With add-ons, the nursery cot just keeps on growing and giving.

Stokke AS is a Norwegian company owned by the Stokke family and founded in 1932 in Ålesund, in the northwestern part of Norway, but provides worldwide distribution through selected retailers represented in around fifty countries. They believe in creating unique, functional and long‐lasting products, attractively designed with a wide variety of accessories to provide, support, and promote wellbeing for both parent and child. The Stokke Sleepi bed was first launched in 1999.

The Stokke SleepI is made of solid attractive beech wood and grows in length so that one bed can be adapted as your child grows. There is a choice of color finishes – white, natural, walnut brown, grey and whitewash.

Here are the different stages:

1. For the newborn, the Stokke Sleepi Mini provides the perfect first bed as it creates a nest like environmment that is comfortable and secure. Smooth action lockable wheels can be used to rock your baby gently to sleep as well as making the crib easy to move from room to room while the width of 67 cm means it will easily fit through a standard doorway. Depending on your baby, this first size will fit up to 6 months.

2. The second stage of development is Stokke Sleepi Bed where the mini easily converts into a cot bed so that your baby has his or her similar and familiar environment but is safe and secure whether sleeping or awake. The height positions can be adjusted and the bed extension is an add-on to the Mini. Ideal up to the age of 18 months.

3. The same Stokke Sleepi Bed accommodates your todler’s changing development so that when he or she reaches the curious climbing stage, you can remove one side of the bed for easy access and to boost feelings of freedom and independence. This will be perfect for your young child up to the age of 3 years.

4. With the Junior Extension available as an add-on, the Stokke Sleepi Bed becomes the perfect sleeping place for your child up to the age of 10 years.

5. And there is even a 5th stage because once your child is 10 years old and ready to move into an adult bed, the Stokki Sleepi makes a practical mini sofa for any room in the home or it can be used as two chairs.

The Stokki keeps on going until your child has his or her own children and you need to start accommodating grandchildren!

Good nutrition is vital for your developing baby but also contributes to the strength and health of your skin, along with hydration, so drink those 8 glasses of water daily and make sure you take your vitamins.

Here are five skin problems that you might encounter during pregnancy:

Acne

We always tend to think of acne as a teenage problem but you might be surprised to know how many develop acne as adults and this of course can also happen during pregnancy when the skin is more sensitive and the hormonal balance is affected. It is vital to wash the skin with lukewarm water and a natural cleanser two or three times a day. Acne is caused by the overproduction of sebum which is an oily substance that forms in glands just under the surface of the skin. In normal times, this sebum flows out of hair follicles from the glands onto the skin to act as a natural skin moisturizer. But during times of hormonal uphealval such as pregnancy, a blockage can develop in the pores – made up of sebum, dead skin cells and bacteria. The blockage is only microscopic at first but, as it gets bigger, it develops into a blackhead or whitehead. Most of the sebaceous glands are found on the face, neck and back. This is where acne appears.

Cholasma

This is a condition that results in brown or yellow type patches of skin on the face. Some have given it the name of the “mask of pregnancy”.  This discoloration or darkening can appear in those areas around the eyes or the forehead, the bridge of the nose and on the cheeks. Again it is another hormonal effect as  progesterone and ostrogen stimulate melanin cells in the skin to produce more pigment. Intense sunlight can aggravate the condition. The good news is that the skin will go back to its normal self after the birth of your baby. While it is a good idea to avoid too much sunlight on your face, make sure to place the rest of your body in direct sun for 15 to 30 minutes daily (depending on your skin tone as the darker your skin, the longer you need). Sunlight is vital to boost and maintain your vitamin D levels for health reasons and to ensure you manufacture vitamin D in your breast milk for your new baby. If you cannot get sufficient vitamin D from the sun (for example because of being in a cold climate) then supplement with vitamin D3.

Linea nigra

This is when those busy stretching tummies develop a faint brown line from the navel to the pubic bone. This line is caused by hormonal changes during pregnancy and will usually disappear after the birth of the baby because the hormones will return to normal and the skin will renew itself.

Pigmentation

This is when the nipples (and that area around the nipples know as the areola) can become darker and might continue to remain darker even after the birth of the baby. Another fact that some moms-to-be notice is that their moles and freckles also become darker and even more prevalent.

Stretch marks

Any area on the body from the knees upwards can be prone to stretch marks. Stretch marks are tears in the lower layer of your skin. When the skin is stretched to its limit, it tears slightly allowing blood vessels to show through. If your mother or an older sister had stretch marks when they were pregnant, then you are more likely to. It makes good sense to do what you can to reduce the chances or severity of stretch marks if you are pregnant as your body can grow so rapidly that the skin cannot produce enough new tissue. Try to limit your weight gain and ensure it is as gradual as possible so the skin can stretch at a steady rate. Along with hydration, you can help to avoid stretch marks by using a brush or wash cloth to massage the areas where you have noticed stretch marks or want to prevent them occurring to increase circulation to the area. Include foods rich in zinc in your diet such as nuts and fish as well as those high in vitamins A, C and D like carrots, citrus fruits and milk and those foods rich in protein such as eggs. Avocados are especially good. Be sure to moisturize your skin for the whole of the pregnancy. Healing Natural Oils has formulated a product known as H-Stretch Marks made from pure essential oils which is 100% safe to use during pregnancy and while nursing to help prevent and eliminate stretch marks.

If you know what skin problems you can expect during pregnancy, they will not come as such a surprise and you will be prepared.

There is much to consider.

Manufacturers of sanitary pads and tampons are not legally required to provide the ingredients in their products. They do not have to list any chemicals used in the manufacturing process. In the search for ultimate “protection”, manufacturers have not always protected the user from the product itself.

Sanitary products are used to absorb a waste product from females but what in turn are women absorbing from their feminine hygiene items and right back into their blood stream? The vaginal area is especially absorbent and vulnerable.

Some sanitary products are not made from cotton but from rayon, viscose and cellulose wood fluff pulp. These are all tree-derived materials made up of fibers.

Synthetic tampons and pads contain dioxin and chlorine disinfection byproducts.

Sanitary pads (along with panty liners and nursing pads) are made from 90% plastic which is derived from crude oil.

The use of synthetic fibers and toxic chemicals can lead to allergic reactions when in contact with delicate tissue.

Tampons can create the ideal conditions for bacteria growth and can even lead to toxic shock syndrome or TSS which is a potentially life threatening condition.

What are the alternatives?

Eco-friendly and safer sanitary napkins are available that are advertised as 100% safe with no chemicals. The materials used are natural and the product is biodegradable. They also come with a negative ion tape embedded which is said to release a high concentration of negative ions, proven effective in killing bacteria. Such products are available from http://safe-intimate-care.com/

Natracare is a company that makes and sells all organic feminine care products such as tampons, night time pads, regular pads, pantyliner, maternity pads and nursing pads. These feminine products do come in all different sizes and are made using 100% cotton and the cotton isn’t dyed or bleached. The cotton is cleaned by using all natural hydrogen peroxide. Natracare feminine products are also very affordable (costing around five to six dollars per product). They are also very absorbent, keeping you dry and smelling fresh all day long. These products are available from http://www.ediblenature.com/

Another range of products is made from pure organic cotton. Organic cotton is made without the use of toxic fungicides, pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers and all those other baddies that we need to worry about. The good news about organic cotton is that it is not “Big Business” so when you support companies that use organic cotton in their production, you are helping to support the family farms that grow organic cotton. It is said that once you change to pure cotton feminine products, you will never want to go back to the old synthetic ones. They will feel so much more comfortable against the skin, allowing it to breathe; they are compatible with your body’s pH; they are hypoallergenic; and they have a natural absorbency. These products are available from www.mercola.com.

