Organic & Whole Living: Solay Wellness Salt Crystal Lamps

We've been home with our little bundle of joy now for a couple of weeks (more on her soon) and we're starting to get the hang of things, including nightly breast feedings. During my research for night lamps, and the perfect accessories for the nursery, I came across Solay Wellness Salt Crystal Lamps. 

Himalayan Salt Lamps are something unique, as well as a beautiful conversation piece for any room.

"All organic matter resonates at a certain frequency. Their natural resonance frequency makes our medium-size Solay Himalayan Crystal Salt lamps ideal for neutralizing EMFs (electromagnetic fields) in your workspace while filling your room with healthy, ion-charged air." - Solay Wellness

You may not realize it but the electronics in your bedroom, alarm clock, iphone, cordless phone, television, computer etc. all produce electromagnetic fields in the room that they are in. These are not ideal for sleeping. To aid in cleaning the air and creating a restful night's sleep it is said that these salt lamps; freshen and ionize air,aid for modern ills, can help mitigate EMF fields. With baby in our room, it gives me piece of mind since we do sleep with an alarm clock close by. 

My favorite part about this salt lamp is the warm glow it gives to the room. When nursing time strikes in the middle of the night, the dimmer is a perfect addition to the salt lamp. It creates the perfect amount of light to see baby girl to change her diaper and to nurse peacefully. I think my husband also appreciates the lamp when he's trying to get his beauty rest during our nightly feedings. 

If you're curious about the benefits of the Himalayan crystal salt lamps, visit Solay Wellness's  health benefits information page. There is also quite a bit of research and information available online about the wonderful benefits of these lamps. 

A special thank you to  Solay Wellness for providing this salt lamp for our review. 

Truth in Review/ The above salt lamp and shipping for the item was provided free of charge for our review from Solay Wellness. We were not paid for any content in our review or sponsored feature. The review is that of our personal opinions. - Gabreial Wyatt, Editor. Visit our Disclaimer/Disclosure Page for more info.

Organic & Whole Living Pregnancy: The Amazing Chia Seed! For Heartburn?

I'm sure most of you have heard of a chia seed, ya know those little seeds to grow "pets" out of. They were all the rage in the 80s and you can still find them on store shelves today. Today, I'm not talking about growing them, I'm talking about eating them! 

Chia seeds have amazing qualities and attributes that make them a great addition to your pregnancy. 

Doctor Oz and Michael F Roizen, authors of "You: Having a Baby: The Owner's Manual to a Happy and Healthy Pregnancy," suggest eating chia seeds during pregnancy as one way to slow how quickly your body absorbs sugar. He also has " The Ultimate Pregnancy Smoothie" on his website which contains chia seeds.  

I've recently discovered a little trick with the chia seeds for heartburn. Mix 1 Tablespoon with 1/2 cup-Cup of water. Let sit for 15 minutes and drink down the now gelatinous chia seeds. The seeds soak up the acid in your stomach to help ease painful mild heartburn. 

 

Image Copyright © MoonlightMicroFarm

Please note, I am not a medical doctor and am only sharing information I've found based on my personal research. As with any food, supplement, please consult your own physician. 

 

MoonlightMicroFarm (photo above) is a sweet little etsy shop offering seeds, sprouts and more. Give them a visit :) 

Organic & Whole Living: Homemade Blended Iced Mocha

So I have this thing for iced or blended coffee right now. The problem is that most of it is probably not healthy (I get decaf so baby isn't bouncing off my ribs) and most of it is not healthy for my budget! I thought I would try my hand at making something similar to my favorite coffee "bucks" place and try to satisify my cravings on a healthier and more budget friendly way. 

So for you, I have my Blended Iced Mocha. 

 

 

Blended Mocha Iced Coffee © Vintage Indie 2012

 

What You'll Need: 

1/4 Cup warm/hot water

2 t Instant Decaf Coffee, I use Trader Joe's ( or full caf) 

1T Organic Sugar

1T Organic Trader Joe's Midnight Moo Chocolate Syrup

1/2 Cup of Almond Milk

1 Cup of ice (plus a few extra if you like it thick)

Splash of Organic Heavy Whipping Cream 

 

Directions:

Dissolve the instant coffee in your warm water. Add the remaining ingredients with the coffee to the blender and whip it up!

 

 

Blended Iced Mocha

 

Enjoy! 

xoxo Gabreial

(ps. I can fill that glass up about 3 times with this recipe, maybe I need a bigger glass) 

Organic & Whole Living: The Scoop on Sunscreen

Image Copyright © SolhfulPrintShop

When it comes to sunscreen, I let the experts at the Environmental Working Group guide me to what is safe for my family. 

Sunscreen Guide - EWG's Skin Deep® | 2012 Sunscreen Report

If you don't know, sunscreens are so full of chemicals that many of them have been linked to cancer themselves, which defeats the purpose of the sunscreen in the first place! 

 

A few interesting and important points on sunscreen. 

"Which sunscreens are best and why?

An ideal sunscreen would block both UVA and UVB rays with active ingredients that do not break down in the sun (so that the product remains effective) and would contain active and inactive ingredients that are proven to be safe for both adults and children. Unfortunately, there is no sunscreen on the U.S. market that meets all these criteria, and no simple way for consumers to know how well a given product stacks up on any of these measures. That’s why EWG created this guide to safer and more effective sunscreens. To see how we conducted our analysis and ranked products, read our methodology."  - Environmental Working Group. 

 

"Doesn’t the government ensure that sunscreen protects us?

