What to do with all that candy?

Halloween was SO much fun this year. Now what do we do with SO much candy? Let your kids eat it? Keep it up high in the cupboard and give them a few pieces once in a while? Donate it? If you are like me, I find it is a difficult balance to teach our kids that it's ok to have fun and eat candy, In moderation. We all have our different health guidelines. I find that too much restriction results in them wanting to eat more junk. Since our girls were little, after Halloween we let them pick their favorite 5 candies, then they can trade us the rest for a toy, a book, or something else they want. Last night, after we got home from trick or treating, our girls stood outside on the porch and passed out THEIR candy to other trick or treaters and had a great time doing it. It's a balance that works for us and our family; what works for you?

Be balanced and be well! 

BHW

Super Lice

Lice! If you haven't been affected by it, you probably will at some point. It happened to us last week, just as I was putting my youngest daughter to bed. A few scratches here and there gave me pause. Sure enough, she had the dreaded lice. I called my husband to stop by the pharmacy on the way home and pick up the cancer causing bug killing shampoo. I treated everyone in the house, including myself, then began picking through everyone's hair. By midnight, I was exhausted, but woke up at 3:30 am and started washing and drying all the bedding in our house. The next day, we slathered our  hair with coconut oil and wrapped our heads in saran wrap, as oil will suffocate the little buggers. Once we rinsed out the oil, I sprayed my daughter's hair with apple cider vinegar (The vinegar will de-stickify the nits so they can be picked out easier). We went out on the porch where we could see better in the sun and began nit-picking. My sweet friend came over to pick through my hair, as it is impossible to do your own head. After I was certain I looked through every strand of hair and pulled out every egg, I sprayed our heads with a mixture of distilled water and 10 drops of the following oils. Tea tree, rosemary, peppermint, and lavender. (Apparently, the lice do not like the way those oils smell and will prevent them). After you do all of this, you need to check your children's hair every day for several days. It's also important to re-treat your hair after a few days to make sure you kill any bugs that may have hatched. 

I know there is controversy over the over the counter lice shampoo VS natural treatments. I don't have a strong opinion necessarily, as I use both types of treatments. Of one thing I am certain. If you don't get every single egg out of the hair, the eggs will hatch and you will have bugs again. Getting ALL the nits out is the highest priority. And please do not keep it a secret. I know it can be embarrassing, but if you don't tell people you have been in contact with, you risk spreading it to them, others, and getting it back yourself. Here are some helpful tips:

Treat the live bugs with natural or over the counter shampoo

Get ALL the nits out (use apple cider vinegar to help destickify the eggs and a fine tooth metal lice comb)

Blow dry hair as heat also kills the lice 

Wash and dry bedding  

Dry on the hottest setting any stuffed animals or pillows that cannot be washed

Vacuum your house

Re-treat the hair after a few days to kill any lice that may have hatched

Tell others that you have been in contact with to be on the lookout

I hope this is helpful. 

Be bug free and be well

BHW

My threenager

Well, this morning was a test.  Am I practicing patience and being a "present" parent?  Luckily, I passed.  My night owl of a daughter was up until 11pm last night while the rest of us were fast asleep.  She is three years old going on 13.  She is a free spirit.  Intelligent.  Empathetic.  And sassy.  And apparently, felt the need to express it all in body art last night. 

When I got her out of bed this morning, I got a surprise!  Green marker tattooed her from head to toe.  I could have lost my $hit.  Or just laughed.  While she was crying because she didn't want to get out of bed, I was belly laughing and patiently brought her downstairs and did my best to wipe her down before I let her head off to preschool.  I explained to her that markers were to be used with supervision now and that although I appreciated her creativity, falling asleep with markers was a terrible idea.

In truth, I just couldn't get mad.  She is like my husband in a lot of ways.  When they can't sleep, they create.  But yes, she is three and she needs discipline.  But there is a fine line between encouraging creativity and crushing it.  For now, I'll keep all paints and markers and lipsticks under lock down.  Only to be used under a watchful eye ;-)

Be well. Be creative. Be present. Be a winning parent!
MLC

Mad to be up and eating breakfast.  Notice, she is not wanting to part with her artwork.

This makes me laugh.  I caught her in mid eyeroll...already a teenager.  Hilarious.  She looks like a zombie!

Cleaned up as best as possible before school.  But still showing her night of work. 

Life is hard.

