the importance of growth hormone to pets and a #somapet #couponcode

November 11, 2014 Kristen Carr

The term "growth hormone" may have a negative connotation since the press it typically gets is in the form of athletes using it illegally in the synthetic variety. The natural growth hormone our pets produce (as all mammals do) begins to decline after maturity and continues to decrease as our pets age. Growth Hormone is important early in life, but also for cellular maintenance as mammals grow older. SomaPet is a supplement that can support cellular maintenance by stimulating the body to naturally produce growth hormone.

It is thought that the artificial diets we have fed our pets since the 1930's have had detrimental effects on our pets. Most pet parents still feed their pets a highly-processed diet, so the basic, natural nutrients needed to keep our pets' health at an optimum are missing and need to be replaced. Even pets who are served a high-quality kibble or raw diet suffer from depleted nutrients in their food due to the way we grow and raise our food.

The result of this nutrient absence is that veterinarians are seeing the number of domesticated animals who suffer from the degenerative signs of aging increase.

SomaPet can help replace these lost nutrients an help restore our pets' health and improve their quality of life.

How is this possible?

SomaPet outlines how it works:

SomaPet is a specific combination of amino acids formulated to optimize the health of your pet. This specific combination, when taken orally, is designed to support the release of Growth Hormone from the pituitary, which assists in cell repair and regeneration. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and constitute an essential part of an animals' diet. SomaPet amino acids provide your pet with vital supplementation. This ensures an appropriate balance of amino acids particularly beneficial for animals over three years old exhibiting signs of aging.

So what specific benefits can SomaPet offer?

• improved immune function

• increased healing

• improved nervous function

• promoted cellular energy

• strengthened collagen and bone

• minimized exercise damage

I have been supplementing N.A.S.H.A.'s diet with SomaPet for about four months, now, and have witnessed results I never thought possible for our little nine-year-old pooch. So much so, that I will be sure she takes SomaPet for the rest of her life. She has increased energy, and her coat and skin are healthier than ever. The cool thing is, I noticed these results within the first few days! Things just keep getting better.

What I love most about SomaPet is that it's all natural and made from the highest-quality 100% organic ingredients. There is no sugar, gluten, or fat, and it is completely free of preservatives, fillers, additives, and artificial coloring. And it's vegan! All I have to do is sprinkle a scoop on her food each evening, and she's good to go.

I partnered with SomaPet in order to spread the word about how fantastic it is. In turn, they are offering our readers stellar deals. Beginning today, November 11, for only four days (through the 14th), SomaPet is giving us great savings opportunities in their SomaPet STOCK UP SALE! If you'd like to give SomaPet a try (or even if you're an existing customer), you can save big:

So now is the time to take advantage of these savings and stock up! Just click the link and use the corresponding code to save big.

SomaPet is an affiliate partner of Well Minded, however, we only share information that we consider of benefit to our readers. SomaPet has provided us product in exchange for our honest opinion, but has not compensated us in any other way. SomaPet is not responsible for the content of this article.

we're partnering with #SomaPet to bring you health and deals

September 24, 2014 Kristen Carr

This past summer, we were introduced to a natural pet supplement called SomaPet. I couldn't believe the results we saw in N.A.S.H.A. I mean, I usually really love the products we review, but SomaPet was over-the-top can't-live-without-it awesome. I knew we'd continue N.A.S.H.A. on it. You can read our full review here.

In a nutshell, it's everything good with nothing bad. It comes in powder form and contains only natural, 100% organic ingredients. It is sugar free, gluten free, and fat free, and contains no preservatives, additives, fillers, or artificial coloring. And it's vegan. It's recommended for dogs and cats over three years of age.

So what does it do, you ask?

SomaPet describes it:

SomaPet is a proprietary combination of organic, pure free-form crystalline amino acids that help jumpstart your pet's natural processes of cell repair and regeneration.

The ultimate dietary supplement, SomaPet consists of a synergistic combination of free form L-amino acids designed to assist:

• strengthens collagen and bones

• improves immune system

• renews vitality

• helps reduce body fat

• healthier skin and coat

• promotes cellular energy

• increases healing

When we first reviewed SomaPet, N.A.S.H.A. had been taking it for just two weeks, and I already noticed a remarkable improvement in her coat and energy level. Now that she's been taking it for three months, we see a consistent improvement in her energy level. She's jumping and playing more, and she's more spry. It used to take her a few attempts to hop onto our high bed, but now she makes it on the first try, every time. She runs around the back yard more, and she asks the kids to play more often. (Yes, she asks them by tossing them one of her toys.) And her coat? Let's just say José Eber would swoon.

