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How to Purchase MONAT for the Best Price Possible

I’ve been using MONAT exclusively for the past 20 months… and my hair has been literally transformed.

My hair before was thin, flat, frizzy, dull, lifeless, weak and wouldn’t grow past my shoulders. I had to was it every day.

My hair now is full of volume, shine, manageability (just run a brush through it and go out the door!), thickness, and strength! I regularly go a week without washing my hair, and it’s grown halfway down my back!

Before MONAT I had terrible shedding: handfuls in the shower, and then I was shedding all day long, every day.

Now: I shed just a few hairs in the shower when washing, and rarely does a hair fall out during the day. Because of this fact alone, my hair has grown out at least twice as thick. I have thicker hair now than I ever thought possible!

Photos on the left: before MONAT. Photo on the right: about 11 months of exclusive MONAT use.Needless to say, I never want to use anything else…and I think everyone should try it too.

If you’ve been watching awhile you may be curious. You may want to try it but be hesitant.

At first glance, I thought this stuff was too expensive. I wasn’t going to try it. But then my friend who was using it talked about how concentrated it was, and how she was spending less money with MONAT than the other brands she had been using. She broke down the cost to about $12 per month. That didn’t sound bad, so I tried it. And as you can see, I am so glad I did.

Guys… my first bottle lasted me almost a year! I was shocked. I was amazed. I was sold for life.

I don’t care how cheap your current shampoo is… it is probably more expensive than MONAT when you factor in how long it lasts. The average bottle life is 4-6 months, for people who wash almost every day.

And most people find themselves washing less frequently with MONAT too: it just feels and looks clean longer (which also contributes to a longer life of each bottle).

Since MONAT offers a 30 day money back guarantee (even if your bottles are empty), there is no reason not to try it: you’ll save money, and you’ll love it: GUARANTEED, or your money back!

Is a Guarantee Important?

Personally, I always look for money-back guarantees in the products I buy for a few reasons:

  1. I want to know if I don’t like it I can get my money back. I like to buy quality products and that sometimes means they are pricey. If they are worth it, I will know that when I try them.
  2. Most things I buy these days are online. There is no real way to know for sure if something is as good as its claims until I try it. There has to be a guarantee.
  3. I want to purchase from a business that stands behind its products. If they are asking me to take all of the risk (buy with no guarantee), do I really trust this company?
  4. It tells me that this product will for sure be good. How can a company stay in business if they have a money back guarantee and their products aren’t great? They’d go out of business! You are literally guaranteed to love it.

3 Ways to Buy

Now that you know that you can save money with MONAT and that it’s guaranteed you will love it, let’s do it!

You will save money with MONAT over what you are doing, even if you buy retail. The prices are comparable with salon brands, but last much much longer (and what salon brand do you know that is money-back guaranteed??).

But who wants to pay retail?

Fortunately, there are a few great ways to get discounts:

  • Sales 
    MONAT has great sales, usually at least twice a month.  This summer sales have been ongoing–often overlapping! Sometimes concurrent sales can be combined for the best discounts I’ve ever seen!Reach out to me: Text “SALES” to  802-227-7051 and I’ll update you on the current offers!
  • Be a VIP Customer
    MONAT has the best customer loyalty program I have ever seen. Here are the benefits:

✅15% discount on all products — for life!
✅Access to all of our flash sales (2-3 every month) — save even more!
✅Free shipping with flash sale and flexship orders
✅No requirement to buy monthly — push your flexship out every 2 months — indefinitely
✅Free Only-for-You product with every flexship order ($25 value)
✅$25 in product credits every year on your birthday
✅Earn $20 in product credits for every referral

😍 How to Sign Up as a VIP Customer

Text “VIP” to  802-227-7051 and I will give you a link that will get you $20 off your second order too! I’d also love to chat with you to help you choose the best products for you at the best price possible. 

  • Get it Wholesale: Be a Market PartnerI think being a Market Partner (also called wholesale customer) is the best value overall and gives you the most flexibility with no commitment at all.

Here are the benefits:

✅ Wholesale prices — 30% off all products, all the time
✅ Access to all of our flash sales (2-3 every month) — save even more!
✅ Free shipping with flash sale and flexship orders 
✅ No sign up fee
✅ No minimum orders, ever
✅ No minimum sales, ever
✅ No automatic shipments
✅ Tax deductions on your side hustle business (you can potentially save thousands of dollars on taxes)
✅ Earn commissions for every referral 
✅ Opportunities to earn cash bonuses every month
✅ Earn free products
✅ Earn free vacations

And if you don’t want to earn money with it, you don’t have to! (But if you do want to, it’s a great business to be in. And what do you have to lose? You have to buy shampoo anyway so why not get it wholesale and get paid to tell your friends about it!) You can just be a wholesale customer with no requirements, minimums or expectations.

Just wholesale discounts. And whenever there is a sale, you get the sale discount on top of your wholesale discount–so you are saving money twice!

To become a Market Partner there are no fees or requirements: just buy a wholesale product pack and you are in!

There are 4 options. Check them out here!

To discuss which option is best for you and which products you should start with for your hair needs, text “MP” to 802-227-7051 and I’ll be happy to discuss any questions you have!

To review, there are 3 ways to order: 

One thing is for sure: you should try MONAT.

You won’t regret it.

And if you don’t like it, there is always a 30 day empty-bottle money-back guarantee! 

Text me today to find out how you can have the best hair of your life, and maybe even earn a living doing it!

 

More Resources:

Get Residual Income in 5 Easy Steps

Why Everyone Needs a Side Hustle (Hint: Save money on taxes and get a bigger refund!) 

What’s So Great About MONAT? 

Link to order MONAT as a Retail or Wholesale Customer

Referral Link to Order as a New VIP Customer (to get $20 off your 2nd order)

See What Sales Are going on Now (click “Start Now”)

Heard Rumors About MONAT? Find the Truth Here

Resesarch on the Safety and Effectiveness of MONAT’s ingredients

Spreadsheet listing MONAT shampoo ingredients and SkinDeep Ratings

 

New to Freedom & Coffee? Start here.

Disclosures:

Many of the product links in this post are affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission from any purchase. I only recommend products that I love and this is at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our mission with your clicks!

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Residual Income: GET IT! 5 Simple Steps

Let’s talk residual income and how to get it.

