Baby Feng Shui

The essence of adorable.

Feng Shui for babies is very important. Babies are also the most sensitive to energies, both good and bad. They are the best barometers of the energy in your home. Paying attention to those energies will help when planning  the baby nursery and the products used in it. To insure the new baby will have a healthy start in life, use as many organic, non-toxic products as possible. Think of organic cotton and other fibers that do not use bleach, dyes or other chemicals in their manufacturing. This includes the crib mattress, sheets, curtains, rugs or carpets, baby clothing and toys.  Crib bumpers, comforters and pillows should not be used in the baby's crib. Do not use air fresheners, scented candles or inhalants in the nursery. If a vaporizer is temporarily needed, a couple of drops of tea tree oil or other organic essential oils added to the water are all that is needed.  If possible, have an Electromagnetic reading done in the room before the baby arrives. Clear the room of too many electrical items. Too many electrical items, as well as overloaded outlets in the nursery will disturb the baby's sleep. Keep a baby monitor as far away from the crib as practical.

The nursery should not occupy a room over the garage or empty space in the house. The position of the crib is also extremely important. It should be placed against a solid wall and the baby's head should not point out a window. The crib should not be directly in line with the door.

If you want to paint the nursery, use no or low VOC paint. Do not use bright colors, as they may stimulate the baby too much and disrupt sleep. Muted colors are soothing. Lighting should also be muted, window shades should be used at sleep time. Bright overhead lights are very startling to baby.

Keep clutter to an absolute minimum in the nursery. Clutter bogs down energy. Keep all of the necessary items in a convenient place, where they are used the most. For example, keep a supply of diapers at the changing table or in a "changing" basket.

Babies born in 2009 will be born in the Year of the Ox. (The Chinese Year ends on Feb. 14th) Ox babies are steadfast, but strong-willed. They are patient, but do have their limits. When they are hungry - they need to be fed fast!

Babies born after Feb 14th in 2010 will be Tiger babies.

Tiger babies and children are cheerful, with a curious nature. They enjoy the competiveness and athleticism that sports offer. From an early age, Tiger children can't pass on a dare or a challenge. They are intelligent and friendly. They need stimulation, but must be allowed to rest when tired. Parents with a Tiger baby should take their cues from the baby, as to when they need attention and when they need to rest.

Hand Sanitizers

We are germiphobes. Seems everyone uses hand sanitizers. Moms carry them around in their purses, Dads keep one in the glove compartment, my doctor's office has a big pump bottle of it at the sign-in counter. They mostly contain toxic ingredients. They are harmful to our health and VERY dangerous for children. It is not good for anyone, but especially children, the elderly, or anyone with a lowered immune system.

The ingredient triclosan, contained in some products, has been banned in Europe. It is an antibacterial agent that has been linked to abnormalities in the endocrine system and weakens the immune system. It is a hormone disruptor. It is used in many products, such as Dial Liquid Soap and Softsoap products.

Recently, a recall has been issued by the FDA on skin sanitizing products made by Clarcon, due to bacteria found in the products.

Many hand sanitizers contain 60-90% alcohol. This is a stronger concentration than most hard liquor. Most parents would never allow their young children to drink a martini. Yet, if a child licks their hands after just using a hand sanitizer, or worse yet ingests the sanitizer directly, they could actually suffer alcohol poisoning! Lots of schools dole out a squirt of these hand sanitizers on a regular basis. Kids lick stuff. Especially if it is squirted out on their hands. The New England Journal of Medicine has published info on the dangers of ingesting hand sanitizers.

These alcohol-based sanitizers are also flammable. Don't use them and then light the grill!

Purell and Germ-X are two that contain isopropanol, which is poisonous. And they kill all of the bacteria on the skin, even good bacteria which help fight bad bacteria. Vicious circle.

Simply, plain old soap and warm water has been proved to do a better job of cleaning the hands. If it is absolutely necessary to clean your hands when away from home, all restaurants (including Mickey D's) have bathrooms with running water. Carry a little bottle of soap with you to use. Or make your own spray with organic essential oils with antiseptic properties such as tea tree, lavender, jasmine, tuberose, thyme or grapefruit seed extracts. Make sure you dilute it enough with water. You don't want a child to use too much or get it in their eyes.

READ LABELS!!!! These hand sanitizers usually have the warning: Keep out of reach of children. Doesn't that tell you something?

