Tag Archives: Essante Organics

My 12 week Transformation

As most of you know, I am a work from home mom of 2 small and wonderfully energetic children. I managed to lose most of my baby weight through eating healthy and breastfeeding, but I have a few pesky pounds that seem to want to hang around.

The company I work with, Essante Organics, offers a 12 week Transformation contest for a $2500 prize. Anyone can enter and any transformation can win (weight loss, weight gain, building muscle, getting healthy, etc.). So I decided to let $2500 be my motivation! I am a week in and have already lost 4 pounds!

Organic and GMO-free nutrition is already important to my family especially since my lil Bulldog suffers from food allergies and eczema. Since I plan to continue breastfeeding throughout this challenge and beyond, I know Essante Organics pH 7.365 dairy free, gluten free, soy free, chemical free, pH balanced protein powder is the BEST choice to achieve my health goals.

As a busy mom, I often find it difficult to prepare and eat enough fruits and veggies, so I’m adding Essante Earth Greens and Super Reds to my daily regimen…they are an easy way to sneak my kids more fruits and veggies too! 😉

I have also discovered that my body won’t give up those extra pounds with diet alone, so exercise is a critical component of my journey. Honestly, In the past, I have struggled to find the motivation, time, and discipline to exercise regularly, yet I’ve committed to push my limits during this 12 week transformation and beyond.

As you know, I am differently-abled which will require me to modify all of my workouts and will make cardiovascular exercise more challenging. However, I’ve searched YouTube and found many adaptable routines (stay tuned for a link). NO EXCUSES!

With my disability, comes a lack of muscle tone and movement on the right side of my body and I’d like to change that. I may never be completely “balanced”, but there are NO EXCUSES not to give it my every effort so I am making strength training a vital part of my transformation. Essante pH 7.365 protein powder gives my muscles an alkaline boost that WILL help me reach this goal.

What is the 12 Week Transformation Contest:
Anyone can join this rolling-entry-date contest!
Contact me NOW for details!

How To Join:

Order Essanté Organics 7.365 pH Shake & lose weight
Complete entry form and submit before photos
Inspire others with progress posts & recipe shares on Facebook.com/EssanteOrganicsLLC & on your Facebook
Print the Ingredient, Recipe and Guide Book
At the end of 12 weeks, finish the sign up form: submit your after photos, etc. to corporate

Winners Receive:

1st prize: $2500 cash (male & female)
2nd prize: $500 cash & 3 month supply of 7.365 pH SHAKE (male & female)
3rd prize: 3 month supply of 7.365 pH SHAKE (male & female)
To win: winners must be present at the Great Green Event

My tools:
7.365 pH Shake Vanilla Ice Cream Rave Protein Shake: 100% Non-GMO Proprietary Vegan Protein Blend 22,150mg: Sprouted Brown Rice Protein, Yellow Pea Protein, Inulin, Flax Seed, Organic Alfalfa, Organic Quinoa, Organic Millet, Organic Amaranth, and Vegetable Cellulose, Vanilla, Guar Gum, Stevia Extract.
7.365 pH Shake Chocoholic Kiss Protein Shake: 100% Non-GMO Proprietary Vegan Protein Blend 22,150mg: Sprouted Brown Rice Protein, Yellow Pea Protein, Inulin, Flax Seed, Organic Alfalfa, Organic Quinoa, Organic Millet, Organic Amaranth, and Vegetable Cellulose, Cocoa, Guar Gum, Stevia Extract.
Super Reds Powder: 5.5 pounds of whole super fruit per serving
Earth Greens Powder: 5.5 lbs. of whole food, alkaline vegetation per serving
Thin & Sexy Oil Blend: A blend of Organic Lemon, Organic Juniper Berry, Organic Cypress, Organic Grapefruit, Organic Frankincense, Wild Myrrh, and Organic Lemongrass to decrease cellulite, increase circulation, aid in detoxification (toxic build up is the #1 cause of obesity), aid digestion, enhance metabolism, stimulate muscle strengthening and repair, and much more! Power Pops: “Eat Candy & Lose Weight” with ToxicFreeTM Power-Pops! An easy, 100% natural, tasty treat that increases energy, metabolism and weight loss.