What is residual income, and is it really possible?

Residual income almost sounds too good to be true:

  • Make money while you sleep
  • Work once and get paid forever
  • Become FINANCIALLY FREE

This may be why you’ve disregarded claims about passive income.

Is that possible?

How could I do that?

Where would I start?

It is possible. And every person who builds wealth does it. 

We are all taught the “path to success” from an early age:

  • Go to school
  • Learn things
  • Get a job
  • Work your way up the corporate ladder
  • Retire

How many people do you know who have followed this path?

Most people.

And how many of those people are financially free?

Many are struggling.

Some are comfortable.

But none are wealthy.

That’s because it’s not possible to become wealthy while building someone else’s dreams.

Wealthy people (in every sense of the word)* work for themselves.

They are entrepreneurs. 

Take a moment and look it up: the wealthiest, most successful people in the country, in your state, in your city: what do they do?

I’m willing to bet they are almost ALL entrepreneurs of some kind.

In order to create real income and true wealth, it is imperative to create passive, residual income. Without it, you’ll never do more than just “get by,” and you’ll never be paid what you are worth.

Once you understand what residual income is and how it works, you will want it. Surprisingly, it’s not incredibly difficult to accomplish, but it does take work!

Maybe you have tried your own business…

Lately I’ve been talking to a lot of new entrepreneurs.

These people want to work from home, but are frustrated with their “new businesses”

Many have joined network marketing or direct sales companies.

“I haven’t gotten any sales!” Stephanie complained.

“I’ve talked to people, but no one is interested,” lamented Melanie.

“I’m just not very good at selling,” Olivia sighed.

What’s the problem?!

The frustration is real, but if you consider a few simple factors, you will see that true, substantial residual income is not only possible, it’s attainable by anyone: even you and me!

You just may need to reconsider your approach.

5 Things to Consider When Choosing YOUR Side Hustle

1. The Products

People often tell me they chose their side hustle because “the products are amazing,” or “they changed my life.”

That’s great!

But is it a good enough reason to make that your side hustle?

Of course, it’s important to be passionate about the products you represent.  It’s guaranteed that if you don’t think your products are life-changing, nobody you talk to will get excited about them either.

Your products ABSOLUTELY must be life-changing, and you must believe in them 100%!

So if you are representing a product you love, you will definitely be successful, right?

Not so fast. There are four other very important considerations, and it is crucial that they all apply to your business if you are going to be successful.

Questions? Text “Residual” to ‪(802) 227-7051‬

2. The Competition

Ask yourself objectively: How many other companies carry products that are similar to yours?

  • You have 100% organic bath and body products? Great! So do 100 other direct-selling companies. Even more importantly, organic soap and lotion are quite easily bought on almost anywhere with no commitment or interaction.
  • You have the cleanest make-up around? That’s amazing! How many other companies offer organic make-up and skin care? (Also, not everyone wears make-up. Your audience is limited to women, and then only some of them use make-up often if at all).
  • Your weight loss shakes transformed your health and you lost 60 pounds? Perfect! But if every other company you see sells weight loss shakes and supplements, it may be difficult to compete. Do they all have amazing testimonies that look just like yours? (And even if people buy weight loss products, how long will they continue to purchase? Generally, they either don’t work and they stop buying it, or they work great… and they stop buying it).

COMPETITION MATTERS. It can make or break your sales.

What sets you apart?

You should offer something people can’t get anywhere else.

“But these shakes are truly revolutionary! They do things no other shake does!”

Your shake could be amazing, but that testimony isn’t very convincing to your average consumer, who has 5,326 other options for shakes that (to them) look identical to yours. And that’s if they are even in the market for a shake: only a fraction of the population is interested in shakes at all!

Ideally, your product has NO competition.

And you should be well-versed on what sets your product apart.

EXAMPLE:

I work with a Mental Wellness Company.

Have you ever heard of a mental wellness company? 

Probably not (because there is only one). 

Is mental health a big deal these days? 

I’d say it’s at crisis levels.

Are people desperate to heal from this issue? 

And get off their meds, that have disastrous side effects. 

Are there clear, easy, readily available (natural) solutions to this issue already in the marketplace? 

You tell me. 

So let me ask you this: if you struggled with anxiety, depression, brain fog, focus issues, energy, sleep, weight,  hormones, thyroid, digestion, food allergies, behavioral issues…

…and I could offer a solution that promises to address ALL of them… simply and easily, with natural ingredients, that is literally guaranteed to help you…

Would you want to try it?

Chances are you would. Why?

Because no one else is promising these things, except pharma manufacturers… and we all know drugs don’t heal; they just mask symptoms and have side effects that are difficult to live with.

If you could get to the root of ALL of your issues naturally and effectively, GUARANTEED….

Why wouldn’t you try it?

That’s what exclusivity in the marketplace looks like. 

…Something people know they need, but they have no idea where to get it.

They are just waiting, watching for the answer.

And you have the answer.

Personally, I can tell you I’ve earned more income faster than I have with ANY company working with the Mental Wellness Company.

And did I mention how inspiring and fulfilling it is to help people finally, truly heal?

It’s like nothing else.

Questions? Text “Residual” to ‪(802) 227-7051‬

 

So what do you do to determine if your product is unique in the marketplace?

Come up with a list of things that sets your products apart.

Make sure your list is compelling, and that you have it committed to memory.

It should be abundantly clear to anyone who has never tried your products before that yours are different from anything else on the marketplace.

(Be honest with yourself here.)

If you can’t come up with a good list of reasons why your product is ABSOLUTELY UNIQUE, you may have found the reason it isn’t selling well.

If your product has too much competition in the marketplace, the dollars will be spread over every option, giving each one a smaller share.

The problem may not be you. It may be your products.

Questions? Text “Residual” to ‪(802) 227-7051‬

3. The Company

The products can be amazing and there can be no competition, but if the company lacks integrity, you have a problem.

Research the company you are looking at.

  • Is it owned by a family or a mother corporation?
  • How long has it been in business?

(If a very long time, like Avon, Amway or Mary Kay, the market may already be saturated).

  • How does the company treat their associates?

Do they value the people that work with them or have they ripped people off, leaving distributors unhappy?

