Eden Fantasys Review and Giveaway

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and I wanted to share with you an online store that can help you make your night special - Eden Fantasys!

I know how important it is to work extra hard on keeping your relationship with your spouse strong after children enter the picture, but it is another thing to actually do it. Between being extremely tired, working a lot and nursing my daughter, there is hardly any chance for romantic gestures or dates without kids. We have managed to go out on one date, but we had our 6 week old daughter with, so it wasn't exactly the picture perfect scenario I was hoping it would be.

If you are struggling with the same type of situation I am or if you just want to make your Valentine's Day extra special, head on over to Eden Fantasys for ideas and gifts. They have some really fun game ideas, massagers, candles, bath and body products, lingerie and more! I love the great variety they have, and they have super fast shipping too!

For one of our lucky readers, we are giving away a $25 gift card to Eden Fantasys!!

Here's how to enter to win this giveaway:

Just fulfill the mandatory entry and then add as many extra entries as you choose.

Mandatory Entry:

1.Become a public follower of this blog, Your World: Healthy and Natural and comment about it.

For more entries:

Head over to Eden Fantasys and tell me one thing you are dying to have.(1 entry)

Subscribe to Your World: Healthy and Natural and comment about it. (1 entry)

Vote for Your World: Healthy and Natural on Top Mommy Blogs or We're on the Fence. (1 entry per vote)

Blog about this giveaway and link back to this post.(2 entries)

Tell me one way you keep your relationship with your spouse strong. (1 entry)

Follow @carathenatural on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway.(1 entry)

Like Your World: Healthy and Natural on Facebook.(2 entries)

Comment on any of my posts about healthy and natural living that you have not commented on before. I love to hear your thoughts!! (1 entry)

The deadline for this giveaway is February 14th at 11:59 pm EST, at which time a winner will be randomely chosen. Make sure that you include your email in your comments because if I can't get a hold of you, you can't win!

* Thank you to Eden Fantasys for their products for review! Disclosure - The products were given for review through Eden Fantasys for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

BodyVerde Review

I just love it when I find a company that has the same philosophy and goals as I express with this natural and healthy living blog. That is exactly what I found with BodyVerde.

Take a look at what they say was their inspiration for starting this great company: "We began with a simple desire to find safe, natural products for us and our children. This is a family business where our family values are applied to our product development. If we won't put it on ourselves or our kids, we won't manufacture it. In our quest to make great products, we turned to our family motto, which is 'balance'. On a daily basis we try to find balance with family, work, exercise, friends, diet and leisure time. So it made sense to look to nature's innate balance for the necessary resources when making our skincare line."

I love, love, love that! So many parents find themselves with children who are dealing with skin conditions, and the last thing you want to put on their irritated skin is more chemicals. That is the same situation the owners of BodyVerde were dealing with. They decided to use pure, real ingredients that will heal and nourish skin to create their skincare products. Their products include paraben-free, eco-friendly skincare without sulfates, propylene glycol, artificial colors, fragrances, mineral oil, petroleum or animal ingredients.

Thank goodness for that! My little 2 year old son gets little red dry cheeks during winter, and my newborn daughter had some dry patches on her cheeks too, so I was excited to try some of their products.

I received the Fresh Skin Rx, which is a highly concentrated, multi-purpose cream that eases persistent symptoms of eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, dry skin, rashes, burns, insect bites and fungal conditions. The first thing my eye always goes to when looking for products to use with my family is the ingredient list. Fresh Skin Rx has wonderful ingredients such as: tea tree oil, aloe vera, green tea extract, olive oil, and shea butter.

But, how did it work? At first I didn't think it was going to work. It made my son's cheeks a little redder than normal, but I decided to give it a couple days. I noticed on the third day that his skin was getting a little softer, which was great. Then, I forgot to apply it for a day, and his cheeks got worse again. I started applying it again, a couple times a day, and it has been working quite well! I found that it also helped my little baby daughter with her dry patches. I put a little extra coconut oil over the top of this lotion for added moisture. I am so happy that I have finally found something that makes a difference!

I also have been using their Miracle Skin Renew Serum on my face on some dry patches that I have, and I love it just as much! It is made from 16 of nature's most skin-friendly plant extracts. It helps accelerate your body's ability to heal itself and generate new skin cell growth. It has made my skin so soft and smooth like no other product has before. You can use it for anything from cuts and burns to cracked skin, diaper rash, and wrinkles!

If you are looking for a good body lotion, I like their Secret Glow. Secret Glow gives skin all day continuous hydration with shea butter and gets skin healthy using nature's most reliable super berry antioxidants. It is full of nourishing ingredients that your skin will love!

It is so great to have a night-time moisturizer that works while you sleep to hydrate your skin, and that is exactly what BodyVerde's Wrinkle Free Perfection Night Moisturizer does. Besides being a great moisturizer, it also contains age-fighting antioxidants and nutrients that help accelerate replenishment of new cells and increased collagen production.

There isn't a bad thing that I can say about BodyVerde. I appreciate their products, and I suggest you head on over to their website and take a look at all that they offer.

* Thank you to BodyVerde for this product for review! Disclosure - This product was given for review through BodyVerde for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

Be Present Winner!!

Our lucky winner of the Be Present Cardigan Giveaway is.....

#91 - Kate! Congratulations to you!!

Thanks for entering, everyone! You have another chance to win the Alo yoga shirt giveaway ending in a few days!

Have a great day!

