Monthly Archives: April 2012

New Chapter Organics | Fitness

12 Thursday Apr 2012

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When I was living in San Diego, attending school there, I made the conscience decision to eat as naturally and healthy as I possibly could. This also meant including the proper nutritional supplements into my every diet regimine. At the time, it wasn’t as easy to find products that were made with whole foods. And, when I moved back to Las Vegas, it was even more difficult to find. It was a constant challenge, and it was expensive. Even more expensive than it is now, because it wasn’t mainstream back then. Fast forward 17 years later, and look who’s shopping in the organic aisles in the grocery stores and at Whole Foods! Not bragging, but am much happier that these products are easier to locate and much more affordable for the every day consumer to buy.

When I was preggers with the twins, I came across this brand of prenatal vitamins, Perfect Prenatal by New Chapter Organics. I had not done any research on them, and there was not a Whole Foods member available to ask. I read the ingredients and the description. I read, “a whole food supplement,” and I was sold. With my previous pregnancies, I took prenatal vitamins perscribed by my doctor. I didn’t quite understant, being new to the pregnancy thing and all, that I had choices. I knew I didn’t want a grocery store prenatal filled with additives and little benefit, but I also wanted my babies to have all the nutirents they needed. I went with what my doctor prescribed. I was definitely more seasoned by  my third pregnancy, and having been much more aware of my own needs for nutrition, I really wanted to use something that was organic, all natural and provided the most vitamins and nutrients possible. When I mentioned to someone’s opinion I respect in regards to whole food nutrition that I was taking the New Chapter Organic Perfect Prenatal, they responded with, “Wow. That’s the best one you can buy over the counter.” I was eccstatic for trusting my motherly instincts!

Though I was expected to take the vitamins 3xs a day, the one thing that made it great was that I could literally take them without food. Past prenatal vitamins made me sick and nauseous, and when you are already dealing with Morning Sickness that lasts all day, that is one thing that will discourage you from taking what you need to provide for you and your baby. I loved them so much, I even took them after the babies were born, the duration of nursing them, and continued on for almost a year. Because I was so impressed with the product, when New Chapter Organics asked if I would try out two of their other products, I was happy to help spread the word. My twins were over 6 pounds each when born, I’m thinking the right nutrition and supplements had something to do with that!

I was sent a bottle of the Perfect Prenatal, WholeMega and Zyflamend Whole Body. Since I was no longer preggers, I sent the prenatals to friend of mine who I knew would aprreciate the whole food benefit of them. Happily, I took the WholeMega and Zyflamend. According to Dr. Oz, there are three things you should look for when buying an Omega3 supplement:

    • Fish oil supplements vary in the amounts and ratios of DHA and EPA they contain. For example, salmon oil naturally contains more DHA than EPA; a supplement derived from algae may only contain DHA. Krill oil contains significant amounts of both EPA and DHA. Read the labels and remember whatever supplement you buy, it must have at least 600 mg of DHA.
    • Be aware that only about one-third of the oil from fish is rich in EPA and DHA. Many supplements also contain vitamin E or other antioxidants to stabilize the oils and prevent them from becoming rancid. If you choose to buy a fish oil supplement, check the label carefully to see if it recommends refrigeration to prevent spoiling.
    • Most brands of fish oil have been proven safe, free of detectable traces of mercury, and do not contain unsafe levels of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), a toxin and pollutant believed to pose various health threats. To avoid contaminants in an unrefined supplement, it’s best to choose a fish oil supplement made from small, oily fish like anchovy, sardines or menhaden.

The New Chapters WholeMega contains extra-virgin, 100% wild Alaskan salmon, 220 mg of DHA, but several other omegas and vitamin D, which is a necessary nutritional need, especially for women. My thoughts with Vitamin D, is I’ll take it wherever I can get it. The WholeMega is naturally gluten free, and are prepared without any chemical solvents and are BSE free. The real decision factor was the taste. Now, let’s get real, was WholeMega going to cause me to burp up fish? If you take an Omega3, you know what I’m talking about! The answer, no. I was pleasantly surprised that I had no fishy-after taste hours later.

