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Another round of DHA - Nordic Naturals new product review

I feel strongly about including DHA in a child's diet.  I've done quite a bit of research on it, and the benefits cannot be ignored.  I previously wrote a review on various brands of children's DHA.  One of the companies included, Nordic Naturals, asked me to review a new product of theirs - Omega Boost.

According to the company:

"Nordic Naturals tropical mango Omega Boost™ is a creamy, delicious formulation of omega-3s that supports optimal health and wellness.* Like all Nordic Naturals products, Omega Boost is in the triglyceride molecular form for better absorption of these essential fats."

Since I was really happy with their products from the first review, I happily agreed.  I received the product in the mail and substituted the current DHA supplement for my three year old daughter with this.  Her reaction?  Yummy!  I had to fill her medicine spoon with water three times so she could get every last drop out.  I took a lick as well - I must agree.  It is delicious!  Of all the products we have tried, I think this one tastes the best.

But, as you know, taste is inconsequential in comparison to the good stuff that is in it.  So, let's talk that.  There are 525 mg Omega-3s per serving, which supports heart, brain and immune health.  A serving size is 1 teaspoon.  This includes 165 mg DHA and 270 mg EPA.  A 6 fluid ounce bottle retails for $19.95.  That is 35 servings, which comes to 0.57/serving.

In summary, this is a great-tasting product from an environmentally sound company that packs a decent amount of omega-3s per serving.  There are other products, such as Nordic Naturals' Children's DHA, that cost less per serving and pack in even more DHA (see my earlier review), but I would highly recommend this product and feel good about giving it to my daughter.

Pasta Jewelry

I found this project in a Family Fun magazine - my almost 3 year old LOVED it!  This is the project that has perhaps kept her attention longer than any other we've done!

Making jewelry from pasta!

All you need is:
a box/bag of larger, easy to string pasta (we used rigatoni)
vinegar
food coloring
zip-top bags (or other sealable containers)
yarn/string
a twist tie
cookie sheets and paper towels

First, dye your pasta.  Since we had the standard, 4 color food coloring box, we did 4 colors.  So, I got 4 ziplock bags, and divided the pasta among the bags.  Then C poured a few teaspoons of vinegar and several drops of food coloring into each bag.  I sealed the bags, and let her shake and squish away!

Line some baking sheets/pans with paper towels, and dump the pasta out.  Spread evenly and allow to dry.

Isn't it pretty?

Cut lengths of string to make necklaces or bracelets (make sure they are big enough to pull over your head for necklaces; she insisted on bracelets, but we could only fit 3 or 4 "beads" per length and I didn't particularly enjoy these).  Twist one end of a twist tie around one end of the string, and straighten out the rest to make a "needle".  Loosely tie one pasta bead to the other end.  Let kiddos string away!  Once they fill a length of string, untie the pasta piece and securely tie the ends together - voila!

What a waste...

My whole life I've always tried to clean my plate - because I think of those in the world who don't have anything to eat, and feel bad throwing it away.  Of course, everyone cites the argument "What are you going to do, send it to them?", and the reality of it is true (and thus absurd that I feel the need to eat it all).

However - I read this in the summer 2013 edition of World Vision's magazine, and it really hit home.

Up to half of all food produced in the world never reaches a plate.  Between 1.3 and 2.2 billion tons of food are wasted each year due to lost harvests, inefficient storage practices, and retail and consumer waste.  In industrialized regions, almost half of the total food squandered - more than 330 million tons of edible food - would be enough to feed the estimated 870 million hungry people in the world.

So no - you can't scrape your leftovers into a carryout carton and mail it to India.  However - we can be smarter about our purchasing/eating habits, and more aware of those in the world around us, and make a difference, indirectly.  Be more aware of waste.  Buy efficiently, consume efficiently, and use those monetary savings that are sure to result to support a cause you believe in - like an organization that feeds the hungry.  It is a shame to waste when there are so many who go hungry.

Living on the most remote wildlife refuge in the lower 48 has made me much more efficient/less wasteful.  When you must drive 4 hours round trip to the grocery, and in the winter only make the trip once/month, you learn to be extremely organized, efficient, and waste nothing.  But, this is a skill I will carry on, even once we're in civilization again.  Making a month's worth of menus, and a grocery list to obtain all the needed ingredients, and being smart about making the fresh meals first and the canned/frozen later, makes sure you use everything before it spoils and waste nothing.  I think the convenience of grocery stores encourages over-buying and thus waste.  Think about the people in the world who do their shopping daily or weekly at the local market, buying everything fresh for that day/week, and using it immediately.  I suspect they waste much less.  We could all adopt a lifestyle more in line with this.

