Sunday, April 28, 2013

Another Man's Treasure

Spring time is a great time to freshen up your wardrobe. What better way than recycling one man's trash? Don't forget the money you will be saving on almost-new items - a guaranteed stress release! 

With so many yard sales, garage sales, estate sales and good old fashion thrift stores to choose from, it's hard to know where to start.


Check out The Thrift Shopper, Garage Sale Finder, Goodwill and Salvation Army to find places near you. Garage Sale Finder also lets you post your own sales - once you accumulate new summer items, you'll need to make room for them in your wardrobe!

Use the Etsy app to search for average prices of vintage brands while you're searching - a good tool if you don't know brands very well. Also, look out for better quality clothes by checking inside and out for stains or rips, Made In USA tags (equal better quality) and trying out the zippers and snaps to see if you'll need to replace them! 
It may sound like an arduous task but just think of the long run - saving money, long-lasting clothes and a better environment.

If you're interested in delving further into the world of Thrift Shopping, check out these cool websites and apps:

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Eat (Your) Green(s)


During our busy lives many of us tend to choose the easier option when it's time for dinner and turn to fast food. 
It's not hard to forget how accomplished and happier cooking for ourselves, family and friends makes us feel. The cooking process is also therapeutic and helps to decrease stress. 

Even better when we've used local and quality organic ingredients - buying locally helps sustain our community and cuts down our carbon footprint.

10 Farmers' Market Shopping Tips
Localharvest.org invites you to find the best organic food grown closest to you. All you need to do is type in your city or zip code - Minnesota has countless farms and info on farmers' markets and the site is countrywide. 
Consider how hard the farmers have worked to bring you their produce - from picking their fresh, crisp apples to milking cows for cheese and milk. Help support them while having a more personable and enjoyable experience.

If you can't get to the farmers market, try a few of these tips to stay eco-friendly when at the grocery store:
  • Bring your own reusable bags
  • Buy in bulk to minimize the packaging
  • Try to make your trips less to reduce your carbon footprint
  • Look for products with recyclable packaging
  • Free-range meat, smart seafood and shade-grown coffee are all things you should look out for on those products' labels
  • If you have babies, consider buying washable, reusable diapers
  • Even in the grocery store there is opportunity to buy local!
 

Learn about the effect your diet is having on the environment with the Eating Green Calculator. Also see how your food choices impact climate change.

Remember to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for weekly updates and let us know how you are being eco-friendly this month!

Friday, April 19, 2013

Earth Day 2013 - 10 Eco-Friendly Events


Pretty cool video, right? Now that you're fired up, Earth Day is this weekend and there are all kinds of great things to do to help your community - and the Earth! If you're searching for things to do this for Earth Day, look no further:



  • Head to the Birchwood Cafe for delicious local, sustainable and organic dishes
  • Retail therapy? Pop some tags at Planet Thrift - 25% off your entire purchase on April 22nd


"The earth is what we all have in common." -- Wendell Berry





Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Gardening Indoors and Out



Many use gardening as a stress-release. It's something you can work your hands and be creative while reaping the benefits of food and beauty. Whether you have a small home with little space or a large yard, plants put a freshness and purity to your personal space and of course, is better for the environment! The current weather is not the best of conditions to start tending a garden but here are some perfect ideas for reusing old containers for small spaced plants- perfect for indoors and out!


Follow this link for ways to dress up a plain pot with a beautiful mosaic


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Eggshells are great for small plants like violets



Give an old magazine rack a paint job for a colorful plant filler













Use those old bike helmets in your garage to brighten your yard


Teapot plants! (Tea is a great plant fertilizer)

Paint an old chair for a colorful piece to your garden


Put those retro radios and phones to good use!


Unsure what to plant? Have a look at this post for Indoor Plants From Kitchen Scraps
Do you have any great gardening tips? Share them with us on Facebook andTwitter and follow us for weekly updates, health and well-being tips and special deals!