Glennon Doyle hits the nail on the head: Brutiful.  Life is beautiful and brutal.  It is brutiful.  But if to live a full life, we have to accept both. 

I'm not sure who said the following...actually, I think it may have been my all-time favorite comedian, activist, and author, Chelsea Handler , I saw it on her Instagram account back in June.  She posted:

Some days I really don't feel like getting out of bed.
Some days I feel like I don't think I am doing enough.
Some days I feel like I don't know enough.
Some days I feel like I'm not strong enough.
Some days I feel like I'm not pretty enough.
I'm not smart enough, I'm not thin enough, I'm not doing enough.
And on those days, I get my ass out of bed, look myself in the mirror, and remind myself that's not the person I want to be.
I want to be a badass.
I define me.
You define you.

We all have our insecurities.  But choose to focus on being a badass.  We have seen enormous tragedies in the past few months.  Let's let our insecurities go.  Surrender to the brutiful.  And be a badass helping ourselves and others live a more meaningful and purposeful life.  Let us inspire, help, and be of service.

Let's win at life! Let's do this!

MLC
 

Wednesday Workout

It's Wednesday, hump day. Here's a workout for you that will get your legs shaking every time you walk down the stairs (for the rest of the week). No worries, modifications are available.

Anybody who knows me knows that I have a love affair with lunges. They hurt in all the right places; they are so effective to tone and strengthen every part of your legs and glutes.  

There are several variations of this workout. To keep it simple, perform 20 alternating lunges per leg followed by a 30 second wall sit (I like to use the stability ball to lean against, but you can do either). Then perform 19 alternating lunges per leg followed by a 30 second wall sit. Then 18 lunges per leg/30 second wall sit. Keep going until you have done 1 lunge per leg and a 30 second wall sit. I'm not going to lie, those wall sits are brutal, but that static hold is SO good for you.  

To modify this workout, start with 10 alternating lunges per leg and 15 second  wall sits.

To make this workout MORE challenging, you can hold weights. I also like to alternate between forward lunges and back lunges, as it helps me keep track better. If you really want an extra challenge, after you complete the lunges, do an equal number of jump lunges. (20 lunges per leg/20 jump lunges per leg/30 sec wall sit). Ouch!!!! This will also get your heart rate up.

I like to finish the workout by doing 1 round of jump lunges for as many reps as possible. 

I love this routine. I hope you find it challenges YOU. 

* Make sure you warm up, cool down and stretch. When you lunge, your knee should NEVER push forward over your toe. Think about creating a 90° angle with your hip, knee and ankle.

BHW

Help for those that need it.

Harvey, Irma, Maria...these are the most recent hurricanes to wreak havoc on places many live, vacation, admire, or hope to see one day.  The earthquake that just hit Mexico...devastating.  Want to help?  Don't know where to donate or where your donations will go?  Don't know where to even start helping those in our own towns, cities, states, country, or countries of those in need?  Start with your local churches, schools, and YMCA's.

Two online non-profit organizations I recently came across:

www.togetherrising.org
www.hands.org

Check them out.  Consider helping where you can. 

Be well.  Be of service.  Be Love.  Its what we need right now.

MLC

Plantar fasciitis getting you down?

 I've tried acupuncture, massage, wearing supportive shoes, not wearing shoes at all... Believe me when I tell you, plantar fasciitis stinks!!!! What does it feel like? Imagine driving a screw into your heel bone; no exaggeration!

So what is it and what can you do about it?  

Plantar fasciitis is a disorder of the insertion site of the ligament on the bone characterized by micro tears, breakdown of collagen, and scarring. Not a very easy fix, but there are things that can help. 

1. Massage: massage the lower leg muscles, especially the Achilles and Soleus. This is not a proven technique, but has been an effective treatment for me in the past.

2. Stretching: stretching the calves, achilles, and muscles of the feet consistently can help.

3. Rest: This may be easier said than done. Many of us who suffer from plantar fasciitis are active, which could contribute to the problem in the first place. Taking a test from running, jumping, and high impact activities can improve pain. A couple years ago, I had geek pain that lasted months. I joke about it, but getting breast implants healed my plantar fasciitis. I couldn't exercise for 3 weeks and that period of rest did more for my recovery than anything else I'd tried.

I am currently wearing a compression sock to help alleviate my heel pain. I will let you know how effective it is once I've worn it for a few days. 

Fellow sufferers, I feel your pain. Don't Give up. Hopefully, this will give you some direction as to how to get some relief.  Be well. 

