Where to Shop for Healthy Food

One of my Facebook friends was lamenting the fact that they are doing all kinds of research on food and finding out all sorts of things that they should not eat.  They, along with many of you, are becoming increasingly concerned about Genetically Modified Organisms, chemical pesticides and fertilizers, food additives and preservatives, artificial hormones and antibiotics, etc. contaminating most of the foods that fill today's grocery stores.

This friend's lamentation, however, was not this fact alone.  It was the fact that he didn't know what he could do about the problem.  He didn't know where to find food that wasn't contaminated with these things, and he felt like there was nothing left that he could eat.

I've got good news for him, and for you too, if you're finding yourself with the same dilemma.

There are plenty of places where you can procure good, wholesome food that is full of nutrients and free of contaminants.  You just have to know where to look, and in the next few posts I'm going to tell you just that.

Today I want to focus on my favorite resource for healthy food: your local Farmer's Market.

The surest way to ensure that what you are eating is “clean” is to know exactly who grew or raised it, and how they did so.

Now, be careful, and don't just assume that everything you buy at the farmer's market is wonderful, organic food.  Some sellers are a little tricky – they buy cheap produce from who-knows-where and bring it to re-sell at the farmer's market.  The result?  You pay extra for food that's no better than what you could have gotten at this week's sale price in the grocery store.  I'll mention a little later how you can avoid the scammers.

But first I need to help you locate your local Farmer's Market.  The easiest way to do that is to go to www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets and type in your zipcode.  With the click of a button, you'll see all the Farmer's Markets in your area.

Now, here are the answers to questions you may have about shopping Farmer's Markets as well as some helpful tips.

How do I avoid the re-sellers?

• Well, first, you can obviously just ask where they got their produce.  They may tell you they grew it themselves, or they may hem and haw and try to convince you it's local in-season produce.  Ask them where their farm is located.  Can you stop by for a visit?

• Take a look at the types of produce they're selling.  Are they all in season in your area?  If not, you probably don't need to buy from them.

• Get to know the policies of your particular Farmer's Market.  Some do a great job screening out re-sellers and you shouldn't even need to worry about it.

• Make friends with others who are farther along than you on their healthy eating journey.  They will be able to share their experience and knowledge with you on a lot of things, including who not to buy from.

Is all the food organic?

• Most farmers are not selling food that is certified organic, because it's quite an expensive process to be certified.  However, many of them grow their food using organic principles, and some even out-do the government's requirements for organic food.  You most likely won't find signs on their booths advertising “organic produce” because it's illegal for them to label anything as organic if they aren't officially certified.  Again, this is where you have to ask questions.  What, if anything, do you use to spray your crops?  How do you fertilize your soil?   What do you feed your animals?  Where do your animals live?  Do you treat your animals with any antibioitics?  These are all good questions to which to learn the answer.

Should I buy stuff that's not organically grown?

• Obviously, if you can get the organic stuff, you should do that.  But if you're just not finding it, local non-organic produce is better for you than store-bought non-organic.   Since local produce is picked just when it's ripe, and not weeks before like produce that has to be shipped cross-country, it contains more nutrients, tastes better, and stays fresh longer.  Also, the people that pick, pack, ship, unload, and display grocery-store produce are many and have no accountability to you the consumer, which greatly increases your risk of food-borne illness.

More good questions to ask at the Farmer's Market:

• What is this and how do I prepare it?  Shopping the Farmer's Market offers you an inexpensive avenue to try all sorts of new foods.  There's no better person to ask for recipes than the person who grew it.

• Will you sell this at a lower rate if I buy in bulk?  Remember that while you're looking at an abundance of fresh produce, in a few weeks time, it will be done.  You won't see it again until the next year unless you buy extra to take home and can or freeze.

A few more helpful tips:

• Go early.  Some farmers have limited amounts of certain items that only have a small production window (asparagus for example).  Since it's only available for a short time, it will be a popular item that will sell out quickly.  If you're going to get any, you'd better get to the market early enough to get it during the few weeks it's available.

• Make 2 rounds – the first to scope out who's there, what they're selling, and for how much.  Then go back and buy the best quality and/or least expensive options.

• Use social media to your advantage.  Many farmers are learning the importance of maintaining a Facebook page.  Follow your favorites so you can keep up with who will be at the market and what they'll have.  Many a Saturday morning I make the effort to get up extra early push my husband out of bed extra early so he can get to the market to get something specific before it's sold out.  Because I know for sure it will be available that week, I make an extra effort to make sure one of us gets there early enough to get it.

