simplify - Souly Rested https://soulyrested.com Simple living, homesteading, & making real food, conveniently Thu, 27 Nov 2025 13:23:01 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://soulyrested.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/cropped-Untitled-design-1-1-32x32.png simplify - Souly Rested https://soulyrested.com 32 32 208085148 Surprising Ways to Relieve Stress, with Jill Winger (S5 E5) https://soulyrested.com/surprising-ways-to-relieve-stress-podcast-with-jill-winger-s5-e5/ https://soulyrested.com/surprising-ways-to-relieve-stress-podcast-with-jill-winger-s5-e5/#respond Mon, 08 May 2023 05:09:47 +0000 https://soulyrested.com/?p=24327 Surprising ways to relieve the stress of our modern world. Last week we talked about 4 modern health problems we have largely because of our modern conveniences In fact, our modern world is kinda killing us. The #1 problem undermining our health? Stress. What health problems does stress cause? While stress leads to numerous health […]

The post Surprising Ways to Relieve Stress, with Jill Winger (S5 E5) first appeared on Souly Rested.

]]> Surprising ways to relieve the stress of our modern world.

Last week we talked about 4 modern health problems we have largely because of our modern conveniences

In fact, our modern world is kinda killing us.

The #1 problem undermining our health? Stress.

What health problems does stress cause?

While stress leads to numerous health problems–including high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes–it also impacts our nutrients that we store in our body.

Stress has a profoundly negative effect on the body’s nutrient stores. 

This is a double whammy because when we’re stressed, we’re tired and have no energy, so we need nutrients more than ever. But stress literally prevents us from absorbing essential nutrients.

As if that isn’t all bad enough… when we’re stressed, we have zero interest in any thing that seems like the hard choice when it comes to food prep, so we rely more on processed food instead of wholesome real food. And we  crave highly processed snacks & sweets, foods that are super high in bad fats and empty calories, with zero nutrients.

Old-fashioned ways to relieve modern stress

So today we’re talking about the surprising old-fashioned ways to relieve stress in our modern world.

And I’m joined by Jill Winger, author of Old-Fashioned on Purpose, releasing Fall 2023.

As Jill describes herself, in her upcoming book: “Somehow, I’ve gone from being the lone pioneer on the fringe to riding the peak wave of the homesteading tsunami.” Jill, needless to say, gives a lot of credence to old-fashioned solutions.

GET OUTSIDE

So, is there really a magical secret to stress waiting for us just outside our back door?

Studies have shown that children without regular exposure to the germs found in dirt have increased health problems, such as asthma and allergies. This study found that playing in the dirt correlated with a longer, better life.

We’ve also seen a 41% rise in the use of prescription anti-depressants in kids as young as 5 ! 

DO SOME GARDENING

Last episode of S4 I talked a lot about cortisol. A hormone that our adrenal glands naturally produce to prepare us for fight or flight or stress. But here’s the crazy thing… if we’re going through menopause (ahem… I raise my hand, reluctantly…)  we’re seeing a huge drop in estrogen levels, which automatically causes the body to produce cortisol. (Ugh. we 50+ ladies just can’t get a break…)

Cortisol increases our appetite (preparing us for fight or flight) and signals the body to store fat (also preparing for fight or flight)

But here’s the amazing thing… the simple act of playing in the dirt make a difference. It turns out that gardening decreased cortisol levels more than conventional occupational therapy for folks in this study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26030115/

So menopause and weight gain can BOTH be combated in old-fashioned ways… reduce our stress & simultaneously reduce our cortisol levels!

CREATE SOMETHING

What about the active component or even the creative component usually involved in being outside and away from screens? Did you know these things make our brains create happy juice (aka dopamine)?

Even cleaning house creates dopamine

If you research what you can do to lower cortisol levels:

  • Take deep breaths. … (fresh air)
  • Exercise regularly. … (which is almost always better outside)
  • Indulge in hobbies. …  (Which, bonus, also creates dopamine)

Walking 30 minutes a day, 5x week reduces cortisol levels. Just walking. How cool is that?

SCHEDULE YOUR DOWN TIME

So how do we pull ourselves away from what the modern world says is so important? How do we MAKE ourselves and our kids get outside?

We need to, for starters, understand how important this is to our overall health. (Just cause you’re here, you can check that box already.)

Then we need to make it a priority. Try literally writing in your planner your down time, outside time, exercise time, heck even cleaning time (it all gives us that dopamine high)

When we start to truly value old-fashioned solutions to modern health concerns, everyone benefits.

As Jill writes, “Old things are solid and steady. They’ve withstood the test of time, and they have the scars to show for it. I respect that.”

 

Listen in to the podcast episode on this topic (S5 E5) over on Apple Podcasts right here or click below:

Join Jill & Michelle on YouTube for their conversation on this topic:

 

Where to find Jill Winger?

Her book: Preorder Old-Fashioned on Purpose here

Her podcast: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/old-fashioned-on-purpose-podcast

Her instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jill.winger/

Her blog: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/

 

Other Articles & Resources You Might Enjoy:

Growing Seedlings for Profit (article)

How to Use a Calendar to Improve your Health (podcast)

Tips for Improving Your Health, at any age (podcast)

My 7-page Pantry Checklist (free download)

 

 

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1

 

Pin this for later!

