Fight the Winter Blues with Carnival Cruise Line and Boiron!

January 22, 2020 by

Winter is in full swing and if you’re like me, you’re craving some warm weather!  Good news is it’s not too late to make Winter Travel plans.  If you have kids and planning for everyone including  food and activities seems daunting, why not go on a cruise? A cruise is great for all ages especially if you don’t want to worry about anything once on board the ship.

For families, Carnival Cruise Line, the leader in family cruising, carries nearly a million kids a year and offers fun for all-ages, including spectacular water parks, suspended ropes courses as well as family-friendly experiences like as the Seuss at Sea, which is an exclusive partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises. They also keep it close to home, all throughout the country, sailing from 19 different North American homeports, which is the most in cruising. Their ports run along the East and West Coasts and Gulf of Mexico, providing consumers with a convenient and cost-effective means for getting to and from their cruise. It is estimated that roughly half of the U.S. population is within a day’s drive of a Carnival homeport. The food is an important part of any vacation and Carnival Cruise Line offers a wide variety of international favorites and has partnered with Food Network star Guy Fieri on popular burger and BBQ venues. A Big Chicken restaurant, created by the line’s Chief Fun Officer Shaquille O’Neal, will debut on two ships this year along with the first seagoing restaurant by famed chef Emeril Lagasse. So, plenty of great new exciting offerings by Carnival. For more info, click here.

While you may be escaping the cold, the one thing you don’t want is to get a cold when you begin your vacation.  For that I like to always have with me some homeopathic medications. First, if flu threatens your travel plans this winter, you will be well prepared by having stocked up on Boiron Oscillococcinum.  Clinical studies show that when used at the first signs, Oscillococcinum helps relieve the duration and severity of flu-like symptoms such as body aches, headache, fever, chills, and fatigue. This homeopathic medicine is for everyone ages 2 and up is widely available in local supermarkets or pharmacies even if you are traveling, you should be able to find it easily. It is also very simple to take. Individually-packaged doses of small pellets quickly dissolve under the tongue — no water, chewing, or swallowing is required. It is easy to travel with since it is so portable and TSA-friendly. In addition, kids love the taste! Oscillococcinum is non-drowsy so you will not miss a minute of your adventures.

Another homeopathic option is Boiron Acidil. It will keep your belly happy and healthy, especially if you go overboard with food on vacation. These tablets provide plant-based relief of heartburn, acid indigestion, bloating and upset stomach. They melt easily in your mouth without water, and there is no restriction to when you can use them – take before or after meals, or on a full or empty stomach. This homeopathic medicine contains no artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners. Acidil is offered in convenient portable blister packs, which again are perfectly travel sized and ideal for having in your toiletry bag or carryon, in case indigestion hits while you are away!  You can find more information on these and other Boiron products here.

I’ll waive to you on the open seas as we both escape the winter blues!

Filed Under: Baby and Travel Products, Caribbean, Destinations, Passport Wellness Tagged With: , , ,

Why You Need a NY 529 Plan

October 23, 2018 by

As a mother to a 19-month old, I have been on my husband’s case for us to go sit with a financial advisor to talk about the best way to save for our daughter’s college tuition. I then received an invite to attend a talk about the NY 529 Plan at the Craft Studio in NYC. I jumped at the opportunity to learn about this college savings plan that can be used for higher-education including two and four year schools, trade and vocational schools, postgraduate programs, tuition, books, supplies, expenses for the purchase of certain computer equipment, software, and computer-related services.

The 529 plans are not exclusive to NY, so if you live in another state, it could be sponsored by your state as well. If you live in NY, there are definitely benefits to opening the NY 529 Direct Plan. In all states, your earnings grow federally tax-deferred and qualified withdrawals are tax-free. In NY, you get tax deductions as well.  The beauty of the plan is anyone can set one up, so if grandparents would like to open an account, they would be the account holder and name their grandchild the beneficiary. Only a very small portion of your investment counts towards any financial aid applications, so don’t let that deter you from saving. The account owner, not the beneficiary, is always in control of the account, even when the beneficiary becomes an adult. There are twenty types of investments from which to choose, depending on how aggressive or conservative you’d like to be. Because it goes based on age, you can start off more aggressively and then as it gets closer to college time, slow down the risk to hold onto all of the profits you’ve made on your investment.

