If you’ve been diagnosed with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, this book is for you. The Diabetes Miracle addresses the root cause of pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes, insulin imbalance and resistance. Author Diane Kress, RD, CDE offers proven strategies to control diabetes with minimal need for medication.

The Diabetes Miracle provides simple, efficient, inexpensive strategies to:

• Correct your body’s insulin imbalance naturally and stop the progression from Metabolism B to prediabetes to diabetes
• “Rest, reset, and retrain” your pancreas to process carbs and react more normally to blood glucose changes
• Lose weight and keep it off—especially the love handles and excess back fat
• Get the best blood sugar readings you have experienced since your diagnosis on the least amount of medication
• Have more energy, sleep great, look younger, and feel healthier
• Gain control of type 2 diabetes on an easy, livable program

Diane Kress, R.D., C.D.E., owner-director of the Nutrition Center of Morristown, has developed, personally follows, and has successfully taught this proprietary program to thousands of patients. She also wrote The Metabolism Miracle, 3 easy steps to regain control of your weight…Permanently.

In our quest to find healthful, tasty, organic food to feed our babies, we stumbled upon Plum Organics baby food. Plum Organics offered everything we were looking for; gently cooked baby food made with fruits and vegetables, wholesome toddler food, and bite sized snacks made with organic fruit and whole grains.

Our babies’ favorites are the Just Peaches (4 months and up), the Pumpkin and Banana (6 months and up), the Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal breakfast meal (8 months and up), and the Blueberry, Oats, and Quinoa Mish Mash (toddlers). The sweetness, texture, and overall flavors satisfies hunger while providing important nutrients. We must confess, we like to eat them too!

Plum Organics is so dedicated to serving up healthful food and making the experience great for parents and children that they partnered with Boon and created a dispensing spoon designed specifically for their portable pouches. The spoon attaches directly to the pouch and makes serving easy.

Reasons why we feed our babies Plum Organics:

• certified organic with 100% pure organic fruit
• non-GMO ingredients
• nutrient rich
• no high fructose corn syrup
• no added sugar, juice, colors or flavors
• no trans fats
• no artificial ingredients
• BPA-free packaging
• convenient portable pouch
• child-safe cap, reseals for flexible portions
• meat and vegetarian options

Plum Organic baby foods cost around between $1.40 and $1.19 each and are available online and in stores like Target, Whole Foods, and Babies R Us.

Have your baby or toddler try some today!

- Mama

** Plum Organics provided the product for review.

The Make-A-Smash Food Masher is a must have food preparation tool. It’s easy design makes mashing fruits and vegetables effortless. It is simple to use and lightweight enough to take with you wherever you go. You can take it on vacation, to mommy and me outings, to a friend’s house, lunch with grandparents, or even the park.

The masher is small enough to fit into your diaper bag or purse! It also comes with a bonus feeding guide and a booklet with recipes and simple tips and helpful hints on how to introduce solids to your infant. Our favorite helpful hint is “Gauge food sensitivities and allergies by introducing one food at a time to your infant, spacing two or three days apart.”

Looking for a fun way for your baby’s older sibling to bond with the baby? Have them use the food masher to make the baby’s lunch or dinner.

The Make-A-Smash Food Masher comes in vibrant colors to capture your baby’s attention. Our masher is white and orange, blue and white is also an option.

Dr Brown has plenty of other amazing products. Visit their website and join the Designed To Nourish community to receive special product news, promotions and tips from Dr. Brown.

- Mama

When it comes to Fitness Balance Boards, there is only one name you need to know Fitter First.

The Fitter First Soft Balance Board comes in beginner, regular and advanced versions. The Soft Balance Boards are great tools for individuals seeking muscle or joint rehabilitation, balance-training, or strength building.

The Fitter First Soft Balance Board’s gel-like cushion is easy on the knee joints. If you’ve had a knee injury, you can use the beginner’s board to regain your balance and strengthen your muscles without putting yourself through a lot of pain. The non slip 4 corner compression legs create a solid contact with the ground, enhancing your experience and creating a no slip sensation.

The board’s gel-like cushion is also great for strengthening muscles, ankle ligaments and tendons. The cushion gives you the sensation of floating on a cushion of air while still providing a predictable foundation underfoot. And with its light weight, you can take and use it anywhere.