Click on the image below to pin this post.

 

 

I’d love to connect!

To find me in some other neck of the woods, just click any (or every!) icon below:

You may also like:
pixel
Why are so many people obese? (S5 E3)
Top 5 Healthy Drinks You Should be Drinking (S4 E11)
pixel
Tips for Improving Your Health, at any age (S5 E1)
pixel
Using a Calendar for Better Health (S5 E2)
pixel
Encouragement when it’s hard to make real food (S4 E12)
pixel
pixel

 

The post Surprising Ways to Relieve Stress, with Jill Winger (S5 E5) first appeared on Souly Rested.

]]> https://soulyrested.com/surprising-ways-to-relieve-stress-podcast-with-jill-winger-s5-e5/feed/ 0 24327 6 Kitchen Swaps You Need in Your Life https://soulyrested.com/swaps/ https://soulyrested.com/swaps/#comments Tue, 30 Nov 2021 15:45:53 +0000 https://soulyrested.com/?p=21816 6 Simple Healthy Kitchen Swaps Simple living can be a hard struggle some days. Some years… But just making one little swap at a time can make all the difference. Listen in, on this episode over on my Simple Doesn’t Mean Easy podcast, as I walk through this idea and these 6 simple swaps I’ve […]

The post 6 Kitchen Swaps You Need in Your Life first appeared on Souly Rested.

]]> 6 Simple Healthy Kitchen Swaps

Simple living can be a hard struggle some days. Some years… But just making one little swap at a time can make all the difference. Listen in, on this episode over on my Simple Doesn’t Mean Easy podcast, as I walk through this idea and these 6 simple swaps I’ve made in our kitchen over the years and read through the ideas below.

 

 

1. Avocado Oil

The first healthy kitchen swap I always recommend someone thinks about is the fats they’re adding to their food that they’re preparing.

I used to use canola oil for almost every thing. But this genetically modified oil is extracted from the seeds using hexane.

Hexane is a main component of gasoline, and guess how it’s made? By refining crude oil. Ummm, no thank you.

Avocado oil, on the other hand, is pressed from the flesh of avacados, and it offers a mild, nutty, even kinda buttery flavor.

I’m much happier with a heart-healthy oil, that’s high in oleic acid, which is a healthy unsaturated fat, that contains vitamin E and also helps the body absorb other vitamins. The good fat (monounsaturated fat) in avacado oil is said to reduce our LDL cholesterol (the bad one) and increase our HDL cholesterol (the good one). So that’s a bonus.

Another huge bonus… while avocado oil boasts many of the same benefits as extra virgin olive oil, it has a higher smoking point, which means it’s fantastic for sauteing or pan frying, when olive oil is out of the question.

Finally, avacado oil is an excellent source of lutein (sounds like “protein” but starts with “loo”). Lutein is a carotenoid, a type of vitamin found as the yellow, orange, and red pigments in certain plants which gives these fruits and vegetables their colors. Read more about this amazing carotenoid right here.

The average person who eats an average American diet is running low in this carotenoid, in addition to other important antioxidants of course. (More about why our diet makes us fat, sick, and tired here.)  

I thought I would notice the taste, but I don’t. In fact, not even Bill–my picky eater hubby–does, even when I drizzle it on his favorite snack: popcorn. More on that below.

Biggest downside I could find in my research about avocado oil? Its higher price point. So I buy it in bulk sizes at Azure Standard. Go here to see if Azure delivers in your area.

The only problem I could find in my research about avocado? Many options for this oil are adulterated. In a recent extensive study of commercial avocado oil quality and purity, researchers found that more than 8 out of 10 bottle of the oil that were tested were sub-par or adulterated.

After reading that report, I decided to only buy my avocado oil from a trusted source. I know that Azure Standard does occasional, independent testing of the authenticity of the avocado oil that they sell.
 
In fact, the way that Azure is set up means that the company knows every single supplier, have detailed reviews of all the products, including ongoing reviews by their CEO, and have strict documentation requirements for all oils they sell, including certificates of analysis.
 

 

2. Homemade Peanut Butter

Possibly my personal favorite healthy kitchen swap I’ve ever made? Peanut butter.

Freshly ground nut butters always top any other options. Because they contain no added ingredients (ie: hydrogenated oils, salt, sugar), they are simply ground nuts, guys. That’s it. One ingredient. Unless you want to add salt and a sweetener, of course.

Go here for my complete directions for making delicious homemade Maple Peanut Butter.

On the flip side, most peanut butters you purchase at the grocery story are made with hydrogenated oil, which is an unhealthy trans fat. You see, when hydrogenated oil is made, otherwise healthy fats are converted into a new type of fatty acid, or a “trans fat.”

It turns out trans fats are bad for your cardiovascular system. And they increase your LDL cholesterol (the bad one). This winds up clogging arteries and making them less flexible. It also also lowers your HDL cholesterol (the good one), and then reduces your ability to remove the cholesterol from your arteries. It’s bad all the way around.

Subtract all the bad things and add in amazing flavor and the ability to customize your homemade peanut butter to make it exactly the way your family loves it and it’s a no-brainer.

Go here for the simple, easy directions to start making peanut better at home. You’ll never look back.

