Posts Tagged ‘Health’

Now that Spring is here, we are all wanting to get our bodies back into shape. I messed up my ankle pretty bad last June so I can’t so much of what I used to until I am cleared for the second time. I have gained a few pounds back because of it BUT it’s slowly coming back off! If you want to get your body back in shape for Spring but don’t have time or energy to make it to the gym, then GaiamTV is for you! The newly launched site offers your own private collection of instructional yoga, pilates, weight training and dance lessons plus a complete library of wellness, spirituality and nutrition videos delivered by world-renowned instructors including Rodney Yee and Jillian Michaels.

I used to be a big fan of The Biggest Loser and Jillian really cracks me up. I love her attitude towards getting things done and she pulls no  punches with people. She isn’t where she is today because she doesn’t know what she is talking about.
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Life as a new parent is so exciting and joyous. Most of the time, as new parents, we can not wait introduce our new bundle of joy to all of our friends and family. I have seen parents who will just hand their newborn over to everyone and then there are those who make sure everyone has washed their hands before touching their newest addition. Sometimes exposure to loved ones also means exposure to germs. Young infants are very susceptible to infection in the early weeks of their lives, so contracting something as small as the common cold can present danger. This is especially true for babies born early, because they have underdeveloped lungs and immature immune systems.

One of the biggest threats a newborn faces is a very common virus called respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. This virus is of special concern because it’s extremely common and spreads very easily. RSV can live on surfaces, such as doorknobs, countertops, toys and bedding for several hours and is often spread through touching, hugging and kissing. Because of this, almost 100% of children contract RSV by their second birthday. In most older children, RSV runs its course with mild symptoms similar to the cold or flu, and most  parents don’t even know their child has the virus. But in very young babies, especially preemies and those with certain lung and heart diseases, it can lead to a serious respiratory infection.
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Did you know March is National Nutrition Month?

What better way to celebrate than to learn about some fantastic resources that can help you and your family incorporate more fresh and delicious produce into your daily diet while simultaneously expanding your family’s nutrition know-how?

Produce for Kids helps demonstrate the benefits of consuming fresh produce by providing healthful meal solutions, videos, podcasts and much, much more. Their Ideal Meals section is perfect to get quick easy and healthy meals for your family.

The site even hosts an advisory board made up of parents with a wide range of expertise who can provide additional tools and resources on how you can easily incorporate fruits and veggies into your family’s daily routine.

Smash Your Food, brought to you by the great people at Food N’ Me, is a fantastic way to teach kids about healthy, nutritious foods in a visually stimulating and exciting way while making an ooey, gooey mess…virtually of course!

Kids squash burgers, cola, French Fries and more – including “Crazy Foods” for an even messier experience (eeeewwww!) — and in the process, find out how much sugar, salt and oil is just enough to help them stay healthy. Smash Your Food uses HD video and real sound effects – squish, glop, fizz, pop! — to keep kids laughing while learning.

“Eat what you wish, but you are what you squish!”

It was also one of the top winners in the Apps for Healthy Kids contest, part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Campaign designed to target childhood obesity and encourage better nutrition and healthy lifestyles. Smash Your Food will be launching an iPad app March 20th!

For now, you can check out the web version here: http://www.foodnme.com/smash-your-food/

Food N’ Me is great place for kids to explore taking quizzes, playing games and they can even create their own food face! Parents will love it too!

Tips for Picky Eaters from Marta De Wulf

When a parent comes to me saying “I have a picky child, he/she won’t try anything!” – I suggest:

Sit down with your child, placing in front of them a new food that you want them to try.

Ask your child their impression of this food.  You are looking for a dialogue, not a judgment.  Your child may say that they don’t like it just by looking at it. Tell your child that whether or not they like this particular food, you do want to talk with them about it.

You are looking for details to help you when presenting new foods to your child.  For some children appearance is the determiner, for others it is the texture, and for yet others, the flavor.

Going through this exercise a few times, you may discover that your child isn’t a picky eater, but simply prefers smooth textures and bland flavors or full flavored food & food that he/she can chew.

Ask your child:

• To describe the food’s appearance and what they think about it.
  • For example, “if anything does, what bothers you about it??  (For many, it is simply that the foods are touching each other).
  • What they like about the appearance.

Ask your child to taste it, reassuring them that it is OK if they don’t like it, and that you simply want to talk to them about it.

Ask your child:

• To describe the flavor and what it is like for them.
• For example, “If anything does, what bothers you about the flavor?” (For many it will be spicy or bitter foods.).
• And, “What do you like about the flavor and what, if anything, would make it better?”

Ask your child:

• If they would like to finish the remainder of the food you’ve presented.
• Are there other foods that he/she are interested in trying?

Finally, be patient.  Your child may have grown accustomed to pushing away new foods while eating only foods that they choose or are used to, eventually your child will learn that trying new foods can be fun, and often delicious!

Disclosure: MAK Media was not compensated for this post in any form. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own. This post is not endorsed, sponsored or has any connection to Twitter, Facebook or any other Social Media network that may be mentioned. This post is the sole property of MAK Media, LLC.  All opinions are mine whether positive or negative. You can read more about our Policy Disclosure here.

If you are thinking about taking a sports nutrition or dietary supplement, you’re not alone. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than half of adult Americans currently use supplements.

And it’s easy to believe.

Take a walk down the aisle of your local pharmacy, health food store or favorite retail store and you’ll notice the shelves are filled with different types of supplements—from B vitamins to fish oils to zinc to joint supplements. With so many choices, it can be confusing to figure out the best supplement to purchase, and to determine which supplements are the safest.

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