No Mama Likes a Nasal Bulb

The word "nasal bulb" makes the average person cringe. The word itself sounds yucky and it's equally disgusting to use. Just the sound of snot entering the "bulb" and then having to expel it onto your napkin of choice- GROSS!

Welcome to my health blog of the week! And, welcome to my pet peeve of kids with snotty noses!

Yesterday, I went home from work to find that Gage (our [as of today] 17 month old) has a runny nose. If there is one thing I despise, it is a runny nose. They seem to be uncontrollable and uncomfortable. Two things that my OCD nature cannot deal with.

Gage has (knock on tons of wood) never been to the doctor because of a sickness- a stat I would like to contribute to my vitamin intake, workouts, and eating habits while pregnant. He has had a few runny noses, all of which we control and eliminate at home.

This latest runny nose/congestion I'm fairly certain has to do with plenty of elements: going outside for a lengthy time on our ONE sunny day this week and being around TONS of snotty nosed kids in nursery at church.

Alas, we have the snot nose again and here's how we deal with it (again, without going to the doctor):

1- Fluids. I pump him full of as much water as he'll drink. Something I just found out today, and am glad I did, based off of webmd.com, giving children milk while they're congested does more harm than good. The milk actually harvests bacteria growth and makes the sickness linger longer. Good to know mama's! Also, clear liquids are best and adding some lemon and honey kicks out that mucus faster.

2- Steamy baths. Gage likes to take a bath anyways, but we try to make sure the room is kept extra extra warm when he's congested. The steam helps break up the blocked nasal passages. If you have a dry house, a vaporizer is also great to use. In our house, we don't have this problem- we actually have too much moisture and use a dehumidifier (which we turn down when Gage is sick).

3- Chest rub. MMMMM- this is the one thing I love to deal with during sickness. The smell of Vick's vapor rub is so yummy and it help keep those little nostrils open during the night.

4- Elevated head during sleep. Make sure that a pillow of some sort is added to the crib (if your child is old enough to sit up on their own). This keep the draining flowing down and not back into their heads.

5- Nasal Bulb. VOMIT! That nasty little thing actually works. It is a good gag reflex, but it works. We "suck" Gage's nose on a very regular basis while he's congested. He's too young to know how to blow his nose on his own, so- we have to get it OUT!

6- Benadryl. We did call the doctor the very first time that Gage had a runny nose. His response: "don't bring him in, give him Benadryl. It will do better than anything I can prescribe." We bought the bubble gum flavor (which Gage loves) and we give him the dosage given to us by our doctor (1/2 tsp. every 4 hours).

Lucky for us, Gage usually beats the cold using these methods in 3 days.

Of course, if your child develops a fever/extremily thick mucus or has trouble breathing, I would highly suggest NOT using the 6 methods and going ahead to the doctor's office...

We would like to never ever have to use the nasal bulb, but that's like saying we'd like to never change a poop diaper again. It's just not going to happen. So, we use these 6 steps and we beat the cold.

Here's to snotty noses,

Erica

Holy Crap! He's Bleeding!

Auntie Meg came over to open Christmas presents last week and OF COURSE those darn toys are packaged so well that a herd of elephants couldn't break them open.

We sent Josh to get scissors to open the new bowling alley with and he comes back with wire cutters. Hmmm- wire cutters? He went on to explain the reasoning- when Meg and I were children, she cut my wrist (literally) with scissors. So, he thought it was in our best interest to use wire cutters instead.

We cut the 1,254 zip ties and got the toy out (which Gage loved) and we were reading the instructions (yes, all 3 of us reading them together...it takes a genius to understand these toys!) and we turned around to find Gage with the wire cutters!

WOWZA! This kid is faster than Criss Angel! Heck, if I left him alone for 5 minutes outside, I bet he'd climb to the top of our roof!

Before we could scream, snatch, blink- he had pinched himself (not cut) with those pesky little things. And, yes, it bled. I cried. And, it bled. Gage was concerned (for 30 seconds) but mommy was concerned for 3 days.

Why is this on the health blog? Enter NEOSPORIN! This stuff is magical. If you have never used it, or if you've used some other brand, get the real deal. We had some in his changing station that even had pain relief. And, it has healed that nasty little blood blister quickly! Not to mention, he *probably* won't even have a scar!