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

DIY (De-Stressing It Yourself)

DIY is becoming more popular thanks to sites like Pinterest but how can that be applied to being eco-friendly and stress reducing? By upcycling old items for DIY projects, the impact may be small on you but big in the long run. Using your hands and channeling your creative side of the brain is soothing too. Whether you're starting a small or big project, we found a few cool sites to help get the creative juices flowing.

  • WebEcoist has a list of 15 large and small projects, from a plastic bottle green house to blown tire flip flops. Check out the bike or hamster powered generators- used to charge cell-phones!
 dc-bicycle-generator


  • If you're having a wedding and want to stay economically aware, try Something Borrowed's post on  planning an eco-DIY wedding. Weddings can be stressful but knowing that you are saving money and saving the planet can help to take some of that stress away. Check out her vintage brooch bouquet!

  • The Frisky is not normally a place for DIY but they have a great article on spring cleaning your home with natural products and links to other green DIY sites. If you've read our previous blog posts, you'll know that certain essential oils can be very calming- so spread it around your home this spring.


Do you have any tips on DIY? Let us know via Facebook and Twitter and follow us for weekly updates, health and well-being tips and special deals!

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Pedal Your Stress Away

Have you gotten your bike out yet?
Today's post has tons of info on the stress-release and planet saver that is The Bike. So get inspired to grab your set of wheels and start pedaling!



FACTS:
  • Bikes are more cost-effective than cars- no fuel, cheaper to make, buy and maintain AND they save taxpayers money by less road ware
  • Studies show that bicycle commuters are healthier, more productive, and require less time off at work
  • Since bicycling produces zero fuel emissions, you're decreasing your carbon footprint and reducing the pollution every day that you ride
  • Cycling actually forces you to regulate your breathing, as well as to breathe deeper to expel any lingering CO2 – both key methods used to alleviate stress
  • By pedaling your wheels, you can burn 52 calories in just five minutes of cycling at 14-16 mph. If your route takes you uphill or faster to move with traffic, that's even more
  • The repetitive action of pedaling involved in cycling can help your brain release outside stresses in the same way that mediating on a phrase or a word is used in classical mediation 
  • Cycling isn't as hard on the knees like other types of exercise
  • Moving up in the pack, making it over a particularly tough climb or completing your first century are all great stress reducers because they allow you to feel that you have accomplished something





Want Your Own Set of Wheels?
  • There are tons of new and used bike shops, online and off. Try Craigslist  for bikes costing $1 all the way up to $1000+ - make sure you give it a spin before buying it
  • MasterBikeFitters.com has an extensive article on how much you should spend on a new or used bike
  • If you want a simpler version, Ehow breaks it down for you without so much detail
  • Don't forget Nice Ride! Even if you own a bike, you won't always have it with you. These make it easy to hop on and pedal off wherever you are. If you have it for under half an hour, it's free!


Be Safe!
  • Wear a helmet and, if you're riding at night, reflective gear
  • Check out The National Center For Safe Routes To School for resources on getting kids to school via bike
  • If you're sharing the road with vehicles, brush up on the rules here
  • The MPCA has daily forecasts on how clean the air is around you. You can sign up for alerts here. If you do find the air to be particularly polluted, hop on a bus for half of your journey- bikes can be placed on the front rack
  • On April 20th the Mother Earth Fest takes place at the Wellstone Community Center in the Twin Cities - they've got a Bike Repair 101 and Basic Safety classes taught by experienced bike mechanics. Find out more at motherearthfest.org/bike-village 
  • Stay hydrated!