A product that is completely different to the conventional pads and tampons is the Mooncup (or MCUK as it is known in the US). The Mooncup is described as smarter sanitary protection and is a reusable menstrual cup, around two inches long and made from soft medical grade silicone. It is worn internally (a lot lower than a tampon) but, while tampons and pads absorb menstrual fluid, the Mooncup collects it. This means it doesn’t cause dryness or irritation, and also that it collects far more (three times as much as a ‘super-absorbent’ tampon). Because the Mooncup is reusable, you only need one so it saves you money and helps the environment, too. The initial cost is obviously higher than buying a few packs of tampons but it will pay for itself over and over again. The people at Mooncup believe it has the potential to greatly improve women’s experience of their periods, as well as reducing the environmental damage caused by the manufacture and disposal of throwaway sanitary protection. Made from soft medical grade silicone, the Mooncup is latex-free and contains no dyes, BPA, toxins or bleaches. Such products are available from http://www.mooncup.co.uk/

However, if you decide to continue using conventional feminine hygiene products, there are certain steps you can take to limit the risks:

-  Choose lower absorbency tampons over super absorbent types.

-  Don’t just use tampons during a period but alternate with sanitary pads or mini pads where possible.

-  Use an overnight sanitary pad at night time instead of inserting a tampon.

-  Avoid tampons that come with a plastic applicator as these can scratch your vaginal lining.

-  Do not be tempted to use a tampon between periods.

-  Always change tampons at frequently as possible (at least every 4 to 6 hours).

Safer to go green or change to more natural products while staying away from the conventional, harmful and unhealthy ones.

Breakfast is literally “breaking the fast” from the night before and it really does have many benefits.

- Breakfast increases your metabolic rate – that is how fast you burn calories. Eating breakfast will prevent your metabolism from going into the hunger-mode. Several hours after you have eaten, your metabolism shuts down and acts as if it needs to store food. It stores food for emergencies like if a famine were to break out leaving you without food for days.

- Breakfast kick starts your body into gear so that it knows what to expect for the rest of the day. It enables your body to process the next meal as quickly rather than trying to hold onto nutrients which is what would happen if you did not have breakfast in the first place.

- It makes you less likely to snack on high calorie food during the morning.

- Breakfast helps children to perform better on cognitive tests and in school.

- Breakfast helps adults to be more productive and alert. Another important reason to eat breakfast is to help your brain to function at its best. Your brain needs fuel in the form of glucose which comes from the food that you eat, helping you to work, talk and perform all other important activities. Studies have shown that eating breakfast helps to improve concentration, increases the ability to solve problems and boosts your mood.

- Breakfast will actually help those who wish to lose weight to achieve this goal as people who eat breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy weight.

- Those who eat breakfast are more likely to make good dietary choices the rest of the day.

So now that you know how important it is to have breakfast, here are some suggested food combinations, remembering to avoid those foods that are high in sugar, sodium, saturated fats and calories – and that includes all processed foods. Breakfast should include protein, good fats and plenty of fiber to help satisfy your hunger and keep you full and on the go for several hours. Free range eggs, dairy products and raw nuts provide protein; fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains such as oats provide the fiber while good fats include butter, olive oil, avocado oil and coconut oil.

- A good standby is a lightly boiled free range egg followed by wholegrain toast, butter and raw honey spread with some cinnamon.

- A plate of scrambled eggs with added parsley or a lightly poached egg on wholegrain toast. Eggs are really back in favor again and cannot be bettered for a wholesome food full of so many health benefitis.

- Make a bowl of oatmeal and add ground flaxseed, frozen blueberries, sliced almonds together with a little cinnamon and honey for a breakfast that has 4 power foods, fiber, nutrients, potein and good fats and tastes good too.

- Fill a bowl with organic yogurt, fresh berries or other fruits and add a healthy version of granola or muesli.

- Half a grapefruit prepared ready to eat in a bowl with a plate of whole-wheat toast spread with almond butter.

- A bowl of fresh fruit salad containing cut up apples, melons, berries, oranges, pears, bananas, grapes or other favorite fruits plus a little bit of lime or lemon juice.

- Protein shake using whey powder blended with milk, some frozen blueberries and almond butter or oatmeal. You can add a little ground flax seed in too.

- Cottage cheese with fruit such as apples, citrus or berries.

- Another fruit and cheese breakfast is to cut off some cheddar cheese and eat with slices of apple and protein rich walnuts.

- Toast a whole-grain or bran waffle and spread with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. Top with raisins, sesame seeds, or extra peanuts for even more fiber.

As a last resort, and if you really cannot eat a proper breakfast, split the whole process into 2 smaller meals by eating something less at home and follow it up an hour or two later with a healthy snack such as fruit and a handful of raw nuts.

Remember that a healthy breakfast does not have to be difficult to prepare – keep it simple and the important thing is to actually eat something. You will benefit in so many ways.

Yoga is an ancient Indian form of exercise with an holistic approach, concentrating on both mind and body while its roots can be traced back at least five thousand years. The name yoga means to join or to unite. The different yoga poses are called asanas and should be held steady while your breathing is controlled. The different breathing techniques are called pranayamas.

The many benefits of yoga in pregnancy include:

1. Leading moms-to-be into a calmer, safer place. For example the asana practice helps to open muscles of the pelvis, reduces pressure on ligaments and eases lower back pain while promoting flexibility, strength and stamina. Yoga focuses the entire body on releasing and relaxing.

2. yoga classes help to boost circulation while reducing fluid retention. The stretching exercises relieve aches and pains.

3. Throughout the different stages of pregnancy, yoga helps to alleviate that stress felt in the joints and muscles. As the uterus grows, the anterior tilt of the pelvis places extra strain on the lumbar spine, applies weight to the abdominals and externally rotates the femurs in the hip sockets leading to discomfort and fatigue. The practice of yoga can keep such problems from becoming chronic.

4. During pregnancy, the breasts become fuller and heavier causing tension in the upper back and shoulders and even temporay scoliosis if the baby favors one side of the uterus. The yoga pose known as the cat pose can bring relief by stretching the lumbar spine while releasing the neck and shoulders.

5. Yoga helps to prepare for the birth as it encourages breath and body awareness, reduces worry and teaches women to adapt to new situations.

6. During early labor, the practice of simple and relaxing poses can help remove the fear and anxiety at that time by decreasing adrenaline (caused by fear and anxiety) and increasing endorphins (natural painkillers).

7. Later stages of labor can be assisted by yoga positions such as squatting or “child’s pose” as the baby makes it way through the birth canal. At the same time, yoga has the advantage of adjusting the energy level of the  mother-to-be to help her shift into a more positive state of mind and body.

8. Yoga continues to be very beneficial after pregnancy, too. Postnatal yoga, which can be started about six weeks after the birth, strengthens abdominal muscles and the pelvic floor, helping women to get back to their pre-pregnancy shape faster.

9. Many pregnancy yoga group members go on to support each other after the birth of their babies socially by becoming friends or by forming small play groups or even babysitting pools.

10. Babies too can benefit from yoga as they receive increased oxygen and endorphins. During yoga, they are gently massaged and relaxed which has proven to be beneficial long after the birth itself.

If you are pregnant, or planning on becoming so, yoga could help to keep your pregnancy hassle-free. Yoga can help women sail through their pregnancy with minimal discomfort while also assisting in the birth and post delivery stages.

Just remember if you are not used to regular exercise: that you should start slowly; that the yoga room should be well ventilated; that you should be well hydrated; and that it is a good idea to have a light snack before commencing the yoga class. The classes should at all times be gentle and safe.

