Toxin Free Baby: Feeding Little Ones on the Run

Yesterday I asked you all for any questions that you had, and Kellye had a great one:

"When you go out with your family what do you feed your little ones? Suggestions on places to get ok food. I know that nothing out there is very good....but sometimes we have to make due with what we have at the moment. Just wondering!"

Thanks for your blog!!!!

Kellye

Great question Kellye! Feeding little people is hard enough at home, much less on the run! And especially at birthday parties, the mall, or Sunday school, where cookies, hot dogs, and Goldfish are the order of the day!

Fortunately, it is possible to keep little ones properly nourished, even when you're out and about.

Here are some of my tips:

1) Prepare, prepare, prepare! This goes for adults too! If you are in a situation where there is food, albeit unhealthy, and you are STARVING, you are much likely to give in.

So: feed your kids a good meal or hefty snack before you leave. And take healthy snacks with you like bananas, ( a serious favorite in our home) sliced apples, sprouted nuts, raw cheese, raisins, raw milk, or Jennie's macaroons.

I often feed our little guys these snacks to tide them over until we get home, when they can have a real meal. So if we're grocery shopping and lunch time is approaching, but we're not done yet, some banana or some raisins will usually keep the screaming away! :)

2) If you do find yourself in a situation where you need to purchase food, and you don't have anything with you, the key phrase is: wise choices. Again, this goes for adults too. Stick with simple dishes like meat and vegetables- ditch the complicated sauces, (which are usually loaded with toxins like MSG) the fries, the breads, the soda, and the dessert! I always say that just because you are eating out, does not mean you are obligated to order french fries! And stick with water.

3) As far as little ones go, the above principles would apply. Although it just hit me that our little ones have never eaten out, anywhere besides Whole Foods! If you have a health food store in your area, a lot of times they will have prepared foods- if you need to eat out, hit up Whole Foods before you go to Panera Bread or California Pizza Kitchen!

4) Do a search for restaurants in your area that do serve organic foods- for example, we have a restaurant about 20 minutes from our home that is 100% organic- amazing! You might have one in your area too! Check out http://www.localharvest.org/restaurants/ to find one in your area. I'd also recommend doing a google search with the phrase, "Organic food in X..." (Fill in your city and state.)

I hope these tips help you to feed your little ones well- even when you are on the go!

What Do You Want to Know? Send Me Your Questions!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! Ours was busy and somewhat relaxing, at least once the little ones went to sleep for the night!

I am going to be starting a regular, weekly post answering your questions- so I'd like to know:

What do you want to know?

It can be about anything regarding life on the Maker's Diet- menus, questions about the phases, product questions, feeding little ones, etc...

Please post a comment to this blog with your top 3 questions, and/or email me: makersdietmom@gmail.com.

And if you read this post later, feel free to still submit your questions- this is going to be an ongoing feature of the blog!

Thanks everyone!

Friday's Food For Thought: Why We Need Unprocessed, Living Food

From Stephen Blauer's, Introduction to Enzyme Nutrition:

"This supply {of enzymes}, like the energy supply in your new battery, has to last a lifetime. The faster you use up your enzyme supply, the shorter your life. A great deal of our enzyme energy is wasted haphazardly throughout life. The habit of cooking our food and eating it processed with chemicals and the use of alcohol drugs, and junk food all draws out tremendous quantities of enzymes from our limited supply.

Frequent cold and fevers and exposures to extremes of temperature also deplete the supply. A body in such a weakened, enzyme-deficient state is a prime target for cancer, obesity, heart disease or other degenerative problems. A lifetime of such abuse often ends in the tragedy of death at middle age."

Does this mean we have to eat all our food raw? No, but it's why we should choose whole, unprocessed, and raw foods rich in enzymes and probiotics like raw milk, kombucha, raw cheese and kefir.

Happy enzyme eating everyone!

