The Seaman Mom blog

Giveaway - $100.00 Gift Card to healthy mama® brand

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Thu, 12 Jun 2014 20:28:00 +0000

I am very excited to bring you this giveaway event to help you with pregnancy remedies so I've joined Advertise with Bloggers and Adventures of 8 on this event.

Even though I had a pretty smooth pregnancy there were moments when I felt miserable or uncomfortable, I like many other women experienced some health issues along the way. I remember the dreadful morning sickness, the back and leg pain towards the end of my pregnancy or the tummy discomfort from time to time. I'm sure every pregnant woman goes through these kind of times. And the worse thing is, they don't know what supplements or medication they should take to ease the pain or discomfort.

Well, this is where the folks at healthy mama® brand comes in. If you are looking for an online site offering FDA regulated remedies that provide pregnant and nursing women with solutions to common ailments such as aches and pains, to cramps and cankles (yes, they’re real!), then healthy mama® brand is the place to go. You see, like many of us, founder Rachel Katz-Galatt at one time was confused about what pregnancy remedies she could use for some aches and pains. When she did not hear from her OBGYN, she went to the internet looking for pregnancy remedies and took a remedy that was later deemed not safe during pregnancy. In fact, the product was cited to cause pre-term labor. Can you imagine?

This is why she went to work offering pregnancy remedies, as well as, pre-pregnancy and nursing remedies under one brand and is working hard with retailers for shelf space designated specifically for prenatal care so all your products will sit on one shelf together. Even The American Pregnancy Association is on board with this. Offering nursning and pregnancy remedies products such as:

eaZZZe THE PAIN! – Pregnancy sleep-aid and pain reliever
SHAKE THAT ACHE! - Get extra-strength relief that eliminates the headaches, backaches, muscular aches and more! It reduces fevers and is extra gentle on your stomach, leaving you with one less worry.
MOVE IT ALONG! – Stool softener
TAME THE FLAME! – an antacid/calcium supplement
BE WELL ROUNDED! - Prenatal system provides 17 essential prenatal vitamins and minerals and is easy to swallow. Perfect for pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, and nursing mamas!
BOOST-IT-UP! – Pregnancy Energy Drink

Oh and if you are unsure of what to do or take, you can check out the amazing resources available to you, such as fact sheets, information on ailments, and even helpful videos. CLICK HERE to read an interview written by Michelle of RealArmyofMoms! Watch this short video About healthy mama® brand from B Likable TV on Vimeo.

So, whether you are trying to conceive, you're pregnant, or nursing, healthy mama® brand has something to help YOU!

Win it! A healthy mama® brand - Over-the-counter pregnancy remedies Gift Card Giveaway

One lucky reader will win a $100.00 Gift Card to healthy mama® brand
Giveaway Details:

This giveaway will run from June 12th-July 2nd
Is opened to entrants 18 years of age and older and are located in the US
All entries must be in the entry form and will be verified
To see full disclosures, see the disclosures at the bottom of the entry form

Entry -Form

**DISCLOSURE** The Seaman Mom is acting as an advertisement for the Sponsor and is not responsible for prize. This event is brought to you by Blog with Mom and Adventures of 8 through Advertise with Bloggers! If you are interested in sponsoring an event like this, please contact Advertise with Bloggers.

Giveaway - Blast Zone Magic Castle Bouncer valued $349.99

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Wed, 11 Jun 2014 14:56:00 +0000

The child in me decided to come to surface today and ordered me to team up with a group of awesome bloggers to bring you an amazing giveaway! A bounce house sponsored by Blast Zone. How cool is that?

The Magic Castle is Blast Zone's most popular bounce house. This is a bigger, improved version of the classic Blast Zone castle that blows up in seconds, and holds up to 3 kids or 300 pounds of little party-hoppers. The “Safe Slope” Slide provides safe, easy access, and the surrounding netting and Velcro entrance will keep kids safe while they bounce and have a blast. The extra-durable commercial vinyl floor, and reinforced seams add extra bouncing life.

Features dimension: 8.5′ W x 11′ L x 8′ H
Max occupancy: 3
Blower included
Deflated size: rolled sleeping bag
Inflate time: less than 2 minutes

One winner will be chosen randomly on 06*25 and notified via email. Winner will have to claim their prize within 48 hr or another winner will be chosen. This sweepstakes is in no way sponsored or endorsed by Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram or Google+. Sponsored by and prize fulfillment handled by Blast Zone.

Enter here and Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway - Huggies iPad and iPotty Ends 06*16

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Wed, 11 Jun 2014 05:58:00 +0000

To make my Ways to make potty training fun post complete, HUGGIES® wanted to give something away to help parents “survive” potty training.
Huggies continues their Pull Ups coupon offer that you can grab here. $2 off of any Huggies Pull-Ups and if you share the deal you'll be given the chance to receive a $3 off Pull-Ups® coupon.

Huggies is also running an awesome giveaway!
Giveaway Prizes:

$350 worth of gift cards to Target to use on potty training essentials
35 people will win $10 Gift Cards to Target
5 winners will be selected each day to win the GCs (Monday 6/9 – Sunday 6/15)
One grand prize winner will receive a CTA Digital 2-in-1 iPotty with Activity Seat for iPad (valued at $34.99) AND a white, Apple iPad2, 2nd generation Tablet, 1 GHz processor, 16GB, Wifi (valued at $324.99)

Giveaway Details:

Giveaway runs Monday, June 9th at 9:00 AM ET to Monday, June 16th at 9:00 PM ET
Users can enter the giveaway by heading to the Freebies & Giveaways page on Savings.com and submitting their email address on the form at the top of the page.
Readers can enter the sweepstakes once a day so everyone can enter up to 8 times.
GC winners will be selected from that days entrees.
Grand Prize winner will be selected from the entire weeks entrees.
Gift Card winners will be chosen via lottery drawing at the end of each day of the giveaway and notified the next morning.
The grand-prize winner will be chosen via a lottery drawing at the end of the giveaway and notified on Tuesday (6/17/14).

Enter the Giveaway here and Good luck everyone!

Recipe - Walnut shaped cookies filled with walnut cream

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 12:01:00 +0000

The walnut shaped cookies are another cookie of my childhood. The oldest of my many aunts (my dad has 5 sisters) used to bake these cookies at every family event (and boy, they were so many) and I used to be crazy about them, first of all because any kid loves cookies, right? and then they are simply delicious and so incredibly cute. I used to drool only at the thought of them.

What I love the most about these walnut shaped cookies is the rum flavor which gives them a special, fresh taste. And because they are baked in a special cookie mold (same as waffles) there's no need for lots of oil in their composition which makes them pretty light too. Add the walnut filling and you've got a chic, fancy cookie, perfect for a 5 o'clock tea (or coffee in my case). Do you love it when your friends call you the most hospitable host? Then offer them these walnut shaped cookies and you'll become their goddess/god.

INGREDIENTS for walnut shaped cookies:

For shells:

3 medium eggs
100 gr margarine or butter
100 ml sunflower oil
180 grams sugar
a sachet of vanilla sugar
Flour as comprising
1 sachet of baking powder

For Cream:

100 gr unsalted butter (room temperature)
180 gr powdered sugar
Rum flavor as preferred
1 tablespoon cocoa
Two handfuls ground walnuts
5 tablespoons warm milk
Powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS for walnut shaped cookies:

In a bowl mix margarine and sugar with a mixing device, add eggs, mixing for 2-3 minutes then add the oil.
Mix a cup of flour, baking powder and vanilla. Add to the margarine and eggs mixture and mix with a spoon, then pour flour bit by bit and knead by hand. The composition must be soft but not too much.
Make little balls out of he dough and bake them in a walnut shaped cookie mold.
When you're able to remove the cookies easily, take them out and cut out with a knife. Don't throw the leftovers as you'll need some to make the cream.
In a bowl, rub the butter and sugar for a few minutes. Then add cocoa, rum flavor and warm milk. Mix a little and add the leftover shells and the ground walnuts.
Fill the walnut shaped cookies with some cream and stick the halves together.
Roll the resulted cookies in powdered sugar.

