I don’t usually write about really personal things here on Healthy Crush. I usually try to spread the positive stuff and shed light on all the health-conscious things going on around me. But being healthy includes a focus on personal growth, and this is what’s going on in my life right now. After what I’ve gone through over the past week, I’ve realized that pain and suffering are part of the human experience. Everyone goes through love and loss and eventually awakens to a new experience of life. If this post helps even one person cope with a breakup, then this is worth sharing. It’s an incredibly powerful period of growth for me – and for you too, if you’re going through heartbreak.

The past week has felt like a blackout blur. And no, I wasn’t on some kind of drug bender…I was going through an epic breakup. It’s been one of the most painful and overwhelming experiences of my life thus far. And I’m surviving. And I’m here to tell you what’s helped me get through it.

When an important relationship comes to an end, whether both people knew it was coming or not, it’s a huge change and a huge loss. Especially if you live together (which we did, for over 3 years). It feels like life as you know it is being ripped out from under you. It feels like you have to create an entirely new life – alone – and that’s a really scary way to feel. You want things to be back to normal. It’s a crazy, confusing array of emotions.

When we decided officially to end the relationship and move out, the first few days were insanely painful. Painful doesn’t even describe what I was feeling. I was in total denial and shock that it was actually over. After years of sharing every moment of my life with him, it was impossible to even imagine what life would be like without him. I felt like I was losing my best friend, my partner, my lover, my companion. Even though we both knew this was going to happen – needed to happen, even – I was totally unprepared for how it would actually feel. Heart-wrenching, awful, terrifying and incredibly sad.

(Before I go any further, I should probably mention that he and I currently have a beautiful friendship, and I have his full approval to write this blog).

So listen. I’m not going to try to tell you how to get over your ex, or how to move on, or anything like that. I’m going to tell you how to literally survive the first week of the breakup - because if you’re going through a breakup and you’re questioning whether or not you can physically and emotionally bear the weight of the pain…I relate.

Here’s what I’ve done over the past week to survive and get through the initial stages of the breakup. It hasn’t been easy, but these things helped so much.

1. Sleep at a friend’s house. The first few nights after the breakup, there was no way in hell I was going to sleep in our apartment. It had changed, in a matter of minutes, from a comforting home into a graveyard full of our old memories. Torture. I had to get out of there, fast. I crashed on my friends couches and air mattresses and I let my them take care of me like I was a little baby (THANK YOU Jeanne and Gabby). Yes, of course it was hard to fall asleep when I was so distraught. But being with people who love me was really necessary and a huge part of my coping and healing process.

 

2. Eat something. I’ve never been one of those “I’m too upset to eat” types of people. Didn’t believe I ever could be. But shockingly enough, my appetite was total zilch for days after the breakup. I didn’t want to put anything into my stomach because I was so nauseous. Fortunately my friends coaxed me to drink a juice, a smoothie, and eat some berries. That’s all I could force down, but if I hadn’t eaten anything the emotional turmoil would have been much worse. Once I was on my own I had to force myself to eat an apple, a grapefruit and eventually a few almonds. Trust me, if you don’t eat anything, you’ll feel more out of control than you already feel. Now that I’ve gotten comfortable using my juicer again (my first thoughts after the breakup were “I’ll never use ‘our’ juicer again!” – thankfully that passed), I’ve been making green juice every day and my healing body is thanking me.

 

3. Call people all the time. All of my closest friends and family members got multiple phone calls throughout the past week. I needed to feel like I wasn’t alone, and having “void” alone time was excruciating. Talking to my friends and family did miraculous things for my healing. One thing was that many people had a breakup war story of their own to tell me – including the part where they end up OK. The other thing was that I allowed myself to be super vulnerable and actually let people know that I needed help and was suffering. That’s usually really hard for me to do. I already feel my friendships getting stronger because of my vulnerability. So call people. Your friends want to be there for you.

 

4. Feel it. I’ve heard the phrase “the only way out is through.” It’s true. Don’t avoid your pain with overeating, alcohol, drugs, jumping into the arms of someone new, or other ways of numbing out. Cry as much as you need to. Feel every bit of sadness. The real suffering comes from trying to push away the feelings. Have acceptance that you’re going through a hard time, and let it exist. It’s not permanent, and the more you let yourself feel, the sooner you’ll start to feel better.

