Welcome to Wellness Wednesdays! Join us on the MomsRising blog every Wednesday for tips, expert advice, and the latest news on wellness related issues, including: Breastfeeding Health care Paid Sick Days ...and so much more! Photo credit: Photo by Flickr user Mallu2007 It's going to be great: Look how happy this baby is about it! This week, we're taking a closer look at two newsworthy moments for breastfeeding moms, and what they might mean for you. We'll break down the Reasonable Break Time for Nursing Mothers amendment and figure out how to use pre-tax health savings account money on breast...

Photo Credit: Photo by Flickr User Nils Geylen Happy (almost) Valentine's Day! Keep your holiday nontoxic with these easy, last minute tips. Find out how to take toxic chemicals out of your romantic meal and your Valentine's Day sweets, as well as DIY beauty gift ideas for your Valentine, and green tips for your cards and wrapping paper. Dinner for Two: Staying in? Going out? Either way, we've got you covered. Check out these Non-Toxic Tips Tuesday guides to taking toxic chemicals out of your meals. Going out? How to Take BPA Off the Menu : Tips on ingredients to look out for on salads, pizza...

Super Bowl Sunday is around the corner! Keep toxic chemicals out of your Super Bowl bash by making a few simple tweaks to your game day plan. Don't worry: You don't have to lose any of those traditional (insanely delicious) football-watching-foods. Try these top 5 easy tips for greening your Super Bowl party: Photo credit: Photo by Flickr user Ed Yourdon Skip the cans: Limit the BPA in your game day snacks by limiting your canned ingredients, or choosing BPA free alternatives. Soak beans overnight and boil them the next day for baked beans or bean dip. If you're making chili, avoid canned...

One easy way to reduce toxic chemicals in your home is to take a room by room survey. What products do you use in each room? Photo credit: Flickr User Boris Mitendorfer Photography What items may need to be replaced soon? Where do you have the most product turn-around? A good place to start is the bathroom. While you're not buying a new couch every month (or every year, or even every ten years), your family probably routinely goes through items like shampoo, soap, and cleaning supplies. A few simple swaps, actions, and DIYs can drastically reduce your chemical exposure in the bathroom. Get...

Happy new year! How are your new years resolutions going? Last week, we talked about a few ideas for non-toxic New Years resolutions . If you're trying one of these resolutions, testing a non-toxic resolution of your own, or just recommitting yourself to detoxing your life in the new year, these simple (and inexpensive!) tools will make your new non-toxic life a little easier. Here are our top 5 tools for a non-toxic year: 1) A water filter: The Environmental Working Group’s water filter guide will help you choose the filter that’s right for you and your budget needs. If you’re not in the...

Go to the gym. Get organized. Start a new hobby. There's a list of three common new years resolutions, which doubles as a list of resolutions I've made and haven't kept a hundred times over. But my non-toxic resolutions? Those I've kept, because I've made them easy and concrete. Two years ago, I started using non-toxic handsoap, since I wash my hands several times a day. The year before, I replaced two frequently-used nonstick pans with stainless steel alternatives. This year, I'm going to improve my indoor air quality with an air filter, a few plants, and a window opening routine. Skip those...

I used to catch every cold that came into town. Office colds? Check. Office colds from my boyfriend’s office? Colds from family/friends/strangers schools/offices/jousting tournaments? Check, check, check. My winters were a series of tissue boxes, cough syrups, and congested mutterings that could be summed up as “This again?” or “Oh come on nose. Get it together.” My years of grumpy congestedness have made me a bit of a cold prevention expert. No one likes to be sick and grumbley, especially during the holidays. And cold/cough product manufacturers tend to prey on that this time of year, with...

Toy shopping is stressful enough without adding toxic chemicals to the mix! Avoid toxic traps with these top 5 tips for non-toxic toy shopping. 1) Be prepared: Look up toys on HealthyStuff.org and choose toys from their “No detected chemicals of concern” list and “Low detected chemicals of concern” list when possible. As you browse the HealthyStuff site, you can start to organize a list of toys that interest you with their product list tool . You can also find product ratings and suggestions for toys and other baby products on the Good Guide . 2) Reuse: Search online, or at local thrift...

Beauty products make great stocking stuffers for the ladies in your life. Leave toxic chemicals out of your gifts by using these easy shopping tips or making inexpensive, non-toxic DIY versions. 1) First, do your research before you give: We know you want to avoid giving a toxic gift, but labels on cosmetics and beauty products are a bit difficult to decipher. Use handy resources like the Skin Deep database , or this portable card from the National Healthy Nail Salon Alliance , which shows you how to make healthy choices when selecting a nail polish. 2) Be wary of “green” and “all natural”...