My son can’t say his T’s, P’s and S’s. At first we just thought it was normal until they discovered a tongue tie on his baby sister at 1 month old. I had a horrific time breast feeding both him and his sister in the beginning.
I spent weeks in agony thinking oh this is normal. Both children got underweight their first week and it really scared us. I thought ‘I’ wasn’t producing the milk when really they weren’t able to latch and suck like they should.
This video was taken at Natural Family Chiropractic with Pediatric specialist Dr. Meghan Van Loon. Dr. Van Loon was my instructor and is a world renowned expert in Pediatrics. She has helped thousands understands and evaluates these common infant issues.
Watch the video below to understand more about Tongue Ties also called Anklyoglossia:
If you are in the Central NY area I highly recommend the following practitioners.
and Pediatric Dentist Dr. Lawrence Kutlow
We made the trip to see Dr. Kutlow a week after we were diagnosed. He evaluated her and performed the surgery the same day. Here is a picture of Sarah Grace before the surgery and after she looked the same.
The actual procedure takes about 10 minutes. The after care is more in depth and I found it a little difficult, but something you have to do.
Did it make a difference? Yes. I was able to nurse with more ease although it still took about 4 more weeks to get really comfortable with it. I choose not to solely nurse but that was my choice for my life and health.
I am very grateful for my friends on Facebook who suggested this might be the case. My midwife felt awful that she didn’t catch it, but I wasn’t upset about that. I do suggest if you are really struggling with nursing that you get a second opinion if your doctor or midwife doesn’t feel there is a problem. Go on Dr. Kutlow’s page and look at the video for diagnosing a tongue tie.
Sarah actually had both a tongue tie and a upper lip adhesion. After the surgery she was able to get her mouth fully around the breast instead of just biting. I also recommend you get a lactation consultation and help afterwards where someone comes into your home and helps you and the baby improve your breast feeding groove. Because like Sarah, your baby might be used to biting to get the milk which can continue to hurt.
I hope this helps you. Please share with all the mommas and going to be mommas you know.
For your Total Wellness,
Dr. Mary Starr Carter
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.
I didn’t think I would make it through the interview without crying. Lisa M Buske is a personal friend that I haven’t seen in 6 years. 6 years ago she was studying to be a writer and working extremely hard. Today her first book is flying off the shelves. TV, radio, and audiences all over NY and throughout the US are requesting to hear One Sister’s Journey Lisa M Buske the voice of America’s missing. Her sister and my high school friend Heidi Allen went missing on April 3, 1994. She is still missing today.
If you have lost a loved one, or know someone who is grieving a loss I encourage you to have them watch this video. Lisa is helping all of us heal.
God bless,
Dr. Mary Starr Carter
the Total Wellness Doc and Mom
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.
I just wanted to take a minute to thank you personally for all your prayers and positive thoughts throughout my pregnancy and birth. After two miscarriages sometimes your heart and mind become a little hardened or fearful, but I didn’t have any of that (almost) after knowing this little miracle was still with us back in August. You all have been such an amazing support and upliftment and when I was overdue your words on Facebook gave me strength and encouragement. I appreciate you and am honored you are in my life.
The Miracle of Sarah Grace
(don’t worry this is not a birth video just me sharing with you about her birth)
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.
I was cleaning my office the other day and got this download about one of the things that I do. See I help clients get healthy through wellness coaching, education available on my website and classes I give. But another thing that I do and am actually really good at is helping my associates create MOMMY MONEY.
What is Mommy Money? Well it is an extra income that can be used how the Mommy wants including everything from paying for a health care program, pay off debt, vacations and much more. I work with more than 35 women directly and support over 200 who earn a monthly Mommy Money income.
As a mom myself I only want the best for my kids. For me I choose to have cleaner foods, grass fed beef, organic foods, and excellent childcare. I also like to have monthly and sometimes weekly pampering sessions of massage, a pedicure or a Raindrop Therapy. All these things cost money and if you live on a fixed income, it is difficult to spend money on these ‘extras’. So having some monthly ‘Mommy Money’ can change all of that including our health and happiness.
And then there are some moms like my friend Joleen who found herself as a single mom and in need of extra income to support her family. She was able to pay her monthly rent payment with her Mommy Money. My associate Kathryn wanted to homeschool her son. She was able to replace the income from her job of 32 years and stay home and train up her son. And then there are associates who found themselves over 50 with no retirement income and are now in a better place financially for their future.
Mommy Money can make life easier, more fun and more rewarding. How about you? Do you make Mommy Money? Would you like to start earning some Mommy Money every month?
If you have a passion for helping people, improving the health of your family and others, you are looking for a proven and successful system to bring extra income into your home, and want more fun in your life then contact our office at info@starrhealth.com or 315-883-1943 and request an associate to contact you to see if our Mommy Money Program is a good fit for you.
For your Family’s Total Wellness including Financial Success,
Dr. Mary Starr Carter
the Total Wellness Doc and Mom
P.S. Do you like to play tennis? Go check out my husband’s blog at http://starrhost.com/blog/ about tennis and online business. It’s cute, but I guess I am biased.
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.
Today I was going to share with you about new life, but my heart and God has urged me to speak to you about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in our returning veterans. I started to see it several years ago in practice. A sister or mother would share with me the terrible struggles of their brother or son who had returned from Iraq. Moms would tell me about their sons and daughters returning from the war and being on anti-depressant and anxiety medication.
I live by a large Army Base and in the next year or so we will see a large number of veterans return to this area. There is talk about their impact on the economy and jobs for them but little talk about supporting their bodies and minds needing to be transitioned back to civilian life. There is some talk about Post Traumatic Disorder, but not enough.
I believe that just like there are so many weeks spent in boot camp, the same should be required upon returning. These men and women who lay down their lives for us are not given the honor they deserve or need upon returning from their duty. Doesn’t it just make sense that they would need time to decompress, evaluate their mental and physical status, learn behaviors and skills to deal with the things they experienced and lived? I believe they do because 22 veterans a day take their life.
Sadly last month my colleague Kathy Farmer lost her son not on the battlefield but years after he served in Iraq. The effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder coupled with loss were too much for him to bear and he took his life. She is determined to share Brad’s story and crusade so that others get the help they need.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can happen for many reasons. I’ve written about it on my blog but special attention needs to be paid to our veterans. Will you please help me spread the message?
Below is a news report and Kathy Farmer’s Facebook post about Brad. Remember, 22 veterans a day take their life. Please help reduce this number by sharing.
For your family’s wellness,
Dr. Mary Starr Carter
the Total Wellness Doc and Mom
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Yesterday my exceptional son, Brad Farmer took his own life. He felt that he was causing so much pain that his leaving would mitigate the pain of others. He didn’t realize the pain others felt was the pain they sensed in him. Brad was a kind hearted man (always my boy) who deeply felt all of his emotions. He had just begun dealing with the PTSD from two tours in Iraq. We had great hopes for his future. PTSD and the break up of his relationship with his fiance, were too much for him to handle. He has left behind many who loved him very much. His sisters, Rae Marie and Allison Hajek miss their brother very much and his nieces and nephews won’t have his advice and guidance. Those that know Brad, did you know before he went into the army, he was his sister Rae’s manny for her son Zane. His last actions were to protect his family and friends from as much heartache and trauma as possible. I will love you always, my son. – Kathy Farmer
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.
