Hi, everybody! How has your week been so far?

Thanks for your sympathy and sweet words about my crazy week. I appreciate it!

Things were much better after I gave myself some TLC, natural remedies, rest, and received this in the mail:

Yay! I’m powered up and back in business – and feeling much, much better!

Raw Juice Girl’s NEWS

Yep, the newsletter goal is finally becoming a reality. Remember a long time ago when I blogged about the Healing with (Raw) Juices Newsletter? Well, now I’m putting my words into action and the newsletter is in the works. Don’t believe me?

Well, you can sign up here.

Watch for it, it’s coming to an inbox near you soon!

Contest Alerts

Ashlei (The Vegster) is giving away a six-pack of Zevia!

Birdies (Vegan) Bakeshop is giving away fun kitchen gadgets!

And stay tuned for a review of Tropical Traditions coconut peanut butter – plus a surprise for YOU!

Are you bad about procrastinating? Have you been putting something off (like I’ve been postponing my newsletter)? Do you allow life to get in the way and just accept that you can’t always make time for something extra (which isn’t always procrastinating, I know)? Or do you always pounce on your dreams and ideas and just make them happen right away?

First, I want to thank Oh!Nuts for being so gracious as to send me a one-pound bag of raw, jumbo Georgia pecans to sample – AND a one-pound bag to give away to one of my (very lucky) readers. Thank you, Oh!Nuts!

Now, I want to thank all of you who entered the Oh!Nuts raw pecans contest and took the time to read my in-depth review. I appreciate you all!

Note: I normally include a screen shot of the number Random.org chose but due to my laptop battery and cord going out on me at the same time, I’m on someone else’s old desktop and couldn’t get it to cooperate. You can trust me, though!

And the Winner?

And the lucky reader who will receive a one-pound bag of raw, jumbo Georgia pecans from Oh!Nuts is….

94 Earth Mother – In The Raw { 02.01.10 at 8:22 pm }

I’d make a Purdy Pecan Pie!

That’s right. Earth Mother, from In The Raw, is the winner! There were 105 comments and Mr. Random, over at Random.org, chose #94 – and that number belonged to Earth Mother.

Congratulations, Earth Mother. Enjoy your Purdy Pecan Pie! (You’ll be hearing from me soon!)

Updated to add: This contest has closed and a winner has been chosen. Thanks!

Thank you to www.ohnuts.com for sending a one-pound bag of raw pecans for me to review, as well as a bag for me to send to one of you (lucky) readers.

Tell me you didn’t honestly think I was ONLY giving away those ginormous, delicious (RAW) macadamia nuts.

And I still have lots more raw goodies up my juicy sleeve – I work hard for you all!

And, like a crazy blogger, I’m launching a SECOND contest:

What You’ll Receive

ALL you need to do to enter this contest, is leave a comment saying what your favorite way to use pecans is, or why you absolutely MUST win this bag of raw pecans from www.ohnuts.com.

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!

Note: The reason I ask you to leave a comment for EACH, SEPARATE entry is because I enter the total number of comments at random.org once the contest has ended.

• Become a fan of Oh!Nuts on Facebook. Leave a comment (on their page) saying Raw Juice Girl sent you. Then, come back here and leave a comment to let me know you did that.

• Become a fan of Raw Juice Girl on Facebook. Leave a comment saying you did.

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

• Do you use Twitter? Tweet about this contest and then leave a comment with your Twitter name. You can swipe this tweet:

 @RawJuiceGirl is giving away a ONE pound bag of RAW pecans. Visit www.healingwithjuices.com to enter now!

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

FOR EVEN MORE ENTRIES: Re-tweet this contest as many times as you like and come back and leave a different comment for each time you want – no limit on how many! Get those extra entries, folks!

• Do you Plurk? Plurk about this contest and leave a comment with your Plurk URL.

• 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.

• Follow @OhNuts on Twitter. Leave a comment, saying you did.

• Follow @RawJuiceGirl on Twitter. Comment, saying you did.

• Add me as a friend on Wellsphere . Leave a comment saying that you did.

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

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

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

• Are you a Stumbler? Stumble and review any post you want to–just leave the link to your SU review in (its own) comment.

• 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.

• Leave a comment on the review post:  Oh!Nuts (Raw) Georgia Pecans Review. Come back here and leave a comment letting me know you did that.

• 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.

• Follow me or friend 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 EVERYONE – 0h, and I’ll be using Random.org to choose the winner.

Contest ends Sunday, February 1st. 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 one-pound bag of these beauties!!!

Let the contest begin!!!!

Updated to add: This contest has closed and a winner has been chosen. Thanks!

Another Contest

You can also enter my OTHER contest for a one-pound bag of raw macadamia nuts. Get those entries in! <—That contest has ended and a winner has been chosen for it, too. Thanks!

Disclaimer: I received a one pound back of raw macadamia nuts from Oh!Nuts to review. They also agreed to sponsor this contest. They provided a one pound bag of raw macadamia nuts for you to enjoy. I am responsible for shipping costs on this contest.

Due to the Federal Trade Commission’s ruling, I must always make you aware of when I receive free samples. I have always done that in the past (see my Reviews page and read my full disclaimer there) and will continue to do so.

And, most importantly, I have NOT been paid to write this review. All thoughts and opinions in this review are from me and of my own free will.

I’m glad you enjoyed my review of Oh!Nuts (RAW) Macadamia Nuts – and that you’re having fun with all the numerous ways to get extra entries in on the contest to win your very own one-pound bag!

Now, on to those…

Big (RAW) Georgia pecans!

Just look at those beauties!

And like I’ve mentioned before: Don’t fear those healthy fats – our bodies need ‘em!

You’ll know your lacking in healthy fats when your hair is brittle and your skin is dry and your eyes are dried-out and giving you a fit all the time, etc.

Health Benefits of Raw Pecans

So, what’s a raw pecan good for – no, not baked, sugary pecan pie!

Well, besides being filled with healthy fats, pecans contain potassium, zinc, vitamin E, and vitamin A. Talk about promoting healthy skin and fighting infections!

Pecans may help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. They are heart-healthy, filling, delicious and so good for us!

