Why Drink Water First Thing in The Morning?
By The Schoolmarm | March 3, 2010
photo credit: lrargerich
Moms and dads, before you sip that morning cup of coffee, before you down that little glass of juice, many doctors recommend drinking a cup of water. Yes, plain, unadorned, unsparkled, unflavored . . . water.
We all know that water is beneficial and that we should drink several glasses a day, but why the first thing in the morning? Two reasons are important ones:
- Water rids the body of toxins that have been stored over night.
- Water aids your digestive tract and helps start your day off right.
Not trying to be cute, the rhyming was accidental. But hey, that’s what water does for you, it gets your body in sync and moving with rhythm. You’ll feel better all day.
Your skin will be more radiant and when you combine drinking water with simple exercise, like walking, you’ll lose weight, or at least maintain what you have worked so hard to lose.
So, don’t forget, before the cuppa Joe, have a cuppa H2O. There I go with the rhyming again . . . its gotta be the water!
For more excellent health advice, check out Dr. Don Colbert’s book, The Seven Pillars to Good Health.
For activities to help build self-esteem in kids, go to www.bingnote.com.
Mary Taylor, The Schoolmarm
Topics: health | No Comments »
Annie’s Healthy Tips: March 2010
By Annie Buckley | March 1, 2010
Annie Buckley
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the idea of health as a whole package—body, mind, spirit; work, play, learning; self, family, community—so many triangles, so much to balance! In honor of three-sided paradigms, this month we turn to the Triangle Pose, or Trikonasana, one of the elemental poses in yoga and one of my personal favorites. I love the way it stretches all along one side of the body and then the other, and how its beautiful asymmetry provides a perfect metaphor for balancing the various parts of our lives.
For the whole family: Do the Triangle pose together. Ask children to look at the pose (or the picture here) to find the triangles. When you do the pose, ask children where they feel the stretch in their body, and how it feels different on each side. Try back-to-back Triangle together and support each other as you stretch and balance. You and your children can expand the pose into the world by looking around to find triangle shapes in your home and community.
Let your triangle search inspire a related art activity: On a large sheet of paper, draw as many kinds of triangles as you can see around you and imagine. These can be large, small, lopsided, equilateral, filled-in, outlined, or any kind of triangle. Use multiple colors to make your own triangle picture.
For parents and caretakers: In thinking about the Triangle pose, ask yourself: What receives the majority of my attention each day and what areas of my life could use some T.L.C.? Consider aspects such as home life, friends, work, creativity, and wellness. Take an inventory of your commitment to each one. Aim for an attitude of appreciation and guidance. Imagine yourself helping a friend reflect on her choices and look at the whole picture to see which areas are strong and which are in need of attention.
Perhaps you haven’t exercised in a while; go for a walk or take a swim in the local pool. Perhaps you haven’t made time for friends; invite someone to tea! Is your day filled with email and voicemail, Internet and Twitter? Give your brain a break and unplug for a day. Balance isn’t about stasis, but finding a way to flow with the certainty of change; we can observe the waves of our breath for practice.
~Annie
For more information on Annie Buckley’s Kids Yoga Deck or Once Upon a Time: Creative Writing Fun for Kids, please see Chronicle Books.com or anniebuckley.com.
Topics: health, tuesday treats | 2 Comments »
National Craft Month: Creative Kids
By The Schoolmarm | March 1, 2010
My nephew, Don Nibert, is a brilliant potter, a gifted musician, and a man following his own dreams. He was a creative kid, who found his artistic niche through years of education, hard work, and determination.
He is quoted in a newspaper article as saying, ”I like to tinker, I like to play. When I was a kid I liked to go into the basement and play with Dad’s tools. To be a potter, you have to be a plumber, an electrician, a chemist, a physicist and a carpenter. I made my kiln. I make my glazes, my burners, my displays for shows. I wired my studio. Anyone in business has to do it all.”
As you can see, his work in raku pottery is striking and mystifying, worthy of the national recognition and multiple awards he has received over the last twenty-five years.
If you go to his website, www.donnibert.com you will be amazed at the beauty he creates from clay, copper and an ancient process of reoxidation that produces incredibly vibrant colors.
If your children want to create, provide paper and crayons, paints, watercolors, and of course, modeling clay. Some may want to play an instrument, others want to construct their own. They may be interested in designing clothes or houses. Let them make their sketches, and listen as they explain their ideas. If they like to write stories, give them journals (or the word processor) to make their own books.
Suggestions:
- Allow your children the freedom to explore their own creativity.
- Accept what they produce without criticism or judgment.
- Provide opportunities for them to visit art museums.
- Guide them to the library section that houses books of their interest.
- Don’t overwhelm them with expensive art supplies, start out simply.
- Let them have fun, without your high expectations or interference.
Topics: activities for kids, educational, parenting | No Comments »