General Mills Grains of Goodness

Every year the weight loss resolutions begin and you hear some odd diet tips, tricks, and suggestions. But the diet science and studies suggest that diets rich in whole grain help maintain a healthy heart, help manage weight, reduce the risk for diabetes and other health issues.

In a national survey, 91 percent of Americans said they want to incorporate more whole grain foods into their diets. In fact, nine out of 10 people in the U.S. still do not eat the minimum recommended daily amount of whole grain (at least three servings, or 48 grams). General Mills is the only leading cereal company to guarantee whole grain in every box, 8 grams of whole grain per serving to be exact. Every day, General Mills´ Big G Cereals - which include Cheerios, Fiber One, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Chex, Total and Lucky Charms - deliver 35 million servings of whole grain to Americans. Additionally General Mills is reducing the amount of sugar in all of their cereals to provide the same great taste without all the unnecessary extras.

My house is a HUGE fan of Cheerios and most recently Cinnamon Toast Crunch. We love these two because you can eat them as a breakfast cereal or you can snack on them dry which makes for great snacks for the kids anytime during the day. When our house was provided with the General Mills Grains of Goodness prize pack we went and bought a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch (since we already had LOTS of Cheerios on hand) and we wanted to try a new flavor of Total from General Mills. We got the Total Blueberry Pomegranate and can I just say, DEE LISH! Absolutely yummy.

So to promote General Mills promise to bring you whole grain in every box of cereal and reduced sugar, The Five Fish and General Mills on behalf of My Blog Spark are giving away this great prize pack for you!

TWO (2) VIP Coupons for Big G cereal products, a breakfast chiller, large cereal mug, & tote bag

Here is how you can win. Tell me how you are adding more whole grain to your diet? Do you know how much whole grain you need daily? Or tell me your favorite General Mills cereal. 

(Please leave me your email address if your blogger profile is not public, no email, no winnings.)

Extra Entries:

• Follow my blog 
• Fan The Fish (please re-fan as the previous fan page was all wonky)
• Follow me on Twitter
• Tweet this giveaway, unlimited tweet option as long as you do not double comment on this blog for your unlimited tweets: Win General Mills cereal prize pack with @KariewithaK #giveaway http://goo.gl/XNMU Ends 3/6
• Subscribe to my feed
• Blog this Giveaway with a link back (Worth 5 entries)
• Grab my button
• Add my blog to your text blog roll

CONTEST ENDS MARCH 6TH @ 11:59PM

Best of Luck!

*The Five Fish received the above pictured prize pack and in no way are we making any health claims regarding whole grain, in no way was our opinion influenced by the product and we make no claims regarding the product other than the facts stated on the Nutritional Values chart on the product.

Oral Health Giveaway :: CLOSED

Tis the cold season for cold sores chapped lips canker sores and dry mouth. Did you know that "60 million people get cold sores annually" (Lip Clear, 2010)? "Canker sores can last anywhere from seven to 21 days" (Canker Cover, 2010)? Staggering right!? I also read that if you take more than three medications you are more than likely to suffer from dry mouth which can result in poor oral health due to lack of moisture.

Well here are three products to help improve your overall oral health and you can win them right here!

Cold Sore Treatment - Lip Clear Lysine +

LIP CLEAR Lysine+ is said to reduce the duration of cold sores by 50% and the average healing time was roughly four days. Even though there is no cure for cold sores, (herpes simplex virus) you definitely want to be able to treat them and make life a little less irritating. You can even wear this product under your favorite chap stick and lipstick and does not burn; where other products burn to tell you it is working.



Canker Cover

Canker Cover Canker Sore Patch helps to relieve the pain inside your mouth from those pesky sores. Canker sores can be caused from various factors such as stress, lowered immunity, (due to illness or otherwise) trauma, vitamin deficiencies, hormones, and more. So to ease the pain and increase the heal time the folks at Quantum Health bring you Canker Cover. Apply the gel, allow to set, and if needed reapply in 24 hours. Canker Cover is edible and safe to use while protecting from the elements (food, teeth, tongue) that may further agitate the sore.





OraMoist Dry Mouth Patch

Living in Arizona everything is VERY dry. Dry heat. Dry skin. Your clothes and hair are dry in a matter of minutes in the summer. So a dry mouth is also a problem. A problem also for those who suffer from taking prescription medication which can reduce your saliva and moisture. The dry mouth patch is easy to use too, just place on the roof of your mouth and you are set for increased moisture. I will have to say that the OraMoist patch did have a strong, sour taste almost as if I was eating a lemon drop which did cause my salivary glands to go into overtime to which I had to spit the thing out. But I also don't suffer from dry mouth so this was a bit of overload for me.

WIN IT!! Win all three or win one or win all three by telling me if you suffer from any of these three, know anyone that does and how they could help you or would be worth a try since you have tried everything.

Extra Entries:

• Fan Healthy Mouth on Facebook to get all sorts of oral questions answered as well as helpful hints and oral care ideas for you and your family.
• Follow my blog and tell me you do
• Follow me on Twitter
• Tweet the giveaway using @KariewithaK and #oralhealth as your hashtag. Tweets abound too as long as you have a comment separating your last comment for the tweet.
• Subscribe to my feed
• Grab my button
• Blog this giveaway (Worth 5 entries)
• Fan The Fish

CONTEST ENDS FEBRUARY 24TH @ 11:59PM

Best of luck!

*The Five Fish did receive all three products to review and I do not suffer from canker sores and or cold sores I made and will make no claims to the product and the effectiveness, but provided informational verbiage and the product in no way swayed my view.

Morsel Monday and NutraSalt Giveaway :: CLOSED

If you haven't already please partake in the Extraordinary Mothers Morsel Monday link up! Participating is a lot of fun and a great way to find new dining delights for the family and hey, linky love!

This week I am "spicing" up the post with a review and giveaway of a product I received to try from the fabulous folks at NutraSalt. You are probably wondering what NutraSalt is and how nutra and salt can be combined together and not be an oxymoron. The NutraSalt product is a balanced product of sodium and potassium, 66% less sodium, to be exact, compared to common table salt. The proprietary product in NutraSalt's recipe is the harvesting of Red Sea and Dead Sea salts from the Mediterranean.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the extra pinch of salt here and there can add up resulting in excessive sodium intake based on levels of sodium in processed foods, natural sources, and the extra shake during food preparation and at meal time.

Excessive sodium intake lead to conditions such as high blood pressure, kidney disease and cardiovascular disease which results in hundreds of thousands of deaths a year if not lifetime treatments such as dialysis for kidney disease. NutraSalt helps to replace the use of common salt in a healthier alternative to traditional table salt, allowing for the flavor but not the health risks often associated with excess salt intake.

