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Why is breast-feeding for my baby than formula feeding?
better
By Bridgette Poole
This frequently asked question is an important one and the reasons are excellent ones too. Breastfeeding matters both to you and to your Baby in so many wonderful ways. Imagine finding a magical silky white liquid which firstly does not cost a cent, is readily available whenever your baby requires it, does not need to be heated as it is always at the perfect temperature for little mouths and very easy for tiny tummies to digest. Imagine further discovering, that this magic liquid has the power to strengthen your babies immune system by providing your baby with infection fighting antibodies which will last your child throughout their entire life. Amazing, right? Well it doesn’t stop there. This liquid has been found to enable your baby to reach his/her full neurological and mental potential. It helps protect baby from Asthma, Obesity and certain childhood cancers. Babies who do not get this magical silky white liquid have been found to have higher rates of Gastroenteritis, Otitis Media, Urinary Tract Infections, Respiratory Tract Infections, and more visits to the doctor as well as longer hospital stays.
Well Mommies, the good news is you all have this magical silky white liquid safely with you right now. Yes, it’s your very own breast milk. The vital importance of feeding your baby breastmilk, doesn’t stop at your baby, it matters for you too. Research has shown that mothers who don’t breastfeed have much higher rates of Breast, Ovarian and Endometrial cancers, as well as Osteoporosis. Last but not least Breastfeeding is a wonderful way to strengthen the bond between you and your new baby. It is no wonder that all of this is true for you, your baby and your precious breastmilk. For many millennia natural breastmilk has already enabled mothers and babies to flourish. For humans breastfeeding is, after all, the only normal infant food. References: Bridgette Poole (La Leche League Leader, Cape Town) LA LECHE LEAGUE - www.llli.org/
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Shoes Introducing Think! Shoes: a stylish, trendy, funky but healthy (and green) shoe brand. Think! Shoes are not only stylish, trendy and unique, but also extremely comfortable, and if you’ve ever struggled to find beautiful health shoes that complement your wardrobe . . . you need look no further. Only limited ranges are produced, imported and exclusively available in South Africa at our store at the Cape Quarter Lifestyle Village in Green Point, Cape Town, or you can shop online at www.thinkshoes.co.za. Think! Shoes are designed in Austria and individually produced in Europe and for over twenty years, Think! has been manufacturing shoes under the strictest ecological standards and with the utmost respect for nature and the environment! Think! Shoes are made with organic vegetable tanned leather allowing your feet to breathe, and tanning agents are free of toxins and carcinogenic AZO colours. Pure cork is also used which adjusts to the shape of the foot in a perfect, natural and healthy way providing ultimate comfort! Natural Latex, used in our
soles, ensures excellent insulation, has a high abrasion resistance and is skid proof. All Think! men’s and ladies ranges are organic health shoes with exchangeable inner soles should you need to wear orthopaedic insoles. Think! . . . only the best quality shoes made with love. You and your feet deserve them! www.thinkshoes.co.za. Shop A08, The Cape Quarter Lifestyle Village, Greenpoint, Cape Town. 021 418 4503. STOCKISTS IN ALL AREAS NEEDED:
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checklist to help you find shoes that are healthy for your feet! • Know your shoe size, sounds like common sense but when was the last time you had yours measured? • Make sure that the shoes you are buying will be wide enough for your feet.
• If you are suffering from arch pain, look for a shoe that is deep enough to accommodate an insole. • If the weather permits, wear sandals. These will allow your feet and toes to spread naturally.
• Think about the material that your shoe is made of. Avoid synthetic and hard materials and opt for a natural soft leather or alternative that will allow your feet to breath naturally. • Choose a firm and low heeled shoe.
Extra important to consider these points during pregnancy! PAGE 21 www.survivalguide.co.za
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For more information on Kids who Can! A stress management course for children for life, please contact me: Michelle Schoon: 082 3444231 or Email: michelle@stressfreekids.co.za.
Stress AND Children
W
e live in a society where caring parents will go to extraordinary lengths to develop their children’s intellectual abilities and spend a small fortune on all kinds of extra-curricular activities, ranging from art to sports. But how do you prepare your child for coping with life itself? What will you teach him about handling conflict, sadness and stress? I think we have all felt the side effects of stress and the feelings that go with it. Whether it be anger, worry, fear, sadness, we have all experienced these feelings. So have our children.