New Mommy Makeover Review

Being pregnant and giving birth take an enormous toll on a woman's body. You will see changes in your body, and you may think that your body will never get back to the way it was before. I want to give you some good news in this area - You CAN have your pre-baby body back (minus stretch marks, but those are really warrior marks) with work. Yes, it does take work. I have now had two children, so I know the work it takes, but you can do it!! It doesn't matter if you had your child years and years ago, you can still get back there.

Colleen Riddle, a certified Pre/Post Natal Exercise Specialist, has created a great program that can help you get where you want to be - New Mommy Makeover. It is a progressive three-phase system that also includes a nutritional plan, which I think is important if you want to see changes!

There are three fitness DVDs - one for each phase. On each DVD, there are several 30 minute workouts. I like that the workouts are only 30 minutes. If you are short on time, you just do one. If you have more time, you can always start another one. After a month or so of doing one phase DVD, you can progress to the next phase DVD.

As a fitness instructor myself, I am always interested in seeing other trainers' programs and philosophies. I really liked that Colleen did the workouts with her client. She also used good encouragement and helped to make sure to explain good form for each exercise. That is so important, because you don't want injure yourself or miss getting maximum benefits of an exercise.

I also appreciated that she gave different levels for many of the exercises. There was a small box that popped up the corner of the screen to show a different level than the one being performed, so you could see exactly what she was explaining.

She gave 30 seconds for a water break, and during that time, put a helpful tip on the screen as the time counted down. That was a good idea, but I wish that there would have been a little less down time during the workouts. I personally used the water break time to continue doing cardio.

One other thing I really loved about this program was the nutritional guide that Colleen included. It is very comprehensive and full of accurate, helpful information! Like I said earlier, nutrition and exercise really go hand in hand, and I think it is very important to include both in a good makeover program.

Overall, two thumbs up, Colleen! Visit the website for more information, some great before/after pictures from women who have used this program, and to order your own program!

Surviving One Bad Year Book Review

This past year of my life has brought me a lot of wonderful blessings, and I try to appreciate all that I have everyday. I know that any time, some or all of these blessings could be taken away.

Surviving One Bad Year by Nancie Carmichael is a fabulous book to help those of you who are experiencing or have experienced loss or hardship. Part 1 of the book offers emergency tactics to help you keep your head above water when a huge wave of pain threatens to pull you under. Part 2 reveals seven strategies to help you navigate the stormy waters and make it safely to a peaceful shore. I really loved all the Bible passages that she included throughout the book. She kept God's gifts of peace, love and joy at the heart of this book, and that is why I think it is such an inspiring and helpful book.

As I read this book, I became more and more thankful for the blessings I have. I got a little window into the lives of those suffering tremendous hardships, and I will be just that much more equipped to help my friends and family in their times of struggle.

I really appreciated that the author herself went through a tough year with her daughter's unexpected pregnancy. Throughout the book, she kept referring to her own difficulties and how they coped. She also shares many other heart-wrenching stories of loss that will either make you feel grateful for what you have or will be relatable to those who are suffering now.

There is a family friend of ours whose wife died quite quickly of cancer just a couple of months ago, and it hurts my heart to see him and know he is feeling such pain everyday. As I read this book, I couldn't stop thinking that I had to give it to him as soon as I was done. I think that this book is perfect for someone going through loss, because it gives the guidance and hope they need in a time of feeling lost and alone.

If you are going through a tough time or know someone who is, please read and recommend this book. I know you will be comforted by it. You can read more and purchase this book here.

A Healthy Recipe to Share...

I love making healthy, nourishing meals for my family. But, I also don't have tons of time and don't like complicated recipes, so I wanted to share one of my easy healthy recipes with you! I am hoping some of you might want to share with me too! If you have a recipe to share, just comment with the recipe or a link to where we can all find your recipe. We might all end up with a bunch of new recipes we can use this week!

Meatless Mexican Lunch
Prep time: 33 minutes
You will need:
1/2 small organic onion, chopped
1 can (15 1/2 oz) organic crushed tomatoes
3/4 cup frozen corn kernels
1 can (3 1/2 oz) organic chopped green chile peppers
1 can (14-19 oz) organic black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup organic brown rice
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup organic Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Heat a medium pot coated with cooking spray or extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, corn and chile peppers and bring to a boil. Add the beans, rice and cumin. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Serve sprinkled with cheese. Makes 4 servings.

CSN Stores

Have you shopped at CSN yet? If you have, then you know what I am talking about when I tell you how much I love this online store. Actually, it isn't actually a store. It is over 200 stores!! Tell me where else you can go shopping at over 200 stores at one time without leaving your house? And they offer free shipping on almost everything! That is a sweet deal!

I love the great variety that they offer! You can find everything that you are looking for, from swing sets for kids to exercise equipment to NFL gear. They have some awesome deals on NFL gear right now, just in time for the Super Bowl. I am a huge Green Bay Packer Fan, so I would love a new jersey! GO PACKERS!

Head on over to CSN and check out all the products they offer. I just know you will have fun shopping there, because who wants to go outside on days like these. (We have a windchill of -12 degrees by me today. Yuck!)

My Challenge - Day 8

Last night, I went out with my hubby for the first time in several months!! (Granted, we did still have baby Kailana with us) We went to our favorite restaurant, Risk Restaurant, that serves organic and local food. I love that they are conscious and picky about the ingredients they use, but I also love this restaurant because they serve the best food I have ever eaten in my life! Every time we go, I have something new and deliciously amazing, because they are always changing up the menu.

Well, last night, I had a delicious chicken entree. It was beyond wonderful, and I should have just stopped there. But, I had to at least see the dessert menu. When I saw Tiramisu homemade by Chef Bill, I just had to splurge.