NutraSalt comes in a variety salts and seasonings to "spice" up any recipe:

• Low Sodium Sea Salt
• Seasoned Salt
• Texas BBQ
• Savory Garlic
• Zesty Italian
• Lemon Dill
• Lemon Herbs
• Robusto Adobo
• Spicy Cajun
• Bold Chipotle
• African Medley
• Asian Fusion
• Classic Curry

I received to try in my home the Low Sodium Sea Salt, Savory Garlic Lemon Dill, Bold Chipotle, Asian Fusion and the African Medley. I used every single one on some of my favorite meals. The Asian Fusion is absolutely divine on chicken and pork, I used them both on the grill and they added just that extra kick of spice to the flavor. Savory Garlic, I used that on my spaghetti dish when making garlic bread. Finally, my favorite is the African Medley which I used to make my Turkey Chili. The African Medley has flavors of cinnamon, peppers, ginger, and again the right balance of sodium and potassium. I know you are thinking "cinnamon? In my Chili?" YES!

How can you enjoy a 4-pack of your choice of NutraSalt and make this a staple in your home?  Go to the NutraSalt site and tell me ONE fact in a comment (that I did not mention above. As a recap I mentioned it is derived from Sea Salt, is 66% lower in sodium, is rich in potassium).

Extra Entries:

• Follow my blog or tell me you do
• Follow me on Twitter or tell me you do
• Tweet another fact about NutraSalt making sure to use @KariewithaK, the link to this giveaway, so I see your tweets. Daily RT's are available!
• Subscribe to The Fish in a Reader or via email (at the top)
• Blog this Giveaway! (worth 10 entries if you mention a fact, link to NutraSalt and this giveaway!)
• Email this giveaway to a friend (worth 3 entries)
• Fan The Fish on Facebook

CONTEST ENDS JANUARY 30TH 

@ 11:59PM ARIZONA TIME

Best of luck!

Turkey Chili:

1.5lbs ground Turkey

1 can Pinto Beans

1 can Black Beans

1 can diced tomatoes

1/2 can of corn

1/4 cup onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, diced

2 T. finely chopped Italian Parsley

2 T. finely chopped Cilantro

2 T. Olive Oil

1/4 c. Nutra Salt African Medley, divided (can be substituted with  2 tsp. cinnamon, 2 tsp. cumin, 2 tsp. ground corriander, 1 T. chili powder, 1 tsp red peppers, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp onion powder)

I used my Cuisinart Multi-Cooker but a stove top cook pot works well too. Pour Olive oil into pan heating over medium heat, sautee onions and garlic until almost translucent add in ground turkey, parsley, cilantro, and 1/8 c. of NutraSalt African Medley (or the above substitutes halved). Cook until meat is browned and spices are mixed well. Add the can of tomatoes, beans, corn and remaining spices. Bring to a boil (add water if needed, but the canned juices should provide enough), stirring well, reduce to a simmer for at least an hour to let all the flavors mix. Serve with cornbread.

VOILA!

The Ultimate Cloth review

The Five Fish are a "green," eco-friendly family and recently I was contacted to receive and review The Ultimate Cloth. My first reaction was Sham-Wow. I know...I am terrible but that was my thought. My second thought was that this cloth is like the Mr. Clean sponge and laden with formaldehyde and harsh chemicals.

When I received the Ultimate Cloth I put it to the test.

The first item on the list of benefits was "Guaranteed...never streak Windows, Mirrors or Glass."

Fabulous! Let's take a gander. So my children sit near a window in their high chairs, that window is the victim of many drive by foodings....lots of concrete applesauce and what have you accumulates throughout the day and quite literally I can spend hours scrubbing and then cleaning to obtain streak free windows. DAILY.

I was PLEASANTLY surprised to see that upon wetting the Ultimate Cloth and wringing the water from it that I truly did get a streak free shine as well as remove the drive by foodings. Amazing! Okay, so could it stand up to THE DOORS. Yes, my French doors. The doors that have received many a grubby hands, muddy feet and hands and slobbery dog faces smooshing on this door. AMAZING! Seriously the schmegma, gone. Just sa bit of extra elbow work into the cleaning and the French doors are now sparkling clean.

The secret is the Mira-Fiber technology. I was skeptical, as usual. Chemicals had to be in this product. Somewhere. Somehow. No way could this smooth cloth be so rough and durable. No way this cloth could take a beating around the house, be bleached, washed, used and repeat all over again and still not be in shreds.

I then put this bad boy to the true test of cleaning in the domicile of The Five Fish.....THE STAINLESS STEEL. If you have true stainless steel in your home you know what a PAIN the stainless is to keep, quite literally, stainless. Finger smudges are the worst along with the ugly black dust build-up. Stainless is only clean and steak free when using the stainless steel cleaner right? Nope. I used the Ultimate Cloth and again, extremely happy that I had a STREAK FREE appliance on my hands.

Now keep in mind. You must rinse after each use and wring in order to achieve maximum results.

The Ultimate Cloth is a great, green alternative to harsh chemicals and cleaners. I keep mine in the kitchen at all times for spills, little wipe downs, and tough scrubbings. What's great....they offer a money back guarantee on this product and a FIVE year warranty. Who offers those kind of benefits. Not to mention the green benefit of washing and BLEACHING this product for use over and over again.

Want one for yourself? Or hey maybe as a great stocking stuffer? The Ultimate Cloth generally sells for $6 but for a limited time you can take advantage of this great offer and pay just $0.01 plus s/h for this fabulous cleaner! Limit one at that price, but hey....for the price you could order another as a gift or for yourself, or a friend! Order one now!

Graine de Vie SEED Body Care & Giveaway :: CLOSED

Some of you may know I am very particular about my body care. I truly like products that I can read and understand the name of the ingredients, not some laboratory name that requires a kindergarten phonetic to pronounce the words. I recently had the opportunity to review SEED Body Care courtesy of Buzz Cooperative.

Graine de Vie SEED Body Care is co-founded by Rebecca Gournay in an effort to find a detoxifying and healthy alternative lifestyle when she was on her quest to conceive a child. During her research she and her husband began discussing the health benefits of wine and of course grape seeds. One day Rebecca came upon a spa product made with grape seed and the rest is history. Grape seed is packed with powerful antioxidants, Vitamin E, and beneficial essential fatty acids, ingredients shown to promote healthy skin and help prevent premature aging.

The full size products I reviewed were the grape seed enriched conditioning hair shampoo bar, grape seed enriched moisturizing body soap and the grape seed enriched moisturizing body lotion. When I received the products I immediately tore into all of them, I wanted to know how they smelled. I have a thing for the way items smell. I was in heaven. The body soap and lotion each have a wonderful citrus scent, very true to the smell of grape seed oil and or grapefruit. The shampoo bar had a tinge of scent even though it was the unscented bar.

I showered with each of the cleansing products and overall here is how they stacked up for me:

Shampoo Bar
I can honestly say that I was overly excited about the shampoo bar until I finished using it the first time. My hair felt almost stripped and very unmanageable. I chalked up the results as just the products initial use and that after styling and drying my hair would be easier to manage. I was highly disappointed that the result was not to my liking and my hair still felt brittle, dry, unmanageable, and I quite literally had an afro after the initial use. I even made sure to use when I was on my four day stretch of no wash days to ensure maximum results. I firmly believe in washing your hair only once or twice a week, so I was disappointed. However, the shampoo bar is wonderful for my son and husband who each have very short hair. I will say that the lather and bubbly are fantastic, a smooth creamy lather and not too bubbly but enough for my personal liking. The conditioning quality was less than I had expected, but again, could be the product was not jiving with my hair as I have very fine, thick, dry hair.

