Articles in the eco friendly Category

Hi, y’all!

Hope you enjoyed my oats in a Nutella jar recipe. I know I sure did! Yum-O!

I heart Nutella.

So, the other night I was craving a little something-something and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Then, it hit me: sweet, juicy, crunchy apple sliced up with a healthy dose of Nutella smeared over it.

Mmmmmm…. mmmm… GOOD!

It hit the spot just right and I was a happy gal.

You’ll see that delicious creation below, but let’s catch up first…

I’m sure y’all are busy preparing for the holidays. Which one do you celebrate? Or, do you celebrate more than one due to family preferences?

I don’t plan on going “all out” myself.

Just for fun, I thought I’d share some of my recent thrift store finds with you. It’s so exciting! One of my all-time favorite things to do is find a good bargain.

Rummaging through thrift stores, yard sales, and flea markets is SO much fun. A lot of times, I’ll find dishes like my grandma had when I was a child. The nostalgia and memories second-hand items bring up for me are priceless.

I love it.

But first, I want to show you that apples and Nutella snack I was carrying on about….

Just chop an apple, drizzle desired amount of Nutella on top, and enjoy!

And… on to the thrift store finds.

All the cute little kitchen gadgets and the beautiful creamer pourer below were just 25 cents each (!!!!!) with the exception of the CorningWare casserole dish and serving cradle at the very end of this post – you won’t believe the deal I got on them! 

I love this little blue darlin’ for cream or syrup or gravy or whatever you want to put in and pour out.  

I adore me some honey and syrup and now I have a cute little “condiment helper” to help me get them in my mouth. *giggles*

Tea is one of my all-time favorite things (ever!) and I didn’t have a tea strainer. Yep, it was a quarter as well.

Always in need of something to scoop with. It amazes me that this stuff was all still nicely packaged – just like brand-new!

Yep, I love kitchen gadgets.

Aaaaahhhhhh, and the beauty you’ve been waiting for. It took a while for these two to find each other. I picked up the casserole dish (CorningWare!) for just a dollar at a thrift store. Amazing.

That was a few months ago. I’ve used it tons but it wasn’t until very recently that I found the serving cradle at the GoodWill I frequent.

And… it was only a dollar! So, for two bucks, I have a nice serving piece that can go from oven to table – without leaving burn marks behind.

I find lots of treasures, trust me!  

Buying used items is one way I find to be more eco-friendly in my day-to-day living.

I’ve loved thrift stores, yard sales, and flea markets since I was a small child. I’m a big believer in that old saying “One (wo)man’s trash is another (wo)man’s treasure!” – I live by that, totally.

What about you? Do you pick up odds and ends at thrift stores? Would you like me to share more of my thrift store finds? There are LOTS!

FTC Disclaimer: I bought the items mentioned in this post with my own money. However, I have linked to Amazon (affiliate links) so if you choose to make a purchase once you arrive, I will receive a small commission. That only helps keep this site active. Thanks! 

Hi, y’all!

This is a guest post from my friend, Jeremy Day. I’ve enjoyed his writing for quite some time now and feel very honored that he’s sharing his thoughts on buying local produce with us.

I won’t keep you waiting. Give Jeremy a warm welcome!

Why Buy Local Produce – A Guide To Taking The Plunge

By Jeremy Day

So you’ve been thinking about buying local produce, but haven’t taken the plunge? To be honest, it can be difficult to eat all your food locally, if not downright impossible. But there are many reasons, and many ways to start buying and eating more local produce today.

First, the reasons…

1. When was the last time you ate something freshly picked off the plant? I can still remember the taste of the strawberries we used to grow on my parents property. They were so good and so full of flavor. If anything, this should be your biggest motivation for eating more local produce.

2. Buying local produce saves a lot on transportation costs. By some estimates, food will travel on average up to 1,500 miles before it gets on your plate. Imagine how much less we would really on oil if food didn’t have to travel that far.

3. Local produce has more nutrients in it. The longer it is off the vine, the more nutrients it will lose. The only exception to the rule is produce that is flash frozen. And if it’s frozen it is costing even more to keep it frozen when it is transported.

4. By getting to know the farmers that grow your food you are building a better sense of community. I think we can agree that we all benefit by being more knowledgeable about how food gets onto our plate, and into our bellies.

5. What might be the most important thing about buying local is keeping more dollars in your community. The more money that stays in your community the better off your community will be.

Now for some ways you can buy local…

1. You can buy direct from your farmer. Hopefully you have a farmer close by.

2. You can go through what is called a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program. The way these basically work is that you buy “shares” in a farm earlier in the year. As the farmer harvests his crops he will send the first fruits to those who own shares in his farm. You normally will receive a box every week of the freshest produce in your area.

3. If your area is lucky enough to have one you can also visit your local farmer’s market. This is a way to get an even larger variety of produce, and other things people are wanting to sell. Specifically you can get baked goods, honey, and other things you might not get directly from a single farm. And it will all be goods made from local products and as you may know, local honey can be helpful with allergies.

4. Food coops have become pretty popular as well. These are basically a store owned by everyone who has a share in it, and it basically cuts out the middleman. So you get the best local produce and products at a more reasonable cost.

5. Finally there are many delivery services popping up around the nation to have fresh local produce delivered to your door. These may cost a little more, but people sure love the convenience of getting local produce delivered to them.

So there you have it. All the reasons and ways for you to start buying more local produce today. Since summer is almost upon us this is a great time to start looking at all the local produce you have access to.

Just remember when buying local produce that you double check if it is organic or not. While the majority of it tends to be organic, you still have to ask.

In any case, have fun finding the best local produce in your area.

Jeremy writes about local business news at Lokolee.com. If you love supporting local business, then Lokolee is the place to be.

Thank you, Jeremy!

Okay, y’all. What do you think? Do you buy local produce? Chime in and make Jeremy feel welcome!

Photo Credit: Lori L. Stalteri

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!

Hi, y’all!

Wow. The days are just flyin’ by, aren’t they?! Gosh, they are for me!

I’ve been super busy outside, gardening and doing other outside chores. Things are really coming along in the garden. I’ll have to update on the progress soon.

But today, I just had to share my grass-inspired juice/smoothie concoction with you. I have been really tired lately (organic gardening is exhausting!) and I woke up yesterday with a sore throat. Definitely not good when there’s SO much to do!

So, yesterday I hit myself with some Vitamin B and C and drank plenty of liquids and paced myself. Today I felt like wheat grass would provide just the extra oomph I needed. And while I was watering the garden this morning, I spied the rainbow chard. It called my name, I’m positive!

I plucked a few leaves and ran back in the house, excited for the raw creation that was being born in my head!

It didn’t take long to throw the ingredients in the blender and whip up a glass of….

“Rainbow Grass”

That’s right: Rainbow Grass!

Note the glass straw lookin’ so elegant and eco-friendly? Those beautiful babies are now available in my Raw Shop! Go ahead, check ‘em out. I’ll wait.