• Bring bags – this is optional since most vendors will have plastic bags available, but using your own does save them the trouble of collecting bags throughout the week to use for customers.

• Bring cash – Some vendors can accept credit cards, and many Farmer's Markets are developing the ability to accept EBT, but using good old fashioned cash keeps costs down for the farmers so they can stay in the business of providing quality food for your family!

What are your best tips for shopping at Farmer's Markets?

It’s Here! Get the Natural Mothering Ebook Bundle Now!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

For those of you who are mothers or hope to be mothers, you'll want to get in on this: $525 worth of mothering resources for 95% off!

This is a downloadable package designed to encourage and equip mothers to nurture their families (and themselves!) naturally.

The package includes the work of 32 well-known Ph.D.'s, fertility specialists, lactation consultants, natural health professionals, authors, and bloggers who are passionate about motherhood and caring for mothers.

Hurry! This offer ends Monday, June 17, at 11:59 pm. EST.

The eBooks

Natural Fertility and Pregnancy

Unbound Birth by Jennifer Yarbrough of Unbound Birth ($2.99)
Fearless Birth by Kristen Burgess of Natural Birth and Baby Care ($17)
Nourishing Foods for Labor and Childbirth (article reprint) by Kresha Faber of Nourishing Joy ($2.99)
My Pregnancy Journey by Mindy of Simply Designs ($9.99)
Fertilise Yourself by Natalie Kringoudis of Melbourne Natural Fertility ($19.95)
Eat Your Way to Parenthood by Gabriela Rosa, MScM, BHSc, ND of Natural Fertility Breakthrough ($35)
Protecting Your Fertility: The Dangers of Conventional Pest Control and Natural Safe Alternatives by Gabriela Rosa, MScM, BHSc, ND of Natural Fertility Breakthrough ($35)
The Awful Truth About Cleaning Products and Fertility Revealed by Gabriela Rosa, MScM, BHSc, ND of Natural Fertility Breakthrough ($35)

Natural Baby and Toddler Care
Breastfeeding Simply by Pinky McKay, ICBLC of PinkyMcKay.com ($25)
First Bites by Hilary Bernstein of Accidentally Green ($9.99)
Breast to Bib by Kate Tietje of Modern Alternative Mama ($8.95)
Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert by Erin Odom of The Humbled Homemaker ($9.95)
Creative Ways to Calm Your Baby by Justyn Lang of Creative Christian Mama ($6.99)
EC Simplified: Infant Potty Training Made Easy by Andrea Olson, MA of Go Diaper Free ($30)
oh, crap. potty training by Jamie Glowacki of oh crap. potty training ($15)

Natural Health and Healing
Therapeutic Parenting for Children Who Are Healing from Trauma by Tova Krause Grindlay, CPC of Parent and Family Coaching ($4.99)
Herbal Nurturing by Michele Augur of Frugal Granola ($8.95)
Herbal Remedies for Children During the Cold and Flu Season by Rosalee de la Forêt of Herbal Remedies Advice ($20)
Mother's Little Herbal Helper and Home Remedies by Natalie Vickery of The Family Herbalist ($12.50)
Questions to Ask Your Dentist by Will and Susan Revak of OraWellness ($29)
Tips and Tricks to Remineralize and Repair Your Teeth by Ramiel Nagel of CureToothDecay.com ($12.95)
The Thinking Parent's Guide to Vaccines by Kresha Faber of Nourishing Joy ($2.99)
Finding Balance with Attachment Parenting by Andrea Olson, MA of AndreaOlson.com ($17)
Pain Redeemed by Natasha Metzler of NatashaMetzler.com ($4.99)
The Curative Kitchen (updated version) by Susan Smith Jones, Ph.D. of SusanSmithJones.com ($19.95)
Rebuild From Depression: A Nutrient Guide, The Digital Abridged Version by Amanda Rose, Ph.D. of Traditional Foods ($12.95)

Teaching Our Children
Real Food Kids: In the Kitchen plus 1 month access to select Real Food Kids eCourse videos by Wardeh Harmon of GNOWFGLINS & Jami Delgado of Eat Nourishing ($30)
Kids in Training: Life lessons that will help lead to productive, responsible and grateful kids! by Rebecca Dulgarian of Blue Cricket Designs ($7.95)
Life According to Me by Stephanie Dulgarian of Somewhat Simple ($5.95)
The Family Dinner Project by Rebecca Dulgarian & Stephanie Dulgarian ($9.95)
Easy Peasy Chores: Homeschool Edition by Alina Joy Dubois of The Good Old Days Farm ($17.99)
Teaching Kids to Clean by Dana White of A Slob Comes Clean ($5)