Here's the link to Neosporin- they offer coupons on their website. Print you off one- save a bit of money...but, save your sanity in the long run.

Here's to those $%^%@# zip ties <3

Erica

Pop - Lock - and - Drop It

Does your early morning routine involve poppin' it, lockin' it, and droppin' it?

Mine does!

I pop that coffee canister lid off (measure out what I want), lock the canister lid back on (remember, I have a 1 year old), and drop the coffee maker button to "on"!

After my 2nd or 3rd cup of coffee, I'm then about pop, lock and drop it in dance style fashion on my way to the bathroom!

While the cups 'o Joe are OH SO DELICIOUS and do give each of us a "pick me up" they actually have some health benefits.

In my master's program at UNC-Charlotte, I did a study on the health benefits of coffee in relation to the onset and progression of diabetes. Believe it or not, there is a very (very) small correlation. So, my diabetic husband pop, locks and drops it too- in an effort to do whatever we can to ward off his disease.

Via one of my favorite online websites (webmd.com) here are some of the health benefits surrounding coffee:

A growing body of research shows that coffee drinkers, compared to nondrinkers, are:

• less likely to have type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and dementia
• have fewer cases of certain cancers, heart rhythm problems, and strokes

"'There is certainly much more good news than bad news, in terms of coffee and health,' says Frank Hu, MD, MPH, PhD, nutrition and epidemiology professor at the Harvard School of Public Health. But (you knew there would be a “but,” didn’t you?) coffee isn't proven to prevent those conditions. There are signs of potential health perks -- and a few cautions. If you're like the average American, who downed 416 8-ounce cups of coffee in 2009 (by the World Resources Institute's estimates), you might want to know what all that java is doing for you, or to you."

Another website (livescience.com) was REALLY funny (so I wanted to include it) but FAR less reputable:

- Caffeine can kill you: but you have to drink 80-100 cups in a hurry.

- Caffeine may boost female sex drive...or this worked on RATS! Ha!

- Decaf has caffeine! What?!?!?! 10 decaffeinated cups= caffeine of 1 cup.

- Coffee was discovered by Goats. Wow. Yea, never depend on a website that lists goats as a founder.

Overall, by drinking coffee you can #1, stay awake and #2, ward off some pretty serious conditions.

POP, LOCK AND DROP IT!

Erica

Want a Boost?

Happiness can be expressed in many forms, but apparently one of the more healthy forms is laughing!

Laughter is something that happens often around my house. I have found that it's better to laugh it off when crazy things happen than to mull over it. This has happened a lot recently. 1) My son pooped (yes, pooped) in the floor as soon as I got him out of the tub, 2) My dog consistently runs across the road to potty, making it difficult to call her in if I'm in my robe or night clothes, 3) My hubby conveniently overlooked a clump of mud left by his boots in our garage (<--well, I didn't really laugh over that one).

Visiting my 'ol trusty webmd.com here's what I found about laughter doing the body good:

• Blood flow. Researchers at the University of Maryland studied the effects on blood vessels when people were shown either comedies or dramas. After the screening, the blood vessels of the group who watched the comedy behaved normally -- expanding and contracting easily. But the blood vessels in people who watched the drama tended to tense up, restricting blood flow.
• Immune response. Increased stress is associated with decreased immune system response, says Provine. Some studies have shown that the ability to use humor may raise the level of infection-fighting antibodies in the body and boost the levels of immune cells, as well.
• Blood sugar levels. One study of 19 people with diabetes looked at the effects of laughter on blood sugar levels. After eating, the group attended a tedious lecture. On the next day, the group ate the same meal and then watched a comedy. After the comedy, the group had lower blood sugar levels than they did after the lecture.
• Relaxation and sleep. The focus on the benefits of laughter really began with Norman Cousin's memoir, Anatomy of an Illness. Cousins, who was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a painful spine condition, found that a diet of comedies, like Marx Brothers films and episodes of Candid Camera, helped him feel better. He said that ten minutes of laughter allowed him two hours of pain-free sleep.

It doesn't hurt to laugh (unless it's uncontrollable and you lose your breath)- so try it! If you feel like screaming in anger- just laugh it off. You'll be happier!

