Month: August 2016

The Benefits of Bokashi for Pets

Bokashi bran can help dogs, cats, and other animal companions live healthier, chemical-free lives and reduce their carbon paw prints. I would never have discovered bokashi if it weren’t for our tuxedo cat, Max.

We live in a suburban subdivision on what was once high, arid prairie southeast of Denver. For years I’ve successfully composted Max’s used pine pellet (animal bedding) litter along with food scraps in a trench. Composting requires two parts nitrogen/green/food scraps to one part carbon/brown/litter sawdust. I stored the green and the brown outdoors in separate buckets.

While the smell of the litter was easy to contain, stockpiling food scraps in warm weather had a high ick factor. When I opened a “ripe” food bucket, the smell was overwhelming. Plus the rotting green waste attracted flies. And my neighbor’s back door is just yards away.

While searching for natural solutions, I ran across an age-old practice so effective, I can’t believe that I’d passed it by for years just because of its odd-sounding name – bokashi. After throwing together my first batch of bran mix, my storage problems were solved and I was hooked. Thanks, Max!

Fermenting Versus Rotting

Bokashi bran ferments waste instead of letting it rot into putrid blobs. When you cover banana peels, tough asparagus stems and filters full of coffee grounds covered with bran they keep their shapes but morph into “food zombies” – Bizaro Superman images of themselves covered with white fuzzy mold.

Happily, the scraps no longer emit greenhouse gasses, so they no longer stink and attract flies. But they are degraded on the inside and compost in my trench much more quickly. I haven’t had problems with vermin, and I’ve run across reports that waste processed using bokashi bran repels rodents investigating compost piles.

Bokashi is simply pickling – anaerobic digestion on steroids. Cheeses, beer, wine, and sauerkraut are among the many foods that are produced through a similar manipulation of good, aggressive microbes that thrive in airless environments. The process is clean and high speed. The uber-microbes in the mix leave a mildly acidic scent.

Making and using bokashi bran is not complicated and the learning curve is a fairly short one. I’ve included a recipe below for the mix below. You’ll find pages of online posts explaining how bokashi bran can eliminate costly and environmentally unfriendly products, including fertilizers, drain cleaners, and septic sanitizers. But bokashi is especially helpful if you have pets, notably in the areas of odor elimination, probiotics, and diverting the waste they generate from landfills.

Cleaning Around Pets

If you’re using grain, paper, or wood-based litter, sprinkle a palm-full of the fermented grain into the litterbox before adding new litter. Your pet will stir up the bokashi and help activate its odor-fighting properties. The mix will also deodorize the bag or container holding the used litter. Beneficial microbes in bokashi bran don’t just cover odors, they actually suppress microbes that emit foul smells.

A little bokashi bran rubbed into a cat or dog beds will keep it smelling clean. Give your dog a good outdoor brushing while adding a bit of bokashi to freshen his or her coat. The fermented bran won’t hurt pets. It contains microbes that are all found in us and all around us in nature. Sprinkle the bran on the floor before vacuuming to eliminate pet odor on carpeting and in the vacuum bag.

Bokashi bran keeps gerbil, hamster, rabbit, and guinea pig cages fresh and speeds up composting the bedding. Want to perk up your koi? With a little research, you can find out how to clean your pond using straight EM or bokashi mud balls.

Probiotic for Healthy Digestion

We all know how good bacteria help the gut. Many bokashi enthusiasts add fermented bran to their bread and cereal. EM has a long history in animal husbandry. For generations, savvy farmers and ranchers have been helping to boost their livestock’s health by fermenting their feed or adding bokashi grain to their animals’ diets. I haven’t tried this yet with Max simply because I don’t dare ramp up his finicky threshold. But mix a bit with your dog’s favorite menu item, and chances are good that he or she will wolf it down.

If you compost using worms, then it’s not a stretch to say that red wigglers are your pets. Worms love scraps that have been pickled with bokashi and churn out more vermicompost and liquid feed/tea faster than they do with traditional food.

Bokashi Bran Recipe

Start with a mixture consisting of essential microorganisms (EM), a sugar source, grain, and water. You can buy the finished mix online or you make do it yourself. There are many bokashi mix recipes, but here’s a simple one. You can modify these portions to produce smaller or larger quantities.  I make 10 lb. each summer and use it year-round.