There are many other health benefits from salmon too:

Inflammation

those same omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon can be converted by the body into three types of compounds that prevent chronic inflammation. Inflammation can lead to so many conditions including arthritis. The incredibly high content of vitamin D and selenium found in salmon have also been shown to be key agents in preventing unwanted inflammation.

Cognitive function

it is well known that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is the most important fat found in the brain. The omega-3 fatty acid in salmon aids the thinking process in the brain and decreases the risk of certain brain-related problems such as depression, hostility in tees and the cognitive decline in the ageing.

Cancer prevention

Vitamin D has been shown to play a crucial role in lowering the risk of several types of cancer, including breast, prostate and colorectal cancer. While sunlight exposure is the best source of vitamin D, salmon is one of the few foods that contains particularly high levels of vitamin D together with selenium. These two are associated with prevention of certain types of cancer, including colorectal cancer. Omega-3 fat is also connected to decreased risk for several types of cancer, including colorectal cancer, prostate cancer and breast cancer. Regular omega-3 intake has been proven particularly effective against the blood cell or lymph cell-related cancers such as leukemia.

Eye health

Fish oil is good for improving vision while helping avoid macular degeneration in the ageing. The omega-3 fats found in salmon have been demonstrated to be effective in combating both macular degeneration and chronic dry eye with 2 servings of salmon per week being the optimum intake.

Cardiovascular health

Eating salmon has been connected to a decreased risk of numerous cardiovascular problems such as heart attack, stroke, heart arrhythmia and high blood pressure. It is also linked with improved metabolic markers for cardiovascular disease. The high levels of the antioxidant selenium in salmon are important in cardiovascular protection.

Skin and hair health

The omega-3s found in salmon lock moisture into skin cells thus encouraging the production of strong collagen and elastin fibres and this contributes to a more youthful looking skin – less wrinkles. Skin blemishes and improved hair appearance are other benefits.

The concerns

The many health benefits of salmon plus their popular taste has meant an increased consumer demand. This has led to the cultivation of salmon on a large scale, accounting for some 50% of the worldwide production. Although there are conflicting opinions on this, apparently salmon is relatively free of mercury and other toxic chemicals.

Wild salmon feed on smaller fish, other sea creatures and insects. In the expanse of the ocean, where they spend most of their lives, they tend to be free of disease.

On the other hand, farmed salmon are free of large predators but subject to tiny ones. Their big drawback is that they live in a crowded environment which predisposes to infection and few get to market without antibiotics. These are the equivalent of factory farms on the land. They feast on grains and chicken parts or fish meal which is unnatural, requiring little energy expenditure. Like human couch potatoes, their flesh contains more saturated fat. Unfortunately almost all the salmon that comes from the North Atlantic is raised this way.

According to the writer at http://www.stoneagedoc.com/Farmed-salmon.htm the healthiest and safest salmon comes from Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. But he warns that: “as pollution spreads and testing facilities identify more cancer-causing chemicals, even this may eventually need re-evaluation. Until then, salmon remains an excellent nutritional staple whose heart-healthy benefits far outweigh the risk of cancer.”

Whether your young child is starting school for the first time or going back after the long school holidays, the whole family needs to get into an organized and stress-free routine once more. And top of the list is doing your best to ensure a happy and healthy child who is ready to learn and to enjoy his or her time at school.

Lunch box

Pack a healthy lunch (and one that your child will actually eat) in a BPA and lead-free lunch box or bag. In an article on NaturalNews, the writer suggested the traffic light model for children’s lunches.

Green for Go – all the fruits, veggies, whole grain products, nuts and organic meats and dairy – suggestions include organic blueberries, strawberries, graqpes, apples, a hardboiled egg, peanut butter or cheese sandwiches on whole grain bread, yoghurt (for a daily probiotic), nuts, trail mix, organic chips, carrot sticks or cheese sticks.

Yellow for Caution – the ones you should be more careful about including in the lunch box – desserts, baked goods and juices and…

Red for Stop – those you should avoid at all costs – sodas, foods with artificial coloring, flavoring or sweetening and processed foods.

Also be aware that many classrooms are declared “peanut or nut free zones” because of child allergies so that cuts out some of your options. Add a re-usable bottle of purified water and a small ice pack to keep the whole packed lunch cool and fresh both in hot weather and when the classroom is heated. Try to pack your children’s lunches the night before to save time and stress during the morning rush.

Get involved in what your child’s school stocks in any vending machines or provides in a cafeteria. Encourage the school to stock healthy choices such as fresh fruit, dairy products, water and 100 percent fruit juice in the vending machines. Remember that each 12-ounce soft drink can contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar. Drinking just one can of soda a day increases a child’s risk of obesity by 60%.

The morning rush

Get into the habit of having a “sit down” and healthy breakfast with your children before they leave for school. I tell my young grandson that he needs both “brain food” and “growing food” for his day at school. This is a good time for them to take a supplement to boost their immune systems for the coming school year – particularly the winter months when the cold and flu germs start doing the rounds. Please avoid any thought of a flu vaccine – so much safer to boost the immune system naturally with healthy eating, regular exercise and a good night’s sleep. Vitamin D is vital for that same immune system and unless you live in a warm climate with plenty of sunshine all the year round and exposure to that sunlight, your child is going to need to take a vitamin D3 supplement during the winter months. The dose should be 2000IU daily.

Exercise

Talking of exercise, this is important every day for your child’s health whether it is structured exercise, riding a bike or playing in a park or the back yard with other children. A good rule of thumb is to have 30 minutes of play or exercise for every 30 minutes spent in front of a TV screen. Of course time for study or homework has to be fitted in too.

Clothes for school

Clothing can be another problem in the morning so work out with your child the night before what he or she is going to wear and bear in mind any dress code guidelines and abide by these. An easy to carry backpack should be packed ready with all supplies to cut down on the morning rush. The backpack should have wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back. Organize the backpack to use all of its compartments with the heavier items closest to the center of the back. The backpack should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of your child’s body weight and ensure your child uses both shoulder straps, as slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain muscles.

Finally, say goodbye to your child with confidence and love, reassuring him that you will see him again at the end of the day. If he has been used to going to pre-school, there should be no difficulties. And the next day or that evening, the organization starts all over again!

This method is certainly not new because I used to resort to this with my youngest child in the 1970s and she is now a mother herself with a similar problem.

Never one to miss a business opportunity, companies are always inventing gadgets to put and keep your baby asleep. They know that tired and working parents will pay a high price for a good night’s sleep.

Now Fisher-Price have had a brainwave and come up with an imitation car trip – a seat that simulates a car journey. This brand new product rocks babies to sleep at home by imitating the swaying of a moving car AND the noise of the engine. “The Fisher-Price Cruisin’ Motion Soother sees your baby strapped into a snug bucket seat, where they feel the uneven motions of a car ride. There are also sounds that mimic engine hum and other noises.” And they did they homework as a survey revealed that 40% of new mothers drive their babies around to get them to doze off. It is a surprisingly common practise.

I think this new soother is a great idea – just think of the saving of gas, and time, and wear and tear on your vehicle (not to mention the environment) and the cost is approximately $34.99.

Of course such a gadget is not going to fit your baby or young child indefinitely so you will in time need to decide on a strategy for your baby’s sleeping habits. Everyone has different ideas about where a baby should or should not sleep but don’t always bow to pressure and wherever all family members sleep the best, is the right way for you and your baby. Each baby is of course unique and while some will sleep the best in their own cot and in their own room, others sleep more happily in a cot next to their parents’ bed or even snuggled right in bed next to their mother.

Such sleeping arrangements can change from time to time during the baby’s first two years of life for a variety of reasons. But do try to aim for having your child sleeping in his or her own bed (and if possible own room) by the time they are 2 years old. Eventually, you and your baby will work out the best sleeping arrangement for you both particularly as your child grows older.

