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Meatless May

Dinner is my nemesis. I hate thinking about it, talking about, asking my husband about it. That is, unless I know we are going out to dinner, then I am ALL about dinner and will happily pick the place and cuisine.

If we have to make dinner, and it's a weeknight, then I would rather do just about anything else than make the decision and/or start cooking when I get home from work. I know most of you know what I am talking about. Whether you have kids or not, if you work all day, most of you are not looking forward to cooking dinner (this is based on my own very science-y scientific research)!

So since I am a glutton for punishment, I have decided to narrow my choices even further and make dinner even MORE fun by not eating meat for the month of May. It comes from concerns about animal welfare and seeing videos that I cannot now unsee. I've gone mostly meatless before (except fish) then I got pregnant and later nursed a baby and could eat my weight in meat. Now with my appetite back to a somewhat normal pace, I am re-thinking the meat thing again.

I didn't eat most meat for a few years (only fish) and it was hard but I felt great! Also if you follow the "eat right for your blood type," those of us with type A should be meat-free, twig and berry eaters! My hubs on the other hand, is an O -- meat-eater all the way!

I am going to take it slow and just commit to one month (cutting ALL meat). So far, so good.

Here is what I am having for lunch today:

tomato, mozzarella, arugula and avocado - yum!

Honest Company Diapers, SAP (Sodium Polyacrylate) and creative marketing

I love the Honest Company's diapers. I have used them, along with the wipes, from day one and have been happy. Plus, they have super cute designs.

Credit: Honest Company Website

Recently, I read a review of the diapers from BabyGearLab . While I have not found any issues with the diapers absorbency, versus other "green" diapers, as the review did, I was taken a back by what the review said was some misrepresentation by the Honest Company's marketing. Specifically that their diapers had been touted as "100% plant-based."

Also, the Honest Company, in its "What's Inside Disposable Diapers" section, is highly critical of competing diapers inclusion of SAP in their absorbent core, stating "sodium polyacrylate (SAP) is the main component of those absorbent gel crystals found in many diapers and it can be a skin irritant."

That's fine, but to be fair, the Honest Company, who is transparent in its ingredient list, also uses SAP, which is a petrochemical.

The review went on to say that the company's co-founder Christopher Gavigan told BabyGearLab that the Honest Diaper is 80% plant-based and claims of being "100% plant-based" have been removed from the company's marketing. However, this remains:

Honest diapers are FREE of: 

chlorine processing, latex, lotions, fragrances, common allergens, phthalates, optical brighteners, PVC, heavy metals, organotins (MBT, DBT, TBT) & harsh petrochemical additives

I had tweeted a comment to the Honest Company, asking about SAP in their diapers. Later, a rep from the company reached out to me. Below is her comment regarding SAP in the diapers:

"Our Diapers have an absorbent BIO Core (wheat and corn starch) that is blended with SAP for increased absorbency. As traditional SAP is petrochemical-based, we try to use as little as possible while still maintaining superior absorbency, which is why our Diapers contain a minimal level of SAP to ensure premium performance. It's definitely an ingredient we'd like to eliminate altogether someday, but currently there are no better substitutes that don't compromise the absorbency of the diaper."

"The main reason we want to eliminate SAP altogether is that it's a synthetic component of the diaper, not that it has any serious health risks associated with it. SAP has gotten an awfully bad rap over the years, but largely from misunderstanding - the gel used in disposable diapers today is not the same as that used in super absorbent tampons, linked with toxic shock syndrome, a number of years ago. In fact, SAP has been rigorously tested and it has been concluded that it is completely safe and non-toxic. MBDC, which is the leading US-based design chemistry firm, has assessed SAP as GREEN, which is the safest assessment a chemical or material can receive."

My question to Honest was, if you are transparent in your use of SAP, then why do you tout that your diapers are FREE of petrochemical additives when they are clearly not?

While Honest may not consider the level of SAP used in its diaper to be "harsh" it is still a petrochemical and that part is coming into contact with the child's skin as the diaper gets absorbed.

