I live in the Northern Hemisphere and switch from composting outdoors in the spring and summer to indoors in the winter.
As outdoor composting slows, the vermicomposting worms who lived outdoors in the Subpod spring through early fall are moved indoors for the winter to rest, eat, and produce worm castings. All which will be used in the spring for starting seedlings.
I was still on the search for an outdoor composter that I could use in the winter to turn lawn clippings and shredded paper into compost.
The Aerobin Composter fits the bill. The container is insulated to keep outside and retain heat inside. Internal temperatures are hot enough to kill weed seeds, breaking plant matter down more quickly.
One thing I didn’t know when I started using it is by filling it up more than half way, the process takes longer. Instead of dumping a pile of leaves (I made this mistakes at the beginning), I now alternate layering nitrogen (20% ratio) of spent coffee grounds, kitchen waste, cat hair, and carbon (80% ratio) sources of shredded paper and carboard.
I turn over my mulch in the spring and fall, but leave the soil alone. It allows me to clear out any weeds that may have shown up and saving time later in the season.
I reduce the amount of digging by the squirrels by adding the compost on the bottom, layering with top soil, topping off with mulch, and wetting everything down starts the process of getting the microbes and worms to start breaking everything down.
5. GEME
I was looking for a device to compost my cats poop, spent litter, and kitchen waste. I joked with my cats that it was time for them to stop living at home for free and pay their way.
I wanted to separate the cats waste from the compost I use in my veggie garden. My plan was to use the cat waste only in flower beds away from edible plants.
Welcome the newest addition my composting family, the GEME.
Of course as an alternative, you could dig a hole in the yard, insert a bucket with a top on, drill some holes. Once filled, you dig another hole in the yard and repeat the process.
Given I live in a state with four seasons, once the ground freezes and snow take over, the only option is to throw the waste in the trash or store it until spring in an airtight container. Eau de poo? No thank you.
In the past, I didn’t include the cat litter. Different opinions made me cautious to add it, but a representative from the company said it was okay as long as it is bio waste. I use pine pellets.
When the ground freezes and the bin becomes full (during winter), I put the excess compost in an air tight container to use in the spring.
Check out the before and after photo below.
I read up on the Bokashi method. Some use this method in addition to vermicomposting for processing pet waste. I was looking to compost my cats’ poo using the bokashi method and then use GEME to heat treat.
The device uses the aerobic fermentation method, which we call hot composting. During the fermentation, the GEME-Kobold (a heat-resistant composite microbial group) and the industrial-grade purification system can deodorize itself.
If using bio-cat litter, you don’t need to pre-treat it using the bokashi method and can put it directly into GEME
The best part is te GEME is super quiet, uses less electricity, and and there is no smell.
WHAT I HAVE LEARNED
Composting does take a little investment, but doesn’t have to be expensive. I love the idea of a circular system in finding another purpose for something.
In this case, kitchen waste, coffee grounds, cat hair, lawn clippings, contents from the vaccuum cleaner, and shredded paper can serve another purpose. Feed the soil to grow food.
I learned by adding compost and topsoil, soil retains more water and reduces the amount of watering.
I no longer throw away kitchen waste, have reduced garbage going into the bin (less to lift), and spend less time pulling weeds out of the garden. It’s been a win-win.
Add in rain barrels (check to see if your state allows the use of rain barrels to collect rain water) to reduce the amount of water runoff into the sewers and you save a little money on your water bill.
Instead, I began the process of tackling yard waste outside with Hügelkultur gardening (pronounced “hoo-gul-culture”). The German word for “hill culture” or “mound culture”. The technique involves layering the organic material of tree trunks and branches at the bottom level of a bed.
This technique is perfect for raised garden beds. Before adding potting soil, topsoil, and compost, bury organic matter (tree branches, leaves, shredded paper) at the bottom level of the bed.
As the organic material decomposes, nutrients are added to the soil.
The process can take a minimum of 5 years to fully decompose. As the organic material rots, you will notice the soil level going down. Just top off the raised garden bed with topsoil and compost.
2. FOODCYCLER
I was still looking for a composting alternative solution to converting kitchen waste into something I could use in my flower and veggie gardens. How could I reduce food volume and haul out less garbage every week?
The FoodCycler is an indoor electric composter bin that uses a grinding system to break down food scraps, meat, and bones. Once completed, the volume of the food waste is reduced and broken down into small powder-like granules.
It’s small enough to sit on a countertop and quiet enough to have in the kitchen. I have mine in the garage and let it do its job overnight.
Since it is indoors, no need to worry about the outdoor winter elements coming in and affecting it.
3. SUBPOD
A couple of years ago, I came across a company called Subpod based out of Australia. They have a motto that speaks clearly, “Feed the Soil. Feed the World”. Making composting part of everyday life and diverting waste from landfills is their mission.
Traditional composting can take a lot of time and effort. The subpod is different from traditional above-ground composting like a compost tumbler which you have to turn every couple of days. The smell of rotting food can attract rodents and pests.
With as little as 5 minutes a day, anyone can turn kitchen waste into nutrient-rich compost. All you have to do is throw in the food waste, mix it, and let the vermicomposting worms do the work.
Vermicomposting, or worm composting involves worms eating kitchen waste, using the worm manure (worm castings) to amend the soil, and turning it into dark nutrient-rich soil known as ‘black gold’.