Voila! Your delicious walnut shaped cookies are ready to impress your visitors (that is if you manage to keep some for them too; you're forgiven if you won't).

Beauty - 5 Waxing tips for healthy looking skin

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Sat, 07 Jun 2014 12:13:00 +0000

Perfectly smooth skin requires sacrifice. To me even the word "waxing" sounds like a painful process causing me restlessness. I haven't waxed in a zillion years mainly because I am a chicken, the thought of it scares me to death but also because I didn't have time to go to a beauty salon and see a professional. At home waxing is out of question, I'll most likely end up in the ER if I'd do it myself. So I turned to a beautician for some waxing tips before attempting to visit them for a session and get my legs all prettied up.

To turn waxing into a less stressful experience, it is necessary to consider some basic waxing tips anyone can easily follow apparently. These waxing tips will help significantly reduce pain, prevent ingrown hairs, irritation and other unpleasant effects that most women face often.

Here's 5 waxing tips my beautician advises to obey to:

Choose the most efficient method. Plucking unwanted hair is painful, but the results are long lasting compared to using a razor or creams. Over time, your hair will thin and grow slower and will also have a lighter color and uprooting them will be less painful. An essential rule is to not use the razor blade between two waxing. Hmm...guilty as charged.

Avoid hair ingrown. Hair growing under skin is one of the unpleasant consequences of waxing. To prevent this it's necessary to exfoliate prone areas every time you bathe. Use a sponge to scrub and massage delicate skin surface on legs, hands and armpits which are the most prone areas of your body

Get rid of irritation. After each hair removal, skin is very sensitive. The pores are left open after waxing and can become inflamed or even infected in some cases. Therefore you need to treat your skin gently and avoid applying body lotions or creams, especially those with an intense fragrance, immediately after waxing. Instead use specially designed gels or natural oils such as the olive, argan, coconut.

Exfoliate prior waxing. Removing dead skin cells through exfoliation gives you more effective waxing. The short or ingrown hairs will be exposed and removed easier through waxing.

Feel less pain. Hair waxing after a bath is apparently one of the basic rules I had no idea about, that can significantly reduce pain. Due to hot water, the pores open and pulling out the hair through waxing is less painful. It totally makes sense.

Do you have any waxing tips you're willing to share? I'd love to hear them and get ready for my next waxing session.

Ways to make potty training fun and enjoyable

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 07:13:00 +0000

This post is sponsored by Savings.com, however all opinions are 100% mine, based on my own experience.

Remember my post about potty training where I was stating I don't care much about it? Well, I didn't and here's why: I am one of the few lucky moms that didn't have to go through years of fighting with their toddler to get their cute tush on a potty but instead I found some ways to make potty training fun, first time with my niece and then my daughter. I wanted us to have an enjoyable experience and my little munchkin helped a great deal.

It all started with her buying her own potty when she was only about a year and a half. She didn't mean to use it for a long time, she was just curious what's the big fuss. She used it a couple of times and got bored but we saw that as a good sign so every time she was drinking her milk or tea, we used to ask her if she'd like to use the potty. Sometimes it worked, most times it hasn't but we couldn't care less, she was still a tiny human at that time.

All this time we tried to listen to her and respect her choices, we knew from our previous experience with our niece, it's never going to work if they're not ready to take the leap. Meanwhile we started to replace her diapers with Huggies Pull Ups at night time and when we were going out for longer periods and it helped a lot, it was so much easier to deal with pull ups than diapers.

But just when we've given up, the miracle happened. She said she doesn't want her diapers anymore, when she was about 2 years old. We were thrilled and secretly thanked Ellie's constant diaper rush which used to leave her with terrible discomfort and a lot of pain. She's got such a sensitive skin and she's probably had enough dealing with that nasty rash so when she realized the rush is due to her wearing a diaper, she took the right decision. She never went back to diapers ever since.

We believe seeing her cousin using the potty first and then the toilet also helped a lot. Ellie loves her cousin to pieces and would do anything for her, copying her every move, attitude or action.

Here are a few ways to make potty training fun and less an ordeal:

Don't rush the child, let them feel ready for potty. Some might be ready at 1,5 years old, some at 4. Eventually, all children learn to use the potty.
Listen to their signs. If they're able to talk they'll mention potty once in a while. Or they might want to play with their potty. Also if they manage to go through the whole night without wetting their diapers, they're ready for potty.
Let them choose their potty. It's usually a fun/strange looking type but it's their choice and they'll love it.
Use pull ups. It helps ease the transition for both the child and parent. Huggies have a great offer running, $2 off of any Huggies Pull-Ups and if you share the deal you will be given the chance to receive a $3 off Pull-Ups® coupon.
If you've got an older child in your house, try and make the little one watch the older one using the potty or the toilet, it might stir their interest. Then try and make them use the potty at the same time.
Constantly encourage them when they finally manage to hold it in and then use the potty in time. The look on their face is priceless. Judging by her face, my daughter probably used to think her mommy's gone cuckoo! But they will finally get the idea and will be so excited because they managed to make you happy.
If they want to paint or draw or wear rain boots and play with lipstick (and sometimes have their dinner) while doing their deeds, just let them be. It's all for a good cause.

Avoid giving your child too many fluids at evening and night time. This was our main issue with our niece which loved to drink milk and tea at nigh time, about 1,5 liters.
Try and put them on the potty at night time. We used to hold our niece on the potty a couple of times a night, she wasn't even awake.
Don't stress the child, they'll make the big step when they're ready. Think about it this way: they might not be physically able to control their muscles, it's not that they don't want to, they just can't physically hold it in.

Potty training doesn't have to be a pain, it's actually real fun if you adopt a more laid back attitude and laugh at all the oops along the way (and they are so many). So here's to #PottyPower! What are your ways to make potty training fun and enjoyable?

Recipe - The Oriental salad

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Mon, 02 Jun 2014 10:21:00 +0000

The Oriental salad is a big part of our diet now, be it as a snack or a side dish. With my dad having a stroke the whole family is more and more interested in adopting a healthy lifestyle and choose the right food, as much as possible. We are not experts but we do our best to research and find the healthiest food to include into our diet.

I've been in contact with a team of dietitians and weight loss experts to help us get not only dad but the whole family on the healthiest track. Until we finalize the specific programs, tailored and customized for each family member we're choosing more fresh vegetables and fruit, olive oil and nuts, fish and lean meat over fatty products and processed food. The Oriental salad is just a tiny step we're taking on this super healthy journey we're on.

Ingredients for Oriental salad:

1 kg potatoes
1 onion
1 bunch parsley
100 g black olives
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Three pickled cucumbers
salt and pepper to taste

Directions for Oriental salad:

Boil potatoes with skin on in salted water until they can easily be pierced with a fork.
Drain, leave a few minutes to cool, then peel.
Slice the onion into slices and finely cut parsley.
In a larger bowl add the potatoes, then cucumbers and the sliced onion. Add the olives, parsley, salt and pepper to taste then mix gently.
Mix the oil with the lemon juice, pour over salad and mix gently.

Enjoy the healthy Oriental salad and incorporate more healthy options into your day to day lifestyle. You'll thank yourself later.

Giveaway - $2,500 Summer BBQ Savings via Favado.com

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Sat, 31 May 2014 07:10:00 +0000

Do you remember Favado App? Please allow me to refresh your memory. Favado is a mobile savings app that helps shoppers save time and money by discovering the best deals in more than 65,000 grocery and drugstores nationwide. The Favado app uses real-time couponing data to provide access to exclusive matching deals (coupons plus in-store promotions) for ultimate savings. Other features include planning tools for weekly shopping trips and insider access to unlisted deals.

