The Time We Ate Healthy – How to Boost Your Immune System

Growing up in the Bay Area with my parents, siblings, and a revolving door of pets, meals meant an abundance of healthy and fresh food.  The memory of our backyard is so tangible every time I think about going outside and plucking some juicy Golden Delicious apples off our trees. A majority of our fresh fruits and vegetables came from our trees and plants at home because it was easier and more nutritious to grow our own food. While we didn’t live on a farm, my parents’ green thumbs made virtually every vine grow taller and every branch grow stronger. Ever since I was small, my parents encouraged me to grow my own plants and thus developed a love for gardening and learning every thing I could about the connection between food and health.

Now more than ever, we need to focus on building our own health and boosting our own immune system. Our health is greatly affected by our environment and our planet’s eco system. You’ve probably heard of the old saying, “you are what you eat”. Well, doctors, scientists, nutrition experts, and even parents can tell you that what you put in your body, directly affects its outcome. We take in healthy and nutritious food, our body will become healthier and stronger. Junk food becomes junk in our bodies and plays various damaging factors to our health. Your immune system is basically your first and initial defense against foreign objects inside your body. The stronger your immune system is, the better it is at doing its job in fighting off viruses, bacteria, and germs.

I attended two webinars this week on building resiliency and preventing illnesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both webinars featured doctors and nurses of various medical fields, each with their own advice and lessons on how to stay healthy at this time. The one main takeaway from these webinars was the undeniable truth that our immune system is our strongest weapon. Imagine our immune system as a defense agency. Our cells are our agents and we must feed our “agents” with proper weapons to defend and protect our body. How do we feed our agents or cells proper weapons for defense? There are a few factors that we must remember and practice daily if possible.

To put it simply, our body is made up of cells. Our cells are the building blocks of all components in our bodies. Our immune system is our body’s own defense system against any foreign bodies that appear inside us. To keep our immune system strong, we must feed it nutritional food, get plenty of rest so our bodies can replenish, reduce stress so our organs don’t get depleted, and regular exercise to keep our cells regenerate properly. Eating healthy might possibly be the best or the most difficult practice for many of us. Eating healthy entails fresh, multi-colored fruits and vegetables, less sugary food, and plenty of liquid to keep us hydrated. Below I’ve listed some basic foods as well as Superfoods that can help boost our immunity and give our bodies a chance to stay healthy and fight off any number of illnesses and disease.

 

All fruits and vegetables contain some kind of vitamin and mineral. But certain fruits and vegetables have specific genetic qualities that help target problem areas and boost our immunity. 

Green Vegetables and Fruits:

Green colored vegetables and fruits get their green color from chlorophyll which can protect against certain types of cancer and disease. Green vegetables and fruits contain a wide assortment of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, and minerals such as magnesium, copper, and manganese. 

Try green vegetables such as broccoli, green beans, green onions, cucumbers, as well as leafy green vegetables such as kale, spinach and chard. Try green fruits such as green apples and kiwi.

Red Vegetables and Fruits:

Red vegetables and fruits contain powerful antioxidants such as lycopene and anthocyanins which are powerhouses in preventing many illnesses and disease. Red fruits and vegetables also tend to be easier to find as there are more varieties than other colored fruits and vegetables.

Try red vegetables such as red bell peppers, tomatoes, radishes, and beets. Try red fruits such as cherries, cranberries, goji berries, and watermelon.

Yellow and Orange Vegetables and Fruits:

Yellow and Orange Vegetables are abundant in A, B, C, and E. They are boosters of cell regeneration and are great for skin and eyes due to their alpha and beta-carotene properties. 

Try yellow and orange vegetables such as corn, squash, carrots, yellow beans, pumpkins, and yellow and orange bell peppers. Try yellow and orange fruits such as tangerines, bananas, kumquats, pineapples, mangoes, and golden kiwi.

Super fruits are fruits that are packed with a high spectrum of antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They hold immense power in fighting free radicals, preventing certain illnesses and disease, and increase longevity.

Try super fruits such as acai berries, dragon fruit, blackberries, kiwi, pomegranate, and watermelon. You can find most super fruits in supermarkets and farmers markets as they typically require more care in growing them.

