Prepare the Soil

One of the most important steps in the process is to prepare the soil for the plants. In many areas, the soil already in the earth will not be suitable for planting certain plants. For example, if you live in a rocky terrain, you will need to make sure that the plot where you will be planting has moist, fertile soil with the proper pH acidity so that your plants will thrive. In some cases, it may be suitable to just plant your plants or bushes in the garden and trust that the natural elements will help them thrive.

Understand Planting Depth

When you get plants from a nursery, you should plant them only as deep as they were in the pot that they came in. If you intend to grow your plants from seeds, you should pay very careful attention to how deep the seeds should be planted, which will be listed on each bag of seeds. If you plant your seeds or plants too deep, it will prevent them from thriving, so make sure that you plant them deep enough to flourish but shallow enough that they can get the proper nutrients from the air.

Should You Use Soil Additives?

While many recommend the use of soil additives, it can often be detrimental or have no positive effect to put these additives in the soil. There are certain types of potting soil and fertilizer that you can use to revitalize soil that may not be well suited for planting, but avoid soil additives if possible.

Water Your Plants Daily

Until your plants have a chance to take root and are firmly implanted in the soil, make sure that you take the time to water daily until the soil is moist. It is best to leave the soil slightly moistened so that it can flow into the plants roots, but avoid over watering and drenching the plants, as this could cause them to die.

Consider the Seasonal and Sunlight Requirements of the Plant

Each plant is different and will thrive under different conditions. Some plants like orchids require no direct sunlight, while sunflowers on the other hand will only thrive with direct daily sunlight. Make sure to plant your flowers, bushes, or vegetables in an area where they will be able to thrive in optimal conditions.

Create Depth and Accessorize

You should also create depth in your garden with plants of varying heights, sizes, and colors to give it a more interesting and unique look. And the last tip is to use garden accessories to give your garden a more beautiful, finished appearance.

No Clutter is Allowed

One of the worst disruptors of energy will be clutter, and clutter so easily builds up on the countertops. This should be your first step in creating a kitchen with good Feng Shui. Clutter does not just include small items like the mail or a shopping list. Clutter also includes small appliances and other kitchen tools. You will need to make sure that there is little to nothing on your kitchen counters at all times.

Lighting is Important

In order to make the room conducive to good Feng Shui, you will need to have the proper lighting. To get the proper lighting, you need two things. You should have enough lights to make sure the room is bright. There should be no dark and shadowy spots because this is a place where bad energy can hide. In addition, the lighting should be on various levels. This can be achieved by having lights that hang from the ceiling and then canister lights recessed in the ceiling. Make sure you have the right lighting in your kitchen.

Choose the Right Colors

The color of your kitchen is important as well. You need to choose colors that promote health and digestion for good Feng Shui. One of the best colors to choose would be yellow because this is one of the best promoters of Feng Shui. However, you need to choose the right color of yellow. For the best energy in the room, you will need to choose a color similar to butter or sunlight.

Pick the Right Cabinets

Because it is so important for things to look clean and neat in your kitchen, you will need cabinets with full doors. The food and serving items in those cabinets should not be viewable because this creates a disjointed and cluttered feeling. Avoid cabinet doors that include glass, allowing views inside the cabinets and always choose to have doors instead of leaving the cabinets open. Lighter colors are always best for the flow of energy, so be sure to consider a light oak or maple color as opposed to something dark.

You can create the best Feng Shui in your kitchen much more easily than you would have imagined. Since this is such an important room, you will definitely want the flow of energy to be perfect. With these simple steps, you can make that happen and you can have a happier, more relaxed life in your own home.

Recipe for Those on the Go

If you don’t have much time to prepare breakfast, consider preparing the ingredients for a hearty smoothie. For instance, the following smoothie recipe will invigorate you and is excellent for your heart health:

• 1 peeled banana
• 1 cup berries (blueberries, strawberries, etc.)
• 1 peeled orange
• ¼-1/2 avocado (pitted)
• 2 to 3 cups of a leafy green (spinach, kale, etc.)
• 1 Tbsp ground flax seed
• 4 ounces water

Throw all of these ingredients in to your blender, except for the leafy green. After the ingredients have been blended, toss in the greens and blend for 20-30 seconds. Pour your smoothie into a traveling mug, and enjoy your smoothie on your way to work or school.

Breakfast Yogurt Parfait

Making a yogurt breakfast parfait takes less than a minute. All you need is yogurt, fruit and a topping, if desired, such as wheat germ. Choose yogurt that does not include processed sugar. Organic yogurt that is either non-sweetened or includes unprocessed sweeteners is a good option. The following recipe is an example of a breakfast yogurt parfait. Be creative and tweak the recipe to please your own taste buds.

