Category Archives: Wellness

Top 5 Natural Medicine Cabinet Essentials

  By Donna DeForbes | July 12, 2013 - 5:30 am |
4 Comments
Items for the Natural Medicine Cabinet | Eco-Mothering.com

Arnica A perennial herb found in Europe, Russia and parts of North America, arnica has long been used in herbal medicines. Its anti-inflammatory properties help decrease pain and swelling, which makes it good for bruises and sunburn. It’s also touted for speeding up wound healing time. We use arnica cream for bruises and muscle aches. It’s easy and odorless. It’s also available in pellet form for taking internally. In most cases, arnica is my go-to body ache reliever instead of reaching for the Tylenol. Witch Hazel This astringent, produced from the Witch Hazel shrub, was frequently used for medicinal purposes by the American Indians. I love its sweetish scent. I dab it on acne and bug bites and used it post-partum to heal from giving birth. Yet that just touches the tip of the iceberg. Witch hazel has tons of other uses that I’ve never even tried, including: poison ivy, … Continue reading →

Top 5 Natural Remedies for Children’s Allergies

  By Donna DeForbes | June 21, 2013 - 5:30 am |
1 Comment
Natural Allergy Remedies for Children | Eco-Mothering.com

Many of us reach for the allergy medication during hay fever season, but we think twice before giving it to our kids. Here are some natural allergy remedies you’ll feel comfortable trying on your little ones. Local Honey This is a much-discussed remedy that has worked well for my family. The theory is that ingesting honey from local plants and flowers builds up your immune system to those same plants, sort of like a vaccine. I’ve used it myself before, and this year we tried it on Sofie when she began to exhibit signs of hay fever: sneezing and stuffy nose. You usually have to plan ahead for this and begin taking 1 teaspoon of locally grown honey about 4-6 weeks before allergy season. Typically, I have used commercial honey common in the stores or honey direct from a friend’s hive, but raw honey is supposed to be your best … Continue reading →

Top 5 Yoga Poses for Kids

  By Donna DeForbes | May 17, 2013 - 5:30 am | ,
Leave a comment
Yoga Poses for Kids

Kids love to move. Getting them started early with yoga feeds that need and offers a ton of benefits—both physical and mental—including: strength, flexibility, concentration, self-control, balance, expression, confidence and relaxation. Who doesn’t want all that for their child? Below are five poses (four easy, one challenging) that are great for introducing kids to yoga. Tree Pose (Vriksasana) This classic is the first yoga pose my daughter latched onto, and she still loves it. Tree pose teaches self-control and concentration while it improves a child’s balance and lower body strength. Kids “become” a tree by planting their feet into the ground for stability and noticing the sway of their bodies. Many often find they have better balance on one side more than another, which is perfectly normal. Downward-Facing-Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) An excellent and invigorating pose for kids and adults alike, Downward Dog is good for relieving tension and energizing the … Continue reading →

YES TO GRAPEFRUIT Product Review and Giveaway

  By Donna DeForbes | April 9, 2013 - 6:00 am | , ,
23 Comments
yesto-grapefruit-triple-pack

I remember when the YES To beauty brand launched with YES To Carrots. The designer in me was drawn to their stylish logo and packaging. The nature girl in me was drawn to their veggie ingredients and lack of parabens, phthalates and sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS). Over the years, YES To expanded to cucumbers, tomatoes and blueberries. I’ve been a fan of the Cucumber Soothing Body Butter for sensitive skin and the Blueberry Cleansing Towelettes —the cloths are biodegradable! Their newest line of fruit products, YES To Grapefruit, is geared toward repairing damaged skin. Grapefruit—known for treating infections and depression—is high in vitamin C and antioxidants, those lovely things that protect cells from free radicals. The lycopene helps even skin tone. So doesn’t it seem the perfect fruit for your face and body? Some of the main ingredients in the YES To grapefruit product line include: Licorice Root, which calms and … Continue reading →

