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Raise Your Baby in Royal Style

By: Friday, July 26, 2013 Healthy Baby, Healthy Home, Holistic Health, Lifestyle, Organic Beauty, Wellness , , , , Permalink 0

By Callie McBride

Newsflash! Princess Kate had her baby! We know, we know, how have you not heard about it before?

We kid. The media is having quite the field day following just about every second in the brand new life of His Royal Highness Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge. From the entire history of his name to his luxurious nursery in the works, this little guy has already made it big. What we are most anticipating, though, is how Princess Kate plans on raising her firstborn. She is known to be health-conscious and focuses on healthy eating and exercise in order to maintain the, ahem, proper lifestyle. Can the same be said for little prince George? We think yes. The same can be said for you and your expanding family as well, with some help from companies like The Honest Company and Earth’s Best!

The Honest Company

Honest-Company-Jessica

Actress and organic beauty Jessica Alba, along with co-founder Christopher Gavigan, have succeeded in their goal to redefine the “family brand” and turn it into one that focuses on safety, style, convenience, and even the environment with their Honest products. Geared toward babies and a healthy and happy home, the full range of products offered include eco-friendly diapers, non-toxic personal care, organic home cleaning products, and health and wellness goodies.

Alba and Gavigan have put their heads together and thought of everything that they have always struggled to find on the market-wholesome, eco-friendly, sustainable, stylish, affordable-and have wrapped it up with a bow to give to you. For instance, the Baby Arrival Collection features all natural shampoo and body wash, healing balm, hand sanitizer, baby wipes, and a jumbo pack of diapers. It gets better: the Diaper Cakes Collection, perfect for a baby shower gift, actually could not come any cuter.

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For the home, Honest offers everyday essentials such as laundry detergent, bug spray and sunscreen, aromatic soy candles, toilet and floor cleaners, as well as surface cleaners and dish soap-all of which are 100% non-toxic and biodegradable.

If you’re not quite convinced, you have the option of signing up for a free trial of supplies to test out yourself (paying just $5.95 shipping and handling). Um, thanks Jessica!

Earth’s Best

eb_logoSo your little one is decked out in adorable diapers and being pampered with organic goods; now for food! Earth’s Best is an all organic brand of baby food that focuses on one-ingredient products for the ultimate nutrients and ease for your child.

The cute jars of food are completely GMO-free and hormone-free. Their line of foods start with “1st Foods”, such as “1st Apples”, “1st Bananas”, and “1st Carrots” to introduce babies to single ingredient foods. 2nd Food jars combine foods for more flavor, and then 3rd Foods include texture and more ingredients. This the most basic and natural you can get, making the task of raising your child in a holistic way ridiculously easy!

As we wait with bated breath for each move that little Prince George makes over in England, add these brands to your list of holistic goods for children, and be prepared to fall in love with their message.

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The Skinny on Superfoods

By: Thursday, June 27, 2013 Healthy Cooking, Holistic Health, Nutrition, Recipes, Wellness , , , , Permalink 0

By Callie McBride

navitas

Gone are the days of avocado madness; chia seeds have had their time. Though we aren’t saying goodbye to these wonderful nutrient powerhouses, there’s some new kids in town: superfood powders. The latest craze to hit health food stores and foodies’ cabinets, these natural powders, often sourced from the rain forests of tropical islands, offer insane amounts of nutrition and flavor in each scoop. With so many to choose from, your morning smoothie will get a fabulous makeover and your nutrient checklist will trump all others.

Flax Powder:

Sprouted flax seeds. That’s it. This powder will load you up with omega 3 fatty acids and fiber, and it’s incredibly easy to digest, so your body will feel its benefits quickly. Flax seeds hail from Canada, where they were cultivated for their awesome fiber content. Throw a scoop into a banana, almond milk, and spinach smoothie or mix into your morning oatmeal for optimal taste and benefits. You can also purchase flax in the form of ground seeds and oil.

Lucuma Powder:

Lucuma is actually a fruit, originating in Peru, which is milled into a fine powder and used as a type of low-glycemic sweetener. It contains iron, zinc, calcium, and protein, and has a maple flavor to it. It’s definitely smoothie-friendly, but mixing into a raw ice-cream or coconut yogurt sounds equally as heavenly.

Goji Berries:

Either in powder form or as dried berries, the amazing goji contains tons of antioxidants, as well as over 20 vitamins and minerals. These berries hail from the Ningxia Province in China where they are grown, harvested, and dehydrated to maintain maximum nutrient content. They’ve been consumed by Asians for decades, and the Western world is just catching up. Eat ’em by the handful or toss some in trail mix for  a chewy texture and sweet flavor.

Maca Powder:

This one’s my favorite: its known to increase stamina, boost libido, and combat fatigue. I’ll take 20. The maca root, found in Peruvian Andes, is gently dried and milled to a fine powder, and contains amino acids, fiber, and phytonutrients. Listen to this: the maca root is one of the only plant foods able to survive a such a high altitude as the Andes mountains. How cool? It energizes naturally and, according to the ancient Incans, helps relieve stress. This powder is packed with body and mind benefits.

