Homemade Powder Laundry Soap

Making homemade laundry soap has to be one of the easiest things you can do, literally.  I make both powder and liquid but today I am going to show you powder.

I want to make sure I say this up front this laundry soap IS SAFE FOR HE MACHINES, HE Machines mean low suds and this laundry soap is low suds, like I said before suds do not clean!

Ingredients

1 cup Borax--found in laundry aisle at grocery
1 cup Washing Soda--found in laundry or cleaning aisle at the grocery--this is not the same as Baking Soda--
1 Bar of Soap

Take your bar of soap, any kind will work, I use a bar of my homemade soap.  Grate the soap as small as you can.

In a large Ziploc bag put the grated soap inside with 1 cup each of Borax and Washing Soda.

For about 3-5 minutes mix this mixture in the ziploc bag, you are going to need to mush the soap with the Borax and Washing Soda to incorporate it properly.

Once you are done mixing, its done!  Use 1 tbsp per load, 2 tbsp if really soiled.  This amount of laundry soap should wash 32-64 loads, now that's pretty awesome!  My pictures are not too good tonight, not sure why just not:(  In about 1 week I am going to be selling my DIY kits at my EBay store Natural Homestead.  I will make sure to let you know when its ready:)

Borax

Borax

Looks different than the small baking soda box.

1 bar of my soap, its around 3-4 oz.

All the ingredients.

Grate the sopa hard to take a picture of the light colored soap.

Put the grated soap in the ziploc bag.

1 cup each of borax and washing soda.

Look safe for HE Machines.

Mixing time, mix well.

1 tbsp per load, 2 tbsp if really soiled.



Vinegar and Blood Sugar

It has been known in my previous blogs how much I dislike vinegar(the smell mostly) but it has also been known all of the great things vinegar can do for your body.  There is an ever rising number of people and children in this country who have Type 2 Diabetes, I know at least ten people personally, probably more, both young and old.  I have been doing quite a bit of research on the benefits of vinegar and found numerous facts about vinegar and Diabetes that would be helpful to know about how to self manage the disease.

My husband has been a fan of taking apple cider vinegar before meals, I used to think he was out of his mind, however there is some fact behind what he does.  I have found that by taking 2-4 tbsps. of vinegar(any kind works) in 1 glass of water, you can add honey or stevia to sweeten this, can greatly slow the rise of your blood sugar levels.  You may wonder why, I did.  Many studies have found that vinegar, the acetic acid, inhibits enzymes that allow for absorption of carbohydrate molecules and you will release them when you use the restroom.  This mixture is also great to take before bed to help control blood sugar levels in the morning.

This sounds great so why does my doctor not tell me to do this?  I guess I have to jump on the bandwagon now that says they do not want to, where is the profit in vinegar?  You likely would not see a rep going to the doctors office trying to sell vinegar.  All in all I am not against doctors they are wonderful and can greatly help us, but we need to be aware of what we do and take any extra thing we can do in a natural way to help ourselves, have it be taking a little vinegar each day!

Are you afraid you can't stomach drinking the vinegar?  I am right there with you, I just can not deal with it!  I try to incorporate vinegar into my foods whenever possible, when making soups or sauces mix in a few tbsp, no one will ever know.  I have a great recipe for a dressing made with vinegar and olive oil, you do not notice the vinegar and its a nice alternative to the processed, corn syrup dressings at the grocery.  Here is that recipe, give this a try, it can't hurt.

Homemade Vinegrette
2 tbsp finely chopped onion or shallots(optional)
1 tbsp mustard(regular or dijon)
2 tbsp of vinegar(I like apple cider or raspberry--but any will work)
6 tbsp of olive oil

Mix the first three ingredients together.  Blend in the Olive Oil slowly, stir with a whisk to blend in.  This mixture should get a nice fluff look to it.  When it is done it will be blended and the ingredients will be mixed throughout, if it doesn't mix properly the dressing will separate, no worries just give it a stir or a shake.  It will last for 3-4 weeks in the fridge.

Vinegar and Warts

I never liked vinegar from an early age, my mom used it on her french fries and ate salt and vinegar chips, the smell was enough to gross me out!  Much to my dismay I could never get away from it, one of my best friends loved vinegar then next my husband, I can deal with it though.  About four years ago my husband began to take vinegar in the morning and night.  He would mix 1 tbsp of vinegar in 1 glass of water and drink it.  He tried to get me to do it but my stomach would not allow:(  He likes Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar, it is great, kinda costly but worth it.  However, any kind of vinegar you have works.

