GelPro Mat Review

I have discovered something that actually makes me want to stay in the kitchen a little longer. What is this miracle product, you ask? A chocolate fountain? Self-cleaning dishes? A kitchen nap cot? Nope, Just my GelPro anti-fatigue kitchen floor mat.

That's right, a floor mat. And not just because it comes in the color "truffle", either, since independent testing in my kitchen has demonstrated that the GelPro mat is not edible.

Aside from the yummy color the GelPro appeals to my love of textures. I am entirely tactile when selecting clothing or items for my home. I have to feeeel everything and it was to feel good or I'm not wearing/sleeping/ sitting/standing on it. 'Good' has a variety of definitions which include soft, velvety, squishy, cool, silky, warm, smooth or spongy- depending on my mood.

The GelPro has wholly pleased my texture hungry side from the moment I placed it in my kitchen. It is the only anti-fatigue mat available that is filled with gel. I adore the way it feels under my feet, so much so that I want to spend time at my kitchen counter. Don't let my partner hear that or she might cover the whole kitchen in GelPro mats to keep me cooking and cleaning 24/7.

Oh yes, and I should probably mention the GelPro mat is fantastic for relieving fatigue, particularly if you have a bad back, arthritis, foot problems or anything of the sort that causes standing for periods of time to be difficult. I have a recipe or two I dread making because I know it means an hour of chopping. With the GelPro under foot I don't dread the chopping, it makes that much of a difference.

If you have a foodie, a cook or master of the kitchen that you want to encourage to stay in that kitchen as long as possible the GelPro would make a really wonderful gift (Father's Day anyone?). I think it is a must have for anyone on their feet all day that has to come home and stand in the kitchen.

The mat comes in a variety of styles, sizes and colors and can be purchased online. The Basketweave style that I have can also be purchased at your local Bed, Bath & Beyond. The mats start at $99.95, which is a good price considering the phenomenal quality. I guarantee you no other mat will come close to this one in durability, comfort or quality. If you put one in your kitchen maybe I'll come over and cook for you. Well…at least I will be more likely to cook for you.

Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil Giveaway- closed

If you grew up in the 80's and 90's like me you might have the opinion that coconut oil is terrible for you, as I did. We were told it is a saturated fat and therefore would clog our arteries and stop our heart. Coconut oil was promptly pulled from baked goods and I always had a twinge of guilt eating any coconut treat.

Like so much of what we hear about our health that information was at best misleading, at worst it was outright coconut slander. The poor abused coconut, however, has made a comeback in recent years. People have recently been proclaiming the glory of the coconut and its miraculous ability to cure a world of ills. I roll my eyes when I hear wild health claims, so I have skipped over all the coconut raving.

Then I was given the chance from a company called Tropical Traditions, to actually try coconut oil and read some literature on it. I figured it couldn't hurt to look into it.

Here is some of the research backed information I found-

• A study of 40 women concluded that coconut oil does not result in more fats in the blood and seems to promote a reduction in abdominal obesity ( Lipids. 2009 May 13. [Epub ahead of print]). This study affirms what previous studies have stated- consumption of coconut oil does not cause high cholesterol or heart disease.
  
• Virgin coconut oil has been shown to have antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties that are useful in the treatment of dermatitis (Dermatitis. 2008 Nov-Dec;19(6):308-15)and acne (Dermatol.2009 Apr 23 [Epub ahead of print]).
  
• Animal studies indicate that consumption of coconut oil may actually lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood (Clin Biochem. 2004 Sep; 37(9):830-5).
  
• Human research shows that consuming oils such as coconut oil can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (Metabolism. 2003 Jun; 52(6):771-7).
  
• A wide variety of peer-reviewed research on the chemical components of coconut oil have hinted that coconut oil may help in reducing weight, slowing tumor growth, preventing obesity and combating a host of other human ailments.
  

I have actually read the research I am quoting. I never believe what I read (especially on the internet) unless I see the data myself. I spent a few too many years the pharmaceutical and scientific research industries to believe anything 2^nd hand. I have included links to the research so you can read for yourself if that is your thing.

