0 Super healthy home made muesli

This morning I woke feeling like muesli but of course we didn't have any. As we don't eat refined sugar in our house, buying a muesli is usually no good as they are nearly all filled with sugar and other ingredients we try to avoid. So I decided to make my own batch up, which I have done before but didn't seem to really hit the nail on the head and this time I was determined to make it yummy. Well I did it.... yah! I'm really happy with this so wanted to share with you all. It's super healthy but also tastes delicious.

These are the ingredients I added, you can alter it however you would like to suit your tastes. I also just threw all the ingredients in, not actually measuring anything but going by my own personal like of the food. Therefore use my measurements listed as a guide only.

• 1 cup raw traditional oats
• 1/2 cup bran (I have used the stick bran as pictured)
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup sultanas
• 1/4 cup psyllium husk
• 1/4 cup flaked almonds
• 4 tablespoons of white chia seeds
• optional if kids will be eating too- 1/4 cup rice bubbles

I either eat with milk or yoghurt. Sometimes I also squeeze fresh orange juice over the top with some yoghurt.

Detail: Super healthy home made muesli

0 11 Natural ways to RELIEVE ECZEMA in CHILDREN

A few tried and tested tips for assisting in the relief of eczema in young children-

• Rub coconut oil on the skin.
• Use pure rose hip oil on the skin.
• Sunflower oil on the affected area can help- (suggested by a skin specialist as a cheaper option to expensive medication).
• Water is a sufferers worst enemy. If their skin is extremely clean, it makes the condition worsen. Bathe them quickly and every second day. Have short baths or showers, lukewarm water (hot exacerbates the condition) no bubbles, no body washes, no scented shampoo, conditioner and soap. Opt for organic or natural products.
• One exception to short baths is when your having an oatmeal bath. Oatmeal seems to have a calming effect on the skin. Use 2-3 cups to a bath filled with lukewarm water (again not hot).
• Same with salt baths. It does dry your skin out but it alleviates the itch. Sea water is great as well.
• Also a quick cold bath can take the itch away for the short term.
• Appropriate eczema designed creams and lotions should be immediately applied after bath/shower to lock in the moisture.
• As far as what your child is eating goes, unfortunately to begin with it can be a bit of trial and error to find out what causes outbreaks. Keeping a daily food diary will help identify which foods are causing outbreaks. You can use this diary to see what your child ate and drank before each outbreak to find a pattern. Then you can eliminate that completely.
• Avoid chlorine. It can worsen it.
• Humidifiers in the home may help as they alleviate the dryness from the air.

# Please remember this post is from individual personal experience and not an answer to eczema in children. Consult your doctor if you are unsure about anything written above. Thank you.

- For you D xo

Detail: 11 Natural ways to RELIEVE ECZEMA in CHILDREN

0 Keep HEALTHY BEFORE WINTER arrives

Winter can be fun when we rug up in our pj's and blankets by the fire and all snuggle together watching DVDs and keep warm.... but winter also brings an increase of lots of sickness and germs. Below are my 7 tips on things you can do that will help prevent your family picking up those nasty colds and flu's.

