Back To School Flu Season Prevention

Whether we like it or not, flu season is coming...I firmly believe that the key to keeping you and your family healthy through flu season and all winter long is flu prevention! I have two small children age 3 and 9 months, and thankfully, they have never even needed to go to the doctor for any sickness ever! Not only has it saved our family a lot of money, but it has saved me the stress and worry that you feel when your child gets sick. I think the main reason that we have such a healthy family is that we feed our bodies the nutrients and vitamins that they need to thrive and heal themselves.

This all starts with a good multivitamin. For children, I recommend Shakleekids or Shakleebaby powder- To give good nutritional foundation to the brain and nervous system and to the whole child, a good program should always begin with a good multi-vitamin/mineral…and this is the best. For adults, I recommend the Vita-Lea mulitivitamin or Vitalizer.

We also add in a Vita-C tablet for each of us all fall and winter long. There is a Vita-C Chewable or Sustained Release, as soon as they can swallow. These are essential for a healthy immune system. Love, love, love Vitamin C!

For anyone that has ever been on antibiotic, Optiflora probiotic is essential! It restores essential flora in intestines where 80% of the immune system resides. It also helps keep candida yeast in check. It is super easy to swallow, since it is the size of a pearl. What makes it different is that this is an encapsulated probiotic, so it is protected from stomach acids.

NutriFeron is so unique and so awesome in flu prevention and asthma and allergy relief!  Yet another recent clinical study from Cornell Medical School proves its effectiveness against flu viruse. It stimulates your body to produce interferon, critical to triggering immune response to germs and possibly cancer cells, according to Dr Sandra Bevacqua. Love it!
 

If you are starting to feel a cold come on, I highly suggest using Defend & Resist Complex right away! It contains Echinacea plus zince and herbs that increase activity of white bloods cells to gobble up viruses and bacteria. It works best when taken at onset of a virus or cold. We use anywhere from 2 to 6 a day, depending on the age of the family member starting a runny nose or tickling throat. They can also be sucked on like a lozenge or made into a tea.
What else can you do to prevent sickness this flu season? Follow these healthy habits:

-10 hours of sleep for children; 9 for teens; 8 for adults
-Plan meals to incorporate 6 to 9 vegetables a day (tuck them into soups, spaghetti sauce, chili, casseroles & of course, salads) like celery, broccoli, zucchini, green beans, carrots
-Avoid SUGAR & baked goods – I know this is tough – but sugar is seriously damaging to the immune system and especially the brain. Sugar and white flour are called the anti nutrients because they deplete B vitamins & other essential nutrients.

Stay healthy and save yourself a lot of doctor bills this flu season with prevention!

To Your Health!

Cara

Planet Flops Review and Giveaway

I am a huge fan of flip flops. I have even been known to wear them in the cold months of winter. (Yes, I do live in snowy Michigan) In summer, they are the perfect shoe to easily slip on when I have to run out of the house quick. In fall and winter, I try to wear them as long as possible just to prolong the feeling of summer. I love how many different colors and styles you can get, and I love how comfortable they are.


The only thing that makes the average flip flop even better is when they are made with natural rubber! Planet Flops is my new favorite flip flop brand for this exact reason and so much more! At Planet Flops, they are dedicated to making environmentally-friendly, stylish and incredibly comfortable flip-flops.  Instead of being made from synthetic rubber (which comes from petroleum and chemicals), Planet Flops are made in Brazil with natural rubber. Natural rubber comes from a rubber tree in the Brazilian rainforest. The trees are not harmed and are not chopped down. Instead the process is more like extracting maple syrup from a tree.

That is just one of the things about Planet Flops that sets them apart. I also love that they were created by a well-known podiatrist, Dr. Sylvie. Plus, every time you buy a pair of Planet Flops, they plant 10 trees in the Brazilian rainforest. Now, that is living green!

Unfortunately, my love of flip flops usually comes with lots of blisters. When I wore my chocolate Planet Flops for the first time, I braced myself for the pain and blisters. They never came. I enjoyed a comfortable fit the whole time! I have been shocked to see how cozy and gentle these are on my feet. Apparently another benefit of wearing natural rubber is that they provide more cushion and flexibility.

I find myself playing favorites with my Planet Flops, but I can't help it! They are not only cute, they are also super comfy, which trumps all in my book. Luckily, they come in tons of colors and designs, so you won't be limited in what you can wear with your flip flops. From thin straps to wedge, from mens and womens to kids, you can get everyone in your family fitted in flip flops they will love. Plus, there is free shipping when you buy 4 or more pairs. Buy Planet Flops here!

Don't let summer end just yet! Get some new flip flops and feel summery all over again!

We don't want summer to end yet, so we are giving away (1) pair of Planet Flops to (1) lucky winner! Yay!

Here's how to enter this fun giveaway:

Complete the mandatory entries below!

1. Like Planet Flops on Facebook.
2. Become a public follower of Your World: Healthy and Natural on my right sidebar and tell me you did so in a comment.

For more entries:

 Head over to Planet Flops and tell me which pair is your favorite. (1 entry)


Post on your Facebook page about this giveaway. Share the link in your entry.(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/day and copy the link back in your comment for it to be valid)


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


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 September 12th 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.

