Have a Better Life

We all know that most cleaning products have a lot of chemicals most of them dangerous. These products compromise our health and the environment. Fortunately there are already many alternative products we can buy that are 100% green and therefore environment friendly. Here is an example:

Clorox Greenworks All Purpose Cleaner is a natural and efficient cleaner for all type of surfaces.

From Amazon: Product Features:
* Powerful, natural all purpose cleaner without harsh, chemical fumes
* Biodegradable, non-toxic, plant-based, non animal-tested, non-allergenic, full ingredient transparency
* Recyclable packaging
* Endorsed by Clorox
* Certified by DfE (Design for the Environment) and backed by the EPA

This product can be used in kitchen counters, toilets, sinks, stainless steel, tv stands, appliances, chrome, etc.. It’s excellent to protect our children from the contact with chemical substances, we are protecting ourselves and the environment.

You can buy a pack of 12 Clorox Greenworks All Purpose Cleaner – 32-Fl. Ounces Spray Bottle for only $39.86

Earth Day is just around the corner and although we should always have it in our mind we tend to think more about it when Earth Day approaches. In the following days I will bring here some Green related products for you to have a Greener life.

The Gorgeously Green Diet: How to Live Lean and Green by Sophie Uliano is a book that will be released on Wednesday and promises to be a bestseller. Sophie Uliano brings us tips on eating healthier, save money on food and be a friend of the environment by eating the right food. You will learn how to have an overall healthier life and avoid fast diets, diet pills and appetite suppressants. Many recipes, and an exercise plan available.

Become Lean and Green.

You can buy this book for only 17,13 at Amazon.

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Super Natural Home – Improve your health, Home and Planet – One Room at a Time is the right book for those searching for information regarding how to eat healthier and live in a healthy environment free of toxic chemicals.

“In a world were we are overexposed to thousands of dangerous toxic chemicals, education is the key. Super Natural Home provides vital information for anyone interested in reducing their chemical exposure.” –Dan Jacobson, legislative director, Environment California

Protect your family and your home for only 0,85 at Amazon.

If you haven’t been much of a budgeter in the past now might be the perfect time to stop and think about putting one into place. The economy is in a pretty rough place right now with people losing jobs and being laid off left and right. It’s time to sit down and take a look at the income you have coming in and the money you have going out.

It’s sound simple enough (knowing what you have coming in versus what you are paying out) but so many people don’t pay attention or their spouse handles the bills so they again are still unaware. As stated above the economy is in a bad place right now so you need to know what’s going on financially.

Another reason to set up a monthly budget is because if you feel like there’s never enough money and you are always struggling to make ends meet but would like to be able to splurge every once in awhile and treat your kids to something.

It’s also a good idea to start teaching your children about money and budgeting. I can say from personal experience of growing up with never being taught about budgeting and the importance of saving that it eventually cost me lots of debt and headache! Get your kids on board as soon as they are old enough to understand the concept of what you are doing.

Mom’s Talk eBooks has a great guide, Guide to Family Budgeting that is filled with information on why your family needs a budget (aside from the reasons listed above), analyzing your finances and changing your thinking, planning your budget and how to do more with your money. You will also find tips that will help you show your children how to save and manage their money as well.

To grab your copy of Mom’s Talk eBooks Guide to Family Budgeting click here.

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Some people are dealing with snow, others with rain, others with cold and I’m dealing with yellow pollen dust from the pine trees that surround us.

Leaving in a pine tree area can be very interesting. We wake up with the birds singing in the trees, we can hear the sound of the trees moving when it’s windy, it’s quite peaceful. But the other side of the situation is during Spring when the pine trees produce the yellow pollen that covers everything. I’ve got my windows covered with yellow dust as well as the balcony, the furniture, everything is always covered with the yellow dust.

The yellow pollen from pine trees can be very annoying specially for those suffering from allergies. Some people live terrible days during spring due to it. Of course this is something we have to live with, besides the allergies it doesn’t cause any other serious diseases like Mesothelioma. People with allergies just have to take their meds and hope that Springs ends (no Mesothelioma lawyers needed). For me, I must confess, what annoys me, is having to clean the house almost everyday to get rid of the yellow dust.

Today we had some rain that fortunately kind of washed everything, but let it stop raining and the yellow dust will come back again.

I had my physical check up today after 15 sessions of physiotherapy. The treatments were a failure so the doctor wants me to do 15 more sessions but with a different schedule and treatment order.

