Health

How I Do Green: My Five Essentials

June 27, 2011 By Erin Crispin 4 Comments

I first started to consider “going green” back in 2004 when I was pregnant with Abby. I was reading a lot on nutrition and natural living and got really excited about finding ways to remove a lot of toxins from our life. So I dove HEAD first in and replaced every single personal care item I owned with something from the Burt’s Bees line and would only buy a food item if it was organic. What I didn’t realize was how many areas of life you could include in “green living” and very soon I was overwhelmed. When we headed overseas in 2005 and I slowly saw that I was not going to be able to find many natural products, I then became discouraged and sort of threw in the towel. About a year later, I decided to try and take it a small step at a time. In 2006, I started to cloth diaper. I was still making small change sin our diets, but I wasn’t ready to throw myself completely back into green living again because I didn’t want to become consumed and then discouraged. So in 2009, I decided to start using Earth Day as a chance to make small goals for each year to make a handful of changes in living green.

After working to use more natural cleaning products, bringing reusable bags to the grocery store and cutting way down on paper products, I got pregnant with Isaiah in 2010. That is when I decided to go back and try incorporating more natural personal care products back into my life. Instead of replacing every single product this time though, the first thing I did was to learn to simplify the number of products I used. I realized that washing my face at the end of the day was plenty, I didn’t need to wash it twice a day. I realized slathering on tons of body lotion and lip balm wasn’t necessary and that cutting back would allow my skin to start to learn how to produce the amount of natural oil it needed. I realized that if I cleansed my hair gently, I wouldn’t need any styling products to calm down the stress harsh chemicals were putting it through. Then once I narrowed down what i actually needed, I started adding natural products into my regimen.

For me, “going green” has always been sort of intimidating because I feel like I will always meet people who are doing more and might make me feel bad for what I am working at doing in this part of life. But once I realized it is a process, I was able to be much more patient and make changes that have been long lasting for me. I have always been curious about what others use who are much more “green” than I am. So I thought I would share in a few posts some products I have found that have been helpful. As I said, I am no “green expert”, but the journey has been fun and enlightening, so I thought maybe I could share something that might help you make a little change you have been wanting to make.

Today I am going to share my 5 essential green items. These are 5 things that are very multi-purpose for me and that I always have no matter where in the world I am living. And 4 out of the 5 I can easily find wherever I am.

1. Baking Soda. Baking soda gets a lot of use in our home. I use it in the laundry, for cleaning toilets, as part of a scrub in the Eco-Me Kit, to wash my face and often sprinkle it in the kids’ bath water. It is super cheap and easy to find anywhere in the world.

2. White Vinegar. Even though my kids despise the smell, I use white vinegar a lot. I use it in the rinse cycle of the wash, in my Scooba, and for cleaning with my Eco-Me Kit.

3. Tea Tree Oil. This is my go-to product. Have you seen “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”? If so, you know the Greek father sprays EVERYTHING with Windex. He believes it can pretty much fix anything. That is how I am with tea tree oil. Joe laughs at me because I give it as a solution to everything. I use a couple drops in the kids bath, in making homemade baby wipes, for pimples or other rashes and for any other thing that might be in need of a disinfectant. Isaiah had something funky going on with his two big toe nails. The pediatrician had no idea what it was and said to schedule an appointment with the dermatologist. But I decided to see what putting a little tea tree oil on it would do and in a week his nails were cleared up!

4. Honey. This is another of my favorite items to have around the house. I like to use a tablespoon plus a garlic clove each day for immunity. I also use it for the kids when they have a cough, instead of cough syrup (never in a child under a year old though). Honey is also what I use for a facial mask.

5. Olive Oil. We are big consumers of olive oil around our home and I use it a lot for cooking, but there are other great uses for olive oil too. We always seem to end up with squeaky doors overseas, so we use olive oil to grease the hinges. I also use olive oil and white sugar as a facial scrub. And I have used olive oil to help relieve ear aches.