Furoshiki

A wonderful discovery this week. The furoshiki. If you just love fashion and refuse to use the plastic bag - this is for you! A simple triangle of fabric, many ways to tie it up and useful for so many things. Go to the link and watch the video! It is a Japanese item that is just clever and green!  http://nurturingwisdom.wordpress.com/2009/04/23/paper-plastic-or-furoshiki/

Feng Shui Tip: Everyone has a zodiac animal that they were born under. Similar to the star horoscope, but very accurate. You were also born under one of the five elements - water, wood, earth, fire or metal. Your personal element supports you, nurtures you. Use the color of the element, shape or the element itself. For the furoshiki, select one in the color or fabric design that reflects your personal element! To find out what element you are, contact me.

Magic and Old Wives Tales

OK, I am not a chemist. I actually failed Chemistry in college. But, a new trend is developing. I've watched Bill Nye the Science Guy's show on Planet Green called Stuff Happens. It is kind of interesting. Probably because I just don't understand those things. They are magic to me. Then I bought a book on how to clean everything with common household non-toxic ingredients. I tried a couple, they worked. I am in an experimental cleaning mode, so I tried a couple more. I ran out of brass polish, so I looked it up in the book. Mix equal parts of vinegar, salt and flour. Rub on the brass, leave for an hour, then rinse off. It truly works. My brass has never been shinier. It is blinding. Do other people know about this stuff? I know it is a silly thing to get excited about, but to me it is just a little bit of magic. And it is totally green magic. If you have magic recipes, please let me know!

Feng Shui is a little bit similar to Old Wives Tales, in the fact that it has been tried and found to work and then passed down to others. Chinese farmers and philosophers joined ideas (over 3,000 years ago) and found information that did prove to be effective. Just like the cleaning recipes. Magic!! 

Earth Day

Wednesday is Earth Day. It is a day to reflect. A day to celebrate. A day to connect to Mother Earth. I was blessed to have a Grandmother who understood the earth and nature. She taught me to be gentle with animals, how to grow plants and the glorious sight of a flower in bloom. It is the philosophies of the Indigenous People that she handed down to me. What we do to the Earth, we do to ourselves and our children. Do no harm. Humanity has done so much damage to the Earth, now is a time for healing and cleansing. Perhaps this is the spirit of Earth Day. Whether it is by picking up some roadside trash or planting a flower, do your own cleansing and healing! Be creative and celebrate our lovely Earth in your own way. And find a new way to do with less. Do no harm.  And if you would like to learn more about the Native Peoples' philosophies, there is much information about the efforts by a wonderful group - The 13 Grandmothers. I urge everyone to look them up and read about them. They are inspiring in their work. They say that the whole being is required when restoring nature's balance. The scientific side to help the Earth is needed, but so is the imaginative side. This includes music, art, dance, games and celebrations. 

Feng Shui practitioners and the Indigenous People share a common thread. Because of the intimacy with the land, it is understood that there is an energy associated with the Earth. It is especially strong in certain areas, where there are crossings of ley lines. It is similar to acupuncture points in the human body. These energy vortexes on the Earth are sacred to the Native People and well understood by the Feng Shui masters. If we pay enough attention to the connection we all have with the Earth, then we can begin to take great care with her. 

Green Living is not only picking less toxic products, it is a way of thinking. Do No Harm. And have a memorable Earth Day!

The White House Garden

For the first time since WWII, a garden is being planted at the White House. Michelle Obama and 26 5th graders helped start the preparations for  an 1,100 sq. ft. organic garden. The White House chefs put their ideas in for what will be grown, as well as the Obama's daughters. They are growing lettuces, vegetables, berries and will even have a beehive for their own honey. To take the idea from the First Lady, growing our own vegetables is a great way to go green, include Feng Shui in your yard and save a ton of money for fresh, healthy food.

I've been planning a really small garden in my back yard all winter. And my grandson is suggesting vegetables he wants too. Carrots are his favorite. And tomatoes for Grandpa Bob. Since most of our back yard is deck and pool, there is a real space issue. But, we are getting a little creative with container gardening including upside down hanging tomatoes. There are lots of veggies that can be grown in pots and window boxes. Herbs for cooking and drying for later are great.

For the price of organic vegetables, you can grow a lot of them by seed. Get some planted indoors to get a head start. The kids will help. Just be prepared with an area that gets lots of sunlight and is able to be cleaned easily. Sprouting vegetables is exciting for everyone. Me too.

Good and Green:  Healthy eating doesn't have to cost a fortune. Growing your own is an outdoor activity that is healthy and is a great family activity. If you have younger children, it is a good way to start teaching them organic gardening and eating. Older ones are a great help and can also learn a delicious meal doesn't come from a drive-through. With all of the nutrition problems of our next generation, we need to turn these habits around. The best way to decide what to plant is to think about what you and your family will actually eat. There is no sense planting bok choy if you just know they won't eat it.  I do recommend a cookbook written by Jessica Seinfeld (Jerry's wife) that has good recipes for hiding vegetable purees in everyday food like chicken fingers, brownies and mac 'n cheese. It is called Deceptively Delicious.  I'm trying it on Grandpa Bob. 