  Nutritional Information

If you’ve been looking for a yummy, low-carb snack or ingredient, you only have to count 3 carbs in each serving of raw pecans!

How did I enjoy these jumbo Georgia pecans, in the raw?

• by the handful
• on top of salad

What can I say? Sometimes I’m just boring.

Of course, I wasn’t selfish – I shared some, too. And I was a sad gal when I saw the bottom of the empty bag. Too bad it wasn’t a magical bag that could just replenish itself!

About Oh!Nuts – The Company

As legend has it, a number of the Klein’s friends who heard the idea said you could go nuts trying to name a store like that. In their excitement, the Klein’s thought their friends said "Oh Nuts" instead of "Go Nuts" and proceeded to throw caution to the wind—and themselves into designing a 15×15 retail space into a warmly cozy experience that would become their flagship store.

While their products were both dairy and non dairy, their first Oh Nuts hand a definite dairy dynamic if for no other reason than the fact they used milk crates as display shelves.

Though as these shelves were displaying absolute freshest selections of imported and domestic nuts, dried fruits and confections, they quickly realized that consumers liked their fresh approach to retailing.

And while the milk crates were eventually replaced by more conventional retail displays and shelving, and the flagship store welcomed an even more impressive sibling less than a year later, one thing that didn’t change then—and won’t ever change, is the Klein’s approach to retailing "Keep It Fresh," "Keep It Fun," "Keep It Phenomenal."

Today, the Oh Nuts brand is a nationally recognized one stop shop for everything in dried fruits, nuts, chocolates, candies, related confections (both finished products and raw ingredients,) custom and pre-configured gift baskets for any occasion, (real or imagined)—even hard to find items like sugar-free and organic products—become remarkably easy to find when you enter the world of Oh Nuts.

Pros

Some things I loved about this bag of raw Georgia pecans is that the nuts came in a resealable bag.

I love the giant size of the pecans, that they’re whole, and that they’re really delicious!

You could do a gazillion things with these raw nuts: make raw desserts, crusts, eat ‘em alone, add ‘em to veggie or fruit salad, etc.

If you have a Vita-Mix or other equipment, you could even make your own raw pecan nut butter. YUM-O!

These raw pecans are KOSHER – for those of you who find that important.

Honestly, what’s not to love about a giant raw pecans that are loaded with nutritious health benefits?

Cons

As I’ve mentioned before, one of the biggest cons I try to look out for when writing reviews (other than if it’s honestly a healthy/worthy product – and these are), is cost. I realize price is a huge factor for most of us, and is the biggest reason people tend to shy away from raw foods.

This one-pound bag costs $8.99 per pound (plus shipping) but if you buy in bulk, cost per pound goes down with each additional pound your order. (That’s a plus!)

And although these raw pecans are indeed RAW, they aren’t organic, in case you’re sensitive to that aspect.

That’s really the only “cons” I have to share. I genuinely loved the pecans and also the correspondence with the company itself.

Verdict/Grade

I’ve decided to give these raw pecans a  B+ (same as the macadamia nuts) and here’s why: Although I love ‘em and they’re raw, they aren’t organic. They ARE Kosher Certified, though. And that’s a bonus for a lot of us.

The company seems to be doing a fantabulous job. If you want to see all the other fantabulous products they offer (and they DO offer organic products, they just aren’t all raw), visit: www.ohnuts.com .

What’s your fondest memory of eating pecans? Did you (or your grandparents) have a pecan tree in your yard when you were growing up? Do you have one now? Do you wish you did? Since I grew up in the South, I guess I have to admit my fondest memory of pecans are eating the pecan pie my grandma made from scratch. She also made coconut cream pie, but that’s a story for another day.

Want some raw pecans for yourself?

Click HERE to enter the Contest!

Another Contest

You can also enter my OTHER contest for a one-pound bag of raw macadamia nuts. Get those entries in!

Disclaimer: I received a one-pound bag of raw pecans from Oh!Nuts to review. They also agreed to sponsor this contest. They provided one-pound bag of raw pecans for you to enjoy. I am responsible for shipping costs on this contest.

Due to the Federal Trade Commission’s ruling, I must always make you aware of when I receive free samples. I have always done that in the past (see my Reviews page and read my full disclaimer there) and will continue to do so.

And, most importantly, I have NOT been paid to write this review. All thoughts and opinions in this review are from me and of my own free will.

Updated to add: This contest has ended and a winner has been chosen. Thanks!

Thank you to www.ohnuts.com for sending a one-pound bag of raw macadamia nuts for me to review, as well as a bag for me to send to one of you (lucky) readers.

Hope you enjoyed my in-depth review of Oh!Nuts (Raw) Macadamia Nuts. Were you wishing you could reach through the computer screen and snatch that one pound bag for yourself? I hope so, because one of you will be receiving just that!

What You’ll Receive

ALL you need to do to enter this contest, is leave a comment saying what your favorite way to use macadamia nuts is or why you absolutely MUST win this bag of raw macadamia nuts from www.ohnuts.com.

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!

Note: The reason I ask you to leave a comment for EACH, SEPARATE entry is because I enter the total number of comments at random.org once the contest has ended.

• Become a fan of Oh!Nuts on Facebook. Leave a comment (on their page) saying Raw Juice Girl sent you. Then, come back here and leave a comment to let me know you did that.

• Become a fan of Raw Juice Girl on Facebook. Leave a comment saying you did.

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

• Do you use Twitter? Tweet about this contest and then leave a comment with your Twitter name. You can swipe this tweet:

 @RawJuiceGirl is giving away a ONE pound bag of RAW macadamia nuts. Visit http://tinyurl.com/ykj67nl to enter now!

FOR EVEN MORE ENTRIES: Re-tweet this contest as many times as you like and come back and leave a different comment for each time you want – no limit on how many! Get those extra entries, folks!

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

• Do you Plurk? Plurk about this contest and leave a comment with your Plurk URL.

• 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.

• Follow @OhNuts on Twitter. Leave a comment saying  you did.

• Follow @RawJuiceGirl on Twitter. Comment, saying you did.

• Add me as a friend on Wellsphere . Leave a comment saying that you did.

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

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

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

• Are you a Stumbler? Stumble and review any post you want to–just leave the link to your SU review in (its own) comment.

