Organic & Natural Personal Lubricants

In a post last week we looked at where to find the best eco-sex toys. Then I noted I’d be back with more info about natural additions (organic lube) and some recycling info. Then to top it off I forgot. Well, I’m back now with some more information about natural lubes. Later (this time I swear) we’ll look at sex toy recycling.

Weekend Getaway gift set from Good Clean Love – awesome company!

Why natural lube:

If you’re going to go through the cost and hassle of locating eco-friendly sex toys, why on earth would you top off your toys with a toxic, chemical laden lube? In fact, Time Magazine notes, “Most of the personal lubricants in the U.S. — drugstores sold $82 million worth of them last year — contain chemicals found in oven cleaner, brake fluid and antifreeze.” AND you want to put them where?!

You have lots of other, greener, safer options.

You can choose silicone lubes, but they’re not as good as water based. Silicone is man made, but can’t be absorbed into your skin or mucus membranes so it’s safer than a major chemical lube. Still you’ll want to look for fragrance free, color free, and so on to avoid other chemicals. Oil based lubes can be harmful for women trapping bacteria under a coat of oil, plus these lubes can break down condoms. If you’re looking for organic lubes you’ll have the most luck with water based products. Water-based personal lubricants are the safest for the planet BUT also the most easily absorbed by you, so you have to look for 100% natural and organic products. Also note that while water based lubes have pros they also need to be reapplied more frequently – if you think that reapplying is fun, it’s easier to handle.

Some natural choices:

Firefly Organics makes a 100% natural moisturizing lubricant with pure plant butters like natural Shea Butter and Cocoa Butter. The lube does not contain glycerin, silicone or petroleum, is preservative-free, and safe for use with silicone, rubber or polyurethane accessories and toys. The company does not test on animals and the packaging is fully recyclable.

Yes makes an certified organic water-based lube with organic Aloe Vera, organic Flax extract, three synergistic plant based gums – guar, locust bean and xanthan. Food grade preservatives are included, and citric acid to buffer the pH. Yes is also Vegetarian Society trusted which means products are approved as free from animal derived and GMO ingredients, as well as cruelty free.

Sliquid Organics Natural Lube – is a water-based lube that’s both glycerin and paraben free, the use of plant cellulose as a thickening agent makes it last longer than most glycerin-free lubes. Product contains organic botanical extracts that are independently certified by Quality Certification Services in compliance with the USDA National Organic Program.

Many other companies make eco-friendly lube though and you can even find all natural men’s stroke cream and organic massage oils.  For more organic and natural options check out…

• Sliquid Organics Stimulating O Gel
• Evergreen organic soy candles – which can be applied as massage rub.
• Good Clean Love
• Rub Me Massage Bar
• Sensua Organic
• Discreet Organic Lubricant

New Gluten-Free Breakfast Option

Gluten-free doesn’t have to mean plain. As the number of people diagnosed with celiac disease grows to around 2 million in the US, so do healthy, gluten-free food options.

I recently tried a couple of boxes of Nature’s Path organic and gluten-free cereals: Crunchy Vanilla Sunrise and Crunchy Maple Sunrise. (I received the boxes free for review.)

Both of these cereals are certified USDA organic. In addition, the Sunrise cereals are also vegetarian and free of trans fat. I’m not sure how you can get much healthier than this.

What’s inside? An organic blend of corn, rice, flax, quinoa, buckwheat and amaranth.

Both cereals are crunchy with some round puffs, as well as flakes and crisps. I preferred the Crunchy Vanilla over the Crunchy Maple. Sure, both are plenty crunchy, but I liked the more subtle vanilla flavor. The maple flavor isn’t overwhelming, but my taste buds just liked the vanilla better. Both cereals are sweet, but not so much that you feel like brushing your teeth immediately! They taste wholesome, but not bland.

If you need to maintain a gluten-free diet, or if you’re just looking for a healthy breakfast cereal, I do recommend giving Sunrise by Nature’s Path a try. I can see myself buying the Crunchy Vanilla again. A plus is that the packaging is eco-friendly, and since it’s organic, you know there’s no pesticides, herbicides or artificial additives. None of the ingredients are genetically engineered.

If you try these cereals, I’d love to know what you think. Please leave a comment. (They’re available online for $4.79 per box, or you can find a retailer.)

