FTC Disclaimer: The products featured in this post were sent to me, compliments of NuNaturals. These products were free to me. However, I was NOT paid to post them, write about them or promote them in any way. The only compensation I received was these products themselves.

A HUGE thank-you goes out to the generous folks at NuNaturals!!!

What I received:

* Stevia, 100 packets

* Stevia, Alcohol Free Glass Bottle (2 oz.)

* Morefiber Stevia (14 oz.)

* Stevia, Vanilla Alcohol Free (2 oz.)

* Stevia Clear, Plastic Bottle (2 oz.)

* Stevia Pure Bottle (1 oz.)

* Stevia, Cocoa Bottle (2 oz.)

* Vanilla Extract, Alcohol Free (2 oz.)

* Vanilla Beans (2-pak)  

Now, on to freebies and discounts for YOU!

FREE SAMPLES

      (Open to all Continental U.S. readers.)

Just send a self-addressed, stamped #10 envelope to NuNaturals at the following address:

NuNaturals, INC
2220 West 2nd Ave. # 1
Eugene, OR  97402

SPECIAL DISCOUNTS

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY – ENDS JUNE 30, 2012

Be sure to take full advantage of SPECIAL DISCOUNTS on all future orders only available from ordering through the NuNaturals website :
www.nunaturals.com

When you to www.nunaturals.com CHECKOUT PAGE just enter this DISCOUNT CODE:

BLG0612

And you will receive a SPECIAL DISCOUNT of…

15% on your TOTAL ORDER.

FREE SHIPPING, TOO!!!

By ordering from www.nunaturals.com, you will ALSO receive FREE SHIPPING to the CONTINENTAL U.S. on all orders TOTALING  $35.00, and over, AFTER this special discount.

Have you ever tried NuNaturals Stevia? Well, if you haven’t, take advantage of the free samples, discount code, and FREE SHIPPING!! I’ll be back soon… I have a SURPRISE for you all!!!

And don’t forget to see if you’re the Chobani giveaway winner!

FTC Disclaimer: The kind folks at Chobani sent a case of their Greek yogurts for me to sample. I was not paid to write a review. The case of yogurt being given away in this post is being provided by Chobani. I was not paid to host this giveaway.

Did you read my Chobani Greek yogurt review yet? If not, you can click here. Go ahead, I’ll wait for you to come back….

Finished? Good.

As you could tell from the review, I simply cannot say enough good things about this yogurt. The company and people behind it are awesome and provide such a rich, creamy, healthy, luscious, decadent, fresh AND refreshing yogurt that I’m simply and utterly blown away!

I’m so very honored to have the opportunity to host this giveaway for you. If you’re like me, you’d heard about Chobani all over the web for quite some time but maybe it isn’t sold in your area or for whatever reason, you haven’t taken the leap to try it yet.

Well, now’s your chance to WIN an entire case of Chobani yogurt!

This giveaway is open to both US & Canadian residents, though Canadians will just receive the flavors available up there: Strawberry, Peach, Black Cherry, and Pomegranate.

To enter this contest, there’s only…

ONE Required Entry!!

 

Visit www.chobani.com and let me know which product you’d most like to try – AND come back and leave a comment letting me know that you did. That’s it – easy peasy!

BUT… If you want to put in a little extra effort….

(and receive a LOT of extra entries – aka chances to win) keep reading…

Numerous ways to get extra entries!

Note: Don’t forget the above, one required entry.

2. For FIVE EXTRA ENTRIES, share this contest on your blog, linking back to this post. Leave FIVE SEPARATE COMMENTS to let me know you did. (Yep, you’ll really leave FIVE different comments for this so you’ll be able to get five extra entries. )

3. “Like” Chobani on Facebook. Then, come back here and leave a comment to let me know you did that – or that you already are.

4. “Like” Raw Juice Girl on Facebook. Leave a comment on this post saying you did-or that you already are.

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

6. Do you use Twitter? Follow @RawJuiceGirl on Twitter. Comment on this post, saying you did- or do.

7. Follow @Chobani on Twitter. Leave a comment on this post that you did that.

8. Tweet about this contest and then leave a comment with your Twitter name. You can use this tweet (or your own, just be sure to include via @RawJuiceGirl @Chobani) – Then, leave a comment that you did – with your Twitter name or status link.