Remember that eating healthy, exercising regularly, sleep well, reduce stress, and finding positive ways to cope can help your immunity. Take small steps if necessary, and know that you can control your own health with making the right decisions.

Stay healthy. Stay safe. Stay diligent.

 

Disclaimer: The product(s)were sent to the author for review by the manufacturer/PR. All reviews on “Happymomblogger” remain unbiased and unpaid and are the sole decision of the author. The opinions of these product(s) were not influenced in any way, shape, or form. As always, please read the ingredients carefully when trying new products.

Please read the labels and ingredients carefully and follow all manufacturer’s instructions (if any). The products selected for the giveaway were generously donated by the companies/PR to help readers learn more about their products. The winner’s choice in using/consuming these products are entirely up to the winner and will not hold the author and her family liable nor the companies/PR liable. These products are made with non-toxic ingredients but always be safe with what you use and consume.

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Stay-at-Home Boredom Busters for Kids

Many parents around the world are wondering what to do with their kiddos now that mandated school closures are across the globe. Some are fortunate to have online learning with their teachers while others are doing their best with homeschooling. All that schoolwork adds up in time, especially when most of us parents don’t have the skills or experience in teaching a curriculum at home. And while we’re all figuring out how to balance our life at home and work, it’s important to remember that “we’re all in this together”. Any number of us is having some struggle with homeschooling or preventing boredom with the kids or hoping the kids and parents don’t drive each other crazy before all this clears over. If you’re looking for ideas for kids and families, please check out some ideas below!

AGES 3-5:

Young children around this age are most likely used to being at home if they’re not in preschool. So while they’re stuck at home, check out these activities for young kids:

  • Painting by numbers. Around this age, whether they are in preschool or not, learning numbers can give them a head start when they do start school. Painting by numbers are basically coloring books, but with numbers that match the corresponding area of the picture. You can paint by numbers using watercolor, color pencils, or crayons. Find great painting by numbers books online such as Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and even your local bookstore (a great time to support your local booksellers).

  • Ready to Read. These fun and educational by-age activities are great for beginner learners. Depending on their age and skills, you can find lots of fun activities for your kids. 

  • Sidewalk chalk. This outside activity is tons of fun for little ones. Take some colorful chalk and go around the neighborhood to write and/or draw uplifting words and art for neighbors. Your child can certainly do this when no one else is around for the safe distancing practice, but imagine the fun and delight your neighbors will have when they walk out of their front door! If you don’t have chalk available, you can make some at home if you already have the ingredients. 

AGES 5-8:

  • Gardening at home. Gardening is one of the most relaxing and rewarding skill you can teach your children. In fact, gardening is great for any age, any gender, and any type of experience. The most easiest and fun way of gardening is starting with seeds. Seeds grow into seedlings which eventually become larger plants that will grow into flowers or food. Seeds do take a lot longer than seedling plants but they are so much more rewarding when you can track the progress of your seeds. 

  • Computer games. Since we live in a technical world, kids eventually will be using computers and technology. Most schools already have students as young as 1st grade learning lessons on computers. If you have a computer at home, this is a great time to teach your young learners some technology skills. Once they are in school, they will be required to do basic reading and other curriculum on computers. Based on your own family routine, limit kids this age to up to 1 hour of online learning, whether through games or skill setting on Google Docs.

  • Writing letters and cards. Writing letters and greeting cards seems to be a lost skill. But some teachers across the country are still teaching their young students how to write a proper letter and greeting card. This important skill can later be applied when kids attend birthday parties or need to write to a company for school projects. You can use whatever paper stock you have at home, or pick some up at stationary stores, grocery stores, or online.

AGES 9 -11:

  • Special interests. Around this age, your child probably already developed his/her own interests. Broaden their interests (within safety reasons) by having them go online for research or reading books.

  • Crossword puzzles and Sudoku. These 2 brain challenging activities are perfect for growing minds. Find easy to do ones online that are appropriate for their age and skills.

  • Gardening advanced. If you have younger kids as mentioned above, their older siblings can also help with gardening. Have kids at this age write the name of the plants on wooden sticks, paint clay pots, or even build small wooden planters with a parent’s help.

