Mom's Thumb

How to Write an Optimized Blog Post

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 31 May 2018 20:05:00 +0000

Learning How to Write an Optimized Blog Post Can Really Boost Your Sites SEO!

I’ve spent the past year and a half researching, digging, and learning everything that I possibly could in order to boost my websites google ranking. There is a LOT of info when it comes to search engine optimization, which can be overwhelming, but one thing has become abundantly clear . . . Content is King!

Or in other words, the more well written articles you have, the more Google will see your site as an authority. It’s that simple.

But writing a truly optimized blog post will give you that boost that you need to take your website or blog to the next level!

(Want the meat and potatoes? Scroll to the bottom for the infographic)

So how exactly do you write an optimized blog post?

I’m going to give it all to you right now. I’m a big fan of helping others, and I hope that this helps you. If you have suggestions on how to improve this list please let me know!

There are a few simple steps to writing an SEO optimized blog article, but there are also some crucial SEO tips that you’ll need to know as well. It may seem a little tedious at first, but I promise that if you do this every time you write an article you’ll be well on your way to ranking higher on Google.

I highly recommend copying these steps and using them as your posting checklist . . .

#1 Remember that content is king.

Write as many articles as possible. The more the better! 3-5 per week is a good cadence. Remember to write about what you love, what you’re passionate about, and something that you feel confident sharing. Finding and knowing your niche will help you do this. Writing for the sake of writing will get old REAL quick. So write from the heart!

Niche = Something very specific that you love and know. Avoid main stream topics such as “sports”. Instead get detailed, perhaps “football plays that convert” or “how to become a better volleyball player”.

We give you all the goods in our blog post how to choose the best niche (coming soon!)

#2 Pick the main keyword for your article.

Knowing your key words is just as important as writing lots of content. Content and Keywords are critical for SEO. So if you haven’t already chosen the keywords for your site, be sure to do that first. But don’t fret, keywords can change and adapt as your site grows, so don’t stress if you’re worried about choosing the perfect keywords the first time.

We lay it all out for you, based on personal experience, in our our blog post on how to choose the best keywords for my site (coming soon!)

Then pick 1 main keyword for your blog post that relates to your topic.

#3 Choose supporting keywords for your blog post.

Next, choose 4-7 supporting keywords that relate to your topic. These may be long tail keyword phrases with 5-7 words that help to describe your topic further.

#4 How many words should a blog post have?

This is an important one. The more words your article has, the more Google will see you as an authority on the subject. Be sure to write blog posts with at least 500 words. I highly recommend writing articles with more than 1,000 words when possible.

Just be sure to keep it engaging and natural.

#5 Do NOT stuff keywords into your article!

Keyword stuffing is a big no-no in the SEO world. Search engine bots that crawl our sites have become more intelligent than ever before. It’s important to strategically use keywords in your article, but in the proper way (which we cover in this article).

Basically, when you’re writing an article, be sure to write it naturally, to a human reader, and not a search engine bot.

#6 Always use catchy post titles!

I’m still learning this myself, it’s definitely a skill that comes with practice and time. Whenever you write a post title, be sure to address the solution to a question. When someone reads the title they should know exactly what you’re offering.

Your title should always be heading 1 (H1) which Google sees as more important. So be sure to ALWAYS put your main keyword for your article in the post title, and be sure that it’s natural.

TIP – Only use one H1 heading per article.

TIP – Keep your post title under 60 characters (we’ll tell you why shortly)

TIP – Write out 5-10 example post titles using your main keyword and then pick the one that you like the most!

#7 Use different sub headings in your article.

It’s a great idea to add at least a few different headings (H2’s and H3’s) to your blog post. Again, Google ranks these in order. H1 is the most important, H2 is next, etc. So be sure to place your supporting keywords in both H2 and H3 when and where possible. Again, ensure that it sounds natural when you read it.

TIP – Use sub headings that focus on the benefits and solutions that you offer.

#8 Write Epic Content! . . . and be sure to use your keywords too.

As you write your blog post, write from the heart, tell a story, and engage your readers! But, as you do, don’t forget to implement keywords that you’ve chosen where appropriate. This will help Google know what you’re writing about, and then send more readers and potential customer to your site!

TIP – Use your main keyword in the first and last sentence of your article. Use supporting keywords throughout.

#9 Check your Grammar and make adjustments.

Not much to say about this one, again, it takes practice. Check your grammar at least a few times. Read over your article, make adjustments, and then read it again!

TIP – NEVER accept the first draft of an article.

TIP – If needed, consider using a free tool to help you out such as Grammarly (they also have a Chrome Extension)

#10 Always link to at least one other article on your site.

Keep readers engaged, and keep them on your site as long as possible, by hyperlinking to other articles on your blog. Again, Google likes this, the longer a customer is on your site, the more it will help to increase your site ranking.

TIP – When creating a hyperlink for other blog articles USE KEYWORDS. Instead of “click here”, make the hyperlink more detailed, perhaps use the article title.

#11 Add post labels and categories.

Not too much to say here, but be sure to ONLY use 1 label per post. This helps to avoid duplicate content. Every label you add creates a new URL path to get to your article (which is silly but it’s true), and Google sees it as duplicate content since the same article can have different URL’s based on how a customer got there.

For example by clicking on the tag vs the post title.

TIP – Avoid this by setting the canonical URL (which we show you later on)

#12 Use great images! And optimize them . . .

Always use a featured image, as well as images throughout your article. It’s a great way to keep your readers engaged, and is a cool way to increase your sites SEO.

Be sure to always do the following when adding an image to your blog post:

Make sure it’s both relevant and high quality.
Don’t just grab images off of Google, purchase them when possible.
Download the image to your computer and rename the file itself using keywords for that article or image, and use dashes to separate each word. For example “strategic-football-plays.jpg”. Google reads file names, and is a little trick to increase optimization.
Compressing your images will increase site speed, so do it every time. Use the Tiny PNG plugin, or go to the Tiny PNG site directly to manually compress your images. It is a must.
If you have a WordPress site, or even Wix or Weebly, you can go into your image settings to create a custom image alt text and image description. Be sure to do this every time. It does not have to be perfect, but use keywords to describe your images. Again, Google reads these.

#13 Add cool media to your article!

Keeping a reader engaged can be a challenge. So do yourself a favor and add a video or infographic to your blog post! Readers and Google loves this. They don’t have to be fancy, as long as they are valuable and to the point.

TIP – Looking for an easy, free way to create a nice looking infographic? I use Piktochart, but there are others as well.

#14 Always ask your readers to take action with a CTA.

A CTA (Call to Action) is a great way to get your readers to stay engaged! It could be asking them to like your facebook page, enter an email address, comment, read another article on your site, or purchase a product or service.

Whatever it is, make sure that it’s relevant, and be sure to add a CTA to each and every post.

#15 Set your permalink to a simple to read version.

Google reads permalinks in a very specific way, so it’s important to ensure that they are written properly.

In WordPress you can edit this at the top of your edit post page. If you’ve chosen a good post title, it may not need to be changed, but here are a few tips for you:

Keep it somewhat short. 10 words is definitely too long.
Separate words with a dash – (which should be done automatically, at least in WordPress)
Use keywords in your permalink every time (again, if you chose a great title, this will already be done)

#16 Create an optimized title tag and description tag.

If you use WordPress, be sure to install the Yoast SEO plugin. It’s a great way to adjust different portions of your site in order to enhance your SEO.

Writing an optimized title and description tag is absolutely crucial. But once again, if you’ve chosen a great post title then most of the work is done for you. Go to the “edit snippet” section of your Yoast SEO toolbar on the edit post page to access the title tag (SEO title) and description tag (meta description).

Here are a few tips:

Always use your main keywords
Keep it short and readable
Keep your title under 60 characters
Keep your meta description tag around 250 characters
Separate your blog post title and website (or company) name with a pipeline |

#17 Set your canonical URL to avoid duplicate content.

Another quick and simple fix to Google thinking you have duplicate content is to set your canonical URL for each page and blog post. Simply do this (if you’re in WordPress) via your Yoast SEO plug in. Click on the gear icon (advanced settings), copy your permalink url, and paste it into the canonical url section.

Boom done.

#18 Post every single blog article to social media.

This should go without saying, but every time you write an article, post it to your social accounts such as Google + (always use Google plus which helps you rank higher), LinkedIn, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, and Twitter.

TIP – Always add an image and the direct link to your article.

#19 A few extra SEO tips to help your article to rank higher.

If you’ve read our article on best SEO plugins for WordPress (coming soon!) you’ll know about caching and sweeping. Increased page speed is important for SEO. So, after every article, be sure to purge all of your cache, and run a site sweep.

#20 Ping your site or Fetch and Render

So now that you’ve written an incredible article for the entire world to see, what’s next? Well, we need to make sure that people can actually find it. Google needs to know that your article exists so that they can crawl it for keywords, and index it.

You can go into your Google search console under the “crawl” section on the left hand side, then “fetch as Google”. You can also ping your site at Pingler.com

If you don’t have a Google Search Console account or Google Analytics it’s time to take the plunge. Take a look at our article on Free Google Tools for SEO (coming soon!).

Now you know exactly how to write an optimized blog post! So what’s next?

Rinse and repeat. As I mentioned, content is king, and key words hone your content for SEO. So keep writing, and keep researching! Keep going, and don’t give up.

Organic search engine optimization (non paid) takes time, and work, but it’s worth it in the end!

