Disclosure: This post was made possible by BrandBacker and Game Face Wipes. I was compensated for my participation in this campaign, but all opinions are 100% mine. Read full Disclosure Policy here. Thank you.

 

Summer can be a sticky time of the year. Whether you’re soaking up the sun at the beach, hitting the gym, landscaping the yard, or simply living in the brutal heat of the hot summer sun, we all sometimes need a little help keeping clean and refreshed during the brutal heat of the Summer, especially the men in our lives. It’s with this in mind that face and body wipes, such as Game Face Wipes, can help play a vital role in keeping you looking your best all day long this season!  

 

 

Also, consider this, for years, hygiene wipes have been products almost exclusively dominated by the female demographic market, although studies have suggested that men use hygiene wipes at a near equal rate, despite not having a brand identified with their gender. Game Face wipes are designed to fill that need by providing wipes in several leading cosmetic categories such as Cleansing Facial Wipes, Cooling Facial Wipes, Deodorizing Body and Underarm Wipes, and Antibacterial Warrior Wipes.

 

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #NatureMadeHealthPack #CollectiveBias

Please note, this blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your healthcare practitioner.

Walking into a grocery store unprepared can be a challenge for anyone. Throw needing a low-glycemic diet into the mix, and shopping for food can become downright overwhelming. I know this first-hand as a someone who lives with PCOS. So if you’re like me and need a low-sugar, high-quality, PCOS-friendly diet each week you are in luck as today I’d like to share with my nine tips to PCOS-Friendly shopping at Sam’s Club. By following some simple tips, you can master your grocery shopping in-club and learn how to stock your fridge with all the right products you need for a healthy low-glycemic diet.

1. Never shop on an empty stomach. It’s not just an old wives’ tale. When we’re hungry, we tend to crave the most calorically dense foods. It’s a survival mechanism that can wreak havoc on those who need low-glycemic diets because when you have periods of low blood sugar, you may start to gravitate towards products high in fats, carbs, and sugars. Then before you know it, your cart is full of the sweetest foods in-club. And in bulk quantities! My best advice to remedy this is to eat a high-protein snack, such as a handful of nuts with one ounce of low-fat organic cheese before shopping to maintain blood glucose levels. With a clear mind and a satisfied tummy, you’ll make wiser food choices while browsing the food aisles in-club. 

2. Purchase foods in their original form. In general, you want to focus on purchasing fresh foods in their original form — fruits, vegetables, fish, and lean protein. Something I learned early on living with PCOS was to purchase and consume foods with the shortest lists of ingredients possible. The least processed and more organic the foods the better. For example, instead of buying sugary juices, or pre-made fruit snacks opt for fresh, sugar-free juices made with stevia, dried fruits without added trans-fats and sugars, or no-sugar-added frozen fruit. 

3. Map out your week’s menu in advance. A must-do, before you head to the grocery store, is to plan your menu for the week. Set aside a half-hour on a set day each week to create a list of foods you will eat for the week. Consider not just your meals but PCOS-friendly snacks as well, as those who need low-glycemic diets should eat smaller meals and snack every 3-4 hours throughout the day. After you plan what you’ll make for the week, take inventory of what you already have on-hand stock and then write out a grocery list. This will help you purchase healthier foods and spend less money in-club as well! 

Now if you’d like to see how I meal plan at home for insulin-resistant PCOS, check out of my favorite meal plans below:

Monday
Breakfast: Pecan Cinnamon Muffins with almond milk and grapes.
Lunch: Olive spread, with crackers, grapes, and almond milk. 
Snack: Strawberries and String Cheese.
Dinner: Pioneer Woman Veggie Stir Fry, served with brown rice. 
Dessert: Strawberry, stevia, and almond milk smoothies.

Tuesday
Breakfast: Avocado, Banana, and Almond Milk Smoothies.
Lunch: Olive spread, with crackers, grapes, and almond milk.
Snack: Grapes and String Cheese.
Dinner: Taco Salad and Crystal Light.
Dessert: Strawberry, organic cocoa, and almond milk smoothies.

Wednesday
Breakfast: Pecan Cinnamon Muffins with almond milk and grapes.
Lunch: Grilled cheese sliders, grapes, and ice water.
Snack: Strawberries and String Cheese.
Dinner: Easy Protein-Packed Chili with corn on the cob and green tea.
Dessert: Strawberry, stevia, banana, and almond milk smoothies.

