Most of us have had experience of pink eye or conjunctivits and know how highly contagious it can be. It is alarming for parents the first time they see this condition on a young child because it may make the eyes extremely red and even spread rapidly. The good news is that it usually causes no long term damage either to the vision or the eyes themselves.

Some types of pink eye go away on their own while other require treatment.

The symptoms of pink eye are:

-   Redness or swelling of the white of the eye or inside the eyelid

-  Increased amount of tears

-  White, yellow or green eye discharge

-  Itchy eyes

-  Burning eyes

-  Increased sensitivity to light

-  Gritty feeling in the eye

-  Crusting of eyelids or lashes

Pink eye can be caused by:

-  The bacteria and viruses that are responsible for colds and other infections such as ear, sinus or throat infections.

-  The same bacteria that can lead to sexually transmitted diseases – known as chlamydia and gonorrhea.

-  Allergies – although this is more likely when a child has other allergic reactions such as hay fever.

-  Irritants in the environment such as chemicals in chlorine or soaps or air pollutants such as smoke or fumes.

Chlorine in higher concentrations such as in public swimming kpools can be the culprit if your child experiences frequent bouts of conjunctivitis. The chlorine can break down the protective layers of lubrication that cover the eyes so that they become more vulnerable to getting infected if they are rubbed. Triggers of this type of allergic conjunctivitis include grass, ragweed pollen, animal dander and dust mites.

Fortunately, most cases of conjunctivitis resolve on their own within a week or so but when the pink eye produces a green or yellow discharge, using an over-the-counter antibiotic eye drop can be very helpful. Even if the pink eye appears in just one eye, it is safer to put one drop in each eye because it is so easy for the conjunctivitis to spread. Continue the treatment daily for at least two days after all signs of the redness have gone.

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Most children love these juicy fruits that taste as good as sweets or candies – but are a thousand times more healthy for them to eat. Usually round or slightly egg shaped and the size of a walnut shell, the lychee has a thick textured skin that pops open to reveal a glistening, moist and translucent ball of almost jelly-like flesh covering a shiny brown seed.  Children enjoy opening lychees and they make the perfect lunchbox accompaniment.

The lychee is a fruit native to China that grows well in humid, subtropical climates free of frost and can now be found in Florida, USA, Natal in South Africa, Queensland in Australia and elsewhere.

These delicious fruit treats also offer several health benefits:

-  Lychee fruits are low in calories, contain no saturated fats or cholesterol, but are rich in dietary fiber which can be very important for those individuals concerned about excess body weight.

-  Rich in vitamin C (as much as 49mg per 100g) and a good source of dietary fiber, eating a few lychees can also help to soothe an irritating cough. The consumption of any fruits rich in vitamin C assists the body to develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.

-  Lichees are a good source of potassium, calcium, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, zinc, iron and selenium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids, helping control heart rate and blood pressure to offer protection against stroke and coronary heart diseases. Copper is necessary for the production of red blood cells while calcium, phosphorus and magnesium help growing bones

-  Lychees nourish the skin’s oils, often helping to reduce the appearance of acne – if eaten in moderation.

-  Lychees are a very good source of B-complex vitamins such as thiamin, niacin and folates. These vitamins are essential since they function by acting as co-factors to help the body metabolize carbohydrates, protein and fats.

When cultivated, lychees are produced on tropical evergreen trees which grow to ten to twelve metres. The parent trees have a short trunk with low spreading branches. Their shiny, leathery, green leaves are composed of several smaller long, thin leaflets which are grouped together in pairs. Long sprays of green-white to green-yellow flowers turn into bunches of fruit following fertilisation.

The bunches of lychees are harvested by hand when ripe and often ladders are needed especially on the older, taller trees. Lychees are ready for harvesting in early summer.

When choosing this fruit at your local produce store, select those with fresh looking, firm skin without any cuts or molds and with some stem still attached. Lychees do not ripen after harvesting so the skins should be a robust red rather than green. Litchis have a very good shelf life as fresh fruits can be kept at room temperature for up to five days and can be stored for up five weeks in the refrigerator. They can also be frozen or dried and canned for export purposes.

 Make sure you give your family this juicy treat the next time lychees are in season in your part of the world.

These 14 signs are:

1. Often fidgeting with hands or feet, or squirming while seated.
2. Having difficulty remaining seated when required to do so.
3. Being easily distracted by extraneous stimuli.
4. Having difficulty awaiting turn in games or group activities.
5. Often blurting out answers before questions are completed.
6. Having difficulty in following instructions.
7. Having difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities.
8. Often shifting from one uncompleted task to another.
9. Having difficulty playing quietly.
10. Often talking excessively.
11. Often interrupting or intruding on others.
12. Often not listening to what is being said.
13. Often forgetting things necessary for tasks or activities.
14. Often engaging in physically dangerous activities without considering possible consequences.

While there are children who struggle with serious inattention and hyperactive or impulsive behaviors around the clock, so that they might be considered definitely ADD or ADHD, this label is frequently given to many other children as well without just cause.

In spite of the trend for several past decades to prescribe drugs for treating this disorder, it has been found that such stimulant drugs provide no lasting improvement.

Many parents, concerned about the long term use of prescription drugs on their children, look for other ways to help them.

Dr Mercola has this to say to parents on this subject:

“Drugging children with narcotics to treat behavioral problems should be a very last resort, only implemented after all other options have been exhausted – if they are regarded as an option at all. Other options exist that are far safer, and involve no drugs whatsoever! So before you consider drugs, please consider implementing the following strategies first, in addition to making sure that your child is assessed in an age-appropriate manner before labeling him or her with ADHD:

-  Eliminate most grains and sugars from your child’s diet. Grains and sugars both tend to cause allergies in sensitive individuals. Even organic, whole grain can cause problems in many children so it would be wise to give them a grain holiday and see if their behavior improves. A 2006 study showed that ADHD is markedly over represented in those with untreated celiac disease, indicating that wheat may be an especially problematic grain worth eliminating as a precaution.

-  Replace soft drinks (whether diet and regular), fruit juices, and pasteurized milk with pure, clean non-fluoridated water.

-  Increase omega-3 fats by taking a high quality animal-based omega-3 fat such as krill oil. Research has confirmed that animal-based omega-3 fat can improve the symptoms of ADHD more effectively than drugs like Ritalin and Concerta.

