How to Write an Optimized Blog Post

Learning How to Write an Optimized Blog Post Can Really Boost Your Sites SEO!

I’ve spent the past year and a half researching, digging, and learning everything that I possibly could in order to boost my websites google ranking. There is a LOT of info when it comes to search engine optimization, which can be overwhelming, but one thing has become abundantly clear . . . Content is King!

Or in other words, the more well written articles you have, the more Google will see your site as an authority. It’s that simple.

But writing a truly optimized blog post will give you that boost that you need to take your website or blog to the next level!

(Want the meat and potatoes? Scroll to the bottom for the infographic)

So how exactly do you write an optimized blog post?

I’m going to give it all to you right now. I’m a big fan of helping others, and I hope that this helps you. If you have suggestions on how to improve this list please let me know!

There are a few simple steps to writing an SEO optimized blog article, but there are also some crucial SEO tips that you’ll need to know as well. It may seem a little tedious at first, but I promise that if you do this every time you write an article you’ll be well on your way to ranking higher on Google.

I highly recommend copying these steps and using them as your posting checklist . . .

#1 Remember that content is king.

Write as many articles as possible. The more the better! 3-5 per week is a good cadence. Remember to write about what you love, what you’re passionate about, and something that you feel confident sharing. Finding and knowing your niche will help you do this. Writing for the sake of writing will get old REAL quick. So write from the heart!

Niche = Something very specific that you love and know. Avoid main stream topics such as “sports”. Instead get detailed, perhaps “football plays that convert” or “how to become a better volleyball player”.

We give you all the goods in our blog post how to choose the best niche (coming soon!)

#2  Pick the main keyword for your article.

Knowing your key words is just as important as writing lots of content. Content and Keywords are critical for SEO. So if you haven’t already chosen the keywords for your site, be sure to do that first. But don’t fret, keywords can change and adapt as your site grows, so don’t stress if you’re worried about choosing the perfect keywords the first time.

We lay it all out for you, based on personal experience, in our our blog post on how to choose the best keywords for my site (coming soon!)

Then pick 1 main keyword for your blog post that relates to your topic.

#3 Choose supporting keywords for your blog post.

Next, choose 4-7 supporting keywords that relate to your topic. These may be long tail keyword phrases with 5-7 words that help to describe your topic further.

#4 How many words should a blog post have?

This is an important one. The more words your article has, the more Google will see you as an authority on the subject. Be sure to write blog posts with at least 500 words. I highly recommend writing articles with more than 1,000 words when possible.

Just be sure to keep it engaging and natural.

#5 Do NOT stuff keywords into your article!

Keyword stuffing is a big no-no in the SEO world. Search engine bots that crawl our sites have become more intelligent than ever before. It’s important to strategically use keywords in your article, but in the proper way (which we cover in this article).

Basically, when you’re writing an article, be sure to write it naturally, to a human reader, and not a search engine bot.

#6 Always use catchy post titles!

I’m still learning this myself, it’s definitely a skill that comes with practice and time. Whenever you write a post title, be sure to address the solution to a question. When someone reads the title they should know exactly what you’re offering.

Your title should always be heading 1 (H1) which Google sees as more important. So be sure to ALWAYS put your main keyword for your article in the post title, and be sure that it’s natural.

TIP – Only use one H1 heading per article.

TIP – Keep your post title under 60 characters (we’ll tell you why shortly)

TIP – Write out 5-10 example post titles using your main keyword and then pick the one that you like the most!

#7 Use different sub headings in your article.

It’s a great idea to add at least a few different headings (H2’s and H3’s) to your blog post. Again, Google ranks these in order. H1 is the most important, H2 is next, etc. So be sure to place your supporting keywords in both H2 and H3 when and where possible. Again, ensure that it sounds natural when you read it.

TIP – Use sub headings that focus on the benefits and solutions that you offer.

#8 Write Epic Content! . . . and be sure to use your keywords too.

As you write your blog post, write from the heart, tell a story, and engage your readers! But, as you do, don’t forget to implement keywords that you’ve chosen where appropriate. This will help Google know what you’re writing about, and then send more readers and potential customer to your site!

TIP – Use your main keyword in the first and last sentence of your article. Use supporting keywords throughout.

#9 Check your Grammar and make adjustments.

Not much to say about this one, again, it takes practice. Check your grammar at least a few times. Read over your article, make adjustments, and then read it again!

TIP – NEVER accept the first draft of an article.

TIP – If needed, consider using a free tool to help you out such as Grammarly (they also have a Chrome Extension)

#10 Always link to at least one other article on your site.

