We’d probably all like to have a nicely scented home, but is it really worth sacrificing our good health, and the health of our planet?

Most people probably don’t think twice about using air fresheners, plugging them in and enjoying a “Summer Breeze”, without the understanding that it could be damaging their health, not to mention the health of one’s family, including unborn children and pets.

While there’s no doubt that the plug-in type is a big improvement over sprays, which lead to a direct breakdown of ozone in the stratosphere, that doesn’t mean they deserve a clean bill of environmental health either.

Air fresheners can contain volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, a class of chemicals that are well known to be hazardous to the environment as well as human health. In just one example, the University of Washington’s Anne Steinemann demonstrated that several of the leading air-freshener brands contained both a probable human carcinogen and a federally-designated hazardous air pollutant known as acetaldehyde.

The residual chemicals in air freshening products are known to accumulate in continually increasing amounts in the body over time, which means when health consequences eventually occur, they’re almost never attributed to them.

While many people were excited about the new plug-in types of air fresheners, it turns out, what we believed was the latest and greatest technology for filling our homes with a scented aroma, was not. In fact, scientists have uncovered numerous toxic substance in what seems like a fairly innocuous device.

Those toxic compounds include:

Phthalates. Phthalates come with many risks. Most have been linked to reproductive abnormalities, interfering with the production of testosterone, the male hormone.

The Natural Resources Defence Council (NRDC) found that when testing over a dozen different air fresheners, the majority contained these chemicals that are also listed on the State of California’s list of toxic substances “known to cause birth defects or reproductive harm.” The NRDC has also stated that phthalates in the air we breathe can lead to asthma and allergy symptoms even in only trace amounts.

Naphthalene. The majority of plug-in air fresheners brands contain a chemical known as naphthalene which has been found to cause tissue damage and even lung cancer in laboratory rats and is suspected to have a similar effect in humans.

Formaldehyde. A well-known human carcinogen, formaldehyde is commonly used in air fresheners and other household products and has been definitively associated with nose and throat cancer. It can also lead to the chronic irritation of airways and the throat, potentially causing serious infection, asthma, and other respiratory issues, as the U.S. government National Toxicology Program reports.

Volatile Organic Compounds. As we mentioned VOCs are compounds that are used to help disperse scents in air fresheners, but these are harmful chemicals too.

Just one of the VOCs in air fresheners, 1,4-Dichlorobenzene, has been found in the bloodstreams of 96% of U.S. adults, an EPA registered pesticide and a known carcinogen that’s been linked to lung damage.

Another VOC, dichlorobenzene, was found to be the cause of death in many pet birds. In fact, the birds passed away not long after air fresheners had been used close to them. It also happens to be the primary ingredient used in the frightening pesticide DDT.

Even if you only use these air fresheners occasionally, studies have found that being exposed even just once a week raises the risk of household members developing asthma, and by as much as 71%, which is why it’s far better to make your own, than to subject yourself, your family and our environment to such a long list of potential hazards.

Make Your Own Gel Fresheners

Freshen up your home naturally with these simple gel fresheners.

They’re easy to make with a few simple ingredients. You can customize them with any scent and color you prefer. Plus, they’re fun to look at!

The process is so simple, you can easily make a bunch of air fresheners in just a few minutes. Make one for every room in your home.

The Video Tutorial

Watch our 90 second video tutorial showing the whole process first and then continue reading below for the full ingredients and supplies list and step-by-step photos of the gel fresheners being made.

Step-By-Step Photo Tutorial

Supplies

• 1 packet unflavored gelatin
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup vodka or 1 tablespoon of salt
• 15 drops essential oil (we used Plant Therapy Lemon and Spring Blossom)
• 1-2 drops food coloring
• small glass jars (we used half-pint mason jars)
• lids with some sort of vent or holes (we used mason jar lids with a straw hole and a frog lid insert)
• small saucepan
• whisk

Bring 3/4 of water to boil in a small saucepan.

Add gelatin packet and stir until dissolved. When you add the gelatin, the water will start to boil more aggressively. Turn off the heat at this point. Let mixture sit until cooled to room temperature, then add the 1/4 cup of vodka.

The alcohol in the vodka will keep mold from forming on the surface of the gel freshener. You can substitute with one tablespoon of salt.

Pour into the small jar.

Add the food coloring. You only need one or two drops. Stir.

Add in 10-15 drops of essential oils and stir. Refrigerate the gels until set.

Place a frog grid, a lid with a straw hole, or even a small piece of cheesecloth over the jars. This will help keep debris out while still allowing the scent to flow.  You don’t have to use a lid, but gel fresheners will evaporate in about a month without one.

