Malae Place

Are you having a hard time getting up in the morning?

Here are some tips to help you get the family on the go:

Make Small Changes
Save yourself from making those morning demands by slowly setting your alarm to wake up earlier each morning (as well as going to bed each evening earlier). Try these small, 10-minute increments until you reach the optimal bedtime and wake-up times.

Prepare the Night Before
Prep as much as you can the night before. Have lunches planned and clothes picked out.

Limit Gadgets
Have a pre-bed cutoff for electronics as the blue screen can affect sleep. Try at least an hour before bedtime.

Stay Consistent
We all want to sleep in a little on the weekends, but allowing the extra sleep time can derail you for the week. Best to stay on a schedule.

What is the hardest part of getting up in the morning?

While we all can’t go running to the spa every time we could use a little self-care, there are some treatments you can do at home to give you the feeling of being at the spa, but without the price tag.

Try one or all of these relaxing “spa” treatments:

Lemon Water
Make yourself a pitcher of lemon water with fresh mint to treat your senses.

Music
Put on your favorite tunes. This might be something calm and relaxing, or it might be that album from high school that you secretly love.

Candles
Candles! Why not? Light a few in your bathroom for your bath. The light of candles is naturally calming.

Foot Soak
A calming foot soak is great before that mani/pedi. And it is as easy as pouring warm water into a bowl with Epsom salt, olive oil, and your favorite essential oil.

Mani/Pedi
Pamper yourself with a fresh coat of polish on your fingers and toes! Plan ahead and buy yourself a new color.

Mask
Create a natural DIY mask to smooth and soften your skin. Here are some wonderful recipes to try: https://wellnessmama.com/12200/face-mask-recipes/

How do you relax at home?

Cinnamon is a flavor or scent often associated with desserts or the holiday season. It has an intensely warm aroma that prompts cravings for coffee cake, hot cocoa, and any number of rum-infused drinks, but did you know that cinnamon gives off more than just a desire for a cozy spot by the fire?

This powerhouse spice is a super antioxidant that packs all of this in just one tablespoon:
-4 grams of fiber
-68 percent daily value manganese
-4 percent daily value iron
-3 percent daily value vitamin K

With many of our lives on the go, we have learned the habits of living a fast life, even down to how we eat.

But did you know that eating slowly has some great benefits?

Aside from forcing yourself to slow down to actually enjoy your food, chewing slowly promotes digestion, as well as weight loss, as you will be better able to listen to fullness cues. Plus, you can reduce stress because you are practicing more mindfulness and paying closer attention to how you feel.

Try to slow down by chewing each bite at least 10 times, or try putting your fork down between each bite to enjoy the food in your mouth.

Do you have a tendency to eat quickly?

Did you know that there are opportunities to improve your skin right in the grocery store?

Sound too good to be true?

Well, give one of these treatments a try to see for yourself:

Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a wrinkle buster. Put a slice of orange over each eye, lay back for 10 minutes, and let the orange work its magic!

Almond Oil
Almond oil is vitamin E rich, which is great for giving your skin a lift. Massage a small amount of almond oil into your skin for 10 minutes a day, and start seeing results.

Honey
Honey is a great skin firmer. Add honey to a bit of plain yogurt and rub it on your face for 10 minutes. Wash off with warm water and enjoy a fresh face!

Do you have any homemade skin care routines that work for you?

In the time of Instagram, a big plate makes food look more photo-worthy, but when you are trying to drop a few pounds before that class reunion, or that beach trip, a big plate is a bad idea.

Here’s why:

Placing your portion sizes on a larger plate makes your portions look smaller which can cause you to feel unsatiated, whereas placing the same amounts on a smaller plate gives the appearance of abundance.

Give this trick a try and see how you feel.

When many of us think of cauliflower, we think of a bland and boring addition to a crudité platter, but cauliflower is a powerful, hormone balancing food packed with vitamins C and K. Believe it or not, there are many ways to incorporate it into your diet.

Here are just a few:

Cauliflower Rice
Cut cauliflower into florets and pulse in a food processor until it is the size of rice. Saute with a little oil. Use this to replace rice in your next dish!

Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
Steam cauliflower florets and then blend with milk or stock until creamy. Try this low-fat version of a classic!

Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Speaking of classics, try this crust on your next pizza night: http://www.halfyourplate.ca/recipe/cauliflower-pizza-crust/

How do you get your cauliflower in?

Did you know that children with irregular bedtimes are more likely to have behavioral problems? Studies have shown that lack of quality sleep puts your child at risk for being in a constant state of tiredness, likened to the feeling of jetlag.

Here are some ways to promote better sleeping habits:

Consistency
As a parent, you know the importance of follow-through. If you set a bedtime, be sure to adhere to it. This includes a wake-up time as well.

Involvement
Make bedtime a positive experience. Create a checklist with your child for all the steps to bed from pajamas, toothbrushing, to picking out a nighttime book.

Stick to It
Anticipate the requests for water, another story, and extra hugs and kisses by giving the option of one out of three. Stick to this rule, and it will eventually become your routine.

What are some successful ways you have found to keep your child in bed at night?

The coconut tree has long been called the “tree of life” in many cultures, and it’s no wonder considering all of the wonderful benefits of coconut, from cooking oil to a beauty product.

When ingested, coconut oil can help to balance hormones, improve digestion, burn fat, and improve energy.

Topically, it can be used as a natural hair treatment, a face wash, a makeup remover, and face moisturizer.

Try adding coconut oil to your routine by putting it in your coffee instead of creamer, use it as your cooking oil, or try it as a full body moisturizer after a shower.

Do you currently use coconut oil in any of your daily food or beauty regimens?

Meditation is often referred to as an exercise for the brain, and it is through this mindful practice that the pituitary gland in the brain secretes hormones called endorphins, which result in an increased feeling of overall wellbeing.

People often use meditation for stress relief, but there are many other benefits of creating a meditation practice, including:
-Relief from anxiety
-Greater self-awareness
-Improved sleep
-Pain relief
-Improved focus

This site is a great resource to begin your meditation practice: https://www.mindful.org/mindfulness-meditation-guided-practices/

Spending time outdoors is beneficial for your total well-being but it can be spoiled by pesky bugs that require bug spray.

However, conventional bug sprays are chock full of chemicals that have been proven dangerous with continuous use.

As an alternative, consider making this natural spray:
-½ cup witch hazel
-½ cup apple cider vinegar
-40 drops essential oils (eucalyptus, lemongrass, citronella, tea tree or rosemary)
-An 8-ounce glass spray bottle

How to make:
-Mix witch hazel, apple cider vinegar and essential oils in an 8-ounce glass spray bottle.
-Spray over all portions of the body but avoid repellent in eyes and mouth.

With the changing seasons, the produce available where you live changes too. While many fruits and vegetables that are out of season are still available, it is a good idea to shop for what's in season for the following reasons:

-In season food tastes better simply because it is eaten at peak ripeness.
-It is less expensive because there is no preservation needed and fewer distribution costs passed along to the consumer.
-It is more nutritious to be consumed directly after harvest.
-There are fewer contaminants because preservation and distribution increase risk for contamination.
-It is more environmentally sound because you’re reducing the need to expend resources on growing out-of-season produce.

Here is a great resource for finding out what is in season near you: https://www.seasonalfoodguide.org/

Do you have a favorite seasonal recipe?

Having a hard time getting your family (or yourself) to eat fruits and vegetables?

This is a common problem amongst people despite the effort to incorporate healthy foods.

Here are some great tips to help your family eat their fruits and vegetables:

-Keep fruits and vegetables visible in the house
-Have fruits and veggies cleaned, cut, and prepared for easy consumption
-Offer fruits and veggies as snacks whenever anyone is hungry
-Have fruits and veggies on the menu at every meal
-Take your family to a farmers’ market and have them help with the food selections
-Grow a garden with the whole family involved

What are some ways you have had success in your household by incorporating more healthy eats?

What do you do when you come home hungry, tired, but you don’t want to just reach for a bag of chips or a box of crackers?

Make an easy end-of-the-day snack the night before!

Here’s a great snack idea that takes no more than 10 minutes:

Almond Cranberry (no-bake) Balls:
-1 cup old-fashioned oats
-1 cup dried cranberries
-1/2 cup natural almond butter (you could also use peanut butter)
-1/4 cup raw honey
-1/2 cup almonds, crushed
-1/2 cup pistachios, crushed

How to make:
In a medium mixing bowl combine all ingredients. Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Store in the fridge until ready to eat.

