Easter can be an unnecessarily junk-filled and wasteful time of the year so we wanted to put together some ideas and tips to help you, the family and the environment get a little healthier over this period!
You’ll find a new recipe at the end too: Gooey Caramel Easter Eggs!
“I use Easter as a time to be creative and have fun. I LOVE Easter hat parades… and NOT just buying cheap bling to stick on a cheap hat and then throw away pull out the recycled paper and cardboard and MAKE something unique! We also enjoy blowing real eggs out and then painting them, and storing them like Christmas decorations to bring out each year! We have an ‘Easter Tree’ that tends to be minimalist branches/sticks foraged and painted white to hang the painted eggs onto.
And our egg hunt is more cryptic with lots of clues and the kids having to search all around the house and yard for the next written clue and location to search “
Some great ideas and inspiration there for a more eco-conscious Easter with the family this year!
Check out their shop and special Easter items! What a great local Sunny Coast biz!
“My children are 12 and 6 and for them it is about the chocolate hunt. Key is to keep away from any chocolate that is wrapped or presented in plastic. Foil can be recycled. Collect the foils of your chocolate and form them into a big ball or disk. They have to be as big as your hand balms for the recycling machine to pick it up. “
YES!
The recycling promoters such as Planet Ark suggest say it’s essential all alfoil (not the ‘made from recycled materials’ kinds though) is rolled together into large balls before being placed in the curb side recycle bin.
“You can get eggs in bulk or per unit at any The Source Bulkfoods stores and it’s deliciously package free”
Love this idea for reducing plastic use and waste! Bulk foods stores usually have paper bags for scooping bulk foods in to buy, usually you can take a jar or your own bag too, as long as they can weigh it first. If you buy some healthier eggs or treats, place in a jar and pretty it up it makes a gorgeous and eco-friendly gift for loved ones!
Thanks Larissa!
#6 from Kayley Farraway Tree Family Day Care
Egg Threading craft activity!
“- Recycled cereal box cut into eggs
– Hole punch
– Rainbow wool
**Tip – wrap some sticky tape around the end of the wool to make a needle like point, making threading easier for little hands.”
What a great way to use up scraps of yarn, to recycle/upcycle some cardboard laying around the house (or raid the recycle bins in the street for some) and to keep the kids occupied these holidays!
Also a fantastic activity for improving fine motor skills!
We love this great choc egg swap idea using timber eggs from a craft store (or get the hubby to make in the garage if he’s clever enough!) decorated with safe eco-friendly paints. Perfect for n Easter Egg Hunt, as decorations around the home in bowls or hanging with string, as gifts (you could personalise them for the recipients)… so much creativity to be enjoyed with these!
If you can find a local maker of something like this and prefer to buy instead of make, that’s an option too. These guys are in the UK so for any followers of ours over there, hit them up!
I also suggest sourcing ingredients produced locally when possible, fresh and organic meats, eggs, fruit and veggies, or at least use the Dirty Dozen Clean 15 list and make as many dishes and foods from scratch as you can so you have full control over what’s going into them.
RECIPE: Gooey Caramel Easter Eggs
Ingredients
100g chocolate (your fave block from the health food section/store or chunks from the bulk bin – dark is best)
1/4 cup raw honey (locally sourced is best)
1/2 cup pure coconut milk
Pinch of pink salt
Water for the double boiler
Handy items to have
Tray
Easter egg moulds
Silicon spatula
Spoon
Small saucepan
Whisk
Measuring cup
Double boiler of some kind (I use a glass container that sits nicely on top of a saucepan)
Method
Make the caramel by simply heating the coconut milk, honey and salt in a small saucepan, whisking regularly and letting it thicken up to no longer have a runny consistency. Have the temp up high initially to allow the mixture to boil then turn it right down to simmer until ready. Remove from the heat and allow to cool down completely before using
Melt the chocolate using a double boiler method
Spoon the runny chocolate into the moulds and half fill them, ensuring the sides to the tops are coated. It can help to have had the moulds in the fridge beforehand, as the chocolate will then stay on the sides easier
Place the moulds on a tray and into the freezer to become firm
Remove them from the freezer and use a small spoon to place a dollop of cooled caramel sauce in the centre of each on top of the firmed chocolate
Spoon more runny chocolate over the top to fill in the rest of the space in the moulds then return to the freezer to finish setting. Keep a couple of teaspoons or so of runny chocolate aside for putting the egg halves together. Use a silicon spatula to tidy up any chocolate spillage and drips.
Once the rest of the chocolate has set, it’s time to bring the individual halves together by gently scoring the flat parts, rubbing on the last of the runny chocolate and firmly placing the halves together to make whole eggs then allowing, once again, to set (fridge or freezer). Try to fill in any gaps along the seems by using your finger to spread the chocolate
These eggs should then be able to stay out of the fridge and can be wrapped in foil pieces from the craft store for gifts, egg hunts etc.
This disclaimer governs your use of Under the Primal Influence Blog. By using this website, you accept this disclaimer in full. If you disagree with any part of this disclaimer, do not use Under the Primal Influence Blog or any affiliated websites, properties, or companies. We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. You should therefore check back periodically for changes. By using this website after we post any changes, you agree to accept those changes, whether or not you have reviewed them.
All information and resources found on Under the Primal Influence Blog are based on the opinions of the author unless otherwise noted. All information is intended to motivate readers to make their own nutrition and health decisions after consulting with their health care provider. I am not a doctor, lawyer, psychiatrist, therapist, or your mother, and I don’t play one on the internet.
The author of this site encourages you to consult a doctor before making any health changes, especially any changes related to a specific diagnosis or condition. No information on this site should be relied upon to determine diet, make a medical diagnosis, or determine treatment for a medical condition. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice.
NO information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease or condition.
None of the posts and articles on Under the Primal Influence Blog may be re-printed without express written permission of the author. Primal Influence will respond to written requests to re-print parts of posts and excerpts/quotes (10% or less) may be reprinted with attribution as long as all links are left intact.
Is it really 𝘵𝘩𝘦 most important meal of the day? What does a healthy brekkie look like? What other factors are there at brekkie time other than just the foods we eat? Breakfast ideas for fussy and restricted eaters?
That’s a controversial question in the health realm for sure! Some say it is, some say it’s good to skip it and continue the fast from throughout the night into later in the day.
In all of my years learning about and living the Primal way I’ve definitely come to the understanding that breakfast is an important time to eat, for most of us, if not all of us.
Let’s look at why brekkie is an important meal, thanks to the wisdom of Mark Sisson of Mark’s Daily Apple…
“Breakfast is When You Break Your Fast
Historically, breakfast was a term used to describe your first meal of the day, no matter when that meal took place. Sometime around the 15th century, it became synonymous with the meal you consume shortly after waking up. And now, thanks to the hundreds of thousands of people thriving with intermittent fasting, breakfast is returning to its first-meal-of-your-day roots.
Simply put, breakfast is how you break your fast.
Whether you have a planned eating window or your fast is just the hours that you’re asleep, the meal that answers the day’s first call of hunger is arguably the most important.
Let me repeat that: your first hunger of the day is the most important.
It’s your body’s first polite request for you to deliver substantial, supportive, and sustainable fuel to your body.
Benefits may include:
Your cravings disappear
You’re not thinking about food 24/7
You have more sustained energy
You stop snacking all day
You sleep better at night
You’re not spiralling into guilt or shame because you binged once the sun went down”
I 100% feel my best when I’m eating a good meal in the morning. Not necessarily right away, or as my first ‘activity’ but definitely eating brekkie is my jam. Pun intended, cos, I love puns! Brekkie helps fuel my brain for funnier puns too.. haha
Basically, what most of the world eats most mornings. Grain-based cereals, toast, sausages full of flours and other fake stuff, crappy bacon, tinned baked beans, acai bowls, fruit and greens smoothies, green juices, just a coffee, pastries, muesli bars, protein bars, regular pancakes and waffles, syrups, jam, vegemite, margarine… the list continues but I think that covers most of the standard breakfast options.
If you’re still not convinced that cereal, toast etc do not play a role in a healthy lifestyle (for kids or adults, anyone at any age) refer to our blog all about GRAINS for all the info to get educated.
Why aren’t liquids like smoothies and green juices a good idea? A main reason is that our digestion starts in the mouth when we CHEW our food. Drinking a meal isn’t good for the gut. Another reason is that greens, fruits etc are highly inflammatory and end up causing more problems than positives to our health.
Why aren’t bars healthy? They’re full of junk! Simple!
High fruit brekkies aren’t good for us, if there’s way more sugar than protein and fat.
A high carb meal first up is going to make us hungry again and have an energy drop within a few hours.
Animal based. Honest to goodness. Eating meat, animal fat, gelatin/collagen, bone broth and eggs makes the basis of a nourishing start to the day. Animal protein and fat provides long-lasting energy, a high level of essential nutrients that are bio-available (meaning the human body knows how to process them properly and efficiently), and extremely low in (if any) anti-nutrients.
