Blog News

After months of preparation, I’m excited to announce that we are ready to launch our free online webinar on Wednesday evening, February 1st.

“What’s in YOUR Personal Care?  A Label Reading Workshop.”

Get the knowledge you need to spot the toxic ingredients in personal care products and vitamin supplements.

Don’t be fooled by misleading labels.

Come learn how to cut through all the marketing lingo and find out what’s really in the products and why you might want to be concerned.

And sadly, yes, there are many toxins even in ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ products.

This webinar is brought to you by our Miessence community team, but there’s nothing to buy.  It’s educational info only and the content will be of a general nature – you can apply this information to reading the labels on any brand of products.

Those who are interested will have the option to stay on for an extra 5-10 minutes if they’d like to learn more about Miessence at the end.  Those who aren’t, can sign off.

Use the link below to register for the webinar, and use the code KV0212.

And please spread the word – thanks!

Frustrated by ‘greenwashing’ in the personal care industry?

Ready to take the next healthy living step and tackle their toxic personal care products?

Didn’t even realize yet that there are toxins in these products?

This webinar is for you!

https://www.gotomeeting.com/register/950901614   (use the code KV0212)

See you there! 

Can’t attend live?  Register anyway and receive a recording of the webinar after the fact.

This is just a quick post to share with you something fun and simple from my past week.

Remember Vicks Vapor Rub?  I have fond childhood memories of that product.  I’m pretty sure my mom still uses it nightly (though I could be lying – not sure really).

But, nowadays I’m not sure I’d be too keen on some of the ingredients in that product (haven’t looked at it’s ingredients lately, but just guessing).

So, my kids have had a cough since Christmas, and last week it got pretty bad.  That isn’t the fun part of this story.  The school actually told my 5 year old not to come back until she was tested or treated for pertussis – the long story short on how bad her ‘cough’ was (though in her case it wasn’t actually much of a cough, but… long story).  Anyway.  They had had a confirmed case there the week before, so of course the nurse, who is a lovely woman, is on high alert for any possible sign of pertussis.  And so you don’t worry… the test came back negative.  Yay!

Anyways, when the cough got bad, I thought, “Hmmm, I bet I could make some homemade ‘vicks’ rub.”

And sure enough – it was easy.  I just took some of the herbal salve that my friends and I made from the Learning Herbs kit this past fall and added a few drops of Miessence’s eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils.  Rubbed it all together and then rubbed it on her chest, neck, and back.  Simple.  I’m sure I could have used coconut oil as the carrier oil too, but the thicker salve was probably better anyway.

It definitely seemed to help relieve the night coughs, and it was super simple to make. 

When our electric stove began to die a couple months ago, we were really torn about how to replace it.  We went back and forth – mostly because of the concerns over ‘fracking’ for natural gas.  If you don’t know about hydraulic fracturing, give it a google search.

Here’s a brief overview of what I understand about its controversy at the moment.  There have been some very destructive mistakes made while ‘fracking’ for natural gas.  But supposedly, it can be done safely.  Sort of like drilling for oil.  It can run smoothly much of the time, but when accidents happen, or when it is done poorly from the get go, the result is a really bad situation.  And, of course, it’s not a renewable energy source, and therefore not a long-term sustainable solution.  But it is cleaner than oil or coal, and it’s a domestic source of energy and abundant at the moment, but…  On we go, back and forth.  Ugh.

We have natural gas in our home already (heating, hot water, etc), but of course have no real control over where that gas is coming from or how it is extracted from the earth.  We had signed up with an alternate gas supplier a couple years ago, but they had no expressed concerns for responsible drilling and even their promise of money savings did not pan out (that story here).

But now comes a little glimmer of hope with regard to responsible natural gas choices…

We had signed up with Viridian as electric customers a year ago because of their greener energy content label, which was 3x greener than our utility company for roughly the same price.  In fact, over this past year, our electricity service from Viridian has only cost us, averaged out, about $0.50 more per month than what we were paying the utility anyway.  50 cents a month for 3x more renewable energy?!  I’m good with that.  Love it.

And now Viridian is offering natural gas service, with a strong commitment to be a voice for sustainability and stewardship in the area of safe and responsible drilling and extraction.  While there is no really great natural gas solution right now, going with Viridian is the best possible option for our family at the moment.  We appreciate knowing that they are committed to the same sort of values we are, and are working toward similar goals.

From Viridian’s pamphlet on natural gas:  “Every form of energy generation has some degree of undesirable environmental impact. Although natural gas is a cleaner-burning resource, that’s not the whole picture. The negative environmental, and social impacts related to production and extraction methods for drilling and hydraulic fracturing must be considered for natural gas to play a credible role in the future of our energy mix. Unfortunately, legislation and environmental protection guidelines have not kept up with recent technological advances and new methods of extraction. As a supplier or customer hoping to support a responsible and credible solution, today’s options are limited. Without clear research to define what is and what is not harmful, without innovation to perfect an extraction process, without transparency and regulation that makes sense for all stakeholders, the future of natural gas is unclear. Viridian is committed to taking an industry lead in driving demand, education and solution-focused discussion to increase transparency and responsibility in natural gas production.” 