All this reading about coconut oil has convinced me it is something I should have in my diet more often. A 1998 article in the Journal of the Indian Medical Association sums up what we now know about consuming only oils we were told were 'healthier' like sunflower oil or safflower oil, stating,

there are numerous research data now available to indicate that the sole use or excess intake of these newer vegetable oils are actually detrimental to health and switching to a combination of different types of fats including the traditional cooking fats like ghee, coconut oil and mustard oil would actually reduce the risk of dyslipidaemias, AHD and Type-2 DM [diabetes] (J Indian Med Assoc. 1998 Oct; 96(10):304-7).

More and more the evidence seems to show that cutting out natural foods completely from our diet does more harm than good. I have come to the conclusion that diversity in diet is the answer, with all things in moderation. I never did understand how plant based oil could be so 'bad', just like I never thought avocados or almonds were 'bad' even though they are high in fat. Well lookie-there, research is now showing that items we were told to avoid are actually beneficial.

While research is amazing and fantastic and gives me warm fuzzies it often fails to take into consideration real life situations such as how people consume foods, how the food is prepared etc, so I never make a big change and eliminate any whole food based on some rat study. Nature knows best, I believe, so if it grows in the ground, tastes good and people have been eating it for thousands of years then it is good enough for me.

I won't be switching to using only coconut oil I have found that it is a great oil to cook with- clean tasting (no coconut taste at all), versatile and easy to measure. Plus Tropical Traditions coconut oil is certified as USDA organic, which gives it an advantage over 98% of oils on the shelf in stores.

Interested in trying coconut oil for yourself? Or perhaps you are already a fan of coconut oil and have a thing or two to teach me. In either case you will want to enter this giveaway for a quart of Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil. Also, if you are interested in reading more about the potential benefits of coconut oil be sure to check out this book, chocked full of great information, personal stories and a bit of history on the coconut oil revolution.

How to Enter

Visit the Tropical Traditions website and tell me what product you are most interested in trying. Or if you already have tried coconut oil tell me a little about your experience with the product. This entry must be completed in order to gain any extra entries.

Extra Entries

• Follow Tropical Traditions on twitter (1 entry, leave your user id)
  
• Fav my blog on technorati ( Link to the right, please leave your user ID)


• Follow me on blogger, subscribe via rss reader or subscribe via email (links to the left, 1 entry for each )
  
• Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway (1 tweet per day, link to your tweet please)
  
• Blog about this giveaway and leave a link to your post (2 entries)
  

The giveaway is open to both U.S. and Canadian residents. Entries will be accepted until June 13th 11:59 PM CST when a winner will be selected randomly. Winner will be notified via e-mail.

Pinecone Research- CLOSED

EDIT- This has closed already. Didn't even last 24 hours! Told you they close quickly...hope some of you got in.

Pinecone is one of the best, and hardest online research companies to get into. They only accept individuals for a limited time and you have to 'find' a banner or have an invite. Well thay are accepting applications and I have the banner!

They typically pay $3 per survey as a flat rate plus they send great products to try if you qualify. The payment comes via paypal rather quickly and I make a few extra bucks every month with them. Pinecone is honestly one of the only research companies I ALWAYS always always take the surveys becasue I know it is easy money. If you aren't a member, I highly recommend you give it a try.

Here is the link:

I think they are looking for people 18 to 24, but be sure to try even if you are outside that. Let me know if you have questions. Good luck getting in!

Father’s Day Poster Print Giveaway- closed

Looking for something unique, original and meaningful to give dad this Father's Day? Something he might appreciate and even cherish for years to come? Oh and affordable too, right?

How about a custom made Canvas Printing or Poster Printing of your favorite photo? I love to receive photo gifts, so I have given more than my share of gifts with personalized photos. I find it really is something you aren't going to toss in the junk drawer or sell at your garage sale. And don't we all want someone to cherish or gifts?