1. Wash your hands- all day our hands touch thousands of things full of germs and then they touch our faces and bodies which is how infections can so easily start. Wash your hands very regularly throughout the day and especially when dealing with food, animals, wounds, handling garbage or being in the bathroom. As soon as you walk in the door home from being out in the car and at the shops- wash your hands. Wash all over, in between your fingers, under your nails and up to your wrist for at least 30 seconds. Click here to see this handy tip for kids hand washing- make it fun!
2. For parents, its practically impossible to regularly get the recommended 7-8 hours sleep a night (and we don't want to hear from you who get that every night thank you haha). But the reason I say try and get sleep, is just to remind you to take every chance possible to get an extra half hour or even 2 hours if your lucky like me. On my husbands days off, I will have a sleep in one morning while he gets up with the kids and has daddy time with them. The kids love it as he has been at work all week and this is their time to have Daddy all to themselves. If your children nap at the same time (until my second child was 6 months old, my kids both napped at the same time, so if I was tired, this allowed me 30mins to an hour of sleep.... when I didn't have housework and other jobs I thought were more important). Parents need to prioritise and having some dishes in the sink or a basket of clothes to be folded isn't as important as our health and sanity. The more sleep we get, the more energy we have to be with our kids and keep fit.
3. Drink at least 2 litres of water everyday (1 litre for children). Know how much your drink bottle holds and make sure you fill it the required amount of times throughout the day to hit your mark. Reduce other sugary drinks and caffeine (I'm not saying stop them, just reduce) and swap to water. Add lemon, lime or an orange slice to give some flavour if you find water boring. Or try for 8 glasses a day. Green tea is also a great boost for your insides, or try a cup of peppermint tea.
4. Walk, run, exercise.... keep fit, keep moving and you keep those germs away. You will reduce the severity and length of any sickness by being more healthy and fit. Your body will fight off infections easier and you will recover faster.
5. Eat healthy and take care of your insides as well. Cut down or cut out sugar, fatty, fried foods and replace your eating habits with fresh healthy meals and snacks. Aim for your 2 pieces of fruit and 3 serves of vegetables a day. If your not a big fruit fan, even a tablespoon of sultanas is one serving of fruit. Or mix a banana and some berries in a blender with ice or skim milk and yum- healthy meal- fruit intake for the day- done! Cut up some carrot and celery sticks to munch on through the day when your feeling a little peckish.
6. Take a multi-vitamin. You will hear both sides with this one as some people will say if you eat in moderation and a healthy diet you don't need one. BUT no one I know eats the exact recommended food groups 365 days a year, let alone 7 days a week. It's unlikely you will eat your 2 fruits, 3 veges, protein, carbohydrate, calcium, omega 3, iron and fat requirements to a perfect quantity required each day- so taking a simple once a day multi, ensures you get the extra things you have missed. Its easy to take and can really make a difference to your health, especially if your particularly lacking and low in one area of health.
7. Get outside into the sun and fresh air everyday. Whether you go for a stroll (I love that word haha) around the block, or spend some time playing with your kids in the yard, try each day to be outdoors for at least an hour. Can you walk the kids to school? Anything is better than nothing. But don't forget to slip slop slap when needed.

By following the tips above, you will decrease your chances of firstly, catching those nasty winter germs, but because sometimes they are unavoidable, these tips will help reduce the severity and length or your sickness.

Detail: Keep HEALTHY BEFORE WINTER arrives

0 FIRST AID - Know CPR and first aid for your KIDS.

This is such an important issue that unfortunately people are not informed enough about, therefore putting our children and family at risks which could potentially cause serious harm, when we could be preventing them.

There are so many ways you can do first aid these days, there really is no excuse. Prices vary and even a cheap course (although it may not be as thorough or contain the same qualifications as more expensive classes), are better than having nothing at all.

Organise to do a weekend course with a friend or a family member like one of your parents or siblings. They will be spending time around you and your family, so having them know first aid too, will only be a benefit for you.

Often if you can get a group together, some courses will offer a reduced rate.

There are online courses you can do, so if you are unable to attend courses or live where there are none, this is always an option.

The benefits are priceless- you could save someones life!

.....I started this post because as my blog says, this site is also for everyday tips, but mainly because today my husband was stung by a stingray. At first he thought a crab had nabbed him and said ouch but then immense pain began in his ankle and within half an hour the pain became extreme. We were out, but on our way home, so as soon as we walked in the door I jumped on to google stingray stings. I'm so glad I did, because we would not have known the steps to take. Both having done first aid, we remembered stings to be ice and vinegar to help pain and swelling. But a stingray is different.

- You must stay calm and take yourself to a doctor/hospital because when you are stung the stingray release a venom. Also the barb can remain inside the wound. So medical help is your first concern.

- If medical attention is not possible immediately, control any bleeding.

- Then washing the area and sting with soap and warm water is important.
- Next immerse the sting wound in fresh water as hot as you can stand without burning yourself or place towels soaked in hot water on the sting for atleast an hour. This is because the venom is protein based and the hot water neutralises it.
- Intense pain can last up to two days but the first 30-90 minutes are worst.
- You can also use a topical antibiodic to reduce chances of infections and help reduce pain.
In saying all this above... I do hope that none of you have to ever experience this as the pain is terrible.

Be safe, always swim at a patrolled beach by life guards and make sure you have someone with you at all times when swimming in all types of water.

But most importantly- LEARN FIRST AID, it could save you or one of your families lives.

Detail: FIRST AID - Know CPR and first aid for your KIDS.