Have you made it through the worst of acne but still suffering from scars left by the breakouts?

If so, consider managing those scars with a natural treatment.

Try this homemade recipe for a face mask that gently reduces the scars caused by acne:
-3 tablespoons lemon juice
-3 tablespoons honey
-2 tablespoons almond oil or olive oil
-8-10 drops tea tree essential oil
-8-10 drops frankincense essential oil
-6-8 drops helichrysum essential oil

Combine all ingredients in a jar, and mix well. Apply daily, leaving on the skin for 10–15 minutes. Wash thoroughly. Note, if you’ve never tried essential oils on your skin before, do a patch test on your hands first to see if you have a negative reaction.

Have you ever tried a homemade mask like this at home?

While overcoming cravings for dessert may be challenging, it can be easier to “crowd out” processed junk food and high fructose corn syrup with healthier alternatives, like desserts sweetened with natural fruit such as dates. Crowding out means eating more of the stuff that nourishes you, leaving less room for the stuff that diminishes your health.

Try this amazing Avocado Mousse:
-1 large ripe avocado (halved, pitted)
-1 medjool date, pitted (or up to 3 dates to sweeten it more)
-1 very generous tablespoon raw cacao powder
-⅛ teaspoon vanilla powder or vanilla extract
-⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
-¼ cup (50 ml) nut milk (homemade or store-bought), coconut water, or water
-A pinch of sea salt

How to make:
Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Add more liquid as needed.

Does this recipe sound like something that would soothe your sweet tooth?

When you’re a parent, it is important to keep in mind that your children are sponges, so not only are they absorbing and taking in the world around them, they are taking in everything you say and do.

Make sure that you are promoting a positive environment by being the person that you want your child to become.

What do you want your child to remember most about you when they are thinking back to their childhood?

Creating family time is a great way to sneak in that exercise!

You can do this by planning an after-work walk in the park, playing around in the front yard, taking your dog for a jog, going to a community pool, or engaging in a sport, like a game of soccer or joining a softball league.

It might feel like you are too busy to get your exercise in, but there are ways to get it in while still making time for your family.

Do you have an activity that you like to engage in with your family?

Gratitude is a state of mind that we create when we affirm the positive things in our lives that come from outside of ourselves, or from relishing in small pleasures.

There are many benefits of practicing gratitude:

Well-Being
Expressing your gratitude can improve your overall sense of health, including your mental and emotional health.

Relationships
Gratitude strengthens interpersonal relationships, as it highlights what you appreciate about others and yourself.

Optimism
A focus on gratitude can increase optimism by shifting energies to more positive emotions and behavior.

Happiness
The pursuit of happiness is subjective, but the satisfaction that comes from practicing gratitude has a lasting positive effect. The more we practice gratitude, the more positive we feel, thus the happier we feel with our lives.

Starting a gratitude journal is a wonderful way to get in touch with what makes you feel grateful. The purpose of the journal is to reflect on your day, few days, or week to pull out at least five things you feel grateful for.

Get your journal and start expressing your gratitude!

It’s nice to have something relaxing to look forward to at the end of a long day! It may not come until after help with homework, dinner, and laundry, but when you can, jazz up your next bath with this DIY bath bomb recipe:

Ingredients
-1 cup baking soda
-½ cup citric acid
-½ cup of sea or Epsom salt
-¾ cup cornstarch
-2 tablespoons of oil (olive, coconut, almond)
-2 teaspoons of witch hazel
-1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
-30-40 drops of your favorite essential oil (optional)

Instructions
-Combine dry ingredients (baking soda through cornstarch) in a large bowl and mix until combined.
-In a separate bowl, combine the oil, witch hazel and vanilla extract and stir well. Add essential oils if using.
-Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients a few drops at a time. Mix well with your hands.
-The mixture should hold together when squeezed without crumbling. You may need to add slightly more witch hazel if it hasn’t achieved this consistency yet.
-Quickly push the mixture into molds or greased muffin tins. Press in firmly and leave at least 24 hours, or until hardened.
-When dry, remove from molds and store in an airtight container. Use within two weeks.

