This is the time of year when all the bugs start going around. My hope for us all—is that we can all build natural medicine cabinets, build up our immunity (in ourselves and our kids) and stay away from pharmacies for the entire winter!
It’s not something I even knew was possible until a few years ago, but as I’ve studied, experienced and shared the power of natural nutrition, I truly believe in our bodies’ ability to build up strength to fight off anything that comes our way–so you can have a social life in the winter/associate with others/be in places that have germs–i.e., everywhere–and not be worried!
This is from the mom who used to have regular sick visits, a daughter on a nebulizer for much of the winter, and now we’re doctor (sick) visit free for 4 years! More of our story here. We’re not perfect with all of these, but we do our best, and it makes a world of difference.
Reduce sugar. This is the kicker, and tough for any parent to read right after Halloween. But it’s based on science and it’s true! A lot of sugar in our diets can suppress our immune systems which is why you may notice little ones get runny noses/colds more easily after high sugar weeks/holidays, etc. No need to go crazy with forbidding it, just be mindful as you parent and feed yourself and your family. You’ll start to notice that sugar is snuck into everything, from the sauces and snacks you buy, your delicious PS lattes, and all the other little things we may not pay much attention to. Taking small steps in this area may lead you to feel better and want to reduce sugar intake even more.
Build up the gut.Since we’ve now learned that 80% of the immune system resides in the gut, it’s very important to care for and build a healthy gut this time of year. I recommend a great probiotic, eating fermented foods when possible, kombucha (be aware of home brewed, can sometimes have the opposite effect), and of course, a balanced diet reducing sugars, increasing fibers, and working with seasonal foods will help. I’m thrilled about this new DI (Digestion and immune support) probiotic that was just launched in August after much research (4 strains total, the most studied ones)–I use it myself and love it.
Get outside. The whole “bundle up you might catch cold” is a bit misleading–fresh air and brisk walks, and general time outside this time of year is critical for our health, mental and physical, and overall well being. Kids and adults need this, and they need physical activity in nature, too…hence our weekly hike tradition has been picking up, and is oh-so-treasured time in my family. Bundle up with your cute fall layers, and enjoy getting out for at least 30 min per day.
Drink. This is another obvious one but can often be forgotten because we’re not in the midst of summer heat. Winter dehydration is just as common and harder to catch. If you notice you’re needing an extra boost, grab orange slices, fresh lemons, vitamin C tablets for your water, or a natural hydration (low sugar) powder to help keep you optimally hydrated. Your dry skin will thank you too.
Keep Oranges and Vitamin C handy.Let’s change it from “an apple a day” to “an orange a day” (hey, nothing against apples, but we all know the immune power of Vitamin C). I make sure we’re all eating clementines as often as we can (my daughters can power through 2-3 in a sitting or at the park)…just that small habit can really help over the course of the winter.
Try ACV—Yep, the wonders of apple cider vinegar. This is about boosting your gut health, reducing inflammation and balancing blood sugars (my diabetic grandmother living into her 90s with grace swears by her daily ACV habit). Keep it handy and mix it with maple syrup and water (and ice) and a dash of cinnamon to make it more taste friendly for the kiddos.
Diffuse Thieves oil.This might be my favorite essential oil, and I’ve seen it play a big role in keeping my kids from developing colds (or when colds are still developing, this oil nips it in the bud, along with the vitalized immunity). We diffuse it a lot during the winter (bonus, it smells amazing) and I’ll rub it on their feet with a carrier oil (coconut is my preference) in the evenings/moments when I want to give them an extra immune boost.
Be sure to socialize. There’s actually a danger in NOT exposing ourselves to some germs, as we continue to build up immunity, so be wise about it, but make sure you’re actually giving yourself those exposures, in small amounts, and you’ll see what a difference it makes. Kids/babies in too sterile environments can suffer greatly, their immune systems don’t develop as well.
Cook with natural immune boosting herbs. Things like garlic, onion, turmeric, cinnamon and more all have powerful effects…being wise to how they can help our bodies cope with the season, and sneaking them into your cooking/recipes can go a long way towards making food our medicine, and preventing rather than treating. More on this topic from this great article.