-  Consider a natural drug alternative such as the pine bark extract known as pycnogenol. It is one of over a dozen natural substances that have been studied to reduce the symptoms of ADHD in children.

-  Minimize your use of nearly all processed fats, especially trans fats as they disrupt nerve cell intercommunication.
Avoid all processed foods, especially those containing artificial colors, flavors and preservatives, which may trigger or worsen symptoms.

-  Clear your house of dangerous pesticides and other commercial chemicals. Pesticide exposure has been linked with ADHD.

-  Avoid commercial washing detergents and cleaning products used on clothes, and replace them with naturally derived cleaning products with no added perfumes, softeners, etc. Permanent press or stain-resistant products also contain chemicals that can initiate ADHD-like reactions in sensitive individuals.

-  Spend more time in nature. Researchers have found that exposing ADHD children to nature is an affordable, healthy way of controlling symptoms.

-  Investigate sensory therapy and emotional wellness tools. Instead of looking for a quick fix, encourage ADHD sufferers to talk, and find out what emotions are causing issues. Stress is the frequently unappreciated and overlooked variable that can easily worsen ADHD. If the parents are having trouble in their relationship this can easily influence the child’s behavior.”

A recent study in Holland put half of the ADHD children on a strict diet while the other half ate their normal diet. The strict diet comprised: rice, turkey, pear, vegetables and water only for 2 weaks. Then one food was added back every week. Some 67% of those children on the strict diet were back to normal after just 5 weeks. It was found that different children could not eat different foodstuffs. The trial is published at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/…/21296237

“Phosphatidylserine” is a supplement worth investigating (which includes natural amino and fatty acids such as docosahexaenoic acid) and could be helpful in cases of ADHD as it seems to strengthen memory, increase vigilance and attention, boost learning, increase mental acuity, intensify concentration, relieve depression and improve mood as well as decrease stress. It has also been found to work on adults and children alike.

The United States is in the midst of a tragic epidemic of autism. An analysis of the US Department of Education data from 1992-1993 in comparison to the years 2000-2001 indicates that there has been an average increase of 644% among all US children – and those figures are from 10 years ago.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development that are characterized by difficulties in social interaction, communication and repetitive behaviors. They include autistic disorder, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder -not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) – and Asperger Syndrome. Interestingly, some of those with ASD excel in visual skills, music, math and art.

Autism causes children to experience the world differently from the way most other children do. They might find it difficult to talk with other people and to express themselves using words. They usually keep to themselves and many cannot communicate without special help. They might react to what is going on around them in different and unusual ways. Sounds that appear normal to us may bother an autistic child so that they cover their ears. Being touched can cause concern in other autistic children while they might not be able to relate to someone smiling at them or being friendly.  An autistic child can have difficult in linking words to their meanings which can be very frustrating. Autistic children can have other unusual ways of behaving such as flapping their hands, repetitive phrases or words, having temper tantrums or concentrating on just one toy. Frequently they will like a set routine which must not be deviated from or their possessions must be kept in a certain way and never moved or disturbed. Some or all of these signs of autism can make it difficult for a child to function in everyday life.

Autism can vary from mild to serious. The severity will affect how much help a child needs.

Autism appears to have its roots in very early brain development. Although the most obvious signs of autism and symptoms of autism tend to emerge between 2 and 3 years of age, children as young as a year old can show signs of autism. A growing number of scientists and researchers believe that a relationship between the increase in neurodevelopmental disorders of autism, attention deficit hyperactive disorder, and speech or language delay, and the increased use of thimerosal in vaccines is plausible and deserves more scrutiny.

It is vital to learn the early signs of autism and understand the typical developmental milestones your child should be reaching at different ages. Listed below are red flags for possible autism. If you have concerns, speak to your doctor about screening your child for autism because if your child does have autism, early intervention may be his or her best hope.

-  No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions by six months or later.

-  No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles or other facial expressions by nine months or later.

-  No babbling by 12 months.

-  No back-and-forth gestures, such as pointing, showing, reaching, or waving by 12 months.

-  No words by 16 months.

-  No two-word meaningful phrases (without imitating or repeating) by 24 months.

-  Any loss of speech or babbling or social skills at any age.

Diet can play a very important role in helping your child if he or she has been diagnosed with autism.

-  Test for both gluten and dairy sensitivity immediately. At the same time, test for other food allergens. Gluten has been shown in numerous research studies to damage nerve tissue so that anyone with neurological illness of unknown origin should be genetically tested for gluten sensitivity.

-  Remove all sugar, artificial dyes and processed foods from their diet.

-  Stop any treatments (dental or medical) that introduce mercury into the body. Remember that vaccines and flu shots are common sources.

-  Test for vitamin and mineral deficiencies – especially B-vitamins. The body’s production of neurotransmitters (chemicals that allow proper communication in the nervous system) is largely dependent on vitamin B-6, folate, B-12, B-5, B-1, zinc, copper, magnesium, and vitamin C.

If you are a parent of an autistic child, you can get information and support from such websites as:

http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/index.php

http://www.autismunited.org/

http://www.generationrescue.org/

Most of us have happy memories of our own childhood and it is very important that our children can experience and store up their own childhood memories too. And doing stuff together does not always mean lots of planning, spending money or hours and hours of time. Above all, children are happy to be with their parents. Memories of these times together can also serve as a good model for them for when they in turn become parents.

1. Exercise together

Make exercise part of everyday life as it is so essential to help children develop healthy minds and bodies as well as encouraging gross motor development. There are so many different ways to exercise together (whatever the weather) and you could be the catalist for your child’s lifelong interest in a particular sport or pastime. Suggestions include doing a yoga class together, going running together, playing ball games together or even dancing together. Children who are physically active tend to be healthier, happier (with good self-esteem and self-confidence) and better learners too. Physical activity helps children to improve their ability to focus and concentrate. Whether you are adult or child, exercise relieves stress, improves sleep, controls weight and contributes to a positive self image.

