Health
Running Mama: Finding Comfort in my Shoebox
When I was pregnant with my first, I swore I’d be one of those women who wouldn’t let her running fall by the wayside. Sure, I’d take six weeks off, but then I’d throw those running shoes back on. I’d read about women like that. It was just a matter of determination… …then the baby arrived… I’d been put into a shoebox, flipped over and spun around. Every single thing I had done previously seemed impossible now. It took me 45 minutes to prepare to meet a friend three blocks away. I couldn’t figure out how to make food and actually eat it. I braced myself for toe curling pain every time my tiny insatiable being dared need nourishment. When I was “cleared for physical activity” I gave it a go, desperate to climb out of my...
Tips for a healthy Thanksgiving feast
The holiday season is almost upon us and I personally sense a little more pressure around the waistline. Why? I just returned from a mother-daughter “tea party” Girl Scout camp and let’s just say the scones and cream were good (so were the lemon bars and smores). Too good. And there were lots of crafts but not enough hiking and moving around. And there’s still Halloween candy lurking around our house that I found myself dipping into upon our return. And now Thanksgiving Day is nearly upon us. My daughter doesn’t have school at all this week due to professional development days tacked onto the holiday week. The stress. The candy. What is one to do?
How America cultivated a generation of obesity
In 1972, a Las Vegas businessman named Len Frederick introduced a new kind of lunch to cash-strapped schools eager to see their cafeterias turn a profit. Instead of chicken or meatloaf, carrots and a carton of milk, students could eat hamburgers, hot dogs and French fries, and drink milkshakes or soda. All Frederick had to do to square his “combo meals” with national nutrition standards was fortify them with vitamins and add a sprinkle of wheat germ to the buns. Pickles counted as a required vegetable. As historian Susan Levine recounts in her 2008 book “School Lunch Politics,” Las Vegas students lined up eagerly for the new fast-food-style menu, and the schools made money. But in 1978, a food critic found that given the freedom to pick and choose, most children wer...
The Umbilical Hernia Experience
This past spring we learned that our one-year old had an umbilical hernia. Which was a relief. We were worried she swallowed a marble. An umbilical hernia is a tiny hole in the abdominal muscles that never closed after the umbilical cord opening healed. As a child becomes active the hole gets larger. Resulting in intestines bulging through. It sounds worse than it really is. Using medical terms overcomplicates everything. It’s like a doctor diagnosing you with a contusion on your coccyx. You’re immediately concerned because you have no idea what they’re talking about. You: Can this be treated? Dr. Yes. You: Is it contagious? Dr. No. You: How long do I have to live? Dr. I don’t know. But the bruise on your behind should be gone in a week. It was like a weird version of Pinocchio. Except ins...
Moms Unite to Protect Kids’ Health
A safe home in a family neighborhood and an elementary school where my kids could learn, play and thrive. That’s all we wanted when my husband bought a house with lots of room, a huge backyard and a park down the street in Weld County. What we ended up with? Kids with asthma, multiple daily nosebleeds and memory/concentration problems that started only after we moved in. Living among oil and gas operations in Mead, I know firsthand the fear you experience when you are left wondering how the toxic chemicals might be harming your kids. After being shocked that most Front Range counties received D’s and F’s on the recent American Lung Association State of the Air report card on air pollution, moms across the state decided get together around advocating for clean air rules to protect Colorad...
New Year, New You! Mile High Mamas’ Healthy Living Giveaways
**CONTEST CLOSED. CONGRATULATIONS TO WINNER KEVIN C.!** This year, we’re helping you stay on track of your healthy living resolutions. Enter below to win some great items that will help you feel refreshed, recharged and renewed! The Ballet Physique DVD Collection Retail Value: $34.95 If you want the body of a dancer without actually having to be one, you’re in luck. Just released in December 2012, The Ballet Physique DVD Collection is the first workout series from Littleton-based barre fitness studio, The Ballet Physique. Barre fitness has quickly become one of Hollywood’s go-to workouts because it fuses precision-based strength training with elements of classical ballet to produce lean and shapely muscles and rapidly transform the entire body. The Collection features two...
Wednesday Wellness with Leslie– Tips on stressing less and feeling more joy
Everyone has very full plates and activities have a way of just piling on. The effects of stress are harmful to your emotional and physical health (high blood pressure, digestive issues, heart disease), and it is your response to stress that makes all the difference. Some people are better equipped to deal with stress, while others simply give in to it. Which category do you feel like you are in? I have definitely gotten better over the years, due to a lot of personal growth and development, but there is always room for improvement. I know when I am feeling maxed out I need to make some changes quickly. Everyone is going to encounter stress and stressful situations, it is how you react and respond that will differentiate the outcome. Do you have friends that seem to never stress out? They ...
Triathlete Training for Moms
There is something amazingly invigorating about a 750 meter swim, 20K bike ride and 5K run, competing alongside some 600 participants…and the achievement of being able to claim the title of “triathelete” (even at a sprint distance!).
Great Gadgets for a Healthier 2012
By now, most of us have completely forgotten what our new year’s resolutions were. Most likely they had something to do with getting healthier and spending more time with family. Well, this year one of my new year’s resolutions is to run the Taste of Louisville Half Marathon and to do so I’ve got to stay on track with eating and running – not to mention I need to shed a few pounds to get to the achieve an ideally steady pace. I’m always on the lookout for health and fitness gadgets and resources for the kitchen to promote healthy eating. I’d love to share with you some of my recent favorites. Dust off those resolutions and get back on track with me with the help of these great tools.
The hidden risks of humidifiers
If you’re like lots of moms, you might put a humidifier in your child’s bedroom with good intentions, like to help him or her breathe easier. However, when used incorrectly, humidifiers may pose a risk to your child’s health. What are the pros and cons of humidifiers? Humidifiers can help add moisture to dry living spaces, which can be uncomfortable for children. However, “white dust,” a substance left behind by ultrasonic (or “cool mist”) humidifiers, has been linked to inhalation lung damage in children. This is according to a study by Robin Deterding, MD, professor of pediatrics and Director of the Breathing Institute at Children’s Hospital Colorado. What does “white dust” do?
I’ve fed my family WHAT!? Toxic secrets revealed in The Unhealthy Truth
Lunch with Robyn O'Brien, author of "The Unhealthy Truth," makes me worried for what I've served my family and motivates me to make some changes. I now shop, serve and eat much more mindfully.
Got allergies? Got anxiety? Consider a Salt Spa (with discount)
Halotherapy has arrived in Colorado, and has been reported to treat asthma, allergies, sinus problems, ear infections, lung diseases, skin irritations and anxiety. Does it live up to its billing?
- 1
- 2