*Guest post by OptimizerPros Web Design and SEO. http://optimizerpros.com/

Zim's Max Freeze Muscle & Joint Relief

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 17:50:00 +0000

Zim's Max is a company based out of North Lima, Ohio. They have a dynamic line of naturally-based products that features different over-the-counter solutions. Their formulas contain herbal ingredients for pain relief, skin care, diabetics and first aid. Having started over 60 years ago with their first product Zim's Max Crack Creme, their products can be found in nearly every major retailer in North America.

Muscle & Joint Relief

Having tried Zim's Max Crack Creme previously, I was very excited to have the opportunity to try and reviews Zim's Max Freeze muscle and joint relief. This came at the most opportune time for me. We were in the process of making our last and final move. We were having to load and unload a 26 foot UHaul, twice, as well as a van filled up to the max many times, and trailers being pulled by the UHaul. Our backs, and every muscle in our bodies were certainly tried and worked beyond what we could imagine. It was truly muscle saving to be able to apply Zim's Max Freeze to our sore and aching muscles.

Clear Greaseless Gel

It is a clear gel that readily and quickly absorbs into the skin. It has a nice scent that does vanish fairly quickly, so you don't smell like a medicine cabinet at all. It is greaseless which I also like. No staining on clothes. It contains aloe, arnica, vitamin e and tea tree oil. It is paraben and sulfate free.

Just this morning I needed to apply the Max Freeze gel to my lower back. My muscles are still trying to build up to carrying 5 gallons of water in a bucket to water my fruit trees because we don't have enough hoses yet. Within 5 minutes the pain had subsided. It's been over 3 hours as of this writing and I'm still pain free. My husband was quite impressed too at how fast and long lasting this gel works. This does have a cooling effect. I sometimes need to warm it up a bit on my fingers before placing on my back. I highly recommend this product.

This product can be ordered online, but so convenient to find at nearly every major retailer in North America. It sells for around $9.99 nationwide for their 4 ounce tube. This is quite reasonable in price, especially since it works so fast and lasts so long.

Next time you have sore aching muscles or joint pain, rush right out and pick up a tube of Zim's Max Freeze. You'll be glad you did.

Cool Pain Relief Gel

Strange Lands: Heroes of Distant Planets Book 1 review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 17:46:00 +0000

Strange Lands: Heroes of Distant Planets Book 1 book review

Genre: Fantasy

Plot: Allen, the Boy has the whole world in his hands: well he at least thinks he does in his head. However, when that world comes crashing down things seem to go from bad to worse, to scary. When life is taken from him, Allen is left to fend for himself in a wheelchair and voiceless. There is some good, Allen's Uncle becomes the reason he lives. In this new quest to help and save his Uncle Allen finds a whole new world, Strange Lands, filled with fear, magic, and mystical creatures.

My Opinion: Let me start by saying I'm not normally a sci/fi book lover. It has to be the right type of fantasy book or right type of scientific book for me to want to read it, and then enjoy reading it. I'm more of a historical fiction, Christian, hallmark happy story type reader. So when I say that I like a fantasy book, that is big for me. This book is written perfectly for ages of youth in their tween/ teen years. It is easy enough to read and understand all the many new creatures, with new names, powers, their connection to Allen and his new life. Strange Lands is a fun book, which is good, because I'm not a fan of deep dark scary books. That said, it is a little too much fiction, and is a bit too wordy when descriptions are being used to really be fully enjoyed by adults...unless you enjoy fantasy whole and encompassing.

Interesting Details: Swimming is key to this whole book. Allen is a great aquatic athlete in the very beginning, and he continues to swim throughout the book. I found that very endearing and fantastic, because it reminds me of my youth: swim team, life guarding, swimming with my friends, siblings, parents, etc. Allen is full of fear, he opening cries, and yet is constantly finding himself building up his courage, bravery, and confidence. Something all tweens and teens are doing in real life. A great example.

Amazon Link: You can buy the book here through the link below. It is not an affiliate link, but the direct link to Strand Lands: Heroes of Distant Planets Book 1 on Amazon.

To comply with the Federal Trade Commission's regulations, I must mention as part of every review; that the publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of the book, through Amazon, in exchange for an honest non biased review. There are no affiliate links, nor payments made for this review. I have posted a review on Amazon as well.

Wild Orange - Essential Oil Smoothie!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 11:00:00 +0000

Wild Orange is the new Green . . .

When it comes to smoothies that is! For a while there is seemed like everyone was drinking Green juices, or Green smoothies. Vegetables and fruits in a drink of sorts for health and fitness reasons was a super popular idea. One, I admit, that I totally got caught up in. It was fun and fresh, and even more than all those vegetables, I got sucked into the magic of beautiful flavors from yucky foods!

However, after a few experiments with adding more fruit (because the Hubby and Kids complained about too many vegetables, especially the leafy ones) I found that Green smoothies can actually be any color in the Rainbow. What's even more wild? Rainbow is the new Green. 😊 After a LOT of experimenting, and trial and error, I have learned how to make them taste just as good as the beautiful colors I create.

Discovering Essential Pleasure...

Have you heard of them? Essential oils have become a huge deal! Have you been invited to like a million parties like me? I have, by all my friends and even those people who are acquaintances on my social media. I don't normally buy into fads. BUT SERIOUSLY!!!! I love my Essential Oils, like a ton! Lemon, Lavender, and Peppermint are my favorite for health, baths, and using with my kids, and they love it too!

However, recently I found a great way to use another essential oil, and it's my pleasure to share it with you all. Normally I focus on making healthy kid friendly smoothies with vegetables, essential oils, legumes, and plant protein powders. So when I say kid smoothies, I have to get really creative sometimes in how I "hide" the healthy stuff. This recipe I'm sharing below, doesn't have a lot of vegetables, because sometimes its also nice to just have a fresh fruity blast of goodness.

I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do!

Welcome to my newest favorite essential oil: Wild Orange. Most people add a drop or two to water for taste, or to an air freshener for the freshness, I found a way to add to the flavor oranges in a smoothie and it is essentially pleasurable. ~Enjoy~

Wild Orange Smoothie

(made with essential oils from doTerra)

8oz Orange juice
4 drops of Wild Orange Oil (we got ours from doTerra)
1 cup Papaya (canned is all I could find at the store, so I drained it)
1 cup Mango (canned is all I could find at the store, so I drained it)
1/3 cup carrots (steamed)
1/2 cup Greek Coconut Yogurt
2 tsp Chia seeds (ground)
2 tsp Flax seeds (ground)
1 cup Pineapple (fresh frozen)

*Blend until smooth. This will make 2 servings, you will get a really good taste of the wild orange and the pineapple flavorings.

*DISCLOSURE - Anytime you plan on using essential oils in a recipe or for ingestion you must first consult the manufacturer. DoTerra very clearly marks their bottles with whether or not they can be ingested, and instructions on how to do so. NEVER ingest essential oils without first consulting a trusted source.

Click Here! for an informative Ebook on how to use Essential Oils!

Thanks for reading. If you have other cool Essential Oil Recipes or cool ideas, please share them with us by commenting!

You should also check out our awesome review of Lavender Essential Oils!

Curse Breaker: Enchanted Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 19 Jan 2017 09:00:00 +0000

Curse Breaker: Enchanted Book Review

Genre: Fantasy

Plot: Boy with special powers is trying to live his life, help his brother, and keep a secret protected, but he works for a powerful man and an odd group of people. The people who he works for care about him and want to keep him safe from bad people, but they've broken his trust and can't get him to talk to them. Something bad happened in the land, and magic has called to the boy, now the ghosts from that incident are also asking for the boy to help them, their only issue is that they can't talk to him. Can he solve the mystery before he runs out of time? Can he solve the mystery, keep his secret, and help his brother into collage? The boy has a really rough life, with too many people asking too much of him, but can he endure and come out conqueror in the end?

Sexual Content update: Though I put that there is some sexual content let tell you what I mean. There are no sex scenes, which is great for me, because I'm not a fan of those. However the main character is drawn into sexual thoughts about a beautiful woman.

My Opinion: Let me start by saying I'm not normally a sci/fi book lover. It has to be the right type of fantasy book or right type of scientific book for me to want to read it, and then enjoy reading it. I'm more of a historical fiction, Christian, hallmark happy story type reader. So when I say that I like a fantasy book, that is big for me. Now for the cliche' I really did enjoy this book, I was constantly finding ways to sneak in and read it during my days over the Christmas/ New Year's holidays. One of the reasons I really enjoyed reading is because there was a wonderfully well planned history of where Sarn (the main character) lived, his back story, and why things were the way they were. However, this backstory was interwoven into every aspect and chapter, so you don't get the whole picture until the end, just puzzle pieces throughout the book. Melinda's characterization is very much in the same level as Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. You get to know each Ranger who works with Sarn, their individual quirks, ticks, and cares on thejob. Sarn's world is divided into when he's on the job and when he's off the job, so when the author mixes the two into one, she is very successful! The ghosts mentioned in the plot summary are my favorite characters of the whole story, they frustrate me, I like them, feel sorry for them, and wish I had power to help them communicate with Sarn while I was reading. When an author captures your own imagination and sucks you into the story as a character, you know they are very talented, and have worked hard at their skills. My only issue with the book, that kept me from giving it a 5 star rating, is that Sarn is a really rough life, too rough to be realistic in my opinion. I feel like there was so much bad happening to him that when something good did happen, it was glossed over just a little bit. Much like Harry Potter, my issue is the same; so much bad happened to Harry too, but he had those periods of regular life too, just not enough to make it realistic. I would have liked to see more good, or at least longer periods of time between each trial that happened to Sarn for my own personal reasons.

