Kelly Bonanno

Your soulful coach for eco friendly living, organic beauty & wellness Savvy | Sexy | Beautiful | Healthy | You

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Eco Nuts Organic Laundry Detergent #Review & #Giveaway

Let’s start the new year off with a fabulous giveaway, shall we?! What goes in your skin goes on you skin. What goes on the clothes that hang on your skin matters too so you better pay attention to what you are washing your clothing and linens with!Laundry Basket Organic Liquid

Eco Nuts is a USDA organic cleaning products company that utilizes berries grown in the Himalayas that naturally contain soap. They asked me to review one of their most popular products, the berries themselves which are used for laundry as well as their  “normal” USDA Organic liquid detergent. Non of their products are packaged with plastic, which I LOVE. The devastating statistics of how much of that plastic ends up in our beautiful oceans is horrendous.

Organic DetergentsThese products are GMO Free, Certified USDA Organic, Certified Cruelty Free, Nut Allergy Safe, Free from Added Dyes, Free from Artificial Fragrances. They can be used in all machines (including HE) and are also great for baby clothes and cloth diapers.

Admittedly, I was a bit skeptical at first. These funky looking little balls are going to get our laundry clean?! Bear in mind that I have 2 rough and tumble, tree climbing, football playing, baseball playing, run-around-in-the-rain-and-get-muddy BOYS. I tried the Organic Laundry Detergent which are the soap berries themselves and their Organic Liquid Laundry Detergent which is made out of soapberry extract. Both products performed well. Out clothes and linens came out clean and fresh proving there is NO need to use toxic laundry detergent!

It’s not surprising that this inventive company was featured on Shark Tank! Not only does the detergent work but how fantastic is the packaging?! Earth friendly and because it’s concentrated it’s not housed in one of those enormous hard to lug around plastic jugs that takes up way too much real estate in your laundry room. It’s a small stainless steel pump!new 11 copy

Of course I checked the ingredients on the products I tested and they are safe, no greenwashing! They have many other great eco friendly products too. Check them out and be sure to enter to win your own set of soap berries which will give you 100 loads and a bottle of their Organic Liquid Laundry Detergent which does 30 regular loads or 60 High Efficiency loads!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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10 Good Reasons You Should Be Using Organic Coconut Oil Everyday

I’ve been slathering coconut oil all over my body and cooking with it for years. To reap its many health and eco friendly beauty benefits, use high quality unrefined organic cold pressed virgin coconut oil.

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  • Coconut oil strengthens the immune system.
  • Coconut oil has a high smoke point so it’s ideal to cook with. Its antiviral and anti-fungal properties prevent it from oxidizing so it won’t go rancid at a high heat like other oils. Dr. Mercola says that although it is a saturated fat, the fats are small/medium chain fats so they diffuse and provide energy.
  • Coconut oil is an amazing natural moisturizer, it works wonders on dry skin and has been shown to firm skin and help prevent wrinkles. Apply it directly or mix it with your favorite facial and body moisturizers.
  • It has strong anti-fungal, antibacterial and anti-viral properties so it helps fight infections in the body and on the skin.
  • Dr. Oz says 1 tablespoon a day will boost your energy level. It goes directly to the brain so it’s quickly used as energy rather than being stored like most fats. Try it on toast and in recipes instead of butter.
  • Coconut oil has excellent anti-inflammatory properties, it’s high in lauric acid so it boosts metabolism and may help with weight loss.
  • It helps control blood sugar, aids thyroid function and helps the body absorb calcium and magnesium.
  • Coconut oil is a great conditioner for your hair. Massage it into your scalp, work it onto the ends of your hair, leave it in for about 30 minutes then wash and condition your hair as usual. I saw a friend at a party and thought her hair looked especially beautiful, she surprisingly attributed it to advice that I had given her a month earlier: coconut oil.
  • Its anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties make it fantastic for use on diaper rash and cradle cap in infants.
  • Countries whose diets include high amounts have been shown to have lower rates of heart disease. However, because it is saturated, it can raise cholesterol levels. This is the controversial aspect of coconut oil to keep in mind and talk to your doctor regarding concerns if you have cholesterol issues
  • Oil pulling with it whitens teeth and keeps your mouth healthy and kissable. Swish it around for 20 minutes first thing in the morning then rinse and brush your teeth.

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When Should You Choose Organic?

To go organic or to not go organic. There are many benefits to buying organic. The majority of experts in the scientific community believe pesticides have adverse effects on health and on our environment. Babies and children are at even higher risk when exposed because their delicate systems are not fully developed.

hot-farmers-market-lgCertified organic produce is not grown with genetically modified seeds, fossil fuel or sewage-based fertilizers or manmade chemical pesticides. The same goes for certified organic meat  and dairy and you can be assured the animals were not given antibiotics or genetically engineered bovine growth hormones. Organic farmers conserve water and soil, use renewable resources and do not irradiate their crops.

