Soothing a Sick Child

J. Bond Francisco

My little girl was sick last week. Two nights of no sleep took their toll on both baby and Mama (and Daddy too, actually) so the time was right for some reminders of how to keep everyone as sane as possible while going through the roughest patch.

A sick child is a different child. Their character changes, but all this is to reflect their new needs. These are some of the things I did to help my little girl feel as well as she could:

A sick child wants to be with someone all the time. If you think about it, that makes perfect sense. When being sick, you need to be nurtured back to health, so being glued to a care-taker is a normal survival instinct. I used my carrier to carry her and let her sleep on my chest.

Special times call for special treats: lots of cuddles, special toys, story time.

When my baby is sick she doesn't care so much for food other than breastmilk. So I nurse her as often as she wants, as long as she likes.

Getting as much sleep as possible during the day is easier when you spend time in bed together, playing, reading books. Even if she didn't sleep like she used to, lying down would help her rest a little.

To keep ourselves somewhat alive during this time of no sleep and lots of crying, Daddy and I took turns taking care of Savannah and tried to focus as much as possible on staying positive: It's only temporary!

Obviously these tips work for short-term illnesses but you may need a whole other set of skills for a child facing a chronic illness. Either way, seeing your child suffer is always heartbreaking and having others around to support you makes a huge difference! Turn to friends, family or the good old internet and accept all help with open arms!

 

 

 

 

 

How to Keep Breakfast Interesting

Photo by Celeste Lidell

Breakfast is a big deal for us. We get up early and are active from the first minute, so we need solid fuel to keep the engine running. But having the same ol' cereal for breakfast can get boring pretty quickly, not to mention unhealthy. That's why I included breakfast in our meal planning schedule, and it's a different breakfast each day of the week.

When you plan what, doesn't really matter. But to keep it simple and save time, you can stick to the same plan for each week. That way you can also alternate between high protein and high fiber breakfast meals.

Our schedule is as follows:

Monday: pancakes
Tuesday: oatmeal
Wednesday: toast & eggs
Thursday: crepes
Friday: cold cereal/muesli
Saturday: French toast
Sunday: yogurt & fruit

When you make crepes & pancakes often, it become a routine and goes much faster than the first time around. I usually put at least half whole wheat flour for each of those.  By the way, making crepes is simpler than making pancakes.

Keep your breakfasts diverse by adding small little extra's to your regular meals. Pancakes become an extra nice treat if you add a fruit, or chocolate chips. I'll have more tips on how to spice up your oatmeal in a future post!

If you're short on time and need some quick options for breakfast: check out my post on 5-minute breakfast options.

Do you eat breakfast? Or skip on it altogether? What's your favorite breakfast food?

Getting Stuff Done With a New Baby

Using the tri-cotti carrier

Hello my old friend. After 6 months this blog is like a glimpse of what life was like pre-baby. By now we've been parents for exactly half a year (today our daughter is six months old) and nobody could have predicted how different life would be.

This blog will undoubtedly reflect our new life with lots of tips for parents with babies and young children, but those of you who don't have any offspring or who's chicks have matured into full-fledged birds won't go without either. Many of the posts will cater to both, so stick with me. Plus, in case you're ever called upon to babysit, you'll know where to look!

Clearly, finding time to do pretty much anything has become quite difficult. It only took me half a year to find a moment to write this post. But there are some tricks to finding spare time when you have a baby that I've been able to try out myself. Feel free to add your own in the comments! I can ALWAYS use an extra couple of minutes!!!

1.   Tip number one: Don't have kids! The only way not to have children take over your life is not to have any. I used to imagine long hours of writing while baby took her naps. Hahahaha! I imagine all those people who already have children must have found it hard not to laugh at my naive image.
   
2. Nap first! As a new mom I've felt pretty much tired every single day since the day baby was born. And I know I'm not the only one. Trying to get stuff done while you're tired is like drying off under a running shower: It never ends. Sleep is essential to your physical health, mental health and, not in the least, your relationships! And a rested mommy is worth ten tired ones!
   
3. Use baby's nap time. When our little girl's asleep, we try to get as much done as possible before she wakes up again. That doesn't mean we'll finish it all, but it's a start!
   
4. Carry baby around. I use a babylonia bb-sling to carry baby on my hip while I hang up laundry, chop veggies, vacuum the house. And Daddy uses it just as much! Baby is entertained and learns a great deal at the same time.
   