2. Healthy eating

Eating  is one of the easist ways to spend time together while encouraging healthy food habits. Ditch the sodas, the processed food and the convenient take outs and start paying more attention to the kinds of food you buy. Have plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables available and make water the drink of choice along with occasional milk in your home. If you have any interest in improving your health and that of your family, you will already know what you should and should not be eating. Making your own meals from good whole living foods and enlisting the help of your children in doing so will reap dividends in improved health and quality time spent together. If you involve your children in the preparation of the food for the family, they will be more interested in what they are eating. It can require some patience on your side but apart from the time you are spending with them, your children are learning a skill. Instilling good eating and food preperation habits now will benefit them for the rest of their lives. Meal times together as a family can have numerous positive effects as well as making an opportunity to reconnect and learn about what’s going on in the lives of each member, especially as they grow older. If you can create a ritual of having meals together, encouraging conversation and sharing information, this will also ensure you have healthy food at the table and, at the very least, know what your children are eating.

3. Relax together

Along with exercising and eating together, also share some relaxation time. This can be cuddles while reading a story or with older children, playing board games or watching a family movie. Make relaxing together a part of your regular routine. It is a good way to create some peace in the home.

4. Unplug the electronics

Monitor and limit the time your child spends playing video games, watching TV and on the computer and internet. It is really so much better not to allow a TV or computer in your child’s room. Set limited times for the TV and computer and be sure to enforce this but remember it works both ways so you will need to be a good example and as parents, not watch too much yourself!  Unfortunately, exposure to too much TV can lead to behavioural problems, obesity and irregular sleep. There are so many digital strings pulling at us all the time, distracting us from our families around us. Turn them off and pay attention to each other. When there was a huge electricity outage in their city a few months ago, my children and grandchildren had one of their most enjoyable evenings ever. They lit candles, scraped together a meal and all the families in the cul-de-sac ended up outside in the dark with their torches and candles – the children playing games and the adults chatting. No TVs, no computers… just impromptu entertainment.

5. Quality Sleep

Limit the stimulation around bedtime by quietly winding down, reading a story and establishing a good bedtime routine. If you can make sure the the whole family gets enough sleep, everyone benefits as we rest as we sleep and our bodies are able to renew their energy. Good quality and sufficient sleep is one of the ways our bodies boost their immune system. Sleep deprivation can lead to a host of health problems.

6. Being positive rather than negative

Show warmth and love in your family and be grateful for what you have by discouraging an “I want” attutude. This will help your child be comfortable with who they are and allow them to feel compassion and understanding for others. Be aware of the good things that your child does by commenting on the positive rather than focusing on any negatives.

7. Get out and about

One of the best ways of exercising together is to be outdoors in nature. It does not matter what time of the year it is – you can dress accordingly. Children who spend time in nature learn how to respect the earth and a whole lot of other things too. They learn the importance of living in balance with our natural environment. It’s fun and healthy for all of you.

8. Talk and listen

While meal time is a great time to talk, there are other times throughout the day when it’s possible to stop, listen, and connect with your children. You can make the most of those times when you are in the car together stuck in traffic, standing in line at the store waiting to check out or just at home.

Make this time of the year a starting point for reviewing your family’s habits and their quality time together and you will be surprised at the big difference any changes will make to your family’s well being.

It’s about quality.

Too much heat and sweat can make the skin even more irritated and itchy.  When the body sweats, valuable water and moisture is lost from the skin. Keeping the skin moisturized is key to controlling this affliction. It is vital to establish a skin care routine.

A daily bath helps to moisturize the skin, using moisturizing aqueous cream rather than ordinary soaps for cleaning. The temperature should be just warm and it is helpful to soak for 15 to 20 minutes so that the skin’s outer layer can absorb moisture. Avoid any excessive scrubbing. For an additional soothing treat, add colloidal oatmeal like Aveeno to the bath, and even use oatmeal as a soap substitute. For the bath, pour 2 cups of colloidal oatmeal into the lukewarm water. This oatmeal is a fine powder that will remain suspended in water. For use as a soap substitute, wrap colloidal oatmeal in a handkerchief, place a rubber band around the top, wet it, wring it out and use as you would a normal washcloth. After the bath, the skin should be partly dried by gently patting with a towel to remove excess water while still leaving the skin damp.

Use an emollient cream for adding moisture to the clean but still damp skin. The best moisturizer is a basic fragrance-free one that is more greasy than creamy such as Vaseline. Unfortunately, Vaseline is a petroleum byproduct but I have a recipe for a natural jelly to use instead. An emollient cream is even more important to use if your child is in an air conditioned or heated environment. Use the cream twice a day and even more often on the hands if they are affected.

Recipe for natural petroleum jelly:

Place 1 oz. of beeswax in the top of a double boiler and heat slowly until it melts. Don’t put beeswax in the microwave or in a standard saucepan, as it is flammable when exposed to direct heat.

Remove the melted wax from heat and squeeze the oil from six x 400 IU vitamin E capsules into the wax. Vitamin E has antioxidant properties which nourish and protect your skin while acting as a natural preservative to prolong the shelf life of your petroleum jelly.

Stir in 1/2 cup of extra virgin or cold pressed sweet almond oil. Stir the ingredients constantly as the mixture cools and thickens. While still slightly warm, scoop the jelly mixture into a dark glass jar and leave unsealed to cool completely.

Keep in a cool, dark place, or in your refrigerator. Use it as you would use commercial petroleum jelly.

Of course a child with eczema is going to be very tempted to scratch those areas that itch. Keep their nails cut very short and covered with cotton mittens at night and more often if your child is young enough not to pull them off. The big problem with scratching eczema is that it triggers eczematous rashes. If you can stop the scratching, some eczematous rashes will actually disappear on their own.

There are a host of home remedies that you can also try. You may find that one or more of these are perfect for your child:

-  Apply coconut oil to the affected area to keep the skin smooth and soft.

-  Make a paste of 1 teaspoon sandalwood and 1 teaspoon camphor and apply to the eczema.

-  Another paste can be made of 1 tablespoon each of turmeric powder and bitter neem leaves.

-  Try just using water. Apply cold compresses or cold water. Cold, wet dressings can help soothe and relieve the itching associated with eczema. You can even use cold milk instead of water as this may be a lot more soothing. Put milk into a glass with ice cubes and let it sit for a few minutes. Then pour the milk onto a gauze pad or thin piece of cotton and apply it to the irritated skin for 2 or 3 minutes. Re-soak the cloth and reapply, continuing the process for about 10 minutes several times per day.

-  Calamine lotion is good for many types of rashes that ooze and need to be dried out.

-  Another suggested remedy for eczema is to dab some witch hazel on the affected area with a cotton ball.

