“Beep. Ding! Ring!!” Twitter is chirping, the kids just finished a dance-off with the Wii and my facebook feed is buzzing on the Blackberry. As summer approaches, Canadians have a growing social concern about the impact that digital devices and technology are having on family togetherness. Remember those long cottage days as kids when we spent hours playing Battleship, catching fireflies and beating the parents at Monopoly? (I think they let me).
It can sometimes be difficult to tell your period apart from early pregnancy signs. I remember with both pregnancies asking myself “am I getting my period or could I be pregnant?” A lot of women confuse the symptoms with each other. Some of the early signs of pregnancy include: fatigue, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, sore breasts, and headaches. These are just a few of the early pregnancy symptoms. However each woman is different and the pregnancy symptoms may vary.
Early pregnancy symptoms are also similar to those of side effects of getting your period. But how do you tell if you’re pregnant and it’s not just your period? If your period is a few days late I wouldn’t get too worried just yet. While your period can be on time for many years, it can also regulate now and then. If your period is 7 or more days late, you can always try a pregnancy test. It’s usually difficult to even catch a pregnancy with a test at the very early weeks, so if it’s negative your first time and your period still hasn’t come, I would wait a week or so then try the test again. Cramping, hot flashes, headaches, and light spotting can very well just be your period.
Some pregnant women do notice a little light spotting around the time of their period, however you can also experience light spotting during the time of your period even when you are not pregnant. If you have more than a few of these symptoms, I would take a pregnancy test right away.
– Sore breasts
– Fatigue
– Nausea
– Lack of energy
– 5-7 days or later period
– Backaches
– Cramping
– Cravings or food aversions
– Mood swings
– Bloating
– Elevated body temperature
– Sensitivity to smells
– Dizziness or fainting
All of these signs can point to pregnancy. (We also have some ‘Very Early Pregnancy Signs‘ if you are interested). If you feel other symptoms such as pelvic or abdominal pain, or lightheadedness, call your practitioner immediately. These can be signs of ectopic pregnancy.
As Moms, we desperately try to keep the kitchen clean. It’s almost as if we feel like a bad mommy otherwise. The kids can be dirty, laundry unfolded and homework not done (who me?) but as long as the counters are clean we’re good, right? Bad news. When it comes to cleaning the kitchen, the majority of Canadians (60 per cent) use a dishcloth, which can harbour and redeposit millions of germs on surfaces and puts families at risk of cross-contamination*.
I’ve just done a dishcloth vs. Bounty DuraTowel challenge and was thrilled with the research that the paper towel that is clinically proven to leave surfaces three times cleaner than a germy dishcloth**. If you are wiping your countertops with a used dishcloth or sponge, you could be spreading around germs in the home. I’ll get my dishcloth test results soon and will add the scientific findings as soon as they’re in! But we also have 6 tips for a germ-free kitchen that you’ll want to take a peek at.
Dr. Elizabeth Scott, Co-director, Simmons Center for Hygiene and Health in Home and Community, recommends the following tips for a happy and healthy kitchen and home:
1. Wash your hands – Prior to any meal preparation, wash your hands often with warm, soapy water and dry them using Bounty DuraTowel
2. Wash and sanitize surfaces and utensils – Reduce the risk of contamination in the kitchen by washing and sanitizing all countertops, cutting boards and utensils that come into contact with food. Do this before and after preparing food and use Bounty DuraTowel to help clean up larger messes and wipe down surfaces
3. Separate your food – Make sure to always separate your raw foods, such as meat and eggs, from cooked foods and vegetables to avoid cross-contamination which is one of the leading causes of food borne illness**. Use separate cutting boards for meats and for vegetables etc.
4. Wash produce thoroughly – Immediately before prepping, wash all whole fruits and vegetables and dry using Bounty DuraTowel. This reduces the risk of transferring pathogens from the rind or skin to the inside of the fruit or vegetable when it is cut***
5. Keep your fridge clean – One way to reduce the risk of cross-contamination is to keep the fridge clean and to keep foods covered since many bacteria and molds are able to grow at refrigerator temperatures. Clean your fridge using a kitchen sanitizer and Bounty DuraTowel
6. Wash reusable grocery bags – Wash and thoroughly dry your reusable grocery bags frequently, especially if you are carrying raw meat, fish, poultry, seafood or vegetables.
*Findings from Proctor and Gamble Bounty Survey 2013, a national sample of Canadian consumers were randomly selected from TNS Canada’s Internet research panel from March 7 to March 11, 2013
**1tsp. spaghetti sauce, 10 mls. coffee, 1/8 tsp creamer on laminate countertop
***The Simmons Center for Hygiene and Health
I am a P&Gmom. The views, opinions and photographs expressed on this blog and in my social networks are my own.
