MotherNature.com has just released a list of super sunscreens, each of which received the highest scores in safety and effectiveness from the Environmental Working Group (EWG.org). These sunscreens contain no hormone-disrupting chemicals, no Vitamin A (retinal palmitate) and no oxybenzone. Direct links to these safe sunscreens are below.
(Mothernature.com coupons and free shipping offers are here, when available: MotherNature Coupons).

Beyond Coastal Lip & Face Sunscreen, SPF 30, 1 oz
Price: $5.1
Beyond Coastal’s mineral based lip and face protection is meant for the most demanding conditions. Available in durable tins that can be taken anywhere, this sunscreen protects your face with micronized zinc and titanium. The all-natural formula uses beeswax, shea and mango seed butter to repel water without clogging pores.

Jason Natural Sunbrella Sun Block, SPF 30 Chemical Free, 4 oz
Price: $10.36
Sensible Organic Sun Care PABA-free, Alcohol-free, and Water Resistant Formulas. Offers full spectrum skin protection while combining powerful anti-oxidants and natural ingredients to protect, nourish and reduce premature aging of the skin.

All Terrain Sunblock AquaSport SPF 30, 3 oz
Price: $7.48
If your idea of fun involves lots of water (kayaking, surfing, triathlons, windsurfing or just hangin’ at the beach, etc.), then this waterproof and sweatproof AquaSport Sunscreen is for you. Its unique super dry formula ensures a non-slip grip on your surfboard, paddle, fishing rod, ski rope, or whatever equipment you rely on in the water. And this formula won’t run into your eyes, but if you do get it in your eye, it won’t sting. Sun and water are hard on skin, so they added antioxidants and moisturizers to AquaSport to promote healthy skin. AquaSport is available in 3.5-oz tubes of SPF 15 and SPF 30+.

Alba Botanica Kids Sunscreen SPF 30, 4 oz
Price: $7.25
This fragrance free, gentle lotion for all-over use helps protect kids from sunburn with an effective, mineral-based, UVA & UVB broad-spectrum reflective barrier. Formulated with natural titamium dioxide, this sunscreen lotion contains vitamin E, organic sunflower and jojoba oils plus organic lavender and organic aloe to nourish young, sun-exposed skin.  For all skin types.

Alba Botanica Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30, Fragrance Free, 4 oz
Price: $6.22
This fragrance free, lightweight lotion for all-over use helps prevent sunburn with an effective, mineral-based, UVA & UVB broad-spectrum reflective barrier. Formulated with natural titamium dioxide, this sunscreen lotion contains vitamin E, organic sunflower and jojoba oils plus organic green tea and organic aloe to care for sensitive, sun-exposed skin.

Nature’s Gate Mineral Sportblock, Spf 20, 4 oz
Price: $7.43
Nature’s Gate Organics Advanced Care now presents a revolutionary way to keep your skin safe and beautiful when you come face to face with the sun.

Caribbean Solutions Sol Guard Natural Biodegradable Sunscreen, Spf 25, 6 oz
Price: $12.53
Natural Sol guard SPF 25 is a non-toxic, blend of natural skin conditioning ingredients and natural sunscreens. The natural ingredients, including Cucumber/Melon extracts;Organic Aloe Vera and Kukui Pod oil assist the skin’s ability to hydrate and cool itself. Added, are plant extracts with natural photoreceptors that screen and block all UV rays: Wild Pansy; Hibiscus and Green Coffee. The natural minerals, Titanium Dioxide AND transparent Zinc Oxide afford the skin the true broad spectrum protection from both the UVB AND UVA rays. Sol Guard SPF 25 gives you maximum protection. This product will not come off in the water, and therefore, divers, snorkelers and water enthusiats will have positive results from its use.

Caribbean Solutions Sol Kid Kare Biodegradable Sunscreen, Spf 25, 6 oz
Price: $12.53
Sol Kid Kare SPF 25 Biodegradable Sunscreen provides the most UVB & UVA protection needed for kids or children. Provides true Broad Spectrum Protection and protect kids from the sun’s harmful UVB & UVA rays.

All Terrain TerraSport Performance Sunscreen, SPF 30, 3 oz
Price: $9.93
TerraSport SPF30 is designed for dry land sports, providing high protection against sunburn under the most extreme conditions. TerraSport offers natural broad-spectrum protection from both UVA & UVB rays. TerraSport will not clog your pores allowing your skin to “breathe” naturally. TerraSport contains no animal derived ingredients and is never tested on animals.