 

5. Ground yourself in physical tasks. Part of going through a grieving process is that sometimes you just don’t know what to do. You probably won’t feel inspired to do anything that involves thinking too hard. What really helped me to get through the “what do I do” moments was to do mindless physical tasks like laundry, cleaning out the refrigerator and doing dishes. It will help you move through your day.

 

6. Exercise. The pain and sadness need to move through you. There’s a lot of stuck energy in your body that needs to be released. For me, the first couple of days, walking outside for hours was a welcome relief and gave me a chance to breathe and make phone calls. Yoga has been helping tremendously too.

 

7. Help someone else. I know, this probably sounds like the last thing you feel like doing right now. But miraculously, and definitely for a reason, I was scheduled to work at a self-help workshop the day after my breakup. I was assisting Kris Carr and Nick Ortner at their Omega NYC weekend workshop. Even though I felt like a complete and total wreck, and it took every ounce of my strength to get through the day, helping them out gave me a very welcome relief from sitting around in my own head all day. It was no accident that I was scheduled to be there that day. (THANK YOU for everything, Kris and Nick).

 

8. Commit to staying healthy and nurturing yourself. Treat yourself as if you were sick. Hydrate. Eat something nourishing – soup, juices, smoothies. Take a day or two off of work if you can. Let it be OK that you’re not as productive as usual. Give yourself a break. Light candles. Wrap yourself in blankets. Try to sleep.

 

9. Read this book. Broken Open – How Difficult Times Help Us Grow, by Elizabeth Lesser. My dear friend Gabby put this book into my hands right after the breakup. “You need this,” she said. And I did. This book is full of stories of people who have been transformed and awakened and have grown through pain, loss and suffering. It kept me company and truly made me begin to have compassion for myself and for everyone around me. It gave me hope.

 

10. Ask for help in whatever way feels right to you. Whether you pray, meditate, read passages from spiritual books, ask for help from a mentor, a friend, a family member, God, angels, spirit guides, the Universe, your higher self, Buddha, John Lennon…it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you try to maintain even a slight shred of belief that things are unfolding as they should, you’re not in this alone, you’re on the right path, you’re taken care of, and you’re exactly where you need to be.

If you’re suffering, take it day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment. Try some of the tips I’ve shared, as I can vouch that they work wonders. Soon, you’ll start to get to the place where the moments of pain are fewer and you’ll begin to feel more moments of clarity, hope and peace.

I’ve been broken open. And if you’re going through the initial stages of a breakup now, you’re broken open too. Your heart is becoming more open, vulnerable, compassionate. You’re about to enter into a transformational stage of your life where you’re going to get to know you – the real you – much better. And it’s going to be beautiful and better than you could have ever imagined. I truly believe that for myself and for you.

And expect more personal growth blogs here in the near future. I’ve got a lot of growing, awakening and transforming to do…which, I’ll admit…is kind of exciting.

The morning after I spent the night at my friend Gabby’s apartment, I saw this magnet on her fridge and it struck me deeply. ACCEPTANCE, I knew, was the missing piece.

So now I’d love to hear from you. Share your experiences in the comments below. Let’s boldly walk through this together.

In honor of Earth Day, my friends over at Bliss sent me a bag full of healthy goodies! I love getting fun stuff in the mail, and thought I’d take the chance to share my thoughts on each item in the bag with you. I think it’s important to be conscious and mindful about the products you use in your everyday life – from the food you eat to the water you drink to the products you put on your body.

The Bliss Bag included:

Bobble Bottle: I’ve actually always wanted one of these, so I was psyched to see it included. This water bottle is BPA-free and filters water for you as you drink it! You just fill the bottle with water and chlorine and other contaminants are removed. Pretty darn cool, I think.

Simple Squares: Kinda crazy – I just discovered these things 2 weeks ago at LGA airport, and I’m really into them. They are little nut & honey snack bars, basically, but the ingredients lists are awesome. No weird stuff. They taste delicious, too. The sage one is my favorite. Ingredients: organic cashews, organic almonds, organic honey, unsweetened coconut, organic vanilla extract, sea salt, sage. Good stuff.

