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Written by Courtney @ A + Life (originally published in April of 2015)
My Natural Birth Plans
I don’t have plans to take these to the hospital with me. I’m not going to be the girl who shows up with a bullet point, high lighted, step by step birth plan….. mostly because my plans are “hands off, please”. But, that’s easy enough to say, and not necessary to be printed out on a piece of paper.
I remember when I got pregnant with my first daughter, Abigail. Even though it had taken us a year to get pregnant with her, I was still fairly blissfully naive when it came to all things baby. First time parent, ah quite youthful, and just a bit uninformed. It was well into my 6th month or so, I was almost in third tri, when I was in Virginia to be a bridesmaid for one of my very best friends. We all got to talking about labor and delivery, and up to that point, I had planned to do whatever my Dr. told me and OBVIOUSLY get the epidural. Mostly, because I just hadn’t given it much thought. But the more we talked, and more and more of the women shared their stories about home birth, zero interventions, refusing induction and epidurals, the more I got to thinking….perhaps I should do some research myself?
Keep in mind that this was 2010, so it was basically the technological dark ages.
I got my hands on a copy of Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth and it completely revolutionized the way I thought about childbirth. From that point on, I knew that I was going to have a intervention free delivery and made all of my plans based off of that choice.
And if the years of praying and waiting for our second gift, Mabel, and the years of being a mama and taking care of a little one have done anything for me, it has been this: the pendulum of “crunch factor” has way swung and I only continue to up the ante on myself as I have choices.
The first time I read Ina May I totally, totally got her points. They made absolute sense to me, but I was like, DANG these people are weird as all get out. But rereading it this time around? I’m like, how can I get to “The Farm”(her “commune” for those of you who aren’t familiar with her) and live in a cabin and give birth there. Like, today. So, as I’ve said, it’s fairly obvious to see that I’ve continued down the all natural road and have no plans of putting the brakes on it anytime soon.
So, here is what I am already doing:
(This is all from consultations and advice from my naturopath)
- Prenatal + Iron
- Vitamin B Supplement
- Vitamin D Supplement
- Probiotic
- Tons of water
- Sitting on the birthing ball for a few minutes every evening
- Rereading my birthing books(bonus if it’s while I’m on the birthing ball!)
- Drinking Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
- And I’m starting to select birth affirmations and bible verses to start meditating on to prepare my heart and mind for labor and delivery.
The Plans For Me:
- Refusal of all pre-labor cervical checks
- Refuse any and all induction- obviously, to a reasonable extent. My first daughter, Abigail came on her due date, so I have no reason to think that this should be an issue. But, I’m perfectly ready to go up to 42 weeks if Mabel needs it.
- Once labor begins, labor at home for as long as possible. On the birthing ball, in the tub, eating and drinking, staying calm and composed.
- Once labor progresses to the point where we think it is wise to head to the hospital, then we will head that way.
- Once at the hospital, no IV(will concede to a heplock), no constant fetal monitoring(if possible), and laboring how it feels best.
- And that is basically it! I ended up wanting to push while reclining, that felt the most comfortable to me and my water didn’t break until completion so those were two non-issues last time that I hope will be the same again.
I mostly just want to be left to labor with Jim, my Mom, and my good friend who is a doula.
For Mabel:
To me, this is the section with the biggest changes from my previous delivery. I didn’t do a ton of research as far as what baby goes through and what the standard procedures are in the hospital after baby is born with Abigail. Obviously, it all turned out just fine, but there are certainly things I want to do differently this time around.
After Mabel is delivered, if all is well:
- I want her to be immediately placed on my chest for skin to skin and nursing.
- Delayed cord clamping
- Delayed bath
- Refusal of eye ointment
- Delaying the Hep B shot until a later pediatrician appointment
- Requesting that any and all checks, vitamin K shot, or other things be delayed until after the first nursing session or while she is on my chest.
- If possible, not use pitocin to expel the placenta and let it deliver when it is ready.
- And of course, keeping Mabel in the room with us at all times. Jim can go with her if they need to take her anywhere.
I’ve had a few different talks with my OB about my plans and she has been nothing but sweet and understanding about my ideas. Thankfully, I am a 100% low risk, textbook patient, so there isn’t any reason to worry much about how things will go. She also delivered Abigail and is aware of my previous labor and delivery, which I think helps keep our communication open. The hospital where I had Abigail has since closed it’s birthing center, but a brand new hospital just opened in March, so I should be using all new state of the art equipment and have been told that their birthing rooms are very similar to my previous experience(labor, deliver, recover all in the same room + room in with baby).
