Popcorn!...Get your Popcorn!

Popcorn, it’s an American staple. In fact, I don’t know if I know anyone who doesn’t love popcorn! It really brings the party – even if it’s just you, a good movie and a bag of popcorn! But if you are popping in a bag of instant microwaveable popcorn, you are unintentionally inviting some party crashers!

Who are these party crashers? Here's the list of the uninvited. 

• GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms
• Partially Hydrogenated Oils- also known as “trans fats
• Diacetyl- Better known as artificial butter flavoring
• TBHQ (Tertiary Butylhydroquinone) - a chemical preservative
• Potassium Chloride- Can cause irregular heart beat and muscle weakness (No thanks!)
• Natural Flavor- Hardly anything “natural” about this flavor
• Artificial Flavor- these are man-made chemical concoctions

So now what? Don’t uninvited a good bowl of popcorn, simply put homemade popcorn with kernels and oil on the VIP list and ditch the instant bag! Homemade popcorn can be just as divine if not more. With homemade popcorn, you now know that it fresh and there is only two ingredients oil and kernels. Plus, there is something gratifying on making popcorn for kids and adults alike!

The list below are REAL natural ways (not “natural flavoring”, there is a difference!) to add to your popcorn party!

• CHEESY! (My personal favorite: butter or coconut oil, salt and nutritional yeast
• BBQ: 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/2 teaspoon each garlic powder and onion powder. –Rachel Meltzer Warren,C R.D.
• Chocolate: Coconut oil or butter, honey, cocoa powder

Click here for more Popcorn flavors! http://bit.ly/1iage3e

Free Kitchen Help Anyone?

A little kitchen help anyone? By the time lunch roles around my kitchen sink and counter tops are already collecting cups of all sizes. While loading the dishwasher, the top rack is always the first to be overcrowded with these cups. There just isn’t enough room and what a waste time, water & overtime your money! My family of four goes through the water glasses on daily basis like crazy so I can’t imagine what a family of 4+ must go through!

A time saver tip: Create a designated area on the kitchen counter where half-filled coffee mugs that need to be reheated, water glasses to be can be used again later, or Sippy cups that need be refilled are welcomed! This special spot will cut down on clutter! But take it a step further. Band the cups, to make them identifiable for the day. Now, everyone has their own individualize cup to use for the day.

My personal experience: This quick tip is a simple and quick way to make you day just little more easier not to mention cleaner! Far less cups are scattered about the house and the dishwasher is not taking on extra work! Using less cups per day also adds up to being considered a GREEN habit! Your little sprouts will have a blast picking out there new band for the day to make there all day cup special! There are bands to specifically for this purpose to purchase on the market but you can also put the pocket book away and use the items listed below to get the job done as well!

Bands ideas:

• Use the rubber charity bands (my favorite band idea!)
• Rubber bands
• Colored tape
• Hair ties

Need more time saving ideas? http://bit.ly/OU7d2H

The Finest Dining for the Little One

As soon as my pediatrician gave the OK for my little “sprout” to start trying new foods, I raced to the grocery store to find those cute little baby jars of food. I was beyond excited to start this new food adventure with her. I quickly realized that the selections, flavors and brands are all part of a never ending list! As I began piling the cart up with the jars of baby food, I came across something like “turkey and spinach”. This gourmet meal for my little sprout’s first food adventure was turkey in paste form with spinach. Sounds appetizing right? No! So I thought, “How in the world could it sound appetizing to her?” Something about the meat protein in paste form didn't sit right with me. Back went the jars of baby food, and my grocery shop adventure was over.

Introducing foods is fun and exciting to your little one so why not start them off with something that is enjoyable…even to you! After my grocery store flop, I went home and did a little research. What I found is that MOST foods are OK for your baby to enjoy. Your little one is human so after 6 months (please check with your pediatrician first), your sprout can enjoy most wholesome foods which you also enjoy.

What did I do next? I became an unprofessional culinary artist. I simply started off with the colors as the doctors recommend doing; the greens, then oranges, then the blues/purples and so on and began blending them myself. As my little one began to have experience in her fine dining I was providing, I would start blending different fruits and vegetables together (i.e. bananas and strawberries, or boiled carrots and broccoli).