Keep readers engaged, and keep them on your site as long as possible, by hyperlinking to other articles on your blog. Again, Google likes this, the longer a customer is on your site, the more it will help to increase your site ranking.

TIP – When creating a hyperlink for other blog articles USE KEYWORDS. Instead of “click here”, make the hyperlink more detailed, perhaps use the article title.

#11 Add post labels and categories.

Not too much to say here, but be sure to ONLY use 1 label per post. This helps to avoid duplicate content. Every label you add creates a new URL path to get to your article (which is silly but it’s true), and Google sees it as duplicate content since the same article can have different URL’s based on how a customer got there.

For example by clicking on the tag vs the post title.

TIP – Avoid this by setting the canonical URL (which we show you later on)

#12 Use great images! And optimize them . . .

Always use a featured image, as well as images throughout your article. It’s a great way to keep your readers engaged, and is a cool way to increase your sites SEO.

Be sure to always do the following when adding an image to your blog post:

• Make sure it’s both relevant and high quality.
• Don’t just grab images off of Google, purchase them when possible.
• Download the image to your computer and rename the file itself using keywords for that article or image, and use dashes to separate each word. For example “strategic-football-plays.jpg”. Google reads file names, and is a little trick to increase optimization.
• Compressing your images will increase site speed, so do it every time. Use the Tiny PNG plugin, or go to the Tiny PNG site directly to manually compress your images. It is a must.
• If you have a WordPress site, or even Wix or Weebly, you can go into your image settings to create a custom image alt text and image description. Be sure to do this every time. It does not have to be perfect, but use keywords to describe your images. Again, Google reads these.

#13 Add cool media to your article!

Keeping a reader engaged can be a challenge. So do yourself a favor and add a video or infographic to your blog post! Readers and Google loves this. They don’t have to be fancy, as long as they are valuable and to the point.

TIP – Looking for an easy, free way to create a nice looking infographic? I use Piktochart, but there are others as well.

#14 Always ask your readers to take action with a CTA.

A CTA (Call to Action) is a great way to get your readers to stay engaged! It could be asking them to like your facebook page, enter an email address, comment, read another article on your site, or purchase a product or service.

Whatever it is, make sure that it’s relevant, and be sure to add a CTA to each and every post.

#15 Set your permalink to a simple to read version.

Google reads permalinks in a very specific way, so it’s important to ensure that they are written properly.

In WordPress you can edit this at the top of your edit post page. If you’ve chosen a good post title, it may not need to be changed, but here are a few tips for you:

• Keep it somewhat short. 10 words is definitely too long.
• Separate words with a dash – (which should be done automatically, at least in WordPress)
• Use keywords in your permalink every time (again, if you chose a great title, this will already be done)

#16 Create an optimized title tag and description tag.

If you use WordPress, be sure to install the Yoast SEO plugin. It’s a great way to adjust different portions of your site in order to enhance your SEO.

Writing an optimized title and description tag is absolutely crucial. But once again, if you’ve chosen a great post title then most of the work is done for you. Go to the “edit snippet” section of your Yoast SEO toolbar on the edit post page to access the title tag (SEO title) and description tag (meta description).

Here are a few tips:

• Always use your main keywords
• Keep it short and readable
• Keep your title under 60 characters
• Keep your meta description tag around 250 characters
• Separate your blog post title and website (or company) name with a pipeline |

#17 Set your canonical URL to avoid duplicate content.

Another quick and simple fix to Google thinking you have duplicate content is to set your canonical URL for each page and blog post. Simply do this (if you’re in WordPress) via your Yoast SEO plug in. Click on the gear icon (advanced settings), copy your permalink url, and paste it into the canonical url section.

Boom done.

#18 Post every single blog article to social media.

This should go without saying, but every time you write an article, post it to your social accounts such as Google + (always use Google plus which helps you rank higher), LinkedIn, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, and Twitter.

TIP – Always add an image and the direct link to your article.

#19 A few extra SEO tips to help your article to rank higher.

If you’ve read our article on best SEO plugins for WordPress (coming soon!) you’ll know about caching and sweeping. Increased page speed is important for SEO. So, after every article, be sure to purge all of your cache, and run a site sweep.

#20 Ping your site or Fetch and Render

So now that you’ve written an incredible article for the entire world to see, what’s next? Well, we need to make sure that people can actually find it. Google needs to know that your article exists so that they can crawl it for keywords, and index it.

