Now You Can Experience the Pain Relief Revolution with CBDMEDIC!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by CBDMEDIC but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.


Little known fact about me: When I was in kindergarten, I developed arthritis. I remember vividly the pain shooting through the tops of my feet all the way to my hipbones. My mom went into a panic because I sat on the ground crying in excruciating pain claiming I couldn't walk. She was truly terrified I had lost mobility in my legs. She scooped me up and took me straight to the emergency room only be told, "She's faking it." Can you believe that!? Not satisfied with their diagnosis, we set off on a journey of hopping from one doctor to the next in hopes of finding out why I was in such pain. Disgustingly enough, we had another doctor insist I was just looking for attention, a few told my mom it was just "growing pains" and nothing to worry about, and then we found someone who finally took us seriously and diagnosed me with juvenile arthritis. Back then, there wasn't much in the way of treatments, but a recommendation to smooth some stinky over-the-counter cream over my joints when the pain got bad. Also, not to worry as I would eventually outgrow the condition.

I went through my youth suffering through severe attacks in my feet and legs quite often. I'd lay on my stomach and fall asleep in a tear soaked pillow while rubbing my legs back and forth over the bed trying to massage the pain away. Sadly, I never did outgrow the arthritis, and to this day I still find myself rubbing my legs back and forth over my bed, even when I'm not in an arthritic flare. Old habits die hard! While I still get those sharp pains in my feet, shins, knees and hips, as I've aged I also developed arthritis in my hands, wrists and elbows. It's a pretty sad state for someone who hasn't even hit her 40's yet!

For almost 35 years, I have tried almost every cream on the market or natural remedy in hopes of finding something to help ease those sharp joint pains. Some provide relief, others are straight trash. Lately though, I've been hearing a lot about CBD products and how they can help people find a natural pain relief solution. It's something that has intrigued me for a little while, so after doing some research, I decided to head to my local CVS pharmacy and purchase CBDMEDIC Arthritis Pain Relief.

 
Why did I opt to purchase CBDMEDIC? Because their products are the first family of topical medications that combine highly effective analgesic ingredients (like menthol and camphor) with hemp oil or extract and other natural emollients to provide safe, powerful, and effective pain relief. And because they have “CBD” as an ingredient- a THC-free cannabinoid-rich hemp extractor oil from the Cannabis sativa L. plant that’s a natural alternative for pain relief.

With the seasons on the verge of changing, it didn't take long for my feet and knees to flare with arthritis, so I actually couldn't wait to break out the tube of CBDMEDIC Arthritis Pain Relief. What immediately stood out to me was how incredibly quickly the cream absorbed into the skin without leaving behind any residue or stickiness, and it didn't leave my skin feeling oily or greasy. It did have somewhat of a powerful menthol scent, but it faded within minutes of application. Also, I did notice most of my arthritis pain drastically subsided within minutes of absorption, something that I've never experienced in all of my years as an arthritis sufferer. 

Aside from the impressive pain relief results, what I also love about CBDMEDIC:

● Products are made with all natural ingredients

● Products have been developed & manufactured with  years of pharmaceutical experience 

● THC-free, safe and legal CBD hemp oil

● Powerful and effective

● Not tested on animals

● Made in the USA

As someone who has spent the majority of her life plagued by arthritis, I am truly blown away by the results I have received from CBDMEDIC Arthritis Pain Relief. CBDMEDIC also offers two other products for acute pain relief: Back & Neck Pain Relief as well as Active Sport™ Pain Relief. You can learn more about the specific ingredients found within each of the 3 products HERE. 

If you suffer from arthritis like I do, I highly encourage you to head to your local CVS pharmacy and pick up a tube of CBDMEDIC Arthritis Pain Relief. It only took one application of the cream to have me sold on its effectiveness at providing fast, natural pain relief and I will never go back to my old remedies again!

Do you suffer from arthritis?

Why I'm Taking the Wente Make Time Pledge #MakeTimePledge

This post is sponsored by Wente Vineyards but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.