• 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.

• Leave a comment on the review post:  Oh!Nuts (Raw) Macadamia Nuts Review. Come back here and leave a comment letting me know you did that.

• 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.

• Follow me or friend 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 EVERYONE – 0h, and I’ll be using Random.org to choose the winner.

Contest ends Sunday, January 31st. 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 one-pound bag of these beauties!!!

Let the contest begin!!!!

Updated to add: This contest has ended and a winner has been chosen. Thanks!

Another Contest

You can also enter my OTHER contest for a one-pound bag of raw Georgia pecans. Get those entries in! <— That contest has ended also and a winner has been chosen. Thanks!

Disclaimer: I received a one pound back of raw macadamia nuts from Oh!Nuts to review. They also agreed to sponsor this contest. They provided a one pound bag of raw macadamia nuts for you to enjoy. I am responsible for shipping costs on this contest.

Due to the Federal Trade Commission’s ruling, I must always make you aware of when I receive free samples. I have always done that in the past (see my Reviews page and read my full disclaimer there) and will continue to do so.

And, most importantly, I have NOT been paid to write this review. All thoughts and opinions in this review are from me and of my own free will.

First, I’d love to thank www.ohnuts.com for sending me samples to review, and for sponsoring a contest so y’all can try some, too!

Raw Juice Girl is excited to bring to you:

Raw Macadamia Nuts

If you’re afraid that macadamia nuts do nothing but make you gain weight, you may be misinformed.

Let me share with you what a powerful and healthy food these nuts are…

Macadamia Nuts Health Benefits

Macadamia nuts can be used in more ways than just white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, y’all. Tell me a rich cookie, cake, or pie wasn’t on your mind when you look at those macadamia nuts, eh?

These nuttylicious babies help promote heart health and fight cancer. You’ll find the following in macadamia nuts:

• Omega-3
• Vitamin A
• iron
• niacin
• riboflavin
• thiamine
• Vitamin E

Of course, you know vitamin E promotes healthy skin. Move over chemical beauty products – we’re eating healthy fats to make us PURDY (and handsome)!

Nutritional Information

Check that out! Do you see that carb watchers? With the three grams of fiber, each serving only has ONE carb! Woo hoo!

And don’t stress over the fats – those are healthy fats and our bodies need ‘em to thrive!

These raw macadamia nuts were SO delicious!

Let me tell you how I enjoyed these yumilicious babies:

• by the handful
• on top of raw veggie salad
• with Greek yogurt

I also shared some. I was so sad to see the bottom of this bag. Of course, when I stock up on macadamia nuts again, I’m going to use them for raw dessert recipes and get really creative.

About Oh!Nuts – The Company

As legend has it, a number of the Klein’s friends who heard the idea said you could go nuts trying to name a store like that. In their excitement, the Klein’s thought their friends said "Oh Nuts" instead of "Go Nuts" and proceeded to throw caution to the wind—and themselves into designing a 15×15 retail space into a warmly cozy experience that would become their flagship store.

While their products were both dairy and non dairy, their first Oh Nuts hand a definite dairy dynamic if for no other reason than the fact they used milk crates as display shelves.

Though as these shelves were displaying absolute freshest selections of imported and domestic nuts, dried fruits and confections, they quickly realized that consumers liked their fresh approach to retailing.

And while the milk crates were eventually replaced by more conventional retail displays and shelving, and the flagship store welcomed an even more impressive sibling less than a year later, one thing that didn’t change then—and won’t ever change, is the Klein’s approach to retailing "Keep It Fresh," "Keep It Fun," "Keep It Phenomenal."

Today, the Oh Nuts brand is a nationally recognized one stop shop for everything in dried fruits, nuts, chocolates, candies, related confections (both finished products and raw ingredients,) custom and pre-configured gift baskets for any occasion, (real or imagined)—even hard to find items like sugar-free and organic products—become remarkably easy to find when you enter the world of Oh Nuts.

Pros

I love that these macadamia nuts came in a resealable bag, making it easier for storage and future use.

I love that these are whole, good-sized macadamia nuts, and not small ones.

I love that there’s a TON of uses for these yummy nuts. Even if you wanted to roast ‘em, you could.

Want your own macadamia nut butter? Grind yourself some of these raw macadamia nuts and you’ll have raw macadamia nut butter, freshly made!

These raw macadamia nuts are KOSHER – for those of you who find that important.

Honestly, what’s not to love about a giant raw macadamia nut that’s loaded with nutritious health benefits?

Cons

The biggest con I try to look out for when writing reviews (other than if it’s honestly a healthy/worthy product – and these are) is cost. I realize price is a huge factor for most of us, and is the biggest reason people tend to shy away from raw foods.

This 1 pound bag costs $1o.99 (plus shipping) but if you buy in bulk, cost per pound goes down with each additional pound your order. (That’s a plus!)

And although these raw macadamia nuts are indeed RAW, they aren’t organic, in case you’re sensitive to that aspect.

That’s really the only “cons” I can think of to share with you – I really enjoyed the macadamia nuts, and the correspondence with the company itself.

Verdict/Grade

I suppose I’ll give these raw macadamia nuts a B+ – and here’s why: Although I love ‘em and they’re raw, they aren’t organic. They ARE Kosher Certified, though. And that’s a bonus for a lot of us.

The company seems to be doing a fantabulous job. If you want to see all the other fantabulous products they offer (and they DO offer organic products, they just aren’t all raw), visit: www.ohnuts.com.

Do y’all love macadamia nuts as much as I do? Oh gosh, I fantasize about having an endless supply of macadamia nuts all. the. time!

Want Some Raw Macadamia Nuts?

Click HERE to enter the contest!

Another Contest

You can also enter my OTHER contest for a one-pound bag of raw Georgia pecans. Get those entries in!

Disclaimer: I received a 1 pound back of raw macadamia nuts from Oh!Nuts to review. They also agreed to sponsor this contest. They provided a 1 pound bag of raw macadamia nuts for you to enjoy. I am responsible for shipping costs on this contest.

Due to the Federal Trade Commission’s ruling, I must always make you aware of when I receive free samples. I have always done that in the past (see my Reviews page and read my full disclaimer there) and will continue to do so.

