Your 28-Day Total Health Plan - Day 7

Day 7: Green Your Cleaning

With the end of the year just around the corner, today will be a great day to look into cleaning your living space.

Many household cleaners are loaded with synthetic chemicals shown to pollute indoor air and harm your health. Now is a good time to swap out toxic cleaners (no, I don’t mean your domestic helper.) Look for non-toxic cleaners that don’t contain chlorine, triclosan, triclocarbon, lye, glycol ethers or ammonia. Choose ones that say “petroleum-free,” “90% biodegradable,” or “phosphate-free.”

But you don't need to purchase all new products to detox your home - just whip up your own cleaners using vinegar and water (great for cleaning surfaces, especially glass), and baking soda for scrubbing sinks, stoves, and tubs. I also use my used lemon peels to clean out my sinks, pots and pans.

Alternatives to a weapon of mass disinfection: Instead of the popular and commonly used chlorine bleach, use hydrogen peroxide or vinegar instead as chlorine is extremely harsh. Another danger posed by chlorine: when mixed with ammonia – another common ingredient of cleaning products – and acidic cleaners e,g. toilet bowl cleaners, the mixture releases poisonous gasses.

Today's Recipe
Give yourself (and your family) a treat today with this healthylicious Salmon Head Miso Soup!

INGREDIENTS

1 litre water

1/2 tbsp 
dashi powder

1 tbsp miso paste to taste

150 grams white radish, peeled and cut to bite-sized chunks

1/2 carrot,peeled and cut to bite-sized chunks

2 salmon fish head halves, cleaned; rubbed with some salt for 5 minutes before rinsing off and squeezing some lemon juice on it.

100 grams enoki mushroom

50 grams tofu, cubed

a small handful of Korean sweet potato noodles or Japanese green tea soba

2 tbsp dried wakame (Japanese seaweed)

1 tbsp chopped spring onions (scallions)

DIRECTIONS

In a pot, bring water and dashi powder to boil. Do not boil miso soup as the high heat may cause fermentation and indigestion, so all you need to do is to scoop out a little of the hot stock and dissolve the miso paste in it and then keep aside to add in later.

Reduce heat, add radish and carrots. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes until softened. Add salmon head and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the fish head is cooked.

Add mushrooms, tofu, sweet potato noodles and wakame. Simmer for a few minutes until the wakame is reconstituted.

Return the miso mixture prepared earlier back to the pot, while the soup is still hot. Stir evenly. Garnish with chopped spring onions.

Today's Exercise

Give it all you've got today: a full sequence of both Yoga Release and BackStrengthening moves, plus 30 continuous minutes of walking. How do you feel after a full week of daily exercise? Share your experience with others in our community.