@Chobani @RawJuiceGirl are giving away a case of yogurt! Enter now!! (http://tinyurl.com/85t92vo) Ends 2/18 US & CA

FOR EVEN MORE ENTRIES: For tweets and Facebook shares,  you may share the contest up to 5 times a day, but each tweet/share must be 1-2 hours or so after the previous one. (Thanks so much for understanding my position of keeping things fair and square, y’all!)

9. Subscribe to Healing with (Raw) Juices via e-mail (sign up here) – be sure to verify your subscription or this entry won’t count.Then comment and let me know you did – or that you already are.

10.  Subscribe to Healing with (Raw) Juices via RSS (sign up here). Then leave a comment telling me you did – or that you are.

11. Subscribe to Raw Juice Girl’s newsletter (sign up here ). Then comment here and let me know you did -or that you already have.

NOTE: Please leave a comment for each entry (tweet, facebook share, etc.) because each comment will be counted as a number when I enter the total number of comments at Random.org once the contest ends.

Contest Deadline: Saturday, February 18, 2012

I’ll accept comments until midnight. (Central Time).

Random.org will be used to select the winner, who will be posted the next day.

That gives you TWO WEEKS to get your entries in! Hurry and spread the word.

The more entries you have, the higher your chances of winning this rich, creamy giveaway!!

Go tell all your friends and have FUN!!!!

Let the contest begin!!!

Hurry and get your entries in, so one of these lovely boxes will be arriving on YOUR doorstep!

Disclaimer: NuNaturals has sent samples in the past. They did allow me the opportunity to host this giveaway for you. However, I was not paid to write a review or host a contest and there are no affiliate links to them in this post.

Hi, y’all!

First of all, I’d like to apologize for the technical difficulties I’ve had lately. I have absolutely NO idea why a Christmas-themed post went live. I did not just write and publish that. I received some emails and I think some of you thought I was still wishing it was the holidays but I was away from the computer for a few days and a couple of things posted that weren’t meant to.

Also, a review published that I didn’t mean to go live. It was actually still a work-in-progress and I hadn’t finished tying up ends with the sponsor yet so I apologize for that as well. Bear with me as I work to get back into the swing of things, okay? Thanks, I appreciate it!

I have super exciting news for FOUR of you! Woo hoo! I can’t believe I was able to host this amazing giveaway and give FOUR of you the opportunity to win sweet prizes! Yay!

And what you really want to know is WHO are those lucky folks who get to receive sweet gifts from NuNaturals, right? So, let’s find out!

Winner #1

Winner #1 Comment

Winner #2

Winner #2 Comment

Winner #3

Winner #3 Comment

Winner #4

Winner #4 Comment

Thanks to everyone who entered and congrats to the winners! At the request of www.NuNaturals.com, I need the following information:

At the conclusion of your NuNaturals contest we request you collect info from all four (4) winners to include their full name, specific address, city, state, zip, & email. We CAN NOT SHIP TO P O BOXES.

Enjoy your sweet prizes!

And don’t forget about the SPECIAL BONUS :

www.NuNaturals.com  has been very gracious and generous and have offered an amazing deal – group of deals, actually, for HWJ readers.

Check out this AWESOME tidbit of info, folks:

We authorize you to announce immediately our " FREE SAMPLES " program to ALL of your Continental U.S. readers where they can receive
" FREE SAMPLES " of our NuStevia Packets by sending a SELF-ADDRESSED, STAMPED, # 10 envelope to us at the following location :

NuNaturals , Inc.
2220 West 2nd. Ave. # 1
Eugene, OR 97402

How cool is that?! 

And – get this! – as part of NuNaturals’ appreciation, all HWJ readers can get…

Drum roll, please???

15% off your total order at www.nunaturals.com!

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY!!!!

Woo hoo!!!

Just enter the code BLG228 when placing your order.

AND….

When ordering from www.nunaturals.com, you’ll receive FREE SHIPPING (!!!) to the Continental U.S. on all orders totaling $35.00, and over, AFTER this special discount.

This offer is EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY and ENDS FEBRUARY 28, 2011.

www.NuNaturals.com was especially generous with their products….  A HUGE THANK YOU goes out to them!!!

Hi, y’all! Hope you’re having a fantabulous day! I know ONE of you will after reading this post – because one of you is the lucky winner of a super cool and eco-friendly, 5-piece PeopleTowels set PLUS ecopouch to carry/store them in!

