Swine Flu Update – Epidemic hysteria revisited

 

This is an article a local doctor wrote. I thought it was a very interesting and wanted to share it. It presents some things you may not read in the paper or see on television. I do believe we all deserve to hear different sides to this — especially from within the medical community so we are better prepared to make our choices as we navigate our way through this flu season.

98 to 99% of people diagnosed with the swine flu actually do not have it

Pilates and Pregnancy- Safe ab exercises

Georgie's Pilates Loft

 

A great reprint of an article that Debra Goodman wrote for prenatal pilates professionals- but the info here is great for all who are pregnant. If you are in my area (Alexandria VA) be sure to check out the DC METRO resource page to see when I teach prenatal pilates classes. Hope to see you there!

Child-care in gyms

 

Luckily- my littles love the caretaker at are our gym. While Jasper is outgrowing the playroom a bit, Dakota thinks of it as his preschool!

 

Finding time to exercise with small children can be difficult. Fortunately there are many gyms now that offer childcare on sight- and this can be a wonderful thing for both baby and mom! Thinking of dropping your little one off in the care of strangers can be difficult, but I assure you, I if you do your homework and find the right fit, you will both be enjoying your days a bit more. When mama is happy … well, you know the rest.

Postpartum exercise- What you should know

Here is an article that I hand out to my prenatal and postpartum clients in Pilates Class. It is written for the Pilates professional- but the information is understandable for everyone- except for maybe one or two anatomical references. I believe that it is so important for prenatal and postpartum woman to understand what is happening to their bodies and take care when looking for an exercise program. Thank you to Debra for letting me reprint her already published article. For more on Debra Goodman and her work you can go to her website– www.debragoodman.com

Breastfeeding Support Products

When I gave birth to Jasper, I had a terrible time breastfeeding. He was hungry all the time, my nipples we unrecognizable with splits and bleeding, I had fever, … on and on- some of you know what I am talking about. When pregnant with Dakota, I was determined to have a different nursing experience. I backed myself up on every front- went to a breastfeeding class at a fantastic breast feeding center in Washington D.C., enlisted help in the first few weeks so I could lie in with him and bond- even with a toddler running around- and I bought fun products I hoped would ease the pain. I loved the products by Earth Mama Angel Baby. I nipple butter is to die for – smells so delicious and you need not worry at all about it going into your little ones mouth. The ingredients are as pure as can be- organic, toxin-free, cruelty-free, and vegan. You can read about the ingredients, and why you may not want to use lanolin or have your baby ingest it, right on their site. Two other products I used religiously in the first few weeks were the organic breast compresses (made with cabbage leaves, black tea, and healing herbs) and the booby tubes (I used both hot and cold – depending on what I needed at the time of use). These product used consistently, having the support I needed to relax and bond with Dakota in the first weeks, and a very informative breastfeeding class all helped me have an amazing experience nourishing my baby with the best stuff available!

 

Certainly a splurge, but well worth it! These make great gifts for any expectant mom who plans on nursing.

Delicious Bath Time

What says relaxation more than a luxurious bath behind a closed door with a good book or magazine? Nothing we can think of! We like to look to our kitchens for inspiration when it comes to bath time. The skin is the largest organ of the body, so why not feed it as nutritiously as we would our stomach? Try the recipe below and see how you (or preferably someone else!) can create a delicious bath for yourself on Mother’s Day.

 

1 Tbsp. coconut oil

 *we know you may not have this on hand, but do yourself a favor and buy some, you will hear about this product a lot from us and it keeps for a VERY long time!

1 Tbsp. honey

4 bags chamomile tea

 

Melt coconut oil and honey in a cup of hot water with 4 bags of chamomile tea and pour under running bath water. You will notice immediately the moisturizing properties of both the honey and the coconut oil. The chamomile will wash you away into a haze of relaxation, while the anti-aging properties of coconut oil will work in harmony with the anti-irritant properties in honey for immediate, glowing results.

 

This is gentle enough to use on babies and can even have a calming effect on cranky ones. Just lessen the amount of ingredients. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

Chewing!

 It seems obvious to say “chew your food”, but have you really ever thought about what that means, or how important it is? For mothers, especially new mothers, chewing is often the last thing we think about when grabbing a bite to eat. Who has time? Well, we encourage you to make time. Chewing helps break down food for better digestion and assimilation into the body and allows the body to recognize when it is full. It is no wonder we have so many digestive disorders in this day and age with our “eating on the run”, eating in front of the television, and eating of the refrigerator.

Chewing does not only promote physical health but also creates a mindfulness around mealtime. By slowing down, we better enjoy the sensations of mealtime- color, texture, flavor and aroma. Try to eat without television, computer or blackberry and see how much more you can be aware of your chewing. We understand how hard chewing can be with all that we need to do in a day.. but let’s try to start by chewing each bite 20 times! Do you think you will feel a difference? Let us know.