Book Review: Meals that Heal Inflammation” by Julie Daniluk

Dear Readers:

As a member of the Hay House Book Nook Club (http://hayhouse.com),  I received a copy of a book “Meals that Heal Inflammation” by Julia Daniluk to review. I had requested this book because I was interested in learning how to improve my eating habits and health.

“Meals that Heal Inflammation” was written by TV host and registered holistic nutritionist Julie Daniluk. In her book, she reveals how certain health conditions and diseases are affected or caused by inflammation. She shows how you can reduce inflammation through diet and by eating healthier. The book “Meals that Heal Inflammation” contains over 400 pages of information to make it easier for the common person to learn how to reduce inflammation. It includes a nutritional guide, menu plan and 130 easy to prepare and tasty recipes. Danulik provides the reader ways to make healthier and better eating choices. For example, she suggests that one should swap out ketchup with salsa or even cold cereal with instant quinoa to reduce the amount of sugar, calories, and sodium intake.

Inflammation can cause or affect certain health conditions such as allergies, skin disorders, asthma, heart disease, arthritis and any other condition ending in “itis” .

In her book “Meals that Heal Inflammation“, Daniluk provides information on the six causes of inflammation and how to pick food that will reduce inflammation. What I like is reading about what health benefits each food ingredients contains.

I found the book to contain interesting and easy to prepare recipes including salmon with fennel and even a delicious vegetarian version of Pad Thai.

I think that it is a great book to read if you are interesting in reducing inflammation and feeling better by eating healthier. I found the information to be useful and I would like to incorporate some of the suggestions into my everyday life. Some of the recipes call for organic produce which you can purchase at your local health store or at a mass chain like Wholefoods or Trader Joe.

Some ingredients like Grapeseed Oil may be harder to find if you are not by a health foods store. I would like to use the more unusual or exotic ingredients if I could locate it or if it wasn’t too expensive. I am sure that you can substituted certain ingredients and hopefully, it won’t affect the taste or the benefits.

Learn more by going to her website at http://www.juliedaniluk.com . You can find additional articles and videos. Also on her website , you will find the glossary of terms, testimonials, and recipes from her book.

FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from Hay House Publishing for this review. The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.

Eating healthier or lifestyle changes

Dear Readers,

Like most people, I try to eat healthy but every now and then, I like to cheat and eat junk food. Unfortunately, as good as it may taste, all that junk food may do more harm than good.

Most of the calories from certain snack foods are from fat or sugar and have little nutritional value, hence the label “junk food”. Majority of these snacks may contain high sodium or sugar level, and artificial coloring and/or flavors.

There are many factors that effect your health. Nutrition, stress , external factors like pollution, and hereditary factors have an impact on your health.

Eating healthy and exercising is something we should all do. Reducing stress is important too – mediating or praying- what ever works for you.
Environmental factors are harder to control unless we all take action.

I believe that if you are healthy, you’ll have a stronger immunity system.
I also believe what we eat affects our health. By monitoring what we eat and being aware of how it may affect us, we can improve our health.

Over the next few months, I plan to write about how we can make ourselves healthier by making lifestyle changes. The best way to start is with our eating habits.

Product Review and giveaway: Carmex Healing Creme and Lotion

Dear Readers,

Spring has officially started. Soon it will be time to put away the heavy winter clothing and boots. I can’t wait to start wearing my skirts.

Here in the Northeast, there are still some days that it feels like winter. My hands , which were covered in gloves most of the winter, have finally emerged in the past few weeks to the cold blustery weather all dry , rough, and chapped.

I am guilty of washing my hands multiple times a day and not always moisturizing afterwards. The evidence is in the rough and chapped appearance of my skin on the back of my hands.

As a member of the Carmex Blogger Squad, I received a cool spring package which contained the following items:
- a large yellow hoodie with the Carmex trademark logo on it which was exclusively given to Carmex Blogger Squad Members
– one tube of Carmex Healing Cream
- and a tube of Carmex Hydrating Lotion.

