Healthy Mommy

I Am Mom Enough

2012-05-12T23:47:00.000-04:00

Have you seen the latest issue of Time Magazine? I haven't had a chance to get a copy yet, but have read excerpts and have seen it discussed all over the web for the last couple days. Regardless of the tone of the articles or any spin that the writers may put on the issues, I find it really encouraging to see mainstream America opening up and talking about topics like breastfeeding, co-sleeping, and positive discipline, because ultimately these issues affect not just parents and children but on many levels our society as a whole.

I do find the cover photo to be a bit exaggerated. I am sure it was purposely posed to incite controversy and drive magazine sales. I personally know lots of Attachment Parents and extended breastfeeding moms including myself. I have seen some wild gymnustics and lacrobatics performed by active toddlers intent on exploring and looking at everything while nursing. I wouldn't be shocked, but to date I have never seen a preschooler drag up a chair to stand on while nursing. Little people can be intensely creative problem-solvers when they are trying to get what they want, so I guess this scenario, although it's not typical, isn't completely unrealistic. If it was girlfriend of mine and her preschooler, I'd probably have a good-natured laugh. Then, I'd say let's all go sit in the living room where it's more comfortable for nursing.

Here are two moms, who are part of a local moms group I started, giving their take on the Time feature on ABC2 News in Baltimore:

I completely agree with what Jessica said about her daughter Payton nursing, "When she turned a year old, I just was like I can't take her away from this. She loves it. She relies on it. It's her comfort, puts her to sleep." I felt this same way.

When my youngest daughter turned one, she was already scheduled for surgery the following month to correct a slight birth defect of her ear. I knew we wouldn't wean before the surgery, because breastfeeding was such a comfort to her and also because breastmilk provides pain relief and promotes healing. Originally my goal was to breastfeed my baby for at least a year, and we made it YAY!!! I thought after she recovered from her surgery, we would be done. But then around that same time, I learned that The World Health Organization and many health organizations world-wide actually recommend breastfeeding until at least the age of two. Before I had children, I never imagined myself nursing a toddler, but it felt so natural to continue, and I am so happy that we did!

" . . . people have to realize this is biologically normal. It’s not socially normal. The more people see it, the more it’ll become normal in our culture. That’s what I’m hoping. I want people to see it. There seems to be a war going on between conventional parenting and attachment parenting, and that’s what I want to avoid. I want everyone to be encouraging. We’re not on opposing teams. We all need to be encouraging to each other, and I don’t think we’re doing a very good job at that." from Q&A with Breast-Feeding Mom Jamie Lynne Grumet -- A conversation with the woman on TIME's May 21 cover

I talk regularly to moms who think attachment parenting, child-led weaning and gentle, loving parenting are integral to raising happy, healthy confident kids. I think every good mother does the best she can at the time with the resources and information that she has. The more we learn and share, the better parents we become. I intentionally chose the moms in my circle of friends for their desire to be the best mothers they can, to grow and learn as both women and mothers, and for their ability to be understanding and supportive. Motherhood can be hard at times even without feeling like you have to justify your every parenting decisions or impress everyone around you with your stellar mothering skills. Raising children is not a contest to be won. I don't need to be "#1 Mom!" I do need to be able to share openly with my fellow moms without fear of being judged as not "mom enough."

101 Things to Do With Your Toddler (counting-on-me.blogspot.com)
Ryan Gosling on Cloth Diapers (mamahealthnut.blogspot.com)
Cloth Diapering: Healthy Baby Bums (mamahealthnut.blogspot.com)
Make Your Own Flu Vaccine (mamahealthnut.blogspot.com)

Make Your Own Flu Vaccine

2012-04-25T23:12:00.000-04:00

What's in the Flu Shot? This video about the ingredients of the flu vaccine is both scary and funny.

Everyone has the right to know the truth about what's in vaccines and what the actual benefits are versus the risks. This vital information (not just the hyped-up drug company and government-back propaganda) should be public knowledge.

You can't go back in time, but going forward never let anyone inject anything into your body or the bodies of your children without doing your homework first. You cannot trust pharmaceutical companies, doctors, insurance companies, or the government to provide you with unbiased information or make the choices that are healthiest for you and your children.