That’s it!! With a new baby on the way, we’re extra grateful for some of these tools/knowledge and I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to celebrate with you all– a winter of no over-the-counter meds or pharmacy and doc visits!!! Imagine how much time and money that would (and should) save us all. Prevention is my favorite way to go.
Over 8 years of having kids, and having fitness as a priority in that process, yoga has shaped my experience of motherhood. Starting with my first prenatal yoga class that I went to weekly on Thursday nights—leaving my stressful workplace early with a grin and rushing on the subway from Manhattan to a YMCA in Brooklyn—my experience of yoga has also been shaped by mothering.
It is as a mother that I have experienced how yoga fits into my everyday and adds value to it.
We All Need a Combination of High Impact and Low Impact Activities
I’ve always been more of an intense athlete—soccer my whole life, competitive swimming and tennis in high school, and more recently, HIIT workouts and distance running as my go-to exercise methods.
But, the reality of life and especially mothering, is that our bodies need a combination of high and low impact activities to be at their best. For every mile that I run, stretching and restorative/muscle relaxing and rebuilding becomes important. And for overall stress relief, low impact workouts have been proven to be more effective at lowering cortisol levels, preventing adrenal fatigue and failure (the real, very present BURNOUT that I see so many moms on the verge of, and have personal experience with navigating).
Add to that the changes that each pregnancy works on the body, the natural recovery and rebuilding time in postpartum, and I’ve found that I need to have a fitness practice that I can keep with me for all of those moments and seasons of life, providing consistency and routine.
For all these reasons, I am continually led back to yoga (I mean this loosely as in the postures I’ve learned as well as stretching of all kinds) as a positive and important part of my daily routines and overall lifestyle. It’s sort of one of my secret weapons for getting through the long days in an energized, calm and grounded fashion (no, I’m by no means perfect…)….and some days my kids at 6pm will hear me saying—“I’m going out to my yoga porch for a moment” (And yes they often follow me out there)–which is my way of coping and giving myself the permission to re-center and come back into their midst closer to my best self…
But yoga has not just been my routine, it has become a natural part of our family life and kid life as well.
How Yoga/mindful movement Practice Has Shaped My Kids
When having kids and encouraging them to build fitness habits and bodily awareness and appreciation, we’ve done a lot of the typical things: swimming, ballet, gymnastics, running (love family race events!) and dabbled in soccer (the girls haven’t taken to it but something tells me that it may be Ambrose’ sport of choice).
However, since they also see me, often, at home, building in time for my own workouts, if I can’t make it to the gym—-and I DO love showing them that the habits can begin at home, yoga has become a natural fit for something playful, relaxing, that we can do together and stretch ourselves in, without being rushed through a workout.
I remember when Corinne was an infant and I’d be doing lots of HIIT videos and pilates/barre videos, she’d want to hang on me, and be part of it all, and I’d do almost half the workout holding her in various positions or incorporating her in. It got more challenging the heftier she got. Can any other moms relate?
When she was a toddler and able to follow along, she’d boss me if I wasn’t going hard or fast enough, and participate…my mini-me was hard-wired to love movement, and to need it—as I do—for her daily mood and behavior/attitude.
Just ask my husband (and why he always makes sure I get time to work-out during the weekend, as needed): I’m a grouchier me if I’m not able to stay physically active, in some form. And yes for kids, it’s built into a lot of their play and playground time, which I’m a huge fan of, but it also may need to be channeled more directly and specifically with certain kids, as we’ve found we need to do with Corinne.
Using Movement to Help with the Tough Developmental Phases
With Corinne, over the past 2 years—as we’ve navigated with her the challenging developmental phases of a BIG, strong personality going through toddler years, pre-school, and up until now—giving her stretching, playful movement tools and opportunities has actually helped our mother-daughter relationship, and these challenging growing phases, immensely.
Sometimes when we’re in a heated power struggle about something, for example, putting on shoes or what’s for the next meal (I’m not making this up), I’ll turn to yoga as an calming outlet for both of us. Or if she’s mad at me and trying to calm down, I’ll suggest, “Hey, let’s go do some yoga together,” and her frown will turn upside down. I know right away that she’s going to guide me through the poses and coach me, making sure I’m doing it the right way…(Oh, I can’t express to you how much she reminds me of myself :0).
