What's Lurking in the Air?

Spring Break is over and we are getting back into routine. After dropping Emily off to school this morning Sahara and I went for our daily walk. I truly felt liberating to be in the brisk air. However, we didn’t venture to far before I was consumed by an odd scent attacking my olfactory system.I looked around for fresh mulch… nope. We passed a few more houses and I thought that it might be our neighbor's paint fumes; I saw the professional painter’s...

Read More

Tweety Breaks Through Austim's Glass Wall

I have vivid 30 year old memories of Saturday morning cartoons. Mom would wake us up; still in our pajamas we would race to the front room to the “DA DA DA DA DA DA” of Looney Toons. We weren’t inundated with cartoons 24/7 like our children; this was a two hour excursion after a long week of work and play. We only had one opportunity a year to see Mickey and Minnie. After our last class of catechism before summer break, we would gather with our classmates in the church basement to watch this yearly flick. I remember the chips and hotdogs; somehow...

Read More

The Mouse Vs. The Butterfly

So... I broke down! I figured it was spring break and we needed to cut loose a bit. Preparing for the 3rd grade proficiency tests, going to tutoring before school, 2 hours of homework every week night, bi-weekly trips to private occupational therapy and speech, aikido, horse lessons, a trip to the emergency room, the new neurologist, doctor visits, home visits, publishing my first book, dad working late most nights plus an episode of the influenza...

Read More

Recipe of the Week: GFCF Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

10 oz. GFCF Chocolate Chips7 oz. Smooth Peanut Butter1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar1/2 cup Vanilla Almond MilkMicrowave Chips and PB for 2 minutes. Stir with wooden spoon until incorporated. Add powdered sugar & almond milk. Pour into 8x8 pan and refrigerate until set - I found it is best if left in refrigerator over night. Cut into bite size pieces and enjoy.Not only is this recipe easy, but it is rich enough that you could hide some veggies in...

Read More

10 Simple Detox Strategies to Promote Wellness

1-Buy organic foods as much as you can: meats, fruits, vegetables, & dairy. Yes, they are more expensive, but as the demand increases the more companies will jump into the market causing the cost to go down.2 – Decrease stressors in your life: physical, chemical and emotional stress all take their tool on your body's system.3 - Avoid chemical exposure as much as you can. There was a study that showed that by the time the average American reaches...

Read More

Spring Equinox Meditation for Life, Substance and Peace

Lady Spring we thank you for bringing together the male and female creatures of the sky and earth in order to create more life and abundance. It is in our quietness that we are able to recognize a more profound spiritual message within this cycle of life that you lovingly offer to us; the merging of our own feminine and masculine parts within ourselves and our communities — The Yin and Yang dancing in the unity of peace. Now more than ever, it is apparent that the people of today need to recognize that our differences are in fact no cause for...

Read More

How do Toxins Enter your body?

By definition a toxin is a biological poison… possibly bacteria, virus, or snake venom. When people refer to toxins in our environment like pesticides, parabens, or radiation they are actually referring to free radicals. Like most people, I use the two terms interchangeably. Regardless, we are living in a world overloaded with these harmful substances. And if taken in large amounts they can either cause serious illness or even death. It is...

Read More

Recipe of the Week: GFCF Ranch Dressing / Dip

1 cup Tofutti Better than Sour Cream 1 cup Vegenaise 1 teaspoon Dried Basil 1 teaspoon Dried Cilantro ¾ teaspoon Raw Sea Salt 2 teaspoon Onion Powder ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder 1 teaspoon Cracked Pepper ½ teaspoon Dried Leaf Marjoram 1 teaspoon Tamari Wheat Free Soy Sauce 3 tablespoons Clean Pure Water (more or less depending on use and desired consistency.) Whisk all of the ingredients together and store in an airtight container in the...

Read More

Learn to Deal With Stress Naturally

We all experience stress, Right? Stress can take form in three manners; emotional, physical and chemical. Let’s take a look closer at each of these. Emotional Stress can consist of fear, regret, anger and is usually associated with a negative feeling. BUT it can also take form when we are having positive experiences too like anticipation of the new baby coming, worry about the new job, or pre-occupation with the wedding. Those are all good times,...

Read More

Stimulate and Integrate your Child's Brain

An art journal can be a very powerful tool — especially for those with special needs. An art journal is like a regular writing journal with the exception that you use expressive arts to produce your entries. This is especially useful for individuals who lack the ability to articulate with words or lack speech all together. However, it seems that an art journal can help not only with communication, but can improve brain function as well.I have utilized...

