Just three more days.

For nearly 18 months, I was a business owner of  Berrysong.  If you click on the Berrysong link after November 30th, you will find nothing. Come December 1st, Berrysong will be snowballed.

Like many home school moms I was eager to be a financial blessing to my husband. I thought if I found the perfect product, being a Merchant Mama would be relatively simple.  To some extent I did find the "perfect product". I had been using the product all along and had been recommending it to friends and relatives for a few years. It was economical and effective. And which home school mom didn't want to buy non-toxic stuff for her household use?

But having an online store was not as straightforward as I had thought. I will share the challenges of owning an online store one day. This post is more an announcement that as from December 1st, I'm no longer the owner of Berrysong.

Any regrets being a Merchant Mama for 18 months? Not really. I learned so much about Internet Marketing through this experience. That was invaluable!  I also enjoyed getting to know my customers. In fact, one of the ladies I met online has become one of my best friends. If not for Berrysong, I would not have met her!

The only regret is the time I had spent developing the business could have had been spent on my children, husband and my personal study and reading.

If I want the Berrysong to really succeed, I know I need to invest more time into it. And I'm not willing to sacrifice that kind of time now. In everything, there is a season. And this is not the season.

Here is one simple way of eating young organic greens every day of the year inexpensively.

You don't even need a yard to do this. Read all about it in this article.

Yes, I've been remiss in blogging here! If you need a reason, check this out. Maybe having multiple blogs isn't a good idea. I still haven't found a balance yet. This one is supposed to be my business blog with a personal touch.

So just to ensure my friends continue to visit this blog, I'll post what I had for breakfast this morning.

I recall reading a title of a book on blogging (which I didn't get, evidently) that went No One Wants to Know What You Had for Dinner or something like that. Actually, I'm quite interested what others have for breakfast, lunch, dinner and everything in between, especially if they include photos. I'm just interested in food, lol.

So this morning, after I made my breakfast, I thought I should take a photo shot of it.

So here it is.

What on earth is that?

It's a slice of honey wheat bread spread with miso. Then I piled it with homegrown alfalfa sprouts and tomato slices. See the greenish black stuff the open sandwich was sitting on? That's a sheet of nori or seaweed. I use that wonderful stuff to wrap everything. How else can I prevent the alfalfa sprouts from spilling all over me? On retrospect, I should have had a few slices of raw garlic. I LOVE that stuff. (I know some of you will drool over my concoction; the rest of you will wonder “Why she's eating that? Yucks!”).

So I had that and hot green tea for breakfast. I also had a tablespoon of organic peanut butter after that. Yummy. I can have this breakfast every day.

I must say that an hour before that satisfyingJapanese-flavored repast, I had a tall glass of greens. I make that for my husband before he goes to work  most mornings and I have that as well. Very rejuvenating and cleansing.

By the way, the automatic sprouter my husband got me for Christmas is one of the best investments of 2006! I get to eat healthful sprouts almost daily; and I get to give containers of sprouts away to friends and my mother-in-law too. And guess what, Berrysong WILL be selling these automatic sprouters soon! Look out for more news.

Have a wonderful day, all.

Today, I want to share something that is close to the heart of many women.

It's overeating.

Call it what you like, but most of us overeat. Not because our bodies need it. But we overeat when we're happy and in a celebratory mood. We overeat when we don't want to waste our children's food. We overeat when we're with wonderful friends and family. And if you are a Baptist...can you resist yet another spoonful from that covered dish?

We have all been there.

But there also is the darker side to overeating that goes beyond partying or having a good time.

We overeat when we feel lonely or unhappy. We overeat when we are depressed or bored. We overeat when we are disappointed or angry.

Sometimes we don't even know that our overeating is not due to hunger but negative emotions.

Well, not to worry. I have a simple test for you! It is funny that I read in an article somewhere not too long ago about the same test that I use for myself and my children. I thought I invented it! LOL. I call it the “apple test”.

