The Nutritionist Reviews: January 2012

January 31, 2012

Loving Pets Review

Loving Pets is a company that my dogs love. They have reviewed one of the meat products before as well as some of the pineapple treats. They also got to try out two Bella bowls which have been great! I have been using them for 10 months now everyday for food and water and they still are in perfect shape. The company recently came out with a new product called Meat Sticks. They come in beef and duck and are all natural and made with real meat. My furry friends were also sent some Barksters to try out. Here is some information about the new meat sticks : Treat your dog to a healthy snack with these all-natural meat sticks. The gluten-free treats are made without preservatives or by-products to deliver wholesome nutrition from 100% pure meat (available with Chicken, Beef, or Duck) and sweet potato. Glucosamine and chondroitin are added to promote joint health. The sweet potato makes the treats soft and pliable, making it ideal for puppies and older dogs. Available at Pets

January 30, 2012

Ozeri Electric Wine Opener Review

Ozeri is a brand that I have really gotten to like. Last year, I was able to review some drinking glasses as well as a digital scale which I like both a lot. This time around, I was sent an Ozeri electric wine opener to review. My parents make their own wine so I was interested in trying out this product for them. Here is the description of the wine opener: The Ozeri Pro Electric Wine Opener in Rubberized Black makes opening wine bottles easy while entertaining your guests at the same time. Designed for home and restaurant use, its latest generation battery now opens up to 40 wine bottles with the gentle push of a button, all on a single charge. The opener is completely cordless and includes an elegant recharging base with an LED charging indicator. The opener opens both natural and synthetic corks. It also boasts a new ultra light-weight design, a faster motor, and an ergonomic rubberized soft grip for effortless handling. Use it at home or take it with you to impress yo

January 29, 2012

Ava Update Reposted

****I am reposting this update that I wrote a few weeks ago since no one was receiving my updates for a month due to some technical difficulties. I wanted to make sure everyone knew what ended up happening with my dachshund with the skin issues. About a month ago, I had blogged about my 2 year old dachshund Ava who is having skin problems . She has black dots all over her chest that I was very worried about. Back in December, I took her to a different vet for the 4th time. This time, I actually got some really valuable information. The vet told me that her cell's melanocytes (pigment) are enlarged and she has a reaction which is not dangerous. He was not worried about the dots even though there seemed to be a lot of them. He said besides the dots, she is a very healthy dog and her fur looks good and her weight was fine too. He said that we only need to worry if she gains a lot of weight at once or if her ears start scabbing. The vet is a pet dermatology specialist

January 25, 2012

Healthy Super Bowl Swaps by Rachel Berman, RD

I am proud to bring you these expert tips for staying healthy with the superbowl by Rachel Berman, RD, CSR, CD/N, the Director of Nutrition for CalorieCount.com (a healthy-living website with more than three million members). Besides watching the game and enjoying the commercials, Super Bowl snacking is a one of the main attractions of game day. In fact, Americans consume more calories during the Super Bowl than nearly any other day during the year – second only to Thanksgiving! We all know the major culprits. One serving of nachos can add up to more than 550 calories and 30 grams of fat, while a serving of chicken wings packs in 440 calories and 26 grams of fat. So, instead of mindlessly eating your way through a Super Bowl celebration, try utilizing the following tips: To save on saturated fat: •Add more beans instead of meat to a chili recipe, look for reduced-fat cheese for nachos, and swap Greek yogurt for sour cream when making dips and spreads •Make a healthier ver

January 24, 2012

Maggie's Organic Clothing Review

What first got me interested in Maggie's Organic clothing is that it is local to me! It is about 40 minutes from my new home and actually located in the city that my husband goes to school in (Ypsilanti, MI). It is a line of organic and fair trade clothing. The company sells socks, scarves, clothes, tights, and baby & kids items. For my review, I was sent the pair of heart socks seen below and a red heart scarf. These are perfect and just in time for Valentine's Day! They both are very soft and nice seeming quality. The items are reasonable too. The socks are knee high and retail for $9. I like both of the items that I was sent and will definitely get some good use of them in this cold Michigan winter. Here is some information about the company: Maggie's Organics was founded in 1992 on the premise that workers should be treated ethically and that clothing

January 19, 2012

Tervis Review

Tervis is a company that that I have been wanting to try their products for some time now. I first started seeing them on Peanut Butter Fingers blog when she put her smoothie in them. They have tons of different designs and sizes to choose from so everyone can get something they like. For my review, I chose to review the deer cup and a cup with my initials on it. For part of my dad's Christmas present, I gave him the deer cup and he loved it since he is a hunter. The cups work for both hot and cold products which is great! In the summer, I can keep my smoothie cold in this mug and in the winter on the way to work, I can keep my tea hot. They are microwave, dishwasher, and freezer safe. I love mine! Eat Drink & Be Merry Mug Something else neat that I learned while writing this review is that the company first started in Detroit, MI which is very near to where I am from. Since then, they have moved to North Venice, FL. My favorite feature about Tervis is that th

