MissDomestic.com

By Heather Cottrell

When you look out your window you see the evidence of Spring’s new birth everywhere. The trees are bright with green again, tulips are blooming and the birds are back with their songs. In harmony with nature, we wish to feel new again too.

It’s natural at this time of year to want to clean house. The cold dark days of Winter leave us feeling sluggish and unmotivated. Winter excess fades our skin and expands our waistlines. Spring allergies may indicate an overworked liver thanks to all those holiday celebrations. Unfinished projects and household clutter impede the flow of energy through our lives. The spirit is ready to wake from hibernation and enjoy new connections.

This article provides great suggestions to begin cleansing your body, mind and soul of the past. Prepare to have your best Spring ever.

Freshen Up Your Body

Spring is naturally the most popular time of year to begin a cleansing program. A cleanse can help us shed unwanted pounds and improve our energy. According to Chinese medicine, Spring is associated with the liver – an organ essential to digestion and the elimination of toxins. Some foods and drink that are especially troublesome for the liver include alcohol, chemicals, drugs, fried foods and meats. An overworked liver may cause low energy, stress, mood swings, and inflammatory conditions.

There are many kinds of cleanses to choose from, based on the needs of the individual. One simple recommendation is to do a few days of fresh fruit and vegetable juices, along with plenty of water. Increase exercise and sweating to help rid the body of excess toxins. Adding more greens to your diet now will help to freshen, cleanse and build the body. In Staying Healthy with the Seasons Dr. Elson Haas also recommends water with lemon, fresh organic cold-pressed olive oil, milk thistle herb and olive leaf extract to support and disinfect the liver.

Along with what you eat, how you eat your food is also important to your overall health. Eating a meal under stress disrupts the body’s ability to properly digest and absorb the nutrients the food provides. Before you begin to eat, take a few slow deep breaths into your belly. As you eat, chew well and stop when you feel full. These subtle changes can bring a great deal of healing to your body.

Clear Your Head and Home

In Winter we spend most of our time indoors and often this leads to a lot of clutter build-up. A cluttered desk, closet or room is usually an indicator for a cluttered mind as well. We hold onto material possessions that we no longer need and this creates a stuck energy in our lives as well as our homes. As Karen Kingston writes in Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui: “an ordered home means an ordered mind.” She suggests trying the clutter test on each item in your space. Ask: “Does it lift my energy when I think about it or look at it? Do I absolutely love it? Is it genuinely useful?” If you answer “no” or “sort of” to any of these questions, let it go. Trash it, give it away or recycle it. Make room in your mind and your space for the new. This same principle applies to the clutter of limiting ideas and memories in your mind. If they are not serving the purpose of your life, it’s time to say good-bye.

As you transition your wardrobe from cold weather to warm weather, fill some bags with clothes you haven’t worn and drop them off with your favorite charity. A general rule to follow is if you haven’t worn it in over a year, you won’t miss it.

Nourish Your Soul

The spirit or soul is what connects us with something larger, with Nature itself and with our innate creativity. Feeding your spirit is a very individual experience. For some it means religious celebration and being part of a like-minded community.

Others find inner peace through yoga, tai chi or meditation. For some, a spiritual experience can be as simple as a walk in the park, a day at the shore, an afternoon of gardening or laughing with a child. Whatever your preference, create the time to connect with yourself. Enjoy deep belly breaths, write in a journal, reflect.

Once the soil of your life is replenished, what will you plant? Allow yourself permission to daydream, an oft overlooked but extremely important activity. It is in daydreaming that you learn the most about your true self, your creative wishes and desires. Visualize the life that you want. Create an action plan and take your first small steps. The Spring rain will make your dreams grow and blossom, the Summer sun will give them strength and power, and the Fall harvest will bring you success and achievement. But only if you begin today.

Heather Cottrell is a certified Holistic Health Counselor and founding director of Heather Holistic, a private practice offering Nutrition and Lifestyle Counseling. Through individual programs, group workshops and teleclasses, Heather Holistic empowers you to be your happiest and healthiest self with proper nourishment of mind, body and soul. Visit http://www.HeatherHolistic.com to schedule a private phone consultation and sign up to receive the Heather Holistic newsletter.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Heather_Cottrell
http://EzineArticles.com/?Healthy-Hints:-Spring-Cleaning-for-Mind-Body-and-Soul&id=442582

Miss Domestic on February 21st, 2007 | File Under Cleaning Tips | No Comments -

Consumer Product Safety Commission

CPSC ISSUES ALERT ABOUT CARE OF ROOM HUMIDIFIERS: Safety Alert
Dirty Humidifiers May Cause Health Problems

CPSC Document #5046

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is alerting consumers to possible health hazards resulting from dirty room humidifiers. The CPSC has found that bacteria and fungi often grow in the tanks of portable and console room humidifiers and can be released in the mist. Breathing dirty mist may cause lung problems ranging from flu-like symptoms to serious infection. This information is of special concern to allergy or asthma sufferers whose symptoms may be increased.

Film or scum appearing on the water surface, on the sides or bottom of the tank, or on exposed motor parts may indicate that the humidifier tank contains bacteria or fungi. A crusty deposit or scale may also form within the tank or on parts in the water. This scale is composed of minerals that have settled out of the water creating a surface on which bacteria or fungi may grow.

Minerals can also be released in the mist and settle as fine white dust. This white dust may contain particles that are small enough to enter the lungs. The health effects from inhaling this humidifier dust are not clear, any impact on human health will depend upon the types and amounts of minerals found in the water used.

To reduce the possibility of health hazards from dirty room humidifiers, the staff of the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that you take the following precautions:

• Do not allow film and scale to develop in your humidifier. If possible, change the water in your room humidifier daily. Empty the tank before you fill it. If the tank is not removable, clean it often according to manufacturer’s instructions.
• Use distilled or demineralized water in your room humidifier to reduce the buildup of scale and the release of dust. Do not use tap water because it contains more minerals. Use demineralization cartridges or filters if supplied or recommended for use with your humidifier.
• Drain and clean the tank of your room humidifier before you store it. Clean it after summer storage. Remove dust on the outside of your unit.
• Clean your room humidifier well and often during the heating season. Be sure to unplug the humidifier before cleaning. Follow the manufacturer’s suggested cleaning methods. If chlorine bleach or other cleaning product or disinfectant is used, make sure to rinse the tank well to avoid breathing harmful chemicals. Use a brush or other scrubber to clean the tank. Be careful not to damage the motor or to scratch the inner surface. Clean or replace sponge filters or belts when needed.
• Maintain the relative humidity in your home between 30% and 50% if possible. Humidity levels above 60% may allow moisture to build up indoors and condense on surfaces, where bacteria and fungi can settle and grow. You can measure humidity with an instrument called a hygrometer, available at your local hardware store.

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Send the link for this page to a friend! Consumers can obtain this publication and additional publication information from the Publications section of CPSC’s web site or by sending your publication request to info@cpsc.gov.

This document is in the public domain. It may be reproduced without change in part or whole by an individual or organization without permission. If it is reproduced, however, the Commission would appreciate knowing how it is used. Write the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Office of Information and Public Affairs, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814 or send an e-mail to info@cpsc.gov.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC’s hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC’s teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC’s web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.asp. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

Miss Domestic on December 27th, 2006 | File Under Cleaning Tips | No Comments -