In the early days, you just need to remember that the way your baby goes to sleep at night is the way they will want to go back to sleep if they happen to wake up during the night. So it might be better if you can vary the methods used to put your baby to sleep unless of course you are lucky enough to have a child who goes off to sleep quite happily every night with no fuss and no special treatment – a self soothing method. Unfortunately, such babies seem to be few and far between. Some need to be rocked or nursed to sleep either by breast feeding or bottle feeding while others like to be sung to sleep – these are the babies who need the parent soothing method which can of course be tiring and time consuming for the parent.

Whatever method you use to put your baby to sleep at night (and even during the day), it should be a happy experience for both of you. The Cruisin’ Motion Soother could be just what you have been waiting for!

There is a newcomer to the milk production industry and according to studies in Italy, it is proving to be a good alternative milk choice for those babies and children who suffer from cows milk allergies. This new kid on the block is the humble donkey.

According to the head pediatrician at the allergy unit at St. Anna Hospital in Turin, Italy, studies have been carried out on the effects of donkey milk for the past 7 years. And the donkeys (700 in total) at a farm in Northern Italy from where some fifty per cent of production is being sold to such pediatric units in the area.

Dr Giovanna Monti says: “We use this milk mostly for children who are allergic to certain proteins in cows’ milk. These proteins are often also present in formulated milk too.” She adds that the donkey milk is very similar to human milk and has many benefits.

Donkey milk has several health benefits in its favor:

1. It has a low saturated fat content plus high levels of omega three and six (putting it on a par with oily fish) so it can help lower cholesterol.

2. It has high levels of calcium, making it especially suitable for young and growing children.

3. It contains the enzyme Lysozeme, which is anti-bacterial and can protect against intestinal infections.

4. It can be made into a baby formula basis with added calories, making it suitable to feed a newborn baby.

5. It can be used in place of soya milk which has been getting a bad press lately and is now considered to be an unsuitable and even dangerous food for babies and children who are lactose intolerant. All allergies are unfortunately on the rise.

6. The use of goat and sheep’s milk is not always a suitable alternative because in most cases these milks will also lead to allergies.

I know that I said that donkey milk is the new kid on the block but actually donkey milk has been in use for centuries with Hippocrates promoting the milk for a whole range of conditions back in 460 BC with many other civilizations following in his footsteps.

Interestingly, the United Kingdom used donkey milk as an alternative to breast milk in times of need up until the nineteenth century.

However, donkeys have not evolved like cows to be milk machines, their milk production is limited and donkeys only have 2 teats instead of 4. For these reasons, donkey milk is hardly likely to become a big player in the milk production industry.

But as a safer alternative for those babies and children in need, this could be the future.

You might be interested to know that donkey cheese from the Balkans is the world’s most expensive cheese!  Called Pule cheese, this costs $1 350 per kilo and takes 25 liters of milk to make the one kilogram.

The average liter of breast milk contains insufficient vitamin D and so mothers need to boost this. Sunlight is the ideal way to go with half an hour’s exposure especially between the hours of 10 am and 2 pm on a daily basis. Sunlight (UV-B) is a primary and effective way to fulfill the requirement of Vitamin D. This is why many experts recommend getting an exposure of sunlight for at least 15-20 minutes daily but remember the darker your skin, the longer you need. Using soap if showering or bathing a few hours before or after this sun exposure and/or putting on sunscreen will negate the benefit of the vitamin D.

If sunlight exposure is impossible, especially in winter, then a vitamin D3 supplement is necessary.

According to Professior Bruce Hollis (a former director of the Vitamin D Council) the optimum blood level of vitamin D in pregnant and nursing mothers is 40 to 50 ng/ml. He came to this important conclusion when he was testing the levels of vitamin D in babies and found that when the nursing mothers had those levels, their breast milk in turn had enough vitamin D to support their babies. He further found that at levels below 40, the vitamin D content of breast milk became unpredictable.

For obvious reasons, this provides a good bench mark for the rest of us and if pregnant women can reach that level, there is no need to provide additional vitamin D supplements to babies all the time they are being breast fed. It is therefore so important both for moms-to-be and their babies to receive plenty and sufficient vitamin D.

Why is vitamin D so important to both moms and babies?

• The most common problem caused by a deficiency of Vitamin D is rickets. At first it was thought that calcium was the only component that affected the bones. Now it is known that vitamin D regulates the absorption of calcium from the blood stream.
• A deficiency in vitamin D can lead to asthma and even lung infections.
• Studies have revealed that low vitamin D in new born babies can double the risk of schizophrenia and other brain related disorders in later years.

So mothers-to-be can ensure they have adequate levels of vitamin D when they start breastfeeding by either getting enough sun exposure or taking enough vitamin D (usually 4,000–6,000 IU per day) to produce breast milk that is rich in vitamin D.

Additional vitamin D also occurs in foods like fortified milk, egg yolk, cheese, cereals and oily fish. are rich in Vitamin D.

As babies grow older, they also need to be exposed to gradual and regular sunlight. Children over the age of 1 year should take 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 supplements per every 25 pounds of body weight each day but if they spend the summer months outside they do not need to take any until the winter months come round again.

1. Bread was used for centuries but more recently the bagel has come into its own. You can freeze the bagel and even when it defrosts, it is the right consistency and an easy shape for a young child to hold and try to bite into.

2. The old sugary teething biscuits have been replaced with modern sugar-free versions but be wary of artificial sweeteners being used instead.  These are a definite no-no.

3. Vegetables such as carrots and cucumbers are ideal for teething after cooling in the refrigerator first. Older babies will be able to hold them too.

4. Other cold remedies include the freezing of apple slices so that the cold and the enzymes relieve the teething pain.

5. Another cold method is to place frozen peas or organic corn into a damp baby sock, securely tie it and then hand to baby to chew on.

6. Yet another is to freeze a fully ripe banana, secure it in a small nut milk bag and voila!

7. I found a really old and cold method from many years back from a Grandma who used to put an ice cube into the center of a clean wash cloth, place a rubber band around it to keep the ice cube in place. The wash cloth then soaked up the water from the ice cube as it melted.

8. Hylands Teething Gel comes highly recommended by lots of moms and an all-natural teething gel with no benzocaine, no sugar, no artificial flavoring, no dyes or coloring agents and no parbens. For more information on this 100% natural, effective treatment, go to http://www.hylands.com/products/teethinggel.php

9. Another helpful hint for teething is to push down very hard to help cut the teeth and give instant relief.

10. A very popular method is to order and use an amber teething necklace. They help teething babies to sleep through the night, stay happy and relaxed and they even stop the drooling! Here is the web site so you can check them out – www.amberartisans.com/amberbracelets.html

11. Homeopathic Chamomilla is the the remedy of choice for many moms to ease teething discomfort. It is very effective and safe.

There is plenty to choose from this list so you find the perfect natural remedy for your teething baby or toddler to make him or her feel so much better again.

Image via Wikipedia

There are two sides to the biotic coin – there are antibiotics and then there are probiotics and if you have to take an antibiotic for any reason, then you need a probiotic to counteract the effects of the antibiotic. We all need probiotics or the “friendly bacteria” which when ingested acts to maintain a healthy intestinal tract and to help fight illness and disease so that we are less likely to need anti-biotics in the future!

“Probiotic” means “for life”.

A healthy lower intestine should contain at least 85% friendly bacteria to prevent the over colonization of disease-causing micro-organisms like E. coli and salmonella. So that means a ratio of 85% friendly bacteria to 15% unfriendly bacteria for optimum good health.

Unfortunately, many people have this percentage reversed.