(Image via Nature’s Path)

Not all paper comes from trees!

All paper comes from some sort of fiber. Currently, according to the EPA, the two most common fibers used for making paper include wood from trees or from recycled paper products. The recycled content paper is a good deal, but paper made from wood is not eco-friendly. In fact, the EPA notes that about half of the trees cut down each year are directly used for paper products. What’s worse is that while paper products account for 33% of all materials in the municipal waste stream Americans are only recycling about 55% of that paper.

Basically – tree made paper is us tossing scads of trees into the trash. Lame. It’s especially lame when you consider that paper can be made from all sorts of other stuff, such as, cotton, wheat straw, sugar cane waste, flax, bamboo, wood, linen rags, hemp, and again recycled paper.

If you’re not going to buy recycled paper the best choice is paper that’s made without the use of trees. Here are some options:

Paper made from sugar: The Sugar Cane Paper Company makes paper products like tissues, plates, and more from, as you might guess, sugar cane. Well, technically, it’s made with bagasse; residue left over once sugar has been extracted from the cane. Sugar cane paper is easy to find online and it’s 100% biodegradable.

Paper made from bamboo: This paper has a downside – it’s not that available. YET. Hopefully it will become more popular because bamboo grows faster than trees and bamboo needs less water so there’s another conservation perk. Right now visit Smock to see some bamboo paper goods.

Paper made from hemp: Hemp paper is coming around as a decent contender in the tree free paper world with lots of great paper type choices, for example at Green Field Paper Company. Hemp requires few if any pesticides to grow well, helps control erosion, and contains nutrients and nitrogen that end up back in the soil. Plus hemp is biodegradable.

[image via stock.xchng]

100% Eco-Friendly Art Prints

It’s hard to keep art totally sustainable, but Eco-Fy has found a way. All aspects of Eco-Fy art prints, created by artist McKenzie, are earth-friendly.

Flower Hills from the Nature Series

Materials used to create the art and prints seen at Eco-Fy include:

• Non-toxic and low odor oil paint.
• Organic, waterproof, soy-based primers and sealants made from modified linseed oil (flax seed).
• Art prints are created using “GREEN PRINTERS” utilizing eco-safe procedures on eco-friendly paper.
• Printing of original paintings to print form is done using Iris Equipoise ink, an organic water based zero-VOC ink.
• All papers used are either tree-free, recycled, 100% rag, bamboo, or made products from sustainable forests.
• Eco Print Shield is a Non-Toxic Odorless Finishing Spray – a 100% archival aqueous based coating is used for coating prints.
• 100% post consumer waste Eco-board.
• 100% recycled Water bottle fabric.
• Frames offered are only made with wood from managed forests.

Koi Over Rocks from the Koi / Asian series

As if the eco-perks above aren’t enough, Eco-Fy offer decent prices on prints including various $99 prints, and prints of many styles are available including nature, koi / Asian, abstracts,  Italy, liquid flowers, and more. Also, amazingly, 100% of the profits from the Eco-Fy website are donated to National and Global Organizations who directly support environmental activism, social justice, art, and education.

This is a great way to get art and uphold your eco-ethics. Visit Eco-Fy to learn more.

[images via Eco-Fy]

Watermelon Strawberry Aqua Fresca

I promised you one more berry recipe before the end of Berry Month. This recipe will pair perfectly with the Skewered Shrimp and Blackberries with Sesame Ginger Marinade recipe I posted earlier.

This Watermelon Strawberry Aqua Fresca  recipe is a non alcoholic, and nutritious recipe courtesy of Driscoll’s Berries. It contains two of my favorite summer foods, watermelon and strawberries. Yum!

Both watermelon and strawberries are loaded with antioxidants and vitamins. A one-cup serving of strawberries can provide up to 93% of the suggested daily supply of Vitamin C, is high in fiber, and contains 20% of your recommended daily allowance of Folic Acid. Oh, and they also have iron, and calcium.

Watermelon Strawberry Aqua Fresca

Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 0 minutes Makes: 6 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. (6 oz) Driscoll’s Strawberries, hulled and chilled
• 2 cups watermelon cubes, chilled
• 1/3 cup lime juice
• 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

Instructions:

1. Blend strawberries, watermelon and lime juice until smooth. Add sugar to taste.
2. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Pour over ice if desired.
4. Insert a lime wedge and strawberry on a cocktail pick for garnish.