BHW 

 compression sock  

FasciaBlaster; To Blast or Not

Several months ago my older sister sent me a link to Ashley Black Guru's Fascia Blaster. Those who tried it claimed it helped reduce inflammation and pain, headaches, even cellulite. I will admit, I was skeptical. After researching it, I decided to try it out for myself. I've been blasting my fascia (the cobweb-like sheath of connective tissue supporting and binding together internal organs and parts of the body). In simple terms, when fascia is tight, it can compress muscles, tissue, and nerves, causing pain. On her website, Ashley Black says, "So much pain, tightness, and discomfort is unnecessarily caused by distorted fascia. Distortions in fascia can pull, torque, and compress the body into malalignment. Studies show that fascial tension in one structure - such as the knee - can cause tension or issues in adjacent structures, such as the hip or ankle. Some common conditions you may have heard of like Plantar Fasciitis, IT Band Syndrome, and frozen shoulder are all attributed to distortions in your fascia. When the fascia is tight, it can constrict the nerves and actually block off the nerve signal! The Autonomic Nervous System (nervous system that controls bodily functions not directed by conscious thought – i.e. breathing) is directly connected and has innervation with the body’s fascial system".

She claims breaking up the fascia can improve circulation, nerve activity, range of motion, as well as reduce pain.

I'm all for trying anything that will reduce pain. I strive to live as healthfully as possible; eating well, exercising, sleeping well and reducing stress. Unfortunately, I often feel pain from sore muscles, tightness, SI joint pain, etc. I started using the fascia blaster last week. It did help improve my muscle pain and the tightness of my hamstring. I will keep you posted on how it goes from here. If you are interested in checking it out for yourself, you can go to the website for information and tutorial videos.

Be pain free and be well! 

BHW  

www.fasciablaster.com 

Mini-tasking

There never seems to be enough time in the day or week to get it all done.  But every little bit counts with every minute we have.  Forget trying to full-on multitask and make big oopsie whoopsies like forget to pick up your kiddos from school.  Do mini-tasks through the day...do squats while on a phone call, clean a closet during commercial breaks (unless you are Netflix binge watching), or unload the dishwasher while waiting for your morning coffee.  Or simply focus on breathing while at a red light!

Stay well, 

MLC

Wednesday Workout

  

Here is a hump day workout for you to wake up your muscles and get your heart pumping. 

Perform 16 reps of EACH exercise, then 15, then 14, then 13....All the way down to 1 rep of each.

1-Jump squats OR weighted squats

2-Weighted Curtsy Lunges OR jump lunges (each side is 1 rep) 

3-Pushups (any way you want to do them; hands wide, hands narrow, on your knees, etc.)

4-Mountain Climbers (each side is 1 rep) 

5-Burpees

Yeeesh! That one is tough! Have fun and push yourselves. If you need to take a break, by all means, take a break.  

Be well and be fit! 

BHW  

Intentions

Why is it that we love to set New Year's resolutions?  Why not mid-year ones?  Why not mid-week ones?  I suppose we love the neatness of it.  The starting at 1.  Day-to-day life is far from clean and tidy for the most part.  In truth, when we wake up we have no clue what the day will bring.  That is where planning comes in.  Where we set our intentions for the day.

Planning helps us stay on track, reach our goals.  But what happens when we miss the target or events occur that bring on unexpected challenges?  Plans are great but it is our mind and our spirit that now must step up.  I'm a big fan of the Serenity Prayer.  Life will bring us things we cannot control.  Now what?  Intend to stay in the present moment and be the best person you can be.  That is it.  Don't try to "eat the whole elephant at once".

Give this a try:

• Before getting out of bed recognize your Plan and goals for the day. 
• Now, set your intentions.  To be loving?  To stay present?  To listen?  To be open-minded?

We wish you the best!

MLC

New Year's goals that last

It's almost 2017! This year has flown by for me, as I'm sure it feels that way for many of you. As I reflect on the year 2016, I think about the resolutions I made that never happened. I simply could not keep up with all the laundry, so that one is back on the list for this coming year. I lost my patience with my kids and was a "mean mommy" on too many occasions, so that one is also back on the list. What IS    the secret to making those new year's resolutions actually stick? I have three suggestions that can help.

First, set realistic goals. You will never stick with your resolution if it is not do-able. For example, if you never workout, you can not expect yourself to workout out for 2 hours a day, 7 days a week. A more realistic goal might be to exercise for 20 minutes, 3 days a week. Once that goal is accomplished, you can set another goal. Make your goals attainable.

