Exercise Videos

"The only way to maintain good health is by exercising consistently."

-Leslie Sansone

Having always been a health-conscious person, and having my mother's excellent example of daily exercise, I knew at a young age that it was important to exercise every day. As long as I was enrolled in a clogging class and practiced my dances every day, this was no problem. But I eventually outgrew that class and, as time passed and I tried different exercise programs for several years off and on, I could never maintain anything long term. (Besides power walking from one end of my college campus to the other, in order to get to classes on time!)

I have never been sports-oriented, so that was out. And I tried jogging for a while, but was miserable doing so because I lack sufficient cartilage in my knees and can't run far or long as a result, or do a lot of deep squats. So that removes a few more exercise options for me. There is still plenty I can do, but it took a while before I found what I can do consistently--and enjoy.

For me, exercise videos are the perfect answer to all the obstacles I had with other exercise options (not necessarily in order of importance) because:

1) I don't have to exercise at any particular time (though if I don't do it in the morning it usually doesn't happen).
2) I don't have to rely on anyone else who might cancel on me (or be late).
3) I can exercise in my pajamas!
4) I don't have to get my children ready to go out, or take them anywhere.
5) I don't have to feel self-conscious about trying anything new or difficult, because no one is watching!
6) I enjoy it.
7) I feel better, emotionally and physically, and can tell I'm healthier and have more energy, endurance, and flexibility for other areas of my life (such as all the lifting of carseats, strollers, and kids, etc). I am convinced this is also another reason why my second labor and delivery experience was so much better than the first. (I have a few prenatal and postpartum exercise DVDs as well.)

To be continued...

Are Store-Bought Eggs Pasteurized?

As noted in my ice cream recipe, I always make sure the eggs in my recipes are thoroughly cooked and/or pasteurized. I know the risk of salmonella is pretty low, but I've been in the habit ever since I was young and my mom stopped letting us eat homemade raw cookie dough (sad day). But thanks to a comment I received, I decided I'd better look into the facts and find out if store-bought eggs are actually pasteurized.

Verdict? They're not. See the sites below for more information.

http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/HealthEducators/ucm082362.htm
http://www.safeeggs.com/eggs/safe-eggs-for-everyone.html

And here's an excellent website with more instructions on how to pasteurize the eggs in your recipes (in case you make sauces or other foods that call for raw eggs).

Of course, if you buy items such as cookie dough, eggnog, or hollandaise sauce from the store, the eggs in them are pasteurized.

Banana Bread

The other day I went to make this and realized (with some amazement) that I hadn't posted the recipe yet! This isn't your typical banana bread recipe, since it has no refined sugar and uses whole wheat flour. That means that, while it is sweet and delicious, it is also much healthier for you than the dry, white (often bland) stuff most people make. :)


Banana Bread

1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. honey or less
2 eggs
2 c. whole wheat flour (or if you are using red wheat, 1 c. white and 1 c. wheat)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. mashed bananas (about 3)
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg (or more, if you like it as much as I do)

Cream butter and honey.
Add eggs one at a time and beat until smooth.
Add smashed bananas.
Combine flour, soda, salt, spices. Stir. Add to creamed mixture and mix until smooth.
Pour into greased pan. (Makes one regular loaf or 12 muffins.) Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes (less time for smaller loaves or muffins--about 45 min), or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. If needed, cover with foil last 10-15 min to avoid overbrowning.

10,000 Steps A Day

In my part-time work as a medical transcriptionist, I hear a lot of good advice from doctors on a daily basis. Much of the information I hear repeatedly (such as "quit smoking" and "exercise" and "lose weight"), but other things are new to me and I try to take them to heart. Such was the case a while ago when a doctor instructed her patient about walking 10,000 steps a day. This got me interested in seeing how many steps I usually walk and what it would take for me to get 10,000 too. So now I wear a pedometer.

How far is 10,000 steps? Most people walk 2,000 steps per mile, so that's 5 miles a day. According to thewalkingsite.com, "A reasonable goal for most people is to increase average daily steps each week by 500 per day until you can easily average 10,000 per day."

