Robin Wilson

Robin's Favorites: Holiday Kitchens custom cabinetry

If it is time for a new kitchen or bath look, you need to visit a local Holiday Kitchen dealer to find out about the eco-friendly options for CUSTOM cabinetry! (make sure to ask about the RWH frameless line) Imagine having the comfort knowing that no formaldehyde based adhesives are used, low-to-no VOC paints and stains are used, a new tree is planted for every tree used in the manufacturing process, and there are over 96 door styles that you can select from...and since it is Made in the USA, you are saving jobs! And most importantly, there is a lifetime warranty because they believe in their product...and silent-close drawers are standard. Start with the Holiday Kitchen dealer locator 

Robin's Favorite: Benjamin Moore AURA paint

Benjamin Moore paint - AURA (low VOC) and Natura (no VOC) - lines which meet the strictest state standards of California. This paint has a self-primer which can save labor costs, and also one hour after painting, there is no paint smell which is great for asthma & allergies.The paint is ranked in the top performance levels among 21 eco- or green-conventional paints by Consumer Reports. Learn more

Is Your Home Making You Sick?

Are You Sleeping in a Chemical Factory?

Sick building (and now "sick home") syndrome is not a new phenomenon, and it was recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency in a 1994 report regarding indoor air pollution. In the report, one learns that air inside the home can be up to 3-5 times as polluted as outside air. The report cites a main culprit as volatile organic compounds - emitted as gases that can contain harmful chemicals. Reactions can include sinus irritation, nausea and headaches - and some people think it is just a cold.

Paint is only one source of VOCs which in a newly painted room can "off-gas" for up to a year. Pressed-wood furniture, permanent press fabric and mattress ticking also release VOCs, including formaldehyde. And using non-organic sheets, towels and clothing can also introduce you to pesticides.

It is virtually impossible to stay away from all these products, but you can definitely implement a few measures to improve your VOC and toxin exposure:

• Change your air-conditioner/heater filter on a monthly basis
• Utilize cotton towels and sheets and hypoallergenic pillows
• Speak to your plant horticulturist about plants that filter air
• Use energy efficient lighting such as LED lighting by JUNO or CREE
• Review the cleaning products used in your home
• Know what type of rugs and carpets are used in your home (nylon/vinyl backed is not good!)
• Once a week, open the windows for just 30 minutes

Eliminate Dust in Your Sleeping Area

With asthma, allergies and pollen season, you can reduce some of your triggers and give your body a rest by creating a "dust-free" bedroom. Dust contains mold, fiber, animal dander and critters called dust mites - who feed on particles in bedding, upholstered furniture and carpeting/rugs. Warm weather is a great breeding time for dust mites, so you may see particles in sunlight which is the dead mites and thier waste products. Yuck!

So, if you read the guidelines from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, you will learn that you should get medical care as needed, but first, you want to try to eliminate triggers from your bedroom.

HOW TO PREP YOUR SPACE TO BE DUST FREE?

1. Remove everything from the room (incl. clothing, furniture) as though you were moving out.
2. Mop or steam clean the flooring.
3. Use a mixture of 1 parts bleach to 4 parts water in a spray bottle and spray lightly on a cloth. Wipe the walls and corners near floor.
4. Wash all clothing items before replacing in closet. (*A good time to give to charitable causes*)
5. Keep clothing that is not worn frequently in zippered bags and shoes in non-paper boxes off floor.
6. Remove wall-to-wall carpeting and sleep in a hardwood floor with rugs that can be cleaned.
7. Wipe hardwood floors, tile or linoleum floors with water, tung oil or other cleaning solutions.
8. Keep doors and windows closed at all times, except weekly when airing the room out for 2-3 hours.

HOW TO MAINTAIN A LIMITED DUST ENVIRONMENT?

1. Air the room at least once a week for 2-3 hours. During high pollen season, try not to open windows as this is another trigger for those with allergies and asthma.
2. Clean floors, furniture, door tops, window frames and sills regularly.
3. Vacuum (use a HEPA filter) and cleanse floors and carpets regularly.
4. Cleanse blinds, curtains or drapes as they gather significant amounts of dust.
5. Try to sleep in a wall-to-wall carpet free environment.
6. BEDDING: Make sure to encase mattresses and pillowcases in allergen-proof covers that are washable.
7. PETS: Keep animals with fur or feathers out of your bedroom.

Just a few tips, and hope you make it through the spring without any allergy-related sniffles!

Diet Tip Of Day: 4 Foods to help Weight Loss

Simple diet additions can change your waist - and help you lose weight!

• Apples: Eating an apple–or two–a day can keep the doctor away and the extra pounds.  Studies have found that eating an apple a half hour to an hour before a meal cuts the calories of the meal. Another benefit from this fruit is you feel full, so you eat less.
• Protein: Dietary studies have repeatedly found that when people eat an egg every morning in addition to (or instead of) toast or cereal, they lose twice as much weight as those who eat a breakfast that’s dominated by carbs.
• Cinnamon: This spice can help your body metabolize sugar, according to USDA study involving diabetics. Eating as little as 1/4 to 2 teaspoons of cinnamon a day was found to reduce blood sugar levels and cut cholesterol from 10 to 25 percent. You can add cinnamon to smoothies or flavor your coffee with it.