Do they offer valuable incentives, trips, and a generous compensation plan with bonuses that encourage success?

  • What is the structure of the business model?

Is it direct-sales, network marketing, traditional marketing, commission-based?

Do they provide resources and quality marketing materials to give their associates the best possible chance at success? Do they provide training videos?

  • Is the company in debt or financially free of ties?

My brother worked with a company that provided storable food solutions for Emergency preppers: because when the end of the world is upon you, it’s a good idea to have food handy.

His business did well and he was making up to $15,000 per month… until they sold the company and changed the business model away from network marketing.

He lost the income he’d built overnight.

Trusting the company you work with and doing your research on the financial shape of the company is imperative to avoid this kind of disaster.

Learn about the company: who owns it, what their philosophy is, if they are in debt or if the company is sustaining itself with revenue, and meet the CEO if you can to understand the true mission and values of the company.

My friend & me hanging with the CEO in his office… no big deal.

Questions? Text “Residual” to ‪(802) 227-7051‬

4. The Compensation

You can have amazing, unique products that have no competition and a wonderful, family-run company that treats their distributors like gold, but if they don’t have a great compensation plan that allows you to build significant residual income long-term, how can it be the right vehicle?

The first thing to look at is the nature of the products. Do they allow for residual income by being used up, so people keep coming back for more?

  • The product should be consumable.

Consumable means they run out: they must be repurchased regularly.

While selling something like hair clips or jewelry is fun, every time you want to sell more, you have to find more customers, and sell more.

That’s not passive income—that’s active income. It can be one type of income stream, but it will NOT create residual income—because people aren’t re-ordering on a regular basis. After all, how many pieces of jewelry does a person need?

Conversely, if one of your selling points is that your customers only ever need to buy one thing every few years (like with one cleaning company I’ve worked with that sells high-quality cleaning cloths), what does that mean for you? It means you have to hustle a lot more to make a decent income, and it won’t be very residual.

To build truly residual income, your products MUST BE consumable.

Questions? Text “Residual” to ‪(802) 227-7051‬

  • Study the compensation plan.

Any time you are considering a company, you need to evaluate the compensation plan and really understand it.

There may be videos that go in depth, or maybe the person who told you about the company can explain it in more detail so you know how they get paid and what you can expect.

  • It’s great to find a company that not only pays commissions on personal sales, but also incentivizes building a team. This way you can earn commissions on all of the people on your team, not just your customers.
  • Look at the top earners in the company. How much are they making and how long did it take them to get there? How many people are making really great incomes?
  • Also many companies have bonus incentives the first 1-3 months after joining: so you start making good money right away and get your business on the right track from the beginning—which is good for everyone!

Bonuses built into the comp plan, especially at the beginning, allow for active income (now) and passive income (residually…forever)!

The details of the comp plan matter. A lot.

5. The Team

Lastly, examine the team you would be working with if you joined your potential business.

  • Do you like these people?
  • Are they successful?
  • Do you like their strategies?
  • Can you relate to them?
  • Would you like to work with them and learn from them?
  • Are they people that could be (or already are) your friends? Would you be happy to travel with them and do events together?

One of the biggest benefits of having your own business is the ability to work with people we like. We can choose who our teammates will be! And when they succeed, we succeed–we are literally invested in each other’s success.

Questions? Text “Residual” to ‪(802) 227-7051‬

Over the past year, I’ve met some of my best friends doing this business.

Some of them live near me, and some live across the country. I’ve traveled to the Bahamas with some of them (a free vacation on one of my companies!) and look forward to many more trips with these new life-long friends.

  • Does your potential team work together well to achieve goals?
  • Do they help each other?
  • Do they like each other, or is there a lot of drama and fighting?
  • Can you get on board with the team’s strategies? Are they open to your ideas?
  • Can you see yourself contributing and being successful with them?

These are all questions you must ask yourself when considering a serious side hustle.

Network marketing is a team effort–your choice of team is important.

Questions? Text “Residual” to ‪(802) 227-7051‬

Now that we’ve gone through the top 5 things to look for when choosing the side hustle that is perfect for YOU… let’s talk about some questions or objections you may have.

But isn’t Network Marketing a Scam?

Network marketing  (MLM) has a bad reputation.

Some people call it a “pyramid scheme” (which isn’t accurate—look it up! Pyramid Schemes are illegal and don’t involve any products!).

Let’s look at what Network Marketing is, exactly.

Network Marketing is a business model that involves marketing primarily based in Word-of-Mouth marketing.

Why?

Because studies (and common knowledge) show that the most effective way to get a new customer is if someone they know and trust recommends it to them.

Plain and simple.

People buy what their friends and family recommend.

But what kind of marketing do most companies do?

Billboard ads, TV commercials, radio spots, Internet banner ads, etc.

That advertising is far less effective than word-of-mouth. But for huge corporations, it is a lot easier to spend money to advertise than to enlist an army of faithful customers to dedicate their time and efforts to spreading the word about their products.

Questions? Text “Residual” to ‪(802) 227-7051‬

And that’s what Network Marketing companies do. They harness word-of-mouth marketing over traditional mass-marketing methods.

And in the process, they partner with individuals like you and me. They allow us to be their spokespeople, which is way better than hiring celebrities and purchasing TV spots or internet banner ads.

Better for them, and better for us.

It’s better them, because they pay out their advertising costs on commissions.

Instead of spending millions of dollars on an advertising campaign, they will pay out millions of dollars in commissions to regular people like you and me.

That advertising money is spent either way. But when it’s spent on commissions rather than advertising, everyone wins.

The company gets more effective advertising, dollar for dollar. And we have the opportunity to build residual, passive income and become financially independent.

Once you understand what Network Marketing is, and what it is capable of giving you, I think you will believe (like I do) that it is the best business model there is.

I work with a couple of companies, and of course I’ve applied all of the above criteria to each of them. That being said, if I come across products I really want to try and I can get a wholesale discount by signing up as a distributor, I usually do it: because that makes that purchase tax deductible, and if I recommend it and someone buys I can make a little bit of money as well.

Here are the companies I have found to meet all of the above criteria and offer (with work) the best chance of success:

Questions? Text “Residual” to ‪(802) 227-7051‬

Amare: Heal Your Brain by Healing Your Gut. 

The latest research in mental health (and overall health) is all pointing to the same source: GUT HEALTH.

