Noxicare Natural Pain Relief Cream | Product Review

My mother-in-law, Cindy, has dealt with pain in her knees and hands for years, and was more than willing to test out Noxicare Natural Pain Relief Cream when I received it for review in the mail. A small, light weight tube of white cream, purported to relieve even the worse pain associated with fibromyalsia, arthritis, and more, we were eager to find out if it lives up to its claims...

Noxicare™ is a breakthrough natural, patent-pending pain relief formula that is a proprietary combination of 7 of the world’s most potent natural pain relievers that quickly and effectively alleviate inflammation, muscle aches and nerve pain—with NO known side effects and without a prescription.

While some other products might reduce inflammation, decrease muscle aches or increase blood flow to ease painful nerve endings, Noxicare™ treats all three types of pain—not by numbing the pain point—but by targeting the source of the pain with a natural formulation that deeply penetrates layers of skin to help promote the body’s own healing process.

Noxicare™ relaxes the muscle and reduces inflammation to alleviate pain, while working to increase blood flow to calm painful nerve endings.

Developed by Dr. Reza Ghorbani, a Harvard-trained physician board certified in pain management, Noxicare™ has proven to be a valuable, first line pain management tool that complements other medical treatments and therapies.

Noxicare is available in both a cream (topical application for direct pain relief) and pill form (for all over pain relief), and contains the following 7 natural ingredients...

1. Turmeric: one of the powerful healers found in nature, recognized for its anti-inflammatory properties.
   
2. Willow Bark: has been used to treat pain and inflammation since the time of Ancient Egypt and Greece.
   
3. Ginger: helps alleviate muscle strains, arthritis and rheumatism, and is a catalyst for improving the effectiveness of other herbs.
   
4. Holy Basil: properties include anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial and antiviral.
   
5. Rosemary Extract: has served a variety of purposes including topical use for joint or musculoskeletal pain.
   
6. Alpha Lipoic Acids: antioxidants used to treating diabetic neuropathy and increasing blood flow to the nerves.
   
7. Boswellia Extract: an anti-inflammatory used to treat arthritis and joint pain.

Cindy applied the cream to her knees, hands, and her Achilles tendon several times over the course of a week, including every night before bed. Here is what she had to say about Noxicare Natural Pain Relief Cream...

Pros::

1. Rubs into skin easily, with the texture and thickness of a quality lotion.
2. No scent of any kind - completely odorless!
3. Moisturizes as a bonus - left her skin soft and smooth.
4. It works! While it does not remove the pain completely, Cindy says that it reduces it significantly.

Cons::

1. None, unless you are looking for complete pain removal. Cindy says that it is much like acetaminophen or other OTC pain relievers in that it reduces the pain proportionately to the degree of pain to begin with (ie: the more pain, the less relief), but that it works very well and she experienced enough relief to be able to easily fall (and stay) asleep after using it.

Ultimately, Cindy loved this stuff so much she kept it and will not only continue to use it, but she is interested in purchasing more when she runs out. I call that a pretty convincing recommendation!

You can learn more about Noxicare on their website, and you can connect with them on Facebook and Twitter. You can purchase Noxicare Natural Pain Relief Cream for $19.95 here.

Want to try out this great product for free? The great folks at Noxicare are offering 2 of Our Little Bit Of Wonderful readers each a tube of Noxicare Natural Pain Relief Cream. All you have to do to enter to win is be at least 18 years old, a resident of the United States, and complete the Manditory Entry found below in the Rafflecopter widget (several more entry options will appear once you complete this step - these are optional, and you may complete as many or as few as you wish to increase your odds of winning). No purchase is necessary to win, and this offer is VOID where prohibited by law. Noxicare is responsible for distribution of prizes, and no liability may be assessed to Alena Belleque or Our Little Bit Of Wonderful.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure:: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers, and this post is in compliance with FTC regulations. Learn more by visiting my PR and Disclosure pages.

Shielo Volumizing Shampoo | Product Review

I have very curly hair that was once extremely thick, but which has thinned out over the last four years thanks to hormonal imbalance. Due to the nature of curls, it always has some sort of volume, but more often than not it's found in the ends, leaving the roots limp and flat, creating a tent-like affect that is highly unflattering.