We’ll have reconnecting or “make-up” yoga sessions, where she will literally (as she always has)—-want to climb on top of me, do poses on my back, wrestle and be playful, and she’s such a physical kid that this is part of her love language—quality physical time together.
So over the past 2+ years, following these cues from my mini-me, I’ve made it more of a habit to incorporate the kids into my yoga practice, as a great way for them to get time with me, to learn new things, move their bodies, and for me to benefit from the session as well (in whatever ways I can: if I need my own alone time for restorative/uninterrupted flow, I’ll make sure I get that too with another yoga session at another time of day).
You’re going to have to embrace a flexible mindset when it comes to your workout “goals” and what the kids will want to actually do, but I find when it’s playful, experimental, and you’re encouraging them to just try new things and challenge their own physical awareness and movement, the benefits will be innumerable, and you’ll enjoy knowing that every day will look a little different, but you’ll see their grins throughout the process.
So…How Early Can They Start?
In terms of how early you can start kids with yoga, I’ve been doing yoga with them in my bellies, and by 9-10 months they are usually able to enjoy the aerial poses with you (but sometimes in the early days I just do it during baby naps for simplicity and focus on the toddler).
By one and a half, Ambrose was very aware of being part of my yoga practice and would be yelling “mommy yoga” when he saw me preparing for it, just like he cheered me on and welcomed me home with appreciation after “mommy run!” (followed by, “mommy, sweaty…!” when I hug him).
By this age, he was doing active poses with me, one-legged downward dog being his favorite (go-to) pose of choice. By two or three years old, they can really follow some of the book prompts that teach them to do simple flows from one basic pose to the next. Corinne loves these (linked below).
And last month, after doing a lot of yoga in the summer out in the yard on blankets, we set up our yoga porch, which allows us to have this dedicated space that encourages the habit, and allows us to make sure we’re inspired to do something daily—both myself and the kids. When I got them their own mats, they were thrilled, because frankly those aren’t super easy to share, and it gave them a sense of involvement they hadn’t had before.
Now, they will bring their friends out to the yoga porch and lead sessions on rainy afternoons (and by lead, I mean, Corinne will yell at her class to try these challenging wheel poses, etc and get mad at them if they don’t do them…so we do need to work on her teacher finesse, and class management skills).
Keeping it fun, forming healthy habits
It made my heart so happy in that moment, to see that she understands this as something she loves, is good at, and it’s good for her (and others)…and I hope that these habits continue to serve all my kids, throughout life. Any serious athlete will tell you the importance of stretching/limberness and healing the body through mindful movement—connecting mind and body.
Kids, like all of us, face a lot of stress and fast-paced days, and I love knowing that a yoga practice can help set them up to be aware of their breath and heart-beat, to spend time in gratitude for their healthy bodies, minds and spirits, and even lead them into prayer, as it does for me.
For those of you looking for a more directly religious/Christian based stretching/workout regimen, check out Soul Core and Pietra Fitness.
This fall, I’ve solidified a morning routine that works for this phase, and that I love. We get the girls fed, lunches made, chat with them, and they’re out the door to school with dad as the first thing, since they have to be out early. I don’t push myself with early wake up times when I’m pregnant (if it happens by accident, great), and then from 8-9 am, I give myself (and Ambrose) time for a leisurely tea, prayer time, yoga and stretching session—sometimes following a yoga flow, and other times just doing my own practice that fits with the needs of my ever-changing pregnant body. This is my key self-care time before I go into business owner momma mode, and the juggling of texts/social/emails/kids/lovely outings, and all that goes into the day. Needless to say, I’ve started to get very protective of this (unplugged), calm morning time, and find that it sets up the tone for the rest of the day and how I can bring my best self to the table–with a spirit of service and joy.
I always do my prayer and journaling for the day along with this (and affirmations/gratitude practice), and they flow together beautifully. For me, discovering a daily yoga practice is my way of giving thanks for my body, and LIVING gratitude for it with movement that is also calming, grounding and prayerful.
