Category Archives: Institute For Harmonious Living

Holiday Hours 2016

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December 

Tues 20 & 27  10-6

Weds 21 & 28 10-8

Thurs 22 & 29  10-6

Fri 23 & 30 10-8

Sat 24 & 31 8:30-2:30

January

Tues 3 Closed

Weds 4 1-8

Thurs 5 Closed

Fri 6 10-8

Sat 7 8:30-2:30

eco-neuma

‘Eco and his Selection for gift ideas this Christmas, Neuma Organic and Vegan Hair Care Line!’

Happy Holidays from all of our Green Family to yours! 

HHDS SPARKLES In St Jacobs, Come Join us!

Just finished baking for our Sparkles event in St Jacobs! All the local vendors are open late, and offering refreshments, and amazing deals and events, including horse drawn wagon rides! On Thursday We are launching our new beautiful Neuma organic hair care line, which is biodegradable, organic and is over 90% post consumer recycled plastic bottles!
On Friday we are excited to have beautiful live music with Ryan Dugal, and Claryssa Webb of #ANewGround beginning at 6pm to 9pm!
On Saturday we are open 8:30 till 6! Offering a great opportunity to get your family photo for holiday cards, or a new head shot with an amazing $40 package for hair wash style, make up and photo shoot!
Thurs – Sat enjoy draws, prizes and free gift bags for the first 50 clients! Call now to enjoy #EcoFriendly Christmas gift ideas, and relaxing services that provide you with the self care you need to get through the hectic Holiday season! 519-886-8624 to book your #SparkleExperience. #livemusic#photoshoot #headshots #familyphotos #StJacobs #Sparkle #Prizes #Draws#SelfCare #EcoChristmas #SaferProducts

 

Tips Tuesday – A New Beginning

Yes we have all been there.  Either by choice or by happenstance, a New Beginning can instigate feelings of excitement, apprehension, joy, fear, doubt and euphoria.  It’s learning how to go with the flow of events while still maintaining your sanity that can be seemingly impossible.  Like trying to tread water in rapids.  It isn’t easy, pretty nor does it feel natural, but low and behold, Nature IS Change.  Things in life are constantly evolving shifting changing.  Either violently and instantly like a volcano during which you simply must attempt to maintain all of your limbs, OR gentle and almost undetectable like the eroding of rocks by a river, like when you realize your kid is going to college and you forgot he wasn’t 5?  We have all experienced both I’m sure.  But we know the days will come again where we will be faced with the inevitable welcomed or unwelcomed presence of change.  I have found some years offer multitudes of change, like the one we are in, for us, while other years seem status quo.  We have moved Hybrid Hair and Detox Spa, and the Institute For Harmonious Living to St Jacobs, and we will soon be moving our family home to Mount Forest.  These decisions were blended in motivation between choice and necessity.  This complicates things a bit.  On one hand it’s exciting and filled with anticipation and joy.  On the other side it is met with fear that we could be causing ourselves more stress or challenge to our already busy lives, while simultaneously grieving the ending of an era.  One thing I love about the universe is that it will take these reflective opportunities to force you to face head on and truly commit to what you really want.  I have found that when sharing our news of change that some people have joined in our celebration with support and mutual appreciation for striving towards goals and attaining them.  While others will meet this announcement of courageous transformation with fear and intrepidation, reflecting back to you your insecurities and seconding guessing.  What to do with this?  As your stomach knots and twists.  Embrace it as an opportunity to recognize that there is something in you that needs to be released, or forgiven or accepted.  No courageous act of change is without a little a bit of pain as the old self is shed and the new vulnerable self emerges.  In response to such ‘Neh’ sayers you are gifted with the opportunity to remind yourself why you chose this new path, re-inspiring yourself to the new opportunities awaiting you.  Or you could allow the negative fear eat away at the precious gift that lays before you in the unknown.  The Choice is yours.

