Healthy Tips While on the Road

My boys and I just got back home after traveling for a week to Nevada and Utah. Traveling can be a nightmare for those of us who try to live healthy lives. Between the bleak food options and ever present media (i.e. TVs) in every hotel room it can seem like an internal and external invasion on your mind, body and soul to go traveling.

Here are some tips to help you easily fight the attack...

In the Car

Ronan shows off his rock collection

I'm a huge fan of traveling by car when I'm able. That meant a 14 hour drive, one way, with three boys ages 8, 5 and 2 - by myself. But still I prefer traveling by car for a few reasons...

1. It's usually much cheaper
2. You can see the landscape change, experience the geography and local color of new places
3. It encourages both parents and children to use their imaginations
4. I'm afraid of flying LOL
5. You can take more stuff with you, thus making things cheaper and easier over all

We took our driving trip in four stages. 7 hours, stop for the night and then 7 hours to our destination and the same on the way back.

We woke up at 7 AM and hit the road about 9 AM. We would drive three hours (straight through if no one had to pee). We would stop at a park, rest stop or other grassy location to have a picnic lunch. Then the boys could watch one movie on the portable DVD player while we clocked another 2 hours. (My kids love Avatar, Jurassic Park, Pollyanna, and Little House on the Prairie).

We would stop and stretch our legs and the boys would be allowed to have a juice from a convenience store ( I would usually have a juice too to keep up my energy) and then we would knock out the last two hours.

In the car we kept various toys, ones to stimulate imaginative play such as small dolls, stacking containers, small sticks and string, etc. The boys also had a treasure box, a small container, that they would put things in they found along the way such as stones, leaves and other things they liked.

 Extra Tip: Google map any LDS Temples with visitor centers that are along the way on your drive, they are great leg stretching places with wholesome family activities that are Christ centered :)

At the Hotel

I use Hotwire to book our rooms before we started our trip. I have found a lot of savings on Hotwire and I also like the reviews, they help me pick the right place for us. I've found really nice hotels for $30-40 dollars per night. I'm a fan.

Before we leave for our trip I check TV Guide online and see ahead of time if anything appropriate is playing on TV in the area we will be staying. I then write down the dates and times. The children know they will be allowed to watch these programs but nothing else and no channel surfing or flipping is allowed on the hotel TV. We also mute the commercials.

To entertain the children while in the hotel we usually bring along our home school books, crayons and paper, beeswax, clay, reading books, scriptures and the like. Most hotel rooms have a desk so that becomes our entertainment central - instead of the TV.

Because I'm out of my routine of constant cooking and cleaning I make sure that I bring along lots for me to do to so I'm not tempted by the TV. A knitting project and a few good books and a small reading light to read after the children have gone to bed are my favorite things.

Food

Food is the hardest. Not only are you usually limited in your cooking ability but "bad" food can easily tempt the weary traveler.

We set a food budget ahead of time. For example, on this recent trip, we knew that we wanted to eat at Cafe Rio in St. George and that we wanted to go out to dinner with family one night. Other then that, we packed our food.

We took along a cooler and in it we had apple butter jam, a block of cheese, some lettuce, some eggs, mayo, ketchup, mustard, butter, and chicken hot dogs.

In our other food bag we took, sprouted bread, fruit (oranges travel well), almond butter, nuts, dried fruit, fruit and nut bars, Terra chips, cans of dolmas, salt, sprouted Tortillas, cans of tuna and chicken, instant oatmeal, coconut sugar, stevia, instant rice noodles and raisins.

Other things for food include a can opener, forks, spoons, knives, napkins, wooded or plastic plates and bowls for each family member.

For breakfast we ate oatmeal made with hot water from the hotel coffee maker, with raisins and coconut sugar. For lunch we had apple butter and almond butter or cheese and lettuce sandwiches. For dinner we ate chicken hot dogs wrapped in a sprouted tortilla, instant rice noodles made in the hotel coffee maker (let them sit for about 10 minutes to cook all the way through). To the noodles we added chicken and tuna and we also ate dolmas or made grilled cheese using the (cleaned!) hotel iron with our cheese and tortillas.

We took along jugs of water and our reusable water bottles.

