Dr. Heather's Blog

Be proactive. Be confident. Be healthy.

Human Body Detectives: Why It Benefits Kids, Teachers & Parents

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Last week, I wrote a little bit about what inspired me to write the Human Body Detective series. I thought I’d add a few more things to clarify all that I am doing that will benefit all kids ( and adults)!

What is HBD?

HBD educates kids to understand how their bodies work and what best foods fuel their bodies.

Why is HBD important?

  • Kids do not understand what foods provide in their body
  • Kids do not eat enough whole real foods
  • Kids are over weight
  • Kids are not exercising enough
  • Many kids are chronically sick with asthma, diabetes, arthritis, eczema and much more

How HBD will benefit kids?

  • Gets kids optimally healthy
  • Allows kids to be proactive and confident in their own health
  • Encourages even picky eaters to try new whole foods
  • Less time in a doctors office
  • Less sick days
  • Less food fights at the supper table

For kids:

All of the above will help improve overall health including  mental clarity, better grades, better sleep, and happier kids.

For parents:

Makes being a parent much easier.

For teachers:

Kids will be alert and focused in the classroom making it a peaceful time for teachers to teach and kids to learn.

How to get HBD in your life?

Press kit: click here.

Amazon: The Lucky Escape, Battle with the Bugs, A Heart Pumping Adventure Osteoblasts to the Rescue, Brainiacs and the HBD Collection Book

HBD shop

For your elementary school

HBDs Go To School elementary curriculum launched with extensive units on the digestive system, immune system, circulatory system , skeletal system, nervous system and nutrition. All geared for grades 3 to 5.

For your middle and high school students

 

I love what I have created and can not wait to see every kid being a human body detective!

Road Tripping this Summer? Motion Sickness Prevention

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Road tripping and motion sickness; they sometimes go hand in hand. It’s a bittersweet relationship.

When I was younger, my mom would drive us down to Florida every March break. It was a 48 hour road trip that was always full of adventure and fun until she invited her best friend and her kids. I have to say, we were all very excited about the big adventure – a car full of two crazy moms and six loud girls traveling from Toronto to Clearwater Beach – how could it not be fun?

It wasn’t fun when one of the other girls ( not my sisters) started to throw up…  and continued throughout the whole trip. It was miserable.

It is a true blessing and I am incredibly grateful as neither of my kids have morning sickness, however, I have been exposed to it. Yet, motion sickness can be prevented or least made better.

When my kids were born and before our first big road trip, I made sure a had a few tricks that will help prevent motion sickness and/or give some relief.

Motion Sickness 

Prevention:

  • About 20 minutes before you begin to travel take ginger capsules, crystallized pieces, powder or extract.  You can take during the trip as well.
  • Homeopathic Tabacum 30c can be very helpful. Place 3 pellets under your tongue and let dissolve.

* You can purchase at any health food store.

For Relief:

  • Peppermint essential oil will calm the stomach. You may either dab by the nose, place a few drops in a carrier oil and massage on neck or sprinkle on tissue to inhale aroma
  • Sip Raspberry tea during the trip.

Do you have any suggestions?

Be well,

Other Relevant Posts:

Summer Bee Stings: What to do

Summer Eye Health

 

HBD Sales

A-blood-pumping-adventure-cover-square-300x300bugs-COVER-2-quare-300x300

 

 

 

 

 

The first edition HBD Activity Workbooks and Audio CDs are great for summer road trips! And they are on SALE – BIG TIME. Bundle up 5 for $24.99 and that includes shipping. Click here to purchase

 

The ebook apps will keep the kids happy and give you some peace and quiet during your road trip!

The Lucky Escape
Add the magic to your iphone or ipad now.

Battle with the Bugs
Add the magic to your iphone or ipad now.

 

How to Prevent & Manage SpringTime Ailments

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The Springtime brings on an array of sicknesses and can be difficult to distinguish between them, manage them and then treat them.

Sinusitis: Pressure on the face

Sinusitis is usually a chronic condition with the symptoms  varying from tolerable to intolerable. Children will complain about headaches ( sometimes unilateral), a feeling of pressure around the eyes and cheeks, and a mild fever. Parents may notice their child has bad breath.

How to prevent: The best way to prevent sinusitis is to evaluate the diet. Gluten and dairy are the usual culprits by creating inflammation in the body (ie: sinus cavities). Remove all gluten and dairy for at least 2 weeks then  re-introduce one for a whole day. Observe for 72 hours to see if there are any symptoms. Repeat with the other food.

In the moment: Hot and cold compresses to the affected area will increase the blood circulation and may be quite powerful in soothing and relieving any pain.

Ear infections: Ouch

Ear infections are very painful especially if not caught early. The classic sign is when kids begin pulling their ears, are a little more fussy and they may have a fever.  Ear infections have a tendency to go away on their own but finding comforting ways to relive the pain is very important.

How to prevent: If your child has tendencies for ear infections, have them do ear exercises while in the car or watching television. They can gently pull their ear upwards, down and out. This may help release any pressure, wax or liquid in the ear canal that may lead to an infection.

In the moment: Hot and cold compresses to behind the ear, like with sinusitis, will increase circulation and bring some relief to the pain. Ear exercises may help as well.