Where change hits you like a tsunami, with gail forced winds and destructive results, change is at it’s most violent and relentless.  Noone outside of you can soothe the impact and hurt that you could feel.  However, these moments can also prove necessary to shake you up in a way that you had never entertained otherwise.  Either way the decision of how this is integrated in to your life is yours.  Years following this event staying in resistance and denial could prove exhausting and futile.  Leaving you regretful and depressed.  Self care will ease this reaction before it takes hold.  Patience, acceptance, allowance and forgiveness for yourself most importantly is vital.  Everyone’s approach is natural for them and fair for their own life, noone has the right to tell you your way of integrating is wrong.  HOWEVER, staying open minded to those best intended supporters, those you trust most, is extremely important as these golden nuggets could be patchwork quilted together to form your own custom redesigned foundation for your future.  Take what resonates to you from their well meaning advice and leave the rest in gratitude.

Within change lies so many emotions and relationships young and old have been casualties of many forms of change.  Although the release of others can instill fear of abandonment, being alone and grief of the relationship, it is necessary to release others whose path you are longer meant to share.  However to best honor what was between you  is most comforting, where trying to hold tighter in a most unnatural resistant way can cause more pain and heartache.

So like treading water in the rapids, reserve your energy and go with the flow, don’t struggle against it.  Use the current of change to slowly, or quickly, sweep you to the edges where safety and stronger footing can surely provide you with a more sound perspective of your circumstances.  Use the reserved energy to heal and regather your wits before proceeding.

To anyone who feels battered and bruised from change, healing WILL come, just make sure you are open to it and give yourself permission to accept the peace after the storm.  Many self sabotage and cause self inflicted pain to punish themselves for what they believe they may have been responsible, having made a mistake, causing what they may see as an act they could and should have avoided, and there by preventing painful change.  What they don’t see is the seemingly random, yet actually, calculated acts of the universe offering you and others opportunities to grow and move forward to a better place.  By self sabotaging they limit their vision and therefore do not see this opportunity, instead choose to stay trapped in a cycle of backwards obsessive thinking, regret, grief and self punishment.  If after nonjudgmental, unconditionally loving, coaching/counseling concludes that asking forgiveness of self or others is appropriate, do so without expectation of outcome.  Whether or not the other forgives is irrelevant after an offered apology.  It is the self forgiveness that will give you the healing you search for.   Surprisingly after forgiving is internal, external circumstances will follow suit.

Never forget that we are all feathers tossed around in the wind of fate, you are not alone.  When and if you search for counsel, self care or simply a safe place to just ‘Be’, I invite you to visit us at Hybrid Hair and Detox Spa, and the Institute For Harmonious Living and enjoy our nurturing ways, through services geared to sooth your mind body and spirit.

Tips Tuesday – Living Plastic Free Part 4 Last Installment

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In our last installment of Living Plastic Free, we cover a few less thought off areas of our lives!  I hope you have found this to be helpful, we have enjoyed learning more ourselves and are looking forward to doing another over haul in our practices @ HHDS.  Involving this big change please watch here for BIG NEWS COMING SOON!

 

Plastic-Free Pet Care

  1. Choose natural cat litter.
  1. Choose pet toys/furniture made from natural materials instead of plastic.
  1. Avoid plastic bowls.
  1. Buy secondhand pet supplies instead of new.

 

  1. Learn to make homemade pet food without much plastic.

 

 

Get it Fixed!

  1. Repair things when they break.

 

Buy Secondhand

  1. Acquire necessary plastic items used instead of new.

 

Packing and Shipping Materials

  1. Request zero plastic packaging when ordering online.
  1. Get off mailing lists to reduce plastic envelope windows.
  2. Get online billing

 

 

In the Office

  1. Make your own glue. homemade wheat paste that really works.
  1. Avoid disposable plastic pens.

 

 

Electronics & Entertainment

  1. Look for secondhand electronics, games, and toys first.
  1. Choose refurbished equipment from a certified e-steward.
  1. Take care of what you have already/Repair it
  1. Avoid buying new CDs and DVDs.

They are made from polycarbonate plastic, after all. Instead, I download music and movies and borrow DVDs from Netflix or the library.

  1. Learn to recycle old disks.
  1. Choose healthier electronics.
  1. Find DIY solutions for techno needs.

 

 

Gift Giving and Receiving

  1. Learn strategies for green gift-giving. Experiences are the best option!
  1. Consider giving charitable gift cards.
  1. Request plastic-free gifts for yourself.
  1. Find ways to wrap gifts without plastic tape.

