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Category: Conscious Consumerism: Shopping & Reviews

Get a Good Night’s Sleep with Technogel: Giveaway
Asleep, he looked a lot younger than going-on-seventeen,
but I had noticed that Johnny looked younger
when he was asleep too,
so I figured everyone did.

Maybe people are younger when they are asleep.

―S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders

(Don’t you miss the days when you could just sleep anywhere?)

Do you get enough sleep?

On average, an adult needs 7-9 hours of sleep; some need more, some less. Studies suggest that we should also get to sleep earlier rather than later, and on a regular schedule, to keep our circadian rhythms in check. (You can read my post on 15 reasons why sleep matters for more studies specific to sleep.)

Signs you’re NOT sleeping enough
- you need an alarm clock to wake you
- you have a hard time getting out of bed
- you’re not feeling refreshed when you do get up
- you feel sleepy throughout the day
- you’re constantly wishing you could nap
- you need coffee or other caffeine
- you’re irritable
- you forget little things, like where you put your keys or what you were about to say
- you can’t seem to lose weight
- you make poor food choices
- you’ve been in a car accident (or have noticed a near miss)
- you catch yourself nodding off when you don’t mean to
- you need more than 30 minutes to fall asleep OR you fall asleep the second your head hits the pillow
- you use the weekends to “catch up” on sleep.
Keep in mind, quality counts too

Depth of sleep is as important as length: true repair and restoration happens in the deeper stages of sleep. If you’re waking throughout the night for any reason, or tossing and turning, you’re probably not getting the best sleep possible.

I love my Technogel pillow with a deep burning passion

I used to wake up during the night all.the.time, mostly from limbs that had mysteriously gone numb. I attributed this to long days tap-tap-tapping on a laptop, but the deadlimb wakings have stopped since I started sleeping with Technogel. Also gone are the morning neck cricks. I sleep better. Period. (Entirely too many details can be found in my Technogel review.)

I’m going to start taking the thing with me on travels too— recent troubles staying asleep at the beach and a hotel in Pittsburgh made me realize that the pillows I used to love (thick and cushy) just don’t do it for me anymore. And I’ve come to value my sleep enough to not mess with it by cheating with cheap pillows.

Twitter Chat!

We’re chatting with @Technogel tonight on Twitter at 9pm EST about the importance of sleep and how to get more of the good stuff that dreams are made of. THREE of the most active participants will win Technogel pillows of their very own, to have and to hold and to sleep on. Just search for #Technogel at chat time to join in.

Giveaway!

Somebody is going to get to experience the sleep revolution that is a Technogel pillow! Technogel has offered one for me to give away.

Now first, I want you to do me a favor. Go like Technogel on the Facebook. It’s not a requirement for entry, but they post good stuff about sleep— studies, tips, etc— and I really think it’s important to have frequent reminders of just how vital sleep is for a healthy life. Plus, their page will keep you updated on future giveaways like this one 🙂

There’s up to 15 possible entries per person; do as many or as few as you like.

Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
June 14, 2012
Organic Skincare: Not Just for the Ladies (Shield for Men review)
Odors have a power of persuasion stronger than that of words, appearances, emotions, or will.

The persuasive power of an odor cannot be fended off,

it enters into us like breath into our lungs, it fills us up, imbues us totally.

There is no remedy for it.

―Patrick Süskind

Beauty may be only skin deep, but chemicals in your beauty products can penetrate even deeper. Think about it: this is stuff you wear on your skin, your largest organ, day in, day out. And many beauty products been found to harbor carcinogens, pesticides, hormone disruptors, plasticizers, degreasers, surfactants. There are no studies that really evaluate the long-term safety of these chemicals in your body (your “body burden”), or how they will interact with each other, or with the who-knows-how-many other chemicals we come into contact with every day.

Food for thought.

So, I try to stick to non-toxic options. (Quick aside: I was in Sephora and asked for a “green” face powder and the woman was recommending options with green undertones. I didn’t even know such a thing existed and I’m still not clear on why; in any case, we cleared that all up before I got to the register.)

As has been well-documented on this blog, I’m very particular about scents, and I tend to lean toward cleansers and lotions that smell like foods: vanilla, citrus, chocolate. Perhaps not shockingly, the men in this house are less than thrilled when they borrow my stuff and walk away smelling like a dessert or a fruit basket.

Shield for Men is one of the few truly non-toxic lines for men that I’ve come across. Made in the US of A and cruelty-free, these products do NOT contain:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Phthalates
- GMOs
- Triclosan
What does Shield for Men include? Good stuff like
- organic virgin coconut oil
- vitamin E, pro-vitamin B-5, vitamin A
- tea tree oil
- organic aloe vera
- green tea extract
- essential oils: ylang ylang, patchouli, rosewood, cedarwood
It smells like man: earthy, a bit musky, but not at all obnoxious.