As my OB and I talked through my “plans” she just suggested that anything I say to the nurses about my desires to preface it with “Dr. B and I have already discussed this and she is aware of my wishes” or if she is present, just have Jim or my doula remind her of my plans(such as delayed cord clamping) so that we can achieve a great birth together.
So, at this point, in these last few weeks of waiting, I’m really just trying to prepare my heart and mind for what is coming. With Abigail, I was fiercely determined. And not so much nervous. This time, I feel anxious and scared because I can remember it hurting so badly. But, I know that it is what is best for me and for Mabel and I’m happy to choose it and do it the same way as I did with Abigail. I just need to get my head in the game before hand!
One verse that has particularly stood out to me that I have been memorizing in preparation for her delivery is a verse that showed up during this semester’s ladies bible study(we’re studying 1st and 2nd Thessalonians):
“We give thanks to God always for you all, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brethren beloved by God, that He has chosen you.” 1 Thessalonians 1: 2-4
Did you have a birth plan? What did it look like?
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I hate to admit it, but year’s ago, I thought “organic” was just a marketing ploy. I thought plastic bottles were all safe. I fed my family convenience foods that came in a box. I never gave any of it much thought. But over the years, I’ve learned that there are a lot of dangerous chemicals and additives, even in things you wouldn’t think would have any, and that avoiding them is hard! Searching the Internet can help, but a lot of the information is so overwhelming, it can be hard to know where to start.
I’m by no means an expert in living healthfully or organically, but these books and documentaries were really engaging and helped me learn how to make changes one small step at a time. Here are my top 5 books and documentaries that changed the way our family lives.
1. Fast Food Nation (Book)
I read this just after Super Size Me came out. It was the first time I had really thought about what was in fast food and what that could do to a person. This book starts out simply enough with the beginnings of modern fast food: the restaurants, how they started, how they created systems to make food quickly. Then it peels back that layer and starts going to the distributors, the factories and even the slaughterhouses. Hearing about the conditions, the additives and the lack of oversight will make you think about what you’re really eating at fast food places.
2. Food Inc (Documentary)
This engaging documentary will blow you away. A lot of the movie has to do with food laws: do you know if what you’re buying is genetically altered? What if the chicken in your dinner is cloned? Or from another country? You might be surprised to know all these dirty little secrets of food laws and the arguments both for and against each one.
3. Salt, Sugar, Fat (Book)
I borrowed this as an audiobook from my local library. Not only was it fabulous as an audiobook, but the content was life changing. The author talks about the history of cereal and how post-WWII, with women in the workplace, it rose to the breakfast food of choice by being convenient and choc-full of sugar (seriously, in the 70s they were open about it with Sugar Pops, Sugar Smacks and even Super Sugar Crisp). In the years since sugar became seen as a negative, some major companies have relied on false advertising about how students who ate certain frosted wheat cereal scored better in tests. These were false of course, and punished by the government, but those punishments were so small and so long after the offense that most people didn’t even know about them.
Salt, Sugar, Fat also talks about the soda industry as well as convenience foods like Lunchables. As a kid who grew up on Lunchables, I was horrified to find out the history of them and what goes into those delicious little squares of meat and cheese. This book also teaches you an important code word: cheesier. Whenever a company wants to sell more of a product, they make it cheesier. It ups the fat content which makes people crave it more. Once you hear examples of it though, you will not be able to stop seeing cheesier marketing everywhere you look.
4. The Human Experiment (Documentary)
I came across this a few weeks back as a recommendation on Netflix. It deals mainly with the chemicals in our everyday lives that are altering our health. It gives the example of BPA which we all know now was in our baby’s bottles just a few years back. Before that, there was data that showed that babies were being born with BPA in their bloodstreams, but the information was slow to get to the consumer. This movie also talks about chemicals you might not know about like the flame-resistant coating on children’s sleepwear, or the chemicals allowed in baby shampoo in the US that are outlawed in Japan. You start realizing that there are harmful chemicals in pretty much everything around you, the government knows it, but there are purposeful actions to keep you from knowing about it.
5. The Flavorists (60 Minutes, 2011)
This one has a sort of honorary spot on the list because it’s not so much a documentary as a 15-minute news story. In 2011, 60 Minutes was given a behind-the-scenes look at how flavors are created. It starts innocently enough with these scientists figuring out how to create fruity flavors in drinks, but then it moves on to how these flavorists make their products. All the flavors are chemicals. While natural flavoring may come from natural sources, they don’t necessarily come from anything you’d be interested in eating on purpose: like beavers. Then they talk to Dr. Kessler, the former head of the FDA about how packaged foods are full of additives that make the foods addictive and fattening. Can you guess what those additives are? Salt, sugar & fat…again. It’s a brief film, but will definitely change the way you look at the foods you find in the grocery store.