Interesting Details: This book review is from the ebook version. It is totally worth getting, because you can read it so much faster, and anywhere you go, easier than carrying a book around. I used the Amazon Kindle Unlimited app on my phone to read this ebook version. It was perfect. It automatically kept my book mark whenever I stopped. It also let me know how far along I was in each chapter and in the book as a whole, so that I knew how fast I was reading. The auther Melinda Kucsera has an amazing imagination. The way this novel is detailed it can compete with Lord of the Rings and even Harry Potter in the way that as you read this book comes to life. You are thrown into the book as a character shadowing the main character, but are able to float around watching those whom the main character Sarn interacts with.

To comply with the Federal Trade Commission's regulations, I must mention as part of every review; that the publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of the book, through Amazon, in exchange for an honest non biased review. There are no affiliate links, nor payments made for this review. I have posted a review on Amazon as well.

DoTerra Essential Oil - Lavender Magic!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 19 Jan 2017 00:31:00 +0000

So you've more than likely heard about Essential Oils by now. And you're probably wondering if they work, right?

I remember growing up on natural remedies. Do you remember something called "Sun Rider"? Well I do, it stunk like something awful, and burned a little too. But you know what? It seemed to work on a sore throat! Crazy. And maybe it was a placebo affect, who knows, but in the end I felt better. Natural remedies have been around for thousands of years, and even though a lot of them may not match the potency of modern day medicine, they make a difference.

So with all the buzz lately, my husband and I decided to do our own research using DoTerra Essential Oils. Is it really all that it's cracked up to be? Do they make a difference? Based on our experience, the short answer is yes, but we're not yet sure if they do absolutely everything they promise to do.

But for now let's focus on the positive with a good story. 😄 Not too long ago my husband was helping me in the kitchen with some cooking and somehow managed to accidentally grab a super hot casserole dish, that he didn't know was hot! haha Needless to say it left a nasty mark and burned his right hand pretty good. Based on a book that we purchased on when to use certain oils, we found that DoTerra's Lavender Essential Oil would supposedly help with mild burns, so we decided to throw some on. Why not?! Because we all know that burn creams are dodgy at best.

So we grabbed the bottle and put a couple drops on his hand, and low and behold it worked almost instantaneously! The burning sensation went away within a minute or so, with no blisters, and no scar. Needless to say we were SUPER surprised and pretty impressed.

So as we continue to learn and grow with Essential Oils we'll be sure to post them here.

So there is a quick review for you based on a real life experience, and we hope to post a lot more!

Feel free to comment below and share your experiences with us! In the meantime here is a little video we found on YouTube explaining some of the benefits of Lavender.

Check out another one of our articles on Essential Oils

Lymphatic System and Burdock Root

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 10 Jan 2017 18:04:00 +0000

Several years ago, I was informed by my doctor that the large lumps under my armpits were not due to cancer, thank goodness, but due to clogged lymph nodes. I was told to stop using deodorant, especially antiperspirants immediately. Well that was easy, I didn't use any. I didn't sweat, period. That raised some concern with the doctor. He then told me to increase my daily water consumption and make sure I drink 8-10 glasses of water daily, not counting any other juices, milk etc. I don't remember what all else I was asked to do, but I did notice that within a couple of weeks, the lumps under my armpits had significantly diminished.

Over the years, I have come to realize that my lymphatic system was not functioning like it should since I was a very little girl. From about age two, I was a very sickly child. I got all of the childhood diseases, plus a few more. About the only thing I didn't get was polio.

Needless to say, I've been on a quest to clean my lymphatic system most of my adult life, but especially as of late. I've made great progress. I've been reading and studying up on it, and have realized just how important this system is. The lymphatic fluid rests just below the skin; if it is toxic or sluggish (from processed foods, smoking, chemical body products, lack of exercise), the skin simply won’t look good. A healthy glow comes from the inside out. Even the fluid in the eyes is lymphatic fluid. The cleaner your are inside, the brighter and clearer your eyes will be – truly a window to your health!

The following is by Reuben Chow, reported in the Natural News. "The lymphatic system is part of the body's immune system and functions as the body's "drainage" system. While it often doesn't get as much attention as the cardiovascular system, it actually plays vital roles in maintaining good health and combating disease."

Below are key points regarding the functions of the lymphatic system:

• Lymphatic vessels remove blood proteins and excess water from spaces surrounding bodily cells - this allows the cells to receive critical oxygen. A congested lymphatic system results in oxygen-deprived cells, which in the long-term can lead to various pains and diseases.
• Lymph fills spaces between bodily cells, bringing nutrients to the cells as well as removing unwanted materials from them - these include dead cells, bacteria, heavy metals, fatty globules, and other waste products.
• Bringing toxins away from cells is actually the lymphatic system's main function. Lymph circulates through the lymphatic system, carrying waste materials away from various parts of the body.
• The lymph nodes then filter the lymph, neutralizing and dumping bacteria and other pathogens, as well as neutralizing and getting rid of other toxins. They then bring these materials to the bloodstream, while the lymphocytes are allowed to pass through.
• Thereafter, the unwanted toxins are brought through the blood to the kidneys and liver, organs of detoxification, where they are dealt with and then excreted from the body. Some of the lymph is also dumped straight into the large intestines, where it is excreted with the feces.

Knowing this, I now needed to find ways to clean my lymph and strengthen it so it would function properly. Key points to help with this task are:

· exercise regularly, especially rebounding (mini-tramp)
· dry skin brushing
· eating healthy, especially more fruits and vegetables
· drinking the right amount of water for your body
· deep breathing to increase oxygen to your cells
· lymphatic massage

Burdock Root (Powder)

Herbs also play a vital part in healing and cleansing the lymph system. They include:

· Cleavers
· RedClover
· BurdockRoot
· Astragalus
· Echinacea
· Goldenseal
· Pokeroot
· Wild Indigo Root

These are all excellent herbs that will help cleanse the lymphatic system and flush out toxins accumulated in the lymph. All herbal products should be taken in conjunction with an organic food diet or food which is free of any and all chemical products and substances.

Burdock Root is especially good for:

Detoxing Blood and Lymph (It is a blood purifier.)
Relieves liver and gall bladder ailments
Acne
Psoriasis
Eczema
Promotes Perspiration
Has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties
Releases Water retention
Aids in circulation

1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon daily

As I have been taking a combination of several of the above herbals, and constantly strive to drink 8-10 glasses of water daily, exercise daily-especially those that stimulate the lymph such as rebounding and jump roping, doing the dry skin brushing etc., I have noticed a big improvement. I see it in my eyes, and I feel it in my legs, as well as the lymph nodes under my arms. My eyes are becoming greener every day, the orange haze is disappearing. My legs, specifically my calves, do not swell as much. I now sweat which keeps my underarm lymph nodes from swelling. I rarely get sick, but when I do, I feel it is more a detox cleanse type of being sick, rather than catching the next virus going around. I am more healthy today than I was during my childhood.

Like I've mentioned before in other posts, Bulk Supplements are a great place to obtain many of the herbs listed above. They offer the cleanest, purest forms of dry herbs and supplements. I have recommended them to friends and family.

Eggnog Fudge Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 15:53:00 +0000

Eggnog Fudge (A 5 Star Rating)

If you like eggnog, you will love this eggnog fudge. It's a favorite at our house.

Ingredients:

4 ½ cups sugar
12 oz. Eggnog (regular flavor is the best one to use)
3 cups mini marshmallows
18 oz. White chocolate chips
1 ½ sticks real butter, salted
1 ½ tsp. rum flavoring
¼ to ½ tsp. nutmeg

Directions:

Line a 9x13 dish with aluminum foil.

In a 6 quart saucepan, stir and bring to a rolling boil the sugar and eggnog. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium. Stir and cook for an additional 7-10 minutes or until softball stage. Make sure all sugar crystals are melted but don’t burn.

Take off heat and add the white chocolate chips, and the butter. Stir until melted. Add the rum flavoring and nutmeg. Stir until blended.

Pour into dish and chill at least 2 hours. Peel from aluminum and slice. Keep covered in refrigerator.

: EggNog Fudge

Zim's Max Crack Creme

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 15:24:00 +0000

How many of you are like me and keep searching for a great lotion for dry skin? This is what has led to my lotion fetish. I'm all about wanting to try the next new thing to see what will work best for me, more specifically, my feet. I hate to wear socks, so during the spring through fall, my feet are bare. They toughen up and and can handle being bare. What they can't take is sandals, shoes, and socks.

I do have one of those PedEgg Power gadgets which works great. Love it! I also have multiple sanding devices (aka foot files) to help keep the rough edges I get once something gets on my feet. Since I love working out in my yard, I really don't like to be barefoot. Too many bee stings from my childhood days of doing that. Even when I prep my feet with various lotions and creams, once something gets on them, they become rough.

Now having rough feet are necessarily that bad, after all, my feet aren't really that bad, I just make it out to be worse than it really is. However, what I do notice is that once in bed on those satin sheets, my feet snag them to death. I love my satin sheets, but I detest and almost can't sleep on them anymore due to the pilling caused by my feet.

Sooooo, like I mentioned, whenever I get the opportunity to try out a new lotion or cream, I'm all for it. Zim's Max Crack Creme was founded over 60 years ago to help cement workers treat dry cracked hands and feet. The base ingredients include arnica and aloe vera along with other herbs formulated to soften and moisture dry, cracked skin on hands, feet, elbows, and cuticles.

It's very simple to use. Apply a small amount of Zim's Max Crack Creme on your dry and cracked skin a few times each day. Within a few days your skin will feel amazing.

