Xclear Sinus Nasal Spray

Here is the WAY COOL Nasal Spray I've been using ever since my Horrible Sinus Infection... Knock On Wood - I haven't had one since!
 I use it 3 times a day... ahhhhhhhhhhh

I prefer the first one - stronger pump... really makes it all the way to my throat in one pump :)

What/How to pack for a hotel

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SeriouslyWhatNow.com

Carrie

Prep Time: 

MOM with "pack mule" (a.k.a. husband) + kids that can read - 2 hours

MOM with "pack mule"( a.k.a. husband) - 3 hours 

MOM with kids that can read - 4 hours

MOM alone - 6-8 hours    (This method is highly discouraged - May cause extreme grumpiness)

Anytime we decide to take a little vacation (which involves staying at a hotel) I take a few deep breaths and repeat..
There's no place like home -
            There's no place like home -
                       There's no place like home ...
                                    (BTW.. This doesn't work - even if you click your heels. So GET PREPARED!)

AND THEN... I begin feverishly making a batch of Chocolate Chip oatmeal Cookies and/or Biscotti. While the goods are in the oven I boil a box of pasta and make a VAT of Mae's favorite Sushi Rice :)
I will list things that I DO, BAKE, and PACK below. Feel free to copy and paste into your very own spreadsheet with a "check box" next to it. It's what we do!!!
The following is for a 2-night stay at a hotel with  an outdoor pool. I will add sections for variations (such as an indoor pool, a longer stay, no breakfast bar etc... ) I have many more articles planned: "How to attack Disney" and "How to enjoy Seaworld" in Orlando, Florida as well as "How to Move a family across the country".   

A 2-night stay at a hotel with a outdoor pool.  If you'd like the excel file e-mail me at MrsMathCanHelp@Gmail.com :)

	THINGS TO DO		COOLER		DRY GOODS		CLOTHES
	BAKE COOKIES		SANDWICHES		PILLOWS		PANTIES
	BOIL PASTA		YOGURT		TERYAKI SAUCE		SOCKS
	MAKE SUSHI RICE		PASTA		PASTA		COLD PJS (flannel)
	BAKE BISCOTTI		RICE		RICE		WARM PJS (cotton)
			APPLE SAUCE		CEREAL		TEVAS
			TORTILLAS		ALMOND MLK		TENNIS SHOES
			NUGGETS		APPLE CIDER		FLIP FLOPS
			ICE PACK		BREAD		STUFFED ANIMALS
			HOT DOG		ALMOND BUTTER		T-SHIRTS
					JELLY		SHORTS
					FRUIT JUICE		JACKETS
					CRACKERS		HANNAS (daydresses)
					RUBBER GLOVES
					LARABARS
	KITCHEN				CHIPS
			BATHROOM		FRUIT
	PLATES
	CUPS		HAIR BRUSH
	SILVERWARE		TOOTH BRUSH				POOL
			TOOTH PASTE		BEACH
			PUMP SOAP				SUNBLOCK
	MEDICINE		BAR SOAP		SUNBLOCK		SWIMSUIT (regular)
			SHAMPOO		SWIMSUIT		COVER UP
	TYLENOL		CONDITIONER		COVER UP		SUN HAT
	ADVIL		BLOW DRYER		SUN HAT		FLIP FLOPS
	BENADRYL				FLIP FLOPS		PADDLE BOARDS
	ALLERGY MED		LOTION		PADDLE BOARDS		FLOATIES
	ITCH CREAM		CLORINE BALL		ARM FLOATIES		WATER PUMP/GUNS
	ANTIBIOTIC CREAM		BUBBLE BATH		SAND TOYS		DIVE RINGS
	BANDAIDS				UMBRELLA		NOODLE
					SUN GRUBBIES		SUN GRUBBIES

 

Chia - The "Happy Pill"