For all of those holiday and birthdays when everyone asks you what your child wants, you can give them the link to their college fund account! You’ll be thankful for less toy clutter and your  child will be thankful when they don’t have student loans to pay back! I also think it’s a great idea to add to a baby registry. Some may think it’s too soon and they’d rather buy you a swaddle, but it’s easy for them to do and a way to help with the new baby’s educational future.  You can click here for more information.

Disclaimer: Compensation was provided by NY 529 Direct via Momtrends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of NY 529 Direct or Momtrends.

Filed Under: Baby and Travel Products Tagged With: , , , ,

A Summer of Social Events? Get More Energy with MitoQ And Consume Less Calories with Stevia in the Raw!

June 27, 2018 by

If you’re like me and running around like crazy this summer with your little one, you know how important sleep and energy are!  However, we know many times the first one is out of our control with baby waking up crying during the night.  I am not a big coffee drinker, as I prefer to get my energy through exercise, eating right and consuming the best vitamins/minerals.  I was excited to discover MitoQ which is a very unique form of CoQ10, which is a naturally occurring antioxidant our bodies use for energy.   Usually CoQ10 absorbs into the bloodstream.  However, MitoQ goes beyond the bloodstream into the mitochondria which are known as the powerhouse of our cells.  They help us convert food and oxygen into energy that our bodies and organs need to function. Poor mitochondrial function is associated with more than 200 diseases and conditions.

MitoQ gives your cells the energy they need to repair, restore, and maintain good health. It can improve overall well-being, make it easier to recover from strenuous activity and even improve elasticity in your skin.  But most of all, you can power through this summer months with all of your and your little one’s activities!  Find it on Amazon or here.

Summer is a time for entertaining and with that usually comes some fun cocktails.  However, did you know that a Long Iced Tea or Piña Colada can have between 600 and 800 calories in each drink?  I’m someone who prefers to eat her calories over drinking them, so I reduce calories in drinks when I can.  Stevia in the raw is a zero – calorie sweetener and contains an extract from the sweet leaves of the stevia plant.  One packet of stevia in the raw is as sweet as two teaspoons of sugar. That’s a lot of saved calories.  It’s perfect for sweetening drinks and can also be used for baking and cooking recipes.

For a fun summer drink, I like to make wine spritzers.  Just mix your wine, club soda and Stevia in the Raw in a pitcher until the stevia is dissolved.  Add some fruit like apples, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, and you’re good to go! Simple, refreshing and low in calories!  You can get more information here.

Filed Under: Baby and Travel Products, Passport Wellness, Spas and Wellness

Cake Smash!

May 26, 2018 by

Your child’s first birthday is a big deal! And the newest trend is to commemorate it with a cake smash!  You may be wondering what exactly goes into a cake smash. There is no one way of doing it, but usually parents will bring their child to a photography studio or have a photographer come to them to capture their precious angel’s first go at a sugar filled cake!  As someone who is very health conscience for my family and especially my baby, the thought of putting an all sugar cake in front of her made me cringe. But I did it anyway.   I did have big plans to make my own healthy cake which plenty of people do, but who was I kidding? I have a one year old.  When do I have time to make my own cake?!  So I went to Magnolia Bakery and they designed a very simple but pretty cake for the photo session. I sent them a picture of my daughter’s tutu and shirt she would be wearing and they suggested an ombre of pink rosettes which looked beautiful!  So beautiful that during the big shoot when we were waiting for her to dive head first into the cake, she delicately licked one rosette at a time.  