 * Planet Flops provided me product to review, and I was under no obligation to write this post. Nor was I under any obligation to sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.*

Winner!

The winner of the Tropical Traditions Coconut Flour is.... #93 - Emma Peel

Congrats, Emma! Enjoy baking!

Let's Inspire Each Other!

A favorite blogger of mine from Is There A Bathroom On This Ship posted an interview about herself on her blog the other day, and it inspired a new idea for my blog. Living healthy natural lives is not always the easiest thing, which is why I started my blog - to inspire and help others live their best life healthfully and naturally. I want to give you examples of how I am doing it through weekly updates, and I am hoping some of you will be willing to share your thoughts and ideas too.

This week, I will be answering several questions about how I am living. If you would be willing to answer the same questions to inspire others, I would love to give you, my readers, a voice in the upcoming weeks. I hope to make this a regular part of the blog, and I am excited to hear how you all like it.

So, here we go! I hope this helps and inspires all of you!

In my life this week...

I hosted an end of the summer party for all my fitness clients, which was a blast! We ate delicious healthy food, played some outdoor games and just enjoyed chatting together, instead of sweating together. I am also getting ready for my in-laws to come for a visit later today.


I am inspired by...

A dear friend of mine who has three boys, one of whom has Autism. She has a heart of gold, is a great mother and friend, and is working hard to get healthier each day. I can't ever fully understand her daily struggles, but reading the book House Rules (see below) opened my eyes up a little more to what she goes through each day.


My favorite thing this week was...

the fitness party we hosted. It was a blast! It made me realize that I need to take more time for fun and stepping out of my routines. 


What's working/not working for me...

Working - I am trying not to snack so much at night after my kids go to bed. I have figured out that if I plan what I will eat ahead of time and give myself a consequence for breaking that plan, I can stick with it.

Not working - I wanted to take one more little day trip with my family before summer is over, and I don't think there will be time for it.


Questions/thoughts I have...

How can I stop being a perfectionist?


Things I'm working on...
Being less of a perfectionist. Being a better wife.


I'm reading...
Just finished House Rules by Jodi Picoult. I highly recommend it!


I'm cooking...

Lots of summer squash and zucchini in every way I can think of - pasta salads, with quinoa and couscous, in stir-fry, etc.


I'm grateful for...

My children. Friends of mine had twins prematurely and just had the funeral for one of them. I read their journal daily, and it keeps me feeling very grateful!



A photo, video, link, or quote to share...
This is a pic from the Fitness party of my son and some of the other kids that also attended.

Please email me if you would be willing to be interviewed in the upcoming weeks. I would love to learn from you all! Have a great weekend!
 

Cara

Go Green Pocket Diapers Review and Giveaway

While my son has been daytime potty-trained since he was 16 months, he just recently has been staying dry all night long and wearing underwear to bed! Yahoo!! I am so proud of him! So now I am back down to diapers with just one child. Since I cloth diaper, I don't actually mind having a child in diapers. You might think that sounds weird, since cloth diapers are supposedly so messy and such a hassle. Sometimes they are, but I feel that the benefits far outweight the negatives.

My favorite diapers are the ones that grow as your child grows, so you can use the same diaper from birth to toddler. I just tried out a great one-size diaper from Go Green Pocket Diapers.  This company started out from a family who had 3 children in diapers. They wanted to cut down on the waste and save some money, so they created their own line of affordable, high quality cloth diapers.

I received the Poople Champ. I liked it right away! I mean, how can you not like a diaper named the Poople Champ?

This diaper combines the best qualities of many of the diapers I own. It is four sizes in one, which saves you even more money, because you don't have to buy different cloth diapers as your baby grows out of the last one. Plus, the Champ inserts agitate themselves out in the wash, so you don't have to pull the dirty insert out with your fingers to wash it. Yay! Less mess! The other great feature about this diaper is the dual gussets on the sides, which provides a double barrier against leaks.

I have only had great experiences with this diaper. It fits my daughter perfectly. We have had no leaks. The inserst comes out nicely in the wash, and the insert isn't as big of a pain to put in again after it is washed.

The Champ pocket diaper comes in tons of other fun colors and patterns, so you can buy a bunch to fit your or your baby's moods or outfits. If you are just starting to cloth diaper, they also have lots of other products to help you cloth diaper successfully. If you are on the fence about whether to try cloth, go for it! I bet you won't regret it, especially after you keep track of how much money you will save.

Oh happy day! We are giving away (1) Champ Pocket Diaper to (1) lucky winner!!

Here is how to enter this great giveaway:

Complete the mandatory entry below!

**Become a public follower of Your World: Healthy and Natural on my right sidebar and tell me you did so in a comment.

For more entries:


Like Go Green Pocket Diapers on Facebook. (1 entry)


Follow GoGreen Diapers on Twitter. (1 entry)


Post on your Facebook page about this giveaway. Share the link in your entry.(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/day and copy the link back in your comment for it to be valid)


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


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 September 9th 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.

 * Go Green Pocket Diapers provided me product to review, and I was under no obligation to write this post. Nor was I under any obligation to sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.*

Heelys Wheeled-Shoes Review

Wheeled-shoes, you may ask? What in the world is she doing reviewing wheeled shoes? Well, I will let you in on a secret - I still act like a kid 95% of the time! I think one of the best ways to feel energetic and youthful is to act like it! That is why when I got the chance to review Heelys wheeled-shoes, I got really excited!



