Articles archived for January 2011
Hi, y’all! How are my fantabulous readers doing?
Did you catch the winner of the PeopleTowels giveaway? Be sure to check out their site (www.peopletowels.com) and also see if those awesome reusable hand towels are sold at a location near you!
And I’m excited to bring a guest post to you today. She recently shared freelance business tips on my writing blog, Writing the Cyber Highway (How to Stay Pumped When Working from Home), and today she’s bringing “Berry Good News” to you. Make Maria feel welcome, y’all! (She’s also recently discovered how wonderful fresh, raw juices really are!) 
Berry Good News
By Maria Rainier
Hear ye, hear ye, listen up berry lovers! Berries have become the top of the “fruit” chain due to new research that has revealed berries to fight and prevent multiple diseases. Sweet, tart and tantalizing, berries are as good for you as they are good. Here are a few of the top of the top when selecting which berries to buy.
Blueberries
They’re little, they’re plump, they’re sweet and no, they aren’t smurfs. Blueberries are the cancer fighting super fruits that have become the heroes of the berry world. Delicious and worth every over priced penny, blueberries contain unique properties that help to lower blood pressure, prevent nerve aging, fight cancer, strengthen your heart and the list goes on and on. Most recently, the antioxidants in blueberries have been proven to neutralize free radicals and protect the body against chronic diseases.
Cherries
Ok, so they aren’t a berry, exactly, but these tiny tree topping fruits are also topping the list of super fruits. The highest levels of anti-oxidants and highest amounts of iron found in any fruit, cherries have been found to significantly lower cholesterol and blood sugar and insulin levels. Cherries have been proven to stimulate the regeneration of red blood cells and cure anemia. Not bad for tiny, red berry wannabe.
Blackberries
Excellent sources of soluble fiber, vitamin B1, B2, E and C, blackberries are a circulatory systems dream! Nutrients found in these bubbly little berries have been proven to prevent cardiovascular diseases, dementia and multiple cancers. More powerful and effective than apples or strawberries, blackberries are gaining popularity in the health world and make a mean cobbler!
Bio: Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education, researching the best paying engineering degrees and what it means for the gender wage gap. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.
Thank you for sharing your berrylicious enthusiasm and wisdom, Maria!
Berrylicious Blending
Check out my Berry Blackstrap Smoothie Recipe. I LOVE this combo!
Or my Blueberry Blackstrap Bomb Recipe
Giveaway Reminder
You can still enter my NuNaturals Giveaway — FOUR of you will be lucky winners!!! ENTER HERE!!
Photo Credits:
Disclaimer: The information in this post isn’t meant to diagnose or treat illness. Consult your licensed physician for medical advice.
Hi, y’all! Hope you’re having a fantabulous day! I know ONE of you will after reading this post – because one of you is the lucky winner of a super cool and eco-friendly, 5-piece PeopleTowels set PLUS ecopouch to carry/store them in!
I have lots of cool stuff in store for you all, including upcoming posts on health benefits of various foods, more reviews and giveaways, and fun, personal stuff!
But y’all don’t want to hear about that now, right? You want to know if you won this giveaway! 
On to the details…
There were 83 entries and as usual, I visited Mr. Random (at www.random.org) to see who he felt should win the prize. It didn’t take him long to give me an answer.
And who does #59 belong to? Theresa H!
CONGRATULATIONS, Theresa!!!
Didn’t win? Don’t feel bad!
You can still enter my NuNaturals Giveaway — FOUR of you will be lucky winners!!! ENTER HERE!!
And…
Check out the PeopleTowels BLOG!
Get YOUR PeopleTowels online HERE. Or see if they sell at a location near you.
“PeopleTowels’® mission is to empower ordinary people and socially responsible companies to contribute to a sustainable environment by replacing paper towels with reusable PeopleTowels.”
Go green and/or give the gift of green, with PeopleTowels!
Disclaimer: NuNaturals has sent samples in the past. They did allow me the opportunity to host this giveaway for you. However, I was not paid to write a review or host this contest and there are no affiliate links to them in this post.
Hey, y’all! I have so much stuff lined up for you, I’m excited beyond belief! Of course, I have been working behind the scenes for you, my precious readers. There are lots of reviews and giveaways coming up, but I’m also working on getting in “recipe mode” and more personal stuff. I DO have some super exciting personal details to share with you, but first, it’s my duty to host another contest.
