Mommy Blog, Tips & Ideas
Health Tips
Top Sleep Boosters
Jun 8th
When you’re having problems sleeping, the only thing you want is to drift off into peaceful, uninterrupted sleep. You could use an over-the-counter sleep aide, but you can also try one of these more natural methods to help you fall asleep. They are considered to be the top sleep boosters and one of them is sure to ease you into dreamland.
* One of the best things you can do to enable you to get the sleep you need is to follow a bedtime routine. Go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time each morning. Your body will fall into a rhythm, which may make falling asleep easier each night. Even if you’re tempted to change your sleeping patterns on the weekend, avoid that temptation. It may take until Wednesday for your body to get back into the groove of sleep.
* Avoid watching television prior to going to bed. Television stimulates the mind and that’s not conducive to getting to sleep at a decent time. And you definitely don’t want to have a television in the bedroom.
* Drink some herbal tea prior to bedtime. This will calm your nerves and enable you to relax. Certain herbal teas such as chamomile, lemon balm, and valerian are good for helping you fall asleep.
* Warm milk has long been given to people to help them sleep. Rather than having plain warm milk, add a teaspoon or so of honey to it. The warm milk relaxes you and the honey has recuperative properties.
* You may have been told to avoid eating prior to bedtime. However, some research indicates that having a high-carbohydrate snack can help. You may want to eat two cups of air-popped popcorn, fresh strawberries over a slice of angel food cake, half of a whole-wheat English muffin with honey drizzled over it, or a baked potato with salsa. These foods contain nutrients which help induce sleep.
* Take a bath as part of your bedtime routine. Use two to three drops of lavender, chamomile, rose, or sandalwood essential oil in the water. Not only will the oils help you relax, you’ll also smell nice when you do drift off to sleep. Combine a couple of the essential oils to create your own special mixture.
* Put a few drops of lavender or ylang ylang essential oil directly on your pillow case if you’re having an especially difficult time falling asleep. These essential oils will help you fall asleep quicker and sleep more restfully than without them.
* If you have a lot of things weighing down on your mind, keep a notebook and pen near your bed. This will enable you to write down everything you’re afraid you’ll forget during sleep, will help you plan your day, and give you a place to jot down things in the middle of the night if you happen to wake up. Once you have written down everything you think you need to remember, it will allow your brain to relax and you’ll be asleep before you know it.
You may be tempted to reach for an over-the-counter sleep aide if you’re having problems falling asleep. These may be good occasionally, but they can become addictive. Using one of these natural top sleep boosters will bring you the sleep you need without using unnatural or synthetic means.
The Healing Sound of Music – Therapeutic Drumming
Jun 8th
Doctors have long known the healing sound of music. Therapeutic drumming, on the other hand, is a relatively new way to tap into the body’s healing ability. When you think about it, though, why shouldn’t the body respond to drumming? The first sounds ever heard are those of a mother’s heartbeat while still in the womb.
Nearly every culture in the world has some type of drumming. It can be seen in ceremonies and rituals, and some cultures use drumming during rites of passage. Drumming has also been used extensively in music, to guide dancers, and as a means to celebrate.
In recent years people in the medical profession have started realizing the importance of using a holistic approach to healing. Many physicians are using drumming therapy with senior citizens in co-ordination with otherwise traditional means of healing.
Why drumming therapy? It could be partially due to the fact that drumming reaches down into a person’s psyche to touch patients in a non-verbal way. Drumming therapy is being used with people of all ages. From patients as young as four to those as old as 104, drumming therapy has many benefits. Some of the benefits of drumming therapy include:
* Drumming has been proven to reduce anxiety and depression in patients over the age of 80. A study also noted the increased self-esteem of the patients following their weekly drumming session.
* During one study on drumming therapy, participants had blood samples drawn before and after a one-hour drumming session. Doctors found a marked decrease in the hormonal stress response and an increase in activity of natural killer cells.
* Alzheimer’s patients have been shown to respond favorably to drumming therapy. They are able to connect better with their loved ones as a result. Therapeutic drumming can also increase their cognitive ability.
* For patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease or stroke, moving can be difficult. Therapeutic drumming, when done with deliberate slow, steady rhythms, enabled these patients to move more steadily.
Medical studies have also proven that drumming can greatly increase the production of T-Cells which are responsible for building the immune system. It accelerates physical healing and gives those in therapy a sense of wellbeing and being a part of something larger than themselves.
Some other research has shown the effect of drumming therapy to produce deep relaxation. It lowers blood pressure, and reduces stress, as well as aiding patients in overcoming chronic pain. Drumming has also been found to release negative feelings which can remove emotional blockages.
Therapeutic drumming can be done by an individual, but research has proven the added benefits of drumming with others. Therapeutic drumming is the sound of healing music; it will continue to be studied and new benefits are likely to be found.
Do you have a loved one you feel could benefit from this form of therapy? You may want to discuss this option with your loved one’s doctor.
Stress Busters for Busy People
Jun 7th
Stress – it’s something nearly everyone contends with on a daily basis. At times the stress is positive such as having a baby or trying to win a race. At other times it’s negative such as having too much to do and not enough time to do it. You can use some of these stress busters for busy people and see if they help you reduce the stress you’re feeling.
It’s important for people to learn to unwind and release some of the stress they feel. This can be done in a number of ways. You may not have a long weekend to help you relax, but you can learn to relax in shorter periods of time.