Ambrose loves doing his yoga poses alongside me for a few minutes, then he will often let his interest wander to his trucks, or his driveway toys, and he’s off and running. But those moments of connection, and on rainy mornings he’s bouncing around the yoga porch, and beautiful and meaningful for me, even as I feel his little brother stretching and kicking within me as we do a “happy baby” pose together or he climbs on my back when I’m in pigeon or down dog pose.
COMING SOON: Another More Complete Morning Routines Post (see my IG TV episode on it for starters, and to share your thoughts on ideal mornings–I’d LOVE your input)
Resources for Starting Out Doing YOGA With Your Kids
Some tips and resources:
*Find a good time of day that is a time when they maybe need a grounding experience, but also are calm enough to focus well. For some families, mornings might work well. I’m going to try to start a mini session with them before the rush for school.
Sometimes, at 5pm—our witching hour around here after school, is when we go out to our yoga porch together and I show them a pose or 2, nothing crazy, but bringing new things into their awareness is very fun for them.
*Grab these kids mats from GAIM yoga. I love the thickness and durability of their adult mats, and while the toddler size mats are a little thinner, they are excellent quality and fun designs. I have gotten the kids size mats and stayed away from the true toddler size, as they will outgrow those faster, but either way, your little one will love having their mat rolled up next to yours, or laid out ready for them at any moment.
*Pick the right environment, minimize distractions. In the dead of winter, the living room is the best spot, so we put the mats out there (once it’s tidied) and light candles or do something to help them focus in on it. In the summer, a yard or garden could lend itself to the right mood, and chances are kids will want to be outside with you, anyway.
*There are some great videos for yoga with kids, although I would also suggest keeping it flexible, my kids don’t always want to watch a video/focus their attention there when we’re already setting up the poses and having a good connection—I think it’s about reading into their needs and trying different things. I’ve had better success with cute yoga books for kids, that we can have with us and reference, pose by pose, for inspiration, but that isn’t taking their attention or causing a distraction.
Cosmic Kids Yoga is a great starting point if you want to use videos to gain confidence and get the little ones into a routine with it. I just encourage you to do yoga outside/in fresh air, and unplugged as much as possible, as it will change their experience of it (and yours) dramatically.
Here’s some of the books I recommend–can get at the library or on amazon.
*For your adolescent, or teen, it might serve you well to do yoga for beginner videos with them, and let them gain confidence following someone else’ lead. A great resource, one that I personally use most often, is www.yogawithadriene.com…she has TONS of free yoga flows on you tube, for everything from 15 min morning flow, to hour long practices based on certain needs—like relaxation, anxiety, weight loss, low back pain, etc.
Enjoying her yoga flow book
Typical evening on the yoga porch
That’s it folks, enjoy this bonus content/reflections on how stretching and yoga fits in well with a balanced life (just one of my many tangents that my editor aka sister puts up with from me here:)—and what a gift to give that awareness to your kids early on in life.
Additionally, if you want to learn more about what we do with our other healthy kids practices, check out the snacks and recipes on the blog, and our tips for building a strong nutritional foundation for these little bodies and their many needs.
I’d love to hear: did this inspire you in your practice, or beginning yoga with kids? What are your stories and experiences from your own homes and families? I love the conversations that develop from this.
I can’t believe it’s September 30th, and yet as I sit here on my porch and soak in the gorgeous, cool fall air, and watch the kids play in their new mulch/trucks box…with tuxedo chili simmering in the crock pot for dinner (yum), and a beautiful sense of transition in the air, I’m reflecting at just how much has happened this month, with deep gratitude. I mean, just 25 days ago, on labor day, we were at a 100 degree pool party and wishing summer off in style–and then diving in to the inevitable new routines, de-cluttering, resetting alot of things in September, and I am amazed at how good it feels to be here…squarely in the fall, and moving closer to our next new chapter–with awareness–our family will soon be 6! (In the early part of the new year). Setting up home and routines, kid routines to work well for us right now, while also being aware of this chapter of the fall coming to an end, and preparing for a totally new one, requires some intention and planning, but that’s what 2nd trimester energy and nesting is for, and is so important and beautiful.