Toxin Free Home: My Favorite All Purpose Cleaner

When it comes to cleaning, (I admit it, this is not something I'm in love with) I love a fresh scent to motivate me to get things done. That's what cleaning is all about, right? The result. But there's no point inhaling toxic chemicals and polluting your household air (and adding to your body burden) for a shiny sink.

Fortunately, you can have a fantastic result, a delightful scent, AND keep you and your family healthy!

You already know how much I have recommended Citra Solv's dishwashing detergent, and their dish soap.

I have another one of their products to recommend to you- their uber concentrated cleaner & degreaser. (Otherwise known as an all purpose cleaning solution)

This stuff is the best! I diluted it with water, per the instructions, for my everyday household cleaning like counters, mirrors, and even in the bathroom! However, that's only the beginning of what it can do- you can use it to clean your washing machine (amazing for cloth diaper users!) degrease an oven, or clean a boat or car.

And the smell is divine! It comes in Valencia Orange, and Lavender Bergamot. My favorite is the Valencia Orange flavor. (I'm partial to Citrus.)

Their concentrate works so well, that I am considering buying their laundry detergent, even though it is much more expensive than my beloved BioKleen. I just can't get over how clean these products get things, and the smell is just so heavenly.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do! See here for a store locator.

Toxin Free Body: Garden Fresh Tomato Salad Recipe

One of my favorite things about summer is garden fresh tomatoes. I love growing the old heirloom varieties organically. This year I grew a couple, one, a cousin of the Brandywine variety, and another smaller variety called Trophy.

After a severely hot several weeks, they have FINALLY started turning red. (Apparently heat over 90 degrees slows that process down) I have tons of lovely tomatoes now! Last night for a dinner I made a lovely tomato salad.

I think you'll enjoy it, especially if you can get yours fresh from the garden (or at least a local, organic Farmer's Market!) as well!

Garden Fresh Tomato Salad:
3-4 Large organic tomatoes
1 organic garlic clove
Several generous pinches of fresh organic oregano
Organic olive oil
Organic balsamic vinegar
Sea salt to taste

Cut the tomatoes into pieces (leave them chunky) and put into a bowl. Sprinkle the oregano over them, and then mince a garlic clove into the bowl. Splash with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle the sea salt in and mix it all together!

How easy is that? And it's delicious!

Enjoy!

Toxin Free Baby: Know Your Vaccine Ingredients

If you want to find a heated issue between parents, it's the issue of vaccines. And for good reason.

You can probably guess where I stand on the vaccine issue, but I really encourage you to do your own homework. I saw this website last night that lists out vaccine ingredients, and I had to pass it along.

http://www.momtoanangel.net/ingred.htm

I was truly appalled by some of the ingredients: formaldehyde, antifreeze, and aborted human fetal cells to name a few.

I will be discussing more on this vaccine issue in the future, but for now, check out this site! (By the way, these ingredients are also listed on the CDC's website)

Again, here's the original article:

http://www.momtoanangel.net/ingred.htm

Pesticides & Flame Retardants Linked to ADHD

My husband saw this great article on Google News this weekend, and I had to pass it along to you.

Basically, it's a study done by a UC Berkeley professor who "found higher pesticide exposure during pregnancy was significantly associated with attention problems in children aged 5 years."

Pesticides are proven neurotoxins, which means they are toxic to the nervous system- which includes the brain, spine, and eyes.

Check out the original article for yourself: http://www.foodconsumer.com

Friday's Food for Thought- Have You Heard About the Eggs?

I thought today would be a nice day to take a break from learning the how to's of Phase One, and be reminded how important it is to do the Maker's Diet in the first place.

One of the major reasons to stick with the Maker's Diet is that the conventional food industry in this country is in trouble!

I had to make sure you have heard about the massive egg recalls.

Over 2,000 people in the United States have been infected with salmonella poisoning, and over 380 million eggs have been recalled!

In contrast, your chances of getting salmonella poisoning from a free range, organic egg, are greater than your chance of winning the lottery!

Don't take chances with your health and with your family's health! Get the good stuff, and leave the bad stuff- salmonella, antibiotics, and pesticides- off your family's table!

