Hybrid Rasta Mama

There is No Universal Truth When It Comes To Parenting

2012-05-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the I Am Mom! Enough! Carnival hosted by Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama and Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children.

This Carnival is dedicated to empowering ALL parents who practice and promote and peaceful, loving, attachment parenting philosophy. We have asked other parents to help us show the critics and the naysayers that attachment parenting is beautiful, uplifting, and unbelievably beneficial and NORMAL!

In addition to the Carnival, Joni from Tales of a Kitchen Witch and Jennifer from True Confessions of a Real Mommy are co-hosting a Linky Party. Please stop by either blog to share any of your posts on the topic.

Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants. Post topics are wide and varied, and every one is worth a read.

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There are a few things that are universal about children.

Children are like speed bumps…they force us to slow down.

Children are like uneven pavement…they trip us up and we sometimes stumble.

Children are like Zen proverbs…they really cause us to think.

Children are like Yogis…the stretch us beyond our comfort zones.

Children just are. They live life moment by moment, day by day. They don’t judge and condemn the way adults do. They don’t criticize or lash out in a verbal assault against the three year old next door who is still breastfeeding.

We could learn a thing or two from children. That open acceptance of our differences as human beings. The truth that it is ok to do things differently.

Sadly enough, there is no universal truth when it comes to parenting…unless you count the fact that parenting philosophies, approaches, and styles will always be pitted against each other in the vicious cycle of mommy wars.

Parenting is not one-size-fits-all. Age, gender, cultural norms, religion, class, ethnicity, geographic location, education, sexual orientation, experiences in your own childhood and soooooo much more all contribute to who you become as a parent to your own children.

My attachment parenting, Rudolph Steiner infused approach to mothering Tiny might look VERY different if I was a mother in Iceland. Or Korea. Or Kenya. Or India. Or Iran.

Guess what – this is ok. It is more than ok.

Why?

Because I would be mothering in the best way I knew how. No matter where I lived. Because that is me. And I am Mom! So enough with the judgements.

In Japan, parents and other adults (like teachers or care providers) turn a blind eye when fighting breaks out between children. Acting as if they don't see the fighting is "a performance intended to encourage the children to relate to each other and solve their own problems rather than" turning to the adult in charge. Letting children fight? Is this terrible parenting?

In France, children are exposed to a much more diverse array of food than American children. Pate, duck, and cheeses with impossible names are par for the course. French parents subscribe to the philosophy that children do not have to like something but there is no wiggle room when it comes to trying it once. Forcing a child to try a food and a rather exotic one at that? Are French parents doing it all wrong?

In many island communities (like the Polyneisan Islands, Haiti, and Jamaica for example) parents looked after children when they were infants, but gave the child over to a group of other kids (siblings, relative, friends) when they had learned how to walk. Toddlers learned how to quiet infants and older children learned how to keep younger ones happy. This gives more free time to parents who are performing tasks for the community like fishing. Letting children care for other children? Are these islanders “good” parents?

In Lebanon, extended family plays a key role in daily life. Relatives always care for children. A babysitter is never hired. Furthermore, children are included in every activity. There are no “date nights” and “me time.” Therefore, children bear witness to a lot of adult interaction that could be construed as too far outside of the developmental readiness. But can we accuse Lebanese parents of making a poor parenting choice?

In India, a woman typically gives birth at their parents’ home then stays there for several months while her parents take care of the baby so that she can recover. Clearly, the mama in India is not doing as much bonding as is customary in other parts of the world. Does this make her a bad parent?

In Brazil, nannies are considered a necessity, not a luxury. Many parents are working 2 or 3 jobs to pay for the basics. When they get home, parents place a high value on spending time together as a family and therefor, do not waste time and energy on discipline. Children are left alone to simply be children. Would you consider this to be a questionable parenting approach?

In Argentina, children stay up much later at night than children in Europe, Canada, and the United States. In fact, Argentinian parents don’t fret over sleep at all. Young children are known for staying up until the wee hours of the morning during times of celebration. I have yet to meet a parent, even an unschooler, who would feel comfortable with letting a 3 or 4 year old stay up all night. But does it mean that Argentinian parents are wrong?

In Israel, pacifier use is common until age 3 or 4 but potty training is completed by 2, period. Are these practices acceptable?

There is no “perfect” way to care for children, only trade-offs in which parents weigh the needs of the child against the constraints of daily life. What works for one set of parents may not work for another, and what is considered normal is only a cultural definition. Kids all over the world grow into healthy adults.

So let’s agree to disagree and lets promise each other that we will spend more time worrying about OUR children and how WE can parent them in the best way possible and less time on what others are doing.*

Peace and Love,

Jennifer

*I want to make it perfectly clear that if I suspect a child is being abused, I will absolutely take the necessary steps to ensure that child’s safety. Although I completely disagree with circumcision, spanking, and a host of other parenting practices, I will NEVER tell another parent that he or she is doing it all wrong. I will educate if the opportunity presents itself, but I will not condemn.

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Thank you for visiting the I Am Mom! Enough! Carnival hosted by hosted by Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama and Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children.

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants and check out previous posts at the linky party hosted by Joni from Tales of a Kitchen Witch and Jennifer from True Confessions of a Real Mommy:

Good Enough? — Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy writes about how Good Enough is not Good Enough, if you use it as an excuse to stop trying.
The High Cost of High Expectations JeninCanada at Fat and Not Afraid shares what it's like to NOT feel 'mom enough' and wanting to always do better for herself and family.
TIME to Be You! — Becky at Old New Legacy encourages everyone to be true to themselves and live their core values.
I am mom and I have had ENOUGH — A mother had had ENOUGH of the mommy wars.
Motherhood vs. Feminism — Doula Julia at juliamannes.com encourages feminists to embrace the real needs and cycles and strengths of women.
There Is No Universal Truth When It Comes To Parenting — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama discusses how parenting looks around the world and why there is no universal parenting philosophy.
Attachment Parenting Assumptions — ANonyMous at Radical Ramblings argues that attachment parenting is not just for the affluent middle-classes, and that as parents we all need to stop worrying about our differences and start supporting each other.
Thoughts on Time Magazine, Supporting ALL Mamas, and Advocating for the Motherless — Time Magazine led That Mama Gretchen to think about her calling as a mother and how adoption will play an important role in growing her family.
Attachment Parenting: the Renewed Face of Feminism — Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children embraces her inner feminist as she examines how the principles of attachment parenting support the equal treatment of all.
What a Mom Wants! — Clancy Harrison from Healthy Baby Beans writes about how women need to support each other in their different paths to get to the same destination.
Attachment Parenting: What One Family Wants You To Know — Jennifer, Kris, 4 year old Owen and 2 year old Sydney share the realities of attachment parenting, and how very different it looks than the media's portrayal.
We ALL Are Mom Enough — Amy W. of Amy Willa: Me, Mothering, and Making It All Work thinks that all mothers should walk together through parenthood and explores her feelings in prose.
A Typical Day Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment shares what a typical day with her attached family looks like...all in the hopes to shed light on what Attachment Parenting is, what it's not and that it's unique within each family!
The Proof is in the (organic, all-natural) Pudding — Kym at Our Crazy Corner of the World talks about how, contrary to what the critics say, the proof that attachment parenting works in visible in the children who are parented that way.
I am mom and I have had ENOUGH A mother had had ENOUGH of the mommy wars.
Time Magazine & Mommy Wars: Enough! What Really Matters? — Abbie at Farmer's Daughter encourages moms to stop fighting with each other, and start alongside each other.
Attachment parenting is about respect — Lauren at Hobo Mama breaks down what attachment parenting means to her to its simplest level.
I am an AP mom, regardless... — Jorje ponders how she has been an Attachment Parenting mom regardless of outside circumstances at Momma Jorje.
The first rule of Attachment Parenting is: You Do Not Talk about Attachment Parenting — Emily discusses, with tongue aqnd cheek, how tapping into our more primal selves actually brings us closer to who we are rather than who we think we should be.
Mom, I am. — Amy at Anktangle discusses how Attachment Parenting is a natural extension of who she is, and she explains the ways her parenting approach follows the "live and let live" philosophy, similar to her beliefs about many other areas of life.
I Breastfeed My Toddler for the Nutritional Benefits — Christine at African Babies Don't Cry shares why 'extended' breastfeeding is not extreme and how she is still nursing her toddler for the nutritional benefits.
I Am Dad Enough! — Attachment parenting does not only have to be about moms; their partners are just as important. In Code Name: Mama's family, Dionna's husband, Tom, is papa enough for lots of things.

Making Whey Protein and Cream Cheese: Try These Unique Food Products

2012-05-27T05:30:00.000-07:00

Today I am pleased to present a guest post on "whey." This little powerhouse is simple to make and has so many health benefits! Enjoy a great post!

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When the word “whey” is mentioned, you probably think about whey protein powder, a product that many athletes and health enthusiasts rave about. However, whey protein powder is already a processed product. It’s ready to be mixed or added to protein drinks and smoothies.

But just because whey protein is very popular doesn’t mean it’s the only pure protein source you can try. There is another natural product that you can try: raw whey protein.
What is Raw Whey Protein?

Raw whey protein, sometimes called the “gold standard of protein,” is a byproduct of cheese and milk. Even in the early times, whey protein was already consumed for its many uses. Hippocrates, called the “Father of Medicine,” even advises his patients to consume whey protein.

It’s easy to go into a store and purchase a canister of whey protein, but did you know that you can enjoy a more natural, homemade version of this food? In fact, you can make homemade whey in the comfort of your kitchen!

Making Homemade Whey is Easy

Many natural health enthusiasts are fond of homemade whey, since it is very useful for traditional cooking. Whey can be used to make:

fermented vegetables, such as kimchi, sauerkraut, and pickles
probiotic drinks
healthy and delicious smoothies
fermented condiments (ketchup and mayonnaise)

The good news when you are making whey is that you will be creating another delicious product: cream cheese! This delicious cream cheese can be used as a spread, an addition to different desserts, sauces, and salad dressings, and as a baby food.

Making homemade whey is no sweat – all you need is raw milk, yogurt, or milk kefir. Just remember that milk kefir or raw milk will give you whey with a slightly cloudy appearance – this means that there are milk solids in the finished product. If you want clear whey with no milk solids, though, then buy store-bought yogurt instead, made from whole milk. You will then get a very clear whey product.

You will also need a strainer material to separate the whey from the cheese. Cheesecloth is the best choice, but if you don’t have any in your home, just use small cloth napkins or a dish towel – anything with a fine weave will suffice.

Follow These Steps in Making Whey (and Cream Cheese)

Allow your milk to curdle. If you are using raw milk, let it to sit on the counter for one to seven days, until it separates into curds and whey. If you are using yogurt or milk kefir, though, you can skip this step.
Get a colander or strainer and put it over a glass bowl. Using your cheese cloth or napkin, line the strainer. Make sure that no part of the cloth or napkin hangs outside the colander. Otherwise, your whey will drip out of the bowl.
Get the separated raw milk, yogurt, or milk kefir and put it in the cloth. Leave it at room temperature for four to eight hours. The whey will drip out of the cloth and directly into the bowl. Afterwards, push the cloth over the top and transfer it to the fridge. Allow this to sit overnight.
Enjoy your whey and cream cheese! The next morning, you will find whey in the bowl and cream cheese in the cloth.

Make sure you properly store the whey and cream cheese in clean, separate containers. Keep them in the refrigerator to make them last longer. You can use the whey for at least six months, and the cream cheese for at least a month. Enjoy making delicious foods with these two unique ingredients!

About the Author

A lover of traditionally fermented foods, Mishka Thomas is a nutritional expert, freelance writer, and mother of two. She has recently discovered the methods of making raw whey protein and cream cheese, and hopes to share it with other natural health enthusiasts who want to improve their diet and overall quality of life. Aside from taking care of her adorable kids, she loves going to the gym, participating in marathons, and swimming at the beach. Mishka currently lives in Los Angeles, California.

The Scoop on Poop Plus a Squatty Potty Giveaway (U.S. and Canada; 06/03)

2012-05-26T05:30:00.000-07:00

Yep – you read that right. Today we are diving into the fascinating world of poop. Specifically, we are going to get up close and personal about HOW you poop.

Like it or not, everybody poops. Some of us poop more than others. Some of us are great poopers. Some of us have some serious pooping woes. Many of us are somewhere in the middle. Bathroom habits are sort of a taboo topic of conversation. And yet, we all poop!

So let’s put that elementary school bathroom humor aside for a minute and get down to the business of pooping positions. Trust me, you need to keep reading because chances are you are going about the business of pooping all wrong.

Poop has the same basic exit strategy in most every living creature. By exit strategy, I mean it comes out of a small hole in the middle of your bottom end. We don’t have an option when it comes to elimination. Food goes in, waste goes out, and the cycle continues.

Most of us like to make this whole evacuation process much harder than it needs to be. Have you ever stopped to consider WHY a dog or a cat squats to poop? I’ll admit, unless I am keeping a vigilant eye on my dog to prevent any, er, “post-poop snacking,” I really don’t care to scrutinize his elimination behavior.

But guess what? Dogs and cats and many other animals are really onto something with the whole squat and poop thing. Think about it. They squat, they poop, they move on. There is not a lot of straining, very little time spent pooping, and certainly no need to settle in for a long, drawn out process.

When I went to Europe many years ago, I was appalled at the facilities available at rest stops and in many train depots. The rest rooms were composed of these holes in the ground, some with handles on either side of the hole, others without. At the time, there was no way on the planet that I was doing my business in some hole whilst squatting like a cavewoman. No thank you. Give me my hard white toilet seat and a magazine and leave me be.

I have since changed my tune.

A few years ago my mother-in-law was telling me how she would poop when she was growing up in Sri Lanka. They would go to a little shed with a hole in the ground. There were large stones on either side. The depositor would place his or her feet on the stones which would elevate the legs and force the depositor into a squatting position. Apparently, poop would fly on out in record time and with virtually no effort.

I decided to give it a try. NO – I did not set up some crazy nature contraption in my backyard. Instead, I perched on the edge of my toilet like a bird and gave it a go. Not exactly optimal but I did notice that the position made things a wee bit easier. Over the next few months I tried various props and positions but eventually gave up.

I literally stumbled on a product that caught my attention. The Squatty Potty is a very special stool designed to put you in the proper position to effectively poop. Now, before I get into the details of this great invention, let me give you a brief run down of WHY you should be squatting instead of sitting when you poop. It is time to review the mechanics of going to the bathroom.

People can control their defecation, to some extent, by contracting or releasing the anal sphincter. But that muscle can't maintain continence on its own. The body also relies on a bend between the rectum (where poop builds up) and the anus (where poop comes out, in case you didn’t know). When we're standing up, the extent of this bend, called the anorectal angle, is about 90 degrees, which puts upward pressure on the rectum and keeps feces inside. In a squatting posture, the bend straightens out, like a kink ringed out of a garden hose, and defecation becomes easier. Sitting on a conventional toilet produces an anorectal angle that's ill-suited for defecation.

Here is a little list of why squatting is the preferred pooping position:

Makes elimination faster, easier and more complete. This helps prevent "fecal stagnation," a prime factor in colon cancer, appendicitis and inflammatory bowel disease.
Protects the nerves that control the prostate, bladder and uterus from becoming stretched and damaged.
Securely seals the ileocecal valve, between the colon and the small intestine. In the conventional sitting position, this valve is unsupported and often leaks during evacuation, contaminating the small intestine.
Relaxes the puborectalis muscle which normally chokes the rectum in order to maintain continence.
Uses the thighs to support the colon and prevent straining. Chronic straining on the toilet can cause hernias, diverticulosis, and pelvic organ prolapse.
A highly effective prevention for and non-invasive treatment of hemorrhoids, as shown by published clinical research.
For pregnant women, squatting avoids pressure on the uterus when using the toilet. Daily squatting helps prepare one for a more natural delivery.

Convinced that you should be squatting? Ok good. Now let’s talk about that Squatty Potty!

The wonderful folks over at Squatty Potty were kind enough to send me one to test out. I’ll spare you all the gory details here but be warned…I need to talk about MY poop. I’m doing this for your benefit – just remember that!

After the holy grail of squatting contraptions arrived, I got it set up and waited. And waited. And waited. I have ulcerative colitis and NOT pooping is typically not the issue. Painful, frequent pooping is typically the issue. Of all days to get a shy colon…

My patience paid off and eventually I had to poop. I climbed aboard the Squatty Potty, got into the proper position and WHOOSH ZOOM! Sweet poop almighty! This Squatty Potty sure made my poop happy. Seriously. I think I broke a record with how quickly I finished my business. But the best part…pooping was not nearly as uncomfortable as it typically is. Yes, I had my usual colitis cramping but the exit? Pretty flawless.

Being a natural skeptic, I wasn’t going to base my review on a one-time event. I used the Squatty Potty for two weeks as often as I could. With the exception of one little glitch (my daughter grabbed the Squatty Potty out from under me and hauled it away) the position it allowed me to poop in worked wonderfully. Seriously folks. I would not joke around about poop! Squatting is the way to go!

I am a convert. You won’t catch me sitting to poop. Nope. I am all Squatty Potty, all the time. And you can be too! Here’s how…

Thanks to the good folks over at Squatty Potty, you can win the Squatty Potty of YOUR choice! Yep – even the super fancy, primo deluxe version can be yours…

Mandatory Entry – Visit the Squatty Potty website and tell me which Squatty Potty you would choose and ONE thing you learned from the website. Leave a comment below with your email address if it is not linked to your profile.

Want extra entries?

Follow Squatty Potty on Facebook, Twitter, You Tube or all three. Let me know in a second comment which ways you are following them by.
Sign up for the Squatty Potty newsletter and let me know in a third comment that you did.

Giveaway opens today, Saturday, May 26, 2012 and closes on Sunday, June 3, 2012 at 11:59pm. Winner selected via random.org.

Don’t want to poop incorrectly and can’t wait to see if you have won? Then head over to the Squatty Potty store and pick up your very own! Prices range from $29.95 to $79.95 depending on the model!

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Read more about this great resource at my Ebook Store page. Get your copy today for only $5.95!

Full disclosure, if you order through any link here, I will get a little something for your efforts. However, even if I didn’t get anything, I would still tell you about the Squatty Potty and insist that you use one. It really is just so freaking cool!

30 Responses to Parenting Criticisms

2012-05-25T05:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome to May edition of the Authentic Parenting Blog Carnival, hosted by Authentic Parenting and Mudpiemama. This month’s topic is “Parenting Practices and Criticism”. Please scroll down to the end of this post to find a list of links to the entries of the other participants. Enjoy!

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A while back I wrote about how judgment of others is natural and not necessarily unhealthy. It is condemnation that becomes the real issue. While I did receive a few comments and emails that opposed my line of thinking, most everyone who spoke up about my post agreed that it is near impossible to avoid judging others and that yes, condemnation was the line that need not be crossed.

