Saturday, January 29, 2011

Live Right Live Well: No More Headaches



By Michael Castleman for Live Right Live Well



Did you know that snoring can cause tension headaches? So can working at a computer and drinking coffee. In fact, these are just a few of the things that can cause the muscles around your head and neck to tighten up and trigger a tension headache. No wonder then that tension headaches are the most common type of headache, afflicting nearly four out of five adults at some point in their lives, according to the National Headache Foundation.
No More HeadachesOften called “hatband headaches,” these headaches frequently feel as if you’re wearing a hat that is too tight. The pain can also feel as if it’s radiating out of the upper neck. Typically it’s a steady ache, not a throbbing. Fortunately, many tension headaches can be prevented with simple lifestyle adjustments. Consider the following:

Stop snoring Snoring and a related condition called sleep apnea can cause tension in neck muscles, which can cause headache. Since you’re most likely to snore if you sleep on your back, using a special pillow that encourages you to sleep on your side can help. So can sewing a tennis ball into a pocket on the back of your pajama tops. If snoring is particularly loud and punctuated with brief choking silences, ask your doctor about sleep apnea, a related condition where the airway becomes blocked, which interferes with breathing. Researchers in Norway have discovered that people who suffer from wake-up headaches are seven times more likely to have sleep apnea compared to people who don’t.

Reduce stress Ohio University researchers gave 203 tension headache sufferers several treatments, among them stress management training. More than two years later, the stress management group reported significantly fewer headaches. “A daily stress management regimen is one of the best defenses against tension headache,” says alternative medicine expert and author, Andrew Weil, M.D. “Meditation, deep breathing, yoga, tai chi -- I suggest using one or more of these shortly after waking or right before bed and any time you feel stressed.”

Get moving A brisk, 45-minute walk three or more days a week can relieve stress and reduce the frequency of tension headaches considerably, reports Fred Sheftell, M.D., of the New England Center for Headache in Stamford, Conn.

Stretch your neck muscles Don’t sit hunched over with your shoulders up by your ears. Train yourself to sit straight with shoulders dropped. You should feel a slight, pleasant pulling in the back of your neck, says Anne Simons, M.D., a family practitioner in San Francisco. In addition, stretch your neck muscles several times a day, especially when working at a computer. Roll your head in slow circles clockwise and counterclockwise.

Massage your neck When you feel any neck soreness, take a few minutes to massage the muscles at the back of your neck, recommends Walker Robinson, M.D., a neurosurgeon in Champaign, Ill. Indian researchers massaged the heads, necks and shoulders of 21 women who had chronic tension headaches. After 10 massages over six months, their headache frequency dropped significantly. Another option: Place an ice pack, bag of frozen peas or a cool, damp towel on the back of your neck.

Quit smoking Smoking increases the risk of headaches because it constricts blood vessels, limiting blood flow to the head and neck muscles.

Try acupressure German researchers gave 270 chronic tension headache sufferers one of three treatments: real acupuncture, sham acupuncture (needles in places that are not true acupuncture points) or no treatment. Real acupuncture worked best, cutting headache frequency in half. You can get similar benefits at home with do-it-yourself acupressure, which uses finger pressure instead of needles. Try placing one finger in each of the hollows on either side of the base of your neck. Press firmly for a minute or two several times a day or whenever you feel stressed. Another good acupressure point is located in the webbing between your thumb and index finger. Use the thumb and index finger of the opposite hand to pinch this spot; hold for a few minutes, then switch hands.

Eliminate caffeine -- slowly Coffee, tea and caffeinated sodas can increase muscle tension and therefore tension headaches, Dr. Weil explains. But if you consume caffeine regularly, don’t stop cold turkey since quitting suddenly can cause a caffeine-withdrawal headache that may last for several days. Instead, wean yourself slowly.

Keep a headache diary “Every time you get a headache, jot down the date and time and any psychological, physical or environmental factors you think might have contributed to it, including foods and beverages consumed during the previous few hours,” Dr. Simons advises. With a little luck, you’ll see a pattern you can change, and you won’t have to suffer that “vice-around-the-head” sensation as often, if at all!

Michael Castleman has been called "one of the nation's leading health writers" (Library Journal). He is the author of 11 consumer health books and more than 1,500 health articles for magazines and the Web.



Great Giveaway: 24 Personalized Valentine's Day Cards from Pear Tree Greetings Ends 2/4!



