It’s the Balm!

My mom tells me to use Bag Balm like Big Fat Greek Wedding says, “put some windex on it!” It’s hilariously her answer to everything. But seriously….It’s the bomb! The Bag Balm! Go, go now. Go and buy some today.

Top Uses for Bag Balm

List of the top uses of Bag Balm

1. Marketed for use on cows udders
2. Diaper rash treatment
3. Use on chapped lips
4. Home remedy for eczema
5. Skin moisturizer (SO FABULOUS!!!)
6. Scrapes and minor cuts
7. Saddle sores (bicyclists and others)
8. Dry facial skin
9. Pimples
10. Sunburn
11. Bed sores
12. Minor Burns
13. As a household lubricant/ mechanical lubricant

Healthy Smoothie

Start with the healthiest thing on the planet, Kefir. I buy Lifeway brand from Henry’s because it’s usually on sale and much cheaper than the “regular” grocery store price.

Add Costco frozen fruit of your choice

and a banana

I use bananas fresh or frozen. When bananas start to brown past your liking, just peel and put in a ziplock to freeze. Perfect smoothie ingredients and no waste.

Enjoy your low-calorie, high antioxidant and probiotic smoothie! Good for the entire family… the jokers

and the more ‘serious’ types. All love a good healthy smoothie.

In case of brain freeze, have your kitchen towel nearby to quickly ‘wipe it off’!

Diagnosis: Migraine

So I went to bed with my blurry, tired, aching eye and woke up with a headache. In my eye. And a stuffed nose (the usual as per late) because apparently I have developed allergies, specifically to my cats. Boo! I got some super caffeinated coffee (aka: Starbucks) to try to ease the headache on my way to work. Eye continued to bulge out of my head all day as I worried about a TU-MA. Say it with me: "it's not a TU-MA!" No but seriously it was enough for me to drive home and take some of the Tylenol Cold meds I had been taking over the weekend for my lovely cold. I thought it could possibly be a sinus infection so the meds might help.

After consulting with several people in the office who have sinus problems, glasses, and are doctors (aka: Dentist) I decided to call my general practitioner - a good place to start. They got me in 2 hours later. I LOVE DR. MINKOFF. El Norte Medical group - a hop, skip, and a jump away from my work. Double plus. This man is thorough and genuine. He has a great bedside manner and is very knowledgeable. They did a battery of tests on my eye and found nothing wrong. My vision test came back 20-20 minus one. Eh, not too shabby. They looked up my nose and found no polyps (I asked due to constant stuffiness on the left side) or signs sinus infection. Nothing in my throat or ears. After answering a series of questions (when the pain started, how long it lasted, where it hurt, etc) he diagnosed a migraine.A migraine?! How am I supposed to edit photos and create birth announcements if staring at a computer screen gave me a migraine?! LOL. I guess I need to work quickly and stay off Flickr, he he he. But seriously, headaches suck and it's very scary when your perfect vision suddenly goes blurry! Check out this headache guide. Just in case it was allergic pink eye I took some drops - I'm super paranoid of pink eye after having it TWICE in December - and threw out my mascara. UGH.

My wonderful physician also ordered a blood test. So I'm fasting tonight and off to the lab in the morning to have my hormone levels checked. We'll find out if my thyroid is functioning and if I have various diseases such as Lupus. It's a complete blood test, so if anything is amiss, we'll know. You know the kind where they take like 8 viles as your eyes bug out wondering how you can survive after giving that much blood?! Yep, tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Obesessions: Part 3

Seasoned Salt: It’s been in the spice rack forever. For some reason I didn’t discover it and use it much until a few weeks ago. Now I’m hooked. I put it on EVERYTHING. Currently I only have the original.

But look at all the possibilities! Yummy!!!

Crock Pot I have no idea how anyone lives without one of these. It’s my right hand man. A life saver for the busy working mother. Throw the food in…come home to a yummy smelling house and a great meal. Ridiculously easy.

Fruit Leathers perfectly low calorie delicious pick me up. When I want candy, I eat a fruit leather. Ok, so I eat 2. Perfect to satisfy the after meal sugar craving and won’t sabotage the figure. I realize a fresh piece of fruit is ideal but these are good when that is not an option. It’s an emergency trip to Costco in my house if we run out. I’m addicted.