The recipe can be doubled or tripled to make more gel freshers.

Try different scents throughout the seasons. They are also perfect for hostess gifts.

Fun Scent Combinations

One of the things that I like best about making homemade gel fresheners, is I get to play with the scents!

I’ve come up with some fabulous aromas that you might want to try too, though you may also want to get creative and have a little fun coming up with your own as well.

The Flower Garden:

• 7 drops lavender essential oil
• 4 drops geranium essential oil
• 4 drops grapefruit essential oil

Pure Joy:

• 8 drops tangerine essential oil
• 6 drops lavender essential oil
• 3 drops lime essential oil
• 3 drops spearmint essential oil

A Walk in the Woods:

• 7 drops cedarwood essential oil
• 6 drops white fir essential oil
• 5 drops frankincense essential oil

Citrus Refresher:

• 5 drops mandarin orange essential oil
• 5 drops lemon essential oil
• 5 drops lime essential oil
• 5 drops grapefruit essential oil

Bugs Be Gone:

• 5 drops lemongrass essential oil
• 5 drops eucalyptus essential oil
• 4 drops basil essential oil
• 4 drops thyme essential oil

Fall Cider:

• 7 drops ginger
• 5 drops orange
• 5 drops cinnamon

Pumpkin Pie:

• 6 drops cardamom
• 4 drops cinnamon
• 3 drops clove bud
• 2 drops nutmeg

Candy Cane:

• 9 drops wintergreen
• 6 drops sweet orange

Christmas In the Air:

• 6 drops fir needle or spruce
• 6 drops orange
• 3 drops wintergreen

Where To Buy Essential Oils

Our favorite supplier of essential oils is Plant Therapy. They provide all of the essential oils mentioned above. The oils are 100% pure and unadulterated. You can browse their selection of oils on their Amazon store here.

6 More Homemade Air Freshening Alternatives

While homemade gel fresheners are my favorite way to scent my home, there are other good options too.

1. Scented Wood Blocks

It’s really easy to make scented wood blocks. All you need is some wood blocks such as these wooden cubes and essential oil.

Simply coat the wood blocks with the oil, perhaps using one of the suggested recipes above, though you may need to double or triple the amounts listed to cover them all. Pour some essential oil into a container, dip in a clean paintbrush and rub the oil so it fully coats the wood blocks. 

2. Baking Soda/Essential Oils

Baking soda is famous as an odor absorber, and by blending it with some of your favorite essential oils it makes a great alternative to a chemical air freshener.

Simply add baking soda to a small glass jar. Now add your desired essential oils, using 6 drops of oil per each tablespoon of baking soda in the jar.

That’s all there is to it. Replace the contents when the baking soda starts to harden, as it won’t be as effective in neutralizing the odors.

3. A Relaxing and Uplifting Room Spray

After a long day, you probably need a little time to chill out, and your mood may need some uplifting too.

A room spray can make a great alternative to a gel freshener, provided you make your own. You can change the oils up as you’d like for different purposes as well, such as purification with tea tree oil, or lavender to encourage a more peaceful night’s rest.

To make the room spray, you’ll need:

• An 8-ounce spray bottle filled about three-quarters full with distilled water
• Fill the remainder of the bottle with witch hazel
• 14 drops grapefruit essential oil
• 14 drops tangerine essential oil
• 6 drops lemon essential oil
• 6 drops bergamot essential oil

After placing the lid back on, shake thoroughly and it’ll be ready for use.

4. Simmer Pot

Simmer pots are an old-fashioned way to scent your home, something you might recall seeing your grandmother or great-grandmother do. It’s one of the cheapest and easiest DIY air fresheners there is and you can easily change the scent just by switching up the ingredients.

You can use anything you like – my favorite is a perennial fall favorite, a scent I actually use quite often, not just in autumn, using sliced apples, cloves, and cinnamon sticks.

All you have to do is fill a small pot with water, about three-fourths of the way, and bring it to a boil. Add your ingredients and continue to boil for several minutes. Afterward, simply turn the heat down to a simmer, allowing the scent to fill the air. As the water evaporates, add more to keep it going.

5. Potpourri

It’s easy to create a pleasant scent using potpourri. Just blend some fragrant herbs and essential oils with dried flowers.

6. Coffee

When you have a powerful odor permeating your home, like fish, garlic or onions, use ground coffee to dispel it. All you have to do is place a few bowls of fresh ground coffee in the room and its much more pleasant scent will take over.

The post How To Make Your Own Gel Air Fresheners With Essential Oils appeared first on Natural Living Ideas.

