Vegetarian Zen

Are you as overwhelmed as I am by all of the different pills that claim to fight allergies? And what about all of those side effects? Sometimes I think the side effects might be WORSE than the allergies themselves. Natural remedies for seasonal allergies to the rescue!

In this episode of our podcast, we talk about some natural remedies to help you battle nasty seasonal allergies.

Check out episode 32 of our podcast to hear our discussion or feel free to read on for a summary.

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The season of nasty colds, ugly flu viruses, and winter allergies are upon us.  Coughing, chest congestion, itching, and achiness conspire to make us miserable.  Television, magazine ads, and conventional medicine have taught us to rush to the drugstore and load up on cough syrups and drops; pills for congestion, itching, sniffling and sneezing; medicines to help us sleep, and ones to keep us awake.

Of course, if you’re sick and not getting better you should visit your doctor, but there are also many ways to combat (and even prevent!) these illnesses naturally.

With that, here are 5 of our favorite tips to help you naturally treat what ails you this cold and allergy season.

Let’s start this list with the simplest of natural remedies, water.

Your body needs water, especially when you’re sick. Water not only helps flush out the bad stuff but it helps your body function properly so that it can heal.

Just like our bodies need water, they also need the right amount of nutrients to ensure they have what they need to fight off illness and inflammation.

By reducing processed foods and increasing whole foods in your diet, you’ll load your body with illness-fighting vitamins!

A what?

A poultice is essentially a paste made of herbs, plants, and other healing substances (like salt and charcoal) used as a natural alternative to rubs that are made from petroleum jelly. Petroleum jelly is a byproduct of the oil industry and doesn’t break down very easily so it’s not great for the environment.

Check out this article from Wellness Mama for more on poultices, including a few “recipes.”

As Wellness Mama states (and as we always state, too) please do not use any of these without first consulting your doctor.

Personally, I’m not a big fan of nasal irrigation but some folks swear by it.

According to the FDA, nasal irrigation systems such as neti pots and syringes are generally safe. It’s SUPER important, however, to keep them clean and use the correct type of water (distilled or sterile).  Tap water should NEVER be used as it’s not filtered properly and can contain some harmful organisms.

As stated, nasal irrigation isn’t something I would do, but we’ve included it in our list because we know some folks who do and think it’s a great natural way to fight and relieve allergies.

Mother Nature certainly knew what she was doing when she created these healing herbs!

Even though honey is not an herb, we are including it on this list because of its healing properties. Note: Honey is not considered vegan so you should not use this if you are trying to stick to follow a vegan lifestyle.

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These two bonus tips aren’t exactly “natural” remedies but they do help promote a more natural approach to allergy relief.

Bacteria thrive in dry air. A good quality humidifier can help you keep your airways open and lessen chest congestion. We have a Honeywell humidifier that has some great features such as automatic shutoff and variable settings.

Improve humidity levels in your home & improve your comfort with a Honeywell humidifier

You can add a few drops of essential oils or herbs to the water for an added bit of congestion relief.

While you can find plenty of disposable masks to help keep you from breathing in allergens,  we recommend reusable masks to help reduce waste.

The initial cost of a reusable mask is a little higher than disposable masks but you’ll save money in the long run.

We hope this has helped provide you with some ideas to help fight allergies with natural remedies vs. a TON of pills!

To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.

— Oscar Wilde

Thanks for listening!

Peace and Veggies,

The post 5 Natural Remedies for Seasonal Allergies appeared first on Vegetarian Zen.

In this, our 100th episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, we share 5 things vegetarians and vegans want people to know.

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast! If you find value in our podcast and listen on iTunes, please consider leaving us a rating and review.

Please note that some of the links on this page may be affiliate links and, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through to the product using the link we have provided. We never recommend or provide affiliate links to products or services we do not use ourselves or that come from a trusted resource. Our ultimate goal is to provide helpful products and advice to you, our readers and listeners.

It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through.

And here’s our version:

It was passion that got us off the couch, a vision that sprung us into action, and commitment to that vision that keeps us going.

Thanks for listening!

Peace and Veggies,

The post 5 Things Vegetarians and Vegans Want People to Know (VZ 100) appeared first on Vegetarian Zen.

In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, we talk about our garden…we’re getting adventurous this year and adding more than just herbs!

We discuss our natural growing and pest control methods, plus our successes and some challenges we’ve encountered.

Please note that some of the links on this page may be affiliate links and, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through to the product using the link we have provided. We never recommend or provide affiliate links to products or services we do not use ourselves, and our ultimate goal is to provide helpful products and advice to you, our readers and listeners.

Here’s what we mention in this episode:

I grow my own vegetables and herbs. I like being able to tell people that the lunch I’m serving started out as a seed in my yard.

— Chef Curtis Stone

Peace and Veggies,

The post Simple Gardening Tips – Lessons Learned in Our Garden (VZ 99) appeared first on Vegetarian Zen.

This episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast is all about vegan home furnishings!

We’ll make you aware of quite a few common home items that you would never think are made from animals, and we’ll tell you things to look for when furnishing a vegan household.

