Kids love yoga!! And why not? It is fun to twist your body into shapes, turn upside down, do poses with funny animal names and be silly! Yoga also helps them develop better body awareness, self-control, flexibility and coordination. Children are quick learners, and about age 5 they are able to really "do" the poses. But whatever age, they will enjoy "their" version of the poses, and you can encourage that. Here is a playful series of exercises appropriate for all ages (including mommy and daddy). It is best to move through the poses in the order given, but feel free to add any other poses you, or your children, would like to do. The series should take about 1/2 hour.

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Are you tired of seeing the processed unhealthy foods being served in your childs cafeteria at school?
Wondering what you can do NOW to create REAL CHANGE for your school lunch program?

Here's your chance to get Chef Ann Cooper, a.k.a. the "Renegade Lunch Lady," to your home town! Ann has been making school lunch programs healthier across the US for the past decade. This is your chance to bring her to your school or district for your very own action plan to improve your lunch program. Find out more about Chef Ann and what she does atwww.chefann.com.

HOW TO ENTER

Create a 1 minute video telling us why your school is in need of a School Lunch Makeover
Make sure your video is 1 minute or less
Upload your video to your YouTube account
Send an email to schoollunchmakeover@wholefoods.com with your
full name
email
phone number
home address
school or school district name
a link to your video.

Then send me an email with a link to your video and you'll be entered to win a $50 Whole Foods Market Gift Card. All entries most be received by October 8th, so get busy. 

brent@williamsmg.com

A while back I was talking to a friend who was divulging information about what really is in packaged foods.  From peanuts, to baked goods, condiments to candies, what your eating is more often then not considered disgusting.  Take a look at the back of any "label" and dissect it.  Because the FDA allows manufacturers to label things "natural flavors", they are really allowing a whole host of rather gnarly ingredients in to our bodies.  The definition of 'natural flavors'  by the USDA is this:  the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf, or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional content.

So if your a Vegan or a Vegetarian, then you may as well cut out any products that contain the term "natural" on the label.  And honestly, if you are reading the back of a food item to see if it is ok for you to consume, then you probably shouldn't be eating that product.  Almost all packaged foods are highly processed, whether you believe it or not!

This is why:

Here is a list of some "natural flavorings", or ingredients you might find on labels:

Castoreum:  an extract from the anal musk gland of beavers.  This creamy substance gives foods a creamy smooth finish to a handful of products, such as baked goods, condiments and sweets.  This ingredient is not required to be labeled as an animal derivative.

Lanolin: a fat derived from sheep's wool gland that has a similar consistency to grease, or wax;  it is secreted by the sebaceous glands of wool-bearing animals.  Found in products like gum, or things that state added vitamin D (really meaning sheep wool oil), cosmetics and lubricants.  Sometimes listed as Acetylated Lanolin Ricinoleate, is known to be high in cholesterol and the esters of several fatty acids.

L-Cysteine Hydrochloride:  a flour additive extracted from duck feathers or human hair (ewwww!), found in many baking mixes and cereals.

albumen: from egg whites; used as a clarifying agent in some wines
casein: a milk protein found in soy cheeses and other “non-dairy” foods
gelatin: protein made by boiling skin, connective tissue or bones, skin, tendons and ligaments of cows and pigs. Yuck, Yuck Yuck.  This is used as a stabilizer or thickener in many products like fruit cups, puddings, yogurts, ice cream, marsh mellows and even cereals.  I specifically found this listed on the label of planters peanuts, IMO sour cream and Kellogg Frosted Flakes.  And what about the gelatinous cranberry sauce found on most thanksgiving tables, mmmm a nice dose of boiled skin to go with your stuffing!
isinglass: from sturgeon bladders derived gelatin; used as a clarifying agent in some wines by way of filtering with it.
lactose: sugar from mammalian milk
acetylated lanolin ricinoleate: extract of sheep’s wool
pepsin: an enzyme from pig stomachs
rennet or rennin: a coagulating enzyme from the stomach lining of slaughtered calves found in many vegetarian cheeses or pasta sauce, not so veggie is it?
tallow: rendered beef fat
whey: the liquid remaining when casein is removed from milk
castoreum: listed as a “natural flavoring,” it is an extract from the anal musk glands of beavers; aka beaver-butt juice.
lipase: a calf-tongue-gland-derived enzyme, found in digestive aids, dairy products like cheese or supposed non-dairy cheeses.
cochineal (extract) or carmine: ground beetle carcases (70,000 beetles = 1 lb), found in many juices, pastries, basically used to add color to processed foods.
musk: from the genitals of the Northern Asian hornless deer
ambergis: a waxy substance from the intestines of sperm whales
shellac: a glazing agent from the Lac bug

