The Modern Hippy

Ready for more experiments? I am! I love experiments!

     I was reading just a little while ago about not using shampoo. A friend of mine rarely shampoos her hair. Earlier this week she was pretty sure that it had been a month and a half since she shampooed her hair. The amazing thing is her hair isn’t gross. It’s just fine. It does awesome things. It’s short and super cute and all she really has to do is sleep on damp hair and she’ll have this awesome chic shaggy do. I’ve been wanting to do something like that. Besides it probably being better for my hair, I love the idea of not having to buy shampoo. I’m fairly happy with my hippy shampoo. And I don’t shampoo every day. In fact, I was down to every four days. Until this last week or so. But it is still really appealing to never have to spend $9 on a little bottle of shampoo.
     Our road trip turned into an accidental experiment. There was only one day we could use a real shower. The rest of the time it was just sponge bathes. Old fashion bathing. Cold water and a little castile soap with lots of shrieking. Well, not that much, but when the wind kicked up in the middle of two of my “bathes” I did squeal a little. It was cold. Well, colder than the 85 degrees I was used to. I acclimate to dry heat super fast.

     The two days that we had sponge bathes all I did was run a little water through my hair and try to distribute my natural oils all the way to the tips of my hair. It felt amazing. Not much oil at all. My hair was light yet malleable like there was a high quality product in my hair. The two days that I couldn’t shower due to much cooler weather, less time and mosquitoes, my hair didn’t get oily. It continued to shine and do awesome things. It didn’t tangle, or stick to my scalp. It was so well behaved! The crazy thing was, the bottle of premixed essential oils and witch hazel that I used every day for the last few months to prevent oily scalp had broken and spilled all over a bag. I should have turned into a horrible greasy creature(this had happened before). But I didn’t! In fact it seemed to be better without it.
     Once we got home I did wash my hair – after I had passed the four day mark. Even then it didn’t seem horribly oily. I used shampoo and rinsed with apple cider vinegar to help get out the smokey smell so I didn’t have to wash my hair more than about once – maybe twice. I could still feel a little natural oil when I was done, but nothing nasty. Then for the next week I only rinsed my hair in the water. Massaging my scalp and gently pulling the oil throughout my hair. I went a whole week without washing! It didn’t feel or look oily once. When I finally decided that it was time for a cleansing, I decided it was time to experiment with No ‘Poo.
     No ‘Poo is using baking soda and apple cider to cleanse one’s hair naturally and chemical free. I think I’ve mentioned before that what goes on your skin gets into your body and your body has to process it out. In today’s world it’s fairly easy for your body to overwhelmed with toxins from makeup, cleansing products, feminine products, pesticides in food and air pollution just to name a few. Toxins that aren’t supposed to be harmful or even get into your body are showing up in tests. It’s why I switched away from them. It was hurting my body, in some cases burning my skin. But why switch away from hippy, natural shampoo? Well, it’s not a natural thing to have your body oils rinsed completely away once or more a day. Your body makes oil for a purpose, to clean and protect you from the outside world. As wonderful and luxurious as it is to have thick soap suds running through your fingers and hair, it’s just not what your body knows how to deal with. Of course I understand if you don’t want to, or feel you can’t give it up. It’s a personal choice. For me though, the idea of No ‘Pooing seemed to offer a freedom.
     I’ve always felt like my super oily skin/scalp was restricting. Camping without showers wasn’t pleasant. I didn’t want to feel nasty and uncomfortable, my greasy hair sticking to my greasy face or back. I want an out. I want to feel less greasy. I want to feel a healthy natural something. There is a very strong drive to continually improve myself, how I feel and think. And changing my beauty habits is a huge step in what feels like the right direction for me.
     So, before I get side tracked again. Let me explain No ‘Pooing. You are supposed to use baking soda and water to make a paste, which you apply only to your scalp. Leave it in for about a minute. From what I’ve read, you are supposed to massage your scalp as usual with the baking soda mix still in. Then rinse after you have thoroughly massaged. Then pour a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water over your hair and let it sit for a minute and then rinse again.
     I’ve tried this once so far. In a few days when I feel like I need to cleanse again I’ll try again. But somethings I’ve noticed were: it’s hard to keep the baking soda paste on just your scalp if you have shorter hair. It just seems to naturally end up in the ends of my bob. Baking soda is also a very, very good, almost too good, exfoliant. It seems like it might be too hard on my fingers and perhaps my scalp to massage too much. I’ve actually got tiny cuts in my fingers when using it to clean. (It’s a wonderful scrubbing agent, but you should wear gloves.) Massage in general is great for scalp health, but what if the baking soda creates tiny little cuts all over? That’s not a good thing.
     Rinsing it out is fairly easy. The next step of apple cider vinegar is fine. The only thing is, there is chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar because one is alkaline and one acidic. I don’t feel like that is a beneficial thing to happen on your head. In my opinion, be careful to rinse out all the baking soda before adding the vinegar rinse. It might be perfectly safe, but until I understand it fully, I’m going to exercise and suggest caution.
For more information on this check out these two posts:
The No Shampoo Alternative – No Poo
No ‘Poo for Dreadlockshttp://theorganicsister.com/2009/08/no-poo-for-dreadlocks/