Recently, I have been using vinegar as my main cleaning product!  I am loving the results but vinegar is useful for so much more.  I am creating another blog series you might say about what to do with vinegar.  Today I want to talk about how to get rid of warts with vinegar.

Warts are a virus that basically feeds off a blood vessel and grows until you stop it.  If you have ever had a wart you might know that it might have dark spots, that is the wart clogging the blood vessels.  Another fact I learned about warts several years ago came from my sister in law, they are contagious!  Who would have known they were contagious.  My sister in law had warts pretty bad and so did her kids, she found a herb at the health food store to take care of it.  Well when they were getting rid of their warts my kids began to get them.  Grrrr, I really did not want warts.  I think it might run in my husbands family 2 out of 3 of his brothers have them as well.

I let the warts go for a while, there were only a couple and not too bad.  However, last summer they grew, my oldest son had six and my middle son had at least 12, mostly small.  I tried everything, the herb did not work, the Compound W was a waste of money and stressful because of the ingredients, and just not doing anything did not work.  I had read something about using vinegar on warts to kill the virus. The idea made sense to me vinegar is acidy and would in theory kill a virus, worth a try.

I tried this a few days ago on my oldest son.  He has two warts on his thumb, pretty large, I would call them pea size.  I took a cotton ball, tore it into 4-5 pieces.  I soaked the cotton balls in white vinegar(it is all I had) but will work just as well. Next I took the cotton balls and put a small piece on each wart, they were soaked to the point that vinegar was running off, and put a couple band aids on to hold it in place.  I did this during the day so I left it on for about 4 hours.  I took it off and was shocked, they were almost gone.  The vinegar had ate the wart to almost nothing.  My son was so excited, he wanted to do it again so they were all gone.  Well today is two full days later, his thumb is almost normal, we put some more on tonight, hoping for more results in the morning.  I wish I had taken before and after pictures to show you but I really did not expect these results.

If you or your children have warts try this, they might complain about the smell but it does not last long.  The results are awesome and 100% safe!

Homemade Dish Soap

I never gave dish soap much thought until recently when I looked at the label on my dish soap and there were no ingredients, just the chemicals they did not put in it.  That kinda humored me because we should know what we wash our dishes that we cook and eat with, right?   The more I thought the more I wanted to know.  You wash your dishes with dish soap or even dishwasher detergent, whichever you use, there is no way the chemicals come completely off.  For example, lets think about when your cooking in your sauce pan and you scrap the bottom, are you putting chemicals in your food then because they did not wash away?  How abut when your scrapping food on your plate or your kids are eating off the plate with their fingers,are the chemicals really gone? That was some good food for thought for me.

I took out to my homesteading books and one book we have that's literally falling apart called The Encyclopedia of Country Living, a great book, check this one out.  I needed a safe alternative to dish soap.  I was pleased to find out it was just as easy to make dish soap as everything else I make. 

Simple Dish Soap-I mix thisin a mason jar and have it already in a storage container
1 3/4 cup boiling water
1 tbsp borax
1 tbsp grated bar soap(use homemade soap)
1 vitamin E capsule(optional)
10-20 drops of essential oil(optional)
1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice optional

Boil Water.  Mix grated soap and borax in a medium bowl, add boiling water.  Whisk this all together until mixed well and all soap is melted.  Cool on the counter for 6-8 hours, will gel some, stir occasionally.  Transfer into an old dish soap bottle or any kind of disposable container or use a mason jar.  At this point mix in the optional items if desired.  The vitamin E will add extra softness for hands and the vinegar or lemon juice will cut grease.

Dishwasher Detergent

1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda
1/2 cup citric acid(get this at pharmacy or canning aisle)
1/2 cup kosher salt(scrubbing power)

Mix well, use 1 tbsp per load.

Need a great rinse agent in the dishwasher, add vinegar!

I want to make sure you do understand the dish soap will not suds like the store brands.  Suds do not clean, the large companies had created suds and people like them, I won't lie I like suds too but they do not clean or have any advantage, keep that in mind.