When searching for a photographer, I did a quick google search and then looked through for a few websites for photographers who had experience with kids and cake smashes because it takes a special person to know how to get a baby to smile during a shoot. I still have memories of my daughter peeing on the backdrop during her newborn shoot.  We of course thought it was funny and what do you expect from a five day old baby?  However, this time we decided to do the shoot in our apartment with Andreea B. Ballen Photography. She is also a mom of two little ones with and incorporates her artistic and creative background with the fact that she used to be a doula and loves to bring out the best in babies. She shoots with natural light and a portrait lens, so we didn’t need to go crazy on the background.  However, I still wanted to put together a backdrop similar to if we had gone to a studio.  If it wasn’t in March and still cold out, we would have done the shoot outside because Andreea’s work is gorgeous in the natural light and she knows the perfect angles to shoot to get that magical shot.  We improvised and did it inside instead near a row of windows.  We were supposed to shoot one evening, but when she came over, she noticed the light was not as good as we had thought it would be, so she came back the next day when it was a lot better.  As part of her photography package, she offers an in-home consultation so you can talk about exactly what you’re looking to do.  I thought that was a nice bonus, since it gave my daughter a chance to meet and feel comfortable around her.  We also talked extensively in the meeting and by email about what my vision was for the shoot. After the shoot, she sent us a gallery of pictures from which to choose. She caught some great shots of our daughter before, during and after the cake. She also was able to capture some nice family photos which are great to have because as fun as our selfies are, it’s always nice to have some professional family photos.  All of the pictures in this article were shot by her.  

For the backdrop, I ordered a simple backdrop that was easy to put together from B and H Photo and Video. It wasn’t the strongest of backdrops but it was perfect for our purposes. I bought a role of seamless coral colored paper to go with it and then went to Party City and got a colorful banner, paper fans and balloons. There were helium balloons on a small weight next to her and then some loose balloons scattered on the floor.  It made for a very festive background to match her colorful tutu from Dancina.  I had picked up a hot pink beaded necklace at the Philadelphia Flower Show a few weeks earlier. 

All in all, it was a very fun time.  Andreea captured some great moments in time for us and since I had made my own backdrop, we went for round two later in the day with my camera.  I later had guilt that I let my baby eat so much cake in one day for the sake of a good pictures, but it was worth it.  We all had fun and mom and dad enjoyed what was left of the cake!

Filed Under: Baby and Travel Products, Passport Baby

Overwhelmed First Time Parent to Be? Products to Get You Started!

February 1, 2017 by

Becoming first time parents can be overwhelming, especially when you make your first trip to the store for your registry.  With products and brands galore, from strollers to breast pumps, how could one possibly know what they need and which ones to choose?  That is how we felt on our first trip to the store, but after a bit of time and lots of research and first hand experience, I have hand picked a few staples to help get you started.   I will be writing a few articles as I discover new helpful products.

Stroller: The UPPAbaby brand baby strollers are all the rage on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.  On one block, one may see five different colors of the UPPAbaby VISTA or the UPPAbaby CRUZ.  For city living, I can understand why this is such a beneficial stroller.  The wheels are sturdy and suspension excellent.  It also has a big basket underneath the seat for lots of grocery shopping and errands with your little one.  The vista has a variety of configurations and maneuvers like a single stroller with the ability to adapt as a family grows.  It comes with a bassinet and a toddler seat with multiple positions.  They are both interchangeable and requires no fabric swapping.  The canopy adjusts as your child grows and has an extendable 50+ sunshade.

If you plan on having another baby in the next few years, the seat selections and configurations can comfortably hold two Mesa infant car seats with a direct configuration and no attachments, two bassinets, and two toddler seats.  if you add the PiggyBack Ride Along Board, three can comfortably ride. 

The UPPAbaby CRUZ is also compatible with the Mesa and is streamlined and compact without compromising on function. It has an easy one step fold with or without the seat attached. 

The UPPAbaby G-LUXE is the lightest full size reclining stroller in its class.  It has a one-wheel lock brake, easy access, large basket, an extendable SPF 50+ sunshade, one-handed recline and adjustable footrest. The fabric is removable and washable. 

The UPPAbaby G-LITE stroller is one of the lightest full-size umbrella strollers available weighing 11 pounds.  

