Replenish with Rainbow Light*

Sponsored by Rainbow Light

Busy, much? Moms have a knack for putting their own needs on the backburner when managing everyone else’s wellbeing. Good news: All it takes is one minute and one tablet to help nourish your body and get the day started off on the right foot. (Sure, you may not be able to find a matching pair of socks or your car keys… but we can’t win ‘em all.) Founded by women in Santa Cruz 40 years ago, Rainbow Light is a trusted brand of multivitamins (and more) for the whole family. But back to you, mama…

Red Tricycle readers can save 25% on their Rainbow Light order—just use code TINYBEANS25 at checkout!

Start Your Day with Some Self-Care

Create a morning routine that makes you feel good. Hydrate with a big glass of water and then take your vitamin (just like you tell your kids!). Rainbow Light’s Women’s One™ Multivitamin is a High-Potency Women’s Multivitamin that can elevate your daily wellness routine or help kickstart one! Made just for women’s unique needs—you’re getting a comprehensive spectrum of nutrients to support immune, brain, and bone health.* Ignore the dishwasher—take time in the AM to simply enjoy a cup of coffee before the kids wake up or zen out with some morning yoga or meditation.

Fill Nutritional Gaps

You’re not alone if lunch = a handful of crackers or your kiddo’s leftover mac and cheese. We all try to eat healthy and taking a quality multivitamin helps to fill in the gaps. Rainbow Light Women's One Multivitamin is formulated with 23 vitamins and minerals and offers clinically proven absorption of 7 key nutrients: vitamins D, B2 and B5, folate, calcium, iron and zinc. 

Red Tricycle readers can save 25% on their Rainbow Light order—just use code TINYBEANS25 at checkout!

Clean Up

Nope, not that kind of cleaning up—the laundry can wait! You can feel extra good about the quality ingredients in your multivitamin. Rainbow Light’s Women’s One multivitamin is made with fruits and veggies, it’s non-GMO and vegetarian. And the bottles are made from 100% recycled material, excluding colorant.

Red Tricycle readers can save 25% on their Rainbow Light order—just use code TINYBEANS25 at checkout!

 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

 

—Katie Lineberger

 

Since a child’s gut and immune system is always adapting we can help our children to develop a healthy response to viruses and other infections that they encounter. We asked the expert, Glaudia Galate, Functional Nutritionist, and busy mom who believes healthy eating should be simple and enjoyable. See what sources of food she recommends to support our kids’ immune systems. Enjoy also lunchbox ideas we curated from the community to help you get started!

Sources of Food to Support the Immune System

Most micronutrients including vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, and fatty acids, have a role to play in building a healthy immune response and this is why a varied diet bursting with lots of fresh fruits, veggies, salads, herbs, spices, pulses, nuts, seeds, poultry, meat, and fish really do count.

Whatever the food you get, you want to make sure that they are loaded with Vitamin D, C and Zinc, and Selenium this season.

Vitamin D: Because your kids may have spent more time inside than normal, even during the summer. Vitamine D is modulating immune cells in the body, bone health, cell growth, and more.

The best sources of vitamin D: 5-30 minutes of sun exposure at least twice per week (over 100 percent of daily value), Cod Liver Oil, fish like wild-caught salmon, Mackerel, tuna, sardine, beef liver, egg. Pro Tip: Go for a daily walk and play outside for at least 20 minutes to maximize your vitamin D intake.

Vitamin C: Helps both with wound healing and fights infections effectively.

The best sources of vitamin C: Black currants, kiwi, bell peppers, leafy greens like kale, spinach, broccoli, parsley. Berries (all types, including strawberries, camu, acai, etc.). Pro Tip: Squeezing lemon or lime juice onto foods will also give you a bit of vitamin C.

Zinc: Helps the kids’ learning, growth, and immunity. Interestingly zinc is also important for a healthy sense of smell and taste and we often find that the “fussy eaters” are low in zinc and when you boost this up they are more interested in trying a wider variety of foods, and their appetite improves. Most zinc comes from animal products.

The best sources of zinc: Beef, fish, oysters, crab, beans, lentils, pumpkins seeds, cashews, egg. Pro Tip: You can maximize your kid’s zinc intake (around 5 mg per day) via a whole beef burger or through a few meatballs. A half a can of baked beans is around 3 mg.