My experienced little diner was eventually ready to graduate from the basic fruits and vegetables to full meals. This is where my unprofessional culinary skills really took off! I would cook meals for my husband and I in which I knew that foods were baby friendly too. Spaghetti night would be served and a small portion would be tossed into the blender and served to my little one. Tuesdays are generally homemade taco night for my family so off went the black beans, rice, and corn into the blender and my sprout thoroughly enjoyed taco night.

Here are a few benefits of making homemade baby food:

•  Cost effective
• Time efficient (yes, this is true! Many times there is leftover baby food ready for the freezer)
•  You see first-hand & have control over the ingredients
• Elimination of additives (GMOs No Thanks!)
• Increase nutritional value

Be sure to check out more menu options for your fine diner HERE!

Diaper rash and baby powder is not so baby friendly…

Just when you thought you had this parenting thing down, enters a new culprit to stir things. Who is this culprit? Baby powder. Baby powder was my ‘go to’ for my daughter’s irritated skin. However, low and behold baby powder apparently is not baby friendly as it seems.

It turns out there is controversy when it comes to baby powder. According to American Academy of Pediatrics and most pediatricians, many baby powders are talc based which can cause breathing issues and lung damage.

Baby powder may smell and feel good but it is definitely not worth jeopardizing your pint sized little being’s health.  You can always go to the thick heavy chemically based ooey-gooey ointment or reach for other remedies out there that I love just as much, if not more!

If my little sprout’s skin is pretty irritated, my favorite ‘go to’ natural remedy is a warm oatmeal bath. I add 1 -2 tablespoon(s) of dried oatmeal to her bath. The oatmeal is soothing and helps protect her skin. The best part, she loves baths so this is great fun for her.

After the bath and dried off, I apply corn starch to her skin. I know this is powder form however, its important to pour it into your hand and gently pat it on. Corn starch is great as it dries up damp area and greatly reduces any friction caused by elastic diapers. Again, remember to shake the corn starch into your hand and away from your sprout.

Visit http://bit.ly/1jAfhRu for more natural diaper rash remedies!

What is better than natural remedies for diaper rash? 

5 ways to avoid a diaper rash!

1.  Change the Diaper Often- Diaper rash generally happens when the diaper is wet/soiled and cover the skin. The best to avoid this skin irritant is to change it often!
2. Keep It Clean- Keep baby’s skin clean from bacteria spreading.
3.  Keep It Dry- Exposed wetness to skin will cause the diaper rash, so be sure to keep the area dry. corn starch (applied in hand first and away from the baby) can help with this but be sure to stay away from the talcum powder!
4. Avoid Irritation- Diapers and wipes can cause an irritation on the skin from the fragrance and bleach ingredients within them! There are diapers and wipes on the market without containing any harsh chemicals.
5.  Use Barrier and Creams- Click Here for a great recipe to a natural barrier cream!

AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE SKIN ISSUES AWAY

For gorgeous skin run to the kitchen and grab your vinegar…Apple Cider Vinegar to be exact. Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) sounds sweet and inviting much like our beloved fall beverage Apple Cider. This isn’t the case, it has a strong potent smell of vinegar that makes your eyes water and nose want to run off your face. Even though ACV may not necessarily be smell and taste friendly our skin loves this stuff!

An Apple A Day Keeps The Skin Issues Away: Apple Cider Vinegar is extremely effective for treating common skin issues such as acne, warts, dark spots and other skin problems. The ACV is also fantastic for overall health of our skin by making it look younger and much smoother. How does this work? ACV has a tonic action that promotes blood circulation in the tiny capillaries that irrigate our skin.* Because this vinegar is also antiseptic, it prevents bacteria and viruses that often lead to irritations on the skin. The ACV has the ability to balance out the pH balance and condition our skin, giving it a more even tone appearance.*

My personal experience with ACV: During my first trimester my skin began to breakout in acne madness (this is a sign of a girl, right?), even though my doctor said the medicated acne treatment I was currently using was pregnancy safe, I figured there had to be something better! So I did a little research and was introduced to ACV. The very first night I applied the ACV, it began to work instantly and I woke up the next morning with clearer skin. Now even 9 months after my pregnancy I am still religiously using ACV as a daily and mid-night toner. In a short period of time my skin began to appear healthier and even had a natural glow too it!  The trash can now proudly owns my previous expensive chemically induced toner!

