I saw this a few weeks ago and wanted to share it! I've been holding myself back from being truly happy for years. I'm ready to open up and let someone special in! I cannot wait to find out who will be a part of my amazing adventure I call life! ;-)
Copyright, 2014, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.
www.optimumwellnessmn.com
One of my clients sent me a message asking about these products because her family buys them so I decided to go to the grocery store and do some research! Here are a few things I found from this company at the local store in the "Health Market" section.
On a quick glance, the company looks impressive, amazing… almost a little too good to be true.
No Calories, Fat, Carbs, Gluten or Sugar of any kind!
From the company website:
Walden Farms irresistibly sweet calorie free specialties are prepared with real fruit extracts, concentrated natural flavors, rich cocoa and other natural ingredients, all sweetened with Splenda. Our savory specialties are made with hundreds of freshly ground herbs and spices, concentrated natural flavors and the finest aged imported and domestic vinegars.
The good news is, they wrote it right on their website. Splenda. Splenda is one of the worst sweeteners you could consume! Google the danger of it and see for yourself!
Save 330 calories a day, 10,000 calories a month and lose 34 lbs a year! -more deceptive marketing claims to draw you in!
Why would you want to eat a peanut “spread” that doesn't even have peanuts in it? It’s FLAVORED to taste just like natural peanut butter. Sounds natural right?
Their strawberry spread features “strawberry flavor”, “natural flavors”, and cellulose gel in addition to Splenda. Wouldn't you rather just have real strawberry preserves? The natural sugar in the REAL strawberry preserves might be higher, but its NATURAL sugar… not artificially concocted stuff. Time to get back to eating real food!
Several of the products have maltodextrin, cellulose gel, several types of vegetable gums and one more little tidbit I learned along the way – only the suggested SERVING size contains no calories, so if you use more, you're getting some calories you might not realize were there! Remember, my motto is: Count chemicals, NOT calories for health! ;-)
Want to learn more? Schedule a grocery store tour or a wellness consultation with me. 712.790.5883
Copyright, 2014, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.
www.optimumwellnessmn.com
Saturday was my friend's birthday and I wanted to surprise her with some goodies! I decided on Black Bean Brownies. They are gluten and grain-free, sweetened with xylitol and stevia (natural sugars that do not affect blood sugar levels) and packed with fiber and protein! They were a huge hit especially with her kids! They taste NOTHING like black beans, don't worry! ;-)
**This recipe is one of the many in my Clean Eating Recipe Book available on my website if you haven't already snatched it up! Please CLICK HERE to purchase! ($12)
Copyright, 2014, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.
www.optimumwellnessmn.com
My mom slathered Vick's Vapor Rub on us as kids. I'm sure your mother did too! I've even heard of people using it as a cold remedy by putting it on the bottoms of their feet at night, covering them with socks, and waking up cold-free in the morning?
Here is the short list of toxic ingredients in Vick's Vapor Rub:
Camphor: Contributes to the vapor quality. Toxic levels are anything over 11 percent. Vick’s has 5 percent.
Turpentine Oil: Also aids in the vapor qualities. It is a paint solvent.
Laureth 7: which comes from ethylene oxide and lauryl alcohol, serves an emulsifier. A common, probably too common, component found in detergents, cleaners and paint.
Petrolatum: THIS is what make’s Vick’s, Vick’s. The silky, thick salve substance you scoop out of the container and rub on chest, neck and nose. Derived from petroleum (aka crude oil) it is approved by the USFDA as a glide in ointments and cosmetics. Petrolatum has been found in cancerous tumors (breast, coincidently the same area where we like to RUB Vick’s), causes suffocation of the skin, premature aging and aggravated acne.
Just a few reasons why you should to make your own!
Homemade Vapor Rub
Ingredients:
5 TB coconut oil
2 TB cocoa butter
1 1/2 TB beeswax
30 drops eucalyptus essential oil (for children use Eucaylptus Radiata or Eucaplytus Citriodora)
12 drops each of essential oils: peppermint, lavender, and rosemary
5 drops tea tree essential oil
Instructions:
In a saucepan, over low heat, add the coconut oil and cocoa butter. Melt.
Once melted, add the beeswax. Melt.
Remove the pan from the heat. Allow the mixture to sit in the saucepan for 5 minutes. This will allow the mixture to cool so the oils aren't damaged.
After 5 minutes, add the eucalyptus, peppermint, lavender, rosemary, and tea tree oils to the coconut oil mixture. Combine with a spoon.
Pour the mixture into glass jars. I use these mason jars. This recipe will make one 4 oz. jar of vapor rub. As the mixture cools in the jar the liquid will solidify, making it a creamy, spreadable rub.
**This recipe will keep for a year.
www.ewg.org
Copyright, 2014, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.
www.optimumwellnessmn.com
Due to popular demand I decided to create a recipe Ebook for the moms out there! This is a collection of 30 kid-friendly and approved recipes. All recipes are free of refined added sugars, gluten and grain-free! (I added some of their favorites only healthier versions: chicken fingers, fruit snacks, macaroni and cheese, pancakes, and more!)
Here is one recipe from the Ebook:
Peanut Butter Balls
Ingredients:
2/3 cup organic creamy natural peanut butter***
2 tsp stevia powder
1/2 cup almond flour (or more for runny peanut butter)
2 tsp raw honey (optional)
1/2 cup organic 80% dark chocolate
***Almond, cashew or sunflower seed butter can also be used
Directions:
1. In small bowl, blend peanut butter, stevia and almond flour. Dough should be stiff. (Add more almond flour if needed to make a thick dough.) Taste for sweetness and adjust if needed. Using small scoop, measure out mixture and roll in hands to form balls. Place balls in refrigerator for at least 30-60 minutes or until firm.
2. On top of the stove, melt chocolate. Insert tooth pick into cooled peanut butter balls and carefully dip in melted chocolate. Place balls on wax paper and allow to cool. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Peanut Butter Cup Variation
Place mini liners into mini muffin pan. Spoon 1/2 tsp. of melted chocolate into bottom of liner followed by 1/2 of a peanut butter ball. Top with 1 tsp more of melted chocolate. Refrigerate.
Please CLICK HERE to purchase the EBook. $12.00
Copyright, 2014, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.
www.optimumwellnessmn.com
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