Family * Travel * Food

Do You Think You're Depressed Or Crazy?

Have you ever felt like you are spiraling into depression or feel like you are going crazy? I think every person goes through this some time in their life and often times physicians will prescribe anti-depressants or sleep aids. I remember 3 years ago having feelings of sadness to the point where I would cry daily for hours and not know why. This went on for longer than I should have let it and I went in for a full physical. Long story short, the culprit was vitamin D deficiency. It was horribly low and I was placed on a high-dose supplement once a week, for 12 weeks. To my surprise, I felt so much better and had my life back!

This same problem has hit my entire family minus the little guy. It turns out that the darker your skin, the harder it is to absorb vitamin D from the sun. That really amazes me since we spend a good deal of time outdoors. I had labs done a month ago and my vitamin D levels have dropped again. The normal range is 30-100 and mine was at 19. I have been put back on a high-dose supplement and am due back to test my levels at the end of the twelve weeks. I really hope it works and I can find a way to get more vitamin D in my body naturally. The supplements are not good for long term since they can cause damage to your kidneys.
Image credit: The Mayo Clinic
I have noticed a lot of family and friends complaining of fatigue, exhaustion or depression and I mentioned having their vitamin D level checked. Turns out each and every one of them had the same issue. As a matter of fact, over 85% of people have low vitamin D levels and may not even know it. So before you get misdiagnosed or self-diagnose that you are depressed or anxious, get your vitamin D level checked by a simple blood test.

If you have ever had issues with vitamin D deficiency, what did you do to raise it? Please share any advice you have in the comments. Stay healthy! xo
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Golden Blossom Honey - Perfect for the cold and flu season

Every person in my household has been sick over the course of the last 5 weeks. It seems like the cold germs keep on getting passed around and it has been hectic. Being a homemaker and mom of 3, I knew it was going to hit me. I can always tell by that uncomfortable tickle in my throat. I received a bottle of Golden Blossom Honey to review at the right time. I immediately made a cup of Earl Grey tea sweetened with the Golden Blossom honey and a few splashes of lemon juice. The honey had a wonderful, rich taste and was very soothing going down. One of the things that made me feel good about this honey is that it is a product of the U.S.A.. 
Thankfully I am feeling a lot better, but I will keep this recipe in mind for the future, just in case...

Ginger & Honey Citrus Sore Throat Home Treatment

Ingredients
4 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
Juice of 1 large lemon
3 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions
Mix all ingredients together in a small jar. Every hour, take 1 teaspoon in your mouth and gargle. Then swallow the remedy.

You can find Golden Blossom Honey online to learn more about their products and check out the awesome recipes they have posted. I am glad I can find it in my local Publix Supermarket, here in Columbia, SC!

I received a sample of Golden Blossom Honey for review. All opinions are my own as always. No other compensation was received. 
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#ZzzQuilNight for a better night's rest

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of ZzzQuil for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
There is a new product out from the makers of Vick’s NyQuil and DayQuil called ZzzQuil . ZzzQuil was made specifically to help aid in occasional sleeplessness, not colds. This is perfect since my husband occasionally has trouble falling asleep at a reasonable hour. His days are so full with his job, college classes, homework and family time. Let’s not forget his duties around the house like grass cutting, fixing things and numerous other things. You would think he would be completely passed out the moment his head hits the pillow with all of that! Unfortunately, this just isn’t the case for him. He becomes so over tired that he can’t fall asleep. This leads to him being up for sometimes hours after I have fallen asleep and he ends up flipping channels on the television or tosses and turns. That makes for an uncomfortable night for us both! He was happy to test out the ZzzQuil for himself to see if that would help.
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We received a bottle of the liquid version in a warming berry flavor. He liked the flavor and said it was like tasting a more pleasant, fruity version of NyQuil or DayQuil with a hint of warmth. He was very happy to see how quickly the ZzzQuil made him go to sleep and stay down uninterrupted. He didn't feel groggy when he woke up either. This was good news since that was a problem with some other sleep aids he has tried in the past. We are pleased with this product and plan to purchase it in the future if needed. If you have difficulty sleeping, you should give ZzzQuil a try! If you try out ZzzQuil for yourself, be sure to tweet using the hashtag #ZzzQuilNight and also stay connected to ZzzQuil by liking their Facebook page.
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What do you do when you are allergic to everything?

For many years now, our daughter Briahnna has been going through treatment for a variety of allergies. Her first 2 series of allergy testing revealed that she was allergic to all the elements dealing with the outdoors as well as dust, mold, pet dander etc.... Today we took her to get tested since it has been about 3 years and this time was a big shock to us all. She had 30 different allergens injected into both forearms. The left arm was all  foods and the right was pollen, trees and other non-food things. She also had a series of individual outdoor allergens injected via needles into her upper arm. It turns out that she tested positive for everything! 

 You see how raised her skin is? She is allergic to just about everything it seems including all pollen, mold, grass, weeds, trees, dust, pets, and virtually anything that floats in the air.