Apple Cider Vinegar benefits the skin but the benefits don’t just stop there!

• Stop the itch of a mosquito bite**
• Soothe sore throats**
• Detoxify**
• Hiccup destroyer!**

ACV will be your friend around the house too Click Here! 

* Credit belongs to this site http://www.care2.com/greenliving/apple-cider-vinegar-skin-tip.html

**Credit belongs to this site http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/stories/12-health-benefits-of-apple-cider-vinegar

In a (Coco)nut Shell

In a (Coco)nut shell: Coconut oil is a friendly edible oil that has been consumed in wonderful tropical places for thousands of years. I say ‘friendly’ because this oil has a lot of benefits to it! There have been studies done that coconut oil consumption actually show signs in benefits of health and other positive uses.

So how are people using coconut oil and what are are the benefits? First, be sure our friend here is a virgin. Virgin coconut oil is less refined and more fresh! Research has shown that coconut oil aides in long list of healthy benefits.
 A few here:
 • Reversing the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s disease*
 • Positive benefits for people with diabetes type 1 and 2*
 • Boosts metabolism*
 • Promote a healthy hormone balance*
 • Improves skin conditions- such as the all too common acne and eczema*

The list of benefits from coconut oil for health is really endless. Trainers, athletes and some of the biggest weight loss programs on the market are including the almighty coconut oil. Coconut oil doesn’t just stop there, like a good friend it also shares its beauty secrets with us too!

A few here:
 • Conditions and strengthens hairs*
 • Hydrates skin*
 • Add a little sea salt to the mix and you have a simple natural face scrub
 • Skin Illuminator*
 • Make up remover
 • Lip Balm

Just like with healthy benefits, the beauty benefits is also endless with coconut oil. Yes, it can even help aide us moms out there with our children by being a natural germ and virus killer as well as being a healthy brain boosting snack.

Check out Dr. Oz's intake on coconut oil!

*Facts from my blog can be reviewed Here!

Welcome to Naturally Mommy!

I’ve created a spot where all things natural are welcome. I’m eager to share all of my new natural findings that I use on a daily basis to help keep my home naturally healthy and happy! I’m not really here to preach on and on about health but to share some great alternatives that make our daily routines more easy and healthy.

Immediately after the double lines appeared on the pregnancy test, I dipped my toes into the ‘Dos’ and ‘Don’ts’ of being pregnant and before I knew it was in waist deep! Already being naturally tired from the baby taking every ounce of my energy, I grew into exhaustion trying to research all of the right things to do. I thought this was what being a good mom is about! After jotting down all my notes and sorting them into piles, I soon realized maybe this was a bit ridiculous and quite unnecessary.

Trying to be a perfect mom is not great, but trying to be a great mom is perfect! Taking anything overboard is not good for anyone and trying to reach the unobtainable is a waste of time. The role as a mom is a natural thing in life. There is no need to search for the instruction pamphlet on being the perfect mom, because well there is none. Trust me I’ve looked!  

My advice? To begin your naturally mommy path the first thing to do is listen to your heart and going with that gut feeling! Just continuously ask yourself “Is what I am doing ok? And is there a healthier alternative?”

For instance, while utilizing my “Sunday clean day” I was cleaning the hardwood floors with some overpowering smelling wood cleaner. My eyes were watering and my nose began to run, my naturally mommy gear kicked in and I thought this can’t be good for me or the baby! Or anyone! Is there a healthier solution?

After doing a little research, I found a solution! An alternative to floor cleaning, that was not only healthier for my growing baby, me and my beloved dog but the floors as well! It’s called vinegar! No longer, do I have harsh chemicals sitting on wood floors and emanating into the air, I have nice shiny and CLEAN hardwood floors.

The cleaning ration is 1/2 cup white vinegar to 1 gallon of warm/hot water. I’m a telling you this works! I had to change my bucket three times from all of the slack pick up of my expensive hardwood cleaner. The best part of all this vinegar cleaning madness? There is an endless list that your white vinegar can help aid you in cleaning!

Check this out! Cleaning with Vinegar