Whirlpool Tubs What They Don’t Tell You

When we had our house built a few years ago, it was such an exciting process.  There is nothing like building a home together and getting to choose what you do and don’t like and what features you would like to have.  At the time, the builder had free upgrades available, like a whirlpool tub in the bathroom over a bigger shower.

I am a bath taking girl, I love to soak in there when I don’t feel good, when I am cold during the Winter, or just to light some candles and relax.  At the time the whirlpool tub sounded divine and it still is.  It’s like having a hot tub in your bathroom.  When we first moved in, I used it often and almost daily.  Then I sort of got tired of it and just would soak in the tub.

Then one day, I was sitting in the tub and these flakes of stuff were floating in my water.  EWWWWWW!   I am probably one of the cleanest people on the planet, if I see dirt I’m in full cleaning mode, especially the bathroom.  I don’t like smells of any kind either.  At first, I just thought maybe it was just dirt from the drain or something.  Then it started happening frequently. So I bought some stuff that is supposed to clean out the whole jet system.  I ran it through there and it went away.  But I didn’t use the jets anymore.

So I did some reading and found out that this stuff is inside the jets of the tub are breeding bacteria and all sorts of harmful junk.  It consists of dead skin, oils, mold, and unimaginable bacteria strains.  Gross eh?  No one ever mentioned that I needed to clean out the jets weekly with some special cleaner, so even though I was cleaning out the tub after each use with cleaners, I never thought about the jets. Granted, I am sure that there are instructions somewhere, but I never got any with the house and didn’t know a thing about whirlpool tubs.

Then recently, when the boys were in the tub, this crud started floating in the water again.  So I instantly grabbed the jet cleaner and went to work.  Granted, the jets haven’t been touched in about 5 years because I just forgot about them.  This little adventure of cleaning out the jets went on for the entire weekend, of filling up the tub, running cleaner through the system, draining the tub, refilling with cold water to rinse out the jets, and even running a half a gallon of bleach through it several times.  You would think, that would do the trick, but about a bazillion gallons of water later (I hate to see my bill) , the gunk is still there!  So how do you effectively clean these jets. because the “special cleaner” they recommended doesn’t even work!   I have resorted to showers now until I can get them completely clean, or if I can.

The stuff you see is enough to make you gag, and I am really disappointed in the fact, that you cannot easily clean these tubs, not to mention the gallons of water wasted to do so.  If I ever get them clean again  I might actually get to use the tub, like I planned last weekend but never got to that point.  Until then, think twice about using those fancy jacuzzi tubs in hotels, god only knows what could be lurking in those…just EWWW!  I will never own a whirlpool/jacuzzi tub again.  They are too much hassle for just a few relaxing bubbles and who wants to soak in a bath that makes you feel gross before you even get clean?

Activia Selects

Nutritious eating habits for my family has always been a priority, as well as for myself.  Recently, I have been trying to get more physically fit and lose some pounds in the process.  Watching calories and reading labels, have become a part of my every day life.  Food is something that we eat every day, so nutrition should be a top priority.

We have always been a big fan of yogurt as one of our go to healthy snacks.  It is a fast and easy snack and we all love it.  Recently, I was given the chance to try Dannon’s Activia Selects-French Fruit On The Bottom yogurt and at first, I was hesitant because I am a little picky about yogurt.  Some yogurts can be either too sweet, or too sour and sometimes, the fruit chunks can be overpowering, but this was really tasty with just the right amount of fruit.  I was worried about it tasting  different since I didn’t even know what on Earth Activia was.  What is so helpful about yogurt containing  Activia?  Well, Activia Selects yogurt has the probiotic culture called Bifidus Regularis that is supposed to help regulate the digestive system when consumed daily for 2 weeks.  Probiotics are  known by many as “the beneficial bacteria,”  which many people believe if carried in the intestinal tract in significant amounts, are thought to help ease some digestive concerns.