For the original article, see:

http://www.nytimes.com/

How to Get Started on the Maker's Diet: Step 4

Ok, so you're ready to go. You've read the book, you've committed to the 40 days, and you are ready to head to the store.

So what do you buy?

When I get started on the Maker's Diet, I couldn't find too much online help. I didn't know anyone who had done it, so I just took my book with me on about 100 shopping trips. In fact, it became quite a conversation piece, sitting in my cart. :)

Here's my tips for how to get started on Phase One- my favorite Phase One food recommendations.

#4 Tip for Getting Started on the Maker's Diet:

Make your shopping list, and plan out what you will eat one week at a time.

Ok, get out your copy of the Maker's Diet. The phase one food items are listed on page 201. There are also sample menus listed on page 210. I followed these recommendations very closely, just to make life easy.

Let me just say: phase one is HARD. It is especially hard if, like me, you are switching from processed food overnight. Your body gets out a lot of junk, and you realize how incredibly insanely dependent you are on bread. And crackers and cookies and sugar.

Here were some of my favorite Phase One Foods: (For a complete listing of acceptable phase one foods, see p. 201 of the Maker's Diet)

1) Wild caught tuna
2) Sprouted organic almonds
3) Lots of organic eggs!
4) Goat's milk yogurt (I would have shuddered at the thought previously, but it became suddenly AMAZING when you just want some dairy in phase one!)
5) Raw Almond Butter
6) Strawberries (Fresh or Frozen)
7) Raspberries (Fresh or Frozen)
8) And lots of grilled meats with steamed veggies, roasted chickens, salads, and lettuce wraps with organic turkey bacon, tomato, mayo, and avocado (My husband made that one up!)

For specific brand recommendations, we really enjoyed:

Meats:
1) Applegate Farms "The Great Organic Beef Hot Dog"
2) Applegate Farms Organic Pork Free Turkey Bacon
3) For other traditional cuts of meat, see the meat section of your local health food store. (All grass fed and organic are the best, for poultry, organic & free range, for fish, wild caught, must have fins and scales. Meaning, it originally did, even if they're gone now!)

Dairy:
1) Redwood Hill Farms Organic Goat's Milk Yogurt
2) Organic Valley Cultured Unsalted Organic Butter (Yellow package)
3) Organic Pastures Raw Butter

Condiments:
1) Spectrum Naturals Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2) Nutiva Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil
3) Thai Organic Coconut milk/cream
4) Bragg's Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
5) Spectrum Naturals Organic Omega-3 mayonnaise
6) The Grain & Salt Society Celtic Sea Salt, or Real Salt sea salt
7) Frontier flavoring extracts: Organic vanilla (very tasty mixed in the goat's milk yogurt with some berries!)
8) For all organic spices (pepper, cumin, cinnamon, etc) I love the brand "Frontier"
9) Rejuvenative Foods organic salsa, or any other fresh organic brand (Better yet, make your own!)
10) Rejuvenative Foods raw almond butter (Maranatha also makes a good one)
11) Westbrae Naturals ketchup (sugar free)
12) Woodstock Farms organic mustard
13) Woodstock Farms organic tomato sauces
14) Barlean's Organic Flax seed oil

Fruits:

1) Frozen fruit: I like Cascadian Farms and Woodstock Naturals organic brands

Beverages:

1) Plain (no fruit juice added) kombucha
2) Sparkling water like Gerolsteiner
3) Spring water, I like Whole Foods 2.5 gal containers

Sweeteners:

1)Really Raw honey is my favorite! If your store doesn't carry it, you can order online, or look for honey at your store that says it is unfiltered, unheated, un- everything! :)

Well this is all I can think of for now. I hope this list helps you get Phase One onto a great start! For more details, be sure to see page 201 of the Maker's Diet.

How to Get Started on the Maker's Diet: Step 3

All right, so you've read the whole book, you've committed 150% to the 40 day experience, and you're ready to go. What next?

#3 Tip for Getting Started on the Maker's Diet:

Figure out where you will do your shopping.

