Well, it is official. My 15mo has a definite allergy to soybean and because of this his allergy is upgraded (or downgraded) to a legume allergy. He can not eat any thing with soy, peanuts, beans or peas. He also can not eat anything with rice in it as well. Milk is now safe. Thanks God! He little bottom is doing much better ans so is his digestive system. Without getting into too much detail he was having about 4-7 watery stools a day that would eat away at his bottom and cause him to bleed. Now he is having many 2-3 soft to formed stools a day and his bottom is no longer bleeding.I can try to introduce rice into his diet to see how he does but I think I will wait a bit to give his tiny system a break.

Does anyone have any good kid friendly recipes? I am also looking for a  good recipe for bread. So far all store bought breads seem to have soy in it.

I am going to vent a little about our health insurance. It is through my husbands employer. It is such cheap insurance. I have chronic health problems and need to see certain doctors and have blood work from time to time to keep all in check. Well, with our current insurance we have high copays and we have to pay 20% of everything done (x-rays, labwork, etc). I have to always second guess everthing that is needed to be done. No one should ever have to worry about their health care coverage. Totally not fair. At least my children have MIChild insurance and I dont’ need to worry about them. Thanks for listening and if any of you have some alternatives or maybe places to go for help with medications in Michigan I would love to hear them.

Are you tired of counting calories, taking diet pills and never eating that yummy piece of cake?

What you should be doing is focusing on what you should be getting more of instead of what you are missing out on.

Here are some extremely simple tips to follow that will help you shed those unwanted pounds.

• Get More Breakfast – I know you have heard this before but breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Studies have shown that those who eat breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy weight and they tend to eat fewer calories throughout the day, they eat less saturated fat/cholesterol.
• Use More Spice – use more spice instead of deep-frying or drowning your foods in cheese. Adding spice is the smarter way to your taste buds – alot less calories. Next time you cook, try adding spice to liven up your food.
• Buy New Plates – Try changing the size of your plates. Downsizing your plates from 12 inches to 10 inches may help you eat 22% less.  The reason? Alot of us use external cues (such as how much is left on our plates) instead of internal cues (such as how hungry we feel) to decide when to stop eating.
• Get More Satisfaction – Have you ever eaten a whole plate of food and didn’t even realize it? If you eating while watching TV or too quickly then you usually end up eating more and feeling less satisfied afterwards. Try taking your time while eating, savor every bite and set the mood. All these will help in eating less as you begin to understand your body and when it tells you that you are full.
• Support – Work with a buddy. It is better to have friends who want to lose weight with you. It makes it easier to lose weight.
• More Fiber – When trying to eat less, hunger always gets in the way. This is when it is time to step up the fiber – both soluble and insoluble – which are found in grains, fruits and veggies. Soluble helps to stabalize sugar and keep hunger pangs at bay. Insoluble adds bulk to food.
• More Protein – Protein increase metabolism and helps to build and maintain lean muscle mass. Protein keeps you satisfied and you feel fuller longer.
• More Volume – Just beacuse you are trying to lose weight doesn’t mean you need to eat those tiny portions. If you like large volumes then the key is to eat a lot of volume rich foods (loaded with water or fiber so they take up space in your stomach).
• More Flavor – you don’t always need to change to the reduced calorie everything. Try using salsa on potatoes instead of butter or sour cream. Experiment.

Besides eating better is good for the body and your skin. Which is good for the younger folk in reducing acne. Does anyone know how to get rid of acne? Any good regimines?

I know that we all know the usual signs of strep, but strep bacteria can also effect other parts of our bodies. So if you should see any of these signs you should call your MD or pediatrician right away.

Strep Impetigo – a rash, usually around the nose or mouth. It starts off as red sores that rupture within a few days and form yellowish crusts. Kids get impetigo when bacteria invade a cut in the kin or nasal lining.

Genital Strep- Pimples or a bright-red rash, possible with a white coating, in the genital area. When strep throat or impetigo is going around, kids can spread the bacteria below the belt. Anal strep causes painful bowel movements, and your child might complain of a sore bottom. Vaginal strep makes urinating painful.

Scarlet Fever- A red, sandpapery rash on the torso (it usually shows up in the groin and underarms) that’s caused by the toxins produced by strep bacteria. Scarlet fever may accompany strep throat.

Again, if you think you suspect any of these symptoms please go to the doctor right away!