I had set a goal to myself to share 8 blog posts with you all in September. Nothing crazy, just consistency in sharing a couple times per week–my list of topics I’m either working on or want to tackle is long!….I know that sometimes I can let topics percolate for quite a while in my head, wanting to resolve and have all the answers–or better words–and then when they finally come out of me they are epic length and my amazing editor (also sister) says–this should be more than 1 post…!
So as part of my monthly intention setting this past month, and looking at ways I love to connect, I resolved to push past the long drawn out build up, and try to share things short, sweet, sometimes unresolved, sometimes just what is being inspired to me in that moment…and giving myself permission to have conversations and then come back to some of these important topics–creating space, mothering with ease, self care habits, morning routines, easy recipes that are family friendly, fitness as a mother, and more.
So today, I’m just sharing a fun recipe that I was craving this morning in the cool fall weather…and a great swap out that I love to do–replacing flour in baking recipes with super high quality plant protein (vanilla usually). The kids almost never notice, and it makes a recipe so much heartier and healthier…I would even consider these suitable breakfast material 🙂
(If you want pumpkin explosion, pair with your favorite pumpkin dairy free creamer in your coffee;))
So here you go, celebrating the send off of September with these yummy treats. If you make them, let me know how you love them!
Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies
(yep, they are a mouthful in every way)
Preheat oven to 350
1 can pureed pumpkin, organic
1/2 cup butter–softened
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup organic raw sugar (or substitute stevia if keto, 1/2 cup honey if you prefer, or even maple syrup would work)
*****
1 1/2 cup oats
1 cup white whole wheat flour (this is all I keep around, it functions well in baking and is better for us)
Blend wet ingredients…this is what kitchen-aids are for!
Stir dry ingredients together in a bowl, then slowly add to kitchen-aid or mixing bowl, gently combining, with chocolate chips as the last thing.
Put onto tinfoil when baking, and bake 20 minutes or until the bottom edges are browning.
I hope you try one warm, they are amazing! And this makes enough to store some for school lunch treats, send them to the office with loved ones, coffee snacks, or anything you want them for.
So, how to feed the ravenous little mouths during the afternoon hours…
I posted a round-up of some fun new after school snacks that we’re experimenting with (5 ingredients or less, super fast and healthy mommas, because no guilt should be involved)….that’s here–you have to smile at the video involved…crazy.
But…for those who like to spend time making snacks ahead for the week or whose kids are patient while said snacks are being made…here’s a good one! I decided to whip up this recipe the other day when I had dates and a few other things around–I’m all about spontaneous recipe creation–and I have to taste test it first before sharing here, but this one stood up to both my approval, Ambrose’ grabbed it and was crunching it while I was snapping photos, and Corinne said she liked it–but not that much, meaning, she also wanted to have her other snacks!
It makes for a great pregnancy snack as well…with the dates and honey as sweeteners, protein from almond butter and chia, and the fiber of the chia, sunflower seeds and oats. Sunflower seeds also provide magnesium which is key for calming both kids and mommas:)
I’ve seen wellness mama and others do similar ideas for homemade granola bars, but I like the softer texture of this one, and I think the dates and coconut etc help keep it interesting, texture wise. You’ll have to let me know what you and your kids think!
Super food (date–honey–oat–sunflower–chia) bars
Set oven to 300. Grease a round or square 9 in dish, I used coconut oil.
1 cup whole pitted dates–you can put these in a food processor first if you wish. I was lazy and just let the kitchenaid do the blending–it worked great once the other soft ingredients were in there.
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/3 c. organic (local if possible) honey
1/4 cup almond butter (use sunflower seed butter if you need it to be nut-free for school)
2 cups organic oats
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup organic chia seeds
optional: coconut flakes raisins, mini choc chips
Blend dates with the other “wet ingredients”…add in dry ingredients one at a time, stirring–kitchenaid stand mixer is ideal for this, but even an oldfashioned spoon will work (or hand blender) so long as it forms a nice soft doughy and well blended texture.
