Editorial Comment: It’s no secret that life can get pretty hectic sometimes. If you need some tips to help you manage the daily runaround, read this article by Aurelia Williams, author of Journey to Joy.

Here is the article…

Hey – Did someone press the FFW button?

Have you ever felt like someone just pressed the Fast-forward button on your day and before you know it the day is over and you are sitting there wondering what you’ve accomplished?

I love to organize and with working Part Time outside of the home and FULL-TIME at home with my business, 4 children and Husband I really rely on a schedule and many time management tips to keep my sanity (ok, so some of you think I am already insane, I won’t argue with that) but at least I am organized

Here are a few of my favorite Time management Tips (these are just a few of the tips I share with my Journey to Joy students):

1. Meal Planning: Try planning 1 – 2 weeks worth of meals at a time and write them down on a calendar. Do your shopping accordingly and prep tomorrows dinner today. You will be AMAZED at what a time saver this is.

2. To-Do Lists: I know most people HATE them but they actually do work. Just take a few moments out of your day (either in the morning or in the evening) to make a list for that day or the following day. Be sure to only put down the items that you MUST finish on this list.

3. Delegate: Do you have friends, a husband, children that can pitch in and do a few things for you? If so, be sure to use all of your resources.

4. Morning Rush: Scooting the children out of the door can be a huge time eater! Be sure to prepare lunches, lay out clothes and plan your breakfast the night before. This will make your mornings run a tad smoother.

5. Just say “NO”!: Such a small word that carries a might punch! If you truly can’t fit something into your schedule and it is not urgent, just say No!. Keep a list of non-urgent things that you can do on hand for when you do have some down time.

Well, those are just a few of my time management tips. I personally set aside about 15 minutes a night and sit down with my Palm Pilot and make a short TO-DO list for the following day and it is amazing at the time this save.

Also be mindful of your own body. Are you a morning, afternoon or night person? Try to schedule your most time consuming tasks when you have the most energy.

Take Care!

For more help, instantly access your instantly access your Journey To Joy tools for a happier and more fulfilled you. This inspiring eBook with accompanying audio recordings, worksheets and easy-to-apply action steps shows you how to squeeze more time and happiness into every single day.

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Potatoes are naturally low in fat, but usually need other ingredients to bring out the flavor. Here’s a great sweet and spicy treat for your next baked potato.

The Ingredients:

• 4 large unpeeled potatoes (about 740 g or over 1 pound)
• 425 g (13 oz) Can of Tuna in Springwater
• 2 sliced spring onions
• 1 chopped tomato
• 2 chopped gherkins
• 1/4 cup of sweet chilli sauce
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon of chopped coriander
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup of low fat sour cream

The Process:

First preheat you oven at 200 C (400 F). Take the potatoes, prick them with a fork and place them in a microwave safe glass bowl. Cover the bowl with a glad wrap and nuke it for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the filling by putting the tuna, spring onions, tomato, gherkins, sweet chilli sauce, sour cream and chives in a bowl and mix together well while adding salt and pepper to taste. After nuking the potatoes and they become tender, drain them and put them in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes till the skins bakes. Remove from the oven and cut each potato across from the top, pushing up the sides providing space for the filling. Spoon the filling over each of the potato to finish. It makes 4 servings.

Many people avoid a low-fat lifestyle because they think it’s impossible that great taste and low fat can go together.

Well honestly, many low fat alternatives to foods can be well rather bland and make it difficult to stay on a low fat diet. It does not however have to be that way. There are a number of ways that low fat dieting can taste just as great as the meals full of fat you just have to know what to do and where to look.

fThe first place to look if you are someone who loves to cook is Asian cooking. Oriental cooking has some of the lowest fat content of any cooking type and not only is it healthy for you it tastes great. An oriental diet is rich in three things, rice, vegetables, and fish or poultry. Their sauces are flavorful but very light and they believe in cooking at high temperatures for shorts amount of time. The reason for this, it traps in the flavor. There are a number of cook books on actual oriental cooking that you can find that will provide you with a wealth of recipes to try most of which will be low fat.

Tofu is something else that is a main staple and easily provides a high protein and low fat alternative to meat. The texture may take a bit of getting used if you have never tried it before however tofu usually takes on the flavor of what it is cooked with so taste is not hard to get used too.

Most of the ingredients can be found in your local supermarket but you may want to check out the local Oriental market for things like Daikon some vegetables and specialty foods. Oils that are used are usually sesame oil or peanut oil both of which are healthier than most vegetable oils.