To make 10 lbs. of bokashi – thoroughly mix the following:

  • 4 Tbsp. EM-1
  • 4 Tbsp. molasses
  • 10 cups water
  • 10 lbs. bran

You can buy a bottle of EM-1 online, the molasses at the grocery store, and a 40-lb. bag of bran at a local feed supply store. The ingredients are inexpensive considering the bulk supply of bokashi they provide. I started by mixing five pounds of bokashi by hand in a clean cat litter bucket. It was fun! Kids would especially get a kick out of working this spongy material with a muffin dough fragrance. Cats rarely come when called, but Max always shows up when he smells fresh bokashi.

Tie the finished mixture in a tightly closed plastic bag so that it ferments, keep it in a dark lidded container for a month and voila – nice bokashi mix! You can use this freshly fermented bran for the next couple of weeks or air dry it, which will enable you to store it in an air-tight container for many months. To air-dry, simply spread the fresh, sandy-colored mix on a tarp for a few hours until it becomes a dark and grainy to the touch. You’ll want to do this on a warm, windless day.

Turning Pet Waste into Fertilizer

Give EM an airless hang-out and they quickly break down pet waste into carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and fundamental biology – nutrient-dense components that rejuvenate soil. This is why bokashi is a good option for recycling pet waste, even when you don’t have the space or the inclination to compost.

If you want a quick, space-saving, pet waste bokashi system, search online for commercial products that make it easy. Prefab containers with their pre-mixed cultures – usually EM-inoculated bagged grains – are more-or-less pricey, so consider your specific needs and return on investment.

An advantage of commercial kits is that they provide step-by-step instructions that will keep you out of trouble and get the job done. There are product lines that specifically address using bokashi to upcycle pet waste. One company offers a special pet waste accelerant concentrate and another features a mixture called “Dookashi.”

A highly promoted system for odorless fermenting features two stackable, 3 ½- gallon plastic buckets. Simply fill the top bucket with water and deposit pet waste while the full bucket on the bottom completes the cycle. Thirty pounds of dog waste can be finished in a single week. So it would take one average dog more than a month to fill a bucket. The bottom bucket “rests” before it is finished and ready for burial as a fertilizer for ornamental plants.

You can also try do-it-yourself methods that require some time and effort but little investment if you make your own bokashi bran. Here are three approaches that can be used for pet waste or any other organic waste

Bokashi Soup, Stew, or Lasagna

  1. “Bokashi soup”/submerge method (indoors or out):  Fill an airtight container to the half mark with a water containing bokashi mixture. Add waste. Cover and repeat. When the container is almost full, stop adding waste and wait for the degradation to finish. Pour residual fermented waste water – now liquid fertilizer – into a hole or trench, mix with soil, cover with additional soil.
  2. “Bokashi stew”/dry method (indoors or out):  Start with an airtight container. Put a divider in the bottom of the bucket (bokashi using this method doesn’t like to be sitting in its own liquid). Any perforated divider with a few inches of space in the bottom will work. A spigot on the bottom will enable you to drain off the tea (leachate). Add layers of waste covered with bokashi mix. Cover and repeat until full. Stop adding waste and wait for cycle completion. Use finished solid as a fertilizer. Siphon off tea and dilute with water (1:100) to use as a liquid/spray fertilizer.
  3. “Bokashi lasagna”/dry method (outdoors): Place any container with an open bottom on bare ground or make an enclosure on bare ground. Add a layer of waste covered with bokashi mix. Add 2-3 inches of dirt. Repeat until full. Stop adding waste and wait for cycle completion.

Whichever option you try, let the bokashi residue “rest” before using it as fertilizer for new plants. Fresh residue may be too strong to support root development and uptake, although it is useful as a starter for compost piles. Use carnivore waste residue to fertilize only non-edible plants. The material might contain stubborn pathogens that could contaminate fruits, vegetables, and herbs during harvesting.

Cold weather can temporarily stop outdoor bokashi recycling operations. You can ferment indoors – minimum 40° (4° C) optimum 70-100° F (21 and 38° C) – but you will need to eventually work a good bit of the residue into workable soil. So if you want the process to continue in a timely way, prepare a storage system that allows your project to function when temperatures dip.