-  Some regular sunlight (in moderation) can be helpful as it tops up your child’s Vitamin D and kills harmful bacteria at the same time.

-  Eczema is aggravated by dehumidified air, especially during winter months when forced-air heat circulates in the home. As this heat is more drying than other types, a good humidifier is an excellent home remedy for eczema. Make sure your humidifier is covering a sufficient area of the home (to be beneficial) and have one next to your child’s bed bed when he or she is sleeping.

-  Cotton clothing worn next to the skin is kinder than other material. Bed linens and towels should be pure cotton too. Avoid all synthetic or itchy fabrics as well as tight or ill fitting clothing. Even labels on clothing can be a source of irritation.

-  Eliminate any foods that can aggravate the eczema. Traditionally eggs, orange juice and milk have been suggested as eczema aggravators in children but it may well be something different such as tomatoes, citrus fruits, salty food, refined fats, white sugar, coffee, red meat or raw garlic. Allergy tests will ascertain if a particular food or diet is contributing to the eczema.

-  Reducing the effect of house dust mite can be an important step to take as many children are affected by the allergens in the droppings of these mite that thrive in warm and moist environments, living in bedding, mattresses, curtains and carpets. Effective and regular vacuuming as well as damp dusting and the washing or airing of bedding will help with this. If you can change from carpeting to another form of flooring, even better.

-  Essential oils have been used down the centuries as a successful home remedy for eczema and other skin conditions. Now H-Eczema from Healing Natural Oils is specially formulated from pure essential oils to provide the perfect healing eczema treatment that is gentle, safe and successful to use.

It can take some time and effort to find the perfect combination of treatments to suit your child but well worth it to manage this eczema condition.
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A big part of course is healthy eating habits and avoiding all fruity, sugary drinks. Your child only needs two beverages to drink – water and milk (preferably breast milk or raw dairy milk).

As soon as the first baby tooth appears, you can start to use a small soft toothbrush to keep the tooth, gums and tongue clean twice a day. It does not matter how thorough you are at the start – it is more a matter of getting your child used to the routine. Be very gentle and patient and avoid commercial toothpastes which are actually poisonous to children – rather use a natural toothpaste with safe ingredients. Be especially wary of fluoride in toothpastes and do your own research online regarding this harmful additive. You will find plenty of choice for natural toothpastes in health stores or online.

The best method is to sit your child on your lap, have a cuddle and then tilt the head up gently while cleaning each tooth in a circular motion. You can make a game of rinsing and spitting out the toothpaste afterwards. If your child doesn’t want to brush, let him brush your teeth first. By the age of three, you can start to encourage them to start using the toothbrush themselves but under your watchful eye until school going age. When your child is older, an electric toothbrush is an excellent choice. Setting a timer to 2 minutes is another useful aid when children are cleaning their teeth. Caring for milk teeth teaches children how to care for their permanent teeth.

Never ignore broken or damaged milk teeth as they play an extremely important role in your child’s development as follows:

- They determine facial appearance and speech development.
- They determine the growth pattern of permanent teeth.
- They help children to advance to eating solid food.

I read about such a good idea that one parent uses. She enlist’s the help of the “tooth fairy” by telling a story of how the tooth fairy checks their teeth every night when they are asleep to make sure that they are beautiful because she wants to collect the very best teeth when they fall out. You can add the extra bit about how there will be a surprise from the tooth fairy when that day comes if they can give her strong, healthy teeth.

Parents should take their child to the dentist as soon as the very first tooth appears or after their first birthday. Prepare them for the dentist by encouraging your child to explore his or her own mouth several times before the appointment. Do a ‘cave search’ using a torch and a mirror. Book with a child-friendly dentist who will look out for early problems and ensure the experience is a positive one for your child.

Cavities are the number one problem in children’s dental health. Here are 10 excellent suggested steps to follow from a very early age for preventing cavities in your children.  All the tips come from this website: http://www.eves-best.com/cavities-in-baby-teeth.htm

1. As soon as your baby has teeth, wipe them clean after each meal. While breast milk actually contains natural cavity fighters, formula does not.

2. Do not allow your formula fed baby to go to sleep with a bottle, unless you plan on cleaning his teeth with a wipe and tooth gel after he is asleep.

3. If your baby uses a pacifier, brush it daily. Do not put her pacifier in your mouth and then into hers. Bacteria from your mouth will grow in her mouth. This is especially a no-no if you have cavity/gum problems yourself.

4. As soon as your child’s teeth are close together, begin flossing daily. Both of my children had cavities in the middle of their front two teeth. A little flossing would have saved these teeth.

5. Do not use fluoride toothpaste or a fluoride rinse. You can make your own rinse with water and xylitol.

6. Do use a toothpaste/gel which contains xylitol. You can begin using a baby gel as soon as the teeth come in when you use Spry Infant Tooth Gel. You can learn more about xylitol and the many benefits it provides, especially when you use it to replace the sugar in your foods. Xylitol helps kill the cavity causing bacteria in your child’s mouth, and when replacing the sugar with xylitol, you are helping double-fold.

7. Cut back on processed foods, chips, white bread, candy, and soda (you get the idea). Do not allow your child to walk around with a bottle or sippy cup, unless you put water in it. Constantly bathing your child’s teeth in sugary juice is a BIG no-no. A great candy alternative is a healthy xylitol product called Sparx. You can get it in Berry, Fruit, and Citrus. Once your child can chew gum, you can also add another xylitol product like Spry Fresh Fruit Gum. Do not use other “sugar-free” gums that contain artificial sweeteners in addition to xylitol. Artificial sweeteners should be avoided for other health reasons.

8. Allow your toddler to brush his teeth, and then brush them yourself afterwards. Children need help until the age of 7 or 8. Twice a day is adequate, three times a day is even better. For toddlers, a battery powered toothbrush with an oscillating head works great since they can simply hold the toothbrush on different teeth and get a lot done that way.

9. Examine your child’s teeth daily, looking for dark spots, holes, and chipped teeth. If anything looks “off,” call your dentist and make an appointment. It’s better to be safe than sorry! A small cavity is much easier (and cheaper) to handle than a large one that has been neglected.

10. Good oral health starts from the inside. To keep teeth (and the rest of the body!) at their healthiest, feed your child healthy foods and don’t forget a daily multivitamin. ALL children need a daily vitamin/mineral supplement. Increase Vitamin D intake during fall/winter when sunshine exposure goes down. RDA levels are way lower than what children should be taking. Given along with a raw dairy diet, my kids finally got an “all good” dentist visit after supplementing with Vitamin D during fall/winter. (I gave them each 5,000 IU about 3-4 times per week.)