Now, I know I am not supposed to be having dessert for my 10 day challenge, but can you blame me?? This Tiramisu was the most amazing Tiramisu that I have ever had. Hey, at least I shared it with my husband.

So, there, I admitted it. I think I failed yesterday. But, I am not going to give up altogether with my challenge. I still have 2 more days left, and I am going to finish strong.

Lesson #1: You might not meet your goals for health one day, but don't give up altogether. Start over and continue to work hard to accomplish what you want.

Lesson#2: Your goals can't be unrealistic. I don't plan to never have dessert or snacks with over 15 grams of sugar forever. I know that is unrealistic. So, make sure you aren't defeating yourself before you even start your goals.

Wish me luck on my goal tonight!

Winners!!

I am happy to announce our winners today!

The winner of the Babo Botanicals Gift Set is.......#57 - KD Mom of 3 Dolls

The winner of the Best Homemade Baby Food Book is.........#3 - Ashley

Congratulations to both of you!! Enjoy the beautiful gifts! I hope I made your weekend just that much brighter!

Skin MD Review and Giveaway

Winter brings such cold temps and dry air, which really takes a toll on our skin. My husband's knees look like cracked earth in the desert! His hands are not that much better. I tell him to use some lotion, but of course, he doesn't listen. However, I just recently received Skin MD Natural lotion, and I made him try it out!

Skin MD is a unique shielding lotion that works to prevent dry skin in two ways. Let me explain what makes it unique and how it works.

First, it assists the inner layers of skin to absorb moisture. The humectant (an ingredient that attracts moisture) used in Skin MD Natural is unique to it and has been laboratory tested to be 6 times more effective than any other you will find in common creams. Pretty impressive!

Second, a shielding lotion enhances the power of the top layer of the skin to resist environmental irritants while protecting the inner natural moisture.

I think it made a real difference in his extemely dry skin. You could see the pink color of normal skin on his knees instead of the white dry cracked skin. His hands felt a lot softer and smoother also. I hope he will keep using this lotion! Skin MD has some great information on their website about skin conditions and problems, and how this lotion helps. There are some really cool before and after pictures too!

I think this lotion would be really helpful for people with really dry skin, psoriasis or eczema. My father in law has psoriasis, and I am going to recommend this lotion to him! I really like that
Skin MD Natural is hypoallergenic, free of fragrances, parabens and colorants. It is made with more than 90% natural ingredients and 100% food-grade ingredients that are on the FDA's "most safe" list.

Something else that I was really impressed with was their eco-friendliness. Skin MD is manufactured in a facility that is 100% solar powered! To me, that is quite impressive!!

You can get Skin MD natural lotion in regular or with SPF 15. You can order it for $18 per bottle right from their website or check out their store locator for a store near you!


One of my readers is going to get a chance to win a bottle of Skin MD!


Here is how to enter this giveaway:
Just fulfill the mandatory entries and then add as many extra entries as you choose.

Mandatory Entry:

1.Become a public follower of this blog, Your World: Healthy and Natural and comment about it.

For more entries:

Head over to Skin MD and tell me one thing you learned.(1 entry)

Subscribe to Your World: Healthy and Natural and comment about it. (1 entry)

Vote for Your World: Healthy and Natural on Top Mommy Blogs or We're on the Fence. (1 entry per vote)

Blog about this giveaway and link back to this post.(2 entries)

Follow SkinMDNatural on Twitter.(1 entry)

Follow @carathenatural on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway.(1 entry)

Like Your World: Healthy and Natural on Facebook.(2 entries)

Refer a friend to publicly follow Your World: Healthy and Natural blog. Tell me who you referred or who you were referred by.(1 entry for you, 1 for your friend)

Comment on any of my posts about healthy and natural living that you have not commented on before. I love to hear your thoughts!! (1 entry)

The deadline for this giveaway is February 4th at 11:59 pm EST, at which time a winner will be randomely chosen. Make sure that you include your email in your comments because if I can't get a hold of you, you can't win!

* Thank you to Skin MD for this product for review! Disclosure - This product was given for review through Skin MD for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

My Challenge - Day 7

Yes, I know I have skipped blogging about my challenge for the last couple of days, but it wasn't because I totally fell off the wagon.

I have been doing well still - not having more than 15 g of sugar at my "snack time." However, I have felt extra, and I have been snacking a little more on other food. So, I have not felt very "successful." I am trying to decide if I have been eating more because I am actually hungry or because I am just trying to fill a void or something. That is the question that I want you to think about too if you are working on cutting down on extra eating.

Lesson #1 - Why are you eating? Don't eat to feel better or because you are bored. Eat to nourish your body.

Blessings on your journey to better health today!

Please Watch and Share!

We are being exposed to so many chemicals in our environment--they get into the air we breath, the water we drink and the food we eat. It is so important to be aware of the things that we are exposed to so we can make different choices. Please share this information with people you care about and Stay Healthy Everyone! This short clip is only 2 1/2 minutes long, but it will have a huge impact on you!

Visit my Shaklee website for more information on safe and healthy options for products you use everyday!

Show Me How! Book Review

My little 2 1/2 year old son is a little bundle of excitement and curiousity. I have been feeling kind of bad over the last few weeks since my little Kailana was born, because I feel like I haven't been able to spend as much time alone with him teaching him and playing with him to his heart's desire.