I've been pretty reserved when it comes to sharing my struggles here on the blog. We all want to present our best side, but today I'm going to get real and honest for a minute. I think a lot of women add more to their plates than they can handle, myself included. As a mom, a wife, and a friend, I usually put myself last. For as long as I can remember, I've had this need to make others happy even if it came at the expense of my own happiness. I believe Teri Hatcher described it once as burnt toast. I'll always take the burnt toast so you can have the good piece, even though I hate burnt toast. I will inconvenience myself if I can make your life a little easier. I am a giver by nature and will run myself ragged doing for others, sacrificing my own happiness and sometimes health in the process.

Late last year I was hit with overwhelming fatigue. "It'll pass once the holidays are over." As it continued into the new year, I kept making excuses on why I wasn't feeling better. In my eyes, there was always a time frame on when it would pass. I then started experiencing stomach pain, which I chalked up to my autoimmune disorder, making even more excuses for my declining health. In March, we moved our pre-teen niece into our home which added even more to my already over-filled plate. I started having panic attacks. I withdrew from family and friends. The stress of daily life was so much, my body couldn't handle it anymore and forced itself out of remission from my colitis. It was now shutting down. I lost 20 pounds in under 2 months, simple tasks were a struggle for me to complete, and I had zero motivation to anything that required more than taking 10 steps from the couch. I had hit the lowest point in my life that I had ever been.

Thankfully, I have a good support system, and one particular person in my life I will be forever grateful for.

To the outside world, I was able to pull off the illusion that everything in my life was fine. However, my best friend Jenn quickly noticed that I was, indeed, not fine. "Cancel your plans for tomorrow. You and I are driving to Indy to see the New Kids on the Block." On that 3 hour car ride, we had one of those long heart-to-heart conversations where I was able to just let out everything that had been bothering me for the past 6 months.

She said, "I'm going to tell you what your problem is. You're doing too damn much for everyone else and absolutely nothing for yourself. So, here's the plan. Once a week, we are having girl time. Just you and me. You're going to get out of the house and we're going to do something YOU want to do."

Honestly, I was hesitant to agree at first. I thought, "Great. This is just another thing I'm going to have to add to my already packed schedule every week." But, my best friend is half Greek, half Puerto Rican, and that makes for one fiery, strong-willed personality you just don't say no to.

Over the course of the past few months, I learned she was 100% right. I've spent so much of my time doing for others, I forgot to make time for myself. I forgot how much stress you can let go of when you are doing something you actually enjoy. We don't have to make elaborate plans either. Sometimes we might splurge and go to a concert, but mostly it's the little things that give me something to look forward to each week- trying out a new cafe, bargain hunting at the thrift store, soaking up the sun for a few hours on the beach, or even just sitting on the deck enjoying a glass of wine.

Making time for myself every week was exactly what I had been missing in my life. It doesn't do you any good when you spend all of your day doing for others and not setting aside time to do something just for yourself. I recently heard about the Wente Vineyards Make Time Pledge and thought that this was something that many of us, especially women, could benefit from participating in.

About the Wente Vineyards Make Time Pledge:

We know people are happiest when they make meaningful connections with one another but with so much competing for our attention, it’s easy to overlook things that truly matter. That’s why Wente Vineyards has been committed to making time for one another since day one, crafting wine and wine country experiences that bring friends and family together. We invite you to choose to make time for each other too.

With Wente Vineyards’ Make Time Pledge, we are encouraging you to take your commitment to making time for the activities, pursuits, and people in your life a step further by taking a 21 day pledge that will guide you in your #maketime journey with helpful tips and ideas along the way. 

I know that it's hard to put yourself first sometimes. Women, especially moms, have this nasty habit of feeling guilty when we put our needs first. We need to stop doing that! Do you remember the last time you did something that was just for YOU? If you're struggling to think that far back, I think it's time to take the pledge. For the next 21 days, make time to do things that you love. Take a painting or cooking class, bicycle through the park, check out that book from the library you've been meaning to read for ages, spend time with someone whose company you enjoy. It's okay to make time for yourself! I didn't realize how bad I was jeopardizing my physical and mental health by not taking time for myself. Little indulgences really add up. I can honestly say that while I'm still on the road to recovery, I am in a much better place now than I was at the beginning of this year.