Thursday
Breakfast: Avocado, Banana, and Almond Milk Smoothies.
Lunch: Pumpkin Mac and Cheese, steamed broccoli, and ice water.
Snack: Grapes and String Cheese.
Dinner: Lasagna Roll-Ups, green beans, and tomato and cucumber salad.
Dessert: Strawberry, organic cocoa, and almond milk smoothies.

Friday
Breakfast: Pecan Cinnamon Muffins with almond milk and grapes.
Lunch: Grilled cheese sliders with grapes and almond milk.
Snack: Strawberries and String Cheese.
Dinner: Veggie Pizza and crystal light.
Dessert: Strawberry, organic cocoa, and almond milk smoothies.

Saturday
Breakfast: DIY Organic Granola with Strawberries and Almond milk.
Lunch: Grilled cheese and almond milk.
Snacks: Strawberries and String Cheese.
Dinner: Chicken mole, served with steamed rice, corn, and ice water.
Dessert: Strawberry, organic cocoa, and almond milk smoothies.

Sunday
Breakfast: Banana pancakes, strawberries, and almond milk.
Lunch: Grilled Spaghetti, green beans, and green tea.
Snack: Strawberries and String Cheese.
Dinner: Grilled Spaghetti leftovers, green beans, and ice water.
Dessert: Strawberry, organic cocoa, and almond milk smoothies.

4. Stick to the outer rim of the store. Often times the healthful foods can be found along the perimeter of the store — fresh produce, dairy products, health supplements, and fish and lean meats. This is where you should spend most of your time in-club. Look for organic nuts, canned beans, vegetables, and heart-healthy olive and coconut oils in these locations in-club.

5. Read labels carefully. Just because a product says it’s healthy doesn’t necessarily mean it is. Make sure the ingredients section on the nutrition label lists words such as fair-trade, organic, whole, pure, or the like. This is especially true for whole-grain products such as grains and rice. 

6. Take the phrase “sugar-free” with a grain of salt. Sometimes foods that say they contain low-sugar ingredients actual mean that while they may contain fewer sugars they may also contain more carbs and saturated fats as well. This also goes for foods marked fat-free as well because very often the removed fat has been replaced with sugar. Instead look for phrasing on packages that contain low cholesterol and low sodium, as many of these foods tend to be low-glycemic foods. 

7. Shop frozen when out of season. It goes without saying that when it comes to buying produce, you should always buy fresh and buy local. But sometimes this isn’t always an option. So for times when you can buy fresh fruits and veggies, opt for frozen varieties instead. Some of my favorite in-club buys are large bags of frozen veggies and fruits for low-sugar vegan smoothies. I love buying frozen, especially in winter, since frozen fruits and vegetables tend to be picked at their peak ripeness, making them not only convenient but also still nutrient-dense.

8. Meal Prep. One of the ways I keep my insulin-resistant PCOS in check is to immediately meal prep my food for the week. This is especially important after shopping at Sam’s Club, as with other bulk shopping, you purchase large quantities of food so you need to serve and store it properly. Generally, before I shop at Sam’s Club I prep my kitchen at home. On one side of my counter tops, I leave out mason jars, snack containers, and glass containers so as soon as I come home and unload my groceries, I’m ready to meal prep for the week. My favorite meal to prep for the week? Mason jar salads. They are super simple to make, feature fresh, affordable ingredients, and last for up to a week in the fridge! 

9. Take a daily vitamin pack. Take a daily vitamin pack. No matter how savvy your shopping is in-club, you may benefit from supplementing your diet with vitamins. While your vitamins of choice may differ from mine, but for me, I choose the Nature MadeⓇ Daily Diabetes Health Pack, which provides me with daily nutritional support. † The Nature MadeⓇ Daily Diabetes Health Pack is a multivitamin and mineral supplement that provides essential vitamins and minerals for daily nutritional support; including fish oil with vitamin D3 to support a healthy heart†; vitamin D to support bone, teeth, muscle, and immune health†; magnesium to support healthy bones, and teeth, plus helps convert food to cellular energy†; vitamin C to help support the immune system†; alpha lipoic acid with green tea, which has antioxidant properties†; and chromium, which is necessary for carbohydrate metabolism and utilization, and supports healthy glucose metabolism†.

The Nature MadeⓇ Daily Diabetes Health Pack is easy to find and inexpensive when you purchase in-club at Sam’s or online at Sam’s Club. And for those without a membership? No problem. You can still shop with a 10% fee added. I’ve been known to order many of my vitamins and supplements online and love that when I order online at Sam’s Club, my order is often on my doorstep the next morning which I love! 