Meat muffins, leftovers from dinner, slow cooked meat, cold roasted meats, eggs done a kazillion different ways, meat waffles, mince patties, good quality bacon, bone broth, collagen/gelatin, cheeses (dairy and not) cooking in and adding beef fat, lard, ghee, butter… there are so many ways to have a nourishing and enjoyable animal-based brekkie meal.
Adding in a few other healthy low-inflammatory options like avocado, mushrooms, some veggies, and low-sugar fruits (e.g. berries) are great too. Even whole fruit jelly can be a great addition to breakfast meals.
Then the sometimes ingredients like coconut yoghurt, coconut cream/milk, honey or pure maple syrup, fruits, paleo flours turned into breads, cereals, waffles, pancakes etc.
It’s really not hard to switch from standard crappy options over to nutritious alternatives. It takes some effort, planning and time initially, a transition period, then getting used to it so it becomes the ‘norm’. We did it over a decade ago. And if Clint, who said “𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥” can do it, anyone can!
𝗔 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗸𝗸𝗶𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱!
It’s so sad that most of the world thinks a healthy breakfast consists of standard cereals such as cornflakes, sugary kids cereals, mueslis etc, wheat and grain-filled gluten-free toast, spreads, icky green drinks, fruit bowls and smoothies, conventional coffee (non organic) with regular highly processed milks (skim being the worst)…
When the actual healthy options are based on animal foods, low inflammatory whole foods and essential minerals. And a good start to the day is about so much more than just the foods we eat! How much outdoor time we get matters too. Sunrise (or as close to) light directly on our skin and in our eyes, our feet touching the earth, breathing in fresh air, moving our bodies.. it’s all super important on a regular basis.
Let’s start thinking about breakfast time in a more holistic and all-rounder approach. Instead of sitting around a table or in front of the TV eating junk and not doing anything else.
#1: Consume Sole on an empty stomach (mineral salt drenched water in a glass of water to remineralise the body)
#2: Outdoor time barefoot, moving, getting fresh air.
#3: Early sunshine directly in the eyes and on the skin.
#4: Eating a nourishing animal-based brekkie meal.
That’s what we do most days of the week to turn our get-up-and-go hormones kicking in, to fuel us, and to keep us full and productive all morning.
Recipe + meal ideas
A simple mince meat pattie with eggs is an easy one, add avocado or mushroom, some low sugar friends or whole fruit jelly, or bone broth, and you have an insanely healthy fuel source to start the day. We sometimes make and ghee-daise which is so creamy and delicious, and for leaner meat we add raw beef suet packed full of bio-available nutrients.
Adding offal is a very good idea and a great way to hide the flavour is in patties! Meat Muffins is a brilliant (and popular) time saving breakfast idea, Meat Waffles are different, there are healthy swap recipes for sometimes-meals like pancakes, there’s a couple of cereal options.. a few things to hopefully inspire you to create nourishing breakfast meals for you and the fam 😋
I hope this information and our perspectives and experiences help you and your family on your journey to better health + more happiness!
This disclaimer governs your use of Under the Primal Influence Blog. By using this website, you accept this disclaimer in full. If you disagree with any part of this disclaimer, do not use Under the Primal Influence Blog or any affiliated websites, properties, or companies. We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. You should therefore check back periodically for changes. By using this website after we post any changes, you agree to accept those changes, whether or not you have reviewed them.
All information and resources found on Under the Primal Influence Blog are based on the opinions of the author unless otherwise noted. All information is intended to motivate readers to make their own nutrition and health decisions after consulting with their health care provider. I am not a doctor, lawyer, psychiatrist, therapist, or your mother, and I don’t play one on the internet.
The author of this site encourages you to consult a doctor before making any health changes, especially any changes related to a specific diagnosis or condition. No information on this site should be relied upon to determine diet, make a medical diagnosis, or determine treatment for a medical condition. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice.
NO information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease or condition.
None of the posts and articles on Under the Primal Influence Blog may be re-printed without express written permission of the author. Primal Influence will respond to written requests to re-print parts of posts and excerpts/quotes (10% or less) may be reprinted with attribution as long as all links are left intact.
There are so many natural and organic skincare products on the market these days, ranging in price and sustainability, with some being marketed and advertised as “natural” which in fact aren’t! No one wants to waste their money when they’re trying to do good for their skin, their health and for the planet.
So how do we know what to buy and try?
I often choose the DIY route when it comes to skincare as I don’t use a lot of different products and I’m extremely budget and eco-conscious.
Making skincare concoctions from scratch is rewarding but can be time-consuming and hard to sustain. So when I met the maker of a local skincare range who guaranteed me all of her products are totally natural and sustainable I had to try them!
Not only am I looking for good products for myself, but also to recommend to my Primal Health Coaching clients and Clint’s Private Kids Coaching client parents.
Introducing… Skin Muk!
I met the lovely Serenity at the first 2-day business coaching workshop a couple of months ago, she was sitting next to me for one of the days so I found out about her business and could tell right away how passionate she is about creating quality, effective and clean skincare products.
Not long after, she gave me a box of samples to try and OMG, I was instantly impressed, the packaging and the products looked so beautiful! I felt like I was being spoiled, which is a rare experience for me, but one every girl should have regularly I think!
Local ✔️
Natural ✔️
Sustainable ✔️
Luxurious ✔️
Face oil, sugar scrub and 2 different clay samples arrived at my door step looking as pretty and well-presented as anyone could want. I was already impressed just opening the box!
CASSIOPEIA MINI – FACIAL OIL
I usually use a pure rose hip oil on my skin at night which absorbs in easily and never feels heavy or ‘oily’ after, so I was interested to see how this face oil would compare.
Really well actually! It definitely smells nicer; it has a beautiful aroma. And made my skin feel super soft after gently applying a few drops.
I really like this product. It doesn’t leave my skin feeling oily and it’s luxurious but so simple.
The dropper bottle is good quality and travels easily (no leaking!).
This can easily be for daily use, even before applying makeup, or used occasionally as a self-love pamper day treat.
MOON DUST – CLAY MASK + STAR DUST – CLAY MASK
My go-to clay mask option is just boring old bentonite clay but it always leaves my face feeling dry. Ugh.
Neither of these do which is a nice change! I tried the Moon Dust first and definitely noticed the incredible softness the powder has just dry in the hand before adding a bit of water. After rinsing off my skin felt soft and not dry at all.
Serenity says this one can be used as a quick cleanser or mask left on for a few minutes.
I tried the Star Dust powder last night, as a mask left on my face for about 10 minutes, and besides absolutely LOVING the colour (pink!!), I loved how my skin felt afterwards, and even today, it still feels really nice.
I noticed, too, that my skin isn’t breaking out today which it normally would after eating some not-so-great foods after camping on the weekend! Yay!
Very little clay powder is needed when, combined with water, to cover the face so this product goes a long way.
It’s a definite tick of approval from me for these two! ✔️✔️
Now for my favourite of al the Skin Muk goodies I’ve tried…
PINK NEBULA – SUGAR SCRUB
Absolutely dee-vine!
As a body scrub to exfoliate my skin I always use DIY coffee and coconut oils scrub. It’s great on my skin but boy it’s messy! It’s something I only use right before housework day otherwise it leaves my bath and shower (combo) oily and with tiny bits of coffee grounds everywhere!
When I first opened the tub of Pink Nebula I was pleasantly slapped in the face with the most gorgeous aroma. Strawberry + vanilla = yum. Even better than coffee and coconut oil, if you can believe it!
I used it on my legs, torso and arms and was so happy with how it worked. The sugar dissolves after a bit of scrubbing with the hand but not too quickly that it doesn’t do it’s job of exfoliating.
Also, it didn’t leave ANY mess. None whatsoever. Woo!
It leaves my skin feeling so soft, not oily at all after use, and a small quantity really does go along way which is a bonus. I am in love with this product and my jar of homemade coffee scrub isn’t getting used at the moment while I enjoy this much nicer scrub tub!
Thank you so much Serenity for gifting me these gorgeous creations. They’re perfect for eco-conscious ladies wanting to look after their skin naturally, and feel a little pampered without much cost or effort.
I’m more than happy to recommend these items, this company, and I hope you check out the full range here ❤️
If you have any questions for us regarding these products or what other skincare products we use, email us at info@primalinfluence.com or comment below.
I hope this information and our perspectives and experiences help you and your family on your journey to better health!
This disclaimer governs your use of Under the Primal Influence Blog. By using this website, you accept this disclaimer in full. If you disagree with any part of this disclaimer, do not use Under the Primal Influence Blog or any affiliated websites, properties, or companies. We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. You should therefore check back periodically for changes. By using this website after we post any changes, you agree to accept those changes, whether or not you have reviewed them.
All information and resources found on Under the Primal Influence Blog are based on the opinions of the author unless otherwise noted. All information is intended to motivate readers to make their own nutrition and health decisions after consulting with their health care provider. I am not a doctor, lawyer, psychiatrist, therapist, or your mother, and I don’t play one on the internet.