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Carrie

Chia Seeds

It is important here that I mention that although all of the Omega's are important (3, 6, 9) our bodies currently have  WAY TOO MUCH Omega 6 and hardly any Omega 3. According to my research and the links below, the "Ideal" ratio is 1:1. According to Sally Fallon in her book "Nourishing Traditions"
most of us eat a ration of 1:20 !!!!!!!! Which is leading to all sorts of health issues. Heart Disease and inflammation being just a couple.  It is very difficult to find foods that have more Omega 3 than 6. Certain types of fish do, but let's be realistic. It would be easier for me to single handedly build a spaceship than get Mae to eat something she doesn't like on a daily basis!!!  So the source of Omega 3's HAS to be tasteless and inconsequential.

Talk about a  GREAT MOOD BOOSTER!!! Just one hour after eating a Tablespoon of Organic Chia seeds - her mood lifts to the point of giddiness.  After she eats them (You're probably wondering how on earth I get her to eat them... Just be patient - I will tell you soon enough:) she starts running around the house with her sister acting silly and carefree. Now, for those of you new to this whole philosophy and diet, it might not work as quickly. Some say it takes several weeks for the first real "kick" of upbeat mood. But at this point Mae has been, for the most part, 100% free of artificial color, flavor, HFCS, and Casein for over a year and a half. 

So now, for the moment you've all been waiting for....
How I get her and her sister to eat them.
the answer: Fruit Smoothie! (This recipe is for her and her sister to share - I add more if I am having some)
I simply put a few
Frozen or Fresh

Strawberries

Blueberries

Peaches

Banana

2 Tablespoons of Chia seeds

2 Tablespoons of Calcium liquid 

(This is also how I get the Calcium in her!)

Water

Blend and VWALAA!
The only way I can think of to explain the taste and texture of the Chia seeds is to liken them to the little black seeds on the outside of a strawberry.  Once Mae heard this she swallowed them right down without a word.

NOTE 1:

I highly recommend giving the smoothie at least 4 hours before bedtime :)
All of the fiber seems to run through them right around the 4 hour mark.
Can anyone say "Potty Time!"

 NOTE 2:

Beware of the farts! They will create a lovely musical sound around the house - lol
which is highly beneficial for the entertainment of the young ones you are trying to cheer up! Just go with the flow....

There is an incredible amount of research detailing the effects of Omega 3's on Mood. Here are a few I ran across today:

ScienceDaily (Mar. 4, 2006)
ACT - Changing Tomorrow (December 11, 2007)
Omega 3 Fatty Acid Treatment in Autism (February 14, 2010)


If you are wondering which seeds I buy here is the link:
Navitas Organic Raw Chia Seeds

I LOVE BUBBLES!!!!

I have moved my blog to another page. Please visit me here!

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Carrie

I was wandering thru Whole foods last week frowning at the wallet I was about to empty on bath bubble juice. So far the only two that came close were California Baby (which costs an arm and a leg and a nose... and an organ) and some cold and flu concoction

PLEASE NOTE: I have included the inscription from the website with a "milk allergy" statement. BUT, so far Mae has not had a reaction. And she played in it for 30 minutes. I will run a few more "tests" and see how she fares... but so far so good! And the bubbles/suds last forever!!! Wish me luck. (update at bottom)

Key Ingredients:
Lemon Balm (soothing, antioxidant)
Shea Leaf Extract (antioxidant, antibacterial)
Handcrafted Shea Butter (moisturizing, protective, emollient)

Full Ingredients:
Aqueous extracts of Shea Leaf (Butyrospermum parkii) and Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Decyl Polyglucose, Lauryl Glucoside, Shea Butter* (Butyrospermum parkii), Glucose, Glucose oxidase & Lactoperoxidase.

Calming Lemon Lavender Also Includes:
Lavender Essential Oil, Lemon Extract

Comforting Eucalyptus Mint Also Includes:
Essential Oils of Spearmint and Eucalyptus, Orange Extract

Sensitivity Information:

This product is gluten free.