I admit that I’m not the best at knowing all the healthiest foods and in our family, we still do buy several things that are not healthy for us. However, knowing what to look for and the red flags has changed our habits tremendously. When we can easily find and organic option, we do. If we have the ability to make something ourselves instead of from a package or a restaurant, we make it. And when we are buying those packaged foods, we’re comparing the labels and looking for red flags and keywords. While we don’t make healthy choices 100% of the time, we’re doing it more and more and that’s better than where we started.
What have you watched or read that changed the way you look at chemicals in our lives?
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Written by Kari @ Live on Purpose, Contributing Writer
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if eating healthy didn’t have to be so complicated? I love talking to my grandmother, who is 83, and just listening to how different things were so many years ago. Do you know there was a day and time when people just ate. Yep – it was that simple. They grew gardens, they raised cattle, pigs, goats and sheep. They knew how to prolong their winter supply and utilize everything they had so it didn’t go to waste. Many towns had small, family owned markets to get stuff like flour, sugar and spices. There may have been more labor involved in their eating, but they never had to wonder if the food they were eating was “real” or “fake”, if it had chemicals sprayed all over it or if they animal had been treated humanely. They just ate.
Not so much today. Unfortunately, most people spend hours upon hours every week just trying to see if the food they are buying and eating is healthy or toxic. Think of all the label reading, menu scouring, waiter questioning and google searches that go into your weekly eating habits.
One of the most misunderstood and sometimes unheard of issues with our food supply today is GMO’s – genetically modified organisms. Yes, I teach classes, do consultations and host small group challenges – and so many people still have never even heard of the term, GMO.
When I first heard about this issue years ago, I was fascinated and have researched it over the past 10 years with somewhat of a vengeance. So much so, that I do everything I can to avoid eating foods with GMO’s as mush as I can, although I found that when we travel it’s not super easy.
What exactly are GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS Or GENETICALLY ENGINEERED INGREDIENTS?
Without getting into controversy here, I want to mention that there is much debate on the ethical boundaries of GMO’s and the fact that many countries ban any products with GMO’s and it’s illegal to grow anything with GMO’s – yet The United States allows them, grows them and supports them and their health benefits. In fact, many third party studies have shown such damaging effects of GMO, so we should be more cautious about these considering they never had studies done with genetically modified ingredients in the past. It’s also good to point out that the FDA does not require labeling and doesn’t feel it’s necessary as long as the companies declare it to be
safe.
Basically, food is altered in an unnatural way that is damaging our soil, hurting family farms and is disrupting the healthy functions of the physical body, in humans and animals. When you understand that this is an area that is understudied and short term and long term effects are mostly unknown still, we need to have better diligence when it comes to consuming foods containing these.
Personally I think the biggest concern is that the government and agencies do not feel we have the right to know what foods on the market contain GMO’s. This is disturbing, so it’s a good idea to do research on these foods, which companies use them and don’t and how to know what to look for when you are grocery shopping.
Below you will find a good list of companies that are GMO-free! Although there is no complete list that I have found – these are good resources and helpful for those who don’t have the time to do the research themselves. Get acquainted with the names. Print off the list and carry it with you when you go shopping. Look for stamps on foods that say “NON-GMO VERIFIED” or “CERTIFIED ORGANIC USDA”. These simple steps will help you narrow down your selections so you know which foods are safe to eat. They may not be as safe as going to your backyard, but for those who have to buy their food at the store – these two things will make a huge difference in your food choices.
Choose dairy that states it’s from grass fed cows. Ask if your meat is raised and finished on grass – you don’t want meat from a grain-fed cow, even if it’s organic meat. When buying chicken and eggs – you want pasture-raised. This will be the healthiest and most beneficial to your body.
Shopping doesn’t have to be hard, but unless you do a little research and have some resources you can turn to – it may be a part of your weekly routine that you dread. Get informed, be proactive and shop easy!