Of course, I chose the (fun!) title of this drink based on the (rainbow) chard and the wheat grass.

Freshly Picked (Rainbow) Chard

Size of my (small) hand…

And the runt…

Amazing (Wheat) Grass!

(Check out my wheat grass post HERE.)

In My Oster Blender

(Also in my Raw Shop!)

See the herbal tea in the bottom of the blender?

Ready to Consume = Yum!

Playing Photographer!

Rainbow Grass Juice-Smoothie Concoction Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 (frozen) banana
• 1 scoop Amazing Grass Wheat Grass powder
• 1 cup herbal tea
• 5 1/2 Rainbow Chard leaves (5 the size of my hand, 1 half that size) Freshly picked from my garden right before going in to this recipe!
• 4 ice cubes

 

Directions:

Toss above ingredients in to your blender and give it a few whirls until everything is blended nicely. Serves one big appetite or two smaller ones.

 

Note:

This drink is actually more like a juice consistency, but still has a (runny) smoothie volume to it. If you like your smoothies super thick, cut back on the herbal tea (or liquid of your choice). I personally prefer my smoothies on the thicker side, but this was so super delicious and energizing, I’ll definitely recreate it again – and soon!

Grassy Goodness

About the Recipe

I urge you to try my Rainbow Grass recipe – even if you are terribly afraid of green juices/smoothies! What is so RAWsome about this drink, I discovered, is that I tasted the fresh deliciousness of the rainbow chard, the “greenness” of the wheat grass (definitely NOT overpowering, though!) and the sweetness – and creaminess – of the frozen banana. The herbal tea allows you to get in some antioxidants and herbal tea benefits, which is great for those who aren’t really “tea” people. I could go on and on about this drink, but I’ll have to trust y’all to try it for yourselves – or just take my word for it!

Hated it!

Burning Questions I have for you:

1. Have you ever tried wheat grass? Do you love Amazing Grass as much as I do? I even added wheat grass and other Amazing Grass products on my last 30-day juice fast. I’ve done a LOT of juice fasting and several 30-day ones (plus a 52-day juice fast) and I could really, really tell the difference in how I felt by adding the Amazing Grass powders. I love ‘em!

2. What about those glass straws – aren’t they something?! I really do love the Beautiful Bends most. It’s just like drinking from a bendable straw when I was a kid – only now it’s an eco-friendly habit and no plastic is wasted or harming the environment! And I’m SO excited that I can offer them to you in my Raw Shop!

3. Will you try this juice-smoothie concoction of mine or is it too “green” for you? Are you someone who is willing to try new things or do you cringe at the thought of something crossing your lips that you’re not accustomed to?

4. And how is May going for you? Can you believe Mother’s Day is this weekend? I have a wonderful mother to celebrate with. I hope you do, too! And if you don’t, I’d share mine if I could!!!

Fill me in! I miss chatting with you all!!!

Last day to enter my giveaway!!!

This is another eco-friendly giveaway with a super cool, fun, green prize! Winner will be announced tomorrow.

Click HERE to enter!!

Hi, y’all! I hope your weekend was fantabulous, and very blessed!

I’m VERY excited to share some news with you…

Remember my in-depth review of Glass Dharma straws? And how they’re not only eco-friendly and make sense for anyone who is aware of their carbon footprint, but they are so beautiful and elegant?!

Living green is NOT always pretty (take it from someone who lives on an Amish farm! ) but it certainly is pretty with Glass Dharma! I honestly cannot say enough wonderful things about these gorgeous straws!

And…

I have RAWsome news:

Glass Dharma straws are now available in my Raw Shop!!! Yes, that’s right!

I’m still a kid at heart (maybe that’s why I’m always being told I look so young?!) and so I’m absolutely ecstatic that I get to enjoy bent straws again. Beautiful Bends are my absolute favorite glass straw. They’re thick, strong, beautiful, elegant, and remind me of drinking out of those bendable straws from my youth.

Start making a difference today. Be green… Get your Glass Dharma straws HERE.

And remember that fantabulous, super delicious, out-of-this-world energizing smoothie from that review: Blueberry Blackstrap Bomb?

Free recipe can be found HERE

Don’t forget to enter my eco-friendly giveaway for several chances to win a beautiful (custom) water bottle – YOU choose the design! Details for entering can be found HERE. Contest ends tonight (Tuesday, May 4th, 2010) at midnight. Winner will be announced the following day.

Have you ever tried glass straws? Do you consider yourself to be someone who cares about the environment and how your choices affect it? Can you see yourself using glass straws at all? Maybe even carrying one around with you (in a bamboo or hemp case) so you won’t have to use plastic? Perhaps you could take one to work with you each day, or leave it at the office? What do you think? Do you say yes? Or is a glass straw just too extreme for you – even if you do try to do your part to live green? Let’s talk green! And don’t forget to check out those RAWsome glass straws in my Raw Shop – click HERE to see ‘em!

I know some of you may gasp but “Earth Month” or “Earth Day” never seems to cross my mind. I mean, I don’t even think of it until I see it mentioned on a blog or site. Why? Because I feel like every day of my life is above and beyond respectful to Mother Earth. That might seem a little too confident, but I feel it’s true. Why? Because honoring Mother Earth is my LIFE—not just a day or month to me.

I’m very passionate about living green, preserving and replenishing our beautiful Earth, and sustainable living.

“Every day is Earth Day.” –Author Unknown

How do I live green (every day)?

Well, for starters I:

• live on an Amish farm (that my family bought from the Amish—not with the Amish like some of you have asked)
• buy used clothes (Goodwill, yard sales, consignment shops, etc.)
• have a 100×100 organic, heirloom garden
• hang laundry on the line 99% of the time
• use locally handcrafted natural and organic soap and lotion
• support local farmers and artisans
• compost
• use natural remedies and medicinal herbs and plants for my health
• travel with reusable bottles
• don’t use chemicals to dye my hair (that I feel harm the environment AND my body/health)
• don’t use chemicals to artificially tan myself (that I feel harm the environment AND myself)
• use food for beauty products, such as coconut or olive oil, avocado, etc.
• carry reusable shopping bags in the vehicle at all times (sometimes I forget to use ‘em, but most times I don’t)
• buy natural, local, or organic as often as possible (soon I’ll be able to shop from my own yard)
• take food and drinks with me when I go somewhere instead of purchasing food/drinks served in plastic/paper containers
• use natural teas, tonics, and other remedies to fertilize and care for plants/trees
• eat as much real, raw food as I possibly can—avoiding as much processed, packaged, altered food as I can
• make my own washing detergent
• sometimes make my own “perfume” from essential oils (Jasmine is my all-time favorite!)
• have only eaten a teeny amount of meat in the last 5+ years
• eat mostly a raw, vegan diet (but don’t call myself “vegan” because there’s the rare occasion I eat a farm fresh, organic egg (from my farm) or a small amount of fish
• am a green writer (see my article just published: 5 Ways Writers Can Honor Earth Month)
• and more

Some things in my life that aren’t green:

• vehicle – and since I live in the country, I can’t “just walk to town”
• computer/Internet
• using too much paper (although I’ve cut back tremendously and rarely even print anything out anymore)
• occasional use of hairspray (rarely, but I do sometimes use it)
• buying some frozen/canned food (hopefully after this year’s garden yield, I’ll have my own food canned and dehydrated and won’t have to purchase as much)
• etc.