Feng Shui in the garden: There is a very easy Feng Shui map for the outside of your home and an even easier test. The test is: If it grows well, it is in the right Feng Shui spot! The map is called the Bagua. It has Eight areas, with the ninth being your house. Thus, it is called Eight Mansions Feng Shui. Depending on the compass direction, it will tell you what element rules that area of your yard. It will give you a way of knowing where to use stone planters, water features, trees, etc. (Water, Earth, Fire, Wood and Metal are the 5 Elements). If you are interested in more information on your yard's Bagua Map, just let me know. 

Thanks to our First Lady for starting us all on a great summer activity! Now, if summer will just get here.

 

Small Things

Sometimes it is the small things. Especially when they work - and work well. I found two things like that in one week. I know they seem insignificant, but when they make life a little easier, it is great! One thing I have found is microfiber cloths. They are surely a wonderful invention! They were fairly inexpensive, totally reusable (forever) and totally non-toxic. No cleaners necessary. I found them in the grocery store. These were made by Quickie. One is bright royal blue and cleans windows, my eyeglasses, my glass-front appliances and more. The other one is brown and is for dusting wood furniture. It works. No spray furniture polish (bad to breathe in) needed. Just the cloth. When they get dirty, just rinse them out and let them dry. Simple! 

The other thing seems like I should have been taught by my grandmother, or maybe I just wasn't paying attention. I have several clear glass vases that I use for lucky bamboo plants. They don't look very good, because they get hard water stuff at the water line. Mix some salt and vinegar to make a paste. Use an old toothbrush and put some of the paste on the glass, rub in a little. Wait 15 minutes and scrub a little more. Rinse well. The stuff comes right off!  I am going to try it next on the shower door with a sponge. If it works on that, it will be a miracle!

If you find a small thing you love, let me know!

Happy (Chinese) New Year!

The Chinese New Year began on Jan. 26. We welcomed in the Year of the Ox. Three days later (Jan. 29th) we welcomed our second grandson into the world! His Chinese Zodiac sign is an Earth Ox. Steadfast and true. Wonderful things await him. He is destined to achieve great things. He has good company - others born in a year of the Earth Ox are Barak Obama, Abraham Lincoln, Leonardo DaVinci, Donald Trump, Charles Darwin and Sigmund Freund. 

And what does the Ox Year hold for all of us? It will be a year of hard work. There will be no room for free rides or skating through. Hard workers will be rewarded. Laziness will not. This is the year to lay the foundation for the future. Get papers in order, your life back on track, make and follow a budget, plan your financial future. The stock market will continue to cool off, but will slowly gain more stability. Investors will be more cautious and practical. Frivolous or impractical items will not sell well, but useful and necessary items will.  It will be a year of more harmony and peace, healing and recovering from turbulent times. It is a time for rebuilding from damage brought by war and natural disasters. There will be hands across the table of different cultures, religious beliefs and beginning to care for one another. There will be some achievement in solving environmental issues. This is the year to care for our planet earth. It is a Yin Earth Year, representing a field or garden. There will be more attention paid to earth aspects of the world - housing, rebuilding, and agriculture. There will continue to be trouble in the airline industry and more airline accidents. The same could be associated with automobile industries and traffic accidents on the road. Industries that will perform well are fashion, textile, publications, furniture and environmental protection. 

The Five basic elements represent different parts of the body. Earth is associated with the stomach, pancreas, muscle and cells. Sicknesses caused by Earth element imbalance are obesity, diabetes and cancers. Stomach and heart problems will be more serious in 2009. It is more important to take extra anti-oxidants, omega 3 oils or Co-Enzyme Q10 as a preventative measure.  It is a time to rest, calm down to replenish our energies, reflect on the past and plan for our futures. Meditation will bring stability. Look before you leap. Think before you act. 

There are 12 Chinese Zodiac animals. Two are in direct conflict with the energies of the Year - those born in the Years of the Sheep and the Dog. Such conflict results in disharmony, irritation, worries (especially over financial issues) and frustrations, as well as health issues.   It is then necessary to carry the pendant of the Rat for protection and to minimize bad effects. It is vital to pay close attention to diet, nutrition and health. Those born under the signs of the Sheep and the Dog need to pay very close attention to traffic and road rules, as well as mountain climbing, skiing and traveling through tunnels. 