And if you’d like a sample shopping list for shopping in-club for PCOS-friendly foods, be sure to check out this awesome Sam’s Club Nature MadeⓇ Shopping list for people needing to shop for low-glycemic foods. Feel free to save it to your smartphone and reference it while shopping in-club on your next trip to Sam’s Club. You can also learn more about Nature MadeⓇ by visiting their Facebook page.

Now, friends, I have to ask, how will you use these shopping tips to help take better care of your insulin-resistant PCOS symptoms at home this summer? And if you are already shopping for low-glycemic foods, how do you meal prep and meal plan with these strategies in mind? I’d love to hear about it below! 

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any diseases.

Disclosure: This post was made possible by MomsMeet.com and Restore. I was compensated for my participation in this campaign, but all opinions are 100% mine. Read full Disclosure Policy here.

If you’re anything like me, taking care of your health isn’t always a top priority. For me, the busier I get, the less time I tend to devote to self-care, especially my immune health. Which is why when I learned about Restore probiotics several months ago I was very excited to try this line of products out for myself.

Restore Gut Health Mineral Supplement is a unique dietary supplement that addresses basic dietary and health issues surrounding good gut health affecting a large percentage of the U.S. population. Restore provides the gut with a new stream of healthy gut biodiversity that supports normal immune function.

Restore is also the first supplement on the market that functions as an antidote to glyphosate, a chemical widely used in commercial pesticides. Because unfortunately, the chemicals in our modern world, including the chemicals in processed foods and in agriculture, such as pesticides, weed killers, and the antibiotics fed to farm animals, have invaded our food supply

Restore is the first-of-its-kind gut health supplement, and it contains no probiotics (or prebiotics). The strongest probiotic on the market contains up to 50 strands of bacteria, but your body optimally contains up to 20,000. Good benefits of probiotics can plateau after a few weeks, but Restore works as a communication network that gives our bodies the tools to create support through its own bacterial ecosystem again.

Moreover, Restore – Gut Health Mineral Supplement – 16 oz. (473mL) can help with:

For the past several weeks I’ve taken both the Restore Liquid supplement and Nasal Spray. 1 teaspoon of the Restore Liquid supplement (5ml) 3 times a day with meals works wonders. The biggest difference I have noticed is no longer having the dreaded mid-afternoon slump. I haven’t felt the need to consume caffeine or any sort of pick-me-ups. I also like that Restore is also tasteless and can be combined with drinks such as smoothies, juices, or other healthy drinks as well. 

 

 

I also love that many of the ingredients in Restore are minerals I am familiar with and feel safe giving to my family as well, including purified water, potassium, iron, zinc, copper, gold, and magnesium.

This doesn’t mean I get a free ticket to copious amounts of gluten, but with Restore, some of the damage caused by eating processed foods and exposure to environmental pollutants can be lessened. Anything that can help minimize the impact of gluten, GMO’s and glyphosate on my health is aces in my book.

Another cool thing about Restore is that the company has an awesome 90-day guarantee, making Restore an affordable choice for those wanting to try this supplement out for themselves. All-in-all, I’ve really liked the results I’ve experienced using Restore.

Restore is available to purchase at restore4life.com, in practitioner offices, health food stores, and GNC stores nationwide, and at amazon.com. To find Restore in your area, click here for the full list of locations. You can find out more about this supplement on their media outlets as well on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube as well. 

And savvy savers, you can now save 20% off everything at restore4life.com/try-restore-today/ using code B7X66JY. Please note, this promotional code is set to expire on July 16, 2017.

All-in-all, I’ve really liked the results I’ve experienced using Restore and would encourage you to look into this awesome new mineral-based supplement for yourself this Summer season. So friends, how are you promoting your own gut health at home? I’d love to hear about it below. 

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post for MomsMeet.com and Now Foods. I received this free in exchange for my honest review & opinion as a MomsMeet Ambassador. To read this blogs full disclosure policy, click here. Thank you.

Do you ever wake up days not feeling your personal best and not being able to pinpoint as to why? Unfortunately, I do. And I’m sure I’m not alone. When I let my diet get out of hand, overindulge during the holidays, or during that time of the month my gut health can get super out of hand and when it does my body starts to feel super run down!

Between my constant reach for more coffee, to consuming rich deli foods, and even over-indulging in red meats can leave you feeling sluggish throughout your day. A feeling I knew I needed to do something about.

