I've always been a little bit "crunchy" but ever since my thryoid went wacky and my adrenals burnt out, I've been on a conscious journey to eliminate chemicals as much as possible. I've tried a few different companies and brands but honestly, I was disappointed that I couldn't get everything I wanted, in the product quality, in the cost or in some other small irritant. But not too long ago, I was turned on to Melaleuca. And I am so happy! 

My favorite product is the Tooth Polish. I had been using a natural toothpaste from Trader Joe's but in case you haven't noticed, there aren't any TJ stores in North Dakota. So, that wasn't a solution. But this Tooth Polish comes right to my door, is inexpensive (a lot cheaper than Tom's), easier to use than making my own, it tastes good and works well! It contains xylitol a sugar-free sweetner that actually builds up your tooth enamel, papain (from papaya) which whitens your teeth, myrrh which is an astringent that kills the germs and melaleuca oil for bacteria fighting and fresh breath. It has a minty taste (or there are other flavors) and my teeth are whiter than I've seen them in years. Plus they're shiny and my mouth feels clean with no funny baking soda aftertaste. The preferred customer price is only $3.89.

My next favorite product is the Sol-U-Guard disinfectant spray. It comes concentrated and I mix it with warm water in a spray bottle. Each concentrate bottle makes 2 spray bottles. I spray it pretty much everywhere. You can use it to wipe down counters, cabinets, sinks. Or let it sit to disinfect the surface. It works well, doesn't leave streaks on my counters and it smells good. No chemical odors and no funky scents either. It smells like lemon and thyme and kills 99.9% of household germs. Win! Adam even commented that he likes the way it smells. Plus, I don't have to worry about overspray getting on food or little hands. It's EPA-approved and though the bottle doesn't say it's safe for granite, I've used it on my granite and travertine counters with no issues. $9.99 for 1 concentrate bottle. 

I'm running out of time, but wanted to tell you about 1 more product I love. There's lots more, but we'll get to those later. 

I really love the laundry detergent called Melapower. I use the unscented HE version even though I have a very old school washer. One bottle gets me about 95-100 loads. It's clear and scent-free which is great for the eczema and chemical sensitivities we have in our home. And our clothes? They're super clean! I air-dry a lot of my clothes and I always hated how the clothes were stiff and crunch feeling because of the soap residue left behind. $17.50 preferred plus 99-cents for a drainback cap that you reuse. 

So, in case you're wondernig how you get preferred customer pricing, it's pretty simple. Melaleuca is a member-based company much like Sam's Club or Costco. But, the products are shipped right to your door. (shipping is based on order, but it's about 8-11% of your order cost) It's normally $29 to sign up, but through June 30, it's only $1!

Check out the products for yourself at www.melaleuca.com/kristyrose

There's also vitamins, essential oils, cosmetics, skin care, nutritionals and so much more! 

​

About three years ago, we discovered that dairy and gluten were giving our girl tummy troubles. I'm kind of ashamed to admit how long it took me to figure this out; she was four-years-old. And she was vomiting (really, it was projectile puking) regularly. The one day, as I cleaned up the floor again, I realized that it was the milk and the wheat. I'm not sure why I was surprised. When she was an infant, she had GERD and was on Zantac until the doctor and I figured out that milk -- mine and formula -- were the issue and switched her to soy. So, why did I think she'd be able to consume it now? Not so sure. 

Since that discovery, we've strived to limit her dairy and gluten as much as possible. We are not perfect. And don't worry, if you gave her a glass of milk and a cookie, she wouldn't puke all over you. Her tummy would hurt and would be hard and bloated. If she had say three or four cookies and two or three glasses of milk, then you better duck and cover. Since then, I too stay as far away from gluten as possible. Of course I cheat but I pay the price. So I have to cheat wisely. Is that even such a thing?

Anyway, I've done a lot of research on this issue and have recently begun to see more and more research that suggests it's not the gluten that makes us sick. It's the fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides used on wheat and the hybridization the grain has undergone in the last forty years. I know, I know. This is a hot button issue. And for as many reports that suggest this, there are as many that contradict it. Do the research, try it for yourself. I'm just telling you what I've read and what I've experienced. Dr Davis explains the difference between GM and hybridization really well. Plus, Monsanto will tell you that their Round Up ready wheat is safe. (side note: how did the wheat become Round Up ready if it wasn't some how modified?)