Earth Day 2012

2012-04-22T15:53:00.003-04:00

Happy Earth Day!

I love infographics and the one below from Recyclebank is perfect for today!

Share Responsibility for the Planet

Create a network effect on the environment with small changes to your everyday behavior -- Let's take going green viral!

Fill a Pool: If all Facebook users shortened their showers by 1 minute we'd save enough water to fill 1,123,364 Olympic-sized swimming pools
Pin Your Green Idea: If every active Pinterest user pinned one reuse idea per month, there would be 12 million new green ideas on the web
Power Down: If all Twitter users shut down their computers for one hour, it'd be like taking 9,128 cars off the road for a year
Up your Eco-IQ: If you set aside just two minutes a day to watching an environmental video, you'd set aside 12 hours a year to improve your eco-knowledge
Donate to Illuminate: If every smart phone was recycled at the end of its life, enough energy would be saved to power 199,800 homes for one year.
Hit the Pavement: If all Nike+ app users ran outside for just one day instead of on a treadmill $442,500 could be saved on electricity bills.

Happy Easter, Peeps!

2012-04-08T19:40:00.000-04:00

Hopefully you haven't already over indulged on Easter Candy. If you have, stop right now and get yourself back on track.

Today, this weekend, this week, this month, the healthy plan you've been on are not ruined! Just put the candy down and step away right now.

Go for a nice walk, if you can, and then start fresh. Try to make tomorrow the healthiest day possible. Strengthen your resolve to be fit and healthy.

Do not touch one single piece of Easter Candy tomorrow. Continue through the rest of your week eating healthy meals and snacks, staying away from processed junk food and candy, drink lots of water and get as much exercise as you can!

Ryan Gosling on Cloth Diapers

2012-04-05T16:02:00.004-04:00

I've been seeing a lot of funny Ryan Gosling Memes and wanted to share this one from Glow Bug Cloth Diapers. I really got a kick of it and thought my cloth-diapering followers would too!

Related articles:
Why Wear Organic? (mamahealthnut.blogspot.com)
Healthy Baby Bums (mamahealthnut.blogspot.com)

Quick Upper Body Workout

2012-04-04T16:25:00.000-04:00

Here's a quick workout that you can do without any exercise equipment.

Double Click to Enlarge

Push-Ups -- Whether you do full push-ups or need to modify them at first, use the best form that you can. See the Push-ups photo diagram below for some helpful hints and tips.

Harder -- Ace Fitness Exercise Library -- Push-up
Easier -- ACE Fitness Exercise Library -- Bent-Knee Push-ups

ACE (The American Council on Exercise) is an extremely reputable source for safe and reliable fitness information. If you are unsure of how to execute an exercise, ACE has a great library of exercises with excellent step-by-step explanations and photos.

Plank -- The 1st position of your push-up is also the straight arm plank. After completing your 30 Push-Ups, hold in your plank position for 30 seconds. The Plank will work your core muscles. Be sure to keep your butt down, your abs tucked up tight, don't let your back sag and don't forget to breath. If you cannot hold the straight arm plank with good form for the number for seconds required, try starting with the Front Plank from the link below. This plank is done on your elbows and forearms instead of your hands.

Harder - Straight Arm Plank
Easier -- Ace Fitness Exercise Library -- Front Plank
Want more options? Here's an interesting article about the progression of the plank to easiest to hardest with lots of options in between: Plank Progressions for Killer Abs

Bench Dips -- Sit on the side of a bench with your palms on the bench, beside your hips. If you don't have a bench , the edge of a dry bath tub, sturdy chair or coffee table will work too. Your legs should be straight out in front of you, heels on the floor, toes up. Straighten your arms so your butt lifts off the bench. Bend your elbows 90° as you lower your butt toward the floor. Pause, and then push back up to the starting position. Move up and down in a smooth and controlled motion as bench dips can place stress on your shoulders. Concentrate on using your arms to to lift your body (not your legs). After each set of dips, hold in the lowest position of the dip for the allotted time. See photo 2 below.