Carmex Healing Cream Product Review
This product has a light coconut or vanilla scent, comes out the tube, has a thick paste like consistency but absorbs quickly without leaving any greasy residue once rubbed in. My hands felt and looked better. Carmex Healing Cream helped moisturized my hands. It doesn’t look as dry and the roughness has lessen.

The Carmex Healing Cream is a thicker, more concentrated version of the lotion. It penetrates deep into the skin to help repair extremely dry, cracked skin. It contains nine concentrated healing and moisturizing ingredients. I think that this cream is great and affordable for everyday use. I will definitely have to use it more often.

Carmex Healing Lotion Product Review
In addition to the Carmex Healing Cream, I also received a Carmex Healing Lotion Product. Like the cream, this product also comes in a tube and has a light coconut or vanilla scent. It is thicker than most lotions but not as thick as the Carmex Healing Cream. It has a nice creamy consistency and absorbs quickly without leaving any greasy residue once rubbed in. I like to use the Carmex Healing Lotion on my legs so they won’t appear so ashy. I also like to use this to help moisturize the back of my upper arms. I think that it helps reduces the dry spots and the bumps feels smoother.

Overall, both products are great and affordable.

Facts about Carmex
Carmex products have been around for over 70 years
Carmex NEVER tests their products on animals
Carmex® lip balm was invented in 1937 by Alfred Woelbing, literally on the family stovetop. For the next 20 years, Alfred and his wife made Carmex by hand and poured it into the familiar yellow-capped jars.
Eventually production moved out of the Woelbing home and into a rented facility in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, where it remained until the move in 1975 to its current site in Franklin, Wisconsin.
Carma Labs employs about 100 people and is still owned and operated by the family: Alfred’s grandsons Eric and Paul Woelbing.

Interested in winning your very own set of Carmex Healing Creme and Carmex Healing Lotion?

A tube of both products will be given to a randomly chosen follower of this blog who enters my giveaway and follows my directions.

Mandatory Entry: (you must do this first to count)
Required: Visit Carmex (www.carmex.com) and come back to my blog to tell me which Carmex product you like and why. Put this in the comments section below.

Follow Carmex on Twitter and let them know that @mamaeveno1 sent you! leave your tweet link and @name in a comment below

Follow Carmex on Facebook and let them know you entered my giveaway on their wall. Come back and tell me that you did.

Follow me on Twitter tell me that you do and leave your @name

Leave a comment on my blog and tell me that you did

Post this giveaway on Carmex Facebook page, come back and tell me that you did, leave your FB name so I can check

Tweet about this giveaway, this may be done up to 5 times a day, leave your tweet link in a comment (5 entries each tweet).
3 Entries if you sign up by email to receive notification of my next blog posting (must be activated to qualify)

3 Entries if you follow and like my blog
3 Entries if you follow me on
twitter

3 Entries if you tweet about this giveaway (up to 6 times per day-not within the same hour) 18 total entries available BE SURE TO USE THE HASHTAG #ILoveCarmex

5 Entries if you comment on any other post on Mamaeve’s Blog
(5 entries for each post commented on)

Giveaway starts now and ends on Wednesday , April 10 @10pm!
*sorry, US only

Updated: Contest Is Closed.

Note: I need the winner to respond ASAP when I send the email to make sure I submit your name in to the company by deadline. Carmex will directly send you the prize.

updated: contest is closed.
Disclaimer*** I was sent a sample of both Carmex Healing products for my review.
This did not influence my views of these products in any way and these opinions are purely mine.

Highlights from the American International Toy Fair

Dear Readers,

I love discovering new things. I recently went to the 111th annual American International Toy Fair which was held at the Jacob Javitis Convention Center.

The American International Toy Fair is the largest toy and youth product show in the Western Hemisphere. Over 1,000 exhibiting manufacturers, distributors, importers and sales agents from around the globe came to New York to showcase their toy and entertainment products. The show was held for three days.