I decided to test this since gluten-free bread is 1- expensive, 2- made with rice which is GMO, 3- full of fillers and sugar and 4- generally not "bread" and more like a sponge. In the early days, I'd baked grain-free, sugar-free bread, but the chemistry and unpredictability of it all made me hate baking. So, when I discovered organic, non-GMO whole wheat bread at Sam's club, I did a cartwheel. Well, not really, I don't do cartwheels. However, I try to avoid Sam's Club as much as possible because it is a pit of money-spending hell. I swear my purse just starts dumping out money as soon as I walk into that store.

But, it worked! Gracey could eat sandwiches and toast without any problems! Yahoo! And at $6 for 2 loaves, it's a deal. 

Then I discovered Montana Wheat Prairie Gold Whole Wheat flour at Wal-Mart. It's non-GMO and organic and at $4 for a five pound bag, it's a really great buy. (side note: did you know Wal-Mart is the largest retailer of organic foods?) So yesterday, the kids and I baked bread. The recipe, which I got from Montana Wheat's website, baked up two beautiful loaves. And, they loved it! It's moist and hardy, makes great sandwiches and terrific toast. It's not full of chemicals and I figure each loaf cost me only $1.50 in flour plus the kids got a baking chemistry lesson!

And, the best part? It doesn't hurt her tummy! 

I'm so excited to tell you more about these great gluten-free, GMO-free, organic, all natural skin and personal care products! No parabens, no sulfates, no toxic ingredients. No animal testing. Naturally sustainable ingredients. 

First, before I talk about new products, I want to add the thoughts and opinions of my family on last week's product reviews:

My husband Scott says about the Tea Tree Shampoo Bar: "I love the way it lathers! And it leaves my hair squeaky clean and my scalp clean and tingly!" 

My son Adam says about the Tea Tree Shampoo Bar: "After I use it, my hair felt great. I can't even explain it. It was that good."

Gracey and I both tried the Mango-Coconut Conditioning Shampoo bar since last week too. We both loved how our hair smelled after and how soft it felt. Gracey's hair, which is usually a tangled mess, was very easy to brush through and very easily detangled.

All Natural Sunscreen  $19.50 for 8 ounce tube
First, a little bit goes a very long way! I can put a nickel size amount on my hand and slather both kids with it. Second, it smells like summer. Remember those delicious smelling "tanning oils" from the 80s and 90s? Yes, that's what this smells like! It has a natural SPF of 25-30. The water beads up indicating that the oils are actually repelling water meaning it will last longer . We've used it in the pool several times and no sunburn, no dried out skin, no stinky chemicals that make you cough! Ingredients include coconut oil, shea butter, jojoba oil, raspberry seed oil, beeswax, non-nano zinc oxide. Two thumbs up! Yay for natural sunscreen! 

Essential Oil Bug Away $8.50 for 4 ounce spray bottle
Considering I am something like a Golden Corral for bugs, I am skeptical of any bug repellent. I've used this twice while out in our garden recently. On the kids, it kept the bugs away completely and also eliminated bites. On Bug Food (that's my summer nickname), it didn't stop the bugs from landing on me, but it did stop them from biting. That, my friends, is a major breakthrough. Plus this stuff smells good and doesn't leave an oily or sticky residue. You don't have to hold your breath when you spray it either. Ingredients include witch hazel, tea tree, lavender, peppermint, citronella, eucalyptus, and cedarwood oils. It's a keeper! 

Invigorating Lemon Handwash $5 for 8 ounce bottle
Oh my! Yes! We all love this one! A lot of natural soaps don't suds up and don't lather. That's because they're sulfate free. Sulfates are the yucky chemicals that make soaps sudsy. But this natural foaming soap is sudsy AND sulfate free. It smells delicious, too! One pump is all you need for foamy goodness. And after you rinse, your hands will be clean and soft. No soap residue, no dried out hands. Ingredients include lemon oil, orange oil, castor oil, palm oil, coconut oil, citric acid and potassium hydroxide. Great stuff! Love it!

You can check all of these out and order them online at www.radiantlyyou.com/kristyrose 

Recently, I signed up to be a Radiantly You consultant. RY makes all-natural, certified organic, skincare, bath & body, and household cleaning products with fair-trade, sustainable ingredients. They don't test their products on animals and they give back to the communities in Africa that grow and harvest the ingredients used. 

Paraben-free, sulfate-free, gluten-free products!

I still sell and love AVON. I chose to give RY a try because of my own chemical sensitivities due to hypothyroidism and estrogen dominance. 

Last night my RY kit arrived and I tried some of the products. 

