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What Five Star Restaurants Teach You about Healthy Snacks for Kids

ants-on-a-log4A fine meal at a good restaurant has many details. It uses fresh ingredients and interesting recipes. There is a variety of foods and the presentation is pleasing.

When food is prepared thoughtfully and beautifully, even the most basic meal becomes an experience. You can’t wait to try it. Once you start eating, you want to savor it.

But getting your kids to eat healthy snacks can feel like the opposite. Your child may balk at anything he thinks is healthy. She may be picky or prefer sweet or fatty foods.

You probably wouldn’t say that your child loves the snacks so much they can’t wait to eat them. And savoring them? Not likely.

But sometimes, the solution is easier than it seems.

Think about your snacks like a fine chef. Find ways to prepare your food beautifully. Make common foods seem unusual. Add interesting flavors or combinations.

Sometimes just changing the food a little bit can make your child dig in.

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How to Keep Your Teeth Healthy with Acupuncture

smilingWhen you think of taking care of your teeth, do you think of acupuncture?

You probably don’t and that’s not unusual. Most people believe that brushing, flossing and a trip to the dentist for a cleaning twice a year is a good dental routine. And for most, it is.

But for some people, that routine doesn’t keep their teeth in good shape. Despite good dental hygiene, they continue to have dental issues.

And for others, just going to the dentist is stressful and difficult. It’s hard to get good dental care when you dread your trip to the dentist.

Fortunately, acupuncture can support dental health and make your trip to the dentist easier. continue reading »

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Sticking to your New Year’s Resolution: The Trick is Not What You Think

new-years-resolution-1_lIt’s New Year’s again.  It’s time to make a resolution.

And you know the drill. You set goals.  You work on them for a couple of weeks.  You begin to flag.

Many times you give up by February.

Your New Year’s resolution becomes a distant memory until the next New Year’s when you feel slightly guilty and begin the whole process again.

If each year you make a resolution and each year you break it, something has to change.  The only way this year can be different is if you do something different.

The trick is not changing your resolution.  The trick to achieving your resolution is to use an entirely new plan to reach it. continue reading »

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How to Unhook Your Logical Brain and Gain New Insights on Last Year

You’ve probably heard of right-brained vs. left-brained activities.

Right-brained activities are creative, intuitive and subjective.  Left-brained activities are linear, analytical and logical.

It has been a popular myth that people prefer right-brained or left-brained activities because they have a dominant side of the brain.  It turns out that while certain activities are wired on one side of the brain (for example language tends to be on the left), people use each side of the brain equally.

So if the brain is wired for both activities, why is creative thinking so hard? continue reading »

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Interesting Ways to Help Your Kids Exercise in Winter

snow-drawingIt’s cold and dark outside.

You come home with the kids and all you want to do is snuggle on the couch.

Snuggling in winter may be fun (and I’m not going to say you shouldn’t snuggle) but your kids need something more.  In fact, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), kids need at least 1 hour of physical activity—every day.  And depending on your children’s school program and sports activities, they may not even get close.

There are many benefits.  Exercise helps kids feel less stressed, have higher self-esteem, focus at school, sleep better and maintain a healthy weight.  You’ve probably noticed that parenting children who get enough exercise is also easier than parenting those who don’t.

Winter is a time for yin activities.  It’s healthy to be introspective and quiet.  However, children need physical activity—even in the winter.

But on a cold, dark day, how do you get your kids to exercise? continue reading »

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The Holiday Survival Toolkit: How to Not Drink at Parties (And Still Have Fun)

cocktailThe holiday season is upon us and we all know what that means—parties.

Parties at work, parties at church, parties at school, fundraiser parties, caroling parties, Secret Santa parties…

It’s the season of so many parties that we long for a weekend night with nothing scheduled.

All the parties can lead to excess, but the biggest party of the season, New Year’s Eve, can be the topper.  Many people drink so much that it can take days to feel healthy again. And even if you don’t drink to drunkenness, your extra alcohol intake in the month of December can take its toll.

I think it’s great to celebrate and enjoy the company of your loved ones, but I don’t want to see you sick.  Find out how to not drink (or at least drink less) this party season. continue reading »

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The Best (and Worst) Thanksgiving Foods

thanksgiving-spreadThanksgiving is a great meal.  Friends and family come together to give thanks and celebrate the harvest season–

…and to overeat.

All of us know the feeling of eating too much, too heavy, too rich.  When we should be enjoying our time with loved ones, we are uncomfortable.  We exasperate our health conditions and catch a cold.  We put on weight and feel lethargic.

I’m not going to tell you to make dramatic changes to your Thanksgiving meal.  Usually that doesn’t work—and besides, it’s no fun.

Instead I suggest you just make small choices.  Pick one food instead of the other.  Make little positive choices and they’ll add up to a healthier, more enjoyable meal. continue reading »

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6 Facts to Know When Using Acupuncture to Quit Smoking

No_SmokingSmoking is a strong, complicated addiction.  Quitting smoking is no small task and you will need lots of support to be successful.  You need the best tools to help with the physical and emotional symptoms, and acupuncture is a great resource to help you succeed.

Here are the 6 things you should know about using acupuncture to quit smoking.  continue reading »

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Honest Answers to Your Top Acupuncture Questions

meridian-man-headA few weeks ago, I asked for your most pressing acupuncture questions.  I’ve compiled the most common questions and I noticed one distinct trend—there are a lot of questions about the needles.  Some of you must be nervous about getting needled!

If these acupuncture answers don’t put your fears to rest, call me for more information.  Acupuncture brings good health, relaxation and vitality.  I don’t want fear to stop you from getting treatment. continue reading »

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The Best Home Gym Equipment for Less than $50

jumpropeDon’t you love how great you feel when you work out regularly?

You’re alert, you sleep better, and it’s easier to stay calm and optimistic.  Once you get in the routine of working out and keeping a healthy routine, it’s fun.

But there’s always something that stops you.  For most of us, it’s either time or money.  We don’t have time, and gym memberships are too expensive.

Let’s imagine a dream solution.  You want the fitness tools you find in a gym but you want to do it at home so it’s convenient.  You want aerobics, strength and stretching so you have a good holistic workout.

And most importantly, you don’t want to spend more than $50 on any piece of equipment.

Can you build a home gym with that budget?

continue reading »

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