The UPPAbaby G-LINK stroller is perfect for someone with twins.  The side by side reclining seats and adjustable footrests have an independent one-handed adjustable recline with four positions.

Carseat:  The UPPAbaby MESA infant car seat is suitable for babies from 4 to 35 pounds and up to 32 inches in height.  It is the only car seat on the market that uses the smart secure system. It has self-retracting mini latch connectors and a red to green tightness indicator that allows for a quick, accurate and easy installation.  It has advanced side impact protection, exceeding the proposed NHTSA safety standards for SIP.  The integrated headrest design keeps an infant’s head stationary during a side impact collision.  The car seat comes in a variety of colors.  If choosing the Henry (blue marl), it is constructed of merino wool, which is fire resistant.  It is a soft breathable fabric that is comfortable in both warm and cool temperatures.

Nursing Bras:  They are not kidding when they say your breasts increase in size when pregnant.  I think I needed a new bra every few weeks through the first half of my pregnancy.  Then in the second half, the belly keeps expanding that your bra needs also seem to expand.  Some say to stop wearing underwires so it doesn’t inhibit your milk production.  Regardless, I think if one can find a supportive bra without an underwire, it’s good for your breast health.  However, as a woman who has always needed an underwire for support, I find it hard to find a good bra that still gives me a somewhat decent shape.  

That was until I discovered Bravado! Design Nursing Bras.  Their silk seamless bras and camis that are so soft and comfortable while also offering great support for women of all sizes.   I have tried the Body Silk Seamless Nursing Bra, the Yoga Nursing Bra and the Body Silk Seamless Nursing Cami.  Two brand new limited-edition colors are the sea glass for the nursing bra and Dove Heather for the yoga bra.  The cami comes in black and white.  I love the Body Silk Seamless Nursing Cami because it can be worn underneath a shirt or sweater and because the Body Silk Seamless Bra is knitted inside, there is no need to wear a bra too.  The four-way stretch fabric hugs your changing shape and has convertible criss-cross straps.  

The nursing bra also has the four way stretch fabric and it includes a conversion kit that converts the bra to a regular bra once you are done nursing, so you don’t have to worry about spending money on a bra you’ll only wear for a short time.  For maximum skin-to-skin contact, the bra cups drop away fully. 

Pregnancy and Nursing Pillows:  Friends kept telling me how much they loved their full body pillow they used during pregnancy. I thought I was doing just fine with my two memory foam pillows – one for under my head and one for between my knees.  That was before I was introduced to the Boppy Multi-Use Slipcovered Total Body Pillow.  If you’re pregnant, you’re probably waking up one to three or more times a night to either go to the bathroom or from restlessness.   I can’t guarantee you won’t need to still go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, but I have found I am far less restless when cuddled up to my pillow.  It provides complete head-to-tow support including comfort to your neck, belly, back and hips.  The slipcover is made from 100% cotton, wipeable and machine washable.  According to recent studies, poor sleep can lead to longer labor, preterm birth and gestational weight gain.  Therefore, don’t take a good night’s rest lightly!

If you’re afraid your partner may get jealous of this new addition taking over your bed, the Boppy Pregnancy Support Pillow is a smaller-sized body pillow that provides just the right support for the hips, legs and bump.  

The Boppy Back and Bump Support Pillow is perfect for helping with the recommended side sleeping during pregnancy.  It supports both the belly and back in a compact design.  While I always intend to sleep on my side, inevitably I still end up on my back.  This pillow helps keep me in place and supports the back muscles and ligaments which are getting loser as the pregnancy progresses. 

If you just want a wedge to place at any point on your body, the Boppy Pregnancy Wedge  is a firm, versatile pregnancy cushion you can use on your back, bump or between your knees.  It also makes for a great lumbar support while sitting.  

After baby is born, the Boppy Nursing and Feeding Pillow provides great support while breast or bottle feeding. 

In my next article, I will give helpful product tips for bassinets, carriers, and more!  Keep smiling – your new addition will be here soon and while you will always worry about your child, hopefully you’re a little less worried about about which products are best for getting started!

