Mama-press: June 2011

8 Health Benefits of Lemons

Growing up I would never choose to have lemon in my water. If a restaurant automatically put one on the rim of my glass, it was met with slight disgust and I removed it. However, I've done some research lately, and have since started putting lemon in my water...at home and while eating out. It has amazing detoxifying, cleansing, healing and cancer preventing effects. Read on for a quick list of the lesser known benefits of a lemon:

Strengthens your immune system due to its vitamin C (a powerful antioxidant), B and other nutrient/mineral content.
Aids digestion. Lemon is antiseptic and antibacterial, therefore helps to cleanse your stomach and kill bad bacteria. Lemons are also acidic, and add digestive juices to your digestive tract to aid digestion and ease bloating.
Can help you lose weight. Lemon juice helps your body lower the absorption of sugar from foods you eat and can help regulate appetite.
May help to lower blood pressure due to its high potassium content.
Has cancer fighting properties as it may hinder the mutation of healthy cells.
Can help cure a urinary tract infection.
Lemon rinds can help prevent cancer. They contain phytochemicals which help to detoxify carcinogens, and can limit the effects of free radicals (which are known to cause cancer). You can zest the rind and add to various foods / beverages. Lemons also bring out the cancer fighting ingredients in green tea, so zest the rind and sprinkle into your tea.
Can help the function of your kidneys due to its citric acid content.

Research for yourself to see how lemons can improve your health. I'm going to add them into my diet in these ways: always have lemon in my water, use more lemon when cooking seafood, add lemon zest wherever I can. I guess a lemon is not a lemon after all!

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13 Great Uses for Vinegar

This post is courtesy of guest bloggers Michelle & Stefanie from the blog Green Inspiration.

All about Vinegar

I started writing this blog post on the how to "green" your spring cleaning. In researching products methods one product continually popped up - vinegar. It ends up that vinegar can be used as many different cleansers and has many health benefits (also fun as an experiment when mixed with baking soda :) Before I start on how we can all use vinegar it is important to know that vinegar is natural and sustainable. Vinegar is actually a weak form of acetic acid that forms through the fermentation of sugars or starches. It is completely edible, and cannot harm your stomach. Best of all, IT'S CHEAP! Keep reading to find great uses for vinegar...

These were copied from The New Homemaker at http://www.thenewhomemaker.com/vinegar and TLC's How it Works: http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/uses-for-vinegar-cleaning-your-house-ga1.htm.

To remove stickers that have been used to "decorate" furniture and other surfaces, moisten with vinegar. Let sit for at least ten minutes, then remove.
For persistent room odors, place a bowl of vinegar in the room overnight.
For spills on carpet, use a sponge or cloth to soak up as much liquid as possible. Then spray with a mixture of half vinegar, half water. Let stand for about two minutes, then blot with towel or sponge. Repeat as needed.
For more persistent stains, use a mixture of 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon liquid dish soap, and 1 cup warm water. Proceed as suggested above. When finished cleaning, dry using a hairdryer set on low.
To clean windows, spray with half vinegar, half water. Wipe clean with either newspapers or cloth.
To clean silver, pewter, copper, or brass, dissolve 1 teaspoon salt in one cup vinegar. Add flour to create a paste (1/4 cup or more). Apply the paste to the metal item, and let stand for at least fifteen minutes. Rinse with warm water and polish with a soft cloth.
No-wax floors can be cleaned with a solution of 1 cup vinegar per gallon of water for a shinier surface.
To clean wood paneling, use a mixture of 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup vinegar, and 2 cups warm water. Apply to paneling with a soft cloth. Dry with a clean cloth.
To remove corrosion or chemical build-up from shower heads, soak in vinegar overnight.
Remove stains from the toilet bowl by spraying with vinegar and spraying.
To remove soap build-up from faucets, clean with a mixture of 1 part salt to four parts vinegar.
Spray shower walls and shower curtain with vinegar to help prevent mildew.
Shower curtains or liners can become dulled by soap film or plagued with mildew. Keep vinegar in a spray bottle near the shower, and squirt the shower curtains once or twice a week. No need to rinse.

Check out Michelle & Stefanie's blog Green Inspiration, & check out their awesome eco-friendly handbag shop Bag Inspiration!

