Household Products You're Using Every Day That Are Potentially Making You Sick

As a child, I was taught that if the house didn't smell like Clorox or Pine Sol when you cleaned up, then your house wasn't clean (**shrugs**). If your clothes and sheets weren't drenched with the scent of Downy- same thing.  I can remember waking up on Saturday mornings and the whole house would be smelling like that. That scent was strong! But I loved it....and nowadays, every time I smell the scent, it takes me back to my childhood.


Clorox Bleach
I hate to break it to ya, but Clorox Bleach is "GAWBAJ." No bueno. Yeah, yeah, I know it hurts to hear that (it broke my heart too, because I grew up on it). It received a grade of "F" on the EWG's guide to healthy cleaning. It definitely can contribute to moderate concerns for asthma, skin allergies/irritation, and the big "C"...cancer.  It's toxic....if you must use it, I would suggest using a facial/breathing mask to ensure some protection from chemicals that you're inhaling. Check out some facial masks for chemical odors here. If you're cleaning out your bathtub with it, wear shower shoes to lessen the exposure to your skin. That's what I did before I transitioned completely over to natural non-chlorine bleach. Don't believe me? Click here for more information on Clorox bleach.

Dawn dish detergent
Dawn is also trash can juice! HA! It received a grade of a D and can also cause asthma/respiratory concerns, and skin allergies or irritations. And imagine fixing a nice, hot meal on your plate, then BOOM...someone sprinkles dyes and other chemicals on top of it. Would you still eat? Sounds crazy, right?? Well, I hate to rain on your parade, but if you're using dish detergents such as Dawn or Cascade, you're doing just that. (If you click on the links for Dawn and Cascade, you will see that they both received grades of a 'D').

Tide detergent
Tide is another product that I grew up on. Loved me some Tide! That detergent was a regular in our household! But if you get a chance...take a look at the ingredients on the back. It is loaded with chemical and dyes! Yes- it smells great, but once you wash your clothes in that detergent, the dyes and chemicals come in contact with your skin, and can potentially get into your bloodstream.

By the way, most of the Tide products received a grade of a C or D with moderate health concerns regarding asthma/respiratory, skin allergies, and even reproductive toxicity (for example, it can cause the growth of fibroids, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, etc.). Click here to view more information on Tide and health concerns.


Pine Sol
Child!! This broke my heart the most! I used to love waking up on a Saturday morning and my mother would be cleaning and having the house smelling like lemons! LOL. Unfortunately, Pine Sol received a grade of a D.  Using this product (and inhaling the fumes) can cause asthma/respiratory problems, potential cancer, and skin allergies or irritations.



Check out more information on health concerns for Pine Sol here. Listen, I know you're probably thinking "Did she just say that all of the cleaning products that I use on a daily basis are basically harmful to my health? So what the hell do I clean my house with, then??" LOL. Did I hit it on the head? Don't fret though! I got you! The next section I will discuss healthier alternative cleaning products that are better for your body and the environment!

Alternative Products
When I first started my holistic journey (and decided to ditch most of the household cleaning products that I grew up on), it was hard!! And it was very difficult for me to grasp that my house can actually be clean without smelling like chlorine bleach or other harsh chemicals that we inhale while cleaning! Here are some alternative cleaning products that work very well and also smell good!

• Seventh Generation Non-Chlorine Bleach. This bleach is a healthier alternative to Clorox Bleach. It is made with hydrogen peroxide instead of chlorine and does not have a toxic smell. It actually doesn't have a smell at all! Click here to order this product.

Seventh Generation Non-Chlorine Bleach


• Seventh Generation Non-Toxic Dish Detergent. This dishwashing detergent is non-toxic and a healthier alternative to Dawn. It does not have synthetic fragrances (chemicals), dyes or phosphates. It naturally smells good though; fragrances are made from essential oils such as lemongrass and lavender. Click here to order this product.

Seventh Generation Dish Non-Toxic Dishwashing Liquid


• Seventh Generation Non-Toxic "Free and Clear" Detergent. This detergent is a healthier alternative to Tide and is also free of synthetic fragrances, dyes, and other chemicals. Click here to check out more information on this product.

• Mrs. Meyers Lemon Verbena Scent/ Multi-Surface Cleaner. You're going to love this product! It is a healthier alternative to Pine Sol and has a "lemon-y" scent! It's primarily made with essential oils and plant-derived ingredients. Click here to get the "skinny" on this product or to purchase it!

• Just plain ole' distilled white vinegar mixed with water! If you want to keep it simple (and cheap), just add 1 cup of distilled white vinegar to a 1/2 gallon of warm water (I typically put the concoction in a spray bottle). The mixture is antibacterial and antiviral so it works like Clorox cleaner, without the toxic chemicals! Click here to purchase distilled white vinegar!