- GreenPeace PDF Guide to NON-GMO companies – click here
- GMO-Free Foods from Nourished Kitchen – click here
- NON-GMO Companies by Healthy Family – click here
- NON-GMO Shopping Guides and Tips Downloadable – click here
A couple quotes to think on:
“As far as genetic engineering for food, that is the great experiment that has failed. They literally have the entire world market against them. All those dreams… the blind will see, the lame will walk… has turned out to be science fiction. They are basically chemical companies selling more chemicals. They’ve been able to spread these herbicide-promoting plants around because it is more convenient for farmers who can just mass-spray their crops. But they’ve given absolutely nothing to the consumer while causing more chemical pollution and contamination.” – Lawyer, Andrew Kimbrell, executive director of the Center for Food Safety (USA)
“Any scientist who tells you they know that GMOs are safe and not to worry about it, is either ignorant of the history of science or is deliberately lying. Nobody knows what the long-term effect will be.” – Geneticist, David Suzuki, giving the 2008 Commonwealth Lecture in London
How will you be proactive when it comes to avoiding genetically modified foods?
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Review by Lisa @ This Pilgrim Life, Contributing Writer
On the 8th day of Christmas, day2day joys gave to me…
Insulated stainless steel water bottles from EcoVessel!
EcoVessel is a Colorado company offering great products for designed for toddlers through adults. They are committed to offering water bottles and food storage options are all BPA free, made of high-quality materials, and work really well! All their product are leak resistant and will not leach harmful chemicals into your drink or foods. They have so many different choices, there’s a great pick for everyone!
Features of EcoVessel Water Bottles & Food Storage:
- keeps drinks COLD
- bottles are easy to carry around and fit in most cupholders
- free of lead, phthalates, BPA & other harmful materials
- choices in glass and stainless steel
- easy to clean
- kid-friendly options
- free shipping on orders over $35 and a discount for new customers
-
Now for my review:
I was given a Summit Triple Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle with Flip Straw Spout (17oz) and a larger BigFoot Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle (45oz). I have loved my Summit water bottle and enjoyed the convenience of having the larger BigFoot water bottle to keep with me as well.
For a month now, the Summit water bottle has been my go-to water bottle of choice, despite having several other options at home. I love how well it keeps my drinks cold, how it never spills, and how it easily fits into a cupholder in my van or tucks into my bag for carrying along. The Summit has also become a favorite water bottle of my kids, too, since we often share the one bottle for convenience while we are out. I like that my toddler can easily use it without spilling.
While the Summit has been a great size for everyday use, the BigFoot has been really helpful for longer trips. Often when I know we will be out for a while, I will fill up the BigFoot water bottle as well to use as a refill for our smaller bottles. Because it is insulated and stainless too, I know that the water will stay cold until we need it. (Now that the weather is getting cooler, I’m also looking forward to filling it up with hot chocolate and taking it for picnics at the park!)
I really love these water bottles. They are so easy to clean. They don’t sweat all over me or my bag. And they are sleek and good looking too. 
What I Liked:
- My drinks stayed COLD
- The bottles stay clean
- We can all share the bottle
- Two sizes helped to ensure we had enough
- The bottles are completely mess-free!
What I didn’t Like:
- Nothing!
You can Buy It!
Go to EcoVessel and see all they have to offer! With so many different water bottle options and food storage choices, I’m sure you can find something for you and/or someone on your shopping list!
You can Win it!
Use rafflecopter below! If you win, you will get a Summit Bottle, you choice of the 17oz ($26.95 value) or the 24 oz ($28.95 value).
Click link here if widget isn’t showing up—> a Rafflecopter giveaway
Check out all the 12 Days of Christmas here!
Disclaimer: I, Lisa Burns, was given the product(s), to review with my fair and honest opinions. If you would like more info or to have a product reviewed, please contact Lisa.
**ALL of the 12 Days of Christmas giveaways end on December 7, 2015 at 11:59pm EST and is open to USA & Canada residents ONLY. One lucky winner will be chosen using rafflecopter and be notified by email. The winner will have 3 days to respond with their contact information, if they do not respond a new winner will be chosen. Must be 18 to enter. No purchase Necessary.
What is your go-to drink to carry around with you? Which water bottle would you choose?
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Written by Kari @ Kari Newsom Contributing Writer
It’s that time of year again.
As a Health and Nutrition Coach, I always have people ask me for some tips on how to successfully celebrate special occasions without completely going off the deep end when it comes time to eat.
The first and most important thing I always tell people is this:
ENJOY THE CELEBRATION!!!
All to often we try so hard to do ‘the right thing’ about the whole ‘eating during the holiday’ issue, that we actually end up NOT enjoying this time of year.
Don’t do that anymore. Eating healthy and making healthier choices isn’t about being miserable. I promise.
There are a couple pointers I like to give people who don’t want to go crazy, over indulge and completely get off track with their healthy lifestyle.