He has the sweetest, most innocent laugh of all!

Erica

Mental Note: I am NOT an MD!

Recently, with what I consider a graceful aging period, my dad started to complain about a lack of energy.

Of course, with my "pre-med" focus at Wake Forest University, my dad feels that I should be able to answer all questions related to health concerns. The news that my dad did not get is that even after 4 years of Wake Forest education, 160k+ in tuition, numerous lab hours (and even my Masters in Health Administration)- I am NO doctor! I am qualified to answer biology answers (that's my undergrad degree) and "most" administrative answers. In other words, I can tell the family and phylum of most animals and I know how to diligently hire and fire...but I do not know what is going on with someones hemoglobin.

I went to webmd.com (yeah, I know- never trust the Internet for medical information) and it pointed to him having a B-12 deficiency. We began asking around and lots of "elderly" men (those over 45, haha!!) take B-12 supplements. Dad did go to the family doctor, and viola! They found a B-12 deficiency too!

Dad decided to have the doctor write him a prescription for the injectible medication. So, on Sunday afternoon we called over my best friend, Carrie (who is professionally trained and works at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center as a step-down trauma nurse, yeah I'm proud of her), to give him the intramuscular shot. Let's be sure to mention that this needle is 1.5 inches long and carries 1ml worth of fluid. YIKES!

To get his B-12 up, he's supposed to take 1 shot per day for 5 days, then 1 per week for 4 weeks, then 1 per month for life.

Of course, Carrie can't come every day, so instead of calling the numerous other nurses in our lives, Dad hands me the dagger. I almost fainted! I am no qualified person. I begged my husband, who gives himself shots regularly since he is a diabetic, to give the shot- but he refused. I alcoholed up his arm, filled the syringe, located the muscle and went for it (all while saying a prayer and TRYING not to close my eyes!).

It was successful!

Dad has had 3 shots thus far and is already feeling more energized. So, if you have men in your life that are of the "elderly" type (over 45) and have a decreased level of energy, read about B-12 (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vitamin-B12/NS_patient-vitaminb12). It's a vitamin, it's natural, and even YOU can give the shot!

Shoot 'em up!

Erica

Pineapple Casserole with a Tub o' Butter

With Christmas right around the corner, I'm sure that you're family is just as busy as mine. We have Christmas parties every Friday and Saturday from December 1st - January 1st. One part of me is super happy about all of these parties because it means that I do not have to think about dinner plans for my family. The other part of me starts seeing the calories rack up in all of the delicious, homemade, country cooking casseroles.

I'm not sure if your plate looks like mine at family gatherings, but I MUST sample one of everything. Who knows...that chicken casserole in the white Pyrex dish may taste totally different from the one in the clear brown glass...or at least that's my mentality!

At our last Christmas party, I entrusted Josh (who is a FABULOUS cook, I might add) to make our pineapple casserole. It is one of our family favorites and the recipe is listed below. But, in the recipe, Josh accidentally put the "1 Stick" of butter INSIDE of the casserole...while it was needed for the topping...so, he also put another stick of butter in the topping. There we have it! TWO sticks of butter in just my casserole alone. HELLO PAULA DEAN!

It was super yummy still (probably even yummier than normal). I've never heard of anyone complaining of a casserole being too buttery- so, Josh was in the clear, and his help still appreciated.

For this "health" post- I decided to put the calorie count of some of the most popular dishes at our family gatherings. This information was compiled from the appropriately named: http://www.fatsecret.com/! I hope you find them interesting as you fill your plate at your next holiday gathering. 

- Broccoli Casserole: 287 calories (11 g protein)
- Green Bean Casserole: 125 calories (4 g protein)
- Sweet Potato Casserole: 215 calories (4 g protein)
- Chicken Casserole: 500 calories (30 g protein)
- Pineapple Casserole: 219 calories (1 g protein) - how Josh made it: 367 calories...ha!

The "Under 40" Lunsford Clan at this year's Annual Christmas Party at the Union Grove Fire Department

Happy Eating those Yummy Casseroles!

Erica

Try a New Position!

I hope that my blog title for today grabbed your attention. It took me a whopping 42 seconds to decide on that title- and I thought it was eye catching...and mind guttering.