For Viridian’s full, 3-page pamphlet on their position, mission, and vision for natural gas, click here.

We’ve been very happy with Viridian for our electric service, and we are switching to them for our natural gas service as well – to add to the collective voice “driving demand for responsible solutions.”

Will you join our family in adding to that collective voice as an electric, natural gas, or ‘combo’ customer with Viridian?  If so, would you please consider enrolling by phone instead of online and giving them my referring ID#?  Just grab your utility bill and give them a call at 866-663-2508 to enroll or ask additional questions.  My referring ID# is 11636.  Disclosure – As I mentioned in my post a year ago about their electric service, I am not actively growing a business with Viridian, but yes, I will get a small commission for referring you.  Thanks! 

Here are the rate sheets for New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York.  Some nice savings there, too, on top of the sustainability commitments.  Always a plus! 

 

Intro – Using a truly natural product can be a strange transition for some, because we are so used to ‘normal’ or conventional (chemical ridden) products – how they feel, smell, taste (if applicable), and work.  Throughout this series, I’m sharing my experiences with some of the products that were the most noticeably different for me when I first made the switch to truly natural products, and how the results are stacking up against their conventional counterparts.

In this installment of my little series on ‘transitioning to natural products,’ let’s talk about smells…

When I first switched to using truly natural personal care products, I was instantly aware of the different smell.  When I had switched 5 years prior to semi-natural products from conventional drug store stuff (which are basically all synthetic chemicals and which I’d been using all my life up until that point in time), I didn’t really notice much of a difference.  Perhaps the smell was a little less intense than the artificially fragrant drug store products, but it was still a familiar sort of smell.  (Side note – although that particular semi-natural line did not use artificial fragrances, I later learned that there were quite a few other questionable synthetic chemicals in the formulations, as is the case with most ‘natural’ and even many ‘organic’ products out there).

Then I started using Miessence’s certified organic personal care products (click here for a great little video overview).  At first I thought, “Oh, that smells… different.  Hmm, not bad, just… really different.  Hmm….”  And then I tried the Probiotic Skin Brightener, and I thought, “Pee-eew!  That stinks to high heaven, like vinegar!”  I hadn’t learned much at all at that point about the amazing benefits of fermentation.  All I knew was the product stunk like vinegar.  BUT!  Boy, did it work well!

Here’s the description of the product from the Miessence website:  “Probiotic bacteria ferment organic whole grains and legumes to release nutrients and create a naturally occuring, extremely mild, lactic liquid which is known to restore and protect the skin’s acid mantle, lighten and brighten the complexion, improve photodamaged skin, exfoliate dead skin cells for a smoother, less-wrinkled appearance, help break down impurities, whilst bringing moisture, clarity and vitality to the skin.”

I had a similar, though less pronounced, experience with the Ambrosia Essence Skin Perfector.  It smells, ummm, woody maybe?  I’m honestly still not sure how to describe it.  Although my reaction wasn’t as emphatic as it was with the skin brightener, I definitely didn’t care for the smell at first.  But again, I found it worked really well.  And now I truly enjoy the smell – it has really grown on me.  Because it has such valuable oils and is pricier, I use it very sparingly around the eyes and occasionally, as a treat around the whole face (using the rejuvenessence serum around the whole face more regularly).

I can’t speak for every brand of truly organic products out there on the market with regard to smells, but in the end, here’s what I have discovered about the smells of all the Miessence certified organic products in general:

Each product smells as unique and lovely as its particular ingredients, and the smells don’t linger at all.  With the exception of the botanical perfumes, whose scents are supposed to linger, you can really only smell the products when applying them, and then the smells quickly dissipate.  The results, both in terms of product efficacy and improving your health by ditching all the synthetic chemicals, are well worth the effort of getting used to the ‘different,’ non-chemical, earthier smells.  And honestly, now I love the smell of all the products – including the most unusual two, the probiotic skin brightener and the ambrosia essence skin perfector.

Below is a great article from my friend and colleague, Alison Price.  Thanks Ali!

My quick two cents:  We use both InLiven and Fast Tract regularly in our family and love them.  So many health benefits: stronger immunity, better digestion, and more.  I’m really big on “Let Thy Food be Thy Medicine” as much as possible.  I love that these products are just fermented foods.

Feeling kind of heavy and ‘bleh’ after celebrating the holidays? I do too! Sweets, fatty meals, not to mention alcohol… not exactly the best body fuels and the after effects are lingering. Although detox diets are quite effective and a wonderfully healthy way to reset your digestive tract and lose the extra pounds, today I’m sharing an easy “shortcut” that benefits everybody.