Clearly, 2009 will be a challenging Year of the Ox. However, hard work pays off in the end. Honesty has its own rewards. Nose to the grindstone and just wait until it all pays off!

We already got our reward - our baby grandson, Christopher!

Be smart in school

Here is an excerpt from a newsletter I get that is concerned with both environmental issues and the diet of our kids (and grandkids!) in schools.

Almost half of tested samples of commercial high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) 
contained mercury, which was also found in nearly a third of 55 popular 
brand-name food and beverage products where HFCS is the first- or 
second-highest labeled ingredient, according to two new U.S. studies.

 This is alarming that there is mercury in many foods and snacks that we give our kids, including yogurt, drinks, etc. These are also offered in the schools. While many local schools get good marks, others do not. I encourage you to find out how your local school rates. The best option is to make your child's lunch for school yourself. Then you can actually control most of what they are eating. (This does not take into account the "trading" that kids do in the lunchroom) As I always recommend, read the labels of everything you buy. Tip: You don't have to read any labels on fresh produce except for "organic" and maybe where it was grown. There ARE no other labels of ingredients! Best option? A fresh apple, banana or grapes instead of any snack that comes from a box or bag. 

Green Thoughts: We are all starting to think about what our food contains, especially in light of all the recalls in the last year. Spinach, now peanut butter products! We cannot anticipate all of the recalls yet to come. But, we as consumers can take a stand, speak out against factories that do not practice good hygiene and buy local, fresh food whenever possible. 

Feng Shui Tips: What is in our environment is usually the focus, but the balance of energies in our bodies are equally important. Be the best that you can be! Be mindful of what you put in your body, as well as what is in your home.

If you would like more information on news about food nutrition levels, go to

 http://www.nutrient-dense.info/docs/RFC_brochure.pdf

Fighting Nature

The animals are smart. They have the instinct for adaptation - hibernation. We humans just fight it. We try to deny it, fight it, ignore it, and we just complain about it. If you live in a climate like we do in Central New York, that is all the argument you need for hibernation. Snow. Frigid temperatures ( it is -4 right now). Most of us hate it. We want to be in a warm climate wearing flip flops instead of here. Our bodies are trying to tell us something. Living in the arctic is just not normal. We are sleepier than normal, just trying to stay awake past 8:30pm is a challenge lately. We don't have an abundance of energy and it takes twice as much effort to do the same tasks as normal. Boredom and lethargy have set in. We do this every year and then forget we were in the same state last winter. There are special lamps to substitute for sunlight, there are worries that we now have depression, and we suffer from more aches and pains than usual.  What is going on? Well, we hate winter and simply want to hibernate like the smart animals. Coping with a job, kids, money, the house, the snow-blowing and shoveling, cooking, and all of the rest of life going on is tough in the winter. 

We do make it harder on ourselves. We fight nature. Nature is pretty smart. If we would just listen. Actually, there is nothing wrong with turning inward for a few months. We don't have to sleep through the winter. (although maybe that would help me with my diet) It is a good time to learn to meditate, do yoga, read those books we have stacked up, learn a new craft or hobby. We can also prepare the cave. After all, bears prepare themselves to survive winter and then be ready for spring!  Contemplate. Really look at things inside your home. Are they really necessary? Do they add to the quality of life? An introspective view of our ourselves and our homes is helpful. It prepares us for the busier time of spring and summer. Get ready! It is coming, like in three months or so. 

Feng Shui Thoughts: Since we are often home bound in winter, it is a really good time to examine that closet we have been ignoring for a very long time. I took almost a week to go through a closet full of our file boxes and then shred so much paper that I thought the shredder would burn out. You can just put those things off so long they are like a mountain to get over. Start somewhere, anywhere. Pick a drawer, pick a closet, pick a room. Hoe it out. Take longer with the job than usual. Contemplate. Examine. Think about it. And then think about yourself. Where do you want your life to go this next year? What do you need to do to achieve it? 

Green Contemplations: When you go through things in your home, start to look at things environmentally. How much energy did it take to make the item, transport the item to a store near you, is it actually toxic? Then think how to get rid of it if you have decided to part with it. Can it be recycled? And most importantly, don't replace it with another one. Buy less, and then you have less to get rid of at some point. Begin to look at things this way. I stood in the grocery store the other day and looked at the aisles upon aisles of all of the stuff they sell that I really don't need. I concluded that 3/4 of all the items in the grocery store do not make me happy, healthy or wealthy. They hurt my health, cost alot of money and only make the company selling them happy. I passed. Then I came home and cleaned out the food cabinet.