Google Not one day goes by that I don’t use my BFF. It’s free and wonderful. And it has so many applications that are also free and wonderful. GMAIL, Google READER, Picasa and Picasa Web Albums have made my internet experience organized, and time efficient. Love that. The creators of Google are brilliant!

Chemical wipes: my kitchen counters and bathrooms are germ free in a jiffy with Clorox and Costco cleaning wipes. We use these daily. Sponges are disgusting and germ filled. They should never be used on any surface that food touches…we uses sponges for non-food surfaces only!

Avent binkies It’s not really my obsession…but baby Gavin’s. Happy baby = happy mommy.

Deodorant

I read this cool post today on making your own deodorant. Check it out from Passionate Homemaking. For the last couple of years I've been experimenting with using different brands of all natural (non aluminum) types, so I can't wait to try and make my own.
So hippy. So frugal. Love it.

TT: I heart Target

When you wake up Monday morning with a UTI, have to work all day, and your husband is gone for the week, you may want to cry. I didn't. But wanted to several times. Instead I got a prescription from Target. Pronounce: TAR- JAY. What did it cost? FOUR DOLLARS. Thank you very much. They have a huge list of $4 drugs, check it out.

TT: Herbs

In the beginning of November I got really sick. It was a Tuesday, my day off, so I was out and about with the boys...Costco and then the park. I started to get a tummy ache at the park and it rapidly progressed over the next few hours to include body aches, extreme tiredness, headache, nausea (I had my barf bucket ready...but it stayed empty), diarrhea, chills, and slight fever. At first I thought I had a stomach virus b/c I had NO respiratory symptoms. My back pain lasted for days so then I went to the doctor to get checked. They tested everything under the sun and all tests were normal (even though initially they thought bladder infection so I took antibiotics)...

SO, looking back I think I had H1N1 or some other FLU. I've never had the FLU in my life! I was pretty proud I actually made the thermometer move b/c my normal temp is 97.5 and it was 99.1. My first recorded fever! I thought I was dieing and could not do anything. Luckily my Auntie Sharon came to my rescue the first night and my babysitter Beth in the morning (I couldn't walk). She fed the kids breakfast, dropped Jackson off at school, and took Owen and Gavin for the day. I slept all day, except to pump and drink Ginger Ale. I was able to drive to pick them up but it took all my energy and I was walking like I'd just given birth...ssssllllloooowww. My sister came the second night and my mother-in-law came the third night. You might be wondering why I needed all this help when I'm married. My husband happened to be 8 hours away on business with no cell phone reception! The irony of it all.

The moral of the story is that my milk supply went down. I've never had this problem before. The first baby I nursed (Jackson) created such a good supply, I could've feed 4 babies. Literally. I had an entire freezer devoted to his milk. It was very painful. I even tried to donate it! My second nursing baby (Owen) made just enough and it was more comfortable. We didn't have excess so used a tad bit of formula when I wouldn't pump enough for the sitter. This is my third nursing baby (Gavin) and again I had an oversupply which caused clogs and mastitis and pain... it was more than surprising to be low! He actually cried at the breast b/c he wasn't getting enough (after the week of illness) and drank an entire bottle of formula in seconds (he hates the stuff!). Wow. Way to hurt a mom's ego.

I called upon my resources. Facebook friends. My doula Rosie. My natural friend who gave birth at home and couldn't breastfeed her first baby (but it worked with the second!). My Bradley class friend. Etc. They all recommended some herbs. So I was obedient and took them. THEY WORK! A week into it the dairy was back in action - and strong! I love nursing and was not about to give up, so I am so very very thankful for these natural remedies.

More Milk by Motherlove, purchased at Babies In Bloom for $26.


Fenugreek tablets purchased at Henry's on sale for $16.

Organic herbal teas for nursing moms purchased at Henry's for about $6.
Have you ever used any of these herbs? What was your experience?

Do you Neti?

My friends with sinus problems SWEAR by this thing. This dry weather is killin' me, I finally bought one this morning at my local health food store, Henry's.