It makes me feel great to give my pooch something that helps her so much. I would highly recommend SomaPet to anyone with an adult dog or cat. No joke.

As you can imagine, I was thrilled when SomaPet contacted me about partnering to bring this fantastic supplement to Well Minded readers at a discount. SomaLife, the company that makes SomaPet, began by offering supplements for humans. After I've seen what their product has done for my dog, I'm anxious to try the human variety, and I'll be sure to let you know what I think.

So check it out and get to saving!

15% off any order at ShopSomaLife. Use coupon code NASHA15 during checkout.

Connect with SomaPet and SomaLife on Facebook and Twitter.

Well Minded is an affiliate partner of SomaLife and SomaPet. SomaLife and SomaPet are not responsible for the content of this article, and all opinions expressed are our own. We only share information we feel would benefit our readers.

increasing the vitality of your pet naturally with #SomaPet

July 9, 2014 Kristen Carr

Each night at dinner time our dog, N.A.S.H.A., gets Apple Cider Vinegar and UltraOil in her food. She's been taking these supplements for some time because they are natural and effective. Plus, she loves them. She now turns her nose up at any food that doesn't smell strongly of vinegar! I thought we were pretty set in our canine supplement routine, but then I learned about SomaPet, a supplement by SomaLife.

What is SomaPet? SomaPet is a proprietary combination of organic, pure free-form crystalline amino acids that help jumpstart your pet's natural processes of cell repair and regeneration.

I knew that we had to try it. It comes in powder form and contains only natural, 100% organic ingredients. It is sugar free, gluten free, and fat free, and contains no preservatives, additives, fillers, or artificial coloring. And it's vegan. Our family tries our best to keep chemicals out of our bodies, so I was thrilled to see that such an amazing supplement had been created for our pets. SomaPet can increase a pet's vitality and longevity by helping immune function, promoting natural healing, helping maintain healthy energy levels, improving the skin and coat and improving nervous function and bone strength. With N.A.S.H.A. on the eve of her ninth birthday, I was ready to kick things up a notch.

I learned that the supplement was created by Dr. Phillip White, who noticed his beloved German Shepherd, Rover, struggling with mobility as he aged. Dr. White wanted to help Rover's quality of life and began giving him SomaLife's Youth Formula. It helped Rover so quickly and dramatically that Dr. White developed SomaPet so all pet parents could experience the benefits.

I could see that there was nothing bad to be found in SomaPet (my first criteria) so I then wondered what it could do for N.A.S.H.A. Would it benefit her? The SomaPet web site described how it could:

The ultimate dietary supplement, SomaPet consists of a synergistic combination of free form L-amino acids designed to assist:

• strengthens collagen and bones

• improves immune system

• renews vitality

• helps reduce body fat

• healthier skin and coat

• promotes cellular energy

• increases healing

Wow. Sign me up. I mean, sign N.A.S.H.A. up.

As you probably already know, N.A.S.H.A. is quite picky, so I was a little bit concerned about whether she would take to another addition to her food. I added our usual ACV and UltraOil, then sprinkled a scoop of SomaPet onto her food and gave it a dazzling chef-like toss. She was impressed. I must have sold it, because she gave it a sniff, looked at me, then dove right in. She either loved the way the SomaPet tasted or didn't notice it there. Either way–winning.

Seriously. My scraggly dog is now silky thanks to SomaPet.

N.A.S.H.A. has now been taking SomaPet for two weeks. Though I can't tell how it's affected her bone density or immune function, I am amazed to see a transformation in her skin and coat. She's not an overly stinky dog, but she doesn't typically smell like roses, either. Since she's been on SomaPet, she has no odor whatsoever. This odor-fighting thing is not an advertised benefit, but I attribute that to the increased health of her skin. I also notice how her coat is really soft. She's a scraggly little thing, and her coat is pretty wiry and obnoxious no matter what we do. Even straight out of the bath, she looks like she hasn't been bathed in years. But, now, her coat is much softer, somehow. Perhaps my imagination, but this new look coincided with our introduction of SomaPet.

N.A.S.H.A.'s mobility seems to have improved. She's always been pretty spry, but I've noticed that in the past year, it's been more difficult for her to get up on our high bed (Of course she sleeps in the bed with us). She'd have to back up and take a running start, and she wouldn't always make it on the first try. It made me sad to see this change in her, but since she's been taking SomaPet, she springs right up with no do-overs!