Zim's Max Creme comes in the Original Liquid Formula and a Creme Creamy Daytime Formula. Each are $6.99 each on www.zimsusa.com. They offer a sundry of over-the-counter solutions using naturally-based herbal ingredients for pain relief, skin care, lip care, elder care and first aid.

My personal experience with Zim's has been very positive. First of all, I do not apply during the day, as I don't like to leave foot prints from any lotions or creams applied on my feet to show up on my bamboo floors. Therefore, I only apply at night. I probably apply twice as much as is recommended, but my feet are dry and soak in all that creamy moisture goodness.

I have had a couple of rough spots on the balls of my feet that have been difficult to remove by "sanding" and this cream in just a weeks time has made a big difference. My feet snag my sheets less each night. That's the biggest mark I have to know this lotion works. Throughout the day, I will apply the lotion to my hands, especially after doing dishes and working outside. My hands feel so much better afterwords. It's an instant relief, I don't have to wait for it to work, it works immediately.

If there was one thing I could change about this product, it would be to make it fragrant free. Don't get me wrong. I do like the fragrance, and my husband thinks it smells like lavender which he likes, but it does clash with my perfume. That's the only thing I don't like about it. The good part is that the smell from the lotion doesn't linger. Within 30-45 minutes the fragrance has dissipated and my perfume isn't fighting to compete with an additional fragrance.

I highly recommend Zim's Max Crack Creme to those looking for the best solution to relieve dry cracked skin.

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Miracles of Magnesium Citrate

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 13:04:00 +0000

For about a year and a half now, I have discovered the miracles of magnesium citrate. At first I didn't realize just how important magnesium is to the body, yet I know how I and my plants have benefited from the magnesium in Epsom Salts. After having an opportunity to review magnesium citrate, I got to experience first hand all the benefits it can do for me. When I ran out, I went searching online for the best magnesium citrate I could find, as well as the best value.

According to Natural News, the best form of magnesium is magnesium citrate. It is not only inexpensive but easily absorbed. They also recommended Bulk Supplements as having one of the purest forms of herbs offered. I ordered my next supply of magnesium citrate from them. They shipped quickly and this was very affordable. Best of all, it works.

Their supplement does not have a taste, unlike my first experience with magnesium citrate which had a citric acid type flavor. I didn't mind drinking it mixed in water, but since the product from Bulk Supplements does not have any flavor, I find it best to mix it in something. I've tried cereal, yogurt, applesauce, main dishes, soup, etc. I prefer yogurt and applesauce best.

I find that between 1/2 to 1 teaspoon daily is sufficient for me to take. I base the amount on how much my restless legs respond. I do have restless leg syndrome and magnesium citrate has been the best thing to quiet them down. I also find when I have a hard time sleeping at night, I need to up my dose of magnesium. One other thing I know when I need to take more, is when I have a hard time swallowing. Often times while eating, I can have a bite of food in my mouth, and my throat won't allow me to swallow the chewed food for up to 30 seconds or more. This is caused by magnesium deficiency.

Many times I find that within 15-30 minutes of taking my magnesium I notice results. I usually take it with my dinner meal, even though that's about 6 hours before I head off to bed. I still feel the results of the magnesium helping my legs to quiet down and my sleep is so much more improved.

My mother-in-law swears by magnesium in keeping her bowels regulated, and helping her to absorb the calcium tablets she needs after having gone through cancer treatments. I've seen a dramatic improvement in stress relief from both myself and husband as we are enduring a difficult trial right now. It has been said to think of magnesium as the relaxation mineral. Anything that is tight, irritable, crampy and stiff, including body part or mood, is a sign of magnesium deficiency.

You can read here the various symptoms that indicate you are magnesium deficient. However, I caution you to be sure to order your purest form of the most easily absorbable form of magnesium from Bulk Supplements.

Awesome Ultrasonic Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 01 Jul 2016 13:20:00 +0000

Ultrasonic aromatherapy essential oil diffusers are one of the best to have to ensure the integrity of the essential oil. Holan uses this technology with their diffuser. It is a healthy and safe alternative to synthetic room fresheners and scented candles.

Holan's essential oil diffuser has a whisper-quiet ultrasonic operation making this diffuser a great option for use in a workspace, nursery, kids rooms, etc. It is ideal for meditation allows for tranquil overnight use in the bedroom. There is no need to worry about letting it run all night long. Holds 1/2 cup water and will run approximately 6 continuous hours, with an automatic shut-off when water has completely evaporated. Therefore relieving any fears of burning out, ensuring safety, and peace of mind.

#holan

The calming mist fills the air with cool yet strong streams of vapor topped with soft swirls to help relieve dry skin, sore throats, and providing a soothing environment in bedroom or workspace. This diffuser has the option of having 30 second intervals of mist, or continuous mist mode. Very portable allowing you to move it from room to room with ease, or take it with you on travel, or workouts.

Strong streams of vapor
topped with soft swirls

Has 7 mood-enhancing lights that can either rotate or you can select which color to keep it on. Great as a night light. Uses LED lights that emits a soft and warm glow.

Red light indicates
Continuous Mist Mode

Now that you have all the basics about this wonderful eo diffuser, I just have to say that I love these kinds...the ultrasonic diffusers. I especially like the fact that I don't have to use distilled water, I can use tap water. Although, I admit, I prefer using the filtered water from my fridge. We just have extremely hard water where we live, so I try to keep those minerals out of my diffuser to cause any build up.

Ultrasonic aromatherapy Technology

The one thing I have noticed, is though they recommend just a few drops of essential oil to place in this diffuser, I find that the scent doesn't usually last very long. I find that I like stronger smells and will usually double the amount of essential oils that I place in this diffuser. I have also tried aromatherapy oils with great success.

I also like the lights on this particular model. I have others where the lights are fairly dim, and even though these provide a soft mood-enhancing lighting, I also think they are more vibrant, yet not so bright as to disturb my sleep. Of course, the vibrancy of the lighting is directly impacted by the amount of light already in the room.

Healthy and Safe Alternative
to synthetic room fresheners

The mist that shoots straight up for several inches then swirls at the top is fun. I would caution you to be ware of what it above the diffuser when you turn it on. For instance, I started this in my kitchen after forgetting to add water to my steamed veggies, and burned the pan. I placed this next to the stove and turned it on, but had to quickly move it when I saw the mist reaching up to the underside of my cabinets. There may not have been any worries, but I didn't want to take any chances.

All in all I really like this diffuser. It works great. It shuts off automatically just like it says when the water runs dry. The colored lights are way fun. It's super easy to change out the fragrances and my house smells wonderful. This is a great product that I recommend.

I did receive this product for free in exchange for my honest opinion.

Easy Check Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor #WristBPM_EBP017

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 19 May 2016 19:21:00 +0000

Ever wonder what your blood pressure is, but don't want to go to the local pharmacy or doctor's office to find out. This easy check wrist blood pressure monitor by easy@Home, is just what you need. It fits nicely around your wrist, and with the push of a button, your blood pressure check begins. It is even FDA approved for over-the-counter use.

#WristBPM_EBP017

This monitor measures not only your blood pressure, but your pulse rate, and indicates if you have an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia). It will store up to 60 readings.

There are 5 levels down the left side of the monitor, which an arrow will point at, once you take your measurement. The bottom 3 represent healthy readings, and the top 2 represent unhealthy readings. If you have an irregular heartbeat, the monitor will display a multiple heart symbol.

The key factor with this is to make sure you place the cuff on your left wrist, and your wrist at the level of your heart. Push the button and you're good to go. It's quick, and it's comfortable. Yes, there is a tightening feeling as the monitor cuff prepares to take your blood pressure, but it isn't anything like those at the pharmacies, nor like at the doctor's office, in my opinion.

The easy@Home Blood Pressure Monitor is fast and easy to set up. Runs on 2 AAA batteries, which are included. Works quickly and is very accurate. (I know, I tested it against another monitor I know is extremely accurate.) Comes with a handy storage case.

When I took my bp this morning, I was surprised to see it was higher than normal. I exercised and retook my bp, and it was even higher. That normally doesn't happen. This caused me to stop and reflect on my stress levels, and realized that some things had taken place earlier in the day, that really upset me. Now I can see first hand, just how stress reacts on my body. It's not good.

There are many ways to naturally bring down your blood pressure. Exercising is usually a great way to do so. Just don't stress out doing so. Reduce stress. Eat bananas. Cut out the salt. Lose weight. Don't smoke. Don't drink alcohol. Cut back on caffeine. Eat a healthy diet. Be grateful.

For an easy and fast way to monitor your blood pressure results, be sure to look into getting your own easy@Home blood pressure monitor.

Easy@Home Digital Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor with Heart Beat / Pulse Meter Function - FDA Approved For OTC Use BP Monitor with Carry Case and Battery, Backlit Large Display, EBP-017

Even though I received this product for free in exchange for my honest opinion, I highly recommend the easy@Home blood pressure monitor.

Top Reasons Every Home Should Have An Essential Oil Diffuser

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 09 May 2016 13:51:00 +0000

Oil Diffusers offer so many benefits that every home should have one. Whether it is large enough for just a bedroom, or large enough to service an open concept living space, each provides your living space with fresher healthier cleaner air. Depending on the oils used you will benefit in a variety of ways. Depending on the diffuser you choose will allow a variety of options for not only dispersing the oils, but showcasing the way it does, and how long it will run before refilling.

#oildiffuser

Innogear offers a very fun yet effective aromatherapy essential oil diffuser. It is a portable ultrasonic cool mist aroma humidifier with color LED changing lights. It has 3 settings: intermittent mist of 30 seconds mist on and 30 seconds mist off, continuous mist and off. It auto shuts off when water runs out, making these very safe. It allows the essential oil to remain 100% natural without burning or heating. It will run for 6 hours in intermittent mode, and 3 hours in continuous mode. It is perfect for small to medium sized rooms.

