Tiny Drops of Honey...This Mommy's Sweet Life: July 2017

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Orthopedic Knee Pillow Review

I have had back pain the majority of my life. I toss and turn most nights and wake up with back pain 85% of the time. I generally sleep on my side with a pillow in between my knees and one clutched under one arm, near my chest. I sleep with the other arm under my head and pillow. I have tried various pillows and back support products over the years. I tested one particular pillow this month to provide a short review for you. I was sent a contoured knee pillow from ComfiLife on Amazon.

ComfiLife Knee Pillow is memory foam material and ergonomically designed to provide spinal alignment and support. It is a product that can potentially help various users with back pain, sciatica, hip or joint pain. It would also be helpful to pregnant mommies as well.

I like that it has a zippered cover/case that is machine washable. I have not yet tried washing my sample. It feels soft to the touch and looks quality made. I do think it is rather small and could be wider. I tried this for about 2 weeks and although it works well in aligning my hips and relieving pressure, I am so used to using a large micropedic pillow between my knees and found this to be a chore to keep between my knees through the entire night since I frequently move around. I generally like to sleep on my right side and have a jumbo Homemedics micropedic pillow between my knees and at my chest.

I appreciate that the ComiLife pillow keeps its shape, it is just not as comfortable as using a wide, standard head pillow between my knees. I still recommend this if you have not been using anything else previously (and are not previously attached to a wider pillow). I do think I will keep it for travel as I never seem to bring my own (knee and chest) pillows with me as taking 3 pillows just for me (in addition to my husband's and 2 older children's pillows would not be feasible on space.

I like this knee pillow for its structure, material, and high-quality construction. I would love it to be slightly longer. I can fit my legs in there just fine with no issue, I just like a larger space as I fall asleep better.

This pillow was sent as a complimentary review sample.

Please excuse the dark cell phone pictures taken at almost midnight. I had about 4 or 5 bright and sunny (daylight) pictures of this pillow on my made bed with a pretty peachy pink crocheted vintage throw pillow next to it. I thought I took them on my cell phone, but sadly it was on my husband's phone and we had to delete a whole bunch of pictures in order to have space for more family pictures for this week. We are both dangerously close on storage space. I gave him the go ahead to delete my review photos and I did not realize these were on there. Phooey. :( Oh well, at least you get the idea.

This is indeed a nice pillow. The material of the pillow case is soft and nice quality. I do worry about how to get it on and on when it does come time to wash.

DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation for a product review and/or link to any products or services from this blog. I am always honest in my opinions and never promise a positive review. I only recommend products or services that I feel are beneficial to my family and my lovely readers. I enjoy testing out items and giving my readers an honest and descriptive account of how a product functions. My personal experience or view of an item may differ than yours.

Tiny Drops of Honey is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. You pay the exact same price for any and all products you order through my links, but I receive a small commission. I am a stay at home mommy and any commissions I receive help support my little ones.

NutraEdge Men’s Testosterone Supplement Review

My husband was sent a nutritional supplement for review. It is too soon to be able to determine the results of this product, but so far there have not been any negative effects. Generally, 3 months or more is what is needed to fully evaluate a supplement.

Edgetest is a testosterone supplement for men. This assists with a variety of health functions as well as natural based energy. I do think some of the ingredients in this product can definitely be beneficial to some men. I cannot comment on any seen improvements yet, but hope to update should he decide to take this longer than a month.

The bottle instructs to take 3 capsules per day. My husband takes these (and his other supplements) in the evening with lemonade or water. The pills are easy for him to swallow and are of average size. He does not notice any aftertaste or side effects.

Do some light research of other reviews and perhaps speak to your doctor or nutritionist to see if this is a product for you.