Anything, that can give me a leg up in nutritious eating habits and that I can quickly and easily add to my diet is definitely something that I will keep on hand.  I love that Activia Selects are a quick and easy way to get some of these good things that my body needs.  I will definitely buy these in the future.  And speaking of your health…

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

In support of Dannon’s ongoing commitment to health and wellness,Dannon is going pink in support of national breast cancer awareness month.  Dannon will donate at least 10 cents for each under-the-lid code entered at www.cupsofhope.com before 12/31/11 – up to $1.5 million – to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.® (NBCF). Dannon is committed to a $500,000 guaranteed donation to NCBF, including retailer-specific programs.

Each specially marked package of Dannon yogurt contains an under-the-lid code. Participating in Give Hope With Every Cup is as easy as entering the code from the lid at www.cupsofhope.com.

NBCF is committed to spreading knowledge and fostering hope in the fight against breast cancer. With support from Dannon, NBCF will fund free mammograms for women who could otherwise not afford them and will support research programs in leading facilities across the country.

So keep an eye out for the pink lids and help give yourself a leg up in your nutrition and overall health and help others who are in need.  If you want to learn more about Activia Selects you can go to http://activia.us.com/products/enjoy_activia_selects.aspx

“I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Dannon Activia Selects Yogurt Series and received a coupon to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.”

Weight Loss Update

Recently, I mentioned that I was on a weight loss mission.  My ultimate goal is to lose 65lbs so I can go shopping for the cute clothes and just feel better in general.

I have been working hard for the past 4 weeks and I have lost nearly 20lbs in that time.  I am logging all of my intake, so I can be accountable for what I eat.  You would be surprised how much you can overeat without even knowing.  For instance, I love SunChips and this peach salsa.  When you “gasp” look at the bag you will see that a serving is only 15 chips or something like that.  When you sit there and physically count your chips one by one, you will realize that this seems like a meager amount.  Normally you would just reach in the bag as much as you want until you are satisfied.

I have had to adjust the way that I eat.  If I want something sweet, I head for the fruit before I go to my next step which is chewing gum.  I will admit that I do not deny myself treats.  In fact, I made a homemade chocolate cake with chocolate icing from scratch and had one piece nightly after dinner for a few nights.  The key is moderation.

I had not been used to eating healthy, so at first a piece of fruit tasted like crap to me.  But now it is something that I crave.  If I eat a piece of chocolate and go to fruit, the fruit doesn’t taste sweet, so try to avoid high sugar foods.

I have gone from walking between 5-10 miles per day, to starting to run.  I only made it ten full minutes, before I thought I was gonna die, but it feels good do it.

My favorite snacks so far:

Sliced white peaches with a Tbs of light whip cream

SunChips Garden Salsa flavor with peach salsa

Carrots drizzled with a half tsp of green goddess dressing

Apple with 1 tbs natural no sugar peanut butter

Cranberry Rush Trail Mix from Meijer and Nutrition Nut/Fruit Mix from Planters

Canteloupe

Chocolate graham crackers with light whip cream in between, and put it in the freezer for a mock ice cream sandwich

My favorite breakfast

Maple and Brown Sugar Outmeal with Flax by Three Sisters

As for dinner, I haven’t found a favorite meal, but I tend to eat whatever is made for the family but I measure out portions.  I will drink water but sometimes I want something else and I have found that I really like the regular Vitamin Water.

What are your favorite lo cal snacks?

Week 1 Weight Loss

One week has passed in my journey to lose weight.  The first few days were awful!  Around the evening time around dinner, I would start to feel depressed about all the new changes.  I felt like I was missing out on something.  Maybe it was food, or maybe it was just all the changes that I know have to be permanent in order to maintain a healthy weight.

I am exercising almost nightly with my dog.  She thinks I am trying to kill her, and I think I am trying to kill me too.  The first few days I started off slow, but then I began to enjoy the time.  I started out walking about a mile and finished off the week walking nearly 4 miles every night.  It seems that when you have catchy tunes playing in your ear, you can walk miles.