For those customers with milk sensitivities we don't recommend use of this product. It does contain a milk enzyme for preservation - Lactoperoxidase.

Jump to the website directly :)

UPDATE:

The girls had another bath 3 days ago with twice as much bubble juice - for twice as long. 

THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER!!!

Still no side effects... So, my theory is - because the Lactoperoxidase  is an enzyme it doesn't affect people with a Casein issue. One is an enzyme - one is a protein.  Therefore, they can't both attach themselves to the same receptor in the brain etc... hope this helps! I am always looking for a good "Deal" a.k.a. "Cheap"!

Sungrubbies and Foil for my Sunscreen!

Before I write this particular blog - I want to give you my favorite sunscreen so you don't have to rush through the reading and look for it below... what? You think it's funny!? I do it all the time :) Come on - desperate mom's are always rushed and need quick answers... so here is mine :) 

(We have officially finished the "testing" phase.. and SO FAR SO GOOD! no mood "triggers" or other issues. I use it myself and LOVE it!)  It seems expensive ($20) a bottle BUT it is almost 3 Times the amount you get for natural sunblock at Whole Foods which can cost ($17+) !!! So you are actually spending less that you would for a mainstream sunblock with all of the TOXIC stuff in it at the local grocery store. Pretty Cool eh?

Sunscreen - Sun Stuff from Purple prairie

99% natural ingredients:
active ingredient: 20% micronized zinc oxide. non active ingredients: aqua(water), organic cold pressed olea europaea(olive)fruit oil,hamamelis virginiana(witch hazel) kosher vegetable glycerin, organic cocos nucifera (coconut),Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol organic, butyrospermum parki (shea butter), organic theobroma cacao (cocoa butter), organic jojoba oil,rosemary extract

For my impatient friends out there (you know who you are!) : The link to the website where I purchase my girls' cute sunproof swimsuits is at the bottom of the page.

Who remembers going to the beach (or pool - for you non-coastal people) and having your mother spread that white paste all over your nose and cheeks? Just me? Come on - admit it... We all had the pleasure of looking like a bunch of clowns in the 80's when it came to sunscreen :)

But sometime in the mid 90's EVERYTHING changed.... at least from my point of view.  It seemed like the numbers got higher and higher and the ingredients became chemicals... hmmmmm...

I bought a book (10 years ago) about toxins in the home and read it in one night. It scared me!  One of the books "big draws" was it's information and research on OXYBENZONE in sunscreens.  My first thought was, "why would I want to put any type of fuel product on my skin?!". My second thought was, "great, it's back to clown face for me".

If you spend some time researching how sunblock works you'll come this very oversimplified explanation. There are 2 basic kinds of sunscreen:
1.) Those which absorb into your cells and tell them not to turn red.
2.) Those that act like a layer of foil covering your skin and reflect the rays off.

For me, this basic information is enough to influence my decision. I don't want anything altering the normal process of my cells.  It's FOIL FOR ME!

If you want some "proof" of my conclusions I can't give it to you definitively, but I can cut-n-paste a websearch response below...

"Oxybenzone is a chemical in the family of benzophenones that is used in the vast majority of common sunscreens, as well as other skincare products, lip balm, etc. It is in the majority of sunscreens because of its ability to absorb and dissipate UV light, which causes sunburn and eventually skin cancers. Ideally, the chemical would simply sit on the skin and block sun rays until being washed off. Unfortunately, a study from the CDC suggests that the chemical is actually absorbed into our system, and can stay there for an unknown amount of time. The CDC randomly tested thousands of blood samples and found traces of benzophenones in 95 percent of the samples. It is certainly a scary thought that this chemical is being absorbed into our systems and causing unknown effects.
Currently, there are no studies showing a direct relationship between oxybenzone in sunscreen and negative health consequences. However, there is evidence that benzophenones can cause damage to cells and affect hormones in a lab setting. This means that if you expose animal cells to oxybenzone in a lab, you may see toxic effects. The caveat is that this does not always translate into cellular damage in the real world, usually because the concentration of the substance is much higher in lab studies. Many commonly used substances have been shown to cause cancer in rats, most famously the artificial sweetener aspartame. I think the most important thing is to wear some type of sun protection, oxybenzone-containing or not, because we know for a fact that sunburns and sun exposure leads to skin cancer. Playing it safe, however, is never a bad idea."