Filed Under: Baby and Travel Products, Gadgets, Passport Baby Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Fun and Helpful Prenatal Products

January 10, 2017 by

Becoming pregnant for the first time can be exciting, but at the same time, it can be overwhelming. A new mom to be wants to make sure she does everything she can to provide her baby with the best chance of being born healthy and happy. It’s not always a walk in the park. That glow everyone talks about most likely will be harder to find when you are nauseous in the first trimester, exhausted and not able to make it past 6pm, getting bigger and bigger with a stomach that has a mind of its own. However, it’s comforting to know there are products that can help ease the symptoms of pregnancy and make it more enjoyable, while also protecting your unborn baby. Below are some of the few I have discovered so far in my third trimester.

Aden and Anais Nursing Pillow: As you get bigger and the pregnancy progresses, some practicioners stress the importance of laying on your left side. The Aden and Anais  Nursing Pillow not only makes for a great pillow for the baby while nursing after birth, but also helps with staying on one’s left side.  It is very comfortable and plump and can be positioned behind or in front of you for nighttime support.  Its removable, machine-washable white cover is made from soft, breathable 100% cotton muslin.  Colorful cotton muslin covers are also available in a variety of  signature prints. For wrapping your bundle of joy after birth, the Aden and Anais swaddles come in many cute colors and sizes.

 

 

 

Belly Armor Belly Blanket Luxe by Radiashield: You work on your laptop and keep your cell phone close to you. But you also worry the radiation can be harmful to your developing baby. Belly Armor is a soft, cuddly blanket that also functions as a shield between your electronic devices at the baby in your womb.  It is a very simple way of protecting your little one in utero.  The Luxe is made up of luxurious cotton micro-fleece and satin.

Belly Bandit’s Upsie Belly:  The Upsie Belly for me is a life saver!  Towards the end of the pregnancy, it becomes more and more difficult to walk due to the pressure of the baby’s head in my pelvis, but I also know walking is recommended and I didn’t want to give that up.  In fact, it wasn’t really an option, considering I live in NYC and still need to get from point A to point B.  That’s where this simple, yet very effective wrap which comes with a heating/ice pack for your back works so well.  It is made of soft viscose from bamboo which makes it very comfortable. It comes in a variety of sizes and has 12 inches of adjustability, so it can be used as your belly grows.   You can choose to slip the pack into the integrated pouch for your lower back for increased pain relief or wear it without it.  It gives  your growing belly the extra support it needs and takes the pressure off of your bladder and pelvis, making it easier to walk.

The Upsie Belly also eases sciatic, back and leg pain and adds hip, back and abdominal support.  It also helps to increase circulation and blood flow, decrease varicose veins, hernias and hemorroids.  Belly Bandit also makes a number of products for after you give birth to help you get back your pre-pregnancy shape.

BellyBuds by Wavhello: A baby’s hearing develops in utero at about 20 weeks, and studies have shown memories begin at 30 weeks.   I think it’s so neat that your baby has a way of hearing the music you love or your voice right near them.  You can let baby listen to the same music you’re listening to while working out or just relaxing around the house.  BellyBuds offer a fun way for parents to talk to their baby or share music and messages through WavHello’s free VoiceShare app.   Some new moms to be feel it’s a great way to bond with their baby in utero.

 

 

Blooming Wellness’ Zenbands and ZTones: Relaxation is very important in pregnancy. As a first time mom, there are a lot of unexpected changes going on in your body. Listening to calming meditations are helpful for both you and your baby. Zen bands make it easy to listen to your meditations and music through their soft boho-styled headband that acts as a headband, headphones and eye mask all in one with removable small speakers. This prevents headphones from falling out of your ears while putting very little pressure on them. Made out of lightweight cotton, they come in a variety of colors to promote the benefits of color therapy. According to their website, people have used them for traveling, running, walking, meditating, sleeping, napping, while at the spa, the pool, the gym, in a train, in a plane, for acupuncture, for hospital stays, in hotels, for hypnobirthing, for meditating and mindfulness, and just for general stress management.