3. Basmati Rice

Another super easy healthy kitchen swap that makes big waves at the dinner table? Believe it or not, rice.

I’ll admit it… We used to eat Minute Rice… instant rice that has been so processed it has no nutrition left to offer. Not only has virtually all the nutrition been stripped from instant rice, but it also has no flavor and offers a very sub-par texture. 

Minute rice was first used for the military where this sort of quick preparation makes practical sense, but trust me it’s totally worth a few extra minutes to put nutritious real rice on your dinner table. It’s every bit as easy as instant rice but probably 100 times better.

So a while ago I swapped my minute rice for basmati rice.

I get the 25-pound bag of basmati rice from Azure Standard. Go here to see if Azure delivers in your area.

“Basmati” in Hindi means “fragrant,” and it’s a perfect name. Not only does it offer a nice buttery, nutty smell and taste, but it’s much lower on the glycemic scale. (It’s glycemic index is between 50 and 58, compared to Minute Rice which sits at a high 85.), So if you have diabetes, you may find that basmati rice could be a part of your healthy diet.

Basmati rice also contains soluble fiber, so you may find switching to basmati rice helps your family with digestive issues and it leads to a healthier gut, which of course is always a very good thing.

Go here to find out another way I improve our family’s gut health on a daily basis, with homemade kombucha. Go here if you’d like my free book all about kombucha, including our favorite recipes.

4. Air-popped Popcorn

We are a popcorn-obsessed family. Always have been. Except we used to consume many bags of microwave popcorn every week. Sometimes many a day.

Sadly, the steam that floats out of one of those bags as you excitedly, hungrily pull it open is loaded with about four dozen chemicals—the sources include the buttery flavorings and the ink and glue on the bags—according to a the EPA Environmental Protection Agency.  

Switching to air popped popcorn requires zero extra effort, you just need a good air popper and a bowl. Well, and the popcorn of course.

This is my favorite popcorn because it’s so pretty (I keep it in a mason jar on my counter) and it’s loaded with antioxidants. Win-win.

Go here to see if Azure delivers this amazingness in your area. (I save money by buying it in bulk–the 25-lb bag–and storing my popcorn in a 5-gallon bucket with this smart lid, so it keeps well, but it’s super easy to get into.

The really crazy thing about this particular popcorn?

It has 2.5 times as many antioxidants as standard popcorn, because it’s multi-colored (It pops regular color, but the kernels are so pretty). The red and purple varieties have anthocyanins (a polyphenol found in plants that is a powerful antioxidant). This scientific journal explains that the “intake of anthocyanin-rich food as a part of a diet is very important for prevention of lifestyle-related diseases.”

Wow. All from a bowl of delicious popcorn.

And this is my air popper that we use probably 5 days out of 7, every week.

How I Make Popcorn

Fill your air-popper to the fill line, for us that’s about 3/4 cup of my favorite popcorn kernels. 

Place a large bowl under the popper and get your toppings ready to add in layers, as the popcorn starts filling the bowl.

Drizzle avocado oil 2 or 3 times across the top of the popcorn kernels as they start to fill your bowl.

Quickly shake on popcorn salt and nutritional yeast, with each layer of oil.

You’ll need about 1/8 cup of avocado oil, 1/4 tsp of popcorn salt, and 1 TB of nutritional yeast for a large bowl of popcorn.

Why popcorn salt? It’s super fine, made to adhere perfectly to your popcorn instead of lining the side of your bowl. Use code SOULYRESTED to save when you stock up on some!

The Best Popcorn Toppings

These are our favorite popcorn toppings. On every item mentioned here, save $$ with code SOULYRESTED.

No matter which one on this list I reach for, I always also use Redmond’s Popcorn Salt and some drizzle of avocado oil. Avocado oil is a healthy choice, but only if you know the source. Sadly, most avocado oils are cut with seed oils. But this avocado oil is put through a rigorous analysis often, assuring it’s pure avocado oil.

Nutritional yeast is way better than the fake parmesan cheese powders at the grocery store that are made with wood pulp (seriously), to maintain the powdery consistency and prevent clumping. Using nutritional yeast instead means you’re using a complete protein source, rich in B vitamins (especially B12), and getting good fiber too.

Organic Cheddar Cheese Powder is always delicious on popcorn. I like this option because it’s made with tapioca maltodextrin. Most maltodextrin powder is derived from either Corn or Wheat, which means they are GMO (Corn) and NOT Gluten Free (Wheat). Tapioca Maltodextrin is pure and naturally non-GMO and Gluten Free.

Smoked salt is also a really good topping… Probably Bill’s favorite.

I also love every option of popcorn flavoring you’ll find with Just Ingredients. But this one is my all-time favorite. Use code SOULYRESTED to save $$.

5. Real Salt 

Once I learned about Redmond Real Salt, I don’t use any other salt. Ever. Why would I when I can add 60+ trace minerals and support healthy bones just by switching over to this amazing real salt?

Just like any minimally-processed food, Redmond Salt is healthier than other salts because of what we don’t take out of it. Redmond Salt is 98% sodium chloride and 2% trace minerals, and it’s these 60+ trace minerals that make Redmond Salt real.