Acai Powder:

The Acai (ah-sigh-ee) berry grows in the Amazon Rain Forest and is known for its high antioxidant content, as well as its vitamins, minerals, and dark fruity flavor. You can also find frozen, slushie-like acai packets in health food stores to whip up in smoothies…I’ve been known to snack on dark chocolate-covered acai berries, as well. Yum.

Maqui Powder:

These berries are sourced in the mountains of southern Chile, and similar to Lucuma, offer a sweet taste that’s perfect for dessert. They boast of anti-aging and anti-inflammatory effects, and contain loads of calcium, vitamin C, iron, and potassium. Get this: Mapuche Indians, the longest living culture in the world, credits the maqui berry as a staple food, as well as an addition to their rituals and ceremonies. They believe that the superfood symbolizes goodwill (not to mention a good body!).

These are just a handful of the fabulous superfoods currently on the market; coconut palm sugar, camu powder, mesquite powder, and dried mulberries are some more to check out for their heavy nutrient doses. If anything, these unique names will impress your next house guest and get a conversation started, either on geography or your health food obsession.

All information comes from the Navita Naturals website, where you can learn more about and purchase all of the above mentioned superfoods. Many other brands produce and sell the powders, as well. Our Organic Beauty store has a handful in stock, too! Go get your superfood on.

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No-Cost Holistic Living

By: Wednesday, June 12, 2013 Diet and Foods, Exercise, Healthy Eating, Holistic Health, Lifestyle, Organic Beauty, Wellness , , , , Permalink 0

By: Callie McBride

If a fear of costliness is preventing you from delving into the wonders of a holistic lifestyle, you are not alone. But, you may also be confused. Its no secret that organic meals and bi-weekly yoga classes can burn through your pocket quite quickly, but there are ways around those bright green dollar signs that offer you the same incredible benefits of living naturally and healthfully. The trick is to simply open your eyes! Scour the web, check out coffeehouse postings, and chat with your fellow yogis to learn about free deals; you will be amazed with what you will find.

Yoga, etc.

Often times yoga and pilates studios, as well as fitness centers, will offer complimentary classes to new customers. Core Power Yoga , Lulu Lemon retail stores, and YoGoer all offer free trials, just to name a few. Let Google be your friend and check out what studios in your areas do the same. Take advantage of those introductory classes to both try out different locations around your city and possibly discover a new favorite spot. I recently browsed the Internet for a martial arts class in Manhattan, and in about ten minutes I was registered for a free one-on-one lesson for the following week, that easy!

There are also studios that generously run classes by donation; if $5 is all you’ve got, they will gladly take it. Both Yoga To The People and Brooklyn Yoga School in New York boast this deal.

During the summer, outdoor yoga skyrockets and prices dip lower than ever. In fact, they disappear. Well and Good NYC puts together an annual Summer Fitness Guide for New Yorkers filled with free yoga, pilates, and bootcamps around all 5 boroughs. Classes include Bryant Park Yoga, Sixth Street Pilates, Washington Square Park Yoga, and much more.

Let’s not forget the wonderful online world of Youtube, home to plenty of fantastic fitness instructors that post free videos to do at home-my favorites are Tara Stiles and Cassey Ho of Pop Pilates. These women are consistent with uploading new videos and have mastered the art of training through the camera.

Meditation

Another important aspect of a holistic lifestyle is meditation, which can always be free. This summer, grab a blanket and pick a park to visit during your free time. Of course, chanting is optional, but ultimate relaxation and peace of mind is garaunteed. My NYC picks are Central Park, Prospect Park in Brooklyn, and Riverside Park on the Upper West Side. With no shortage of parks wherever you live, meditation can be a quick and effective way to check in with your body and maintain a focus on your goals of healthy living.  If you need some guidance on how to start meditating, keep your eye out for guided meditation challenges from Deepak Chopra and other wellness experts!  There are also tons of free guided meditation apps available for your phone or iPad.

Organic Produce

No-Cost Holistic Living 2 | The Organic Beauty Blog

Organic and healthy foods generally aren’t free–though if you know of a place, shout it out. That doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy the bounty of organic food made available to us. For those of you who like to stock up on organic fruits and veggies, consider shopping wholesale. In New York, the Wholesale Greenmarket is your best bet. The vendors there grow their own produce, and “straight from the farm each morning, their products travel a very short distance ensuring premium quality, and greater food safety and traceability”. (grownyc.org/wholesale) By purchasing your fresh produce in bulk, or least in larger quantities, you’ll save both money and daily trips to the grocery store. The San Francisco Wholesale Produce Market is another example that looks great and includes a huge list of merchants who deliver fresh produce each morning (www.sfproduce.org).  A local CSA can also be a super affordable option to eat organic.  NextDoorganics is an amazing CSA delivery that sends a huge bag of local organic produce and other goodies to your door for as little as $35 a week!

To sum up, cheap healthy living is entirely possible with a little determination and research. Once you find your collection of free and/or cheap spots, spread the word and get others in on the wonders of holistic living on a budget. Enjoy your mission to locate deals and steals throughout your city, and share what you find in the comments below!

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