There is one aspect of housework that many people overlook and that’s the cleanliness of your air. Every few seconds you take in a lung full of air, but do you consider the quality of it – probably yes, when you are outside in the city, but probably no when you are sitting on your couch. Having clean air can actually decrease your chances of illness and  reduce allergic reactions to pet dander or pollen.

Indoor Air Quality

While many people have switched out their windows for energy efficient ones, put in appropriate insulation and sealed all entrances, they may have created a different problem for themselves – stale air. If the only time fresh air enters your home is when you open and close the door to exit and enter, you may have stagnant air that keeps germs, pollents, vapors and allergens circulating around your home. You may want to open up your windows or back doors for a few hours each week. If you environment, doesn’t allow this, you should have fully functioning exhaust fans that can work to “exchange” the air in your home for the fresher air outside.

What About Air Purifiers

This is one of those uncertain topics as of late. When they were first on the market they were thought to be the greatest thing around. Then as children grew up from infancy into their teens in homes that were always purifying the air, it was discovered that they had a higher risk for airborne allergies as well as a higher tendency to get sick. The basic idea is that they simply had not been exposed as frequently as people without purifiers and thus hadn’t built the immunities. More simply put – the air is TOO clean.  Conversely, persons that have developed allergies can benefit from air cleaners that reduce the number of allergens in the indoor air.

Other Ways to Clean the Air

One of the easiest ways to clean the air is to use a damp rag to wipe surfaces as well as dust instead of dry rag. When you are wiping down your coffee table – even if it isn’t “dusty” it still probably has pet dander, pollen and other particles that can contribute to “dirty air” inside your home. By using a damp rag, you are collecting this mess instead of sending it into the air. Another tip is to change your vacuum bag frequently. When your vacuum bag or canister is full, many of the particles get pushed out into the air instead of staying in the machine. And lastly, invest in a good door mat and clean it often. You might be shocked to find out how much muck is on your door mat, but what’s worse is that when you rub your wet feet on it you are making it worse. Whatever you rub off, eventually dries and then gets tracked in by the next person and will eventually end up in your air.

It may sound strange but lots of people forget their body is a living, breathing, growing and changing entity that really does function independently from our minds. No matter how hard you try, you cannot convince your body to burn more fat or convert your food into energy more quickly. True certain actions and decisions our minds make will have a “default” effect on our body but for the most part our body works they it was designed give the environment it is in. And because of that, you need to learn how to “listen” when you body is trying to tell you something. And I mean really listen – for the whispers and not just the “screaming at the top of its lungs” screams for your attention.

How Does Your Body Communicate With You?

Our body has regular routines – from our bowels and menstruations to how our body changes with the seasons. When something is not quite right without our cells, you probably got a notice when those cells noticed, but overlooked it. If you have lived your life with your period being “like clockwork” – or maybe you have a morning BM everyday – and then one day it’s all wrong, your body is talking! This also goes for the twinges of pain that you sporadically experience. If one day you decide it’s a great idea to help your neighbor offload a washing machine from his truck and your back screams in pain, this means you body is telling you that you need to be more careful. Either you are lifting more than your body can manage, or you need to be taking better care of the body you have.

Do All The Little “Comments” Add Up to Something Bigger?

Many people will wait a day or two before taking action – which usually is fine. It might be a little germ that your body is working out or something you ate that isn’t agreeing with you. However, if you have minor issues on a regular basis, it might be the sign of something major. If you realize that every time you eat a certain food, you end in the bathroom the next day, you might have a food sensitivity – not quite an allergy, but still no fun. Or maybe if you are getting cramps in your calves in the middle of the night, your body is trying to tell you that you need more potassium. It’s all a judgment call, but if you take the time to consider what your body might be saying to you, you might be able to fix things before they get too far.

Every year a majority of us vow to have a healthier existence in the coming year. But this is such a vague notion, that many of us falls short.

Here are ten smaller tasks that you can take on that will result in an overall healthier lifestyle.

1. Cut out the processed foods. Many busy moms tend to rely on pre-cooked, pre-portioned food items to make life easier. But what you usually get along with the convenience is a lot of preservatives, salt and other unneeded and unhealthy additives that your family just doesn’t need. This can even be true of items that you think are healthy – like pre-sliced fruits or pre-packaged salad mixes. These items are often “treated” with something to help them from browning.

2. Lower the amount of chemicals in your home. This can be done by using all-natural cleaners (dish soaps, laundry soaps, body soaps, etc.).

3. Start your new calendar with a block of exercise written in at least three days a week. This will force you to schedule around it and thus leaving time to actually exercise. Probably the most common reason moms give for not getting enough exercise is not having the time.

