Get the Beautiful Babies Class FREE When You Order the Paperback! ($199 Value)

If you had a time machine, what would you do? Well, a number of things come to mind, but I would definitely pop back in time to December 2003 and hand myself a copy of the new Beautiful Babies book.

See, the me in 2003 had just announced to my husband that we were expecting our first baby. We were excited, scared and totally clueless--especially about the importance of nutrition.

Luckily I went through a Bradley birthing class which at least told me to eat enough protein (good tip!). But I was still seriously lacking in the foundational principles of how nutrition affects fetal development. I didn't know my baby needed a nutrient-dense diet to develop straight teeth, balanced gut flora and a healthy brain. I didn't know about butter or coconut oil or raw milk.

But a few years later--after the birth of my daughter and then later my son--I finally learned about real food nutrition. It blew my mind. And that's about the time I started wishing for a time machine.

Of course, since time machines don't exist (yet--call me if you figure out that whole space time continuum thing), I figure the best I can do is reach out to future mothers. Enter Beautiful Babies.

What Beautiful Babies is All About

Did you know that simple changes in your diet can increase your fertility, lower your chance of experiencing morning sickness, and even minimize the chance your child will ever need braces? Kristen Michaelis of Food Renegade discusses all of this and more in her new book Beautiful Babies. In the forward, Joel Salatin says,

"I find Kristen’s feisty spirit and mischievous humor both empowering and liberating. As a dad of two, husband of one, and grandfather of three, I covet these historically proven and normal principles for every family on earth. I wish this book had been around when my wife, Teresa, and I were starting our family."

I know how you feel, Joel!

Kristen also offers Beautiful Babies in an incredible 12-week online class featuring videos, a downloadable workbook, and plenty of supplemental reading materials. All meant to help you learn how to nourish your body and your baby during conception, pregnancy, breastfeeding and beyond.

Now, normally the Beautiful Babies class retails for $199. But right now, Kristen is offering a special deal for anyone who pre-orders the new paperback book: FREE enrollment in the Beautiful Babies online class! So for the price of a paperback, you'll be getting a crazy good deal on the class.

So if you (or anyone you know) is trying to conceive, pregnant, breastfeeding, or wondering about the best way to feed their young baby, now is the time to take advantage of everything Beautiful Babies has to offer!

How to Get the Beautiful Babies Class for FREE

1. Pre-order the paperback.

Click here to pre-order the book from Amazon.

2. Email Kristin Michaelis your receipt.

Email your order receipt to booklaunch@foodrenegade.com. After Kristin verifies your order, she'll email you a special coupon for your free enrollement in the class!

Q. Can I give the free enrollment as a gift?

A. Definitely! When you enroll in the online class, you can put in your loved one's contact information to enroll them in the course.

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Cinnamon Tingle Cod Liver Oil Success With Kids!

When I got this email from last month's Green Pasture giveaway winner, I knew I had to share it with you all. I think most of us feel some hesitation about investing in a bottle of quality cod liver oil if you fear your kids will never consent to taking it every day. But a lot of parents are surprised when they realize it's often not the battle they expected! Here's what this email said:

I got my cod liver oil/butter oil blend yesterday (cinnamon tingle flavor). I was really doubtful I could get the kids to take it. But they really surprised me!

My 2 year old swallowed hers without any problem and even licked the lid!  My 9 year old, who I had raised on convenience food (before our traditional food awakening) took hers with no argument and said it wasn't so bad. My 7 yr old "healthy eater" had the most difficulty--mostly because she held it in her mouth too long. But eventually she swallowed and didn't give me any fuss today. Our 8 month old didn't know what hit him and I followed his teaspoon with some applesauce before he could spit any out. So all in all, a very good experience. 

Thank you for providing our family the opportunity to try the fermented cod liver oil.  We are also sure to be Green Pasture customers from now on!

Isn't that cool? I love hearing success stories like this!

If you need a high quality source for high vitamin cod liver oil and butter oil, check out my Resources page!


Do your kids take cod liver oil? Has it been a battle or do you have a secret for getting your kids to take it without a fight? Share in the comments below!

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Research Shows Probiotics Benefit Children

 

 

Gut health is as important for kids as it is for adults--and even more so, since their bodies are growing. Their brain development, their immunity and their assimilation of important nutrients all depends on the health of their gut flora. While I believe probiotics are just one piece in the puzzle of gut health, I do think that the right kind of probiotics (such as those that naturally occur in fermented and cultured foods) can be beneficial to kids when part of a balanced, nutritious diet. Research is starting to agree:

• One study found that children who consumed probiotics experienced less flu and cold symptoms, recovered more quickly from illness, and required less antibiotics to treat colds and the flu. As a result, children who took probiotics also missed less school (or daycare) than those who didn't.  