I saw a wide array of toys. There were many big brand exhibitors like Mattel, Sanrio, Fisher Price, Legos, Hot Wheels, and Nintendo. I saw timeless classics like Barbie, Hot Wheels, Hello Kitty, Nerf, and many more.

I also saw a modern twist on old classics like the Twister game which has been made into an interactive game for the Wii entertainment system.

The American International Toy Fair had exhibitions of the latest action figures and dolls, games and puzzles, construction toys, arts and creative activities, earth-friendly products, bicycles, tricycles and ride-ons, radio-controlled vehicles, infant and preschool toys, cars, trucks, and trains, puppets and plush, audio and video cassettes, computer software and video games, playground and sporting equipment, Halloween, Christmas, books, stationery, party supplies, and much more.

I enjoyed going to the fair. There was so
much to see and try. I had fun shooting a nerf bow and arrow, learning how to do magic tricks, seeing all the latest toys, and meeting people.

At the show, you will not only meet the distributors or salesperson for the products, you can often meet the creator, especially if the product is relatively new.

My only regret was not being able to go for all three days. I plan to spend more time at the American International Toy Fair next time.

I recommend that you wear comfortable shoes and have a great camera. Be prepare to do a lot of picture taking, networking , and most important, have fun.

Product Review – SunRype Fruit Strips, Fruit and Grain Bars, and FruitSource Bars

Dear Readers:

As a mother, I’m always looking for healthy and nutritious snacks for my family. My daughter is extremely active. She goes to an after school program that often includes sports and other activities. Her day starts at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 6:15 p. m. Some days, she goes to her karate class after the after school program and doesn’t get home until 7:15 p.m.

I usually include a snack or two in my child’s backpack so that she’d have something to hold her from the time she leaves school until she arrives at the after school program or sports activities that she participates in. It is important that she has something healthy to eat. I want to keep her energy levels up between her activities. I’d pack different snacks everyday. I would rotate what I’d give her – baked chips when possible, fresh fruit or fruit snacks, granola bars, or a sandwich to take with her. I like to give my child a variety to choose from. I want snacks that are healthy, have no artificial coloring or flavoring, made with wholesome and natural ingredients, and most important – tasty.

As a Shespeaks blogger member, I was recently given an opportunity to sample and review some great products from Sunrype (http://www.sunrype.com )

My blog kit contained an assortment of the following SunRype products:

100% Fruit Strips, Just Fruit & Grains, and FruitSource 100% Fruit Bars in different flavors.

Unlike most brands of fruit snacks, SunRype products are preservative-free, contain no artificial flavors or colors, and use natural occurring fruit sugars from the fruit or fruit and vegetable juices.

Here’s a list of ingredients for the SunRype Strawberry Banana fruit strip:

“Apple puree concentrate, apple and pear and grape and carrot and banana and elderberry and strawberry and lemon juice concentrates, citrus pectin, natural flavor. Does not contain nut or gluten ingredients. All sugars come naturally from fruit and fruit & vegetable juices.”

What’s great about SunRype fruit snack products:

- SunRype products are healthy and nutritious snack products that contain no artificial ingredients or coloring.

- Some of their products such as the SunRype Squiggles 100% Fruit Twists, SunRype 100% Fruit Strips, SunRype FruitSource Mini Bites and SunRype FruitSource Mini Bites Plus Veggies are processed in a separate facility that does not process tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, egg, milk sesame or soy products. This helps to ensure that your child will have an allergy free product.

My Informal Taste Test results

My group of fellow moms and their children tried 100% Fruit Strips, Just Fruit & Grains, and FruitSource 100% Fruit Bars.

Our favorite products among both the parents and the kids are the 100 percent fruit strips. It’s naturally sweetened and quite tasty. It doesn’t have any artificial coloring and the texture is quite nice. I like the perforated strips that enables the child to tear off a piece to share.