To me, living as green as I possibly can, is NOT easy. I get frustrated sometimes and just wish for all the luxuries life has to offer—even if they do harm the environment! But then I step back and take a breath, and remember why I live this way; why I’m so passionate about it. And it comes to me: I want to live a self-sustainable lifestyle, not only for my own health and future, but so I can feel good about walking lightly on Mother Earth.

Am I perfect? No, but I think Mother Earth is very pleased with me. What about you? How do you live respectfully for our beautiful Earth? Do you live on a whim, or do you make each choice based on how it will affect the environment? Oh, and don’t forget to check out my eco-friendly water bottle review if you missed it.

"Treat the Earth well. It was not given to you by your parents. It was loaned to you by your children."—Kenyan Proverb

Don’t forget to read my eco-friendly A Sense of Place Water Bottle Review if you missed it—and you can win your own in my giveaway!! It’s a $30 value!!!

Hi, y’all! Hope your day was fantabulous! Mine was: I made chocolate avocado pudding today!

I’m going to share the recipe, but first I wanted to play catch-up …

So glad you’re loving my Rainbow Chard + Butter Bean Soup. Let me tell you, it was even more delicious than it looks in the photos!

And I’m excited over all the buzz about my post on the health benefits of flax seeds – and why I love ‘em!

And I love that you’re all so excited over Glass Dharma’s eco-friendly straws. I really enjoyed reviewing them and hosting a giveaway, too!

I know, I know, you want to get to the chocolate avocado pudding!

Last time I made it (read all about it here), I used agave as an ingredient, but as I mentioned before, I’ve cut agave from my diet (I’m almost finished with the explanation post, promise!).

And ended up with this…

A Twitter follower inspired today’s recipe when she asked for a chocolate avocado recipe and I sent her to my version – then had to tell her I don’t use agave anymore. “What would you use now?” She asked.

Enter: Tropical Traditions Canadian, Raw, Wild, Unprocessed Honey!

You’ll be seeing an in-depth review of this SWEET, raw honey in just a day or so – plus something special for y’all!!!

Do you know that avocado is chock-full of nutrition and health benefits?

Check it out:

• vitamin K
• dietary fiber
• potassium
• folate
• vitamin B6
• vitamin C
• copper

Health benefits:

• promotes heart health
• promotes overall health
• increases absorption of carotenoids from vegetables
• combats oral cancer
• and more!

Wow.

And did you know I used to detest avocado? I wouldn’t eat it for YEARS. Never ate it as a kid. Didn’t eat it most of my adult life. I’d say I never tasted an avocado until about 5 or so years ago. Seriously! Can you believe it? And now I could eat ‘em every single day. Yum!

I love how when we start incorporating healthier foods into our diets, our body literally CRAVES them – LOVE it!

Fun Fact!

“The avocado is colloquially known as the Alligator Pear, reflecting its shape and the leather-like appearance of its skin. Avocado is derived from the Aztec word “ahuacatl”.”—WH Foods

Forgot to snap a photo of the frozen nanner that was in the blender but this is what it looks like all blended up…

And it comes out looking like this:

My goodness gracious, it was DELISH!!! I was SO happy with this!

And now, what you’ve wanted since the beginning of this post  – the recipe!

Chocolate Banana Avocado Pudding with Raw Honey

(serves one)

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon raw honey, melted (I used Tropical Traditions)
• 1 banana, frozen
• 1/2 avocado (it was a big one)
• 1 tablespoon certified organic cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons almond milk

Directions:

Toss all ingredients in to your blender or food processer and blend all the ingredients together ‘till they’re creamy and smooth. Enjoy immediately!

Your Turn

Have you tried experimenting with avocado chocolate pudding yet? How does your version differ from mine? Does avocado gross you out? Or do you live for its creamy, decadent texture? And can you believe how many nutrients can be packed into chocolate pudding – when you make a healthier version?! What’s your favorite way to eat avocado? What’s your go-to chocolate dessert recipe?

Oh, and be sure to stop back by soon – I also got happy with hemp in the kitchen and whipped up something off the top of my head! And it was GOOD.

OpenSky Alert!

I love freshly ground flax SO much, I’m selling whole flax seeds so you can grind your own. That’s right: You can buy organic flax seed in my OpenSky shop – for only $7.49 per pound!!!

Shipping info:

“We will ship orders anywhere within the United States and Canada. At this time, we do not ship to other locations. When your order ships, you will receive a shipment notification via email that will include your tracking number.” – OpenSky

Reference:

WH Foods: Avocado

Updated to add the winner:

I’m pleased to announce that there were 219 entries for the contest, and Mr. Random (random.org) chose comment #28 as the winner!

The comment belonged to Erica, of Discovering Raw.

28 Erica { 02.21.10 at 7:48 am }

I commented on the review post, too!
Erica´s last blog ..Temporary Eye Candy

Be watching your email… Glass Dharma will email you a coupon code for your gift certificate. Enjoy shopping!

Congratulations, Erica!!!

Dislcaimer: This contest is sponsored by Glass Dharma. I received the Glass Dharma (eco-friendly, reusable) straws mentioned in my recent review (thank you, Glass Dharma!). But I was not paid to write the review – or host this contest – and the links to Glass Dharma’s website are not affiliate links.  My thoughts and opinions are my own.

What You’ll Win

$30 Gift Certificate (!!!)

from…

Glass Dharma will email the $30 Gift Certificate Coupon Code to the winner once the contest has ended.

Contest Rules

There are only TWO required entries for this contest – but if you REALLY want to win, there are several (fun) extra ways you can enter following these required options:

There are 20 ways to enter this contest!!

Required entry #1: Visit Glass Dharma’s FAQ page and come back and leave a comment telling me what you learned.

Required entry #2: Take a quick peek at Glass Dharma’s line of straws and come back and leave a comment telling me which design you love the most.

** You must complete the above two entries before the following ones count.**

AND… 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!

3. Become a fan of Glass Dharma on Facebook. Then, come back here and leave a comment to let me know you did that.

4. Become a fan of Raw Juice Girl on Facebook. Leave a comment on this post saying you did.

5. Share this contest on your blog, linking back to this post. Leave a comment to let me know you did. If you don’t see your pingback, just email me at healingwithjuices at gmail.com and let me know. It may have gone to spam for some reason.