No. After 34 years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last year issued sunscreen rules that have the force of law. The FDA will allow American sunscreen makers to claim their products are “broad spectrum,” even though they offer much poorer UVA protection than is provided by sunscreens sold in other countries. Based on the products in our 2012 database, EWG calculates that half of the products that pass muster with the FDA would not be sold in Europe due to inadequate UVA protection. There, manufacturers voluntarily comply with a European Union recommendation that all sunscreens provide meaningful UVA protection in relation to SPF.   And still legal under the new FDA rules are products with sky-high SPFs that prevent sunburn but leave users at risk of UVA-related skin damage. The FDA  still permits powder and spray products that can be harmful when inhaled.  The agency has not approved sunscreen ingredients that are widely available in other countries. The U.S. is decades behind in sunscreen safety."  - Environmental Working Group

 

What can you do? Visit the Environmental Working Group:

 - Download the EWG Sunscreen App

 - Read up on the Best Sunscreens 2012

 - Visit the Hall of Shame and toss the offenders. 

 

Thank you Environmental Working Group for putting this together for consumers! 

 

 - I'm not affiliated with EWG. They don't know me from Eve, I just appreciate this resourceful tool every year for my families health, and I hope you do too! 

 

Organic & Whole Living: Interview with summer must-have, NaturoKits

NaturoKits is one of those companies that I stumbled upon and knew from the beginning that it would be a perfect fit for the VI household. I've already been able to use so much in the first aid kit during the past month that I'm splitting this feature into 2 parts. 

To prepare you for my review and to find out more about NaturoKits, I'm pleased to have had the opportunity to interview NaturoKits first hand about their products. 

Can you tell us how you started NaturoKits? 

NaturoKits was founded by two naturopathic physicians and mothers: myself and Padeen Quinn, ND. Years ago we used to compile rough versions of NaturoKits’ natural first aid kits for ourselves, friends and family, and patients to have on hand for home, school, and travel use.  We assembled these “kits” because the remedies that we would choose and use ourselves weren’t available conveniently assembled together anywhere. 

 

Then we realized that there are many more people who would benefit from having high-quality, doctor-selected, naturopathic remedies assembled into convenient kits.  We imagined that people would greatly appreciate having detailed instructions on how to use each remedy (an area that is often touted as being scary or confusing for those not familiar with naturopathic remedies).  And we could see that busy folks (especially moms) would love the portability and simplicity of NaturoKits’ package design. 

 

By developing NaturoKits we saw that we could help consumers make better personal health care choices by providing them with products to treat their symptoms in an effective, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly way. 

 

NaturoKits is a company that empowers families everywhere to take charge of their personal health in a holistic way with safe and non-toxic natural medicines.  It is our desire to make naturopathic medicine widely available, easy to understand, and simple to use.

 

 What is your favorite product in your First Aid Kit? 

 This is a tough question to answer because depending on the situation, each remedy has the potential to be my favorite in that instance!  And I truly use and wholeheartedly recommend all the remedies as they've been selected to be safe, effective, and applicable to multiple situations. But overall the remedy that I probably use the most is the Activated Charcoal for all sorts of stomach and digestive complaints.  It works so well!  Even my son asks for "black applesauce" (applesauce with a charcoal capsule emptied and mixed into it) when his tummy is bothering him.  Having said that, my favorite remedy as far as formulation goes is the Crisis Calm.  It's made from Columbia River Gorge Flower essences (local flora for Oregon) and it works superbly for emotional calming and centering.

How can your customers learn more about Naturopathic Medicine?

 For a better understanding of what naturopathic medicine is, what the training entails, which states offer licensure, and to find an ND in your area, please check out the website for the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians [http://www.naturopathic.org]. 

Some books that I would recommend for someone interested in natural remedies but an absolute rookie are:

Naturopathic First Aid – a Guide to Treating Minor First Aid Conditions with Natural Medicines, Karen Barnes, ND- includes a concise introduction to naturopathic medicine – nutritional, botanical, acupressure and homeopathic – then applies these practices to treating common first aid conditions.

Doctor Mom’s Natural Healthcare for Children:  Alternative Medicine for Injuries and Diseases, Kathy Duerr – a great little introduction to natural healing for parents and others who care for children. The author, Kathy, was the bookstore manager at National College of Natural Medicine when we were students there, and she relies on her experience of raising three children using natural remedies as a foundation for this book.

Everybody’s Guide to Homeopathic Medicines , Stephen Cummings, MD and Dana Ullman, MPH - A popular guide, this book teaches step by step how to select the correct homeopathic remedy for numerous common aliments and injuries.

See our Resources page [http://naturokits.com/resources.html] for a longer list of books and articles.

 

Do you have any suggestions for families just getting started in Naturopathic Medicine use in their home?

 

I would suggest starting with some of the basic remedies that address some of the most common benign situations.  Purchasing remedies from a trusted source and getting information about how to use them correctly from an experienced, knowledgeable professional is very important.  We at NaturoKits created our first aid kits with precisely these parameters in mind.  We are here to help people learn about and experience the benefits of using naturopathic medicines with confidence!

 

USE:DCVINTAGEBABY for 10% off through June 10th.  Can't be combined with other offers such as sales.

 

A special thank you to NaturoKits. We appreciate the interview. Stay tuned for our product review of this summer must have! 

 

Organic & Whole Living: Treating Poison Ivy From Your Yard!

It took my oldest son to bring bring back memories of last summer's poison ivy debacle. Although it wasn't a horrible case of it, it doesn't take much to remember the aggravation of that itch, burn and flat out  unpleasantness of poison ivy on your skin. 

 His first line of defense, the band aid. On his own he grabbed a band aid in hopes to cover up the poison ivy patch on his arm. In his mind, he was going to cover the problem and forget about it and hopefully not be tempted to scratch. Unfortunately the nagging itching didn't take long for him to take matters into his own hands again. With my permission he asked if he could head outside to grab some plantain. 

Image from Wikitonary

 

From our previous learning last year with the Wildcraft! game, we knew that plantain was a great source for soothing itchy skin. I've also read in The Handbook of Vintage Remedies by Jessie Hawkins, "Plaintain offers anti-inflammatory properties that help relive the rash and irritation and reports have even made it into the New England Journal of Medicine about the effectiveness of the her for poison oak and ivy." 