Help your children to cherish and look after their teeth for a lifetime of activity.

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If and when your children get sick, here is how to go the natural way with some good old fashioned home remedies:

1. Think BRAT for DIARRHEA. – that is a choice of bananas, rice, apple sauce and toast

2. Black licorice will cure children’s CONSTIPATION nine times out of ten.

3. The chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar creates a cooling effect that will soothe your child’s MINOR BURNS. Just pour equal amounts of the ingredients into a bowl to bathe your child’s hand or other affected place till the burning stops.

4. For an EARACHE, use a hot pack big enough so they can lay their head down to relieve the “ache”. Another good home remedy is to keep a nasal spray pump filled with “food grade” 35% peroxide that has been diluted to 3% with “ionic silver” water (and available from companies providing peroxide water treatment equipment). A few drops of hydrogen peroxide in your child’s ears is safe, very effective and inexpensive. Just make sure you use a peroxide without the stabilizer. You can dilute the peroxide with purified water as an alternative to the iconic silver water.

5. For a HEADACHE give them a big drink of water and rub their head/neck making sure to work out the knots. There is a pressure point between your thumb and pointer finger. If all else fails, H-Headaches from Healing Natural Oils can be safely used on children of all ages for all headache pain.

6. For TEETHING take a wash cloth, wet the center with a little water, spread on a tablespoon of apple sauce, roll it up, then freeze it. Babies love this because it is is sweet, it is chewy and it is cold so it numbs their gums.

7. For COLDS and CONGESTION IN THE NOSE, a nasal wash using a few grains of crystal salt in 1/4 cup of warm water may help. You can use in a Netti Pot as well, but remember to use good quality sea salt and not the normal refined processed table salt.

8. A simple and quick remedy for a SORE THROAT is to place some natural sea salt on an apple slice for your child to eat. This is much easier than getting him or her to gargle salt water and works well.

9. For a really SORE THROAT, make your children “Granny’s lemon and honey drink”. Add one tablespoon of lemon juice and one and a half tablespoons of honey to one cup of warm water. Mix and drink frequent sips. It must be RAW honey and do not give honey to any child under the age of 1 year as they are at risk for botulism from honey.

10. Children who get a dose of honey COUGH less and sleep better than those who get cough medicine. A recipe for coughs:
- Put a pint of raw honey in a pan on the stove on very low heat (Do not boil honey as this changes its medicinal properties).
- Take a whole lemon and boil in some water in a separate pan for 2-3 minutes to both soften the lemon and kill any bacteria that may be on the lemon skin.
- Let the lemon cool enough to handle then cut it in slices and add it to the pint of honey on the stove.
- Let mixture cook on warm heat for about an hour.
- Then strain the lemon from the honey, making sure all lemon seeds are removed.
- Let cool, then bottle in a jar with a lid and store in the refrigerator. This syrup will keep for 2 months in the refrigerator.
- To soothe a cough, take 1/2 teaspoon for a 25 lb. child and 1 teaspoon for a 50 lb. child, about 4 times a day or as often as needed. Adults can take 1 tablespoon doses.

Help to keep your child germ free and able to fight off any virus by ensuring a STRONG IMMUNE SYSTEM by eating healthy whole foods, by regular exercise and by getting sufficient sleep.

Never underestimate the simple advice to WASH YOUR HANDS and those of your children frequently to ward off colds and other infections. Washing hands helps decrease the likelihood of spreading a virus to the nose and mouth as well as others around you but don’t use antibacterial soap for this. They are unnecessary, causing far more harm than good.

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No one can be the perfect parent, or even come close, but we can all try by teaching our children to be independent while helping them to feel secure and loved.

Here are a few guidelines to achieve this goal:

1. Learn to listen and not while you are concentrating on something else. Sometimes children really need your undivided attention and of course they will soon learn to know when you are not really listening.

2. Take care to boost their self esteem by giving praise for something positive instead of criticising something negative.

3. Set parameters of what they can and cannot do – children really do feel more secure when they know what is and what is not allowed.

4. Don’t be tempted to give in on questions of healthy eating. Apart from their health, your child’s intelligent quotient and emotional quotient as well as the all important weight can be influenced by what they eat. Be a good role model and cut out the sugar, the sodas, the refined and processed foods for you and your children and change to healthier whole foods.

5. From the earliest age, encourage a love of drinking water by your child and do not offer anything else other than milk. Drinking plenty of water (minus the fluoroide and other chemicals) flushes out toxins in the system, strengthens the immune system and keeps the organs (including the skin) hydrated and healthy.

6. Do your children get enough sleep? Young children need 10 – 12 hours of sleep every night and of course lack of sleep will affect their performance at school, their behavior and generally make them feel exhausted and grumpy. Insufficient sleep also weakens the immune system, making your child more likely to get sick.

7. Let your children be children with lots of outdoor activities, fresh air and plenty of sunlight. Whether summer or winter, children should be outside for at least some time every day. In summer, don’t rush to slather on the sun screen. The majority of people including children are vitamin D deficient, leading to all sorts of health problems. Let your child have direct sunlight every day until the skin starts to turn pink and then move him or her into the shade or put on a NATURAL sunscreen.   Pay a little bit more and go organic; otherwise you are smearing harmful chemicals into their skin, chemicals that can cause other types of cancer and hormone imbalances. Look for a sunscreen that spreads easily so you don’t have to use so much. Although we are constantly told to stay out of the sun between 10h00 and 14h00, that is actually the optimum time for vitamin D conversion. Just don’t let your children get burned by the sun.

8. Without smothering your children, always be aware of where they are and who they are with, while avoiding any potentially dangerous situations and places such as the internet, public toilets, play areas in restaurants and more. It goes without saying that you have to educate and protect your child from stranger danger (and it is not always strangers either).

9. Instil a love of reading in your children from the earliest age. You can sit a baby of a just a few months old on your lap and look at a book every day to start good habits and enjoy a cuddle at the same time. The child that enjoys reading will have that skill for life and never be bored or lonely. Always include books among Christmas or birthday presents for children.

