The Mom's Cheat Sheet » Your Health

Yoga – Wonderful for Moms

admin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 10:21:15 +0000

I recently started yoga, and I absolutely love it. I find myself sitting up straighter, feeling more attractive, and seem to be more relaxed lately. It was surprisingly easy to get into; all I did was buy a DVD, a mat, and yoga pants. I do the DVD for about 30 minutes (I’ll eventually build up to the 50 minute routine, but want to go slow at first), and I feel refreshed and energized afterwards. Yoga is awesome!

I was happy to see that Green & Clean Mom feels the same way. In her blog, she lists the benefits of yoga, as well as easy ways to get started. Check out her post below!

Thinking About Starting Yoga [Green & Clean Mom]

Quick, Healthy Meal Solutions

admin — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:29:39 +0000

My daughters love oatmeal. Since I don’t want to spend a lot of time in the morning fixing breakfast, I tend to gravitate towards instant oatmeal. After reading this post from Mom Logic, I don’t think I’m going to keep buying those little packets anymore – not when I know how simple the alternative is.

This is a great post on quick, healthy meals. I especially love the bit about almonds as a healthy snack, since I tend to get hungry around 3pm each day. My biggest complaint when I have a snack is that it won’t fill me up, but according to this post it looks like almonds are just the thing.

“A recent study in the International Journal of Obesity indicated that people eat less after having almonds as a snack. Nuts trigger the release of the neuropeptide CCK from the small intestine, which tells the brain you are full.”

For more, check out Easy Meals for Moms on the Go! [Mom Logic]

Breastfeeding? Here’s a Drink for You

admin — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 19:57:15 +0000

One of the things that surprised me about breastfeeding was just how thirsty it made me! I was prepared to feel extra hungry and tired, but didn’t expect to be toting around a huge water bottle everywhere. And because nursing moms have to watch what we drink, we can’t keep ourselves hydrated by triple espressos and margaritas. What goes in us, goes in baby. This is why I was happy to see Mamaista’s blog today, which features a drink made specifically for breastfeeding moms.

Breastfeeding Made Easy [mamaista]

Lowered Blood Pressure – Yet Another Breastfeeding Benefit

admin — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:59:56 +0000

Most of us moms have heard of the benefits that breastfeeding comes with. Not only is great for your baby, free, and convenient, but it benefits your health, too. Nursing moms often enjoy quicker weight loss after pregnancy, lower chances of breast cancer, as well as other added benefits. One benefit that I was unaware of is something that I came across this morning in an article from USA Today -

“The longer women breast-fed, the lower their chance of developing metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors such as high blood pressure and high triglycerides associated with obesity, the scientists found.”

I think it’s great that we are finding out more and more about the benefits of nursing. Since nursing can be a challenge at first (not to mention painful!) it is encouraging to read about the benefits for both mom and baby.

For the full article, see Breast-feeding may protect moms’ health [USA Today]

Make Your Own Natural Deodorant

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:37:01 +0000

I’ve been hearing now for a while that deodorants contain aluminum, which is apparently bad to be lathering all over yourself day after day. I put that in the category of, “One day I’ll look into that… but I don’t have time today.” Oh, there are so many things in that category….

So there it is, filed away for a later day. I was reading Simple Mom’s blog today and I came across her post on her own quest to make natural, aluminum free deodorant. And yes, I know you can buy it at the health food store… but I always shy away from spending so much on something just because it’s organic. Well, after reading her post, I realize just how easy it would be to mix up a few things and make my own natural deodorant. Although I’m not the most organic, do-it-yourself kind of gal, this idea just seems too easy to not at least try. And if summer rolls around and my family starts to sit on the opposite end of the couch from me, I can always switch back to my favorite deodorant from Target.

Simple, Homemade Deodorant: an Effective, Safe Alternative [simple mom]

Suffering from Dry Air In Your Home? Try These Tips.

admin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:37:10 +0000

Every winter, my husband and I start to notice our poor cracked knuckles and chapped lips. It seems like we can’t turn on the heat even once without feeling it on our skin… so we start considering a humidifier. Last year, we purchased two small ones. They helped, but not quite enough. This year, we decided to go with one large one and keep it running 24 hours a day in our upstairs hallway. It seems to be helping, though I still need to keep putting lotion on my dry hands.

Nature Moms Blog had a great post recently on natural ways to add humidity to your home. These tips are so simple and make so much sense! One that I like in particular –

“When you finish your shower (or during your shower if you don’t mind the lack of privacy or the chill), open the bathroom door and don’t run the bathroom fan. After drying off, hang your wet towel up in another room to dry.”

So here I am, running the fan with the door closed… while all along I could have been letting the moisture spread all over my upstairs. I didn’t even think of that one. Thanks, Nature Moms!

How to Add Humidity to Your Dry Home [nature moms blog]

Tip to Stay Healthy This Season

admin — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:13:26 +0000

I’m always bugging my kids to wash their hands, stop touching everything at Target, and take their vitamins. Little kids seem to be germ magnets, and I don’t want our whole family to come down with a nasty cold or the flu! I’m always looking for tips to keep germs separate and to stay healthy, so this one from parent hacks caught my attention.