I have lots of cool stuff in store for you all, including upcoming posts on health benefits of various foods, more reviews and giveaways, and fun, personal stuff!

But y’all don’t want to hear about that now, right? You want to know if you won this giveaway!

On to the details…

There were 83 entries and as usual, I visited Mr. Random (at www.random.org) to see who he felt should win the prize. It didn’t take him long to give me an answer.

And who does #59 belong to? Theresa H!

CONGRATULATIONS, Theresa!!!

Didn’t win? Don’t feel bad!

You can still enter my NuNaturals Giveaway — FOUR of you will be lucky winners!!! ENTER HERE!!

And…

Check out the PeopleTowels BLOG!

Get YOUR PeopleTowels online HERE. Or see if they sell at a location near you.

“PeopleTowels’® mission is to empower ordinary people and socially responsible companies to contribute to a sustainable environment by replacing paper towels with reusable PeopleTowels.”

Go green and/or give the gift of green, with PeopleTowels!

Disclaimer: www.PeopleTowels.com sent their products for me to sample. I was not paid to write this review and there are no affiliate links in this post.

I’m so glad y’all enjoyed reading about my special delivery from the generous folks at PeopleTowels, as well as my in-depth PeopleTowels Review. I know I said I wasn’t going to focus only on reviews/giveaways (and I’m not) but the opportunities that have come up have been TOO good to pass up, y’all! Seriously! I have SO much cool stuff in store for you – you don’t even KNOW!

Okay, you are ready for a giveaway, right? You want to get down to business and learn how to win your OWN 5-day PeopleTowels supply + Eco Pouch to carry them in, huh?

Let’s get started!

Giveaway Rules

ONE Required Entry!!

Visit www.peopletowels.com and let me know which design(s) most appeal to you OR why it would be important to you to try these eco-friendly hand towels – AND come back and leave your answer in a comment. That’s it – easy peasy!

BUT… If you want to put in a little extra effort….

(and receive a LOT of extra entries – aka chances to win) keep reading…

Numerous ways to get extra entries!

OVER 20 ways total to enter this contest!!

Note: Don’t forget the above, one required entry.

2. For FIVE EXTRA ENTRIES, share this contest on your blog, linking back to this post. Leave FIVE SEPARATE COMMENTS to let me know you did. (Yep, you’ll really leave FIVE different comments for this so you’ll be able to get five extra entries. )

3. Like PeopleTowels on Facebook. Then, come back here and leave a comment to let me know you did that – or that you already are.

4. Like Raw Juice Girl on Facebook. Leave a comment on this post saying you did -or that you already are.

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

6. Do you use Twitter? Follow @RawJuiceGirl on Twitter. Comment on this post, saying you did – or do.

7. Follow @PeopleTowels on Twitter. Leave a comment on this post that you did that.

8. Tweet about this contest and then leave a comment with your Twitter name. You can use this tweet (or your own, just be sure to include via @RawJuiceGirl @PeopleTowels). Then, leave a comment that you did – with your Twitter name or status link.

@PeopleTowels @RawJuiceGirl #ecofriendly #giveaway Enter now!! ( http://healingwithjuices.com/2011/01/people-towels-review/ )

FOR EVEN MORE ENTRIES: For tweets, Facebook shares, or Plurk you may share the contest up to 5 times a day, but each tweet/share must be 1-2 hours or so after the previous one. (Thanks so much for understanding my position of keeping things fair and square, y’all!)

9. Comment on this post: PeopleTowels Review, letting me know your thoughts and/or questions. Come back here and leave a comment so I know you did. If you’ve already commented on that post, just comment here letting me know you already have a comment there.

10. Subscribe to Healing with (Raw) Juices via e-mail (sign up here) – be sure to verify your subscription or this entry won’t count. Then comment and let me know you did – or that you already are.

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

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

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

14. Add me as a friend on Wellsphere . Leave a comment saying that you did- or do.

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

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

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

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

19. Do you have a Digg account? Digg this post. Come back and leave a comment on this post with a link to your Digg post.

20. Sign up for the PeopleTowels free newsletter (bottom, left side of their website). Leave a comment that you did.

21. Sign up for the PeopleTowels YouTube channel. Leave a comment that you did.

NOTE: Please leave a comment for each entry (tweet, plurk, etc.) because each comment will be counted as a number when I enter the total number of comments at Random.org once the contest ends.

