Tallow Balm Review (Plus a Funny Story!)

Honest Tallow Balm Review

And A Funny Story About Tallow's Effectiveness 

When I was pregnant with my second child, I was growing at a bit faster of a pace than the first time around. So we decided to get an ultrasound to make sure that there was only one baby coming. We get our appointment and go to get the ultrasound. 

I lay down on the bed and pull my shirt up so the technician can start the ultrasound. Before any ultrasound, they always have to put goo on your belly. She squirts the goo on my belly, and instead of it staying where it landed, it slid right off my belly, all the way to the bed. We all stared, dumbfounded while the technician persistently applied more goo on my stomach, and we all watched it start to make its escape. 

“What is on your belly?!” she asked as she caught the goo with the ultrasound wand and proceeded with the the ultrasound. Ben and I looked at each other. 

“Tallow,” I said, just as surprised as she was. I had been applying tallow balm (tallow, olive oil, and a little essential oil) to my stomach everyday to avoid getting any stretch marks from being pregnant again, and didn’t realize this super side effect— I was now waterproof. 

Tallow is the perfect moisturizer because it mimics the natural oils our skin makes. It softens dry skin, and rough spots. 

In November, I restarted a daily application of tallow balm on my face and hands, as well as anywhere that seemed like it needed some moisture. I’ve always had sort of bumpy, easily reddening skin, especially on my cheeks, neck, and arms. Since I started using the tallow regularly, the redness has reduced, my face and arms feel silky, and I definitely feel like it moisturizes better than any other lotion that I used before. 

If you struggle with dryness, acne, eczema, or just want a penetrating moisturizer with only three clean ingredients, here's the best one!

I had such a beneficial experience with tallow healing my skin that my husband and I decided to sell the highest quality tallow balm ourselves. 

Noaic Balm uses grass-fed beef tallow (only from the suet), from small sustainable farms in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. They use organic extra virgin olive oil that is solely sourced from Greece, and CPTG essential oils. This is clean as it gets! 

My T-Tapp adventures from the past month! + Reasons to T-Tapp during pregnancy!

I am "full term" on Friday (so I will be 39 weeks). I did some adventurey things in the past month!

 It all started when I shared this photo of myself on the T-Tapp Support page on facebook at the beginning of July.


I was just sharing how thankful I was for having the T-Tapp workout to consistently do during pregnancy. This workout doesn't break your body down, it makes it get stronger without too much muscle ripping. :) (I still get sore and I still lose inches, but my adrenals are not fatigued the next day and I want to do it!)

So I shared it on facebook at the beginning of July, and later that evening, I got a call (on Sunday) from a number I didn't recognize. I thought it was a telemarketer, so I didn't answer, but when I got a voicemail, I obliged and listened to it. It was Teresa Tapp (the creator of the T-Tapp workout) calling me from her cell phone (!), telling me how impressed she was with my progress/results, and that she had a game plan and to call her back. I was shocked and elated.

"Ben! Teresa Tapp just called me!!"
"So call her back!"
"Ok!"

So I called her back and she invited me to come to Florida at the beginning of August to be a part of a  pregnancy-specific T-Tapp workout VIDEO. And to stay for the annual T-Tapp retreat that she held at the local spa hotel.

Wow.

I couldn't believe it.

Ben and I looked at the timing, and originally we thought I would already be 36 weeks and it wasn't going to quite line up. But then. Then! I was Skyping Marie because I was so excited. And she was really encouraging me to make it work and go even though it would be late in my pregnancy. And I looked at the dates again--and I wasn't right-- it was 35 weeks at the beginning of August. So, while Naisa or Yonah talked to Marie, I called Teresa back and said YES I COULD come!

I got my midwife's permission (and blessing!) to fly and then I called my Aunt Rosie and asked her if she wanted to come to be my travel buddy. She said she hadn't planned a vacation and was planning to do so soon and that this was perfect timing.


Then I spend the month of July not getting too excited in case anything would change with my pregnancy. But everything went smoothly! I got a couple emails from Imal, Teresa's publicist, who got my photos and then later emailed me to let me know that I was going to be filmed for the local TV station's T-Tapp Tuesday! So my adventure got even more exciting.