The medical community recognized silica as an essential trace element in the early 1970’s, and studies since then show it can perform two important tasks in our bodies. Like calcium, it’s necessary for bone formation and maintenance, which means it could help stave off osteoporosis. It can also prevent aluminum from building up in the body, and high aluminum levels are a potential risk factor for Alzheimer’s. In other words, silica is just another of the beneficial trace minerals that Real Salt users love for their health benefits (and flavor too!).

Use my code–SOULYRESTED and save $$ off your entire order any time. All the time!

6. Nutritional Yeast

Parmesan cheese—According to the FDA, Parmesan cheese is being cut more and more often with a variety of things that aren’t Parmesan cheese, namely other cheeses and…wood pulp. 

I had an idea of what wood pulp was, but I wasn’t entirely sure, so I googled it. Turns out, it’s exactly what you would expect it to be: pieces of wood ground down so finely that it becomes pulpy. In order to make maximum profits using minimum resources, several companies (both proven guilty and allegedly guilty) used the pulp replacement to save on ingredients.

The parmesan cheese I used to use has Potassium Sorbate.

Potassium sorbate has been linked to migraines, skin irritations, and (this is the biggie!) increased immune deficiency. I’ve also read that it may slightly contribute to DNA damage. So if I can avoid it, all the better.

I started swapping out parmesan cheese for nutritional yeast and have been loving the results.

Nutritional yeast is great for people with food sensitivities, but its nutritional content is great for every diet.

These golden flakes are made with yeast similar to the strain used in brewing and baking and it’s a great source of vitamins and minerals. It also contains all 9 essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. Pretty cool, yes?

Adding nutritional yeast to your family’s diet may help with heart health and immune system support, as well as giving everyone more energy. 

Plus, nutritional yeast is high in B12, an important vitamin that many of us are deficient in. This vitamin plays an essential role in nerve function, and a shortfall of B12 is associated with depression, dementia, decreased cognitive function, and anemia. Yikes.

Nutritional yeast can be pricey though, so I buy it in bulk right here. Go here to see if Azure delivers this amazingness in your area.

A few ways I love using nutritional yeast? Sprinkled over any Italian dish or on pizza, added to soups, on tossed salads, sprinkled over cooked veggies, added to mashed potatoes, generously added to air-popped popcorn. Or, if you want an option even closer to the old processed cheese, this is a healthy version that is great for making cheesy air-popped popcorn.

 

“For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” Psalm 107:9

 

Other Recipes & Tips You’ll Love:

How to Bake with Maple Syrup (seriously. You need to know this!)

Make Your Own Taco Seasoning (including a recipe for making it in bulk!)

Make Your Own Kombucha (for amazing gut health)

All my Favorite Tools in my Farmhouse Kitchen (the things I wouldn’t want to live without)

The Ingredients You Need in Your Pantry

 

Talk to me!

If you have any questions, leave a comment below. And please tag me on ig to show me your real food swap @souly.rested.

 

Pin this for later!

Click on the image below to pin this post.

 

The post 6 Kitchen Swaps You Need in Your Life first appeared on Souly Rested.

]]> https://soulyrested.com/swaps/feed/ 6 21816 Loose Leaf vs. Tea Bags: 7 Things to Compare https://soulyrested.com/loose-leaf-vs-tea-bags-7-things-to-compare/ https://soulyrested.com/loose-leaf-vs-tea-bags-7-things-to-compare/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2021 05:54:44 +0000 https://soulyrested.com/?p=19776 Is loose leaf really better than bagged, boxed tea? I didn’t used to think so, but wow have I changed my mind. Let me explain… Why? It all started with kombucha. I’d been making DIY kombucha with Lipton tea bags for years. Then I found out a few things that made me want to ditch […]

The post Loose Leaf vs. Tea Bags: 7 Things to Compare first appeared on Souly Rested.

]]> Is loose leaf really better than bagged, boxed tea? I didn’t used to think so, but wow have I changed my mind. Let me explain…

Why? It all started with kombucha. I’d been making DIY kombucha with Lipton tea bags for years. Then I found out a few things that made me want to ditch the bags (keep reading).

 

I’m an organic, loose leaf tea fanatic today. And before I dive in, in case you’re like me and like to know the end of the story before you start, I want to share my all-time favorite teas with you. While I’m listing my personal favorite 8 here, there are hundreds of delicious cups of tea (and coffee, and botanicals) waiting for you to discover them right here. Use code SOULYRESTED to save.

8 of my all-time favorite loose leaf teas:

Use code SOULYRESTED to save.

How do Tea Bags Compare to Loose Leaf Tea?

After I did some research, tea bags only have one thing going for them. Convenience.

And if that winds up being your only drawback after you glance at these 7 reasons to ditch the tea bags, then check out these wonderful disposable, biodegradable tea bags!

1. Many tea bags have added chemicals.

Those cute, convenient little stapled, white bags? Know how they make them so white? Bleach.

According to the CDC, “chlorinated dioxins have been found in tea bags in concentrations as high as 4.79 parts per thousand.” (source)

So I was spending time once a week making this amazingly healthy, fermented (delicious!) drink, but I was starting the whole batch, every week, with a little added chlorine. Ummm, no thank you.

I should say that some manufacturers realized that the general public doesn’t like the idea of bleach steeping in their cup of tea, so they started doing something called “totally chlorine free” bleaching, using other chemicals other than bleach, which produce no chlorine byproducts.