The Subpod can be buried in the ground or a raised garden bed. Flowers and vegetables can be planted around the Subpod. Holes in the grow pod allow vermicomposting worms to move in and out of the pod aerating the soil.
There is another compost system called Modbed that works for those living in small spaces without a backyard. The Modbed looks great on balconies, patios, and rooftop gardens.
As the worms eat the kitchen waste, their poop (worm manure or worm castings) is left that can be used as a natural liquid fertilizer to make worm tea or sprinkled around plants as a slow-release fertilizer.
With underground composting, it stays underground. There is no smell and no mess.
Check out part 3 for additional ways to compost indoors.
Do you look at kitchen and pet waste going into the garbage and wonder how you can give it another purpose? You can give food and yard waste a new life by composting at home. Composting doesn’t have to be complicated. No longer are you limited to turning a compost tumbler over and over outdoors.
New products and devices on the market make it possible to compost outdoors indoors and keep pesky pests away.
I will share with you four products I own and use to compost kitchen, office, and pet waste.
HOW MY COMPOSTING JOURNEY BEGAN
My composting journey began with wondering how I could turn kitchen waste into something I could used in my flower and vegetable gardens.
I needed a solution that would take only a couple of minutes a day with no mess and no chemicals.
Started by burying the waste, but it quickly became problematic. I soon ran out of space and the squirrels were having a field day digging it up.
I came across the compost tumbler, but like a compost pile, you have to turn it regularly. While it’s great to be outdoors, it can prove to be challenging to maintain if you work full-time, have a family or take care of an elderly parent.
Most turn to the alternative option of using synthetic fertilizers because it’s cheap, largely available, and easy to use.
What I ended up doing was developing a layered composting approach.
SYNTHETIC FERTILIZERS VS COMPOST
Synthetic fertilizers cannot compete against organic matter known as compost. Synthetic fertilizers are man-made chemicals that harm the environment by killing off healthy microrganisms, strip away nutrients from soil, and requires more water.
As organic matter decomposses, it attracts microbes and worms who help to further break it down. What is left is nutrient rich compost containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium plants need to grow.
The slow release of natural fertlizer provides bigger yields, retains water, prevents soil erosion, and smells earthy.
Over time, overuse of synthetic fertilizers leads to nutrient deficiency. The nitrogen run off from liquid fertilizers into lakes, streams, and rivers produce overgrowth of vegetation and algal booms, creating “dead zones” where low levels of oxygen kill off fish. One example is the Gulf of Mexico.
I am always looking for ways to get gift cards for doing everyday tasks: shopping online, working out, answering surveys, and being on the computer while searching on the internet.
Did you know you can make money while walking? Yes, you can. If you enjoy working out, working at a job that has you on the move, or have a side hustle walking dogs, why not get rewarded and be paid to be healthy while improving the environment one step at a time?
I recently came across five apps that will pay you for a walk. The best part is all of these apps are free. Here are the five best apps to earn money while walking.
HOW TO WALK AND EARN MONEY
1. Winwalk
Winwalk is a free pedometer that counts your steps and rewards you with gift cards to use towards food and drinks, entertainments, fashion, home and retail from these top brands:
Chipotle
Dominos
DoorDash
Dunkin’ Donuts
Starbucks
Subway
Taco Bell
Uber Eats
Google Play
Nintendo
PlayStation
Spotify
Uber
Xbox
Adidas
Kohl’s
Nike
TJX
Amazon
Best Buy
Kroger
Target
Home Depot
How it works
The walking app tracks your steps and converts them into coins you can spend on giftcards. Once you accumilate 16,000 coins, you earn a $10 gift card. All you have to do is walk.
There is one disclaimer. The app only rewards you for up to 10,000 steps per day. Coins have to be collected everyday.
If you work at a job involving physical activity, reaching 10,000 steps a day is no problem.
CashWalk tracks and counts your steps. The more you walk, the more you earn. Steps get converted into coins that can get redeemed for giftcards.
2,000 coins earns you a $5 gift card from top brands: Amazon, Walmart, Starbucks, Google Play, and Apple.
The app has a daily luck box that let’s you try your luck at winning 10,000 coins. Watching ads and playing game can earn more coins.
I earn a $5 giftcard once a month.
3. Sweatcoin
Sweatcoin converts your steps into a currency you can spend on gadgets, sports and fitness kit, services and experiences.
The app offers monthly giveaways to earn money. Entering is free. There are lucky chance offers in which you can use sweatcoins to win giftcards.
I recently redeemed my sweatcoins for a free month subscription to Paramount+ to binge watch my favorite shows.
If you’re feeling generous, you can donate to campaigns or charities to end hunger and malnutrition globally, plant trees, provide water to communities, and support elephant protection efforts in Africa to name a few.
It defintely pays and feels good to walk for good causes.
Earn points by reading short and informative articles that share health trends and tips.
The apps have a daily, weekly, and monthly trackers that give a breaksown on how you earned points.
Once you reach 10,000 points, you can redeem for a $10 gift card.
5. Treecard
If you enjoy supporting conservation and sustainability efforts to preserve natural habitats while improving the environment, the Treecard app is for you.
Treecard is one of my favorite apps because it rewards walking by planting trees. For every 10k steps, 1 tree gets planted in your Tree Valley.
The tree planting partner is Ecosia, a not-for-profit and one of the most reputatable reforestation organizations in the world.