Probiotics, Detoxing & Weight Loss
An adequate good bacteria count is essential for the body to properly detox. When good bacteria levels are optimal, the body’s waste is more effectively eliminated and less will be stored in our gut and colon. Sometimes several pounds of toxins and waste can be “stuck” inside our digestive tract just waiting to be broken down and eliminated. Good bacteria will accomplish this job for us and customers have reported weight loss by simply taking a teaspoon of InLiven every day. Similar to a juice fast or detox diet, probiotics will help your liver, colon and entire body cleanse itself of waste which can equate to weight loss and an optimally functioning digestive system.

Chlorophyll & Detoxing
In addition to probiotics, I’d also like to mention the detoxing benefits of chlorophyll. The fermented organic wheat grass and alfalfa grass featured in InLiven deliver high amounts of chlorophyll instantly assimilated. Chlorophyll is found in in varying amounts in all plants, but has a molecular structure nearly identical to the hemoglobin of human blood. In hemoglobin the center atom is iron, whereas in chlorophyll the center atom is magnesium.Chlorophyll is the “blood” of plants and is extremely rich in nutrients. It is a known detoxifier and helps promote cleansing of toxins from the cells. Not to mention, chlorophyll helps rebuild and replenish our red blood cells, oxigenates the body, boosts energy almost instantly.

Our InLiven organic probiotic from Miessence repopulates the gut with 13 super strains of good bacteria and the food that the bacteria needs to survive to colonize inside our digestive tract. With over 400 strains and substrains of bacteria needed for a healthy body, Miessence picked the 13 strain leaders to set up shop and provide a welcoming environment for other strains to thrive. Since caffeine, alcohol, stress, common food preservatives, chlorine in tap water and antibiotics can wipe out our body’s good bacteria, everyone’s health can benefit from daily probiotic supplementation. Did you know that after taking two rounds of common antibiotics, studies show it can take 6 months to a year for friendly bacteria levels to return to normal?

Start 2012 off right and do something wonderful for yourself and your whole family – order cleansing, immune boosting, nutrition packed InLiven!

• Take a triple dose of Fast Tract, our most potent probiotic due to its liquid form (25 ml, 3 times a day) for 30 days
• Also take a triple dose of InLiven (1 teaspoon, 3 times a day) for 30 days
• Fast Tract & InLiven can be combined or consumed seperately.
• Fast Tract has 15 times more probiotics per milliliter because this is possible in liquid form. Perfect for those who have never used probiotics or have been setback by a round of antibiotics in the last 12 months. Transition to InLiven for daily probiotic maintenance and more complete superfood nutritional benefits.

 

 

OK, this is just a quick post to alert everyone to this great deal I just found out about from a friend.  So far, just thanks to friends and a little internet research here and there, I have learned how to make elderberry syrup (LOVE this!), a cold and flu tincture, a cold and flu tea, and an herbal-infused salve.

And now THIS!  This looks like a really great way to learn more myself and teach my kids about herbal medicine making in a really fun way at the same time.  Check it out!  The special ends tonight, but even if you catch this after the fact, it still looks like a great deal (looks like it’s normally only $37).

http://www.learningherbs.com/wildcraft.html

Very exciting!  Definitely a Christmas present well-suited to my crunchy, gaming family.

My hubby is a total gamer, and he rubs it off on all of us. 

 

Below is an article for my monthly newsletter section on product usage tips (this month’s newsletter also included some great specials and ideas for beating strep throat naturally).  This particular article was looking too long for the newsletter though, so I’m linking to it here on the blog. 

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Using a truly natural product can be a strange transition for some, because we are so used to ‘normal’ or conventional (chemical ridden) products – how they feel, smell, taste, and work.  Throughout this series, I’m sharing my experiences with some of the products that were the most noticeably different for me when I first made the switch to truly natural products, and how the results are stacking up against their conventional counterparts.

If you’ve been reading my newsletter the last few months, I guess it’s obvious how much I’m enjoying the highly concentrated, food-only supplement products from Miessence.  They really have made such a difference for us in many ways.  But how about some of their other certified organic products?

For this November issue of the newsletter, since we’re heading into the colder and drier weather, I’d like to share with you my experience with the facial moisturizers.

I have personally used the balancing and the rejuvenating moisturizers from Miessence – and generally stick with the rejuvenating at this point for my skin.  There is also a purifying and a soothing moisturizer, which I personally don’t need but clients are enjoying.  All four moisturizers are certified organic to food grade standards – zero synthetics and no greenwashing, just beneficial food for your skin.  They are light, nourishing, and have little or no scent to them (more thoughts on product scents/smells in next month’s newsletter).