Source: Balanza Tablero by Trendy Toys

Already have good balance?

Then the advanced soft board is the one for you. The advanced board is specially designed to improve balance, increase core stability, motor function, posture and stance. The advanced soft board is a unique tool that can be added to any exercise routine. This board is especially useful if you are training for a marathon or a triathlon and need to build your core strength.

Benefits we love:

• Safely achieve better balance, coordination and overall agility.
• Enhance function based on a 3-D sensation where the boards tilt and float laterally creating a tri-place sensation for the user.
• Non slip legs create a solid contact with the ground – no slipping sensation.
• Non marking and silent base means these boards are quiet when in use.
• Larger surface area allows for a variety of foot or hand and sitting positions.

We love Baby Silk. Kid-tested, Mother approved.

Baby Silk is the first pediatrician-developed personal care line for babies! The Baby Silk personal care line includes moisturizing balms, hair and body wash, moisturizing towelettes, moisturizing towelettes with sunscreen, liquid powder, diaper rash cream, exfoliating cleanser for cradle cap, and SPF 30 moisturizing lotion.  All of their products are made in the U.S.A. and have not been tested on animals.

baby silk gentle all over clean
fragrance-free hair and body wash

Baby Silk Gentle All Over Clean is fragrance-free for ultra-sensitive skin. It is also soap-free, sulfate-free and tear-free. Baby Silk Gentle All Over Clean contains a blend of gentle ingredients that includes marine silk, certified organic aloe and antioxidant vitamins E and B5.

Features we LOVE:

• Paraben-free, preservative-free, sulfate-free
• Contains no phthalates, lanolin, mineral oil, petroleum, waxes, wheat or gluten
• Clinically rated tear-free
• Clinically tested & hypoallergenic
• Made in the USA
• No animal testing
• Recipient of National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance

baby silk daily skin protection
moisturizing balm

Baby Silk Daily Skin Protection moisturizing balm is a quick-absorbing, lightweight moisturizer that is perfect for restoring and maintaining the skin’s natural moisture barrier. Shea butter, aloe, avocado oil, olive oil and marine silk soothe baby’s dry skin, cracking or irritation. Antioxidant vitamins E and B5 and grapeseed oil help protect from environmental damage and reinforce the skin’s natural defense system.

Features we can’t live without:

• Paraben-free, preservative-free
• Contains no phthalates, lanolin, mineral oil, petroleum or waxes
• Clinically tested & hypoallergenic
• Made in the USA
• No animal testing
• Recipient of National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance

All baby carriers are the same right? Absolutely not. The BABYBJÖRN Baby Carrier Miracle is the crème de la crème. It seriously doesn’t get better than this!

If your baby loves to be held and you need your hands free to do household chores, read a book, shopping, or if your hands simply need a break, the BABYBJÖRN Baby Carrier Miracle is for you. We put a 4-week old fussy, crying newborn into the carrier and she was comfortable and sound asleep within 3 minutes.

Features we LOVE:

• Easy to put on. For forgetful moms, dads or grandparents, directions are sewn into the inside of the carrier so you won’t have to look for a manual if you happen to forget how to put it on.
• Color coded buttons for easy adjustments.
• Waist belt and flexible carrying for superior comfort.
• Body length chart inside so you don’t have to guess if your baby is longer than the recommended 30 inches
• Easy on your back and waist. The ergonomic waist belt allows flexible carrying in a variety of ways. Adjustment options transfer baby’s weight between your waist, hips and shoulders as needed.
• Head support for the newborn baby’s neck. The head support is adjustable and can be folded down once the baby can hold his or her head up (around four months).
• Once baby is able to hold his head up, you can carry him facing outwards.
• Fits baby perfectly – from newborn up to 15 months.
• Developed in collaboration with pediatricians to fit your baby perfectly. No extra insert or pillow needed.
• Extra soft and durable fabric.
• Made from a soft, durable cotton mix. Non-chafing seams.
• 2 color options: Black and silver or Black and purple

As a mom with a newborn who breastfeeds every 2 hours, I was excited to try out the Simplisse Double Electric Breast Pump. Since the breast pump was designed by lactation consultants and moms, my expectations were very high.