Skin Biology website has a great page to read.(I highly recommend reading this one!) 

I like this link because it also explains a VERY important topic - the affects of too many "estrogens" in our daily life. And YES, chemical sunscreens contain estrogen-like compounds that confuse the body.

Here are some chemicals to watch out for in your sunscreen ingredient list (also on the above site):


Benzophenones (dixoybenzone, oxybenzone)
PABA and PABA esters (ethyl dihydroxy propyl PAB,  glyceryl PABA, p-aminobenzoic acid, padimate-O or octyl dimethyl PABA)
Cinnamates (cinoxate, ethylhexyl p-methoxycinnamate, octocrylene, octyl methoxycinnamate)
Salicylates (ethylhexyl salicylate, homosalate, octyl salicylate)
Digalloyl trioleate
Menthyl anthranilate
Avobenzone


If you are desperate and traveling - and NO WHERE near a natural food store etc...
 I only found one option:
 It is the LESSER of the EVILS....

Active Ingredients:
Titanium Dioxide 4.9%, Zinc Oxide 4.7%

Inactive Ingredients:
Alumina, Arachidyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Beeswax (Apis Mellifera), Behenyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, BHT, Bisobolol, Butylene Glycol, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Cetyl Dimethicone, Dimethicone, Dimethicone PEG 8 Laurate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate (Licorice Root), Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium. Inactive Ingredients: Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Methicone, Methylisothiazolinone, Pantothenic Acid, PEG 100 Stearate, PEG 8, Polyaminopropyl Biguanide, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Polymethylmethacrylate, Polysorbate 60, Potassium Sorbate, Retinyl Palmitate, Silica, Stearic Acid, Styrene Acrylates Copolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Trisiloxane, Water, Xanthan Gum

Please note that this is the easiest sunblock to find if you are out in town, on the road, traveling, etc... and only have a walmart/target at your disposal.  I will add some natural food store brands later.


Also NOTE that sneaky little sucker - BHT in the ingredients. It pops out at me and has a whole lot of nastiness in those three little innocent looking letters. BUT, sometimes we have to go with the lesser of two evils.  And so I do...

Now,  on a daily basis, if my girls are out playing or going to the pool/beach etc... I simply put these COOL swimsuits on them (Here are the ones for older girls size 6+).  I LOVE them.. and I can attest that after spending one summer in the pool 5 hours a day for 6 days a week (why do pools always close one day for maintenance!?) They still looked like little Caspers :)
And these sunhats fold up nicely in your purse/bag/cargo shorts pocket etc... for those theme park adventures when your kids are waiting in line etc... we are wearing then in ALL of our Disney photos! They are a cool material that dries quickly - so your kiddos can wear them in the pool and walk around with them 5 minutes later. Also great on a hot day (get them wet in a water fountain before putting them on!)

 Here is the SunGrubbies website (click on me!)


The staff is kind. And, the last time i checked, you can still talk to a human when you call! 

Artificial color can float and fly?

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SeriouslyWhatNow.com

Carrie

First of all - every child is different. BUT, having said that, usually children who have a sensitivity to artificial color  internally (eating it) will also have some reaction to it being inhaled thru their nose or absorbed thru their feet and hands during an art class. (Or playing outside with sidewalk chalk)

FYI  I am now completely convinced that Tempura paint is HIGHLY airborne!!! Mae had a horrible episode last month when she sat over a pile of tempura paint mixed with shaving cream during art class. The very next morning I had coffee with a friend who informed me that her cousin is allergic to artificial color and is a painter. When she paints with tempura paint she must wear an aspirator. Problem solved. Case closed. From now on - Mae uses watercolors (to which we have had no reactions to inhaling indoors with little ventilation). IF we have to use tempura, we do it outside!!!

