If the thought of wielding a massive cleaver gives you goose bumps, but you have a hankering for some fresh coconut water take a look at Vita Coco. All the natural health goodness of fresh young coconuts without the risk of missing fingers, yikes sorry for the graphic image let’s stick to a more inviting picture – the image of good health.

• Coconut water is low in sodium and sugar and very high in potassium (even more than bananas, or sports drinks like Gatorade)
• Coconut water helps raise the metabolism, boost the immune system, and improve circulation (and in a pinch it can be used for blood transfusions since it is identical to human blood plasma – oops sorry that brings us back to the missing fingers quip I’ll try to refrain)

If you aren’t that familiar with the health benefits of coconut water do some searching and you’ll soon find out that coconut water is some amazing stuff (maybe that’s why all those commercials you see for vacations in the tropics have all those gorgeous people in them – it must be the coconut water)

But back to the Vita Coco shall we? Not only do they offer plain Jane coconut water that is scrumptious all by itself, they offer many other flavors made with natural fruit purees along with the coconut water. Give the Passion Fruit, Tangerine, Peach & Mango, Pineapple, or Acai & Pomegranate flavors a try – you’ll be dancing in tropical vacation commercials in no time.

I have not been paid by Vita Coco to butter them up and make them look good – their products speak for themselves – I am also not endorsed by meat cleaver sellers or emergency room workers for mentioning tragic accidents that might result from improper use of said cutlery – I do however receive a small commission from Amazon for any purchases made through the links on this site so tell all your friends to stop here first and practice hitting that buy button – it does a blogger good

This Post Shared on Real Food Wednesday and Fight Back Friday

Have you been looking for a kids toothpaste that is so good your children will WANT to brush their teeth? Now how about one that is loaded with natural effective ingredients instead of all the artificial junk found in most children’s toothpaste?

We tried out a really effective herbal all natural toothpaste made by Vita-Myr awhile back and we loved it – the only problem was one of the main ingredients was clove. Clove is a very effective antibacterial and anti-inflammatory which is great for gum health, however it does have a strong taste – our 4 year old thought it was too “spicy”.

Alas, back to the gunky un-natural kids toothpaste…. but not long after we wrote up a review for the Vita-Myr Zinc Plus toothpaste – we received a surprise from the fine folks at Vita-Myr – a couple tubes of their Natural Orange Flavor Children’s Xylitol toothpaste. It has the same beneficial ingredients as the Zinc Plus toothpaste along with Xylitol which is a proven powerful cavity fighter and antioxidant – it even has clove. But with the nice subtle orange flavor you’d never know – and your kids won’t either.

Proof in point… when I brushed our 18 month old’s teeth with the Vita-Myr Children’s Xylitol toothpaste the first word out of her mouth was More! (and she wasn’t a big talker at the time so it must have been good)

She now loves brushing her teeth – and I love knowing that Vita-Myr children’s toothpaste contains no harmful chemicals, fluoride, artificial sweeteners or colors – not to mention this toothpaste is so effective at removing teeth scum it makes them squeak.

If you’ve discovered a great effective kids toothpaste leave a comment below – we are always looking for new natural health products to try.

This post shared on Real Food Wednesday and Fight Back Friday

My girls absolutely love kefir, a delightfully delicious cultured milk similar to yogurt. (and I admit I’m a little addicted as well) Someday we’d even like to make our own if we can find a good source of kefir grains, but until we do we like to try various store bought kefir when we find it.

We recently found a good one at a local co-op made by Nancy’s – Organic Blackberry Kefir – I’m salivating just thinking about it. Nancy’s makes four varieties of Organic kefir in 8oz and 32 oz sizes – plain, raspberry, blackberry, and blueberry.

Not only is their kefir loaded with tons (well, billions actually) of live probiotic cultures including L. Acidophilus, B Bifidum, L. Rhamnosus, and L. Casei (which besides being fun tongue twisters are actually great for digestive health and the immune system) Nancy’s organic kefir uses all organic milk, fruit and inulin (a prebiotic – probiotics best friend that enhances nutrient absorption).