Check out the Wente Make Time Pledge and let me know in the comments how you're planning to make time for yourself.

Let’s Talk About Gut Health #Holigos

This post is sponsored by Holigos but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.



If you've been here awhile, you know that gut health is something that I have struggled with for the past 15 years. There's nothing worse than the cramping and bloating that comes from an out-of-whack microbiome. Because April is IBS Awareness month, I wanted to talk about gut health today, and a product that I've been using for the past several weeks that has been beneficial in helping me maintain a balanced microbiome. If you're struggling with IBS symptoms, such a bloating, constipation, diarrhea, or stomach pain, Holigos™ IBS may help you reduce those symptoms, ranging from mild to severe.

Holigos™IBS is not another probiotic, but a medical food that is added into food or beverage once a day that can potentially help those with IBS manage their condition in a unique way. Holigos™ IBS is a new, non-prescription product formulated with Human-Natural Oligosaccharides, which are nutrients unique to the human body as they are similar to those found in the protective lining of the digestive tract and identical in structure to those found in mother’s milk. Our bodies themselves produce these unique compounds which are critical for digestive health. They nourish and support our intestinal barrier by stimulating the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. This process helps build strong intestinal barriers and regulate the immune system as well as promote overall digestive and immune health.

Research shows that those suffering with IBS have an unbalanced microbiome. The HNOs in Holigos™ IBS are unique in how they selectively feed your own good gut bacteria allowing them to grow and flourish, which makes it hard for the bad bacteria to grow and flourish, limiting their negative impact on the digestive system. A recently completed clinical trial program with Holigos™ IBS, including 300 participants and 25 medical centers here in the US has shown very promising results in IBS symptom reduction. More than 85% of participants showed significant improvement in IBS symptoms after regularly using Holigos™ IBS.

Clinical study participants experience: 

• Less pain – Days with stomach pain reduced from 4 to less than 1½ over the course of a week. Imagine having 12 days fever with pain in a month.
• Regular Bowel movement – Instances of constipation and diarrhea reduced by more than a half.
• Reduced bloating – Bloating severity reduced by more than 60%.
• Increased quality of life – 55% improvement on measures such as energy and mood.

Holigos™IBS comes in convenient single serving packets that are easy to tear open to empty the contents into your food or beverage once daily. It is odorless and tasteless, so you can mix it with any food or drink (cold or warm) that you like without having to worry about it affecting the flavor or texture. I like to mix it into a warm mug of tea every morning, but I have mixed it into my oatmeal without any issues as well.

I have definitely seen some digestive improvements since starting Holigos™ IBS, mainly slightly less cramping and bloating daily. I will say that I did notice increased gas and loud tummy rumbling during my first week of use, but that was expected as they were listed as potential side effects while my body was adjusting to using the product daily. However, that has since stopped and I am feeling the positive changes beginning to take place within my digestive tract now. For most people, this should pass within weeks, but for some people, these mild symptoms may last longer. If you do experience more severe symptoms after taking Holigos™ IBS, you should stop taking the product.

Holigos IBS does not contain gluten, artificial flavors, colors, yeast, soy and sweeteners. Also, it does not need to be refrigerated, so you can easily take the on-the-go sticks with you on travels as well.

If you suffer from IBS symptoms, Holigos™ IBS might be beneficial in helping to manage those symptoms. You can learn more about all of the benefits of using Holigos™ IBS on their website. Additionally, if you decide to make a purchase to try it for yourself, you can receive 30% off your purchase of Holigos IBS by using code TryHoligos30 at checkout!

*These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases. Please do your own research before taking Holigos™ IBS to see if it is right for you.