Body Bar
I love the body bar and the exfoliating seeds. I quite literally used this bar until only a smidge was left. Again the creamy, bubbly, and lather are excellent, but the bar is a bit drying. I noticed the primary ingredient is sodium palmate and sodium cocoate which is a palm and coconut based oil which tends to be on the drying side however, palm is EXCELLENT for lather and cleansing and coconut is excellent for creating a nice hard bar of soap. So all in all I felt wonderfully clean but a bit dry.

Body Lotion
Now, the lotion is F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S!!! I love the smooth, creamy, almost silky feel to the lotion. Very nice when applied after the use of the body bar, they definitely compliment one another if your skin is a bit on the dry side after use. The fragrance is a light citrus, envigorating, awakens your sense of smell and is just a wonderful feeling on your skin.

All of the SEED Body Care products are paraben free, preservative free, and contain no artificial colors or animal products, a truly vegan experience.

You now have the opportunity to experience SEED for yourself here is how:

Mandatory entry:
Go to the SEED website and tell me which products you would like to try because you are getting THREE full size products to win yourself!

 Extra entries:

• Fan SEED on Facebook
• Fan The Fish on Facebook (to your right)
  
• Follow my blog and tell me you do (again, stage right)
  
• Follow me on Twitter, tell me you do
• Tweet this giveaway using @KariewithaK & #seedbody so I can see your Tweets and give you credit

Want extra chances to win? Well The Buzz Cooperative and Global Influence (@ResourcefulMom) are holding a Twitter party on December 10th @ 2:00PM EST using the above hashtag and giving away gift cards to Amazon.com and Drugstore.com where you can order SEED+ products (SEED only available @ Amazon.com currently).  

CONTEST ENDS DECEMBER 17TH 

@ 3:00PM ARIZONA TIME. 

Gifts for Everyone: Solay Wellness Himalayan Salt Lamp

Have you recently gone shopping and maybe seen that quaint shop in the mall with the salt lamps. Salt Lamps. Yes I said salt lamps. Well at the shopping district close to my home a boutique shop of Himalayan Salt lamps is sold and I had yet to see what they were, what they are about, and just window shop the lamps. I began to Google these lamps. Why are they so special? What is the deal really?

Himalayan Salt lamps are positive, negatively charged ionic air cleansers. You know that wonderful feeling and smell after the rain? The rain generates those healthy negative ions that promote a sense of well-being. If you are a skeptic, read more here about How Salt Lamps work.

Our family was grateful enough to receive a salt lamp to review from Solay Wellness and I was stunned by the "cool" factor of these salt crystals, the sheer weight, and the feeling these lamps resonate in your home. The assembly is easy peasy with the salt rock and the opening at the bottom for the easy to remove electrical and bulb attachment, just plug in the bulb, the plug, turn on and enjoy.

The light is a warm orange-red color and is fabulous. We have the lamp in our room and the color is so soothing, albeit hypnotic in a sense, and I always have trouble sleeping. Not only because I have children, but I am a busy working woman so my mind and body have a hard time shutting down.

Seriously I have slept like a rock with this lamp, pardon the pun. Seriously. I was thinking it was all in my head until I turned the lamp off and when I did...I tossed and turned again. I am a firm believer in the metaphysical and alternative therapies and of course you know I am a proponent for organic and healthier living so this lamp was right up our health nut alley.

The lamps retail anywhere from $29.95 on up depending on the weight of the lamp, yes the salt rocks are based on their weight, and depending upon which salt you prefer. Himalayan, Persian, polished, shaped, lots of options when you want a great salt lamp. But Solay Wellness offers more than just the salt lamps, they offer an entire product line of healthy living for your home, kitchen, and pets, salts for living, art, health, go check them out. They have such a wonderful offering of products for everyone in the family.

Happy Holidays and enjoy Solay Wellness.

Thank you Solay Wellness for the wonderful lamp and the

sample beauty products they are enjoyed to the fullest in our home.

Cheerios Spoonful of Stories Prize Pack :: CLOSED

Over the past eight years, Cheerios has given away more than 40 million children’s books by distributing them free inside cereal boxes and has donated $3.2 million to First Book, their non-profit partner, which provides books to children from low-income families. The program is part of Cheerios’ ongoing commitment to helping parents provide their children with a healthy, nutritional and educational foundation.

Beginning this month, Cheerios is again bringing books to the breakfast table, by providing six million children’s books free inside Cheerios boxes. The books are for children ages 3 to 8 years old, and include a brand new book in the popular “Trucktown” series, available only inside Cheerios boxes. And for the first time, all five books have been specially printed in both English and Spanish. This year’s book offerings from Cheerios – all by Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing – are: 

Junkyard Fort, written by Jon Scieszka, and illustrated by David Shannon, Loren Long and Dave Gordon: Join Gabriella, Jack, Melvin, Ted, Lucy and the other Trucktown characters as they make their own fort, using things found in the junkyard. Ages 4-8.

Tea for Ruby, written by The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser: Wherever Ruby goes, a bit of disaster seems to follow. But one sunny morning, things change when the postman brings Ruby an amazing invitation: would she like to have tea with the Queen? Ruby needs to polish her manners, and quickly. Ages 4-8.

Sleepyhead, written by Karma Wilson and illustrated by John Segal: In this rhythmic bedtime story, a cat is the parent and a teddy bear is the child who doesn't want to go to bed. All ready for bed with teeth brushed and story read, Sleepyhead teddy tries anything to prolong his bedtime; books and his quilt provide ample fodder for his imagination. Ages 3-7.

Ballyhoo Bay, written by Judy Sierra and illustrated by Derek Anderson: Mira Bella, an artist who teaches painting and sculpture, loves Ballyhoo Bay and what it offers: sun, sea, sand, and sky. But one gray day a billboard arrives, announcing an impending development that would take all the fun out of the place. Read along to see if Mira Bella and her art can save the day and Ballyhoo Bay! Ages 4–8.

What’s Under the Bed?, written and illustrated by Joe Fenton: Young Fred cannot stop worrying about the scary creature that might be hiding beneath his bed. Finally summoning the courage to peer under his bed, Fred, with his cumbersome glasses, sees that the only thing there is Ted, his friendly Teddy Bear! Ages 3–7.
[Courtesy of MyBlogSpark and Cheerios (a General Mills Brand)]

We here at The Five Fish LURVE Cheerios. My kids had Cheerios as their first finger foods, my son eats Cheerios for breakfast because of the low sugar content, and who doesn't just love a handful as a snack on a road trip. In no way did this program affect us, other than the additional reading material we received as part of this wonderful promotion.