I am journaling every morsel of food, I am eating and I am enjoying the taste of fruit.  I did a little experiment quite by accident when I took a drink of the boys chocolate milk.  It was incredibly sweet and then I went to take a bite of my canteloupe that for the past few days tasted like pure sugar and it tasted like nothing.  It tells you how sweet actual sugar is and how your taste buds adjust to fruit sugars versus regular sugar.  Fruit tastes just like candy to me, when I am avoiding the refined sugars and high fructose corn syrups.

I am enjoying keeping track of everything, I am attached to a pedometer all day every day.  I have gone from just a few thousand steps to more than 15,000 steps per day, and I am feeling pretty good too.  Officially after the first week I am down 10lbs.  I know this will slow, but I will be happy with about 2 lbs per week!

I am up for the challenge!

Diet Schmiet

Diets are no fun.  The minute I start to eat all the so called good for you foods, I get cranky.  Going through the grocery store, makes me feel like I must be blindfolded so I don’t pout.  And flaxseed with oats tastes a bit like dirt, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

I hate water, well not hate but, I like soda, and not diet.  My goal is to avoid artificial sweetners and soda all together.  I am drinking more water, and feel like I need a catheter permanently attached to me, so I don’t have to be in the bathroom peeing every five minutes and im only drinking three glasses a day folks.

I am walking every night and dragging the dog along.  I put my iTouch on shake to shuffle, and walking quickly made me feel a bit ADHD because it didnt like my brisk walking and proceeded to change songs with every step.

Day two and I am still alive! I am sure after my chocolate and coca cola withdrawals (in about 4 weeks), I will be a much happier camper.  But until then look for crab apple posts like this one.

I will conquer.

The Omega Vert Vrt350 HD Juicer Love It!

Our family consumes a lot of juice, especially the boys.  First thing in the morning, it is the thing they ask for the most.  To incorporate more water and less sugary juice, I started watering it all down.  Both of my kids love fruits and vegetables of all kinds, so that has never been a struggle, so I started considering ways in which I could still give them the juice that they loved in the morning and throughout the day, but offering them a healthier choice.

A good friend of ours suggested a juicer, so I went on a search to find out more information.  I used to own a juicer back in my college days, and a lot has changed since I owned that dinosaur of a juicer.  There are a lot of juicers on the market, there are centrifugal juicers, masticating juicers, and others, that make your mind spin with information. One of the supposed key benefits to juicing are the mega health benefits.  When you buy bottled juices in the store, most of these are pasteurized which means it is heated.  The problem with that, is you kill off all the “good for you” stuff, and you are  not getting the maximum benefit from the fruits and vegetables.  If you are drinking heated juice, then you might as well stir up some sugar water, and call it a day.  After reading about it, I don’t think I would ever go back to a bottled juice again.

After countless hours of researching the health benefits, I realized that I wanted to try a juicer, not just for my children, but for myself as well.  I recently had the opportunity to review and Omega Vert Vrt350 HD Juicer.  For the most part, juicing is a foreign to me, so when it arrived at my doorstep, I was excited and a little intimidated by using it.  The first thing I noticed is that it was heavy!  I thought there must be a hunk of lead in the box, but to my amazement the juicer itself is very compact in size, the bulk of the weight is in the part that houses the motor, and the Auger (the part that turns to work the fruit through the mesh juicing screen).  I was surprised how easy it was to get up and running, within just a few minutes, I was already juicing my first apple  and a carrot.

Try not to laugh at my demonstration video!

Omega Vert VRT 350 HD Details

The Omega Vert VRT350 Juicer  features the high efficiency of a masticating  juicer in a vertical design that is compact, contemporary and productive. Most juicers process at a speed of 1,650 to 16,000 RPM, destroying many healthy enzymes and causing juice to degrade shortly after being extracted. The Vert VRT350 Low Speed Juicing System processes at 80 RPM, preventing oxidation and allowing juice to be stored for up to 72 hours without degradation. The Vert VRT350 also features an innovative auto cleaning system that keeps the screen clear during juicing and increases its efficiency. The contemporary design is complemented by a virtually indestructible ULTEM juicing screen that will withstand heavy duty juicing. Ideal for fast pace commercial environments, this juicer combines a contemporary styling with the technology to cater to the  health conscious.