But, unfortunately, this "health" blog isn't about the "position" your mind takes you to...it is about your sleep position!

Every night, Gage (my 15 month old) and I lay back in the recliner and enjoy a bit of TV while he falls asleep. More often than not, this tired mama falls asleep too only to wake up to my husband rolling with laughter! Why is he laughing? Well, he states that I sleep with my mouth wide open. He calls it "catching flies." His laughter occurs on a nightly basis and usually ends with a chuckle on my end too. I mean, he drools when he sleeps- his pillow proves that!

I thought it would be interesting to see what sleeping positions say about our personalities and here is what I found from the "Healthy Living" section on Yahoo! (it was the one that was most interesting and most realistic...who sleeps standing on their head? NO ONE!).

Here's what the site says- I think it's talking about me!-  

These days, the way that I sleep simply says, "I am happy to be single and spending five to seven hours sprawled out in the center of my bed alone."

At other points, my tightly squeezed eyes and curled-up body would have screamed, "I know the baby will wake up/someone will start snoring/the alarm will begin blaring as soon as I finally, finally, finally get to sleep."

Years and years ago, the corpse-looking college student still in her clothes would have mumbled something like, "Finals. Boys. Beer."

Our lives, the amount of sleep we get, and how well we actually rest during those nighttime hours may change drastically over time. However, one sleep researcher says that our body position in bed could say something about who we are, not just what else is happening in our lives.

Professor Chris Idzikowski, director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, says that a study of 1,000 people revealed that the six most common sleeping positions are indicative of personality types.

If this sounds ridiculous (and honestly, I'd love to see information on this study and the analysis fleshed out further than any of the reports I could find), consider that Idzikowski says it comes down to body language.

"We are all aware of our body language when we are awake but this is the first time we have been able to see what our subconscious posture says about us," Idzikowski said. "What's interesting is that the profile behind the posture is often very different from what we would expect."

The research also links certain sleeping positions with health risks. Some aid digestion while others spur on snoring and restlessness.

Here are the six common sleeping positions and correlated personality traits and health implications, according to this study.

[graphic via BBC.com]

• Fetus position - A whopping 41% of participants sleep in this curled-up manner. Women are twice as likely to rest like this and it is listed as the most common position. These sleepers are said to have a tough exterior but are still sensitive and may appear to be shy but warm up quickly.

• Log position - If you sleep on your side with both arms down, you are a social, easy-going person who is trusting, sometimes to the point of being gullible. The study showed 15% of people sleep like a log.

• Yearner position - A close third is the side-lying position with both arms out in front of the body, with 13% of participants sleeping like this. Yearners are noted to be open-minded and still cynical, suspicious, and stubborn about sticking to decisions once they are made.

• Soldier position - These sleepers lie on their backs with arms down and kept close to the body. This 8% study is said to be reserved, quiet, without fuss, and hold themselves and others to a high standard. Soldier sleepers have a higher likelihood for snoring due to the flat-back position, which may not cause them to wake up often but may result in a less restful night's sleep.

• Freefall position - Those people who lie on their bellies with arms under or wrapped around a pillow with head turned to the side, make up 7% of the population studied. Freefallers are brash, outgoing, and are very uncomfortable with criticism.

• Starfish position - Sleepers who lie on their backs with arms up near their head or the pillow account for 5% of participants. These people are good listeners, helpful, and are uncomfortable being the center of attention. People who sleep in starfish position are more likely to snore and to suffer from a poor night's sleep more often.

If you think you are one of those people who move through all of these positions, that's not likely to really be the case. Idzikowski said the research reveals most people stay in the same position all night and only 5% lay differently night by night. Also interesting is that the study showed only one in ten people cover their bodies entirely with a blanket, with most people exposing an arm, leg, or both feet.

So, what type of sleeper are you?

One of my *favorite* candid pictures...Gage napping with our Furry Baby (Roxie)

Happy Sleeping!

Erica

Its Liquid Gold

It's the newest birthing health craze- and I'm a huge proponent!

While pregnant, we received information in the mail regarding cord blood banking on a daily basis. We looked over the information and weighed the pros (all of the life saving options) against the cons (#1 con= it's E-X-P-E-N-S-I-V-E!).

