Healthy Home Hacks Podcast

If you're having trouble sleeping, you're in the right place. Today, about 50 to 70 million Americans have sleep or wakefulness disorders which are associated with a growing number of health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers. But you may not be aware of an invisible culprit that could be greatly impacting your sleep quality and comfort that is linked to a number of health problems, including respiratory issues and allergies, which can cause discomfort and make it difficult to fall or stay asleep.

Our guest, Glory Dolphin Hammes, is an air quality nerd, a wife, a mom, a tree hugger, a sports enthusiast, and the CEO of IQAir North America. She's an expert in environmental control, a Certified Indoor Environmentalist, and a licensed HVAC contractor and is here to shed light on how air quality impacts our sleep.

Key Takeaways:

• Tangible steps you can take at home today to improve your air and sleep quality • How IQAir is working to solve the problem of air pollution (both indoor and outdoor) • What are dust mites and how do they impact our health • How investing in the right air purifier can help • What makes the Atem X the best option for improving sleep quality • How particulate matter such as dust, smoke, and pollen contribute to indoor air pollution • Why ultrafine particles (UFPs) are considered among the most dangerous particle pollutants • How over 90% of airborne particles in the air at any given time are ultrafine particles • The difference between a HEPA filter and a HyperHEPA filter

If you've ever considered the many benefits of going vegan, you're in the right place. Not only is eating a whole food, plant-based diet healthier for you, but it also doesn't require your participation in the exploitation of the vulnerable. Someone who understands this and values not just human life, but ALL life, is our guest today.

In 2001, Kathy Stevens co-founded Catskill Animal Sanctuary, where her love of teaching and her love of animals merged. One of the world's leading sanctuaries for farmed animals, Catskill has saved more than 5,000 non-human individuals through the direct rescue — and exponentially more through programming that encourages humans to adopt veganism. Kathy shares how:

• A vegan saves around 30 animal lives every month (Veestro)
• Veganism could save almost eight million human lives by 2050 (Oxford Martin School)
• Following a vegan lifestyle cuts 100% of bad cholesterol from a person's diet (The Vegan Review)
• A plant-based diet reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 23% (Harvard)

Key Takeaways:

• What an "animal sanctuary" is and how is it different from an "animal shelter"
• What makes Catskill Animal Sanctuary unique among sanctuaries for farmed animals
• What vegan living means
• How veganism is the single biggest way to reduce your environmental impact
• What Catskill's New Leaf program is and how you can participate

Learn more about Catskill Animal Sanctuary and its New Leaf Program. You can donate to support their ongoing efforts to bring awareness to end animal suffering and aid in the welfare of the beautiful rescued animals. All of the links will be in the show notes at RonandLisa.com/Podcast.

Water is a precious resource and many people don't have enough of it. Most households in the U.S. waste a huge amount of water each year. If you've considered increasing your curb appeal with a drought-tolerant yard, you've come to the right place.

It's time to say sayonara to water-guzzling lawns and join the likes of other happy people who have cut their water bills by up to 50 percent. Not only are drought-tolerant landscapes beautiful, but they're also earth-friendly and sustainable and can increase property value significantly.

Our guest, Rama Nayeri, discovered her passion for working outdoors with plants and earned her landscape architecture degree from Cal Poly Pomona. Today, Rama is active in the green community and deeply committed to promoting drought-tolerant landscape design within Southern California.

Key Takeaways:

1. Should we trash our lawns and if so, what are the best replacements?
2. How the Covid pandemic has affected the landscape industry.
3. Sustainable practices and features that can be incorporated into gardens.
4. What native plants are and how to incorporate them into a garden with existing plants.
5. Homeowners can take advantage of municipal program incentives concerning turf removal and sustainability.
6. Tips for someone looking to transform their garden on a shoestring budget.
7. The process of working with a landscape designer/contractor.
8. What a homeowner should do before meeting with a designer/contractor.