Hair experiments
Hair experiments: Part 2

Warning – possible too much information for some fellows. It’s another super feminine focused post again! Though really, I’m not sure about the male to female ratio of my readers. There might only be one. So for you, whom I probably already know, watch out!

     A few months ago, there was yet another development in my cycle. It started getting longer, much, much longer. At first it was only a couple of days. No big deal for me. Pre-birth control, I had irregular periods in times of stress. Well, basically they got more irregular during times of stress. Complete predictability didn’t occur.
     Then they(the period gods or whatever) started adding more days. The funny thing is, it’s predictable, it starts almost like clock work. The middle of the month I start “spotting”. Barely anything, but I wear a small pad just in case. This goes on for a week. Some days there is no spotting on the pad, just a smig on the toilet paper. During this week I’m irritable, a tiny bit bloated, sleepy, foggy headed, and my “girls” (yes, I call my breasts “the girls”) get a little tender.
     Then right around the 23-26 I get crampy and Aunt Flow officially arrives. Then I swell up like I’m pregnant or something – only for a couple of days. For the remaining week, I progressively feel better until finally it’s all over. Then I have two weeks – yes, two weeks – until it starts all over again.

     What in the world is going on and what the hell am I supposed to do about it? The easy answer is to talk to a doctor, preferably a naturopathic doctor. However, I don’t have health insurance and don’t have enough cash to see a doctor. I am lucky enough to know someone going through nutritional counseling at the moment, and I’ve met an awesome Ayurvedic consultant and bought a couple of her ebooks. I’ll be writing about her in the near future. And then there is the internet. Of course not everything you read on the internet is true or tried. However, it is possible to weed through the crap and find lovely bits of truth.

     From my nutritional counselor I’ve been suggested to do a colon and liver cleanse. The idea is that if either are overloaded then your whole body is affected negatively, including hormones. I believe this is especially true for the liver. I don’t know all the details but I’m reading and learning. It is also a good idea to take bad things out and put good things in. So, at the moment, as boring as it might be, I don’t drink alcohol. I eat almost entirely organic foods and drink lots of filtered water. I’ve added probiotics, green powder(barley greens and sea veggies), and digestive enzymes. All in the hopes to support my body to find it’s natural balance as it cleans it’s self out.
It was also suggested that my girly hormones are not balanced. I had done a small amount of reading just before the wonderful Ayurveda woman mentioned that I might have too much estrogen and not enough progesterone. I’ll be adding extracts and herbs one at a time to see how I feel.

     I’m also planning to get off my bum a bit more. It’s well know that exercise helps to regulate your body. Since my poor sleep has been improving(thank goodness for acupuncture!) and because I was able to get away on vacation, I am feeling much better. I have a little more energy to be more active. My goal is to do 20 minutes of exercise daily. This week hasn’t been completely successful, but it’s a work in progress.

I’ll keep you updated! I’m excited to feel the positive changes in my body and life!

For other related posts, check out the list below.

Aunt Flow – Part 1
Aunt Flow Part 2 – Feminine Products
Raspberry Leaf Tea – A Woman’s Tonic
Moon Time meet Aunt Flow
Accessories for Aunt Flow

     I was recently contacted by a company that wanted me to review a product. Flattery and feelings of excitement that someone would see me as “important” enough to ask me to say something nice about their product aside, I approached this logically, with my ethics firmly in hand. (Holy run on sentence Batman!) I emailed the lady whom contacted me back and kindly said that I needed more information such as ingredients, manufacturing processes, etc before I would give it the “Modern Hippy” seal. Haha, that’s right, I can have a seal of approval. Not that it means much. But it’s cool to think about.