If you prefer more western cooking styles you can still find alternatives to your favorite foods. Choose items that are low in saturated fats. If possible find alternatives that are also low in unsaturated fats but if having to make a choice choose low in saturated fats these are fats that come from animal byproducts and are usually what causes issues in high fat diets. Small changes like lower fat milk and milk based products, fruit instead of higher calorie and fat dessert options are just a few of the alternatives to keep great tasting and healthy food.

This article was originally written for Natural Moms Talk Radio.

I’ve always been intrigued by the concept of the Natural Mom. Even the words “Natural Mom” sound so ethereal that anyone achieving that status brings to mind an image of an angelic creature looking down over all of us.

But these women are very real.

They do their homework and make smart decisions for their family that not only focus on their family’s well-being and health, but care for this precious planet at the same time. Being a Natural Mom is as practical as practical can be.

And despite the fact that I admire the Natural Mom, it’s not something I’ve been able to achieve in my life. I try at some things. I fail at some. I’m just too darned stubborn to try the others.

The Anatomy of One Unnatural Mom:

o I’m a breastfeeding mom, but with my first child grew so frustrated that I ended up just pumping my milk for as long as I could and bottle-feeding breast milk. I was much better equipped to handle it for REAL the next time and the 2nd baby never had a baby bottle…ever. Baby #3 is on the way and will be breastfed.

o My kids were born in a hospital and both by c-section. I attempted a vaginal birth the first time, but after 40 hours of labor and a low heart rate scare, the doctors said it was time to come out with it. I’ve been terrified of labor since.

o I love to wear my baby, but only when my husband is available to help me figure out the darned Mayan Baby Wrap. I can’t seem to make the darned thing to work properly on my own.

o Babies are allowed to sleep in our bed until I can no longer stand all the legs and feet (baby and grown up) poking me all night.

o I’m not 100% sure that I’ve ever even seen a cloth diaper.

o I’m militant about buying whole-wheat products in the grocery store, but we take our fair share of trips through the drive through for some white flour and animal fat delights.

o I bought two t-shirts from thelactivist.com, but they are so racy, we might only wear them inside the house.

o Although I thoroughly enjoy learning opportunities with my kids, home and school are two words that don’t go together around here. Well, unless I’m saying, “I’m at home and about to take the kids to school,” or the “Kids are on the way home from school.”

o I go through phases with organic foods and sometimes convince myself that all the foods labeled organic aren’t really what they say they are. Then I just buy the regular stuff to save money.

The Anatomy of One Unnatural Mom’s Kids:

o My kids are healthy, have never had any serious medical problems and rarely have colds.

o My kids are intelligent with vocabularies that would knock your socks (organic cotton, of course) off.

o My kids love interacting with other people, making friends and interactive play.

…and I could go on and on, but nobody wants to hear a mom brag about her kids endlessly. Let’s just say they’re doing pretty darned great.

You see, I am who I am. I may be a little unnatural, but to my kids I am the world. I make my choices based on what I feel is best for my family and children.

I hope that you will forgive this Unnatural Mom and appreciate the efforts she has made because after all, nobody…not any mom…is truly perfect, except in the eyes of our own families. And that is what truly matters. Natural, unnatural or somewhere in between, all moms are amazing.

Here is a review of Seventh Generation Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner submitted by Kaiya of Atlantic County, NJ USA.

Product: Seventh Generation Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner (Natural Mint Scent)

Description of Product: The product is biodegradable and doesn’t have any harsh chemicals or strong fumes. It doesn’t exactly smell “minty fresh”. It actually doesn’t have much of a scent at all.
I switched to this product when I was pregnant and didn’t want to use the chemical commercial cleaners anymore. This worked so well that I’ve never looked back. This is still my favorite Seventh Generation product. (I have found some of their cleaning products to be hit or miss.) The main ingredient is a salt cleaning agent. No risk of chemical burns or harming the environment with this product. It is thick and clings to the bowl. I apply it and let it soak for awhile. Then I come back and brush. Works great even on my white toilets!

What do you like about the product?: Product works well; No caustic chemicals

What do you dislike about it?: Nothing.

Where to buy: Click here for more reviews and buying information

Yes! Finally, we can have our scones and eat them too. Here’s a low-fat recipe that’s easy to make and tastes delicious too.

• 8 oz (225 g) of wholemeal flour
• 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
• 1 teaspoon of caster sugar
• 2 teaspoon of honey
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup of skimmed milk

The Process:

Sift the flour, bicarbonate and cream of tartar into a bowl. Stir in sugar and honey. Beat the egg slightly and add it with the milk into the mixture. Beat well until the batter is smooth. Spray canola oil into a non-stick frying pan and heat it. Drop dessertspoons of the batter onto the hot pan and cook until bubbles appear on the surface of the cones. Flip it over and press with a spatula until both sides are cooked. Let each side cook for 1 minute. It makes 20 servings.