After we were done eating I would scrape any left over food into the trash and wash the dishes in the hotel sink or if we were on the road I would place the plates in a plastic bag and wash them when we got to the hotel. (Be careful to scrape plates well otherwise you will clog the hotel sink.)

I hope you and your family have a fun, safe and healthy traveling experience this year :)

Reconsidering the Corset

Photo Credit

The middle of the last century saw a huge upheaval in women's lives. As the century drew to a close 11 years ago, the modern woman had very little left in common with her century-earlier sister. Some improvments were good, others -not so much. One thing we can all agree with is getting rid of those horrid clothes! The long sleeves, the hig necks and for heaven's sake the corsets! Right?

Well, maybe not.

Corseting can be taken to the extreme, like anything else (think Scarlet O'Hara's 17 inch waist for example), but what a lot of modern women fail to see are the benefits, yes, I said benefits of corseting. 

The corset, like most things we wear, originally had a purpose and it wasn't just to look skinny.

 

Photo Credit

Corsets improve your posture

People suffering from lower back issues are often given medical corsets to help them keep good posture and thus reduce the strain and support the lower back. Moms who are holding their babes for great lengths of time can really benefit from the snug back support of a corset.

Corsets help you lose weight

Wearing a corset during heavy activity or simply during your daily routine can shrink several inches off your waist line. Keeping the stomach muscles warmer burns more fat in the area. A snugly worn corset can help restrain your appetite and organs trying to find their was home again after you give birth will be guided along better with a well fitting corset.

Corsets reduce cramping after birth

When you have two, three or more children you know the pain of the "aftershock" contractions as your uterus shrinks to it's original size. These can be mildly uncomfortable or extremely painful depending on the woman. Binding the belly is an ancient practice which reduces or eliminates these pains.

Corsets can mold your body into a sleeker shape

Let's face it, no one wants to look lumpy! In our day and age it seems as if it's become perfectly tolerable to "let it all hang out." Bellies, bellies everywhere! Flopping to and fro! I would love to bring back the era of taking a little ore pride in ones personal appearance and a nicely fitting corset can help do exactly that.

But, you say, corsets are uncomfortable! Not true! A well made corset should compress only your waist and allows for easy breathing. A proper fitting corset should never be painful to wear.

Our great grandmothers just may have been on to something! What do you think? Would you wear a corset?

Photo Credit

The Importance of Sleep for Children

 

Newborn Avi enjoys a nap while nursing.

Benjamin Franklin famously said; "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." I can testify that this is true for children as well as adults. In the Waldorf method of education and lifestyle early bedtimes are a crucial part of a healthy home rhythm.

Sometimes as adults we don't fully appreciate how much sleep children need to thrive. We place them on our own sleep schedule or struggle endless hours to get them to go to bed a little earlier than us. We can see the results in their tired eyes, their cranky behavior and their bedtime fussiness.

Our Papa has been working more evenings lately and has been out of town a lot so our bedtime routine has seen me struggle to get the boys to bed on time and while I aim for the recommended 7 pm bedtime the boys are often not asleep until 8  or 9 pm.

Our rates of whining, irritability, and over all grouchiness have increased in response, prompting me to do a little research into how much sleep children need and suggestions for bedtime routines.

First let's look at how much sleep your children need by their age...

Newborns, 1-2 months old need 10.5 - 18 hours per day, waking often to eat.

Infants, 3 - 11 months old need 9-12 hours of sleep per night, waking often to eat as well as several naps throughout the day.

Toddlers, 1-3 years old need 12-14 hours sleep in a 24 hour period.

Preschoolers, 3 - 5 years old need 11 - 13 hours of sleep per night.

Children, 5-12 years old need 10-11 hours of sleep.


A few important points to remember is that even though your child may need 11 hours of sleep that doesn't mean that sleeping from midnight to 11 am is an optimum schedule. Rudolph Steiner, the creator of the Waldorf method, taught that every hour of sleep you get before midnight is worth twice as much as sleep you get after midnight - thus an early bedtime is best for children (as well as adults).

So, in our home my children usually wake up between 7 and 8 am, this mean that Ronan should be in bed, and asleep around 7 pm and Nykki no later than 9 pm. When you factor in brushing teeth, putting on jammies, reading a few stories, our bedtime routine really should begin no later than 6 pm.