Detox the Bathroom 5

I have been absent from here almost a week, you see spring is close and we have the fever.  We moved in the fall so we have to build our new farm from nothing.  On our home place here in Middle Tennessee we have forty acres, 35 of it is wooded.  So we have been trying to clear more pasture ground for our pigs and hopefully, some cows this spring and not to mention the bee hives we are going to try to start so we can have our own raw honey.  We have been cutting sugar out of our diet and replacing it with nice alternatives like honey and stevia.  Well that is where I have been hiding in a nut shell, I have still been hard at work on do it yourself ideas. 

I have been working to rid my bathroom of chemicals, but have struggled with shampoo.  There are alot of recipes out there but some of the ingredients can be hard to find or difficult to make.  My husband had an idea months ago when we started to make the glycerin soap, why not use it to shampoo our hair?  I was like are you crazy?  He says no really why not its glycerin which they put in shampoo and conditioner and other good ingredients with no chemicals, ya know maybe, just maybe he had something.

He started to use it immediately!  My husband is bald to say it nicely, he has been since he got out of high school, all three of his brothers are too, must be good genes I guess!  Anyway he is shiny on top and took to using the soap right away.  This was in November when he started, in January he needed a haircut.  He had been telling me I think my hair is growing back and I did not believe him one bit.  However, when I cut his hair the clippers actually made the snipping sound when I cut his hair on the top of his head.  I could not believe it, his hair was really growing back.  How? Why?  It did not take us long at all to figure out why the glycerin soap had helped his hair, it was simple no chemicals.  If you stop and think about your shampoos are full of chemicals and you put it on your hair, what is it gonna do kill your hair!

After this event in January I decided I was going to try to use the bar soap.  If you know me my hair is far from beautiful, it is a massive naturally curly mess that looks dry and brittle.  When you wash your hair with shampoo full of chemicals it strips your hair of everything so your glands will create oils to make up for this, keep this in mind.  When I started to use the bar soap, I use my oatmeal honey glycerin soap, it lathers great, just wet your hair and rub the bar in your hair and it will suds like you would not believe.  It worked great but for two weeks my hair was so oily, the oil glands were still producing but my hair was not being stripped by the chemicals.  It was at the two week point that my hair began to be wonderful, it was soooo soft and easy to manage.  I have what I call stagnant hair, it never grows, not even when I am pregnant, but it has grown at least an inch since last month.

I am so excited about using the bar soap to wash my hair, its easy to make and perfectly safe for me and my family.  If you have not made the homemade glycerin soap check out my recipe in my blog:)  If you try to use the bar soap please do not give up if your hair gets really oily, it will pass when your body regulates itself.

Great Article on Portion Sizes

How Americans supersize themselves

By Cass R. Sunstein
Bloomberg View

Posted: Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013

Almost 70 percent of Americans have been overweight or obese in recent years, and more than 78 million people in the country have been counted as obese.

The problem has many sources, but one of them is obvious: increased portion sizes. We have a lot of evidence that people will eat whatever is put in front of them, even if they aren’t hungry. As portion sizes expand, waistlines expand as well.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average U.S. restaurant meal is more than five times larger than it was in the 1950s. The average hamburger, once less than 4 ounces, is now more than 12 ounces. The average order of French fries, once less than 3 ounces, is now more than 6 ounces. There is a clear correlation between increases in portion sizes and increases in obesity.

That correlation helps explain why obesity has been more prevalent in the United States than in France. The French eat high-calorie food, but their portion sizes are smaller. In supermarkets and restaurants, Americans are given significantly bigger servings. Even at McDonald’s, where we might expect identical sizes, servings of soda and French fries have been found to be larger in Philadelphia than in Paris.

Brian Wansink, a Cornell University professor of consumer behavior, helps to explain why portion sizes have such a large effect. He finds that much of our eating is mindless or automatic in that we tend to eat whatever is in front of us. If you are given a half-pound bag of M&M’s, chances are that you will eat about half as much as you will if you are given a one-pound bag. People who receive large bowls of ice cream eat a lot more than those who get small bowls.

