Health Info, Nutrition
Hey guys – the following is a sponsored post I’ve created with a brand that I believe in and we already use in our day to day lives. I feel good about supporting it and hope you do too. Here’s to a happy, healthy, and active winter season despite all the potential for blah, boredom, and bad bugs – boost immune system this winter with Renew Life Formulas!
We spent the last week essentially trapped at home, with a school holiday overlapping a bigger-than-predicted snow storm (here in NC we don’t have a million plows that get to work the minute the flurries start – we have to wait until they get to us, if that happens before the snow melts. We usually end up getting plowed by whatever leftover construction equipment that can be found). Eventually we were able to get outside and take full advantage of the fun that snow provides – sledding, snowball fights, questionable looking snowmen – but the first couple days were that miserable kind of dreary grey with the snow still coming down and the wind attacking your face no matter which way you turn. Not the kind of weather you muster through with a two and six year old.
While the time off school was certainly fun, I think most of us can agree that there’s only so much fun that can be had before cabin fever sets in and you start bouncing off the walls. And when your kids bounce off the walls on a good day, it’s needless to say that things can get just a bit crazy if you don’t get a little creative. Not to mention it’s hard to stay active and healthy when you feel like you’re stuck indoors all the time. {Seriously, being a mom during a dreary winter takes some serious guts.}
Here are some of the ways we fight off the winter crazies and keep our family active and operating at 100%:
– Couch cushion forts (sneaky mom-hack: toss a vacuum in the mix and trick the kiddos into cleaning for you)
– Stream a workout and make it a game (hey, might as well use technology to your advantage) – this one does triple duty: let’s me squeeze in a bit of a workout, entertains the kids (at least for the first 10 minutes), and burns off some of that we’re-stuck-inside-again energy.
– Obstacle courses – using whatever you can get your hands on – pillows, toys, even streamers to create a “web” in a hallway.
– Workout equipment in disguise: think jump ropes, mini trampolines, and music-filled dance parties.
– Hot cocoa and marshmallows {because what snow day is complete without hot chocolate?} We boost it up a bit by adding turmeric for everyone and give a little kick with cayenne for the grownups {although my 2 year old has no problems stealing mine and finishing it, spice and all}.
While most moms were pulling their hair out about another day out of school, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t upset they were missing a week of nasty germ exposure. The flu is running rampant around here (and everywhere), not to mention the ever-present snotty noses and hacking coughs that seem to follow kids around all winter long.
And while avoiding germs is certainly helpful, it’s not exactly practical unless you have a snowstorm as an excuse to hide out.
So we do what we can to boost immunity:
– Shoes at the door (hey, husband, I’m looking at you here). It’s amazing all the junk our shoes can track in (and my floors are messy enough without the extra dirt thank you very much), so we check them the at the door. (Baskets everywhere are your friend.)
– Kid-safe essential oils. I use an immunity-boosting blend in the kids’ rooms at night, as well as use it to make safer hand sanitizer (which admittedly I’m not great about remembering to use) and cleaners for “big touch” items like doorknobs. We also use a sniffles and cough blend for when there are actual signs of illness on the brink (which basically means always for my 2 year old).
– Elderberry. We use this as a preventative measure (my kids actually beg for it) as well as have it on hand in case illness strikes, when we’d up the dose and frequency. It can supposedly decrease the duration of the flu by 3 days, with no icky drug side effects. Hopefully we won’t have to test the claim ourselves.
– Vitamins and fish oil. I’m not even going to pretend my kids eat well enough on a daily basis to meet all of their micronutrient needs, so we fill the gaps with a multi and a fish oil that contains vitamins A + D. Vitamin D is a HUGE immunity booster and so important in maintaining gut health.
– Probiotics. Probiotics are amazing powerhouses that help keep our guts healthy, balanced, and functioning optimally.
Why is keeping the gut healthy so important, especially during these crazy months of winter weather? As strange as it sounds, up to 70% of your immune system is in your gut.