In fact the organic milk comes from grass fed cows which provides a massively huge amount of good nutrients not found in “regular” milk.

The natural health geek in me has to mention a couple of points: one Nancy’s Organic Kefir uses Agave Nectar which while it is a low glycemic sweetener, has very high levels of Fructose which many even geekier natural health guru’s believe should be avoided like the plague.

Also in order for it to count as a low-fat drink it contains organic nonfat dry milk (in addition to actual organic milk) – which kinda defeats the point of all those good for you fats found in grass fed milk. There is a widespread misconception that low-fat or non-fat milk is good for you – but that is a whole post in and of itself.

That being said Nancy’s Organic Kefir is still one of the best for you kefirs I have found in stores and I’ll certainly buy it again – now if they made a full fat grass fed naturally sweetened variety I’d have to say it would be the perfect kefir.

This post shared on Fight Back Friday

Someone asked me the other day “can you dehydrate green smoothies?” It got me thinking and the answer is of course you can. The easiest way to dehydrate green smoothies is to calculate the coefficient of friction by dividing the volume of smoothie in Liters by the Square Root of Pi… well ok it might be even easier than that (and more fun if advanced math gives you the willies).

Just take your favorite green smoothie recipe (you can try our favorite green smoothie recipe if you don’t have one yet) but use less water so the constancy of the smoothie is thicker. Spread that out on a non-stick dehydrator sheet or some waxed paper in your dehydrator (or use a new fangled Excalibur food dehydrator with the mesh screens) and twiddle your thumbs until it looks nice and chewy. Roll that baby up and take it to go.

The beauty of dehydrated green smoothies is that you retain all that healthy raw food goodness but don’t have to lug around a big vat of smoothie – plus you don’t get the “what are you DRINKING!” comments from that one skeptical guy at work who always scoffs at you from trying to eat healthy at work.

When I was growing up we went through a few dehydrators, in fact my dad even made one himself that was mighty cool – and big! We had so much fun thinking of dehydrator recipes – I just wish back then I knew about green smoothies, I would have whipped up a batch in no time. Now that I have the urge to experiment again I’ll have to pick one up.

If you don’t have a food dehydrator yet either, the creme de la creme in food dehydrators among raw foodists (especially for smoothie leathers) is the Excalibur 3900 Deluxe Series 9 Tray Food Dehydrator. Usually on sale at Amazon for $219.95. You can also get highly rated dehydrators from Nesco for around $50 depending on what features you are looking for. But many have said drying fruit leathers is inefficient and messy with the round style dehydrators, and you can’t dry bulky items like flowers or granola because the space between trays is limited.

Have you tried dehydrating green smoothies? What is your favorite smoothie recipe to dehydrate?

This post shared on Real Food Wednesday and Fight Back Friday.

Are you looking for more natural egg dyeing tips or recipes this Easter? Just look in your back yard or even refrigerator! Natural dyes made from roots, nuts, flowers and berries have been used for ages before we had the unfriendly red dye number whatever. Plus it is much more fun to experiment with a handful of red cabbage from your fridge than using chemically made dyes – kids love to be creative and they will love collecting these natural ingredients from your own yard or pantry.

Here are a few household and backyard natural egg dyeing recipes to try - Just boil your eggs in water with a bit of vinegar and one of these ingredients below, then let simmer for at least 15 minutes (The longer the egg soaks, the deeper the final color will be):

• Purple grape juice or blueberries (for lavender)
• Red cabbage (for blue)
• Spinach or Red Pine needles (for green)
• Carrot greens, Tumeric or lemon peels (for yellow)
• Coffee or black walnut shells (for brown)
• Yellow onion skins or carrots (for orange)
• Beets or cranberries (for pink)
• Crab apple bark or Rose hips (for red)

Dyeing tips:
• Before dyeing the eggs, draw shapes or pictures on them with crayons or a piece of wax. The wax won’t absorb the color so the designs will show through.
• Wrap the eggs in rubber bands to make tie-dyed eggs.
• Wash eggs in warm soapy water to remove oily residue that may impede color from adhering to the eggs.
• After dyeing – for a textured look, dab the still wet egg with a sponge.
• After the eggs are dry, you can rub the eggs with coconut oil to give them a soft sheen.