Second,   be specific. When you set vague goals,  the action plan to achieve your goal is unclear. For example, instead of setting a goal to lose weight, explain the actions you will take in order to lose weight. Such as, "I will perform 4 cardio sessions per week. I will drink 8 glasses of water every day. I will not eat processed food." Be specific and be clear about the goals you set.

Third, write your goals down and put them somewhere where you can see them.  We often have a goal in our head, but if we really want to accomplish that goal, we should not only write it down, but keep a journal about how we are doing. If I want to spend less money, I should write out a budget and then keep a log of what I spend. There are hundreds of apps that can help you keep track of your health and nutrition goals, weight loss goals or money spending goals.  We stick with our goals much longer when we keep track. That is how fitness trackers became so popular; it was a way people could actually keep track and log their activity, nutrition, even sleep. And guess what? Thousands of people can testify that it helped them accomplish their goals. 

As you think of your goals and what you would like to accomplish in the new year, remember to be realistic, be specific, and write your goals down.  

May you have health, happiness and wellness in this upcoming year! 

BHW

No time to eat... What to do?

These past few weeks have been a crazy whirlwind of busyness. Forget about Christmas; moving and finishing a new house has been all consuming, leaving little time to prepare healthful meals for my family and myself. So, what do you do when you are too busy to eat and prepare healthful foods?   Having a plan in place takes some prep time, but will save time overall. Take a couple of hours one or two days a week to cook lean protein and store in the refrigerator for later. Cut up veggies and fruits and put them in containers to quickly grab and go or add to a salad. Have some healthy snacks in your pantry and your car so when hunger strikes, you don't grab the easiest, not-so-healthy food. I like to bag up nuts, and have fresh fruit and protein bars on hand all the time. Frozen nut butter balls are also a favorite of mine. It's important to always have water with you. It's easy to mistake thirst for hunger sometimes. 

This may be easier said than done, but if you can think ahead and plan a little bit, it will definitely be worth the time spent. 

Be prepared and be well! 

BHW

Whole 30; Day 30

Wow! I can't believe it's already been 30 days! I think I'm going to keep going...Whole 60? 90? Maybe Whole Life! I honestly can't say I feel anything "magical" as the authors of the book described feeling, but I do feel healthy. I just feel good; my stomach hasn't been bloated in 30 days. I don't feel exhausted by 3 pm. I just really feel good. Therefore, I am going to continue this lifestyle change. It really hasn't been very difficult, so I may as well keep going. I'm eating a lot more vegetables, drinking a lot more water and eating a lot less sugar. There is nothing wrong with any of that. So, if you are thinking about taking on the whole 30 challenge, I highly recommend it! 

Be well! 

BHW  

Whole30: An average woman’s review and humble opinion.

Reset your metabolism, end unhealthy cravings, increase energy?  Yes please!  We have all heard this claim a million times by just about every diet or exercise fad out there.  Is there one that really works?  If you are like me, then you are skeptical about most diet plans out there.  When I learned about the Whole30 I had the same skepticism but this plan sounded reasonable promoting organic vegetables, grass fed meats, and whole foods in general.  My diet was getting out of hand and something had to change, so why not start this 30 day overhaul of my diet?  Besides my inner child throwing a tantrum about not getting cupcakes, I did not have a good reason.

 I have made it to day 23 and found many benefits to the program but have also found a few things that I do not like.  On the plus side, there is this certain comfort knowing you are giving your body healthy and nutritious foods.  Also, gone are the afternoons where I crash and need a caffeine and sugar fix to make it through until evening.  There is no more irritability due to being hungry. Most of all I have noticed how my cravings for sweets has diminished significantly.  I have piles of Halloween candy in my house and honestly I have not really thought twice about them.  For a girl with a sweet tooth this is a major breakthrough!  My biggest problem with the Whole30 is that I feel it controls me and is my boss in a sense.  Fortunately, I do not have food allergies or intolerances so I have never had to limit my diet like this before.  Being so restricted is difficult and I feel like I am always focusing on what I can’t eat.  Some days it is hard for me not to have negative feelings about my food and the Whole30 in general.

Overall I am learning a lot about the foods I eat and how they affect my body.  I have been through ups and downs both emotionally and physically.  It is not an easy program and does take thought, preparation, and commitment.  For me, this way of eating is not something I could continue forever.  I do plan to use the things I have learned and incorporate them into a diet where I feel healthy, strong, and satisfied.  I am counting down the days until I can put cream in my coffee!!