Woo hoo!
If you are excited about my PeopleTowels giveaway, then you’re going to be excited about this one!
What (FOUR of) You Will Win
NuNaturals has graciously offered to give FOUR of Healing with (Raw) Juices readers….
1 box of NuStevia Packets, 50 ct.
AND…
1 bottle of NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia Liquid, 2 oz.
Contest limited to U.S. residents, ONLY to avoid costly shipping & International customs regulations.
To enter this contest, there’s only…
ONE Required Entry!!
Visit www.NuNaturals.com and let me know which products you’d most like to try – AND come back and leave a comment letting me know that you did. That’s it – easy peasy!
BUT… If you want to put in a little extra effort….
(and receive a LOT of extra entries – aka chances to win) keep reading…
Numerous ways to get extra entries!
20 ways total to enter this contest!!
Note: Don’t forget the above, one required entry. 
2. For FIVE EXTRA ENTRIES, share this contest on your blog, linking back to this post. Leave FIVE SEPARATE COMMENTS to let me know you did. (Yep, you’ll really leave FIVE different comments for this so you’ll be able to get five extra entries. )
3. Add NuNaturals Stevia as a friend on Facebook OR “Like” NuNaturals on Facebook. Then, come back here and leave a comment to let me know you did that – or that you already are.
4. “Like” Raw Juice Girl on Facebook. Leave a comment on this post saying you did -or that you already are.
5. Follow Healing with (Raw) Juices on Facebook’s Networked Blogs. Leave a comment on this post saying that you did – or do.
6. Do you use Twitter? Follow @RawJuiceGirl on Twitter. Comment on this post, saying you did – or do.
7. Follow @NuNaturals on Twitter. Leave a comment on this post that you did that.
8. Tweet about this contest and then leave a comment with your Twitter name. You can use this tweet (or your own, just be sure to include via @RawJuiceGirl @NuNaturals) – Then, leave a comment that you did – with your Twitter name or status link.
@NuNaturals @RawJuiceGirl are giving away (SWEET!) prizes to FOUR winners! Enter now!! ( http://tinyurl.com/4jp86hh ) U.S. only Ends 2/02
FOR EVEN MORE ENTRIES: For tweets, Facebook shares, or Plurk you may share the contest up to 5 times a day, but each tweet/share must be 1-2 hours or so after the previous one. (Thanks so much for understanding my position of keeping things fair and square, y’all!)
9. Comment on this post: Sweet Stevia Review: NuNaturals NuStevia NoCarbs Blend, letting me know your thoughts and/or questions. Come back here and leave a comment so I know you did. If you’ve already commented on that post, just comment here letting me know you already have a comment there.
10. Comment on this recipe post where I made Inside-Out Coconut Peanut Butter Cups using NuNaturals products. Come back here and leave a comment letting me know you did that. If you’ve already commented on that post, just comment here letting me know you already have a comment there.
11.Comment on the post where I made Averie’s Raw, Vegan Chia Seed Pudding using NuNaturals Stevia and let me know if you’ve ever tried chia seed pudding, or if you’d like to—or if you love/hate the chia texture. Then come back here and let me know you did that. If you’ve already commented on that post, just comment here letting me know you already have a comment there.
12. Subscribe to Healing with (Raw) Juices via e-mail (sign up here) – be sure to verify your subscription or this entry won’t count. Then comment and let me know you did – or that you already are.
13 Subscribe to Healing with (Raw) Juices via RSS (sign up here). Then leave a comment telling me you did – or that you are.
14. Subscribe to my brand-new newsletter (sign up here ). Then comment here and let me know you did - or that you already have.
15. Do you Plurk? Plurk about this contest and leave a comment with your Plurk URL.
16. Add me as a friend on Wellsphere . Leave a comment saying that you did- or do.
17. Add me as a friend on Give it to Me Raw. Leave a comment saying that you did- or that you are.
18. Subscribe to Raw Juice Girl’s YouTube channel. Leave a comment saying that you did- or that you are.
19. Are you a Stumbler? Stumble and review any post you want to–just leave the link to your SU review in (its own) comment.
20. Do you have a Digg account? Digg this post. Come back and leave a comment on this post with a link to your Digg post.
NOTE: Please leave a comment for each entry (tweet, plurk, etc.) because each comment will be counted as a number when I enter the total number of comments at Random.org once the contest ends.
