Zym Tablets: Helping You Stay Hydrated

I have an autonomic nervous system disorder and one of my current biggest issues I have is staying hydrated. Seeing as how the body is mostly made up of water this is a symptom I try to keep in check on a daily basis. Unfortunately its quite difficult keeping this symptom under control, especially when I get sick or am under the weather. I keep a few different products on hand that will help me stay out of the ER or doctor’s office having to get an IV. Gatorade is my daily go-to item that helps me keep things in check but Zym Tablets are also a great product you can keep nearby if you have medical concerns that require you to watch your hydration, you work out or you lead a physically demanding lifestyle.

Zym tablets come individually packaged and they resemble a large alka-seltzer tablet. You drop the tablet into a glass or bottle of water and shake it up so it dissolves. Then you drink it up and get your dose of electrolytes that you need to get rehydrated. The product is sugar free and does not contain and artificial preservatives. You can get Zym Tablets in a variety of flavors including berry, lemon lime, orange and grape.

I like this product from Zym because it is easy to carry it on the go. Its tough to constantly carry around a bottle of Gatorade or other electrolyte drink whether it be homemade or not. If you are out and about and need some added hydration you can pop one of these products out of your bag and drop it in a glass of water.

For more information on Zym Tablets you can visit www.gozym.com. The product is really affordable and even more importantly; convenient.

Feel Cooler Sheets Review

During the summer months sleep doesn’t come easy for me. Either I am too hot with the windows open or too cold with the air conditioning on. It takes a lot of effort to have the house at the perfect temperature for sleeping. I always put away the flannel sheets for winter but my cooler cotton sheets don’t always seem to do the trick either. Feel Cooler makes some high quality sheets that are designed to stay cool, wick away moisture and keep you comfortable. They come in a variety of colors and sizes for different bed sizes.

This product is guaranteed to prevent you from frequently waking up due to being too warm during sleep. You also won’t find yourself drenched in sweat halfway through the night. Your basic set of white Feel Cooler sheets for a queen sized bed costs just under $200. This might be a little expensive for some people but you will find that these sheets wear well and much more importantly, they wear well. I have tried cooling sheets in the past from other brands and I found that they didn’t hold up well in the wash at all. The ones I tried shrunk a bit in even a cold water wash and they developed pilling on them. I didn’t even bother keeping them around for very long. This product from Feel Cooler has held up well so far and is a good investment.

You can also purchase mattress covers from coolingmatress.com. Your average person can use these sheets but they are great for people who have trouble maintaining their proper temperature at night. For instance, my son tends to get very overheated upon falling asleep and it takes him a few hours to cool down. This sheets would prevent me from having to stop into his room a couple of times each night to uncover him and then cover him back up. I’m the same way so these sheets work wonder on an adult bed as well.

For more information you can visit www.feelcooler.com or www.coolingmatress.com.

Younique: 3D Fiber Lashes Review

I have been getting invited to all of these online virtual mascara parties on behalf of Younique products. I had some samples sent to me and wanted to try them out. I was curious if this mascara craze is really all its hyped up to be. I anticipated a product that wasn't going to be much of anything except overpriced. Typically all these 'party-type' gimmicks are like that. I was pleasantly surprised however. Younique 3D mascara actually does enhance your lashes and I liked that the product is made with all natural ingredients.

The process if pretty simple. You apply the base mascara transplanting gel to your lashes which is black in color. You then apply the natural fibers, which are made of green tea fibers, to the gel and your lashes magically look longer, fuller and more pronounced. You top the fibers with another coat of the transplanting gel, let it dry and you're good to go. The product stays on all day long and does not easily smudge or come off when you are out and about.

One of my concerns is that the product would look very clumpy and uneven because of the fact that you are actually placing fibers on your lashes. I was wrong with this assumption. You actually do not see any clumps or individual fibers on your lashes. I would be curious to see how long and how well the product stays in good condition. I wonder if your transplanting gel becomes clumpy over time or the fibers clump together in the tube since you are basically double dipping in both of these tubes.

For more information you can visit www.youniqueproducts.com. If you would like to earn free product from Younique you can host a virtual party online and if you have enough people purchase you can get free product.

CORKCICLE: Keeping Your Beverages Cool While Entertaining

If you are someone who likes to entertain a crowd then you might have had some trouble in the past with keeping your beverages cool throughout your entire event. It is not very practical to open a bottle of wine and have to keep placing it back into the fridge to keep it chilled. An ice bucket works but eventually the ice melts, leaving a mess behind and sometimes the ice bucket does not keep your beverage the same temperature throughout. CORKCICLE makes a variety of products that are designed to keep your beverages cool for the long haul. These products are well made and the best part is that they are really effective.

