healthy home

Well, we're still in blog limbo here, awaiting our new, updated one that all of you will absolutely LOVE! Had we already been posing on it, we'd be boasting some deliciously healthy and beautiful V-day-esque dessert that would put those chocolates you received to shame!!

But we're not.

So, we're using this Hallmark-made day as an excuse to pay tribute to our significant others...

To our Valentines:

Will...

Doug...

and Sam...

...thank you for loving us through your unconditionally support and belief in our mission. We think y'all are really neat...

And to all of our followers, without you, we'd just be talking to the www all day...! We love you!

"Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been fathered by God and knows God." John 4:7

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SHOP NOW!

Posted in healthy home By TB Admin | 292 Comments

When we give workshops and do healthy-home consultations, we emphasize the importance of adding nutrient-dense greens and good oils to your family's diet. We also encourage moms to cut steer clear of sugar - especially artificial sweeteners. But there's a whole other food subject that needs to be addressed. Perhaps the biggest no-no's of all are artificial food dyes.

Post soccer game, moms - perhaps begrudgingly - dole out the much-anticipated treats to assuage a hungry mass of youngsters. It's pretty easy to justify: "the other moms do it", "we have to give in every once in a while", "they can't be that bad if it's allowed on the shelves..."

But have you ever wondered exactly how Skittles, Red Velvet cupcakes, Gatorade and Rainbow Gold Fish get their color? Hint: it's not from naturally-derived sources. No, it's chemical-laden food dyes that can be found in the ingredient list under names like Blue 2 Lake, Red 40, FD&C Orange No. 1 and so forth.

Allow me to share a snippet of Jennifer Taylor's recent guest post on the Healthy Child Healthy World blog:

Popsicles, cookies, candy, soda, chips. My kids love after game snacks. Those treats are almost the reason they play sports. It starts off as a nice congratulatory snack and usually ends in tears. For me! They are bouncing off the walls. Don’t yell at your sister. Do not hit your brother! Why are you both crying? Go to your rooms!...What kid doesn’t like a brilliant red colored beverage after a game? Red #40 is a dye that is linked to aggressive, irrational behavior. A few days before my son’s meltdown, I got to witness his normally calm, sweet friend go into a rage about 30 minutes after swigging a can of crap with Red 40, Blue 1, caramel color, sodium benzoate on their list of ingredients. Oh yeah, there was also vitamin C added to this drink. I suppose it was a nice gesture from the manufacturer to add some vitamins , except that vitamin c and sodium benzoate when mixed together create benzene, a known carcinogen. Not exactly what I had in mind for hydration.

According to Taylor, "Yellow #5 and Red #40...are both azo dyes and they are made from coal tar. A Consumer’s Dictionary of Food Additives describes coal tar as a “thick liquid or semisolid tar obtained from bituminous coal, it contains many constituents including benzene, xylenes, naphthalene, pyridine, quinonlineoline, phenol, and cresol”(Winter, 2009, P. 166). What the heck are those? They cause cancer."

Enough said.

Taylor notes that the Los Angeles Unified School District has recently banned sulfites, artificial red dye #40, and yellow dye #5. Let's not wait until our schools take action for our own children's health.

So go ahead, be the mom who's known for passing out real food. And, look on the bright side: the choices are ever-growing as companies like Annie's, Sharkies, Late July, and Earth's Best that don't use preservatives, hydrogenated oils or artificial colorings. You can also purchase natural food dyes like these to bake those special b-day treats. But let's not forget that God-given foods like Beets can be a wonderfully colorful alternative to those nasty chemicals! Found out how to use them here.

Posted in healthy home By TB Admin | 528 Comments

Posted in healthy home By TB Admin | 14 Comments

Until June 24th only, Austin Air is offering $25 off of their top purifer, the Bedroom Machine, and we're pleased to pass this discount on to our customers!

The National Sleep Foundation Bedroom Machine by Austin Air is the same system developed for research at Johns Hopkins University Medical School with the most advanced filter system available for a good night's sleep. “This is a very sophisticated bedroom air purification system, made by one of the most-reputable manufacturers in the industry,” says National Sleep Foundation CEO David M. Cloud.