AGES 12 and up:

  • Advanced readers. Kids around this age has either already developed a love for reading, or are reading only when it’s required by school. But it’s never too late to get your kids to enjoy reading. If you have an older child that’s struggling with reading a book from beginning to end, get them to read books of their personal interests. If they’re interested in a certain sport, find books about that sport. Interested in cars? Find books on how to fix cars, build cars, or design cars. Interested in fashion? There are many books and magazines that focus on fashion, whether it’s fashion design, fashion merchandising, or making clothing.

  • Graphic novels. Contrary to what you read when you were younger, graphic novels has really changed and evolved. Graphic novels or comic books, are books that tell stories through art. Depending on the interests of your pre-teen and teen, graphic novels range from popular series to mainstream superhero books.

  • Upcycling projects. Upcycling is one of the best ways in reducing waste. With the world around us fighting climate change and trying to reduce waste, upcycling is both fun and ethical. Kids as young as 8 can learn to upcycle what they have around the house, in their neighborhood, and even at school. Upcycling is essentially taking what you already have and finding new uses for it. The best and easiest upcycling projects include garden projects, turning old clothes into something new, or repainting an old furniture.

  • Random Acts of Kindness. When kids are a bit older, teach them that doing good for the world can have many benefits now and throughout their lives. When you do something nice for someone, it sparks joy for that person which they’ll think about throughout the day. In turn, it might even spark kindness from that individual to perform another random act of kindness for someone else. Check out Random Acts of Kindness platform for some wonderful ideas. 

I hope you all can find some peace and joy throughout this troubling time. Whether we are one individual, one nation, or one world, we’re all in this together.

 

Disclaimer: The product(s)were sent to the author for review by the manufacturer/PR. All reviews on “Happymomblogger” remain unbiased and unpaid and are the sole decision of the author. The opinions of these product(s) were not influenced in any way, shape, or form. As always, please read the ingredients carefully when trying new products.

Please read the labels and ingredients carefully and follow all manufacturer’s instructions (if any). The products selected for the giveaway were generously donated by the companies/PR to help readers learn more about their products. The winner’s choice in using/consuming these products are entirely up to the winner and will not hold the author and her family liable nor the companies/PR liable. These products are made with non-toxic ingredients but always be safe with what you use and consume.

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The Environmental Fighter in Times of Crisis

With the onslaught of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandamic during these months, many environmentalist and activists are wondering how they can still help the planet while we’re all on lockdown. Kids who have been steadily trying to learn about helping the environment and doing their part to make our planet a better place are facing many other challenges. Many kids are not in school nor do they have access to schoolwork or technology. Parents and siblings are scrambling to find lesson plans and indoor educational activities for their families. And depending on the age of your children, there just might not be enough things for kids to do at home. While most states have put in mandatory school closures, we have to applaud those school districts that have contingency plans should there ever be a school closure for weeks on end.

As someone who cares deeply for the environment and for helping kids understand the need to protect our precious eco-system, I’m here to encourage you to continue with your endeavors. Continue with your passion to do good for the planet. And continue to challenge yourself to come up with innovative ways of changing for good. Below you’ll find some ideas for projects and activities that you can do at home and on social media. While the world may seem pretty big, we are all still connected whether through natural disasters, man-made disasters, or climate change.

Some of you may be thinking – well, why should I be worried about saving a turtle or  reducing my waste at a time like this? Because eventually this too will end. We will all come out of this with lessons learned, bravery developed, and humanity united. We have to think positively and do positive things right now and for the future.

How can we still help the planet:

1- Reduce your trash. At these unprecedented times, being wasteful is not the answer. Products are flying off the shelves and many major corporations are shutting down or reducing staff to prevent the spread of the illness. That means the city may end up with less sanitation workers. Trash cans might pile up and we’re left with tons of waste that might flow onto the streets. Reduce your waste by:

*** Using what you already have at home and in your pantries. There’s really no need to panic buy. You can still use what you already have.

***Break down your cardboard boxes. If you’re not already doing this, then start this new and space saving step in reducing waste.