In one of Wansink’s fiendish experiments, people were provided with a large bowl of Campbell’s tomato soup and told to eat as much as they liked. Unbeknownst to them, the soup bowls were engineered to refill themselves (with empty bottoms connected to machinery beneath the table). No matter how much soup the subjects ate, the bowl never emptied. The result? Soup consumption skyrocketed. Many people just kept eating until the experiment was ended.

The good news is that once we isolate the sources of excessive eating, we will be able to identify potential solutions. Google found that its New York cafeteria, which offered a lot of high-calorie items, was producing a lot of unwanted pounds. In response to employee complaints, it initiated changes to nudge people toward healthier choices. Large plates and takeout containers were exchanged for smaller sizes, and employees were encouraged to eat less with a sign stating, “People who take big plates tend to eat more.”

The redesigned cafeteria took a number of smart steps to make healthy choices simpler and more convenient. As a result, it helped to produce big reductions in both calories and fat consumed from candy.

A striking feature of the Google initiative was that employees were grateful. There is reason to think that many consumers would respond the same way. In a series of studies, researchers told fast-food servers to ask customers whether they wanted to “downsize” their high-calorie side dishes. A substantial number (from 14 percent to 33 percent of those served) consistently agreed to do so. Strikingly, they accepted the offer whether or not they were offered a nominal 25-cent discount. Their total calorie consumption was reduced, on average, by more than 200.

Evidence is increasing that lower-calorie servings can be good for business. One reason is consumer demand. Many customers like, and reward, restaurants that provide light options; an easy way to provide such options is to cut portion sizes. Another reason is the increasing practice, often undertaken voluntarily and eventually to be required by the Affordable Care Act, of posting calorie counts on menus. Customers can be surprised to see just how many calories come from the standard portions of their favorite meals. They may not want to switch to a meal they enjoy less, but a smaller portion may suit them just fine.

The broader lesson is that obesity levels, in the U.S. and elsewhere, are hardly inevitable. They are a product of the social context in which people’s choices are made. With careful attention to the subtle social cues that lead to excessive eating, we should be able to make a real dent in a serious public health problem.

Cass R. Sunstein is the Felix Frankfurter professor of law at Harvard University.

Subscribe to The Charlotte Observer.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/02/17/3858223/how-americans-supersize-themselves.html#storylink=cpy

Interesting Health Tips

** RoMaNtİc-MuSiC **'s photo.

Homemade Pudding Pops

Growing up I used to eat Pudding Pops all the time.  I have not seen them in stores in years, of course I have not looked for them since I was young either:)  Anyway I am on a quest to stop buying as much as I can from the grocery store, to limit our exposure to processed gmo filled products, and to have the sustainability idea in sight.  My kids love ice cream and Popsicles like they are going out of style.  I honestly believe my two year old would and could live on Popsicles if I would let him.  I have several Popsicle ideas in mind but today I did not have much time so I thought about making some pudding pops, they are good and super easy.  This weekend I want to make a yogurt Popsicle with fruit, look for that next week:)

Today I was in a hurry because we were out of Popsicles and the two year old was going through withdraw and I had to help my husband so I did not get any pictures taken but this is so simple you don't need a visual.

1 box of pudding--it can be instant, the cooked kind, or your own pudding mixture.
2 cups of milk

Mix the cold milk and pudding in a bowl until well blended, it does not  need to be thickened.  Once you have it mixed you can put it in a Popsicle maker mold, ice cube trays or paper/Styrofoam cups.  Today I used an ice cube tray and a small muffin pan.  Fill up the containers, let it sit for a minute then place sticks in each Popsicle and place in freezer.  Let them freeze for at least 5 hours and they are done.  You can also make two separate puddings and layer it in the containers for a cool look.

Please give it a try it simple and my kids just love them!

Uses for Apple Cider Vinegar

 

 

My husband is a big fan of vinegar, I am getting there.  My husband will actually take 2 tbsp each morning and night and mix it with a glassful of water.  He loves it I can not stomach it.  one of my friends on Facebook posted this chart and I thought it was pretty helpful.  Give it a look.

Works great tablespoon 1-3 times day

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Detox the Bathroom Part 4

Hi everyone, I am a little behind on my blogging, I have been helping my husband in the woods and  I am not used to getting a workout by lugging wood, so I have been beat at night:)  However, I have had this toothpaste recipe ready for a week and just did not get it done.  I know many of you know about the dangers of fluoride in toothpaste, as well as the many other things they put in toothpaste including colors.  If you did not do this yet please scroll back into Jan 2013 to look at the article I posted about fluoride. 