5. Chillax! Don't worry about the stuff that doesn't get done, it'll end up stressing you out every single moment of the day.

Life may be completely different with a new baby, but you will find a new normal. Keep in mind as well that most children do eventually grow up to become independent beings. By the time they turn 15, you'll be fighting to spend time WITH them instead of on your own.

Worth Every Minute

My advice from the doctor last week was to drink more water, because she feared I might be dehydrated. Naturally, I'm not one to argue, but I am one to inform myself, and that's how I came across the following article that I thought was really interesting. It talks about the health benefits of drinking water, and how it can help you stay fit by burning fat and nurturing your muscles.

It's a short article, a 2-minute read at most. Hopefully it'll inspire you to drink more water too. If you want to get some tips on how to drink more water, you can read this post.

Read the article and get re-hydrated!

Health Benefits of Water - How 8 Glasses a Day Keeps Fat Away

5 Ways to Keep Bed Rest Interesting

Picture by Ahmad Ridhwan

So my doctor put me on a mild version of bed rest for the time being. I'm choosing to see it as a forced holiday instead of the drag it's usually made out to be, and am planning to make the most of it. How do you do that?

The internet has made it much easier these days to do a whole bunch of things even if you're not allowed to go out or get out of bed except for bathroom trips and showers.
This is how I plan to get through the next two weeks and what I would suggest to other people. These tips can all be applied in 5 minutes or less, but will be worth so much more:

1. Plan your day
   Even if you don't have to do anything, no work, no responsibilities, it will make your time much more enjoyable if you have something planned to do. Think of a rudimentary schedule so you have an idea of what you will do when.
   
2. Start a project
   Having something productive to do can make you feel less helpless and useless. If all you need to do is rest, but you're otherwise in good health, then it's easy to get restless while resting (as contradictory as that may sound). Having a project to work on, such as a craft, writing, or other assignment, can make you feel like you're using your time well.
   
3. Invite friends over
   Being confined to the house will probably mean that you're not interacting with others as much as you're used to. No more casual conversation at the grocery store or at work. To maintain your link with the outside world, invite friends over for a cup of tea and a piece of cake.
   
4. Limit your break-time activities
   Don't be tempted to play a computer game for 5 hours or watch three movies in a row. Then you may feel that instead of relaxing you're just forcing time to go by, and time becomes your enemy instead of your friend. Remember that time, any time we have, is a gift that we'll never get back. Seeing it that way will ensure that you find a great use for it!
   
5. Start learning something new
   How about picking up a craft or learning a new language? Get a 'Dummies' book or a good tape and start studying. Find something you've always wanted to study but never had time for and do it.

The reason I sort of know what to do is that I've had holidays which resemble house arrest. I would stay at home all day and do nothing, and then feel horrible after. So I figured out ways to use that time effectively. Sure, bed rest puts a limit on the kind of activities you can do, but these days there is still so much left.

Have you ever been put on bed rest or house arrest because of a medical condition? How did you pass the time? I'd love to hear more ideas to make the most of my obligatory holiday.

Here's hoping you'll never be put on bed rest, and that if you are, these tips might make it more bearable for you.

6 Reasons to Hang-Dry Your Laundry

(source)

There's not a lot of situations where I actually prefer to go for the slightly longer less convenient path than the most efficient and easiest one, but when it comes to laundry, I change my ways. I hang-dry my laundry instead of using the drier.
Okay, so one of the reasons is that we don't actually have a drier (we have a very bad one, hardly counts), but even when it was available to me in the past, I would still hang-dry my laundry whenever possible. All you need is a bit of dry space and a line or rack to hang up the clothes.
How long does it take? I'd say about 5-10 minutes. No more than that. You get more efficient too as time goes by.