Contest Deadline: Wednesday, February 2, 2011
I’ll accept comments until midnight. (Central Time).
Random.org will be used to select the winner, who will be posted the next day.
That gives you TWO WEEKS to get your entries in! Hurry and spread the word.
The more entries you have, the higher your chances (FOUR of you!!) of winning this SWEET giveaway!!
Go tell all your friends and have FUN!!!!
Let the contest begin!!!
And don’t forget about the SPECIAL BONUS :
www.NuNaturals.com has been very gracious and generous and have offered an amazing deal – group of deals, actually, for HWJ readers.
Check out this AWESOME tidbit of info, folks:
We authorize you to announce immediately our " FREE SAMPLES " program to ALL of your Continental U.S. readers where they can receive
" FREE SAMPLES " of our NuStevia Packets by sending a SELF-ADDRESSED, STAMPED, # 10 envelope to us at the following location :NuNaturals , Inc.
2220 West 2nd. Ave. # 1
Eugene, OR 97402
How cool is that?!
And – get this! – as part of NuNaturals’ holiday appreciation, all HWJ readers can get…
Drum roll, please???
15% off your total order at www.nunaturals.com!
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY!!!!
Woo hoo!!!
Just enter the code BLG228 when placing your order.
AND….
When ordering from www.nunaturals.com, you’ll receive FREE SHIPPING (!!!) to the Continental U.S. on all orders totaling $35.00, and over, AFTER this special discount.
This offer is EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY and ENDS FEBRUARY 28, 2011.
I’m also hosting a giveaway for PeopleTowels. Check it out, too – but not before you enter this giveaway. It’s a sweet one!
Disclaimer: The companies mentioned in this post sent their products to me (free). I was not paid to write a review – or post anything about them at all. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links.
Hey, y’all! How’s your weekend going? The snow (a whole inch or so ) has melted off and it’s a really nice day. I love it when the sun shines – it makes my heart feel SO happy!
I made a strawberry smoothie in my new blender (more on that in the next post!) and it was DELISH. I was just playing around so I didn’t take any photos. I’ll be more creative and post about my smoothie adventures in the next couple of days.
I’ve received a few packages from some awesome companies – including Amazing Grass (thank you SO much, Teri!) and Bazura Bags (thanks, Larry!). I’ll post pictures of the Bazura Bags products and blender I received (from CSN Stores) soon (thank you, Jamie)!
And… you know I dove right in to the Chocolate Peanut Butter!
YUM!
Order your Amazing Grass products here!
Don’t forget about…
my PeopleTowels Giveaway!
Only ONE Required Entry!! <— Click to Enter!
Or… E3Live’s
50% Off Sale!
E3Live is having a 50% off sale on their Immune Boosting Set (3-pack)!
What have you been up to? Any RAWsome news I should know about?
Disclaimer: www.PeopleTowels.com sent their products for me to sample. I was not paid to write this review and there are no affiliate links in this post.
I’m so glad y’all enjoyed reading about my special delivery from the generous folks at PeopleTowels, as well as my in-depth PeopleTowels Review. I know I said I wasn’t going to focus only on reviews/giveaways (and I’m not) but the opportunities that have come up have been TOO good to pass up, y’all! Seriously! I have SO much cool stuff in store for you – you don’t even KNOW!
Okay, you are ready for a giveaway, right? You want to get down to business and learn how to win your OWN 5-day PeopleTowels supply + Eco Pouch to carry them in, huh?
Let’s get started!
Giveaway Rules
ONE Required Entry!!
Visit www.peopletowels.com and let me know which design(s) most appeal to you OR why it would be important to you to try these eco-friendly hand towels – AND come back and leave your answer in a comment. That’s it – easy peasy!
BUT… If you want to put in a little extra effort….
(and receive a LOT of extra entries – aka chances to win) keep reading…
Numerous ways to get extra entries!
OVER 20 ways total to enter this contest!!
Note: Don’t forget the above, one required entry.
2. For FIVE EXTRA ENTRIES, share this contest on your blog, linking back to this post. Leave FIVE SEPARATE COMMENTS to let me know you did. (Yep, you’ll really leave FIVE different comments for this so you’ll be able to get five extra entries. )
3. Like PeopleTowels on Facebook. Then, come back here and leave a comment to let me know you did that – or that you already are.
