A Workshop on Daily Homemade Products

The last time I went to a wellness workshop was two years back. Kefir and other homemade probiotics brews, homemade facial cream, raw and vegan food were the line-up.

The thing I like about these kind of workshops is I get to listen to people's stories on what propelled them to change their lifestyle. And how changing their lifestyles, diet and habits gave them back their health and life. Though what they promote and share may not agree with my condition and lifestyle, there are tips to be learned. I can tweak and change the recipes/tips to suit my condition.

On 7th of April 2018, I went to another workshop and this time the talk was about homemade daily products. The product that caught my attention was sunscreen. Hair pomade was the other product that was demonstrated.

There were two speakers. One of them was my music college mate Sharon Chong, whom I've known for 20 years. She shared about make-up and beauty products which contain no artificial fragrances, petrochemicals, nano particles, phthalates, gluten, talc, bismuth, parabens and artificial dyes. 

It was held in a church as MamaJ Kim is also a pastor of the church.

All participants of the workshop were given homemade honeycomb soap (made by MamaJ Kim) as a doorgift.

Preparing for the workshop.

The second speaker (the main speaker) was MamaJ Kim. She makes a lot of homemade stuff. She gives classes on how to make homemade soap, homemade probiotics (kefir/kombucha and others), homemade daily products and many more. I found out that she's also a TV food consultant!

I've known Sharon for over 20 years. I can honestly say that the 7th of April was the best she's ever looked ever since I've known her. She was always sickly-skinny. She's allergic to her own sweat. And she's had very, very, very bad skin. It's in her family genes. She's had acne since she was 9. She was on antibiotics and all-sorts-of-acne medications for 20 over years. A few years back, she stopped all the antibiotics and medications. For a year her skin was fine. She thought maybe life had finally decided to give her a break. Little did she know what life had in store for her.

She shared that all those years of medications which suppressed her acne finally exploded. The outbreaks were too horrific for words. She looked like a burnt victim. She said only a small portion of her face around her eyes was what was left of Sharon Chong. The rest was a stranger. She tried products after products after products. Nothing worked. Then the pain came. She's also had rheumatism since she was a child. And she's got scoliosis. Pain became her constant companion. Her life literally disintegrated before her eyes.

Now many of you would ask, why does she still need make-up? Just let the damn skin be! She's a performer. A professional musician. That's her career. It's her rice bowl. Would you hire a female-Freddy Kruger looking musician to perform for you? Exactly. Plus the harsh lights on the stage can literally cook you. I know what I'm talking about. The make-up acts as a protective layer.

She shared that before she found Young Living make-up/beauty products, she would time her rush-home-to-remove-make-up after her performances. If she was late in rushing home, that was it for her skin. And she had thrown away many make-up and beauty stuff away as they didn't agree with her skin. As she practices zero wastage, that really irked her. Not to mention lots of money going down the drain.

Since she started with Young Living, she said she's in the process of healing. She's also switched to chemical-free household cleaning stuff. She realised that her cat called Bagheera had diarrhoea, non-stop sneezing, watery eyes and squinted a lot whenever she cleaned her house using the chemical-laden cleaning products. Since she started using the chemical-free stuff, her cat no longer suffers. I guess her cat saved her in a sense. 

Although I do not use make-up, I was very interested in finding out what she was up to as I'm sure many of you who are in the same boat as me are interested in going about in life as chemical-free as possible. There are always new things to learn everyday.

Sharon's stash of make-up products.

The make-up demo. This was the first time I saw Sharon in action as a make-up artist!

Sharon does make-up as a side job too. And she wants to share with others on looking beautiful without harsh chemicals. 

MamaJ Kim demonstrating on how to make chemical-free sunscreen. 

MamaJ Kim shared that many years ago, one of her daughters suddenly fell very ill and became bedridden. No one knew what was wrong with her. They went to many doctors and yet there was no answer. 