One Bottle Of Nasal Spray Per Family Member [Parent Hacks]

How to Soothe Engorgement – Help For Nursing Moms

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:00:56 +0000

My cousin is getting ready to have her first baby in a few months, and I was thinking about her today and reflecting on what it was like a few years ago for me as a new mom. Pregnancy, a newborn baby, and nursing were consuming! There is so much information to absorb, and the clock seems to start ticking once you see that positive pregnancy test.

I learned a lot during that first year as a new mom, and I try to pass on whatever little nuggets of wisdom that were passed on to me. Some things I had to learn the hard way, while others were easier thanks to the help of friends and family. Advice from moms who know what they are doing can be very helpful when you’re sleep deprived, sore from delivery, and not exactly sure what you are doing.

One thing in particular I learned was a bit of information passed to me from my mother-in-law (who incidentally has twelve children!). Before I had my daughter, she let me in on a little “nursing hack” that I would later be extremely grateful for. We all know that during those first few days and weeks of nursing, breastfeeding can be pretty painful. One of the reasons it can be so painful is because your breasts become engorged with milk, and sometimes the supply exceeds the demand. Trust me, this isn’t a pretty picture.

Here’s the trick: Take a clean diaper, and wet it with a decent amount of water (the diaper will absorb the water). Put it in the microwave and let it get hot. This will act as a heating pad, and it stays hot for a long time. It feels absolutely wonderful when you are engorged, and this homemade heating pad is much more effective than anything else I’ve tried. When you have a three day old baby who just won’t nurse enough to help you out, this will help tremendously.

-Grace

How Motherhood Can Help You Build Healthy Habits

admin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:30:55 +0000

Some days I look back on how I used to eat before I became a mom, and I’m shocked by my old habits. I honestly don’t know what I was thinking! I used to eat a decent amount of junk food, rarely worked out, and didn’t pay much attention to nutrition. Thanks to being young and having good genes, I was able to skate by at a normal weight. However, now that I’m getting older I need to pay more attention to diet and exercise. Even at 28, I know that my metabolism will be slowing down and my bad habits could start catching up with me.

One of the great things about motherhood is that it’s taught me a lot about taking care of people – including myself. Not only am I watching out for what my kids are eating, but I’m paying much more attention to my own diet as well. I’m also more active now that I’m a mom; not only do I chase my kids all day, but I also take them for walks and make sure that they are learning to stay active and get some fresh air each day. There are many benefits of being a mom, but one I had not considered would be the motivation to live a healthier lifestyle. Consider the following:

When our kids eat healthy foods, we eat them as well. Now that I’m a mom, I try and pay more attention to always having fresh fruits and vegetables in the house. Having a snack of fresh fruit in the afternoon is a good habit for all of us, and probably something I wouldn’t pay attention to if not for my children.
Our bad habits can become our children’s bad habits. We used to keep ice cream in the house and eat it all the time. We’ve stopped keeping it in our freezer as a staple, because having it around means that our kids will always be asking for it. I don’t want my kids to get into the habit of having a big dessert each night, so I had to break myself of that habit. Once you have little ones looking up to you to set the example, it’s really makes you realize things you may be doing that aren’t very healthy. It never killed me to eat Rocky Road every night, but it’s just not something I want to start as a habit for our entire family.
Better sleep habits! Since having kids, I have spent countless nights in the rocking chair of the nursery. I now appreciate a good night’s sleep like never before, and I’m out for the count as soon as my head hits the pillow. They say that adults need 7 – 9 hours of sleep each night, and I take that a lot more seriously now that I’m a mom. I need good rest to keep up with it all, and my sleep habits are much healthier these days.
Perspective is very, very good for you. I used to beat myself up over my little flaws, like gaining two or three pounds. Before I had kids, I usually stayed around the same size and never had much of an issue with my weight. However, I would be pretty hard on myself over little things. After two kids, my weight has fluctuated quite a bit, and I have clothes in my closet that range from size 4 to size 12. I have more perspective now on body image, and that is really helping me to appreciate my body for what it is, rather than scrutinizing my tiny flaws because I don’t look like the woman on the cover of “People” magazine. After having children, I am learning to focus on a healthy lifestyle rather than having the “perfect” body, and that’s a good thing.

Being a mom is absolutely wonderful, and comes with many perks. I’m really enjoying my new focus on eating well and staying active, since it was something I took for granted up until a few years ago. What about you? How has being a mom helped you to live a healthier lifestyle? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

-Grace

Swine Flu: Questions and Answers

admin — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:30:08 +0000

Like every other mom out there, I’m doing my best to stay on top of my kids’ health this season. If I had a dime for every time I said, “Wash your hands!” or “Cough into your elbow!” then I’d be a rich woman. With concern over the swine flu this season, it’s even more important to stay on top of things.

I’ve gone back and forth about whether to have my children (and myself) vaccinated, and have come across some helpful articles here and there. Along with some research on the vaccine, I’ve looked around for general information on the H1N1 virus – symptoms, precautions, risks, etc. What I have found is a great article that lays out everything you need to know about the swine flu, and I highly recommend you take a look at it.

All You Ever Wanted to Know about Swine Flu [Mom Logic]