Here's our list:

The pros (straight off of viacord.com):

- Treatable diseases include 12 cancers, 16 bone marrow diseases, 8 blood disorders (including sickle cell anemia), 18 metabolic diseases, and 17 autoimmune diseases

- They are SUPER close to finding the cure for diabetes, cerebral palsy and brain injury using cord blood.

- There have already been over 200 successful cures of diseases in children using their cord blood

- There is absolutely 0 risk to you or your baby during collection. It's totally non-invasive.

The cons:

- Having to make certain that the doctor collects the blood correctly. Its a pass or fail procedure. If they do it wrong, there's no going back and you've already paid to have it collected...

- It's super expensive and there's no "end date." The initial collection fee was around $2500 (which you can pay off monthly for 6, 12 or 18 months) and there is a annual $125 fee that pays for storage for the next year. That means $125/year for the rest of your child's life...and I'm hoping my kid lives to be 100- so that's $12,500.00.

With Josh being a diabetic (although there is no current guarantee that it's a familial trait), and cancer running throughout both sides of our families, I couldn't take the risk of NOT saving my baby's cord blood. Honestly, I think that I would pay almost anything to have the ability to save my child's life. We chose the 12 month payment plan so we've already paid off the cord blood and now we're just paying $125 annually. It's great. And, to know that I could possibly save my child from having an insulin pump attached to his side for the rest of his life- yea, that's a pretty good deal.

Oh, and you can put it on your Baby Registry! I didn't know that when we decided to buy the service- but, I do for the next kid!

If you're pregnant or know someone that is, please look into this service. You child's life is always worth saving- there is no dollar figure that you can attach to it...

The link: http://www.viacord.com/
The phone number: 866-668-4895

Fresh Out!

Thankful for the availability to save a life,

Erica

Yea, popping a pill does not fit into my lifestyle...

When we got married, there was a few things that we knew:

#1- We had to start managing our money wiser...bills?!?! Really!?!?

#2- We had to be responsible...even though my mentality was "I'm married- not dead!"

#3- We DID NOT want babies to be created on the honeymoon...reflect back on #1 and #2- #1 we could not afford babies and #2 we were not ready to be responsible thus #3 we DID NOT want babies!

So, when you don't want babies, what do you do? Take a pill? Take a shot? Ehhh- none of these sounded good to me. The pill scenario was ok- but I am terrible at remembering things like that unless I put it in my planner. So, was I going to have an alert and a highlight for "TAKE YOUR PILL, ERICA" every single day? I can hear it now, my Blackberry doing the "notify beep" while having dinner with my grandparents. They always question what the phone is doing...so, what would my response be? Oh, that's my pill popper reminder! Not to mention, I have heard far too many horror stories about how them small little orange/green/blue/white pills do not work. Then, the shots. Ok, so a shot...once every six or so months? I already dread going to the OB-GYN, I couldn't imagine my dread KNOWING I would be given a shot! Yikes! That was out of the question!

About the time that we got married (2008) a new (or maybe a more advertised) form of birth control appeared- the IUD. We studied IUD's at Wake Forest, there were positives (not having to remember a pill!) and there were negatives (they were RARELY used in women that had never had a baby). So, I asked my family doctor about it and she recommended doing the pill but I recommended that she refer me to an OB-GYN (I told you in an earlier post that I'm impatient, maybe I should have added that I am persistent too!).

After a meeting with the OB-GYN, we seen if my insurance (BSBC-NC) would cover the costs (its about $700 out of pocket). After a week, the insurance company said they would pay all of it except a copayment for the office visit. If you do the math (enter budget queen Erica), even the $700 is a deal. Why? Well, the IUD lasts for up to 5 years (unless removed). Five years worth of birth control (at $30/month) is $1800.00. So, even paying $700 would be $1100 cheaper than the pill. If you did pay the $700, to "break even" with your cost of paying for the pill...it would take you 23 months- not a bad deal! However, paying the $30 copay for the office visit was right up my alley! This means that I would saving money after having the IUD for only 2 months.

Even after calculating the money saved, there was still a hesitation. It was rare to put an IUD in women that had never had babies. The risks were that the IUD could permanently block the fallopian tubes (thus you could never get pregnant naturally) or the IUD would not "fit" in the uterus because it had never been stretched thanks to a child fitting in there! But, the risks were rare- and since 2008 they are significantly rarer.