4. Do not say “I am going to lose 50 pounds this year” say “I am going to lose 5 pounds a month this year”. This is a much more attainable goal and also easier to maintain. If you lose large amounts of weight in a short period of time you are much more likely to gain it back. By spreading it out, you are more likely to have a lasting effect.

5. Drink a glass of water before every meal. This not only helps you to “fill up” faster, it helps you to keep your body working like a well lubricated machine. Water also quenches your thirst much better than soda or juice and has zero calories.

6. Start a food diary on January 1^st (or 2^nd if you have a large meal on New Year’s Day . When you write down everything that you eat in a day, you will really start to see where all your calories are coming from. Also the idea of having to write down that handful of gummy bears can be a great deterrent in deciding not to eat them.

7. Make it a goal for the whole family to get into better shape! While it’s important not to stress the number on the scale to children (especially teens) you can focus on just having a healthier lifestyle by staying active and eating better.

8. Get everyone into get a full physical in January. This is the perfect time to get a baseline for your body’s workings while you are “healthy”. We often only visit the doctor when we are sick and so they never have an idea of your norms. This is also a chance to catch any underlying issues that might be what is preventing you from losing those pounds – like a thyroid issue – or other decreased efficiency issues. By full physical I mean blood work, and stress tests as well as dental and vision checks.

9. Sit down and consider your goals for the year. Are you planning to get out of debt? Are you planning to try to have a baby? Will you be sending a child off to college? All of these things can result in added stress, which can have a negative effect on your body. You will want to plan ahead and think of ways to reduce those stress levels.

10. Remember that Life is to be lived not survived. While you are trying to have a healthier lifestyle remember to keep doing the things that makes your family a unit and happy. You don’t just throw away family pizza night, but rather change it to salad and pizza or pizza with whole wheat crust and more veggies. Making drastic changes will send you on the fast track to failure.

Not everyone can afford a gym membership. And not everyone can use a gym membership to its fullest, even if they can afford it. Moms, usually, fall into one of these groups because most of us are on a budget and strapped for time. The home workout program is usually our best bet for being effective. You can do it at any hour of the day without having to follow some schedule they offer, or limited hours of operation. You can also work out in the privacy of your own home and not have to feel self conscious about people looking at you. But the one way to make sure that you are sticking to your commitment of working out at home is to create an area in your home that is devoted to working out, as best you can. This will encourage you to workout, and not allow you to use the excuse of having to “set up” each time. Here are four  things every home gym needs:

1. A DVD player – DVD workouts are a great way to get cardio in without having super expensive workout equipment in your home. You want one that has the ability to rewind and fast forward easily while still keeping a clear image. Check out this one by Panasonic.
2. Wrist and Ankle weights. Weight that strap around your ankles and wrists are a great way to increase the intensity of a workout with taking up a ton of space in your home with a weight set. What you want to look for a set that is padded for comfort and has easily adjustable straps. Try these from Valeo.
3. A Quality Yoga Mat. Even if you are not going to be doing yoga, having a nice mat to workout on will really come in handy. You will want to look for one that absorbs sweat, and is both wide and long enough for you to comfortably workout on it. The mats are great for ab routines, pilates, and a number of other common home exercises. Take a look at this one by Da Vinci Yoga Mats.
4. A Water Dispensing System. When you are working out at home, you want to have plenty of water close at hand – and unless you are working out in your kitchen or bathroom the tap doesn’t count. As a busy mom, you can risk being easily distracted by stepping away from your workout area to go get a drink by something like doing the dishes. One like this from New Wave would be just perfect.

Treadmills, stationary bikes and Elliptical machines are nice piece to have, but very costly not to mention that they take up tons of space. If you have the cash and the space, I would suggest going for the elliptical machine, as it provides the lowest impact and most complete cardio workout.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, however I was in no way compensated by the companies listed to include them in this post. All items were chosen by me directly.

Stomach aches can mean all sorts of things, and they are pretty hard to diagnosis – especially in a three year old that has no idea of how to express their pain. However, a stomach issue can very quickly become a major problem that needs medical intervention if left untreated. Stomach issues might just be the result of food poisoning or a stomach bug (also called Gastroenteritis), but sometimes it is something more intense like appendicitis or a malfunctioning gall bladder. Here are some ways to determine if home care will suffice, or if a trip to the emergency room is warranted.