When we started the Maker's Diet, I was doing all my shopping at Costco. I went grocery shopping once a month! (Let's just say we weren't eating too many fresh fruits and veggies!)

But once we committed to doing the 40 days, and had set our start date (which was two days after I finished reading the book) I headed to Whole Foods, for a completely new experience.

I had no idea what I was doing, (they didn't sell Doritos there!) but armed with my copy of the Maker's Diet, I spent several hours perusing the aisles and making my selections.

Tomorrow I will discuss my favorite brands for products in Phase One. But today, here's some great resources for locating Maker's Diet friendly food in your area.

1) www.localharvest.org

This is a great website for locating Farmer's Markets and CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture) in your area. You can also use it to search for co-ops.

2) www.eatwild.com

This site is excellent for locating local organic, grass fed meats and milk.

3) www.realmilk.com

This is THE comprehensive listing for raw milk in the United States. You are bound to find somewhere near you! I also recommend getting in touch with your local Weston A. Price Foundation chapter leader, (via email) who can direct you to great food sources in your area.

4) www.wholefoods.com

Ok, so you all know about Whole Foods already. I admit, I'm pretty disenchanted with them right now. I'm very unhappy about their recent decision to remove kombucha from store shelves. (They say it will be back, but I don't buy it, and if it is, it will pasteurized.) BUT, that nothwithstanding, they are still currently the nation's largest retailer of natural and organic products. And chances are, there's one in your area.

5) www.traderjoes.com

I love Trader Joe's! I miss it, there's not one in Missouri. Check and see if there's one in your area!

6) www.eatwellguide.com, www.organicstorelocator.com, and www.coopdirectory.com

These are a few great search engines for finding even more organic food in your area!

Between all these resources, you're bound to find something in your area.

Happy shopping!

How to Get Started on the Maker's Diet: Step 2

Ok, so now that you've read the whole book, cover to cover, what do you do next?

Here's my second tip for starting the Maker's Diet:

#2 Tip for Getting Started on the Maker's Diet:

Commit to sticking it out for the whole 40 day experience.

I mean, really go in 100%. Don't pick and choose the parts of the program you "like" and leave out the rest. Don't do phase one for a few days, fall off the wagon for two weeks, and start over. Just plan beforehand that come hell or high water, no matter what is going on in your life, you will complete the 40 days.

Otherwise, your results will be sketchy, and then you'll loudly proclaim, "The Maker's Diet doesn't work!" I promise it won't work if you don't do it properly! : )

With that in mind, let's look at what you are committing to for 40 days.

The Maker's Diet is a three phase program, for a total of 40 days. The phases are two weeks each.

Phase one is designed to detox you and balance your insulin levels. (Most Americans' insulin levels are severely out of whack, it's all the coffee, fast food, soda and sugar)

Phase two is designed to bring your immune system and blood sugar to optimal levels.

Phase three is the lifetime maintenance phase- you just stay on this phase permanently.

With these factors in mind, it's REALLY worth it to go through all three phases. Don't skip ahead! The first two weeks are grueling, but they give amazing results! You really need to go through it- you will feel amazing after a couple weeks!

There is also a lot of weight loss that usually occurs as you detox. When I first did the Maker's Diet 5 years ago, I lost 20 lbs during the first few weeks. (I wasn't even wanting to lose weight.) I have a friend whose close friend went from a size 10 to a size 0 during the 40 days. (She was eating the typical Standard American Diet before)

So don't shortchange yourself! Go through ALL three phases, and follow the guidelines 100%. Make a commitment beforehand to do it. I promise you it will be well worth it!

How to Get Started on the Maker's Diet: Step 1

Many people ask me, "What should I change first if I want to get started on the Maker's Diet? Help!"

It can seem so overwhelming, so unattainable and stressful to change so many things about your life, especially if you do it all at once like we did.

The good news is: it doesn't have to be that hard. Yes, it is work, and it's an adjustment, but with a little planning, and a little help, it can be much easier! This week I'll be sharing my tips for easily getting started on the Maker's Diet.