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11 Fun Outdoor Activities

This weekend we are escaping to my mother-in-law's cottage in Northern Wisconsin. We love going for many reasons, but one is the fact that it's a very small town practically in the middle of nowhere. There is no phone, computer, or Wii. Of course, we bring cell phones, a laptop, and a few years ago bought a TV...but it's still a very drastic reduction in technology vs. what is at home. The cell phones are for emergencies, the TV (small and old) is rarely used, and the laptop is used for work. Anyhow, here is a list of some fun outdoor activities we plan to do with our kids this weekend. These can be enjoyed almost anywhere...even in your own backyard...sometimes it just takes the gumption to do it:

Explore the outdoors. Look for bugs, rocks, leaves, small critters...anything that is part of nature.
Put out a bird feeder and see who comes to dinner. Our last home backed up to a forested area. We put out a few bird feeders and were amazed at how many different types of birds we attracted. Several different species made stopovers in our yard during their migration. It was simply amazing & gave me a new appreciation of birds.
Look for animal tracks. Of course, this depends on where you live. At Grandma's cottage we can see deer, bear, and of course squirrel and chipmunk tracks. At home last year, we were surprised by 2 deer in our backyard. One never knows who's lurking around the corner.
Go fishing. Our family is big on fishing. Even if yours is not, pick up a simple rod, reel and bait at a sports store and give it a try. My 5 & 2 1/2 year olds love being surprised by the fish they pull out of the lake.
Go for a walk. Listen to nature...bird songs, animals sounds, leaves crinkling, the wind.
Bike ride. Not only is it good exercise, but it's a great way to cover a large distance fairly quickly. You may have bike trails in your town that you're unaware of.
Eat outside. Sit on the patio or deck and enjoy a meal. You may have to spray for bugs, but it can be pleasant nonetheless.
Have a bonfire. It can be a big fire pit you dig yourself, or a small one you buy at a store. I swear this wasn't legal when I was growing up, but even at home here we can use a fire pit and enjoy an evening outdoors.
Catch lightening bugs. I did this as a child...but of course let them go a short while later...nothing cruel.
Climb trees. During the Chicago Blizzard of 2011, we put my daughter in a tree to sit and she loved it. She always wants to sit in that tree now, but we have to hold her there as she's only 2!
Go to forest preserves, nature parks, or someplace similar. There are cranberry marshes up north. We always visit the little store & check out the cranberry marsh.

Unplug and get outside!

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9 Ways to Create Order from Disorder

I am a very neat person by nature. I didn't officially have OCD growing up, but later in life I diagnosed my younger self with this affliction. At a very young age, I could instantly tell if someone had been in my room...an item slightly askew, a bed linen crumpled. Any parental snooping was of no avail as my keen senses picked up their trail unbeknownst to them (not that I ever had anything to hide anyway!). This neatness has carried well into my adult life, though with a husband and 2 young kids, I've had to relax a bit & learn to take some things in stride. However, I do try to teach my family these easy ways to help create order from the occasional disorder in our home:

Clean up as you go. This is so easy, but so hard for some people to do. For example, you pour cereal, you put the box away in the pantry. There is no need for said cereal box to sit on the counter for the rest of the day.
Fold laundry promptly after removing from dryer. I have found that if I put clean clothes in a laundry basket and set it aside, it sits aside, and sits and sits and sits. However, if I fold it immediately, I tend to put it away immediately as well. I also usually fold my laundry as I remove it from the dryer to avoid wrinkling.
Recycle junk mail immediately. Do not let it enter your house, else it be left to sit on the counter for days. I recycle these unwanted solicitations as I'm walking back into the house from my mailbox...we all know we could do with less paper cluttering our counters. Better yet, call those companies and ask to be removed from their customer lists...save yourself from clutter & save the environment, it's a win-win.
Buy more dirty clothes hampers. I have found one dirty clothes hamper is not sufficient for my husband. I bought another...clothes in a heap on the floor drives me insane, but clothes in a heap in a laundry hamper is perfectly okay!
Empty trash cans more frequently. Getting the trash out of your home instantly makes it feel clean.
Start dishwasher at night & empty in the morning. Make it part of your routine (only if the dishwasher is full, of course). I typically empty the dishwasher as soon as the dishes are cool to the touch. However, on the rare occasion I do not, I wind up with a counter full of dirty dishes. This doesn't make anyone happy. There is a positive correlation between the amount of dirty dishes in my kitchen and my crabbiness level.
Never go to bed with a dirty kitchen. Who wants to wake up to a bunch of dirty dishes with hard stuck-on food? What an unappealing way to start a new day.
Put it away. If you pick it up to use it, pick it up to put it away. Not only will things stay less cluttered, there is less chance of losing things!
Make your bed. It is amazing how much neater a room can appear if the bed is made.

A house in order can create calmness and peace for all family members. Of course if you have a few children with busy schedules, it may be more difficult to follow through with these, but start with choosing a couple and work your way up.