January 17, 2012

eos Lip Balm Review

I have been a fan of the eos shave cream for awhile now and finally got to try their lip balms. They come in a really cute round container with a round ball of balm. I was sent four scents including tangerine, sweet mint, honeysuckle honeydew, and summer fruit. The lip balms are 95% organic. They smell really good too. My favorite is the sweet mint because I love really fresh smelling chapsticks like that one. The tangerine one is medicated which is good for the winter when lips are chapped and cracked. They are very moisturizing and has a fun way of getting put on. You just open up the top and rub it on your lips as if it is in a tube. The company also sells hand lotions, body lotions, and shave creams. Here is some information on eos from the company : eos lip balm is 95% organic, 100% natural, and paraben and petrolatum free. Packed with antioxidant-rich vitamin E, soothing shea butter and jojoba oil, eos keeps your lips moist, soft and sensationally smooth. I lov

January 15, 2012

V8 Smoothie Review and Vera Bradley Giveaway

V8 recently came out with some new products called V-Fusion Smoothie. I was interested to try these because I like the V8 Splash drinks and also like smoothies. The company contacted me and asked if I wanted to try these and I was very excited to. On Saturday morning, my husband and I opened up the strawberry banana smoothie for breakfast. We enjoyed it with eggs, canadian bacon, and a piece of toast. We both really liked the smoothie. It tasted similar to other V8 products but was thicker (like a nectar consistency). The banana flavor was real tasting and not too overpowering. I added a little bit of water to mine because it was a little bit too sweet. My husband liked it and drank it straight. The mango smoothie is also great! It is tropical tasting and fresh. Here is some information about these new products : The delicious V8 V-Fusion Smoothies are available in three flavors— Strawberry Banana, Mango and Wild Berry. This healthy treat makes it easy to enjoy a real-fru

January 13, 2012

Exercise for the New Mom

Exercise is very important for the new mom. Learn the benefits, recommended amounts, and activities to try. Benefits of Exercise Exercise benefits your mind, body & spirit in many great ways: helps with weight loss, restores muscle strength, relieves stress, boosts energy, and boosts mood. Physician Recommendations & Amounts · Doctors now recommend beginning exercise a few days after delivery if you had an uncomplicated vaginal delivery, or as soon as you feel ready. · If you had a C-section or a complicated delivery, talk to your doctor about when to start an exercise routine. · Exercise has no negative effects on breast milk volume or composition, provided you are drinking adequate fluids. You can continue to breast feed when you exercise. · According to the Mayo Clinic, experts recommend 30 minutes of exercise 4-5 times/week after delivery. · Stick to moderate physical exercise and drink plenty of water before and after your workout. Activities to Try Wa

January 12, 2012

Gluten Free Diet for a Non-Celiac

Recently, I did a project on whether or not someone should follow a gluten free diet if they do not have celiac disease or gluten intolerenace and here is what I found. More and more gluten free products are becoming available and the public is wondering if this is a good option for them. Gluten is a protein found in barley, wheat, and rye and on a gluten-free diet, are avoided. Many people are starting to think that gluten is bad for you and that it should be avoided. According to WebMD, only people with celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity actually require a gluten-free diet. They say that people think that a gluten free diet is more healthy but that is not the case. It is difficult to follow and actually may pose nutritional risks when a person has no medical reason to be on it. Now more than ever, doctors are recognizing gluten sensitivities which is different than celiac disease. The person is sensitive to it and often has GI symptoms but they do not have damage to t

January 11, 2012

Dachshund Skin Issue Update

About a month ago, I had blogged about my 2 year old dachshund Ava who is having skin problems . She has black dots all over her chest that I was very worried about. Back in December, I took her to a different vet for the 4th time. This time, I actually got some really valuable information. The vet told me that her cell's melanocytes (pigment) are enlarged and she has a reaction which is not dangerous. He was not worried about the dots even though there seemed to be a lot of them. He said besides the dots, she is a very healthy dog and her fur looks good and her weight was fine too. He said that we only need to worry if she gains a lot of weight at once or if her ears start scabbing. The vet is a pet dermatology specialist and knew tons of information about different dachshund skin conditions. I wanted to update all of you about it since I had blogged about it and many of you gave me some tips and did research on what it may be. I am so thankful to have found a sma

January 09, 2012

Therapearl Review and Giveaway

Therapearl is a company that sells products for hot and cold relief. They come in all different shapes and sizes for different types of paint and discomfort. For my review, I chose the eye-ssential pack, neck wrap, and pig pals Therapearl products to try out. Here is some information about the company: TheraPearl ® hot & cold therapy packs are doctor designed to provide extraordinary relief from everyday aches and pains including inflammation, bruising, joint/muscle soreness and so much more! Pearls conform to the body while holding their healing temperatures for the doctor-recommended time (15-20 minutes) for optimal theraputic benefit. Freeze or microwave. Non-toxic and reusable. Latex, lead and BPA-free. I really like these products! Sometimes, I get sore shoulders and these products work well. Also, I love the eye mask because it soothes your eyes if you need it to. It's great that they come in hot or cold so that you can have your preference. I chose the pig