With the antibacterial smackdown over the past few decades, probiotics have emerged as a way to restore the good bacteria our bodies need to stay healthy. Now we’ve begun to realize that probiotics promote not just internal health, but external health as well.

Bacteria For Your Skin

Our skin is the largest organ in the body, with more than a trillion native bacteria living within its microbiome. Most of us cringe at the thought of bugs, even microscopic ones, but the truth is, good bacteria such as Lactobacillus plantarum and Bifidobacterium longum are our first line of defense against infections, inflammation, and environmental damage. They also contribute to healthy, glowing skin. When we constantly use harsh skin cleansers, we destroy our body’s good bacteria, which can contribute to acne, eczema, and other skin conditions. But probiotic-infused skin-care products can improve complexions, balance pH levels, and ward off premature aging.

How Probiotics Work For Your Skin

“When you apply probiotics topically, they act as a physical shield like a barrier, blocking harmful microbes from causing inflammation or infection,” explains Whitney Bowe, MD, an expert in skin rejuvenation. These bacterial-boosting skin care products contain live cultures that fortify our microbiomes and revitalize skin by fighting “bad bacteria” with “good bacteria.”

These natural bacteria “help promote healthy skin function,” adds dermatologist Rhonda Klein. “Skin-care products that contain (them) are thought to reset the microbiome that has been altered by our obsession with cleanliness.”

Probiotic Skin Care Products

Probiotic-infused facial and body products for oily, normal, or severely dry skin come in everything from creams, oils, and serums to masks and mists. Probiotic skin care treatments may be especially useful for people with chronic inflammation, such as acne, rosacea, and eczema.

It’s time to get rid of the dust and cobwebs that are accumulating.

Choosing Cleaning Equipment

Pick equipment you will enjoy using; it helps ensure that you keep a cleaner home!

Battery-Powered Mops

First things first. Break out the mop. Weekly mopping is a great way to reduce dust, pet dander, and allergens associated with spring.

A lightweight, battery-charged spin model is a great choice for people with wrist and hand issues caused by painful arthritis.

Some mops come with cleaning pads that can be laundered, which is a greener alternative to the disposable cleaning pads on some models.

Choosing Cleaning Solutions

While we all want to make our homes sparkle, keep in mind that some of the products we use may be harmful to our health and the environment.

Americans use up to 25 gallons of household cleaners every year, which is pretty scary, considering more than 150 chemical cleaners found in the average home are linked to birth defects, cancer, and even psychological problems, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The good news is it’s easy to avoid these products by choosing safe, natural cleaning products and making your own from scratch. Reduce your family’s exposure to toxic substances by making the switch.

Just be sure not to dump your chemical cleaners down the drain; instead, take them to a hazardous waste recycling or treatment center. This will keep your family—and the earth—healthy and happy.

Toxins in The Home

It’s no secret that the few-foot area under the sink is one of the most toxic places in the house. In addition to other health problems, a number of household products can trigger:

• allergic reactions
• chemical sensitivities
• asthma attacks
• birth defects

While most of us don’t like to think of our homes as being hazardous to our health, a recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study finds the air in the average U.S. home to be approximately 70 times more contaminated than the air just outside its walls.

Since we inhale about a pint of atmosphere with every breath, the time has definitely come to clean up our act.

Environmental Hazards

In addition to impacting health, toxic cleaners have an equally negative impact on the environment.

Aside from the fact that many cleaners are packaged in non-recyclable bottles, the chemicals left in these bottles eventually seep into the soil, contaminating groundwater and surface water leading to lakes and streams.

A recent Geological Survey study of contaminants in U.S. stream water found that 69 percent of streams sampled contained toxic detergent byproducts, and 66 percent contained disinfectants.

Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products

Clean up your cleaning regimen by becoming a label reader.

If you see a skull and crossbones or the warning “harmful or fatal if inhaled or swallowed,” look for an eco-friendly alternative. Many natural products stores offer nontoxic drain cleaners, laundry detergent, dish soap, and more.

Make Your Own Cleaning Products

You can also create your own safe, effective cleaners using a few basic ingredients.

• Baking Soda

  Baking soda can neutralize acid, deodorize, and scrub surfaces without scratching.

• Borax

  Borax is a naturally occurring, water-soluble mineral that can deodorize, inhibit the growth of mold and mildew, boost the cleaning power of soap, and remove stains. It can even be used to control household pests.

• Mineral Oil

  Mineral oil makes a gentle base for furniture polish.

• Castile Soap

  Castile soap substitutes as dishwashing liquid.

• Vinegar

  Vinegar dissolves mineral deposits, grease, and mildew, and it can be mixed with water to clean windows without streaking.

• Essential Oils

  Since many essential oils have antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiviral, and antibiotic properties, they can add a powerful punch to homemade cleaning solutions and eliminate the need for harsh, toxic disinfectant cleaners and detergents.