Did you know that about half of annual plastic production is destined for a single-use product? It’s estimated that four trillion plastic bags are used worldwide a year! Yet, only 1% of plastic bags are returned for recycling. Even worse, most areas lack the capabilities to recycle single-use plastic bags even if they wanted to. Grocery stores are starting to encourage the use of reusable bags to pack your groceries, but still offer the single-use plastic bags in the produce section.

Skip the single-use plastic at the grocery store and make your own reusable produce bags instead. Here’s how.

Supplies

• Cotton Fabric
• Ribbon or String
• Safety Pin
• Sewing Machine and Thread
• Sewing Ruler
• Iron

A note on fabric

Use cotton or any breathable, natural fiber. You can use recycled fabric too. Use old t-shirts, pants, sheets, pillowcases, or anything you have that’s all cotton.

Cut

These bags are easy to customize. You need to start with two equal size rectangle or square pieces of fabric. Or, to save on sewing time, one long rectangle piece. Fold the fabric in half or place the two pieces of fabric right sides (the printed sides) together.

Sew

Along the fold, sew up the left and right side of the bag with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Stop 2-inches from the top on each side.

Fold and iron a 1/4-inch hem around the sides and tops of the bag (both sides).

Fold down the top seam another 3/4-inch and iron–this will be the drawstring channel. Sew along the bottom edge of the drawstring channel with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Repeat on the other side.

Thread the Ribbon

Attach a large safety pin to the end of one of your ribbons.

Thread the ribbon through the channel on both sides of the bag. Tie knots at the ends of the ribbon.

Your bags are ready to go! Make extra bags and store them with your reusable grocery bags so you never forget to take them grocery shopping.

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Read Next: GOING ZERO WASTE: 30 Easy Swaps To Save You Money & The Planet

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Using loofah soap is a great way to remove dry skin from your body. Skip buying pre-made ones at the store. Make your own custom soaps in less than an hour.

What are Loofahs?

Loofahs are vegetables. In fact, they are part of the cucumber (Cucurbitaceous) family. Generally referred to as loofah or luffa, this gourd plant is edible when young. A fully ripened loofah makes an excellent natural exfoliating agent for the body and effective sponge for household cleaning.

We’ve got an entire article dedicated to growing your own loofahs here.

Once a ripened loofah’s skin and seeds are removed, it’s left with a skeleton of xylem fibers. The fibers become spongy when soaked in water and is used for scrubbing and cleansing the skin during bathing or showering. You can make your own custom loofah soaps with melt and pour soap and essential oils.

Supplies

• Clear melt-and-pour soap base
• 12-inch piece of clean, dry loofah
• Yellow soap color, if desired
• Glass measuring cup
• Bamboo skewer, for mixing
• Knife
• Silicone cupcake muffin pan
• Essential oil of your choice (We recommend Plant Therapy)
• Microwave

Prepare the Loofahs

Slice the loofah into 1-inch thick sections. Place the loofah slices into the silicone cupcake pan.

Melt the Soap

Cut enough of the clear melt and pour soap base you will need for your cupcake pan into small cubes. Place the cubes into a glass measuring cup. Put the soap base in the microwave and melt it in 1 to 2 minute intervals until completely melted. Let the soap base cool slightly, then add in 20-30 drops of your chosen essential oil. I used Plant Therapy Lemon Oil for this recipe. Incorporate the essential oils into the soap base with the bamboo skewer.

Pour

Pour the soap base into the loofah filled cupcake tins. Fill the soap to just below the top edge of the cupcake pan. If the loofahs start to float up, lay a weighted cookie sheet on top of the loofahs to hold them in place as they completely cool.

Loofah soaps make great gifts. Make a few extras to share with friends and family.

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Read Next: 7 Reasons You Need To Try Castile Soap & 18 Brilliant Ways To Use It

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Fleas and ticks carry an array of diseases that not only affect your lovely pets, but can also harm their human owners too.

Having been a recipient of a flea and tick bite myself, I can attest to the discomfort those little pests can inflict. As much as we love our fur babies and want to keep them safe, topical flea and tick preventatives may not be the safest option for your pets.

Recently, the FDA issued a warning for potential for neurologic adverse events in dogs and cats when treated with pills or chews that are in the isoxazoline class.

Isoxazolines are pesticides introduced in the 2010s as veterinary products to protect against fleas and ticks in dogs. The chemical is designed to interfere with an insect’s nervous system, and not that of a mammal. However, Isoxazoline products have been link to neurologic adverse reactions, including muscle tremors, ataxia, and seizures in some dogs and cats.

3 Natural Alternatives For Flea & Tick Control

There are a number of natural ways to get fleas and ticks off your pets. Here are three of the best:

1. Eliminate their breeding ground

Ticks and fleas come from outside. These pests tend to enjoy living in tall grass and where there is heat and moisture. Regular trimming and grass cutting are a good place to start.