Then, I received this great book, "Show Me How! Build Your Child's Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting, and Cooking." The book is a shortcut for today's busy parents and teachers. It helps parents build self-esteem, develop pre-literacy skills and create a life-long parent-child bond. Just as important, the simple fun-filled educational acitivities, easy-to-use format and gentle parenting tips give parents a newfound sense of confidence and competence in their own parenting abilities as well. If parents of a new baby(like me) have preschoolers at home, the book will provide instant activities that don't need to be planned by the harried new parents.

Hooray for less stress!

The author, Vivian Kirkfield, was a kindergarten and Head Start teacher in NYC for many years. While raising her own three children, she owned and operated a home daycare for teacher's children. I love that her and I come from similar backgrounds, since I used to be a preschool and pre-kindergarten teacher. She has many years of creativity under her belt and it shines through in this book!

The book is divided up into six chapters that are centered on children's feelings and thoughts. In each chapter, there are fifteen or more picture book suggestions with matching arts and crafts projects and cooking activies. As a mom and past teacher, I know this is perfect for children and will get them very excited!

I especially like that each arts and crafts project is environmentally friendly and geared toward recycling items already on hand. This is so great, not only for the environment, but also for busy moms who don't have time to run to the store just to get items to make a quick craft project. It makes it SO much easier to just find the items in your own cupboards.

The other thing that I especially loved was the way she features healthy recipes that are low fat, low sugar and high in fiber. I didn't like that margarine was listed in the ingredients, but I noticed that in the introduction to the book she does mention that you may want to substitute a more healthy non-hydrogentated spread, which I would hope all parents would do! Organic butter is a much better substitution.

I would definitely recommend this book to parents who want to have meaningful, positive, and fun experiences with their children that don't take much planning. The book is recommended for ages 2-5, but I think that these activites would also be fun for the whole family to do together.

You can find more about this book and order it right from the website for $35.00 plus shipping!

Alo Clothing Review and Giveaway

I am excited to share with you a company that encompasses all of what we are about here at Your World: Healthy and Natural. They are a performance clothing company to help fit us with stylish and comfortable fitness clothes. At the same time, they are also environmentally friendly!
Check out Alo's mission statement: "Create high performance, stylish lifestyle wear with outstanding function, designed and produced with minimal impact on the environmental elements alo stands for: Air. Land. Ocean. We provide customers with a choice that is respectable of the environment with out sacrificing fashion."

That is what first attracted me to this company. Then, when I saw the super stylish gear they make and dug into more of what makes them a truly eco-friendly and green-minded company, I fell in love! Check out this clip from their Fall Holiday Photo Shoot!
Now, let's talk about some of my favorite pieces from their collection. I received the Dolman Tee, which I am excited to wear again to the first Yoga/Pilates class I am teaching after having my daughter 4 weeks ago. I love this shirt!! It is this deep purple color in a lovely soft bamboo and cotton fabric that makes me feel absolutely exotic! Not only is bamboo soft, but it also has natural properties that wick away moisture and is naturally anti-bacterial, hypoallergenic, and breathable. I love how loosely and comfortably it fits, without being too low cut when I am in a downward dog or some other bent over position.

I also received the Contrast Stitch Capri in black. Again, I have nothing but wonderful things to say about these capris. They fit my body perfectly and feel fabulous! I love how they hug all my curves and keeps them looking shapely and tight. It doesn't cause any belly bulge at the waistline, and they have the cute little flair at the bottom that I am a fan of. I also love the little zippered pocket that is by the left hip, where I like to keep chapstick or any other small item.

Another thing I want to mention about Alo is how much I loved the Define Your Green section of their website. That is where they are proudly proclaiming all the awesome things they do to be a green company, (like using solar power, natural cleaners, recycling, and more) and they have ideas on how you can live a more natural, eco-friendly life also. LOVE THAT!!!

You can buy these awesome Alo products on their website and be sure to check out their sale section!

Since I just love this company and all they are about, I am so excited to announce that we are giving away my favorite shirt, the Dolman Tee, ($55.00 value, pictured above) to one of my lucky readers!!

Here is how to enter this awesome giveaway:

Just fulfill the mandatory entries and then add as many extra entries as you choose.

Mandatory Entries:

1.Become a public follower of this blog, Your World: Healthy and Natural and comment about it.
2.Become a fan of the ALO facebook fan page.

For more entries:

Subscribe to Your World: Healthy and Natural and comment about it. (1 entry)

Vote for Your World: Healthy and Natural on Top Mommy Blogs or We're on the Fence. (1 entry per vote)

Blog about this giveaway and link back to this post.(2 entries)

Follow ALOClothing on Twitter.(1 entry)

Follow @carathenatural on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway.(1 entry)

Like Your World: Healthy and Natural on Facebook.(2 entries)

Grab my new "Life After Baby" Blog Event button and post it on your blog or website.(2 entries)

Refer a friend to publicly follow Your World: Healthy and Natural blog.(1 entry for you, 1 for your friend)

Comment on any of my posts about healthy and natural living that you have not commented on before. I love to hear your thoughts!! (1 entry)

The deadline for this giveaway is February 2nd at 11:59 pm EST, at which time a winner will be randomely chosen. This giveaway is only open to US residents. Make sure that you include your email in your comments because if I can't get a hold of you, you can't win!

* Thank you to Alo for this product for review! Disclosure - This product was given for review through Alo for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

My Challenge - Day 4

Okay, last night was not my most shining moment on this challenge...

I told you I got those yummy Annie's Chocolate Bunny crackers. Well, I brought the box into the living room with me to watch "What Would You Do?" that I had dvr'd. That was my first mistake.

Lesson #1. Don't bring the box of snacks with you. You will never know for sure how much you ate, and you will just keep on eating...

