Organic Living Arizona

Welcome...to the new Organic Living Blog!

Greetings to everyone in the blogoshere, Organic Living is rebooting its blog!

We are excited to share our never ending research on all things organic, and to offer this valuable information with everyone inspired to a healthier lifestyle! We intend to feature Gerard Winstein, (Organic  Livings) owner of 30+ years and his extensive and respected hands-on experince, expertise that has improved and changed the lives of his loyal customers. Gerard has cultivated his store into a hub of knowledge, covering every toxic topic, while providing ways to keep your family and home healthy and chemical free. Organic Livings new blog is commited in sharing informative, relevent and educational material. We understand the importance of nurturing a healthy lifestyle along with protecting mother Earths fragile environment. We strive to be your source for healthy living and look forward to building our online community!  

Spring Cleaning! ...Oh Joy!.....

Depending on what part of the country you live, the weather is becoming noticeably warmer! If you live in a place like Arizona as I do, it is getting much HOTTER! But ...remember it is a "dry" heat! Uh huh! So time to do some sprucing up and a deep spring cleaning! Change out the heavier linens and comforters for lighter organic cotton and linen, try trading-out some of your darker (winter) toned accessories for lively bright spring hues and patterns! Small changes can go along way, including the cleaning products you choose to use. 

Spring cleaning has much improved from "back in the day" if you will, when as a teenager, the only cleaning products available, were ones thought potent enough to clean anything and everything.  These highly toxic blends of pine, bleach and scouring products, all left my head swirling in dizziness and made my lungs wheeze. Over use of these products eventually lead me to levels of chemical sensitivities, that now even the slightest aroma resembling these products can throw me into an instant headache or asthma attack! We have come to know , so many others who suffer from the same predicament.

Thanks to a new awareness of the environmental and human damage these old-school products produced, a new generation  of non-toxic and eco-friendly cleaning products are now being made, and growing in popularity. According to an EWG.com (environmental working group) article I read recently , it stated that: "The unfortunate reality is that some cleaning products contain chemicals linked to allergies, asthma, reproductive harm and even cancer, including breast cancer,” said Nancy Buermeyer, senior policy strategist at the Breast Cancer Fund". Who? just who?...do you think generally does the majority of housecleaning in the home, hotels, commercially? Women of course! Deeming toxic chemicals especially damaging to women's health over the long haul.

So now that you are set to dig-in to your Spring cleaning, take the time to read labels. Here is a short list of chemicals to stay away from, products containing: Ammonia*=irritant to mucous membranes , lung damage and skin burns, Bleach (Sodium hypochlorite)* =When bleach is mixed with acids (typically found in toilet bowl cleaners), it reacts with them to form chlorine gas. When it is mixed with ammonia, it can create chloramine gas, another toxic substance. In the environment, sodium hypochlorite is acutely toxic to fish. The chlorine in bleach can also bind with organic material in the marine environment to form organochlorines, toxic compounds that can persist in the environment. While, there may be some circumstances where bleach use is necessary for disease control, there is little need for it on a regular basis.

Unfortunately....my list can go on and on, but you've got the point. Now, let me unfold how you can change all this. Easy..simple...non-toxic products are out there! They're here...for your convenience at Organic Living! Keep in mind many products purchased from other stores, can be overpriced and may actually contain toxic ingredients. Many "natural" products do not have very natural ingredients. Currently, there is absolutely NO regulation on Natural ingredient products! Therefore, unless you purchase certified "Organic" products or products that have been scrutinized for you, you don't really know what you're getting. Let Organic Living take the guess work out for you. We have diligently researched our products for purity and effectiveness! You can be assured anything you purchase from OL is safe for you , your pets, and the environment.

