CELEBRATE DAD: Make it a Nutritous Father's Day!

Celebrate Dad!!  FATHER'S DAY: Sunday, June 16th!  What is a greater gift than something that promotes a nutritious lifestyle?  Check out what Vitasprings has to offer - many health and wellness needs for Dad!!  Gift Certificates available in the following amounts: $10, $30, $50 & $100

Here are some coupon codes below, too!!



Coupon VITASPRINGS15OFF for $15 OFF on Any Order over $140

Coupon VITASPRINGS10OFF for $10 OFF on Any Order over $108

Coupon VITASPRINGS6OFF for $6 OFF on Any Order over $70

Coupon VITASPRINGS2OFF for $2 OFF on Any Order over $30

Coupon vitasprings1off for $1 off on any orders over $20


Happy Father's to all the Dads out there!!  
 

SUPPORT BOSTON: Boston Running Strong Tees

SUPPORT BOSTON!
100% of proceeds will be donated to One Fund Boston, Inc.
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Tom Menino have announced the formation of The One Fund Boston, Inc. to help the people most affected by the tragic events that occurred in Boston on April 15, 2013.

CLICK ON A SHIRT TO PURCHASE! $25.00.

WOMEN'S TEE


 MEN'S TEE



Give Lovingly!!

Nutrition Hungry Mom

Why do I call myself a "Nutrition-Hungry Mom"?  

I strive to help others become nutrition-conscious.  In life, we cannot have control over everything, but we can control the foods we consume!!  Do not turn your body into a wasteland!  Many of us like a clean home to live in and do all that we can to keep dirt & germs out - we sanitize, dust, vacuum, de-clutter, etc.  Now, how about using this relative approach with our body! 

For those that know me, I am pretty nutrition-crazed.  I love unprocessed, all-natural foods and encourage nutritious eating in a delicious way!  From the moment my daughter started to eat the same foods my husband and I eat, she was given all-natural foods packed with the highest nutritional value.  Now, my daughter is 3.5 years old and she opens the fridge interested to eat fruits, vegetables, poultry, grains, lean-meats, and lean dairy products.  Because of what I stock my refrigerator and pantry/cabinets with, my daughter only sees nutritious foods, so that is what she asks for.  

People have asked me time and time again, how do you get your daughter to eat so nutritiously?  The answer is, "my husband and I had to set the example immediately because we were the first ones she would learn from and because of that our refrigerator and pantry/cabinets are filled with nutrition-packed foods...NOT JUNK".  Many of us who are parents know how impressionable kids are and that they look up to us, so whatever we are eating, they usually want, too!  I truly get disappointed, when I see parents give their kids sodas,  sugar-packed mixed coffee drinks and excessive amounts of sweets.  Why?  Kids are already naturally energetic and do not need artificial energizers (ie: caffeine and sugar).  I have even talked to people that asked me about my eating habits because they would like to change something about theirs, so I tell them all that I consume: all-natural foods, high protein, low carbs, high-fiber, whole grains and avoid fast-food places & excessive amounts of sugar.  It is funny because they tell me that they already do that, but also tell me that they are having problems with their weight, so that leaves me to think..."are they really doing what they say they are doing"?  I can pretty much guarantee you that if I was to look at their refrigerator, pantry and/or cabinets, I would see the following: processed foods, sodas, pre-made frozen dinners, chips, cookies, etc.  Just recently, I was at the store and overheard a couple ladies discussing, which protein bars to choose and were talking about their diet plan.  I could not help but look in their shopping cart and saw a large pack of Dr. Pepper cans amongst other processed foods.  Of course I thought to myself that if one is on the road to a nutritious lifestyle, protein bars, sodas and processed food will not get you there!  First of all, I do not consider protein bars a source of nutrition, processed foods are completely un-natural and sodas are just plain terrible for you.  




In this post I also want to tackle the common false-hood: eating nutritiously is expensive!  Let me re-iterate: "eating healthy is not expensive"; "eating nutritiously is not expensive".    My husband and I have this discussion all the time and surely, many of you true "health nuts" agree that it is not expensive and also agree with the next point I will make!  Eating all-natural, unprocessed foods is not only less-expensive in the present, but will also be less-expensive in the future (ie: higher medical bills).  Consuming foods that have absolutely no nutritional value (ie: processed foods, fast foods, etc.) will leave you more hungry, which causes one to eat more.  Consuming nutritious, excellent quality, all-natural foods will give one the natural fill one needs and will save one from future medical bills caused by unhealthy eating habits.  Purchasing more natural foods, such as vegetables, fruits, fresh poultry, fresh fish and fresh meats will provide one with the dietary fill the body needs, so craving junk becomes minimized. 