Selenium: Benefits immunity because it is needed for the proper functioning of the immune system and can also be a key nutrient in counteracting the development of viruses. It’s also a powerful antioxidant.

The best sources of selenium: Brazil nuts, eggs, liver, tuna, cod, and sunflower seeds. Pro Tip: A single Brazil nut will provide more than enough selenium for kids per day.

If you want more ideas and tips to boost your immune system don’t hesitate in contacting Glaudia. Also, always ask a physician or health care provider before giving any supplements.

How to Boost Your Kid’s Immune System through Food

Start with simple food ideas that kids will respond to like pomegranate seeds, plums, nectarines, yellow or orange peppers, or purple carrots, and sweet potatoes. Try to introduce your child to one new food ingredient every week at home – pop something a bit novel and exciting in your shopping trolley and they might surprise you and like it. If they don’t like a food straight away, then don’t fret as you can try again another day or serve it in another way.

You can also visit Teuko.com and discover daily lunchbox ideas from other parents, who, like you, want to add new foods and new textures to their kid’s lunches. You can explore various food combinations by searching for the ingredients you like on Teuko.com.

Photo: Tetiana Bykovets on Unsplash

This post originally appeared on Teuko Blog.

Teuko is the first platform that empowers families to simplify lunch packing. Using Teuko, they can find and share kid-approved lunchbox ideas, recipes, and tips, all in one place. Teuko is transforming the lunch packing experience by boosting inspiration and motivation week after week. 

 

Teresa Purzner

I’m the Co-Founder of Cerebelly, an MD neurosurgeon with a PhD in developmental neurobiology but first, a mother of three.

While doing my research at Stanford I had my own babies and realized there was a huge gap in the market when it came to providing specific nutrients during key windows of brain development. Not only did the foods on the healthiest grocery store shelves miss out on these nutrients, they were missing out on the basic nutrients a developing brain and body needs. So, I decided to set out and change that with Cerebelly in 2019. I knew if I didn’t do that, there was a high likelihood of no one else doing it.

But how do we ensure our little ones are getting the right nutrients? Well, I think a lot of parents take great pleasure and pride in making their kids food and there’s so much value in doing that which extends well beyond the nutritional profile of the food you create. I created Cerebelly to give parents one less thing to worry about and really felt (and still do!) that with our products, we help alleviate the guilt around eating and set our kids off on the right path for long-term vegetable eating. No matter how you look at it, Cerebelly has 8x the nutrition to support healthy brain development, among the 7-top selling baby food pouches on the market.

I’ve found shopping to be quite overwhelming -– even on the healthiest grocery store shelves – and encourage all parents to ‘Flip Your Food’ and see how our nutrition stacks up for smarter snacking. There may be all the right ingredients pictured on the front – but what is the first ingredient on the ingredient list? Often it will be apple, banana or pear. Many packages tout spinach and dark leafy greens on the front, only to discover on the back that there is a few percent of the daily requirement of iron on the nutritional panel – the equivalent of ONE calorie of spinach in the actual product. Each pouch has a nutritional panel – cut through the confusion by just looking at it.

Some tips for parents to look for:
Explore Different Veggies and Fruits: There are many essential nutrients that support healthy brain development and they aren’t all in your basic, everyday fruits and veggies. To make sure your little one is getting the nutrients they need, look to a wide variety of vegetables and fruits like kelp, maitake mushrooms, squash seeds, algal oil and sunflower seeds that have high nutritional density including DHA, Iron, Zinc and Vitamin E.
Don’t be Fooled by Baby Food Packaging!: Flip your food, as it’s the nutrition inside that counts. A box, jar or pouch may tout Spinach on the front of the package, but if it only has 2% of a child’s daily value of Iron, you are probably getting the equivalent of 1 calorie of spinach.
Veggies Over Fruit: Look for vegetable-first baby foods, rather than fruit-first foods (which can be jam packed with sugars). Veggies are where so many good nutrients are!