Shielo Volumizing Shampoo is a modern volumizing shampoo...designed to remove residue and product styling build-up, without stripping hair or fading color to provide an optimum environment for thicker hair. Fights free radicals that damage and weaken hair. The results are thicker, healthier, more beautiful hair.

I tried out this shampoo, and was impressed. It really did fluff up my hair starting with the roots, creating a much more flattering profile than I had before! Incidentally, it also relieved the itching on my scalp that has been plaguing me for years (I struggle with Candida overgrowth, which can cause your skin to itch unbearably), though it didn't rid me of it completely. Considering that "itch removal" is not in the description, I call it a win! The scent and appearance of this shampoo are not very appealing (smells a little like Milkweed, and is a dull yellow in color), but the performance is true to advertising.

You can purchase Shielo Volumizing Shampoo for $28.49 here. Be sure to check out there other great products.

Disclosure:: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers, and this post is in compliance with FTC regulations. Learn more by visiting my PR and Disclosure pages.

Pure Aloe Vera Skin Treatment | Product Review

We have had an unusually hot and dry summer, here in northern Illinois, this year. I didn't get out much until July - hard to get around when you have a newborn - but the last two months have seen more than one sunburn for me, despite my best efforts. Thankfully, there's a cream for that...

Pure Aloe Vera Skin Treatment is 100% pure and organic aloe vera for cooling and deep moisturizing. It has a light creamy and cool texture and easily rubs into the skin without leaving any unwanted residue or stickiness, and it has a very mild natural scent from the aloe vera. Releasing enzymes and natural vitamins into your skin, this treatment also moisturizes on a deep level, and can be used as a preventative as well as a healing agent for dry and damaged skin. With completely natural ingredients, this cream is wonderful for those of us who try to live a little greener and avoid harsh chemicals in our treatments.

The Aloe Vera plant has been used worldwide for more than 4,000 years. Aloe vera is a type of aloe plant and is most effective species. The aloe plant has long and spiked leaves which contain a clear liquid-like substance. Today it is used in cosmetics, skin creams and face treatments. The juice is taken from the aloe leaves which is bitter and contains many vitamins, minerals, and healthy enzymes with amino acids. Aloe face treatments have been proven to reduce wrinkles, and create a younger looking appearance to your face. Since the product is organic and chemical free, it gives oxygen to your skin cells which increases the strength of skin tissue, removing dead skin cells and increasing longevity of sun tans. Aloe provides nutrients so that your skin better holds up to sunlight.

This aloe vera based product is created by Made From Earth. Here's what they have to say for themselves...

Our company is based on the same healthy values from the day we started: excellent customer service for high quality and healthy ingredients. It is our objective to continue to grow by providing exciting new formulas and treatments to serve our healthy customers...Our line of organic skin care essentials contain the highest possible levels of organic ingredients and fruits. We have searched the entire USA for ingredients that meet our earth-friendly requirements and are hand-selected to provide you with exceptional skin care...Our ingredients / plants are from organic farms. There are no toxic ingredients in our products. There is no diluting or watering down of our potent organic plant ingredients. There is no synthetic coloring agents or fragrances, or paraffin and other petroleum products are permitted. Preservatives from synthetic sources are not permitted, such as Parabens...In our manufacturing processes we only use cruelty-free products. Unfortunately, even today, hundreds of thousands of animals are inappropriately treated to provide product tests for shampoos, cleaners, cosmetics, and other personal care items. We are against this, and will not work with any partners or providers that associate with that type of conduct. Made from Earth is in full support of initiatives and an active member in pushing for proper legislation in Washington DC. We work with more than 50 endorsing campaigns and thousands of grassroots supporters to lobby congress and our leaders to provide safety and regulate the removal of harmful ingredients from skin care products on the market today.

We had a yard sale this past weekend, and despite my best efforts to keep Serenity in the shade, she still got a bit of sun, and was looking a little burnt. She spent 3 days with a sunburn (which thankfully didn't seem to bother her) before I remembered that I had this cream. I smoothed a small amount of Pure Aloe Vera Skin Treatment into the delicate skin of her little face and by the next morning the redness was completely gone! The slight aloe scent didn't seem to bother her at all, and she sighed and smiled as I rubbed it in. If my 4 month old baby's sensitive skin reacts so well to this cream, I will absolutely be recommending it to everyone I know, and it will be on our list of staples from now on!