     So how the hell does one figure out if the company or product of interest is actually eco-friendly? Since the eco-friendly craze started, there has been the expected bastardization of said term. It’s called “greenwashing”. For a long winded description, please read it’s Wiki page. Basically, it’s a deceptive marketing technique to make a product appear eco-friendly, without actually taking the steps to achieve it.

     Unfortunately, a company’s eco-friendly status can change at any given time. For instance, Tom’s of Maine and Burt’s Bees were sold and are now owned by Colgate and Clorox respectively. Back in the day, Tom’s and Burt’s both had wonderful reputations, and still do, sort of. The owning companies do not however. Neither of these companies seems to care much for the environment or animal rights and welfare. So buying those brands that are “eco-friendly” or “hippy” is really making two huge conglomerate company that don’t benefit the environment, more rich. Plus, who is to say that the practices of the smaller companies remained the same after the ownership change?
     For more information check out this post on AlterNet. It’s shocking what companies we’ve believed are good small family owned businesses with ethical practices in mind are owned by huge companies that care more about making money that what they are doing to farmers, the environment, animals or consumers.

     I actually have a post about Tom’s of Maine, which I’m going to have to revise. I learned about the ownership after I wrote the post. Like I said, you never know, things can change whenever. Bleh.

     So, are these companies “greenwashed”. I’m not sure. I don’t know if their practices have been tainted by the parent company. Or even if being owned by a huge, non-eco-friendly company makes the first smaller company “greenwashed”. I’m too unsure of it to recommend either of them to anyone.
     Aside from that I want to address another company that has actually been making commercials about how they are becoming more eco-friendly. SC Johnson has been changing labeling on some products, so you know which ones are more “safe”. And they have been telling us through commercials etc, that they are using green power, the methane from landfills to power their plants or wind power. While I’m glad they are using it, I don’t think they are using it to be good. It’s cheap as far as I know. And it’s a great thing to do for advertising. Greenwashing anyone? Also, let’s remember that many of SC Johnson’s products for skin or baby contain mineral oil and/or parabens, all of which have no place in healthy, eco-friendly body products. Is the picture becoming more clear?

     This really makes my life difficult, not know whom to trust, whom not to trust. In the end all I can do is research or rely on journalists research.
     My suggestions to you would be make what you can, i.e. lotions, butters, soaps. Try to choose the lesser of the evils out there if you don’t have a huge selection from which to pick. Pay attention to see if anyone has bought out anyone else. Whatever you do, follow your ethics or principles.

     I’ve been trying really hard to keep this blog up beat in the last two years. Mostly because life has often been a downer. Wonderful things have happened, especially since we moved to Bellingham. However, it does seem like just after I decompress, something else comes up and squashes my feelings of contentment.

     Since I feel like throwing in the towel at the moment(and using cliches left and right), I thought I’d have a chat about stress and stress management. I might end up talking typing my way into being more Zen.

     Stress does bad things to your body if you don’t know how to manage it. Long term stress, even if you do know how to manage it well, will do bad things also. Muscles tighten, digestion slows or speeds up, sleep gets longer, less, or interrupted in some way. (Hence why I’ve started this post at 6:30 a.m.) Depending on many different things, it can negatively impact relationships, or draw you and whomever closer together.

     So what the %@&*!!! does one do to better manage stress? Well, it doesn’t come easy and it takes some experimenting. Think about what you enjoy doing. This can be your starting point. I love reading, writing, art, gardening, nature, learning how to take better pictures with my gorgeous new camera, etc.

Managing stress part one

     One needs to be able to identify that there is a problem before a solution(or experiment) can be reached. What the hell is stressing you out? To use me as an example, I’ve always had trouble sleeping. So I’ve always been tired. The “older” I get, the worse, or more tired I get. The less ability I have to deal with bullshit. I had found a solution to the problem of my sleeping/nightmares in acupuncture. It works! It’s brilliant! Now I just have to build my energy back up by sleeping well for a longer period of time. Though I’ll never really be able to make up for all that poor sleeping for 25+ years, or so they say.
     Unfortunately, it doesn’t take much to wear me out. After a day with a horrible migraine, two nights of not sleeping more than 4.5 hours each night, I was unable to fully deal with a business challenge, along with working a ton, getting up early and not being able to nap, two extra-whiny-needy pets, and not having a lot of down time to recover, among other things. The last straw was a speeding ticket on my way to work. Within a few minutes, I started bawling. There was no way I could do any sort of body work that day. Luckily, the people I work with are very understanding. They know that sometimes you just can’t work.
     See, I identified a bunch of problems. Part one completed.