I've also noticed that N.A.S.H.A.'s activity level has increased. She's a pretty playful dog, anyway, but lately she's been asking us to play more times each day and she plays for longer periods. This makes me so happy because she loves to play fetch and catch (yes, she throws back to us), and when I'd tried to engage her over the past few months, she wasn't as interested as she'd been in the past. I even started calling her my "little old lady." Since she's been on SomaPet, I've definitely seen an increase in her activity level.

I'm thrilled to have discovered SomaPet and will definitely make it a permanent part of N.A.S.H.A.'s supplement mix. Though I can't see how it's benefiting her on the inside, I am confident that it is due to the big improvements I've seen on the outside. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a holistic supplement for their adult or aging pet.

Join me for a SomaPet Twitter Chat on July 22nd from 8:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. EST. Use #BlogPawsChat to join the fun and have a chance to win a bottle of SomaPet!

Purchase SomaPet here.

Check out the SomaPet web site here.

Learn more about the science behind SomaPet here.

SomaPet FAQ

Connect with SomaPet and SomaLife on Facebook and Twitter.

This post is sponsored by SomaPet and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about SomaPet, but well minded only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. SomaPet is not responsible for the content of this article.

hi, i'm vegan-ish. nice to meet you

April 19, 2014 Kristen Carr

Nearly every day, I ask myself "what kind of an eater am I?" I tend to like to put labels on things. I think most people do. The fact is, I can't put a label on the kind of eater I am. Sometimes I call myself an "aspiring vegan" or an "almost vegan." Is there such a thing? Isn't that a bit like being "almost pregnant?"

The fact is, I prepare and eat mostly vegan meals. My family eats them with me, but they are not vegan, nor do they wish to be. So we have meat and dairy around the house. Do I occasionally throw a bit of cheese on my veggie burger? Guilty. Do I eat an actual burger once in a blue moon? Yes. But am I helping animals and the environment anyway? Yes.

A couple of weeks ago, I accidentally discovered a Live Twitter Chat new to me, #VeganFoodChat hosted by The Food Duo, "a couple of quirky vegan kids from NYC who play with their food." I started following the hash tag and discovered the participants to be talking about the triumphs and tribulations of being vegan around those who are not. I quickly joined in, not really caring if I "belonged." I know all too well about the judgements people pass about vegans. I judged, too, before I started learning more about it. I thought these vegans may not accept me (I think that's a commonly-held stereotype about passionate people), but I decided I'd just give them all the middle finger if they were haters and I dove in head first.

This group of people welcomed me and accepted me into their fold instantly. And when I admitted that I wasn't a "real vegan" but just a "mostly vegan," or one of those labels I like to use on myself, they seemed to breathe a sign of relief. One of them said "If there is a perfect vegan out there, I have yet to meet him or her." Another said "Everyone slips up sometimes, but no one talks about it." Wow. I felt accepted and comfortable, and even a little bit groundbreaking in my admission. For the first time, I felt like the kind of vegan-ish person I am is okay and can be accepted. And I don't have to be perfect.

So, what's my point? (Shut up about yourself, now, Kristen.) I don't have to be perfect, and you don't either.

Every bit of vegan-ish behavior you can muster helps the world get closer to ending the torture of animals for human consumption (please don't turn the channel just 'cause I went a little activist on you).

Being open-minded and educating yourself on where your food comes from is the first step. Sure, there are some nutty activists out there, and they are so loud, they are hard to hear. We just want to tell them to shut up. But if you digest the information slowly on your own terms and realize that there is a lot of truth behind the accusations, you're opening yourself up to a whole new way of thinking.

So what can you actually accomplish, even if you aren't a full-fledged vegan?

Reducing the amount of meat in your diet has tremendous health benefits and environmental benefits, not to mention the fact that it helps get us closer to ending the suffering of animals, the standard for most meat-producers. Check out some of these statistics outlined by Kathy Freston.