“Liar, liar, pants on fire!”
Most parents are completely flabbergasted when their offspring tells a fib, no matter what age they are. However, lying is a part of learning and growing and, as the parent, you need to know how to handle the tale-telling appropriately and effectively. It’s essential to differentiate between the lies that should be ignored and the ones that must be addressed and handle lying in an efficient manner with love and understanding, but also help your child recognize the value of the truth.
Little Ones – Storytelling
Young children who fall in the toddler and preschool age category may tell lies that are simply a representation of their creative imaginations running wild. When this happens, you can address the fact that they are not telling the truth by saying, “Wow! You are very creative!” Or challenge them by asking, “Is that really true?” Give your little one the chance to think about their tall tale, tell you more descriptions, and decipher the truth from the un-truth.
Do not be misled, however…children will learn early, usually beyond the age of 3 or 4, that lying might be the solution to avoiding the consequences of their actions and, ultimately, deceiving someone.
Essentially, your little one will lie to please you or get your attention.
Older Children – Avoiding Consequences
Your older child will lie to achieve a different outcome. When it all boils down, your school aged child and teenager will fib to solve some type of problem.
When you know that your older child has told a fib, let them know that you are aware of the truth and that you would prefer that they tell the truth rather than be deceitful. You could tell them, “I’m sure that you meant to do your homework, but you still have some work left to do. We all make mistakes, but in the future, I would prefer that you practice honesty when I ask you a question.”
Parental Lying – The Messages that We Send
Keep in mind that we all tell “little white lies” sometimes and that we need to set the example, as the parents. If our children witness us lying, they will get mixed signals that tell them that lying is okay sometimes.
Without thinking about it, you might tell your friend that you have an appointment that conflicts with meeting them today or – even worse – you might tell your child to tell the caller on the phone that you are in the shower when you honestly do not want to come to the phone.
Before asking your child to lie for you or lying in front of them, think about the significance of the message that it sends to your offspring and ask yourself if it is worth it to relay that message.
When handling a fibbing child, do not promise him that there will not be any punishment if they tell the truth – and then dole out a punishment once the truth is revealed. It is vital to teach your child that lying is not okay, both by holding discussions with them that help them to recognize truth from un-truths and showing them with our own behavior.
This may sound easy and intuitive to some and overwhelming and foreign to others, but regardless, we all want to feel our best. So if you already practice these, make these 10 Simple ways To Nourish Your Body a mainstay in your everyday. If you are new to these, then start incorporating them one at a time into your day. I promise your body will reap the benefits. It’s the small but daily decisions in your life that lead to the biggest transformations.
Here’s my top 10 hit list on how to Nourish Your Body.
1) Drink warm lemon water upon rising.
This quick flush and detox alkalizes your body and sets your digestion up for the rest of the day.
2) Eat more greens
Incorporate greens into every meal. Salads, green juices, stews, pastas, eggs, soups. Throw in the kale, chard, spinach, arugula, watercress. The greener the better. Just eat more.
3) An avocado a day keeps the doctor away
Avocados are my god. They are loaded in vitamins, minerals and fiber and contain the healthy fats our bodies thrive on. This is the fat we so need. This is the fat that speeds up our metabolism; the fat that lowers the bad cholesterol; the fat that keeps us satiated so we don’t cave at 4 pm and eat whatever is in front of us.
4) Make dinner your lightest meal (An Avocado Will do)
This allows the body to actually refresh, rejuvenate and repair during sleep. Most the time we wake up tired because our body didn’t rest, digestion takes up so much energy. Try at first eating half of what you normally do. Never eat until you are full. You have eaten to much.
5) Exercise
Move your body. Movement heals everything. If you are tired, it invigorates; if you are upset, cranky, endorphins help you overcome that mood; if you are confused, it helps gain clarity.
Do yoga, run, bike, take a class, whatever it is, it will heal.
6) Body Brush.
Everyday before jumping in the shower or upon rising, dry brush your body in swift circular motions. This flushes toxins, gets lymphs moving and is a great skin smoother.
7) Cook
When you cook your own food, you know exactly what’s in your food. You have the control of how sweet/salty it is. Once you get in the habit of cooking, you won’t go back to eating out every meal. Pack lunches; have breakfast at home. Make restaurants the occasion.
8) Notice Habits
Become aware of the little things you do everyday. Are they helping you? Are the just habitual? If they are, then break the habit and see how liberating it is.
9) Omega 3’s
Get more Omega 3’s into your diet. Their anti inflammatory properties help you now and prevent future degeneration issues. Eat salmon, flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, oil supplements.
