johncsnider

Do you remember how I helped you to easily  remove toxins from your beauty routine ? Well here is something fantastic to help you get a nice jump start. Dr. Vik Sachar created a non-toxic line of makeup that is perfect for pregnant women (and all women!). He is giving away a fabulous collection of his makeup to one of my lucky readers! Mineral lipstick Mineral eyeshadow Mineral cream foundation Mineral blush Professional blush brush That is a $118 value and free shipping. One lucky reader will be chosen at random on Sunday February 2nd at 8pm. You can be entered up to three times. Each action enters you: Comment below (make sure to link your email to your name so I can contact you if you won). Like my Facebook page and comment on the Facebook giveaway link. Share the Facebook giveaway link to your on Facebook page. Dr. Vik Sachar is a double board certified Maternal Fetal Medicine (High Risk Pregnancy) & Ob/Gyn Physician.  He created a product that will benefit all pregna...

As parents we all want to see our children reach their highest potential. We know that we cannot protect them from every danger, toxin, and heartache. We all want to make the decisions that will have the best long term outcome on our children. Some moms and dads have known the secret to a higher I.Q. for thousands of years. Yet it comes as a news-breaker in papers such as the NYTimes when JAMA Pediatrics, a major mainstream medical journal, publishes a study about it. The World Health Organization recommends doing this for at least 2 years. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends doing it for at least 1 year.  Breastfeeding 1+ years WILL increase your child's I.Q. (for those who have already chosen the formula path, have adopted, or have serious medical issues I am in the process of writing a post on how to pick the healthiest formula so check back and don't feel left out!) Below is the latest study including the results and conclusion (the important part). ...

My method: a prefold diaper in a cover. image: www.omahababystore.com The main reason why I love cloth diapering is that I love knowing that my baby's diapers are not going to sit in the landfill! The way that I wash diapers once a week is ABSOLUTELY more environmentally sound than disposable diapers. Of course it is also nice to know that my little one's skin does not have the carcinogenic bleaches and chemicals rubbing against her sensitive genitals. Both of my kids were out of daytime diapers at 18 months and I attribute this to them "feeling" wet in their cotton cloth diapers (and some reading that I had done about early potty training). Act I: The Diaper Service When my first baby was born in our little NYC apartment (no washer/dryer), we used a diaper service for the first 6 months. It seemed nice because we didn't have to deal with the laundry or the up front investment of diapers. The diaper service only used the prefold style of diapers pictured above. On...

Image: kratuanoiy FreeDigitalPhotos.net As you know, I do not believe that you should double your consumption (eating for "two") while pregnant but you should be aware that you are eating for "two" living beings that have nutritional needs. Eating habits are a very sensitive topic since there are so many food sensitivities and dietary styles.  My professional experience and personal experiences have meshed into these viewpoints. You are eating for the sole purpose of nourishment and you will not feel satisfied if you are eating foods that your body does not want. That is why you can eat a whole pint of ice cream or a whole bag of chips and feel sick but not satisfied.  It is important to be aware of how balanced your daily foods are and to know if your body is telling you that you are missing something. Protecting your Own Health The woman's body is made to take care of the baby first.  So if the mother is not consuming her nutritional needs during pregnancy, th...

As you know, I took my journey to removing beauty toxins in baby steps starting with what I use most: moisturizer . I now have more and more skin to cover with moisturizer and it all gets absorbed through my skin into my bloodstream which passes nutrients (and toxins!) to my baby. What can you not live without? My lips have always been pale and I like to tint them. Most of my lip color enters my mouth which seems like a gross place for traditional lipsticks filled with lead and other nasty chemicals. I found that I like Hemp Organics lipstick but it is rather pricey to have collection of colors. I use it sometimes but not often because my older daughters are always going through my purse and I don't want them wasting this lipstick! Instead I discovered that my local target has a lot of  rather natural tinted lip glosses/balms that really perk my lips up. Then I discovered that I could order them cheaper online at Vitacost  (disclosure: we both get a referral bonus if you buy ...

image: www.care2.org It is widely published that pregnant women should stay clear of cleaning products so the chemicals released into the air and put on the skin do not harm the unborn child.  Most women shout for joy and gladly hand over the task of housekeeping to their partners.  That it what I did when I was pregnant with my oldest child.  But I was on that holistic mission and learning more and more about why I didn't even want my husband exposed to those toxins . It was really hard for me to part with Mr. Scrubbing Bubbles and his effortless bathtub cleaning. This whole holistic journey was a lot for me so I needed to start with baby steps. I started by replacing the most used products with products that were safer.  The first item that I changed was the dish soap since my hands were in it all day long.  After a long experimentation period, my beloved Dawn was replaced with Seventh Generation dish soap. I was blown away by the price differences of everythi...