Indications: (From Manufacturer Info)

EdgeTest is a unique combination of ingredients proven to maintain healthy testosterone levels. These all-natural ingredients extracted from plants, herbs, minerals, and vitamins,, support your body's normal testosterone production and promote sexual well-being.* In addition, natural testosterone levels will lead to healthy strength, muscles and weight*

Ingredients:

Niacin 30mg, Zinc (as zinc citrate) 25mg, Fenugreek (50% saponins) 600mg, Tribulus Terrestris 60% 600mg, L-arginine 100mg, Horny Goat Weed 20:1 100mg, Aspartic Acid 50mg, Eurycoma longifolia (longjack) 50mg, Maca root 0.6% extract 50mg, Mucuna pruriens (20%) 50mg, Whey protein hydrolysate 50mg, DHEA 25mg, Boron 1mg.

Directions:

As a dietary supplement, take three(3) capsules daily preferably with a meal, or as directed by a healthcare professional.

This was sent complimentary for honest opinion and review/evaluation. We were not compensated for this review, except for one trial bottle.

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Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Natrogix Vitamin K2 MK-7 Review

I have a cavity in my mouth. I am embarrassed/ashamed about it and frankly quite mad at myself. I eat nutritious meals (for the most part) and rarely eat candy or high amounts of sugar, but there it is, a shadowy gray spot with a noticeable hole. I lived through almost 30 years of zero cavities and then got my first cavity around my first pregnancy. I had 3 cavities filled since then, and ever since have had issues with sensitivity and overall fear of breaking my fillings. I hate getting fillings. If I get this filled it will be my 4th.

I do want to mention that it is most likely due to the fact that I have 3 young children (1, 3 and 6) and I have either been pregnant or breastfeeding for the last 6 years. (Which takes a toll on one's body with loss of some important minerals and calcium.) I also must admit I have not always brushed my teeth twice per day or flossed regularly as I should. I am not an avid flosser, at all. I brush once per day when I am just hanging around the house. (Twice per day when we leave the house) While I do not eat many sweets or drink soda with much regularity, I do however, eat a lot of brown rice, grains, beans, and nuts, which while they are technically good for you, they have a lot of Phytic Acid in them. I also am quite fond of semisweet dark chocolate.

I am actively trying to cure my cavity on my own, without a filling. Yes. I am crazy, but not really as it can be done. It will just be difficult.

I am trying to follow the views of Weston Price and Ramiel Nagel. These two men are influential in the (holistic) dentisty world for their similar ideas of healing cavities with nutritional improvements and natural methods. They believe that cavities are caused by a "deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble minerals in our diet". Both individuals believe in tooth remineralization and that drilling is not necessary. According to Ramiel Nagel, author of Cure Tooth Decay, phytic acids block Zinc, Calcium, Vitamin D, and Iron absorption. He believes that tooth decay is caused by nutritional deficiencies. I eat healthy foods, but I am a product of an American modern diet. I do eat things that are not the best for me: french fries, fried, processed / junk foods every now and then, etc. I am not vegetarian or vegan, so I do get healthy amounts of meat and dairy. However, I am not getting the more nutrient dense full fat milk/cheese/butter from grass fed cows from local sources, organ meats/bone broth, pastured eggs, and rich vegetables that are fresh and unprocessed. Eating completely raw, locally grown, whole foods does get expensive. It is not always easy for my family of 5 to make those choices (especially as a stay at home mommy). Ramiel believes that receding gums and tooth decay are caused by losing minerals and by not feeding your body with the proper high fat (the good kind of fats) diet. While it is important to brush and floss, bacteria is not the main problem that causes cavities.

Weston A. Price (1870-1948) was a dentist who and traveled all over the world. His experience of direct contact with various cultures found that tooth decay was less prevalent in primitive societies who consumed their ancestral diet than it was in modern society. Price observed the teeth and jawlines of those consuming full fat, grassfed, pastured traditional foods and noticed that although these cultures did not have the most advanced technologies or dental products/medicine (toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc.), they had white, straight and cavity free teeth. He observed their diets and wanted to take this knowledge back with him to educate his patients.