At Cerebelly we’re really conscientious about things like heavy metals and contaminants (hence the Clean Label Award!!) and ensure that our products combine up-to-date early childhood nutrition with developmental neuroscience to provide nutritious, but also delicious, organic, non-GMO, 100% plant-derived, vegetable- first, dairy-free, and gluten-free, with no added sugar products – giving our little ones the best possible start in life with the age-optimized pouches and most recently our smart bars, to grow with.


1

Sweet Potato Mango

Ripe, tart mango and buttery sweet potato pack a bright punch

$2.89

Our purees contain 8x the nutrients of a conventional pouch. They are designed to support the developing brain of children between the ages of 4 - 24 months old, but they make an amazing snack for toddlers, too!

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2

Blueberry Banana Sweet Potato Smart Bars (5-pack)

The smartest of snack bars, this tasty combo supports brain growth in regions like the parietal lobe

$4.99

Our Smart Bars contain 10 brain-supporting nutrients, 0g of added sugar and 3g of protein. Whether it's for your toddler who's ready to start chewing their food, or your older kiddos who need a healthy snack, our bars are the perfect go-to. We like to call it smart snacking.

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3

Cerebelly X Peppa Pig Smart Bars

We’ve partnered up with Peppa Pig and created fun new packaging for her favorite Smart Bars! Who knew eating healthy could be so fun?

$4.99 for a 5-pack

Ancient grains, crunchy carrots and sun-kissed raisins combine in this smart snack bar delivering brain-supporting nutrients including Zinc, Iron and Vitamin C.

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4

The Bright Start Bundle

Set your little one up for success by providing for them the nutrients their developing brain needs, when they need it. The 28 selected items make the job easy for you!

$81.04 + 15% off

The Bright Start pack ensures you are getting the most critical nutrients, like Choline, Selenium and Zinc, during these most critical windows of brain development.

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5

Pea Spinach Pear

These four nutrients are known to support the growth of the cerebellum, which coordinates your little one’s posture, balance, coordination, and speech, as well as their cingulum, which helps regulate things like attention, visual and spatial skills, and memory

$2.17 each BUY NOW

Garden-fresh peas and leafy spinach get a sweet boost from orchard pears, while quinoa adds texture and a hearty helping of Protein, rounding out this puree also high in DHA, Folate, and Selenium

Photo: Seed Cycling via Healthline

Editor’s note: Any medical advice presented here is expressly the views of the writer and Red Tricycle cannot verify any claims made. Please consult with your healthcare provider about what works best for you.

Are you in tune with your hormones? Sure—maybe you know what they are and that you have them. Many women even have more in-depth knowledge about how hormones impact their cycles and fertility. But did you know that hormones can affect everything from your skin, hair, and mood to sleep quality, sex drive, weight, and general wellness? That’s a lot of important things!

All the more reason why you should want to maintain a healthy hormone balance. However, our hormones don’t always play nice. If you experience heavy or irregular periods, hot flashes, mood swings, irritability, breast tenderness, or just generally feel off, you may have a hormone imbalance. 

For many women with hormone imbalances, PMS, or PCOS, seed cycling can help balance hormone levels and can also potentially reduce symptoms. Seed cycling is a natural and healthy way to help balance hormones!  

Before you go buying up all the seeds, you need to know that while seed cycling isn’t harmful, it’s important to understand your hormone levels before attempting to treat imbalances. The last thing you want to do is make an existing hormone imbalance worse! Luckily, there are plenty of at-home hormone testing options available to give you insight into your cycle. Of course, if you have specific questions or are looking for where to start, I recommend consulting your doctor.

What is seed cycling?

Seed cycling involves eating certain types of seeds during certain phases of your menstrual cycle to promote a hormone balance. In a typical menstrual cycle, estrogen levels rise during the first half of the cycle (the follicular phase) and progesterone levels rise during the second half of the cycle (the luteal phase). Promoting the production of these key hormones during their respective phases leads to a healthy hormone balance.

When seed cycling, you’ll want to track your menstrual cycle so you know which phase you’re in and which hormone you should be boosting. The next step is adding the seeds!

During the follicular phase, estrogen is the star. For days 1-14 of your cycle (for those new to cycle days, day one is the first day you have your period), you’ll eat 1-2 tablespoons each of raw flax and pumpkin seeds per day. These seeds, which contain lignans and zinc, naturally support estrogen production.

