Healthy Sleep Habits

Where have I been?  Can I call myself a serious blogger if I haven't been here in months?  Was I ever a "serious" blogger?  LOL.

I'm nesting....still. Well, kind of.  Our son is now nine and a half months old, and truth be told, I thought I would be blogging more regularly by now.  The thing is, this baby time goes by so quickly.  I don't want to miss a thing.  And I really don't want to miss out on sleep! With a bouncing baby boy and a vibrant five-year-old girl who is home schooling, I'm ready to turn in quite early these days. This is a healthy living blog after all, and I have written about the importance of sleep before.  Sleep is vital to our health and so often we sacrifice sleep to stay up on our computers or watch T.V.  Or sometimes to get the laundry done!

Life is demanding.  Sleep is a necessary component for meeting those daily demands.  As parents, we can help instill good sleep habits in our children early on.  Many times parents aren't sure how many hours of sleep their kids need.  When I became a parent I was totally smitten with my new baby girl.  Weeks after her arrival, I was wishing she had come with a set of instructions.  I went with my instincts and watched for signs of hunger, but sleepy signs were a bit confusing to me.

Then a friend gave me a book called Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Mark Weissbluth.  Early on in my pregnancy I was told to beware of sleep-training books because they encourage parents to let a child "cry it out".  So I was a bit skeptical about the book.  But when I began to read it, everything just made sense.  The book gives parents information to help them understanding the importance of sleep, how sleep habits develop in young children, and a step-by-step guide to help children get the sleep they need for happy, healthy development.  And it offers methods that are simple to implement for both families who co-sleep or sleep in separate beds.

What really made a lasting impression on me was the research that shows a definite correlation between the sleep habits of an individual in childhood and then into their adult years.  In other words, helping a child learn healthy sleep habits is a gift that will last them their entire life.  Like any book, some tips may suit some parents more than others.  Every child is different and there are special circumstances to consider. That being said, I highly recommend this book. My daughter had reflux, which of course made sleep more difficult for her, but thanks to the book I had a better understanding of how to begin implementing a nap time and bed time routine, despite our struggles.  And having reviewed the book after my son was born, healthy habits were established early on.

I love the philosophy is this book about healthy sleep habits leading to healthy lives.  I couldn't agree more....Good night!

Here's to healthy sleep habits and here's to your health!

Hooray for Nose Frida!

Hello? Is this thing on?? Well, I know I haven't been around much since our baby arrived and I'm not too sure how many followers I still have, but things have been kind of crazy...in the best possible way. We have a beautiful baby boy, Ezra James. He is perfect in every way, healthy and adorable! I have been a wee bit busy nursing round the clock, diapering, doing laundry, etc. You get it.

Now that baby has arrived, my posts are likely to include many more baby products. There are very few things I feel I truly need in addition to what we already have from the first time around. However, I saw this nifty little contraption in my pediatricians office the other day....and when I saw what it was for and how it was used? Well, I laughed at first. Then I bought one because I realized it was quite a useful, and clever invention.

What is it? The Nose Frida is a nose aspirator for babies and small children. The package describes it as the "snot sucker". If you have children, you know that the big round, green suction thing that comes home from the hospital with you is not exactly a fun tool to use. Not only is it uncomfortable for baby, it really isn't all that efficient.

The Nose Frida is great. I have to admit that I wasn't sure I believed it would work...but it absolutely works! My husband and I tried it the other day. Here is how it works-You put the tube against the baby's nostril to create a tight seal, but not up the nose. Then you put the other end in your mouth (yes, your mouth) and suck. Don't worry. There is a barrier to prevent gooey mucus from actually making it's way into your mouth. By sucking, you are creating a vacuum, and the result is a clear nasal passage for baby.

I highly recommend the Nose Frida for every parent of young children. We were fortunate that our first child learned to blow her nose quite early, but it usually takes quite a while to master this skill. Do your little ones a favor and clear it for them. I am not going to claim that it will be a pleasant experience for them, but it will be quick and easy for both of you, and your kiddo will breathe easier too.

Here's to this cool little invention and here's to baby's health!

*Check Amazon.com for the best prices*

Flashback Friday

If you are wondering what to do about that enormous candy stash your little ones will collect tomorrow, here is my post from last year that will give you a few ideas on how to cut down on sugar intake:

Tweak the Treats!

