Pour Some Sugar on Me!

I love things with sugar.  I am a sugar addict.  Literally.  I crave it.  I love baked goods and will load up on them if they are around and then drift off into a happy shaky sugar coma.  It’s amazing that I am not 400 lbs of sweet love.  There are a lot of people out there who avoid sugar due to dieting, health purposes etc.  Sugar is often substituted with artificial sweetners.  I personally avoid artificial sweetners as much as I can. 

For one if you are going to eat/drink something high in sugar, such as a soda, just have the real thing or none at all.  I feel the same thing about low fat foods.  If you are going to indulge, go big or go home.  Secondly, I avoid artificial sweetners because they make my stomach hurt really bad.  Sharp pains will plague me for hours if I have any.  Logically, if my body (stomach) is telling me it doesn’t like it, it must be bad for my body.  Thirdly, I personally think (for some reason I chose this in my life to be stubborn about) that artificial sweetners are so obviously manufactured and unnatural that they should not be willing poured into your natural body systems. 

To support my stubborness on artificial sweetners, check out these stats on aspartame.  75% of all complaints that the FDA receives are from the ingestion of aspartame for 15 years after it arrived on the market.  It has brough more complaints than any other food additive ever.  Aspartame is also marketed under the names of “Equal”, “Nutrasweet” and “Candarel”.  It is found in approximately 6,000 food and beverages served worldwide.  You would most likely ingest it from softdrinks or in packets on restaurant tables.  However, some other common everyday food items where it is found is in gum and some chewable vitamins.  

What happens when you metabolize aspartame is that aspartame is changed into methanol in your intestines which is then absorbed and changed into formaldehyde.  All of this within your body.  Some experts feel it’s not enough to make a difference.  Others say that adding these chemicals into your body will cause a chronic toxicity over time causing symptoms similar to other chronic diseases.  Then there are others who laugh in the face of all of this and say “NONSENSE!”.  Studies have linked this controversial additive to cancers, neurological diseases, etc but the scientists say that the amount that most people drink shouldn’t really affect them.  And since the experts are still undecided on if it’s really bad for people, we should just wait and see if other symptoms show up.  At least that’s appears to be the overall plan

Hmmm….Since these experts don’t really agree.  I am going to maintain my stubborn stance on this and just use good old regular sugar.  I really don’t like to be a walking science experiment.  Plus, if I gamble on the fact that it won’t cause something weird, I will probably lose.  I also lose when I gamble, so why gamble with my health.  Oh and if you use Splenda….don’t be so sure that’s great either.  It also has a similar back story.  So pour some sugar on me (or rather my Rice Krispies)…in the name of love.  In moderation, of course. 

 

Know When to Say When

I am in a quandary.  Like many of you readers, I am a SAHM with multiple children.  We have one main income with lots of outcome (aka: expenses).  Tomas and I have consistently struggled with our grocery budget.  What’s too much?  What’s unrealistically small?  How often should we shop?  How can we eat healthy on a strict budget?  etc. etc.  You have all heard the drill, I am sure. 

In order to get a little better grasp on this, I have taken the advice of many fellow moms who are much better budgetors than I and joined a coupon website.  It’s called Savings Angel.  (I previously did The Grocery Game, but found it to be a little harder to deal with.)  These coupon matching sites are great! They match up the local store ads with the coupons that are in your paper.  The idea being that you stock up on things when they are really dirt cheap instead of paying an arm and a leg for it.  It has really helped our grocery bill to shop this way.  We have cut our bill in half.  Not hard since we really didn’t shop on any a good budget before.

Here’s the problem…I just have so much stuff.  I have been stocking up for a few months on all these items for very little money.  Some of them are even free or I have ended up getting money back for them.  I have given some stuff away, but yet when I look in my basement pantry (otherwise known as my kitchen overflow).  I am appalled.  I counted 18 cereal boxes as of today’s shopping trip.  How does that happen?  And let’s not forget the bathroom!  I don’t even know how many tubes of free toothpaste or lotions are up there.  All of it for free or at least for under a dollar.  How can you say no?

This whole process has troubled me a little bit.  When should you say when?  When is a really great deal, really not necessary?  It’s hard to say no.  It’s hard to have limits.  Come on, you might think….it was free.  You can’t pass that up.  Well, I think that I need to.  For several reasons.  One being, it’s wasteful.  Things may just get buried in my stock piles and never come out because it’s just too much to sort through when I am busy.  Do I have time to do spread sheets to keep track of my stock?  No, I am too busy entertaining a clown troupe.  Therefore, I need to simplify and stop creating these shelves of “free to a good home” items.  Before I grab that next free lotion, I need to ask “Will I use this in the next couple months?”  If not, I will slap my greedy hand away from that lucious lubricant.  How embarrassing is it that we think of ourselves as just “getting by” when we have stockpiles of goods?