Because the FDA and the US government doesn't seem to care about this and allows companies to not have to list what is really in their products, it is really up to us, the consumers, to boycott eating these products and inform others of the truth!  Not only will you be eating healthier if you avoid these products, you won't be ingesting things like beaver-butt, ground beetles or fish bladder.  Although it is proven these won't exactly kill you, but they may cause you to get a little sick to your stomach once you realize what your eating!  Look for the Certified Vegan symbol and log on the vegan.org for more information!

Here is this weeks Eco-budget low down:

Log on to Best Baby Organics and find Newborn to 12 month old Organic onesies and outfits up to half off. 

Go to Nau's clothing website, which is having great sales on their entire collection.  They offer the most cutting edge outdoor womens and mens clothing, that are so versatile and chic, it is amazing.  Their clothing is 100% environmentally friendly fabrics while offering performance and sustainability.

Stock up for your kids next year winter gear by logging on to Patagonias website and browsing their kids sale items.  You will find great deals on coats, pullovers, hats, vests and overalls for your little ones.

I have just encountered a swap website called the Swaptree, where you can swap books, CD's, DVDS or video games with others, all for free.  So gather up all those DVD's and books that the kids keep rejecting (or the ones you can't stand) and swap them for something that is new and interesting...at least to you it is.  You can get a better deal then FREE!

Love craigslist for finding great deals on kids and baby gear, well now you can browse The Conscious Child, and online recycle center for organic and natural products, where you can shop used conscious goods, or post some of your own to sell!  I love it!

The Chittypulga is having another one of their sweet sales - up to 50% off on some of their kids clothes, check out the website, they have the cutest clothes in an array of sizes for your kids! 

If you are about to have a baby, log on to Modern Kid Stuff, which is offering a Bedding sale on thier contemporary crib bedding (so cute!), some are up to $100 off!

They are also having for a limited time, when you purchase any of their cribs, they will give you a Posh baby crib set for FREE, Set includes a blanket lined in minky fur, standard size crib sheet + standard size changing pad sheet. 100% cotton. Machine washable. 120 dollar value. *While supplies last.
AND..Modern Kid Stuff will send you a free ladybug bath mitt with every purchase of 20 dollars or more of Little Twig's organic skincare line.

The Hazelwood Children website is featuring a 10% off of the entire website just to show their appreciation.  Cute.Cute.Cute!

How my husband and I turned our white boring river cabin into a rustic, warm and “old world” healthy space! Interested in transforming your home into a healthy earth friendly work of art. Read this article about how my husband and I used Natural Earth Plaster to spruce up our River Cabin!

Click to read more ...

In the essay "An introduction to Waldorf Education" Steiner wrote in 1919, he states, "Of prime importance for the cultivation of the child's feeling-life is that the child develops a relationship to the world in a way such as that which develops when we are inclined towards fantasy."  But if your child is in a Waldorf school, you know the "Fantasy" in waldorf education , is not the fantasy that is found in Disney movies, rather, it is the organic process of leading a child down a path where they expand their imagination into other realms through fairy tales and imaginative play.

In addition, Waldorf educators have seen a direct link between the astral body and the watching of television.  The child is driven by the imagination and fantasy during these early years (7-14) and starting at around the age of 14, the astral body is said to be driven into the physical body, which creates the onset of puberty.  Television, because of the lack of imagination involved, the scenes and topics covered has brought on the astral stage of the body at an early age, which is one of the reasons why television is banned from Waldorf Schools.