If you're in a pinch you can simple pick some "non-treated with pesticides" plantain and chew it up making a juice with your saliva, then spread the mixture onto the poison ivy. He opted to bring his leaves in, wash them, break and crush them with his hands. Then he added a few drops of water making a greenish liquid appear. He simply spread this mixture on his arm and let it dry. I can honestly tell you, I never heard another word about his poisy ivy patch again. From there, there was no itching and the poison ivy dried up and went away.  

 

Of course with any plant it is important to know what you're putting on your skin or ingesting. Herbal remedies can be used with ease, but you should be sure of what you are using. 

 

 

The above Vintage Remedies link is an affiliate link. 

Organic & Whole Living: Trading in Sugary Packaged Drinks for the good stuff!

 

 

 

Homemade Limeade

 

This recipe couldn't be any easier.  

To make a full gallon of limeade you'll need about 8-9 limes 1/2 cup of honey, coconut sugar or your preferred sweetener substitute. 

Juice 8-9 limes (depending on the size of your limes you may need more or less). You should end up with about 3/4th cups of juice. 

Melt 1/2 cup of honey with equal parts water in a saucepan to make a simple syrup.

Fill your gallon jug/container with a couple cups of ice, pour juice and simple syrup over the ice. Finish with cold filtered water. 

Extra Tip: Make yummy limeade popsicles with this recipe by pouring the limeade into ice cube trays, cover with foil and prop up popsicle sticks in the middle of each "cube". 

Variations: Add strawberries, orange juice, pineapple juice or any of your other favorites to make a blend of your own. 

Enjoy! 

Raising Healthy Kids with Special Guest Nicole Bennett Simple Homemade: 3 Points of Encouragement

Raising healthy kids is such an important topic to me, even more so now that I need to refreshen my memory on many things with the baby coming. Today, I am thrilled to have a very special guest with us Nicole Bennett from Simple Homemade. If you haven't had a chance to visit Simple Homemade you are simply missing out on some wonderful mom-mom information on raising healthy kids and what this really looks like in a real home. Please help me by sending Nicole a warm welcome!  

 

3 Points of Encouragement for Raising Healthy Kids

 

It's funny how having kids changes you. And I don't mean in the obvious ways like learning to deal with less sleep, never-ending laundry and chaotic dinners. I'm thinking more along the lines of healthy living. For me, it wasn't until I had my first baby that I began really caring about avoiding toxins and eating real food. Now, just about five years later (five!), this "healthier" way of life is basically second nature to me. I still have lots to learn myself, but more and more I'm thinking about passing on what I've learned to my kids. After all, concern for their health and safety is what started this whole shift. Here are a few ways I'm working on leaving a legacy of a more natural lifestyle to my kids.

Make it Familiar The most important way I can teach my kids about a healthy lifestyle is by modeling one for them. I hope as they grow older, they'll remember and embrace ways they've seen me take care of my body, our family and the earth. I eat the same healthy, real food I expect them to, I use the same non-toxic (often homemade) personal care products I put on them and I try to set the example of reusing, repurposing, upcycling and all that goodness in my own wardrobe and in our home. Routine helps, too. By now, my kids are used to our daily afternoon smoothies. And I'll be the first one to praise the yumminess of a smoothie filled with healthy addition such as leafy greens and chia seeds.

Make it Normal To be honest, my kids are young enough to not really know any different than to use cloth napkins and eat sautéed swiss chard. They think drizzling honey on plain Greek yogurt is a treat and that we avoid "fake"-colored foods because they aren't real and aren't good for our bodies. I try to explain why we do the things we do in a way that makes sense. I don't want them blindly doing what I do, because after all, I am teaching them to be able to live like this without me someday! One of my best tactics is to promote healthy things, such as eating vegetables that appear unappealing to toddlers, is to constantly talk it up as normal and "mature." Oh, you'll probably love that when you're older, I'll say. I learned about talking about how our palate matures from Amy of New Nostalgia and have already seen that tactic work in my little girl who never "liked" sweet potatoes until she was a big four-and-a-half-year old It's normal to have preferences (I hate raisins myself after all), but I love to talk up the good stuff in hopes that my kiddos will learn to appreciate what's good for them in the long run.

Make it Fun Healthy and natural living doesn't have to just be boring and "normal" though. My kids love the excitement of seeing what's in our latest CSA box, and visiting the farm each year, and picking berries for enjoying and using to make jam. They're excited when I let them help pick out a homemade ice cream flavor (and they don't miss the fillers and preservatives) just like my daughter loves picking fabric for a new mama-sewn dress. Healthy living can mean helping mom mix up a batch of granola bars -- and that's way more fun (not to mention less-processed) than just picking a box off the shelf. And I can't wait for the day when my kids get to gather up eggs from the backyard chickens I hope to have someday. And they are going to LOVE that. We don't have to lie, convince or coerce our kids into a healthy, natural lifestyle. Going back to basics is more fun, and as we model this "new normal" in our homes and daily lives, our kids will hopefully follow in our footsteps, carrying on the legacy we've been striving to create. We can't control the choices they'll make as they grow older, but we can lay a strong foundation for a healthy lifestyle.

 

Nicole Bennett is married to a handsome guy and has three little kiddos. She loves sharing her passion for baby-stepping towards a more natural, handmade lifestyle. She is the editor of Simple Homemade, and also occasionally blogs at Gidget Goes Home. She loves to read, sew, surf and watch baseball, and can often be found in the kitchen as well. She'd love to connect with you on Twitter or Instagram (@simplehomemade).

Raising Healthy Kids Month 2012: How to keep your kids from choosing "blue" food.

