health – Sustain and Blume

A Guide To Safe Cookware

A Guide To Safe Cookware

Chances are you’re already thinking a lot about the best foods to put in your body. When you grocery shop, you keep your eyes peeled for labels like “organic” and “non-GMO,” but all that extra effort and energy is wasted if you’re not also thinking about how you cook those healthy ingredients. The truth is that many mainstream cookware products are full of chemicals and toxins that can be extremely damaging to your health and that are linked to diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and autism. But not to worry! There are tons of great cookware products and brands available out there that are completely non-toxic and chemical free. From now on, think of this post as a handy guide to safe cookware that you can refer to over and over again.

What To Look For

When shopping for safe cookware, these are the materials and buzzwords you want to look out for that will guarantee your food makes it to the dinner table chemical-free.

100% Ceramic

100% ceramic cookware (as opposed to cookware with a ceramic coating) is made from natural clay that is free from metals, chemicals, and toxins. Furthermore, because it isn’t coated with anything, there is no risk of that coating getting scratched or peeling away with time and leaving nasty flakes in your food. While ceramic cookware may break easily if dropped, it is dishwasher and microwave safe and is easy to clean.

Cast Iron

Cast iron is ideal for cooking meats and can transition easily from the stovetop to the oven. An enamelled cast iron pan is non-stick without being toxic, while a simple cast iron pan can add a little extra iron to your diet. Cast iron is a favourite among professional chefs and a good skillet, if properly cared for, can last for years. Make sure you do a bit of research to learn how to season a cast iron pan and clean it with gentle soaps.

Stoneware

Stoneware pieces are excellent for baking and can be a great replacement for aluminum baking sheets, muffin tins, roasting pans, and loaf pans. Avoid cleaning stoneware with soap because the naturally porous material will absorb the taste and give your food a flavor you don’t want! Like cast iron, stoneware also comes in enameled and non-enameled versions, and both are healthy, chemical-free options.

Glass

Glass is completely inert so it doesn’t release any toxins and never deteriorates over time. It’s also one of the more affordable materials on this list. However, glass cookware definitely isn’t as multi-use as some other non-toxic products and is primarily used in the oven for baking. At the same time, it can be a great storage option to help you cut down on your plastic consumption.

Stainless Steel

If you’re looking for non-stick cookware that is also non-toxic, stainless steel is a great option. It’s much lighter than cast iron or stoneware and is scratch and chip-resistant. One important thing to keep in mind is that stainless steel does contain small amounts of nickel which could seep into your food over time. For this reason, stainless steel cookware if better used for quick cooks over long simmers and stews.

What To Avoid

You’ll want to stay away from these dangerous and harmful materials found in many popular cookware brands.

Ceramic Coating

Ceramic coatings may easily trick people into thinking that this kind of cookware is non-toxic, but under that thin coating you’ll find synthetic polymers, toxic aluminum, and sometimes even lead. Ceramic coatings aren’t very durable and tend to chip and scratch over time. Not only does this create the possibility of the coating itself getting into your food, it also opens the door to those metals and chemicals underneath which will begin to seep into your food.

Teflon/Non-Stick

Teflon is extremely common as the popularity and convenience of non-stick pans has risen over the past few years. Non-stick cookware may be easy to use and clean, but it is coated with synthetic materials (PTFE/Teflon) that leech toxins when heated. Teflon itself has been showed to release carcinogens, pollutants, and chemicals that have been linked to cancers, fertility issues, and fume fevers.

Aluminum

Lots of recent research has linked aluminum to neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, ASL, autism, and damage to the central nervous system. While you may have heard that aluminum cookware is coated to prevent these side-effects, the fact is that all cookware coatings can scratch and chip over time, leaving your food vulnerable to the harmful materials underneath. Your safest option is to avoid aluminum cookware altogether, and while you’re at it, swap out your aluminum foil for parchment paper.

With so many options for cookware out there it can be hard to know what the best option is for you and your family. That being said, now that you know what keywords to look for and which to avoid when shopping, you’re well on your way to stocking your kitchen with healthy and natural tools to make sure your meals are as good for you as they can be.

What’s your favorite kind of safe cookware? Let us know in the comments!

How Long Will Natural Beauty Products Last?

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We all know that beauty products each have their own expiration dates, but many of us are often guilty of letting them slide and allowing expired products to sit in our drawers longer than they should. This bad habit has gotten all the more complicated with the rise in popularity of natural beauty items, as few people have a clear understanding of how long you can safely keep using those better-for-you products. As a general rule, the lack of chemical preservatives in natural beauty products gives them a shorter shelf life, and the specific expiration time of particular products will vary according to the manufacturer. That being said, here’s a general guideline of how long your natural beauty products will last.