If your child likes to eat fruit snacks such as the fruit strips or fruit roll-ups, then the SunRype Fruit strips will be perfect for them.

The SunRype Fruit Strip

The Sunrype Fruit Strips are made with 100% fruit and has no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. It has 10-11 grams of sugars. These products are made with natural sugar. If you feel a need to, monitor and limit your child’s sugar intake. I would suggest either cutting the FruitSource 100% Fruit Bars or Just Fruit and Grains bars into smaller pieces or just purchase the mini-bites versions of these products.

The SunRyse Fruit strips were my daughter’s favorite. She quickly devoured two when we first got the kit. She and her friends thought it was delicious. The SunRyse Fruit strips come in strawberry, wild berry, and strawberry banana.

The SunRype FruitSource Bar

The Fruitsource Bar is equivalent to 2 servings of fruits. It has 29 servings of fruit grams of sugar. It was very tasty and sweet. I would personally prefer to have a thinner and longer bar. I found it to be a bit too thick and sweet for my taste. I would recommend getting the SunRype FruitSource Mini- Bites or cutting the FruitSource Bar into smaller bite size pieces if you are limiting your child’s sugar intake. I would also recommend limiting your child to just one package a day or just half a bar at a time. My daughter likes the taste of the FruitSource Bar but she prefer the SunRype Fruit strips because it’s fun to eat and easier to chew.

The SunRype Just Fruit and Grains Bar

The Just Fruit & Grains Bar is comprised of 70 percent fruit and 30 percent grain. It is not as crumbly as most cereal bars. Unlike most fruit and cereal bar, this one is not made with jam or preserve. It is made with pure fruit. You can see and taste the fruit in it. The Just Fruit & Grains has 22grams of sugar. I personally would to have the SunRype fruit and grain bar come with two individual pieces so I can share one or save one for later.

Verdict:

Overall , the SunRype products were sweet and delicious. It’s a great way to ensure that your child is getting some of their daily recommended amount of fruits. I’d personally would have prefer the Mini-Bite version of the FruitSource Bar because it’s makes it easier to share and for portion control.

Learn more about SunRype on their website (www.sunrype.com), and check out their fan page at

 www.facebook.com/SunRypeUsa/app_448589555162496  You will receive a free SunRype product after purchasing one.

Thanks once again to SheSpeaks and SunRype for giving me an opportunity to try out some great natural fruit snacks.

Disclaimer: I was given a sample of the SunRype Fruit Strips, FruitSource Bars and Fruit and Grain Bar for my review and honest opinion. All opinions expressed here are my own. No monetary gains were made.

Product Review: Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Night Cream, 1.8 Ounce

Dear Readers,

Winter is here! Like most people, I love to do various outdoor activities including skiing, ice-skating and just having fun playing in the snow with my family.

I just hate what winter does to my skin and hair. I have combination skin which usually gets oily in the T-zones in the summer. My otherwise normal skin on my cheeks gets dry and chapped during the harsh winter months.

This winter is no different. My cheeks feel rough and looked dull. Recently, I was given a sample of Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Night Cream to try in exchange for my honest opinion. I have satisfactorily used various products from Burt’s Bees including their lip balm for the past few years. I believe that Burt’s Bees is one of the better brands that available at the mass market.

Some information about about Burt’s Bees
Burt’s Bees offers all natural plant based products for the skin and face. It’s a socially responsible natural brand that is widely available and does’t test on animals.

Product Review: Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Night Cream, 1.8 Ounces
Average Retail price: $17.99

To see if it really works as it claims, I am going to keep an-online skin diary. I will update the diary as time progresses.

Skin diary – day one
12/31/2012 -It’s another cold windy day. I used the night cream after taking a shower and washing my face. I squeezed out the cream from the tiny sample tube that was sent to me. The night cream comes out white and thick. I lightly rub the cream on my cheeks until it it disappears.