And, most importantly, I have NOT been paid to write this review. All thoughts and opinions in this review are from me and of my own free will.

Hi, y’all! I’m glad so many of  you enjoyed my first-ever YouTube video. Subscribe to Raw Juice Girl on YouTube if you want to be notified when future videos are published.

Don’t forget about the contest I currently have running (for ShimmerOrganics) but I’m sharing Katie’s Vita-Mix giveaway with you today…

Isn’t it beautiful? Wow….

If I win, I’m going to go crazy making stuff I’ve seen raw foodies make with their Vita-Mix! Get yourself over to Chocolate-Covered Katie’s blog and enter now! Hurry! This is a fantabulous opportunity!

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?!

The contest for TWO containers  of Amazing Grass  is now closed and a winner has been chosen! (Thursday, October 22 was the last day to enter—deadline: 9 p.m. CT.) 

You can use the code hwj (small J as in JUICE) for a 15% discount on your order–and a BIG thank you to Amazing Grass for sponsoring!

And the time has come…

We have a winner! There were 63 comments when 9 p.m. rolled around, so I headed over to Mr. Random (random.org, that is) and here’s the verdict:

Winning Comment

8 Melissa { 10.08.09 at 8:14 pm }

I twittered (@mgonyeo)
Melissa´s last blog ..Cool stuff I found on Etsy

Her First Comment

Earth Mother, over at In The Raw, has an awesome giveaway: THREE lucky winners will receive a CASE of ZICO coconut water!!! Get yourself over there and enter!!

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!

Comments are now closed as this contest is over. Thanks!

First, I’d love to thank the folks at Amazing Grass for sending me lovely samples. Not only did they generously share a variety of their Amazing Grass products with me, they are also sponsoring this contest so that one lucky winner will have the opportunity to try a “Green SuperFood Best of Both Combo” which provides you with a two month supply of  the Amazing Grass Green SuperFood and Chocolate Green SuperFood drink powders.

AND Amazing Grass has given Healing With (Raw) Juice readers a fantabulous discount: Just use the coupon code ‘hwj’ at check out — you’ll save 15% off your order!!!

Chocolate Green SuperFood

I’ve mentioned before that you can just call me Chocolate Girl. I’m a HUGE fan of chocolate, always have been! So, what is there NOT to like about a chocolate powder that’s also healthy for you, that you can add to smoothies, oats, or other recipes? Chocolate Green SuperFood is a fantabulous way to get your daily dose of chocolate – and consume a powerhouse of nutrition!

Now, this Chocolate Green SuperFood wasn’t included in the samples Amazing Grass sent me, but I have had the opportunity to sample their Chocolate Amazing Meal – it’s DELISH! I absolutely loved it and can totally see myself using it daily. (See my review HERE.)  So, I have absolutely no worries about recommending this Chocolate Green SuperFood powder. But, this Chocolate Green SuperFood powder has more to offer than a girl’s best friend – let’s talk nutrition!

Nutritional information (from the site):

Mix a tablespoon of Chocolate Green SuperFood with dairy, rice or soy milk or add it to a smoothie. One serving gives you the antioxidant equivalent of 7 servings of fruits and vegetables and helps you hit your daily quota.

Chocolate Green SuperFood: All natural and organic ingredients include organic wheat grass, organic barley grass, organic alfalfa, organic spirulina, organic spinach, organic chlorella (cracked cell-wall), organic broccoli, organic dutch cocoa, organic redwood cocoa, organic cacao, natural chocolate flavoring, organic acai from Sambazon, organic maca, organic carrot, organic beet, raspberry, organic rose hips, pineapple, green tea, acerola cherry, organic flax seed powder, organic oat fiber, apple pectin fiber, F.O.S. (from chicory root), L. acidophilus, alpha and beta amylase, protease, lipase, lactase, cellulase, siberian eleuthero root, peppermint and organic sea salt. 100% Vegan

Green SuperFood

I have enjoyed this All Natural Green SuperFood powder. I’ve used it in smoothies and juices and love, love, love the taste of health it provides! I also love my Amazing Grass shaker cup. I use it all the time!

Want to increase your daily intake of veggies and fruits, but aren’t loving the idea of gobbling ‘em up raw until your jaws are exhausted from chewing? Why not whip up a smoothie or juice and toss some Amazing Grass SuperFood powder in? You’ll be pretty amazed at how much nutrition you can squeeze into a glass with this stuff. Seriously!!

Nutritional information (from the site):

Mix a tablespoon of Green SuperFood with juice, milk, a smoothie or your favorite beverage. One serving gives you the antioxidant equivalent of 7 servings of fruits and vegetables and helps you hit your daily quota.

Green SuperFood: All natural and organic ingredients include organic wheat grass, organic barley grass, organic alfalfa, organic spirulina, organic spinach, organic chlorella (cracked cell-wall), organic broccoli, organic pure acai from Sambazon, organic maca, organic carrot, organic beet, raspberry, rose hips, pineapple, green tea, acerola cherry, organic flax seed powder, apple pectin fiber, F.O.S. (from chicory root), L. acidophilus, alpha and beta amylase, protease, lipase, lactase, cellulase, siberian eleuthero root and peppermint. 100% Vegan.

How AMAZING Is This Stuff???

It’s easy to see why this company is called AMAZING GRASS – it truly IS amazing!!

Verdict/Grade?

Raw Juice Girl gives Amazing Grass TWO thumbs up and an A+ for sure! Any time you can pack this much nutrition into a scoop that can be added to our favorite juices or smoothies, you’re a winner in my book! I had a scoop of the All Natural Amazing Grass SuperFood powder in my green smoothie this morning – I just LOVE how it makes me feel!!!

Remember my 30-day juice fast? The WheatGrass samples Amazing Grass had sent me were a LIFE SAVER one some of my weaker days – it felt like it shot right through my bloodstream and pepped me right up!!!

And… Amazing Grass gets EXTRA points for offering you this:

Don’t forget: Amazing Grass has given Healing With (Raw) Juice readers a fantabulous discount: Just use the coupon code ‘hwj’ at check out — you’ll save 15% off your order!!!

Let the Contest Begin!