With Easter just passing, I thought it would be a great time to talk about food dyes and how to get your children to choose wisely. You know after you've had your fill of brightly colored marshmallow bunnies.

 The truth of the matter is, I am no expert on food dyes. There has been so much said already, that my plan of attack was to find some of the best articles without the scare tactics and share them with my children.

Just the same as I had shared Jamie Oliver's Letterman "Beaver Anal Gland" comment with them (see below)

 

I also find it important to share with them artificial ingredients, food colorings and things that are unnatural in our food system. For us it has been the best approach. The same as we teach our children to not run out in the middle of traffic, we can teach them how to take care of their bodies and put good things into them that would otherwise cause them harm.

I'm not saying we're perfect parents here but again, without the knowledge of something that harms our bodies, we just continue down the path of "what I don't know, can't hurt me". We all know that's not true! 

This is an excerpt from Dr. Mercola's article Are You or Your Family Eating Toxic Food Dyes, that I shared with my children. I just let them do the reading. 

Food dyes are one of the most widely used and dangerous additives. While the European Union has recently placed regulations on labeling food dyes to inform consumers of the health risks, the United States has no such requirement.

Here are some of the most common food dyes used today, according to the Food Freedom Network:

• Blue #1 (Brilliant Blue)
  
  

  An unpublished study suggested the possibility that Blue 1 caused kidney tumors in mice. What it's in: Baked goods, beverages, desert powders, candies, cereal, drugs, and other products.

• Blue #2 (Indigo Carmine)
  
  

  Causes a statistically significant incidence of tumors, particularly brain gliomas, in male rats. What it's in: Colored beverages, candies, pet food, & other food and drugs.

• Citrus Red #2
  
  

  It's toxic to rodents at modest levels and caused tumors of the urinary bladder and possibly other organs. What it's in: Skins of Florida oranges.

• Green #3 (Fast Green) 
  
  

  Caused significant increases in bladder and testes tumors in male rats. What it's in: Drugs, personal care products, cosmetic products except in eye area, candies, beverages, ice cream, sorbet; ingested drugs, lipsticks, and externally applied cosmetics.

• Red #3 (Erythrosine)
  
  

  Recognized in 1990 by the FDA as a thyroid carcinogen in animals and is banned in cosmetics and externally applied drugs. What it's in: Sausage casings, oral medication, maraschino cherries, baked goods, candies.

• Red #40 (Allura Red)
  
  

  This is the most-widely used and consumed dye. It may accelerate the appearance of immune-system tumors in mice. It also causes hypersensitivity (allergy-like) reactions in some consumers and might trigger hyperactivity in children. What it's in: Beverages, bakery goods, dessert powders, candies, cereals, foods, drugs, and cosmetics.

• Yellow #5 (Tartrazine)
  
  

  Yellow 5 causes sometimes-severe hypersensitivity reactions and might trigger hyperactivity and other behavioral effects in children. What it's in: Pet foods, numerous bakery goods, beverages, dessert powders, candies, cereals, gelatin desserts, and many other foods, as well as pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

• Yellow #6 (Sunset Yellow)
  
  

  Caused adrenal tumors in animals and occasionally causes severe hypersensitivity reactions. What it's in: Color bakery goods, cereals, beverages, dessert powders, candies, gelatin deserts, sausage, cosmetics and drugs.

 

As you can see there are some pretty scary facts listed there, and the rest of the article goes on to site scientific studies and other useful information.

As far as those brightly colored bunnies go? My children were on a mission to read the lable of every single piece of candy gifted to them. They even had me look up ingredients on all of their chocolates, as artificial flavored vanilla wasn't sounding so good to them anymore. Sandly we found that even some of the "best brand" chocolates had artificial flavorings. 

Raising healthy kids is a mission of mine. I find it pleasing with God's help that we haven't spent a day in the doctors office this year and as a matter of fact maybe none last year as well. I can only attribute that to God himself and for new knowlege being shared with me daily. I hope this article wasn't a "guilt trip" of sorts for you, but some encouragment to take control of what you're feeding your kids. Once they go to the real, natural and whole living foods, they'll start noticing taste differences in the other. I think it is a win-win for all of us. 

A couple of other great articles on the topic of food additives and food dyes. 

I'm so Mad I'm Turning Red (no. 5) from the same site Keep an Eye our for Artificial Dyes  

The Dangers of Artificial Food Colors from Natural News

 

Raising Healthy Kids Month 2012: Organic & Whole Living Recipe: Chewy Granola Bars

After all of the GMO talk lately, I'm tired of packaged products. I'm tired of having to read every single label, every single ingredient and even then, I have to look up ingredients and research said company just to prove to myself the ingredients are safe for consumption. So this past weekend I was inspired to make-from scratch, some yummy snacks for my kiddos and hubbs. 

I've created two Chewy Granola Recipes that I think you'll love, and if you don't they are super easy to change to your taste. 

 

This is what I call the base of the chewy granola recipe. The best part? No corn syrup of any kind and no questionable ingredients! 

What You'll Need:

1/2 cup of nut butter, peanut, almond, sunflower seed etc. 

1/3 cup of honey (I use a little less if I'm adding sweet "mix-ins" 

1/4 of Coconut Oil, this time I used Artisana (thanks to Artisana for providing the Coconut Oil)

Base Directions: Mix all of your base ingredients in a large pot and bring to a simmer from med-low to med. Watch so that you don't really cook the ingredients, you're just wanting everything to melt and to combine really well. 

Next you'll want your "mix-ins" 

1 full cup of any of these mix-in combination; almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumkin seeds, hemp seeds (great for extra protein), chia seeds, ground flax seeds, dried fruit, dark chocolate bits etc.

1 Heaping Cup of Oats. 

 

Almond & Raisin Chewy Granola Bars (Our family's favorite) 

For my 1st recipe I used the following;

1/4 cup raisins,

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1T ground golden flax seeds

1-2 T dark chocolate bits

1 heaping cup of oats.