These are just a few uses of these multi-use items (searching on the internet will give you many, many more). But with these 5 products (hydrogen peroxide is also becoming an essential the more I learn about its uses) , I have cut out on a lot of the products that I buy. Tomorrow, I will share some of my favorite green products for my own personal care use.

Filed Under: Green Living

What I Like Wednesday: Water Bobble

June 1, 2011 By Erin Crispin 6 Comments

One thing I like to try out are water bottles. I am in search of the perfect one and have several criteria I like a water bottle to fill. But when I first saw these Water Bobbles, I decided I would let go of some of my criteria to try these out. I really liked the filter that allows you to use regular tap water, instead of buying bottles water when you are out. I need to do a little more research to see if I could use these with tap water overseas because always buying bottled water is one of my least favorite things about living overseas. The amount of plastic bottles that we use bothers me, especially when we live somewhere like last year where they have only a few recycling bins in the whole city and one of the other wives saw them dump the contents of the recycling bin right in with the trash!

So far the bottles have worked well. Abby and Elijah can fill them on their own, which is a plus. They also do not drip AT ALL when turned over, even if the top is not pushed down. That is a big help with Naomi and Isaiah, who still throw their cups/water bottles around quite a bit. And the bottles come in 6 different colors, so we were able to get one of each and know exactly who has each bottle. The filter is to be replaced about every 2 months and sometimes you can find them on sale at places like Target for very cheap.

Bragging rights for anyone who can guess which color belongs to which member of our family in the comments,

Filed Under: Health, What I Like Wednesday

Beauty Parlor

May 10, 2011 By Erin Crispin 5 Comments

I have two girls, ages 7 and 3, who are always attached to my hip anytime I am fixing my hair or doing my make-up. And they always want to dig around in my bag finding things they can play with themselves. So after having to separate out what they could and couldn’t use while we were over in Italy this year, I decided when I came back to the U.S., I would create a separate “beauty parlor” bag for them (or as Naomi calls it in her cute little voice “Booty Parlor”).

The problem I was running into in finding products was that I wanted more natural/green products, but those can get kind of pricey. For myself, I use mostly products from 100 Percent Pure, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to spend that kind of money for play make-up. But when you look at cheap play make-up, you find all sorts of chemicals and other stuff I didn’t want my girls putting on their faces. So I tried to see if I could do my best to find some natural products at a decent price. Here is what I came up with:

1. Velcro rollers and hairbrush: Two things I had sitting around that are fun for the girls to play with when doing “hair”.

2. Eco Tools 5 Piece Bamboo Brush Set $10.99: This set of bamboo brushes was budget friendly enough so the girls could use them as they wished. They really like using brushes, even if there is nothing on them.

3. Yes to Carrots 4-Piece Lip Sampler $12.99: “Lippy” as Naomi calls it, is a top hit in the make-up department. They don’t always apply it quite right though, so I wanted something that they could see easily where it was going, but I wouldn’t worry about it getting all over their (or my face when I am the client at the Beauty Parlor) faces.

4. Fresh Minerals Mineral Blush $9.99: This blush was a good pick up because they can apply it right from the applicator so we have less mess on the floor and surrounding area.

5. Yes to Cucumbers Facial Natural Glow Facial Towelettes $5.99: We make the rule that at the end of the playtime, all the make-up has to come off, so this is what we use. I use these myself and I think they are one of the best bargains out there for all-natural skincare.

6. Piggy Paint Cotton Candy Gift Set $24.99: This is an area where I went and spent a little more money than I wanted, but really wanted a safe alternative. I hadn’t painted my nails since before Isaiah was born because I cut out so many chemicals when I got pregnant with him. So I decided to look for a more natural alternative to nail polish. I really like this Piggy Paint. It has no smell at all and the ingredients are very natural.

7. Karma Organics Nail Polish (3 Colors at $9.99 each): I also got a few colors for myself from the Karma line of polishes. There is more of an odor, but for a natural polish, it really stays put with two coats. It has stayed on my toes for a week with almost no chipping.

