About Megan

Megan spends her days with dirt under her nails, paint on her shirt, and laughter in her ears, and she wouldn't have it any other way. She writes about faith, mothering, and natural living at SortaCrunchy. Read her full bio here.

Natural Approaches to Healing from Cesarean Birth

by on December 9, 2011
in health, nutrition, & food · 36 Comments

Written by contributor Megan Tietz of SortaCrunchy

An emergency Cesarean birth was certainly not my plan for my first child. I spent a lot of time thinking about what I could have done differently before she was born, and I had high hopes that my second birth would take a different path. Unfortunately, some specific life circumstances kept me from being able to pursue my dream of a VBAC birth with my second daughter.

Healing from a Cesarean birth is not a topic that receives much coverage in the online world devoted to natural living. When I was recovering from the births of my daughters, I wasn’t even aware that there are natural approaches to healing that could have made my recovery time a little easier. Recently, a friend of mine gave birth via C-section and the midwives who had provided her prenatal care shared some natural healing tips that I wish I had known about when my girls were born. [Read more...]

Aromatherapy for Kids: 5 Ways to Bring Comfort and Cheer

by on October 26, 2011
in natural parenting · 11 Comments

The last time I was at my parents’ home, I noticed my mother was wearing her signature perfume – one that she has worn since I was a very small child. One whiff of that scent and I was transported back to childhood memories of sitting on the bathroom counter, watching her get ready for the day.

We all know what an incredible and powerful role scent has on our memories, and many of us have experienced how exposure to certain smells can trigger thoughts, emotions, and sensations. We often think of incorporating aromatherapy into our own lives through bath and body care, burning candles or incense, or even in caring for our clothing, but how often do we intentionally teach our children about the power of scent?

Babies, toddlers, and children tend to be much more in tune with their five senses, and our senses seem to be sharper and more sensitive when we are younger. Here are a few ways to incorporate aromatherapy into your home in a way that meets the needs of your children in the present while empowering them with knowledge to utilize it in their lives in the years to come. [Read more...]

Handmade Gifts to Make with Your Children

by on September 16, 2011
in repurposing · 10 Comments

Written by contributor Megan Tietz of SortaCrunchy.

It’s true that summer has not quite officially come to a close yet in our part of the world (while our friends Down Under are welcoming spring!), and so it may seem a bit premature to be talking about gifts for the holiday season. However, if you have ever created handmade gifts for holiday giving before, then you know it’s really never too early to start!

In years past, I have procrastinated on my handmade gifts until the last minute. Unfortunately, this meant I had to hurry through them to be able to finish on time. When my children asked to be able to help with the gifts, I was too frazzled and pressed for time to let them help. That’s probably not the best way to make happy holiday memories! [Read more...]

Tips for Choosing Children’s Supplements

by on August 3, 2011
in natural parenting · 43 Comments

One topic that never fails to elicit lots of conversation (sometimes very passionate conversation) is the question of whether or not children need vitamin supplements. There are nutrition and medical experts on each side of this discussion, and the opinions shared on both sides are well-researched and convincing.

Once a parent has determined to give vitamin supplements to their children, the next question becomes which one? Do you just grab the Flintstones off of the shelf of the chain pharmacy down the street, or do you face the overwhelming number of choices at the local health food store? [Read more...]

Introducing Spirulina to your Summer Smoothies

by on June 1, 2011
in health, nutrition, & food · 27 Comments

Written by contributor Megan Tietz of SortaCrunchy

It’s summertime, and in this season, we all place a great commodity on easy, don’t we?

Smoothies are a fantastic simple summer breakfast. The combination of fresh summer produce and a cool, refreshing drink to start the day make smoothies a popular choice for lazy summer mornings.

The green smoothie movement continues to pick up steam with influential experts such as Victoria Boutenko and Robyn Openshaw making the concept easy and accessible for all. My friend Jen wrote up a beginner’s guide to green smoothies for SortaCrunchy, and even I was surprised by how sweet and yummy a traditional green smoothie could be!

But one drawback to the green smoothie is that unless you have a powerful blender, preparation can be a little laborious and frustrating depending on the density of the greens being used. In the spirit of making life a little less complicated, I want to introduce you to an alternative to the traditional green smoothie: the spirulina smoothie. [Read more...]

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