Books: There are a ton of books on the market for the expectant mom.  The one everyone has heard of, ” What to Expect When You’re Expecting” is useful when learning the basics of pregnancy from what tests to expect to the types of delivery.  However, some lesser known titles which can be extremely helpful for the anxious mom to be are “Finding Calm for the Expectant Mom” by Alice D. Domar PH.D and Sheila Curry Oakes and “The Confident Parent” by Jane Scott MD and Stephanie Land.  As someone who thought she was the only one who wasn’t in love with being pregnant at the beginning, “Finding Calm For the Expectant Mom” talks about what many women really go through and helps to ease fears and stress of pregnancy and becoming a new parent.

Carex Bed Buddy Neck Pillow:  After a couple of minutes in the microwave, this soothing aromatic pillow will sooth aways aches, pains and stress, or arthritis in the neck and shoulders.  Using deep, moist relaxing lavender and chamomile aromatherapy, it helps ease stress and tension.  This is the perfect remedy for that tired body or a great way to find calm during your pregnancy.

Janes Wellness Gowns: a very comfortable, attractive alternative to the typical hospital gown, this is a great robe to wear during every part of your pregnancy. With its warm, lightweight knit fabric and wrap closure, they provide total comfort and minimize exposure, allowing you to relax and focus on everything from the ultrasounds to nursing your baby. They are also perfect for lounging around the house or for the day you meet your new baby.

Mama Mio: Your belly and boobs will expand to sizes you never imagined possible.  With that could come stretch marks that don’t go away when your stomach does.  That’s where Mama Mio comes to the rescue.  They offer products to help prevent and minimize the marks.  They also offer creams to help sooth the soreness from breastfeeding. Below are a few of my favorites:

Mama Mio The Tummy Rub Oil – Helps protect growing tummies against the appearance of stretch marks using a blend of omega-packed organic oils.
Mama Mio Pregnancy Boob Tube Bust Cream – Rich in omega oils to protect, cool and soothe both pregnant and new mamma boobs.
 Mama Mio Goodbye Stretch Marks Stretch Mark Minimiser – This is a powerful blend of peptides, fruit and algae extracts and nourishing oils helps to minimise the appearance of both new and old stretch marks caused by pregnancy. With the stretch marks minimiser the newer the stretch mark the better the result.

Mama Mio Lucky Legs Cooling Leg Gel – Help ease weary heavy legs in a flash. Packed with oils and refreshing spearmint to help revive tired legs and swollen feet. A must for any mama-to-be.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Baby and Travel Products, Gadgets, Passport Baby Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Make travel easier with these products

January 2, 2017 by

Most of us travel a fair amount in our lives whether for business or pleasure. Regardless the reason, certain things never get easier no matter how many frequent flier miles we rack up. Packing is a pain, trying to combat the plane’s germs can lead to a disappointing loss before you even get to your destination. The head bob from unsuccessful sleep on an overnight flight leaves you exhausted and frustrated. For these and many more reasons, I seek out the best travel products for making a journey a lot easier, healthier and more pleasurable where possible. I cast the net wide for this article and wanted to share a few really cool products that do just that.

So much luggage, so little space! Solution: Biaggi Luggage

Most people don’t just have one piece of luggage. I live in a studio apartment in NYC and have five suitcases and a duffle bag. I’m set for any trip, but unless I want to live on the road, this leaves me no room in my apartment! That’s where my savior the Tank” with Laurie Greiner. A New Yorker himself, he understands the needs of all of us in small apartments. He also understands that even if you live in a huge home, you don’t want your luggage to take up an entire room. The solution? Biaggi Luggage.

Biaggi luggage features two lines: The contempo line and the zipsak line of bags. Both fold up and can be stored under your bed when not in use. The zipsak folds into a little carrying case while the contempo line, which is more like your traditional hard shell luggage, folds up to 50% of its size. They both feature a four-wheel spinner system and the materials are extremely lightweight and scratch resistant. Check out the entire line here: http://www.biaggi.com.