I received two VERY good questions as a result of that post. The first asked me to discuss how I dealt with being judged for my parenting approach. The second asked me to elaborate on how I would verbally respond to those individuals who made rude or naïve statements about my parenting practices both in theory or in action.

I do not have a hard and firm response to how I “deal” with judgment. It really depends on who is doing the judging. I would respond differently to a family member than I would to a total stranger. I would respond on a case-by-case basis depending on what I am being judged for.

Sometimes judgment warrants a response. Other times it really needs to be ignored. And of course there are the times that someone’s judgment might actually get you thinking…for a good reason.

My mother-in-law used to judge my mothering, especially in my early days as a first time parent. I took offense to it when in fact she was only trying to impart a little wisdom. She was not trying to question my instincts or my decisions. She was simply trying to support me and make life a tad bit easier for me. However, I took every single thing she said as a complete condemnation of my decisions as a mother. Today, I enjoy hearing her advice and anecdotes about her experiences mothering her two children (who are 20 years apart!) I realize that she is not intruding on my mothering. She is simply trying to better understand my choices and philosophies so that she can support me as well as Tiny.

I mention this as an example of how my OWN view of judgment has evolved. What I once viewed as judgment is now nothing more than advice that I can take or leave. Today, I view judgment more as critical comments or obvious looks of disproval from casual acquaintances and strangers. I am lucky in that my family and close friends (both in real life and virtual) support me, even if they do not parent in the same way I do.

The question of how I verbally respond to judgmental comments is a great one! I think that there are a lot of respectful ways in which to either respond to the commenter or in which to educate the commenter. In either case, I think it is important to pick your battles. Most of the time it is simply not worth the time and energy to change someone’s mindset about YOUR decision. Other times it is. I won’t spend a lot of time educating a 75 year old man on the reasons why I don’t worry about Tiny playing in the “dirty” creek. I will spend time educating a disposable diapering mama on the benefits of cloth is she makes a critical comment about how much work that must be for me. (But I won’t spend too much precious time doing so or preaching to a deaf ear!)

Having said that, here are 30 ways in which you can respond to critical or judgmental comments about many parenting decisions and practices. I kept them generic so that you might apply them to your specific situation.

Thank you for pointing that out.
Hmmm…interesting point of view.
That’s interesting. What makes you think that?
Yes, I have considered that. It just does not work for our family.
I make parenting decisions based on what works for us.
I respect your opinion and value your advice, but I have thought this out carefully and done a lot of research, and my mind is made up. I will be happy to respect your opinion and listen to what you have to say, but you have to respect my decision–and it is MY decision.
Your concern is appreciated but please do not waste another second worry about my decisions.
My child is happy and healthy. I am confident that what I am doing is the right choice.
I had not given much thought to that point of view. Thank you for sharing.
Although I disagree, thank you for taking a moment to share your thoughts.
I understand that you have a different opinion but I wish you would not have expressed it in such a judgmental manner. (If the person making the comment does so in front of your children you can add in – I do not think it was kind to say that in front of my children).
Would you be interested in why I do XYZ?
Perhaps I can shed some light on my decision.
Things have changed since your generation was raising children. In fact, many studies have shown that there are different ways to do things now. It doesn't mean that what you did was wrong, it just means that there is more information now.
What new parents really need is support, not judgment. It can really break a new mom’s spirit to hear comments like yours. Good thing I am confident in my decisions.
As the mother of this child, this is what I want and need to do for my child right now.
That's interesting. Unfortunately, my child doesn't like (insert action/thing here).
I've tried that, but my child responds better when I do this.
This is my child and my parenting choice and I will not discuss it anymore.
I’ve researched this, discussed it and have decided . . .
That is good in theory, but in practice it is not as easy.
That works when the child is not yours but when you are dealing with your own child things get trickier.
I know it might not work for everyone, but we’ve decided . ..
I’ll consider that.
There is probably some truth in what you have expressed.
Ask, "Why do you ask?"
Use humor. If someone asks how long you are going to breastfeed for you can respond with something like "Well, what do you think they have recess for?"
Ok.
F$%K off! (Just kidding! I wanted to see if you were paying attention or if I lost you!)
Ignore the comment or look. Pretend you never heard it.

If you are repeatedly criticized by someone you can’t avoid, plan ahead for the next attack. First, recall what the person usually says. Plan a respectful response and practice it in your mind or with a person who knows the criticizer and what he or she might say or do. Start your response by acknowledging the other person’s feelings or perspective. "I can understand how you might feel that way . . ." OR ". . . how it might seem that . . ." Then set limits or express your feelings respectfully, "I feel . . ." or "I’ve decided to . . ." Speak for yourself, without attacking them. Remain firm. Don’t defend or explain yourself, unless someone is truly interested in your opinion.

I adore the article the La Leche League posted on their site about dealing with criticism. Their five methods of responding chart is a wonderful tool. I have included it below but please visit the full post for some additional ideas.

Five Methods of Responding to Criticism

Example	A grandmother is concerned about a baby sleeping in the parents' bed.	She might say, "Carmen, I just can't believe that you and Kelly don't put Chloe in that beautiful crib."
Ignore	Avoid eye contact, turn away, walk away, change the subject	That reminds me that I still have a load of laundry to get in. Would you watch Chloe for a moment?
Inform	Refer to an authority, such as a medical professional, a book or article	Although sleeping with a baby seems like a bad idea to you, I have several books that recommend it. Or, Would you like to read what Dr. Sears says about how sharing sleep may help prevent SIDS in NIGHTTIME PARENTING?
Humor	Make fun of yourself or the situation, not the other person	You know, you might be right. If I have to go away to college with her and sleep in a dorm, that'll get old fast!
Acknowledge	Acknowledge the other's viewpoint without agreeing or ask a question to shift the focus to the other person	I know you think having Chloe in our bed is a mistake. It's working for us so let's just agree to disagree, and not talk about it anymore. Or, What was it like for you when your children were babies? How did they sleep?
Empathize	Open the door to further conversation, demonstrate your understanding of the other's feeling and meaning	You're worried about Chloe sleeping in our bed because you think it's dangerous. You don’t want her to be hurt. Or, You're concerned about our relationship because it seems to you that with Chloe in our bed we'll never have any private time.

So tell me…how do YOU respond to judgments and criticisms of your parenting choices? Any tried and true responses?

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Visit The Positive Parenting Connection and Authentic Parenting to find out how you can participate in the next Authentic Parenting Blog Carnival!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

Stepping out of the box and dealing with criticism — Stoneageparent shares how she deals with criticism over her parenting choices
BEWARE of Sanctimommy — Amanda at Blinded by the Light talks about how recognizing your own inner-sanctimommy and how it will facilitate ways to deal with other criticism in your life.
We're on the same team — Brittany from The Pistachio Project shares about how we should support and respect each other because we already get enough criticism from the outside world.
30 Responses To Parenting Criticisms — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama shares 30 ways in which you can respond to parenting criticisms.
A Case for the Dramatic — A smart-alec response to a stranger's view by Jennifer from True Confessions of a Real Mommy.
I Could Never... — Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children discusses how the phrase "I could never" really means "I would never want to" and how owning our words and actions can lead to understanding and empathy.
Admiration For A Parent's Strength— Jennifer at Our Muddy Boots shares her admiration for parents who continue to make parenting choices in the best interest of their child even when those closest to them disagree.
Assumption Free Zone — Paige @ Baby Dust Diaries challenges us to cultivate kindness for everyone; even if you disagree with them.
Perfection, Criticism, Parenting and The Sock Police — Ariadne @ The Positive Parenting Connection is sharing how parenting has been an excercise in overcoming perfectionism and handling criticism.
Silencing the Voices In My Head — At Authentic Parenting, Laura writes about fighting her inner critic.
Tackled from the Sidelines — Marisa from Deliberate Parenting reveals what parenting choices she makes that are most often questioned and how she is coming peacefully to the defense of her decisions.
Different Strokes — Justine from The Lone Home Ranger shares the method she uses to explain her family's "crunchy" differences to her preschooler.

Essential Oils and Sun Protection - A Guest Post

2012-05-23T05:30:00.000-07:00

Today I am pleased to welcome Carrie Raab back as a guest poster! I am loving her posts on all things essential oil and hope you are too! Thank you Carrie for taking the time to share your essential oil expertise as it relates to staying safe in the sun!

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It is almost summer and that means fun in the sun! When it comes to being in the sun, we need to use precautions. Have fun but be safe.

A few things to remember when you are having fun in the sun:

Drink plenty of water. Just because you might be in the swimming pool or in the ocean, or lake doesn’t mean you don’t need water. Even more so! By the time you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated.
Pack healthy snacks for on the go. This will help your pocket book not to mention your health.
Take a beach umbrella or find a shady spot to rest in, periodically, when outdoors for a lengthy time.
Wear a hat and sunglasses.
Apply natural sunscreen every 2-3 hours.

In regards to sunscreen, do you look at the label and read the ingredients? Do you know what you are putting on your body? Rule of thumb… What goes ON your body, goes IN your body. (I am learning too, so don’t feel guilty). Can you pronounce the ingredients that are in your products? How many ingredients are listed? The fewer the better. These are some things to notice.

Why use or make an all natural sunscreen?

Like so many of our hair, skin and personal care products, most sunscreen ingredients are toxic for the body. Did you know that sun block has a caution that states “…may be carcinogenic?” Do you realize that means it is known to cause cancer? Isn’t skin cancer the reason we use traditional sun block?

Now you can make your own! By using YL essential oil products, you can give health to your body while you are protecting it! Using toxic creams and lotions is one of the reasons why we have the skin conditions we encounter today. To catch you up on just one product that is listed in many of our skin care products, read about Propylene Glycol.

If you want to use all natural sunscreen and don’t want to purchase any, consider making your own. All natural sunscreens can easily be made with pure therapeutic grade essential oils and a carrier oil, like coconut, jojoba, avocado, grape seed oil, or V-6 oil. Essential oils have been used for thousands of years to both prevent and to treat sunburns.

Which essential oils are the best for sunscreen protection?

Lavender, Helichrysum, Roman Chamomile, Frankincense, and Myrrh are excellent at providing sun protection.

Which carrier oils are best for sunscreen protection?

Coconut, Jojoba, Avocado, Grape seed oil, Olive or YL V-6 oil.

The mentioned above essential oils and carrier oils have low SPF protection. When it comes to using essential oils and carrier oils, we want to use the best quality oils available because they are absorbed into your skin! This is why I use and highly recommend Young Living essential oils and Tropical Traditions.

What Essential Oils Should I Avoid in the Sun?

Remember to avoid essential oils that contain citrus; and this includes your blends! These oils are photosensitive and can create skin spots or discoloration of the skin.

Interested in making your own sunscreen? Here are a couple of Sunscreen Recipes!

Recipe #1

1/4 cup oil (coconut, olive, jojoba, grapeseed, YL V-6 are good)
5 tsp Zinc Oxide (available online or in many stores on the diaper aisle, just make sure it is pure zinc oxide)
1 TBSP Beeswax or emulsifying wax
3 TBSP natural aloe vera gel (not the kind with alcohol or propylene glycol)
1/2 cup distilled water
2-3 capsules of Vitamin E oil
30 drops of Essential Oils of choice (I recommend using 3 essential oils with 10 drops each)

Heat Oil and beeswax on double boiler until just melted. Remove from heat, and add vitamin E and essential oils. Put into bowl that will not be used for food, and add zinc oxide powder, set aside. In small pan, heat water and aloe vera until just warm. Add the water/aloe mixture slowly while whisking vigorously. SPF 20. Add more zinc oxide to increase SPF protection.

Recipe #2:

• 1 small sauce pan

• 1 med sauce pan

• Handheld mixer

• Empty bottle-(safe for essential oils)

• 5 oz. oil (coconut, jojoba, avocado, V-6)

• 1/2 oz. beeswax

• 4 oz. distilled water

• 2 tbsp. powdered zinc oxide

• 10 drops YL Myrrh essential oil

• 10 drops YL Lavender essential oil

• 10 drops YL Frankincense essential oil

• 1 tsp Sulfurzyme

Place medium sauce pan on stove with about 1 cup of water. Put smaller pan inside medium pan. (Make sure the water doesn’t come over the edges..only cover bottom of pan) Turn heat to medium …bring water to a very LOW boil. Combine oil and beeswax in the small pan and warm over medium heat. Remove from heat and pour in distilled water. Mix with electric handheld mixer until the ingredients are thick and smooth. Add zinc oxide & Sulfurzyme …mix well. Drop in YL Essential oils. Mix well, store in empty V-6 bottle, or other eco- friendly safe nontoxic bottle.

In my recipes I am referring only to Young Living’s Essential Oils, which are clinically tested by ISO and AFNOR standards to be 100% pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils. These oils are medicinal quality. Most essential oils on the market are “extended” with petrochemicals. As the essential oils industry is tested by the same standards as the perfume industry, it is legal for them to say they are 100% pure therapeutic grade oils, even when they are “extended.” This is industry standard. You will not get the same results when using other oils.

Have you ever made your own sunscreen? Sound fun or silly? Would love your comments and (positive) feedback! Have any tips or information you can share with us? Please comment below.

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About Carrie- Young Living Oil Lady

Carrie, owner of Young Living Oil Lady, loves people and desires to listen and help them whether it is a spiritual, physical, mental, or emotional need. Because of her love for people, sports, fitness, health and overall wellness, she decided to go back to school, after she received her degree in Psychology, to become a Physical Therapist. Upon completion of her degree, she worked at a Sports Medicine Clinic, mainly treating athletes. She worked until the Lord blessed her and her husband with their first child. She left her role as a career woman to stay home with her newborn son. She has been a stay at home mom ever since! This “stay at home” path led her down the road of homeschooling her now two adorable sons. She uses the word of God as her plumb line and is very passionate about her Lord and Savior. She believes God created everything in the garden for our good. She uses all natural products, loves raw whole foods, and prefers Young Living essential oils versus popping pills. She shares her passion for healthy living on her blog.

You can find Carrie- Young Living Oil Lady here:
Subscribe to Young Living Oil Lady via email
Like Young Living Oil Lady on Facebook
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Follow Young Living Oil Lady on Twitter

Disclaimer: These homemade sunscreen recipes have not been evaluated by any regulating bodies and is for personal use only. Thanks to YL distributors for the sunscreen recipes.

To Your Health,Naturally,
Carrie Raab- Young Living Oil Lady
http://younglivingoillady.com

The Unconditional Love Challenge - #10

2012-05-22T05:30:00.000-07:00

Photo Credit: Music and Lyrics Blog

Welcome back to The Unconditional Love Challenge. For those of you just joining me here is a little background on what this challenge is all about: Inspired by Dr. Laura at Aha Parenting, I have created The Unconditional Love Challenge. This is a 10 part challenge based on Dr. Laura’s series on Ten Steps to Unconditional Love. I will be posting challenges and results on the 1^st and 3^rd Monday of each month giving you two weeks to tackle each step. You can work as quickly or as slowly as needed.

Got it? Good!

Two weeks ago I asked you to be especially mindful of which road you were taking in parenting. Were you on the high road or did you find yourself on the load road too often?

I enjoyed this challenge. The hardest part for me was catching myself in the moment BEFORE I went down the low road. I felt like in the first few days I was stepping onto the low road and then walking backwards heading towards the high road. But after a few days I was very aware of how I felt physically and emotionally before stepping onto the low road and I was able to stop and change course without any back peddling.

It felt good. It felt good to parent consistently from a place of warmth, kindness, respect, and consciousness. It felt good when Tiny would “push my buttons” and I would scoop her up for a hug, giggle and tell her how silly she was, chase her down the hall, and move into a happy parenting space. Many potentially tense mama-Tiny situations were diffused from me continually taking the high road.

How did you all do? Was this easier than you thought? Did you struggle? Do share!

On to Challenge #10 – Repeat daily. Watch your life transform.

As always, you can read Dr. Laura’s original post here.

From Dr. Laura: “Healing our ability to love unconditionally requires daily practice as we catch the curve balls of life. Even those of us whose lives are objectively “good” still live with our all too human mind, which is designed to keep us "safe" (read: anxious). Happiness is nowhere in its job description. If we want to be happy, if we want to love unconditionally, we must take responsibility for our own happiness.”

How do we go about this? How do we take each step in the Unconditional Love Challenge and keep it in play in our daily parenting?

As Dr. Laura suggests, we simply need to “learn to manage our moods with meditation, gratitude, serving a higher good, and other mindfulness practices. These habits, research shows, do work to increase happiness levels, but they have to be "practiced" daily. Most of us don't wake up feeling happy every morning. So every morning we start over, managing our moods, reconnecting with the deep springs inside that replenish us, and choosing to love ourselves and our child unconditionally. That mindful self-management is what keeps us from getting hijacked by our emotions. It's what frees us to love.”

Are you ready to be the best parent you can be for your child? Are you ready to be the happiest person you can be for yourself?

My continued challenge to you is to start each and every day with three thoughts of gratitude, a deep, cleansing breath, a smile to no one in particular, and a hug to yourself. Remind yourself how good it feels when your children exude love and happiness – when they are connected fully and deeply with you. Remember that the most important job you have is loving and caring for your children.

Go and find your bliss. Find what recharges your batteries. Don’t become run-down and burnt out on life. Go outside, scream, yell, release. Do whatever you have to do to stay as centered as you can be. But most of all, always, always, always come back to love.

Blessings!

It's Finally Here! An Ebook full of simple, gentle, nourishing recipes for your entire body. These 40 recipes all incorporate coconut oil, known for its holistic healing properties.

Read more about this great resource at my Ebook Store page. Get your copy today for only $5.95!

When Will I Wean?

2012-05-21T05:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Carnival of Weaning: Weaning - Your Stories
This post was written for inclusion in the Carnival of Weaning hosted by Code Name: Mama and Aha! Parenting. Our participants have shared stories, tips, and struggles about the end of the breastfeeding relationship.

Today I am hostessing a guest post from a lovely mama as part of the Carnival of Weaning. I had all kinds of things I could have written about today but honestly, something held me back. Down the road I will share my thoughts but for now, I am going to go breastfeed my 3 year old baby and let you enjoy this sweet post.

As I look down at the gangly long legs and full head of hair that have replaced, almost by miracle, the tiny whispy-haired baby of yesterday, I reflect on our nursing journey. When she was still just a bump people asked me if I planned to breastfeed and for how long. ‘Definitely’, was my response, ‘The World Health Organization recommends two years breastfeeding for maximum benefits to mother and child’, I would inform them.