Spread into pan, and bake for 20-30 min–checking in the final minutes to see that it’s browning slightly on top, and that texture is as desired.
Serve warm, room temp, or cool—your preference….and happy snacking!!!
These are simple, scrumptious and pack a wonderful nutrient punch. I’m always looking for that balance of sweet without added sugar, and a snack that both myself and my kids can enjoy! These are gluten free, and are sweetened with dates and some honey–(or can use agave if you want them to be vegan)…and the dates and oats provide a perfect hearty yet soft texture. You can bake the oats (optional) but the bars are no bake which also makes them a win in my camp. I made a double batch this weekend and it will hopefully last us through the week–for breakfasts for the school girls, snacking moments before workouts for me, and on-the-go snacking for my toddler. Wins all around, right?
So, about this superfood…Maca. It’s something that’s come into my kitchen (and awareness) only recently, and I love it for postpartum health, because it’s known to balance hormones, especially estrogen, and provide energy, vitality and clear-headedness. All things that mommas need, right?
Here’s a cool article about it if you’re new to the Maca trend.
The dates are another wonderful food for promoting a balanced and positive mood, and the oats are known for balancing and promoting healthy lactation.
Here’s the recipe! When you make these, comment below what you think of them, and where you ate them–ie, everywhere!:)
Ingredients
1 heaping cup packed dates, pitted (deglet noor or medjool)
1/4 cup maple syrup or agave nectar (or honey if not vegan)
1/4 cup creamy salted natural peanut butter or almond butter
1 1/2 cups rolled oats (gluten-free for GF eaters)
Process dates in a food processor until small bits remain (about 1 minute). It should form a “dough” like consistency. You can add water to dates if you’re having trouble getting them to blend/process well.
Optional step: Toast your oats (and almonds if raw) in a 350-degree F (176 C) oven for 10-15 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
Place oats, protein, maca and dates in a large mixing bowl – set aside.
Warm honey and peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir and pour over oat mixture and then mix, breaking up the dates to disperse throughout.
Once thoroughly mixed, transfer to an 8×8-inch baking dish or other small pan lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper so they lift out easily.
Press down firmly until uniformly flattened – I use something flat, like a drinking glass, to press down and really pack the bars, which helps them hold together better.
Cover with parchment or plastic wrap, and let firm up in fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes.
Remove bars from pan and chop into 10 even bars (or 9 squares). Store in an airtight container for up to a few days.
Cheers! I dare you to have just one…
…no guilt snacking since they are so darn good for you. #intuitiveeating
A little back story on me, my family, and why this post matters so much, also known as, how changing brands can change your life.
As you know from my bio, I had a health and career crisis of a sorts 5 plus years ago, and through that journey, came to this moment, of being a health coach, business owner, happy full-time momma and flexible working around their schedule. My family desperately needed help when it came to health and nutrition; now we were aware that local, organic produce is the way to go, and when my first daughter was 1, we joined a CSA (community share of agriculture) to get farm fresh fruits and veggies all summer, and shopped at the Brooklyn farmers market as often as we could. Despite that, my daughter was a picky eater and was sick often and in a way that scared us so much as parents, in her first 2 years of life. We had frequent sick visits, fevers she couldn’t shake that would end us up in the hospital; it was tough to see her go through this, and to suspect that her picky eating habits, combined with daycare/nannies and constant exposure to germs, might be harming, not helping her.
So, we did what any good parents would do—set out to ask ourselves, what can we do differently, or better. Her pediatrician wasn’t given us any good suggestions to help her with weight gain, or developing healthy habits, so we did our own research, talked to friends, spoke with several mom friends who were already health coaches and were just discovering this “beyond organic” line that has now become our brand partner, for reasons you’ll soon understand.
So, I checked out the same info I’m sharing with you today, and was impressed. I said, wow, there’s a company with a 60 year history of integrity, purity and potency, and you can’t get it in stores? Tell me more. My daughter (Emma) started on 3 products to begin with–the incredivites multivitamin, the probiotics, and occasionally, as needed, the vitamin C tablets for immune support (ie, most of the winter!). Within 2 months, we were amazed at the difference in her. She was becoming a better eater (willing to try new flavors/more tastes), she was thriving in school, and when her classmates were sick she wasn’t always catching it (or was coming home with mild form that we could kick without doctor or hospital visits!)