Health Tip of Day: Lupus and Vitamin D

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that primarily affects close to a million people. And there is growing evidence that most of the sufferers of the disease have lowered levels of Vitamin D. When doctors prescribe higher doses of the vitamin, these patients recover some semblance of wellness or healthy living. Solution or cure?   Read NYPost article

Wellness Tip of Day: Boost your Memory

The good news is that lifestyle can  keep your mind working sharply even into old age. The bad news is that changes in memory and thinking are inevitable as we age.Take charge of your mind with some steps:

• Take the stairs: Exercise benefits your whole body. Start by adding a few minutes to your daily routine of running errands or avoid elevators.
• Shake things up:  Change something in your routine daily to keep your mind thinking of new ideas, instead of being on autopilot. Take a different route home or simply change your  computer's wallpaper.
• Don't multi-task: When learning something new, try to focus all your energy on that task, otherwise, your mind may recall the music in the background, instead of the important step you need to remember.
• Manage your Diabetes:  Keep your sugar under control, maintain a healthy weight and balance your diet - as a diabetic episode can affect your memory.
• Do Math or a Crossword Puzzle: instead of using the calculator, solve a math problem using long-hand - and on Sunday, do a crossword before watching your sporting event.

 

 

 

Tip of Day: Oil in Perfume, Hair Dye, Cosmetics and...Food!

"Oil Oozes through Your Life" (NYTimes, June 26, 2011)  makes consumers aware of the pervasiveness of oil in our day-to-day lives. In addition to the gas tank, petroleum has diverse uses including basic hygiene products to food additives. Its virtually impossible to imagine a non-usage of petroleum products...especially when you read this list of petroleum dependent products:

•  Perfume - not enough roses in world requires use of petroleum based floral scents
• Lotion-many facial products from Oil of OLay to Vaseline rely on petroleum
• Hair Dye - look for words "propylene glycol"
• Cosmetics - many products contain oil derivatives
• Deodorant - look for the words "polyethylene"
• Toothpaste - look for the words "propylene glycol" (this is antifreeze in another form)
• Detergent - oil lifts oil, so it is common in stain-lifter detergents
• Vitamins - pill capsule shells that dissolve in stomach are usually petroleum derived
• Ice cream - if it has "vanillin", it is oil-derived artificial flavoring

The pervasiveness of petroleum in everyday products should be of some concern, but more importantly, it is better to be aware of petroleum products usage in your food, home and life...

 

 

 

Diet Tip of Day: Best Snack Rules

There are four "best" snack rules that we should all consider are:

- less than 200 calories

- no high-fructose corn syrup

- less than 400 milligrams of sodium

source: SHAPE

Allergy Tip of Day: Grass Pollen

Spring is done, but if you are wheezing and sneezing, you might want to check to see if you have a grass allergy, which continues to pollinate into the summer. If you are allergic to this common lawn covering, you might keep your windows closed in the morning and at sunset when allergen/pollen levels peak...and you can also check a pollen count in your area at the National Allergy Bureau

Diet Tip of Day: Sleep Longer, Lose Weight

Did you know that sleeping at least eight hours a day is best for your waist...for women that only get four hours, they will typically consume more than 325 calories daily because our body craves fast and fat-oriented foods.

Eat breakfast with protein (not just carbs!), drink lots of water and limit snacks during the day. Final rule: don't eat a heavy meal after 7:00pm. More info about Dream Diet

 

Wellness Tip of Day: Asthma & Vitamin D

For those who avoid the sunny days and then complain in the winter abut the gray...here is another reason to go outside this summer: Vitamin D. According to a recently published study in the Annals of Asthma, Allergy & Immunology,  vitamin D will ease or prevent lung inflammation.

Increase your wellness by spending 20 minutes out in the sun daily and also supplement your intake with fish, eggs, spinach and a 400 to 600 IU vitamin pill? (ask your doctor first!). Read this article about Asthma and "breathe easier"

Wellness Tip Of Day: Top 5 List to Have a Proper Walk

Most people assume that the way you walk is okay but little do they know that your stride, pace, and posture reveals information on overall health. There are three issues, in addition to selecting the propershoes which can be important to your overall foot, back and muscle health.