You can go into your Google search console under the “crawl” section on the left hand side, then “fetch as Google”. You can also ping your site at Pingler.com

If you don’t have a Google Search Console account or Google Analytics it’s time to take the plunge. Take a look at our article on Free Google Tools for SEO (coming soon!).

Now you know exactly how to write an optimized blog post! So what’s next?

Rinse and repeat. As I mentioned, content is king, and key words hone your content for SEO. So keep writing, and keep researching! Keep going, and don’t give up.

Organic search engine optimization (non paid) takes time, and work, but it’s worth it in the end!

*Guest post by OptimizerPros Web Design and SEO. http://optimizerpros.com/

Zim's Max Freeze Muscle & Joint Relief

Zim's Max is a company based out of North Lima, Ohio.  They have a dynamic line of naturally-based products that features different over-the-counter solutions.  Their formulas contain herbal ingredients for pain relief, skin care, diabetics and first aid. Having started over 60 years ago with their first product Zim's Max Crack Creme, their products can be found in nearly every major retailer in North America.

Muscle & Joint Relief

Having tried Zim's Max Crack Creme previously, I was very excited to have the opportunity to try and reviews Zim's Max Freeze muscle and joint relief.  This came at the most opportune time for me.  We were in the process of making our last and final move. We were having to load and unload a 26 foot UHaul, twice, as well as a van filled up to the max many times, and trailers being pulled by the UHaul.  Our backs, and every muscle in our bodies were certainly tried and worked beyond what we could imagine.  It was truly muscle saving to be able to apply Zim's Max Freeze to our sore and aching muscles.

Clear Greaseless Gel

It is a clear gel that readily and quickly absorbs into the skin.  It has a nice scent that does vanish fairly quickly, so you don't smell like a medicine cabinet at all.  It is greaseless which I also like.  No staining on clothes. It contains aloe, arnica, vitamin e and tea tree oil.  It is paraben and sulfate free.

Just this morning I needed to apply the Max Freeze gel to my lower back.  My muscles are still trying to build up to carrying 5 gallons of water in a bucket to water my fruit trees because we don't have enough hoses yet.  Within 5 minutes the pain had subsided.  It's been over 3 hours as of this writing and I'm still pain free.  My husband was quite impressed too at how fast and long lasting this gel works.  This does have a cooling effect.  I sometimes need to warm it up a bit on my fingers before placing on my back.  I highly recommend this product.

This product can be ordered online, but so convenient to find at nearly every major retailer in North America.  It sells for around $9.99 nationwide for their 4 ounce tube. This is quite reasonable in price, especially since it works so fast and lasts so long.

Next time you have sore aching muscles or joint pain, rush right out and pick up a tube of Zim's Max Freeze.  You'll be glad you did.

Cool Pain Relief Gel

Strange Lands: Heroes of Distant Planets Book 1 review

Strange Lands: Heroes of Distant Planets Book 1 book review

Genre: Fantasy

Plot:  Allen, the Boy has the whole world in his hands: well he at least thinks he does in his head.  However, when that world comes crashing down things seem to go from bad to worse, to scary.  When life is taken from him, Allen is left to fend for himself in a wheelchair and voiceless.  There is some good, Allen's Uncle becomes the reason he lives.  In this new quest to help and save his Uncle Allen finds a whole new world, Strange Lands, filled with fear, magic, and mystical creatures.

My Opinion:  Let me start by saying I'm not normally a sci/fi book lover.  It has to be the right type of fantasy book or right type of scientific book for me to want to read it, and then enjoy reading it.  I'm more of a historical fiction, Christian, hallmark happy story type reader.  So when I say that I like a fantasy book, that is big for me.  This book is written perfectly for ages of youth in their tween/ teen years.  It is easy enough to read and understand all the many new creatures, with new names, powers, their connection to Allen and his new life.  Strange Lands is a fun book, which is good, because I'm not a fan of deep dark scary books.  That said, it is a little too much fiction, and is a bit too wordy when descriptions are being used to really be fully enjoyed by adults...unless you enjoy fantasy whole and encompassing.

Interesting Details: Swimming is key to this whole book.  Allen is a great aquatic athlete in the very beginning, and he continues to swim throughout the book.  I found that very endearing and fantastic, because it reminds me of my youth: swim team, life guarding, swimming with my friends, siblings, parents, etc.  Allen is full of fear, he opening cries, and yet is constantly finding himself building up his courage, bravery, and confidence.  Something all tweens and teens are doing in real life.  A great example.

