In beginning this article, I wanted to find out the origin of Mother’s Day. To my delight, it was not created by a card company but rather by Anna Jarvis in 1908, according to Wikipedia. When her mom died in 1905 she began a shrine to honor her mother’s work with wounded soldiers in the American Civil War. She thought all mothers should be honored and remembered and campaigned for a day to honor all mothers until it became official in 1908. Nowadays many holidays become about obligation because there are so many and because we are all so busy. Let’s not forget what Mother’s Day truly is; a time to honor a biological mom, an adopted mom, wife, a friend, a grandma, an aunt, a pet mom and any others who are special to us.  

Gifts with meaning, no matter what their dollar amount are the most cherished ones. See below for some ideas to honor, spend time with and show mom how much she is loved. Of course, they are wellness inspired.

• Have Mom over for dinner or brunch and make her favorite dish or dessert. Something homemade is always special. Try an organic egg frittata with a salad or grilled wild salmon with quinoa and kale salad.
• Go see a funny or heart warming movie, eat popcorn and laugh. People who laugh live longer and deal with stress better.
• Music sooths the soul, take Mom to a concert. There is nothing like live entertainment to enjoy together. Try local options like The Paramount, John Engeman Theater, Jones Beach, the Theater in Westbury or NYC’s Broadway. 
• Go for a walk and picnic in Central Park
• Take the ferry over to Fire Island and have dinner or lunch once it warms up.
• Take a day trip to Montauk, see the lighthouse and go biking.
• Visit an organic restaurant which supports local farmers and sustainability.
• Get Mom a yoga or gym gift card and take a class together.
• Buy her a juicer or blender to make healthy treats and smoothies.
• Buy a handmade, thoughtful gift on Etsy.com where you are supporting artists and craftsman. So many price ranges and options.
• Adult coloring is hot! Buy her a Zen coloring book and watercolor pencils. Coloring reduces stress and promotes creativity.
• Make her something homemade using your mad skills…knit a scarf, make an E-photo album, create a bouquet from your garden, paint her a pic, write a beautiful poem/note or bake some treats.
• Clean her house. This doesn’t cost a thing but your time and energy.
• Massage and facial gift cards are wellness gifts that feel good and are beneficial.
• Book a class at a paint studio where you can paint together and have fun.

Lastly, give that Mom you are celebrating a loving hug or kiss and tell her how much you appreciate her. That is one of the best gifts of all.

First, let us not become overly worried, but let us review and take some action. Toxicity levels in any household kitchen can vary tremendously. People will have an assorted volume of products in the closet or under the sink. Many items are commercial products to help clean an oven, sink, drain pipes, exhaust fans, all types of floors, countertops, stainless steel appliances, dishes, and silverware.

Then we go ahead with cooking and eating with many of these items just cleaned by any possible assortment of toxic chemicals. As I have stated in previous editorials, only 3 things Do Not put toxins into our food: Glass, Porcelain, and Wax Paper. Anything else can and will leach into our food and drink. Adding extra heat or cold to many chemicals will accelerate the transfer. For example, water inside a plastic bottle made with BPA chemicals will leak into the water faster when placed in a freezer or hot car. Now this will not harm you tomorrow, but perhaps we should look at these anomalies like smoking cigarettes. Why RISK potential health issues later in life?

Additionally, products such as some oven cleaners are problematic when inhaled or make contact with our skin. However, health hazards are not just from oven cleaners laden chemicals. Dish washing soaps that employ the use of sulfates in any amount should be avoided.

So what actions should we take? First read all the labels and look up the definitions to ingredients you are not familiar with or can't pronounce. Research new organic replacement products on the web and in stores. If you decide to toss a product for a natural one, that is great but DO NOT pour it down the drain or flush it down the toilet! Townships have programs to properly dispose of these products. We DO NOT want them going into our Waterways or back into our drinking water table in the ground.

To start everyone off on the path to no more chemicals, better health, and saving money, here is a Dish Washing Soap formula. Please realize that while this dish washing soap may not foam up as much as your previous brand, that does not mean an inferior job is being done.

Add the following into a Glass Mason Jar:
– Six tablespoons of liquid Castile soap*
– Two tablespoons of vegetable glycerin*
– A half of dozen drops of any essential oil for aromas*
Then mix in two cups of cold water and shake well. Also, shake before each use for best results.
* Buy in a Drugstore

As for Hand Soap, you can find many formulas online and shape them into many different designs. So creativity goes hand in hand with saving Money, Health, and God's Green Earth!