• Keep a nutritiously-packed refrigerator and cabinets/pantry!
• No sodas: only water, milk, naturally made juices in blender (with fruits & vegetables)
• Purchase a variety of foods: salmon, chicken breasts, lean read meats, lean turkey, eggs
• Many colorful vegetables and leafy greens: carrots, broccoli, green beans, peas, kale, spinach, etc.
• Fruits: fresh and frozen
• Dairy: milk, Greek yogurt, cheese
• Cook with fresh/dried herbs and salt-free/low-sodium seasonings
• Limit processed foods and junk foods with no nutritional value
• Disappointing news: Several snacks out there that promote "healthy" are really not...read labels and do your research!!

One last thing, nutritious eating does not mean individuals and families have to always be shopping at Whole Foods or any high-end health foods store.  It means being conscious of products we purchase and consume.  The human body is not a landfill - it should not be treated as one!  One of the ways our family saves on all-natural products for health and wellness needs is the following.  Our family has saved immensely by shopping through this site Vitacost (free shipping after $49 shopping carts).  I can stock up for 5 months and save loads of money!  A lot of the items sold are items that health food stores (ie: Whole Foods, etc.) carry and a much higher cost.  Check them out:



Stay tuned for my "Nutrition Hungry Children" blog post.

Thanks For Reading the "Nutrition Hungry Mom" blog!  Have a blessed day!

The Unhealthy Lifestyle Project

For the past year, as I mentioned in one of my earlier posts I have been serious about maintaining a better health lifestyle.  With the intake of Spirulina, healthy eating and an exercise regimen, I had not been sick since early January 2012, until I started the "unhealthy lifestyle project" several weeks prior to Christmas 2012.  I shifted from exercise and drinking health-nut smoothies consisting of Spirulina, wheat grass, dark greens (kale, spinach, etc.), Greek yogurt and fruits to simply not caring about what I consumed.  About 20% of my diet consisted of healthy, so of course, I got sick, immediately!  I was sick on and off through the new year.  It was horrible!!  Not only did, I get sick, but when I actually started to feel better, I still felt sluggish, unmotivated, even noticed that my skin was starting to break-out more than ever and all I could think of was what comfort food I can eat next!?!?

Now that the new year has begun, I am putting an end to the "unhealthy lifestyle project" and reverting back to my "body-approved" lifestyle!  I am officially throwing out "healthy" and referring to "body-approved" from now on!  Why "body-approved"?  Our body needs to consume foods that it needs to know how to naturally process, so we can continue to feel good and have the energy we need to function daily.  Our pantry, refrigerator and freezer are back to "body-approved" foods.  For the past year, I have made an earnest effort of stocking our kitchen with all-natural foods and steered away from processed, already-prepared meals and snacks that are packed with calories, fat, sodium, cholesterol, etc.

I am a proud wife and mom.  My husband has lost several inches off pants sizes and has had outstanding results on medical health tests (i.e. - cholesterol, blood pressure, sugar, etc.).  My daughter is an amazing eater for a 3-year old and enjoys pretty much everything my husband and I enjoy eating/drinking.  Just the other day, we had soy, ginger & lemon baked salmon for dinner and she said, "it was the best salmon in the world".  It is wonderful that when she opens the fridge and/or pantry, she asks for vegetables, fruits, cheese, bread, yogurt, chicken, etc.  In a near-future post, I will write about how to start your kids off on the "body-approved" eating habits, too, so stay tuned for that!  My husband and I have stuck together to make sure we keep the junk out of the house because we both know that is the first thing we turn to, when it is there!

After giving birth to my baby girl several years ago and dealing with the taking off the weight gain from pregnancy, I promised myself that I was not going to buy bigger clothes unless, of course, I got pregnant again.  I was determined to get back on track because I knew it would not only hurt me emotionally if I did not get back to what I originally was, but I also knew I would not feel good physically if I did not.  My mind was set on bringing it back even better than it originally was and needed to ready myself for bigger changes and higher hurdles.  Finally, I have a deeper understanding of how my body functions and am always curious to learn more how to make the "body-approved" lifestyle better.