                      Research shows that we can lower our health risks by as much as 94% by choosing organic produce

There is no doubt about it, organic can be costly. Save some $$ by buying conventionally when it comes to what the Environmental Working Group [EWG] calls them The Clean 15: onions, sweet corn, pineapples,  avocado, asparagus, frozen sweet peas, mangoes, eggplant, cantaloupe (although other sources say that cantaloupe has a dangerous amount of pesticides so this one’s up for debate), kiwi, cabbage, sweet potatoes, grapefruit & papaya. Tests show that after washing these fruits and vegetables they were least likely to have pesticide residue on the parts you eat. 

I always buy organic when it comes to the The Dirty Dozen. The Dirty Dozen are 12+(there are a few ‘bonus’ items added) fruits and vegetables that still have high pesticide levels even after having been washed: apples (pesticides pool around the stem & drip down inside through the core), celery, strawberries (because they are low to the ground, farmers typically give them a lot more pesticide to ward off bugs), peaches, spinach, imported nectarines, grapes, hot & bell peppers (they have the largest amount), cucumbers (can have as many as 35 pesticides), cherry tomatoes, summer squash, spinach (it can drink in pesticides through its stalks), potatoes, snap peas and kale/collard greens. Lettuce, sweet bell peppers, and blueberries didn’t make the list this year but were on previous lists so I still try to buy those organic. Some argue that pesticides are used on organic crops as well. Yes, naturally occurring pesticides may be used but they are less harmful than most synthetic pesticides.

farm_suit_0804If ingesting pesticides along with your food doesn’t phase you, how about the humanity aspect? While earning poor wages, hard working crop workers on conventional farms are working in extremely unhealthy conditions as they are subjected to heavy pesticide exposure on a daily basis. Consumers can buy organic but this doesn’t solve the problem for farmers, farmworkers or the environment.

The harmful effects of fumigants drifting from farms into nearby neighborhoods, schools, daycare centers, etc. is another dilemma according to The Pesticide Action Network.

Equally important is choosing household cleaners and personal care products that are truly organic. Our skin absorbs up to 60% of what we put on it. The scalp, groin, and underarms absorb up to 100% so keep your products clean. Check ingredients. Many companies claim to be natural but they are not. One name you can trust to be 100% free of toxic chemicals is Pure Haven, the entire line is pure.

Visit your local farmer’s market. Many may not be certified organic farms but they grow their produce organically without toxic pesticides. Plus there is the added benefit of supporting local growers. And of course, an 528695217economical and convenient option is to grow your own. We just put in a lemon tree, we have some herbs and a strawberry plant but it’s not exactly flourishing so I’ll have to learn more about it. Do you have any tips on growing your own fruits and vegetables?

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Mombajuice ~ Your Kids Will Love This Healthy Smoothie

Fave things, $1 store, plants, smoothies 117Last night was smoothie night, it’s popular in our house. I make them on a regular basis, my kids love them & I love how quick, easy & healthy they are. It all started a few years ago. I wanted to come up with a healthier version of what they like at smoothie bars but the kids whined & complained that they’d rather go to Jamba Juice. My husband told them that tonight, it’s mombajuice! Fortunately, they LOVED my smoothies & so did my husband, they’ve been a staple in our house ever since. They’re the holy grail of food: nutritious, delicious & the kids are excited when I make them. That’s a tough combo to come by.

I use all organic ingredients, makes 4 servings:
~Toss about 2 cups of your favorite fresh or frozen fruit in the blender. I usually use the tried and true strawberries, banana and some raspberries, blueberries or blackberries. Try different fruits you like, experiment!
~2 cups organic low fat vanilla greek yogurt (or whatever flavor you prefer)
~4 Tbsp. flaxseed oil or chia seeds & a few sprinkles of wheat germ
~1 – 2 scoops of protein powder & some almonds  ~1/4 cup ice
~I even sneak in a little chopped spinach (they don’t even taste it!) and blend it all up until smooth and enjoy!

I keep frozen organic fruit on hand in the freezer and when our bananas start to turn brown I toss them in the freezer so I always have one on hand for smoothie night. I add organic, cold pressed, filtered flaxseed Oil, an excellent source for omega 3 fatty acids and lignans, because of its many health benefits.

Research has shown it may help reduce the risk of breast and colon cancer, helps protect against high blood pressure and lowers cholesterol which plays a part in preventing heart disease and stroke, promotes healthy skin, hair and nails.

Studies also show that it may increase the rate at which fat is burned by stimulating brown fat cells and helps increase energy production in the body, just to name a few! Any of your mommy friends looking for a healthy snack their kids will love? Send this her way.