Search Results for: blog health and gratitude

Reduce Your Stress for Your Baby’s Health

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Recent research conducted at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical Center revealed that stress during pregnancy increases the child’s risk for asthma. Stress in the mother triggers an immune response, evidenced in the cord blood collected at birth, possibly later heightening their response to inhaled antigens. It stands to reason, therefore, that reducing stress during pregnancy can only have a positive effect on both the baby and the mother. Most of us immediately want to remove the source of the stress. Sometimes it is simple enough as hiring a babysitter for a few hours or telling someone to mind … Continue reading →

Health and Gratitude

It’s that time of year: time to start counting our blessings. Holiday season is upon us, with Thanksgiving tomorrow (for U.S. folks) and winter holidays on the horizon. I think gratitude is a healthy thing. It’s so easy to get mired down in what’s wrong, what’s hard, what’s stressful… and forget all the things that are good in our lives. Sometimes, stopping to take stock can be a real eye-opener. It’s a great chance to let the good things shine for a while. I happened to be at the doctor’s office today — my first appointment at a new office. … Continue reading →

What To Do With Your Kid’s Gross Halloween Candy?

I suppose “gross” is a relative term, but when it comes to Circus Peanuts, Laffy Taffy and Wax Bottle candy, I exercise my parental veto power, and liberally toss out my daughter’s Halloween treats without an ounce of guilt. Actually, this year we will be donating unwanted Halloween candy to a group, which will distribute the sweet treats to children who are unable to go trick-or-treating. Other individuals are embracing the share-your-Halloween-candy concept as well. For example, dentists in New Hampshire, New Jersey and Iowa are redefining the phrase “put your money where your mouth is.” The dental experts are … Continue reading →

What Don’t You Understand About Moderation?

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OK, this may be a bit of tough love today. Sometimes we need that and sometimes it just ticks us off. I apologize if this ticks you off. On one of the weight loss forums that I moderate here, people are starting to go off their diets in anticipation of Thanksgiving. In particular, the big Thanksgiving food fest that this holiday has become for many Americans. I take serious issue with this mindset. It seems to me that Thanksgiving has become less about thanks and gratitude and more about seeing how much food we can pack into our already overweight … Continue reading →

Gratitude Trees

I’m on a mission to create gratitude in my children. My husband and I work very hard to provide them with a happy childhood, clean clothes, a warm house, food, and even fun toys. Sometimes though, I think we are doing too good of a job, because they sure don’t seem to appreciate it. Years ago, I read Simple Abundance. The author, Sarah Ban Breathnach, suggested that every night you write down five things you are grateful for. They didn’t have to be big things, they could be a cup of hot tea, or finding a parking space, or a … Continue reading →

Show a Little Gratitude

Do you know someone who is happiest when they are complaining about something? There are people who just seem to enjoy talking negatively about their problems. They manage to find at least one thing wrong with everything. I know that I have personally experienced times in my life when I have felt that everything was turning out the wrong way. In my prayers I know I must have sounded like a complainer as I asked for solutions and guidance. Have you ever met anyone who manages to find a positive in every single situation? I know some pretty positive people, … Continue reading →

Combating the “Stigma” of Divorce and Separation

I was brought up to believe that it is not WHAT happens to us in life that determines our happiness, but the attitude we choose to adopt around those circumstances. When it comes to divorce, separation and single parent families, we are faced with some stigma around what it all means. As parents, we can protect our children somewhat from this stigma and help them understand that divorce and single parent families do not have to be a tragedy or even signify failure. I know that we cannot protect our kids from everything and everyone out there in the world, … Continue reading →

Thank You Dr. Moore, and Rest in Peace

Dr. Raymond S. Moore, also known as the Grandfather of Homeschooling, died Friday, July 13, 2007 at the age of 91. He suffered a stroke on Father’s Day and his health declined from there. In addition to private funeral services, memorial services are planned for August 11, 2007, 4:00 p.m. (Tentative ), Sunnyside Seventh-day Adventist Church in Portland, OR and August 18, 2007, 4:00 p.m. , Central Seventh-day Adventist Church in Camellia Avenue, Sacramento, CA. Along with his also deceased wife, Dorothy Moore, Dr. Raymond Moore Led the charge in the early days of homeschooling, published numerous books for and … Continue reading →

I am Broke and Grateful – Three Ways to Appreciate the Things You Have

Three years ago my husband and I were both employed full-time. While we certainly weren’t getting rich we were living very comfortably with the income I was making as a social worker and he was making as a Sheriff’s Deputy. Two children, and minus one full-time income later we are broke – and happy. I’ll admit. I am not always joyful about being broke. In fact, my husband and I went out on a rare “date-night” last night and ate at one of our favorite restaurants. I remember looking at the dessert menu and drooling over the $5.00 tiramisu and … Continue reading →

For the Love of … Grandparents

One of the most tragic experiences of my life was my mother’s death. She died of breast cancer in 1994, and not only did I lose my mom, but my children and my future children lost a wonderful grandmother. There is a scene forever etched in my mind during my mother’s last days in the hospital, where I put Kyle, then a fifteen-month-old infant, into her arms. My mother didn’t have any hair as she lay in her hospital bed, and Kyle was just as bald. It was a very tender moment for all of us as she looked into … Continue reading →