Crate & Barrel Organic Bamboo Tool Set: Um..how did you guys know I was in the market for awesome new kitchen stuff? I always am, I guess. I love these bamboo spoons and spatulas. Bamboo is considered eco-friendly because it grows really fast and is therefore renewable pretty quickly. Plus, it looks and feels great.

Yoga Fan: When I saw this, I was like….wtf is a yoga fan? But when I opened it I realized it’s actually a fan-book of yoga poses that you can travel with. That’s kind of amazing. It goes through over 50 yoga poses, plus step-by-step instructions, modifications, safety tips and sequencing. This is great for when you can’t make it to a yoga class and you want to just practice on your own at home. Now I’m going to be able to quiz all my yoga teacher friends.

The Luffa Farm Natural Luffa Sponge: I think it’s so cool that luffa sponges are just grown out of the ground. I remember when I first found that out. I was like – what!? You can grow sponges? Amazing. This particular sponge is grown in California from heirloom seeds, and it’s softer than commercial luffas. It’s really great for exfoliating your skin. I love it!

Neutrogena Naturals Products: You guys probably know by now that I tend to use 100% all natural products in my beauty routine. That being said, I know not everyone wants to just use sesame oil and rose water on their face. So if you’re into buying different kinds of products for your skin, these more-natural products are a good way to wean off of your chemical-laden ones.  If you’re going to buy beauty products, the more natural and less chemicals, the better. I received a multi-vitamin nourishing moisturizer, purifying facial cleanser, a face & body bar, fresh cleansing + makeup remover, purifying pore scrub, and lip balm. I tried out these products so I could let you know my thoughts.

The healthy pros on all of these products: No sulfates, parabens, petrochemicals, dyes, or phthalates. Almost totally naturally derived. Not tested on animals (yay!). Packaged in post-consumer recycled plastic and 100% recycled paper.

Cons: The products, aside from the lip balm which is 100% naturally derived, range from 86% naturally derived to 99%. There are still some non-naturally derived ingredients, such as fragrances. Most of the products were highly fragrant, in my opinion.

You can check out the full line of products here, but I’ll just touch upon a few.

Multi-vitamin nourishing moisturizer: I like that there’s yerba mate tea in this moisturizer. It went on my skin smoothly and felt very silky, but it has a slightly stronger fragrance than I expected so I’m not sure I’d use it on my face. Felt nice on my hands, though.

Multi-vitamin nourishing night cream: Feels moisturizing, not oily or greasy. Goes on thick so you don’t need to use too much. I don’t use a night cream at the moment, but I’d say it’s probably great replacement for your regular night cream, especially if you’re currently using one with a lot of chemicals.

Face & Body Bar: I really like this bar because it’s one of the more natural of the products. It’s made with avocado and olive oil, and it’s fragrance free, which is great! If hotels would carry this soap that could be really cool. It’s a great all-purpose bar of soap.

Purifying pore scrub: I like scrubs. This one has very small, gentle micro-beads in it which feel good on the face. When it comes to facial cleansers, I like ones that feel like they’re really getting down & dirty into my pores vs. gentle cleansers. So this is nice, but again…very fragrant.

Lip balm: This was my favorite item. 100% natural, no fragrances, felt really moisturizing on the lips.

So there you have it. My Earth Day Bliss Bag, revealed! Thanks again, Bliss, for sending this bag my way!

Cheers to switching to more natural products in every area of life! Here are some other articles about how you can go more natural in your life:

Natural Beauty Routine
Best Foods for Beauty
10 Ways to Green Your Home

NEUTROGENA® Naturals Multi-Vitamin Nourishing Moisturizer is a daily lotion that replenishes essential skin nutrients while providing continuous moisture throughout the day for healthier, younger-looking skin. It contains no harsh chemical sulfates, parabens, petrochemicals, dyes or phthalates.