Did you know that in addition to your immune-system, your gut is directly related to your mood?! Up to 95% of your serotonin (the feel-good hormone) is created in your gut. Just another reason to keep that gut healthy – to keep you happy, especially during the dreary winter months when you’re stuck inside. (And seriously, I’ll take all the mood-boosting I can get!)
Practicing health-ful habits and taking positive preventative actions like taking a daily probiotic can help keep your gut (and therefore your immune system + your mood) operating at it’s prime. Our family uses Renew Life Ultimate Flora Probiotics (the kiddos use the chewable version), which are gluten and dairy free. The Extra Care Probiotic has 30 billion live cultures per capsule with 10 scientifically studied strains (each strain plays a different role), supporting digestive and immune health.
I know talking about gut health isn’t exactly riveting and exciting, but if it weren’t for a healthy gut, there’s no way I’d be able to handle staying active + energetic while keeping two young kids up and at ‘em. To me, it’s essential to my physical and mental health. Operating at my best literally starts from within.
How do you stay healthy and active during these potentially dreary winter months?
Also – Renew Life is having an exclusive President’s Day Sale Feb.19 – Feb. 23: 25% Off + Free Shipping and Triple Renew Rewards. No Promo Code Required. Shop and Save at RenewLife.com
[Just a reminder, this is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Renew Life Ultimate Flora Probiotics.]
Apps
I’ve been loving wearing my fitness trackers {I have the Garmin Vivofit & the Fitbit Charge}. I’ve had one of them on since the day I got the first one. Honestly sometimes they really piss me off because I thought I was a lot more active than apparently I really am, but that’s exactly why I also continue to wear one – it’s great encouragement and a constant reminder to get up and move just a little bit more. It’s made me realize how important just a daily walk around the block is when I don’t have time for anything else. Those steps add up!
While I love scrolling through the numbers on my wrist and analyzing the data in my app, sometimes all that information still seems to be a bit lacking. Ok, so I know my average number of steps and can see how my sleep is from day to day, but what does all that really mean? Move more? Sleep more? All of the above?
That’s where the app AddApp comes in – it analyzes your habits for you. It meshes information together and spits out an understandable, tangible insight. Not only does it take data from certain fitness trackers, but also works with other apps like Apple Health, MapMyRun, Runkeeper, Strava and more.
Once you’ve added the services you want to sync, the app eats up all the data and spits it out in nice little succinct “insights”, such as the number of steps you average, how many hours of sleep you tend to get, and how many calories you’re burning from activities. It will also analyze the data a bit more and send you little notes and tidbits, like you haven’t logged any steps for awhile, you haven’t been recording nutrition information, or that you had a particularly low number of hours of sleep one night.
Having the data rolled up into succinct little bites of information is super helpful {alhtough I certainly didn’t need my phone to tell me I didn’t get enough sleep on a particular night – I knew that without any technology clueing me in!}. It’s yet another reminder to get up, get moving, and take care of yourself.
Download AddApp and start getting your insights so you can make sense of all the data you have at your disposal.
This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of AddApp.
Thoughts
For those of you that have non-Celiac gluten sensitivity or are just interested in the gluten-free phenomenon {or whatever you want to call it}, here’s an interesting article about a study that shows gluten sensitivity doesn’t exist.
As most people with a gluten intolerance or sensitivity would agree, it doesn’t really matter what the science says. It matters what you say. If you eat gluten and feel crappy, then not eating gluten makes sense, right?
Whether it’s because you’re actually sensitive to gluten, have a cross-reaction with something else, or are really feeling better because cutting down on gluten happens to cut down on the processed foods you’re eating, it doesn’t really matter as long as you’re making a change for the better.
I’d still like to see how the science plays out, as well as a study that looks beyond digestive symptoms since the possibilities go much, much deeper than stomach upset, but it’s still an interesting read nonetheless.