Making your own toothpaste is one of those things that you can and should do all the time because it is too easy not too.  There are tons of homemade toothpaste recipes out there on the web but I like this recipe because it is simple and no one here had complained about it.  Some recipes call for the same items but they are proportioned in a way that my family does not like the flavor.  For example, some recipes call for a large amount of salt for extra scrubbing power, but too much salt in toothpaste makes the kids and even me not want to brush.  Some call for mostly or entirely baking soda and we do not care for the taste of that either.  The recipe I am going to share is a part for part on the main ingredients with other ingredients you can add to taste.

2 tbsp coconut oil--anti bacterial and anti viral
2 tbsp baking soda--cleanser, mildly abrasive but still good for teeth
1/2 pkt stevia-prevents cavities and adds a little sweet flavor-good for kids
 Too taste flavored oil--I like mint, I use strawberry or orange for the kids
1 shake of salt(can use more)

This recipe can be made in a larger batch, just adjust ingredients accordingly.  The flavor and consistency is definitely different from store brands so it will take some adjusting, if you do not like it do not give up right away.

The ingredients.

The baking soda and coconut oil.

Mix well its sometimes a challenge to get it blended, it could take a couple minutes.  Once mixed well then add the stevia, salt, and flavor if desired.

You can place it in a jar and dip it out, that kinds grossed me out so I looked online and found that if you put it in a zip lock bag and snip off one corner and squeeze it out onto your brush.

 

I encourage you to give it a try!



Reuse your Kitchen Waste

Sugar Addiction

Childrens Artwork Display

When my oldest son started school I could not wait for him to start bringing home pictures or papers he had done to hang all over my fridge.  It was great when it started but then it turned into madness because we did not have enough room, and boy oh boy would he get upset with me if I took something down.  So I thought and thought and finally came to me, I would hang them from the wall!  How you wonder its simple, you can do this where ever you have two nails or molding you can slip a string behind.

At our old house we had double front doors so it was about a nine foot span and we never used them so it would be a perfect location.  I took a piece of yarn and worked it in behind a piece of molding on both top corners and it looped down .  Next I put 10-12 clothespins on the yarn line and hang school papers and pictures galore. This works great too for hanging pictures you take and print out to the normal size of 3x5.  Another idea is to hang two lines.  When we moved in November this was one of the first things I needed to erect!  I was not lucky enough to have the double doors to use this time but I had a wall by a big window that works perfectly.  On the walls I just put two panel nails in the wall and strung the yarn between the two to create the lop. One nice things about our new house is I was able to hang a picture of my three boys in the center which really set it off.

This is a simple way to hang your child's papers or artwork, my design is not fancy but I know everyone has a creative bone in their body, try tinsel, rope, etc. Be creative!

This is a nice display of how my project helps to display all those papers the kids bring home from school:)

Clothespins work great because they can hold multiple or heavy items and are easily moved.

At our new house I just put in two panel nails and strung the yarn on them to create the loop.

Instant Oatmeal

My whole family loves oatmeal but sometimes it just is not practical to make.  We usually make regular Old Fashioned Oats on the stove top, I was never sold on Organic until recently because of our families quest to cut GMOs out of our diet.  My husband and I have came to the conclusion the only way to cut GMOs out at this point is to buy organic because if it is organic it is not allowed to be GMO, and anyway the other alternative is to grow all of your own food and that is not happening for us now, maybe ever!  Anyway I have side tracked myself once again back to the task at hand oatmeal. 

Instant Oatmeal is a breakfast miracle all on its own but the ingredients that come with it are not.  Previously, when I would buy instant Oatmeal it would be whatever was cheapest, so my test subject today is Quaker Instant Oatmeal, Regular & Maple & Brown Sugar, must of been on sale the last time I bought it.