DH and I strive to read and sing to our kids all the time. We think reading helps to foster imagination, improve educational strengths, and reading is a fabulous hobby. I mean I blew through the Twilight series in like four days flat. Non stop reading. We want our children to enjoy reading as much as we do and we also encourage Big G to read as much as he can on his own. Especially since he is doing the Harcourt reading program at school!

The Spoonfuls of Stories books we think fit into his Harcourt reading program. The books are great short stories that engage a child and their imagination, not to mention the cool activities at the back of the books. Grant is a HUGE fan of reading on his own now and as a parent the most wonderful feeling is seeing the lights click and the bulb light up when your child begins to read on their own, without the phonetic and parental attempts and assistance. Truly an indescribable feeling. Since he is such a new reader he has lots of fun books to read from educational to story-time books, so no specific favorite just yet. My favorite books as a child were Ramona, The Box Car Children, Charlotte's Web, and as I got older I became a fan of novels, poetry, prose, and comedies. (Yeah I am a bit of a literary snob at times)

So in an effort to promote a strong educational foundation with reading and healthy eating with Cheerios, The Five Fish are bringing you a Cheerios Spoonful of Stories Prize Pack which also includes a $25 Gift Card to Barnes and Noble!

PRIMARY ENTRY:  Tell me your reading story ritual with your children or maybe the importance of reading in your children's lives or maybe tell me your favortite character from your favorite book (childhood or otherwise)
(Please make sure you have an email address or your Blogger account is public, I like Sherlock Holmes, but I don't like to play detective.)


EXTRA ENTRIES:

• Follow my blog (or tell me you do)
• Follow me on Twitter (or come tell me you do)
• Tweet this Giveaway "Promoting healthy habits and reading for life with @CheeriosBrand and @KariewithaK, Win a Cheerios Prize Pack http://tinyurl.com/yzy5n3h" (once per day)
• Technorati fave this blog
• Enter one of my other giveaways (3 extra entries)
• Fan The Fish on Facebook
• Blog about this giveaway (minimum of 100 words) (worth 5 entries)

 CONTEST ENDS NOVEMBER 8TH @ MIDNIGHT

Best of luck to you all!
*Five Fish always blog ethically and with transparency. Click HERE! 

I Said I Got Sauce

If you watched my Mingle on Monday you saw that I had a billow of steam behind me. Some quite literally thought I might torch my kitchen, behold.....the power of the Fish! Okay, so I am kidding, but the steam was much, probably from the fact I had the hood on trying to suck all of that steam away.

So I promised my winning recipe from these lovely items that I share in my Friday post about how I Heart my CSA. If you did not read, go back, gaze upon the fruits of the Earth! Because I ate almost everything in that photo. Not alone! Dear GAWD NO! I had help. Again, the fruits:

Okay quite a bit in this photo, but feast your eyes on those BEAUTIFUL organic tomatoes! YUM! And just to the left of those juicy, perfectly delectable tomatoes is a bushel (not a true metric measurement bushel) of Licorice basil. Just absolutely beautiful as well, the smell is intoxicating, and the taste, OH SO SWEET!

My recipe for some Grrrrrreat sauce:

1/2 c. Vodka (any Vodka will do, set aside a little extra for you with a lime and ice)
4 c. diced tomatoes (if you don't have enough fresh tomatoes......canned works AWESOME!)
1 can tomato paste (I bought organic since it was as cheap as the regular stuff, but again, any type will do!)
1 T. onion power
3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1/4 Purple bell pepper for a bit of zing
2 basil stalks (my stalks are huge and I love Basil, but use it to your liking an taste)
1/2 t. Oregano
1/2 t. Parsley
Salt/pepper to taste
(For a bit more of a biting sauce, add 1 t. crushed red pepper, I pulverized mine so it mixes well, you can do the same with the back of a spoon and a Ziploc bag)

In a large skillet or deep pot, add tomatoes and dry ingredients (onion powder, oregano, parsley, salt/pepper, basil, bell pepper) bring to a low boil. Slowly add vodka and return to a boil. Add in can of tomato paste and stir, reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for as long as your desired taste and thickness (I simmered mine for most of the day), the vodka brings out a very rich taste in the tomatoes. Be sure to add garlic 20 minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to maintain the garlic flavor and taste, otherwise if you are not a garlic fan, add at the beginning with all dry ingredients.

I also like to add sausage to my sauce, Italian sausage, Jimmy Dean Breakfast sausage, or ground beef all works WONDERFULLY!  I also LOVE a sweet Italian ground turkey meat as well. YUM!

Remove from heat and serve over spaghetti, angel hair, or any desired pasta. VOILA!

BTW - I think you will find there is LESS sugar and LESS calories in this homemade recipe than a standard jar of sauce. Plus, I think it tastes better. But I am a food snob too!

You are what you eat

Have you heard the adage or saying:

A little dirt never hurt
Five second rule:
Pick it up off the floor before five seconds and its safe
You are what you eat

Not to get on my soap box but this is not always the case for our food. More specifically I am talking about all the yummy, juicy, food and produce we pick up at the local supermarket.

Did you know that they have genetically engineered tomatoes to be immune to Round Up?

GROSS right?
Can you imagine how much Round Up or other crap we ingest because farmers spray the weeds....because weeds are unsightly right? Plus those icky bugs. The bugs like bees that are becoming extinct because of insecticides, even though those bees pollinate the majority of our fruits and vegetables. Those chemicals do not dissipate, they are absorbed by the soil and the plants. Sure it may not be on the TOP of the food but what about in the dirt, in the stems, in the fruit and meat of the food we eat? Did you know that they engineer plants to bloom for one year and one year alone? Requiring high yield farmers to replant new seeds?

Our produce is so scary! Not to mention unhealthy.

I only found these facts out after attending one of my Busy Bee Twin Mom meetings and one of our moms who has a degree in Environmental Science from UC Santa Barbara, told us about all these scary and truthful facts of the food and produce we eat everyday. I mean I know that they use pesticides and etc, but I was unaware of all the genetic modifications. No wonder we all are getting cancer.

So I share this with you because I think that the information is important. The traditional food in stores is unhealthy for us and our kids. The hype on organic is not because it is organic and reduces your carbon footprint, but because overall the food IS better. Tastes better, works better with your body, does not leave unhealthy and unsafe levels of chemicals in your body.

Did you know those chemicals stay there? Yeah they don't just "go away," we don't take them out in our BM trash, they are there for life. Imagine how your body is a living chemistry lab as all these different chemicals bind, mix, and stick to every cell in your body. And we wonder why people get cancer, why our daughters start to enter puberty at 10 years old and even younger. Milk and beef are the same way, chickens, pork, all modified with hormones, fed grain, feed, grasses, and vegetables that have all been genetically modified, altered, treated, hormonally injected.

Here is the BUT, that everyone is saying, "BUT, the FDA says its safe."

