Bridal Toilettes...A Victorian Wedding

by Katy Green
www.shoptobegreen.com

Victorian Wedding Dresses
Bridal Toilettes

Any season is a perfect setting for weddings especially Victorian Weddings. I daydream of lace and long trains with tons of delicate flowers, silk and satin trimmings intertwined and the faint scent of lavender.

During Victorian times wedding dresses were called "Bridal Toilettes". In the 18th and 19th centuries brides did not wear white only on their wedding day. Victorian brides wore many colors from light blue to gold.  

Most women that were married during that time were young ranging from 14 years to 25 years. Lower class women  were expected to be married between the ages of 14-20. Higher class or wealthy women married in their late 20's depending on the suitors. The average age of marriage in the Victorian period was between 18-25.

The Victorian wedding dress was as a treasure back then as it is today and most women packed it away in a trunk or chest and passed it down to other generations. Many of the Victorian period wedding dresses that were made of lace and satin are in excellent condition and  so that's why so many are are exhibited in museums through out the world.

The following museums exhibit Victorian Wedding Dresses:

• Andrea's Museum of Victorian Fashion in Tombstone Arizona, USA features over 400 items of authentic Victorian and Edwardian clothing, accessory, personal and household possessions, ranging in dates from primarily 1840 to 1920.
• The Victoria and Albert Museum in London UK, ;A Collection include wedding dresses, wedding accessories and jewelry, wedding suits and bespoke wedding gifts from the Renaissance period to the present day.
• Antique Dress.com is like a museum but the site is mostly an auction site for Victorian clothes and clothes from other time periods.
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art  is a landmark NY museum preserving over 9,000 Victorian dresses in their online digital collection as well as many exhibits. Access several wedding dresses from the 1800's-1900's online via the Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute which houses over 35,000 costumes.
• The Kent State University Museum offers a catalog of many wedding dresses from different time periods including Victorian wedding dresses.
• The Chicago History Museum has an online digital catalog of dresses from the 18th century to present day.

Acai Berry and Acai Berry Cleanse...does it work or not?

Acai Berry 

by Katy Green
www.shoptobegreen.com

We have survived acai berrymania and saturation of everything acai but I am not sure if acai is healthy or  not?

Can you overdose on the acai berry pills or get sick from the cai berry diet and what about Acai berry side effects?

I know...information overload but it's critical that we question anything new that we consume. Who has time to do that? We do!

Let's start with the history of the Acai berry...I can't begin unless I mention the Acai Berry madness on The Oprah Show years ago! 

Acai Berry Juice has antioxidants?

Several studies have found that juice from the Acai berries—which come from a South American palm tree—has very high antioxidant levels. But Consumer Reports couldn't find any studies measuring whether acai has any direct effect on human health. And it may be harmful in certain cases; an additional caveat: While fruit juices can be high in antioxidants, they tend to contain a lot of sugar and calories, and virtually no fiber. So enjoy them in moderation—or better yet, opt for the whole fruit, which provides antioxidants and fiber with fewer calories. Source:Consumer Reports. This report was from 2009.

Acai Berry Sugar Content

How much sugar is in Acai Berry Juice? It depends on the manufacturer of the Acai berry juice..

• Vitamin Water Acai-Blueberry-Pomegranate 20 oz bottle has 32 grams of sugar or 150 calories of sugar
• Sambozen Energy Drink 12 oz (acai berry) with 28 grams of sugar or 112 calories.
• Pure Organic Acai Berry Juice 32 ounces with claims of no sugar and 10 calories from Sunburst super foods. They suggest 1 fluid once in the am as directed by your doctor. Source: Sugerstacks.com and Sunburst Super Foods.com

Acai Fake?

• Internet marketers of acai berry weight-loss pills and colon cleansers were asked to pay $1.6 million to settle charges of deceptive advertising and unfair billing according to the Federal Trade Commission in 2012. 
• Fake news advertorials were created to deceive people into believing these cleansing products work.Acai News 
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Lose Weight Naturally

Can you overdose on Acai Berry Juice or Acai Berry and what are the side effects?

• People who are allergic to acai or to plants in the Arecaceae (palm) family should not consume acai.
• Consuming acai might affect MRI test results. If you use acai products and are scheduled for an MRI, check with your health care provider.
• No overdose symptoms discovered as yet. Source: NCCAM Acai Review

What does Dr. Oz's website say about the Acai Berry?

Be mindful of what type of acai products you buy because many acai-based juices have added sugar and very little pure acai, so please read the label. The first ingredient on the bottle should be acai, and while acai is loaded with nutrients, I also recommend that you look for the kind that is fortified with extra vitamins and minerals like 1,000% of the daily value of vitamin B12.  Once you find the acai juice brand you like switch it out for your daily glass of orange juice. After one week of nourishing your body with the Amazon’s most potent super berry, you’re likely to feel more energy than you have in years! Source: Dr. Oz Acai Berry written byLindsey Duncan, ND, CN. 

They also claim acai berry is rich in antioxidants so I searched on the Department of Health under the branch of National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)

What does the NCCAM say about the Acai Berry?

• Acai berry products have been marketed as traditional remedies for weight-loss and anti-aging purposes, but there is no definitive scientific evidence to support these claims. 
• There is no definitive scientific evidence based on studies in humans to support the use of acai berry for any health-related purpose.
• Laboratory studies have focused on acai berry’s potential antioxidant properties (antioxidants are substances that are thought to protect cells from damaging effects of chemical reactions with oxygen).
• Laboratory studies also have shown that acai berries demonstrate anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activity. Source: NCCAM Acai Review

Recent clinical study on Acai Berries:

What i figured out from my investigation on the acai berry... take everything in moderation, try to consume naturally and consult with your doctor for any drastic diet changes or if you are on medication.

Victorian Four Seasons!

We love the Victorian era and the beautiful picturesque scenes throughout the year! This is for our Shoptobegreen.com readers, friends and family.

CLICK HERE FOR VICTORIAN SCENES - FOUR SEASONS

This Is A Green - Organic Ethical T-shirts

by Mistie Dawn

Are you like me and like to know more about where your clothing comes from, how its produced and what materials its made of? Is it full of harmful chemicals? What is it the global impact?

Then This Is A Green may be the t-shirt company for you. Based in the UK and started by two brothers, their goal is to make ethical clothing and organic t-shirts.

This Is A Green T-shirt

These t-shirts are made from 100% certified organic cotton grown in India and then manufactured in a Fairwear Foundation audited factory that is powered by wind. This significantly helps reduce the carbon impact. They are then shipped to the UK where the message of each shirt is hand silk screened using phthalate-free ink. Each is delivered to customers door in reusable biodegradable packaging and anything from 2% to 50% of profits from each sale goes towards charitable causes. 

With more people wanting and looking for transparency from manufacturers as well as ethical production practices it's nice to see a company that is trying to do just that.

My personal favorite is this blue + yellow = green tshirt.

Organic Cotton T-shirt

This Is A Green is also venturing out into other products, like a wallet made out of upcycled seat belts. To learn more about this eco-friendly company visit their website.