After day 14, progesterone takes over for the luteal phase. On day 15 of the cycle, or after ovulation day, you’ll want to make the switch to 1-2 tablespoons each of raw sunflower and sesame seeds per day. These seeds promote progesterone production, thanks to their zinc and vitamin E contents. 

You’ll continue eating sunflower and sesame seeds daily through day 28 of your cycle—the last day before your period. Once Aunt Flo is in town, you can break out the flax and pumpkin seeds once again.

I’ve found that seed cycling works best when the seeds are raw and freshly ground, as it’s easier for your body to absorb the nutrients. If you’re wondering what the heck to eat seeds with, here are a few options:

  • Seed-based energy bites 

  • Fresh seed butter (sunflower butter is a fave!)

  • Seed-based granola

  • Sprinkling seeds on a salad or mixing them into salad dressing

  • Blending seeds into smoothies

  • Topping other dished with seeds, such as chia pudding, oatmeal, or yogurt parfaits

I’ve had low progesterone throughout adulthood, which caused my infertility challenges and continued to make for unpleasant periods, headaches, and low energy each cycle. I started seed cycling as a natural way to help my body naturally balance hormone levels and I’m a huge fan! Since starting, I’ve noticed fewer headaches, shorter and lighter periods, longer luteal phases, and overall increased mood and energy levels. I recommend it to all my friends!

It can take about three months for you to see the benefits of seed cycling. I recommend keeping a journal to keep track of your symptoms through the cycle so you can look back to see impacts over time. As always, if you have any concerns it’s best to consult your doctor. Happy cycling!

 

I'm Amy Beckley. After my experiences with pregnancy loss and IVF I used my PhD in Pharmacology to create MFB Fertility, Inc. and invented the Proov test in my basement, which now allows women to confirm successful ovulation by tracking PdG in 5 minutes, at home. I want to empower women.

You are social distancing, wearing a face mask, and washing your hands frequently, but probably wondering what more you can do to protect your family’s health during this unprecedented time of the COVID-19 pandemic. The good news is that there is something more you can do to keep your body’s immune system working at its peak to defend your health and fight illness. No, it’s not an expensive once-a-day pill, a new dietary supplement, or an exciting new medical breakthrough. As a matter of fact, it’s not new at all. The answer? A healthy eating pattern, as well as other healthy lifestyle habits, can be the invisible armor in your family’s crusade against COVID-19 and other illnesses. While a specific food or nutrient cannot prevent or reduce your risk of COVID-19, a healthy diet of nutritious foods can give your body the extra protection that it needs.

What can you do to maintain your family’s shiny and sturdy immunity armor during this time? 

The secret is in nutritious, whole foods! Make it a habit to build your grocery lists and plan both your meals and snacks to include fruit, vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. These foods have their own “superpowers” to support a healthy immune system that will be ready to work for you when you need it most. In fact, they have vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, D, and E, as well as zinc, which are especially plentiful in fruits and vegetables. 

Schools across the country have started to take more fun and creative approaches that encourage students to enjoy fruits and vegetables at lunchtime which can support their overall health and happiness. In addition to promoting a healthy immune system, a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables can also contribute to positive moods—who couldn’t use more positivity during this difficult time?

When you learn more about how eating healthy foods can make you feel better and protect your health, then you can better understand why eating them is so important. Try adding some of these mood and immunity-boosting foods to your meals:

  • Vitamin A, found in sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, broccoli, and kale, boosts immunity but can also contribute to healthy skin and hair which can help many of us feel more confident.
  • Vitamin C, plentiful in citrus fruits, tomatoes, strawberries, melon, and tomatoes, can aid our memory, will keep us smart and also works overtime for good immune health.
  • Vitamin D, commonly found in fatty fish, eggs, and milk, is also prominent in mushrooms.  This vitamin plays a role in mood regulation keeping us calm and happy during anxious times.
  • Vitamin E, plentiful in nuts and seeds, as well as avocado, red sweet pepper, mango, and green leafy vegetables, keeps our immune system and brain humming which can keep us alert while we fight off illness.
  • Zinc is best absorbed from animal sources but can also be found in plant foods such as beans, celery, green peas, mushrooms, and spinach.  It aids in muscle building to keep us strong and also contributes to our immune health.

