If you've looked at the ingredient list of your average instant oatmeal I hope you have a degree in chemistry - or a very nimble tongue, and plenty of time on your hands because the list is long and unpronounceable - not a good sign when buying food.

I've recently discovered Better Oats® - quite simply as the name implies - they are better oats. Well, instant oatmeal anyway. Better Oats makes 9 different instant oatmeal brands among them Oat Revolution, Abundance, Oat Fit, Raw Pure and Simple and Mom's Best Organic.

I haven't tried them all, in fact just looking at their website there are some I didn't even know about. But the one's I have tried have a simple healthy ingredient list without all the added junk you'll find in regular instant oatmeal.

While not all of them are organic, many of them are and even the non all natural non organic brands use simple ingredients - for example one of our kids' favorites is the Oat Revolution Strawberries and Creme which isn't organic but the ingredients are as follows: Whole grain rolled oats, sugar, flaxseed, natural and artificial flavor, dehydrated strawberries, salt, and citric acid. Yes you can make a case for the "natural and artificial flavor" being on the not so good list but overall for a non organic instant oatmeal that ingredient list I can live with.

And one thing I love with the strawberries and creme and well, all the Better Oats instant oatmeal's I've tried is the aroma - as soon as that hot water hits the oatmeal the smell is wonderful and rich.

If you are looking for an organic instant oatmeal option try the Raw Pure and Simple or the Mom's Best Organic which have Organic whole grains of Oats, Barley, Quinoa, Rye, and Wheat as well as flaxseed. Even the Abundance might be up your alley as it also has natural Oats, Barley, Quinoa, Rye, Wheat and flaxseed.

In this world of over processed hard to pronounce ingredient lists and just plain cruddy grocery store food it is nice to see a company that cares about health and tries to make healthy products that we will actually feed to our kids (and ourselves of course).

Check out these Better Oats instant oatmeal for sale below
or you can find a better sale at Target from time to time as well

Default By Relevance Bestselling Price: low to high Price: high to low Newest arrivals On sale

Better Oats RAW Pure & Simple Multi-Grain Hot Cereal ~ Bare Flavor ~ 5 Pouches per 7.4 oz Box (Pack of 3 Boxes) Sale Price: $13.75   Eligible for free shipping!

Better Oats mmmMuffins Old Fashion Instant Oatmeal, Blueberry Flavor, 5 Pouches per 7.55-oz. Box (Pack of 3 Boxes) Sale Price: $7.92   Eligible for free shipping!

This Post Shared on Fight Back Friday and Real Food Wednesday

Better Oats: Instant Oatmeal that I’d actually feed to my Children is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

Portable Far Infrared Sauna: A Whole Body Spa Vacation

Are you ready to sweat out some toxins and get in shape? Or maybe you’re like me and you just crave a little effortless warmth in the winter. I have been so happy with my new Far infrared sauna. I’ve been researching various types of portable saunas for many years now. For me, part of the challenge was affordability; I wanted an affordable luxury, less than $400 (though the one I got retails for over $900, there’s a really good special on Amazon – but only 3 left). The other key concern for me was space because when you live in an apartment, every inch matters. This one folds up so it stores easily after each use and is lightweight (less than 15 pounds for the whole unit).

There are so many great things about this Far infrared sauna, I’m just going to list some of the infrared portable sauna uses and the benefits of infrared saunas that I’ve noticed.

Far Infrared Sauna Health Benefits and Uses:

FIR Far Infrared Sauna Dome Wrap
(Currently on sale for 34% off – 2 left)

1) The Far Infrared sauna helps your body detox
2) Heats your body, not the air (so when you live in a small apartment, it doesn’t make your apartment feel like a sauna)
3) You lie down in it. This equals total relaxation. Sitting in a sauna is nice, but after being able to lie down in one I would never want to go back to sitting again. It’s good to let your whole body relax once in a while.
4) Sweat like you’ve never sweat before. I’m one of those people who hardly ever sweats (I’m always cold). I’ve noticed that with regular use of this sauna, my circulation has improved and my hands are even warmer.

5) Improved quality of sleep. I’ve been having trouble sleeping through the night for years. I’ve been using the sauna for about two weeks now and have already noticed improvements in the quality of my sleep. I have been waking up feeling well rested and much earlier than usual on my days off when I use the sauna the night before.
6) I’ve read other reviews that say infrared helps get rid of cellulite, helps with pain management, improve skin condition, metabolism, and more.
7) Even physically disabled people can enjoy some of the healthful benefits of “exercise” –burns over 600 calories in 30 minutes!
8 ) Can accommodate a person up to 6’5” tall.
9) Easy to set up. No tools required.
10) Your body will thank you.

Far Infrared Sauna Tips From My Experience

* Far infrared sauna Tip #1: I lie on top of a cotton sheet to make clean up simple (You will sweat like crazy using this thing and the sweat is like 7 times more toxic than regular sweat, so you’ll want to take a shower within 20 minutes as well.)

