healthy living

I’m having a really tough time with this whole weight issue. Let me explain … This week I’m at my parents. We “share” a Wii and the Wii Fit program ~ basically I use it whenever we are here. Since the last time I used it (around December 2008) I have gained 6.6 lbs. Since I have been here, using it daily, I have gained 2 lbs. There are a ton of excuses I could use … the medication I am on makes me gain weight, the 1 lb of Easter bunny solid milk chocolate that I scarfed down in

Even though I’ve had a chest cold, I signed up for a learn to run clinic through The Running Room. It’s for women only and this past Saturday (March 21st) was our first run and clinic. We ran for 1 minute and walked for 2 minutes, seven sets of these for a total of 21 minutes. I am very proud of myself for running all but the second last minute. Not bad considering my hacking cough. I haven’t practised again yet this week because I’m STILL recovering (this is my fourth week of being sick). I am planning on going

I (finally) came up with some exercises I want to do on a daily basis. They are: leg lifts (inner) ~ 25 each side leg lifts (outer) ~ 25 each side bum scoot ~ 5 minutes wide squats ~ 25 legs-together squats ~ 25 crunches ~ 50 oblique crunches ~ 25 each side ab twists (standing washing machine) ~ 25 shoulder lifts ~ 12 wall push-ups ~ 12 crab position push-ups (triceps) ~ 12 As I am not a personal trainer, does anyone have anything they can suggest I add to get an all-over tone?

I think I had mentioned I had lost all of the baby weight from Travis within 2 months after his birth. Now on medication I feel I have packed on a few pounds that I want to lose but don’t have the energy to come up with a plan. I keep trying to get to the gym but it just isn’t happening; with a kid I care for getting picked up at 6PM, then dinner and baths, I’m exhausted by the time I am potentially able to go. And then when I have a little bit of energy I have

I love this post from My Simpler Life and so I have recycled this post (with some edits) for both myself and my readers to remember.~Stop what you are doing and listen around you. Is the TV on with no one watching it? Or maybe you are listening to a podcast while you read some blogs? Does your desk mate have their music on too loud? Or maybe you hear the whirl of a zillion technologies grooving? For many people, the first thing they do when they come home is turn on the TV for background noise. When they get

Reading Oprah’s website, I liked what her expert Sophie Uliano had to say about organic food. “Organic means that it’s grown without the use of herbicides, pesticides. It’s not genetically modified; it’s not irradiated,” Sophie says. “Organic farming protects the planet, so it’s a win-win. It’s healthier for us, and it’s healthier for the planet.” http://www.oprah.com/world/enviro/green/action/slide/action_foods_350_101.jhtml Families with young children consume a lot of baby food, so Sophie suggests starting there. “I am recommending organic baby food because babies are much more vulnerable to the effects of pesticides, and there’s a lot of pesticide residue on all food,” Sophie says.

The definition provided by Wikipedia for a Neti pot is: “Nasal irrigation is a personal hygiene practice which involves flooding the nasal cavity with warm saline solution (salt water). The goal of nasal irrigation is to clear out excess mucus and particulates and moisturize the nasal cavity. Either a fluid-filled syringe or a neti pot can be used. The practice has been subjected to clinical testing and has been found to be safe and beneficial, with no apparent side effects.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasal_irrigationI was watching Oprah and Dr. Oz was discussing (with an audience volunteer demonstration) Neti Pots. I have been suffering

I got this email forwarded to me and I cannot wait to try it out – especially with young kids it seems less harmful than the other products on the market (if it works!). “I was at a deck party a while back and the bugs were having a ball biting everyone. A man at the party sprayed the lawn and deck floor with Listerine and the little demons disappeared. The next year I filled a 4-ounce spray bottle and used it around my seat whenever I saw mosquitoes. And voila! That worked as well. It worked at a picnic

Being pregnant (last summer) and now nursing I am unable to take a regular anti-histamine. I have found at the health store a homeopathic option called Lufeel (I take only the tablet but they also have the nasal spray to go with it) that I am very pleased with. From what I understand, because it is homeopathic it goes to the source of the problem rather than mask the symptoms. I can take it as I need it too instead of one dose in a 12 hour or 24 hour period and there is no drowsiness. I am very pleased

I was at the Ontario Early Years Centre this week (a play place for children ages 0-6) and after changing a diaper I went to use a no-water hand sanitizer. Instead of the traditional alcohol-based one they had tea tree oil with hand lotion in a pump. When I inquired they told me it was as good or better than the “Purell” they had previously used and because there were small children, if they ingested it the product was non-toxic. I was most interested. I was further informed that if you put a few drops (that is all you need!)