Nutrition Facts: Calories: 74; Protein: 1.25g; Saturated Fats: 0.03g; Fat: 0.44g; Carbohydrates: 18.76g; Fiber: 2.51g; Sodium: 2mg

Lighten Up: lighten up this recipe by using sugar substitute in place of the sugar.

Driscoll’s also gave me these tips for adding berries into a healthy lifestyle:

Portable, palate pleasing and packed with nutrition, berries are an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Simply put, eating fresh berries is a smart thing to do.

The pigments that give berries their red, blue, yellow, black and purple colors are packed with antioxidants. Antioxidants protect our cells from oxidative damage and inflammation, and they have been linked to heart and brain health, supporting a healthy immune system and protection against certain cancers.

Toss colorful berries into your leafy green salads or get creative and make a simple vinaigrette dressing with puréed berries to add visual distinction and extra antioxidant power to your meal.

Berries show up on almost every list of “Super Foods” recommended by nutritionists to improve the quality of our lives. Combine berries with other nutrition stars such as salmon, spinach, flaxseed, olive oil, beans and tomatoes.

Berries are a classic smoothie ingredient and with good reason – brilliant color, great flavor and nutrition. Combine them with other fruits and veggies to achieve a power drink that delivers multiple servings of fruits and vegetables, yet is still “berry-licious.”

Berries blended with yogurt, banana, spinach (yes, spinach!), flaxseed oil and the juice of your choice is a refreshing, heart-healthy pick-me-up. Did you know if you toss frozen berries straight from your freezer into the blender you don’t need to add ice?

On the go? Grab a container of tasty blueberries, strawberries, raspberries or blackberries for your next hike, picnic or errand-running afternoon.

I have watermelon, strawberries, and lime in my fridge right now, so I may have to give this recipe a try.

Michelle’s Homemade Granola

I love granola, but it’s frequently way over-priced, in my opinion. I decided it would be easy and less expensive to make it myself.  In addition, I could tailor it to the ingredients that my family enjoys the most.

I made my first batch about a week ago and it was an instant hit. We like it sprinkled over our yogurt best. Yum. Make sure that you are baking your granola in a pan that allows you to spread it wide and shallow. Stir periodically and go by color.A nice, light, toastiness is what you are looking for.

Michelle’s Granola

Preheat oven to 300F

2 cups of oats
2/3 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (can also substitute almonds, pecans, peanuts, etc)
1/2 sunflower seeds
1/4 flax seeds
1/4 sesame seeds
1/2 cup honey
1/4 maple syrup
1/3 canola oil

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine wet ingredients. Add wet to dry, stirring well. Spread on a cooking sheet that is oiled or covered with parchment paper. Keep the layer as thin as possible, to ensure even browning.

Place in oven and set timer for 15 minutes. At that point you need to give the mixture a good mixing around -flip it over, stir it, just get it rearranged to help with he even browning. Set the time for 10 more minutes. Pull it out, mix it around, then try an additional 5 minutes.

If it looks good, then pull it out and turn it onto a foil-covered surface to cool. If it looks like it could use more time, stir and put it back into the oven for 5 minutes.

*If you like a fruity granola, you can stir in raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries, chopped dried apricots, or dates at this point.

Put the cooled granola into an air-tight container. Consume within 2 weeks. I suggest trying it on the yogurt.

Image credit: Michelle Smith

[me] & goji Organic Cereal Review

I created my own [me] & goji cereal and named it Tropical Flax. My ingredients are flaxed and flaked (base consisting of organic corn, amaranth, flax and sesame), choco goji, cherry, macadamia nuts, chia seeds, coconut and pineapple.

For more background on the custom artisanal cereal that puts you in control of ingredients, check out my interview with Carl, one of the creators of the New England cereal company.

I received my Tropical Flax at no charge for review purposes. It would have cost around $12, plus shipping. That may seem expensive, but the cereal capsule contains 21 ounces and you’re able to choose your own organic ingredients – a big bonus for people with dietary restrictions. [me] & goji even explains how to make your own gluten-free cereal.