I was also given the opportunity to try out the Zyflamend Whole Body product, one that offers antioxidants and other herbs to support a healthy whole body and reduce inflamation, specifically geared towards cardiovascular and joint. The benefit I found in taking this supplement 2xs a day, was that I just felt good. Having 4 kids and being a WAHM, I don’t get the luxury to work out on a whim. I know I am way out of shape from my pre-pregnancy body. My body misses and craves yoga and running, and I ache from being at a computer most of the day. The Zyflamend Whole Body wasn’t a cure-all, but I could really tell the difference in my energy and just being while taking it. I’m looking forward to adding the Zyflamend to my daily routine during the Re-Invent Yourself Challenge. I’m excited to see the results of combining the natural herbs and a consistent work-out routine. I think it’s going be awesome, and I’m going to feel amazing!

Just as I was getting ready to write my review of the New Chapter Organics product, Goop published their review on the Perfect Prenatal. Even more evidence that it truly is a great product for expecting mothers. Since my initial contact with the company, they have since been acquired by P&G as a wholly owned subsidiary. You can learn more about this by watching the video from New Chapter founders, Paul & Barbie Schulick.

I was given the Perfect Prenatal, WholeMega and Zyflamend Whole Body in compensation for my review to share with my readers. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

 

 

Disney On Ice | Family

09 Monday Apr 2012

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I may be giving my age away a bit here, but  I feel like I’ve been attending Disney On Ice shows here in Las Vegas for years! And, now that I have kids, I still haven’t managed to miss one in the last 6 years. This year, is no exception.

Thanks to Feld Entertainment, Las Vegas families have the opportunity to be entertained by the fabulous Disney characters, ageless and timeless, working their magic with beautifully choreographed skating, fun production numbers and sing-along-songs, commemorating 100 Years of Disney Magic.

Some of yours and your kids favorite characters will be found on the stage, like Lilo and Stitch, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald, Disney Princesses, Woody and Buzz, Nemo and more. They will be recreating some of Disney’s most memorable and magical moments.

Tickets are on sale now for the performance week of April 19-22nd. Tickets and Showtimes are as follows:

Ticket Prices:

$14, $17, $23, $39 (VIP) and $50 (front row)

Show Times:

Thursday, April 19- 7:00pm

Friday, April 20- 7:00pm

Saturday, April 21- 11:30am, 3:30pm, and 7:00pm

Sunday, April 22- 1:30 and 5:30pm

If you’re feeling lucky, there are two Vegas Bloggers hosting a Family 4-pack give-aways. Vist MyVegasMommy and VegasFamilyEvents for your chance to win a Family 4-pack of tickets!

Just in case you don’t win…here is a $5.00 discount code: MOM5 on $23, $17 and $14 seats for all Friday-Sunday performances.*

Enjoy!!

*Not valid on Opening Night, Front Row or VIP seats

I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and opportunities to attend private Feld pre-Show events.

Even though I receive these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% my own.


 


 

We Bought a Zoo | Family

08 Sunday Apr 2012

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Many of my readers know that RockStarHubby truly works rockstar hours leaving me to entertain the kiddos at night. Most nights, it’s off to bed so mommy can catch up or relax, but the weekends are a different story. The twins are usually down for the night around 6:30pm, which leaves me to spend a good deal of time with the bigger kids. We like to make dinner, a healthy snack and watch the latest flick on pay-per-view, or if it’s a movie I know they love, I’ll buy it for us to watch together.

This past week was Spring Break, and we had an awesome Stay-cation down on the Las Vegas Strip. While there, the newly release movie, “We Bought A Zoo,” was playing on the movie channel. Since RockStarHubby and I had an event almost every night, I didn’t get to watch the movie with the kids. They loved it, so when I was asked as a member of Collective Bias to buy the movie and watch it with my kids, it was a total win/win!

My oldest son loves to come with me to the store, especially Wal-Mart. I think it’s because there just happens to be an In-n-Out Burger right around the corner, but let’s just say it’s because he likes to spend time with me. So, out of the four kids, I grabbed him and off we went. I especially enjoy these “Shoppertunities” because it means I get to grab a few items needed from the store. Since we were at the hotel all week, we were in need of some supplies. Not to mention, Easter was on Sunday, and the bunny had not yet got her baskets together.