So why would you opt for hanging up the laundry instead of just popping it in the drier? Here are my main reasons:

1. Environment.
   Using the drier takes up a lot of electricity. You're wasting electricity where you could just use the air around you to accomplish the same job. Even if it takes a little longer, after you hang up the laundry, you don't have to look at it until you take it down.
2. Price.
   Running a drier costs money. You have to pay for the machine and for the electricity. Wind/air is free! You'll even notice the effect more directly if you usually go to a laundromat that charges for the drying.
3. Absorption.
   Laundry that has been machine-dried just doesn't absorbed water quite as well as laundry that you dry on  line. That's also the reason I don't use fabric softener (actually, the previous two reasons are also good for not using softener: they're expensive and entirely unnecessary chemicals. Yuk!)
4. Shrinking.
   When you hang-dry the laundry, it dries at room temperature. That means you don't risk shrinking it because of the heat in the drier.
5. Lint.
   The lint from one sweater isn't swirled around and automatically transported onto every single other item in the drier. I made the mistake of putting one of my sweaters in with some sheets once and was never able to get them quite lint-free again.
6. Static.
   I can't stand static. My hair goes in crazy directions and you end up with handkerchiefs stuck to your jeans while you're running out the door. Static may be harmful to your body as well as uncomfortable.

My mother brought us up to hang-dry the laundry. I'm sure she was mainly being frugal, just like her parents before her, but in these days of economic turmoil, that may just be the best reason there is.

What about you? Do you use a drier? Ever considered using a clothes-line instead? Is there something that prevents you from doing so (bad weather, small apartment)? Perhaps we could figure out a solution together!

5-Minute Foot Bath

(source)

Winter is one of the times we really enjoy taking a foot bath because our feet tend to get so cold. Being a writer and computer geek, we spend a lot of time sitting behind our screens and both hands and feet get cold quickly. Foot baths help heat up our feet and are relaxing at the same time. They're also a great way to pay more attention to our feet in a time when we are usually wearing socks and shoes, so don't notice them nearly as much as in Summer.
Here's how to draw yourself a quick foot bath without it being a hassle.

You start by collecting what you need: a basin/tub that's big enough for your feet (but not too big). Also get a towel ready, a pumice stone, soap, bath salts, toenail clipper and whatever you want to use on your feet. A good moisturizer is great, and have some thin socks you can put over so you don't have to step on the floor with your feet covered in lotion.


Fill up the tub with water that's a little hotter than comfortable. You can always let it cool off and you will get used to the temperature. Dissolve your bath salts in the water and add anything else you may want to (my hubby adds Epsom salts and apple vinegar to help prevent athlete's foot). Then put your tub in a convenient location and get something ready for the mean time. It can be a video, a knitting project, a nice book, an old CD. Make sure you have all your necessities nearby (towel!) and ... dip in.

Foot baths are wonderfully relaxing. And they don't have to cost tons. You can have them in the comfort of your own home and it only takes a couple of minutes to get ready.
Enjoy!

5 Quick Ways to Stay Warm in Winter

Our friend Sookie staying warm in a Belgian Winter

It's December, which means Winter for those on the northern half of the globe. This morning, the puddles turned ice reminded me that it's time to start pulling out a few tricks to stay warm.

Today I want to share a couple of those tricks I've learned over the years. Maybe you already know most, but I'm hoping some of them may be new or helpful reminders to you.

1. Dress in layers.
   One of the best ways to keep your body temperature in is by using layers to trap the heat. It's animals with thick fur stay warm too: the air in between the hairs acts as an insulation. So instead of just wearing pants, put on a pair of tights underneath. Instead of wearing thick sweaters, wear three thin ones. Summer tank tops can serve as underwear in Winter, which is a great way to save money too!
   
2. Heat it up.
   Ever tried drinking hot water? It's very common here in China and it makes perfect sense to me now. Why drink cold water in Winter when you can have the added benefit of warming up when you drink it hot or warm? If you bring your water bottle with hot water, it also acts as a great hand-warmer!
   The same goes for milk and even juice (adding hot water to juice can help it get warm and reduce your calorie intake. Then it also won't get so hot as to kill all the good stuff).
   Another bonus: drinking coffee and tea is a lot better for you than drinking soda. As long as you don't put sugar, that is.
   
   
3. Stay active.
   No surer way to freeze than to sit down and stop moving. Stomp your feet. Clap your hands. Walk to places instead of taking the car and you'll find that you'll get just as warm as in a heated car. But you'll be getting in shape, saving money and helping out the environment. It's a win-win-win!
   
4. Eat 'warming' foods.
   The Chinese believe that some foods help you stay warm while others cool you down (yang and yin foods). Eating more of the warming foods can help your body keep in more heat. Some examples are dried fruits, nuts and oats. Thinking of muesli yet? You can find more on warming and cooling foods (with a list!) on this website: Raw Foods Diet Center.
   
