TGIF | Friday Fragments {Ugly Crying & Challenges}

I am a HUGE How I Met Your Mother Fan. If you've never seen an episode of How I Met Your Mother or if you used to watch but got bored waiting for Ted to meet the "Mother" - Monday night's 200th episode was one of THE BEST of the entire series and one you should watch. Truly worth the wait, because they nailed it. And by the time we got to the First Song, I was ugly crying. You may want to grab some tissues before watching.  

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Earlier this week I tweeted a comedian who used "autistic" to make fun of someone's dancing. You will NEVER believe the response I got! You can read all about it, HERE.

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I've been participating in the #365FeministSelfie Challenge created by Veronica of Viva La Feminista. I love seeing what other women are sharing across social media. Don't feel pressured to do it every day - I certainly don't.  Below is the Instagram picture that I shared on Monday morning while on my way to work. But my pictures throughout the week tell a different story and by today...my #365FeministSelfie is looking a wee bit different.    

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And speaking of challenges...It's about time I start challenging myself. I gained a lot of weight in 2013 and I really need to get it under control. I began 2014 tipping the scale at 175lbs. I need to get motivated. I need to get back in the gym and working out at home and eating better. So starting tomorrow February 1st (ending March 2nd) I'm doing the Athleta 30 Day Squat Challenge. Will you join me?  

TGIFriday Fragments! 

Stock Up On Healthy Essentials | #Moms4JNJConsumer #ad

Disclaimer: This post is part of the HEALTHY ESSENTIALS® 2014 program by Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. and The Motherhood, who sent me a box of products and compensated me for my time. Opinions, experiences and photos shared here are all my own, and I hope you enjoy them.

I have this little ritual around New Year's. I go into major clean mode. I start organizing, sorting and throwing things away. I like going into the New Year feeling like I have a completely fresh start. One of the areas I spent a lot of time was my linen closet. 

My linen closet - by the way - has no linen. It's pretty much a storage space for towels,  toiletries, first aid necessities and other healthy essentials. I toss anything that's expired and if it doesn't have an expiration date - if I can't remember when I bought it, then it goes too. Then I take stock of what I have and what I need. 


Turned out, I needed quite a few things. Luckily I received this beautiful box of Healthy Essentials…

         

And it's great to know that there's a way to save on other healthy essentials not found in my box of goodies. Guess what? You can too. 

Get Significant Savings from Healthy Essentials this Month

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I am excited to join Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies for a Twitter party to talk about HEALTHY ESSENTIALS® for the New Year, resolutions, family wellness and how to score great deals on health and hygiene products! Learn how HEALTHY ESSENTIALS® can help you reach health-related goals for 2014.

When: Tuesday, January 14, 1 p.m. ET

Hashtag: #Moms4JNJConsumer 

Hosts: @theMotherhood, @CooperMunroe, @EmilyMcKhann, @TheMotherhood25 

Prizes: We will randomly award 15 prizes throughout the party, from all eligible correct responses to trivia questions. Each prize includes an assortment of Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies HEALTHY ESSENTIALS® products with an estimated retail value of $50.

Prize Eligibility: No purchase necessary. Entrants must be legal residents of the 50 United States + D.C. 18 years of age or older. Void where prohibited.

Want to go to 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™? Visit HealthyEssentials.com and see if your wish could come true. Plus, get tips and coupons to save on your favorite products for the New Year.

All you have to do is share a picture or story of a moment of caring in your life and you could scream “GOAL!” from Brazil.

Visit www.healthyessentials.com for more information on this amazing opportunity!

Disclaimer: This post is part of the HEALTHY ESSENTIALS® 2014 program by Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. and The Motherhood, who sent me a box of products and compensated me for my time. Opinions, experiences and photos shared here are all my own, and I hope you enjoy them.

Feria de Salud #PorTuFamilia (The Campaign to STOP Diabetes)

Did you know? 

• An estimated 1.3 million adult New Yorkers (almost 1 in 8) now have diabetes.
• Almost 28% of Latinos and Hispanics in the New York City market, and 31% of African American New Yorkers, have diabetes. 
• In New York City during 2007, 22 African Americans and 23 Latinos of every 100,000 died from diabetes.

I worry about diabetes. The Husband's parents are both diabetic and so is my grandfather. There is also a family history of obesity, heart disease, cholesterol and high blood pressure.   