The organization currently plants tree in 35+ countries and provides updates on how your trees are getting on.
You choose which trees you want to plant in your Tree Valley:
Acacia
Fir
Mangrove
Palm
Banana
Cacao
With everyday walking, you are contributing to reforestation efforts around the world.
The community has already planted over 2 million trees, pulled 2.3 million plastic bottles from the ocean, and adopted 70k+ animals.
Here are some examples of what points can be redeemed for:
Houseplats
Green tech
Removing plastic from the ocean
Animal adoption
Life-changing trips to Thailand to support local villagers with elephant conservation projects
Hike with goats on a sanctuary
Go white river rafting in Colorado
Get a one year pass to visit more than 2,000 national parks across the United States
Go whale watching
Hike with a rescue dog
Explore Tanzania on a 4-day guided tour
Gift trees to friends and family
Getting started is easy by downloading the app.
When you sign up and use the referral code jeanetta-xk1, you’ll plant 1 tree and earn 50pts (for free!)
It pays to go green!
7. Miles
Here is a bonus app called Miles. The app rewards you with miles for travel: car, carpool, ride hailing, train, bus, boat, walk/run, bike, air, shopping, and taking surveys.
The app automatically tracks your trips so there is no need to open the app or log your trips.
Miles can be redeemed for giftcards, raffles, and donations to charities.
If you’re looking for more inexpensive to contribute to the world while reducing waste, check out my blog post, Small Acts that can Change the World.
I am about maintaining a peaceful home involving feng shui landscaping that brings joy, song birds, bees, and butterflies to my flower and vegetable garden.
It may be tempting to call it a day and put up an 8 foot fence, but that won’t necessarily stop them from watching you, especially if you live in close proximity of one another and have a deck that can look down on your backyard.
Last resort would be to move, but why move if you’re not the problem?
1. Talk to Them
Depending on how long the nosy neighbor has been living in the neighborhood, they may have a sense of entitlement that it is within their right to know the daily going ons around them.
Or they were so used to living around the same people for so long, changes in the neighborhood are difficult to accept.
Unless you’re engaging in illegal acitivity, your neighbor has no business inserting themselves in your life or in the privacy of your hom. You pay the rent, mortgage, property taxes, etc., they don’t.
Sure you can tell your nosy neighbor to go away, but that may not end well.
In fact, they may not even know they are being nosy. Perhaps there has been an increase of criminal activity in the area and your neighbor is simply being hypervigilant. You won’t know until you engage in conversation.
2. Create a Privacy Living Barrier
Create a barrier between you and your neighbor with a “living fence” by planting shrubs, trees, and tall ornamental grasses for privacy. Add some solar lights in between the plants and you’ll have a beautiful backdrop of soft light.
In my case, I planted cherry bushes, dwarf spiral Alberta trees, boxwood bushes, lavender, and cat mint.
3. Invest in Soundproof Curtains
Put up soundproof thermal curtains. 3-in-1 soundproof curtain block light, provide insulation, and reduce outside noise (noisy road, dogs barking, lawn mowers, etc.). Alternatively, privacy film on the windows can add a new dimension by bringing soft light in while keeping outside heat out.
4. Add Solar Lights
Add solar lights versus the harshness of flood lights. Solar lights bring a bit of romanticism and backyard ambiance while adding security and outdoor illumination.
5. Add Security Cameras
Outdoor security cameras are handy for receiving notifications for delivery of packages and deterring suspicious activity.
By adding security cameras, you don’t want to turn into the nosy neighbor you are trying to avoid by watching them from your smartphone.
If you feel adding a real security camera would be intrusive, add a fake security camera. Include a notice on the property notifying individuals activities are being monitored 24/7.
I installed security cameras to monitor a female feral cat’s movements to get her daily routine so I could trap, neuter, and release (TNR) her.
I leave them up to monitor any new strays or feral cats coming into the yard.
6. Give Them Something to Talk About
Starting a victory garden, indulging in outdoor home improvement projects will defintely get people talking in a good way.
You may inspire others to roll up their sleeves and indulge in some DIY projects of their own.
Who doesn’t appreciate a good home improvement project?
Be Prepared for Some Type of Retaliation
With the new privacy barriers, your busy-body neighbor may turn into a not so pleasant neighbor, eventually figuring out that you know they are being “too observant”.
Do not be surprised if the tables get turned with you getting accused of being nosy. They are trying to save face here.
Tit for tat behavior, setting up motion sensors, followed by dogs coming out and barking in the front or backyard can give the impression to other neighbors you are one being nosy and up to no good.
Running out of the house and acting like they are responding to some illegal activity everytime you’re outside can give the impression you’re attempting to trespass on their property when you’re staying on your side of the fence, YOUR fence.
Here is a funny one. Clapping at squirrels on your fence when you are outside. Are they clapping at the squirrels, or are they clapping at you?
They may choose to install their own security cameras, pointing them directly at your house from their property. Depending on the state you live in, this may be completely legal.
They may decide they don’t like your outdoor security cameras and deliberately flash lights at them to get a reaction in order to get you to engage in conversation with them.
These behaviors are not nosy neighbor behavior but bordeline acts of intimidation and harassment.
If all fails, get the last word in by telling them to mind their own business. Ignore your nosy neighbor and no matter what, don’t engage in conversation.