Now Favado.com is back with another amazing offer. You could win $2,500 grand prize, or one of the weekly prizes such as a portable grill, grilling tools set, charcoal grill, gas grill and more. The Summer BBQ Hacks Sweepstakes is sponsored by Savings.com.

***How to enter the giveaway***

Sign up with Favado and you're automatically entered into the sweepstakes.
If you already have an account with Favado but want to enter the sweepstakes, simply head to the bottom of the page under “Already have a Favado account?!”and click the “Enter Sweepstakes!” button.
Sweepstakes are open wordlwide.
Sweepstakes begins 5/24/14 at 12:00 a.m. EDT and ends 7/4/14 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

Good luck everyone and happy savings!

Beauty - Fysiko Eyelash growth serum review

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Fri, 30 May 2014 15:02:00 +0000

I never had a real problem with long lashes, mine have always been long but unfortunately with age they've become thinner and thinner, little by little. I'd considered extensions but I heard it completely destroys eyelashes. So after playing around with several non professional means like Vaseline, olive oil, castor oil, vitamin E, I finally realized I had to invest in more professional stuff. Luckily I had been offered the chance to test and review Fysiko eyelash growth serum, right on time as I've started to lose some of my eyelashes, located on the outer corner of both eyelids.

I consider Fysiko Eyelash Growth Serum as a safe, effective solution to grow back eyelashes and eyebrows. I was a bit reluctant to use it as my eyes are quite sensitive but had no side effects whatsoever. Plus I really loved the soft, thin brush that didn't hurt my eyelids and deposited the right amount of serum. I am also psyched because I actually got new lashes on the outer corners of my eyes, plus a couple more in the middle of my upper eyelids.

I have been using Fysiko for 16 weeks now and I can testify to its truly amazing results. My lashes became longer and thicker, I am more confident now to wear my natural lashes without any worries of not putting on mascara especially that I totally lack the time for that. I love it because it's really easy to use, safe, odorless and effective and the tube lasts forever.

Here are some highlight on Fysiko eyelash growth serum:

It elongates the lashes in a matter of 4 weeks with full results seen after three to four months.
A little goes a long way and apply as close to the eyelash line as possible.
Natural, easy to use with great results.
No allergic reaction noted which came as a big surprise as I've got sensitive eyes.
No eyelid redness or irritation had been noticed.
Fysiko Eyelash Growth Serum may double the size of your eyelashes.
Fysiko Eyelash Growth Serum does not require doctor’s prescription.

How to use Fysiko:

- Use Fysiko Eyelash Serum once ( maximum twice) a day at bedtime (I used it once a day at bedtime).

- Use the brush to apply a line of product along the roots of the upper lash line.

- Use sparingly; only a small amount of product is necessary for each application.

- If using eye makeup remover prior to application, rinse the eye area with warm water to neutralize and wait until eyelashes are fully dry before applying product.

- Remove contact lenses before applying. If applied in the morning – put contact lenses on in 10-15 min after Fysiko Eyelash Serum application.

If you haven't tried Fysiko eyelash growth serum yet and you would love to have long, beautiful, full lashes now is the right time to start using this amazing serum. You'll thank me and Fysiko in about 4 weeks.

How to recognize a stroke - 10 signs of stroke

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Wed, 28 May 2014 18:46:00 +0000

Stroke has become quite common in the recent years mainly due to stress and unhealthy lifestyle habits. My family and I are going through this experience now as my 62 years old dad had a stroke a few days ago. My husband found him lying on the floor, unresponsive, unable to move or speak and quite confused. Strangely when my husband checked his vital signs in order to start a CPR his blood pressure and pulse where within normal limits. We were lucky my husband has found him at an early stage and called an ambulance immediately.

Find out how to recognize a stroke, which are the most common symptoms and what to do if a person has a stroke and hopefully you won't go through the same ordeal as us.

Stroke is a terrifying condition that completely transforms a person, both physically and mentally. Every five minutes a person in the world suffers a stroke. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that supplies the brain bursts or is blocked by a blood clot as in my dad's case. Depending on the area of the brain that has been affected, stroke can affect movement, sensitivity, speech, ability to understand words, affects behavior, memory and emotions.

There are two types of strokes. The most common is ischemic, which occurs when the blood flow is prevented from reaching the brain. The second type is hemorrhagic stroke, which occurs when a blood vessel breaks. In this case, the main cause is high blood pressure .

The most common signs of stroke are:

Numbness of the face, arm, leg ( on the same side of the body)
Confusion
Difficulty in speech
Abnormal vision
Dizziness or inability to maintain balance
Hiccups (especially in women)
Nausea (especially in women)
Difficulty breathing (especially in women)
Chest pain and palpitations (especially in women)
Sudden strong headache.

The main risk factors for stroke are hypertension and smoking. Other risk factors are:

Abdominal obesity
Diabetes
Sedentary lifestyle
Unhealthy diet
Excessive alcohol intake
High cholesterol
Heart disease
Psychological stress / depression.

How to prevent stroke ?

Measure your blood pressure regularly
Quit Smoking !
Control your weight
Follow a healthy diet
Eliminate/Reduce alcohol
Follow an active lifestyle

First aid in case of stroke. Here is a guide to first aid if a person next to you is suffering a stroke. If you suspect that the person has had a stroke, verify the following:

If they are able to laugh or show you their teeth
If the mouth is crooked or one of the corners of the mouth is lower than the other
Check if they can close and open their eyes and raise both arms simultaneously horizontally and turn palms up
Check if one arm falls down strongly
Check if they are able to speak clearly or stutter.

If the affected person is unable to perform any of these tasks, call 911 immediately. Meanwhile, help them sit in a comfortable position (eg sitting or semi - sitting position ) and check periodically if they're conscious and breathe normally.

Unfortunately there isn't much you can do to help them but knowing how to recognize a stroke and calling for professional help right away might make a huge difference in how the person will be affected on a long term by the stroke. If they experience an ischemic stroke and they get help immediately, the chances for full recovery are very high, sometimes even as little as 24 hours.

My dad has suffered an ischemic stroke and we are being told that although the recovery will be slow, he's got pretty good chances to completely recover. I hope I'll be able to keep you updated on my dad's progress and share some more of our experience on how to deal with this condition.

Recipe - Butter cookies with chocolate cream

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Mon, 26 May 2014 07:00:00 +0000

Butter cookies with chocolate cream recipe is one of my childhood desserts. I can't remember how many times I spent all my allowance on these cookies. On special occasions when I managed to be a really good kid and save some of my allowance I used to love serving the butter cookies topped with vanilla ice cream and ground nuts sprinkled liberally. What a wonderful childhood memory!

I like the butter cookies with chocolate cream because in spite of the butter they seem quite light, the dough is pretty soft and airy and they don't need tons of cream to make a delicious dessert. I sometimes serve the cookies without any cream or I just brush a little cream on. I love serving the butter cookies with chocolate cream next to a warm glass of milk or a cup of unsweetened linden tea.

No matter the manner you serve these cookies, they'll make a great impression on you or any house guests. Let's move on to the recipe.

INGREDIENTS FOR BUTTER COOKIES with chocolate cream :

300 gr butter
4 egg yolks
200 g powdered sugar
450 g flour
2 sachets vanilla sugar
1/2 sachet baking powder

DIRECTIONS FOR BUTTER COOKIES with chocolate cream

Mix butter at room temperature with 200 gr powder sugar.
Add eggs, one at a time and mix until it becomes a homogeneous composition.
Add vanilla sugar and the flour, mixed with baking powder.
Pour composition in an oven tray to form dots, with a small distance between them.
Insert the tray/pan in the preheated oven and leave to bake for about 10 minutes, when the butter cookies' base gets golden.
When cold, fill 2 by 2 with cream, glaze with melted chocolate and place in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

Tip - you can add any nuts to the cream.