NEUTROGENA® Naturals Multi-Vitamin Nourishing Night Cream replenishes essential skin nutrients and is fortified with vitamins B, C, E and anti-oxidant omega bionutrients. This nourishing cream is clinically proven to boost skin’s defense against dullness and roughness, leaving it naturally radiant, healthier and younger looking today and in the future. It contains no harsh chemical sulfates, parabens, petrochemicals, dyes or phthalates.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Neutrogena via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Neutrogena.

“What will matter is the good we did, not the good we expected others to do.”
-Elizabeth Lesser

Lately I’ve been hearing a lot of people express their concern and overwhelm when it comes to the state of the planet and the health of people around the world. It’s easy to feel helpless when it comes to changing things on a large scale, but instead of giving up or feeling defeated, you can make the most important change of all: change yourself.

You may not realize how much changing your own actions and acting as a power of example can inspire and empower others to do the same. Every person, in his or her own way, can contribute to massive positive change on the planet.

Every person you come into contact with in your life – whether it’s in person, through social media, or otherwise – is affected by your energy. So if you want to make a positive impact in your community and the world (and you can), start here:

• Change the way you think. If you have the attitude that you don’t have the power to make big changes, that will stop you from taking action. Start thinking that you have the power to contribute majorly to any cause that inspires you, and that will open up doors that were previously closed. Any successful change is deeply rooted in the belief that it can happen.

 

• Make positive, healthy changes in your own life. Buy local, organic food. Use green products. Support causes that inspire you. Help someone in need. Donate to a charity that’s close to your heart. Get involved in local groups that are making positive changes.

 

• Spend time with others who are doing positive things. Help people who inspire you. Join forces with them on a cause you believe in. Seek out the change-makers and learn from them.

 

• Share about what you’re doing! Tell people in your life what you’re up to and how excited you are about it. Post your positive changes on Facebook, Twitter or your blog. Help to spread the word about what’s important to you, and empower others to do the same.

• Be inspiring, not preachy. If you’re authentic and genuine about making positive changes and you’re a shining example, people will be attracted to your energy and want to join in. In this way, your enthusiasm and dedication will inspire more and more people to change.

 

You’re here for a reason. If your heart calls you to help with a bigger purpose, jump on board. Take steps to change your own world.

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
-Anne Frank

This is the 5th article in my Beautiful Change Challenge series. Check out the previous ones:

Beautiful Change: Diet
Beautiful Change: Beauty Routine
Beautiful Change: Your Home
Beautiful Change: Mind & Spirit

This week is about beautiful change for your body. When we think about getting in shape, images of intense, hardcore sweaty workouts often come to mind. Those are great, but getting started with beautiful change doesn’t have to mean committing to a new bootcamp workout. In fact, one of the most beautiful things you can do for your body is stretching.

Stretching doesn’t take much time or effort, and can be a great habit to help you get more in touch with how each part of your body is feeling.

Stretching your body regularly can help to release tension and stress. When you’re feeling extra stressed out or emotional, certain parts of your body tense up. Stretching can relieve that pressure and can give you a sense of calm.

Stretching also improves your blood flow and circulation, which can help heal muscle injuries, increase nutrients to the muscles and help eliminate toxins.

Stretching will help you to be more flexible physically, which in turn can help you be more flexible in other areas of your life.

Examples of great stretches to incorporate into your day:

• Forward bend — lean over and touch your toes
• Heart-opening arm stretch – clasp your hands together behind your back and pull your shoulders back
• Side bends – lean over from side to side to loosen up the sides of your body
• Leg stretches – sit on the ground and alternate stretching each leg, bringing your hand to touch each foot

You can add stretching to your life easily, wherever you are, to alleviate stress and tension on the spot. Whether you do a few minutes of your favorite yoga poses, lean over to touch your toes, or simply stretch out your arms a few times throughout the day, you’re benefiting your body in a beautiful way.

Challenge yourself to add stretching to your life!

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by AVEENO® via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of AVEENO®
 

]]> http://healthycrush.com/the-power-of-stretching/feed/ 1 http://healthycrush.com/should-you-do-a-cleanse/ http://healthycrush.com/should-you-do-a-cleanse/#comments Mon, 16 Apr 2012 23:02:20 +0000 jenny sansouci http://healthycrush.com/?p=6344

Ah, springtime. The season of renewal. At this time of year, with spring cleaning on the brain, lots of people start talking about cleansing, detoxing, and lightening up for the warmer months. I’m sure you’ve been hearing about cleanses everywhere, and you can’t help but wonder — “should I do a cleanse?”