Then she was born and breastfeed I did. Through jaundice, cracked nipples, mastitis and an unexplained daytime-only nursing strike, we continued to work together to develop and grow our breastfeeding relationship.

Now she is 22 months old and the 2 year point that seemed so far away when she was still a bump is almost upon us. Now the question people ask me is when I plan to wean. There are the days when nothing goes smoothly and I feel frustrated by breastfeeding. Those are the days that I fervently search the internet for weaning tips while her dad soothes, calms or helps her off to sleep. Ultimately, those stormy days pass and are forgotten. What stick with me are the days when she smiles up at me with my breast still in her mouth and lets go for just a moment to tell me that she loves me. And the times when she has been sick or upset and the only thing that helps her to feel better is mummy milk.

I feel so lucky to have this special relationship with her and I marvel at how my body has grown and nurtured this little person for the better part of 3 years now.

I don’t quite know what weaning will look like for us yet. I am contemplating weaning on a daily basis, looking for something that resonates with me. Something that is sensitive and gentle, and will continue to nurture her once the nursing stops. Intuitively, I’ll know it when I find it, just as I have known which path to chose at other forks in the road we’ve faced before this one. Until that time comes, I will enjoy the ride while it lasts, because the morning when she doesn’t ask to feed or the night when she falls asleep without milk are just around the corner. When that time comes know that I will mourn the loss of this relationship, so special it has been to me. I’ll just have to be sure to embrace my new found freedom from breastfeeding.

About Sarah: I am a mostly stay-at-home mum of one amazing girl born in 2010. We live in Australia now, after moving home from London when baby girl was 3 months old. I feel like I found my life's passion when I became a mum. I crave information about parenting in a way I wish I had craved learning when I was at university! I can see the possibilities for my daughter becoming limitless as I try to be kinder, more generous and wiser and show her how to be this way too. Our little family of 3 follow the principles of natural/attachment parenting. In my other life I am an Occupational Therapist.

Thank you for visiting the Carnival of Weaning hosted by Dionna at Code Name: Mama and Dr. Laura at Aha! Parenting.
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants (and many thanks to Joni Rae of Tales of a Kitchen Witch for designing our lovely button):

(This list will be live and updated by afternoon May 21 with all the carnival links.)

On Breastfeeding, Weaning, and One Mother’s Identity — Jessica at Natural Parents Network has been nursing one or more of her children since 1993 - breastfeeding is wrapped up in her concept of mothering and herself. She shares her thoughts on weaning.
two tales of weaning — Aspen at Aspen Mama writes about their countdown to wean.
Wean Me Gently — Tam at Please Send Parenting Books shares a beautiful weaning ceremony.
You say potato, I say bleeeuuuuch... — Anelie at Mindcradle had read the books and knew just how to introduce her baby son to solids—unfortunately, he had other ideas.
A post about Weaning — (Not) Maud at Awfully Chipper writes about how weaning her son took longer than she expected.
On Weaning, Pregnancy and Emotion — Shannon at The Artful Mama talks about her mixed emotions as she allows her son, Little Man, to guide her through his weaning process.
half of her life — Staci at Springpatch Jam looks back on her nursing relationship with her first born.
Is it just this After Forty Mom or is it harder to wean when its your last? — Amanda of After Forty Mom shares her emotional journey towards the impending self-weaning of her toddler daughter.
Nursing Limits — Jorje of Momma Jorje shares how she has weaned her toddler down to minimal nursing and her guilt about the decision to do so.
Weaning Video Series #1: Preparation for the Weaning Process — Why is weaning such a taboo topic? Dionna at Code Name: Mama got mamas from across the blogosphere to start talking about weaning - on video. Come check out the first video in a series of five that she'll be posting this week.
On the weaning of the boy in the middle — Kelly at Witness To Hope shares the lessons of a little one self-weaning at 18 months in the middle of an unexpected pregnancy, after nursing his older sister for three years.
Weaning due to anxiety — Shannon at Pineapples & Artichokes talks about how she had to wean to preserve her mental health.
When Will I Wean? A Guest Post — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama hosts a guest post from a mama who contemplates when her breastfeeding relationship will end.
On His Own Terms — Momeeezen shares her heartbreak from when her son weaned much earlier than she anticipated.
Our Weaning Story - Sudden, Surprised, and Embracing a New Season — Weaning doesn't always go how we imagine. That Mama Gretchen shares the story of her daughter's sudden weaning and how she has embraced this new season of motherhood.
A Tale of Two Weanings — Valerie at Momma in Progress shares the similarities and differences of how her nursing relationships with her now six-year-old and four-year-old daughters came to a close.
She Doesn't Remember — Alicia at Lactation Narration finds that her 6 year old no longer remembers nursing, only one year after weaning.
It's The End of the World As We Know It — A story about the end of a tandem nursing relationship on Never Mind The Rain: A toddler moves on to a new phase in her life before mom is fully ready.
A Natural End To Our Breastfeeding Relationship — With two self-weaning children, Jennifer at Our Muddy Boots does not know when the end will come, but that it will be natural and without regrets.
Child-Led weaning: It's Not Extreme; It's Biological — Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children explains why child-led weaning is based on biology rather than social constraints.
6 Years of Natural Weaning in 5 Steps — Jess at miniMum shares how and why she let her first child stop when he was good and ready.
Is This Weaning?: A Tandem Nursing Update — Sheila at A Living Family bares all her tandem nursing hopes and fears during what feels like the beginning of the end for her toddler nursing relationship.
Memories of Weaning: Unique and Gentle — Cynthia at The Hippie Housewife shares her weaning experiences with her two sons, each one unique in how it happened, and yet equally gentle in its approach.
Weaning Aversion' — Gentle Mama Moon shares her experience of nursing and unplanned weaning due to pregnancy-induced 'feeding aversion'.
Three Months Post-Mup: An Evolution of Thoughs On Weaning — cd at FidgetFace describes a brief look at her planned (but accelerated) weaning, as well as one mamma's evolution on weaning (and extended nursing)
Weaning my Tandem Nursed Toddler — After tandem nursing for a year, Melissa at Permission to Live felt like weaning her older child would be impossible, but now she shares how gentle weaning worked for her 2 1/2 year old.
Every Journey Begins with One Step — As Hannabert begins the weaning process, Hannah at Hannah and Horn's super power is diminishing.
Reflections on Weaning - Love Changes Form — Amy from Presence Parenting (guest posting at Dulce de Leche) shares her experience and approach of embracing weaning as a continual process in parenting, not just breastfeeding.
Weaning Gently: Three Special Ideas for Success — MudpieMama shares three ideas that help make weaning a gentle and special journey.
Guest Post: Carnival of Weaning — Emily shares her first weaning experience and her hopes for her second nursling in a guest post on Farmer's Daughter.
12 Tips for Gentle Weaning — Dr. Laura at Aha! Parenting describes the process of gentle weaning and gives specific tips to make weaning an organic, joyful ripening.
Quiz: Should You Wean for Fertility Treatments? — Paige at Baby Dust Diaries talks about the key issues in the difficult decision to wean for infertility treatments.
I thought about weaning... — Kym at Our Crazy Corner of the World shares her story of how she thought about weaning several times, yet it still happened on its own timeline.
Celebrating Weaning — Amy at Anktangle reflects on her thoughts and feelings about weaning, and she shares a quick tutorial for one of the ways she celebrated this transition with her son: through a story book with photographs!
Naturally Weaning Twins — Kristin at Intrepid Murmurings discusses the gradual path to weaning she has taken with her preschool-aged twins.
Gentle Weaning Means Knowing When to Stop — Claire at The Adventures of Lactating Girl writes about knowing when your child is not ready to wean and taking their feelings into account in the process.
Weaning, UnWeaning, and ReWeaning — Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy discovers non-mutal weaning doesn't have to be the end. You can have a do-over.
Prelude to weaning — Lauren at Hobo Mama talks about a tough tandem nursing period and what path she would like to encourage her older nursling to take.
Demands of a Nursing Kind — Amy Willa at Me, Mothering, and Making it All Work shares her conflicted feelings about nursing limits and explores different ways to achieve comfort, peace, and bodily integrity as a nursing mother.
Breastfeeding: If there's one thing I know for sure... — Wendy at ABCs and Garden Peas explores the question: How do you know when it's time to wean?
Five, Four, Three, Two, One, Two, Three? — Zoie at TouchstoneZ discusses going from 3 nurslings down to 1 and what might happen when her twins arrive.

Giveaway: Breast To Bib eBook from Modern Alternative Mama (Worldwide: May 25)

2012-05-19T05:30:00.000-07:00

If you have read my blog for any length of time, you surely must realize that I am a big fan of the eBooks lovingly written by Kate Tietje of Modern Alternative Mama. Against the Grain, Real Food Basics, Treat Yourself! Real Food Desserts, Wholesome Comfort – Whole Foods To Nourish and Warm Your Family, and Healthy Pregnancy Superfoods are all some of my favorites! Kate consistently creates healthy, simple, and delicious recipes to share with the masses. Her eBooks all offer an educational component as well helping the reader understand the importance of using certain ingredients, avoiding certain grains, etc…

I was waiting on pins and needles when I learned that Kate was writing an eBook tackling the widely debated topic of “starting solids” and feeding wee ones. I could not wait to get her take on how best to feed baby. Kate did not disappoint. In fact, Breast to Bib is probably the best book on feeding babies and toddlers that I have ever come across.

Kate covers all of the basics including:

Breastfeeding – why it is important; myths versus facts surrounding low milk supply, allergies in the breastfed baby, and taking supplements; and the need to supplement with donor milk or formula.
Baby-Led Weaning – what it is, when to do it, and the ideal foods for success.
Feeding Toddlers – transitioning to table food, finger foods and snack foods, picky eating, and full term breastfeeding.

So what exactly makes Breast To Bib so darn special? Here are my top 10 reasons:

Breast To Bib is gentle, supportive, and non-judgmental. Kate acknowledges that this is not a “her way or the highway” type of book.
This eBook is easy to digest. Although it may be overwhelming to the real food newbie who is struggling along in the new parent world of competing information, Breast To Bib is laid out in a way that allows the parent to absorb the basic information without getting lost in too many details.
Kate is very supportive of breastfeeding, even mentioning that the norm is now extended breastfeeding until two years of age. However, she does not condemn the mother who cannot or chooses not to breastfeed.
Kate takes the time to clear up a lot of misconceptions about the appropriate time to start solids.
There are some GREAT suggestions for real foods finger foods. How many “intro to solids” books discuss giving baby fermented foods? Score 100 for Breast To Bib!
Breast To Bib also includes 9 Baby Food Recipes and 18 Toddler Friendly Recipes. They are all easy to make, super nutritious, and guaranteed to please the most discerning little palate! Most importantly, they use wholesome, fresh ingredients to start your wee one off on the real food path!
Kate doesn’t just preach to you. She takes the time to help you understand the why in everything.
This book makes feeding babies and toddlers seem like fun. It really is a breath of fresh air from the more mainstream way of doing things. In fact, I believe that it takes a lot of pressure off the parent.
This book is a like a roadmap. You really cannot go wrong by giving it a read. It helps new mothers realize that their instincts are always more important that advice from others. It empowers mothers to take a stand against the conventional ways of feeding our babies. It takes us back to our roots.
Finally, it is a perfect blend of well researched, factual information along with personal recollections and experience. Kate is an experienced mother who is not afraid to share both her shining moments as well as those less than glorious ones.

I thought I would mix things up a bit and conduct a little “interview” with Kate so that you can all get to know her a bit better! Enjoy her responses. I sure did!

From Breast To Bib is a very unique book. I am quite sure that I have personally never come across a book that offers such a realistic approach to nourishing our children. What motivated or inspired you to create Breast to Bib?

A lot of people kept asking me what they should feed their babies, mostly on FaceBook. Many people offered advice that I felt was not in line with traditional food principles. There seemed to be a lot of confusion, even among “real foodies” what was the best way to feed kids. Also, a lot of people were confused and upset about their toddlers’ pickiness, and they struggled with what to offer for lunch and snacks. In general, all the issues mentioned in the book were questions I was getting constantly, so I decided to put together a resource to answer them.

You are no newbie in the world of feeding children. What has been your greatest challenge as it relates to your children and encouraging them in their real foods journey into starting solids?

Well…my greatest challenge in terms of “them” was their picky phases. Sometimes I would offer arrays of healthy foods and they would pick through and find only the sweet or grain-based foods (which was sort of annoying…pick a balanced diet, kids!). Of course these were only phases. Some days it was all about the sweet foods; some days it was all about meat; some days, vegetables. It changes all the time so I learned, eventually, to let it go. As far as “me,” well, I grew up eating SAD, and when I first started this journey, I wanted to give them things I knew weren’t good for them because I had fond memories of those foods. I had to learn to create special treats at home so that I could still treat them, but not offer junk!

Another word on the picky phases – if a child doesn’t have food sensitivities, it is entirely possible to offer them a bunch of foods you think they won’t like, and get them to eat them. My boys eat plain yogurt, avocados, tuna (not the baby yet) and other foods that I/we don’t like. My MIL thought the same thing but “lost” that battle, because her kids had undiscovered food allergies, and she was feeding them things that made them sick (inadvertently; she just didn’t know). Even so, my husband’s palate has expanded quite a lot as an adult after we discovered his issues.

Why do you think “feeding children” is such a stress on parents, mothers in particular?

We all want our children to be healthy, and despite the mixed messages we get from the media (feed your kids healthy food! But if they’re sick, they need a doctor/medicine because food does nothing!), we know that food plays a large role in it. A lot of parents are struggling to balance the different nutritional messages they’re getting with the realities of feeding their children three meals a day, especially since many parents are busy with work or other commitments. It’s hard to figure out what’s best and then find the time to actually do it. Eating’s also a social thing, a lot of kids have lunch or snacks on playdates with friends, and then we all feel like other mothers are judging our choices. “Too strict, too lenient,” etc. In the real food world, you’ll find moms who are adamant that babies should start solids at 4 months, and others that say nothing until 12 months. You’ll find those who insist that starting with vegetables is right so they don’t develop a preference for sweet foods and so the calories don’t displace breastmilk, and you’ll find others that insist on nutrient-dense meats and cheese. This all adds up to a lot of stress for mothers, who all honestly want the best for their children.

What advice can you give to new parents or expecting parents as they start thinking about feeding their child.

Do not listen to the media or any of the mainstream sources. Do not ask your pediatrician, unless they are familiar with traditional foods. You will be told that formula’s great and easy and rice cereal is necessary early on. People recommending these things don’t even understand where these recommendations initially came from. They’re rooted in a 1950s style of parenting that says that babies should be scheduled, should be trained to sleep in long stretches by being left to cry and by “force feeding” formula mixed with rice cereal from only a few weeks of age, and so on. That’s probably not what most parents today actually want. Instead, look at sources that make sense to you – there are several. Read through history (if you’re interested) to find out why different recommendations are made. And once you’re “there,” and you’re actually feeding the baby, relax. Offer what comes naturally and don’t freak out if it’s not perfect! I still worry sometimes that what Jacob (8 months) is eating is not “perfect” because I don’t give a daily egg yolk with liver (gasp!). He doesn’t like it. But I just make sure that he gets healthy, nutrient-dense options and skip the grains and that’s good enough.

You have written many brilliant EBooks. Any more in the pipeline for release this year?

Oh, I always have lots. I *think* I know approximately when my next book will release (June) and what it will be on (summer-inspired recipes). I’m also working on a book of breads and baked goods, one on organizing your kitchen/streamlining your routines, “gourmet” meals, one on “pantry” meals (cheap stuff inspired by what’s on hand), maybe a second grain-free book, and probably more. I’ve always got several projects! If things go as planned there will be at least a couple more books this year, and we’re also thinking about an ecourse in the fall. I just released a free kombucha book and video too!

Would you like to win your own copy of Breast to Bib? I thought so! Visit the Breast To Bib store page and tell me what recipe you would most like to try! Then, leave a comment on this post (be sure to include your email if it is not linked to your profile)!

I am pretty sure you are all following Modern Alternative Mama by now, but just in case, here is where you can find her.

Subscribe to Modern Alternative Mama via RSS or email
Like Modern Alternative Mama on FaceBook
Follow Modern Alternative Mama on Twitter

This giveaway opens today, May 19, 2012 and closes May 25, 2012 at 11:59pm PST. Winner will be selected via random.org. I will email you and you will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected.

Good Luck!

It's Finally Here! An Ebook full of simple, gentle, nourishing recipes for your entire body. These 40 recipes all incorporate coconut oil, known for its holistic healing properties.

Read more about this great resource at my Ebook Store page. Get your copy today for only $5.95!

Coconut Oil as an Herbicide (aka - Weed Killer)

2012-05-18T05:30:00.000-07:00

Looking for a “green” alternative to all of those nasty, chemical laden weed killers (aka – herbicides)? It is as easy as opening up your jar of coconut oil!

Coconut oil contains an abundance of fatty acids (known as pelargonic acid or nonanoic acid) that impair a plant's ability to photosynthesize and eliminate waste through transpiration. Unlike systemic herbicides that are absorbed into the plant and kill from within, coconut oil coats the outer skin of the target plant reacting with the waxy outer membrane and dissolves it. By doing this, the weed is unable to retain moisture and ultimately withers and dies.

The active component in coconut oil is sodium lauryl sulfate, which is often extracted and used as a surfactant in detergents and commercially prepared coconut oil herbicides.

Here is how you can make your own coconut oil herbicide!

Measure equal parts coconut oil and cheap vegetable oil.
Pour the two components into a saucepan and place it on the stove over a low heat. Apply heat just until it the oil liquefies.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and turn off the stove.
Whisk the coconut and vegetable oil together until it appears uniform in appearance.
Pour it into a spray bottle.
The two oils will separate as they cool, so it is necessary to vigorously shake the bottle before spraying the solution.

Spray the weeds with the coconut oil solution until all parts of the plant are thoroughly saturated. The oil's normal viscosity is enough to hold it onto the leaves with no further assistance. Apply it every day for one to two weeks, depending on the toughness of the weed. It is best to apply the solution until the weed suffers noticeable damage such as wilting.

Stop applying the coconut oil solution once the weed wilts. Pull up the weed by the base several days after the stem and leaves wilt. Spritz the hole left by the weed one or two times with the coconut oil solution just in case any of the root fragments are still viable. Fill in the hole left by the weed.

How easy is that????

Wondering where to purchase coconut oil? Head over to my Products I Love page! You will find links there.

It's Finally Here! An Ebook full of simple, gentle, nourishing recipes for your entire body. These 40 recipes all incorporate coconut oil, known for its holistic healing properties.

Read more about this great resource at my Ebook Store page. Get your copy today for only $5.95!