Top 5 Eco-Friendly Walking Gear

  By Donna DeForbes | March 29, 2013 - 5:00 am | ,
Leave a comment

April 1-7 is National Public Health Week with Friday being touted as National Walk to Work Day. The health benefits of walking abound, from burning calories and preventing heart disease to reducing stress and increasing sexual desire. Take a look at my Top 5 items that can make your walking a little greener. Bamboo Socks Bamboo is a fast-growing, renewable resource. Once cut, it regenerates quickly. A bamboo grove produces 35% more oxygen than a similar-sized grove of trees. In addition, bamboo is naturally soft, absorbent and does not harbor odor. All this makes it perfect sock material. I own several pairs of Ecosox, and I love them. I’ve worn holes into my first pair, but have yet to toss them. They keep my feet dry, warm and cool - whatever the weather calls for. Choose between sport, hiking or work Ecosox. Green Sneakers The Dutch company OAT offers “shoes that bloom” … Continue reading →

Top 5 Essential Oils for Natural Healing

  By Donna DeForbes | March 22, 2013 - 6:00 am |
13 Comments
Essential Oils for Natural Healing | Eco-Mothering.com

I’ve been a fan of essential oils (EOs) since my husband bought me a starter kit 15 years ago. While I have used them in baths and massages, I use them most frequently in a burner for soothing sicknesses (lemongrass for reducing fever) and or influencing the mood of others (ylang ylang for calming anxiety). They smell great and come in handy for relieving a host of child-related symptoms. Here are my Top 5 essential oils. Please be sure to research them for proper application and dosages. Tea Tree Distilled from the leaves of the Australian Melaleuca Alternifolia tree, this is one of my stock oils and a great addition to the natural medicine cabinet. Tea tree oil is touted for its antiseptic properties in fighting bacteria, viruses and even foot fungus. It’s also great as a cleaner for disinfecting household items like the humidifier. I often burn tea tree … Continue reading →

Four Benefits of Breastfeeding

  By Donna DeForbes | February 19, 2013 - 7:00 am | , ,
Leave a comment

This is guest post from Amanda Carlson, a former newborn care nurse.   Many mothers are overwhelmed when it comes to breastfeeding. Should they or shouldn’t they? Is it better for the baby or not? What about the mother? Well, here are four reasons that breastfeeding is a good idea. Healthier Baby First of all, studies have shown that breastfed babies are healthier overall. They have fewer ear infections, and the immune boosting power of the first breast milk that the mother’s body produces is essential to helping the baby produce antibodies of her own. Even allergies are reduced by breastfeeding. There is a lowered chance of diabetes and tooth decay in breastfed babies as well. Healthier Mother When mothers breastfeed, they get many benefits. They reduce their chances of cancers like ovarian, breast and uterine. They also reduce their chances of getting osteoporosis, and diabetic mothers have fewer issues … Continue reading →

Top 5 Things I Enjoyed During My New Year Body Cleanse

  By Donna DeForbes | January 11, 2013 - 7:00 am | , ,
Leave a comment

Three years ago I did a cleanse that kick-started a healthy eating and exercise regimen where I lost 20 pounds. This past weekend I did another cleanse, mainly to eliminate the post-holiday toxins in my system. For 3 ½ days I fasted until noon (water, herbal tea and homemade smoothies excepted), and ate only veggies, fruits, raw nuts and wheat-free whole grains (namely, brown rice). For me, it was a kind of spiritual experience. I feel “cleaned out” not just physically, but emotionally as well. As if I’ve confronted the illusions of reality, reconnected with my essence and am now ready to take on anything. Or you could just do it for health benefits. Here’s what else I enjoyed: A dietary “high.” Okay, Day 1 sucked. I was hungry and crabby around people who could eat anything they wanted. Salads aren’t so wonderful when it’s the only thing on your menu. … Continue reading →