Keep a diary and collect video evidence.
The neighborhood bully may decide to become bold by trespassing and causing damage on your property.
Examples include, keying your car, putting a spike under your tire, or messing with your flowers or trees.
It’s time to contact and consult with your lawyer.
What Happened with My Nosy Neighbor?
Enough sharing strategies for dealing with nosy neighbors. You might be wondering how I dealt with my nosy neighbor. Swift and firm.
One night, Anna decided she wanted to talk and thought the best way to accomplish this and get a reaction was to hang her lights on my fence to get a reaction.
The whole backyard was lit up like a Christmas tree. It was clever, funny, but not funny.
Previous temper tantrums she performed (too many to list), didn’t get a reaction, just radio silence.
It would be the first and last conversation we would ever have.
I promptly asked her to remove them while making it clear I did not want to engage in converation with her and told her to leave me alone.
I made sure everyone in the neighborhood heard me just in case anyone else got any ideas about replacing her as a nosy neighbor.
I know Ms. Busy-Body is still watching, but it’s less obvious. No more running down the stairs to greet me or standing over me while I work my flower garden.
As long as she doesn’t cross the threshold, I am happy co-existing while maintaing a proper distance.
Not deterred, I continue to do my yard work in peace. Trees and bushes making up my living fence are growing and flourishing.
If I had to redo it all again, upon being ambushed, I would have made it clear right away I was not interested in conversing while doing yard work or at all.
Perhaps years of drama could have been avoided or not. Woulda, coulda, shoulda. Oh well, you live and learn right?
What are some of your experiences with nosy neighbors, and what strategies did you use for dealing with them?
Don’t get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with being observant of your surroundings. In fact, it’s good for you and your neighbors to look after one another and keep each other safe.
However, individuals can take it too far by being too “observant” and creating paranoid delusions.
1. Always Around
Minute you step outside, your neighbor comes rushing outside to greet you or ask where you are going. Being around is a little more than a coincidence. Regardless of the time of day, when you come home from work, or go to bed. It could be a sign you have a nosy neighbor.
2. Asks Probing Questions
Your neighbor deliberately talks to you and asks probing questions about people in the neighborhood to get information leaving you feeling like you just got interrogated.
3. Excessive Lawn Maintenance
When it comes to lawn maintenance, your neighbor might be meticulous, but going over the same spot for 20-minutes with a lawn mower could be considered a little excessive.
Another sign is constantly coming towards the property line and picking up the occassional non existent twig on the pristine lawn or raking the same spot over and over again when there are no leaves.
Add the occasional glance over the garden fence, and you got a nosy neighbor.
4. Probing Other Neighbors
Pretends to talk to the neighbors while looking over to see what you are doing.
5. Listening to Your Conversations
One way to tell if your nosy neighbor is eavesdropping is by pretending to be on the phone and engaging in conversation. If they repeat any part of the conversation, your neighbor is nosy.
Going forward, don’t have conversations outside you don’t want them hearing or repeating as they will tell others in the neighborhood your business.
6. Waiting Until You’re Inside to Be Nosy
After closing the curtains for the night, they come out to inspect your yard. Being on the lookout for weeds with 5-foot arms that can reach over the fence and take hold of their lawn is a priority, especially when you’re not around.
Another tactic for a busy-body neighbor is to hide behind curtains or blinds and spy. Looking through the kitchen window and tinkering with dishes is a good give away. Either they let their dishes pile up or they are obsessive about washing every dirty dish when you’re around doing yard work.
7. Calling the Cops Excessively
They call the cops for no reason on unknown people. I had this happen in which a neighbor saw someone in the yard they didn’t know, called the cops and lied to say the person was trying to rob the house.
It was a pretty scary sight seeing law enforcement surrounding my friend with their guns pulled. Luckily, the police were professionals and no one was hurt.
It is never okay to tell tall tales, fibs, or lies.
Part 3 continues with tips and tricks on how to get privacy from nosy neighbors.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, neighbors went to work, got home, spent time with the family, and mowed the lawn. You know, typical suburban behavior. However, extra time spent at home during the recent coronavirus pandemic (or COVID19) tranformed people from unknown neighbors to nosy neighbors.
Now that the pandemic has passed, you may have a neighbor still exhibiting obsession and stalking behavior with the sense of entitlement to know what goes on around them and what happens outside and inside your home.
Unless you’re engaging in illegal acitivity, your neighbor has no business inserting themselves in your life.
I willl share (from personal experience) tips, tricks, and ways to avoid, deal with and get privacy from a nosy neighbor while maintaining a peaceful home and positive energy.
How the Nosy Neighbor Saga Began
We all have seen them, the neighborhood bully. Always watching, instigates trouble, and frequently calls the cops or inspectors on anything deemed suspicious or out of place in their mind.
While neighbors have it out with one another, accusing each other of tattling on one another, the nosy neighbor who instigated the drama stays silent, pops some popcorn, and watches it play out.
This type of personality makes you want to stay inside and never come out because when you do, in less than 30 seconds, your nosy neighbor will ambush you with an awkward greeting followed by invading your privacy by asking probing questions.
It began with a simple hello, an innocent 10-minute conversation, to which the brief interaction transformed into a complete nightmare scenario involving obsessive and stalking behavior over the course of a few years.
