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PCOS

Feminine Care: My Honey Pot review

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Hey loves! I’m bringing you my take on the Honey Pot company pads that I decided to try out recently.  Video reviews and social media posts about this brand have been swirling the internet for the past few years, and when Aunt Flo made an appearance last week, it was my chance to give them a shot.  

My local Target had the entire Honey Pot Co. product line all in stock.  I picked up the regular-sized pads and a few other items that I probably did not really need (Target gets me EVERY. TIME.), and headed home.  

As a self-proclaimed girly girl, I was immediately in love with the packaging. The cute colors and the super-convenient, resealable opening are genius! Words of support during a time that is not so easy to deal with for many women, can be found on the outside.

I was thinking to myself, “You may be feeling like crap but, you will get through it girl! Yes!!“

Product performance

I’m all about that plant based everything life, especially feminine care products for many reasons.  It is healthier for you and the effects on your body are undeniable. The ingredients found in mainstream feminine care products have been linked to bacterial vaginosis, hormonal imbalance, and fertility issues, and I don’t need those types of problems (neither do you). Also, as someone who has been diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) I know I have to be extra wary of everything I put on or in my body.

However, I have not been satisfied with natural feminine care brands I’ve used in the past. Not even a little bit. The leaking (not cute!), shifting, and the icky, wet feeling all day were enough to make me take my chances and go back to regular pads.

The Honey Pot really convinced me that non-toxic products can perform just as well (or better)!  They stay in place, the absorbency was just right, the size of the pad was perfect, and the herbal infusion gave my girly parts a very spa-like feeling.  

Yes, each pad has mint, lavender, and aloe infused into it and I was totally here for it!  Honestly, on the first day the cooling sensation was pretty strong — like Vapor Vicks rub strong.  After that, I was used to it and almost welcomed the extra pampered vibe I was getting.

Thank you Honey Pot co. for winning me over! I have not tried the feminine wash or wipes but, I will be in the near future.

Here’s a video by the founder of the Honey Pot, Beatrica Espada on why she created this much-needed product line.

Have you made the switch to non-toxic feminine products?  What has been your experience?

Fit Life, PCOS

Healthy + Fit Black Friday deals

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they will help us keep this site up and running! 

Happy holidays! I hope your Thanksgiving day was filled with lots of good food and great company. We went to hubby’s aunt’s house and had a really good time. Next year, hubby and I will probably host Thanksgiving dinner when we are in our new house *prayers up and fingers crossed*.

I made my famous curry coconut chickpeas and a sweet potato casserole.  If you are following me on IG, @simplisticchic_ , I posted the recipe for the chickpea dish in my InstaStories.

Now on to what has arguably become one of the most anticipated parts of the holiday season–Black Friday shopping. I’m not advocating  going into debt on things you do not need but, I am all about scoring a good deal on something I’ve had my eyes on for a while.

On my personal list are some more Nike’s, workout gear, knee high boots, a new car seat for Benjamin, and some much needed supplements. Realistically, only two or three of these will actually get purchased but, we’ll see.

Today, I’m sharing some great Black Friday deals to help you stay fit that you do not want to miss!






What’s on your Black Friday shopping list? 

PCOS

Why You Should #KillthePill

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Hey loves!  If you’re on Instagram (you should follow me at @simplisticchic_), you may have read about the #Killthe Pill campaign started by  health coach and author, Gessie Thompson (she has helped me numerous times on my natural health journey and really knows her stuff!), Dr. Amsu, and Dr. Amun.

Many women do not realize that birth control may be the main cause of the fibroids, PCOS, ovarian cysts, blood clots, infertility, auto-immune diseases, thyroid issues, or psychological problems they are plagued with.

When I was first diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), I was told that I would have to take birth control pills to “regulate” my cycles and help with the super oily skin and breakouts.  Then in the future when I wanted to have a baby, I could come off of the birth control and start fertility meds.

All I could think was, “Ummm…ok.”