As I write this, my sleepy Ro Ro is dozing while laying on my shoulder. He fell asleep around 9 pm last night and the several meltdowns he's had today are telling me that I need to adjust our dinner time to 5 pm so that we can begin our bed routine at 6 pm.

Our preferred bedtime routine (which has been off since I had Avi) is to get teeth brushed and jammies on right after dinner. We then snuggle in bed and read a few pictures as well as a few chapters from our chapter book by candle light.

What is your bedtime routine? What bedtime have you found to work best?

3 Reasons Not to Get a Flu Shot

Photo Credit



As we explored in yesterday's post, it's cold and flu season. I'm starting to lose count how many friends of mine have ended up in the hospital in the past month or two over flu related conditions. Every year when and if I get the flu my father always tells me, "You should have got your flu shot."

I've never had a flu shot, nope, not a one. I'm grateful that flu shots didn't become popular until I was already an adult and could make a choice for myself. After much research I choose not to get the flu shot for a few crucial reasons.

1. It doesn't work

The CDC's (Centers for Disease Control) own findings have found that you are just as likely to get the flu whether or not you've gotten a flu shot. Yep, that's right, just as likely. The flu shot does not work. Hence the flu shot, at best, is a waste of money, time, energy, and skin poky-ness.

2. Adverse Reactions

Some adverse reactions to getting the flu shot include; fever, rash, headaches, hives, and even seizures. Some people have been permanently disabled. I don't know about you but I don't feel like playing rush n' roulette with my quality of life.


3. Brain Damage 

Many flu shots contain thimersol, which is 49% mercury. Yep, the same stuff that use to make hat markers "mad as a hatter." That's because it's a nero toxin, which means, quite simply, it dulls and injures your brain. Don't know 'bout you, but I really, really, like my brain.


Fairly good reasons, eh? Yes, I know that having the flu is terrible. I hate it especially because I usually end up needing an IV to stay hydrated but the flu is also part of the human condition. It builds our natural immunity that we then pass down to our children, making them stronger. That's how the human race has survived.

So, the next time someone in medical clothing comes up to you and says, "Me like flu shot, flu shot gooooooood." Back away slowly, never run, and go take some Vitamin D. It's been shown to be 800% more effective than the flu shot.

Works Cited

Why You Shouldn't Get a Flu Shot

Read This Before You Get the Flu Shot, CNN

Why the Flu Vaccine Doesn't Work

Vitamin D Proven Far Better than Vaccines

Preparing for Cold and Flu Season

Photo Credit

We all know it's coming and for some of us it seemed to come much to early. Cold and flu season are differently upon us and here in Northern California we are getting hit with some nasties just on the tail end of a summer flu season that was unusually yucky.

There are many things we can do to prevent colds and flues and while nothing is 100% effective these remidies have taken a girl (me) from about 10 colds and flues per yer (yes, I averaged nearly one per month at age 20) to about 2 per year.

Here are my top picks for preventing colds and flues:

1. Eat healthy. 

So simple yet we all forget to do it or some are confused on how. For those who read my blog you know that we follow a traditional foods diet. To translate that in a nutshell I will say this; shop the outside of the store. Fresh fruits, veggies, meats and dairy. Buy organic, local, raw - as unmessed with as possible. Eat real food, real butter, real fat, not hydrogenated oils, no boxed, sugared grains. Eat real meats and real, whole fat, dairy.


2. Get lot's of rest. 

Reduce your stress by simplifying your life. Be sure you have one full day per week where you are relaxing 99% of the day.


3. Drink lots of pure water. 

At least 8, 8 oz glasses per day and more if you can. If you hate the taste of water try adding a little lemon juice to it, or drink lot's of watered down, caffeine free herbal teas.


4. Drink Super Hero Juice. 

What's Super Hero Juice, you ask? Here's the receipe:

2 Tsp dried Elderberries
2 Tsp Ginger
2 Tsp Slippery Elm Bark


Add to two quarts of water, simmer for an hour, add 1/2 cup of raw honey, stir. Let sit overnight. In the morning strain the tea, add to the tea 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar. Store in the fridge, drink liberally, everyday.