Look at What’s Coming Out

No one likes to look in the toilet after someone has clearly “exploded” their bowels or thrown up the entire contents of their stomach into it. But if you or anyone in your family seems to be having a violent evacuation of their stomach, you need to inspect things. If you see any sign of blood, go to the emergency room immediately. This can be an indicator of tears or perforations in the lining of the digestive system. Remember that it will not always be bright red blood but may be very dark – almost black – matter, sometimes taking on the look of tar or coffee grounds. If the stool is very green not slightly but almost neon – and the person did not eat something that would account for this – you might be seeing a gall bladder issue which also means a visit to the ER.

How Much Is Coming Out?

You have probably had the thought “How much can one little girl have in her?”, but truly it’s a lot more than you might think. So instead of just thinking that it’s too much, you need to consider if she is able to take any more in and how long has it been since she had a substantial meal. If it’s been more than 24 hours since she was able to eat what would be a normal meal for her and/or she cannot even keep water down, you need to start to consider the need for rehydration via IV. One thing your body cannot survive without is adequate water, and if you cannot ingest enough to maintain your basic functions, you certainly will not get better.

Is There Considerable Pain Too?

When touch sensitively or sever cramping comes into pain, it starts to become other issue besides a virus or food poisoning. If the pain is centered in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen, just above the hip bone, you need to consider appendicitis. If the pain is in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, just below the bottom rib, you need to consider appendicitis. If the pain the a sever cramping that comes and goes but is severe enough to stop the person “in their tracks”, it could be a bowel obstruction. Essentially if the person cannot stand to have clothes even resting on them, and certainly can’t handle any sort of touching on the area, a trip to the ER is necessary. These are the “better safe than sorry” instances. While a majority of perceived appendicitis are false, it is far more risking to wait and allow the appendix to burst and because life threatening.

Another red flag is if the stomach issues are accompanied by high fever and/or chills. This is a sign that there is some sort of systemic infection that needs to be addressed.

The holidays are often the time that many people forget about their fitness regimens but come January 1st many of us resolve to get back on track. Why not give a gift that gives them a step in the right directs?

Below you will find a variety of gifts for all the active people on your shopping list.

For the Runner

The Travel Stick Muscle Massager is great for every duffle bag. If you get a tight muscle or cramp, use this great tool for quick relief.

For the Lifter

Kettleballs are all the rage in weight lifting right now. They provide a unique workout and would make any weightlifter happy this holiday!

For the Yoga Master

An excellent stocking stuffer for a Yoga Lover – these great No slip Yoga Socks from Gaiam provide a little extra grip for maintaining those extra hard poses on slick surfaces.
This yoga mat tote – also from Gaiam is a great gift for your yoga enthusiast. It provides a stylish and convenient way for them to carry their mat and other accessories to and from class.

For the Teen Athlete

Teen gotta have their tunes, even while working out. The Sony Walkman MP3 player is a great gift for a great price.

For the Active Kid

Jump Rope is becoming more and more popular – and it really is one of the best exercises for kids because it’s fun and a great cardio workout. This rope from JFit comes with a digital display that counts for the kid – giving them a gadget to engage them!
Yoga is a great workout and one that even kids can do. It promotes strength and flexibilty which are both importanbt for a well-rounded physique. This great Kids Yoga Bundle from Namaste Kids will be a perfect present for any active kid.

For Him

This cool watch by Garmin come with a wireless cadance monitor, and heart monitor. It also has a GPS and a touch screen – perfect for any runner, or cyclist.
P90X is a great program for any man who is ready to once and for all get in shape.

For Her

Cross-Trainers are perfect for an active woman. They let her go from aerobics class to running errands, and these stylish shoes by Puma let her look good while doing it!

The new Striiv is like having a personal trainer in your pocket. It works like a pedometer but with a lot more bells and whistles. Striiv has partnered with organizations to make it easy for you to give to some great charities. The more you walk, the more the sponsors will donate to the charity of your choice. It’s a win-win for everyone.
Keeping track of your progress is a great way to obtain your goals. Help the women on your list start the year off right with this great Diet & Fitness Journal from Claudine Gandolfi

Disclaimer: I was in no way influenced to select these items. I came up with the list on my own and was not compensated to specifically include any items. A Striiv unit was provided as a promotional review unit, however all opinions are my own.

You have to go to a restaurant for a “work thing” and think “Oh I will just get a salad” and be able to stick to your diet. You get your chilled plate and start to pile on all those veggies and toppings and before you know it, you have already piled over 750 calories on to your plate, hardly any of it protein, which means you are likely to still be very hungry before your next meal. Here are some trades you can make to lower the calories of your salad.