The Husband is over 40 years old and has been on medication for high cholesterol on and off for the last five years. Being the parents of a special needs child, our personal health is of the utmost importance. We want need to live for as long as we can and be as healthy as possible.

We need to EDUCATE ourselves and modify our lifestyle and eating habits.

We need to teach The Boy how to eat and take care of himself so that he isn't at risk for diabetes.

George Torres aka the @UrbanJibaro of Sofrito for Your Soul has started the social media campaign #PorTuFamilia to raise awareness about Diabetes in the Latino Community. And this Saturday in The Bronx there will be an amazing family friendly event.        

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Saturday, August 17, 2013
11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
St Mary's Park 146-148 Street St. Ann's Avenue, Bronx, NY

Feria de Salud is an outdoor community event, that reaches thousands of Latino/Hispanics with the important message that they may be at risk for diabetes. Feria captures the festive elements of a street fair, but maintains the important aspects of choosing and managing a healthier lifestyle for the entire Latino family. Join us for free health screenings, live music and dance, cooking demonstrations, children activites, healthy information and more!

For more information on diabetes please visit - www.diabetes.org

September is World Alzheimer's Awareness Month #EndAlzNow

Today is my birthday. I am one year older - officially late 30s. (Or as The Husband calls it, "the wrong side of 30.") And I worry about getting older more and more. I want to try to live for as long as a I can and to be healthy for as long as I can.

Part of trying to live forever is being aware and trying to take care of myself now. I know I need to lose weight, eat better, brush my teeth twice a day and remember to floss - these are all things that will help improve/maintain my overall health.   

But I also worry about Alzheimer's.  Both of my grandmothers had it.

I remember how sad it was seeing my grandmothers and have them not remember me. Even though they both lived with us for significant amounts of time. It was sad that when I saw them, I could no longer communicate with them because they had both lost the ability to speak English. They lost all track of time, forgetting where they were and who they loved. Alzheimer's robbed both of my grandmothers of their memories. And it was extremely difficult for my family.   

I don't want The Boy to experience that kind of pain. (He may not even be able to understand.) As his mother, I always want to know who he is. I don't want to be robbed of any of my memories of him.

I worry about my parents - they are both over 60 years old. Will the day come when they no longer remember me or my siblings? Will the day come when they no longer remember The Boy? The Boy is their only grandchild and he is extremely attached to them, especially my mother. 


The Boy with my parents

I am at the age, where I've experienced the loss of loved ones. I am at the age where some of friends have already lost their parents and I have mourned with them.

I want my parents to be healthy and live for as long as they can. Which is why I've registered for the Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry. 

What's the Registry?

It's a community of people interested in making an impact on Alzheimer's research to help stop the disease. The goal is to keep enrollees informed of the latest news and advocacy to drive focus on Alzheimer's.

Who is eligible for the Registry?

The Registry is open to anyone 18 and older. 

How do I join the Registry? 

It's quick and easy! Just visit www.endalznow.org to sign up. By signing up, you will have access to information and resources about what’s being done to fight this disease. (You might also be asked to be part of a research study, which is always your choice and you have no obligation to be part of!)

KEY POINTS on Alzheimer's

• Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia and is not a normal part of aging
• Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in the U.S. And the only one of the top 10 causes of death that cannot currently be prevented, treated or cured
• 5.4 million Americans are affected by Alzheimer’s, and someone is diagnosed every 6.9 seconds

KEY POINTS on Alzheimer's and LATINOS

• Latinos are one-and-a-half more likely than whites to have Alzheimer's but are less likely than whites to receive a diagnosis. The average age when initial symptoms appear in Latinos is 6.8 years earlier than in whites.
• The number of Latinos with Alzheimer's and related dementias in the United States could increase more than six-fold by 2050, to as many as 1.3 million cases from fewer than 200,000 today..
• Age is a major risk factor associated with Alzheimer's and life expectancy for Hispanics will increase to age 87 by 2050 - surpassing that of all other racial groups in the nation.

For  More Information on Alzheimers  

• Alzheimer’s vs. normal aging - http://www.banneralz.org/physicians-plus-referrals/symptoms-plus-diagnosis.aspx
• Alzheimer’s vs. dementia, and prevention - http://banneralz.org/patients-plus-family/alzheimer's-what-you-need-to-know.aspx
• Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry - http://endalznow.org/

* This is a sponsored post in collaboration with The Motherhood and Banner's Alzheimer's Institute. All opinions, ideas and stories are my own. 