Innogear 100ml Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser has 7 different LED color changing lights. You can cycle through the colors of the rainbow, or push a button to keep a particular color on. This makes for a great night light. The lights are not over powering, and offer a soft bulb effect.

The room I tried this out on is 12 feet by 12 feet. It provided enough humidity to take the dryness away, and still allowed us to smell the essential oils perfectly. The air felt more moist without feeling humid. With the mist being a cool mist, the room actually felt cooler, which is what we had hoped for.

Some of the top reasons why I personally love oil diffusers is the ability to fill a room's space with a lovely fragrance than can lift the mood, relieve stress, mask stubborn odors, and provide a peaceful night's sleep.

Oils to help lift the mood are sandalwood, sweet orange, rose, jasmine and pine. To relieve stress try chamomile and lavender. To help mask stubborn odors try lemon, lime, and vanilla. To aid in a peaceful night's sleep try lavender, chamomile and clary sage.

In addition, diffusers offer a way to put cool moisture back into the air, without getting the surroundings wet. It prevents dry stuffy air filled with flu or cold germs to infect your loved ones. It helps prevent dry and chapped skin in dry winter months. It allows one to benefit directly from aromatherapy healing. During the spring through fall seasons, it will help keep insects away.

Essential Oil Diffusers by Innogear can help one breather easier, obtain pain relief, and improve cognitive function. Choosing the correct oils to help one breathe better such as the mints, lemon, rosemary and eucalyptus. Pain relief can be found in ginger, lavender, clary sage and others. Cognitive functions improves with peppermint, lemon, eucalyptus, pine and cinnamon. Use peppermint to help keep spiders away. Cinnamon oil helps fight against knats and fruit flies. Clove, lemongrass, rosemary and cedarwood also fight against insects and moths.

I can truly attest to the fact that cinnamon fights against knats and fruit flies, peppermint oil fights against spiders, and lemongrass against mosquitoes and other biting insects.

Even though I received this product for free in exchange for my honest opinion, I highly recommend Innogear 100 ML Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser Portable Ultrasonic Cool Mist Aroma Humidifier with Color LED Changing Lights.

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InnoGear 100ml Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser Portable Ultrasonic Cool Mist Aroma Humidifier with Color LED Lights Changing and Waterless Auto Shut-off Function for Home Office Bedroom Room

Blueberry Lemonade Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 06 May 2016 14:07:00 +0000

Last night I had a group of friends over and served them Blueberry Lemonade. It was gone in no time flat. This is a crowd of people that are hooked on Coke and Pepsi. I was so impressed they liked my Blueberry Lemonade so much. Out of all the different flavored lemonades I have made, this is by the far the most popular.

Make or purchase 1 gallon of your favorite lemonade. Personally I don't mind the powdered mixes, but truth be told I think the frozen concentrate is the best ever.

Next remove 1 quart of lemonade and place in another container for later, or drink it up now.

You will need to purchase a 64 oz. container of Blueberry/Cranberry Juice NO sugar added. Ocean Spray and Northland carries that.

Add 1/2 container of the Blueberry/Cranberry Juice to your 3/4 gallon of lemonade. Add ice if desired. It's always desired by me.

Stir, blend, and pour yourself a big tall glass. You might want to get fancy and add fresh or frozen blueberries in each cup, and place a slice of lemon on the cup. Either way, it's going to taste great.

Make it up, taste it, serve it, and let me know what you think. Enjoy!

: Blueberry Lemonade

1 Cost Effective Way To Improve Oral Health

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 04 May 2016 19:59:00 +0000

Oral Health is vital to our overall health. Many medical journals have documented how the two are directly related. Years ago when I went to a dentist, it use to be that they recommended changing out your toothbrush every 6 months. It also used to be they recommended having just a yearly checkup and cleaning. Now my dentist wants me in there every 6 months for a cleaning and checkup and change my toothbrush every 3 months. Although, when my kids were in braces, the orthodontist wanted them to change their toothbrush monthly. The metal was very harsh on toothbrushes. On occasion, there is a dentist out there that will recommend one changes their toothbrush every month.

#toilettree 13Clean Toothbrush Kit

Whether we change our toothbrush every 2-3 months, or even every month, sometimes we get so busy with life, we just plain and simple forget. ToiletTree has come to our rescue. They offer 1 way to improve our oral health. No longer do we need to worry about the millions of tiny germs building up on our toothbrush everyday, we just change it once a month. Their little pyramid toothbrush holder is the perfect solution.

April Toothbrush Head

Each pyramid toothbrush holder comes with 13 toothbrush heads. Begin with the first brush head and continue through to the end of the current month. All other heads are labeled with each month of the year. On the first day of each month, toss the current toothbrush head, and insert the current month. It's just that simple. It's very cost effective, at about $1.25 per month. Now you can be sure your oral health is on its way to being healthier.

May Toothbrush Head

Each toothbrush head is made using Dupont bristles. They feel very soft to me, which is a big plus. I don't need anything stronger wearing and tearing at my receding gum line. This comes with a stand for your toothbrush which doubles as a storage case for the extra heads. It also has 1 toothbrush head cover which is a good idea to rinse with hydrogen peroxide each month you swap out your new toothbrush.

This is so cost effective and great for kids to follow the habit of changing out toothbrushes each month. It doesn't take up much room on the counter, or under the sink. Your mouth and your overall health will be grateful you made the switch each month.

13Clean - Manual Toothbrush with a New Head Each Month. (Blue)

I received this product for free in exchange for my honest opinion. I highly recommend the 13 Clean Manual Toothbrush with a New Head Each Month by ToiletTree Products.

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Mango Lemonade Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 04 May 2016 14:06:00 +0000

A great refreshing lemonade recipe.

Ingredients:

1 quart Mango Nectar
3 quarts lemonade made from frozen concentrate

Directions:

Slightly freeze the Mango Nectar. (Be sure not to freeze in a glass jar.) When slightly slushy, add to the 3 quarts lemonade. Serve immediately.

This is really refreshing on hot summer days, and full of Vitamin C.

: Mango Lemonade

Watermelon Lemonade Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 02 May 2016 14:03:00 +0000

There are a variety of recipes for this out there in the cloud. However, this is one I came up with on my own, had it taste tested with over 25 people to critique it. I made their recommended changes and here it is.

First of all, pick out a very ripe watermelon. I know there are a variety of ways to do this. My grandpa used to take a straw (the grass kind, not the drinking kind) and set one strand of straw on top of the melon. If it swiveled, it was a good melon. I didn't believe this worked until I was with him to watch this process. He picked a great melon, and ohh...that straw moved about 45 degrees.

Another way that someone told me about that grew melons was to look for a slightly yellow bottom with insect marks on it (like from sugar ants.) He always picked the biggest and sweetest melons for my family.

: Watermelon Yellow Bottom

The way I personally prefer is to place the melon on top of others, away from any cardboard boxing, and knock on it. If it sounds hollow, it is always sweet for us. If you let the watermelon lean up or sit on any cardboard boxing, it will sound hollow, and may not be as sweet as you desire.

Then there are a variety of melons to choose from. Sometimes the soil will affect the flavor making it sweeter than most. Something to do with the minerals in the soil as the melon is growing. There are the seedless kind, the sold green ones, striped ones, yellow ones, etc. etc.

My personal favorite are the large striped melons with seeds. Second favorite are the typical medium sized ones that are seedless.

: My Favorite Watermelon

Next, pick up a can of frozen concentrated lemonade. The kind where you add at least 4 cans of water.

Now that you have your prize melon picked out, slice, dice and puree about 4 cups worth. 3 cups is ok, but my group preferred the 4 cups.

Mix up that frozen can of concentrated lemonade. Add the pureed watermelon. Mix and serve. I found that if you use the Pink Lemonade it makes the coloring a little better.

: Frozen Pink Lemonade

This is relatively fast and easy to mix up. It is very refreshing. It was also the first time this group of 25 had ever tasted watermelon lemonade, and they kept asking me to make it the rest of the summer. It was a big hit.

: Watermelon Lemonade

Best Ever and Super Easy Key Lime Pie Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 29 Apr 2016 14:58:00 +0000

Key Lime Pie

This is a very simple, yet a very Decadent Dessert. You are bound to get rave reviews on this like I have. This has become one of our family's and extended family's desserts. Even my 20 year old son makes this and gets wonderful compliments. It has only 4 ingredients.

• 1 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
• 5 ounces of Key Lime Juice
• 8 ounces whipped topping, thawed
• 9 inch prepared crumb pie crust

Thoroughly mix the Key Lime Juice with the sweetened condensed milk until well blended. Gently fold the whipped topping in mix well. Spoon the mixture into your prepared crumb crust. Chill in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least six hours. Garnish with more whipped topping and lime slices, if desired. This makes a cold, refreshing frozen desert, too. Freeze before garnishing.

: Key Lime Pie

Lemon Balm Lemonade Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 14:14:00 +0000

I've grown lemon balm for years, and with my last move forgot to take some with me. While visiting my son a week ago, I grabbed several leaves from his plants and made Lemon Balm Lemonade. It adds a nice additional lemon flavor that I like.

Ingredients:

4 lemons, juiced (I used the equivalent in lemon concentrate.)
1/2 cup fresh lemon balm leaves
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup boiling water
2 1/2 cups water

Directions:

Boil 2/3 cup water and sugar together either on the stove, or in the microwave until sugar is dissolved. Add the lemon balm leaves and slightly crush. Let stand at least 15 minutes. Remove the leaves. Add the lemon juice and 2 1/2 cups water. Serve with ice, or refrigerate until cold.