What I could have done differently.
     Really, the migraine should have tipped me off. But I thought it was just a fluke, nothing horrible, just a crazy thing happening by chance. I also should have paid closer attention to the stresses I was feeling due to the business stuff I was having to deal with for the last week or so. It was more intense that I was used to. Something that would have possibly helped was remembering to pull out my aromatherapy, talking about it more, doing some deep diaphragmatic breathing, taking a walk, etc.
     I tend to be one of those people whom holds everything inside, which isn’t healthy because it has to come out eventually. So talking, for me is a good thing, if I can start. Even if I end up talking about something that is different, but still bothers me, it can help relieve the “exploding” feeling I get sometimes.

     Blogging can also help, which is why I started this post very early this morning.(It’s no longer in the a.m. at the moment.) Unfortunately, I didn’t let myself cry then, which may have helped prevent a bawling session that cost me some work hours.

Managing stress part two

     Pick something you enjoy doing, or that you know helps you to decompress, or that you just read about. Start somewhere! Try breathing techniques. If you need an idea as to how to do that, read here. Try drinking a cup of tea. Go for a walk. We have all heard that moderate exercise increases endorphins, which make us happy and helps us to de-stress. Try something. If you don’t feel better, try something else. Remember that it can’t last forever, there has to be an end eventually.

     Of course you can argue that looking back I can say anything. You are right about that. I can’t change what happened, all I can do it try to learn from it and do better next time. No one should expect you to be perfect and “on” all the time. Mistakes happen, life happens, shit happens. Sometimes the thing to do, is to just cry it out, pick yourself back up and try again.

     My favorite subject! Aunt Flow or Moon Time, whatever you want to call it! haha
Gentlemen, this shouldn’t contain anything too gross. Just pictures and exclamations of excitement!!

     Here’s what I got in my custom order from Moon Pads!

Reusable Menstrual Pads

     I love opening her packages. They come with a short handwritten note, directions for the pads and a business card. Everything is just so neat and tidy. Oh and the directions are printed on recycled paper! What else can I say? They are so pretty and colorful. I had so much fun “posing” the pads. A little bit more experience with photoshop and these might look even more lovely!

Moon Pads

     And it was just so much fun that the sun was coming through the windows just right. Or fairly well anyway. These sat in their mailing envelope for a week or more, while I waited for just the right time, just the right day with enough light so I didn’t need a flash.

Pantyliner and mini-pad

I’ll let you know if these turned out to be enough to finish my supply! So far I’m loving it!

Moon Pads - Reusable Menstrual Pads

For other posts on this subject, feel free to check out the following links:

Moon Time meet Aunt Flow
Moon Time Again – Taking back control of your period and your life
Aunt Flow Part 2 – Feminine Products
Raspberry Leaf Tea – A Woman’s Tonic
Raspberry Leaf Tea Made in My New Tea Pot!
Aunt Flow Part 1

     A couple of months ago I discovered kombucha. I thought it tasty, a pleasant alternative to juice on occasion. In talking to a friend of mine, Christy, I found out that kombucha may actually be good for me. Excellent! This sent me on a researching frenzy.

     Here’s a little about kombucha:

     Where it actually originated is a mystery. No one knows. However, it is known to have been used in China, Japan, and Russia for centuries. It’s been used for medicinal purposes. It’s said to be able to help cleanse the body, benefit the digestive system, aid in curing cancer, regulate the digestive system, and many other things.
     What kombucha is: a fermented tea. It is very basically, alive bacteria and yeasts – thus a probiotic. I know it sounds gross, but it’s true. The kombucha scoby, short for Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast, is a colony of bacteria and yeasts. It is brewed in a cooled tea with sugar. The tea provides the base for the growth, and the sugar the food. It’s tastes varies depending on the type of tea used to brew.

     In researching the health benefits of kombucha tea, I’ve found mixed results. I’ve found the Mayo Clinic and Skepticblog mentioning that there are no trials done on humans, showing any positive results.They simply have not been done, or as I sometimes wonder, properly publicized. Both sites, among others, recommend caution, as with brewing anything, if you get contamination, you might grow something that will make you sick. These are very valid concerns.

