Archive for September, 2008

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Eight Power Snacks

Sunday, September 14th, 2008

snacksBy Heather Cabot, The Well Mom
When Los Angeles-based nutritionist and personal trainer, Deborah Sternisn’t exercising or coaching others on getting fit and healthy, sheshops for a living.
Clients of Stern’s business, The Pampered Pantry  rely on her to stock their cupboards and fridges with the nutrient dense stuff they need to stay energized and satisfied throughout the day.  Here are her top 8 choices for lunch or snacks on the go:

1. Baked Wheats Crackers (Whole Foods) and all natural peanut butter or almond butter. Make little peanut butter sandwich crackers and throw them in the fridge in a baggie (it allows the peanut butter to harden a bit) and then bring them with you in the car, etc.
 
2. Mini Whole Wheat Pita (Trader Joe’s) filled with hummus or peanut butter or turkey…The kids love them and they are very easy to transport and eat!!!
 
3. Brown Rice Tortilla or Whole Wheat tortilla (Trader Joe’s) spread with peanut butter, add raisins and shredded green apple…or hummus and shredded lettuce…or turkey and hummus…roll them up tight…and then cut into bite size pieces. You can wrap in foil and they will stay for a few hours!
 
4. The always fabulous Lara Bars
 
5. Trader Joe’s “Go Raw Trail Mix” now comes in very handy little one serving bags. This is the only trail mix that does not have any added sugar… Or the almonds in the little “just the right amount” individual bags and the individual bags of raisins or the little boxes of raisins. Eat the nuts and fruit together to sustain energy and hunger. Dried apples are a great transportable snack with the almonds, too.

6. Mini Zen Bakery Muffins (Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s)
These are the only muffins without sugar and made with whole wheat…The minis are great to take as a small snack…I love to spread peanut or almond butter on top to add some protein and great taste.
 
7. Eden Organic Canned Rice and Beans (Whole Foods-many great flavors to choose from and it is BROWN rice…with all clean ingredients) You can eat it right out of the can or heat it up. You can take it in a small container to have as a snack or lunch. And the beans and Brown rice make a perfect protein. If you are at home…add some guacamole and salsa…Yum!!!
 
8. Trader Joe’s has individual peanut butter and celery packets made with all natural peanut butter…a great transportable snack…or you can make your own and bring them with you in a baggie!

snacks

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Breastfeeding On The Big Screen

Friday, September 12th, 2008

pretty babyBy Heather Cabot, The Well Mom
Angelina is.  Halle Berry is.  So are Jessica Alba and Christina Aguilera.  Open up any celebrity gossip mag these days and along with reports of baby bumps, you’re bound to find a “who’s who” of breastfeeding.  And it’s not just People and US Weekly covering the new nursing beat, there are lots of baby blogs highlighting starlets who “pump in style”…while shaming those who are not.

With all of these celebrity moms publicly discussing their decisions to nurse, it’s easy to assume Hollywood is embracing the message that “breast is best.”  But according to new research by an Ithaca College academic, today’s moviemakers have some catching up to do when it comes to portraying breastfeeding as a positive and routine aspect of motherhood.  Professor Sarah Rubenstein-Gillis found that while it is more common today than 30 years ago for movie audiences to see breastfeeding scenes, when it is depicted, the act is still often sexualized – with the focus on breast size rather than nourishment or the bonding between mom and baby.

“Some viewers may be able to wade through the multi-layered messages about breasts and breastfeeding found in these movies, while others may simply be left with impressions that reinforce confusing, discouraging, or negative attitudes about nursing,” writes Rubenstein-Gillis in “Reel Milk,” an article published in the October issue of Mothering magazine.

In researching the piece, Rubenstein-Gillis surveyed 150 films from the last few decades that contain scenes of nursing mothers or plot lines that refer to nursing from Pretty Baby (1978) to  Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992) to Meet The Fockers (2004).  As a social worker and assistant professor of health promotion at Ithaca, the mom of two sought to understand how the movies play into mainstream attitudes about breastfeeding.  What she found is that Hollywood reflects much of the ambivalence about nursing in society today.