If you decide to try these products, I want to know what you think! There are so many other natural household products that I've transitioned to, so I will be making a follow-up post in the near future. Welp, that's it for me. Treena V. is signing off.  Stay healthy, my friends! I love us for real!


Signed,


The Vegan World Traveler










Terror in Tulsa: The Untold Sinister Truth about the Black Wall Street Massacre

Good Ole Tulsa, OK...
I recently flew to Tulsa, OK on a business trip for my job. Since I just started with this blogging "thing," I told myself I would blog about traveling to Tulsa, things to do, and places to eat while I was there. And that originally was the plan. A few friends of mine, however, suggested that I go to the "Black Wall Street" memorial site. I had heard of it before, but I didn't know much about it. Meh, I put it off until later in the week, no big deal. I spent the first few days riding on the famous Route 66, trying out vegan pizza from Andolini's, and buying snacks from Wholefoods. I researched the location of the Black Wall Street memorial site, and it was located off Greenwood and Archer Ave. So I went to the Greenwood Cultural Center....and I would never be the same.

Route 66, Tulsa OK

What was "Black Wall Street" anyway?
Following World War I, the neighborhood of Greenwood (Tulsa, OK) was recognized as one of the most affluent areas of African American businesses in the United States during the early 20th century.  An interesting, unknown fact--the Gap Band R&B group members are from the Greenwood District neighborhood! "Gap" actually stands for the "Greenwood, Archer, and Pine" streets.
The Greenwood District was popularly known as "Black Wall Street." There were successful, black-owned movie theaters, grocery stores, hotels, restaurants, doctors' offices....their own little community!  But on June 1, 1921 that would change forever.

Black owned pharmacy

Dr. A.C. Jackson, one of the most successful black physicians/surgeons in Tulsa OK in the 1920's

I've never heard of "Black Wall Street" in the history books....what happened?

Let's backtrack for a second.  "On the morning of May 30, 1921, a young black man named Dick Rowland was riding in an elevator in the Drexel Building at the corner of Third and Main St with a young white woman named Sarah Page. The details of what really happened on that elevator vary from person to person." Supposedly, as Dick was getting off the elevator, he tripped and fell on Ms. Page. She screamed and the building owner called the police, citing "assault or rape." The news of lynching Dick Rowland spread like wildfire. "This sparked a violent confrontation between blacks and white armed mobs around the courthouse where the sheriff and his men barricaded the top floor to protect Mr. Rowland. Shots were fired and the outnumbered African Americans retreated to the Greenwood district."

In the early hours of June 1, 1921, the angry white mob looted and burned down buildings in the Greenwood district. The governor of Tulsa at that time (Governor Robertson) declared martial law, and National Guard troops arrived in Tulsa. Based on the information that I read in the Greenwood Cultural Center, planes were flown over the Greenwood community, dropping bombs on homes and businesses, and shooting people...from the air! I can only imagine the mayhem and smell of fear that took place that particular morning! Guardsmen assisted firemen in putting out fires, and Blacks who were taken out of the hands of the angry white mob were imprisoned. In fact, over 6,000 Black people were held at the Convention Hall and the Fairgrounds...some for over a week! 

The next day, the violence stopped, and the Greenwood district was completely destroyed! Over 35 city blocks were burned to the ground, and as many as 300 Black people were killed. Over 800 people were treated for injuries. (Much of this section was taken from the Tulsa Historical Society & Museum website.) Click here to learn more details on the sequence of events that led to the massacre.

That wasn't a riot, it was a massacre...

Based on the information that I read in the Greenwood Cultural Center, the people of Greenwood never received any funds or reparations from the city of Tulsa to rebuild their businesses or community. Insurance companies would not pay for filed claims, and they were left to rebuild the Greenwood district by themselves. And of course--no one went to jail or prison for the killings! It was a very sad story to read! I teared up quite a few times reading newspaper clippings and looking at real pictures back then. They called it the "Tulsa Race Riot." To me, "riot" is an inappropriate word for the sequence of events that took place. It was a massacre. And the city of Tulsa did not issue a formal apology to the survivors of the Tulsa Race Riot Massacre until about 75 years later, in 1996! Most of the survivors were dead by then, or in their 90's!

