Everyday Wellness in Brecksville

Everyday Wellness: Cleaning Can Be Bad For You

Many of the chemicals in common cleaning products can be toxic.

When I walk down the cleaning supplies aisle at the grocery store, it reminds me of my first apartment. My mom never used artificial air fresheners or strongly scented detergents, so when I got my own place I thought I'd surround myself with the sweet smell of independence. I began using dryer sheets and scented sprays. But I soon discovered that all these products made me feel sick and actually gave me a headache. According to Organic Consumers.org, many of the cleaners people use can be poisonous if ingested, inhaled or touched and pollute the air in our homes. They can also be toxic to wildlife and pollute our water.  The website indicates that some products, like those containing bleach, ammonia and other harsh chemicals, can cause …

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Everyday Wellness in Brecksville

Everyday Wellness: Sun Safety

This time of year we're spending more time outdoors, which means more time in the sun.

I was a child of the '70s, when sunburn was just part of summer, like skinned knees and mosquito bites. I was a teenager in the '80s, when we would "lay out" with baby oil and a radio. The DJ would occasionally remind us, “It’s time to turn, so you don’t burn.” My parents used to tell me to get out of the sun, but I didn’t listen, and now I worry about the damage I’ve done.  According to the website for the Skin Cancer Foundation, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States and one in five people will develop some form of it in their lifetimes. They also say that 90 percent of the visible signs of aging are caused by sun exposure! Here are some tips from the American Cancer Society to protect yourself and your family…

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Health Benefits of Drinking Tea

Some studies say that drinking tea might positively influence our health.

Drinking tea has always been part of my life. Even as I kid, I had tea with breakfast on most mornings, and when I was sick my mom would make a special tea concoction with honey and lemon. The thought of a nice, hot cup of tea is what gets me out of bed on cold-weather days, which seems to be most of the year here in Northeast Ohio. I stopped in a charming place called Brielle’s Coffee & Tea Room in Independence a few days ago and spoke with owner Laura Giomini. She said her shop has been in Independence for seventeen years. Giomini has noticed that in the past few years more people are drinking tea in general -- specifically green tea. According to Harvard Women’s Health Network, both green and black tea offer health benefits, because of …

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Kathy Morris Bakhshi

9:55 pm on Monday, May 9, 2011

Thanks for your comments and tea brewing tips, Heather. I like strong tea, too. I recommend Tetley Tea British Blend, if you like black tea. It's very strong, but not bitter. It has to be the British Blend, though. If you like green tea, you can get big tins of loose-leaf Lipton "gunpowder" tea at Indian import stores, I don't know if it's sold in supermarkets or not. This is really good tea.   more ›

Everyday Wellness in Brecksville

Opt Out of Using Dangerous Lawn Chemicals

The grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence.

Just a few days ago, it finally felt like spring! It was warm enough to open the windows and, when I did, in came the familiar spring smell of ... lawn chemicals. Some people might think that just because these products are marketed and sold to us that they're okay to use.  But according to BeyondPesticides.org, many of the most common lawn chemicals are known carcinogens and can cause birth defects, as well as neurological, kidney and liver damage. Exposure to garden pesticides may also increase a child's likelihood of developing many conditions, including childhood behavioral problems and leukemia, according to this fact sheet on Beyond Pesticide's website. If you’ve decided you want to truly have a “green” lawn, the Environmental …

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Kathy Morris Bakhshi

9:03 am on Thursday, April 28, 2011

Another FYI: The Cleveland Botanical Garden is hosting a program on Friday, April 29 called Fabulous Lawns and Landscapes Without Chemicals. For more info, check out their website: http://www.cbgarden.org/Events/LawnsLandscapeswithoutChemicals.html   more ›

Everyday Wellness in Brecksville

Why Buy Organic Produce?

Studies show the link between pesticides and disease, so I'm buying organic more often.

I remember fondly the USDA’s food pyramid of the 1970s, when eating mostly grains was good for us. Now the food pyramid’s been turned on its side to focus on a more plant-based diet.   An apple a day really does keeps the doctor away. But not if it can contain 42 different pesticides including neurotoxins, carcinogens and hormone disrupters!  According to the website for the organization called Pesticide Action Network, strawberries can have 54 different pesticides and peaches can have a whopping 62. This organization uses information from tests done by the USDA and cross-references it with toxicology data from sources like the EPA, providing detailed information on about a hundred different foods. Buy why should we care? Aren’t all these …

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Kathy Morris Bakhshi

12:54 pm on Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Heather, Thanks for your comment - I guess I should write about organic meat in light of that news! According to this website (http://eartheasy.com/eat_pesticides_produce.htm), some canned and frozen foods do have less pesticide residue, because they're washed as part of being processed, but be careful about their country of origin, because regulations vary.   more ›

Everyday Wellness in Brecksville

Exercise Classes at the Brecksville Community Center

Attending a class regularly helps to keep me motivated and committed to exercising.