So what gives with the misleading marketing? I read the"FREE OF" line that is highlighted in the Honest marketing and was happy with the product and hadn't looked into the detail in the ingredient list that had actually listed a petrochemical-based product. 

Maybe it is creative marketing and the way the word harsh is used means one thing and not another. But as a parent and customer of Honest, it makes me wonder what else is being manipulated in Honest marketing. It is slightly disappointing. I felt happy to have been able to rely on Honest to give a great product that was exactly what I was looking for.

Other non-toxic ("green") diapers use SAP as well. It seems really hard to get away from. But when looking at the marketing for Earths Best diapers, they mention that their diapers are "made with fewer petrochemicals," not FREE OF.

It's not great, but at least more accurate.

The rep from Honest went on to say this:

"We are truly sorry you felt misled by this statement. It is technically accurate that we do not use and harsh or dangerous petrochemical additives/ingredients - only ones that meet our safety standards - but we also understand your concerns.

We're always listening, and I have passed your feedback along to our team. We will be updating the language on our package later this Spring, and we will update the website accordingly as well.

We take feedback like this very seriously and always want to be clear and transparent in how we market our products. We will continue to look into how we can improve this on our diapers and other products."

I would say that, technically, despite the rep's email above, Honest does use petrochemical additive ingredients, but I suppose the use of the word "harsh" is the issue here and how it's defined is up for debate.

I will continue to use Honest diapers. The alternative for me would be cloth diapering but after looking into it for a while and doing much research, I cannot commit to making my life a little more hectic by adding more laundry to the mix. Maybe with the next babe, I will work up the courage to turn to cloth but until then, it's Honest for me.

Let's just hope Honest gets a little more honest in all aspects of its marketing!

Placenta - the good, the bad and the unknown

PLEASE prepare yourself. If you have a delicate gag reflex, do not read any further. 

Ok, I warned you. 

I ate my placenta. This is not a new phenomenon and there have been pro and anti-placenta people out there for some time. But I did it and I enjoyed it!

I didn't fry the thing up and eat like a steak. I did drink a smoothie with some raw pieces in it but the rest I had dehydrated and put into capsules. I also had a tincture made (with 100 proof vodka in it) that will last into menopause. I just need a few drops here and there to balance hormones and fight off PMS. 

I am almost done with the bottle and my daughter is only a year old. Just kidding. But really, sometimes I could use the whole bottle but a few drops on the tongue work just fine.

Maybe it's in my head, but maybe not.

Here are some fun facts about placenta, the lifeblood of your baby:

-It is loaded with vitamins like B6, B12 and iron

-The placenta draws nourishment and oxygen, which it supplies to the fetus

-It also acts as an endocrine gland, producing estrogen, progesterone, and gonadotrophin.

So why eat it? 

It is said to:

-Ward off post-partum depression

-Improve breast milk supply 

-Increase energy

-Significantly reduce post-partum bleeding

-Replenish essential hormones such as oxytocin and CRH(stress reducer) 

There was a study done at the University of Las Vegas on human placentophagy, otherwise known as mother's consuming their placenta in 2013.

Daniel Benyshek, a UNLV medical anthropologist, and Sharon Young, a doctoral student of anthropology, ran the study and found that most women who participated in the practice were American, Caucasian, married, middle class, and college-educated and were more likely to give birth at home. (I was/am ALL of the these things)

They asked 189 women who consumed their placentas after childbirth why they did it, how they preferred to have the placenta prepared, and if they would do it again. The results were published in the journal Ecology, Food and Nutrition in 2013.

Overall, 76% of participants said they had very positive experiences. The most commonly reported negative aspect of placentophagy was the placenta’s appeal — the taste or smell of it was simply kind of icky. But most reported positive experiences.

The study, which looked at 180 societies around the world, found that placenta consumption by humans other than the mother, however, has been recorded among a handful of cultures for various medicinal purposes, and it is used in some traditional Chinese remedies. In Chinese traditional medicine, however, it was the men who ingested zi he che, or dried placenta medicine, to boost their energy over 600 years ago.