Organic Living has a full line of products to clean and refresh, every nook and cranny of your  precious abode . Don't forget the importance of changing out the air filters in your home, before starting the air-conditioner. Install new High-efficiency filters that help sift, the allergens out of the air in your home. These will aid in getting you through allergy season a bit more comfortably. Have your carpet and tile cleaned by our seasoned professionals of 25+ years. We are after all, the "pioneers of organic non-toxic carpet cleaning", having been in the business, toxic-free for over 30 years! Try adding a fresh bright coat of NO VOC (volatile organic compound) paint, an instant updater to any room, with no odor or nauseating off-gassing.  Safe for even pregnant women to use!

With... your Spring cleaning, don't forget to wipe-out the kitchen drawers for any accumulated winter dust, along with any long legged critters and their webs. We have safe toxic -free pest control products for use, inside and outside the home. Safe for everyone, including your beloved pets who deserve to be kept safe from toxins, as well. And while you're planting your herb or vegetable garden, don't forget we have safe weed control for the outdoors too.

Please, do not hesitate to contact us at Organic Living, and allow us to make your Spring cleaning a joyful and healthy experience.  Your body will appreciate it, along with Mother Nature! 

 

 

 

Happy Mothers Day to All Female Nurturers....including Mother Earth

Mom , Mother , Mommy....Happy Mothers Day, and to all women who are stand in Moms, caregivers and nurturers on every level, who continually put themselves second and never get the thanks they so rightly deserve, we Thank You for your never-ending selflessness .

Being a Mom can be a tough emotional journey that women persevere through, doing the best that we can. So it is very nice that once a year (at least) we take the time to acknowledge all that Moms do for us! Which should include our Mother Earth! Sometimes, I feel that she speaks out to us about how poorly we have misbehaved, in regards to our beautiful planet, that she shakes us to the core (quakes), cries in abundance (floods), or frowns at us (with scorching heat and droughts). To remind us that we are severely, out of alignment with what she has given us.

So this Mothers Day lets make EVERY Mother happy and show our Moms how deeply and truly we appreciate them, by giving mindful, well thought-out gifts of Natural and Organic products. Dedicate some time from a busy schedule, to make a hand made gift or create a gift basket that promotes natural well-being and a healthy lifestyle, these gifts truly exude love and gratitude.

I read an article recently on the website VICE.com that uncovered the debilitating life of (mostly) women, who work the flower plantations of Columbia. These moms are not on the joyful receiving end of the flower market, but actually the complete opposite. They work long hours for little pay and suffer physiological damage from pesticides and herbicides that go unregulated in Columbia. While flowers are beautiful and a top "go-to" gift for Mothers day, try putting a bit more effort forth and find a "local" grower to make your beloved Mom a bouquet. You help a local merchant and these blooms will be fresh and hopefully pesticide free for your Mom to enjoy! Above all, spend some sincere quality time with your Mom, go on a walk or hike with her, fix her a meal and do ALL the clean-up. Spend this one day out of the year truly dedicated to her!

Bake!...Yes, I said make something with your own two little or big hands! Nothing says more to a Mom than actually going through the sometimes "torturous" effort of making something all by yourself! Trust me it doesn't need to be Julia Child perfect...just make it , don't buy it. If your Mom loves, bottled "smellies" skip the toxic  synthetic colognes, unless you can afford the real deal of perfume (avg $100+ a 1 oz. bottle ), give her an array of organic essential oils, such as the Veriditas line, carried here at Organic Living. We have several perfume oils very reasonably priced and you can start her a collection to include natural remedies, plus you can add an oil diffuser, which allows her to permeate her home with sumptuous scents any day of the week.  All Veriditas oils are 20% off for the month of May! Timing is everything!

Every Mom would love a little indulgence. Moms are the first ones to put themselves at the bottom of the list to buy something special for, so help her remember she is also a special "girl" as well as a special "Mom" and gift her with some wonderful and healthy organic body products. Organic Living carries top of the line organic merchandise that includes luscious body products for her skin and hair. You can include organic pajamas and a robe or treat her to soft and beautiful (pesticide-free) organic sheets, comforters and towels.