8. Piggy Paint Remover $8.99: This remover from Piggy Paint as well is odorless. The smell of polish and remover was enough to send Joe throwing open every window in the house in the past, but with the Piggy Paint line he wouldn’t even know we were doing our nails.

So there is my attempt at a natural and green make-up bag for little girls. I am in no way any sort of beauty editor, but I do have little girls and these are the kinds of things that I want them to enjoy as children, but also want to protect them at the same time, so for us this was a good compromise.

Filed Under: Health, The Kids

Earth Day 2011

April 22, 2011 By Erin Crispin 4 Comments

Leaving the earth a better place for these little ones, as well as teaching them how to better care for it has become an increasing priority over the years

So I am now on my third year of making a conscious effort to think about the way my life is impacting the earth. Back in 2009 was the first time when I really decided that I would be deliberate about the steps I was taking to be a better steward of the earth. This has been a process for me and one that I will probably be re-visiting every year. Here were some of the ways I made progress over the past year:

1. Barely used any plastic grocery bags while overseas.

2. Switched full time to baking soda and vinegar for the laundry. Last year I had switched from dryer sheets.

3. Have eliminated almost all chemical personal care products from my life.

And in the coming year, here are some changes I would like to try and make:

1. Take a look at some of the plastics we are using in our home. Instead of using plastic containers to store food in, I am going to aim for glass containers and save glass jars to re-use for food storage.

2. Going to a farm market once a week this summer.

3. Buying my groceries from a local natural foods store.

How about you? Did you make any changes over the year? I think with “green” issues becoming more prevalent, it is easier and easier to make small changes that will over time make a big impact.

Filed Under: Green Living, Health

Struggles of the Basket Life: Losing Weight with a Pro Athlete in the House

March 25, 2011 By Erin Crispin 8 Comments

Although I would like to place full blame on the 4 kids for my struggle to stay fit, the baller is going to have to bear some of that blame as well

One of the things it seems I have spent the last 8 years doing (besides having bad haircuts) is gaining and losing weight. I am a numbers kind of girl, so let me break it down for you like this:

I have spent 39% of the last 8 years pregnant.

I have spent 50% of the last 8 years breastfeeding.

I have had my body to myself for 11% of the last 8 years.

For me, that combination makes for a tough time staying at my goal weight. I am not one of those women who has weight just fall off of them when they are breastfeeding, instead I always keep an extra 5-7 pounds on until I am done. But as much as I have the pregnancy and breastfeeding making it tough to keep weight off, I think there is one other big factor that makes it tough to try and stay fit.

Here’s a hint: The factor is that cute basketball player in the picture that burns calories for his job.

When Joe and I first started dating, I was a division I soccer player. I could easily go bite-for-bite with Joe when we went out to eat. Polishing off half of a pizza? No Problem! Milkshakes every night? Sign me up! Joe could eat and so did I. But I never had to worry about gaining weight because I was burning calories as well playing soccer. But once I was done playing, I realized it was going to take some work to stay fit (I don’t use the words “thin” or “slim” to describe myself because I don’t really have that body type. I am not built to be called “skinny”).

I quickly realized it was going to be tough though because Joe still needed so many calories for energy and to KEEP weight on. He can put away around 3000 calories a day and never have to check the scale (you women who have husbands who are even bigger, they can probably double those calories in a day). And I couldn’t just keep high calorie foods out of the house because he needed those in order to be able to meet his daily needs.

I have always sort of envied those couples who lose weight together. It must be nice to clear the house of any “dangerous” foods and workout together. My husband works out for his job, we aren’t going to go on a walk/run together. And I certainly can’t keep up with eating enough to keep a small horse alive anymore. So I am on my own in the battle to fight off the baby weight!

Anyone else feel like their husband’s job is a hazard to their waistline?