Read more about it on Wiki, & WebMD,

Benefits include treating these conditions:

• nasal congestion
• sinus congestion
• sinus infections or irritation
• allergies
• the common cold
• post-nasal drip
• nasal dryness

Healing heels

Fabulous feet are not what I have in the summer. I go barefoot most of the time unless I'm wearing my flip flops. The only time I actually wear shoes and socks is at work and during workouts. Apparently that lets all the moisture seep out of your feet and can create very painful cracks or callouses on your heels. Since I've had more time to take care of myself lately (maternity leave) I actually got a pedicure. BUT I need more help than that! I need daily care for my tired mommy feet. The other day I was shopping at my local whole foods market (Jimbos) and picked up some f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s foot care by Burt's Bees for $12.The serum smells and feels luxurious on your feet and you can't help but smile while wearing your bright yellow bee socks!

I also got this great foot file by Earth Therapeutics for $2.
It worked great and made my feet very soft.

Even my husband jumped on board and asked me to give his feet some love too. After filing and pumicing, we massaged the serum into the foot and donned a sock. Ahhhh. Affordable luxury and comfort. If your feet are dry and cracking, I totally recommend these products!

Baby Calm

When my friend saw my complaints about Owen's sleep habits on Facebook she recommended Baby Calm. My 2 1/2 month old baby Gavin is a f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s sleeper, praise the Lord. So I'm thinking of trying the kid's version - Kid's Calm - since Owen is 2 1/2 years old.
Description from the website:
Magnesium is the most critical mineral in the body, and did you know that
90 – 95 % of the population is deficient? If you experience inability to
sleep, stress, fatigue, muscle cramps or headaches, then you could benefit
from a water-soluble magnesium powder called Natural Calm. Natural Calm
provides the most absorbable, fast acting magnesium available anywhere, in
fact, most people experience results within 24 hours! Natural Calm mixes easily in hot water, has no sugar, no artificial sweeteners, zero carbs and it tastes good too.

Kid's Calm includes smaller amounts of Magnesium with Vitamin C and Zinc. Description: The Natural Calm contains Zinc and Vitamin C for growth, relaxation and immunity. Category: Magnesium for kids Usage: Start with 1/2 teaspoon or less daily and gradually increase within two weeks to 1 teaspoon or more as needed. When bowels are comfortably loose, this is the optimal amount. Can be taken anytime, with or without food. Ingredients: Magnesium Citrate, Magnesium Ascorbate, Zinc,Stevia and Natural Orange Flavor. No sugar or artificial sweeteners Comments: Kids will love it sweetened with the herb stevia and natural orange. Effectiveness: What makes Natural Calm so special over other forms of magnesium supplements is that it is water soluble and assimilates instantly and thoroughly, and works even in cases of highly impaired digestion. Doctors and clinics: Natural Calm is used by over 1,000 doctors and health clinics nationwide with great success. How to Use Natural Calm Preparation: As you can read from the label, Natural Calm is made as a tea by placing the powder in hot water to dissolve. Cold water can be added at will for instant drinking.

Lovin' LaLanne

Thank you mister LaLanne for making this affordable but durable juicer! I ended up sending the one I ordered from Amazon back because it was $149 and Costco had it for $89! Love Costco!

New cups from Grandma Ruth were the perfect way to try out the juice for the first time

Plums, apples, lemon and carrots for our first juice....mmmmm

No cutting needed, just throw it in there! Such a huge time saver compared to my old one

The heavenly juice... looks like sherbet a little, huh?

FOUR CUPS - amazing.

I brought some out to the NRG Electric men for a try.

One was grumpy about it (my husband) and the other grateful (his partner).

A quick rinse in the sink

and all the parts are washed in mere minutes. Very easy.

My first yummy glass of live juice from the JL Power Juicer... and definitely not the last!

Clogged

My milk ducts are having serious issues and it's causing a lot of pain for this mommy. This is what I pumped this morning after a very very very hot bath. Even my 2 year old noticed a difference when he walked in and saw me pumping.
"Mommy, is that your milk for 'Gabin'? How come that one has a tiny bit and the other one has a lot?" Well, I had a clogged duct on BOTH sides and one unclogged and the other just HURT.