I’ve had the same conversation with one of my closest friends multiple times. I describe the benefits (mental, physical, spiritual) I’ve experienced from doing cleanses from time to time. She mentions that she hates feeling deprived and can’t imagine not being able to eat certain foods. I tell her that when I go on a cleanse, I don’t feel deprived – I feel like I’m giving myself a gift. She says she gets the same benefits from eating everything in moderation and sticking to a clean diet. We go back and forth this way (playfully, of course) and we always end up at the same conclusion: we’re both intelligent women…so…it must be that cleanses aren’t for everybody.

By the way, although my friend and I are usually discussing juice cleanses when we have this conversation, you can apply this article to any type of cleanse/detox/diet program.

If you’re wondering whether or not a cleanse is for you, I’ll tell you one thing — the answer I’m about to give you doesn’t have anything to do with your current physical state (if you’re not sure if you’re physically OK to do a cleanse, ask your doctor). This has everything to do with your cleansing mindset.

When I first heard about cleansing, I immediately felt excited, interested and eager to learn more. I wanted to learn about the health benefits, read other people’s experiences, and experiment with how I would feel if I tried a cleanse. It was like a science experiment to me. I couldn’t wait to see it through to the end and check out the results so I could share my experience with others. (Read about my 10 day juice cleanse here)

Of course, being in the nutrition field I’ve met countless other people who get just as psyched up on cleansing as I do. Those people are often the same ones who are quick to try new ways of eating as experiments – maybe they’ve tried vegetarian, vegan, macrobiotic, gluten-free, paleo, raw…you name it, they’re game to try it, just to see what happens. That kind of challenge thrills them. And if they say they’re going to do a 30 day trial, you bet they don’t even think about quitting halfway through. Those people are reading this right now, nodding and thinking “yes! I totally do that!”

On the other hand – I’ve also had many conversations with people who feel skeptical about cleansing or any type of eating that restricts a certain kind of food. People that say “I would be MISERABLE on a cleanse” or “I just don’t understand how vegans do it — I could never give up cheese, for any amount of time!” The thought of trying a diet that cuts out anything – meat, sugar, grains, dairy, cooked food, whatever — makes them want to run for the hills. NOPE! Not even a second thought. Do you relate? Your motto is “everything in moderation” and  you like it that way.

So here’s the deal.

I am a firm believer that if you go into something with the mindset that it’s going to suck, you’re going to hate it and be miserable…that will be your experience.  If you are the opposite of excited when you think about a cleansing program, don’t do it. Eat the way that makes you happy, makes you feel good, makes you feel healthy and clean and alive. You don’t have to go on a cleanse, ever, in order to be a healthy person (although for some health problems, cleanses can be super healing).

If you got excited when I mentioned cleanses, you get giddy with the idea of a healthy challenge, you’re totally cool with cutting out certain types of food, and you’re thinking “where do I sign up?” — well then I say…your cleanse experience will probably feel MUCH more enjoyable!

My point is, your mindset when it comes to cleansing (or any activity in life, really) is going to really make or break your experience. So do what feels exciting to you! Why do something if you’re not totally amped up about it? Seriously.

Now, doesn’t that take a little bit of the pressure off for you cleanse skeptics? You don’t have to do a cleanse! Whew! Go back to living and eating happily and forget cleanses ever existed.

On the other hand, if you’re ready for some cleansing action…check out these links:

Types of Cleanses

Lessons from a Juice Cleanse

The Juice Recipes

Remember – there’s no one diet that’s right for everyone. You’re a highly intuitive creature. What feels right to you?

*Note — clearly, I didn’t focus on the physical aspects of cleansing here at all. If you have a question about whether or not it’s physically healthy for you to embark on a cleanse, talk to your doctor. There are obviously lots of different factors besides mindset that go into cleansing, but this is a topic I felt moved to share.

So which category do you fall into? Do you get psyched about trying things like cleanses, or does it feel too extreme to you? Either mindset is totally welcome here, and I’d love to hear your thoughts!