     On the other hand, I have found sites recommending it, along with other fermented food things such as kefir. Seeds of Health, a UK site, gives a good general description of many other these types of things. This and other sites, mention that it has been used in China and Japan for centuries. That these cultures viewed it as beneficial.
     There are also stories of people drinking kombucha everyday when they were sick with an illness and after a while they were cured. The most famous of these stories is of the founder of GT Kombucha. Basically, his mother was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer, ended up drinking kombucha and the growth slowed. Unless I remember the story incorrectly, she’s still alive and that all too place in 1995.
     I will not take away from those whom believe in this drink, having real life experience with them, perhaps centering around almost, but not loosing their lives. It’s a very, very emotional experience, one that should be respected and not ridiculed.

     My opinion:
     I say why the hell not? It makes sense to me that fermented kombucha tea would be beneficial like kefir and yogurt. It is alive after all. Everything that I’ve been reading is the more alive your food is, the better it is for you and the healthier you will be. There is also something to be said about something that Eastern Cultures have been using for centuries if not millenia. They get it right often enough for me to believe them, and not the Western Culture’s idea. Plus it seems that kombucha is packed full of vitamins and minerals, organic acids (organic meaning real, not USDA organic) and other micro-nutrients such as polyphenols. Some of the nutrients found in kombucha tea are vitamin C, some B vitamins, acetic acid, and glucuronic acid. These vitamins and mineral don’t magically appear once the kombucha is done fermenting. From what I’ve read, it’s the tea you use to make the “base”, that contains most of the nutrients. Why not drink plain tea? Well, let’s not forget about the scoby, mushroom, mother, baby, whatever you want to call it. That is the live part, the part that should benefit your intestinal flora, which due to the way we eat, or have eaten throughout our lives, is probably lacking in vitality. Combining the tea’s nutrients with the scoby’s life seems like a wonderful, symbiotic idea.

     Some things to consider:
     Both sides will caution against contamination. The “anti-kombucha” side or skeptical side, will say it is probably safer to buy prebottleg stuff from the store rather than brew your own. The “pro-kombucha” side will say “wash your hands”, “through out if there is mold growing in it” etc. I’ll reiterate, wash your hands, make sure all appliances are properly washed and rinse with vinegar before using. Use a fresh towel to dry your hands as needed, not a two day old one. Cover with a CLEAN towel, secure with a CLEAN tie of some sort. Don’t sneeze in it. Don’t drop food in it. Don’t use things that aren’t dried properly. Don’t stick your fingers in it if you haven’t washed them. It should smell like fermenting stuff, slightly sweet and vinegar like. It shouldn’t smell like the trash, or like something is rotting horribly. Keep it in a place that is protected from constant daily things, like in a cupboard with a door. Be logical and smart about it. You are dealing with bacteria and yeasts. But, in my opinion, it is perfectly safe, as long as you follow the precautions.

     Another consideration is since this will contain bacteria and yeast, someone whom is severely immuno-compromised should consult their doctor, preferable a naturopathic doctor to make sure its a good idea, or at least safe. Someone whom has a yeast/candida problem should also check with their doc and watch themselves very closely.
     Either way, do your research, then make an educated decision. And stay tuned. I decided to learn to brew my own kombucha! A post with some pictures and directions shall follow in the next couple of weeks!

     Yup, you guessed it. Sorry guys, though I think you should still be informed about the female body, you certainly don’t have to read this as it will contain girly subjects.

     Several months ago when I started to experiment with different, more natural feminine products, I had no idea where I would end up. I definitely had no idea I would end up using cloth. When I started doing research my thought was, “What did women use when there wasn’t disposable cotton/rayon/whatever feminine products?” The only clue I had was a fiction book I read, one of the Outlander Series books. The main character was having her period while they were at a Scottish gathering and mentioned tearing part of her petticoats and using that. Beyond that I had no idea.
     After doing a lot of research I discovered that you can find some nice, even dare I say – cute, cloth feminine pads. Besides being healthier for ones nether regions, it’s a much better idea for the environment. Way less waste. In fact, with proper care, your pads can last for years! Imagine all the pads you don’t have to throw away! And the money you will save!

