Top Five New Year’s Resolutions for a Dynamic 2012

Posted on December 17, 2011 by viviankirkfield

English: Two New Year's Resolutions postcards

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The New Year is almost here! Have you thought about your New Year’s resolutions yet?

The great thing about the New Year is that it gives us the opportunity to make a fresh start.

You can make broad, sweeping resolutions like EAT HEALTHIER or you can make more specific resolutions such as I WILL AVOID EATING FAST FOOD.

“To insure good health, eat lightly, breathe deeply, live moderately, cultivate cheerfulness and maintain an interest in life.” William Londen

Based on William London’s practical advice, here are five resolutions that will result in a happier, healthier, more dynamic 2012.

1. Eat Lightly: many of us eat too much of the wrong things…nutritionists recommend eating six small meals a day instead of three big ones. In addition, make every meal count by using more fresh foods instead of highly processed ones.

2. Breathe Deeply: It’s definitely hard to find the time to exercise, especially when you work, take care of a home and family and have lots of other things that take your time and energy. However, moving at least 30 minutes a day will provide great health benefits…and make you feel more positive. Dance while you clean the house or take a walk while listening to great music. Get together with a friend and exercise together with a new tape in your living room if you don’t have the time or money to go to a gym. In addition, take time every day to meditate and be still…even if it is just for 5 minutes. It will refresh and renew your spirit.

3. Live Moderately: This rule applies to all aspects of our lives…eating, drinking, sleeping, surfing the Internet. If people would get enough rest…and eat, drink, exercise and pursue all other activities in moderation, the soaring medical costs in this country would decline. The cells in our bodies repair themselves during restful sleep…and people tend to gain weight if they are sleep deprived.

4. Cultivate Cheerfulness: Doesn’t it lift your spirits when someone greets you cheerfully, in a store, on the street or on the phone? Thinking and acting cheerfully does have a positive effect…on EVERYONE! Cultivating cheerfulness does not mean ignoring problems or pretending that everything is rosy when it is not. If something is troubling you, please share it with someone who cares about you. Set in motion steps that will change the situation. If it is a situation that can’t be changed, join a support group or ask for help.

5. Maintain An Interest In Life: Isn’t it amazing to see elderly people who get college degrees after they have retired from a life-long career? Or middle-school children who raise money for other children in a village that is situated thousands of miles from where they live? How can you maintain an interest in life? Read a book about something you always wanted to find out about; volunteer in a local school or hospital; reach outside your normal routine to help someone.

Are these goals on your list? Do you have others? Do share!

If you are a parent of a young child, please add another goal for 2012. Strong reading readiness skills and a positive self-image will help your child succeed in school.

Hop aboard with the award-winning Show-Me-How and get back to basics with reading, crafting and cooking with your child.

Each activity takes 15 minutes or less…a small investment in time with a big reward.
The book is arranged in an easy-to-use format so there is very little planning or preparation.
We’ve extended the online special of $19.95 per copy till the end of the year…order now so that you can begin 2012 with the Show-Me-How program of stories and activities.
NO BATTERIES REQUIRED…POWERED BY YOUR CHILD’S IMAGINATION

The Best and Easiest Gluten-Free Cookie Recipe Ever

Posted on December 13, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Child obesity is a big problem in the United States.

With the holidays approaching, what can parents do to help their children maintain a healthy weight?

Provide healthful snacks: vegetable sticks (carrots, cucumbers, celery); fruit slices (apples, pears, orange sections), cheese cubes, whole-grain crackers.
Watch meal portions: for example, make a habit of measuring cereal before you pour it into the bowl (most cereals call for ½ to 1 cup as a serving size); use salad plates instead of dinner plates, especially for young children…you will be less likely to serve too much…this works for adults as well.
Keep eating out to a minimum and avoid fast-foods as much as possible: if you make food for your family yourself, you can pass on the additives and preservatives and high sodium content present in most restaurant offerings…and you will probably save money.
Make a batch of these nutritious cookies with your child: they are high in fiber, low in sugar, salt and fat…and no preservatives or artificial colors.