Today seems to mark the official beginning of our season of special treats. Whether you participate in this holiday or not, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and more are right around the corner, and there will be goodies o' plenty at every turn. So, what does this healthy livin' mommy think about all of the sugary treats?

Well, tonight we will be attending an event at our church, and there will be plenty of candy involved. I cannot hope for my little one to say "no thank you" to all of those yummy sweets. Of course I want to limit her sugar intake, but I want her to enjoy herself.

When it comes to special days like this, birthday parties, etc, I don't fret too much. It is only one day, and since I am doing my best all throughout the year to keep nutritious, healthy food in our diets, I can shrug my shoulders and let my kiddo have a good time. But do I want my three-year-old consuming all of her giant candy loot? No way. So here are a few ideas to help parents put a lid on the candy intake!

• Buy their candy! Let your kids choose a handful of their favorites and "buy" the rest from them. Set a price of 5 to 25 cents per piece of candy, depending on the size of their collection (and their age). Then let them put that toward a special toy or other item they've had their eye on. OR instead of using cash, buy them out with stickers or other fun stuff!

• I read about one mom showing her kids "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" and then allowing them to keep a portion of their candy, and offering the rest to "the Great Pumpkin" (in reality, it's daddy, who hauls the loot off to work on Monday morning!)
  

• Make a trade! Let your kids keep a few pieces in their bag, and trade the others for some healthier options. Here are a few ideas for replacements that are not necessarily "healthy", but are a better alternative to the more common treats filled with hydrogenated oils, high-fructose corn syrup, and artificial flavors and colors.
  

1. Fill a small bag with trailmix, carob chips, raisins, pretzels, or one of their other favorite snack foods.

2. Yummy Earth organic lollypops (my daughter's favorite)

3. SunSpire's natural candy bars and Sundrops- colorful "m & m"-like chocolate treats

4. Cliff Kid Organic Twisted Fruit

5. Annie's Organic BunnyFruit Snacks
(can all be found at Whole Foods and other health food stores, and Amazon)

These are just a few ideas to make your holiday a little bit healthier, but just as SWEET!

Here's to your health!

Free Lunch Sack!

Funny thing. Someone posted a comment on my last post, complaining that I was posting about a product's sale. I don't know about you, but I love a great bargain...especially on health products. If I find a sale worth noting, I'm going to share it with you! Who doesn't need to save a little money these days? So, here is another great deal...and it's FREE. Well, with a purchase of two Annie's Homegrown products. I already buy Annie's Homegrown, so this isn't a stretch for me. Click below for details on how to receive a free reusable lunch sack!

Here's to a great deal and here's to your health!

Earth Day Special

I love Green Toys. Green Toys turns recycled milk cartons into adorable, high quality, safe toys. They are BPA free, environmentally friendly, and made in the USA, so you can feel great about buying these awesome toys for the special little ones in your life. Right now, Diapers.com is having a great Earth Day special in support of Healthy Child Healthy World.

Click HERE for details!

Dye Your Eggs With Vegetables!

If you're looking for a fun little science experiment to do with your kids, here is a truly natural way to dye eggs this Easter. I was reading Clementine Art's blog and found this recipe for natural egg coloring quite intriguing. I am always looking for interesting projects to do with my daughter. She would just love this! A while back I wrote a review for some of Clementine Art products. They are great quality, natural art products for kids. Check out their blog, Darling Clementine, for more creative art ideas, at www.clementineboulder.blogspot.com.

For the egg dying recipe, click HERE

Healthy Child Healthy World

If you wonder where I get my information for some of the issues I write about in this blog, here is a video clip from one of my resources. It is one of the best out there. You can receive their updates via email or visit their site anytime for the latest news and ideas for a healthier home. Here's to your health!

A Wake-Up Story from Healthy Child Healthy World on Vimeo.

It's Okay to Fib!

Okay, how cute are these? Want a great novelty gift option for a friend who has a baby? Or for your little cutie? I read about these adorable costume bibs on a friend's blog and just had to share them here. These fun little bibs are handmade by moms and sold on Etsy. They are double-sided, so you can flip the costume side over and use the other side for feeding time. To check out more, go to http://www.fibbibs.com/.

Get Creative With Clementine Art!