Many studies show that television hinders this process in young children.  A study done in 2007 by the British Psychological Society found that television affects the brain in many ways that would weaken the imagination in children.    One of the television "effects" that translates to a weakening of imagination is called "Jump Cuts".  A "jump cut" is a cut from a medium-to-medium shot or from a wide-to-wide shot. In the first shot, the subject is in one location, and when you cut to the second shot the subject is in another position … The effect is that they instantaneously jumped from one position to another. Not only is this creepy and unnatural but ultimately it fractures attention spans.  Because of this, the brain is trained to reward itself with dopamine for being able to cope with this fractured attention span, translating to them becoming addicted to functioning with this fractured attention span.  Other results of this addiction stem from the "over-scheduling" of children who are enrolled in mounds of after school programs and the ever presence of multi-tasking happening in their lives.  Imagination is of course naturally lost when our mind can not simply focus.

Some might argue that Television and computer games are "Educational", but neuroscientists have performed brain scans and found that television and interactive media games do NOT stimulate intellectual areas of the brain!

Steiner said, " From birth to about the sixth year, the human being naturally gives himself up to everything immediately surrounding him in the human environment, and thus, through the imitative instinct, gives form to his own nascent powers."  If television had been around when Steiner said this, I believe he would have spoke of the effects of television here!  He went on to say, "From this period on, the child's soul becomes open to take in consciously what the educator and teacher give, which affects the child as a result of the teacher's natural authority."  With that said, what do you think happens when the Television is the educator?  During this time in a child's like he is imitating everything that surrounds him, therefore everything and everybody becomes a "teacher".  Many parents have been embarrassed by something their child says or does, saying "I don't know where they picked that up from, this is so strange!?"  When obviously, if you are allowing your child to watch television you are opening up your child to many things that ultimately you don't want them exposed to or imitating.

Television as well as video, DVDs, computers, and electronic games all have a very powerful effect on children.  It can take several days for the effects of one single video to wear off, and if they are watching everyday, the effects may not wear off at all.  You might notice that many children now speak in 'cartoon voices', make 'sound effects' to accompany their jerky movement (punching, kicking) and obsessively repeat lines from movies or shows that they have scene over and over again.  This is now regarded as "normal" childish behavior, when in reality it is coming from the Media not from the children themselves.

Steiner said in the book Spiritual Ground for Education,  "What is learned more slowly at any given age is more surely and healthily absorbed by the organism, then what is crammed into it."  This is why when we give a lesson in Waldorf School we allow the child time to reflect, often giving the same lesson twice.  Often times the child is sent home to sleep and reflect and form mental pictures from the lesson, and then when they come back the next day it has been digested, and then the lesson can begin to really sink in to a child's being.  That said, another concern about television watching is that it could hinder the child's ability to reflect on and digest the lessons they were taught during the day.  If children are watching television or playing video games during this learning process, these media devices may just over-ride the lesson.  The child would then instead of creating it's own images of that days lesson, be filled with images of the television or media that was watched.  Once again, his own imagination depressed.  This would then tie into a child's inability to concentrate or understand the lesson the following day, as they were not able to properly digest it.

There are so many studies that are showing the negative effects of Television and Media, such as obesity, autism, onset of early puberty, and even diabetes.  Steiner believed that health of the body was greatly affected by how it learned and how a person learned was also greatly effected by their own health.  That said, and knowing what we know today about the health effects of Media on the body, we can only assume that Steiner would not approve the use of television and other media outlets as a way of teaching or educating.

Take a walk

It's amazing how lifes pace seems to slow down when one uses the feet. Many areas and subdivisions have walking paths. Explore these as a family. Take a bag along to collect stones, leaves, flowers, or creepy crawlies. Literally, stop and smell the roses. Consider visiting a Nature Center, the  Arboretum or Botanical Gardens. A walk in the city can be just as refreshing. Visit the Plaza in your city and window shop.