Did you know the gut produces 95% of the body’s (brain’s) serotonin? This brain chemical, once thought to be exclusively centered on the brain, is produced in a healthy gut. This tells us a lot about how gut health can influence mental wellness.

Did you know that over 80% of pharmaceutical medicines sold are for digestive complaints? GUT HEALTH.

And what about all of the children on pharmaceutical meds for ADHD, autism, focus, attention issues, hyperactivity, aggressive behavior… GUT HEALTH.

This company is changing what we think about mental wellness. Now you can heal your gut (which everyone needs to do anyway) and target mental wellness, naturally. And this company is new, so it’s a great business opportunity. If you want to discuss this mental wellness revolution opportunity, email or message me and let’s chat!

Take a Mental Wellness Quiz here to see how healthy your mental state is, and find out what you can do to improve it (hint: everyone can improve it).

MONAT haircare. I was never a “hair person” before, but guys: this stuff is life-changing. I always thought I had bad hair, but it has been literally transformed in the year since I’ve been using it. (And it’s helping people GROW BACK THEIR HAIR from thinning, balding, Alopecia, chemo, and other hair loss. This stuff is flying off the shelves!) It’s just a great business model, comp plan, company, team, and consumable product.

  • Click “join now” to get the best hair products you’ve ever tried at wholesale prices, write off all of your hair related expenses on your taxes, and make great money! Always a 30 day money (empty bottle) money back guarantee on every purchase–so there’s no risk! Take a hair quiz to see which products will fit your needs best.

And of course if you ever have any questions or would like to discuss anything, please don’t hesitate to reach out. My google voice number is (802) 227-7051. Feel free to call or text me any time, or PM me on Facebook messenger.

Questions? Text “Residual” to ‪(802) 227-7051‬

*Wealth: What is “true wealth” (in every sense of the word). It is a lot more than money. It is freedom. 

  • Time Freedom: Make your own hours, do what you love on your own schedule. Pay attention to your kids when they need you. Take a vacation on your clock. 
  • Location Freedom: Work wherever you are: from your phone, laptop or in person. At home, on the beach, in a ski cabin, across the world. 
  • Freedom Freedom: Be your own boss. Call your own shots. Choose the people you work with.
  • Financial Freedom: To accomplish all of the above, you have to make enough money to finance it. Don’t be a slave to your job, your bills, your taxes, your mortgage. Live in freedom. 

Resources:
Is Network Marketing a SCAM?? The Truth About MLMs

What is a Side Hustle? (And Why Would I Need One?) 

How to Get the Best, Healthiest Hair Naturally 

Mental Wellness: Heal Your Brain By Healing Your Gut 

 

Questions? Text “Residual” to ‪(802) 227-7051‬

New to Freedom & Coffee? Start here.

Disclosures:

Many of the product links in this post are affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission from any purchase. I only recommend products that I love and this is at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our mission with your clicks!

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Step Away From the Can: Ditch Processed Food For Good

I grew up in the era of processed food.

  • Breakfast? Break out the milk, cereal and O.J.
  • Mid-morning snack? Grab a candy bar from the vending machine.
  • A little soup and sandwich for lunch: grab bread, American cheese slices, and a can of soup—all warmed in the microwave, of course.
  • Want cookies? Open a package in the cupboard. Grab some chips & canned salsa for an appetizer, and order pizza for dinner.
  • Dessert is ice cream from the store, or maybe a colorful pack of candy.

This was a way of life for my generation, and we didn’t know any other way.

If someone pointed out that everything I ate in a given day was processed in some way, I wouldn’t even care, much less know what that meant. Looking back, I cringe at the things I once ate, and I marvel that people still eat this way.

Whenever I venture into the grocery store there are inevitably people with carts loaded full of popular processed items: TV dinners, ice cream, packaged snacks, breakfast waffles and canned everything.

I remind myself that there was a time when I didn’t see anything wrong with these items either, and I realize how important  for us to educate ourselves about nutrition and the dangers of processed food.

My food education came in stages.

You could say I was privileged because my parents were very health-conscious. This gave me an interest in health and some knowledge that the food we eat does matter.

Still, I bought into the idea that food is food, and surely the government and food companies wouldn’t allow anything into the marketplace that was harmful for us.

…Right?…                                     ….Right?

Slowly, though, I started to see the world differently. I began to realize that huge billion-dollar food companies were just that: profit-centered businesses.

I began to realize that my health was my own responsibility.

Wake-Up Call

When I began this research, and became aware of the toxins and nutritional deficit in almost all of the “food” I was eating, I became disillusioned and depressed.

I felt betrayed by the system, abandoned in a world that didn’t care whether I lived or died, as long as they made some money from me while I was here.

I began to educate myself. I realized that all of the information I needed was out there; I just had to find it. And with the internet these days, if we have anything in abundance, it’s information. Knowledge is power, and I was about to empower myself to a whole new level.

Big Food is Not Our Friend

We’ve literally grown up on processed food, and most of us never thought twice about it. Cereal for breakfast, candy for snacks, and fast food burgers for dinner was just our way of life.

When I began to realize that the food industry was not in the business of keeping me healthy, I started to educate myself, and I discovered a lot of things that needed to change.

I was overwhelmed: so many things to change in my own diet, not to mention changing the mammoth food industry as a whole.

But all I could do was begin with myself and try to educate others so they could make their own intelligent choices. A friend introduced me to a book called Nourishing Traditions that totally changed the way I think about food, along with a few other books (like this one).

The first thing I began to eliminate from my diet was artificial sweeteners. The news was reporting studies that aspartame was definitively linked to cancer.

Wait, what?

I grew up drinking diet soda. Sugar is bad, right? But now the alternative is going to kill us.

Wonderful.

Next I saw studies of artificial colors linked to brain disorders such as autism and even tumors and cancer. I began studying the ingredients lists more carefully now, and started wondering what all of those other unpronounceable ingredients were.  Research into each ingredient resulted in some unsettling information.

Almost every ingredient was questionable at best.

This is where it began: my disillusionment with the food system in America.

Up until this point I trusted the food supply. I realized now that food corporations weren’t trustworthy: they were after the bottom line, no matter how many corners needed cutting. I realized that cheap food comes at a cost, but I still didn’t understand the extent of that cost.

