An easy recipe for natural homemade mosquito repellent!

With the weekend approaching and summer maybe approaching....I thought I'd share this little tidbit for those of you out in the woods. If youre camping, hiking, or just hanging out in your backyard, mosquitos and other fun bugs find a way to bite you.

I havent used the "normal" bug sprays for years because of the DEET in them and the dangers that go along with it. Find out more about the potential dangers of DEET click here. If youre into making your own stuff whether it be soaps, cleaners, lotions, etc...you should totally try out this bug spray recipe I found on OffbeatMama.com. 

What you Need:

• Essential oils (citronella and lemongrass are musts, you can also use lavender, tea tree oil, or geranium oil for tick protection)
• One 14oz bottle of witch hazel
• One or two spray bottles (make sure you label them!)
• One jar for mixing
• One funnel

1. Pour the witch hazel into the glass jar then add your essential oils. They used about 15 drops of both citronella and lemongrass, and about 10-12 drops of lavender. 

2. Put the lid on the jar and shake vigorously until it is mixed. 

It should be pretty cloudy. 

3. Pour into your spray bottles using a funnel. 

4. Make a label (or write in Sharpie). They used an old Scrapbook sticker to make it "cuter". 

You can spray this on the exposed parts of your body: arms, legs, neck, ankles, feet, etc...and then rub it in. 

If you try it, please report back, we'd love to hear it!

Enjoy!

Your Healthy Holiday Kitchen

From our friends at the Environmental Working Group:

'Tis the season to be in the kitchen, whether you're hosting an event, heading for a potluck or cooking a traditional meal for your family. Whatever the reason, you're probably going to buy ingredients, cook, clean -- and enjoy some leftovers.

EWG makes it easy to prepare your holiday feasts (and to purchase any supplies you need on Amazon) with your family's environmental health in mind. Just follow these simple tips as you shop, cook, eat and clean:

• Cook with safer foods
• Use non-toxic cookware
• Store & reheat leftovers safely
• Clean greener

1. Choose safer foods
   

   The food we eat can contain ingredients we don't want to eat -- from pesticides to food packaging chemicals. To find safer foods, we suggest that you:

   • Buy organic when you can. Organic produce is grown without pesticides, so when you eat it you're not also eating toxic chemicals. Organic meat and dairy products also limit your family's exposure to growth hormones and antibiotics.
   • When you can't buy organic, look for less-contaminated conventional produce. Our Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce ranks popular fruits and vegetables based on the amount of pesticide residues found on them. Check out the Shopper's Guide to Pesticides.
   • Avoid food containers that leach packaging chemicals into food, especially canned foods (the can linings contain bisphenol-A) and greasy fast-food wrappers. Instead, head for fresh food or prepared foods in glass containers. Pick recipes that call for fresh, not canned, foods.
   
   

   Read more about eating safely in our Healthy Home Tip: Go organic and eat fresh foods.


2. Use non-toxic cookware
   

   Skip the non-stick so you don't breathe toxic fumes (that can kill your pet bird!) while cooking on high heat. Non-stick pans are coated with a synthetic chemical (think Teflon), and, while convenient, they emit toxic fumes when overheated.

   Non-stick cookware is in most American kitchens. Is it in yours? If it is, use it safely. If you can, cook with safer alternatives. Here's how:

   • Choose safer cookware. We suggest cast iron, stainless steel and oven-safe glass. Yes, there are many new products on the market, but we don't know enough about them to know if they're safe. Even if they're advertised as "green" or "not non-stick," manufacturers do not have to release their safety data to the public. If you're in the market for a new pan, purchase it through Amazon and a portion of your purchase total will go to EWG!
   • Cook safer with non-stick if you're 'stuck' with it. You can reduce the possibility of toxic fumes by cooking smart with any non-stick cookware you happen to own: never preheat nonstick cookware at high heat, don't put it in an oven hotter than 500 degrees F and use an exhaust fan over the stove.
   
   

   Read more about cooking safely in our Healthy Home Tip: Skip the Non-stick.


3. Store and reheat leftovers safely
   

   Leftovers are an inevitable result of holiday cooking. Avoid plastic when storing and (especially) when heating them. Here's why -- and how:

   • Skip the plastic food storage containers if you can. We know that chemicals routinely migrate, or leach, into food and liquids placed in plastic containers. Ceramic or glass food containers (like Pyrex) are safer.
   • Don't microwave food or drinks in plastic containers, even if they claim to be "microwave safe." Heat can break down plastics and release chemicals into your food and drink. Microwaves heat unevenly, creating hot spots where the plastic is more likely to break down.
   • If you must use plastics, handle them carefully. Use them for cool liquids only; don't reuse single-use plastics; wash plastics on the top rack of the dishwasher, farther from the heating element (or by hand!); use a paper towel instead of plastic wrap to cover food in the microwave.
   
   

   Read more about reheating leftovers safely in our Healthy Home Tip: Pick Plastics Carefully.

4. Clean greener
   

   You clean before holiday guests arrive and after they leave -- and while you cook. But do you clean green? We recommend that you do, because our homes aren't safe and clean if the air inside is polluted with chemicals from household cleaners. It's really quite easy:

   • Choose safer cleaning products. Try natural alternatives (vinegar, baking soda and water!). Avoid anti-bacterials (here's how). Avoid the biggest hazards (acidic toilet bowl cleaners, air fresheners, oven cleaners, and corrosive drain openers).
   • Adopt safe cleaning routines. Open the window. Use gloves. Keep kids away from toxic products. Dust and vacuum often because dust often contains toxics.
   • Tips for the kitchen. Microwave your sponge. Wash your hands with plain soap and water -- it's just as effective. Use a baking soda & water paste instead of commercial oven cleaner.
   
   

   Read more about cleaning safely by downloading our Guide to Greener Cleaning at Home.

LEARN MORE about our Healthy Home Tip series and sign up to get the monthly tips in your inbox.

The Dirty Dozen--Revised

Why Should You Care About Pesticides?
The growing consensus among scientists is that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can cause lasting damage to human health, especially during fetal development and early childhood. Scientists now know enough about the long-term consequences of ingesting these powerful chemicals to advise that we minimize our consumption of pesticides.

What’s the Difference?
EWG research has found that people who eat the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables consume an average of 10 pesticides a day. Those who eat the 15 least contaminated conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables ingest fewer than 2 pesticides daily. The Guide helps consumers make informed choices to lower their dietary
pesticide load.

Will Washing and Peeling Help?
Nearly all the studies used to create these lists assume that people rinse or peel fresh produce. Rinsing reduces but does not eliminate pesticides. Peeling helps, but valuable nutrients often go down the drain with the skin. The best approach: eat a varied diet, rinse all produce and buy organic when possible.

How Was This Guide Developed?
EWG analysts have developed the Guide based on data from nearly 87,000 tests for pesticide residues in produce conducted between 2000 and 2007 and collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. You can find a detailed description of the criteria EWG used to develop these rankings and the complete list of fruits and vegetables tested at our dedicated website, www.foodnews.org.