2. Use a flea comb

This inexpensive option will help you remove fleas, eggs and ticks from deep within your pet’s fur. Flea combs are really cheap and available in all pet stores or online here.

3. Use a natural flea and tick powder…

A natural flea and tick powder is easy to make at a fraction of the cost of the commercial medication.

First of all, this powder is not a preventative. It’s a topical application that will kill fleas, ticks and other biting insects on contact. It will not enter your pet’s bloodstream like the internal and topical preventives.

To keep your home pest-free, take a look at our comprehensive articles about keeping fleas out of your home and keeping ticks out of your garden.

How to Make Natural Flea & Tick Powder

This natural powder uses diatomaceous earth, neem powder and essentials oils. That’s it.

Diatomaceous Earth or, DE, is a non-toxic powder made of the crushed fossils of freshwater and marine organisms. On a microscopic level it resembles bits of broken glass. The tiny glass-like fragments kill fleas and ticks by piercing their protective structures, which causes them to dehydrate and die. It’s harmless to humans and animals. Food grade DE can be taken internally to get rid of roundworms, whipworms, pinworms and hookworms in dogs.

Neem powder is a natural repellent. It can be used topically to repel and kill common biting insects, including mosquitoes, biting midges, and fleas. It’s not super effective with killing or preventing ticks.

Essential oils. There are several essential oils known for their insect repellent abilities: citronella, peppermint, and eucalyptus. There are more combinations that work better for specific pests, but I find this combination takes care of fleas and mosquitoes effectively. Learn more about using essential oils on dogs safely in our article here.

Ingredients

• Arrowroot powder
• Neem Powder
• Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth
• Powder Duster
• Peppermint Essential Oil
• Citronella Essential Oil
• Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Mix three equal parts arrowroot powder, neem powder and DE. The arrowroot helps to blend and dilute the other ingredients. This will allow for multiple uses without irritating your pet’s skin.

Add 30 drops of each of the peppermint, eucalyptus and citronella oils. Mix well.

Put the powder in to a shaker or powder duster. A powder duster will effectively distribute the mix into your dog’s fur with little waste.

How To Use

Do this outside! Protect your dog’s face from the power, it can cause irritation. Pump the powder onto your dog’s fur. Use your hands to rake and massage the powder into the fur. Repeat as needed. A fine dusting will remain on the outer coat.

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Get More DIY Tutorials

If you like making your own DIY projects you might like to check out my new book: Do-It-Yourself Garden Projects & Crafts: 60 Planters, Bird Houses, Lotion Bars, Garlands, and More.

DIY Garden Projects and Crafts book relies on home grown and foraged materials that will inspire creativity and capture the bounty of the seasons.

Get it on Amazon here.

Read Next: 10 Reasons To Feed Coconut Oil To Your Pets

The post The Ultimate Flea Powder Kills Fleas, Ticks, Mosquitoes On Contact appeared first on Natural Living Ideas.

The Problem with Plastic

Before we dive into the benefits of using beeswax wrappers, let’s talk about plastic. Sure, it’s convenient and part of our daily lives. It helps keep our foods dry, fresh and clean. It’s also a mainstay in most kitchens around the world. Sadly, half of the 300 million tons of plastic produced each year is used only once.

Single-use plastic is for packaging, storage bags, straws, shopping bags, and much more. Most of this plastic ends up in our oceans. The plastic that ends up in landfills will take anywhere from 500 to 1,000 years to degrade. Let’s not forget about the chemicals in plastic, like BPA, that are found in 93 percent of people over age six and in food and beverage can linings.

What’s the best course of action to help reduce plastic waste? One could say recycling. However, most recycling facilities are only capable of recycling PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) or HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene). Most of the plastic used in food packaging do not fall into these categories.

I believe the best way to help reduce the use of plastic is to just stop using it. One way to do so is to make your very own reusable beeswax food wraps to replace plastic cling wrap.

DIY Beeswax Food Wraps

In my book, Do-It-Yourself Garden Projects and Crafts, I offer several DIY projects for use in the natural home. I’m glad to share one of my favorites, beeswax wrappers, with Natural Living Ideas readers today.

This is a simple project that is customizable. If you know a beekeeper and can get beeswax locally, even better. If not, there are lots of places you can buy beeswax online. For this project, I used these Pure Beeswax White Pellets.

Supplies

• 100% cotton fabric
• Beeswax pellets
• Pinking shears
• Aluminum cookie sheet
• Empty tin can
• Small saucepan
• Paintbrush (use an inexpensive one that will not be used for another project)

Step 1:

Cut cotton fabric to the desired size. Trim the edges with pinking shears. This will prevent the edges from fraying.