After I began to see that virtually no processed foods were free of the dangerous ingredients I had learned about, I realized that getting rid of processed food altogether was really the only option. Like everyone else, I was used to the convenience of processed food, and frankly, I didn’t know how to cook food from scratch.

Could I do it?

Organic Food 101

Around the same time I had discovered organic food. At first I didn’t believe the hype: I thought it was just another way to mark up the price of the same food.

Then I tasted it.

Apples, chicken, milk, you name it! It was like I’d never had these foods before.

An apple tasted more like an apple, and chicken was more… flavorful! Rich! Delicious! Almost everything I tried tasted better and was more colorful and healthy-looking, and because of this I concluded that these types of food probably contained more nutrients as well.

After tasting the difference, I was convinced. So my first thought was to switch to organic processed food.

Genius, right?

Easy, awesome and healthy: win-win! And most of the offending ingredients I was trying to avoid were absent in the more expensive organic-certified packages. Score!

I also began following a number of health-living, organic-minded, do-it-yourself blogs; documenting various clever ways people have come up with to make their own versions of beloved, processed junk food.

After all, we grew up with it, and when you have a craving you can only resist it for so long. Fortunately, there are a lot of creative people out there who have already tested recipes for our favorite comfort and junk foods using real ingredients. Just try searching “paleo brownies,” “real food fudge,” or “grain free mac & cheese” to get the idea. If you want it, there is a healthy-substitution recipe out there that tastes good.

Enter Traditional Food

So here I am, fully committed to eating only organic food, and happily munching away on my organic crackers, cookies, pastas, breads, and cakes.

Enter Traditional Food.

I was introduced to a book called Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, which documents and supports an earlier work by Weston A. Price called Nutrition and Physical Degeneration (both of these books are so good, and I highly recommend you read them).

These two books turned everything I knew on its head. They not only confirmed my unwilling belief that processed food (organic or not) was the devil, but they confirmed what I secretly knew instinctively, deep down: people have been thriving on their local, fresh, whole, traditional diets for millennia, and within a few years we industrialized the whole food system to make food cheaper, easier, and more convenient.

These “benefits” have a cost, however, and that cost is has become higher than anyone could have guessed. I started watching the growing number of documentaries showing the cover-ups in the industrial food system in America. Continue reading “Step Away From the Can: Ditch Processed Food For Good”

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Gorgeous Hair Naturally: Regain Confidence and Save Money!

If you are anything like me, you do everything you can to keep yourself and your family healthy.

  • You eat organic
  • You exercise
  • You avoid fast food and processed junk food
  • You take vitamins
  • You limit your exposure to chemicals and toxins

You probably know by now that we are exposed to toxins from every side: from pollution in the air to the chemicals in our cleaning supplies to the food we eat and the body care products we use.

It has been found that over 70% of the things that touch our skin are absorbed into our bloodstream within about 26 seconds.

That’s a sobering thought, because in a typical day we touch a lot of things. 

You may be aware that the products we put on our skin, from lotions and perfumes to face washes and serums, are absorbed quickly and can affect our skin’s health and vitality.

But did you know that the skin on our scalps are just as sensitive as the skin on our faces?

The products we use on our hair matter: because we are absorbing those ingredients into our bloodstream and they are affecting the health of our scalps, our hair, and our bodies.

Knowing this, I looked for a long time for hair products that were natural: I needed something that didn’t damage my health but that cleaned my hair and made it look and feel healthy.

I also wanted to grow my hair longer, which had always been a struggle.

I tried everything I could find: from expensive salon products to health store brands and infomercial products. I was disappointed because the products either didn’t work in my hair (made it look or feel gross) or still had ingredients I didn’t feel good about.

My good friend and long-time blogger Ann Marie Michaels introduced me to a new hair care brand that she was crazy about.

It had:

  • no parabens
  • no sulfates
  • no harsh salt
  • no phthalates
  • no petroleum-based ingredients
  • no harmful colors
  • no harmful fragrances

It was naturally, botanically-based, and she was getting great results with her hair. And it’s vegan, cruelty-free and leaping-bunny approved!

Plus it was concentrated: so she was spending less than she ever had on her hair care products!

 

Salon quality results from a naturally based product and it’s going to save me money?

I wanted to try it.

She also told me it had a 30 day money back guarantee, even if I used the whole bottle.

I was ready to try it: what did I have to lose?

After the first wash, I knew I had found my shampoo. My hair was different. It felt stronger. Healthier. It looked better. Smoother. Softer. More manageable.

I loved it.

So I decided to join her team and tell people about this product that I had been searching for.

If you have been looking for a naturally-based hair care line without any of the harmful ingredients found in most brands, and you want your hair to grow stronger, longer, healthier and faster–you’ve found your brand.

Here are the benefits I’ve seen, beginning from the first wash:

  • Less frizz
  • Less damage, even using heat
  • Looks better, with or without styling
  • Dries 2-3 times faster after washing
  • More manageable
  • Softer
  • Smoother
  • Shinier
  • Stronger
  • Growing faster
  • More volume
  • Less shedding
  • No breakage or brittle hair

My hair is noticeably healthier from every aspect. 

And it has only gotten better the longer I’ve used it!

I was tired of compromising when it came to my hair–now I don’t have to!

I look like I just stepped out of a salon every time I step out of the shower– without compromising on ingredients or damaging my hair over time!

It always bothered me that hair commercials said, “Have healthier-looking hair.”

“Healthier-looking” hair?

Can’t I get hair that is actually healthy?

Now I actually have healthier hair: I can see it and I can feel it. And I have confidence because my hair always looks great, I can wash it less often, and it’s growing faster and stronger than ever before.

The smaller pictures on the right are before I started using these products. The bigger picture on the left is using them and air drying my hair by letting hit hang loose, which I’ve never been able to do before:

My hair is smoother, stronger, longer and healthier without any effort on my part.

Simply wash and go!

Here are my hair growth results from February to April (excuse the funny faces–they are screen shots from live videos documenting my #longhairchallenge):

My hair has consistently been growing almost two inches every month since I started using this shampoo! Since average hair growth is 1/4 to 1/2 inch per month, that is 4-8 TIMES the average growth rate of hair. And it’s growing longer than I could ever get it to grow before–no matter how hard I tried!