* Portable infrared sauna Tip #2: Try listening to relaxing music, dim the lights, and drift off to your happy place. It’s like a mini vacation that you’ll want to return to again and again.

FIR Far Infrared Sauna Dome Wrap Technical Details
• Burns over 600 Calories in 30 Minutes!
• Free Heating Mat Included + Pillow
• Powerful 1,000w Ceramic Heater
• Large Size - Accommodates anyone up to 6.5' Feet Tall
• Easy Storage - Folds up into a portable size for each storage

Product Description
Healing Benefits: The use of a portable infrared sauna is very important for the detoxification and cleansing of your body. It can rid your body of many toxins through your sweat glands. It will also improve your metabolism, and burn calories! Many people have noticed it helps deal with stress, as it allows your body and muscles to fully relax. It also improves blood circulation, and gets your heart rate up, which is very healthy. A sauna can also have a huge benefit for your skin. A good sweat is excellent for healthy skin. Helps with: Relief from headaches Weight loss - Burns over 600 calories in 30 minutes or less! Increasing body metabolism, Elimination of toxins, Blood circulation, Pain management, Immune system deficiencies, Detoxification, Respiratory ailments, Skin rejuvenation, Can help improve sleep, Lower stress and Many more benefits not even discovered yet!

If you've used a Far Infrared Sauna, have you seen any health benefits?

Default By Relevance Bestselling Price: low to high Price: high to low Newest arrivals On sale

Far Infrared FIR Portable Foldable Spa Sauna Detox Ion, SI01 Sale Price: $172.99   Eligible for free shipping!

XLarge Infrared IR FAR Portable Indoor SPA Sauna 1 YEAR WARRANTY Sale Price: $199.99   Eligible for free shipping!

Why I love My Portable Far Infrared Sauna is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

Wasabi sauce-that strange green spicy pile of goo that you always get when you go out for sushi and usually throw away (at least I usually did-since less than a grain of salt’s worth of the stuff makes my head feel like it’s about to come apart at the seams)—well, I had a bad cold which I think turned into an upper respiratory infection and had a real hankering for some sushi one night—and decided maybe some of that repulsive green stuff would be good for relieving congestion.

I did feel an immediate sensation of crispness as my nose seemed to clear and I tried not to cry, though when I looked up the reason why it seemed to work as a decongestant, I was surprised to learn wasabi actually makes the nasal passages more narrow-which might explain why later on my nose was even stuffier.

However, far from trying to discredit the health benefits of wasabi, I was surprised to learn it had so many other health benefits besides as an antidote to prevent food poisoning (which is one reason that wasabi is served with sushi and raw fish). Wasabi has anti-bacterial properties and is thought to reduce inflammation, prevent tumors, and even kill cavity causing bacteria! In addition, it may help prevent cancer and heart attacks, and help people suffering from arthritis.

But before you run out to your nearest sushi bar, know that real wasabi (or Japanese horseradish) is very rare in the U.S. and most restaurants serve a mixture of Western horseradish mixed with mustard and green food coloring. Before you skip the “fake wasabi,” altogether though, it turns out Western horseradish has many of the same health benefits, including antibacterial and anti-inflammatory characteristics, plus it stimulates the immune system, heats up the body, and has aphrodisiacal properties! Though we could probably do without the food coloring.

As I mentioned the true Wasabia japonica rhizome, (the rhizome is the Japanese horseradish root) is hard to find in the US so if you have a good source please share it with us in the comments below. And what do you think, is wasabi good for you?

If you do some searching Amazon does have some natural (aka without the artificial food coloring) wasabi powders and sauces, here are results for wasabi and wasabi products for sale.

Default By Relevance Bestselling Price: low to high Price: high to low Newest arrivals On sale

Kaneku Premium Wasabi Ko - Japanese Horseradish Powder - 1.0 Oz Sale Price: $4.35   Eligible for free shipping!

S&B - Wasabi in Plastic Tube (Family Size) 3.17 Oz. Sale Price: $3.73   Eligible for free shipping!

This Post Shared on Fight Back Friday and Real Food Wednesday

Wasabi, Spicy Green Goo or Really Good for You? is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

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 kids 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".

Is there a Natural Kids Toothpaste that kids will like?

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.

Teeth brushing success a Natural Kids Toothpaste that tastes good

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 natural kids 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.

Check out these sales on Vita-Myr natural kids toothpaste and other herbal kids toothpastes below

Default Featured items Bestselling Price: low to high Price: high to low Newest arrivals On sale

Children's Zinc Plus Herbal Toothpaste - with Xylitol Orange Flavor - 5.4 oz. List Price: $8.95 Sale Price: $7.48 You save: $1.47 (16%)   Eligible for free shipping!

Herbal Toothpaste Cardamon-Fennel 4.16 Ounces List Price: $3.70 Sale Price: $3.46 You save: $0.24 (6%)   Eligible for free shipping!