Step 2:

Place the beeswax pellets in the tin can. Start off with a cup or so of the beeswax. Put the can in a saucepan with about three inches up the side of the can. Heat the water until the beeswax in the can is melted.

Step 3:

Use the paintbrush to coat a generous layer of wax onto the fabric. The wax will begin to harden again once it starts to cool—don’t panic, this is normal. Only coat one side. Lay the next piece of fabric on top of the first piece and repeat. Continue until all the fabric pieces are covered in wax.

Step 4:

Once the fabric pieces are coated, place in a 225 F oven until the wax is evenly melted and it has thoroughly soaked through the fabrics. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and lift the sheet with tongs. Wave the fabric in the air to allow it to cool enough to touch, then hang it somewhere so that it can set.

Step 5:

Once the beeswax wraps have cooled, they are ready to use. Keep in mind that it will feel very tacky at first, but will mellow out fairly quickly. The end result will have a grip but not be super sticky. After each use, run them under warm water and wash with a mild soap. Hang the wraps to dry before each use.

Get More DIYs Like This

For more nature home and garden DIYs, check out my new book: Do-It-Yourself Garden Projects and Crafts available on Amazon.

This tutorial was published with permission from Debbie Wolfe and Skyhorse Publishing.

Read Next: 20 Planet Saving Items That Pay For Themselves Tenfold

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Getting enough sleep is instrumental to overall health and wellness. According to a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, more than 1 in 3 adults in America are coming up short on sleep regularly.

Unfortunately, a lack of sleep can drain energy, put a dent in productivity and increase the risk of a number of diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Because of this, many people are looking to natural sleep aids like melatonin to help them get the rest that they so desperately need.

Melatonin is a hormone that is naturally produced by a gland at the base of the brain, the pineal gland and in a few other places in the body like the retina. This gland regulates our sleeping and waking cycle known as the circadian rhythm or 24-hour internal clock. This is the clock that controls how much melatonin is produced.

Not only does melatonin regulate your sleep but it also helps regulate blood pressure, hormone levels, and body temperature to name just a few.

Melatonin levels generally start to rise in the mid to late evening just as the sun is going down. At this point, it remains high for the night. As the sun comes up and the rooster crows, melatonin levels start to drop just a bit as we start to wake up.

Impacts On Melatonin Production

Often times, our lifestyles contain quite a few artificial lights like those blue lights emitted from phones, computers, and televisions. These can all wreak havoc on our natural wake and sleep cycle as well as melatonin production. This is one very good reason why you should shut down all electronics at least an hour before you go to bed so that you have time to wind down. Alternatively, consider wearing blue light blocking glasses. 

Melatonin levels are also influenced by other things such as smoking, stress and not getting enough natural light during the day.

Another issue is that as we age, our production of melatonin begins to slow down and this makes it hard for older adults to sleep well.

Studies have connected melatonin suppression in the night to a number of health problems including obesity, cancer, metabolic syndrome as well as mental conditions such as depression.

Foods That Increase Melatonin

Some foods that naturally increase melatonin production include oats, bananas, tart cherries, barley, and walnuts, however, if your body isn’t producing enough on its own naturally, supplementing with melatonin is also an option.

Benefits Of Melatonin Supplements

Taking a melatonin supplement will help not only with sleep but can also do the following:

• Help prevent insulin resistance and diabetes.

• Help reduce blood pressure.

• Help protect the heart because of its powerful antioxidant activity.

• Help protect the stomach and the diversity of gut bacteria.

• Help with fertility by improving the overall quality of sperm.

• Help strengthen the barrier between the brain and blood.
• Helps protect cells in the eyes from damage from free radicals.

There are a number of good quality melatonin supplements, but for quality and affordability, try this Nature’s Bounty 3 mg Melatonin.

How To Make Your Own Natural Melatonin Gummies

Here is a delicious all natural melatonin supplement that you can make at home. The cherry juice is an added bonus that can also contribute to a great night’s sleep.

Ingredients

• Liquid melatonin 

• ½ cups tart cherry juice

• ½ cup water

• 1/4 cup gelatin powder

• 3 tablespoons raw honey

• Silicone mold

• small pipette/dropper

Bring the water and tart cherry juice to a simmer.

Add in the powdered gelatin. Mix the gelatin powder into the juice, then add the honey.

Gently whisk for 2-3 minutes until gelatin has dissolved.

Pipe in the amount of liquid melatonin you want for each gummy. I used 30 drops in each of my silicone cavities.