]]> http://healthycrush.com/should-you-do-a-cleanse/feed/ 7 http://healthycrush.com/slow-down-your-morning-routine/ http://healthycrush.com/slow-down-your-morning-routine/#comments Mon, 16 Apr 2012 04:14:57 +0000 jenny sansouci http://healthycrush.com/?p=6323

This is the 4th post in my Beautiful Change Challenge Series! For the past few weeks I’ve been writing 1 post per week about how you can make beautiful changes in your life. Check out the past articles:

Beautiful Change: Diet
Beautiful Change: Beauty Routine
Beautiful Change: Your Home

This one is about creating beautiful change in your mind & spirit!

One of the biggest obstacles to a peaceful, relaxed mind is stress — and how you start your day is a big contributor to the overall level of stress you’ll feel. Do you normally start your day by jumping into the shower, grabbing a coffee/breakfast on the go, and rushing to get to work? If so, this probably leads to feeling a bit frantic throughout the day.

The feeling of go-go-go can leave you stressed, depleted, and in serious need of some serenity. If you make a point to slow down a bit in the morning and create an enjoyable start to your day, it can make a huge difference in your daily happiness.

Starting your day with a peaceful mindset can lead to more positive interactions with people throughout the day, more clarity and calmness in your work activities, and an overall sense of more ease.

When I was working at a 9-5 corporate job, my peaceful morning routine was my favorite part of the day. I called it my “happy hour.” If I didn’t take that time for myself in the morning, my day felt so much more hectic! So I can really vouch for the importance of not scrambling through the morning.

Here are a few things to consider adding to your morning routine to give you a nice dose of calm. Pick and choose based on what inspires you:

• Make a cup of tea (or lemon water, coffee, whatever you like) and sit quietly as you drink it slowly, thinking positive thoughts about the day ahead
• Write in your journal (2-3 pages in the morning is usually enough for a good “brain drain” of your messy thoughts!)
• Go for a short jog or walk outside, breathe in the fresh morning air
• Do 15 minutes of your favorite yoga poses
• Make yourself breakfast and eat it while sitting down, truly take the time to enjoy it
• Write a gratitude list of all the reasons you have to be happy in your life
• Jot down a list of things you’d love to accomplish that day (make sure to include some self-care!)
• Meditate for 10 mins (set your phone alarm for 10 mins and sit quietly, focusing on your breath)
• Put on music that makes you feel good and do some gentle stretching
• Read one chapter in an inspirational book

Those are just a few ideas – feel free to incorporate your own. Yes, I understand this might mean waking up 30 mins (or more) earlier than you’re used to, but if you normally feel easily stressed out, taking time in the morning to give yourself some love is so worth it.

My challenge for you this week – pick one thing to try in the morning to slow down your routine and nourish your mind and spirit. Notice how it affects your mindset throughout the day.

What do you do in the morning to get you centered and ready for the day ahead?

New AVEENO® PURE RENEWAL™ lets you renew your hair to its naturally balanced state daily. Unlike ordinary shampoos, these sulphate-free formulas have Balancing Seaweed Extract; bringing hair back to its naturally healthy, most balanced state with each wash, for beautifully healthy-looking hair. Learn more here. 

 

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by AVEENO® via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of AVEENO®
 

]]> http://healthycrush.com/slow-down-your-morning-routine/feed/ 1 http://healthycrush.com/make-your-own-popcorn-microwave-free/ http://healthycrush.com/make-your-own-popcorn-microwave-free/#comments Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:52:37 +0000 jenny sansouci http://healthycrush.com/?p=6311

The other night, in preparation for some always thrilling SNL-watching, I decided to embark on the mission of making my own popcorn. I’d never done it before, so it was an exciting expedition.

I was nervous, but I pulled through — and the result was so much better, healthier and 100x more fun than microwave popcorn!! I haven’t used a microwave in years because I don’t like to eat mutated food. That is probably a topic for another blog, but aside from that, microwave popcorn contains a lot of crap — weird dried buttery flavoring, chemicals from ink & glue on the bag…and other such grossness. Read more here.