Working with bokashi bran is like cooking – once you get the basics down, variations are as endless as your imagination. Invest a little time to explore this intriguing portal to pet sustainability.

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The Green Wonder: 5 Things You Want to Know About Matcha Tea

Organic Green Matcha Tea in a Bowl

Matcha tea is rapidly becoming a cult drink. Artisan coffee, Earl Grey, and generic green tea are all very popular in certain circles, but if you want to cause a stir at your next dinner party, offer your guests some Matcha tea.

So what is Matcha tea and what do you need to know about it?

Matcha is the preferred beverage of the rich and famous. Models drink Matcha shots at catwalk shows and health-conscious celebs such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Victoria Beckham buy jars of the stuff.

Matcha tea originates from Japan and for centuries, Matcha has been used in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies. The best Matcha tea comes from a very specific shade of green tea known as Tencha tea. It is well known for its health and wellness benefits, so if you are looking for a nutrient-rich beverage, Matcha tea is a good choice.

1. Match Tea Contains Caffeine

Unlike regular green tea, Matcha tea contains as much caffeine as a cup of brewed coffee. However, whereas drinking strong coffee will give you a serious buzz, a cup of Matcha tea promotes a sense of calm alertness. This is because Matcha tea contains a natural substance called I-theanine, which promotes relaxation. So if you need to chill, ditch the coffee and drink Matcha tea instead.

2. Matcha Offers Health Benefits

We all know green tea is good for us, but are you aware of how many health benefits you get from drinking Matcha tea? Matcha tea is made from whole leaves, so it contains much higher levels of nutrients. Matcha is an excellent source of antioxidants and some studies have found that Matcha can slow the growth of cancer cells.

3. It takes Ages to Make Matcha Tea

Grinding Matcha tea is a labor-intensive process. Traditional Matcha tea is ground using stone mills and it can take up to an hour to grind up to 40g of tea. Unfortunately, traditional tea grinding methods are the only way to make Matcha, as food processors and spice grinders would produce a different flavor of tea – and you probably would not like it half as much.

4. Lower Grade Matcha Tea May Be Contaminated

Tea plants in certain areas are exposed to pollution and may contain high levels of lead, so always buy the best grade of Matcha you can afford. High-quality Matcha tea products are more likely to be cultivated in rural areas free from contaminants.

5. Matcha Tea Powder is Very Versatile

Traditionally speaking, Matcha tea is prepared with a tea bowl and a bamboo broom, but you can use Matcha powder in your baking, for smoothies, and in lattes. (Although you lose many of the health benefits if you add it to cookie dough!) If you do decide to bake with Matcha powder, buy a cheaper product.

Part of the enjoyment of drinking Matcha tea comes from preparing it the traditional way, so have a Japanese tea making ceremony and enjoy your Matcha.

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Are You Struggling With Infertility? Donor Eggs Could Help

Many couples dream about starting a family together one day. They have long conversations into the night chatting about what their children might look like and grow up to be, who they’ll take after and how they’ll behave.

Fortunately, for most couples, getting pregnant is easy. They make the decision that they’re ready to have kids, start trying, and within several weeks or months, they receive the happy news.

For one in six couples in the USA, though, it doesn’t happen this way. Infertility is on the rise in the western world, and while there are some possible causes, there’s no cold, hard reason that wins out beyond age demographics.

Possible Causes of Infertility

An increase in harmful chemicals in the environment, the after-effects of the birth control pill, and sexually transmitted diseases, like chlamydia – these are all possible causes behind the rise in infertility.

Some experts believe that an increase in DDT can effect estrogen levels in women, so you’re strongly advised to consume only organic products. Another possible culprit is parabens. When a couple is trying to conceive, it’s recommended that you abstain from using certain hair dye products, body scrubs, soaps, and beauty products containing parabens.

If you don’t know by now, parabens are a type of preservative used to prevent the growth of bacteria. According to some fertility experts, they also have the ability to take on the characteristics of estrogen, which means that you could be getting too much of it. When your hormones are out of balance, your chances of creating healthy eggs or creating healthy sperm is reduced.