5. Make chicken soup at least once per week. 

Here's my favorite recipe from my sister's blog



6. Take your Vitamin D3!

In the summer time we make Vitamin D 3 from the sunlight. But during winter we cannot make any Vitamin D 3. This vitamin is CRUCIAL in immune system function and a whole host of other body functions including keeping us from getting depressed and helping us with the absorption of calcium.

Back in the day we use to get a lot of Vitamin D 3 from wholesome animal products. Be sure to eat full fat meat and dairy from naturally raised, grass fed animals. Eat organ meats like liver too. I cannot stress this enough. Vitamin D 3 is the most important kind of Vitamin D and is only found in sunlight (from March 21st to September 21st) and quality animal products.

Be sure to take a Vitamin D 3 supplement, I like Source Naturals. Take it everyday.



7. Wash your hands often.

We have all heard this again and again but really it's the simplest, easiest way to keep from getting sick. Remind your children to wash their hands and check up on them, make sure they are doing a good job at it. Warm water, scrub while you sing the ABCs, rinse thoroughly. 

Okay, so you've done all that and you're still sick, now what? Really the only thing you can once are sick is to rest, drinks lots of water and wait to get better. Some things, like taking Zinc and garlic, can help speed up your recovery time but for the most part, you're in it 'til it's over.

By why suffer more then you have to? Before you get sick put together a Wellness Kit!

Items for your Wellness Kit include;

Self directing activities for the kids such as crayons, coloring books, movies, books on tape, etc.

Natural remedies you like to have on hand. I like to be well stocked on yarrow, oregon grape root, coliodal silver, oregano, vitamin C, vitamin D, garlic, zinc, ginger, nux vomica (for stomach flues), Herb's for Kids Temp Assure (my FAVORITE kids tinctures because my little guys run hot) etc. If you are new to herbs you can always buy cold and flu season, pre-packaged blends in teas and tinctures.

Extra household items you may not be able to get to the store to pick up such as toilet paper, paper towels, pads or tampons, diapers, wipes, shampoo, lotion, toothpaste, etc.

Tylenol (use sparingly), thermometer, and hot water bottle.

In your freezer - pre-made chicken soup, several loaves of sprouted bread, grass fed butter.

In your cupboard - peanut butter (so the kids can make their own sandwiches), oral rehydration drink like Recharge.

A chart describing who has what chore responsibility while mom is sick plus treats to motivate the kids to do extra picking up around the house.

I  urge you to get you kit together today if you don't already have one.

Be healthy, be prepared and beat cold and flu season!

7 Natural Beauty Tips

Photo Credit

I love natural beauty. I wear light make up but I'm not a fan of it. I like to find ways to improve the real me, not cover me up with something fake. Here are some neat natural beauty tips you may or may not have thought of:

1. Anytime you go outside, wear sunscreen. It doesn't matter if it's cloudy, winter, rain or snow, always, always, always wear sunscreen. Just about everything we chalk up to the aging process is actually damage from the sun. Use a sunscreen moisturizer which is parben free and offers UVB and UVA protection.

2. Be sure to wear sunscreen on your neck, hands - any part of your skin which shows. Imagine how much damaging sun time your hands are getting while you drive. Try keeping a small bottle of sunscreen in your car in case you forget to put sunscreen on your hands before you leave - or for when you are out for long periods and need to reapply.

3. Stay hydrated! Carry a water bottle with you. How do you know you're well hydrated? Your pee should be almost clear and you should urinate frequently.

4. Get a small brush and massage your body with it in small circles all over your body. This promotes circulation, exfoliates and evens out fat under the skin. I do this in the shower.

5. Smile! Using your smiling muscles often makes your face appear more pleasant even when you're not smiling. Frowning has the same effect, making you look sad even when you're not frowning. Smile all the time, while driving, listening to a speaker, and breastfeeding.

6. Go to sleep early. It's not just about getting enough rest, it's about keeping a natural sleep cycle. Get to bed no later than three hours after the sun sets and wake early, soon after the sun rises.

7. Don't smoke, drink caffeine, alcohol or drink your calories (things with sugar).

Everyone is naturally beautiful! Believe it, live it :)