Indian Paneer Cheese – The Easy Way

2012-05-16T05:30:00.000-07:00

A special favorite with North Indians, paneer cheese is used all over India to make delicious dishes ranging from curries to desserts. Eaten alone, it has a delicate milky flavor but readily takes on the flavor of the spices in which it is cooked. When used to make desserts it gives a rich and creamy flavor.

Paneer is made by curdling warmed milk with an acid like lemon juice or vinegar. The curds are then drained and pressed into a solid block. Paneer is a fresh cheese, like mozzarella or queso fresco, so it's ready to be used as soon as it's made and won't keep for more than a few days.

Because it's curdled with an acid instead of rennet, paneer doesn't melt when heated. Very fresh paneer that hasn't been pressed for very long tends to be more crumbly and is best for sauces. Very firm paneer can actually be sautéed, seared, or grilled, and still retain its shape and texture.

Besides simmering it in a curry, cubes of paneer go well in grain salads, wraps, and stir-frys. In the summer, grilled skewers of paneer and vegetables make a fantastic and easy weeknight dinner.

You can find paneer in specialty grocery stores and Indian markets however, it is quite easy and fun to make at home! Why not give it a try?

Indian Paneer Cheese

Ingredients

8 cups or ½ gallon whole milk (you can use low-fat milk too but in my opinion the taste isn’t as authentic and as all know my thoughts on low-fat products. Boo hiss!)
¼ cup organic lemon juice or ¼ cup raw apple cider vinegar (the lemon imparts a slight lemon taste to the cheese while the vinegar makes the cheese more tangy. So it is your personal choice).
½ tablespoon very finely sifted whole wheat pastry flour or cornstarch.
½ tablespoon finely ground sea salt.

Directions

In a large non-reactive stock pot, bring the milk to a boil slowly, stirring very frequently to prevent scorching (you must boil the milk or the separating reaction will not occur as quickly or as completely).
When the milk just begins to foam and boil, slowly stir in either the lemon juice or vinegar by drizzling it into the pot in a very thin stream. Continue to stir and you will notice the curds start to separate from the whey.
Turn the heat under the pot off and stir for about a minute then cover and leave on the burner to settle for another 5 minutes.
Set up a colander or strainer over a large bowl and line the colander with a linen cloth. You want the weave to be tight so the curds do not come through, but you do not want them to be too tight, or it will take ages for the whey to drain out.
Pour the curds and whey into the colander and through the cotton material carefully as the liquid will still be very hot. Pull the ends of the cloth together and tie the two opposite sides loosely together and then suspend by a wooden spoon over a tall container like a pitcher. Allow the curds to drain. This will take an hour or longer, depending on the weave of your cloth. If you are still getting drips a few hours later, you might want to twist the cloth to squeeze out any remaining liquid if your fabric weave is very tight.
When the curds are mostly dry, open the cloth onto a plate, but keep the cloth under the curds. Spread the curds out with your fingers and then thoroughly sprinkle with the salt and the finely powdered flour or cornstarch. Knead the flour and salt through all the curds, pressing down on them to combine well. This step helps the paneer to be more firm and easier to handle when cooking.
Shape the curds into a rectangle or square about an inch and a half or less thick and a few inches wide.
Fold over the original cloth and then place between two heavy plates or a heavy pot/pan and put a weight over the top. Put in the refrigerator for a few hours to overnight.
The cheese will resemble tofu and can be easily cut into pieces. It should be used right away, but if you have to you can store it briefly in water in the fridge just like tofu. Remember to pat it dry on paper towels before use, or it will not hold together well.

It's Finally Here! An Ebook full of simple, gentle, nourishing recipes for your entire body. These 40 recipes all incorporate coconut oil, known for its holistic healing properties.

Read more about this great resource at my Ebook Store page. Get your copy today for only $5.95!

Giveaway: Tropical Traditions Powdered Laundry Detergent (US; 05/25)

2012-05-15T05:30:00.000-07:00

By now, most anyone reading my blog knows that the coconut oil produced for and sold by Tropical Traditions is truly my go-to coconut oil. It was the first coconut oil I tried and for reasons I have discussed in other coconut oil giveaway posts, it is a truly wonderful company with a great product. I kind of have a crush on the company if I am being honest.

The thing is, Tropical Traditions does not JUST deal in coconut oil and coconut products. (Although Tropical Traditions IS the best place to get coconut oil!) They are a very diverse company offering a myriad of products. I have ordered a lot of different items from them in the past but had not yet explored their household products. Being the green living, crunchy mama that I am, I thought that I would take their powdered laundry detergent for a test drive to see if it holds up to the homemade version I swear by.

The wonderful folks at Tropical Traditions were more than happy to send a box of powdered laundry detergent my way. And upon arrival, the rigorous testing began.

Here is my laundry list (pun intended) for an average week:

2 loads of cloth diapers and family cloth (mostly family cloth as Tiny only wears a diaper at night)
1 load of bath towels
1 load of cloth napkins and kitchen towels
1 load of cleaning towels (sometimes that is pushed to every other week)
1 load of husband’s work jeans
1 load of husband’s work clothes
1 load of husband’s other clothes
2 loads of Tiny’s clothes
2 loads of my clothes
Bed sheets (every other week) alternating with the dog bed (every other week because he has diabetes and really, really smells up his dog bed)

If you are counting, that is 13 loads of laundry per week. I ONLY wash four days a week. So that is 3-4 loads per washing day.

I wash everything on cold to save money and the earth’s resources. I don’t sort by colors/whites/darks (mostly because I refuse to purchase clothing that will bleed and need special attention). The only time anything gets special care is if I happen to have a delicate item like a special occasion outfit.

I NEED a good detergent. Did I mention that I am in love with the one I have been using forever?

Before I share my experience with the Tropical Traditions detergent, let me tell you a little bit about their product.

Tropical Traditions Powdered Laundry Detergent cleans and removes stains from laundry with the power of Oxygen Bleach Destainer and Deodorizer. The Powdered Laundry Detergent is safe and effective at ALL temperatures on whites, permanent press, bright colors, pastels, prints, and delicates in hard or soft water. It is not suitable for Silk or Wool.

Tropical Traditions Powdered Laundry Detergent is non-toxic, environmentally safe and contains no phosphates. The Powdered Laundry Detergent cleans and safely bleaches clothes with the added power of Oxygen Bleach Destainer and Deodorizer.

There are no harmful by-products upon decomposition. Powdered Laundry Detergent dissolves as completely as liquid detergents and rinses away completely leaving no residue in your clothes. It contains no dyes, perfumes, fillers or phosphates.

Ok, sounds pretty good right? Good for you, good for the environment, cleans clothes. Three way win!

But how does it really work?

Let’s just say that the homemade detergent I have been using is now trembling in fear of becoming extinct. I actually saw my detergent looking at a resort brochure for a permanent vacation in the La Brea Tar Pits. (What? You don’t believe me?)

I put the Tropical Traditions Laundry Detergent (TTLD) through its paces. Right out of the gate I decided to see how it worked on cloth diapers and family cloth. It had been a while since I had stripped the diapers and let’s just say that they needed it. So I was really curious to see how the TTLD would handle such a high-needs load.

Much to my surprise, the TTLD did a pretty darn good job right out of the gate. It did not completely remove the odor build up in the cloth diapers but it did help. The diapers actually smelled better than they had recently. Score!

My husband’s work clothes and jeans were the next loads up to bat and the TTLD came out swinging! He always complains that his clothes don’t “smell” clean despite the fact that I add essential oils to my homemade detergent. When I made him do a very scientific sniff test, my husband actually thought that the unscented TTLD did a better job of making his clothes smell clean. They looked clean too. Score again!

I suspected that the TTLD would perform well on Tiny’s clothes, my clothes, bath towels, bed sheets, and our cloth napkins/kitchen towels. It did a great job. There was no residue. It took out some stubborn stains without any sort of pretreating. It eliminated odors, especially some of the mildewy ones that tend to plague our kitchen towels. I was pretty impressed.

The last load I tested the TTLD out on was the dog bed. I must share that this bed NEVER smells good. If I can get it semi-not-stinky, I am happy. If it gets mostly clean I am happy. I don’t expect miracles. Although it was not a miracle worker, the TTLD actually did an outstanding job and the bed only had a faint odor of diabetic dog and not the bowl-you-over smell it tends to hold onto. It was also VERY clean. Two of the older stains were pretty much gone and the new stains were distant memories. VERY IMPRESSIVE! Super score!

I was really very impressed with the Tropical Traditions Powdered Laundry Detergent. Since I have a front loader, HE machine, a little goes a looooong way. So this detergent is actually very affordable for me. In doing a cost breakdown, my homemade detergent is still a little less expensive per load BUT it is one notch below the TTLD in terms of cleaning ability. So the extra few cents per load is worth it for a better clean.

Want to win your OWN Powdered Laundry Detergent? Well, you can thanks to the generosity of the good folks at Tropical Traditions.

All you have to do to enter is to subscribe to the Tropical Traditions Newsletter (where you will stay up to date on sales like free shipping!)

Then, leave a comment on this post (be sure to include your email if it is not linked to your profile)!

But wait! There are MORE ways to win!

Extra Entries are SUPER EASY. Leave a second comment with the numbers of the corresponding entries. So if you did them all you would simply say “I did #s 1,2,3,4,5,6,7. Easy, easy peasy! I will do the heavy lifting at the end of the giveaway.

Here are all the extra entry options. If you are already doing these, cool. If not, have at it!

Like Tropical Traditions on Facebook
Follow Tropical Traditions on Twitter
Follow Tropical Traditions on Pinterest
Subscribe to Hybrid Rasta Mama via RSS and/or email
Like Hybrid Rasta Mama on Facebook
Follow Hybrid Rasta Mama on Twitter
Follow Hybrid Rasta Mama on Pinterest

This giveaway opens today, May 15, 2012 and closes May 25, 2012 at 11:59pm PST. Winner will be selected via random.org. I will email you and you will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. Open to U.S. residents only.

And because I am a coconut oil fanatic (remember my 160 Uses for Coconut Oil post), I want to make sure that you do check out some of the great information on the Tropical Traditions site about coconut oil. You can learn more about what virgin coconut oil actually is as well as how to use it! And of course you can check out their three different types of coconut oil including Gold Label Coconut Oil, Green Label Coconut Oil, and Expeller Pressed Coconut Oil.

Good Luck and remember, if you can’t wait to try it, buy it!

If you order by clicking on any of my links and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you.

It's Finally Here! An Ebook full of simple, gentle, nourishing recipes for your entire body. These 40 recipes all incorporate coconut oil, known for its holistic healing properties.

Read more about this great resource at my Ebook Store page. Get your copy today for only $5.95!

I Am Mom! Enough! Carnival Call for Submissions + A Link Up

2012-05-14T05:30:00.000-07:00

Mandy from Living Peacefully With Children and Jennifer from Hybrid Rasta Rama are pleased to announce the I Am Mom! Enough! Carnival.

The recent Time Magazine article on attachment parenting took the world by storm. Although Time surely did not set out to intentionally create a greater parenting divide, the article unfortunately did just that. Parenting wars have erupted all over the world. There has been mudslinging, complete and utter disrespect, name calling, belittling, and lots and lots of condemnation for parenting practices.

Parenting wars need to end. Hate and discrimination against breastfeeding mothers of children of all ages needs to end. Judging one family’s parenting approach when you have not walked in their shoes needs to end. Enough is enough!

Please join us in a Carnival dedicated to empowering ALL parents who practice and promote a peaceful, loving, attachment parenting philosophy. Help us show the critics and the naysayers that attachment parenting is beautiful, uplifting, and unbelievably beneficial and NORMAL! Help us fight back against the backlash from the Time article. Help us support the mothers who bared all as part of the photo shoot.

The I Am Mom! Enough! Carnival is wide open insofar as topics are concerned. We simply want to hear from you!

Here are some topic suggestions:

What is your personal reaction to the Time article? The photo?
What is your response to the public reaction to the article and photo?
What was your family/extended family’s reaction?
Do you practice or support extended breastfeeding? Share your thoughts or some factual information about the benefits of extended breastfeeding.
Talk about attachment parenting (AP) – all of it or one aspect of it? What does AP look like in your family?
Share your thoughts on parenting in today’s world. Why is there such a great divide? How can we bridge this?
Suggest some ways to go about respectfully supporting other parents in their journey instead of getting into parenting wars over whose method is right.
Give us some statistics on AP. Help others see the benefits of this style of parenting.
Discuss how AP is really for everyone and not just SAHM’s, a certain ethnic group, a certain income level, etc…
Parenting is a personal decision and one family’s approach does not invalidate another family’s approach. Share your thoughts on this idea.
Take on AP from a feminist viewpoint! Many women think that this inflammatory magazine issue, purposely insighting mommy wars, being published right now isn't coincidental at a time when women are losing legal rights. Your thoughts?
And of course – run with the Carnival title. I Am Mom! Enough!
Not much of a writer or not sure what to say? Share your photos! Show us your child(ren) breastfeeding. And go ahead…get creative! Do you own Time photo shoot!

Remember, these are just our thoughts and idea to get your creative juices flowing.

Submissions Deadline: Thursday, May 24, 2012, 11:59 p.m. Pacific time.

Fill out the webform (at the bottom of this post) and email your submission to:

hybridrastamama {at} hotmail {dot} com

AND

livingpeacefullywithchildren {at} gmail {dot} com

Carnival date: Monday, May 28, 2012.

Before you post, we will send you an email with a little blurb in html to paste into your submission that will introduce the carnival. You will publish your post on May 28th before 9am PST and email us the link if you haven’t done so already. Once everyone’s posts are published, we will send out a finalized list of all the participants’ links to generate lots of link love for your site. We’ll include full instructions in the email we send before the posting date.

A few housekeeping items:

Please write a new, previously unpublished post for the carnival.
We will email you with specific instructions on posting before carnival day.
Please do not post your article until the carnival date.
We reserve the right to accept submissions based on relevance to the topic and quality of writing. We will NOT accept posts that go against the tenants of attachment parenting.
Please refrain from using profanity, poor spelling and grammar, and vicious personal attacks.
We will NOT be editing your post so please proofread and run a spelling and grammar check.

In addition to the Carnival, Jen from Monkey Butt Junction will be hosting a linky party designed to support everyone who has already written a post(s) related to the Time article. The linky will go live on Monday, May 28^th at 6:00amEST and will stay open until Friday, June 1, 2012. We encouraged you to not only link up your previously published posts but also any post you submit as part of the Carnival.

Copy the I Am Mom! Enough! badge code and add it to your blog sidebar:

<img src="http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c173/Rastakitty/IAMMOM.jpg"/>

We are so looking forward to reading all the contributions for the I Am Mom! Enough! Carnival as well as seeing posts that are linked up through the linky party!

If you have any questions, you are welcome to contact us:
hybridrastamama {at} hotmail {dot} com
OR

livingpeacefullywithchildren {at} gmail {dot} com

Mandy, Jennifer, and Jen

www.livingpeacefullywithchildren.wordpress.com,
www.hybridrastamama.com, &
www.monkeybuttjunction.com

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“You Will Understand When You Are A Mother”

2012-05-13T05:30:00.000-07:00

I remember a lot about my childhood, probably because it was a really, really good one. My mom was a stay-at-home-mom and despite some serious health issues (sound familiar?) she did everything she could to make sure that I lived in the moment and had the opportunity to enjoy being a child.

My mom and I were very close (still are) and I was extraordinarily in-tune with her emotions, even when she thought she was hiding them from me. Although sometimes I did not have the developmental maturity to really digest and understand her feelings, I could feel when she was happy, sad, worried, angry, or unsettled.

My mom was mostly open with me, explaining why she was feeling a particular way especially when I pressed her to know what was wrong. But more often than not, she replied with 8 little words that echo in my heart today. “You will understand when you are a mother.”

Yes mom, I sure do.

At the time, I could not comprehend why my mom cried and apologized for not feeling well so often.

At the time, I could not understand why my mom yanked me back with such force when I almost walked into oncoming traffic.

At the time, I did not know why my mom covered my eyes when the dog got hit by a car.

At the time, I didn’t realize how far outside of her comfort zone my mom pushed herself to make sure that I got to experience childhood the way it should be experienced.

At the time, I thought it was gross that my mom would use spit to clean up my dirty face.

At the time, I had no idea why my mom would hold back tears when I staggered home with my gums bleeding, front teeth gone.

At the time, I didn’t understand why my mom would cry at my bedside the day before I went back to school after summer vacation.

At the time, I was confused by my mom’s sad expression at my birthday party.

At the time, I didn’t understand why my mom wanted to grab a machete and cut the balls off of the boyfriend that hurt me.

At the time, there was so much that I really did not understand as I was the daughter.

Now I am the mother. I get it. I understand.

I understand all the tears. The tears of joy, the tears of pain, the tears of sadness, the tears of letting go.

Tiny is just now three years old and I completely understand why my mom told me time and time again, “you will understand when you are a mother.”

I sit here, cuddling with Tiny who is snuggled deep in my lap, kneading my love handles as she vigorously takes in some mama’s milk. I look at the top of her head, I inhale her sweetness, her innocence. I would love nothing more than to keep her here, in my lap forever and ever. Just as my own mother longed to keep me little.

What my mom wouldn’t give for her little girl to crawl into her lap and snuggle in tight. I understand that need now. I am already missing that closeness because I know that it will evolve and that Tiny and I will no longer be snuggle buddies sooner than I can even fathom. I will be my own mother one day, looking on as Tiny grows into a woman and perhaps sits with her own precious little one snuggled deep in her lap.

So mom, or Moogie as I like to call you, I understand. I really understand. And I am so sorry that I had to grow up. I wish that for one day we could go back in time so that you could savor all that you would one day miss. But since we can’t just know that I now I understand.

Happy Mother’s Day Moogie!

Coconutreat Coconut Oil Giveaway (US: 05/20)

2012-05-12T08:17:00.000-07:00

Supply and demand is a beautiful thing. You demand more coconut oil and I supply it! Ok, maybe I don’t personally supply it but I have the different task of vetting the best coconut oil out there! Sometimes I find the coconut oil and sometimes it finds me.

Coconutreatcontacted me and asked if I would be interested in sampling their product. I checked out their website and immediately got distracted (in a good way) by their catchy logo. I thought it was pretty clever to use a coconut palm tree as the “t.”

After I stopped coveting their logo, I got down to the business of making sure that this company conformed to the same standards of the other coconut oil companies I have reviewed. Although their website is fairly basic, there is a lot of really good information packed onto it. I liked what I read so I agreed to give their coconut oil a fair review.

Coconutreat has been providing the highest quality Organic Coconut Oil since 2004. All of their oil is Certified USDA Organic, Raw, Cold Pressed, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil.