 

Holidays and Entertaining

  1. Bring your own beverage container & ustensils to parties and events.
  1. Throw a Zero Waste party.
  1. Re-think your Christmas tree.

Most artficial trees are made from toxic PVC.  Opt for a real, sustainably-grown and harvested tree, a live tree that can be planted, or an artificial tree made from natural materials.  There are “trees” made from recycled cardboardwood, or even recycled glass bottles.

  1. Skip holiday plastic tchotkes.

 

 

No New Plastic Clothing

  1. Choose natural fibers.

So much new clothing these days is made from synthetic materials with names like: polyester, acrylic, lycra, spandex, nylon.

  1. Shop thrift stores.
  1. Make your own clothes.
  1. Look for plastic-free shoes.
  1. Choose ethical underwear.

 

 

Camping and Outdoors

  1. Choose plastic-free camping equipment.

 

 

Avoid unnecessary plastic around the house

  1. Stop buying plastic water filter cartridges unless necessary.

 

 

If You Do Nothing Else

  1. Avoid the Worst Plastics

 

If you do nothing else, try to steer clear of Polyvinyl Chloride (#3 PVC), Polystyrene (#6 PS), & Polycarbonate (#7 Other).  PVC is found in many, many products and causes a whole host of environmental problems. Read my post about the problems of PVC. PS contains styrene, which is toxic to the brain and nervous system. PC contains BPA.  Read more about BPA here. If you must use plastic, make sure it’s not #3, #6, or #7 polycarbonate. (Note: #7 is a catch-all for many types of plastic that doesn’t fit into the first six categories. Biodegradable plastic is also labeled #7. So when in doubt, ask.)

 

Tips Tuesday – How to become Plastic Free!

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If you are like me and you are wanting to become Plastic Free, then this list is for you!  Some of it is pretty straight forward other items I hadn’t thought of yet! Clearly as a family and for HHDS we have been promoting this for a while, especially with our refillable mason jars for shampoo and conditioner.  I love this list and will post 25 more new tips each week for the next month!   Check it out!

Top Ways to Reduce Plastic Waste

    1. Carry reusable shopping bags.

    2. Give up bottled water.

      Grocery Shopping
    1. Shop your local farmers market.

    2. Say “no” to plastic produce bags.

    3. Buy from bulk bins as often as possible.

    4. Cut out sodas, juices, and all other plastic-bottled beverages.

    5. Buy fresh bread that comes in either paper bags or no bags.

    6. Return containers for berries, cherry tomatoes, etc. to the farmer’s market to be reused.

    7. Bring your own container for meat and prepared foods

    8. Choose milk in returnable glass bottles.

    9. Buy large wheels of unwrapped cheese.

    10. Try to choose only wine bottled in glass with natural cork stoppers.

    11. Let go of frozen convenience foods.

    12. Give up chewing gum.

       

Eating and Drinking on the Go

    1. Carry your own containers for take out food and leftovers.

    2. Carry a stainless steel travel mug or water bottle at all times for coffee and other drinks while out in the world.

    3. Carry reusable utensils and glass drinking straws.

    4. When ordering pizza, say no to the little plastic “table” in the middle of the pizza box.

    5. Treat yourself to an ice cream cone.

       Lunch Time at School or Work
    1. Keep your own reusable foodware at the office.

    2. Carry lunches in reusable stainless containers or cloth bags.

    3. Choose reusable cloth sandwich/snack bags.

       Kitchenware & Food Storage
    1. Choose glass/stainless steel food storage containers, and reuse what you have.

       

    2. Learn to preserve foods without plastic.

    3. Avoid non-stick cookware.

      Now I understand this can be an overwhelming task!  Some of us have lots of plastic in our homes still and like me maybe don’t want to fill a landfill with our old plastic containers or portable drinking cups.  I hear ya!  I plan on utilizing mine until they are no longer effectively useful, however that doesn’t mean I can’t be more conscientious  with future purchases.  And so goes my plan!  How will you reduce your families plastic consumption?  Will you go cold turkey or gradually transfer?  If you get rid of all your plastic from the start, what will you do with it to be more conscious of what happens to it next?