According to this site, under 5,000 steps a day is considered a sedentary lifestyle; 5,000-7,499 steps is "low active"; 7,500-9,999 is "somewhat active"; 10,000 is "active"; and more than 12,500 steps is "highly active." It's been interesting for me to see reality right there on my pedometer and have that extra motivation to do more just to see those numbers go up. And I've found that the days I reach the highly active range (which so far hasn't been often enough) lead to better nights' sleep.

How many steps do you walk each day?

Lemon Bars

These have been a hit everywhere I've brought them and are particularly amazing when made with fresh lemon juice.

Lemon Bars

Step 1:
2 c. flour
dash of salt
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 c. butter

Mix above ingredients and cut butter into mixture until resembles course crumbs.

Spread mixture on bottom of 9 x 12 greased pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until edges are browned.

While the above is cooking, mix ingredients below.

Step 2:

4 beaten eggs
2 c. sugar
6 Tb. fresh lemon juice
4 Tb. flour

Mix above ingredients and pour over top of cooked crust.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 min or until slightly browned.

Sprinkle powdered sugar over top while still warm.

Let cool, cut in pieces, serve.

Budget Saver Tip #13: Your Media

Here are some ideas to consider if you're someone who enjoys any of the media activities below (and most of us do) but are looking for ways to reduce your spending:

Books - I can't tell you the last time I bought a brand new book for myself because I honestly don't remember. But we love the library and go there weekly! And the awesome thing is that nowadays if you have a particular book in mind and your library doesn't have it, you can generally request it--all from the comfort of your home computer. (A great resource that I love for keeping my book lists straight is GoodReads. It's very helpful to this avid reader!)

Music - If you listen to CDs and prefer to own them, consider joining a music club such as YourMusic.com that will give you discounts and let you earn points toward free CDs. Of course, for specific songs there are sites such as iTunes that allow you to buy only the songs you want. And for those who simply want music to listen to in their preferred style/genre, the most frugal option (free) of all are sites like Pandora.com that allow you to shape the "station" you choose, as you listen.

Movies - My family rarely goes to a theater movie, and when we do, maybe once or twice a year, it is to the discount theaters (and we don't buy any theater snacks :)). We also don't often rent movies from video stores because we are usually able to find the movies we want--for free at the library. And since we like watching movies so much, we check them out often.

TV - We simply don't watch much TV at our house. There are so many other things to do we don't even think about it, except for a specific allotted time during which our children know they can in the afternoon while I am transcribing. I have a couple of friends who recently discontinued their cable to save money and were surprised by how much time it saves them too, and how easily they were able to break the habit of watching all their favorite cable shows.

Review of My New Yogurt Maker

A couple weeks ago I wrote a post about how CSN Stores asked me to do a product review for them. They gave me a budget within which to keep my "purchase" and I made my choice, feeling like it was Christmas! As you may recall, I chose a yogurt maker and was excited about the prospect of eating homemade yogurt again (which I hadn't had since I was a child).

Well, I am happy to report that the entire transaction with CSN was a pleasure from beginning to end. Everything I was told was true and I had no hangups in ordering my product. I have ordered many items online and am used to seeing confirmation emails after paying for the product. But with CSN I received a second email to let me know my order was being processed and the date by which I could expect to receive it. A couple days later I received a third email telling me my order had been shipped. I appreciated knowing exactly where they were in the process and when I could expect to receive my package (since I was so anxious to get it). And then it arrived a day early! Which just happened to be on my husband's and my anniversary. :)

It has been a week and already I have made yogurt twice. It's been delicious, fun, and just plain feels good to eat, the way probiotics do. I love that I can now make yogurt for my lactose-intolerant child from her lactose-free milk, so she doesn't have to be excluded anymore. And I love that I can make whatever flavor I fancy.