While science knows much about the hormonal and nutritional components of the human placenta tissue, the study noted that almost nothing is known about the biological effects of its consumption.

Benyshek is now researching the public health implications, the likely course of placentophagy throughout human evolution, whether placentas can treat mood disorders and hormonal imbalances, and any potential risks.

He’s also analyzing the nutritional, hormonal, and chemical components of placenta in its various preparations. Benyshek has partnered with Jodi Selander, a specialist in placenta encapsulation and education in Southern Nevada. She is preparing the placentas for experiments and also helped connect the researchers with survey participants.

The placenta can be consumed cooked or raw, but most women in the survey consumed it in the easier-to-digest capsule form.

In my own experience, the pills gave me an energy boost and made me feel calmer. When I have another baby, I will do it all over again!

Teething...my check-list of natural remedies

Teething...a saga of uncontrollable screaming, yelling, crying and drooling and then there's the baby's side of it...

IT seems like my daughter has been teething since birth. And she probably has one way or another.

For some babes, it takes a while for those little chompers to pop out, for others they burst on to the scene all at once and for a select few, they are born with some teeth. While that seems odd, it's probably better for all involved that the parents (and baby) skipped over some of the teething and got it taken care of in utero.

Whenever there is an unexplained issue with my daughter it always seems to go back to teething (that's mostly because we are first time parents and don't know shit!). She got her two bottom/middle teeth when she was 8 and 9 months. Then nothing happened again until she was 12/13 months and now all four of her top front teeth are coming in at once. Oh boy!

I have been trying to figure out why all of a sudden a few months back she stopped sleeping through the night! Then I saw the swollen gums and top teeth ready to push through. She is back to making it through most of the night as those four teeth have finally all cut through. During this time, below is what I have used to help with her teething process!


1. BALTIC AMBER TEETHING NECKLACE (RAW):  the necklaces are meant to be worn against baby's skin and are not for chewing. Raw amber is an all-natural pain reliever.  It's the succinic acid, a naturally occurring component in amber that makes it so effective.

“Succinic acid is a natural pain reliever, anti-inflammatory, and a central nervous system calmer. It is so effective on babies and small children because it simultaneously eases their pain while also having a strong soothing effect on their nervous system – all with zero side effects!”

Eva has been wearing her necklace since she was 3 months old. She has never tried to pull it off, or strangle herself (i know the concerns). She really never pays any attention to it. At night, I wrap it around her ankle when she goes to sleep. It has greatly reduced her drooling and congestion from teething. We misplaced the necklace for a while, and I noticed the difference when she wasn't wearing it. Just make sure you are buying it from a reputable place and not just getting plastic, fake amber. Here are some ways to tell if it's real and tests you can do on it!


2. HYLANDS TEETHING TABLETS: this is a homoeopathic remedy and one that has worked so well for Eva. You can purchase these tablets at your local pharmacy, Target, BabiesRus, etc. The tablets temporarily relieve the symptoms of simple restlessness and wakeful irritability due to cutting teeth. Helps reduce redness and inflammation of gums. Several years back (about 4-5 years) Hylands did a voluntary recall of its products due to some reports of adverse effects from the Belladonna ingredient (its a plant whose leaf and root are used for pain relief). They have since re-formulated the ingredients. The belladonna ingredient is of concern to some parents. Just do your research. If you turn to Tylenol/Motrin more often, check out those recalls and ingredients.

3. CAMILIA: is a natural remedy that comes in a sterile single dose, liquid. I bought this at Whole Foods and used it several times. This helps with pain relief associated with teething and also helps minor digestive issues. The base of it comes from the chamomile plant, which is a natural pain reliever.

4. CLOVE OIL/ THIEVES ESSENTIAL OIL: I used this sparingly because it doesn't taste the best but does help in times of real need! It numbs the pain. I mix one drop of clove oil with a tablespoon of olive oil or coconut oil and rub on her gums. Clove oil is very strong so test on your own gums first. I used clove oil sparingly because I think it may have upset her stomach and also tastes awful. I used diluted thieves oil more. It's also strong but worked to calm her down when she was really in pain. Some people try scotch or some form of alcohol  on the gums but I found that these last longer.

