6 Eco-Friendly Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas

They say green is the new black, green is the new red... and according to one dairy un-fairly traded chocolate morsel (you know the one) green is sexy!  Well I couldn't agree more.  Below is Eve's recommendation for green versions of classic Valentine's gifts that say:

Love Me, Love My Planet.

 One can almost see the progression here.  Let me walk you through it:

1. VeraFlora Organic Long Stem Roses pesticide free and arrive in eco-friendly packaging,
2. VivaTerra Organic Chocolate Bon Bons are earth-friendly dark chocolate and on sale for $5 bucks a box,
3. Red Flower Italian Blood Orange candles are biodynamic and sustainably made.  And with a name like that...
4. Farfalla Gemstone Oil for massage and body care is infused with rose quartz, the heart opener,
5. Gaiam's Organic Cotton and Bamboo Sheet set, sustainable, soft and says you put a lot of thought into this,
6. Tara Projects Heart Jewelry Boxes, two matching, fair trade, fill them with tokens of your undying love!

p.s. Peta was right, not only does meat wreck the planet, it also wrecks your arteries thus your blood flow,  Vegetarians do have better sex! (See video below). Take your date out for a delicious vegan meal, then present the above gifts in the order listed for a totally Green-Hot Valentine's Day!

'Veggie Love': PETA's Banned Super Bowl Ad

Ergo Baby Carrier Review

Next to  nursing, nothing calms a fussy baby faster than being held safely in the arms of a loving care giver.  In fact, according to Jean Liedloff, author of The Continuum Concept; babies are born expecting some form of human contact almost constantly until the reach the crawling stage.  Of course, their expectations don't stop there but may be suspended momentarily while exploring a little of their environment.  Now, I'm a small woman and both of my sons were almost 25% of my body weight before spending more of their time exploring than in-arms.  I would not have been able to offer my children the in-arms experience they desired without my one indispensable baby necessity: the Ergo Baby Carrier.

First the eco-points:

• The Ergo Baby Carrier is made of all natural cotton, and available in organic cotton as well.
• (Unlike strollers which are made of plastic, metal or other resorce intensive materials.)
• The Ergo Baby Carrier is of a high quality which is able to be passed for use with multiple children.
• With the Ergo Baby Carrier you can take your baby along with you on earth friendly activities such as hiking and camping.
• The Ergo Baby Carrier makes it easy to keep your baby with you during daily activities such as doing dishes or folding laundry which reduces the need for costly baby entertainment toys such as bouncing gyms and swings.

Now the mama baby benefits:

• Babywearing reduces stress on the baby which reduces stress on the mamma, (or daddy, or other caregiver.)
• Baby's who spend much of their time in arms naturally feel more included in the rhythms of their environment which creates for them a sense of being included and respected. (my own observation)
• Children who have enjoyed the benefit of babywearing may learn to talk sooner, according to Dr. Sears; The Baby Book.
• Baby's who experience emotional stability in infancy by being held in-arms instead of being left to cry for long periods of time may have a more stabile emotional center throughout life.  (Based on the theory that our bio-chemistry patterns are set up early in our childhood.)
• In-arms is a safe place for baby to be, especially during the crawling stage or in unfamilliar surroundings.
• There is no more  stimulating or interesting pattern for baby to look at than the face of a loving parent or caregiver.
• Daily weight bearing activity (not milk) builds strong bones.  (Got Ergo?)

I could go on and on with the benefits of babywearing (and please leave your own observations in the comments section!) but getting back to the Ergo, I have personally used the Maya Wrap, a wrap sling, the Snugli, and the Kelty Carrier.  They all have their good points: the Maya wrap is great, but not ergonomic and did hurt my shoulders when the kids got over 15 lbs., the Snugli was great for my husband so the baby could face out but only good up to 20lbs or so, the Kelty is great for my husband to go on hikes with an older child in the pack, but absolutely nothing was ever as comfortable as my Ergo Baby Carrier.  Husbands can wear the Ergo Baby Carrier too as it's adjustable for any body type. I wore both of my sons in it from the day they were born until ... well Micah was 2 years old and would fall asleep in the car during errands and I would take him out and put him in the Ergo on my back and continue with my day; Meric is 16 months old and still goes in it every time we go into any place that I don't want him running around. 

Where to buy:
Ergo Baby Carrier at Baby-Wise
Ergo Baby Carrier at Buy.com

I hope this review of the Ergo Baby Carrier has helped you look forward to spending a lot of time holding your baby, or find a gift for an expectant mom!  Either way, thanks for reading and please share your experiences in babywearing below!