I've always got my eye out for the safest products for kids. As promised, here is another great option for the kiddos on your Christmas list. Today we received a highly-anticipated package of products to review from Clementine Art. I first noticed Clementine Art products in Whole Foods. I checked out the website and was so impressed with the company's products and the story behind them. What a fabulous company!

Clementine Art is a natural children's art company. The products are all natural, truly non-toxic, free of synthetic preservatives, animal by-products, and petroleum. They are the first art product company to list all ingredients on its packages. The company uses renewable resources, even down to the beautiful packaging, which is made from mostly recycled materials and is printed with soy-based inks in a wind-powered facility. AND the products are made in the USA.

We received a pack of natural soy crayons and natural modeling dough to review. Of course, my little one wanted to dive right in, ripping the package open and getting down to some serious art business. It is always amazing to see a child's creativity and imagination at work-it's magical. And that is what Clementine Art is all about.

Clementine Art was started by Diana Mercer, a former teacher with over 20 years experience in education, arts education, and child development. She wanted to "create products that not only engaged children in an open-ended creative process, but that could also become an everyday part of healthy and creative lifestyle."

So what did we think of the products? Well, I had a hard time getting my little one to put them away and wash up for dinner. First, we opened the modeling dough, which comes in three colors-yellow, green, and red. This all natural dough is soft and pliable, tons of fun, and smells delicious.

When I opened the box of crayons, I wasn't sure what my daughter would think, but she really liked them. These soy crayons have a totally unique shape, that I absolutely love. My daughter tends to push hard when writing or drawing and she often breaks her crayons, even the larger triangular-shaped ones. These crayons are thick and durable, and are just the right shape to encourage writing. They don't have that "crayon" smell, and they don't come with paper wrapping, so you need not fuss about your kids peeling it away and leaving little pieces all over the house! Also, my daughter accidentally wrote on the carpet, so I got the opportunity to test and see that they wash fairly easily as well.

I would definitely recommend Clementine Art products. What I really love about Clementine Art is that the products are high quality and absolutely safe. We can't wait to try the other items in their line. I only wish that they had been available sooner.

I would love to see Clementine Art expands their product line to include a larger variety of colors. That would be the only slight downside for me right now. Still, we are looking forward to lots of safe playtime with Clementine Art. Kids love to explore, and often that means their little hands AND mouths coming into contact with paint, glue, crayons, whatever they are creating with. Why not choose the safest products available?

Be sure to check out www.clementineart.com to read more about all of their naturally fabulous products!

Here's to happy, healthy, budding little artists!

Btw Cleliac friends, these products are not all gluten-free, but I plan to blog about wheat-free products soon :)

Pretty Little Piggy!

It's that time of year. Christmas decorations are popping up everywhere, stores are stocking up their toy supplies, and parents will soon begin to scramble! So I thought I would post a few more of my favorite safe picks for kids. I'll start with this great stocking stuffer for girls!

Since we have a little princess in our midst, we have lots of fun with all the girly stuff. Like most little girls, our daughter loves to paint her nails, just like her mommy. Oh what fun! We have been using the more natural polishes for years now, but our newest find is the Best. We love Piggy Paint!

I first discovered Piggy Paint in a magazine, and have since read review after review from fellow mommy bloggers. So I decided to order some a while back to see if it was truly as wonderful as I had heard...AND it is!

So what is so great about Piggy Paint? Well, for starters, my little one loves anything "piggy". But in addition to that, this awesome nail polish is made from a water-based formula, and is totally free of all the harsh chemicals found in most other brands. The Piggy Paint site boasts that "Piggy Paint is specially formulated from God’s natural ingredients and dries to a hard, durable finish. There are no toxic chemicals; it’s free of formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates, biphenyl A, ethyl acetate and acetone."

Piggy Paint truly is as natural as mud. It doesn't even have a hint of harsh odor...it actually smells a little like dirt. I was also surprised at how well the special polish remover works. And I am quite impressed with the beautiful colors Piggy Paint comes in. I liked them so much that I decided to give myself a piggy pedicure. I have been searching for the perfect red for some time, and now I've finally found it in "Sometimes Sweet"!

Now Piggy Paint is offering To Your Health readers 15% off! Just use the coupon code at checkout and you'll receive 15% off anything at www.piggypaint.com , including sales items. They ship worldwide.