How often to you experience IBS related symptoms? Have you been able to successfully manage your IBS?

How Natrol Keeps Us On Track This Summer #natrolgummies

This post is sponsored by Natrol but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. 


I admit, when summer vacation rolls around I'm a bit more lax on routines and rules. Sometimes the girls will stay up playing video games until the wee hours and end up sleeping until mid afternoon, curfew gets pushed back, we bake and indulge in a few extra calorie packed treats, or sleepovers happen and teeth might not get brushed before everyone falls asleep. I'm guilty of staying up a little later than normal here and there too, then end up missing my early morning workout, or talk myself out of doing chores and sit outside with an iced tea and a good book instead when the weather is nice. I think summertime is a time for being carefree, but while I let a lot slide when school's out, I do make sure my family is taking their daily vitamins each and every day. 

My oldest daughter has always been good about being proactive about her own health and I never have to remind her to take her vitamins, but Allison has always needed a daily reminder, and even then she hems and haws about it because she doesn't like the taste of most of them. So, when I heard about Natrol Gummies, I did a little research, liked what I saw, and figured we would give them a shot. 

 What makes Natrol Gummies stand apart from the other vitamins we've tried in the past? They are:

- Made with organic ingredients
- Non-GMO
- Vegetarian
- Made with 26 fruits and vegetables (multivitamins)
- Gelatin-free
- Contain no artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, or preservatives
- Made with pectin so they are less likely to stick to teeth over other gummy vitamins

 Simply take 3 Natrol Gummies once a day with a meal and you're all set!

Natrol Gummies Multivitamins come in 3 delicious flavors: berry, cherry and grape, which are all Allison approved. 

They are mom (me) approved too! I always buy the hard vitamins because I never liked the gummy stuff sticking to my teeth, but I can vouch that these are a soft gummy chew that dissolve quickly so you aren't having to floss after consumption. 

Event though we're summertime slackers in some areas, Natrol Gummies help us stay on track with our multivitamin needs every day.

Look for Natrol Gummies in your nearest grocers or mass merchandise retailer where multivitamins are sold. You can easily find them by looking for the PURPLE lid! And, if you aren't completely satisfied with your purchase, Natrol does offer a full money back guarantee. Click the link HERE to learn more about all of the wonderful benefits of Natrol Gummies.

"These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any diseases."

Do you stick to a year round routine, or do you also slack in some areas during summer vacation?

 

Do Something Good For Yourself. Try Activia® Dailies! #ActiviaChallengeWM

This post is sponsored by Activia but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.


Moms, we're busy all day, every day, right? We run around getting stuff done for our family, and at the end of the day we've hardly taken any time to treat ourselves right. We're exhausted, we feel run down, and our minds are screaming for a break. "Mommy Brain" is something I hear a lot from my female friends because we pile so much onto our plates, sometimes our brain just wants to shut down. I've been guilty of skipping a workout because it interferes with something my husband has going on, lost sleep because my kids tell me they need something for class the next morning and I have to make a late night run to the grocers, or stood over the counter eating lunch that consists of my kid's leftover pizza crusts. If you're a parent, I'm sure you've been there too. So, why do we do this to ourselves?

After a few health scares over the past few years, I'm finally starting to put myself first. No, that doesn't mean that my family is going to do without, but I've learned that when mom isn't taking care of herself, she can't really give 100% to her family. My #1 health focus has been improving upon my gut health. Did you know that poor gastrointestinal health can have a negative impact on so many other aspects of your health? It can affect your immune system, vitamin and mineral absorption, hormone regulation, ability to remove toxins, mood, and your overall mental health. That's why I've decided to try the Activia® 2 Week Challenge to see how it would help support my digestive health.

What is this Activia 2 Week Challenge? It's simple! All you have to do is consume an Activia Dailies twice a day for two weeks, as part of your daily healthy routine, to see how delicious yogurt with its billions of live and active probiotics can help support your digestive health.