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Tips Tuesday -Know When to Reach Out

Men

I have noticed many people feeling stressed, overwhelmed and suffering high anxiety lately.  Some of you might say, that’s nothing new, but statistics are showing increases in every area, suicides in every age group, increase in mental health leave in work places. more violent aggression towards others in our communities, we have reached a breaking point.  Reaching out for help from places like ours is a sign of strength not weakness, you empower yourself and in turn those around you!

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Hybrid Hair and Detox Spa is all about providing our guests with a ‘Safe Place’ to give themselves permission to enjoy self care, and increase the knowledge base in many alternative medicine treatments, as well as eco friendly full hair and skin services.  We expect people in overwhelm, we welcome them eagerly.  We accel at assisting others with decreasing their stress, anxiety and overwhelm.  But we know other people too, many amazing certified alternative medicine practitioners and we can connect you with their skills!  We encourage our guests to ask questions, and give themselves permission to explore alternatives in passive and active treatment for mind, body and spirit self healing approaches.

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Peace starts within you, each one of us has the responsibility to do what we need to, to chill out and find our zen on a regular basis.  For some that might be yoga and meditation, others massage and a hair cut, others, hiking and facials, I don’t care what it is, but what you MUST understand is that if you choose not to  you WILL pay a heft price.  Your health will decrease more rapidly, you will age faster, you will have a shorter life span, you will not be as effective or efficient at work or at home, you will be short tempered and low on energy, you will have more bouts of fear, anxiety and or depression, and you WILL affect negatively, EVERYONE around you.  Here is the kicker, you see chaos around you and you want to fight it!  You want to make it stop, you can’t by putting more effort outside yourself.

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The only way you can influence others to become more peaceful and calm, more loving and kind is to be that first yourself.  Sounds easy but it isn’t, without self care and filling your own cup first , learning skills and tools to heal yourself first you couldn’t possibles take on the task of positively influencing others.  But start acting as a leader and teaching by example how peaceful practices produces a peaceful environment and watch how everyone around you benefits!

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Want to learn how to start?  Book in a Free 1 hour first session with me for Holistic Life Coaching and we will get you started in empowering yourself with skills and tools to support you for the rest of your life! Call now for your first FREE SESSION! 519-404-6627

Looking Forward to Meeting up with you!

Tips Tuesday – What are you investing in?

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Many things floated through my mind about what to write about in this weeks Blogg, and I realized all the themes were linked, as everything is.  It all flows back to, ‘What Are You Investing In?’.

I know longer have cable.  I have not watched the news in a very long time.  I always find out what is going on.  Always.  I won’t bore you with why I do not watch it other then to say, I do not feel it’s accurate and it leans too often to the negative.  What happens when any of us lean too far, too often, to the negative?  We perpetuate more negativity.  I personally do NOT want to invest that way.  I do not want ‘interest’ on my negative thoughts or feelings.

I have seen and heard of many sad events happening lately close to me and not so close.  Watching a young woman be verbally, emotionally and physically abused for falling in love with a boy not of her culture and religion, by her own family.  This isn’t the first time, I’ve seen it and heard of this before.  In varying degrees of extremity and aggression.  Hearing how a rapist is protected and supported by the courts, a woman left to spend her life recovering.  Watching a man of authority inflict fear, pain and manipulation to sexually and physically assault women and walk away with very little if any repercussion.  Watching human beings cut down during a seemingly typical fun Saturday night, for no other reason but for their sexual connotation.  But this isn’t new, this is old news, this has become common place like a disease, we like to think it’s just in a neighboring country but it’s here, as I mentioned with the earlier example, it’s in our town, our schools, our homes, our heads.

Typically many will start pointing fingers at an extremist group, a religion, a culture, a race.  But it is far more sinister yet far more basic then that.  It can be summed up in just a few words.  Intolerance, ignorance, hate, fear.  It was found in Cristopher Columbus when he raped and pillaged the peaceful native people he found when he discover the new land, it has been in every war in the name of religion or for power, ever domestic dispute, every random act of violence from stealing a purse to rape to murder.  It simply has different faces.  But it’s all the same underneath so why hate the face?  Stop looking at the surface, it’s underneath you too, in the swearing at the diver who cut you off to the gossip you tell behind a coworkers back to the bullying on the play ground, to the mental abuse you put yourself through every time you tell yourself yours stupid, incapable, fat, ugly, worthless and on and on and on….

