New Neal's Yard Remedies products

I have widened the range of Neal's Yard Remedies products that are available at my home - whereas on orders you will have to pay parcelling costs, on these products you don't (I have done that for you!).

Here is a visual for them - I'll post a list below of products and prices too.

White Tea Range

White Tea Facial Mask                      £26.50

White Tea Facial Mist                       £11.50

White Tea Toning Eye Gel                £24

Essential Oils

Essential Oil Lavender                      £6.70

Body Lotions

Beauty Sleep Body Lotion                                £21

Calendula & Oat Lotion                                    £21.50

Frankincense & Mandarin Body Lotion            £21.50

Hand Creams

Garden Mint & Bergamot Hand Cream        £10

Geranium & Orange Hand Cream                £10

Hand Defence Spray                                     £6.50

Face

Rose Facial Wash 50ml                                 £9

Orange Flower Facial Wash 50 ml                £9

Bath & Shower

Refreshing Body Wash                                  £9

Aromatic Foaming Bath                                £8.50

Aromatic Shower Gel                                    OFFER      £14     £7

Seaweed & Arnica Shower Gel                     OFFER           £14     £7

Rosemary & Elderflower Shower Gel           £11

Lavender Bath Salts                                       £14.50

Hair

Nurturing Rose Shampoo                              £11.50

Revitalising Orange Flower Shampoo          £11.50

Geranium Shampoo                                       £11.50

Geranium Conditioner                                   £11.50

Rosemary & Cedarwood Hair Treatment      £6.50

Argan Oil                                                       £17.50

Deodorant

Lemon & Coriander Deodorant                     £8.50

Rose & Geranium Deodorant                        £8

Lavender & Aloe Vera Deodorant                 £8.50

Bee Lovely

Bee Lovely Bath & Shower Gel                    £14

Bee Lovely Hand Wash                                 £12.50

Bee Lovely Hand Cream                               £10

Herbal Creams

Calendula Cream                £7

Supplements

Aloe Vera Juice                      £5

Joint Supplement                   £15

Pro-Bio Boost                        £24.50

Zinc Complex                        £12.50

Box Sets

Hand Cream Box of 3                                              £24

Geranium & Orange Organic Body Collection       £27

As some people might be looking for gifts for the holiday period, here are some more gift box ideas apart from the one I have at home (see list): 

 

Delicious immune-boosting elderberry tea

Early September I managed to pick quite a big amount of elderberries which I washed, dried and stored in my freezer with the plan of making my own elderberry syrup later on this Autumn. Unfortunately I got a cold before I managed to make my elderberry syrup, and the first few days I just felt too ill to get started on it. But luckily I found this wonderful immune-boosting elderberry tea recipe which is super quick to make and where the sweetener is optional! 

You can also use dried elderberries - you'll need slightly less of them than when using frozen ones.

Ingredients for 1 mug of elderberry tea

• 450ml filtered water (I use a Berkey water filter)
• 3 tablespoons of frozen/fresh elderberries or 2 tablespoons of dried elderberries
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric paste (turmeric and black pepper boiled together for min. 7mins to activate the curcumin - you can make a batch and keep it in the fridge)
• 1 tsp pf raw honey (optional)

Instructions

1. Put the water and elderberries into a small saucepan.
2. Add the turmeric paste and cinnamon.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. This helps bring out the beneficial properties of the elderberries.
4. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.
5. Finally, strain through a fine mesh strainer and pour into your mug
6. Stir in raw honey (if using).
7. You can also drink this tea cold: just pour your strained liquid into a mason jar and allow it to cool, then refrigerate until cold.

Logo for Sikhs(') Nurturing Nature

The lovely Sadhan Kaur has created a logo for Sikhs(') Nurturing Nature, that I can hopefully start using for this blog soon (when I figure out how to get it on here!) and on my products and banners for when I have a stall with the products at events...