This month's Pear Tree giveaway is 24 Personalized Valentine's Day Cards! This year's Valentine's Collection is awesome!  Not only do the have personalized cards, they also have Valentine's photocards, coloring cards, stickers, gift tags and address labels.  New this year, along with the Valentine's Stickers are their Valentine's Variety Packs.  You can choose from one of their 5 pre-made variety packs or build your own for a 15% discount.
Until February 14, Pear Tree is offering free shipping on all Valentine's Day orders.  Be sure to check the Pear Tree Promo Page for more great offers!

Buy It!

Shop the Pear Tree Promo Code page for the latest discounts and promotions on everything from Valentine's Day Cards, Baby Announcements and even a code valid on ANY purchase!

Win It!
One lucky Hot Mom Tips reader will receive 24 Personalized Valentine's Day Cards from Pear Tree Greetings!

Mandatory Entry
Follow Hot Mom Tips on Google Friend Connect.  Head on over to Pear Tree Greetings and take a look around.  Then come back here a leave me a comment with your favorite product from the Valentine's Day Collection.

Include your usernames and email if it's not visible in your profile. This must be done FIRST and your email must either be included or visible in your profile or all entries will be disqualified.

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 Giveaway ends February 4, 2011 11:59pm PDT.  Winner will be chosen at random using Random.org



Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Great Giveaway: Sweet Pea the Bumble Bee Book Ends 1/30!



Over the holidays I had the awesome opportunity to review the Sweet Pea the Bumble Bee book Spreading the Buzz of the Holiday Season.  Sweet Pea is Gabriel and Tiffany Corbett's darling French Bulldog who loves the camera. Her books, written by Tiffany Corbett and Courtney Noelle, are filled with positive messages along photos of Sweet Pea, taken by Gabriel and Tiffany, in adorable outfits and settings.  My 5-yr-old absolutely loved this book.  He took it to class for his "sharing day" the week before Christmas and the teacher asked to borrow it for the class after his.  All the kids in the class really liked the book so I let the class keep it until Christmas break.  It's a cute, inspirational book that's great for all ages.


Buy It: You can buy any or all 3 Sweet Pea the Bumble Bee dog books from The Bee Shop on Sweet Pea's website.

Win It!  One lucky Hot Mom Tips reader will win a Sweet Pea book!

Mandatory Entry:  Follow HMT on GFC and visit The Bee Shop on Sweet Pea's website then come back here and leave a comment with which book you would choose if you were to win.

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 Giveaway ends January 30, 2011 11:59pm PDT. 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Great Giveaway: SKOY Natural Multi-Use Cloths Ends 2/6


SKOY cloth is a ...
100% biodegradable
Absorbent
Re-usable
European-made
Clean
and Fun…
Multi-use cloth


Ok, I've got to just tell you right off, I love these cloths!  They are truly great!  I use them for everything: soaking up spills, wipe down counters, dusting, cleaning the bathroom and washing dishes.  The Skoy cloth is super absorbant with an absorption factor of 15x its own weight.  A single Skoy cloth is so durable it can be reused for months, replacing up to 15 rolls of paper towels.  They are machine washable and dishwasher-safe.  I wouldn't recommend drying in the dryer, although they are dryer-safe, because they will shrink, but there's really no need since they dry so quickly on their own.  To sanitize simply wet it and pop it in the microwave for a minute or two. SKOY is made from a unique blend of natural cotton and cellulose from wood. SKOY is both biodegradable and compostable. An independent composting test showed that SKOY broke down completely within 5 weeks. Bottom-line,  I cannot praise these cloths enough.  I very highly recommend them and will definitely be buying more, for myself and as gifts!



Buy It!
You can buy Skoy Cloths directly from the Skoy Website, Amazon.com or one of these E-tailers and local Retailers.

Win It!
One lucky Hot Mom Tips reader will win a multi-colored 4-pack of SKOY cloths.

Follow HMT on GFC and visit the Skoy website then come back here and leave a comment with something else you learned about SKOY.

Include your usernames and email if it's not visible in your profile. This must be done FIRST and your email must either be included or visible in your profile or all entries will be disqualified.

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 Giveaway ends February 6, 2011 11:59pm PDT.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.


Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Join Gifts to Grow now and get 100 Free Points.