I knew that I could have about a serving and a half to get to my 15 grams of sugar limit. Well, I have a little hunch that I ate a bit more than that. Thankfully, I did stop soon after.

I think part of the problem was that I didn't drink my tea either.

Lesson #2. Drink lots of water or tea to keep you hydrated and your stomach full.

Hopefully, I learned from my mistakes. Let's see how I do tonight...

My Challenge - Day 3

Am I really on day 3? I thought I wouldn't make it past day 2, so I am pretty proud of myself. Last night, I did good again! I think my tea is the key to not going chocolate crazy at night. It fills up my stomach and having such good go into my body doesn't really make me want to then go and shove my mouth full of sugar.

I did pick up a little treat to snack on today. I got some Annie's Organic Chocolate Bunny Crackers, but they are pretty healthy for a chocolatey snack. They only have 9 grams of sugar per serving, so I am safe.

We'll see what this evening brings...

Health or Junk Food?

Let’s look at some foods that may seem healthy and be marketed as healthy and see if they are truly healthy or just another junk food?

This is why it is so important to be an educated shopper and read labels like an investigator!

Yogurt – RED FLAGS
1. Watch out for high sugar.(more than 13 grams per 1 cup serving)
2. Watch out for artificial flavors and colors, which are toxins to your body.
3. Watch out for sugar substitutes like aspartame and others that change hormones in your body and make you crave more.
- GREEN FLAGS
1. Look for live and active cultures to get healthy bacteria in your gut.
2. Look for organic yogurt, which doesn’t have added antibiotics and hormones from the cows that screw up your hormones.

Crackers – RED FLAGS
1. Watch out for high fat content.(more than 4 grams per 1-ounce serving)
2. Watch out for high sodium content.(140mg or more)
- GREEN FLAGS
1. Look for whole grains as one of the first three ingredients.
2. Look for at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.

Wheat Bread – RED FLAGS
1. Watch out for low fiber.(less than 3 grams per slice)
2. Watch out for no whole grains in the ingredients.
- GREEN FLAGS
1. Look for 100% Whole Grain Whole Wheat or 100% Whole Wheat.
2. Look for bread that has live grains like Ezekiel 4:20 Bread

Dried Fruit – RED FLAGS
1. Watch out for high sugar content.(more than 9 grams per 1-ounce serving)
2. Watch out for sulfur products.(preservatives that may upset your stomach)
- GREEN FLAGS
1. Look for one-ingredient labels.(what else do you need in there?)
2. Look for organic to keep extra toxins and pesticides out of your body.

Deli Meats – RED FLAGS
1. Watch out for nitrites/nitrates.(very bad preservative for your health!)
2. Watch out for MSG.(a chemical to enhance taste that screws up your hormones)
3. Watch out for artificial flavors.
4. Watch out for colors or additives.
- GREEN FLAGS
1. Look for minimally processed.
2. Look for “low sodium.”
3. Look for organic, chemical-free to avoid added antibiotics and hormones.

My Challenge - Day 2

Okay, so I am really proud of myself. No dessert at all yesterday! WOOHOO!

I did snack a little after my kids went to bed, but it was on good protein, which then made me stay full and feel satisfied. I also had a big mug of Nettle tea, which was warm, soothing, and a lot better for my body then a sugary blast!

I am going to work just as hard today to feed my body with nourishing foods, not junk! I hope I can give just as good of a report tomorrow.


If you are on this challenge with me, let me know how you are doing, so I can encourage you too!

Navoh Handbag Winner!!

I am so excited to announce the winner of the Navoh giveaway!!

#234 Lewalk is the lucky winner of the day!!!

Congratulations to you! Enjoy this fabulous bag!

My 10 Day Challenge!!

I am a major chocolate lover! In the month since my daughter has been born, this has only been more and more apparent to me. I think many of you can relate to sitting down at the end of a long day and wanting to just relax...Well, I am the same way. Except, I don't just sit down and relax, I also add a chocolate bar, chocolate cake, or really any kind of chocolatey dessert to that routine. It has become a bad habit, because I end up inhaling tons of sugar!! All day long, I eat wonderfully healthy foods, but then at night, I shove sugar in my mouth, and I hate that feeling.

My whole life is about healthy living. I am a fitness instructor, nutrition consultant, personal trainer, and healthy living blogger. People come to me continually to ask me about nutrition, fitness and health. I love it!! Healthy living is my passion. But, then here I am at night sitting on my couch eating junk like I don't know any better.

That is why I am on a 10 day challenge to cut out desserts and food that has more than 15 grams of sugar in it. In my own journey to better health, I wanted to take a look at my weaknesses and try to strengthen them and do better.

I am not a fan of starving yourself of any treat. I believe that if you eat in moderation or have treats once in awhile, you will stick with your healthy lifestyle better. I am also a big believer in not having your food vices around and available if you feel like you can't control how much you eat. I would like to sit down on my couch at the end of the day and have a couple of pieces of luxurious organic dark chocolate, but lately, I am not doing that. I am going overboard.

I think partly it has to do with a lack of sleep from having a newborn. But, it also has to do with thinking that dessert is my reward and a way to de-stress. That is just not a pattern I want to continue.

Why am I telling you this? Well, I think that blogging about my daily challenges with this goal will help hold me accountable. I would love your support and thoughts, and if any of you want to join me on this journey, I would love that too!

I start my journey today - Jan. 15th. So far, so good!

EarthTurns' Angel Baby Lotion Review

Remember how yesterday I mentioned that it is so important we are vigilant when deciding what products we put on our skin. Our skin is the largest organ in our body and the products we put on it are absorbed into our bloodstream very quickly. Why pump toxins into your bloodstream, when you can opt for clean, nutrient-rich products?