Yes, you heard me right. The new in thing to do for kids is snorting smarties. I know what you are thinking because I am thinking it too. How dumb can kids be. Check out this video:

Unfortunately, this is not illegal but it is dangerous. It is unhealthy. If the sugar sits in the nose long enough it can create a breeding ground for bacteria and infection. Parents be aware. You would be surprised at how ingenious kids can be. A highlighter can be a hidden place for a pipe. A book may have a secret compartment to hide drugs. Kids are huffing (inhaling sprays). These are just a few. There is also something else new called ‘Cheese’. It is a blend of so-called black tar Mexican heroin and over-the-counter medications that contain the antihistamine diphenhydramine, such as Tylenol PM. This is a lethal combination since both drugs give a sedative effect. Please keep a close eye on your kids and always be proactive. Your kids are never too young since alot of this begins in elementary school. Teach your young kids to never, ever take candy from anyone, period.

According to the American Stroke Association a stoke is very similar to cardiovascular disease. It affects the arteries leading to and within the brain. A stroke can occur when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When this happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen that it needs, so the brain will start to die.

Here are 3 simple questions to ask the person if a stroke is suspected:

• Ask the person to smile
• Ask them to raise their arms and keep them up
• Ask them to repeat a simple sentence

The National Stroke Association has the Act FAST response to a stroke:
*F*ace: Ask the person to smile, does one side droop?
*A*rms: Ask them to raise both arms, does one side drift downward?
*S*peech: Ask them to repeat a sentence. Can they do so correctly without slurring?
*T*ime: If you suspect someone is having a stroke, get them to a hospital ASAP! You have a limited amount of time before the effects of a stroke are irreversible!

**Remember TIME is of the essence in the person who may be having a stroke. Get to the hospital ASAP. There is medicine available that may be able to stop the stroke or even reverse the effects of a stroke.

The American Heart Association states that your body will most likely experience one or more of the following symptoms when having a heart attack.

The most common symptom in men and women is chest discomfort. However, women are more likely to experience some of the other symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting and back or jaw pain.

Memorize these signs and symptoms. Remember that even if you aren’t sure ALWAYS have it check out. Also, do not call your doctor as he is only going to tell you to go to the emergency room.

I am not going to say much. Just watch the video. It says all you need to know.

Welcome to the kick-off for MomFit Mondays! For those that are interested in joining in you can read up on what this is all about in the Introduction to MomFit Mondays.

I have done my measurements and set my goals for week one. Today I am joining my local gym. They are haveing a hard to past up deal right now. Perfect timing! Another big thing I am doing is cutting out pop from  my diet and drinking more water.

You can join in with week one Week One - MomFit Mondays

A huge struggle that most of us moms face at some time or another is getting our kids to eat their veggies.  Most kids will usually turn up their noses at the mear site of anything green.  So how do you get around the vegetable issue? 

Here are some easy, fun ways to get your kids to eat their vegetables: 

Make eating vegetables fun. Display vegetables in a fun way – Kids love fun and colorful food.  Try cutting up some carrot sticks, cucumbers in round shapes, sliced cherry tomatoes and sliced bell peppers and arrange them all in a plate.  You can make a face using the cucumber rounds for the eyes, carrot sticks for eyebrows, cherry tomatoes for nose and mouth and arrange the pepper strips to form the face.  Try serving with ranch dressing or hummus and cut pita bread on the side.

Serve at least one vegetable with each meal. Make it routine. Try alternating salads and cooked or cut vegetable but always serve at least one with each meal.  Your child may not eat them at first but if they see that vegetables are a normal part of every meal then they may just start trying them.

Make sure you set a good example! It is not enough to make vegetables a part of every meal. Your children need to see mom and dad eating their vegetables as well.  Show them how yummy veggies can be by filling your plate up.

Be sneaky! This is deceptive but it works.  Most kids love spaghetti so place some vegetables (i.e. broccoli, cauliflower, peppers) into a food processor and whiz until liquid.  Add the vegetable mixture into your spaghetti sauce for a nutritious meal.  Be careful not to overboard and add too many vegetables as this will change the taste of the sauce.  The trick is to start out slow and gradually increase the amount of vegetables as your children’s tastes change. 

Add vegetables to cookies/muffins! Try adding a little grated carrot or zucchini to a basic muffin recipe.  Banana carrot muffins or zucchini chocolate chip muffins are so yummy.  Add some shredded carrot to your favorite cookie recipe (carrot chocolate chip cookies). You can also bake pumpkin muffins or cake.  This is an awesome way to give your kids a yummy treat and still ensure they’re getting a good serving of vegetables.

The One Bite Rule! In my house my children now the rule is that   Even if the kids don’t like the look of the veggies they must at least try one bite.  If they actually don’t like it then they don’t have to eat it.  This avoids a lot of meal time tantrums and a lot of the times the kids will actually like the food once they taste it.  Try it you may be pleasantly surprised at how many different foods you kids will actually eat.