***Cut up your plastic and non-recyclable items. I’m not promoting buying more plastic products, but plastic is inevitable in our world so if you have it, try to cut it up into smaller pieces so they’ll fit better in your trash cans. Just be sure to sort through your trash and notice the PETE symbols. Most cities will recycle PETE # 1,2,5, and 7.

2 – Reduce your food intake. Eating is one of the coping systems most people use in times of crisis, but now is not the time to binge eat either. Eat healthier foods that boost your kidneys and liver’s powers to eliminate toxins in your body. Build your immune system so that it has a chance to fight off any infection, viruses, and bacteria in your body. And eating healthier will reduce the need to buy unhealthy and packaged foods. Buy fresh food so there’s less packaging.

*** Buy fresh fruits and vegetables. Your immune system is your strongest fighter. Buy fruits that do not decompose immediately such as apples, citrus, and any fruit with a thick outer skin. Buy vegetables that contain tons of vitamins and minerals. A good reference to remember is buying fruits and vegetables with lots of colors such as apples, strawberries, kiwi, oranges, broccoli, peas, carrots, and etc.

*** Plan ahead and make a shopping list. When we are panic buying, we tend to pick up whatever is on sale or are on the shelves. Sure, that package of Oreos might make us feel better, but just don’t stock up on unhealthy items. Items we buy or binge might end up in the trash due to expiration dates and no longer satisfying.

3 – Plant a Garden. Gardening is not only beneficial to the planet, but it is also quite therapeutic. Plant some fast-growing vegetables and fruits right now and you’ll get some fresh produce in your yard in no time. Be sure to use organic soil and organic fruits and vegetables if you have access to them. Organic will reduce the toxins that emit into the air.

*** Plant fast-growing fruits and vegetables such as strawberries, cucumbers, lettuce, beans, and any type of squash. Try to buy these that are already seedlings as seeds will take much longer to mature.

4 – Support local businesses. With many closures due to government mandate, small businesses might be forced to temporarily close to prevent the spread of the virus. Small and local businesses offer products and services locally to help reduce carbon footprint. If you must buy online, then consider taking advantage of the many discounts and free shipping rates and buy what you can afford. This can help reduce carbon footprint and support businesses that sell natural and organic products. Organic products still help in reducing the carbon footprint that taxes our precious eco system.

*** Look to support brands that are also donating their products and services at this time. Food companies, local restaurants, and such must remove their in-house food so they in turn are donating their products. This helps eliminate waste since instead of throwing products in the trash, they are giving their products away.

5 – Eating Takeouts. Because of the “Shelter in Place” or the “Safer at Home” that officials has deemed necessary in many states across the US, people are still trying to access food at grocery stores, fast food restaurants, and sit-down restaurants. But restaurants across the country are mostly closed for inside dining and offering takeout or to-go orders. But most of the time these to-go orders are in the toxic Styrofoam or unrecyclable plastics and they don’t accept your own reusable containers from home due to contamination. So how can you reduce waste in that sense?

*** Call ahead the restaurant and ask what they put their food in for to-go orders. It may sound daunting, but consider the trash that piles up from takeout foods. Most fast food restaurants place their food inside paper wrappers and while they are readily recyclable in most states, some do not.  Starbucks for instance, are not accepting your reusable beverage containers. So instead of having them put a lid on your cup, take the beverage and pour it in your reusable cup. This way you’re still cutting down on the plastic lids use.

For some great recycling and waste-reducing tips, check out Earth911’s excellent ideas! And for family resources, check out CDC’s recommendations (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/managing-stress-anxiety.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fabout%2Fcoping.html)

https://earth911.com/eco-tech/use-coronavirus-to-reset-your-life-for-sustainability/

Earth911 Podcast: Coronavirus, Sustainability Changes, and Earth Day Planning

Be safe and be diligent!

 

Disclaimer: The product(s)were sent to the author for review by the manufacturer/PR. All reviews on “Happymomblogger” remain unbiased and unpaid and are the sole decision of the author. The opinions of these product(s) were not influenced in any way, shape, or form. As always, please read the ingredients carefully when trying new products.

