Breastfeeding Helps Prevent Depression
August 31, 2007 | Leave a Comment
A few weeks ago on the show I interviewed Kathleen Kendall Tackett, a breastfeeding expert who talked about how depressed moms who are nursing their babies can be helped without medications. Here is a news piece that talks about this effect and quotes Dr. Kendall Tackett.
The research shows that breastfeeding needs to be “going well” to have the protective effect. So this underscores the importance of getting good information and support ahead of time. It’s invaluable to have a team of supporters (like La Leche League leaders, friends, breastfeeding friendly medical team, your relatives etc) to help you out – and to get that in place before the baby ever arrives.
Sorry, part of this post is missing. The newsfeed was throwing off my blog template.
Review: Teeccino Herbal Caffeine Free Coffee
August 30, 2007 | 6 Comments
I have a coffee habit. I’m not too worried about it. As vices go, this one’s pretty tame. I’m not convinced that coffee is bad for your health. Like chocolate, I think it’s fine in moderation. Coffee has been associated with lower rates of diabetes, colon cancer, Parkinson’s, and it has a lot of antioxidants. I have a cup a day habit, and I also drink lots of Roobios (which is actually not a tea but made from the African Red Bush and is naturally caffeine free) and Green tea too, both of which are high in antioxidants.
I got started on good coffee during my stint at Starbucks, where in training (appropriately named “coffee school”), we were required to drink black coffee made with a French Press (still my favorite way to brew coffee) to learn the differences in flavor. I learned to distinguish the subtleties in the coffee varietals. The faint taste of blueberries in some coffees that are grown near blueberry plantations. The woodsy earthiness of a good Sulawesi. The tart cleanness of a South American blend. The winey flavor of Sanani. The heavy perfection of Sumatra. The caramelly sweetness of a perfectly brewed shot of espresso. And what tastes better with chocolate or tiramisu?
Still, I don’t like the idea of being addicted to something. If I go without my daily cup, I get a headache. So every once in awhile I go off coffee to detox from it. You see, I associate good coffee with pleasure. The whole thing makes me happy. Grinding the beans, brewing it, smelling the aroma, going to coffeehouses, the heft of the cup in my hand, that first sip that warms you up as it goes down, etc… like a smoker with their routine, but a whole lot nicer. I know that until I change that association, I won’t be able to kick the habit totally.
So I decided to try something to wean myself a bit. I bought a sample pack of Teeccino herbal caffeine free coffee substitute. It’s made from roasted chicory (which is actually an old Southern coffee substitute, it’s still popular in New Orleans). Chicory contains inulin, a fiber that is good for the digestion and elimination. It also contains ground almonds, dates, roasted carob and orange peel. Oddly enough, you don’t taste the almonds, orange peel or dates at all in the finished product.
I put half the packet and 3 cups of water into the coffee pot and hit brew. The verdict? Not bad. A nice hot morning beverage. It was a tad weak, so next time I’ll try it with less water or more Teeccino. The coffee pot has a cone shaped filter which, being a coffee snob, I know requires a finer grind for the proper cup. The Teeccino has a multi purpose grind (but there’s no such thing!). That might explain why it tastes a bit weak. It really tastes like a weakly brewed cup of mild coffee.
I think it would be excellent mixed with regular coffee beans in order to reduce the actual amount of coffee you’re getting. But it would still have a good strong coffee flavor. I’ll try that too and see how it tastes.
You can find Teeccino at Amazon.com
Pay It Down! by Jean Chatzky Book Review
August 30, 2007 | 5 Comments
I’ve been a fan of Jean Chatzky since I saw her give a presentation at an event I attended a few months ago. She talked about her new book, Make Money, Not Excuses: Wake Up, Take Charge, and Overcome Your Financial Fears Forever
The book I’m reviewing today, though, is probably the first step many of us need to take to get right with our finances, and that is to pay off debt. I picked up Pay It Down! at Barnes and Noble one day and it’s a pretty quick read, but that doesn’t diminish its value.
Firstly, the name is a bit of a misnomer in my opinion. The tagline is “From debt to wealth in $10 a day”, but the book has little to do with wealth, or what to do after the debt is paid off. But its beauty is in its simplicity and singular focus on getting out of debt, so that’s ok. There are plenty other books that talk about what to do after the debt is gone, including Jean’s book mentioned above.
What I like about this book is that it’s different from the “latte factor” advice books that tell you to deny yourself small pleasures. Jean tells you how to get that $10 a day from the BIG stuff, the stuff you won’t feel as much pain (or any pain at all!) spending less on. One example:
Refinancing your car loan – This could free up big cash each month, and the book tells you how to do it. If you’re like many people (myself included), your credit score and other financial info is in a better place now than it was when you bought your car. You might be paying a lot more than you need to.
I like that Jean breaks down the different aspects of your credit score. For instance, did you know that 35% of your score comes from how well you pay your bills? Wow! This information can help you fix your credit score on your own.
