Peppermint Tea

Warning: This post is about poop.

It's natural, y'all! Everybody poops.

I get so annoyed by people who refuse to acknowledge it/pretend it doesn't happen. Pooping is an important part of wellness, after all. I have to ask patients all the time about their poop. When did you last poop? What color was your poop? Was it hard, soft, formed, etc etc etc... I often even get to inspect it myself. Patients save it for me per my request and I get to document all sorts of things about it.

I live in the city and by law I have to pick up my dogs' poo every single time they go. I clean the cat litter box daily. I know the bowel habits of my furbabies and sometimes I even get a surprise like a foreign object or parasite.... important things to know, wouldn't you say?

So anyway my point is, pooping is normal and talking about it shouldn't be taboo. I know a married couple who've been together 6 years and don't even fart in front of each other. They never speak about poop and go to great lengths to hide their bowel habits from one another. I can't think of anything more pointless and exhausting! I'm not saying you should be disgusting on purpose, but come on. Be real.

 I recently discovered that peppermint tea is a wonderful way to get things moving. I've always enjoyed a cup here and there and never really noticed a correlation between it and digestive health, but lately I've been trying to cut back on coffee (which really doesn't seem to make me go like people say it does). So without really realizing it I was drinking at least 3 cups a day... and WOOOOOOW I felt like singing. I mean, there's nothing like eliminating toxins to make you feel brilliant, and peppermint tea is my go-to!

So if you are looking for a daily dose of detox, have a few cups of peppermint tea. I promise you will feel .... regular.

Think Before You Pink

A fellow crunchy nursing student recommended I watch the documentary Pink Ribbons, Inc.

I was so pissed by the time I was done watching it. I knew that Susan G Komen was an organization that I couldn't get behind. I participated in several Race for the Cures years ago and when I think about it I get pissed all over again. However I never put much thought in the pervasive "pink power" that has women buying pink flashlights and buckets of KFC.

As I transition into a greener, healthier lifestyle, I'm appalled by the pink shit storm I see everywhere. I pay attention to labels now more than ever and I'm outraged by the toxins in products that are made by companies that are so-called breast health supporters.

The companies pushing pink don't even have to give one penny to breast cancer anything. It's all a marketing bandwagon and it makes me want to puke.

I might piss people off with my ant-pink attitude, but that's OK. Maybe someone will set out to prove me wrong and learn for themselves that Revlon is up to no good.

THINK BEFORE YOU PINK

Buycott App

I'm befuddled.

How is a crunchy girl supposed to navigate the murky waters of marketing and hype?

Most of my life I naively thought animal testing wasn't even happening anymore. I thought it was this archaic bonehead idea. So, so wrong.

I also can't keep straight fair trade, GMO's, organic, sweatshop labor, fluoride, MSG, Toxins, sustainability, etc etc etc etc....

If label reading has given you the kind of headache brought on by exasperation, then join me on Buycott. Its' free.

With this handy little app you can explore every cause near and dear to your heart and even some you've never heard of. Create your profile, then scan a product's barcode and voila! You are an informed consumer. 

Using Coconut Oil to Treat Pink Eye

OMG! Didn't you know that pink eye means you have poop in your eye?!

I've actually heard people say this. Adults. Sigh.

I've worn contact lenses since the 5th grade. I like to camp and swim in lakes and ponds and I ain't afraid to get dirty. I let my dogs & cat snuggle up on my bed. I love having my hands in the dirt whether it's to repot my houseplants or help my parents in their garden.

I also happen to be a neat freak in many ways. I wash my hands a zillion times a day, I wash my sheets twice a week, I groom my dogs weekly, I sweep daily, and I leave my shoes at the door. That said, I've still had the occasional conjuctivitis.

I most certainly do NOT get poop in my eyes. Pink eye is just inflammation of the membrane that coves the whites of your eyes and your eyelids.... which can happen because you slept in your makeup, you have an allergy, you got dust in your eye, or you have a virus.... just to name a few reasons. Anyhoo ...I got sidetracked defending my hygiene.

I didn't want to run to the Pharmacy and get antibiotics every time my eyes got irritated, but I didn't want to wait to see if it was indeed a bacterial infection with all the crusty glory and photosensitivity to treat it. I wanted to address the issue as soon as I noticed my eye was a little irritated.