Heelys shoes are so great, because you can either use them as regular footwear or you can add a wheel or two to each shoe and go skating in the fast lane! You can see on the picture below what the shoe looks like with the wheel inserted. Of course, when I received my cute Heelys shoes, the first thing I did was insert the wheels and try them out in my kitchen floor. Much to my children and husband's delight, I fell flat on my butt.

Luckily, Heelys has a great video on how to "heel" around with your wheeled-shoes. After viewing the video and reading the instruction on how to use the Heelys safely, I got the hang of it and had a blast! Now, whenever I am craving a fun break, I put on my Heelys and get to "heeling."

I will also say that these shoes are quite comfortable when you also want to use them for just walking around. It is really easy to use the Heelys tool that comes with the shoes to pull out the wheels and cover over the hole with a rubber insert.

I think that Heelys are great for everyone, all ages included. They also have shoes with two wheels on each shoe, which makes it a bit easier for younger children. These shoes will get everyone excited about exercising more, which is always a great thing!

Plus, between September 2-5, everyone can get a great deal on Heelys during their Labor Day/Back to School Special! When you buy one pair at regular price, you can get a second pair for only $30. What child doesn't want a pair of these to start their school year off on the right foot? (Ha, ha, I couldn't resist)

Pick out your favorite pair of Heelys, and find more information about them on Facebook and Twitter.

*I was provided product to review, and I was under no obligation to review if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product.*

B Happy!

In the land of nutritional supplementation, there are many nutrients to choose from and tons of reasons why you need and could benefit from them. Unfortunately, it can be confusing to decide what you should be taking, how much and what brand.

Lucky for you, it is fun for me to sort through all of that and bring you the best information I know and trust. I sort all that hype and gobbly gook and help my clients figure out what might be a fit for them. I really want everyone to actually know why this stuff is going into their body.

Today I am going to help you sort out one of my favorite nutrients, Vitamin B Complex and why it's literally known as the happy vitamin.
So, first let me answer the question, "Why is it called B complex?"

That is because all B vitamins must be taken together in a complex form. This includes Thiamin, Riboflavin, B6, B12, Niacin, Folic Acid, Biotin, and Pantothenic Acid. (all brands that sell B complex are not created equal, as a matter of fact most regularly skimp on folic acid and the biotin, which is why I recommend Shaklee's B Complex)

Here are some more things you need to know about B vitamins:

-B Vitamins are water soluble. (this means you burn through them, because they are not stored in the body) The more processed "snacky" food you eat, the more B vitamins you need.

-B Vitamins are depleted by these foods : coffee, alcohol, refined sugar and white flour. They are destroyed by sleeping pills, sulfa drugs, estrogen: birth control and hormone replacement therapy.

-B Vitamins convert food to energy.(This is a great thing for your metabolism!)

-Infection and stress increase the need for B's.

-B Vitamins are necessary for normal function by the nervous system.

-B Vitamins assist with the manufacturing of healthy blood cells.

-B Vitamins redistribute fat and convert fat to energy.(Hurray!)

-B Vitamins can reduce the risk of heart disease.

-B Vitamins help prevent birth defects, cervical dysplacia, and colon cancer.

-B Vitamins promote healthy hair and skin.

-B Vitamins support normal growth in children.
(The above information is sourced from nutritionist Barbara Lagoni)

So, do you need B complex? How much B complex do you need?

Looking at the Standard American Diet, I think all of us need B complex. Check the list below to see if you have any of these symptoms. These are just a few of the things that B complex can help with:
•mood changes
•irritability
•nervousness
•fatigue
•depression
•headaches
•dizziness
•trembling
•loss of appetite
•insomnia
•and sugar cravings

Use the color of your urine as your gauge. If you take a B complex in the morning and your urine is pale by lunch time you are burning through your B. This means you need to take more, and take it thoughout the day.

Taking B Vitamins can definitely contribute to a shift in attitude! I know they have made a difference for me. In fact, I don't know if I have gone a day without my B Complex for the past six years. B Happy!

Essentia Natural Memory Foam Pillow Review

On our journey to living more naturally healthy lives, we have to think a LOT about our sleep. After all, we do spend 1/3 of our lives in bed! You want to be choosy about what mattress you have, what linens, what pillows, and you want to think about what helps you have great quality sleep. Good quality sleep is so key to great health.

I decided to go organic with our family's bedding several years ago. It took me a couple months to make the switches, since it is not cheap. I look at it as an investment in our health, because the difference it makes in our lives is tremendous and well worth it. I can sleep better just knowing that my family isn't breathing in toxic flame retardents and other harmful chemicals.

You can imagine my excitement at finding another company that believes in natural and organic bedding products for the whole family - Essentia! This company was started by Jack Dell'Accio when a family member was diagnosed with cancer, and physicians made them aware of all the toxins in everyday items. Their family had been in the latex foam business for years and supplied most major brands. Jack studied the industry and realized that mattresses were manufactured with poor quality components, filled with toxic foams treated with harsh chemicals and layered together with glue. He wanted to create natural, nontoxic foam products, which is when he founded Essentia, which is the world's only natural memory foam.

