Cancer treatment is a big deal. During and after there is a lot of stress, both on the body and mind. Exercise has been proven to help lower stress and help the body deal with trauma in a healthy way. A great form of exercise, and one of my personal favorites, is yoga. A new DVD by Ocean Soul Yoga brings this exercise program to your living room with Yoga for Cancer Recovery. The DVD is hosted by Clair Petretti, a breast cancer survivor who felt it was necessary to release a yoga program which would help bring those recovering from cancer a helping hand in their struggle with the disease. Ms. Petretti found practicing and teaching yoga to be an important part of her journey to being healthy and wants [Read more…]
Top 5 Healthy Habits to Impart on Your Kids
April 23, 2012 by 7 Comments
When it comes to hygiene and healthy living, kids can definitely “go against the grain”, but as most of us
can recall from our own childhoods, that’s not the result of being “bad” or even negligent. Dirt, messes, and
creative ways of keeping a bathroom, they all simply come with being a kid.
However, there is a wonderful flip side to this coin and that’s while children may not be the tidiest, they do
tend to be the most receptive to change and growth—in other words, they’re teachable and so if you want
them to live a healthy lifestyle, it’s usually simply a matter of showing them what to do.
Are you ready to get serious about imparting some healthy habits on your kids? Here are five ways.
Wash Those Hands
It’s a tried and true rule that should never go out of style. When your child comes inside from outdoors,
when s/he finishes using the bathroom and before every meal, they should definitely wash their hands.
Now, here’s the thing: When you’re teaching them, it’s a good idea to supervise. You can make it fun by
getting their hands full of suds and singing a song (or at least 30 seconds worth of one) along with them
until they are done. Make sure it’s in warm water because a cold temperature won’t do a lot for killing
germs.
Watch the Snacking
A great way to curb constant snacking is to have your children only eat in the kitchen and only during
designated times. For instance, other than the three main meals of the day, there is certainly room for a
couple of treats between meals, but if they can do it while watching television or playing video games, that
doesn’t leave a lot of room for moderation. Snack time should be in the room where most eating takes place
as well and make sure that it’s healthy things like fruits, raw vegetables, nuts, popcorn and dark chocolate.
Does that mean they can’t have anything sweet? Of course not, but that’s what dessert it is for, right? Right.
Drink Water
We’re made up of mostly water and that alone should inspire us to want to drink more of it. However,
another thing to keep in mind is that even if soda is not readily available in your home, juice that’s not
consumed in moderation [Read more…]
5 Ways for Moms to Unwind After a Crazy Day
April 21, 2012 by 3 Comments
Moms today are expected to do it all. More of us are in the workforce than ever before, often putting in
long hours to do our part to put food on the table. But unlike the hard working husbands of the 50’s, that’s
not enough. We’re still expected to be engaged and active with our spouses or significant others, and be the
hands-on parent helping to craft the future leaders of America. It’s not always a chore; in fact we usually
wouldn’t have it any other way. But personal time can often be sacrificed to make everything else work.
That’s fine in the short term. But sometimes the stars align and you’re faced with an absolutely insane
day. Overload at work won’t only affect you, but how you interact with those most important people, your
family. So from time to time, it’s incredibly important to make yourself a priority. Here’s a look at five
ways busy moms can unwind after a particularly crazy day.
Sweat it out. Sure, exercise may be the last thing you want to do when you’re stressed and run ragged.
But exercise is actually a fantastic way to relieve anxiety and get back in balance. Exercise is a gift we
give ourselves. You feel better, you look better, and it’s much easier to leave the stress of the day behind.
So whether you take an organized class or just go out for a run or a swim, take the time to fit in a bit of
exercise. You’ll be much more peaceful when it’s done, ready to be around your family with a smile on
your face.
Girls’ night. As we get older, this gets tougher and tougher. But that’s when it’s most important. Maybe
you need to schedule it way in advance, but don’t be afraid to call on your girls for an impromptu night out
if you really need it. Catch a movie, have a fantastic cocktail or two, or embrace your inner foodie [Read more…]
Top Health Issues for New Moms
April 19, 2012 by 7 Comments
As if you and your body hasn’t been through enough at this point, there are health issues you have to
worry about long after the birth of your precious little one. Have no fear, Mama, here we talk about the top
concerns out there so sit back, relax (if that’s possible with either a baby or a pump constantly attached to
your nipple) and read on!
A key health concern for new moms is mental health. With a range of mental conditions being reported
in new moms, the top one is of course post-partum depression. Considering the amount of hormones your
brain has had to process not only in the last nine months, but especially during and post-labor, it’s no
wonder mommy brains can go a little haywire. It doesn’t speak at all to your capabilities. Come on, you
created a life and then pushed it out of your body, that in and of itself is sheer brilliance and strength. And
now a human life depends solely on you and your breasts. So, yes, your brain might need a little help. How
can you prevent this? Unfortunately, you can’t. The best thing you can do for yourself, your new baby and
your family is be vocal about your thoughts and feelings.
Need a break? Have daddy take over for a couple hours while you devote some much needed attention
to yourself. Do things that best promote relaxation and mental awareness, be it yoga, exercising, reading,
sleeping or a hot bath and a glass of wine. The worst thing you can do is hide your feelings from those
around you.