     I bought a sample pack from epicerma, an etsy shop that makes what she calls Moon Pads. There are plenty of other shops on Etsy that have similar items. Being a thorough person, I did research, read through a million etsy shop profiles and policies. Annie Rose, the owner, had all the things I considered important, organic cotton grown in the US, milled by union workers, dyed by her with gentle dye, not horribly expensive, and cute! I hated the idea of having white or cream colored pads that might end up looking dingy after a few months.
     After a few months of using the sample pack I bought, I’m still singing her praises! I love them! In fact, I just ordered more, which should give me enough to last an entire period without worry about running out and using disposables – though I do still use organic cotton disposables. I’m excited. Though they won’t get here in time for my current period, I’m happy they’ll be there for the next one!

     So if you aren’t happy with your current type of feminine products consider cloth, either paired with tampons (which I do sometimes) or all alone. They are, in my humble opinion(haha), a better option than the Moon Cup (though I haven’t tried it, something about it bothers me. Aunt Flow shouldn’t be held back so severly), tampons(though for the heavy days when I work, I use them – organic of course), and anything non-organic.

     Before I go I want to say a little about non-organic tampons, pads, and toilet paper. Often times, especially if they are cheap, tampons and pads aren’t entirely cotton. They can contain rayon or nylon which are less safe for your lady parts. They are treated with bleach. If you read the label of a bleach bottle, it will warn you to not get on your skin, in any body opening such as eyes, mouth, or a cut, so why in the world is it being used on items that go where the sun don’t shine? Up against such delicate and permeable skin? How is that safe? Your body will absorb the toxin. Bleach, or specifically chlorine, is a poison, a disinfectant that kills just about everything. Your lady parts deserve something less toxic. They definitely don’t need to be disinfected. There are options that use organic cotton, not treated with chlorine. Just google it and you’ll see, or check out your local health food store. On that note, most toilet paper is treated with bleach to give it that nice fresh clean white color. This tissue paper, is used daily by almost everyone in the developed world – even men (unless they have chosen to use cloth there as well), on some of the most delicate skin in the human body. Seems like a bad idea to douse it with chlorine.
     Rick and I switched to recycled toilet paper that isn’t treated with chlorine. There are a few options out there for this as well. The most well known is Seventh Generation recycled toilet paper, which in our area runs about $10 for 12 or so roles. It is surprisingly soft. Nothing like the cheap-paper-towel-rough stuff you find in public bathrooms across the US. Rick and I use Trader Joes toilet paper, which is about $4 for 12 rolls, much less expensive, and just as soft.
     Really, is it too much to ask to be gentle to your bum and your lady parts? They are after all, supposed to last a life time. Make it easier for them to live healthy.

     For more of my research and humble opinions(haha right) about periods and the necessary accessories check out my other posts.
Accessories for Aunt Flow
Moon Time Again – Taking back control of your period and your life
Aunt Flow Part 2 – Feminine Products
Raspberry Leaf Tea – A Woman’s Tonic
Raspberry Leaf Tea Made in My New Tea Pot!
Aunt Flow Part 1

     Per request of friend/reader Yoshi, I’m putting up a couple of youtube videos for a more visual approach to neti pot instruction.
     The first is very thorough. The second is to the point and has no speaking whatsoever. It is just right though. Her approach seems to say, “Get off your ass and do it!” The first video I thought good because it’s done by a normal looking guy, not some crazy hippy chic. And he apparantly started to do it because of a suggestion from his wife whom watched Oprah.
Enjoy!

And….

For the other Neti Pot posts click here:

Neti Pot – The Modern Hippy’s First Experience

Neti Pot – The Modern Hippy’s Second Experiment & Directions

On a side note:
     While at work today, surrounded by other hippy massage therapists (Yes, at the moment I have a job, as a fill in contractor. So it’s okay, I’m still in control of my schedule and am working for a respectable clinic, not an assembly line. I’m still damn the man, but setting up one’s business takes time when you are lazy and recovering from a rough year.), I was asked how I was feeling. Meh, I said, but I bought a neti pot and that and essential oils, are helping me a lot. No antibiotics for me! Each person had their own thing to say about neti pots and how wonderful they are. I love this hippy town!