My only complaint is concerning the instructions in the yogurt maker manual. After my experience and the mistakes I have made so far, I would rewrite it to be more clear. (So if you happen to order this same maker and have questions about it, feel free to email me.) Other than that, I have only positive things to say about this product.

I would have to say that my favorite feature about the YoLife yogurt maker is its versatility. As you can see by the picture above, it comes with two covers, so if you prefer to use your own (taller) jars you can. One of my pet peeves is feeling manipulated or restricted by a company I have ordered something from, so I am delighted by this product which gives me the freedom to do things my own way. Oh, and it also comes with a 5-year warranty. What's not to love?

The Health Benefits of Fasting

"Fasting is the simplest, easiest and most effective way to find out that we do indeed have the power and freedom to heal and take control of our bodies." (link)

As part of my religious observance, I fast for 24-hours once a month, every month (as long as I'm not pregnant or nursing full time). Though I don't know of any religion that encourages its people to fast as regularly as mine does, many others religious people believe in the spiritual benefits of fasting. But did you know there are many physical health benefits as well?

And it's important to note the following from this site:

"A fast does not chemically begin until the carbohydrate stores in the body begin to be used as an energy source. The fast will continue as long as fat and carbohydrate stores are used for energy, as opposed to protein stores. Once protein stores begin to be depleted for energy (resulting in loss of muscle mass) a person is technically starving."

So we're not talking about starving here (though it certainly often feels that way for most of us), but simply giving the body a rest from the digestion process for one day.

"The human body has many ordinary modes of achieving elimination: the liver, lungs, kidneys, colon, etc. When these are overloaded, the body will resort to "extra ordinary" methods of elimination: boils, mucous and other discharges, sweats, vomiting, diarrhea, and many others. Should elimination be impossible or uneconomical of body energy, the toxic overload will go into storage forms in the joints, vessels, muscles, organs; almost any tissue in the body. While fasting, the body is highly conservative of its energy and resources." (link)
For those whose physical condition allows them to fast, did you know how many health benefits there are to this practice? Among other things, fasting allows for:Autolysis

• Ketosis
  
• Detoxification
• Rejuvenation of digestion system
  
• The body to divert its energy from the digestive system and toward metabolism and the immune system
• Better resistance to disease
  
• A higher efficiency in protein synthesis, which results in healthier cells, tissues and organs
• Increased mental acuity
• Easier transition into a healthier diet/lifestyle
• Overcoming addictions
• Healing of chronic conditions and disease, such as allergies, uterine fibroid tumors, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disorders, and diabetes
  

In addition, I have learned that when I fast regularly I have better self-control in other aspects in my life, including, but not limited to, my appetite. Yet, even if all the above facts were not known, fasting regularly would still be worth it to me for its spiritual benefits.

“A wonderful thing about fasting is that it puts an interval between the behavior that you are accustomed to and the behavior that you aspire to. We tend to be creatures of habit, and the ways that we are accustomed to eating and living feel as natural to us as breathing. That is why it is so difficult for people to stop bad habits. But fasting brings your present lifestyle to an abrupt halt. It gives you an opportunity to pause, reflect and decide how you are going to conduct your life afterwards. This enables you to make a break with your past and set off in a new, more positive direction." (link)

Sprouts: A Super Food

I couldn't have a garden this summer but I can grow alfalfa sprouts; they're like growing a garden in a jar--with much faster results! In about 5 days you can produce a legume that is packed with incredible nutrition. And if you're a believer of "raw nutrition," these fit the bill.

Alfalfa sprouts are a super food because they:

• Contain nutrients such as calcium, folic acid, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, potassium, silicon, sodium, and zinc.

• Are the top source of anti-oxidants among all vegetables.

• Are the only plant that supplies the full range of vitamins, from vitamin A, B complex (even B12), C, E, to K. And, placed in indirect sun for a couple of days before harvesting even produce blood-healing chlorophyll.

• Are beneficial for those with arthritis, high blood pressure, low immunity, high LDL cholesterol, short-sightedness, and ulcers of the intestine. (See this link.)

