A Few Dollars Go Along Way

Grab a little wallet and throw in a few dollars. You would be surprised what can be purchased at a farmers market for $1…maybe a carrot, a tomato or a fresh baked cookie. Depending on the age of your child this can also be an opportunity to learn about budgeting.

Give Kids a Basket

It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just a simple basket. Somewhere that they can easily put the veggies they pick. Remember how much you love pushing your toy grocery cart…same thing!

Prepare A Question

Before you start wandering through the market, have you kids come up with 1 question to ask a farmer. Some kids will have many, many questions. Kids come up with some pretty amazing questions!

Bring Your Toy Food

Little ones will love this activity. Gather up some toy “food” from home, pop it into a small bag that can be easily carried (maybe add it to the child’s basket). Have your child look for the real version of the food in the basket. This could lead to a conversation about seasonal foods and foods that are grown in different climates or countries.

Try Something New

Kids are notorious for eating the same things over and over and over again. However, when given the chance to pick out something on their own they might be more willing to give something new a try.

Don’t Forget the Essentials

It goes without saying, although I am saying it, don’t forget the sunscreen, hats, water bottle and a snack. Farmers’ markets tend to be outside and while some will have food and drinks available – there’s no guarantee.

If you are an organizer of a farmers’ market might I suggest you think of the kids that might be visiting. Our local market always has a children’s craft table set up and some sort of entertainment. Amazing for kids! Taking your kids beyond the grocery store walls and out to a farmers’ market is a great way to show your kids where food really comes from. Maybe you can’t get out to a farm…but the farmers’ market is the next best thing.

Looking for a farmers’ market near you? Most areas will have a farmers’ market organization website. Follow this link to Farmers’ Market Ontario for all the details.

My friends and family all ask me the same question when it comes to my dietary change: “What does your grocery bill look like?”

In the beginning, I am not going to lie, my grocery bill had gone up for a family of 4. I was spending ridiculous amounts of money in the specialty isles. It is so easy to get caught up in test trying a million different allergy-free products. Companies are very smart in their advertising of allergy-free products as they know people with dietary restrictions are desperate to find foods that are interchangeable with the everyday products. Sometimes I don’t have a choice but to buy the more expensive product – if I want to eat quality bread (and not make it myself) I will need to spend more money.

After taking a step back and looking at my grocery bill, I had purchased a lot of unnecessary items and blamed my allergy-free living for the added costs. I sat down and came up with some simple rules for my future trips to the grocery store. Since making these rules, I have been shaving $50-$100 off my grocery bill. Allergy-free living does not have to be expensive and you can still be super healthy and creative with your meals.

5 tips for saving cash at the grocery store for the allergy-free:

1. You pay more for convenience:  Convenience for the allergy-free comes at a cost. Like many others, we are so busy with our lives that we demand the convenience of boxed foods to sustain us. I would spend a small fortune if I tried to buy everything I used to buy in an allergy-free alternative (if it is every possible to do so). In addition to cost, it is wise to limit the purchase of convenience foods because allergy-free does not necessarily mean healthier. You still need to read your nutrition labels when purchasing these foods because they may contain preservatives, artificial sugars, and sodium.

2. Avoid duplication:  The increase in groceries does come partly from buying duplicates of items. Sometimes I buy a box of allergy-free crackers for myself, while I buy another box of normal crackers for my family. Instead of buying only 1 box of crackers, I am now purchasing 2. To save some cash I have resolved not to buy crackers and spend my money on healthy fruits and veggies; crackers are empty and expensive calories anyway.  The other interesting scenario of duplication is sale items. When you are buying allergy-free foods sales can be exciting, because these foods are generally more expensive. However, I would advise limiting yourself with the sale items. Like anything, foods will always come back on sale eventually. I have found so many things in my cupboards that I forgot I had and purchased more.

3. Shop the perimeter:  The perimeter of my local store contains fruits, veggies, seafood, deli, bakery, meats, and dairy (and there is a clothing section, but that is not going to help the grocery bill situation. Note to self – stop before hitting clothes). Most of the perimeter contains the healthy clean foods. You don’t really need to shop in the middle of the store where they keep boxed and canned foods. Clean wholesome foods is what we should be buying.

4. Make a list and stick to it:  A lot of my fresh products or organic items are in the specialty isle where they keep the allergy-free convenience items. It is like there is a big sign above the specialty isle that says, “Special people with loads of money shop here!” It is already bad enough that I can’t eat what everyone else is eating, but now I have to shop in the “specialty isle” with inflated prices. So it is best to outsmart them and stick to your grocery list. How many times do you go to the grocery store with 10 items on your list and walk out with 20?