Amazon Link: You can buy the book here through the link below.  It is not an affiliate link, but the direct link to Strand Lands: Heroes of Distant Planets Book 1 on Amazon.

To comply with the Federal Trade Commission's regulations, I must mention as part of every review; that the publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of the book, through Amazon, in exchange for an honest non biased review. There are no affiliate links, nor payments made for this review.  I have posted a review on Amazon as well.

Wild Orange - Essential Oil Smoothie!

Wild Orange is the new Green . . . 

When it comes to smoothies that is! For a while there is seemed like everyone was drinking Green juices, or Green smoothies. Vegetables and fruits in a drink of sorts for health and fitness reasons was a super popular idea. One, I admit, that I totally got caught up in. It was fun and fresh, and even more than all those vegetables, I got sucked into the magic of beautiful flavors from yucky foods!

However, after a few experiments with adding more fruit (because the Hubby and Kids complained about too many vegetables, especially the leafy ones) I found that Green smoothies can actually be any color in the Rainbow. What's even more wild? Rainbow is the new Green. 😊 After a LOT of experimenting, and trial and error, I have learned how to make them taste just as good as the beautiful colors I create.

Discovering Essential Pleasure...

Have you heard of them? Essential oils have become a huge deal! Have you been invited to like a million parties like me? I have, by all my friends and even those people who are acquaintances on my social media. I don't normally buy into fads. BUT SERIOUSLY!!!! I love my Essential Oils, like a ton! Lemon, Lavender, and Peppermint are my favorite for health, baths, and using with my kids, and they love it too!

However, recently I found a great way to use another essential oil, and it's my pleasure to share it with you all.   Normally I focus on making healthy kid friendly smoothies with vegetables, essential oils, legumes, and plant protein powders. So when I say kid smoothies, I have to get really creative sometimes in how I "hide" the healthy stuff. This recipe I'm sharing below, doesn't have a lot of vegetables, because sometimes its also nice to just have a fresh fruity blast of goodness.

I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do!

Welcome to my newest favorite essential oil: Wild Orange.  Most people add a drop or two to water for taste, or to an air freshener for the freshness, I found a way to add to the flavor oranges in a smoothie and it is essentially pleasurable.  ~Enjoy~

Wild Orange Smoothie

(made with essential oils from doTerra)

8oz Orange juice
4 drops of Wild Orange Oil (we got ours from doTerra)
1 cup Papaya (canned is all I could find at the store, so I drained it)
1 cup Mango (canned is all I could find at the store, so I drained it)
1/3 cup carrots (steamed)
1/2 cup Greek Coconut Yogurt
2 tsp Chia seeds (ground)
2 tsp Flax seeds (ground)
1 cup Pineapple (fresh frozen)

*Blend until smooth.  This will make 2 servings, you will get a really good taste of the wild orange and the pineapple flavorings.

*DISCLOSURE - Anytime you plan on using essential oils in a recipe or for ingestion you must first consult the manufacturer. DoTerra very clearly marks their bottles with whether or not they can be ingested, and instructions on how to do so. NEVER ingest essential oils without first consulting a trusted source.

Click Here! for an informative Ebook on how to use Essential Oils!

Thanks for reading. If you have other cool Essential Oil Recipes or cool ideas, please share them with us by commenting!

You should also check out our awesome review of Lavender Essential Oils!

Curse Breaker: Enchanted Book Review

Curse Breaker: Enchanted Book Review

Genre: Fantasy

Plot: Boy with special powers is trying to live his life, help his brother, and keep a secret protected, but he works for a powerful man and an odd group of people.  The people who he works for care about him and want to keep him safe from bad people, but they've broken his trust and can't get him to talk to them.  Something bad happened in the land, and magic has called to the boy, now the ghosts from that incident are also asking for the boy to help them, their only issue is that they can't talk to him.  Can he solve the mystery before he runs out of time?  Can he solve the mystery, keep his secret, and help his brother into collage?  The boy has a really rough life, with too many people asking too much of him, but can he endure and come out conqueror in the end?

Sexual Content update: Though I put that there is some sexual content let tell you what I mean.  There are no sex scenes, which is great for me, because I'm not a fan of those.  However the main character is drawn into sexual thoughts about a beautiful woman.