Jean also includes some scripts you can use when speaking to your creditors. Did you know that if you’ve been paying your credit card bill on time and have a good history with the creditor, sometimes all it takes to get a lower interest rate is a simple phone call? Jean tells you exactly what to say when you make that call, and it could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
These are just a couple of ideas among the dozens and dozens laid out in the book. If getting out of debt is what you need to be focusing on right now, then Pay It Down! : From Debt to Wealth on $10 a Day
15 Things I Do To Save Money Meme
August 29, 2007 | 7 Comments
Tiffany tagged me with this meme, and frugality is one of my favorite subjects so I’m happy to oblige! Of course, if you’ve already read hers, many of mine will sound awfully familiar. We’re cyber doppelgangers, after all.
- I try as often as possible to buy used to keep things out of landfills. Thrift stores, eBay, yard sales, books and CDs on Amazon.com, etc.
- I breastfed my kids. So not only did I save on the cost of baby formula, but I saved on Doctor bills too, and probably orthodontia in the future since mine nurse in terms of years, not months.
- I’m a minimalist and don’t enjoy shopping, so I have few clothes/shoes, minimal furnishings (less to dust and clean around!), etc. Of course, if I had an unlimited budget and the new 2008 IKEA catalog, it might be different. LOL
- I have a well worn library card and use it for cheap entertainment (movies, kid videos, and of course tons of books but also other free stuff like seeing the symphony for free, professional storytellers, African dancers, etc). Before I buy a book I get online and reserve it using my library’s website, and read it to see if I want to make the investment.
- Homeschooling, oddly enough, saves me a lot of money. I save money on clothes and lunches, and since I design my own eclectic curriculum, I get a lot of my homeschool stuff used at yard sales and homeschool swaps and for free online. There’s also no gas running kids back and forth to school.
- I’ve learned to cut the kid’s hair. By watching the stylist carefully, reading a book on cutting hair and just common sense, I can do a good job of trimming the kid’s hair so that they can go several months inbetween getting a professional cut.
- Hand me downs. I save the kid’s outgrown clothes that are still in good shape and keep them for the next kid, or give them away. When you do this, people will give stuff to you. I’ve found that there are two kinds of parents: people who think that accepting hand me downs is shameful, and those who think it’s great. I’m definitely the latter! I get all kinds of great stuff from parents who are too busy (like working outside the home Moms) to deal with consigning or selling their used stuff.
- I don’t buy toys. They get more than enough from the Grandparents and stuff they buy themselves from their own savings. I prefer to give my kids experiences. We have an Atlanta Zoo pass and have made good use of that. In the long run, it’s cheaper to buy passes to places you’ll visit more than twice, especially with a larger family.
- We don’t eat out much. Maybe once a week I’ll take the kids to Moe’s on kids eat free day. It’s healthy and cheap.
- I avoid any and all nuisance fees. I don’t “do” bounced check charges, late fees for anything (from movies to bill and credit card payments), I only do free checking accounts, etc. Right now I’m spending ZERO in interest on my credit card because I transferred my (already very low) balance over to a new card and will have it paid off before the introductory 0% interest expires.
- Tracking my spending. For several months I’ve written down every purchase I’ve made. At first, I surprised myself at how much money I spent in certain categories. But now, the simple act of having to write it down really makes me think twice.
- Choosing to be a stay at home/work at home Mom. I avoid spending extra money on cas for commuting, daycare, work clothes, lunches out, convenience dinners etc. I also earn far more than I could ever earn outside the home. In fact I earn over 4 times as much per hour as I did at my last job, which was a supervisor at Starbucks.
- Cloth diapering all 4 of my kids. Not only did that save a lot of dough on diapers, but I’m convinced they train earlier. Similar to this is using other cloth alternatives to disposable stuff, like my beloved Act Natural Microfiber Mop (instead of Swiffer style gadgets) and microfiber cleaning cloths.
- Low maintenance beauty. I don’t fight nature too much. A little makeup, a pair of well fitting indigo jeans, cute top and girly sneakers or flip flops is my look. I have wavy/curly and very thick hair and don’t try to fight it. I’m wash and wear, baby! I choose hairstyles that fit my hair texture and that don’t need cuts every 6 weeks. I don’t do manicures because when I’m stressed I just tear into my cuticles anyway, and I do my own toes and hair removal procedures. I don’t do trends and prefer a classic look that won’t embarrass me when I look at pictures of myself in 5 years.
- And finally, one thing I do to save money is to actually save money. LOL! On the first of every month I have a set amount automatically transferred from my checking to savings account. I also use a debit card that rounds up my purchases automatically and puts the change in my savings account. I LOVE this. So when I pump gas, for example, I always pump a penny over, intentionally. I never miss the change and it really adds up.
So what about you?
Alyssa at Life From my Laptop
Barb at Feels Like Magic
Lynette at Moms Gadgets
Instead of GoGurt
August 28, 2007 | Leave a Comment
I have a yummy recipe you can grab. It’s a peachy yogurt drink that’s got a smooth drinkable texture like the overpriced sugary GoGurt you can leave on the grocery store shelves. Those are too expensive, cause a lot of waste what with the individual, throw away servings, and have unsavory ingredients.