Filed Under: Health, Struggles of the Basket Life

It’s That Time of Year for Tired Bodies, Sniffles and Sneezes

March 11, 2011 By Erin Crispin 4 Comments

This is that time of year when it seems like all our bodies are just aching for spring to break through. Joe’s body is wearing down from the season, I am ready to get back to the conveniences of my own home and the U.S.A. and the kids are all battling colds from the changing temperatures. I set a goal for 2011 to try and cut back on the amount of medicines we use in our home though. So far, I am completely free of any prescription or over-the-counter medicine for the year. But there are times when you need more than just water, sleep and fresh air to fight what ails you. So here are a few products that have been helping us as of late.

Sore Muscle Rub- Extra Strength by Badger Balm- Last weekend I spent most of the day Sunday at a gymnastics competition with Abby. It was in a small gym, so there wasn’t any room for my to bring a stroller or anything for Isaiah to sit in. That meant I held him the entire time. Putting all that stress on my upper back caused my neck to just about totally locked up on Tuesday. I tried everything to get relief. I used the foam roller, the TP ball, got massage from Joe using his hands and percussion massager and nothing brought relief. Finally before bed, Joe recommend using some of the sore muscle rub I had bought for him. It was amazing how quickly I felt better. It wasn’t 100% but it was more significant than anything else I had done. Now maybe all I had done during the day had just finally kicked in. The next morning I put it on again and my neck was again even better, so I am a believer. And I like the smell as well. I am so glad I didn’t go for the ibuprofen

Restful Legs by Hyland’s- Most women who are married to professional athletes know how hard it can be for your husband to get good rest. Overtraining, late schedules, etc. all lead to restlessness. Joe would often reach for the Tylenol PM after a few hours of battling for sleep. But then I ordered some of this Restful Legs and it has helped him to settle down a lot at night. At times he still needs the Tylenol PM, but this has become the first option. Abby also has a hard time settling down at times and giving her the half dose recommended for 6-12 year olds has had her settling down much quicker at night. Insomnia strikes all ages and professions, so maybe it could work for someone in your home too.

Cold Relief 4Kids with Zinc by Hylands and Coldcalm and Roxalia by Boiron- We have all been sniffling or coughing at some point over the last month. These three products are all wonderful at helping to battle various aspects of a cold for the various ages in our home. Vitamin C and D, extra sleep and water are still our first line of defense, but these have been a great second non-medicinal option.

Anyone else have any good natural remedies to share as we near the end of the winter months?

Filed Under: Health, More Favorites

Have First Aid Kit, Will Travel

November 3, 2010 By Erin Crispin Leave a Comment

On Monday I talked about that I often bring way too much of something that I don’t end up needing. But one thing that I have never regretted bringing a lot of is first aid supplies. Since being sick while overseas is one of the toughest challenges for me, I always try to stay well-stocked of anything we might need. Here are a few products I have found that travel well.

Badger Winter Winder Balm- These Badger balms come in a little tin and are easy to take with you. This one works well for stuffy noses.

Badger Healing Balm- This is a great all-purpose balm that can be used in a variety of ways and again comes in a travel-friendly tin.

Boiron Oscillococcinum Natural Flu Relief- I love this brand of homeopathic medicine. It comes in a light pill form, so there is no issue with spilling and is always my first option when a fever strikes.

Boiron Roxalia Sore Throat, Hoarseness Tablets and Boiron Cold Calm Tablets- Two more homeopathic medicines from Boiron that I like as a more natural remedy for colds.

Traditional Medicinals Organic Throat Coat- A sore throat is one of my least favorite parts of getting a cold, but this tea works like magic for me. I usually pack a Ziploc bag full of Traditional Medicinal teas (very light so they don’t take up much weight in a bag).

Hyland’s C-Plus Cold Tablets- The Boiron products are not to be used until age 2, but these Hyland’s tablets are a good homeopathic option for a child as young as a year old. I really like a lot of Hyland’s products.

Triaminic Thin Strips- For a more conventional cold medicine, these thin strips are light and won’t spill like most traditional liquid cold medicines.