Fortunately, probiotics are available in the form of dietary supplements and foods.

The benefits of taking probiotics in your food or as supplements are to:

- Treat diarrhea, especially following treatment with certain antibiotics

- Prevent and treat vaginal yeast infections and urinary tract infections

- Treat candida overgrowth

- Treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

- Reduce bladder cancer recurrence and decrease the risk of certain other cancers

- Speed up treatment of certain intestinal infections

- Prevent and treat eczema and other allergies in children

- Prevent or reduce the severity of colds and flu

- Prevent or reduce the incidence of rhinitis and/or hayfever

- Decrease dental-carries-causing microbes in the mouth

- Keep healthy people staying healthy

Many probiotic foods have been used for centuries in different cultures in the form of fermented foods and cultured milk products but recently American interest in probiotics has been growing with the country’s spending, on probiotoc supplements, tripling in just 10 years. This could be as a reaction to the obsession with anti bacterial cleaning products and hand sanitizers as well as food safety regulations where food is sterilized and pasturized. In the quest to get rid of bad bacteria, the good can disappear too. Everything may be a lot cleaner and less disease ridden but not necessarily a lot healthier.

When shopping for food, look out for those labeled as ‘health-promoting’ that contain good bacteria. These include yogurt, some cheeses and sauerkraut. But for a complete list of the best probiotic foods to add to your diet, here are 10 from an article from Dr Edward Group.

http://www.healthiertalk.com/top-10-probiotic-foods-add-your-diet-3424

1. One of the best probiotic foods is live-cultured yogurt, especially when handmade from goat’s milk. Goat’s milk and cheese are particularly high in probiotics like thermophillus, bifudus, bulgaricus and acidophilus. Be aware that not all yogurts are made equally as many popular brands are filled with HFCS (high fructose corn syrup), artificial sweeteners and flavors.

2. Similar to yogurt, kefir is a fermented dairy product with a unique combination of goat milk and fermented grains. High in lactobacilli and bifidus bacteria, kefir is also rich in antioxidants and available from your local health food shop but check the ingredients as the quality can vary. You can even make your own kefir.

3. Made from fermented cabbage (as well as other vegetables), sauerkraut is not only extremely rich in healthy live cultures, vitamins B, A, E and C, but also assists in reducing allergy symptoms.

4. Delicious, high-quality dark chocolate has 4 times the amount of probiotics as many forms of dairy. If eaten in moderation, chocolate has many other health benefits too.

5. There are super-food ocean-based plants such as spirulina, chorella, and blue-green algae, collectively known as microalgae, that have been shown to increase the levels of both lactobacillus and bifidobacteria in the digestive tract, as well as offering the most amount of energetic return, per ounce, for the human system.

6. Miso is one the mainstays of Japanese traditional medicine, and is commonly used in macrobiotic cooking as a digestive regulator. Made from fermented rye, beans, rice or barley, adding a tablespoon of miso to hot water will make an excellent, quick, probiotic-rich soup. Beyond its important live cultures, miso is extremely nutrient-dense and is believed to help neutralize the effects of environmental pollution while alkalinizing the body and stopping the effects of carcinogens in the system.

7. lacto-fermented pickles such as the common green pickle.

8. As a great substitute for meat or tofu, tempeh is a fermented, probiotic-rich grain made from soybeans. A great source of vitamin B12, this vegetarian food can be sautéed, baked or eaten crumbled on salads. If prepared correctly, tempeh is also very low in salt, which makes it an ideal choice for those on a low-sodium diet.

9. This Asian form of pickled sauerkraut, known as kimchi, is an extremely spicy and sour fermented cabbage, served with most meals in Korea. In addition to its beneficial bacteria, Kimchi is also a great source of beta-carotene, calcium, iron and vitamins A, C, B1 & B2.

10. Kombucha Tea is a form of fermented tea high in healthy gut bacteria that has been used as a probiotic drink for centuries. The benefits include helping to increase your energy, enhancing your wellbeing and even leading to weight loss. It is not suitable for those with a candida overgrowth.

Remember to buy organic or raw, unpasturized probiotics whenever you can.

1. Sleep keeps our hearts healthy. Lack of sleep has been linked with high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which are possible risk factors for heart disease and stroke. So our hearts will be healthier if we can get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each and every night.

2. Sleep could prevent cancer. Studies have shown that those who work a late shift have a higher risk of breast and colon cancer. It is thought that this is because night shift works have different levels of melatonin when they are exposed to light at night. Melatonin is the hormone that makes us sleepy in the first place and it is also considered to be a protection against cancer by suppressing the growth of tumors. When shift workers work at night, obviously in artificial light, this light exposure at night reduces the levels of melatonin in their systems. This is why those who sleep at night, whatever their age, should be in a darkened room to ensure the production of this vital melatonin.

3. Good sleep reduces our stress. If our bodies are sleep deprived, this causes stress so that all our body’s functions are on high alert. Such a state can increase blood pressure and the production of stress hormones adding to risk factors for heart attacks and strokes.

4. Sleep reduces inflammation in our bodies. This is important as inflammation is thought to be one of the causes of deterioration in the health of our bodies as we age. Any increase in our stress hormones because lack of sleep can raise the level of inflammation. As well as heart-related conditions, this can also be a risk factor for cancer and diabetes.

5. Sleep makes us feel more alert. A good night’s sleep means you start the new day feeling more energized and ready to go. If you are busy and active all day long, you will sleep well the next night too. It has a domino effect.

6. Sleep bolsters our memories. When we sleep and dream, a process called memory consolidation occurs, so if we can get a night of good quality sleep, this will help us to remember and process things better the next day.

7. Sleep can even help us to lose weight. This is good news for many of us because researchers have found that people who sleep less than seven hours per night are more likely to be overweight or obese. The reason is probably that the lack of sleep impacts the balance of hormones in our body, affectting our appetitie.

8. Naps can make us smarter. Dont be embarrassed if you feel the need to have a nap during ghe day as this can be an effective and refreshing alternative to caffeine, while protecting our health and making us more productive. In addition, napping can improve our memory, cognitive function and mood.

9. Sleep may reduce our risk for depression. This is because sleep impacts many of the chemicals in our bodies such as serotonin. If we have a deficiency in serotonin we are more likely to suffer from depression.

10. Sleep helps our body repair itself. During sleep, our bodies repair the damage caused by stress, ultraviolet rays and any other harmful exposures. This is because our cells produce more protein when we sleep, forming the building blocks for cells, allowing them to repair damage.

Don’t be tempted to take short cuts on those hours of sleep you need – it is too important for your health.

The numbers of skin problems, allergies, eczema, mood disorders, hyperactivity and attention deficit disorders have been increasing in an alarming way over recent times while a lowered immunity is also becoming a problem. The reasons for this could be household chemicals, preservatives, toxins, pollutants and of course the controversial vaccines.

So how about following these 10 natural ways to grow an earth child:

1. Traces of chemical toxins from body products are found in the newly birthed umbilical chord which means that products used by you could be absorbed and passed onto the unborn baby. Such products include nail polish, hair color, skin cream, deodorants and shampoos. Look for organic and natural alternatives as your first step to growing a natural baby when you discover you are pregnant.

2. Right from the beginning of your pregnancy, make it known that you are planning a natural baby so you can ensure that any baby gifts given to you by kind family and friends will be gifts you can use. They may need to be more inventive but nothing wrong with that! There are plenty of natural baby products on the market today including those made with pure essential oils. There are web sites devoted to toys and clothing that are eco and baby friendly.

3. Top of the list can be natural fiber, biodegradable or re-usable nappies.

4. Find pure cotton linen, clothing and mattress covers for the nursery.

5. Use sheepskin, wool or cotton to cover synthetic car seats.

6. Decorate your baby’s nursery (and preferably the whole of your house too) with low or zero VOC paints and use eco friendly furniture, curtains and flooring as well.