I've always been a firm believer that probiotics are essential for good gut health. If you aren't sure what probiotics are, they are good, friendly bacteria that have been shown to provide health benefits beyond nutrition. Daily consumption of probiotic foods, along with a healthy routine, help support gut and immune health, as well as overall well being.

I ran to Walmart to scoop up several 8 count packages of Activia Dailies to begin my 2 week quest for better gut health. Activia Dailies come in several delicious flavors, including blueberry, strawberry, and vanilla and since they are all flavors that I love, I bought several packages of each for a variety to keep things exciting from day to day.

How did the challenge work for me? Very well! I will say that I did experience my normal cramping during the challenge as I did start it close to "that" time of the month, but I did notice a huge decrease in bloating and gas by the end of the challenge. I did feel a touch more energized as well, and noticed I wasn't feeling as sluggish as I normally do after lunch. Overall, I am pleased with my Activia 2 Week Challenge results and will continue to consume them daily with breakfast or lunch to continue with my quest to do something good for myself every day.

Activia Dailies can be found in your local Walmart's dairy case.

Ready to take the Activia 2 Week Challenge for yourself? Be sure to check out this Ibotta Offer for Activia Dailies and Activia Probiotic Yogurt so you can save while being good to yourself.

What's something good that you strive to do for yourself on a daily basis?

Fight Cold & Flu Season! Stay Germ-Free for 24 Hours! #GermFree24

Disclosure- This post has been sponsored by Zoono USA. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.


So long summer, hello cold and flu season. Now that the girls are back in school, it's the time of the year where I have to start worrying about all the icky germs they are coming into contact with during the day, then carting home. Kids just have a knack for touching every surface they are near and it makes me cringe to think what they are picking up throughout the day. As much as I love sharing things, I do not like to share germs. Look, as a mom I worry about what kinds of bugs they could be getting while they are away from home, but as someone who suffers from an autoimmune disorder, I am especially worried about what they could be passing along to me once they get home. My biologic infusions strip me of my immune system, so I have to be extra cautious to do what I can to avoid contact with germs that are going to make me sick. I encourage my family to cover their mouths when coughing and sneezing, practice proper hand washing after using the restroom, before eating, and after they have been out in the general public, and to keep sanitizer on hand at all times because you never know when you are going to pick up illness causing germs. We come in contact with so many different microbes in a 24 hour period alone, it's crazy to thing about how much is sticking to our hands. Here's a breakdown of the bacteria on common surfaces that we touch on a daily basis:

Doorknob: 8,643 bacteria
Computer Mouse: 79,000 bacteria
Remote Control: 17,000 bacteria

Yuck!

While sanitizers are great at killing germs, traditional alcohol-based sanitizers only work while they are wet and quickly evaporate, leaving the skin exposed to attracting more germs as soon as it is dry. That's why I became obsessed with Zoono GermFree24® as soon as I first learned about it. 

Zoono GermFree24® is the only hand sanitizer that is proven to kill 99.99% of germs on contact and continue killing them for up to 24 hours with just one application. This means that I can apply GermFree24® to my daughter's hands before she leaves for school, then she will be protected for the entire day. I don't have to worry about her remembering to use her sanitizer throughout the school day since I know I had her covered before she even left the house. 

How does GermFree24® actually protect you for 24 hours? Easily! It is specially formulated to bond to your skin's surface and sets up a nano-molecular layer of "pins" that physically impale and destroy germs on contact. It does not rub off and also stays active on the skin's surface, even after sweating and hand washing. 

GermFree24® has been proven to provide long-lasting antimicrobial protection against a wide range of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses (such as influenza), fungi and mold. It does come in a spray foam variety or a traditional spray making it easy to use at home or on the go.

You can purchase Zoono's GermFree24® at www.zoonousa.com or on Amazon here: 

Zoono GermFree24® 50ml Foam Hand Sanitizer


Zoono GermFree24® 9ml Spray Hand Sanitizer


WIN IT!