Peanut Butter Larabar Recall Hits Home

Micah and I were hit with mysterious flu like symptoms last week that lasted only half a day or so. I tucked him into my bed with me and put a towel over the blanket which proved to be of great Mommy foresight three hours and 4 towels later. I also brought my thermos filled with ice-water to bed and sipped ever so slightly at it throughout the night to prevent dehydration since I'm still nursing. My gracious husband took the next day off work and cleaned the house, so overall I can say that I benefited from the rest and help. I kept wondering if it could've been something we ate. Then today I got a call from our local grocery store. An automated message alerted me that I should not consume the Peanut Butter Larabars that I bought there recently. Well, a week late and $1.29 short, but I was grateful for the call none the less. I didn't realize that signing up for the local grocery store "club card" would benefit my family in this way, but I am glad to know that I will receive product recall notices on the items that I buy! That's great. "Peanut butter produced by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) has been implicated in an outbreak of salmonella." hit the headlines today, affirming my ordeal once more. Specific recall information and natural salmonella treatment suggestions below:Credit: Rocky Mountain Laboratories,NIAID,NIH Color-enhanced scanning electron micrograph showing Salmonella typhimurium (red) invading cultured human cells.

The specific products in this recall include:

Larabar peanut butter cookie

LÄRABAR Peanut Butter Cookie Individual Bar / UPC code number
Individual Bar / 54818-00014-7
Caddy (16-bar sleeve) / 54818-00064-2
6-bar pack / 93759-00298-8
6-bar, 6-pack case / 93759-00299-5
UPC Case Code / 54818-00085-7

JamFrakas Peanut Butter Blisscrisp snack bars / UPC code number
Individual bar / 93759-00212-4
Caddy (18-bar sleeve) / 93759-00213-1
UPC Case Code / 93759-00214-8

Salmonella bacteria is found wherever animals live.  Recently we've seen the rise of vegetable crop contamination due to runoff of unprocessed waste from factory farms.  Tomatoes, cantalopes, spinach, green onions and now peanuts have all been in the media in to past decade or so for serious salmonella outbreaks. 

"During slaughtering and processing, salmonella may contaminate animal carcasses. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates, nearly 40 percent of the American poultry supply, 12 percent of the pork and 5 percent of the beef are contaminated with salmonella.
Because fruits and vegetables have now been identified as a source of salmonella, it is important that these food items be thoroughly washed in running water before they are eaten.

Wash utensils and wooden cutting boards thoroughly with hot, soapy water. Salmonella may lie dormant for a year or more and then "wake up" when food is present. They also may live in the cut marks on a wooden cutting board. Use an acrylic board that can go in the dishwasher. Rub down or spray wooden boards with a solution of one ounce bleach to one gallon water and allow to air dry. "
Quoted from: Healthbeat

Natural Salmonella Treatment (found at Health A-Z)

A number of alternative treatments have been recommended for food poisoning. One very effective treatment that is stongly recommended is supplementation with Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. bulgaricus, and/or Bifidobacterium to restore essential bacteria in the digestive tract. These preparations are available as powders, tablets, or capsules from health food stores; soy yogurt with live L. acidophilus cultures can also be eaten. Fasting or a liquid-only diet is often used for food poisoning.  Homeopathic treatment can work very effectively in the treatment of Salmonella food poisoning. Some examples of remedies commonly used are Chamomilla, Nux vomica, Ipecac, and Colchicum.  Charcoal tablets can help absorb toxins and remove them from the digestive tract through bowel elimination.  

Personally, I have used charcoal tablets for food poisoning relief in the past and have had sucess.  Bentonite clay can also be used in the same way.  Follow dosage instructions on the package.

If any of you have eaten the Peanut Butter Cookie Larabar and are pulling an all-nighter with your small children, you have my sympothies and encouragement that tomorrow will bring wellness again.  Until then, keep plenty of towels on hand and get some  rest.

The lesson for me is has been the confimation that whole fruits and vegetables properly washed have the highest level of nutrients and lowest level of poisoning risk of any food we can eat!

Review: Organic Cotton Fireside Throw by Gaiam

Every milestone of independance in my young son's life has been marked with a symbolic gift of sorts.  When he learned to "go potty" we got him a "potty-train" (it was a wooden Diesel from the Thomas and friends set).   When he weaned himself from breastmilk to almond milk, we bought him a snuggle toy (a soft baby giraffe).

So when he was ready to sleep in his own room and bed, I wanted to give him a special blanket that would comfort him and keep him warm and cozy.  I didn't know exactly where to look, but I knew that it had to be just the right size for a three year old, made from organically grown cotton, a soothing color and ultra sweetly soft.

Thats when I discovered the Organic Cotton Fireside Throw from Gaiam. It's name evokes a well deserved romantic self-indulgence, however you mom's will buy one for your kid first and use it as an extra reason to snuggle them to sleep at night.  My husband is the first to covet it for TV time if we  leave one in the living room, although at 6 feet tall it's still just a throw for him.  For a small child however, whose just moving into the big boy world of his first single bed, the Organic Cotton Fireside Throw is plenty roomy enough for nightly slumber.

Micah has been sleeping in his own bed for a year or so now, every night with a rotating snuggle buddy and his special blanket.  I recently got myself one to help lure me out of bed for early morning meditation... "Okay, I'll get up... if I can bring the blanket."    So far it has worked like a charm!

More organic bedding by Gaiam can be found in their Eco-Living section.  My family also enjoys their organic sheets, various pillows, pillow cases and comforters; drop me a line if you have any questions about those!