• Researchers recently reported that probiotics reduced the symptoms of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) in children in this study.

• Another study in Finland showed that infants with eczema who were given probiotics had fewer outbreaks and showed more improvement than infants who received no probiotics.

• Yet another study conducted in Italy found that probiotics in fermented milk reduced the severity of hay fever symptoms in young children. Researchers noted that children who received probiotics also experienced less diarrhea.

Of course, it helps to keep a balanced perspective when it comes to probiotics for kids. More is not necessarily better and there's no need for everything in our (or our children's) diets to be full of probiotics. The addition of a few key probiotic foods is the right approach for most. Once you find a few fermented and cultured foods your family enjoys, you can start making them part of your regular meals.

A Word on Probiotic Supplements:

Thinking about giving your kids a probiotic supplement? It's tempting, but not necessarily the best route for most. Supplements, in general, are poorly regulated and often contain additives we don't want in our bodies. While many probiotic supplements claim to have a certain count of live bacteria, by the time it gets to you, you really can't know for sure what you're getting.

While high quality supplements can have their place in short-term therapy, generally the best way to get probiotics is through food. And I don't mean those cute little yogurt cups (which are mostly dyes and additives anyway, with a few live cultures thrown in to make them appear healthy). I'm talking about good old-fashioned fermented foods. Like sauerkraut, kimchi, lacto-fermented ketchup, yogurt, and kefir. Making these at home is simple and inexpensive.

If you want to learn everything there is to know about fermenting and culturing food at home, I highly recommend taking a look at the Get Cultured! E-course by Jenny McGruther. Her instructional videos are phenomenal and her recipes are timeless. If you want to get a taste of what you'll receive in this comprehensive course, check out the free bonus lesson on making healthy french fries and ketchup! Otherwise, go take a look at the complete lesson plan, or the FAQ page if you have any questions about the course.

Don't forget to try these probiotic recipes:

• How to Make Raw Milk Kefir
• How to Make Raw Milk Yogurt

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3 Reasons to Make Your Own Baby Food

The following is a guest post by Heather Green, a fellow freelance writer:

I recently had my first baby and was able to breastfeed with no problem. Five months later, my doctor said it was time to introduce baby food into his diet, so I went to the grocery store and checked out the vast array of all natural and organic baby foods.

After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I scoured my brain for alternatives to this gold in a glass jar and remembered that my cousin had made her own baby food. It sounded like a daunting task, but it turned out to be one of the easiest things I've ever done.

So why on earth would you make your own baby food instead of buying it? Here's why:


#1 You Know What's in It!

Have you ever read the back of a baby food jar? Surprisingly, even the natural stuff can have additives and added sugar. The difference in color will shock you. After making my own food, I noticed that comparatively, the drab and dull shades of the jarred foods pale next to the bright, vibrant colors of the homemade foods. Oh, and don't get me started about the taste! The baby food I made actually tasted like the fruit or veggie it came from as opposed to the store bought food that, well, was sort of unrecognizable.


#2 Save Money

It is AMAZING how much dough you will save by making your own baby food! Just as a rough estimate, if your child eats three jars of baby food as day, at sixty cents a jar, that is over $50 a month. I paid $40 for three months worth of fresh baby food that only took a few hours to make. (Not to mention, you are helping the environment by not using dozens of jars each week.)


#3 It's So Easy!

Really!! All you do is steam and boil, cool and puree. That's it! I cooked peas, carrots, squash, peaches, bananas, mangoes and zucchini in four hours, now my freezer is full. After you cook everything and let it cool, you pour the baby food into ice cube trays (I suggest buying these at the Dollar Store) Once you freeze them, you can put them into gallon freezer bags and label with a Sharpie (the name of the food and date your stored it). I started by introducing each food one cube at a time in case my son wasn't hungry or didn't like the food.

There are several ways to warm your baby foods:

1) Heat the cubes up in a small pot on the stove until it reaches a warm temperature

2) Just pop one or two cubes in a glass bowl and put it in the microwave for 10 seconds at a time. When the food is warm enough, stir it really well to avoid "hot spots." 

3) Put the cubes in a Ziploc bag and run the bag under hot water until the food is warm. Pour into a bowl and serve!

It's easy and healthy, and I feel so good knowing that my little man is getting the best food money can buy!



Heather Green is a Christian mom, freelance writer and the resident blogger for
OnlineNursingDegrees.org, a free informational website offering tips
and advice about online nursing schools.




This post is part of Monday Mania at The Healthy Home Economist, Real Food Wednesday hosted by Kelly the Kitchen Kop and Pennywise Platter Thursday hosted by the Nourishing Gourmet.

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