Read a book

Reading a chapter book together as a family is a great shared experience at the same time as a great way to improve listening skills. Our family has fond memories of reading through The Chronicles of Narnia as well as The Little House on the Prairie series. Peruse The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease for book suggestions as well as a primer on the benefits of reading aloud. If you want to check out a locally placed adventure, try The Amazing Museum Adventure of Thomas Maxim Moore by Jane Bishop, a book about one boys adventures in our very own Toy and Miniature Museum. Older children might enjoy After the Dancing Days by Margaret Rostkowski about one girls coming to terms with the aftermath of World War I. 

Bake someone happy

Dig out the cookbooks and gather the kids around the table. Let each child choose a recipe and prepare it together as a family. Whether it is chocolate chip cookies or chicken pot pies that you whip up, youre sure to enjoy food, fellowship, and fun with your kids.

Play a game

Dust off Monopoly or invest in a new game. (Our family favorite is Blokus.) Try a different game each night that you would normally be watching a show. Set yourselves up in tournament play and have a big celebration at the end of the week.

Explore your City

Now that winter is receding into the past, its a great time to get out and about. Visit the Zoo or the local botanical gardens. Catch a local baseball game. Tour one of our fine local museums. Use your freer time to see all that your City has to offer you in the way of art, entertainment and culture. 

Plant a garden

Children love to garden and youll find digging in the dirt to be very therapeutic. Check out some library books on the subject and plan a garden. You dont need a lot of space, even some potted plants on the back deck will do. The sun, air, and dirt will be good for your souls. I love visiting SavvyGardener.com. Youll find all sorts of garden tips tailor made for your city once you start researching.

Visit with the neighbors

We live in a culture that is increasingly private. New homes no longer feature front porches, the entertainment of years gone by. They seem to have disappeared from our architecture right around the same time that TV became popular. Hmmm.. Grab a lawn chair and a glass of iced tea and sit out front. Supply the kids with bubbles or sidewalk chalk and draw your neighbors outside. The kids will enjoy playing with their buddies and you can catch up with their parents. You may find that you have more in common than you thought.

Ride a bike

Equip yourself and the kids with proper safety equipment and hit the road. Youll appreciate the wind in your face and the cardio-vascular workout for your heart. Your family will enjoy the time spent together as well as the road races. Dont forget to check out the local bike trails! For an extensive list of bike trails, visit your cities community website. 

Build a fort

A dad we know salvaged multiple appliance boxes and crafted a huge castle, complete with a working drawbridge. What a fun way to spend time with the kids and let them exercise their imaginations! My husband has performed cardboard art as well, his creative juices producing a huge pirate ship. But, you dont have to go to great lengths to make a fun hideaway a few chairs and blankets will do. The important part is to join your children in creativity and role playing.

Visit a local farm or park you have never been to

There is bound to be some unique outdoor spot just waiting for you and your kiddos to explore. Have you visited your local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm, or dairy farm? How about the parks in the next town over?  Wherever you go, pack a picnic dinner and relax. Breathe in the fresh air. Laugh with your children. Fly kites. Fling a Frisbee. Run races. Be a kid again.

Savor the moments, they pass quickly. Youll find that a life without TV really is worth living. Youll reconnect as a family. Youll discover new amusements that you hadnt thought about. 

These great books might help your kids understand why youve decided to take a break from the television for a while:

The Berenstain Bears and Too Much TV By Stan Berenstain & Jan Berenstain

The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble with Commercials By Stan Berenstain & Jan Berenstain

Arthur's TV Trouble by Marc Brown

365 TV-Free Activities You Can Do With Your Child by Steven & Ruth Bennett

When it comes to your "moon", or your "time of the month", it seems that it has become taboo to discuss your method of managing the flow.  Truth is that for hundreds of years women have been figuring out how to manage it while juggling their busy lives, and so today there are many options for the health concious, active eco-mom to consider!  If you take a look at history, for hundreds, even thousands of years, women have been using homemade tampons or blankets for menstruation.  Early on in the nineteenth century commercial tampons were introduced in the United States, and before this time they were used for administering medicines by American doctors but not for menstruation.  Tampax came on the market in the 1930's, and today women across the country spend hundreds sometimes thousands of dollars on "feminine" products throughout their lives.  Unfortunately with he creation of "Tampax" and other commercial tampon products, the amount of waste they create is disturbing, as well as how expensive they are and potential toxicity.  According to the National Women's Health Network, 12 billion pads and 7 million tampons pollute landfills annually in the US, add to that the packaging and there is a significant impact on our environment!