I graciously received the Essentia Classic Natural Memory Foam Pillow.


I had never purchased a memory foam product before, because they were not on my "safe product" radar. Little did I know that I could have the benefits of memory foam and be assured I wasn't breathing in toxic chemicals while I sleep soundly. Since using this pillow, I have become addicted to the comfort it brings me as I sleep! I love how the pillow molds itself to my head's shape and keeps me from waking up with a stiff neck.

I was also really pleased with the lack of odor that came with this pillow. I have a natural latex mattress, and for the first several months, it smelled a little like milk. It was more annoying than anything else, but I am happy to say that this pillow only had a slight scent for about a day or two after I started using it.

Overall, I love my Essential natural memory foam pillow, and I don't think I can ever go back to my old organic wool pillow. I not only sleep in comfort, I also wake up with no pain, feeling refreshed and ready for the day! Thanks, Essentia!

Check out all of Essentia's Natural Memory Foam products, including: mattresses, baby products, pillows, and more. Become a friend of Essentia on Facebook and get 10% off your purchase!

*I was provided product to review, and I was under no obligation to review if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product.*

Levana Naturals Organic Kids Clothing Review and Giveaway

My children are the most precious gifts in my life. That being said, I only want to surround them with things that will nourish them. That is why I was thrilled to find the beautiful organic and fair trade clothing by Levana Naturals.

There are three things that caught my eye about Levana Naturals:

1. Both their cotton and wool products are 100% organically grown.

2.They love to work with small and family run businesses that care about the community and treat everyone with dignity and respect.
3. This one is a biggie for me - They not only look at the fibers but also at the manufacturing processes, i.e. washing, spinning, weaving or knitting, bleaching, dying or printing, or applying finishing agents such as flame retardants, anti-shrink finishes or resins to give textiles bulk or make them crease resistant.

One of the strictest standards is the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). This fiber processing standard was created to implement very strict ecological and social regulations upon each and every process of textile manufacturing. They have chosen this standard to be one of their core criteria when they decide which manufacturers they’d like to team up with. All of their partners work according to this standard and some products have already been certified.

I really appreciate the why and how behind Levana Naturals products. These are the kind of quality products that I want my children dressed in.

I received a cute Organic Kid's Polo shirt for my 3 year old son. Besides being a very cute fit for my son, this shirt is also certified organic and has no dyes in it - very safe! Did you have any idea that cotton grows naturally in various tones of sage and rich brown? Using this cotton, Levana Naturals doesn't have to use any dyes for this natural shirt. I also love that the kid's polo is so versatile. It goes with virtually anything. Since my son is starting to pick out his own clothes, at least I know that if I give him this shirt to wear, I know he will be matching whatever else he picks out. Plus, at only $16.00 for this organic polo shirt, you can't go wrong!

Besides really cute kids clothing from 2T to 9 years old, they also offer baby clothing from 0-24 months. From tops to bottoms, from dresses to accessories, I highly recommend Levana Naturals as the perfect outfitter for your children's needs. Besides offering high quality products and caring about others, they have great customer service and are wonderful to work with!

Great news! We are giving away (1) Organic Kid's Polo to (1) lucky winner! Thank you Levana Naturals!

Here is how to enter this great giveaway:

Complete the mandatory entry below!

**Become a public follower of Your World: Healthy and Natural on my right sidebar and tell me you did so in a comment.

For more entries:


Tell me which other products from Levana Naturals that caught your eye. (1 entry)


Follow Levana Naturals on Facebok. (1 entry)


Post on your Facebook page about this giveaway. Share the link in your entry.(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/day and copy the link back in your comment for it to be valid)


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


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 September 6th at 11:59 pm EST, at which time a winner will be randomely chosen.This giveaway is open to US and Canada. Make sure that you include your email in your comments because if I can't get a hold of you, you can't win.

 * Levana Naturals provided me product to review, and I was under no obligation to write this post. Nor was I under any obligation to sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.*

Goji Gourmet Cookies Review

I love sweet treats - plain and simple. Cookies, cake, chocolate, ice cream - you name it, I love it. That doesn't meant that it is healthy for me to go hog wild and eat sugary junk food all the time. It also doesn't mean that I have to choose unhealthy sweet treats. Believe it or not, there are healthy sweet treat options out there, and I want to share my favorite healthy sweet treat secret with you today. (say that five times for a tongue twister)

Goji Gourmet is my new favorite go-to for all sweet cravings. This company is committed to using superfoods such as almonds, oats, oranges, ginger, honey, and walnuts to ensure that your sweet snacks still contribute to your overall well-being. Their mission is to provide preservative-free (no icky chemicals!), low-sugar (they use antioxidant-packed buckwheat honey instead of refined sugar), low calorie and carbohydrate, nutrient-packed treats for you and your family to enjoy anytime of the day!

Almost all of their ingredients are organic, and they are all high in antioxidants, handmade, and energizing. I love them all! I am telling you - these are the best packaged products that I have found!

Another great thing about Goji Gourmet are all the varieties, so that you never get bored. I tried their Goji Cherry Cacao, Goji Ginger Walnut, Goji Orange MintChip, Goji Chocolate Chip and Goji Almond Oat.

The Goji Cherry Cacao was an absolute delight! These cookies had huge chunks of cherries mixed with chocolatey goodness. What is there not to love?