Babies' skin is even more sensitive than ours, and they cannot get rid of toxins as fast as we can, so we have to be extra diligent about what goes on their skin.

EarthTurns.com sells only American made, chemical free personal care products. All of their green personal care products are made without sodium lauryl sulfate, detergents, parabens, or propylene glycol. I like that you don't have to worry about any of that when you are shopping on their site.

EarthTurns sent me a wonderful lotion, Angel Baby Lotion, by Earth Mama Angel Baby that is a wonderful alternative to most conventional baby products. This lotion is 100% organically preserved with no artificial fragrances or dyes, just pure ingredients to moisturize and protect sensitive delicate baby skin.

I love that this lotion is 95% organic and is full of wonderful nourishing ingredients like: Organic Aloe, Organic Olive Oil, Organic Rooibos Extract, Organic Shea Butter and more. This lotion is so safe you can use it anywhere on your baby. I like to use it on my baby's bum to keep her skin down there moisturized and protect her from diaper rash. I also love to use it myself. It is so moisturizing and lovely that I can't help myself.

Some other great things about this lotion are that it is certified vegan and cruelty free! And it is not overpriced either! You can find Angel Baby Lotion on EarthTurns.com for only $12.49. You will save $12.46 off the list price of $24.95. So, head on over and get yours today!

Keeping Skin Supple Naturally

We are dealing with dry skin in our house because of the heat always being on and the dry air of winter. Winter is just harsh on our skin, and nobody wants to have dry chapped skin, so here are some natural ways to keep your skin supple and smooth.

Remember, your skin is your largest organ. What you put on it is going to be absorbed into your bloodstream! That is why it is important to put only vitamin rich, safe ingredients like these below on your skin.


Strawberry-Yogurt Mask

• Cut up some organic strawberries (for us northerers, you can use frozen strawberries) and blend them together with a touch of yogurt to create an all-natural, anti-aging, nutritious facial mask.

Olive Oil

• I have been putting organic olive oil on my newborn little girl since she was born. You can apply it directly to parched lips or rough, dry patches of skin to help hydrate and soothe. You can also try coconut oil. I am going to be posting more about coconut oil in a few weeks.
  

Pomegranate Seeds and Oatmeal Scrub

• Pomegranates are full of powerful inflammation-fighting anti-oxidants. But, you can also use the seeds, combined with some oatmeal in a food processor, as an anti-aging exfoliating scrub.

Green Tea

• Green Tea contains tannins, which act as an astringent and can be applied directly to the skin. Use damp, chilled tea bags and it will help reduce eye puffiness.

Be Present Clothing Review and Giveaway

I just taught my first yoga/pilates class last night since I had my baby girl 4 weeks ago, and it felt fabulous! Yoga and pilates have such a great way of relaxing you, bringing you great awareness of your body, and toning you up all over. I think that my years of yoga/pilates work really helped get me through my labor in a calm, peaceful way. (or as calm and peaceful as labor can be)

One thing you want to make sure you have when you are doing yoga or pilates is comfortable clothing, because with all the twisting, bending and stretching, you don't want your clothing to hinder you. You want it to help you with your performance.

Be Present is a company that makes clothing for the yoga lifestyle. I like how they describe the philosophy behind their company, "Modern day yoga is often characterized with an appreciation of the present moment. Be present is more than a clothing line, it is a way of life. To be present, one must always live a balanced lifestyle: listen to your body, let yourself daydream, have fun, sweat, pay attention to your social, sexual and spiritual being." I just love those statements!

Besides loving their philosophy, I also love how eco-friendly Be Present is. They have a whole line of earth-friendly clothing called their Renew line. These fabrics are made from 50% organic cotton and 50% RPET, which is spun from recycled plastic bottles! How great is that? And check this out - the process of turning plastic bottles into fabric requires less natural resources than the production of virgin organic cotton. I think it is wonderful they are finding ways to recycle and use less of our natural resources while making fabulous products!

I received the Renew Cardigan. I bet you are wondering how a cardigan half made of recycled plastic bottles feels. It is wonderfully soft!!! I didn't know what to expect when I read about it, but this cardigan looks beautiful and feels beautiful. It is longer than hip length and has panels on the front that give it a fresh, stylish look. I love the deep pockets hidden on the sides. With each cardigan sold, they are diverting 3-5 plastic bottles from landfills! You gotta love that!

I wore this cardigan through my whole yoga/pilates class last night, and it was so comfortable. It is perfect for my everyday lifestyle too, because I am very actice and love being in comfy clothes all day. I know a lot of you can relate.

Be Present has everything from scarves to tanks to pants. Head on over and check out all their styles. You can order right from their site. Check out what they have on sale too!

One of my lucky readers will receive the Renew Cardigan to add to their wardrobe. You will love it!

Here's how to enter this awesome giveaway:
Just fulfill the mandatory entry and then add as many extra entries as you choose.

Mandatory Entry:

Become a public follower of this blog, Your World: Healthy and Natural and comment about it.

