Healthy Life Lessons

I believe that gratitude is fundamental to well-being.  I don't believe that positive thinking can overcome every challenge, but I know for a fact that negative thinking usually only makes things worse.  So I try to be grateful and count my blessings on a daily basis.  Thanksgiving is just an opportunity to put more emphasis on this practice. So here is what I am grateful for this year: The usual BIG stuff like: My amazing husband My girls who are beautiful, inside and out All the family and friends who are a part of my life Living in a peaceful and privileged country like Canada Not facing the severe hardship so many people in this world face on a daily basis (natural disasters, war, violence, poverty, homelessness, illness, etc.) And some of the random, smaller stuff that's happened recently that I'm grateful for: Although Big A woke up at 5:30am on Saturday, she was nice enough to coach me through my Insanity Fitness DVD and even did some jumpi...

                              Image Source If you go back to the beginning of this blog, you'll find many posts about my hamstring tendonitis, which I've suffered from since Little A's birth.  My pelvis shifted and my posture changed so that now, unless I consciously engage my abdominal muscles and do what feels like leaning forward to me, the weight of my torso and pelvis rest on my hamstring tendons that connect to my pelvic bones.  This created so much inflammation that I was eventually in constant pain and sitting (putting weight directly on the area), in particular, was excruciating.  There was some inflammation on both sides, but much worse on my left side. After 2 years of physio there was no improvement.  Finally, following 2 cortisone shots I got some improvement.  But if the pain at it's worst...

Carrot muffins have always been a favorite of mine, even as a kid.  I guess it's that spicy, aromatic blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, etc. that I so adore.  Feel free to adjust type and amount of spices, to taste.  Aside from being moist and delicious, these are also low-fat (oil-free), whole grain and sugar free! I made these into mini loaves, but you can make any size/shape you want, from one big loaf, to mini-muffins.  Just be sure to adjust baking time.  Use the toothpick test to judge doneness. 1 lb carrots, peeled and grated 2 cups unsweetened cinnamon or plain apple sauce 4 egg whites, or 2 whole eggs 1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy), carrot juice, or water 1/2 cup xylitol, erythritol, stevia baking blend or Splenda 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup ground flax seeds 2.5 cups spelt flour 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp sea salt 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg 1/4 tsp ground allspice 1/4 tsp g...

Looking for a unique gift idea for a child for an upcoming birthday or the holiday season? If so, check out flattenme.com ! I got a WagJag deal to try out their products and I am really impressed.  I decided to purchase a personalized book for my niece, who just turned 5 a few weeks ago and I absolutely love what they did.  My niece is completely delighted with it, and now my nephew wants one.  Now I know exactly what to get him for his birthday coming up in November! Basically, you upload a photo of the child and some personal info (his/her name, age, etc.) and then choose one of several storybook options, or cards, wall art or a journal.  They also have water bottles that you can customize with the child's picture. Their customer service is great. I called them when I had difficulty uploading a picture because all the photos I had were too small.  They went through with me how to enlarge the photos on my computer to make them suitable and i...

When I saw Dreena Burton's recipe for dehydrated kale chips, that don't require a dehydrator , I knew I had to give them a try.  I love that they don't require oil and avoid the bitterness that kale chips can have when they are overcooked. Of course, I ended up not following the recipe completely (and I wonder why I have children that are not good at following my orders!).  I didn't want to use maple syrup, so I swapped out the lemon juice for cider vinegar which is naturally sweeter, and upped the amount of salt.  The sad reality is that if I make kale chips that are not salty enough for my brood, they simply won't eat them.  This is true of Adam as well as the girls. I was very pleased with how these turned out, and everyone else liked them too.  The only drawback is that they take a while, so you have to make sure you are going to be home for a few hours before you make them.  I didn't follow her cooking directions exactly either because...I guess...

I just started reading Siblings Without Rivalry , and of course I'm loving it.  It's also reminded me of some of the parenting tips from the first book, How to Talk So Your Kids Will Listen and How to Listen So Your Kids Will Talk .  They are so simple, straightforward and EFFECTIVE. For example, Little A was feeling down Saturday afternoon because Big A was at a birthday party, and she was sad about not being included.  She demanded 'bubble drink' to make her feel better.  This is what we call Zevia , which I sometimes buy the girls to drink as a treat.  I explained that this was not a time for a treat drink (mostly because I didn't want her to think she could have some whenever she asks).  She threw herself on the floor and began screaming.  I explained that a tantrum would not change my mind, but this didn't change her mind about having a fit.  I suddenly had the wisdom to use one of the strategies Faber & Mazlish recommend: acknow...

Did ya know that Hulk Hogan is still kicking (throwing people) around?  In fact, he's still wrestling! I only know this because my sweet, brilliant husband loves wrestling.  Yes, he is an enigma. Anyways, I call these Hulk Hogan Veggie Burgers because they are manly, meaty and huge.  No tree-hugging veggie burgers here.  But in all honesty, perhaps I should call them Trish Stratus burgers - after the Canadian former wrestler cum yoga guru, because they are also healthy and virtuous. I am an omnivore, so I tend to like anything with the word 'burger' in it's name to be hearty and 'meaty', but at the same time I aside from wild salmon or chicken burgers, I generally stick with veggie burgers.  I don't think I've eaten a beef burger since 1995 (I think my residence roomies convinced me to go to McDonalds one morning after a particularly wild party, with the promise that it cured hangovers). I tend to stick with a few tried and true brands that I...