Coconutreat was founded by Dr. Ross Lloyd to provide Organic Coconut Oil to his patients. As a Holistic Chiropractor and Whole Food Nutritionist he understands the value of the amazing health benefits of Coconut Oil. Dr. Lloyd moved his family of 7 to Southern Idaho in 2009 to live a more independent and self-sustaining lifestyle. He currently raises grass fed beef, rabbits, chickens, and milk goats and enjoys taking care of his mini farm with his family. I envy Dr. Lloyd. I would love to be able to raise most of what I eat myself. The fact that he made this happen for his family impressed me.

Coconutreat carries coconut oil by the gallon, half gallon, and quart. They even offer a 4 ounce coconut oil skin cream. Coconutreat is committed to maintaining high standards of quality, superior value and prompt service. If the quality of their Coconut Oil does not meet the customer’s satisfaction they will promptly refund the purchase price of a 32-oz. canister minus the shipping cost. (Maximum of $22.99 ). They do not require they customer to return the product originally purchased.

So let’s get down to business…

Coconutreat sent me both a quart of coconut oil and a 4 ounce jar of skin cream to try out. When they arrived, I had to wrestle them away from Tiny per the usual. That girl just KNOWS when a box has coconut oil in it. She can smell it coming down the street. I kid you not. It makes me a proud mama.

We immediately had to try out the coconut oil skin crème. This skin crème is just coconut oil, nothing else added. It is in a convenient 4 ounce jar which makes it handy to keep in the bathroom to use on chapped lips, wind burned/sunburned cheeks, and to attack those occasional blemishes. I would love to say that this is where our jar now lives but actually it has become Tiny’s personal coconut oil jar and she dives into regularly. I have refilled it several times already. So basically, thanks for the great 3-year-old sized jar of coconut oil Coconutreat! ;)

I did my standard tests on the Coconutreat Coconut Oil. I first ate it off the spoon. Good stuff and interestingly enough it had a lighter texture than I am used to. I did notice more air bubbles in this oil which may account for the texture difference. It tasted great – nothing different or concerning there. And I did really like the lighter texture. It slid down a little easier that way. I have no idea what makes this oil lighter as it is produced in the same manner as the other coconut oil I have reviewed but I’m not complaining. Eating coconut oil day after day after day can get a little tedious. This was a nice change.

I of course had to cook and bake with the oil to make sure it could hold its own. I scrambled my eggs in it, sautéed my cabbage in it, and baked coconut bread with it. Everything turned out delicious and much to my surprise, had very little coconut oil flavor. Most unrefined coconut oils impart a distinct coconutty flavor. The Coconutreat oil was much milder which I quite liked. This makes is a bit more versatile as I do not always want all of my food tasting like coconut. Coconut flavored spinach isn’t exactly something I would beg for more of but when I used this oil to sauté my spinach, it was delicious. The very subtle coconut flavor did not overpower or really even alter the great taste of my organic spinach!

The one downside was that although the containers are very eye catching, they are plastic but this is not uncommon. On their website, Coconutreat actually addressed they they do not use glass containers for their Coconut Oil. “So as not to increase the cost of your Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, our packaging is in high quality USDA approved PETE plastic canisters. This is the same plastic used in water and soda bottles. The PETE canisters are guaranteed to not leach toxic materials into the oil. They are also safer than glass because they do not break and can be reused over and over again as canisters for other foods or more Coconut Oil! We know of no other company that supplies Coconut Oil in these wonderful easy to hold, wide mouth canisters. You’ll love them. We guarantee it!” So that made me feel better about the plastic.

On to this amazing giveaway! Coconutreat is generously giving away one container of their Extra Virgin Coconut Oil!

All you have to do to enter is to visit the Coconutreat FAQ page and tell me one thing you learned. Then, leave a comment on this post (be sure to include your email if it is not linked to your profile)!

That’s it. One simple entry gets you into this coconut oil giveaway!

This giveaway opens today, May 12, 2012 and closes May 20, 2012 at 11:59pm PST. Contest open in to U.S. residents only. Winner will be selected via random.org. I will email you and you will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected.

Want to purchase some of this delicious coconut oil? Enter coconutreat at checkout and receive 10% off of your order plus free shipping for orders over $25! Coupon ends May 31st so don't wait too long!

Good Luck!

It's Finally Here! An Ebook full of simple, gentle, nourishing recipes for your entire body. These 40 recipes all incorporate coconut oil, known for its holistic healing properties.

Read more about this great resource at my Ebook Store page. Get your copy today for only $5.95!

The Great Mason Jar Debate (Subtitled – Lacto Fermented Foods Beware)

2012-05-11T05:30:00.000-07:00

I have decided to dip my toe into the controversial waters that have quickly gone from a gentle wave lapping at the shore to a full on rogue wave dividing many a real foodie. Exactly what waters am I referring to? The mason jar versus Pickl-It debate.

For those of you who have no clue what I am referring to, let me give you the simplified version of a rather complex story. You see, those of us who subscribe to a real foods diet or a diet designed to heal our guts, typically do a lot of our own lacto-fermentation. What is this lacto-fermentation of which I speak?

The term “fermented” may sound unpalatable but this ancient preparation and preservation method, which involves breaking down carbohydrates and proteins using microorganisms such as bacteria, molds, and yeast, produces delicious, healthy food.

Fermented foods are amazingly powerful. Here is a short list outlining the health benefits of fermented foods and beverages. They:

Help your body breakdown otherwise difficult to digest foods and make the nutrients more accessible
Maintain a more regular and efficient digestive system
Promote more efficient energy production
Increase nutrient consumption, absorption and impact
Build immune function by stimulating cellular and antibody function and creating more immunoreactive cells
Help build and maintain a healthy intestinal wall that resists leakage of harmful toxins into the bloodstream caused by poor diet and digestion
Decrease allergic reactions by exposing your body to natural microbial colonies, which helps develop immunity to allergen exposure
Restore digestive health and re-build gut flora after exposure to antibiotics, which kill all good and bad bacteria
Increase the vitamin content of the food
Lower cholesterol
Reverse hypertension by lowering blood pressure
Help alleviate irritable bowel symptoms
Aid digestion of lactose and proteins

There is a lot more science behind all of this but since this post is going to get a little lengthy, I wanted to keep your attention long enough to get to the real heart of the issue at hand.

The Great Debate

KerryAnn of Cooking Traditional Foods fame opened up a discussion that took on a life of its own. In the spirit of keeping health conscious individuals well informed, KerryAnn embarked upon a series of posts which blew the lid off of the mason jar. You see, mason jars have been the go-to vessel to ferment foods in. They are also often used to store fermented foods in.

The mason jar was given the thumbs up by Sally Fallon in Nourishing Traditions as well as by Sandor Ellix Katz in Wild Fermentation. Seeing that both Sally Fallon and Sandor Ellix Katz are considered authorities on lacto-fermentation, it is no wonder that nobody thought to question the use of a mason jar.

Well, KerryAnn did and boy did she step in a big steaming pile of you know what because of it.

Let me try to keep this simple again. KerryAnn proposes that the mason jar is actually NOT the ideal vessel to ferment and store fermented foods in. In effect, it has the potential to do more harm than good. She goes so far as to suggest that you might not be getting many of those health benefits I listed if you are using a mason jar.

Why all the fuss over a mason jar?

There is no way to keep this short and to the point so I suggest that you visit KerryAnn’s series to get the full picture. (Links are at the end of this post).

What this all boils down to is the fact that in order for a food to properly ferment, it needs an airtight environment. This snippet from one of KerryAnn’s posts, Controversy: Pickl-It vs. Mason Jars, discusses this.

Research shows that LAB (Lactic Acid Bacteria) thrives best in an anaerobic environment. Anaerobic means that oxygen is not present; aerobic means that oxygen is present. In order to get LABs to proliferate, you must have an anaerobic environment to encourage their growth while discouraging the growth of all non-beneficial species, especially the aerobic ones.

In order to get an anaerobic environment for home fermentation you need two things- a seal that prevents oxygen from entering and an airlock that allows carbon dioxide to escape. Without an anaerobic environment, the LABs will not flourish. Open air fermentation will not produce large concentrations of LABs. As the bacteria produce carbon dioxide and use up the oxygen, it reduces the population of undesirable, aerobic bacteria and allows the LAB to flourish in the oxygenless environment. The Pickl-It provides this type of environment, as it as an airtight seal and an airlock for the growing carbon dioxide to escape.

Remember all those health benefits I outlined above? Well, without LABs present in your fermented foods, you aren’t getting squat. Ok, maybe you are getting a little something, but LABs are what makes the fermented foods world go ‘round.

Houston, we have a problem!

The backlash from KerryAnn’s research and subsequent posts has been overwhelming. I have been keeping up with it and can see how easily confused just about everyone can get. With so many people married to their mason jars, convinced that they have been doing it correctly and benefiting, it is no wonder that the fermenters of the world are up in arms. Creatures of habit that we humans are, we sure do not like change.

There have been some rather nasty comments pointed at KerryAnn as it relates to her endorsing the Pickl-It as well. Many individuals are convinced that this entire fiasco is related to some sort of business relationship she has with Pickl-It and that KerryAnn is making a mountain out of a molehill in the name of the almighty dollar.

Say it ain’t so!

Well, it ain’t so folks. KerryAnn isn’t making diddly from Pickl-It. If anything, endorsing Pickl-It as the fermenting vessel of choice has caused HER more harm than good. But in the name of science and health, KerryAnn is continuing to research and provide sound, scientific information so that we can all decide to what to do about our collection of mason jars.

What would Hybrid Rasta Mama do?

So glad you asked!

When I first started my fermentation journey, I was using mason jars like everyone else. I knew about fermenting crocks but could not afford one. So I plugged away, fermenting my foods in my little mason jars.

My success rate was pretty bleak. My gluten free sourdough starter loved his mason jar, sauerkraut did ok about 50% of the time, and my lemons were a success but everything else…a complete mess! We’re talking fuzzy mold, white mold, slime, stink, and unusual colors. I had soggy, soggy ferments. No crisp and tangy fermented foods in my kitchen!

I hated wasting food. I hated wasting money. I looked online for a solution. I found a really mind-blowing course on fermenting foods from Jenny of Nourished Kitchen. Get Cultured – Learn How To Ferment Anything was awesome but I was still having troubles with the final fermented product.

I kept searching for an answer. Was it where I was putting my mason jars? Was it how I was cleaning my mason jars? Was it the brand of salt?

After a few weeks of blowing up Google, I finally stumble on Pickl-It’s website. I read every word contained on its pages. I soaked up the information. I did more research. I actually read several scientific studies about the art of fermentation. And I was convinced that it was the mason jar’s inability to create an airtight environment that was causing all of my fermenting woes.

I ordered several Pickl-Its and NEVER looked back. My ferments have been beautiful and delicious ever since. And better yet – I have noticed a huge difference in how my body responds to fermented food now that it is fermenting properly and soaking up all those little LABs.

No – I am not part of some mason jar/Pickl-It conspiracy!

To prove it, I am going to provide you with links to OTHER products that are similar to the Pickl-It. I have not used them personally and cannot testify to their fermenting prowess but I will say that they have potential for greatness. You will notice that I also include links to products that do not include the jars but instead provide an airlock system that you can use on your existing mason jars. I am honestly on the fence about these. KerryAnn raised some interesting points about this concept as well but this post is already too long so I’m going to leave well enough alone!

In addition, if mason jars are all you can afford then go for it! I’m not telling you to stop doing something if you are quite sure it is working. But my advice…start squirreling away your pocket change so you can invest in at least one product that will create the perfect, airtight environment for those delectable ferments of yours.

Onto showcase #1…

Cultures For Health has two products available:

Fermented Vegetable Master – This glass jar includes an airlock set-up which facilitates gas escaping your fermented vegetables while keeping air out. It is more basic than the Pickl-It but it is cheaper running $11-$22.

The Perfect Pickler - This airlock set up fits on standard wide-mouth canning jars (specifically Kerr* and Ball* brands of jars). For $19.99 you get a lid and grommet, s-style airlock, rubber gasket, spacer cup, 1/4 lb. Celtic Sea Salt, and instructions. Does not include the jar.

And in our second showcase…

Homesteader Supplies has two products available as well:

Pickle-Pro Home Pickling Kit which is another all-in-one airlock set up with a glass jar. Prices range from $11.88-$18.30.

Pickle-Pro Vegetable Fermenting Lid – for $14.40 you get a lid with airlock and a rubber seal that fits all wide mouth canning jars.

With a special third showcase…

Perfect Pickler also has two products:

Glass Jar Kit – for $25.50 you get the glass jar with the special airlock and lid. It also has a spacer cup.

Mason Jar Kit – for $19.50 you get the airlock lid that fits any size mason jar.

And of course, the Pickl-It

They only offer the all-in-one system that comes with:

Glass Fermenting Container – lead-free, high-quality, Italian-made glass with stainless steel, lead-free wire-bail; meets California safety standards.

Glass Lid with installed airlock grommet – lead-free Italian glass and stainless steel, lead-free wire-bail; USA-made silicone grommet specially-designed to resist lactic-acid created during fermentation; meets California safety standards.

Barrel Air Lock – Widely used in the making of beer and wine, allows escape of damaging oxygen, and excess carbon dioxide gas, prevents oxygen from entering; 3-part system is easy to disassemble and clean.

Dunk’R – High-quality laboratory food-grade, toxin-free, food-safe glass weight;

Plug’R: Superior dishwasher-safe and lactic-acid resistant silicone, the Plug’R converts the Pickl-It containers from fermentation to refrigerated food-storage.

BPA-Free Cover Gasket – Superior all-natural rubber material is food-safe; dish-washer safe; one-size fits all Pickl-It lids

Prices range from $23-$39, depending on size. You can order a bundle of three or more and save 5%.

So many choices, so much information, so little time!

I encourage you to continue on in your quest for fermenting knowledge. As promised, here are KerryAnn’s posts, all of which are incredibly informative and a must read if you are trying to figure out this whole mason jar controversy!

And here are a few more posts worth reading:

Fermenting Methods: We’ve Had it All Wrong From Delicious Obsessions
Aerobic vs Anaerobic Fermentation Controversy From the Wild Fermentation Blog
Are Mason Jar Ferments Safe? From Food Renegade

Want to become a master at fermented foods and beverages? Pick up a copy of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Fermenting Foods by Wardeh Harmon. You won't regret it. This is the must-have book!

Are you still with me? Did I lose you along the way? If not, what are your thoughts? Please play nice. My blog is filled with peace and love. Let’s not upset the apple cart ok?

It's Finally Here! An Ebook full of simple, gentle, nourishing recipes for your entire body. These 40 recipes all incorporate coconut oil, known for its holistic healing properties.

Read more about this great resource at my Ebook Store page. Get your copy today for only $5.95!

The Ancient Art of Fermentation

2012-05-10T05:30:00.000-07:00

There has been a shake up in the world of fermentation recently. Tomorrow I am opening that can of worms of my blog, but before I do, I wanted to share a post that completely knocked me off my feet. The Ancient Art of Fermentation by Gail Faith Edwards is poetic and soulful. This piece is incredibly moving. And yes, it is about fermentation, specifically fermented beverages.

So while all of the debate and mudslinging and confusion rages on about the fermentation process, please take a moment to cleanse your palate with a truly beautiful homage to one area of this nourishing art. And after you catch your breath, visit Gail's blog, Way of the Wild Heart, to read some incredibly powerful pieces.

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It’s becoming increasingly clear that prehistoric populations were using empirical evidence to develop therapeutic agents much longer than previously thought. For instance, a recent chemical analysis of the bones of ancient Nubians shows that they were regularly consuming the antibiotic tetracycline, most likely in their beer. The finding is the strongest evidence yet that the art of making antibiotics, which officially dates to the discovery of penicillin in 1928, was common practice nearly 2,000 years ago.

The research, led by Emory anthropologist George Armelagos and medicinal chemist Mark Nelson of Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc., is published in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology and an article regarding it appeared this morning in Science Daily.

Armelagos and his fellow researchers tied the source of the antibiotic to the Nubian beer. The grain used to make the fermented gruel contained the soil bacteria streptomyces, which produces tetracycline.

And, according to Armelagos “The ancient Egyptians and Jordanians used beer to treat gum disease and other ailments,” and “the complex art of fermenting antibiotics was probably widespread in ancient times, and handed down through generations.”

The Ancient Art of Fermentation

Herbs and other natural, nourishing substances have many ways of sharing themselves with us, and many different methods of preparation exist, depending on your goal. Fermentation is one method. It is an ancient process of preservation and potentiation, and one that has been used by cultures all around the world, throughout time.

Since antiquity humans have been fermenting intoxicating beverages as one way of enhancing our ability to enter into the realm of the sacred, to inspire healing. Throughout Old Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas, early people were making and consuming fermented drinks with an amazing variety of plant substances that were indigenous to their area.

These fermented beverages were distinctive to each individual culture, place, time, and value system, and were usually consumed as part of communal ceremonies in honor of the sacred. Some of these brews were quite intoxicating, aphrodisiac or psychotropic and most contained medicinal herbs. Australia and isolated parts of North America appear to be the only places on earth where fermented drink was unknown.

Stephen Harrod Buhner tells us in his book, Sacred and Healing Herbal Beers, over 200 different plants, 20 different kinds of yeasts, and 15 different sugar sources combined in various ways to make thousands of different fermented drinks.

These beverages were traditionally brewed by women, because the art of fermentation, the ancients say, was given to women to hold for the benefit of all. It was offered by the gods to bring us joy, ease our suffering, and relieve our anxiety over our mortality.

Ancient legends from many cultures say that humans were taught the art of fermentation by sacred beings. They say that fermented beverages contain a life spark of the sacred realms from which they come, and hold some magical substance, a spirit, that can awaken dormant capacities within us.

Many ancient stories speak of the connection between sacred inebriation and the creation of poetry, music, healing and art. They say that fermented drinks were consumed to attain non-ordinary states of consciousness, to communicate with ancestral spirits, as nutrient rich food-stuff, to celebrate seasonal turnings and important community events, enhance creativity, and for healing.

The ancient ones tell us that a change of human consciousness is linked to the use of magical and intoxicating plants, and the fermentations made from them.

You can safely and easily make your own fermented drinks at home. The simplest, most ancient, and perhaps most elegant of the fermented drinks I have made or tasted is honey mead. The addition of pure, unheated honey to warm water does amazing things. Try it. Stir the two together well, and cover loosely.

Place your attention and intention on what you are doing and visualize the unique chemical transformation that is taking place between the water and honey, the vitamins, minerals, natural sugars, yeasts, carbon dioxide, alcohol, and the unseen, immeasurable qualities, that will all be churning and bubbling in that jar. Visualize the life force, that primordial power of life that will be nourishing you with this drink. Pray over it. Pray earnestly for the good bruggieman to come.