INGREDIENTS FOR CHOCOLATE CREAM:

2 eggs
100 ml milk
150 grams chocolate
250 g butter
150 g sugar
rum flavor

DIRECTIONS FOR CHOCOLATE CREAM

In a saucepan mix well eggs, sugar, milk, chocolate.
Boil the mixture on a medium flame.
Add butter and stir continuously until the mixture thickens.
Add the rum flavor when the cream is done and you're ready to remove the saucepan.
Remove the saucepan and leave to cool.

Enjoy these delicious butter cookies with chocolate cream!

How to get white teeth with 5 natural tips

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Sat, 24 May 2014 07:00:00 +0000

Do you want to know how to get white teeth but keep your teeth health in place? I bet everyone wants that so here's what I found through series of trials and failures.

Everyone knows proper oral hygiene is the first step to healthy teeth and an immaculate white. Although most of us are convinced that brushing twice a day is the main tip on how to get white teeth, practice says otherwise.

Here's how to get white teeth with 5 natural tips:

Perfect teeth cleaning. Most people develop cavities even though they brush their teeth twice a day but the way they do it is quite superficial. To remove the plaque, which is the main culprit for cavities, brushing is necessary to last at least two minutes. Also flossing once a day helps to remove food particles between teeth where toothbrush usual can't reach. Plus flossing removes the dead cells and bacteria accumulated on the gums. Use a timer to make sure you brush at least for 2 minutes.

Take care of the natural white. Tea, coffee, coke, red wine and generally heavy colored drinks will stain your teeth. Not to mention smoking, which is an absolute disaster to your teeth. Use a straw to drink all these drinks that stain your teeth or brush your teeth immediately after drinking them.

Use baking soda and lemon. How to get white teeth with these? Mix a tablespoon of baking soda with a few drops of lemon juice. Soak your toothbrush in the mixture and then brush your teeth, gently massaging the gums as well. Baking soda and lemon removes debris from the teeth, giving them natural whiteness. Use this mixture not more than two times a week.

Use Hydrogen peroxide. It can help you have whiter teeth, however make sure the concentration is not higher than 3%. All you have to do is pour a little hydrogen peroxide on the toothbrush and then immediately start brushing. Be careful not to swallow though.

Make use of strawberries. It might sound weird that a red colored fruit qualifies as a tip on how to get white teeth. The citric acid in strawberries removes stains and residues that give teeth the yellow tone. Plus the little seeds on the strawberry act just like a scrub to the teeth surface. Crush a strawberry into a puree and use it as a regular toothpaste.

These are my tips but if you know other tips on how to get white teeth, please do share, I'm all up for natural ways to keep my teeth as white and healthy as possible.

Recipe - French style potatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Mon, 19 May 2014 08:56:00 +0000

I am not a foodie blogger but I enjoy posting a recipe once in a while. I missed doing that last week as I had nothing prepared so I've decided to try and cook something over the weekend. I'm not a good cook, I seem to have better skills for baking cakes and cookies so I wanted to choose something simple, to make sure my dish will be edible, and French Style Potatoes is just the right recipe.

I often times resort to French Style Potatoes as it's very easy to make, light on digestion and quite versatile as it can be served as a main dish or a side dish next to anything meat. I prefer it simple most times but sometimes I serve it next to grilled fish or chicken breast. I love the Greek yogurt addition which gives it a fresh, light taste and the sour cream which makes the composition bind into a pudding like texture.

My version of French Style Potatoes recipe doesn't have boiled eggs as the original recipe requires, I only used raw eggs. I see no point in boiling the eggs when the whole dish will end up being oven baked anyway. Moreover, raw eggs help the potatoes to bind in a kind of a pudding.

I also did 2 versions of the recipe adding lots of yellow cheese into the second composition and sprinkling some tomatoes cut into cubes over the French Style Potatoes composition before transferring to the oven.

INGREDIENTS:
1.5 kg potatoes
300 gr cottage cheese
200 gr cheese (any white assortment)
100 gr sheep cheese
200 gr sour cream
Greek yogurt as preferred
6 raw eggs

Extra ingredients (if you choose to spice things up as I have):
200 gr yellow cheese
2 medium tomatoes

DIRECTIONS:

Peel potatoes and cut into slices. Then boil gently, about 5 minutes.
Beat 4 eggs and mix together with all cheese, sour cream and Greek yogurt.
Grease a pan with a little oil (or butter) and place a layer of potatoes, a layer of egg&cheese mixture and another layer of potatoes. Continue until you finish all potatoes and the mixture.
Transfer to oven and keep on medium heat for 30 minutes.
Beat 2 eggs and spread over the composition. Bake the potatoes for 10 more minutes.
When the crust that's formed gets slightly brow, remove the pan from the oven and let cool a few minutes before serving.

I used this recipe as a main dish with a salad as I believe this is the healthiest way the French Style Potatoes recipe can be served. Enjoy!

It's time you meet SAM, my new love affair

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Sat, 17 May 2014 14:27:00 +0000

This article is sponsored by Poise but all opinions are my own.

Yes, I've got an affair and I could not be more proud and happy. Yes, I am married and I am cheating on my husband but before throwing stones at me and pin me to the wall please hear me out. It's not THAT kind of affair.

SAM is a great catch! SAM knows what women need and not only that, SAM provides. SAM is tiny, cute and elegant but really powerful and a woman's best friend. SAM let's me laugh uncontrollably, protecting me from worry. SAM protects me when I sneeze or cough. I'm a woman, I have needs, SAM provides so there is no other way around it, I had no choice but to become really close to SAM. I must admit I take advantage of SAM.

Let me introduce you to the circumstances of this affair. Have you ever laughed so hard you peed your panties, or sneezed and sprung a leak? If you are a woman, I assume your answer is yes as one in three women experience light bladder leakage. And if you are a mother, you certainly got to deal with the issue more than other women do, it comes with the joys of pregnancy and giving birth. I'm a mother too and although I didn't give birth naturally as I had an emergency c-section, I was still affected by light bladder leakage. Carrying a baby for 8 months and then having the muscles around my most intimate parts under the knife during the c-section took a toll on my too.

Enters SAM, my new best friend. Who is SAM, you're asking? How does SAM look like? SAM stands for Super Absorbent Material. The new Poise Microliner uses SAM to bring you relief for those time when you feel like laughing your guts out but you're afraid to as you might end up with a leak. With SAM you don’t have to wear a bulky pad or pantyliner to help cover your bases.

Poise has created a micro liner that is super absorbent and very, very thin. So thin you can’t even tell you’re wearing it. They are so thin they can slip right into your wallet. I used to wear a big box of liners in my purse, now my wallet is more than enough to carry Poise Microliner. Poise Microliner are the thinnest liners in the light incontinence category and are designed to absorb wetness, neutralize odor and stay three times drier than period liners.

I realize some women feel uncomfortable talking about or admitting they experience light bladder leakage but they shouldn't, it's part of being a woman, it's perfectly normal and as natural as having babies and giving birth to them. It's as natural as having a period. It took us years of getting rid of that taboo, let's not make up another useless one.

One in three women experience Light Bladder Leakage (LBL), which can be triggered by everyday occurrences like coughing, sneezing, laughing or exercise. Many women rely on feminine care products or nothing at all to manage their little leaks because they don’t know there are solutions designed specifically for LBL or they don’t think incontinence products are for them. As the leader in the light incontinence category, Poise Microliner makes protection easy for every woman’s needs.

I strongly recommend you try Poise Microliner, I am pretty sure you'll get as hooked as I am. Please let me know how it fits your needs.

How to avoid child febrile seizures and get the right healthcare plan

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Fri, 16 May 2014 09:56:00 +0000

The opinions in this article are my own. I do not work for, or with, any brand mentioned in this article, nor do I have any official relationship with them. I have a relationship with GigaSavvy, for whom I create original editorial content.