Basic Yoga Trainer Course, by TheYogaTutor.com
Where to buy: http://www.theyogatutor.com/
Review by: APCmomma

There’s a whole list of reasons why yoga is good for your health and your overall well being. It has been practiced for thousands of years and still, to this day, finds lots of followers. Yoga is about becoming more energetic and more fit, but it’s also about calming your mind and allowing you to relax and de-stress. It’s about going through your yoga poses – and your day-  with intention and a sense of peace.

Given the busy lifestyles we lead these days with jobs and families, I find this is especially of great importance.

Many of us find it difficult to find time to go to regular yoga classes. The Basic Yoga Trainer online is – in my opinion – a great alternative to joining a class. With the help of the online Basic Yoga Trainer course, you will be able to learn the basics of yoga from the comfort of your home. The course is divided into 21 lessons, ideally over 21 days, but you can take as long as you want. It is very detailed and covers a lot of ground in those 21 lessons.

A great addition is the streaming video, which demonstrates the individual moves. Every lesson starts with a bit of information on Yoga, such as Yoga Diet, History of Yoga and then specific yoga moves and techniques. Once you sign up online, you will have instant access to the course material, downloadable instruction guides and everything else you might need to make this course as convenient and worthwhile as possible.

Overall, if you are interested in Yoga and want to start learning how to incorporate it into your daily lifestyle, the Basic Online Trainer Yoga Course is a fantastic resource. It is easy to use and will give you the benefits of a healthy body and mind. I think that this course would benefit a variety of people, from complete yoga beginners to people already enjoying the benefits of yoga.

Learn more about The Yoga Tutor http://theyogatutor.com
A step-by-step yoga learning program, complete with videos that help even a complete newbie to develop their own safe and healthy yoga practice at home.
On top of the lessons, The Yoga Tutor provides great all-around support with a Q&A forum, monthly yoga webinars, and lots of really unique yoga learning resources.

Momscapers get a free trial. Click here to redeem

Here are a few more related special offers you may be interested in:

* As Seen on the TODAY Show! Save 20% off the Audio Yoga Mat – listen to your favorite music, podcast or instructed routine with this built-in, compact speaker – sale $23.98, was $29.98. Hurry, quantities are limited. From Gaiam.com. More Gaiam coupons and special offers are here >

* FREE 10 day Trial to the Gaiam Yoga Club. Learn how to master 75 different yoga poses through videos, podcasts, downloadable pose guides and more.

* Free Trial of the Basic Yoga Training Course from TheYogaTutor.com

Related articles at Momscape:
Yoga for Weight Loss – Can Yoga Help You Lose Weight?
Yoga for Weight Loss DVD – Product Review
Yoga DVD for Kids – Product Review

Spring is here, and, with it, a renewed eagerness to shed winter weight and get in shape before summertime.

Weight Watchers has just announced three new coupons to help you get motivated. Each of the coupons below ends on May 31, 2011. The offers can’t be combined, so just choose the promotion below that makes the most sense for you and your weight loss goals.

There are no coupon codes required, but you will need to click through the links below to activate your discount:

The first coupon is for Weight Watchers Online, which lets you follow the popular diet program entirely online:

Save over 35% On Weight Watchers® Online.
Get the Information & Resources You Need to Follow the Plan Online, featuring the all-new PointsPlus Program.

The second Weight Watchers coupon is for Weight Watchers Monthly Pass, which includes unlimited meetings and free online tools:

Discount: Weight Watchers® Monthly Pass: Save 25% on your first month (in participating areas).
Unlimited Meetings & Free eTools.

The third coupon option offers no sign up fee, a value of $29.95
Weight Watchers Online – No Sign Up Fee with 3-month plan
Limited time offer, $29.95 value. Follow the Plan Online.

Get More Weight Watchers Coupons (and a Weight Watchers review).

Momscape is a compensated affiliate of Weight Watchers.

Trudie Styler’s Sculpt and Tone Ballet DVD
Trudie Styler’s Sculpt & Tone Ballet DVD gives you two dance workouts to help you improve strength, balance and posture. Since studying ballet as a child, Trudie Styler has long admired the ageless art of ballet as well as the extraordinary strength and grace of ballet dancers. Together with classically trained dancer and fitness guru James D’Silva, Styler delivers this ballet-based 25-minute workout you can do with a barre or with a chair. Includes bonus 12-minute mindful meditation.

Momscape.com publishes the latest Gaiam.com coupon codes and special offers here, so make sure to check for a coupon before you purchase!

Super Foods for Super Health
by Linda Miner RNC, CHN, CMTA
www.MyHealthyBalance.com

If you are looking for that “magic bullet” to make you healthier, I would strongly recommend adding at least one of the following 4 Super Foods to your diet on a consistent basis.  These foods are loaded with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, antioxidants, fiber and protein.