I found these gloves online that she now wears during art class to prevent the glues, paint, markers from getting on her skin.

I'm not sure that wearing them for a long time is healthy, but the alternative is unacceptable. Mae likes the pretty colors they come in - pink, purple, orange, and blue. And no need to worry about Mae feeling different or embarrassed in art class - MOST of the other kids beg to have a pair as well!!! 

I found them at Madison art store. Let me know if you find them cheaper!

Kosher Parve and/0r Vegan = Casein Free?

Before you read the following - please know that just because a product says Vegan or Kosher Parve - it does not guarantee that they are casein free with regard to a serious allergy.  I would, however, trust them with a casein sensitivity until proven otherwise (possible cross contamination).

I came across this randomly yesterday..  I know that Vegan usually means that a food is safe and free of Casein.  But now i can add Kosher Pareve / Kosher Parve to my list!

So, as I stumbled onto this strange symbol "Kp"  on a box  I began researching. I am a professional "digger".  Thanks to a college friend (who knows exactly who she is!) I am now  a "bunny trail-er" a.k.a. one who finds themselves wandering off the beaten path. I used to heckle her for constantly getting off path. Now I'm right there with her :)

Back to the story at hand... here is some basic info about Kp:

"The Jewish laws of kashrut (koshering) demand a number of dietary restrictions. For our purposes, the wonderful thing about kashrut is that milk and meat may not commingle. Therefore, kosher foods fall into three categories:

MILK: products which contain dairy or dairy derivatives or are processed on equipment which has processed dairy-containing products,

MEAT: products which contain meat or meat derivatives or are processed on equipment which has processed meat-containing products,

PAREVE: products which contain neither meat nor dairy, nor their derivatives, nor are produced on equipment which has processed meat or dairy products.

List of Casein Ingredients to watch for

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Carrie

Here is a list I have compiled so far:

Artificial butter flavor
Butter
Butter fat
Butter oil
Buttermilk
Casein (casein hydrosylate)
Caseinates (in all forms)
Cheese
Condensed milk
Cottage cheese
Cream
Curds
Custard
Dry milk
Evaporated milk
Ghee
Goat’s milk
Half & Half
Hot dogs
Lactalbumin
Lactalbumin phosphate
Lactic acid starter culture (may contain milk)
Lactoferrin
Lactoglobulin
Lactose
Lactulose
Low fat Milk fat
Lunchmeat
Magnesium caseinate
Malt
Malted Milk Margarine Milk (in all forms including condensed, derivative, dry, evaporated, goat’s milk, and milk for other animals, low-fat, malted, milkfat, non-fat, powder, protein, skimmed, solids, whole)
Milk cheese lactose
Milk powder
Milk protein
Milk solids
Naturlose (sweetener derived from whey)
Non-dairy creamer butter
Nonfat milk
Nougat
Powdered Milk
Pudding
Rennet casein
Sausage
Skim milk
Sodium lactylate (may or may not contain casein)
Sour cream
Sour cream solids
Sour milk solids
Tagatose (sweetener derived from whey)
Whey in all forms (including sweet, delactosed, protein concentrate)
Whole milk
Yogurt

Pasta with "Iron Lactate" as an ingredient?!?!?

 as I was about to pour a new bag of pasta in the boiling water, I reread the ingredients (a habit) an noticed IRON LACTATE ?!?

I am currently researching it - so if you know more about it please comment. So far it seems like a new form of iron where they bond a whey(casein) protein to an iron molecule to prevent it breaking down and tasting like metal when mixed with Vit C products (such as Red Pasta sauce)..

I have stopped using it completely.  And will get back when I find out more :)

This is why I ALWAYS read the ingredients.  Even if I have been using the product for months!!!

UPDATE: It DOES have Casein.