If I remember correctly, she said that her sister and niece are in the medical line in Canada. One of them is a DNA specialist (if I remember correctly). They found out that 3 years of working in a paint factory had resulted in poison seeping into her blood stream. That caused her gut to leak and it affected her brain! It was then that one of MamaJ Kim's friend shared with her about going chemical free and about Young Living. They threw out everything chemical from their house. They started to eat healthily. They cut sugar out. And there has been no turning back ever since. Her daughter is no longer bedridden and has recovered a lot. She's a living miracle. She was there at the workshop helping MamaJ Kim! 

One of the ingredients which was used in the homemade products - shea butter. 

The container on the left is the homemade hair pomade. The one on the right is the sunscreen. 

If you're interested in learning chemical-free homemade stuff, there's a number to contact at the pamphlet in one of the pictures above. You can omit the essential oils out from the recipes if you're against/unable to tolerate them. If you're interested in hiring musicians/band/make-up artist for your functions, contact me and I will let Sharon know.

Product Review (4) - Nellie's All-Natural Laundry Soda

One blue scoop is all you need.

When I got my front loading HE washing machine, I had to look everywhere for a laundry detergent which was not perfumed AND suitable for my HE washing machine. The one that I had been using wasn't suitable for the HE machine. It foamed up to the point that it almost overflowed out from every outlet of the machine.

I found Nellie's All-Natural Laundry Soda at ACE Hardware for RM109+. It can wash 100 loads. 1 load is RM1.09. I think that is reasonable. And the clothes have no fragrance at all.

The ingredients are coconut oil based surfactants, sodium carbonate (soda ash), sodium metasilicate, fatty alcohol ethoxylate and sodium chloride.

Like I said, when I find something suitable, the universe will go all out against me. ACE Hardware has discontinued importing this product. All their old stocks are sold at 50%. I went to whatever outlets that still had this product and bought it all. That will at least give me some time to look for a new one.

Verdict: It has no smell, no foam - perfect for a HE washing machine.

Thermomix Millet Flakes

I have craved for corn flakes for a very long time.

Crave is an understatement.

PICA is more like it. 

The ones sold at the grocery stores have added flavourings, colourings and the usual ingredients that I can't have.

And then when I find the ones I can have, they are loaded with SUGAR!

So when I saw this in the grocery store, the wheels in my brain turned and I knew I had to try to make my own MILLET FLAKES!

 Ingredients:

1. 1000gm water
2. 260gm millet flakes
3. 5gm sea-salt

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1. Place all ingredients into the TMX jug.

2. Set 6 minutes/90C/speed2.5.

3. Once it is lumpy and thick, it is done.

4. Line baking tray with baking paper.

5. Spread paste onto baking tray as thinly as possible.

6. Preheat oven to 180C.

7. Bake for approximately 1 1/2 hours.

8. Turn the whole sheet of millet over. Certain parts underneath will still be soft.

9. Bake for another hour. The whole sheet will be crunchy and crispy.

10. Allow to cool.

11. Break the millet sheet into small pieces.

12. Keep it in an airtight container.

Bon apetit!

Product Review (2) - Ecover Washing-Up Liquid

 Today's product review is Ecover washing-up liquid.

Chamomile & Marigold

Lemon & Aloe Vera
(I did not realise that this picture is the product BEFORE the latest ones. The ones I bought do not have FRAGRANCE as in the picture above.)

This is the one I have, the older version.

I have been using these for years now. They are gentle on the hands. The smell is very, VERY faint and that was what caught my attention. It hardly had any smell.

When I first bought this many, MANY years ago, it was only approximately about RM15 for 1 litre. Now it costs RM23+ at many supermarkets and hardware shops. But ACE Hardware is still selling this for RM20+.

*The ingredients are plant-based. They are DI water (deionized water), sodium lauryl sulfate which is derived from plant oil (coconut oil), lauryl/myristyl glucoside which is derived from plant sugars and oils, ethanol which is from fermented plant sugars, sodium chloride (salt), glycerin from vegetable oil, sodium citrate from plant sugars, citric acid derived from fermented plant sugars and T-butyl alcohol which is from fermented plant sugars.