 Look at that photo bomb! On the airplane out

This picture is funny because I am pulling her dress at the waist so it actually has a waist! This is on the way out to the TV studio.

At the end of July Aunt Rosie flew in and the 1st of August, we flew out of our local airport and headed to Tampa Bay! We finally got there around 6:00 and got an Uber to the hotel and went to the cafe and met Teresa and the several people who were also going to be filmed for TV the next day AND the ladies who would be in the pregnancy workout video the next day. It was a big WOW and exciting thing!

The next day (Wednesday) I got up early and had my makeup done.
Then we were off in a limo (!) to the local TV station!

Teresa, Imal (Teresa's publicist), Renee (who had been T-Tapping for 18 years), Alicia (who had lost 40 pounds of menopause weight in four months and kept it off for four years), me (pregnant T-tapp!) and Chantelle, who lost 30 inches in the 60 day challenge and was a Grand Prize Winner, and of course, Aunt Rosie, my personal photographer :).

The interviews went great, we did them all in one take each. And Imal and Aunt Rosie made sure I got to try the maple bacon creme filled donut that was sitting in the green room. (It was quite interesting, and I only had half). We were all super excited/elated/adrenalined by the experience when we got in the limo to head back to the hotel. Of course, when my door unexpectedly swung open when the limo went around a turn, and I casually shut it like it was no big deal, that was quite the surprise as well!

When we got back, we were beginning to prep for the pregnancy workout video! We met the videographers and also did our professional photos for the DVD cover/promos/website promo!
That was fun (and tiring! You really hold it all in when you are doing that!!). Aunt Rosie got me some food during this time (it was lunch time!) and I ate between being needed and also got to chat with Margaret (the pregnant T-Tapp trainer who is the same age as me), Vivian (Margaret's sis in law who t-tapped through her first pregnancy and was part of the first video), and Shannon (Margaret's mom who had seven babies... including the last one at 47.5! and she T-tapped off the baby weight even then!) . They did the instructional workout first, and I took a few pictures and talked with Teresa while they did the workout. Then we started the portions I was a part of-- some with just me and Margaret, and the main workout with Margaret, Shannon, and me. It was long, it was good, we sweated, we giggled, we smiled, and when it was done we were starving and ready for dinner!!

I got the salmon that time, and Margaret and I got a cheese plate! Yum!

Thursday morning, the T-Tapp retreat started! So many enthusiastic people, so much good food. Highlights include
Hanging out with Margaret, Shannon, Dana (one of Margaret's T-Tapp friends), meeting Rebecca,
seeing Aunt Rosie learn to T-Tapp!
working out near trainers who I've only known through facebook,
meeting an Israeli T-tapper and speaking in Hebrew with her (!).
Seeing Teresa give so much love and energy to her students with a full heart.
Seeing a company with the sole goal of helping people better themselves.
Getting a prenatal massage (they had more pregnant security than the airport!)
Getting reflexology on my feetsies.
Getting holy-crap challenged in the standing workouts (I didn't really participate in the floor workouts because I was so pregnant!)
Rocking the Hoedown showdown (and then needing a nap that afternoon)
Losing several inches in my arms, ribs, and hips!
Eating more good food! Loving on people!

Aunt Rosie and I had a great time! it was crazy when Sunday morning arrived. I participated an hour of the morning workout before we got in our Uber to the airport. The security didn't last as long as week expected (we could have waited a little longer). Then we were on our way home. Rosie had to get back checked twice (which was super annoying!), but she made it home just fine, it was just a little overwhelming.

We had received these two huge tote bags of goodies from companies who had sent samples to T-Tapp for the retreat. Becuase I had already packed pretty light, I just decided to really smash my stuff in my bag and check the one with liquids (it turned out to be cheaper than shipping it).

That bag of goodies was gone in a week (save some toiletry items, some hot sauces, and some stevia). And every day I look for them in the snack cabinet because they were SO GOOD. But they saved me money on breakfast and snacks on the plane. And I don't eat that much snacky food, so I enjoyed it!