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast! If you find value in our podcast and listen on iTunes, please consider leaving us a rating and review.

Please note that some of the links on this page may be affiliate links and, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through to the product using the link we have provided. We never recommend or provide affiliate links to products or services we do not use ourselves, and our ultimate goal is to provide helpful products and advice to you, our readers and listeners.

The Gentle Barn

Reef Rover flip flops – men’s

Reef Rover flip flops – women’s

Nature’s Gate Shampoo – the cruelty-free shampoo we use

Nature’s Gate Conditioner – the cruelty-free conditioner we use

Dear intelligent people of the world, don’t get shampoo in your eyes. It really stings. There. Done. Now fucking stop torturing animals.

— Ricky Gervais

Thanks for listening!

Peace and Veggies,

The post Furnishing Your Home Like a Vegan! appeared first on Vegetarian Zen.

In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast, we’ll be discussing how to shop smart at farmers markets.  These venues are a great place to shop for fresh, local veggies and fruits, plus scratch-made bread and pastries, jams and jellies, honey, soap, and lots more.

You can listen to our discussion of farmers market tips here or, read on for a quick summary.

Shopping at a fresh market is very different (and in our opinion, much better!) than a trip to the grocery store. The fresh air, the smell of produce, freshly baked goods, and music (sometimes) is so much fun!

Before you head out to your local farmers market here, are 11 tips to share that we’ve learned over the years from experience.  These are designed to save you time and money.

The first of our farmers market tips is all about organization. You wouldn’t go to the grocery store without a list, right?  The same goes for the farmers market.

Before you leave home, check your refrigerator and pantry and make note of fresh produce and pantry staples to look for.  Depending on the size and location of your market, pantry items may include things like honey, olive oil, pickles, and other preserved veggies, jams and jellies, breads, and other pastries.

If you are a plan-ahead cook, work out your weekly meal plan before you go, and then look for the vegetables and fruits you will need for the week.  Conversely, you could buy what is fresh and in season and then plan your meals around your market finds.  (Want to plan your meals the easy way?  Check out the planner we use, Plan to Eat).

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Things tend to sell out fast at farmers markets, so the earlier you can get there the better your chances of getting the freshest produce.

Plus, you’ll beat the rush for parking.  Once you finish your shopping you’ll have plenty of time to sit back, relax, and enjoy a little people-watching or that bakery treat or nice piece of fruit you just bought.

Because fruits and vegetables are seasonal, most produce vendors will have the same items.

Before I make my first purchase, I always take a few minutes to do a walk-through.  I look at what each produce vendor has to offer, noting prices and freshness as I go.  This way, I’ll be sure to get the best, freshest food for the best prices.

You may come across the freshest, most awesome-looking kale you’ve ever seen, but if you go crazy and buy 6 bunches and you’ll really only use 2, then you’re just wasting money (and food!)

Only buy as much as you can use, freeze, or preserve in the next week.

I always bring along my reusable produce bags as well as some recyclable grocery bags.  Having these along saves me from accumulating more plastic bags at home and saves the vendors money (those bags aren’t free!).

At the beginning of our farmers market experience, we hauled all of our bags around by hand.  Not bad on a light shopping day, but if we bought eggs, jam, salsa, and bread PLUS all of our produce, stuff got heavy!

And then we got smart…we got a cart!  There are lots of different sizes and styles.  Ours is just a basic upright cart that folds flat for storage.  It’s lightweight and easy to maneuver.

• 300 lb capacity
• Front-wheel swivel
• 30-second easy snap-on assembly

While some vendors will be able to accept credit cards on their phones, most won’t.  And besides, is using a card to pay for a bunch of $3 and $4 purchases really worth it?

Make it easy on yourself and vendors and bring plenty of ones.

You hit the market early, had a nice breakfast and some fresh-brewed organic coffee.  You got your fill of people-watching and good music.  You’re ready to head out, but the day is still young and beautiful and there are so many exciting places you want to go (home isn’t one of them just yet!).

Having a cooler with ice in your trunk allows you to keep any perishable purchases cold while you enjoy the rest of your day.  (BONUS: We keep the ice in our freezer fresh by dumping it all into a cooler once a week and allowing the freezer to make more).

Remember, being a farmers market offering doesn’t automatically make food healthy!  A few things that come to mind: bakery items, fried foods from food trucks, candies (oh my goodness…those pecan pralines and handmade chocolates!).

Make the majority of your purchases healthy fruits and vegetables, but of course, indulging in a few treats is nice too!

You’ll find that most of the produce vendors at farmers markets are either the farmers themselves, their family members, or the workers who actually helped to plant, care for, and harvest the goodies they’re selling.

Don’t be afraid to ask them questions about the varieties they offer, their growing techniques, the history of their farm, et cetera.  If it is not posted in their booth, I’ll often ask if they are organic.

Check out episode 164 of our podcast for more ideas of questions you can ask.