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Not long ago my family has gone through a serious scare as my 4 1/2 years old niece has been admitted to a hospital with child febrile seizures. While the term is much scarier than the condition truly is and we were all aware of that, none of us couldn't help but to worry to the extremes and decided to take full advantage of the healthcare plan her parents have chosen for her, admitting her to a hospital for a short term.

Febrile seizures are convulsions brought on by a fever in infants or small children. During a febrile seizure, a child often loses consciousness and shakes, moving limbs on both sides of the body. Less commonly, the child becomes rigid or has twitches in only a portion of the body, such as an arm or a leg, or on the right or the left side only. Most febrile seizures last a minute or two, although some can be as brief as a few seconds while others last for more than 15 minutes. Although they can be frightening to parents, the vast majority of febrile seizures are short and harmless.

My niece has experienced child febrile seizures for the first time when she was only 10 months old but at that time we've been told this happens frequently to babies her age and is not something we should make a big deal out of. That's easier said than done. We've also been advised by her healthcare plan provider that most likely the seizures won't repeat again.

So we were super worried when it happened again at this age, when less expected, in fact out of the blue. And what's more painful is the fact that we could have done so much to prevent that.

Here are a few things parents can do to avoid normal child febrile seizures (non epilepsy related):

Start by choosing the right healthcare plan for your child to make sure you get proper care when something like this happen. You need a reliable, professional organization, that puts your needs first and treat you the same way they would treat their own loved ones.

As the child develops the fever, administer 2 types of fever reducer with a 4 hour gap in between (a type of fever reducer every 8 hour). This is strongly recommended particularly if the child has a history of febrile seizures.

If the fever is extremely high and doesn't go down within a half hour after administering the fever reducer, the drug diazepam is recommended. My niece's health care plan provider has recommended us to have one on hand all the time.

Give them the right amount of medicine to match their weight and age, not the generic recommended amount. My niece has been administered the generic one and could have used a tiny bit more, about 1ml to help get the fever down which it might make a huge difference.

Do not hold the child or attempt to restrain them during convulsions. Holding them close to your body will increase the fever while trying to restrain them might cause them bruises or worse.

Take their clothes off to help the body cool down a little.

Use a cold compress on the forehead and neck. The fever around the head area is the highest and causes the brain to overheat.

Give them lots of water to drink as soon as the fever starts going up. Room temperature is fine, they just need to stay hydrated as in some cases dehydration is the cause of child febrile seizures, particularly if they've been vomiting.

Run to the ER or the clinic that takes care of your healthcare plan, immediately after noticing the fever doesn't go down.

Additional note: If the child experiences long, repetitive febrile seizures, you might want to consider an epilepsy test and an electroencephalogram, although your doctor should be the first to recommend that.

How to keep yourself safe on public wifi with TunnelBear App

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Thu, 15 May 2014 10:48:00 +0000

As a seaman I had traveled a lot around the world, in all kind of locations, some safer than others. My main route of communicating with my family, friends and "the outside world" was via wifi, mainly public wifi as the cheapest version, sometimes free. Staying safe on public wifi was always a concern.

If you've ever had to traveled to a different country then you must know how inconvenient is to go on the web with high expectations only to find that your favorite websites were blocked. I had traveled to places where even reputable sites such as Facebook, Yahoo or Skype where simply blocked or not loading. Not fun. I wish there was a quality service such as TunnelBear VPN back then. Plus with such service I am certainly safe on public wifi as I'm protected against network hackers.

If you're not as familiar TunnelBear VPN service here are a few highlights:

VPN is a virtual private network that uses the public internet to provide users with secure access to their organization’s network. The problem with most free WiFi networks is that they’re public which makes you vulnerable to people tapping into your device, viewing your most private files and data. Yes, that's a possibility and many times a real fact. People love to intrude so you're never safe on public wifi. TunnelBear VPN network routes you through a secure network, offering you all the features of a private network while still allowing you to have the freedom on the public WiFi.

TunnelBear's software is very user friendly and securely “tunnels” your internet connection to all kinds of locations around the world. TunnelBear not only protects your privacy, but it also bypasses the internet censorship and allows you to experience the internet as if you were in your own country.

TunnelBear is really easy to download, using your computer with Windows, Mac and Linux on, or using an IPhone or an Android. Any of these options provide a step-by-step guide to setting up.

Incredibly easy set up process: Download the app, created a FREE account, verify your email, log in and turn on the TunnelBear VPN connection.

The “wood-effect” interface is simple, attractive and slick.

TunnelBear keeps you safe on public wifi as they constantly keep an eye on your browser security so if your VPN connection drops, the app acts shunts all of your traffic so anyone snooping on your network (useful if you're using open public Wi-Fi) can't get access to it.

TunnelBear gives users 500MB free a month, but you can participate in their twitter promo and get 1 gb for free each and every month. If you need more data you can always upgrade from a Little Bear to Giant then to Grizzly Bear for a monthly or yearly fee as little as $2.99 per month and a $29.99 per year for your android device as an example.

All in all I'm quite pleased withTunnelBear’s desktop service, it's pretty fantastic at what it sets out to do. And if all you need is a service that allows you to gain access to your local IP address then you need to stop looking, TunnelBear is the right place to go. Download TunnelBear here to experience its amazing features and benefits.

Have you tried TunnelBear yet? Are you happy with their tools that keep you safe on public wifi? Let me know how it works for you and how TunnelBear has improved your internet browsing experience.

This is a sponsored post for TunnelBear, however all opinions are 100% my own.

Celebrate healthy lifestyle with Strawberries

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Wed, 14 May 2014 10:52:00 +0000

I love, love, love fruits! Particularly berries. I cannot imagine a healthy lifestyle being truly healthy without berries. There are so many ways berries can be fit into a healthy diet, from fresh fruit to pies, salads, or smoothies to name just a few.

To celebrate healthy lifestyle I've decided to make strawberry the queen of The Seaman Mom blog. Did you know May 20th is “National Pick a Strawberry Day”? If you love a healthy lifestyle, weather you are or aren't a strawberry fan you'll find these facts not only interesting but enjoyable too.

What's you favorite berry you use to boost your healthy lifestyle?

Info graphic brought to you by Shari's Berries, a huge fan of all things berries.

Beauty - 5 beauty treatments based on clay mask benefits

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Tue, 13 May 2014 11:06:00 +0000

Clay is a natural mineral used for thousands of years in beauty treatments. Clay masks were an important part of the beauty rituals of our grandmothers and mothers, and now the clay mask benefits have been rediscovered.

Among the natural elements contained in clay include iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper, zinc , and the list goes on. All these compounds have the ability to repair, soften, heal and detoxify skin. My main goal in regards of clay mask benefits is detoxifying and healing the acne scars and I kid you not, it works wonders. To make sure you use a product specifically designed for beauty, choose cosmetic clay, which you can buy in any beauty store.

Here's how to take full advantage of clay mask benefits:

Make a mask with clay and green tea

It is a detoxifying mask that provides suppleness and vitality to the skin. Mix two tablespoons of clay powder with a few drops of green tea until it forms a paste. Apply mask on clean skin with your fingers or a brush (I prefer a brush, it's easier to apply and spread around the whole face). Leave it to work at least 15 minutes then rinse with warm water.

Mask with clay and aloe vera gel.

Aloe vera gel has healing and soothing properties,I use it all the time at Summer time to prevent sun burn. Aloe is ideal for sensitive or irritated skin too. Mix two tablespoons of clay with enough aloe vera gel until you get a creamy paste. Apply this mixture on face, leave on for 15 minutes.

Scrub with clay and oatmeal.

Oatmeal in combination with clay helps get rid of dead skin cells and regain its shine and suppleness of your skin. Mix a tablespoon of clay with a spoonful of oatmeal and enough water until you get a consistent paste. Rub your skin with this mixture for a couple of minutes and then rinse off.

Take the clay mask benefits to the next level and make a mask with clay and seaweed powder.