Sure the FDA also said that pharmaceuticals are safe, but they are taking those off the market now too, are they not? The FDA also said that a pesticide that was so great in the 70's was safe and guess what, it is no longer used...except illegally in third world countries because the risk of in Utero deformities, abnormalities and preterm labor. The FDA also said Valium was safe....but they did a 20 year study on all the effects of Valium....so tell me....if it is SOOO safe....why a 20 year study?

The solution?

Organic! CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Organic Co-ops. Grow your Own!

Organic is tricky but not. The USDA Certified tells you that your food is USDA organic, no pesticides, the farm has been clean for many years which includes the water the non use of pesticides, insecticides, the whole array of chemical free.

There is also the OMRI Organic Certification which certifies the products are organic without the USDA and FDA taking their slice of the profitable organic pie. These farmers farm organic, but do not have the time or money to invest in the full blown organic certification. The whole enchilada of the USDA Organic takes at least five years of a clean farm plus lots more time, money, and certifications....some farms don't have that kind of time or fund.

There is also Organic Fair Trade. These are products from developing countries and farmers who again, do not have the time and resources for a full blown certification. However, they do adhere to organic farming guidelines.

Did you know that there is produce called Heirloom? Yup, these are centuries old, untouched fruits and vegetables that have been farmed for years. They taste beautiful, they look beautiful, these seeds and produce items are often found on Native American farms and European farms, old school, old farming, no new technology and products for generating a mass quantity harvest, just good old fashioned farming and foods.

CSA - A CSA is great!! I am a member of a CSA. I love them!! Fabulous is what they are!! You find a local farm in your area and you invest your monies anywhere from $100 to $300 per season to purchase vegetables, fruits, eggs, dairy, you name it, whatever that farm has to offer. And guess what.....you see how they grow it! You see how they maintain their farm, you are also buying RIPE then and there, fresh! No hormones to speed the ripening process. Because other farmers have to pick early before the produce is fresh and then try to ripen the product in a store for you to buy. Because no one wants ugly produce right?

Your eggs...did you know that Grade B eggs can be stored in a fridge for up to one year before sent to the supermarket for you to buy?! Yup, why do you think they have such a short shelf life...because they have already been stored for a YEAR!! Nasty!! Your Grade A eggs yeah those are refrigerated for almost as long...SIX MONTHS before you buy them in their pretty cartons in the store. Plus those chicken...literally cooped up with their only goal is to lay those eggs. If you were cooped up like that....would you be healthy? Probably not.

Food Co-Ops. These are fantastic. Again you get all the greatness of a CSA but you also get more variety such as some farmers who also have cattle, so beef, bison, chicken, you sign up, choose your pick up spot and there you go! Better than the grocery store because you are supporting local farmers, local residents (just like you), and you are helping the environment by avoiding the obsession and use of petroleum based products such as oil, plastics, diesel.

Now that I am on and about off my soap box, look into a CSA. Meet your local farmer, check out your local farmers market, taste their food! They always let you taste the fruits of their labor. We did, we got to taste fresh cantaloupe...OMG and was it the best tasting cantaloup ever. We got a watermellon and a half dozen eggs and the eggs were beautiful. Brown and tasty with more Omega-3 fatty acids than those nasty store bought. Seriously you are what you eat and do you want all that build up of chemicals and genetically modified experiments working in your body?

My Quotable Sunday Savior

Be sure to go See Toni @ A Daily Dose of Toni for more great Quotable Sunday Quotes.
This quote has saved me in every way possible.....including my sanity.....from the mouth of the wise Benjamin Franklin who said:

"Believe none of what you hear, and half of what you see."

Life is about perception. Every person's perception is different from another. The same can be said about reality. So as to say that perception is reality, my perception is not the same as your perception which means that my reality is different from your reality.

Which in reality, what I am trying to say, is embrace all that is different. No one way is right, no one way is wrong, just what works, and what does not and even then what works for you may not work for me. Anger over differences means that you lack control...you lack control over oneself and others. In reality, NO ONE is in control of anything EXCEPT themselves. Accept it, let it go, move on. Maybe even grieve a little.

Wordful Wednesday

You see that smoking hot chick?

By smoking I mean the blond with the cigarette and all?!

Yes, that smoking blond is me.....or should I say was me.

You see I was a HUGE smoker. I loved to smoke. I couldn't go anywhere or be anywhere without my stogies. I used to smoke so much I would make certain vehicles look environmentally friendly. I would smoke 2 packs of Marlboro Red's a day when I worked in the car business. The thought of smoking that much now makes my chest burn. While I did finally cut down...and changed from Red's to Ultra Lights (like there is THAT much of a difference.....a cigarette is still a cigarette) I never could just quit. Until two years ago I was finally able to kick the habit!

I have been completely smoke free for TWO YEARS!!! This is not to say that I have not had my moments of weakness. Where I have been so stressed that I just wanted to run to the corner store and pick up a pack and light up. Yes I have been there, yes I still have cravings. But the best part is.....I tried to take a drag of my sister's cigarette and about choked and died!! I couldn't believe I would suck those things down like candy! I truly hate the way smokers smell, just like an ashtray that has been watered down....the stale icky smell. But, I do love the way a fresh lit cigarette smells. I can get a contact high just from the smell of a cigarette. The best part about that is....I can smell a cigarette and not ever want to smoke one again. The scent is enough for my poor addiction sensors to be calmed. So when you think you can't quit, or you will quit, or oh when I am ready.....you can do it. Do it in your time, when the time is right for you and don't pressure yourself. Quitting smoking has been compared to heroine addiction if that tells you anything. I know that I love going places and not having to worry if I have my smokes or not being able to swim multiple laps in my pool because I am winded. A whole new life awaits you as a non-smoker. So that "smoking" hot girl used to be me.....now I am just HOT! HA HA

Happy Wednesday!

Be sure you go check out Angie at Seven Clown Circus, grab her button, and share about your picture that you can't stop talking about!

S.O.S. - Save Our Skin

Did you know that one MILLION new cases of skin cancer alone will be diagnosed this year? Just skin cancer. Did you know that the odds are 1 in 272? Those are good odds if you consider that some schools have upwards of 500 children in each school or more, so that's at least 2 kids.


The people that are diagnosed are just the people who have regular doctors appointments to have something checked or because they happened to notice a funky mole, maybe a dark spot on their skin that looked funny, or maybe some splotching that seemed out of the ordinary. The rest go completely undiagnosed.


Did you know that the chances of getting skin cancer start from birth? You got it! All the time of being exposed to the sun without protection, exposed to the harmful UV rays sets us up for skin cancer. Granted the sun is an excellent source for vitamins in our body and helps us to metabolize these vitamins and the sun provides us energy from the natural light, but the sun is also very dangerous.

How often do you send your child to school without sunscreen? You are probably laughing and saying "Um, like everyday, who has extra time for sunscreen and they aren't outside that long anyway." Well that is what I said too. Did you know 20 minutes is all it takes a day to be exposed to the harmful UVA/UVB rays that cause burns and can eventually lead to skin cancer later in life? That's right and that is about the time your child spends on the playground and outside in P.E. (Physical Education) class everyday if not longer!

