Kitchen Witch in the Shower... Sometimes

Okay I'm just going to come out and say it, people bathe entirely too often for their own good. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with cleanliness, or personal hygiene by any means, if you're dirty, wash up it's that simple. However, there is no use in bathing when you don't need to and really too much bathing can cause more harm than good.

I take a full shower every 4 days. Now that doesn't mean I'm not bathing in between. When it's really hot out I'll jump in every day, but I don't wash my hair every day and I don't use soap every day. Most soaps (shampoo included) strip our bodies of their natural oils that are necessary for protecting our skin and hair and keeping them healthy. Why should we subject our selves to this on a daily basis to then mask our self-abuse with lotions, conditioners, and other chemically based beauty products.

Still not convinced? Let's start with our hair. Did you know that our hair (for the most part) naturally produces as much oil as it needs to keep it healthy. You know what that means don't you? Every time you wash your hair and strip it of it's natural oils your sending signals to your scalp to create more oil. It stands to reason that if you wash your hair less your scalp will secrete less oil, and since it's the oils in our hair that attract dirt and pollutants washing less will actually keep it cleaner longer. Does that mean we should all stop washing our hair? No. Everyone gets dirty and everyone's body chemistry is different. Some people will need to wash their hair more than others. What it does mean though is that people should pay attention to the needs of their own body. If you're someone who washes your hair every day try switching to every other day for two weeks. In the beginning your hair will still get oily every day so on your off day work a little baby powder into your scalp to absorb the excess oil. By the end of the second week you may notice you don't need the baby powder. You might even be tempted to try going every 3 days. Try to find an amount of time that works best for you.

For the ladies who shave you might be thinking to yourself, well if I don't shave every day my legs and underarms will get all picky and I just can't stand that. Let's think about this for a minute. Our bodies are constantly working at an imperceptible level, our dead skin cells flake off, our hair and nails grow, teeth accumulate plaque, we secrete water and oil (truth be told the human body is starting to sound a little gross), anyway, the hair on our bodies doesn't all grow at the same rate. You shave in the morning, your all prickly by night time right? That isn't the hair you shaved that morning. It's latent hair from beneath the skin that hadn't grown long enough to be shaved that morning. If you shave less than every day your actually shaving more hair. That's right, shave less and your legs and underarms will stay smoother longer.

Thinking all of this is sounding to good to be true, just wait, it gets better. Did you ever think that showering or bathing less might actually make you more desirable sexually? My guess is going to be no. We all have our own personal fragrance, over bathing washes that scent away. No I'm not talking about BO, I'm talking about an almost indiscernible scent that attracts other people to us. I've never been one to shower every day, it dries out my skin. However I've been told on multiple occasions that I smell nice.. particularly to men, although I've had a woman or two pick up on it as well ;-). What do I smell like I ask? Their answer every single time is that there is nothing like it and nothing they can compare it to, I just smell like me. It's also interesting to note that the less I shower the more my husband is all over me. Now don't get me wrong, he still loves my cherry vanilla perfume, but just a tiny hint of it to enhance and add an exotic accent to the scent that is all me.

So for those of you I've hooked into my way of thinking or just need a little bit more of a push, here are some simpler but still important benefits. Less bathing means less water and product usage (i.e. greener and more economical). You can devote all of that extra time into doing other things, and now that it's not an every day chore it can be a sumptuous ritual of self.

Take your time ( you don't have to feel guilty for spending a long time in there when you barely shower once a week. Work a small amount of your shampoo of choice into your hair for an initial clean. Once you've rinsed it out completely lather up again. Now you're really getting that rich lather they're always talking about. When you rinse it the second time you'll feel the difference. Your hair will feel thick and smooth. Work as much conditioner as you need into your ends. Leave it in while you lather your body. Smell the wash, gel or soap you plan on using and really enjoy it. When your ready rinse and feel how fresh you are all over. Have a fluffy towel waiting for you. Take your time getting dressed. This is when I pluck my eyebrows and give myself a facial.

All of this is my own opinion and based on my own personal observations of course. Feel free to disagree. If you have a comment or a question don't be shy.

Magickal Housekeeping for a Green Witch

I've been busily trying to move all of the useful posts from natural cooking over here and the result has been an awful lot of talking about food. While normally I wouldn't see that as a problem I did want this blog to be about more than just cooking. Another very important aspect of being a kitchen witch is keeping up with the house cleaning. Both the magickal and the mundane.

Hopefully in the next week and a half we'll be moving into our new apartment and I'm going to have to get stocked up on some cleaning supplies. So for your enjoyment and my own information I've compiled a small list of some basic cleaning tools and both their magickal and practical applications.