Fruits & veggies are definitely tasty, but if you’re trying for a more low-fat diet, preparing these yummy natural goodies can turn dull. Don’t let this make you abandon your healthful eating habits and just take the easy sugar route out. Preparing and eating fruits and veggies can be fun!

• Give your Italian beans an authentic Italian flavor. Mix them with fat free Italian dressing. It doesn’t taste any different than the version that includes fat and it adds a nice tangy taste to this otherwise bland vegetable. It also tastes great mixed with broccoli and cauliflower.

• Are you in the mood for French fries but you are trying to stay away from those fatty fried foods? Cut up a potato into fries, spread an even layer on a baking sheet, spray with Pam cooking spray, sprinkle with Creole or other seasoning and put them in the oven for a few minutes. You will have tasty French fries with a kick but without all the fat.

• If you like all of your vegetables to have a little spice to them, try this. Cut up cauliflower into bite size pieces. In a bowl toss the cauliflower with cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Put the cauliflower pieces on a baking sheet sprayed with Pam cooking spray and put in a 400* oven until cauliflower is tender, not mushy, about 10-20 minutes. Be sure to stir halfway through.

• Not sure what to do with those berries? Whether it’s strawberries, blueberries, blackberries or raspberries, there are a number of tasty ways you can add these to your fat free diet. When you first bring berries home from the grocery store, wash them and put them in an airtight container. When you have a craving for berries, you will be more likely to grab a handful if they are easily accessible and ready to eat. Layer the berries in a parfait dish alternating with low fat yogurt or mix with the yogurt. You can also stir them in jell-o before setting. Sprinkle them on your oatmeal or cereal in the morning or grab a handful for an afternoon snack.

• Slice bananas, apples, peaches and whatever else sounds good to you and sauté them in a non-stick skillet with just a little vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. You can add a little more flavor with a few drops of orange or pineapple juice.

• Change your menu around a little. Once a week, choose a fresh fruit or vegetable that you have never tried or that you have not had in long time. It will be fun to experience new tastes and interesting to discover new favorites.

There are so many ways to jazz up your fruits and vegetables. These are just a few. Be creative and think of your own ideas. You could discover some great new tastes on some age old foods.

Here is a review of Burt’s Bees Shimmers natural lip gloss alternative submitted by Kaiya of Atlantic County, NJ USA.

Product: Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmers

Description of Product: The lip shimmers moisturize well without being sticky or heavy like lip gloss. They are more subtle than traditional lipstick, but provide a little more oomph than plain lip balm. I keep a few in various places so I always have one handy. The peppermint oil provides a pleasant tingle and a fresh scent. They work great alone or over another lip color. The colors are very “frosted” looking so I’d try out the colors in person if you can. All shades may not work with all skin tones. The Champagne one is very light. The darker colors are more neutral.

What do you like about the product?: Likes: Product is affordable; Feels nice on the lips

What do you dislike about it: Hard to guess colors by packaging

Where to buy: Click here for more reviews and buying information

They call it morning sickness, but it can hit anytime – morning, noon or night. It is most typical in the first trimester of pregnancy and what you probably want to know is -

How in the world are you going to get through this? Morning sickness leaves a person feeling weak, dizzy and sometimes just out of it. Yet, even with that said, there is no doubt that some individuals can find relief through a few simple methods. Can it be cured? Not for everyone and definitely not simple. Yet, you can feel better by taking some actions.

First, realize that it is unlikely that you will stop morning sickness from happening all together. Instead, you are likely to find that treatments work to minimize the effects of and the reactions of morning sickness on your body. Here are some things that you may want to try.

• Try to avoid having an empty stomach. Many times, you will wake to morning sickness because you do not have anything in your stomach. To help this, you may want to try to keep at least something small in your stomach most of the day.

• Try to eat five or six smaller sized meals per day, instead of just having three large ones. This too will help to keep your stomach fuller, more often and minimize the times when you face morning sickness.

• Take a multivitamin. There are several vitamins that your body needs no matter what during pregnancy. By giving yourself all that you need, your body is better capable of fighting off the effects of morning sickness. Your doctor is likely to prescribe a prenatal vitamin for you to take. Make sure that you do.

• Satisfy your cravings. The cravings that you have when you are pregnant are often in direct correlation to the fact that you need some vitamins, nutrients or type of food. By satisfying that craving, you have a better opportunity to feel more content and feel less of the effects of morning sickness.

Morning sickness is often triggered by the way that you treat your body. Taking care of your body, then, can help you to minimize the effects that morning sickness has on you. These simple things are likely to be things that are good for your baby as well. The bottom line, though, is that if your morning sickness becomes overwhelming, or is something that you just can’t handle, it is wise to talk to your doctor about it.