As a mom, I am always looking for a quick and easy way to relax.

There isn’t always a lot of time to take part in relaxation, but when I can relax I go for a good book and a cup of TEA!

A fragrant mug of Lavender and Chamomile always does the trick…

But when I’m about to start my day I switch to a tea that will energize my soul…

I love a dark cup of Oolong as I read the Scriptures in the morning.

I have found 4 different teas for whatever your mood may be:

Pick Me Up!

“Oolong” Tea: The best Oolong tea leaves come from China and Taiwan.  The tea is a happy medium between green (unfermented) and black (fermented) teas, as oolong is semi-fermented. Out f the three, oolong has the highest polyphenol content. It is full of healthy antioxidants which are vital for healthy skin and body.

Oolong has even been known for centuries as a metabolism booster. So skip the coffee jitters and sugar boost and opt for a cup of oolong. Right now I am drinking oolong made by YamaMotoYama

“Green” Tea With “Goji” Berry: I have always enjoyed drinking green tea. I feel so healthy and vibrant when I drink it and the energy stays with me throughout the day. Yogi Tea has a blend of Tibetan Goji berry, which is known for its energizing properties, liver protection, and immune and circulation system boost.

A blend of green tea and Japanese Matcha green tea. If you have every steered away from green tea due to bitter taste, then try this blend with a sweet berry flavor.

Take Me Away…

Organic “Chamomile” With “Lavender”: I am a dear fan of anything lavender. So this tea easily went into my top favorite tea list. Chamomile tea always allows me to wind down after a busy day as a mom. Plus, lavender in any form is a great way to relax your body and prepare for a great night’s rest.

Traditional Medicinals has a chamomile and lavender blend, along with lemon balm, which all have digestive and nervous system sedating properties. This tea is great if you’ve had a late dinner and can’t get to sleep because your food is still digesting and your body is restless. The taste and aroma is very floral, so proceed with caution.

Organic “Rooibos” With “Honeybush”: One day I picked up a box of this tea totally unaware of what “rooibos” was.

Rooibos, or “red bush” is grown in South Africa and has just recently grown in popularity in the west. It has no caffeine, a natural sweet/woody flavor, and has many health benefits. Children can drink it and I have even used some of the tea bags for diaper rash on my son.

It is great for pregnant women as it is high in iron and relieves heartburn and nausea.

This tea is also made by Traditional Medicinals and it also contains a blend of honeybush, hibiscus flower, and rose hip, which are excellent ingredients to maintain glowing skin.

Drinking tea instead of coffee is great for your health. Tea does not give me the “crash” that I experience when the caffeine from coffee has worn off.

Tea is rich in antioxidants and it comes in a variety of blends and flavors. Loose-leaf tea will give you the best flavor and health benefits.

Adagio Teas has a great site full of every tea imaginable. You can get sample packs at a low price in many different flavors before you buy the whole bag of one flavor.

To Your Cup ‘o Tea,

Olivia Johnston

When I’m in a hurry and I want to get in my fruits and veggies for the day, I go for a Bolthouse Farms® beverage first.

This company is 100%

I have enjoyed their juice, smoothie, and protein concoctions for over 5 years.

The great thing about these drinks is that they are:

Bolthouse Farms

• Gluten-free
• No preservatives
• No artificial colors
• No artificial flavors
• No genetically modified ingredients
• Excellent taste!

Now compare those promises to the average bottled beverage you can pick up at a service station. Those drinks are full of high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, vitamin-free, and artificial flavors. Your body is not provided any nutrients when you drink these beverages. So why not try a natural smoothie?

Take a look at what you will get in a “Green Goodness” fruit smoothie (my favorite!)

1. 1.5 Apples
2. .5 Pineapple
3. .5 Mango
4. .5 Banana
5. .5 Kiwi Fruit
6. Broccoli, Spinach, Garlic, Jerusalem Artichoke, Lemon Bioflavanoids
7. Spirulina, Chlorella, Green Tea, Blue Green Algae
8. Echinacea, Barley Grass, Wheat Grass, Nova Scotia Dulce
9. Zinc, Manganese, Iron, Folic Acid
10. Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C

Now that is a nutrient-packed beverage!

