Fungus’s are one of the most common causes of various skin diseases. We all have them, positioned in different parts of our body such as mouth, digestive system as well as on our hands and legs. There are several hundred different fungus’s which can’t harm a person. However, about 50 types of them can cause local fungus infection on skin, nails, head, vagina and mouth. Sometimes, fungus can lead to severe medical issues. Continue reading “Take Charge of your skin with Ketoderm”
Making Beauty Healthy – Mineral Fusion
Are you one of those ladies that love to peruse makeup? Look at all the beautiful colors and makeover options and adore the palettes and hues? I know I am one of them. Makeup is scary to me because I have been told I should wear certain hues and colors and shades and when I wear them and wear the suggested application I end up looking a bit like Tammy Faye Baker. Lipstick is especially scary for me because I would hate to look like a clown. Or worse, I have a horrible reaction because I have uber sensitive skin. Couple all these factors with the brutality of the Arizona climate, especially in summer, the whole bit reeks of disaster. Until I was introduced to Mineral Fusion which is a mineral cosmetics brand that creates beautiful colors and hues to accent and enhance any woman’s beauty and is completely vegan. Continue reading “Making Beauty Healthy – Mineral Fusion”
Fractionated Coconut Oil Review and Giveaway
Arizona has to be one of the harshest and arid climates. Living here we have brutally overprocessed water loaded with minerals, dry summers, winters and dust for days. With all of these factors skin can dry, crack and be in a constant state of thirst. Part of my struggles is to find a lotion and or moisturizer that will hydrate and soften my skin without feeling greasy, oily and or dry me out. I have been reading more about using vegetable oils in lieu of lotions. All that being said, for the last few weeks I have been using fractionated coconut oil for my hair and skin. Continue reading “Fractionated Coconut Oil Review and Giveaway”
Organic Baby Lotion for More than Just Babies
Not all baby lotions are alike. Not all organics are the same either. When an organics company comes along that offers products for all stages of baby and motherhood you cannot help to take notice. Especially when the product is more than a gimmick and more than just a brand, but an organization that is passionate about organics and creating safe products for babies, children, mama’s and beyond. This is the story of Earth Mama Angel Baby. Continue reading “Organic Baby Lotion for More than Just Babies”
Baking with Kids
Last year I had the blessing to stay home with my kids and keep them occupied over the summer. Charades, swimming and bike rides can only fill so many hours and minutes of a kids day. So this summer we are taking fun up a notch. With my love of food, grilling, cooking and baking, the kids started to catch on. Along with their desire to help, we had a winning combination. So I took advantage of my love of baking, their help, and a new way to bond as a family. I also had a great guide that was driven more for their audience so I could cater to their needs as kids in the kitchen. Continue reading “Baking with Kids”
Spring Break and SwimSpray
March is a time for kids (and teachers) to take that mental break before the end of school. Teachers are feverishly cramming information into their little brains and you can tell they need just a week (or two) reprieve to get back into the swing. Most of us will be taking our kids on holiday to enjoy tropical, exotic or maybe even home locations to take in a much needed break. One thing I like to keep in my arsenal of goodies for spring break is prevention treatment for swimmers hair for my little blondies with SwimSpray.
What I love about SwimSpray is that the ingredients are all natural. Not like the “all natural” we have all read about, but truly a blend of natural ingredients found from our favorite summertime fruit. A convenient little bottle of citrus without the smell of citrus. Some of you may have loved the days of old with lemon juice to remove the chlorine from your hair, as a blond and spending many a summers poolside and with swimmers hair, lemon juice was my bane. Neck cricked over, towel on my head and constantly showering off. Knowing how much I did not enjoy this past time I surely will not inflict this on my children.
SwimSpray is just that. A spray of a blend of vitamin C and water. No harsh chemicals. No harsh smells. No drying out your hair and or your skin. Absolutely safe to use on your skin to get the drying and damaging effects of chlorine out of your pores. You can even use SwimSpray on your swimsuit to prolong the life and remove the chlorine and the chlorine smell.