We have many products for EVERY price range that shows both your Moms, (earth mama included) just how much they have nourished, nurtured and tolerated us throughout our lives.  We welcome you to stop in Organic Living and let us help you make this Mothers Day a memorable celebration honoring every Mom.

 

Earth Day...should be EVERYDAY!

 

  

Every year Earth Day falls on April 22,thanks to its founder Gaylord Nelson a then U.S senator from Wisconsin, and marks the anniversary of what many consider the birth of the modern environmental movement of the 70's.  Earth day of the 1970's initiated environmental causes and concerns, bringing them to the forefront of society for the first time. The era of the 1970's was a time of gas guzzling big car's (land yacht's) , pollution of air and water going unregulated, while industry ran amuck spilling sewage and toxins without recourse.

Prior to this New day of environmental focus, Writer Marge Carson raised environmental awareness with her groundbreaking book " Silent Spring " in 1962. This unprecedented book was the first time the world took notice of the serious dilemma our earth is in regarding living organisms, the environment and public health. It wasn't until approximately the 1990's and largely in part to a rare political alignment of Republicans and Democrats that Earth Day went global.   

Todays Earth Day has unfortunately added many more areas of concern since its original inception, more recent concerns include global warming, cultivating clean energy resources, water conservation, the rapidly declining numbers of our Bee population and so many more areas of environmental decline too long to mention. This is a worrisome prognosis for  our fragile Mother Earth that human society as a collective must immediately address.

How  can " You" and I help? Become a practicing steward of yours , mine and our planet by consciously committing to conserve water, planting trees, practicing energy conservation, be involved in recycling programs, plant some flowers and give bees a place to pollenate. If the bees die, we die. Don't be a food waster, grow a garden and make compost for your garden.  Use only non-toxic products in your home and on your body, use cloth tote bags for ALL your shopping not just groceries, reject those environmentally unfriendly plastic bags. If we all  choose to make healthy environmental choices daily, and teach our future generations " conscious" environmental practices, we can give Mother Earth and these precious generations a fighting chance for a healthy planet. 

There is power in numbers, and as this environmental consciousness grows the environment can grow, healthy and green just as nature intended.

Is your #$%^ depot, Lumber *&^(%42#%$3@ bargain flooring making you sick?

Wood flooring has become the new flooring staple of the 21st century, rendering carpet as outdated and so passé. With it, have come numerous choices, such as engineered , renewable, sustainable, laminate, and bamboo.

Isn't a wood floor, just a wood floor? Not by a long shot! Au contraire, my little house flipper and home remodeler.

Take a moment to watch this video...

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You have just learned that not all wood flooring is created equal. So, if you would like to learn more about non-toxic and healthy alternative floorings, contact us here at Organic Living and we will be happy to offer you wonderful toxic-free and environmentally safe home flooring choices. We have beautiful bamboo, cork , and marmoleum choices plus we even carry the Nature's Carpet line of 100% wool carpeting, a rapidly renewable resource.

Your flooring is a long term investment, so choose products that are safe for your family and the environment. Keep formaldehyde and petroleum based brands out of your healthy lifestyle.   

 

Did you know.....carpeting can affect allergies?

In our previous blog post, Organic Living offered some solid healthy solutions on ways to improve your environment, if suffering from allergy and asthma symptoms.  We would like to recommend another (not often) thought of, yet very , important way to keep your home allergen-free, and that is by maintaining clean carpets.

I mean really cleaning your carpet, with safe non-toxic products and by professionals who have been in the business for over 30 years. Organic Living has numerous loyal clients that they have been servicing, with Organic carpet cleaning, for just as long. Indicating just how thorough and dedicated Organic Living is to providing environmentally safe products and services to Arizona.

Our services are perfume free, no carpet protector chemicals or solvents! Only organic  and plant based ingredients for guaranteed clean and safe results. 