“American women continue to be harassed and kicked out of restaurants, museums, and swimming pools for nursing their babies, despite the overwhelming evidence that breastfeeding is the ideal way to nourish children early in life. Hollywood films illustrate and often validate these mixed messages, and moviegoers continue to be informed by them,” she concludes.  She suggests that moviemakers consider taking a public health stand by being more mindful of how they depict breastfeeding.  In her report, Rubenstein-Gillis also lists a number of films that she believes have done a good job of presenting lactation as natural and run of the mill, including, Baby Mama (2008), Training Day (2001) and Crossing Delancey (1988).

You don’t have to be a lactivist to appreciate her findings or perspective.  I personally did not nurse my twins.  I have written about feeling somewhat deficient for not being able to do so and have ranted about some of the inappropriate pressure put on me by others who did not respect my privacy.  But I do agree that since the entertainment industry and celebrity culture remain so influential, it would seem really constructive for filmmakers to think more about the way they present breastfeeding  and to depict it in a way that reflects what it is really all about — the health and well-being of baby and mother.

What do you think? Do you think entertainment industry can change attitudes? Or should try?

Email heather@thewellmom.com and share your thoughts!  Or comment at www.reelmilk.blogspot.com

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Are You A Mommy Martyr?

Monday, September 8th, 2008

martyrBy Sara Holliday, Founder, Fit By Sara
There’s an unwritten rule among us moms that we’re supposed to take on everything. You know what I mean: take care of the kids, the household,  spouse/partner, plus, in many cases, juggle a career.  Asking for help feels like a weakness, and there’s guilt when a mom feels overwhelmed and can’t do it all.  The problem is that by doing it all you begin to hold resentment which can be reflected by weight gain, less passion in your relationship, low energy, and lack of patience with your children. Recognizing that being a mom doesn’t require taking everything on is key to breaking free of martyrdom. Your life becomes more manageable and the passion for living returns.  Here are 3 simple steps for moms to follow to get what she needs and stop being a “mommy martyr” in the process.

The first step is recognizing that you’re a mommy martyr.  Answer these questions to see if you have mommy martyr thinking:
- Do you feel that you should be able to handle everything by yourself?
- Do you rarely ask for help from others?
- Do you feel overwhelmed, but continue to take care of everything?
- Are you feeling resentful, and does it reflect in lack of passion with your partner, and lack of patience with your children?

 If you answer yes to three of the four questions, you’re a mommy martyr.  Now that you recognize it, you can make the conscious choice to make changes that will make your life easier.

Step two is asking for what you need versus waiting for what you want to happen.  Understanding the difference between men and women will ease your frustrations. Women to manage multi-tasking quite well –  we comfortably focus on more than one thing at a time such as talking on the phone while folding laundry, whereas men focus on only one thing at a time, and get frustrated when side-tracked by another task. Here’s a scenario: Mom is holding the baby, diaper bag, cooler, etc. and hoping that dad will notice and help her carry a few things to the car, but  when dad is working on the computer, he’s unlikely to notice that she’s struggling.  In his mind, he thinks that if she needs help she’ll ask…and you should!  Instead of waiting for him to notice, which he probably won’t, just ask him for help.  For example you can say, “Hon, can you help me carry a few things to the car?” You’ll be surprised he’ll happily come to assist you.  When you need help don’t be afraid to ask others too.  For example, at the grocery store accept help out to your car.  Get your children involved with household tasks such as helping you with cleaning.  And make cleaning fun and your children will help out and not see cleaning as drudgery. You can also hire a high school student for a few hours a week so you can work or have some pampering time to yourself.  The more you receive help the better you’ll feel, and your resentments will vanish.  

Step three is allowing some things to be left unfinished.  For example, if you’re really tired at the end the day, you don’t have to put the toys away. Everything doesn’t need to be perfect before you go to sleep.  No one will care or judge you, you will feel so much better after you have a good night’s sleep, and you’ll get it done quicker the next day.  

