Serendipity Mommy

For happy, healthy, thriving moms

Don’t Let The Holidays Stress You Out

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Everyone experiences stress. With so many unexpected variables in life, it’s inevitable. What’s important is to recognize what you are feeling and know that you can learn how to manage stress. Otherwise, it can overwhelm you or cause you related health issues. 

When you start preparing for the upcoming holiday season, make sure to use some known stress-relieving techniques to combat the extra pressures the holiday season brings. Exercising works wonders to lower hormone levels that naturally increase with stress. If you can’t seem to find the time to fit in your usual jog or yoga session, all is not lost. When you are hopping from store to store, trying to find the perfect gifts, park further away from the stores instead of looking for the closest spot. 

Gifting Stress Relief

Finding the perfect gifts for family and friends comes at a cost. Sometimes that cost can feel like you’re losing your sanity if you let it. Why not share your mindfulness by gifting your loved ones with a care package of relaxation products? Reminding others of the importance of self-care is a gift that never goes out of style. 

Coping With Shopping

It can be easy to get carried away when you don’t have a plan of action for your holiday shopping. Starting the new year with excess debt from the holidays will certainly compound your woes. Start with a budget. Take a realistic look at your cash flow and determine exactly how much you are willing to spend on shopping for others. Be forewarned, creating a budget is the easy part; sticking to it requires more effort. 

Have a plan of action. Holiday shopping isn’t the only thing that can easily overwhelm you during the holidays. Planning meals and accommodations for out-of-town guests can be equally troublesome. Create a timeline of what tasks need to be done when and prepare as much as you can in advance. The point of planning is to try to keep from being overwhelmed with everything at the same time.  

Avoiding the chaos of holiday shoppers can also lend to your peace of mind. Shopping centers and malls are less crowded during the week. If you can fit it into your schedule, try to plan to do your shopping during the day or weeknights. If you find yourself stuck standing in a long line, despite your best efforts, use that time to practice mindfulness. 

Gifts to Yourself

It is normal to focus on everyone else and be selfless, especially during the holidays. You can do that as long as you don’t forget to take care of yourself as well. The best thing you can give yourself is “me time”. Make sure you set some time aside every day just for yourself. You can do this by spending 5 minutes every morning either stretching or doing mindful meditation. Taking your mind to a beautiful and peaceful place, practicing controlled breathing, and just letting yourself relax sets you up for a smooth, less stressful day. 

If despite your best efforts you still find yourself feeling stressed out during the day, take a break. Stop what you’re doing and take a moment to refocus and allow yourself the opportunity for frustrations to pass instead of compound. Slow, deliberate breathing can be an effective method for calming down. 

Being generous isn’t defined by the amount you spend on presents. The best gift you can give someone is your time and attention. Remind yourself the holidays won’t last forever. Brush off annoyances and be patient with your loved ones. Keeping your cool over the holidays is healthier than being stressed out and will make them much more enjoyable for everyone.

6 Ways to Strengthen Your Immune System

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Immune function is critical to a happy and prosperous daily life. There are some neat things dependent on your immune system that it is important to keep it strong and healthy. However, there are many ways you can naturally improve your immune function that many people don’t take advantage of.

1. Getting Enough Sleep

The first and easiest way to get a better immune system is to get enough sleep every night. Sleep is one of the most important parts of living a healthy life, and it seems like most people don’t even realize it. Sleep has exceptional benefits on your immune system, and it even has benefits for your mental health and well-being. When you don’t get enough sleep, you are more likely to do impulsive things and not eat well. It also degrades your mental facilities, and you are less likely to be successful in whatever you are doing. Sleep also has an important effect on the way you feel. You are more likely to be angry and rude to the people around you.

2. Eating the Right Diet

The food you eat has a huge effect on your immune system. You need to eat a diet rich in vitamins and minerals to give your body what it needs to fight off infections. Eating bad foods can also deplete the minerals already inside your body, making it harder for your body to fight off any diseases. Choosing the right food means doing something good for your immune system.

3. Not Stressing About Things That Don’t Matter

Stress is also a major player in how good your immune system is. The more you stress, the less likely you are to fight off infections and maintain your health. One of the easiest things you can do is to cut stressful people and things out of your life. You can also try mental health exercises to limit the amount of stress you have. Doing these things will help you have a stronger immune system.

4. Omega-3 and Other Supplements

Supplementation is a great way to get the needed nutrients for your body. Omega-3 supplementation is a must for the overwhelming majority of people. It has great effects on brain health and your immune system. An EPA supplement helps support healthy immune function. It is also a great way for you to get nutrients without eating certain types of foods. It can be helpful for people on restrictive diets.