The author of this site encourages you to consult a doctor before making any health changes, especially any changes related to a specific diagnosis or condition. No information on this site should be relied upon to determine diet, make a medical diagnosis, or determine treatment for a medical condition. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice.
NO information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease or condition.
None of the posts and articles on Under the Primal Influence Blog may be re-printed without express written permission of the author. Primal Influence will respond to written requests to re-print parts of posts and excerpts/quotes (10% or less) may be reprinted with attribution as long as all links are left intact.
It can be so stressful trying to create a healthy space in the kitchen, for ourselves and for the planet. So from what we buy, use, eat and do in the kitchen we’re sharing our top tips for making healthier choices (and reducing stress!).
We hope it helps you and your fam!
DIY Flavour Mixes
If you’re used to buying and consuming pre-made flavour products like sauces, marinades, spice mixes etc it can be pretty daunting at first to think of making your own versions from scratch, but I promise, it’s really not hard and once you start you’ll find it gets even easier pretty quickly!
I like to buy organic dried and herbs from bulk stores such as The Source, especially when trying out new flavours and I don’t want to commit to owning heaps of something, and sometimes the mixes I create are from recipes, based on recipes but tweaked, or just totally random. Often those random creations are the tastiest!
Don’t be afraid to play around with herbs and spices. If you don’t absolutely love a mix you’ve created at first, you can usually change it and get it ‘right’. Start out with just a few simple flavours you know you like then get more adventurous when you feel like it.
Here are some flavour combo ideas to try:
– Rosemary, basil, thyme, oregano for pasta sauces – Coriander and cumin powders with pink salt mixed well into mince for patties (great with turkey mince!) – DIY Mexican sauce: coriander powder, lime juice, tomato paste, sweet paprika – Oregano is subtle and goes nicely with veggies (mash, cauli rice, on roast veg, everything) – Rosemary on roast veggies including pumpkin and cabbage is delish, especially with ghee drizzled on
Once you find the combos you and your family like, make larger amounts (dry stuff only) and store in jars in the cupboard.
Remember to try and avoid using sugars, white vinegar etc, as the point here is to make HEALTHY swaps!
Bulk-Buy When Possible
It’s not always doable but when you can buy meat and produce in bulk amounts it’s better for the environment and usually better for the bank account too.
Butchers will often sell (or make on request) larger quantities of meat for a lower price. E.g. 2kg mince for a few dollars less. Farmers offer 1/4, 1/2 and whole beast options which is almost always cheaper. Many health food stores these days have bulk food bins (but check the per kilo price compared to packaged products just in case they’re way more exy), local co-ops offer bulk buy options, produce sections at shops and markets all allow for bulk buying, plus you can often find larger sized canned and jar products depending where you shop.
For example, Clint and I like to get a huge 1.6kg tub of grass-fed ghee when we visit my mum in Brissie cos it’s cheaper and uses less packaging. Win!
We often buy 2-3kg of offal mince mix from a local butcher in just 2 bags instead of 500g packs. I recycle the plastic and separate the mix up into smaller containers at home. Easy!
Sometimes though, bulk buying food is cheaper but not eco-friendly and sometimes it’s the other way around. E.g. going in on 1/4 an animal from a local farmer may save you bucks but they might use packaging that isn’t recyclable. Same with buying a big bag of veggies already made instead of choosing your own loose pieces.
You need to be savvy, work out what your priorities are and why you’re looking into bulk buying, and find the best options that meet your needs and goals.
With more businesses adopting sustainable practices today, and some even contributing to a circular economy, there are more eco-friendly options than ever before. But some are more expensive.
𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙪𝙡𝙠 𝙗𝙪𝙮𝙨?
Reading + Understanding Labels
So you can make healthier choices when buying food, cleaning products + more!
Labelling laws in Australia are ok, but they’re not great. For instance, the code for a mixture of ingredients needs to be listed but not what that actually contains. When I first went gluten-free and was doing a lot of research I found out that the code for the caramel colour in a lot of food products may actually contain hidden gluten but that didn’t have to be listed on the nutrition label! Scary!
As a general rule in terms of health for us and the planet, if you can’t understand what an ingredient is then it’s probably best avoided.
𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩 𝙩𝙞𝙥𝙨: – avoid highly processed cane sugar (non-organic) – white vinegar isn’t a healthy preservative. Apple cider vinegar is – numbers and codes = toxins and hidden nasties – “low fat” usually means high sugar – added / fortified ingredients such as folate and fibre = bad news – ignore the government star rating, it’s BS – soy in any form isn’t good – look for products with clean and organic ingredients when possible – foods cooked/fried in vegetable oils are highly toxic
𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝𝙮 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩 𝙩𝙞𝙥𝙨: – avoid products containing phosphates, sodium carbonate, optical brighteners, surfactants, chlorine-based bleaching agents and ingredients derived from palm oil and petrochemicals as they can all harm our waterways and the environment – Planet Ark says to look for… “Biodegradable certifications, such as Australia’s AS4351 standard. Plant-based (rather than petroleum-based) ingredients. A concentrated formulation. This also has the benefit of less packaging, fewer chemicals per wash and smaller carbon footprint for transportation. Specific ingredient information, such as solvent-free non petroleum-based ingredients, rather than unregulated greenwash claims like ‘natural’ and ‘eco-friendly’.”
Learn to read and understand labels, do some research, ask questions to the manufactures if you want clarity and transparency, and try to choose products with simple and natural ingredients.
Go Green But Don’t Get Green-washed
By “go green” we mean to choose more eco-friendly products and behaviours but to avoid being ‘green washed’ which is a whole new and annoying part of today’s semi-eco-conscious world!
‘𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝𝙮’ 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙙𝙚: – Using paper and glass when possible, over plastic – Recycle effectively – Use biodegradable or recycled material cloths and scrubbers – Use natural eco-friendly cleaning products – Using good quality long-lasting cooking implements such as cast iron pans, high quality stainless steel pots and pans, glass baking dishes etc
𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 ‘𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙’ 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚: Basically, very clever marketing and branding! – ‘Degradable’ plastic items. These do not help the environment, these plastics just break up into smaller pieces, that’s it! – Products made with recycled plastics. These often cannot be recycled again as recycled plastics reach a limit of recyclability. Check with Planet Ark, on the packaging for what to do with the packaging after use, local council. – The words ‘plant-based’, ‘natural’, ‘green’ and ‘eco’ on packaging. If, for example, a dishwashing liquid is cheap like around $2-$3 for a bottle and contains these words it’s more than likely not all that “green” and isn’t safe for the waterways.
The legit biodegradable, compostable, recyclable and eco-safe packaging (bin liners, foil, cling wrap etc) cost a bit more. Those starchy thin bin liners you see in the health food stores cost a lot more then the supermarket ‘degradable’ varieties that still feel like actual plastic (because they are!)
We have 2 small cast iron pans permanently on our stove top, we use them at least 3 times a day and y’know how often we wash them? Maybe once a year if that. It’s so good!
Not only is cast iron one of the healthiest cooking surfaces, it’s incredibly easy to maintain, energy-efficient, can be used in the oven or on the stove, and can make food cook and taste better!
𝘽𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙤𝙣:
– Fortifies food with iron- Can be bought second hand, easily brought back to life if rusty and therefore reduces the need to buy brand new cookware
– Extremely durable (possibly never having to throw out or replace if looked after)- Really low and easy maintenance
– Sears meat well because it gets hot quickly and easily
– Because it gets hot easily the cooking temp can be reduced quicker making it more energy-efficient
– Creates an even cooking temp BUT the good-health factor can depend on how you season it. If using a seed or vegetable oil then that ruins any chance of it being a healthy cooking surface. Use quality animal fat and it’s soooo healthy!
We do love taking our cast iron camp ovens and pans cooking but even more we love using cast iron every day and will never go back to buying Teflon or any other unhealthy cooking items!
How to look after cast ironused often
Keep a jar of grass-fed tallow or lard (rendered beef or pork fat) by the stove and after cooking with cast iron and while the pan is on the hot plate used (turned off but still warm after cooking) add a little bit of fat to the pan if it looks dry, and spread around evenly for a thin coating
Do not wash your cast iron unless absolutely necessary, and if you do wash it, follow the steps below to season in the oven 1-2 times
After cooking, if food remains, just scrape it off with a spatula and season slightly with a bit of fat if the pan looks dry. We cook eggs and meat on our pans every morning and just scrape off any excess food into the bin or sink
It’s important to only add a thin layer of fat to season after use, or none at all if fatty meat was cooked and left some fat behind. Scrape off excess fat if the meat was really fatty
If wiping down the stove with a wet cloth often, be sure to check the bottom of the pan every so often for signs of rust, then do a seasoning round in the oven as mentioned below if needed
Tomato and other acidic foods break down the seasoning layer so keep that in mind if regularly cooking tomato in the pan
How to bring rusty cast iron back to life
Use natural salt flakes and an old cloth/scourer to scrub any rust flakes or old food off
Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees Celsius
Remove any non-oven proof bits (such as timber handles on camping pans which should easily screw off)
Use grass-fed tallow or lard (rendered beef or pork fat) and rub a thin layer all over the pan/pot
Place in the oven upside for 1-hour
Carefully remove from the oven to cool down (or turn the oven off and leave the door open for it to cool down before handling)
Repeat the fat layering (when cool enough to handle) and another round of 1-hour in the oven
1-3 rounds should be plenty, depending on the state of the cast iron. An old rusty piece may take 3 rounds, whereas a simple re-seasoning of a well-looked after piece may only require one round
‘Cleaner’ Cleaning!
