100% Vitamin C Drink for Kids

Don't worry about the high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, food coloring and dyes (known neurotoxins) this has 100% vitamin C in it! (It makes me want to cry seeing this and how it is marketed as a yummy treat for little ones tummies.)

Do your children a favor and choose fruits and vegetables for their vitamin C and avoid all this junk.  Getting in their 100% vitamin C is not worth drinking this punch.  No way, Jose!!! 

Struggling with Menopause?

If you are one of the many women struggling with (or fear) menopause keep reading.

Menopause does not mean the body stops producing all hormones but instead the ovaries go into retirement by drastically decreasing their production of estrogen and progesterone.  In turn the adrenals (aka stress glands) have to pick up the slack and increase their production of sex hormones for everything to run smoothly.

The problem is that over the first 40 to 50 years of most peoples lives, the stress glands get run down.  They have to produce the stress hormone (cortisol) whenever stress is present.  Stress can be good or bad, actual or perceived.  This means even if you are moving to a new beautiful house it can still be very stressful.  Then you add in on top of it kids games, deadlines at work, traffic, family stress, etc.  It adds up real quick and your adrenal glands never get a break.  It is like asking them to do a sprint, then another sprint, then run a marathon, and once they finish another sprint, etc.  If you had to physically do that each moment you were awake your body would crash and burn.  And after 40+ years of this they get burned out too.  

After all of that you THEN start asking them to up the production of estrogen and progesterone to make up for the lack of hormones being produced by the ovaries.  The result when the adrenals (aka stress glands) can't keep up is stereotypical menopausal symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, decreased libido, dry skin, etc).  

So supporting and giving your 'stress glands' some love and TLC to produce hormones like they should can do wonders, absolute wonders, for women going or who have gone through menopause.  It SHOULD NOT be a dramatic, terrible transition.  Don't fall into the trap of thinking that common symptoms (aka what you stereotypically hear about) are NORMAL.  They are NOT NORMAL but instead common because most Americans are in adrenal fatigue.

One of my favorite quotes is (by Kevin Trudeau)

"Most people have no idea how good their body is designed to feel."  

You DO NOT have to suffer with the incurable, miserable symptoms.  Support the areas of your body that need it and you will be surprised at how good you can feel and how minimal the 'transition' will be.  

For specific ideas on how to support your adrenals there will be a blog post coming your way next week.  Stay tuned! 

A Healthy Local Lunch Find!

In Brentwood (off of Old Hickory) I ran across this amazing little restaurant with freshly made meals and juices for people on the go!  They are dairy and gluten free!  (Perfect for anyone on Candida Clear too.)

I got the Zucchini Alfredo (no dairy ingredients and the noodles are made from fresh zucchini).  It was really tasty along with the juice I got!  I would highly recommend checking the Daily Juice out!  :) 

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Here is a simple recipe for the homemade laundry detergent I use.  It makes a huge batch and lasts for a long time!  (Very very cost effective considering how expensive laundry detergent can be with the bonus of being free of chemicals and dyes! A WIN WIN!)
All but the Oxo Brite is available at Kroger which I ordered through Amazon. 

• Borax (1) 4 lb 12 oz box
• Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (1) 3 lb 7 oz box
• Castile or Dr. Bronner’s Bar soap (2) bar- (I used the peppermint scented)
• Arm & Hammer Baking Soda 4 lbs
• Oxo Brite (1) 3 lb container (I ordered on Amazon) 

Grate the bars of soap (I used a hand grater which was a pain.  Other people use a food processor and say it is much easier- I'll probably do that next time).  Then mix all the ingredients together!! Use 1-2 tablespoons per load. I have a HE washer and just put it in the powder section. For information on what I use for fabric softener click here.   Enjoy! 

 

 

I store mine in a large glass container I got at Target. 

 

(Also- for extra dirty clothes I add in 1/2 cup to 1 full cup of baking soda.  You can get a huge bag of baking soda at Costco for a great price.)