Obviously one side did not unclog and the other did. This has been an issue for the last couple of weeks. One time it was so swollen and painful I was nauseous for 3 days. It didn't hit me until doing the research that I probably had mastitis and didn't know. So it went untreated and caused frequent recurrent plugs... until now. I spoke with my friend who uses a Midwife, my doula, and my OB-GYN to get some tips/tricks and treatment. I'm starting Keflex (antibiotic) tonight and integrating probiotics, Lecithin, Vit C & E capsules, and less salt into my diet/supplements. I already drink tons of water and nurse every 2 hours, so that's not a problem. I think I basically overproduce milk and baby can not drain it. I am going to start pumping once a day to drain and save for when I go back to work (Sept. 21!).

Plugged Ducts
from Lactationservices.com

Plugged ducts are caused by inadequate removal of milk. They often occur if mom has a really high milk supply or when nursing gets off to a slow start, but there can also be a number of other contributing factors, such as missed feedings, rapid weaning or a pump with an ill-fitting breast shield. Not only do they lower milk supply, but they can also lead to mastitis, since the residual milk is a breeding ground for bacteria. Nipple damage can make this more likely.

Symptoms:

• Sore, hard lumps or a swollen area in the breast which remains after the breast has been pumped or the baby has nursed.
• Decreased milk supply.
• Plugged ducts may also be accompanied by a “bleb”, which is a white spot on the nipple—either a spot of dried milk or a milk filled blister, which covers the nipple pore.

Milk which hasn’t been removed becomes more thick and “sticky” so it is difficult to remove by pumping or nursing. It is usually necessary to compress the breast behind the hardened areas to drain the milk.

Treatment:

• Heat—Warmth and wetness help to induce letdown and expand the ducts, allowing easier expression of milk. A heating pad before nursing can be helpful.
• Pressure—with counterpressure-- from behind the hard areas or working back from the areola toward the blocked ducts—whichever works. Hold until the milk flows and keep holding until it stops. Move your hands and repeat. It can also be helpful while your baby is nursing to use a technique explained by Dr. Jack Newman called
• Breast Compression.
• If your baby is nursing well, increase drainage of blocked areas by pointing baby’s chin toward the plugged area.
• Ultrasound therapy combined with lymphatic drainage massage techniques is extremely effective in clearing stubborn plugged ducts. Two Fairfield county physical therapy centers provide this service, which is usually covered by insurance. A prescription is necessary.
• Ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil)—400-600 mg. for inflammation and pain. Acetominophen (Tylenol) is helpful for pain if ibuprofen is not tolerated.
• Bleb treatment—warm olive oil compresses applied to the nipple, then using a washcloth or fingernail to loosen the callous of milk that has formed. Antibacterial/antifungal treatment for skin helps reduce the associated skin inflammation.

Prevention and treatment for recurrent plugged ducts:

• Change nursing positions—always using the same position or always using a nursing pillow can encourage drainage of only one area and neglect others.
• A bra that continuously compresses some ducts is occasionally a problem.
• Lecithin—1000 mg. three or four times a day can help prevent plugs.
• Correcting oversupply problems which make it difficult to effectively drain the breast is important.

On Kellymom.com I found some great information. The dosage for Lecithin and homeopathic treatment were very helpful.

Lecithin treatment for recurrent plugged ducts
By Kelly Bonyata, IBCLC

Lecithin has been recommended to combat recurrent plugged ducts. The usual recommended dosage for recurrent plugged ducts is 3600-4800 mg lecithin per day, or 1 capsule (1200 milligram) 3-4 times per day. After a week or two with no blockage, mom can reduce the dosage by one capsule. If there is no blockage within another 2 weeks she can reduce it again by one. Mom may need to continue taking 1-2 capsules per day if stopping the lecithin leads to additional plugged ducts.

Lecithin is a very common food additive, and is found naturally in many other foods. There are no known contraindications to its use by breastfeeding mothers.

The reason why lecithin may help resolve and prevent plugged ducts is not clear. Per Dr. Jack Newman, "It may do this by decreasing the viscosity (stickiness) of the milk, by increasing the percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the milk." Lecithin is an emulsifier (used to keep fats/oils dispersed and in suspension): phospholipid molecules (such as lecithin) contain hydrophobic and hydrophilic elements; the hydrophobic portion has an affinity for fats and oils, and the hydrophilic portion has an affinity for water.