5. Stop the multiple trips:  If you run out of something at home (especially those convenience items) forget about it. Chances are there is a bunch of things in the refrigerator or cupboard that you haven’t touched. I try to shop once per week, but I live with monkeys. I will buy a bunch of bananas and suddenly run out half way through the week. I could buy more bananas, but then they get brown and nobody will eat them. Rather than running out to buy more bananas I could just open the fruit drawer and find a bag of apples nobody touched. If you run out, you run out.

Meghan is the mother of 2 beautiful girls aged 1 and 3. She has been recently diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis which is a form of arthritis. In the process she has discovered that diet severely influences her symptoms as she is intolerant to dairy, gluten, eggs, and corn. She blogs about her daily challenges with dietary restrictions at Bon Appetit Allergy Free Treats and you can also follow her on Twitter .

I followed Amy’s recipe and they were super easy to make. Her measurements make about 3 bars, which hardly seemed worth cleaning the food processor to me so I doubled it for each of the flavours I made. To make six bars, you simply process a cup of dates (or combination of dried fruit), a cup of nuts and mix together with any flavourful ingredients you want to add. Check out her recipe page for lots of great combos. I made “Cashew Cookie” bars first, which are simply dates, cashews and a pinch of sea salt. My second batch was raspberry almond flavour, using raspberry flavoured cranberries in place of some of the dates and half almonds, half cashews for the nuts. The cranberries are sweetened and also very flavourful, so I didn’t use too many and I left the almonds a little chunky because I really like almonds. I took a few pictures to show you the process. You’re definitely going to want to give these a try!

First step: process fruit until it forms a paste. It formed a ball in the food processor like this.

Second step: process nuts until finely chopped. Make sure they’re still chunky, you don’t want flour.

Step three: mix the two together by hand. Add a wee bit of water if the mixture seems too dry.

Form into bars or balls by hand and chill for a few minutes to set. Here are my finished bars, in cashew cookie and raspberry almond

And that’s it! I had a dozen bars in no time flat, which between me and the kids aren’t going to last long!

The warm weather is officially here and you know you the kids  are going to be looking for some cool treats to beat the heat. Instead of store bought ice pops and ice cream sandwiches, which can contain loads of sugar, food colouring and create a lot of garbage, grab some reusable ice pop molds and make your own. These recipes will satisfy your sweet tooth, cool you off and keep you hydrated.

These berry yogurt popsicles look adorable in three flavours, but single flavours would be equally delicious.

These pineapple coconut milk popsicles sound delicious and have less than 120 calories each.

Peach pie popsicles made with almond milk and peaches make a lovely summertime dessert.

Check out our Pinterest boards for more exercises, healthy recipes and more!

Have your own quick fix idea? Share it in the comments!

Healthy Rotisserie Chicken Meals:

A rotisserie chicken without the skin (which can contain harmful HCAs in addition to empty calories) can be the base of a quick, healthy meal if you skip the deep fried potatoes and mayonnaise laden ‘salads’. Instead pick up just the chicken and apply one of this quick fixes to turn it into a fast, healthy meal for your family.

1. Chicken Entree Salad: Breeze through the produce section and pick up a bag of pre-washed spinach or other dark salad greens, pre-cut veggies and any other fruit or vegetables your family enjoys. A can of black beans or chickpeas is an easy  way to add volume, protein and fibre. Pick up a whole grain baguette from the bakery section to round out your meal. When you get home, shred the chicken, toss with the other ingredients and top with your favourite oil and vinegar. The variations on this are endless; try carrot slaw and raisins, walnuts and apples, black beans and corn or snap peas and water chestnuts to keep things interesting.
2. Chicken Pita Pizzas: A package of whole grain pita pockets, a can of pizza sauce and some part skim mozzarella transform your deli chicken into personal pizzas. Simply assemble, broil and dinner is served! Add a pre-made salad from the produce section or some pre-cut veggies and hummus or low-fat dip for a complete meal.
3. Chicken Soft Tacos: Make quick and easy tacos with whole grain tortillas, shredded chicken, taco sauce, shredded cheese and veggies of your choice. Or experiment with different fillings, such as chicken, avocado and mango or mashed black beans, salsa and low fat sour cream.
4. Chicken Stir Fry: In addition to your chicken pick up a bag of frozen stir fry style vegetables and some whole wheat rice noodles and you’ll have a super easy, healthy meal on the table in no time. Rice noodles cook in minutes, making them a great side dish for busy nights. Warm your vegetables with a bit of garlic or ginger and some low sodium soy sauce, add a tablespoon of brown sugar or plum sauce and thicken with cornstarch for an easy homemade stir fry sauce. Add your chopped chicken and serve over rice noodles. Substitute curry paste and a can of reduced fat coconut milk for another take on this idea.
5. Chicken Soup:  Combine your chicken with a carton of low sodium broth (or homemade from the freezer if you have it), some frozen veggies, a can of white beans and you have a warm, comforting meal without all the sodium and BPA that comes along with canned soup. Add cooked pasta or rice if you have time, otherwise some frozen or canned corn is an easy grain addition.

Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Do I need to take vitamins and other supplements to be healthy?

Despite having access to abundant amounts of food year round, many North Americans spend hundreds or thousands of dollars a year on vitamins and supplements. The vitamin industry is a multi-billion dollar industry and a 2010 poll revealed  that almost three quarters of Canadians regularly take natural health products like vitamins, herbs and supplements. However research is conflicting on whether or not vitamins and supplements provide a benefit, pose a risk or have any effect at all.

In my opinion it is always better to get your vitamins and nutrients from whole (not fortified) foods whenever possible.  If you have a limited diet for health or personal reasons, such as food allergies or following a vegan lifestyle, you may want to consider supplementing to compensate. There are mixed opinions on prenatal vitamins for pregnant women, however many studies have shown the benefit of adequate amounts of folic acid pre-pregnancy  and in the first trimester to prevent neural tube defect. Supplementation is often required to meet the 400 mcg/day recommended in this case. Extra iron is sometimes required in pregnancy due to increased blood volume; your health care provider can order a blood test to help determine if it’s necessary for you.  The elderly tend to have lower calorie consumption and in general can benefit from a multivitamin. However for most people daily supplementation with extra vitamins and minerals is unnecessary.

Vitamin D is one of the only nutrients that most people could benefit from supplementing. Vitamin D is produced when your body is exposed to the sun, and most people do not get enough uncovered exposure to create enough Vitamin D, especially if you live in a colder climate. Recommendations vary, from the current RDA of 400 IU to 4000 or 5000 IU daily, but the best way to determine how much to supplement with is to ask your health care provider for a blood test to determine your body’s vitamin D levels and then supplement appropriately. Vitamin D is available through a few food sources as well, but it’s hard to meet requirements through food alone.

The bottom line is that needs vary dramtically from person to person based on diet, age, gender and lifestyle. What is certain is that chasing an unhealthy diet with a handful of supplements is not going to offer you the same nutritional benefit as eating the foods that naturally contain the nutrients your body needs.  Additionally, too much supplementation of certain vitamins, such as A and E, can have adverse side effects. It’s best to work with your doctor, ND, nutritionist or dietician to determine if supplements are right for you.

As a doula, I write, talk, and breathe pregnancy and birth. It is about more than just a passion for the miracle of birth – I believe that the way that mothers bring their babies into the world can have a profound and lasting impact on our self esteem and well being.

But one topic I tend to avoid is a controversial one – home birth. I haven’t written about home birth in the past because I have wanted to avoid adding more fuel to the fire. The hospital birth advocates stand by their flawed research studies (proving that home birth is not safe), and the home birth advocates stand by their flawed studies (proving that home birth is safe). Hospital birth advocates believe that home birthers are putting their birth experience before the health and safety of their babies. And home birthers believe that the experience is just as important as the health of their babies.

With staunch advocates on both sides, how are mothers in the middle supposed to make an informed decision? This dilemma has led me to speak out more on home birth, and I make an effort to address my doula client’s questions and concerns in a non-judgmental way.

The first step in determining if home birth is right for you is to do research as it relates to the country (and province/state) in which you live. There’s no point in relying on safety data from the United States, for instance, if you live in Canada. The midwives there are trained differently, and have different skills. Here in Canada, home birth has been shown to be just as safe as hospital birth, and is associated with fewer interventions such as vacuum/forceps delivery, episiotomies, and cesarean section.

Secondly, you must also meet the home birth criteria of your care provider. Generally, you are considered a good candidate for home birth if you are low-risk (e.g. you are not dealing with pregnancy issues such as gestational diabetes or high blood pressure). Some midwives also require you to be within a certain distance from the nearest hospital.

And finally (perhaps most importantly) is whether home birth feels right for you. If you feel safe in hospitals and are wary about labouring at home, then chances are, you won’t labour at home. We are primal beings, and fear or anxiety can actually work to stop our labours from progressing.

I chose a home birth for the birth of my first child because I truly felt safe in my own environment. I knew my labour would progress much more quickly there than it would under the glare of bright lights and beeping machines. I also trusted my midwives implicitly, and knew that they would make the call to transfer me to hospital at the first sign of any concern.