For a very extensive list of egg dying tips and recipes here is a great article on natural plant dyes from Pioneer Thinking. These natural dyeing tips are more geared toward fabric dyeing but they will work just fine for egg dyeing as well – because after all I don’t think the Easter bunny had Paas egg dying kits a thousand years ago – he must have used a dash of Tumeric and a cluster of lavender, with some fresh bunches of red cabbage to make his best eggs.

If you’ve used natural dyes for dyeing your Easter eggs please share your favorite dyeing recipes we’d love hear what has worked for you.

I was reading the latest issue of Natural Health Magazine and was grabbed by a rubber duck. Well he kinda flapped me in the face with his BPA laden wing but you get the picture. Or maybe you don’t, but if you check out the book Slow Death by Rubber Duck: The Secret Danger of Everyday Things you’ll get the picture fast. Last Summer I went to a seminar on environmental toxins (see Benzine Cloud Terrorizes Households) and was shocked by the amount of chemicals we are exposed to every day without even knowing.

Well, back to the rubber duck. For one week authors Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie who normally use all natural organic products as good eco-geeks try to do, switched to the every day products that the rest of us use – shampoo, dish soap, toothpaste etc…

As you might guess at the end of this little experiment – their levels of toxic chemicals jumped significantly and Smith’s BPA levels jumped 7 times higher than before – this is after one week! You might make the argument that their levels of these toxins were pretty low because of their conscious effort to buy non-toxic products regularly so a seven fold jump might not be that much but how many of us use only all natural products every day?

Ever since I went to that seminar we’ve been switching to as many all natural products as possible, but it can be hard to tell what products are actually all natural and which one’s just say they are. I am always amazed when I see advertisements in natural health magazines for products only to read the label to find ingredients that are on the no no list. Slow Death by Rubber Duck: The Secret Danger of Everyday Things gives you the means to tell which products are safe.

Without trying to sound like I’m standing on the street corner with a sign board screaming about the dangers of everyday products – if you care about your health and the health of those you love give Slow Death by Rubber Duck a good look over. And don’t let his BPA laden wing slap you in the face again.

As one reader states: “I always considered myself to be rather savvy when it comes to where I come into contact with carcinogens on a daily basis. I have known about phthalates and BPA and fire-retardants now for many years, but I had no idea the extent to which the chemical companies have infused their questionable chemicals into every crevice of our daily lives. It is shocking and appalling and completely reckless. The only way we can turn this tide around is to arm ourselves with knowledge and demand change. Read this book! If you’re not angry after reading it, you weren’t paying attention!”

Yah, What they said.

Ok so you’ve got your Valentine e-cards all ready to send, your Valentine flowers are on order, you’ve even got your Valentine theme ipod case all wrapped up for your sweetie or teeny bopper but what about a little love for yourself. (what do you mean you bought the valentine theme ipod case for you – naughty naughty)

Well if you are looking for a little something to relax and enjoy now that you have all these things checked off your to-do list try Yoplait YoPlus yogurt. We’ve tried a couple flavors so far and they are mighty tasty. Plus as you might infer from the “Plus” they have a little extra that other yogurts don’t always have. Yoplait YoPlus is loaded with antioxidant vitamins A and E, fiber and probiotics for digestive health, and calcium and vitamin D for bone health. Let me touch on a couple of those ingredients if I may.

First off the vitamin D is very important not only for bone health but it is great for cold and flu season because higher vitamin D levels are known to be naturally immune boosting. Vitamin C and zinc get the celebrity treatment when it comes to cold and flu season but vitamin D may actually be more effective in fighting off the sniffles and sneezes.

Second the probiotics in Yoplait YoPlus are basically the good bacteria the body needs to regulate digestion and keep the bad bacteria from causing any number of health problems. It is also good to note that YoPlus has the prebiotic fiber inulin from chicory root extract which is necessary to help keep good-for-you types of bacteria strong and effective.