Neti Pot and Sea Salt

     I will be singing the neti pot’s praises for a long time! I used it again this morning in and out of the shower. Let me say, I was very nervous, being a bit of a chicken when it comes to nose/sinus stuff. Yeah, so I had done it once before, but I was still nervous. Maybe it was because I had been in so much pain last night. Not from the neti pot experiment, but just from feeling like poop, forgetting to take my fish oil pills, sitting in a chair all day, not being able to nap properly, having a monstrous sinus and tension headache AT THE SAME TIME! It was so pathetic and bad that I cried four times, over silly things like dropping the chicken sausages on the floor and not being able to see where one rolled. Yup, that’s how ridiculous I am when I’m sick. But that’s not the point. The point is, today I feel much better. And today, I was able to get the water to come out the OTHER nostril! And I got to see it happen!

     I tried it in the shower, still made the back of my eyes feel cool and tear. And I coughed a lot. Today though, I was brave and curious enough to try it in the sink – while watching myself in the mirror. Sorry, no photos, I still have some self respect, or is it self consciousness?

     Per request of a friend and occasional reader, Yosh (hope you don’t mind the mention), of the modern hippy, I will be giving instructions and other information about using the neti pot.

     First, what you’ll need is a neti pot. Funny I know. Can you tell I’m feeling better? Please wash your neti pot out and thoroughly rinse. You don’t want soap behind your delicate eyeballs – imagine that headache! Then decide where you are going to do it. Over the sink? In the shower? I suppose you could do it outside if you’d like. Where ever it won’t matter if you splatter. (Hahaha, rhyming too!) Measure out 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt. Unrefined is okay, I used it. I wouldn’t recommend any of the colored sea salt. No need to dye your sinuses, plus that might cause problems I don’t know about. I DO NOT recommend using iodized table salt, as brands like Morton’s actually contain dextrose, an artificial sweetener. Artificial sweeteners are not meant for sinuses! Let alone eating, but once again I digress.
Fill the neti pot with warm water. I used warm tap water, though when I get a filter I’ll probably use that. Mix until the salt is completely dissolved.

     Now comes the fun or scary part. Remember, you will be breathing through your mouth through this, your nose will be busy. Lean forward, tip your head to about a 45 degree angle. If you aren’t leaning forward enough the gunk will flow down the back of your throat and make you sputter and probably gross you out a little. Stick the spout of the neti pot in one nostril. Make sure there is a good seal and the water won’t sneak out. Steady your hand if you are shaking. Very slowly tip the pot. Can you feel the water enter the bottom of your nose? Good. Keep pouring slowly and wait unti for a funny feeling behind your eyes. It’s almost out! Try to remember to breathe, but breath holding is acceptable if you don’t hold it too long. It’s a very strange sensation to be breathing while water is running through part of your breathing apparatus.

     Something to remember is that you are in control of how much water flow there is. The more you tip the pot, the faster the water will flow. I’m a fan of slow flowing.
Also, the more you do it the better you will get, the easier everything will be.
Rinse through both nostrils. I didn’t use the whole saline solution that time. I was still getting used to it. I think I used about a third of it. Do what is comfortable for you, and what gets you the best results. I’ve read that some people use a whole pot for each side of the nose.
When you stop rinsing exhale gently through your nose to help the gunk out. Use a tissue or do this over the sink. I’ll say this again: Do blow gently to avoid hurting yourself. Also, don’t plug either side of your nostrils. Allow things to come out on their own, without the closing of one side.
Then wash your neti pot!

After you are done see how you feel. Can you breath better? I could. It felt strange, but good.

Some considerations:

     I read that if you can’t blow your nose (though I’m not sure if this means “don’t have the ability” or “it hurts too much”) consult a health care professional first. If you are sensitive like me, go slowly, don’t rush it. Children should be closely supervised! Don’t share!

Where to get a neti pot?

     I got mine from our local co-op. If you don’t have a natural food store, or supplement store, try a pharmacy. You can of course check online! Etsy has some cute stuff, if you’d like something handmade and unique! If I hadn’t been so desperate, and hadn’t put buying one off until the last minute I would have gotten one there.

One last note.
Why use a neti pot?

     It’s a great way to clean out your sinuses. If you are like me and have sinus trouble, use it. If you have allergies, use it. If you live in a polluted area, use it. If you live in a dusty area, use it. If you have a cold, use it. If you have pets, live in an old house, or live in a small place, or work in a poorly ventilated place, smoke, go camping, have kids, use it. “Have kids?”, you ask? Why not? You could win the gross out competition and show them that there are natural ways to deal with your sinuses. Just don’t let them play with it unsupervised. Maybe wait until they are older to show them, just in case.