  • Furniture Polish

    According to Karyn Siegel-Maier, author of The Naturally Clean Home ($12.95, Storey, 2021), a few drops of lavender oil mixed with a quarter-cup of linseed oil make an effective furniture polish.

  • Bathroom Disinfectant

    Add a few drops each of pine and cedar essential oils to two cups of water and two teaspoons of borax, and combine in a spray bottle to disinfect your bathroom.

In gardening and farming circles, we often hear the term “sustainability” applied to agricultural goals.

What is Sustainable Agriculture?

According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, sustainability involves

• Building and maintaining healthy soil
• Managing water wisely
• Minimizing air, water, and climate pollution
• Promoting biodiversity

Working with natural ecosystems rather than trying to tame them, permaculture is one aspect of sustainability.

What is Permaculture?

“Permaculture principles focus on thoughtful designs for small-scale intensive systems which are labor efficient and which use biological resources instead of fossil fuels,” said Bill Mollison, one of the founders of the permaculture movement in the 1970s.

Even a backyard gardener can make a difference by incorporating permaculture techniques.

What are the Benefits of Permaculture?

• For the Environment

  Environmental benefits include:

  • water conservation
  • promoting biodiversity
  • avoiding the use of fossil fuel–driven machines
  • eliminating pollution caused by chemicals:
    • pesticides
    • herbicides
    • fertilizers

• For the Gardener

  Although it takes a while to plan and set up a permaculture system in your garden—think of it as your initial investment—you’ll find that over time, you’ll need to work less to maintain it.

  Allowing mulch and compost—along with undisturbed insects underground—to improve the soil means you won’t have to till it every year.

How to Set Up a Permaculture System

• Composting

  An important first step is to get composting. Whether you use a bin or a small, fenced area, put the products of your yard cleanup to work right away. Add kitchen scraps and turn the pile often.

• Water Conservation

  Conserve water by taking advantage of rain. Buying a rain barrel or two is a good permaculture investment; when you hear it raining, you’ll feel good to know you’re collecting the water that’s running from your roof gutters.

• Companion Planting

  Instead of keeping each type of plant separate from others, take a hint from our Native American forebears, who grew corn, squash, and beans together. This method is sometimes called companion planting. Mixing it up is good for the soil and for beneficial insects. 

  “The more diverse your backyard is in terms of plant, insect and animal life,” according to GroCycle.com, “the more resilient it will be.” 

• Create a Biodegradable Raised Bed

  Put logs, limbs, and smaller branches to work as you’re starting out by creating a raised bed on top of a large pile of wood. As the wood breaks down under the soil, it retains water, cutting down on your irrigation needs. Called hugelkultur in German, this method is good for the soil and does not need to be done every year.

Zombies are the stuff of legend, living dead that, depending on which movie you watch, are coming for everyone. We all have “zombie” cells in our bodies that make their presence known as we age. Zombie cells have become a popular way to describe something called cellular senescence because these cells act much like the zombies of our nightmares.

What Are Zombie Cells?

Senescent cells have stopped dividing and are waiting to be removed from our body by the immune system. These cells are useful when we are young. They allow our body to put the brakes on cells that are either not working properly, are potentially cancerous, have finished a specific job (like scar formation as part of the healing process), or have reached the end of their useful life.

Senescent cells get their zombie name tag because they remain in our body in a state of suspended animation, secreting chemical messages that alert our immune system they need to be removed. When we are young, our immune system handles this job like a boss, but it falters as we age, maybe because it’s getting tired or because the increasing numbers of these cells start to overwhelm it.

Effects of Zombie Cells

• Inflammation

  As senescent cells start to build up, the chemical messages they are secreting cause negative effects on the cells around them. The chemical messages trigger inflammation, and these zombie cells may be the reason we see the increasing levels of inflammation that occur with older age.

• Disease

  Ongoing low-grade inflammation triggers processes that can lead to disease. Laboratory studies show even a few senescent cells can accelerate aging, or at least the symptoms of aging, like cancer and other diseases. Even the more aesthetic side effects of aging, including the graying of hair, worsening vision, and skin wrinkles, have been linked to cellular senescence.

• Immunity

  Laboratory research also suggests that a high senescent cell burden is the reason older individuals react so severely to COVID-19, and that treatment with fisetin, a natural senolytic, may improve immune response to COVID. This insight is now the subject of a clinical trial by the Mayo Clinic to see if the improved response can be replicated in humans.

Treatment for Zombie Cells

Once researchers realized having senescent cells in our body is not particularly good for us and that we have increasing levels of them as we age, they started looking for ways to remove them. Luckily for us, it turns out that killing zombie cells may be easier than knocking off those zombies of the horror story kind.

