8 delightful habits to cultivate...in your home...during a pandemic.

 The essential qualities that make a healthy home...are simply true.  These qualities are timeless.  They help us see beyond our current and into a world that is rich.  They help us create homes and families that are nourishing, healthy and sustaining.  I hope you enjoy these quotes that I've gathered for you.  

                                          Happy Holidays, from my home to yours,  Denise

1.   Simplify 

"Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it". – Joshua Becker

"Pare down to the essence, but don't remove the poetry. Keep things clean and unencumbered, but don't sterilize."  Leonard Koren  Wabi Sabi

2.   Tidy Up

"It is not our memories but the person we have become of those past experiences that we should treasure. This is the lesson these keepsakes teach us when we sort them. The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past"   Marie Kondo...the life changing Magic of Tidying up

3.    Breathe ...pause and breathe

“Let go of the battle. Breathe quietly and let it be. Let your body relax and your heart soften. Open to whatever you experience without fighting.”
― Jack Kornfield, A Path with Heart: A Guide Through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual Life

4.    Add in Splashes of Joy

“A body of research is emerging that demonstrates a clear link between our surroundings and our mental health. For example, studies show that people with sunny workspaces sleep better and laugh more than their peers in dimly lit offices, and that flowers improve not only people’s moods but their memory as well.”
― Ingrid Fetell Lee, Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness

"And what does it feel like?" we asked. "Well," she said, leaning over to us like a secret,  "it feels like a gust of wind blowing inside your heart. It feels like bright yellow paint." Monique Duval  The persistence of yellow

5.    Practice Gratitude

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” —Albert Einstein

“Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” —Charles Dickens

6.    Cultivate your Beauty Muscle

"Beauty is abundantly present. In old things, brown fields, weary days, prickly people...the art of beauty is learning to see beauty everywhere, in everyone, everyday.  Seeing beauty is a way of seeing, a muscle to strengthen."  Denise Frakes

"Beauty can be coaxed out of ugliness...Wabi-Sabi suggests that beauty is a dynamic event that occurs between you and something else.  beauty can spontaneously occur at any moment given the proper circumstances, context, or point of view.  Beauty thus is an altered state of consciousness, an extraordinary moment of poetry and grace"  Leonard Koren Wabi Sabi for artists, designers, poets and philosophers

7.   Nature...bring it in and go outside 

“Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” –John Muir

“I go to Nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put together.” –John Burroughs

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” –Albert Einstein

8.   LOVE!!!

“The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in.”

— Morrie Schwartz

“The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart.” 

— Helen Keller

Of all things...I believe in us.  I believe in bluebells, curious calves, and how the mundane acts of everyday..is where life can become rich...or dreary.

What you believe is an essential quality of a healthy home...and joyful life.

What do you believe in...?

         Denise

Fresh air indoors gives you energy

It's snowing outside.  Beautiful big flakes!  I'm thankfully all snug in my warm home.   When I got home today I opened up all my windows.  As soon as I cracked the first window, my kitty Penny came running.  She is wise... fresh air does a home and body good.

With Fresh Air
    Fresh air makes our homes healthier
    When our homes are healthy- we are healthier
    Cats love fresh air
    A bit of fresh air does a body and spirit good
    Our homes feel and smell better

Without Fresh Air
    We use fake air:  air fresheners, plug ins and deodorizing sprays trying to make our homes feel and smell fresh... there is no comparison!!  Fresh air isn't a bought from the grocery store.
     Carbon dioxide can build up....Not enough oxygen... we feel fatigued, our homes feel stuffy- heavy
    We don't sleep as well
    We aren't as healthy- oxygen is kind of important!!!
    Our cats become irritable

I know it seems like you are wasting energy by opening up windows.  I get it, but in reality 5 minutes will have very little if any impact on your heating bill.  The benefits of fresh air- priceless!!

Our homes need fresh air in - and stagnate air out
If you want to be healthy and happy open up windows. Refresh your air and sleep happy
   
 

An Ounce Of Prevention blog- Where did it come from?

    This blog, an ounce of prevention, was created after numerous phone calls from stressed clients.  The stress came from damaged done from cleaners or restorative chemicals- damaged that could have totally been prevented with just a smidgen of help.  And so I created this blog.  I wanted to give that smidgen of help to prevent what could be prevented.