Eating well, in addition to practicing other healthy behaviors, is a prescription for good health. Adding exercise, good sleep habits, and stress reduction techniques to a healthy diet may be just what your family needs to stay healthy and happy. 

I have a passion for public health. As a Registered Dietician, I’ve been fortunate enough to turn that passion into a career with Chartwells K-12, where I help give millions of students across the country the nutrition and nourishment they need to live healthy, happy lives.

photo: Kate Loweth

We’ve hit the ground running in 2020 and getting my family’s health into tip-top shape is at the top of my goals for this new year, new decade. I do my best to make healthy, well-balanced meals for my husband and three kids but honestly, it’s not always a success (and my middle child could really survive solely on white bread, ramen and cereal if he had the choice). The after-school hours are busy and sometimes I have to resort to quick meals or pizza (without a vegetable in sight).

For some reason, the habit of taking a daily vitamin isn’t something I’ve been able to incorporate into my family’s routine in the past. I’d go a few weeks with my kids taking a morning vitamin on a semi-regular basis and somehow that would peter out and the vitamin bottle would end up collecting dust in the back of our cabinet. That was until I introduced my kids to MyBite Vitamins. Found at Target (and other large retailers), these seemed like a great idea because they had all the vitamins I was looking for in one chocolatey bite.

photo: Kate Loweth

To be honest, I tricked my kids the first time I gave them a MyBite Kidz vitamin. I wanted them to try it without any “this is healthy for me” bias so I gave them one after school and didn’t mention the vitamin part, just asked them what they thought. My middle child was dubious, as it wasn’t normal for me to offer them chocolate after school, but they were game to try.

My youngest son, Joe, immediately asked if he could have another and claimed that it tasted like a “fancy candy bar.” When I asked my 12-year-old daughter, Nora, if she’d be interested in having one of these every day, she said, “I’m definitely interested in chocolate whenever you want to give it to me.” Even Mr. Picky Eater Middle Child had no complaints, even when I came clean and told them that what I’d just given them was a MyBite Kidz vitamin.

As a mom, I like that my kids remind me to give them their MyBite Vitamins in the morning instead of it being another thing I have to remember. It has been super easy to incorporate the MyBite Kidz into our daily routine and I feel good knowing that even if our dinners are hectic and not always perfect, they are getting a good multivitamin with vitamin A, vitamin B12 and other nutrients they need as growing kids. And with MyBite Immune they get Zinc along with 100% daily value of vitamins D and C that they need to fight all those kid germs at school.

I’ve added the MyBite Hers into my regimen so that I can keep myself strong and healthy. It makes me feel good knowing that in spite of their great taste, MyBite Vitamins have limited sugar and calories and don’t contain any artificial colors, flavors or added preservatives. It’s one more step in the right direction for my family’s health in 2020.

Now through February 1, 2020 save $3 on MyBite Vitamins!

—Kate Loweth

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Kate is a a Bay Area native with three kids. She loves the outdoors, Bloody Marys and reality TV. Her life goal is to see more of the world! 

Photo: Ella Olsson via Pexels

Editor’s note: Any medical advice presented here is expressly the views of the writer and Red Tricycle cannot verify any claims made. Please consult with your healthcare provider about what works best for you.

Ah, hormones. Most of us remember from 7th-grade biology that hormones have something to do with the reproductive system. And some of us may have more in-depth knowledge about how hormones impact monthly cycles and fertility. But did you know that hormones, especially progesterone, can impact skin, hair, mood, sleep quality, sex drive, weight, and general wellness? 

If you have been measuring your progesterone and don’t consistently get a positive test throughout the implantation window, you may have low progesterone. Other signs of low progesterone include brown spotting before your period and irregular cycles, headaches, mood changes, breast tenderness, and more. For many women with low progesterone, PMS, and PCOS, seed cycling can help balance hormone levels and can also potentially reduce symptoms. Seed cycling is a natural and healthy way to help balance hormones, using…you guessed it: seeds! 

What is Seed Cycling?

