How to make truly healthy lunches for your children this fall

One of the best feelings a parent experiences is sending our children off to school, knowing we have provided them with a healthy lunch.  A healthy lunch means stable blood sugar levels and satble blood sugar means your child will concentrate for longer periods of time, read better, feel more relaxed inside, be kinder to others and truly be able to seize the day!

Unique and nutritious main course ideas (always include a protein and carb):
Chicken, basmati/brown rice and vegetables in a thermos
Brown rice spirals with tomato sauce, garlic and vegetables in a thermos
Roasted Garlic Hummus sandwich
Salmon and avocado on a wrap

Unique and nutritious snack ideas (always include a protein):
Dark chocolate chips and sunflower seeds
Dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds
Sliced cheddar goat cheese and garlic and onion rice crackers
Tortilla chips and salsa

And always include a bowl of fruits, a bowl of vegetables and water.  Did you know that you can eat sweet potato raw?  Don't forget that peppers come in red, yellow, orange, green and can be cut into strips or chunks.  Canteloupe can be cut into strips, chunks or formed into balls.  See what you child thinks of the broccoli stem as opposed to the floret.   

For the healthiest lunch bags with the best quality thermos, drink container, leak-proof containers and ice paks that truly keep your child's lunch fresh and the right temperature for the longest period of time, check out http://www.nutritionforyourcondition.com/.  There are lots more lunch ideas there too! Tell the friendly ladies that own that company that you heard about their lunch bags from me and ask for your order discount.   

Written by Meredith Deasley, BA, RNCP, RHN Pediatric Nutritionist and owner of "The Resourceful Mother."  Meredith teaches pediatric nutrition and allergies at CSNN and is the author of "The Resourceful Mother's Secrets to Healthy Kids" http://www.theresourcefulmother.com/  

Energy Bank

Wouldn't it be nice if there was such thing as an "energy bank".  A place where we could go and make deposits on those extra energy days so that we could make a withdrawal on those "not so great" days?  We actually do have something that acts like our energy bank.  It is our adrenal glands.  We all have times where the bank feels empty.  Burnt out, exhausted, irritable.   Working as a Naturopathic Doctor I am well aware of adrenal insufficiency.  I see it almost everyday.  People who live most of their lives in the fight, flight or freeze state.  Cortisol surges through the body like we are being chased by a lion and need to escape but there is no lion.  Just a mountain of paperwork, unfinished jobs, or a boss (who perhaps could actually be a lion).  All of this stress response gets internalized and has an effect on our physical body.  We feel exhausted.  Our adrenals are working overtime to try to keep us running.  We need to cultivate the "off" switch - the relaxation response.  This is where we should be spending most of our lives. Think about a baby. Think about the time they spend in a "quiet, alert" state.  Calmly observing the world, absorbing and processing information. This is where we need to be.  Calm, alert and responsive not reactive.

 I was doing some reading the other day and a statement I came across really struck me. "When your body can't have a physical reaction to stress (like run away or fight) it can become internalized into emotion.  Emotions such as anger and fear".  Have you ever woken up in the morning and felt angry for no obvious reason?  I know I have.  There have been times I have woken up and felt like I could actually be a bear. I pick fights with my dear husband, people driving annoy me and little things down right drive me crazy.  I had never really thought of this as my stress response.  However when I look objectively back at the day I can almost always see a stress trigger.  My bank was not full enough to allow the withdrawal of energy.  Think about the amount of fear in your life? Or anger? What about our society in general?  This doesn't mean we should not care about safety, responsibility and common sense but perhaps we need to look at what else drives our fear.  When I am feeling energized and positive fear doesn't really enter into my thought process.  Neither does anger.  I can response to issues instead of react to them.

From this I have learned to pay attention to my emotions and my physical body.  Sometimes my adrenals need extra support.  Sometimes they need more than others.  I also try to remember to keep myself on the list.  To respect the times when I need to go to bed early to rest to make a deposit into the "energy bank".  Also the times when I need a more substantial break, to take a few days off, so that I can be fully energized and present with my patients. 

What about you? What are you doing to fill up your bank?

Tara Annesley is a Naturopathic Doctor for Rise Up For Health in Newmarket, Ontario.  Everyday she works to balance her "withdrawals" with her "deposits". 

Check out our NEW show on Youtube!

This is a show on raising a family in today's world. Unique discussions take place between five well known practitioners in York Region, who are also mothers, that have faced many of the challenges that you are facing in trying to stay balanced. Here is the link: www.youtube.com/user/consciousfamilyteam.

Change your child's diet and watch them flourish!

There are far too many families out there who are suffering due to the effects of food. Children who are misbehaving, not able to focus, getting sick frequently and not sleeping properly are rampant. So many parents are at their wits end. How can we fulfill our purpose in life if we are not at our best???? How can we feel joy, on a regular basis, if this is how we are living?

When we fill a gas tank with gas, the car runs. If we were to fill a tank with donuts and chips, the car simply wouldn't run. The human body is so sophisticated and incredible that it will run for a while on donuts and chips! But over time, chemicals, sugar and bad fats weaken all areas of the body. We all know someone who is sick or has passed away due to health issues. The number one way to keep our children healthy and fulfilling their purpose is to feed them healthy foods. It means going back to the way things used to be....homemade meals, lots of fruit and vegetables or purchasing foods in the health aisles of regular grocery stores or from health stores. There are TASTY, healthy alternatives to all foods out there. Just try a "Twilight" chocolate bar from Nature's Emporium or at the very least, share it with a friend.

