Coming Tomorrow: SURPRISE!

Hey everyone! I hope you all had a great Father's Day weekend!

Just wanted to let you all know...be sure to check in tomorrow for an awesome surprise I have for you...something I am very excited about!!!

See you then!

Toxin Free Body: Sale on Organic Blueberries Tomorrow!

I got an email from Whole Foods last night announcing an awesome sale on Friday: organic blueberries for only $1.99 a pint! I will definitely be going to pick some up! Blueberries are currently in season, are loaded with antioxidants, and are also high in fiber!

And they are so easy to use! Use them in yogurt, smoothies, in baked goods, or just straight out of the box!

Enjoy the great price tomorrow on one of the world's healthiest foods!

The Perils of Shopping at Whole Foods...

Ok, my sister in law sent this video to my husband this morning, and I had to share. It is hilarious, and so accurate! (Especially in CA, where I'm from.)

If you want a good laugh, check it out. I have to warn you that they do use a couple of curse words, (the "s" word and "hell") so just be aware of that before you watch!

Enjoy!

Friday's Food for Thought: Never Feed Your Child Food From a Microwave Oven!

If you want your kids to grow up healthy, then ban a microwave oven from your home! Check out this Dr. Mercola article to find out why!

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/06/10/now-they-want-you-to-microwave-your-toddlers-food-in-plastic-bowls.aspx

Have a great weekend everyone!

Toxin Free Body: Best Ever Hot Dogs for Summer!

I don't know about you, but I have always loved hot dogs. Melt some cheese on top, add a whole bunch of mayo, ketchup, mustard, and some bread or hot dog buns- YUM!

But conventional hot dogs are filled with everything gross under the sun! Avoid them at all costs!

The good news is, there is a fabulous organic alternative that tastes GREAT!

I think these hot dogs are our family's favorite food.

They are organic, made from grass fed beef, and full of omega-3's. You have to try them for yourself- they are amazing on the grill, or even on the stove top.

Check out more info at their website:
http://www.applegatefarms.com/products/organic_hot_dog.aspx

Let me know if you get some, and what you think! I promise you'll love them as much as we do!

Aspartame: Avoid it Like the Plague!

In case you or anyone you love regularly drink beverages sweetened with toxic aspartame, check out this Dr. Mercola article describing how aspartame is linked to cancer:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/06/08/aspartame-toxic-sweetener.aspx

And avoid it like the plague! :)

Toxin Free Baby: Straw Sippy

For the last 6 months or so, I've been on a hunt for a sippy cup. Not just any sippy cup, mind you, but a toxin free model that meets my high standards, and also has a straw.

Talk about a lot of criteria! Some have a straw but are only BPA free, not phthalate free, and some are neither. I wanted all of the above, and so I am pleased to introduce the Zoli Bot straw sippy!

I had seen it online before, but hesitated to buy something I couldn't see in person. However, when my beautiful friend Rebekah of Mixbook.com (head over to their site for some memorable Father's Day presents!) said her daughter loved it, I decided to make the $14.95 plunge.

Seems expensive for a sippy, and it is. But we love it too! Micah (18 months) caught the hang of the straw in less than a day. He also loves the handles. Nathaniel loves the handles, too, so much so that he is always swiping Micah's sippy and running off with it! It also has a flip top cap which both of the boys love.

What I love:

It doesn't leak, it has a straw, it holds 6 oz, it's kid friendly and unbreakable, and most importantly, it's BPA & phthalate free. It also comes in orange and pink!

Check it out at their site: http://www.zolibaby.com/products/feeding/green-bot#

Toxin Free Home: Vinegar for the Laundry

If you need a helping hand with the cleaning, look no further than the $2 bottle of vinegar at your local drugstore or Walmart. You can get an enormous bottle of vinegar that will last a long time, and using it for everything from laundry to cleaning your drains!

I'd like to highlight the use of vinegar for the laundry today- I use it regularly as a toxin free fabric softener. I use 1 cup of vinegar, and you're just supposed to add it to the final rinse cycle! It's so easy (and cheap) and it really works!

It also works great for stripping ammonia from cloth diapers.

Hope that helps you save some money and some chemicals!

What are your other favorite uses for household white vinegar?

Friday's Food for Thought: Cell Phones & Brain Cancer

I saw this in the Weston A. Price Foundation newsletter online, and had to pass it on:

CELL PHONES AND BRAIN CANCER

"Does epidemiological evidence show an association between long-term cell phone usage and the risk of developing a brain tumor? Yes, it does.

A recently published meta-analysis indicates that use of a cell phone for ten years or more approximately doubles the risk of being diagnosed with a brain tumor on the same side of the head as that preferred for cell phone use.

For two types of cancer (glioma and acoustic neuroma) the data showed statistical significance (Surgical Neurology, 2009 Sept;72(3):205-14). What to do? Send text messages, use a land line and limit cell phone use to short emergency calls. Above all, eat plenty of good fats, especially choline-rich egg yolks, which will protect your brain."

Before you pass this off as health hodgepodge, know that my husband Mark saw an article saying this exact same thing on Google news about 3 days ago. I'll have to find it and pass it on!

One other solution not mentioned in this article, pick up a radiation reducing headset from Dr. Mercola. Note: traditional headsets actually INCREASE radiation from cell phones. Dr. Mercola's reduces it significantly and costs less than $30, with discounts for family packs. A small price to pay when brain cancer is a possibility!

Check it out here: http://products.mercola.com/blue-tube-headset/

Toxin Free Home: All Natural Room Freshener

We all love a home that smells wonderful, clean, and inviting, but when most room fresheners and candles are loaded with cancer- causing toxins like phthalates and petroleum byproducts, what are we to do?

I have discovered a wonderful room freshener spray by Aura Cacia. They use only 100% essential oils in their products, they smell lovely, and they work great! I bought the tangerine grapefruit one for the bathrooms, (the process of cloth diapers can be a little, ahem, smelly!) and we've been loving it.

They also sell electric air fresheners that you can plug in, and diffusers for your car!

So throw out those toxic room fresheners you have, and get some real essential oils to do the job!

Check out their site:

http://www.auracacia.com/auracacia/acproducts/acaccessories.html

Food for Thought: Sleep, Beautiful Sleep

With a newborn in the house, ANY article talking about sleep grabs my attention these days!

Check out this article from Dr. Mercola talking about how loss of sleep can damage your brain! Uh oh!!! : )

Get a good night's rest tonight everyone!