Mix one tablespoon of clay with a tablespoon kelp powder and enough water to make a creamy paste. Apply the mask on your face and let it stand for 15 minutes.

Mask with clay, yogurt and grape seed oil.

If you have dry skin, yogurt and grape seed oil, along with the clay mask benefits can work miracles! Mix a tablespoon of clay, a tablespoon of yogurt and a few drops of grape seed oil, apply the paste on face for 15 minutes then rinse off. My 65 years old mom swears by it.

An Average Joe’s Pursuit For Financial Freedom book review

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Mon, 12 May 2014 07:48:00 +0000

About the book:

An Average Joe’s Pursuit for Financial Freedom is a noteworthy book that offers a different perspective on money than our parents and school systems have been and are still teaching us. The book highlights that the discrepancy between the wealthy and the poor is due to the difference in the way money is perceived. It has become obvious that we are not born with the ability to maintain wealth but instead this it is something that is learned. Knowing how to make money work for you and generate passive income is something that anyone can learn as long as they follow a disciplined pattern.

An Average Joe’s Pursuit for Financial Freedom is based on practical concepts not on theory, by an author that does practice what he writes about.

Author Bio:

Michael Munsey works in the oil industry and resides in Houston, Texas. He received his undergraduate degree from Murray State University in May of 1995. While working to climb the corporate ladder within Halliburton Energy Services, Michael enrolled in the EMBA program at Rice University in 2005. After earning his MBA, he had a major change in the way he perceives money, which he shares in now.

My review:

I haven't read a book in a long time as I'm always busy with well...life so I found this read very refreshing and informative. I've not only learnt a lot, such as a bit of economic history or that I should invest my hard worked money wisely instead of spending them on items that represent liabilities but I've also been reminded that creating passive income is the way to go at my age, before I get old and it's too late to do that.

An Average Joe’s Pursuit for Financial Freedom is not a book that teaches us how to make money, to my relief (no rule or money advice works the same for everyone so I'm quite reluctant to read those type of books). This is a great read that not only entertains through it's easy to read language but also draws attention to a big mistake most of us make these days: spending our financial resources on items we don't really need instead of investing those money and get a great benefit on a long term. Make the money work for you not the other way around. How many of us spend our money on fancy clothes, cars, expensive vacations etc that we don't really need? In order to maximize the assets we purchase rather than spending our hard-earned money on liabilities, we have to be in control of our spending habits as the author highlights.

Another line that has drawn my attention from An Average Joe’s Pursuit for Financial Freedom was "We do not have to have a formal education to unlock the formula for becoming financially free" and the examples are countless. Take Bill Gates who did not finish his education as he wanted to pursue his dream, a dream that made him the richest man on earth.

I felt a particular affinity to the author as same as himself, I've changed jobs quite a lot, unlike many average Joe's. Michael and I have both been driven to take these decisions by a simple goal: climbing the corporate ladder, knowing the value we provide the marketplace therefore switching jobs to a company that values us more than our current company was a natural decision. Thinking outside the box will get you far. Don't let the fear of failure be an obstacle to your financial freedom pursuit and always be flexible to changing your plans when something doesn't work as expected.

Find Michael's book An Average Joe’s Pursuit for Financial Freedom on ExLibris Amazon (Kindle) Goodreads Facebook Twitter Google + and enjoy a remarkable read.

How to reduce the appearance of cellulite with 5 healthy beverages

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Sat, 10 May 2014 14:10:00 +0000

The swimsuits season is not too far and we need to look after our figure even more. If you don't know how to reduce the appearance of cellulite, these 5 healthy beverages will help a ton and they won't take much time to prepare.

We all know cellulite is the main enemy of beauty, especially at summer time when is more visible. The solution is not easy and in some cases it takes more than juts a few beverages to keep cellulite at bay but it doesn't hurt to try our best.

Here is how to reduce the appearance of cellulite with 5 easy, tasty, enjoyable beverages that will also boost your healthy lifestyle:

Grapefruit juice. A glass of grapefruit juice a day is a great source of vitamin C and helps you maintain your weight, eliminate toxins and ensure a proper functioning of the digestive system. Grapefruit is particularly good to the liver, helping it to eliminate the toxins easier. And the quicker your body eliminates the toxins the faster you get rid of cellulite.

Note: Grapefruit may interact with some medicine, amplifying or reducing their effects. Therefore it is advisable to avoid eating grapefruit if you are under any kind of treatment and ask your physician for advising. In such cases how to reduce the appearance of cellulite should fall on the second place, health is always much more important.

Water with lemon juice. If you didn't know, this is the supermodels' favorite drink. Have you ever heard of a supermodel asking for help on how to reduce the appearance of cellulite? No, because they drink this mix on a regular basis. If you drink two liters of water a day and pour some lemon juice in the beneficial effects on your body will be observed faster. Apart from giving you a healthy looking skin and shiny hair, you'll be able to get rid of cellulite too or at least diminish its appearance drastically. Water stimulates your body to flush the toxins out while lemon's detoxifying and antioxidant effects accelerate the process.

Green tea without sugar. At least one cup of unsweetened green tea a day helps to significantly diminish cellulite. Green tea contains many antioxidants and substances that stimulate the elimination of toxins from the body and my husband is the living proof. He's been drinking 2-3 cups a day for the past few years, around 5 if I'm not wrong. He is a big advocate of green tea but I'd advise you don't get him started as he'll go on and on about it for like forever.

Cherry stems tea. They have diuretic and purgative properties, which means they are an essential aid to our fight against cellulite. With cherry stems boiling is better than just brewing. Boil 200 ml of water and a spoon of cherry stems for five minutes.

Elderberry tea. Just like cherry stems, this tea has diuretic and purgative properties. Drink two cups daily to get rid of the " orange peel" look.

If you know other beverages or tips on how to reduce the appearance of cellulite, I'd be happy to learn about them.

Beauty - Baking soda skin care recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Thu, 08 May 2014 09:25:00 +0000

Lately I've been having a tough time dealing with acne and blackheads. This is not news to me, as you might be aware, I've been fighting acne for what it seems like ages now. I've come to a point where I'd try every homemade, natural, organic, green etc skin care treatment and baking soda skin care recipes are now on my list.

Why would I use baking soda when the name sounds more scary than helpful to my skin problem? Because I know it works. I've only used baking soda occasionally during my teen years, when I used to get a little pimple once in a while and it was doing wonders to my problem which at that time seemed like the end of the world. Little I knew things can and will get much worse than just a red spot on the face.

Here's how and when to use some baking soda skin care recipes:

Baking soda as acne treatment.

Mix a little baking soda with water until it forms a paste. Spread on the face, massaging gently about 30 seconds. Rinse with warm water. Repeat the process three times a week.
Or you can prepare a baking soda mask. How do you do it? Very simple. The baking soda is combined with water and the paste is applied on pimples leaving it on for 5-10 minutes or all night. Rinse well.
Use as facial cleanser. Put a teaspoon of baking soda in your hands. Add some water and mix. Apply the paste on face and neck; rinse with water. Use this remedy twice a week.

Baking soda and skin irritation. Mix three parts of baking soda with one part water. Apply the paste on the affected areas. Let it dry. If necessary, repeat.

Baking soda as hair treatment.

Baking soda skin care recipes have the same great results on hair too. Oily hair? Dandruff? No problem, just add a little baking soda to your shampoo. Put a tablespoon of baking soda into your shampoo and shake until well dissolved. Use it as a normal shampoo. Rinse well and apply a conditioner. After washing, the hair will look much better.
Or you can rinse your hair with baking soda. Mix one tablespoon of baking soda with a cup of water. Add everything in an old bottle of shampoo. Wash your hair, apply a balm, rinse well then apply the baking soda rinse.
If your hair is flat and greasy use baking soda. Sprinkle some baking soda diluted in water to the hair and comb, then use the dryer.
Treat your hair with baking soda after you swim in the pool. Sprinkle a little on hair and leave on for fifteen minutes. Then wash your hair as usual. This way, you will prevent discoloration. In addition, the chemicals from the swimming pool water will be absorbed.