Help for Busy Moms
Real {Fast} Food by Trina Holden of TrinaHolden.com ($6)
Crock On by Stacy Myers of Stacy Makes Cents ($5)
Creative Ways to Make Family Holiday Memories by Kit Singleton of Raising Small Souls ($25)

Non-Toxic and Natural Living
Natural Beauty Recipes by Katie of WellnessMama ($10)
Healthy Homemaking by Stephanie Langford of Keeper of the Home ($12.95)
Restocking the Pantry by Kresha Faber of Nourishing Joy ($9.99)
Accidentally Green by Hilary Bernstein of Accidentally Green ($2.99)
Clean, Naturally! by Kresha Faber of Nourishing Joy ($4.99)

The Bonus Resources

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Download a $6 coupon for 7 Sources Oil from Flora Health to use the next time you shop! Flora's newest product, 7 Sources, is a non-GMO, sustainably-sourced fatty-acid product with EPA and DHA, which are essential during pregnancy and nursing and support cognitive function at any time of life! (Value: $6. Good in-store only. US stores only.)

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A Few FREE eBooks and eCourses – no purchase required!

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The Fine Print

While you must purchase the Bundle by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Monday, June 17, you have until June 30, 2013 to download the books and redeem the bonuses. It is your responsibility to download and back-up your purchase by June 30, 2013. After that date, the books will no longer be available for download.

With proof of purchase, we can renew download links until June 30. After this date we will no longer have access to the books and will not be able to provide any new links to download.

Please read our Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more about the file types, deadlines to redeem your bonuses, and reading the books on your eReader device.

Each bonus offer can be redeemed once only per eBook Bundle purchase. You may purchase multiple bundles in order to redeem a bonus offer more than once.

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Coming Monday Morning!

For those of you who are mothers or hope to be mothers, you'll want to get in on this:  $525 worth of mothering resources for 95% off!

This is a downloadable package designed to encourage and equip mothers to nurture their families (and themselves!) naturally.

The package includes the work of 32 well-known Ph.D.'s, fertility specialists, lactation consultants, natural health professionals, authors, and bloggers who are passionate about motherhood and caring for mothers.

Here's a sneak peek at the resources that will be included:

(There will also be bonus products and free printables and ecourses included, which I haven't listed here.)

Are you interested in healthy living, whether you're a mom or not?  Come join my Healthy Homemakers Facebook group, where we'll share encouragement and accountability in our healthy living journeys!

Natural Fertility and Pregnancy

Unbound Birth by Jennifer Yarbrough of Unbound Birth ($2.99)
Fearless Birth by Kristen Burgess of Natural Birth and Baby Care ($17)
Nourishing Foods for Labor and Childbirth (article reprint) by Kresha Faber of Nourishing Joy ($2.99)
My Pregnancy Journey by Mindy of Simply Designs ($9.99)
Fertilise Yourself by Natalie Kringoudis of Melbourne Natural Fertility ($19.95)
Eat Your Way to Parenthood by Gabriela Rosa, MScM, BHSc, ND of Natural Fertility Breakthrough ($35)
Protecting Your Fertility: The Dangers of Conventional Pest Control and Natural Safe Alternatives by Gabriela Rosa, MScM, BHSc, ND of Natural Fertility Breakthrough ($35)
The Awful Truth About Cleaning Products and Fertility Revealed by Gabriela Rosa, MScM, BHSc, ND of Natural Fertility Breakthrough ($35)

Natural Baby and Toddler Care
Breastfeeding Simply by Pinky McKay, ICBLC of PinkyMcKay.com ($25)
First Bites by Hilary Bernstein of Accidentally Green ($9.99)
Breast to Bib by Kate Tietje of Modern Alternative Mama ($8.95)
Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert by Erin Odom of The Humbled Homemaker ($9.95)
Creative Ways to Calm Your Baby by Justyn Lang of Creative Christian Mama ($6.99)
EC Simplified: Infant Potty Training Made Easy by Andrea Olson, MA of Go Diaper Free ($30)
oh, crap. potty training by Jamie Glowacki of oh crap. potty training ($15)

