HEALTHY
AT HOME
+
HEART HEALTHY FOODS LIGHT AND FRESH RECIPES DITCH TOXIC CLEANERS
H el lo ! Welcome Spring! April is a beautiful month locally as it usually brings the last of our dry and mild temperatures before the heat of summer kicks in. It has also (historically) signaled the end of season as snowbirds head back to their northern homes and locals enjoy a quieter few months. However, the difference between seasons and summer has been less and less noticeable, especially over the last two years. As our Real Estate market continues to stay strong thanks to people moving into the market year round, it feels like our community has become a hot spot for people around the country. If you were expecting the market to slow a little as Spring and Summer arrives, think again. There is still a surplus of buyers while homes for sale continue to stay at an all time low. With many homes receiving multiple offers within hours of going on the market, selling a home without professional help can be a daunting task. How should you price your home? What offers should you accept and what offers might leave you open to future issues? We are here to help! We would love to sit down with you and provide you with a free CMA. We can also lay out our listing strategies and work with you to come up with a plan that will get your home sold for top dollar in this busy market. Please give us a call or send us an email today to discuss selling you home! Thank You,
Your Names 123.450.7890 youremail@mail.com yourwebsite.com
YO U R C O M PA N Y
TOXIC / SWAP ALTERNATIVES TO HARSH HOME CHEMICALS
A healthy home is more important than ever. A place that feels like a sanctuary from the world, a safe place to grow, work, and play. Keeping your home fresh and clean is a huge part of creating this sanctuary. Unfortunately, most of the products commonly used are filled with chemicals that can cause other health issues and pollute the environment. There are other options! Here are some wonderful ideas to consider.
ALL-PURPOSE CLEANERS
The cleaners you grab for your day to day activities can be filled with harmful chemicals. Simply wiping off a counter can lead to exposing yourself and your loved ones to chemicals like phthalates, perchloroethylene, triclosan, and 2-Butoxyethanol. Thankfully, there are substitutions for general house cleaners on the market and there are great, money-saving recipes for making your own.
NON-TOXIC SWAP
Making your own cleaner is one way to know what you’re spraying around your home. Here is a simple but effective recipe for an allpurpose cleaner: • 3/4 cup hydrogen peroxide • 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar • 1 tsp. liquid Castile soap
• 10 drops tea tree essential oil • 20 drops lavender essential oil • 2 cups water
dd all ingredients to a 24-ounce spray bottle; shake before use. Use A for general cleaning needs. For removing mildew and soap buildup, spray, then sprinkle on baking soda and scrub with a sponge.
If you aren’t interested in making your own, try Better Life Natural All-Purpose Cleaner, Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner, or Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Multi-Surface Everyday Cleaner. These three work just like the common cleaners and will leave the surfaces in your home truly clean and smelling great.
FLOOR CLEANERS
While it might not seem like a surface that needs a nontoxic cleaner, your floor is the biggest surface in your home, and what you put on it matters. With pets, kids, and bare feet all touching your floors there’s no reason to use products that leave behind a chemical residue. Choose products that use green elements derived from plants, minerals, and enzymes.
NONTOXIC SWAP
Earth Friendly Products: gentle on the earth but tough on dirt and grease, this cleaner is made from plant-based, replenishable ingredients that won’t strip your floors wax or sealants. Simple Green Naturals Floor Care: with a beautiful, woodsy scent, this cleaner is one you can simply spray on laminate, porcelain tile, slate, finished wood, or linoleum and then mop up.
LAUNDRY
Your clothes touch your skin all day and all night which means any of the chemicals on your clothes are being absorbed by your body. Many people find they are allergic to laundry detergent
and it’s no wonder many are having these issues once you know what’s in many detergents. For example, 1,4-Dioxane, a chemical found in paints and varnishes, is a compound used in leading brands. The EPA considers this solvent a human carcinogen, so it’s not something you want in your clothing.
NONTOXIC SWAP
As with most other cleaning products, there is a homemade option for people who want to know exactly what is going into their detergent.
HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT • 1 bar laundry soap • 1 cup borax
• 1 cup washing soda • 1 cup oxygen bleach
Grate bar of laundry soap; you should have about 2 cups of grated soap. (Or look for soap flakes online.) Mix all ingredients in a large container. Store in a lidded jar. Use 2 tablespoons for a light load and 4 tablespoons for a large or dirty load. Wash as normal. If you are interested in purchasing laundry detergent, here are two great natural choices: Rockin Green Platinum Series Activewear Detergent: made for activewear, it’s also great for your regular clothing. Dropps: Eco-responsible packaging and an all-in-one powerhouse helps remove odors and stubborn stains, keeps fabrics smelling fresh, and helps colors stay bold and bright.
Heart Healthy Foods
We all want healthy and strong hearts, especially as we age. As with all aspects of your health, diet plays a major role in keeping your body at its best. Thankfully, diet is something you can take control of, as small changes can make a big difference. Your organs, especially your heart, respond to healthy diet choices so removing some of these bad foods and adding in a few good ones can be very beneficial for your health.
Consider replacing SUGAR
We all know that sugar isn’t great for our glucose levels and can lead to weight gain, but it also affects the heart. Consuming too much added sugar can raise blood pressure and increase chronic inflammation, both of which are pathological pathways to heart disease. Try to limit things like soda, desserts, and sugary condiments and replace them with healthier options.