 

Features:

• Innovative design squeezes out
juice rather than grinding
• Preserves natural taste and
color of juice
• Preserves natural nutrients
• Exclusive Blade Cleaning System
keeps the screen clean during use
• Efficient Design ensures maximum
juice extraction with the driest pulp
in its class
• Easy disassembly and reassembly
• Auger is extremely hard and durable
• Auto Cleaning System
• 80 RPM for peak efficiency
• Crushing Ribs
• Commercial 1/3 HPMotor
• Exclusive Underwriters Laboratories
Inc. (UL) Household and Commercial
Approval

After using the Omega Vert VRT 350HD juicer for about 8 weeks now, I have noticed a marked difference in how I feel physically and surprisingly, juicing has changed how my skin feels.  I have also used it to help me in my weight  loss, and have just been drinking freshly juiced fruits and vegetables, when I am hungry between meals and have managed to lose weight in the process without feeling cheated.  I actually enjoy getting the juicer out and making fresh juice for me and the boys and experimenting with different combinations.

I have found that if you are over zealous with certain vegetables like celery, you can over power your juice, so with a little experimenting you can find a balance that tastes good to you.  The Omega Vert VRT350 HD comes with two juicing screens which allow you to have more or less pulp in your juice.  We prefer the finer screen with most things with the exception of juicing oranges and lemons.  My husband likes to run his through and even finer strainer after the juicing process, but he is ultra picky about anything healthy  LOL!  In the process of juicing, I also discovered a new way to make blackberry jam as well.  I wanted to make a seedless version, and was fighting with a potato masher to get the seeds separated, but then I decided to try my juicer and it removed all the seeds and left me with just the good stuff from my blackberries!  The Omega Vert VRT350 HD is awesome for this too!

What I love about the Omega Vert VRT 350HD juicer is that I can control what my family is getting with maximum health benefits.  It is very very easy to use and there is no fuss when cleaning it when I am done.  I can juice and clean the system literally in about 5-7 minutes which makes it practical for families on the go.  There is actually very little to clean with the silicone wiper blades that rotate along the juicing screen, there is little in the way of food that gets stuck anywhere.  It is perfect for kids and adults with texture issues who do not like to bite into an apple or a raw carrot but are willing to drink the juice instead.  I also like that, if there are bruised fruits in my fridge, I can toss them in the juicer and still get the same benefit and avoid tossing away money spent on fresh produce.  This juicer is also super quiet!  When I first used it I was expecting loud noises as it would grind up my fruits and veggies and I was beyond surprised.  I can run my juicer early in the morning and no one hears a thing.  We did have a little trouble juicing pineapple, but I found if I cut it into smaller pieces, the pulp chamber was less likely to back up.  Juicing also creates pretty much no waste if you want it to.  With the remaining pulp you can easily use this as compost in your garden, I plan on creating a composting bin starting this fall and this is perfect for that.  The Omega Vert VRT350 HD retails for around $380 and is worth every penny in my opinion.  If you are interested and serious in making some major changes in your diet, I would suggest trying a juicer and I highly recommend the Omega Vert VRT 350 HD juicer.  I have not been disappointed with it in the 8 weeks that I have had it.

Overall this is a great product, if you are interested in making health conscious decisions for the family and you want to offer the healthier choices for your kiddos.  Neither one of my boys has noticed a difference in the juice that I offer them from the juicer versus the watered down concentrates I used to give them.  This in itself is worth the switch.  You can read more about the Omega company and how they got started with their full line of Omega juicers.

**The Omega VRT350 juicer was provided for me to review, the opinions expressed here on my blog are that of my own.**

Fiber Choice Are You Getting Enough Fiber?