5. Cover the sensitive bits.
   And I mean your head and throat. We lose a lot of heat from our head (why do new-born babies always wear those cute little hats?) and our throat is sensitive too. The same goes for wrists and ankles which carry blood to our hands and feet. Keeping the extremities warm helps to keep a good circulation going, not allowing parts to cool off completely.

Any more great tips on how to keep warm? Do you have a typical Winter habit that helps you get through the dark days?

Let me know in the comments below!

3 Easy Tricks to Eat More Fruit

Picture by Michael Geipel

Vegetables are quite easy to incorporate into our diet since they're a part of our main meals, but unless you eat fruit as a desert or with breakfast, it can be difficult to give it a place in your diet. Fruit makes an ideal snack, however, as long as it's readily available when you feel like snacking.
Healthy eating is always a concern of mine, and with another life growing inside, it is now more so than ever. So I try to consume at least 3 pieces of fruit a day. Here's how I do it:

1. Pick fruit that's easy to eat on the go. It's tangerine and banana season here, but apples, grapes or berries are great too. Put a piece of fruit (or a bag of grapes) in your purse/briefcase so you have it with you when you're out of the house. You'll find yourself reaching for it when you're in the mood for something sweet because it's so close at hand.
   
2. Make a smoothie or shake to go with breakfast or as an in between snack. You can pack smoothies with quite a bit of different fruits, and you can add milk or yogurt for extra calcium, or orange juice for extra  vitamin C. Adding ice-cream is delicious, but kind of defeats the purpose. We've been loving our banana-yogurt-cocoa shakes lately!
   
3. Wash fruits right when you bring them into the house, and then display them wherever you spend the most time in the house. Having it already washed means you can just reach and take a bite. It also means you can let your fruit soak in salt water which is a great way to remove pesticides.
   Remember to wash your fruit even if it is organic because there are bugs and parasites in dirt too!

For me, fruit is a great way to satisfy that craving for something sweet without having to feel guilty about it. It also gives you fast sugars if you're feeling low on energy, so it's a great pick-me-up.
Fruits are full of wonderful nutrients, so every piece is a treat not only for your taste buds, but for your body too! Enjoy!

Triple Inspiration: Food Edition

A little later than usual, but here it is still on Sunday: this week's installment of Triple Inspiration. Today I've let myself get inspired by food, which isn't difficult when you think about it 24/7.

If you're looking for more quotes to inspire you during the week, or for more ideas on how to use these quotes, check out the other Triple Inspiration posts.

Get "Productive"!

Never work before breakfast; if you have to work before breakfast, eat your breakfast first.  

(Josh Billings)

Get Happy!

The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook. 

(Julia Child)

Get Inspired
Food is our common ground, a universal experience. 

(James Beard) 

Aim for Small

Mini-cupcake by Vancouver Bites!

Pregnancy and food are a dangerous mix. Especially pregnancy and junk food. But I know it's not only pregnant women that crave foods that are bad for them. We all have our weaknesses and sometimes it's just too hard not to give in.
My hubby is pretty strict with me when it comes to eating fast food (frankly, I just don't tell him everything), but I make allowances for myself. If I really want something, I feel better just giving in than obsessing over it and getting stressed out in the process.

So how do I lessen my guilt and keep my intake of junk food under control? I opt for the smallest portion size.

I know that technically you get more value for money if you buy big sizes (although it's best to check that because I've found that sometimes the big containers end up costing more per kg than the small ones!), but you will still save money if you buy a smaller portion. The reality is that if you buy the big portion, you'll most likely finish it all at ones. I've only rarely seen someone put away half a bag of potato chips (my personal nemesis). If you only have a small portion, I doubt you'll run back to the store to buy more.

The same goes for bottles of soda, pieces of cake, packages of candy. Buying the small portion may seem more expensive, but it will save you money in the long run and keep you healthier, because you will get used to only consuming the small portion.

So next time you're at the store looking for that snack to satisfy your craving, try to find the smallest bag/package/bottle/can available and buy only that one. Just having a taste can be enough to get rid of those nagging thoughts.
If there is no small size available, sharing can work wonders too cutting your portion at least in half!

Plan a Cat-Nap

Picture by Michael Himbeault

Naps are not just a luxury. For many of us, they could make the difference between an afternoon of sluggish dragging your feet or an afternoon full of energy and productivity.
Many cultures incorporate naps as a regular part of the day. In China, also, many people use the 2 hour lunch break for the reason it was intended: to rest for a while after a busy morning.