Try these three simple steps and see what happens.  You’ll probably get the help you need.  You’ll no longer feel resentful.  The passion with your husband or spouse will be reignited and you’ll have more patience with your children.  When mama’s happy…well, you know the rest.

Copyright 2008 Fit by Sara, Inc.
martyr
Sara Holliday, MFT, CPT, is a licensed marriage-family therapist, life and fitness coach, holistic health practitioner, and mother of two. She has a Masters Degree in Psychology and a Bachelors Degree in Kinesiology and maintains certifications and/or licenses in a multitude of health and fitness disciplines. As an expert in women and families’ health and wellness, Sara has appeared on numerous radio and TV shows including Oprah & Friends Radio, Martha Stewart Living Radio, Playboy Radio, PBS Radio, KABC, KNBC and KTLA and she is a columnist for several women’s health and fitness publications. For more info visit: http://www.fitbysara.com.

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Lighten Your Load

Sunday, September 7th, 2008

By Stephanie Vozza, The Organized Parent
My husband and I moved into a house that had an enormous amount of kitchen cabinets. In fact, everyone who visited remarked about how large the kitchen was. I boasted that I had drawers and cabinets that were empty. Less than a year later, every cabinet and drawer was full.

As humans, we seem to have a need to fill empty space. Take a purse for example. Chances are, if a woman carries a large bag, she has items inside that she really doesn’t need. That same woman can fit what she needs in an elegant – and tiny! – evening bag.

The first step to lightening your purse is choosing a smaller purse. If a small bag just doesn’t fit in your fashion radar, use your “evening bag mentality” and fill it with those things you need. Just because the purse is big doesn’t mean it has to be filled to capacity.

Routinely purge your purse like you would a closet. Take everything out of your purse and put it on the table. With each item, ask yourself these questions: Have this item been used during the past month? Does this item fit the needs of my daily tasks? Can this item be just as useful stored in my car or workplace? Am I carrying this item for someone else? If you answered no to the first two questions then do not put this item back in your purse. If you answered yes to the second two questions, then these items need to be returned to their owner or stored somewhere else.

The glove box of your car is a great place to keep a small sewing kit, a pouch with medications such as aspirin or antacids, a compact umbrella, and snacks for times when your child is “starving … can we stop at McDonalds.”

A full purse isn’t just messy, potential health risks come with toting around all that stuff. The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) recommends that a handbag weigh no more than 10 percent of its owner’s body weight. Place your bag on your bathroom scale; you might be surprised at what it weighs. When carried on one shoulder, it interferes with the natural movement of the upper and lower body.

“The person carrying the bag will hike one shoulder to subconsciously guard against the weight, holding the other shoulder immobile,” said Dr. Richard Brassard, president of the ACA. “This results in the unnatural counterbalance movement of one shoulder and little control over the movements of the arms and legs. Even worse, the spine curves toward the shoulder.”

Here are more tips from the ACA on choosing a handbag to prevent back pain:
•    When carrying a heavy purse, alternate it between both shoulders to avoid placing the burden on just one side of your body.
•    Empty your bag of unnecessary items each week.
•    Switch handbags so you don’t carry a big purse every day. Consider carrying two bags, a tote bag and a purse, and carry one in each hand. Or pack a tote to leave at the office or in the car, with essential items, such as a wallet and keys, carried in a small purse.
•    If you buy a big purse, choose one with wider straps, which helps distribute weight over a broader area of your shoulder.
•    Buy a backpack-style purse to better distribute the weight.
•    If you carry a laptop, consider a rolling bag.
•    Make an effort to square your shoulders.
•    And listen to your body. A healthy back is much more stylish than any large handbag.

Stephanie Vozza is the founder of www.theorganizedparent.com, a web site that offers smart products for busy moms. She lives in the Detroit area with her husband and two boys. Contact her at Stephanie@theorganizedparent.com.

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