The last of our farmers market tips is all about being adventurous! The only way to expand your palate is to try new foods, and a farmers market is a great place for it.  Farmers will often grow varieties of vegetables and fruits that aren’t available in the grocery store.  Our local market has a vendor who sells Indian foods — I had my first samosas there.

We hope you find these farmers market tips useful and that they save you some time and money on your next outing.

Peace and Veggies,

Vickie and Larissa

Please note that some of the links on this page may be affiliate links and, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through to the product using the link we have provided. We never recommend or provide affiliate links to products or services we do not use ourselves or that come from a trusted resource,. Our ultimate goal is to provide helpful products and advice to you, our readers, and listeners.

You can’t buy happiness but you can buy local, and that’s kind of the same thing.

— unknown

Thanks for listening!

Peace and Veggies,

The post 11 Awesome Farmers Market Tips to Save You Time and Money (VZ 97) appeared first on Vegetarian Zen.

In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast we’ll be continuing with our spring gardening theme and talking about heirloom plants and seeds. The word “heirloom” means a treasured possession that has remained in a family for generations.  In today’s episode you’ll learn why seeds need to be treasured and preserved more than any family trinket.

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast! If you find value in our podcast and listen on iTunes, please consider leaving us a rating and review.

Please note that some of the links on this page may be affiliate links and, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through to the product using the link we have provided. We never recommend or provide affiliate links to products or services we do not use ourselves, and our ultimate goal is to provide helpful products and advice to you, our readers and listeners.

Quotes of the Week

The seed has no idea of being some particular plant, but it has its own form and is in perfect harmony with the ground, with its surroundings … and there is no trouble.  This is what we mean by naturalness.

— Shrunyu Suzuki (from Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind)

Thanks for listening!

Peace and Veggies,

The post Growing with Heirloom Seeds and Plants (VZ 96) appeared first on Vegetarian Zen.

In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast, we offer tips to make your home eco-friendly.  First, we let you know why “traditionally-made” furnishings such as furniture, mattresses, pillows, and linens fall short on the sustainability spectrum.

Next, we let you know what to look for when shopping; things like ecologically-harvested wood, bamboo instead of hardwoods, non-toxic finishes, and natural fibers.

Finally, we let you know where to find these types of eco-friendly home furnishings.

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast! If you find value in our podcast and listen on iTunes, please consider leaving us a rating and review.

Please note that some of the links on this page may be affiliate links and, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through to the product using the link we have provided. We never recommend or provide affiliate links to products or services we do not use ourselves or that come from a trusted resource.. Our ultimate goal is to provide helpful products and advice to you, our readers and listeners.

Fewer and fewer Americans possess objects that have a patina, old furniture, grandparents pots and pans / the used things, warm with generations of human touch, essential to a human landscape. Instead, we have our paper phantoms, transistorized landscapes. A featherweight portable museum.

— Susan Sontag

Thanks for listening!

Peace and Veggies,

The post A Guide to Eco-Friendly Home Furnishings appeared first on Vegetarian Zen.

Spring is finally here, and it’s time to get those gardens in shape for a new growing season. In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast we’ll be talking about composting: what it is, what you can compost and what you can’t, the different methods of composting, and how to use your composted materials.

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast! We hope we provided you with a great basic guide to composting! If you find value in our podcast and listen on iTunes, please consider leaving us a rating and review.

Please note that some of the links on this page may be affiliate links and, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through to the product using the link we have provided. We never recommend or provide affiliate links to products or services we do not use ourselves, and our ultimate goal is to provide helpful products and advice to you, our readers and listeners.

COMPOST: Because a rind is a terrible thing to waste.

— anonymous

Thanks for listening!

Peace and Veggies,

The post Your Guide to Composting appeared first on Vegetarian Zen.

This episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast is all about coffee. You’ll learn about some of the purported benefits of this magic brown liquid, as well as some things to look out for.  We’ll also discuss the importance of buying organic, fair-trade coffee.

After doing the research for this episode we checked the coffee we drink at home and realized it wasn’t organic.  A quick search and a little reading about the brand and its owner, Rogers Family Co. Coffee & Tea, led us to realize that they are a good company that practices responsible, sustainable farming.  They have community aid programs in place in the countries where their coffee beans are grown.

Best of all, they have multiple varieties of coffee that are organic!  I chatted with a customer service rep online and later received an email from her stating that one of the owners, Jim Rogers, would like to speak to me personally.  We had a very nice phone conversation.   I ordered their San Francisco Bay Organic Rainforest Blend for our Keurig.

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast! If you find value in our podcast and listen on iTunes, please consider leaving us a rating and review.

Please note that some of the links on this page may be affiliate links and, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through to the product using the link we have provided. We never recommend or provide affiliate links to products or services we do not use ourselves, and our ultimate goal is to provide helpful products and advice to you, our readers and listeners.

We want to do a lot of stuff; we’re not in great shape. We didn’t get a good night’s sleep. We’re a little depressed. Coffee solves all these problems in one delightful little cup.

— Jerry Seinfeld

Thanks for listening!

Peace and Veggies,

The post Coffee Talk with Vickie and Larissa appeared first on Vegetarian Zen.