And guess what? One of my crunchy cure-alls came to the rescue. Whether my eye gets a little pink or I wake up with full blown yuck, I just create a cool compress with a dab of my trusty coconut oil (after removing and cleaning my contacts). I apply this 3x a day, wear my glasses, and skip the eye makeup. Not only is it soothing, my eyes clear up within a day or two. No more crusty eyelashes and no more expensive/poisonous eye drops. YAY!

According to nutritionist and trans fat researcher Mary G. Enig, PhD:

The lauric acid in coconut oil is used by the body to make the same disease-fighting fatty acid derivative monolaurin that babies make from the lauric acid they get from their mother's milk. The monoglyceride monolaurin is the substance that keeps infants from getting viral or bacterial or protozoal infections. Until just recently, this important benefit has been largely overlooked by the medical and nutrition community. 

Essential Oils

Before nursing school, I was a spa coordinator. I LOVED it. I had a nutty boss, but I never got stressed out. How is that possible? The essential oils, I tell you.

I miss the atmosphere of that place, so I often try to recreate it in my little loft apartment. The concrete floors and exposed brick are a far cry from the soft and inviting decor of the spa world, but I have my serenity Pandora station, candles, and essential oils to make up for it.

Recently I've been really interested in the use of essential oils in a more clinical setting. I did a science project in 4th grade where I tested the antibacterial properties of tea tree oil, so it really just made sense for me to kind of dig a little deeper into this idea that essential oils aren't just for massages and aromatherapy.

I am especially interested because I've taken care of countless patients with all kinds of so called superbugs (thank you antibiotic mania) and aside from gowning up head to toe every time you enter the hospital room like you're on your way to some chemical spill, I just don't see that we as a health care community are doing enough to address the issue. Yes, stopping the spread of the superbugs is paramount. But maybe we ought to be looking into destroying the little critters with something other than heavy duty poisons.

Not only can essential oils aid in healing, but they can benefit the staff. Talk to anyone who works in a hospital. The stress factor is off the charts.

I'm all for it! Going to hit up some peer reviewed data and learn more about this trend. Evidenced-based practice is the cornerstone of nursing, and I am off to find out what studies are out there about essential oils in the hospital setting.

Check out this list of hospitals that currently use essential oils:

Alegent Health Bergan Mercy Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Aurora Healthcare System, Foxpoint, WI
Banner Health, Mesa, AZ
Benedictine Hospital, NY
Beth Israel Complementary Care Center, NY, NY
Children’s Healthcare, Roseville, MN
The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, NY, NY
Elk Regional Health Hospital, PA
Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, AK
Florida Hospital Medical Center, Orlando, FL
Goshen General Hospital, Goshen, IN
Heather Hill Hospital, Chardon, OH
Ingham Regional Medical Center, Landing, MI
Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Oakland, CA
Manilaq Hospital, Kotzebue, AK
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, NY, NY
Mercy Holistic Health, Cincinnati, OH
Pinnacle Health, Harrisburg, PA
St. Barnabas Healthcare System, Toms River, NJ
St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hartford, CT
St. John’s Riverside Medical Center, Yonkers, NY
St. Luke’s Medical Center, New Bedford, MA
Sentara Healthcare, Wilmington, DE
The Valley Hospital, Ridgewood, NJ
University of Michigan Hospital, MI
Wishard Memorial Hospital, Indianapolis, IN
Sharp Chula Vista, San Diego, CA
Primary Children’s Medical Center, Salt Lake City, UT

Zoya, Non Toxic Nail Polish: A Review

I did it. I dumped all my nail polish.

I figured it would take entirely too long to transition slowly, and I can only paint my toes anyway (thanks to nursing school). So I ditched every last bottle. It was liberating, actually. Like tossing junk food without the regret.