So, a month before we got married, I went to get the Mirena. After a 20 minute visit and insertion I was on my way home. And, I was baby free!

We enjoyed 1.5 years of marriage before we resolved #1 and #2 from above. We were financially and mentally prepared for a kid- so the next appointment I made was to get the Mirena removed. After a 5 minute visit and removal I was on my way home. And, I was told that it would take up to a year to get pregnant after having an IUD (they said it took longer for your uterus to prepare itself after having an IUD)...fabulous we thought! We'll have another kid free year and time to prepare ourselves even more. WRONG! Exactly (to the day) one month later, there were 2 lines...we went to Vegas being a married couple, we came home knowing that we were parents! YIKES! So, what happens in Vegas does not always stay in Vegas- we have a baby to prove it!

I would HIGHLY recommend the Mirena for anyone and everyone. #1: It's a money saver. #2: It's more reliable. #3: You don't have to remember to take that darn little pill!

For your reading pleasure, here's the link to my favorite IUD- the Mirena. That little piece of plastic is a life saver (we could never handle TWO kids at the moment!).

Christmas in Vegas...

Our Vegas Jackpot! Our 1st Ultrasound Picture!

Have a great day!

Erica

Ugh- is it 5:10 am already????

Every morning my alarm goes off at 5:10- an hour much too early, especially on Thursday night's with Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice keeping me up until at least 11 pm (even later if I have a Grey's date with my girlfriends). But, that oh so dreaded sound is needed; it signals the start to the day- my workout!

I'm sure you knew that the day was coming when my "Health" blog would be about working out. A hated subject, especially among us women species- however, it's a subject that is very important to me and my life.

My workout journey started my freshman year in college as I was DETERMINED not to gain the freshman 15. My friends often joke that I am the only one that exited college smaller than the day I entered. I started Wake Forest a size 10 and left a size 2. That's right, I dropped 8 sizes in 4 years. It was/is/will forever be hard work, but it's do-able.

From the beginning, I have worked out in the wee hours of the morning. Why? Not because I am insane (although that would be a nice excuse) but because I found that if I put my workout off until later in the day that I would conjure up every excuse under the sun as to why I couldn't go to the gym (too tired, too much homework (then) or too much housework (now), no one to watch my yeast grow in the lab (then) or no one to watch the baby (now)...and the list would go on and on and on).

Since Wake Forest, my workout schedule has not changed, however I do have a workout partner- my mama! Yes, she hates me for it and reminds me on a regular basis- but it's my desire to keep her young and healthy so she can tend to my baby boy! During my pregnancy, working out was a #1 concern and I continued to workout until the day that I was put on bed rest. I did cardio, weights, everything (minus abs- which was pretty useless at that time!). After my c-section, I was forbidden to workout for 6 weeks, but I HAD to get those 62 lbs off so I went back after 4 weeks (shhhh- don't tell Dr. Kepley). And, don't judge- I gained 62 lbs- while working out every morning AND eating ice cream ALL day EVERY day. I enjoyed my pregnancy and just in case you're curious, I lost it all and some. I'm 3 lbs smaller today than I was the day I got pregnant. And, as for the size 2? Of course I'm back in them! I had a whole wardrobe that I couldn't let go to waste!!! I have since purchased some size 4...but, that's just 2 pairs of jeans...the rest is the old Erica. As a new parent, I couldn't afford to buy myself AND my new child a closet of clothes- it's a great incentive!

I found some interesting facts regarding fitness via webmd.com (I love this site). Here they are for the sharing: 1. Exercise Boosts Brainpower

Not only does exercise improve your body, it helps your mental function. All that makes for a more productive day.Improved productivity not only makes you a better worker, it makes things better for everyone in the workplace. Companies with less wasted work hours and less sick time end up with lower health care costs -- and an improved bottom line.

2. Movement Melts Away Stress

As much as it may stress you out just to think about exercising, once you actually start working out, you'll experience less stress in every part of your life.When you're less stressed, you're less irritable.

3. Exercise Gives You Energy

You might be surprised at how, say, popping in a workout tape for 30 minutes in the morning can change your whole day. When endorphins are released into your bloodstream during exercise you feel much more energized the rest of the day.