Find what works for you, please!

VBJ

Whole 30: Day 15

We are halfway through the Whole 30 nutrition pan and I feel great. I do want to encourage everyone (whether you are following the Whole 30 or not) to read the labels on your food. It had been eye opening for me to see how many foods have added sugar. Beans, bacon, salad dressing, salsa; Sugar is in everything, but is often disguised. Food manufacturers use all kinds of names for sugar and sweeteners. They don't always list it as "sugar". There are many forms. Sugar, honey, turbinado, and cane sugar. Beware of anything that ends in "ose". Lactose, sucrose, dextrose, maltose, etc. Also, keep an eye out for sugar alcohols, such as erythritol, acesulfame-K, sucralose and aspartame. Consuming too much sugar can cause major health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, inflammation, ADHD, and more. Educate yourself and read the labels. Be aware of what you are putting into your body and your kids little bodies.

Be smart and be well!  

BHW

Whole 30: Week 2

I'm now into the second week of the Whole 30 nutrition program. So far, so good. I'm still having some musculoskeletal pain, as I'm sure that will take some time to reduce, but I do feel better. It is so amazing what tweaking your nutrition can do. I have read that after week 3 the real magic of the Whole 30 occurs. I'm still looking forward to that, but after just one week, my sugar cravings are non existent, my stomach has not been bloated, I haven't had any headaches, and I just FEEL healthier. Stay tuned...More to come from our end. If any of you have tried the Whole 30, we would love to hear from you about your experience. 

Whole 30

I've heard friends talk about the Whole 30. It is a nutrition program that encourages eating whole foods, with minimal ingredients. No sugar, no artificial sweeteners, no dairy, no grains and nothing processed. At first, I thought it was simply another weight loss fad. After reading the book, I've decided it's much more than a 30 day diet, but 30 days to improved health and a lifelong habit of eating well and, hopefully, feeling well. 

A friend and I decided we would give it a go. Her sister has been following the whole 30 and is experiencing improvements in her health. I decided I was tired of feeling bad, sleeping poorly and experiencing pain all of the time. So why not give it a try? I'm 2 days in, and haven't felt bloated at all. It will take some time to experience more of the benefits I hope to feel, such as reduced inflammation, the elimination of seasonal allergies, and improved digestive health. For now, it's a small miracle that I haven't gone to bed feeling bloated and gassy. I will be giving you weekly updates. I am excited to improve my nutrition and my overall well being. I would also love to help my children eat more veggies and a lot less sugar.

If you haven't checked it out already, visit www.whole30.com for the rules, grocery lists, and whole 30 approved recipes.

Eat while foods and be well! 

BHW

Accountability

Who holds you accountable for making your best decisions?  Who encourages you to take a minute to breathe and center?  To make food choices that benefit your body versus "damage" your body?  To maintain an active lifestyle?  Do you have a friend you can vent to about your joy, your sadness, your confusions, and those thoughts that make you feel like you are the only one feeling them?

Please find that someone.  Find a couple.  But be sure they are pure with their intentions as you are with yours.  We aren't meant to "live on an island".  If you don't have one...let us be that person.  Email us!  Send us a Facebook message.  Let's do this life thing together.

Be well and be real,
MLC

Just 5 Things

I've decided that I need to live a more positive, less stressed life. Here are my top 5 Things to do in order to achieve peace, happiness, and a much less stressed life.

 Breathe : when I get overwhelmed and rushed, it helps me to take a big, deep breath to calm myself and get my head straight.

Smile : "Just put on a happy face". Even when I don't feel like smiling, I'm going to do it anyway. It always makes me feel better and smiling is contagious. 

Be positive : It's very easy to get caught up in the negative and complain....About everything. STOP. It doesn't do any good. Instead, think of something positive. "Things turn out the best for people who make the best out of the way things turn out".

Serve someone : When we focus on helping others, our problems and worries seem less significant.

Be grateful : Count your many blessings and be grateful for them. There is so much to be happy about. Write a list of all the blessings in your life. Your family, friends, good health, a job, talents....And those sweet little babes that seem to be growing like weeds. Hug them, kiss them, enjoy every moment. 

I hope you can make a list of a few things that will help YOU feel more happiness and less stress in your life. 

Be well, 

BHW