While the sucking action of an electric breast pump can’t completely mimic the gentle sucking of a baby, the Simplisse Double Electric Breast Pump comes very close. The suction cups are soft are designed to easily conform to the shape of your breast. More importantly, the sucking mechanism is gentle, yet efficient and will not leave your nipples sore.

I appreciate that the pump is easy to use and doesn’t require a lot of attention. (I once used it at 3am while my baby slept soundly a few feet away.) The only thing I didn’t like about the breast pump was the loudness of the motor. However, if your infant is calmed by the sound of white noise, the sound of the motor might soothe him.

The breast pump comes with a purse-like tote bag which is great for ‘moms on the go’ who want to be discreet. The breast pump also comes with a Wet Storage Bag, Microfiber Cooler Pack, 2 Ice Gel Packs, 4 Breastmilk Collection Bottles, and an Instructional DVD

Features:

• Compression technology and super-soft flexible breastcups
• Gentle Compression Technology gently elicits milk expression
• Gentle compression is designed to help minimize tugging and pinching
• Super-Soft BabyFace™ Flexible Breastcups conform to mom’s breast and naturally move with mom while expressing
• Inner and Outer Breastcups work together to mimic baby’s tongue and suckling motions, to encourage Let-Down

Overall, we liked the Simplisse Double Electric Breast Pump. The price is reasonable, it is efficient, easy to use, and is gentle on your breasts.

In our continuous search for great quality products we found Spindrift, a soda that is actually made of ingredients we can recognize.  Look at the ingredients of their blackberry soda: Another thing we love is that it’s sweetened with real cane sugar,  crushed fruits and sparkling water!!

Spindrift comes in 6 delicious flavors bottled in glass! (forget harmful plastics.)

• Cranberry Raspberry
• Half and Half
• Mango Orange
• Sparkling Lemonade
• Sparkling Blackberry
• Sparkling Grapefruit

It’s the kind of soda your mom would like to see you drink!

Check out the nutrition facts:  

Looking for a less messy way to apply sunscreen on your baby? The Baby Silk line by MD Moms® has just that!  Babysafe Sunscreen Towelettes.  These wipes come with broad spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen that’s gentle enough for a baby but also perfect for grown-ups.

As moms we know how challenging applying sunscreen lotion to our child can be and that why MD Moms made it so easy.

Here are the things we love about these wipes:

• Each one is enriched with Vitamins E and B5, marine silk, aloe and oat, so it does not only protect but it also moisturizes the skin.
• Contains NO phthalates, mineral oils, petroleum, waxes
• Hypoallergenic
• No chemical sunscreen ingredients.
• UVA rating: PA+++
• Water and sweat resistant
• One wipe will give your child protection from head to toe!
• No animal testing
• Made in the USA.

Each package contains 15 towelettes ( 7in x 8in) and it’s light enough that you can take it anywhere and use it at any age.

Activate Drinks, powerful antioxidant, immunity, multivitamin, and energy drinks that are ready when you need them. The active ingredients (vitamins or antioxidants) are stored in the bottle’s cap and are released into the flavored water when you twist the cap. By storing the ingredients inside the unique cap, separate from the flavored water, the ingredients stay powerful and fresh.

Activate drinks provides a powerful punch in 5 different varieties:

1. Multivitamin: Need a boost of Vitamin C? Activate Multivitamin provides a whopping 200% of your body’s daily dose of Vitamin C.
2. Immunity: Fight a cold or flu with Activate’s Immunity drinks. Each drink contains 100% Zinc, 100% Echinacea, 100% Grape Seed Extract, and 240% of your daily dose of Vitamin C.
3. Antioxidant: You can’t go wrong with Activate Antioxidant drinks. They contain a healthy serving of Tea Polyphenols, Tea Catechins, Açaí Extract, EGCG, Aloe Vera Extract, and Bilberry Extract
4. Energy: The Lemon-Lime flavor contains 100% Riboflavin, 100% Niacin, and 100% Vitamin b12. It also contains natural for smooth sustained energy.
5. Workout: Activate Workout drinks are designed to drink before, during and after fitness activity. We like the Passion Fruit flavor.