Culturelle Probiotics for Kids- We try to keep our tummies healthy by first making sure there is healthy bacteria in the system. These probiotics for kids come in small individual pouches that dissolve in liquids.

Children’s Chewable Pepto Bismal- If we end up having a stomach issue, these tablets from Pepto Bismal are in our cabinet. Once again, I choose a product that is light and in chewable form, instead of a liquid.

Of course, the best defense against sickness (drinking water, eating healthy unprocessed foods, sunlight, fresh air, exercise and getting the proper amount of sleep) don’t have to be packed in a bag, which is great for this lifestyle.

Hope you all have a healthy hump day,

Filed Under: Health, Living Abroad

Train Your Body in 5 Minutes

October 28, 2010 By Erin Crispin 1 Comment

My goal is to get up about an hour before Isaiah is awake in the morning (around 5am) and get a workout and prayer time in before he is awake. Otherwise, those two things usually won’t get done in the day. But that goal doesn’t always become a reality. There are mornings like this morning where I struggle to drag myself out of bed before 5:30am (or later). On those mornings, I am thankful for workouts that can be done quickly without the use of any equipment. That is why I like the Train Your Body in 5 Minutes workout from Core Performance. You can customize it to your level and it is easy to follow. Plus it can be done almost anywhere you are in as little as the time it takes to get a shower. So for mornings like this morning, I was able to warm-up and do a circuit while Isaiah sat and watched me. Then I caught him yawning, so I laid him down for his nap and came back and did two circuits with no rest between exercises or the circuit. It gave me a good sweat and a quick workout on a morning when I may be tempted to just bag exercise for the day. If you are short on time (usually the number one excuse for not exercising), give it a try.

Isaiah and I are cheering you on,

Filed Under: Health

The Snotsucker

October 27, 2010 By Erin Crispin 4 Comments

While living overseas there are moments when I feel like I have gone backwards in time. There are various things that perplex me as to why the European society has not caught up on. Garbage disposals for example. They are a beautiful invention and not that recent of a development. I struggle to understand how they can have the iPhone over here in what seems like seconds after it was released in the U.S. and garbage disposals have still not made an appearance. Or take the plumping systems. In Turkey, we were told not to put toilet paper in the toilet because it would clog up the pipes. Huh? This is a developed country and the waste system can’t handle toilet paper (we still flushed our toilet paper after talking to some other Americans living there).

But when it comes to getting snot out of babies’ noses, the Europeans are light years ahead of us Americans. While we are still fumbling around using these terrible blue bulb nasal aspirators that usually do nothing more than cause us frustration and leave us with a stuffed up AND crying baby

Europeans have been using these for years.

But now we Americans are catching on and have given it a catchy name: The Snotsucker. It is so much better than the bulb aspirator. First of all, you don’t have to stick it into your child’s nasal cavity, which always had me worried I was damaging something in there. Secondly, you know that there is a negative air pressure situation being created because you are doing it with your own breath instead of wondering if anything is being sucked out by how you are squeezing the bulb. You don’t have to worry about ingesting snot though because there are little filters that prevent anything but air coming into your mouth (and the one I purchased here in Italy came with 3 extra filters). It also comes apart so you can clean it easily and because it is see-through, you know that it is clean. It also works for that 2-3 age where they still don’t quite know how to blow their noses.

Enjoying happier, easy-breathing kids,

Filed Under: Health, Living Abroad

Tricks of the Trade: Contrast Therapy for Recovery

October 21, 2010 By Erin Crispin 2 Comments

Recovery is a huge aspect of a professional athlete’s job. But in reality, we could all probably spend more time in helping our bodies to recover from the daily stresses of life. One very simple way to do this is by using contrast therapy. In other words, alternating your shower temperature between hot and cold water to cause increased blood flow. Joe doesn’t always have access to the best facilities overseas, but one thing you always have is a shower! I try and do this every morning after I workout and always end with the cold so I am refreshed to face the day. If you are suffering from muscle soreness, give it a try.

Happy recovery,

Filed Under: Health, Tricks of the Trade