Harder: The straighter your legs are the harder the exercise will be.
Easier: If you cannot complete the exercise with your legs straight, try bending your knees. The exercise will be easiest with your knees bent at a 90° angle, feet flat on the floor directly below your knees.

Photo Source: Sportize Me

Now you're ready to try it!
Let me know how it goes for you!

Quick Upper Body Workout
No Equipment Needed
30 Push-ups, Plank for 30 seconds
20 Push-ups, Plank for 20 seconds
10 Push-ups, Plank for 10 seconds
30 Bench Dips, Hold for 30 seconds
20 Bench Dips, Hold for 20 seconds
10 Bench Dips, Hold for 10 seconds

Hungry for Change

2012-04-03T14:40:00.006-04:00

I really wanted to watch Hungry for Change while it was free, but time got away from me, and I missed it. Did anyone get a chance to watch it? If you've watched it, what did you think? I'm hoping if I can't borrow it from a friend, it will come out on Netflix soon. I've found lots of other informative natural, healthy and/or green living DVDs on Netflix.

I did scoop up the Free Hungry for Change Action Guide and Sneak Peek at the "Food Matters" Recipe Book with Juice and Healthy Recipes Preview:

10 Step Action Plan -- Click on the Image above to view and print the complete, full-size Hungry for Change free printable.

Here are the highlights from the 10 Step Action Plan:

1. Add freshly squeezed vegetable juices into your day!

2. Detox your body with green vegetables & gelatinous plant foods.

3. Add parsley & cilantro into your diet.

4. Add cultured foods into your diet.

5. Eat yourself beautiful!

6. Dissolve stress in your daily life!

7. Use the power of visualization.

8. Transform your life with love!

9. Add healthy fats into your diet.

10. Avoid aspartame, msg, high fructose corn syrup & heavily processed diet and fat free products.

Sneak Peek at the "Food Matters" Recipe Book with Juice and Healthy Recipes Preview -- Click on the Image above to view and download the free sample recipes. Some of these look so good. I can't wait to try them!

Klean Kanteen

2012-04-01T20:51:00.001-04:00

I just ordered two of these Klean Kanteen Sets for my girls to replace all of our plastic sippy cups. I am so tired of trying to find the matching lids, straws, valves etc for all the different sippy cups we have. My girls fight over who gets what color, and I worry about toxic chemicals from the plastics leaching into their drinks or directly onto their skin. I am hoping, once these arrive, to completely do away with all their other cups. I know a lot of parents, who avoid plastics, give their little ones mason jars to drink from, but that would turn into a disaster at our house. My kids can't seem to go ten feet without dropping their cups or sitting them down on something unstable like our white sofa.

I really love the Active Pink (above) and may get the adult version for myself if I like these bottles as much as I think I will. My daughters chose the Solar Yellow and the Prevention Purple for themselves.

The sets we ordered come with both the sippy lids and the sport bottle caps, so they will grow with my girls. Klean Kanteen has so many great colors and styles from which to choose. The ones pictured above are just a small sampling. The even do baby bottles. Plus, I really appreciated being able to purchase high quality, healthy, green products from a company that is truly devoted to doing what's best for their customers' health, their employees and suppliers, and our environment.

FROM WWW.KLEANKANTEEN.COM HERE ARE THE OTHER FEATURES THAT HELPED ME DECIDE ON THESE PARTICULAR BOTTLES:

Free of BPA, phthalates and other toxins
100% recyclable and eco-friendly
Made of 18/8, food-grade stainless steel, no liner needed
Doesn't retain or impart flavors
Slim design fits most bottle/cup holders
Rounded corners are easy to clean with no hard angles where dirt, germs or bacteria can stick
Stainless steel threads
Fits large ice cubes
Includes one Avent™ spout and dome lid
Cap & spouts are made of BPA-free polypropylene (pp#5)
Dishwasher safe (colored bottles should be hand-washed)
All parts can be boiled for sterilization
Capacity: 12 fluid ounces (355 ml)
Weight: 3.75 ounces (w/o cap)
Size: 5” H (w/o cap) x 2.75” W
Opening diameter: 1.75" (44 mm)

Are you using plastic sippy cups and bottles or greener, healthier alternatives? Are your kids' cups and bottles BPA and phthalate free? Are yours? Leave me a comment telling me what you're using and why.