From knowing exactly when they want teddy to comforting them at 3am, the list of love is endless. Gifts to Grow gives parents the rewards they deserve, simply by buying Pampers diapers and wipes. Join now and get 100 Free Points.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Product Review: Oliver's Labels Personalized Kids' Labels



Oliver's Labels are washing machine and dishwasher safe personalized labels.  They have all types and designs of labels.  My son chose the sports theme and we were sent a sample pack.  I really like their Stick-Eez clothing labels, they are no-sew, no-iron labels that you just stick on the care tag.  For tag-less clothes they also have iron-on labels that are easy to put on, and this coming from someone who is seriously domestically challenged.  Some of their other types of labels include safety wristbands, shoe labels and bag tags.  Oliver's labels designs range from cute to elegant to allergy alerts.

My favorite thing about Oliver's Labels is their Found-It code.  This is a lost and found code that you can get on your labels for free.  If an item is lost, whoever finds it can go to the website listed on the label and enter your code. Your code is tied to your email and Oliver's Labels acts as a go between to recover your stuff.  Your personal information is kept safe.  This is so much better than putting your phone number on your stuff.

Buy It! You can purchase Oliver's Labels from their website.  You can purchase individual types or one of their packages.  They also offer custom packages so you can get exactly what you need.

Connect! You can connect with Oliver's Labels by Facebook, Twitter and RSS

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Frustrated Rant Updated

Just as I was getting out of my funk I receive a letter in the mail that knocked me back down.  I'm in the process of applying for disability so I am currently on TANF, food stamps and Medicaid.  A few months ago the state (thanks to a deal with Republicans) cut my food stamps by $150, last month they cut all vision, dental and hearing aids from Medicaid (with 2 weeks notice, I was able to get my last two teeth pulled but didn't have enough time to get dentures and even though I had my rx no optometrist would accept it so I have only old broken glasses) and Friday I got a letter stating that starting February 1 my TANF is being cut by $100 without a corresponding raise in food stamps. I was already having to use half of my TANF to buy food since we usually run out of food stamps halfway through the month. So, for the past 3 days I've been wallowing in self-pity, furiously cursing the government and wracking my brain trying to figure out how I'm going to make this work.

Anyway, today I woke up and decided I'm done feeling sorry for myself, I've gotten through worse.  I may not have an answer yet but I can do this. I just need to remain calm, stop stressing and make a game plan.  Besides just getting this rant out has helped.

Update: Well, something good has come of this.  To receive TANF you have to be part of the workfirst program, spending 40 hrs a week in work activity or job training.  Since I have both mental and physical health issues (bipolar, adhd, ptsd, fibromyalgia, severe asthma, diabetes, severe allergies, half a stomach, quarter size pancreas, seizures and more) I have other requirements.  One of those requirements is a drug and alcohol treatment because I got a DUI when I was 18 (16 years ago) even though I haven't had a drink in 5 years.  Well, my counselor decide to graduate me early today since I've had near perfect attendance and passed all my drug tests!  I'm so excited b/c that saves me 5 hrs and $20 in gas a week.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Green Goes Simple: New Year’s Resolutions for Every Room


By Elizabeth Barker for Green Goes Simple

Making just one eco-improvement in each room of your home can put you on a greener path that will have you feeling good all year long. Keep it simple with this room-by-room guide, created with the help of Sophie Uliano, eco-living expert and author of Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-friendly Life.

In the living room, limit indoor air pollution with lots of plants. Livening up the room with chrysanthemums, spider plants or philodendrons can purify your indoor air and help you and your loved ones breathe easier.

In the kitchen, zero in on zapping waste. In addition to switching to reusable plates and napkins, try getting a wooden plastic-bag dryer. These let you wash your Baggies and air-dry them easily, helping you get at least four or five uses out of every one.

In the bedroom, replace burnt-out incandescent lightbulbs with the compact fluorescent variety. They last 10 times longer and use 75 percent less energy, and each bulb can save you at least $40 in electricity costs before it needs to be replaced.

In the bathroom, curb your water consumption by installing a low-flow showerhead. (They’re available at most hardware stores for as little as $5.) According to the American Water Works Association, if each American household used water-saving features, the country would save about 5.4 billion gallons of H2O per day. To conserve even more water, switch off the faucet while you lather up, brush up and shave.

In the laundry room, boost your energy savings by using cold-water detergents and line-drying your laundry in the fresh air when you’re able to.