4. It's Not That Hard to Find Time for Fitness

The key is to use your time more wisely. Think about killing two birds with one stone.Take your kids to the park or ride bikes together, and you're getting physical activity while enjoying family time. Half an hour a day is all you need to reap the health and disease-fighting benefits of exercise.
5. Fitness Can Help Build Relationships
Think of what exercising with a partner can do for a relationship, whether it's with a spouse, a sibling, or a friend you used to go to lunch with once a week. People who have exercise partners stay with their programs and reach their goals more often than those who try to go it alone.
6. Exercise Helps Ward Off Disease
Research has shown that exercise can slow or help prevent heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis (bone loss), and loss of muscle mass.
7. Fitness Pumps Up Your Heart
Not only does exercise help fight disease, it creates a stronger heart -- the most important muscle in the body. That helps makes exercise -- and the activities of daily life -- feel easier.
8. Exercise Lets You Eat More
Pound for pound, muscle burns more calories at rest than body fat. So the more muscle you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate. And, of course, you also burn calories while you're actually exercising.
9. Exercise Boosts Performance
After a few weeks of consistent exercise, you may feel your clothes fitting differently and see that your muscle tone has improved.
10. Weight Loss Is Not the Most Important Goal
Weight loss is the reason many people exercise in the first place. But it's certainly not the sole benefit of an exercise program.So whatever weight loss goal you have when starting a fitness program, don't make it your only goal. Strive to feel better, to have more energy, to be less stressed. Notice the small things that exercise does for you quickly, rather than getting hung up on the narrow goal of the number on a scale.

Now that it is a routine in my life, I love it! I love days that start off at the gym- it helps me get mentally prepared for the day, it helps me vent my frustrations (to my mom/workout partner) from the day past, and it keeps me looking like one hot mama (hahaha!).

Baby Boy doing his morning workout...lifting a 5 gallon water jug.

Yea, he gets those muscles from his mama!

Have a great day- and try working out and challenging yourself. You won't be sorry!

Erica

Chocolate Wasted

As I unpacked my child's first trick-or-treating bucket filled to the brim with all things imaginable (a pencil included) I sorted through the candy I will let him have (soft, easily chewed things) and put the other stuff (hard candy, candy I know he doesn't care for, etc) in my husband's emergency sugar low stash. Also while unpacking/sorting, I couldn't help but think about the millions of trick-or-treaters that visited door to door throughout the United States- we had a whopping 50-75 kids visit our home.

I decided that I would write my first blog of the week regarding "health" on Halloween candy- the yummy, gooey, goodness...yet calorie and sugar filled.

Here's some of the neatest stats I found:

- There were an estimated 41 million trick-or-treaters out last night

- The average American consumes 24.7 pounds of candy per year (I believe that our family at about half that much last night!!)

- The highest calorie popular candy is the fun size Butterfinger- ringing in at a whopping 85 calories

- The lowest calorie popular candy is the 2 pack Starburst- coming in last at 40 calories

(thanks to calorielab.com and factmonster.com)

I wish that I could say that I limited myself and my son when it came to consuming the Halloween candy- but I didn't. Both of us consumed three pieces...my favorite are the fun size Twix and Gage's favorite are the Reece cups. What I can say is, Halloween comes one time per year; eat up! Enjoy those little pieces of chocolate heaven. Get chocolate wasted.

Our "One-Eyed Monster" on his First Trick-or-Treating Adventure!

Here's to staying up late with your kid that has a sugar rush, all the extra miles on the eliptical, and finding a good dentist....

Erica

Keeping Your Brain Healthy

"A jack of all trades, but master of none" is a common characteristic of most Americans- myself included. However, as I look behind my desk at the papers hanging on the wall (both which cost a fortune of time and money...not to mention the cost of the frames), I see that one says I'm a Bachelor of Science in Biology and the other says I'm a MASTER of Health Administration with a Concentration in Gerontology.

Just to clarify, I sell wood for a living. I manage trucks that venture throughout the entire United States- actually right now I'm tracking three train car loads of trim and plywood siding that is winding its way (too slow for my liking) from Oregon to North Carolina. But, since I am a MASTER of one thing...I'll use my MASTER expertise to write about health...I'll also use it later on to write about wealth...I'll never use it to write about happiness- I hated every minute I spent getting my Master's at UNCC.

