DC Metro Mom

One of my all-time favorite experiments is what I lovingly dub the “chock full ’o stress” study, done by Stanford professor Baba Shiv and Alexander Fedorikhin.   They divided college student participants into two groups, asking the first group to remember a two-digit number, and the second group to remember a seven-digit number.  The participants then walked down a hallway, where they were offered the choice between two snacks:  fresh fruit or chocolate cake. 

And this is where it gets interesting: the participants who were tasked with the seven-digit number, our group two gunners, were twice as likely to choose the cake.

I know we always hear and talk about it, now let's do it! And let's do it safely! Lil omm is so excited to host Michelle Pfennighaus, CHC as we make the pledge to reinvent ourselves inside and out. It might just be the jumpstart you need before summer! The 21 day detox kick off event is on Sunday, 4/22 @ 1:30pm.

Postpartum Diet Do’s to Curb the Baby Blues

Written by Cindy Santa Ana, B.S. Nutrition & Health and Let Mommy Sleep’s in-house wellness consultant

Your little bundle of joy arrives and so do body changes, sluggishness and possibly even some feelings of “I can’t do this!” You may be quick to focus on fitness to get back into your pre-baby wardrobe, but not so fast! Your body is going through extreme nutritional demands to recuperate as well as nurture baby. You can however, eat certain foods that will give you energy and replenish your bodies’ nutrient storage, helping to give you overall good health both physically and mentally.

Don’t Diet - It’s important to not “diet,” but to eat a varied diet full of whole, organic foods. Remember that if you are breastfeeding, you’ll need to consume at least 1800-2000 calories a day for optimal lactation. Breastfeeding itself also burns about 600 calories a day, so working within this balance will help both you and baby. Foods without chemicals will help your body function as best it can and of course give baby the most natural options possible.

One of my sensational self-care clients recently confessed a secret: despite her progess and our work together creating a nourishing diet based on healthy, whole foods, sometimes she still found herself caught up in cravings for the unhealthy options on the menu or at the dinner table.  

In the past year, I have been learning and using essential oils and Aromatherapy. I have been using them in my yoga practice, cleaning the house, to lift my spirits, to ground my energy..... a NUMBER of ways. In fact, I have a new challenge to myself: use the oils in a NEW way, each week. I find oils to be useful and purposeful in the home as well as an enhancement to our healthy lifestyle and my spiritual practice. There are so many ways to use Aromatherapy and integrate the oils into your life.

My current favorite uses for oils:

Have you ever read an article about the importance of “unplugging?”  This idea that, if we turn off the electronic devices that connect us to the world for a while, we’ll start to get some of our Zen back?

I wanted to share with all the moms out there a look at lil omm in our new space in Tenleytown and how you don't have to be a "yogi" to enjoy the benefits of yoga.

Come one, come all to the lil omm Holiday Party this Sunday, January 8 from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm! Connect with other lil omm students, teachers, family and friends!

A $5 donation is suggested to benefit our after-school yoga program at Wilson High School.

Drop-ins welcome or you can RSVP here: https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ASP/home.asp?studioid=8811

 
In an effort to change the “Pilates is only for chicks” mentality, Fuse Pilates Playground located in DC’s Dupont Circle, is partnering with the Los Angeles-based men’s cancer organization, Movember.

Tooth decay has become not only a U.S. epidemic with 4.5 million children developing severe tooth decay every year, but a global problem as well.  If left untreated severe tooth decay can cause:

I have the best job in DC.  I really , really don't like to brag about it. ...because honestly it's a ton of work.  But , there's no doubt in my mind that teaching yoga in Washington, DC is the best job. The joy, peace and calm that we bring to people is unbelievably rewarding.  My children are growing up around positive , motivated and kind people who embrace them with love. This community that we are building is growing..

I am happy to welcome new blogger Pleasance from the lil omm blog and lil omm yoga.

Breast cancer strikes one in eight women nationwide, according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Although the survival rate is increasing, a lot more work and research needs to be done. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, nationally recognized health and wellness expert Dr. “Ro” gives us her top picks for products that are showing their support and going “pink” for the cause.

See my interview with DC Metro area local, Dr. Rovenia M. Brock. Dr. Ro is the author of "Dr. Ro’s Ten Secrets To Livin’ Healthy".   For additional information about Dr. Ro, visit www.EverythingRo.Com.

I must admit I often thought of Guilana Rancic as another pretty face in Hollywood.  For a while, she was simply the woman in the fashion section of my Us Magazine.  That changed when she and her husband, Bill Rancic, aired their show, Guilana & Bill on the Style Network.