Instead of going to the treatments first thing in the morning and then go to work, I’ve got to do them after work at the end of the afternoon. This way I don’t mess up my back by going to work after the treatment.

Instead of doing the massage first and than the heat part, I’ll have to do the other way around. The doctor wrote a list of observations for the person that will be doing me the treatments so that this time things are done the right way and I can get rid of some shoulder and neck pain.

I also asked the doctor about massage devices there are; if they help or not. She told me to try once several people feel great improvement from the pain they have. This is something I really have to look into even if it means an investment.

So, I would appreciate if someone reading this blog or just passing by can tell me if they have already tried something similar to this Homedics Therapist Select SP-10H Shiatsu Pillow and what are the comments.

Is it good? Is it worth the price?

I really want to fix the pain I have because it is measing up with my daily life.

Saving money is the reality show of the moment. This new reality that is part of our world now make us do all the efforts to buy cheap, avoid unnecessary products, save energy, gas and water. We have to be prepared for the future, there are houses to pay, cars to be bought, kids need to have a steady future school program and we, the parents, are responsible to make all that we can to provide a good future to our kids and ourselves.

There are several ways to save money. Usually our fist thought is saving a percentage of our monthly but sometimes that’s not possible because the paycheck isn’t enough for the monthly bills, so how we can save when we don’t have enough?

Now here come some measures we can taken:

Start at our own Home

Saving money should be part of our way of life to make it most effective. It is best that the effort to save be shared by everyone in the family, even the younger members of the family.

Little Efforts

I work far away from home and on the way I have to leave my two kids in school so I can’t imagine my life without a car. Walking would be great if we were closer to work and school. Riding the bike would be a healthy alternative but with two kids it’s impossible. Sharing a car with friends and neighbors seems a great opportunity to save a few bucks but again it’s not possible. We all live and work in different parts of the city and there is no middle term.

Avoid the little temptations that may come my way. It is naturally fine to reward myself after a hard work every now and then, but staying away from splurging is the best .

Use Less and Save Energy

Electricity - I’m already used to turn off appliances that are not being used. Turning the Tv off is a little difficult, with so make channels available we always find a great program to watch.  The refrigerator is a struggle for me because the kids tend to open it an stare at the interior trying to decide what they want to eat. Energy saving bulbs are already being used in most rooms. They had an initial investment that I’m sure will be regained very soon. Sometimes they are offered as packages for the whole house and at sale prices.

Water - Avoid long showers – this one is difficult for me, the shower is the only moment I rarely have to relax a little and a few extra minutes are spent under water but I always try to be as fast as I can. My son loves to take a long shower so everyday it is a struggle to get him out of the running water. Don’t leaving the water running when brushing our teeth is something that I already educated my kids to do. We can save a few liters of water if the faucet is off.

Phone – My phone provider has a saving plan where we pay the same amount of money to every other providers. It’s really great. I don’t do long distance calls so I don’t have a special plan for it.

Gas - I have a membership benefits with one station. I usually fill up the tank when the prices go low and use all the advantages from the membership. Not having air conditioning in the car makes me save gas. I usually take advantage of open windows.

Small gestures can make a big difference when choosing to save money and the world.

I love salads and now with spring here and all the vegetables and fruits growing my need for salads is huge. I always try to find different salads but the main ingredient is healthy salads, for me, my husband and my kids. Vegetables are fresh, healthy and tasty so, the whole family can take advantage of it.

Today I bring here a recipe I found at Disney Family Food that it’s called:

TACO SALAD

Recipe Ingredients

• 1/2 cup prepared salsa
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 medium onion , chopped
• 3 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey
• 2 large plum tomatoes , diced
• 1 14-ounce can kidney beans , rinsed
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 8 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Recipe Directions

1. Combine salsa and sour cream in a large bowl.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add turkey and cook, stirring often and crumbling with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, cumin and chili powder; cook, stirring, until the tomatoes begin to break down, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in cilantro and 1/4 cup of the salsa mixture.
3. Add lettuce to the remaining salsa mixture in the bowl; toss to coat. To serve, divide the lettuce among 4 plates, top with the turkey mixture and sprinkle with cheese.

Health Advantages: high fiber, low sat fat, high potassium, high calcium, heart healthy (no AED needed), diabetes appropriate.

I hope you enjoy it!!!