Simply pour your melted mixture over your oats and mix-ins and stir to combine. Press firmly into an 8x8" pan. Let cool for a few hours or until "chewy set". 

These aren't going to harden up like a normal granola would, that's why they are chewy bars! 

Cut into squares and wrap for easy snacking on the go later! 

 

Walnut & Cranberry Extra Protein Chewy Granola Bars

For this recipe you'll need;

1 cup of oats (not heaping, this recipe is a little dryer than the other one above)

1/2 Cup chopped walnuts

1/4 Cup chopped dried cranberries

1 T chia seeds

1 T golden flax seen meal

2T of hemp seeds  

 Simply pour your melted mixture over your oats and mix-ins and stir to combine. Press firmly into an 8x8" pan. Let cool for a few hours or until "chewy set". Cut into easy to grab and go servings! 

 

I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as our family has. 

What kind of "mix-ins" do you like to add to your granola? 

 

Artisana Review: We created this recipe usuing Artisana Coconut Oil. I can truly say that I absolutely love this product. I love the fact that it is Organic & Raw. We often use the coconut oil in its raw state in our smoothies as well. "

"Artisana Organic Raw Coconut oil is non-hydrogenated, cholesterol-free and comprised of medium-chain fatty acids which are broken efficiently by the body, providing an immediate source of energy.When cooking or baking, use as a substitute for butter or margarine."

 

Truth in Review: Artisana provided us with Coconut Oil & Coconut Butter that we used in these recipes.  We were not paid for any contents of our review or required any certain text within the review. We speak truly from our hearts and hope that you and your family will gain trust from Vintage Indie reviews so that you may enjoy learning opportunities like this one and more.  All reviews posted by me are truthful in content and not bought. Gabreial Wyatt, editor in chief. 

Visit our Disclaimer/Disclosure Page for more info.

Organic & Whole Living: Awesome Deal $18.00 for $40.00 at Ecomom.com

I usually don't publish deals like these at Vintage Indie, but maybe I should. This one, I just couldn't pass up. Plum District is offering a great deal $18.00 for $40.00 at Ecomom.com. We recently made a large wipes purchase for baby from Ecomom.com and couldn't have been happier with our transaction with them. 

So what's the deal? $40 vouchers to EcoMom.com for just $20. Get an extra $2 off the deal with promo code Visa10 if you use a Visa card, bringing the price down to just $18 for $40 worth of shopping at EcoMom.com! That’s over 50% off.

Ecomom.com offers all kinds of great products for the eco-friendly, organic minded families includes skin care, baby care, house and home, gifts and organic food. Many of the products which have good ratings according to the Environmental Working Group's website Skin Deep. 

Head over to Plum District for all of the details, as I'm sure this is one that won't last. 

Happy Shopping! 

xoxo Gabreial 

 

ps. the links are rewards type links if you make a purchase, I get a deal, and if you pass the deal along you get a deal. 

Organic & Whole Living: Preview Hungry for Change a Food Matters Film Today

As some of you know I am a fan of the film Food Matters. Food Matter has recently begun the launch of their new film Hungry For Change. You can sign up to watch it for free if you register in time. 

 

 

 

 

HUNGRY FOR CHANGE exposes shocking secrets the diet, weightloss and food industry don't want you to know about. Deceptive strategies designed to keep you craving more and more. 

Could the foods we are eating actually be keeping us stuck in the diet trap?

In this free online premiere event you'll discover:

• How to navigate your supermarket - what to buy and what to avoid
• The real truth behind "DIET", "SUGAR-FREE" and "FAT-FREE" products
• How to overcome food addictions and cravings
• Why fad diets dont work
• What food additives to avoid and how to read labels
  
• What is fat and cellulite and how do we get rid of it for good
• The most effective detox and cleansing strategies, and
• How to eat for clear eyes, glowing skin and healthy hair

Find out what's keeping you from having the body and health you deserve and how to escape the diet trap forever.

Featuring interviews with best selling health authors and leading medical experts plus real life transformational stories from those who know what it’s like to be sick and overweight. 

Learn from those who have been there before and continue your health journey today. - Hungry for Change 

 

Organic & Whole Living Pregnancy: More Business of Being Born Released for 99cents!

I've mentioned The Business of Being Born here before and  today I'm happy to announce the release of More Business of Being Born. I haven't had a chance to view this one, but I'm anxious to with my husband. I felt very empowered as I watched the women in the first video. I also grew a stronger backbone and learned that I have control over the birth of my baby and the care of my baby afterwords. If you haven't seen the first movie, you can find it on Netflix streaming.  

Please note I have no affiliation with My Best Birth, but feel very compelled to share this with anyone and everyone I know who is expecting or plans to become pregnant in the future. 

 

 

 

Grab it on iTunes for only 99cents this week for a limited time! 

 

Organic & Whole Living Pregnancy: Bellaband Review

I'll be the first to tell anyone, that this pregnancy has been nothing like my first two. Everything is completely different. From the nausea in the beginning, to the way my body is changing, nothing is the same. I have to say there have been ups and downs, but mostly ups. I have not gained the weight like I did with my other two. I was at least double the size I am now at this time with my others. Interestingly enough, I'm happy I can still wear my pre-pregnancy jeans! Of course, I can't do it now at 17 weeks without the help of an amazing new-to-me product the BellaBand. 

The Bellaband is the creation of Ingrid Carney the founder and CEO of Ingrid & Isabel  and creator of the Bellaband. When pregnant with her daughter Isabel, her quickly changing belly prompted the idea of the Bellaband, two years later she was shipping her first order. 

 

 

 

You know how much I love to support entrepreneurs like Ingrid Carney. It didn't take me long to make the first step into reviewing the Organic Bellaband for you. She's made quite a buzz since her product launch and her products have become a favorite with pregnant women all over the United States including me! 