My second big struggle with this is the “greening” of my home.  I have to think that every person who is stockpiling these items are seemingly increasing the demand for any product that continuously has coupons.  Jergens Body Lotion is just an example.  I have a couple bottles of this upstairs.  I am trying to do what’s best for my family and the environment, and yet I am bringing all sorts of perfumes, dyes and chemicals into their diets and personal care because I am stockpiling.  Here’s Jergens safety analysis from Skin Deep.  Some people may not be concerned with this but I am.  I am trying to keep everyone in our house healthy and “green”.  Would I have 2 bottles of this lotion in my home if it weren’t for my organized hoarding?  No, I would have waited until I really needed lotion.  I would have made one trip to a store and bought one bottle of natural lotion.  That’s it.  No multiple trips to multiple stores to get the best price on something that’s not totally healthy for us.  It’s the same for the food items too.  It’s very hard to eat healthy produce/meats when you are trying to stick to a tight budget.  There’s never coupons for fresh fruits and veggies.  Only chips, sugar laden breakfast bars, and crazy new chocolatey cereals.  You can probably begin to imagine how this second issue has so many levels to be considered.  My mind spins when I think of all that could be considered in this category.

However, with all the negatives, I still value the money saved in our budget.  We live a good life.  We have nice things.  We eat well.  We smell good and have controlled body hair (thanks to all the free razors).  But I have cancelled the my paid subscriptions to these sites.  I am forging ahead on my own.  I will still shop a sale and use coupons.  Oh, I will guarantee you that.   That’s the positive side, I have educated myself in budgeting and smart shopping.  But I will also revert back to my greenie ways and stay true to my values as a responsible consumer and parent.  It’s just all too much.

“Let every individual and institution now think and act as a responsible trustee of Earth, seeking choices in ecology, economics and ethics that will provide a sustainable future, eliminate pollution, poverty and violence, awaken the wonder of life and foster peaceful progress in the human adventure.”

— John McConnell, founder of International Earth Day

“The ultimate test of man’s conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard.”

— Gaylord Nelson    former governor of Wisconsin, co-founder of Earth Day

 

I’ve Cracked!

I have a problem.  It starts at my toes and slowly creeps up to the top of my head.  It’s really dry skin.  I get itchy, I get rough around the edges, and now I have finally cracked.  My feet have cracked that is.  I don’t know who else has this problem.  I apply lotion everyday.  Not just the lightweight flimsy lotion, but the thick almost globby fatty with grease lotion.  And still, nothing.  So, I have turned to my own devices.  I found this recipe for a wonderful foot scrub.  I thought I would share it with my fellow greenies.  One because it’s natural, and two because it’s cheap.  Especially since strawberries are on sale this week at our local grocery.

Here it is!  Find some time to mix up the scrub and pamper your tootsies to prevent the winter scratchies.  The fruit acids are supposed to soften calluses and rough skin.  And the coarse salt exfolliates.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons coarse salt

8 fresh strawberries

footbrush or scrubby (optional)

Hand and body lotion

Directions:  Stir together oil and salt.  Add strawberries and mash together with a fork until it’s blended but somewhat chunky.  Rub in the mixture in a circular motion with either a foot scrubby or your hands.  Pay special attention to your calluses and heels.  Rinse off your feet and put on lotion followed by a pair of comfy socks.  Relax!!

 

Mama Stewart Has Spoken & It Is Good

 I am so happy!  I saw this magazine at our local bookstore and I HAD to have it!  It’s called “Whole Living : Body and Soul”.  Not only is it a topic that I am passionate about, it’s a MARTHA STEWART PUBLICATION!!!  For those of you who don’t know me that well, I love Martha Stewart.  I have loved her for decades.  Don’t ask me why…

Okay, since you really wanted to know why, I will tell you.  She is one fiesty, creative woman.  Think about it, she made a HUGE empire by just writing an entertaining book back in the day.  Yes, her personality seems to be a little questionable at times, but you have to admire her marketing skills.  She is crafty, sassy and in college I was known to look a little like the past beauty queen.  So as you can see, we have a deep connection.

I just read through the magazine tonight while soaking in my meditative aromatherapy bath of lavendar and vanilla.  Loved it!!  It’s packed full of tips, articles, and advertisements (which is helpful in finding new “green” products).  I found the advice topics and responses to be useful without being overly simplified.  If you need a relaxing read printed on recycled paper and full of healthful, natural things for your mind and body, pick it up and give it a try.

If you are a Mama Stewart wannabe like me, go to the website as well:  www.bodyandsoulmag.com

And Mama Stewart, where ever you are…I am so sorry about the loss of your own mama.  I hope that you find happiness as you snuggle with your Chows and groom your famous horses.  Just know that you are my hero, so if all the rest of your family disowns you remember who calls you “mama”.