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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Frugal Family

Frugal Family: Show Your Brecksville Spirit

From shirts to playing cards, Brecksville-themed items can be found around town.

This year marks Brecksville's bicentennial and it's a great time to show your Brecksville pride or to send a Brecksville-themed gift to an out-of-town friend. Here are some items that you can find for sale around town. 1. Star Sports Deal: To promote school spirit, stop in to Star Sports. They stock more than 100 Brecksville-Broadview Heights Bees items and they have more than 40 Bees designs which they can transfer onto a T-shirt of your choice. Short sleeved T-shirts are $15.95 and long sleeved, hooded sweatshirts are $28.95, according to owner John Starinsky. You can see some of their Bees items on their website. Good Until: Ongoing 2. Brecksville Center for the Arts Deal:  Note cards by Brecksville photographer Neil Evans, which …

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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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Brecksville's Handy Homeowner

Handy Homeowner: Starting Seeds

Our growing season is short, so we have to be creative.

Last week I wrote about putting in a new garden bed, so now let’s talk about the fun part - planting it! Seeds are the most economical way to start your garden, but they take some patience. Planting seeds with children is particularly fun because they’re so aware of the magic. My kids literally jump for joy when their seedlings pop up. You can buy seeds from places like Lowe’s, discount stores like Marc’s, gardening supply stores like De Nigris Landscape and Garden Center, or order them through the mail from catalog companies like Burpee, especially if you're looking for something unusual. Since our growing season is so short, here are some ideas for three different ways to start your seeds. Whatever method you use for starting seeds, here…

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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

Helping Others is Good for Your Health

Studies have shown that volunteering can make you happier and healthier.

My mom was my best friend. She was the first one who I would call to share any news, and she always listened patiently to my ideas, observations and thoughts. But she didn’t have much patience for complaining, and whenever I did so, she would say something that drove me crazy: “If you feel sorry for yourself, do something to help someone else.” “But how could doing something for someone else help me? She just doesn’t get it,” I remember thinking. But according to a 2007 publication from the Corporation for National and Community Service called “The Health Benefits of Volunteering,” volunteering can provide social and health benefits for those who volunteer. The benefits are increased for those older than 60 and for those who volunteer for …

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Rachel Abbey McCafferty

4:57 pm on Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Thanks for the information, Ted. I posted the latest volunteer opportunities with the Human Services Department in our announcements section: http://brecksville.patch.com/search/announcements   more ›

Brecksville's Handy Homeowner

The Fun and Frustration of Owning a Home

Owning a home can be a challenge, but knowing how to tackle problems is half the battle.

When my husband and I bought our home in Brecksville almost seven years ago, we thought it would be so much fun, so easy. We were moving up in the world, from our 800-square-foot cottage-house to a mid-century ranch with vaulted ceilings and a sprawling yard.  We planned on living the good life and enjoying our 1960s bar in the basement and our original kitchen from 1959. It was ours! We would take care of it and fix it up and live out our American dream in the suburbs.  But we quickly realized that this particular piece of the American dream came at a price. And the price would include much of our spare time, money and energy. But the beauty of Brecksville had sucked us in and we were hooked.  In this column, I’ll attempt to share with …

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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 ›

Everyday Wellness in Brecksville

Reiki

Learning something new: How to channel energy for health in the new year.

On March 5, the Tibetan New Year, I will be taking part in an all-day reiki class here in Brecksville at Be In The Tao. I have no experience with reiki and, until recently, knew almost nothing about it. Much of what I've learned and shared below comes from the website reiki.org. Reiki (prounounced ray-key) is a method of spiritual healing which is said to be beneficial for the body, mind and spirit. According to the website reiki.org, the word reiki comes from Japanese and means spiritually guided (rei) life-force (ki). "Ki," also called "chi" in Chinese, is thought to be the energy that makes all living things alive. In reiki, this energy is channeled and transferred from the practitioner to the patient. The book , The Holistic Therapy …

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Everyday Wellness in Brecksville

Tapping In To Your Creativity

Creativity can lower your blood pressure, and maybe help you to stop being so darn grouchy.

One day last week it seemed like the whole world was against me. I had a headache, I was grumpy and mean. I was impatient and horrible. But I did something that made me feel better.  I got the idea from my kids. They were sitting at the kitchen table, painting. They were busy and happy and they were quiet! So I sat down and painted with them, just for fun. I painted a very ugly chicken. But, it didn’t have to be beautiful or a masterpiece. It didn’t have to be anything; it was just plain fun. It was impromptu art therapy. Being creative is good for our health.  It is a stress reliever, which lowers blood pressure. Also, when we engage in new activities, we create new synapses in our brain, which helps us stay sharp as we age. Human beings …

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