Seed cycling involves rotating certain types of seeds throughout your menstrual cycle, in order to promote a hormone balance. In a typical menstrual cycle, estrogen levels rise during the first half of the cycle (the follicular phase) and progesterone levels rise during the second half of the cycle (the luteal phase). When these key hormones are imbalanced, it can lead to menstrual irregularities, including breast tenderness, painful periods, acne, and PCOS symptoms.

 

How Does Seed Cycling Work?

Seed cycling involves tracking your menstrual cycle and eating specific seeds during different days of the cycle, to help ensure optimal levels of estrogen and progesterone when these hormones are present during the cycle.

During the follicular phase, estrogen is the star. For days 1-14 of your cycle (for those new to cycle days, day one is the first day you have your period), eat 1-2 tablespoons each of fresh ground flax and raw pumpkin seeds per day. These seeds naturally support estrogen production (by containing lignans and zinc), but can also help in clearing excess estrogen, also known as estrogen dominance.

In the luteal phase, progesterone takes over at center stage. After ovulation or on day 15 of the cycle, switch from flax seeds and pumpkin seeds to 1-2 tablespoons each of raw sunflower and sesame seeds per day. Sesame seeds (high in zinc) and sunflower seeds (high in vitamin E) help with progesterone production during the luteal phase.

Continue eating sunflower and sesame seeds daily through day 28 of your cycle. You then switch back to flax and pumpkin seeds once you start your period again.

Best Ways to Consume Seeds

Seed cycling works best when the seeds are raw and freshly ground, as grinding the seeds increases the surface area for absorption. There are many options for ways to consume seeds, including:

  • Making fresh seed butter (to enjoy with fruit or toast)
  • Making a raw seed-based granola
  • Sprinkling seeds on a salad
  • Blending seeds into smoothies
  • Mixing seeds into salad dressing
  • Adding seeds to chia pudding, oatmeal, or yogurt parfaits

I have had low progesterone throughout adulthood, which caused infertility challenges and continued to make for unpleasant periods, headaches, and low energy each cycle. I started seed cycling as a natural way to help her body naturally balance hormone levels. I’m a huge fan of seed cycling. After starting it, I have noticed fewer headaches, shorter and lighter periods, longer luteal phases, and overall increased mood and energy level.

It can take about three months for you to see the benefits of seed cycling. We recommend keeping a journal to keep track of your symptoms through the cycle so you can look back to see impacts over time. As always, if you have any concerns, it is best to consult your doctor. Happy cycling!

Amy Beckley is the founder and CEO of Proov, the first at-home rapid response urine progesterone test, a hormone critical to fertility and general wellness. Proov was developed from Beckley’s personal infertility experience. Using her PhD in Pharmacology and passion for helping others, Proov empowers women with the knowledge to better understand their bodies.

When you’re eating for two, it’s doubly important to make sure you’re fueling your baby’s growing body and your own with the right nutrients. Below, we’ve rounded up a list of some of the most important nutrients during pregnancy, along with tasty recipes to help you incorporate each of them into your diet. Read on for some delicious (and nutritious) mealtime inspiration.

Iron

The Wholesome Dish

Experts say you need twice as much iron during pregnancy. Iron helps in the production of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body, including your baby. Getting plenty of iron can help prevent anemia, fatigue, low birth weight and premature delivery.

Pork is rich in iron, and we love this sheet pan baked parmesan pork chops with potatoes and asparagus from The Wholesome Dish.

Folic Acid/Folate

Damn Delicious

It’s good to load up on folate-rich foods early in your pregnancy, because they can reduce the risk of birth defects that can develop in the first few weeks of being pregnant. Folate also helps build your baby’s heart, circulatory system, brain and spinal cord.

Get your folic acid fix with these amazing zucchini parmesan crisps from Damn Delicious. In addition to being good for you, they’ll also satisfy that fried food craving that has been driving you crazy.

Iodine

Irmiuz via flickr

Iodine helps build your baby’s brain and nervous system, and also helps keep your thyroid functioning normally. It’s easy to get enough iodine in your diet, especially since our table salt is usually iodized.

Cheese is also rich in iodine, so we’ll take that as a perfect reason to whip up a cheese lasagna inspired by The Wholesome Dish

Zinc

Fannetastic Food

Zinc helps with your baby’s cell growth and DNA production, while also building your own immune system to help prevent the flu and other illnesses—because no one wants to be sick when they're pregnant!