Childhood should not be stressful but in today’s culture, stress in children is becoming more and more frequent. With the pressures of school, sports, and all that the media throws at our children, it’s pretty clear how a child can quickly feel overwhelmed! As parents, we need to be aware of what our children are feeling. We need to be connected and spend enough time with our child in order to see the signs of stress in our kids. If you believe your child could be experiencing stress, consider the following: What are some sources of stress in children? Changes and situations in family dynamics, school, friends, an overabundance of activities, not enough down-time or creative outlets, too much TV, social pressures, low selfesteem, separation from parents, or other sources unique to your child. What are some symptoms of stress in children? While it may be difficult to recognize symptoms of stress in children, below are some symptoms that may alert you to stress: Mood swings, sleep pattern changes, acting out, bed wetting, frequent stomach aches and headaches, trouble concentrating, incomplete schoolwork, a change in academic performance, and/or withdrawing or isolating oneself. Some children may start lying, defying authority, or bullying other children while others may suffer from nightmares, clinging to their parents, or overreacting to what are simply small problems. Very young children may begin new habits such as hair twirling, picking their nose, sucking their thumb, or other regressive behaviours. Stress is one of the greatest threats to all life on earth. We may not be able to change the stressful situations in life but we can change how we cope with them. We can change our thoughts. Thoughts are the most powerful forces in a child’s universe. The thoughts children think each
day influence every aspect of their lives. Their attitudes, choices, personality, and who they ultimately become as individuals, are all products of their thinking. We can help our children overcome their doubts and fears by using the power of words. The key is to show them how they can change the negative words inside their heads into positive verbal suggestions. Like a computer, our mind processes all the information we input. Our beliefs and expectations are built up by the thoughts and suggestions we regularly give ourselves. Our child’s mind is incredibly active with thousands of thoughts each day. On the Kids who Can course, we empower today’s children to be active participants in creating their own healthy, calm, peaceful lives. Our aim is to provide children with a safe, fun space to learn about themselves, what they like, dislike, how they feel about things, and to learn to manage what life throws at them in a healthy effective way. Each lesson is structured in the same way so that the children enjoy the comfort of knowing what to expect as they become familiar with the class format. Repetition and practice insure that the empowering techniques of affirmations, visualisations and breathing are integrated into their lives. Children need to have some quiet time to discover themselves and choose how they would like to manage themselves and their emotions. Emotional intelligence is becoming increasingly one of the most valuable tools any human can have. It has been said that we spend the first 20 - 30 years burying our feelings and the next 20-30 years trying to deal with them. Why not encourage our children to change these patterns?
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Fiona Ayerst is a specialist underwater photographer from the Garden Route and she brings you something completely different from the normal, quite formal family shoot.
Fiona brings you water!
• I.E.B. Matric • registered independent school • small classes - individual attention • team and individual sport including swimming - 25m pool • nurtures self-confidence and self-discipline • boarding facilities available for high school students
She enjoys styling and taking photos of families; babies and children in water. Fiona will shoot you and your kids in pools; puddles; rivers or the ocean. Photos with water as a feature, such as kids having fun with bubbles or spraying each other, are also a hit.
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Fiona also shoots children outdoors in natural settings with animals. Fiona travels the country and is available to shoot in areas other than on the garden route- by arrangement. If you have a school leaver or GAP year candidate in your family looking for something to do then please enquire about our
Internship Program running throughout the year in Mossel Bay.