Swapping from chemical cleaning products to natural and eco-friendly doesn’t mean cleanability is reduced. Often, the chemical cleaners we’re told are so effective actually just hide the dirt and stains, they don’t actually clean it off!
A major downside of using chemicals to clean with is how they reduce our immune system, not just impact the environment. Let’s implement more “clean living” practices in how we actually clean!
There are generally 2 main options: – buy ready-to-go eco-friendly natural cleaning products and solutions – make your own
I’m as time-poor as the next person so I don’t go to great lengths to DIY everything but simple vinegar and tea tree oil is pretty much all I need for cleaning the kitchen during my weekly or fortnightly housework day. The rest of the time we use WATER to clean surfaces. Because there is such a thing as being “too clean”! Meaning… in an attempt to clean away nasty germs we clean away all the good stuff which also can reduce our immunity.
Using chemicals and over-cleaning are both sure-fire ways to reduce our heath.
Swapping chemicals for natural and safe alternatives and cleaning only when necessary are good for us and the environment. Yay!
There are stacks of natural eco-friendly cleaning products on the market these days. Be careful of green-washing when buying the lower cost items but you’ll find legit options at any health food store, some markets, some supermarkets, online, at local co-ops etc.
𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝𝙮 𝙠𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙨: – Vinegar and bicarb or Bon Ami powder for the sink – Micro fibre cloths that last aaaaages and don’t need products added – Vinegar, bicarb and tea tree oil paste left on a stain for a few mins (great for laminate surfaces) – Vinegar and lemon spray – Castile soap, washing soda and borax can all be great
If I go out to the communal recycling bins at the front of our complex right now and look inside any one of them I can bet you a decent sum of money there are items in there that shouldn’t be. It drives me insane!
Unfortunately our local Council does very little (almost nothing) to educate residents on how to recycle properly. I’ve been extremely proactive, cos I really care about this, and have taken it upon myself to find out what can and can’t be recycled, through contacting Council directly, using info provided by Planet Ark, RedCycle, TerraCycle + other organisations who deal with this stuff.
Even just the other day I was chatting alfoil recycling with someone (not sure how that came up in conversation lol) and they didn’t know it has to be saved up to be made into a large ball before it can go in the recycle bin. Most people don’t know this!
So you could be trying to recycle but not quite getting it right. It’s really common!
𝙈𝙮 𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙮𝙘𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙞𝙥𝙨: – Rinse and dry plastics, cans etc that go in the recycle wheelie bins – Put soft plastics into a soft plastic bag to eventually fill and take to the supermarket soft plastics bin to recycle – ensure they’re NOT WET though. Food/dirt is ok but moisture creates mold. ‘Degradable’ plastics can’t be recycled. – Don’t recycle oily stuff like the section of the pizza box that’s oil-stained, oil on packaging etc – Check with your Council if they accept empty gas canisters and aerosols – Check with your Council for what they can and can’t take in general! A lot of kitchen and household items can be dumped free or charge if not able to go in the wheelie bin at home – Check product packaging to see the new ARL (Australiasian Recycling Label) so you know what can be done with each packaging element – Buy recycled/eco-friendly paper towel (we use Who Gives a Crap) – Buy products with packaging made using recycled materials if they can be recycled or disposed of cleanly (as per ARL) – Don’t put your recycling items in a plastic bag into the recycle wheelie bin!! – Don’t recycle oily stuff like the section of the pizza box that’s oil-stained, oil on packaging etc
We didn’t include this bit on our SM posts, so it’s a bonus bit for you!
Making the switch from plastic to glass for food storage and heating is so important. It can be expensive to do it all in one go, so my best advice for you with this is to transition slowly if money is an issue.
Whether a plastic container is “BPA-free” or not, it’s bad for the environment and bad for our health. Plastic is plastic!
Glass is the healthiest and most eco-friendly option.
When we first swapping plastics for glass we waited until the shops near us had Pyrex on sale. We also went to a kitchen outlet store to grab some bargains.
Now, you could easily go online for some, even Kmart and other ‘cheaper’ stores sell glass containers. Grab some from wherever you can access and afford!
The downside of some brands though, including Pyrex, is the lids are made of plastic which cracks and breaks easily and can’t be recycled in the recycle wheelie bin collected by Councils. So look for more eco-friendly lids that will last a long time.
We still use plastic containers but really only for camping because we need the spill-free factor which many glass containers don’t have! But for al fridge and freezer storage and food re-heating we use glass.
The pantry is an easy place to go-more-glass because you can simply wash and re-use jars that had other food inside. Use washable labels or blackboard paint and a chalk pen to label, buy organic herbs and spices, cocoa, oils etc from plastic-free bulk food bins at health food stores and store in the re-used jars.
MORE BONUS STUFF!
Not included on our SM posts, here’s some bonus advice for you!
Spotted at IGA: a huge variety of eco-friendly cleaning goodies…
How to remove tough kitchen stains naturally…
Make a paste of vinegar, bicarb soda and tea tree oil then place on food stains on laminate surfaces. Leave for an hour or so then scrub off using a cloth. Gone!
Especially handy for turmeric and organic curry powder stains!
A better option for baking paper…
There are definitely a few greenwashing baking paper products on the market but Glad now have a “compostable” option which we’ve started using recently. It’s not waxy and it’s quite tin but it does the trick when cooking foods such as our primal pizza on baking paper on the pizza stone.
If you have any questions for us regarding what other eco-kitchen items we use, email us at info@primalinfluence.com or comment below.
I hope this information and our perspectives and experiences help you and your family on your journey to better health! Please comment if you have any questions.
This disclaimer governs your use of Under the Primal Influence Blog. By using this website, you accept this disclaimer in full. If you disagree with any part of this disclaimer, do not use Under the Primal Influence Blog or any affiliated websites, properties, or companies. We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. You should therefore check back periodically for changes. By using this website after we post any changes, you agree to accept those changes, whether or not you have reviewed them.
All information and resources found on Under the Primal Influence Blog are based on the opinions of the author unless otherwise noted. All information is intended to motivate readers to make their own nutrition and health decisions after consulting with their health care provider. I am not a doctor, lawyer, psychiatrist, therapist, or your mother, and I don’t play one on the internet.
The author of this site encourages you to consult a doctor before making any health changes, especially any changes related to a specific diagnosis or condition. No information on this site should be relied upon to determine diet, make a medical diagnosis, or determine treatment for a medical condition. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice.
NO information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease or condition.
None of the posts and articles on Under the Primal Influence Blog may be re-printed without express written permission of the author. Primal Influence will respond to written requests to re-print parts of posts and excerpts/quotes (10% or less) may be reprinted with attribution as long as all links are left intact.
What does ‘natural skincare’ mean to us + why is it even something to consider?
As you’re probably aware, we live in a highly toxic world. Chemical and toxin exposure has a massive impact on our health and well-being; from mucking up our hormones to causing skin problems, allergies, contributing to ASD symptoms, and lowing our immunity.
Some toxins we can’t do much about, while some we definitely can (and should!).
Those we have control over include what we put on our skin; understanding what’s in the products we currently buy and use and becoming more educated to make better buying decisions.
To us, natural skincare is about using natural ingredients, and as few as possible, on our skin (in our mouths, on our heads, every part of our external environment).
It’s not natural for humans to be bombarding our skin and system loads of different ingredients and compounds, when in our most natural existence would we have done that?! Other than clays, dirt, plants, ash, water etc… we weren’t exposing ourselves to anything that wasn’t simple and basic.
Today there are loads of ‘natural’ skincare and beauty products on the market but if you go into a store, have a browse, pick a few items, read the label we can bet you most contain a long list of ingredients, some you won’t even recognise or understand. We know, we’ve been there!
We believe what goes on the skin should be as simple and as minimal as possible and of course, as natural and the least likely to have a negative effect on our health.
Let’s try to turn around some of societies health issues by choosing healthier skincare products that not only help us and our families but also the environment! ♻️ 🌏
Natural products we use – DIY and store-bought
𝙈𝙤𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙧: – I make a really simple tallow moisturiser (recipe coming later this week) which I especially love using in winter on my legs and arms. – We looooove Ecology Skincare tallow creams because they smell amaaaazing, are so fluffy and luxurious! And so minimal of ingredients which is really important to us. Clint uses this on his face when his skin under his beard, in winter when it gets a bit dry.