6 Tips to Help You Kick Your Coffee Habit

2012-03-27T15:43:00.000-04:00

I'm happy to say that our household is completely coffee free and almost caffeine free. With a host of health concerns being linked to coffee consumption, abstaining from coffee gives me one less thing to stress over and that makes me HAPPY! If you can't get your day started or keep it going without your coffee or caffeine fix, Mama Natural has some great tips to help you kick the habit.

For those of you who may not be familiar with Genevieve AKA Mama Natural, her tagline is "Whole Living in a Processed World." She and her husband have an ever growing collection of YouTube Videos that are both informative and amusing. Her "Sh*t Crunchy Mamas Say" videos hit very close to home for this Healthy Mommy and made me laugh out loud!

Go check her out on YouTube. Then come back and leave me a comment telling which Mama Natural Videos you watched and what you thought.

Which Makes More Sense?

2012-03-27T13:13:00.000-04:00

I love this chart. I so often feel like individuals who put a lot of time, effort, and hard-earned income into making healthy, educated decisions and lifestyle choices are treated like they are crazy for not accepting the propaganda being pushed by big government and big business.

Double Click to View Larger
Source: Occupy* Posters

So which make more sense to you?

Regional environmental groups and community activists are spending their limited operating budgets in a massive conspiracy with 90% of the world's scientists to create a worldwide hoax and crash the global economy OR . . .
Big oil companies (and chemical companies like Monsanto, Dow, and DuPont) are spending their obscene profits to bribe anyone they can to protect their profits and limit any future liability their pollution may cause.
Leave me a comment letting me know which makes more sense to you!

Environmental Benefits of Reduced Meat Consumption

2012-01-13T15:28:00.000-05:00

Skip the Burger, Save the Earth :-)

Eating Less Meat Can Help Preserve Our Planet

REDUCE YOUR CARBON (AND METHANE) FOOTPRINT
The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that the meat industry generates 1/5 of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions that are accelerating climate change worldwide . . . far more than transportation. All livestock greatly contribute to CO2 emissions through their respiratory processes, but also of monumental concern is methane gas (CH4) emissions from their digestive processes. Methane gas is 21 times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. With nearly 1.5 billion large ruminants like cows world-wide, both carbon dioxide and methane gas are being emitted into the atmosphere at astounding rates. These rates have been decreasing lately, but are still much higher than our Earth can continue to support, while remain a healthy environment for us.[1]

MINIMIZE WATER USAGE
The water needs of livestock are tremendous, greatly exceeding those of vegetables or grains It takes 1,800 - 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of grain fed beef. With that same amount water, farmers could grow 16 pounds of broccoli, 25 pounds of potatoes, enough soybeans for three pounds of tofu or enough wheat for nearly five pounds of whole wheat bread.[2]

HELP REDUCE FOSSIL FUEL DEPENDENCE
On average, about 40 calories of fossil fuel energy go into every calorie of feed lot beef in the U.S. Compare this to the 2.2 calories of fossil fuel energy needed to produce one calorie of plant-based protein. Moderating meat consumption is a great way to cut fossil fuel demand.[3]

PRESERVE THE RAIN FOREST
Cattle ranching is the largest impetus behind the destruction of the Amazon Rain Forest with deforestation occurring at an alarming rate. From May 20000 to August 2006 alone, Brazil lost nearly 58,000 square miles of forest—an area larger than Greece.[4]

Learn More:
Meatless Monday
Health Benefits of Reduced Meat Consumption
Beef Consumption at 50 Year Low

Sources:
[1] http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a0701e/a0701e00.HTM
[2] http://www.sierraclub.org/sustainable_consumption/toolkit/choosing.pdf
[3] http://www.meatlessmonday.com/why-meatless/
[4] http://www.mongabay.com/brazil.html

Health Benefits of Reduced Meat Consumption

2012-01-13T15:24:00.001-05:00

Meat consumption in the U.S. is down. Are you eating less meat at your house? If so here are some of the benefits that you may experience:[1]