We were sent the “Full Man Package” to try— Wash + Protect cleanser and Moisturize + Shield moisturizer— and it arrived in a brown paper package all wrapped up with string (10 points to whoever can cite that quote). I didn’t get to photograph it, though, Jake tore into the package as soon as he heard there was something in there he’d get to try.

I did try it myself before handing it off to Jake (who, at 14, is at that age where he’s all into smelling manly).

The Full Man Package is the ultimate grooming kit for men who want to look their best without losing their man card.

The cleanser degreased my face after a day running in the humid 90 degree weather without making my skin feel stripped, which is a tricky balance I don’t often find in cleansers. The moisturizer soaked in nicely and my hands didn’t have that weird “squeaky” feeling afterwards (I don’t know how else to describe it, but it’s a sensation I get sometimes with moisturizers specifically formulated for the face; it makes me want to wash my hands after applying).

My skin didn’t look like an oil slick a few hours later, either, which is my normal beef with moisturizers. There is a definite scent that lingers for quite a while, and I like it. It’s subtle but… outdoorsy. *I* wouldn’t wear it every day, but that’s because I like smelling like lemons and cookies (or lemon cookies). I’m cool with the men in my life wearing it around me daily, though, and I’m very opinionated about what men should not smell like (Drakkar Noir and Axe come to mind; I will readily admit Drakkar Noir was a dealbreaker in one of my past relationships).

Another quick anecdote: most of the shaving creams, aftershaves, cleansers Jeff normally uses make me break out in hives just by contact: a kiss on the cheek or a bit of a nuzzle to the face. Men’s products seem like they must be harsher than women’s, for some reason. While the joke “I’m allergic to your love” never gets old for me, it’s nice to know he can use this without causing me actual physical discomfort by his proximity 🙂

Our solution is a 3-in-1 complete product: after-shave lotion, acne/blemish treatment, and anti-wrinkle solution all in one!

It’s too soon to tell if Shield for Men will help out Jake’s horribly sensitive skin (eczema coupled with puberty is rough) but I’ll keep you updated. For now, I can say that it definitely hasn’t made his skin any worse (sadly, this is an extremely positive statement) and he’s happy to not smell like cucumbers any more!

Pricewise, it’s in line with I’m used to paying for quality organic skincare (I use Kiehl’s or Juice Organics). A little goes a looong way, FYI.

If you’re looking for a present for Father’s Day or graduation, I’d say two thumbs up on Shield for Men. Their product is 100% guaranteed, shipping is free, and their website is funny.

They also tweet out man tips and post manly stuff to Facebook. Y’all know how much I love a company with personality.

How It Works – Summer from Shield for Men on Vimeo.

Bottom line, skincare is important— not taking care of it ages you prematurely and leaves you open to further damage. Also important? A bit of gentle education about minimizing toxic exposure, especially on your body. For an eye-opening experience, check out the products you already own in the Good Guide (they have a mobile app so you can just scan UPC codes to make it easy).

Disclosure: I was sent Shield for Men products for review purposes. All opinions and non-oil-slickitude are my own.
June 13, 2012
#SuperNutrients: Nutrex Hawaii Spirulina and Astaxanthin
Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.

-Hippocrates

I’ve been trying very hard to think of my body as a machine, an engine. It needs good fuel, and lots of it. Stuff that is as pure as possible, no additives, so it burns clean and doesn’t leave gunky residue behind to gum up the works and cause breakdown and expensive repairs sometime down the road.

I love a good metaphor.

So I was focusing primarily on getting in my daily requirements of fruits and veg, and as I think I’ve mentioned before, that’s a lot more food than I thought. I’m barely even hungry for anything else. But getting enough protein is also vital for building muscle and losing weight and being generally healthy— complete proteins providing your essential amino acids which do all sorts of important things: aiding muscle and cell repair, helping produce collagen for your joints, boosting immunity, playing a role in producing vital brain chemicals.

This is where I started learning about “superfoods” and super nutrients. Basically, superfoods are foods that pack extra nutrition into every bite, so you can fulfill all your nutritional requirements without eating all dang day. Super nutrients are the same concept but on a micro scale; supplements rather than side dishes.

(I started reading about superfoods from this little ebook on Amazon, Superfoods List: The 11 Best Nutrient Rich Foods For Increased Immunity, Energy and Longevity. It’s just $2.99 if you’re interested in learning more. I also wrote about 12 superfoods you may already be eating here. If you’ve got time to poke around on your own, just put a Google on it!)