And some manufacturers use unbleached, brown tea bags.

But the whole thing really got me thinking… here I am trying to simplify things and enjoy more real food, going to the effort to raise as much of our own food as possible… but I’m not making all-natural choices with something I may drink 5-10 times in one day. Why use a bag at all and soak something that I don’t know much about in my hot water?

According to the CDC, chlorinated dioxins have been found in tea bags made from bleached paper at concentrations up to 4.79 parts per thousand

2. Some tea bags are made with plastics.

Then I read that “The majority of today’s tea bags are made with plastics.  Some are nylon, some are viscose rayon, and others are thermoplastic, PVC or polypropylene.”(source)

Yeah, not something I want soaking in my cup of tea or jars of kombucha, thank you.

3. Tea bags offer no breathing room.

If, instead of being packed tightly into a little bag, loose leaf tea leaves are given room to float around, and the hot water is able to seep around the tea, it’s kind of miraculous… the hot water can extract a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and flavors out of the tea leaves. This doesn’t happen so well in a tiny, folded, stapled bag.

Yes, you just read that right. It blew my mind when I first realized it, so I’ll rephrase that…

Loose leaf tea offers much greater health benefits than bagged tea. Now that’s sweet.

4. Bagged tea doesn’t have as much “character.”

When you’re buying boxed, bagged tea, you’re buying from a company who prides itself on standardization, which is fine.

But loose leaf tea companies pride themselves more on quality and character of the flavor profile of their unique teas.

You see, loose-leaf tea is often a specialty tea. The leaves come from one single region of the world, and as a result you’ll find the flavor profile, smell, and even appearance of the leaves may vary slightly from season to season. I like the slight variances and always find the flavor more full of “character” than tea bags used to offer me.

5. Bagged tea is usually all the rejects.

I hate to break it to you, but if you’re making tea with bagged tea, you’re just using the rejects of the tea leaves, the crumbs so to speak. It’s kinda like instant coffee compared to coffee beans.

6. Tea bags don’t last as long.

Bagged tea often loses its vibrancy after just one cup, whereas many loose leaf teas, like oolong and pu’erh can be re-steeped many times and still tastes great.

In fact, I find the second or third brew of some teas brings out different flavors in the tea that you don’t notice on the first cup.

7. Tea bags don’t compost well.

I feel really silly that for years I was doing my garden a huge injustice by composting my tea bags. Seriously.

Tea is great for a garden, so I always recommend adding your spent tea leaves to your compost pile. But how are most tea bags held together? A little tiny piece of metal. While that staple is no big deal to your or your garden plants, it happens to be deadly to the wonderfully important worms that work through your compost pile.

I was killing worms and didn’t even think of it. (Go here if you’d like to know more about composting with coffee and here about composting with egg shells.)

Then many of the bags that do offer staple-less options are not easily biodegradable, because of number 1 and 2, above.

8. Loose leaf allows me to make my own blends, whenever I want.

I love mixing and matching loose leaf teas and creating new delicious blends. I love that I can easily add other flavors while it steeps too, like some of my dehydrated fruits, dehydrated herbs, cinnamon chips, or stevia leaves for extra sweetness.

Two of my favorite tea blends that I’ve created?

This black tea blend that tastes better than Lipton tea.

This decaf, herbal tea blend that tastes like coffee.

Does Loose Leaf Tea Need to be Organic?

If I’ve convinced you to make the switch to loose leaf tea, keep in mind you still need to look for a very important word when you’re buying loose leaf teas… “organic.” If your tea isn’t organic you are most likely soaking tea leaves in your cup of hot water that were grown with the use of chemicals of some sort… from fertilizer, to pesticides, to fungicides, to herbicides.

Soaking.

In your hot water… that you will be drinking….

Maybe I should have started with this point.

Because it’s pretty disturbing when you think about it, no? This, honestly, was the biggest reason I knew I needed to be more picky about my tea choices years ago.

It was just never something I thought about. Crazy, I know.

 

5 Steps to Becoming a Loose Leaf Tea Fanatic

If you’re new to loose leaf, here are six steps to get you started:

  1. Choose your teas well. Think about what teas you currently like and search out loose leaf teas with similar profiles. For instance, if you often drink green teas, start with green loose leaf. And purchase them from companies that care about quality. See two of my favorites (and special offers, just for you guys!) below.
  2. Try a variety of teas. While it’s good to start with a base you enjoy (for example, look for Assam in a loose leaf if you like a dark, full-bodied, black tea), try many different varieties with similar base taste. You’ll find many tea companies like to help you with this and put together complimentary teas in sets like this black tea sampler.
  3. Follow the brewing instructions. The temperature of the water and the length of brew time really do matter. Over steeping tea often leads to a bitter taste, and using the wrong temperature water can lead to less sweet or savory flavors.
  4. Expand your choices. While I always suggest starting with something you pretty much know you’ll like, then I recommend you start to be more daring with your choices. You may find you wind up loving options you never thought you would like, after your palate has developed a bit more.
  5. If you’re hooked, consider some great brewing equipment. While you really don’t need anything fancy, using the perfect tea equipment makes your cup of tea more of an “experience.” Part of the joy, for me, is taking a minute out of my busy morning to relax while I choose a gorgeous steeper out of my cabinet, grab a favorite spoon and pop open a lid of a pretty tin or antique mason jar that I’ve fitted with a flip top lid.