If you are like the average person, this time of year {or any celebration for that matter} can be a challenging time.
My family typically eats extremely healthy, BUT I don’t freak out and go crazy that I’m not getting my organic and fresh foods. I am always thankful that someone would take the time to prepare a meal for us to enjoy – whether it’s considered ‘healthy’ in my book or not. Since 98% of the time we eat extremely healthy and disciplined at home, I never feel guilty when those occasions arise where we aren’t able to eat that way.
If there are certain foods that you absolutely cannot eat (if you have allergies or have celiac, etc.) then speak with the host for that day and explain your situation and ask if it would be okay if you brought some of your own items so you can still sit down and enjoy the meal with everyone else. Many times you will find that the host may offer to make some dishes according to your needs. If your eating preferences are just that, preferences, then it’s up to you to make smart choices while you are filling your plate.
Here are a few tips that might help you out this Thanksgiving holiday:
1. Eat a Smaller Meal Beforehand
If you are prone to eating TONS of food and filling your plate to overflowing, then going back for seconds and thirds – try eating a small meal before you go to your Thanksgiving celebration. It doesn’t have to be a rich meal, just a small meal that will help fill you up enough where gorging out on food doesn’t look so appealing to you! You’ll still get to enjoy the food on the table, you just won’t be shoveling it all in your mouth like there’s no tomorrow.
2. Water
Drinking a glass of water about 30 minutes before sitting down to eat can make a person feel full, so you won’t end up eating as much.
3. Self-Control
Make a decision to only have one plate of food, which means smaller portions of each item. Not always easy, but your stomach will thank you for it once dessert time rolls around.
4. Mini Size It
If you are a dessert sampler like some {GUILTY], then don’t take full size servings of each dessert. Cut in half, thirds or quarters so you can sample all the wonderful goodies, without consuming the amount of an entire pie or cake by the time you’re done.
5. Control Your Eyes
If your eyes are always bigger than your stomach, then it’s about discipline, discipline, discipline! Just CONTROL yourself when filling your plate!!! Yes, it smells so good and looks amazing and Aunt Susie’s mashed potatoes are the bomb, but you don’t need a mountain of food to enjoy all that goodness.
Studies show that the first couple bites of food are the most intense and satisfying – taste wise. Even with amazing desserts, the more bites you take, the magnitude of it’s greatness starts to taper down a bit after the first few bites.
6. Going Back
Are seconds bad? I don’t think so, as long as your first servings weren’t gi-normous to begin with. Just remember that you don’t need to over do it! When your body tells you to stop eating – then STOP EATING!
7. Enjoy The Company
Make a conscious effort to enjoy the people around you. Aren’t we all gathering on Thanksgiving (or whatever celebration) to spend time with each other? Yes, so enjoy your company, engage in conversation, laugh and CHEW SLOWLY. This is a guarantee that you won’t eat as much when you talk with people and give your food a chance to settle and your brain is told that you’re full (this usually takes about 15-20 minutes to occur.)
8. Chew Chew Chew
Along with chewing slowly, we should all chew each bite 20-30 times before swallowing completely! I know you think I sound crazy, but you will reduce the amount of food you eat by quite a bit. Why? Since you’re taking the time to chew your food purposely, you won’t be gulping down large portions every 5 seconds and by the time you’ve been eating for 15-20 minutes and your body is saying ‘STOP, I’M FULL’ – you won’t have consumed nearly as much food. Also, chewing this many times is the most important part of digestions since it breaks down your food to a point that once it hits your stomach, your stomach won’t need to work so hard to continue the digestion process.
9. Nix Tons of Liquids While Eating
Try not to drink a ton of liquid while you are eating. The reason is because it dilutes your digestive juices in your stomach and then it takes so much longer for your body to digest your food. This can lead to you feeling so full that you feel sick to your stomach. Give your food a chance to do its job once its in your body!
All in all, we need to demonstrate self control and we are more than capable of doing that! Take time to enjoy the food that has been prepared for you and enjoy the people surrounding you. These holidays have a purpose behind them, so focus on those purposes instead of making the food the center and most important aspect of the day.
Most importantly, when it comes to the food you eat, pray over your food and thank God for the nourishment to your bodies and protecting you from any harm. Thank Him for the family and friends that are surrounding you and the many blessings you have in your life. Thank Him for the life you have. If you are reading this, then you are alive! What a wonderful thing. On top of that, you can’t be reading this post without a computer, ipad or smart phone! Be thankful! You are blessed! Now, be a blessing to others!
What simple things do you do during holiday celebrations to avoid over-indulging?