Are you ready to Transform?

***Update: I completed the challenge an lost 10lbs, 20% body fat, and developed muscle. See next post

Allergic to the Cold?…No Really!

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My Story

Ever heard of cold urticaria? Well, neither had I until I was diagnosed in 2010.

When I was pregnant with my daughter in 2009, I began noticing that my hands would swell whenever I spent time outside in cold temperatures. When it was hot, I would break out in hives whenever I sweat or when the AC blew on me.

Even if I drank something cold (my biggest craving was ice cold water 24/7) I could feel my throat tightening.

At first, everyone (including myself) thought I was nuts.

It took me a while to piece everything together. Most of my symptoms could be somewhat explained by pregnancy: swollen hands, itchy skin, strange rashes.

It wasn’t until my daughter was 3 months old, and my symptoms were still persisting, that I started Googling. I know, I know…NEVER Google your own symptoms…you’ll always find that you’re “dying”, but in this instance, it proved to be helpful.

I Googled “hives + cold temperatures” and BAM! I found cold urticaria. Unfortunately, a name was really about all I found. No one really knows what causes cold urticaria, some say it’s permanent, others say it lasts 4-6 years, one can be born with it or acquire it for no known reason, pregnancy can bring it on, as well as, bee stings or fire ant bites (did, I mention that I stepped in a bed of fire ants while pregnant? Yup!), the list goes on and on.

[embedit snippet=”abc-news-clip-cold-urticaria”]

I scheduled an appointment with a local allergy specialist to see is she could offer me any more information. Since cold urticaria is so rare, I was met with a lot of skepticism by the doctor. She agreed to perform a “highly scientific” 3 minute ice test where a glass filled with ice water was placed on my forearm for 3 minutes, then the welt that arose was measured. This test was followed by a 1 minute test. Here were my results:

3 Minute Ice Test: Initial Diagnosis Feb. 2010

The welts or hives on my forearm were so large that nurses from all over the building stopped by to take pictures of the freak show with their phones. I was FAMOUS!

After the “freak show”, I was sent for a lot of blood work that confirmed I was highly allergic to fire ants and indeed had cold urticaria.

As far as “treatment” goes, I was given a prescription for a mild antihistamine that would not affect breastfeeding…much…and an epinephrin pen for emergencies.

Living in a mild climate, I was able to manage my symptoms well enough not to have to rely on an antihistamine every day, rather I carried the bottle in my purse and used it as a treatment rather than prevention. Fortunately, I have yet to need the epi pens.

About 2 years later I became pregnant with my second child. I must admit, I was a bit hopeful that since my cold urticaria surfaced during my 1st pregnancy that it might disappear during a 2nd pregnancy. Although I was not symptom free during my pregnancy, my symptoms were much less severe…hardly noticeable.

For me, cold urticaria seems to be linked to my hormones. After pregnancy, my symptoms returned, but they were still lessened. I stopped taking the antihistamines and replaced them with Essante Bee Natural tabs about 4 months ago.

Bee Natural Tabs are 100% certified Toxic Free and include a wide spectrum of vital nutrients including pollen, royal jelly, honey, thousands of enzymes and coenzymes, vitamins, minerals, and hormones! Human consumption of bee pollen and royal jelly has been praised throughout history and medical and wellness practitioners, including Hippocrates and Pythagoras, have long prescribed it for its healing properties.

Bee Natural Tabs have freed me from antihistamines (and fear of their effects on my milk supply) and lessened my symptoms making daily activities in the cold safer and more comfortable.

Cold urticaria has received much more attention in the media over the last few years. My hope is that more people who suffer from this condition unidentified will recognize their symptoms, find answers, and know that they are not “crazy” or alone in their struggle.

Do you or someone you know suffers with cold urticaria? Please share your story in the comments section below.

**Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post. I was not required to give a positive review and all opinions are 100% my own. I am an executive with Essante Organics and only receive compensation through their outlined system (sales, bonuses, commissions, etc).

***The FDA has not evaluated these statements. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.

Choosing the Right Company

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My alter ego (other than Adaptive Mom) is The Essante Mama. Please look me up on Facebook and check me out at www.EssanteMama.com

www.GoGreenGetPaid.com

Please get back to whoever shared this post with you for more information!

**Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post. I was not required to give a positive review and all opinions are 100% my own. I am an executive with Essante Organics and only receive compensation through their outlined system (sales, bonuses, commissions, etc).

Toxic-free Automatic Shower Cleaner

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I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about my homemade automatic shower cleaner recipe so here it is…

What you’ll need: Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower system with empty cartridge bottles (I recommend 3), vinegar, baking soda, toxic free soap, and cling wrap.

Method: Remove the cap from the cartridge bottle (this part can be tricky) and empty and rinse if needed. My husband was able to remove the caps and shave down the “teeth” with various tools in the garage…no idea what. Another method is to dip the capped bottle in boiling water for a few seconds to soften the plastic then carefully twist it off with an oven mitt.
First, add the baking soda, then fill the bottle half way with water. Slowly add vinegar to fill the bottle the rest of the way and finish by adding the soap…a little goes a long way. I place a small piece of cling wrap over the opening before replacing the cap to prevent leaking while reinserting cartridge in sprayer. Don’t worry, the sprayer will pierce the cling wrap when inserted.

Spray after each shower while walls are still wet. It’s just that simple!

Of course, the same solution works great in a spray bottle if you want to manually spray your shower after each use, but who has time for that…right? 😉

I’ve been using this recipe for about 6 months and our shower is cleaner than ever. Granted, I started with a clean shower, but we have very hard water and still my glass shower door is spotless.

How I Adapted to Being a SAHM

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This is the true story of how I became a stay at home mom (SAHM).

When I discovered I was pregnant with our 1st child I was working full-time as a part-time and fill in Speech Pathologist. Confusing, right? Basically, I worked 2 days a week for one company and occupied the rest of my days covering for sick leave, vacations, maternity, etc. for another company. My health insurance was covered by my husband’s job so I was free to make my own schedule and the pay was excellent. It was a dream set up! I worked in a variety of settings with a variety of patients and my days were never boring. I was EXCITED to get up and go to work each day. No REALLY, I loved my job!

I continued to work for most of my pregnancy (often retreating to my car to upchuck). Everyone was very understanding and accommodating. My plan was to work as much as possible for as long as possible to build up a good cushion in the bank for my planned 6 week leave after baby arrived…remember the “perk” I mentioned above about being on my hubby’s benefits…that meant no paid leave for yours truly.

Around the 7 month mark my body had had enough. I was beginning to depend on a cane for balance and a wheelchair for long distances…it was time to begin my leave.

I missed my coworkers, my patients, and the joy of helping others. I couldn’t wait to get back to work…

Then my daughter arrived…

When my 6 week “deadline” arrived, I was not ready to leave my baby girl…so I stayed home another few weeks. Things were slow at my part-time gig so I decided to return there first. I had family willing to step up for childcare, so that was a bit of stress I was able to avoid.

My new return day came and off I went, breast pump in hand, back to work. It was good to be back in the “real world” for a few hours…

…I was miserable. I was torn between guilt for leaving my baby and the duty of being a strong role model for her and contributing to the household income. Mix in feelings of responsibility to my patients and for their well being…and…well…I was a disaster…or just a normal hormonal new mom returning to work…

I ended up making a bit of a compromise by transferring to an office closer to home with the the higher paying of the 2 companies and agreeing to work no more than 2-3 days per week. It was still a pay cut, but we adjusted our household budget and were able to still live comfortably.

However, remember how I mentioned above that I was “excited” to go to work each day…well, I had lost that loving feeling, woh-o that loooving feeeeling…now it’s gone, gone, gone woh-o-woh-o-oh

Two years later I found out that I was pregnant with our second. This time, we decided we’d figure out a way to make it primarily on my husband’s income.

We moved to a house in need of less upkeep, got a better mortgage, and I began working from home in direct sales.

The transition from being a “work outside the home mom” to a “network marketing SAHM” was not as easy as I anticipated. However, I decided to choose a company that promoted healthy living so I could feel like I was still perusing my original mission of taking care of people, there was just a lot less paperwork. 😉

The 1st company I chose to work with paid well, but ended up not being as “healthy” as they claimed to be. After a bit of research into their ingredients and my son’s allergic reaction to my breastmilk when I consumed the “safe” products…I resigned.