Childbirth is fairly predictable, and there are often signs that arise that may point to a problem. Midwives are highly trained professionals, and the signs that are spotted are immediately addressed by a transfer to hospital. However, this transfer is rarely an emergency, and we usually drive the labouring mother to the hospital in our own cars.

Contrary to popular myth, childbirth is not dangerous. All the screeching and running doctors that you see on TLC rarely occurs in real life, and emergencies that do arise are generally always brought under control. Does childbirth carry risks? Yes, of course. Things can go wrong in pregnancy and birth, just as they can go wrong when you get behind the wheel to drive yourself to yoga class. We all know women who have experienced bad outcomes in birth, just as we all know people who have been in horrific car crashes. Our lives are not without risks, but it is the weighing of these risks by each individual that puts them into perspective.

All mothers and fathers desire to birth a healthy child. Let’s not dispute that fact. But despite what you hear from the doctors and “experts,” the experience does matter. Telling someone who had a traumatic birth experience, “but at least you have a healthy baby” is to completely discount everything they have gone through.

Home birth is not a guarantee that you will avoid bad birth experiences. But for some women, it is a guarantee that you will feel safe and in control of your body. And no matter the outcome, this is the key to an empowering birth experience.

Resources

The Lancet: http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2810%2961165-8/fulltext

Findings from Birthplace National Prospective Cohort Study (UK Study): http://www.netscc.ac.uk/hsdr/files/project/SDO_FR4_08-1604-140_V03.pdf

Outcomes of planned home birth with registered midwife versus planned hospital birth with midwife or physician (Canadian Study): http://www.cmaj.ca/content/181/6-7/377.full.pdf

Misty Pratt is a doula in Ottawa, and supports families through birth and postpartum. Misty gave birth to her daughter at home, and hopes to do the same for her second child, due in October. You can find out more about doula services here: www.chickadeechildbirth.com.

In her spare time, Misty blogs at The Chickadee Tweet (www.thechickadeetweet.blogspot.com)

I always say Pinterest is the best thing to ever happen to recipes; it’s an easy and visual way to bookmark favourites and it’s also become a great way to find new recipes to try.  Here are a few new recipes my family tried recently that were nutritious, delicious and kid-approved.

This hummus coated chicken is an extremely easy-to-make chicken dish that the kids absolutely devoured. It’s moist, delicious and the hummus gives it extra protein and good fats. Before it even came out of the oven the kids were commenting on how good it smelled. I made a double batch and the next day used the cold leftovers to make pita pockets with avocado, cucumber and mango… so good!

I was really craving something salty a couple of weeks ago and found this recipe for oven baked sweet potato “chips” really hit the spot. They’re halfway between chips and french fries, and two sweet potatoes made a really big batch (three cookie sheets). Use a mandolin slicer for best results; evenly sliced potatoes will cook more uniformly.

This creamy pasta is so incredible, you won’t believe it until you try it. Loaded with good fat from the avocado and full of flavour from the garlic and basil, it’s insanely delicious and nutritious. Before dinner was even cleaned up the kids were asking me to make it again. All four of them loved it, which as a mom is something I get pretty excited about.

Check out our Pinterest boards for more healthy recipes, exercises and more!

This video perfectly describes how I feel (sometimes) living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. It takes not only a huge physical toll but an emotional one as well. Last year for Fibromyalgia Awareness Day I wrote a bit about what it’s been like adapting to life with FM/CFS, specifically the shift in my parenting style, which has been very hard to accept. Some days I feel just like the woman in this video, sitting in my own world while life goes by around me.

Today is the 20th anniversary of International Awareness Day for Chronic Immunological and Neurological Diseases (CIND) These diseases include ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, the term used in most of the world)/CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, the term used in North America), Fibromyalgia, Gulf War Syndrome and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome. It’s commonly known as a combined awareness day for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ME.

What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome that is characterized by chronic, widespread pain thought to be caused by faulty pain processing, as opposed to inflamation.  There are numerous other symptoms including cognitive difficulties, multiple chemical sensitivity, frequent headaches and migraines, sensitivity to sound, light, touch and temperature, sleep disturbances and un-refreshing sleep.

Often people with Fibromyalgia have overlapping conditions, such as anxiety, depression, IBS, endometriosis, TMJ, lupus and very commonly Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/ME).

Why May 12th?

Interesting, May 12th was chosen as FMS/CSF Awareness Day because it is Florence Nightingale’s birthday. Nightingale is obviously best known for her contribution to nursing, but what many don’t know is that around the age of 40 she developed a Fibro-like illness and spent the last 50 years of her life bedridden. Despite her condition, she was still prominent in social reform and pioneered the field of hospital planning and design.

Resources

For more information about the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of Fibromyalgia see the National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association’s website or the excellent, empowering and informative Felicia Fibro blog.