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Written by Kari @ Living Strong Wellness, Contributing Writer
It seems these days that good, restful sleep is hard to come by. Not only with adults, but children as well. As this is not an exciting fact, it is a reality and I believe we have a wonderful variety of natural options to help us.
For instance, there are herbal teas, essential oils, supplements and something I want to share with you today – magnesium butter.
Ahhh, this stuff is amazing. Why do I love it so much? Because it provides our body something that is lacking so severely in today’s generation – magnesium.
There are many benefits of healthy magnesium levels. To mention just a few:
- Magnesium helps muscle and nerve function. Serving as calcium’s vital partner, magnesium will allow calcium to do it’s job to build muscle growth.
- Magnesium plays an important role in gut health. Without good levels of magnesium aid in the absorption of copper, potassium, vitamin D and zinc. It also helps regulate blood sugar levels, which will lessen the risk for diabetes.
- Magnesium can help lower blood pressure or keep blood pressure low by allowing your muscles to relax, contract and push blood through the arteries and veins without force.
- Magnesium helps melatonin (the sleep regulating hormone) stay balanced, which allows for more peaceful sleep.
- Magnesium can help balance stress hormones, eliminating stress and tension and allowing for a more relaxed state of being (which in return will help with rest as well).
The list goes on and on, but those five points alone should get people’s attention when it comes to supplementing with safe sources of magnesium. Data from 2012 stated that 48% of the American population, 79% over the age of 55, were deficient in magnesium. This isn’t good, especially when it is such a vital mineral and nutrient for our bodies.
Along with taking a liquid mineral supplement, we use magnesium butter every evening before we go to bed. We just spread a thin layer either behind our knees or on our inner arm (where the skin in thin) and that’s it! I have made this for several family members and friends and they all love it and can tell a huge difference in their quality of sleep (especially the adults…go figure)!
The recipe is simple and last a long time on the shelf! We always use it, so we go through a 4 ounce container in about 3-4 months (three of us use it). Since the recipe doesn’t contain water, it would probably last a good 6-8 months if kept clean (wash hands before using the butter) and can always be extended to 12-18 months or longer if refrigerated!
You can make this recipe ‘naked’, meaning adding no essential oils, or you can add your favorite calming and sleep inducing oils such as lavender, cedarwood, vetiver, ylang ylang or sandalwood! If you are using therapeutic grade essential oils, only use a total of 40 drops of oils combined for this amount, which is one cup.
The end result with the color will vary depending on the type of shea butter you use. We use a raw shea butter that has a deep, deep yellow tone and rich scent and amazing benefits that trump refined and bleached shea butters.
Whipped Naked Magnesium Butter
What You’ll Need:
- 3/8 cups virgin coconut oil
- 3/8 cups raw shea butter
- ¼ cup magnesium oil (how to make it yourself)
- ¼ cup almond or jojoba oil
What You’ll Do:
- Melt the virgin coconut oil and raw shea butter over low heat just until it’s all liquid.
- Add the almond or jojoba oil, pour into a medium glass bowl and allow to cool to room temp. You can leave on the counter for an hour or so or you can stick it in the fridge to speed up the process. I like the fridge :o)
- Using a hand mixer or immersion blender, take your room temp oil mix, turn on the blender and slowly add the room temp magnesium oil.
- Mix or blend this until it is creamy. You can’t have any separation, which means, no water droplets anywhere. This can take a few minutes if the oils are room temp. If they are too warm, it will take longer.
- Place the bowl in the fridge for around 30 minutes. You want to see it starting to harden and solidify.
- Once it’s solidifying, remove the bowl and using the mixer or blender with a whisk attachment, whip the mixture until light and fluffy! If you are adding essential oils, do it during this step.
- Store in a glass jar or container and place in a cool, dark place.
I hope you enjoy the wonderful benefits of this magnesium butter that is safe for you and your entire family!
What is your favorite natural solution for calming and peaceful sleep?
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Tropical Delight Smoothie
What you need:
1 banana, sliced (either fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup pineapple, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup ice (this is optional and typically used when the fruit you are using isn’t frozen, if you are using frozen fruit, it usually is plenty cold and you won’t need the ice)
What to do:
What is your family’s favorite smoothie?
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Rather than spraying or lathering on chemicals that could be harmful to our bodies, especially after so much repeated use over the summer, here are twenty DIY remedies that can be easily made at home. Even if you are an essential oil newbie like myself, you can still find almost all the relief you need this summer from these simple remedies.
