But on to our next contest as part of Whole Health and Wellness month. There are lots of outdated ideas about nutrition that are still floating around. Things like, “avocados are bad for you” or “white bread is healthy”. One of the worst is that we should all be eating three square meals a day. In reality the best thing for you is to eat 5-6 small servings and/or snacks throughout the day. This actually helps your metabolism and helps to stabilize your hunger so you aren’t starving between meals. This used to be my problem. I would not eat breakfast, then eat my lunch early because I was hungry. By the time I got home in the evening I was so hungry I would eat everything in sight. Quick easy snacks I can stuff in my purse(or diaper bag) are now a necessity.

I’ve been wanting to try out SoyJoy for this reason and I finally had the chance to the other day. Nutritionally, it’s better than many of the other “snack bars” on the market. A lot of bars are high in carbs to act as fuel for high-impact exercise regimens. In high school I once committed myself to a PowerBar and water diet. I actually gained weight. The hubs and I both tried them with mixed results. I thought the Strawberry was…meh. I’d eat it again but I can’t say that it was great. Hubs tried the raisin and promtply spit it out. Nuff said. I do think that it depends on the flavor and on the person. I will let you decide for yourself.

So to spread the love around we (me and the lovely folks at SoyJoy) are offering a full month’s supply of bars to TWO lucky readers. That’s right you read me right. I told you this month would be full of lots giveaways. How do you enter you say? Well good old-fashioned comments, that’s how. Introduce yourself, ask me any questions, tell me if you have tried SoyJoy before, etc. You can comment as many times as you would like. Each one counts as an additional entry. The contest starts today and runs until next Thursday at 5pm CST. Happy snacking!

Post from: Pretty by Nature

So after only a few days in, I have abandoned the raw cause. I just like cooked food too much. I can really see the benefit and I did have some yummy raw meals that I fully plan to make again, but I just can’t see doing it every day for every meal. But…but I have been able to stick to a mostly vegan diet, if not raw. It’s been surprisingly uncomplicated. I made the vegan lasagna we talked about the other day last night for dinner that was mouth wateringly delicious, if I may toot my own horn, and was so filling. It wasn’t raw but I used most of the recipe from gone raw but warmed it up. I have been sworn to never say the words “cashew cheese” again however. So I will just say that it contained raw cashews that were blended in a way that resembled a ricotta-like cheese in texture and creaminess. I used thin slices of zucchini instead of noodles and the filling was a mixture of mushrooms, carrots and yellow peppers.

Do I look better after a few days of eating better? Maybe. Or it could be that I just brushed my hair but I definitely FEEL better. I have more energy and I feel lighter. So when you feel better on the inside and are properly nourished and hydrated, how could you not look better? So going forth, I have pledged to eat a primarily vegan diet with some raw mixed in. However, if I feel like eating a little crap , I will occasionally. Although I suspect that the further I get into this, the less I will feel like eating crap. What do you think? For me it’s a more attainable goal and after seeing how I feel after just a few days, I am on a high. I am addicted to feeling good now. By the way the hubs is embracing it after lots of bellyaching and snide remarks. I had him at cashew cheese.

Post from: Pretty by Nature

The idea behind it I discovered is that the act of heating foods above 116 degrees is said to break down vital enzymes that aid in digestion and absorption. We all know that an ideal diet should consist of foods as close to their natural state as possible, so this sort of makes sense to me. Sort of. It has many expected benefits including more energy, better digestion, weight loss, lower risk of heart disease. The one that caught my eye however was improved skin appearance. Way to play to my vanities.

The obvious question then becomes, well exactly what will I eat? Just like apples and uncooked spinach or something? Low and behold there are actually a lot of really yummy looking recipes. Check out this one for “lasagna”. Seriously. If that doesn’t look good to you then I may need to come to your house and have a talk. So who’s with me? I want takers. I mean it raise your hand. Everyone who is willing to try this with me please leave a comment. Or if you already subscribe to a raw food lifestyle, please share. Starting Thursday my diet will consist of at least 75% raw food. I’m really excited for this little experiment. Please try it with me and we can compare whose skin looks dewier. Oh and shhh…the hubs doesn’t know he’s doing it too. *Snort*

Post from: Pretty by Nature

Post from: Pretty by Nature

 I know they are not like that in every location and it’s probably more indicative of the city than the store itself. It’s hard to make a distinction sometimes. Especially when I feel pissed off just by pulling into the parking lot like I did the other day. But all that started to dissipate as I walked down the beauty and personal care aisles. That’s right, aisles: plural. All these wonderful products we talk about, here, and more that are just sitting on the shelf waiting to be plucked up. It’s really hard to find fault with such a selection. So I left with a pot of Dr. Hauschka’s lip balm and felt a bit chagrined.

It’s supposedly the fastest growing grocery chain in America and they really are doing their best to provide planet-conscious alternatives to consumers: albeit at sky high prices. So I decided I was being too hard on them and that I am going to make an effort to let my guard down and give them the benefit of the doubt. Starting tomorrow. Maybe. Well, unless some Prada wearing “lady who lunches” steps in front of me in the dairy section again. In that case I will take a glass bottle of organic, hormone-free milk and beat her with it. Is that harsh? Hmm…maybe I just have anger issues.

Post from: Pretty by Nature

Post from: Pretty by Nature

Post from: Pretty by Nature

It’s funny when you are a kid you think that your parents have the answer to everything and will always make it okay. Then when you become an adult you have a lightbulb moment and realize that they, like you, didn’t know what they heck they were doing and were just winging it. The truth is that while chronologically I am an adult, I feel like I’m still 17 about half of the time. I think it’s hilarious that to certain people I am known only as “the bug’s mommy”. I also think it’s funny that friends that we used to get wasted with are now moms and dads too. If these poor kids only knew what we were doing five years ago.

So all of the above was just a long way around to say that a lot of people I know are having babies and I won’t be getting them diaper cakes or any other useless nonsense. These gifts will say, “I held your hair back while you puked so you’re not fooling me with this responsible bit. I got you something you can actually use because I know what a slacker you really are”. Weleda has some fantastic mom and baby products that are now being carried at Walgreen’s. The Baby Starter Kit is a great introduction to the brand and is great for grabbing quickly when you are out trying (emphasis on the trying) to run errands. Hyland’s has a whole range of Homeopathic remedies for teething, earaches, runny noses…whatever. It’s the kind of thing you would never think about until it’s 3am and you are about to go crazy. I just thought of this one yesterday and I think it’s a great idea. Have fresh produce delivered weekly to their home. We just signed ourselves up today and OMG I am so excited. Check your local natural food stores and local co-ops to see what they offer. I found so many in my area. We opted for the $25.00 box which should feed a family of 2-4. So for $100.00 you can get a new family that’s trying to adjust fresh, organic food delivered to their door. I lived on Wheat Thins for the first month of my son’s life because I was too tired and too busy to do anything else. This would have saved my life. I hope these gifts will help someone. Welcome to the real world baby.

Post from: Pretty by Nature

Post from: Pretty by Nature

Post from: Pretty by Nature