It’s been a long, cold winter, and I’m ready for warm weather. Somehow, it seems easier for me to get in shape and stay active when the weather is warm. I have to admit, it’s not just about health ... spring also means that soon we’ll be wearing shorts and bathing suits. Yikes! Luckily, Brecksville has a wonderful Community Center with lots of amenities. Taking classes regularly seems to keep me motivated more than just working out solo, but lately I’ve been slacking, so I picked up a fitness schedule to get updated. Exercise classes at the Community Center are open to everyone, whether you’re a member, a non-member or even if you’re not a resident of Brecksville.  You can either drop in and pay as you go, or buy a fitness pass for a …

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Everyday Wellness in Brecksville

An Exercise in Meditation

Learning to meditate can have emotional and physical benefits.

When did life become so busy and chaotic? I think I feed on the busy-ness of it all, but sometimes I have so much going on in my head that I feel overwhelmed by my own thoughts. I recently came up with this great idea to mentally hit alt/control/delete to clear all the thoughts from my head, but it hasn’t really been working.  Last week I thought I’d try a more purposeful way of clearing my mind, so I attended a meeting of the Brecksville Meditation Group. They are part of Insight Meditation of Cleveland and they have been meeting at the Brecksville branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library for the past seven years.  The Brecksville group is headed by John Cunningham, who said in an email that through meditation, we can see more clearly…

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Kathy Morris Bakhshi

9:01 am on Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Thanks for your perspective, Heather. It's nice to know that you can relate. It lowers my stress level when I realize I'm not alone on this journey. : )   more ›

Everyday Wellness in Brecksville

Labyrinths, A Walking Meditation

Walking a labyrinth made me contemplate my life.

Last week, I had a profoundly spiritual experience that you might want to try for yourself. I walked the labyrinth at the Brecksville United Methodist Church. Labyrinths are a series of winding paths that you walk. They lead to a center where you pause to contemplate or pray or rest, and then you walk back out to the beginning. A labyrinth is meant to be a walking meditation. I went with no expectations; I just wanted to see what it was all about. But when I began to walk the labyrinth, I couldn’t help but think about the journey of my life: where have I been, where am I now, where am I going? Why am I in such a hurry? According to the website lessonsforliving.com, the labyrinth “is a metaphor for life's journey ... the journey to the …

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Everyday Wellness in Brecksville

Massage, A Beneficial Indulgence

The benefits of massage are much more than just relaxation.

I used to think going for a professional massage was just an indulgent luxury. Last year, I went to Brecksville Massage and Wellness for help with neck pain and headaches. I only went there hoping for a little pain relief, and  I found that it did help my neck, but it relieved stress and emotional pain, as well. This so-called luxury was making me feel better and allowing me to be a better me. According to massagetherapy.com, some of the benefits of massage include alleviating pain, enhancing immunity, increasing flexibility and decreasing depression and anxiety. The website also points out that many illnesses are caused by stress. Without a doubt, massage can reduce stress, which can enhance sleep quality, increase energy and improve …

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Everyday Wellness in Brecksville

Yoga For Body and Mind

Flexibility isn't the only benefit to practicing yoga.

I used to be intimidated by yoga. I thought that I had to be flexible, or more athletic and thin. I had seen images of beautiful people with abs. They were wearing fancy yoga pants and were pretzeled into impossible poses on the covers of various yoga magazines.  Last year, my doctor recommended yoga to help me manage chronic headaches. I had taken some yoga classes before, but it had been awhile. So I began by regularly attending Antoinette Primozic's yoga class at the Brecksville Community Center.  Primozic's class is refreshingly simple, yet challenging and effective. She teaches to various levels of ability and shows modifications to most poses, making them accessible to just about everyone.  According to the American Yoga Association'…

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Kathy Morris Bakhshi

8:13 pm on Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Thanks, Heather! Your comments are wonderful.   more ›