Wild Woman Wednesday

My favorite - Spectrum Organic Virgin Coconut Oil!

Wild Women try new things!

In the last several months I have been discovering the benefits of coconut oil.  It is now my go-to product for skin cleanser/moisturizer, the base oil for sugar scrubs, oil pulling for dental/oral hygiene (click HERE for details and yes, it has made my teeth whiter), hair conditioner (itsy bit for me on the ends only), leg shaving oil, some cleansing around the house and all kinds of odd things!  Plus, it’s thrifty as well!  It is a solid oil than becomes a liquid when warmed, even by the heat of your skin.  Rather than list all the wonders of this natural oil, let me direct you to a few websites that will give you more ideas on the umpteen uses of coconut oil:

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/blog/natural-health-tips/using-coconut-oil

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/11/18/coconut-oil-uses.aspx

http://www.sunwarrior.com/news/50-of-the-best-uses-for-coconut-oil/

http://www.lewrockwell.com/2013/09/no_author/160-uses-for-coconut-oil/

Note that there may be duplication of suggestions, and ALWAYS ALWAYS take or use any of these ideas at your OWN RISK!  Because coconut oil does contain a substantial amount of saturated fatty acids (fats), which are known to raise low density (bad) cholesterol, I don’t use it much internally, although I have also read that it can have positive effects on increasing HDL (good) cholesterol and lowering triglycerides.  CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR FIRST BEFORE USING IT!!!! 

I would love to hear how you use coconut oil as well and your results!  Please email me at linda@coachlindabush.com or add your comments here.

By the way, the photo I used is the actual brand of organic coconut oil I use by Spectrum.  You can buy it in a glass or plastic jar.  I prefer the plastic jar, as it can get oily and I’m a bit of a klutz sometimes.  (I’m not a paid promoter, by the way, I just like the stuff!)  Also, when I smooth it on after my shower before toweling dry, I let it soften up by sitting it at the bottom of the tub and letting the heat of the water soften it up – not something I’d recommend doing with a glass jar!  I’ve listed it as my “product of the month” for April! 

Go wild (or should I say nutty) with your coconut oil, ladies!

Blessings,

Coach Linda

Thrifty Tuesday

Well, the sunshine left with Monday and now it’s gray, muggy and pouring rain.  But… April showers bring May flowers, or so they say, which makes me think of gardening.  Now while my Grandmom instilled in me a passion for all things related to gardening, my pocketbook usually doesn’t have anywhere near enough in its dusty little corners to afford all I’d love to do with the garden, be it veggies, herb or flowers!  So what’s a girl to do?

One thing is to begin with seeds.  But even that can be an expensive endeavor, so here’s a few ideas I’ve come up with to help ease the financial burden and increase the pleasure of growing something with my own hands from seed!  Thanks to many articles and Pinterest posts that have helped me get creative!

• To make little mini-seed starters, cut up paper towel and toilet paper cardboard rolls, fill them with dirt and plant your seeds in them.  They transplant easily into the ground as well – EZPZ!
• Wash out your cans from canned goods and use them as planters.  Fill with dirt, seed ‘em up and go!  Be sure to poke some holes in the bottom for drainage (hammer and awl or screwdriver to make the holes).
• Start making cuttings now – got any herb plants in your kitchen that you’d like to grow outside, like basil?  Cut them, put them in a jar of water, let them grow roots, and plant them.  This can be done with many herbs, and carrot tops, too!
• Do you get take out or bring home food from a restaurant?  Instead of tossing it, wash it out, poke some holes in the bottom, fill it with dirt and start your seeds in it.
• Rinse out those eggshells, gently fill them with dirt and put your seeds in them – again, easily transportable into your garden!  You can also use the egg cartons as individual pots – be sure to purchase paper crates so you can plant them directly into the ground.

Here’s a great blog posting by www.gardenbetty.com on how to make paper pots from recycled newspaper:
http://www.gardenbetty.com/2011/03/how-to-make-recycled-newspaper-pots-for-seed-starting/

She’s also got a great post on how to start seeds indoors:
http://www.gardenbetty.com/2011/03/the-no-brainer-guide-to-starting-seeds-indoors/

And if you prefer watching a video, here’s a link on making newspaper starting pots:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW4t_6dTAvA

If you are an origami fan, make a box-shaped newspaper seed starter at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dlGQP81yfo

• Get together with friends and exchange plants.  Spring is a good time to thin out the gardens, so have a plant exchange!  And, if you are so inclined, put your baby plants/seedlings in a handmade pretty paper pot by using either the comics and following the above-mentioned square seed box video, or some pretty scrapbook or thicker tissue paper!
• Once the season has begun, check out your local garden centers (like Lowes, Home Depot, etc.) for clearance plants.  They make look a bit droopy, dry and wilted, but you’d be surprised by how just a little TLC and water can perk them right up again!
• Generally, I try to buy perennials when I do cough up cash for plants to get the most long-lasting season-after-season bang for my hard-earned buck!  Then keep a glass jar and will it with spare change for the occasional “I need annuals for color splash!” splurges! 

For more ideas go to my pinterest page on “How Does Your Garden Grow?” at

http://www.pinterest.com/kre8tv4him/how-does-your-garden-grow/

Also at Pinterest, be sure to visit this site: 

http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=thrifty%20gardening

And let’s not forget that gardening is WONDERFUL exercise not only for your spirit but your body as well!

Here’s to starting your own bit of paradise in your backyard – how will your garden grow?

Blessings,

Coach Linda

Thrifty Tuesday

On your wheel of life one of the spokes is education/self-development.  What are you doing to improve yourself educationally today?  I’m a HUGE advocate of being a lifelong learner… formally, informally and everyday in snippets and wonder!  Especially in the summer there are a number of free education opportunities to take advantage of – contact your local library, museum, planetarium, college and see what they may be offering for you. 

Additionally, through iTunes University you can take a free online course from the major universities around the world – they offer 300,000 FREE lectures!!!  C’mon, you should be able to find a few that will interest you in that variety.  Surf to places like 

http://www.techsupportalert.com/free-courses-online 

to see what free courses are online – both in audio and video presentations.  You can get audio CDs for your car and learn a new language as you commute, for example.  Check this site for free audio books online:  

http://www.techsupportalert.com/free-books-audio.  

I keep an apps section called “READING” on my iPhone that holds my kindle books, my audible.com books, downcasts and podcasts so that, instead of being at the mercy of some DJ on word overload, I can listen/”read” while in the car.  Let me tell you, it really helps me feel less victimized by traffic jams – at least I’m doing something productive while stuck!  Search the internet for classes on YouTube, find podcasts… there’s just no limit to what you can listen to and read – for FREE.

Rummage through a local used bookstore – and often libraries sell used books as well for next to nothing.  Recently I was shopping at my favorite market, Whole Foods, and I happened upon a little set-up of used donated books that they had set up to raise funds for a community project.  I found three paperback books and only paid $1 each for them. 

You don’t have to spend your ice cream cone allowance on tuitions.  Be a saving sleuth and begin pursuing your educational/self-developmental dreams without busting your summer budget.  Exercise that brain this summer (the sexiest part of any woman) – you want to be brain and bod beach ready!  Instead of reading some drippy excuse of a book that will cause your grey matter to drip out of your ears, invest the time in yourself with substance, something that will take you to new education levels and empower you to keep reaching for your goals.

Now that makes a LOT of summer cents, doesn’t it?   Did I mention free????

Blessings,

Coach Linda