Even after criticisms of tampons and their effects on women's health, they are still the choice for many, or do I dare to say most women today in the U.S.  Tampons are known to create dryness in the vagina which can lead to an uncomfortable experience as well as bacterial infections.  And of course the TSS (Toxic Shock Syndrom), which isn't talked about much today, but is very much still occurring!  However, the connection between tampons and toxic shock syndrome has yet to be fully understood. It is assumed, though, that the Staphylococcus bacteria thrives and proliferates in warm, moist areas thereby making a high absorbency tampon the perfect breeding ground for the bacteria. The bacteria is able to enter your blood stream if the tampon causes a laceration in your vaginal lining. In the case of super absorbency tampons, the tampon may swell to such an extent that it sticks to the vaginal wall. When removing, the tampon pulls at your skin causing some of the lining to come off and the bacteria to get in.

In addition, a majority of conventional tampons and pads are bleached by using chemicals that are known to leave small amounts of toxins and carcinogens (such as dioxin) in the tampon.  As is stated regularly about many product's on the market today, research is currently being tested on the possible long term effects of these chemicals on women.  Luckily, there are quite a few natural, non bleached tampons and pads on the market today, and can be found at most health food stores, although they are priced slightly higher, it is worth it to save your vagina the agony of chemicals being left to hang out and spread into your flower and body.

Of course, if your like me, I just don't feel comfortable having anything disrupting the flow of my bodies natural cleansing flow, so I choose alternative solutions over the disruption of my flow from the use of tampons.  I have listed these solutions on the link below along with a few others that are proven to be safe, effective, and will not impact the earth negatively like conventional tampons and pads....and as my blog boasts....will save you money!

Eco-Moon Options

Have you ever taken the time out to count up how many ‘beauty’ products you have in your bathroom. Lotions, eye creams, deodorants, sunscreens, cosmetics, lip balm, soap, hair care,baby oils and body washes, most of our drawers are full of them. Now what if I told you that 89% of the ingredients in those products have never been tested for safety? Wonder Why? Because the FDA doesn't require companies to test their own products for safety. And because of the ‘trade secret’ loophole that allows cosmetic and beauty companies to not disclose their ingredients, this is why most people go along each day and use these products without knowing what they are really putting on and in their bodies. Now what if I told you that 89% of the ingredients in those products have never been tested for safety? Wonder Why? Because the FDA doesn't require companies to test their own products for safety. And because of the ‘trade secret’ loophole that allows cosmetic and beauty companies to not disclose their ingredients, this is why most people go along each day and use these products without knowing what they are really putting on and in their bodies. You may be thinking that you do not have to worry since you always buy products labeled ‘Organic’ or that say they use ‘Organically Grown Ingredients’. But did you know that products that are made with Organically Grown Ingredients could be labeled Organic even if they contain dangerous and toxic chemicals? This is because the beauty industry is not regulated, and so it is up to you to seek out and find beauty products that are legitimately free of toxins, chemicals, and are made by a company that goes the extra mile to be kind to the environment and strive to be sustainable. This is why I have gone through the process of finding, testing and reviewing truly Organic, non-toxic, and cruelty-free beauty products, from face creams, to shampoos to lotions that should help you find the best products for you and your family. I have compiled a list of the BEST Face, Body and Hair products, including product and company information, eco and sustainability ratings, and price points. For further information to look at before shopping go to www.safecosmetics.org , the Cosmetic Safe Database at www.cosmeticsdatabase.com , and www.leapingbunny.org for the cruelty free company shopping guide.

To see my reviews on the best Organic and Sustainable Beauty Products click here to see my Green Product Reviews !