If making your own remedies is new to you or still seems overwhelming, pick two to three remedies that you will use most often to start with and go from there. Even substituting just one chemical-free remedy will get you closer to a healthier summer.
Natural Home Remedies to Keep You Safe this Summer:
Sun Protection & Burn Relief
- DIY After Sun Spray ll Firefly Fields Living
- Homemade Sunscreen ll Keeper of the Home
- Whipped Coconut Cooling Lotion ll Hip 2 Save
- Magnesium Body Butter ll Wellness Mama
- DIY Sunscreen Sticks ll MadeOn
Bug & Tick Repellants
- Natural Bug Repellants with Essential Oils ll Herbal Academy of New England
- Homemade Rosemary Lemon Bug Repellant ll My Baking Addiction
- DIY Natural Tick Repellant ll Kornerstone Farms
- Homemade Basil Mosquito Repellant ll Mommypotamus
- Natural Tick Repellant ll Primally Inspired
Itch Relief
- Homemade Itch Relief Spray ll The Frugal Farm Wife
- Homemade Calamine Lotion ll Nourishing Joy
- Poison Ivy Paste ll Earth Remedy
- Homemade Bug Bite Relief Stick ll The Prairie Homestead
- Lavender for Relief ll DIY Natural
Aches & Pain Relief
- Homemade Natural Neosporin ll Mrs. Happy Homemaker
- DIY Warming Rub for Sore Muscles ll Pop Sugar
- Pain Relief Rub ll The Paleo Mama
- Magnesium Oil Lotion ll Creative Christian Mama
- Pain Relieving Bath Salts ll The Good Thieves
Don’t forget to pin this list for future reference and check out these other posts on outdoor summer fun!
- The {Real} Magic Kingdom Series ll This Pilgrim Life
- Day Hiking with Kids ll Day 2 Day Joys
- 4 Outdoor Learning Activities with Kids ll Day 2 Day Joys
- The Risks and Benefits of Sun Exposure ll Keeper of the Home
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Written by Kari, Contributing Writer
Sometimes certain subjects aren’t exciting to talk about, but they affect our lives in more ways than we know. One of those is snoring. Yes, snoring and this is something that I have had to deal with in my 15 years of marriage. After 15 years of trying almost every way to eliminate this problem, it is FINALLY solved and we’ve had two months of snore-free nights. Now, I want to share with you how we got to this amazing place of peaceful and restful sleep – naturally!
First, lets look at some realistic statistics on this topic:
- 30% of people 30 or older snore
- 40% of people 40 or older snore
- 19% of adult females snore
- 59% of people who say their partner snores
- 5.6% of children snore habitually
- 28% of people who say they experience sleep apnea
- 38 decibels – the average decibel level of a snore
- Approximately 9% of all men and 4% of all women between the ages of 30 and 60 are affected by sleep apnea.
- Sleep apnea may occur in as much as 20 to 40 percent of the adult population that are snorers.
- The partner of someone afflicted with sleep apnea loses approximately one hour of sleep per evening and may wake up as many as 21 times per hour, a side-effect of apnea known as “Spousal Arousal Syndrome”.
- People that are suffering from obstructive sleep apnea are as much as six times more likely to be involved in a car crash then those without sleep disorders. This is due to the fact that they are drowsy from the condition.
- According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drowsy driving is responsible for at least 100,000 automobile crashes as well as 1,550 fatalities per year.
Now that we know this, isn’t it time we do something about it? On top of it, do something about it naturally.
Many of you already know the wonderful benefits of using therapeutic grade essential oils. Now, for me, I was always skeptical when it came to the properties of essential oils, although I’ve used them over the course of the past 22 years – mostly just for the scent, not the health benefits.
A few months ago, I came to a point I was pretty fed up with my husband’s snoring. Not fed up with my husband, but with the nearly sleepless nights I was getting because of this issue. Not only that – but sleep apnea had become a part of this issue, which is never fun. Laying awake at night, listening to the person you love stop breathing for short periods of time, waiting to hear them start breathing again. I also knew how this was affecting him. Read the statistics above if you need a reminder.
As a last resort, I asked a friend who used essential oils if there were any known oils that would help with snoring issues. She went through her book and gave me the names of some oil blends that were said to help eliminate snoring. I went ahead and ordered them along with the handbook, still skeptical, but desperate for something to work. Something that wouldn’t involve pills, surgery or machines.
Before we began applying the oils, I read through the essential oils handbook twice to make sure I had knowledge before blindly slathering therapeutic grade oils over my husband. I learned the why and how of using oils, the application, the cautions and everything I needed to know to understand why these should work.