Contest Deadline

I’ll accept comments until midnight. (Central Time). Random.org will be used to select the winner, who will be posted the next day.

CONTEST ENDS TUESDAY, JANUARY 25TH, 2011.

Hurry and spread the word. The more entries you have, the higher your chances of winning this awesome, eco-friendly giveaway!! Go tell all your friends and have FUN!!!!

Let the contest begin!!!

Hey, y’all! I know I just posted yesterday – and thank you for all the lovely feedback (via comments, social media messages, and emails!) regarding my husband and “new” pink bike. You all made me feel fantabulous! And so now I have something for you. Genesis Today is running a national contest and contacted me about letting my readers in on the sweet deal. I will be reviewing their juice in an upcoming post but to give y’all maximum time to enter their giveaway, I’m posting it now. I’m sure you’re cool with that, eh?

They sent me the following information:

GENESIS TODAY SHAKING UP THE JUICE MARKET

“Orange Juice Had A Good Run,” but now there is something better for you. Genesis Today, one of the country’s fastest growing juice brands and emerging leader in the superfood consumer category, is changing the perception of your morning glass of orange juice with a new line of superfruit juices. Now that these incredible Superfruit juices are available at Walmart, maybe it’s time you try them for yourself.

“There is a shift in tide currently under way in the beverage market. This new beverage trend is all about the ‘halo of health’ around beverages with purpose – juices created with more antioxidants and vitamins than ever before and made with unique fruits and natural compounds like Acai, Goji berry and Resveratrol,” according to Dr. Lindsey Duncan, Founder & CEO of Genesis Today.

Dr. Lindsey Duncan is a Naturopathic Doctor and Certified Nutritionist, who has been a trusted leader in the natural health products industry since 1983. After leading a successful nutrition practice in Santa Monica and logging over 40,000 hours of clinical experience, Dr. Lindsey wanted to do more. Dr. Lindsey has brought the superior, customized nutrition he had given his celebrity clients to everyone in America because he believes that no matter what your financial situation or your exercise routine, you deserve to be healthier, now.

ANTI-OXIDANTS. PRO-NUTRIENTS.

Every Genesis Today product is packed with so many nutrients, minerals and antioxidants that just one serving a day is all you need to start meeting your health goals. Genesis Today’s Superfruit juices are available in three flavors: Acai Berry, Cranberry Goji, and Pomegranate & Berries with Resveratrol. Genesis Today wants you to switch out your morning glass of orange juice for a healthier option. Try it now and feel the difference.

ENTER TODAY FOR A HEALTHIER TOMORROW!

Genesis Today will choose one lucky Grand Prize winner to receive the “Ask Dr. Lindsey – Prize Pack.” This will include a personal health consultation from Dr. Lindsey Duncan himself suited to your specific health and nutritional needs and will include a three (3) month supply of Genesis Today products – a $600 value. Second Place will receive a three (3) month supply of Genesis Today Superfruit juices, and 25 Runners up will receive a free bottle of Genesis Today Superfruit juices.

Enter now at: http://genesistoday.emgpromotions.com/

For more info on Genesis Today and Dr. Lindsey visit genesistoday.com

Available now at your local Walmart or Sam’s Club.

You can find more information on Genesis Today at the following links. You can even follow them on Twitter (@GenesisToday) and/or Facebook!

Genesis Today Links

Contest:

http://genesistoday.emgpromotions.com/

Videos:

Dr. Lindsey Duncan – Genesis Today on The View

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6RaoipQN1s&feature=related

Dr. Lindsey Duncan – Genesis Today on Bloomberg Television

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlffewXAVuU

Dr. Lindsey Duncan – Genesis Today – Discusses Health Juice line

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS-huTzjPCY

Or, visit their website: http://www.genesistoday.com/ 

I realize this is a little different than my usual giveaways and I normally put more of a personal spin on things but in order to get this out to you at lightening speed, I decided to go this route this time. Get yourselves busy entering. Have fun and best of luck to you!

Disclaimer: The generous folks at Genesis Today were kind enough to send me a couple of their juices to sample. However, I was not paid to write a review – or even asked to write one. And I’m not being paid to host this giveaway either. There are no affiliate links in this post.

Thank you to Genesis Today for hosting this super cool giveaway and allowing 27 people a chance to win!!