My Opinion:  Let me start by saying I'm not normally a sci/fi book lover.  It has to be the right type of fantasy book or right type of scientific book for me to want to read it, and then enjoy reading it.  I'm more of a historical fiction, Christian, hallmark happy story type reader.  So when I say that I like a fantasy book, that is big for me.  Now for the cliche' I really did enjoy this book, I was constantly finding ways to sneak in and read it during my days over the Christmas/ New Year's holidays.  One of the reasons I really enjoyed reading is because there was a wonderfully well planned history of where Sarn (the main character) lived, his back story, and why things were the way they were.  However, this backstory was interwoven into every aspect and chapter, so you don't get the whole picture until the end, just puzzle pieces throughout the book.  Melinda's characterization is very much in the same level as Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter.  You get to know each Ranger who works with Sarn, their individual quirks, ticks, and cares on thejob.  Sarn's world is divided into when he's on the job and when he's off the job, so when the author mixes the two into one, she is very successful!  The ghosts mentioned in the plot summary are my favorite characters of the whole story, they frustrate me, I like them, feel sorry for them, and wish I had power to help them communicate with Sarn while I was reading.  When an author captures your own imagination and sucks you into the story as a character, you know they are very talented, and have worked hard at their skills.  My only issue with the book, that kept me from giving it a 5 star rating, is that Sarn is a really rough life, too rough to be realistic in my opinion.  I feel like there was so much bad happening to him that when something good did happen, it was glossed over just a little bit.  Much like Harry Potter, my issue is the same; so much bad happened to Harry too, but he had those periods of regular life too, just not enough to make it realistic.  I would have liked to see more good, or at least longer periods of time between each trial that happened to Sarn for my own personal reasons.

Interesting Details: This book review is from the ebook version.  It is totally worth getting, because you can read it so much faster, and anywhere you go, easier than carrying a book around.  I used the Amazon Kindle Unlimited app on my phone to read this ebook version.  It was perfect.  It automatically kept my book mark whenever I stopped.  It also let me know how far along I was in each chapter and in the book as a whole, so that I knew how fast I was reading.  The auther Melinda Kucsera has an amazing imagination.  The way this novel is detailed it can compete with Lord of the Rings and even Harry Potter in the way that as you read this book comes to life.  You are thrown into the book as a character shadowing the main character, but are able to float around watching those whom the main character Sarn interacts with.

To comply with the Federal Trade Commission's regulations, I must mention as part of every review; that the publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of the book, through Amazon, in exchange for an honest non biased review. There are no affiliate links, nor payments made for this review.  I have posted a review on Amazon as well.

DoTerra Essential Oil - Lavender Magic!

So you've more than likely heard about Essential Oils by now. And you're probably wondering if they work, right? 

I remember growing up on natural remedies. Do you remember something called "Sun Rider"? Well I do, it stunk like something awful, and burned a little too. But you know what? It seemed to work on a sore throat! Crazy. And maybe it was a placebo affect, who knows, but in the end I felt better. Natural remedies have been around for thousands of years, and even though a lot of them may not match the potency of modern day medicine, they make a difference.

So with all the buzz lately, my husband and I decided to do our own research using DoTerra Essential Oils. Is it really all that it's cracked up to be? Do they make a difference? Based on our experience, the short answer is yes, but we're not yet sure if they do absolutely everything they promise to do.

But for now let's focus on the positive with a good story. 😄 Not too long ago my husband was helping me in the kitchen with some cooking and somehow managed to accidentally grab a super hot casserole dish, that he didn't know was hot! haha Needless to say it left a nasty mark and burned his right hand pretty good. Based on a book that we purchased on when to use certain oils, we found that DoTerra's Lavender Essential Oil would supposedly help with mild burns, so we decided to throw some on. Why not?! Because we all know that burn creams are dodgy at best.

So we grabbed the bottle and put a couple drops on his hand, and low and behold it worked almost instantaneously! The burning sensation went away within a minute or so, with no blisters, and no scar. Needless to say we were SUPER surprised and pretty impressed.

So as we continue to learn and grow with Essential Oils we'll be sure to post them here.

So there is a quick review for you based on a real life experience, and we hope to post a lot more!

Feel free to comment below and share your experiences with us! In the meantime here is a little video we found on YouTube explaining some of the benefits of Lavender.

Check out another one of our articles on Essential Oils

Lymphatic System and Burdock Root

Several years ago, I was informed by my doctor that the large lumps under my armpits were not due to cancer, thank goodness, but due to clogged lymph nodes.  I was told to stop using deodorant, especially antiperspirants immediately.  Well that was easy, I didn't use any.  I didn't sweat, period.  That raised some concern with the doctor.  He then told me to increase my daily water consumption and make sure I drink 8-10 glasses of water daily, not counting any other juices, milk etc.  I don't remember what all else I was asked to do, but I did notice that within a couple of weeks, the lumps under my armpits had significantly diminished.