It is easy to forget that when we are enjoying the beautiful outdoors that the pollens, and ultra-fine particulates floating in the air, such as dusts etc, stick to our hair, clothing and shoes! Although we vacuum, these particles can easily become trapped in our carpet after walking on them. If you have pets and an active family, an even greater amount of these materials is bound to be brought in and trapped on a regular basis. Don't forget the upholstery! The material of our couches and chairs can trap the same allergens as carpet, possibly more so, from the particles that stick to our clothing, and hair. Cleaning all possible sources of contamination is the most effective solution for an allergen -free environment.

So, Organic Living to the rescue! Our team of technicians who have been with us for 25+ years understand how important it is to you, to have a healthy allergen-free home. Through their knowledge, expertise and toxic-free products, they can help you maintain a comfortable allergen and toxic-free environment.       

Spring Allergies......already?

It is only February and I can't believe my nose is already running and my throat is itching! The other evening while leaving a grocery store, the faint smell of mimosa swirled past me and I had the premonition of spring... already! While Spring officially isn't until March 21st, the effects of early blooms are upon us and our watery eyes.

I read recently that the early effects of Spring can be activated by a mild fall and cold snaps during winter, which is an accurate description of our roller coaster type weather in Arizona! So, plants are blooming and are releasing pollens, pollens are tiny grains, typically about six microns in diameter. When airborne, they can enter a person’s respiratory system, where the body treats them as invaders and releases antibodies for protection. The antibodies attack the inhaled pollens and release chemicals called histamines. These histamines trigger allergy and asthma symptoms. That not so wonderful scratchy throat, burning watery eyes and yes ...post-nasal drip, the constant blowing of the nose and clearing of the throat.

So, what can you do to alleviate the suffering of respiratory discomfort now and all year long? We have several suggestions that are healthy non-toxic alternatives.

Schedule outdoor activities for early or late in the day. Pollen counts are usually highest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., so experts recommend scheduling outdoor activities – such as errands and workouts – early in the morning or later in the day.

• Keep shoes outside, and brush off pets that have been outdoors. Pets, kids and shoes can bring pollen inside the house.
• Keep your windows closed whenever possible and run the air conditioning.
• Use an air purifier to remove allergens from the air indoors. IQAir recommends the New Edition HealthPro Series room air purifiers for allergen removal. IQAir HyperHEPA filtration in the HealthPro Plus is proven and certified to filter particles of all sizes down to .003 microns, with a minimum efficiency of 99.5%. No other air purifier can match this performance.
• Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter. Ordinary vacuums stir up allergens and recirculate small particles instead of capturing them. We recommend (and carry) Miele vacuums, the best filtered vacuum in the industry.
• Don’t hang laundry outdoors on the line to dry in the fresh spring air. Especially during allergy season, dry clothes indoor in a dryer.
• Cut back on the use of carpeting and drapes in your home. Tile and hardwood floors are preferable to carpeting, which harbors allergens in your home. Shutters and blinds are preferable to drapes for the same reason.

Use natural organic remedies from Veriditas' essential oil line, such as Clary Sage that when massaged over the chest and back help relieve asthma symptoms, the Sinus Congestion formula that will open up blocked sinuses, heals infected and inflamed mucus membranes, and run your IQ air purifier "non-stop" to create a comfortable pollen free environment in your home!

Keep in mind that most store cleaning products have chemicals that can irritate mucous membranes of the nose and lungs, increasing the possibility of an asthma attack. Using Non-toxic organic cleaning products, like the products sold at Organic Living is a healthy way of keeping allergy and asthma symptoms in check.

Visit Organic Living anytime during store hours and Gerard would love to share his extensive knowledge of air purification with you, to help you create your own healthy allergen-free , indoor sanctuary.

 

 

 

Conscious Gift Giving for your Valentine..........

Valentine's day is almost here, and the annual dilemma of finding a thoughtful and possibly useful gift is upon us! 