I think that my favorite was the Goji Chocolate Chip. It was to die for! The mix of the chocolate chips and goji berries was a great combo, and the cookies practically melted in my mouth.

I am not normally a fan of ginger or orange mintchip, but I decided to give the Goji Ginger Walnut and Goji Orange MintChip a try. Surprisingly, I loved them. I would normally turn up my nose when I saw those names, but I loved the other Goji Gourmet cookies so much, I had to give them a fighting chance. I am so glad that I did. The ginger was not overpowering, like some ginger desserts. And the orange mintchip actually worked for me in this cookie. I don't know how, but it did.

In fact, I love Goji Gourmet so much that, after I had my first bites, I ran over to my computer, got on their website, and made up my mind to join their monthly cookie club. What I love about their monthly cookie club is that you can pick how many cookies you want to order, you get free shipping, and you receive a special box of yumminess every month! I can't wait to get my next batch of cookies!!

Head over to Goji Gourmet, and check out all the varieties, read more about how healthy these cookies are for you, and do a little happy dance, because these are cookies that you can actually feel good about eating!
*I was provided product to review, and I was under no obligation to review if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product.*

Air Pollution in Your Home

Most of us feel safe in our homes. We look at it as a place of refuge and love. We come home to relax.

Does that safety apply to the air you breathe in your home?

According to the EPA, levels of about a dozen common chemical pollutants are 2 to 5 times higher inside homes than outside of them! That just doesn't seem right, does it?

Well, think about it, everything you emit indoors - whether it is your cigarette smoke, cleaning products fumes, or burnt food - is going to stay in your air longer because our homes are so well insulated. 

Scientists are actually suspecting that it may be these indoor pollutants - not just outdoor pollution - that are responsible for rising rates of asthma and other respiratory diseases. Indoor pollution can also cause headaches, flu-like symptoms, and, in serious cases, neurological problems.

I don't want to give you another massive problem to worry about and stress over, so let me go through a few simple things you can do today to help clean your indoor air.

1. Don't let the bad stuff in! Take your shoes off at the door. You don't even want to know what ickies are covering the bottoms of your shoes.

2. Go fragrance-free. Many air-fresheners are not what the companies want you to think they are. They are not sweet smells that freshen. They are chemicals that produce fake scents that can cause headaches and eye, nose and throat irritation. If you want your house to smell good, use essential oils instead.

3. Ventilate! Turn on your stove's exhaust fan. Open the windows every chance you have. Make sure your fireplace flue is working properly.

4. Switch out your cleaners! You know how your eyes water or your throat burns when you clean your shower? That is your body screaming for you to quit polluting it with chemicals! Sure, the cleaner companies want you to think that their chemical products are the only way to really get things clean. Let me tell you, that is a lie! If you are ambitious, make your own cleaners with baking soda, vinegar and other things you will find in your kitchen. If you are like me and are super busy and just need a safe product to use, do your homework and find truly natural safe cleaners. I use Shaklee's Get Clean products, and I have loved them from the moment I started using them. And no, they don't cost a fortune. In fact, they save you loads of money and are safe for our planet!

5. Vacuum often. Try to use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter.

Please, please, please save you and your family from the hidden dangers lurking in your home. The pollutants in your home air can damage your health and turn into serious problems. With these 5 simple changes, you can improve your home's air quality and keep your family healthier!

Latest Winners

Happy Friday!

Don't you love Fridays? There is something ultra sweet about the weekend, isn't there? I hope you all enjoy every minute of your weekend, taking no moments for granted.

Here are our winners from this week:

Tellurian Baby Package - #68  Sabrina

Fleece Scarf - #61 Betty C

LovingEco - #53 Holley Sweeps

Congratulations to all of you! Enjoy those wonderful products!

Terra Dolce Soap Review

As a busy woman with a million things going on, I know that I will get one time each day to relax a bit and rejuvenate. Believe it or not, that time for me is when I am in the shower. That is my time to pamper myself a bit and let the stress release from my body. One of the ways I relax is with Terra Dolce's artesian soaps. Soap, you ask? Yes! It is the most luxurious smelling soap I have ever used!

Terra Dolce creates handcrafted natural luxuries inspired from within the garden and around the world. They use 100% natural and chemical free ingredients in their collection of body creams/butters, oils, body scrubs and artesian soaps. 

Here is one thing that sets Terra Dolce apart from other companies - their founder and formulator, Alison Cripps. She is a board-certified skincare therapist who has been working with nature to make beautiful scents since she was 8 years old. Her passion and love for nature and great quality natural products shines through her products!

From the very minute I opened my package of Terra Dolce soaps, I knew I was in for a treat. The smell coming out of that package made me feel like I was standing in the middle of a flower garden!

These artesian soaps are made from natural plant oils such as coconut and avocado oil, shea butter, vitamin E, extracts and essential oils. They are completely safe and nourishing for your skin. That is most important to me.

There are six different varieties of these artesian soaps: Lavendar Green Tea, Basil Spearmint, Frankincense Myrrh, Orange Clove, Lemongrass, and Peppermint Jolt. Don't they sound heavenly? If I could somehow transmit smell waves through the computer, I would love to send these divine scents your way. I want you all to expereience the way the Lavendar Green Tea immediately induces a sense of calmness into your body or how the Lemongrass just perks me up. Besides being beautiful wrapped and packaged, each soap is rich in its individual fragrances, while not being overbearing to the senses.
 