If you don't plan to take a nap, it's one of those things that gets put off to make room for endless Internet surfing or catalog browsing. Somehow the prospect of going to bed or lying down on the couch is not the most exciting. 

So instead, plan your cat-nap as vigorously and faithfully as your first priority tasks. When you do lay down and get some rest, allow yourself a feeling of accomplishment. Sleeping enough is just as important as eating healthy, so if you can feel good about eating a salad instead of eating a burger, you can feel good about getting some rest instead of shopping on eBay. 

Cat-naps don't have to be long (of course) and often as little as 15 minutes can already make a big difference!

Of course, for pregnant ladies like me naps are not so much optional as do-it-now-or-you'll-never-make-it-to-the-end-of-the-day. But I made napping a habit even before getting pregnant, and can fully attest to the benefits.

Give it a try and see what the effect is. Maybe it's not for you, or maybe you'll find your productivity, satisfaction, happiness and energy shooting up.

Any nappers already present on the readers' list? Now's the time to show your true colors and convince others! 

No Computer Before Breakfast!

Picture by Erik Hersman

'No computer before breakfast' is one of the rules I like to live by.

Our mornings used to start with turning on the computer and checking emails or stats on the blog. My hubby would play a game or two on-line. Then we'd nag each other a bit about when to have breakfast, and take at least 15 minutes 'finishing' our computer work before getting into the kitchen. Breakfast was an interruption instead of the wonderful start to the day that it is supposed to be.

Now the habit has changed, breakfast is a very nice and relaxing time for us. It's a moment to talk, and to discuss the day ahead.

For many, the first thing we do each morning is turn on electronics. The phone (if you've taken the trouble to turn it off before going to bed), computer or TV become the automatic 'on' button for the beginning of the day. We 'plug in' for the next 16 hours.

But consider a different morning altogether for a change. You wake up (brush your teeth/get dressed/etc.) and then prepare a lovely breakfast. If you want some ideas on how to do this quickly, you can read this post. You sit around the table with your partner/family/roommate (or just take a magazine if you live alone), and enjoy the food and the company.

This is a great time to connect to the people around you before everyone goes on their way and becomes a solitary busy bee. It's also a healthy start of the day since you're eating mindfully and can listen to your body's cues about when to stop. 

So next time you get out of bed and are reaching for that 'on' button, take a moment to think about how you could start the day differently and mindfully. Look at the sky outside, taste your food, talk to those around you. Connect to the day instead of the Internet!

Do you have morning habits to help you start the day in a good way? How long does it take you to get on the computer? Feel free to share your story in the comments! I love hearing from my readers and knowing they are still out there somewhere.

Freeze Food to Save Money, Time and the Environment

Photo by Kathleen Franklin

I'm a big fan of the modern-day freezer. We don't have a big one, but it's quite alright for the two of us. Freezers actually use less energy the fuller they are, so we try to keep ours pretty stuffed. There's a lot of different kinds of food in our freezer. Not only meat and veggies, but also bread, left-overs and even cheese.

Even though I wouldn't recommend freezing cheese, sometimes the amounts of money you can save by buying big packages, is worth it.

Consider freezing everything you don't see yourself eating within the next week (when it comes to vegetables) or the next two or three days (for meat and left-overs). 
I find that sometimes we even have to freeze half a loaf of bread, because otherwise we wouldn't eat it fast enough. 

Before you put left-overs or big packages of something in the freezer, break it up in usable portions. We buy 2 kg packs of bacon here at the local port, and divide it into little packages of about 6 strips so it's easy to take out whenever we need it. If we need more, we just take out two sets. 

If you're not sure how a certain food will fare under freezing conditions, you can always try a sample first. Just put it in a tiny ziplock back and check the next day. 

Freezing food allows us to make sure we only take out what we eat. It limits the amount of food that we waste because we don't use it up fast enough. I just hate wasting food when so many go hungry.
It also forces us to plan ahead and thus think more clearly about our meals. A great trick to becoming more aware of eating habits and the variation in our diet.

PS. Cheese won't change in flavor if you freeze it, but it will become crumbly when thawed. That being said, if you would grate it and put it on a pizza or in a cheese-sauce, that would work just fine!

