I have read articles in two different magazines in the last week about the benefits of Resveratrol. It’s one of those topics that is a little beyond my ability to write about, so I found a terrific article from Solanova.com about Resveratrol and its benefits. They have a product that I am going to start trying out. Any other moms out there taking a Resveratrol supplement?

Red, Red Wine!

Who doesn’t enjoy a good glass of 1966 Chateau Margaux Bordeaux with dinner once in a while? Okay, maybe just the latest Shiraz screw-cap selection from Trader Joe’s? Either way, you’re doing something healthy for your body (if not for your pocket book.) But did you know how many glasses of red wine it would take to reap all the potential health benefits that oeniphiles everywhere tout? Numerous, countless — it is estimated upwards of 40. Glasses. A day. Wine is wonderful, but that seems to be the classic example of way too much of a good thing. Red wine is chock full of these wonderful, unparalleled antioxidants called Polyphenols, which are found in the skin and seeds of grapes. Red wines tend to contain more of these antioxidants than white, because white wines have the skins removed before fermentation.

Another strong antioxidant, Resveratrol, a type of Polyphenols, is created as a by-product of a plant’s defense mechanism against disease and red wine, grapes, and even raspberries contain high levels of it. Scientists believe that Resveratrol could offer tangible hope in the fight against certain diseases like cancer and many studies have shown Resveratrol to offer anti-inflammatory properties as well as reducing tumor incidences in animals and/or inhibiting cancer growth in cells.1

Obviously it is impractical to have to consume an inordinate amount of wine, berries and other foods with high antioxidant properties every day. This is why a nutritional supplement like Solanova’s Rubi QNol® is so vital to continued good health. Containing Resveratrol, Polyphenols and the highly absorbable, reduced form of CoQ10 Ubiquinol, Rubi QNol® has all the main ingredients to potentially help stave off the aging process. In fact, it has been discovered that Resveratrol works positively on a gene called Sirtuin (SIR), which is responsible for aging. In addition, this connection with SIR suggests Resveratrol may have a beneficial effect on diabetes.2 And, as if that isn’t enough, Resveratrol has been touted for its ability to help strengthen the heart and possibly help cells live longer and increase the stability of DNA.3 Then, of course, CoQ10 has received significant press as of late for its potential role in slowing the aging process and supplying the body with ample enzymes for better cellular health.

With all these potential benefits in a fortified, high absorption formula, thanks to Rubi QNol®, the fountain of youth may just have found you.

(article by Solanova.com)

Susan and Nick

Children don’t always come into the world perfect. My youngest of four children certainly didn’t. Nick was born with a horribly malformed heart. After a heart surgery at five days old, another at three months, another at one year old, he received a heart transplant just before turning two. Today, he is twenty one and attending college. Living with Nick’s chronic illness hasn’t always been easy. Though the years I’ve learned ways of cope during tough times.

Make the most of every day

Worry doesn’t add a minute to life. In fact, it takes minutes away that could be used to make precious memories. Don’t miss out on those memories by being stymied by worry. Live for today, not for what might happen down the road. Vacations are an excellent way to build shared memories.

Be united as a family

First and foremost be a family. Parents need to support each other, especially in front of the children. They feed off their parent’s actions and attitudes. Make sure each child knows they are important to making the family complete. Siblings should be shown they are just as important as the sick child. Share meals together as much as possible. That time builds family bonds.

Life shouldn’t revolve around the ill child

An ill child should be taught to mind, have chores, and be a functioning member of the family as much as they can be. It is important that siblings don’t become resentful. Standards of behavior should be the same for everyone. The whole family should support a child when they are participating in a sporting event, a program, band concert, etc. Attend the event in force whenever possible.

Understand that everyone handles stress differently

Recognize that not everyone in the family will react to a negative situation the same way. I talk a lot and fast when I’m scared. My husband paces and goes into his own world when he is worried. We have to respect each other’s method of coping.

Look for ways to have control

Volunteer, have a hobby, exercise. Do something positive for yourself every day. It takes a good sound body and mind to deal with an ill child. It is important for the caregiver to take care of his or her self.

A chronically ill child in the family adds special challenges to life, but they also add love and laugher. Nick has certainly brought that to our family.