Newspaper clipping about the Tulsa Massacre

As of 2017, I read that there was one survivor of the Tulsa Race Riots Massacre left. The crazy thing is, I did not learn anything about this until about two years ago. It is NOT in the history books. And I don't think it will ever be. Check out the interview from Ms. Olivia Hooker, one of the last survivors of the Tulsa Massacre here:



Oh!! And there's more!
And after ALL OF THAT, the young white woman, Sarah Page (remember her?), refused to press charges against young Dick Rowland, and they let him go. Shortly thereafter, Dick Rowland skipped town and was never heard from again! All of the killings, the burning and looting....all for nothing!


Shame on you, Tulsa!
As I drove down the streets of Greenwood and Archer Ave in my rental car, little is there today to acknowledge that the affluent neighborhood of the Greenwood district even existed. The Greenwood Cultural Center and a few other shops pay homage to Black Wall Street, but that's about it.  Today, there is a ball park, and some fining dining restaurants in that area. Interstate 244 also runs through what was once the district. But Greenwood is no more. There were many other massacres very similar to this that swept through the South during the early 20th century. Reparations to the descendants of the Tulsa Race Riot Massacre were never given, and that's a shame. Shame on you, Tulsa, OK! You can turn a blind eye to what happened, but the African Americans of Tulsa will never forget...




-The Vegan World Traveler


More pictures from the Black Wall Street era below:

Newspaper clipping of the Black Wall Street Massacre

Black-owned restaurant

Black-owned diner/restaurant

Newspaper clipping of the Black Wall Street Massacre

Treena V's Spinach, Mushroom, and Mozzarella Patty Melt recipe...the Vegan Way!

Growing up, I was never a big breakfast eater. My mom would try to make me eat grits, Roger Wood sausages, and eggs....ilk....I think I'm the only person from South Carolina that did not look forward to eating that stuff!😂 But as I grew older, so did my hunger in the mornings! LOL. I've got a quick, easy, and delicious recipe you can try for breakfast when you're on the go!


What you will need:
1 tablespoon of grapeseed, sesame, or avocado oil
2 tablespoons of Smart Balance plant-based butter (vegan)
1 cup of white or portobello mushrooms
2 cups of spinach
1/2 cup of Daiya mozzarella cheese (vegan)
1 teaspoon of organic black pepper
2 teaspoons of pink Himalayan sea salt
2 slices of wheat bread


Aww, hell...who am I kidding?? I never measure my servings! LOL. It sounded good though!😂 Like I said in my previous recipe posts, I measure with my eyes, and I season to taste. That said, tweak it how you want it! But this is a good start!

Directions


The Veggies

1. Heat grapeseed, avocado, or sesame oil in frying pan on medium heat
2. Add the mushrooms and spinach (stir consistently) for about 5 minutes (season the vegetables in the pan with sea salt and black pepper)
3. Remove the sautéed spinach and mushrooms from the pan. Add the spinach, mushrooms and vegan mozzarella to the wheat bread
4. Place the other slice of wheat bread on top the spinach, mushroom and cheese (making it in to a sandwich)
5. Put the sandwich aside (for now)

Making the Patty Melt

1. Heat the Smart Balance plant-based butter in a small frying pan on medium heat
2. Place the sandwich inside the frying pan (at this time, mash down on the sandwich with a spatula) Cook about 2 minutes on each side (browning the bread on both sides)
3. Cover for about 3 minutes (this helps melt the vegan mozzarella cheese faster)

Sautéed spinach, mushroom, and vegan mozzarella on wheat bread

Making the patty melt!

Cover for 3 minutes (it helps melt the vegan cheese)!

And you're done! Voila!! It takes no more than 10 minutes to make this yummy patty melt! Have you cooked this before? If so, please comment below and tell me what you think!! Well, that's it for me, Treena V is signing off. Later, Vegans and Veganistas! Enjoy your day!

Sincerely,


The Vegan World Traveler

My experience using the DivaCup...the pros and cons!

My periods have ALWAYS been extremely heavy on the first and second day. Always! And when I was in my teens and twenties, my periods were horrible...I'd have severe cramping, throwing up, sweating...literally bedridden for a couple of days. It was a nightmare. But I don't have those excruciating episodes anymore. The heavy periods, however, stayed around! Not to mention fibroids. I first found out that I had them in my early 30's. Since then, they've grown and have also contributed to my heavy periods.


In the last year or so, the first and second days of my period have become so dreadful, sometimes I don't want to leave the house! I would have to have on an overnight pad AND a tampon inserted for added protection. And even then, I'd have to change every couple of hours (or I'd have an accident)! Fast forward to a week ago. I was taking a road trip to New York. I was torn though...I knew that my period was due on the day of the trip. I KNOW my flow. I was like "Treena, are you really going to do this to yourself?" But I really wanted to go, y'all. Desperate acts call for desperate measures! I was thinking to myself, "What could I use for added protection??" The green light goes off in my head. Enters the DivaCup!