How do you know if a product has parabens in it? Well, unless it’s illegal, it will be listed on the label. Don’t be fooled into thinking it doesn’t contain parabens if you don’t see the exact word on its own. Sometimes it can be part of the word – like propylparaben, ethylparaben, and so on.

Since you’re reading Organic Lifestyle Magazine, I’m going to go ahead and assume that you’re pretty well informed on the negative effects of parabens by now and that you don’t use these types of products, anyway. But you should also be paying more attention to the house paints you use, the food you consume, and the artificial sweetener you put in your coffee. All of these have the power to throw your hormones out of whack and lead to temporary infertility, so look for natural sweeteners, organically grown food and fresh produce, and don’t eat anything from a can.

Delaying Childbearing Until Later in Life

It’s depressing but sadly true, as a woman, your chances of conceiving drop off dramatically after the age of 35 and a little bit more every year after that. With more and more women studying for a postgrad degree or wanting to climb their way up the career ladder, many delay having children until later on. Some couples cite an unstable economy, lack of job certainty, or contract positions without insurance benefits as reasons to hold off on starting a family. You would probably never find the right time to have kids if you over-analyzed it though. And you do have to face the cold, hard fact that the ticking biological clock is more than just a myth.

Dealing With Your Emotions

If you’re part of the demographic of would-be older parents experiencing problems with a low egg supply, you might try IVF (In-Vitro Fertilization). But IVF doesn’t always work for every couple. If you’ve been told that your own eggs aren’t viable for whatever reason, it’s a tough pill to swallow.

For a woman to find out she’ll never be able to conceive using her own eggs is one of the biggest blows she’ll ever have to deal with in life. Before you can even begin to contemplate the idea of using donor eggs, you’ll need to go through a lengthy period of dealing with your emotions.

Many women feel grief over the children that they will never have. The may even feel rage, envy, anger, or depression. Worrying about whether using a donor egg will make the child feel less like your own is also common. If you are suffering from infertility, you’re not alone and you do have options available. But dealing with your emotions first is vital, and this means being open with your partner at all times. You may find professional help and counsel useful, or techniques like mindfulness, meditation, and yoga to process and deal with your feelings, and prepare your mind and body for the next step.

Using Donor Eggs

There have been enormous advances in the field of modern fertility, which mean that you can now safely and comfortably use a donor egg for procreation. While your child won’t share your DNA, you can decide to use your partner’s sperm and select a donor with similar physical traits to yourself. If you’re worried about the child not feeling like yours, don’t; the bond between mother and child begins in the womb.

You’ll be carrying your child for nine months, feeling him grow and kick and even hiccup inside of you. You’ll give birth to him and nurse him. This child would never exist if it weren’t for you, so you’ll never have to feel as if he isn’t yours.

Using donor eggs is far from a new concept. In fact, it’s been around for more than three decades now, although the traditional procedure is changing. Until fairly recently the process was carried out with fresh donor eggs, but now using frozen donor eggs is gaining in popularity.

Thanks to new thawing protocols and “flash freezing” techniques, the success rates of the procedure with frozen donor eggs are now becoming higher. Flash freezing minimizes the chances of ice crystals forming on the eggs and therefore prevents them from getting damaged.

Fresh or Frozen Donor Eggs?

There are a few differences between the two which will help you decide whether you’ll choose fresh or frozen donor eggs. The largest factor will probably be the cost, and the second largest is time. Which is ironic really, seeing as the people who have the most money generally have the least time.

You might be wondering, if success rates are higher using fresh donor eggs, then why would you consider using frozen donor eggs? Well, beyond the fact that frozen eggs are starting to achieve results similar to that of fresh donor eggs, here are a few things you need to know:

Fresh Donor Eggs

Frozen Donor Eggs
A cycle of fresh donor eggs usually runs at around $28,000, including agency fee, medication, and IVF. A cycle of frozen donor eggs is around half the price, at $12,000 to $14,000.
Donor and recipient’s menstrual cycles need to be synched up to receive the donor egg at the right time Any problems with cycle synchronization are removed, as it only depends on the recipient’s cycle.
Donor needs to be chosen locally, so that she can go into the clinic for treatment and transfer. There is a wider selection of donors to choose from due to removed time pressure and national donor bank of samples.
Higher success rates (85%) Lower success rate (65%)

You and your partner will need to decide which option is going to work better for you. Choosing fresh donor eggs may slightly increase your chances, however some frozen donor egg clinics are now offering money back guarantees, as well as financing plans to encourage couples to choose frozen donor eggs as their fertility option.