Visit www.fionaayerst.com and navigate to the personal services area under the services and trips tab for more information and pricing. You can also contact Fiona's studio at media@fionaayerst.com or at 044 690 3990 PAGE 33 www.survivalguide.co.za
Feeding the Picky Eater Part 1 By Karen van Zyl
MA (MW) Play Therapy
Do you dread meal times? Are you preparing all kinds of sensible dishes composed of healthy, appealing foods, most of which end up on the floor? To make matters worse, do you take your children’s rejection of your cuisine personally, and are you convinced that this is a sign of parental lapse on your part? What is wrong? Why are these children such picky eaters? The daily frustrations of getting your picky eaters to tolerate and eat “normal” food can be absolutely overwhelming for both the parent and the child. Trust me, I know, because I am a mom of one! It is not unusual, especially in the toddler years, for children to be picky eaters. However, picky eaters can be quite frustrating for parents who are concerned about their children’s eating habits. In some cases a toddler that is not eating well or refusing to eat can develop nutrient deficiencies and can become under-weight. Why Toddlers are Picky Toddlers aren’t being picky to annoy their parents. There are legitimate reasons for picky eating behaviour and if parents can gain an understanding of those reasons, they can help to find ways to get their children to eat healthy, balanced meals. There are developmental reasons why children between one and three years of age peck and poke at their food. After a year of rapid growth, toddlers gain weight more slowly. So, of course they need less food. The fact that these children are always on the go also affects their eating patterns. They don’t sit still for anything, even food. Snacking their way through the day is more compatible with these busy explorers’ lifestyle than sitting down to a fully-fledged feast. Toddlers are picky eaters for a few main reasons: 1. The toddler is in a manipulative stage of development 2. The toddler seeks attention through his behaviour 3. The toddler has a greater interest in the world around him and loses interest in food 4. The toddler’s growth rate is slower 5. Minor illnesses or teething can reduce the appetite 6. The toddler prefers sweet over bitter tastes 7. The toddler is afraid to try new foods (Neophobia) PAGE 34 www.survivalguide.co.za
8. Sensory Processing Disorder Research suggests that some reasons are rooted in their survival instinct. Dislike of bitter foods is a defence mechanism to protect them from eating things that are poisonous. Imagine young prehistoric toddlers picking a berry, leaf or flower from a plant and putting it in their mouths. If they ate it and it was poisonous, they would die. However, they were less likely to eat it because of the aversion to bitter tastes. Sweet foods, like fruits, on the other hand, are energy rich foods and it makes sense for children to be naturally attracted to the taste of foods that will give them the most energy. Neophobia is another defence mechanism. It doesn’t usually kick in until children reach two years of age. Interestingly, that’s about the age when children in most societies are no longer breastfed. That means youngsters aren’t completely dependent on their mothers for food. Avoiding unfamiliar foods can actually keep them safe. Another cause for picky eating is a dislike of particular tastes, smells and textures of foods. A Sensory Processing Disorder, in particular oral defensiveness, is one of the leading causes of picky eaters. Children dealing with Sensory Processing Disorder can be especially sensitive to certain tastes and textures. They may dislike creamy textures or a mix of textures, like something that is both crunchy and creamy. These children can also be a bit overwhelmed by too many tastes blended together and some of them can distinguish the various herbs and spices in one dish! Once you understand the source of your child’s picky eating behaviour, you will realise that she is not being difficult or stubborn and you will be ready to help her broaden her tastes. Learn to Relax Your job as a parent is simply to prepare the right food nutritiously (steamed rather than boiled, baked rather than fried), and serve it creatively. The rest is up to the child. How much he eats, and if he eats, is mostly his responsibility. Aim for a Good Week Toddlers like to binge on one food at a time. They may eat only fruits one day, and vegetables the next. Since erratic eating habits are as normal as toddler mood swings, expect your child to eat well one day, and practically nothing the next. Toddlers from one to three years need between 1 000 and 1 300 calories a day, yet they may not eat this
amount every day. Aim for a nutritionally-balanced week, not a balanced day. Good Snacking – Good Behaviour A child’s demeanour often parallels her eating patterns. Parents often notice that a toddler’s behaviour deteriorates toward the end of the morning or mid-afternoon. Notice the connection? Behaviour is at its worst the longer they go without food. Snacking minimizes blood-sugar dips and lessens the resulting undesirable behaviour. Is it a problem? Should I be worried? If you answer “Yes” to any of these questions, discuss it with your Health Care Provider to ensure that the problems are addressed professionally: 1. Does your child only eat certain types of food (e.g. fast foods, fried food etc.)? 2. Does your child dislike trying new foods? 3. Does your child refuse to eat vegetables and/or items from other food groups? 4. Does your child have strong likes and dislikes for certain foods? 5. Does your child make meal times very long or make a fuss over eating? 6. Do you use an incentive to encourage your child to finish his meal? 7. Does your child get a good balance of food in each meal? It may be helpful for parents who are concerned about their toddler’s intake to plot the weight and height on the growth chart to make sure that their child’s growth is normal. If you suspect your child is failing to thrive, go seek professional help. Conclusion It may take weeks, months and sometimes years of active treatment before your child can tolerate enough “normal” foods to get what he needs. You and your child may battle, your child may resist, and you both may have difficulty emotionally dealing with the struggles that present themselves. It may be emotionally and physically exhausting at times and you may want to give up trying. Get the professional help, guidance and support you need.