Besom/Broom- An implement used for sweeping, usually consisting of a bunch of twigs, straw, or bristles bound together and attached to a stick or handle.

Besoms are associated with the Fae and are comprised of both masculine (the phallic handle) and feminine (bristles) components. These can also be used to replace a wand or staff. They are often used for protection and as a traditional tool in pagan handfastings.

Besoms are also often used for clearing out negative energy, next time you sweep the floor visualize all of the negative occurrences that have happened in that space being swept away

Smudge Stick- A wand made of various dried leaves or herbs that produces fragrant smoke when burned, used originally among certain Native American peoples to cleanse places, persons, or objects of negative spiritual energy.

Usually these sticks are made of white sage. Simply light the tip, blow it out and let it smolder. For a basic smudging simply waft the smoke around doorways, corners, and windows. When your done open the windows and allow the smoke to carry the negativity away. On a mundane level it smells nice and I've heard it discourages insects.

Baking Soda- A white crystalline compound, NaHCO3 with a slightly alkaline taste, used in making effervescent salts and beverages, artificial mineral water, pharmaceuticals, and fire extinguishers. Also called bicarbonate of soda, sodium bicarbonate.

From drain cleaning to facials baking soda makes for an effective cleaning and cosmetic agent. Anything with that many uses is going to be an effective tool for a kitchen witch. Not only is it multipurpose and economical it's a natural alternative to many harsh and dangerous chemicals, helping our wallets and mother earth all at the same time.

Essential Oils- A volatile oil, usually having the characteristic odor or flavor of the plant from which it is obtained, used to make perfumes and flavorings.

As long as you're not allergic essential oils can be used for several household applications. They can be added to soap and water used for washing the floor or walls adding a pleasant scent to your whole home. They can be used to make homemade air freshener. Try this recipe from Putting a Little Magick into Your Spring Cleaning: Fill a mister bottle 3/4 full with white vinegar, add 1 teaspoon baking soda and 5-20 drops of your favorite essential oil. Once it has stopped bubbling, cap the bottle and spray away.

This is just a small sampling of the many uses of these four basic cleaning aids. Tomorrow we'll talk about magickal tools for the kitchen. If you'd like to see something added or you'd like to add something yourself drop me a line.

Learning About Lemons

Lemons are the perfect summertime fruit with their tart scent and flavor. The bright yellow color and rounded shape liken them to tiny suns caught up in fresh scented glossy leaves. This highly acidic fruit has a mysterious history and a variety of uses making them a witches favorite summertime tool.

History
The exact historical origins of where lemons come from is as far as I've seen unknown (please correct me if you have knowledge otherwise). It would seem however that they most probably come from northwestern India. Like all citrus fruits lemons flourish in warmer climate and when grown in America mostly come from California or Florida.

Nutrition
Lemons are loaded with Vitamin C, Calcium, Potassium, and Vitamin A. They are also low in natural sugars, fat and calories. Lemons help the body absorb iron and contain individual amino acids considered to be the building blocks of protein.

Medicinal Uses

• A combination of lemon juice, honey, and hot water is a wonderful natural remedy for sore throats
• The same mixture as above as well as adding lemon wedges to ice water and tea are all thought to help promote weight loss.
• As a natural laxative when mixed with warm water
• When used on minor cuts and abrasions it can help to stop bleeding and disinfect the wound.
• Can reduce the swelling of bug bites.

Cosmetic Uses

• Gargling a combination of lemon juice and water helps to reduce bad breath
• A powerful astringent the juice can be applied to acne to reduce swelling and alleviate pain.
• Give yourself natural highlights by spritzing your hair with lemon juice before going out in the sun.
• Rinse hair in the shower with lemon juice for a healthy shine.
• Helps reduce cooking odors from your hands.

House Cleaning Uses

• Equal parts of water and lemon juice poured into a spray bottle makes for an effective all purpose cleaner. It can also be used to help deter ants.
• Rub a cut lemon over a cutting board to help remove stains and to deodorize.
• Run lemon wedges through a garbage disposal to deodorize.
• Warm a sliced lemon in the microwave to reduce grease build up from inside the microwave.
• Add a 1/2 cup of lemon juice to a load of whites before drying in the sun to brighten clothing.
• Combine 1 cup of olive oil with 1/2 cup of lemon juice for homemade furniture polish.
• Clean brass or copper with a paste made of baking soda and lemon juice.
• 4 Tbsp of lemon juice blended with a half gallon of water makes for an effective glass cleaner
• Hot lemon juice combined with baking soda can be used as an all natural drain cleaner
• Add a teaspoon of lemon juice to dish liquid to help cut grease

Magickal Uses
Lemons are associated with friendship and platonic love. Use lemon peel, seeds, and juice in spells and charms to help preserve friendships and make them last.