Natural Health and Healing
Therapeutic Parenting for Children Who Are Healing from Trauma by Tova Krause Grindlay, CPC of Parent and Family Coaching ($4.99)
Herbal Nurturing by Michele Augur of Frugal Granola ($8.95)
Herbal Remedies for Children During the Cold and Flu Season by Rosalee de la Forêt of Herbal Remedies Advice ($20)
Mother's Little Herbal Helper and Home Remedies by Natalie Vickery of The Family Herbalist ($12.50)
Questions to Ask Your Dentist by Will and Susan Revak of OraWellness ($29)
Tips and Tricks to Remineralize and Repair Your Teeth by Ramiel Nagel of CureToothDecay.com ($12.95)
The Thinking Parent's Guide to Vaccines by Kresha Faber of Nourishing Joy ($2.99)
Finding Balance with Attachment Parenting by Andrea Olson, MA of AndreaOlson.com ($17)
Pain Redeemed by Natasha Metzler of NatashaMetzler.com ($4.99)
The Curative Kitchen (updated version) by Susan Smith Jones, Ph.D. of SusanSmithJones.com ($19.95)
Rebuild From Depression: A Nutrient Guide, The Digital Abridged Version by Amanda Rose, Ph.D. of Traditional Foods ($12.95)

Teaching Our Children
Real Food Kids: In the Kitchen plus 1 month access to select Real Food Kids eCourse videos by Wardeh Harmon of GNOWFGLINS & Jami Delgado of Eat Nourishing ($30)
Kids in Training: Life lessons that will help lead to productive, responsible and grateful kids! by Rebecca Dulgarian of Blue Cricket Designs ($7.95)
Life According to Me by Stephanie Dulgarian of Somewhat Simple ($5.95)
The Family Dinner Project by Rebecca Dulgarian & Stephanie Dulgarian ($9.95)
Easy Peasy Chores by Alina Joy Dubois of The Good Old Days Farm ($17.99)
Teaching Kids to Clean by Dana White of A Slob Comes Clean ($5)

Help for Busy Moms
Real {Fast} Food by Trina Holden of TrinaHolden.com ($6)
Crock On by Stacy Myers of Stacy Makes Cents ($5)
Creative Ways to Make Family Holiday Memories by Kit Singleton of Raising Small Souls ($25)

Non-Toxic and Natural Living
Natural Beauty Recipes by Katie of WellnessMama ($10)
Healthy Homemaking by Stephanie Langford of Keeper of the Home ($12.95)
Restocking the Pantry by Kresha Faber of Nourishing Joy ($9.99)
Accidentally Green by Hilary Bernstein of Accidentally Green ($2.99)
Clean, Naturally! by Kresha Faber of Nourishing Joy ($4.99)

Come back Monday morning to get in on this deal.  One week only!

What to Do When Potty Training Isn’t Working

You've read the books, printed the charts, and bought the prizes.  You've got your game plan, and you're ready to get your child potty trained!

But it doesn't work.  Your game plan is a total failure, and consequently you feel like a failure as a mom.

The questions swirl in your mind:

Did I read the wrong book?  Maybe I should have taken a more gradual approach instead of trying to do this all in one weekend?  Did I not give him enough to drink?  Maybe I gave him too much?  Should I have tried the “run around naked” technique?  Maybe the designs on her Pull-up weren't fun enough.  Maybe she'd rather earn pennies for going potty instead of m&m's.  Maybe I'm switching up techniques too much.  I need to be more consistent, but what if I pick the wrong technique and I'm consistent at something that's never going to work?

In frustration, you wonder what the “magic key” to getting your child potty trained is.  Every book and blog post seems to offer it, but none of them seem to work for you.

Moms, I have been there.  I have thought those thoughts.  I have wondered what in the world was wrong with me that I was too dumb to figure out how to potty train a kid.

Can I tell you something?  Relax.

When that kid is ready, they will go.  If they sense that you are uptight about the whole thing, they will be uptight about it too.  If they feel like you are trying to “make” them do it, I can guarantee you their rebellious side will rear its ugly head and you will have created an even bigger problem.

I'm giving you permission to keep changing those diapers.  Don't stress out and beat yourself over the head for not doing things right.

If you want to take the diapers off and let them make messes, go ahead.  (By the way, that really did make a big difference in motivating my kids to go on the potty.)  But if that's going to stress you out, don't do it just because the book said that's how to do it.  Go buy those Pull-ups and don't worry about it one little bit.

If you want to print the potty charts and give them prizes when they go, that's great.  But don't get frustrated if that's not what works for your child.  I promise, when they are ready, it will be easy.

