Sweet Weekend - eating organic

Image - from my garden!

I'm a big believer in eating organic.
Now I'm not saying I eat 100% organic foods, I just try to where possible.
Fruit and vegetables that are nutrient rich, not sprayed with pesticides, and grown locally honestly makes me feel good about what I am putting in my mouth.

For all of you out there that are wanting to eat more organic fruit and veg, or for those who already eat organically, you would know that eating the organic way isn't exactly the cheap way.

Of course growing your own is a wonderful place to start, not to mention a great way to save money but it isn't necessarily for everyone. You need the room to plant your garden, not to mention the time to look after it.
So not into growing your own? Well another option is to buy organic foods where possible from local farmers markets, organic shops and online (oh, and sometimes you'll find bits and pieces at your local supermarket).

I have just started my own veggie patch and I'm hoping over the next few months I'll be munching on my very own veggies! For now I buy mine either online or from a little organic shop nearby.

Look - I grew a baby capsicum! :)

The thing I have found is that my food bills do increase when buying organic.

If you want to start buying organically but the extra cost involved makes you think twice, take a look at the below list off foods that are a good place to start. These veggies are most affected by pesticides and should always be bought organically. Plus, many people say they taste better when organic - which I personally think is the case for many organically grown foods!

Apples
Celery
Carrots
Strawberries
Capsicum
Potatoes
Kale
Lettuce
Nectarines
Grapes
Spinach

Some fruits and veggies like eggplant, banana, kiwi fruit, mango, pineapple and avocado aren't as important when it comes to buying organically, so if you find you're a little strapped for cash these can be put on your regular supermarket list.

Do you eat organic where possible? 

Product review - Soapwalla Kitchen Deodorant Cream

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A while back I wrote about my quest to find a clean (and effective) deodorant.

Finding something that was not only free of aluminium and parabens, but at the same time actually effective was easier said than done.

I have since tried a few, with one of my fave's being Crystal Body Deodorant.  The only thing was on really humid days or after excessive exercise I found that it really didn't hold up like my old 'dirty' deodorant used to. Not only that, it was totally fragrance free. A good thing in terms of 'clean-ness' I know, but I miss having that clean, fresh smell under my arms.

So I continued the hunt and came across Soapwalla Kitchen Deodorant Cream. Soapwalla Kitchen is the baby of Brooklyn girl Rachel. Rachel makes her own products that are free of harmful chemicals and never tested on animals.
My only concern with the deo cream was that it came in a tub and you had to put it on by hand. But can I tell you, getting used to the slightly quirky application technique is seriously no big deal. Just rub it on gently after you shower and rinse the excess off your hands (oh, and make sure you allow some time for it to dry before putting your clothes on too).
It has a wonderful fresh and light scent that I found I missed with the Crystal Body Deodorant. Plus, it actually lasts - seriously, this stuff is awesome!
I've even got hubby onto using it and have already placed my order for a couple more tubs!

How is your hunt for a clean deodorant going? Any good finds?

New Year, New You?

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It's that time of the year again.

After the champagne glasses are empty and the day-after-hangover hits, the reality of a brand new year ahead of us and the opportunity to 'start afresh' causes us to think.
Many of us chose the often-travelled road of quitting the fags, cutting the fat, upping the exercise or saving our dosh.

But more often than not many of us find the pressure we put ourselves under as soon as we wake up on the 1st Jan is an open invitation for failure.

Why do we feel like the start of a new year has to mean the start of a new you?
Of course it's not a bad thing to take the time to look at what we would like to change in our lives but I have found making massive changes like those mentioned above can often leave us with a tremendous amount of pressure that can more often than not lead us to cave and return to old ways.

A few years ago I used to smoke and on more than one occasion I used a brand new year to start a brand new non-smoking me. The thing is, after putting all that pressure on my 'new years resolution' I found I ended up caving within the weeks to follow.
Then, after a few 'quitting speed humps', one day I found that I was truly ready to kick my addiction and so I threw out the half-full packet of smokes in my handbag and have never looked back!
Ok, so it wasn't that easy... But I did it when the time was right, I did it when I was really ready and not when the calendar told me it was time.

Now this is not to say that I don't believe in new years resolutions, I think a fresh new start in a brand new year is a great thing! I just believe we shouldn't put ourselves under the pressure of changing our lives dramatically on the same day of the year that everyone else does.

If there's something that you've been truly wanting to change in your life why wait for new years?
A fresh start can start whenever you want it to!

Did you make a new years resolution this year? How is it going?