Elizabeth Barker is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and executive
editor of fashion blog NoGoodForMe.com. Her work has appeared in Body
+ Soul, Natural Health, Vegetarian Times, Variety
and Kiwi.


Monday, January 10, 2011

Charge Up For Good Health: Make Life-changing Resolutions a Reality


By Dr. Larry Kubiak for Charge Up For Good Health


Many of my healthy habits -- like working out at the gym three times a week and eating a balanced breakfast -- actually started out as new year’s resolutions. I set one every year, and my track record over the last decade has been 10 for 10. But I found that the second week of January is the hardest to get through. It’s easy to drop the ball because your initial enthusiasm for making the change starts to fade, and you might not yet have seen positive results to motivate you. So how can you help yourself stick with it? Use my tried-and-true tips for making your life-changing resolutions a lasting reality.



Do keep your eye on the prize. Daydream about how you will look and feel when you meet your goal. For instance, if your resolution is to do strength-training exercises twice a week, envision your toned arms in a tank top. Suppose you want to stop smoking: Picture yourself with whiter teeth and clear lungs. Studies show that positive imagery helps keep you motivated.



Don’t be so secretive. Share your resolution with family and friends. Heck, even post it on Facebook. Why tell the world? It’s much easier to give up on a private goal than a public one. Plus, the more people who know what you’re trying to do, the more encouragement you’ll get.



Do allow for tweaks. Now that you’ve got two weeks of this resolution under your belt, feel free to make adjustments. After all, something that you didn’t anticipate may happen. Let’s say you’re really sore after working out for a whole hour. It’s better to put in shorter sessions than to give up exercise altogether.



Don’t get depressed about a slipup. Stuff happens. Rather than beat yourself up about what you didn’t do right one day, focus on the next. It could take a few months for your new behavior to become a habit. In the meantime, there are going to be some bad days. Just try your best.



Do build on your success. After you make one resolution stick, you’ll have so much more confidence for your next challenge. Set another one soon: Once you get going, the sky’s the limit!
Dr. Larry Kubiak is a psychologist
and
director
of psychological services at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.



Sunday, January 9, 2011

Book Review: Cinch!: Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds and Lose Inches! by Cynthia Sass



New Year's Resolution: This year I will lose weight by making better choices.

Answer: Cinch!: Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds and Lose Inches! by Cynthia Sass





There are no calories to count; no points or grams to memorize.
Just begin choosing four daily meals from over one hundred delicious options (along with a mandatory daily chocolate escape), and you're well on your way to achieving your weight-loss goals. In thirty days on the Cinch! plan, you'll shed pounds and inches—and overcome emotional eating in the process.
Acclaimed weight-loss expert Cynthia Sass has arrived at the exciting secret to sustainable weight loss: her innovative combinations of clean, nutrient-rich foods not only maximize fat-burning but also deliver a faster, healthier metabolism forever. Following the plan is as simple as putting together an easy-to-understand five piece puzzle at every meal and enjoying four delicious, easy-to-prepare meals in addition to a chocolate treat. The Cinch! plan includes a full thirty days' worth of quick-fix, satisfying meals and teaches you a simple strategy for creating your own, so you know exactly what, how much, and when to eat, whether you're at home, at a restaurant, or on vacation. Cinch! makes weight loss simple, with meals you'll look forward to eating (no "diet" foods). And best of all, Sass starts her plan with an innovative five-day "Fast Forward," which jump-starts the plan's impressive results and will leave you feeling lighter and healthier.
If you've been trying to eat more clean, natural, and organic foods, but have lacked the structure needed to lose weight, this is the exact plan you've been waiting for. Cinch! includes every tool you'll need for weightloss success: Sass's proven plan, expert tips and advice, daily journals, grocery-shopping lists, chapters on exercise and emotional eating, and a month's worth of recipes—customizable for meat eaters, vegetarians, and vegans. You'll enjoy Chocolate Pear Ginger Smoothies, Jalapeño Guacamole, and Chicken Pesto Pitas—to name just a few luscious Cinch! options!
Best of all, Cinch! weight loss is lasting weight loss. In one month, you'll recalibrate your body, freeing yourself from cravings and erratic eating, and begin a satisfying new relationship with food. With Sass's expertise behind you, you'll be empowered to continue creating Cinch!-friendly meals and feel inspired by a wealth of new eating habits—making this so much more than a diet.