As a Chiropractor who sees a lot of backs we have had several cases of individuals who have had the signs of skin cancer on their back but did not know it. Because some individuals live alone and do not get regular dermatological check ups we may be there only set of eyes. We encourage everyone to get or do a thorough examination for skin cancers twice a year. If you have the risk factors for skin cancer or have had cancers in the past please seek proper dermatological attention. The following information is not meant to diagnose or prescribe but rather for education purposes only.
Enjoy the short video and scroll down to learn more about skin cancer.
I encourage everyone to do a google search a look up the images of what Melanoma and other skin cancers look like. Keep these in a folder on your computer or print them out so you can stay aware and use these photos to do your own periodic body observations.
The following is from the American Cancer Society.
Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers. It accounts for nearly half of all cancers in the United States. More than 2 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer are found in this country each year. Melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, will account for about 68,130 cases of skin cancer in 2010.
Most non-melanoma skin cancers develop on sun-exposed areas of the body, like the face, ear, neck, lips, and the backs of the hands. Depending on the type, they can be fast or slow growing, but they rarely spread to other parts of the body.
Basal cell or squamous cell cancers are highly likely to be cured if detected and treated early. Melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, will account for about 68,130 cases of skin cancer in 2010 and most (about 8,700) of the 11,790 deaths due to skin cancer each year.
The overall 5-year survival rate for melanoma is 91%. For localized melanoma, the 5-year survival rate is 98%; survival rates for regional and distant stage diseases are 62% and 15%, respectively. About 84% of melanomas are diagnosed at a localized stage.
What are the signs and symptoms of skin cancer?
Skin cancer can be found early, and both doctors and patients play important roles in finding skin cancer. If you have any of the following symptoms, tell your doctor.
• Any change on the skin, especially in the size or color of a mole or other darkly pigmented growth or spot, or a new growth
• Scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or change in the appearance of a bump or nodule
• The spread of pigmentation beyond its border such as dark coloring that spreads past the edge of a mole or mark
• A change in sensation, itchiness, tenderness, or pain
What are the risk factors for skin cancer?
Risk factors for non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancers include:
• Unprotected and/or excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation
• Fair complexion
• Occupational exposures to coal tar, pitch, creosote, arsenic compounds, or radium
• Family history
• Multiple or atypical moles
• Severe sunburns as a child
Skin Cancer is scary but the rate of survival if detected early is more than 90%. Stay diligent and use Young Living Essential Oils of Frankincense and Grapefruit for further protection.
We value your comments. Please comment below.
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.
I sat in the dark of the night looking at my newborn baby girl make sleepy smiles as she drifted into slumber. My heart filled with joy and love for this precious little one and then I thanked God for giving me this wonderful gift. I also thanked Him for restoration and fulfillment of His promise.
I miscarried 2 babies in 2011. Rachel and Jesse are the names of my children in heaven. You live with heartbreak and sometimes it seems like you will never have the thing you want most, another child, but then God gives you more than you can ask for. You hear stories of it all the time. The couple who struggles with getting pregnant for years and years and finally when they give up or adopt a baby, they get pregnant. God’s promises are great even when we can’t see any good in our current situation in life. I think holding on to those promises is so important.
My good friend Debbie’s passion in life from the time she was a young girl was to have children of her own. She is amazing with children and has had a long career working with children. But sadly she lost all her pregnancies. She became the foster mom to a daughter around 2 years old and eventually was able to adopt her. And now recently this past summer she became the primary caretaker of her baby granddaughter. The two of them pour out more love and affection. It’s beautiful. I think God can restore in ways that we can’t even imagine. Sometimes it might take decades, years or sometimes he can do it quickly too.
Here is a story of Second Chances from our town that can warm everybody’s heart and remind us with God anything is possible.
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.
With this past Sunday being Mother’s Day I wanted to celebrate with all the women who have blessed me via the Internet with their mommy tips. Sharing knowledge and things you have learned through trial and error of parenting and using natural remedies for health care can help hundreds or even thousands of moms if we share through the Internet.
Below are tips and techniques from Total Wellness moms. Some of them will encourage you, give you some new tools and some might even make you cry!
Enjoy!
Dr. Mary Starr Carter
the Total Wellness Doc and Mom
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I have used lavender and eucalyptus since Jamie was an infant. Lavender to sleep and eucalyptus to help with stuffy noses.
My tip is: There will be many people who will give you advice… Think of a standard response like “Thank you, I will take that into consideration.” And be ready to say it every time
Just do the best you can with what knowledge you have, when you hunger for a different way, the teacher will always appear. I learned this the hard way when I was a mommy to my 6th baby and I didn’t want to do something the doc recommended. I searched and found alternatives
Tip: deep breathes and remember the days may be long but the years are short!
Cut yourself some slack. No mom is perfect. No parenting “style” is perfect. Just love your babies and give them your best. Oh, and nurse your baby when YOU feel like you should. Regardless of when a book/friend/internet says you should. Go with your gut. (ok, so that’s more than 1 tip, but, you know…) :0)
The best investment of your time and resources is in your child(ren). The returns are priceless.
Nap when your baby naps:-)!!!! Those dishes will be there when you’re rested, or hey daddy will probably do them!!!!!!
Fennel to increase milk production for breast feeding mother
Start chore teaching at a young age so the teenage years are easier!
Due to our lovely New York State weather many children have been getting sick this year. We all have different essential oils we use. I use nutmeg, clove and frankincense. Putting them on your feet and spine is fantastic, but did you know your child’s thymus has a lot to do with the immune system working properly. Place your oils of choice on the thymus area. Dilute according to the oils label and then some with younger children. This method works sooo much faster. Amazing for a child battling MRSA.
DIY Natural Safe Sunscreen for you and the little ones: 1 ounce Coconut oil (spf 4-10), 1 ounce Raspberry Seed oil (spf 28-50), 10 drops Carrot Seed Essential Oil (spf 38-40) 5 drops Lavender. Warm over hot water until melted. Stir and use all summer long!
My best mommy tip is to arm yourself with essential oils and stay away from pharmaceuticals! Keep your family healthy naturally.
Don’t wish away the days~ love and appreciate the stage you are at. When my children were younger, I found myself longing for days when they could dress themselves and be more independent. Now that they are and the toddler days are long gone, I find myself wishing for the days when we could just play and play and push them in the stroller and my kisses fixed everything. Be grateful for each stage. Don’t wish away the days, because they will come and go and you will have been too busy thinking of different times and miss the “last’ times. We all look for the “firsts”~ first steps, first words. Don’t be too busy to miss the “lasts” ~ last time I was strong enough to hold my son, the last time he crawled up in my lap… TREASURE EVERY DAY!!! It is a gift from God!! Celebrate each day.
Mommy Tip: Avoid tubes in the ears. Mommy Beth took my advice and placed 3 drops of Melrose in palm of her hand; rolled Q-tip in the oil and swabbed gently opening to ear canal and applied Melrose to mastoid bone. She alternated with Lavender every 2-4 hours. Broken eardrum completely healed in 2 days (Confirmed by pediatrician).
Smirk, smile, laugh… try to remember to take each moment of the day as you can and treasure the moments before they slip by. Our “go-to-oil” for my daughter is wintergreen.
Don’t Stress the little things my GrandMother used to tell me, she was right! Life is to short enjoy the kids and use Essential oils like Stress Away, Peace and Calming, Lavender and many others that work.. Enjoy each day with a Smile and Loving heart.
Having lost my son at 15, my advise to moms with children driving them crazy is: enjoy it while you can. They won’t be there forever.