Your body just went through quite the trauma so make sure you’re taking care of any stitches or other
injuries that resulted from pregnancy or labor. Getting an infection from a wound will lead to a whole other
world of problems. If you notice anything strange about your body, anything, call your doctor. Even if it’s
nothing, it’s better to be safe than sorry. [Read more…]
Win Dustin Maher’s book, Fit Moms For Life
April 18, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Review from Pam at Just Like June– Giveaway hosted by Collective Media Magic bloggers.
Over the years I have not been diligent about staying in shape. I go through spurts when I am extremely active and spurts where I’m not so active. Bryan and I go for a two mile walk several times a week, but I can tell I am not in tip toe shape. The last time our family went mountain climbing, Bryan strode ahead of us, while the kids and I panted behind, plotting ways to push him off the top of the mountain. I knew I needed to change my lifestyle and was intrigued when I found Dustin Maher’s book, Fit Moms For Life. With a motto like “How to Outplay your kids and Have endless energy,” I knew it I had to read this one. Dustin works exclusively with moms, not super skinny models or movie stars who can afford a personal trainer and a nanny, another reason I wanted to try this program.
By ordering the book from his website, four free gifts are included:
- A secret report showing you 108 ways to make this your healthiest and fittest year ever.
- A video showing you my “secret” exercise to shrink your waist 2 inches in 2 weeks.
- A short workout video that targets your butt and thighs.
- A five part Flat Stomach audio coaching series featuring experts as well as Justin’s mom.
Dustin’s fitness philosophy [Read more…]
5 Ways to Boost Your Child’s Immunity
April 17, 2012 by 5 Comments
When it comes to your kids, you obviously want to do everything to can to make sure that they are as
healthy and happy as possible. Unfortunately, you can’t make them live in a bubble until the age of 18,
which means they’re going to come in contact with all manner of germs, viruses, allergens, and other
substances that could cause them to suffer from immune reactions. But rather than simply treating
symptoms as they occur, you can try to boost their immunity in order to keep them healthier on the whole.
Here are a few options you may want to look into.
1. Daily vitamins. This is an easy one for most parents as there are so many daily supplements made
specifically for kids, with the proper levels of vitamins and nutrients they need to grow strong
and develop properly. You can talk to your doctor about which vitamins are best for your kids
(tests can determine if they have any particular deficiencies you should focus on). But in terms of
immunity, you’ll certainly want to ensure that they’re getting adequate levels of vitamin C. You
may want to discuss other immune boosters like zinc with your pediatrician before you give them
to kids since you’ll no doubt find that certain supplements (heavy metals, in particular) are not
recommended for children under a certain age.
2. Diet. A balanced diet that contains plenty of fresh foods and vital nutrients is essential for the
ongoing health of your kids, helping them to thrive and develop correctly. So leave the processed
foods on the shelves and shop the perimeter of the store (where the fresh options reside). You [Read more…]
Enter to #WIN NeoCell Hyaluronic Acid supplement @NeoCellHealth
April 17, 2012 by 4 Comments
For the past few weeks, I have been taking NeoCell’s Hyaluronic Acid supplement. NeoCell’s Hyaluronic Acid is one of the only HA supplements on the market today that is of a natural source. Hyaluronic Acid is classified as a food and is completely safe, effective and easy to take as a dietary supplement. It is a pill, so there is no mixing required. These pills contain no sucrose, starch, yeast, wheat, corn, cholesterol, fat or other dairy products, so people with allergies can take them.
Hyaluronic acid (HA), also known as hyaluronan, is found in every tissue of the body, but in particular as an essential lubricant of healthy joints, skin and eyes. Who doesn’t want healthy joints, eyes, and skin? [Read more…]
Top 5 Weight-Loss Tips for Busy Moms
April 12, 2012 by 4 Comments
If there’s one thing most moms can agree on it’s that there is little time left over between work, kids, and
the hustle and bustle of a busy lifestyle to attend to personal pursuits. Unfortunately, that can leave you
without the opportunity to work off those extra pounds that have seemingly crept up on you overnight.
Whether you’ve resigned yourself to the fact that the last little bit of baby weight is never coming off,
or a steady diet of chicken tenders and mac and cheese has done nothing but round out your waistline,
perhaps you would be interested in some simple and swift methods of shedding weight. So here are just a
few tips and tricks to get you on track.
1. Join a diet program. Right, so we just agreed that you had no time for yourself. But a program like
Weight Watchers, which exists in nearly every city, demands only half an hour each week for a
meeting (read: support group). It will give you the tools you need to set goals and adopt healthy
eating habits for life (which is good for you and your whole family). Plus, if you really can’t make
it to the meetings or the cost is beyond your budget, there is an online-only option that will still
get you access to all the info and tracking tools you need to succeed with weight loss. Considering
that diet is 90% of the battle of the bulge, it’s not a bad idea to invest in yourself with a sustainable
diet plan.
2. Get moving. You’ve probably heard the saying “calories in, calories out” where weight loss is
concerned. Every food comes with a calorie count, every activity burns calories, and if you’re
burning more than you’re consuming you’re going to start tapping your body’s fat stores to make
up the difference. Sounds easy enough, right? But it’s not. It can [Read more…]