Cold: It’s all in the nose

A cold will often begin 1 to 5 days after being exposed to a virus or bacteria. Symptoms will mainly stay in the nose giving runny, stuffy nose, and sneezing symptoms. Some colds will bring on a fever.

Flu: You are sick all over

Flus will begin abruptly with hardly any notice. Generally, a high fever will be the first sign following a flushed face, body aches and lack of energy. After a few days, symptoms may travel down the respiratory system creating sore throats, coughs and bronchitis.

A side note: It is best to consult your primary care physician if you suspect any of these illnesses, especially, if your child is under the age of 2.

The key to avoiding school or work absences is to be proactive and preventative.

Below a few simple tips to help you and your family be healthy this spring and summer!

Be diligent with hygiene. Make sure everyone is washing their hands with warm water and soap and covering their sneezes.

 Eat whole colorful foods. These foods are packed with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that will boost immune systems and keep your family healthy.

Drink water or herbal tea. Keeping hydrated is important as it keeps blood circulation moving optimally which will fuel your cells with nutrients, oxygen and white blood cells.

Sleep. Get a good night sleep. Sleeping is a time for the body to rest and do a little maintenance and repair.

Be well,

 

3 Simple, Safe Kitchen Tips for Your Young Chefs

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Most kids at some point will want to venture into the kitchen and make their own meal; it’s a perfect proactive and empowering experience for them. However,  as I recently watched my youngest scrambling some eggs, I realized that teaching her on a few safe yet simple kitchen tips will help avoid any long-term bad, energy deficient habits.

  1. Use the correct burner size: Both my kids will use the larger burner with a small pot. This creates a lot of unnecessary heat loss. Once I pointed this out to them, they completely understood what I was saying.
  2. Use the top rack of the oven: Sometimes the kids will just throw their foods onto whichever rack they feel, however, keeping the food closer to the heat source can help reduce cooking time.
  3. Use the oven light: We all fall a little guilty of this especially when baking. It is more energy efficient to take your peeks by using the over light versus opening and shutting the over door.

Do you have any others to share? 

Be well,

Here are Pearl and Zoe making some guacamole…

 

Tips on How to Choose the Best Olive Oil.

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olive_heart

My husband was grocery shopping and bought olive oil. He was very proud because he went out of his way to  purchase organic olive oil. I decided not to burst his happiness but it gave me an idea for a blog post on how to choose the best olive oil.

Yes, the olive oil was organic but  just because it says organic doesn’t mean it’s the best. Below ere are a few healthy olive oil shopping tips.

Olive-oil-bottlePurchase Olive Oil in a Dark Glass Bottle

why? All oil is very susceptible to oxidation and when ingested can create free radicals thus doing some damage in the body. If the oil is in a dark glass the chances are much slimmer that oxidation will occur.

Make sure it is “extra virgin” olive oil

why? Extra virgin goes through less processing therefore the flavor is much more vibrant ( ie: tastes better).

A few marketing misleads…

Product of Italy or Greece

why? It may have only been packaged in Italy or Greece. Check to see where the olives were grown.

Organic olive oil

why? Double check the label. If it says, USDA organic, it means that at least 95% of the olives used were grown without the use of pesticides or herbicides…. this is a better choice.

Do you have any suggestions?

Be well,
Related Posts

Ideal cardiovascular health. 5 heart myths uncovered

Another superfood for your pantry: Coconut oil

Fats

HBD series on Amazon is on sale. On the right, click on the links!

Eating Intuitively: 3 Simple Tips To Be Healthier

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Listen to your gut. Trust it –  it knows best.

I speak frequently about this; and the people who understand it the most are our kids. They know when they are hungry and when they are full. If they overindulged in a favorite treat they are less likely to do that again – they do not like to have tummy aches!


So how did we lose our innate ability to eat sensibly?

Stress, busyness…. and not understanding the long-term effects that poor eating can have on our bodies. Becoming more aware and proactive in your everyday eating is the first start. Remember, nothing happens over night so be patient with yourself as the consistency and awareness will show profound results ( think less sick days for you and the kids and feeling more alive and vibrant!). Below are a few tips to get started.

1. Pay attention to when and why you are eating. My biggest food obstacle is snacking when I am making dinner. I now prepare the veggies first and snack on them instead of something faster and easier to grab.

2. Be aware on how your body feels. My daughter loves frappachinos but rarely if ever drinks them anymore because they immediately give her a stomach ache. I notice when I eat grains – especially wheat – I feel very tired. We want to feel good, be productive and creative and realizing how food and mental out look ( a whole other topic) play a strong role in our everyday wellness can be the are keys to making a healthy difference.

3. Eat slowly. Let your body have the time to enjoy the foods and digest them.

 

Be well,

Related Posts

It’s True: You Are What You Eat, Do & Think

Top 5 Super Foods for Super Kids

You are what you eat? Maybe!

Food Cravings: Are you Missing a Nutrient in Your Diet?

 Healthy Eating 101

HBD News

Have you seen our kid cooking videos? They are in our healthy kids section. 

Last few days! Are you a homeschooling family? HBD curriculum is now available on Home school Co op for a very amazing price!

Kids summer reading – Amazon has the books on SALE: The Lucky Escape, Battle with the Bugs, A Heart Pumping Adventure, Osteoblasts to the Rescue

 

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