To get your fill of zinc, add some turkey to your diet, like this delish butternut squash turkey chili from Fannetastic Food.

Calcium

hlkljgk via flickr

During pregnancy, you should be getting 1,000 milligrams a day of calcium, which is key for developing your little one’s bones and teeth. As for you, not getting enough calcium now can lead to osteoporosis later in life—all the more reason to fill up on your favorite calcium-rich foods.

Our minds go straight to cheese, yogurt and milk when we think of calcium, but it can also be found in chia seeds, sunflower seeds and oats. These healthy pregnancy cookies from A Proverbs 31 Wife contain all three of those ingredients, which is a win in our book.

Vitamin D

Two Peas and Their Pod

Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, which in turn builds your baby's teeth and bones. Vit D is created in the skin when it’s exposed to UV rays, but you can also get it through foods such as eggs, fortified milk and fatty fish.

Switch up your breakfast and get in some vitamin D with this tasty twist on avocado toast (eggs, spinach and tomatoes, yum!) from Two Peas and Their Pod

Vitamin C

Minimalist Baker

It’s important to get lots of vitamin C during pregnancy, especially since your body doesn’t produce it naturally. It supports your immune system, protects tissues from damage and helps your body absorb iron.

There are lots of foods that are rich in vitamin C, but one of our favorites is sweet potatoes. Whip up a batch of sweet potato chips like these from Minimalist Baker to get your daily dose of C. 

Protein

Sharon Mollerus via flickr

Protein is a key part of the tissues that make up the human body, so it’s vital to get plenty of it to support your little one’s organ growth. Protein also contributes to cell repair and the production of amino acids.

Shrimp is a good source of protein, so whip up this shrimp and avocado salad from Natasha’s Kitchen for a light, healthy lunch.

DHA

Cooking Classy

DHA (aka docosahexaenoic acid) is an omega-3 fatty acid that supports the development of your baby’s brain and eyes. You can fill up on DHA by eating foods like herring, salmon, trout, halibut and walnuts.

Get your fish fix with this fab recipe for grilled salmon tacos from Cooking Classy

— Susie Foresman

 

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12 Healthy Pregnancy Smoothies That’ll Keep You Cool

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Eat the Rainbow with These Toddler-Friendly Healthy Recipes

As a mother of three young children, it’s next to impossible to find time for myself. On top of that, I’m a working parent, so “me time” requires some serious planninI’m a board-certified dermatologist specializing in medical, cosmetic, laser and surgical dermatology for adults and children. I founded my practice with one primary goal: to help all of my patients feel, look, and be spectacular in their own skin. As both a mother and a dermatologist, I stress how important it is to find time for yourself to take care of your skin and body, especially this time of year. The wintertime can wreak havoc on your skin, between the bitter cold weather outside and the blasting heat inside.

With five minutes or less to spare, here are some of my go-to winter skincare tips for moms:

  1. Always stay hydrated; drink plenty of water throughout the day.
  2. One shower a day is just enough; especially for parents of young children, finding the time to even get in one shower can be tough, but a 10-minute warm shower will do the trick. That said, although hot water may feel good, make sure the water isn’t too hot otherwise you can dry out your skin. Same goes for your little ones, one bath a day works just fine.
  3. Use a gentle body wash daily and exfoliate once a week at most if you feel the need to.
  4. Pat your skin dry leaving it a slightly damp; follow with a thick moisturizer which absorbs better when the skin is moist.
  5. In the morning, wash your face with gentle cleanser and follow with moisturizer or serum. I like creams with antioxidants or a vitamin C serum.
  6. Always apply sunscreen with an SPF of 30+ with zinc or titanium. Even in the winter, your skin needs sun protection. You may not realize, but just getting in and out of your car while running errands exposes you to sunlight.
  7. If you wear makeup daily, you can minimize your time getting ready in the morning by using a tinted moisturizer with SPF. It’s 3 steps in 1.
  8. At night, use a gentle cleanser to take off makeup and remove dirt and oil buildup.
  9. Over the counter or topical Rx retinol will help with fine lines, aging, tone and texture. 20-30 minutes after you wash your face, take a pea size amount and apply around your whole face. A little bit goes a long way! Apply remainder to the back of your hands to keep them looking young!
  10. If your skin is dry, moisturizers with ceramides will help keep your natural oils and repair your skin barrier.
  11. A good moisturizer with Lactic acid can help with dry, cracked feet/heels. Apply this routinely and by summer your feet will be ready for flip flop season.
  12. Throughout the winter, parents are quick to grab hand sanitizer at any sign of sickness or germs. Not so fast! Avoid alcohol based products as they’ll dry your skin right up.
  13. Cotton lined gloves are a savior for your skin in the winter. Your hands are one of the first places to show signs of aging, so pay extra attention to them. At night, moisturize your hands and apply gloves for extra absorption. Don’t have cotton lined gloves or the time to go get some? Cotton socks work just as well for this.
  14. Treat yourself to a monthly facial or an at home treatment mask or chemical peel.