All of the following foods are a good source of the phytonutrient antioxidants Lutein and Zeaxanthin, which are carotenoids that are concentrated in the lens of the eye.  Vitamin K, which is important for proper blood clotting and may be helpful in fighting Alzheimer’s, is present in all these foods.  They are all also an excellent source of Potassium which is a very important nutrient for people with high blood pressure.

SWISS CHARD is one of the most popular vegetables in the Mediterranean region and it is one of the most nutritious vegetables around.  Research suggests that the high levels of chlorophyll act as a health protective.  Since Swiss chard is available throughout the year, it is a great food to have as a regular part of your diet

1 cup of cooked Swiss Chard contains ⁽¹⁾:

• 5493 IU of Vitamin A
• 31 mg of Vitamin C
• 573 mcg of Vitamin K
• 10 mcg of Biotin
• 101 mg of Calcium
• 15 mcg of Folate
• 4 mg of Iron
• 150 mg of Magnesium
• 58 mg of Phosphorus
• 960 mg of Potassium
• 6391 mcg of Beta-Carotene
• 19,276 mcg Lutein & Zeaxanthin
• 3.7 g of Fiber
• 3.3 g of Protein

Chard is one of the few vegetables (along with spinach & beet greens) that are recommended to be boiled because of the high acid content.  Boiling frees up the unwanted acids and allows them to leach into the water.  Boil for just 3 minutes and then drain the chard with a strainer.  Be sure to throw out the water after boiling.

COLLARD GREENS’ phytonutrients (phyto = plant) help prevent a wide variety of cancers and research is pointing to the ability of components known as “glucosinolates” and “methyl cysteine sulfoxides” to activate detoxifying enzymes in the liver that neutralize potentially cancer-causing substances.

1 cup of cooked Collard Greens contains ⁽¹⁾:

• 5945 IU of Vitamin A
• 35 mg of Vitamin C
• 704 mcg of Vitamin K
• 226 mg of Calcium
• 177 mcg of Folate
• 32 mg of Magnesium
• 49 mg of Phosphorus
• 494 mg of Potassium
• 9,146 mcg of Beta-Carotene
• 14,618 mcg Lutein & Zeaxanthin
• 5.3 g of Fiber
• 4 g of Protein

It is best to steam collards.  Cut diagonally into 1/2 inch slices and place in a steamer.  Cook for no more than 5 minutes for best results.

ASPARAGUS is renowned for being an excellent source of folic acid which is essential for proper cellular division and DNA synthesis as well as being an important nutrient for a healthy cardiovascular system. Asparagus provides health-promoting carotenoid phytonutrients which can function as powerful antioxidants that protect cells against oxidative damage.

1 cup of cooked Asparagus contains ⁽¹⁾:

• 970 mg of Vitamin A
• 19 mg of Vitamin C
• 92 mcg of Vitamin K
• 36 mg of Calcium
• 263 mcg of Folate
• 18 mg of Magnesium
• 97 mg of Phosphorus
• 288 mg of Potassium
• 3 mcg of Selenium
• 1,087 mcg of Beta-Carotene
• 1,388 mcg Lutein & Zeaxanthin
• 2.9 g of Fiber
• 4.7 g of Protein

Choose medium size asparagus and snap off the bottom of each asparagus stalk.  Saute 1 pound of asparagus for just 5 minutes in 3 tbsps of low sodium broth.  It absorbs just enough moisture from the broth to make it tender

BROCCOLI Studies indicate that cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, that contain the largest concentrations of health promoting sulfur compounds which increase the liver’s ability to produce enzymes that neutralize potentially toxic substances.  Vitamin A and C are also present in broccoli which is also a rich source of folate which is important for heart health.

1 cup of cooked Broccoli contains ⁽¹⁾:

• 2280 IU of Vitamin A
• 123 mg of Vitamin C
• 155 mcg of Vitamin K
• 75 mg of Calcium
• 94 mcg of Folate
• 39 mg of Magnesium
• 102 mg of Phosphorus
• 505 mg of Potassium
• 1,840 mcg of Beta-Carotene
• 2,366 mcg Lutein & Zeaxanthin
• 4.7 g of Fiber
• 4.7 g of Protein

Steaming Broccoli is the best way to cook it to preserve nutrients.  Cook until a fork can just pierce the stem – about 5 minutes.

Incorporating any or all of these Super Foods into your diet on a regular basis will help you achieve your health and wellness goals.