UPrinting.com is giving away one fantastic 18 x 24 poster print to a reader. Just follow the directions below to enter!

Don't want to wait to see if you're a winner? Head to UPrinting and get started on building your own Father's Day gift. They have fast service and superfast shipping to assure your gift will be to that special someone in time for Dad's Day.

To Enter

1. Leave a comment telling me how you would use your 18 x 24 poster if you win. You don't have to use it for Father's Day.
   
2. Blog about this giveaway and leave me a link to the blog. You must also include a link to UPrinting.com in your blog post.

Entries will be accepted until 11:59 PM CST on June 9^th, 2009. Winners will be chosen by the randomizer and will have their prize shipped for free to them by UPrinting. Free shipping is valid only for U.S. and Canada winners.

Thanks for entering!

Halo Dog Food Review and $50 Gift Certificate Giveaway

It is a well established fact that Dave likes food. An item doesn't even have to be actual food for Davey to want it. He has done many a trick for pocket lint, as a matter of fact.

So the real struggle in choosing a dog food is not in finding what Davey likes, it is in finding what I like. I want the food he eats to be high-quality, human grade ingredients. I don't want a food full of cheap filler and I want a company that pays attention to quality so that I never have to panic about a recall. There are many foods we have tried that meet these requirements, and Dave often has treats from fantastic manufactures such as Life's Abundance, Mother Hubbard and Nature's Variety.

I have fed Davey the same dry food since he became an "adult" dog. And even though we have tried, reviewed and liked several great foods we have never officially switched dry food, until now. Why did I decide to switch? This:

The above is a picture of Halo Spot's Stew Wholesome Chicken adult dry dog food in Davey's bowl. You can see actual dried whole foods in it and I truly believe the claim that that Halo is human grade dog food based on the look and smell of the food. We regularly supplement Davey's daily diet with things like carrots, berries, apples and other whole foods. So having an actual whole food in Davey's daily meal makes me feel great about what I feed him. The Halo dry food ingredient list reads like a healthy grocery list and not a chemistry experiment. Here is a sample of the first few ingredients:

Ingredients: Chicken, Whole Dried Eggs, Pea Protein, Oats, Vegetable Broth, Pearled Barley, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Pea Flour, Chicken Liver, Wild Salmon, Flaxseed, Salmon Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Pea Fiber, Sweet Potatoes, Apples, Blueberries, Green Beans, Carrots, Cranberries, Zucchini…


The dry food also contains Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids and probiotics- important extras for a pet that eats the same food every day.

The Spot's Stew line is available in both dry and wet varieties and is competitively priced. Halo also has recently introduced yummy treats which I will be talking more about soon. Watch for the post this week because it will include instructions on how to get an exclusive $2.50 coupon on Halo treats which start at just $3.99!

Halo products are available at a pet store or Whole Foods Market near you or you can purchase on line. Halo has been totally fantastic to work with and has generously offered to give one of my readers a $50 Gift Certificate to use on-line for any Halo product! Dog food, cat food, treats, supplements, grooming products…there are a ton of possibilities a cool 50 bucks could get you! Here is what you have to do…

How to Enter
Visit Halo Pets site and tell me what one Halo product you would most like to try. This entry must be completed in order to gain any extra entries.

Extra Entries

• Follow Halo Pets on twitter (1 entry, leave your user id)
• Become a fan of Halo Pets on Facebook or Myspace (1 entry per action, leave your name please)
• Sign up for the Halo Newsletter, which has coupon offers! (let me know you signed up, 1 entry)
• Enter any of my other pet-related giveaways (Pet Scribbles or Big Paw Designs giveaways only, 1 additional Halo entry per giveaway)
• Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway (1 tweet per day, link to your tweet please
• Blog about this giveaway and leave a link to your post (2 entries)
  

The giveaway is open to both U.S. and Canadian residents. Entries will be accepted until June 12th 11:59 PM CST at which time someone's fur baby is going to be might spoiled! Winner will be notified via e-mail.