All parts of the fermentation process were attended to with prayer and reverence in every ancient culture that made use of it, but the moment when the bruggieman enters, when the yeasts begin to work, when your brew bubbles and comes alive, is considered most supremely important. It is the moment when the sacred has entered into the mundane world. Your brew has been made holy.

Attend to your fermentation work with mindfulness, ceremony and offerings if you want, and then put the fermenting vessel in an out of the way place, away from direct light. Check it daily, very briefly, so that you can see what is going on and learn about the process. Watch it carefully, note its changes. Take a sip now and then, being careful not to disturb it. Don’t tarry. You don’t want to spoil the brew with uninvited guests.

After a week or so, start drinking your mead. You can bottle it, if you wish, in a loosely corked bottle. (You’ll tighten it in a few weeks.) Add a tiny bit of honey to the bottle, if you want it to be carbonated. If you can keep it for at least three months to a year before drinking it, the incredibly delicious flavor of a delicate summer bouquet will be even more pronounced.

When you drink mead you are drinking the elixir of the Goddess, the elixir of immortality. It is the very essence of all the wild medicinal herbs, potentized and magnified, not only by the bees’ magical process of creating the honey, but also again through the process of fermentation, which relies on the presence of another magical and mysterious life form, yeasts, a type of fungus.

Honey is a powerful medicine, and fermenting it in water (the water of life, universal solvent) makes it many times more powerful. This is because the process of fermentation not only preserves, but potentiates: makes stronger, more powerful, more potent.

Yeasts and their allies, enzymes, combine to work a magic all their own, transforming the water and honey mixture into a much more nutrient rich liquid than when it began. In fact, honey meads were an important source of nutrients as well as medicinal constituents, in the diets of our ancestors. B-complex vitamins, including B-12, are synthesized by the yeasts during the process of fermentation, and drinking mead was the primary source of B-complex vitamins in the diets of many indigenous cultures.

Brewer’s yeasts also contain trace minerals such as selenium, copper, and chromium in amounts very similar to those contained in fruits and vegetables, and make a profusion of riboflavin, thiamine, niacin, and vitamin C.

Traditional meads were not clarified, and so still contained the yeasts within them, and these were consumed along with the beverage. Since the longer you let a beverage ferment, the more yeasts are contained within it, and since yeast is very high in protein as well, a fermented beverage will provide considerable protein where little or none existed before, provided you consume some of the yeasts that have settled in the bottom of the bottle. If you make your own mead, you can do this simply by drinking them along with the brew.

Yeasts “eat” sugars and produce alcohol and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide makes breads rise for baking, and the alcohol lifts our spirits in much the same way. Carbon dioxide also promotes the rapid absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream, through the stomach walls.

The range of alcohol produced in herbal mead is usually between 3.5 and 12 percent. This small amount of alcohol, undistilled, and still part of the original plant matrix from which it came, containing the life force, and prayed over, is a benefit to the body, mind, heart and spirit. It is a euphoric and consciousness raising substance. A door to sacred realms. An agent of healing.

The alcohol in an herbal mead is mildly anesthetic and antiseptic, and a healing, health-promoting tonic to the entire body. Drinking herbal meads is especially nourishing to the brain and the liver, stimulating and increasing activity in both these organs. It also benefits the digestive process and promotes a healthy heart and circulatory system.

Herbal meads can relax and reduce inhibition, exhilarate, intoxicate, increase cerebral activity, energize mental activity, and heighten sensory perception. These effects are the reason behind mead’s historical connection to poetry, song, music, and the arts, and probably why it was referred to as Mead of Inspiration.

South American Indians say that the spirit of a plant realizes its fullest potential when fermented. And of course, ancient people, as well as those in the present, add a variety of herbs, usually whatever grows abundantly in their locale, to honey and water for a huge variety of tastes, effects, and degrees of intoxication.

Some medicinal herbs traditionally used to make mead include the roots of burdock, yellow dock, and dandelion, flowers such as rose, calendula, elder, and chamomile, the leaves, flowers, stems, and roots of angelica, and leaves and flowers of lemon balm, peppermint, pennyroyal, rosemary, lavender, St. John’s wort, hyssop, rue, violets, and meadowsweet.

Spices used in fermentations include cardamom, cloves, coriander, cinnamon, fennel, and ginger.

Psychotropic effects are said to be obtained by fermenting sage, the Artemisias mugwort and wormwood, yarrow, poppy heads, and wild lettuce.

Trees commonly used in making meads are pine, birch, maple, spruce, fir, oak, and juniper.

Interestingly, the well known negative effects from excessive alcohol consumption are decidedly absent from the traditional cultures that use fermented drink in a sacred context. Alcoholism and its related diseases arise from the extraction and separation of the active ingredient, the alcohol, from the fermented plant matrix. This pure, undiluted, distilled alcohol damages both the liver and the brain. It is a far different substance, in every way, from a pure and simple, health promoting, homemade, low alcohol content, herbal mead.

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Thank you Gail for granting me permission to host this beautiful piece. You bring so much to the world of natural and holistic healing.

I encourage you all to visit Blessed Maine Herbs where you can not only purchase some of the best medicinal herbs on the planet but you can take advantage of all of Gail's knowledge and wisdom. She shares so much on this site and it is worth taking the time to read her articles. If you are so inclined, you can also Study Herbal Medicine directly under Gail.

Gail Faith Edwards is an internationally recognized Community Herbalist with over thirty years experience. She is the author of three books about herbs and herbal medicines; Opening Our Wild Hearts to the Healing Herbs, Traversing the Wild Terrain of Menopause and Through the Wild Heart of Mary; Teachings of the 20 Mysteries of the Rosary and the Herbs and Foods Associated with Them. Gail has taught Herbal Medicine in India and Italy, at the Yale School of Nursing, the University of Maine and College of the Atlantic among others. She is the founder of Blessed Maine Herb Farm and Director of the Blessed Maine Herb Farm School of Herbal Medicine. She is the mother of four grown children and the grandmother of two.

Giveaway - Best of the Grain Free Meal Plans Cookbook from Health, Home, and Happiness (Worldwide: 05/19)

2012-05-09T05:30:00.000-07:00

I love meal planning. It really takes the stress away from feeding my family. Meal planning also really helps when you have a family with diverse eating habits and dietary needs. I would seriously go nuts if I did not have a weekly game plan.

Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy creating meals based on recipes that I come up with on my own. In fact, nothing is more satisfying than whipping up my own creation. However, when you have young children, culinary undertakings get hijacked more often than not. Quite frankly, I am more than happy to have someone else telling me what to cook and for which meal.

Enter the Grain Free Meal Plans from Cara at Health, Home, and Happiness. If you have wanted to try a grain free diet, but were overwhelmed and didn’t know where to start then this is definitely something you should invest a little money into. I subscribed to the monthly grain free meal plans for a year (with my own money – not as a perk from blogging) and benefited immensely. I do not think I could have gotten through meal planning without them! All of the meals are based on the Gut and Psychology Syndrome Diet and Specific Carbohydrate Diet diets. Menu plans are for 3 meals a day, 7 days a week, plus snacks and sweets. Recipes are all kid tested (both at Cara’s house and mine). A simple, easy to follow shopping list is included for each week. You really can’t miss with this!

And just when I thought it couldn’t get better…

Cara put together the Best of the Grain Free Meal Plans cookbook volume 1. The best of the monthly menu planning service is rolled into a helpful full color cookbook.

I asked Cara if I could review a copy of her new cookbook even though I had a year’s worth of her amazing recipes. I wanted to see if this was a resource I should share with all of my wonderful readers.

And yes, yes it is!

Let me give you a wee bit of background info. Cara started her daughter on a grain free diet to help with developmental delays at the end of 2008. She found the transition overwhelming, but knew that she had to keep going as her daughter was thriving on a grain free diet.

Cara’s goal with the Best of the Grain Free Meal Plans cookbook is to help share her knowledge with other families who are trying to go grain free, or who already are successfully grain free but are looking for recipe inspiration.

The book divides the 70+ recipes into 8 sections including Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Soup, Snacks and Sides, Desserts, Cultured Food, and Staples. It then has an incredibly helpful section on sourcing high quality food followed by a section on recommended kitchen equipment.

The book offers clear instructions for beginning cooks, using ingredients and preparation techniques that can realistically fit into a busy household. There are lots of color photographs guaranteed to activate your taste buds and motivate you to try grain free cooking!

I was super excited to see some of my favorite recipes in the line up! The Butternut Squash and Beef Bake is out of this world as are the Fried Cheese Sticks. The Celery Root Hash browns sound a little odd but are one of my favorites! Cara’s Cowboy Cookies are a must! Every lunch item in this cookbook is kid friendly and on the top of my menu planning list.

This is honestly a resource that any home could benefit from. Even if you are not grain free, you will get some wonderful recipe ideas that are palate pleasing and easy to make. Who doesn’t love easy and delicious?

Another plus is that a lot of Cara’s best recipes are child inclusive. Tiny has been helping me make a lot of the recipes in this book since she was 2 ½. Bonding with your wee ones + healthy, nourishing foods = a huge win!

In addition to this stellar cookbook and the monthly grain free meal plans, Cara offers What Can I Eat Now? 30 Days of recipes and tips for the GAPS™ Intro Diet Ebook. This Ebook was a complete lifesaver for me as I embarked upon the GAPS journey to heal my ulcerative colitis. Seriously, it took care of ALL of the meal planning for the 30 days I was on the Intro diet. All I had to do was follow the easy, easy recipes (all of which are delicious) and stick with each stage faithfully. There is a lot of great information about the GAPS diet in general.

Ready to win? Cara is generously giving away 2 copies of the Best of Grain Free Meal Plans Cookbook! That means two of you will win! Whoo hoo!

All you have to do to enter is to leave a comment on this post letting me and Cara know WHY you would like to win this Cookbook. Be sure to include your email if it is not linked to your profile!

But wait! There are MORE ways to win!

Visit the GAPS and Grain Free Recipe page at Health, Home, and Happiness and tell me what recipe tempts your tastebuds! Leave a second comment!
Visit Health, Home, and Happiness and check out the Natural Healthsection. Then leave a comment letting me know one thing you learned or than interested you from any post listed there! Leave a third comment!

This giveaway opens today, May 9, 2012 and closes May 19, 2012 at 11:59pm PST. Winner will be selected via random.org. I will email you and you will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. This giveaway is open worldwide.

Can’t wait to win it? Then buy the Best of Grain Free Meal Plans Cookbook!

Good Luck!

It's Finally Here! An Ebook full of simple, gentle, nourishing recipes for your entire body. These 40 recipes all incorporate coconut oil, known for its holistic healing properties.

Read more about this great resource at my Ebook Store page. Get your copy today for only $5.95!

It Helps To Have A Village – Even A Small One

2012-05-08T05:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the May 2012 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Parenting With or Without Extended Family
This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have shared how relatives help or hinder their parenting. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.
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I am extraordinarily lucky. Two years before Tiny arrived on the scene, Rasta Daddy and I moved less than a mile away from my parents’ house. This was not by design but an opportunity to live in a great home fell into our laps and we seized the moment so-to-speak.

Although I did everything I could to have the most natural birth possible, Tiny preferred to be pulled out of my belly, feet first. Since my C-section was rather unplanned and fairly last minute, Rasta Daddy and I were scrambling to make sure that Tiny and I had the help we needed after he had to return to work.

Thank GOD that we lived so close to my parents. Shortly after we arrived home, “Moogie’s Family Care” kicked in.

My mom – AKA Moogie – spent the next three months helping us more than I could have hoped for. She brought me dinner every night (Rasta Daddy worked swing shift), she cleaned my house, she held Tiny while I showered, she drove me to numerous doctor appointments during my extraordinarily long recovery, and she offered so much support as I found my way as a new mother. She listened, she held me when I cried, she encouraged me to not give up, and she came whenever I called, just needing my mommy.

In the past three years my Moogie has been my strongest support system, my biggest parenting ally, the voice of reason when mommy-brain has me all confused, and an ear that I can bend day or night. She literally will drop everything to help me and Tiny when we need it.

I honestly would not be the mother I am today without my mom. Tiny and I both need her – tons! Tiny adores her and loves spending time with her. My mom takes Tiny for a few hours each week so I can do a little work – the income generating kind. She watches her while I run errands or go to appointments. When Tiny and I are having a tough day and just need a distraction – my mom is a short walk around the block. We show up unexpectedly quite often.

My dad has been a huge support system too. He has been known to help me with heavy lifting, some urgent child safety needs (like immediately installing some locks on our front door when Tiny opened it up and walked right out one day), shopping (yes – shopping), and picking Tiny and I up from the park during sudden and unexpected rainstorms. He is also an awesome chef and absolutely loves creating weekend meals that we can all come together and enjoy as a family.

I feel blessed that Tiny has been able to spend so much time with her Gigi and Papa during her formative years. They support my natural parenting approach and do their best to “grandparent” in the same way that I “mother.”

I don’t have a huge village of support. But I really don’t need one. My parents have been and will continue to be the village I need.

It's Finally Here! An Ebook full of simple, gentle, nourishing recipes for your entire body. These 40 recipes all incorporate coconut oil, known for its holistic healing properties.

Read more about this great resource at my Ebook Store page. Get your copy today for only $5.95!

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Visit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:
(This list will be live and updated by afternoon May 8 with all the carnival links.)

Dealing With Unsupportive Grandparents — In a guest post at Natural Parents Network, The Pistachio Project tells what to do when your child's grandparents are less than thrilled about your parenting choices.
Parenting With Extended Family — Jenny at I'm a full-time mummy shares the pros and cons of parenting with extended family...
Parental Support for an AP Mama — Meegs at A New Day talks about the invaluable support of her parents in her journey to be an AP mama.
Priceless Grandparents — That Mama Gretchen reflects on her relationship with her priceless Grammy while sharing ways to help children preserve memories of their own special grandparents.
Routines Are Meant To Be Broken — Olga at Around The Birthing Ball urges us to see Extended Family as a crucial and necessary link between what children are used to at home and the world at large.
It Helps To Have A Village – Even A Small One — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama discusses how she has flourished as a mother due to the support of her parents.
The Orange Week — Erika at Cinco de Mommy lets go of some rules when her family finally visits extended family in San Diego.
One Size Doesn't Fit All — Kellie at Our Mindful Life realizes that when it comes to family, some like it bigger and some like it smaller.
It Takes a Family — Alicia at What's Next can't imagine raising a child without the help of her family.
A new foray into family — As someone who never experienced close extended family, Lauren at Hobo Mama wrestles with how to raise her kids — and herself — to restart that type of community.
My Mama Rocks! — Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment is one lucky Mama to have the support and presence of her own awesome Mama.
Embracing Our Extended Family — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now shares 7 ideas for nurturing relationships with extended family members.
Doing Things Differently — Valerie at Momma in Progress shares how parenting her children far away from extended family improved her confidence in her choices.
Snapshots of love — Caroline at stoneageparent describes the joys of sharing her young son's life with her own parents.
Parenting with Relies – A mixed bag — Ursula Ciller shares some of her viewpoints on the pros and cons of parenting with relatives and extended family.
Tante and Uncles — How a great adult sibling relationship begets a great relationship with aunt and uncles from Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy.
Tips for Traveling With Twins — Megan at the Boho Mama shares some tips for traveling with infant twins (or two or more babies!).
Parenting passed through the generations — Shannon at Pineapples & Artichokes talks about the incredible parenting resource that is her found family, and how she hopes to continue the trend.
My Family and My Kids — Jorje of Momma Jorje ponders whether she distrusts her family or if she is simply a control freak.
Parenting with a Hero — Rachel at Lautaret Bohemiet reminisces about the relationship she shared with her younger brother, and how he now shares that closeness in a relationship with her son.
Text/ended Family — Kenna of A Million Tiny Things wishes her family was around for the Easter egg hunt... until she remembers what it's actually like having her family around.
Two Kinds of Families — Adrienne at Mommying My Way writes about how her extended family is just as valuable to her mommying as her church family.
My 'high-needs' child and 'strangers' — With a 'high-needs' daughter, aNonyMous at Radical Ramblings has had to manage without the help of family or friends, adapting to her daughter's extreme shyness and allowing her to socialise on her own terms.
Our Summer Tribe — Justine at The Lone Home Ranger shares a love of her family's summer reunion, her secret to getting the wisdom of the "village" even as she lives 1,000 miles away.
My Life Boat {Well, One of Them} — What good is a life boat if you don't get it? Grandparents are a life boat MomeeeZen loves!
Dear Children — In an open letter to her children, Laura at Pug in the Kitchen promises to support them as needed in her early days of parenting.
Yearning for Tribal Times — Ever had one of those days where everything seems to keep going wrong? Amy at Anktangle recounts one such day and how it inspired her to think about what life must've been like when we lived together in large family units.
I don't have a village — Jessica Claire at Crunchy-Chewy Mama wishes she had family nearby but appreciates their support and respect.
Trouble With MILs-- Ourselves? — Jaye Anne at Wide Awake Half Asleep explains how her arguments with her mother-in-law may have something to do with herself.
A Family Apart — Melissa at Vibrant Wanderings writes about the challenges, and the benefits, of building a family apart from relatives.
First Do No Harm — Zoie at TouchstoneZ asks: How do you write about making different parenting choices than your own family experience without criticizing your parents?
Military Family Separation — Amy Willa shares her feelings about being separated from extended family during her military family journey.
Forging A Village In The Absence Of One — Luschka from Diary of a First Child writes about the importance of creating a support network, a village, when family isn't an option.
Respecting My Sister’s Parenting Decisions — Dionna at Code Name: Mama's sister is guest posting on the many roles she has as an aunt. The most important? She is the named guardian, and she takes that role seriously.
Multi-Generational Living: An Exercise in Love, Patience, and Co-Parenting — Boomerang Mama at The Other Baby Book shares her experience of moving back in with Mom and Dad for 7 months, and the unexpected connection that followed.
A Heartfelt Letter to Family: Yes, We're Weird, but Please Respect Us Anyway — Sheila of A Living Family sincerely expresses ways she would appreciate her extended family’s support for her and her children, despite their “weird” parenting choices.
The nuclear family is insane! — Terri at Child of the Nature Isle is grateful for family support, wishes her Mum lived closer, and feels an intentional community would be the ideal way to raise her children.

The Unconditional Love Challenge #9

2012-05-07T05:30:00.000-07:00

Photo Credit: Music and Lyrics Blog

Got it? Good!

Last week I challenged you to “lighten up” and let go of the negative feelings that accompany a parenting misstep. How did you do?

I have talked about this parenting woe before. As parents, we are much harder on ourselves than our children are on us. Children are far more resilient than we give them credit for and bounce back from our parenting mistakes much better than we do. I for one will brood, dwell, worry over, and become consumed with guilt when I parent outside of my gentle, mindful norm.

