How to Tell the Difference Between a Cold and the Flu

How to Tell the Difference Between a Cold and the Flu

Though we’ve just had our first taste of normal winter weather (cold, snow, you know the stuff) here in Albany, cold season did not wait to arrive. In fact, we were hit with our first round of colds a few weeks ago and Kyle’s oldest just recently came down with the flu last week. But just what is the difference between the common cold and the flu? For that matter, is there a big difference? If you’ve ever had the flu, then yes- you know the answer to that question. There is a huge difference. But how do you tell the difference between a cold and the flu? What symptoms do you look for and from there, how do you treat it? Today, I want…

A Beginner’s Guide to Clean Eating

A Beginner’s Guide to Clean Eating

If you, like me, are a skeptic about diets- I encourage you to keep reading on to the end of this paragraph. If I’ve really caught your interest, keep reading on to the end of this post and who knows; maybe we’ll have made a deeper connection by the time all is said and done. I’ve made mention in the past, albeit briefly, about the various types of diets that are out there. I have yet to really try any of them but wanted to look into them so I could explore my options. I’m not really one for fad diets but I’m aware of what I eat. I remember when a former co-worker was talking to me about clean eating and how much it…

Is Chocolate the New Superfood?

Is Chocolate the New Superfood?

We always hear about how junk food is bad for you- and for the most part, we know why. After all, the name “junk” is right there front and center so there’s no way that anything labeled as junk food could possibly be good for you, right? Well, for the most part yes, I think that is true. And in my own personal quest for a healthier lifestyle, cutting down on junk food has been one of the biggest lifestyle changes that I’ve made. Has it been challenging? Sometimes yes. Especially when I need a quick snack. However, during my numerous Google searches (and sometimes late at night when the last thing I should be doing is snacking), I’ve come across a few articles on…

Top Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Top Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Did you know that the average American will gain seven pounds during the holiday season? Sometimes it may feel like more, especially when we’re going to party after party or family event after family event. And let’s not discount all of those yummy goodies that we make for family members and loved ones. Or the occasional treats we have when we’re out shopping or admiring festive holiday displays. Yes, this time of the year can be dangerous for dieters or for those of us who are trying to be mindful of our weight. But how can we avoid that weight gain or at least keep it to a minimum? Here are my top tips to avoid holiday weight gain. The time from Thanksgiving to New…

Healthier Alternatives for White Flour

Do you enjoy baking? It’s one of my favorite things to do, either for my family, for loved ones, friends, or for myself. I find it to be calming and I do enjoy baking from scratch whenever I can. Of course, I’m not above using a few shortcuts here and there but I also know that baking from scratch gives me more control over the ingredients. Recently, I’ve started looking into healthier alternatives for white flour for when I bake. Partially because we’re still looking into making some gluten free friendly changes to our overall diet and partially because it’s part of our overall steps towards a healthier lifestyle. I’ll also be the first to admit, one of the biggest obstacles that we continually face…

Loving My Post Pregnancy Body

Growing up, I was always on the thin side. Part of it was due to my metabolism, and then in my teenage years, part of it was due to a very low sense of self esteem. I struggled with my body image and would panic if I started to gain weight. This continued well into my 20s though by that point I think it was a combination of being a perfectionist and needing to control something (after dealing with Sweet B’s autism diagnosis), my body image issues, and clinical depression. Whatever the case, it was an issue that I needed to address but never really did anything about. At least not until after my last pregnancy. Loving my post pregnancy body was something, at first,…