What are your thoughts?
{For the record, I think gluten sensitivity does exist.}
fitfluential
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Don’t you love seeing pictures of people kicking @$$ and taking names on Instagram? I do. Seriously. It makes me think about getting up off my butt and trying to do some of those things and be one of those people.
We can’t all be like that, or at least we can’t all be like that all the time. I’m not in butt-kicking mode. That’s ok. I’m in repair mode. But people need to see that too. Everyone’s at a different stage in the game and everyone could use a little support and motivation.
Enter the #FFCheckIn.
Back up. <—- Fitfluential. Join it. Do it. Be it.
—> Fast forward. #FFCheckIn. Take a second to stop and check in with yourself, with your fan club, with your anonymous admirers, and yes, strangers. Reflect on your day, a moment, your progress, a failure. It doesn’t matter what; just check in. Then click on your own #FFCheckIn hashtag and see how everybody else is doing. Give some high-fives, words of encouragement, or just sneak a peak at what other people are working for.
It’s kinda corny, it’s kinda cool, and it’s totally relevant to what Instagram and social media is in terms of health and fitness inspiration.
*If you haven’t joined the club, you should. FitFluential isn’t just for bloggers. It’s for anyone interested in fitness and health. It’s a way to get all the cool fitness stuff and races and brands and expos to YOUR town. So if you’re in my town and you’re reading this, please go join. I want something cool to come here and not one of our bigger {and totally not as cool} neighbors for once. {You don’t actually have to do anything when you join – but you do get perks, giveaways, VIP access to stuff, etc. So for those of you always saying, “How do you get all that stuff?!”, that’s part of it.}
And just for fun, some other links for your reading and sharing pleasure:
Most popular fitness trends and diets of the past year.
24 things for 2014 {for my toddler}
The antibiotic downfall
Thoughts
A drop in the bucket.
A splash in the ocean.
I keep trying to compose some great meaningful metaphor about how important small things are- how on their own they may not seem like much but when you put them together they amount to something huge. I’m not quite grasping the thought completely though. You’ll have to forgive me, I’m a little sleep deprived this morning.
When Quaker asked me to share what small actions I take for a big reward, I knew immediately what I’d say. It’s nothing significant or substantial, but its even more noticeable to ne now that I’m not doing it.
My small drop in the ocean of health & happiness is as simple as a morning walk. I’ve shared my morning walk before so this is nothing new & mind blowing, but it’s a habit I’ve had that helps me start my day right and get in a good frame of mind. It helps me ensure I take some time for myself each day. It helped me get up & moving throughout pregnancy when I wasn’t feeling well. I wish I could say its helped me manage the changes I’ve gone through in the last two months, but it hasn’t. How my time is spent is no longer up to me, it’s up to the new boss in the house. This is where I say it doesn’t matter, but it does. I miss those quiet moments of reflection and peace now more than ever.
So now that my morning walk ritual isn’t so much of a ritual anymore, it really has become my small win. Its become even more of an accomplishment; a greater reward. Sometimes it takes all day to get outside for that morning walk. But sometimes the anticipation & motivation to get outside is all I need to make it through the day. And now that walk is 1000 times more important because I do it for–and with- my son.
What “Small Wins” Lead You to a Happier, Healthier Lifestyle? You can join me in a special Glam Discuss Chat on Thursday, March 8 at 4pmPST/7pm EST by clicking this link. The topic is “Healthy Rewards: What small steps in the morning do you take to keep healthy?”
You can also take join the chat through this cool widget:
By participating in a discussion, participants will automatically be entered into the “Small Wins, Big Rewards” Sweepstakes sponsored by Glam! {There’s a $50 discussion prize and $1000 grand prize!}
The benefits of a warm, filling bowl of oatmeal can keep you going all morning long.
Energy. Fiber. Heart Health.
Quaker Oatmeal. A super grain breakfast.
Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Quaker via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Quaker.