#1 Tip for Getting Started on the Maker's Diet:

Read the Book.
I can hear you saying, "What? Duh!" But seriously, there are many who have endeavored to follow the Maker's Diet without fully reading the book, and I mean cover to cover.

The problem with this is: if you don't understand WHY you should be doing this in the first place, you're likely to fall off the wagon easily, and it doesn't take too many falls before you completely- or mostly- throw in the towel.

Knowledge is power. So go, empower yourself to run the lifetime race of optimal health. Read the whole book!

Toxin Free Body: Men's Cologne

Last week, my good friend Christine said her husband was looking for a "neurotoxin free" cologne. After I got through smiling because of Trevor's knowledge of the word "neurotoxin," I did some online hunting.

Based on my research, there are only a few organic/natural brands with a wide range of personal care products that are COMPLETELY toxin free. (If you know of more, please feel free to chime in!) These are Aubrey Organics, Mychelle Dermaceuticals, MiEssence, and Nature's Paradise.

To my knowledge, these are the only brands that are 100% toxin free across the board, meaning you can buy any of their products and know they are totally safe.

In light of that knowledge, I first looked at Aubrey Organics website because I personally love their toxin free women's perfume. And sure enough, they did have three fragrances for men. They're technically aftershaves, but they do double duty as cologne.

Since my husband and I had our 6th wedding anniversary last week, I decided to pick one up as a present for him. I headed over to Whole Foods to sample the three scents.
There are three to choose from: City Rythyms, a clean smelling fragrance, North Woods, an uber manly, piney/spicey blend, and Spice Island, a cinnamoney sweet blend with a spicy finish. I chose Spice Island, and gave it to my husband for our anniversary. We both love the scent!

Check them out for yourself at Aubrey Organic's website, and for further info on the toxic chemicals contained in conventional perfume and cologne, see this great article by the Environmental Working Group.

Supplements I Take: Part 4

To wrap up our series, here are the final supplements we take on a daily basis!

Garden of Life Vitamin D3:I'm sure you've heard a ton of buzz about the necessity of Vitamin D. Check out www.mercola.com for more info on why you absolutely need enough Vitamin D!

This next vitamin is another supplement I've been taking for the last 5 years. It has totally saved my digestive system! Enzymes are so important for our bodies, and they have been scientifically proven to extend life! They are also absolutely essential for anyone struggling with digestive issues, although I think everyone would benefit from them!

We also take Garden of Life's Perfect Food Berry, which is packed with more dark leafy greens than any other green drink on the market. It also contains antioxidants from berries and acerola cherry, and is equivalent to drinking 5 servings of your daily fruits and veggies.

We also take Garden of Life's cod liver oil, which is an incredible source of Vitamin A & D, and DHA! And let me just say, ladies, cod liver oil dispels any breakouts from my face, and makes my hair so shiny! Whenever I run out for a few days, I invariably break out some, and my hair doesn't look as good. :) This is also the cod liver oil that both our boys take.
Finally, I take Garden of Life's Living Calcium when I'm pregnant, (did with both boys) since adequate calcium intake in the first trimester particularly can prevent pre-eclampsia. I have also found it to be very helpful if I happen to get a headache (I sometimes get them when I don't sleep enough) because it contains both calcium, and magnesium as well. (These minerals fight inflammation in your body.)

Again, you can buy these supplements at www.choicenutritionals.com, www.vitacost.com, and www.amazon.com.

Happy supplement taking everyone!

Supplements I Take: Part 3

Did you know that nearly 70% of all Americans take a multivitamin of some sorts on a daily basis? It seems that the majority of us get that we need to supplement our diets. The problem is most of the supplements people buy are at best ineffective, and at worst, toxic. The other problem is that many people expect supplements to work wonders, but they don't change their diets or lifestyles in any way.

A multivitamin is incredibly important for adults of all ages. As I said before, it's nearly impossible to eat all the nutrients our bodies truly require for optimal health. And did you know that the Recommended Daily Allowances, (i.e. the percentages you see on the side of the bottle) are really only necessary for your body's survival, not for optimal health?