Puppy moms try peace and calming for thunderstorms and fireworks. Put a couple drops in your palm and rub it on the bottom of paws. My poodle asks for his oil when there is thunder.
I just learned MRSA does not like RC! Success 100% now all cuts get RC.
Thanks! That’s kind! My tip might be this; love your children and they will love you back. Love is the great healer. I used lavender for nearly everything but now that’s all so I got to use the next ones I guess.
Remember that you are the right mother for your child!
Make a Thieves oil spritzer (with distilled water) to keep your family well. I made one and sprayed all through the house all winter/early spring when the flu was going around. Nobody in our household got the flu! Actually, the worst thing any of us got was a bit of a runny nose and low-grade fever (and the fever lasted less than 24 hours)! And, that’s even with a little one in preschool!
I wish these oils were around when my children were small, but now I get to use them on my grandchildren, last month my 16mo.old granddaughter was stuffed up and coughing, I showed her mama how to apply Lavender to her feet and I also diffuse Thieves in a vaporizer, and made a muslin cloth and dab Thieves on it and hang it in the corner of her bedroom. And has made a world of difference. Now her mommy puts it in her closet now to.
The BEST mommy tip I have ever used is peppermint and DiGize.When my son Luke was in 8th grade, he would get migraine headaches and I would be called to pick him up from school. We would come home, use the peppermint on his forehead and neck, and the DiGize over his tummy to stop the intense vomiting that came with the migraine. We found out(through our association with YL people) that is was the soda and sugary foods in the machines at school. I started homeschooling him in 9th grade. Glad that is over!
Be sure to use enzymes as your kids get bigger and on solid foods. They are so important to keeping their digestion working well since we generally don’t get enough enzymes from our diets.
Thyme and purification on ears and purification on bone behind ear and jawbone for ear infection then put thieves on feet, then for the fever lemon diluted on back and chest with some peppermint to cool the body
When it comes to your children trust your heart over the advise of others. God gave us intuitive knowledge about our children. Pray and trust.
If you have tips to share, please comment below. If you would like receive our weekly Total Wellness Newsletter with more great tips and natural wellness, parenting, nutrition, and more be sure you register below too.
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.
Well things are moving right along in our home. Baby girl Sarah Grace is gaining weight, Joshua is learning to be a good big brother, and my husband and I are learning to be parents of 2 kids. I don’t think those lessons will ever end but it is extremely rewarding and amazing.
I have had many requests about how I was able to ‘get things moving’ since I was 2-3 weeks overdue with Sarah. And yes it was an essential oil remedy and lots of God that came to my rescue and got this baby out GRACEFULLY.
In today’s article I share about what I did to GET THINGS MOVING. Enjoy and pass on the information to those you know are pregnant. It may help them avoid a C-Section or worse.
For your Total Wellness,
Dr. Mary Starr
The Total Wellness Doc and Mom
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Moving Right Along
Many of you have asked and now I will answer your questions about how I got my labor moving along. I was overdue with my little girl at least 2 weeks, possibly 3 weeks. I asked your advice on my Facebook page about tips to help my labor get started. Here were some of your suggestions and I actually did most of them.
Eat spicy food, a hotdog with relish, hot fudge sundae, Mexican food, drink Castor oil, get a massage, reflexology, acupuncture, chiropractic, go for a bumpy ride, walk a long distance, have sex.
But after 3 weeks of doing most all of these suggestions it was an essential oil remedy that made things get moving. It’s called the Jump Start Technique developed by Dr. LeAnne Deardeuff. And basically for less than $50 I was able to use Young Living’s Sclaressence essential oil to help my body go into labor.
On Sunday April 14th I saw the cutest new baby in church and my heart knew it was close but my body not so much. So after a big meal at Five Guys restaurant we went for a scenic bumpy drive and I started my Sclaressence regimen. On Monday I did the regimen again and went walking on a beautiful spring night followed by a hot fudge sundae. Tuesday morning I took another dose, started feeling small contractions around 7:30 am and went for a slow walk on my treadmill for 10 minutes. I had lunch, talked to my girlfriend at noon and finished up some loose ends and by 3pm I knew this was it.
Sarah was born at 8:22pm on Tuesday April 16th. I also have some great stories to share about the actual labor but I will share that in my next blog.
If you would like to know more about the Jump Start Technique please visit Dr. Leanne’s site at http://doctorleanne.com/pregnancy-course/. This program was a great investment and the tips I learned have been a total blessing to my clients and I. God Bless.
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.
Wow what a whirlwind couple of weeks. I feel like I was just really pregnant and it was winter and now I have a 3 week old baby and it’s summer outdoors. Monday Sarah Grace had a procedure for her tongue tie. We are doing the rehab now and working on getting some better breast feeding sessions in. I have to remind myself patience patience patience and be grateful for what we have.
I wasn’t able to finish this great article I am working on with Dr. LeAnne Deardeuff on women’s health but since it’s Mother’s Day I want to send you a little article I wrote last year.
I know you will enjoy it. And I promise to get you some great content on women’s health this month too.
Also visit our Facebook page and drop a Mommy tip and you could win a bottle of Slique Weightloss essential oil.
Happy early Mother’s Day,
Dr. Mary Starr Carter
the Total Wellness Doc and Mom
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Mom is the Word: Honoring Our Mothers and the Women Who Influenced Us
As mothers, our heart’s desire is to provide a safe place, wisdom, good health and lots of love for our family. We are the influencers of the next generation. As a history buff, when I ponder on Mother’s Day and our roles, I think of strong faithful women of the Bible.
One woman who stands out is Ruth. She was caring, compassionate, faithful, a servant, overcame great odds, took great risks, and was rewarded by God.
Last week we ran a special post on Life’s Journey with the Women of Our Lives. We are honored to have so many men and women share about the special woman of their lives. In honor of Mother’s Day, here are some of the stories shared.
Mary Simmons
Want to thank God for my mom; I would not know how to cook, clean and be a good wife if not for all the years of teaching and training. Thank you for never giving up on me, for homeschooling me all those years and being a great role model.
Sally Franz
I give thanks for three women who have influenced my life, besides my mother and grandmother who adopted me and made me feel so special in this world teaching me unconditional love.
The first was a church worker, who served at the university chapel where I got my first Master’s degree in 1970. She taught me so much about the fact that we are all God’s children who have gifts to share for the benefit of the world. No one is excluded, no matter their limitations.
The second one is my wonderful mentor and sponsor Patricia, who has accepted me and taught me so much about living that I had no clue. She too has accepted me without limitation and has taught me to reach beyond my boundaries to seek new horizons and reach out to others in all places to share the news of natural health and wholeness. I am grateful to God for these women being in my life.
Jay Carter
My grandmother Leona Delk had many qualities that I admired but her top 3 were her faith in Jesus, she never complained no matter how dire her circumstances, and she was giving and kind to everyone.
I never heard her ever complain. She raised 8 children and some of her grandchildren mostly on her own with very little. In the early years they were so poor the families from the poor side of town would bring them food. Yet even though she had little she would give and share what she had.
I remember as kids there was this man we all thought was crazy who lived in the woods. My grandmother would walk a couple of miles and bring food to him and make sure he was okay even though everyone told her not too. Years later she was contacted by his family to thank her for looking after him as he had been traumatized in the Vietnam War. She never went to church but was one of the most faithful, Christ like, people I know.
