College Bound, Healthy Living, Parenting

Finally, The College Student First Aid Kit with Mom-Approved Items

With one son back home after 4 years at College and continuing online, we have an 11 year old on his heels. I learned a lot as a College parent. I bought many things that turned out unnecessary and then there were the things I never thought of that became an instant need.

We spend about 18 years cooking for them, caring for them, cleaning scrapes, spooning medicine and now who will have eyes on them? Who will make sure they can take care of themselves? No one will! This is it and all you can do is send them off with the right tools and let them be little adults now. I bought a shallow tote on our son’s first year. It was low enough to slip under his dorm bed. In it were band-aids, medicine, Kleenex and all he’d need with a label that read -‘when you get sick’. It was the best I could leave him with.

Had I known about The College Student First Aid Kit that would have been so much better! Even a shallow tote took up too much room in that small space. The College Student First Aid Kit has everything but the kitchen sink (and the good brands too) in a small box. It was created by Beth Palmer Stewart, a Nurse practitioner with over 25 years of experience working with children, adolescents and young adults.

She also became a college Mom who quickly realized the struggle of finding first aid kits to leave with her student that wasn’t full of generic brands and wasn’t missing crucial items. She went to great lengths to research the best possible kits bundled into convenient sizes for dorm spaces and every student needs one as they head off to their new life.

I remember our son saying things like “..there is a student store if I need anything” or “…a Walmart is right down the street”. What they don’t realize is that when sickness hits you, that is one long drive to the store when you don’t feel like leaving your bed. Also, the student store was so far across campus and they lived at the bottom of campus hill and in the snow that town got, winter ailments were horrible if you needed to walk or find a parking space near that store. They need to have these essentials in the room and ready to go.

There are 3 sizes of kits to choose from. The most thorough is the Premium Plus Kit. With over 50 different medications, ointments, creams, drops, tools, and wound care items they will be taken care of just fine, Mom and Dad! Don’t worry. Before you know it 4 years have passed and you’ll be a pro at this. Visit College First Aid Kit to keep them prepared.

Healthy Living, Home, Reviews

Headleveler’s Custom Travel Cervical Pillow

I gave my gender, desired size (I chose travel), height, weight, shoulder shape, preferred sleep position, preferred firmness, mattress type and turns out I am a Medium Model #21 cervical pillow! What model are you?

Taking the quiz is quick and you will get the exact pillow that is right for you. I love the travel size, the pillow case designs (extra) and carry bag so it can stay formed and clean as I travel. You can get all you need to take this custom pillow on the road (or air) with you. Or, get a larger size to keep at home.

I have a slipped disc in my neck and when it flares up I get severe pain in my neck and shoulder and even have my neck seize at times. It is so painful and I feel that pain the most if I use the wrong pillow.

Also, look how well this pillow can blend into your bedding with the fun cases available! Cervical pillows don’t always have to be ugly monsters on your bed. The Headleveler pillowcases are so pretty and come in dark and light shades.

My sleep? Amazing! You can spend a fortune on several pillows until you find the right one so I had to give this one a few nights to judge. The quiz I took really has me confident this is the right pillow for me. The firmness is spot on for my liking and the support is exactly what my neck requires.

Take the quiz and shop your favorite pillow at Headleveler now!

Healthy Living

Twice Toothpaste with Double the Purpose

Twice A Day Toothpaste

Do you brush Twice a day everyday? Twice toothpaste comes with 2 tubes. One for morning – a little wintergreen and peppermint into your morning routine to feel clean, confident and ready to take on the day. One for evening – refreshing, lavender, vanilla and peppermint form a dream team of flavors to end your day.

Feel Good and Look Good

Twice toothpaste is free of SLS, parabens, charcoal and triclosan. 100% vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO and cruelty-free. Twice toothpaste is full of vitamin A, C, E and aloe vera + dentist approved ingredients to help with preventing cavities and sensitivity.

Twice Toothpaste delivers smiles…literally!

Every purchase of Twice helps provide free dental care to those in need. In 2015, brothers Julian and Cody Levine joined Lenny Kravitz and a team of passionate dentists on a trip that would change their lives. Learn more about Lenny’s Let Love Rule Foundation and the GLO Good Foundation.

Perfectly named to remind us to brush twice daily, Twice toothpaste is available in a variety of packaging options. Learn more HERE.

Healthy Living

Managing Cold Urticaria hives and rashes

Managing Cold Urticaria hives and rashes

It started a few years ago. I would sit out on my lawn chair watching my son at soccer practice and start itching. I would stand up and feel like there were lumps on the bottom of my feet that itched and hurt to walk. As time went on the rashes would appear in the cold on any exposed skin of mine. If it is cold and wet outside I am literally uncomfortable in my own skin. My Doctor told me it was cold urticaria and it can stay forever or go away. They really do not know.

Heat Holders

You cannot prevent the itchy rashes that sometimes hurt from appearing, all you can do is manage the itch. This requires certain medication and lots of layers and blankets on hand if I am going to be outdoors or in the cold. Forget polar plunges (not my thing anyway), but those can bring dangerous whole body reactions.

Until I found my favorite leggings and hats from Heat Holders, I would feel like a big marshmallow under all of my layers of shirts, sweaters and heavy coats.

For my past birthday my Mom had gifted me some Heat Holder tops and gloves she found on Amazon. It was so fantastic the day of my son’s next game when I had these on hand and they kept me warm enough I could wear less layers. When I was just approached to promote Heat Holders in this post, I was more than happy to help them out and even acquired more items that will be great as fall comes and soccer begins again.

My arm (above) after washing my car on a cold fall day

Once the hives hit, managing cold urticaria sometimes requires taking an antihistamine and even having to go watch him from my car with the heat on. I hate those bad days when I have to pack up and watch from a distance, then I see him looking for me on the sidelines and when I am not there his eyes wander to the parking lot towards my car. Since I have my Heat Holders I can tell you that I have been able to get through entire games when I have my top and leggings on under a coat and the hat, socks and gloves as well. I even have a heated neck wrap that is amazing on the bitter days.

Heat Holders blanket

Heat Holders was originally created to be the warmest sock, then added other products to their line. Heat Holders uses a specially developed thermal yarn that provides high performance insulation against cold with superior moisture breathing abilities. Step 2 is their innovative knitting technology that produces unique, extra long looped cushion pile to hold in more warm air, increasing the TOG rating. Last of the process is the expert brushing process maximizes the amount of warm air held inside each sock for total warmth and all-day comfort.

Whether you are trying to stay comfortable in your own skin and avoid hives or just dislike the cold, Heat Holders is so fantastic to have on hand for outdoor sporting events, cold camping nights, outdoor work and more! Find at retailers such as Amazon and at HeatHolders.com