*taken from HERE

Apparently they have a fragrance-free wash liquid but I've never seen this in Malaysia.

Not only do I use these two for my dishes, I use them for my bathrooms. Yes, I use them to wash the bathrooms! They work very well. 1 litre can last for 9 months! After every wash, the bathrooms do not smell as though they got bombed by chemical-fragrance bombs. And they clean the bathrooms very well. No residue and no smell!

Unfortunately, when I find something suitable, the universe will go all out against me. Products are either discontinued or have their ingredients changed.

The revamped products: IMPROVED FRAGRANCE!

I don't know how strong the scents are. I haven't taken a whiff of the new improved versions. I have not bought the new ones as I still have a lot of the old ones.

I might have to start scouting for new smell-free washing up liquid with reasonable prices.

Verdict: The old version was awesome. No comments/feedback on the new ones.

Product Review (1) - Jack N' Jill Natural Toothpaste

I will be doing some product reviews as I come across "safe", "fragrance-free" and "chemically-free" products being sold out there.

My review is my opinion. You can disagree. You can pound your keyboard and scream in disagreement. You can even send in your disagreements.

But if you choose to buy and experiment, you are responsible for your own experiments. Please use wisdom and common sense when you try anything new. Just because I can use/eat/smell it, do not think that you too will be able to. My immune system and yours are different and no two persons' immune system are the same.

Today's product review is Jack N' Jill Toothpaste.

The ingredients are xylitol, purified water, vegetable glycerin (coconut derived), silica, xantham gum, potassium sorbate (naturally derived) and citric acid.

According to what is written on the tube, it's safe to be swallowed. It is also SLS (sodium laureth sulfate) free. It has no fluoride, no sugar, no artificial colour and no parabens.

The gel is transparent/translucent.

When I used it for the first time, my eyes went as big as goldfish eyes. It was sooooooooo sweet! Hey, I thought that it stated "No Sugar?" I read the ingredients again and saw xylitol. Well, *xylitol is a sugar substitute and is used in "sugar-free" candies and sweets. It has a low glycemic index, fewer calories and doesn't spike blood sugar/insulin. The sweetness turned me off.

The price factor was another turn off. For 50gm it costs a whooping RM31.70!!! That was the first and last time I would ever buy this. It's too damn expensive. With RM31.70, I could buy one and a half free-range chicken!

Some salicylate-sensitive people might not be able to tolerate the coconut derived vegetable glycerin. Many cannot tolerate coconut. Vegetable glycerin is from the oil and coconut oil is HIGH in salicylate.

My verdict? A waste of money and WAY TOO SWEEEEET!


*taken from Xylitol - Everything You Need To Know

Home Sprout Mung Bean Sprouts

Mung bean sprouts are low in salicylates. And they are my favourite type of sprouts. But I dislike the sprouts that are sold in the supermarkets. Even the ones in the organic shops. They all have a particular 'smell'. They tend to smell very sour.

And so that was how I started to sprout my own mung bean sprouts.

I searched the Internet for the best way to sprout as most of the commercial ones are grown with chemicals and gasses in 500 galloon machines. (click here)

There are various ways and methods to home-sprouting. But I found that this method which I used, suited me very well.

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Ingredients:

1. 400gm of organic mung bean sprouts
2. A container with a tray
3. Tap water

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1. Wash the beans thoroughly with water and check for spoilt or rotten beans.

2. Soak the beans overnight in a large bowl. Make sure all the beans are submerged in the water.

3. Drain the beans throughly and empty the beans into the tray+container.
(*You may use the water to water your plants. Apparently, it has nutrients in it)

4. Place the tray+container of beans away from direct sunlight and in room temperature.

5. Rinse the beans every 6 to 10 hours.

6. In about 3 to 5 days, you will have fresh, delicious and poison-free home-sprout bean sprouts!

This was what I bought.