Just when you thought you packed everything, you forgot something!
Solution: Genius Pack Luggage

No matter how much time I spend laying everything out on my bed before a trip and making lists, I inevitably forget some of the most basic items like contact lense solution. I am also the one who is constantly digging in my backpack. I open every single section and look in each pocket in my backpack and still don’t usually find that pen or phone charger for which I’m looking. That is where the Genius Pack line of luggage steps in! All of the suitcases come with built in organizational systems, which also help maximize the space inside for packing.

The carry-on features patent pending laundry compression technology that allows you to separate your dirty laundry from the rest of your clothes and roll them up into an airtight ball to leave plenty of room for souvenirs or other items you pick up along the way. Other features include an umbrella pop out, a portable mobile charger that allows you to recharge your smartphone directly from your bag, and even a mini speaker so you can listen to music while you pack. An engineered organizational panel includes category labeled compartments and an integrated packing list ensures you never forget your essentials.

If you’re in the market for crush-proof lightweight luggage, Genius Pack can help you. They are the first company to release hardside luggage with an interior organizational panel. Their 25-inch model weighs in at 8.2 pounds and rolls 360 degrees with 8-silent gliding spinner wheels. Additional features include an integrated combination lock, a permanent packing checklist, and secluded laundry compartment to keep unclean clothes separate from the rest. Check out all of their products here: http://www.geniuspack.com

You’re exploring a new city and don’t want to carry around a big purse. Solution: Pursecase

You’re in a new place and know you need to be extra careful with your purse. Maybe you’re going out dancing and don’t want to bring a bag, but you need your phone and a few essentials like money, credit cards, etc. Even if you have a pocket, you don’t want to put them in there, as they can easily be lifted right out if in a busy club. The solution? The chic new pursecase! Kelley Weaver is the founder and CEO of pursecase and is also an alumnus of the hit show, Shark Tank and partners with Lori Greiner.

The protective smartphone case is not only functional, but also fashionable. It has a pocket to carry cash, ID and credit cards, and a sleek chain handle that doubles as a bracelet, as well as a compact mirror designed for those fashion emergencies! A stylish cross body chain can be attached as well. They are sold on pursecase.com for $40 each.

Don’t get sick before you even get there! Solution: 8G (8 Greens)

Whoever travels with me soon sees that I spare nothing in trying not to get sick while on the road. I take airborne, elderberry extract, sniff saline solution before a flight and disinfect the armrests and tray tables. On my most recent trip, I brought with me a container of my wheatgrass powder. I was debating whether or not to bring it because it could get messy, but I was glad I did because someone on my trip was very sick and I was glad I had it!

So you can imagine when I heard about the new 8G (8 Greens), which is the world’s first effervescent tablet containing blue green algae, organic aloe vera, barley grass, spinach, kale spirulina, chlorella and wheatgrass, I was thrilled! Each tablet has zero grams of sugar and just nine calories. Tubes of 10 cost $12.50 and can be found online or at Nordstrom. 8G is power-packed nutrition: each tablet contains as much Vitamin C as five oranges, as much Vitamin B6 as 12 cups of peas, as much zinc as 10 cups of asparagus and as much Vitamin B3 as 27 cups of broccoli. And the health benefits of greens are well known. Blue green algae boosts the immune system and can reduce inflammation. Barley grass can lower cholesterol and blood pressure, while helping to keep blood sugar stable. Kale is rich in antioxidants, Vitamins A and C, calcium and fiber. Wheatgrass boosts red blood cell production and aloe vera accelerates healing.

Dawn Russell is the founder and CEO of Tasty Greens. 8G is the result of a multi year journey undertaken after she was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer in her mid-20s. Chemotherapy was not an option for her due to a bone infection, so she traveled the world in search of complementary treatments. She is now happy and healthy thanks to the healing power of greens. You can find them here: https://8greens.com

The head bob… Solution: The Travel Halo Travel Pillow and Mask

Mike Vahey, a U.S. Army veteran and world traveler invented the travel halo after countless sleepless airplane rides. We’ve all been there and having a good travel pillow can make all the difference in the world between arriving at your destination completely exhausted or refreshed and ready to hit the ground running.