Scientists have found some simple strategies to limit the number of these cells in our body. These strategies include: regular exercise; a regular program of fasting—missing breakfast from time to time is good, missing breakfast and lunch occasionally is even better; maintaining a healthy weight (fat tissue seems to be a magnet for senescent cells); and taking cellular health supplements such as senolytic complex.

These actions can work together to help you keep your inner zombie at bay and may help reduce the risk associated with high levels of senescent cells in your body, especially as you age.

Each day, our lives are getting busier and busier.

If it hasn’t happened already, you’ll likely run into a time where you feel too busy to sit down and take a poop.

Unfortunately, as our calendars continue to fill up with meetings and personal obligations, we also run the risk of clogging up our digestive systems.

That’s why one of your number one priorities should be making time for “number two.”

But how often should you poop? We’ll explain below.

How Often Should You Poop?

According to a 2019 U.S. News report, a healthy person will usually poop at least once every three days, depending on their digestive system and diet. However, some healthy people could poop up to three times per day. 

Although the number of movements per week or day can vary from person to person, there is such a thing as not pooping enough or pooping too much. 

Here are a few quick guidelines to keep in mind.

You Should Poop at Least 2 Times Per Week

Not pooping enough could result in stools getting stuck in your digestive system where they can harden, cause bloating, or lead to constipation and painful bowel movements. Additionally, doctors report that regularly holding in poop could cause more serious issues like a stretched colon, fecal impaction, or buildup that will require medication or laxatives to clear.

If you can’t poop for more than three days, this is usually a sign of constipation and a need for more fiber or digestive nutrients in your diet.

...But No More Than Three Times Per Day

While some people do have up to three poops per day, you shouldn’t force your body to have movements if you don’t share the same schedule. Pushing too much or forcing bowel movements can overexert your digestive system and cause tearing, swelling. hemorrhoids, or other medical issues.

Additionally, if you can’t help pooping more than three times per day, and your poop seems watery or misshapen, it’s likely a sign of diarrhea or illness.

Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Schedule

• Listen to Your Body

  If your body is telling you to go poop, try to get to the restroom as soon as you can. If you do miss your window, be sure to act promptly when you feel your next bowel movement.

  This will not only allow you to clean out your system on schedule, but it will also help prevent constipation or further digestive troubles.

• Don’t Force It

  Sometimes, your body might not be ready to clear your system. Or, you might feel a bit constipated. While you can sit for a few minutes to see if a bowel movement comes, don’t strain yourself trying to push.

  Instead, consider a laxative, more fiber, healthy supplements, or a call to the doctor if you worry you aren’t using the bathroom enough.

• Maintain a Healthy Diet

  Not only will a healthy diet help you create a perfect, snake-shaped poop, but it will also help your digestive system run on a healthy schedule.

  Be sure to snack on foods that are high in fiber, fermented, or low in saturated fats.

• Drink Enough Water

  Assuming your healthy diet is rich in fiber, you can get the most from it by drinking plenty of water and other liquids. That will help keep stool soft and easy to pass.

  Good hydration (at least four to six cups of plain water every day) also can keep constipation at bay.

• Exercise Regularly

  Research shows that light physical activity and staying in shape can make bowel movements easier and healthier. This is because healthier digestive muscles require less blood and force to move waste down the bowels.

  However, doctors do warn that strenuous exercise, or working out too soon after eating, should be avoided as this can slow the process of digestion.

  Similarly, working out after you’ve cleaned out your system can have you feeling weak or tired due to dehydration or less food in your stomach.

After World War II, life in the average US household became easier as waves of new inventions saved time and labor. By the mid 1950s laundry was no longer a multistep task for many people, thanks to wash-and-wear fabrics made from new synthetics including polyester.

The Problem with Microplastics in Synthetic Fabrics

Not having to iron clothes comes at a cost, though, in the form of the microplastics that run out of the washing machine and right into the water supply when synthetic fabrics are laundered. “We’re drinking our clothes,” said biochemical researcher Kevin Dervishi, a PhD candidate at Harvard Medical School.

Microplastic particles in water samples may be the result of plastic bags, water bottles, and other debris breaking down, said Dervishi, “but they can also be shed from clothes thrown in the washer.”

Microplastics shed in the laundry are too small to be trapped by water treatment plants, and they “work their way up the marine food chain from small fish to us,” said Olivia Rosane on the website EcoWatch.

Fish and shellfish samples in California and Indonesia now contain plastic microfibers, according to the Plastic Pollution Coalition. A 2018 research project showed that more than 80 percent of tap water samples contained microplastics, close to 100 percent of which were microfibers. Sea salts and even commercially produced beer is affected.

Steps to Take to Reduce Microplastics

A regional coordinator of the Marine Debris Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Caitlin Wessel said, “It would be really great if the washing machine companies would get on board and come up with a filter to trap these microfibers.”