Over the years, I have come to realize that my lymphatic system was not functioning like it should since I was a very little girl.  From about age two, I was a very sickly child.  I got all of the childhood diseases, plus a few more.  About the only thing I didn't get was polio.

Needless to say, I've been on a quest to clean my lymphatic system most of my adult life, but especially as of late.  I've made great progress.  I've been reading and studying up on it, and have realized just how important this system is. The lymphatic fluid rests just below the skin; if it is toxic or sluggish (from processed foods, smoking, chemical body products, lack of exercise), the skin simply won’t look good. A healthy glow comes from the inside out. Even the fluid in the eyes is lymphatic fluid. The cleaner your are inside, the brighter and clearer your eyes will be – truly a window to your health!

The following is by Reuben Chow, reported in the Natural News. "The lymphatic system is part of the body's immune system and functions as the body's "drainage" system. While it often doesn't get as much attention as the cardiovascular system, it actually plays vital roles in maintaining good health and combating disease."

Below are key points regarding the functions of the lymphatic system:

• Lymphatic vessels remove blood proteins and excess water from spaces surrounding bodily cells - this allows the cells to receive critical oxygen. A congested lymphatic system results in oxygen-deprived cells, which in the long-term can lead to various pains and diseases.
• Lymph fills spaces between bodily cells, bringing nutrients to the cells as well as removing unwanted materials from them - these include dead cells, bacteria, heavy metals, fatty globules, and other waste products.
• Bringing toxins away from cells is actually the lymphatic system's main function. Lymph circulates through the lymphatic system, carrying waste materials away from various parts of the body.
• The lymph nodes then filter the lymph, neutralizing and dumping bacteria and other pathogens, as well as neutralizing and getting rid of other toxins. They then bring these materials to the bloodstream, while the lymphocytes are allowed to pass through.
• Thereafter, the unwanted toxins are brought through the blood to the kidneys and liver, organs of detoxification, where they are dealt with and then excreted from the body. Some of the lymph is also dumped straight into the large intestines, where it is excreted with the feces.

Knowing this, I now needed to find ways to clean my lymph and strengthen it so it would function properly.  Key points to help with this task are:

• ·         exercise regularly, especially rebounding (mini-tramp)
• ·         dry skin brushing
• ·         eating healthy, especially more fruits and vegetables
• ·         drinking the right amount of water for your body
• ·         deep breathing to increase oxygen to your cells
• ·         lymphatic massage

Burdock Root (Powder)

Herbs also play a vital part in healing and cleansing the lymph system.  They include:

• ·         Cleavers
• ·         RedClover
• ·         BurdockRoot
• ·         Astragalus
• ·         Echinacea
• ·         Goldenseal
• ·         Pokeroot
• ·         Wild Indigo Root

These are all excellent herbs that will help cleanse the lymphatic system and flush out toxins accumulated in the lymph. All herbal products should be taken in conjunction with an organic food diet or food which is free of any and all chemical products and substances.

Burdock Root is especially good for:

• Detoxing Blood and Lymph (It is a blood purifier.)
• Relieves liver and gall bladder ailments
• Acne
• Psoriasis
• Eczema
• Promotes Perspiration
• Has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties
• Releases Water retention
• Aids in circulation

1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon daily

As I have been taking a combination of several of the above herbals, and constantly strive to drink 8-10 glasses of water daily, exercise daily-especially those that stimulate the lymph such as rebounding and jump roping, doing the dry skin brushing etc., I have noticed a big improvement.  I see it in my eyes, and I feel it in my legs, as well as the lymph nodes under my arms.  My eyes are becoming greener every day, the orange haze is disappearing.  My legs, specifically my calves, do not swell as much.  I now sweat which keeps my underarm lymph nodes from swelling.  I rarely get sick, but when I do, I feel it is more a detox cleanse type of being sick, rather than catching the next virus going around.  I am more healthy today than I was during my childhood.

Like I've mentioned before in other posts, Bulk Supplements are a great place to obtain many of the herbs listed above.  They offer the cleanest, purest forms of dry herbs and supplements.  I have recommended them to friends and family. 

Eggnog Fudge Recipe

Eggnog Fudge (A 5 Star Rating) 

If you like eggnog, you will love this eggnog fudge.  It's a favorite at our house.