For more entries:

Visit Be Present and tell me one thing you learned about them.(1 entry)

Subscribe to Your World: Healthy and Natural and comment about it. (1 entry)

Vote for Your World: Healthy and Natural on Top Mommy Blogs or We're on the Fence. (1 entry per vote)

Blog about this giveaway and link back to this post.(2 entries)

Follow @BePresent on Twitter.(1 entry)

Follow @carathenatural on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway.(1 entry)

Like Be Present on Facebook.(1 entry)

Like Your World: Healthy and Natural on Facebook.(2 entries)

Grab my new "Life After Baby" Blog Event button and post it on your blog or website.(2 entries)

Refer a friend to publicly follow Your World: Healthy and Natural blog.(1 entry for you, 1 for your friend)

Comment on any of my posts about healthy and natural living that you have not commented on before. I love to hear your thoughts!! (1 entry)

The deadline for this giveaway is January 26th at 11:59 pm EST, at which time a winner will be randomely chosen. Make sure that you include your email in your comments because if I can't get a hold of you, you can't win!

* Thank you to Be Present for this product for review! Disclosure - This product was given for review through Be Present for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

Exciting News!

I wanted to share with you that you will now be able to hear my reviews on the radio!! Starting in February, Leta Hamilton, from the Radio Show, "The Way of the Toddler Hour" will be featuring one of my product reviews each week. Leta is a fascinating woman, author, radio host, speaker, mother and so much more. She has huge passion and excitement to share her experiences in motherhood with others, and discuss the beautiful things we can learn from our children.

I am excited and honored to be part of her show, and I thank each of you for your continued support as I share my thoughts on healthy and natural living!

ShaToBu Winner and Sneak Preview!

The lucky ducky winner of ShaToBu's awesome shaper is......

(Drumroll, please) :-)

#218 - Miranda!! Congratulations Miranda! I am sure you will love burning extra calories just through what you are wearing!

I wanted to give you all a little preview for the upcoming giveaways, because I know you are going to be excited about them. I know I sure am excited to share these products with you!!

Coming Up...

ALO clothing - giving away my favorite shirt!!

Be Present - yoga cardigan

Planet Wise - wet/dry bag

Are you excited now?? :-)

Top Ten For 2011

I love to post little notes all over my house to remind myself of certain things. This is the latest little list I am going to post to remind myself to keep living healthy through 2011!

1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants. 4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2010.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day, appreciating all that you have!
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Have a blessed day!

Cara

Save Big and Lose Big!!

Are any of you Biggest Loser fans? I am a huge fan! I love how motivational and positive that show is at a time when our country is at its lowest point in the health of our bodies.

It is so important to take TODAY and think about your health! Being overweight puts you at a higher risk for so many diseases and health conditions. By losing weight, you could prevent two killers - heart disease and stroke. You could also prevent Type 2 Diabetes, reduce your risks of some kinds of cancer, improve sleep apnea, reduce osteoarthritis and so much more! Not to mention, you will feel better!!!!

I want to share with you today my favorite weight loss program, which is based on protein and building a better metabolism. I drink the Cinch protein shakes for breakfast every day for energy and for my own good health. I also recommend it to all my clients! I love it!

I am sure many of you are familiar with the dreaded dieting yo-yo cycle. When you start restricting calories, your body goes into a starvation mode, and it starts storing fat because it doesn't know when you will give it the calories it needs next. What your body burns instead of fat is muscle! Aughh! That is the opposite of what you want! The Cinch Plan is different and is designed to help you get healthy for life. Formulated by a team of medical experts, nutritionists, and scientists, the Cinch Plan is:

•Clinically tested with a unique protein blend designed to help you
◊ keep muscle you have by giving you all the essential amino acids you need to build up muscle
◊ burn fat you don't need
◊ lose inches you don't want
•Convenient for on-the-go-lifestyles
•Great tasting with an array of product options to help you stay on track

To learn more about Cinch products and the dreaded diet cycle check out this website!

So, if you are looking for a great way to aid your weight loss or kickstart your weight loss, I recommend Cinch. And this is why I am bringing this up now - there is an awesome deal going on right now for the Cinch products!!! Get this:

If you join Shaklee (my favorite natural nutrition and wellness company) in the month of January and make a $70 order, you will get a free Cinch Sampler Pack which is worth $101.90!!! You will also get 15% off all future orders forever!

The Cinch Sampler Pack includes:

•1 canister of Cinch® Vanilla Shake Mix (soy protein blend)
•1 box of Cinch® Peanut Butter Crunch Snack Bars
•1 box of Cinch® Pomegranate Energy Tea Mix
And at no additional cost, you get:

•1 Cinch Program Guide
•1 Cinch Pedometer

This is an awesome deal, awesome products, and a great way to kickstart or help aid your weight loss!! Let me know if you have any questions. I am always here to help!

Winner!

Congratulations to #70 - Anja for winning the Massaging Your Baby book. I just loved this book, and I know you will too!

I also wanted to say a big thank you to those of you who have been leaving your wonderful comments on my healthy living posts! Your comments are helpful and inspirational to me and to our other readers. I appreciate you!

Babo Botanicals Lavendar Meadowsweet Review and Giveaway

Like I mentioned the other day, I am very careful about eliminating toxins out of my family's life, and skincare is an area where it is easy to make safe switches in your products to make your family healthier and safer. One of my absolute favorite companies for baby personal care products is Babo Botanicals.

I just love the owner, Kate Solomon's, philosophy, "What goes on children's bodies should be as natural as what goes into their mouths." I wholeheartedly agree.

Kate also says, "With the launch of Babo Botanicals, my mission is to provide the highest quality, purest hair, scalp and skincare products for babies and kids. Both my personal and professional experiences have contributed to my inspiration for the line. After the birth of my first child and drawing on my 10 years of experience in product development for beauty companies such as L’Oreal, Parfums Givenchy and Avon, it seemed like most baby “grooming” products were long on chemical names and didn’t truly address our children’s particular hair and skin problems. I sought to develop a line of botanical products that offer parents the same level of choice they value in selecting products for themselves."