5. Exercise

Exercise not only has great benefits for your physical and mental health, but it can also help you in other ways too. Exercise has a great effect on your immune system, so it is important to do it as regularly as possible. Being sedentary has dangerous effects on your body, mental health, and even your immune system. Regular fitness at home or elsewhere is also a great way to get those endorphins flowing, which will help you feel great all throughout your day.

6. Meditation

Meditation will help relax and calm your mind. This meditation is the easiest way for you to reduce stress, and it will help your immune system even more. It will also have a calming effect on you throughout the day, so you will get more done and feel confident. This feedback loop has an exceptional effect on your immune system function. Meditation is one of the easiest things you can do to improve every facet of your life.

5 Healthy Breakfast Options for Your Family

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When you’re running late in the morning, it can be tempting to grab a pastry and run out the door. But starting the morning with salty or sugary foods can make you feel sluggish and bloated as the day goes on. Skip the doughnuts and coffee and start your family’s day off right with these healthy breakfast options. They’re quick and affordable and don’t take long to prepare, so you can feed your entire family and be out the door in no time.

1. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a great way to start the morning. It’s cheap and healthy and packed with nutrients, so you’ll feel happy and energetic throughout the rest of the day. A bowl of plain oatmeal might not sound appetizing, but you can customize your oatmeal with any toppings you like. Try adding sliced fruit, nuts, maple syrup, cream, brown sugar, honey, and other toppings to turn your bland oatmeal into a delicious treat. And if you’re running late and don’t have time to cook up a pot of oatmeal, try serving a cup of instant oats with fruit for breakfast.

2. Eggs

Okay, fried eggs in grease aren’t exactly the healthiest option. But eggs are jam-packed with protein and nutrients. Keep a stash of hard-boiled eggs in the fridge that you can grab at a moment’s notice. They’re healthy and delicious and taste great with a little salt. You can also whip up a batch of scrambled eggs or cook an omelet with some light, healthy ingredients like vegetables and low-fat cheese. If you want to try something different, serve soft-boiled eggs with strips of toast for dipping.

3. Avocado Toast

You’ve seen plates of avocado toast all over social media–now it’s time to try it for yourself. Avocados are buttery and creamy and the perfect healthy addition to a plate of toast. You can slice the avocados and arrange them on the bread or mix them into guacamole and spread it over the toast. If you want to get more protein in your diet, try adding a fried egg on top. It’s a light but filling way to get all the energy you need to keep going throughout the day.

4. Yogurt Bark

Your kids might balk at the thought of eating yogurt for breakfast. But what if you served tasty yogurt bark complete with fruit and nut pieces? They might feel like they’re eating white chocolate for breakfast. The process is simple: spread some yogurt on a cooking sheet, add sliced fruit, nuts, honey, and other toppings, and throw it in the freezer. When it’s frozen solid, you can cut the yogurt into pieces of bark and enjoy a healthy, portable snack on the go. Just make sure you bring a napkin because the yogurt might start to melt if you’re sitting in a hot car.

5. Exotic Fruit

Again, your kids might not like the idea of eating fruit for breakfast. But imagine their surprise when you bring out a tray of colorful, exotic fruits like golden berries, pomegranate seeds, dragonfruit, dates, rambutans, and anything else you can find at the store. Your family will enjoy experimenting with different fruits and discover new favorites that might become a staple in your household. Plus, you’ll have fun looking for new fruits to try when you go shopping at the grocery store. It’s a fun, exciting way to get everyone in your family to eat healthily.

5 Ways for Busy Parents To Improve Their Health

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As parents, we understand the value of a productive schedule; While we’re busy making the kid’s lunches, getting them out the door and on the school bus, and battling chaotic morning traffic, the thought of staying healthy slips into the back of our mind. How can we, as parents that don’t have a minute to spare, get in shape, and maintain our health?

 

If you’re ready to implement some easy-to-follow tricks into your daily routine, here’s what you should consider.

1. Pre-Cooked Meals

Having a well-balanced diet filled with healthy fats, good carbohydrates, lean protein, fruits, and green veggies is the cornerstone of a healthy body. However, we don’t have time to cook these meals each night while juggling our other responsibilities. If this sounds like you, pre-cooked meals are going to be your lifesaver!

Pre-cooked meals, as their name implies, are various dishes that you cook in bulk. Pick any day out of the week and schedule an hour or two where you can cook undisturbed. Incorporate healthy proteins, green veggies, a carbohydrate source, and a piece of fruit into each meal. Cook enough meals for, say, three or four days in advance. Then place each meal into a container and store them in your fridge or freezer.