5. SIMPLY SALINE: this helps to control the congestion associated with teething. Its drug-free and is sterile water and salt. I give her a couple of squirts at night. When she is really congested I use this in conjunction with the nosefrida!

6. TEQUILA: that's for us, not the baby :)

Headboard mama drama

I want something like this!

I want a new bed frame and I love upholstered headboards. Several years back the hubs and I did this redo of our headboard when we needed a bedroom lift and it worked nicely!

But the colors (and location) of our bedroom have changed and I want a new headboard with a new frame.

The process to find one that isn't filled with harmful, carcinogenic petroleum products like polyurethane and brominated flame retardants is damn near impossible!

 We are a synthetic-happy country and companies like William-Sonoma try to get the word "green" into descriptions of their products but when you call to find out more, customer service is at a loss.

Here is how the convo went:

ME: Hi, I'm calling for more information about your Hampton Headboard. The description on the website says that its part of your Green Collection but there are no details in the description of the product. It doesn't state that the fabric used or the components are organic or all natural. I am really wondering what is the stuffing made of in the upholstered headboard? What kind of foam is it?

(FROM THE WS website: This item is part of our Green Collection. Our Green Collection creates truly great design with an eco-friendly point of view. These Green products are distinguished by any one of the following characteristics: Organic, Re-cycled, Re-claimed, Sustainable.)

WS: Please hold
ME: on hold for several minutes
WS: I don't have any information that tells me what that is (i.e. the foam/filling)
ME: This says its part of  the WS Green Collection. Where is that collection because when I search your site, nothing comes up. I also Googled it and didn't find a collection either.
WS: It's really not a collection. It's part of the manufacturing process but not a collection.
ME: Ok,  but you call it a collection and it's capitalized. You should probably change the description if there is no real Green Collection. So there isn't anything that is organic or sustainable or re-claimed in it?
WS: Well....I don't know

Job well done William-Sonoma customer service! You are rockin' it!

UPDATE: I received an email from WS and the stuffing in the headboard is made of polyester. So not really "green" or all-natural or whatever they want to call it.

The other day I also called Pottery Barn to inquire about the foam filling in another headboard and the young woman on the phone told me there was no filling in the upholstered/tufted headboard. I told her, no sweetie, look at the picture, it's there.
"Oh ok. Well I can ask someone in the furniture department and can email you the answer within 7 business days," she said.
I told her to never mind because if they are not putting it out there, then it's probably not something I want touching my head every night.

Crate and Barrel comes close with a soy-based foam but the description is not totally clear since some of them descriptions also say, 'other' materials.

So the search continues...we may end up making another one ourselves. When we made our first headboard we weren't thinking about what kind of foam we put in there so I will have to find another, better material!

If you want more info on nasty chemicals and your furniture, check out this piece from the Environmental Working Group.

My medicine cabinet

WHEN I am sick, or feeling like something may be coming on, these are my go-to's for fighting whatever is lurking on the horizon.

Probiotics, Manuka honey, essential oils, organic tea
and Coconut oil (for everything else!)

I was talking to my step-mom the other day and she was fighting the flu and I told her that she would laugh at me if she saw what I do to fight off any kind of sickness!

It always starts with Manuka honey, which is a specific kind of honey from New Zealand and Australia that comes from the nectar of the manuka tree.

It has antibacterial properties (I also use in on wounds). When I am sick or feel like I am coming down with a cold, etc. I take a spoonful and swallow it. I don't add it to my tea or anything else, just straight spoonfuls. I do that several times a day.

I also use Young Living essential oils A LOT. There are many essential oils on the market, like DoTerra, but I use YL. Just make sure whatever you use is of the highest quality and purity. Not only do I use YL oils topically, what I also ingest them and they are safe for ingestion, but not all brands are so check on that!

So if I am having a chest issues like a cough, I rub RC, Raven, and  Durado Azul on my chest SEVERAL times a day. I also diffuse the oils as well all day long. I use Thieves on the bottoms of my feet and also put a drop on my tongue (it helps a sore throat like no other!) and also rub some along my glands on my neck and throat. I also use Purification on my neck and glands too.