The first bedroom purifier to carry the National Sleep Foundation name, the Bedroom Machine features an innovative five-stage filtration system including 60 sq. ft. of certified HEPA filter and Austin Air's unique HEGA carbon cloth filter. The Bedroom Machine captures the full spectrum of indoor airborne pollutants, relieving respiratory stress so that you can sleep.

You've probably heard us say time and tme again that good sleep is crucial to good health. When you sleep your body is repairing and rejuvenating, which is essential for healthy organs and immunity. However, if it is under stress from chemicals, mold spores, dust, and other allergens then your body simply can't rest. Instead it spends the night detoxifying and fighting off pollutants.

When you sleep in a clean air environment, though, your body can get adequate rest, leaving you feeling refreshed when you wake up and with more resistance against the pollutants you come in contact with throughout the day!

If you have allergies, asthma, ADD or ADHD, have recently remodeled or moved into a brand new home, have a mold or musty mildew problem, are suffering from an extreme chronic illness, then it would be in your best interest to invest in a quality air purifier for your bedroom.

Posted in healthy home By TB Admin | 2 Comments

We're pretty pumped about Houston's first non-toxic paint and coatings store, The Green Painter. It's a store full of wonderful hues and a knowledgeable staff who can tell you anything and everything you need to know about painting...the healthy way. The concept is revolutionary and will undoubtedly spark a domino effect across the country as the toxic effects of conventional paint are becoming more well known.

So what prompted this greenius concept?! We'll let Houston's Culturemap take that one:

In 2002, [Monte] Large, [one of the Green Painter founders] was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. "I had no family history of it," he said. "I did some research and found out that other classmates of mine — painters in their twenties — had it as well, and I wondered what was going on."

The coincidences were too dire to ignore. Process of elimination led him to draw a link between the toxic chemicals in the paint to which he'd been exposed his entire life and his condition. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that some of the chemicals used in common paints causes cancer in laboratory animals.

It was enough for Large to campaign for safer, less poisonous options for consumers.

Pretty incredible story, huh? Should be enough to make you think twice before painting your new home, baby's nursery or remodeled kitchen with the "bad stuff". You'll find the non-toxic way is just as effective, has the same expansive color options...all without the toxic side effects.

The grand opening is today, Saturday, from 2-5 with refreshments and healthy snacks provided by Snap Kitchen and the Fruit Palette! Come join the fun at 6115 Kirby, in the Rice Village.

Photos courtesy of Culturemap. Click here for their full article.

Posted in healthy home By TB Admin | 5 Comments

We'll be at Houston's D E F I N E on West Gray from 1-2:30 giving a workshop called "Healthy Home, Healthy Body". It's going to be super informative and we'll have discounted products there that will suit all your clean home and body needs! Also, if you join us, you'll receive a 10% off coupon code that you can use toward any purchase on our site. Here's the write-up on the event:

Saturday, March 5th from 1pm – 2:30pm.  River Oaks.  $30

Join Kelly and Allison the first weekend in March (just in-time for spring cleaning!) and learn information that will empower you to significantly change your health for the better!

Kelly and Allison, the founders of Three Branches Healthy Living, understand the ill effects that toxins have on our health and have witnessed first hand the rejuvenation that comes from their removal. They believe in the body’s unparalleled ability to repair itself and work with you to uncover potential blocks to healing found in our environment and diet in order to facilitate this innate healing process.

This workshop will review the role of both environment and diet and help you determine ways to live a clean, and therefore healthy, lifestyle. Some topics that will be discussed include:

* What’s the real deal on toxins? Learn shocking facts regarding our current “toxic load” and why addressing it is ever-crucial for you and your family.

* Do toxins really affect our health? Understand (with the help of Dr. Oz!) the connection between chemicals and health symptoms (weight gain, “allergies”, infertility, PMS, menopause symptoms, kidney/liver damage, cancer, etc.)

* How are we exposed to these toxins? Identify common sources of household toxins and learn how to avoid them.

* How can I make changes yet still live the life I know and love? Discover easy, inexpensive alternatives to your favorite home and body products and ways to tackle toxins one step at a time.

* What foods and/or supplements are best for me? Find out simple dietary recommendations and learn what to look for in your supplements, focusing on those that target women’s health.