Please read the labels and ingredients carefully and follow all manufacturer’s instructions (if any). The products selected for the giveaway were generously donated by the companies/PR to help readers learn more about their products. The winner’s choice in using/consuming these products are entirely up to the winner and will not hold the author and her family liable nor the companies/PR liable. These products are made with non-toxic ingredients but always be safe with what you use and consume.

http://www.topmommyblogs.com/blogs/in.php?id=storm

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2020 – The Year of Change

When I first started writing this post a couple of months ago I was looking forward to the year 2020. To the challenges, to the changes, and to the triumphs. But January started off rocky with world-famous Kobe Bryant’s tragic death along with his comrades and family on the helicopter. My husband was and is a big fan of Kobe and seeing how it brought him much sadness and confusion over the loss of this global icon was eye-opening for me as well. Then as news started to spread about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in February, the world was still waking up from this unprecedented event. Rumors, gossip, and inaccuracies were flying about in the media, in stores, and even with friends and family. Who do we trust? Who do we believe? And who do we turn to for accurate information? Was this new virus man-made or was it passed through human contact with an animal? People were being biased and xenophobic, dividing our country and humanity even more. And then suddenly…the tragic events of China, Italy, and even the US started to bring people together. People started to realize that we are indeed just human – not superhuman, or impervious to assault and danger. When I say people in this sense, I’m talking about the norm and not everyone in the world, of course.

Sure, there are those out there who think they can arm themselves from this new virus with guns and violence – surely you can’t possibly shoot a virus away, can you? But as fear and confusion spreads throughout the world, and people are buying up supplies to last them for years, what does that really say about us as humans?

While you’re stuck at home with your kids or working from home, take a look across social media to see the good in people. Companies out there are donating their extra food and services. Neighbors are donating food to each other. Apartment residents are leaving unopened food in the hallways ready to share. And in Italy, one of the most devastated countries to be affected by this, people are singing and bringing songs of joy and encouragement to their neighbors. They are not blaming or shaming. They are all banding together during this unprecedented event to help each other out. It’s a confusing time and it’s most definitely the right time to do the right thing.

When I was writing this post, I wanted to share an inspirational quote. And while it doesn’t directly transfer to what we are all experiencing right now, this quote still brings inspiration and hope to those who need it.

“With faith, discipline, and selfless devotion to duty, there is nothing worthwhile that you cannot achieve” – Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

The year 2020 was supposed to be about “clear vision”. But clearly – excuse the pun here – not all of us can see “clear” right now. There are many affected on a personal level. And there are many that feel the pain and compassion for others who are suffering. Let’s not forget that everything is connected. No one is better than the other. And certainly no one can predict something like this can happen. No matter what you believe – remember that kindness and humility is the strongest action we can take for ourselves and for each other. You don’t have to like what someone is saying around you, on the streets, or on social media. But you can be kind. And you can be humble.

So, onto a bit of lighter news. As a parent, I feel for those who have kids at home either working on their assigned homework or driving you batty with their arguing and fighting. Kids are properly having a harder time at this “stuck at home” situation than if they were on holiday break. Because yes, most kids across the US do have assigned homework. I’ve included some links below that could help you and your kids during the mandated school closures across the US.

Be safe, be diligent, and be healthy.

Free resources for education: https://www2.ed.gov/free/index.html

Free Amazon reading: go to Amazon and enter “free books” and hundreds of free books will pop up in whatever genre you prefer. Many are for children.

Home Depot: https://www.homedepot.com/c/alp/kpqfspbe0a/kpqfspbe0a

Great Kindness Project: See “Fun Activities for Families”

Martha Stewart gardening ideas: https://www.marthastewart.com/search?q=garden

FUN ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES

  • Join our Happy Heart Hunt. Let’s blanket our world with LOVE! It’s simple! Just make a heart from any object and tape it to a street-facing window to send your love out to the world. Encourage all your friends to do the same. Then, in a few days, take a family walk to search for other hearts on houses. How fun it will be to watch the love grow! Learn more

  • Host Family Game Night – get out the board games, decks of cards, chess sets and puzzles.

  • Create an obstacle course with things from your home.

  • Have a spontaneous dance party! Crank the tunes and DANCE!!