Here’s what you’ll win:

You’ll receive one 8.5oz bottle of Green SuperFood drink powder and one 8.5oz bottle of Chocolate Green SuperFood drink powder.

This combo pack gives you a two month supply of our Amazing Grass Green SuperFood and Chocolate Green SuperFood drink powders. If you’re like many of our customers you will be hooked on both. Try one in the morning and the other in the afternoon, or mix them together for a delicious supercharged dose of greens!

You’re allowed FOUR FIVE SIX entries for this contest:

Note: Please leave a comment for each thing you do (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. (DO NOT 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!

1. Visit the Amazing Grass website (by clicking on the above photo) and take a look around. Leave a comment sharing  any of their other products you’d like to try–and why, if you’d like to add a reason.
   
2. Do you Twitter? Tweet about this contest and then leave a comment with your Twitter name. You can swipe this tweet: RT @RawJuiceGirl is hosting a contest for @AmazingGrass Chocolate & Green SuperFood powders! http://tinyurl.com/ykcpwh5 Hurry & enter!
3. Do you Plurk? Plurk about this contest and leave a comment with your Plurk URL.
4. 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@gmail.com and let me know. It may have gone to spam for some reason.
5. Add Healing with Juices to your favorites on Technoratori. Comment again to let me know, with a link to your technoratori profile to show you added us.
6. Are you a Stumbler? Stumble and review any post you want to–just leave the link to your SU review in (its own) comment.

NOTE: REMEMBER TO LEAVE A COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY SO I’LL KNOW YOU DID THEM.

ANYONE can enter this contest. You DO NOT have to be in the United States. Oh, and I’ll be using Random.org to choose the winner….

Contest ends Thursday, October 22nd, at 9 p.m. (Central Time) so you have TWO WHOLE WEEKS to get all your entries in. Have fun trying to win!!

And a HUGE Thank You to Amazing Grass for sponsoring this contest!!!

What are you waiting for – get your entries in and start spreading the news about this AMAZING contest!! Eeeeek!!

Bring Eli Home for the Holidays!

In my previous post, I shared information about a boy, Eli, who is on his third heart. He wants to be able to spend the holidays at home – instead of in the hospital. Let’s help him do that!

More Contests

Mysti, at Dining Family,  is on a mission to help Eli be at home, with his family, for the holidays – and be healthier, too! She’s hosting an awesome contest, and there are SIX ways to enter! Get over there, quick!

Lots more contests are coming right up, so you’ll definitely want to stick around for upcoming, juicy details!

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!

Soda. This is something I gave up years ago not long after I began my weight loss journey. I had over 100 pounds to lose and I finally realized that artificial drinks (like soda) that were loaded with chemical sweeteners or tons of sugar were not helping me with my efforts at all. And I’ve avoided it ever since. That’s why I was SO excited when my RAWsome friend, Averie, posted her ZEVIA contest over on her blog, Love Veggies, Yoga, Running + Chocolate. And I was even more excited when I was one of the SIX winner! Eeeek!

NOTE: Averie’s ZEVIA contest is CLOSED. Sorry!

I’ve only tried one flavor so far: Natural Cola.

Zevia 100% Natural Soda

With Ice

Verdict/Grade?

I was pleasantly surprised when I took a sip of ZEVIA® Natural Cola and found that it truly tastes like Diet Cola! Amazing. Just so very neat. Seriously. You don’t always find healthier versions that taste like the “real” thing and so it’s super cool that ZEVIA has nailed this one! Thank you, ZEVIA, for creating these fantabulous sodas!

I feel confident giving ZEVIA® Natural Cola an A+!

Oh, but you want to know what’s in this natural soda, right? Check it out for yourself…

From the Site:

ZEVIA™ Natural Cola

ZEVIA™ Natural Cola stevia soda is the crowd-pleaser among the ZEVIA™ Natural Diet Soda varieties. Its classic cola flavor is rarely found in so-called “natural” soda brands because a traditional cola taste is difficult to perfect without artificial ingredients. ZEVIA™ Natural Cola with stevia is even more appetizing when you know that all the ingredients are absolutely pure and natural. The Zevia team spent extensive time (and drank a lot of colas and “test” product) to make sure this ZEVIA™ product would satisfy a cola drinker. Learn about the pure, all natural ingredients in ZEVIA™ Natural Cola.

Ingredients Include:

• - Stevia
• - Erythritol
• - Natural Caramel
• - Citric Acid
• - Kola Nut Extract
• - Natural Tartaric Acid
• - Natural Caffeine
• - Natural Furmaric Acid

I’ll also be reviewing the other flavors (ZEVIA® Natural Root Beer, ZEVIA® Natural Twist (lemon-lime), ZEVIA® Natural Orange, ZEVIA® Natural Black Cherry, and ZEVIA® Natural Ginger Ale) so be sure to subscribe so you won’t miss my thoughts on those!

Check out this contest for a coupon for Kombucha Synergy Tea at The Confessions of a SAHM blog. You have to have a blog to enter but all you have to do is mention the contest and link back to the contest post. This is my entry!

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’ll also be making a recipe page where you’ll be able to easily locate recipes for raw juices, smoothies, and now dehydrator creations!

Another contest has ended here at Healing with (Raw) Juices and another winner has been selected by Mr. Random (random.org). So, who gets to gobble up Natalia Rose’s wisdom on detoxing and women’s health?

Let’s see…

Mr. Random shot out #13, and who did that comment belong to?

Winning #

Winning Comment

Comment #13 belongs to Elizabeth, of the Don’t (White) Sugar-Coat It blog.

13 Elizabeth { 08.22.09 at 6:44 pm }

and i tweeted (@ellie88)
what is plurking?? google here i come!

And her comment sharing why she thinks she’ll benefit from Natalia Rose’s book, Detox 4 Women:

12 Elizabeth { 08.22.09 at 6:42 pm }

This sounds like an amazing book! I have never done a detox, and although i really want to, they always feel so daunting! I love that this book is tailored to women and that she allows for a little bit of cooked whole foods in it. I would also like to see what she has to say about irregular menses. thanks for the contest!

Congratulations!