My dissertation for my Master of Health Administration with a concentration in Gerontology consisted of studying the effects of Alzheimer's on today's generation. How will Alzheimer's affect the kids born in 1980s - 1990s? What can we do to slow the affects on us? On our parents (by the way, I especially hope my mom is reading this!!)?

I was SUPER excited to share a bit of my knowledge about the disease and about the traumatic affects is has on a family (my great grandmother suffered from severe dementia that put her back into her 3 year old self for years before she passed)- and while I was gathering a bit of information from my dissertation, I ran across an article in Family Circle entitled "Good Thinking". So, instead of boring you with scientific information on an already sad story- save your tears and headache medicine...here's a light hearted take on ways to avoid the disease using what I studied and what I read:

- Eat HEALTHY! What a hard subject, right? To reduce your risk of having Alzheimer's, maintain a diet that is high in fruits, nuts, legumes, vegetables and fish oils. Not too hard...especially when I mention the last portion...RED WINE! Yummy! Have a glass daily (special note to my generation- a serving size is about 1/2 of a typical wine glass).

- Think POSITIVE! Take off your grouchy pants, turn that frown upside down, quit fretting! Overproduction of hormones that are created when you stress over a situation have been shown to deteriorate your brain over time. This, my friends, is why they call my brain a "Mommy Brain"- I continually stress over my child and his well being. So, I'm going to be working on this one!

- Get rid of that BELLY JIGGLE! Keeping extra lb's around your waist line makes your brain shrink. Perhaps that's why most Santa Claus' act like a child? Cut out the sweets Santa! It's making your brain the size of a pea! Also on this topic is exercising...walking just 15 minutes a day has shown to reduce the risk of dementia.

- Do PUZZLES! Keep your brain active by doing puzzles, word games, Sudoku, even reading and writing. Try to count backwards instead of forward when you're counting. Plus, increase writing by writing "Love Notes to Self". This is a common in our household. We even have a paper on our fridge reminding us of chores that have to be done daily...including feeding the dog! Don't laugh, you'll have "Mommy Brain" one day too!

My Master's Graduation with Josh and Baby Gage (I was 6 months pregnant!)

Here's to reducing your risk of the #2 dreaded disease (behind cancer) in America. Here's to remembering your name, your children's names, your street name, your parent's names and most importantly...your lover's name!

Have a great day! Drink a glass of red wine for me tonight!

Erica

"New Age" Electronics...oh my!

As I was putting Gage down for his nap this morning, I began to ponder what I should write my very first blog on. As a relatively new mom, a TON of things swarmed into my head. Then I thought...what do I want my blog to be about? Lots of people blog about crafting...about photography...about their distress...but what about my blog? I've decided I want it to have the general theme of: health, wealth & happiness. I'll try to alternate what I write about for each day...starting today with health.

I was watching the news this morning and a clip came up about a toddler who LOVED an Ipad (this mommy would LOVE to have one too!!). Anyways, the story was that the toddler used the Ipad so much that she didn't understand how to flip the pages of a book and she didn't understand that she could just "touch" the book to make the next thing appear. Healthy for the brain? I think not. In no way am I saying that my family lives without exposing our 1 year old to electronics (he loves Baby Einstein movies, which he watches daily) but I am saying that for their brains to develop, they need healthy exposure to "non-electronic" devices. That's right parents, we have to drag out the books...dust off the rotary phone...open up the case of colored pencils and paper.

I have tried and tried to expose Gage to life without "New Age" electronics. And, yes, it's hard! Just yesterday we went to visit our Amish friends and we took a ride on their horse and buggy. Gage got to see life with no option of electronics. These kids have no Ipad, they've never seen a cell phone, they go outside to play...and that's what we did yesterday. I gave Gage a good ol' dose of healthy Country Air!

Enjoy the pictures...and please, sit down and read to your child. Turn off the T.V. and go outside to enjoy Gage's favorite activity- picking leaves! It's HEALTHY!

Our Buggy Ride yesterday with our great friend, Gabriel Schlabach and his little girl, Bethany.

"The Hungry Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle

Have a blessed Sunday!

Erica