I have given myself a lot of latitude this year when it comes to falling off of my parenting course. Be it a knee-jerk reaction or simple parental laziness, I embrace the fact that life happens, I take each moment as it comes, and if I find myself parenting in a way that I do not subscribe to, I apologize to Tiny, reconnect, and do my best not to make the same mistake again.

I am human. Every parent is human. Life is too short to be consumed with feelings of inadequacy, guilt, and regret. Instead of wasting the precious time I have with my wee one, I forgive myself and move on in a better mental and emotional space.

On to Challenge # 9 – Take The High Road.

As always, you can read Dr. Laura’s original post here.

From Dr. Laura: “You know what the high road is. When you’re feeling really good, nothing fazes you. You respond to your child’s foibles with patience, understanding, and a sense of humor. You know what the low road is, too. It’s when you’re stressed, exhausted, resentful. When your fuse is so short that you feel justified in having your own little tantrum. When you're in the grip of fight or flight emotions and your child looks like the enemy. All those negative emotions can be traced, at core, to a deep sense of fear, powerlessness, and disconnection from our child. Sure, we're reacting to our child's behavior. But we rage so we won't have to feel those unbearable feelings. When kids act out, that’s what they’re feeling, too, which is why connecting with them heals their emotions as well as their behavior.”

Ahem. Ahem again. Did someone say “parent tantrum?” I know nooooothing about those.

A friend of mine recently mentioned that sometimes she has to put her hands over her ears just to keep from losing it. Her children are both very spirited, a characteristic she never thought she would see manifest in her children. I giggled when she told me that. I think before we actually become parents, most of us have visions are peaceful, mellow, blissed out children. I know I did. I assumed Tiny would be chill since well, I have no idea why. I just did not picture the child that I do have. The one full of piss and vinegar.

So how does one “take the high road” when parenting in stressful situations or when parenting children that require soooo much of us? I can’t answer that for you. That is YOUR journey. But what I can do is to challenge you.

For the next two weeks I challenge you to think before reacting. Stop at the crossroads of parenting reactions. Look down the low road. Do you like what you see? The yelling, the frustration, the stern looks, the eye rolling, the exasperated sighs? Or do you prefer the look of the high road? The one where you are getting down to your child’s level, making eye contact, telling them you love them, finding a way to playfully and lovingly change the course of events in play?

Be mindful of your reactions. Your children are watching, listening, absorbing and filing away what they perceive to be the “correct” response to any given situation. What would you like to model? How would you like them to parent their own children? Will they be on the low road or the high road?

Good luck!

It's Finally Here! An Ebook full of simple, gentle, nourishing recipes for your entire body. These 40 recipes all incorporate coconut oil, known for its holistic healing properties.

Read more about this great resource at my Ebook Store page. Get your copy today for the introductory price of $5.95!

Sunday Surf - Don't Miss These Great Giveaways!

2012-05-06T05:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Giveaway Edition of my Sunday Surf! Not only do I have seveal giveaways going on now (that you do not want to miss) but several other wonderful bloggers are hostessing giveaways of my eBook, Coconut Oil For Your Skin – Nourishing Your Body From The Outside In.

Be sure to check all of this goodness out!

My current giveaways:

For My Children: A Mother’s Journal of Memories, Wishes, and Wisdom (Closes 05/09). This is a must have Mother’s Day gift! Seriously beautiful!

Poetry of a Hobo Mama (Closes 05/09). Love poetry? You will love this book of prose from Lauren at Hobo Mama. Hate poetry? You will love this! Stuck in between? This book will push you over to the poetry lover side!

Kelapo Coconut Oil Softgels (Closes 05/15). Have trouble consuming coconut oil? Here is your answer!

Here is where you can enter to win my eBook!

Lauren (of Vision Wise) (Closes May 11^th). Not only do you get my eBook but you get her hand painted Chakra Flags. You WILL want these!
A Little Bit Of All Of It (Closes May 12^th). Julia held a Beauty Night to make and test out these recipes! Pretty cool review~
Untrained Hair Mom (Closes May 15^th)
African Babies Don’t Cry (Closes June 5th)

And here are a few upcoming giveaways that will be featured on my blog this month:

Coconutreat – yep – more coconut oil!
Tropical Traditions Powdered Laundry Detergent - This is some goooood stuff!
Squatty Potty – I had to try it to believe it. Your poop will thank you!
From Breast To Bib – as always, a fabulous eBook from Kate at Modern Alternative Mama. The best real food resource for breastfeeding and weaning mothers!
Moms Into Fitness with Lindsay Brin. I am currently trying out two of her DVDs from her extensive collection. Core Fitness and Boot Camp 2 are awesome thus far but I am giving them a fair shake through the month of May. Review coming in early June!

Enjoy your week! I have all kinds of posting goodness coming your way this month!

It's Finally Here! An Ebook full of simple, gentle, nourishing recipes for your entire body. These 40 recipes all incorporate coconut oil, known for its holistic healing properties.

Read more about this great resource at my Ebook Store page. Get your copy today for the introductory price of $5.95!

Kelapo Coconut Oil Softgel Giveaway (US: 05/15)

2012-05-05T05:30:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago I featured a giveaway from Kelapo, a wonderful company that specializes in Extra Virgin Coconut Oil. There was a lot of well-deserved interest in this company and their products.

In the giveaway post, I mentioned how Kelapo was the only company I was aware of that offered coconut oil in a softgel. This is great news for anyone who cannot handle the taste or texture of coconut oil. I thought I would see if the good folks at Kelapo would be willing to offer another giveaway and to my delight, they were happy to do so!

One of you will win a jar of Kelapo’s Vegetarian Coconut Oil Softgels!!!!

Of course, I would never offer to give a product away on my blog unless I was sure that it met Hybrid Rasta Mama standards. Even though I loved their coconut oil, I had to make sure that Kelapo made an outstanding softgel product. With my readers’ best interest at heart, I ditched my normal coconut oil off a spoon regime and turned my health over to Kelapo’s softgels.

Before I share my experience, let me tell you a little bit about Kelapo and their products just in case you decide not to head over to read my original post.

Kelapo™ Extra Virgin Coconut Oil is cold pressed from fresh coconut meat that is harvested from organically cultivated coconut palms, grown exclusively on Fair Trade farms on the island of Sri Lanka (which just so happens to be where my mother-in-law was born and raised). Practices of the farmers they source from include the use of non-chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. They also include maintenance and improvement of soil fertility, weed control and pest control by natural means. Their growers are provided with custom made compost that meets the nutrient needs of coconut palms. Mulch is also used that contains coconut leaves and fronds, which provide high levels of potassium needed by the trees for fruit production.

I absolutely love the Kelapo Mission statement. With each and every jar, we strive to deliver the freshest, highest quality coconut oil and ensure the fair and ethical treatment of the farmers who cultivate it. As one of the first Fair Trade coconut oil food products on the market, our products are 100% organic, vegetarian and free of trans fats. Plus, we incorporate eco-friendly practices to protect and preserve the planet’s natural resources.

This is certainly a company that I can stand behind. Even in transport, they employ practices that are supporting the sustainability of our environment. Their shipments are packaged in special totes that can store as much as two to six drums in 20% less space. Plus, the totes contain no metal and are completely recyclable and biodegradable.

Now about those softgels….

According to their website, Kelapo coconut oil softgels are the first and only all vegetarian coconut supplement on the market. The coconut oil found in Kelapo softgels is cold pressed, 100% organic, vegetarian, non-GMO, and trans fat free. Approved as a vegetarian supplement, each coconut oil softgel includes 1000 mg of 100% organic extra virgin coconut oil.

Remember how I said that I ditched my normal coconut oil modus operandi? I will admit that I was a little nervous. I am not a rock-the-boat person. I also sort of hate taking pills. But I also sometimes do get a little tired of eating coconut oil straight up with a chocolate chip chaser. (To be fair, I love the chocolate chip chaser!)

I will spare you a blow-by-blow account of my three weeks on the softgel regime but what I will tell you is that they are FABULOUS! They worked just as well as eating coconut oil off the spoon. They were super easy to swallow despite being a tad large in size. They didn’t “repeat” like many pills have the tendency to do. And they slid on down into the tummy with ease. Not once did I have one lodge itself somewhere between the back of my throat and the middle of nowhere.

Full disclosure – I did continue cooking and baking with coconut oil so I did not rely solely on the softgels for my coconut oil consumption.

If you or anyone you know has any sort of difficulty consuming coconut oil either straight up or in baking/cooking, then you simply must get Kelapo’s softgels. I am very excited to be able to recommend this product to all of you. I get so many inquiries about coconut oil “pills” and these vegetarian softgels not only fit the bill, hey exceed it!

How would you like to win a jar of these fabulous vegetarian coconut oil softgels? I thought so! Kelapo is generously giving way one jar to a Hybrid Rasta Mama reader. All you have to do to enter is to check out Kelapo’s blog and choose the recipe that interests you the most then leave a comment on this post (be sure to include your email if it is not linked to your profile)!

But wait! There are MORE ways to win!

Extra Entries are SUPER EASY. Leave a second comment with the numbers of the corresponding entries. So if you did them all you would simply say “I did #s 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, 9. Easy, easy peasy! I will do the heavy lifting at the end of the giveaway.

Here are all the extra entry options. If you are already doing these, cool. If not, have at it!

Subscribe to Kelapo’s Coconut Mail via email
Like Kelapo on Facebook
Follow Kelapo on Twitter
Follow Kelapo on Pinterest
Subscribe to Hybrid Rasta Mama via RSS and/or Email
Like Hybrid Rasta Mama on Facebook
Follow Hybrid Rasta Mama on Twitter
Follow Hybrid Rasta Mama on Pinterest
Follow Hybrid Rasta Mama on Networked Blogs

This giveaway opens today, May 5, 2012 and closes May 15, 2012 at 11:59pm PST. Winner will be selected via random.org. I will email you and you will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected.

Questions? Ask away. Otherwise, READY, SET, ENTER!!!!!

Good luck!

It's Finally Here! An Ebook full of simple, gentle, nourishing recipes for your entire body. These 40 recipes all incorporate coconut oil, known for its holistic healing properties.

Read more about this great resource at my Ebook Store page. Get your copy today for the introductory price of $5.95!

Coconut Oil and Blood Type "O"

2012-05-04T05:30:00.000-07:00

There is a lot of confusion about coconut products (namely coconut oil) and the blood type diet. One of the most frequently asked questions from those who read my 160 Uses For Coconut Oil post is what my take is on the blood type diet and the concern for Type “O’s” consuming coconut oil and other coconut products.

Let me state that I am NOT a medical professional. At all. Everything I share on my blog is based on research and personal experience. It is NOT to be taken as hard and firm medical advice. My posts are designed to encourage you to do more research and to consult with a trusted medical professional. So please, take everything I say in the rest of this post as MY OPINION ONLY! Good gosh I do not want to be held accountable for anyone experiencing an adverse reaction to coconut because I give the green light on it.

I wrote a post on Traditional Foods and the Blood Type Diet some time ago. You might want to check it out if you have no idea what the Blood Type Diet is all about. I have to admit that while I do think that there is some merit to it, I also remain a tad skeptical. I know that I can eat some of the forbidden foods with no adverse effects. I also know that there are indeed some forbidden foods that do me no favors. So honestly, the verdict is out for me on the Blood Type Diet. However, I know many people swear by it and that is where the concern is when it comes to coconut products and the Type O’s of the world.

According to the Blood Type diet, Type O individuals are credited with being the original human blood type. The Type O blood type was the blood type of the hunter-gatherer nomads of the African plains that subsisted from fruits and berries naturally growing and whatever could be killed from the game herds that migrated across the continent. These early hunters subsisted from no agricultural products and likely no dairy products, thus Type O individuals are sensitive to milk, eggs, and most agriculture (grains, wheat, etc).

Here is where the confusion comes in regarding coconut. In theory, coconut was NOT a food consumed by the hunter-gatherer nomads of the African plains. Although it is not considered an agricultural product per say, it is also not considered to be a naturally growing product according to several proponents of the Blood Type diet. Uh, correct me if I am wrong but last I checked coconuts were high up there on the naturally growing food item chain! Sure, they have become part of the agricultural world today but for hundreds of thousands of years, coconut palms were not farmed.

Another argument against consuming coconut oil is that it will prohibit weight loss and possibly lead to weight gain in Type O individuals. You see, Type Os are known for having a sluggish thyroid. However, coconut oil is known for AIDING in weight loss and supporting thyroid function. Confused much?

I wrote an entire post on Hashimoto’s Disease which is triggered by a low functioning thyroid. In my post, I explored how coconut oil can aid in improving thyroid function. I suggest you read that post for a better understanding of why a Type O with a sluggish thyroid would benefit, and not be harmed by consuming coconut oil.

I have a post in the works that discusses coconut oil and weight loss in depth but in short, the saturated fats in coconut oil contribute to weight loss and controlling food cravings. It also increases metabolic rate. So really, the argument that Type O’s should avoid coconut oil because they will gain weight is invalid in my opinion and based on my research.

Although Type O’s are known for being rather healthy, they are prone to stomach problems including ulcers and heartburn. Other common health issues that Type O blood types face are a hypersensitivity to allergens (especially mold), arthritis, low clotting factor (vitamin K deficiency), and diabetes.

Coconut oil is known for its ability to aid with the symptoms of all of these health issues and in some individuals may actually prevent or cure the above mentioned health issues. For individuals with diabetes it is known for keeping blood sugar levels stable and for controlling sugar cravings. For those suffering from hayfever, rubbing a little coconut oil inside the nostril can be helpful in clearing a runny nose and ending sneezing bouts. Taken internally it will help build immunity against certain allergens. The fat in coconut oil also aids in the absorption of vitamins, minerals and amino acids so anyone experiencing a Vitamin K deficiency (are anyone prone to one) would benefit from coconut oil. For anyone suffering from arthritis, coconut oil will reduce inflammation, aid in pain management, and lubricate the joints.

At the end of the day, only YOU can decide what is best for your health. If you feel that consuming coconut oil is too risky and that its health benefits do not outweigh your concerns about coconut oil and being a Type O, then by all means, do not consume it. But in my humble opinion, coconut oil is simply to powerful of a healer to NOT consume regularly. Like everything else in life, start slow and see how your body reacts. Gradually increase the amount of coconut oil you consume daily and if you have no adverse effects then hop on board the coconut oil train and don’t look back. If you do have some adverse reactions then either scale back on the amount you are consuming or avoid it. Again, your body - your choice.

Be sure to check out my Products I Love page for information on where to purchase coconut oil!

Don’ t forget to read the other posts in my Coconut Healthseries!

It's Finally Here! An Ebook full of simple, gentle, nourishing recipes for your entire body. These 40 recipes all incorporate coconut oil, known for its holistic healing properties.

Read more about this great resource at my Ebook Store page. Get your copy today for the introductory price of $5.95!

GIVEAWAY!!!! For My Children: A Mother's Journal of Memories, Wishes and Wisdom (U.S. & Canada; 05/09)

2012-05-02T05:30:00.000-07:00

I always get excited when I discover a unique item that I can gift my mom with. She is so special and does so much for me. With Mother’s Day around the corner I have been stressing over finding a “worthy” gift.

Dionna Ford of Code Name Mama fame saved my hide this year! Not only has she created an unforgettable gift for mothers but she has created something that will be passed down to me and then to Tiny as a piece of our family history.

For My Children: A Mother's Journal of Memories, Wishes and Wisdom is an easy-to-follow and heartfelt journal for moms to pass down their life story and joy of motherhood to their children.

Beautifully designed and illustrated, this perfect gift contains creative prompts that spark Mom’s recollections of fun family vacations, favorite childhood games, and special holidays. The thought-provoking queries allow Mom to delve into her own lifetime of experiences — her childhood and school years, falling in love and getting married, and, most of all, having and raising children. This collection of fill-in-the-blank lists is the easiest way for a mother to record on paper answers to the questions her children never thought to ask but will love to discover. It covers the little things no one wants to lose as well as the deepest subjects like the wisdom she has gained over the years, the goals she has achieved in her life, and the dreams that remain unfulfilled.

There are all kinds of different mother’s journals on the market. I know because I tried to find one to give to my mom shortly after Tiny was born. I never really found a journal that spoke to me. They were all pretty generic and were focused more on motherhood. I really wanted something that my mom could use to share memories about her own childhood, her family, our family, her life experiences, her hopes, her dreams, and so on. Sure, motherhood needed to be a part of this but there needed to be more.

For My Children not only met my expectations but truly is something above and beyond what I had hoped to find. I absolutely cannot wait for my mom to pass this down to me one day. After reading through the prompts, I realized that there is just so much that I do not know about my own mom! How sad is that? Not only should I learn as much as I can about my mom for myself but also so that I can share as much as possible with Tiny as she grows.

Some of my most favorite prompts focus on how my mom experienced and viewed her own childhood and what she loved most and disliked most growing up. I really do not know that much about my mom as a little one. I also love the prompts that allow my mom to explore how she finds happiness in life, what dreams she fulfilled and which ones she still hopes to attain.

There are seven distinct sections with over 150 prompts. The sections include:

Motherhood
Family and Home
Children
Life Wisdom and Wishes
Love and Relationships (love this entire section!)
You In The World
On Being You

This simple, yet elegant memoir is something that can be cherished by generation after generation. I am purchasing one of my own to pass down to Tiny. Heck – I might even purchase one to present Tiny with someday so that she can pass it down to her children (if she has any). Never in a million years would I have thought to write down my memories about half of what is contained in the prompts in For My Children. “If you had to compare your family members to fictional characters, who would they be?” I simply would not have thought to do that on my own! But what a fun idea.

Yes, Dionna is a friend through the Natural Parents Network, and yes, she generously gave me a review copy of For My Children, but even if she didn’t I would have purchased a copy anyway. And I would have still sung it’s praises far and wide!

If you are unsure of what to give your Mom this Mother’s Day, I encourage you to order a copy of For My Children ASAP! Already have your mom covered? Order a copy anyway and surprise her with it on some random day. Trust me, you will WANT these memories to pour over one day.

How would you like to win your very own copy of For My Children? Well, you can!

Mandatory Entry

Leave a comment here letting me know what one thing your children probably will never think to ask you about YOU, that would be interesting for them to know. Make sure to leave your email address if it is not attached to your profile?

Want extra entries?

Head over to Code Name Mama and read one of her recent posts. Then leave a comment on that post and link it back here so I know you did it!

Follow Code Name Mama in whatever fashion suits you. Then leave a comment here letting me know you did! You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, RSS, and Email!

This giveaway opens today, May 2, 2012 and closes May 9, 2012 at 11:59pm PST. Winner will be selected via random.org. I will email you and you will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected.

Good Luck!