6. Follow Healing with (Raw) Juices on Facebook’s Networked Blogs. Leave a comment on this post saying that you did.

7. Do you use Twitter? Follow @RawJuiceGirl on Twitter. Comment on this post, saying you did.

8. Follow @GlassDharma on Twitter. Leave a comment on this post that you did that.

9. Tweet about this contest and then leave a comment with your Twitter name.

You can swipe this tweet:

@RawJuiceGirl is hosting an #ecofriendly @GlassDharma #giveaway for a $30 Gift Certificate! Enter now: http://tinyurl.com/y88azy7

Then, leave a comment that you did – with your Twitter name or status link.

FOR EVEN MORE ENTRIES:

For tweets, you may tweet about the contest up to 5 times a day, but each tweet 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!)

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.

11. Subscribe to Healing with (Raw) Juices via RSS (sign up here). Then leave a comment telling me you did.

12. Subscribe to my brand-new newsletter (sign up here). Then comment here and let me know you did.

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.

15. Add me as a friend on RawFu. Leave a comment saying that you did.

16. Add me as a friend on Give it to Me Raw. Leave a comment saying that you did.

17. Subscribe to Raw Juice Girl’s YouTube channel. Leave a comment saying that you did.

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:  Glass Dharma Review: Eco-Friendly, Reusable Straws. Come back and leave a comment on this post with a link to your Digg post.

20. Leave a comment on the review post: Glass Dharma Review: Eco-Friendly, Reusable Straws. Come back here and leave a comment letting me know you did that.

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.

Oh, and I’ll be using Random.org to choose the winner.

Contest ends Sunday, February 28. I’ll accept comments until midnight. (Central Time). Winner will be posted the next morning.

That gives you ONE WEEK to get your entries in. Hurry and spread the word. The more entries you have, the higher your chances of winning a $30 Glass Dharma Gift Certificate!!!

Let the contest begin!!!

Dislcaimer: I received the Glass Dharma (eco-friendly, reusable) straws mentioned below, to review (thank you, Glass Dharma!). But I was not paid to write this review, and the links to Glass Dharma’s website are not affiliate links.  My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Now, on to the fun stuff:

Drinking today’s lunch smoothie with a Glass Dharma straw!

But first… I know you love to see when the packages arrive!

Here’s what the Glass Dharma straws came in. 

Each packaged separately…

Simple Elegance

Decorative Dots Straw

And I chose to use the 9” Beautiful Bend straw first.

Getting started on my lunch smoothie:

Which I’ve decided to name…

Blueberry-Blackstrap Bomb

Manitoba Hemp Pro 70 Powder 

 ice cubes

tablespoon of freshly ground flax seeds

2 tablespoons of hemp

a banana 

Then I added about half a cup or so of blackstrap molasses water I keep in the fridge (more on this in a future post). But it would be 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses in a cup of water for you.

After I blended that up, I decided to add a handful of frozen blueberries.

And a couple handfuls of baby spinach leaves…

Yum!

Look at the delicious, beautiful layers!!!

All blended together! 

Got too excited, I guess – Oops!

Blueberry Blackstrap Bomb Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients:

• ice cubes
• 1 tablespoon of freshly ground flax seeds
• 2 tablespoons of hemp powder
• a banana
• handful frozen blueberries
• 2 handfuls baby spinach leaves
• about half a cup or so of blackstrap molasses water I keep in the fridge (more on this in a future post). But it would be 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses in a cup of water for you.

Directions:

Toss everything in to the blender, blend until smoothly combined, pour, and enjoy this blast of energizing deliciousness!

 

Played with the camera… 

Okay, okay. So, I’m not a photographer – but it was fun!

And I realize the ingredients may sound odd to you, but this was one seriously delicious smoothie – and I’ve drank a LOT of smoothies!!! 

About Glass Dharma Straws

“These straws are made from borosilicate tubing and is the strongest glass commercially available,” says the company.

You’ll also find that these straws are made using a specific process that makes them the highest quality glass straw available.

Dharma Glass straws are versatile and can be enjoyed with either hot or cold drinks – and if you’re lucky enough to own a dishwasher, you can pop ‘em right in there for easy cleaning!

Here’s what Glass Dharma’s site has to say:

Plain and simple, here’s how and why they work:

• Glass straws don’t leach toxins into your food as you drink.
• Each time you use your glass straw equals one less plastic straw ending up in your landfill.
• One glass straw replaces thousands of plastic straws. (How many times will you use a straw the rest of your life?)
• Using your glass drinking straw adds a feeling of beauty to your day.

Now, that’s pretty awesome, don’t ya think?!

Glass Dharma straws are only $6-$8 each – and cost even less if you order a few at once. These would make fantabulous gifts or party favors, people!!!

About the Company

You always know it’s a fantabulous company if there’s an awesome person who owns it.

I love that David Leonhardt, the man behind Glass Dharma, is genuinely passionate about spreading the message of glass straws, NOT for the sole purpose of making money, but because he has a true heart for making a positive impact on the environment and it literally hurts his heart that so many plastic straws are destroying our beautiful earth.

Here’s what Mr. Leonhardt says about why he started the company: 

I’ve been a lampworker (glassblower) for over 10 years. My wife, Gail & I recently moved from the Sacramento, CA area, to our dream of living on the Mendocino Coast. 

I started doing some work for a local glass shop in town and noticed that the owner had glass drinking straws for sale. I had never heard of these before and I am always intrigued by something made out of glass that I hadn’t thought of.  I was struck by the unique elegance in such a simple item. 

I immediately recognized that here was a partial solution to our “plastics problem”.  Now, granted, there are a lot more plastics in our world than just drinking straws, but bear with me a minute and let me put things in perspective … As of March 2008, McDonald’s serves an average of 52 million meals PER DAY!  (Per their website) How many of those served do you think were given a plastic straw?  I hope it is becoming obvious just how big of a problem these pesky little plastic straws can be.  Remember, this is just from McDonalds!!  Get the picture??

So …

I created the GlassDharma line of glass drinking straws and this website to contribute one solution to the misuse of plastics in our society.

Everyone that has seen these straws are filled with delight.  Not just because they promote health and are environmentally friendly, but that they do these things with elegance and style.

Yes, I do get the picture! That is total craziness!! 

Great job, Mr. Leonhardt!!

Pros

As you read above Glass Dharma straws don’t leach toxins into your drinks or smoothies. And another HUGE pro for me is that Glass Dharma straws help prevent more plastic straws being tossed into landfills, alleys, rivers, creeks, lakes, oceans, etc. Now, I realize that there are absolutely gazillions of plastic straws being tossed in the garbage daily and little ol’ me sipping from a glass straw won’t knock a dent in that – BUT if a whole bunch of us use glass straws, we WILL knock a dent in the plastic straw situation.

They even sell bamboo hard cases …

and hemp soft sleeves to store and/or transport your straws!

They also sell cleaning brushes if you want to be sure your straw is super duper clean inside.