4. Like Raw Juice Girl on Facebook. Leave a comment on this post saying you did -or that you already are.
5. Follow Healing with (Raw) Juices on Facebook’s Networked Blogs. Leave a comment on this post saying that you did – or do.
6. Do you use Twitter? Follow @RawJuiceGirl on Twitter. Comment on this post, saying you did – or do.
7. Follow @PeopleTowels on Twitter. Leave a comment on this post that you did that.
8. Tweet about this contest and then leave a comment with your Twitter name. You can use this tweet (or your own, just be sure to include via @RawJuiceGirl @PeopleTowels). Then, leave a comment that you did – with your Twitter name or status link.
@PeopleTowels @RawJuiceGirl #ecofriendly #giveaway Enter now!! ( http://healingwithjuices.com/2011/01/people-towels-review/ )
FOR EVEN MORE ENTRIES: For tweets, Facebook shares, or Plurk you may share the contest up to 5 times a day, but each tweet/share must be 1-2 hours or so after the previous one. (Thanks so much for understanding my position of keeping things fair and square, y’all!)
9. Comment on this post: PeopleTowels Review, letting me know your thoughts and/or questions. Come back here and leave a comment so I know you did. If you’ve already commented on that post, just comment here letting me know you already have a comment there.
10. Subscribe to Healing with (Raw) Juices via e-mail (sign up here) – be sure to verify your subscription or this entry won’t count. Then comment and let me know you did – or that you already are.
11 Subscribe to Healing with (Raw) Juices via RSS (sign up here). Then leave a comment telling me you did – or that you are.
12. Subscribe to my brand-new newsletter (sign up here ). Then comment here and let me know you did - or that you already have.
13. Do you Plurk? Plurk about this contest and leave a comment with your Plurk URL.
14. Add me as a friend on Wellsphere . Leave a comment saying that you did- or do.
15. Add me as a friend on RawFu. Leave a comment saying that you did- or that you area.
16. Add me as a friend on Give it to Me Raw. Leave a comment saying that you did- or that you are.
17. Subscribe to Raw Juice Girl’s YouTube channel. Leave a comment saying that you did- or that you are.
18. Are you a Stumbler? Stumble and review any post you want to–just leave the link to your SU review in (its own) comment.
19. Do you have a Digg account? Digg this post. Come back and leave a comment on this post with a link to your Digg post.
20. Sign up for the PeopleTowels free newsletter (bottom, left side of their website). Leave a comment that you did.
21. Sign up for the PeopleTowels YouTube channel. Leave a comment that you did.
NOTE: Please leave a comment for each entry (tweet, plurk, etc.) because each comment will be counted as a number when I enter the total number of comments at Random.org once the contest ends.
Contest Deadline
I’ll accept comments until midnight. (Central Time). Random.org will be used to select the winner, who will be posted the next day.
CONTEST ENDS TUESDAY, JANUARY 25TH, 2011.
Hurry and spread the word. The more entries you have, the higher your chances of winning this awesome, eco-friendly giveaway!! Go tell all your friends and have FUN!!!!
Let the contest begin!!!
Disclaimer: www.PeopleTowels.com sent their products for me to sample. I was not paid to write this review and there are no affiliate links in this post.
(Thank you People Towels for allowing me the AWESOME opportunity to find out what the buzz is all about!)
Hi, y’all!
So glad you enjoyed all the photos I posted of my recent special delivery. I certainly enjoyed receiving the 5-day supply + eco pouch! I have used them at home and also take one or two with me when I am out and about. I love that you can use them as a napkin, paper towel, coaster, and so much more. Any time you’d use a napkin or paper towel, you can use (and wash and re-use) the PeopleTowel.
“PeopleTowels® was inspired by the Japanese custom to carry a small hand towel with you when you’re out and about. Because most public restrooms in Japan don’t provide paper towels, people carry their own resuable hand towel to dry their hands after washing. There are many other convenient uses for carrying a hand towel too, such as using it as a napkin, coaster, wiping small spills, etc.” – People Towels
Can you believe how much waste is involved by using disposable paper towels?!
About the Company
You all know I love digging deep and finding out about more than just the product itself. When I write reviews, I love to know WHERE this product is coming from. What caused the business to come about? How did it start? These are some of the questions that cross my mind when I’m in “review mode.”