WHITE RICE, BREAD, AND PASTA
Rice, bread, pasta, and snacks made from refined, white flour are missing healthy fiber which means the grains quickly convert to sugar, which your body stores as fat. A diet high in refined grains can cause belly fat, which studies link to heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Try to replace these with whole grains like brown rice, oats, and whole wheat.
ALCOHOL
Moderate drinking is typically fine unless you have high blood pressure or high triglycerides, a type of fat in your blood that can boost your odds of heart disease. However, heavy drinking can lead to high blood pressure, heart failure, strokes, and weight gain.
SEED AND VEGETABLE OILS
Highly processed seed or vegetable oil can cause inflation that leads to heart disease. Corn, canola (also called rapeseed), cottonseed, soy, sunflower, safflower, grapeseed, and rice bran oil should be avoided as they are highly refined and have large amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids, an inflammatory property.
Try instead LEAFY GREEN VEGETABLES
Spinach, kale, and collard greens are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are a great source of vitamin K, which helps protect your arteries and promotes proper blood clotting. High in dietary nitrates, they can help reduce blood pressure, decrease arterial stiffness, and improve the function of cells lining the blood vessels. There is also a link between consuming leafy greens and a lower risk of heart disease. One analysis of eight studies found that increasing leafy green vegetable intake was associated with up to a 16% lower incidence of heart disease. Another study in 29,689 women showed that a high intake of leafy green vegetables was linked to a significantly lower risk of coronary heart disease
BERRIES
Good for your brain as well, berries, especially blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries, are jam-packed with heart healthy nutrients. Berries are also rich in antioxidants like anthocyanins, which helps stop oxidative stress and inflammation. Studies show that eating lots of berries can reduce several risk factors for heart disease. One study showed that consuming strawberries at two and a half servings for four weeks significantly improved insulin resistance and LDL (bad) cholesterol. Additionally, an analysis of 22 studies showed that eating berries was associated with reductions in certain markers of inflammation. Berries can be a satisfying snack or delicious low calorie dessert.
FATTY FISH AND FISH OIL
Salmon, mackerel, sardines, and tuna are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, which have great heart-health benefits. Omega-3 from fatty fish could have a protective role in the risk of developing heart disease and slightly reduce the risk of cardiovascular events and arrhythmias. Another study showed that the long term consumption of fish was linked to lower levels of total cholesterol, blood triglycerides, fasting blood sugar, and systolic blood pressure. It is also associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, depression, and mortality. If you don’t eat seafood, fish oil is another option for getting your daily dose of omega-3 fatty acids. Fish oil supplements have been shown to reduce blood triglycerides, improve arterial function, and decrease blood pressure. Other omega-3 supplements like krill oil or algal oil are popular alternatives.
Tabbouleh Salad ½ cup fine bulgur wheat 4 firm Roma tomatoes, finely chopped 1 English cucumber, finely chopped 2 bunches parsley, finely chopped 12-15 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
4 green onions, white and green parts, finely chopped Kosher salt 3-4 tbsp. Lime or lemon juice 3-4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Wash the bulgur wheat and soak it in water for 5-7 minute. Drain very well and set aside. Finely chop the vegetables, herbs, and green onion and place the tomatoes in a colander to drain excess juice. Add bulgur wheat, vegetables, herbs, and green onions to a mixing bowl and season with salt. Mix gently. Add the citrus juice, olive oil, and mix again. For best results, cover the tabouli and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter. If you like, serve the tabouli with a side of pita and romaine lettuce leaves. Serves 6-8.
oven roasted chicken thighs 8 large bone-in skin-on chicken thighs 1/4 cup olive oil 5 garlic cloves, minced
Zest of 1 large lemon, remainder cut into wedges for serving 4 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 tsp. paprika Kosher salt and black pepper Fresh rosemary
Position oven rack one level above center and turn oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed 18 by 13-inch baking sheet with aluminum foil and place an oven safe wire cooling rack in the pan. Spray rack with non-stick cooking spray. In a mixing bowl whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, Italian seasoning and paprika. Dry chicken thighs well with paper towels then add them to the bowl with oil mixture. Toss well to evenly coat with mixture. Place the thighs on the rack skin side down. Season with salt and pepper then turn skin side up and season with salt and pepper. Leave space between thighs so heat can circulate evenly. Bake in a preheated oven until skin is browned and thighs register 175°F in the thickest portion (about 35-45 minutes). If desired, broil during the last minute or two for crispier skin. Serve with lemon wedges for spritzing. If desired, garnish with rosemary.
YO U R NA M E S 123.450.7890
yourwebsite.com | youremail@mail.com YO U R C O M PA N Y
IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS THINKING OF BUYING OR SELLING A HOME, GIVE US A CALL. WE ARE LOCAL REAL ESTATE EXPERTS AND WOULD LOVE TO BE OF SERVICE.
123.450.7890 youremail@mail.com yourwebsite.com
YO U R NA M E
123.450.7890 youremail@mail.com yourwebsite.com
YO U R NA M E
YO U R C O M PA N Y
Hi. If your home is currently listed with another broker, please don’t take this as a solicitation of that listing. In any case, enjoy Healthy At Home!