10. Although it is great to be able to buy your child special toys, they also enjoy simple playtime pleasures where they use their imagination and develop skills. Let them enjoy the real world rather than a virtual world. Build up a supply of craft materials where you can do something together. Pocket money can be a very good idea to instil a lesson in money management and to learn how to save up for something special.

Finally, give loads of love and a childhood that is free of the responsibilities and burdens of adulthood. That will come all too soon, With a bit of luck your children will grow up to be happy, stable and secure.

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While we don’t all want to live minimalistic lives which can be rather stark and just a bit too impersonal, most of us have far too much clutter all around us whether it be in our minds, our wardrobes, our homes or our workplaces. But it can take time, effort and great deal of re-designing your lifestyle and your spaces to bring about change…and where do you start?

A good place to start is to think about and jot down how you live your day. Are you replicating tasks all the time so that you become stressed and tired out when such tasks could be re-organized or even delegated to save time, money and energy. Go through all your systems whether it be banking and paying bills, housework and laundry, shopping and errands, children and their needs, your emails etc. etc. and look for ways to simplify them.

Suggestions include:

- Doing all your banking and paying of bills through internet banking.

- Sharing housework tasks if possible or if finances allow, getting in a cleaning service once a week to do the main cleaning while “tidying up and cleaning as you go” the rest of the week so that it never becomes overwhelming. Limit the amount of cleaning products you keep in the house. I buy one large green container of general detergent which I decant into different strengths to spray bottles for use all round the house – for example full strength for stains on clothing before washing.

- Food shopping should be kept to a once a week session at the most as long as you keep a list going in the kitchen to jot down when supplies are running low so they can be included in the next shopping trip. Plan your meals for the week – this can just be a rough plan.

- Children will often need encouragement to lend a helping hand but the younger they start, the more enthusiastic they are. Introduce a reward system if necessary. They can earn their allowance and extra treats.

- Your computer like anything else can be cluttered up. Carry out a ruthless clearout by unsubscribing from junk mail that you do not need or read and introduce a system of dealing with incoming emails.

- Once you improve one or two of your sytems, you will find it easier and rewarding to continue with the rest.  Your stress levels will start to go down.

The majority of people have just too much stuff in their homes leading to a cluttered look and making it more difficult to function and to clean. Work through one room at a time so that the task does not overwhelm you and be ruthless in your clearing out. I am sure many of you have watched those TV programs such as Life Laundry or How Clean is your House and seen the piles of clutter. Don’t become like one of those participants! As you go through each room sort out the excess into “throw away”, “give away (charity shops)” and “sell (E-Bay, Craig’s List etc). The clear out must include clothes, toys, old magazines, appliances and even furniture. If your house is simplified, it will be so much more welcoming and inviting. It will also be so much easier to enjoy and keep clean and tidy. Keep a memory box or two for items from the past that you are attached to or use them in a display such as a wall of family photographs.

Reduce your desire for the latest gadget or brand. It is all part of a greener and more simplified lifestyle where you decrease your carbon footprint. Changing to healthier eating; going organic where possible; eating living wholefoods rather than processed and convenience foods; growing your own veggies; changing from over-the-counter and prescription medication to more natural home remedies; all of these changes will save you money in the long run in terms of improved health for you and your family. Those who re-use and recycle are no longer considered to be “hippie” but actually “in fashion”.

Buying less and wanting less can actually improve the quality of your life.  Everyone in the family will be happier.

Here are some guidelines:

Staying out of school or at least missing or being late to classes. If you are contacted by your teen’s school about such happenings, take steps to find out why and enlist the help of the school if necessary.

A drop in your teen’s grades. This is another red flag to take note of. This drop could be sudden or it could happen so gradually that you might not immediately notice it. It will have to be investigated.

Behavior problems. This could be minor infringements of school rules or it could be as serious as petty theft. Keep a close eye on any behavior problems that may arise whether at home or at school or anywhere else for that matter.

Losing interest in hobbies and interests. If your son or daughter suddenly no longer wants to participate in formerly enjoyed school or outside activities, this should raise a red flag.

Dropping long standing friends. You should be concerned if your teen suddenly turns away from mixing with his or her friends and is taking on a whole new set of friends, especially if the new friends are influencing your teen’s views and behaviour in a negative way.

A change in personality. Your once friendly and outgoing teen becomes withdrawn and moody. While this can just be a teenage trait anyway, it is still wise to keep an eye on this trend.

Sudden mood changes. While this is another fact of life with teenagers, excessive mood changes including extreme suspicion and paranoia should be be viewed with concern and followed up.

Disappearing and hiding out in his or her own room more frequently. If you start to wonder whether you teen is still living at home, this could be a further sign of a problem.

Neglecting personal appearance or sudden weight loss. A once clean and fashion-minded son or daughter becoming dishevelled and unkempt, even leading to acne outbreaks, is yet another clue to a change in your teen’s lifestyle habits.  Is your teen losing interest in food?

Appearing listless, hung over or just generally uncaring. Such signs should never be ignored and should be followed up as a matter of urgency.

Forgetfulness and memory loss. Signs of sudden absent mindedness should be viewed with suspician.

Becoming secretive or lying. Unfortunately this is a sure sign of problems if your teen has something to hide.

If you son or daughter has developed one or more of these traits, try talking to him or her as your first step. If you discover your worst fears are correct or you still suspect drug use even though there has been a denial, the first thing you need to do is sit down, relax and take a deep breath. Then go online to
http://timetoact.drugfree.org/know-get-focused.html and follow their step by step instructions to help you find solutions.

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!

Currently, there is a lot of concern about the use of wi-fi technology and its health effects on us, including young children.

Electro-smog is the name given to the electromagnetic radiation that is created, and persists in the area, where electronic gadgets like TVs, microwaves, cordless phones, mobile phones, digital baby monitors and more are operating. Studies conducted over the years have shown that continuous exposure to electro-smog over a period of time affects the body’s nervous system resulting in symptoms like chronic fatigue, disruptive sleep patterns, headaches and abnormal patterns of behavior in young children. Therefore it is important for parents to learn about the effects of a digital baby monitor on their babies.

Baby monitors that are popular with parents are those with DECT technology (that is digitally enhanced cordless telecommunications) and this ensures that the audio signals between both receiver and transmitter are secure. But such wireless baby monitors emit microwave radiation. The base station of the baby monitor is kept near the crib or cot while the parent takes the receiver and either wears it on his or herself or places it nearby in order to be able to respond to the baby’s crying.