 

Organic cotton wasn't a must, but was a nice bonus when exploring the world of Bellabands. I have found this accessory; if you will, to be one of the best pregnancy tools out there. Yes, I'm really tooting the horn for my Bellaband. Like Ingrid, my belly sort of just "popped" overnight and the jeans zipped up were no longer an option. Once I put on my Bellaband it transformed them into fashionable and inexpensive maternity jeans! Yay for saving money and stretching your wardrobe during pregnancy. 

I've since switched to some maternity wear but for the clothing that is still to large, the BellaBand helps to hold them up until my growing belly fits into the stretchy material that we're all so familiar with. 

 

Above is a little more detail on how the BellaBand can work for you all throughout your pregnancy. 

 

 

After pregnancy, I plan to wear my Bellaband to hold up jeans that are too large (hopefully right) and cover my waist during nursing. I truly appreciate how versitle this accessory is to pregnancy and I'm thrilled to have learned about it. 

 

All Images Copyright © Ingrid & Isabel

Truth in Review: Ingrid & Isabel did provide us with the Organic Bellaband in exchange for our review.  We were not paid for any contents of our review or required any certain text within the review. We speak truly from our hearts and hope that you and your family will gain trust from Vintage Indie reviews so that you may enjoy products like this one and more.  All reviews posted by me are truthful in content and not bought. Gabreial Wyatt, editor in chief. 

Visit our Disclaimer/Disclosure Page for more info.

 

Organic & Whole Living: Pregnancy

Vintage Victorian Style Baby Carriage from gremlina

 

Well, if you're a friend of Vintage Indie Mag on Facebook, then you may have read that a fun announcement was coming. If you can't tell by the title, the Vintage Indie Fam is expecting our third newbie this summer!

We've known for a bit, but wanted to wait awhile before we shared it with our readers. I'm so excited to have the opportinity to dive into the world of Organic, Whole Living and Pregnancy with you.

Pregnancy and birth is something I'm very passionate about, as well as doing it healthfully (maybe with some chocolate cake too). I have to admit I was not living and eating a super healthy lifestyle with my other pregnancies, it wasn't horrible by any means, but it was not as clean and filled with whole foods as I would have liked. This time, I'm hoping to change a few things, including the birth. 

I hope you'll join me on this journey to explore the wonderful world of pregnancies and babies. I find the wisdom of other mothers something to cherish and hope for open communication of helpfulness during this journey.  Of course you know there will be plenty of vintage and indie style ideas as well! I'm aiming for a more stylish pregnancy and less frumpy. 

I'd love to know if you're also on a pregnancy journey, it is always more fun when you have someone to share it with! 

 

xoxo Gabreial & Family. 

Start the Year off Right: Two Must See Documentaries

I know resolution this, resolution that. Welp, I'm not here to preach to you too much. Recently I've had some time to watch two documentaries that were recommended to me and I took so much from them, that I couldn't just stand by and not share them with you. 

 

If you're expecting or plan to have a baby anywhere in the future. I suggest

The Business of Being Born. 

 

 

If you'd like to learn more about our food, and why it is so important to know what you're putting in your body and your families bodies, I highly suggest you watch Food Matters. 

 

Both of these are at Netflix and I've seen them for free on various websites at different times of the year. You can also stream Food Matters at their website linked above, for a fee. 

 

I am not associated with these films in any way. 

 

 

 

 

 

Organic & Whole Living: Nutiva's New Formula Hemp Shake

Recently I had the pleasure of reviewing some new Nutiva products. In an effort to get more protein in my diet right before workouts, I've been looking for a protein shake, without all the unnecessary sugary ingredients. Up first came Nutiva's Newly Formulated Chocolate HempShake. 


Did you know that " Hemp is a great protein source; an easily digestible, high-quality plant protein with branched-chain amino acids that are vital for good health?" Nutiva HempShakes™ contain 12g of protein per serving for the Vanilla and SuperBerry, and 11g for the Chocolate flavor. I've been a fan of Hemp Seeds for a long time, I love their crunchy texture and their mild nutty flavor. They add even more of a protein boost when you're really trying to amp it up. 

For an easy on the go Protein Shake, I simply use one of my recycled sauce jars add the HempShake powder according to the package directions, add almond milk and give it a shake! It really is that easy. 

If I'm really looking for a boost in nutrition, protein and something a little more substantial, I make the Chocolate Dream Recipe also printed on the package. 1-2 Tbsp. Nutiva Hempseed,1 oz of water, 3-4 Tbsp. of HempShake, 8 oz of Almond Milk, 1 Tbsp. of Coconut Manna, 1 cup frozen banana slices. Whiz up in the blender you have a yummy thick shake. 

As for those of you looking information on the texture, well it is a Protein Superfood Drink Mix so it is not as completely smooth as you would expect from an ice cream shake. Honestly, I like the texture of the shake plain with almond milk and with the extra ingredients. I'm a little different though when it comes to health shakes and I tend to like them. The chocolate flavor was nice, not too overpowering and not sweet. I will definitely continue to use it. 

I have to mention the Coconut Manna mentioned in the above Chocolate Dream Recipe, another great Nutiva product. I'm not really sure how to describe this product besides it is like a thick peanut-butter textured scoop of creamy goodness. It's choc full of fiber, 12% fiber and 9% protein and nourishing fats. It is also completely delicious. This will be a regular addition to my green smoothies as well as my Hemp Shake. 

A special thank you to the Nutiva company for providing these products for review. They truly fit in our Organic Whole Living way here at the VI homestead. Truth in Review: Nutiva.  provided me with these products.  I was not paid for the review or require any certain context within my review. All reviews posted by me are truthful in content and not bought. Gabreial Wyatt, Editor Visit our Disclaimer/Disclosure  for more info. 