Use this baking soda skin care recipes with care though, if you over do it, you might get the opposite result.

How to Sell Your Book on Amazon courtesy of Blurb

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Wed, 07 May 2014 08:02:00 +0000

There is an exciting new Blurb feature to announce to you! Blurb indie book publishers can now sell their work on Amazon. This new feature is being announced along with a special deal from Blurb. Starting May 1st you can save 15% on all book orders with the new deal listed below.

If you did not know I've got a soft spot for Blurb, then this post might bring some light on that. Blurb has always been a great way for people to make books about the things that interest them, their family and fashion books being my favorite. And while it’s always been possible to sell your books via Blurb’s website, you can now sell the books you make on a larger platform and that would be Amazon. Imagine, your work on the world’s biggest marketplace, that's beyond huge.

Donna Boyer, Blurb’s Chief Product Officer offers some insight on how the whole thing works in a mini interview:

What’s the most exciting thing about authors being able to sell their books through Amazon.com?

Setting up Blurb books to be available on Amazon.com couldn’t be easier. Once authors have uploaded their book to their Blurb account, they simply go to their Book Details page to select "Amazon" under the "Sell my book" options. That’s it. Once authors provide their info to get paid, Blurb handles the rest.

What can authors expect when listing on Amazon.com?

Once an author submits their book, it will be available for sale on Amazon.com within about seven days. Authors should plan to market their book to their network in order to drive reviews and sales rankings on Amazon, which can then lead to organic sales from new readers. It’s important for authors to remember that Amazon adds a fee for selling through Amazon.com, so the list price will need to be higher in order to make the same profit as a book sold directly via the Blurb platform.

Selling through Amazon.com is quite the game changer—can authors list their books on Amazon.com if they’ve already published them through Blurb?

Absolutely. Any existing photo paper book is eligible for distribution on Amazon.

What are the biggest reason Blurb authors will want to take advantage of Amazon.com distribution?

A big benefit of Amazon is that it gives authors a new opportunity to expand their audience beyond their current network.

Feel free to check out Donna's full interview and don't miss the chance to learn more about selling your Blurb published book. As part of the new Blurb to Amazon program, Blurb is also offering a great deal. Save 15% through May 15th when you use the code MAY15. With such an amazing feature and offer I think I need to consider making and selling a book myself.

If you want to reach a wider audience, gain recognition and watch your sales grow, the Blurb to Amazon program is the right place for you. All it takes is the click of a button.

This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links

Recipe - Turkish Baklava with walnuts

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Tue, 06 May 2014 14:27:00 +0000

I'm pretty sure that most of us got to try Turkish Baklava at least once. Some say it 's too sweet, but still cannot refrain from at least taking a glimpse at this sweet sin.

When I was traveling around Europe as a seaman I had many chances to visit Turkey and I always, always had to stock up on baklava. It was a must. So I wanted to try and see if I can make it as tasty as Turkish people do. I will not hide that I needed more than just a few tips and a little patience to prepare this dessert. I tried a few times and was close to give up on it as it always came out either too mushy or too dry or too thin. I finally made it! I'm not completely happy with the result as I should've used much more nuts and ground them less but that's the best I could reach so far.

Here's the story of this otherwise incredibly delicious dessert:

INGREDIENTS for Turkish Baklava

28 pastry sheets
230 g Butter
300 g walnuts
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 pinch nutmeg
50 g sugar

For the syrup:

300 ml mineral water
300 g sugar
5 tablespoons honey
Half a lemon

DIRECTIONS for Turkish Baklava:

Prepare the syrup: put sugar and water to boil for 20 minutes; when the syrup is formed squeeze half a lemon and add the juice. Let it simmer for another 5 minutes, then turn off the flame. When the syrup gets cold add honey.
Prepare the filling: ground the walnuts finely and mix with cinnamon, nutmeg and 50 grams sugar.
Melt the butter.
Greased a cooking tray with butter and then place pastry sheets in, spread butter with a brush on each sheet.
Place 10 buttered sheets on top of each other then follow with a layer of nuts, add 6 buttered sheets, ground nuts again, 6 more buttered sheets then nuts again.
The last layer will be of 4 buttered sheets. Insist with more butter on the last sheet.
Keep the Turkish Baklava in the refrigerator for 40 minutes, then cut it into squares, melt the rest of butter and pour over the edges of each small square so the baklava will not dry while baking.
Bake for 30 minutes until it gets a strong golden color.
Pour over the sauce made earlier while the Turkish Baklava is hot.
Cover with a clean towel and leave it to cool completely, then refrigerate overnight.

Tips:

Use any kind of nuts, the most popular for this dessert, after walnuts are pistachio.
Use nuts freely, don't be scared as I was, nuts are not going to do you any harm.
If you'd like the baklava to look more festive, decorate with grounded nuts, pistachio or whipped cream
Adjust the level of sugar if you like the Turkish Baklava sweeter or less sweet, never the amount of honey.

How to start your own blog - Step by step tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Mon, 05 May 2014 12:29:00 +0000

I've been blogging for a little over two years now, mostly as a passion and I have only become more professional in the recent months. I don't pretend to be an expert but I often times find myself giving blogging advises to both blogger and non blogger friends that turn to be just the answers they've been looking for. That makes me really happy, I know I had a hard time getting a blog up, the whole "start your own blog" process proved to be a bit difficult to me and I could've used some advising back then.

So if you've been following blogs like this one for a while and flirted with the idea of expressing your thoughts, feelings and life experience, then you are ready to open a blog. And you've come to the right place.

You absolutely need a blog whether you want to work from home, author a book, get more exposure for your existing business or just write your thoughts. Fortunately you can be up and running in about 15 minutes with this step by step tutorial I'm going to introduce to you. It took me 10 minutes when I had my other Wordpress blog up and running and this tutorial is based on that experience.

Why would I write about a WP blog on a Blogger blog? Simply because it's way more awesome than a Blogger blog and if I had known that 2 years ago, this blog wouldn't be here today but on the WP platform.

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Let's get started with the basics.
If you are brand new to blogging and wouldn't want to invest a little money in your blog then Blogger is the right place for you. But I would strongly recommend you think twice before taking that decision as if you are like me, you'll find you are in fact way too passionate about blogging to keep yourself and your blog at a non professional level.

The option I'd recommend is right below. Start your own blog on a WP platform and get it to a professional level right from the beginning, you won't regret your decision a bit. You totally get what you pay for and then some more.

The following steps are exactly how I've built my other site Little Miss Fashion and I'm completely smitten with that place and the features I'm provided with over there. The tutorial is not short but trust me, it's really, really simple. To sum up what this tutorial is all about, by the end of this post, you'll have a self-hosted WordPress site, the most popular type of site around.
Note: All links will be opening in a different window for ease of reference to these instructions as you work.

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***** Step 1: Find a host*****

A host provides server space for your site so others can find you on the internet. As I've mentioned, you could start a blog using a free service like Blogger, but if you can spare a little cash, I highly, highly recommend you opt for self-hosting. Trust me, you'll be so glad you started out on the right foot. I am the living proof of that. I was lucky enough to get to experience both platforms and the self hosted is by far the best option.
I am using BlueHost as I've heard great reviews about them and yes, they are all true. For starters, they make signing up and setting a WP blog with them a breeze, all you need to do is follow instructions on both their site and the e-mails they keep you updated with on each step completed.

Start by clicking here to go to Bluehost. Click the green Get Started Now button.

*****Step 2: Choose a domain*****

Enter a domain name (your desired web address, like thelittlemissfashion.com as I did when setting up my other blog) on the left side under New Domain (see tips for choosing a domain below). Make sure .com, or the extension of your choice, is selected from the drop down menu beside it. If you've already registered a domain name somewhere else, enter it on the right hand side.

