This is a cream based cleanser that is appropriate for normal to dry skin.  The healing garden has a line of skin organics prodcuts, and this is the cleanser in their facial product line.  I have tried all of the facial products, and this is the one I continue to purchase. It is very convenient to use- has a pump dispenser on top that gives just the right amount of product into your hand, and you can pump one handed.  It has a lovely soft fragrance- my husband (who is very manly) thought that this creamy cleanser was a nice neutral smelling lotion, and so for two weeks he put it on his face in the morning- and loved the results until I chuckled at him and told him it was supposed to be a face wash:-) That really told me a lot about how moisturizing this product is!!! He said it made his beard softer:-) The first two ingredients are natural and organic, and there are a score of other natural ingredients that combine to make this cleanser very effective.  It is the gentlest cleanser that I have found (similar to cetaphil) but still leaves my face feeling clean.  Overall- this is one of my favorite products!!!
It is very reasonably priced- and the healing garden can almost always be found at discounted prices anywhere from  kohls to Walgreens.

This is a clear stick deodorant with no scent.  It contains cotton fibers to absorb moisture.  It contains no paraben and no aluminum.

Trader Joe’s is a great store, with lots of natural and organic products at reasonable prices.  This is the only deodorant that I have found without aluminum that works (I have tried probably about 8 other brands).  My husband uses the same one I do (because there is no cover up scent).  It has lots of herbal ingredients that I feel good about putting on my skin: lichen, witch hazel, comfrey, lavendar, willow bark, as well as vitamin A and vitamin E.  I have searched for several years and have finally found a deodorant that (somewhat) protects from sweat and does a pretty good job of controlling odor.  I highly recommend this product to anyone.  Plus, it is as cheap as “normal” deodorant- $3 a stick!  (ps. If you are using a deodorant with aluminum, take 15 minutes to look up what it is doing to you. You will be shocked!)
Visit : Trader Joe’s

I try not to buy too many magazines because they seem so wasteful. One magazine subscription that I cannot do without though is my subscription to Mother Earth News. This is one subscription that really helps me to stay true to my goals to live green and be more self sufficient.

It features articles covering sustainable, self-reliant living and homesteading. Topics include green building, renewable energy, gardening, do-it-yourself projects, farming, and so much more. In addition to great information about these topics it also has feature stories about families that are actually living this lifestyle and they share their journey. You don’t need to be a homesteader or a wanna-be hippie to like this magazine either. Even if you just want to grow more of your own food, or reduce energy costs, or raise some chickens for farm fresh eggs, this magazine is like a guide book and an inspiration.

Personally I think the do-it-yourself projects are the most useful. Not everyone can afford to hire someone to make a chicken coup or a lean-to shed and not everyone knows how to install Photovoltaic solar panels. The guides in Mother Earth News provide step by step instructions and pictures that even novices can understand. You can even buy back issues of their magazines to expand on your collection of DIY guides and they come on CD so they are earth friendly too.

A subscription can be purchased here:

Kangaroo Korner sells adjustable pouches in fleece, cotton, Solarveil, and mesh. The pouch has four rows of snaps and is available in 4 sizes. A sizing chart on the Web lets you determine the best fit, and the company recommends you get a slightly smaller fit so that you can tighten the snaps as the fabric naturally stretches. Depending on the fabric, the pouch can hold children up to 40 pounds. A variety of colors and patterns are available and two fabric types are waterproof. The pouches are handmade in the United States.

The construction is very good and the color selection is nice. It is very simple to place a baby or child in the pouch - no wrapping or tying required. The pouch can be used several different ways, including wearing the child on your back. The pouch is designed to drape over your shoulder so the weight is spread across your back, rather than on your shoulder. All the advantages of baby wearing apply; my 9-month-old loves to be in the sling and it keeps my hands free.
You can get it here: Kangaroo Korner

by Lynne Eldridge, M.D. and David Borgeson, MS, MPT

If you have a family member who has had or died of cancer, you’re probably concerned about your own risk. Instead of stressing out, take action now to decrease your risk with this book.

According to the authors, 80 - 95% of cancers have an environmental component. This means that we may be far more empowered than we realize when it comes to preventing cancer.
The aim of the book is to give you the knowledge you need, in bite sized chunks, to make changes in your daily life to help prevent cancers of all kinds.

As an example, improving your indoor air quality. It’s not difficult to buy a few house plants to clean up your indoor air, but did you know that radon causes more lung cancer than any other cause besides smoking? And yet how many households have purchased an inexpensive test to check for radon?
Also, who knew that the outdoor play structures we allow our kids to play on may be laced with arsenic, increasing their risk of cancer? Instead of causing a person to freak out and stress out however, the book has a simple suggestion: have your kids wash their hands well after playing on these structures. And, if you own one, seal it with a safe water based sealant yearly.

The book has a comprehensive list of acceptable and non-toxic substitutes to common but carcinogenic (cancer - causing) household products like furniture polishes, pesticides, disinfectants and other items.

In addition, lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, health care and stress relief are listed in the book. Suggestions are made so that you can make better choices that will impact your health both short and long term.

The book makes the reams of studies done on cancer a little easier to understand. Instead of studying all the available data yourself, read this book to get a good overview of what we know about cancer prevention, and take action accordingly.

Available at  Avoiding Cancer One Day At A Time