  • Play charades.

  • Clean your closets together. (Seriously!) Put on some fun music and then joyfully declutter. Keep only the things that are useful and spark joy.

  • Create a family “masterpiece” out of recycled items from your decluttering.

  • Listen to a podcast: “Wow in the World”.

  • Learn on-line together.

  • Teach your child a skill or a share a talent. Teach them to cook, change a tire, sew on a button, balance a checkbook, play the ukulele, etc.

  • Go on a scavenger hunt.

  • Explore nature. Continue to spend time outdoors. The fresh air is good for kids, and for us as parents. But please do this as a family rather than meeting up in groups.

  • Create a family vision board.

 

 

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Gratitude and Kids

As the holiday season is in full swing, and folks are shopping like crazy for presents, this is also the best time to teach children about gratitude and kindness. All over social media we see random acts of kindness from a stranger to another stranger and even companies who go out of their way to donate more and to offer more kind acts. Perhaps it’s the holiday spirit that gets us out of our comfort zone and extend a hand of gratitude. But kindness, appreciation, and gratitude should really be practiced all year round. And this act alone, should be readily taught to kids at a young age.

If you ever jump onto Facebook, Twitter, or Youtube, you see random acts of kindness throughout the world. Why is it that we only notice these kind acts during the holidays? Is it to send a gentle reminder that we should not take things for granted? We are all on this planet together, whether we are struggling to make ends meet or we live in lavish mansions. We are all connected by the choices we make and what we do defines our character. As adults, we might tend to forget these simple things such as gratitude and appreciation. But children tend to see these kind acts more clearly than adults. It’s up to us to lead our kids to a better path and a better future.

So how do we practice gratitude ourselves and in turn teach our children? Below I’ve provided several simple and doable acts that kids can perform on their own, and maybe with a little nudge from their parents 🙂

10 Simple Acts of Gratitude for Kids to Practice:

1- Speak with kindness and be compassionate. Empathy is learned by watching others.

2- Donate gently used items in your house. Your kids can help you round up items that they no longer need or use or have outgrown. This teaches kids to appreciate all the material things that they already have.

3- Hug a teacher and give a fellow student a “high five”. Showing your teachers and classmates that you acknowledge what they do is a simple yet heartfelt act.

4- Eat food that makes you feel good inside and out. Healthy foods makes healthy minds and bodies and children will be happier.

5- Thank everyone you come across with. Whether it’s the mail carrier, the stranger who opens the door for you, or the cashier at the checkout counter.

6- Write down what you are thankful for. And share it with your family.

7- Compliment a friend. It can be daily or whenever you see someone in need of one.

8- Smile. Smile. Smile. You never know when someone needs to see it.

9- Wake up each morning with a little prayer or mantra of gratitude and thankfulness. It can be as simple as, “I am thankful for my family and for everything that I have.” The affirmation to yourself will help brighten your day.

10- Appreciate nature. Be gentle and kind to all living beings. They are all a part of our world too.

And here are some delightful quotes of gratitude:

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” – John F. Kennedy

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” – Oprah Winfrey

“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” – Epictetus

“The ultimate source of happiness is not money and power, but warm-heartedness” – Dalai Lama

“Look at children. Of course they may quarrel, but generally speaking they do not harbor ill feelings as much or as long as adults do. Most adults have the advantage of education over children, but what is the use of an education if they show a big smile while hiding negative feelings deep inside? Children don’t usually act in such a manner. If they feel angry with someone, they express it, and then it is finished. They can still play with that person the following day.” ― Dalai Lama

So this holiday season, let’s help our kids express gratitude towards themselves and others. For when we respect ourselves, we can in turn respect others.

Happy Holidays!

 

Disclaimer: The product(s)were sent to the author for review by the manufacturer/PR. All reviews on “Happymomblogger” remain unbiased and unpaid and are the sole decision of the author. The opinions of these product(s) were not influenced in any way, shape, or form. As always, please read the ingredients carefully when trying new products.