With all of this being said I am the new Treasurer for the Hermosa Vista Elementary School PTO. At our end of the 2009 school year meeting the board was advised by the principal of Hermosa Vista that the P.E. teacher might make a motion to the board about allocating funds for a sun shade for the kids. Why a sun shade? Take a look at this picture below:







Doesn't that picture make you want to play on the playground? In the shade, no hot slides to burn your legs (like we all did as kids), and MOST OF ALL no sunburns!!! The kids are pleasantly shaded from the sun and the harmful UV rays. Wouldn't you want to see those at your kids school, especially in the warmer spring and late summer months? I know I do. Want to know what else I want to see?



I would love to see one of these bad boys put over the outdoor area where the kids play basketball and have P.E. so they aren't exposed to all those nasty UVA/UVB rays, the unrelenting Arizona sun and heat, and caring parents like us aren't worried about gobbing the sunscreen on everyday during the warmer Spring and Summer months. So I am asking you as a Board Member to the Hermosa Vista Elementary PTO to make your donation today, either in funds, goods, and or services for our awesome P.E. teacher Mr. Peace (yup, that's his name...awesome!!) so that he is able to have a safe environment for our children to learn outdoors.


I would also love to see some corporate sponsorship (*hint hint) for community PR, exposure, and education about the benefits and drawbacks of the sun. Plus just a great plug to show how much the big guys love us little guys in the community and so we can show support in return!


Donations can be made by clicking on the little linky on the side of my page, all donations are accepted through PayPal and will be directly paid to Hermosa Vista Elementary School PTO. Thanks again for your support!!

Day 4 "FREE" Week Product Review - Dr. Ron's Ultra Pure Body Care Body Lotion

Good Morning for Day 4 of The Five Fish "FREE" Week!

Okay so we are showcasing the talented Dr. Ron again because why.....well we love his preservative free, super smelling products, and well they were FREE to try out so why not?

Today the review is of the Dr. Ron's Ultra Pure Body Care MSM Body Lotion in Kiwi. Sounds delish right? Well it absolutely is! Here is why I love lotion so much and wanted a preservative free lotion. I am a native of Arizona, when you think of Arizona you think Grand Canyon, Phoenix, HOT.....BLOODY HOT!! Then if you have ever met a native we always tell you, "It's a Dry Heat." We are truly full of it when we tell you this.....it's so hot you can bake yourself and a batch of cookies, your lipstick can melt in seconds, and your cell phone can be cooked so fast you have to put it in the freezer just to see the screen again. Plus shorts....forget it, when you get in your car the bottoms of your thighs just took a scorching too, they are now "tender loins"! Anyway, being that the weather here is so...dry...our skin is as well requiring lots of re-hydration. Plus swimming in the summer further parches our environmental armor, which means we need more lotion. Not all lotions are exactly alike. I have used Vaseline, I have used Nivea, I have used Aquaphor, I have used Aveeno, I have used everything known to man to soften and quench my poor skin. I am lucky I don't look like saddles bags walking my skin is so leathery. My skin also is prone to break outs, by break outs I mean all of the sudden I will have a rash........not sure where it came from, which product, but more than likely from my lotion or perfume so I have to be safe in what I use so I don't look like a spotted red leopard.



If you don't know Dr. Ron, check him out and here is some background and info on the

MSM Body Lotion in Kiwi:

MSM Body Lotion - Unscented or Kiwi

• A 15% MSM solution and botanical extracts in a base of apricot, almond and jojoba oils moisturizes, refreshes, restores and protects your skin.
  Soothing to aching muscles and joints.
  Use as a hand lotion, or after a shower or bath over the entire body.
  Unscented is a gentler formulation, for those with sensitive skin.
  Kiwi is scented with a higher concentration essential oils, including kiwi oil. Unscented and Kiwi, each eight ounces

When Dr. Ron sent me the shipment of all the beauty products, my first true product that I tried was the lotion. I am a lotion whore!! Ask my sister, she saw my endless collection of designer perfumes and lotions. But this lotion was like no other that I had tried. I put some on immediately after opening my bag of goodies. At first I smelled.....love the smell. A very soft, subtle, delicate hint of kiwi that isn't overbearing where you end up smelling like a tween at a school dance or like that stripper from your DH's, buddy's bachelor party....girls you know the smell! Anyway, I was reveling.....and then I applied.



Hmmmm, silky, soft, smooth, glides over every inch without having to reapply more, hmm, not sticky, still damp. So I gave the lotion a bit more time so I could really gauge the effectiveness and overall results. The damp feeling subsided which was very nice, I hate feeling like I just lubed up with something, I want to feel like a woman, not someone who is attempting a circus feat. Some lotions leave this greasy, heavy residue and often all the perfumes and other additives make my skin feel weird and even more dried. Or the damp and sticky feeling stays and when you get dressed your clothes stick to you. So I liked that Dr. Ron's lotion dried but without drying me out. So ladies and gents if you love you some lotion but don't want to smell like you put on perfume, but you still want to smell fresh then Dr. Ron's is the way to go.

Make it a great Thursday!! The week is almost up...tomorrow is internal review day!

The views and opinions expressed on this blog belong purely to Karie Herring. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party in question.

Day 3 "FREE" Week Product Review - Traba Door, Traba International

Welcome to Day 3 of The Five Fish "FREE" Week!!

I promised and so I am delivering.....since I got off on some tangents in the last 24 hours.

Okay so as I mentioned in yesterday's post you can actually make over your home in a preservative FREE fashion! Okay, I know you are saying, there are no preservatives in my home...what could have preservatives, what would need to be preserved? Well for one the wood in your home is made with preservatives. Yup, some of the good old 2X4 or 2X6 construction has what is called "green" wood (it actually is colored green) which is great for fighting those nasty little buggers called.............TERMITES!!! Plus "green" wood is treated so it is less likely to warp due to weather and takes longer to burn when your house is on fire from what DH has told me. I'm no "wood" pro (*giggle) so ask your local contractor or one of those fabu guys at the Home Depot.

Alright, so the biggest thing next to the overall construction is paint, which they have VOC free stuff (again click on the HD above) your carpet (same linky) and DOORS!!! Yes those fabulous things to keep our privacy are LOADED with nasty stuff that we are completely unaware of. Here is what a standard MDF door is filled with.........FORMALDEHYDE!!! Tell me that is not a preservative?! I mean we use it on the dead......good thing they are dead because it causes....you guessed it.....CANCER!! Hello, preserves them right? Preservative. Now luan doors, pictured below, you would think are super safe and preservative free right? Because they are a species of a mahogany in the veneer on the door. Nope they use the same type of glue as the MDF, the glue holds down that luan veneer that looks so great right? Nope...ugly doors!

Those photos are straight out of my home when I bought it in 2004. Aren't they stunning?

I hear crickets................

that must be a FAT NO!!