The Vinnebago allows you to pour your beverage into this thermos-like container and it will keep your beverage cool for 25 hours cold, 12 hours warm. This is a great container to take your alcoholic beverage to a picnic or to even take hot chocolate on the go to the sledding hill.

The Corkcicle.One can be chilled and inserted into your bottle of wine or champagne. It has a pouring spout so you can easily pour glass after glass of chilled beverage. This product knows exactly the right temperature to work at and your guests will enjoy a perfect glass of wine all evening long.

The Chillsner can be inserted into a bottle of beer and you can drink right from the bottle; keeping your beer cold the entire time you are drinking it.

For more information on any of the CORKCICLE product line you can visit www.corkcicle.com. You can also purchase these products directly from the website.

Tommy John: The Best Men's Underwear

Of course you can pick up undergarments for your husband and Target, Walmart or wherever you grab your typical household items from but why not treat your husband to some nicer underwear items. As women we like to shop for nice things at Victoria's Secret or other lingerie stores so why not give our hubby's the same treatment? Tommy John makes some great underwear that is comfortable, keeps your man cool and is great for the active man who works out, goes to the office, chases around after the kids, etc.

Tommy John uses high quality fabrics that are designed to keep you cool, contained and comfortable. The Second Skin Underwear comes is a variety of styles and colors. My husband likes the Second Skin Undershirts. They are form fitting so he gets to show off all that hard work he does in the gym but they are comfortable enough that he can wear them under work shirts or on the weekends.

Expect to pay a decent amount of money for Tommy John products. An undershirt retails for about $35. However, you will find this type of shirt wears better than just about any other product you would buy. It doesn't fade in color, it doesn't stretch and you can find any style you may want including an undershirt that stays tucked all day long. In addition to their variety of undershirts you can get boxers, briefs, boxer briefs, etc.

If you have a special occasion coming up consider Tommy John as a gift for your significant other. You can visit www.tommyjohnwear.com for more information or to shop around online.

Terrapin Ridge Farms: Product Review

The holidays will be coming up before I know it so I like to start preparing early for our get-togethers, gift exchanges and more. I like having a variety of different dips, spreads, jams, etc. on hand to put out for guests and also they make great gift baskets when you theme them together and add some other products. Terrapin Ridge Farms makes a huge selection of products that you will love for guests, for gifts and just for yourself.

I am polish so around the holidays we like to indulge in some traditional foods like kielbasa, ham, pierogi and more. One favorite condiment amongst my family is beets with horseradish. It goes good as a dipping side for sausage or you can put it on ham as well. It also works for crackers and other appetizers. I tried the Sweet Beet & Horseradish Mustard from Terrapin Ridge Farms and it is delicious! I like it because you don’t really taste a ton of horseradish and I tend to go light on that typically anyway. This product reminded me almost of a pickled relish type of condiment but being a mustard you could use this product for a ton of different meals.

Pumpkin Honey Mustard is a great dipping sauce for everyday use or for guests. The Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing is a bit different and it works for a party salad or just your average lunch. I also like the Brown Sugar & Pecan Mustard. This is tasty on crackers, sandwiches and you can even get creative with it for an hor dourve.

For more information on the products in the Terrapin Ridge Farms lineup (There are tons!) you can visit http://www.terrapinridge.com/.

Murad: High Quality Skincare; Better Every Day

No matter what age you are and no matter what gender, you may experience some skin issues from time to time or even on a daily basis. Acne is something that affects both teenagers and adults alike. It can be very discouraged to a person's self esteem which is why it is important for a person who suffers from acne to find a good quality skincare regimen that encompasses routine along with some great products. I recently received the Murad Acne line of products to try out. Luckily, bad skin is something I do not deal with on a daily basis but being in my early 30's there are times during the month that I like to pay extra attention to my skin to keep it looking healthy and clear.

I have to say I have tried out a number of skincare products over the past 6 or 7 years that I have been blogging as a side hobby. A lot of them end up making me break out, clogging my pores, making my skin dry and flaky, etc. This line from Murad really is quite nice and I have enjoyed using it for the past week or so. 

The line of products that I have been using daily includes:

Clarifying Cleanser

This product costs $26 for a 6.75 oz tube. This might seem like a lot but I have been able to use less than a dime sized amount each time I wash. It is likely to last me quite a long time.