Fairytale Brownies Father’s Day Giveaway- CLOSED

If you have a Father, Husband, Grandfather with a sweet tooth I have the perfect gift for them- the most amazing brownies you have ever had in your mouth. Although I believe one or two of you might have a grandma or aunt out there that could make brownies as good, I doubt anything could be better than Fairytale Brownies.

I had the chance to try the Father's Day dozen and let me tell you, they were gone in 2 days. My partner cursed while she ate the first bite, as in "Holy &%$# these are some $%#& good brownies". Oh yes indeed, they are so good they cause spontaneous swearing.

I was pleased as could be and we had some serious Halloween-tummy in the house during our brownie binge. Dave, however, was one unhappy puggle since I informed him "brownies kill puggles". Poor guy, even this crazy-eyed, flippy-ear "I'm wild with brownie-need" look garnered him nothing:

Not only do the brownies taste incredible but they come beautifully wrapped with great attention to detail…a great gift to send for any occasion. A dozen brownies, such as the ones I tried, runs around $37 but there are a variety of gifts available starting at under $30.

The amazing people at Fairytale Brownies would like to give one very lucky tummy of a reader (not for puggles!) the Father's Day Dozen gift pack that I received. Make sure if you win you have it shipped right to dad or I guarantee you it will never reach his hands. Not that I will tell a soul if it doesn't.

How to Enter
Visit The Fairytale Brownies website and tell me which flavor you would like to try the most. You really can't go wrong considering how phenomenal every single one is. This entry must be completed in order to gain any extra entries.

Extra Entries

• Follow Fairytale Brownies on twitter (1 entry, leave your user id)
• Request a catalog from Fairytale Brownies. You have been warned, it is the ultimate in explicit food porn. (1 entry, leave the e-mail addy you signed up with)
• Enter any of my other giveaways (listed to the left, let me know which you entered, 1 additional Brownie entry per giveaway)
• Follow me on blogger, subscribe via rss reader or subscribe via email (links to the left, 1 entry for each
• Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway (1 tweet per day, link to your tweet please)
• Blog about this giveaway and leave a link to your post (2 entries)

The giveaway is open to U.S. residents. Entries will be accepted until June 9th 11:59 PM CST at which time someone's Dad is gonna be mighty happy. Winner will be notified via e-mail.

Big Paw Designs Collar Charm Giveaway- CLOSED

If Dave could talk I know there are times that he would say exactly what his Big Paw Designs tag, above, says. even when caught red-pawed, like this...

Or this

Or this

Perhaps you have a Dave of your very own? Or maybe you have a squirrel stalker like Davey's sweetheart, Ruby, who would wear this with pride:


Or is your furry pal is none of the above because they are simply the...

Big Paw Designs would like to give one of my readers an exclusive Big Paw Designs pewter collar charm of their very own. The charms are high-quality, lightweight, sturdy and come in a multitude of whimsical choices. I also love that you have the option of getting them with a variety of ways to attach to the collar, like the nifty clip option.

Big Paw also sells a ton of great pet products, gift items and more… including the ONLY toy in our house that has a squeaker- the Katie's Bumper tug toy. I consider it a miracle toy since it has managed to retain said squeaker for at least 4 months and still gets played with often. Be sure to check out the Katie's Toys if you have a destructor like Davey.

Onto the good stuffs, the giveaway!

How to Enter
Visit Big Paw Designs and tell me which tag you prefer. This entry must be completed in order to gain any extra entries.

Extra Entries

• Follow Big Paw Designs on twitter (1 entry, leave your user id)
• Become a fan of Big Paw Designs on Facebook (1 entry)
• Follow me on blogger, subscribe via rss reader or subscribe via email (links to the left, 1 entry for each)
• Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway (1 tweet per day, link to your tweet please
• Blog about this giveaway and leave a link to your post (2 entries)
  

The giveaway is open to U.S. residents. Entries will be accepted until June 7th 11:59 PM CST at which time the winner will be notified via e-mail. Woofs and kisses!