2. Gut Health

Optimizing your gut health is one of the most overlooked tools for getting into shape. When our gut has healthy bacteria, digesting foods, and optimizing the nutrition from those food sources is fast and efficient.

When we’re low on healthy gut bacteria, it can cause problems such as constipation, fatigue, weight gain, and skin irritation. To counteract this, we must incorporate probiotic supplements into our routine. Probiotics, put simply, are living organisms that maintain and regulate gut flora. When we increase the number of healthy bacteria, we have in our system, our stomach and digestive system work more efficiently. Give probiotic pills and drinks a try for the sake of gut health. It could make a world of difference to the way you feel day-to-day.

3. Consistency Over Duration

With your current schedule, you can’t block out hours each day to get into the gym. Instead, we encourage you to develop the habit of consistency, not duration. It’s far more efficient to go for a brisk walk for ten or fifteen minutes every day instead of walking three hours once a week.

4. Calorie-Counting Apps

The most crucial step to staying in shape is knowing the number of calories you consume daily. If you go over your body’s calorie limit, you tend to gain weight. Go under this number, and it seems like weight melts off your frame.

Instead of pulling out a scratch pad with every meal and jotting down numbers, use calorie-counting apps to your advantage. These apps use an intricate database filled with thousands of foods and beverages. Take the guesswork out of your meals with these easy-to-use applications.

5. Involve Your Family

If you find it difficult to sneak away from your kids or family to maintain a fitness routine, bring them along with you for the journey! Not only will it free up valuable time in your schedule, but getting healthy as a family is a beautiful sight to see.

Encourage your kids to run, play, and have fun while walking on a trail or hiking up hills. Meanwhile, you can engage in conversation with your partner, family member, or friend. By doing this, you maintain your health and invest in the future of your family!

Fall In Love With Your Face

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Everyone wants flawless skin, but few are born with it. In order to put your best face forward, especially with the seasonal changes, you need to know how to best care for your skin during the different times of the year.

As the seasons transition from summer to fall, temperatures and humidity drop. Drier air means moisturizing your face is increasingly important. If you have dry patches or flaky skin, the most effective tool to combat dryness is an exfoliator. By getting rid of dead, dry skin cells, you allow fresh skin to better absorb moisture, leading to healthier looking and feeling skin.

Difference Between Cleansers

Not all facial cleansers are created equally. If you have acne-prone skin, it’s important to know the difference between benzoyl peroxide versus salicylic acid and how these ingredients help combat breakouts.

If you are trying to decide which ingredient is more effective, the answer is both. A varied skincare routine will be the most effective way to keep your skin clear from acne. Benzoyl peroxide helps fight existing acne because it delivers an oxygen-rich environment that bacteria can’t thrive in. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce inflammation associated with acne.

On the other hand, salicylic acid gently exfoliates your skin and helps to unclog pores. Acne forms when pores get clogged and bacteria have the chance to grow. To keep a well-balanced routine, you should use a cleanser with benzoyl peroxide in the morning and one with salicylic acid in the evening so you are reaping the benefits of both cleansing ingredients.

Moisturize

Once you have your cleaning routine down pat, the next most important step is moisturizing your skin. Making sure your skin is properly hydrated is most important starting in the autumn because this is when the air becomes drier and you are more prone to dry, itchy, and even flaky skin.

Find a moisturizer that is best for your skin type. If you have oily skin, use a lighter and maybe oil-free moisturizer that will hydrate your skin without feeling too heavy. The biggest mistake you can make is thinking you don’t have to use a moisturizer because you already have oily skin.

The best time to apply moisturizer is after cleansing and when your face is still slightly damp. This will help ensure it is absorbed by your skin and be the most effective in keeping your skin from drying out.

Don’t forget to drink an adequate amount of water too. Facial applications of moisture will only go so far. The benefits of drinking water are seemingly endless for overall good health. One of these benefits is hydrating your skin from the inside and flushing toxins out. Drinking sufficient amounts of water also helps to keep your complexion clear.

Diet

Just as paying attention to the amount of water you drink, it is also important to maintain a healthy diet. Try to cut back on the amount of sugar you consume. Processed foods and foods high in refined sugar are associated with aging your skin. Pay attention to eating your fruits and vegetables. Red, yellow and green vegetables are especially high in antioxidants that fight free radicals. Over time, free radicals break down the collagen in your skin.

Make sure you apply the adage of “variety is the spice of life” to your diet. Consuming a varied but healthy diet isn’t just better for your overall health, but it also leads to younger-looking and glowing skin.

Different seasons call for different wardrobe choices as well as skincare needs. Make sure to update each accordingly.

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