Pipe in enough of the cherry juice mixture to fill the mold. Let the gelatin mixture set until firm in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Once set, remove the gummies from the mold. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

To use: take one gummy about 30 minutes before bedtime.

Note:  Melatonin is an effective sleep aid that should only be taken for the short-term. It is not a cure for insomnia or other sleep disorders. As with all supplements, talk to your doctor before you start using supplements on a regular basis.

More Natural Remedies For Better Sleep

In addition to melatonin, there are a number of other healthy ways to get the help you need to fall asleep and stay asleep all night so that your body can recharge.

Lavender essential oil – The sweet aroma of lavender promotes a feeling of relaxation and sedation. For a quick sleep fix, dab a drop of lavender essential oil on your wrists and temples.

White noise machine – Many people have luck falling asleep when they use a white noise machine. These machines play all sorts of sounds including a river, ocean or even a forest. They are useful for drowning out other disturbing noises like planes, trains and police sirens.

Warm bath – Taking a warm bath, with some Epsom salts before bed can help reduce muscle tension – the reason many people don’t sleep well.

Chamomile tea – Drinking a cup of warm chamomile tea before bed is an excellent way to relax.

Yoga – Relaxation techniques such as yoga can help clear your mind and relax your body for a good night’s sleep.

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Read Next: 11 Sleep Hacking Products For The Best Sleep Ever

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I love the look and smell of real beeswax candles. As a candle lover, I am drawn to the soft, filtering light they emit and, the fragrance. However, as studies show, artificial fragrances can have a negative impact on our health. Commercial candles are full of artificial fragrances. A 2001 EPA study shows that candles with more fragrance in them produce more soot, which can lead to indoor air pollution.

One way to steer clear of candles made with artificial fragrances is to burn beeswax candles. Yes, they are quite pricey compared to cheap paraffin candles, but they are not hard to make.

Beeswax candles also help purify the air instead of pollute it. They burn clean and emit negative ions when burned. The negative ions help to reduce dust, dander, and mold from the air we breathe.

We’ve written an entire article revealing why beeswax candles are the only type of candles you should consider burning in your home. You can read it here.

How To Make Your Own Beeswax Candles

Supplies

• 1 lb filtered beeswax pellets
• 1/2 cup coconut oil – This Spring Of Life Coconut Oil is currently my favorite.
• 3 half-pint canning jars
• 60 ply cotton braided wick (or a wick that is made for 2-3 inch diameter candles)
• a metal pitcher (or empty can)
• pot large enough to fit your pitcher to use as a double boiler
• bamboo skewers

Instructions

Place the beeswax pellets into the metal candle pitcher or can. Set the pitcher in a large pot and fill it with enough water to come up the outside of the pitcher. Heat the water to a low boil until the beeswax is completely melted.

While the beeswax is melting, glue the wick’s base plate to the bottom of the glass jars.

Twist the excess wick around the bamboo skewer to help hold the wick vertical.

Once the beeswax is completely melted, add in the 1/2 cup of coconut oil. Stir the oils until melted. Let the melted wax and oil cool for about three minutes. Then pour into the jars, leaving a one-inch headspace. Let the candles sit undisturbed for at least 12 hours.

Once the wax is firm, trim the wick to about 1/2 inch.

Light your candles and enjoy!

Read Next: 20 Magical Ways To Use Beeswax For Health, Beauty & In Your Home

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Everyone wants thick, luscious lashes. Instead of spending a fortune on lengthy cosmetic implants and commercial serums, there’s a natural and inexpensive way to get the lashes of your dreams.

The key to accelerating lash growth is castor oil. Castor oil is full of nourishing fatty acids like ricinoleic acid that moisturize and protect your lashes.

Like the hair on your head, your eyelashes can get dried out when overworked (with makeup and cleansers). Damaged eyelashes can fall out and thin over time. Lavender and rosemary essential oils are known for their abilities to stimulate hair growth and are calming and soothing oils that are perfect for dry or sensitive skin. If you are ready to start growing thick lashes, let’s get mixing.

Ingredients:

• Organic Castor Oil
• Rosemary Essential Oil (cedarwood is a good alternative if you prefer)
• Lavender Essential Oil
• 2 oz Glass Dropper Bottle

Fill the glass dropper bottle 3/4 of the way with castor oil.

Place 2 drops of rosemary and lavender oil into the bottle. Place the top on and give it a gentle shake.

To use: apply a thin layer nightly before bed.

Castor oil will not irritate your skin or eyes, but be sure not to get any of the oils into your eyes –apply the serum in very thin layers. If you do happen to get a bit in your eyes, do not wash to try to remove the diluted essential oils from your lashes with water. Instead, use another oil like sweet almond or coconut, to gently remove the excess oils from your lashes, then wash with warm water.