Disclaimer: The generous folks at the Aurorae Yoga company were kind enough to send me a beautiful, luxurious yoga mat from their collection to review. They also sent their Sport Sweat Towel and their Yoga Slip Free Rosin Bag. However, I was not paid – or asked – to write a review or host a contest.

Thank you, Aurorae!

Hi, y’all! How are ya?

SO sorry for the delay on posting the winner! I do hope you’ll forgive me.

For one, I’ve been super busy on the farm. Who said Amish livin’ was peaceful and serene? It’s hard work and chaos, I tell ya! Well, I suppose the peace and quiet is thrown in there, too.

Two, there’s been a gazillion things pulling me in a gazillion directions and every time I came to work on this post, I got pulled away. Ack!

Anyway….

I’m excited to announce the winner of the Aurorae Yoga giveaway. I know y’all have been anticipating this day for two weeks so let’s get to business, shall we?!

There were 116 entries. And, as usual, I visited Mr. Random (www.random.org) to find a winner.

I totally wish each and every one of you could have won this prize – but only one takes away this awesome Aurorae Yoga package today…

And who does #103 belong to?

Well, it belongs to Emily of Random Recycling!

Emily@random recycling said:

Just signed up for the newsletter.
Thanks!
Emily
Emily@random recycling´s last blog ..Green Decorating Ideas for Summer Parties

Enjoy yoga-ing, Emily:-D

Didn’t win? Don’t worry! You can still get yourselves the same awesome Aurorae set!

Get an Aurorae Yoga mat HERE!

The Aurorae Yoga Sport Sweat Towel HERE!

And/or the Aurorae Yoga Slip-Free Rosin Bag HERE!

Thanks to everyone who entered! Look for ANOTHER Aurorae Yoga review and giveaway in the future! And a VERY, VERY special thank you to the fine folks at Aurorae Yoga who made this AWESOME giveaway possible!!!!

And….

Congrats, Emily! You’ll hear from me soon!!!

Happy Saturday, y’all! Hope your weekend is fantabulous so far. And Happy Mother’s Day to YOU!!! I’m very blessed to have an AWESOME mom, and I’m very thankful!!

Okay, you want to know who WON, right? And not my chattiness. I understand!

Up for grabs was the super neat Easy Lunch Boxes set, which is an eco-friendly way to transport your meals and/or snacks to school, work, during travel, or even just for a picnic on a beautiful day. You can read my in-depth review HERE, if you missed it. I urge you to check it out!

Click HERE to see if you won!!!

Disclaimer: Easy Lunch Boxes provided me with a 4-container set and lunch bag (as shown in my photos below). However, I was not asked to write a favorable review in exchange for the free products. I wasn’t asked to write a review or mention them at all. The opinions in this post are my own.

Thank you, Kelly!!!

If you love the environment and the convenience of eating well, you’ll love this giveaway!

Updated to add WINNER

Woo hoo! Finally time for you to find out who won!

There was 131 entries. I visited  Mr. Random (www.random.org) to select a winner.

He chose comment # 55.

And who did comment #55 belong to?

Well, that would be….

Julia, from the eco-friendly blog: Easy Eco To Go! Julia is raising her children to be aware of our beautiful environment, and I know this prize will be a wonderful Mother’s Day surprise for her!! Way to go, Julia. Keep up the great work!!

Julia @ Easy Eco To Go said:

I follow you on twitter @easyecotogo
Julia @ Easy Eco To Go´s last blog ..2 Green Thumbs Up For Gardening!

Congratulations, Julia, and Happy Mother’s Day!!!

Please read the contest rules before entering. Comments are moderated so you won’t see your entries right away. Thanks!

Contest Rules

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 – and each comment represents your entry number.

There is only ONE required entry for this contest – but if you REALLY want to win, there are several (fun) extra ways you can enter following…

But first, you may want to read my in-depth Easy Lunch Boxes review. Just in case this is your first time visiting Healing With (Raw) Juices, or you missed my review, you can check it out here:

Winner receives an eco-friendly Easy Lunch Box System (a 4-container set + a lunch bag cooler)!! And you get to choose the (lunch bag cooler) color!!!

ONE Required Entry

Visit www.EasyLunchBoxes.com and come back and leave a comment letting me know something you learned or like, or which color cooler bag you’d most like to have, OR which colors they should offer if you don’t see your favorite color. That’s it – easy peasy! 