It was summer, and I decided my backyard needed some updating landscape wise. Summer in the northern hemispehere (specifically the midwest region) can be brutal with a month of 90 to 100 degree temps. Gardening enthusists get up early to beat the heat and retreat around 9 or 10 a.m.
You would think being up at 7 in the morning you would be the only one outside while everyone else is tucked away in their beds asleep. At times silence can be pure solutute.
Less than 5-minutes of arriving in the backyard, out of the corner of my eye was physical movement. Intrigued, I decided to continue to pursue my gardening chores. Perhaps someone else had the same idea as mine and we would consciously work in solitude.
To my surprise, a woman on the other side of my fence tiptoed her way into the backyard from an outside gate, stood close to my fence watching me for 10-minutes. I thought about saying something, but decided to see where this spying would go.
Perhaps after realizing I was heavily engaged in gardening, retreating back into the house was the best option. Slowly tiptoeing up the stairs to her deck, back inside without a sound or a morning greeting, she was gone without a trace.
Little did I know, this would be the beginning of my quest to get privacy from my nosy neighbor.
Future interactions would involve me coming out to the yard. Less than 1-minute of coming outside, Anna (not her real name) would come running down the stairs and would say hello. A simple “hello” or small talk can be a genuine or a way to engage in conversation to obtain information.
How did she know I was out here? Must either have spydie senses or just bored. I will note this same thing has happened others to the point I am the only one still coming outside.
I would learn later our brief interactions were aimed at gaining information about people in the neighborhood. Little did I know, this individual had a history of keeping a watchful eye on everyone. Anything you wanted to know about daily activities in the neighborhood, she knew it and wasn’t afraid to spill the beans.
One thing to know about narcissists is they enjoy hearing themselves talk. When she would ambush me and start to speak, I would nod hoping she would get the hint and go on about her business. Didn’t work.
I eventually realized there was a one-sided conversation occuring in which she would talk, and I would listen or politely nod. Have you ever heard of the phrase, “Keeping up with the Joneses”?
Once I realized trickery had occurred, I decided to ignore her. One thing for sure, narcissists hate to be ignored and don’t accept rejection well.
What would transpire over the next couple of years is something only written in fairy tales or can be seen on YouTube. Just Google “neighbors from hell”, and you can get plenty of examples of “bad behavior.”
Luckily, the situation didn’t turn violent, but thank my lucky stars I am no longer being ambushed and can tend to my yard in peace.
I won’t bore you with the details of the amount negative energy projected during that time. Plus this blog post would end up being 10-pages long (that is a conservative number).
Let’s get on with signs of a nosy neighbor and how to deal with them without negativley affecting your mental health.
Are you a chronic pain sufferer experiencing stiffness, achy joints, pins, and needles daily? Hesitant about taking a prescription medication, potential side effects, and looking for non-opioid medication options?
You are not alone. Improvements in mobility and quality of life sooner can be facilitated by layering holistic treatments and natural remedies.
Before agreeing to a prescription medication referral or over-the-counter pain relievers, gives these five pain management techniques a try to treat chronic pain and improve sleep by reducing or eliminating the need for medication over time.
Before making any lifestyle changes, always consult your healthcare provider.
How to Manage Chronic Pain
Pain-Free Living
There is no quick fix or magic pill to living pain-free here. Depending on how long you have been living with chronic pain, the body needs time to adjust from its daily fight, flight, and freeze responses to remember how to heal itself.
After being diagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic pain, a prescription medication cocktail was recommended.
Due to a past surgery experience when a prescribed opioid didn’t go well for me (what goes down, comes back up), I respectfully declined.
Instead, I asked about holistic approaches. Soon I found myself researching and customizing a treatment plan alone.
Chronic Inflammation
I learned a lot about chronic inflammation and ways to heal from it through holistic treatments, removing foods from my diet, contributing to flare-ups, and changing my workout routine to low impact.
It took me four years to find the right combination of alternative treatments.
Once I found the right combination of pain management techniques, I noticed improved mood, sleep, and decreased pain in less than a month.
The first step in treating chronic pain is to find the source of inflammation contributing to chronic pain.
For me, my chronic pain started after an ACL surgery followed by eating the wrong foods.
As you become self-aware about how your body responds and feels on a particular day, modifying the frequency and number of holistic treatments will become a natural daily routine.
5 Pain Management Techniques
1. Infrared Sauna Blanket
The first time I tried a sauna based infrared treatment, I walked away feeling on cloud nine.
At $20 or more per session, 2-3 times a week, infrared sauna treatments can become costly.
If you haven’t tried an infrared sauna, you are in for a treat. The 30-minute 2-3 times a week treatment can be done at home!
Compared to a standard heating pad which warms the surface of the skin (any type of heat feels good to me who lives with fibromyalgia), far-infrared heat penetrates deep into the muscles to lower tension throughout the body, reduce body aches by increasing blood circulation, and for an added bonus, red light combined with heat will naturally give your immune system a boost.
Environmental exposure to harmful toxins like heavy metals and pesticides can make the body feel sluggish with low energy, contributing to inflammation throughout the body.
An infrared sauna can the body to release and eliminate toxins and waste through sweat by penetrating deeply through the skin.
Perfect after a workout, time spent outside tending the yard to speed up muscle recovery. Upon coming in contact with the stones on the mat, my muscles begin to melt into the mat.