My husband and I take a multivitamin every day. I love Garden of Life's Raw Vitamin Code Prenatal formula for when I'm nursing or pregnant. It's especially formulated for pregnant and nursing mama's, and contains great amounts of easily absorbed (and therefore properly utilized) folic acid, Vitamin D3, minerals like iron, manganese, zinc, and the important B vitamins.

The men's vitamin, Vitamin Code Men's, is also awesome. It contains key nutrients like lycopene, the B vitamins, and Vitamin E, which support prostate health, heart health, and vision health.

You can check out these awesome products at Choice Nutritionals, Vitacost.com, and Amazon.

Happy multivitamin taking everyone!

Supplements I Take: Part 2

Yesterday I briefly discussed why I believe taking supplements is so important. Over the next few days I will share with you which supplements I take on a daily basis, and why!

The very first supplement I started taking when I began the Maker's Diet 5 years ago was Garden of Life's amazing probiotic, Primal Defense. Oh I love my Primal Defense. I think everyone should take it. It has completely rebuilt my digestive system. There was a season when I took 9 capsules a day to help my severe stomach problems. I don't know where I'd be without it. ( I now take 3 capsules daily)
There is no other probiotic like it on the market. It contains HSO's, or Homeostatic Soil Organisms, the beautiful microorganisms we should be getting naturally in our food supply, but aren't because our use of chemicals has sterilized our soils, depleting them of nutrients.

Even organic food is not what it should be. These microorganisms are responsible for our health- did you know that 85% of your immune system is in your digestive tract? A healthy person has a ratio of 85% bad bacteria, and 15% good bacteria.

When those numbers get tilted, then sickness sets in. That's why so many people seem to get sick "suddenly." It wasn't sudden, however. Choice by choice, their internal environments were being taken over by harmful bacteria, but you can't see what's going on in there! Then finally- the scales tip completely in favor of the bad guys- and whammo, you're sick. Don't let that happen! The best defense is a good offense.

Primal Defense is impervious to natural stomach acids, are not isolated probiotics, (they are not separated from their original food source, they are fermented along with it) and kill bacteria, viruses, and yeast. These tough creatures populate your gut and serve as your first line of defense against sickness, poor digestion, and disease.

Our two boys also take the kid's version of Primal Defense. This product is especially helpful for children who suffer from frequent ear infections.

My favorite places to buy these awesome products are: Amazon, Vitacost, and Choice Nutritionals.

Have a great weekend everyone!

You Asked: What Supplements Do I Take, and Why?

Many people ask me which supplements I take, and why. For some reason there seems to be quite a controversy about the necessity of supplements. While it's true that there are some wacky, unnecessary ones out there, it's more true that our diets today are severely lacking in the nutrients we need for optimal health.

My personal opinion is this: unless you are eating 10 servings of pristine, Garden of Eden quality servings of fruits and veggies everyday, (6 of those being leafy greens like kale & swiss chard by the way) plentiful daily servings of sea vegetables, and spending 4-5 hours every day outside in direct sunlight, year round, with most of your skin exposed, you need supplements.

I'm not doing those things either.

Which is why I take supplements.

I take Garden of Life's supplements, and have for the last five years. I have tried other brands, but they never seemed to work as well and gave Mark and I stomach aches. These were not Costco brands either- they were high quality supplements from well respected companies.

Many people balk at the prices of high quality supplements, since you can get things so much cheaper from wholesale clubs and supermarkets. But the reality is this: if your body does not properly absorb the nutrients, you are wasting your money.

If the products are cheap, synthetic, include artificial ingredients, or even are whole food but not properly prepared, you're not getting what that bottle is saying your getting. Don't waste your money. Buy the good stuff.

So there you have it- my explanation for why our family takes supplements, and why I think you should too! Tomorrow I will show you the supplements we take on a daily basis!