Some moms with recurrent plugged ducts or mastitis have also had good luck with the following homeopathic treatment -- 2 doses Hepar Sulphur and 2 doses of Phytolacca (allow pellets to dissolve in mouth). The doses are to be taken as follows:

First, take Hepar Sulphur 30C - 3 pellets;
3 hours later, take Phytolacca 30C - 3 pellets;
3 hours later, take Hepar Sulphur 30C - 3 pellets;
3 hours later, take Phytolacca 30C - 3 pellets.

Thirsty?

This is my new way to keep track of my water consumption. 3 x 24 oz bottles (from Henry's) filled up w/my reverse osmosis water.

That is 72 ounces a day. Good for your over all health and also weight loss. A lot times you mistake thirst for hunger - if you drink enough water you will snack/binge less. Water gives you more energy by oxygenating your cells and brain. It makes your skin glow. Best of all it is calorie free =)

(Another to show scale)

How much water do you drink per day?

Juicing

Isn't this a beautiful machine? I can't wait to get a Jack Lalanne Power Juicer! I have a 15 year old cheapy, probably from Target (love that place!)...I was happy with it when I didn't have kids, but now I need to upgrade. It is NOISY and takes forever to chop the food into small enough pieces...who has time for that with 3 kids under 4? Not me ;) Therefore, I am rationalizing a $150 purchase for the benefit of my family. With the old one I only made juice for me, but now it'll be so fast and easy I can make it for the entire family.

Why juice, you ask? Oh my - so many reasons. Here are a few:

1-My husband does not like to eat fruit and vegetables (crazy, I know!) so maybe I can get him to drink them! Plus he likes cool gadgets.
2- A must must must for fasting. Read more about that at JuiceFasting.org and check out the book below.
3- It's good for you! Read more HERE and HERE.
4- It tastes GREAT and has no artificial ingredients (such as toxic HFCS)
5- You can use the pulp in baked goods - yum!

Spoiled

That's me! I got spoiled by one of my lovely patients at work today. She gave me the entire Baby Arbonne line gift set! I always wanted to use these products for my first two boys but couldn't afford them - or rationalize affording them.

They are not tested on animals, vegan, partly organic, and botanical. I obviously don't use the baby products on myself, but I have tried a hand lotion and it has to be the greatest smelling and feeling hand lotion ever. I love Arbonne!

The Arbonne Difference:

Arbonne premium skin care products are formulated in Switzerland at
the Arbonne Institute of Research and Development (AIRD^®) and made
in the U.S.A.

• Botanically based: A proprietary blending of science and nature, based on herbal and botanical principles.
• pH correct to ensure maximum benefits.
• Hypoallergenic: Voluntary human testing meets hypoallergenic substantiation claim criteria.
• Dermatologist-tested: Voluntary human tests done under the
  watchful eye of an independent dermatologist.
• Never tested on animals: Substantiation and safety testing
  is performed at independent laboratories on voluntary
  human panels.
• Formulated without animal products or by-products: Plants
  and herbs together with science and technology offer
  superior benefits.
• Formulated without mineral oil: Occlusive oil can interfere with skin functions as well as advanced delivery systems.
• Formulated without dyes or chemical fragrances: Dyes and fragrances are known irritants and can cause allergic reactions.*

Beauty with Benefits
At Arbonne, we make use of the earth’s natural resources to create pure Swiss skin care and beauty products with high-quality, effective ingredients. Using timeless botanicals, Arbonne creates products that help protect skin against aging and enhance natural beauty; we pride ourselves in never testing on animals or creating products that contain animal by-products. Formulated in our state-of-the-art AIRD Research Facility in Switzerland, our proprietary formulas allow us to create beneficial products that help to restore radiance and vitality.

Formulated without:
Parabens, Phthalates, Propylene Glycol, Mineral Oil, PABA, Petrolatum, Paraffin, Diethanolamine, Animal-Derived Ingredients

CHECK OUT THE PRODUCTS HERE
and
If you're looking for an employment opportunity, click HERE