Tweens and Teens Self Esteem?

Watching the multiple morning shows this morning one jumped out with a guest author of "Operation Beautiful".

The author stated that young girls actually start dieting at age (8) eight. Bulimia, anorexia and many other eating disorders are effecting children at younger and younger ages in today's world.

I have noticed that my "Tween" has become concerned about what she eats. She has even stated at one point that she is a vegetarian! My remark: "where did you get that from?" I corrected her right away and told her I am not going to make separate dinners because at the age of eight you have decided that you are a vegetarian.

We then had the conversation that she is beautiful, there is nothing wrong with the way she looks what so ever. Oh, and the fact that if she is a vegetarian she cannot eat all the wonderful fun things for dessert or some of her favorite foods. She frowned and started to think about it.

We eat very healthy and get lots of exercise. The kids swim on the swim team year round, ride bikes, play golf, tennis and play outside. The fridge in our home is mostly organic or as close to the farm as we can get. I have even planted a huge herb garden that actually started out as a small one but the herbs have even taken over the yard! Hubby has an issue with mowing the grass around it.

So back to my Tween. She does read labels, which is a good thing I think. She is learning what is good for you and what is not. And, that it is okay to eat certain things in moderation. Yes, she eats full fat ranch dressing on her salad.... but a very small amount. She is eating a salad loaded with tons of her favorite veggie toppings. Sometimes she doesn't even use dressing.

I will be reading up on this growing issue and will be posting more information to help bring awareness to you Mother's out there going through the Tween and Teen years!

Happy Parenting!

Counting Calories A New Adventure

Today I started counting calories! How boring hu! Well I need to shed a couple pounds before those couple pounds expand to another couple pounds.

This will be an adventure of course. I am not a breakfast eater, only on weekends if we go out and then I order half breakfast half lunch type foods. So this morning I ate a light healthy low calorie breakfast! Yipeee for me.

Read the full article I have written on my Cooking blog Karen B's Cooking Made Easy! I will be keeping you updated on my progress and hopefully passing along some helpful information as well.

Read the full article here: Counting Calories

Have a great day ;)

Tween and Teen Beauty Tips

Growing up is exciting. It also means that the older we get the more we have to do to take care of our mind and bodies.

Eating healthy, getting our daily amounts of fruits and vegetables are so very important. If you start young it only gets easier to stay on the right track as you get older.

Dark green vegetables are the most important. Broccoli, spinach (yes Popeye's spinach), cucumbers and kayle. Try some mixed baby greens or herb mix salads the next time you stop by the school buffet or salad bar at your favorite lunch place.

Eating right and taking good care of your skin go hand in hand. Find a good facial cleanser that is very important! Also learn how to cleanse your face the right way. I use Oil of Olay line of products and my Grandmother did too! Find a line you like and is right for you. Everyones skin is different. What your BFF may be using might not be right for you.

Dove Cleansing Products is another great company that carries gentle products. Check them all out, see what works for you.

Make eating healthy and taking care of you skin part of your daily life. You only have one!

Happy Winter ;)

Prevent H1N1 Flu - Good Advice

Prevent H1N1 Flu - Good Advice Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist) having clinical experience of over 20 years. He has worked in institutions like Hinduja Hospital, Bombay Hospital, Saifee Hospital,Tata Memorial etc. Presently, he is heading our Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, Malad (W). The following message given by him, I feel makes a lot of sense and is important for all to know The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is. While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu): 1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications). 2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap). 3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way,gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method. 4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water . *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yogaasanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.* Neti pots and sinus rinse kits are available at the drug store and relatively inexpensive….under $15. 5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption. 6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm. I suggest you pass this on to your entire e-list. You never know who might pay attention to it -- and STAY ALIVE because of it.

Proof That Tanning Beds Are Harmful!

Finally, they have proved that tanning beds are "like smoking for the skin"! For the longest time allot of people thought that the tanning beds were safer than lying out under the sun itself. NOT!