* Q & A and Products: Get answers to your health questions and have the chance to purchase the best, purest home and body products available…at a special Define discount!

To register for this workshop with Allison and Kelly, click here.

Posted in healthy home By TB Admin | 2 Comments

First off, we would like to thank all of you who have made comments on the blog in the past! After realizing a problem with the comment system, we FINALLY read all of the comments our readers have left us. (Some from a while back!)  We can't tell you how much all the ecouraging words mean to us. Please keep them coming!

We want to encourage you to comment on the blog more often now that we have fixed the problem....now your comments will actually show up instead of seeminly getting lost in cyber space after you hit the "submit" button!

We would love for you to ask questions about any of our posts. And if you have put some of our recommendations into practice or bought products from us, then please share your experiences and feedback with us.

We love to hear about even the smallest changes that people make in their daily lives to help create a healthier home and healthier body!

Posted in healthy home By Kelly | 5 Comments

If you're in Houston, come join us next Saturday, March 5th at Houston's hottest workout studio, DEFINE! Because we're constantly bombarded by toxins found in our air, water, food and personal care products, our goal is to empower you to significantly decrease the toxic "load" that keeps you from achieving health and vitality.

We'll be discussing the effects of common household toxins, how to rid of them and offer some great, easy alternatives. Then we'll move to some simple dietary suggestions that will leave you feeling light and energized! Finally, bring on your health questions and let us guide you to the supplements that best fit your personal needs.

Many of the home and body products we discuss will be there for you to purchase and take home, including whole-food supplements, shower/bath filters, non-toxic cleaning products, etc.

We've experienced first hand the amazing results of lessening this unhealthy burden and are assured that you will leave informed, empowered and ready to live a cleaner, healthier lifestyle! Trust us, you DON'T want to miss it!

Click here to sign up and go to the "WORKSHOPS" tab on the right. See you at 1 on Saturday, March 5th! Here's the flyer about the event:

Posted in healthy home By TB Admin | 2 Comments

I finally got around to vacuuming the blinds in my office this morning, and I was reminded once again after previously vacuuming my bedroom blinds, how dust is full of contaminants that affect us without us realizing it. As soon as I disturbed the dust, the room was filled with a fragrant aroma. My friend and I couldn't believe it. It smelled like years of candles, perfumes, and shampoos were being released into the air.

In a way, that is what was happening. Research has shown that some of the most dangerous chemical pollutants actually ride on dust. And that includes both fragrant and non fragrant pollutants! In fact, the ones that don't smell and can keep people from healing are called SVOC’s (Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds). These ride on dust and do not have an odor.  SVOC’s from plasticizers, biocides, pesticides, flame-retardants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) are very dangerous and are an insidious under miner of health.

Many people live in homes with high levels of these SVOC’s unaware of their presence since there is no odor. An indication that SVOC’s may be a problem is the inability to heal from chronic illness, chemical and EMF injury even after extensive therapies and measures. Dust testing that can reveal the SVOC’s present in the home is available and can therefore alert the owner so that appropriate action and/or remediation measures may be taken. Thankfully, thorough HEPA vacuuming will reduce your exposure to SVOC’s immediately! (Read more in our article "Using Your HEPA Vacuum".)

A quality HEPA vacuum like the Nilfisk GM80 and the Nilfisk Family Vac are not the cheapest things on the market, but they are an incredibly smart investment. They are built to last for decades and they can suck up decades of chemical residues! Marilee has story after story of clients with asthma and allergies as well as more severe illnesses that have seen major improvements in their health after using a Nilfisk vacuum to clean up their home. If you or someone you know is ill and can afford a Nilfisk, I would seriously consider taking the plunge. I honestly believe you would be doing yourself or them a favor by purchsing or recommeding it. If you are chemically senstive then this is the best vacuum for you. That is our standard for products after all... if it proves to be safe and effective for the chemically senstive then it is the safest and most effective product out there for everyone. 

Read our Learn: Hepa Vacuum section to learn more about why choosing a vacuum cleaner is a bigger decision than you think. And feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

And next time you see dust bunnies piling up in corners or underneath furniture, don't ignore it .... Actually, don't even let it get to that point. Instead, become a frequent HEPA vacuumer :)

Posted in healthy home By Kelly | 1464 Comments