Although, ideally a baby monitor base station should be voice-activated, meaning that it transmits “sound only” when it senses a sound from the baby as this would go some way to reduce the microwave exposure of both infant and parent, , not all voice-activated baby monitors are alike. Some cut the radiation while others just cut the unwanted noise and those monitors sold in the US and Canada constantly emit microwave radiation, exposing the baby or young child to constant microwave radiation.

According to Dr. Martin Blank, PhD, who is one of the most experienced researchers of the cellular and molecular effects of electromagnetic fields in the US, the impact of electromagnetic fields on cells and DNA is both considerable and indisputable. He says that your DNA, due to its inherent ‘coil of coils’ structure, is particularly vulnerable to electromagnetic fields of all kinds.

Therefore, if you are using such a baby monitor, you should reduce your child’s exposure to emissions as far as possible by:

• Placing the baby monitor at least a metre away from the cot.

• Avoiding a system that transmits continuously – some experts are calling for those that emit microwave radiation continuously to be banned. See the web site http://www.magdahavas.com/2010/11/07/dect-baby-monitors-dangerous/

• Setting the unit to voice activation mode only.

• If the baby monitor is mains operated, ensuring that the adaptor is plugged in at least 50 cm away from the cot.
Avoiding placing all other appliances such as computers, television sets, cordless phones etc in your baby’s room. At the very least, any should be completely switched off when the baby is in the room sleeping.

It is difficult to completely avoid digital baby monitors as they have proven to be more efficient and have better reception than their older analogue versions but proper precautions are necessary and essential.

The Government officials are asking that parents should reduce the amount of time children spend being sedentary while watching television or being strapped in a stroller or pushchair.

Chubby children are also a big concern in the United States where the Institute of Medicine last month issued diet and activity recommendations for youngsters. In these recommendations, they suggested that preschool-aged children should get at least 15 minutes of exercise for every hour they spend in child care and recommended the US government create dietary guidelines for babies from the time they are born and up until they are 2 years old. 3 hours of activity for children under 5 should be spread throughout the day. While the children’s daily dose of exercise is likely to be met simply through playing, additional activities could include walking to school.

With at least one third of American adults being obese, I wonder how many parents are going to follow such guidelines when many are unhealthily overweight themselves. Close to 25% of British adults are obese, and experts estimate that by 2050, at the present rate of increase, about 90% of adults will be heavy.

At present, only about 5% of Britons meet the government’s minimum physical activity advice – namely about 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise every week, including some every day.

We can only hope that if parents and child carers are encouraged to provide exercise opportunities for young children, some of that will rub off on the adults too.

Here are the suggestions for babies who are not yet walking:

- Both British and American child experts say parents should limit the amount of time babies spend in swings, bouncy seats or other equipment while they’re awake.

- For babies who can’t walk yet, physical activity should be encouraged from birth, including infants playing on their stomachs or having swimming sessions with their parents.

- Floor-based play encourages infants to use their muscles and helps bone development.

In Britain, it is recommended that older children from the age of 5 and up to 18 should have at least one hour of exercise and that this should include intensive activities to strengthen muscles and bones.

In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advise that the same age groups should be getting at least one hour of physical activity every day.

I fear that in many cases, children and teenagers are receiving a lot less exercise than that recommended.

Parents are the first line of defence in the struggle against childhood obesity.

So what can you do to help?

1. As soon as your childen start on solids, make it a rule that you will help them become familiar with healthy food so that they do not get attached to fast foods, junk foods or processed foods.

2. Of course part of the problem can be if you as parents are not too fussed about what you eat so this is the time to change the whole family to a healthier way of eating. Remember that many children are picky about food and some do not like all the foods on their plates mixed up together. I remember when my children were small, they used to say they did not like “wet food”. Anything with gravy was out so no soups, stews etc. Raw foods are very healthy so they might prefer to have finger foods – offer a variety of raw and fresh fruits and vegetables. Lightly steamed vegetables can be improved with good quality olive oil, real butter or a topping of grated cheese.

3. If your children are really hungry, don’t be tempted to give any sugary or salty snacks – a plate of fruit or freshly chopped carrots, tomato, sweet peppers or celery is perfect. I have a very fussy grandson but he and his Dad have “celery crunching” competitions as an in between snack and it works well. Sometimes you need to be especially creative!

4. Don’t let eating healthily become a battle ground. Just be firm. Sometimes the best way to put the message across is by following a healthy lifestyle yourself. If the bad stuff is not in the house in the first place, then your child cannot eat it!

5. Avoid using food as a reward for good deeds, good grades or for helping with chores. Rather use love and kind words of gratitude and praise.

6. Every family enjoys eating out as an occasional treat but just be careful what your child chooses. If you give him a couple of options to choose from, you can ensure they are healthy choices.

7. Get your child into the habit of drinking lots of water from as young an age as possible. There is no need to drink anything else apart from an occasional milk or fruit juice. But the milk must be unflavored with no added sugar and the fruit juice should be pure with no added sugar (get your child into the habit of drinking such fruit juice with water added and not more than once or twice a day). Sodas should be completely off the menu at all times – they are full of sugar and worse can become addictive.

8. Encourage a healthy outdoor lifestyle for your child with sports and other activities. If you child shows a special interest in or aptitude to one particular sport, give all the encouragement possible.

9. Help your child develop a positive self-image because “comfort eating” often comes. about as a result of poor self-image. This means reinforcing the good things instead of focusing on any failures. Encourage your child to have faith in his or her ability to do well at something.

10. Encourage your child’s school to change to healthier ways of eating. You have a say in your child’s education as well as what he or she is fed when at school, so use that power to improve matters both for your own child and other children. Work with school officials to promote healthy food choices in the cafeteria and vending machines, and to develop ways for children to understand and appreciate the many benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Watch the Jamie Oliver show “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” and support him through his site on the ABC TV website. http://abc.go.com/shows/jamie-olivers-food-revolution/take-action.

Remember that obese children are at a much greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease at an early age. In addition, they often experience even more serious health problems as they grow older – such problems include asthma, sleeping disorders as well as psychological issues too. Don’t let that happen to your child.

Give him or her the best possible start in life by encouraging healthy lifestyles.

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!

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.