Look out for PART 2 OF THIS SERIES - Tips for Feeding Picky Eaters - IN SPRING EDITION! ned a renow an Zyl is evelopment v n re a K dD ears on hildhoo Early C regularly app s. d n tion Expert a Great Expecta e-TV ’s of variety lts to a cently su n o c o She als ons and has re g ti in publica red on Top Bill appea
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The Zoku Quick Pop™ Maker freezes ice pops in as little as seven minutes right on your countertop without electricity. Quickly make striped pops, yogurt pops or (for the first time ever at home) flavoured core pops. Watch it freeze! Available at Boardmans, selected Pick ’n Pay, Game & Makro Stores, and online at Yuppiechef.co.za zoku ad.indd 1
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2012/06/04 1:35 PM
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What does “being healthy” really mean to you? Is being healthy simply the absence of disease? And what would one class as “dis-ease”? I’m sure you have heard - upon the premature passing away of a friend/family member/acquaintance – the comment: “but he/she was SO healthy and ate SO healthily”. But by what yardstick are we measuring “health”? And whose definition of “healthy” is being used? I have often heard the phrase “all you have to do is eat a balanced diet” in order to be “healthy”. But is a “balanced diet” a cup cake in each hand?! Again, what is the definition of a “balanced diet”? Perfect Health Perfect health is not just an absence of dis-ease but an abundance of energy, clear and glowing skin, bright and alert eyes, a strong set of regular bowels (that means at least once a day!), no digestive problems, no heartburn, no allergies, full mobility and fitness, a lean body and natural weight and no colds or ‘flu. Add to this balanced cholesterol, normal blood sugar, normal blood pressure, optimum Vitamin D and B12, optimum Homocysteine (6 or below) and no inflammation - then your risks for disease are distinctly and radically reduced. How many people do you know who fit this profile? These days, more and more people are developing lifestyle diseases earlier and earlier. The warning signs are there but most people are unaware of their meaning. The phrase “listen to your body” is all well and good but if you don’t know how to interpret the signs you are not going to make the necessary changes to improve your health. Hence an increasing number of people are in the early stages of disease development but do not recognise it.
4. 5.
6. 7.
things as sinusitis, irritable bowel syndrome and other “itis” conditions) Inflammation (allergies, immuno-suppression) Induration (when gradual thickening (hardening) of the mucous and sub-mucosal tissues manifests resulting in hardening of the arteries, cysts, kidney stones to name but a few) Ulceration (can manifest as stress ulcers, a stasis ulcer, a trophic ulcer, a peptic ulcer, ulcerative colitis) The final stage - fungation (It is known better as an overgrowth of fungus in the body and can consist of moulds, mildew, yeasts (candidiasis), and cancer).
As an example, when you get frequent constipation or heartburn and you resort to laxatives and ant-acids you are suppressing the warning signs that your body is giving you. Constipation is a sign that your digestive system is not functioning properly and that your diet is in serious need of an overhaul. Heartburn is another sign of digestive dysfunction. If you ignore these signs you are on the road of the Seven Stages of Disease. Combine this with excessive weight and a lack of exercise and you are seriously asking for health trouble.
The seven stages of disease:
So how do we achieve perfect health? It’s important to recognise that most of the ‘food’ available today is not food at all – it is dead, processed, nutrient deficient rubbish. Included in this category is anything made with refined flour, refined sugar, GMO ingredients (e.g. genetically modified corn or soya), refined maize meal, hydrogenated vegetable oils and artificial sweeteners. There are many more ingredients to avoid such as MSG, artificial flavours and colours, high fructose corn syrup and preservatives.
1. 2. 3.
All of the above are acid-forming and deplete your body of vital nutrients. This is why when you eat a fast ‘food’ you are hungry in a very short space of
Enervation (weaken) Intoxication (accumulation of toxins) Irritation (an acid forming diet resulting in such
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time – the ‘food’ is so lacking in nutrients your body sends you the signal to eat more! The key to perfect health is a diet that contains no less than 75% alkaline forming foods (mainly raw fruits and vegetables) that are high in nutrients and do not contain any of the substances mentioned above. It is extremely important to maintain the pH balance in the blood without straining your body’s metabolic processes. This can only be done by following a very high alkaline forming diet that is as close to nature as possible. An alkaline forming diet is also the key to a healthy, natural weight so if you are struggling to shed those kilos despite exercising and trying to eat healthily, now is the time to look into The Natural Way lifestyle.