𝙈𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙪𝙥: – Clint wears… just kidding! I’m budget-conscious when it comes to cosmetics so even though there are loads of natural options on the market now I don’t buy the high cost products and prefer to stick to affordable brands such as ECO Minerals , MooGoo Makeup , benecos , Nude by Nature + more in the video below.
𝘾𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙨/𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨: – I use coconut oil soap on my face to get makeup off – We wash with pure homemade coconut oil soap and I use it to shave legs – Liquid soaps from Ecostore
𝙏𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙝/𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙝𝙮𝙜𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙚: – We brush with handmade pure coconut oil soap (yep, true!) and use a natural whitener from Nourished Life without glycerine (super important) – Clint tongue scrapes sometimes – We add bentonite clay to our toothpasty brush every so often and definitely when we feel any signs of decay or teeth problems (very rare but happens occasionally)
𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙘: – Homemade coffee scrub to exfoliate skin – Olive oil in my hair to help soften curls and reduce frizz – Shampoo/conditioner combo bar in the shower or homemade ACV and rosemary tea – Bites, scrapes, bruises, burns etc… homemade plantain or comfrey balm, aloe vera, manuka honey or tallow cream – Rosehip PLUS pure rose hip oil for scarring and uneven skin tone – Perfume is a natural roll-on from One Seed organic perfumery – Sunscreen: very rarely do we use any and we buy various brands but the one we have at the moment is MooGoo Skin Care
Check out all the natural things Clint and I have in our bathroom.. from makeup, to shampoo, to cleaning and more….
🧪 What harmful ingredients should we be on the lookout for?
There are many nasty ingredients in common skincare products that can do harm to yours and your kids health and if you want to look into it thoroughly and for links to specific symptoms there are plenty of resources available, we wanted to list a few key players here for you as a go-to reference…
– 1,4-DIOXANE – PABA – ETHOXYLATED INGREDIENTS – HYDROQUINONE – PETROLATUM, PETROLEUM JELLY – ETHANOLAMINE COMPOUNDS (MEA, DEA, TEA AND OTHERS) – COAL TAR – PHENOXYETHANOL – CARCINOGENS IN COSMETICS – NANOMATERIALS – TALC – CARBON BLACK – PARABENS – FRAGRANCE – BUTYLATED COMPOUNDS – FORMALDEHYDE AND FORMALDEHYDE-RELEASING PRESERVATIVES – BENZOPHENONE & RELATED COMPOUNDS – ACRYLATES – MICA – HOMOSALATE – LEAD – METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE AND METHYLCHLOROISOTHIAZOLINONE – NITROSAMINES
Many of these are known to cause cancer, allergies and an increase in symptoms, disrupt hormones, effect ASD symptoms, impair growth and development of infants, lower immunity, effect pregnant women and more. Some are found in common trusted household brands, they could very well be lurking in your bathroom cupboard right now.
From sunscreen to talc powders, to nail polishes, and makeup and creams… unless the ingredients are listed as 100% natural and safe, preferably organic, the ingredients list is small, and you can get full transparency from a manufacturer of the sources and possible effects then the chances are the products you’re using contain nasty chemicals.
🧼 🧴 Making the transition to using more natural safe skincare products
There are many ‘natural’ products in many shops these days and as with most things, ‘natural skincare’ has been over-marketed and over-commercialised. Even regular toxic brands now have ‘natural’ items in their range! But how clean are they really?
It can be so confusing and stressful to pick the best options for you and your family!
– Use the info in our earlier post to find out what chemicals to look out for and avoid – Look for certified organic ingredients/products when possible – Simple is always best! Usually the whole-plant version is far more beneficial than a product made using it and a zillion other ingredients. Less processing, fresher, more of an impact. E.g. aloe vera gel direct from a leaf as opposed to highly processed aloe gel in a bottle on the shelf. – Again re simple… look for products with short ingredients lists. If you can understand what the ingredients are and there aren’t many of them, that’s a good sign! – Look into the manufacturers of products you think could be suitable for you and find out their processes, sources etc. If you can get access to all the info and you can then trust them, go for it. – Choose one item at a time to swap so it’s not overwhelming and expensive. You might want to start with toothpaste for example, or your makeup, or your kids sunscreen. Pick one, find a suitable alternative, pick another, repeat. – Ask for tips from friends and family who are already into natural alternatives, they may have already done the leg work for you and can give you great info – Stay within your chosen budget. You don’t have to buy ‘top shelf’ brands, there are plenty of more affordable brands and products to choose from – DIY. Make your own for as many items as you can, it’s so much cheaper!!
🧼We we use soap as toothpaste!
You read that right! We brush our teeth with actual SOAP! We started many years ago and have never stopped, it’s so good!
Check out this blog post to read all about our experience using soap to clean our teeth.
If you’d like to learn how to make natural soap bars, to brush your teeth with or just use to wash your skin, and you live on or near the Sunshine Coast, feel free to come along to one of our workshops!
I hope this information and our perspectives and experiences help you on your journey to better health! Please comment if you have any questions.
This disclaimer governs your use of Under the Primal Influence Blog. By using this website, you accept this disclaimer in full. If you disagree with any part of this disclaimer, do not use Under the Primal Influence Blog or any affiliated websites, properties, or companies. We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. You should therefore check back periodically for changes. By using this website after we post any changes, you agree to accept those changes, whether or not you have reviewed them.
All information and resources found on Under the Primal Influence Blog are based on the opinions of the author unless otherwise noted. All information is intended to motivate readers to make their own nutrition and health decisions after consulting with their health care provider. I am not a doctor, lawyer, psychiatrist, therapist, or your mother, and I don’t play one on the internet.
The author of this site encourages you to consult a doctor before making any health changes, especially any changes related to a specific diagnosis or condition. No information on this site should be relied upon to determine diet, make a medical diagnosis, or determine treatment for a medical condition. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice.
NO information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease or condition.
None of the posts and articles on Under the Primal Influence Blog may be re-printed without express written permission of the author. Primal Influence will respond to written requests to re-print parts of posts and excerpts/quotes (10% or less) may be reprinted with attribution as long as all links are left intact.
Why are we such big fans of being barefoot? Two main reasons.
𝟭. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵 + 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. Not only does the foot benefit from being allowed to strengthen and work as it’s naturally designed, the rest of the body does too. The arch is designed to be super strong and stable but using artificial props and cushioning doesn’t allow it to be as strong as it’s meant to be, nor the ankles, knees, hips, back and neck. Walking and being physically active while barefoot, in a variety of conditions and environments, allows the foot to do it’s thing and therefore benefit the entire body. By using props and cushioning for long periods of time we can actually do harm to our joints, the opposite of why they’re worn!
𝟮. 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. The benefits of earthing are well-known (even by doctors) yet still pretty underrated for the most part. When our feet connect to the earth (rocks, dirt, sand, grass, even concrete works) outside in nature we allow the natural cyclical pulsed negative charge in, balancing out the positive charge created in our body during regular day-to-day activities, which greatly impacts our health.
Strength + Stability: Information from experts
“The feet are a beautifully complex part of the body, with 26 bones, 33 joints, 4 layers of muscle and up to 200,000 nerve endings in each foot! They are our primary point of contact with the ground and so serve as our foundation for both movement and sensation, helping our whole body organise itself and adapt to our environment. This is why it is so important not to disrupt the natural function of the feet – our balance and coordination rely on both the ability to feel the ground and to move in response to the changes we feel! The muscles and joints of the feet also rely on changes in pressure and texture on the ground (for example grass, rocks, sticks, leaves etc. in a natural environment) in order to be healthy.
“our balance and coordination rely on both the ability to feel the ground and to move in response to the changes we feel”
Of course there are times when having some level of protection from the elements (extremes of heat/cold, sharp and/or poisonous things) is very important – this is where footwear can help. Unfortunately modern footwear significantly disrupts natural foot function – layers of cushioning, raised heel, narrow toe box and the rigid body in most shoes (including athletic/running shoes from ‘good’ brands) essentially blindfold the feet and greatly restricts movement. There are now plenty of companies offering ‘natural’ footwear which allow the foot to function as close to barefoot as possible.
Photo from The Foot Collective Australia
So for the health of our feet (and our whole body), one of the best things we can do is spend as much time as possible barefoot, outside and on a variety of natural surfaces! This gives us the chance to build a natural resilience and adaptability that protects us from aches, pains and injuries throughout our lives. If we can’t be barefoot for whatever reason, we need to be wearing shoes that promote the natural function of the feet – this is especially important for young feet that are still developing and are most responsive to challenge and exposure!”
“For many decades we have been conditioned to believe we need to support our feet with tools such as shoes and orthotics.
But did you know that feet have hundreds of muscles, tendons and ligaments that are more than capable of supporting your feet, whilst optimising your balance and movement performance.
If you have become over reliant and dependant on artificial foot support, I would encourage you to begin rebuilding the strength and connection to your feet rather than masking the dysfunction.” – Paul Thompson The Barefoot Podiatrist
We know from personal experience being barefooters now for close to a decade, we feel a lot stronger all through the body because our feet are strong.