10) Take Pleasure, be Passionate
Do what you love. If you don’t know, make it a priority to discover your inner smile. Ignite and feel your spirit in your every step.
Alyssa Bauman is a holistic nutritionist, health consultant, speaker and writer who is on the crusade to empower healthy eating. The more you eat well, the more you want to eat well.
Foods Alyssa can’t live with out: Coconut Oil, Raw Cacao, Her Green Go-Go Juice, Avocado and lemons.
Check out www.nourished.ca for easy, yummy, healthy recipes that will nourish your soul and your body. Sign up for monthly nourished newsletters for transformative advice and nutrition tips.
This super-quick Guinot Hydraclean facial left my skin looking more alive and younger than a whole day at the spa. (As if a Mom ever gets that time luxury!) With no invasive procedures and incredibly aromatic products, the aesthetician rolled a cutting-edge steel sphere attached to a wand all over my face. I am now dubbing it the ‘magic wand’. It tingled a bit, but I was able to fully relax and let the sphere work it’s magic.
Guinot’s Hydraclean Facial is not a just a shortened version of any existing treatment. Over the past two years, Guinot has been developing the Thermoclean Electrode specifically for this treatment, delivering noticeable, long-lasting results in less than half the time of a standard facial.
The steps
- Cleanse and exfoliate
- Gel Application
- Skin Massage with Thermoclean Electrode
- Remove Gel
- Extraction (if necessary)
- Facial Massage
- Moisturizer Application
After the treatment my skin felt tight and lifted, and the tightening around the eye area was shocking. The treatment works with the use of ionization to allow active ingredients penetrate the skin deeply. Micro circulation is stimulated, which supplies oxygen to the cells. And it’s quick which is key for busy moms.
You just want to keep saying it over and over. BubbleBum. BubbleBum. Ok, maybe it’s just me. Giggle. The BubbleBum inflatable booster seat for kids aged 4-11 is the coolest thing to help busy moms since the invention of the pool boy. It checks in at less than 1 pound and inflates in minutes. When not in use, simply deflate the booster seat, roll it up and stow away in the trunk or backpack for the next use. Perfect for travel with rental cars, cabs, carpooling and restaurants.
BubbleBum ($39.99) is sold online at BubbleBum, Target.com, and Babies ‘R Us. It is also available in select Target stores nationwide.
Ugh. How I despise the term ‘Mommy Blogger’. But it seems that brands, friends and PR firms tend to understand that concept and even magazines get lumped in. As I meet more and more colleagues, I have become proud and honoured to be associated with the blogging community throughout Canada and the US and love ways to connect with like-minded business people and moms. Too many parents have trouble remembering their identity and passions after having kids. At UrbanMommies we believe you can help your children to thrive and learn when you’re a happy parent. Math can be taught just as easily in a Parisian museum as it can be using flash cards. And taking care of your soul as well as your family isn’t selfish. Seriously.
Our Areas of Focus:
– Exclusive Family Travel
– Healthy Recipes
– Style for Moms
– Parenting and Pregnancy
– Technology and Gadgets
– Helping kids develop into the tween years
We’re always looking for contributors and love to read your posts too! Connect with us!! xx Jill
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They had me at champagne. The Nordic Treat Hydrogel Face Mask and Eye Patch contain champagne yeast which stimulates cell renewal, supports the skin’s repair mechanisms, helps metabolism and non-technically speaking – makes your skin feel baby-smooth. It’s also a great excuse to accompany your spa treatment with some bubbly. Just sayin’.
Opening the package, I pulled out a white hockey-like mask that was sticky when you remove the backing. My kids stared and my husband chuckled. I always have some new product on my skin and he never knows how I’ll appear when I’m doing a pamper session. This felt wonderful and nurturing for the full 30 minutes and I couldn’t understand how the mask felt so damp on my skin without falling right off. The formula is based on pure Artesian Water from Norway and the addition of Sparkling wine yeast, which is rich in anti-oxidant Glutathione. Hydrogel is water in a solid form that holds all of the great nutrients and ingredients. It feels cool to the skin and evaporates gradually, leaving the fragile ingredients behind.
The eye patch noticeably helped my dark circles and puffiness. (Though the champagne I imbibed with the treatment probably didn’t help in the end.) My only complaint? I wish there were a full-body wrap. Pretty please?
Disclosure: UrbanMommies was sent samples for review.
Whether you’ve had children of your own or not, you have witnessed the transforming power children can have on people’s lives. The effects of this transformation and unconditional love on people and families have not escaped notice by the literary and art world. Below are a few quotes that capture the beauty of children and parenthood that can almost describe the real thing.