In THE BLOOD SUGAR SOLUTION, Dr. Mark Hyman offers a commonsense solution to losing weight and preventing diabetes, heart disease, stroke, dementia, and cancer by balancing insulin levels. It is a must read for anyone who is concerned about their health or is concerned with the health of a loved one.

We love this betook because he offers simple methods to achieving wellness-nutrition, hormones, inflammation, digestion, detoxification, energy metabolism, and a calm mind-and explains his revolutionary six-week healthy-living program.

Want a free copy of this book? We are giving 5 copies away.

- Mama

As many of you know, having a premature baby can feel like a very isolating experience. However, you are not alone! MamasHealth supports families with premature babies by providing them with hand knitted hats and blankets to use while in the NICU. We also have a community section where anyone who loves a preemie can share their story.

Consider sharing your baby’s story with the MamasHealth Precious Preemies community.

All stories become property of MamasHealth, Inc. and can be used in MamasHealth electronic and print media.
Stories will remain anonymous.
Stories will appear at http://www.MamasHealth.com/community/

Thanks to ADAPTT for this counter

Animals Slaughtered:

0 marine animals
0 chickens
0 ducks
0 pigs
0 rabbits
0 turkeys
0 geese
0 sheep
0 goats
0 cows and calves
0 rodents
0 pigeons and other birds
0 buffaloes
0 dogs
0 cats
0 horses
0 donkeys and mules
0 camels and other camelids

Feel a little symphathetic? Support organizations who are compassionate towards animals like The Gentle Barn, Farm Sanctuary or Animal Place. We have tips on how to reduce your dependence on meat.

We love Dr. Brown’s Natural Flow bottles.

As a new mother, I did not want my baby to experience colic. I spent many hours looking for the perfect bottle. Of course, I planned on breastfeeding, but what if it didn’t work? What if I wanted to store extra bottles? I wanted my baby to drink from the best bottle possible. Finally, I found Dr. Brown’s Natural Flow.

No swallowing of air

Dr. Brown’s bottle features a patented two-piece internal vent system that works unlike any other bottle design. The vent system fully vents the bottle for vacuum-free feeding, which is similar to breastfeeding. As the baby feeds, air is channeled from the nipple collar through the vent system, bypassing the breastmilk or formula, to the back of the bottle.

Protects vitamins and nutrients

Air never mixes with the breastmilk or formula which minimizes oxidation and helps preserve essential nutrients like vitamins C, A and E.

Comfortable feeding

Babies feed comfortably because the vent system allows them to nurse without fighting the negative effects of a vacuum or the discomfort of ingesting air bubbles. This helps to reduce feeding problems like colic, spit-up, burping, and gas. The breastmilk or formula flows freely, without nipple collapse. If you want to prevent colic, or if your baby has reflux or is very gassy, this bottle is a must have!

Why buy Dr. Brown’s Natural Flow Bottles?

• Helps colicky babies settle down / sleep
• Reduces colic, spit-up, burping and gas
• Helps prevent fluid in the ear / No vacuum
• Easy to clean, Dishwasher safe
• Recommended Age Range 0 & up

Dr. Brown’s Natural Flow Bottles are also available in wide neck, bpa free plastic, and glass. Make sure to buy a few extra bottles to place in your emergency/first aid kit. We recommend placing the plastic bottles in your kit because they weigh less than the glass bottles.

This Child Emergency Decal can be placed on any window to alert emergency personnel that there is a child in the home or car in case of an emergency.

Enter to win now

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.

About 40 percent of Americans don’t scoop, leaving behind nearly 4 million tons of dog waste. The failures of humans to pick up after their dogs are one of the reasons many people don’t like my kind around. No one wants to walk down the street, on the beach or through a park where there’s feces. It smells. It’s unsightly. And it’s unhealthy.

Dog feces can pass intestinal parasites, like roundworms and hookworms, and infections to other canines and people at parks, playgrounds and even backyards. Children can contract eye diseases, like ocular larva migrans, through the parasitic worms as well. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 10,000 human cases of roundworm infection annually. And I can even be exposed to infective worm eggs and larvae through waste. If your dog has diarrhea, it’s a good idea to bring along a bottle of water so you can rinse off the contaminated ground.

If you don’t pick up our piles, it can result in storm water pollution. Our waste contains bacteria that can increase the risk of viral infections, flu, and skin rashes for those who swim in the ocean.

In some areas, it’s against the law to leave dog poop in public. Don’t be afraid to scoop up our feces. If you don’t want to walk through the neighborhood with a pooper scooper, use a plastic bag from the grocery store or purchase them at pet stores. (Some are even scented.) Put your hand in the bag like it’s a mitten. Grab the feces with your covered hand, turn the bag inside out and be sure to knot it at the top. Dispose of the bag properly.

It’s really easy and everyone is happier.

- Trevor the Dog

January is National Eye Care Month. To celebrate National Eye Care Month, we are giving away 1 year’s supply of contact lens cases. Enter here to win.

Did you know contact lens cases can encourage bacteria growth if not cared for properly?

After removing your contact lenses, empty the case and rinse with fresh contact lens solution (never tap water). Cases should be cleaned after each use. Always allow the lens case to air dry. If the contact lens case gets cracked or damaged, discard it and replace it with a new one.

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.

Some would even call it another form of procrastination because, well, it is. One of the most painful self-reflections I’ve imposed is realizing all the things I didn’t do because the time just wasn’t right.

There were jobs I didn’t go after because I felt I wasn’t ready. Maybe I wasn’t as prepared as I could have been, but looking back, I understand it was just an excuse. In my twenties, there were men I wouldn’t speak to because I didn’t feel ready for any kind of relationship, as if every man would immediately fall into one with me. When I first started writing, I didn’t allow others to read what I’d written because I wasn’t ready for their critiques. Keeping talents to yourself is no talent at all.

So what was it all about? I was scared. I was afraid of rejection, of getting hurt, of finding out I was no good. Rather than expose myself, I claimed it was never the right time. There was a perfect moment, and THIS wasn’t it. I was only going to put myself out there when I was certain of success. And guess what? That moment never came.

Losing out on jobs, relationships and careers because of fear is a crime, punishable by days, weeks, months and years that you can never get back.

In Dr. Seuss’s Oh, The Places You’ll Go! he speaks of “The Waiting Place”. It’s obvious the characters on those pages are wasting time, waiting “around for a Yes or No”, or “their hair to grow”, or for “wind to fly a kite”, or “a pot to boil, or a Better Break.” Seuss makes it clear that the reader won’t be that person. The reader will rise above and move forward, embracing the unknown, taking chances, trying things because there’s no other way to live.

The first time I read the book, I cried. It was obvious to me I wasn’t living the best life I could live because I’d been waiting so long for the perfect moment that never came. Through self-exploration, some therapy and plenty of joy and pain, I’ve managed to overcome this issue, to a degree. I remind myself that life goes on whether we take part or not. No matter the excuse, the moment is here… and then it’s gone. Whether it’s perfect is not the issue. Whether I seize it or waste it is.

- Althea

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- Mama