Fiber is one of those things that is important for our bodies, but let’s face it, most people rarely get enough of it in their diets.  You hear it all the time “eat more fiber,” it’s essential for good health.  Fiber is found mainly in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans.  When I think of fiber, I think of poop.  Really, who doesn’t think about that first?  It has its other health benefits, but I have always heard, you need more fiber to keep yourself regular.

With the new year, comes all the promises of a healthier lifestyle, and better eating habits.  I am always gung ho in the beginning, but eating the right foods, isn’t always easy or very tasty.  When you are out of the habit of eating the healthy foods, everything good for you, is less than appealing.  Let’s face it, lettuce leaves don’t taste like much, unless you have cheese and dressing on it.  And eating fiber, is just as bad as the lettuce leaf, if you don’t jazz it up with something it tastes like cardboard or wood chips.

Fiber Facts

• Most people need 25 to 30 grams of dietary fiber each day, but most of us get only 12 to 15 grams a day.

• One daily serving of FiberChoice® – just two chewable tablets – contains 4 grams of dietary fiber.

• Fiber is typically associated with regularity, but fiber is also important for overall digestive and full-body health.

• FiberChoice® should be taken every day as part of an ongoing effort to live a more healthy life.

I always try to offer the boys fruits, vegetables and whole grains to ensure that they get enough fiber in their diets.  One of my boys has always had problems with constipation, so I have always tried to give him things like prunes, and encourage drinking lots of fluids.  I am always looking for easy additional ways to add some fiber in my diet and his.  I recently had the chance to try Fiber Choice, which is a fiber supplement.  My initial thought, when I read the bottle that said, sugar free and fiber supplement, was that this was a bottle of compressed taste free lettuce leaves.  But to my surprise, they actually tasted really good and are easy to take at any time during the day.  The recommended dosage is two tablets.  I started with that and found that I did get a bit bloated and gassy and I just reduced the serving to one and a half tablets for about a week to let my system adjust.   Each chewable tablet is scored down the middle so it makes it easy to break them in half and I also started giving my sons half a tablet daily, and my husband takes two in the morning.

Because they’re chewable, FiberChoice® tablets are the fiber supplement you can keep anywhere, take everywhere – at your desk, in your gym bag, in the car, in your suitcase, in the kitchen counter – wherever it’s convenient for you.

Inulin: A natural fiber source.

One daily serving of FiberChoice chewable tablets – just two tablets – contains 4 grams of inulin, an all-natural dietary fiber found in fruits and vegetables. Inulin is a unique fiber source that helps boost calcium absorption.*

We now make taking fiber a daily part of our routine. My husband hardly ever eats a vegetable or fruits for that matter, so this is also a great alternative, and helps to get at least some fiber in his diet. We recently stocked up with the 220 count bottle from our local Costco, and plan to keep up with the daily routine of taking Fiber Choice. A little more fiber in our diets can only help in maintaining our health and keeping our plumbing in order.  To learn more about Fiber and it’s benefits you can follow @FiberChoice on Twitter or visit their website at http://www.fiberchoice.com

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of FiberChoice and received a coupon to facilitate my review and a gift code to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

I Think My Taste Buds Are Dead

I have recently decided to embark on an adventure to change my eating habits. I am not quite gung ho yet, because I simply dread taking that next step. I know that I will go through my standard three week sugar and no bad food withdrawal before I will even remotely feel like I am human.

Exercise sucks for the first few weeks, and even then I often find myself praying for my one hour to be over. You know you do it too! It isn’t fun…and the people who say its fun are usually the people who are twigs. I don’t enjoy it, and yes it may be mind over matter, but it still sucks.

Eating the actual healthy fruits and vegetables isn’t really all that bad, since I usually like them. But I think my taste buds are dead from all the processed crap that I eat. A piece of fruit doesn’t even remotely taste sweet at all. When I was feeling my best before I had the boys, I was working out and feeling great. Id go for an apple and it tasted like chocolate.