There are a few different ways to grow sprouts (and there are many different kinds you can grow), such as the old-fashioned way with hose or cheesecloth. But I love my three different-sized plastic screens that make it super easy, provide the proper ventilation, and can be re-used countless times.

An Ounce of Prevention

We've all heard the adage An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and with illness this is particularly true. It is the way my mother kept all of us kids healthy (quite a bit healthier than most of our peers) and how I try to keep my own children well:

1. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, of course. This includes no smoking, drinking alcohol (or even tea and coffee in our case), or illicit drugs. It also includes -
a) A diet high in fiber, fruits and vegetables, and limited sugar.
b) Regular daily exercise.
c) Little idleness--in other words, work, being active.
2. Getting enough quality sleep.
3. Dressing appropriately for the weather.
4. Regularly supplementing with vitamins and herbs, particularly when you have symptoms of sickness.
5. Avoiding sugar completely when sick (since sugar slows the immune system).
6. Avoiding sick people. (This sometimes got in the way of social functions and made for frustrated or disappointed kids, but now from a parent's perspective I see how it was important to my mom.)
7. (My addition to my mom's unofficial list) Regularly including probiotics in your diet, which include -
a) Foods such as plain yogurt (hand sweetened, as desired) with acidophilus, bifidum cultures, etc,
b) Sauerkraut, and other fermented, non-alcoholic foods,
c) Or at the very least, supplementing with chewable acidophilus wafers. This "good bacteria" is necessary for gut health, which affects so many other functions of your body, including fighting off illnesses.

Life is so much happier, funner, and easier when everyone is healthy!

How to Improve Your Sleep

My youngest child had severe sleep issues for about a year, from the time she was only a few months old. As a result, and in desperation, I sought help from all the research I could find. This led to my pinpointing her lactose intolerance, and once we eliminated milk products from her diet, her sleep greatly improved. However, the poor kid didn't know how to fall asleep on her own at night or take naps, so I had to painstakingly teach her these things. I did so largely with the help of Mary Sheedy Kurcinka's book, which I mentioned in my last sleep post. It took us months, but eventually my daughter learned how to fall asleep on her own and sleep all night, and even--at long last--to take a nap each afternoon. It was a miracle! But it took education, diligence, and work, in addition to all the fervent prayer.

I also learned that all the things I gleaned from this experience could be applied to my preschooler and even to myself.

So here is a list of 5 basic things I learned that help a lot:

1. Dimming the lighting one hour before bedtime and not allowing any energetic activities in that time leading up to bed.
2. For the sensitive (which my youngest is), no TV (or computer time) 3 hours before bedtime: It tricks the brain into thinking it's full daylight, instead of time for the melatonin level to start increasing.
3. Exercising! Daytime exercise can make a big difference--even for a little toddler--but it should be finished about 3 hours before bedtime.
4. Keeping a consistent wake time is just as important as keeping a consistent bedtime--even on the weekends. (This one was so hard for me to learn because there's something in me that protests against waking a sleeping child! And though my older child doesn't need this, my younger one did for a long time because if I let her sleep in too long in the morning she didn't want to nap later, and then she was too overtired to sleep well at night.)
5. "Sleep begets sleep." I can't emphasize this enough, as I've seen it over and over again. Until recently, if my youngest took a good nap during the day, she would sleep much better at night, so that nap was crucial for keeping us on track.

The Most Bestest Ice Cream

...So said my grammar-conscious mom, so I knew this recipe would be good! I'd been hearing about it for months and was finally able to make it recently for my husband's birthday. It is superbly delicious, but eating it also doesn't make us feel the way eating other ice cream does. And even though we've eaten more of it in one sitting than we probably should (it's undoubtedly high in fat--but hey, no preservatives or artificial anything!), we haven't gotten a sugar high/crash or felt yucky. One reason, I believe, is because of the use of raw sugar instead of refined sugar. (Note: For strawberry ice cream we added 4 c. strawberries, blended down to 2 c. and added it last. I'm sure any other additions for other flavors could be done similarly.)