The serum is shelf stable for 6 months. You should begin to see growth results in one to three months. However, you will immediately notice how soft your lashes are immediately after use.

Read Next: 6 Clever Ways To Use Coconut Oil For Gorgeous Hair

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With the holiday season upon us, it’s time to get in the spirit. Nothing brings a sense of coziness like the smells of Christmas: cinnamon, pine, peppermint, orange, and wintergreen, to name a few. A fun way to bring the smell of the holidays into your home is with these easy DIY room sprays.

Resist the temptation to buy pretty commercial made air fresheners. They often contain phthalates and many other hazardous chemicals such as benzene, formaldehyde, propellants, and solvents. These chemicals are easily inhaled and absorbed by the skin–yuck!

Studies have shown long-term exposure to these chemicals can cause damage to the lungs, liver, kidneys, and central nervous system.  Although most air fresheners contain small amounts of these chemicals, over time, low-dose exposure causes the same health hazards as a higher dose.  No thank you!

The good news is, with a few essential oils and other easy to find, safe ingredients, you can make your own custom festive room spray in less than five minutes.

1. Candy Cane

16 oz. spray bottle*
8 oz. distilled water
2 oz. vodka or gin
30 drops Plant Therapy Candy Cane Holiday Blend

or for a DIY version:

30 drops peppermint essential oil
15 drops wintergreen essential oil

*I like to use an ultra-fine mist spray bottle for air fresheners, like this one. It evenly distributes its contents without leaving drops of water everywhere.

2. Christmas Tree

16 oz. spray bottle
8 oz. distilled water
2 oz. vodka or gin
14 drops cinnamon essential oil
14 drops orange essential oil
20 drops pine scots essential oil

3. Comfy Sweater

16 oz. spray bottle
8 oz. distilled water
2 oz. vodka or gin
25 drops eucalyptus essential oil
15 drops juniper berry essential oil
10 drops sage essential oil

Directions

For all of the above recipes, simply pour all of the ingredients into your spray bottle and shake vigorously. Shake again each time before use.

In addition to smelling great, essential oil based air fresheners give you the same benefits as diffusing essential oils.

Mix and match your scent combos all season long. These homemade air fresheners make lovely DIY, natural gifts. Design a custom blend for friends and family this Christmas.

Read Next: 10 Christmas Essential Oils Blends To Make Your Home Smell Extra Festive

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A deceptively simple concoction, peanut butter is essentially roasted peanuts whipped up into the consistency of a spreadable paste.

Whether smooth or chunky, salted or sweetened, peanut butter is a staple in kitchen pantries everywhere – perhaps because it lends itself equally well as a spread, sauce, dessert, snack, and smoothie. There are hundreds of recipes that use PB to balance and compliment sweet and savory flavors. Or maybe you prefer to eat it straight out of the jar with a spoon.

Per ½ cup serving, peanut butter provides plenty of protein (50% of the daily value), dietary fiber (24%), and healthy fats (78%). Although peanut butter is quite calorie-dense, it is a good source of vitamin E, niacin, vitamin B6, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, and iron.

More than half of all peanuts grown in the US are made into peanut butter. Read on to discover the myriad health benefits of this rich, nutty spread.

7 Health Benefits Of Peanut Butter

1. Peanuts are Rich in Antioxidants

Like other plant foods, peanuts are enriched with antioxidants that support good overall health.

Resveratrol, most notably found in red grapes and wine, is a powerful free radical scavenger. Although human research on this polyphenolic compound is still ongoing, it shows promise for the prevention and treatment of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative diseases. Resveratrol is present in both the nut and seed coats of peanuts.

Peanuts are also a good source of p-coumaric acid, a phytochemical found widely in the plant kingdom. Not only is p-courmaric acid a robust antioxidant, pre-clinical trials have shown that it is a capable anti-inflammatory, it improves the efficiency and survival of probiotics in the gut, and it prevented induced blood clots from forming.

And as a bonus to peanut butter lovers, the amount of p-courmaric acid is boosted when peanuts are roasted before being consumed.

2. Eating Nuts Lowers Risk of Death From Major Diseases

Even though peanuts are legumes and not true nuts, eating them along with other kinds of nuts had the effect of lowering the risk of mortality from many common diseases, according to a large cohort study published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Beginning in 1976, researchers tracked the dietary habits of 118,962 men and women over the course of 30 years. Those whose diets regularly included nuts were leaner, more likely to exercise and take multivitamins, and were less likely to smoke. The nut group had reduced rates of deaths due to cancer, heart disease, and respiratory disease.

They also found that the more nuts you eat, the better: people who consumed nuts seven or more times per week had a 20% lower mortality rate than those who did not eat nuts at all.