Ingredients:

4 ½ cups sugar
12 oz. Eggnog (regular flavor is the best one to use)
3 cups mini marshmallows
18 oz. White chocolate chips
1 ½ sticks real butter, salted
1 ½ tsp. rum flavoring
¼ to ½ tsp. nutmeg

Directions:

Line a 9x13 dish with aluminum foil.

In a 6 quart saucepan, stir and bring to a rolling boil the sugar and eggnog. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium. Stir and cook for an additional 7-10 minutes or until softball stage. Make sure all sugar crystals are melted but don’t burn.

Take off heat and add the white chocolate chips, and the butter. Stir until melted. Add the rum flavoring and nutmeg. Stir until blended.

Pour into dish and chill at least 2 hours. Peel from aluminum and slice. Keep covered in refrigerator.

EggNog Fudge

Zim's Max Crack Creme

How many of you are like me and keep searching for a great lotion for dry skin?  This is what has led to my lotion fetish.  I'm all about wanting to try the next new thing to see what will work best for me, more specifically, my feet.  I hate to wear socks, so during the spring through fall, my feet are bare. They toughen up and and can handle being bare.  What they can't take is sandals, shoes, and socks.

I do have one of those PedEgg Power gadgets which works great.  Love it!  I also have multiple sanding devices (aka foot files) to help keep the rough edges I get once something gets on my feet. Since I love working out in my yard, I really don't like to be barefoot.  Too many bee stings from my childhood days of doing that.  Even when I prep my feet with various lotions and creams, once something gets on them, they become rough.

Now having rough feet are necessarily that bad, after all, my feet aren't really that bad, I just make it out to be worse than it really is.  However, what I do notice is that once in bed on those satin sheets, my feet snag them to death.  I love my satin sheets, but I detest and almost can't sleep on them anymore due to the pilling caused by my feet.

Sooooo, like I mentioned, whenever I get the opportunity to try out a new lotion or cream, I'm all for it.  Zim's Max Crack Creme was founded over 60 years ago to help cement workers treat dry cracked hands and feet.  The base ingredients include arnica and aloe vera along with other herbs formulated to soften and moisture dry, cracked skin on hands, feet, elbows, and cuticles.

It's very simple to use.  Apply a small amount of Zim's Max Crack Creme on your dry and cracked skin a few times each day.  Within a few days your skin will feel amazing.

Zim's Max Creme comes in the Original Liquid Formula and a Creme Creamy Daytime Formula. Each are $6.99 each on www.zimsusa.com.  They offer a sundry of over-the-counter solutions using naturally-based herbal ingredients for pain relief, skin care, lip care, elder care and first aid.

My personal experience with Zim's has been very positive.  First of all, I do not apply during the day, as I don't like to leave foot prints from any lotions or creams applied on my feet to show up on my bamboo floors.  Therefore, I only apply at night.  I probably apply twice as much as is recommended, but my feet are dry and soak in all that creamy moisture goodness.

I have had a couple of rough spots on the balls of my feet that have been difficult to remove by "sanding" and this cream in just a weeks time has made a big difference.  My feet snag my sheets less each night.  That's the biggest mark I have to know this lotion works.  Throughout the day, I will apply the lotion to my hands, especially after doing dishes and working outside.  My hands feel so much better afterwords.  It's an instant relief, I don't have to wait for it to work, it works immediately.

If there was one thing I could change about this product, it would be to make it fragrant free.  Don't get me wrong.  I do like the fragrance, and my husband thinks it smells like lavender which he likes, but it does clash with my perfume.  That's the only thing I don't like about it.   The good part is that the smell from the lotion doesn't linger.  Within 30-45 minutes the fragrance has dissipated and my perfume isn't fighting to compete with an additional fragrance.

I highly recommend Zim's Max Crack Creme to those looking for the best solution to relieve dry cracked skin.

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Miracles of Magnesium Citrate

For about a year and a half now, I have discovered the miracles of magnesium citrate.  At first I didn't realize just how important magnesium is to the body, yet I know how I and my plants have benefited from the magnesium in Epsom Salts.  After having an opportunity to review magnesium citrate, I got to experience first hand all the benefits it can do for me.  When I ran out, I went searching online for the best magnesium citrate I could find, as well as the best value.

According to Natural News, the best form of magnesium is magnesium citrate. It is not only inexpensive but easily absorbed.  They also recommended Bulk Supplements as having one of the purest forms of herbs offered. I ordered my next supply of magnesium citrate from them.  They shipped quickly and this was very affordable.  Best of all, it works.  

