I used to get sick a lot. I ran myself ragged sleeping little and hurrying from place to place. I seldom took preventative measures. Instead, as soon as a cold snuck up on me, I popped zinc pills, downed gallons of orange juice and took nighttime cough syrup before bed. Still, every season, the bug hit me a number of times. Since I changed my lifestyle, though, I get sick less. I sleep more, eat clean, walk a lot, use less toxic products and overall keep a hearty, positive spirit. Even though I’ve changed my ways, I’m not about to say that I’m not prone to sickness especially now that I’m on this new chemo pill. So, while I realize that there is no one superfood or miracle activity to boost my immunity, I’m always intrigued with wholesome or natural modalities. Initially when the media made such a fuss over bone broth soup, I discounted it because I’m vegan and don’t eat meat. After speaking with a naturopathic oncologist recently, who suggested I consume it regularly, I started to explore it further.
Immunity Boosting Onion Soup Recipe
Pretty Wellness on The Dr. Oz Show
As a two-time cancer survivor, I’ve learned that it’s not just about the awesome medical community to help treat any given situation, it’s also a 360-degree approach including clean eating, active being and non-toxic living. So when I received an email from Dr. Oz’s production team to be interviewed on the show, I jumped to respond. It wasn’t the publicity on national television that intrigued me; I was thrilled to engage in a healthy conversation on a show that inspires people to make healthy changes.
Top Five Changes for Healthy Kids: Clean Eating
Being a first time mom, I opted for organic items when my son began eating “real food.” As I tried to figure out parenthood, spending a tad more money on organic foods gave me reassurance that he was ingesting quality items. But as he grew into his personality and demanded “more desserts,” it has become easier to veer away from wholesome selections and find pre-packaged items.
Being a busy mom and often too tired to fight, I looked for alternatives that made him smile. Oreos, Cheez-its, and Lunchables not only were convenient, but also instantly made him grin from eat to ear. So, while I knew it was wrong, before a tantrum or even a busy week I often stocked up on these items. As I have re-evaluated my eating to detox the cancer from my body, small steps have been taken to clean up my 6-year old’s diet, as well.
4 Healthy Tips to Create a Non-Toxic New Home
I’ve heard from many feng-shui fans that removing clutter is a surefire way to increase productivity, remove toxins and promote happiness. I used to rolled my eyes at these comments the same way I did when my mother used to tell me to clean my room. Truth be told, though, I’m now a believer. Within the past few months, we sold a home that we lived in for more than 11 years, as well as bought and moved into a new one. We owned a ton of stuff and plenty that accumulated a lot of chemically-ridden dust that you can’t just “green clean.” During the move-out process, filling up the driveway dumpster was cathartic. Each box I threw away felt like I was removing toxins from my life. And I was…both literally and figuratively. Once we moved into the home, we took a few steps to assure it was an extremely healthy environment. I’m now on a mission to create an even more healthy non-toxic home and here is what I’ve done so far.
How to Start Healthy Meal Planning in Three Easy Steps
Do you grocery shop with intension, buying specific food for each meal of the week? I’m trying to be more fiscally conscious, so decided to meal plan again. I only started this process in the winter, though talked about it for years. Even then, I didn’t stick to a hard budget. I often rationalized that it was ok to make several trips to buy groceries because I ate clean. Now, that we moved into a new home I would rather spend the extra money on decorating rather than unneeded groceries. So, I decided to refocus my clean lifestyle towards making not only healthy, but also economical choices. Today, in an effort to eat well, save money and reduce stress, I grabbed the printable calendar and shopping list from my earlier meal planning experience. I found success in the past by gathering and creating a system with my family. Now, I’m armed and ready for our family meeting tonight to discuss eating clean while on a budget.
Here are some of our strategies on how to start healthy meal planning in just a few steps.
50 Children’s Books that Promote Fitness
I was a horrible child athlete, the second to worst player on my elementary school softball team. During a 6th grade basketball game, I think I made a basket for the other team, too. Despite my lack of talent with hand-eye coordination, I was an active child. I spent many years participating in track-and-field and dance lessons. Though decades have passed since my childhood, I’m still excited to run races and take dance classes. Knowing that kids today are often immersed in video games and constantly connected to gadgets, I hope to instill my life-long love of fitness to my son. Being a role model is key, so I do my best to create family fun and fit opportunities throughout the year. Also, a wonderful way to reinforce a world filled with personal interaction and teamwork is by surrounding him with stories of exercise, activities and team sports so that he can make his own connections. Below is my list of children’s books with a focus on an active lifestyle. I’ve read most of these and received recommendations for the others from my favorite local librarian.