Dionna is a lawyer turned work at home mama of two amazing kids, Kieran and Ailia. You can normally find Dionna over at Code Name: Mama where she shares information, resources, and her thoughts on natural parenting and life with little ones. She is also cofounder of Natural Parents Network - a thriving website and community of natural-minded families, and NursingFreedom.org - a site dedicated to normalizing breastfeeding.

Announcing a Gluten and Dairy Free Traditional Foods eCourse - This is a MUST TAKE!!!

2012-05-01T05:30:00.000-07:00

KerryAnn Foster of Cooking Traditional Foods (CTF) fame has been pouring herself into what I consider to be a very much needed Gluten and Dairy-Free Traditional Foods eCourse! I speak from experience when I say the going “gluten free” is really, really extraordinary difficult. Going it alone is honestly not easy or practical. You really do need support along the way.

This eCourse is the BEST support you could ever invest in as you make your way through a gluten free and/or dairy free transition OR as you continue on a journey that you have already started.

The Gluten and Dairy-Free Traditional Foods eCourse covers how to go on a gluten free diet and a dairy free diet while staying on a traditional or whole foods, nutrient-dense diet as outlined by Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Weston A Price, The Maker’s Diet by Jordan Rubin, and more.

This course is geared towards those new to the gluten and dairy-free diet, but those who have been eating this way a while will find plenty to enjoy as well.

If you’re going gluten and dairy-free and you eat a Traditional or Whole Foods diet or you want to eat healthier, this eCourse will help you get on your feet and give you confidence that you don’t have to spend a lot of time trying to figure out what to cook as the planning and the recipe selection, the shopping lists and more are already done for you! You can enjoy nutrient-dense meals without the stress of finding recipes and writing up shopping lists.

You will have PERMANENT ACCESS TO UPDATED MATERIALS!!! As new information becomes available in the world of gluten and dairy, CTF will update their course materials. Your access to the course material is permanent. CTF will keep the course content updated and notify you any time there’s a new study about celiac or gluten intolerance or new information on certification organizations, products, testing and more that might impact you and your health.

What Do You Get in the

Gluten and Dairy-Free Traditional Foods eCourse?

The course includes over 85 videos, fourteen weeks of lessons including eBooks and handouts associated with some lessons, access to the Recipe Archive for 14 weeks, a 14-week subscription to the Classic Menu Mailer, a monthly Q&A conference call, the ability to interact with other eCourse users, discounts on our other products and from partner companies and more! In total, you receive over 85 videos, 11 eBooks and 18 Menu Mailers containing hundreds of recipes along with ample opportunity to interact with the author and other members!

Here is the course outline to help you get a better idea of how impressive this course is!

Overview of what to eliminate for gluten

Where to find gluten and its ingredient names
Hidden sources of gluten
Controversies in gluten
Keeping yourself safe
Dealing with naysayers
Thoughts on testing

Overview of what to eliminate for dairy

Where to find dairy and its ingredient names
Hidden sources of dairy
Controversies in dairy

The Purge- the kitchen and pantry

How to purge the kitchen
Foods to replace
Cookware to replace
Cleaning your large appliances and dealing with frozen meats
Trace and cross, when and how it matters

The Purge- the rest of the house

Bathroom
Crafts and the office
Pets
Supplements and medications

The first week- menu plan

A meal plan including meat for breakfast and lunch
A meal plan with meatless breakfasts and lunches
Recipe- Puff Oven Pancake
Recipe- Tomato-Poached Eggs
Recipes- Maple Sausage and Spicy Sausage
Video Recipe- White Chicken Chili
Written Tutorial: How to soak and cook dry beans

Now that the gluten and dairy is gone, what CAN I eat?

Ingredient sources
Brands and items I have in my kitchen
Kitchen equipment for a gluten-free home
Video recipe: Pepper Steak and Veggies
Video recipe: Tikka Masala

Quick-Start Replacement Guide

Replacing butter
Replacing shortening
Replacing whipped cream
Replacing yogurt
Replacing cream
Replacing buttermilk
Replacing cheese
Replacing flour in breadings
Skip the bread
Video recipe: Nut-Based Ricotta Cheese Replacement
Video tutorial: How to make whipped cream out of coconut milk
Video tutorial: Coconut Milk Yogurt
Video tutorial: Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Overview of non-glutenous grains

Amaranth, millet, teff and quinoa
Buckwheat, sorghum and rice
Nut meals and coconut flour
The starches
Baking Aids- guar and xanthan gum, baking soda and baking powder
Making your own mixes and ratios
Oats and corn
Video recipe: Cornbread
Video recipe: Corn Tortillas
Video recipe: Design a Pilaf
Video recipe: Quinoa Poppers
Video tutorial: How to make crispy nuts and nut meal

Overview of alternate milks

Video tutorial: Coconut milk
Video tutorial: Almond milk
Video tutorial: Rice milk

Feeding GFCF kids- quickstart guide

Kid-happy breakfasts eBook
Kid-happy lunches eBook
Kid-happy snacks eBook
Kid-happy desserts eBook
Video recipe: Clafouti
Video recipe: Lactofermented French Fries
Video recipe: Peanut Butter Balls
Video recipe: Peanut Butter Cups
Video recipe: Chocolate Pudding

GFCF on a budget- quickstart guide

Stretching meals with beans eBook
Stretching meals with grains eBook
Hidden veggies eBook
Video tutorial: How to sprout beans and grains
Video tutorial: How to soak beans and grains
Video tutorial: Bulk cooking and prep tips
Video recipe: Hidden Veggie Sloppy Joes
Video recipe: Baked Beans

Traveling while GFCF

Picking hotel rooms
What to pack
Car snacks and travel foods eBook
Video recipe: Nut Flour Cookies
Video recipe: Breakfast Bars
Video tutorial: How to Steam Eggs

Separating contamination with gluten-eating family members

Preventing cross-contamination from shared equipment- equipment
Preventing cross-contamination from shared equipment- pantry, surfaces and cabinets
Preventing cross-contamination from shared equipment- tips and tricks
Video Tutorial: prevent cross contamination with shared containers

Traditional Foods

Lactoferments
Homemade Stocks
Video recipe: Homemade Stock
Video recipe: Sauerkraut
Video recipe: Pickled garlic

KerryAnn was kind enough to give me access to this eCourse so that I could get a sneak peek at the first three weeks of offerings. I am beyond impressed!

The content is rich, informative, but very easy to understand and digest. KerryAnn keeps it real – she isn’t going to tiptoe around anything. After all, this is to help you better your health!

I love the videos. I am not much of a video learner but these videos clearly had a lot of time and planning that went into them and I absorbed a lot. There is also a written transcript available just in case the videos do not really float your boat.

There is a lot of good information in this eCourse that actually was new to me. I thought I had all the hidden sources of gluten and diary dialed in but nope! There were some I actually never knew about.

KerryAnn has been fielding a lot of questions about this eCourse and I thought it would be helpful to post those here. Below are the questions with KerryAnn’s responses.

Is the eCourse appropriate for those on, paleo, primal, GAPS or SCD?

This class contains gluten-free grains, starches and many other foods that are not allowed on paleo, primal GAPS or SCD diets. While some of the recipes will be suitable, I haven’t yet gone through and classified all of them to be able to give you a percentage.

Is this class low-carb?

No, it is not. There are a mixture of recipes with various levels of carb content. However, there are plenty of recipes that are served over a starch or grain so you could omit those to make the dish lower in carbs.

Is this class free of other allergens such as soy or egg?

No, it’s not totally free of other allergens. For soy, I do have a soy sauce replacement recipe you can use and that would remove all of the soy out of the class. For egg, I have a variety of egg-free recipes listed and I do notate where various egg replacers would or would not work. There are some recipes in the class that can not be made egg-free.

Are you a dietician?

No, I am not. I do not have a degree in medicine, nutrition or dietetics. I am presenting this information solely from the viewpoint of someone who has lived with celiac disease for years and the material is about how to cook gluten and dairy-free foods and practical application. The course does not contain medical information or advice or specifics about diagnosis. I recommend you consult a trusted health care advisor for those questions as I will not be able to give medical or nutritional advice.

What if I get busy and can’t complete the class in 14 weeks?

No worries. The videos, handouts, eBooks and links are never taken down. The course material is permanently accessible to you, so you don’t have to worry about trying to get it done by a cut-off date.

Are the Menu Mailers gluten and dairy-free?

Yes. We have three celiacs in my house and my son is still dairy-free. My daughter and I only consume small amounts of raw dairy now, and we don’t cook with it, just drink it. Everything in my Menu Mailers, print and eBooks and this eCourse and almost everything on my blog is written from the GFCF viewpoint. However, if you do consume gluten or dairy, you can still use the recipes as they’ll work with some minor adjustments.

Will this eCourse work for me if I am gluten-free but not dairy-free?

Absolutely. Instead of using the suggested alternative milks, you can just use cow milk. And you can use butter instead of coconut oil in most of the dishes, too. If cheese would work with a meal, I do list it as optional, in case you are feeding someone who can have dairy or you are able to go back on dairy at a later time.

Interested yet? If so, head on over to the official eCourse page and make the best investment in your health that you can make! Trust me, you will be glad that you did!

Interested in other products from Cooking Traditional Foods? Be sure to check out these products:

Menu Mailer

Often Used Recipes eBook

Back to Basics

Real Food Storage

It's Finally Here! An Ebook full of simple, gentle, nourishing recipes for your entire body. These 40 recipes all incorporate coconut oil, known for its holistic healing properties.

Read more about this great resource at my Ebook Store page. Get your copy today for the introductory price of $5.95!

Co-ed Sleepovers? Changing My Mindset!

2012-04-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Fabulous Hybrid Blog Carnival. Our topic this spring is Change! This post was written for inclusion in the quarterly Blog Carnival hosted by The Fabulous Mama Chronicles and Hybrid Rasta Mama. This month our participants reflect on change in all of its many forms. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

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Photo Credit

Back when I was a pre-teen and teenager there would have been no way on God’s green earth that my parents would have allowed me to either have a co-ed sleepover or attend a co-ed sleepover. No way. It wasn’t even open for discussion.

I should probably ask my parents (mom – feel free to comment here) but my guess is that their decision had very little to do with the possibility that “sex” might happen and more with the fact that they were Catholic and you just didn’t do things like this. It was inappropriate and immoral.

Other parents probably put the kibosh on the idea because of the sex factor. Putting a bunch of hormone riddled teens together, overnight, would only lead to sex or sex acts. Right? Boys and girls just couldn’t be trusted to keep their horny paws off of each other.

I find it interesting that this discussion is beginning to make its way across the blogsphere. I first came across the discussion in a post at a UK site, Daily Mail Online, which highlighted several mothers who (gasp) were allowing their daughters to have overnight stays with their boyfriends. There was a then wonderful post inspired by this same article over at PhD In Parenting which furthers the conversation about co-ed sleepovers. Annie, the author, provides a realistic perspective on the subject. And then, if you really want some honest insight, straight from a teen, grab a beverage of your choice, sit back, and settle in for what I found to be a really good read.

So all of these posts got the little hamster in my brain running at top speed. While I have quite a few years before Tiny starts asking to have and attend sleepovers, what will my stance be about co-ed sleepovers?

I have been chewing on this quite a bit. My closed-minded default response based on my own upbringing would be “no way.” But times have changed. Teens today are very different from my generation. Tiny’s teenage years will be very different from today’s generation of teens. With the evolution of humankind comes the necessity to change our default line of thinking.

When I was a teen, co-ed sleepovers could have fostered an atmosphere conducive to boy on girl hanky panky. But honestly, if any of us wanted to get it on, we would have found a way to do so anyway. Chances are it would not be at a co-ed sleepover in front of all of our friends. At least not the intercourse part. Maybe the making out, feeling up part…if everyone else was doing it and there were no parents around to keep a watchful eye.

Having a co-ed sleepover today (and probably 13 years from now) is, in my humble opinion, not really that big of a deal. I think that there is an equal chance of sexual activity taking place at a co-ed sleepover as there is at a same-sex sleepover. Being biased against a co-ed sleepover simply means that I, as a parent, am assuming that my child is heterosexual and will choose to engage in sexual activities with someone of the opposite sex. There is a 50/50 chance that my child will decide to explore her sexuality with another female. This is her choice and her journey. So should I be concerned about her having a sleep over with her “best friend” if her BFF is a female?

My parents did not give a second thought to having my girlfriends over to spend the night. I doubt it crossed their mind that we could just as easily have been “fooling around” with each other. We didn’t but I know several of my high school classmates did. And yet, having a co-ed sleepover was taboo.

Again, I have several more years to really ponder this but ultimately any sleepover with anyone while Tiny is still young will require an adult presence and a trust that I have been as open and honest with Tiny about sex and sexuality so that she can make an informed decision. When it boils down to it, teens who want to explore their sexuality will find a way to do so whether or not they are at a same-sex or a co-ed sleepover. Period.

A really great discussion was brewing in a Facebook group I am in over this very topic. I thought I would provide you with a few “sound bites” that I think sum up my current position on co-ed sleepovers while also offering a slightly different point of view. Enjoy!

I was just introduced to the concept of co-ed sleepovers by several mama friends who have kids a couple of years older than my son. Their families are close, and their daughters - and sons - are all close friends. When a few of the same sex kids wanted to have sleepovers and asked if their opposite sex friend - who they play with all the time in other situations - could stay too, the parents did a lot of soul searching and decided that they were comfortable with co-ed sleepovers. At least one mother said that she would not stop when kids got to an age where sexual experimentation was a factor. (As we all know, sexual experimentation could start at any age. Plus, sexual experimentation does not necessarily mean boy-girl, it can be girl-girl or boy-boy.) I do believe that there would need to be a level of trust between kids and parents, and between the kids themselves - that kids should be confident enough to say no to something they are not comfortable with, that parents need to be accessible, etc.

I am not closed to the idea, as much as culturally it's a hard one to wrap my mind around. It depends so much on the individual family and the kids/teens involved. Underage/teen sex is a reality, whether we as parents choose to admit it or not, and if my teen wants to engage in it, I'd much rather she (or he if we have a boy one day) and I be in a place of trust where she can talk openly with me and I can support her through a really big phase in her life - offering guidance of course, to make sure she's as safe and comfortable as possible. I'd love it if I had children who felt they wanted to wait until adulthood, but I have a feeling that won't be my decision to make, and I'd rather be supportive than make them feel they need to hide it.

My hardest time with co-ed sleepovers is: what is the fear? Is it sex? Because who says that is limited to opposite sex? Gay, Bi, or straight, how can I be fair to all my children without assuming their orientation, or even just their drive for exploration? And is it fair to expect teens to fight their biological drive to attempt procreation to align with ideas of premarital sex and the cultural expectation to be "ready" for marriage (not all communities, but quite a few) by finishing school and procure a steady income.

I'm a big believer in the Dutch approach to teens and sex. It's expected that if you are in a long term relationship (you know, in teen terms, so a couple of months) that you are probably going to want to have sex. Kids stay over at their b/gf's houses, birth control is discussed and provided, the relationship is integrated into the family. I actually think the hook up culture has been caused by our society's drive to push teen sex under ground. I would much rather my kids had a loving, healthy, mutual respectful sexual relationship then that we pretend they don't want to.

I guess part of it is that I expect my teens to know what they are ready for better then I do, just like I expect my kids to know how hungry or cold they are better then I do. And they can't develop that kind of self knowledge if I'm imposing arbitrary outside guidelines.

We had co-ed sleepovers when I was in junior high/high school... When it was warm, we'd do backyard campouts. When it was cold, we all slept over my friend’s house, in his basement. Our parents all knew and were ok with it, even my conservative grandparents were ok with it, which seems so weird to me now. None of us were dating each other, so it was just a large group of friends- about five girls and eight boys. I did, however, end up a teen mom, but not because of the co-ed sleepovers, which consisted of "manhunt" (like hide and seek, with teams, in the dark) and occasionally truth or dare- the worst dares were having to smooch someone in the circle which was SO GROSS to us. The worst thing that ever happened was the time we were feeding twigs to a citronella candle and nearly set fire to the picnic table.

So what are your thoughts on co-ed sleepovers? Are you prepared for your child to ask permission to attend one or to have one? What will your response be and why? Do you need to CHANGE your mindset?

It's Finally Here! An Ebook full of simple, gentle, nourishing recipes for your entire body. These 40 recipes all incorporate coconut oil, known for its holistic healing properties.

Read more about this great resource at my Ebook Store page. Get your copy today for the introductory price of $5.95!

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Visit Hybrid Rasta Mama and the Fabulous Mama Chronicles to find out how you can participate in the next Fabulous Hybrid Carnival!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants. It will be updated by 3:00pm PST on Monday. April 30th:

Unschooling My Heart - Patti at Canadian Unschooler discovered that Unschooling her kids was EASY compared to the bigger change required to Unschool her heart.
Change (Variety) - Rachel at Lautaret Bohemiet writes about how variety is the spice of life.
No More Threats - Amy at Presence Parenting flips the idea of parental control through threats on its head, for good.
Why Are You Mad??? Turn Off the T.V and Meditate - Destany of They Are All of Me discusses limiting stress by focusing more on your Inside self.
Co-ed Sleepovers? Changing My Mindset – Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama takes a hard look at her previous beliefs about sleepovers.
Change Can Mean Puddles - Jorje of Momma Jorje has had to clean up some puddles after major changes.
On Acceptance - Laura at Authentic Parenting writes about how she ditched the constant longing for change and came to accept herself as she is.
Blissed Out on Birth, Drunk on Baby Skin - Melissa from Mothers of Change passionately explores the changes she would like to see come to the maternity care system, and our universal love of the smell of a newborn baby.
Changing My Mindset, One Challenge at a Time - Wolfmother at Fabulous Mama Chronicles speaks candidly about her challenges in changing how she parents.
Because Mommy Said No - Dawn of Raising Natural Kids discusses the use of a common phrase that makes Mommy out to be the bad guy when, in reality, she is making decisions out of love.
Through Adversity We Grow - Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children chooses to take a positive view on change and growth.
Life is Change - Rae of Ital Livin' writes about the large changes her family has made within the last year.constant in life.
A Changing Voice - Jennifer at Our Muddy Boots discusses how in order to grow change is unavoidable. That does not mean the process is easy though.
Being. Changing. Believing. - Amy at Me, Mothering, and Making It All Work reminisces on the changes that have shaped her adult life thus far, and molded her into an adaptable, but still type-A, believer in change.
Motivating Change In The Face Of Apathy - Brenna at Almost All The Truth is asking the question many of us who actively work to change the world ask ourselves: how do we get people to care?
She Changes Everything She Touches - Change is the only thing we can count on in life, and Jen in Canada examines some of the biggest things she'd like to tackle before the birth of her second child.