It was crazy coming home! Benjamen and the kids managed without me. He, in fact, upped the bar for going to the park every day! The kids said almost every day and still occasionally say, "mom, we're glad you came home on the airplane." They said it yesterday when I showed them the TV segment I was in. :)


Reasons to use T-Tapp during pregnancy!
I am now almost 39 weeks pregnant, I am still T-Tapping! It was been a wonderful workout for the entire pregnancy. I am still doing portions of workouts when I feel like it, and yesterday I did a full workout because I felt like it!)

- It has given me great posture (and if not, great knowledge of posture),
- stronger back muscles (I have not had back fat this pregnancy!),
- a WAAAY stronger core (I have subtle oblique lines on either side of my belly!),
- the only time I needed my support belt was when I was having issues with an umbilical hernia in the first and second trimesters),
- I have had NO balance issues (with my second, I had to sit in the last trimester so I wouldn't tumble over putting on shoes),
- I have a method to control my back pain (due to baby's positioning) (it's T-Tapp!!)
- I only started experiencing swelling in the past week (!) and I am also managing it! (Epsom salt baths, pregnancy tea)
- My weight gain has been much more controlled!
- I have had little to no aches and pains this pregnancy and can only complain about the challenge of getting out of bed because my belly is so large. It doesn't hurt, it's just BIG.
- My blood pressure has been ON POINT this entire pregnancy (save the one day I wasn't feeling well, and it was 130/80). I think that's related to my great workout routine!
- I have been able to lie on my back without feeling like I can't breathe. I don't do it for long periods, but it's not uncomfortable unless I put my legs in the air. I contribute this to stronger muscles in my back and abdomen.

A brief education on how the female body works

So this information is for those out there who were like me four years ago.... someone who knows exactly two things about the menustration cycle. I ovulated sometime when I didn't have a period and I could get pregnant if I was sexually active.

But, silly me, I knew nothing else. I tried the mini pill for one week and it left me (you guessed it) hormonal. I didn't want to be "PMS"ing all the time, so I quit and decided to figure out an alternative. I looked up the rhythm method. It sounded good, despite the fact that I had irregular periods and never knew exactly what day my period would come, it sounded perfect. So I tried that. And was I dreaming! And then I got pregnant.

And I learned all about pregnancy. Then I had a baby, knew all about babies, and didn't have a period for ten months.  That was nice.

I did research on family planning methods that did not involve hormones and decided that I was going to use temperatures and cervical mucus data to avoid pregnancy.

I got my first period successfully knowing when I ovulated.

And then I had a 67 day cycle. And we got pregnant again.

Now, obviously I am an "expert" on my pregnancies and on my babies, but had yet to conquer the avoidance of more of them. But I was determined.

So here's a simple education on the female cycle that is vital for both men and women to understand if you prefer no hormones or foreign objects in your body.

Cycles change, and there are lots of reasons why. 
Hormones, stress, the moon, the people you are living with, breastfeeding, hormonal birth control. These things throw your body off and cause anxiety or excitement about the possibility of pregnancy.

In you (or your female significant other)'s cycle there are two phases: the follicular and luteal phases. The follicular phase is the period of time when you start your period through when you ovulate and the luteal phase is the time period after ovulation through the first day of your period.

Ovulation is when the body releases a mature egg from an ovary and it goes through fallopian tube to the uterus. The egg survives 24 hours. If a sperm finds it before it dies, then you have an embryo that goes into the uterus and attaches itself to the cozy ready-made lining (aka period discharge) and grows a cute cuddly baby. 

http://cloudfront.mediamatters.org/static/images/item/prn-limbaugh-20130611-planbchart.jpg

The follicular phase is the part that varies due to situations listed above. However, you always have fourteen days after you ovulate (luteal phase) before your next period.  

During the follicular phase, the cervix is prepping for ovulation. After your period ends, the cervix begins creating copious (or small) amounts of mucus of various textures. It goes from creamy to very stretchy. The very stretchy (as in you can stretch it two inches) mucus is called (for lack of a better term) egg white mucus. This is considered fertile mucus and can shelter sperm.

A note on sperm: sperm, in hostile conditions (aka post ovulation), live only 24 hours, but sperm in ideal conditions (egg white mucus) can live for 5 days. Five days. That's more than half a week. 