Fast forward to her preschool year, she then was notoriously the kid in her class who never missed school from sickness (when her class was sick all around her Nov-April), and while still a picky eater, the doctors no longer showed her as off (ie, below) the charts–or in a worrisome range. We are so grateful for these simple, powerful tools that support not only my spunky, healthy, Emma, but also her two younger siblings, who’ve never been on anti-biotics or had a sick visit (They were shaklee from utero, thanks to the amazing pre-natal programs offered, see more here.) That’s alot of time and money saved, and I’m grateful we can spend the winter months enjoy the seasons, the holidays and not worried about every single exposure or dreading bugs that would linger as we used to. We’re paying it forward and we LOVE the testimonies of families everywhere. What will your experience be?
So when I began to do my research on this brand, I learned some things that impressed me. This company’s founder created the first multivitamin in 1915. The company has had a rich 60 year history of products that are superior in quality, potency and with 125 published studies backing up their effectiveness (This is truly unheard of in the supplement industry in general, to have that kind of purity and 3rd party research guaranteeing the safety of products). Do a quick google search and you’ll see there’s never been an FDA violation, a product recall or anything of that nature. Impressive. So, when the organic labeling came into vogue, the requirements are 80 tests per each botanical ingredient minimum. Well, long before that, Shaklee’s standards had them doing 350 tests per new raw/botanical ingredient. That’s 4 times the quality measure of an organic label. So, when we share the Shaklee label, what you’re getting is far and away “beyond organic”.
Here’s some more fun facts for anyone who likes to nerd out (like I do) on the science and history behind the #1 natural nutrition company. After all, our families deserve only the best.
So, now that we’ve established that everything here is beyond Organic, let’s talk healthy daily habits for kids, even the pickest of eaters benefit from and love these.
Until we can get our kids to eat all of the above….well, even then it’s not even realistic.
As our soil changes, and produce becomes less nutrient dense, the verdict is in that we NEED to supplement, starting at a young age, for optimal nutrition.
I LOVE the fact that these vitamins provide the same immune support found in breastmilk–no other vitamins can boast that, and it’s a great transition vitamin for kids as young as 1 year to begin supplementing. My 1 year old loves chewing them with his big sisters, and when he turns 4 I’ll increase the dosage from 1 to 2 chewables.
Now for some comparisons…
Yes, I admit I grew up with flintstones and I LOVED them–they were like candy–in fact, they actually probably had the same effect on me…but when we know better, we do better 🙂
Now this chart is illuminating, but what’s even scarier, and why this all matters so much, is that some companies actually get away with putting ingredients in their supplements that either not on the label, or are downright harmful. This study from the FDA shows that higher than acceptable amounts of LEAD were found in these common brands of prenatal and kids vitamins–even ones that have an “organic” label–that many of us know and have used.
Crazy. But the good news is, now we know.
This is the day in the life of our family; covering everything from the multi’s that all 3 kids can take (ages 7, 4 and 1 in different doses based on RDA standards) and hydrate electrolyte drink for active growing bodies, along with immune support (yep, needed often in the winter, nips colds in the bud within 12 hours in my experience), and of course the probiotics. See more about the science and importance of probiotics for immune and overall health here.
If you’re interested in doing a free 20 minute health assessment discussing the specific needs of your family; I’m honored to speak with you, and happy to schedule that. We’re all different, and so are our nutritional needs for growing kiddos.
Our community of coaches supports families with everything from immune support to autism/ADHD challenges, and more with natural nutrition support. I also create healthy meal plans and more as needed.
If your budget is $50/less, we suggest starting with the incredivites and probiotics. The ones my girls take daily no matter what 🙂
If you’re in need of building a larger natural medicine cabinet, and really focusing on immune support and brain health, then the healthy kids starter pack is a great option–and you can refill as needed. Healthy kids power pack found here.
Thanks so much for being here; the health of our children matters so much, and I’m grateful to not only share our story, but to continue to be part of your family’s healthy journey as well!