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!

There are 20 ways to enter this contest!!

2. For FIVE EXTRA ENTRIES, share this contest on your blog, linking back to this post. Leave FIVE SEPARATE COMMENTS to let me know you did. (Yep, you’ll really leave FIVE different comments for this so you’ll be able to get five extra entries. )

3. Become a fan of Easy Lunch Boxes on Facebook. Then, come back here and leave a comment to let me know you did that – or that you already are.

4. Become a fan of Raw Juice Girl on Facebook. Leave a comment on this post saying you did -or that you already are.

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

6. Do you use Twitter? Follow @RawJuiceGirl on Twitter. Comment on this post, saying you did – or do.

7. Follow @EasyLunchBoxes on Twitter. Leave a comment on this post that you did that.

8. Tweet about this contest and then leave a comment with your Twitter name. You can use this tweet (or your own, just be sure to include via @RawJuiceGirl @EasyLunchBoxes) – Then, leave a comment that you did – with your Twitter name or status link.

Win an #ecofriendly @EasyLunchBoxes set (via @RawJuiceGirl) Enter now!! ( http://tinyurl.com/2cqy7uz )

FOR EVEN MORE ENTRIES: For tweets, Facebook shares, or Plurk you may share the contest up to 5 times a day, but each tweet/share must be 1-2 hours or so after the previous one. (Thanks so much for understanding my position of keeping things fair and square, y’all!)

9. Comment on another recent eco-friendly post of mine (Organic Companion Gardening, Sunny Days, Flowers, Fresh Air) and let me know if you garden. Do you take your eco-friendly bottle to the garden with you? Come back here and leave a comment so I know you did. If you’ve already commented on that post, just comment here letting me know you already have a comment there.

10. Visit my eco-friendly Easy Lunch Boxes Review and leave a comment letting me know what you like about my review, the company, the water bottle, the design, living green, etc. Come back here and leave a comment letting me know you did that. If you’ve already commented on that post, just comment here letting me know you already have a comment there.

11.Comment on one of my Recipes posts and let me know which recipe you’d love to pack in your Easy Lunch Box system. Then come back here and let me know you did that. If you’ve already commented on that post, just comment here letting me know you already have a comment there.

12. Subscribe to Healing with (Raw) Juices via e-mail (sign up here) – be sure to verify your subscription or this entry won’t count. Then comment and let me know you did – or that you already are.

13  Subscribe to Healing with (Raw) Juices via RSS (sign up here). Then leave a comment telling me you did – or that you are.

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

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

16. Add me as a friend on Wellsphere . Leave a comment saying that you did- or do. 15. Add me as a friend on RawFu. Leave a comment saying that you did- or that you area.

17. Add me as a friend on Give it to Me Raw. Leave a comment saying that you did- or that you are.

18. Subscribe to Raw Juice Girl’s YouTube channel. Leave a comment saying that you did- or that you are.

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

20. Do you have a Digg account? Digg this post. Come back and leave a comment on this post with a link to your Digg post.

NOTE: Please leave a comment for each entry (tweet, plurk, etc.) because each comment will be counted as a number when I enter the total number of comments at Random.org once the contest ends.

Contest Deadline

Contest ends Friday, May 7. I’ll accept comments until midnight. (Central Time). Winner will be posted the next day.

That gives you TWO WEEKS to get your entries in. Hurry and spread the word. The more entries you have, the higher your chances of winning an eco-friendly Easy Lunch Boxes System! Go tell all your friends and have FUN!!!!

Let the contest begin!!!

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!!!

Dislaimer #2: This post contains affiliate links. I signed up of my own free will – after I personally used (and LOVED!) the Easy Lunch box system. So, if you click on any of the links or graphics and end up purchasing something, I will receive a small commission. Thank you in advance for your understanding, and your support of my hard work and in-depth reviews of healthy, eco-friendly, user-friendly, Raw Juice Girl-approved products!

Before getting in to this Kombucha Tea review, I just wanted to thank everyone for your kind and encouraging words regarding my Living With Rheumatoid Arthritis + Fibromyalgia post. Besides your comments on that post, I’ve received messages on various social media sites, as well as emails. I appreciate every message – your words mean a lot to me!

Now, let’s talk about Kombucha!