One lucky Theresa's Mixed Nuts reader is going to win a Zoono GermFree24® 50ml Foam Hand Sanitizer, a Zoono GermFree24® 9ml Spray Hand Sanitizer, and a $25 Virtual Visa Gift Card (good for online purchases only) to help buy more cold and flu season essentials.

The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. (no P.O.Boxes will be accepted) and will run through 10/27. Winner will have 24 hours to respond to winning email before a new winner is selected. Please enter on the giveaway widget below.

Entry-Form

Take A Deep Breath & Let Go with GuruNanda

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.


It's been a really hectic month, but I finally feel like I am getting caught up on all of the things that have been pushed to the back burner this summer. On the last day of our vacation, Mariah came down with a nasty head cold and ended up sleeping away the remainder of our trip. Don't you know, as soon as we all got home, the rest of the family slowly started getting sick too. It was a long few weeks of dealing with illness! If you've been here a while, you know that I always look for natural healing relief methods before jumping onto pharmaceutical healing. For the past few years I have been obsessed with using essential oils for our overall health and well being. At first, Jason scoffed and thought I was jumping into some kind of hippy trend, but once he experienced the healing power of some of my oils, he can't stop singing their praises now, too. 

For the most part, I have stuck with the mainstream oils: peppermint, lavender, eucalyptus, and tea tree, so when I heard about essential oil blends, I was intrigued and wanted to see how well they worked. I partnered with GuruNanda recently to sample 4 of their 100% natural essential oil blends: SLIM, CALMING SLEEP, BREATHE EASY, and THRIVE.

Calming Sleep delivers a blend of lavender, marjoram, and chamomile to help clear the mind and accelerate sleep. 

Thrive combats fatigue, energizes, purifies, and boosts immunity with a blend of clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and rosemary.

Slim supports a healthy metabolism, boosts energy, manages cravings, improves circulation and helps remove toxins with a blend of black pepper, grapefruit, cinnamon, lemon, peppermint and ginger. 

Breathe Easy is a natural remedy for nasal congestion and better overall respiratory health.  It has a blend of eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree, basil and rosemary essential oils.

I do usually mix a drop or two of my essential oils into a carrier oil and put it directly on my skin, but GuruNanda oil blends are made to stimulate the senses by breathing the scents in, so they work best when used with an ultrasonic essential oil diffuser. 

I've been using this super adorable GuruNanda Honeycomb Essential Oil Diffuser with the essential oil blends this past month. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing with it's soft glow color changing lights, it's really simple to set up and use.

Simply pop the top off, fill with 100ml of water, add a drop or two of your preferred GuruNanda essential oil blend, put the top back on, plug it in, then sit back and just breathe in all of the goodness these oils have to offer. 

I was really impressed that once I filled the tank with water and oil then hit the power button, it immediately started diffusing the oil into the air. I didn't have to sit and wait for the unit to warm up. The steam coming from the diffuser was instantaneous.

While we were suffering from that nasty vacation bug, I was switching between BREATHE EASY and CALMING SLEEP to help us find much needed relief from the head cold and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the oil blends did an amazing job at delivering the relief that we so longed for. Since ridding ourselves of the bug, I have been frequently using THRIVE. As some of you know, my autoimmune disorder leaves me feeling weak and fatigued as well as knocks out my immune system, so I love the feeling of having more energy when I breathe in the THRIVE blend. 

These four GuruNanda specialty aromatherapy blends are able to address specific health and wellness concerns by using a blend of 100% pure and natural plant essences grown and distilled on the world's most reputable farms. These are not synthetic "knock offs", they are the real deal. And, at $7.99 each, they are quite affordable. You can find them in the pharmacy section of Walmart or on the GuruNanda website. 

 

What is your favorite essential oil? Do you think the essential oil blends would help you maintain a healthy lifestyle?