7. Once your baby has been born, breastfeeding strengthens a baby’s immunity and is the best environmentally friendly feeding option. The big plus for moms is that breast feeding helps to prevent breast cancer.

8. Once your baby is on to solids, encourage a taste for natural and organic. Choose natural sweeteners like stevia or maple syrup. Honey can be used once they are older. Children who are exposed to synthetic flavors like MSG tend to develop cravings and seek out junk food. Enlist the aid of your whole family in changing to a more healthy way of living for your child’s sake and your own good health. Be aware of food sensitivities like wheat and dairy which do not agree with some children. If so try alternatives like rye or rice or oat milk. Go for organic whenever you can – without pesticides, preservatives and additives you minimize the chances of toxic build up. Keep your child away from as many processed, refined and sugary foods as possible.

9. Vitamin D is vital for us all including a natural baby – if there is sunshine available, take your baby out in it for a short period every day. Sunlight is the very best way to boost vitamin D levels. If the weather is cloudy and wintry, give vitamin D drops.

10. As your baby grows, teach him or her about recycling, composting and planting. Foster a love for being outdoors and enjoying nature. Nature makes us feel good and it will make your children feel good too. Young children are little sponges and will soak up everything you give them. Don’t always resort to TV for entertainment. Use sensory stimulation such as music as a replacement some of the time.

Your baby depends on you to keep him or her safe and healthy – growing a natural baby gives the best possible start.

What a novel way to cover up varicose veins!

You and the tattoo artist could be very innovative in designing tattoos especially for that purpose depending on where the varicose veins were situated and how much they showed up in the first place. There could be a serpent or a snake winding its way up in much the same way as the varicose vein itself or there could be a spider in a web for those spider veins. The possibilities are almost endless!

But enough joking about this rather serious subject.

I suffered from varicose veins myself which only appeared in my 3rd pregnancy and so of course I always blame my daughter for these! Back in the 1980s, there were not many options for removing varicose veins and I went down the stripping and removing route and had to wear support stockings for several weeks afterwards. It was quite a successful procedure as up until then I had endured some pain and discomfort and this all disappeared afterwards. But my legs were never the same again from an appearance point of view so I have to keep them tanned as much as possible as this definitely hides some of the evidence.

Apart from pregnancy, varicose veins tend to be inherited and become more prominent as you age.

The following reasons can aggravate the problem:

- Prolonged standing

- Obesity or a distended belly

- Straining because of chronic constipation, urinary retention from an enlarged prostate, a chronic cough or any other conditions that cause you to strain for long periods of time as all of these can cause an increase in the forces transmitted to the leg veins and possibly resulting in varicose veins

- Previous surgery or other trauma to the leg which can interrupt the normal blood flow channels

- Ageing as many older people can show degrees of varicose veins

So what options are there for those suffering from spider veins and varicose veins in 2010?

Varicose veins and spider veins are treated with lifestyle changes and medical treatments to relieve symptoms; prevent complications; and improve appearance. Some of these treatments are:

- Compression stockings are one option that put helpful pressure on your veins. The best kind to use are prescription-strength gradient compression hose, which offer the greatest amount of pressure. They are sold in medical supply and drug stores. You need to be fitted for them by someone who has been trained to do this.

- You have a natural option that works on both varicose veins and spider veins to reduce the swelling of the veins and improve the circulation so that gradually shrinkage of the veins will be complete. Formulated with pure essential oils, such a treatment is 100% safe for pregnant and nursing mothers too.  This safe and gentle option is very cost effective.

Then for spider veins and even smaller varicose veins, there is:

- Sclerotherapy which involves injecting a chemical inside the vein that obliterates it. More than one treatment may be necessary. There can be complications in certain cases and bandages may have to remain in place for up to 3 weeks with the wearing of compression stockings recommended for some time after treatment. Sclerotherapy works well and successfully for most patients with veins. It is estimated that as many as fifty to eighty percent of injected veins may be eliminated with each injection session.

- In some cases, laser treatments can effectively treat spider veins and smaller varicose veins. This technique sends very strong bursts of light through the skin onto the vein. This makes the vein slowly fade and disappear. Not all skin types and colors can be safely treated with lasers. No needles or incisions are used, but the heat from the laser can be quite painful. Cooling helps reduce the pain. Laser treatments last for 15 to 20 minutes. Generally 2 to 5 treatments are needed to remove spider veins in the legs but you can return to normal activity right after treatment.

For larger varicose veins there is:

- Endovascular laser therapy which is a new technique that uses a laser to destroy the vein. Usually performed in a doctor’s office, the procedure takes about 30 to 45 minutes. The small laser is passed into the vein with guidance from the ultrasound machine. The laser is then fired up and the entire vein is fibrosed. The laser is used on several different locations and the entire procedure is performed with some local anesthesia. With this procedure, recovery is rapid and involves minimal pain. Except for some mild bruising and a numbing sensation, no other side effects have been noted.

- Radiofrequency ablation is a similar technique to endovascular laser, but it uses heat to destroy the vein. The probe is placed in the vein under ultrasound and once in position, the vein is heated along the entire length. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia and takes about 30 minutes. It is also a relatively new procedure and so far, the short-term results have been excellent.

So if varicose veins and spider veins are a problem for you, investigate the different options to help you decide what is the best way forward. There is plenty of choice.

While having a baby can be one of the most exciting, exhilarating and frightening experiences parents (and moms in particular) can face, the arrival of a new baby affects the whole family.

Whether or not the new baby is the first in the family, the anticipation surrounding this new arrival can affect everyone. The existing family’s life is about to change both permanently and dramatically causing a lot of emotions for everyone. The dad is on edge, any older children are confused or excited and even the family cat or dog senses something is not quite right.

For the new mom herself, after nine months of physical and emotional changes, she has a brand new life in her arms with so much running through her head. Having a whole host of of emotions is perfectly natural when you have a new baby, and it remains that way whether it is your first, second or fifth! Her hormone changes can result in an emotional roller coaster. Pregnancy brings major shifts in hormones anyway and these only reach a peak with labor and delivery. But once you are home and responsible for a tiny human being, it can be a daunting proposition.

Sadly, many moms can be overwhelmed with worry, doubt and even feelings of depression during what should be one of the most joyful moments of their lives. And increasingly, society is becoming aware that new dads too can be affected by these same feelings of depression.

So families, just try to take a deep breath. This is all perfectly normal, you are by no means the only ones feeling this way (there are loads of other new parents out there too) and you can weather the storm. If you have other young children in the family, expect them to play up at this time – it is a big adjustment for them and they may well test you. They will soon get used to having a new baby in the house, realize that he or she is not going away again, and with a bit of luck will get on with their lives in the same way as they did before.

And new moms, all those hormones that were jostled around during the 9 months of preganancy, well these now have to settle back into place and this will take a bit of time. You will need to be patient and so don’t be too hard on yourself. If anyone offers a helping hand, grab it quickly!

Everyone suffers a little bit from the baby blues but if you feel that in your case, things are really not right nor getting any better, then this could be a sign of postpartum depression and you should chat to your doctor for his help, guidance and some treatment if necessary.

If you are convinced that it is just exhaustion and not depression, then you know you should take that advice that has probably been given to you many times – sleep when your baby does. Also try not to worry too much about the chores and the home in those early days and make sure you have some time to yourself. Looking after yourself means you are better able to look after your new baby.

Include the rest of your family in the enriching experience of taking care of the new baby.

I am fortunate in that I have been able to come and spend some time with my daughter and her young family in these early weeks since the birth of the new baby to help out where needed. As I normally live on the other side of the world, this time is proving to be extra special.