To remedy this, I started small. I regulated my sleep, making sure to go to bed at a decent time. To begin my day with warm, refreshing lemon water, and to build-up my gut health with NOW Women’s Probiotic 20 Billion product.

NOW Women’s Probiotic 20 Billion has been specially formulated using three clinically tested probiotic strains to support women’s health featuring L. rhamnosus, HN001, and L. acidophilus La- 14, all probiotic strands clinically proven to colonize, maintain proper vaginal pH, support healthy immune system function, especially for those with compromised immune systems and for pregnant and nursing women. 

Disclosure: I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com), May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and post my honest opinion on my blog. The opinions posted are my own. 

Running a household is stressful. From working from my home office to trying to mother the masses, there always seems to be something that needs to be done. Always one more list to write and one more task to finish, and those are just my chores and tasks! 

Then there are the issues that come from sharing your space with family. From temper tantrums to healing boo-boos to cleaning up after the trails of things my husband leaves around our home. You know the drill. Messes. Lots and lots of messes. The kind of messes that made our home always feel a touch on the hectic side. 

So it goes without saying that being a WAHM can be stressful and over time that stress can begin to take a toll on your health and disposition. Personally, this stress caused me over time to become grouchy, look how tired, and appear rundown. Worse still was the guilt. The guilt of thinking that I needed to put my self-care on the shelf to spend time with family. It took me years to realize that guilt-free self-care was vital to my personal growth as a person. That I didn’t need to feel guilty about taking the time to sit down with a book, take a hot bath, listen to a podcast, or binge out with Netflix.  Then one day it dawned on me, that I needed that

This was time, I needed to help me be a more relaxed and well-rounded person and here are three reasons why you need self-care in your life as a woman, wife, and mother:

1. You to recharge your batteries. When you’re a wife and parent, your mind is always going. You think about meals need to be planned, the laundry that needs to be folded, and school functions that require you to volunteer at the school. This is especially true for those like me who are introverts. Your mind and body need time to recharge, to reset your mood, to quelch the what if’s of your mind. You need to rest! 

2. It makes you a better person. If you’re constantly thinking of others and not yourself, it inevitably leads to resentment. And no one suffers from this embitterment but you. But if you take that break, you feel refreshed. revived, and reset You will also be able to think in a more rational, levelheaded manner. You may even be able to, maybe just maybe, tackle that pile of laundry with a little pep in your step.

3. You’ll reset the temperature of your home. When I schedule time in my day to take care of myself I am a better person. I smile more often. I find that by taking a half hour for myself a few hours before my family comes home allows me to be able to set the temperature of my home, to create a more cozy, happy home. Sometimes I color in my adult coloring books. Sometimes I watch the Gilmore Girls on Netflix. Sometimes I take a 15-minute speed nap. Just a little something every day to help me be the best woman I can be. And why you may ask? Because it’s how I take care of myself. You know the saying,

Now you may be asking if this is something you really need to be doing? Yes, it is. You know the saying, happy life, happy wife. When you take time for yourself, it helps prepare your mind, body, and soul to be receptive to helping care for others as well. I also find that the opposite is true. When I do not invest time in my day for myself. My mood changes and others notice this. My mood also tends to trickle to everyone else in the family, which is not fair to anyone else. So for their sanity, and my own, self-care is a must for me and I cannot encourage you enough to do the same for yourself! 

In addition to self-care, there are also things around the house you can do to help make your days run as smoothly as possible as a mom. Luvs helps make life easier so you can find more time for not just self-care but for snuggles, cuddles, and the like as well! 

What’s really awesome now is that Luvs recently introduced the new and improved Luvs Ultra Leakguard Diapers with NightLock Plus™ that are softer and more absorbent than ever before, with large stretch tabs for easy fastening, ultra-leakage protection, and a money-back guarantee. Making Luvs a sure bet for quality diapers with less cost than premium brands.

As the go-to brand of experienced parents, Luvs is committed to providing moms and dads with value.  They recognize that parenting can be difficult, but diapering shouldn’t be. Luvs also recently conducted a formal poll of moms across the country to take a look at parenting like it really is and uncover what they truly value most, and now you can use this coupon for $1.00 off the new Luvs Ultra Leakguard Diapers with NightLock Plus™, available in most grocery stores nationwide.

Be sure to stock your home with products like Luvs can help me to make your life easier. But also remember to take time out for yourself. Do what you love. Recharge your batteries. Love yourself first so that you can better love your little ones later. Remember, you deserve it!