Choosing Personal Care and Cleaning Products

I've always tried to choose products that: a) are not tested on animals, b) are safe for my family, and c) do not contain palm oil or any derivative of it.

For the first, there are a couple of sites I rely on - The Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics, and PETA.

For the second, I turn to the Environmental Working Group.

For the third, I simply read the ingredient list.

Disappointingly, a couple of brands I had felt good about using previously - Burt's Bees and Tom's of Maine - I learned were owned by the larger, NOT cruelty-free and NOT manufacturer of family-safe products, giants Clorox Co. and Colgate-Palmolive.  The Body Shop is owned by L'Oreal.  Granted, a few of the companies I list below (JASON, Earth's Best, Alba and Avalon) are owned by a huge corporation - Hain Celestial.  However, mostly it consists of food companies, with the exception of a few cosmetic companies like the ones I just listed, which do not test on animals and I feel good about supporting.  So, I made an exception here.  I am always open for alternatives that fit my criteria, if you have some to share!

This led me on a quest to thoroughly research and update our household products, to those we could feel good about using.  I started with what was in our cabinets, to see if they were deemed safe by the EWG.  If not, I found an alternative that was.  Also of importance was price and accessibility.  I am not willing to pay $2/ounce for lotion.  And not willing to go to the ends of the earth to find a product.  So, if I couldn't find it on Amazon or Vitacost (a GREAT site for obtaining many natural products), it was out.

The EWG has two consumer guides that I used - the Skin Deep Guide to Cosmetics, and the Guide to Healthy Cleaning.  Also helpful is sometimes you can tell if a problem is free of animal testing from their guides, without checking the Leaping Bunny or PETA database.

The following is the products I came up with, that I am using from this day forward in my house.  I feel good knowing no animals were harmed in their production, no rainforests cleared to make room for palm plantations, and they won't harm my family.

First I list those products specifically for baby, then adults, and finally cleaning products.  Sometimes some products scored higher by the EWG than the others - these are listed in italics.  Some of them have prices (from either Amazon or Vitacost) beside them for comparison purposes.  Some of these I've not actually tried myself yet, so can't vouch for them.  Many I have.  Hopefully this will be helpful for anyone else looking to phase out harmful/cruel products in their own homes!

Personal Care and Cleaning Products

BABY

Toothpaste:

Weleda Children’s Tooth Gel  (4.49 – 1.7 oz)

Earth’s Best Toddler Apple and Pear

Soap/Shampoo:

Earth Mama Angel Baby (7.39 – 5.3 oz; 33.79 – 34 oz.)

Seventh Generation (6.99 – 10 oz)

Bubbles:

Seventh Generation (6.99 – 10 oz)

Lotion:

Earth Mama Angel Baby (7.09 – 4 oz; 12.99 – 8 oz)

Seventh Generation (6.99 – 6 oz)

Avalon Organics Nourishing Baby Lotion (7.69 – 6 oz)

Earth’s Best Organic Sensitive Skin Lotion (9.19 – 16 oz)

BabyGanics Smooth Moves Extra Gentle Baby Lotion

Diaper Cream:

Earth Mama Angel Baby Bottom Balm (9.79 – 2 oz)

Method Baby Squeaky Green Diaper Cream

Desert Essence Baby Don’t Be Rash Diaper Cream (8.79 – 3 oz)

ADULT

Toothpaste:

JASON Powersmile

Soap:

Kirk’s Castile (3.00 – 3 bars)

Kiss My Face Olive Oil Bar Soap Fragrance Free

Shampoo/Conditioner:

Avalon Organics Olive and Grape Seed Shampoo (6.79 – 11 oz)

Avalon Organics Olive and Grape Seed OR Grapefruit and Geranium Conditioner (6.89 – 11 oz)

Kirk’s Castile Shampoo (5.49 – 16 oz)

Kirk’s Castile Conditioner (4.99 – 16 oz)

Lotion:

Nature’s Gate Colloidal Oatmeal Moisturizing Lotion (11.19 – 32 oz)

Alba Botanica Very Emollient Original Unscented (11.59 – 32 oz)

Deoderant:

Alba Botanica Clear Enzyme Deoderant Stick Aloe Unscented (4.39 – 2 oz)

Crystal Roll-on Body Deoderant (2.56 – 2.25 oz)

Crystal Stick Deoderant (4.39 – 4.25 oz)

Naturally Fresh Crystal Deoderant with Aloe Vera (2.79 – 3 oz)

Shaving Cream:

Kiss My Face Moisture Shave Fragrance Free

Hand Soap:

Desert Essence Castile Liquid Soap with Eco-Harvest Tea Tree Oil (11.09 – 32 oz)

Kiss My Face Castile Peace Soap Lavender Mandarin (7.39 – 17 oz)