I am in love with Terra Dolce - plain and simple. I highly recommend these beautiful products to all of you. Everyone can spend $6.00 to feel pampered and rejuvenated with these soaps. Using them is an experience - one you don't want to miss! Order yourself a treat today!

*I was provided product to review, and I was under no obligation to review if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product.*

Aspirin a Day?

I am sure you have heard of doctors advising their patients to take a baby aspirin every day to reduce their risk of heart attack. I think this suggestion has become so well known that many people are now taking an aspirin every day without even waiting for their doctor to recommend it.

The question I want to ask today is, "Should you take an aspirin a day?"

Please remember, I am not a doctor. I am just offering my opinions and helpful information I find that may help you on your journey to better health.

That being said, I want to share a study that was done by Dr. Gerry Fowlkes of the Wolfson Unit for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Edinburgh Scotland. In a study that he presented at a recent meeting of the European Society for Cardiology in Barcelona Spain, he and his colleagues followed 3,000 men at very high risk for developing heart disease for an average of eight years.

Half of the group was randomly assigned to take an aspirin every day and the other half was given a placebo. At the end of eight years there was no difference in the rate of heart attacks or stroke - or risk of death from any cause - between the two groups.

In other words, an aspirin a day did not decrease the risk of heart attack and stroke and had no discernable
health benefits in this study. Even worse, there were 34 major bleeds in people taking the aspirin compared to only 20 in people taking the placebo. And if you looked at internal bleeding that was so serious that it required hospitalization, the risk was almost double for the aspirin users compared to the placebo users.

The conclusion of this study was that for otherwise healthy people the risks of taking aspirin outweigh the benefits. The scientists cautioned that for people who have already had a heart attack the benefits of taking an aspirin a day might outweigh the risks.

Of course, I would encourage you to investigate natural alternatives rather than relying on a drug to reduce your risk of heart disease. There are plenty of options if you want to go the more natural route.

For example several recent clinical studies have shown that as little as 500 mg/day of omega-3 fatty acids, whether from fish or from supplements like OmegaGuard, can reduce the risk of a second heart attack in someone who has already had one heart attack by 30-40%.

I also can't deny how awesome the supplements that I take from Shaklee have been shown to benefit people's health. The Landmark study done by Dr. Gladys Block at UC Berkeley showed that people who have used the Shaklee supplements for 20 years or more have 1/3 the incidence of angina, heart attack, stroke or congestive heart failure as do people using other company’s multivitamins or no supplements at all. That is good news for all of us who want to prevent disease and heal our bodies from within using what God has given us in nature!

Black Out Review

I am sure you have heard several stories from friends and family about how they got their identity stolen or money stolen from their accounts. It happens to many people. Thankfully, it hasn't happened to me, and I hope it never does.

Prevention is key in many areas of life. This is another one where that applies.

HomeSmart Black Out products are great for preventing identity theft and protecting your personal information. The Black Out set includes a security stamp and security pen.

Here is why I love these products.

•You can block your information on credit card statements, bank statements, bills, magazines and catalogs

•It hides your address, social security number, account numbers

•Permanent ink that can't be erased or washed out

•Unique jumbled stamp pattern can never be read

•Easier and quicker than shredding, scribbling over account information or tearing bank statements into tiny pieces

•Black Out Security Pen writes with permanent ink so names and amounts on checks can't be changed

The security pen that comes with this set is perfect for filling out checks and doesn't take any extra time. It is such an easy switch for you to make to use this pen instead of another one, and you are protecting yourself against a lot of damage. Plus, the stamp is really easy to use too. Stamp away on anything you don't want others to read. My husband used to make me rip everything up, which was annoying to me. Now, I just stamp a couple times, and I am done.

You can buy Black Out here for only $10.99, which is a small price to pay for the security.

*I was provided product to review, and I was under no obligation to review if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product.*

Ella's Kitchen Organic Baby Food Review

As much as I would like to make all my own baby food, I just don't seem to have time. I have enjoyed using our fresh garden produce to make plenty of jars of fresh veggies for my daughter, but she still seems to like Ella's Kitchen organic baby food best.

I don't blame her. With flavors like Sweet Potatoes, Pumpkin, Apples and Blueberries, Carrots, Apples and Parsnips, Butternut Squash, and Carrots, Apples and Prunes, how could it not taste good? Since it is all 100% organic, with no added preservatives, thickeners, GM ingredients, added water, with no added sweeteners or salt, I don't feel guilty whatsoever about giving this to my daughter.

I love the variety of flavors! With Ella's Kitchen, they offer all the colors of the rainbow, and that is exactly how varied I want my daughter's diet to be. I don't always have access to all of the awesome powerfoods that are in this baby food. These are the perfect supplement to my daughter's diet.

As a mother concerned about BPA and pthalates in storage and food containers, I am so happy that Ella's Kitchen does not have any BPA or pthalates in their packaging. Actually, their packaging is what really makes Ella's kitchen my favorite baby food! Yes, that is right. It is my favorite! I just love how easy it is to get out. Usually I take packaged baby food with us when we are traveling, because my homemade stuff needs to be refrigerated or frozen. Ella's Kitchen baby food is perfect for on-the-go use. It has this great screw top, with a little tube that allows the squeezed food to come out without the mess. You just squeeze as much food out as you want, and then you can screw the top back on for later use. There is literally no mess involved! Your child can even squeeze the food right into their mouth!