What in the world is a Diva Cup?
It's just a fancy name for a menstrual cup. You insert this cup into your vagina and it absorbs your menstrual flow.  It works kinda like a tampon (but bigger). It's reusable and can last up to 12 hours without any leaks.  After I did some research, I found out that the menstrual cup has been around since the 1930's! Who knew?? I sure as hell didn't! HA! The DivaCup is made with silicone and it does not contain latex, PVC, acrylic, BPA, phthalate, polyethylene, and is free of colors and dyes. Silicone is known to be compatible with the human body without giving you an adverse reaction, so that was a plus for me!


There are two models of the DivaCup; models 1 and 2. Model 1 is recommended for women under the age of 30 who have never delivered a baby vaginally or by caesarean.  Model 2 is recommended for women aged 30 and over or for women who have delivered vaginally or by caesarean. Since I'm over 30, I chose the model 2.

"You got to know when to hold'em, know when to fold'em..."- Kenny Rogers 😂

Baby, listen!! I went into the bathroom to put this DivaCup "in there!" 😂 I read the instructions and you basically have to fold it in half before you insert it! You have to make sure that you insert it correctly (the stem should be pointed outward toward the lips of the vagina so that you can pull it out when it's time to change). I was STRUGGLING!! 😂 I tried folding that thing several times, but it would NOT go in there! I called my best friend Risa to get some guidance on this because she has used them before. She suggested that I try inserting while in the bathtub (and have one leg propped up on the side). I didn't listen to her. I decided to try a different route. 😂 I decided to insert while sitting on the toilet. BABY!!!! That did NOT work! 😂😂😂

It's a CRIME scene...😂
So it was back in the bathtub. My heart was beating fast, literally having an anxiety attack! "Issa WHOLE hand" in my vagina....MINE!😂 Trying to put that cup in there! Gee whiz!! 😂 BUT- I finally got it in there! But the bathtub looked like a crime scene! LOL! I'm not kidding! My hand....I just...it was a messy scene! Very messy! I didn't feel it in there, so I guess it was working. I didn't trust it at first, so I put on a maxi pad for added protection. So far so good!!


And then there were cramps...
I didn't feel anything for several hours. By the sixth hour (yes, I counted), I started feeling these horrible cramps! I haven't had cramps during my period since my twenties, so I knew it had something to do with the DivaCup! So we stopped by a restaurant, and I went into the bathroom to check! Six hours into it, the cup was completely full! I'm not sure if the cramps came from the cup being completely full, or maybe I didn't have the cup inserted all the way in there correctly. I wasn't convinced that it would last the full 12 hours anyway, but I was impressed by 6 hours! I will say--there was no leakage on the pad. I was surprised! And there was absolutely no smell. I'm guessing because the menstrual flow is collected from the inside instead of on a maxi pad.  I could be on to something! Click here to get more information or to purchase the DivaCup!

The DivaCup

Rinsing and Re-inserting...what an experience!!
Let me back up for a second....when you change it out, you're supposed to rinse it out before re-inserting. You should wash your hands before and after doing so (you will WANT to) to avoid bacterial infections. The shit was MESSY y'all...super messy!!! BUT- it works!! It really does.


You will get the hang of it! Sort of...
Once you continue to use the DivaCup (inserting, taking it out, rinsing it, re-inserting), you will get the hang of it. I've learned that you have to push it in there far enough so that you won't feel it. However, if you push it in there too far, it is HARD to remove. The second time I tried to remove it to empty it, it took me 15 minutes to get that thing out of there! Rule of thumb, make sure you don't push the stem farther than a 1/2 inch into your vagina. Anything farther, you're gonna have a tough time, buddy! 😂😂😂 The DivaCup box also provides a little pouch that you can store your DivaCup in until the next time. You will want to keep it in there for hygiene purposes!

The DivaCup pouch

I would use the DivaCup Again...
Next month, I'm going to try the DivaCup again (especially on my first and second day)!  Although it didn't last the full 12 hours, I didn't have the annoying experience of changing out maxi pads and tampons every other hour. I was impressed that it lasted 6 hours. Overall, it is healthier because it doesn't have any chemicals or dyes that your average tampon or maxi pad has. ALSO- you can use the DivaCup over and over again (so it's more cost effective than buying disposable pads and tampons)! I could do without the mess, though!😂 Have you tried the DivaCup or would like to try it? Leave a comment and let me know what you think! Here's the link to the DivaCup's website for more information.  Well, that's it for me, Treena V is signing off. Until next time! Have a wonderful day!


-The Vegan World Traveler