Other cool things about Activate Drinks:

• Bottles are made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic
• Naturally Sweetened with Stevia, a zero-calorie, all-natural plant-derived sweetener
• Zero calories
• No preservatives

Follow Activate Drinks on Twitter or Facebook and be one of the first to know about new drink flavors, give-a-ways, and coupons.

We absolutely love the DadGear Billboard Messenger Bag.

Love to recycle? Need a messenger bag? Have a baby? Want to reduce your carbon imprint? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, this messenger bag is totally for you.

The uniquely, one of a kind messenger bag is partially made from recycled billboards. The advertisements on billboards make for very interesting, creative bag designs. When you order one of these bags, you can make a request for a more ’spicy’ look. The more spicy the bag, the more weathered your bag will look. Spice options are: poblano, jalapeno, cayenne, and habanero.

The Messenger Bag can be used to carry a laptop but is also diaper bag in disguise. On the outside, it looks like a uniquely designed messenger bag. On the inside, it’s packed with:

• an easy access Wipes Case holder
• 2 large interior pockets for storage
• 2 pockets for bottle storage
• zippered pockets under the flap for creams, lotions and other goodies

Details:

• Changing pad included in its own pocket to eliminate cross contamination
• The billboard portion of the messenger bag can be easily taken off and replaced with a new design.
• Integrated stroller straps attach to any style stroller
• Light-colored interior helps you see everything inside
• Large, adjustable 2″ strap with shoulder pad
• Optional waist harness included for more secure fit
• The billboard portion of the messenger bag is made from a heavy duty vinyl covering on top of a durable mesh to withstand the torments of time and weather.
• Dimensions: W: 17″ x H: 12″ x D: 6”
• Weight: 3.3 to 3.8 lbs
• Strap Length: 60 inches when fully extended
• Changing Pad: L: 21” x W: 12” x Thickness: 1/8”

New bags and designs are frequently to their inventory. Visit DadGear.com or follow them on Facebook to be the first to know when new designs are available.

If messenger bags are not for you, but you love the idea of owning a bag made out of recycled billboards, DadGear also offers backpacks and satchels made out of recycled billboards.  Either way, these bags are so cool no one will know it’s a diaper bag.

Many of us consider our dogs our babies, and we spend many sleepless nights worrying how our canine companions will react to us bringing a human baby into our home.

Introducing a newborn baby to a four-legged friend can be quite a challenge. Your dog, as sweet and obedient as you may think he is, may cause quite a stir when the newborn arrives. Sudden changes in his daily routine may cause confusion and upset. Worry no more, Sounds of Baby CD to the rescue.

The Sounds of Baby is an audio desensitization training program designed to help four-legged family members prepare for a baby by gradually presenting sounds that will accompany your precious new arrival. Sounds on the recording have been carefully arranged into three separate tracks:

Track 1: Adorable baby sounds and subtle toy noises designed to intrigue your companion. (11:47)
The first time we played this track for two of our staff member’s dogs, they were both intrigued by the sounds. The dogs continued to lay in their favorite spot and showed no visible signs of upset.

Track 2: Provoking baby sounds and stimulating toy noises to arouse your pet’s curiosity and develop patience. (9:50)
A few days later, we played the “Provoking baby sounds” for the same two dogs and they were both curious. After their ears perked up, they walked up to the computer and sniffed around, as if they were “looking” for the origin of the sounds.

Track 3: Challenging baby sounds aimed at increasing your pet’s tolerance and acceptance of baby. (12:37)
After playing track 2, we waited a few more days to play track 3. Track 3 evoked the most attention from both dogs. Upon hearing the sounds, they immediately sat up from their resting positions and walked out of the room. A few minutes later, the oldest one returned to investigate the sounds. While the oldest dog sniffed and searched around the laptop, the younger dog came back into the room and started doing the same. Each dog showed seemed very curious and eager to find the origin of the sounds.

We like the Sounds of Baby CD and highly recommend it to anyone who needs to introduce a new baby to their dogs. The CD also contains special training instructions to help expecting parents create positive associations with the unfamiliar sounds and the soon to arrive new family member.

The Travel Roller® is the Original Eco-Friendly High-Performance foam roller!