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What Are You Investing In?  Do you choose to add to your own negativity with layers of invested energy focusing on self inflicted crippling thoughts and emotional scars?  Do you watch negative shows and news only to spread the news, and feed the fearful sensationalism propaganda?  Are you someone who turns a blind eye to a neighbor, child, spouse, parent doing something you know is wrong and allow it to build until one or many are hurt?  How do you begin to reign in the violence? Start with your own actions thoughts and behaviors, move on to acting out of peace, love and acceptance of others, ALL OTHERS.  If you see someone of YOUR race, YOUR culture, YOUR religion, YOUR beliefs striking out against others in a hateful way, DO WHAT IS RIGHT to protect others from violent acts, help your friend, loved one, neighbor by protecting them from themselves, report it, don’t turn a blind eye, or your hands too will be bloodied with the investment you made by a decision of inaction.

What are you investing in?  How do you choose to spend your money, your time, your life?  Every choice you make controls an outcome, even the choice not to choose.  You vote with your dollars, your habits, your decision to or not to vote.  You vote by raising your children in the environment you provide for them.  What do you see as your future balance?  Have you invested enough time in your health to live a strong healthy life with your grand or great grand children?  Have you invested in your relationship with your kids for them to want to come visit you when you are in a home?  Have you invested enough in ethical practises to lead your life as an example to tohers on how to honour and respect all life on this planet?  Have you invested enough in your fellow man/woman so that your deposite of love and accpetance onto others invests into an epidemic of colossal proportions that it takes on a healing lif of its own?  Have you invested in the understanding that with voting you DO have a say in the environment your country offers to be safe in and out of your ow home, local entertainment spots and schools?

With the closing remark, that in a peaceful world no weapon is lethal.  I am completely opposed to guns, yet, as sadly our next generation has displayed in record numbers of suicides, words can kill, and you don’t need a licence to speak.  What are YOU investing in?  I choose to invest in the future, future generation, future evolution, future peace.  Will you join me?

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Normally I would write a gratitude peace to our fathers for fathers day, and they should not be over shadowed by the grievous acts of radical behavior.  To my Father who voted just days before passing, I do hope our neighbors to the south will vote for a peaceful future this fall.  To our fore fathers I offer forgiveness for what they may have done in ignorance and fear, I also show gratitude for those who fell for us to enjoy peace.  To the Fathers Today may you raise tolerant, loving peaceful and respectful children of both sexes, this will not be a simple task, but I know you are up for the challenge!

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Show your your love and gratitude with our amazing spring promos to encourage him to fill up his self care cup!

Tips Tuesday – Stay cool and green!

 

I Found some great ways to keep cool this summer, it looks like it will be a hot and hazy one!  Many of these tips we use @HHDS & @ Home!  If you have more great ideas on how our followers can stay cool this summer in a ‘Green’ way please share your ideas on our Facebook page!

 

If you’re looking for green ways to keep cool this summer — with little or no air conditioner — you’ve come to the right place.

We’ve gathered a variety of eco-friendly tips that either don’t use an air conditioner or help you use your air conditioner more efficiently.

Yes, it’s true you can stay cool without harming the environment.

To keep you and the planet healthy and to save money on your energy bill, here are 20 green ways to help you keep cool when summer heat threatens to get inside your home and under your collar.

waterGreen Ways to Keep Cool With Little Or No Air Conditioner

Avoid the dry cycle and plan ahead. Allow dishes to air dry in your dishwasher. And, wash dishes late at night or early in the morning so you can keep the dishwasher door closed for several hours after the wash cycle completes to avoid hot air from spilling into the room.

Check refrigerator settings and coils. Set your refrigerator between 37 to 40 degrees and remember to keep the coils clean. Dirty coils make your refrigerator work harder and run longer, which heats up your kitchen.

Open windows and doors in the early morning. Allow early morning cool air to circulate throughout your home.

Close windows and coverings mid morning. Shut windows, blinds, shades, shutters and curtains later in the morning to stop afternoon heat from getting inside.