From PeopleTowels About Page:
“Inspired by Nature. Driven by You.
PeopleTowels® is born of the belief that we can all find new ways to personally incorporate sustainability and conservation into our daily lives. PeopleTowels is an idea borrowed from the Japanese, who have been using reusable, personal hand towels for decades.
We’re a small group of individuals, united by a dream and energized by our passionate belief that sustainable solutions should be within everyone’s reach. We share a common concern for the environment and the effects that pollution, deforestation and global warming are having on the earth and its inhabitants.
That’s why we created PeopleTowels.As a member of 1% for the Planet, PeopleTowels has pledged one percent of its gross sales through 2010 to the Breast Cancer Fund with a minimum donation guarantee of $2,500.”
I LOVE that this company believes in sustainability as much as they do – and that it’s a small group of eco-friendly, motivated folks who share the same dream and passion and have come together to make and BE the change required to help preserve our beautiful and most precious, Mother Earth!
Heart(s) of the Company
Now that we know a little about the company itself, let’s dig a little deeper and find out some cool stuff about the true heart(s) of it all.
“For over a year, on nights and weekends, Linda Lannon and Mary Wallace planned the strategy for the business that became PeopleTowels, while managing their full-time executive day jobs. With much help and encouragement from their families, the business became a reality. For both, PeopleTowels has turned a passion for the environment into a labor of love. It is their hope that the adoption of PeopleTowels will have a positive and lasting impact on the planet for generations to come.”
How awesome is that?!
Mary Wallace, Co-Founder
As I researched and discovered WHY the company was born and who started it, I loved learning the history behind the decision…
”Mary Wallace is the inspiration behind PeopleTowels. Wallace has a deep concern for the environment and has been "living green" for years. She first discovered the concept of personal hand towels on her first visit to Japan over a decade ago and has been using and collecting them ever since.
Prior to founding PeopleTowels, Wallace held significant senior management positions and sales roles with leading education companies including WRC Media, Inc. and Pearson Education, where she lead industry-leading Sales & Marketing, Training and Technical Support divisions. Wallace has experience in both start-ups and large, established corporations, and is recognized for her track record in expanding businesses of any size and dramatically growing sales in new markets and territories.”
The Current Situation
The use of disposable paper towels is having a devastating impact on the environment. Some of the facts about paper towel consumption and its impact are:
- To make one ton of paper towels, 17 trees are cut down and 20,000 gallons of water are consumed.
- Every day, over 3,000 tons of paper towel waste is produced in the US alone.
- Decomposing paper towels produce methane gas, a leading cause of global warming.
- The average person uses 2,400 – 3,000 paper towels at work, in a given year, looking like this:
“Mary Wallace, PeopleTowels’ visionary & co-founder showing the amount of paper towel waste generated by 1 person outside of the home a year in the US.”
Linda Lannon, Co-Founder
And the other half of the company’s heart beats strong with a desire to put a halt on the throw-away lifestyle that has become so common….
“Linda Lannon has a long-held concern for the harmful effects of the American “throw-away culture.” She believes that often times what’s old is new and that by recycling ideas we can simplify our lives and have less of an impact on the environment.
Prior to founding PeopleTowels, Lannon held senior management positions with leading companies in education, consumer software, and children’s book publishing. Lannon successfully launched and marketed numerous educational and consumer products for such diverse companies as CTB/McGraw-Hill, Riverdeep (now Houghton Mifflin Riverdeep Group) and Scholastic. Lannon has also held significant positions in Fortune 500 companies, as well as small entrepreneurial companies, and has a proven record of success in bringing new products to market and growing market share.”
Awesome job, ladies!
About the Towels
PeopleTowels are a dream come true to those of you who:
- are frugal
- love to recycle/reuse
- love to do your part to help save the environment
Is that you? No? Well, I still think you’ll love people towels! They’re pure awesomeness! And they’re addictive – you’ll want to keep using them and keep collecting the other cool designs!
What is a PeopleTowel?
”PeopleTowels is the newest concept in sustainability and the latest in eco-chic fashion. A Green alternative to paper towels in public facilities, these quick-drying, reusable personal hand towels are made of lightweight, 100% Organic, Fair Trade Cotton. PeopleTowels come in a variety of inspired designs, printed with eco-friendly dyes, to appeal to different tastes and styles.