Ara Karlberg
Want to thank my Grandmother for being such an important influence in my life. She was there when others couldn’t be. She instilled in me a strong work ethic (she worked by choice until she was 86), my love of reading and writing (she was a Librarian), my thirst for history and genealogy (she traced our paternal side of the family back to Whales 736AD)! She was powerful, brilliant and fair. Not a day goes by that I don’t feel her presence and hear her guiding me!
Mary Ellen Fava
She’s my neighbor, my friend, neither of us have our mothers anymore. She’s 20 years older than me, but as young and beautiful in looks, thought and ideas. I turn to her for more than I have turned to my mother and she is always there for respect, guidance and love. I am blessed to have such a wonderful woman in my life. Wish it would last forever.
I wish her Happy mothers day more than all. Thank you Gaye, and brightest Blessings to you for eternity. She has bought more in my life than I can ever expect from one person. How lucky am I.
Debbie Twomey
The older we get the more women have touched our lives. First and foremost is my mother. What she taught me was strength and how to persevere. The most amazing lesson was her growth as a person that mirrored mine; she matured and changed as she learned lessons in life too.
My best friend Lorraine, who taught me that love can be unconditional and last a lifetime through the ups and downs. Ellen, who taught me that a kind and gentle spirit has a special place in this world and I was so lucky to have found this friendship at a time when I needed it most. The laughter we share is priceless.
And last but never least– Mary. The lessons, the gifts, the honor and respect are immeasurable. She has given me the gift of a new direction and promise in my life and opened my life and my heart to so many possibilities that had never seemed attainable. As a mentor she has gently pushed me forward when I would have been content to stagnate and as a friend she has been a shoulder, a confidant and an equal. Thank you to all of these women and the many more I have been lucky enough to have had in my life.
Claudia Looi
My mother taught me servanthood and honor. While my father was dying of cancer, I saw my mother serving him to the very end. In his pain and suffering, she comforted him, fed him, bathed and clothed him. As a little girl, I saw my mother honor my grandmother even when she was humiliated in front of relatives.
Theresa Chalone
Many, my mother, my grandmother, my cousin Franci, my beautiful daughter. But the one person who gave me spiritual influence was my Aunt Yolanda. These are my thoughts that were taken from her eulogy, at her funeral. It’s the best way I can explain how I greatly appreciated the deep, long lasting influence she had made in my life.
She was a wonderful, loving, devoted, kind, daughter, sister, mother and grandmother and a fabulous cook. To me she was all those things, but most importantly, she was my spiritual mentor, the epitome of a Godly and holy woman.
Whenever I would call and ask what she was doing, it was usually saying her rosary or reading her daily prayers, and when there was a crisis, we knew who to call to pray for us. Her prayers never ceased. Everything she did she did with love, and that love was the basis for her faithfulness to God.
She suffered great pain and numerous hospitalizations. But she knew that her suffering was not meaningless. Suffering doesn’t make people better; sometimes it makes them bitter, but not Aunt Yolanda. She never questioned her situation. I never saw her angry or bitter. She had many defeats at times, but she never dwelled upon her defeats. Instead she was courageous, faithful, hopeful, never complaining.
She was the one person who I could go to when my life turned upside-down. She had been there too, she knew how my heart ached, and she had felt the same pain. She taught me that no matter how bad things can get, no matter how much you have lost, that you never let go of your faith in God. He has a purpose for us all here on earth and you never question why.
In her deepest pain came the strong conviction of the presence and love of God. IN all her suffering she had joy, and we all know that joy is not the absence of suffering, but the presence of God. The bible tells us that suffering is in order that we might grow in grace…Aunt Yolanda was full of grace…
I have no doubt that God put a certain amount of iron in her soul to help her through all her trials. Aunt Yolanda desired to know Jesus and the power of his resurrection. She based her whole being on knowing Christ.
I believe that all the years she has had pain has brought her to a higher level up in heaven. We use to talk about how suffering so much was people’s gateway to heaven and I always told her that I was sure she would be sitting at God’s right hand, next to all our other departed family members.
Aunt Yolanda was a very special Aunt to me. She never judged me or anyone else. NO matter how old I was, or what kind of trouble I would get into, she never cast judgment, she just listened and if I needed a scolding she would give it to me, because she loved me.
I will never forget Aunt Yolanda, your courage, your faithfulness, devotion and kindness. It has been a privilege and honor to be her niece, to have learned from her, laughed and cried with her. Every year I would thank God for the birthday and Christmas celebrations we shared together. I will cherish all my memories of her.
Each Christmas I would give her a little angel to watch over her for the year. This year, I know she is with all those angels celebrating her arrival with them in Heaven.
Ellen Barbagallo OUR WINNER
The person I hold dearest to my heart is my Gramma & Grampa. They have been deceased for many years now as I am a grown adult with my own grandchildren and one great grandchild. My Gramma was always there for me as a child and I could always count on her and she never let me down. Whether with problems, happy occasions or just being there when I needed a place to live, she was always there to help and comfort me. She always will hold the largest portion of my Heart.
My Husband and children hold the 2nd portion of my heart and the third and final portion belongs to my Best Friend Forever, Debbie, who is the best friend I have ever had in my 67 years and this is why: A friend is a relative you make for yourself A friend is one who comes In when the whole world has gone Out There are big ships and small ships, but the best ship of all is Friendship A True friend is one who thinks you are a Good Egg, when you are Half-Cracked A true friend is one you can call at 4AM, or they can call you A true friend is one who gives a compliment and means it A true friend accepts us as we are, yet helps us to be what we should.
Debbie, you are all of this and more and I truly Love you.
Mother’s Day offers a time of reflection of the women in our lives, our mothers, being a mom and a woman.
Each of us have a story and we will be one of the stories that our children and grandchildren live to tell. Whether we are struggling or enjoying being a mother, we can empower each other to grow and expand our positive influence.
I want to invite you to join me on this journey of motherhood, to celebrate our roles, to act in love and honor and to create total wellness for our family and ourselves. Leave me a comment below.
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.
Jay and I just wanted to let you know how much we appreciated your prayers and blessings this past month of April. Sarah Grace gracefully came into this world on April 16th at 8:22pm in a wonderful home birth. We know without a doubt that your prayers helped to make this labor experience joyful. I promise to share with you soon about the labor because it was miraculous!
We have been having some feeding challenges and just found out that Sarah has what’s known as a tongue tie. I will be blogging more about this soon too. I have been blessed again to work with some of the top Pediatric specialists who are also Natural Health specialists and can’t wait to share with you about their work.
Here are some pics of our precious little one.
Thank you,
Mary Starr, Jay, Joshua and Sarah Grace Carter
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.
We are all busy but it’s no excuse my coach said. We all can find a way to wrap the water around the marbles. She explained our busy life is a jar of marbles that is full. We can’t add any more marbles but we can pour water in.
Water in this case was the personal and professional development I needed to grow my business. Back then she encouraged me to use my drive time, shower time, dish doing time and TV time to listen to trainings on tapes. (Am I dating myself?) Well she was right, listening to those tapes over and over again in the background not only taught me, but encouraged me and raised my skill and eventually my income.
It works.
Today’s tips will help you too especially if you find your jar is full and the only thing you can do is pour water in your jar.
Dr. Mary Starr Carter
The Total Wellness Doc and Mom
www.thetotalwellnessdoc.com
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Time Management Tips for Busy Moms
Sometimes busyness and being occupied with the doing of things each day for our kids, home and work or business leave us without any time for ourselves or for our own personal growth.