So if you want to make fresh, delicious popcorn on your stove top in minutes with all natural ingredients…read on!!

Ingredients:

• Coconut oil
• Organic popcorn kernels
• Sea salt

Get a large pot and put it on the stove.

Cover the bottom of the pot with a layer of popcorn kernels.

Put enough oil into the pot to lightly cover all of the kernels.

Shake sea salt onto the kernels.

Put your stove on medium heat, put a cover on the pot, and lightly shake the pot back and forth over the flame! In a few minutes of shaking over the heat, you’ll start to hear the kernels pop. Make sure the pot is covered or you’ll have a massive popcorn explosion in your kitchen!

When the popcorn is done popping, add seasoning (organic butter, more sea salt, or whatever spices you like!)

Be proud that you created such a delicious, fun snack all by yourself!

 

]]> http://healthycrush.com/make-your-own-popcorn-microwave-free/feed/ 4 http://healthycrush.com/10-easy-ways-to-green-your-home/ http://healthycrush.com/10-easy-ways-to-green-your-home/#comments Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:09:23 +0000 jenny sansouci http://healthycrush.com/?p=6299

This is the 3rd post in my Beautiful Change Challenge series. This post focuses on how to make beautiful changes in your home!

Beautiful Change: Your Diet
Beautiful Change: Your Beauty Routine

Living in a more sustainable way – even making small changes around your home – can make a difference in the preservation and improvement of our Earth’s natural environment. Let’s face it, Earth is awesome, and it provides us with so many treats throughout our lives. It really gives us everything we need. Let’s thank it!! Making your home more environmentally friendly is a great way to take care of not only the planet, but your own health too.

Here are 10 easy ways to go green in your home, and give the Earth some love:

1. Go paperless with your bills - It’s easy to get online and switch to paperless billing – avoid wasting paper and cluttering up your home with mail.
2. Use eco-friendly cleaning products – Look for environmentally friendly, toxin-free laundry detergent, dish soap, hand soap and other household cleaning products. These are healthier for your skin, too!
3. Replace plastic water bottles with a reusable bottle – Skip the plastic water bottles and invest in a stainless steel reusable bottle.
4. Recycle - Recycle whatever you can. Here’s a list of some things you can recycle that you may not have thought of!
5. Have plants in your home - Plants help purify the air in your home and get rid of pollutants.
6. Buy local produce – Reducing the miles your food has to travel to get to you is an awesome way to reduce pollutants in the environment and support your local community.
7. Unplug things when they’re not in use – You’ll save so much energy by unplugging your electronics when you’re not using them – especially when you go away on a trip!
8. Use recycled paper products – Use recycled paper towels and toilet paper. And don’t blow through that roll of paper towels when you’re cleaning – use reusable rags when you can.
9. Energy saver light bulbs – Swap out the light bulbs in your home for energy-saver light bulbs, which can use up to 75% less energy!
10. Reuse glass jars – Use glass jars as drinking cups or storage for bulk ingredients, grains and spices.

This week, take some time to reflect on how cool the Earth really is, and how many great things we get from it on a daily basis (hello…avocados!) Pick 1 thing you can do to make your home a more Earth-friendly place, and try it!

Do you have other great tips for going green? Give the planet a huge virtual hug by sharing your tips in the comments below!

New AVEENO® PURE RENEWAL™ lets you renew your hair to its naturally balanced state daily. Unlike ordinary shampoos, these sulphate-free formulas have Balancing Seaweed Extract; bringing hair back to its naturally healthy, most balanced state with each wash, for beautifully healthy-looking hair. Learn more here.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by AVEENO® via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of AVEENO®
 

]]> http://healthycrush.com/10-easy-ways-to-green-your-home/feed/ 5 http://healthycrush.com/natural-egg-dyes/ http://healthycrush.com/natural-egg-dyes/#comments Sat, 07 Apr 2012 20:09:43 +0000 jenny sansouci http://healthycrush.com/?p=6289

Today as I was strolling through the farmer’s market in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, I noticed a sign showing different natural foods that can be used as egg dyes for Easter.

The guy working at the market caught me taking a picture of the sign and asked, “do you want the full list of natural egg dyes?”