Their supplement does not have a taste, unlike my first experience with magnesium citrate which had a citric acid type flavor.  I didn't mind drinking it mixed in water, but since the product from Bulk Supplements does not have any flavor, I find it best to mix it in something.  I've tried cereal, yogurt, applesauce, main dishes, soup, etc.  I prefer yogurt and applesauce best.  

I find that between 1/2 to 1 teaspoon daily is sufficient for me to take.  I base the amount on how much my restless legs respond.  I do have restless leg syndrome and magnesium citrate has been the best thing to quiet them down. I also find when I have a hard time sleeping at night, I need to up my dose of magnesium.  One other thing I know when I need to take more, is when I have a hard time swallowing.  Often times while eating, I can have a bite of food in my mouth, and my throat won't allow me to swallow the chewed food for up to 30 seconds or more.  This is caused by magnesium deficiency.

Many times I find that within 15-30 minutes of taking my magnesium I notice results.  I usually take it with my dinner meal, even though that's about 6 hours before I head off to bed.  I still feel the results of the magnesium helping my legs to quiet down and my sleep is so much more improved.

My mother-in-law swears by magnesium in keeping her bowels regulated, and helping her to absorb the calcium tablets she needs after having gone through cancer treatments.  I've seen a dramatic improvement in stress relief from both myself and husband as we are enduring a difficult trial right now.  It has been said to think of magnesium as the relaxation mineral.  Anything that is tight, irritable, crampy and stiff, including body part or mood, is a sign of magnesium deficiency.

You can read here the various symptoms that indicate you are magnesium deficient.  However, I caution you to be sure to order your purest form of the most easily absorbable form of magnesium from Bulk Supplements.

Awesome Ultrasonic Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser

Ultrasonic aromatherapy essential oil diffusers are one of the best to have to ensure the integrity of the essential oil.  Holan uses this technology with their diffuser.  It is a healthy and safe alternative to synthetic room fresheners and scented candles.

Holan's essential oil diffuser has a whisper-quiet ultrasonic operation making this diffuser a great option for use in a workspace, nursery, kids rooms, etc.  It is ideal for meditation allows for tranquil overnight use in the bedroom.  There is no need to worry about letting it run all night long.  Holds 1/2 cup water and will run approximately 6 continuous hours, with an automatic shut-off when water has completely evaporated. Therefore relieving any fears of burning out, ensuring safety, and peace of mind.

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The calming mist fills the air with cool yet strong streams of vapor topped with soft swirls to help relieve dry skin, sore throats, and providing a soothing environment in bedroom or workspace.  This diffuser has the option of having 30 second intervals of mist, or continuous mist mode.  Very portable allowing you to move it from room to room with ease, or take it with you on travel, or workouts.

Strong streams of vapor
 topped with soft swirls

Has 7 mood-enhancing lights that can either rotate or you can select which color to keep it on.  Great as a night light.  Uses LED lights that emits a soft and warm glow.

Red light indicates
Continuous Mist Mode

Now that  you have all the basics about this wonderful eo diffuser, I just have to say that I love these kinds...the ultrasonic diffusers.  I especially like the fact that I don't have to use distilled water, I can use tap water.  Although, I admit, I prefer using the filtered water from my fridge.  We just have extremely hard water where we live, so I try to keep those minerals out of my diffuser to cause any build up.

Ultrasonic aromatherapy Technology

The one thing I have noticed, is though they recommend just a few drops of essential oil to place in this diffuser, I find that the scent doesn't usually last very long.  I find that I like stronger smells and will usually double the amount of essential oils that I place in this diffuser.  I have also tried aromatherapy oils with great success.

I also like the lights on this particular model.  I have others where the lights are fairly dim, and even though these provide a soft mood-enhancing lighting, I also think they are more vibrant, yet not so bright as to disturb my sleep.  Of course, the vibrancy of the lighting is directly impacted by the amount of light already in the room.

Healthy and Safe Alternative
to synthetic room fresheners

The mist that shoots straight up for several inches then swirls at the top is fun.  I would caution you to be ware of what it above the diffuser when you turn it on.  For instance, I started this in my kitchen after forgetting to add water to my steamed veggies, and burned the pan.  I placed this next to the stove and turned it on, but had to quickly move it when I saw the mist reaching up to the underside of my cabinets. There may not have been any worries, but I didn't want to take any chances.

All in all I really like this diffuser.  It works great.  It shuts off automatically just like it says when the water runs dry. The colored lights are way fun.  It's super easy to change out the fragrances and my house smells wonderful.  This is a great product that I recommend.

I did receive this product for free in exchange for my honest opinion.