In this video I will share with you one important time management tip for busy moms that not only will help you think more positively, it will also motivate you to be the person God called you to be and not live a life of regret or dread.
We only have 24 hours. Here is a chart showing how American adults spend their time:
When you look at the chart, it shows we really do not have any time for personal development, reading or self care. Unless you take into consideration the hours spent on Leisure and sports, Eating and drinking and Others.
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans spend an average of 2.8 hours per day watching TV.
Busy mommas, let’s be creative in the way we use our time. Please share this post with busy moms and dads that you know. Let us know what you learned from this video and blog post. Remember, we are in control of our destiny.
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.
If you are like me I don’t like wasting time or going to multiple places just to get necessities for the family. So I found a way to get the things I need in my home without having to travel.
In fact with a little planning, the amount of time you will spend can be less than 5 minutes! That’s right…less than 5 minutes.
Today’s blog post highlights two short videos about online ordering and being prepared for those times when you will not be able to get out of the house. Whether you are a busy mom with young children or a busy dad with a career and business, these tips will help you stay more focused on things that are important and still serve your family’s needs well.
Let’s watch the video now. You will save money and time and stay healthier with just these two videos.
Let me know how these videos have helped you. Please leave me a comment below after watching.
Dr. Mary Starr Carter
The Total Wellness Doc and Mom
www.thetotalwellnessdoc.com
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Busy Pregnant Momma Shopping Prep Tips
To a busy pregnant momma or momma with young children or anybody at all, time is equal to money. But the combination of saving time and money can really sweeten our days.
Most of us find ourselves compromising on the food we eat and the things we do for our family because of the lack of time or the need to save extra cash. What if there are ways for us to do both, that is saving money and time and still being able to get quality food for our family each day?
I have found a way to do so by shopping for quality food and household products online with two trusted website. Best yet, I get free shipping and handling and my groceries are at my doorstep in 48 hours.
Here are 2 short videos I did on online ordering and being prepared for those times when you will not be able to get out of the house.
The first video is Busy Momma’s Prep Tips For Online Ordering where I will show you websites that I use to buy quality food like coconut oil, gluten-free products and many more and how I save on shipping, time and money.
I will also show you the products I purchase and why we use or consume these products at our home. How these products keep us healthy as well.
My second video shows you how to stock up with household cleaners like dish detergent and a book to use to be chemical free at home even when you are a busy pregnant momma or busy momma with young children.
Enjoy the videos and please share with other busy mommas that you know and care. Let me know what you learned from these videos by commenting below.
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.
When I had Joshua my mother in law flew in about 2 weeks before he was born. She helped us get organized, get the rooms ready and most of all cooked and froze about 12 meals for us. It was great.
As I am becoming a little more domestic or should I say as I am hanging out with some domestic friends like www.betterlivingessentials.com mom, Mary Simmons. I have learned that you can actually prep up to 20 freezer meals including shopping and cooking all in one day.
Really… with the use of a crockpot and freezer there are ways to prepare for times when you won’t be able to cook way in advance for many days. It involves planning and preparation but it is doable.
Here is a video tip about freezer food. Go to my website to view it.
Enjoy,
Dr. Mary Starr Carter
The Total Wellness Doc and Mom
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Busy Pregnant Momma Prep Tip: Preparing and Freezing Food
Preparing meals ahead of time is ideal for a busy pregnant momma and any momma who has young children. It sounds difficult but it is possible. There are books devoted to ways to prepare, cook and freeze meals.
In this video Busy Pregnant Momma Prep Tip – Freezer and Food, I will show you how I am preparing meals for my family during this busy season of my life.
Here are six things you need to get started:
One: A meal plan that includes favorite foods, balanced diet and easy to freeze food.
Two: Shopping list that includes healthy ingredients and enough ingredients for preparation. Combination of ingredients and buying meat, vegetables and other ingredients in bulk can save you time and money.
Three: Make sure you have space in your freezer and that your freezer is in workable condition.
Four: Get functional containers of all sizes for storing your prepared food. In the video I share which containers I use to freeze my food.
Five: Have the whole family or good friends involved in preparation, cooking and freezing process.
Six: Keep all your prepared food safe, labeled and packaged well. You don’t want to consume stale or contaminated food.
Enjoy the video and let me know how it has helped you. Please comment below.
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.
I was sitting on my bed having another “Braxton Hicks Contraction” that’s what they call these PRE-Contractions you get before you are actually in labor but they still are uncomfortable and this one hurt. Trying to get comfortable, I decided to distract myself by checking my email.
SURPRISE YOU HAVE MONEY! Yup, in a matter of 20 minutes 2 orders had been placed on my website for informational products I had developed over the past 2 years. (These are products like eBooks, recordings, webinars where a client will automatically download the information after purchasing). The weekly orders had been increasing and I had to laugh a bit. Here I am out on maternity leave technically not really working but I am still earning income that is growing every month.
Then I thought of my two women friends who I was shocked to learn that they were only earning $9 and $10 an hour after being at their jobs for 10 years and 18 years. At first I was angry with their bosses thinking they are not being valued at their place of work but then I remembered how hard it is to run a business with employee salaries and benefits creating a huge financial drain on a business even at these wages.
In the US most people are trading their time for an hourly wage. Sometimes this wage reflects an employee’s talents and value to a company but many times it does not.
I initially got out of the income earning box by finding a network marketing business that I was passionate about and worked that business for 10 years. Then I discovered that I could multiply my efforts and meet individuals who were looking for my message and products by using a Blog type website, Social Media, and Email.
It took me 18 months of learning, practicing, refining, and investing into my online business to see results. But when they started, they continued to grow and grow and more and more profits keep coming in from my work. That’s when I partnered with my husband Jay Carter who has worked in Website Hosting for over 15 years and StarrHost LLC was born. I knew that more of our team, friends and colleagues needed the tools that I had to get out of the income earning box. Visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/StarrHost.
Let’s talk about you. If you are willing to open your mind too and realize there are other ways to earn income and you are willing to put in the time, energy, and money to learn and do what you have to do, YOU CAN have a type of income that DOESN’T depend on trading hours for dollars too.
Are you ready to get your message online? We would like to help you. Go to https://starrhost.com/wordpress-packages/ and get your website started today. This is the first step to creating an online income.
Here at StarrHost we have tools to help you get online- Hosting, Websites, Maintenance of your websites. We partner with Sandi Krakowski from A Real Change who has helped us and our clients to learn HOW to create a successful online business. Sign up for her Free 30 day Training and Newsletters at http://www.arealchange.com/blog/
I promise you if you are willing to open your mind, and get committed to learning and applying what you have learned, you can get out of the Income Box too!
I believe in you, we believe in you. YOU CAN DO IT!
Sincerely,
Mary Starr Carter & StarrHost
P.S. I am happy to report that my 2 women friends are growing their skills and creating incomes outside the box while they continue their jobs.
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.
“Just picture a great big steak, fried, roasted or stewed…Oh…wonderful food, marvelous food, glorious food!” What an irony to think of a scene from Oliver the 1969 musical, based on a book written by Charles Dickens called Oliver Twist when looking at the abundance of food served in the buffet lounge of the Norwegian Cruise Line.
Cruising is synonymous to buffet meals and overeating. According to a fitness coach on the Norwegian Sun, the average person gains one to two pounds per day on a cruise. Which means, if you are on an eleven-day cruise you would have the potential of gaining 22 pounds.
Hedonic eating happens while cruising because food is readily available, free, and comes in great variety. We eat for enjoyment and entertainment as well and its no wonder almost eighty percent of us are overweight.