If you are looking for creative and healthy Valentine ideas or just a fun Valentine’s day activity for kids try this fun and easy yogurt shaped frozen treat recipe. This homemade Valentine treat idea comes from the February issue of “Your Big Backyard” magazine.

What you’ll need:
1. Your favorite yogurt – like Yoplait Yo-Plus for example
2. Several heart shaped cookie cutters

Here’s the fun part:
1. Place the cookie cutters on a plate or baking pan
2. Fill each heart shaped cookie cutter with yogurt
2b. make sure you sample some yogurt (what’s kitchen fun without some free taste testing – plus you’ll need the extra nutrients in the yogurt to help fend off the barrage of “is it ready yet” every 2 minutes)
3. Place your heart shaped creations in the ‘ol freezer for a couple hours
4. Lift off the cookie cutters and have some tasty healthy Valentine treats – yum yum

This Post Shared on Real Food Wednesday

As I sit here with my hot mug of Jasmine Dragon Phoenix Pearls tea laced with a bit of oolong I longingly look outside and wonder what it would feel like to bask in the warmth of a natural hot spring right about now. I suppose I shouldn’t complain it is a balmy 31 degrees out, but there is a bit of a nip in the air and i can see a faint whiff of the seasonal cold bug flitting through the air.

My thoughts turn to a past article on the many benefits of lemon that sits atop my blog fodder pile and my attention is peaked by the mention of bourbon. Bourbon and lemon the natural cold and flu fighting wonders of the world. And let’s not leave out honey – our poor honey who is feeling left out of the celebration (and shame on us to forget about our honey so close to Valentines Day).

It is an age old natural remedy the use of lemon, honey and bourbon to fight off sore throats and stuffy noses – in fact Mr. Hot Toddy as he is so affectionately called by some, has been with us since the nineteenth century in India and the UK – a fine place to enjoy the herbal delights of such a concoction as the cold wind whips over the cobblestone streets and the gas lamps belch their sputtering coal powered flame.

But alas, today in my comparatively warm home I enjoy my tea and wonder if perhaps something stronger might fight off the cold a bit better. But alas again since my first alas was the former I am without the natural cold fighting comfort of bourbon, but perhaps if you are lucky (yet unlucky enough to be besotted with the lover called the common cold) to have a bit of bourbon you might try an evening dance with Mr. Hot Toddy.

Natural Bourbon Cough Cold and Flu Elixir
2 ounces bourbon whiskey
1/2 lemon, juiced (about 2 ounces)
2-4 ounces water (optional)
1 tablespoon honey or heck lay it on thick and shoot for a bit more

The mixture is up to you really depending on how intimate you want to get with Mr. Bourbon, basically mix up lemon, honey, water and bourbon to taste – heat that baby to a nice warm glow and enjoy before bed.

For me I have a date with more tea – if you’ve enjoyed a dance with Mr. Hot Toddy please share your stories below (and please keep them to a respectful smolder there may be children peeking over your shoulder)

This post shared on Real Food Wednesday

Thieves oil or more properly an essential oil blend coined Thieves (since it is a registered trademark of Young Living Essential Oils™ who sells a wide range of Thieves oil products) has been found by a Weber State University study to have a 99.96% success rate against airborne bacteria. That’s a pretty huge claim to make, but many people swear by their Thieves oil recipes and concoctions.

The basic Thieves oil recipe consists of Clove, Lemon, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus and Rosemary. All of these essential oils have powerful healing properties. Cinnamon and clove make a viral infection less likely to occur by fitting the cell receptor sites normally reserved for viruses – just like a puzzle piece – or I suppose more like a wad of chewing gum and the underside of a park bench. I know from experience that clove oil is exceptional at fighting off colds after trying a natural toothpaste that includes clove and other bacteria fighting ingredients.

Many people already know about lemon’s antiseptic properties since it is used in cleaning products everywhere. According to Jean Valnet, MD, the vaporized essence of lemon can kill meningococcus bacteria in 15 minutes, typhoid bacilli in one hour, Staphylococcus aureus in two hours, and Pneumococcus bacteria within three hours. Even a 0.2% solution of lemon oil can kill diphtheria bacteria in 20 minutes and inactivate tuberculosis. (as stated in the book Essential Oils Desk Reference
) Wow! Once you get past the tongue twisting barrage of scientific terms there lemon seems like a miracle cure.