(1)  Mateljan, George. The World’s Healthiest Foods, GMF Publishing, Canada, 2007

About the Author:
Linda Miner is a Registered Nutritionist specializing in Metabolic Typing. Linda works with clients to help them restore their health by re-establishing balance in the body. Through one-on-one coaching and an individualized food plan based on your unique characteristics, Linda can help you achieve Optimal Health.  If you are looking for a plan that is as unique as you are, then choose Linda Miner to be your Wellness Guide.  Learn more at http://www.ichange.com/user/lindaminer

Having just celebrated another birthday,  I was more pleased than usual to read this little bit of information on the Internet today:

The happiest men are those in their 60s.

The least happy are in their 20s.

That’s according to a Pew Research Center study, which you can read more about here.

According to this article, except for people with some form of dementia, mental health actually tends to get better as we get older.

Apparently older people have fewer negative “emotional experiences” and “greater emotional control” than younger people.

So why do we get happier as we got older? Well the researchers think that we get better at avoiding negative experiences and limiting our exposure to stress.  And when we are confronted with negative experiences, we are better able to focus on the positives. Older people are better able, for example, to “let an argument slide rather than dwell on it.”

I think about the relationships in my extended family and I really think that’s true. My grandparents and my parents and my in-laws let a lot of things roll right off their backs…not in a passive-aggressive kind of way, but in a healthy and wise way.

It’s kind of inspiring, I think. My husband and I are really starting to do that, too. We don’t take as many things personally as we used to. We give each other the benefit of the doubt more often.

Here’s a blog post by Victoria Moran on Beliefnet that is kind of related and which I think is pretty inspiring, too.

Product Review:
Garmin 305 Forerunner with heart rate monitor and high sensitivity GPS
Where to buy: www.amazon.com
Reviewer: AHC Mom
[Editor's note: At the time of this writing, the Garmin Forerunner 305 was reduced in price to $179.99 - a savings of 40%. Click here for today's pricing.]

Consider your Garmin Forerunner 305 your running buddy or your personal trainer who will lead you to a better workout and success.

The Forerunner 305 is a sports watch manufactured by Garmin. It is very comfortable to wear, even if it is bigger than a usual sports watch. It looks cool and is very easy to use with functional buttons to push.

Included in the price is:

* Forerunner 305
* Garmin Training Center CD-ROM
* Heart rate monitor
* Docking cradle
* Expander strap
* A/C charger
* USB cable
* Owner’s manual
* Quick start guide

The high-sensitivity GPS tracks and measures distance, heart rate, multiple laps, calories burned, speed, time, altitude as well as pace. If you are a road runner training for your big race, or if you are a triathlete aiming for a big goal, this is your must-have piece of equipment.

If you don’t like running on your own, you have the option of a virtual running partner program. This allows you to compete against a virtual runner that will keep you going.

The Forerunner 305 comes with a docking station and software to upload runs to your PC. You as a user will be able to view maps of your distances run, you will also be able to see your progression during the runs in altitude and pace. At the same time this watch also records your heart rate, which is downloadable as well.

For more information of this product and its many uses, go to the www.amazon.com website.

If you and your family need affordable health insurance, you can now harness the power of the Internet to make sure you get the coverage you need at a price you can afford.

We have found a site that provides quotes and offers more insurance products than anyone else online. In fact, at the time of this writing, it’s the ONLY site that allows you to view quotes, compare plans side-by-side and apply for health insurance – all online with eSign technology – greatly reducing the time to wait for a response from a carrier.

The site is eHealthInsurance.com, and it offers:

Free Quotes and Comparisons. All of the services offered by eHealthInsurance are provided to consumers at no additional cost. The website’s Help and Guidance section provides answers to some more frequently asked questions. They also offer free Online Help & Live Assistance services.

Choice and selection. On the website, you can learn about, compare, and apply for health insurance from many of the nation’s leading health insurance carriers. EHealthInsurance is licensed to market and sell health insurance in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. They have partnered with more than 175 health insurance companies and offer more insurance products than anyone online.

Best prices available. Health insurance premiums are regulated by each state’s Department of Insurance. Whether you buy from eHealthInsurance or your local agent, you can be assured that you’re getting the same rate for the same plan. You can enjoy the all the great services they offer and take advantage of the convenience of shopping online and never worry you’ll pay more than you need to.

Faster process. EHealthInsurance.com’s eSign technology processes consumers’ health insurance applications electronically, resulting in a faster response from the insurance carriers. This technology reduces the time required for the underwriting process by as much as percent.

Trust and privacy. eHealthInsurance is the leading online source of health insurance for individuals and families nationwide. Their online application process is safe, easy and secure and they do not sell, trade, or give away a customer’s information to anyone.

Get your free instant quotes here >