Mike’s pillow is not really a pillow, but a soft head stabilizer that allows you to fall asleep sitting up in your chair. It has two rear stabilizers that put the pressure on the headrest instead of your neck. It also has an attached eye mask to keep out the light. Its minimalist design allows it to fold up into a pouch that can fit in your purse, a pocket, or glove compartment if you’re using it for a long car ride.

Also… The GoSleep Pillow and Mask

The GoSleep pillow and mask is a two-part system was developed by and also helps with head bobbing issue. It is a different concept than the Travel Halo because it is made up of an actual memory foam pillow and a mask, which wraps around your headrest. Therefore, this one gives you a little more cushion with the additional pillow that can be used behind your head or as a back support, but it also takes up more room in your carry-on. For the mask, one positions it over their eyes, and after placing the cord behind the headrest, adjusts the toggles for a comfortable fit.

Long flight? Feeling tired and gross? Solution: Good Wipes

Whenever I get off the plane, no matter how short the flight, I feel run down. On long flights, I could go a day without getting in a shower. This is where Good Wipes comes in and makes it all better! Sam Nebel and Charlie Siciak invented these after spending a long weekend without showering at a music festival and realized they needed something to help them freshen up.
Each individually wrapped wipe is biodegradable, ph-balanced, alcohol-free and 100% flushable/dispersible. They come in body wipes (9.5 x 11.5 inches) for both men and women and his and her below the belt wipes (7 x 5.3 inches). The scents are rejuvenating and ideal for getting you energized for that big meeting you have to run off to straight from the airport or when your hotel room is not quite ready yet after a long flight.

Oh no! I ran out of space on my phone to take pictures! Solution: Leef iBridge

How many times are you about to take that perfect picture when your phone tells you you’re out of storage? With the Leef iBridge, you never have to worry about using up one MB of space on your IOS device and it comes in storage amounts ranging from 16gb to 256 gb. This means you can take your entire music and movie library with you on trips and take as many pictures as you’d like without your phone telling you it ran out of storage. It has an apple lightning, a hi speed usb 2.0 connector, and sells for $59.99.

The Zika Scare…how do I protect myself? Solution: Exofficio Clothing

With Zika now in many Caribbean and Central and South American countries, when traveling, you want to take as many precautions as possible. ExOfficio BugsAway travel clothing and accessories offer an effective way for travelers to protect themselves against insects that can carry disease. ExOfficio offers styles of shirts, pants, jackets, hats, socks and accessories in the BugsAway collection, which are designed with travel-ready features and performance fabrics, providing bug protection that is comfortable and convenient.

ExOfficio BugsAway clothing is treated with invisible, odorless permethrin, using Insect Shield technology. Originally developed for the US military, Insect Shield technology bonds permethrin to apparel and gear products to provide odorless, effective and long-lasting protection. EPA-registered Insect Shield is tested and proven to repel mosquitoes, ticks, ants, flies, chiggers and midges (including those that can carry Zika virus and other illnesses such as Lyme disease, Dengue fever and malaria.) The repellency lasts through 70 launderings, the average life expectancy of a garment. ExOfficio was the first consumer apparel brand in the U.S. to utilize Insect Shield technology in 2004.

Need a jacket for cold weather, but it takes up so much room: Solution: Eddie Bauer Microtherm jacket

The latest fad over these past few years have centered on down jackets that fold up into a pouch. The Eddie Bauer Microtherm jacket is not only ultralight, but also built for alpine climbing in cool and cold weather. Since it is built for climbers, you can be confident it will offer the same weather protection for exploring in all the elements. The lightweight jacket is warm, windproof and water-repellent. Each cluster of the super high-loft 800 fill StormDown is also treated with a DWR finish so the down retains its loft and continues to provide insulation in wet conditions. The zip hand pockets ensures you don’t lose your essentials and the zip chest pocket with media port allows you to have music with you wherever your travels take you. And best of all, it folds up into a tiny ball and will fit into any small space you have left in your suitcase.

Filed Under: Baby and Travel Products, Gadgets