How I Feel About Getting Old

In 23 more days, I will be 37 years old (um, not like I'm counting or anything).  The Husband likes to tease me and say, I'm on the wrong side of 30. I suppose I am.  I will be another year closer to 40. Slowly approaching mid-life.

I don't care about my age. I've never been one of those woman who wants to be twenty two forever. In many ways, I look forward to the years ahead. From a personal stand point - I have so much to still look forward to. 

But in the last year I've had to think about things like life insurance, living wills and special needs trusts.

I'm not old now. But one day, I will be and I worry about the day when I cannot care for The Boy. 

I worry about that day more and more.   

While at BlogHer I stopped by the Pfizer Get Old exhibit booth. There were a few young men and women wearing t-shirts that said "Get Old" - and that's the kind of thing that grabs my attention. Behind them was a big white wall where everyone was sticking different colored post its. I was asked one question:

 HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT GETTING OLD?

The choices were: optimistic, angry, prepared or uneasy.

In case you don't know, my answer was (and still is) uneasy. Check out what other BlogHer12 attendees said about getting old -- HERE.

Based on collected data from the general public 30% of people feel optimistic; 28% feel angry; 11% feel prepared and 30% feel uneasy.  So it's nice to know I'm not alone.

Pfizer wants people to face the inevitable - we will all get old. The www.GetOld.com site not only provides useful information about aging but also invites people to share their thoughts about getting older. 

And to add to the Get Old conversation Pfizer has partnered with: Alzheimer’s Association, Easter Seals, International Longevity Center at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, Men’s Health Network, National Alliance for Caregiving, National Black Nurses Association, National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, National Consumers League, National Family Caregivers Association, Patient Advocate Foundation, Society for Women’s Health Research, Visiting Nurse Associations of America, and WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease. 

  

Getting older isn't a subject many people want to talk about. It's a subject young people don't think about. Andi t's certainly a subject parents of special needs children constantly worry about. 

But the more we talk about it now, the better off we'll be. The healthier we live now while we're young, the healthier we will be when we are older. 

It's time to make some changes in my life. I want to be in the groups that feel prepared and optimistic.  

Would love to know - How do YOU feel about getting old? 

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Celebrating Another Year. Celebrating The #BestOfMe

I was one of those girls who always loved makeup. I wanted pink cheeks, red lips, eye lined eyes and long black lashes. I believed makeup made you beautiful.

My mother didn't feel the same way and forbade me from wearing make up until I was sixteen. She believed in natural beauty and less is more.

I took my mother's advice. As I started wearing makeup, I wore it sparingly. A little lipstick, maybe some mascara. I wore it for want, not out of need. As I got a little older, makeup became something I wore daily.     

And in my younger years, I never put much thought into my skin care regimen. I didn't use sunscreen. I didn't moisturize. I went to sleep without removing my makeup. Like most young women, I took my skin for granted.

In less than a month I will celebrate another year - my 37th. I've noticed that my body is changing.  My skin is changing. I even found a strand of gray hair. But those are superficial things. It's how I feel about me.   

I can't stop getting older. And I don't want to, I love and appreciate the knowledge that comes with age. But that doesn't mean I want to look older than my age.  
It's been years since I've taken my skin for granted - especially after my mother had skin cancer. I want my skin to be a reflection of  how healthy and radiant I feel. 

I wash my face twice a day and moisturize daily. I've started wearing makeup with SPF. I drink lots of water and I get as much sleep as I can (okay maybe I'm not so successful with this one). I take days off from wearing makeup to let my skin breath.

And on those makeup free days, I feel just as confident about how I look.

I feel good about my age. I am proud about the things I've done. I feel good about the path I'm on.
I am happy and content with the life I have made and all the people in it. 

I don't want to use makeup to hide my skin and I don't want to need makeup to feel beautiful.

Don't get me wrong. I'm still a gal who loves red lips and long lashes. But I've also learned that those aren't things that make a woman beautiful.    

That's why, I excited to partner with Neutrogena and share their new line of moisturizers called Rapid Tone Repair. Neutrogena understands the common complexion concerns so many women have.