3. Eating Nuts May Help You Lose Weight

Considering that each ½ cup serving of peanut butter consists of 588 calories, it seems counterintuitive that it could help with weight loss. And yet, eating a diet rich in nuts is associated with lower body mass index according to a 2003 review.

Taking together all the existing evidence, the reviewers found that there is no relationship between eating nuts and weight gain. In one study from 2002 for example, 15 healthy adults of normal weight added 500 calories per day of nuts to their normal diets for several weeks. Though they were expected to gain an additional eight pounds due to the extra calories in nuts, on average the subjects gained only two pounds.

There are several possible reasons why eating nuts doesn’t make us fat. Nuts are high in fiber, protein, and energy, which have the effect of improving satiety, making us feel full. Nuts are also rich in healthy fats which help boost the amount of calories burned at rest. People who enjoy nuts tend to be more physically active too. And we lose some of the fat content in nuts every time we poop – as much as 4 – 7% of dietary fat in peanut butter is excreted in stool.

4. Peanuts Protect Brain Health

Niacin – or vitamin B3 – is needed to turn food into energy. It helps repair DNA and keeps the nervous system, digestive system, and skin healthy.

Though our bodies naturally produce niacin, eating foods rich in niacin keeps the brain healthier for longer, according to large cohort study involving 6,158 participants aged 65 and older. Eating a niacin enriched diet was associated with a protective effect against cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. The higher the intake (up to 22.4 mg per day), the slower the annual rate of decline in cognitive abilities like thinking and memory.

Peanut butter is a good source of niacin, supplying 13.4 mg per ½ cup or 67% of the daily value.

5. Peanuts Lower the Risk of Gallstone Disease

Gallstones – ranging in size from a grain of sand to a golf ball – are hardened bits of digestive fluid that can form in the gallbladder. Although some people with gallstones are asymptomatic, others may experience intense pain in the upper right abdomen, requiring surgery to have the gallbladder removed entirely. We still do not know what causes gallstones to form.

Because nuts possess several compounds that protect against gallstone disease, researchers tracked the eating habits of over 80,000 women for 20 years. They found that those who consumed five ounces of nuts (including peanuts and peanut butter) per week had a significantly lower risk of developing gallstones that required surgery than women who never or only rarely ate nuts.

6. Peanuts Have Anti-Cancer Properties

Peanuts are a good source of beta-sitosterol, a type of plant sterol that is chemically similar to cholesterol.

Consuming whole foods high in beta-sitosterol, along with other phytosterols, have resulted in lower rates of stomach cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer in several human studies.

However, phytosterols are frequently added to processed foods and refined vegetable oils like margarine, and consuming too much of them can actually increase the risk of heart disease. But obtaining it from natural sources, like peanuts, is a safe and healthy way to include these cancer fighting plant sterols in your diet.

7. Peanuts Reduce the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder marked by high blood sugar levels, insulin resistance, and lack of insulin in the body. A major risk factor is diet; including lots of saturated fat and trans fats in your foods can impair the body’s ability to regulate blood glucose and eventually become less responsive to insulin.

But healthy fats, like unsaturated fat found in nuts, have a beneficial impact on metabolic health. In a 16-year study involving nearly 84,000 women, consuming nuts regularly was inversely associated with diabetes risk. Eating at least 5 ounces of peanuts per week offered significantly greater protection.

How to Make Peanut Butter At Home

Nuttier and more flavorful than conventional peanut butter brands, making peanut butter at home is insanely easy. All you need are a good supply of unsalted, roasted, and preferably organic peanuts (such as this bulk bag) and a food processor.

To make a half cup of peanut butter:

• Pour 2 cups of roasted peanuts into a food processor or blender.
• Process for about 5 minutes or until peanuts become creamy.
• For sweeter peanut butter, add 2 teaspoons of honey.
• For saltier PB, add ½ teaspoon of sea salt.
• For a creamier spread, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of peanut oil.
• For crunchy peanut butter, pulse 1 cup of peanuts separately and stir into the finished PB.

Transfer your homemade peanut butter to a glass container and store in the refrigerator.

3 Best Organic Peanut Butter Brands

Or if you prefer to purchase natural peanut butter, these brands are about as pure as it gets:

Spread The Love – Made without salt, sugar, or palm oil, this jar contains just one ingredient, certified organic peanuts.

Naturally More – Enriched with flaxseed and probiotics, this jar is sweetened with coconut sugar and seasoned with sea salt.

PBfit – This peanut butter protein powder makes it easy to get your daily PB fix. Use it to make protein shakes and smoothies or just add a touch of water to turn it into a creamy spread.

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