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

This post on Vita-Myr natural kids toothpaste shared on Real Food Wednesday and Fight Back Friday

Are You Looking for a Natural Kids Toothpaste Your Children Will Love? is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

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

I’m Hooked on Nancy’s Organic Blackberry Kefir is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

I was just perusing Amazon's special offers this morning (if you've ever bought anything on Amazon you'll know those offers spring up like a batch of dandelions) most dealing with a timely nudge to be green for Earth Day when my attention was grabbed by the roots by the number one selling book on Amazon - All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew.

Since everything is starting to green in our yard I've had the itch to start a garden, nothing fancy maybe just a little patch in the corner, but I'm a terrible procrastinator (like right now I should be writing the rest of this post yet I am going off on a tangent about procrastinating) Now where was I?

Oh, yah this intriguing book that has been on the Amazon top 100 book list for over 3 years! That's what caught my attention - next was how does a gardening book stay in the top 100 for 3 years not to mention who knows how long at number one.

Looking at Square Foot Gardening I can see why - it is a super simple method to gardening that claims 100% of the yield with 20% of the space - which fits right in with my plan for a little back yard garden. Not only that but Mel reveals his secret soil mix for perfect growing conditions (and never a need for fertilizer): 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 agricultural grade vermiculite spread out in a 4ft by 4ft box. (oops did I just ruin the secret?)

This new version of Square Foot Gardening called All New Square Foot Gardening (pretty original title huh?) Reveals 10 new and improved methods to make the whole process more efficient, easier, and well, garden-tastic. Take a peek at the video and see if you are as excited to get outside as I am - in fact I'm outa here the sunshine is calling...

One last note though, Mel has also written a delightfully delicious book called All New Square Foot Gardening Cookbook (he's got a good thing going with his naming so why change it I guess) that looks to be as savory as the fresh herbs and veggies coming out of the garden.

What are you planting in your square foot garden this Spring? (and when can I come over for dinner?)

This post shared on Fight Back Fridays

Spring is Calling and So is My Square Foot Garden is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

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.

Can You Dehydrate Green Smoothies? You Betcha! is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

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.

This Post Shared on Real Food Wednesday

Egg Dyeing Tips and Recipes Using Natural Plant Dyes is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

If you've read my green smoothie inspiration you'll know our recent adventure into the world of green smoothies has begun with a splash. And true to our kitchen creative nature we had to do some tinkering with the basic green smoothie recipe from the video.

We've discovered the fun and versatility of making green smoothies, and to my surprise we now have kids who can't wait to eat their green leafy vegetables - who would have thunk.

So here it is folks, drum roll please... our first green smoothie recipe dubbed by our 4 year old... The smoothie you can chew.

Green Smoothie Recipe #1: The Smoothie You Can Chew

1 Mango (minus what you sample while cutting - so probably a half mango)
1 Banana
3 Strawberries
3 Broccoli florets
Handful of fresh Spinach leaves
2-3 Green Kale leaves
1-2 basil leaves
1 Tbsp Flax seed
Splash of Pomegranate Kefir
10-12 ounces of water or to desired thickness

Blend that baby up and enjoy some vibrant green goodness - Don't worry you don't really need to chew it. (unless of course you have a dull blender...)

This post on our first green smoothie recipe shared on Fight Back Friday and Real Food Wednesday

The Smoothie You Can Chew: Our First Green Smoothie Recipe is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

Today I was blasted with a Green inspiration (just the thought of green sends warm flashes of Spring coursing through the room - I just wish some would flow outside where it is a not so springy 17 Degrees Fahrenheit). I was introduced to Victoria Boutenko and her series of books on Green Smoothie recipes thanks to a fellow natural health blogger and her recent post Drink Your Greens. She shared a video (see the video below) of Victoria talking about the wonders of green smoothies and a little taste test of a banana, mango, pear kale smoothie - a very vibrant green smoothie recipe that I look forward to trying since we just picked up some nice juicy mangoes.

After watching the video the green smoothie monster grabbed me by the hand and forced me to look up some of Victoria Boutenko's green smoothie recipe books. The video mentions Green for Life which is her highly lauded 2005 release. I also discovered her recent 2009 book Green Smoothie Revolution: The Radical Leap Toward Natural Health which includes 72 pages of green smoothie recipes submitted from all over the world. It is rather inspiring to hear the great reviews these books get and the stories of increased health and wellness from introducing green smoothies into their diets. I immediately reserved both books at the library, but if you aren't the waiting kind they are both for sale at Amazon.

Now I'm off to get some kale to go with that nice juicy mango... (and hey some of that Green inspiration must have spread outside after all... it's now a balmy 24 Degrees outside)

Update: I'm still waiting on those books from the library, but in the mean time we've been experimenting with some green smoothie recipes of our own - and I've been blown away! The kids actually LOVE these! I'll get a post up on one of our favorite recipes soon, but first I have to make our morning smoothie...

This post shared on Fight Back Friday and Real Food Wednesday

My Green Smoothie Inspiration and a Green Smoothie Recipe to Boot is a post from: Natural Health Goodies