Cons

Hmmm… Cons… Gosh, this one is difficult! I guess if you wanted to consider it a con that you have to wash your straw after you use it, then that’d be a con to you. I don’t personally see that as a con. It’s not that big of a deal for me.

I normally list price as a con if it’s more expensive than I feel the “average” person would be able to afford, but I feel these straws are within most anyone’s budget.

And there’s a lifetime guarantee, so you don’t even have to worry about it breaking!

Sorry, folks, can’t really think of a con on this one!

Verdict/Grade

Glass Dharma straws are not only eco-friendly, they’re beautiful, too. And I’m really enjoying my experience. Using them is fun, washing them is easy peasy, and I liked feeling “fancy schmancy” while I conveniently sipped slurped my smoothie today.

AND it feels good  to know that I’m not promoting plastic straw waste that harms the environment. Oh, and these straws won’t break your bank – all that adds up to an A+ in my opinion!

Still not sure you want to invest in Glass Dharma straws? Well, they have a “Lifetime Guarantee Against Breakage” policy you might want to check out! (Read all about it here.)

But you can decide for yourself.

What about you? Have you tried Glass Dharma straws? Do you love them? Have you given ‘em as gifts? Would you like to win a gift certificate to Glass Dharma? Oh, yeah! Stay tuned… contest post coming next!

Updated to add:

Contest is posted! Click here to win a $30 Gift Certificate from Glass Dharma!!!

I remember that hymnal from when I was a little girl and went to church with my grandma.

The memory is etched so vividly in my mind: I remember a lady getting up to lead song service. That “sunshine” song was her favorite. It amazes me how the sunshine streamed through the windows as we sang it, like Heaven was smiling on us.

This memory makes me smile, and feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

And I can’t believe I am able to remember it like it was yesterday!

Okay, okay, enough of my little trip down memory lane…

That memory is what came to mind, though, when I learned that Julia (from  Easy Eco To Go) blessed me with an award. You can read about it in her post: Let the Sunshine In!

Sunshine Award

Thank you so much, Julia! I’m honored to be a source of sunshine for you! I love how your blog is always inspiring and sunny – so you’re sending out a lot of rays yourself!

Now, I’m supposed to pass on this award to 12 of you who bring sunshine to my life – but waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy more than just 12 of you light up my days, so I’m giving this to each and every one of you! Take this Sunshine Award and enjoy it – you deserve it!

And…

I want to thank you for your sweet words on my guest post at Positive Provocations (Healing Your Heart, Holistically) and I’m thrilled that my post on emotional eating, food labels, and judgments resonated so deeply with y’all!

How cool is it that we can all relate to being too hard on ourselves?! We aren’t perfect… All we can do is strive to be better. That’s it. Our eating habits (and life in general) has too many shades to label with one “color”!

Which helps me realize what brings the most sunshine to my life is not limited to one thing!

I feel the warmth of sunshine:

• when I’m helping others
• from family and friends
• when I’m writing and blogging
• by reading your blogs, comments, and emails
• and so much more!

But my highest source of sunshine comes from my strong faith. I wouldn’t be who I am without it.

What brings sunshine to your life? Your family? Friends? Work? Exercise? Writing? Blogging? Reading inspiring articles, books, blog posts, etc.? Lots of sunshine and love and big hugs to you!!!

Oh, and don’t forget about my latest contest! You might really, really want to take advantage of those extra entry options (like linking back on your blog) because there’s 200+ entries already and it doesn’t end until Friday, February 19th! Enter now!

If you’d like to be featured in Readers Recipes, just shoot me an e-mail and you might see your recipe featured here, at Healing with (Raw) Juices! (It doesn’t have to be 100% raw or require a dehydrator or blender, etc. There’s a wide range of folks who read this blog and we want to share a little something for everyone – so long as it’s on the healthier side and doesn’t involve meat.)

And don’t forget to enter my latest giveaway: Tropical Traditions Coconut Peanut Butter!

Happy weekend, y’all! Hope your weekend has been as fantabulous as mine! Nothing special going on here, but I’ve been safe, warm, happy, and hard at work trying to make this blog even better for y’all in 2010 – and beyond!!

On to the reader’s recipes…

Note: The readers featured today emailed me their recipes. I asked their permission to post them here and they gave their blessing.

From reader, Dyan

Dyan says:

“Just an avid reader of your posts, who like the rest of the world, am trying to eat healthy. A friend of mine gave me the juicer and I almost choked when I put in 1 grapefruit, 1 orange, and an apple and got one glass of juice. LOL No way could I just throw out that pulp. So I just kept freezing it until I could figure out what to do with it. I had this old dehydrator gathering dust in the basement that I had used for jerky, but that was all I had done with it. While shopping, my little girl wanted a box of fruit rollups that were 2.89 for 6 little rolls! That’s when it hit me….I had this whole arrangement of pulp at home that I would experiment with. They are what I call Frankenstein rolls. There is a little bit of everything in them. If you do a lot of juice I suppose you could keep all your pulp separate. But I throw it all in together…And you can put as much or as little sugar in it, to your liking.”

“Dyan’s Frankenstein rolls”

“My favorite thing to do is every time I juice fruit, I put the pulp in a bowl and put in the freezer.”

Instructions:

1. After I have several bowls, I defrost them all and puree it in a blender with a little bit of sugar and cinnamon.
2. Get it really smooth and then spread out in an even layer about 1/4 inch thick on the plastic tray.
3. Dehydrate for about 8-10 hrs and you have a fruit roll-up just like you get out of the stores, but made with real fruit!

Delicious as a little healthy snack, and a great way to recycle the pulp.

Enjoy!

From reader, Kim

Kim says:

“Its impressive  all the new healthy things I’m making with these tools that my picky-eater kids (ages 3 and 1) love to eat each day. I hope to make the crackers soon.

“Kim’s Fruit/Veggie Roll-Ups”

I have a new Excalibur Dehydrator and have a great fruit/veggie roll up combination my young kids LOVE! 

Ingredients:

• 3 medium pears
• 2 small organic carrots
• 1/4 cup grape  juice
• sliver of lemon

Instructions:

1. Blend in a high powered blender (I have a Vita-Mix )
2. Spread out thin on dehydrator sheets, dehydrate at 135 for 4-6 hours
3. Peel, and enjoy!

Thanks, ladies!

Have you tried any of these recipes? Or something similar? Do you have a dehydrator? Is it an Excalibur Dehydrator or some other kind? Do you own a Vita-Mix? Or just dream of one (like me)?

If you’d like to be featured in Readers Recipes, just shoot me an e-mail and you might see your recipe featured here, at Healing with (Raw) Juices!

Mind-boggling fact!

And… here’s  a mind-boggling fact of the week:

“The first-ever large-scale study of organic farming and livestock conducted by the USDA finds that organic food is a $3-billion-a-year industry.

A recent article on the coming touchscreen technology for vending machines notes that the junk food dispensers are a $30-billion-a-year industry.

Ten times as big as organic food.”