By Susan May

Nick’s New Heart

www.susanCmay.com

It can be hard for moms to make time for everything–the kids, the house, work, friends, exercise. Why not combine a couple of those to save yourself some time? I’ve recently started going to Zumba classes with some of my girlfriends and am having a great time while I get fit!

Zumba is a combination of dance and exercise. You can have fun while you cha-cha but also work your muscles while you do squats. The class that I attend is a combination of Latin music and hip hop, but each class will vary depending on the instructors. Classes are approximately an hour. Although it has meant a change in my family’s schedule because I take an hour out in the middle of the evening two nights a week for ME, it has absolutely been worth it. It almost feels like an evening out with my friends when we all meet up and dance for an hour.

You can buy Zumba music and do some of the dance routines at home, but part of what makes it fun and makes you want to keep doing it is to go with friends and immerse yourself in the experience. You can visit www.zumba.com for a list of classes in your area. Mine are at a Montessori school for $5 each, but I know that they also offer them at YMCAs and several gyms. Below is a video of a class doing a routine very similar to one that we have done. YouTube is full of Zumba videos, but I liked this one because I actually know this dance! It’s set to “Hey You Girl.”

Last week my daughter had a birthday party to attend at a place called Monkey Joes. As we were dropping her off, I saw a stand for Funky Monkey fruit snacks. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remembered Hungry Girl talking about them, but I had never tried them.

My 9-year-old and I picked 5 different flavors, but they were a little pricey. Each serving bag was about $2.50. I figured it was worth it to try them just to see what we thought about them.

My 9-year-old is picky when it comes to fruits and vegetables. Even though I make the kids eat a fruit and a veggie at every meal, she just truly doesn’t like a lot of them. I was skeptical that she would like Funky Monkey because it is essentially nothing but freeze dried fruit (no sugar!). She opened a bag of the Applemon in the car as we were running errands. To my surprise, she loved them! The next day, we opened up all of the flavors and everyone in the family tried them. They were all a hit (although I liked the bananas and no one else did). I did a little research and found that each bag is a single serving size but the equivalent of 3 of the USDA’s recommended 2-4 servings of fruit.

Funky Monkey is a perfect snack. It would travel well or could be packed in a lunchbox. I’m planning on switching out sugary after-school snacks with Funky Monkey packages now. Luckily for me, some of the flavors are only one point on Weight Watchers. So I will be having some each day, too!

The Funky Monkey website says that you can buy them at Kroger, but I couldn’t find them. I ended up ordering them on Amazon for much less than they cost at Monkey Joes. A 12 pack is under $22 and it is eligible for Super Saver shipping. You can buy variety packs or single flavor packs. We’re partial to the Applemon and Carnival Mix at our house. Try them all and let me know what you think.

Edited: If you live near Indianapolis, they now have them at Marsh!

Just hearing the words “colon cleanse” makes me a little nervous. I have always ignored the whole “cleanse and detox” thing in favor of Weight Watchers. However, I have a friend who just swears by it. She does it about once a quarter and says that it makes her feel better and lose bloat around her middle. I was skeptical because most of the time I see ads for colon cleanse products, they seem like spam.

Now I see that Jillian Michaels (of “The Biggest Loser”) has a program. I have to admit that I am interested. You can buy the Jillian Michaels 14 Day Cleanse and Burn, which is supposed to jump start your weight loss routine while at the same time cleaning out toxins from your body. It also comes with Probiotic Replenishment, which I do believe in.

It looks like Jillian Michaels has a whole line of other products, some that are similar including another Detox program and some fat burners. They work miracles on “The Biggest Loser” and I have to think that they are using some kind of supplements. Given that Jillian Michaels has her name on these products and has a good reputation, I am considering trying one of them. Here are some of the other products she has at GNC:

Jillian Michaels QUICKSTART Rapid Weight Loss Program

Jillian Michaels Triple Process Body Detox & Cleanse plus Probiotic Replenishment

Have you tried any of these? What did you think? Is there another short-terms cleanse or detox that you liked better?

(FYI…I checked out my local GNC and they did NOT have all of the products above. So I guess I will be ordering online with quick shipping to get them soon!)