I was ready to give up on the idea of promoting with a direct sales company all together. And that’s ok. I learned a lot. In the end, it was important to me to promote for a company that shared my values and desire to educate and help others.

Fast forward a few weeks…

As many of you know, my son suffers with severe eczema and an allergy to dairy. A family member introduced me to the Essante Organics line of organic baby products and dairy and soy free organic protein shakes. I tried the products and quickly became a lifelong fan.

I couldn’t wait to try the entire catalog! When I found out Essante was a direct sales company it was a no brainer and I was back in the game.

Our home is now filled with Essante products…stuff for the kids, skin care, nutrition, alkalizing products, essential oils. I really had no idea how many products I had and used every day until I made to video below. I guess Essante is just so integrated into our lives now that it’s just become part of our routine. This was a huge revelation for me as I always feel like our journey to live an organic lifestyle is moving so slowly. I guess we’ve made it a lot further than I thought!

Another thing I love about Essante is that, as a company, we strive to educate others about living a healthy and organic lifestyle 1st. Emphasis on promoting products comes second.

Essante inspired me to follow through with my 4 year dream of bringing this blog to life and provided me with the tools and knowledge to make it successful. Our emphasis on education drove me to obtain my certification as a Lactation Counselor (CLC) (What’s more organic than breastmilk, right?). Essante has given this workaholic SAHM an outlet to help and inspire others while earning a paycheck.

I’m not sure what the future holds for me as a Speech Pathologist or CLC, but for now I have recaptured my excitement to “go to work” each morning as a mom, a blogger, and an Essante executive.

What gets you out of bed each morning?

If you would like more information about Essante, please leave me a comment below or visit www.EssanteMama.com.

Must-Haves For Cloth Diapering Mamas

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I know I’ve mentioned this product before, but there are just so many reasons to love Essante Sanitizer.

As you guys know, I love playing around with cloth diapers and the endless combinations one can create with the right pieces.

So yesterday, I put my son in a pad and cover in an attempt to gain more confidence in my ability to position everything correctly on my fidgety baby.

I must have done something right, because the diaper held through a 3+ hour nap with no leaks!

So anywho, back to my point…After I changed the soaked pad and laid the cover out to dry, I had an idea…Why not spray the cover with Essante Sanitizer. It’s chemical free, it’s easy, and it will extend the life of my diapers. Sure I could wipe the cover down with a baby wipe, but would I really be getting rid of the germs that can potentially cause odor…or just wiping them around?

Just as I expected, the cover was fresh, dry and ready to be worn again at next diaper change.

Here’s the best part…This stuff is safe enough to spray directly on baby! Works on diaper rash and booboos, helps with ear infections, spray in nose to head off a cold, and it even sanitizes toys, pacifiers, and breast pump parts!

This spray is a mama’s best friend.

Essante Sanitizer

Even as I’m writing this post, I’m chasing my sneezy snotty daughter around spraying it in her nose and on everything she sneezes on. My son scraped his knuckles this morning, Lord only knows how, so he is getting sprayed as well.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a huge vinegar lover for household cleaning and disinfecting. I’m just saying there are some things, like my baby’s bottom, that I would prefer not to smell like salt and vinegar chips.

The ingredients in this stuff are simple:
Purified water, stabilized active oxygen, sodium cocoyl glutamate (derived from coconut oil & glutamate amino acid), and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda).

Sanitizer Efficacy Data

It’s so mild and gentle that I can spray it directly on my son’s diaper rash and eczema flare ups to soothe and prevent infection.

My next secret weapon is Essante Laundry Liquid Concentrate. It is a powerful 100% organic, 100% chemical free, plant-based detergent that loosens & magnetizes dirt away, without weakening fabric. One bottle cleans 32 loads of laundry.

Essante Laundry Liquid Concentrate

This stuff is loaded with only organic and pure ingredients:

Organic Purified Water
Anionic & Nonionic Soy & Coconut Cleansing Agents
Sodium Citrate (Salt) An anti-redeposition Agent
Sodium Metasilicate (Alkaline Builder)

As most cloth diapering mamas know, you must be diligent about what you use to wash your baby’s fluff. What could be safer and more effective than nature?