So this is all scary and it seems inevitable to get pregnant if you don't want to touch your mucus (and who does?)

Your body temperatures change during the phases.  When you wake up in the morning, before any hot beverages, you take your temperature for five minutes (leave it in after it beeps). This temperatue is your body's baseline temp. Depending where you are in your cycle it's higher or lower. 

In the follicular phase, your temp is lower. For example, mine is 97.5 -97.7 (F). 

Once you ovulate, your body temperature jumps at least .3 of a degree. Mine jumps to 98.3-98.6. 
 During this phase, I always feel warmer than everyone else. And when the week before my period happens, I drink red raspberry leaf tea to negate rash behavior on my part (haha).

Here is an example of someone's temperature on a chart.

http://thegiftoflife.info/Images/Images/nfphormonegraph.jpg

What's so great about this??
 1. I always know when my period is coming (I just look on my calendar two weeks from when I ovulated, and also my temperature drops)
2. I understand my body and what's happening and so when we are ready for another baby, it will be simpler to "plan". 
3. I do not have to ingest any hormones (and their side effects) and our birth control budget is minimal (just barrier control during the fertile pre-ovulation periods)


 



 

 

The Prego Blues

I have the pregnancy blues. It took less time to reach this point in his pregnancy, probably because I'm more growing so much quicker. We are 26 weeks pregnant. On the cusp of the third trimester. I am worn out!

There are multiple (no pun intended!) reasons for this. Because my womb is already up in my lung space, it is harder to breathe. Then getting up from the couch/floor/bed is a big groan, because all the air is pushed out of my lungs the moment I lean forward. 

My back aches on the right side. In my personal opinion, I think it has to do with the position of the baby on that side. 

I am hungry All. The. Time. Like I just felt another hunger pang. And so, that makes me have to use the bathroom all the time... Not just number 1...

The cod liver oil. This is the grit-your-teeth-and-bear-it thing that I have decided that I will do for the good of the babies and my own health. And the first day was hard. And then it got harder. And then it got easier. I have perfected the swallowing technique: inhale, ingest spoon of cod liver oil, start hugging water, still don't breathe out of nose, shove dry bread into mouth. Begin chewing ferociously. The bread is key. It absorbs the extra saliva that arrives when one has a gag reflex. I chew it until it is swallow able. Then I'm fine. 

The reasons I take this delectable treat (ha. Ha.) are many: optimal absorption of real vitamin D, vitamin A, omega 3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA(I think that's the other one). These things are vital for baby brain growth! And its great for my immunity, so I can remain healthy through this pregnancy. It's one thing to be pregnant with your first child and be sick. It's another thing to have a year and a half year old and be sick. Thankfully I haven't really been sick since before Naisa was born.

Ugh, weight gain. I've already told Ben that if there is only one baby, I'm just one of those women who gains a lot of weight during my pregnancies. But, since I'm convinced its twins, I feel ok about the weight gain... And then it goes straight to my legs. And my pants no longer fit. And I only want to wear stretchy things. This, I feel, I am entitled to, because, guys, during pregnancy, you only get bigger. This is not a weight maintenance time. Don't expect numbers to go down. Thus, a nice quality pair of stretchy leggings will do. The clothing designer who thought that pregnancy clothes should not be stretchy didn't really honk that one through. Bellies grow...so do arms, and legs, and breasts, and hips!

Water retention. So, guess what? This is a normal part of pregnancy. Sitting for too long will make your ankles swell( like a car ride) elevating your legs makes them feel better, but some of the swelling just sticks around until you give birth. Then you have a couple sweaty days and peeing nights (or the just way around), and it comes off.

Varicose veins. Those pretty blue river that adorn your grandmothers legs are now in style to the expectant mother! Due to blood volume doubling, and, you guessed it! fluid retention, veins like to ripple through your outermost layer of skin! The also show up for excess estrogen for non pregnant women. And spider veins.

But! But but but!

Every kick, thump, roll, and punch, is a sweet reminder to enjoy the flavor o this pregnancy. Don't worry, I am.

-Grace

 

26 weeks at Ben's parents' house