SwimSpray comes in a four ounce bottle spray so it is super convenient to pack in your carry-on and small enough for even the most independent of little hands to use on themselves. Be sure to prevent spraying in the eyes and always supervise children when using this product.
Enjoy your Spring Break and summer, free of the harsh effects of chlorine with SwimSpray. Just spray on after swimming and wash as usual. SwimSpray is available online at SwimSpray.com, local swim shops, swim schools and other authorized retailers.
First Bites: Superfoods for Babies and Toddlers
Food is such an integral part of our lives. As a conversation piece, comfort and of course sustenance. For new moms, feeding your infant and or toddler can be worrisome, frustrating and concerning. Am I giving them enough options? Am I feeding them the right foods? Should I feed them these foods? When I had my twins I threw the traditional thoughts out the window and gave them everything. Brussels Sprouts were my favorite when they were teething, as were apples, bell peppers, the whole gamut of different fruits and vegetables. From the time they could sit up unassisted and gnaw on foods, I experimented on them. With G-man I was more concerned on being the perfect mom, giving him the “right” foods and never rocking the boat. I wish I had this book with my oldest, First Bites: Superfoods for Babies and Toddlers, so I had some sort of compass and guide to tackle simple struggles like picky eating.
Picky Eaters
I’ve been interviewing experts about dealing with picky eaters for years and there are times when all that I have learned goes out the window! Do your best and when all else fails, take a deep breath and let it go. Don’t get up and make something different, let your child take ownership and decide not to eat, they won’t starve to death if they skip dinner one night. Allow them to have some of the control, it will empower them believe it or not they will (almost always) come around.
Try to:
- Lead by example—parents have to be willing to eat and try things too
- Offer a combination of foods your child likes along with things that may be a bit outside their comfort zone
- Have a discussion about where food comes from
- Get to the farmers’ marker or plant a garden
- Make mealtime fun—eat, talk, share
- Prepare meals together
Try not to:
- Freak out!
- Get noticeably frustrated
- Fight over meals
- Use dessert or other food as a reward
- Insist that your child eat everything on their plate
(Photo and excerpt from FIRST BITES: Superfoods for Babies and Toddlers with the permission of Perigee/Penguin. Copyright Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, 2015.)
Today I do one of the “try not to” with my kids, but they are now 7,7 and 12 so having them finish their plate usually consists of did you at least eat all of your vegetables on your plate? When I was growing up I was limited on my exposure to foods, fruits and vegetables. I wasn’t even aware of farmers markets, local farmer co-ops, or the like. At the young age of 17 I was exposed to artichokes and capers. I never looked back. My children were a fraction of my age when they were exposed and that is one of their all time favorite requests, including asparagus, roasted Brussels Sprouts, stuffed bell peppers, bok choy, spinach, mushrooms, onions and kale.
What I found with my oldest is just as Dana suggests, have your kids take ownership. I let my kids rummage through the fridge when they were toddling and we discussed the different fruits and vegetables and I let them try. I also tried. I stock my fridge to this day with an assortment of foods. Such an empowering feeling to have your children try and share and tell others about the foods they like.
Seth defined that moment and humbled me as a parent when at his Boy Scout den meeting he explained the various foods on his plate as part of a nutrition project. Mind you, my little gem is barely six at the time and he explained grilled chicken or salmon as his protein, quinoa or brown rice as his grain, broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, asparagus and green beans (because he clarified those are his favorite) as his veggie, strawberries as his fruit and Gouda was his choice of cheese (dairy) but he also likes almond milk. His dessert, of course, was my gluten free, dairy free, caramel apple cake. Of course, a meal would be incomplete without dessert!
When his den leader and The Chad shared this with me I felt so proud. I felt like we crested a hump. A pressure was relieved regarding the work I put into my kids to ensure they are eating the right foods and are educated about proper nutrition.