Alright so here is what my home looks like now.....mind you I made all the simple and inexpensive makeover options: paint and doors, plus a nice set of runners. All of that cost $240! But that includes the two runners, the doors you see in the above pictures (8 doors @ $20 each for a slab) and the paint! Now the best part of these doors......they are FORMALDEHYDE FREE!!












How is that? Well the new doors being distributed by Traba Door beginning this year have to be formaldehyde free due to legislation passed in California which is where Traba headquarters are located. California Air Regulation Board passed a law about airborne toxins in products that have formaldehyde, among other toxic and carcinogenic preservatives, such as cabinets, doors, the whole gamut. So every door that is manufactured and sold by Traba has to meet the CARB regulations.



Here is some info on Traba straight from their website:


Traba is pleased to present an international line of doors infused with historic design and hand crafted with a rich blend of materials. Everything from the doors core construction to its beautiful finish is completed with relentless attention to detail ensuring every door is as strong as it is beautiful. More than just a brand, Traba retains old world craftsmanship with unmatched value.Traba Classic Series doors feature a unique 1 ½” solid wood edge along the top and sides; plus a 4” solid wood bottom rail. The deeper edges make the door capable of accepting longer screws while also providing extra room to customize for a special floor treatment or tight space. The stiles are 5” wide adding flexibility to incorporate an over sized lock set. A one piece veneer finish eliminates seams that appear over time in normal stile and rail constructed doors.

Environmentally Friendly Manufacturing

While the value of the engineered core is reflected in the superior strength and stability of the door, our real value is in the savings for the environment. Our engineered products are constructed of recycled industry bi-product which reflects our commitment to naturally sustainable construction and our environment. We are committed to improving the environment around us and we welcome any opportunity to contribute or participate in environmentally friendly projects focused on the sustainability of the resources around us. Our direct influence and participation in our facilities allow us the ability to control the adhesives and products we use and therefore reduce the quantity of indoor air contaminants.

So with the doors being preservative free they are also a GREEN alternative!! The doors are made of composite materials, so the materials that would normally be thrown away. Click the MDF link above to read more about it. They do also have a wood product, Knotty Alder and I have to say that after reviewing all the beauty shots of the door I was head over heels.

Now you might also be wondering about warranty info and if you aren't here is the info.....every good door has a warranty!



Warranty - Classic Series

Limited Lifetime Warranty
A limited Lifetime Warranty is provided on all The Classic Series of MDF Interior Doors offered by TRABA INDUSTRIES. The Limited Lifetime Warranty is offered as long as the MDF Interior Door is in its originally installed location.
The Limited Lifetime Warranty covers all The Classic Series of MDF Interior Doors against warping, cracking and splitting. The Limited Lifetime Warranty does not cover any damage caused by cuts, abrasions or scratches on the surface of The Classic Series MDF Interior Doors. The Limited Lifetime Warranty excludes any doors used for the purpose of an exterior application. Only an authorized TRABA INDUSTRIES representative may give written consent to replace any of The Classic Series of MDF Doors.
Limitations and Exclusions
Priming of Traba Doors must be applied on all six sides (top, bottom, edges, front & back) within 72 hours. Failure to prime all six sides within 72 hours will void the limited lifetime warranty.Limited lifetime warranty pertains to doors for interior use only. If used for exterior applications, the limited lifetime warranty is void. Normal wear and tear including wear-through of the finish or deterioration for reasons other than materials and workmanship of the door itself.Abusive handling.Doors left sealed/unfinished at the job site, exposed to the elements. Appearance caused by failure to follow recommended handling, and finishing guidelines is not covered by this warranty.The appearance of field finished doors is not warranted in any event.Natural variation in the color or texture of wood not considered being a defect.Warp is not considered a defect unless it exceeds 1/4" in the plane of the door itself. "Warp" is any distortion in the wood itself and does not refer to the relationship of the door to the frame or jamb in which it is hung. The term "warp" shall include bow, cup and twist. For doors larger than 3/0 x 7/0, warp shall not exceed 3/8" in the plane of the door itself.If warranted door(s) are found to contain defects stated, the manufacturere may, at its option, either:Repair the door(s) without charge.Replace the door(s) without charge, in the same stage of fitting and/or finishing as was originally supplied.



If you are interested in a super easy, inexpensive, preservative free, beautiful home makeover and would love to see Traba in your home....be sure to contact Chad and he can point you to the many distributors and door shops all over the U.S. (and soon Canada!) that carry Traba Doors. I know here in Arizona, Legacy Custom Doors is carrying Traba. When you contact Traba by emailing Chad, let him know you read the Traba Door review here at Five Fish, so you get the superior treatment I received from the gentlemen at Traba.

Make it a Great Wednesday!

Day 2 "FREE" Week Product Review - Dr. Ron's Ultra Pure Body Care Body Scrub

Here we are Day 2 of the Five Fish "FREE" Week!

Alright so I have lots to show this week courtesy of Dr. Ron. He was so generous to provide all these wonderful items to try out!! So in addition to shampoo and conditioner we have body scrub.

Now scrubs can be a bit precarious because of their dual action. First of all scrubs scrub, they exfoliate all the dead cells and eliminate the free radicals looming on our skin. Then the scrubs cleanse, leaving our skin feeling fresh and supple. However, some scrubs have the harsh chemicals and rather than leaving your skin soft, supple, and refreshed, your skin in left barren and dry and literally exposed.

You know about Dr. Ron and his pioneering of these fantastic beauty products, so here is the info on his body scrub straight from his website and his catalog:


MSM Body Scrub

• Jojoba beads with crushed Apricot Seeds and Walnut Shell Powder creates an invigorating whole-body treatment. Peppermint oil, a natural deodorizer, makes the skin feel cool and fresh. Eight ounces.

Now I have to say again, I love me some beauty products!!! I mean I have tried St. Ives, Dermalogica, the whole gamut of beauty scrubs and this one was like lightning. The peppermint leaves you feeling more than cool and fresh, my skin was tingling almost as if an electric current was running across it after I had applied and rinsed. The scent is super invigorating with a soft citrus scent, apricot, and the eye awakening, get your blood moving scent of peppermint. I mean my body felt like my mouth had after a good cleaning and gargle of mouthwash. I was jazzed and energized and ready to take on the day. But I do have to admit that the tingle is something to get used to. While I am all about a sensual feeling and experiencing all things new the peppermint was interesting, especially when the temperature outside is 90 degrees and you have the air conditioning on in the house and you have the peppermint to add......interesting. I did feel like my skin was very warm and then cool, much like Icy Hot or Bengay, but curiously wonderful and like I said, leaving me feeling jazzed. Be sure to check out Dr. Ron, let him know that Karie of The Five Fish sent you and check out all of his wonderful products, remember he also has many many other products not listed in his catalogs and he gives private consults! How fantastic is the man who offers us preservative free!!

Make it a great Tuesday and be sure to check back tomorrow for a

look inside a preservative free home makeover!!

The views and opinions expressed on this blog belong purely to Karie Herring. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party in question.