Read More

Laughter is the Best Medicine

What do preschoolers do hundreds of times a day, but adults typically only do fifteen times a day? Laugh.Children laugh easily and use their body actions to change their state of mind — this playfulness helps express their emotions and develops better learning and cognitive skills.Benefits of laughter for children and adults: Boosts self confidenceLessens anxiety and stressEnhances lung capacity and increases circulationStrengthens immune systemCreates...

Read More

Money Saving Tip 1: Coupons for the Health Conscious

I recently started using coupons and I was amazed at the amount of money I could save! On my first two bi-weekly shopping trips I saved $65 and then $80. That was a $145 saved the first month with coupons alone. As I surfed the net I realized I have a long way to go in order to capitalize upon this fine art, but I think I am well on my way. The first challenge I was able to overcome was finding coupons for GFCF and organic items. Firstly, I contacted...

Read More

Recipe of the Week: GFCF Gourmet Chicken Soup

In a large stock pot combine: 1 gallon of water2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts1# carrots diced2 cups celery diced1 cup onion diced1 large turnip diced3 potatoes peeled and diced Add Seasonings to pot: 1 Tablespoon Chicken Better than Bouillon Bouillon 1 teaspoon raw sea salt1 teaspoon cracked pepper1teaspoon garlic powder2 teaspoons dried basil1 teaspoon dried cilantro Bring to boil then reduce to simmer...

Read More

Rhesus-Negative and Gestation

Can an expectant mother's immune system attack her fetus? It is said that there is a potential risk if the mother's blood has a protein that her fetus does not.Most people (85%) have a protein in their blood called rhesus-negative (Rh D-). When a person lacks this protein (Rh D-) and it (the protein) happens to enter their blood stream, the body will innately build antibodies against it and the immune system will attack. Typically an expectant...

Read More

Fresh Air and Optimum Health

We are on the home stretch of winter with Lady Spring just around the corner. I was just feeling the confines of the indoors and longed for fresh air when we were given the gift of such a splendid weekend. After being cooped up for months, we undoubtedly took advantage of the beautiful weather. With just a few minutes outside and we felt refreshed, invigorated, and alive. This longing to be outside is an innate knowing from within our bodies. Fresh...

Read More

DNA Imprinting and Positve Emotions

How much DNA do you have? Well... of course your answer is 100%. Now, the less obvious question is how much DNA does the average human being use? You may be surprised to learn that science has determined that we use a mere 25%! This has baffled the science community for some time now. However, did you know that when you experience negative emotions (hate, fear, resentment, anger, jealousy, etc.) that the DNA actually gets wound tighter and we...

Read More

Jason McElway: Basketball Hero

Be prepared to Laugh and Cry! Enjo...

Read More

Floortime Approach to Autism

As a parent of a child with ASD I found it frustrating to implement some of the behavioral directives in treating a young child with autism. I wanted to find a way to have meaningful interactions with her that were not conditioned. This frustration ignited me to continue researching other viable options and that is how I stumbled across Engaging Autism: Helping Children Relate, Communicate and Think with the DIR Floortime Approach. This book was...

Read More

Recipe of the Week: GFCF Caesar Salad Dressing

Our family loves Caesar Salads! Our youngest child’s favorite meal was a Caesar Salad with a side of asparagus and strawberries. When we started to adapt the GFCF diet we missed this meal. I messed around a lot with a variety of ingredients until I found this combination and found it to be a nice substitute for Caesar Dressing! 2 teaspoon Minced Garlic1 teaspoon Sea Salt1 teaspoon Fresh Cracked Black Pepper½ Lemon juiced1/4 teaspoon Dijon Mustard3...

Read More

Study Shows Doodling Improves Ability to Recall Information

Guilty as charged! I have always been an obsessive doodler. Whether in school, a business meeting, on the phone or simply watching television I have been known to have a pen in hand. Most doodles ended up in the trash, some inspired art work, and others just simply annoyed others around me. I have noticed that my daughter has embraced this habit as well. She tends to doodling all the time. The margins of her homework are decorated with names, shapes,...

Read More

Co-Sleeping Promotes Security and Self Confidence

In the United States, prior to the 19th century, it was customary for an infant/child to sleep within close proximity to it's mother. However, it may surprise you that more cultures than not continue to participate in the parental act of co-sleeping with their young.The mother co-sleeping is better able to attend to the child's needs when the child is placed in close proximity to her. This act tends to promote security and a sense of well-being within...

Read More