Tag: health

Apps, Healthy Living, Tips and Tricks

Mental Fitness is the new Physical Fitness and Bloom App is Your Therapy

Erin Sluka

Anxiety! It’s a word I hear all too often. We are quick to call ourselves anxious and about anything or everything. Anxiety is why my relationship isn’t healthy; anxiety is why I didn’t get out of bed today. Is it?

Anxiety is real and we all show some form of it throughout our lifetime, but what if all we need is some help, some guidance? What if we are throwing the word ‘anxiety’ around too loosely or holding ourselves back because we can just say that word and get ourselves off the hook? What if we just need a different mind set or learn more positive self talk? Maybe we just need a little mental fitness for 2020.

Where do we start? Am I suffering from anxiety? Have I formed a negative mind set? Is it a bit of both? Can I do more and live better? Yes! How? I found this new amazing app called Bloom and I am hooked. It’s like a digital therapist in your pocket or like self-therapy. It’s guided video sessions with exercises that help you work on stress, anxiety and help you work on confidence, self-awareness and also purpose.

If you were to go to your Doctor, get a referral to see a Therapist, set that appointment and show up in office to talk with them it may start with, “How are you feeing today?” That’s where Bloom starts. (disclaimer: Bloom is not to replace a Therapist when one has been recommended). Bloom asks you How you are feeling today and you decide your mood, level of that mood and what you are feeling and then the session starts.

With guided sessions, including small note taking prompts, you get to learn more about positive self-talk, motivation tips, reducing stress, breathing techniques and so much more. Just follow along in your session with Mike as he becomes your digital assistant.

Who is holding you back? Is it you? Find out with Bloom. You should give it a try as your first 7 days of Bloom are free. A lot will happen in 7 days of Bloom!

Healthy Living

Join AstraZeneca in the Diabetes Can Break Your Heart Movement

Erin Sluka

This post was sponsored as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

It was last winter when my Mom was diagnosed with Diabetes. One moment she was eating what she wanted, teaching her second graders and being Grandma. Then she gets sick, lands in the hospital and comes out with high BP, colon cancer (cured now, yay) and a diabetes diagnosis. Now she needed to learn to manage insulin, eat differently and pay attention to symptoms.

Having diabetes is more than checking blood sugars and eating on schedules. Having diabetes puts you at risk for weight gain, needing to learn nutrition changes and the new risk of heart failure. It was heart failure that surprised me. I honestly never knew of the connection of Type 2 Diabetes and Heart Failure. This is why we have a new movement!

As time goes on, we learn new things in the health field. We even learn that everything we thought we knew was wrong at times. We know health can be directly related to diet, diet related to health, diagnosis bring more risks and medications have new side effects.

So, for many who have lived their entire lives with Diabetes (T2D), perhaps they had not been educated about their higher risk of heart failure (HF). In fact, up to 50% of patients with Type 2 diabetes may develop heart failure. What is scary is we have yet to find a cure! We need to educate ourselves and take action early to help reduce their risk of developing heart failure!

Here are some facts that I don’t want you to just read, but make mental notes to not forget! Talk to loved ones with diabetes and encourage them to have this conversation with their Physician or Endocrinologist next check up. Make sure they (and you) sign up to be the first to hear about the nationwide tour and receive updates for their diabetes and heart health at DiabetesHeartBreak.com.

DCBYH_External Trailer Video_CC_11.7.19 2 from Erin Sluka on Vimeo.

This Diabetes Can Break Your Heart started by AstraZeneca is a national movement that aims to cut the trend of heart failure development in individuals with Type 2 diabetes. Remember, diabetes can break your heart – don’t let it!

  • After HF diagnosis, the survival rate is 50% at five years; 10% at 10 years.
  • Up to 50% of people with T2D may develop Heart Failure
  • You’ve probably been focused on lowering your A1C, not your risk for HF. The reality is, you need to do both.
  • Diabetes can promote thickening of the walls of the heart and other structural changes, ultimately interfering with pumping
  • The damage to your heart may have already started, even before you were diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes
  • The single most immediate action that patients with T2D can take is talking to their doctor about their risk of HF and identifying a plan to help reduce this risk.

To assist in finding heart failure risks early in these patients is an integrated VR experience that uses cutting-edge technology that bring to life the symptoms of heart failure. The Diabetes Can Break Your Heart movement wants 2020 to be the year we educate and activate communities around the inherent link between T2D and HF using an innovative and immersive experience. Let’s start the discussion! Sign up today and stay informed!