Day 1 "FREE" Week Product Review - Dr. Ron's Ultra-Pure Body Care, Shampoo and Conditioner

Welcome to Day 1 of The Five Fish "FREE" Week.

Today we are going to explore the preservative free products of Dr. Ron's Ultra-Pure Body Care. You might be asking how can body care products such as shampoo and conditioner possibly have preservatives. Well I wondered as well and began to research and found that almost every shampoo on the market has this #1 nasty ingredient, ready, "SODIUM LAUREL (LAURYL) SULFATE".

Okay, so I know you are wondering what this compound mineral is in our hair products. Sodium laurel sulfate is a cheap detergent and is what makes our shampoos as sudsy as they are. You know what I mean, that great foaming action that makes us believe our hair is getting so clean...WRONG! In fact sodium laurel sulfate is an irritant and is a carcinogen...yup washing your hair can cause cancer, who would have thought. The second preservative is paraben which prevents bacteria and fungal growth in almost all beauty products, again another irritant, allergenic, and carcinogen.

So I came about researching this because I have been trying to find organic or as close to organic as possible for my family. Buying organic products not only reduces our overall carbon footprint, but the products are absolutely superior for your overall health. Big G has eczema so I have to be careful with what I use on his skin or he is a mess and takes months to clear him up. The Squids are also new babies, but have so far (so good!) been a-ok with standard OTC products. I, on the other hand, I have to use glycerin type washes or my skin is a mess as well.

The staff and Dr. Ron sent me the MSM Shampoo and MSM Moisturizing Conditioner. Here is some information straight from the Dr. Ron website about the products and about Dr. Ron:


MSM Shampoo


With herbs, nutrients and essential oils, MSM strengthens hair and restores elasticity. A rich supply of mucopolysaccharides and protein in our conditioners leaves hair soft, light and shiny. We avoid the use of sodium laurel sulfate, a cheap, harsh detergent often derived from petroleum and disguised in pseudo-natural products with the phrase “comes from coconuts.”

• Soft, shiny hair results from superior nutrition – but our great shampoos and conditioners will bring out your hair’s natural qualities like no other products.
  Our unique blend of oils, herbal extracts, and nutrients strengthens hair, restores elasticity and repairs split ends.
  MSM Shampoo contains a rich concentration of sulfur in the form of MSM for maximum benefits

MSM Moisturizing Conditioner

• For dry or damaged hair, our MSM Moisturizing Shampoo and MSM Moisturizing Conditioner have an extra high concentration of essential oils. Eight ounces each.
  Blended with coconut and olive oils, herbal extracts and nutrients, essential oils have exceptional moisturizing qualities and help restore beautiful luster to your hair.
  Essential oils contain characteristic plant aromas that leave a gentle fragrance and help hair stay fresh between washings.

Here is a little about Dr. Ron, straight from his website:

Dr. Ron’s Ultra-Pure began in 2000 to provide our patients with the purest and most effective nutrients, formulas and special foods. Many other people now use Dr. Ron’s products. We thank all of you, especially members of the Weston A. Price Foundation and the Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation, two organizations that are doing so much good work to further accurate understanding of nutrition. We are committed to providing the finest supplements to complement traditional diets.
We Source Materials from America, New Zealand and Europe
Most of our source materials are from America. We secure organs and glands from free range, grass fed New Zealand animals raised without pesticides, hormones or antibiotics. High-vitamin cod liver oil is imported from Norway and meets the strictest standards of purity. Other materials are occasionally sourced in Europe, Japan and Korea, depending on quality and availability of supplies. Contamination of source materials for supplements and pharmaceuticals in recent years has led us to avoid sources with potential problems. Careful and selective sourcing of raw materials provides an extra measure of safety. You may be confident that all Dr. Ron’s Ultra-Pure products contain only and exactly the nutrients listed prominently on the labels.
The Ultra-Pure Promise of Purity, Quality, Potency and Value
Dr. Ron’s Ultra-Pure products are designed and manufactured by a team of supplements professionals and health care providers with extensive clinical experience in natural medicine. Source materials are carefully tested for purity and potency. Many of our products, including Doc’s Best and other innovative formulas, New Zealand organs and glands, and high-vitamin Norwegian cod liver oils, are unique. In our formulas, we combine synergistic ingredients at optimal doses to create maximally effective products. We use no lubricants, fillers, binders, coatings, flowing agents, or other added ingredients of any kind. Because we use only the pure nutrients, our supplements achieve maximum absorption, and are truly hypoallergenic.

Ron Schmid, ND, has practiced naturopathic medicine since 1981. He served for two years as Chief Medical Officer and Clinic Director at the University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine. Ellen Triplett , Lac, has a Master’s degree in Chinese Medicine.
Dr. Ron is the author Traditional Foods Are Your Best Medicine and The Untold Story of Milk. He is on the honorary board of the Weston A. Price Foundation and has written for Wise Traditions, the quarterly journal of the Foundation.

You must be itching to know......how did a "free" shampoo and conditioner measure up? Well I have tried a lot of salon shampoos/conditioners, claimed "organic" shampoos/conditioners and I have to say that Dr. Ron's is by far the most enjoyable and fabulous product I have ever used. Like I said I have used the expensive salon shampoos, and we all know how our hair feels after leaving the salon...like silk.....well I got that same feeling from this shampoo and conditioner.

The best part was the smell. I am such a smell oriented person, I mean I smell all of my produce, meats, etc at the store before I buy it, so when I cracked open the package and my hair smelled like I was rolling in herbs I was in heaven. It was clean without feeling stripped and my hair smelled fresh without the harsh smell of added perfumes, and I had to get used to the little to no sudsing since the nasty emulsifiers and detergents aren't in these products.

Then I conditioned. Mind you I have the worst hair known to man. I have chemically treated it since I was oh.....8 (I grew up in the 80's, perms were so HOT back then, I was rockin'!) I color it and then add that I live in the driest state of the union, Arizona, so I swim half the year which wreaks even more havoc on my hair. So I have to use a lot of conditioner, anti-frizz, and smoothing products. With Dr. Ron's I didn't have to use my daily routine of "Tame the Beast" smoother's. The conditioner has a wonderful citrus scent that energized me in the shower and was a great morning pick-me-up. Plus when I rinsed my hair didn't feel just soft, but smooth and silky and stayed that way even after I blow-dried my hair. Most products leave your hair feeling weighed down or they rinse out immediately leaving your hair barely conditioner or feeling repaired. All day....no fly aways, no tangles, no dry feeling, just smooth, soft, manageable, touchable, play with my hair type hair. I am in love!

Be sure to head on over to Dr. Ron's and check out all of his wonderful beauty and health products. In addition to all over well being he does offer consultations! How awesome, get a consultation on how to live an all around healthy life. Also if you go to buy his products like I am going to, be sure you let him know you found his product review on The Five Fish and that Karie Herring of The Five Fish sent you. Thank you again Dr. Ron for sharing this wonderful product with me and my family!

Make it a great Monday!

The views and opinions expressed on this blog belong purely to Karie Herring. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party in question.