Here’s an interesting story…
A few years ago I did some mystery shopping work and one of the retail stores I had to assess was Athletes Foot. The staff member took me through the process of using the foot print machine to work out my foot structure to then find the right types of shoes for me. When I was finished using the machine he said, sounding very surprised, the results showed my arches were strong and my feet didn’t need any support, just neutral-style joggers. I certainly wasn’t shocked! I knew my feet were strong!
Earthing: What is it and how to get it
Earthing (or grounding) is a process of naturally connecting your body to the Earth’s natural and powerful energy by exposing your bare feet to the ground and natural surfaces. More so grass and dirt but rocks and sand work and even concrete allows some earthing energy through.
Basically it reduces oxidative stress in the body and promotes healing.
The main benefits it can have to our health are:
– improve quality of sleep
– reduce inflammation in the body
– boost immunity and reduce infection
– reduce stress and promote calmness
– promote healing and reduce pain and injury severity
– increase energy level
– improve blood circulation and heart health
How to get earthed when outdoors, indoors, and wearing shoes:
Obviously, the best way to get earthing is to spend time barefoot outdoors on natural surfaces, in particular on grass and dirt, but also on rocks, sand and even concrete work too (not bitumen though). The longer we’re barefoot outside the more benefits we receive and for a longer period.
Clint and I live in a townhouse with a concrete paved courtyard and as I work on a computer indoors most of the time, I can feel it drain me of energy so I make time in the afternoons (on fine days) to take my laptop outside to work, with my feet on the ground. I definitely feel better from it and even find I crave it most days.
Earthing while indoors:
There is such a thing! By using earthing products! We’ve been big fans of earthing bed sheets and foot mats for many years and always recommend them to our clients, especially those who simply can’t get much outdoor barefoot time in their day or week. There’s a huge variety of indoor earthing products to choose from and lots of information and scientific info to be educated on and to back-up the claims that they actually do work.
Personally we use and recommend EarthingOz products – feel free to use our affiliate link to check out what they offer and grab something for yourself and/or your family members.
My mum used to live in a unit with no access to outdoor barefoot time. She didn’t have a yard or a nice park nearby, she wore shoes to walk to the bus to work in the city in an office most days and wore shoes on her days off. She started using a foot mat while watching TV and reading, and a sheet on her bed at night, and reported she noticed definite improvements to her quality of sleep.
Wearing shoes and earthing:
The only way to get earthing while wearing shoes is to wear shoes with copper plates in the soles that touch the foot and the ground at the same time. Not many companies make these one but that does, Earth Runners, have a variety of sandals and even shoe kits to turn your regular shoes into earthing shoes, as long as you don’t mind making a permanent hole in the soles!
Check out my latest blog post and honest Earth Runners review and style comparison here (with a link to my previous review too).
I wear my Earth Runner sandals ALL the time, I absolutely love them and I’ll be a forever fan of them I’m sure. They’re a great shoe for protecting my soles and allowing me to get grounding at the same time.
How to transition to barefoot:
Start slow if you’re not already moving around outdoors with no shoes on. Start on ‘easy’ surfaces and build up. Even a walk on soft sand at the beach, for newbies, can be incredibly harsh on the foot and leg muscles and bring on soreness and tension that can last for days. It can help to take the shoes off and walk/move for short periods, put the shoes back on when needed, and build up to longer periods barefoot over time. If you’re rarely ever barefoot at the moment then start with being barefoot inside the house – that’s level 1!
Utilise your home outdoor ground spaces even if there’s concrete. Instead of slipping the shoes on to hang the washing up outside, do it barefoot. Walk to the letterbox and take the bins out without shoes on. Sit outside barefoot to eat meals and have a cuppa. Do some gardening and maintenance without shoes on too.
Find nearby barefoot-friendly nature spaces such as beaches, parks and playgrounds to take the kids to barefoot, walks to go on (walk off the path to get far more earthing), to play outdoor games at without shoes on… without prickles and spikey seed pods which are common in Australia!
Barefoot beach walks – great for strength, stability and earthing
Try out bushwalking without shoes on for even some of the time, if not all. Depending on where you live and what tracks you have access to, some tracks might be ‘man made’ and too hard underfoot but the natural paths are a great place to start becoming used to being barefoot and getting lots of earthing. Take your usual walking shoes but spend some some not wearing them, get your feet used to the different surfaces and textures, putting the shoes back on when you need to.
Wear ‘barefoot’ shoes such as Earth Runners or Vibram Five Fingers (aka toe shoes). Or choose from one of about a zillion other brands now on the market! From office shoes to snow boots, to casual laced shoes, there are so many options now to suit most lifestyles and work situations. Starting out by swapping regular joggers/athletic shoes to Dunlop Volley’s is a great option because they’re flat, wide, affordable and long-lasting. My pair were about $25 which was a nice change from the $180+ I used to spend on Asics and all the other fancy unnecessary joggers I wore for years.
My Vibram Five Finger shoes I wear as my ‘uniform’ and sometimes out walking – they allow my toes to spread naturally and my arches to do the job they’re designed to do
Use good foot health practices such as rolling on a plastic spikey ball at night while watching TV to help loosen up the muscles and tendons in the feet (watch this video of Clint demo’ing how to do it), soak your feet in warm Epsom or Magnesium Flake foot baths regularly, and wear toe spreaders to help correct your toe alignment (our toes are meant to measure wider than the rest of our foot by the way!).
Practice natural movement by looking into MovNat, finding MovNat, CHEK and other holistic movement practitioners and programs online or in your area. We’re huge fans of MovNat, Clint’s a certified trainer, and we love that they promote barefoot and natural movement together (indoors and outdoors).
Clint doing some natural movement in the trees – walking, balancing, split squats, turning etc while barefoot for better stability
Get advice from a barefoot practitioner such as a podiatrist or physio who specialise in and promote barefoot living.
Stop listening to conventional wisdom and believing clever marketing telling us we need expensive joggers, arch support and pointy toe shoes for fashion. We don’t. We can heal and strengthen our feet without any of that.
I wish you all the best on your barefoot-more journey! If you have any questions please get in touch!
This disclaimer governs your use of Under the Primal Influence Blog. By using this website, you accept this disclaimer in full. If you disagree with any part of this disclaimer, do not use Under the Primal Influence Blog or any affiliated websites, properties, or companies. We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. You should therefore check back periodically for changes. By using this website after we post any changes, you agree to accept those changes, whether or not you have reviewed them.
All information and resources found on Under the Primal Influence Blog are based on the opinions of the author unless otherwise noted. All information is intended to motivate readers to make their own nutrition and health decisions after consulting with their health care provider. I am not a doctor, lawyer, psychiatrist, therapist, or your mother, and I don’t play one on the internet.
The author of this site encourages you to consult a doctor before making any health changes, especially any changes related to a specific diagnosis or condition. No information on this site should be relied upon to determine diet, make a medical diagnosis, or determine treatment for a medical condition. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice.
NO information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease or condition.
None of the posts and articles on Under the Primal Influence Blog may be re-printed without express written permission of the author. Primal Influence will respond to written requests to re-print parts of posts and excerpts/quotes (10% or less) may be reprinted with attribution as long as all links are left intact.
We’re very fortunate to be connected with a wide variety of talented and passionate practitioners and nature-based businesses on the Sunshine Coast to help build a community and team of caring professionals here to help local families. One such practitioner we’ve known for about a year who we first met when she brought her boys along to our classes and later saw them at a friend of theirs’ Primal Kids Party Clint provided entertainment for, is one we want to share with our tribe about because her particular modality is quite unknown in the ASD community and one that can be highly beneficial to pretty much every family with young ones on the spectrum.
Sally Cuthbert is a qualified and experienced Art Therapist based in Buderim here on the Sunshine Coast. When you hear the words ‘art therapy’ images of art classes at school and college might pop into your mind, of even the ‘paint & sip’ classes so popular with women these days for socialising. Neither are what Art Therapy is about!
So we invited Sally to be a guest on our blog to properly explain what this unique and beneficial therapy is…
Q :: What makes art therapy unique and different to other modalities?
A :: Art therapy is an enjoyable, inclusive form of therapy that’s suitable for people of all ages and abilities. It is a form of psychotherapy that uses art as its primary mode of communication. Ability in art isn’t important, nor do I interpret what people make. Art therapy is not just a collection of techniques, but is rather a planned intervention which attempts to create a safe environment for the client to express him or herself using art.
The focus is on the shared process of making, image or object, which allows for the relationship to develop in a comfortable, gentle way. It can feel less threatening than sitting face to face. Sometimes words alone don’t seem to be enough but words and images together can more accurately convey what you want to say and can be processed with the therapist. Sometimes, there can be too many words and they can get in the way of being able to be in touch with emotions. Art can bring insight or a new sense of ourselves which is especially helpful during times of difficulty.