Rosemary helps protect against and destroy bad bacteria, yeasts and fungi – and we’re not talking the fungi from your monster Angus beef, onion and Shiitake burger, more like the fungi crawling between your toes after a fast paced game of basketball. (sorry to those of you who just enjoyed a Shiitake burger, didn’t mean to ruin your fine meal – although you know if you have a bit of bad breath from the onion a bit of Thieves oil might just clear that up)

And let’s not leave out Eucalyptus since it is quite the little gamer itself. We all know about the stimulating aroma of Eucalyptus and its known properties for helping relieve cold and flu symptoms, but it is also adept as an antibacterial and helps stimulate the immune system, It acts as an anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and even analgesic. (that last really isn’t as dirty as it sounds – it just means pain killer – man get your mind out of the gutter).

When you slip all these powerhouse essential oils into a bottle and give it a catchy name like Thieves Oil (with a sordid myth based potentially on the truth) you have a natural remedy winner on your hands. There are a billion and one uses for Thieves oil from use as a household cleaner, mold destroyer, cold fighter, hand sanitizer and even treating or preventing the common flu or H1N1 Swine Flu. Since Thieves oil is safe for ingestion a few drops can be added to your toothbrush to fight bacteria in the mouth and on the toothbrush itself.

You can make up an easy Thieves oil recipe your self by mixing 1-tablespoon each of Clove Oil and Lemon Oil, 2 1/2-teaspoons of Cinnamon Oil and 2-teaspoons of Rosemary Oil and Eucalyptus Oil with a cup of Jojoba oil or other carrier oil.

If you aren’t a DIY apothecary type you can always find plenty of good deals on pre-made Thieves Oil at your local natural health store or patiently look for a good sale on ebay.

Let’s face it Flu season is here and the heart of flu season is fast approaching, so are we protected from H1N1? That may depend believe it or not on whether you have had your seasonal flu shot – and the answer isn’t what you would expect.

Research done in four Canadian studies involving 2000 people shows those that have had their seasonal flu shot are actually at more of a risk to get H1N1 than those with no flu shot at all. I was surprised by that as well until I started reading more about how the seasonal flu vaccine works.

It turns out that repeated vaccines actually weaken your immune system putting you at more risk to get subsequent infections. And even more of a slap in the face is the fact that flu shots don’t even work against the virus they are targeting.

Here’s the basics – the flu shot is a weakened version of the strain of flu they are targeting. It is given to us in the hopes that our immune system will be able to generate antibodies that will fight off this low dose virus so when the real deal comes along our immune systems will be ready. The problem with that is it trains the immune system to be lazy – it has only had practice fighting off the weak version of the virus so when the big bopper comes along it isn’t ready – think of it like a runner training to run a 5k and then he decides to do a marathon on the day of the race – not gonna happen.

Another critical factor is that the strain of the flu virus we get in a flu shot is more than often the wrong strain and thus worthless. The strain of flu virus is determined every year in January or February based on active flu viruses in Asia with the assumption that when it hits the US the following year they’ll have a vaccine for it. Problem is viruses mutate (they would make great horror movie monsters) thus the strain of flu in the US nearly a year later is most likely different if not always different than that found in Asia.

I can tell you from my own personal experience the few times I’ve had the flu shot have been years where I’ve actually gotten the flu!

Well then, what should we do to avoid the flu and H1N1? It turns out that a healthy dose of vitamin D and other immune boosting nutrients like vitamin C, zinc, and omega-3 oils is the key. People with adequate levels of vitamin D rarely get sick from seasonal flu. Can you guess why the drug companies and vaccine manufacturers would rather you not simply spend some time in the sun (exposure to the sun allows the body to produce its own vitamin D) or drink some good ‘ol fashioned fresh squeezed OJ? I can think of billions and they all have former presidents on them…

Read more at NaturalNews.com: “Evidence emerges that seasonal flu vaccine increases risk of H1N1 swine flu“