I’ve struggled with my weight since I was in law school. It is so easy to gain 10-15 pounds in a month. The really crummy part is that I am active and healthy. I exercise pretty regularly and even ran the Indianapolis Mini Marathon back in May. I start almost every single day with oatmeal with a little Splenda. I hardly ever eat fast food or fried foods. Where do I go wrong??

Thanks to Weight Watchers, I know exactly where I go wrong. I’ve been a member for over 10 years and started doing it online about 7 years ago. I love that the online version is easy to enter foods and activities. I can look back over weeks, months, and years to see where I have “fallen off the wagon” and why.

I won’t say that the pounds just melt off of me. Weight Watchers doesn’t work like that. It’s really a way of teaching yourself what foods are best for you and what real portion sizes should be. And there is flexibility to eat those foods that you “must have” and share in celebrations with your family.

Why am I telling you all of this now? Two reasons. The first is that it is time for me to get back on the wagon. I can tell now without even weighing myself when I have gained 5 pounds. (and I have!) So I start counting points again today. The other reason is that they are running a great deal where you can get a month free. You really need to give it a few months to work, so signing up for the 3 Month Savings plan is a good idea. It will take a few weeks to learn the system and get your body used to eating more healthy. Give it a shot and tell me what you think! And then we can share recipes.

I came across this Texting and Driving PSA on the MomLogic website today. It really hit me hard because I have watched people VERY close to me in my life text and drive. In fact, I’ve mentioned to them several times how dangerous I think it is. But it doesn’t stop them. I’ve read studies lately that say that cell phone use and texting while driving is even more dangerous than drunk driving. It just doesn’t get quite as much attention….YET!

Even more scary to me than the people close to me doing this is that they all have kids who will one day be drivers. If they see their parents doing it, why wouldn’t they? Your kids will do as you do…not as you say. They figure “Mom and Dad never got in an accident, either will I.” But combine inexperienced drivers with texting and it is literally an accident waiting to happen.

This video actually brought tears to my eyes because I can all too vividly imagine that it could be my girls in the first car…or my whole family in the second car. I try not to even use my cell phone buttons when I am driving, but we all do things without thinking. We need to get out of the mindset that it is okay to even TOUCH our cell phones while we are behind the wheel. Otherwise, we may find ourselves living this video.

Edited: Apparently this video is now becoming very popular. It was the Texting and Driving PSA shown on the Today Show this week. Good! I am glad it it circulating!

This is a great freebie opportunity because it’s something most women can use and it is directly from a brand name manufacturer. Get a free sample pack of Kotex Ultra Thin Overnight Pads with wings. Kotex makes two different overnight pads–the Ultra Thin Overnight Pads with Wings and the Maxi Overnight Pads. The Ultra Thin with Wings are wider in the back and have “Tru Fit Wings” that supposedly prevent bunching.

Samples are only available in the U.S. (sorry, Canadian friends!). I’m not sure how long this will last, so click here to take advantage now!

I happened to catch about 5 minutes of the Today show this  morning on accident. (I don’t usually watch tv while I am working during the day) Hoda and Kathie Lee were showing an item called the “GoGirl.” They were both really grossed out by it, but I thought it was wonderful!

The GoGirl is described on its website as a “female urination device”. Basically, it lets girls pee standing up. I’m one of those people who hates public restrooms and port-a-potties just about worse than anything in the world. I could absolutely see myself using this. And imagine having it on camping trips?

The only place that I have seen so far that you can buy the GoGirl is directly from their website (www.go-girl.com). For $5 you can get one in a little bag with toilet paper. Perfect to keep for an emergency.

I’m struggling with being back on Weight Watchers after the holidays and a trip to Vegas. I was watching The Biggest Loser the other day and Bob was talking about Extra Fruit Sensations Gum. I figured that I would give it a shot.

I picked up a package of the “Sweet Watermelon” gum at the grocery store yesterday. I’m one of those people who tires of the flavor of gum easily and wants piece after piece. Needless to say, I was skeptical that sugarfree gum would keep me from eating.

Much to my surprise, it worked! I chewed and chewed that gum so long that I couldn’t even “taste test” as I was making dinner. I finally had to throw it away (and it still had flavor) after a couple of hours. Today when afternoon came and started wanting a snack, I just popped in a piece of the gum instead. I’m looking forward to trying some other flavors. If I can get through this first couple of weeks of counting points again, I will be back on track!