Eye Makeup

Eye makeup is something that you want to make sure you’re replacing regularly, particularly when it comes to mascaras and eyeliners that come in contact with the waterline of your eye and can therefore easily transmit bacteria and cause infections or irritation. Three to six months is the standard life-span of natural eye makeup and it’s always best to be extra safe where your eyes are concerned.

Moisturizers and Lotions

Face moisturizers and body lotions are typically good to go for six months after opening. Keep an eye out in case your products have changed color, consistency, or smell. That being said, plenty of products expire without showing any visible signs so stick to the six months rule either way.

Shampoos and Conditioners

Shampoos and conditioners have one of the longest shelf lives among natural beauty products and can last for a year or two. To keep them going strong, make sure to seal them tightly to avoid water getting into the bottles and to prevent mildew from forming. If you start to notice a sudden difference in your hair texture, it’s probably time to kiss those old bottles goodbye.

Soaps

Like shampoo and conditioner, soaps and shower gels can stay with you for a year or two, though some natural soap makers say to use their products up within 6 months. To keep natural or handmade bar soap in good shape, avoiding leaving it to sit in water by investing in a well-drained soap dish.

Deodorant

Many people have recently switched over to natural deodorant after concerns have started to mount around the side-effects of the aluminum in mainstream anti-perspirants. While natural deodorants might be better for your health, they lose their effectiveness a little more quickly. It will be time to trade these out after six months to a year.

Lip Products

Natural lip balms and lipsticks stay fresh for about a year, but if you use the same product daily you might want to swap it out at the six-month mark. If you apply lip balm with your fingers, it’s important to remember to always use clean hands in order to extend the life of your product and prevent bacteria from spreading.

Tips & Tricks

General good practice when it comes to keeping your natural beauty products in good condition is to store them in a cool, dark, and dry place. Keeping them away from excess water, moisture, and humidity is particularly important. And like with any regular beauty products, keep them clean and sanitary by washing your makeup brushes regularly and not sharing products like mascara, eye liner, or lipstick with others.

While this guide provides a general overview, you’ll also want to check the expiration dates on your individual products, as these things can vary from brand to brand. Look for a picture of a jar on your products. That jar will have a number and letter combination telling you the shelf life of a product. If the jar has a closed lid, that image is telling you the life of the product since the date it was manufactured. If the jar has an open lid, you’re being told how long the product will last after it’s been opened. For example, a jar with an open lid marked “12M” means that the product will expire 12 months after it has been opened. If you’re having trouble remembering when to trade out your products, think about adding a little date sticker to the lids when you open them. That way you’ll have a visual cue about when to throw them out.

While it can be hard to remember to clear out your beauty-stash regularly, hopefully this post will serve as a helpful guide and regular reminder. Even after you make the switch to natural beauty products, you still have to do everything you can to make sure they’re working as best they can for you.

Hello Moringa!

Hello Moringa – Could This Be Your New Favorite Superfood?

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For thousands for years, people have been cultivating and benefiting from the medicinal properties of the moringa plant. As early as 2000 BCE it was used on the Indian Subcontinent to treat everything from skin irritations to asthma. As the plant and its users spread across the world, its nutritional benefits caused it to become a staple in Southeast Asia. Today, the entire plant is used as both a superfood and as a key ingredient in natural remedies and medicines. Read on to find out why moringa just might be your new favorite superfood.

Nutritional Value

Moringa leaves and pods are packed full of amazing nutrients that can help you reach your recommended daily intake of certain vitamins and minerals. The leaves are full of protean, vitamin B6, vitamin C, iron, riboflavin, vitamin A, and magnesium. While the pods don’t offer as wide a variety of vitamins and minerals, one cup of fresh pods contains 157% of your daily vitamin C requirement. While fresh Moringa leaves and pods might be a bit tricky to track down in North America, there are plenty of supplements available where the leaves are broken down into either a power or capsules.

Health Benefits

In addition to helping you get those necessary vitamins and minerals, moringa has several other health benefits. The leaves are full of antioxidants and one study found that taking moringa leaf powder every day can significantly increase blood antioxidant levels. The antioxidants in moringa leaves can help lower your blood pressure and balance blood sugar levels. Scientists have also found anti-inflammatory properties in the moringa plant which can help reduce the chances of developing serious health issues like heart disease and cancer. In addition, moringa has been shown to help lower cholesterol, thus further reducing the risk of heart disease.