Drench your extremities. Run cold water over your hands and wrists, soak feet and ankles in a tub of water, splash water on your face and ears.

Dress for the heat. Wear loose or lightweight clothing made from natural fibers, such as cotton and linen (rather than synthetic materials), including sleeveless and short-sleeved shirts, shorts, capri pants, skirts and dresses. Rotate your shoes or sandals, so you’re never wearing shoes that are damp from sweat. Go barefoot when possible.

Eat smaller amounts of food. Your body produces less heat to digest small amounts of food than compared to large amounts of food.

Freeze a wet a towel. Allow the towel to thaw a little and then place it on your forehead, stomach, or feet to lower your body temperature.

Notice outdoor temperatures. Open doors and windows when the temperature drops down outside.

Practice green bathing habits. Open the window and close the door when showering, so hot steam doesn’t reach other parts of your home. If you don’t have a window in the bathroom, remember to turn on the fan to vent hot air.

Service your air conditioner. If you must use an air conditioner, make sure it runs efficiently by keeping filters clean and using the right amount of coolant. To help your air conditioner work better, use a fan to circulate the cold air. (If you can live with without using an air conditioner, do it. Use an air conditioner only during the hottest part of the day.)

Shut off heat-producing devices. When not in use, unplug or turnoff electronic devices such as computers, televisions, stereos, and incandescent light bulbs.

Sip cold beverages and eat chilled foods. Drink cold beverages, like ice water with a squeeze of lemon, or eat cold food, like chilled strawberries and blueberries, to lower your body temperature from the inside. Stay away from caffeine and alcohol, since both can lead to dehydration.

Sit under a tree. Hang out under shady trees where it can be up to 10 degrees cooler.

Spritz with water from a spray bottle. Mist your face or feet with water to cool off. While still damp, sit in front of a fan to get even cooler.

Take cold showers or baths. Lower your body temperature by cooling off your body from the outside.

Turn on fans to circulate air. Turn off the fan when you’re not in the room.  For a short-term treat, place a bowl of ice in front of the fan to move colder air.

Use a microwave or toaster oven. Cook food in a microwave or toaster oven, since both produce less heat and cook foods faster, which keeps your house cooler.

Visit the library, mall, grocery store, movie theatre or gym. Go to public places where many people can be cooled by air conditioners at the same time.

Wash and dry clothes before or after hottest periods. Do laundry early in the day or late at night when it’s cooler. Use a clothesline when possible or at least air dry part of the load. (Not everything may need to go in the dryer, especially items made from synthetic materials like workout clothes, blankets, and fleece jackets.)

sheetsSwap your sheets.
Not only does seasonally switching up your bedding freshen up a room, it’s a great way to keep cool. While textiles like flannel sheets and fleece blankets are fantastic for insulation, cotton is a smarter move this time of year as it breathes easier and stays cooler. And as an added bonus, buy yourself a buckwheat pillow or two. Because buckwheat hulls have a naturally occurring air space between them, they won’t hold on to your body heat like conventional pillows, even when packed together inside a pillow case.

 

 Set your ceiling fans to rotate counter-clockwise.
Whether you know it or not, your ceiling fan needs to be adjusted seasonally. Secounter-clockwise in the summer at a higher speed, the fan’s airflow will create a wind-chill breeze effect that will make you and your guests “feel” cooler.

 Focus on the temperature in your body, not the house.
If your ancestors survived without air conditioning, so can you. From sipping tasty iced drinks to applying a cold cloth to strong-pulsed areas like your neck and wrists, cooling yourself from the inside out is not a bad idea. Other tricks include being smart about your clothing choices and telling your partner you won’t be cuddling until the leaves start changing color.

Turn on your bathroom fans.

…or the exhaust fan in your kitchen, for that matter. Both of these pull the hot air that rises after you cook or take a steamy shower out of your apartment.

Heat-proof your bed.
Go straight to the source, and put a cool-inducing Chillow under your head while you sleep. For feet, fill a hot water bottle and put it in the freezer before placing at the foot of your bed. And it sounds strange, but slightly dampening your sheets before bedtime will majorly help you chill out.