Sarah Kalell Affiliated Consultant for The Natural Way lifestyle 082 0990 650 www.delicioushealth.co.za
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A ‘GREEN’ THEME KIDS PARTY! Choosing a Theme: This seems like a pretty straightforward start to organising a birthday party for your child. It does make everything a lot easier when you have a theme. When selecting a theme first ask what your child would like - do they have a favourite character, sport interest or dream that would make a fun party theme? Once you have the theme everything else will fall into place. The theme sets the tone of the party and can be incorporated into the decorating, the cake, and can also be used with the activities. There are numerous party ideas that are suitable for kids: choose one that you are sure that they will enjoy, and that will not get you stressed before the big day. Pick a theme that can easily be achieved, and one your child will not change his or her mind about days later. There is nothing worse than buying matching plates, serviettes and the entire decor for an Army party, only to return home to a child convinced that only a Pirate party will do. Be flexible with your theme. Herewith a fantastic theme idea – thanks to my good friend Alison.
The Going Green Party! “Going Green” Venue Choose places like gardens, parks, museums, zoos and farms; although any venue can work with this theme. The main benefit of choosing an outdoor location with natural surroundings is that it does not require much in terms of decorating etc. However, see below the great ideas for decorations that don’t take much and are also something that you and the birthday child (and siblings!) can do together. “Going Green” Decorations, Invitations and Party Favours Make use of natural and reusable, recyclable materials like cloth table covers instead of plastic; cloth instead of paper napkins. For decorations, you can create a centre masterpiece with all your recycled material. Start collecting all your cereal boxes, egg containers, yoghurt tubs etc., and spend the time with your kids to build something. Use any durable containers for the party food.
You can avoid using paper invitations and invite people via email or sms - or use recycled paper should you wish to send hand-out invitations. Party Favours could be: green shopping bags or goodie bags made out of used paper, or even cloth type bags. Fill with a globe of the earth and seedling packets. Use recycled jars to fill with sweets. “Going Green” Food Use organic ingredients when making home baked foods and the cake. Serve fruit, veggie crudités and nuts, which are of course healthy for kids as well as adults. Serve the kids water or juice in bottles instead of plastic / polystyrene cups. “Going Green” Activities and Games If you are going to a public park, make sure to take along blue and black bags, and perhaps get two teams together and get them to pick up rubbish. (Don’t forget the wipes / soap for washing hands afterwards). Toss the Trash: Collect cans and get them to throw the cans in the bin. Get Crafty: With any left-over recycled material, as well as any string, wool, fabrics etc. – bring all the extras and let the children get creative. The Cereal Box Game: This is great fun and all you need is an empty cardboard cereal box. Cut the flaps off the top of the box. Arrange all the guests in a circle with the box in the middle. They then have to take it in turns to pick up the box standing up and using only their teeth. When the first person has managed to pick it up you tear around the box making it an inch shorter in length. The next person then goes. It will get harder and harder as the box gets smaller and smaller. (P.S. Getting a parent to have a go will cause lots of laughter, as the children will be so much better!) Hope this gives you an idea for your child’s next birthday celebration. Why not share some of your fabulous party ideas and pics? Like us on Facebook: Kidspartyvenues.co.za and post on the wall – let’s get our creative juices flowing.
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Eat Raw, Eat More By Helen Hansen
My five year old and I were having a discussion about the importance of good food. I explained that the best food to eat is food that you can pick yourself (hoping this would make him think of our own veggie patch just a few metres away). His immediate reply was: “Like we do at Woolies!” Why do we make the act of eating food so complicated? The earth gives us everything we need yet we want more. We complain about electricity bills yet we continue to switch on the oven, at least once every day. We complain about food prices yet we continue to pile our trolleys with frozen and processed goods, not to mention sugar. We complain about illness yet we continue to destroy ourselves with silent killers like aspartame. Can we truly say our species has progressed when we have strayed so far from nature?