Organic & Whole Living: Recipe for Roasted Sage Chicken & Veggies

With temperatures dropping around here roasted dinners are often a main stay during the winter months for us. I absolutely love this one pan dish (or two depending on the size of your family). It is one that I've taught my boys recently so that when they're out on their own, they'll know how to cook and eat healthy meals, even if they are on a budget. 

 

What You'll Need: 

Organic Chicken Drumsticks  5-10 depending on how many people you're feeding. We often go for the drumsticks in the organic isle since they're the least expensive. 

3-4 Carrots cut into chunks

1-2 White or Purple Onions (purple is my favorite, but we were out of them this time) 

Small Yukon Gold Potatoes, cut in wedges 

4-5 Cloves of garlic

Handful of fresh sage chopped

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

 

I  randomly place the chicken drumsticks on the pregreased sheet pan. 

Then I fill in the sides with all of the veggies, garlic and sage. 

Drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper. 

 

Bake at 375 for an hour (or until juices run clear and the chicken is done), turn up the heat to 400 for the last 15 minutes of cooking to crisp up veggies and chicken. If you're using two pans you'll want to rotate them half way during the cooking time. 

Pair with a fresh salad and you have a perfect meal. 

I love the carmalized sage, garlic and onion bits, they are my favorite! 

What's on your Autumn dinner table?

 

xoxo Gabreial     

Organic & Whole Living: Reminder - Mini Workshop Botanical Must Haves for the Whole Family Tomorrow! Rescheduled 8/23

Hey everyone, 

This is just a friendly reminder that the mini workshop Botanical Must Haves for the Whole Family with Jessie Hawkins is tomorrow at 10am. 

What is Vintage Remedies? Just a snippet from their website " Vintage Remedies was established primarily to fill the gap in natural wellness options. We stand squarely in the middle of the medicine wars, believing that prevention is the key to health and that natural options are usually the best first steps to regain wellness."

I'm embarking on a journey for my family and myself and home to become fully educated in natural wellness, so that I can further pursue my passion for healthy living and I'm so excited about it.

If you're interested in healthy living, herbal remedies, and alternatives to western medicine, I suggest you check out Vintage Remedies.

Join me this month and attend a mini-workshop!

Tuesday Aug 16: This has been rescheduled to Aug. 23 10am CENTRAL TIME ZONE Botanical Must Haves for the Whole Family with Jessie

 

For more information visit Vintage Remedies under their shop and enroll link, from there follow it to Event Registration.

 

I look forward taking these workshops with you!

 

xoxo Gabreial

 

Vintage Remedies and the links above are affiliate links. Visit ourDisclaimer/Disclosure Page for more info.

 

Organic & Whole Living: Vintage Remedies Mini Workshops Online!

 

Good afternoon! I wanted to stop by and tell you about a new and exciting affiliate here at Vintage Indie. Please hep me welcome Vintage Remedies! (Don't you just love the name)

What is Vintage Remedies? Just a snippet from their website " Vintage Remedies was established primarily to fill the gap in natural wellness options. We stand squarely in the middle of the medicine wars, believing that prevention is the key to health and that natural options are usually the best first steps to regain wellness."

I'm embarking on a journey for my family and myself and home to become fully educated in natural wellness, so that I can further pursue my passion for healthy living and I'm so excited about it.

Why the affiliation? I met owner Jessie Hawkins at the Cincinnati Homeschool Convention this past year. Her workshops were packed to the door and her booth, well it was sold out of every resource! People were flocking to the Vintage Remedies table and from there my curiosity grew. In the past few months I have been reviewing several books by Jessie Hawkins and I'm thrilled with what I've learned.

If you're interested in healthy living, herbal remedies, and alternatives to western medicine, I suggest you check out Vintage Remedies.

Join me this month and attend a mini-workshop!

 

Tuesday Aug 16: 10am Botanical Must Haves for the Whole Family with Jessie

Thursday Aug 18: 10AM Aromatherapy for the Homeschool with Jessie

Tuesday, Aug 23: 10AM Homemade must haves with Jessie

Thursday, Aug 25: 10AM Immunity for Winter with Jessie - School is starting, which means flu season is just around the corner. Learn what steps you can take to boost immunity in this mini version of one of our most requested workshops!

For more information visit Vintage Remedies under their shop and enroll link, from there follow it to Event Registration.

 

I look forward taking these workshops with you!

 

xoxo Gabreial

 

Vintage Remedies and the links above are affiliate links. Visit our Disclaimer/Disclosure Page for more info.

 

Organic & Whole Living: Back to School Series: Healthy Lunch, Bagel Pizza's

I know I'm probably not the first person to come up with a recipe like this. Better yet, I know I'm not. There's already a registered trademark company making these, they've been making them for years. My problem is, I don't know what the ingredients are or how they're processed. Just today I read an article about lunch meat glue. Yep, you read that right! GLUE! Gross, right? Even though we home school, I still have to come up with lunch every day, and my goal is to make sure they're getting the best ingredients for their learning minds. Who could learn anything fueled by glue!

My son has been begging for a version of these for awhile now. He says, "Mom, you don't have to buy those, just make me a home made version."  Awe, isn't he sweet thinking his mama could make him a home made version of anything he wants. This mama aims to please though and I think I did just that today with this easy recipe.

Ingredients:

1 Can of Organic Tomato Sauce

2 T Organic Olive Oil

Mozzarella

1 Clove of Garlic

Toppings; think fresh veggies from the garden, pepperoni, olives, or anything else you or your kids like on your pizza.