Since it was a Thursday night, my husband would be at work, and I was ready for a home cooked meal. Our go-to meal is spaghetti. Usually, I will steam a variety of veggies, puree them and add them to the sauce to hide them from my kids. It had been a long week, and I was looking for an easy way out. Instead, I looked for the healthiest option Wal-Mart would carry for tomato sauce in a jar. To my surprise, I found the Rao’s brand Marinara sauce. I have only seen this product in a few select places, and it was $2.00 cheaper at Wal-mart! I prefer this brand because the ingredients are literally tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, onions, salt, pepper, basil and oregano…very simple, all natural. While my son was playing a game on my phone, I threw in some Easter Bunny treats. We moved into the healthy snack aisle and grabbed some Orville Redenbacker popcorn kernels. My kids love for me to make popcorn on movie night. It has become a tradition in our house. I was also asked to create a healthy snack using Del Monte fruit cups. I chose the Mandarin Oranges and also the Pears because it had less ingredients than the low-sugar ones. I am a big label reader, and if there are too many ingredients or ones I can’t pronounce, it doesn’t make it into my cart. (Minus the Easter Candy, of course!)

After we loaded up on dinner and snacks supplies, we headed over to the movie section where we were able to find the DVD, “We Bought a Zoo.” It was pretty easy to find, as it was in it’s own POS display. Collective Bias also suggested we purchase a product from the Del Monte line of pet food as there was a $4.00 coupon available to save on the movie. Easy enough, with a dog, a hamster, 2 turtles, 2 beta-fish and 3 salt water fish, we pretty much have our own little zoo going on. I noticed a product line called Milo’s Kitchen, an all natural brand for dogs with a large selection of food and treats. Since my pup has a sensitive stomach, I was afraid to switch him right away to a new brand of food, so I grabbed some pepperoni looking treats. Another score- since the brand was being introduced to Wal-Mart, there was a $2.00 Save Now coupon attached to the treats!

Milos Kitchen Dog Treats

Once home, I prepared the spaghetti for the kids, including the twins. We all ate the Barilla brand with fortified with Omega3 and whole wheat flour, topped with Rao’s Marinara Sauce, some fresh basil and grated parmesan cheese. While we were eating, I put the Del Monte fruit cups in the freezer. After dinner, I made us a batch of popcorn using coconut oil in our big cast iron pot, the old-fashioned way. Once popped, I throw in some organic butter and sea salt for taste.  Sometimes, the kids want kettle corn, so I will toss it with agave syrup, butter and salt.

Now for the yummy part! My kids love smoothies and milkshakes. I thought I’d mix it up a little using the Del Monte fruit cups, along with some all natural sorbet and the Clear American brand soda, also found at Wal-Mart. We popped a full, frozen Del Monte fruit cup into the blender, added some sorbet and the Clear Soda, and it was a frothy concoction, much like an Orange Julius (if you remember those!). Our favorite blends were the following:

Lemon, Lime, Orange Del Monte Fruit Cup Smoothie

  • Del Monte Mandarin Orange Fruit Cup (frozen)
  • Lime flavored Clear American soda
  • Lemon Zest sorbet (any brand)
Coconut Pineapple Del Monte Fruit Cup Smoothie
  • Del Monte Diced Pears Fruit Cup (frozen)
  • Pineapple Coconut Clear American soda
  • Coconut Sorbet (any brand)
Obviously, depending on your favorite flavors, you can experiment on your own. The blend of the frozen fruit, the soda and the sorbet made a sweet, icy and delicious companion to our salty, buttery popcorn. It was the perfect healthy snack for our movie night.
Speaking of movie…the kids loved “We Bought a Zoo,” and so did I. My only complaint was the part about the Easter Bunny, which went right over my daughter’s head, but not my son. He doesn’t miss a thing. Which was a little frustrating since it’s Easter. Oh well, he’s gotta learn sometime! Even though my kids thought it was a little sad at times, they have been laughing and talking about the movie all week. It was a hit for them!
To see more pf my photos, and check out the kids making a healthy snack, visit my Google+ album.
“We Bought a Zoo” is available now on Blue-Ray and DVD at Wal-Mart. You can save $4.00 when you purchase (2) Del Monte products. There is also a $.50 coupon available in the recent issue of First for Women magazine. For more information on Del Monte food products, you can visit their website, like them on FaceBook, or follow them on Twitter.
This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All opinions are my own. #CBias #ilovemyK9