“We use the very same generation of Kombucha culture that GT Dave used when he first started bottling it from his mother’s kitchen. Now we have thousands of cultures that give birth to new "babies" everyday.” — www.synergydrinks.com 

Kombucha Tea. Interesting, isn’t it? I’ve discovered quite a few folks have no idea what it even is, or why you’d drink it. I know I didn’t. I mean, fermented tea? Really? I wasn’t so sure about this stuff! This, coming from a gal who has sipped organic apple cider vinegar (with Mother!) water for years.

But I’m known to be naturally curious, so I had to see what all the excitement (aka hype in the blogospohere) was about.

Fun Fact!

“In his autobiography, Nobel Prize winner Alexander Solzhenitsyn wrote that drinking Kombucha helped him survive the Siberian slave camps of the former Soviet Union.” —  www.synergydrinks.com

You may remember my review of Passionberry Bliss. It was really good, but it was my first-ever Kombucha experience – so I almost spewed it out my mouth as soon as I tasted it.

I had bought Passionberry Bliss with my own money, but today’s review is sponsored by www.synergydrinks.com – the kind folks at Synergy sent me some coupons so I could sample a variety of their flavors!

So, what’s the big deal? What is Kombucha and why should you drink it?

From their FAQ page:

What’s in Kombucha and how do these ingredients support health?

Kombucha culture has a wide range of organic acids, probiotics, acids and enzymes that give it its extraordinary value. Here’s a brief look at the benefits of each:

Beneficial Probiotics - Due to the prolific presence of pesticides, antibiotics, and preservatives, the beneficial micro-organisms present in our bodies are being destroyed and killed off on a regular basis. These friendly microbes play a huge role in our digestive and immune systems. Therefore, it is crucial that they are replenished from natural sources like kefir, yogurt, and Kombucha. Our beverages contain Lactobacillus Bacterium and S. Boulardii, which can help support a healthy digestive and immune system.

Live Active Enzymes - Active Enzymes are generally only found in foods that have not been cooked, processed, or refined. They are like the “spark plugs” for the body’s cells because they put “life” back in our bodies. If you think about it, the body is a living thing; why would you feed it something that is dead?

Polyphenols - These are antioxidants that fight off the free-radicals that stress the body and compromise its youth and health.

Organic Acids
These nutrients can help promote tissue and blood alkalinity and help normalize the natural process of homeostasis throughout the body.

Lactic acid helps maintain healthy digestive action (through the probiotic lactobacilli) and for energy production by the liver.

Acetic acid is an antiseptic and inhibitor of pathogenic bacteria.

Glucuronic acid, normally produced by a healthy liver, is a powerful detoxifier and can readily be converted into glucosamines, the foundation of our skeletal system.

Usnic acid has selective antibiotic qualities which can partly deactivate viruses.

Oxalic acid encourages the intercellular production of energy, and is a preservative.

Malic acid also helps the liver to detoxify.

Butyric acid protects human cellular membranes, and combined with Gluconic acid strengthens the walls of the gut in order to combat yeast infections such as Candida.

Nucleic acids, like RNA and DNA, transmit information to the cells on how to perform correctly and regenerate.

The fermented tea comes in a variety of flavors and there’s pretty much something for everyone.

The flavors in the above photo are (starting at the top-left):

• Superfruits
• Trilogy
• Mystic Mango
• Raspberry Rush
• Passionberry Bliss
• Strawberry Serenity
• Cosmic Cranberry
• Guava Goddess
• Divine Grape
• Gingerberry

I, of course, am reviewing the Strawberry Serenity flavor today.

Strawberry Serenity

Pros

There are a LOT of pros with this tea. This stuff is pungent, in my opinion. I compare it to apple cider vinegarwith Mother. It is, after all, fermented and has a strong, tart taste. But it also tastes good. Make sense? I love the taste and I think it’s fantabulous that while I’m drinking something I enjoy, I’m reaping health benefits galore. Some benefits believed to come from drinking fermented tea are:

• better digestion
• healthier hair, nails, and skin
• enhanced eyesight
• increased energy
• relief from arthritis pain
• help eliminating toxins
• speedier healing from cold and flu
• better circulation
• improved blood pressure levels
• relief from gout
• and much, much more!

Pretty amazing, huh?

And it fizzes and sort of tastes like soda to me!