 

This post contains affiliate links & I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Go here to read the full (ultra fun) legal disclosure about that.

 

Some Great Loose Leaf Tea & Brewing Equipment

Talk to me!

If you have any questions, leave a comment below. And please tag me on ig to show me your favorite cup of tea today (I love tea-spiration!) @souly.rested.

 

Other articles you’ll enjoy:

How to use all-natural maple syrup in place of refined sugar.

DIY Kombucha–what does it really cost?

How to make your own super-sized candy cookie (& why you should stop eating the ones from the grocery store bakery)

Make Maple Mango Granola (& why you should make it instead of eating the processed granola)

Pin this for later!

Click on the image below to pin this post.

Find out why SoulyRested was considered to be one of the Top 20 Must-Read Homesteading Blogs of 2018 and then one of the Top Homesteading Blogs of 2019 as well.

Glance at my Resource Page if you’d like to get a glimpse of all the supplies I use and recommend for everything from gardening, to homeschooling, to chicken care, to nature journaling, to maple syrup making.

 

 

I’d love to connect!

To find me in some other neck of the woods, just click any (or every!) icon below:

 

 

 

The post Loose Leaf vs. Tea Bags: 7 Things to Compare first appeared on Souly Rested.

]]> https://soulyrested.com/loose-leaf-vs-tea-bags-7-things-to-compare/feed/ 3 19776 How to Use Wool Dryer Balls https://soulyrested.com/how-to-use-wool-dryer-balls/ https://soulyrested.com/how-to-use-wool-dryer-balls/#comments Sat, 28 Nov 2020 20:56:33 +0000 https://soulyrested.com/?p=19215 When I first learned that laundry dryer sheets might not be the best choice for our family’s laundry, I started to do some research. I now rely on two options for drying our family’s clothes. This post contains affiliate links. Go here to read the full (ultra fun) legal disclosure about that. But first, why I’ve […]

The post How to Use Wool Dryer Balls first appeared on Souly Rested.

]]> When I first learned that laundry dryer sheets might not be the best choice for our family’s laundry, I started to do some research. I now rely on two options for drying our family’s clothes.

This post contains affiliate links. Go here to read the full (ultra fun) legal disclosure about that.

But first, why I’ve banned dryer sheets from our laundry room…

What’s Wrong with Dryer Sheets?

In a study published in the journal Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health, researchers explained that when dryer sheets are in use they emit more than 25 volatile organic compounds (VOC)s. Ummm, what?

Since VOCs are linked to respiratory illnesses and cancer, I have no interest in bringing them into my home. In fact, it turns out that VOCs emitted from dryer vents after using popular brands of laundry detergent and scented dryer sheets included chemicals like acetaldehyde and benzene, all of which are carcinogenic.

So, yeah, I will not be buying another box of dryer sheets. Ever.

But before I get too high up on my no-dryer-sheet soap box, I guess I should explain two things.

  1. Organizations like the American Cleaning Institute (never knew such an institute existed) have rebutted the claims of studies such as this. You can read about that here, if you’d like.
  2. You can absolutely make your own homemade versions of dryer sheets. My friend, Lisa Bass, includes directions in her awesome new book, Simple Farmhouse Life, which you can order here and simultaneously support your local bookstores, or you can order it here, on Amazon.

Listen in to this episode on my podcast for lots more info on how to work towards a non-toxic home: 6 simple ways to detox your home & improve your health (S5 E19)

Why Air Drying Clothes is a Great Option

There are so many reasons why my favorite way to dry clothes is the old-fashioned way, outside, in the fresh air and warm sunshine.

Just a few of those reasons?

  • Air-drying clothes uses no energy, which of course saves lots of money in a family of 6, in the course of a year.
  • Air-drying, amazingly, prevents static cling, so no need for those carcinogenic fabric softeners in that department.
  • Air-drying also gives your clothing a fresh, clean smell, which is reason #2 that there’s no need for those carcinogenic fabric softeners.
  • Air-drying avoids the natural wear and tear on your clothing that it experiences in a dryer.
  • Air-drying leads to stiff towels and wash cloths.

Okay, that last one would not be a benefit in everyone’s book, but we love the natural loofah nature of air-dried towels. A nice, stiff, air-fresh bath towel can get all the itchy dead skin cells off your back in just a few swipes when you step out of the shower in the morning.

But possibly my favorite reason for using a clothesline to dry our laundry isn’t even on that list. Call me crazy, but I love standing out early on a sunny morning, in the crisp breeze, snapping clothes pins on the shoulders and waistbands of our clothes, held up against the clothesline. Humming a hymn, thinking about the day ahead, and enjoying a reason to just be still in the midst of the beginning of the day.

Yeah, maybe I’m crazy. But I’m good with that.

 

Why Using Wool Dryer Balls is a Great Option

As the days get shorter and shorter and warm sunshine is in short supply in New England in the fall, I start using our dryer much more often these days. But I feel just fine about this after discovering the amazingness of wool dryer balls, like these.