Taking Time Off When You're Sick

Picture by Courtney Carmody

Dear readers, my apologies for the missed posts yesterday and the day before. As you can see, scrolling down, I have made them up. They are now posted. I haven't been feeling my best lately, and may continue to feel crappy for a little while. Nothing serious, so says the doc, but it does mean I have a difficult time getting everything done each day.  Some days are better than others.

As I mentioned before in my post on cutting yourself some slack, I don't really believe in forcing yourself if you don't feel 100%. You're better off getting back to your usual self as quickly as possible, and the best way to do that is by taking care of yourself. If you drag out sickness even longer, it'll only cost you more in the long run.

So my advice for today is to take some time off and to do that in the right way, so it really makes a difference.

First of all, try to clear your schedule as much as possible. If you're feeling under the weather or overly stressed, you won't be performing at your best anyways. The people who work with you will surely understand that a healthy employee/colleague is much more valuable than a sick one. 

Secondly, there are a couple of quick things you can do to help yourself get the rest you need. If you feel sick and find it hard to eat, try eating small, bland snacks: toast, raw fruits and vegetables, crackers, etc. Drink little sips of water throughout the day (not so much that your stomach feels full, otherwise you'll end up feeling sicker than before.)
Have a cup of herbal tea or green tea if you like, but stay away from things like coffee and black tea. The acidic nature of those can upset your stomach, and they won't make you feel sleepy either.
Preparing these snacks and drinks is a matter of minutes but will make your time off feel like what it's supposed to be: A moment to recharge your batteries and get all the rest you possibly can.

Last advice: Put some music or an audio book on your mp3 player before you go to bed. Close your eyes while you listen. The sound will distract you from how bad you're feeling, and you'll drift off to sleep before you know it!

I hate feeling sick, so throughout the years I've tried to come up with the best way to get over it as quickly as possible. Invariably that has been to try and sleep my way through it, occasionally waking up for drinks and small snacks. Luckily I don't get ill very often, but when I do, it usually takes me about two days at most to start feeling better.


What do you do when you're feeling ill? Do you try to push yourself and work as long as possible? Do you hold to the 'mind over matter' idea and try to push through the physical discomfort (like my hubby)?
Let me know!

Worth Every Minute

I've been trying to incorporate more calcium into my diet, and one of the ways I've done this is by sipping the occasional glass of milk. I drink one with breakfast, and one before going to bed. It comforts my stomach when it's upset and it's just nice as an in between snack.

I was looking up some information about the benefits of drinking milk (and the drawbacks) when I came across this site that I'd love to share with you. It has lots of great tips on how to incorporate drinking more milk into your life, and on the benefits of drinking it.

So go ahead, read, think, get a glass of the good stuff!

The Health Benefits of Drinking Milk by Michele Borboa

PS. Avoid taking calcium with iron-rich foods because they sort of cancel each other out. Vitamin C and D help with the absorption of calcium.

Control Your Cravings: 3 Snack Options

Picture by Arnold Gatilao

Let's face it: Our body doesn't always let us know what's good for us. At different times during the day we may crave something sweet, salty or greasy. None of these options are particularly encouraging for someone who is trying to eat well and stay healthy.
What you need is a way to fool your body into thinking you're satisfying a junk-food need, while really feeding it something reasonably healthy.
I've figured out some tricks to limit the amounts of ice-cream and salted chips/crisps that I eat.

1. Craving something sweet: Try to eat a sweet kind of fruit, maybe one that's on the verge of too sweet, like grapes or a very ripe mango. Dried fruits are even sweeter and guaranteed to make you crave some water instead!
   
2. Craving something salty and crunchy: Toast some bread and top it with some peanut butter and a little bit of salt. You could also use gomashio, which is a Japanese sesame salt that goes really well with peanut butter in my opinion! One of my go-to snacks.
   
3. Really hungry: Eat something that contains fat and protein. Ideal snacks to combine both are eggs, nuts and beef jerky. These are a great way to help tie you over until the next big meal.

Any idea what to do about craving french fries? That seems to be the one that's eternally difficult to control in my case. Can't imagine what it would be like if I lived in Belgium where they are pretty much everywhere! I used to eat them at least once a week.

3 Ways to Drink More Water

Picture by Greg Riegler

One of the tips for a healthy diet that I usually find difficult to keep up with, is the one about drinking more water. Usually, I just forget about it unless I'm really thirsty. And now that the heat has subsided, and our life is quite relaxed, I don't feel thirsty half as often as I should.
So I need to find little tricks to remind myself to drink more water. I want to share with you today what has worked for me so far.

