Parenting Healthy

Comment: I was sent a copy of the book for this feature. I am happy to partner with this brand. There may be affiliate links contained within the article

Raising kids today! Do we really know what we are doing? I sometimes wonder myself. It’s hard today with social media, the internet and now add an epidemic and a mental health crisis. We just hope we raise happy, healthy and active kids in the end. If ever there was a parent guide made for today! Guess what? There is! It is called, The New Art of Raising Happy Kids: Today’s Guide to a Strong, Confident & Caring Child by Alyssa Shaffer.

This book is now available on Amazon as of July 14, 2020. It is a real time parent guide for today from your toddler through the teen years. Who is Alyssa Shaffer?

The Author is a longtime writer and editor who specializes in health, nutrition and fitness, she is the author of four best-selling books on these topics. She is the former executive editor of Muscle & Fitness Hers and fitness director for Fitness magazine and has written for dozens of consumer print magazines and websites. Alyssa lives and works in New York City with her husband, teenage twins, and a very sweet dog who helps alleviate stress with every belly rub.

About the book – The New Art of Raising Happy Kids

The book is a step-by-step parent guide with practical and updated advice on how to address parenting’s most perplexing issues during all the critical stages of childhood — from babies to teens. It covers thorny issues such as managing sleep and nutrition, getting kids to exercise (and off screens), navigating social media, dealing with bullying issues and so much more. It’s a must-read and refer-back book for anyone who has kids and wants them to grow up to be healthy, happy adults with good habits and positive attitudes.

As I read through the book (especially the topics relevant to my tween son), I loved how it breaks into very small sections. When it comes to topics like emotional health, communication and more within the book you get quick, small paragraph points. The organization is fantastic and it makes this book so easy to read and use as a reference to come back to.

Get your copy of the book today! Order on Amazon.

Enter to win a copy of this easy-to read parent guide – 6 winners!

I would love to give 6 of you a copy of this new book so I will offer this giveaway below. It is open to US and Canada and ends on August 31, 2020.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Food, Healthy Living, Natural Foods

Benefits of Honey for Immunity, Cold Symptoms and Wellness

August 17, 2020August 17, 2020 Erin Sluka

Benefits of Honey

MGO is a substance in Manuka Honey that attacks germs and other invasive bacteria in your body. Pacific Resources International provides top-quality high MGO Manuka Honey to strengthen the human body.

You will find several drops and lollipops or you can just consume some from the jar for symptoms such as sore throats. One of the benefits of honey is that it is effective for treating sore throat with its anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antifungal properties. Honey coats the inner lining of the throat and destroys the harmful microbes while simultaneously soothing the throat.

Another benefit is that it is also great for gastritis. It is known to support gut health as a prebiotic (due to the presence of oligosaccharides). Its anti-inflammatory properties may also positively impact inflammatory bowel disease.

Which UMF is right for you?

Manuka Honey is measured as UMF 5+, 10+, 15+ and 20+ varieties. UMF is an extra certification; jars that have this extra certification have a UMF logo on the jar. Which one is right for you? UMF 5+ has natural benefits. It is the most similar to benefits in any trusted source and natural plant. As you get higher in the UMF, you get the best natural benefits offered from its healing and antimicrobial properties.

If you are healthy and not in immediate need of a wide range of healing you can still benefit from UMF 5+ and 10+ just fine and feel good about your source and have it to rely on when minor ailments arise like colds and such.

If you suffer from ailments like chronic acid reflux, chronic sinusitis, eczema and other such conditions that Manuka honey can help bring you relief you would want some that is 15+ or higher, but start small and work up from there.

Pacific Resources International has a wide range of these products in several forms from honey sticks (my son devoured ours), nuggets, lollipops, jars and more. Whether you want the benefits of honey to soothe a sore throat, help cold symptoms or coat your tummy, Manuka honey should be readily available in every home. I always keep my cupboards stocked.

Visit PRI today and stock up for the cold season and back to school! Don’t forget to send some with your college student if they are returning to campus. Make sure they are aware of the benefits of honey as you stock them up.

Healthy Living, School

How to relieve stress and anxiety with Calm Strips

August 13, 2020October 31, 2020 Erin Sluka

This school year is chaotic. Really, it is what we make it so to make it a positive experience for our kids we have to wear our positivity hats in front of them. We all can save our complaining for our adult friends and the school. Even on a normal schedule without a global virus, a new school year brings stress and anxiety for many kids. To help relieve stress you can get your learning space set up with Calm Strips.

Calm Strips are sensory adhesives you can stick to multiple surfaces from notebooks and pencil boxes if they are in the classroom or laptops, desks, books if distance learning. If your kids are not used to ZOOM then logging on virtually with peers can actually be a scary, awkward new task. I have them on our laptops for our son if he feels those nerves act up as he logs on and has to virtually meet new peers. If he needs to relieve stress they are nearby for him.

Relieve Stress & Fidgeting

By grounding you in a calming scene and giving you a gentle, but textured, surface as a stimulus these strips are sure to help you or your child through this new normal. Even if your child seems to handle the stress of a new school year well, perhaps they need help to soothe fidgeting. Calm Strips are not only great to relieve stress, but help with fidgeting as well by giving them a mild distraction and busy task with their fingers.

The materials are rated to stand up to the elements, including water and sanitizing, for up to 4 years. Add them to devices, furniture, supplies and even use them with jewelry making so Calm Strips can be worn. To be proactive with you or your child’s anxiety or stress, visit Calm Strips and order today.

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Food, Natural Foods

The Best crackers that have plant-based ingredients

August 11, 2020August 11, 2020 Erin Sluka

Comment: I was sent crackers for this feature. Thank you to Mary’s Gone Crackers for collaborating with Parenting Healthy

Mary’s Gone Crackers uses only whole, plant-based ingredients

With a new school year paired with these new normals some of us go back to the classroom and some will learn from home – all will still need nutritious snacks. Mary’s Gone Crackers doesn’t just have a fun name, but Gluten-free, plant-based, organic and non-GMO crackers. Great for those in need of a better cracker that is allergen-friendly.

Mary’s Gone Crackers have plant-based ingredients

The crackers actually taste good and are made using only whole, plant-based ingredients you can see within each cracker. Most flavors are good right out of the box and to pair them with good cheese or spreads makes them even better. I really love the herb crackers!

My 7th grader will be home and I have this shopping rule of “if I don’t buy it, he can’t eat it”. Some popular cookies and crackers I will buy as an occasional treat and for daily snacking I look for better, plant-based ingredients brands but they have to taste good or I am tossing uneaten boxes of food and that is a waste. My son discovered the REAL Thin Crackers over the weekend and he loves them. It is honestly the first brand of ‘better’ crackers he has ever eaten.

I was so happy and then I remembered, I had taken them out of the box and put them on a tray to serve for family coming over for dinner and he snuck into the appetizers right before they arrived- I think he related boxes of healthier crackers in the cupboard to not tasting very good but these were away from the box -out on the counter. In this little psychological trick I set the box aside so he never saw these were healthier snacks and ate what ‘looked’ like a good, hearty cracker and loved them. I will forever remember that trick – these sacks I prefer to buy can be removed from the ‘healthy-looking’ box and put in a bowl on the counter and suddenly they get eaten. Brilliant!

Visit Mary’s Gone Crackers to see all of the varieties of plant-based ingredients and find recipes too that pair great with their products. You can find them at grocery stores near you. I have them at my local Walmart, Safeway and Fred Meyer stores.