Before I invested in a far-infrared heating pad, I experienced pins and needles throughout my body and cramping in my feet. My toes would curl so much; I would have to pry my toes loose to get them to relax.
Start with 30-minutes and increase the length of time by 30-minute increments. Don’t forget to hydrate before and after.
I noticed a difference in reducing pain levels, increasing range of motions, and less stiffness after a couple of treatments using the infrared pad 2-3 times a week.
In the colder months, sometimes I sleep on top of the pad.
When sleeping on the mat at night, hydrate before going to bed, and follow the manufacturers instructions.
Infrared Heating Lamp
If an infrared sauna heating pad is out of your price range, spot treating areas of the body with red light therapy can be just as effective.
When searching for a small device to tackle my knee pain, I discovered the red infrared heating lamp for muscle body pain relief .
The heat feels great on the neck, shoulders, back, low back, and joints.
If you suffer from allergies, sinusitis, congestion, or sinus infections, red light therapy can help alleviate symptoms.
15-minutes a couple of times a day is all you need to feel better. Be sure to follow the manufacture’s instructions.
2. Toe Separators
Did you know the ankle joint is one of the strongest joints in the body? All the weight our ankles take on to keep us upright is pretty amazing.
Let’s not forget about the feet. If your feet could talk, what amazing stories they could tell about the places you have visited and mileage out of your feet.
Foot pain can stop you in your tracks. Walking, running, standing for prolonged periods, wearing tight or pointed-toe shoes can contribute to nerve pain and swelling.
Gel toe spaces help straighten, correct overlapping toes, and reduce tightness by stretching your feet.
They can be worn with shoes or under socks while walking around the house.
Toe separators are not only washable and reusable but can be repurposed for at-home pedicures.
Magnesium Oil
Foot muscle spasms and twitches can be symptoms of a mineral deficiency.
If you have a bag of Epsom salts sitting in the bathroom, daily 20-minute foot soaks can do wonders for your precious feet.
If you are short on time, magnesium oil is very effective as a spot treatment in alleviating foot pain, swelling, and cramping.
A second way to increase magnesium levels is by putting magnesium oil on your feet. In the cold months, I mix magnesium with a heavy body cream and put socks on before improving sleep.
Instead of buying an expensive bottle of magnesium oil, check out my post on how to make and use magnesium oil from Epsom salts.
Combine this treatment with a shiatsu deep kneading foot massager (great for plantar fasciitis and neuropathy) to relive tired feet.
3. Moringa Leaf Powder
Your body is built to heal itself. Maintaining optimal health can’t be sustained through synthetic supplements.
When the body is out of sync, slight changes due to chronic stress can lead to a hormone imbalance.
Symptoms of a hormonal imbalance are fatigue, mineral and vitamin deficiency, irregular or painful periods, increased bleeding, high cortisol levels, weight gain, mood changes, poor digestion, and hair loss.
Moringa lead powder, a superfood, has been used for thousands of years for medicinal purposes to treat various diseases and medical conditions.
The “miracle tree” is an anti-inflammatory food packed with vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, C, E, magnesium, and potassium. One teaspoon of moringa powder contains the daily value of:
Vitamin A: 65%
Vitamin C: 10%
Vitamin E: 15%
Calcium: 5%
Iron: 5%
Magnesium: 5%
For a boost of energy, mix one teaspoon into smoothies, yogurt bowls, or make a hot tea.
I like to mix it into my cashew yogurt sprinkled with blueberries and shredded coconut to help reduce inflammation and improve digestion.
Check out these additional benefits of drinking moringa leaf powder every day.
4. Tens Unit
If you’re searching for a non-narcotic solution to help with pain management or looking to stop taking opioids, a TENS (Transcutaneous Electronic Nerve Stimulation) unit is worth a try.
The FDA approved device is a useful option for individuals that can’t tolerate prescription medication or are looking for a drug-free holistic treatment for pain relief from neck pain and tension headaches.
The low current electrical stimulation encourages endorphins’ production, the body’s natural pain-killing chemicals to suppress pain signals in the brain.
5. Acupuncture
Traditional Chinese medicine has been used to treat and manage pain. Acupuncture treatments are good for treating conditions like back and neck pain, hormone imbalances, plantar fasciitis and may reduce the number of days, frequency, and intensity of migraines.
Treatment sessions involve small needles inserted into the skin. It’s normal to fall asleep during acupuncture. Enjoy the healing power of enhanced relaxation and restorative healing.
Length of treatment sessions range from 30 to 60 minutes. Depending on the number of sessions required to treat your chronic pain and other conditions, the average cost for one treatment can set you back $60.
Community acupuncture has a sliding scale ranging from $20 to $40 based on what you can afford.
To learn about additional health benefits and uses, check out my blog post about Why Acupuncture Works.
When I’m in a pinch and don’t have time to invest in a complicated main course, I find white rice side dishes are the perfect complement to a rotisserie chicken, filet mignon, grilled shrimp, or with a simple fried sunny side egg cooked in olive oil on top of a bed of rice.
The white rice dish can be made the night before. In fact, the combination of butter and pepper ensures the rice retains it’s moisture and tastes better the next day.
It’s so delicious, I can’t help but take a bite after it’s done cooking in the rice cooker and adds the finishing touch baking in the oven.
Cubes of butter coat sections of the rice while the outside edges are crunchy. Mixing the butter with the rice brings the side dish together.