Conclusion

If you’re suffering from infertility and thinking about researching national egg donor programs, the good news is, you have a lot of options available to you. Whichever option you choose, you’ll need to visit your local fertility clinic with your partner and participate in a pre-screening process, to discuss your medical history and your expectations.

Choosing frozen donor eggs will give you more options, and you can select your donor online and decide according to the factors that are important to you (such as eye and hair color, ethnicity, and even education levels). All donors are extensively medically screened to rule out any infectious diseases or medical problems.

You don’t always have control over the way things happen in life or the hand you’re dealt, but thanks to the modern age that we live in, you and your partner don’t have to give up on your dream of starting a family.

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10 Natural Remedies for Mosquito Bites – Infographic

girl with mosquito bite, scratching hand has motion blur

Have you ever had a mosquito bite that turned into a big, itchy bump? You may be surprised by the number of natural remedies you have lying around your home that can help stop the itch so the bite goes away faster.

This is especially important for kids who don’t yet fully understand the importance of not scratching a mosquito bite. Don’t spend money on toxic creams. Use one of these solutions you probably already have in your kitchen.

how to stop mosquito bite itch

Infographic courtesy of Mosquito Magnet.

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Not All Sugars Are the Same

Young beautiful woman choose between sweet cake and green apple - in the kitchen
Sugar, sugar everywhere, but what kind to eat? Head into the grocery store after a long day at the office (when you are ravenous and ready for dinner) and you’re bound to be tempted by the vast array of sweets stocking the shelves and aisles. Between all of the juice selections, smoothie flavors, fruit pyramids, dessert trays, and cereal choices, shopping for foods that not only support cleaner eating, while also allowing wiggle room for satisfaction, can be tricky. The good news is that with a little knowledge in your back pocket, you can easily choose sugar options that will not only boost your health but also provide you with a satiating sweet treat.

The Basics: How Much Sugar Should One Consume Daily?

According to the American Heart Association, women should consume no more than about six teaspoons or 100 calories of added sugar per day. Men, on the other hand, should limit their intake to no more than about nine teaspoons or 150 calories of added sugar a day. Six to nine teaspoons of sugar might not seem like a lot, especially when you consider how much some people consume on a regular basis. But what is key in this guideline is that it points out the restrictions on added sugars. Our diets include both naturally occurring and added sugars. Examples of naturally occurring sugars would be lactose found in unsweetened yogurt or milk and fructose found in whole foods such as fruit. Added sugars, however, are placed in foods to create a larger “wow” factor (or improved taste). Examples of foods that contain added sugars are usually sweetened yogurts, ice cream, candy, a large number of boxed cookies, and cheaply made “baked goods.” The question remains, though: if someone were to adjust the amount of added sugar they consumed to the amount suggested by the American Heart Association, how much naturally occurring sugar is allowed daily? “As long as the sugar is naturally found in food, such a dairy and grain products, there is not a limit,” explains Annie Tsang, Registered Dietitian at Elements Wellness Centre in Vancouver, BC. Of course, this is taking into account someone who is otherwise healthy and who has consulted a trusted health practitioner. With this in mind, when a person hits the aisles to grocery shop with the intention of buying healthier sources of sugar, knowledge is power. And it all begins with the basics.

Fructose, Glucose, Sucrose

Fructose, glucose, and sucrose are all important carbohydrate sources for our bodies, but they work differently, notes Tsang. Glucose: It plays a large role in our body’s functions because it is used as a main source of fuel. Tsang mentions that foods such as whole grains and starches contain long chains of glucose. “When consuming whole grains and starches, you are also ingesting a wide spectrum of nutrients, such as B vitamins and fibre,” Tsang says. Fructose: Generally speaking, fructose is found in fruits. “Unlike glucose, fructose does not have a direct effect to our blood sugar in response to insulin,” notes Tsang. In addition, she explains that when you eat whole foods containing fructose, such as fruits, you’re also consuming great nutrients, like fibre and antioxidants. Sucrose: Refined sugars contain sucrose. Sucrose is commonly referred to as table sugar. As our bodies metabolize foods, sucrose is broken down into both fructose and glucose molecules, which provides fuel for our body, explains Tsang. Between the fraternal triplets (fructose, glucose, and sucrose) which one should be avoided or more closely monitored? “Sucrose may be considered worse because foods containing added sucrose (i.e. candies, ice cream, and other sweets) are usually of no nutritional value,” says Tsang. Moreover, consuming too much refined sugar can increase the chance of dental cavities, obesity, and of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, notes Tsang.