She never had food allergies before and now she does. Although her food allergies are not all at dangerous levels, it still surprised us since they are the everyday type of things. Now she can only incorporate eggs, potatoes, chicken and several other foods into her diet every 4-5 days. Other things like tomatoes, pecans, peanuts and corn should be avoided all together. We were told that the symptoms of food allergies can vary from headaches, sneezing, itching, nausea or upset stomach. It was recommended for Brie to start a food diary to see what type of reaction she has to the foods she is more allergic to. If they are something she can live with, she can continue to eat them. She made the joke that she would not have been offended if she was allergic to carrots, cucumbers or other foods she does not care for to begin with. The good thing is she will continue on the allergy shots which have helped her immensely. She will have to go from one injection each week to three. Thankfully she is very laid back and does just fine with that sort of thing.

I do recommend that if your child shows symptoms of allergies, you should get them allergy tested. It is so important to know the triggers so you can do your best to avoid them. We were also told that allergy symptoms change every two years.

Do you or your child suffer from allergies that require regular treatment?
Shelly, Mom Files
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There are some things women keep quiet about

As a woman, I know that there are some subjects that I prefer not to discuss. I think it's normal to keep quiet about some things. Did you know that the top 3 women's health issues that are least discussed are Fertility, Fibromyalgia and Constipation? Although the first two might not relate to every woman, the "C-word" has affected us some time in our life. Studies show that women are even less likely to discuss constipation as they get older. Thankfully the female members in my home are open about the subject. I received a fabulous gift kit filled with products samples just for women from Boehringer Ingelheim, maker of Dulcolax. My kit came with: a Pink Lands End small tote bag, Tarte Lip Gloss, Clinique Sunscreen,  Dulcolax for Women product sample, One A Day Women’s Multivitamin Tablet and a box of Tampax Pearl.


The main focus behind the kit was to get me talking about women's constipation and how Dulcolax for Women can help. The first thing that stuck out to me was that it was 'gentle enough for sensitive stomachs'. This is a good thing since most laxatives can give you severe stomach pain. I am so glad to have this on hand since one of my daughters will be going away on a week-long trip and generally comes home feeling constipated. I know they will get put to good use! Here are some points about Dulcolax: 
  • Dulcolax Laxative Tablets for Women have a comfort coating that protects the stomach and helps women's bodies relieve constipation. 
  • Gives women the gentle help they want, and the strength they need for effective constipation relief. 
  • They provide dependable, overnight relief from occasional constipation in 6-12 hours. 
  • Dulcolax Women is now available in 25-count packs and sold at local retailers nationwide.
  • Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should always ask their health care provider before taking Dulcolax Laxative Tablets.

Here is some great information from  Dr. Jennifer Wider (Medical Adviser for Cosmopolitan Magazine and the Society for Women's Health Research) for "Unmentionable Women's Health Tips:

Ladies, talk more openly about the 'C-word'- Constipation!
Research shows that women suffer from constipation more frequently than men, but preventing and treating constipation is almost always simple if you address it like any other health problem. Buying a Dulcolax product or discussing your condition with your doctor can be the first step toward relief.

If pregnant and constipation is persistent, talk with your doctor about an OTC Option
About half of pregnant women experience constipation at some point during their pregnancy. If the usual steps taken to treat your constipation, such as changes to your diet and lifestyle, are not working, your OBGYN may recommend an OTC oral laxative to help. With a comfort coating that protects your stomach and helps you gently relieve constipation, Dulcolax Laxative Tablets for Women can be an effective constipation option to keep you regular. It also provides overnight relief in 6 to 12 hours.

Some heatlhy (and simple) steps to stay constipation free
The good news is that although constipation is common, you can take some easy steps to help prevent it from occurring. These steps include:
  • Make sure to include enough fiber in your diet, which includes eating more fruit, vegetables, wholegrain, nuts, and oats. A sudden increase in fiber may make you feel bloated so increase your increase gradually.
  • Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration-and try to cut back on your intake of caffeine, alcohol, and fizzy drinks.
  • The toilet is your friend; make sure not to ignore it! If you have the urge to go to the toilet but ignore it, you an significantly increase your chances of experiencing constipation. 
  • Remember that the best time to use the toilet for "#2" is the first think in the morning or 30 minutes after a meal. 
  • Exercise! Exercise! Exercise! Regular exercise will reduce your risk of getting constipation.

I really hope you get a lot out of this information as I did. If you would like more information on Dulcolax products or more tips on fighting constipation, check out the Dulcolax website. 
Shelly, Mom Files
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Remedies for the Spring Cold

A lot of people assume the common cold is an illness people catch during the fall and winter months. The truth is a cold is a virus that is prevalent during every season, year round. Below are some great Cold Remedies to help the entire family with the Spring Cold.

1) Make sure you drink a lot of Vitamin C. Try drinking cold drinks such as orange juice or grapefruit juice

 2) Keep Cold-EEZE Oral Spray or lozenges in your purse. It’s clinically proven to shorten the duration of a cold by nearly half.

 3) Try using a humidifier. These are great in the summer time because they do not add any additional heat to the room and it cleanses the air.

 4) Honey is one of the best remedies if you’re having a sore throat along with a cold. Try adding honey to every day meals such as pancakes or to your ice tea.

 5) Get plenty of rest. Whether you are sick or not, a good night’s sleep will always improve a person’s overall health.

Shelly, Mom Files
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