Don't Know Where To Bike?
  • Bikemap.net lets people share their biking routes and lets you create your own
  • Cyclopath.com is personable, letting you type in your address and end point
  • The Metro Transit gives you integrated travel options for when you want to use your bike and the bus
  • Or, just explore your community! You never know what's around the corner




Need Some Motivation?
  • We've mentioned 30 Days of Biking on our Facebook page- grab a bike and use it every day for 30 days starting this April. Even if you haven't signed up, they hold events in the Twin Cities every Saturday until the end of the month. Check out their website for more info 30daysofbiking.com or try hosting your own event and encourage friends and family to cycle every day for 30 days
  • BikeBrain is an app to help you figure out how many calories you burned, your distance and speed and even lets you share photos
  • Minnesota Iron Man Bike Ride is Sunday, April 28th. There's still time to sign up as an individual or team
  • The 2013 National Bike Challenge runs from May 1st until September 30th - anytime you hop on your bike, you log it into the website via an app or your computer. Many work organizations do this to motivate their employees to get healthy and save money

Last but not least, save $5 when you visit The Backrub by way of bus, walking or biking- during all of April - just mention this post!


Still Want More?
Sign up to Bike Walk Twin Cities E-news for weekly updates and biking events near you.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for monthly tidbits on National Stress Awareness Month & Earth Month - and let us know what you think inquiries@greatbackrubs.com





Monday, April 1, 2013

Essential Oils And A Beautiful You

Using essential oils for various beauty treatments is a great way to pamper yourself and feel luxurious in your own home. The upcoming warmer months are the perfect reason to start - and show off the results! For the last post on this month's subject, here are a whole stream of tips to help you look and feel better:

Deep Hair Conditioner
 Put 3 tablespoons coconut oil, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and and all or any one of these essential oils: Lavender, Peppermint, Rosemary, Geranium, and Clary Sage into a mixing bowl and mix until ingredients are whipped to a thick and creamy consistency. Once whipped, apply to clean dry hair. Comb through with a wide tooth comb to evenly distribute. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Rinse, shampoo and style as desired.


Clearer Skin 
 
For oily/troubled skin:
Fill a large bowl with just boiled water. Add either Eucalyptus, Geranium, Lemongrass or Melaleuca to the water. Take a large bath towel and drape it over your head and bowl to create a “steam tent.” Position your face 12-18 inches away from water. Relax and enjoy for 3-5 minutes. Once done, wash face to remove any dirt from pores that may have surfaced, and use a toner. Repeat once a week.

Make a soothing skin toner:
Mix 1 egg white with 1 tbsp. honey and 1 1/2 tsp. vodka or witch hazel. Blend well. Add 2 drops each of lemon oil, lavender oil and thyme oil. Mix well and decant into a small bottle, using a cotton ball to apply to skin after cleansing. Keep away from the eyes. Let the skin dry before applying moisturizer or makeup. Store toner in a cool place and use twice daily.

Scar Treatment 
Essential oils derived from plants such as Roman Chamomile, Rosewood and Elemi are sometimes used as a method of scar treatment. Scars caused by conditions such as acne, stretchmarks and those obtained as a result of injury are treated by rubbing the oils directly onto the affected area as part of a daily skin care regime to help lighten scars and reduce their appearance over time. 

Anti-Aging
Start with 2 tbsp. almond oil and mix in 3 drops frankincense oil, 2 drops myrrh oil, 3 drops neroli oil, 3 drops rose oil and 1 drop lavender oil. Decant into a small bottle of amber or blue glass to protect the mixture from light. Gently massage into the skin of face and neck after cleansing, keeping away from the eyes. Apply at night before bed.

Women's Balancing Blend 
A happy blend of essential oils including Clary Sage, Jasmine, Rose, Ylang Ylang, Neroli, Geranium & Lavender reputed as having hormone balancing and uplifting effects. For PMS, menopause or anytime you need a lift. Add a few drops to a diffuser.

Energize your Brush 
If your toothbrush seems a bit tired, add a drop of lemon and peppermint oils to chase away that run-down feeling and find a brighter smile.
 
  Do you have essential oil beauty tips you swear by? Comment below, we'd love to hear them!
Check out this LINK for directions on how to make your own diffuser.

*Did you miss out on last month's Essential Oils primer with Nikki? Our next one will be held in-store on April 21st at 6:30pm. She will be focusing on "Spring Cleaning" with essential oils for allergies and detoxing. Free gift for all who attend.
 Email: inquiries@greatbackrubs.com to book your place!