So when we saw the sign up sheet outside the gym on the first full day of our cruise for “Detox for health and weight loss” we immediately signed up. It was definitely worth the one hour of lecture.
Walking out of the lecture we discovered the trilogy of good health- exercise, nutrition and detox. Here are five ways we keep the weight off while we cruise:
One: No soda or sugared water
Absolutely no sugar water in our 11-day diet because each can of soda or sweet tea contains about 40 grams (4 tablespoons) of fructose corn syrup or sugar. Do you know it takes 36 cups of water to drain out all the acidity from a can of soda? Our body may be sick and tired because of the acidity and toxicity from the food and drinks we consume.
You save money and calories when you drink just water while cruising. Water has the ability to hydrate and flush out toxins from our body.
In addition, we also had 2 oz. packets of NingXia Red per person per day with our water.
Two: High fiber food
Constipation is one of the main problems in America today. What we put in must come out but some people are finding it hard to do so. If we eat three meals a day, it means 21 meals in a week. If we go to the bathroom once a day, we are left with 14 meals still in our gut.What if you don’t go once a day?
Toxins are built up when food is stored in our body if it is not being eliminated daily. Toxicity and acidity are poisons to our liver and whole body. Eating fruits and vegetables in every meal is essential. Most of those huge bellies we have may be due to stored up waste. Our guts are overflowing and they are making us sick. In the “Oliver” musical, the kids sang about three banquets a day and indigestion.
Take a look at some of the glorious breakfast, lunch and dinner I took with my iPhone:
Three: Exercise
We took every opportunity to jog and walk every day. All cruise ships have well-equipped gyms and exercise programs like yoga, stretching, bicycling and Pilates. Usage of gym is free but for a small fee of $10 to $15 per person anyone can join the daily exercise programs.Swimming is another form of exercise onboard a cruise ship. You could even hire a personal trainer for your daily workout.
Four: Nutritional Supplements
We brought nutritional supplements even on a cruise. Three essential supplements that we used daily were NingXia Red wolfberry drink, Life 5 Probiotic and Essentialzyme.
These products help with digestion and promote energy in our body and mind. NingXia Red is a superfruit supplement containing essential oil and puree wolfberry. We take it for the antioxidant and phytonutrients that help provide natural energy supply and aid with liver health. Essentialzyme helps with digesting the over abundance of protein we consumed every day during cruising. It helps balance our body’s overall enzyme activity and digestive health. Last but not least is Life 5 probiotic that supports core intestinal health.
Five: Take the stairs and take a walk (don’t eat the bread)
Instead of taking the elevators, walk the stairs. Walk after every meal and let go of as much carb as possible particularly any type of bread including whole wheat bread.
After 11 days of good food and great life, I gained three pounds. I guess that is really not bad considering I overate and had dessert for lunch and dinner everyday. What do you think of cruises and weight gain?
Claudia Looi is an online copywriter, travel writer and web content writer. She has traveled to more than 30 countries and is currently traveling in South America with her husband and two teens for nine months. You can find out how she could travel and work at the same time from her Free Report: Tips to Having Money and Time to Travel.
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.
As I was watching my son eating ice and having fun outside, I’m reminded of the joy of every season. Seasons do come and go very quickly. The end of winter is almost here and soon it will be spring break.
After being cooped up indoors we are all ready to welcome spring break with more time spent outdoors with activities and perhaps taking a spring break vacation for the whole family. Spring break activity galore means the possibility of mishaps, spring allergies, insect bites and more. I’ve prepared a list of essential oils for spring break safety to help with any minor emergencies and to promote a peaceful and happy time together.
Here is a testimonial from a family who lives in the southern part of the United States and everything is in full bloom during spring break:
My son has severe allergies and asthma. We live in the South where every weed, tree and grass blooms in the spring and there is “green stuff” everywhere. My son used R.C. on his feet putting it on the bottom of his feet on the tips of his toes which are the reflexology points for sinuses. Also, we put a drop of Raven on top of his feet and rubbed it in for his asthma. He carried a small bottle of it in his pocket for emergencies or other triggers, but other than that we did this every morning and at bedtime and had great success.- Kristen D. (Oils-testimonials)
Here are six essential oils for spring break safety for the whole family:
One: For allergies and asthma
Prepare your medicine chest and travel essentials with R.C., Raven, Lavender and Peppermint essential oils. (Of course we never advocate not having your prescribed medications and emergency inhalers with you when you travel.)
Two: Prevent airborne bacteria
Bring a bottle of Thieves essential oil with you wherever you go. Thieves contains powerful essential oils that defend and protect you from dangerous airborne bacteria. Apply on feet before going out.
Add Thieves waterless hand purifier to everyone’s carry-on or backpack while on the road, vacation or just going around town. Thieves waterless hand purifier is portable and long-lasting. It will clean and purify hands wherever you are. Washing your hands is important to keep germs away but when you are out and about and unable to wash your hands, Thieves hand purifier will be your best replacement without harsh additives and chemicals.
Three: Bugs and bug spray
Here’s an amazing testimonial from Cheryl T. about homemade bug spray made from Purification and Lavender to help protect from bugs:
I was at a friends lake house over the weekend with my husband and 7 other couples, in the evening we all made a big circle of chairs down at the covered dock right on the waters edge to hang out and play catch phrase.
Soon the bugs were annoying everyone so I had some Purification and lavender oil in a spray bottle mixed with water that one of your wholesalers gave me to try out and sprayed some on me and then offered it to everyone else, they all tried it out and soon all the bugs went away and no one was being bit anymore.
The next evening we did the same thing and as soon as we sat down the bugs were back, everyone starting asking if I had any more of that homemade bug spray, so I passed it around again and out of 16 people no left with one bug bite. Amazing stuff. (Oils-testimonials)
All you need is a small glass spray bottle to make your own bug spray. According to a NY Times article, most bug repellents contain DEET as an active ingredient. DEET can cause breathing problems, coughing, loss of alertness due to imbalance in oxygen level, upset stomach, vomiting and more. You may get skin irritation and hives. DEET is dangerous for young children and should never be used on infants.
I recommend using therapeutic grade essential oils like Purification and Lavender and putting them in a spray bottle and roll on before leaving for the outdoors.
Four: Sun protection
Moderate exposure to sun is not harmful because our body needs sunlight for Vitamin D and to give us happy hormones. The UV rays are most intense between 10 am to 2 pm. I think there is more harm than good in using sunscreen. Wear hats or shirts that protect your family from too much exposure to the sun.
To cool your body after a long day outside, make your own peppermint spray (peppermint oil and distilled water in a glass bottle) or stock up on LavaDerm Cooling Mist. It contains Lavender oil to soothe and rejuvenate tired skin and also provides relief from dryness and minor burns.
Five: Water
Dehydration while playing outdoors or engaging in a sport activity is common among teens and young kids. Stomach cramps, headache, irritable moods and gastrointestinal illnesses may happen when dehydration occurs on a regular basis when families are playing outdoors and forget to drink water. In fact my pastor was sharing a story the other day of his young daughter passing out after a day on vacation in the sun. It was very scary for the whole family.
Drinking soda, coffee or any sugared water is different from drinking pure water. Your kids may be irritable or misbehave because of the lack of water in their little bodies. Take time to hydrate everyone even if you have to go to the bathroom more often and make more stops in a car ride.