This product is designed to reduce 99.9% of all surface bacteria on your skin in under one minute. The product is also designed to continue fighting bacteria even after you rinse and dry your skin off. I like this product because it reduces oil but it didn’t dry out my skin at all. My skin also felt better and looked better in the morning after I washed before bed.

Transforming Powder Dual-Action Cleanser & Exfoliator

I have used this product off and on every few days. You could use this less often but I feel like its gentle enough that you could use it more often if you wanted to as well. You sprinkle a bit of the powder on your hand, mix it with a bit of water and use it as a scrub on your face. I loved how my face felt after I used this product. It felt super clean, super firm and looked great.

Acne Clearing Solution

This is a salicylic acid based lotion that you can apply to any trouble areas that you have. It didn’t dry out my skin, it didn’t make my face red and it didn’t irritate my skin. There are even some natural ingredients in this product like lavender oil which helps soothe your skin.

Acne Spot Fast Fix

This is a good product that is meant to help a breakout in as little as one day. Benzoyl peroxide is the active ingredient in this one. Again, I didn’t experience any dry or irritated skin from this one and I even used it under my makeup in the morning and left it on all day.

These products are all really high quality and designed to help clear up your skin rather than cause you more products. Designed by Dr. Murad himself, you will love this line of products or any of the other skincare products from the Murad line. For more information you can visit www.murad.com.

Lily Of The Desert: Organic Aloeceuticals Review

Aloe has been known to be a very healing plant for a very long time. People have long since literally been breaking off a piece of the aloe plant and administering it to sunburn, eczema, rashes, burns and more. Aloe is not just simply a topical healing agent however, it can be used orally to heal from the inside out. Lily Of The Desert makes a number of great aloe-based products that you can use for a variety of conditions or simply just to maintain optimal health.

The main and most popular product from Lily Of The Desert is their preservative free aloe vera juice. It comes in a variety of types and sizes. This product has an infusion of high molecular weigh or aloe polysaccharides which helps to improve the bioavailability of the aloe.

A great aloe product from Lily Of The Desert is their Mix n’ Go powder packets. This is great if you have a busy lifestyle and want to consume your aloe dosage while you are away from home during the course of the day. Each packet is equivalent to four ounces of traditional Lily Of The Desert aloe vera juice. This is also the recommended daily dosage. You add this product to an approximately 16 ounce glass of water, give it a mix and it is ready to drink. It comes in a variety of flavors such as lemonade and pomegranate.

If you want a more simple aloe vera beverage you can carry around the Lily Of The Desert Aloe H2O. This product is completely natural, preservative free and gluten free as well. You can take this product to the gym, to work or drink it at home.

For more information on these products or the benefits of taking daily aloe vera you can visit www.lilyofthedesert.com or www.drinkaloeh2o.com.

DHC Skincare - Hand Care Review

The winter is approaching which for me means I'm about to start a battle with dry skin. My hands get so dry during the cold months not only from the cold but from the constant hand washing (My son brings home every germ imaginable). I'm always doing dishes, cooking, cleaning, etc. so my hands take a beating. I was delighted when DHC sent over a package to me including their Beauty Inspires Hope set.

This set includes a set of moisturizing spa gel gloves, olive hand cream as well as aroma balm. All of the products smell wonderful, they have natural ingredients and DHC products always work wonderfully in my opinion. I look forward to slathering my hands with the cream and putting on the gloves; waking up to soft and moisturized hands.

This set retails at just under $40 and comes in a cute little gift bag so its the perfect gift for a teacher, friend or family member. It is limited edition so you have to get yours while they last!

For more information you can visit:  http://www.dhccare.com/beauty-inspires-hope-set.

The Ginger People - Review

I love ginger for a ton of different uses and we keep it around the house in a bunch of different forms. We always have ginger tea on hand for illnesses. It works great when you have a cold or an upset stomach. I also keep a bottle of ginger oil on hand. This is great as a medicinal option when you don't want to turn to an antacid or anti-nausea pill that ends up having more side effects than benefits. A few drops in a glass of water helps a bunch of different ailments almost immediately and I can even give it to my son when he has an upset tummy.

I don't find it possible to really carry ginger tea around and the drops are kind of a nuissance to keep in my purse so I like ginger candies or crystallized ginger. These are great and keep just fine in my bag and if I need one while I am out they are there and ready for me. The Ginger People make some great products based off of ginger and they don't just stop with candy or crystallized ginger. They also have ginger spread, spicy ginger dipping sauce, ginger beer and even a skin care line based off of ginger. Its such a great product and it has some many health benefits.