Put the Egg Before the Chicken

Many people think that putting some chicken on their salad will give them enough protein to feel satisfied. While this is true, it also drastically bumps up the calories. For example a 4 oz piece of grilled chicken has about 184 calories, a breaded and fried piece has about 245 calories, but one hard boiled egg has only 71. This means you could have more of pieces of egg with less calories consumed.

Make a Nice Bed

The types of lettuce might not seem like it should matter right? Wrong – Iceburg lettuce has twice as many calories as Arugula.  You should try to cover the whole bottom of the plate, so that you cannot see through it to build the bed for your salad. Many people not only pick the wrong type of lettuce but don’t put enough of it on the plate.

Choose Your Veggies Wisely

Again, most people think all veggies are good, which is mostly true. But when you are watching your calorie intake, you might get tricked by some of the more common salad toppings. The high calorie veggies include avocado, carrots, corn and onion while the low calorie options are cucumbers, peppers, mushrooms and alfalfa sprouts.

Stick with Clear Dressings

If you can’t see through it, you probably don’t want to know how many calories are in it. This is especially true because most people have no idea how much dressing is considered “a portion”. It’s actually 2 tablespoons, but most salad dressing ladles are actually ¼ to ½ cup sized and 2 tablespoons is closer to an 1/8 cup. The “clear” rule needs to be ignored when it comes to Olive Oil – this is one of the highest calorie dressings used. If you do use it, use a very small amount mixed with your favorite balsamic vinegar or even just a squeeze of lemon.

Skip the Crunchies

The last section of the salad bar is usually nuts, croutons, bacon pieces, and cheeses. For your best salad – just skip this section all together. If you absolutely need some “crunch” go for a small sprinkle of sesame or sunflower seeds.

The main keys to making a salad that is actually healthy are to control your portions of each item and make sure you have a good balance of protein and veggies so that you will actually feel full after eating.

There are several different types of Anemia but the most common kind is Iron Deficiency. Small children and women of a child bearing age are the most common sufferers of a decreased Iron level. Iron is a mineral that can be found in EVERY SINGLE cell of our body. It supports numerous tasks but the most important of these is to carry oxygen from our blood to our lungs are part of hemoglobin. If our body is deficient in iron levels, other minor processes of our daily function will be ignored so that all that is available will be used to transfer the oxygen to our organs and muscles. This can result in a whole plethora of signs and symptoms that often go unnoticed.

Signs of Iron Deficiency

1. Bruising Easily. As moms we all get bumps and bruises, its in the job description, but if you are noticing that you are getting more and more frequent bruises and – worse – don’t recall being injured hard enough to leave that much of a mark, you are likely iron deficient. This is sort of a vicious cycle because the loss of the red blood cells – which cause the bruise – actually further decreases your iron levels. In most people it’s hard to say if the bruising or the deficiency came first but if it persists, it will become damaging to your health.
2. Constantly tired and feeling “weak”. If you have a few days were you just feel out of it, nothing big to worry about – especially if it’s the few days following your period, as blood loss decreases your iron levels. However, if you cannot bounce back in a few days, you really need to use some sort of supplementation – dietary pills, increased red meat and vegetables high in iron.
3. Hair loss. This is the one that often goes unreported. Women will start to loss something more than the average daily hair loss but less than real “clumps” and worry that they are just thinning with age. If it is a sudden onset and enough for you to really take note, you should talk to your doctor. A full blood work-up will be able to determine your problem.

Treating Iron Deficiency

The most common treatment of Iron Deficiency is through dietary supplementation. However, this has a fair amount of unpleasant side effects, namely bouts of constipation followed by diarrhea. In minor cases the addition of red meat to your diet can help as well as consuming vegetables that are high in iron like dark leafy greens. Another great source, though not very tasty, is to take a tablespoon of black strap molasses each day. For more severe cases, your doctor may opt for iron infusions – a weekly or biweekly injection of a fluid rich in iron pushed directly to your veins. This is done for people who struggle with absorption of vitamins and minerals within their digestive system.

Whatever method you choose for treatment, the most important thing is to get treatment. While this is a minor issue that many women go through – especially before, during and after pregnancy – the lasting effects can become irreparable.

Have you ever had a doctor off-handedly mention to you that you have “dense breast tissue”? It was previously believed that having dense tissue – as apposed to fatty tissue – was simply an inconvenience when detecting tumors on a mammogram. Fatty tissue shows up as very dark on the image produced and tumors show up as very light in contrast– unfortunately dense tissue also shows up as light on the image, sometimes masking the tumors. However, a new study has found that not only does having dense breast tissue make it more difficult to see tumors, it is actually a risk factor for breast cancer. This study, which took place in Canadian Cancer centers in 2007, found that women with dense breast tissue were FIVE times more likely to have breast cancer.