I like this description from Cathy Malchiodi:
“Art therapy is based on the idea that the creative process of art making is healing and life enhancing and is a potent form of communication. It uses the creative process which exists within each of us, to promote growth, self-expression, emotional repair, conflict resolution and transformation. Through art making as therapy you may find relief from overwhelming emotions, crises, or trauma: discover insights about yourself, achieve an increased sense of wellbeing; enrich your daily life; or experience personal change. It is a way to sense of that which is painful, to create personal meaning, to enhance wellness and to become whole.”
Q ::What are your favourite elements of this therapy and why did you get into it in the first place?
A :: Creativity and artistic expression have always held such a sense of wonder to me. I like how art can be interpreted in a range of ways and each person’s work is so unique. Art therapy offers a fresh perspective on a person’s challenges and allows the voice of the individual to shine through. It can really help to highlight a person’s strengths.
My approach is playful, warm and gentle. I have always connected well with children and enjoy the energy of teenagers. As a shy kid, art was a bit of a sanctuary for me, then as a teen I found art, journaling and music spoke to me in an deep and honest way and I have carried this interest into my career.
I experienced counselling for the first time when I was in my late teens and whilst it was helpful, it was also daunting. I found it challenging and overwhelming to use words alone to describe the difficult experiences I’d had. After I left secondary school I went to art college, specialising in print making and textiles. Whilst living in London I heard about art therapy through a play therapist at the school where I was working as a specialist teaching assistant. I was running lunchtime art groups and the children who were often less engaged in lessons, or alone in the playground really flourished in this space. When I started exploring the profession I knew it was the right job for me and 10 years on I still love it.
Q :: What are 2-3 examples of how an art therapy session with you could run?
A :: I start with sensitive curiosity to find out as much as I can about what is happening for the child or teen. This can start with an intake meeting with the parent or can be a conversation on the phone. Sometimes it’s useful for me to talk to others involved with the child or teen to get a better idea of the child and how their challenges present in different settings. In session, I spend time discovering what brings your child joy and what makes your family unique. Then I introduce creative projects and games that can help to playfully challenge the things that aren’t working.
Q ::What ages do you work with?
A :: I specialise in art therapy with children, teens and families. Art making and play are natural ways to express, process and regulate emotions especially for children and teens. I have training in both art therapy and play therapy techniques such as sandplay and Theraplay as well as parent child dyadic art therapy which just means, working with the parent and child together with their ‘relationship’ acting as the client. In the art therapy space, adolescents can be free to use symbols, imagery and a range of art supplies to explore their emotions and developing thoughts about their identity. Art making can provide a visual outlet for their ideas when words are not easily expressed.
Q ::What are some common symptoms/challenges you see presented with ASD kids?
A :: Art therapy with me may be right for families who have tried it all but nothing seems to be working, or for families who feel unsure about trying talk-based therapies.
The most common challenges parents contact me about are emotional outbursts, difficult behaviours or withdrawing. These might be signs that your child is facing a challenge that feels too big. Sometimes you know what’s causing the problem, but other times it can be a complete mystery. Often these feelings lead to feeling overwhelmed and asking them what’s wrong can lead to frustration and even more negative feelings. Art therapy doesn’t rely on verbal language and as such can feel less challenging for children and teens with ASD.
Q :: What benefits/results do you see with the different age groups and levels of ASD?
A :: Art therapy really is accessible to everyone. It can engage children of all abilities as the materials are enticing and the relationship is playful and supportive. Art therapy is a safe space for your child or teen to feel accepted, supported and encouraged. When things are really challenging, they need this more than ever.
Q :: How do parents find a suitable Art Therapist in their area?
A :: A Registered Art Therapist is someone who has undertaken an approved training in Art Psychotherapy at post-graduate level, usually an MA. Art therapy is not yet a regulated profession here in Australia although there are strict requirements in the US, UK and Europe. ANZACATA is the professional association in Australia that sets the codes of practice and they have a Find A Therapist Directory on their website. Under the NDIS, Registered Art Therapists are allied health professionals and are available to support you or your child to achieve your personal goals.
Q ::How can people find out about you if they live on the Sunny Coast and would like to chat to you about working with their family?
A :: I have a website with plenty of information about the services I offer.
Please check out www.sallycuthbert.com.au and I welcome enquiries from parents and service providers.
If you’re unsure about whether or not you can access art therapy through your child’s NDIS plan please contact me as I am probably able to help.
When we visited Sally’s studio Clint had a go at sandplay and really enjoyed it! And no surprises his ‘happy place’, the scene he created, including being on a boat in a river, fishing, and then hunting rabbits on land! haha
🎨 If this information encourages you to look into Art Therapy for your family, we wish you all the very best and truly hope it helps.
What’s one of our favourite ways to utilise beef fat?
Rendering it to become tallow and using the tallow to make MOISTURISER!
As mentioned in the previous blog, tallow is incredibly good for human skin. But in it’s pure form it doesn’t make for a practical moisturiser because it’s so firm and hard to spread.
If you ever get tallow on your hands while making it from suet/other fat, or while cooking with it, and you rub it into your skin you’ll realise how nice it feels and you’ll probably notice it doesn’t leave your skin feeling greasy afterwards. Compared to how coconut oil feels on the skin, there’s a big – and welcome – difference!
To make it more use-able it’s recommended to add 1-2 other ingredients in, and whipping it up with some air in there also makes it easier to achieve good coverage with.
It’s actually really easy to make a soft, silky, whipped tallow cream for the body. It’s also incredibly economical because it goes a long way and lasts a surprisingly long time. Especially if it’s applied while skin is still slightly damp after having a shower or bath. Applying it to warm damp-ish skin helps it spread further, so you can really use the ‘less is more’ principle with it which is a bonus!
Keen to try making your own whipped tallow body cream?
Here’s a quick video tutorial!
But what about the smell? Won’t it be too ‘beefy’?
To change the aroma you can add a good quality pure essential oil in during the hand-mixing, toward the end. Quantity will depend on the scent in particular and your preference as to how strong you’d like it to smell.
We usually add a subtle variety such as sweet orange, lemon, or lime. The essential oil can help reduce the ‘tallow-y’ smell the cream gives off initially. But we find that smell goes away pretty quickly anyway, once the cream has been rubbed into the skin.
So it’s up to you if you want to include essential oils in your cream or not.
Are you going to give making tallow moisturiser a go? We’d love to hear how you go with it!
This disclaimer governs your use of Under the Primal Influence Blog. By using this website, you accept this disclaimer in full. If you disagree with any part of this disclaimer, do not use Under the Primal Influence Blog or any affiliated websites, properties, or companies. We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. You should therefore check back periodically for changes. By using this website after we post any changes, you agree to accept those changes, whether or not you have reviewed them.
All information and resources found on Under the Primal Influence Blog are based on the opinions of the author unless otherwise noted. All information is intended to motivate readers to make their own nutrition and health decisions after consulting with their health care provider. I am not a doctor, lawyer, psychiatrist, therapist, or your mother, and I don’t play one on the internet.
The author of this site encourages you to consult a doctor before making any health changes, especially any changes related to a specific diagnosis or condition. No information on this site should be relied upon to determine diet, make a medical diagnosis, or determine treatment for a medical condition. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice.
NO information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease or condition.
None of the posts and articles on Under the Primal Influence Blog may be re-printed without express written permission of the author. Primal Influence will respond to written requests to re-print parts of posts and excerpts/quotes (10% or less) may be reprinted with attribution as long as all links are left intact.
From making tallow to cook with to moisturisers… let’s look at the best ways to utilise this healthy wholefood.
How we utilise beef fat as food
There are 2 ways we like to use beef fat:
Raw mince suet sprinkled on some of our meat meals – usually on our mince and eggs or mince/liver/kidney and eggs for brekkie, with some pink salt. Or topped on a piece of rump steak.
Suet sitting between a juicy rump and fried pastured eggs
The fat melts on the just-off-the-fry-pan food and has quite a nice taste and texture.
If eaten totally raw and still a bit firm it can be quite chewy and stick to your teeth. Some carnivore-diet followers enjoy this texture but we don’t. You might, so give it a go!
As mentioned in previous posts (Part 1, and Part 2), beef fat in it’s raw state is said to be more nutrient-dense and bio-available than cooked fat (tallow) so it’s a good idea to add it to meals when possible to boost good calories, create satiety and increase energy levels.
2. Tallow to consume as is and to cook with.
We always have a jar of homemade tallow beside the stove to use on our two permanently-placed cast iron pans and to use on food we’re roasting or to dollop on our cooked meals.
Cast iron is a super healthy cooking surface and requires almost no cleaning (less washing up, always a nice thing when you don’t own a dishwasher and cook all meals from scratch!) and tallow with it’s high smoke point and high nutrients / low anti-nutrients makes a great seasoning and cooking fat.
You only need to add a very thin layer of tallow to cast iron pans to keep them seasoned and for cooking, so tallow goes a really long way and lasts a really long time.
Essential healthy cooking tools
How we utilise beef fat on our skin
By making and using tallow moisturiser!
Why is grass-fed tallow good for our skin?
Tallow closely mimics the fats and oils we have naturally in our skin.