Dr. Doris Day (Dermatologist) said that people are using them starting under the age of 30 which is even worse. Using tanning beds along with using birth control pills also increase the risk of getting skin cancers.

There is no health benefits here.

Category 1 Cancer Risks:

1. Tanning Beds
2. Smoking
3. Hepatitis B

UVA and UVB rays are both dangerous. Along with the pill increases your risk, and most of the tanning bed users are young.

You can try to repair skin damage by:

1. Use Topical Retinoid's
2. Exfoliate
3. Moisturize

Wearing sunscreen everyday is so important! And, don't forget to reapply!

Have a happy and safe Summer!

Stop The Lice Use: Lice Free Zone Natural Leave In Conditioner

"No Lice here!"

Lice hanging around your child's school?  It is at ours!  Yes the last couple days of school and it's going around like wildfire!

I use this product on my kids. Lice Free Zone Leave In Conditioner.

• It REPELS Lice & other insects naturally from hair.
• Infused with Tea Tree & Andiroba Oils.
• Moisturizes and De tangles
• Kid friendly Lavender scent!

You can find it online at Circle of Friends site:  http://www.cofbath.com/

Check it out today!  They also have other products available.  I have been using this for the last three years and we have not had a case of lice yet!

Happy Summer :)

How Do I Jump Start My Metabolism?

Metabolism according to Wikipedia:

Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that occur in living organisms in order to maintain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. Metabolism is usually divided into two categories.Catabolism breaks down organic matter, for example to harvest energy in cellular respiration. Anabolism, on the other hand, uses energy to construct components of cells such as proteins and nucleic acids.

During my last visit at my Doctors office I asked him a question "Do you have a magic vitamin or something to jump start my Metabolism?", "I think it has stopped".  He just sat back and laughed.  Then he proceeded to fill me in on this little phenomenon that happens to all of us at some point in our lives whether we want it to or not.  Our Metabolism slows down as we age.  

I'm a Mother in my early forties with two children a seven and four year old.  I eat pretty healthy and exercise when ever I get a chance.  Getting thirty minutes of cardio every day is a part of my daily routine.  Yoga, Pilate's and some strength training are squeezed in when I get that extra Mommy time which rarely happens these days.  So I park the car far away from the store front and walk, take stairs instead of the escalators, walk to the school instead of drive... I try to get that little extra in when I get the chance.  Now this is coming from a person who absolutely hates to exercise!  I never had to when I was young.  I could always eat what I wanted and stayed stick thin.  Then I grew up.

 
Now that I am in my forty's my Metabolism has started to slow down.  For example if my out take of was 5,000 when I exercised for 30 minutes before, my out take now is only 4,000 for thirty minutes of exercise.  My choice is to either reduce my in take of calories or increase my out take.  I have to add an additional thirty minutes to my cardio work out.  My Dr. told me to look at it this way; the first thirty minutes is for cardio (which we all need) the second thirty minutes is for weight loss.  It's either add the additional thirty minutes on the treadmill or don't eat as much anymore.

So I have decided to to both.  My first day on the treadmill for an hour was a long one!  I did start my new routine at the club instead of at home.  Thinking that I had an hour during my Daughter's swim lesson to hit the treadmill with others working out I would have the incentive to go the full hour.  After the first thirty minutes I seemed to relax a bit and actually did get a little bit more energy!  Then I think it dropped off at the forty five minute mark but I struggled through to the end.  Feeling very proud of my accomplishment I knew I could do it again another day.

So today I was at home on the treadmill.  I managed to get in my full hour and it seemed a bit easier.  I was able to get in some running along the way.  With the egg white and spinach scramble for breakfast and the veggie lavash wrap for lunch I did pretty well.  We shall see how we do over the next month.  No scale was used it's the clothing that will tell the truth here! Let's see how we do, I will keep you posted :)

Happy Spring!