PeopleTowels are small enough to carry anywhere, and the custom-made fabric is absorbent enough to dry your hands, yet dries quickly. Convenient hangtags even allow you to easily clip or loop your PeopleTowel to your backpack, belt buckle or purse. PeopleTowels are a small sustainable lifestyle change that everyone can do for the planet.
Unlike paper towels and other hand-drying methods, PeopleTowels are a zero waste product and do not contribute to harmful practices like deforestation and the growing problems of paper waste, excessive water consumption and pollution.
PeopleTowels are designed to last for years through easy maintenance (all PeopleTowels are machine washable) and the use of high quality materials (100% certified organic cotton). Our designs are silk screened with eco-friendly dyes on a custom-made organic fabric, so you may see slight variations in the towels.”
A Hook to Hang it On!
Made from Organic Cotton!
Pros
If you’re frugal and environmentally aware, you already see the pros but let me share my thoughts.
The positive aspects of carrying your own hand towel(s) is that you:
- don’t have to waste paper towels in public restrooms
- don’t have to stand in line for the hand dryer (which is NOT eco-friendly)
- don’t have to use throw-away napkins if you spill a drink or just need a napkin while you’re eating out somewhere
- they’re small enough to easily carry, yet just the right size for getting good use out of them
- for what you’ll pay for one of these that you’ll use again and again, you’d spend on one budget-friendly case of paper towels that have to be bought over and over – increasing waste (and expense) like crazy
You get the idea, right?
Cons
I can’t really think of any cons. At $7 each, PeopleTowels won’t break the bank. Invest in a few and you’ll save tons on disposable napkins, paper towels, and the environment. They’re not hard to use or transport so I can’t think of any reason to NOT like them! Besides, now you can even buy them in BULK!
Verdict/Grade?
Honestly, I was a teeny bit worried when I opened the PeopleTowels package and noticed that these cloth hand towels are actually smaller than I had envisioned. This is NOT a bad thing and I guess I just thought they’d be bigger, for whatever reason.
However, as I tried them out (with sopping wet hands), I found them to be SUPER absorbent—and exactly the right size for tucking neatly in a purse or pocket. I’m sure folks thought I was a little – or a lot! – bonkers for taking pictures in a public bathroom – but oh well! Ha! Ha! Such is the life of a blogger, eh?
Dryin’ in Style!
Perfectly Dry Hands!
I give People Towels an…
A+!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do you have any experience with or knowledge of PeopleTowels? Do you go through paper towels like crazy? Or do you use washable hand towels? Now that you’ve learned about reusable PeopleTowels, would you give them a try? Will you be more conscious of your disposable paper towels? And… I have a surprise for y’all!!!!!!!!!!!! Stay tuned…
Check out the PeopleTowels BLOG!
Get YOUR PeopleTowels online HERE. Or see if they sell at a location near you.
“PeopleTowels’® mission is to empower ordinary people and socially responsible companies to contribute to a sustainable environment by replacing paper towels with reusable PeopleTowels.”
Go green and/or give the gift of green, with PeopleTowels!
Hey, y’all!
So glad you enjoyed the peek at my shimmery delivery – and that you appreciated my honesty in my last post: Remembering Raw Roots, Realizing Raw Reality. Honestly, with how fast-paced life is in our world, it’s super cool if you’re able to slow down and spend time preparing raw foods, juices, and/or smoothies. Yes, it’s important but I do realize some folks just don’t have the spare time to wash, chop, prepare, and store raw produce.
I’m going to get to the People Towels, but first I MUST tell you: I am SO excited about an upcoming CSN Stores Promotion! (I urge you to check out their home bar furniture if you love entertaining your family and friends – or just enjoy hanging out.)
About the Towels
I was excited to find a package from People Towels (check ‘em out at www.peopletowels.com) in the mailbox today! This company is AMAZING and I’m already busy at work on a seriously in-depth review of the eco-friendly People Towels, information about the company and those behind it, and also have something in store for YOU, too! (Thank you, People Towels, for being SO generous and sending me a 5-day supply of your towels, plus a pouch to carry them in!)
Today was a busy day for me. I had to run some errands around the city and it was the perfect opportunity to jump immediately into the review process. I went wild with the camera (as you’ll see below) and then grabbed a couple of these cool, eco-friendly towels to bring along with me on my adventures. They easily went into the carrying pouch People Towels sent me. I tied that baby onto my mini backpack/purse and off my (super sweet!) husband and I went.
