Ten Fun Ways to Help Your Kids Get More Active This Spring

Do you know what the number one cause of childhood obesity is? American kids are spending way too much time snacking and playing or watching electronics. If your child comes home from school and plops himself down in front of the TV, you’re setting him up for a lifetime of weight problems. Try at least half the things on this list of activities that may get your kid up and going.

Register your kid for an organized sport. Teach your child how to hit a tennis ball. Put up a volleyball net in your yard. Sign up for a race with your child and start running together. Just find something that makes your child move.

Organize a neighborhood scavenger hunt. Work with neighbor parents to determine what should be on the list, and send the kids from house to house searching for everything on the list.

Borrow a neighbor’s dog. If you don't have a dog, have your neighbor ask your child to please walk their dog for them, as a favor.

Organize a neighborhood hide and seek game. Older children may want to play flashlight tag with friends in the dark.

Invest in inexpensive but fun family outdoor games, like horse shoes or frisbee. Put up the game in the yard and have your relatives over for an outdoor game day.

Pass out jump ropes and hold a competition. Buy a couple different types of jump ropes so you can have chinese jump ropes, long jump ropes, and individual jump ropes. Give out inexpensive prizes, like bubbles or silly string.

Look for summer camps that feature active themes. Many community programs are dirt cheap and lots of fun.

Hand over the mowing responsibility. If your child is ten or older, he or she should be able to do it.

Challenge the kids to a Twister competition. Offer ribbons to the most flexible and strong kid who wins the most rounds.

Take your kid for a walk. Or try going for a long bike ride around the neighborhood. Or bring your child to the neighborhood basketball hoop and play HORSE. If you join your kids, they'll enjoy exercise more. Set a good example and watch the kids get into it too!

Tips For Replacing Ice Cream With A Healthier Option

Mind is All

Everyone knows that ice cream is a wonderful treat to enjoy at the end of dinner; at the same time, however, it is not exactly healthy! If you are a real ice cream lover, you can certainly keep it as a treat that you indulge in every so often. But you should also find a way to cut it out of your routine on most nights, by knowing what some great ice cream alternatives are.

Most people find - when they start to try to cut ice cream out of their routine - that what they really crave is something that is cold and either creamy or juicy. Of course, something that is cold and creamy/juicy, as well as being sweet, probably works best as a replacement. But if you want to start out trying to replace ice cream with the opposite extreme, you can try something such as watermelon or pineapple. Both of these fruits are cold and juicy, and they also have an element of sweetness; what's more, of course, is that they are very healthy!

Many people also find that yogurt is a satisfactory after-dinner replacement for ice cream on most nights. When you shop for yogurt, however, you should buy yogurt that is organic and that does not contain a lot of sugar; otherwise, you may as well be eating ice cream!

Popsicles are another treat that many people find to be an enjoyable replacement for ice cream, and you can even make healthy popsicles if you make them on your own! All you need is some ice cube trays and toothpicks; freeze some of your favorite juice in the ice cube trays, and use the toothpicks as popsicle sticks!

And finally, some people find that they enjoy a nice cup of after-dinner coffee instead of after-dinner ice cream - replacing their favorite cold, creamy treat with something hot and creamy! As long as the coffee will not keep you up all throughout the night, this can be a great way to go for any coffee fan.

Even though you do not, of course, need to cut coffee out of your diet entirely, you should find some alternatives that work for you so that you do not end up eating ice cream every night!

How To Choose A Toothpaste That Is Right For You

Taking care of our teeth is one of the most important aspects of personal hygiene, and one of the most important products we use to take care of our teeth is toothpaste. When it comes time to pick a toothpaste that is right for you, however, it can be made difficult by the vast number of choices that all claim to do different things. In order to pick the toothpaste that is right for you, you not only have to know the best toothpastes, but you also have to know their functions.

Whitening toothpastes offer more options than just about any other kind, but not all of these options are actually worth using. Surprisingly, the best-performing whitening toothpaste is Ultra brite Advanced Whitening, a discount brand that can be found at most stores! One issue with Ultra brite, however, is that you will probably need to supplement it with another toothpaste if you want a healthy mouth; while Ultra brite works for whitening teeth, it does not carry the ADA stamp of approval, and should therefore be used in conjunction with something else.

Toms Of Maine Natural Anticavity Baking Soda Flouride Toothpaste is the best available option if you are wanting to go with all-natural toothpaste. Although this toothpaste might be a mouthful to say, it is also an excellent way to keep your mouth healthy! You can shop for Toms Of Maine online and in some stores, but you should be prepared to dig deep into your pockets if you want a tube!

And if you are looking for a great all-around toothpaste, consider shopping with one of the brands you already know well. The most highly-recommended toothpaste by both dentists and orthodontists is Colgate Total - the best all-around toothpaste available. Colgate Total will keep your mouth healthy, will keep your pockets full, and will even cut down on your shopping time, as it can be found at just about anyplace where toothpaste is sold.

You must pick a good toothpaste if you want to take good care of your teeth, and taking good care of your teeth is one of the most important things you can do for yourself! These three choices will help you find your way along the path toward a healthy mouth, no matter what it is you are looking for in a toothpaste.

Tips For Staying Healthy In Cold Weather

Mind is All

When the weather is cold, people are much more susceptible to sickness, but while this is going to be the case no matter what you do to take measures against it, there are still a number of things you can do to keep yourself healthy when the weather turns cold - after all, unlike spring and summer (when airborne allergens can make you sick, and there is little you can do!), the cold is fairly easy to protect against.

Realize that keeping heat in your body will be important if you are wanting to keep yourself from getting sick in cold weather, and more heat escapes your body through your head than through any other part of you; in addition to keeping your head covered in the cold, you will also want to keep your extremities (fingers and feet) warm, and will want to keep your chest covered with layers.