But there are things you can do that will help.

• Wash Lightly

  Wash synthetic clothes less frequently, in colder water, and on shorter cycles, without filling the washer too full (a tightly packed washing machine means more friction and more shedding of microfibers).

• Dry Gently

  Hang clothes to dry, if possible, or use a dryer only on a low-temperature setting.

• Trap Microplastics

  EcoWatch recommends new products, such as the Cora Ball and Guppyfriend, that collect microfibers in the washing machine and allow you to dispose of them properly.

• Choose Natural Fabrics

  Forget fads: Give up buying cheap, synthetic clothes in favor of those made from natural fibers including cotton, linen, and wool. But even cotton can be treated with toxic chemicals, so look for organic fabrics.

The herb Vitex is the MVP when it comes to menstrual regularity.

The berries of Vitex agnus-castus, or chaste tree, have been used since antiquity.

In modern times, chasteberry (also called monk’s pepper, chaste tree fruit, chaste tree berry, or, simply, vitex) has become one of the most relied-upon botanicals in Western herbal medicine for the treatment of a wide array of gynecological complaints, from infertility to menopause.

Tame PMS with Vitex

One of the primary uses of chasteberry is for the treatment of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Clinical studies have reported on vitex’s ability to alleviate or reduce irritability, mood alteration, anger, headache, breast fullness, restlessness, and fluid retention (edema).

In these studies, while effectiveness was assessed after three cycles, many users noticed improvements within the first cycle.

Other studies have reported the effectiveness of chasteberry in reducing anxiety, sugar cravings, depression and crying spells, lack of concentration, and breast pain.

Treat Cyclical Conditions Effectively with Vitex

• Reduce Breast Pain

  Chasteberry is effective for the treatment of breast pain, or mastalgia. Vitex has been found to be nearly as effective as the hormone progesterone in combating premenstrual mastalgia.

  Its effects are thought to be partly the result of chasteberry’s action as an inhibitor of prolactin, the primary hormone associated with milk production in new mothers. Elevated prolactin levels may contribute to breast pain.

  Pain and swelling in the breasts, however, should be assessed by a healthcare provider to rule out other conditions

• Menstrual Cycle Regulation

  One of the most specific uses of chasteberry is for the treatment of several menstrual irregularities: lack of menses, abnormally long menstrual cycles, abnormally frequent menses (cycles shorter than 26 days), and infertility.

  Chasteberry is the herb of choice for its ability to regulate the cyclical hormonal fluctuations that occur throughout the month, specifically a normalization of the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and progesterone levels.

• Menopause Relief

  In Germany, clinicians recommend chasteberry for the management of menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, sweating, insomnia, and depression.

• Vitex for Acne Management

  Acne is often a result of hormonal imbalance. In one study, a group of patients treated with chasteberry was reported to show a quicker healing time after six weeks. Lapses in treatment resulted in a relatively frequent recurrence of symptoms after three to six weeks.

  After three months, 70 percent of the patients who had failed to respond to prolonged conventional therapy prior to the study showed complete healing.

• Other Uses for Vitex

  American herbalists offer chasteberry for the treatment of uterine fibroids and cysts as well as endometriosis.

  Although conventional medicine’s response to these common conditions is often to recommend partial or complete hysterectomies, many such surgeries are considered unnecessary when patients seek a second opinion.

Vitex Quality & Safety ​

Good quality chasteberries have a strong, warming taste somewhat akin to black pepper.

However, a number of vitex species used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine do not possess this characteristic and, therefore, may not be effective for the purposes mentioned here.

For ensuring quality, taste is really the best test. Even a small taste from your tablet, tincture, or capsule will tell you if the herbal product possesses the characteristic pungency.

Side Effects of Vitex

The mild side effects reported for chasteberry (upset stomach, acne, occasional headache, and itching) are uncommon.

Can Vitex Be Used During Pregnancy?

The Botanical Safety Handbook, a textbook reviewing the safety of botanicals, advises that chasteberry not be used in pregnancy, based on reports in the historical literature of its use for bringing on the menstrual cycle.

While there is no substantiation in the modern clinical literature regarding this effect, it is nevertheless a caution to consider following.

Similarly, the Handbook states that chasteberry may interfere with the effectiveness of oral contraceptives. However, there is also no substantiation for this in either modern studies or the experience of clinicians.

Support Woman's Health Naturally with Vitex

Given the broad range of conditions for which it is used, it is no wonder that vitex has become indispensable to US herbalists and naturopathic physicians.

Its importance is further accentuated by the fact that allopathic medicine has little to offer to women for gynecological care.

Surgery and powerful hormonal therapies—with their own sets of risks and side effects continue to be the treatments of choice for American women unfamiliar with the benefits of chasteberry.