Here it is:

Ecological laundry solutions pt. 2: Ivy as a natural and cheap laundry detergent

In February 2016 I already blogged about ecological laundry solutions. Today, I want to revisit that post. I talked about soap nuts or soap berries (reethay) as a great alternative to store-bought laundry detergents. Unfortunately, just this week I read how the popularity of soap nuts (which grow mainly in Asia) in the West has had a profound effect on Asian communities that were still using the soap nuts themselves. As prices have gone up because of the rising demand in the West, locals themselves can no longer afford them and have started resorting to chemical laundry detergents instead as they are often cheaper -- so what we're trying to avoid using here has now for economical reasons become the preferred option in countries where we source our soap nuts from. (Plus it has to be imported here, which adds to our ecological footprint.)

As that profoundly goes against what I want to achieve with a more natural, balanced, sustainable and nurturing way of living, I had to look for an alternative. A home-grown alternative.

And I have found one. Right on my patio. 

Ivy. Good-old common or English ivy. Growing in abundance, difficult to tame even.

(And yes, that's a Sikh Khanda, overgrown by the ivy -- we have two of them decorating our patio).

Absolutely free of cost.

And just as effective as soap nuts! Just like soap nuts, ivy contains a high amount of saponin, a natural soap-like substance with great cleaning power.

Ivy is poisonous in nature, but it is perfectly safe for cleaning uses as it's not ingested. Just make sure you use English or common ivy, and not poison ivy. 

There are 2 ways of using the ivy to do your laundry:

1. Shred a handful of leaves and put them either in a sock (which you tie up at the end), or in a cloth bag or wash bag (I simply re-use the cloth bags I also used for my soap nuts). I add some vinegar in the detergent compartment too, to decalcify my washing machine, and it also adds a boost of cleaning power.

2. Take about 60 grams (2 ounces) of common or English ivy leaves. Shred them and put them in a big pot with 0.6 litres (3 cups) of water, and add half a tablespoon of washing soda to improve the cleaning effect and kill any germs. Bring to a boil and let this mixture simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. After 5 minutes remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Let the mixture sit until it foams when stirred vigorously. Then strain the mixture through a cheese cloth or sieve, and pour into a mason jar or other glass container. 

This mixture should be used fresh, within a few days; you can store it in the fridge or a dark cupboard to make it last longer. You'll need to add about one cup (200ml) of the liquid to the detergent compartment of your washing machine.

Smarticular.net promotes this same liquid also as a natural dish washing detergent (very much like you can also use soap nuts as a dish washing detergent) but because of its poisonous nature I prefer not to use it on anything I eat from or cook in...

Feel free to come and get some ivy leaves or vines from my patio if you don't have access to any - but the plant grows so abundantly everywhere that you'll probably won't have to look for too long...

This is plant number four from the 'weeds' on my patio that is now being put to great use! (the abundantly growing dandelions, mint and sticky weed are all used for cooking and herbal teas...) No actual gardening being done, yet so much abundance from Mother Nature...

Natural pregnancy testing: dandelion root

I love the small golden nuggets of ancient health lore that yogic science brings us back in touch with... My go-to resource for this often forgotten knowledge is The Ancient Art of Self-Healing, taken from lectures, notes and classes by Yogi Bhajan, compiled and edited by Amir Arberman, D.C. (aka Siri Amir Singh Khalsa). You can buy it here. It contains such a vast treasure of information on countless different topics -- a must have in every household in my opinion.

Today I want to share one of these nuggets with you. It is one for women wanting to verify whether they are pregnant. Nowadays we have (more and less expensive) pregnancy tests, but what did women do in days when there weren't any pregnancy tests in drug stores, pharmacies and supermarkets available, or before they had access to testing done by their GPs? If you have been trying quite unsuccessfully to get pregnant, you might by now have spend a lot of money on these tests that you could have saved yourself spending... Plus you're creating ever more waste for mother earth to deal with, and all that plastic will be here for hundreds of years to come...

