Saturday, February 26, 2011
       When you are on the go during the winter months it is important to take good care of yourself and your family in order to stay healthy. Winter is the time of the year when many people experience a drop in their moods and immunity and watch their waistlines increase. This is especially true if you are lacking sunshine. The following are some simple lifestyle changes you can adopt to stay healthy during this blustery season!

Sound Slumber for Sunnier Moods
While there’s generally no hesitation for spending extra time in bed, make sure you’re getting quality sleep and enough of it, as loss of sleep can dramatically impact mood. In addition, try to adjust your wake time to be in alignment with the sun to help the body’s Circadian rhythms, as research shows that a disrupted body clock causes depression and lethargy.

Get Physical
While you may or may not reap the benefits from outdoor exercise during the winter depending on your location, you don’t have to abandon a workout regimen completely. More and more research suggests that moderate, regular exercise supports a strong immune system, not to mention how this combats stress. Some ideas to keep you moving and fit are to hit the gym, watch an exercise DVD in your living room or invest in equipment you can use at home such as free weights or a treadmill.
Watch What You Eat
It’s not your imagination… you are hungrier in the winter! The body’s natural response to cold weather is to constrict the skin’s pores and superficial connective tissue to help deter heat loss, which redirects body heat into the core, including the stomach. To fill up without adding extra calories, choose nutritious and satisfying foods such as low sodium soups, stews, steamed vegetables, and oatmeal. Try eating a little more lean protein to stay full longer, such as eggs, beans, chicken and fish.


Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Norwex products contain organic ingredients that are purer and safer for the environment, and gentle on your skin. We choose ingredients that promote a better quality of life, and reduce the damaging effects of toxins.
We offer innovative products with ECOCERT® certified organic ingredients to revolutionize skin care.  ECOCERT® is a highly credible organization in Europe setting the standards for natural and organic cosmetics for consumers. We are proud to be a North America company marketing organic personal care ECOCERT® certified products! Read more about the ECOCERT® standard here: http://cosmetics.ecocert.com
Being ECOCERT® certified means that Norwex organic personal care products are free from:
• mineral oil and silicon
• emulsifiers such as PEG (polyethylene glycol)
• viscosity controlling agents such as carbomer
• preservatives such as phenoxyethanol, parabens or
formaldehyde releasers
• synthetic perfumes
• synthetic dyes
• synthetic solvent such as propylene glycol
All Swiss Alpine plants used by our producer in Israel are approved and certified by Bio Suisse.
Friday, February 11, 2011

There are many things that parents can do to encourage their children to do household chores. Here are some suggestions: 


*Start early. Parents should start giving their children household responsibilities when they are young. Most toddlers love to help their parents. Parents should take advantage of this desire and give their children small and simple tasks. As children get older, they should then be given more challenging tasks.

*Show how to do the chore. Children need to know exactly what's expected of them. Therefore, it is a good idea for parents to make sure their children know exactly what their duties are. Parents should thoroughly go over the duties required, and should actually show their children how to do the chore at hand. It might also be a good idea to write down and post all duties that make up a single chore for children's reference. At first, parents should monitor their children to make sure things are going well. Parents can reduce monitoring once children know how to do the chore. 

*Teach one chore at a time. It is probably a good idea for parents to thoroughly teach their children how to do one chore, and then to make sure that they are consistently doing it correctly before moving on to other chores. Young children can become confused when they are required to learn too much at one time.

*Break down the chore into small parts. When teaching chores, parents should break each one down into small parts. For example, instead of telling a child to clean his bedroom and leaving it at that, parents should list all of the things that make up the chore of cleaning the bedroom, for example, changing the sheets, picking up toys and putting them away, dusting the dresser, and vacuuming. Parents should then show their children how to do each part of the chore correctly.

*Explain. Children need to know why pitching in and helping is important. Parents should explain that doing chores benefits the whole family, and that every person must do his or her part to keep things going smoothly.

*Change the nature of chores as children grow. As children grow, they can be given more and more challenging chores. Most parents have a good idea of what their children are and are not able to do. Therefore, parents should make sure that the chores they give their children are appropriate to their children's ages and abilities.

*Monitor at first. At first, parents should make sure they are available to answer questions and give guidance should their children need it. At first, parents can inspect their children's work to make sure the job is being done correctly. The younger children are, the more supervision they will need. After children have become accustomed to their new duties, parents can cut back on monitoring and inspecting. Older children can be given complete responsibility for completion of chores.

*Set up a reward system or a chart system. If parents have trouble getting their children to do their chores or to do them correctly, a reward/chart system can be set up to encourage cooperation. The general guidelines include making a list of the criteria for successful completion of the chore. Then, a chart should be posted in a prominent location in the home. Parents, or children, if they're old enough, should make a mark on the chart for each completed chore. Parents can either award points that can be traded in for a desired reward, or they can simply give a desired reward in exchange for the completion of agreed-upon chores. Finally, parents and children should decide on the reward to be awarded. Instead of material rewards like candy or toys, it is better if rewards are non-material, such as a trip to the park with Mom and Dad, or being allowed to stay up a half hour past bedtime. Prizes can be awarded daily or weekly. For younger children, it is probably best to have daily rewards. For older children, rewards can be given weekly. 
Written by Kristen Zolten, M.A. and Nicholas Long, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences



Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Our bodies are at least 60% water and it contributes to blood, lymph, digestive juices, urine, tears, and sweat.
Water requirements vary greatly from person to person. High physical activity that makes you sweat, your diet and hot climates can all increase your needs considerably. With regards to diet, fresh fruits and veggies are high in water whereas a diet high in sodium (1000g/day), fiber (25g/day) and protein increases your need for water.

How many cups of water per day should you drink? Try this equation: take your weight in pounds and divide by 2. Divide that number by 8 and you will have how many cups of water you need per day.

Spring, reverse osmosis, and distilled water, herbal teas and diluted juices (½ and ½) all count.  Be aware that caffeine (in the forms of coffee, black, white or green teas, colas, chocolate and hot  chocolate) and alcohol drain your body of water. If you drink these products, add 1 cup of water for every cup (8 oz) you consume in a day.

Is there a difference between waters? Yes, because of chlorine, fluoride, mineral content, etc. Although there is much debate about each of these, tap water is relatively safe and clean in North America. Taste is probably the deciding factor. I believe that reverse osmosis is the healthiest form of water for most people, however, if cost is a factor, drink what you can. Water is such an important component of nutrition, be sure to include enough water in your daily diet.

Sarah-Dash Arbuckle BA (Hon), ND, CH
Registered Naturopathic Doctor
For education and empowerment in natural medicine
Specializing in Pediatrics and Women's health
1-888-563-1045
www.drdash.ca
Sunday, February 6, 2011


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