Citrus Sugar Scrub $12.50 for 8 ounce jar
Also available in Lavender Vanilla  scent.  It's made with cane sugar, olive oil, lemon oil, orange oil, glycerin and poppy seeds. I used about 1/2 teaspoon of the scrub last night in the shower. It smelled delicious! I gently scrubbed it along my arms and legs and it gently sloughed off dry skin and left a sheen. After rinsing, the sheen was gone but my skin was super soft and moisturized. I didn't even need to put on lotion after my shower. GREAT product! LOVE it! 

Tea Tree Shampoo Bar $9.50 for 5.5 ounce bar
Shampoo bar is also available in Mango-Coconut. Made with coconut oil, palm oil, castor oil, tea tree oil, olive oil and cinnamon. First, I sliced off about a 1-ounce piece of the bar. This way, I can let everyone in the family try it and not have to shuttle the bar around the house. Honestly, I was skeptical about how a bar would work as shampoo. But I was pleasantly surprised! I rubbed the bar on my wet scalp and it immediately foamed up. Then I just worked it into my hair like regular shampoo. It was sudsy and foamy just like bottled shampoo. My hair rinsed out clean and smooth. No itchy scalp. No greasy residue, no fly-aways. Just clean, soft hair. My scalp felt tingly clean and today my hair has body! LOVE it! Can't wait to try the other scent. The Tea Tree bar is great for dry, itchy scalps and to help clean off residue left by styling products and traditional shampoos. GREAT for those of you trying to go low-poo or no-poo.

Dead Sea Mud Whipped Face Wash $11.50 for 4 ounce jar
Okay, with a name like "Dead Sea Mud" I was curious. It doesn't have much scent at all and is a firm but light cream wash. Ingredients include water, coconut oil, vitamin E, tea tree oil, olive oil, dead sea mud, palm oil and rice bran oil. The directions say to use a pea size amount. I started with half as much, then rubbed it between wet palms and onto my face. Sudsy goodness! Rinsed it off and my face felt soft and clean. Really happy with this product too!

Antioxidant Facial Moisturizer $17.50 for 2 ounce jar
Then it was time to moisturize. This product contains coconut oil, aloe vera juice, pomegranate oil, vitamin E, beeswax and lavender oil. It has a light lavender scent. The beeswax gives the product body and stability and is used instead of parabens. It's a thick, creamy moisturizer. I used about 1/2 a pea sized dollop and it covered my face well and was absorbed quickly. I could probably use a smidge more so that it would go on smoother. I liked that it was thick and not runny, yet it didn't leave a sheen nor an oily feeling when I was done. It also has an SPF of 10. My skin is very sensitive and I have been using Skinvincible by AVON without any issue; I was nervous to try a new moisturizer as they usually cause itchy skin. But, this one did not cause any itchiness or oiliness. Yahoo! Really like it!

Tomorrow, I will review the RY deodorant, toothpaste and handwash. Then watch for reviews on the household products, sunscreen and bug spray. You can email me your order or visit www.radiantlyyou.com/kristyrose to see the products and catalog. You can order online or send me an email.

A quick word about preservatives & ingredients:
Vitamin E is a natural preservative used in skincare products. It's also very good for your skin. You'll find it in a lot of RY products. Sodium Hydroxide is found in the RY soaps, this is saponfied oil (aka lye) used in almost all soaps. (Except the shea butter-glycerin soap I make at home!) 

Every summer we plant a vegetable garden. And every summer I battle the weeds. Last summer, I gave up and let them win. It was just too hot, I was too busy and there were just too many of them to be pulled. I refuse to use chemical weed killers in my garden. 

Why? Well, because weed killers contain toxic ingredients and despite what the manufacturers tell you, those chemicals don't biodegrade. So they're in the soil which means they're in your vegetables which means they're in your body. And some studies even suggest that you don't have to even ingest the chemicals, just breathe in the vapors while you're spraying, and you could be harming your body. How so? Some of the ingredients actually kill testosterone, attack the thyroid, and even cause or exacerbate celiac disease and gluten intolerance. All three of these health concerns are very real issues in the Rose household, and we take them pretty seriously.

You can read more about it:

• Roundup and Celiac
• Roundup and Thyroid Cancer
• Roundup and Testosterone
• Roundup and Gut Issues
• Roundup and Food
• Roundup and Human Cells

Okay, so now that you're completely disgusted, let's talk about a better way to kill those pesky weeds. I'll admit, I was skeptical at first. I didn't believe this concoction of household ingredients could kill weeds, but it actually worked.


Yes, the yard smelled like pickles for a few minutes. But that's no big deal. I didn't have to worry about locking my kids and dog in the house while I sprayed. And I didn't have to wear a gas mask to protect my thyroid!  I even spilled some on my hands and it didn't hurt or do any damage. I'm supposed to have six fingers on my right hand, right? Oh, just kidding! 