What is Dense Breast Tissue?

For most women, the breast tissue is very soft – almost squishy – and fatty. However some women have more solid breasts. While dense breast tissue is not something that can be identified via a physical examine, a mammogram, ultrasound and/or MRI can see it. The main reason that a breast may be dense is a larger amount of mammary glands (milk producing glands), as well as connective tissue – when compared to the fatty tissue. It has nothing to do with cup size at all, just a ratio between fatty and non-fatty tissue within the breast.

Why is it ignored?

As mentioned above, it’s a widely held belief that dense tissue is merely an inconvenience and not a red flag when it comes to breast tissue and mammograms. Some might infer that the rate of “false positives” is what causes doctors to not investigate further. However, since breast cancer is one of those things that can be treated very effectively if detected early – wouldn’t you want to go for that second screening rather than ignore the issue?

Don’t wait till you can “feel” it

Many women think that their breasts are just fine if they can’t “feel” a lump. And while regular breast examination is important – you should try to do it once a week if you can remember – you still are not catching it as early as a mammogram can. You have to imagine that the cells of a tumor grow much like a fetus does – it starts out microscopic and takes months – even years – to grow to a size that you can actually detect with your hands on the outside of your skin. Getting a regular mammogram starting at age 40, 35 if you have certain risk factors – like heredity.

What does this mean for you?

If you are told – in passing – that “you have dense breast tissue” after getting your mammogram with no directions to get an ultrasound and/or MRI as follow-up – ask for one! It’s your health and it’s important to be proactive. If it’s an issue of insurance coverage – some companies will not cover an “elective screening”, which is one not requested by your doctor – check in with your local American Cancer Society office to see what they offer in terms of screenings. You may have to wait a few days or weeks for their next event, but usually they have some sort of option available.

Cold and Flu season is upon us. That means it’s time to get a little boost in vitamin C for your whole family. While oranges are often our first thought as a natural source of Vitamin C, there are several other veggies that have much higher levels. The recommended daily amount (RDA) of vitamin C is 60mg – but don’t be confused because that doesn’t mean you can just eat 60mg of something high in vitamin C to get all that you need for the day.

If your house is like mine you might run into the issue of kids not wanting to eat lots of veggies. I have learned that making them more fun then food can help you get around that problem. Here are a few tried and true recipes:

Sausage and Peppers

Essentially a fancy hot dog and what kid doesn’t love hot dogs? Bell peppers are an amazing source for vitamin C. The key is to not cook them to mush. Get a red, green and orange/yellow bell pepper and cut them into strips. Get a chicken sausage – any flavor will do – and brown it in your skillet. In the same skillet simply warm up the pepper – you want them to still have a crunch or “bite” to them. Put the sausage on a whole wheat bun and top with the pepper mixture. Serve with a side salad of leafy greens like spinach (another great source of vitamin C) and you are good to go!

Fruits Kabobs

Guavas, Papayas and Kiwis all have large amounts of Vitamin C. Cube up these yummy treats and turn them into Kabobs with bamboo skewers. You can also include a calcium rich yogurt for a dipping sauce – because kids will eat just about anything if they can dip it too! For a frozen treat, use frozen versions of these fruits – this is great for when they are not available fresh because it’s out of season.

Spice Things Up!

Did you know that red and green chilies have the most Vitamin C per volume than any other natural food? A single green chili of average size has more than two times the RDA of Vit. C making it the best bang for your buck. However the heat factor may automatically turn your family off. Since these little peppers are so densely packed with vitamin C you only need to consume a little bit to get all you need. A really great recipe is to make green enchiladas – take whole wheat tortillas and roll them up with shredded chicken, a thin strip of green chili (with the seeds removed), and a sprinkle of Monterey jack cheese. Line them up in a baking dish with a small amount of green enchilada sauce in the bottom and then pour the remained of the green enchilada sauce on top. Put them in a preheated 350deg oven for 30 minutes and serve it up with some black beans and brown rice.

Hide it in a Smoothie

When all else fails, sometimes you have to resort to trickery and hide the good for your stuff in the good stuff. Some great sources of vitamin C are some of the least favorite veggies known to kids. Spinach, Kale, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts are almost always on the “icky list”. However, in their raw form they have a rather mild flavor, which means that they can easily be added to fruit smoothies without your child noticing. Simply add strawberries, bananas, spinach, and vanilla yogurt to a blender with ice. Mix it up and serve it for breakfast or even dessert!