Medicinal Properties

Moringa’s use in traditional medicine is well-documented. Over the years, this plant has been used to treat a variety of medical issues including asthma, anemia, gastritis, headache, kidney stones, ulcers, and thyroid disorders. There is also evidence that taking moringa supplements after giving birth can increase breast milk production, however its effects—either positive or negative—on a nursing infant are still unclear. When applied topically, moringa has been used to fight conditions like dandruff, warts, skin infections, and gingivitis.

Get Your Daily Dose

As with any supplement or major dietary change, it’s always best to consult your doctor first and foremost. But once you’ve been given the all-clear, here are some ways to get incorporate moringa into your diet. Short of getting your hands of fresh leaves or pods, your best bet it to purchase moringa leaf power or capsules. Capsules are perfect if you’re always on the go and are used to taking daily vitamin tablets. They are also a good choice if you don’t like the taste of moringa. However, moringa power is usually more concentrated and thus contains more of the benefits of this superfood. Moringa powder can be made into a tea, mixed with juice, or incorporated into smoothies and salad dressings. You can also try moringa seed oil, although it is harder to find. This can be used topically to encourage healthy skin and hair, to sooth arthritis pain, and to heal scars and burns more quickly.

Whenever a plant has been used successfully by so many people across countless centuries, it’s sure to have amazing benefits that can also be captured by this generation. With winter just around the corner, it’s more important than ever to pay a little closer attention to your health and wellness, so why not give moringa a try? Whether you’re looking to boost your nutrition, improve your overall health, or help heal aches and pains, moringa just might be your new favorite superfood.

Why Your Gut Needs More Than Just Probiotics

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If you’ve been doing any thinking on or research into gut health in the past few years, likely you’ve heard about the importance of probiotics. In fact, chances are you’ve heard of it even if you’ve done nothing more than watch a recent yoghurt commercial! Probiotics are all the rage in trendy gut health but, while they are important, they’re definitely not the only key to a healthy digestive tract. Here’s why your gut needs more than just probiotics.

The Gut Is Super Complex

Probiotics aren’t the only thing living happily in a healthy gut. The microbiome of the digestive system is made up not only of healthy bacteria, but also fungi, yeasts, and viruses. All these organisms need to be working together in harmony in order for you to have a healthy gut. That’s why taking probiotics might not necessarily be the solution to your digestive problems. It’s possible that your health issues are stemming from a whole other aspect of the microbiome altogether such as an overgrowth of yeast or an imbalanced fungal composition.

Your Gut Is Unique

While it’s tempting to think that there’s a universal ideal balance of organisms in the microbiome that we can all strive to achieve, the truth is that everyone’s gut is unique. What magically improved the gut health of your best friend might not work at all for you. Some people naturally have more probiotics in their gut than most, while others have more diversity in the organisms in their digestive tract. Many things can influence the uniqueness of your gut including your genetics, diet, and lifestyle. This means that not only does your gut need more than just probiotics because of its complexity, it likely needs its own unique cocktail of healthy flora and bacteria in order to achieve the optimal health and balance for your one-of-a-kind body.

So What Do You Really Need?

Now that we know why we need more than just probiotics, we can talk a bit about what we need. Remember, that this is general advice and that every body is different so it might take some time for you to find the perfect balance for yourself.

Fermented Foods

Fermented foods are an amazing and natural way of replenishing the health of your gut. Not only do they contain healthy probiotics, they are also packed full of healthy yeasts, vitamins, minerals, and bacteria. In addition, fermented foods help the body produce healthy acids to aid digestion. Fermented foods can include things like kimchi, kombucha, sauerkraut and — yes! — yoghurt.

Fiber

Fiber is important not only because it feeds the gut’s healthy bacteria, but also because it provides essential vitamins and nutrients along with much-needed energy. Fiber also includes short-chain fatty acids which help reduce inflammation and boost the immune system. There are two kinds of fiber: soluble and insoluble. While soluble fiber is great for lowering blood sugar and cholesterol, insoluble fiber is what really helps clean out your gut.

Prebiotics

While the gut needs healthy bacteria, it also needs the right nutrients to feed that bacteria. That’s where prebiotics come in. As the team at hyperbiotics.com puts it, “Prebiotics are to probiotics what fertilizer is to a garden.” Thinking of it that way, you really can’t have healthy probiotics without prebiotics. The good news is that prebiotics are readily available in all kinds of foods. To increase your intake, eats lots of whole grains and seeds like oats, millet, quinoa, and buckwheat. The less refined, the better!