Now that I have written this and the kids are in bed, I probably should take some of my own advice and treat myself to a nice facial treatment!

 

Feature Photo: Noah Buscher via Unsplash

My name is Shari Sperling and I am a board-certified dermatologist specializing in medical, cosmetic, laser and surgical dermatology. I am passionate about my patients and I strive to treat them with the utmost sensitivity and care. My goal is to help people achieve their potential through great skin care.

Move over unicorns, llamas are in town and they’re the next, cutest animal on the block. If you’re looking for a new theme for your nursery or just the perfect baby gift for an upcoming shower, check out these adorable llama baby gifts that are al on Amazon.

Posh Peanut Newborn Gift

Give your llama-loving mamas the most beautiful gift with this gorgeous newborn set ($33), complete with large swaddle blanket and adorable headband. The beautiful print is made with 100% bamboo and is pre washed not treated with chlorine containing bleaches, zinc and sulphate. And most importantly––would you look at that llama?!

Llama Sleep Sack

Experts say that using a wearable blanket like this Halo Sleep Sack ($25) is much safer than leaving blankets in the crib with a baby, and you can't go wrong with this muslin version with adorable llamas! The unique construction provides for ample breathing room, is "hip healthy" for growing babies and comes with an inverted zipper for easy diaper changes.

Lil' Llama Natural Rubber Teething Toy

Move over Sophie, Lil' Llama ($20) is in town! This natural rubber teething toy is free of lead, phthalate, PVC, and BPA materials and will coordinate with all your other llama accessories beautifully!

Llama Crib Sheet

Keep nice and warm when your baby cozies up to these adorable flannel llama crib sheets ($13). It's made from 100% cotton, full elasticized and fits standard crib mattresses. 

Llama Night Light

Keep a soft glow in baby's room with this adorable llama night light ($17). It features a dusk to dawn light sensor and provides glare-free lighting so you can find your way to the crib in the middle of the night, that's not so bright it will keep the baby awake.

Llama Wubbanub Pacifer

This sweet llama pacifier ($20) soothes in more ways than one! The adorable plush makes those lost Paci's easy to find, and are a fun toy to play with, too!

Llama Bib

Bella Tunno's Mama Llama Wonder Bib ($15) doesn't just catch all those baby mishaps––it looks adorable while doing it! It's made with an adjustable neck and from PVC-free, BPA-free,  and food-grade silicone that is also dishwasher safe!

Llama Llama Nighty Night Book

Start bedtime off on the right foot, even with your new babies! The bedtime story, Llama Llama Nighty Night ($5.39) is the perfect way to say goodnight, and will match perfectly with any llama themed baby gift.

Whole Llama Fun Monthly Sticker Set

Make remembering milestones a breeze when you have monthly printed stickers to mark the occasion, like this adorable whole llama fun stickers ($11)! They're super easy to peel and stick onto baby's outfit each month and make the perfect baby shower gift.

Llama Outfit

Perfect for a baby boy or girl, this yellow llama outfit and hat ($12) ranges in size from 0-24 months. It's made from soft, breathable cotton that makes it easy for baby to move, especially into the crawling stage!

Stuffed Llama

Give the gift of snuggling! This adorable plush llama ($10) is the perfect size for baby and will soon become a favorite. It's bean filled and comes with lots of realistic flair. It would make the perfect gift topper, don't you think?

––Karly Wood

 

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