The newest additions to my "body-approved" lifestyle Yaeyama Chlorella powder (an amazing powerhouse that when joined with Spirulina provides tremendously positive effects on our body; see: "Superfoods: Chlorella and Spirulina")  and Chlorophyll.  After taking for the last month, I have already noticed a difference with how I feel, so I am looking forward to the road ahead with my "body-approved" lifestyle!  Stay tuned with more blog posts.

Meanwhile...check out these 4 TRUEST POWERFOODS!!

Spirulina Pacifica




Yaeyama Chlorella




Wheat Grass Powder


Chlorophyll



Have a blessed day,





For the best prices anywhere for Spirulina, Chlorella, Wheat Grass and Chlorophyll, see: Save up to 50% Everyday at Vitacost.com! Click Here!

Properly Nurse Your Cold...

We are now in the season, where colds and coughs are heightened!  I see more and more commercials during this time of year for over-the-counter cold/cough medicines.  Surely many of you have not experienced a whole lot of true relief from nursing a cold/cough with the over-the-counter remedies.  I have not had much success with any of them in the past...just gives me false-hope, especially since the commercials do such a great job selling the product with their funny animations of how the medication attacks the cold germs!  Cute, but not helpful!!  During previous experiences with the cold, the best remedies in my household have been STEAM & WARM SALT-WATER GARGLING.  Not only does it provide relief, but it does not keep us bed-ridden!

The moment, I start to feel that tickle in my nose and/or throat, I attack!  I immediately start to gargle with warm salt-water and steam with a vaporizer.  Most of the time, the cold has to run its course, but I do not feel sluggish nor do I lose any energy.  Instead of sitting and feeling miserable, I spend a lot of my free time during the course of the cold steaming & gargling for most of the day!  Taking over-the-counter medications only gives temporary relief...and the reality is...the bug needs to come out, not rest in our body!  The steaming and gargling helps get things flowing, so to speak, so "yes" - you will be blowing your nose, be stuffy, spitting mucus and maybe have the occasional stomach upset!  I know it sounds gross, but getting it out, is truly the best remedy!  You will still be able to properly function and get things done that you need to get done!

Some other things to have on hand are the following items for preventative maintenance and for use during the course of the cold/cough.  I buy most of my items through Vitacost, where products are cheaper, plus free shipping after $49 and you will often receive other special offers from them:



Sinusin nasal spray is awesome!  I use this daily just for preventative maintenance.  It is a homeopathic formula that is even safe for children 2-years+.  Before this, I was always experiencing a runny nose during the cold months and itchy nose during the spring months and now, I can go on a jog when it is a little cooler and not have to worry about my nose dripping the entire time!  Each family member in household has a bottle of it!





NutriBiotic Nasal Spray - is a grapefruit seed extract nasal spray that is also great to use during the course of a cold or even during that initial tickle you feel in your nose and/or throat.  Use as directed and can be a huge benefit for you!  This I find works better preventing sickness in the summer!  This can sting the inside of your nose for a bit after initial spray, but wears off after a couple seconds.  I always make sure to have a bottle in my medicine cabinet.  Also a homeopathic spray, but there is an age minimum.




Emergen-C - This is another great item to have on hand!  I take these just when I am feeling a little run-down than usual and have not had much Vitamin C.  These powdered packs can just be mixed with water and can provide amazing effects immediately! 




For those smoothie makers, here are some great all-natural SUPERFOODS you can add to your smoothie maintain optimum health and will keep you healthy all-year long:


Spirulina Pacifica: I have been taking Spirulina for a year now and have loved the health effects it has!  It is the richest food source in the world and gives you the natural energy boost you need and improves immune health.  See one of my previous blog posts on Spirulina. 



Wheat Grass - Another amazing superfood that improves immune health, skin, filled with antioxidants.  I love the taste of it because it actually adds a bit of a sweeter flavor to my smoothies! 



Chlorella - is a fantastic superfood and has been known to have excellent effects when taken with Spirulina!!  It is know to reverse effects of known ailments, too!  See Chlorella Benefits.

