I’ve been using this Neem & Pomegranate Toothpaste by Himalaya for a good month now and I really like it.  It’s a change from an overly minty toothpaste but I still feel fresh and clean.  It was only $5.49, which is cheaper than many of the other toothpastes I like.

I purchased mine at Mertz Apothecary in Chicago – here’s what their website says about it:

A natural toothpaste formulated using Certified Organic Herbal Extracts using supercritical fluid extraction. It is a unique blend of herbs including Certified organic neem and pomegranate. Neem, the twigs of which were used for thousands of years to clean teeth, gives this formulation its sparkle. Pomegranate helps promote healthy gums. You will smile brightly from the results, a fresh feeling mouth, polished teeth and healthy gums!

About Himalaya:

You can purchase Chow Down on Amazon or at Whole Foods or add it to your Netflix queue – it’s not available quite yet but you can save it for now.

Easy steps in cutting down home toxins

Although pollution, nutrition, and outdoor issues take up much of the environmental debate, indoor air quality is also a major issue. Keeping toxins out of the home and keeping this indoor air quality at a safe level is of major importance to families all over. By taking some of these holistic and easy steps around the house, we can cut down on health risks like mesothelioma, respiratory problems, and other forms of cancer.

Keeping some parts of nature inside the house can be a great way to cut down on the toxins inside your home. Plants thrive and kill off many of these toxins that can easily spread throughout the home. A couple of the best plants for improving air quality around the home are the areca palm and the English ivy.

Keeping shoes in the garage or constantly wiping them before coming in from outside is another way to cut down on the toxins in your home. If you aren’t used to doing this, it may take a while to adjust, but doing so can be very beneficial for the home. Often times wearing shoes into the house can continue to make floors dirty, as well as also possibly tracking pesticides in. Continued exposure to pesticides can lead to some severe health risks such as skin irritation and they can be particularly harmful to young children.

Keeping your windows open as much as possible is another great way to improve the air quality around the house. Many people often look to get fresh air in the house, but doing so is also removing the stale air that’s been sitting around inside for long periods of time. A number of toxins could be floating around for days at a time.

Some older homes may be at risk of asbestos in their insulation. Asbestos was used as a common material until the 70’s and 80’s when earlier exposure started leading to cases of mesothelioma. With mesothelioma life expectancy being a severe average of one year following diagnosis, officials started to ban the use of asbestos in structures. Some older homes may still contain this toxin in their insulation, so having them checked for this material can be extremely beneficial. Luckily, there are also a number of suitable, cheap, and sustainable alternatives in insulation such as foam spray and cotton fiber.

These are just a few of the easy ways to improve indoor air quality around the home. Of course many of these toxins can be dangerous, so taking some of these steps can certainly cut down on the risk of health problems, while making the house more sustainable and energy efficient.

*About the author:

Krista is an aspiring writer and recent graduate from the University of Central Florida. As a Health and Safety Advocate, she shares a strong passion for the wellness of others in our community and for the environment. Krista uses her writings to spread awareness of such issues to help encourage others to live the healthiest and most eco-friendly life possible.

Chicago now has these cool bike rental stations!  I had heard about them on the news and was pleasantly surprised to run into a bank of them in Daley Plaza.  How very European of us to have this great system for locals and tourists alike to rent bikes for a ride around town.  I have yet to look into the cost but I’m definitely pretty excited about these new additions to the city!

Here’s all the info you’ll need:

Bike sharing has arrived in Chicago!  Chicago B-cycle, operated by Bike and Roll Chicago, offers residents and visitors an entirely new, and green, way of exploring of the city.  With B-cycle, Chicago joins Denver, Colorado; Montreal, Canada; and cities throughout Europe in offering bike-sharing to the public.  Chicago B-cycle is designed to make all your short excursions fun and healthy. Simply check out a B-cycle when you need one, and return it to any open station when you arrive at your destination. It’s quick, easy, affordable, and kind to the environment! With both monthly and day pass options available, riders can easily check out a bike at one of six convenient ’B-stations’ located in and around downtown: John Hancock Center, Michigan Ave. & Delaware Pl. Daley Plaza, Dearborn St. & Washington St. Buckingham Fountain, Columbus Dr. & Congress Pkwy. Shedd Aquarium, Museum Campus McCormick Place, 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive 541 Fairbanks Court at Grand Ave.   Bikes may be dropped off at any location above, or at Bike and Roll Chicago’s rental stations at Navy Pier, North Avenue Beach and Millennium Park.  Visit www.chicagobcycle.com to download a map of B-stations and a FREE iPhone app (coming soon…) showing bike locations and availability.

Dates: Jul 30, 2010 – Oct 31, 2010

Hours: Daily, 5 am – 10 pm

Location: Daley Plaza (and other locations) Dearborn St. & Washington St. Chicago, IL 60602

Admission: Temporary Pass – purchase with credit card at any B-station and pay as you go. $10 for the first hour, $5 for every additional half hour; Maximum charge per day is $40; Temporary Pass begins at time of checkout and expires once bike is returned   Monthly Memberships – First hour is FREE; $2.50 per additional 30 minutes; maximum charge per day is $40. Membership fees are as follows: 30 days: adults $35; students/seniors $25; 60 days: adults $45; students/seniors $35; 90 days: adults $55; students/seniors $45; Subscribe online at www.chicagobcycle.com.

Website: For additional information please visit, http://www.chicagobcycle.com

I use raw cacao powder to make hot chocolate and I add cacao nibs to my smoothies!