Each time I want to eat something in the middle of the day, late at night or when I'm pottering in the kitchen, I ask myself, “Do I want to eat an apple now?” If I say no, then I know I'm really not hungry.

But if my mind is still set on that mini-bag of chocolate chip cookies (sans trans-fat and all things supposedly “bad”), I'll crunch on the apple. Usually that takes the edge off my emotional hunger and I can pass the cookies or some other kind of comfort food.

When my children say they are hungry soon after a meal, it's usually because they want something sweet or unnecessary. My question to them is usually, “Shall I get you an apple?” If they are hungry they will say “Yes, we want the apples!” If they say they are not hungry for apples, then I try to distract them or put some apple slices in front of them anyway.

I'm sharing this because I believe we feel better about ourselves and others when we don't overeat. One day I may talk about the binges I used to have in my late teens and early twenties. They were not pretty. Oh, I loved the Lord and I had a passion for lost souls but how painful were the throes of self-loath I found myself in each time I binged. One day...may be 

For now anyway, I hope the “apple test” will help you distinguish between real physical hunger and emotional hunger. Knowing the difference is the beginning of taking charge of your food intake. And having a control over that aspect of life will reduce a significant amount of stress for not a few women. We can all do with less stress in our lives...

Actually, these are not “real” cookies. But we call them cookies in the Gibson household and my children love them. I like to keep things simple and these really are easy to “make”.

Wash and peel a banana. Banana skins are sprayed with fungicide so unless the bananas are properly washed, be careful not to touch the skin and then the bare fruit. Wash your hands again before handling the fruit.

Slice the banana into 1/8 inch discs.

Lay them on a plate and sprinkle some cinnamon powder over them That's it! It's a treat to my kids. Easier to “make” than cookies and definitely healthier.

By the way, cinnamon powder reduces blood sugar levels in diabetics, so it also has health benefits!

Some of you might want to do cinnamon sugar or even decorate the center of each “cookie” with a chocolate chip. But I think cinnamon powder is sufficient especially if you want a “healthy cookie”. Sometimes I sprinkle some cocoa powder over the discs.

You can be as creative as you want using the banana discs as the base – seeds, nuts, tiny berries....just have fun!

Most, if not all of us have experienced life's crucible of unfairness. Some of us more than others. We live in a sinful and imperfect world after all.

But even as we teach our children that they have choices, we have choices too. We can choose to forgive or we can allow the pain to fester into bitterness and resentment. And anger.

God wants us to forgive those people who have hurt us. In fact, He demands it. For some, that choice seems nigh impossible.

A beloved childhood friend is undergoing a horrible time now. She and her husband of more than two decades separated on New Year's day, and within a month, he found someone who was happy to “share his dreams” (a too familiar situation). He professed to be a Christian before they were married but time revealed his true heart. She asked me tearfully why she had to forgive him when all he had given her the past two decades was pain, and more pain. And she anticipated more suffering to come. Yes, why should she forgive him?

For one thing God tells us to forgive our enemies. He tells us to forgive others even as He has forgiven us. And He has forgiven us of much. When we forgive others, we obey God. We all know the blessings that come with obedience too. For another thing, if we don't forgive, we're effectively harming ourselves. By harboring resentment and bitterness, we are poisoning our body! Bottling anger releases toxins into our system.

There is an old saying that goes something like what you are eating is not nearly as important as what is eating you.

Anger, bitterness and resentment are deadly. They eat up our health, our joy, our peace. They suppress our immune system. Yes, life is not always fair. But we need not let it overwhelm us. God is greater than all our pain, all our concerns. For does He not know when a sparrow fall? Does He not clothe the lilies? Does He not hear and answer prayers? Indeed. If you are clinging on to some grudge now, be it big or small, let go. Besides trying to eat well, and seeking to live in a purer environment, let's begin from the inside. Our heart. And we can start by  forgiving those who have wronged us.

I know this may not be comforting to my grieving friend who so wants to be vindicated...but judgment belongs to the Lord. I pray that she will let the Lord take care of her future, and just move on. Dwelling on all the evil her soon-to-be-ex-spouse has done will not help her one iota.