The most stress-free strategy for potty-training is the simple strategy of patience.

If you're a mom who has potty-trained her child in a weekend, I applaud you.  I really do.  I'm not saying it doesn't come easy for some moms.  (Here's  a great book that teaches you the Potty Train in a Weekend method.  Can't hurt to try if you're up for it!)

But I know there are plenty of moms where that's not the case.  And if you're one of them, I want to let you know it's okay.  You're not a failure.  You will get your child potty trained.  Relax, don't worry about it, and one day you'll realize your child is potty trained almost without your realizing it.

Have you ever had a child who was hard to potty train?  What did you do about it?  Share your experiences in the comments below!

And if you want more great content like this, be sure to  follow me on Facebook and Pinterest so you don't miss a thing!

Big Berkey Water Filter Review

Disclosure: I received a free product to review.  As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

When I first began experiencing some of my health issues (what has now been diagnosed as chronic fatigue syndrome, hypothyroidism, and leaky gut syndrome), I looked into every possible cause of what could be contributing to my problems.

Although we were doing pretty well with taking baby steps to healthier eating, I really stepped up my efforts and tried to go all-out, making sure our food was only from the best sources and was the most nutritionally dense as possible.

But I didn't improve.

My search continued, and I began to wonder if I was suffering from heavy metal toxicity.  Our house has old copper pipes, and many of my symptoms matched up with what I read about copper toxicity.

Whether that was the problem or not, I decided that I wanted to make sure our water was filtered.  Although we have well water and didn't have to worry about added chlorine and fluoride, I knew there could possibly be parasites lurking in our water, and any number of harmful bacteria.

I had a couple relatives who used a Berkey water filter, one of which who lives in Brazil, where the water is so dirty that their filter gets so caked with gunk that it has to be cleaned off before water will filter through it again.

I did some more research, and found out that not only does the Berkey filter out all the bad stuff, but it leaves behind important minerals which many other filters remove.

What it removes:

• bacteria
• cysts
• viruses
• parasites
• herbicides
• pesticides
• foul tastes
• chemical contaminants
• reduces heavy metals up to 95%

Is it affordable?

• The Big Berkey water filter can be purchased for around $258.
• Each filter lasts up to 3000 gallons, and since the Big Berkey comes with 2 filters, it will last up to 6000 gallons, for a total price of less than a penny per gallon!
• If you have fluoridated water, you can purchase additional filtering elements to remove the fluoride, which will bring the price per gallon up to about 7 cents a gallon.
• Berkey filters actually exceed EPA log 7 ANSI / NSF protocols for filtration and thus are rated as water purifiers, not just filters.  A water purifier is typically quite expensive and don't last nearly as long as the Berkey filters before they have to be replaced.

Other benefits:

•  Filter both treated and untreated water.  (You can filter your city water to remove contaminants or filter water from a stream or river to make it drinkable.)
• No electricity required.  In case of emergency or power outage, having a Berkey filter on hand ensures a source of drinking water as long as you have access to a pond, river, or even a swimming pool.
• Portable.  Take it along when you're traveling to ensure a clean source of water whether you're staying at a condo or camping in the wilderness.
• Easy to test.  If you're unsure of whether your filters need to be replaced, simply fill the upper chamber with water and add a teaspoon of red food coloring per gallon of water.  If the water comes through the filter clear, your filters do not need to be replaced.

 Our personal experience

I was so curious to find out whether I could taste any difference between water filtered with the Berkey and our well water.  I decided the best way to know for sure would be to do a blind taste test.

First my husband prepared two cups of water for me while I wasn't looking.

Then I did the same for him.

Neither of us could tell any difference at all, which was actually fine with us since we have always loved the taste of our well water anyway.

Another day, I brought some city water home from my mom's house and we did the same thing.  We both easily guessed which one had been filtered with the Berkey.  It was as if you could taste the additives in the city water, and once they were removed, the water tasted better.

The Big Berkey filter was a very good choice for our family.  It holds 2.25 gallons, which is just about the perfect amount of water for our family for one day.  I usually refill it right before I go to bed and the water lasts us until the next night.

I like the fact that it doesn't take up very much room on the counter, and its stainless steel design looks attractive in my kitchen.

The kids and I are also happy with the fact that they are able to reach it easily and get their own drinks.

It's not often that I give a product five stars on a review, but the Big Berkey hands down gets 5 stars based on the combination of its performance and price.

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