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Peter and Beryn Daniel, co-authors of Rawlicious, write that beyond 47°C enzymes begin to be destroyed. Considering that most food is cooked well beyond this temperature indicates that a large portion of natural goodness is lost. Cooked food is difficult for the body to digest resulting in waste and toxic build up. Then there is also the problem of acidity. Increased acid in our bodies equals an increased risk of disease. Cooked food is a large contributor to an imbalanced pH level. So while you think you are eating a healthy meal of boiled or baked veggies what is actually taking place is an influx of acid into your body. Eating raw may sound complex but it is a lot easier than expected. The trick is gradual change and not cold turkey (no pun intended). Five years ago I discovered Mary-Ann Shearer and her 100 days to health
programme. My 100 days ended up totalling nearly 300 days but the point is, I did it! It was during this exercise that I realised it’s ok to fail, but it’s NOT ok to give up. Taking one day at a time I slowly changed more than my diet, I changed my lifestyle. The Advantages of Eating Raw: • Emotional stability • Increased mental focus • Increased energy • Decreased anxiety • Improved skin, nail and hair quality • Rebuilds healthy tissue • Body heals easier and quicker • Improved sleep patterns • Body attains its natural and intended weight • You can eat as much as you like! We owe it to ourselves to fuel our bodies correctly in order to reach our full potential. We owe it to ourselves to practice and experience information so that we can become knowledgeable. And now I owe my son a visit to the veggie patch. He is eyeing the nasturtiums and spring onions while I can’t wait to get my hands on some beetroot and spinach. Today’s lunch will definitely consist of a mixed garden salad.
This extract is taken from Helen’s blog. For details of her 3 Month Plan for changing your lifestyle and other interesting reads, visit: www.kto.co.za/helensblog
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Me, Myself and I
On Being my Own Best Friend By Jeanne Fourie-Hattingh Sometimes we find life truths and wisdom in the most unforeseen and strangest of places… like in a movie called “Spaceballs” (1987) from a character called Barf! Who would have guessed?
• •
Allow me to introduce you. Barf: Hi, I am a mog. Half man, half dog. I am my own best friend.
•
In the book The Invitation (1999), Oriah Mountain Dreamer asks:“I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments…” In other words, are you, like Barf, your own best friend?
•
Becoming my own best friend: Why would I want to be my own best friend? Wouldn’t people find me arrogant, or call me a narcissist if I love myself? A narcissist is someone who has a grandiose sense of self-importance, believing him or herself to be greatly unique and special. Willing to exploit others to meet their needs, and lacking empathy. Is this what a best friend does? Being a friend does not imply superiority and a lack of empathy for others. Neither does being your own friend.
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Then, what does a best friend do? A best friend: • Loves you for who you are. A best friend loves the crow’s feet around your eyes – because that means you often laugh. She adores your saddle bags – thinking of all the wonderful meals you’ve cooked and the dinosaur cakes you’ve baked. • Accepts you unconditionally – realizing you too have a shadow side. She supports you through depression, anger or anxiety. She knows that to live in the light, you have to befriend, and not ignore, your demons. And she will support you in this. • Won’t always agree with your actions and words, but realizes that you have to make mistakes in
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order to grow. She will remind you that you are only human. And wonderfully so. Will stand up and defend you if needed. She won’t let people abuse you in any way. Will spend time with you. She knows when you need a break and a cup of tea. She realizes the value of me-time. Will sometimes spoil you – just because you’re special. Knows that it is OK to ask for help. And to delegate. Understands that you don’t have answers to all the questions and will help you Google it. She will also warn you not to believe everything you read or what people may tell you. Nourishes and nurtures you – your body, your mind and your soul.
How do I become my own best friend: • Forgive yourself for anything you feel guilty about. This is sometimes purely a decision you make, but it can also be a complicated task. If you struggle with this, ask for professional help. • Look at yourself as you would at your child or best friend. Will you love your child less if she has freckles… or made a mistake… or did not succeed? It is not fair to be unfair towards yourself. • Look at the bigger picture. In the bigger picture, does it matter that I cannot afford to drive a 4x4 or bake a cake, am not skinny or don’t hold a degree. Don’t sweat the small stuff. • Be mindful of yourself. Take time to validate your emotions, your mood, your being. Without try ing to change it, purely experience your anxiety or discomfort. Accept it as a part of yourself and know it will also change or come to pass. • Find alternative ways to cope. If you are prone to stress, learn relaxation techniques, take up yoga, go for a walk.
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Assess and learn to let go. Ask whether this con tributes to your life in a positive manner. If it doesn’t - let go. Let go of negative habits, beliefs, perceptions, guilt, fears and even relationships. Sometimes you have to let go in order to find yourself. Breathe. Take five minutes just to become aware of your breath, experiencing how the air is pass ing through your nose, filling your belly and mov ing out through the mouth. Reconnect to the vital sign of life. Be true to yourself.
“It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself: if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul: if you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy”. The Invitation, Oriah Mountain Dreamer.