If everyone went vegetarian for just one day, the U.S. would save:
• 100 billion gallons of water, enough to supply all the homes in New England for almost four months.
• 1.5 billion pounds of crops otherwise fed to livestock, enough to feed the state of New Mexico for more than a year.
• 70 million gallons of gas–enough to fuel all the cars of Canada and Mexico combined with plenty to spare.
• 3 million acres of land, an area more than twice the size of Delaware.
• 33 tons of antibiotics.
If everyone went vegetarian just for one day, the U.S. would prevent:
• Greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 1.2 million tons of CO2, as much as produced by all of France.
• 3 million tons of soil erosion and $70 million in resulting economic damages.
• 4.5 million tons of animal excrement.
• Almost 7 tons of ammonia emissions, a major air pollutant.
You can read Freston's entire article, The Startling Effects of Going Vegetarian for Just One Day, here.

Talk about a powerful way to help the environment! But what about animals?

Most of us fall prey to the denial of the "out of sight, out of mind" mentality. We don't see animals suffer, so it's easy to deny it. We just see our food served nicely on a plate and don't give a second thought to what an animal had to go through to make that meal possible. Or we say "yeah, yeah...I know. But I like meat. Whatever." Some of us don't even believe that the animals suffer. When I do have that occasional burger, I'm somehow able to put the images I've seen and stories I've been told out of my mind for a bit, so I get it. But most of the time, I can't get what I've learned out of my mind. I'm not going to include a bunch of gory pictures and stories, so don't get all uncomfortable. Just know that it's real, and the information is everywhere if you want to see for yourself.

If you're interested in reducing the amount of meat and/or dairy in your life on behalf of animals (or the environment, or your health, or whatever) how do you get started?

First of all, you've already started if you've made it this far in the post and are still reading. You rock!

Second, do whatever works for you. I eased into it, and though I'm almost there, I'm still easing. I'm not quite ready to completely give up the annual sushi dinner with my mother-in-law (yes–I know–there's great vegan sushi) or an occasional late-night In-and-Out indulgence with my hubby. But I'll get there.

Here are a few suggestions on getting started that worked well for me:

• Try Meatless Monday. Yes, it's an actual thing with a web site and everything! Pretty great. Meatless Monday is an awesome way to commit to eating this way just one day a week. By committing to it, I enabled myself to explore vegetarian and vegan recipes I wouldn't have otherwise considered, some of which have become family favorites. My family was actually excited about it. Participation was something I proposed to them, and they were on board. Well, the teen thing rolled his eyes a bit to play it cool, but I think he liked the idea. They felt comfortable committing to one day. They had six others! We ate this way for a long time. The kids (and even my hubby) would start asking over the weekend "what are we doing for Meatless Monday?" or "can we have X, again, for Meatless Monday?"

Once I began to learn their favorites, I started sneaking in an additional meatless meal on, say, Wednesday. We'd be halfway through the meal before someone would notice. "Hey...this has no meat! It's not Meatless Monday!" Oh, well. (Hee hee.)

This video about the who, what, how, why, and where on Meatless Monday is quite hilarious (oh, and informative):

• Watch Vegucated. I'm a huge documentary fan, and this one was recommended to me by a non-vegan friend who has similar taste in flicks. I don't want to spoil it for you, but let's just say it probably had the most influence on me of any step I took toward a vegan lifestyle. It's not told in a voice of activism. It's quite gentle and forgiving, yet hard-hitting. It pulled me out of my denial about where my meat was coming from. It showed real people going through this struggle that is both physical and emotional. Check out the trailer:

• Read The Kind Diet. The Kind Diet has become one of my favorite books. I borrowed it from the library and then purchased a copy for myself the next day. It had to be mine. Alicia Silverstone talks about the different stages of being vegan from "flirting" to becoming a "superhero." She puts things nicely, but plainly, and has a casual "this meat-eating thing just doesn't really make sense" attitude. She thinks about it from all angles. She is kind, as advertised. She educates, offers tips, and provides some out-of-this-world recipes. And–bonus!–she's pretty damn entertaining.

• Check out Vegetarian Times Magazine. I have a subscription, and I love it! I don't have to go looking for recipes. I can just open up a magazine and choose something. In addition, the magazine has some great articles about the vegetarian/vegan lifestyle. I even like the ads! They introduce me to awesome products I may not have otherwise considered.

• Make your own Pinterest board of meatless recipes, and follow others' boards for fresh ideas. My board is composed of both meat-free recipes and meat recipes that sound amazing that have adapted or would like to adapt (yes, it's okay to do that). I call it "grub: vegetarian, vegan, and adaptable recipes." Go on...check it out. I'll wait for you.