You can purchase Pure Aloe Vera Skin Treatment for $14.99 here, and you can learn more about Made From Earth on their website.

Disclosure:: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers, and this post is in compliance with FTC regulations. Learn more by visiting my PR and Disclosure pages.

The Choice | Robert Whitlow | Book Review & Giveaway

The Choice

by Robert Whitlow

{ About This Book }

One young woman. Two very different roads. The choice will change everything.

Even as a pregnant, unwed teen in 1974, Sandy Lincoln wanted to do the right thing. But when an ageless woman approached her in a convenience store with a mysterious prophecy and a warning, doing the right thing became even more unclear. She made the best choice she could . . . and has lived with the consequences.

More than thirty years later, a pregnant teen has come into her life, and Sandy’s long-ago decision has come back to haunt her. The stakes rise quickly, leaving Sandy with split seconds to choose once more. But will her choice decision bring life . . . or death?

You can purchase this book for $15.99 here.

{ My Thoughts On This Book }

I really enjoyed this book! Whitlow does an excellent job marrying narrative with legal history and making them flow together in an interesting and engaging story that will pull at your heartstrings and make you ask yourself the hard questions. This is not a feel good fluff book - it deals with real life and death issues, and if you are not moved to at least consider the issues raised, then you haven't been reading the same book.

Read reviews by other bloggers here.

{ About The Author }

Robert Whitlow is the best-selling author of legal novels set in the South and winner of the prestigious Christy Award for Contemporary Fiction. A Furman University graduate, Whitlow received his J.D. with honors from the University of Georgia School of Law where he served on the staff of the Georgia Law Review. A practicing attorney, Whitlow and his wife, Kathy, have four children. They make their home in North Carolina.

For more about Robert and his other books, visit www.robertwhitlow.com.

{ Blog Tour & Author Giveaway }

Celebrate with Robert by entering to win a Nook Color with GlowLight!

One "choice" winner will receive:

• A Nook Color with GlowLight
• A four book Robert Whitlow library (winner's choice)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 27th. Winner will be announced at the "The Choice" Author Chat Facebook Party on 8/28. Meet Robert, get a sneak peek of his next book, try your hand at a trivia contest, and more. There will also be gift certificates, books and a Book Club Prize Pack to be won (10 copies for your book club or small group.)!

So grab your copy of The Choice and join Robert on the evening of the August 27th for a chance to connect with Robert and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book - don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 28th!

{ Disclosure }

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Thomas Nelson, for the purpose of providing an honest review. All opinions are my own, and this post is in compliance with FTC regulations. Learn more by visiting my PR and Disclosure pages.

Food Family Style | Leigh Oliver Vickery | Book Review

Food Family Style
by Leigh Oliver Vickery

{ About This Book }

In a time when the family meal is increasingly losing out to music lessons, sports practices, and the general busyness of life, it's time to rediscover the joys of cooking and eating together as a family. Time may be short and budgets may be tight, but these 365 mouthwatering recipes are sure to draw families into the kitchen and around the table day after day. From tasty breakfasts, soups, and salads to sumptuous main dishes and desserts, Food Family Style delivers just what readers' families ordered.

Throughout the book are symbols indicating recipes that double easily, freeze well, are gluten-free or vegetarian, can be made in a slow cooker, and more. And since there's more to mealtime than just the food, this innovative book also includes tips about how to involve kids in meal preparation, meaningful conversation starters, and simple ideas to bring warmth to your home.

{ My Thoughts On This Book }

Food Family Style is a fun and easy to use cookbook developed for the MOPS (Mothers Of Preschoolers) program by Leigh Oliver Vickery, creator of the White Queso used at Cowboy Stadium in Texas. I enjoyed this book for several reasons ~ simple format, fun thoughts at the beginning of each section, symbols to help you find the perfect recipe for specific occasions and uses. My favorite thing about this book is the food. I am a pretty picky eater, and almost every single recipe looks so good!! I think Food Family Style is a great book, and every family that wants to make yummy and easy food for (and with) their families should add it to their collections.

Below, you will find one of the breakfast recipes from this cookbook, which we (ironically) had for dinner last night. Enjoy!