Flowers are beautiful of course, being natures visual and fragrant gift for all, but they can also be extremely expensive, and unfortunately they don't last very long! So in place of flowers for a thoughtful long lasting gift of scent, we recommend some wonderful certified organic essential oils from Veriditas  Botanicals. We carry a large selection, ranging from florals to woodsy earthy scents, including citrus and peppermint to name a few. These beautiful fragrances not only provide wonderful aromas but have incredible wellness properties as well!  Many of these oils can aid in alleviating a headache or indigestion to help in increasing ones mental clarity. Now that is a powerful and affordable gift that keeps on giving for quite some time.

Another amazing way of enjoying Veriditas' incredible oils is to combine them with our Spa Mist Essential oil diffuser , this sleek looking modern diffuser can dispense your  essential oil of choice, in a  steady mist for (3) straight hours or an intermittent stream for (6) hours! It will turn itself off and has a lighted band around it you can leave on or off (great nightlight). The Spa Mist diffuser is such a great way to utilize aromatherapy in your home, that is non-toxic and organic. Forget the toxic fake flower and synthetic plug-ins!

Now...let's talk skin care! Every woman loves pampering her skin and defying the aging process as best we can, making skincare a billion dollar industry that continues to grow. Here at Organic Living we have researched and sifted through, many skincare product lines, choosing only the best Organic lines, we feel, are on the market today! The lines we carry include, Terressential products, the Honey Girl Line and now, we have started carrying Intelligent Nutrients hair and skincare brand. This line was originated by Horst Rechelbacher the founder of Aveda. This remarkable and organic line uses stem-cell plant technology to bring you the most powerful properties from earths natural plants and flowers. Healthy for you and the environment.  Not to mention the fact these products smell amazing and are a 10+ on the ratings scale! 

This is what thoughtful, conscious gift giving is all about! Your Valentine will thank you forever with a gift of these fantastic products.

Organic Living has a fabulous array of other products, for every Valentine! Sumptuous soft organic robes and pajamas, to sheet sets and yes... even chocolate!   We carry the very popular Wei of Chocolate product line that is not only tasty and melts in your mouth, but actually supports wellness! Yummy chocolate without the guilt!

So, be a conscious gift giver and extend a truly sincere gift of something healthy, mindful and full of love, your loved one and mother earth will be grateful you did!  

The Importance of Supporting Local Small Business ...

First, we would like to take a moment and thank all of the loyal customers that support and believe in what Organic Living provides! We have had the privilege of connecting with a myriad of age groups who understand the importance of living a healthy toxic-free lifestyle! We have also been thankful that these same folks appreciate the uniqueness of the services, products and Gerard's knowledge that are here for them. It has been very unfortunate, to have witnessed several other Eco/Organic businesses, not fair as well as Organic Living and therefore forced to shut their doors. Organic/Eco businesses need your support!

The term Organic goes way beyond the arena of food products and what we injest. Most of the population don't really understand the idea that " Organic Living is NOT a trend. but a lifestyle"! One that includes reading labels and monitoring what products we put ON our bodies, not just inside. This continues to what types of products we put in our homes inside and out.

SO...with that said, here is a short but concise list of proactive reasons to support small and unique businesses, but especially Organic/Eco businesses! no partiality here : )

Compared to chain stores, locally owned businesses recycle a much larger share of their revenue back into the local economy, enriching the whole community.

PRODUCT DIVERSITY  - A multitude of small businesses, each selecting products based, not on a national sales plan, but on their own interests and the needs of their local customers, guarantees a much broader range of product choices.

SUPPORTS COMMUNITY GROUPS  - Non-profit organizations receive an average 250% more support from smaller business owners than they do from large businesses.

KEEP OUR COMMUNITY UNIQUE - Where we shop, where we eat and have fun -- all of it makes our community home. Our one-of-a-kind businesses are an integral part of the distinctive character of this place.

GET BETTER SERVICE -  Local businesses often hire people with a better understanding of the products they are selling and take more time to get to know customers.

INVEST IN COMMUNITY -  Local businesses are owned by people who live in this community, are less likely to leave, and are more invested in the community’s future.

 

 

Serenity greets you as you enter the Organic Living store...Welcome!