Delicious Gluten-Free Foods

Where can I find Gluten-Free foods? 
Is there an Internet retailer of Gluten-Free foods?
What is the best Internet retailer of Gluten-Free foods?

Several people have asked me to blog about a Gluten-Free foods Internet retailer to inform others about.  There has been an increasing demand for Gluten-Free foods.  This Internet retailer wants to make sure that you can easily access their products, wherever you may be and still have that same homemade taste!  Friends of mine, who are on Gluten-Free diets or have children on Gluten-Free diets urged me to share this with you to maybe help you in your search for the perfect Gluten-Free foods!

If you have not already heard of them, they are: Katz Gluten Free



 

You can even try a free sample pack that you will only pay shipping for...$4.99 (normally $7.99) - with coupon code "SAMPLE".

Your Sample Pack Includes:

• 1 Slice of Whole Grain Bread
• 1 Slice of White Bread
• 1 Slice of Challah Bread
• 1 Powdered Donut
• 1 Chocolate Cupcake
• 1 English Muffin
• 1 Cookie
• 1 Rugelah
• 1 Slice of Marble Cake

If you refer a store that does not already carry Gluten-Free foods of this sort, you will receive a $50 gift certificate for their products after the first order is placed.  

The facility where products are made are completely nut-free and dairy-free.  All products are Kosher.  The company is dedicated to safeguard our health and produce high-quality, delicious products.  I was excited to blog about the company and its great products after I even got to sample some of it.  I am a firm believer in food companies that are concerned about their customers' health needs without compromising the flavors of the products they sell!  So, for those of you out there that are looking for a trustworthy and deliciously divine, Gluten-Free foods company that ship directly to your doorstep, I give this company an A++!

If you want to sample before you buy larger quantities, they will let you do that...see above.





Thanks for reading & God bless,

Sinusin - Homeopathic Nasal Relief

Are you looking for a homeopathic nasal spray that will relieve you of the following annoyances?

• nasal congestion
• dry nasal membranes
• runny nose
• Rhinitis & Sinusitis
• Cold & Flu Nasal Symptoms

I have been searching for something that is safe for the whole family to use!  After suffering from winter allergies all season long last winter, I really did not want to go through that again!  Last winter it all began, when I lost a bit of my hearing in my right ear that got progressively worse throughout the winter!  With such a busy schedule, I did not visit the doctor until the new year and was told that I have winter allergies.  I have never suffered from allergies my entire life, until I moved to Louisiana, come to find that it is very common for people to suffer from winter allergies.  The doctor explained to me, since there is not a proper winter here (or a true freeze), flowers just keep growing because it goes from cold to hot in a day's time, so the blooming never stops.

This year, I thought it was going to happen again that I was going to partially lose my hearing again.  For a short period of time, I did, but it eventually developed into a drip in the back of my throat that caused my throat hurt very badly, so bad that I thought it was strep throat.  So I went to the doctor because it just got worse through the night.  I was wondering how this could happen because I was such a health fanatic.  I went into the doctor to get the strep swab test done and thankfully, no strep!  The doctor immediately prescribed me onto an anti-biotic that she thought would be best in case it developed into something like a sinus infection.  I am one that does not like to take medicine because I do not ever feel it does anything for me, except make my symptoms worse!  I hardly ever remember to take my vitamins because I really do not think they are effective either.

So, I did my due diligence and researched for a product that would help with my symptoms.  I found Sinusin.  It is a homeopathic nasal spray that is effective for all of the symptoms mentioned above and has also helps prevent viruses...and it works!  The best thing is that is safe for the entire family to use (2 years & up; 2 & below - consult doctor).  I have been spraying it in my 3-year old daughter's nose (per the daily dose directions), since she is in pre-shool and is exposed to many germs on any given day!  Another great thing is that it does not burn your nostrils, like some other nasal sprays do.  For asthma patients, consult with doctor before you take this product.  If one is pregnant or nursing, also check with a doctor before use.

I purchased mine through Vitacost (click link or image below to take you directly to product page).  It sells for $13.99 + shipping (however, if you purchase $49+ through Vitacost you will receive FREES STANDARD SHIPPING).






After using this product for a very short time, I have already felt the positive effects of it!  I absolutely love it and my daughter does not complain either! 

Thank you for reading!!