 Eggs Gruyere ~ serves 2-4

8 oz. Gruyere cheese, shredded
4 eggs
2 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
1 tsp. chives, chopped
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 300F. Spread half of the cheese in a greased 1-quart baking dish or pan. Break whole eggs onto cheese (don't mix the eggs), evenly spaced. Sprinkle bacon and chives over eggs; cover with remaining cheese. Season with pepper. Sprinkle bread crumbs over top. Bake for 15 minutes or until mixture is set. Slightly brown top under broiler.


When I made this, I changed up a few things, but it turned out really yummy anyway. Instead of Gruyere cheese (a form of swiss cheese, which I can't find at my local grocery store) I used mozzarella, and I used pre-cooked and -crumbled bacon instead of cooking my own. We ate this on its own, but it would be great served with a side of seasonal fruit, especially melons.

Note:: There appears to be a typo in this recipe, that is rather significant. The recipe says to cook this dish for 300F, but my sister-in-law and I believe that it is supposed to read 400F. We baked the dish at 300F for 30 minutes (twice the indicated bake time), and the cheese was barely melted and the egg white were still clear and gelatinous - yuck! So we turned the heat up to 400F and cooked it an additional 10 minutes, and everything melted and cooked beautifully at that temperature. We enjoyed the finished dish, but it was kind of hit and miss there for a while.

I would love to hear what you think about this recipe, and if you try it for yourself. It's super easy!

{ About The Author }

Leigh Oliver Vickery is the owner and creative behind Leigh Oliver's, the gourmet food genius behind White Queso, a delicious looking natural cheese spread used exclusively in the Cowboy Stadium in Texas. They make a wide range of dips, sauces, and cheese spreads, including Gouda Green Chili Pimento Cheese, which I would love to try! Leigh says, "I love to imagine new wonderful tastes and share them with my friends and family. I like to cook foods that make you smile...a taste in your mouth that reminds you life is really good."

You can connect with Leigh on her website, Facebook, and Twitter.

{ Buy This Book }

You can purchase this book for $11.99 here.

{ Disclosure }

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Revell, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and this post is in compliance with FTC regulations. Learn more by visiting my PR and Disclosure pages.

Raising Financially Confident Kids | Mary Hunt | Book Review

I found this book on my front porch when I picked up my mail a few weeks ago, and was quite baffled, as I do not remember requesting this title for review. Raising Financially Confident Kids. Why would I want to read about debt-proofing kids when mine is only 3 months old, right? Wrong. Turns out it was the best and most relevant thing I've read all year...

Drawing from solid statistics and her own hard-won knowledge and experience, Hunt helps parents protect their children from the financial pitfalls of easy credit, an attitude of entitlement, and our culture’s chummy relationship with debt. From preschool through the teen years, every stage of a child’s development is covered, including how to talk to them about money, how to help them start saving money and giving it away, and how to manage money wisely.

 

This book is not just useful for dept-proofing your children. It is easily the most useful thing I have read to help anyone begin to practice financially-sound money habits. Raising Financially Confident Kids presents the basics of dept-free living in a simple and easy to understand format. Mary Hunt is a superb writer, who somehow manages to combine sound principles with an engaging voice that keeps you turning the pages to the very end, and never more excited to learn about money management. I can't wait to get my hands on her other books!

Mary Hunt is the author of the money management website, Dept-Proof Living, and the personal blog, Mary Hunt's Everyday Cheapskate, along with several other books including Can I Pay My Credit Card Bill With A Credit Card? and Financially Confident Woman. You can connect with Mary on her website, her blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

You can purchase your own copy of Raising Financially Confident Kids for only $12.99 here.

Disclaimer:: I received a copy of this book from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, for the purpose of providing an honest review. All opinions are my own, and this post is in compliance with FTC regulations. To learn more, visit my PR and Disclosure pages.

Author Interview | Gilbert Morris | The River Rose

Yesterday, I posted my review of Gilbert Morris's new historical novel, The River Rose. Today, I want to introduce you to the man himself. Please join me for a little Q&A with this fine author...

Gilbert Morris is among today's most popular Christian writers, his books having sold over seven million copies worldwide. A former pastor and English professor, he specializes in historical fiction and won a 2001 Christy Award for the Civil War drama Edge of Honor. Morris lives with his wife in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

What is your writing method? Do you write in the morning? At night? All day? How long do you write in a single session?

I have no set schedule for writing a novel. While I am working on it, sometimes it goes easily, and I just pour on the coal. If it goes badly, I have to spend more time on the text. Naturally, I love it when the words seem to flow!