And for those of us who may not really understand the pain our friends or relatives are going through, let's at least show more grace towards their struggles. By so doing, we may help them in their own journey of forgiveness.

Did you know that candy, and many types of flowers and plants* found in bouquets are harmful to our canine and feline friends? Harmful that is, if they are ingested. For example, chocolate can cause vomitting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors and seizures, and in some extreme cases, chocolate poisoning can be fatal to dogs.

The Gibson household are chocolate-lovers. And I hope to get a nice big box of very dark chocolates from my husband for Valentine's Day. But you bet I won't be sharing that with our pet doggy Peppermint. BTW, if you want to see a picture of our new dog, visit my other website. Isn't he cute?

*Flowers and plants harmful to dogs and cats include: Aloe, Bird of Paradise, Calla lily, Daffodil, Easter Lily, Ferns, Honeysuckle. Morning glory, Mother-in-Law, Rhododendron, Tulip and Wisteria.

For a more complete list, visit this site.

1-888-426-4435

That's the number of the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.

When my husband sent me the first bouquet of roses, we were courting long distance (literally, for I was living in another continent). And oh, my heart burst with pure bliss when I saw the pink roses beautifully arranged in an elegant vase and sitting on the kitchen table. I'll never forget that day. I was weary from work and the sight of those flowers lifted my spirit. I tenderly held the roses against my face and inhaled deeply the rose perfume as I thought of my beloved husband-to-be.

Many years later, I still get my bouquet of roses, especially on Valentine's Day. Being more frugal these days , I've suggested to my husband that he could wait a day and then get me birthday roses instead since my birthday falls on the day after Valentine's Day. Hmm....unless he reads this blog, he may forget again this year. He can save a bit by buying roses the day after Valentine's Day (and I can have an excuse to buy yet another book which I have no time to read...). But this blog is not about our domestic affairs. Really. It's about the dark side of roses.

You see, the roses you want to sink your face into have a deadly side. They are pesticide-laden. The flower growers, mostly from Columbia and Ecuador, from where the U.S. imports 70% of its flowers, often endure horrendous working conditions. They also suffer serious pesticide-related health problems and the children of female workers suffer from prenatal pesticide exposures.

It is with sadness that I learn that 35 out of 72 children in Ecuador, tested by the Harvard School of Public Health, had been exposed to organophosphate pesticides in the womb while their mothers worked for flower companies. The children showed higher blood pressure. They also suffered from poorer spatial ability than children without prenatal exposures. And the tragedy continues. Many of these children will continue to be exposed to these pesticides through contaminated food or home pesticide use.

So what are flower-lovers to do? And especially on Valentine's Day?

First, try to buy locally grown flowers before heading to the store. If local options are not available,, you might want to choose organically grown flowers from certified growers. The latter is probably beyond the reach of most of us. Finally, if store-bought flowers are what you will buy or get, just exercise precaution. Just don't let your children sniff them or kiss them. Avoid touching the blossoms and handle them as little as possible. And do wash your hands after arranging them in your vase.

Remember that chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate pesticide most commonly used on flowers, are associated with long-term neurological damage, headaches, blurred vision and loss of consciousness. Just be aware that you may be inhaling more than a sweet perfume when you take time to smell the beautiful imported roses.

I think I will ask my husband to plant me a rose garden when he asks me what I want for my birthday. 

What is unique about Berrysong products?
Our cleaner is blended from processed extracts of natural plants by 1st EnviroSafety, Inc. – a world leader in the development of organic colloidal cleaners. When the extracts are blended at specific time intervals, temperatures, and sequences, they lose their former characteristics. New particles are created, described as “colloidal micelles”. They are so small (.000,000,001 cm) that they can only be seen through a powerful electron microscope. Billions could be placed on the point of a needle.

How does the colloidal cleaner work?
It works on a sub-microscopic level. It is attracted to oil, grease, soap scum, and other hydrocarbon molecules (the basis of nearly all cleaning and degreasing jobs). Billions of the micelles surround individual oil molecules and separate (emulsify) them. Once separated, they can easily be wiped or rinsed away.