Not only can ginger help with nausea, motion sickness and illness but it can increase a person's metabolism, helping them lose weight. Also it's great for morning sickness in pregnant women, it improves libido and it is a great and powerful antioxidant. I can't say enough about ginger and The Ginger People understand perfectly how important this item is to people's health and well being.

For more information on The Ginger People or to check out their products you can visit www.gingerpeople.com.

Boulder Granola: Unleash Your Inner Hippie

I will admit when it comes to our diet and our lifestyle we may be a bit crunchy and hippie-like. We like to eat healthy, we like to use natural products in the home and we like to do things ourselves to be frugal. I love blogging as my side job because it gives me some insight into some of the latest and greatest products when it comes to healthy, natural and great products. Boulder Granola is a great product that I have enjoyed having in the home. It’s a really tasty and healthy granola that we have been using as a topping to yogurt, with milk as a cereal or just a quick handful as a snack.

This 45 year old recipe comes in a variety of flavors including original, gluten free, cranberry and chocolate chip. I like the gluten free variety because gluten free granola (that tastes good) is pretty hard to find. I also like that this granola is very basic, doesn’t contain anything unhealthy or harmful and it goes with just about anything. I like loose granola because I turn it into a snack or breakfast for my son. We use whatever yogurt we currently have in the house and just top it with some Boulder Granola. It’s a healthy and filling meal.

In Boulder Granola you will find plenty of oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit and more. You can find this product at Whole Foods, Safeway and a variety of other markets and grocery stores. You can visit www.bouldergranola.com for more information on this granola or where you can buy it.

Cup 4 Cup: Gluten Free Product Review

About a year ago I decided to remove gluten from my diet. I had been dealing with some gastric symptoms that I didn’t really know what else to do about. I heard a lot of people say their symptoms improved when they got rid of gluten. Seeing as how I felt my worse after eating a high-gluten meal, I figured it was worth a shot. One year later I can say that getting rid of gluten was probably one of the best dietary decisions I have ever made. It took some time to find some products that I loved that I could substitute for what I was eating before but once I did that eating gluten free was easy-peasy!

Cup 4 Cup is a great brand that makes gluten free flour blends that you can use with your old tried and true recipes. One thing I still have not mastered is using alternative grains and flours. I don’t always want to bake something from scratch but maybe need flour in my recipe. Cup 4 Cup works out great because I literally take what I am used to using and place it into my recipe. My favorite is using it to make breaded zucchini or breaded pork chops. Instead of using traditional flour for that first dip, I use Cup 4 Cup.

Not only does Cup 4 Cup offer flour blends but also baking mixes that include a great pizza crust mix. That’s one thing I sure do miss: Pizza. Luckily, now I can make my own version at home that tastes just as good but is way better for me.

For more information on Cup 4 Cup’s products you can visit their website at www.cup4cup.com. Their products are sold at many grocery retailers throughout the country or online.

Nick's Sticks- Free Range Living

When we made the switch to more organic and natural foods and products in the home we definitely felt better but we eventually began to miss some of our favorite 'junk food' snacks that we loved before but were no longer good for us. We noticed so many traditional snack foods come chock full of MSG, nitrates, artificial sweeteners and more. It’s unfortunate but now there are a lot of things we just don’t eat. A favorite American snack has always been those Slim-Jim type meat sticks. They’re salty, they’re tasty but unfortunately they are pretty bad for you. Luckily, I came across a product that is just like a family favorite but its way better for you: Nick’s Sticks.

Nick’s Sticks are 100% grass fed beef and free range turkey sticks are do not contain anything harmful. There’s no MSG, no nitrates, no antibiotics, no hormones, no sugar, no due, no gluten! You get all of the goodness of this tasty meaty snack but with none of the garbage.

My husband tried this one out because its his kind of snack. He absolutely loved them and gives them two thumbs up. We tried free range turkey snack sticks and the spicy variety as well which has little bits of jalapeno in them. I’m not a fan of spice so I preferred the plain kind but my husband didn’t mind the heat and loved the spicy variety as well.

You can visit http://www.nicks-sticks.com/ for more information on this snack food or information on where you can buy this product.

Nick’s Sticks is giving one of my reader’s 12 packages of Nick’s Sticks (Variety) to try out and share with their friends! Visit my facebook page to enter. (This contest is now closed) The winner will be randomly chosen on 9-12-14 and Nick’s Sticks / Wallace Farms will be notified.