Six: Stay calm and bring your favorite oils
Peace and Calming oil and Joy oil are my favorites to promote happy mood and calming effects. My friend Joanie was traveling to Florida with her family for spring break. It was snowing really badly and there was a terrible accident on 81 which got them stuck in the car for 8 hours in traffic. Normally they would have gone batty but she says we just kept using the Peace and Calming and Joy oil and they laughed, played games and stayed sane.
What do you do to keep your family safe and healthy during spring break? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.
In my research of understanding my husband’s high cholesterol I found that olive oil and olives were actually beneficial for lowering his cholesterol. Seems like it would be the opposite, but good fats are important to our health.
Today, my friend and colleague Mike “the miracle” Welch will be teaching us about olives. Mike is a pretty amazing man who has overcome stage IV bladder cancer and now teaches others about healthy lifestyles. He is an excellent resource for many. Make sure you check out his website and keep it in your records. http://www.mikethemiraclewelch.com
For your Total Wellness,
Dr. Mary Starr Carter
the Total Wellness Doc and Mom
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The other day when I was in the local grocery store, I overheard a number of people talking about olive oil. I got to thinking with all the negative comments that were being made about this particular item, people were really concentrating on the word “oil” and that turns the thoughts of fats that are bad for an individual’s health.
The fats that are considered bad for the diet, however, tend to be saturated fats. The fats in olive oil are monounsaturated fatty acids, and these are considered healthy dietary fats. In addition, unlike other cooking oils, olive oil production doesn’t require a chemical process. Instead, the olives are pressed; the first pressing produces extra-virgin olive oil.
“Olive oil, especially extra-virgin olive oil, is a smart choice for people who enjoy a delicious oil with potential health benefits,” says Dr. D. Myers and “studies indicate that moderate consumption of olive oil may lower a person’s blood pressure and total cholesterol numbers which is especially beneficial for heart health.”
When Dr. Myers first began studying the benefits of olives and olive oil through Harvard Medical School, he didn’t realize how beneficial this particular item was. He says, “Initially, I was surprised to learn that olive products can be so healthy, in fact studies have even linked olive oil to possibly lowering the risk of some cancers.”
Here’s what’s in olives that make them so good:
Olives are rich in iron, vitamin E (which is a fat soluble antioxidant that neutralizes damaging free radicals) and copper. In addition, they are an excellent source of fiber and are rich in polyphenols and flavonoids, which have anti-inflammatory properties.
Olives also add flavor to all kinds of food and can be used in almost any meal from veggie omelets at breakfast to sandwiches at lunch and fish dishes at dinner.
There are black and green olives. Green olives are the unripe olives and the black are fully ripe. All olives found in grocery stores are either oxidized, pickled or cured. They may come in water, oil, brine or dry. According to Musco Family Olives Company, olives straight from the tree are too bitter to eat without some kind of curing.
For good and healthy olive recipes, please check out Whole Foods’ website.
If you are shopping in your grocery stores for olive oils, you may notice words like “Premium extra virgin”, “Extra virgin” and “Mild or Light Virgin”. The mild and light virgin oils have undergone extreme processes to make it suitable for cooking. However most of the natural aroma and goodness may be filtrated.
Top quality olive oils like the Premium extra and extra virgin are natural, full of aroma and are suitable uncooked. In Napa Valley California, you can go for wine tasting tours if you are a wine enthusiast but did you know that olive oil tasting tours are also available?
You get different types and grades of olive oils, dip in bread or sip the oils without feeling tipsy and you can still drive after hours of tasting.
Spice up your daily meals by adding olive oil and olives into your diet. Leave us a comment below.
Mike the miracle Welch, cancer survivor, health coach, author of Cancer: How I Beat It, speaker and Harley Davidson enthusiast. For more information on how to talk to your medical doctor about natural remedies, please download this free audio by Mike.
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.
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I love Netflix. About a year ago we were given a TV after not having TV for almost 2 years. But we realized there were some really educational shows on PBS in the morning, Super Why and Sesame Street being 2 we like, that would help our son learn his letters, numbers, phonics and words. And also kept him busy for 20 minutes at a time so I could finish my morning routine. So we decided against cable and just have a few channels including PBS and also got Netflix because they also have educational videos, Veggie Tales, and our Star Trek Series we like to watch some nights.
But I soon learned Netflix also has some great documentaries. I have gotten a great deal of motivation from the Business of Being Born and the 4 part series they did all about the pros and cons of home birth. I also have really loved learning about food and health. My friend Courtney Sullivan of Food Medicine Children has recently written a great article called ‘How To Use Netflix To Learn Everything You Need To Know About Local Food In A Weekend’.
I think you will really enjoy her article and if you get Netflix or try it out for a month, be sure to watch of few of her recommendations. It will really help motivate you to be healthier. It did for me.
Here is the link to her article: http://www.foodmedicinechildren.com/netflix-learn-local-food-weekend/
For your Total Wellness,
the Total Wellness Doc and Mom (of 2)
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.
In less than 8 weeks he lost 20 pounds, lowered his cholesterol by 36 points and his Triglycerides by 388 points. How did he do it? Here is his story written by me.
On the last day of 2012 Jay had his first trip to the doctors’ in many years for a routine checkup. Prodded by me to go, we both thought it would be a good idea to get some base line tests done to see where his health was. He knew he was overweight and had been complaining of snoring, fatigue, exhaustion and I felt he had been more moody and even was exhibiting hypoglycemic tendencies for many months.
On 12/31/2012 the doctor’s office weighed him at 218 pounds, his blood pressure was normal, his stress test was normal, they also took blood for lab work and here is what they found.
They found in his Lipid Panel
Triglycerides at 597 (normal 45-150)
Cholesterol 230 (normal 125-200)
LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) was invalid because his Triglycerides were so high
HDL (good cholesterol) 41 (39-96 is normal)
They could not determine his cholesterol to HDL ratio because the Triglycerides were so high
Vitamin D was low at 16 (normal 30-100)
—————————————————————-
Prior to 12/31/12, the only regular supplement Jay took was NingXia Red 1-2 oz. a day. Ironically even being overweight, sedentary, and eating a poor diet for almost a year, his CBC, blood chemistry and inflammatory markers were all within normal ranges including Vitamin B 12, Sed Rate, PSA screening and Hemoglobin A1C. I believe drinking the NingXia Red for the past 5 years kept these numbers normal.
Eating habits included skipping meals or going many hours in between meals. Diet included one healthier meal but he ate white breads, chips, quesadillas 4-5 times a week, beef jerky 3-4 times a week, soda 3-4 times a week, sugar/sweets 4-5 times a week. Fast food meals 1-2 times a week. Very little vegetables and fruit in diet. And his portions were large.
On 1/12/13 we returned to the doctors and got the results of the labs and we asked for the option to try a program of exercise, diet changes, and nutritional supplements for the next 2 months. They agreed.
I must say that Jay was the one who made the decision that he was going to make the changes, he did ask for my help but he was all in. The next day he purchased a used treadmill on Craig’s list for $200.
Program from January 12 – March 4th (so not even 8 weeks)
Exercise: Started walking 20 minutes or more about 5 times a week with an incline and higher speed. Always sweated during workout. Occasionally used weights for biceps and upper body.
Diet:
Got rid of white foods in the house. Set up a strict protocol of no white products, soda, or sugar. Cut back on red meat but still had it at least once a week. Also cut out cheese he ate almost daily.
Daily Food Staples
Oatmeal, beans, avocado, dark berries and coconut oil were a staple on most days.