After one night’s usage, my chapped cheeks felt softer, less rough and less flaky. I used it again in the morning after instead of my regular daytime moisturizer since it’s not thick or moisturizing enough to protect my skin from the winter winds. So far, in a 12 hour span, my skin seems to have responded to the cream without any allergic reactions or breakouts.

1/1/2013 – It’s another very windy and cold day. Since my cheeks are dry, I decided to use the night cream during the day instead of my regular lotion and at night before I go to sleep.

Observation: My cheeks are not as dry after two days of continuous use as a day and night cream.

1/2/2013 – It’s cold again but not as windy. Today, the temperature is in the thirties.
Used the night cream in the morning after washing my face.
Observation: This night cream is amazing. My cheeks don’t feel like so rough and looks better

1/4/2013 – I’ve used this cream every day as a day and night cream. So far, I like the results. My skin appears to be smoother and looks moist.

Initial response
I like the light herbal fragrance of the Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Night Cream. The cream has a nice texture – it’s not too oily or greasy. A little goes a long way.

Although, this cream is rich and gentle enough to be used in the eye area, proceed with caution since this does have fragrance.

Burt’s Bees states in their ad that the clary sage in this moisturizer increases hydration. It appears to do so.

What I like about Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Night Cream
- It has a very rich creamy texture for dry skin and it really works well for me.

- Contains some proven antioxidant plant oils and extracts.

- It’s affordable and widely available at mass market stores and health food chains

Cons:
- Jar packaging is pretty but won’t keep the night cream sterile. I prefer to use a squeeze tube so I can avoid dipping my fingers in it.

- Slightly fragranced – people with sensitive skin may want to avoid it.

Bottom line: Overall, I really like it. It seems to really work so far. I would buy it again.

Disclosure: I received a sample in exchange for my honest opinion and review. I did not receive any monetary compensation. All opinions expressed in this blog post are unbiased and strictly my own.

Product review: Carmex Lip Conditioner

Dear Readers,

I hate what winter does to my skin. I have combination skin, and guess what? Winter’s harsh winds has changed my skin and hair for the worse. My skin on my cheeks went from normal to sandpaper. My hair tends to get dry and frizzy in the winter. Not to mention the static electricity problem. My lips gets so chapped and rough. I hate putting on lipstick since it really makes my lips feel and look even drier.

As a Carmex Blogger Squad member, I would receive new products to try every few months. To me, it’s always fun to see if the product would be as good as or better than what they send me the last time.” Carmex’s product line

(http://mycarmex.com/ ) has expanded to include body lotion and hand cream in addition to their lip balms. There is always something new being offered from Carmex that I’d love.

Recently, Carmex sent me a tube of orange flavored lip conditioner to try. Carmex Lip Conditioner has 13 moisturizers to deliver extra-soothing results to help lock moisture into your lips. Carmex Lip Conditioner includes lanolin as one of its key ingredient. Lanolin helps your skin to retain moisture. It’s true – my lips are the proof that it works.

Carmex Lip Conditioner also contains other key moisturizing ingredients including dimethicone and allantoin to effectively aid with moisturizing and promote healing.

I was pleasantly surprised. I think that the lip conditioner is a great addition to the Carmex product line. It applies on smoothly and leaves my lips feeling moisturized. It’s easily absorbed and doesn’t feel sticky. It’s not overly shiny or glossy.

I like the way it feels on my lips. My lips are still semi smooth thanks to all the lip balm I apply during the day and the lip conditioner that I apply during the night.

I plan to add Carmex Lip Conditioner to my beauty bag of tricks for the winter. I have been using the regular lip balm for my dry and chapped lips. I drink lots of water to hydrate my skin and definitely try not to lick my lips. I think that using the lip conditioner at bedtime will definitely help .

Disclosure: All thoughts, opinions and views expressed are mine. I was given a sample for my review. No monetary gains were made.