To learn more about Rama's work and services, visit https://creationslandscapedesigns.com/. She provides initial consultations, full landscape design, and small-space patio design. Her landscape design offerings service Orange County, Los Angeles County, Riverside County, and San Diego County. Find all of the show notes at https://RonandLisa.com/Podcast.

It's cold and flu season and if you're experiencing dreaded symptoms, you've come to the right place. While flu viruses are detected year-round in the US, they're most common during the fall and winter with influenza activity peaking between December and February.

You may have asked yourself if the cold and flu be avoided. And if you suffer from either, can the duration and severity be reduced? Our guest today, Dr. Ken Redcross, is the author of "Bond: The 4 Cornerstones of a Lasting and Caring Relationship with Your Doctor," and founder of a unique concierge service providing patient-first treatment through Strategic Health Services. His patient portfolio includes executives, athletes, and entertainers, as well as individuals from all walks and stages of life.

Key Takeaways:

• Why it's essential to eat a healthy diet, especially this time of year.
• Healthier options to include in your diet.
• How lack of sleep affects our immune system and our ability to fend off a cold or the flu.
• Why you should be proactive when it comes to the flu.
• Some of the "closer to the earth" remedies Dr. Redcross prefers to give his patients and even his own family.
• What's most appealing about homeopathic medicines.
• Redcross' favorites homeopathic remedies for the cold and flu.
• The issue concerning medications for children and why it's essential to be mindful when administering medicines to younger family members.

To learn more about Dr. Redcross' work and services, visit Dr. Ken Redcross, and to learn more about Boiron, visit BoironUSA. We'll have all the links in the show notes at RonandLisa.com/Podcast.

According to CDC Cancer, one in every two men and one in every three women in the U.S. will develop cancer during their lifetime.

Our guest today helps others understand that the majority of cancers are not genetic but rather, caused by lifestyle and environment. Dr. Blythe Metz-Mändmets is a metaphysician, thought leader, speaker, and holistic healing coach who specializes in helping people realize their self-healing design. She created Corporate Vitality Programs to up-level the mental, emotional, and physical health of workforces while maximizing corporate productivity, creativity, and innovation.

Key Takeaways:

• The biggest problem in traditional medicine today
• How people can shift to personal responsibility
• What the Oxygen Factor is
• What people can do to have a 100+ year life of health and vitality

Blythe is gifting our listeners with a free Oxygenation Session & Vitality Masterclass: The 7 Protocols For Vitality & Longevity on December 3, 2022.

Welcome back to part 2 with Karen Cusmano, SVP, Head of Sustainability and ESG at Veris Residential, Inc; a forward-thinking, socially responsible REIT that provides a sustainable multifamily living experience for residents. If you missed the last episode #69, be sure to check it out as we covered How to Rent an Environmentally Friendly Apartment.

Today, we're diving deeper into green living to shed light on what a green lease lifestyle looks like at a sustainable property. In this episode, we're talking about ways that renters take advantage of eco-friendly amenities once they've signed a green lease.

Key Takeaways:

• The type of eco-friendly amenities found at Veris Residential properties
• What a Walker's Paradise means for residents
• The non-glamourous, yet impactful aspects of sustainable living features
• Biodiversity at Veris Residential including green roofs, hydroponic tower gardens, and beekeeping
• The social factors: fundraising, tree planting, and community events at Veris Residential

Remember, 'Sustainability is a lens through which we view every decision, every action, every day.'

According to a survey by the American Psychological Association, more than two-thirds of Americans experience some climate anxiety. The built environment is responsible for 40% of greenhouse gas emissions, and about 20% of US greenhouse gas emissions come from heating, cooling, and powering households. The good news? Environmentally friendly apartments actually exist. Think of it as the convergence where sexy meets sustainability by offering residences that value the property, the people, and the planet. Some even offer something called a green lease.

Our guest, Karen Cusmano from Veris Residential, a forward-thinking, socially responsible REIT that provides a sustainable multifamily living experience, sheds light on what's trending in healthy multifamily living, and how to find a sustainable apartment. She explains how Veris Residential has implemented changes to reduce climate impact and increase awareness of these issues by offering communities that deliver an unrivaled lifestyle experience, boasting amenities that support well-being.