Cons

Price. Not everyone can afford to pay $3 – $4 for a bottle of fermented tea. But there are two servings in each bottle, so you could drink half and save the other half for either the next day or another time – that would result in you paying only $1.50 – $2 per serving.

But sometimes you can catch a crazy good sale and stock up like Brittany, over at Eating Bird Food.

And if you only like to drink things that taste sweet or super great, you may have to convince your mind to drink Kombucha Tea. I’ll be honest, it isn’t for everyone’s taste buds. I have found, though, now that I’ve had a few different flavors (those reviews are coming soon) it is actually “growing on me” and I like it a lot! Kombucha Tea is addictive!

Verdict/Grade

I give Synergy’s Strawberry Serenity GT Kombucha Tea a B+ because the strawberry flavor shines through nicely and it’s yummy. And although it’s a little expensive for a super frugal gal like me, I’d actually buy this with my own money. It isn’t something I can buy often, I would definitely splurge for this once in a while.

And I love the company’s mission statement:

“To combine the wisdom of ancient medicinal foods with the resources of the modern day to create products that uplift and enlighten the health of all those who enjoy them.”

Are you a Kombucha drinker? Do you drink it occasionally or have to have it all the time? Do you make your own or stock up from the store, or online? Share your Kombucha experiences – and if you have a recipe, share!

Coming Next

• Agave: Why I Was Hesitant to Use It, And Won’t Be Using It Anymore
• Health Benefits of Blackstrap Molasses – And Why I Drink It
• More reviews and giveaways!

Contest Alerts

Averie, over at Love Veggies & Yoga, is having a raw food book giveaway.

I’m giving away a jar of Tropical Traditions raw honey.

Disclaimer: The kind folks at www.synergydrinks.com sent me coupons so I could sample a variety of their teas; however, I was not paid to write this review. I was not asked to feature their site, company information, or even mention them. The thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Thank you, Synergy!

Also, the organic apple cider vinegar link to Amazon is an affiliate link. So, if you order anything once you’ve clicked that link, I’d make a small commission. Thanks in advance for supporting Raw Juice Girl’s blogging efforts!

I’m pleased to announce that Healing with Juices is once again in contest mode! I’ll be posting a new contest tomorrow featuring awesome products from Navitas Naturals. This is a fantabulous company. They have super customer service, great products, and it’s an honor that I get to review and host a contest for some of their goodies!

What will you win?

The winner of this contest will receive THREE awesome prizes!!

An eco-friendly canteen!

A package of yummy raw cashews!

A package of tasty goji berries!

I’m busy writing a deserving review of the above and the contest will launch with that post (like always). I’m so excited to be back in contest mode again, you all. I love, love, love being able to inspire you to eat healthier by offering you healthy treats!!

Upcoming Contests Featuring these Fabulous Companies

• 2 books by Nomi Shannon, The Raw Gourmet (These two books have GORGEOUS photos and the recipes are amazing!
• 2 Food Matters DVDs (Haven’t had a chance to watch this one yet, but do check out their site–they have a RAWsome message to share!!)
• Detox 4 Women by Natalia Rose (I read this book last night and it’s awesome; it really helps you understand water retention, etc!)
• Living Tree Community (Raw almond butter and organic coconut mango persimmon butter!)
• 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!)
• 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.

Hi, y’all!! Hope you’ve been enjoying this beautiful weather as much as I have!

We have lots to catch up on….

The other day Danica from Danica’s Daily posted that she received her free Moo MiniCards, compliments of FoodBuzz. I commented and she asked if I’d share when I got my cards, too. So, Danica, here they are! How exciting, huh?

I forgot to take a photo of the back of the package, but Moo chooses to leave a lighter footprint on our beautiful Earth by using recycled materials for the box the cards arrive in and they also print the cards on paper retrieved from sustainable forests!! Give ‘em a hand for being an eco-friendly company!

I love these little MiniCards. They’re small, convenient to carry, and on the back they have all the important info: my name, website URL, e-mail address, and that I’m a Featured FoodBuzz Publisher. Love them! Definitely check out the site. They’re a fun, creative company!!

A big, heartfelt THANK YOU to FoodBuzz and Moo!!

Keep watching for more contests: you’ll be competing for organic coconut oil, raw nuts, goji berries, raw nut butters, more books and DVDs, and more–so don’t miss out on upcoming posts!

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.