   This afternoon, I'm working on an upcoming presentation for Piece County's Cancer Survivor Conference.  My class will be all about prevention.  Preventing stress and unnecessary chemical exposure.  In our world of speed and ease, sometimes our health gets lost in the dust.  If a splash of prevention will alleviate even a speck of stress or damage I will talk until the cows come home.

 If you are interested in attending this conference click here for more information

    As I'm gathering my key points, a lovely lady called me today.  As we were chatting, she shared with me her own frustrations with "normal old" cleaners.  She had used a "household" chemical that ended up causing her to be over exposed to a nasty little chemical - which gave her asthma!  This is not uncommon and actually a pretty high insistence in the cleaning/restoration/building industries.  While on the phone, she also told me about a friend who lost her eye from working with a toilet bowl cleaner!  I would love to say, these are rare incidences but I can't.

   What is true is that we have all gotten so used to using chemicals in our food, on our bodies, to clean with to paint with, to make and to create with that we are not weary any more.  These products that are sold in our grocery stores, just a couple isles down from our food, must be safe...Right???

   Here is what I know:  
      We as a society use way too much chemical to get most jobs done- needlessly
     These chemicals are usually over kill for the job- too aggressive and too dangerous
     We have stopped using systems and physics but now rely only on the strength of chemical to get the
               job done
      Many chemicals:
               especially cleaners, pesticides, paints, disinfectants and fragrances are sprayed into our air
      Chemicals get accidentally mixed together all the time
      We are habitual by nature and become desensitized to what we are around all the time
      The labels, which are not great but still helpful, are rarely read or followed
      Safety measures are rarely implemented
      Change takes effort and so finding safer alternatives gets put on the back burner of our long to do lists
      We forget to ask questions about our chemicals- what, why, how, when, where????
      We apply lots of chemical and then leave them behind....
       We don't know where to start or how to use safer products and so we give up

    I'm not against modern improvements and our business is based on using chemicals to assist our work.  But what I am against is not pausing those few seconds to ponder our next step. It is in those precious seconds of questioning our next move, of listening to the little voice within, of pausing to ask for help that makes all the difference in the world.

   If you can, please come visit my upcoming presentations. 
                  If you cant, then I ask you a favor?...

 Before you use a chemical in your home or on your body...

1.  Pause - learn to pause and ask questions
             What are you using?
              Why are you using it?  How long have you used it? How do you feel when you use it?
              What is it?  What is in it?  What is that?
              Have I read the label- do I understand this product?
              Is there a better, safer, milder product or way to go forward?

2. Practice Doing no harm- always use the mildest and safest way
             Is this product safe for me, the environment, the material I'm working with?
             How am I using it?  Did it get into mouth, get on my skin or into my lungs?
             Is there a safer way?  Can I prevent needing this product?

3.  Leave nothing behind!  
            What is lingering behind?
            Did I remove this product-completely?
            How do I feel?

4.  Go outside and breathe
           Unplug for just a second and go outside.  Breathe in fresh air, look at the sky, the trees the water
           We typically spend 80-90% percent of our time indoors
           Our homes are usually 2-5 times more toxic than the outdoors.
           Sometimes our best solution is to look at life from a new angle.

Hope to see you on Sept 13th!  As always, wishing you a healthy, happy and residue free home!
        Denise
         

   
           

What is that odor?

    In the great race of life, sometimes things get a bit...well ...ripe.  When you find your house smelling not quite as fresh you would like, pause, just a moment and rethink your next move.  I know there are a lot of commercials nudging you to spray a magical solution that will make your world all roses or lemons or pine fresh again. 

   The commercials advertise:  "Just spray our  ___________  on your  __________  and no matter what stench exists, your life will be happier-fresher-smoother."  hahaha   

    Oh, if life were really that simple.  Of course it isn't and if you take a little pause maybe your good old fashioned common sense will kick in.  

   We as living creatures,  should breathe healthy air- it is kind of essential.   We don't thrive from breathing in chemicals.  

   The 1st 3 steps in odor removal:  
    1.  Pause!  Don't panic!
    2.  Investigate, go CSI on discovering- what is the source of this stench?
    3.  Remove the source of this unpleasant smell. 