Power Air Fryer XL™ Lets You Eat Without Guilt

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

For the past month, the Mahoney household has been on a mission to live a healthier life. Even though we've always taken steps to stay active and fit, we did gain a few pounds over the holidays that have got to go. Jason renewed his gym membership and has been making it a priority to workout every morning, and I've put my FitBit back on to encourage myself to try to hit my 10K daily step goal (If you want to be my friend, I'd be happy to add you! Just send me your email to connect). We all know that exercise is really only a small part of the weight loss battle. Slim tummies are made in the kitchen, more so than in the gym. You can exercise all day long, but if you aren't eating right, your body will react, but not in a good way!

Dinnertime has been a challenge for me because a lot of our old favorite recipes called for frying, and we all know fried foods are not good for the waist line. At all! Thankfully, my friends over at Tristar Products have created an amazing kitchen device that lets me indulge in my favorite fried foods without paying the price for it on the scale. The Power Air Fryer XL™ delivers a crispy, fried meal without the added fat or calories of pan frying in oil or lard. 

Instead of frying in oil, food is cooked in a whirlwind of super-heated air that reaches up to 400 degrees, giving your favorite foods a crispy fried finish. What really makes me love this unit is that you can use it with almost any of your favorite foods. Chicken, fries, mozzarella sticks, veggies, donuts, and even cake! The Power Air Fryer XL™ is extremely easy to use. Simply choose a recipe, load your ingredients, pick a setting, then eat. It has the ability to fry, roast, steam, and sauté, making recipe options almost endless.

Pull the Easy-Grip Handle to separate the the Easy-Load Non-Stick Basket from the unit. You'll load up your ingredients, then pop the basket back into place for cooking. What I like about the basket is you can use it for one set of ingredients, or you can use the removable insert to fry several different recipes at once while safely keeping ingredients from meshing with each other.

 

One great feature is the Sliding Button Guard, so you can't accidentally release the Outer Basket from the Fry Basket until you are ready. 

The digital one-touch panel comes with 7 preset programs that seem pretty self explanatory, it would be pretty hard to mess up a meal.

Once your meal is placed in the fry basket, slide the basket into the unit, choose from a preset or manually select a temperature and cook time. The unit will then begin the fry process. If at any time you wish to check on your food, simply pull on the handle to disconnect the basket from the unit and the fryer will automatically shut down. 

Included with the Power Air Fryer XL™ is a handy recipe book. Here you'll find recipes for some of the most popular fried foods like french fries, spring rolls, mozzarella sticks and donuts. 

I have never been fond of how stinky the house gets when frying foods on the stove. Even running the air vent on the stove does little to deflect the stink and sometimes smoke that comes with grease frying. And, don't get me started on cleaning up nasty grease splatter that takes forever to clean up! So, to me, one of my favorite features of the Power Air Fryer XL™ is there is no stink from the fried foods, no smoke, and no messy grease splatter. My other favorite feature is how many calories I save by using it. Check out this comparison chart below to see how the Power Air Fryer XL™ cuts down calories by up to 80%!

Since Super Bowl is coming up this weekend, I thought I'd try my hand at making one of our favorite game day eats: The Blooming Onion. Here's how it looked right after seasoning, then again right after it finished frying:

 

It came out crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Simply delish! (Stop by tomorrow to grab this yummy Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce recipe that pairs perfectly with blooming onions.) 

The fry basket is dishwasher safe, making cleanup a breeze. The Power Air Fryer XL™ comes in 2 sizes, 3.4 and 5.3 quarts, and is available in red or black. You can find it at your local retail stores like Bed Bath & Beyond, Kohl's, and Target, or at www.powerairfryer.com. Ready to cut out the grease and start eating healthier? Then I highly recommend adding this to your kitchen today! 

What are some of your favorite fried foods? Do you like the idea of using an air fryer or would you stick with the traditional method of cooking in oil or lard?

What’s in My Handbag? #PocketPearlatTarget

My father in law was over at our house the other day, and he needed to move my car. "Where are your keys?" he asked. I replied, "Just grab them out of the purse. It's right over there." Little did I know, that remark was going to throw him into a big tizzy. "Oh, no! I will NOT! I don't ever get into a woman's purse. Not even my wife's!"