I had never used non toxic nail polish and was skeptical it even existed. I've never been a fake nail kinda girl and it honestly boggles my mind that young girls get manicures and acrylic nails these days. I also work with tons of brides via Stella Clare and I always secretly cringe when they stick these ultra awkward looking faux nails on their fingers. Also, the dead giveaway that a girl knew her man was about to propose? French manicured fake nails in her obligatory engagement ring facebook photo upload! hahahaha! How is that even a thing? (<--- I ask that question way too often)

The fact that nail salons are in Wal Mart is reason enough to steer clear. Am I the only one that thinks these poor salon workers are in danger? The flimsy little masks should be our first clue that this stuff is not safe. I also see long fake nails and automatically think bacteria-fest. You know those girls aren't scrubbing under those talons every time they use the potty. Ew.

Anyway no offense to anyone that finds acrylic nail art attractive. I certainly love a good manicure. I don't find it in my meager budget to get pampered like that, either. I have never had a manicure I thought was worth THAT much money. A massage? Yes. A facial? Of course.

Manicures? I think I'll just keep it DIY. So Zoya is what appealed to me as far as color selection and the fact that it is a legit non toxic polish. Apparently there are some liars out there that market safe polish but aren't. Shocker.

No formaldahyde. No toluene. No DBP. <-- That's what they call the "toxic trio." Also, no camphor. So when I have a mani pedi party with my precious nieces, I don't have to worry about toxins. When my crazy cat licks my fingernails, I don't have to worry she's melting her brain cells. I also don't have to worry that I'm applying scary chemicals directly onto my body.

The color I chose was charisma. LOVE! It smells different than regular polish.. still strong, but not nearly as awful as the other stuff. It also just feels very different. Fast drying & a bit matte, which I like. Color was exactly the color of the bottle, which never seems to happen with the other stuff. Price was $7, which isn't cheap but many of the other non toxic brands I looked into were like $20!

However, I highly recommend using a top coat. 12 hours and one shower after the above photo was taken, this is what my nails looked like:

Smoothie Prep Bonanza

My blender SUCKS. My Mom's blender? Amazing. I decided to take advantage during my recent visit.

My smoothies are usually just whatever ingredients I have on hand... not much planning goes into them. This time around I tried to incorporate things like oats and peanut butter for a little more of a protein kick (per Mom's request- she wanted me to make her some too).

Hooray for meal prep. It's a pain in the ass on Sundays but glorious the rest of the week. The idea is to have a mason jar of deliciousness for breakfast so I can hit the snooze a few more times.

I have been hesitant to do the whole spinach/kale mixed with fruit. I love greens, but I was just really unsure about how they'd taste with fruit. Turns out what they say is true... you don't taste the greens at all. This means I can buy tons of organic spinach and kale without worrying it will go bad before I can eat it all. SCORE.

Out of the 7 recipes we tried, only one was a bust. The rest were pretty good. Not amazing, but I think that has more to do with the fact that the produce selection is horrendous where my parents live and we didn't have time to head to the farmers market.

Also, I hate greek yogurt with a passion. The smell of it makes me want to yack. But I was trying to be open to the idea that I might not taste it. Wrong.

The recipe I hated was the first one I tried: blueberry pie green monster. I found it on Pinterest and the chick that came up with this was clearly insane. Nothing yummy about this monster. She raved about how good it was but I gagged when I tasted it. My parents both tried it and said it was pretty terrible. 

Here are the recipes that I didn't hate & will be even more delish when I can get quality ingredients.

*ALWAYS use fresh organic produce when possible. Frozen organic fruit/ fruit juice works too.
*I add flaxseed and/or chia seeds to basically every smoothie for omega 3's
*I usually add bananas to every smoothie but couldn't any ripe ones (unripe bananas end up tasting like you used the peel)

RECIPES SANS CUTSIE NAMES:

2 cups spinach or kale
1 granny smith apple
1 cup blueberries
1.5 cups pineapple


2 cups spinach or kale
1 granny smith apple
1/2 cup blueberries
1 cup pineapple
1 cup mandarin oranges
1/2 cup strawberries


2 bananas
1 cup strawberries
1 cups organic OJ
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
3 Tablespoons rolled oats


1 cup spinach or kale
1 cup pineapple
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup strawberries
1/2 cup rasberries


1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 banana
2 cups rasberries
1 cup organic OJ


1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 cups spinach
1 pear
3 Tablespoons of oatmeal
4 Tablespoons of peanut butter
organic dark chocolate chunks to taste