OVERNIGHT COOKIES

You will need: 2 egg whites, ¼ cup sugar, 1 cup ground almonds, 1 cup raisins, large bowl, electric mixer and a lightly greased cookie sheet.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Beat the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff peaks form.

3. Add the sugar and mix in.

4. Add the raisins and the ground almonds and fold in gently but thoroughly.

5. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the cookie sheet.

6. Bake for 5 minutes.

7. Turn off oven.

8. If you like softer cookies, you can remove them from the oven after about 30 minutes. If you like crispier cookies, you can leave them in for an hour…or overnight.

9. This recipe makes about 12 – 18 cookies, depending on the size you drop onto the cookie sheet.

What a fun recipe to prepare with your child during this holiday season! You could even make several batches and give some away as gifts. Cooking with children is a super learning activity…science (how do the runny egg whites change when you beat them), math (fractions, counting), better pre-literacy skills (reading the labels of the egg carton, bag of sugar, etc.). Best of all, cooking with kids is one of the best ways to strengthen the parent-child connection and build their self-esteem as they master tasks and skills.

Please visit the Show Me How website where you can find out more about the book that provides many more quick and easy cooking activities for kids along with simple arts and crafts activities and story summaries of the 100 picture books every young child should hear.

The book has received praise from many mom and dad bloggers as well as picture book authors and self-esteem experts. http://areelcoolsummer.blogspot.com/2011/08/five-gold-stars-for-show-me-how.html

The New Year is almost here…make a resolution to spend 15 minutes a day, reading or crafting or cooking with your young child…the positive impact it will have on your child cannot be measured.

Increase Your Wealth As You Improve Your Health

Posted on October 2, 2011 by viviankirkfield

I saw a similar headline in an article in a recent Money Magazine.

It’s really commonsense, if you think about it.

What are some ways we could increase our wealth and improve our health?

1. If you are a smoker, giving up cigarettes will improve your health…and you will also save money by not having to buy them. Because you will avoid many of the serious health issues that smokers often have to deal with, you will save on doctor visits and medications.

2. Are you someone who drives everywhere…even to places that may only be a short distance away? Walking or biking instead of driving would save money on gas as well as wear and tear on the car which would extend the life of the car. The exercise gained from walking or biking would improve your core strength and over-all health…and that in turn would result in less money spent on pain medications and doctor visits for back pain.

3. Do you eat out often or bring home prepared fast-food on a regular basis? Most fast-food is really unhealthy and eating out can be very expensive. Try to set aside a few hours a week to prepare home-cooked meals that you can freeze or refrigerate for healthful, easy-to-heat dinners. You will save a lot of money and you will be eating much more nutritious foods.

4. Portion control is an important step in maintaining a healthy weight…we are encouraged by the media to super-size and biggie-size our meals and that’s one of the reasons obesity is such a rampant problem. Before you pour a bowl of cereal, for example, look at the serving size on the box. Usually it is ½ to 1 cup…but many cereal bowls hold 2 cups or more. Buy a set of measuring cups and use them to make sure you are putting one serving in your bowl, not two or three. The box of cereal will last a lot longer (saving you money) and you and your family will not be adding double and triple the number of calories when you eat cereal for breakfast…thereby maintaining a healthier weight.

What ways do you have of increasing your wealth while improving your health? Do share!

It’s almost time for Jingle Bells and Holiday Wreaths! If you are looking for some healthy child-friendly recipes, please check out my book. Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking gives you 100 easy cooking activities (and 100 simple craft projects) that would be fun for the whole family. The holidays will be here before you know it…this award-winning book makes a wonderful gift for any parent, grandparent, preschool teacher, daycare provider or any children ages 2-7. If you want a gift that keeps on giving long after the wrapping and ribbon have been tossed away, just buy a copy…you won’t be disappointed. There is a money-back guarantee…and it’s on special now for 50% off the cover price!