Peachy Yogurt Drink
Ingredients:
1 cup frozen organic sliced peaches
1 container (6 oz) organic vanilla yogurt (full fat is best)
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon honey (you might want to try leaving the honey out if the peaches are really ripe and sweet. Or use unflavored yogurt with no extra sweetener, and a drop of vanilla extract. Then you might want the honey.)
Instructions:
Place sliced peaches in the bottom of blender. Blend on low speed to chop peaches in small pieces. Add yogurt and blend on high for approximately 1 minute or until creamy. Make sure peaches are completely pureed. Add orange juice and honey. Blend about 30 seconds more to mix all ingredients together. Serve.
I have a lot more free whole foods recipes where that came from. If you like yummy drinks, here are a few:
Lookie Lookie
August 24, 2007 | 5 Comments
I had Jen add a sign up box for my newsletter and while she was in there she did some major tweaking to my theme, which is funny because I was just about to ask her to do up a new look for me. LOL! She practically read my mind.
Anyway I hope you like the new look. Thanks to the Internet Marketing Chic!
Free Range Eggs, Free
August 23, 2007 | 3 Comments
I posted over at Because Mom Said So about not being a “pet person”. Lately I’ve realized that the hens are a bit like pets though. And here’s the best part:
Free Range Eggs. Free.
It doesn’t get much better than that! Chickens are very low maintenance. There are no shots. No vets. Their feed is cheap, and they also eat some scraps (they LOVE watermelon rinds!) like veggies and bread crusts. And instead of costing money, they give you free food!
To quote Cibo Matto, “I know my chicken. You got to know your chicken.”
I like that I know my chickens. They eat a healthy diet and run around the yard snapping up bugs and worms. Ummmm…. They are happy and loved. Given the fact that breakfast can easily mean 9 eggs each morning in this house, free eggs are a very good thing! The other day the boys collected 21. That’s two whole days worth what with scrambled or fried eggs for breakfast, deviled or boiled eggs for snacks and lunch, omelets….
You know what? Chickens are dumb as all get out but they do have personalities. They like my 6 year old Julien best. He’s our Ov Man. (Like the Love Man. Excuse all the music references for a minute. I’m just in that kind of mood today.) It thrills him to no end when we get a huge egg harvest!
We’re getting benefits of pet ownership like the kids bonding with animals, learning responsibility (they have to be fed and watered, let out of the pen, gathered back in, eggs collected), without all the bad stuff associated with pet ownership like the cost factor, messes in the house, animals not mixing well with babies/toddlers, training the pet, etc.
Wordless Wednesday
August 23, 2007 | 4 Comments
Proud big brother
Natural Moms Podcast #60
August 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment
My guest this week is Peggy Collins, author of Help Is Not a Four Letter Word
Download the mp3 here.
Raising a Responsible Child
August 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment
One of the goals of a parent is to raise a responsible child. But how do we do that? I always enjoy Mark Brandenburg’s straightforward approach and thought I would reprint his article here. If you know a Dad who wants to grow in his parenting, sign him up for Mark’s coaching!
Top Ten Ways to Raise Responsible Children
1. Start them with tasks and chores when they’re young.
Young kids have a strong desire to help out, even as young as age two. They can do a lot more than you think if you have patience and let them do it their way. Young kids have a strong desire to help out, even as young as age two. They can do a lot more than you think if you have patience and let them do it their way.
2. Don’t use rewards with your kids
If you want your kids to develop an intrinsic sense of responsibility, they need to learn the “big picture” value of the things they do. They won’t learn that if they’re focused on what they’re going to “get.”
3. Use natural consequences when they make mistakes.
If they keep losing their baseball glove, let them deal with the consequences. Perhaps they have to ask to borrow one for the game. Or, perhaps they have to buy a new one if it’s lost. If you rescue them every time they screw up, they’ll never learn responsibility.
Specifically point out what you like about their behavior. This will make it more likely to continue to happen.
5. Talk often about responsibility with your kids.
Make responsibility a family value – let them know it’s important.
6. Model responsible behavior for your kids.
They’ll learn most of their responsible behavior from you. Remember that they have a VERY close eye on what you do.
7. Give them an allowance early in their life.
Let them make their own money decisions from an early age. They’ll learn their lessons in a hurry.
8. Have a strong, unfailing belief that your kids are responsible.
They’ll pick up on this belief and they’ll tend to rise to the level of expectation.
9. Train them to be responsible.
Use role play and talk to them about exactly what kind of behavior you expect from them. It’s hard for kids to be responsible when they don’t know what it looks like.
10. Get some help and support for your parenting.
At times it’s hard to know whether you’re being too controlling or too permissive as a parent. Talk to other parents, read books, or join parent support groups – whatever will help you feel like you’re not alone.
Warmly,
Mark Brandenburg
Mark Brandenburg MA, CPCC
mark@eqnow.org
http://www.markbrandenburg.com
Also by this author: My Kids Are Driving Me Crazy!