The show didn't come off as too glossy and hit on some pretty emotional topics.  The stress of career, marriage and infertility were all tackled in front of a camera.  Having some of my own infertility issues, I was drawn in by her real tears and emotional heartache that came with the IVF process.  I didn't go quite that far, but a number of my friends have bravely told me about the physical pain and emotional toll that IVF can take on a woman and on a marriage.

Join the stars of Nickelodeon, "Lets Move", and the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition at the Worldwide Day of Play this Saturday, September 24, 2011, at the Ellipse on the National Mall.  Joined by 50 partner organizations, this is Nickelodeon's largest event ever!  Kids can enjoy an entire day of physical activities, sports, and games with their favorite Nickelodeon stars including characters and casts from Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants, Big Time Rush, iCarly, Supah Ninjas, Victorius, and Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventures!

For millions of parents overwhelmed by the challenges of parenting, Supernanny Jo Frost has been there with common sense approaches focusing on consistency, positive family dynamics, and the importance of play.  Although she discontinued her popular American TV series, Supernanny, Jo continues to reach out to parents through her website www.jofrost.com, three parenting books, and UK television series, Extreme Parental Guidance.  

Recently, DC Metro Mom had the opportunity to interview Jo about an issue near and dear to her heart.  In the attached interview, Jo discusses the challenges she has faced since being diagnosed with asthma and exercise induced bronchospasm (EID), the warning sings for identifying breathing problems in your children, and her experiences with managing and treating these conditions.   For all of us, the oppressive heat of a DC summer makes it difficult to spend time outdoors.  We thank Jo for offering her strategies for managing asthma & EID, beating the heat, and staying active and healthy.

I recently had an opportunity to interview child nutrition expert and author of the The Uncle Sam Diet, Dr. Keith Ayoob.  In the attached interview, Dr. Ayoob addresses my many questions on the fundamentals of effective childhood nutrition.  Dr. Ayoob puts forth useful strategies to help families make the right food choices.  From breakfast to dinner, Dr. Ayoob weighs in on the right nutritional balance for today's busy kids. Dr. Ayoob also shares how the DC Metro area is stacking up on the fight against childhood obesity.  See more on the attached video.

The laundry is piling up, dishes have to be done, your 2 year old needs a diaper change, your 4 year old is demanding your attention and you just realized your 8 year old has been watching TV for over an hour - you are OVERWHELMED, feeling GUILTY, and just want to take shower!  What can you do to remain the "eye of the hurricane" - calm, tranquil, and in-control while NOT neglecting your own needs? This is a never-ending challenge in the world of motherhood.

By the time we go to the hospital to deliver our babies, most of us have selected a pediatrician to guide us in keeping them healthy for the next 18 years.  The pediatricians and their staff provide invaluable information to parents about how to raise healthy children.  One health issue often does not come up, however, until 3 years of age or until there is a problem: your child's teeth.

Many are not familiar with the American Dental Association's and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry's recommendation that we take our children to the dentist when their first teeth start to erupt (at around 6 months) or by no later than 12 months of age.  Most of us may have been told that our children should first visit the dentist at 3 years of age, but, unfortunately, this often is too late for many children.  Cavities (which are really bacterial infections) can occur soon after the first few teeth start to appear.  Your dentist-or more specifically, a pediatric dentist, who has completed an additional two years of specialty training-will be able to work with you to determine the best ways to support healthy dental habits among your children.  They can provide information and answer questions about oral hygiene, fluoride use, dental emergencies, pacifier use and thumb sucking, how to alleviate teething pains, and a "tooth-friendly" diet.

By starting early, you can help your child become accustomed to visiting the dentist and having preventive check-ups.  Children who do not visit the dentist until 3 years of age or older may have a harder time sitting through an appointment and, if extensive work is needed, may require sedation.  Prevention is the key, and the earlier we start the dental visits, the sooner we are empowered with the information and guidance from the dental team to keep our children's mouths healthy.  The field of dentistry has come a long way, however, and our children no longer have to fear the dentist as we may have growing up.  Many dentists now have access to better technology, such as digital x-rays that emit a fraction of the radiation as traditional x-rays, as well as dental lasers that enable many cavities to be filled without local anesthesia, pain, or the dreaded drill.  So, let's find that "dental home" for our kids by 12 months of age and teach our kids the importance of dental health and the role of the dentist as a friend early on!

Written by Niloo Mofakhami, DDS from Children's Denistry of Oakton.