Road to Wellness…

As I was giving my kids their daily dose of Omega 3’s…I thought back to several years ago when I didn’t do these and just didn’t know how important they were. I wish that I had known then what I know now…like those multivitamins really aren’t all what they are cracked up to be–and there are so many other things I need to do first with those just being more like filler.

I’m all about keeping the kids well and also being preventative and Omega 3’s are super duper important part of that. For one…it’s most likely that most children’s diets are deficient of the Omega 3’s they need. WHY do they need them??? They are important for cognitive development (coordination, brain function and attention) and they promote growth and brain development. Kids with ADHD have also shown lower amounts of Omega 3’s–and they also help with kids prone to asthma and eczema. And for a bonus–they have been proven to prevent disease. SO…they need to be in the diet:).

I have found TWO effective ways to get Omega 3’s quickly and beautifully into my littles (well…into most of them;) I like to mix them up so they don’t get old to them.

This is the FUN way–with Coromega Squeeze! YUMMO!

THE other way–and truthfully a bit better–is with cod liver oil. I LOVE cod liver oil by Arctic because they rock it out with different natural flavors making it taste SO much better and the kids are more agreeable to take their spoonfuls (minus Isaac who has YET to taste it to see that it really is yummy!) We like strawberry flavor–and it IS flavored naturally…we don’t do artificial at this house:) The liquid form is going to absorb more quickly and easier–and my kids would never do pills…so this works for all of us!

AND just to make you laugh–this is our daily dose caught by Rico Suave this afternoon…

Isaac is really funny about new tastes and textures–so he is the ONLY one I can’t get to take the Coromega or cod liver oil yet…but we will eventually get there because mommy wants him to be a well boy too:). The kids do take a kids multivitamin and a kids probiotic daily also. Our favorite probiotic is Kiddi Flora because my kids need a liquid or a chewable (they will not swallow even the probiotic pearls). If you feed your kiddos healthy veggies–especially if they are organic–you want to be sure they are on probiotics (NOT just live culture yogurts and Keifer although those are two things that start our day). They love the raspberry flavor of these probiotics.

EVERYONE who eats healthy has parasites–so you need those probiotics to help fight those critters off. And if they ever put hands in their mouth–there’s a nice invite for parasites too. We also take daily probiotics…cause we have kids–and they come with parasites;). I get tested regularly for parasites, and it’s always interesting to learn where they are from. My last discovered parasite was from South America…and because I’ve not been there–you can guess I got those bad boys from veggies:). BUT thankfully I take daily probiotics to fight those bad boys–so all is well.

Other things we continue to do on our road to wellness for our kids–absolutely NO artificial dyes or flavors. NO corn syrup–if corn syrup is ANY WHERE on the label I do NOT buy it. If it has cornstarch or other starches in the ingredients I put it back on the grocery shelf. I shop the perimeter of the chain grocery stores–and any prepackaged things I only get organic to help limit the preservative content. We limit our gluten (flours now have 90% more gluten causing immune, inflammation and more allergy/asthma problems). We use almond butter instead of peanut butter (another post for another day why). And we cook our own breakfast, lunch and dinner…A LOT. We try to limit carbs and make sure we are getting lots of protein and vegetables–with fruit being seen as a dessert rather than just a source of nutrition (kids tend to like fruits over veggies so we get those in first).

We also do Vitamin D drops (the kids love these because they don’t taste–and they think they are getting medicine…and my crazy kids feel special as I drop 5 drops in each of their little baby bird mouths). If you have littles, your pediatrician has probably told you that children now are recommended to increase their Vitamin D intake. If you let your kids play outside without sunscreen–then you are probably cool…but on rainy days or days you aren’t playing outside a lot–you can give them Vitamin D drops to give them what they need too.

ALL that being said–all things DO happen in moderation here. Like today–for Mother’s Day…Rico Suave totally bought 2 slices of cake at a local bakery and we all 6 split them!!! (See…moderation is everyone splitting instead of everyone getting there own slice. AND we’ve been known to stop at Krispy Creme for Frankie baby on occasion too! I think in our culture we some times forget moderation and I’m trying my best to really do moderation…as in once a month something instead of once a day!)

NOW–if you were completely bored by what we do for a little wellness at our casa–you have to see how precious Parker and one of his best buds were at their LAST baseball game of the season on Saturday!

OH MY HEART–they are just precious!

Exhibit A—moderation! Nana and Papa were in town this weekend and at the game I saw ITY with some Fritos! Because he never has things like this at home…I can smile and let the boy enjoy them because it’s in moderation:) Thanks Nana;)

On a celebrate TETYANA note–look what came in the mail today for her bedroom door for the summer?!?! I’m so excited! I bet she has never had anything with her name personalized on it before!!

AND last but not least–I hope you all had a HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!! I came downstairs to find breakfast and this beautiful Mother’s Day decoration awaiting me!

Blessings to each of you!!!!

andrea

P.S. Thank you to those of you who have joined us in praying for my friend Angie after her having a stroke last Sunday. She is now in a rehabilitation center where she will learn to do more each day with her left side. I got to see her today and she looks amazing!!! I’m so proud of the progress she is making! Please continue to pray for her to have a full recovery!!!!!!!!! She is a momma of 4 little ones and a dear friend…a runner and just an amazing friend and mom! Thank you so much for praying!!!