  • Dryer balls make your clothes dryer more efficient, preventing clothes from clumping together by tumbling between the layers.
  • Dryer balls reduce drying time by allowing warm air to circulate better between the fabric.
  • Dryer balls help prevent wrinkles by preventing clothes from wadding up in the dryer.
  • Dryer balls prevent static cling if you simply spray the balls with a little water before using them. This increases the humidity level in the dryer.
  • Dryer balls are great at softening clothes.
  • Dryer balls, if you add just a drop of essential oil to each, make your clothing smell wonderful.
  • Dryer balls retain the heat of the dryer and distribute it better throughout the clothing.

I find I use 6 balls in each load of laundry, with one drop of essential oil on each.

How to Use Wool Dryer Balls

Using wool dryer balls is so simple, and yet so brilliant.

  1. Use the appropriate number of balls for your size of load. If you’re using my favorite dryer balls, that would be 2-3 for a small load and up to 6 for a medium- to larger-sized load.
  2. Drop one drop of essential oil on each ball. Side note, I’ve never sold oils, so when I went looking for a reliable online source, I fell in love with these essential oils. (See why below.)
  3. Spray a few balls with water if you’re concerned about static cling. I keep a mason jar of water with this spray nozzle in the laundry room. (Better yet, I love this 5-piece set of lids.)
  4. Toss the dryer balls into the dryer before turning it on.
  5. Remove the balls with the dry laundry and keep them handy for the next load. I keep my dryer balls in a bucket like this.

Great Scent Combinations to Use with Dryer Balls

I like to place one drop of essential oil on every ball I toss in the dryer. I’ve found always making one of the options minty or citrus makes the laundry smell wonderfully, naturally fresh. If I’m doing a load of just Bill’s clothes I often choose Frankincense for it’s nice manly, warm smell.

 

Some of my favorite combinations:

Peppermint & this wonderful floral oil

Lavender & this extra soothing scent

Orange & Peppermint

Grapefruit & Eucalyptus

 

Why these oils are a great choice:

I love that I can now get these highest quality oils without the hassle of a Multi Level Marketing (MLM) company and without the overheard that comes along with an MLM.

There are no membership fees. No monthly purchase required. Instead, I can get top-notch oils at direct-to-consumer pricing. And these are purity-grade oils, guys. (Beware of the watered down oils you can get at any big box store; they’re actually costing you money instead of saving it.)

Enjoy at 20% off all the time! Choose from any and all of the great oils right here and use code SOULYRESTED to take 20% off your entire purchase. Every time. Seriously.

My Favorite Dryer Balls

So when I decided I wanted to switch my routine from dryer sheets to wool dryer balls, I feel in love with these all-natural dryer balls. They’re high-quality for an amazing price and I’m supporting a small family business that I love.

 

More articles you’ll like:

How to use an old farmhouse door as a laundry room divider.

How to make your own organic bug spray.

5 Things you Need in your Natural Health Medicine Cabinet

 

Pin this for later!

Click on the image below to pin this post.

Glance at my Resource Page if you’d like to get a glimpse of all the supplies I use and recommend for everything from gardening, to homeschooling, to chicken care, to nature journaling, to maple syrup making.

 

I’d love to connect!

To find me in some other neck of the woods, just click any (or every!) icon below:

 

 

The post How to Use Wool Dryer Balls first appeared on Souly Rested.

]]> https://soulyrested.com/how-to-use-wool-dryer-balls/feed/ 2 19215 A Great Reason to Plant a Tree https://soulyrested.com/a-great-reason-to-plant-a-tree/ https://soulyrested.com/a-great-reason-to-plant-a-tree/#comments Sat, 29 Jun 2019 14:10:33 +0000 https://soulyrested.com/?p=15361 Y’all know I love a great tree. And a great story. Last night I stumbled upon both. In one. We had dinner in a beautiful port town of New Hampshire. Portsmouth, NH, is a historic seaport and popular little patch of quaintness on the Piscataqua River that beckons summer tourists. But I wonder how many folks miss the […]

The post A Great Reason to Plant a Tree first appeared on Souly Rested.

]]> Y’all know I love a great tree. And a great story. Last night I stumbled upon both. In one.

We had dinner in a beautiful port town of New Hampshire. Portsmouth, NH, is a historic seaport and popular little patch of quaintness on the Piscataqua River that beckons summer tourists. But I wonder how many folks miss the story growing tall and strong just a few blocks inland.

Edit to add: While our nation faces a year–2020–like none of us have lived through before, while we worry if our nation will survive such division, fears, anger, and a global pandemic, we need to remember that our nation is founded on such things (well, maybe not the pandemic part), and we overcome by claiming and planting hope, guys. In simple ways.

It’s the theme of my Simple Doesn’t Mean Easy Podcast.

William Whipple did this in a very tangible way…

His One Simple Act is Still Growing Today

In what used to be the yard of William Whipple grows a Horse Chestnut tree with quite an autobiography. While that may not seem like a fair word to use (since I’m the one telling you its story today), trust me this tree has a novel coursing through its sap.

But I know you’re asking, “Who’s this Whipple guy?” William Whipple was one of our founding fathers that doesn’t get much press. A signer of the Declaration of Independence. And today I gotta tell you his story.