In a recent survey conducted among one thousand women over 18 years of age in the US, including Latinas, 49% of Hispanic women reported having uneven skin tone or dark spots and admitted this represented their top skincare issue.

o       Neutrogena's new line of moisturizers called Rapid Tone Repair leverages the power of Accelerated Retinol SA and Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, to help return our complexion into a clearer more even canvas.

o       Neutrogena Rapid Tone Repair is a lightweight silky moisturizer that absorbs quickly into skin and is clinically proven to help fade the look of dark spots, and discoloration, delivering fast results and healthier looking skin with minimal irritation and superior aesthetics.

For more information on Neutrogena be sure to follow them on Facebook - click HERE

And for more information on Neutrogena Rapid Tone Repair Products - click  HERE 

Disclosure: This is a compensated post and in collaboration with Neutrogena and Latina Bloggers Connect. All stories and opinions are my own.  

Why Probiotics May Be Beneficial For Children With Autism

A Through the Looking Glass Guest Post by Calvin Johnson

When it comes to the subject of autism and autistic children, one area that often gets overlooked is the connection between the gut and the brain. Many experts believe that when it comes to the subject of autism, the child's physical health should be examined and dealt with as much as their behavioral controls. According to a study done by the University of Western Ontario, diet has a huge impact for children with Autism and can even “alter their brain function.”

A study done by the American Journal of Gastroenterology showed that out of 60 children with autism, a staggering 93% (54 out of 58) of the children had ileocolonic lymphoid nodular hyperplasia (LNH). In addition, 88% of the children had a form of chronic colitis.

Diet May Play A Big Part

Like the above studies show, the stomach and the brain may be linked in a very important way, which means having a proper diet can make a huge impact with individuals with autism. Many believe that cutting out dairy products that contain casein and grain products that contain gluten can improve autism symptoms.

Bad Bacteria Vs. Good Bacteria

When there is not enough “good” bacteria in the gut flora, the “bad” bacteria can overwhelm it and can wreak havoc on the body. Many experts believe that for a body to function correctly and for digestion to work correctly, roughly 85% of the bacteria should be made up from good bacteria.

Where Does This Bad Bacteria Come From?

A popular belief of where this bad bacteria comes from will surprise many. A newborn baby's first exposure to “beneficial” bacteria is via their mother's birth canal. However, if the mother has taken antibiotics for an extended period of time or herself does not have a strong gut flora balance, the “bad” bacteria can be passed on to the child. One of the main purposes of taking antibiotics is to destroy the bad bacteria in your body that is causing your infection. However, it is impossible for the antibiotics to differentiate between the good and bad bacteria and in turn will wipe out both. The lack of beneficial bacteria can cause the gut flora imbalance.

How Probiotics May Help

Probiotics can be described as live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. Probiotics are supplements that can be taken in either pill or powder form that replenish the good bacteria in the body. Some of the most popular strains of probiotics are bacteria are Acidophilus and Bifidus. When picking out a probiotic, it is important to make sure they are gluten and casein free as these ingredients can produce allergic reactions for children with autism.

For whatever reason, there still has not been a large number of studies done on the subject of probiotics and autism. However, there have been numerous testimonials done where parents have found that the use of probiotics have helped out tremendously with their children.

Probiotics For Minimizing Risk

According to the Autism Research Institute and the article What Can Be Done to Prevent Autism Now? “taking probiotics, and using specific diets and herbs for intestinal pathogens such as yeast and parasites can all be helpful in optimizing health; all of these greatly enhance the likelihood that her child will not be prone to GI problems.”

Probiotics and Autism Conclusion

There is not a huge amount of data when it comes to a link between taking probiotics and reducing the symptoms by autism. However, there is an overwhelming amount of testimonials of mothers and fathers who swear by them. If you are interested in learning more about the subject of probiotics or read testimonials from parents who have found probiotics helping their children Custom Probiotics is one of the largest resources of probiotics information.

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Calvin Johnson is webmaster of  What Are Probiotics and is a probiotic enthusiast. Please feel free to contact him with any probiotic related questions or to share any experiences about the subject of probiotics.

Sources:

(1) http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2007/09/27/autism-study.html

(2) http://www.autismndi.com/news/display.asp?content=Resources&shownews=20040802121304

(3) http://www.autism.com/index.php/prevention