Ask yourself if you do any of the following (and if you are not walking at all, its time to get up from that couch!):

1. Snail pace-  a slow pace may shorten your life expectancy - strolls are meant for certain times...pick up your pace to improve cardiovascular health!
2. Little to no arm swing-  This clues to lower back trouble.  An arm swing indicates that the spine is well supported and without a swing, you could create lower back trouble with back pain or vulnerability to follow - swing those arms and burn more calories!
3. Tip-toe walking- this distinctive walk can be a clue to an underlying condition such as  overactive muscle tone,  which is most likely caused by spinal cord or spinal column damage. If this is your walk, visit your doctor!
4. Lazy Posture- take the time to walk as though an invisible string is pulling your neck like a marionette, and you will find that your walk turns into a workout
5. Wrong Shoes- walking in sandles without support can turn your walk into a wreck. Many people begin to pronate or have other structural issues with their feet if they wear the wrong footwear...be good to your feet with the right shoes.

 

Health Tip of Day: Lower Diabetes Risk

Diabetes currently affects approximately 8 percent of the population, or 24 million Americans. Supplement such as magnesium  improves the body’s sensitivity to insulin and significantly reduces the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

In a recent study, it was found that the people taking magnesium had better-balanced blood sugar levels and improved insulin sensitivity, as well as improved blood pressure.  The researchers concluded that each 100 milligrams of magnesium supplemented with a healthy diet may lower a person’s diabetes risk by 15%.

Foods that contain magnesium include pumpkin seeds, spinach, Swiss chard, soy beans, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, halibut, black beans, and navy beans.

Information from CARE



Diet Tip of Day: Diet Sodas actually add Pounds

Diet sodas are deceptive and a recent study by the University of Texas Health Science Center shows that people who drink diet sodas actually add to their waist size and they are in poorer health...and those who are diabetes-prone will do best to avoid aspartame...Read more

Diet Tip of Day: Food that Ages You

Your nutrition not solely your age, determines the body’s internal quality and resiliency of your system.The condition of your skin, bone quality, brain and connective tissue is determined in part by what you eat. With eating habits you begin to see and feel the effects of aging.

• Cheeseburger - fast food inflammation; trans fat in fast food leads to chronic inflammation which can age you from the inside out
• Frosted cupcakes -  excess sugar loiters in the blood and attaches to protein molecules which is an age-accelerant; processing the large amount of sugar we take in daily puts a huge strain on our systems; refined carbs are simply sugars in disguise and every starch turns into sugar the minute it hits your bloodstream

Information from Care2

Wellness Tip of Day: Fight Insomnia

Summertime fun and a longer daylight cycle makes it quite easy to lose much-needed sleep. There are options including blackout shades, consistent bedtimes and sleep inducing pills. However, we recommend that rather than turn to over-the-counter drugs, you might want to consider certain foods that have ingredients that make the "zzzz's" come a little easier:  

• Cherries:  Eat a cup of cherries as a snack before it’s time to sleep, or drink the juice. Watch your body relax. 
• Fish: Tryptophan is a sleep inducing chemical contained in certain sea dwellers including  shrimp, cod, tuna, and halibut.  
• Lemon Balm:  A  member of the mint family is known for many generations to induce sleep, improve digestions and decrease agitation. Make a potion of lemon balm tea by steeping 1 to 2 teaspoons of the dried herb in 1 cup of hot water for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Turkey dinner: Tryptophan is also found in turkey, although you would have to eat a lot to make it work...but maybe it is just a good comfort food to make you relax.
• Milk: it is a myth that warm milk can help you sleep...the real key is to combine carbs with a protein such as pairing a cup of whole grain cereal with milk before bedtime.

Information from CARE

Health Tip of Day: Cut Diabetes Risk

Diabetes currently affects 8% percent of the population, or 24 million Americans. Magnesium supplements can improve your sensitivity to insulin and significantly reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

In a recent study, it was found that the people taking magnesium had better-balanced blood sugar levels and improved insulin sensitivity, as well as improved blood pressure.  The researchers concluded that each 100 milligrams of magnesium supplemented with may lower a person’s diabetes risk by 15% over one's lifetime.

Foods with magnesium inlcude: pumpkin seeds, spinach, Swiss chard, soy beans, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, halibut, black beans, and navy beans.

Information from CARE

Wellness Tip of Day: Top 5 List of Fruit with High Pesticide Levels

Shocker!!! We just learned that "the apple a day" saying may not be true...in fact, it may cause you to have to visit a doctor - for pesticide poisoning. The research team at the Environmental Working Group studied 53 popular fruits and vegetables and conducted 51,000 tests...and here are the results for the Top 5 List of Fruit with High Pesticide Levels in the U.S.:

1. Apples
2. Strawberries
3. Peaches
4. Nectarines (domestic)
5. Grapes (imported)

Keep your family safe with the right fruit selections...Learn fruits with LOW pesticide level

Wellness Tip of Day: Sitting Can Make You Sick!

Sitting at your desk can make you as sick as smoking cigarettes. New research shows sitting for long periods of time may be just as dangerous. Cardiovascular effects similar to smokers can affect those who spend a long portion of their day seated without moving...it is important to take the stairs, stand up whenever you have a chance and take a walk on your break.

Other risks include: heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer. Start moving!

Source: CBS