It’s a great one. Mr. Whipple’s story clarifies the fact that doing “simple” things isn’t easy, but wow, is it worth the effort.

That’s Bill and I, with Mr. Whipple’s gorgeous tree behind us. Like I said, I love a great tree. And a great story.

Sweet Maple hits bookstores October 1st, my opus of a few great trees and a great story. So yes, put them together–a tree and a story–and I’m happy.

And obviously the love of my life was pretty happy about this chestnut too. Gotta love his school-boy smile.  He’s also holding my leftover shrimp, which he willingly carried all over Portsmouth while we window shopped. Now you have a glimpse into why he’s been the love of my life since 11th grade. But I digress…

A Signer and His Seed

The Horse Chestnut behind us was planted by William Whipple, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, after returning to his little New England seaport town from Philadelphia and that monumental occasion in 1776. Just imagine as he planted that seed what he must have wondered. He must have doubted if it was even worth the effort. If the city–his colony’s main port city–would be burned to the ground by British forces. If the colonies would crumble under the dictates of a powerful and angry king when he received that signed parchment that declared these humble people were going to try it alone and would no longer acknowledge his dominion.

But William Whipple chose to cling to hope. And I imagine he prayed a little too as he caked dirt under his nails, pounding the soil firmly around that little lifeless looking brown seed that offered just a glimmer of hope. A glimmer of a promise of a day when it would provide shade and comfort in possibly a free nation that could govern itself.

Thinking a lot about Mr. Whipple after standing under his tree, I had to look him up. I love one fact I read… William Whipple freed his slaves when he returned home from signing the Declaration of Independence. (And, yes, slavery did exist in the far north at that time, but that’s a whole ‘nother story.) His reasoning was that he could not fight for freedom while keeping others from having their own.

I knew I liked this man.

Facing an Uncertain Future

This week we will celebrate Independence Day. We will celebrate that document that Mr. Whipple risked his very life to sign. I think we should celebrate that little seed that Mr. Whipple planted as well.

After all, we’re all facing something today that seems daunting. Something where the outcome is uncertain. Something that we wonder what we should do about it or how or if the effort is even worth it.

This fourth of July week remember Mr. Whipple.

He rode 800 miles on horseback to sign a paper that could have easily have led British soldiers to his door to drag him to the gallows. But instead of coming home and hiding away in depression or discouragement–exhausted, depressed, and uncertain of tomorrow–he kept on doing something.

Something that clung to hope.

Clung to promise.

Clung to faith.

An Example Worth Following

William Whipple’s simple act now grows tall for the world to see, overlooking the picturesque Piscataqua River in this glorious Land of the Free that we get to call “home.”

So I have to say “Thank you, Mr. Whipple.” Thank you not only for that long ride on horseback, and that daring act of putting pen to paper in defiance in the name of freedom, but thank you for your courageous, oh-so-simple act of hope.

Thank you, Mr. Whipple, for getting down on your knees, getting your hands dirty, and planting hope.

Thank you, Mr. Whipple, for planting hope that still stands and still grows.

So what about you? What about that simple thing that intimidates you today? That thing you don’t know the outcome of but you know you should be brave and do it? Pray, dig in, and get it done.

You never know the benefits others may reap.

Is it Really That Simple?

If you’re trying to simplify your life a tiny bit in the midst of a chaotic world, take heart, just one simple step toward simplifying your family’s life (like planting a tree) can someday reap a harvest that you can’t imagine today.

In this podcast episode I talk about another simple step that everyone can take to make a huge stride toward simplifying their home:

 

 

Photo by Rob Mulally on Unsplash

You never know the forest of joy that may grow.

Photo by Collie Coburn on Unsplash

Where do I Get the Strength?

I can’t write this–this little post of inspiration; this little post of a story of a man who acted in faith when he didn’t know what tomorrow held–without explaining that it’s MY faith that gives me strength.

Without my faith in a personal savior I would be a wet floppy noodle drowning in a puddle of discontent and inaction. Instead, I am oh-so blessed to know the sovereign creator of all as my personal father and friend. I know he goes before me and he holds all things together. (Colossians 1:17)

But I am a better, smarter, stronger person today as I look back and see how He held all those things together. 

Today when we stand on the narrow street in Portsmouth and look up at Mr. Whipple’s chestnut we have no idea the storms it has weathered and the difficulties of its planting, but we sure can enjoy its strength and beauty today.

So get down and dirty today, keep on doing what you know you’re supposed to do–even facing an uncertain future–and trust in the one who is “the Most High over all the earth.” (Psalm 97:9)

 

More articles about living a simple life:

Overcoming the worst tragedy a homestead can suffer.

A modern homesteader remembers when it wasn’t a choice.

12 Questions to ask yourself if you want to someday own a farm.

8 Things Wanna-Be Homesteaders Need to Know.

 

 

{{Please consider leaving a comment for “the world” to document what intimidating thing you’re gonna dig into.Then come back and let me know how it turns out. I’d truly love to hear.}}

 

Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are the strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. I Chronicles 29: 11-12

 

Pin this for later!

Click on the image below to pin this post.

 

 

The post A Great Reason to Plant a Tree first appeared on Souly Rested.

]]> https://soulyrested.com/a-great-reason-to-plant-a-tree/feed/ 2 15361