     For the last few months I’ve been reading what my library calls “consumer education” books, such as The Omnivore’s Dilema and Fast Food Nation. It all started when I decided to educate myself more on the US food system,and “environmental toxins”. The whole thing started with The Compassionate Carnivore by Catherine Friend.

     I make jokes about how I’m on a depressing book reading binge. Honestly, it’s true. I’m addicted to learning new terrible things. The books I’ve read recently are: Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser, The Omnivore’s Dilema by Micheal Pollan, The Compassionate Carnivore by Catherine Friend, Drop Dead Gorgeous by Kim Erickson, and now The Hundred Year Lie by Randall Fitzgerald.

      I’ve learned that diseased cows were slaughtered and sold to us. The pesticides sprayed on our foods aren’t just of the surface of the skin, but also in the parts we eat. Cheap food is subsidized by the government, so the actual cost is not what we pay. Once calves are old enough to wean they are shipped to feed lots and fed corn, which they aren’t built to digest. Their diet of corn has caused health problems with the cows and has created a crazy, often deadly e. coli bug. I’m learning that there really is little comprehensive testing of drugs before they are released to the unsuspecting public. And once they are released they are only taken off the market once people get really sick or die. And enough people have to do that before they even think about reacting to “protect” the public. Also, our water systems can’t filter out the chemicals that get flushed down the toilet in one way or another. So the rest of us, whom don’t want to or don’t have to use these meds are ingesting small amounts every time we go to the sink for more water.

     I’ve already made the decision that some time this year, once we have enough money and once I decide which water filtration system is best for the price, that we will become filtered-water-drinking people. I’ve also decided most fruits and veggies we eat will be organic. I buy wild fish, organic humanely raised beef as I can afford. We almost never take pills to ease a cold. All of our old meds – such as expired tylenol – are waiting for me to find the time to take them to a proper disposal place, because as I said, flushing them will only pollute our water.

     I have arguments with myself over what is best for our dog and cat to eat. Should I go completely raw? What is the appropriate amount of protein, carbs and fats for them? Is is a good idea to supplement their diets with a little canned food or dry food as long as it doesn’t contain artificial ingredients? How many vaccinations do they really need? Or do they need them?

     I was reading something a few days ago that mentioned drinking warm lemon water in the morning and before bed will help the colon to expel mucus. Gross sounding I know. However, the colon is incredibly important to health. Dirty colon, dirty body. So I bought a couple of lemons and gave it a try. A few couple of days into this lemon experiment, while I was drinking my lemon ginger tea, I realized that while citrus fruits aren’t among the Top 10 fruits and veggies to eat organically, I was placing the whole lemon slice in the hot water. So what was on the peal was going into my tea, thus into my system. Shoot. Now I’d have to buy organic lemons.

     After realizing my lemons needed to be organic I was feeling discouraged. I’m trying so hard to be healthier and mindful about what is healthy for the environment, but there is always something more. When those negative thoughts sneak in I try to remember this: just reading, learning and trying different things out is a big step forward. So many people don’t try. They don’t care, or believe that what they are ingesting is a “safe” amount. Safe as said by companies that sell them, or by the FDA, USDA, EPA, or CDC, or whatever other three or four letter organization. The thing is, if you dig a little, you will find people within these organizations, doctors, scientists – are thinking more along the realistic big picture. Perhaps it is safe to ingest that tiny amount of whatever synthetic ingredient found in your convenience meal. However, if you eat mostly processed “convenience meals” and less unprocessed whole foods (fruits and veggies etc.) those tiny “safe” amounts accumulate. Is the bigger amount still safe? Probably not. They didn’t test for that. Oh and by the way those chemicals that are supposed to be safe are not getting processed out of your body as fast as they should be, or at all.

     What is a hippy girl to do? Not give up! Keep reading, keep changing, keep pushing forward to find more. I’ll finish using those non-organic lemons. Next time though, I’ll buy organic. Remember the victories. I now buy only organic potatoes, apples, and carrots (among other things). I feel better than ever before. I don’t feel guilty about flushing old meds because I’ve changed. I won’t do that. A cleaner, healthier self is a work in progress, not an over night miracle. So when you start to obsess, or freak out, remember you aren’t alone, and something is better than nothing.