Added Sugars Can Wreak Havoc on Our Bodies

Fructose is metabolized by our livers, while glucose can be metabolized by every cell in our body, states Chris Gunnars BSC of Authority Nutrition (a website dedicated to sharing nutrition information that is scientifically backed). Excessive amounts of processed fructose, which can be found in items such as syrupy drinks, has been shown to create something called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Not only is the liver at risk from too much refined fructose, but fructose can also cause us to feel less full, states Gunnars. The problem with feeling less satiated after we consume added fructose is that, shortly after, we want more calories. This strong desire for more calories (even after a substantial amount of non-nutritive, high caloric foods/drinks) can easily snowball into weight gain and health problems related to weight gain. Again, it’s worth noting that the harmful effects being discussed relate largely to added sugars, not the fructose found in fruits, which are real foods that make up a comparatively smaller foundation of fructose in our diet, states Gunnars. However, if one is diabetic or carb sensitive, caution should be given to all sugars (including fruits), and consulting with a health practitioner should be a priority, notes Gunnars. While consuming excess amounts of refined sugars can have a negative effect on your health, eating it in moderation is fine, unless you’ve been told otherwise by a health practitioner. “If consumed in moderation, all sugar forms help regulate our blood sugar and fuel our body”, Tsang explains.

But What About Sugar Addiction?

Many people love sugary treats, and physiologically, there is a reason behind the lust for sweets. “Our brain releases the ‘happy’ hormones when we consume sugar or new foods,” says Tsang. Many view their sugar cravings as an addiction. However, sugar addiction is not a formal term that a registered dietitian would use, explains Tsang. So if someone is feeling extremely drawn to sugary food more than anything else, what could be going on? Our brain and hormone function are extremely complex, but they always attempt to find balance and equilibrium. In a general sense, the more out of balance one is in terms of eating, the more he or she will crave sugar, says Tsang. “When we consume an excessive amount of sugar over a prolonged period of time, our brain asks for even more sugar to help give us that satisfied feeling because our body is already used to the new baseline of sugar consumption,” notes Tsang. At the end of the day, knowing what types of sugars to allow and what kinds to avoid can help you make decisions based from a logical standpoint. Even with all of this knowledge, it might not always be easy to steer clear of unwanted refined sucrose. If someone is feeling out of balance and has intense or strong urges for sugary food, the answer may not be as simple as a one stop shop solution, or “five flawless tips to quit sugar”. In reality, we humans are very layered and complex. Therefore, the methods that Tsang would use to help someone manage their sugar cravings are individualized. “There are many factors to consider before we, as registered dietitians, recommend individualized goals for clients to help manage sugar cravings,” she states. What are some of the factors that are assessed by Tsang in determining the best plan or solution for her client? The “…client’s overall mental health, status (stress, anxiety, depression) eating habits, level of physical activity, eating environment, and comorbidities,” are all factors that need to be taken into account when dealing with a client in a holistic manner, according to Tsang. Tsang recommends the following tactics to reduce sugar consumption:
  1. Mindful Eating: “Mindful eating has been the primary strategy used to help these clients but each client’s goals can differ greatly depending on how ready the client is and what method of mindful eating is more suitable for the specific client.” It is of course, always imperative to speak with a professional in regards to any eating plan.
  2. Drinking Black Coffee or Tea: Enjoying these beverages black is a simple way to avoid added sugar and calories if that is what your aim is. However, a little sugar “…does not hurt if the person’s diet is healthy otherwise.”
With a clearer understanding of sugar, healthier choices become a whole lot easier. Next time your sweet tooth kicks in, reach for a juicy mango or bowl of plump cherries, and enjoy.
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