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/green/index#ixzz0esNbEh6F

And don’t forget to enter my latest giveaway: Tropical Traditions Coconut Peanut Butter!

Disclaimer:  This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase anything once you click on the links, I will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

Reference:

San Francisco Chronicle

Good news, folks: If you entered the ShimmerOrganics contest, you’re going to be extremely happy…

Lisa Ann Turkel has offered a generous discount on your first order!

I was elated when I read an e-mail from Lisa today, saying:

“For everyone who entered the contest – I would like to offer a 15% discount on their first order.”  — Lisa Ann Turkel

15% discount on your first order!

If you’re interested in this oh-so-kind offer, and would like a 15% discount on your first order, send Lisa a message on Facebook or an email (shimmerorganics at yahoo dot com) and she’ll provide a coupon code for you.

Did you miss the post where I interviewed Lisa? Do check that out.

Also, you’ll probably enjoy my personal thoughts (and photos) of the ShimmerOrganics Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask.

Thank you, Lisa! You’ve been so generous with us here at Healing with (Raw) Juices – and we appreciate you – and your raw, pure, eco-friendly business – very much! Keep up the fantabulous work! You are truly shining brightly and beautifully!

Hi, y’all!

I hope you enjoyed my interview with Lisa Ann Turkel and my review of ShimmerOrganics Mandarin and Honey mask! The contest was fun, but it had to end sooner or later.

Mr. Random (random.org ) chose the winner. He says comment #11 won…

And… comment #11 says

Upcoming Posts

Yoga + Warm Lemon Water = a (Very) Happy Raw Juice Girl

Plus, more contests, reviews, and YouTube videos!

Remember that beautiful pink package from ShimmerOrganics? And the interview with Lisa Ann Turkel, owner of that RAWsome, organic, eco-friendly beauty company?

You know… the one that made me look like this:

Well….

She’s given me the RAWsome opportunity to HOST A GIVEAWAY for ShimmerOrganics!

Thank you, Lisa!!!

Winner receives the 4.5 ounce Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask (the biggest container) – a $36.00 value!

There are FIFTEEN ways to enter the ShimmerOrganics contest (US residents only):

#1 is mandatory – the others are optional. But the more entries you get in, the greater your chances are of winning!

1. Leave a comment sharing  why you absolutely MUST try the ShimmerOrganics Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask.
2. Become a fan of ShimmerOrganics on Facebook. Leave a comment saying you did.
3. Become a fan of Raw Juice Girl on Facebook. Leave a comment saying you did.
4. Add ShimmerOrganics to your Hot List on Artfire. Leave a comment saying you did.
5. Do you use Twitter? Tweet about this contest and then leave a comment with your Twitter name. You can swipe this tweet: RT @RawJuiceGirl is giving away a 4.5 ounce container of #raw #pure #ecofriendly ShimmerOrganics clay mask! ( http://tinyurl.com/y8uhde7 )  Then, leave a comment that you did – with your Twitter name or status link.
6. Do you Plurk? Plurk about this contest and leave a comment with your Plurk URL.
7. Share this contest on your blog, linking back to this post. (The pingback will be counted as an extra entry.) If you don’t see your pingback, just email me at healingwithjuices at gmail.com and let me know. It may have gone to spam for some reason.
8. Follow @RawJuiceGirl on Twitter. Comment, saying you did.
9. Are you a Stumbler? Stumble and review any post you want to–just leave the link to your SU review in (its own) comment.
10. Do you have a Digg account? Digg one of my posts. Take your pick. Come back and leave a comment on this post with a link to your Digg post.
11. Leave a comment on the ShimmerOrganics Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask review post . Come back here and leave a comment letting me know you did that.
12. Leave a comment on the package arrival post and let me know what you like about (or recommend for) the packaging. Come back and let me know you did, with a comment on this post.
13. Leave a comment on my interview post with ShimmerOrganics owner, Lisa Ann Turkel. Leave a comment here saying that you did.
14. If you share this contest on Facebook or some other social media account, I’ll accept that as an extra entry. Just share the link to this contest on that site and leave the link here in the comments to let me know you did.
15. Follow me or friend Lisa Ann Turkel (or me) on any of the social media sites for an extra entry. If you follow or friend Lisa (or me) on more than one social media site, simply add an extra comment sharing 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. (Don’t just say “thanks for the contest” or something like that–I do not publish those type of comments because they seem like spam and aren’t fair to the other contestants who leave a thoughtful, genuine answer.) Thanks!

This contest is open to US RESIDENTS ONLY (sorry, international readers!!) – 0h, and I’ll be using Random.org to choose the winner.

Contest ends Wednesday, January 20th. I’ll accept comments until midnight. (Central Time). Winner will be posted the next morning.

That gives you TWO weeks to get your entries in. Hurry and spread the word. The more entries you have, the higher your chances of winning!!!

Let the contest begin!!!!

Disclaimer: The ShimmerOrganics Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask was sent to me to review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not paid to write this review.

Remember that beautiful pink package from ShimmerOrganics? And the interview with Lisa Ann Turkel, owner of that RAWsome, organic  beauty company?

Wow. Have I been itching to share this review with y’all!

It’s pretty cold here in Missouri so the woodstove is already working overtime to keep the chill knocked out of this Amish house. Wood is a wonderful, warming, cozy heating source but it also dries out my skin -  big time.

Take a look for yourself.

(Note: I took the photos outside because the lighting in an Amish house isn’t the best. )

Before ShimmerOrganics Mask

Note the dark circles under my eyes (that’s from having a gazillion freelance projects going on at once AND living on an Amish farm without a finished kitchen or bathroom). And see the lines that have crept up (Ack! Tell me it isn’t so!!)

Tip: I don’t have those lines when I’m living a 100% raw food lifestyle, or close to it. I’ve let too many non-raw foods slip into my mouth. So I get reminded of that by age creeping up on my face. Blech.

I’m feelin’ really, really ugly in these pics, y’all. Just a wee bit embarrassed, I am! But I wanted authentic before and after photos so you could compare and see for yourself the genuine results of the ShimmerOrganics Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask.

As you can see, I’m needin’ some revitalizing! It’s okay if you agree. I’ll still love ya!

Of course, it wouldn’t be any fun if I didn’t show you the actual mask while it was on my tired face. Right? Right!

Deep breath…

ShimmerOrganics Mask at work

According to Lisa’s directions, I needed to wash my face, apply the mask, and: “Leave mask on for 15-20 minutes for Sensitive and Dry skin, 20-25 minutes for Normal skin, and 25-30 minutes for Oily skin.”

Key Ingredients
* Pure Clay Minerals
* Raw and Organic  Aloe Vera
* Raw and Organic Antioxidant Rich Oils
* Raw and Organic Honey
* Organic Blend of Essential Oils

When I put this mask on, something magical happened: I felt like I had pulled into “Rejuvenation Station!” I’m serious, folks.

I love how this mask made my face tingle and feel so fresh. I could tell the ingredients were hard at work, cleansing and revitalizing my skin!