The Travel Roller measures 4″ x 13″ and fits easily into a suitcase or gym bag. It is a great little fitness tool to take with you while traveling or simply on the go. The Travel Roller’s compact and ergonomically correct size allows the user to self massage through the entire body. It can easily be used to massage the quads, IT band, calves, feet, and neck. The Travel Roller is especially useful to massage hard to reach areas like the lower back, upper back, shoulders, and hamstrings.

The Travel Roller also offers:

• Adjustable ‘Hard or Soft’ settings for variable comfort and skill.
• Hollow center storage compartment.
• 1 year warranty.
• Free online educational videos.

Need a good massage? Buy a TravelRoller today.

The B-Agile is a quick-fold, lightweight stroller stocked with many easy to use features. It falls into the lightweight plus category, weighing a mere 16 ½ lbs. The lightweight aluminum frame combined with the super easy fold, huge canopy, automatic lock and big roomy seat makes this stroller a great value for its $249 price tag.

The seat is soft, wide and very spacious. The seat is 14″ across and has a 20″ seatback and a measurement of 25″ from seatback to canopy. The seat has a no re-thread, adjustable, 5-point, padded harness with head pad and reflective binding. The height of the harness and head pad is extremely easy to adjust. All you have to do unzip a zipper on the back of the seat and squeeze and slide an adjuster button up and down to find the perfect fit for your child. The cushioned head pad is a nice touch to keep your little one extra comfortable, especially when they are sleeping. The seat is deep and set back almost over the rear wheels to give this lightweight, 3-wheel stroller great stability.

The seat has a simple strap recline system. It can be reclined with one hand but you’ll need two hands to put the seat back upright. We love that the seat has a deep recline for our little one to take a nap. When the seat is fully reclined, you can lift the back of the canopy fabric to expose a giant mesh window to allow air to flow through the seat.

There is a non-adjustable footrest that is comfortable for older toddlers with a measurement of 10” from seat to where they place their feet.
The size of the canopy is one of our favorite features. It is HUGE and will shade your child completely from the sun and strangers who want to sneak a peak at your little one. The canopy also contains a large peek-a-boo window that allows you to keep an eye on them.

The handle bar is not adjustable. Perhaps this is a feature that will be added to future models.

Underneath, there is a medium size basket that has convenient side access. There is also a large zippered pocket on the back of the canopy for storage of lightweight items.

The B-Agile rolls on two 9 ½ inch wheels in the rear and a 5 ½” wheels in the front. The front wheel is a swivel wheel that can be locked straight if desired. The all-wheel suspension system absorbs little bumps but they are still somewhat noticeable. A one-step, linked brake pedal also locks the stroller in place.

The maneuverability on this stroller is great. It is very easy to push, turns quickly when needed and can be maneuvered with one hand as long as the seat isn’t at the weight capacity. The B-Agile is not an all-terrain stroller but it can handle bumpy roads and uneven pavement. If you plan on using it on grass, we recommend locking the front wheel for added support.

The B-Agile folds nicely and can be stored in compact storage spaces. Its measurements are 22.75″W x 10″H x 29″D. It fits nicely in the super small trunk of a VW Beetle.

The stroller comes with included Britax CLICK & Go infant car seat receivers to work with the Britax Chaperone or the new Britax B-Safe infant car seats. You can also purchase a universal car seat adapter that accommodates a Graco 32/35, Chicco, Peg Perego or a Britax Companion.

If you want to personalize your B-Agile with accessories, Lots of options are available to you including: child tray, adult cup holder, travel bag, rain cover and a UV/mosquito cover.

Looking for healthy drinks with bigger taste? Then, let us introduce you to Zola Brazilian Superfruits Drinks. Its great taste and vital nutrients are the perfect combination for an organic super drink on the go.

Zola drinks are USDA Organic and they come in delicious flavors: Açaí Original, Açaí Blueberry, and Açaí Pomegranate. Each 8oz serving has the antioxidant power of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, it’s 100 % Vegan, Gluten & GMO free and it has 1,470mg of Omega Essential Fatty Acids 3, 6 & 9.

Need a quick boost? Head over to your local Jamba Juice and try a Jamba® Daily Superfruit Shot™. These tasty little shots contain Zola Brazilian Superfruits and provide fast and easy nutrition.

If there is one thing we wished for our Zola drinks it’s for it to be packaged in glass bottles. But either way, with Zola you get great health benefits bottled in TASTE!