One of the reasons why I like to cook Carolina Gold rice is how aromatic it is. You don’t need to add a suitcase of bells and whistles in the form of herbs and sauces to enjoy this heirloom rice.
The perfect marriage between French, Irish butter, and pepper will have you adding this recipe to your list of favorites. Enjoy!
Easy Butter and Pepper Rice
One of the reasons why I like to cook Carolina Gold rice is how aromatic it is. You don't need to add a suitcase of bells and whistles in the form of herbs and sauces to enjoy this heirloom rice. The perfect marriage between French, Irish butter, and pepper will have you adding this recipe to your list of favorites. Enjoy!
Place one sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet
Press 'Rice' button. Cook for 20 minutes or until most of the water is evaporated.
Spread rice onto the baking sheet with a spatula
Distribute cubes of butter on the baking sheet
Grind pepper over the rice
Bake for 10 minutes
After 10 minutes take the baking sheet out of the oven. Fluff with a fork, making sure butter and pepper coat every rice kernel.
Notes
If you don’t have a rice cooker, the recipe can be converted to a stovetop pot. Cook on medium heat and keep an eye on it. When I cook rice on the stove, I notice the water evaporates more quickly. I add an additional half a cup of water for a total of two and a half cups. Be prepared to adjust the amount of butter used in dry and humid climates. For example, when I make this dish in the summer, due to humidity levels in the Midwest, I reduce the amount of butter to one tablespoon. In the winter until early spring, when the air is dry, I resort back to two tablespoons. I use one tablespoon of Kerry Gold and one tablespoon of Trader Jacques cultured salt butter. Both are found at Trader Joe’s. The combination of French and Irish butter makes this side dish out of this world. Sometimes I like to serve this by covering my bowl of rice with a layer of gluten-free nutritional yeast for additional protein and sriracha sauce for an extra spice kick.
Keyword carolina gold rice, carolina plantation rice, cheap easy side dish, white rice
Your parents worked their whole lives to give you a proper upbringing. They fed you, clothed you, and passed down their infinite wisdom and life lessons to prepare you to navigate the murky waters of daily life. After landing the “dream job,” you made a promise to your parents that you would be there for them when they needed you. What you didn’t expect was a promise made over 20 years ago is increasingly being tested due to the unexpected and persistent challenges that come with aging parents. It’s heart-wrenching to see your parents, who were once so vibrant and full of life, slowly becoming unrecognizable not only to you but to themselves.
One parent has mobility issues from hip surgery a few years back and is experiencing difficulty getting around. A man who once served in the military then worked for the railroad and lived out a blissful retirement by spending hours in the backyard tending to a vegetable garden now sits in his favorite chair, staring off into the distance. The other parent has lost the use of her hands and is having a hard time accepting her limitations. Daily knitting sessions that once brought joy, with every single and double cross-stitch, pain radiates throughout her hands. Your parents, once adoringly in love, now behind the scenes, fight like cats and dogs. The mysterious death of the family dog due to accidental poisoning has you questioning the mental state of your mother. A few months later, your father passes away from old age in his favorite chair. He spent 50 years devoting himself to the woman he loved, and in the end, he refused to leave her side and his favorite chair. While grief-stricken, it is becoming obvious mom is aware that her mind is slowly slipping away. At the frustration of you telling her she is forgetting things, she denies forgetting things. She is increasingly becoming combative while in complete denial. Dementia is taking over her once sharp mind. Paranoia convinces her that you’re out to get her. She begins sending letters to your job, accusing you of trying to lock her away. This is a baseless accusation, yet your supervisor at work is looking at you cross-eyed at what he just read. Does he think it is true?
Aging Parents
When it comes to aging parents, there isn’t a golden rule about the worst-case scenario of aging; it is only the best-case scenario if you’re one of the lucky ones. Infomercials and social media show elderly parents going on cruises, enjoying retirement, and dotting on their grandchildren while aging gracefully. When one or both of your elderly parents are toxic, the emotional struggle of deciding whether to keep the promise you made years ago to be there in their time of need, or for the sake of your mental health and well-being, walk away, can be overwhelming. That is a tricky question to tackle, a decision that carries a significant weight and can’t be made on the spur of the moment but with careful consideration.
Toxic Environment at Home
I knew something was different with my mother when she began exhibiting erratic behavior in the form of throwing out insults, constantly criticizing me, and swearing like a sailor non-stop. She demonstrated a lack of empathy for all things and people by conversing with her daily shows, maintaining close contact with her friends and family, and calling the squirrels in her yard family, which was outside her character. Not to make excuses, but it didn’t help that she had a laundry list of health conditions that would make anyone wonder why a person would want to get up in the morning, constantly abuse themselves in the form of emotional eating to assert some time of control while hoarding cans of food, filling the refrigerator with meat. Only to fill up a trash bin of food every Sunday from ordering fast food because she needed more time to cook. Then goes on to curse the trash bin when staging it for trash day pick up at the end of the driveway because it’s too heavy. The cycle repeats every week until the floorboards begin to talk. It’s expected to be a little grumpy sometimes, right?
