Aromatherapy

Photo by uniquegarden on Flickr

You may be wondering what this topic has to do with clean living, but as you will see, essential oils are a great alternative to chemicals in personal products, cleaning, and making things smell good.

Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils for psychological and physical well-being. Essential oils are the pure essence of a plant.

Grass-fed vs. Grain-fed Beef

Source: http://geograph.org.uk

My goal is to help you understand the differences between the labels found on beef.  I have watched people at the grocery store with a dazed look in their eye trying to figure out what to buy.  With so many choices and prices to consider, consumers almost need a PhD in food science to successfully make a trip through the meat department at the grocery store.

Got Nut Milk?

Milk alternatives are popping up in grocery stores everywhere.  The most popular ones are either grain or plant based.  They are super if you have a milk allergy/intolerance or just want to avoid cow's milk. Some of the most popular:

Almond milk:  naturally high in calcium along with great taste

Hemp milk:  contains high quality protein and ALA (omega-3 fatty acid) but the taste might scare people away (it's a bit gritty and "earthy" tasting)

Coconut milk:  rich in lauric acid, which helps improve HDL (good) cholesterol

Rice milk:  most allergy-friendly choice

Soy milk:  offers similar protein content as cow's milk along with potassium; choose organic to avoid GMO soybeans


If you take a close look at the ingredient label on these products, you will see there are some additives that might be questionable.  Additives are sometimes used for thickening and stabilizing beverages. What should you look for?