Maple & Brown Sugar

Serving size 1 Packet (43 g)

Amount per serving
Calories 160		Calories from Fat 25

%Daily Value*
Total Fat 2.5g			4%
	Saturated Fat 0.5g		2%
	Trans Fat 0g
	Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g
	Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 0mg			0%
Sodium 260mg			11%
Potassium 125mg			4%
Total Carbohydrate 32g			11%
	Dietary Fiber 3g		12%
		Soluble Fiber 1g
		Sugars 9g
Protein 4g
Vitamin A			20%
Vitamin C			0%
Calcium			10%
Iron			20%
Phosphorus			10%
Magnesium			10%

*	Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:

		Calories	2,000	2,500
Total Fat		less than	65g	80g
	Sat. Fat	less than	20g	25g
Cholesterol		less than	300mg	300mg
Sodium		less than	2,400mg	2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate			300g	375g
	Dietary Fiber		25g	30g

Ingredients

WHOLE GRAIN ROLLED OATS, SUGAR, NATURAL FLAVOR, SALT, CALCIUM CARBONATE, GUAR GUM, OAT FLOUR, CARAMEL COLOR, REDUCED IRON, VITAMIN A PALMITATE.

 

Do you have all of these ingredients in your kitchen?  What are these ingredients?  Guar Gum that sounds just tasty put double in mine:) Guar Gum is a water soluble paste made from the Guar plant and is used a thickener and a stabilizer.

 

Regular Instant Oatmeal

 

Serving size 1 Packet (28 g)

Amount per serving
Calories 100		Calories from Fat 20

%Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g			3%
	Saturated Fat 0g		0%
	Trans Fat 0g
	Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g
	Monounsaturated Fat 0.5g
Cholesterol 0mg			0%
Sodium 75mg			3%
Potassium 105mg			3%
Total Carbohydrate 19g			6%
	Dietary Fiber 3g		11%
		Soluble Fiber 1g
		Sugars 0g
Protein 4g
Vitamin A			25%
Vitamin C			0%
Calcium			10%
Iron			40%
Phosphorus			10%
Magnesium			8%

*	Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:

		Calories	2,000	2,500
Total Fat		less than	65g	80g
	Sat. Fat	less than	20g	25g
Cholesterol		less than	300mg	300mg
Sodium		less than	2,400mg	2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate			300g	375g
	Dietary Fiber		25g	30g

Ingredients

WHOLE GRAIN ROLLED OATS, OAT FLOUR, CALCIUM CARBONATE, SALT, GUAR GUM, CARAMEL COLOR, REDUCED IRON, VITAMIN A PALMITATE.

Same idea of the Maple & Brown Sugar.  However, on my box of instant Quaker Oatmeal it also lists riboflavin, thiamin momonitrate, and folic acid as additional ingredients.  Keeping in mind this is a convienence food, it still does not make it ok for all of the ingredients we do not know or the use of GMO products.

 

I have found a wonderful alternative that is still instant oatmeal called Better Oats.  Better Oats is Organic, Pure & Simple.  Better Oats does have additional ingredients(over my 5 ingredient ban) but they are a plus to your diet  Here we go:

 

Better Oats Organic Raw Instant Oatmeal.

 

Serving size 1 Packet (28 g)

Amount per serving
Calories 100		Calories from Fat 20

%Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g			3%
	Saturated Fat 0g		0%
	Trans Fat 0g
	Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g
	Monounsaturated Fat 0.5g
Cholesterol 0mg			0%
Sodium 75mg			3%
Potassium 105mg			3%
Total Carbohydrate 19g			6%
	Dietary Fiber 3g		11%
		Soluble Fiber 1g
		Sugars 0g
Protein 4g
Vitamin A			25%
Vitamin C			0%
Calcium			10%
Iron			40%
Phosphorus			10%
Magnesium			8%

*	Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:

		Calories	2,000	2,500
Total Fat		less than	65g	80g
	Sat. Fat	less than	20g	25g
Cholesterol		less than	300mg	300mg
Sodium		less than	2,400mg	2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate			300g	375g
	Dietary Fiber		25g	30g

Ingredients

WHOLE GRAIN ROLLED OATS, OAT FLOUR, CALCIUM CARBONATE, SALT, GUAR GUM, CARAMEL COLOR, REDUCED IRON, VITAMIN A PALMITATE.