Also a protein fruit shake most mornings and another some afternoons. (this is where I snuck in the avocado and berries)
Created food schedule so he was eating at regular intervals!
Ate every couple of hours including 3 meals and 3 -4 snacks
Beverages
Water minimum of 2-3 25 oz. bottles
1 -2 cups of Slique Tea (one tea bag a day)
NingXia Red about 2 ounces or more a day.
Snacks
A protein bar (tried a variety of different kinds)
Greek yogurt and granola
Apples or fruit
Hummus and crackers or veggies and hummus
Shake
or a lite meal or leftovers
Breakfast
Oatmeal most every day
Lunches and Dinners
Included more soups, chilis, salads, and smaller portions. 80% gluten free
Nutritional Supplements
Daily Young Living Supplements
Thyromin 2 capsules first thing upon waking up and 2 capsules before going to bed
True Source 1 packet
Longevity 1 pill
Super B 1 tablet
OmegaGize 3-4 capsules a day
Essentialzymes-4 1 -2 duo packs usually with larger meals
Again Slique Tea- one cup on most days right around the 3 pm -5pm time
NingXia Red 2-3 oz. a day
He also took Liquid Vitamin D about 50,000 IU’s a week
He also did on an off about maybe 10 or less days out of the 52 days took 2 Life 5 Probiotics at night, 4-5 Sulfurzyme a day, and maybe 5 doses of Lemongrass in a capsule.
To help remember to take supplements we used these little pill boxes I found near the pharmacy section of a store. They were only like $1.50 but really help to keep you on track. Every morning I would fill his pill box and mine. We usually keep them near us most of the day. (But again we work from home so that’s not far.)
On March 11th we returned to the doctor’s office to get his lab results from March 5th.
They weighed Jay at 199.4 lbs. and we are giving him the .4 for heavy clothes making his total weight loss 20lbs. And here were the results of 52 days of diet changes, light exercise and Young Living supplements.
Symptoms Gone
Within a week Jay had more energy, improved moods, motivation and overall happiness. His snoring stopped after about week 2. The difference in him especially when on the full nutritional program and eating regularly and healthy is almost like another man. He is full of energy, life and thinks very clearly.
The Partnerships
Jay and I worked together along with a few helpers. What do I mean we worked together? He asked me for a protocol and I wrote out basically what you see above for diet and supplements. Since I am growing a baby, I decided to cut out the same foods (mostly) and eat regularly and supplement similar to Jay every day.
We worked as a team but I also pay my health conscious great cook, friend and my Aunt Shirley to help prepare some healthier soups and desserts that all of us could eat, 2 meals a week. And because I am doing more cooking and prepping I also got some help 2 times a week with cleaning.
It’s not easy to make all these changes at once but it was the best decision for our family since we are on a deadline to change our ways and get on track with our health. (our 2nd child is arriving at the end of this month)
One more comment – Stress Levels and Sleep
Jay’s stress levels did not go down, in fact I would say the demands on his time and energy went up during these past 8 weeks. With the birth of a new baby approaching, working 60-70 plus hours a week and getting on average 6 hours of quality sleep a night and yet was still able to lose weight. I believe that exercise even if just 20 minutes a day, better eating, supplements especially Thyromin was the KEY TO THIS! Thyromin isn’t just for thyroid support but for the adrenal glands, which I am sure, were exhausted from his former lifestyle. Exhausted adrenal glands lead to fatigue, exhausted bodies, sick bodies and more.
Also he wasn’t sick at all in those 8 weeks when prior to this he had been sick with a cold or something little almost every couple of weeks for several months.
The next step
This is just the first step. 52 days is just the beginning. We have another 180 days until his next appointment because the doctor agreed he is making great results with diet, exercise and supplements. Some of the staff and doctors already use Young Living essential oils and products so they wanted to know what we used as well.
Jay is on the road to health again. But he has to continue the process.
What about you? Are you ready to get on the road to health? Some will choose to do a full protocol like Jay, others will take some of things he is doing and incorporate it into their life. Make the commitment. Jay made a commitment to be healthier for his growing family. Find something that will help you stay motivated and make a commitment to do something to improve your health today!
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.
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New parents will discover quite a bit goes into preparing for a new baby’s arrival. There are many supplies needed as well as preparing for parent’s time and energy (or lack of due to erratic sleeping schedules). My number one rule for all new parents—expect the unexpected and you will have a head’s up in what could be a chaotic time.
Here are some helpful tips for baby’s arrival not only to meet the needs of your newborn but that of Mom too:
Should haves for baby:
Bottles with the right sized nipples for newborns (bottle brush for proper cleaning)
Diaper pail—for disposal of diapers or to contain cloth diapers
Changing table—it is always a good idea to have it fully stocked with t-shirts, diapers and sleepers (those first few weeks can be overwhelming for new moms) wipes- diaper cream (Young Living Tender Tush or Butt paste are my recommendations)-baby wash
Crib or bassinet with a receiving or swaddling blanket
Baby monitor in case you are in other rooms
Diaper or big tote bag fully packed—diapers, at least one change of clothing, blankets, plastic bags for dirty diapers, wipes, comfort item {wubie, musical item, blankie}, diaper cream, bottles and formula
Expect the unexpected
Should haves for Moms:
Sanitary napkins
Nursing bras (if breastfeeding) and a blanket or boppy for comfort) nursing pads and breast pump if going to be away from baby
Relaxing outlets, either time for naps while baby sleeps, soothing music or Young Living’s Peace and Calming, whatever helps relax you
Expect the unexpected
Should dos:
Never too early to baby proof house (they grow faster than you will ever imagine and before you know it they will be crawling)
Keep a steady level of noise when baby comes home so they can adjust to sleeping through almost anything
Get any siblings ready for a new addition to household. If they are toddlers, try getting them their own special baby to care for so they understand the tender touch and maybe even the need for quiet. Be sure to spend extra time with them explaining what you think they can understand about how a baby is coming but they are still loved and could even help in some small ways. They could help set up baby’s table or pack away diapers or something that makes them feel a part of the decision making (age-appropriate of course)
Make arrangements for siblings care during birth/hospital stay
Wash bedding, clothing, towels or whatever is used for the baby prior to using (a great idea is to have all this set up weeks before baby’s arrival if possible)
Stock up on meals for family and make sure you have plenty of good foods for the Mommy. Preparing meals/freezing in advance of baby’s arrival is a good idea
Stock up on paper products and necessities for bathroom and cleaning
Let family and friends know prior to baby’s arrival when would be best for visits. Do not be afraid to request a waiting period before you have company.
Make hospital preparations
If it is possible arrange for help around the house either by hiring or making plans with family members to do laundry and cleaning and maybe extra duty with a sibling
A wonderful idea is to preplan any work needed for events/special occasions. You will be caught up so if you know of birthdays or special events coming up, perhaps it is possible to get cards/gifts or RSVP’s completed ahead of time
Prepare home, making it ergonomic for parents to move around in and everything handy
Expect the unexpected—I cannot emphasize this enough. It will save you in so many little ways. And enjoy that little bundle of joy, you will receive so much more than you could ever imagine.
Welcome Home Baby!
debbietwomey.com is a website founded on the principle that children are not only our most precious commodity, but that proper parenting is not always instinctive and requires constant development through many avenues of information and experiences. Some of those avenues are family, training, advice and of course, Debbie. This website is a font of valuable insights and information that not only take the guesswork out of some of the most difficult parenting aspects but create an inspiring and memorable environment that will benefit all.
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.