Reduced Cancer Risk
Reduced Risk of Heart Disease
Reduced Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes
Prevention of Long-term Weight Gain and Obesity
Increased Longevity
Improved Nutrition including:

higher intakes of fiber, protein, folate, zinc, iron and magnesium
lower intakes of saturated fat and total fat

Learn More:

Meatless Monday

Beef Consumption at 50 Year Low

Environmental Benefits of Reduced Meat Consumption

Source:

[1] http://www.meatlessmonday.com/why-meatless/

Beef Consumption at 50 Year Low

2012-01-13T15:24:00.000-05:00

Meat consumption in the United States dropped for the fourth year in a row with beef consumption at a fifty year low.[1] Whether this drop in meat-eating is due to the global recession or the concerns of better-informed consumers for their personal health and the health of the planet, I hope this trend will continue. The health and environmental benefits of eating less meat are numerous and far-reaching . . . significantly affecting not only the individuals who curtail their carnivorous tendencies, but our planet as a whole and all of its inhabitants.

Learn More:
Meatless Monday

Health Benefits of Reduced Meat Consumption

Environmental Benefits of Reduced Meat Consumption

Source:
[1] http://www.dailylivestockreport.com/documents/dlr%201-5-2012.pdf

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T22:00:00.006-05:00

I hope you had a wonderful holiday and were able to enjoy some quality time with your loved ones. If you're like most Americans, you probably also overdid it with the Thanksgiving goodies. Did you know that to burn off the calories from the average Thanksgiving dinner you have to walk, jog, or run a full-length marathon? That's 26.2 miles! Even scarier . . . the left-overs! Many of you will eat that same meal again tomorrow and the next day. Unless you're one of those wild and crazy ultra-marathoners (and I know a few of my followers are), I hope you will try to find some balance this weekend . . . a few less left-over Thanksgiving calories and a little more exercise.

The Infographic below breaks Thanksgiving dinner down by calories and by the miles of walking, running or jogging required to burn it off.

Source: newmango.com via Shannon on Pinterest

If you can't read the print, you can click the image for a larger view of the graphic or press Ctrl and + at the same time on your keyboard to enlarge everything on your screen. (Pressing Ctrl and - at the same time will decrease the size when you are done.)

A Thanksgiving Milestone for Me

I thought I'd also share a healthy little milestone that I celebrated today. Today was the 22nd anniversary of the day I became a vegetarian. That's 21 years meat free . . . no red-meat, no poultry, no pork, no seafood. I chose Thanksgiving to officially go vegetarian because there are so many great meat-less side-dishes on Thanksgiving, I figured I would never miss the turkey. I didn't miss it way back then and I never have since.

Source: meatlessmonday.com via Shannon on Pinterest

T-Rex Hates Push-ups!

2011-10-28T23:16:00.004-04:00

I just came across this on Pinterest and I had to share:

Pin It

Meatless Monday: Stuffed Peppers

2011-08-15T18:10:00.003-04:00

My husband whipped these up for us last week and they were so delicious! I could eat them every week! They tasted great reheated over the next couple days for lunches too. They are without a doubt the best vegetarian stuffed peppers I have ever had!

Vegetarian Stuffed Pepper Recipe
Makes 8 Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:
4 Large Green Bell Peppers
15 MorningStar Farms Veggie Sausage Patties
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp Crushed Red Peppers (Optional)
1 tsp of Salt
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
3 Cloves of fresh Garlic (Minced)
2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
¼ C of Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 C Marinara Sauce

Directions:
Wash the peppers and remove their stems. Cut them in half from top to bottom and remove their seeds and veins. Boil the peppers in a large pot for 7-10 minutes, until slightly tender. Remove from the pot and drain. Microwave the sausage patties for 1 minute on each side. Then run the patties through a food processor to form a consistency similar to ground beef. In a large skillet, add 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil and sauté the garlic. Add the crumbled sausage patties and toss. After a couple of minutes, add the Italian Seasoning, Red Pepper, and Salt. Continue to sauté for a few minutes. Add the Parmesan Cheese and toss for a minute. Add 1 Cup of the Mozzarella Cheese and toss until the cheese has melted. Add the Marinara sauce and cook for another minute, then remove the skillet from heat.