They started sprouting after the 1st day itself!

Look at those tails!

Look at all those beauties! 

All cleaned up and ready to be cooked!

I divided them and kept them in 3 different bags. Make sure that they are dried before you keep them in the bags. Otherwise they will rot. Make sure you remember to keep the bags of sprouts IN THE FRIDGE! Otherwise, they will grow moldy and your effort will be wasted.

I stir fried one packet with garlic and cooked another with fried bee hoon and added another packet to a home-made noodle chicken soup!

Go ahead and sprout! You will not regret it.

Happy sprouting!

Chemical Free

When I clicked on Google search to look for the definition of 'chemical free', I found the most laughable statements.

Before I go into that, let's get to the basics. Let's have a look at Wikipedia's definition of 'chemical free'. 'Chemical free is a term used in marketing to imply that a product is safe, healthy or environmentally friendly because it only contains natural ingredients. The term is a misnomer, as nothing that physically exists is free of chemicals.'

In my opinion, this term 'chemical free' has been misused and has misled many people. Many times when I go into organic marts, they have descriptions about their products being chemical free AND organic. In that case, anyone who uses their products can be akin to be drinking from the fountain of youth, health and immortality!

So what does chemical free actually connotes?

Chemical

The word chemical, according to the Collins English Dictionary, can be defined as a noun where it is a substance with a distinct molecular composition that is produced by or used in a chemical process. According to the American Heritage Science Dictionary, chemical can also be defined as an adjective where it is relating to or produced by means of chemistry.

So chemical is a material which is produced by or used in reaction which involves changes in the atoms and molecules structure.

So in other words, WE are chemicals too! Why? Because most of the composition of the human body is made up of water! Human cells consist of 65 to 90 percent of water. Which is H2O. And if I recall correctly, my chemistry teacher taught us that hydrogen IS a type of chemical. And almost 99 percent of the mass of our human body is made up of oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus. (Click here.)

Man-Made Chemicals

So man became smarter (lazier and greedier, in my opinion). Man in all their ingenuity came up with ideas in tweaking the DNAs of chemicals and combining them and thus made potent fertilisers, herbicides, pesticides, bombs and explosives, food stabilisers, preservatives, artificial colourings, artificial flavourings, artificial fragrances, detergent with toxic ingredients, softeners and many more to make life easier and more profitable. Everything is instant, express and with-no-effort. Which results in man becoming sicker and weaker in the immune system as the days go by.

I am sure that when people say that they are selling chemical-free products, they mean that they are free of the list above. Right? And for your information, naturally derived and natural flavouring is NOT chemical free either. Anything that is processed has gone though a chemical processing stage. (That will be discussed in another post.)

Thus, when I say that I try to live a 'chemical-free' life as much as possible and use 'chemical-free' stuff as much as possible and eat 'chemical-free' food as much as I can, it means that I try to eat food which has no or little fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides. I also try as much as I can to eat food with no food stabilisers, perservatives, artificial colourings, artificial flavourings, MSG, food conditioner, and food additives. I make my food fresh, from scratch. From the barest of basics. And I try to use products that has as little artificial fragrance as possible or fragrance-free products or products with the least toxic ingredients.

So in my humble, little opinion there is no such thing as 'chemical free'. It depends on how much contamination where the toxic chemicals are concerned and how stringent and honest the people who make the products are. So if they screw up, WE are screwed up. But then again, isn't the air that we breathe in everyday, every minute and every second toxic? Maybe we should start selling 'chemical-free air' in oxygen tanks! I reckon I could be richer than that Facebook guy!!!! *Ahem*

My chemically fueled life is an interesting read. So is chemical-free nonsense.

So I guess Superman was a chemically sensitive person too (with all his bulging muscles, super-spectacular-Herculean strength and laser eyes). Krypton is a chemical element after all!

Anyone up for some chemical free flower pots, chemical free mattress, chemical free water and chemical free shaving?