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Unless we have all been hiding our heads in the sand, we really do know that we should be changing to a healthier diet both for ourselves and our children. But how do you wean your family off processed foods? It is not easy – it takes time and perseverance but it can be done.

The first thing to do is to work out what you can use as a healthy substitute for each your family’s favorite processed food dishes. And then there are individual things like sugar, cookies, sodas and more. They all have to go! But don’t do it all at once – there is no point in going completely “cold turkey”. You can reckon on it taking up to a year to achieve your goal. But as you eliminate processed foods, you will also find it gets easier and you will also be eliminating sugars and artificial flavors and colorings at the same time.

- Part of the weaning process is to encourage your family to really enjoy what is on their place. Try to sit down at the table as a family for the meal with no rushing off to do something else before everyone has finished. Make sure there is a large jug of pure water with some slices of fresh fruit in, such as lemon or orange, to encourage a taste for drinking water too.

- Learn to enjoy the genuine flavor of real food. With processed foods: fats and sugars and salts are all added to help mask the metallic taste of those chemical additives. You have to agree that that is a very good reason to wean you off!

- Learn to read labels wisely. Yes I know it is a chore but you will get quicker at it and you will learn a lot on behalf of your family. The safest and easiest of all is buy food with no labels! Fresh fruit and vegetables for example.

- It will not happen overnight but you have to give your palate and that of your family time to change so that you gradually lose your taste for those very sweet or very salty foods.

- Breakfast is a good meal to start changing the family’s habits. Eggs make an excellent choice – they are right back in fashion again and now considered to be a superfood. Free range of course and so many different ways to serve them. You can even whip a raw egg up in a smoothie for an easy energy meal. I always eat a good breakfast. A cup of black tea with a slice of lemon, followed by either a lightly boiled egg and slice or two of wholewheat buttered toast and a glass of 100% pure fruit juice or it could be a bowl of home made muesli with raw oats, dried fruit, fresh fruit like blueberries, raw nuts, and a mixture of seeds with yoghurt or milk and some raw honey and cinnamon. Endless combinations are possible. The important thing is to avoid sugary, colorful commercial breakfast cereals.

- Other ideas are to replace artificial flavors with real ones such as extracts, essential oils and pressed oils. For example you can use vanilla extract, peppermint essential oil and orange oil or you can sprinkle a few organic lavender buds on food for a fun flavor and appearance instead of the ordinary every day and less than healthy “sprinkles”. Another natural flavor idea is to use baking soda with a few drops of organic essential oil.

- As a change from fresh fruits, dried fruits are a fun and quick dessert or snack, and they keep for a long time, too.

- Another snack is crunchy raw nuts such as walnuts, almonds and cashews. All raw nuts have good things to offer you.

- Once you have the breakfasts sorted, then work on the next meal to go unprocessed such as suppertime.

- Remember to go for high quality foods with the least amount of processed ingredients. The perimeter aisles of the supermarket usually have the fresh produce or get to know your local farmers market. Something to remember when shopping, and if in doubt whether to buy something, is to ask yourself if your great grandmother would recognise it. If she would not, then the chances are (unless it is some exotic fruit from distant shores) that you should put it back on the shelf!

Here are some tips to bear in mind when you start this road to wean your family off processed foods and when you are checking out foods to buy:

1. Food should be grown without pesticides nor chemical fertilizers.

2. Food should not be genetically modified (that is non GMO).

3. Food should not contain any added growth hormones, antibiotics or other drugs.

4. Food should not contain anything artificial nor preservatives.

5. Food should be fresh looking with no wilting leaves or squashy, bruised fruit.

6. Food should not come from a factory farm and in the case of animals and poultry, they should have free range to the outdoors and be fed their natural native diets.

7. Food should be grown with sustainable, natural and organic methods.

If you prepare your meals by following these 7 tips,  you will be making major and delicious strides  for your family’s health.  So take outs and restaurants are off the map for the time being – it is home cooking all the way!

Aches and pains

- A warm to hot bath with a cup of salt added will help with aches and pains as well as bruising and swelling. Healing too for hemorrhoids, anal fissures and stitches after giving birth (episiotomy).

- Another method for aches and pains is to add Epson salts to your bath where the magnesium is absorbed right through the skin to help the muscles relax.

Acid reflux

- Take a teaspoon of pure organic apple cider vinegar with each meal to combat acid reflux.

- Or as an alternative, take 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.

Hiccups

-  Take a glass of water. Tell the hiccup sufferer to take 9 small swallows but to keep the 10th one in their mouth and hold it there while counting slowly to 10 (about 10 seconds). They must then swallow that 10th sip of water.  Hiccups are gone! Hard to do, but they must keep a straight face while they are doing it as (a) it will not work and (b) you will have water sprayed everywhere. So the formula is:
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, hold it; 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 swallow.

-  Another method is to take 10 sips of water from a glass with a 1 second pause in between – best way is to lower the glass slightly between every sip.

-  Use an empty plastic bag from the grocer for fresh vegetables. You then seal it around your mouth with your hands and blow in a couple of extra breaths of air. Then breathe into the bag using your mouth only. As the oxygen of the recycled air gets used up, the hiccups go away. It should relieve the hiccups within a couple minutes on the first try.

-  Another glass of water trick is to drop in a lit match. Then drink the water normally. Children love this cure for hiccups.

Sore throats

-  Pop 2 or 3 pearls of Vitamin A into the mouth and break them open so that the vitamin A can trickle down the throat. You do not want to over dose on the vitamin A so don’t carry on for longer than 2 or 3 days.

-  Gargling with salt water every couple of hours at the first sign of a sore throat always works well at stopping this painful condition. I have used this method myself for years.

-  Another way is to mix any kind of vinegar with water, making it as strong as you can stand the taste. Then gargle the first sip (spit it out elsewhere), swallow the second sip, gargle the third sip, swallow the fourth sip and carry on until the glass is empty. It will sting at first but this is good. Repeat this every hour or two and the sore throat keeps on getting better.

-  Eating 1 fresh raw organic radish works within 10 seconds to one minute and will alleviate the symptoms of a sore throat, cough, throat tickle and asthma.

-  If you feel a sore throat coming on, dab a little iodine on your inner arm and you will be amazed at how fast it disappears. If you still feel the sore throat, dab on some more iodine and keep doing so until the soreness is gone.

I have more of these tried and trusted home remedies for other conditions so watch this space for part 2 shortly!

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.