“OF COURSE I DO!” I exclaimed. This is, after all – cool, hip, relevant information. I’m so on it. He gave me a sheet full of awesome, all natural egg decorating tips.

Using non-toxic egg dyes is much healthier if you’re planning to eat the eggs – and also safer for your skin!

The information contained here is from Grow NYC.

NATURAL EGG DYES

BLUE: Canned blueberries, red cabbage leaves, purple grape juice

BROWN/BEIGE: Strong coffee, instant coffee, black tea

GOLD: Dill seeds, onion skins, paprika

YELLOW: Cumin, turmeric, saffron

BROWN ORANGE: Chili Powder

GREEN: Boiled spinach leaves

GREENISH YELLOW: Carrot tops, cilantro, parsley

ORANGE: Carrots, yellow onion skins

PINK: Beets, cranberries, cranberry juice, red grape juice, pickled beet juice

RED: Lots of red onion skins, pomegranate juice, raspberries

VIOLET/PURPLE: Violet blossoms, hibiscus tea, red wine

 

How to Make and Use Natural Dyes:

• Wash hard-boiled eggs with soap to remove residue (the color will adhere better). Let eggs cool.
• Use your own judgement of how much “dye” to use. Except for spices, place a handful of dye ingredients into a saucepan.
• Add about 1 cup of water for each handful of dye ingredients.
• Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer about 15 mins. Remove pan from heat.
• Add 2-3 tbsp white vinegar to the dye liquid.
• Pour hot mixture into a bowl or jar — enough to completely cover the eggs.
• Lower the eggs gently into the hot liquid.
• Leave eggs in the dye liquid until you like the color – a few hours or overnight. If you plan to eat the eggs, do this step in the refrigerator.
• Lift eggs out with slotted spoon. Let them dry.
• Naturally dyed eggs have a dull finish. If you want them to be shiny, you can rub the eggs with a bit of olive oil after they’re dry to give them a shiny sheen.

 

 

Have any favorite non-toxic, natural food decorating tips? Share!

]]> http://healthycrush.com/natural-egg-dyes/feed/ 0 http://healthycrush.com/clearing-clutter-2-important-questions/ http://healthycrush.com/clearing-clutter-2-important-questions/#comments Fri, 06 Apr 2012 16:23:36 +0000 jenny sansouci http://healthycrush.com/?p=6266

Spring is the season for clearing and renewal. Getting rid of the old, making room for the new. Clearing space. So many of us focus on “spring cleaning” at this time of year, and one of the best books I’ve read on the subject is Karen Kingston’s “Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui.” I read this book years ago, but the 2 clutter-clearing questions have stayed in my mind and I continue to use them whenever I’m cleaning.

“Every aspect of your life is anchored energetically in your living space, so clearing your clutter can completely transform your entire existence…by changing your home you also change the possibilities in your own life. Removing the obstacles to the harmonious flow of energy in your living environment creates more harmony in your life and the space for wonderful new opportunities to come to you.” -Karen Kingston, Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui

According to Karen, having clutter in your home can congest your body, affect your body weight, confuse you, keep you in the past, make you feel tired and lethargic, make you procrastinate, depress you, dull your sensitivity and enjoyment of life, make you disorganized, and more.

Sometimes clearing space can be a difficult process – what should we keep? What should we get rid of? We hold onto things “just in case” or because we “might need them one day” or we’ve just had them forever and haven’t ever thought about it. In “Clear Your Clutter,” Karen says people often keep things that aren’t useful because of status, identity, a sense of security, or a belief that more is better.

When cleaning and clearing out your space, ask yourself these 2 questions when it comes to any item you own:

• Do I absolutely love it?
• Is it genuinely useful?

If you can’t answer yes to one or both questions, toss or donate the item! Chances are, there are things you’re holding onto in your life that you don’t absolutely love (or even like), and that aren’t genuinely useful at all.

Feel the energy you get from certain objects you own. When you look at the object, do you get a good feeling? Start to pay attention to the things you’re holding onto that are draining your energy.

Have you had any experiences with clearing out the old and making room for lighter energy? Share!

Spring is also a great time for internal cleansing – check out these cleanse options!

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