However I know I am truly blessed because my children do not lack a food allergy. Many children these days have or develop food allergies which can make meals tricky and tough to navigate, First Bites: Superfoods for Babies and Toddlers helps provide helpful tips and insightful information on how to ensure we as parents are maximizing our children’s diets. The book release and copy could not have come at a better time as a friend from church was experiencing her own frustrations and concerns as a new mom. Her post on Facebook immediately prompted me to provide her with my copy of the book, to give her the tools I wish I had when I was a new mom, the tools I just figured out with having twins. If you are facing some of these struggles: food allergies, picky eaters, maximizing a vegetarian/vegan diet, or food transitions First Bites: Superfoods for Babies and Toddlers should be in your arsenal of tools in the kitchen and your home. First Bites was released on February 3rd and is available nationwide and on Amazon, get your copy today and take the frustration out of navigating meals and foods for your child with amazing meal options and friendly recipes sure to transform even the pickiest of eaters.
Kickstart your Colon with Coconut Cleanse
The “holidays” are officially over. Valentines marks the close of all the crappy eating, unhealthy food choices and overall gluttony in our lives. For those who didn’t make a New Year’s resolution you are considering your health about this time. You are looking for a way to kickstart your body into the healthy mode; feeling sluggish, fatigued, and just a general overall feeling of meh. Continue reading “Kickstart your Colon with Coconut Cleanse”
What The Fork Are You Eating
If you are like others who started off the new year feeling not yourself or your health is less than favorable, your initial thought might be to start exercising, eating better, and then maybe visit your doctor. Did you know that most physicians who advise to eat a healthy diet and exercise cannot even tell you what a healthy diet looks like? That’s right! In fact, 99 of the 106 medical schools polled in a survey indicated they only required some form of education (conference, seminar, etc), but do not require a formal university course study. So what the fork are you eating and what the fork can your doctor really tell you about your diet when they don’t even know? Stephanie Sacks, author, certified nutritionist and chef, can help you overhaul your plate and your pantry in her book “What the Fork Are You Eating?: An Action Plan for Your Pantry and Plate.”
This book is absolutely revolutionary in breaking down the foods we eat, why we should or should not eat, buy, or consider them as food items. We spend so much time focusing on “low-fat” or “sugar free,” with the intention of helping ourselves, but all we are doing is pumping more artificial additives into our bodies that we simply cannot process.
By no means am I a dietary professional, scientist or physician, however, I am a consumer and person who struggled with the reality of food and how it wreaked havoc on my life. My weight suffered, my skin as I had horrible acne, fatigue, and my own personal struggle and triumph with cervical cancer. Converting to a whole foods, organic diet allowed me to take control of all these ailments and help me live a better life with more energy and radiance.
“What the Fork Are You Eating” will help you understand how foods are made, how they affect your body, our environment, and your budget. A step-by-step guide to the small changes that have a big impact on our family health and the financial health of our budgets. Not only will you learn about how, or how little, our food is regulated, but this book is packed with wholesome, affordable recipes that your entire family is sure to love.
If you are ready to read the most powerful, life changing book of the year, then enter to win your very own copy of “What the Fork Are You Eating: An Action Plan for Your Pantry and Plate”
Disclaimer: No purchase is necessary to enter. One entrant per household, per address. Void where prohibited by law. Winner(s) will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. The sponsor will be responsible for product shipment to winner of this sweepstakes. This event is in no way administered, sponsored, or endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook and/or Twitter, Google, Pinterest. Contact karie@thefivefish.com if you have any additional questions or comments.
Garcinia Cambogia Extract
The holidays take such a toll and wreak havoc on my diet. Stress. Celebrations. Temptations. Now that we have crested into a new year and celebrations aside I can get back to my normal eating habits. However, some of us may need a leg up when we get back on the wagon to health and fitness, but with all the products Continue reading “Garcinia Cambogia Extract”