white vinegar or vodka will work. wipe them down with some old newspaper for a lint free shine. don’t worry- your Windex fume withdrawals are almost over.

now let’s tackle those hardwood floors. if you need to wet mop i suggest good old Murphy’s oil soap. it’s non-toxic. for a quick clean i spray and wipe with, again, white vinegar. it will leave a nice shine.

got carpet? sprinkle baking soda all over. let sit. vacuum. if you’re extra ambitious scent your baking soda with some lavender oil.

what about your dark wood furniture? polish with some cheap olive oil.

oh no! but what about the bathroom? white vinegar or vodka will work for your surfaces, mirrors, even your toilet. but for nasty soap scum? sprinkle baking soda all over…. spray with white vinegar and listen to it fizzle! if you have a particularly gross situation you may want to jump in the tub with a simple detergent (i like Dr. Bronners) and do a little scrubbing. the combo of baking soda, vinegar and a simple soap equals a sparkling carcinogen-free bath tub.

yay!

p.s. any essential oil can be added to your concoctions for a yummy scent, rose oil, orange oil, etc. lemon juice is a great cleaner and disinfectant and can be added too.