And now you’ll find out–congrats to you, Elizabeth! Shoot me an email (healingwithjuices at gmail dot com) with your mailing address and I’ll get your book in the mail as soon as possible!

Upcoming Contests Featuring these Fabulous Companies

• Oh Nuts! (raw macadamia nuts and pecans) <— These are seriously delicious nuts–and they’re JUMBO sized!
• E3Live (Green-tasting (which I don’t mind!), but I REALLY notice that it’s making me feel better. It was definitely put to the test through my recent stressful events!)
• 2 books (Coconut Water for Health and Healing and Oil Pulling Therapy: Detoxifying and Healing the Body Through Oral Cleansing by Dr. Bruce Fife
• and MORE!

You’ll definitely want to stay tuned!

So… be sure to 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.

This is just a short post to let remind you about that latest contest that ends tonight, plus a bonus contest I discovered in the blogsphere today and wanted to share with you all. I’m working very hard to bring more reviews and contests to you, so I’ll be posting lots of good stuff soon!

Until then….

Contest #1

Detox 4 Women (by Natalia Rose) ends. Be sure to get those entries in!

Contest #2

Want some honey from Tropical Traditions? Then make like a bee and fly on over to the What’s for Dinner? blog and enter Mara’s Sweet as Honey Giveaway!

Upcoming Contests Featuring these Fabulous Companies

• Oh Nuts! (raw macadamia nuts and pecans) <— These are seriously delicious nuts–and they’re JUMBO sized!
• E3Live (Green-tasting (which I don’t mind!), but I REALLY notice that it’s making me feel better. It was definitely put to the test through my recent stressful events!)
• 2 books (Coconut Water for Health and Healing and Oil Pulling Therapy: Detoxifying and Healing the Body Through Oral Cleansing by Dr. Bruce Fife
• and MORE!

You’ll definitely want to stay tuned!

So… be sure to 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.

First, I’d like to remind you that tomorrow night, August 28th, at 9 p.m. (Central Time), the contest for Detox 4 Women (by Natalia Rose) ends. Be sure to get those entries in!

We have two winners!

The Food Matters DVD contest ended tonight, August 27th, at 9 p.m. (Central Time). There were two DVDs to give away, so when I went to visit Mr. Random (random.org), I went through the process twice. First up, comment #20. Who was this, you ask? Well, Crazy Vegan Mom, of course! Congrats to you!

Winner # 1

Winning entry:

20 Crazy Vegan Mom { 08.23.09 at 3:49 pm }

I tweeted, my tweet name is CrazyVeganMom
here is the url to my tweet http://twitter.com/CrazyVeganMom/status/3498329085

Winner #2

The second time around, Mr. Random shot out #32. And, who did that comment belong to? Stephanie, from The Skinny Plate! Congrats to you!

Winning entry:

32 Titan Peeler & Julienne Tool « The Skinny Plate { 08.27.09 at 7:31 pm }

[...] Check out these awesome giveaways: Food Matters, Detox 4 Women & [...]

Extra entry sharing why she wanted to win:

33 theskinnyplate { 08.27.09 at 7:41 pm }

Thanks for such a great giveaway. I think this DVD is a great motivational film to clean up my eating style.

Congratulations, Ladies!

Zip me an email with your mailing address (healingwithjuices at gmail dot com) and I’ll get your DVDs in the mail as soon as possible!

Upcoming Contests Featuring these Fabulous Companies

• Oh Nuts! (raw macadamia nuts and pecans) <— These are seriously delicious nuts–and they’re JUMBO sized!
• E3Live (Green-tasting (which I don’t mind!), but I REALLY notice that it’s making me feel better. It was definitely put to the test through my recent stressful events!)
• 2 books (Coconut Water for Health and Healing and Oil Pulling Therapy: Detoxifying and Healing the Body Through Oral Cleansing by Dr. Bruce Fife
• and MORE!

You’ll definitely want to stay tuned!

So… be sure to 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.

It seems like the blogosphere has contest fever!

I wanted to remind you all that the contest for the Food Matters DVD ends tonight, August 27th, at 9 p.m. (Central Time). I’ll be giving away TWO copies of this life-changing, phenomenal DVD!

Tomorrow night, August 28, at the same time, the contest for Detox 4 Women (by Natalia Rose) ends.

I’ve generously given you SIX ways to enter both of these contests to ensure you have every opportunity possible to win.

Bonus 1:

Ever heard of a Vita-Mix? If you’re in to raw nut butters, smoothies, and other healthy creations, I’m sure you have. Want to win one? I’m sure you do. Me, too! Eeek! How exciting, huh?

Well, Jessie Hawkins is hosting a contest for a Vita-Mix. Competition is fierce–and I DO mean fierce, people–so be sure to get those entries in! She gives you several ways to enter: comment, Facebook, Twitter, mention on your blog. Hurry, contest ends August 31st! Click here to enter. (Oh, and it’s valued at $450!)

Bonus 2:

Love Greek yogurt? I do! Heather over at Heather Bakes is hosting a Chobani Greek yogurt contest with all sorts of yummy flavors! Head on over for several chances to enter: via comment, linking back, and/or Twitter. Contest ends 8am Central DST this Friday, August 28th. Click here to enter.

First, I’d like to remind you about the OTHER contest I currently have running: Food Matters DVD Review + Contest. (Contest ends Thursday, August 27th. There are SIX ways to win!!)

Detox. This one short word is everywhere. We watch TV shows about it, buy books about it, search it online. Toxins are all around us in massive amounts. They’re in the air we breathe, a lot of the foods we eat, our water, our clothes, even bath and body products. What are we to do? How do we detox and get them out of our bodies? Natalia Rose to the rescue! I know her book is titled Detox 4 Women,  but she emphasizes that her tips aren’t for women only–men can find success with them, too!

I’d like to take a moment to thank Sharyn Rosenblum (of HarperCollins Publishing Company) and Natalia Rose (www.detoxtheworld.com) for graciously sending a brand-new copy for my review, and Natalia, for sponsoring this contest so one of you could own a copy of her latest book!

Detox 4 Women

What will you find in this detoxifying read?