Now you’re probably thinking, “Sounds great, but it’s really expensive, right?”

Actually, I’m saving money over what I was using before.

Whether you are using salon-quality products or getting your shampoo at Target, there are several reasons to consider switching:

The shampoo you are using is mostly water.

Whether you use a drugstore brand or buy your shampoo from the salon, the product is 80% water, giving you only 20% of actual ingredients. No matter how good those ingredients are, that’s not a good value!

These products are 60% product, giving you three times more per bottle: which means an 8 oz bottle of this is like buying a liter bottle of anything else. Monat shampoo is literally a shampoo concentrate. 

Most shampoos and conditioners contain silicones and waxes

(even if they are free of sulfates and parabens)

The purpose of silicones, gums and waxes is to protect against heat; the problem is that these substances coat your hair and build up over time, causing all kinds of problems: dryness, brittleness, split ends and even hair loss.

So your hair is less manageable, takes longer to dry, and has to be cut more often because it’s unhealthy. 

More trips to the salon does not equal a lower cost.

If you want to check the ingredients of your bottle, anything ending in “-cone” is a silicone, and acts like plastic on your hair when you use heat, damaging it to the core.

Contrast: none of that in this brand.

I use a dime-sized portion for each wash: the first wash grabs build up and the second wash flushes it away, for a sqeaky-clean feel that lets you know the build-up is gone.

The brand is MONAT: the first anti-aging hair care line ever.

With all of these benefits and no additional cost, why wouldn’t you try Monat today?

30 Day Empty Bottle Money Back Guarantee

We are so sure you are going to fall in love with these products, you try any product for 30 days and receive a full refund if you are unhappy for any reason–even if you’ve used the whole bottle? 

Have you ever purchased a shampoo that offered that?

Wanna know a secret, though? There is a less than 1% return rate.

Now that’s a guarantee.

VIP customers get a free product with every flex-ship order. This month you can choose which one you want:

What are you waiting for? Get the best hair of your life, or your money back. Check out these amazing before & after pictures, posted by users:

Heal Damage

Get Back Manageability and Health

Create an Ideal Environment to REGROW HAIR!!

Bring Life, Shine, Bounce and Vibrancy to Color-Treated Hair! 

.

Tame Those Tangles and Bring back the Soft, Shiny Curls! 

Hydrate and Nourish: Perfect for Any Hair Type or Ethnicity!

What is Your Confidence Worth? 

As mentioned above, these products are so concentrated, they will last you for months–so you actually save money while getting the hair of your dreams!

Imagine what it will be like to turn heads because you have shiny, beautiful, healthy hair.

Imagine having hair that you can’t stop touching and that makes you look great in every picture.

Imagine frizz is a thing of the past, and having great hair, even when it’s air dried.

Imagine healthier, more vibrant hair with every wash.

Imagine how you’ll feel when you see people looking twice, three times when you walk by.

Imagine spending less time getting ready, and looking even better than before.

Imagine going longer between haircuts–growing your hair longer, faster without damage

Imagine what MONAT can do for you. 

To see this month’s offers, click here. Go to “Start Now” and click on your country. You will see the offers and prices available to you today.

There are three options if you are ready to buy, and discounts are available!

How could having the best hair of your life change everything for you? There are samples available if you need to try it first–but there is always an EMPTY BOTTLE Money-Back guarantee–try it risk free for 30 days and see what Monat can do for you!

Get the best hair of your life, or your MONEY BACK! 

(Scroll down for more details on each product and what it does for you.) 

If you have any questions about any of the products, my experience, or how to order, feel free to contact me by email, text (802-227-7051) or on messenger.

Here are some details on some of MONAT’s botanical, revolutionary products:

  • Rejuvenique Oil Intensive                                                                                           Abyssinian oil was the first ingredient selected for its remarkable rejuvenating properties. Next, a blend of 13+ unique ingredients, including antioxidants, beta-carotene, and omega-3 fatty acids was developed. Thus REJUVENIQE Oil Intensive was born. Think of it like replenishing your hair and scalp with much needed nourishment that tends to be removed through washing. Because REJUVENIQE is compatible with the skin, it is easily absorbed without leaving greasiness.This flagship product balances the scalp, resolving both dryness and oiliness and nourishing the hair and scalp. Use the Rejuveniqe Oil as an overnight treatment once or twice per week, then wash the next morning. You may find yourself washing your hair less often–which is better for your hair, your scalp, and your wallet!

Rejuveniqe Oil is also a luxurious anti-aging facial moisturizer and can even be used to help resolve skin issues such as psoriasis and other rashes. It’s very concentrated, so a few drops will do–and there are over 600 drops in each bottle. With over 101 uses, this is one versatile oil! (Message me and ask for the 101 uses and I’ll send it to you!)

  • Restore Leave-In Conditioner                                                                                        I love this lightweight leave-in conditioner because it weighs down my wispy, wavy hair just enough it make it look great: it’s great in combination with the air dry cream.
  • Revive Shampoo                                                                                                                                    Get volume and smooth, shiny style. This is the shampoo I use most often for my fine, thin, limp hair.
  • Revitalize Conditioner                                                                                                                 The other half of the Volume System, this is the most popular conditioner: strengthen and smooth your hair while nourishing it and cleansing out the build-up. It smells like heaven!
  • Tousled Texturizing Mist                                                                                                                    This fun styling product gives your hair the sexy, messy look like you’ve just come back from the beach.

Guys. This technology is pretty great: tiny (natural) beads penetrate your hair shaft and actually mend split ends! Makes hair smoother and mends damage so you can go longer between hair cuts and grow your hair long, strong and smooth!

This cream has been a game changer for me: now I can air dry my hair without using curlers or tying it up all day. My hair looks great air drying it loose, and it dries so much faster!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you love the idea of dry shampoo but have never found one you love, this is for you. Dry shampoos normally contain talc (carcinogen) and leave a white powder residue in your hair (not great for brunettes–which is why I’ve never used it).

This one doesn’t have talc and doesn’t leave a white residue. It lets you delay washing for another day and your hair still looks great–and nourishes your hair while doing it! Use it after going to the gym too for an effortless style.

PLUS it’s CFC-free, recyclable and doesn’t affect the ozone layer–and it’s not flammable (no butane or propane)!