Enjoy the following photos and get ready for a lengthy review – and LOTS more pics!
Have you heard of People Towels? Have you ever considered the number of trees being used up by using disposable paper towels? Let’s talk!
Hey, y’all! Hope you had a fantabulous Christmas! And can you believe this is now 2011?! Craziness, eh? Wow.
Anyway…
I’ve had lots of raw thoughts floating through my mind lately. There are so many shades of raw in the raw food world. Many strive to be 100% raw. Others seek balance by working toward a 50/50 raw food/cooked food meal plan. Some Raw Foodists are vegans; others eat meat and consume dairy.
In the past, I’ve reflected on raw juice fasting, gone 100% raw, admitted to falling off the 100% raw food wagon, confronted emotional eating, food labels, and judgments, and so much more.
I never had the desire to eat raw meat, though. That, to me, is just… too much for me to even fathom.
There’s no doubt I love raw food – my body literally craves it. A LOT. I love the freshness. I love the crunch. I love the taste. I love how it makes my body, mind, and soul come alive. It’s awesomeness.
But I had an epiphany a while back. When I wrote an article for Raw People titled Living Raw In A Cooked Society, I was feeling very much alone. In case you’re not one who clicks through on links, here’s an excerpt:
“At times like these, when you’re surrounded by a cooked society, those of us who are on a Raw Food Journey can feel so alone, overwhelmed, and discouraged. I know I do.”
Yes, there ARE positive aspects of that article. And I do believe in Raw Foodism. Totally. But when anything in life brings us to a point where we’re not satisfied anymore or we’ve strayed from our original passion for it, that’s when it’s time to evaluate where we’re at in life now and if we want to continue on the way things are going – or make changes. It’s that simple.
Just because I’m not 100% raw anymore, doesn’t mean I eat horribly. I’ve had so many people – lots of you readers! – tell me that I’m just too hard on myself. You were (and are) right.
As I look at the above photos, I see raw food. I also see a delicious helping of salmon salad (also has some raw ingredients) and some All Natural Ranch dressing for dipping veggies. I agree, Raw Foodies make raw Ranch. I’m not saying I’ll never attempt that recipe. But I don’t see this meal as a “bad” one.
Sure, I can whip up a fantabulous fish-less recipe. But salmon has always been one of my all-time favorite foods and I just can’t deny myself the pleasure sometimes! Like raw food, my body craves salmon as well. And when I eat salmon, it’s like my body absorbs strength and health from it. I see that as a positive. And it took quite a while for me to realize that it’s OKAY to eat salmon. This is my life. My body. My health. My choice.
If you’re irritable, feeling weak and sickly, and are still holding out for 100% Raw Foodism – just to be keeping up with other Raw Foodies, maybe a Raw Reality Evaluation like I’ve experienced is something that would work for you.
And I ride Pink Beauty anywhere from 2-10 miles each day. Sometimes, I ride 16-30 miles in a day. Yeppers.
I’ve also maintained a 100+ pound weight loss for several years. Although my weight has fluctuated about 20 pounds here and there over the years, I’ve kept off over 100 pounds. That is HUGE. I have to remind myself of that sometimes. I am too hard on myself. <—I WAS too hard on myself.
Raw Resolutions?
2011 didn’t begin with a long list of resolutions for me like past years. Instead, I’m going the opposite direction. As I ponder this new year, I envision the following blessings…
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life (with my new husband!)
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food – including LOTS of raw!
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health
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bike riding (Pink Beauty!)
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walking
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and. so. much. more!
I choose to focus on the positives 2011 will bring – including satisfying my salmon cravings!
I’m STILL Raw Juice Girl, though. I love raw juices and smoothies. I love how my body, mind, and soul evolves and finds calm and peace when I’m juice fasting. I’m still firmly planted in my raw roots – I’ve just realized 100% raw, 100% of the time, isn’t for me.
Plus, my husband is QUITE the gardener so I’m looking forward to an abundance of fresh produce this year!
What about you? Did you make a long list of resolutions? Are you too hard on yourself? Or have you decided to go the opposite route this year like me? Let’s talk!
In Other News
Don’t forget about…
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Free Samples & Discounts
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(Healthy) Deals & Steals
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12 Days of Christmas Special (good through January 6!!)
Happy New Year!!!!