Well, enter the wonderfully versatile dandelion. I cook with its leaves, I blend its flower petals into my honey, I freeze its buds to be used stir-fries, and I use its roots for tinctures. But Yogi Bhajan pointed out how you can also use its roots as a pregnancy test: simply a dandelion root in a urine sample. If it turns purple, you are pregnant.

Should you need help with conception or information on pregnancy, I offer nutrition information & yoga sessions for fertility, pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period too: http://www.shuniya-yoga.org/fertility-pregnancy-childbirth/

More health information from The Ancient Art of Self-Healing will be shared here in future.

Homemade products now also for sale (made upon order)

In the post that started off this blog I explained why I find it so important that Sikhs take a leading position in taking care of our environment, and that, as Sikhs, our choices on all levels should be inspired by our higher consciousness rather than us choosing to take the easy & often less conscious route. In my personal life, this has taken me to making nearly all of my own household & body care products. 

In this blog I have been sharing several of my recipes, but I kept getting asked if I couldn't just start making these products and offering them to others. And I have finally caved in to the pressure :)

I have decided to start offering a range of homemade products, to help you drastically reduce the amount of chemicals in your home and take better care of your own health and that of your family, while being conscious of the environmental impact of the products you use. By using these products, you are not only reducing your ecological footprint, you are also taking care not to disrupt your hormonal balance nor fill your body with toxins and chemicals.

All products are made upon order by dr. Japjeet Rajbir Kaur, certified aromatherapist.

All ingredients used are organic, and blended with essential oils.

No preservatives are used and each product is made upon order to guarantee longest possible lasting time.

The products contain added Vitamin E for skin health.

No soaps are used, only saponified oils (‘castile soaps’).

Please mention any allergies to me when ordering or whether you are pregnant. Also mention if you intend to use products on children (and their age), as extra caution needs to be taken re: essential oils & children.

I strongly promote reuse and sustainability. So if you reuse your bottle or container a next time or you bring your own, the price of the container will be fully deducted off the price!

Sikhs(') Nurturing Nature Price List : Please see our website

Aromatherapy blends

Aromatherapy blends can come in 10ml roller bottles, 10ml dripper bottles, 50ml dripper bottles or personal inhalers. Prices depend on the specific blend.

Many different health problems and imbalances can be addressed by aromatherapy. Possible blends I can make you include, but are not limited to: 

• PMT/period-ease
• PCOS blend
• fertility-enhancer
• menopause-ease
• hot flashes blend
• migraine-ease
• headache-relief
• thyroid-balance
• relaxation-aid
• sleep-easy
• depression-lifter
• beat the winter blues
• anxiety-ease
• fatigue-buster
• adrenal-aid
• anti-inflammatory blend
• no ticks 
• no bugs
• anti-histamine blend (bug bite soother)
• varicose-vein & spider vein blend
• heavy legs
• scar  & stretch mark healer
• digestive-ease
• arthritis-relief
• tired-muscle relief
• breathe-easy
• sinus-relief
• cough blend
• cold, congestion & flu blend
• stop smoking 
• vertigo blend
• pick-me-up (uplifting)
• nausea blend
• motion sickness blend
• grief & sadness blend
• focus & attention blend
• toothache-ease
• ...

I am also an Independent Consultant for Neal’s Yard Remedies, so for any products that I don't make myself, you can buy through my NYR Organic webshop, or you contact me for products I have for sale at home (no delivery costs in that case).

Neal's Yard Remedies Independent Consultant

As a lot of you guys know, I am very passionate not only about physical, mental and emotional health but also about our environment. As I strive to live in harmony and balance with my surroundings, I make a lot of my body-care and cleaning products myself. This helps me to eliminate toxins from my house and my family's life as well as reduce my impact on the environment. My motto is: 'if you wouldn't eat it, don't put it on your skin'.
For the products I cannot make myself, I have found that Neal's Yard Remedies products are the next best thing as they are 100% certified organic, chemical-free and made from very high-quality ingredients. Moreover, they are not owned by a larger business but are an independent, ethically operating company.