Preheat the oven to 350. On a baking sheet, greased with Olive Oil, arrange the Peppers with the open side up, creating small bowls. Stuff the sausage mixture into each of the peppers. Top each evenly with the remaining 1 Cup of Mozzarella. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Muffin Tin Monday

2011-08-08T07:45:00.016-04:00

Have you tried Muffin Tin Meals for your little ones yet? I've seen lots of posts about them all around Blog Land, but hadn't tried them until recently. I only had full-size muffin tins (with 12 cups), so I purchase four 6-cups muffin tins at The Dollar Tree especially for muffin tin meals. The cups in the tins are regular size, but the tins themselves are small (just six cups). At first it was a little bit of a challenge for me to come up with six healthy, balanced servings of kid-friendly foods, but it gets easier and my girls really love them!

Here are a few of the combinations we've tried so far:

1. Morning Star Farms Chik'n Nuggets

2. Carrots

3. Raisins

4.Watermelon

5.Keebler Club Minis Multi-Grain Crackers

6. Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1. Annie's Bunny Grahams Friends

2. Blackberries

3. Chobani Blueberry 0% Greek Yogurt

4. Nature's Promise Organic Unsweetened Applesauce

5. Strawberries

6. Plain Quaker Oatmeal w/Raisins Added

1. Mashed Potatoes

2. Snaps Peas

3. Watermelon

4. Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

5. Baby Carrots

6. Mozzarella String Cheese

1. Chobani Blueberry 0% Greek Yogurt

2. Post Banana Nut Crunch Cereal and Milk

3. Grapes

4. Banana

5. Raspberry

6. Craisins

And here's my youngest daughter cheesing like a crazy baby in anticipation of her muffin tin breakfast:

Can you tell she loves them?

Diet Soda Linked to Poor Health

2011-07-01T17:06:00.005-04:00

Pass it on: A new study links the consumption of diet soda to poorer health

I've never been much soda drinker and especially not diet soda except for an occasional Fresca. Over the years, I've watched clients time and time again drink calorie free soft drinks and struggle to lose or maintain weight as much as they would as much as if they were gulping down regular sugary drinks. I never knew why it worked like this or really had any science to back it up. I just figured soda is full of unnatural chemicals so you can't expect your body to react in a natural way to something that is unnatural.

Two new studies on the topic of diet cola were presented June 25th 2011 at the meeting of the American Diabetes Association. Both studies have linked drinking diet soda to poorer health compared with those who don't drink the beverage. People who said they drank two or more diet sodas a day experienced waist size increases that were six times greater than those of people who didn't drink diet soda, according to researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

A second study that found the sweetener aspartame raised blood sugar levels in diabetes-prone mice."Data from this and other prospective studies suggest that the promotion of diet sodas and artificial sweeteners as healthy alternatives may be ill-advised," said study researcher Helen P. Hazuda, professor and at the university's school of medicine. "They may be free of calories, but not of consequences."

The human study was based on data from 474 participants in a larger, ongoing study called the San Antonio Longitudinal Study of Aging. In that study, the participants were followed for nearly 10 years. Diet soft drink drinkers, as a group, experienced 70 percent greater increases in waist circumference compared with those who don't drink diet soda. Abdominal fat is a major risk factor for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and other chronic conditions, the researchers said.

In the mouse study, researchers fed aspartame, a calorie-free sweetener used in some diet sodas, to diabetes-prone mice. One group of mice ate chow to which both aspartame and corn oil were added; another other group ate chow with only corn oil added.

After three months, the mice that ate aspartame showed elevated blood sugar levels.
"These results suggest that heavy aspartame exposure might potentially directly contribute to increased blood glucose levels, and thus contribute to the associations observed between diet soda consumption and the risk of diabetes in humans," said study researcher Gabriel Fernandes, professor of rheumatology and clinical immunology at the university.