Serving size 1 Packet (28 g)

Amount per serving
Calories 100		Calories from Fat 20

%Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g			3%
	Saturated Fat 0g		0%
	Trans Fat 0g
	Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g
	Monounsaturated Fat 0.5g
Cholesterol 0mg			0%
Sodium 75mg			3%
Potassium 105mg			3%
Total Carbohydrate 19g			6%
	Dietary Fiber 3g		11%
		Soluble Fiber 1g
		Sugars 0g
Protein 4g
Vitamin A			25%
Vitamin C			0%
Calcium			10%
Iron			40%
Phosphorus			10%
Magnesium			8%

*	Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:

		Calories	2,000	2,500
Total Fat		less than	65g	80g
	Sat. Fat	less than	20g	25g
Cholesterol		less than	300mg	300mg
Sodium		less than	2,400mg	2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate			300g	375g
	Dietary Fiber		25g	30g

Ingredients

WHOLE GRAIN ROLLED OATS, OAT FLOUR, CALCIUM CARBONATE, SALT, GUAR GUM, CARAMEL COLOR, REDUCED IRON, VITAMIN A PALMITATE.

 

I have found a wonderful alternative to conventional instant oatmeal, Better Oats.  Better Oats are Organic so there are no worries about GMOs.  Better Oats do go over my 5 ingredient rule but I think it is ok because the ingredients are all things that are needed in your diet not outlawed flavors or fillers with cancer causing ingredients.  We eat the Better Oats Organic Raw instant Oatmeal alot:)  Better Oats does have flavored oatmeal too which I must say is awesome.   I like the maple and brown sugar and the blueberry muffin and strawberries and cream.  I know alot of people think but how much does it cost, well surprisingly it is more affordable than Quaker. You can find Better Oats in most stores from $1.39 to $1.79 for 5 packets. In a box of instant Quaker Oatmeal you get 7 packets for $3-$4 dollars, sounds like healthy just got a whole lot better.  I encourage everyone to try Better Oats, you know the ingredients and that is what is important.

 

Here is the Maple & Brown Sugar Better Oats

 

Abundance®

View Nutrition Facts

MBG 3.2 OAT

Maple & Brown Sugar

• Six whole grains, 30 grams per serving
• Real fruit pieces
• Omega-3 from flaxseed
• Good source of protein
• Good source of Fiber

Abundance delivers a cornucopia of the best flavors and textures the Earth has to offer-whole grains, including Omega-3 rich flax seeds.

All are harvested and milled to retain their thick and varied multigrain textures and mixed with real fruit. Nourish your body with Abundance, and live life to the fullest.
Our cereals don't contain artificial colors, preservatives or flavors. Our cereals also do not contain high fructose corn syrup, trans fat or hydrogenated oils. We're also continually searching and reviewing ingredients that allow us to give families a better breakfast option while keeping our product prices affordable.

Raw Pure & Simple®

View Nutrition Facts

PLO 3.0 OAT

Bare

• USDA Organic
• 41 grams of whole grains per serving
• 200 mg of ALA Omega-3 per serving
• Organic whole grains: Oats, Barley, Quinoa, Rye, Wheat
• Organic whole flaxseeds
• Good source of Fiber

Raw Pure & Simple is a better way to eat. We start with the finest quality 100% organic, whole grain oats blended with organic whole grains and seeds, like flax, barley and quinoa, for a wonderfully wholesome and nutritious breakfast. You'll love the thick, hearty multigrain texture and natural, robust flavors. Raw Pure & Simple is naturally good, straight from Mother Earth.

 

 

The Risk of Diet Soda!

 

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Study: Diet Soda Increases the Risk of Diabetes. Why Do We Still Drink This Stuff?

By Lylah M. Alphonse, Senior Editor, Yahoo! Shine

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By Lylah M. Alphonse, Senior Editor, Yahoo! Shine | Healthy Living – 5 hours ago

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Why do we keep drinking diet soda? (Photo: Getty Images)

Yet another study confirms what people have been saying for ages: Stop drinking diet soda. Like, right now. Drinking just one 12-ounce can of an artificially sweetened fizzy drink per week can increase your risk of Type 2 diabetes by 33 percent, French researchers found. And given that most people don't stop at a single weekly serving, your real risk for diabetes could actually be much higher.

Diet Soda May Increase Risk of Depression
The study, which was announced Thursday and will be published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, was conducted by France's National Institute of Health and Medical Research and covered 66,118 middle-aged women whose dietary habits and health were tracked from 1993 to 2007.