Connect with Cynthia Sass:


My Thoughts:
While I have no doubt that Cinch! can do what it claims and help you lose weight in 30 days, I didn't find the program to be very practical.  The 5-day Fast Forward Plan consists of eating the same 4 meals, made up of ONLY spinach, eggs, raspberries, yogurt and almonds, for 5 days.  While tofu and soy are offered as substitutes for yogurt and eggs, these are the only two substitutions allowed and seems to be more of an afterthought.  For me this was a complete non-starter as the only one of the 5 I'm not allergic to is spinach.  Once you get to the core system its a bit better but is still very restrictive.  In my opinion Cinch! is a great book filled with a lot of useful information and recipes but as a busy mom I find it more of guide than a program I can actually practically follow.   It's definitely worth a read, I've been able to adapt some of the recipes and tips to fit my family, but overall it is just not for me and my family.



Diclosure: I was given a copy of the book as part of One2One Network blogging program in order to write this review.  All opinions are 100% my own true opinions.   By writing this post I will also be entered to win one of 5 $50 giftcards.



Thursday, January 6, 2011

Great Giveaway: Sticky Cup Holder Ends 1/16




New Years Resolution: This year no more spills!

The Answer: Sticky Cup Holder!


If you have children, you have spills, there's just no two ways around it.  However you can greatly cut down on spills with Sticky Cup Holder.  Sticky Cup Holder is great for kids of all ages!  It's a cup holder that sticks to virtually any non-porous flat surface.  I love it!  We are constantly knocking over cans, cups, glasses, actually pretty much anything, we're a really clumsy family.

Sticky Cup Holder is not only for holding kids' cups.  I'm planning on getting a pink one to hold my pens and pencils and such by my computer.  It's also great in hospitals, on the road, in the boat and more.

Sticky Cup Holder was also recognized by Dr. Toy as one of the "2010 Top 100 Children's Product" and featured on Fox News in Houston.



Buy It! Buy Sticky Cup Holder from their website for only $6.95

Win It! One lucky Hot Mom Tips reader will receive their own Sticky Cup Holder in their choice of pink or blue.

MANDATORY ENTRY
Follow Hot Mom Tips on GFC AND Visit Santa Can't Get Sick and take a look around.  Then come back here and leave a comment on which kit you would like for you or someone else.

Include your usernames and email if it's not visible in your profile. This must be done FIRST and your email must either be included or visible in your profile or all entries will be disqualified.

Extra Entries
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  • Add to Technorati Favorites!
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  • Enter any other giveaway on Hot Mom Tips and leave comment that you did so. – 3 extra entry each
 Giveaway ends January 16, 2011 11:59pm PDT.  Winner will be chosen at random using Random.org

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com and the Tomoson weekly featured sponsor Favorite Wigs - Shop Name Brand Wigs at Low Prices! Large Wig Selection of Forever Young Wigs, and other Quality Wigs. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Happy New Year! Awesome Giveaways and Reviews on The Way!

Wow! Hard to believe it's a New Year already! It seems like it was just Jan. 2010.  For the most part it's been a really great year.  I've really grown personally but I have so much more room to grow.  I've never been big on resolutions but one of the things I learned this year is the power of goals.  Whether you call it a resolution, a goal, objective, aspiration or dream, it's important to have something to reach for.  Without having an end goal, or reason or something to strive for, you don't have any reason to keep going.

I have several resolutions for this year.  My resolutions for this blog include a minimum one post a day and one giveaway a week.  I've obviously gotten behind on this and there is truly no excuse.  Mentally I know that I could stay up 15 mins later or get up 15 mins earlier to make sure I get this done but by the time I get the kids to bed I am so worn out I just drop.  So my personal resolutions to get more organized and make better use of my time as well as eating better and exercising daily will play a big role in my ability to reach my goals for this blog as well.

This month's theme is Goals and Resolutions.  Reviews and giveaways for the month of January are going to center around keeping resolutions and reaching goals.  Coming this month we have Sticky Cup, Skoy Cloths, Cinch!, Get Energy and more!  I'm really excited about all the great things we have planned!  So make sure you're following on Facebook, Twitter, email or RSS so you can keep up to date!

N.B. This post was actually begun on the 31st.  I promise, to myself and all of you, that I will not get this far behind and let this much time lapse between posts.  This blog has honestly been a form of therapy for me and not posting has helped perpetuate this funk I've been in the past couple weeks.