When I had my daughter, 2 years ago. I entered a world that I never could have imagined existed.   You mean, I have to take care of this thing that came out of me and stop taking care of myself?  I know plenty of women feel instant love and instant "motherhood."  Me? Not so much.

The first year was full of fear, doubt, anxiety, depression, hormonal imbalance, weight gain, and worry.  After a stressful and complicated pregnancy that landed me in the hospital for 3 weeks just to keep the baby inside long enough to grow, I then had about every breastfeeding struggle known to (wo)man. Top that off with a baby that wasn't growing, and a medical system that made me feel like a failure for having a "failure to thrive" baby. 

The doctors told me I was harming my baby by trying to exclusively breastfeed. They told me if I didn't supplement with formula,  my baby would be in danger.  They made me fear that my baby was hungry and that I was the...

Don't let the title of this post deceive you. It's not about calling yourself a fat ass. It's not about labeling yourself as supermom.  It's about the split second it takes to change a thought. It's about the split second it takes to change your life.  

Change doesn't have to take years (though often it's a journey and does). Change doesn't have to be drawn out and dragged on.  You can literally "change" in a split moment decision.  And guess what, we get the opportunity for these split moment decisions THOUSANDS of times per day. That means, you have thousands of chances to change your life ON THE DAILY! 

Now, let me give you a little back story. Growing up, I was never a skinny kid. In fact, quite the opposite. I would run around my hometown block for exercise when it wasn't swim season (I was a swimmer growing up).  I don't know about you, but who wasn't a self-conscious teen, especially an overweight teen?  Every time I ran, I took the...

These past couple months, I’ve started feeling sick EVERY time I go to the grocery store! Here’s what I think is happening, and what I am doing about it.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the only place I really go out in the world to (besides my local hiking trail), is the grocery store. But after a couple of weeks/months, I noticed that I would leave the store and immediately feel ill. Sometimes I'd feel ill while in the store. Does this happen to anyone else?

It got me thinking... What is the common denominator? 

It's been over a decade since I really started to notice how sensitive to chemical cleaners I am.  I found that the more I removed them from my life, the more I noticed how they affect my body.  So, when I put 2 and 2 together, I realized that the grocery store really was making me sick. 

With the increase in cleaning chemicals being used in every store these days, I found that simply being in the store was a little overload for my body....

I've always been a little wary of cough medicine. As a kid, I used it any time I had a cough. Sometimes it worked, but most of the time, it didn't make any difference at all. I tried all the brands, tea and honey, lemon, etc. I tried all... the... things...

Two years ago I found the MediHerb product called Herbal Throat Spray, and now, I keep it on hand all... the... time... Literally, it even travels with me and stays on my nightstand for any middle of the night coughing.  

I use this spray not only for myself, but for my daughter who is now 2 years old anytime she gets a cough, sore throat, or starts getting sick.  (I started using it with her when she was about 12-18 months when needed).  

This spray is a combination of several herbs all with a specific purpose to help sore throat symptoms! 

Here are the great herbs (and their purpose) in the spray:

• Marshmallow Root: A very soothing herb that helps soothe throats and coughs.
• Sage: An herb that helps...

Let me share with you my go-to for all things skin related for myself and my daughter.  I use this for diaper rash, sunburn, dry skin, and more! Listen in as I talk about Standard Process's USF Ointment! 

Previous Kids Nutrition Topics: 

Check out all of the previous Kids Nutrition topics/blog posts found here on the Kids Nutrition page. (immune support, brain support, congestion support, sore throat support, skin support, multivitamin support, and more!)

Got gunk? You know, the sneezy, sniffly, achy funk? As our kids prepare to go back to school this year, let me tell you what I always keep in my “health cabinet” for the inevitable. 

Today, I share a message about FEEDING the immune system.  I share one of my favorite products that I always keep on hand (and take anywhere I travel), called Congaplex.  It's basically food for the immune system in a single supplement, and pairs very nicely with Immuplex for total immune boosting support to help drain the "gunk" out.  

I use Congaplex Chewables for my daughter at first sign of "not feeling well."  I beef up the amount for her if she is sick with a cold, fever, or infection. (and I do the same for myself.) 

Having Vitamins A and C from whole foods like alfalfa, mushrooms, carrots, as well as herbs like echinacea, minerals like calcium lactate, and so much more, this is supplement helps to feed the cells of the body the foods needed to...

The immune system is a complex web, or alliance, of systems and organs in the body, not just one system. It is comprised of many systems that work together to protect the body from invaders (like bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other unwanted substances). 

Because of the complexity of the immune system, and the multitude of organs involved, there is not just one thing, or food, that will help improve immunity. It must be a variety of foods that support all of the organs and systems involved in the immune alliance.

• The thymus gland is needed for lymphocytes (or white blood cells, the body's main immune cells)
• The spleen is needed to help with lymph and blood.
• The long skeletal bones are needed for bone marrow and blood.
• The stomach is needed for digestion and the production of HCL which destroys pathogens that come into the body via food.
• The intestinal flora is needed for digestion to destroy pathogens in the intestines as well as aid in the production of B12.
• The...

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. In fact, there is more calcium in the body, than all of the other minerals combined.  If nothing else, this should reinforce how essential calcium is for us to understand! The good thing is, calcium is found in so many healthy foods, like nuts, seeds, broccoli, yogurt, and more (note: it's a myth that the best calcium comes from cows milk!)  Just do a quick google search to find some other great food based sources of calcium.  

But even if you eat enough calcium, there are several processes that the body needs to go through in order to assimilate that calcium and make it "work."  First, we need to be able to digest the calcium. Then, we need to make sure we have enough Vitamin D to get that calcium from our  guts to our blood. Thirdly, we need to have enough fatty acids (polyunsaturated type) to get that calcium from the blood into the tissues.  So, essentially, it's a complicated mineral.

But...

Looking to "fill in the gaps" of your kids' diet? Want to help feed their body cells with rich sources of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients found in real, organic, food? Check out Catalyn Chewables from Standard Process. 

This multivitamin contains 12 whole foods, including carrot root, organ meats like liver, alfalfa, mushroom, and so much more. Here's a link to the full label so that you can see the full blend of whole foods included.  (clearly it's not a vegetarian or vegan product, but if that is of concern to you, the animals/foods are all raised in a humane, organic, free range farm up in Palmyra, WI). 

Listen in as I share why it's so important to not only eat, but supplement with whole food products, as the "whole is greater than the sum of its parts."  

It's time to counteract the effects of the S.A.D. (the Standard American Diet).  This is a product that I personally use and trust. It is cold processed, meaning the foods haven't...

Let me start by saying, yes. Yes it's most important for kids (and every human for that matter) to continue eating real, whole foods to get their vitamins and minerals.  However, sometimes we need extra help, and that's where vitamin and mineral supplementation comes into play.  

When I talk about supplementation, I am talking about food. I am talking about getting higher doses of a specific nutrient than you could actually eat. (I mean, who is going to eat a bushel of beets in order to get the healing benefit that their body needs? or who's going to eat enough liver, or other organ meat on a daily basis to get those essential vitamins and minerals?)  

So, in every lesson about supplements, I am actually talking about food.  I do not recommend synthetic vitamins (meaning they are man made).  I only recommend vitamins that are sourced from real, whole, organic foods.  

Today, I share with you about Fish Oil.  Listen in as I talk...