Jeanne Fourie-Hattingh is a psychologist in private practice in George and proud mother of two. WITH A SPECIAL INTEREST AND SPECIALIZATION IN: - parental guidance, the new parent and family therapy - child development, school readiness and scholastic evaluations - emotional and behavioural therapy - anxiety and trauma “Having a child is .... to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body.” Elizabeth Stone Contact: 082 372 2141 | 044 874 1241 jeanne.fourie@gmail.com
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Horses make you grow. They teach a child to be moderate with their tempers, loving in their manners, courageous in their actions and truthful with themselves. A horse is one of the most noble and intelligent animals. A good trainer can teach a horse up to 450 different commands; dogs can learn up to 50 commands and oxen a mere 8 commands. A horse mirrors our emotions completely and reacts directly to fear with fear; anger with anger; love with love; trust with trust etc. The child wanting to interact with a horse has to become aware of themselves and their emotions and this leads to spiritual growth and balance in all that child’s dealings with that animal and eventually, in the world as a grownup, those invaluable lessons will come into play. There are very few working heavy draft horses left in the world today and they are amazing gentle giants which children of yesteryear were well acquainted with. Their natures being so placid they were the ideal horses to learn to ride on and to work with. Their survival is more important to our collective consciousness than we realize. They are our last link to a world that depended on horse power and not machines to feed people. When we lose them we are in danger of losing our humanity and becoming machines like the ones we use. Outeniqua Moon’s Heavy Draft PercheronBobby and his cart at Oom Jannie’s 80th birthday party Wildlife Sanctuary
White lions White tigers black leopard Jaguars spotted Hyenas and more
o p e n da i ly 09:00 - 17:00
G uMoon i d ePercheron d ToHeavy u r sDraft : Foals 2 boys with the Outeniqua 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 & fe e d i n g to u r 1 6 : 0 0
MosselBaAI
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A bit about
YOGA...
T
he word Yoga in Sanskrit means “to unite” or bring harmony within the body, mind and spirit with the aim of achieving a state of oneness with the Universe. It is a wholly practical science based on certain immutable laws of nature and geometry and the ancients had no doubt that it contains the master key to unlock the realms of Peace and Freedom. It is the traditional art of body and mind fitness through a series of asanas (postures), breathing techniques and relaxation. It trains you in direct experience and perception, thereby developing the physical body and consciousness. You learn to listen to and observe the body, rather than trying to force or control it towards reaching a goal. The focus is on the process, rather than the goal, making Hatha Yoga (the yoga I focus on) accessible to all. There is no model of perfection to live up to, but rather, individuals are encouraged to discover the perfection within them.
Through regular asana practice we learn to cope with demands and situations that life presents, instilling a sense of inner calm and being more centered and grounded. It fosters a sense of unconditional love and respect for oneself and all living beings. The Sanskrit term “NAMASTE” is commonly said at the beginning and end of a Yoga class, which means “the divine light in me honors the divine light in you.” Yogic philosophies teach us about bringing Peace into the world, and we can only achieve that when we find the Peace within ourselves. This is the aim of Yoga. Namaste
Yoga is greatly beneficial in leading a healthy and happy life, focusing on respecting and keeping the body healthy. It improves lung capacity and as a result blood circulation, strengthens immunity, improves posture, optimizes body functions and boosts energy flow in the body. The stretches and bends involved in the asana practice ensure a well toned, fit body helping to instill a positive self image, both mentally and physically. It provides a deeper understanding of the mind-body connection, along with self-nourishment and healthy living. Yoga can be as beneficial for active sports people. It helps to prevent and heal injuries by loosening up tight muscles, improving total body mobility and flexibility, giving greater range of motion, which can improve performance and helps to even-out muscle imbalances that often occur in athletes. The breathing techniques help to get more oxygen to the muscles and it creates a better sense of body awareness and control, which also elevates performance.
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Active Kids Active Bodies
melissa page school of dance
Active Minds
Association of International Dance Teachers (A.I.D.T)
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Naturally nourishing and nurturing your home and body
but don’t forget your planet!
Written by Liesl Gerber, owner of online organic shop, www.ecoemporium.co.za Winter is upon us and it is time to nourish and nurture those dry skins, runny noses and hibernating souls. What better way than to tackle winter ailments with an abundance of natural products? Why? Because it has been proven that natural products and remedies are better for us – and the planet – than those nasty chemical based products that we’ve all been conditioned to use. And with all the amazing products being developed and manufactured in S.A. today, it is easy to change your household into a more natural, earth-and-body-friendly zone. Changing to a more natural, eco-friendly lifestyle is a tough one, so we’ve come up with a 4-point action plan to get you started: 1.
2.
3.