Here's the recipe:
1 gallon white vinegar
2 cups epsom salts
1/4 cup Dawn soap (blue kind)


Put the salts in first, then the soap then the vinegar. I do it this way so that everything gets mixed together well. You can stir it if you want, but I haven't need to do so. Then just spray away.


I think it works because the vinegar and the salt dry out the weed. My hands were a little dry after I spilled it on them, and the dead weeds look like they've been dried out. So that's my guess. The soap makes the other two ingredients stick to the plant.


I sprayed one morning and the next morning, to my surprise, they were dead! Hooray! Now, it is best to spray on a day where there will be no rain for several hours. And you should refrain from watering as well. Hot, dry days are best for speedy all-natural weed killing. 


Check out the pictures below. Then come back later to hear how I'm treating Gracey's GERD without meds.

For as long as I can remember, I've had an itchy, scratchy scalp. Call it dermatitis, call it eczema, call it an irritation. I don't know what has caused my itchiness, but it's always been itchy. Sometimes it even breaks out in itchy, painful sores and a lot of time, I also have flaky dandruff. 

I've tried all kinds of treatments and all kinds of shampoos. Even the expensive shampoos meant for dry scalps like Bumble & bumble's Seaweed shampoo leave my head itchy and uncomfortable. It's always been this way so I just assumed it would always continue. But, then, I decided to try a few kitchen concoctions.

It all started when my hair stylist asked me how often I wash my hair. When I told her I shampoo every day, she told me that was silly and I should try skipping a day. I did that and was surprised at how my hair reacted. I wasn't a grease-ball like I'd expected. Then I broke my leg and it was a week before I had the energy or even the desire to wash my hair. But as soon as I did, the itchy scalp was back. Since showering was a royal pain requiring the help of my husband, I only showered twice a week for awhile. And guess what? My scalp only itched after shampooing.

Since I had an abundance of free time, sitting in a chair with my laptop, I began looking up recipes for DIY shampoos. And I tried a few. 

First was the baking soda shampoo. You mix 1 part baking soda with 3 parts water then add a few drops of essential oils. I chose tea tree for its antiseptic and astringent properties. Work it into the roots, gently scrubbing your scalp. Let it sit a minute or two, then rinse thoroughly.

I followed that shampoo with an apple cider vinegar (ACV) conditioner. This is 1 part ACV mixed with 4 parts water and a few drops of essential oils. I chose peppermint and rosemary for their conditioning and clarifying properties. You work this into your hair, roots to tip, then let it soak in a minute before rinsing. 

I liked this combination of baking soda shampoo and ACV conditioner. It left my hair feeling clean and shiny but also left my scalp feeling tingly clean. However, it's a bit of a process and a little hard on your hair if used more than 1-2 a week. Plus, I used it after swimming one day, and the results were not good. So now I just use this combination once in awhile to give my hair and scalp a nice deep cleaning.

In the meantime, I use a fabulous DIY shampoo made with liquid liquid castille soap and coconut milk. It works great on my hair, and leaves it feeling clean even after swimming. I like that it gets foamy and sudsy, plus it cleans my hair without stripping it to limpness. My hair is fine and whenever I'd wash my hair with commercial shampoos, it would end up being limp and "too clean" feeling. It wouldn't hold a style or have any body, even after using volumizing shampoo. I'd have to layer it with product and I just don't like doing that.

So, to make the castile-coconut shampoo, combine 1 part coconut milk to 3 parts liquid castille soap. Shake to mix. Then apply. I find that 4 T of this mixture gets me about 6 washes. Wash as you would with commercial shampoo. Then rinse. If you have coarse or dry hair, you might want to work in a little coconut oil (less than a teaspoon) into your ends, but be careful to avoid your scalp. I find I don't need the extra conditioning. 

No more itchy scalp, even after using this shampoo. I only wash my hair 2-3 times a week and in between washes, I rinse it with water, massage my scalp and let it air dry. I also avoid brushing my hair when wet, and when it is dry, brushing it from root to tip at least twice a day (kind of like Marcia Brady) keeps the ends moisturized naturally.  The water rinse and dry brushing keeps the oiliness at bay. My hair is shiny and clean, but my scalp doesn't itch and the flakes are gone too. 

For the castille soap, you can buy Bronner's or make your own. You'll find directions here.

Let me know if you try it and what you think. I've heard it works well as a transition wash for those of you trying to go no-poo. Because I swim a lot, no-poo isn't an option for me right now, but one day I just might join you. 

Next up on my healthy living blog page is my GERD home treatment followed by killing weeds without the chemicals.