Seasonings; Fresh Basil, Fresh Oregano, Salt, Pepper, Pinch of Cayenne

Mini Plain Bagels (we use the Trader Joe's kind)

Directions:

Start by heating your olive oil on low in a small sauce pan. Add your minced garlic clove (or the whole thing smashed if your kids aren't big on garlic). Add fresh basil, oregano, salt, pepper to taste and a tiny pinch of cayenne. Let the oil infuse with all of these herbs for about 30 seconds or so being careful not to burn them.

Next add the tomato sauce to the pan and mix the spices into the sauce. Cover and let simmer on low while you prepare the other ingredients.

Slice and toast the bagels, and prep any fresh veggies and toppings you would like to add.

When your ready to asemble, top each bagel slice with a spoonful of yummy sauce and add your toppings. Top with cheese and place under the broiler for a few minutes. Be sure to keep an eye out on them so you don't burn them!

Cool and enjoy!

Time Saver Tip: After broiling each pizza, cool and freeze individually on a cookie sheet. Wrap and store for later use. When your kids need a quick lunch or snack, they can pull out a couple of these and warm in a toaster oven. Simple as that!

Organic & Whole Living: Square Foot Gardening

Our garden got put in way too late, but it's in! 

We have a lot of green stuff growing since this photo was taken, but I'm in the midst of battling groundhogs, racoons and aphids, it doesn't look so pretty. Not an easy go for our first year of a big-er garden.

I really love the square foot garden idea. The idea is that you plant things within the square foot spaces. I love the organization of it and it helps me keep the garden tidy. We used masonry twine with nails to make sure the squares didn't go anywhere. We also graded our yard and planted grass, we finally have some grass growing too. I'll get the updated pictures up soon.

What about you? Are you gardening this year? What are you growing?

I'm reviewing a fantastic book for you called Four Season Harvest by Eliot Coleman, so if you were late getting your garden in, don't wait for my review! Go get this book or check it out at your library, there is hope for a practical garden all year long.

 

Organic & Whole Living: Lite Raw Summer Salad

Summer is about eating fresh, local and lite. This is one of my favorite go to salads for lunch, dinner or even a snack!  It's refreshing, and the ingredients can usually be found in abundance during the summer.

Ingredients:

Israeli Cucumbers, English Cucumbers or any cucumbers you have.

Small Red Onion

Cherry Tomatoes

Lemon Juice

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

To prepare the salad, cut the cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes in half, dice the red onion and cucumber into a fine dice. If you choose to use a regular cucumber or another cucumber with a tougher peel, you may wish to peel it. Israeli cucumbers have a forgiving peel and I like to leave it on. Drizzle a few tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice and season to taste with salt & pepper.  Mix to coat. If you aren't going to eat it right away, cover it, but leave it on your counter to marinate. It will only get better with time.

There are so many variations that I make of this salad, you really can do just about anything. Sometimes I omit the onion and add a little balsamic vinegar, diced yellow crook neck squash and zucchini, along with some fresh basil and oregano.

Enjoy!

 

Teach Me: Wildcraft! An Herbal Adventure Game

Four little children, stretched on a blanket and four hours of fun later they have learned a lot. I had to do a double take when I was proofing this article. Four hours? Yes, four hours of playing this game. Mind you there was some running around involved, drink breaks and a half hour dinner break but still, that's a long time.

 

When I first heard about ! the game, I was totally thrilled. It was right when I started my journey of learning more about using herbs in our home for medicinal and food purposes. This was a great opener to start teaching my children about herbs and plants for uses they aren't used to. After the initial talk about not eating or using any plant unless you have permission, I was comfortable with them learning how plants benefit them.

As they were stretched out on the blanket outside they began to squirm and take off running through the yard. When I went outside to find out what was going on and to put up the game, they told me not to. They were trying to see if they could find Plantain in our yard for their "plant cards". Sure enough, they did this several times, finding specific plants in our back yard from the game.

 

Boys Review;

 - I thought it was great, fun to learn with.

 - You learn a lot.

 - Its a good game to play with friends.

 

I think Wildcraft! is a great game for kids. It makes a great conversation starter and for me, someone who didn't know a lot about plants and herbs (most of us call them weeds), a great opportunity to learn right along with my kids.

If you're interested in learning more about Herbal Medicine visit family owned and operated Learning Herbs to check out Wildcraft! and more.

 

Truth in Review: Learning Herbs provide us with the game in exchange for our review.  We were not paid for any contents of our review or required any certain text within the review. We speak truly from our hearts and hope that you and your family will gain trust from Vintage Indie reviews so that you may enjoy learning opportinties like this one and more.  All reviews posted by me are truthful in content and not bought. Gabreial Wyatt, editor in chief.

Visit our Disclaimer/Disclosure Page for more info.

 

Vintage Indie Frugal Tips for Mamas! Mega Swag Bucks Day!

Hey everyone, I just wanted to remind you that today is Mega Swag Bucks Friday! I just received $15.00 worth of Amazon Gift Cards today and I'll use those gift cards to purchase organic coffee, books and tons of other Organic & Whole Living products at Amazon.

Swag Bucks is a free rewards system. The concept is easy, you just use the Swag Bucks tool bar or search engine or their home page like you would any other search engine to earn free Swag Bucks and in turn cash them in for gift cards to places like Amazon. Amazon is great for us because we love shopping for organics and groceries, school supplies, books and the like. We use our Swag Bucks for Amazon all of the time. I order our Amazing Grass for our smoothies, chia seeds and a lot more.  A $5.00 Amazon Gift Card is only 450 Swag Bucks and it doesn't take long to rack them up. 

Mega Swag Bucks details;

Friday's you can earn swag bucks in multiples of 50,100,200 or even 1,000 just for searching.

If you'd like to get started, head over to Swag Bucks to find out more details. It's free to sign up and no strings attached. I'm saving my bucks up for something big I'd like to buy at Amazon. What will you use your Swag Bucks for?

xoxox  ♥ Gabreial

(by the way the link up there is a referral link under my hubby's program, help me, help you)