COUPON CODE: HEALTH15L
EXPIRATION DATE: Feb 28, 2010
Spend over $25 and domestic shipping is FREE!

Here's to being a girl!

Enviro BLOX Giveaway!!

Remember those great pics I posted of my husband's creations with Magic Nuudles? We have had so much fun with these...especially my other child, the hubby! He is quite talented when it comes to this kind of stuff. I might stick few together and call it a bracelet, while he is putting the finishing touches on an intricate design that just puts mine to shame.

Magic Nuudles are now called EnviroBLOX to better reflect the product. These natural building blocks are lots of fun and best of all, safe for kids and the environment. EnviroBLOX are proudly made in the USA, from a patented, high-cellulose cornstarch formulation. They are 100% bio-degradable (disappear under running water), free of petrochemicals, and are colored with safe, food-grade dyes. They are even harmless if chewed or sucked on! They simply dissolve. Now that is kid-friendly!

Want to test your skills with these eco-friendly blox? The folks over at Candaco are generously giving a Super-Tub Building Set of EnviroBLOX filled with more than 880 Enviro BLOX to one of my readers!

GIVEAWAY

This giveaway is only available to To Your Health followers, so if you haven't signed up to follow, please do so first. New followers will automatically receive one extra entry for joining!!!

Initial entry: Visit the Cadaco site, then leave me a comment saying which other products interest you (in addition to the EnviroBLOX). This is mandatory for other entries to count :)

Extra entry: Follow me on twitter

Extra entry: Become a fan on facebook

Extra entry: Blog about this giveaway

Extra entry: Refer a friend to To Your Health!

~Please leave a separate comment for each entry. If you do not have a blog, please leave an email address so you can be notified if you have won!

**Contest ends Friday, November 20, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. Hawaii time. Open to USA and Canada residents. Winner will be randomly selected by third party and will have 72 hours to respond.

Here's to happy, healthy playtime!

Chomp, Chomp Away!

A while back, our daughter became a little obsessed with chewing gum. Well, at first she was imitating a behavior she’d seen. One night at dinner she took a bite of her food and…CHOMP, CHOMP, CHOMP. Her face was so adorable. Daddy and I glanced at one another, not quite sure what was going on. Our neighbor down the street babysits for us once in a while, and now that I was thinking of it, I couldn't recall a time I had ever seen her sans chewing gum. Ding! That must be where she got it.

“Mommy, look! I’m chewing gum.” Yep. She’s three going on twelve alright. For awhile my husband and I just ignored it. But when it escalated from food to obsessive paper chewing (toilet paper, drawing paper, a torn corner in the book I was reading!), we gave in and offered the real deal.

Thankfully I had some Spry gum on hand in the cupboard. This gum is made with xylitol, and is one of many Spry Dental Defense Products. Since it is sugar-free, has no artificial ingredients, and is actually recommended by dentists, my only concern was now a question of where I might be finding abandoned lumps of chewing gum around my house! To my surprise, our little one is quite responsible with her chewing gum habit. Now I can feel great about allowing her to have fun with this special treat, while fighting cavities at the same time.

I recently read an article in Healthy Living by Dr. Lon Jones, the physician who pioneered xylitol's use in a nasal spray for allergies, asthma and sinus problems, as well as middle-ear infections. Wow! I knew it had a reputation for helping fight cavities, but this is great news. Studies have confirmed that xylitol fights off pathogens in the nasal passages, promoting sinus and respiratory health. I also learned that xylitol not only reduces cavities in children and adults, but also actually starves the bacteria that cause cavities.

So what xylitol products are in my cupboard? In addition to the gum, my little one likes the mints and Sparx candies, I occassionally use granulated xylitol as a lower glycemic sweetener, and now we are using the Xlear nasal spray. For more details on the many benefits of xylitol, visit http://www.xclear.com/ or call 877-599-5327.

Here's to sweet and natural health defense!

Do You Clean Well?

"Lavese sus manos!"-Wash your hands. We see the signs in public restrooms, we hear about germs and preventing illnesses from our doctors, read about it in magazines, and hear about it on the news. Antibacterial soaps and instant sanitizers have been pushed by the health industry and rightfully so. We do need to wash our hands. BUT what are the common ingredients found in antibacterial soaps...and are they safe?