I also have an oil called Breath Again, which is a roll-on that I use along my sinuses on my face and forehead. The key with any natural remedy is you MUST do it several times a day for it to make a difference, at least that is how it is for me.

I take probiotics regularly but amp them up when I am sick, as well as drink tons of tea!

The Coconut oil is just something I use for so many things. I cook with it, use it on my skin. I just added it in the photo bc its part of my medicine cabinet!

Do you think I am nutty yet? Well I may be, but it has worked for me time and again.

In college, I was so absolutely unhealthy and used to get bronchitis on the regular. There were tons of factors responsible for that including my poor eating habits and partying like it was 1999 (I was in college from 96-00, so the song does apply :) Since college, whenever I am getting the smallest of a cold, I am eventually on antibiotics for an infection.

But I have cleaned up my act on all fronts, including what I eat, and loads of other things in my house, like what I use to clean my house, etc. Part of my evolution was trying to avoid the use of antibiotics.

I am happy to say that following the above mentioned list of goodies,I have not been on antibiotics for more than a year and a half. That is HUGE for me because I have been sick several times but managed to handle it with my own brew of goodness.

My husband got the flu this year. When he started to feel crappy, I started taking manuka honey as a precaution. I ended up with this strange one-to-two day flu-ish thing that was nothing compared to what he had. I was militant about the oils, honey, probiotics, etc. and I avoided the plague!!

***I purchased that Manuka Honey at Fairway, although I have purchased it at Whole Foods in the past. I also bought the probiotics pictured above at Fairway (WF also has that brand). I get that huge jar of coconut oil at Costco and the tea at Fairway. The Young Living Oils can be purchased by becoming an independent distributor.

Delayed response

When we were about to embark on our IVF journey, the hubs and I decided that when it came time to put the embryos back, we would transfer two. We knew the chances of having twins were very high and we were OK with that. 

We put in two and when we went back for our first ultrasound at 6 weeks, we were pregnant with twins. One was measuring smaller than the other but, nonetheless, it was a twin pregnancy. Unfortunately, when we went back for our 8-week visit to hear the heartbeats, there was only one. The other embryo stopped growing.

Between the 6th and 8th week visits I went back to my acupuncturist, thinking she could do something to help the smaller embryo grow. I went a few times back to back. I prayed like crazy, I wished and hoped and talked to both of them, telling them to stay strong!

At the time, I felt somewhat prepared that the second embryo might not make it, based on our first visit at the doctor, and I was truly grateful that we had one viable, heart-beating foetus in there. There were so many emotions happening that I didn't fully process the loss of one. 

The doctor I saw at my 6-week appt was not my regular doctor. He treated the second, smaller embryo like it wasn't even there. It was a very cold appt with that doc, who I made sure to never see again.

I really didn't know how to process it. It was joy and loss at the same time.

But now, after having my daughter, I think about the loss more. It's a delayed reaction I suppose -- a delay in the processing of it all. Eva had a twin, but it wasn't meant to be.

With the increase in infertility nowadays and the use of assisted reproductive technology, like intrauterine insemination (UIU) and IVF, the increase in multiple births has risen greatly. (I could look up some stats here but I am not feeling it today)

Somewhere in my day I come across twins, hear about twins, etc., and the more and more I hear of impending births of twins, it stings. Not in a way that I am not happy for those with twins or those about to have them, but a sting at my loss, the one I feel like I am only just now beginning to process after all this time. I can barely even say 'miscarriage' in regards to my loss and I only talk about it to a very few people.

I have many close friends with twins, which I adore! But when I was at Fairway yesterday, shopping with Eva, a young woman told me that she had twins asleep in her car (with her husband, of course) and she was rushing through the store before they woke up. It was really cute and made me smile but I also had a strange feeling of longing. It's a weird mix.

There isn't much more to say about this except, it is what it is. I have the greatest gift and blessing in Eva and I know that everyday.

xxoo