: Lemon Balm Lemonade

12 Reasons Why Your Body Will Love The Spice of Life (Turmeric)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 24 Mar 2016 13:08:00 +0000

Turmeric or Curcumin is known as the Spice of Life. Turmeric offers a wide variety of natural health benefits that the body will love; read on for the top 12 reasons why. Research Verified provides a high quality extract that includes 1000mg per serving (2 capsules) with 95% curcumin in each. Their product contains the same properties and formulation used in the clinical study and according to Dr. Oz's recommendations. There are no extra ingredients, and their Turmeric Curcumin is 100% Pure. This is a quality product offering high amounts of curcumin per serving, something that is hard to find. Read on to find out why you should be taking this daily.

12 Reasons Why Your Body Will Love The Spice of Life (Turmeric)

Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory. PubMed.com states, "clinical trials indicate curcumin may have potential as a therapeutic agent in diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, arthritis, and chronic anterior uveitis, as well as certain types of cancer."
Turmeric reduces redness and skin irritations.
Turmeric increases the anti-biotic capabilities of the body. The main reason antioxidants are so beneficial, is that they protect our bodies from free radicals.
Turmeric boosts brain activity keeping it sharp and alert fighting against many age related brain diseases. Improves the oxygen intake of the brain.
Turmeric Lowers risk of heart disease
Turmeric can treat and prevent various cancers such as colon cancer, bladder and lung cancer by interfering with molecular pathways that are involved with the development, growth, and spread of cancer cells. Also benefits those taking chemotherapy by boosting the effectiveness.
Turmeric may be useful in treating Alzheimer’s disease. Increases memory function.
Turmeric helps with those suffering with arthritis or other joint pain, often working better than most prescribed medications for the same.
Turmeric helps those suffering with depression
Turmeric helps against aging and age related diseases such as diabetes,
Protects the liver
Turmeric is safer to take than Ibuprofen, Prozac, Aspirn, Metformin, Lipitor, Steroids, Inflammatory bowel-disease drugs, Chemotherapy, Arthritis Medications Anticoagulants.

#Turmeric

I wish the knowledge of Turmeric Curcumin was around as readily as it is today 20 + years ago. My father died from colon cancer, and my mother died from complications of Alzheimer's disease. What a difference turmeric may have had in their life.

For me personally, I like taking turmeric as a pain reliever. I try to keep my body and mind fit, but sometimes I just overdo it. One of the biggest reasons why I like taking Turmeric is that I am very allergic to Ibuprofen, and get sick to my stomach on a half dose of aspirin. I have no need for prescription meds, and haven't needed pain relievers for a long time. But like I've mentioned in other posts, we are gearing up for a move, and my back is getting over worked.

I like that I can take just 1 capsule of Research Verified Turmeric Curcumin on an empty stomach and not suffer any ill effects. I notice results of pain relief under 30 minutes. I've even taken this at dinner time, and still notice positive results in under 30 minutes. That's pretty good in my eyes. When combined with black pepper, turmeric seems to work faster. Sometimes, I will empty a capsule into a bowl of soup, add some black pepper and take it this way. It's spicy, but I like it.

Research Verified Turmeric

One of the unexpected benefits I personally have discovered is that the nights I take Turmeric, I sleep a whole lot better. My sleep is restful, relaxing, and I feel invigorated the next day.

There are some pre-cautions I list below to be aware of if you decide you want better health naturally by taking turmeric on a daily basis.

Heart burn
Indigestion
Diarrhea
Nausea
Increased risk of bleeding
Lowered Blood Pressure

Overall, I am impressed with Research Verified Turmeric Curcumin. I like the high 1000 mg per serving, and each serving has 95% curcumin. I highly recommend this product. I did receive this product for free in exchange for my honest opinion. I'm sold on Turmeric.

#MomsThumb
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Research Verified Turmeric Curcumin - 60 Capsules - 1 Month Supply - Standardized to 95% - Natural Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxydant, Pain Relief and Anti-Depressant - 100% Money Back Guarantee!

Beauty from the Inside Out

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 15:34:00 +0000

Beauty from the inside out is so obtainable with Beauty Infusion by NeoCell. This is an all natural solution that leads to a more youthful and radiant beautiful body. Over the years, collagen levels in our body leave it sagging, gives us brittle nails, and makes our hair thin out. Other symptoms of lack of collagen include easy bruising, frequent muscle ache, stiff and painful joints, blood vessel issues, early destruction of teeth and loosening of teeth in gums. Honestly, who wants that? But it does happen.

NeoCell has provided us with a remarkable solution to regain our beauty, hydrate our skin and provide antioxidant power by nourishing it from the inside out. Beauty Infusion is a refreshing drink mix that comes in 3 delicious flavors. Cranberry Splash, Appletini, and Tangerine Twist.

#Neocell Beauty Infusion Cranberry Splash

Each container provides a 30 day supply. Each scoop delivers 6000 MG of collagen Type 1 & 3 for firm, smooth skin, strong hair and nails; 50 MG of Hyaluronic Acid for skin hydration and renewal, 3000 MCG of Biotin for support of strong hair and nail growth; Alpha Lipoic Acid & Vitamin C for protection from free radical damage and enhancement of collagen formation.

Learn more about the benefits of Type 1 & 3 collagen by NeoCell in this post here.

Learn more about the benefits of Hyaluronic Acid by NeoCell in this post here.

Like I've mentioned before, we are gearing up for another move. We've been packing, boxing, and having a blast. Really! This is a move we are looking forward too. Needless to say, I have certainly been neglecting my body, and believe me, my nails and hair have certainly let me know. And the easy bruising now has an explanation....lack of collagen. Oh, yeah, and I have developed a more wrinkly face. Ugh! Something had to be done, and done real fast. I want to look youthful and healthy when we move. So while we are in a period of limbo right now, it was time to take time and reclaim my healthy body. NeoCell Beauty Infusion to the Rescue!

NeoCell Laboratories Collagen Drink Mix - Beauty Infusion - Cranberry Splash - 11.64 oz - Gluten Free-Dairy Free-Yeast Free-Wheat Free-

I typically would rather just swallow a capsule than chew something or swallow a flavored drink. Too many nasties from the past. But I decided to give the Cranberry Splash a try. WOW! This beauty infusion is full of flavor. I was so extremely impressed. I look forward to my tasty daily drink of health.

1 Scoop Daily Contains
6000 MG Collagen,
50 MG Hyaluronic Acid
3000 MCG Biotin
+ Vitamin C & Alpha Lipoic Acid

I've been drinking this 5 days a week for the last two weeks. I have seen my fingernails grow approximately an 1/8 of an inch during this time. That's quite impressive for me. Especially since up to that point, my fingernails were breaking daily, and definitely not growing. Not only that, but the ridges in my nails have disappeared. In addition when I trimmed my nails last night, I couldn't believe how thick they were. Certainly a vast improvement from the two weeks previous.

My hair feels thicker from the previous two weeks, and when I washed my hair this week, I didn't have near as much hair loss as I have had all year long.

In just this short time I've been drinking the Cranberry Splash Beauty Infusion, I honestly can't say I've seen an improvement in my wrinkles on my face going away, but they haven't gotten any worse. (It's still only 10 days I've been drinking the Beauty Insusion though.) My skin on my hands have tightened up, and even though they weren't wrinkly, they certainly were not supple and smooth. That has improved. One would think with all the hand exercises I get by typing so much during the day, that would keep them firm. LOL. In spite of this, I firmly believe I will see improvement over the course of time, based on how quickly I experienced positive results for nails and hair.

The only downside to this marvelous product is when I mix my scoop of Beauty Infusion in my glass of water, it doesn't dissolve completely. It sometimes makes me cough if I don't stir it when I get near the bottom of the glass of drink. I have found that the longer I let it the powder sit in the glass after the initial blending, it dissolves better. I have read other's reviews where they add this to smoothies, and don't have that issue of it not completely dissolving. I haven't let this deter me from taking the drink. I like the benefits too much.

I did receive this product for free in exchange for my honest opinion. In any case, I highly recommend NeoCell's Cranberry Splash Beauty Infusion. Get yours today and start your beauty transformation from the inside out. I'm confident you will love the fast results.

NeoCell Beauty Infusion Cranberry Cocktail -- 11.64 oz (330 G)

Neocell Beauty Infusion Appletini

Neocell Beauty Infusion Refreshing Collagen Drink Mix Supplement, Tangerine Twist

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9 Ingredients To Make Your Breakfast More Healthy

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 14:07:00 +0000

Having a healthier breakfast is as easy as adding any or all of these 9 ingredients. There are so many wonderful healthy consumables to put into your body to maintain or regain good health. I have found that adding these ingredients to my daily work week breakfast cereal is a great way to get a lot in all at once. I eat a variety of hot cereals during the week. I eat oatmeal, oat bran, corn meal, 9 grain cereal, and home made granola using a 6 way rolled grain. Below I have listed some of those healthy items I eat by putting them in my morning cereal. I'm sure you can find other healthy items to include in your morning routine as well. Here's to a Healthier Breakfast!

1. Flax Seeds:

(Ground – if you don’t grind them, they don’t produce the many benefits listed below. I just grind them in my blender. Once ground, store in fridge.)

Walnuts and fish are excellent sources of omega-3s, but so are flaxseeds. The recommended daily intake (RDI) of omega-3s is 1.1 grams a day, and one tablespoon of flaxseed offers 1.8 grams. (We use 2 Tablespoons daily. Can take up to 5 Tablespoons daily)

The omega-3s in flaxseed can help reduce the inflammation that leads to conditions such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine headaches, and osteoporosis.

Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is one kind of omega-3s that is found in flaxseeds, and this fat helps promote bone health.

Flaxseed is known to lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, and it may lower blood pressure — all essential elements to having a healthy heart.

Whole flaxseeds are great sources of fiber. One tablespoon contains three grams of fiber, so they can help prevent constipation.

Lignans, the fibers found in flaxseed, promote regular digestion and are thought to have a role in breast cancer prevention.

Sprinkle ground flaxseed on your cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, salad, sandwiches, pancakes and smoothies. We also like it on ice cream; provides a nice nutty flavor.

Use ground flaxseed as an egg substitute in baked goods. Just mix one teaspoon of ground flaxseed and 1/4 cup of water for every egg to be replaced.

2. Cinnamon:

Studies have shown that just 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower LDL cholesterol. (We take up to 2 teaspoons daily.)

Several studies suggest that cinnamon may have a regulatory effect on blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes.

In some studies, cinnamon has shown an amazing ability to stop medication-resistant yeast infections.

In a study published by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Maryland, cinnamon reduced the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells.

It has an anti-clotting effect on the blood.

In a study at Copenhagen University, patients given half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder combined with one tablespoon of honey every morning before breakfast had significant relief in arthritis pain after one week and could walk without pain within one month.

When added to food, it inhibits bacterial growth and food spoilage, making it a natural food preservative.

One study found that smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory.

Researchers at Kansas State University found that cinnamon fights the E. coli bacteria in unpasteurized juices.

Cinnamon is a great source of manganese, fiber, iron, and calcium.

3. Shredded Coconut:

Shredded coconut is made by mechanically breaking down the copra, the dried kernel of the fruit. Normally served dried, shredded coconut maintains all of the fiber and the macro-nutrients present in its fresh form; this includes a high content of saturated fat and the highly-prized medium-chain fatty acids, only found in such concentrations in the coconut.

The unusual nutritional make-up of the coconut results in a range of unusual benefits, from improved cardiovascular health to positive effects on the fat-burning process.

Cardiovascular Health

Shredded coconut may aid the health of the heart due to the coconut's oil content, which totals 60 percent of the dry weight. Although the reputation of saturated fats remains poor in the eyes of the public, coconut oil has shown to aid cardiovascular health in a range of experiments.

Researchers from the Weston A. Price Foundation report how the consumption of coconut products can lower overall cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and lipoprotein(a), all biomarkers linked with higher risk of heart attacks and strokes. The same academics describe how the polyphenol content in the oil acts to limit oxidation of LDL cholesterol, itself an important step in the development of arteriosclerosis. The medium-chain fatty acids again take center stage in this regard.

When it is shredded, coconut has less than three percent moisture content and sixty-eight percent oil. It was previously thought this fruit's oil was high in saturated fat, but after studies were conducted that opinion was reversed. It is now considered heart healthy. Its powerful antioxidants neutralize the free radicals that contribute to the buildup of LDL (bad cholesterol). Its healthy fats help the body produce HDL, (good cholesterol).

Fat Burning

The oil content of shredded coconut appears responsible for the fat-burning effects witnessed by doctors. Dr. Bruce Fife, the author of "The Coconut Oil Miracle," explains how the oil provides a wealth of medium-chain fatty acids that can enhance the fat-burning process in the body. The physician describes how, unlike other fats, these unique compounds travel directly from the intestines to the liver for immediate oxidation. They also burn more easily than other fats, causing an increase in both fat oxidation and the overall metabolic rate.

Antimicrobial

Those suffering from chronic infections may also benefit from eating shredded coconut, due to the anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties it contains. The oil is 48% percent lauric acid. This is a fatty acid that stirs up immunity. The body converts the lauric acid into a compound, monolaurin, which keeps viruses and bacteria from compromising healthy cells. This helps reduce heart disease.

Bone Strength and Weight Loss

It contains sterols, which mimic the action of progesterone, (the hormone for bone strength). The oil nourishes the pancreas, so the enzymes can absorb bone fortifying minerals like calcium. It contains medium chain fatty acids, which is a unique fat that goes straight to the liver and is instantly used for fuel. This boosts the metabolic rate which speeds up weight loss and energy levels. Shredded coconut is a source of unrefined coconut oil, which offers such health benefits as increasing your metabolism rate and keeping your hormones balanced.

Coconut Fights Disease

The fruit is helpful for the prevention and/or treatment of viral infections such as influenza and the measles as well as yeast infections such as thrush. It can also help relieve arthritis, control diabetes, and prevent osteoporosis.

Coconut Adds Fiber

Adding shredded coconut to food is a good way to get more fiber in your diet, which helps you feel fuller while eating less and supports regularity.

Coconut Helps Skin

All coconut products are good for your skin. They fight blemishes such as acne and age spots, and help the skin rejuvenate itself. They can even protect against skin cancer.

4. Coconut Oil:

Coconut oil is good for weight loss, hair care, skin care, stress relief, maintaining cholesterol levels, increased immunity, proper digestion and metabolism, relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV and cancer, dental care, and bone strength.

3 – 4 tablespoons of unrefined coconut oil can help with weight loss. Try to have at least 1 tablespoon every morning. This oil produces energy instead of being stored as fat. It gives you a more “full” feeling after eating so you tend to eat less as well.

To make your hair shine, massage coconut oil on your scalp. This helps repair damaged hair, prevent dandruff, and helps with lice issues.

Coconut oil helps in treating various skin problems including psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and other skin infections. Just rub into your skin as often as necessary. It is a great anti-aging product to help reduce wrinkles.

Got IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) or other digestive problems? How about bad bacteria or parasites? Include coconut oil in your daily routine to get rid of those problems.

Some good ways to get that oil in your body---add it to your daily hot cereal, use it in place of butter or margarine on toast, mix it in your main dinner entrees, make a salad dressing with it. Note: Coconut oil has a lower threshold for melting than some oils. Just heat it up a bit and it will liquefy.

5. Lecithin Granules:

• The recommended dose of lecithin granules is two teaspoons a day with meals.

• Deficiency in this nutrient may help in the development of Huntington's chorea, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and cirrhosis of the liver in alcoholics. Used as a preventive measure, a diet rich in Choline may be protective against alcoholic damage.

• Lecithin Granules: One tablespoon two to three times daily. Recommended therapeutic doses for lipid, neurologic (tardive dyskinesia), and psychiatric disorders is 12-35 grams.

• Choline has resulted in a significant improvement in children who were seriously developmentally delayed. Lecithin is high in Choline.

• Lecithin benefits your heart health by promoting healthy circulatory function and supporting the role of "good" HDL cholesterol levels in your bloodstream.

• Lecithin also has an exceptionally high inositol content, which has been shown to enhance mood and support a positive mental outlook, among other health benefits. One tablespoon of lecithin granules daily not only contains about 1,000 milligrams (1 gram) of inositol, but also over 1,700 milligrams of phosphatidylcholine and over 2,000 milligrams of linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid.

• It's best to take lecithin in its granule form. You can add it to your favorite foods or mix it up in a shake.

• Apart from the lecithin benefits for the heart and cardiovascular functions of the body, lecithin is also linked with preventing the onset of gallstones and improves the gallbladder function and health.

• Treating problems or illnesses related to the functions of the brain such as Alzheimer's disease, amnesia and dementia are associated with soy lecithin benefits (soy lecithin is extracted as a by-product while processing soybean oil and is generally used as a natural emulsifier or stabilizer in various food applications).

Other Lecithin Benefits:

• Other benefits of soy lecithin includes treatment of bipolar disorder, eczema (generic term for inflammatory conditions of the skin; particularly with vesiculation in the acute stages), fatty liver (hepatic steatosis) and liver disease. Apart from all these, extrapyramidal symptoms, anxiety and dry skin have also been known to be treatable by soy lecithin supplements.

• Lecithin granules benefits show impressive results in improving cardiovascular health, liver and cell function. They are also beneficial for healthy skin and as said earlier, for treatment of gallstones and other medical conditions.

• Think less-a-thin! Lecithin helps make you feel full and therefore eating less. It is important to take note of the fact that expecting or nursing mothers should seek professional advice, before including the supplement in their diet. However, some research reveals that intake of lecithin ensures healthy pregnancy and development in the infant.

• According to some other studies, this product forms an important ingredient in breast enhancing supplements, as it is known to add to the proper functioning of breast cells. Health benefits of lecithin also involve the improvement of the quality and quantity of male semen. Consuming soy lecithin improves prostate secretions making it high in volume and amount.

• Another benefit of lecithin has been found to be related with healthy hair. Healthy hair growth is governed by the amount of protein in the hair. Lecithin benefits for hair mainly support and enhance the required amount of protein for hair growth. Thus lecithin not only maximizes hair growth, but also improves its texture making it strong and shiny.

• 8 grams of lecithin granules sprinkled onto a fruit salad or blended in a smoothie will ensure that you are getting the benefits and not overdoing it. It’s preferable that you have the lecithin granules rather than the capsules, since the powdering of capsule ingredients usually compromises the quality of the product and reduces effectiveness.
6. Ginger:

• Ginger is great for morning sickness and motion sickness. I personally have taken ginger root for motion sickness and know it really works. As for morning sickness, well…after 5 pregnancies, I’ve never experienced morning sickness. I’ve been blessed.

