Archive for the ‘Health and wellness’ category

S-L-E-E-P will I ever get some??

March 9th, 2010

So much needed sleep

Ok mommy’s out there, tell me this, is there a light at the end of the tunnel? Ooh wait, that’s me dizzy from lack of sleep.  Last night I was up and down my oldest daughter (3 years) has a cold and woke up crying.  She has yet another cold, in fact we all do.  I get her some benadryl hoping she will be able to get back to sleep.  Just as we both doze off, I hear my youngest (19 months) start in with mommy mommy.

So I leave one bed to go to her and find her in the same state.  Try to bring her to my bed, but my husband who was just struck with same cold is snoring so loud that neither of us would ever get back to sleep.  So we both now go to lay down with my oldest daughter.  This creates the perpetual crying fits randomly from both girls – who don’t even seem to wake up to do it!  So now from the first wake up at 12:30 am it is now 5:30 am – I return to my bed hoping to get an hour in before the alarm goes off!

I am sure this sounds familiar to most of you.  Can we do without sleep?  Not really, especially if we want to function in the happy go lucky mommy like way, ignore the fact that we are tired and sick too.  Go to work continue on with service excellence and baby the entire family.  Sometimes I want to play hookie and come home and sleep after everyone goes on about their day.   Oh wait I can’t do that either the girls are at home with the mother in law, who has been visiting for going on 5 months.  I thought once my girls began to sleep through the night as babies I would at least get 8 hours again.  NOT! » Read more: S-L-E-E-P will I ever get some??

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Colorectal Cancer Awareness

March 8th, 2010

Screen For Life

Colorectal cancer is 90%preventable …..So why is it the second leading cancer killer?  I can tell you why, men and women once they hit 50 are not getting the recommended screenings.  The Center for Disease Control (CDC) states.

“If everyone aged 50 years and older had regular screening tests, at least 60% of the deaths from this could be avoided.” Screening Saves Lives

Colorectal cancer usually starts from polyps in the colon or rectum.  As time goes by polyps can turn into cancer.  So if you are getting your screening done regularly polyps can be removed before they become cancerous.  When they are found early the prognosis is good.

In the early stages when most preventable there may be no symptoms at all as you develop colon cancer.  You could have no idea and colon cancer could be developing and growing within you.  That is why having a screening test is so crucial.

So who gets Colorectal Cancer?  Both men and women can get it.  Most frequently found in adults over the age of 50, and the risks increase with age.  Your risk factor will increase if you have a family relative that has had colorectal polyps or colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, or a genetic syndrome such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer.  If you are at high risk speak with your physician about getting screened earlier.  » Read more: Colorectal Cancer Awareness

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Toddler – Brushing Teeth & Dentist Visits?!?!

March 1st, 2010

Copyright Jen B Photography

OMG – I do not know about how the story goes at your house but every episode I have the tooth brushing showdown in the bathroom.   I have two girls ages 1 & 3, both with their own agenda.  I am feeling like a terrible mother today because I realized I am lacking in teaching my daughters good oral hygiene.

I get the I am tired or I didn’t have any candy today!  :) Excuses that sometimes I give to.  Shame on me!!

So I began my Internet search as always when I wonder what to do, thinking their must be a better way.  I found that both of my girls should have been to the dentist by now, and that I am really going to have to forge the brushing battle at minimum twice a day!!  So I have scheduled appointments for both girls to see a kid friendly dentist and will share with you what I found from other mothers and “experts”. » Read more: Toddler – Brushing Teeth & Dentist Visits?!?!

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Why is America Obese – The Truth About Sugar

February 26th, 2010

It appears that nowadays everyone from the president to the guy at the McDonald’s counter is talking about obesity and how to deal with the issue. Countless shows and investigative journalism are flooding the airwaves covering many aspects and faces of obesity none however offering much of an explanation on how we got here. 1 in 5 Americans is overweight or obese and the trends are pointing upward.

No longer than 5 decades ago, the majority of our population used fruits and vegetables rich in natural sugars – aka glucose – as a source for sweetness. However in 1975 the food processing industry adopted a new standard – High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) – a sweetener devastating to our health but exponentially cheaper to produce than nature sugars and get this – as a bonus it is also 20% sweeter pound for pound. With the introduction of HFCS sweeteners in everything from mac and cheese to juices and salad dressing, the food processing industry has basically modified drastically our lifestyle and our intake of fructose. » Read more: Why is America Obese – The Truth About Sugar

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Posted in Health and wellness, Home & Real Estate

My Toddler Is Not Eating

February 25th, 2010

Every night just before dinner the request for snacks begin.  My daughter is teeny tiny and just does not have an appetite.  What she likes one day she will not the next, I have had a hard time deciding on how to handle this.

There is always the old wives tale – they will eat when they get hungry.

Or you could go to the extreme, I remember as a child not being to get up from the table until my plate was cleared.  The stubborn child I was, I spent many nights sitting there until it was time to go to bed.

My tummy says its not hungry !

How do you keep dinner time a fun, sharing family time when stressed about nutrition?  I decided to do some research and found many different approaches.  Below are some of the ones that I felt would work best in our home.  » Read more: My Toddler Is Not Eating

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Posted in Health and wellness, Politics, Various

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10 Immune System Boosting Foods

February 24th, 2010

Boost Your Immune System

We know you’re always looking for ways to reduce the affects of winter colds and flu but how about doing something to actually prevent getting them in the first place? The answer is as close as your grocery store.

You need to feed your immune system the right ingredients to help keep it running in peak condition. By including the following 10 ingredients and recipes in your meal planning, you’ll increase your family’s chances of fighting off those winter bugs before they get you sick.

1) Citrus

Most people turn to vitamin C after they’ve caught a cold but did you know it tops the charts of foods that keep your immune system running at 100%? Vitamin C helps increase the production of white blood cells, key to fighting infections. Because your body doesn’t produce or store it, daily intake of vitamin C is essential for continued health. Almost all citrus fruits are high in vitamin C and with such a variety to choose from it’s easy to add a squeeze of C to any meal. » Read more: 10 Immune System Boosting Foods

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Today’s Health Tip: FIBER MADE FUN FOR EVERYONE!

February 17th, 2010

Fiber for Everyone

So many of us have heard that fiber is an important part of our diet.  I have always thought this was something older or elderly people needed to concern themselves with.  However, increasing your fiber intake can provide all of us with many health benefits.

Women should try to eat at least 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day, while men should aim for 30 to 38 grams a day.

I personally have found that increasing the fiber in my diet has assisted with weight loss and taking care of hunger pains.  Only warning I give is that it may increase your opportunities for being more gassy than classy :) – hence the added benefit prevention of constipation!  Many studies have suggested that increasing your fiber intake may reduce your risk of colon cancer as well.

Many breads, cereals, pastas, and even some yogurts have increased levels of cholesterol lowering fiber.  Making good choices when shopping and eating out is imperative.  There are a growing number of products that market their levels of fiber however, many of these are functional or isolated fibers.  Manufacturers may add ingredients such as polydextrose, inulin, and maltodextrin to increase a products fiber content percentage. » Read more: Today’s Health Tip: FIBER MADE FUN FOR EVERYONE!

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