Ella's Kitchen products are available in plenty of big and smaller stores around where you live. Check their store locator to find them near you! Otherwise, you can also find them online at Diapers, Amazon, Babiesrus, and Target.  And check out their website for more great information on their products and healthy living!

*I was provided product to review, and I was under no obligation to review if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product.*

It's Not Easy Being Green

Isn't that a song that Kermit the Frog sings?

Maybe Kermit the Frog knew more than I gave him credit for.

When you first get started living a more eco-friendly, "green" lifestyle, it is fun and exciting to see how green you can be. Somewhere between recycling, growing a garden, and composting, living green starts to take time and effort.

I am a passionate advocate for eco-friendly living, because it is a win-win situation. With most things, you are not only helping our planet stay healthier and cleaner for years to come, but you are also saving a lot of cash in the process.

However, lately, I have needed to give myself little peptalks to keep up with this lifestyle.

Every time it is laundry day, I have to tick off the reasons in my head why I should hang out all the clothes on my clothesline instead of using my dryer.

I find it harder and harder to take quick showers and save on water and electricity, instead of relaxing in luxuriously long showers.

I hate seeing the boxes, paper and other recyclables collecting in my garage waiting to be taken to the recycling center.

Kermit was right. It isn't easy being green. But what things in life that are worth something are easy? Not much. Life isn't easy. Doing the right thing isn't easy. Losing weight isn't easy. Being loving to others who don't treat you well isn't easy. But, that doesn't mean we quit.

                                        

Find the motivation to continue on! Smile because you have a recycling center nearby. Treasure the fact that you can get fresh, organic produce by walking into your backyard garden. Enjoy the non-smell of nontoxic clean. Feel the warm breeze as you hang clothes on your clothesline. It is worth it, isn't it?

Enjoy living green, because you are making a difference every day! Thank you!

Winners, Winners, Everywhere!

Happy Thursday!

I have several lucky winners to announce today!

Mighty Leaf Iced Tea Summer Pack - #106 - Yona Williams

NanoGreens and Shaker - #51 - Anne-Marie T

The Help Prize Pack - #9 - Ella

Congratulations to everyone!! Once again, thank you to all of you for your support, comments, and help making this blog great! I will continue to do my best to bring you great tips and thoughts on healthy, natural living and great reviews and giveaways.

Have a beautiful day!
Cara

Fotobounce Review

As a mother, I try to stay as organized as possible, so I don't go completely bonkers. With my love of photography and my family, I have a ton of pictures, and it is sometimes a part-time job trying to keep them all organized.

If you feel like I do, then you will love Fotobounce, a new downloadable digital photo management application that allows users to manage, store and share full resolution digital photographs securely between a private network of friends and family.

Since I live far away from my family and most of my friends, I love sharing photos on Facebook. The problem with that is that I don't love the public nature of it and who is seeing my pictures. That is why I really love Fotobounce. It is local to your computer, so you have privacy and security, knowing your pictures are stored right on your computer and not a social networking site.

One of my favorite things about Fotobounce is its face recognition technology that automatically detects faces when photos are found or imported. How cool is that? When faces are detected by Fotobounce or tagged by you, this teaches Fotobounce to learn who people are and recognize them again. I love it! Funny story, though. At first, Fotobounce tagged some pictures of me as being my sister. It just shows how much alike we look!

You may be thinking that this sounds complicated. That is what I thought at first too. It was actually quite simple. You just download it to your computer, choose which pictures you would like to download. Then it downloads them very quickly, organizes them for you by date, events, albums, etc.

When you want to start sharing pictures with others, you create a network of friends and family called "bouncers." And it is totally safe and private!

Fotobounce is a great way to save yourself time spent away from your family staring at the computer screen. You will have more time to take pictures and make memories with the ones you love!

To download Fotobounce for yourself, click here. You will love it!

LovingEco Sprout Products Review and Giveaway

I always get really excited when I find a great company or website that has the same mission as I do and believes that each one of us can make a difference in helping create a more conscious and less toxic world!


The team over at LovingEco work hard to make it easy for us to make a difference by offering deals and showcasing companies that are organic, vegan, cruelty-free, fair trade, recycled, sustainable, made in the USA, made locally, handmade, or resource efficient. Loving Eco is a flash sales site, much like Gilt or RueLaLa, so their sales are only up for a limited time. That is why it is important to browse their site often!

One of the great companies they are showcasing right now is Sprout. At Sprout, they make skincare products that are so natural you can literally eat them. Their skincare products are made from scratch using only ingredients that you’ve heard of before. And you won’t have to pay a million dollars for them because they’re made with the same basic ingredients people have been using forever to keep their skin clear, shiny, happy, and really, truly healthy.

Be assured, what you put on your body does get into your bloodstream. Would you rather pump unknown chemicals into your body or healthy nourishing ingredients like organic extra-virgin coconut oil and organic almonds? That is the difference between conventional products and Sprout.