Source: My Health News Daily

Meatless Monday: Vegetarian Burritos

2011-06-20T11:17:00.002-04:00

This recipe is quick, delicious, and very versatile. There are many substitutions or add-ons that can boost flavor, add certain nutrients, or strip it down to an even healthier version. This meal should take about 20-25 minutes to prepare and cook and is simple to clean up after as everything is thrown into one skillet.

Vegetarian Burritos with a side of Vegetarian Refried Beans and Sour Cream

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Sweet Onion (Diced)
1 Can of Petite Cut Diced Tomatoes (Slightly Drained)
10 oz. Vegetable Crumbles (We used Morning Star Farms brand.)
1 Pkg Taco Seasoning
1/2 C Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese
Burrito Sized Tortillas
Sour Cream (Optional)
Guacamole (Optional)
Salsa (Optional)
Lettuce (Optional)
Tomato (Optional)

In a large skillet heat the oil. Add the onions to sauté for 3-5 minutes on medium to medium high heat. Stir in the canned tomatoes and continue to simmer for another 3-5 minutes. Stir in the Vegetable Crumbles and the taco seasoning. Reduce the heat and simmer for at least 5 more minutes.

As this simmers, begin to warm the tortillas by first sprinkling with water and then placing them between two paper towels. Microwave the tortillas for 20-25 seconds. The tortillas should be very soft and pliable.

Add the cheese to the veggie mix and stir it in until melted. Spoon about 3/4 of a Cup of the mixture into the center of each tortilla. Fold the tortilla at both ends and then roll it closed. Garnish with Salsa, Sour Cream, Lettuce, and/or Tomatoes.

* Other options to add variety to this meal include stuffing the burritos with Spanish Rice and/or Refried or Black Beans along with the ingredients listed above.

** For a spicier flavor, use Zesty Jalapeno Diced Tomatoes, add Jalapenos to the veggie mixture, or add Tabasco.

*** You can really cut out some calories, fat, sodium and add nutrients by using: Reduced Fat Sour Cream; Reduced Fat Cheese; Reduced Sodium Taco Seasoning, and Whole Grain Tortillas.

Here's what the filling inside looks like right before you fold it up.

A Healthy Last Minute Father's Day Gift -- Only $7

2011-06-19T09:50:00.000-04:00

Looking for a last minute gift for your dad or husband? Give him a one-year subscription to Men's Health this Father's Day! Pay just $7 using promo code DAD to get expert advice on family life, fitness, fashion, and more ($24.94 value)! The Save can even be used to renew an existing subscription as long as same address is used for renewal.

$7 to give health-conscious dads a one-year subscription to Men's Health this Father's Day

Offer expires: 11:59 PM - Jun 20, 2011

The Dirty Dozen for 2011

2011-06-14T11:20:00.000-04:00

Is your produce coated in pesticide? The Environmental Working Group released their 2011 list today of the best and worst fruits and vegetables when it comes to pesticide contamination. You can use this list to spend your money for organic foods most effectively. Print this list and take it to the supermarket with you!

"Eat your fruits and vegetables! The health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure. Use EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides to reduce your exposures as much as possible, but eating conventionally-grown produce is far better than not eating fruits and vegetables at all. The Shopper's Guide to Pesticide in Produce will help you determine which fruits and vegetables have the most pesticide residues and are the most important to buy organic. You can lower your pesticide intake substantially by avoiding the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables and eating the least contaminated produce."

EWG's 2011 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce

Dirty Dozen

Buy these organic

Apples

Celery

Strawberries

Peaches

Spinach

Nectarines

– imported

Grapes – imported

Sweet bell peppers

Potatoes

Blueberries

– domestic

Lettuce

Kale/collard greens

Clean 15

Lowest in Pesticide

Onions

Sweet Corn

Pineapples

Avocado

Asparagus

Sweet peas

Mangoes

Eggplant

Cantaloupe

- domestic

Kiwi

Cabbage

Watermelon

Sweet potatoes

Grapefruit

Mushrooms

4615 Dump Trucks Full of Easter Candy

2011-04-18T12:07:00.002-04:00

This year American will buy an estimated 120 million pounds of Easter candy . . . 90 Million Chocolate Bunnies, 4 Million Peeps, 16 Billion Jelly Beans -- the equivalent of 4615 dump trucks full of candy!!! I can't even begin to calculate how many zillion calories are in all that candy!