If you’re really tense and need to calm down quickly, take a few deep breaths. This is one of the easiest and quickest ways to reverse the effects of stress. Since you’re probably not using very much of your lung capacity while you’re tensed up, you’ll be surprised how much this action helps. Take a deep, long breath in through your nose. When you can’t take in any more, open your mouth and let the air go through. Making an “hhhhaaaa” sound while releasing the air helps. Do this several times and you’re guaranteed to feel less stressed.
While you’re in a stressful situation, you may not be able to easily get away. As soon as you can, take a short walk outside to get fresh air. The change of scenery, sunshine and fresh air can do wonders to help alleviate the stress you’re feeling.
If you have a break during the day, even if it’s only fifteen minutes, take the time to meditate. Play some soft music and concentrate on relaxing images or places. Of course, if you have longer to spend meditating your results might be better, but even a short time can do wonders for your outlook.
Take a book along with you and read that during your planned breaks. While it’s true you may not be able to read very much, the important thing is to take your mind away from the stressful things in your day.
Play quiet, soothing music during your day. Music has been proven to have much health and stress-reducing benefits. If you can’t listen to music at work or it’s too hectic to hear it, find a compact disc you can listen to during the ride home or while you’re doing other things such as cooking, shopping, or exercising.
Take time out of your day to laugh. Laughter is one of the best ways to release stress. The stress hormones epinephrine and cortisol reduce while the hormone oxytoxin increases. Oxytoxin is sometimes called the ‘happy hormone.’ Laughter also gets more oxygen into your body which makes you feel better.
You can undoubtedly find other stress busters for busy people, but these may give you some ideas you can try. Learning to unwind is important for not only your mental health but also for you physical health. What are you doing to unwind and reduce stress in your life?
How to Introduce Your Children to Culturally Different Foods
Jun 2nd
The song “It’s a Small World After All” has never been more appropriate. With the ability to travel quickly and easily between countries, people are now exposed to different cultures. This is also true due to the numbers of people moving from one country to another. You may be wondering how to introduce your children to culturally different foods as they meet people from other cultures.
No longer are citizens of one country simply content to live in that country all their lives. They want to see and experience the world in which they live. One way to do this is to try different foods while at home so you’ll be familiar with them when and if your family travels.
Perhaps you can take your cue from your child’s school work. Are they studying a particular country for geography? While at home, learn about what foods are traditionally eaten in that country. Then find a recipe for some of those foods and prepare them for the family to try.
Grocery stores generally have a large ethnic food section, so you may want to check out that area of your store. Some of the ingredients may seem unusual, so keep an open mind. After you try some of these foods, you may need to find additional recipes because your family enjoys the flavors so much.
Maybe you’re unsure of the reaction to ‘different’ foods, in which case you probably don’t want to try too much culturally different food all at once. Start with a dessert recipe; those are usually flavorful and sweet so even if the taste is unusual to your family, they may be more willing to give it a try.
You can also find restaurants from many different cultures these days. Rather than going to eat at the local fast food restaurant, choose one from a different nationality. In most areas you can find several Mexican, Chinese, or Italian restaurants, for example. You may also be able to find ones which specialize in German, Greek, Indian, Israeli, or Japanese cuisine.
Keep an eye out for festivals in ethnic communities. These generally happen in early spring or during the summer when the weather is warm. They will have music, dances, and food for the public to sample. You may also be able to find art museums which are showing artwork from another culture; they may also have a reception offering foods from those cultures.
Your family may feel most comfortable eating foods they’re familiar with; however, you want them to try something new. Use some of these ideas when figuring out how to introduce your children to culturally different foods. Once your family tries one new food, they may be willing to give others a try.
Healthy Food Tips for Young Athletes
May 29th
Talk with any athletic coach and they will tell you how important good nutrition is for athletes. This is true for Olympic calibre athletes and children just starting out in athletics. Considering following these healthy food tips for young athletes and help them do better at their chosen sport.
Healthy, balanced meals are important for everyone but they’re especially important for active children. Young athletes often have different nutritional needs than children who aren’t athletic. Providing healthy food choices can do more than fuel your young athlete; it can actually help them perform better.
Talk to the experts. It’s hard to instinctively know what a young athlete needs to eat to maximize their performance. However, you child’s coach and doctor will know. Ask them what your child needs to eat during training and while participating in their chosen sport. Their nutritional needs will likely change if it’s off-season or if they’re in the midst of playing.
If you’re unsure what foods are most healthy, all you have to do is look in your child’s health book. They’ll have a picture of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Pyramid. It will explain how many servings of each food group your child needs on a daily basis. Your child’s coach and doctor will let you know if your child needs more of certain foods and less of others.
Be sure to provide your young athlete with plenty of brightly-colored produce each day. These are packed with vitamins, minerals, and nutrients which are important for growing children. Of course, you may have to come up with inventive ways to get your child to eat them.
Everyone has heard the commercials stating how good milk is for growing children. You’ve heard it, “Milk, it does a body good.” With this in mind, it’s important to provide your children with plenty of foods containing calcium. This would include milk, cheese, and yogurt.
Iron rich foods are also important. These would include meat, eggs, broccoli, and green leafy vegetables. You’ll also want to provide healthy carbohydrates. Offer whole grain breads and pastas rather than white versions.
Try to get your child to drink more water than sugary soft drinks. The body needs hydration but the amount of sugar in soft drinks is entirely too much. Of course, you may offer them 100% juices, too. Staying away from artificially sweetened drinks is also a good idea to ensure your child is healthy.
Follow these healthy food tips for young athletes and you can be sure you’re providing them with the fuel they need to perform well. Having healthy foods in your home, and leaving the junk food at the store, will be difficult to begin with but the effort will lead to your child, and possibly the entire family, being healthier.
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