Staying healthy

For any parent, keeping the whole family healthy is a big issue. Kids, and adults as well- we all have quite a time trying to keep off disease. Of course there are lots of ways and things we can do to stay healthy. In my house, what we do is we try to eat well. I've been trying out a lot of soups from Wai Lana's Favorite Soups. Now that autumn is here, it's great to have all these hearthy soups.

I also make sure everyone does exercise, and take supplements. My kids just love Wailana's goji juice. And I can definitely see why. It tastes great and feels equally good.

Good to celebrate national breast awareness month too! A friend of mine died of breast cancer two years ago. It's still fresh in our minds.

Wanted: Mothers for the Congress

I recently signed the Mom Congress. I encourage all concerned mothers to sign it too! It's a great opportunity to have your voice heard in the congress. This will affect our children. As parents, we are naturally concerned about our children and their well being.

This is one reason I make sure my kids are doing yoga with Wai Lana Little Yogis. I know they will be living their own lives and making their own decisions. I want them to be able to have everything they need to stay healthy, and be healthy. I trust that Wai Lana Yoga can do that for them, as it's done it for me. Of course I don't force the issue on them, and I am thankful that they actually enjoy doing their yoga and always ask to do it even on days I've forgotten to put the tapes on.

Happy living!

Develop Healthy Habits Early

I've been volunteering at a nearby elementary school for the past two months, and more than ever, I realized the importance of developing healthy habits early in life. This responsibility lays largely on parents and teachers, who help a child develop the path and life they will eventually live- on their own. Seeing that many of the children were far above their healthy weight and were- at their tender ages- not very healthy, I raised my concern with the other teachers and parents. I introduced Wai Lana's Little Yogis series to them. Some parents faced my ideas with a little apprehension, while others welcomed the concern. I proposed that the children try it out even just for two weeks, and from there they could assess whether it was working on not.

The funny thing is that many of the parents were surprised that the kids absolutely loved the fun songs and doing the yoga poses with Wai Lana. After two weeks, the parents all voted that the 30 minute "yoga fun and way with Wailana" would continue, and even got Wailana's daydream CD for kids for the preschool children.

I hope and trust that this is a great way to start these children on a healthy lifestyle. As they become accustomed to feeling great and having good fun doing yoga, they will always look forward to it throughout their lives, or at least know how wonderful yoga can make them feel. Kids need to relax too! My next project now is to introduce less sugary snacks, and I know Wailana yoga yogi bars and snacks for kids will be perfect for this.

Knowing when to go to the hospital

But is it really an emergency? When to take a child to the ER
Naomi Zikmund-Fisher says her son's life was saved by her maternal instincts -- and her son's flat ears.
Jesse's mastoiditis was discovered after his mother noticed that something was not right with his ear.

Jesse's mastoiditis was discovered after his mother noticed that something was not right with his ear.

One Friday night in May, Zikmund-Fisher looked across the dinner table at 3-year-old Jesse and noticed that his right ear, which usually lies close to his head, was sticking out. She went over to check it out and found a big red lump behind the ear.

She e-mailed her pediatrician, who said that it was probably just a mosquito bite and that as long as Jesse otherwise felt fine, not to worry about it.

Jesse did otherwise feel fine, but something set off Zikmund-Fisher's "mommy meter." So the next day, even though nothing had changed, she called the pediatrician's office and spoke to the nurse.

"She told me, 'If you're worried about it, take him to urgent care,' " Zikmund-Fisher remembered.

Her husband took Jesse to the emergency room, and doctors determined that he had a classic case of mastoiditis: an infection of the mastoid bone, just behind the ear. If not treated with antibiotics, mastoiditis can be deadly.

Now Zikmund-Fisher tells other parents to trust their instincts and act, even when a pediatrician tells them not to worry.