While I blog about my own recipes for certain products, not everyone finds it easy to make everything themselves, and as I want to help anyone who is passionate about doing so make that change towards a healthier and more sustainable way of living, I believe Neal's Yard Remedies offer an excellent way of doing so.

From now on you can order Neal's Yard Remedies products directly with me or through this link: https://uk.nyrorganic.com/shop/japjeetkaur and pick them up at yoga class or have them sent to your home.
I have some products at my house for you to look at too. Feel free to ask me any questions.

This is the current offer!

Anti-inflammatory warm smoothie - great to replace your coffee or black tea

As I am currently trying my utmost best to recover from the whiplash injuries of a car accident that my husband and I had on 15 February 2017 and that has left me struggling with severe inflammation of the joints and muscles all along my back (from hips and pelvis to neck), and as I don't take any pharmaceutical drugs, I've had to resort to introducing as many anti-inflammatory foods as possible in my diet.

And in that search, I started experimenting with a warm smoothie recipe that a yogi friend of mine posted over a year ago and recently reposted. She recommended it mainly to help people replace their morning (or any other time of the day) coffee or black tea with a warm drink packed with nutrients.

I've adapted it for even more anti-inflammatory and hormone balancing effects -- and it tastes delicious! I have ended up having it as breakfast, afternoon drink and today it was even my dinner!

Of course it can be tweeked further to your own preferences!

In blender or nutribullet, put:
- 2 handfuls of raw spinach
- some rocket salad (as rocket salad has quite a strong peppery taste, do this to your own taste)
- a good handful of blueberries
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 whole or half an avocado (optional)
- one tablespoon of organic carob powder (stronger taste) or raw cacao powder
- one teaspoon of organic turmeric paste with black pepper (letting the turmeric paste simmer in a pan together with some freshly ground black pepper and some boiling water for at least 7mins activates the curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric. Just adding the powder to your smoothie won't do very much for you. Just simmer it until you get a nice paste, which will keep in the fridge for up to 40 days!)
- one teaspoon of local bee pollen
- one teaspoon to a tablespoon of organic Ashwaghanda powder (depending on how much of this wonderful Ayurvedic medicine you're taking daily)
- one teaspoon (or more) of organic maca root powder
- one tablespoon of raw virgin coconut oil, mixed in a cup of boiling (filtered) water.

Blend everything together (add more hot water if necessary).

Enjoy!

My Journey into Sikhi - short video

So many times people ask me how I came into Sikhi. Well, here is the condensed 3 minute version!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-PG-4-5EZo

Two years ago Darshan Singh came to my home in Leicester to interview me on exactly this question and this is the video he put together on the basis of that interview. 

Lots of things have happened since in the ongoing journey - Maharaj blessed me with a wonderful husband and with a new name, Rajbir Kaur, in Sri Hazoor Sahib. 

Check out Darshan Singh's other work too, especially his Hola Mahalla documentary!

DIY liquid hand soap

Gosh, it's been a long time since I've had any time to sit down and write a short blog piece. There are a good few topics lined up in my head, and some of them have made it briefly to the FB page, but nothing has made it to this blog.

So, a short one to start out: how to make your own liquid hand soap.

There is really nothing easier than this! All you need is castile soap (read more here about what castile soap exactly is; I buy mine in bulk -- 5 liters at a time -- as I use it so much), filtered water, and any essential oils you like. Vitamin E can be added but isn't essential.

Just recycle any old liquid hand soap container or buy a fancy new one, and fill it with:

• filtered water and castile soap in a 1:1 ratio
• 15-20 drops of tea tree oil
• 10-15 drops of your favourite essential oil (I am currently using English rose; I also love lavender, rosemary, peppermint or spearmint, lemongrass and sweet orange varieties. You can just go for whatever takes your fancy!)
• optional: 5 drops of Vitamin E oil
• optional: a tablespoon of almond oil

Just give it a good shake, and use within 1-2 months for guaranteed freshness.