A few months ago I saw that I had (still have) a bad cavity on my back right lower tooth. I am fluoride free / sodium laurel sulfate free, and only use natural bentonite clay / essential oil based toothpaste. I have been using natural, fluoride free toothpaste for about 3 years as I know that fluoride blocks teeth from the ability to remineralize and can cause toxicity. Glycerin also coats teeth and is another ingredient I am staying away from.

I have been trying to improve my diet and nutritional supplements. Being a stay at home mommy to 3 very young and active children, I admittingly have not had the best diet recently. I sometimes eat whatever is easy or quick and usually eat last or late at night. I also am a bit of an insomniac and do not get much sleep. My body has not been healing or regenerating well. I have been trying to improve my overall health (and dental wellness) with better nutrition. I have been trying to take more supplements as well, in addition to my prenatal vitamins.

I specifically have been taking cod liver oil daily, along with vitamin K2 supplements. I truly believe my dental issue this time has been due to me not taking the best care of myself over the last 3 years (my 2 youngest children's lifespan).

I was recently sent some vitamin K2 (Natrogix Vitamin K2 MK-7) for review and have been using it daily for the past month. I have been continuing to take my prenatal vitamins and have added Indian Ghee (with turmeric and black pepper) to my diet, along with upping my protein. I have yet to begin homemade bone broth, but I would like to start making it soon as it should help greatly.

Although Weston Price mentioned the use of fermented cod liver oil, I simply cannot afford Green Pasture's Blend (cod liver and high vitamin butter oil) right now as that is almost $50 for just a 2-3 week supply depending on how many pills I take per day. I might try the liquid form as it is slightly more affordable. It is said that as many as 8 pills need to be taken per day for cavities to remineralize. If this tooth gets any worse, I may try a month or two if I have no other option. I am not wanting any more fillings. The Green Pasture's Blend has Butter oil which is a fermented oil containing high amounts of K2. This butter oil is made from milk/cream from grass fed cows. It is rich in Vitamin D and Vitamin K which are fat-soluble vitamins needed for overall improved health. I am trying to use Ghee made from grass fed cow raw milk as a more budget friendly substitute to the high vitamin butter oil and include a budget friendly K2 supplement as well.

I was happy to try Natrogix K2 as it contains MK-7 and helps with calcium absorption (excellent for bones and teeth). I like that this is made in the USA. Natrogix K2 is from chickpeas.

So far, I have been taking it for a few weeks and have not had any ill side effects. I like how small the gel capsules are and the ease of swallowing. I do not detect a flavor from these pills. I do want to mention that this bottle and a few other of their products (that I will also be reviewing) have a clear plastic filler in them instead of the usual white cotton. It was a little strange for me and a surprise.

I do have some improvements to my 1-2 cystic acne blemishes this month, but I am not sure if it is due to this product or the fact that I have been better with taking my vitamins, cod liver oil, and drinking my matcha tea protein shakes. I have been an avid water drinker for the past year (with the exception of a tall glass (or 2) of sweet iced tea thrown in once every 1 or 2 weeks). I have noticed that I have felt a little boost in energy since taking k2 vitamins along with my cod liver oil. I currently have been taking Sonne's cod liver oil.

For now I still have the ugly cavity and am hoping to stop the current decay and remineralize it. If this happens, it will be a long process and will take months to a year. I am unsure if I will continue this brand or try others before making a final selection on a K2 brand. For more information on Natrogix K2 and their other products, you can find them on Amazon.

Follow Natrogix on Facebook for product updates!

Ingredients

Vitamin K2 100mcg, Sunflower Seed Oil, Gelatin, Vegetable Glycerin, Yellow Beeswax, Purified Water, Sunflower Lecithin, Carob, Caramel, Calcium Phosphate.

Directions

As a dietary supplement, take one (1) capsule daily. There are 60 capsules in the bottle.

This was sent to me for review. This is my honest evaluation of the product.

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