References

  1. American Diabetes Association. 10. Cardiovascular Disease and Risk Management: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2019. Diabetes Care. 2019;42(suppl 1):S103-S112.
  2. National Institutes of Health. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Heart Failure. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/heart-failure. Last accessed September 16, 2019.
Healthy Living

Obvi drinkable collagen supplement tastes like your cereal milk – Yum!

Erin Sluka

Comment: I was sent product. Opinions are 100% my own

Remember your cereal milk as a kid? It was the best part of the meal! Whether you liked the fruity, chocolate or cinnamon cereals you would love to recreate that taste in a less-sugary way. obvi has done that in their collagen supplement mix!

I am not a fab of cinnamon, I do not like cinnamon cereals and only can tolerate a very mild hint of it perhaps in breads, etc.. I was actually a tad reluctant to think that drinking the obvi Cinna Cereal could be pleasant. I may not like cinnamon, but it was mild and was fantastic as a coffee flavor!

Super Collagen

You can use the collagen in smoothies, beverages, oatmeals and even bake with it. Visit the obvi recipes for more great ideas to sneak collagen into your daily diet.

cinna cereal flavor

More obvi greatness:

  • 31 calories per serving
  • Keto friendly⁣
  • Free of gluten, dairy, sugar and carbs
  • 3 Flavors – Fruity, Cinna and Coca cereal (Frosted coming soon)
  • 10 grams of Grass-Fed Bovine Collagen per serving
  • Contains Biotin, Vitamin C, Magnesium, Calcium, Iron, Vitamin E
  • Improve your joints, hair, skin, nails & gut health.

For more information, visit www.myobvi.com

Healthy Living, Infant Toddler Products, Kids

3 All natural supplements and vitamins that keep your kids healthy

Erin Sluka
3 All natural supplements and vitamins that keep your kids healthy

Last year was brutal. Our youngest had a sinus infection, colds a few times and even got Type A flu with 2 other classmates who also tested positive and they were vaccinated! This year is good so far except I already have co-workers with head colds so it is starting.

When Anthony came home last week to say many kids were not in his classes because they called in sick I broke out the supplements and there are 3 I keep close by – Elderberry Gummies, Nature Nose Beast and Immune Boost.

It is important that our supplements do not contain synthetic ingredients. Anthony’s natural supplements come from JoySpring. I have been pitched and researched on my own many supplement and vitamin brands and I narrowed it down to JoySpring. I just love the natural, organic and allergen free formulas. While typical immune boosters for kids contain synthetic ingredients or chemicals, their immune support liquid is 3rd party tested and safe for infants, toddlers & growing kids.

You may wonder why I have Elderberry and Immune Boost. The difference in these two are that the Elderberry Blend+ drops contain Organic Elderberry, Mullein Leaf, Marshmallow Root, Angelica Root, Orange Peel, Calendula Flower. Immune Boost drops contain Organic Echinacea Purpurea Root, Oregon Grape Root, Lemon Peel, Thyme Leaf, Black Walnut Hull.

The way I use these 3 supplements is that everyday Anthony gets the Elderberry Gummies or drops as maintenance germ fighting. Then when allergy season hits he gets the Nasal Nose Beast drops as well. I use the Immune Boost in place of our Elderberry when I know he is exposed to germs, kids in class sick or we are sick, for a powerful germ-fighter against live viruses.

I would also use the Immune Boost and Elderberry together near the Holidays or finals at school because JoySpring supplements and vitamins are ok to mix and he is 11 so his older age means we can up dosage a bit. With Elderberry power and the Immune Boost (Echinacea) power he is really covered. I do space each out am and pm so he is not taking too much at a time for his stomach’s sake.

While my son has sinus issues I love that they have Nature Nose Beast drops that are a blend of Elderberry, Elecampane Root, Lungwort Leaf & Astragalus Root to fight allergies, congestion and inflammation. JoySpring says that the ingredients are widely considered the safest homeopathic remedy, these respiratory herbs can also be used to loosen congestion caused by seasonal colds, the flu & other illnesses that affect breathing. Just 2-3 drops per day by mouth or mixed into food/drink.

The end of this season will tell for sure if we can stay healthier this year. For now, he is going strong in his first year at Middle School. You can find even more than the 3 supplements options I recommended by visiting JoySpring and stocking up for the upcoming seasons.

Make sure to use the code: PARENTINGHEALTHY and save 15%

Comment: I was sent samples and have decided to become an affiliate. All opinions are my own