The cereal capsule is nice looking, not at all offensive sitting on the counter. Nutrition facts are printed on a label placed on the cereal capsule for you. I managed to create a mix with almost zero saturated fat and just under 8 grams of total fat per serving.

Taste

That depends largely on the ingredients you choose! There are lots of fruits, nuts and seeds you may choose, plus a choice of bases. I liked the taste of my mix, but I’d probably nix the chia seeds next time. They taste fine, but can get messy if you sometimes eat your cereal like a trail mix (guilty). I especially enjoyed the base I picked (flaxed and flaked). It is much more interesting than corn flakes, that’s for sure. It also held its own in almond milk without getting soggy. I’m not a cow milk drinker.

My only suggestion is that the lid be made more secure. It’s fine if you just have the cereal sitting on the counter, but if you throw it in the backseat of your car (for snacks!), then you need to be careful of it popping off. That did happen to me once, but I was able to secure it before any spilled. I took the cereal on vacation with me, so I guess it’s road-trip hardy aside from the one lid slippage!

This cereal can also be green in more ways than just being organic. When you check out at [me] & goji, you have the option to buy a carbon credit, called a green tag, to offset the CO2 from creating the cereal capsule and shipping. All of that goes to the Bonneville Environmental Foundation.

If you’re looking for a special gift for someone you know well, try creating a custom cereal for them. It’s fun, and a different species of gift! And maybe treat yourself too. I have to admit that it was nice being able to choose my own ingredients and not having to settle with something other people decided to put in a box for me.

(Image by [me] & goji)

Kids Don’t Get Enough Omega-3

A recent study in Canada revealed that children don’t receive enough omega-3 EPA and DHA in their diets.

Researchers of the University of Guelph in Ontario found that the average daily intake of omega-3 EPA and DHA was only 31.5 mg. The same group was children ages 4-8. However, the recommended intake is 90 mg per day. The study indicated that 78 percent of the children were far below the recommended level.

Omega-3’s are important for neurological benefits and cognitive function. It may help improve behavior, learning disorders, and hyperactivity disorders.

How can you get your child the recommended dosage?

The best sources for omega-3 fatty acids are oily fish, walnuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, canola oil and soy.

Source: UPI.com

Easy Smoothie Ideas

I got a comment from Hillary. She mentioned that it was easy to make smoothies at home. And it is!  I make them for my family all the time and they are extremely adaptable.

The first step is to freeze very ripe bananas. You know the bananas that have turned brownish and spotty?  Those are perfect – sweet and very ripe. Cut them into pieces about 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick, place in a single layer in a zip-lock bag. Pop the bag in the freezer and you’ve got your base. The thick, frosty bananas do away with the need for ice cubes, so your smoothie is all fresh, fruity flavor.

I purchase bags of frozen fruit at the grocery store – strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, anything. Mixed fruit works great. I like this combination of melon, peaches, strawberries, and grapes that I get at Safeway. You can add anything you’ve got around the house – pineapple is especially good. I’ve added blood oranges and kiwis that are fresh. Experiment with whatever sounds good.

Next, you put the fruit in your blender and you add juice or soy milk to cover. If you’ve got a cheap blender, like me, you may have to add more juice to get it to pulse correctly.  I like to use an orange juice that is enriched with calcium, because I’ve got two teenagers who don’t get enough calcium, but you can use any kind of juice. Cranberry might be a bit tart, so if you use that, make up for the tartness with some very sweet fruit. You can also use yogurt, soy milk (vanilla soy milk is wonderful in a smoothie), or a combination of fruit juice and yogurt.

I find the combination of fruit and juice to be sweet enough, but you can add honey, raw sugar, or Truvia to taste, if you like. You can also add peanut butter, flax seed meal, protein powder – like I said, they are very adaptable.

Here are some combo ideas:

*banana, vanilla soy milk, peanut butter
*orange juice, strawberry, vanilla yogurt
*apple juice, pineapple, strawberry, peach
*pineapple-orange juice, peach, vanilla soy milk
*orange juice, peach, vanilla yogurt

Be creative and if you come up with something fantastic, please share it with us in the comments.

Image credit: All Posters.com

Review: Wellness CORE Cat Food

In addition to sampling the Pure Delights treats from Wellness, my cat Choco also recently got his paws into CORE Chicken, Turkey & Chicken Liver Formula canned food from Wellness.
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