Most antibacterial soaps include dangerous chemicals like Triclosan-a chemical that resembles a pesticide, Benzalkonium Chloride, and others. Search "antibacterial chemicals" on the Skin Deep Cosmetics Data Base for a more detailed list.

For awhile I avoided these strong chemicals by simply adding a few drops of naturally antibacterial essential oils to my favorite natural soap. But I couldn't take my soap to go, and those instant sanitizing gels left my skin feeling dry and smelling medicinal. Now that I am a mommy, I of course, want the best for my little one. I was thrilled one day to find an all-natural, alcohol-free hand sanitizer, in a convenient spray form, that smells great, won't dry out your hands, and most importantly, does not contain any dangerous chemicals.

As if it isn't enough of a job keeping our little ones safe and healthy, worrying about yucky chemicals in the products we use to keep the germs away should not be part of the deal. Clean Well antibacterial sprays and soaps are safe and have been proven to kill 99.99% of germs. I wouldn't consider myself a germaphobe, but since our little one just happens to be a finger sucker, we have to constantly clean her hands. This spray is great because I can quickly sanitize hands, wash a boo-boo without causing a sting, or even give toys a quick cleaning. I keep one of the little sprays in my purse, my car, the stroller, etc. I keep a larger spray at hand in the kitchen and bathroom...convenient germ busting when my daughter is just too busy to be bothered with washing her hands in the sink!

We were at the pediatrician's office the other day, and I pulled out my handy little spray to clean my daughter's hands after she'd played with some toys. The nurses were so excited about an alcohol-free sanitizer. The doctor was most impressed with the chemical-free part. Everywhere I go I have a Clean Well spray, and everywhere I go, people ask me about it. I cannot say enough good things about this product. It is one that I just can't do without!

Order Clean Well products on their official site or buy at Target, health food stores or Amazon. By now you know that I am a fan of the spray, but I also LOVE their Orange Vanilla foaming hand soap. It smells like a dreamsicle! Yummy. Here's to keeping clean and doing it naturally!

(just in case you need specific directions-Ha Ha!)

Click this link for more information on how Clean Well got started:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLNpRDQ

Fun Picture

I just had to post a picture of another one of my talented husband's creations with Magic Nuudles. Our daughter loves her new bumble bee friend!

Healthy Play

As a mom, it is a little unnerving to go to a toy store and see the "recall list" posted up on a corkboard. More and more toys are being recalled due to unsafe levels of lead and other chemicals. Toys are a big business and there are so many to choose from. I am excited to see that wooden toys have made a huge comeback. These classics have been around for a long, long time but recently I am finding them more readily available.

Some of our favorite toys are by Melissa and Doug. From puzzles to pretend play, I can be sure my little one will be entertained and safe with these beautifully handcrafted toys. Melissa and Doug makes most of their toys in the USA, they use non-toxic paint, and the toys are constructed from wood or plastic that is free of harmful chemicals.

Our most recent kid purchase was a bag of Magic Nuudles. My daughter had lots of fun getting creative with them this afternoon. They are biodegradable, non-toxic, and most importantly, they are silly. The possibilities are endless with these little blocks made out of cornstarch! Here is a giraffe with a little Daddy and Phoebe (our little one) riding it. My husband is quite talented. I am so jealous!


If you are looking for a great way to entertain your little one at restaurants, I recommend Wikki Stix. We first discovered these at a nearby restaurant that handed them out with their kids menu-brilliant! Crayons just don't cut it for long with our busy little bee. Wikki Stix are much more captivating, and fun for all ages to fiddle around with. These fun and flexible sticks are made in the USA from natural materials and are non-toxic.

These fun toys can be found at your favorite educational or toy store. I find the best deals on Amazon. Search the To Your Health Amazon store under "kid stuff" for more. Here's to happy AND healthy playtime!

Super Kid Food

Who says you shouldn't play with your food?
My daughter and I had fun with her breakfast this morning. What is it? Half an Ezekiel hamburger bun, toasted and topped with almond butter, Salba (chia seeds), Goji Berry eyes, nose and mouth, and blueberry hair. We topped it all off with a swirl of agave nectar.

Together these foods pack lots of nutrients, super-duper antioxidants, protein, and fiber to start your little one's day off right. Super food. Super fun. Here's to your health!