Obviously different moisturizers will work differently for different skin types, but here was my experience.  Stick with me through the ups and downs – remember we’re talking about transitions here!  It ended on the upside for me and does for most folks. 

I switched to Miessence’s certified organic moisturizer from a more conventional ‘natural’ (semi-natural) moisturizer during the summer months, and I did an experiment by putting my old products on one half of my face and the Miessence products on the other half.  I noticed immediately that my skin felt softer using the Miessence moisturizer and serum in place of the old moisturizer and serum I had been using.  Hours later, the Miessence side still felt softer.

By the end of the day, however, my skin did feel a little drier than normal.  Then I realized that, well, duh, there are no synthetic chemical hydrating agents in the products, so I knew I needed to essentially wean my skin off the old ‘turbo-charged’ moisturizer I’d been using.  I also realized that this change would encourage better health overall by taking away artificial moisture quick-fixes and helping me think more long-term by focusing on the #1 tip for healthy skin – drinking more water.  You know?  Take away the band-aids and deal with the deeper causal issues.

After a couple weeks, I felt like my skin was feeling well moisturized and hydrated all day with just the moisturizer, so I began reserving the serum for around the eyes, or for a little boost if I hadn’t had enough water to drink.

Then winter rolled around, and I did notice a need for a boost from the serum during the colder, drier days – although my water intake was still not optimal during that season, so who knows if I would have needed it at all if I’d been drinking more water.  The Rejuvenessence serum definitely seems to help protect against the harsh winds and bitter cold we can get here in the northeast.

At this point, even though I confess my water intake is still not where it ‘should’ be all the time, I am very happy with the results I get from the rejuvenating moisturizer and either of the serums just here and there as needed.

Side note – when I do use the serums, I generally use the Rejuvenessence facial serum for around the face, the eye/neck serum for around the eyes, and reserve the more potent (and more expensive) Ambrosia Essence for just occasionally around the eyes – makes it last an extra long time and stretches the value.

I’ll be curious to see how this winter goes now that I’m learning more about optimal hydration and some simple tricks for humidifying our home with added benefits from anti-viral essential oils.  I am guessing I will be using less of the serums this winter and just using the moisturizer most of the time.  We’ll see! 

But these are just my skin’s needs and experiences with the moisturizers.  Yes, a few ups and downs and some experimenting was required, but removing the synthetic chemicals from my daily personal care routines has been well worth the little bit of effort.  And now I can guide others through this process and save them time in the experimenting.

What are some of your facial care needs or concerns?  Normal skin?  Extra dry?  Sensitive?  Acne-prone?  Excessively oily?  A good, chemical-free moisturizer can help, but don’t forget to explore the underlying general health issues as well. 

Still on hiatus, but wanted to post this real quick.  Good fun.  I can’t believe it worked!  Well, yes I can – amazing what finally following a recipe will do.  Although it’s been fun to follow my 5 year old’s imagination when making ‘ice cream’ in the past, it never quite turns out as ice cream.  But THIS!  This came out so yummy…

The other day, the kids and I made homemade chocolate ice cream using raw dairy and eggs from the Shank Family at Your Family Cow, using the vanilla ice cream recipe we found in our Kids’ Kitchen cards that we got from Tiff Hare with Barefoot Books, and turned it chocolate by modifying the recipe to use Narelle Chenery’s amazing, certified organic Berry Radical antioxidant formula (raw cacao base plus a whole lot of other wonderful, nourishing foods) instead of the vanilla beans.

It turned out REALLY yummy!  

Hi all.  Yes, I’m still on my hiatus, but wanted to get the word out on this…

Please, please, please – check out this newsletter we got today from one of our family’s farmers, Edwin Shank and his wonderful family.

This is just crazy – and a little scary except for the fact that I know God’s always in control and I can lay any would-be fears at His feet.

 

OK, so I know, I know… I just started this revamped approach to my blog posts a couple months ago, but I think I need to take another hiatus.  Sorry!  I’m just really engrossed in some exciting work off the blog, creating fun presentations and tools for work in my volunteer and business worlds.   These projects are mostly completed in the basic draft stage, but now I’m into the piloting and implementing and revising.  This is pretty time consuming on top of my life with small children, and honestly, I find myself just not wanting to write blog posts write now – or at the very least not wanting to be constrained to a certain format.  I thought the rotating format would give me more structure and help me keep up with posting, which it may still, but right now – not so much.

So, I hope you’ll forgive me while I take another little hiatus of sorts.  I’m going to be really focused on this offline project probably at least through the end of January, so please be patient with me.  I suspect I’ll still post when inspired randomly, but otherwise, I’ll let you know when this project is done and up and running.

If you aren’t subscribed to my newsletter, you can do so here – that’ll still be coming out once a month, even if my blog roll is napping. 

Cheers!