Natalia has broken Detox 4 Women up in to 5 sections…

Part One: Detox for Women

This is the section where Natalia dives right into the world of detoxing, what it is, why you should detox, and much more. I particularly love a certain part where Natalia shares “A Path to Freedom”–a self-care philosphy for women, she says.

“Women are very good at persevering on sheer willpower–pretending they’re okay and presenting a face to the

world that falsely bespeaks contentment. But when you’re weight down by your body or your inner pain, no matter

how good an actress you are, you are suffering and missing out on the pleasures of a free, happy life.”–Natalia Rose

The above Natalia Rose quote is not only beautiful and true, it’s the foundation she sets this book’s theme upon. Yes, it is about detoxing like the title suggests, but it’s also about learning to love and care for ourselves, take time for ourselves, to learn that our lives–and most importantly, our health–matters.

Part Two: Three Steps to Detox

I won’t give away Natalia’s steps, but I will tell you that I strongly agree with all three of them! I have had quite a bit of personal experience over the past few years of detoxing. I’ve done this through raw foods, water fasts, juice fasts, herbs, colon cleansing, etc., so I do know just a little bit about the detoxing life.

I would like to mention (for you 100% Raw Foodists) that Natalia isn’t on the 100% raw bandwagon. While she definitely feels that raw foods have their place in our diets–and lots of them–she also feels that raw food was meant to be the foundation of our relationship with food, and not the only source.

She has a small section she titles “Raw Confusion”, where she shares her heart on this topic.

“The original intention of the raw food movement was to bring high-water-content plant food back into

the diet because it contained Life Force Energy andenzymes that the standard diet lacked. Raw food’s

origin was rooted in recognizing the value of simple food and it’s potential to clean cells.”–Natalia Rose

Natalia feels strongly that cooked, non-vegan food sources absolutely have their place in our lives.

Part Three: The Detox for Women Program

Here, you’ll find a “Detox for Women” test, toolbox, shopping list, and more. Natalia touches on those all-too-familiar stimulants like alcohol, nicotine, and coffee. She shares a “Day in the Detox Life” in which she starts with the question most of you would have: “Okay, I’m out of bed–now what do I do?” You’ll learn step-by-step exactly what to do. Natalia also includes a 30-day schedule for you to follow, including lifestyle tips.

A day during this 30-day schedule looks something like this:

• Wake up and follow her lifestyle tips
• Mid-morning, drink raw juices (recipes included)
• Sneak in some herbal tea
• Ideas for lunch (recipes included)
• Ideas for snacks (recipes included)
• Mid-afternoon = more lifestyle tips
• Ideas for dinner (recipes included)
• Ready for this? DESSERT! (Yep, she even tells you what to do about the dessert situation!!)

Natalia also emphasizes the importance of hygiene and devotes a page to body brushing.

Part Four: The Recipes

Um, guess what’s in this section?! LOL Yes, all sorts of recipes. (You deserve a reward!)

Have you been wondering about that herb called Stevia? Learn all about it in this section!

Natalia touches on cooked food in this section, too.

Then, she jumps right into the recipes:

• Raw Juices
• Soups
• Salads
• Raw and Cooked Vegetarian Entrees
• Sides and Snacks

There’s definitely a lot of variety here. I don’t think you’ll get bored or have too many out-of-your-mind cravings while adhering to her 30-day plan.

Part Five: Detox and Exercise

Here, you’ll learn even more about your health:

• Exercising
• Excuses we make for ourselves
• Energy
• The importance of oxygen
• and more

I love that Natalia is big on rebounding. It’s one of my favorite exercises (other than my new found love for yoga!)

Natalia also hits on a few health issues we women sometimes find ourselves with:

• Osteoperosis
• Polysystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
• Menstruation and Menopause
• Cancer
• Bladder Infections
• Thyroid Imbalances
• Body Odor
• Infertility

Do you have brittle hair and nails and/or horrid skin? Ever had an eating disorder? This section addresses those issues as well.

More Thoughts

If you’re looking to cleanse your body, improve your health, learn to find time for–and love–yourself, and discover creative, new recipes that will bring healthy additions to your table, this is the book for you!

I also love how throughout the book, there are pages here and there titled “Real Woman”, along with a real woman’s name, age, and location. They each share their stories, struggles with their weight, health trials, and more.

Detox 4 Life is not just a boring book filled with words telling you to cut out junk and take an enema. Natalia shares her heart and passion for life, health, and healing for her fellow women.

You can learn more about Natalia Rose, her work, and her other books on her website: www.detoxtheworld.com or her blog: www.detoxtheworld.com/blog

Let the Contest Begin!

You’re allowed FOUR FIVE SIX entries for this contest:

Note: Please leave a comment for each thing you do (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. (DO NOT 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!

1. Visit Natalia Rose’s website (www.detoxtheworld.com )and take a look around. Leave a comment sharing  anything that speaks to you and/or why you think you need this book in your life.
   
2. Do you Twitter? Tweet about this contest and then leave a comment with your Twitter name. You can swipe this tweet: RT: @RawJuiceGirl Win Detox 4 Life by Natalia Rose (a $17.00 value) http://bit.ly/qbxLy
3. Do you Plurk? Plurk about this contest and leave a comment with your Plurk URL.
4. 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@gmail.com and let me know. It may have gone to spam for some reason.
5. Add Healing with Juices to your favorites on Technoratori. Comment again to let me know, with a link to your technoratori profile to show you added us.
6. Are you a Stumbler? Stumble and review any post you want to–just leave the link to your SU review in (its own) comment.

NOTE: REMEMBER TO LEAVE A COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY SO I’LL KNOW YOU DID THEM.

ANYONE can enter this contest. You DO NOT have to be in the United States. Oh, and I’ll be using Random.org to choose the winner….

Contest ends Friday, August 28th, at 9 p.m. (Central Time) so you have a WHOLE WEEK to get all your entries in. Have fun trying to win!!

Check it out!

Run to the Finish is having a BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY. Run on over and enter!!

Upcoming Contests Featuring these Fabulous Companies

• Oh Nuts! (raw macadamia nuts and pecans) <— These are seriously delicious nuts–and they’re JUMBO sized!
• E3Live (Green-tasting (which I don’t mind!), but I REALLY notice that it’s making me feel better. It was definitely put to the test through my recent stressful events!)
• 2 books (Coconut Water for Health and Healing and Oil Pulling Therapy: Detoxifying and Healing the Body Through Oral Cleansing by Dr. Bruce Fife
• and MORE!