1. It's important to always have water ready for you to drink. Keep a pitcher of water on your desk, a bottle in your bag, a glass on your bedside table (for mornings, not evenings!)
   
2. Make sure to drink water that you enjoy. There's no use trying to get yourself to drink more water if you don't like the taste. The habits won't stick. And yes, water does have lots of different tastes. If you're in a country where you can safely drink tap-water, a filtering can or system can improve the taste (and the effects on your iron and washing machine). It's what my parents did, and the water tastes great!
   
3. Make it a habit to sip your water rather than drinking big amounts at once. You will soon get used to the fresh feeling, and the lack thereof can start making you feel uncomfortable.
   This also keeps you from downing full glasses that leave you feeling like a giant water balloon. Not a pleasant feeling!

When I was young, I remember one of my classmates actually being taken to the hospital because he was dehydrated.  I've never quite forgotten that.
Drinking more water can help purify your body, and can help you get a better skin and a slimmer waist. You just have to remember to do it.

Read the Label

"Cheese" by Oli Shaw

You know those small letters they have on clothes or on packages of food? You know how they got there? Years of consumer organizations struggling to get us, you and me, informed about what we're buying. We're used to seeing them on bottles, boxes and bags, but do you ever read them?

Well, it might not be such a silly idea.

While you're drinking your glass of juice for breakfast, read the information on the box. If you happen to have different boxes or bottles available, feel free to compare.
When you eat a snack, don't throw the wrapper out immediately but have a look at the ingredients on it. 
Buying a new t-shirt? There's a tag that will tell you where it was made. 

Even if you don't use the information, even if you don't change your mind based on it, it never hurts to be informed. Knowing what you put in your body is valuable, even if it is a dangerous chemical!

Reading these little words is a matter of seconds, but it can be a first step to living a healthier, happier and more satisfying life.

I once read a book (Food Rules: An Eater's Guide by Michael Pollan) which stated that if there is something on a food label that you don't understand, that you don't recognize as food, you should consider it a 'food stuff' instead of real food. Reading food labels I try to keep in mind that anything that looks like a chemical instead of a natural product is probably not that good for me. I'd rather eat sugar than high fructose corn syrup.
Reading the label on a bottle of juice, I like to see no more than: 100% juice (based on concentrate, in most cases).
Reading the labels on clothes, I love to see I am buying cotton or wool, and not acrylic or polyester. I also love seeing clothes with a fair-trade label instead of those made in Bangladesh or Thailand.

Whatever is on a label has been put there especially to keep you informed, usually against the will of the corporations who produce the product. It's your right to know.

Five 5-Minute Breakfast Options

French Toast by Annie Mole

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If you start off with a good breakfast, it gets your metabolism going and can provide energy for the morning ahead of you, preventing you from reaching for snacks before lunchtime. We eat a big breakfast every day, with two eggs, a piece of fruit, and a slice of bread with cheese. But from time to time we like to change it up a little and eat something different.
These following breakfast menus all take about 5 minutes to prepare.

1. Scrambled eggs with toast. Beat the eggs with a bit of milk, melt some butter in the pan, and keep stirring the eggs while they cook. Finished in no time!
   
2. French toast. Again, beat an egg with some milk, dip both sides of a slice of bread in the mix, and fry the eggy bread in some butter. Tastes great with jam! French toast is a great way to re-purpose stale bread.
   
3. Smoothies. In for a light breakfast? Put some frozen berries and a banana in the blender with some yogurt. Easy and fast!
   
4. Granola and yogurt. Cereals are easy but often a high-sugar/low-nutrient option. Go for a cereal without added sugar (granola can be made with only honey). It's even better if you take out some time to make your own muesli. Make sure you mix in some nuts so you feel full longer. Eat with milk or yogurt.
   
5. Ham & Cheese sandwich. Get some cheese and ham, slice some cucumber and tomatoes to go with it. Put it all between two slices of whole-wheat bread and voila! No need for mayo, tastes great without it. 

Now there's no excuse for not preparing breakfast for your family. It only takes a couple of minutes. Try to make sure you get a bit of protein (not included in option 3) too, so you'll feel full longer. And keep in mind that if you eat vegetables and fruit now, you've already taken a first step toward those 5 servings per day!