   Yesterday, I was in our 2nd bathroom and was a bit horrified by the odor I smelled.  So I yelled for Dallas-my husband- that is kind of like pausing isn't it?  He was busy but did suggest I check the drain in the tub and run a little water.  (This bathroom doesn't see much shower activity- hint hint)  I did run water in that drain and sure enough that is where the stench was coming from.  All it needed was a good flushing. Spraying brad x all over me, my shower and home was not near as effective at removing this odor as was running a little water.

Here are some possible odor locations worth checking next time your nose goes on high alert:

8 Odor Sources to check: 
      Beware this list isn't to be read before dinner...
   1.  Drains- Unused drains can become quite irksome
                        Over used drains call also become quite irksome- hair and soap build up

    2.  Rotting produce- There is nothing as bad as a rotting potato on top of your microwave
                                         I guess rotting garlic isn't that great either
                                         Food that travels, will hide where you would least expect it...

   3.   Trash bins- sometimes things get thrown away with a little too much time before trash day.  A fish wrapper will get mighty flamboyant by about day 3

   4.  Grease filters- when was the last time you cleaned your grease filter over your stove???

   5.  Dirty diapers, litter boxes and pet accidents- these are rarely a good dinner smell.  Babies and kittens are super cute- what comes out the other end... well....

   6.  Moldy socks, moldy towels, moldy anything- dig deep and see what hides under beds, in corners, seals to dishwashers or washing machines.  
    Make sure to check against exterior walls - closets, behind beds or furniture with little air flow - condensation forms here and this is a common area for unexpected mold growth.

    7.  It could be cleaning issue.  Soil, bacteria, soap, mold all come together to for a bio-film on your home- clean it up.  Check pets beds, bathroom's, walls, blinds, under refrigerators etc...

   8.  Sometimes you just have a case of stale air. Make sure your home is getting renewed, fresh air everyday.  And on the flip side make sure the stale/stagnate air is being venting out

   OK my work is done for the day.  But keep this in mind, when a company recommends you should spray their chemical/product everywhere, what they are mainly doing is selling you a lot of chemical!!!

  Happy investigating!  As always, wishing you a healthy, happy and sweet smelling home.
         Denise Frakes
   

Minimize Carbon Monoxide Exposure

Are you serving carbon monoxide for dinner? Most homes we visit, have gas burning ranges. Cooking with gas is fast, reliable and the choice of most chefs. One little irksome trouble is the possibility of Carbon Monoxide (CO) exposure. If you have a CO monitor in your home- good job. Make sure to put one on each level of your home and especially on the bedroom level. Consider getting a peak flow monitor to help you know when and what your levels are.

The CPSC or Consumer Products Safety Commission sets the CO limits at 70ppm. At this level of CO, the monitor will give you a warning to prevent death. Preventing death is a noble reason to get a CO monitor. But you might consider getting a CO monitor with a peak flow monitor. Levels of CO can be low enough not to be fatal but high enough to cause all kinds of other health issues.
Interestingly, World Health Organization puts CO indoor air at 32ppm - max. The Canadian Department of National Health and Welfare has CO at 25ppm at a 1 hour limit. These are far below our 70ppm.

What is CO? "CO is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause sudden illness and death. It is a result of the incomplete combustion of carbon." Some of those irksome health issues at lower levels of CO can be headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain and confusion. At low levels, chest pain and fatigue are most common. At higher levels you might get flu like symptoms and of course death.

If you have gas appliances, does this mean you also have a high CO level? Not necessarily, remember CO is an odorless gas. Because it is a sneaky toxin, you will want to install a safety net and minimize you families risk.

Here are some healthy home tips to minimize CO exposure:

Install CO monitors on every level of home- preferable peak flow monitors
Have your appliances, furnaces and fireplace professionally installed and maintained
Install and use an exhaust fan over your range- making sure it vents to the outside!!
When cooking always run your exhaust fan
Do not idle your car in the garage
Never used charcoal grills, camping stoves, gas powered equipment indoors
Never use gas powered stoves or ranges to heat home

Besides gas ranges, here are some other CO producers to keep an eye out for:

Any gas appliance: furnace, water heater, washer, dryer....
Wood or gas burning stoves
Gas/fuel burning equipment- such as pressure washers or heaters
Charcoal grills and camping stoves
Attached garages

As always, wishing you a healthy, happy home and good cooking!!
Denise Frakes
Certified Healthy Home Specialist

Sources: Healthy Housing Referrence Manual, Essentials for Healthy Homes Practitioners Course, EPA