• Ginger is also great to take when you are bloated from over eating at your favorite buffet or restaurant. If you thought some of your food was not prepared exactly to correct temperature, you better take a ginger root capsule, or eat some ginger root slices immediately. It will help and fight off food poisoning and bloating.

• Ginger helps with migraines and menstrual cramps. It’s a great pain reliever. To treat muscle pain, take 2 grams of either cooked or raw ginger daily.

• Ginger boosts your immune system. It helps with colds, flu, and coughs. Ginger is also a great addition to prevent colon cancer and to help with ovarian cancer.

• Less flatulence with Ginger use. Fresh ginger combined with cumin and coriander helps to break down high-protein foods such as meat and beans, and lessens the formation of uric acid in the body. With beans, it counters the problems of flatulence.

• Ginger has the ability to lighten age spots while acting as an energy-booster in aromatherapy spa treatments. Because ginger is energizing and is believed to improve circulation, it is often used in cellulite-reducing treatments.

• A minimum dose would be 250mg four times daily (with meals and bedtime). If you like the crystallized ginger, one cube is probably 1000 mg of ginger, and one or two a day would be a good dose. This is a very safe herb with virtually no toxicity or interaction with drugs. I personally have about 1/2 teaspoon with my hot cereal.

7. Honey:

Nature’s Energy Booster

The benefits of honey go beyond its great taste. A great natural source of carbohydrates which provide strength and energy to our bodies, honey is known for its effectiveness in instantly boosting the performance, endurance and reduce muscle fatigue of athletes. Its natural fruit sugars play an important role in preventing fatigue during exercise. The glucose in honey is absorbed by the body quickly and gives an immediate energy boost, while the fructose is absorbed more slowly providing sustained energy. It is known that honey has also been found to keep levels of blood sugar fairly constant compared to other types of sugar.

So, to experience these health benefits of honey, here are a few tips for you:

1. Next time before you go for a workout, take a spoon of honey to enable you to go for the extra mile.

2. If you are feeling low and lethargic in the morning, instead of reaching out for a can of carbonated energy drink , try honey. Spread it on hot toast or replace the sugar in your tea with it for a refreshing surge of energy.

3. If your kids are finding hard to cope with the physical strain from the buzzing activities at school, prepare them some sandwiches with honey, butter and ham to make sure they have enough energy to sustain through the day. My kids are delighted when they see me prepare warm honey water in their bottles. They couldn't care a bit about the health benefits of honey, but simply love the taste of it!

Immunity System Builder

Amongst the many health benefits of honey it can be a powerful immune system booster. Honey’s antioxidant and anti-bacterial properties can help improve digestive system and help you stay healthy and fight disease.

Start every brand new day with this cleansing tonic if you want to see this health benefit of honey: before breakfast, mix a spoonful of honey and lemon juice from half a lemon into a cup of warm water and drink it.

Honey is Anti-Cancer! Honey does not cure cancer but what many people don't think enough of or have overlooked is - honey possesses carcinogen-preventing and anti-tumour properties! Read: Honey is Anti-Cancer!

Honey Remedy for Ailments Using Honey

FOR CUTS AND BURNS: For thousands of years, honey has been recognized as one of the most natural home remedies to treat a wide range of ailments and complaints including yeast infection , athlete foot , and arthritis pain. Its antiseptic properties inhibits the growth of certain bacteria and helps keep external wounds clean and free from infection.

Honey has been used as a natural cure in first aid treatment for wounds, burns and cuts as it is able to absorb moisture from the air and promote healing. Its antibacterial properties prevent infection and functions as an anti-inflammatory agent, reducing both swelling and pain, and even scarring. It is widely believed that UMF Manuka is the preferred honey for wound dressing due to its strong antibacterial property.

FOR HANGOVERS: When you get a hangover from drinking too much alcohol, combat its effects by applying honey remedy. Honey is gentle on the stomach and contains a mix of natural sugars such fructose which is known to speed up the oxidation of alcohol by the liver, acting as a 'sobering' agent. Follow this recipe: 15ml of liquid honey with 80ml of orange juice and 70ml of natural yogurt. Blend them together until smooth.

FOR SORE THROATS: One of the better known health benefits of honey is that it is able to help treat sore throats. Thanks to its antimicrobial properties, honey not only soothes throats but can also kill certain bacteria that causes the infection. Professional singers commonly use honey to soothe their throats before performances. The Chinese believe that excess "heatiness" in the body causes sore throat and taking honey drink can be helpful. Direction: Take a spoonful of honey to soothe the inflammation or gargle with a mixture of two tablespoons of honey, four tablespoons of lemon juice and a pinch of salt.

FOR SLEEPLESSNESS: Unable to sleep? Use the famous Milk and Honey Remedy. Take a glass of hot milk with a teaspoon of honey to calm the soul and induce sleep. Or, add 1 or 2 teaspoons of honey to a cup of chamomile tea and sip.

8. Oatmeal:

• Over 40 studies show that eating oatmeal may help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. According to Quaker, all it takes is 3/4 cup of oatmeal each day to help lower cholesterol. The soluble fiber in oats helps remove LDL or "bad" cholesterol, while maintaining the good cholesterol that your body needs.

• The soluble fiber in oatmeal absorbs a considerable amount of water which significantly slows down your digestive process. This result is that you'll feel full longer, i.e. oatmeal can help you control your weight.

• New research suggests that eating oatmeal may reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes. In fact, the American Diabetes Association already recommends that people with diabetes eat grains like oats. The soluble fiber in these foods help to control blood glucose levels.

• With the exception of certain flavored varieties, the oats found in your grocery store are 100% natural. If you look at the ingredients on a canister of rolled oats, you will usually see only one ingredient... rolled oats.

• According to recent studies, a diet that includes oatmeal may help reduce high blood pressure. The reduction is linked to the increase in soluble fiber provided by oatmeal. Oats contain more soluble fiber than whole wheat, rice or corn.

• Oatmeal contains a wide array of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and is a good source of protein, complex carbohydrates and iron.

• The fiber and other nutrients found in oatmeal may actually reduce the risk for certain cancers.

• Oatmeal is quick and convenient. Every type of oatmeal can be prepared in a microwave oven. Even when cooked on the stovetop, both old-fashioned and quick oats can usually be made in less than 10 minutes. And what about instant oatmeal… a hot breakfast in under a minute... incredible!

• Oatmeal can be absolutely delicious! Whether instant, cooked on the stove or baked in the oven, the combination of flavors you can fit into a serving of oatmeal is limited only by the imagination.

9. Oatbran:

One very important point about OAT BRAN is how kind it is to one's digestive system. It is much more gentle than wheat bran which can cause bloating and very acid stomach.

Health Benefits of Oatbran:

Cardiovascular Disease:

1. Soluble fiber from oats lowers cholesterol levels in the blood. Consuming 3 g of soluble fiber from oat products per day (provided by three 28 g servings of oatmeal or one large bowl of oat bran cereal) has been shown to decrease total cholesterol by approximately
1.8. It is estimated that a 1 reduction in total cholesterol could lower the incidence of coronary heart disease by around

2. Some studies suggest that oat consumption may reduce blood pressure.

Tuna Melts

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 14:09:00 +0000

Tuna Melts Recipe

My kids detested tuna sandwiches growing up until I came up with tuna melts. I felt like they needed the omega 3's which tuna provides. It's basically an open face grilled cheese sandwich with tuna. My kids don't like the extra slice of bread on sandwiches. We've mixed up the meats to include ham or bologna when they were young, but their favorite was always a tuna melt. It made a great after school snack. Even now that they are grown, most of them still eat tuna melts. Even my husband will ask for them once in a while.

1 can tuna
1/3 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. dried parsley flakes
Any other seasonings you desire
Pepper Jack Cheese (or your favorite)
Bread

Mix up the tuna, mayonnaise and seasonings. Spoon on top of bread. Top with cheese. Broil on High until cheese has melted. A great accompaniment to your favorite bowl of soup.

: Tuna Melt

What's your favorite way to eat tuna?

Spinach Salad with Mandarin Oranges

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 14:08:00 +0000

Spring is the perfect time to serve Spinach Salad with Mandarin Oranges. It's so light, refreshing, and highly nutritious. This would be a super salad to serve right after Easter and wondering what to do with all those boiled eggs. It's also a great accompaniment to the 2 Ingredient BBQ Ribs Recipe found here. This is one of my top favorite salads. Even my in-laws, who despise spinach, will eat this, and go back for seconds. Now that's saying something.

SPINACH SALAD WITH DRESSING

1 lb. fresh spinach
1 sm. pkg. slivered almonds
Chopped, boiled eggs
Broken up bacon pieces
2 sm. cans mandarin oranges
Fresh mushrooms
Grated cheddar cheese

DRESSING:
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. vinegar
1 tsp. celery salt
1 c. salad oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic salt

Mix dressing in blender until foamy. Pour over salad just before serving. Serves 8.

Be sure to serve using these awesome spring colored salad tongs.

Best Tasting 2 ingredient BBQ Ribs Cooked in Crockpot

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 15:04:00 +0000

Hands down this is the absolute best tasting 2 ingredient BBQ ribs cooked in a crockpot ever. The aroma from these ribs is sensational.

Bar-B-Qued Ribs Recipe

I place thawed country style ribs in the crockpot (ingredient #1) and 1 - 18 oz. bottle of BBQ sauce (ingredient #2) over top. I cook on high for about 8-10 hours. These are also very tender and moist. The meat falls off the bones. Everyone who trys them (even those who do not like BBQ) do like these ribs. The ribs are great served with rice, a salad and veggies. The Spinach and Mandarin Orange Salad is perfect for this meal.

: BBQ Ribs