There is still time to help your child..... and yourself before school starts! Dare to be different.

Nutrition for Moms

A mother wants to be the BEST for her family. Nothing impacts the family like nutrition. If mother is feeling tired, sad, angry or scattered, she passes those feelings onto her children. What a mother eats can prevent each of these states of mind!

Eating a protein source (not necessarily animal based protein) every 2-3 hours is one of the best steps to ultimate nutrition that any individual can take. Regulating the blood sugar, in this way, helps prevent each of the feelings decribed above and prevents sugar and carb cravings. Examples of protein include beans, lentils, chickpeas, nuts and seeds, eggs, chicken, turkey and spirulina.

Wheat is another culprit for these symptoms! Wheat, you say? I eat this every day, usually multiple times a day, you say. Well, it may be time to switch it up a bit! Whatever we eat the most of is often troublesome for our digestion. Quinoa (also a protein source!) is a healthy versatile grain you could try (just make sure you rinse it in water first). Spelt and kamut are more easily digested than wheat - try Bagel Flame Bakery in Aurora on Wellington - our family's favourite bakery for healthy grains!

Written by Meredith Deasley, Pediatric Nutritionist and mother of two. For more information on the particular ways in which food impacts us, please look for the book "The Resourceful Mother's Secrets to Healthy Kids" at Nature's Emporium or Yoga Source in Newmarket or see www.theresourcefulmother.com.

The Web of Community

Spring has always been associated with birth or re-birth. Whether you are taking this journey for the first time or the 5th time, it is always a different journey, a different experience both physically, emotionally and spirtitually.

It is important at this time to surround yourself with empowering fearless practioners who trust birth and the woman's body. It's imperative that you build a community of friends and family to support you on your journey the way you need, the way you want, and the way you deserve.

At a recent community mother blessing I was in awe of the sense of community, of friendship, love and support and joy for those that had their children in their arms, and for those who were taking that step shortly. I was humbled as I listenedd to wishes that were heard in the circle without hesitation, and the blessings that were offered with affection to those soon to be mothers.

When we create blessing ways for each other, we women reach outside of ourselves and weave a web of community: a living breathing web of women who are blessing, teaching, and supporting one another and as a result, we help to give birth to each other's children.

As women we receive a great deal by coming together in this way. We can raise energy and strength, or provide comfort and support. We can help one another let go of the past, live fully in the present, and embrace the mystery of the future. We learn to honour each other as well as ourselves, and we tap into the vibrant energy of the collective feminine spirit. By connecting on this level, we gain the power to deepen our friendships, build our communities, feed our spirits, and perhaps even revitalize our culture.

Denise is the owner/operative of 4 The Love of the Family http://www.4theloveofthefamily.com/ providing birth and postnatal support, breastfeeding support and transition to parenting care. She is also a volunteer Leader/mentor for La Leche League Canada http://www.lllc.ca/

Unexpected Gifts

Many years ago, I had a friend whose parenting style differed vastly from mine. It was never an issue except around sleep. Now anyone who knows me understands that I protect my sleep like a mama lion protects her cubs! I have never been someone who could "get by" on a couple hours of sleep, and I have come to honour and respect the fact that I feel better, see the world better (and frankly behave better) when I've had at least eight hours of sleep. Our differences came to a head one day when she called to invite me, my husband and our then 18 month old for an afternoon get together. Now this was not new. She graciously included us in all sorts of gatherings at her home, but we often declined because these events seemed to consistently conflict with when our daughter would be sleeping. At the time, our daughter slept religiously from one o'clock in the afternoon until approximately four o'clock, and this time was sacred to me. Sometime I napped too, sometimes I caught up on household chores, and sometimes I did nothing. Moreover, I believed that this time was sacred for our daughter. She needed that rest. She seemed to relish the routine of stories and snuggles before I gently put her to bed. Protecting that time was as important to me as breathing and eating.

So on that day, she called again inviting me to a gathering at her home and when I gingerly asked what time, she said it would be at three o'clock. So, feeling like a broken record, I politely declined saying that my daughter would be sleeping. I remember her snapping at me saying, "You can't run your life around her sleep schedule, you know!" Well, I don't remember exactly what I said, but I do remember how I was feeling. I felt frustrated and my feelings were hurt that she wasn't respecting my decision to honour what I felt was sacred.

What I realize now is that she gave me a wonderful, most unexpected gift: she challenged my views on things which gave me pause to really examine if what I was doing was a truth for me. While I didn't realize it at the time, she helped me gain confidence, stand firm in my decisions that resonated for me and my family. I realized that I was taking her reaction personally, which I know now does not serve me (or her) and that it's not her job to make me feel good about my decisions.

Parenting spiritually allows us to listen to our intuition, follow our hearts and stay strong within ourselves even in the face of those who disagree with our views or choose to do things differently. It's about tuning into what resonates in our core for ourselves, our children, our family. Ultimately it's about celebrating that your child(ren) chose YOU for very specific reasons (and one of them may just be to protect nap time!! ;-) ).

Christine Marrin has relished her role as mother for the last ten years. She is passionate about raising our collective consciousness about joyfully connecting to our children and empowering them to connect with their spirits. She celebrates that her greatest learning has come from her children. She is a former elementary school teacher.
For daily parenting thoughts, visit: www.facebook.com/christinemarrinspiritualparenting .
She can be reached at: spiritualparenting@rogers.com or 905-836-6877