Then click the blue Next button.

*Tips for choosing a domain name when you start your own blog*

Choose a .com if possible, it's easier for readers to look for your site as everyone has a .com in mind when they're searching for websites.
Make it easy to say and spell. I got mine thelittlemissfashion.com to perfectly match my blog's title: Little Miss Fashion.
Don’t include hyphens, numbers, initials, obscure terms or confusing strings of words, that'll only make it hard for people to find your website.
If you're not sure what to use, your name is ok to use.

*****Step 3: Enter your account information*****

On the next page, enter your account info. Make sure you use an email address you use the most because this is where your login information will be sent.

*****Step 4: Choose a hosting package*****

Under Package Information choose your Account Plan from the drop down menu based on how far in advance you want to pay. Please note you will be billed a year a time, but as you can see, it works out to a very reasonable monthly amount. I think that's basically nothing, you get so much for your self hosted blog for that little amount of money.

I'd recommend you to skip the other add-ons except Domain Whois Privacy which will keep your personal information private. (the Domain Whois Privacy option only shows up if you registered a new domain, it will not show up if you transfer a domain.)

*****Step 5: Enter your billing information*****

Fill in your billing information, confirm that you've read the fine print and then click Next.

*****Step 6: Skip the upgrades*****

On the next page you’re asked if you want to add any upgrades. I just skipped them all. Continue on to complete your purchase then check your email. You'll find a welcome email from BlueHost with your control panel (named cpanel) login info. Keep this information for future reference.

*****Step 7: Login to your cpanel*****

Go back to Bluehost and click the Login button in the top right corner of your screen. Alternatively, you can use the link to your cpanel received through the welcome email.

Enter your cpanel login info.

*****Step 8: Install WordPress*****

Once logged in, click the WordPress icon under Website Builders.

*****Step 9: Start the WordPress install*****

Next you'll get to a window that looks like this. Click the Start button to begin the WordPress installation process.

****Step 10: Choose where to install WordPress*****

Leave this section as is with your domain showing in the dropdown menu. Simply click Check Domain.

*****Step 11: Enter your WordPress user info*****

Check the box next to Show advanced options. Enter your Site Name or Title (ex. Little Miss Fashion). Choose an Admin Username (do not use “admin” as your username) and password. These will be what you use to login to WordPress once it’s installed. Enter your email address (again, all site information will be sent here). Read and agree to the terms. Click the Install Now button.

*****Step 12: Choose your Style*****

This is where you will pick a theme with the desired design.

There's a variety of free WordPress themes that you can choose from. If you are trying to save money then I suggest just choosing a free theme but if you're willing to take your blog to a more professional look and feel, I'd recommend you opt for a paid theme. I have chosen a free theme not for the financial reason but for the lack of time. I just couldn't decide which theme I like more and opted to postpone this for later. But if you're not short on time I would strongly recommend go browsing through those amazing Mojo paid themes. There are so many gorgeous options starting at only $49. Take your time, your blog theme will say a lot about yourself and the message you're trying to convey through your writing.

*****Step 13: You've Made it!*****

Done! Take note of the information to access your new WordPress site. This information will also be sent to you via email. Clicking on the Site URL link will take you to your brand new, live website. Clicking on the Login URL link will take you to the WordPress login page where you can enter your username and password and get into the admin panel of your WordPress site.

Congratulations! You've just managed to start your own blog.Type your domain into a browser and your WordPress site will appear.

*****Step 14 (Bonus Step): If you've used an existing domain on step #2*****

(If you registered a new domain in Step 2, skip this step.)

Your existing domain will not display your new site until you change your nameservers wherever your domain is currently registered. The change will be pointing your domain to this new site.

IMPORTANT! As soon as you change your nameservers, your domain will bring visitors to this new site. Therefore, if you are currently using your domain on another site, do not change your nameservers until your new site is up and running. You can still access your new WordPress blog via a temporary URL. You may have received one in your welcome email from Bluehost. If you didn’t, simple call them and let them know you need a temporary URL for your new site. BlueHost has a 24/7 call service (help desk) you could use.

To change the name servers where your domain is currently registered, first note your new Bluehost name server information which can be ns1.BlueHost.com or ns2.BlueHost.com

Next, go to the registrar where your existing domain is currently registered (Namecheap, GoDaddy etc.). You will need to enter the above information in the appropriate place. This varies among registrars so I recommend you call them if it’s not clear.

I hope this start your own blog tutorial has been a great help and I look forward to hear your input and also read your new, beautiful blogs. If the information above doesn't fulfill your needs, you can always learn more about BlueHost here.

This post contains affiliate links which means I will get commission if you click on them and make a purchase.

Where to get successful healthy eating tips and easy meal plans

noreply@blogger.com (Petro) — Sat, 03 May 2014 10:54:00 +0000

Do you want to find recipes that fit your diet, create flexible meal plans and eat like it's the 21st century? So do I. If you haven't noticed already, I'm constantly trying to improve my already lifestyle and look for healthy eating tips on a regular basis, this is something we should all make a priority out of, particularly if we have children. We can't afford to pass on to them any bad habits that they get to carry around for their whole life and even if they decide to try and correct them, they'll find it hard to, as the childhood habits will always hunt them. Been there, done that.

The problem is, I don't have much time to dedicate to thoroughly looking around and searching for healthy eating tips to keep my healthy lifestyle in balance. I know the basics but sometimes food can get boring, we all need to spice thing up a bit. And now I found just the right place for that.

Fitsmeapp provides users with the ability to browse recipe and food dishes that are tailored to fit the individuals' dietary and healthy lifestyle preferences providing countless recipes. Users are also able to auto-generate meal plans or build meal plans by hand. This, in conjunction with an intricate ingredient relationship database, gives them a competitive advantage in the food tech market. FitsmeApp analyzes every ingredient in every recipe and adapt their intuitive Pinterest-like interface to show only dishes that fit your tastes and dietary needs and providing the much needed healthy eating tips you've been looking for in just a few seconds.

If you are in one of the following categories, FitsmeApp is the perfect place for you:

Have food allergies
Follow a strict diet, such as vegan, paleo, pescatarian, etc
Would like help with meal planning
Eat a specific way to attain a physical goal (body building)
Have been diagnosed with a life threatening illness, such as cancer or diabetes, and need to change eating habits
Have little time to find recipes or to plan meals
Love cooking
Are registered dietitians or nutritionists
Personal trainers

Choose the days and meals you typically cook at home, structure a meal plan that reflects your lifestyle and find numerous healthy eating tips. Each meal plan comes with an aggregate shopping list, as well as flexible shopping list features. Users can select what days and meals to shop for, scale recipes to fit their needs, delete items already in the pantry, and email a plain text version of the list.

Other FitsmeApp Features include:

Specific Diets
Restrictions and Allergies
Cuisines
Ingredients
Additional preferences

Based on these features I went ahead and customized my own plan. As I try to eat more vegetables and less meat now, I've chosen a vegetarian plan. I don't want to follow a full vegetarian plan so I'm going to alternate the plans as I can add as many plans as I want. Again, it happened in just a matter of seconds which is a huge deal for me, I simply don't have time to waste. I also opted for three meals a day and a snack and in just a blink of an eye, my weekly plan has been created. To my delight, it shows me tasty, non restrictive recipes. Here's my Saturday's menu:

I have a hunch FitsmeApp is kind of telepathic as the Spinach Cheese Manicotti is a dish I am totally crazy about. How did they know that, really?

Sign up today at FitsmeApp.com and get started building your food personality profile that will constantly provide you with amazing healthy eating tips and make your life so much easier. Find FitsmeApp on their website, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Have you tried the Fitsmeapp yet? Please let me know how that works for you, I'd love to hear your feedback.

This post contains affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click on them and sign up at FitsmeApp.