Remember back in high school, loading up on the foundation, eye shadow, and lip stick, then curling your hair just right and spraying on the thick Aqua Net Hair spray so that it wouldn’t move an inch throughout the day? Well, maybe not all of you were doing this, but I was, and I remember a lot of classmates doing the same. Now that we are adults, a majority of woman are still slathering on the foundation, eye shadows, concealers, lip sticks, lip liner, night time wrinkle cream, day time sun screens, eye brighteners, etc., etc. With the exuberant amounts of products on the market for women to beautify themselves, and the average American mama using ten personal beauty products a day, it is scary to find out that on a daily basis you are exposing yourself to at least 100 or more unique chemicals, that, unfortunately, have not been assessed for safety. There are over 10,500 chemicals and compounds found in various body care, and beauty products on the market today. The scary thing is that the health and beauty industry is not regulated by the USDA or anyone else for that matter, so anyone can claim their products are natural or organic and that doesn‘t mean that they are. There is a non-profit research organization called the Environmental Working Group (EWG) that does at least study these products and report their findings. In a recent test, after testing thousands of products and comparing the ingredients to the FDA database listing of toxic substances, they found that one-third have been linked to cancer. In another study, by the Woman’s Environmental Network, they tested deodorant, hair care and perfumes, and found that 80% of them had the ingredient phthalates, an ingredient that has already been banned in the UK, and is known to cause birth defects and disruption in fertility. OK, red light flashing. Stop using these products ASAP!

In addition to this, let’s take a time out to talk about ‘parabens’. You may have noticed a whole host of products lately that say ‘no-parabens’ or ‘paraben-free’, which might make you wonder, what are parabens? Turns out parabens are the most commonly used product preservative in the United States. There are six commonly used forms (Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, p-Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, n-Butylparaben and Benzylparaben) and it is estimated that they are used in at least 13,200 cosmetics products.  Check out the label of almost any personal care product and the chances are you’ll find them listed. It is the “must have” preservative for so many products because (most important) they’re inexpensive and they perform a broad spectrum of antimicrobial properties, meaning they are able to ward off yeasts and fungi from growing in products that typically need a longer shelf life. They’re also non-irritating, non-poisonous, non-sensitizing, stable in both alkaline and acidic formulas, water soluble, and they work well in both liquid and solid form. Does this bring a certain product to the top of your mind as it does mine? A key ingredient in deodorant, maybe? Turns out hormone disruption from parabens are found mostly from skin absorption rather than through eating or pharmaceutical drugs. And since most deodorants contain parabens as one of the main ingredients, researchers believe there is a strong likelihood that there is a connection between increased exposure to parabens via deodorant use and rising incidences of breast cancer. It was found that around 60% of all breast cancers occur in the part of the breast that is closest to your armpit, or the upper outer quadrant. And as laboratory tests have proven, that products that contain parabens are easily absorbed into the body when applied, this is why there is suspicion among many scientists of some kind of link between underarm products that contain these chemicals and breast cancer. So, from this we should try and avoid all deodorants and anti-perpetrates that contain nasty chemicals. Natural deodorants, unlike their conventional counterparts, in addition to leaving out parabens, they do not contain aluminum chlorohydrate that may be irritating to the skin or pose even more serious danger to you. In fact, deodorants often work by clogging pores to inhibit a natural function of your body perspiring which enables your body to naturally rid itself of toxins that may adversely affect your health. Luckily today there are many natural underarm products on the market, from companies like “Toms of Maine”, “Burts Bee’s” and a great company I recently found is called “A natural perspective” and they have sport deodorant sprays and sticks in an array of fragrances, log on to their website, www.anaturalperspective.com.

Click here for a list of Top Cosmetic Ingredients to Avoid and print it out and give it to your friends so they know what to look for on the back of products!  Also, go to Burt's Bees "the greater good" website to find out more information about natural standards and what other companies are joining the effort to bring you quality healthy products.  Here are some other websites to look at for more information on this topic:

Breast Cancer Action (BCA) from San Francisco  www.bcaction.org

Organic Consumers Association, http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/breastcancer090604.cfm

"Think Before You Pink," www.thinkbeforeyoupink.org

Women's Voices for the Earth, a women's environmental justice group from Montana
www.womenandenvironment.org

 Campaign for Safe Cosmetics www.safecosmetics.org

Click here for a list of companies that I have checked out and are good, solid, non-toxic organic companies to order from!  You can shop for a lot of these products at Whole foods, online or your local health food store!