This includes the fatty acids and cholesterol in the cell membranes of all our skin cells as well as those that sit in between skin cells, forming the protective barrier function of our skin.
Strong, healthy cell membranes help keep skin cells plump and well hydrated. It helps protect skin from moisture loss and leaves skin looking soft and hydrated. It will also help replenish any missing components in our skin’s barrier function.
Grass-fed tallow also contains fatty acids that closely copy the oils that we produce naturally as sebum.
As we get older, our skin slows down on the production of these oils that keep our skin soft, supple and youthful looking.
So, grass-fed tallow helps put back what time takes away. Rejuvenating the appearance of skin, as well as smoothing out the look of fine lines and wrinkles.
Good quality tallow also contain essential vitamins such as fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K which are all really important for healthy glowing skin.
The other bonus is it’s high in essential Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, with a ratio of 1:1, to help protect the skin and boost immune function.
Tallow moisturiser is super easy to make and an affordable natural skincare product, or you can simply lather on some pure tallow if you like, it feels so nice on the skin!
How else do we use tallow on our skin?
By making tallow soap (or a combination of coconut oil and tallow)!
Making natural soap is so good for our health and the environment, and is a great way to utilise healthy tallow. Especially with any tallow that went a little too far in the rendering process and ended up slightly over ‘done’. We like to label these containers “for soap” and keep in the fridge until it’s time to make a batch of about 24 bars.
Have you made natural soap before? It’s so rewarding and so so so cheap!
To get started with these you’ll need to buy yourself some grass-fed tallow or make it from scratch. Making tallow is definitely the less expensive option and the one we always choose.
Here’s a video on how to do just that!
Let us know how you go making your own tallow then stay tuned for the next post…
The next blog will include:
How to make tallow moisturiser
Until then, please let us know if you have any questions or comments, we’d love to hear from you!
This disclaimer governs your use of Under the Primal Influence Blog. By using this website, you accept this disclaimer in full. If you disagree with any part of this disclaimer, do not use Under the Primal Influence Blog or any affiliated websites, properties, or companies. We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. You should therefore check back periodically for changes. By using this website after we post any changes, you agree to accept those changes, whether or not you have reviewed them.
All information and resources found on Under the Primal Influence Blog are based on the opinions of the author unless otherwise noted. All information is intended to motivate readers to make their own nutrition and health decisions after consulting with their health care provider. I am not a doctor, lawyer, psychiatrist, therapist, or your mother, and I don’t play one on the internet.
The author of this site encourages you to consult a doctor before making any health changes, especially any changes related to a specific diagnosis or condition. No information on this site should be relied upon to determine diet, make a medical diagnosis, or determine treatment for a medical condition. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice.
NO information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease or condition.
None of the posts and articles on Under the Primal Influence Blog may be re-printed without express written permission of the author. Primal Influence will respond to written requests to re-print parts of posts and excerpts/quotes (10% or less) may be reprinted with attribution as long as all links are left intact.
A deeper look into this hugely underrated nourishing wholefood + comparing it to plant fat products
Which is better + why?
Why animal fats are better than plant fats
Plant oils are a staple in most pantries. Olive oil, canola, sunflower. Plus a lot of fridges these days have a tub of plant oil margarine on the shelf. Many of these products are touted as “good for lowering cholesterol”, being “heart-healthy” and healthy because they’re low in saturated fat.
If you asked everyone you know “Hey do you think olive oil is healthier than beef fat?” most likely at least 99% of them would say yes. That’s the sad reality of sneaky marketing and BS health advice… it teaches the majority of the population the wrong thing!
One of the main reasons these oils and products are classed as “heart-healthy” is because they contain Phytosterols.
Science shows they can lower cholesterol but there’s a couple main problems with this…
We actually NEED cholesterol for basic cell function, to prevent depression and more.
We’re consuming Phytosterols in larger then recommended quantities due to the inclusion of grains and legumes in the diet.
High ‘bad’ cholesterol is often misdiagnosed as most conventional practitioners don’t fully understand it or the levels we need to have to be ‘healthy’. Dr Chris Kresser has some great info on this and busts a few common myths around cholesterol. Read more here.
Another issue with Phytosterols is they may actually contribute to heart disease, not prevent it. Read more here.
Also, plants contain toxins. How they function in the human body is not how they function when tested in a lab. They contain more anti-nutrients than nutrients. Animal meat and fats don’t.
And how often have you picked an olive from a tree and squeezed out oil to use on your meal or in cooking? Never! Because to extract oil from olives the olives have to go through rigorous processing including high-temp heating. That’s never healthy!
Meat and fat from animals contain almost no anti-nutrients and lots of essential nutrients that are bio-available for the human body. Meaning we can process and use them efficiently without negative effects. This is ideal when eating food. Traditionally, plants were used more for survival situations, to get humans by between animal kills. Dr Paul Saladino talks a lot about this in his podcast interviews and on his website. We highly recommend his book The Carnivore Code too!
And… saturated fat is healthy, in particular, long-chain saturated fats from ruminant animals. Vegetable oils are higher in poly-unsaturated fats which cause insulin resistance. Dr Paul Saladino talks about this in this Facebook video.
The environment impacts
Mono-cropping is a major problem to the environment and it’s the method used for the production of most plant oils. Unless regenerative agriculture practices are used, farming large-scale crops extracts nutrients from the soil. Regenerative agriculture does exactly what the name suggests… it regenerates the land and improves the eco-system!
Rapeseed flour field
Sure, factory farming of cattle is bad. And this goes back to the point in the last blog post of why choosing grass-fed animal products from quality producers using healthy farming techniques is so important.
Diana Rogers– Sustainable Dish uses the message “it’s not the cow, it’s the how” and has some amazing information on the environmental impacts of unhealthy animal farming vs healthy methods, and also the problems with mono-crop production. Her book and doco Sacred Cow are out soon and we’re so excited!
Healthy pasture and environment = healthy cattle
We’ve experienced first hand the benefits of regen ag for both the health of the environment and ourselves. We work part-time on a biodynamic beef and egg farm run by a former bio-chemist (aka scientist!), have hosted educational farm tours there, and have learnt all about the farming practices used and eaten the food produced there. When you understand the full cycle from how an animal is raised to how it can nourish the planet and us, you appreciate the importance of consuming good quality animal products!
Another environmental factor to consider, particularly with consuming the fat, is how much waste is reduced. Apart from eating note-to-tail being a natural and traditional thing for humans to do, from a modern-day viewpoint with how much waste, landfill and pollution we’re tackling we need to incorporate ways to reduce these. If a butcher is including the suet and other fat from an animal in his product range that means less food he’s throwing out. It means we’re making the most of the animal that died for our benefit, and we’re putting less waste into landfill.
Beef is one of the most highly produced and consumed foods in Australia and the supermarkets stock mostly lean cuts or the cuts with minimal fat included, you never see tubs of the fat for sale, so imagine how much goes to waste that isn’t being used in products. Beef fat is actually quite hard to get a hold of, when it should be easy to access because it’s so easy to utilise and so healthy! This has to change!
So there are some good reasons there to do some more research on the benefits of animal fat vs plant fat and make the switch.
Do we consume any plant fats?
Yes, but very rarely now and only good quality. We buy organic olive oil and organic macadamia oil that we really only use for raw purposes and not even on a weekly basis. We used to make paleo ‘mayo’ regularly with olive oil but since going mostly carnivore created an animal-fat alternative… ghee-daise! Using grass-fed ghee to make a sort of hollandaise! Find the recipe here
Creamy homemade ghee-daise
The next post will include:
How we utilise beef fat (as food and on our skin)
How to make tallow
Until then, please let us know if you have any questions or comments, we’d love to hear from you!
This disclaimer governs your use of Under the Primal Influence Blog. By using this website, you accept this disclaimer in full. If you disagree with any part of this disclaimer, do not use Under the Primal Influence Blog or any affiliated websites, properties, or companies. We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. You should therefore check back periodically for changes. By using this website after we post any changes, you agree to accept those changes, whether or not you have reviewed them.
All information and resources found on Under the Primal Influence Blog are based on the opinions of the author unless otherwise noted. All information is intended to motivate readers to make their own nutrition and health decisions after consulting with their health care provider. I am not a doctor, lawyer, psychiatrist, therapist, or your mother, and I don’t play one on the internet.
The author of this site encourages you to consult a doctor before making any health changes, especially any changes related to a specific diagnosis or condition. No information on this site should be relied upon to determine diet, make a medical diagnosis, or determine treatment for a medical condition. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice.
NO information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease or condition.
None of the posts and articles on Under the Primal Influence Blog may be re-printed without express written permission of the author. Primal Influence will respond to written requests to re-print parts of posts and excerpts/quotes (10% or less) may be reprinted with attribution as long as all links are left intact.
pull out the recycled paper and cardboard and MAKE something unique! We also enjoy blowing real eggs out and then painting them, and storing them like Christmas decorations to bring out each year! We have an ‘Easter Tree’ that tends to be minimalist branches/sticks foraged and painted white to hang the painted eggs onto.
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