I have been using Babo Botanicals products with my son for about a year now, and we both love them! It is so cute when my son asks what sounds like, "Mommy, can I have my Babo Ohtandicles?" Love his pronunciation!

Babo has just come out with a new line that is comforting and calming to the whole family - their Lavendar Meadowsweet collection. I received the Babo Bunny Mommy and Baby Calming Gift Set, which includes:
•1 Lavender Meadowsweet Calming Moisturizing Lotion
•1 oz Fragrance Free Bunny Soap
•Organic Stuffed Bunny
•Organic Washcloth
•100% Natural Fiber Basket

I love, love, love the sweet, gentle scent of the lotion, and it works wonderfully! I put it on my son several times a day! My son now has a new fav stuffed animal - the Babo bunny. And I am completely happy with that, since the Babo bunny is super cute and organic!!

I don't know why, but my son has developed this distaste for being washed up with soap in the bath. I am so glad that I have the little bunny soap, because he doesn't have a problem with the little bunny washing him. So, that solved that problem! With only five pure ingredients in them, I love using these soaps on my children's sensitive skin.

My favorite part of Babo products is that they use pure flower and plant extracts and everything is made on an organic farm in the USA. They don't use sulfates, parabens, phthalates, synthetic colors, synthetic fragrances, or other icky chemicals. Plus, they use biodegradable formulas and recyclable packaging! They are such a wonderful eco-friendly and family friendly company!

Today, we are offering a wonderful giveaway prize for one of our winners: the Complete Calming Gift Set (worth $45.00) which includes:

•3 in 1: Bubble Bath & Shampoo & Wash
•Calming Moisturizing Lotion
•Set of three (1 oz) Bunny Soaps (fragrance free)
•100% Natural Jute Bag ($10 Value)
Here is how to enter to win the Complete Calming Gift Set:

Just fulfill the mandatory entry and then add as many extra entries as you choose.

Mandatory Entry:

Become a public follower of this blog, Your World: Healthy and Natural and comment about it.

For more entries:

Subscribe to Your World: Healthy and Natural and comment about it. (1 entry)

Vote for Your World: Healthy and Natural on Top Mommy Blogs or We're on the Fence. (1 entry per vote)

Blog about this giveaway and link back to this post.(2 entries)

Follow @babobotanicals on Twitter.(1 entry)

Follow @carathenatural on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway.(1 entry)

Like Babo Botanicals on Facebook.(1 entry)

Like Your World: Healthy and Natural on Facebook.(2 entries)

Grab my new "Life After Baby" Blog Event button and post it on your blog or website.(2 entries)

Refer a friend to publicly follow Your World: Healthy and Natural blog.(1 entry for you, 1 for your friend)

Comment on any of my posts about healthy and natural living that you have not commented on before. I love to hear your thoughts!! (1 entry)

The deadline for this giveaway is January 19th at 11:59 pm EST, at which time a winner will be randomely chosen. Make sure that you include your email in your comments because if I can't get a hold of you, you can't win!

* Thank you to Babo Botanicals for this product for review! Disclosure - This product was given for review through Babo Botanicals for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

Congrats!

The winner of the Slimpressions Top Sleekret Shaper is...........

#105 Cori Westphal!!! Congrats Cori!

Don't worry if you aren't the winner, because we have another body shaper giveaway coming up from ShaToBu!! Look forward to that, and other great low entry giveaways coming up this week!

Plein Air Life Review

Let's start this New Year off with a really neat little company that I was recently introduced to - Plein Air Life. "Plein air” literally translates as “open air”. Plein air artists paint in the open air and strive to experience the fullness of a single moment and capture the perfect essence of that moment with light and color. Similarly, at Plein Air Life, they have a passion to produce handmade products that allow you to capture the essence of a perfect moment. Their palette comes from the best ingredients on earth, and our masterpiece is the serene feeling you have when using our products, confident that they are not only pleasing to the senses, but healthy for your body.

That is a philosophy I love!

I received their Cinnamon Forest triple wick natural soy wax candle. Most candles emit dangerous fumes into your house that actually pollute the air you breathe, and that is why using soy wax candles is important to me. I love the beautiful heavy glass container that holds the candle, and I love the scent of Cinnamon Forest. It smells like you just stepped out into the forest to cut down a Christmas tree, while you are sipping some warm apple cider. Hmmm.....

I also received the Coconut Sage Body Balm. I love body balms, because they come in these small compact container that you can take with you anywhere. You don't have to worry about lotion spilling or exploding, because the moisturizer is in a nice compact little stick. This body balm is full of wonderful ingredients such as: mango butter, avocado oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, and more, but I was quite disappointed to also see that there is yellow 5 and blue 1 in this body balm. I only like to put completely safe things on my skin, so it made me quite sad to see artificial colors on the label.

They also offer other great bath and body products such as sugar scrub, lip balms, essential oils, and more! Check them out, and you can make your order right from their website or check their store locations.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone!!

Let's start off with the winner of the Powerhouse Fitness Cards Workout:

#77 Shanda is the lucky ducky!

How was everyone's New Year's Eve celebration? Mine was spent watching Pride and Prejudice (a tradition for my hubby and I) and then, I went to bed at 10:30, because I could hardly keep my eyes open, and my little one was actually sleeping. I know, it is the sad reality of being a mom of an infant. Did anyone else go to bed early?

Let's talk about this new year of 2011...

I hope you have some great goals planned for 2011. Write them down. Look at them often, work hard and you can make them happen!

Here is a favorite quote of mine that I want to inspire you this new year:

"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone." - Audrey Hepburn