One thing that you may think of as minor, but can actually make a big difference, is scraping frost off your car in the morning, and then driving into work in a cold car; instead of doing this, go outside about 15 minutes early and turn your car (and the defroster) on, so that your car will be warm, and your windshield will be cleared, by the time you get out there - realizing that the small amount of extra money you will spend in gas will be worth it for keeping you healthy!

And finally, you should understand that it is vital to keep your body clean if you hope to avoid sickness, and because it can be so cold to prepare for a shower when it is cold in your house (and because you may not be sweating as much when it is cold), it is easy to push showers off for a day or two; make sure you are still showering daily, however, in order to stay healthy!

When you keep these tips in mind (and when you keep these tips in mind for your children as well!), you will be able to keep a healthy family all throughout the winter.

Week-Long Gentle Detox Program

You've decided to detox, but you want to use all natural products and do it yourself, at home. That’s fine; this easy-to-follow natural detox plan will get you where you want to go. You'll want to follow this plan over a course of a week, easing your way into it.

Monday and Tuesday – Prepare for your cleanse by cutting all sugar and fat from your diet. Promise yourself you will not drink alcohol for the next seven days. Eliminate or reduce caffeine use, too.

Wednesday and Thursday – Eliminate processed foods, meat, and dairy from your diet. You'll need to drink plenty of water.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday – Commit to a raw fruit and vegetable (oganic) diet for the last three days of the detox plan.

Your weekend of detoxing should include most if not all of the following: Drink water, senna tea, fasting support tea, and Master Cleanse lemonade (lemon juice, water, cayenne pepper, and pure maple syrup, to taste) throughout all three days.

Eat every two hours. You’ll want to keep portions small, but alternate between raw fruit and raw vegetables. Scrub all produce to eliminate pesticides.

Encourage elimination. Follow your body's urges, which may mean you spend a significant amount of time in the restroom.

While detoxing, it's advisable to get extra rest. Take time for regular sleep and naps.

Get a massage. A good massage will encourage your body to process and release waste products. If you get a full-body Swedish or deep-tissue massage, your body will process waste much better, leaving you feeling all the more refreshed. Mention the fact that you are detoxing, and drink water before and after the massage.

Exercise gently. You will benefit from a hike, walk, or yoga session.

Cleanse your biggest organ, your skin. Take long, warm showers, using only natural substances. After you dry off, use a body brush to exfoliate and stimulate the shedding of dead cells and toxins.

When you've finished your week of detoxing, slowly return to your old ways. Take this detox opportunity to change bad habits as you carefully reintroduce favorite foods, drinks, and activities.

Best Exercises For Staying In Shape While Pregnant

Mind is All

If you are pregnant or planning to be pregnant soon, you might have started wondering how you will stay in shape as the pregnancy progresses. After all, staying in shape while pregnant is not just good for you; it is good for your baby as well. At the same time, however, you can certainly stay in shape in wrong ways while you are pregnant. For instance, you should avoid lifting heavy weights, and you should avoid any exercises that put undue strain on your stomach. So, with all these stipulations, how can you stay in shape when you are pregnant? Simple! You just have to pay attention to these next three paragraphs.

Swimming is one of the best ways to stay in shape for both you and the baby inside you. Swimming will help your joints to loosen up, and it will take strain off your body. Swimming is a very stress-free workout, as far as your body is concerned, and it can be relaxing as well. Consider joining a community pool if you do not have a pool yourself, or make time to regularly take a dip in a nearby lake or ocean.

Another easy workout, one that can be done without any expensive equipment or even the need to travel anywhere, is walking. This is a very gentle workout on your body, and it will keep your legs and the rest of your body in good shape.

Bicycling is good for those who already were used to bicycling before becoming pregnant. If you stick to smooth roads and avoid heavy traffic, you can keep up this hobby and get a full-body workout. During the later stages of pregnancy, of course, you belly can make bicycle riding more difficult; when this becomes the case, consider switching to a stationary bike at a gym.

You want your baby to have the best, and you want yourself to have the best as well. By keeping yourself fit during your pregnancy, you can ensure that your baby is happy and healthy. When you are pregnant, it might be easier to sit on the couch, but keep in mind that exercise will help your baby in the future. Find one of these safe, easy exercises that you enjoy, and continue pursuing it throughout your pregnancy. Your body will be happy that you did, and so will your baby.

Keeping Yourself From Getting A Rash From Your Deodorant

Generally speaking, rashes are more of a problem for the way they look than for the way they make you feel, as rashes generally tend to give you very few problems if they are not rubbed against - but when it comes to a rash under your armpits, it is unlikely that anyone will see it, but these rashes will still cause you a great deal of problems, as your skin will be rubbing against it all throughout the day. It is easy for most people to avoid rashes under their armpits, as they simply need to find a deodorant that works for them and stick with it, but if you have found that you tend to get such rashes more frequently than you would like, there are a few things you can consider doing in order to fix this problem.

The first thing you should realize is that you can go a long time with no problems from a particular deodorant, and then, this can suddenly change; if you have been using a certain deodorant for a long time and have just started to experience rashes for the first time, you may simply need to change the deodorant you are using.

Another thing that can cause rashes to occur is putting on deodorant when your armpits are still wet; if you have found that you have sensitive skin in your armpits, consider waiting until 30 or 45 minutes after your shower before you apply your deodorant.

Another thing people do wrong - especially those people who have sensitive armpits - is that they put on deodorant several times per day, which can put a lot of stress on their armpits; if you usually put on deodorant at night, and then take a shower in the morning before putting on deodorant again, consider putting it on only in the morning, after your shower!

For each person with sensitive skin on their armpits, the solutions will be different, but with these approaches in mind, you should be on the right track for solving your problem!