Bolthouse Farms® makes more than just yummy smoothie drinks… Try these:

• Lemonades
• Super-fruit beverages
• Protein drinks
• Fruit juice
• Yogurt dressing and Olive Oil Vinaigrettes
• Many carrot varieties

You will find excellence and nutritiousness in every Bolthouse Farms® product!

I trust a company that has been producing amazing produce for more than 90 years in California’s fertile San Joaquin Valley.

If you buy processed fruit juices now, I recommend you begin to merge over to the Bolthouse Farms® products. Prepackaged fruit juices rarely contain any whole-food nutrients and are full of sugar. Even if the price tag is cheaper, the illusion of it being “healthy” is just a marketing ploy created by those companies. As parents, if we do not have the time to make fruit juices ourselves, then we must make the best choices when it comes to our kid’s beverage choices.

Your kids will not even realize how good these drinks are for them because the taste is so great!

Try these beverages as a base for smoothies when you don’t have a lot of fruits or veggies on hand.

Visit the Bolthouse Farms® Website to check out the ingredient list in their products. Where else can you find the antioxidant spirulina and green tea in the same beverage?

Find Bolthouse Farms® beverages in your refrigerated fruit section in Grocery and Health Food stores.

Your health will thank you!

To Your Well-Being,

Olivia Johnston

When I first saw these necklaces, I was a little skeptical…

Breastfeeding Magazine has found  mom-run businesses with high quality and fashionable necklaces and jewelry that not only engage distracted children, but also get lots of compliments for mom!

Any mom knows that kids love to pull on necklaces, pull earrings, and basically pull on anything shiny. My son goes for anything he can pull on, even my hair!

But fortunately we have “Teething Bling.” The jewelry is made from the same material that many teething toys are made of so it is safe and durable for little teeth to chew on!  Plus they are beautiful just like mom!

My favorite is the Teething Bling Necklace-Donut. This design comes in 10 different colors that will match any woman’s outfit and they are casual enough to be worn with jeans and a tee. No one will even be able to tell that it is for teething!

There are even more ways to distract your child when they are fussy in public. Teething Bling also has a line of bracelets, keychains, plus 5 different coordinated gift sets.

When you check out this jewelry you will want to buy it for every new mom you know! I am serious!

View the whole line here

To Your Well-Being,

Olivia Johnston

Almond Breeze® Almond Milk

If you have been looking for an alternative to cow’s milk and and have not been pleased with soy milk, then you must try almond milk.

My husband and I have been drinking Almond Breeze® Almond Milk by Blue Diamond for over a year.We both were not pleased with the taste and consistency of soy milk so we tried out Almond Milk. Its texture is much thinner than soy milk and the taste is milder too.I use it in my cereal and it can be used in most recipes requiring dairy milk.

The many benefits of Almond Milk are:

• Completely dairy-free (no casein, no lactose)
• no cholesterol, peanuts, gluten, eggs, or MSG
• Safe for anyone with dairy allergies
• Vegan (no animal by-products)
• Great source of Calcium, Vitamins D&E(fortified)
• Non-refrigerated, shelf-stable Almond Milk is certified Kosher OU. Refrigerated Almond Milk is certified Kosher OU-D
• The almonds used to produce Almond Breeze® are grown in California by co-op members without the use of genetic engineering or gene manipulation

Learn more about this product here

Only the Western world has adopted a diet full of dairy. Humans are the only mammals which continue to drink milk and what you buy in the grocery store is very different from what comes directly from a cow.

Cow’s milk has been shown to contribute to major serious illnesses as well as eczema, allergies, colds, colitis, colic and earaches in young children. This does not surprise me because the milk sold in stores is full of antibiotics, growth hormones, chemicals and many other ingredients that disgust me.

However, the medical community continues to push the intake of milk for children without considering how bad it actually is for them.

There are alternatives for calcium and protein aside from dairy. A diet rich in dark greens, beans/nuts, whole grains, fish, and oils allows for proper calcium and protein intake.

It is important to model healthy nutritional habits for our children starting at a very young age. A wide variety of  fresh, unprocessed foods must be introduced to kids early. Breastfeeding can be the start of this journey. Babies get a taste for the many different foods moms eat which will allow for an easier transition to healthy solid foods later.

Why not make your home dairy-free? Your body will thank you!

To Your Well-Being,

Olivia Johnston