But something more happened… I literally felt all tingly and refreshed all over, from head to toe. It’s like the ingredients entered my body through my skin and had a huge party while they were inside.

Before Digging In

After Digging In

(Notice the wagon wheel in the background – Amish living at its finest! )

After One Use

Before & After

View Full Album

And I’m not the type of gal who splurges on “special treatments.” I’m not a tomboy. Don’t get me wrong… Believe me, I hate getting my hands dirty! But I’m not a woman who pampers herself with facials, spa treatments, or beauty products. This was such a treat for me!

My face feels softer, and I feel so refreshed. It’s a sense of renewal I’ve been missing since I haven’t been practicing yoga or doing anything else to make myself feel better.

ShimmerOrganics Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask is a “something for me” gift I’ve been missing out on!

After Second Use

(Just two uses, people – two uses!!!!)

Before, After 1st Use, After 2nd Use

Pros

This mask is raw and organic. It’s an eco-friendly solution to your skin health. Not only is it safe for our precious environment, it’s safe for you – and that’s priceless!

Also, something I not only noticed myself (but have been told more than once), is that the lines are less noticeable and that my skin looks more hydrated and healthy.

According to Lisa:

“Using a thin layer under and on the outer corners of your eyes reduces puffiness, dark circles and lines. It’s also great as an overnight spot treatment, or anytime spot treatment to heal blemishes.”

I’d say that’s a plus, wouldn’t you?!

Lisa takes special care to select her ingredients:

“I choose manufacturers who are Fair Trade Certified. Fair Trade guarantees fair wages for farm workers and farmers, fair labor conditions, provides environmental stability and offers farmers and farm workers autonomy is choosing how they invest their money. Fair Trade ensures proper nutrition, suitable shelter, sufficient clothing and essential education. Fair Trade enables community development, protects the health of farmers and farm workers and protects our precious environment for future generations.

All ingredients are from manufacturers whom I have chosen for their commitment to protecting animals and our environment and who are dedicated to creating superior quality products. I have hand selected every ingredient for its healing and restorative properties. There are no synthetic chemicals, synthetic colors, or synthetic fragrances added.”

And who doesn’t love a business who cares deeply about their customers?

“We are all connected in this world. I feel that it’s very important to be there for others and to help others. I love to hear from customers who tell me how youthful, beautiful and healthy their skin looks and feels. It’s so great to hear from customers who tell me that using my organic clay mask has given them more confidence. To make a positive difference in someone’s life is such a wonderful feeling!

I love to make people happy. I enjoy wrapping and mailing your new product and picturing you opening up your package and smiling. Connecting with others is what I love most about creating my skin care products.

If you are giving my organic clay mask as a gift, I would be happy to personalize your gift by including a lovely card in your own words.”

Lisa’s passion for providing raw, vegan, organic beauty products to the world shines through so brightly, it’s blinding!

Cons

According to the Federal Trade Commission’s ruling, we bloggers must be specific with any pros and cons we can find to share with you, our readers.

I honestly can’t think of any cons with the ShimmerOrganics mask. A 2.5 ounce mask is $22.00 and a 4.5 ounce mask is $36.00 – but even at those prices, you are getting SO much value. If you consider those prices a con, you must take into consideration that you only use a teaspoon or so of the mask and will end up with many, many uses.

Verdict/Grade

I have absolutely no choice but to give this mask a 100% – with bonus points! Did you see this grade coming? My experience with Lisa (and her mask) has been nothing but phenomenal!

As you can see, Lisa is very beautiful and is a fantabulous reflection of what her mask accomplishes!

Be sure to check out Lisa’s ARTISAN BIO and find out more about her and her beauty business.

Want to try this mask yourself?

Lisa has been very generous and has offered to give away a 4.5 ounce mask to one (very) lucky winner (details coming soon)!

Have you tried the ShimmerOrganics Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask? Would you, now that you’ve read my review? Can you see the difference in my before and after photos? Aren’t you glad there’s such a caring, compassionate person like Lisa who works so hard to provide healthy, eco-friendly beauty products?!

If you’re just tuning in, be sure to check out my review of E3Live. And a huge thank you to the folks at www.E3Live.com for sponsoring this review (and upcoming contest)!!!

Note: E3Live sent me samples, but I have not been paid to write this review. The thoughts I share in this post are my honest opinions.

I decided to use E3Live on its own, without mixing things up with BrainOn. I wanted to listen to my body and be absolutely sure how I felt taking each product. So now that you’ve read my thoughts on E3Live, it’s time to learn about BrainOn….

From Klamath Lake

The blue-green algae found in BrainOn comes from a lake in Oregon.

“Upper Klamath Lake is free of adverse bacteria, heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. The lake receives an average 300 days of sunlight per year which provides a perfect growing environment for the world’s richest strain of wild AFA blue-green algae, scientifically known as Aphanizomenon flos-aquae. The alkaline lake water provides more than 60 times the nutrients needed for the algae to grow to its full potential each year. Under the right conditions, AFA algae can reproduce every 20 minutes, which provides a plentiful abundance of this organic, high life-force, miracle super food.”– www.E3Live.com

Brain Power

It’s kind of crazy to think you can actually absorb brain power from a serving of blue-green algae each day, isn’t it? But when you think about it, you’ll realize that for decades people have been stuffing their faces with overcooked, sodium and chemical-filled foods that are lacking nutrition. When our body lacks the nutrients it’s crying out for, our brains lack as well.

We have to remember that our brains need to be nourished in order to work like we want them to. Want to remember where you put your keys? Your anniversary? Answers to a test you studied days or weeks for? Do you desire to have the mental clarity and focus you used to have? Tired of feeling foggy and forgetful? Feed your brain!

Learn why you can nourish your brain cells with BrainOn…

From the site:

“E3Live BrainOn® contains the active ingredient in wild-harvested AFA that both promotes mood balance and enhances focus. In fact, no other product competes with BrainON® in terms of promoting joyfulness and brain clarity benefits with no side effects. BrainON® improves health. It’s good for you!

PEA was found to be significantly lower in subjects with Attention Deficit Disorder. People taking BrainON® with Phenalmin report better attention at school and at work. BrainON is for anyone who wishes to balance mood and to increase concentration. One of our most beloved products, E3Live BrainOn® helps you to enjoyably function at a higher level.”

Wow.

Pretty cool, huh?!

Depression

My shipment of E3Live samples actually arrived while I was out of town at my 28-year-old cousin’s funeral. She was like a little sister to me. She lost her life on impact in a car accident. Not only that, she was one of 3 cousins I lost in just a matter of a couple of months. One of the other cousins I wasn’t close to, but one of them I was. I went to school with him and always felt closer to him than other relatives.

Words can’t express what a difficult, trying, stressful, devastating time it was to know that 3 young people (ages 28, 32, and 36) were no longer here on this beautiful earth – or in my family. No more cards, letters, hugs, or smiles.