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10 Practical Lessons from Dad

In honor of Father's Day, I decided to compose a list of practical lessons I learned from my dad:

If you can do something yourself, do it.
Always clean the kitchen after dinner.
Wash your own car rather than go to a car wash.
Don't be late.
Don't quit, even if the going is tough.
Try your hardest and earn your results.
Know what is going on in the world.
Understand politics.
Be financially secure.
Use common sense.

Thanks Dad...and to all the dads out there (especially my wonderful husband) Happy Father's Day!!

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Put it into Perspective

This past week my family did a 3K walk for Leukemia in Chicago. We did the walk, not the run, partly because we had both kids with us in the stroller. I was extremely touched by all the people participating. I assumed that almost everyone present knew or had known someone with Leukemia. This brought tears to my eyes. The great support mixed with hidden sadness filled the air. We were walking for a special little boy with both Downs and Leukemia. It was even more emotional for me because a close family member of mine is currently battling stage iv throat cancer. Everyday I try to be thankful for what I have. I put things into perspective...if my day was particularly hard, I think about those who have it much harder than me. I think sometimes people get so wrapped up in their own lives, they forget about how others have it much worse. The world would be a better place if there was more empathizing with others and less self-centeredness. I'm not perfect and have to remind myself to do this too, but acknowledging it's the right attitude is a great first step. Just a little weekend food for thought.

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6 Ways to Stay Motivated to Workout

Throughout my life I was always the occasional exerciser. Aside from being on pom pons in high school and practicing that everyday (which was pretty intensive), I never had a regular workout routine. I joined a gym, went for a couple months, then forgot about it. This happened a couple times in my life. I worked out my abs while watching tv, but this faded after a few weeks. My husband and I bought a Bowflex, but before long it was being used as a clothes hanger. I think many people can relate to this. Sometimes it takes a major event in one's life to turn them around for good. My family had such an unfortunate, tragic event that opened our eyes to the absolute necessity of working out regularly and taking control of our health. Throughout my transformation, these are some things that have kept and still keep me motivated, that may help you too:

Be realistic. I knew that if I joined a gym, I would not go that often. I would have to bring the kids to their daycare (something I hesitated to do when my daughter was really young). I knew my track record of joining gyms...it was not a good idea. So, we bought an elliptical. A really nice elliptical. We knew it had to be top notch for us to want to use it regularly. If we bought a piece of junk, we simply wouldn't use it much.
Track your progress. I keep a spreadsheet of when I workout, calories burned, miles ran, etc. I find it very motivating to see my progress on paper.
Start a competition. Sometimes my husband and I get into a friendly competition of who works out more often. A friendly competition can give us that extra push to get running, jump on the elliptical, or go to the gym.
Post your progress on Facebook. I've used a Facebook app called Cardio Trainer. This posts my miles, calories burned, and method of workout. I don't think it's bragging about our accomplishments; it's motivating to us and probably motivating to others...the "well, if she can do it, I can do it" mentality.
Weigh or measure yourself. Whether your goal is weight loss or increasing muscle mass, seeing the pounds fall off or the muscles grow is a great motivator to continue working out.
Feel the difference. Working out regularly gives me more energy, more confidence, more ambition...more of everything good. Let yourself feel the difference it's making in your body...it becomes so addictive you'll be craving that feeling.

Now it's time for me to go downstairs and start working out!

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8 Easy Steps to Healthier Shopping

Most everyone is trying to eat healthier these days...I hope. Ever since self-diagnosing myself with gluten-intolerance, I've been much more diligent about the foods I buy. If it's not in our house, we can't eat it. Using this logic, I've changed the way I grocery shop so my family can lead healthier lives. Below are some simple rules of my grocery shopping road:

Don't buy anything with high fructose corn syrup. Some studies link consumption of HFCS with obesity and metabolic syndrome (which basically means one is at an increased risk of heart disease or type 2 diabetes). HFCS raises triglyceride levels (blood sugar). Google it or look it up on Wikipedia. I'm not a doctor nor do I claim to be one. I'm just someone with family experiences which have necessitated my doing a little research in this area.
Always read labels, & only buy items with 10 or fewer ingredients. If the ingredient list looks like a page from a novel, put the item down & back away from it! If you don't know what it is or cannot pronounce the ingredient, it's probably not something that is good for your body.
Limit processed foods by staying on the outer edges of the supermarket. The fresh, natural food is found here...vegetables, fruits, meat, dairy. The middle is generally composed of processed foods...the stuff in boxes & bags. This typically has those long ingredient lists you should avoid.
Stop drinking soda. I haven't had Coke in 5 years & I haven't had Sprite in 2 years. I plan to never drink soda again. When we stop eating something for a decent period of time, our body no longer craves it. I do not want it, I will never want it.
Stop drinking sports drinks. My husband used to drink a lot of Gatorade. Then I realized HFCS is one of the first few ingredients. We haven't bought it in a couple of years. Instead, he drinks coconut water...much more hydrating than sport drinks (which are laden with sugar) and it has more potassium than a banana.
Buy more fish & less red meat. Omega 3 fatty acids in fish are good, saturated fat in red meat is bad. Again, research it yourself...I'm not a nutritionist.
Avoid the words "hydrogenated," "partially hydrogenated," or anything similar. This process increases the shelf life of food (i.e. to those processed foods in the center of the supermarket). This process creates trans fats which turn into saturated fats in your body. This all raises your risk for heart attack, etc.
Buy 100% whole wheat bread and pasta. Stay away from white and even "whole grain." You must look for that "100%." White bread is refined and bleached, then has "stuff" added back into it. All this = unhealthy. Again, research for yourself for more details.

Again, I am not a nutritionist or a doctor. I'm a mom who was faced with an event which caused me to start researching foods. Luckily I had a circle of health conscious people around me who opened my eyes to some of these things. Sometimes one has no idea until someone tells him.
Maybe you learned something by reading this. Maybe you said "duh" to yourself. Maybe you doubt my credibility. I don't know...I just know following a list like this will definitely not harm you...and it will most probably make you healthier. Start by changing your mindset, then by changing your habits...the result can change your life.

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How Touch Translates to Cyberspace

I recently saw a segment on the news about body language. This always fascinates me. It is something a layman might not pick up on, but once it's pointed out, it's unmistakable. I began wondering how body language translates to cyberspace. Obviously we cannot see one another. I don't know if you are rolling your eyes at my posts, smiling, or nodding in agreement. As bloggers, how do we know how people respond to our writing? They can leave comments, which helps, but they don't provide the same subtle visual cues. Perhaps it's with symbols...a smiley face, a wink, a heart, !!!!!!, ?????, etc. We really do not have the feedback we have when speaking face to face. All we can do is write with intention while trying to portray the proper voice, and hope comments and feedback are forthcoming and honest.

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What Your Kids do That Annoys Your Neighbors

Okay, I'm not talking about my kids or your kids. I'm talking about someone else's kids.... I had a chat with my neighbor a few weeks ago. She was telling me...well, complaining to me...about the kids down the street. I understood her feelings. She has high school age kids so probably has higher expectations than she should. I agreed some things are disrespectful; however, I decided to keep the peace on the street and talk her off the ledge. These are the things the neighborhood kids did that...well, annoyed her:
1. Cut through her garden.
2. Play in her back yard rather than their own. Perhaps they don't like to be fenced in.... I suggested to innocently leave dog poop in her yard if it really bothered her that much. Now, I would never do that...I don't have a dog.
3. Play basketball in her driveway. I think she was worried about liability issues.
4. Leave their toys in her front yard.

I'm sure there are more things I cannot recall...and I'm sure there will be more as the kids get older. Sometimes kids are just being kids. Sometimes they are a little disrespectful and as moms we need to set them straight. In the end, no one is getting hurt so let's keep the peace.

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7 Easy Green Tips for Kids

One of the best ways for children to learn is by imitating their parents. As parents, we must lead by example. This is true for nearly all aspects of a child's life. Ask a child what it means to be "green," and he will have no idea unless his parents talk the talk and walk the walk. Only then can kids emulate parents' green behavior. The following are some easy green tips for kids, which can be implemented today:

Use less water pressure when washing hands. My 5 year old typically turns the faucet on full force...I constantly need to remind him he doesn't need that much water.
Turn the water off while brushing teeth. Turn it back on when it is time to rinse.
Put a large bucket (or several) outside when it begins to rain. Use it to water flowers that week. A rain barrel is a better option, but is not practical for everyone.
Turn off tv & lights when not in use.
Distinguish between "throwing away" and "recycling." I tell my kids "I'll be right back, I'm going to the garage to recycle these papers." Better yet, have them toss things into the recycling bin themselves.
Teach how some bugs play vital roles in nature. Yes, some are just plain yucky, but most (if not all) serve a greater purpose. For example, dragonflies eat mosquitos, bees pollinate flowers, worms aerate soil, & daddy longlegs eat flies and other bugs.
Get a composter. If a large, outdoor one is impractical, perhaps buy a countertop composter. Many are attractive & suitable to be placed on a counter. It will teach kids that organic matter (i.e. veggie & fruit peels, amongst others) decomposes quickly & will help improve soil quality.

