Even though I love potato chips, I never feel quite right about eating them, since I know that they are just chocked full of empty calories and loaded with fat.  I love popcorn and pretzels, which are much healthier snack choices, but the microwave kind of popcorn just never really tastes that great and the bagged variety of popcorn is always old and stale tasting.

Fortunately, there is a company called Popcorn, Indiana, which specializes in shipping fresh, tasty, gourmet popcorn right to your door.  I had the chance to review three of their flavors.  Read below to find out what I thought.

I was always taught that there are four things human beings need to survive:  Food, Water, Air and Love.  Now, I'm not sure about the last one...I kind of think it was included on the list since I learned these four things in kindergarten!  :)  But we all know how basic and essential good, clean air is to our health.  Especially now that summer is here and in full swing, we also have the heat, smog, ozone, allergens, bacteria, etc. on the rise too!

All of these aforementioned culprits help to ruin the quality of the air we breathe and make us feel worse than we should.  Living in Houston, the 4th largest city in the U.S., I am all too familiar with poor air quality due to excess pollutants and ozone.  Houston air is also a killer for those suffering from seasonal allergies too!  My husband and I have often contemplated purchasing an air purifier for our bedroom, and it seems our wishes were granted when I received an opportunity from Rabbit Air to review the BioGS SPA-421A Ultra Quiet HEPA Air Purifier!

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As any busy mom knows, finding time to work out is essential to staying healthy, but not always easy to do.  Sometimes we get too carried away with the daily task of taking care of our family and forget all about ourselves.  I am extremely guilty of this and have pledged to myself to MAKE the time to exercise.

Of course, it would really help if the exercise program I followed also had busy moms in mind and thankfully, I discovered KettleWorx.  KettleWorx is a six-week workout program that promises results by exercising for only ONE HOUR PER WEEK!  Now, that's the kind of time I can make!

PRICE:  I reviewed the KettleWorx Ultra 10, which retails for $99.95, from FitnessWorx LLC and includes the following:

Six Week Body Transformation DVDs (Introduction, Cardio, Core and Resistance DVDs) A 10-pound kettlebell – KettleWorx Premium Kettlebell The Ultimate Body Sculpting Collection – on 4 DVDs Fast Abs – 1 DVD Fast Fat Burn – 1 DVD Fat Free in 42 – a 6 week healthy eating guide (e-Book format)

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While it may not seem like the most glamorous on the menu, cottage cheese is jam-packed with protein. Plus, it’s quite the chameleon – it can be incorporated into recipes, used as a topping or dip or enjoyed all by itself as a snack. However, not all cottage cheeses are created equal. In fact, Daisy Brand Cottage Cheese is the freshest brand available, with 100% all-natural dairy ingredients, no additives, preservatives or added growth hormones. Check the label – with only four ingredients, it is a standout against the competition.

To encourage Americans to take a look at their refrigerators, remove unhealthy items and add fresh, all-natural foods, Daisy Brand Cottage Cheese is sponsoring the Freshen Up Your Fridge contest this summer. One grand prize winner will receive:

• A year’s supply of Daisy Brand Cottage Cheese
• A new Whirlpool® side-by-side refrigerator with 6^th Sense Technology
• An in-home visit by a registered dietitian to help select healthier, more nutrient-rich foods for their refrigerator
• A $50 gift card toward their first healthy food shopping trip

To enter, simply log on to www.FreshenUpYourFridge.com, where you can share why your eating habits can be improved through a fresh fridge makeover in 50 words or less.

GOOD LUCK!

Who doesn't want a firmer, tighter midsection?  I've lusted after sculpted abs for years, but although I've come close a few times in my life, I've never seemed to be able to burn off that last little bit of "tummy" hiding the rock-hard abs that I just KNEW were there!

I've heard time and time again that you can't burn fat in a targeted area of your body, but the Belly Burner Belt claims that it can and will raise your thermal core temperature to finally shed those unwanted inches around your midsection.  Of course, I had to try any product that helps me lose inches just by wearing it!

PRICE: I was sent the Belly Burner Belt, the Blazing Abs DVD, and three health pamphlets, which retail for $39.90 + $7.95 shipping.

I was very excited to try out the Belly Burner Belt because I actually had some hopes of this working.  Rubber suits, saunas, sweat suits and the like have been around for years.  These devices all claim to make you lose more weight by raising your body temperature.  The Belly Burner Belt works in the same manner.

It is suggested that you wear this belt either on your bare skin or over a very light article of clothing, such as a thin t-shirt.  Since I've already been hard at work with an existing exercise program, I thought that I would just incorporate the Belly Burner Belt into my routine.

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When I first began teaching, I assumed that kids today were just like kids used to be when I was young, but I couldn't have been more wrong.  I was absolutely shocked at how sedentary they've become.  About 70% of the children I taught were grossly overweight and didn't even like going outside to play anymore!

I'll never forget the time that I had purposefully scheduled a fun Science experiment which involved them playing tag outside.  The weather was gorgeous and I just knew I would be the "teacher of the year" for coming up with such a fun activity for the day.  But instead, the children actually started COMPLAINING that they had to run and were telling me that they would rather just sit out.

They were begging me to go back inside and do book work!  It was at this moment that I realized how poorly our children's physical activity and overall health had become.  I vowed then and there never to let my own children reach that physical state, which is why I'm thankful I reviewed the activity book entitled, Coursing Around, by Debbie Tougas.

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