• About 1 cup Yogurt
• ¼ cup of mixed berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries)
• Sliced banana
• 1 Tbsp wheat germ

Begin by pouring the yogurt into your parfait cup. Next add the berries and banana slices. Top your parfait with wheat germ, and you’re ready to enjoy a nutritious, delicious breakfast!

Simple Breakfast Ideas

No matter what you eat first thing in the morning, make sure that you choose whole, non-processed, nutritious ingredients. For instance, if you enjoy English muffins spread with a nut butter and jam, choose healthy options. Whole grain English muffins, an all natural nut butter that does not include any additional oil or added sugar, and pure fruit jam (again, no added sugar) are ingredients that will make a healthy breakfast.

Bring Pre-Lunch Snacks

While a smoothie, English muffin with nut butter and jam, or a yogurt parfait will keep you full for a few hours, your stomach may begin to rumble well before the lunch hour. Fortunately, your early morning choice of eating healthy will help you to remain consistent and feeling great throughout the day about your food choices. Avoid vending machine snacks or other processed snacks before lunch. Bring along healthy snacks such as fruit, a granola bar made of nutritious ingredients, or nuts that have not been toasted in saturated fats. By staying as consistent as possible throughout the day and week, you will begin to make lasting changes in your life that have you feeling more energized and healthy, with the added benefit of a trimmer waistline.

Stock Your Cabinets and Refrigerator with Healthy Choices

While it’s always tempting to buy food that’s quick and easy to prepare (especially for a mom!), there are drawbacks to preparing food with preservatives, artificial food, or other unhealthy food substances. Since these items can be laced with chemicals and toxins, it is important to buy as many fresh food items as possible so that you can make your kitchen the go-to place for a nutritious, balanced meal. While children can often be picky, there are great ways to make healthy food taste delicious, such as with spices, herbs, and other seasonings. You can even find great natural substitutes for your or your kids’ favorite treats.

Shop Organic Whenever Possible

Eliminating chemicals from pesticides and other products used to preserve produce is a great way to improve your health and slim your waist line. By ingesting chemicals and toxins, your body cannot properly cleanse itself of this waste, and this often inhibits weight loss or any other health goals that you may want to obtain.  The best way to eat healthy is to buy organic whenever possible so that you can enjoy natural, delicious foods that have not been treated with chemicals. If you can’t buy organic, try buying produce from a local farmer’s market instead of the grocery store, as they often use fewer chemicals to treat their produce.

Find Healthy On-the-Go Snacks to Take Anywhere

As a busy mom, it’s important to have some good snacks on stand by so that you won’t be tempted to swing by the local fast food restaurant on the way home from soccer practice. Since these foods may be detrimental to your health, taking a bag of nuts, an apple, or your favorite vegetable on board with you and your kids is a great way to satisfy your hunger without adding to your waist line. If you do have to stop to eat out, choose the healthiest option on the menu or opt for a fast food restaurant like subway where you can design your own healthy meal at any time day or night.

Make Healthy Eating a Lifestyle Choice – for the Whole Family

If you’re used to eating processed, unhealthy foods, it may be challenging to get the whole family to start enjoying chicken and vegetables for dinner. Fortunately, there are many healthy and delicious recipes that you can substitute for your family’s favorite foods, and your kids might not even notice the difference!

Back Yard Composting

If you’re going to be creating a compost heap in your back yard, then the first step you should take is to select an ideal spot. An ideal spot should be dry and shady, but near a source of water. The next step is to start adding those browns and greens, making sure that larger pieces are either shredded or chopped before they’re thrown onto the pile. If you’re adding any dry materials, you should moisten them as you do so. Every now and then, you should mix some grass clippings into the pile. You’ll know your compost is ready to use when the material at the bottom has a dark, rich color.

Indoor Composting

If you want to do your composting indoors, you can. You’re just going to need some type of bin. You can either buy one or make it yourself. If you want to make your own, you can start by drilling half inch holes into the bottom and sides of a plastic garbage can. Next, put a brick in the bottom of a larger can. Put some wood chips or soil around that brick, and then put the smaller can on top of it. Finally, wrap some insulation around the outer can, and then cover both of them with a lid. Indoor composting can be a terrific alternative, especially for people who live in apartment buildings.

Good Ingredients

Remember, whether it’s inside or outside, your compost pile will need some brown ingredients and some green ingredients. Just because something is brown or green, though, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s automatically going to make a good compost ingredient. Furthermore, there are some ingredients which don’t look brown or green that, nonetheless, are excellent. “Brown” ingredients which are good, but that you might not otherwise think about, include things like cardboard rolls, clean paper, cotton rags, and dryer lint. Conversely, tea bags and nut shells are good “green” ingredients, even though they may look brown in color to you.

Bad Ingredients

Just as there are some good ingredients that you might overlook, there are some ingredients which you might consider using that would actually not work very well at all. Bones are one example of this. While they are made of organic material, they will create odor and attract pests as they decompose. Also avoid yard trimmings if they’re chemically treated.