Why I Want To Be An #EarthMama Ambassador with #Mamavation

I have to admit, I rolled my eyes when Leah Segedie took Mamavation from a purely weight loss/healthy living initiative to a food activism, organic, no GMO, home and life detox lifestyle initiative. My first response was "Great. Where the EFF am I going to find the money to be a part of this? That kind of lifestyle transformation is EXPENSIVE!" And I kind of dropped out of the Mamavation loop as a result.

But the summer of 2012 was a game changer for me. As most of you know, I'm one of the youngest moms in Mamavation clocking in at the ripe age of 28. So when I started experiencing what the doctors thought was Menopause, I freaked, and began trying to figure out what all was going on with my body.

My hair was brittle and falling out by the handfuls, my facial skin was dry, but I had the worst back acne I've ever had, sometimes making it impossible to lay on my back without being in pain, I kept trying to lose weight, but nothing would work, and then the worst part was the night sweats. As a rule, I didn't sweat. I'm not a "sweaty" girl, but I would wake up drenched so badly that I had to peel myself off the sheets in the morning. Not to mention I had to wash the sheets practically every day or they would smell-horribly. Oh, and I didn't have periods for months at a time. Something that is kind of a problem when you're thinking about having another baby.

After months of doctors not being able to "figure me out", they gave me a diagnosis of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, coupled with Metabolic Syndrome X, and told me to lose weight. Which was laughable, because we all knew that was going to be an impossibility with that combo of diagnoses. So after much investigation, I realized that I was being tampered with against my will.

I didn't realize all of the synthetic hormones I was ingesting, through non-organic dairy, meat, and produce. Or even through my plastic water bottles and plastic containers I was heating my food in. Or all of the toxins present in my makeup, skincare, or other toiletries. Re-enter Mamavation. Maybe Leah and her crazy new soapbox platform was on to something.

I immediately made a better effort to read labels, tried and buy local/organic when I could afford it, and switched entirely from plastic to glass. And guess what? I ovulated in the Fall of 2013, and fell pregnant with our second child. Amazing what simple changes to what you put in and on your body can do!

Now it's July, and I'm eight, almost nine months pregnant, with a little girl. And I have to say, I'm scared. PCOs and Metabolic Syndrome can be passed from mothers to female fetuses in utero because females are born with all of the eggs they will ever have. Needless to say, I've been trying to be extra diligent about my weight gain, what I eat, and what I put on my skin, so when I found out that Earth Mama Angel Baby was partnering with Mamavation for an Ambassadorship, I was over the moon.

I had heard of Earth Mama Angel Baby in the past, but hadn't tried much of their line. That is one thing about becoming an ambassador I am most excited about. I'm currently drinking Earth Mama's Third Trimester Tea, and it's wonderfully delish, and organic. BONUS! I've added a grip of products to my baby registry too, Nipple Butter (lanolin fee and non-GMO: Good thing because I despise both) and Milkmaid Tea (I've got supply issues because of the PCOs). But I'd love to try not only product for me, but on the baby when she gets here by her eviction date of August 8th.

Despite my story and how much I think this Ambassadorship could help me, I can't help but be impressed with the Earth Mama Angel Baby company as a whole. I would never sign up to be an Ambassador if I weren't versed in a company's philosophy, and despite being natural and organic and non-GMO and all of these good things, one other thing stuck out in my mind.

On EarthMamaAngelBaby.com there was a tab that took me by surprise, "Baby Loss". No pregnant woman ever wants to see those words. They are heartbreaking. But I clicked the link, and what did it hold? Gifts for Moms that have lost babies with the quote,

"Women who have suffered the loss of a baby are postpartum mothers too. Miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal death leave women requiring not just emotional but also physical support. The Healing Hearts line was created to help comfort the specific physical postpartum needs of baby loss, as well as the aching hearts of grieving mamas."

Not only is that AMAZING, that is INTEGRITY, and true care for women. They also offer free e-cards to bereaved mothers. I have known so many mothers that have lost their children lately, that I only wish I knew about Earth Mama Angel Baby's wonderful resource before now.

Lastly, because I'm a librarian, I also feel it's important that Earth Mama Angel Baby also offers a FREE e-book! Who doesn't love FREE?! But more importantly, it's on an important subject, Herbs and Breastfeeding, something that most new moms know nothing about but really should. You can download your copy here.

You impress me Earth Mama Angel Baby, and I would love to impress you as one of your newest Ambassadors.

A New Diet Book For Kids--"Maggie Goes On A Diet"

When news of this book was released, I had to do a double take. I couldn't even believe there is such a book.

Maggie Goes on a Diet, by Paul Kramer is touted by the author as a book that chronicles Maggie's journey to a healthy weight through eating right and exercise, and is aimed at the Tween, Pre-Teen demographic.

I understand that childhood obesity is on the rise, and I agree that as a nation we need to take steps to curtail the obesity trend. Kids should be taught healthy eating practices and get enough activity in their day, HOWEVER, it should not be done by a book. It should be done by their parents and/or physicians.

If you ask me this book does more harm than good. One look at the cover, and you see a "robust" Maggie looking into a mirror desiring to be thinner to fit into a dress. This depiction plays to young girls who have issues with body image and exploits them, all to make a sale. Not to mention, "Maggie Goes On A Diet"? Who the heck came up with that title? The word diet, implies a temporary change in eating habits to achieve a desired result. If this book were really concerned about healthy eating, wouldn't a title like "Maggie Eats Healthy" be better suited?

On top of all of these other tasteless representations of what health and fitness really are, I'm left wondering, why does Maggie have to go on a diet? Why can't Johnny go on a diet? After all, the book is written by a man. Wouldn't a man be more in touch with male issues with body image than female? I'd say so. So why pray on young girls? Probably because women are more easily manipulated by this type of propaganda. We are constantly bombarded with "the perfect female" in every sort of media, and this bombardment fuels the multi-billion dollar diet, health, and fitness industry. It all plays in to woman's desire to please.

Maggie Goes On A Diet, won't be released until October. And though I don't believe in censorship in media, or banning books, if I had a daughter, I'd keep her away from this one. No child ever needs to be told that they need to be skinnier, it is up to the parents to make the adjustments within the HOUSEHOLD--preparing healthier food and promoting activity TOGETHER--and let nature take it's course. I guarantee our kids would all be healthier if everyone adopted this strategy.