For diapers, I also add a scoop or 1/4 cup of baking soda just to give the diapers that extra bit of freshness. Works like a charm. All our diapers are clean, fresh, and stain free.

Again, my son has very sensitive skin and Essante Laundry Liquid has helped combat his eczema flare ups and has given me one less thing to worry about.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m in the process of adapting my home to become as green and chemical free as possible. These products are just a few of my baby steps…pun intended.

Happy Baby + Clean Dry Bum = One Less Thing for This Mama to Worry About!

Now it’s your turn. How do you keep your diapers fresh? What are your tips and tricks to extending the life of your cloth?

Eczema…it’s so much more than a rash.

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My son, Chase, has a wicked dairy allergy resulting in horrible eczema.
He was about 4 months old when the eczema manifested itself. He had always suffered from digestive issues, which I later discovered were linked to the daily whey protein shakes that I was drinking (talk about feeling guilty!), but no abnormal skin issues to speak of.

At Chase’s 4 month check up His peditrician refered us to a dermatologist. The dermatologist diagnosed Chase with eczema, impetigo, and infantile seborrheic dermatitis or cradle cap. He sent us home with a prescription for an antibiotic for the impetigo and several recommendations for over-the-counter creams as well as two prescription lotions. Nothing really seem to help.
In February, I was introduced to Essante Organics. Essante not only offeres an organic protein shake that is soy, dairy, and gluten free, but they also have a 100% organic baby line. Desperate to help our son, we ordered their baby wash and baby lotion immediately. With the use of these products Chase’s eczema cleared up in three days. I still have to avoid dairy and know every ingredient in the food I eat and introduce to him, but the hardest part of the battle was over…or so I thought…

*Update*
We have now added Essante Sanitizing Spray to our eczema regime. This spray is powerful enough to sanitize my diaper covers, yet safe and gentle enough to spray on raw scratched spots.

Unfortunately, since Chase spent most of his early months scratching, it had become a habit. He had learned that scratching would get my attention and often lead to nursing for comfort (smart kid, right?). Any gains we made were often lost due to scratching and irritating his fragile skin.

We were unable to find long sleeve onesies with fold over sleeves in the larger sizes that my son needed. We tried mittens with velcro and even homemade ones with secured draw strings, but as a seven-month old Chase became very skilled at taking them off. Not to mention, mittens can be very difficult to put on a protesting active baby and even more so, wrestling him down with one hand in the dark at 2am.

Then we found Scratch Me Not.

ScratchMeNots are a uni sleeve or cardigan type contraption with fold over mittens that can be worn year round. Each ScratchMeNot is made in the USA from a Bamboo/Cotton blend. The mittens also have a silk outer layer that provides reduced friction against the skin..

ScratchMeNots come in sizes up to 3T. However, should you need a size that is not listed, they will create one especially for you!

I love this company and I have been very pleased with their customer service, as well as, the products.

Thanks to ScratchMeNot, my son is sleeping better and I am not waking up to pulled hair and fresh scratches (on Chase and myself) each morning.

And lest we forget the adaptive part…this alternative to traditional mittens is a lifesaver when it comes to putting them on a squirmy baby. No more fastening and tightening or wrestling to put them back on. I simple put his ScratchMeNot on like a jacket and fold over the mitten cuffs. Easy peasy! Chase has yet to figure out how to get out of his ScratchMeNot and I don’t foresee that becoming a problem as long as I keep him in the right size.

****Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post. I was not required to give a positive review and all opinions are 100% my own. I am an executive with Essante Organics and only receive compensation through their outlined system (sales, bonuses, commissions, etc).

The Adaptive Mom

To LIve, to Learn, to Love…To Adapt

Tag Archives: Essante Organics

My 12 week Transformation

Allergic to the Cold?…No Really!

Choosing the Right Company

Toxic-free Automatic Shower Cleaner

How I Adapted to Being a SAHM

Must-Haves For Cloth Diapering Mamas

Eczema…it’s so much more than a rash.