Archive for September, 2010
Make water your only beverage today. Keep it with you. Carry a refillable bottle – and refill it! Carry it in your purse, briefcase, or backpack. Drink half your weight in ounces of water each day, up to 100 oz/day. Photo: Zsuzsanna Kilián
If you’re feeling achy and sore, a soak in hot water infused with salt together with baking soda will help revive you. Your body produces acidic waste as part of its metabolic cycle, and that waste buildup can clog the lymph system, causing body aches, fatigue and brain fog. Soak in an alkaline bath to help balance your internal pH. Just add 2 cups of kosher salt and 2 cups of baking soda into running water as you fill the tub. Then soak for 20 minutes. Put on your favorite relaxing playlist (keep electronics out of the tub… and safely over on the counter!) and just let yourself do nothing for 20 minutes. If you soak before bed, you’ll get the added benefit an easy transition to a good night’s sleep.
Stay involved in your child’s physical education classes at school. Ask about the frequency of classes, the length of classes, the activities, class size and curriculum. Ask about the teacher’s philosophy concerning children’s fitness. While you’re at it, ask about recess – frequency and length, and what kids are able to do during that time. If possible, offer to help coach an activity you’re good at. Remember – if you’re not moving, your kids won’t move either.
What’s your plan for this weekend? ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
If you’re feeling stressed, a soak in hot water infused with Epsom salts will help revive you. The magnesium in the Epsom salts can actually boost your blood levels of magnesium, which stimulates creation of the enzymes that help neutralize chemical toxins. Magnesium also plays a key role in regulating nerve and muscle activity, protecting your body from stress. Just add 1 cup of Epsom salts – available at drug and discount stores – into running water as you fill the tub. Then soak for 20 minutes. Put on your favorite relaxing playlist (keep electronics out of the tub… and safely over on the counter!) and just let yourself do nothing for 20 minutes. If you soak before bed, you’ll get the added benefit an easy transition to a good night’s sleep.
Ahhh, fall. When it gets cool and rainy (or cool or rainy, depending on where you live), a hearty bowl of stew is the perfect meal. Stew has the added benefit of being “man-friendly” – or good for hearty appetites. Plus – this one is a slow-cooker recipe! Use a turkey or chicken sausage if you eat poultry. Check the label to make sure the casing is also poultry-based (many are still pork-based, and that’s just… not good). We like Trader Joe’s chicken sausages; they come in a variety of flavors. Just check the label, because some contain cheese. You can also use a soy sausage if you prefer a vegan meal. We don’t like to use too many meat analogs (fake meat products), but sometimes they’re the right choice. Or leave the sausage out, and substitute an extra can of beans – use a different kind of bean for some variety in the color and texture. You may also want to add some of the spices associated with sausage – a little crushed fennel seed and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Stews freeze well, and make great leftovers. ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 12 ounces dry great northern or navy beans (or 2-3 cans, drained) The night before making the soup, rinse the beans. Place the beans in a bowl and cover with water (about 4 cups). Cover the container and let the beans soak overnight. Check on the beans after a few hours; you may need to add more water. If using frozen spinach, place in a bowl in the fridge overnight to thaw. The next morning, drain the beans, rinse thoroughly, and put in a slow-cooker. Add the tomatoes and their liquid, vegetable broth, 1 cup water, sausage, onion, wine, Italian seasoning and garlic. Cook, covered, on high for 6-8 hours or on low for 11-12 hours or until the beans are tender. To thicken, remove about 1 cup of the stew (but NO sausage) and puree in a blender. Return to the pot and stir. Add the spinach about 20 minutes before serving. To cook on the stove: Add everything to the pot except the spinach, and cook on low for 3-4 hours (so beans are tender). When beans are tender, puree about 1 cup of the stew (but NO sausage) in a blender. Return to the pot and stir. Add spinach about 20 minutes before serving. Serve with garlic toast.
It’s a sad world we live in when the President proclaims National Childhood Obesity Month. What can we do to help fight childhood obesity? We don’t all have kids, but we probably all know kids – nieces and nephews, grandkids, neighbor kids, our friends’ kids. And it does take a village to raise healthy, happy kids – so let’s all do our part to create the healthy village where childhood obesity can’t exist.
Do you have other ideas? Share!
Holistic Holiday at Sea VIII sailing February 27 – March 6, 2011 Marilu will once again be part of the Holistic Holiday at Sea cruise! She’s offering The Role of Your Life workshop onboard (there will also be a host of other amazing presenters). Talk with your friends and family members – they’ll want to join you for a week of fun in the sun, focused on living the good (B.E.S.T.!) life. Start saving now! Click on the index tag for the Cruise over there on the right sidebar to see what we’ve posted. Check the cruise website for more details.
Most schools are now in session, and the kids have reviewed bus safety and carpool lane rules about a million times. If you’re a parent, you’ve seen the rules, too, and maybe signed off on them. But if you don’t have kids, take a minute to google your state and community laws about driving near a school bus. Those flashing yellow and red lights mean things. The stop arm is important. Kids usually cross the street in front of the bus, but not always. Buses stop for railroad crossings and sometimes in other odd places. We get used to driving without giving it our full attention – but a school bus should have our full attention. Kids in crosswalks and their crossing guards also need our full attention. Walking to and from school is great exercise for kids. Check our walking school bus post for a way to make walking work for your kids. And if you’re driving carpool, and doing the drop-off and pick-up, know where you’re supposed to be – and where you’re not supposed to be. Keep the kids safe on their way to and from school.
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Soaking in the tub encourages your body to perspire, which is one of the ways your body cleanses itself from toxins. 
