Rachael Recommends || August 2023
I don't know why, but I'm feeling in a "cleansing mood." Perhaps it's the transition to "back to school" which has brought this about. Whatever the cause may be, you'll find this month's recommendations related to some deeper cleaning and cleansing.
First up is laundry stripping. Laundry stripping is a household chore that's become slightly addictive. It's an inexpensive and effective way to deep clean clothing and linens, and to restore them back to a state where they feel new(er) again.
The second recommendation surrounds the topic of electromagnetic fields (EMF). As I've learned more about this, it seemed beneficial to pass that information and awareness on to you. Think of reducing EMF as cleaning up the unseen environment around you. To learn more about EMF, we highly recommend visiting EMF Empowerment, a platform focused on raising awareness and providing resources related to EMF.
As always, thanks for your time spent reading my thoughts and opinions. I hope you find the time worth it, and that the things I suggest lend toward the improvement of your life!
Laundry Stripping
Oddly addictive household chore
My naturopathic physician recently introduced me to the concept of laundry stripping. While this may be something more widely known among some, I'd never heard of it. According to Real Simple, laundry stripping is "a method of washing that removes detergent residue, fabric softener, minerals from hard water, and body oils that have collected on your laundry over time." Better Homes and Gardens published an article entitled, "Laundry Stripping is the Grossly Satisfying Way to Get Linens Extra Clean." My experience was just that. It is satisfying as well as useful.
I attempted laundry stripping in order to cleanse my clothing and linens from the build up of body oils and bacteria. One round, one bathtub full of dingy laundry and I was hooked. Read any blog on the topic and you'll understand that the residue that comes out of your linens is remarkable. In a bad way. It will make you want to laundry strip your whole entire house. Which I pretty much did.
Laundry stripping is cheap and easy. From my experience it's also effective. My clothing and linens felt crisper and newer afterward. I plan to continue my laundry stripping obsession each year as a way to cleanse my environment.
If you're interested, find the laundry stripping recipe I used here.
Cellphone Tips for Back to School
Protecting kids (and ourselves) from EMF
Electromagnetic fields (EMF) is something that I've recently been paying more attention to. While there is some debate about whether or not EMF is harmful to our health, and more studies are definitely needed, it makes sense to me that all the "new" tech, from bluetooth to 5G (cell phones seem to be a leading cause of EMF), could potentially be antagonistic to our health.
The World Health Organization says this to explain EMF: "Electromagnetic fields of all frequencies represent one of the most common and fastest growing environmental influences, about which anxiety and speculation are spreading. All populations are now exposed to varying degrees of EMF, and the levels will continue to increase as technology advances." According to the NIH, "EMFs influence metabolic processes in the human body and exert various biological effects on cells through a range of mechanisms. EMF disrupts the chemical structures of tissue since a high degree electromagnetic energy absorption can change the electric current in the body." Essentially, it causes our cells to vibrate very rapidly leading to some negative physiological effects and inflammation.
EMF has been around forever. It's just during the past few decades that technology has brought about a marked increase. And technology isn't going away. It seems we'd do well to understand if there are aspects of tech from which we should protect ourselves (or at least exercise caution).
While I do not believe that being fearful is helpful or necessary, it does seem to me that we should increase our awareness. And as children do seem to be the most vulnerable to the harmful effects of EMF, I thought I'd share an excellent article I found from the Environmental Working Group on how to lower their exposure. Check out that article here. Of course, the information is applicable for adults as well.
And if you're interested in a quick guide on safer ways to use cell phones, check it out here.
Next month, I will share some products that can help protect you and your family from some EMF exposure. Stay tuned!