CLEANING PRODUCTS

All-Purpose:

Planet AP Spray Cleaner

Method AP Surface Cleaner Ginger Yuzu (3.99 – 28 oz)

Simple Green Naturals Multi-Surface Care

Simple Green Naturals Dilutable Concentrated Cleaner

Ecover AP Cleaner Natural Lemon (4.19 – 32 oz)

Dishwasher Detergent:

Ecover Dish Tabs (4.05 – 25 packs)

7^th Generation Automatic Dishwasher Powder Free and Clear

7^th Generation Detergent Concentrated Pacs Free and Clear (5.99 – 20 packs)

Dish Liquid:

Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid Hypo-allergenic

Ecover Dish Liquid

Scrub:

Ecover Cream Scrub

Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Surface Scrub

Wood:

Method Wood for Good Daily Clean Almond

Toilet:

7^th Generation Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Emerald Cypress and Fir

Glass:

Simple Green Naturals Glass and Surface Care Rosemary Mint

Citra-Solv Citra Clear Window and Glass Cleaner

Method Glass and Surface Mint (3.99 – 28 oz)

Ecover Glass and Surface

Bleach:

7^th Generation Chlorine Free Bleach

Stain Remover:

Earth Friendly Everyday Stain and Odor Remover

Ecover Stick

Air Freshener (use sparingly - not generally considered good to use at all):

Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Room Freshener (Basil/Lavender/Lemon Verbena) (5.29 – 8 oz)

Earth Friendly Unifresh Air Freshener Cinnamon (3.99 – 4.4 oz)

Carpet Cleaner – steam cleaner:

Earth Friendly Carpet Shampoo

I realize there are some holes in my list - at some point I'll publish a "Part Two" of this, but at the moment I didn't need any of those products, so I'll resume my research once I have a need for them.  Please, if you have any favorite products that are cruelty-free, people safe and palm oil free, share them!

I only request that, if you purchase any of these products as a result of this post, you use the following links, as I am an affiliate and will be rewarded for it.  Additionally, you will get $10 off your Vitacost order for using this link!  Happy shopping!

Amazon

Vitacost

Meatless Monday - Muffuletta Panini

For my birthday last year I got a panini press from my parents - I LOVE IT!  If you have one, or some kind of small grill, great - if not, you can just press in a skillet on either side.  These are yummy!

1/2 cup black or kalamata olives

1/4 cup artichokes (drained)

1/4 cup roasted red pepper

1 Tbsp. red onion

Chop these up finely together:

To the above, add:
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chopped garlic

Mix well.  You will need bread of your choosing, and if you'd like, sliced cheese of your preference.

Pile the cheese and toppings on bread, and grill!

Headlines

I subscribe to Above the Fold, a collection all all the environmental news from all over the world.  Lately, I'm becoming more and more disheartened at the realization that our environment is riddled with countless synthetic chemicals that my family and I are exposed to on a constant basis, and there is very little that I can do about it.  All I can do is read and learn and eat as much fresh and as little processed food as possible, choosing organic whenever possible, and avoid bringing new chemicals into my home (via paints, furniture, the list goes on and on), and hope it makes a difference.

A Chemical Laden Life

Children exposed to flame retardants in pregnancy/infancy have lower IQs and attention problems.  Unfortunately, your house is likely full of these chemicals.

Black children with high levels of chemicals (such as phthalates) from personal-care products in their systems are more likely to be obese.

Mothers who breathe polluted air are much more likely to have low birthweight babies.  Just like the severe pollution problem in Beijing is expected to cause lifelong problems to babies born into it.  The results were also corroborated in this multi-national study.

Breast cancer likely a result of environmental factors.

Another example of mutant amphibians due to contaminants in the environment.


What the #&!@ is in My Food?

Companies are now using nanoparticles to increase texture and brighten the colors in foods you eat, and these substances have been found in the bloodstream.

Because apparently apples are so ginormous you can't possibly eat one all at once, a genetically engineered apple has been created so that now you can sit it down and come back to it later, and won't be browned on the inside.  Sheesh.

Would you like some antibiotics with your meat?

You trust the companies that make your food?  Think again...


The State of our Environment

As the demand for whale meat plummets in Japan, the industry is subsidized by tax dollars to keep it afloat.

I LOVE this idea, of burning trash to create energy!  Of course, there's the NIMBY issue (not in my back yard...)


Some Good News

It is easy to get more vitamin D - I take a daily supplement, as does my daughter.  It is thought that low levels may be linked to autism, which has risen at an alarming rate.

U.S. carbon emissions are at their lowest in a decade.  If you're partly to thank for this - keep up the good work!  And if not - think about pitching in!