How do you do your historical research?

I think it can be easy to do too much research, just as it can be a mistake to do too little. Some writers are so anxious the give the historical background, that they forget the story. My own problem is to do a good job with research and with the story.

How do you manage to keep your dialogue true to the time period without allowing it to sound stilted?

Reading a great deal of Dickens, for example, will carry over into the writer’s work. There is a danger that all of a writer’s characters will sound alike, which makes for bad fiction. I always try to find some characteristic that will set a character apart, perhaps bad grammar or a pronounced regional accent.

You used to follow the same storytelling technique of the late Sidney Sheldon—told your stories on tape to get the rough draft down, and then had them transcribed to start your writing process. Are you still using this technique for your current books?

Yes, I do dictate all my books. I take the outline and the list of characters, and put each chapter on a cassette. Then I have a lady take the tapes, type them out, and send them to me. Of course, when I get the hard copy, that’s usually when the hard work of revision rears its ugly head! My daughter Lynn, who has written some fine novels, helps me with this stage, for which I am profoundly grateful.

In many of your books, you feature a strong female main character that suffers from flaws and weaknesses. Why do you write about women in this way?

I try to give all characters, both male and female, young and old, flaws and weaknesses. That is human, and if a character is perfect that is totally unbelievable!

Look at the great classic novels by the great novelists. All of them set forth characters, who, in one way or another, are flawed. It is the job of the novelist to dramatize the characters as they attempt to overcome these flaws.

Your novels have a number of female characters with red hair and green eyes. Is that based on a real person?

Got lots of red hair in my family, so I always like redheads! No green eyes. I just get tired of trying, in a book with forty characters, to give them eyes that differ. Blue, brown, green. What other colors can eyes be?

I did say of one shady character, “He had eyes the color of spit.” Now, really, that character had to be evil!

What fascinates you most about 1850s Mississippi?

It was a dramatic time in American history. The Civil War, the rise of modern transportation, the beginning of our industrial growth.

How did you decide to set your story on a steamer?

When I was a boy, I lived for a time in Helena, Arkansas. The river then was still thick with the sternwheelers, and I would sit for hours on the bank of the river and watch them, and riding on one was a thrill.

When you’re writing a series such as the Water Wheel series, how do you decide which characters to carry over into the sequels?

I usually make this decision before I begin the first novel in the series. Some generational sagas lend themselves to stepping from one book to another, others I like to confine to one book.

I have signed a contract to do a trilogy about San Francisco in the 1850s. That opens up the door for a family to go through (1) the gold rush of 1849, (2) the rise of rich people and how they are brought down, and (3) the earthquake and how the family survives and strengthens.

 

What book project are you working on next?

I am working on Book #2 of a series called Western Justice. These three westerns are set in Oklahoma Territory shortly after the Civil War. Judge Isaac Parker had 200 marshals to keep order, and many of them were killed in line of duty. The most famous of these is Heck Thomas, but if you’ve seen TRUE GRIT, you get the flavor of the series. Romance, action, Christian doctrine!

What is the one thing that you want to leave readers of The River Rose pondering over?

As in all my books, I want my readers to see how vital it is to serve God no matter how difficult that might be.

Do you have a long-term plan for your novel writing? Are you planning to retire, or can we eagerly anticipate dozens more Gilbert Morris stories?

I am working on three series at the present time. One will deal with the men and women who serve in different branches of the service.

Another is the second novel about a young woman, Jordan Lee, who serves in the military, then in the House of Representatives.

The work I most enjoy is a series of mysteries featuring a man and a woman—and two cats. I’ve written three of these, and have had a blast! They are my favorite novels. The next one will be entitled Desperate Housecats.

And no, I will never retire!

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website and blog are at http://www.gilbertmorris.com

Subscribe to my blog’s feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/GilbertMorris

Sign up for my e-newsletter (for subscriber-only giveaways and advance notice of my upcoming novels): http://gilbertmorris.com/news.htm

Facebook page: facebook.com/gilbertmorrisbooks

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/gilbertmorris/

Twitter: @gilbert_morris - https://twitter.com/#!/gilbert_morris

Thank you for your time, Mr. Morris. We've enjoyed having you, and cannot wait to read your next novel!

Don't forget to read my review of The River Rose and enter to win a copy of your own!