Apple cider vinegar, which you may already have in your pantry, is linked to many health claims.

Apple cider vinegar is touted as the super product when it comes to indigestion, leg cramps, acne, dandruff, soothing sore throats, soothing upset stomachs, and even lowering cholesterol.

Amazing, right?

Check out this video on the many benefits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=akx9xt1tlRA

Meal planning is a great way to ensure that you eat healthily, and get this: it doesn’t have to be hard! That’s right, despite how overwhelmed many of us become when we think of planning meals for an entire week, meal planning can save you time and money.

Without being prepared, it is easy to end up eating something on the go, like pastries, fast food, or prepared meals. The problem with most grab-and-go options is that they are not the most healthy, plus we end up spending a lot of extra money.

The trick to successful meal planning is to be prepared. Follow these steps to get started:

Pick a Day
Choose a day that works best for you where you will have a good couple hours to plan, prep, and prepare your food. Weekends work best for a lot of people, but you can also choose to break up the work, like planning on Friday, grocery shopping on Saturday, and cooking on Sunday.

Prepare
Get your food containers ready for each day, and clear out space in the refrigerator for your week of meals (or however long you need to prep for).

Create a Plan/Shop
Meal planning is about prepping food in bulk to eat throughout the week, so you will want to choose foods that will hold up over a few days. Stews are a popular choice, but you can also prepare lots of different items, like a veggie, protein, and starch. Tip: store the starch, like rice or quinoa, separately so that it doesn’t get soggy.

Get to Work
Time to get going! Because you are prepared, prep should be easy.

Did you know that store bought salad dressings are often packed with saturated fats, sugars, and even preservatives?

It’s true. Making your own salad dressing is a simple way to maximize the health benefits of your salad and reduce your consumption of added sugars.

Here is a great balsamic recipe to give a try:
-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
-1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
-1 garlic clove, minced
-1/2 cup olive oil
-Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

To prepare:
In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, mustard, and garlic. Add the oil slowly in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy, knowing exactly what you are putting into your body!

When you eat breakfast, you are breaking an eating fast after a night of sleep, so while any type of breakfast is possible, you want to eat something that will nourish your body and mind. Because you are powering up your day, replenishing your blood glucose levels after a night’s rest is key - glucose is your body’s energy source to fuel your body and brain.

Breakfast should be treated as a chance to restore your body and prepare it for the day ahead, so trade in those donuts and toaster strudels for heart and brain healthy foods like eggs, oatmeal, and fiber-rich smoothies.

Regular hand washing is necessary not only after using the restroom, but after many daily activities to stop the spread of germs that can cause illness.

Regular hand washing helps prevent the spread of germs because:

-Germs can enter the body through the eyes, nose, and mouth, and touching these parts of the body with dirty hands can cause the spread of those germs.
-Germs can get into foods and drinks when someone with dirty hands prepares or consumes them.
-Germs can be transferred to other objects, like doorknobs, handrails, table tops, or toys, and then transferred to another person’s hands.
-Germs can cause digestive distress and respiratory infections.

To ensure that you are getting a proper clean each time you wash your hands, wash with warm water for 20 seconds, and make sure you get a good lather with your soap. Wash in between fingers and underneath fingernails, rinse, and don’t forget to dry hands with a CLEAN towel. Tip: 20 seconds is about as long as singing “Happy Birthday,” twice!

You can stop the transfer of germs to yourself and others by being conscious of how often you soap up!

We all know the importance of protecting our skin from sun damage and sunburns when spending time out in the sun but with so many options out there for protection these days, finding the one that is right for you can be a bit of a challenge (but it doesn’t have to be!).

Here are some options, including tips for how they best serve your sun protection needs:

Spray
Spray sunscreens are a great option for quick application because the spray covers skin more quickly. This is a go-to for parents trying to catch a kid for long enough to give them a good coating of sunscreen. But be sure to use a generous amount, and recoat often.

Lotion
This is the most commonly applied product and should be applied evenly over the body, rubbed in well, and reapplied often.

Built-in
Many sunscreens are built into daily-wear moisturizers, lipsticks, and other makeup products. These are good for light sun exposure, or for added daily protection, but may not be enough if you’re spending a lot of time outdoors.