Of course there are several other green tips out there. These are some simple ones you can implement with your kids today. If you have others, post them on my Facebook page to be entered into this week's Free Ad Space contest.

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Dedication

My family rents 2 19'x30'garden plots in town. We plant nearly every vegetable imaginable. As we were working in the 85 degree heat yesterday, I took a moment to take in the scene. I counted 30 cars belonging to people who were working in their gardens. Many are retired, many are single (we seemed to be one of the only young families out there). It's a ton of work having a garden this size...and yes, we have two. It takes a tremendous amount of dedication to keep and maintain the plots. Some people work them everyday. Others, like us, are unable to go there that often, but we get there about twice per week. Just like anything, there are ways to keep dedicated even when times are tough, when you are working so hard the sweat is stinging your eyes...literally:
1. Keep the end goal in mind.
2. Set daily or weekly goals so as not to overwhelm yourself.
3. Stick to your plan.
4. Surround yourself with like-minded others. It is motivating to be surrounded by people with the same goal as yours.
5. Make friends. It is more pleasurable to work towards a goal if you feel a sense of community.
6. Applaud yourself for even the smallest of accomplishments.
7. Give yourself credit for everything you have done and are doing.

This site is all that...wrapped around the theme of mom-owned businesses. Let's join each other in achieving our goals!

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Setting Goals

My son's 5th birthday party is tomorrow. It will be too big...and it's only for friends...family party is next week. Perhaps I should have put a limit on the number of friends he could invite...but he only turns 5 once, right? So, we had a ton of work to get done to prepare for the party. Here is the list of what I personally did: power washed our deck, stained our deck, pulled weeds and spread half of the mulch around our landscaping, cleaned our 30 gallon fish tank, washed & put away a ton of laundry, cleaned the garage (not the full clean it needs, but enough to pull my husband's car in!), cleaned the house (well...I still have a few little things to clean tomorrow). Don't get me wrong, my wonderful husband has done a ton of stuff too...he is the hardest working man I know. Anyhow, none of this would have gotten done in time if I didn't set goals. Here's how:

Make a list of what needs to get done.
Give the entire list a realistic deadline.
Cross off items as they are accomplished. I find it greatly rewarding to cross items off of my to-do list (and even add extra tasks after-the-fact just so I can cross them off).
Stick to it! You can do things out of order, but make sure to accomplish something everyday, keeping the end deadline in check.
Enlist help from the kids. My son is an expert washcloth folder...and he loves doing it!
Relax. Make sure you have a moment to breath before the big party. You can be stressed while tasks are getting accomplished, but you should not be stressed up until the minute the doorbell rings.

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Summer Reading Fun

This posting is courtesy of guest-blogger Petra.

Kids work hard during the school year and make great strides in their learning. With over two months off during the summer though, it is common for students to lose some of their gain. Help your child maintain his or her reading progress this summer without sacrificing any fun by following some of these tips. Also included are some websites for summer reading fun ideas and recommended book lists.
1. Sign your child up for summer school or other fun learning classes this summer. Summer classes are more laid back and often more interest-based, but kids still learn while they have fun.
2. Visit the library often. Sign your child or your family up for library reading programs and receive fun incentives for reading.
3. Participate in an online or local book store reading program.
4. Visit museums, zoos, or other points of interest that provide learning opportunities. Encourage your child to read and discuss as much of the information as they can at the places you visit.
5. Provide reading opportunities at home. Students should continue setting aside time daily to read. You can also encourage reading through engaging activities such as cooking, shopping, or reading directions to make something. Be sure to ask your child questions about what they are reading to help with comprehension. Also read out loud to or with your child or encourage your child to read out loud to help build reading fluency.
6. Enrich travel experiences by finding reading opportunities. Kids can help by reading maps, road signs, or informational signs. You can also make a car or airplane ride go faster by playing games like travel bingo. Kids can also write about their travel experiences in a travel journal.
7. Read books that have been turned into movies. After reading the book, watch the movie and compare/contrast the two.
8. Summer is also a great time to introduce the classics, new fiction, or other quality children’s books to your child.
9. Try a new reading activity each day of the month.
10. Play reading games online. You can find many sites online with reading games.

Check out Petra's blog Literacy Matters Today for more insight on the importance of developing early literacy and reading skills. Her blog includes many links pertaining to the above suggestions.