My opinion is based off of samples provided by Nick’s Sticks.

Prevagen - Review

More and more people are looking into more natural ways to stay healthy and feel good. Prescription medication isn't necessarily needed to keep your body functioning in tip top shape. A number of more natural supplements provide all the care that your body needs so as you age you still feel your best.

Prevagen is a health supplement that helps people think clearer and maintain a more sharper memory. The main ingredient in this product is called apoaequorin. This ingredient was originally found in certain types of jellyfish. Prevagen is actually one of the best selling brain-based supplements on the market. It is recommended that this product be used for 30 to 90 days in order to see the best results.

You can find Prevagen at your local drug store chain including CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens and Vitamin Shoppe. Created by Quincy Bioscience, Prevagen is based in Madison, Wisconsin. Quincy Bioscience is dedicated to discovering and developing products that support optimal brain health and function.

Prevagen is best for people who may be experiencing delayed memory to due agin. Also, people with focus and concentration issues may benefit from this product. You can visit www.prevagen.com for more information.

Nature's Baby Organics: Review Plus Giveaway!

I have had the opportunity to sample so many different baby care products and organic body products over the years of blogging. I've received a lot of products that while they were indeed natural and organic, they were very scented or didn't really get the job done. I don't mind essential oils but I tend to like the products to be on the mild side when it comes to smells. I absolutely fell in love with the products that I received from Nature's Baby Organics. I may not have a baby in the house anymore but my six year old has been trying out these products and I've been swiping some for myself as well!

My absolute favorite product that I tried from Nature's Baby Organics in the Soothing Stick they sent over. This products is like an oversized chapstick. It's fragrance free and it is AMAZING. I have literally used it on everything. It worked on an itchy bug bite I had, it soothed dry, chapped skin on my hands and it cleared up a couple little patches of eczema that my son had from the changing of the seasons. There was literally no smell to the product and a few very simple ingredients including coconut oil, shea butter, chamomile oil and a couple more. I keep this in my makeup bag and use it frequently for all kinds of issues.

There have been very few bubble baths that didn't make my son's skin dry or itchy when he used them. While he's more of a shower type of guy now he was more than happy to try out the Tangy Tangerine bubble bath from Nature's Baby Organics. I liked this product because it was natural but still foamed up really well. Most organic bubble baths don't really foam. The smell is really mild and you actually can't smell any on the child when they get out of the tub.

Coconut Pineapple Shampoo and Detangler is awesome as well and there are plenty of lotions and other products that you can get from Nature's Baby Organics. These products are awesome for babies, toddlers, small kids and even adults. I don't like to keep tons of different bottles in the shower so we all tend to use the same couple products. This is a great brand to keep in mind.

Nature's Baby Organics is happy to give one of my readers a package of full size products worth $75 retail. The winner will receive:

1 Soothing Stick

1 Coconut Pineapple Shampoo & Bodywash

1 Coconut Pineapple Conditioner & Detangler

1 Tangy Tangerine Bubble Bath

1 Lavender Calming Spray

1 Fragrance Free Lotion

Topricin: Homeopathic Pain Relief & Healing Cream

Over the years I have learned more and more about homeopathic remedies for a number of problems. Whenever one of us in our home is sick or has some sort of ailment I am always interested in looking into a more natural treatment before turning to traditional medicine. A few years ago we adopted Arnica gel into our medicine cabinet for a variety of uses. My husband has found it useful for TMJ and a sprained ankle so I tried it on my son who gets severe foot pain occasionally if he has done too much or is going through a growth spurt. It didn't do a lot for his pain so we have just been sticking with a warm rice sock or epsom salt soaks. I was excited when I received a box of products from Topricin to try out.

Topricin is a homeopathic pain relief and healing cream. You can use it for a variety of issues including nerve pain, sore muscles, inflamed muscles, chronic pain from fibromyalgia and other pain related conditions, cuts, scrapes, bug bites and more. My son was complaining of some mild foot pain the one afternoon after running around all day but he wanted to make it to his karate class about an hour later. I applied a small, dime sized amount to his food, rubbing it in thoroughly. His pain subsided and he did not complain about it again. I liked that it is completely odorless, colorless and did not irritate the skin at all.

Topricin is incredibly safe and can be used by women who are pregnant, women who are breastfeeding, children and diabetics. It was voted one Healthy Holistic Living's Top 100 Green Products and it is much safer than using oral pain medications that are prescription or over the counter based. You can pick it up at a variety of stores including Wegmans, Whole Foods, Vitamin World and on the Topricin website.