Dog and Cat Supplements Now at MTCAM!

Our fur babies need support too!  We are very excited to start carrying vitamins for both dogs and cats by Standard Process!  There is general whole body support (just like a multivitamin) as well as specific supports listed below.  If you know your furry little one needs specific support we may have just the right support for them!  They are all powders that you sprinkle on their food.  We cannot tell you what they need but only be able to make recommendations based off of general organ support. 

If you dog or cat is suffering (or you just wanting for preventative purposes) look at the list below to see if one of these whole food vitamins and supports will help.  Louie is on the adrenal & whole body support.

 

Dogs (Canine)

Adrenal Support

Heart/Cardiac Support

Skin/Dermal Support

Digestive/Enteric Support

Joint/Flex Support

Liver/Hepatic Support

Immune Support

Kidney/Renal Support

Thyroid Support

Whole Body Support- Multivitamin

 Cats (Feline)

Heart/Cardiac Support

Digestive/Enteric Support

Liver/Hepatic Support

Immune Support

Kidney/Renal Support

Whole Body Support- Multivitamin

 

 

Louie is the little brown one :)

Fabric Softener and Dishwasher Rinse Aid

Are you ready for this?  It is so simple, cheap, and no work is required to make it...

Vinegar!

Just add it to your washer where you would fabric softener as well as in your rinse aid compartment in your dishwasher.  No- your clothes and dishes will not taste or smell like vinegar.  I promise.  I ran across this because even my 'natural' fabric softener was leaving spots on my clothes.  After some research this is actually what the washing machine people (whoever they are) want you to use!  It is because fabric softeners have paraffin (wax) in them which builds up in the fabric softener compartment and causes issues.

So go to Costco (or wherever you shop) and switch over to this non toxic, super simple cleaner today!

Ps. If you have child with asthma sometimes a simple fix is to change to perfume free, non toxic detergent and fabric softener.  I will have a recipe for detergent coming soon but for now change the fabric softener.  The less toxins and chemicals they breath in the less irritated their lungs are.  It is not a fix for every child but it will help them no matter what.  I have heard some people have miraculous changes by just making this switch.

HUGE (1.32 Gallon) Vinegar at Costco- $3.29

Coffee Ideas and Alternative

Are you potentially a coffee addict?  (It is my weakness and if I could have 5 cups a day I would... especially in the cold weather.)  So here are a couple pointers to help if you do drink it daily.

1) Add a fat to your coffee to help sustain your blood sugar levels.  Coffee spikes them up which is why you get a high and then most people get a crash in 2 to 3 hours.  The fat helps keep your blood sugar levels regulated so you don't crash and burn and want another cup in 2 to 3 hours.  You can add 1 TBS of coconut oil or 1 TBS of high quality butter (grassfed).  It has made a huge difference for me when I add it in helping with my energy, not getting shaky and also getting my great quality fats in for the day (and oh so simple).

2) When you start NEEDING coffee to get up, do your tasks or get through your day that's when there is a problem.  If you just enjoy your cup in the morning I am okay with that.  But it is a different story when you have to have it.  That means you are at adrenal and possibly thyroid fatigue.  You should not have  to have it to function and if that is the case give us a call so we can help get your body back in balance. 

(Other signs/symptoms of adrenal/thyroid fatigue: Mental sluggishness, weight gain or weight that won't come off, not feeling rested in the morning, energy crash between 1 and 3 pm, burst of energy around 7 to 9pm, hair falling out, stress makes you want to start crying or run away, apathy, heart palpitations, etc.)

3) Try this coffee alternative (it doesn't taste exactly like coffee but pretty close)!  I put it in my reusable k-cup or you can brew it in a regular coffee pot too.  They make it in tea bags that I use in the office as well.  It helps curb my cravings and warms me up in this cold weather!  It is available in whole foods in the tea isle- they have the ground 'coffee' and tea bags. 

Stay warm out there! 

 

Ingredients