Changing Personality
As I tried to engage in conversation about her changing personality, a change in subject would happen, and the focus would revert to me and my life choices by questioning my intelligence and degrading me. Conversely, in the company of her neighbors, she would proudly extol my personal and professional achievements, creating a stark contrast to our private interactions. A big smile would cover her face with pride, saying she was proud of me. The cycle of the poisonous web of abuse, lies, and denial has taken over the one daily happy time, leaving me feeling [specific emotions or experiences]. This back-and-forth dynamic has placed a significant financial burden on me. The only time my mother’s demeanor shifts to pleasant is when I provide financial support for her habit of hoarding food, wasting food, and indulging in fast food. I am no longer her daughter but a crowdfunding source for when she lives beyond her means and needs a bailout to keep creditors from calling or avoid having a lien put on her house for not paying her bills. All the while, she is attempting to maintain an unaffordable and unsustainable pre-retirement lifestyle while on social security disability. While I am single and can afford to pay my way and hers, I can’t stop comparing my toxic elderly parent to past individuals who were once part of my life in the form of poisonous friendships or relationships. How easy it was to walk away from them, but yet I put up with an angry senior in denial of aging, yet wants to make me the parent, her the rebellious child who won’t listen, yet questions everything, leaving me feeling [specific emotions or experiences].
Handling Toxic Parents Strategies
Setting Boundaries
Just like your parents didn’t tolerate any mischief of bad behavior from you when you were a child, giving a parent experiencing memory loss or chronic pain a pass to indulge in mental abuse, bully-like behavior will not only alienate you but trick you into a spur of the moment quick decision to put the parent in a nursing home, assisted, or senior living. A decision you will have to live with long after your parents are gone.
Promote Independence in the Elderly
In today’s digital age, caregivers have the opportunity to take a moment for themselves. This brief respite is not just a luxury, but a necessity for maintaining the energy and resilience required for caregiving. It’s crucial to remember that self-care is an essential part of the caregiving journey.
By promoting independence in the elderly, we can give aging parents a profound sense of control over their lives. One way to do this is to schedule online grocery and food delivery, request a community of volunteers to help maintain the house’s grounds, and schedule telehealth appointments with doctors and nurses, thereby enhancing their autonomy.
Teaching an elderly parent to be tech-savvy can be challenging at first, but in the end, if your parents walk away feeling like it was their idea, it can be a win-win, right?
Don’t Give Into the Guilt-Trips
When an adult child becomes a caregiver for an aging parent, the role reversal can lead to an awkward, uncomfortable, and bitter environment. Falling for constant guilt trips can turn family dynamics into a daily dose of Thanksgiving dinner of passive and aggressive behavior because your mother or father is afraid he or she can’t take care of themselves or the house anymore. We often feel guilty for standing up for ourselves to our parents, thinking we are disrespectful when we are only trying to get involved and make things easier.
Wanting to Walk Away
After exhausting all options to engage in conversation and trying your best, the emotional toll of constantly feeling undervalued and unappreciated can be overwhelming. It’s easy to be sick and tired of being treated like a business transaction instead of a family member. When you are at the end of your emotional rope, it’s crucial to involve a third party immediately. Inviting social services to conduct a house visit and assess the living situation of your parent could be a life-saving decision. Eighteen months after my grandfather passed away, I was called over to my grandmother’s house. The paramedics found her lying on the floor unconscious. I first noticed that it was pretty warm in the home. Most Victorian homes from the 1900s are drafty. At least, that is what I remembered when I was a child, spending the weekends at my grandparents’ house while my mom worked the night shift of her second job. Before going to bed, Grandma turned the thermostat up so much that the house became a sauna overnight. She was hospitalized and fell into a coma. A few days later, she passed away. While older people want to remain in their homes as long as possible, giving in to demands for my grandmother to stay in her large Victorian house ended with a tragic accident. I am sure my mother regrets an event I don’t want to relive.
Possiblity of Loss of Independence
A toxic elderly parent living alone going off the rails while you watch a house in ruins with rats running around, trash, and filth isn’t good for anybody.
If a person doesn’t want help or talks about living in denial about aging, instead of letting things go, not addressing the elder’s needs can result in unpleasant consequences with the parent being put somewhere they are not going to be happy.
If rats make themselves known on more than one occasion and your parent begins to call these pests home pets, the health and safety of your elderly parent is at risk.
Forgetting to turn the stove off all the way, leaving the front door unlocked, and later denying these events occurred is a safety issue for your parent and any neighbors that live close or next door.
Action needs to be taken immediately. Living alone is not possible in the short or long term.
The loss of independence is something you can live with versus showing up and finding your parent unconscious due to vertigo after experiencing a trip or fall months before and never telling you about it.
Talking With Parents About Aging
Taking care of an elderly parent can be a thankless job.
Many times, I feel unappreciated and experience constant bouts of being treated compared to the nurses who make the occasional house visit and are treated as a second daughter.
Instead of becoming envious or jealous, I constantly tell myself, “I’m the reason your not sitting in rat s$!t and can rest your hands on a clean placemat dust bunny free and poop.”
After sharing concerns for your mom or dad’s safety and well-being and being told they don’t care about how you feel, turning to your parent’s physician and enlisting their support can make you more receptive to recommendations from a person they trust.
If your mental health is failing and depression is setting in, it’s time to walk away and go no contact for good.
You can’t save everyone. Only those wanting and willing to accept help are worth giving a damn about over a narcissistic and toxic persona.
There is nothing wrong with escaping an abusive environment to save yourself. It’s okay to put your health and well-being first.
Just make sure you are willing to accept the outcome, live with your decision, and can sleep at night.