Mineral
These sunscreens are great for those with allergies or sensitive skin because they sit on top of the skin rather than absorbing into the skin.

Sweat/Water Resistant
These sunscreens are great for water sports or exercise in hot conditions, but remember to reapply after getting out of the water.

Stick
Stick sunscreens are great for spot treatments like to the ears or nose.

Be prepared for your next sun adventure with the right protection!

Knowing the difference between a serving size and portion size is important for the health conscious, but the reality is, most people don’t know the difference.

Do you?

The sad truth is that many people eat a considerable amount more than is necessary to get their daily nutrients and calories. One of the main culprits for overeating is portion size.

Serving size refers to the suggested serving on a food manufacturer’s label, and a portion size refers to the amount of food we choose to eat. Often we ignore the suggested serving size on a product and wind up eating double or triple the amount for a variety of reasons, whether we think that’s what the portion should be, or we’re eating out of boredom, sadness, etc.

But to maintain optimal health, it is important to be more mindful of portion control, and one way to do that is to consider eating closer to the determined serving size.

Here are some portion recommendations for a few common foods:

-1 slice of bread
-½ cup rice or pasta (cooked)
-1 small piece of fruit
-¾ cup fruit juice
-1 cup milk or yogurt
-2 oz. cheese
-2-3 oz. meat, poultry, or fish (this is about the size of a deck of cards)

Does any of this surprise you? Share below what your experience has been being mindful of portion sizes.

Ever leave the (home) office with tight shoulders, aching wrists, or tired eyes?

Of course, most of us have, and often we associate those pains and discomforts with the demand of the job or the stress in our lives, but what you are feeling could be related to how you sit or stand at your desk!

That’s right, your positioning has a lot to do with how you feel, and how well you perform.

Here is what you should feel and look like at your desk:

-The weight of your arms is supported so that you are not using your neck and shoulders to hold them in position to type.
-The weight of your head should be directly above the neck, not craned forward or backward.
-Your chair is as close to your work as possible to avoid leaning and reaching.
-Your computer monitor is placed directly in front of you with the top no higher than eye level, and the keyboard is directly in front of the monitor.
-Your keyboard and mouse are close enough to prevent excessive reaching.
-Your monitor is at least an arm’s length away to avoid eye strain.
-Your feet are planted on the floor, not dangling when you are seated.

Any changes you need to make?

Did you know that over 60% of the human body is made up of water? That is a shocking percentage considering that many people still tend to choose sodas, and other sugar-laden drinks to stay hydrated.

To properly hydrate our bodies, it is essential that we get adequate amounts of water into our systems on a daily basis.

Here are some tips for incorporating water into your routine, especially if you struggle with liking water enough to drink it!

Add Flavor
Adding lemon, lime, mint, fresh berries, or cucumber slices to water is a good way to switch it up so that you can be sure to get the ounces in!

Bathroom Break
Make a game of it, and have a glass of water whenever you take a bathroom break.

Drink Before You Eat
Having a glass of water between every meal helps with hydration, and can help to better signal fullness.

Use an App
Use a water tracking app to keep track of how many glasses you drink.

Eat Water-Rich Foods
Add water-packed foods to your diet, such as cucumber, celery, watermelon, and zucchini.

You heard that right. A hairbrush is a pretty common household item, but what about a body brush?

Well after you read this, you might go out and get one!

With the skin being the body’s largest organ, it’s no wonder it has a big job to do. Outside of protecting our internal organs, regulating our temperature, and sensing pain, the body also serves as a conduit for absorbing and releasing environmental nutrients and hazards. This is where body brushing can help. By dry brushing the body, you can help stimulate the lymphatic system to expedite the excretion of toxins that can otherwise build up in the body.

Pretty amazing, right?

To try this yourself, you’ll need a brush with natural bristles, and before you get into the bath or shower each morning, dry brush your entire body starting at your feet and brushing each area with 10 smooth strokes up toward the center of the body. You can also try moving the brush in smooth, circular motions.

If the brushing hurts in any way, you are applying too much pressure. It should feel invigorating and leave your body soft and glowing. Remember to moisturize afterward, as you’re also exfoliating the skin!

Enjoy!