The Most Bestest Ice Cream
for 4 quart ice cream maker

5 beaten eggs
1 can evaporated milk
1 pint whipping cream (not to be confused with whipped cream!)
2 1/2 to 2 3/4 c. raw sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tb. vanilla
Whole milk

In large pan, mix whipping cream and evaporated milk with beaten eggs. Add whole milk until at least twice as much milk as eggs.

Heat on stove to scalding, mixing constantly. This must be watched carefully so the eggs are pasteurized but not cooked. In other words, heat it just before boiling--or until it's almost too hot to quickly test your finger in it. If you start seeing little congealed balls in your mix, you know the egg is starting to cook, so take it off the heat immediately! (If you do catch this a little late, just strain out the tiny cooked bits.)

Take off heat, add sugar, stir till dissolved.

Add salt and vanilla.

Place in fridge overnight (or until completely chilled), covered.

The next day, when you're ready to make the ice cream, pour mixture into maker's container and add whole milk until up to the line (or leave room for any flavor additions you've prepared and add them).

Work ice cream maker as per instructions.

Sleep: It's a Big Deal

Most adults value their sleep, and if you're a parent, you are particularly tuned in to how important sleep is. But there's still a lot to learn about this topic (which, incidentally, one of my uncles, Dr. Jed Black, is constantly digging deeper into, as head of the Sleep Center at Stanford University).

Sleep has always been important to me, more so than to most people I know. In my junior high years and then especially in high school, I came to realize that I needed eight to nine hours of sleep every night in order to function properly. Sometimes I had to fudge on that a little, if I had a particularly difficult test coming up, etc, but I diligently strove to do my studying during the day so I wouldn't have to pull all-nighters. Staying up late made me miserable. I could tell that my immune system was compromised and, if not soon corrected, lack of sleep would soon make me sick. Of course, it also made me cranky, unable to think as clearly as I needed to as a student, and much less capable of handling my stress load or coping with life in general. I was continually astounded that the majority of my friends (and generally all my peers) would squeak by on five hours or less. (I didn't know anyone else my age who went to bed at the early hour of 9:30 pm.) I didn't know how they did it--and I still don't. The research I have read about this age group states that young people actually lose years of their life due to extreme lack of sleep. In college I had a friend who, after continuous problems, had a sleep test done and found that she is one of those rare people who needs 14 hours of sleep a day to feel normal. She could hardly ever get that much, as you can imagine, but that made me grateful I only need eight!

So how much sleep do you need in a 24 hour period? It depends on how old you are.

In general, here is the break down:

Infants - 16 hours
Preschoolers - 11 hours
School-aged children - 10 hours
Teenagers - 9 hours
Adults - 7-8 hours

Now, I know many of you will look at this list and think, No way! But I also know that many people have never given it a try and experienced the difference more sleep can make--for yourself and/or your child(ren). For example, as Ms. Kurcinka states in her fantastic book Sleepless in America: Is your Child Misbehaving or Missing Sleep?, a great deal of behavioral problems in children can be treated and corrected by increasing the amount of sleep a child gets. As I have witnessed in my own children, overtiredness results in hyperactivity, misbehavior, and inability to cope. And so when parents comment that there's no way their children could go to bed at eight or nine p.m., they're just too wired, I think, Ah, but that's why they're wired, that's why they can't settle down at night. More on this later....

The Mayo clinic (and all other research on the topic agrees) states:

Although some people feel rested on as few as five hours of sleep a night, recent studies call this notion into question. Researchers have found that people who sleep so little over many nights don't perform as well on complex mental tasks as do people who get closer to seven hours of sleep a night. Additionally, researchers have found that adults who get much more or less than seven hours of sleep a night have a higher mortality rate than do adults who sleep about seven hours a night.

And older adults are not exempted from this, according to the article. Also see the article for tips on how to tell if you're not getting enough sleep and the importance of not just quality but quantity sleep.