 Let the night air in.
During the summer months, temperatures may drop during the night. If this is the case where you live, make the most of these refreshing hours by cracking the windows before you go to bed. You can even create a wind tunnel by strategically setting up your fans to force the perfect cross breeze. Just be sure to close the windows (and the blinds) before things get too hot in the morning.

summer night

 Ditch the incandescent lights.
If you ever needed motivation to make the switch to CFLs, or compact fluorescent lamps, this is it. Incandescent bulbs waste about 90 percent of their energy in the heat they emit, so tossing them to the curb will make a small difference in cooling your home while lowering your electric bill.

Start grilling.
It’s obvious, but we’re going to say it anyway: Using your oven or stove in the summer will make your house hotter. If it already feels like 100+ degrees in your home, the last thing you want to do is turn on a 400-degree oven. Besides, who doesn’t want to get more mileage out of their outdoor furniture and seasonal accessories?

 Make a few long-term improvements.
If you’re really, really committed to the whole no-AC thing, you can make a couple changes to your home that will keep it cooler for seasons to come. Insulated window films, for example, are a smart purchase as they work similarly to blinds. And additions like awnings and planted trees or vines on or in front of light-facing windows will shield your home from the sun’s rays, reduce the amount of heat your home absorbs and make your investment nothing but worthwhile.

“Wear light, breathable clothing, and avoid polyester,” says Adam Scott, green energy program coordinator for Environmental Defence and coordinator of the Green Energy Act Alliance.

 

Install white drapes and awnings, says Scott. “They won’t absorb the heat and will reflect it back out,” he says. Coulter says window coverings can block 65 percent of the heat that comes through windows. You could also opt for light-coloured shingles on your roof.

For days when you need AC, set it to 25 degrees Celsius.”It’s just as comfortable as 21 degrees Celsius,” says Scott. If every Canadian household did this, imagine the impact on the Earth.

**Some info from “Turn off the AC!” in the Summer 2011 issue of Best Health.

Tips Tuesday – Eco Sun Protection!

Many people are recovering from a little to much sun over the weekend!  But it was a good long weekend wasn’t it?  So I collected a few Eco Sun Tips for you and your family to observe in this intense sunlight we have and will continue to enjoy for the rest of the season!

MY FAVORITE Lets start here I’m not good at waiting!

BIG HATS!  They are sexy, flirty and timeless!

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Protective Eco Skin Care! Diego  Dalla Palma, SPF 15 and 24 hour options!

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Protect your skin even more with Mineral Make up!  FitGlow, Canadian Made!

VITA-ACTIVE FOUNDATION is more than just a way to perfect skin tone but a healthy way to nourish skin with clinically proven super foods and essential vitamins. The plant based skin loving blend of Vitamin C, Botanical Hyaluronic Acid,Seaweed Brighteners and Beta-Caroteneincreases collagen production and dramatically boosts skins ability to diminish spots, freckles, hyper-pigmentation, sun damage plus improve elasticity. Daily use leaves skin clear, smooth and radiant. VITAMIN C Provides potent antioxidant protection, shielding skin from damaging free radicals, boosting collagen production and reducing brown spots. It’s prevented my usual sun spots and freckles from appearing this past.

98% ORGANIC | 95 % WHOLE FOOD BASED | VITAMIN C | BOTANICAL HYALURONIC | VEGAN

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Great for kids and Canadian made!

http://www.abbysprouts.com/Surf-Print-Kepi-Hat-UPF-50-Protection-Sun-Hat-Ma-p/6527.htm

kids hat

 

Don’t forget Mom and Dad!

http://www.stitchylizard.com/_golf-shirts-toronto/golf-eco.html

golf

Safer Eco Sunscreen Options

sunscreen

  1. Nature’s Gate Kids Mineral Sunscreen, SPF 20
  2. Juice Beauty Sport Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 30
  3. Badger Sunscreen Cream, Unscented, SPF 30
  4. The Honest Company Honest Sunscreen Stick, SPF 30
  5. California Baby Super Sensitive Sunscreen Stick, SPF 30+
  6. Seventh Generation Baby Sunscreen, SPF 30
  7. Yes to Cucumbers Natural Sunscreen Stick, SPF 30
  8. Earth’s Best Mineral Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 30
  9. TruKid Daily Sunscreen Face & Body Stick, SPF 30
  10. COOLA Suncare Body Plant UV Sunscreen Moisturizer, Unscented, SPF 30

To see all the safest sunscreens, check out either Best Beach & Sport Sunscreens or Best Moisturizers with SPF.