Eating healthy is difficult, because it costs more, and meal preparations take longer. Eating out of a box is certainly faster, but it isn’t the greatest for your body. And I think maybe there is a big conspiracy between health insurance companies, the grocery stores, and fast food chains. There aren’t coupons for lettuce or tomatoes, I can go to McDonalds and buy a full meal for 5.00, yet if I fix a healthy meals I spend way more. It’s all ass backwards. We all need to go back to living off the land, like I can envision myself hunting and gathering in the woods, in the freezing weather.

So my taste buds are dead, and I need to get them back in order, to where bad food tastes like crap, and the healthy stuff tastes good again. I’m praying for the motivation and the will to pass up my favorite chocolate and go for the apples. Wish me luck! I think I can, I think I CAN, I THINK I CAN.

Crest Pro-Health Complete Rinse Test Drive Final Take

About a month ago I mentioned that I was part of the Crest Pro-Health Complete Rinse test drive.  I have been using the rinse for the past few weeks twice a day to see if I noticed a difference in my overall oral health.  I was excited to give it a try because most mouthwashes I try, are overly strong and tend to burn my mouth and I wind up rinsing with water immediately after, and that sort of defeats the purpose.

Crest Pro-Health Complete Rinse gives you six benefits in one rinse, for a more complete way to get better dental checkups.*vs. brushing alone.  It is designed to:

• Rebuilds Teeth Enamel
• Helps Prevent Cavities
• Cleans Teeth & Gums
• Kills Bad Breath Germs
• Freshens Breath
• No Burn of Alcohol

After giving it a try, I actually looked forward to using it daily. My mouth has felt cleaner and fresher and the best part is, that I can tolerate swishing it around in my my mouth for longer than 2 seconds. A couple of times I goofed and ate something immediately after using it, because you are supposed to wait at least thirty minutes before eating anything after using the mouthwash.  I also didn’t notice any residue on my teeth.  Overall, I like it and will continue to make it an active part of my oral health care regimen. I like feeling like I am doing something extra, to make the visits in the dentist chair a little shorter. Crest Pro Health Complete Rinse, will help slay your dragon breath and not turn it into fire!

“I wrote this review while participating in a test drive campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Crest and received a sample to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Im Part Of The Crest Pro-Health Complete Rinse Test Drive!

Going to the dentist is admittedly not one of my favorite things to do.  I will sheepishly admit that, I haven’t been in awhile because I am scared to death of all the poking and prodding that you inevitably go through in the dentist chair.  You would think that my rear end had legs because, I could scoot right out of the chair.  To avoid any additional length of time in the chair, I try my best to keep my mouth in somewhat good order.

I am a regular flosser and daily tooth brusher, but I rarely use any type of mouthwash or rinses unless maybe I have eaten an onion or my breath doesn’t feel so fresh.  In all honesty, I avoid mouthwash because most of them tend to feel like they are out to burn my mouth till it goes numb and kill my taste buds instead of my bad breath.  I have tried many a mouthwash and had to rinse with water right after, eliminating any effectiveness it may have had.

I was recently invited to participate in the Crest Pro-Health Complete Rinse Test Drive.  As part of the campaign I will be using  Crest Pro-Health Complete Rinse twice daily for the next month and sharing my overall experience with you!

Crest Pro-Health Complete Rinse provides six benefits in one: re-builds enamel, helps prevent cavities, cleans teeth and gums, kills bad breath germs, and freshens breath  for a more complete way to get better dental checkups
vs. brushing alone.  And the most appealing aspect of  this new mouthwash is the fact that it doesn’t have that burn of the alcohol that most mouthwashes have.  I am most eager to try it out for that very reason.  Hopefully, I can share with you, that I can still feel my mouth after using it, and arm myself with another line of defense, to avoid any extended visits in the dentist chair.

“I wrote this review while participating in a test drive campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Crest and received a sample to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

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