Nurture the home: Change to natural household cleaning materials – this is a low-cost way to get your household into a “chemical free, safe zone”. Kids and pets alike will reap the benefits as there won’t be any toxic residue left over on the surfaces that they come into contact with Nourish the body: Try organic or natural skin and body care ranges – our skin absorbs what we put on it, so all those nasty chemical preserva tives and ingredients gets pulled straight into our bodies. There exists a huge range of negative effects in children’s behaviour and health that can be related to the chemicals found in our body products. Organic and natural Olive oil and honey based products are absolute winners when it comes to nourishing skin. Nourish the tummy: Buy organic foods (or as our grandparents used to call it, “food”). A
4.
lot of the pesticides used during farming prac tices remain on the food even after we’ve purchased them. Certified organic foods are farmed without the use of chemical pesticides, and besides the fact that they are therefore a lot healthier and safer for your family, they taste amazing! Nurture (and love) the planet that provides all these natural ingredients: While going the natural and organic route is a major step in the right direction when it comes to the safety and wellbeing of our families, we must not forget to nourish and nurture the planet that we take these natural ingredients from. Recycling and using cloth diapers for babies are great ways to kick start your earth conscious behaviour.
We at Eco Emporium go the extra step by also giving you the opportunity to show your love to the earth by supporting our “Run for Trees” campaign. Because it is important not only to look after our planet by recycling and using biodegradable products, but also to nourish and replenish the earth’s resources that we so freely use. We will run a half marathon (not an easy feat for us!) if you donate just 1 tree to the non-profit Food And Trees For Africa (FTFA) organization. Our combined effort will not only offset our carbon footprints and ensure a mass tree planting exercise by FTFA, it will be your way of giving back to Mother Nature… Detail of this great initiative can be found here: www.ecoemporium.co.za/social-responsibility
Buy Organic, Natural and Eco-friendly... online * Use this voucher for a 15% discount at checkout: “survival” * Support our “Run for Trees” Campaign:
www.ecoemporium.co.za/social-responsibility
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nal f the origind owner noap ra b d y an p r o at d th fold is cre endly clon with her husban Vicki PenAfrican eco-friap w o ). T (6 e d od South she lives in C (9) and T a; ns Hugo Bio-Baban d two so
Does ‘the norm’ discourage us from and our kids?
nourishing
nurturing
From microwaves to formula & bottled baby food; from disposable nappies to cell phones and 3G, our modern world is filled with a host of products that are supposed to make life easier for the busy parent. The question is, are they making our children sick? With a radical increase in child autism to a myriad of childhood illnesses, we have to ask whether our lifestyle choices and the things to which we expose our children are contributing to these ailments. Are we really nourishing and nurturing our kids? Few restaurants and homes are without a microwave these days. Are we in fact blissfully ignorant of the effects and dangers of microwaves? Warming a bottle by placing it in a bowl of hot water may take a few minutes longer, but is much safer: reports as far back as 1989 in the Lancet medical journal show microwaving baby formulas converted certain amino acids into synthetic AND POISONOUS substances. It’s bad enough that many babies are not nursed, but now they are given fake milk (baby formula) made even more toxic via microwaving. Organic steamed vegetables are much tastier and healthier for adults, and the same is true for babies. If baby can see you are eating and enjoying your yummy PAGE 62 www.survivalguide.co.za
food, they are likely to do the same. I am inherently distrustful of ‘enriched’ baby foods and formulas since I saw a disturbing experiment which involved showing that the ‘iron’ content in a kids’ cereal was in fact iron filings! Yes indeed, 100% of their daily allowance! Nourished? Does covering baby in a chlorine, sodium polyacrylate filled product for 3 years sound nurturing? No, it does not, but most parents, perhaps because it is ‘the norm’, think that using a disposable nappy for 36 months for the sake of ‘convenience’ is acceptable. Feeling pleased with my new ‘smart phone’ and amazed at how it synchs Facebook, Skype, Twitter and my phone contacts . . . I can now cleverly nurture relationships the world over by ‘remembering’ birthdays and ‘sharing’ life changing events such as putting milk in the coffee. What did make me sit up and take notice though, was how radical its bluetooth connectivity was - when attempting to transfer my old phone contacts, I pressed ‘search for devices’ and it picked up my husband’s notebook on the other side of the house! Some research is now showing a link between levels of electromagnetic radiation (from cellphones and other wireless devices) and childhood autism. Suddenly, I didn’t feel so smart, and needed a hug from a small person.
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