It’s hard to believe that I have to register my baby for JK next week. Time sure flies! If you have a child that will be four years old by December 31st, 2011, pre-registration for the Durham District School Board is next Tuesday, January 11th, 2011. For more details here is a link to the Durham District School Board JK Pre-registration.

Happy learning!

Tamara

Cold and Flu Season: Part 1

Here is part two of the cold and flu article from Kim Corrigan-Oliver of Your Green Baby.

It’s Here – Part Two

The time is here to focus on supporting the immune system for the cold and flu season ahead. In my last post I provided some old tricks to support the body naturally and enhance the functioning of the immune system. Today I will provide some information on a few supplements that are particularly beneficial to you and your family during cold and flu season.

• Deep Immune liquid by St. Francis for adults or Deep Immune KIDS for children to support healthy immune function. These are made up of Chinese herbs and have been proven to be effective at boosting immune function in both clinical and laboratory work. The primary purpose of Deep Immune is to improve immune system function and decrease the tendency of frequent colds, flu and infection.

• Vitamin D3 liquid – research continues to show that vitamin D supplementation is better at preventing the flu than the flu shot

• Omega 3 fatty acids are necessary for normal immune function. Omega 3 fatty acids can be found in flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, fatty fish, cod liver oil supplements, fish oil supplements and algae supplements.

• Probiotics (good bugs for your gut) taken daily will support immune health. Up to 80% of the immune system is in the gut, providing good bugs daily will help the body and immune system function optimally.

• Antioxidants vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, glutathione, and zinc are important for immune health. Providing your body with nourishment from real foods, with vibrant colours and avoiding processed packaged foods will help you to meet the need for these antioxidants from your diet.

These are just a few supplements we have in our “prevent the cold and flu” campaign in our home.

If you have any specific health issues, concerns, questions or disease/diagnoses, please consult your health care provider, Naturopathic Doctor or Holistic Nutritionist to help you customize a plan to meet the individual needs of you and your family.

What tricks or supplements are in your family’s “prevent the cold and flu” campaign this year?

Cold and Flu Season: Part One

With cold and flu season upon us I thought I’d share this interesting article from Kim Corrigan-Oliver from Your Green Baby. This is part 1 so stay tuned for part 2!

It’s Here!!!!

Yes cold and flu season is here and now is the time to think about supporting your child’s immune system, as well as yours, so it is ready to put up a fight against any foreign invaders that may try (notice I said try) to take hold and bring you or your babe/toddler down.

So what can you do naturally to support immunity, here are a few old tricks:

Sleep – rest is important for immune health, the body needs the time to repair, restore and rejuvenate. If you are feeling particularly tired or stressed this becomes even more important. Ensure you and your family get adequate rest and if you feel yourself or see someone in your family starting to get run down, take time now to rest, if not the body will force you to rest (unfortunately with a cold).

Drink – plenty of liquids: water, herbal teas (ginger, peppermint, nettle, alfalfa, horsetail, lemon balm, etc) and fresh juices. Moms and dads keep in mind caffeine and alcohol dehydrate your body and weaken your immune system – limit or avoid if possible.

Eat real food – eat a diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, food with few ingredients, food in its natural state, food that is not packaged and processed. The body needs quality nutrition from real food to support health and well being.

Avoid sugar – sugar suppresses the immune system for up to six hours after ingestion making the body more vulnerable to pathogens. Sugar requires nutrients for its digestion, the same nutrients that were stripped away during processing, and will steal these from the body – leaving the body depleted and vulnerable. Sugar also actively competes with vitamin C for entry into your cells. Your cells need vitamin C, if there is too much sugar in the body competing for entry into the cells, less vitamin C will be allowed into the cell. When you eat sugar you are slowing the immune system down to a crawl.

Include garlic –it has anti bacterial, anti viral, anti parasitic and anti fungal properties; eat it raw for best results, and include it as much as you can when cooking. To take it raw, finely chop one clove of garlic, let it sit for a minute or two, then swallow with a mouthful of water. The key to no garlic breath is not to let it touch your teeth. You can get raw garlic into your little food critics in bean dips, guacamole, homemade salad dressing, etc. Breastfeeding moms if you take raw garlic your baby will get the immune benefits via your breast milk.