Those of you who follow this blog regularly know that I’m all about inspiring, motivating, uplifting, and happy thoughts. So my intentions of sharing this with you is not to make you feel depressed, but to prove a point: Both BrainOn and E3Live’s Original Formula helped me tremendously through these hard times I’m telling you about. I know that I was able to find energy, strength, and mental clarity that would have been much harder to drudge up without chugging a shot of E3Live or BrainOn each day.

“I’ve had people who’ve been depressed for years and years, and literally, within a few days after receiving AFA their depression lifts.”

“A wonderful and unique blend for peak performance of body, mind, and spirit that should be included in any detoxification and rejuvenation program. I take it myself daily.” — Dr. Gabriel Cousens,Director of Tree of Life of Life Rejuvenation Center

I did suffer depression after such family tragedy. Yes, Raw Juice Girl was depressed. I couldn’t sleep, fell off the 100% raw food wagon, ate the wrong foods… I was a mess! But I was able to bounce back a lot quicker because of BrainOn.

I also took a short break from freelance assignments but was able to come back full force and write even more than before. I’m convinced it’s  mostly because of this company’s blue-green algae. Convinced.

What’s In BrainOn?

I know you’re wondering what exactly is in BrainOn to make it so fantabulous, right?

Nutritional information (from the site):

Supplement Facts: Protein <1g; Trans Fat 0g; Vitamin A 1890 IU 38% daily value; Vitamin K 34 mcg 43% daily value; Riboflavin 49 mcg 3% daily value; Vitamin B1 27 mcg 117% daily value.

Ingredients: Organic, fresh-frozen AFA (Aphanizomenon flos aquae) with BrainON®, a concentrated organic AFA extract of Phenylethylamine (PEA).

That’s some awesome nutrition for our brains!

Pros

I’d definitely agree with the brain enhancing, mood lifting powers of BrainOn. As I mentioned above, it helped me through some very troublesome times, and as you know, I’ve managed to continue writing with enthusiasm and mental clarity.

From the site:

• All the benefits of E3Live, plus:
• Increase focus and clarity
• Lift and brighten mood with the PEA, the “love molecule”
• Lower stress and enhance well-being
• Function at a higher level
• Shown to increase concentration

I do agree with this list provided on E3Live’s website because I felt the same benefits personally when I took the supplement.

Cons

As I mentioned in my E3Live review, the biggest two cons I can think of from purchasing BrainOn is cost and taste (for some of you). Those of you who follow me know that I can pretty much chug down anything without it phasing me because I’m used to drinking potent herbal tonics, strong herbal teas, and other natural remedies (like organic apple cider vinegar with Mother). But I realize not everyone is accustomed to the taste of green. I find E3Live and BrainOn actually taste mild, so you may not have a problem taking it straight up. If you do, simply add it to smoothies, juices, or other recipes to disguise the taste.

And about the cost… One of my readers mentioned finding a couple of friends to split the supplement and shipping cost with so you can enjoy this wonderful blue-green algae. I think that’s a great idea!

Other than those two issues, I honestly can’t imagine anything bad about enhancing your heath.

Tip: Preparing your daily dose for the upcoming week is quick and simple. I gave step-by-step instructions (with a photo) in my E3Live review.

Verdict/Grade

I know this is a costly supplement for a lot of people, but I can honestly tell you it is a worthwhile investment.  If there’s a way you can readjust your budget and put your health before other expenses, I’d definitely recommend spending your money on this product.

For the results I’ve personally experienced from using BrainOn, I absolutely give it an A+ because I definitely came through (and out of) depressing, trying times much better than I would have on my own, without E3Live and BrainOn.

Have you ever tried BrainOn? Do you wish you could? Well, you can! E3Live has generously offered to sponsor a contest, allowing one reader to win 3 bottles of E3Live and 2 bottles of BrainOn, + a shaker cup—over a $200.oo value!!!

Contest is launching tonight, Sunday, November 8th. Get ready!!

Visit www.E3Live.com to learn more about this super fantabulous blue-green algae.

And thank you again to the kind folks at E3Live for sponsoring this review and the upcoming contest!!

If you’re just tuning in, be sure to enter Healing With (Raw) Juices’ latest contest for TWO containers  of Amazing Grass – one is CHOCOLATE! (Thursday, October 22 is the last day to enter.)  You can also use the code hwj (small J as in JUICE) for a 15% discount on your order, if you can’t wait. And a BIG thank you to Amazing Grass for sponsoring!

Blog Action Day 2009

Today, Thursday, October 15th, 2009, is Blog Action Day. This year, the theme is Climate Change. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has so many amazing resources you can research, read, and learn until your eyes cross and you won’t make it through all of the information. Do check it out!

EPA: Climate Change

Grow Your Own Veggies!

I thought it would be fun to blog about ways to specifically be more eco-friendly regarding the topic of this blog: raw food and juicing, and my life on an Amish farm.

Here are a few ideas for leaving less of a footprint on our beautiful planet:

• Recycle your juice pulp by using it in veggie burgers, muffins, crackers, or even by adding it to compost or feeding it to your chickens.
• Support local farmers and farmer’s markets to cut down on the transport of things you can buy locally and help reduce greenhouse gases.
• Or, better yet: grow your own (organic) garden!
• Use handcrafted soap made by local people.
• Also use that handcrafted soap as your shampoo–you’ll eliminate those plastic bottles shampoo comes in!
• Invest in a quality, reusable water canteen. The amount of plastic bottles you’ll be contributing to landfills will drop dramatically!
• Eat less meat.
• Walk or ride your bike as often as possible.
• Hang your clothes out to dry instead of using your dryer–especially on beautiful days!
• Buy good, used clothes instead of new.
• Purchase reusable bags and keep them in your car. It will cut down–or eliminate–your need for plastic grocery sacks.
• Reuse the plastic grocery sacks you do end up with as trash bags for small waste baskets.
• Apply raw ingredients from your own kitchen to your face and body–instead of beauty products containing harsh chemicals.

All of these ideas are things I actually apply to my own life, as I try to walk softly and cherish what beauty of Mother Earth we have left…

“Some greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide occur naturally and are emitted to the atmosphere through natural processes and human activities. Other greenhouse gases (e.g., fluorinated gases) are created and emitted solely through human activities.” — EPA

Are you worried about climate change? Do you try to live an eco-friendly lifestyle in order to help preserve our beautiful planet? Or do you go through each day without a thought to how your actions are effecting our environment? What juicy tips do you have to share? Do tell!

Oh, and check out my mom’s Blog Action Day post: Eco-Friendly Cooking + Blog Action Day!

Also, check out Mysti’s Climate Change post (from Dining Family)!

Want to keep up with Raw Juice Girl’s adventures + more?  Subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life. I’ve also been working on a recipe page where you’ll be able to easily locate recipes for raw juices, smoothies, and now dehydrator creations!

References:

www.epa.gov