I also joined a Pinterest group board created by my friend, Sarah, called "Meatless Recipes," which is a great way to share with others and gain new recipe ideas. Plus, it's fun! If you're not already on Pinterest (echo...echo...echo), beware. It's quite addictive.

• Don't immediately try to vegan-ize your favorite dishes. You'll be totally bummed, if you do. A veggie burger does not taste like a cheeseburger, and tofu does not taste like chicken. Start out by creating something entirely new. Add to your diet; don't replace items in your diet–at first. Make yourself a veggie stir-fry over quinoa on Monday, and enjoy that fried chicken on Tuesday. Think of it as an adventure rather than a chore or obligation, and it will be a lot more fun. And once you do go for that veggie burger, realize that it's still not a replacement for a cheeseburger. Let it be it's own thing, and appreciate it for what it is. It's quite delicious. But it's not a cheeseburger replacement; It's a veggie burger.

• Make some vegan friends. And I know just where to find them. I invite you to join me each Wednesday for the #VeganFoodChat. Come with an open mind and an open heart (please, no haters). Tell 'em @WellMinded sent you.

See. There's a lot we can do. It's not black and white. Any small measure helps in so many ways. Consider the enormous impact you could have on animals by giving this whole meatless thing a try, to any degree. I'll close with one of my favorite quotes:

Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he begun his work.
One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down at the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects and throwing them into the ocean.
He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"
The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."
"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.
To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up, and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."
Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"
At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "It made a difference for that one."
-Loren Eiseley

follow the leaping bunny...but not too far down the rabbit hole

April 18, 2014 Kristen Carr

Boy, do I feel duped. I feel like I'm pretty knowledgeable when it comes to animal testing and products that are tested on animals. I read labels, and I try to avoid any cosmetic or household product that may employ animal testing. I was browsing my April/May 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, and came across an article called "Mindful Beauty" by Elizabeth Barker. It was well-written. Barker talked about which ingredients to steer clear of because they might be harmful to your health, the planet, or animals. It was the sidebar about the "leaping bunny," though, that really caught my attention:

How can you be certain no animal was harmed in the process of testing whether that new serum or shampoo might have irritating effects? 'Some companies state they don't test on animals, when in fact they merely contract other companies to do the testing,' explains Leaping Bunny Program (leapingbunny.org) spokesperson Kim Paschen. By signing on to the leaping Bunny standard, she says, companies ban animal testing through all stages of the manufacturing process, and source ingredients solely from suppliers that also have eliminated animal testing. Much like farmers may practice pesticide-free agriculture without the organic designation, beauty product manufacturers may forgo animal testing without Leaping Bunny certification. But a listing in the program's Compassionate Shopping Guide assures an animal test-free product.

Okay. So, basically, a package can say "we don't test on animals" and be speaking the truth when, in fact, they've hired "Acme Animal Testing, Inc." to test the product. That's a bit like my kid telling me "I didn't break the window. My baseball did."

Or, a company can say "this product was not tested on animals" and be speaking the truth because the product in it's final form was not tested on animals but each ingredient was.

It's all about tricky semantics, and it stinks.

So look for the leaping bunny on your products. It's a quick way to know what you're purchasing is cruelty-free. But just because a product doesn't display the logo, doesn't mean it tests on animals. Use of the logo is pricey, so some companies choose not to use it. They still appear on the Leaping Bunny Compassionate Shopping Guide. But that's not the end of the story.

I love Melaleuca products–cosmetics and household cleaners, and was concerned a few years ago when I didn't see them on the Compassionate Shopping Guide, but, instead on the "do test" list. I couldn't believe that such a compassionate wellness company would test on animals! I was horrified. So I called the company and received a letter from CEO Frank Vandersloot.

It turns out that the reason they were on the "do test" list was because they shampooed some dogs with their dog shampoo before taking it to market. Since the dog shampoo contained no toxic ingredients, they were certain that the dogs would not be harmed. They were merely "testing" to be sure the shampoo did a good job. Sounds reasonable to me. Faith restored. In order to appear in the Compassionate Shopping Guide, a company may not conduct animal testing of any sort, and this, indeed, is an animal test. It's great that the list is so strict. We know with 100% confidence that companies who appear on the list absolutely do not test on animals in any way. We just might want to take that with a grain of salt.

If you suspect that your favorite product might be tested on animals, contact the company and ask. Listen closely, and don't be fooled by claims of "we don't test." Dig a little deeper. "Do you contract other companies to provide animal testing on any of your ingredients or your final product?" is a good question to ask.