 

  • High-SPF (SPF values of greater than 50+) products are misleading to the public and may result in people not applying sunscreen often enough.
  • Retinyl palmitate, a form of vitamin A, may speed up the development of skin tumors and lesions, plus because vitamin A is found in so many products, toxicity due to excessive exposure may result. Vitamin A safety is a huge debate and not everyone agrees that vitamin A is a hazard.
  • Sunscreen is just one way to protect yourself from the sun.

Protect your eyes!

sunglassesDSC_1414

To best protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful UV and HEV rays, always wear good quality sunglasses when you are outdoors.

Look for sunglasses that block 100 percent of UV rays and that also absorb most HEV rays. Youroptician can help you choose the best sunglass lenses for your needs.

To protect as much of the delicate skin around your eyes as possible, try at least one pair of sunglasses with large lenses or a close-fitting wraparound style.

And of course who could forget the timeless option , the parasol!

umbrella

umbrella3

BDDDCE An attractive young African woman holding a multi coloured umbrella sitting on a sandy beach with a blue sea in the background.. Image shot 07/2009. Exact date unknown.

Check out this lovely sophisticated version on Ebay! http://www.ebay.com/itm/stripe-Women-Princess-Folding-Anti-UV-Parasol-Umbrella-for-Sun-Protection-/291765363871

 

No matter how you enjoy the sun, do it safely!  Apply sunscreen regularly or if you have aversions to SPF wear long light sleeves and utilize the sexy big brims and pretty parasols!  Either way you can have fun in the sun and be safe too!

 

 

 

Tips Tuesday – Rough Road Ahead!

A Road Closed sign on highway 41/64/72 at the Lee Highway bridge over the Tennessee River.

Yikes Construction is everywhere!  Pretty soon I will have to cut hair through Astral Travel!  All the roads to and from HHDS and my home will soon be closed due to construction.  Not just that but EVERYONE I have been talking to has been mentioning they have been experiencing some pretty tough inner construction too!  It looks like ‘As Within So Without’ does really apply here!

It seems like these challenging times are the most daunting the toughest to navigate and the hardest to bare.  There is no better time then these to stop and look at our self care.  Have we been optimally nurturing ourselves?  If so the impact of outer influences will be felt, but in less of an emotionally tumultuous manner then if we have been slacking in this area.  In these times ‘Doing’ less is more, or at least thats what it looks like from the outside.  If someone were to observe me during these challenging times they might think I was crazy!  All this chaos and I’m too calm, seemingly oblivious to the anarchy outside, BUT!  In reality I am doing something HUGE!  If we remember at our thoughts affect our health, our frequency then we know that what our vibration is attracts the like to us.  So if I want calm peaceful bliss, I must create it inside.  This has been a tough one for me.  I was raised a ‘Do-er’ God helps those who help themselves I was told.  But over the years I realized I messed it up worst for th most part and it was incredibly stressful for me the whole time.  Ever been around someone who was totally calm in a tragedy?  They become an anchor for those terrified souls around them.  They have a calming affect on the whole thing helping others to focus and regroup.  You can be that for yourself, not in an avoidance way though this is not healthy or helpful.  During crazy times being the observer, staying focused and calm allows you to think more clearly and find a solution more effectively.  Not only that but it won’t affect the health of your mind body and spirit as much because you won’t slide into fight or flight.

one way

As we all know troubling times come to us to give us an opportunity to learn and grow.  Some would say ‘If that’s the case I have credentials out the whazoo!’  But truly, if we remember that through every challenge and stay calm, we can extract the lesson, integrate it and move on faster, minimizing casualties including your own!  Remember, ‘What’s The Rush?’

The Inevitable Navigation System: 'You have arrived at your destination.'

So in the mean time check on line to see what roads to avoid, leave a bit earlier and know that sometimes this won’t help. So if you find yourself winding through, navigating one way streets and closed road signs, take a deep breath enjoy your coffee, and enjoy the scenic route!

scenic route

you have arrived