So for your health’s sake, it is imperative for you to have regular breaks just for yourself.

It is often a lot easier to be a career mother than a stay at home mom. The demands of the working world are considerably less. You will definitely get less grey hairs! So do whatever it takes to negotiate with your partner or husband, your mother or mother-in-law or anyone you can trust for some regular time off to just do your own thing. If this is absolutely impossible then what about making a plan with a close friend in a similar situation. One week you look after her children and yours for an afternoon and the next week, she returns the favour.

A couple of years ago, Melissa Chapman-Mushnick gave some tips for the super mamas out there to protect them from themselves on the site http://www.ivillage.com/time-saving-tips-moms-me-time/6-a-128017

Apart from the “me” time she also suggested:

-  “Get a good babysitter. You can also alternate babysitting duties with your friends. In fact, if you have kids that are the same age, you’ll get both an afternoon for yourself and a play date for your child.

-  Identify at least five tasks that drain your energy – and eliminate them from your routine. If it’s cleaning the house, think about getting a housekeeper to come in once a month to do the heavy cleaning. Paying someone to clean your house is equal to the cost of two people going to dinner and a movie.

-  Give yourself permission to say “no.” If you’re too over-extended with volunteer activities, give some of them up.  You have to get good at disappointing people if you want to live a sane life.

-  Embrace your guilt. Guilt is good. Most women never face the feeling. You need to learn to sit with the feeling until it loses its power and you realize that it’s not going to kill you. And whenever you start to feel guilty, just smile and know that you’re doing something good for yourself.

-  Make a list of 10 things that give you energy. Anything goes: playing with your daughter in the backyard, reading a good novel, painting your nails, listening to great music. Too often moms see these tasks as indulgences, but you should recognize that they’re really the fuel that gets you through the day.”

In addition, Dr. Nadine Kaslow, professor of psychiatry at Emory University and chief psychologist for the Grady Health System, goes on to explain how some working moms need more “me” time too. She says: “As more and more women are in the workplace and are working full time, and then they often come home and work full time, so they often have two full-time jobs. I think as the pace of life has gotten even faster with even more and more demands, children having more activities, cell phones, text messaging, e-mailing. The demands have gotten greater.”

She advises the need for making yourself a bigger priority.

“There are a number of reasons it’s good for a woman to take care of herself,” Kaslow explained. “First of all it’s really hard to take care of other people if you are not taking care of yourself. If you think about a car metaphor, if there’s not enough fuel in the car, the car won’t go,” she said. “A second reason is when people aren’t taking care of themselves, they tend to get resentful of the other people they are taking care of in their lives, so they may become short or irritable with them. A third reason is that life is more meaningful and gratifying if we take care of ourselves; we tend not to feel depressed,” she added. “We feel less anxious, and moms who are not depressed and less anxious are more able to be effective mothers.”

So there you have it – no more excuses! You never know, there could even be a further upside – your young child or children actually miss you and appreciate all you do for them! Whatever the outcome, your health is definitely going to benefit and in the long run, everyone else will too.

Resolve to treat your constipation problems naturally.

Here are lots of different ways for you to try and I am sure you will find a few that will work perfectly for you. They are set out as appropriate to the different times of the day:

Morning

- A simple remedy is to add the juice of a lemon and some rock salt to a glass of warm water. Drink on an empty stomach first thing to treat any constipation.

- Cleanse your system with a lemon-maple syrup elixir. In a pint sized glass, mix hot water, 1 tablespoon of 100% pure maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, and a pinch of Cayenne pepper which will tickle your insides to release that waste! Drink this for breakfast and fast until lunchtime for 2 weeks to allow your digestive system to rest and the cleansing drink to do its work.

- Drink fresh vegetable juice and nourish your body with live food enzymes from fruits and vegetables. When you juice fruits and vegetables, you separate the organic water from the pulp. The result is a glass of minerals and nutrients in a liquid form. Take at least once a day, and eventually build up to 2 times a day. The benefits from juicing are endless.

- Exercise such as going for a long walk will get things flowing regularly and easily in no time. When you do light exercises, your heart rate starts pumping and your blood starts flowing which will help aid in the constipation. A great exercise is to lie down on your back with a small folded blanket under your lower back. Take a deep breath and gradually raise both legs straight up. Do not bend the knees or raise the legs abruptly. Gradually lower the legs (not too quickly now!) and take a deep breath. Repeat this at least 15 to 20 times. This will help relieve constipation.

Noon

- Eat an all natural foods diet for easy digestion. If the food you eat is processed and contains refined sugars and chemicals, your body won’t recognize it and won’t know how to digest it. The more waste you have inside, the weaker your system will be and the more you’ll be constipated.

- Be careful how you combine your foods. Don’t mix carbs and protein. Combine carbs with vegetables and proteins with vegetables, but never combine carbs and proteins. Eating these foods together causes improper digestion and the undigested food will just sit and rot in your intestines. Always eat fruit by itself.

- Many medications are renowned for causing constipation such as multi-vitamins with iron and calcium or antihistamines. Ingredients in these harden your stools, making difficult to have a bowel movement. If you are on medication, check on the ingredients.

- Drink water. Typically you should try and drink at least 6-8 glasses a day. It sounds like a lot but water will not only would help you regulate your bowel movements but also help you to flush out the toxins.

- Mulberry juice is often used by older people but any adult can drink it and find it very helpful. Mulberry juice contains many minerals and vitamins and stimulates digestion and assimilation of nutrients in the small intestine. Drinking some of this juice on the onset of constipation could put a complete stop to the problem.

- Fibers – eating fibers will help steady your bowl movements the natural way if done on a daily basis. Good foods are beans and leafy veggies. Cabbage has good fiber content too. Guavas, when eaten along with seeds should provide good roughage for bowel movements. Add psyllium husk (which is readily available in capsule form and is a water soluble fiber) for extra help. This excellent digestive absorbs water and expands, scraping the walls of the intestines. You can take it with lukewarm water or plain yoghurt.

- Linseed – take a teaspoon of linseed (available at health food stores) to provide lubrication to help ease out a bowel movement.

- Dried fruits – try to eat dried fruit every day such as prunes or dried apricots. Prunes are at the top of the list on fruits for softening the stool. Prune juice is a good second choice. Other fruits and fruit juices will also help but avoid bananas if you are constipated as they can make the problem worse. An apple a day (along with its red skin) is very good to keep the constipation away while oranges also stimulate digestion and rejuvenate your bowels. So have them as they are, or juice them out.

- For something more unusual, see if you can find If you can find Harada (Chebulic Myrobalan) in an Indian grocery store, buy it and fry it in ghee. Take an equal quantity of black salt (Kala Namak), and add it to the fried Chebulic. Make a paste from it and store in a dry airtight container. Take a spoonful of this mixture with warm water. It also offers permanent relief to many who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome. Fennel Decoction can also be taken. Boil some fennel seeds in a pot after adding a glass of water. Fennel improves your digestion and regulates your bowel movements.

- Prepare a salad from beetroot leaves and tomato and eat for any short bouts of constipation.

- Take the powder of 1 dry ginger and mix it with some Senna (Cassia Leaves). Mix together in a cup of lukewarm water and drink immediately.

- Have you thought about an abdominal massage? Just lubricate your hands with some healing oil and massage in a clockwise direction onto the abdomen starting at the belly button and massage outwards in circles.

And night time too

- Take some grapes and discard their seeds or use seedless. Add to a glass of milk and drink every night before bed and chew on the grapes.

- Or take 1 tsp of almond oil mixed with a glass of milk every night before going to sleep.