Does it contain toxic or dangerous chemicals?
No. It is blended completely from processed extracts of natural plants. It does not contain toxic chemicals such as butyl, chlorine, d-limonene, formaldehyde, hydroxides, phenols, phosphates, oil wastes, or other dangerous chemicals.

What are the ingredients?
The various proprietary blends contain extracts from plants such as coconuts, corn, grain, grass, potatoes, sugar cane, soy, trees, plus minute amounts of bio-based wetting agents.

There you have it. 

Be safe , and take the step to make your home closer to being less toxic today!

A recent study, published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention, suggests that women who exercise doing housework can reduce their risk of breast cancer.

The research on more than 200,000 women from nine European countries found doing housework like cooking, dusting, mopping and vacuuming was far more cancer protective than playing sport or having a physical job.

Housework cut breast cancer risk by 30% among pre-menopausal women and 20% among post-menopausal women. The women were studied over an average of 6.4 years, during which there were 3,423 cases of breast cancer. The authors of the UK-funded study said their results suggested that moderate forms of physical activity may be more important than less frequent but more intense recreational physical activity in reducing cancer risk.

Now, this is GREAT news!

But the downside is make sure you don't allow yourselves to be exposed to bad fumes and other toxic chemicals when you do your cleaning! Many cleaners unfortunately contain chemicals that well, are just plain bad for you and your children. You can be sure that Berrysong products do not have all the VOCs (volatile organic compounds) your family need to avoid.

Sure, embrace the benefits of housework, but also keep the level of toxins down!

My cousin taught me how to breathe properly when she came to visit several months ago. This technique is so simple. Try it and see how it helps you de-stress and re-energize.

To breathe properly, you want to breathe deeply and completely. Your abdomen should protrude when you inhale. When you exhale, your abdomen should flatten. When you breathe in, breathe until your lungs are full, and when you exhale, it should be until all the air is expelled.

This is just the opposite of how many of us breathe. We usually suck in our stomachs when we inhale. But watch a baby or a child. You will notice that they naturally breathe correctly!

So how does proper and deep breathing help you to de-stress? Through proper breathing, you oxygenate your body and help it to detoxify better. It also boosts the immune system. When you don't breathe properly, the converse happens and the lack of oxygen also clouds your head. No wonder we feel spaced-out and foggy when we are under stress! 

Go find a place to lie down. It's nicer if the room is darkened. Tell your kiddos to let mama be alone for a little while (train them to allow you to get away for a while when you have to!).

Lie down on somewhere comfortable. Close your eyes. Now Take a deep breath using the proper technique described above. Then exhale. As you inhale with your nose, count four. Then hold for four counts. As you exhale through your mouth, count six. Then hold for four counts. Breathe in and out correctly at least 10 times. If you can have soothing music (my favorite is Pachelbel's Canon in D), go ahead.

That's it!

When you rise from your bed or sofa, you will feel calmer as more oxygen circulates throughout your body.

Then fall on your knees and pray, pray, pray. Ask the Lord to grant you strength, and return to what you need to do.

I've found that these days, I can use this technique when I'm by the sink, when I'm driving or when I'm at the computer. I consciously breathe deeply before I go to bed and when I rise. It really does help relax me when I need to calm down, and energies me when I need to focus.

2006 Copyright Miiko Gibson

VOCs are Volatile Organic Compounds which are released into the air from certain solids and liquids. These organic chemicals are common ingredients found in many household products. Paints, varnishes, furnishings all contain organic solvents, as do many cleaning, disinfecting, degreasing and cosmetic products.

Some VOCs are more harmful than others. Factors like level of exposure and length of time will also affect the extent and nature of he health problems. Some immediate symptoms include eye and respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness and visual disorders. Some VOCs are suspected of causing or are known to cause cancer in animals and humans.

This website provides an excellent overview of this topic.

http://epa.gov/iaq/voc.html