Finally, the experimenting again. That’s how I looked at it – an experiment and I only gave it a week. I didn’t even jump in with both feet – I guess I was just hoping for the best and going for it.
Well, long story short, I began applying these 3 oil blends alternately (very important when using blends) every night on my husband’s chest and back and I am happy to say that we have had two months of snore-free nights! At first I thought it was a fluke, so we decided to stop using the oils for a couple nights, but the snoring returned, so we went back to using the oil blends.
Since seeing the results personally of using therapeutic grade essential oils, I pulled out all the books and information I’ve collected over the past 22 years and have had my nose in those books drinking in everything I’ve overlooked all these years. I am now also taking classes through a highly respectable certification program and have become a distributor of certified therapeutic grade essential oils through a non-MLM company.
I chose this company because it was the brand I first used and saw results with and I liked the fact that I can offer them to my clients a lower price than those from other companies since all middle men are removed. They are a wonderful, small company that sells high quality, therapeutic grade essential oils that work wonderfully!
If you would like to try to get some much needed rest in your home, you can take the steps we took and purchase our “Quiet Nights ~ Stop The Snoring Kit”! The kit is already a savings of 25% and you can get an extra 15% off by using the coupon code STOPSNORINGNOW!
We hope you find much success in using these oils as we did!
What are your favorite essential oil blends for natural remedies?
statistics gathered from:
http://www.exploringsnoring.com/snoring-statistics/
http://www.statisticbrain.com/snoring-statistics/
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Written by Contributing Writer, Kari at Living Strong, Health & Wellness
Snack time!
Personally, I’m not a big “snacker”. I can go meal to meal without needing any extra food to keep me going. Although, having a family, I need to have a plan on hand for our meals and snacks and then I need to make sure they are ready and available to eat!
My kids, on the other hand, seem to need a snack every 30 minutes. I can understand why since they are on the go, non-stop, active kids. This can present a problem when you are wanting to feed your family healthy foods that nourish the body. Unfortunately, the quick and convenient, grab and go processed options you find on the grocery store shelves don’t make the cut for me. It’s hard enough to make sure they have nourishing and healthy lunches everyday – then to add in snacks to mix, that means more creative ideas are needed!
I know it would be easier to go this route, but I’ve spent too many years building a strong foundation of health in my family, this is one area I don’t want to skimp on. This means I need to be creative in the kitchen when it comes to snacks.
I have a long list of snacks that we rely on, but one of our favorites are these Nut Butter Bites! The kids love helping with them as well – which I think makes them even more enjoyable. Kids love helping and being a part of creating the food they eat.
These amazingly healthy bites are a great snack for my active kids and only a couple are needed for them to feel satisfied. Packed with protein from the nut butter, a healthy source of energy from raw honey, good and healthy fat from the coconut and extremely low in sodium – you can ‘t go wrong with these delicious treats! They are more like a dessert than a snack. That’s always a plus!
To top off these already great nut butter bites, roll them in sucanat (unrefined cane sugar), shredded coconut, cocoa powder or mini chocolate chips (we like Enjoy Life! allergen-free brand). Hands down, these are healthier than any overly processed and refined ‘snack’ you can get off a shelf.
Sure, there’s a few minutes of time involved, but isn’t your family worth it? Of course they are!
Along with many other healthy snacks, appetizers, beverages, main dishes and desserts, this recipe can be found in my cookbook, Real Food. Real Kitchen. So Good! I hope you and your family enjoy these as much as we do!
- ½ cup organic natural peanut butter (no added ingredients, just peanuts) or nut butter of choice
- ½ cup organic raw honey
- ½ – 1 cup organic unsweetened coconut, finely shredded
- ⅓ cup organic mini dark chocolate chips, soy-free (we like Enjoy Life! brand, allergen-free)
- sucanat (unrefined sugar) for rolling the bites (other options: you can roll them in coconut, chocolate chips or cocoa powder)
- In a medium size bowl, mix the peanut butter and honey until combined thoroughly.
- Add the chocolate chips. You can add more or less according to your taste (I always add the larger amount).
- Add the coconut in ¼ cup amounts until the consistency reaches a thick, yet semi-sticky state.
- You don’t want it so sticky that you can’t roll it, but you don’t want it so dry that it wont hold together. Find the happy medium.
- Once you are able to roll them and they still have some stickiness to them, roll into balls and then roll in the sucanat.
- Place on wax or parchment paper on a baking sheet or plate.
- Refrigerate for a while so they can harden up a bit, transfer to a glass jar and keep in the fridge.
What is your favorite healthy snack?
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