- Dates are also mildly laxative when had with a lukewarm glass of milk. Eat and chew the dates and alternate with sips of milk in between. Or boil some figs in water. Drink the decoction before bedtime. Try taking this decoction for 3 to 4 nights for treating longterm constipation.

- Take a warm bath to help your insides and to lessen the discomfort of any cramps. Fill your bath tub with nice warm/hot water and lay in it and relax for a long soak.

- Eliminate stress and get plenty of rest.  Your body may be under stress and as a result, not want to go. Eliminate as much stress as you can from your daily life. Once you have eliminated any constipation, try to get into the daily habit of have a bowel movement at the same time every day.

- Finally, every night before going to bed, take a spoonful of honey and mix it in water (boiled and then cooled) for sipping during the night.

If you are a new mom and especially if you had a less than easy labor with lots of hard pushing, you may be suffering from constipation now.  If you have suffered from hemorrhoids or anal fissures, it is especially important to avoid constipation in the future.  Treating constipation the natural way will help you overcome these problems.

But whatever the reason, good luck with the new, improved, more regular you!

And those 3 magic ingredients?

A love of reading and books, a simple taste for drinking water and an enjoyment in helping things to grow (whether it be gardening, an awareness of the environment or a love of nature).

Let’s start with the reading because your baby is never too young to look at books.

From just a few weeks old, try to make it a daily habit to sit down with your baby on your lap and read aloud to him while showing the pictures in the book. An excellent website is http://www.readingfoundation.org/parents.jsp - they have lots of advice and guidance to give parents.   Some of the interesting facts they tell you include:

-  If you read aloud for 20 minutes every day with your child from birth to age 5, this provides 600 hours of essential pre-literacy preparation before entering school. But don’t stop then, the reading habit should continue throughout elementary school.

-  Children whose parents read with them learn to read early and well. It’s as simple as that!

The Reading Foundation goes on to say: “Reading to your child from birth literally wires brain cells together in networks that later facilitate independent reading. Brain research shows that those linked brain cells enable a child to:

-  Detect the different sounds in words (phonemic awareness)

-  Recognize letters and develop strategies to figure out new words (decoding)

-  Develop real-world understanding of what the words refer to (create contexts for understanding meaning)

-  Build an oral and listening vocabulary (approximately 5,000 words by kindergarten)

Bonding with Books – reading together every day builds strong minds and strong relationships. Your child, snuggling in your lap, and enjoying your attention and laughter, is learning to love reading. As long as it is a happy experience there is no wrong way to read together. Reading aloud is practically free, you can do it anywhere, and children often beg for “just one more” story. Even parents who are not fluent readers can provide a good experience for their children by telling stories from their lives, from their imaginations or from pictures in wordless books.   It is best to read to your child early and often, but it is never too late to start opening the reading door for your child.”

There is even a monetary value on reading to your child:

“Children who read succeed, in school and in life. The simple act of enjoying books together every day from birth through elementary school establishes essential reading skills while building warm relationships. Your love and time are priceless. The reading skills you nurture are worth a quarter of a million dollars. For every year you read with your child, average lifetime earnings increase by $50,000. You make a $250,000 gift to your child by reading aloud just 20 minutes a day!”

So even though this is not an expensive habit to instil in your child, it becomes an almost priceless investment. Encourage the giving of books to your child as presents instead of plastic throwaway-type toys and join a library for a constant variety of books at little or no cost.

On to number 2 on on our list – a taste for water. And I mean simple water out of the tap which you can easily filter to make it taste good. Add a few drops of fresh lemon juice for an instant detox. You will be doing your child a great favour if you can instil a preference for water instead of other beverages. Of course they can drink fresh fruit juices and milk for variety and nutrition but please keep away from the harmful sodas. Go to my earlier blog for more information http://www.amoils.com/health-blog/?s=dying+of+thirst

Finally number 3 on the list – helping things to grow. I have a blog on gardening for children http://www.amoils.com/health-blog/?s=children+gardening but don’t forget to encourage a love of nature too. Did you know that September 25 2010 is Nature Rocks Day – a national day to get American families outside and enjoying nature together. For more information on this day, go to http://www.fws.gov/letsgooutside/

So add a little magic to your child’s life experiences with these 3 spells and see how you conjure up a special child!

Colds and Flu – when your baby’s nose is blocked, a suction device can be used to clear it. Prop your baby upright, squeeze the bulb of an aspirator and place the tip carefully in one of the nostrils. Slowly release the bulb so that you draw mucus into it. Then do the same procedure in the second nostril. If the mucus is too dry and caked, use a homemade or a commercial saline solution. Put 2 drops of this into each nostril using a small dropper. Wait for a few minutes and then use the nasal aspirator as before. A homemade salt solution is 1/8 teaspoon of salt to 120ml (or 4 fl.oz) cooled boiled water. For a home remedy, mix together a little camphor and lavender oil with some warm olive olive and gently rub on your baby’s chest twice a day and again last thing at night to help clear up chesty colds.  A home remedy for blocked noses in young children is to add a couple of drops of eucalyptus oil to hot water in a bowel and place in a safe place near by so that they can breathe in the aroma while they sleep.

Fever or a mild Burn – a cold compress is useful at such times. Fill a large container with cold water and add some trays of ice cubes. Dip a clean wash cloth into the cool water, wring it out and then over the affected area. Keep repeating the process as the wash cloth warms up. If you need an ice pack for any reason such as to put on a bruise or swelling, a packet of frozen peas wrapped in a soft cloth works very well.

Croup - A warm-mist humidifier or a steam vaporizer is useful for babies who suffer from croup to moisten the air. But you can plug in a kettle filled with water to boil away for a good 10 minutes in the same room as a croupy baby or take the baby into the bathroom and turn on a hot shower so that the room fills with steam.

Increasing Fluids – this is often necessary in time of illness and can be accomplished by frequent breast feeding or bottle feeding. Give plenty of water between feeds for babies over 6 months. If your baby has fruit juice, dilute by half with water. Hydration fluids are useful where older babies are vomiting or suffering from diarrhea. Tiny frequent sips of liquid are best when a baby is vomitting. With flu or a cold, a little freshly squeezed orange juice or some blackcurrant juice added to their boiled water will help because of the vitamin C.

Teething – this is such a common complaint in babies. A home remedy you can use is Oil of Cloves. Rub a very small amount on the outside area of the face where the tooth or swollen gum is but not inside the mouth. This will help ease the pain and discomfort caused and is completely natural.

Constipation – if this is a problem, add prune juice or grape juice to bottled water or cereal. Plenty of fiber is a must in your young child’s diet to prevent constipation in the first place. Massaging the tummy can help with the pain and discomfort of constipation. For a good home remedy, add 1 drop of Chamomile Oil to a gentle oil blend and massage on to the tummy gently. Put a few drops of oil on your hand and starting at the tummy button, massage outwards in circles in a clockwise direction. A warm bath will also soothe and relax your child when he is constipated.

Diarrhea – this is the complete opposite of constipation but can also be treated if it is just mild with simple home remedies or natural treatments. A drop of Mandarin Essential Oil added to a massage blend can be gently massaged on baby’s tummy to help. Massage in a clockwise direction onto the abdomen. Please see your doctor if diarrhea gets worse as this can be a serious condition and young children can quickly become dehydrated.

Finally, that old perennial – diaper rash. The most important thing you can do is to keep the bottom dry. Always change the diaper when it is wet or soiled. Avoid scented baby wipes or better still clean with warm water and cotton wool (if you use soap it should be a mild natural one). Your baby’s bottom should be 100% dry before putting on a fresh diaper.  A natural version of petroleum jelly is the best barrier cream to use while letting your baby lie in a warm environment with no diaper is good for the healing process.