"It just didn't seem right to me," she said. "It just seemed like, if this was a mosquito bite, it would have gone away, and this wasn't going away." Listen to how other parents used their instincts to save their children »
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* Natasha's lesson helps save Ohio girl
* In Depth: Empowered Patient

Dr. Assaad Sayah, chief of emergency medicine for the Cambridge Health Alliance in Massachusetts, agrees that parents should use their instincts when deciding whether their child needs quick medical attention.

"'When in doubt, bring them in' should be your first line of defense," he said. "If they don't look right to you, call your pediatrician, or take them to the emergency department, and if they look very sick, call 911." Video Watch for more tips on when to go to the ER »

Although relying on instinct is a good guideline, there are also some cut-and-dry situations when a parent really should to take a child to the ER. Here are five examples.

1. Neck stiffness or rash with fever

According to the American College of Emergency Physicians, these symptoms could constitute an emergency because they might mean meningitis.

2. Fever in a newborn

Any child 3 months old or younger who has a temperature over 100.4 F needs to be seen by a doctor, says Dr. Jennifer Shu, spokeswoman for the American Academy of Pediatrics. The fever can be a sign of infection or meningitis.

3. Head injury with loss of consciousness, confusion, headache or vomiting

This is another red flag that your child needs emergency attention, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Health Library

* MayoClinic.com: Meningitis
* MayoClinic.com: Burns

4. Burns

A burn should receive emergency care if it's larger than your child's palm, if it's deep or discolored, or if it was caused by a chemical, says Dr. David Beiser, who works in the emergency room at the University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital. Burns on the hands, genitals and face are of particular concern, he says. Here's a quick primer on burns

5. Severe abdominal pain

Although many stomach aches are minor, others merit urgent attention. There are several signs to look for, including a swollen abdomen that's tender to the touch or blood in the stool, according to guidelines from Parenting.com and Dartmouth Medical School. Severe pain in the lower right side of the abdomen could be a sign of appendicitis.
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After two shots of antibiotics, Jesse Zikmund-Fisher was back to his usual happy and active 3-year-old self. Even though it's been nearly a year since Jesse's visit to the ER, the lessons his mother learned are still fresh.

"If you are not satisfied with the answer you get, you need to push for the right answer," she said.

CNN Health

Stretch n Play Eco ball

More equipment to help get your kids into the good habit of doing yoga!

Stretch n Play Eco ball

Coming Soon: Wai Lana's Little Yogis™
Stretch n Play Eco ball

Kids can roll, bounce, and balance on the ball to get fit, strong, and flexible

* Suitable for children aged 3 and up
* Exercising on the ball enhances strength, focus, and balance
* Fun games develop eye-hand coordination
* More than 20 exercises and 4 games on one colorful poster

Kit includes:

* Yellow kid-sized yoga ball made from phthalate-free PVC
* Easy foot pump for quick inflation
* Cute illustrated poster with exercises and games

It'll only be $24!

Eco friendly yoga mats for kids- 20% off

Wai Lana has a 20% off discount for the introductory sale of this cute eco-friendly yoga mat that's sure to get kids more into their yoga practices :)


New! Wai Lana's
Little Yogis™ Eco Mat

A fun, kid-sized yoga mat that’s healthier for the planet and for your little ones

* Free from phthalates, phenols, dioxins, and furans
* Cute cartoon print of Wai Lana and her Little Yogi friends
* Sticky, nonslip surface helps kids keep their footing
* Smaller, kid-sized mat to personalize their practice
* Lightweight, durable, washable and latex-free (tested by an independent laboratory)
* Measures 1/8"H x 24"W x 60"L

Yoga is a safe, challenging, and healthy activity for children, and it’s fun too! Yoga helps children develop strength, balance, flexibility, and concentration and encourages a more focused, peaceful approach to life. Your children will thank you for introducing them to yoga.

The Little Yogis Eco Mat is designed to provide children with a safe, stable foundation for building a yoga practice that will start them on a lifelong path of health and well-being.

This mat is free from phthalates, phenols, dioxins, and furans, making it safer for the planet and for the health of your children.

Might as well take advantage of it while it's cheap! I am for sure.