I received some of these fabulous Sprout products, and I love them! They make a nourishing Cream from only fair trade shea butter, organic extra-virgin coconut oil, and organic extra-virgin olive oil. How amazing is that? Three ingredients! This Cream will not leave you needing more in an hour or two either. It actually sinks deep into your skin and keeps your skin happy.

I also love their Sprout Scrub. The only ingredients are organic sugar, organic extra-virgin coconut oil, and organic shredded coconut. Not only does it smell good enough to eat, you actually can eat it. While you are exfoliating, you can lick your fingers if you so desire. That is how safe their products are! How many other products that you use can you say that about?

I love moist lips! Many lip moisturizers don't actually moisturize your lips, though. They leave you wanting to apply it again every half hour, which is enough to drive anyone crazy. Sprout's Vegan Lip Balm is heavenly. It doesn't leave behind any chunky or filmy residue. Plus, you can lick your lips and not taste chemicals or fake ingredients. At only $3.00 right now on LovingEco, you can't go wrong!

You can also find Sprout's Exfoliant on LovingEco right now. I loved this one, as well. It is made from organic oats, organic almonds, and dead sea salt. I like that this exfoliant doesn't scratch your skin, but it does exfoliate it well. I love using it on my feet, since mine are a little beat up from wearing sandles and walking around barefoot everywhere.

You really can't wrong buying anything on LovingEco, especially the Sprout products, since you are supporting great companies, a great mission, the lowest prices online, and 3% of profits go to nonprofits. You can feel great about every purchase you make on LovingEco! Head over, become a member of LovingEco, and have fun shopping! Shop soon, before these sales end!

As a special treat for you, we are offering a great giveaway of these Sprout products! (1) lucky reader will win all (4) of the products I reviewed above - Sprout Cream, Exfoliant, Scrub, and Vegan Lip Balm.

Here is how to enter this great giveaway:

Complete the two mandatory entries below!

**Become a member of LovingEco (it's free and simple). Include your email address.
**Become a public follower of Your World: Healthy and Natural on my right sidebar and tell me you did so in a comment.

For more entries:


Like LovingEco on Facebook. (1 entry)


Follow @Loving_Eco on Twitter. (1 entry)


Post on your Facebook page about this giveaway. Share the link in your entry.(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/day and copy the link back in your comment for it to be valid)


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


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 August 17th 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.

 * LovingEco provided me product to review, and I was under no obligation to write this post. Nor was I under any obligation to sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.*

The Help Movie Review

I have been thinking and talking about "The Help" a LOT for the last couple weeks. When I heard it was coming out in theatres, I read the book, which was just fabulous! I have been talking it up to everyone I know, because I think this is a revolutionary book!

Last night, my husband and I drove almost 3 hours to see an early screening of "The Help." I haven't been this excited about a movie in a long time...So, did it live up to my hype?

YES!!!! I had a couple friends express concern to me that the movie just wouldn't do the book justice, and they were expecting to be let down a bit by the movie. That was certainly not the case for me! The movie was a fantastic mix of great acting, authentic historical representations, and a big dose of heart! It made me laugh and cry almost in the same scene. And dare I say, I think I prefer the movie's overall ending even a tad bit more than the book.

My husband came with me, and he loved it just as much. He hadn't read the book, so I thought it would be good to get his perspective. When it was over, he immediately said, "This is a movie we are buying right when it comes out!" He also said it was the funniest movie he had seen in a long time..."not stupid humor, but humor with meaning."

Not only is it funny, "The Help" is full of thoughtful, impactful messages. I was even able to apply the courage needed in this movie to my own life as I face lines that need to be crossed and changes that need to be made today. This movie encouraged me to never step back from what I am passionately working to change! We can make a difference!

I will be recommending this movie to everyone I know, from the babysitter last night to my fitness clients today! I encourage you all to go see "The Help" when it comes out in theatres tomorrow on August 10th!

Don't forget to enter to win my The Help Prize Pack giveaway that ends tomorrow also!

*Thank you to Dreamworks Pictures for the opportunity to see "The Help." I am sharing my own opinions in this movie review.*

RevAbs Update - The Results

My 90 days of RevAbs is over!!

I have been adding RevAbs to my daily workouts for the last 3 months, and it has been hard work. If you have followed along with my journey, I thank you for your support!

Below are my before and after pictures. I didn't flex my muscles or suck it in either time.  

I won't lie. I was a little disappointed looking at my pictures, because I feel like I have really toned my abs a lot since the beginning, and the pics don't show that very well. I didn't have a whole lot of weight to lose, but I wanted to get close to my pre-baby shape. I feel like I am almost there, and maybe my body will change a little more once I give it a little more time and finish nursing my daughter.

Overall, I am really proud of myself for completing the program. I didn't have very many inches or body fat to lose from the start, which makes it harder to lose the last few inches. This program helped me do that!

Here are my inches lost:

Arms - 1/4 inch

Waist - 1 1/2 inches

Hips - 1/2 inch

Thigh - 1/2 inch

Weight lost - 3 lbs.

Body Fat - 4% body fat

I enjoyed RevAbs so much that I am going to continue to use these workouts long after today. I don't think I will use them every day, but I will definitely be back to "Rev it up!"

*I received RevAbs from Beachbody to review. All of the above review is completely my opinion, as always.*