This is the best hairspray I’ve ever used. The cleanest ingredients in a hairspray I’ve ever seen and doesn’t create the build up on your scalp that other hairsprays do. I also love the scent (and don’t worry — all the fragrances in MONAT products are safe).

PLUS it’s CFC-free, recyclable and doesn’t affect the ozone layer–and it’s not flammable (no butane or propane)!

In addition, when you sign up as a VIP customer now you will receive an additional free product at check-out and free shipping on your order!

*VIP benefits are below. This first order counts as your first flex ship.

More Resources:

More about MONAT: the company, the brand, the products

How to Buy genuine MONAT products and save the most money. 

How Non-toxic is it? See the Ingredients and Skin Deep Scores

Search this Group to Find Your Issue and See Which Products They Used (Everyone posts their own results here) 

A Review of WOW Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo and Conditioner

Still have questions? Text me at 802-227-7051

or email me at leah@freedomandcoffee.com

New to Freedom & Coffee? Start here.

Disclosure: many of the product links in this post are affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission from any purchase. I only recommend products that I love and this is at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our mission with your clicks!

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Bacteria Boom: What are Probiotics and Why are They So Popular?

Over the past couple of years, I noticed that the pastor at my church has had some health issues which made him him sometimes miss meetings, stay home sick from church on Sundays every once in awhile, and generally just not feel very well.

Thinking back, I remembered about two years ago he had a big infection and was hospitalized for several weeks. During that time, he was put on an aggressive course of antibiotics (as most sick people are, whether or not they have a bacterial infection).

I don’t know the details of this original illness, but I do know that he’s been suffering from digestive issues ever since, which have increasingly tormented him and prevented sleep at night, interfering with his work and ministry at church.

One day after hearing he was again missing meetings, I emailed him and told him my suspicion: the course of antibiotics resulting from his illness two years ago had wrecked his gut and had precipitated most (if not all all) of his current issues.

I recommended he try taking some high-quality probiotics.

I shared some articles and research, then gave some recommendations of how to choose a few good ones.

I told him to start slow (because there can be an adjustment period as “bad bacteria” die off and “good bacteria” begin to populate the gut–but nothing worse than the symptoms he was already experiencing).

Two weeks later my pastor approached me and said, “Leah, I’m a new man! I feel so much better! I’m sleeping better and I have energy and I don’t feel sick any more!”

Word began to spread at church, and now I have people approaching me with questions about health all the time. I’m happy to pass along any knowledge and resources I have, because the information is all out there!

What are Probiotics? 

Probiotics are “beneficial” bacteria, and our gut health depends on them. In modern society, we’ve been conditioned to see all bacteria bad, foreign things that will make us sick, but this is simply not true. There are millions of beneficial bacteria that live with humans and animals in a symbiotic relationship: they benefit us, and we benefit them. When there is a balance in our gut microbiome, we experience gut health, which influences our overall health in big ways: from our hormones to our weight to our moods and even our mental health!

Why is Gut Health Important?

We don’t know the full scope of the symbiotic role that beneficial bacteria play, but we are beginning to understand how vital they are to our existence. The gut has even been named the “second brain” for the close relationship our gut health has with brain function and overall mental wellness.

  • It is estimated that human bodies are made up of approximately 90% bacteria by volume. These microbes are everywhere: on our skin, in our sinuses, ears, mouths, in our guts… literally everywhere. These microbes do a good job of helping to regulate our bodies and keep them functioning properly, and in return, we feed them with the food that we eat or byproducts from our bodies, like skin cells and sweat. When we are proactive about our gut health, our bodies thank us in numerous ways.
  • A huge variety of our bacteria live in our digestive systems, or our “guts,” and researchers are discovering that at least 70-80% of our immune system is in our gut. Our gut health has a huge influence on our overall health: both physical and mental.
  • Bacteria do a lot of work in our bodies, including helping to regulate hormones that control fat stores, skin issues, auto-immune response, fertility, available energy, and overall well-being. Gut health is vital to all of these!
  • Balance is key. We refer to bacteria as “good” and “bad” but really we just need a balance of the bacteria in our guts: that’s what gut health really is. The fact is, we all have “bad” bacteria such as E. Coli in our bodies, but if these bacteria don’t overrun our systems or multiply too quickly, they are not a threat. Even “good” bacteria can cause problems if there’s too much of it. Our bodies generally do a good job of regulating the population of bacteria, as long as we ensure we have a good variety of bacteria for our bodies to work with. As long as we have enough “good bacteria,” or probiotics, in our guts, they will fight off the “baddies” and keep our bodies balanced and healthy.

How Can I Get Them?

You may have noticed an array of probiotic supplements in your local health food store (and how expensive they are).

The good news is that you don’t have to buy a lot of expensive supplements to get a good balance of bacteria in your body. In fact, different fermented foods carry a large population of beneficial bacteria, and they are really easy to make, and to eat.

Yogurt is the most popular and widely-known source of probiotics, but not all yogurts are created equal.

Many of the yogurts on the store shelves are full of sugar (which feeds bad bacteria) and a lot of them even have harmful additives like carageenan (which has been found to cause cancer) to keep them refrigerator shelf-stable for weeks at a time.

Store bought yogurts can be a source of probiotics, but you need to know what to look for, and they shouldn’t constitute your only source of probiotics.

  • Look for “live and active cultures” on the container, and check the ingredients for which specific cultures are contained.
  • Find out if the yogurt has been pasteurized. Most yogurt is made with pasteurized milk, but even after it’s been turned into yogurt is then pasteurized again. Pasteurization will kill the beneficial bacteria that were necessary to make the yogurt, so they won’t benefit you.
  • Get organic. Yogurt is made from milk, and if the milk is not organic it will contain antibiotics and hormones that were given to the cows. These substances are detrimental and even toxic to our bodies, and can cause hormonal imbalances and antibiotic resistance in the long run.
  • Get plain and unflavored yogurt. You may not like the taste of plain yogurt, but you can add fresh fruit and honey for flavoring, instead of consuming a lot of extra added sugars.
  • Get whole milk yogurt. Studies have shown that low-fat dairy products do not contribute to weight loss and may actually cause weight gain. The full-fat options allow your body to more efficiently process the beneficial fat-soluble vitamins in the yogurt, and the fat will make you feel full longer, so you’ll eat less overall.
  • Check the ingredients. In addition to checking for live and active cultures, make sure your yogurt doesn’t have any additives like carageenan, sugar, color, or anything else. Ideally, it should just be milk and a culture.