You’ll definitely want to stay tuned!

So… be sure to 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.

First, I’d love to extend a HUGE thank you to everyone involved with this amazing film, and for FoodMatters.TV kindly sponsoring this contest. Not only were they gracious enough to send a copy for me to review and glean wisdom from, they were generous enough to send TWO extra copies so TWO of you would have the opportunity to have the same experience as me and own a copy (a $24.95 value!)! Thank you!!

“Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.” – Hippocrates

The Father of Medicine

The people behind Food Matters believe that Hippocrates truly paved the way and laid the foundation for caring for our bodies–and so do I. Sadly, though, his natural approach to health has slipped through the cracks and is a distant memory for many, and is not yet known for others. Modern medicine has evolved to a place where the vast majority of our medical world focuses on prescription medicine, handing out scripts for bottle after bottle of pills that merely mask symptoms–when they even do that. You’re left with side effects you don’t know how to handle, so you go back to the doctor and you’re prescribed more pills. Treating illness now consists of chemical therapies that kill out our immune systems. We’ve reached a place where it’s “normal” to pop a dozen pills before we walk out the door to go to work and are on a schedule to take that many sometimes a second, and even a third, time within 24 hours.

Yet, so many in our world still ignore the fact that Hippocrates was right. His theory was right on: Our food is absolutely our medicine! Ever heard that phrase you are what you eat? I’m sure you have. I know almost everyone I talk to has heard it. Some live by it; it’s their creed. Others despise it, detest it, rebel against it, and downright refuse to believe that what they put into their mouths, their bodies, has anything to do with the way they feel, what their blood pressure levels are, or how their clothes no longer fit. Go figure…

Chapters

When you insert your DVD, you’ll notice there is a Chapters section. I love this because it gives you a sneak peek of what you’re in for! Don’t cheat, though. Start at the beginning and watch it all the way through. You’ll be so glad you did.

You’ll learn all sorts of awesome things! This film really makes you reflect on what you put in your mouth, how old it is, whether it’s really feeding your body–or if it’s feeding disease.

Note: You’ll also learn about natural cancer therapies and how to detox, lose weight, and keep it off!

Inspiration

I love the strong message of hope and healing Food Matters brings. As someone who has lost over 100 pounds and steadily improved my health by living a high-raw (and at times, 100% raw) food lifestyle + raw juices, smoothies, and juice fasting, I am extremely aware of how food is not only my medicine, but my strength, my healing, and literally my future–or the lack, thereof!

It excites me that as the film proceeds, anticipation about being healthier increases and you truly take away a sense of hope that it’s not too late to turn your health around in the right direction. Sure, it may take a while. Yes, it may be hard most of the time. But as long as we have a breath in our body, there is hope for better health! (I do realize there are situations that may be irreversible, where the patient is too near death to make a U-turn. So, I’m not preaching miracles here–although I do believe in ‘em! )

Experts

You’ll hear Experts chime in on why the quality of and type of food we eat truly matters. Here’s a glimpse of what each of them have to say about the medical industry, our non-organic farming methods, raw foods, and more…

“Good health makes a lot of sense, but it doesn’t make a lot of dollars.”–Andrew W. Saul, Ph.D, Therapeutic Nutrition Specialist and Author

“Dr. Paul Kouchakoff was the first to show in the 1930′s that if  you ate a diet that was more than 51% cooked food, that your body would react to the food as if it was being invaded by a foreign organism. Dr. Kouchakoff was the first to demonstrate that if 51% of your meals were raw, you’d have no leucocytosis; you’d actually have no white blood cell reaction, so your immune system would not be activated with a false alarm. Because we’re dealing with so many immune system issues today, we have to make sure that at least 51% of every meal that we have is raw so that we don’t overburden that already-overburdened immune system.” – David Wolfe

We have a winner!! I know everyone’s excited and anxious so I’ll just get right to it. The contest for the yoga mat (from The Bolder Mat Company) and the yoga DVD (by Stacy McCarthy, of Yoga Nama Stacy) has now ended. We owe a BIG thank you to both of these companies for sponsoring the review and contest and allowing us the amazing opportunity to enjoy their healthy products!

By the way, it always hurts me that I can’t give away whatever prize I’m offering to each and every one of you…

On to business: There were 65 comments in all, and I used random.org to select a winner.

Here’s Mr. Random’s answer:

So, who was the lucky owner of comment #58?

PlaidEarthWorm (Beth Bartlett, of www.plaidearthworm.com)!!

Her winning comment said:

58 plaidearthworm { 08.19.09 at 5:55 pm }

You should get the pingback, but I thought I’d let you know I also mentioned you and the contest on my personal blog: http://plaidearthworm.livejournal.com/21207.html

Her first comment (there was seven ways to enter):

45 plaidearthworm { 08.15.09 at 10:47 pm }

Before today, the last time I tried to do yoga a year ago, I cried, because I was too heavy to do the poses anymore, and didn’t have enough room in my living room to move my big body. Today I did 45 min. of yoga b/c I’m 90 lbs lighter. It felt great! I’d love to win Fish Wish, so I can keep swimming upstream against the stress.

Congratulations!

I’m so happy for you, Beth! Comment #45 is a real tearjerker, in my opinion! Let me tell you, folks: Beth has been on a journey to improve her health. I’ve lost over 100 pounds myself, so I know that her losing 90 pounds is NO EASY TASK! I commend her for sticking to it and keeping her eye on the prize.  She’s persevered and deserves applause–and this prize! *claps hands*

So, keep swimming, Beth. Keep swimming! Just zip me an email (healingwithjuices at gmail dot com)with your mailing information and I’ll get it to the companies. They’ll be in touch with you and you’ll get to tell them you want that Fish Wish mat. I know you’ll enjoy years of yoga with your mat and DVD. Yay!

Didn’t win?

Don’t worry! There are a TON of upcoming contests!!

You’ll definitely want to stay tuned!

Be sure to 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 PLUS get to enter all sorts of awesome contests!