Be positive – your thoughts play a role in your health and well being; be positive, think positive, know that your body has the amazing potential to support and defend itself against the many pathogens you come in contact with on a daily basis. And don’t forget to laugh with your children every day for an easy and fun way to boost immunity.

Be hygienic – the only portals of entry for pathogens – the flu virus or cold germ, are the mucous membranes – mainly nostrils and mouth/throat. It’s almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with a pathogen in spite of all precautions. Contact with pathogens is not really the problem; proliferation is. To prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, there are some very simple steps you can practice:
• Frequent hand-washing
• Hands-off-the-face approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face.
• Gargle twice a day with warm salt water. Pathogens can take 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. Don’t underestimate this simple, inexpensive, age-old yet powerful preventative method.
• Similar to above, clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water, try a nasal irrigation device, found at most drug stores or try blowing your nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with Q-Tips dipped in warm salt water, this is very effective in bringing down viral population.
• Drink warm or hot liquids. Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

You can’t avoid cold and flu season it is here, but you can support the immune system to do what it naturally wants to do – defend itself against foreign invaders.

In my next post I will discuss natural health products that can help to support and strengthen the immune system along with the recommendations above.

What are you doing to ensure you and your family stay healthy this season?

Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup

 Here’s another great recipe idea brought to us by Kidz World

 CREAMY CHICKEN AND RICE SOUP

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup sliced celery

1/2 cup sliced carrot or fresh mushroom

1 tbs. butter

14oz can of chicken broth

1 can of condensed cream of chicken soup

1 cup water

1 6 and 1/4 oz. package of chicken flavoured rice pilaf mix

1/8 tsp. pepper

2 1/2 cups milk

2 cups cooked chicken

In a large saucepan, cook onion, celery and carrot in hot butter over medium heat until tender. Add chicken broth, soup and water. Stir rice with seasoning packet and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Simmer, covered about 20 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in milk and cooked chicken. Cook until everything is heated through.

Enjoy!

Tamara

I love recipes that are quick and easy. I especially love recipes that kids love to eat too! Here is a new recipe that I tried with my daycare kids (and my own too) and they were begging for more.

The great thing is you can make them with chocolate chips or without. Next I think I am going to replace the chocolate chips with blueberries. Please let us know what kind you make and how the kids liked them.

Enjoy!

Tamara

 Mini Maple Chocolate Chip Pancake Muffins

 1 cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

 1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

2/3 cup buttermilk

1 egg

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons melted butter

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a medium bowl.

Sift together with a wire whisk.

In another bowl, stir buttermilk, egg, maple syrup and melted butter until just combined.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir with a spoon until combined.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Reserve a few chips to sprinkle on the tops.

Bake for 8-9 minutes.

Makes 24 mini pancake muffins.

Let cool slightly and remove from the pan. You may need to use a toothpick around the edges to separate the pancake muffins from the pan.

Serve immediately with warmed butter if you like or even just with maple syrup.

Here’s another great recipe idea that the kidz at KIDZ WORLD love to eat!

Flautas

1 can of refried beans (full of protein!)
wraps
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
salsa

1) lay wrap flat and spread down the middle with refried beans (found in a can in the mexican food section)
2) sprinkle with shredded cheese
3) roll up and place on baking sheet
4) bake at 350′ for 5-10 minutes (just long enough to warm)
5) cut into slices and serve with sour cream, salsa, veggie sticks and/or salad of some sort

The kidz love them and don’t even know they’re eating beans

If you have a recipe that your kids love to it, please share it with us at info@durhamregiondaycare.com

Enjoy!

Tamara

Even though it’s still technically summer, I thought I’d share this great fall recipe we love to play with.

Apple Cinnamon Dough

1 cup ground cinnamon
1 cup applesauce
Mix applesauce and cinnamon together until you get a clay-like consistency.Roll out with a rolling pin or create shapes with your hands.. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
Add glitter for fun!!
Let your creations dry on cookie racks. Store unused dough in air tight containers.

Have fun!

Tamara

1 Tbsp. powdered drink mix (unsweetened is best)
1 Tbsp. warm water
Muffin tins or baby food jars
Small mixing bowl
Mix the water and drink mix in a small bowl.
Paint on paper the way you would with any watercolour paint.
Use different drink mixes for different colors/flavours (grape, cherry, lemon, etc.)
Let paint dry overnight before scratching and sniffing.