Key Takeaways:

• The first step for a renter who is looking for a sustainable multifamily home
• How consumers can dig deeper into a company's sustainability performance
• What a WELL Health-Safety rating is and the Veris Residential properties that have earned it
• What a green lease means
• The third-party green certifications that Veris Residential properties have earned

From energy efficiency, conservation and sustainability, be sure to stay tuned for the next episode because we are diving into eco-friendly amenities, A Walkers Paradise, biodiversity, green roofs and so much more. We'll have all the links in the show notes at RonandLisa.com/Podcast.

What is tech addiction really costing you and your family? Today, 75 percent of us feel addicted to our phones and we spend over 3 hours per day on these devices, on average. American kids are spending a staggering 6-9 hours per day on the Internet. The conveniences of technology are taking a toll on adults and children, from decreased productivity and increased stress to anxiety and poor sleep quality.

Our guest, Taíno Bendz, the founder of Phone Free Day (October 6th) is here to shed light on coexisting with your digital devices. Taíno reveals what digital wellness and tech-life balance looks like and how we can achieve them.

Key Takeaways:

• The impact of technology on our daily lives
• How just turning off email notifications can lower your heart rate and stress
• Why you need a structure to stay accountable
• The biggest problem with social media
• How a healthy home looks in terms of how we use digital technology
• How social media has changed the way we connect with each other

You can take the Smartphone addiction test to discover how attached you are to your phone. The link is in the show notes at RonandLisa.com/Podcast.

If you've never heard of the ancient ritual of smudging, or space clearing, hold onto your sage bundles and stay with us…you're going to love today's show!

Our guest today, Rachel Larraine Crawford, is a Mystic, a Reiki Master, a Tarot Reader, a Feng Shui practitioner, an Energy Healer, and an award-winning Holistic Interior Designer.

Rachel the "Home Whisperer" is the founder of Tiger Veil, host of the 'Bewitching the Home' podcast, and founder of the DESIGN COVEN mentorship for future Interior designers. Rachel develops harmonious spaces with deep healing work to create energetically aligned indoor scapes through Holistic Interior Design.

Key Takeaways:

• Rachel shares the types of ceremonies she offers for new homes and buildings and why embedding crystals in the structure's foundation is important
• Why new homes/businesses should consider holistic design services
• Actions anyone can take today to help cleanse and elevate the energy in their homes such as smudging and energy clearing
• How health plays a part in a home's design
• Rachel's mentorship design program and services

What is lack of sleep really costing you? Your time, joy, productivity, or health? And, what's the price of all of this insomnia on Americans? It turns out, that billions of dollars are spent every year in the United States alone.

While sleep is vital, essential, and healing, it remains a struggle for most people and even children today; especially with back-to-school schedule changes. Are you one of the 50 to 70 million Americans who suffer from chronic sleep disorders or one in every 25 Americans who rely on prescription sleep medication? If so, this episode is for you.

While numerous remedies exist to improve our sleeping patterns and help us get some well-needed shuteye, the side effects can be dangerous.

Our guest today, Dr. Payam Hakimi, is here to shed light on this very topic. Dr. Hakimi is a board-certified family physician and the medical director of Body of Harmony in Beverly Hills, Calif. & Miami, Fl. Dr. Hakimi reveals some all-natural solutions that won't have you feeling drowsy from drug side effects the next day.

Key Takeaways:

• Why sleep is so important, especially when kids return to school and experience disruptions in their schedules
• What parents can do
• What we know about using melatonin for sleep issues and common misconceptions about it
• Some possible drawbacks of melatonin
• Why are supplements like melatonin in gummy form problematic?
• What are the main advantages of homeopathy for sleep disruption?
• How do homeopathic sleep medicines, SleepCalm, and SleepCalm for Kids work?

Friends, get ready to dream the impossible dream, rest that racing mind, and stop counting sheep once and for all. To learn more about natural sleep remedies from Boiron, the world's leader in homeopathic medicine, visit BoironUSA.