Please read the labels and ingredients carefully and follow all manufacturer’s instructions (if any). The products selected for the giveaway were generously donated by the companies/PR to help readers learn more about their products. The winner’s choice in using/consuming these products are entirely up to the winner and will not hold the author and her family liable nor the companies/PR liable. These products are made with non-toxic ingredients but always be safe with what you use and consume.

http://www.topmommyblogs.com/blogs/in.php?id=storm

 

 

 

 

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Yes! You can have an Eco-friendly Halloween!

happy-halloween-8-e1572022501531.jpg

Halloween is THE favorite holiday of the year for me and my family. Is it a holiday though? I don’t care – we celebrate it no matter what! Much like a few other holidays celebrated in the US, Halloween is also a celebrated event in other countries such as England, Germany, Taiwan, and Mexico has something similar in their Dia de los Muertos festival. And the best thing about Halloween is that it doesn’t matter if you’re young or old – you can dress up, eat treats, and decorate to your hearts content!

But let’s pause a few moments and think about the environmental impact that this fun holiday creates. We buy bags of candy and treats, we wear store bought costumes, and we adorn the house with store bought decorations. Do you ever think about all those plastic wrappers that the kids throw away after eating the treats? Or the polyester materials that usually make up the costumes you find in stores? All those things will eventually end up in the landfill and they are usually not recyclable nor do they decompose properly. So how do we be more environmentally conscious this Halloween? Is it possible?

Yes! You can have an eco friendly Halloween this year and every year. Let’s start with these suggestions:

1- Choose Halloween treats with less packaging. Candies in individual boxes might be saved for recycling. You can also buy in bulk and choose the candy that has the less packaging.

2- Reuse plastic bags for trick-or-treating. Or better yet, cut out the plastic bag altogether and go for a reusable cloth bag or make your own from an old T-shirt or pillow case.

3- Avoid store-bought costumes. Costumes on the rack are often made of nonrecyclable petro-chemical based plastic and synthetic fibers. One of these plastics is polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is a carcinogen that releases harmful toxins in its creation and breakdown. Opt for an eco-friendly costume made of natural materials.

4- Create your own Green Halloween decorations. Make creepy ghosts by stuffing old bed sheets with leaves, newspaper or other filling then tie with a string to form a head and hang from your trees. Or, instead of buying synthetic spiderwebs that you’ll throw away after the holiday, make your own with shredded black pantyhose or cotton balls.

5- Know what’s in your Halloween face paint. Campaign for Safe Cosmetics sent 10 kid’s make-up sets to a lab and found all 10 contained lead, as well as nickel cobalt and chromium. These products aren’t listed on product labels. Look for organic non-toxic face paints that comply with Campaign for Safe Cosmetics standards.

6- Buy locally grown pumpkins. Sure, those plastic pumpkins can last for years as long as you remember to use them every year instead of throwing them out and buying new plastic ones. You can also make delicious treats from the large pumpkins buy, such as pumpkin seeds, pumpkin bread, and pumpkin pie.

7- Swap costumes. Costumes swapping is an easy way to reduce your waste on costumes that your child will likely outgrow next year. Find friends or family members who are willing to exchange costumes with you.

8- If you’re having a Halloween party, consider all the environmental impact. Follow the steps above as guidelines and help your guest be more environmentally friendly too.

9- Keep sweets at a minimum. It’s good for your health and the health of our planet too!

10- Remember to reuse and upcycle anything leftover from Halloween. Upcycling is a fun and creative way to reduce your waste.

So this Halloween, don’t let extra plastics and waste scare you from having a fun and safe Halloween. Use and buy consciously and enjoy!

*photos and content credits given to deliciousliving magazine.

 

Disclaimer: The product(s)were sent to the author for review by the manufacturer/PR. All reviews on “Happymomblogger” remain unbiased and unpaid and are the sole decision of the author. The opinions of these product(s) were not influenced in any way, shape, or form. As always, please read the ingredients carefully when trying new products.

Please read the labels and ingredients carefully and follow all manufacturer’s instructions (if any). The products selected for the giveaway were generously donated by the companies/PR to help readers learn more about their products. The winner’s choice in using/consuming these products are entirely up to the winner and will not hold the author and her family liable nor the companies/PR liable. These products are made with non-toxic ingredients but always be safe with what you use and consume.

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