Diet Soda May Be Making You Fat
The results were unexpected. Though it's well-known that people who consume a lot of sugar are more likely to develop diabetes, the researchers found that participants who drank "light" or "diet" soft drinks had a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes than those who drank regular, sugar-filled sodas. Those who drank 100 percent natural squeezed fruit juices instead had no additional risk.
Women who choose artificially flavored soft drinks usually drink twice as many of them as women who choose regular soda or juice—2.8 glasses per week compared to 1.6 glasses. "Yet when an equal quantity is consumed, the risk of contracting diabetes is higher for 'light' or 'diet' drinks than for 'non-light' or 'non-diet' drinks," the researchers, epidemiologists Francoise Clavel-Chapelon and Guy Fagherazzi, said in a statement. Women who drank up to 500 milliliters (about 12 ounces) of artificially sweetened beverages per week were 33 percent more likely to develop the disease, and women who drank about 600 milliliters (about 20 ounces) per week had a 66 percent increase in risk.
Drinking sweetened beverages increases the risk of becoming overweight, which is itself a risk factor in developing diabetes. But the study didn't find that the results were the same even among overweight women. So how can artificially sweetened drinks be making the problem worse if they're fat- and calorie-free?
"With respect, in particular, to 'light' or 'diet' drinks, the relationship with diabetes can be explained partially by a greater craving for sugar in general by female consumers of this type of soft drink," the researchers explained. "Furthermore, aspartame, one of the main artificial sweeteners used today, causes an increase in glycaemia and consequently a rise in the insulin level in comparison to that produced by sucrose."
Translation: Drinking artificially sweetened drinks makes you crave other sweet things (hello, chocolate!). And your body reacts to aspartame—also known as NutraSweet and Equal—much in the same way that it reacts to plain old sugar.
According to the American Diabetes Association, about 25.8 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes—about 8.3 percent of the population. The disease is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in people age 20 and older, and can also cause heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, kidney disease, and damage to the nervous system. Type 2 diabetes—which can be controlled by diet and exercise rather than a daily insulin injection—is the most common form of diabetes in the United States.
The study's authors cautioned that more research was needed in order to prove a true causal link between diet sodas and Type 2 diabetes. "Information on beverage consumption was not updated during the follow-up, and dietary habits may have changed over time," they admitted in their report. "We cannot rule out that factors other than ASB [artificially sweetened beverages] are responsible for the association with diabetes."

GMO's in 80% of Packaged Food

Hey everyone, I am excited today the weather has took a turn for GREAT here in Middle Tennessee and I am looking all over online at seeds because I can plant almost a month earlier than back home in Ohio.  However, I am researching GMO seeds tonight and all I keep finding is GMO's in our food it is disturbing, my dad thinks I am just crazy, but he is old school.  I have published 2 other articles I read tonight but this one is really scary, please read this and become informed:)

Infographic: All The Genetically Modified Food You're Eating

By Morgan Clendaniel

|

October 13, 2011

GMO crops have infiltrated 80% of all the packaged food in the United States, and no one has told you. Here's why.

Genetically modified food is in a store near you today. In fact, it's been there for years. You may not know it, but in all the fracas over genetically modified food, one point is often left out: You've been eating it for a long time and no one has told you. This infographic from Nature's Path--which makes organic cereals, bars, and waffles that contain no GMO ingredients, they'd like you to know--shows where you're getting your genetically modified treats, and why no one has told you:


Many crops are genetically modified so frequently, it's nearly impossible to find non-GMO versions. These modifications usually involve either a seed manufacturer making their seeds genetically resistant to a certain type of weed-killer (that the seed company also conveniently sells--synergy!) or to make plants resistant to certain pests naturally.
You may not know that you're eating these crops--despite the fact that they appear in 80% of all packaged food sold in the country--because the U.S. is one of the few places in the developed world that doesn't require food producers to disclose whether or not their ingredients have any modifications.

If something is labeled "organic" by the USDA, that means it has no GMO crops. The Non-GMO Project is also working on a system for labeling products that aren't genetically enhanced. To be fair, there isn't any science that proves that GMO crops are at all bad for consumption; there also aren't any that confirm that they're safe. For now, we're in the dark. And more and more GMO products--like Monsanto's sneaky, unlabeled sweet corn, the first direct-to-consumer GMO food--are coming to market every day. The full infographic is here:

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