That little conversation really got me thinking about how the contents of a handbag are mysterious to some people. I mean, we take it with us practically everywhere we go. It's almost like an extension of our own bodies sometimes. What could we possibly need to have within reach at all times? Today, I'm going to share with you what I keep in MY handbag. Really, it's not as exciting as one would think, but it is full of practical and useful items that I use on a daily basis.

See, nothing top secret here, but every day essentials. Keys, sunglasses, pepper spray, coin purse and my phone. In addition to those are Target-purchased essentials. Floss, hand sanitizer, chap stick and Tampax Pocket Pearl.

Since we are a family of almost all girls, having these girly type items on hand at all times is what gets us through our days seamlessly. Now, if we are going for a bike ride or a family hike, I don't always take my handbag with me. I just grab items that we need most, push them into my pocket, and away we go! That's why I love the new Tampax Pocket Pearl!

Pocket Pearl is the Pearl tampon, but now available in pocket size! The size is so discreet, you can tuck it into your bag or pocket without anyone ever knowing you are carrying it at all!

Don't let the size fool you though! Even though it's pocket sized, it still gives full sized protection! It also offers:

• Smooth extendable applicator

• Built In Backup­™ Braid that channels leaks back into the core

• Breakthrough wrapper, with discreet, easy-open tab

• Available in all the sizes you need!

I am a Target girl through and through, and I love how easy they make it to find the new Tampax Pocket Pearl. As soon as I got to the heath and beauty section, I spotted it right on the end cap display!

That made me so happy, because nobody wants to stand in the feminine hygiene aisle longer than necessary. Am I right? 

If you are looking for full sized protection wrapped up in a convenient pocket sized product, head over to your nearest Target store to grab your box of Tampax Pocket Pearl!

Ladies, what do you carry in your handbag? Do you think the Tampax Pocket Pearl would help you live a little more discreetly? 


I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Parasite Cleanse

I have been a longtime fan of Terry's blog My Journey with Candida. For the past few years I have been fascinated with the detox cleanses she does, and I have learned quite a bit from her. But, as one who struggled for years to get my ulcerative colitis under control, I was terrified of doing any cleanse because I though it would throw me out of remission. But, a few months ago she had up symptoms of parasites in the body. I had almost every symptom! The one that bothered me most was the fatigue. I feel like I need a nap several times a day, and carry dark circles under my eyes constantly. Since we are taking a family trip in October, I really wanted to get these issues under control before we left. I did a little more research, and ended up buying the ingredients needed to start an 18 day parasite cleanse.

I bought all 3 products on iherb.com for a total of $21 shipped (I had a $5 coupon code that was applied to the order.) I printed out a handy dosage chart from drclark.net. You can find the chart HERE. Scroll down a bit to access it. It took about 2 days for my product to arrive, and once it did, I got started.

Here were my results:

Day 1 through 3: I notice a little grinding in my belly, but it isn't uncomfortable. I am also burping up the herbs all day. They don't taste bad, but it is annoying.

Day 4: A migraine starts kicking in. Terry tells me this is good as it indicates the parasites are dying off.

Day 7: The migraine is still going strong. I debate quitting the entire cleanse altogether to get some relief.

Day 8: The migraine is gone. My energy levels have significantly improved.

Day 12: I still haven't seen any parasites exit my body, though Terry says some people don't. You have to go "in" and dig them out. Not happening here!

Day 18: I am happy to have made it to the end of the cleanse. I have more energy than I have had in years, and I was thrilled the cleanse did not cause any bleeding or cramping, so it's safe to say, it did not throw me out of remission.

I never did see any parasites, but I think the cleanse did exactly what it was supposed to do. My husband also noticed I had more energy and wanted to drive to Terry's to give her a big hug for her influence on me starting the parasite cleanse. The only thing I would do differently is see if the black walnut comes in capsule form. The liquid was nasty, and I had to choke it down as the dosage increased.


Have you done any cleanses? What were your results?