Something about that did not seem right to me but, being young and eventually wanting a baby I popped those birth control pills every month (on and off) for about eight years.  My symptoms only got worse over time and I was beyond frustrated!

I stopped taking the pill, and began my journey to finding more natural solutions.  I changed my diet to a more plant-based one (I eat fish every once in a while), I changed my thinking (let go of some emotional baggage, learned better stress management, and positive thinking), and everything else fell into place. Best decision ever!  It was not easy nor did it happen overnight but, one healthy baby later I can say it has all been worth it.

Did you know?

Estrogen-based birth control methods, as classified by the World Health Organization, are Group 1 carcinogens.  In layman’s terms, they can be cancer-causing! They only mask the symptoms of hormonal imbalance such as heavy bleeding, cramps, hormonal acne, etc. and put women at a high risk for even worse health conditions later on.

Ladies, please consider non-hormonal birth control options, do  your research, and take charge of your health.  The benefits in the end will surpass any inconvenience or trial-and-error you will have to do right now.

Click on the hashtag, #KILLthePill on Instagram and share your own birth control nightmare story, if you have one.  We all owe it to ourselves, our daughters, mothers, aunts, and friends to educate ourselves on how to live our best lives.

Follow @coachgessie, @dr_amun and @dr.amsu for much more on women’s natural health and the #killthepill initiative.

Are you taking birth control currently?  Have you experienced side effects?

Beauty, PCOS

My Holy Grail of Natural Summer Skin Care

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Hey loves!

I hope you have been enjoying your summer so far.  In my mind, I seriously thought I would be sitting beachside in Florida by now but, things don’t always go as planned. I have been secretly really down about it but, I’m hoping hubby, Benjamin, and I can book a flight down there (or anywhere for that matter) sometime soon to see my side of the family.

I work in Education so I have been off work for a few weeks now, giving me time to love on my baby and work on a few life goals.  He’s walking and turning into a real, sociable little person.  It’s been amazing to watch! My prayer these days is to make this my life every day while still having a lucrative income (and I’m crazy enough to believe that it will happen).

 

The name of the game this summer is: New Experiences.  I have made it my mission to push fear aside and do new things in my life.  This includes taking Benjamin to different places around the city, getting him a passport, and giving him the opportunity to experience new things.  He’s only a year old so, almost everything is still new to him right now.  Something simple like going to a new park, a new restaurant or our local children’s museum is on my list of summer to-do’s.

With all of this running around in this Georgia summer heat, I have been even more vigilant about my skincare.  Forty is a few short years away and I’m trying to protect my skin from any premature aging as much as possible. Coming up a skincare regimen has always been a daunting task for me.  Keeping my naturally oily skin healthy without looking like an oil slick has been difficult over the years.  On top of that, this natural health journey will not allow me to put just anything on my skin.

Most skincare products on the market contain ingredients that can do more harm than good.  Skin allergies and hormone disruption are the most common negative side effects.

After searching high and low, I have come across some great products that are natural and give me that infamous summer glow I’ve been looking for.

My newly found treasures come from the MadHippie and Suntegrity skin care lines.

  1. The Mad Hippie Vitamin C serum is my must-have product every single day. Within a few days of using it, my skin felt like silk!  Full of antioxidants, along with vitamin C, this serum helps with discoloration, the appearance of wrinkles, and as a natural exfoliant thanks to the grapefruit extract. The Vitamin A serum is next up on my list of products to try.
  2. Suntegrity sunscreen is a product that’s been on my radar for about a few years now, and I can’t believe I just started using it a few, short months ago.  Sun protection is something that I have not always taken seriously because I have brown skin (biggest myth ever) and every sunscreen I tried was greasy and left a not so cute, white film on my skin. Not to mention finding one that was free of toxic ingredients such as oxybenzone, avobenzone,octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate, and octinoxate, seemed impossible. Until I found Suntegrity! No greasy feel, natural ingredients, and broad-spectrum protection all-in-one.

What is your skin care regimen? Which natural products do you swear by?

If you’re looking for some natural products for babies, read about my top three picks here.