Did you know? 

Yogurt is so easy to make. Yogurt makers are inexpensive and make it easier, but you don’t even need one to make yogurt. My favorite yogurt is clay-batch yogurt, which I make in VitaClay.

VitaClay has a built-in yogurt maker in most models.
VitaClay Personal Yogurt Maker and Slow Cooker

All you have to do is load in milk and a yogurt culture and press “yogurt” and a few hours later you’ll have the best yogurt you’ve ever tasted, and a starter batch to make more!

Kefir is a milk-based probiotic beverage that is also known as “drinkable yogurt.” Kefir often contains different bacteria than yogurt, and sometimes at greater quantities per serving. If you’re buying kefir from the store, apply the same checks as listed above for yogurt. Add kefir to smoothies or drink it plain–it tastes like buttermilk.

Incidentally, my father suffered from terrible seasonal allergies for over 60 years. My mother read about kefir and started making it at home, and he hasn’t had a problem with allergies since!

Homemade Sauerkraut: cheap, easy to make, and loaded with probiotics!

Other fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, kimchee, natto and miso contain other probiotics that are beneficial, and they are delicious additions to your diet. Sauerkraut is super easy to make, and two ounces of homemade sauerkraut contains exponentially more beneficial bacteria than a whole bottle of store-bought probiotics, for pennies on the dollar!

Chop up the ingredients for salsa, then just add a little whey and let it sit on the counter for a couple of days–you won’t believe the healthy zing!

Additionally, lots of things can be fermented: I’ve fermented homemade salsa, which was super easy and so delicious! I’ve also seen recipes for fermented carrots, onions, cucumbers (pickles!), and even guacamole! The possibilities are endless! (Wild Fermentation link)

If you don’t want to make these fermented foods at home and would rather buy them, follow the rules listed under yogurt, and make sure they have live and active cultures (which is, after all, the whole point). Also watch for additives such as MSG and citric acid, in addition to those listed for yogurt.

Probiotic Supplements

Overall, I think that many probiotic supplements are a waste of money. As discussed above, the probiotics in just one serving of homemade sauerkraut can contain more good bacteria than an entire bottle of store-bought bacteria! This generally applies to lacto-based bacteria, however, which are the type contained in yogurt and most fermented foods. These bacteria are good, and you should definitely get them. If you absolutely don’t want to ferment anything at home, go ahead and buy them.

I’ve tried almost every gut health probiotic supplement out there, and the one that I have found to be most effective is Amare.

Amare specifically targets not only bodily health but also mental wellness through the gut. They even have one specifically for kids!  It also helps to balance good and bad bacteria for all facets of health and to kill candida: the American parasite. 

They even have a mental wellness quiz you can take to see where you stand and if these products could be a good fit for balancing your gut and improving your mental wellness. Because our bodies are interconnected. Healing one part will benefit all of the other parts as well.

AND! Check out this really great database that can help you determine which probiotic strains may help you the most based on your current symptoms and struggles!

Look for a bottle that lists the type of bacteria included and a guaranteed number of live bacteria per serving (usually listed in the billions CFU). The higher the number, the more bacteria it will contain (and very high numbers will require a slower breaking in period, which you can discuss with the worker at the health food store). These higher-quality probiotics will cost more, but this is a classic case of getting what you pay for, and what we want here is results.

Probioitics I buy

My one exception to the “store-bought probiotics are a waste of money” rule is in the category of soil-based probiotics. Here’s why: the lacto-based probiotics like those found in yogurt, sauerkraut and other ferments are so easy to make and so delicious to eat that there’s no reason to pay expensive store prices for a shelf-stable inferior product.

Soil-based probiotics, however, are different strains that have a different effect in our bodies: they go deeper into the gut and contribute differently to immunity. So we need both, but soil-based are found in soil, as the name implies.

In antiquity, people got a good amount of soil in their diets from digging up veggies and eating them.

These days, I don’t trust the soil as far as I can throw it. It’s been compromised with pesticides, herbicides, pharmaceutical drugs, and all manner of other toxins from our waste water and runoff. Even if I were inclined to eat soil (I’m not), it would probably do much more harm than good.

So when it comes to soil-based probiotics, I will purchase them from a reputable company that can guarantee their purity, quality, and effectiveness–even if they are expensive. I’ve listed below a few soil-based probiotics on which I have done research. I trust them to deliver a safe, effective, quality product.

What About Prebioitics?

Prebiotics are the “food” for beneficial gut bacteria that already live in our guts. And since not all gut bacteria can be supplemented with probiotics, it’s a great idea to get some good prebiotics in your diet as well.

As a matter of fact, you probably already do get some prebiotics, as they are often soluble fiber found in fruit.

There are also symbiotic prebiotic-probiotic supplements that you may find beneficial, especially if you have recently taken antibiotics or had some digestive problems. A great probiotic will also include enzymes and prebiotic strains that assist the good bacteria in the propagation and colonization of your gut, so you actually get real, lasting benefit from them.

Read this article about how different strains may help different health issues.

Resources:

Humans: 10% Human and 90% Bacterial
Our Bodies, Our Health, Our Gut Bacteria  (Cornell)
5 Quick Tips For Healthy Guts And A Healthier Immune System
The Gut: Where Bacteria and Immune System Meet (Johns Hopkins)
Gut microbes closely linked to proper immune function, other health issues
How to Repair Your Gut After Antibiotics
Why Antibiotics Today Could Threaten Your Life Tomorrow
Antibiotic overuse: Stop the killing of beneficial bacteria
Is Carrageenan Safe?
VitaClay– Make Whole Food, Nutritious dishes easily at home: save time, money and effort, while healing your family! 
What is the Gut-Brain Axis?
Is the Gut Really Known as the 2nd Brain?
Gut Health For Children, and How it Can affect Children’s Brains and Cognitive Development

 

 

New to Freedom & Coffee? Start here.

Disclosure: Many of the product links in this post are affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission from any purchase. I only recommend products that I love and this is at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our mission with your clicks! 

 

 

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