One of the superfoods listed in the ebook above was spirulina, one of the most nutritious whole foods in existence. Packed with easily digestible protein and numerous vitamins, all natural and vegetarian, Hawaiian Spirulina Pacifica has
- 3100% more beta-carotene than carrots
- 5500% more iron than spinach
- 375% more protein than tofu
- 31x more antioxidants than blueberries
Nutrex Hawaii sent me a bottle of their Spirulina Pacifica to try out, along with their BioAstin Hawaiian Astaxanthin and JointAstin Astaxanthin specially formulated for joint health (also contains Glucosamine, Flaxseed Oil and Boswellia Extract). The Dr. Oz Show apparently lauds Astaxanthin as “the #1 Supplement you’ve never heard of that you should be taking.”

True enough, I had never heard of it, but it’s actually kind of fascinating. Astaxanthin is a carotenoid, which are pigment colors in nature. Specifically, red pigment, and eating large quantities of it is why salmon, crab, shrimp and flamingos are pink (I did know flamingos are born white and become pink from their diet). A logical conclusion is that ingesting it yourself will help your skin to look more flushed, youthful and healthy (a recent small study indicated that adding yellow and red carotenoids to your diet may make you more attractive to others).

Astaxanthin is also nature’s most powerful antioxidant, one of the few able to move throughout the body for all-over protection. (Good post about antioxidants and why they’re important here.) Oxidation prevention means, essentially, cellular protection for less wear and tear on your body, which feeds into “anti-aging” claims: not exactly accurate, as you are still aging, but showing fewer of the physical losses of age.

Less wear and less damage means faster recovery and improved endurance. You know how salmon swim upstream, against the current to spawn? That’s a hugely significant feat of strength and endurance, and their Astaxanthin-heavy diet may be precisely what fuels that.

Are you learning some wicked cool trivia or what?

BioAstin Hawaiian Astaxanthin:
- Supports joint and tendon health
- Supports skin during UV and sun exposure
- Supports eye and brain health
- Improves recovery from exercise
So what ARE spirulina and Astaxanthin, exactly?

They are microalgae that occur naturally in fresh water under certain conditions. Spirulina is blue green algae, and Astaxanthin is green algae.

Why Nutrex Hawaii?

With its envious location on the Kona coast of Hawaii, the farms of Nutrex Hawaii receive more sunlight than any other coastal area in the US for continued growth and superior nutrition. Their microalgae are grown in pure water, naturally filtered through lava rock. The spirulina is grown with 5% deep ocean water, which means it’s naturally enriched with all 94 minerals and trace elements including magnesium and calcium. Nutrex Hawaii is the only microalgae farm in a “BioSecure Zone”— pesticides and GMOs are prohibited.

From an environmental standpoint:
- no generation of land erosion or water pollution
- in fact fresh water is recycled and returned to the pond for the next growing cycle, minimizing water waste and returning essential nutrients
- algae ponds produce oxygen, fighting global warming
- Spirulina is the world’s most productive crop, using the least amount of water per pound of protein produced
- cold seawater is used as clean energy to cool their ponds and air condition their buildings (I’ve never been to Hawaii, but I imagine this means a huge offsetting of energy costs and use)
- everything is recycled: water in the culture ponds to waste algae produced (used by local farmers as fertilizer)
- portion of profits donated to worthy causes
- Nutrex Hawaii has even received an Audubon Society award for saving an endangered species of local Hawaiian birds.
What does it taste like and does it make you feel yucky?

I was a little worried, to be honest. I don’t do well with some supplements, iron and calcium especially. This is microalgae, so I don’t recommend sticking your nose in the bottle unless you’re cool with a whiff of fishy (I grew up in a house where trips to the Asian market were frequent, and bags of dried seaweed or cuttlefish handed out as bribes for being patient; I don’t love the smell but I may tolerate it better than some).

I’ve only been taking it a few days, but I figure my reaction would be most significant in the first few doses anyway. I take them with food (Astaxanthin will be better absorbed with some fat) and I haven’t felt nauseous or crampy (usually I take iron right before bed because it makes me feel so wretched I prefer to sleep through it). I haven’t noticed any aftertastes— no burping it up hours later like you can get with some supplements.

Twitter Chat

There’s lots more to talk about! For more info on spirulina and Astaxanthin, join us tonight at the #SuperNutrients Twitter chat at 9pm EST. I’m manning the @FitFluential account, and our co-hosts are Nutrex Hawaii @SuperNutrient and expert Dr. Suzy Cohen @suzycohen (America’s Most Trusted Pharmacist and author of Diabetes without Drugs). Three winners will receive SpaFinder gift cards and Nutrex Hawaiian Health Packages!

Details about the #SuperNutrients chat + help for newbies here.

Disclosure: I work for FitFluential and Nutrex Hawaii is a client, but as always all opinions, verbal meanderings and general geekiness are my own.
June 4, 2012