This season is known for its indulgences, but thankfully there are more and more recipes available that give a wholesome spin on our traditional holiday foods. My mom recently adapted this “candied” walnut recipe and it’s been a huge hit around our house over the past few weeks. It’s simple, nutritious and divinely delicious. Best […]
“NATURAL PEST CONTROL” – A BRANCH BASICS SERIES Throughout this past year, we have continued to receive questions from you about healthy living in general, but inquiries about how to deal with pests in the home without the use of harmful pesticides have prevailed. In our series last year, Common Chemicals to Avoid, our initial […]
‘Tis the season for the holiday gatherings we look forward to all year! But we know that with this season comes food – the yummy kind that doesn’t normally fit into a clean eating plan. When I first started my health journey seven years ago, committing to eat real food, these get-togethers would sometimes bring […]
Now that winter is coming, I’m looking for dishes to celebrate squash season! I love winter squashes because they are so satisfying and hearty, yet loaded with nutrition and health benefits. They are an easy way to get your carb-fix without affecting your waistline – always a good thing! The pomegranate seeds in this dish are bursting […]
This is my go-to recipe for any potluck gathering because it pairs well with most any dish served in the fall and winter. It’s also versatile and can be easily tweaked to use any combination of root veggies that are fresh and readily available. The addition of pineapple juice truly sets it apart from any […]
The Medicinal Properties of Chicken Soup with Bone Broth What could be more inviting on a crisp fall day than a steaming bowl of chicken soup? Studies show that humble soup is more than just a tasty meal. Treasured by traditional cultures chicken soup has been documented to help clear nasal congestion, reduce upper respiratory […]
Optimize Your Branch Basics Cleaning Experience with Distilled Water Are you having the ultimate Branch Basics cleaning experience? We want to make sure that you do! Branch Basics is a remarkable cleaning product and stain remover, but did you know that you can optimize its performance with the use of distilled water?* If you are […]
Sunscreen and Deodorant: Convincing Myself to Try DIY Personal Care Products We all know that doing things ourselves typically saves money. But let’s face it, there’s not enough time to do everything ourselves, and we can’t always seem to make the project or product turn out as great as when left to the professionals. This […]
Why a Clean Floor Makes a Big Difference in Your Health Your shoes carry you across parking lots, through gym locker rooms, and into bathroom stalls, where they pick up E. coli (causes intestinal and urinary tract infections), Klebsiella (pneumonia bacteria), and Serratia ficaria (a respiratory tract infection bacteria).1 In addition to bacteria, your shoes […]
How I Learned to Love Pancakes I’m not a pancake person – I’ve always thought they were boring and I really dread a sweet breakfast. Even as a kid, I hated the feeling I would get after eating a pancake, a plain bagel, or French toast first thing in the morning. Given my pick, I […]
Erica joined the Branch Basics Customer Service team in January of 2015. If you’ve ever had a question about Branch Basics, there’s a good chance you’ve already chatted with Erica on the phone. One of the best things about working with Erica is she frequently organizes morning walking groups. Since we were already studying how […]
Non-Stick, Stain-Resistant & Water-Repellent: Chemicals of Convenience Aren’t Worth the Cost “Better things for better living — through chemistry.” This popular DuPont slogan solicited customers from the 1940s to the 1980s. But today, some chemicals, such as PFASs, developed by DuPont and other companies during that era are showing how “better living” comes at a […]
Harmful to Humans, Deadly to Birds Avoid Nonstick Cookware Within a few minutes of being heated on a stove, a nonstick, Teflon pan begins offgassing harmful chemicals. An example of the hazards of Teflon and other nonstick chemicals is the sudden death of pet birds exposed to heating cookware made with perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), […]
Briefly, Why is Conventional Pesticide Use Harmful? Globally, 972 people die each day of unintentional pesticide exposure, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).1 Conventional, synthetic pesticides are indiscriminate killers affecting not only insects, but also “non-target organisms” – humans and every living creature.2 In adequate doses, pesticides can cause immediate death in humans, though most […]
Is the air quality in your child’s school making students sick? Marilee Nelson’s son, Douglas, was dramatically affected by pesticide exposures at school. In December 1989, at age ten, he was exposed to high levels of pesticides, which devastated him mentally and physically. Doctors offered no hope of recovery from the extreme chemical injury and […]
Joey and Tricia joined us this summer as interns in customer service and product development. Joey attends Baylor University and will be a sophomore Public Relations major. His enthusiasm and engaging personality have been a huge asset to the customer service team! Tricia is also studying Public Relations, and will be starting her senior year at […]
What’s Wrong with Tap Water? Why Drink Filtered Water? You may be accustomed to drinking tap water, which is inexpensive, readily available, and low-waste (no plastics needed!). However, there are many reasons to avoid drinking municipal water and seek out filtered water instead. For some, taste is a concern – you can generally taste the […]
What is Offgassing or Outgassing? Offgassing or outgassing are interchangeable terms that relate to indoor air quality. Offgassing refers to the release of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) from a material or solution that has been trapped or absorbed. For example, when a room is freshly painted, the chemicals from the curing paint slowly offgas into […]
What is a VOC (volatile organic compound)? What do a fragrant rose, a new car, a new home, fresh paint, air fresheners, or new clothes have in common? All of these things release VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Anything that smells fragrant releases VOCs into the air (usually giving it that “new” or “fresh” smell) – […]
Dirtiest Place in the House? Maybe It’s the Air! Have you ever thought about how to clean the air in your house? To most people, cleaning means removing trash and clutter, wiping and mopping away visible dirt and dust, and getting rid of unpleasant odors. However, the “dirtiest” place in your home may be the […]
What are phthalates? Phthalates are a group of chemicals made from petroleum used in personal care products and are used to soften and increase the flexibility of plastics and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).1 Like harmful BPA, phthalates are considered stealth chemicals that are classified as endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and gender benders.2 Health effects of phthalates […]