It’s Not Just About The Food

Something that a lot of people don’t realize is that a healthy gut isn’t just about what you eat or don’t eat. In addition to all the diet-related elements we’ve talked about above, lifestyle habits also play a significant role in maintaining a healthy gut. Here are some lifestyle changes you can make to boost your digestive health.

Exercise

Studies have shown that cardiovascular exercise can increase the diversity of the microbes in our digestive systems. Cardio does this by increasing the levels of butyrate in the gut which is an important component of healthy digestion.

Avoid Anti-Bacterial Soaps and Hand Sanitizers

Many traditional soaps and hand sanitizers go overboard with their bacteria-killing powers and end up ridding your skin of the good bacteria along with the bad. Nowadays there are plenty of more natural cleansers on the market that will keep you clean without killing of your body’s healthy bacteria.

Reduce Stress

Stress can take a serious toll on every aspect of your health, including the health of your gut! In order to allow your natural systems to function as they should, practice stress management techniques to keep your mind and body focused on wellness. Start a daily meditation practice, set aside time for self-care, or go for an evening stroll.

As you can see, the gut is a pretty complex system that needs a lot of different elements to come together in harmony in order to be healthy and happy. Although the system is complex, the solutions are simple! With a few diet and lifestyle changes that incorporate more than just probiotics, you’ll soon find yourself feeling better than ever before.

How FemTech Is Changing Women’s Health In A Good Way!

How FemTech Is Changing Women’s Health In A Good Way

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FemTech is a relatively new term coined to describe a rising sector of technology focused on women’s health. FemTech includes everything from period and fertility tracking apps like Clue to wearable tech specifically designed for women like Leaf. While tech industries have often been traditionally dominated by men, FemTech is changing the game for women all over the world. Here’s how FemTech is changing women’s health in a good way.

Increased Awareness

Whether we’re talking about an app that tracks fertility cycles or an activity tracker designed specifically for women, FemTech is helping women increase their understanding and awareness of their bodies and their health. Knowledge is power and giving women access to educational information and reliable data about their individual bodies can help them make better and more informed choices about their health and wellness needs. But FemTech isn’t just helping the women who use it. Increases in reliable data on women’s health also helps healthcare professionals make better and more personalize patient recommendations as well as helps them understand broader trends in women’s health.

Reduced Stigma

For a long time women’s health was a largely taboo topic in a patriarchal society. Women themselves were kept in the dark as both society and individuals stigmatized women’s health and female bodies. By increasing awareness and understanding about women’s health, FemTech is continuing to reduce the stigma around topics like menstruation and fertility. With many high profile influencers using and publicly recommending FemTech products, the average women is now seeing her stories and her health taking center stage in public conversations instead of being shoved under the rug.

Focus On Wellness, Lifestyle & Prevention

Many FemTech products, like activity trackers, focus on helping women maintain general wellness and healthy lifestyles in order to prevent future illness and disease. This focus on wellness and lifestyle, which includes everything from meditation resources to sleep trackers and food logs, empowers women to take control of their health. Furthermore, focusing on healthy lifestyles and disease prevention reduces strain on the healthcare system by fostering a happier and healthier population.

It Makes Science Accessible

For a long time the average person has had few resources to help them understand the science of their bodies, making them dependent on the advice and opinions of experts. While FemTech is no substitute for a trained and qualified physician, it does make science more accessible and understandable to the average women, who can now get reliable information and data about her unique and individual body. Though FemTech should never be consulted instead of a doctor, it does give women a better understanding of health sciences so that they can have more informed conversations with healthcare professionals about their personal needs and concerns.

It’s Empowering

Female empowerment is perhaps one of the most exciting things about FemTech. It’s easy to forget that it’s only in the past few decades that women have had reliable and consistent access to healthcare education. While those days are gone, FemTech is taking the power of female education to a whole new level. Not only are women empowered by a better understanding of what’s going on in their bodies, that understanding also empowers them to make better personal choices. For example, the recently FDA approved contraceptive app Natural Cycles is offering women a personalized way to reliably track their fertility and prevent pregnancy naturally, without the use of hormones. For many women who have felt limited by the potential side-effects of hormonal birth control, the natural options offered by FemTech are not just empowering, they’re life changing.

After centuries of being kept in the dark about their bodies and their health, women are striking back with the power of FemTech. For the first time, women have access to reliable and personalize data about their bodies and their health that can help them make better, more informed decisions with the help of their physicians. At the same time, FemTech is encouraging women to adopt more natural lifestyle habits to increase their overall wellness so they can stay happy and healthy for years to come.