Think Twice

2011-04-13T10:12:00.002-04:00

. . . before you pop that candy into your mouth! With Easter fast approaching, you're probably already tempted by all that Easter candy. It's everywhere! But think twice before you pop even one little piece into your mouth! The vast majority of people when asked to estimate their caloric intake (how many calories they ate) versus how many calories they burned off through physical exertion missed by nearly 50% on both, underestimating the calories they were taking in by about 50% and overestimating the calories they burned from exercise or physical activity by almost 50%.

Here's an example to help give you some perspective: The average person has to walk the full length of a football field to burn off the calories in just ONE M&M. On average there are 50-55 M&M's in a small bag. Unless you are planning to spend your day parading up a down a football field, those extra calories are going to end up stored as fat some place where you don't want them. Treat yourself to a small bag of M&Ms or it's caloric equivalent in peanut butter eggs, chocolate bunny ears, jelly beans, peeps, etc everyday and you could gain an extra 24 pounds this year!!!

Backwards is Best!

2011-03-07T11:01:00.000-05:00

Riding rear-facing is safest! One of the most important jobs you have as a parent is keeping your child(ren) safe. Automobile crashes are the number one cause of death for children under fourteen. This makes car safety especially important. Parents often ask, "How soon can I turn my child to face forward?" The universally accepted response is to keep your child rear-facing until AT LEAST one year of age AND 20 pounds in weight. This is the minimum. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics and other Child Passenger Safety organizations strongly recommend that you to keep your child rear-facing as long as possible, and that may mean up to 35 or 40 pounds for most convertible car seats.

Rear-facing is safest for both adults and children, but especially for babies, who would face a greater risk of spinal cord injury in a front-facing carseat during a frontal crash.
Rear-facing car seats spread frontal crash forces over the whole area of a child's back, head and neck; they also prevent the head from snapping relative to the body in a frontal crash.
Rear-facing carseats may not be quite as effective in a rear end crash, but severe frontal and frontal offset crashes are far more frequent and far more severe than severe rear end crashes.
Rear-facing carseats are NOT a safety risk just because a child's legs are bent at the knees or because they can touch/kick the vehicle seat.
Rear-facing as long as possible is the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and can reduce injuries and deaths.

Sources: www.car-safety.org and www.healthychildren.org

Gross Shopping Cart News

2011-03-01T15:46:00.001-05:00

Fuel for my Germaphobia . . . from MSNBC.com:

"Every day, parents blithely drop their toddlers into the baskets of shopping carts, never giving a moment’s thought to who might have had their hands on the handle last. Preliminary results from a new study show that may be a mistake.

Researchers from the University of Arizona swabbed shopping cart handles in four states looking for bacterial contamination. Of the 85 carts examined, 72 percent turned out to have a marker for fecal bacteria.

The researchers took a closer look at the samples from 36 carts and discovered Escherichia coli, more commonly known as E. coli, on 50 percent of them — along with a host of other types of bacteria.

The study’s results may explain earlier research that found that kids who rode in shopping carts were more likely than others to develop infections caused by bacteria such as salmonella and campylobacter, Gerba said.“That’s more than you find in a supermarket’s restroom,” said Charles Gerba, the lead researcher on the study and a professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona. “That’s because they use disinfecting cleaners in the restrooms. Nobody routinely cleans and disinfects shopping carts.”

Shopping cart handles aren’t the only thing you need to worry about when you go to the local supermarket, Gerba added. In other research, he’s found that reusable shopping bags that aren’t regularly washed turn into bacterial swamps. “It’s like wearing the same underwear every day,” Gerba said."

I alway try to use disinfecting wipes or a shopping cart cover and diligently wash my both cart covers and my reusable bags. This article made me feel less like I'm being obsessive and more like I'm being proactive and smart!

Healthy Mommy

I Am Mom Enough

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Backwards is Best!

Gross Shopping Cart News