Toxin Free Body: My Favorite Personal Care Products: Part 2

Yesterday I shared some of my favorite toxin free shampoos, soaps, and toothpaste with you all. Last night I remembered a few more products that we love, and thought I'd share them too!

1) Here's our favorite toxin free floss, made by Radius:It works really well, and is easy to slide in between your teeth. It's made from silk and beeswax. Sounds luxurious, huh? I've tried other brands of natural floss, and didn't like the flat shape. Radius is a winner! You can buy it at Whole Foods, online, or at most health food stores.

2) Every soap's dream- being used with a toxin free sea sponge! We have found the best results with our beloved Miracle Soap when we use it with a natural sea sponge. It lathers beautifully, and the best part about a sea sponge is that it resists germs, unlike synthetic sponges, which are not only breeding grounds for bacteria, but are also made from petroleum byproducts.

Natural sea sponges last much longer than synthetic sponges! You can buy them at any natural foods store, or online. THe sponges pictured below are from The Natural Bath and Body Shop.

3) Lastly, here is the hair gel Mark is currently using. It is Burt's Bees Men's Hair Gel, and it works really well. Although, I have to admit that I'm currently on a hunt for some paraben, phthalate free pomade, so if you find some, do let me know! ;)Happy toxin free grooming everyone!

Toxin Free Body: My Favorite Personal Care Products

Yesterday, I asked you what questions you had about life on the Maker's Diet. Several of you wrote asking which personal care products I preferred: i.e. shampoo, soap, toothpaste, etc... Here are my answers!

(Note: these products were selected after much personal research- just because you can buy a product at a health food store does NOT mean it is toxin free or healthy! Many of the "organic" companies use toxic preservatives and chemicals like parabens and phthalates as much as any conventional brand.)

My favorite shampoo brands:

Aubrey Organics is a truly awesome brand of personal care products. They are totally organic and toxin free. I also love their perfume!You can buy their products online, and at most Whole Foods.

Although I've used Aubrey Organics hair care frequently (and love their hairspray, and men's hair gel) some of their shampoos made my hair very oily, since many of them contain coconut oil. (My hair is prone to being oily, but it's exacerbated with the wrong shampoo). The shampoo pictured above would be a good choice for you if you have a similar issue. :)

In light of that, I currently use Desert Essence Organics shampoo and conditioner, although I do not like that they put phenoxyethanol in their products. If it were a lotion and not a product I was immediately rinsing out, I wouldn't buy it. But they work really well, and smell great!!!

I especially love their Red Raspberry Shine Enhancing shampoo, and I also use their Red Raspberry conditioner. Again, you can get their products online or at most Whole Foods.

For body soap, Mark and I are totally in love with Miracle Soap. Miracle soap is an amazing product- I have never felt so clean with any other soap. It is gentle enough for a baby's skin (and we do use it for our little guys) and tough enough to degrease stoves, ovens, and dirty dishes. It is super concentrated, and a little goes really far. We use Miracle Soap for body wash, for hand wash in our bathrooms, and as Mark's shampoo. (I found it too drying for my hair, but it's great for his.)
We just dilute it and put it in a foamer bottle for our use as hand soap. It is not available in most health food stores, just online. We buy it by the gallon (lasts us 4-5 months) from http://miracle2distributors.com

For toothpaste, I love Jason's Organic Sea Fresh Fluoride Free toothpaste. It is toxin free, works wonderfully, and tastes great too!



Mark and I both love this toothpaste. We have used it for several years. You can buy it at almost any natural health food store.

I hope this list of my favorite products help you begin your journey to toxin free body care!

Ask Away!

Ok, so I know I fire a lot of information at you all week long. Now I want to know, what is that YOU want to know about? What questions do you have about life on the Maker's Diet?

I'll be starting a post each week where I answer your questions. I can't guarantee I'll know the answer, but I promise I'll give it my best shot! :) Chances are, though, I've run into the same question in the last 5 years. I'll be happy to help!

For this week's post, please submit your questions as a comment to this post.

I look forward to hearing your most pressing questions! :)