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Showing posts from September 6, 2017

Family Fun at the Buttonwood Park Zoo

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Once again, I’m so glad to have the opportunity to partner with Fidelity & MEFA in support of the U.Fund Dreams Tour. I’ve worked with the brand since Quinn was born and appreciate the relationship since they’re such a wonderful supporter of helping all kinds of families learn more about saving for college. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Since partnering with Fidelity & MEFA nearly 3 years ago, our family has attended a number of events as part of the  U.Fund Dreams Tour.  These events help parents like us learn more about saving for our children’s future. We had so much fun at the Easton Children’s Museum and even more at “ Boo at the Zoo”  at the Franklin Park Zoo, we were all about visiting Buttonwood Park Zoo. Qman loves animals (right now he’s really into “cats”), so he was pumped to visit. He even wore his binoculars! We all hopped in the car, and, about an hour later, we arrived at Buttonwood Park Zoo. Qman loved checking out all of the differe

9 Factors That Influence Testosterone Levels

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In the last several weeks testosterone has come up on a pretty regular basis. I’ve written about it before, of course, but there’s something about the novel elements  (e.g. solar irradiation for certain choice body parts) in recent conversations that’s kept the exchange going.  I thought I’d pull back from the peripheral findings a bit today and re-center the discussion. As you know, testosterone plays a pivotal role not just for libido levels (although we won’t leave that out), but also for bone density, protein synthesis and muscle building, hair growth, estrogen production, red blood cell production, sperm production—amid other key functions in the body (for men and women  by the way). So, what are some factors that influence testosterone levels for the better and worse for both genders? What are the mechanisms behind these associations? And how do they relate to a healthy Primal life? Let’s dig in… Understanding the Testosterone Spectrum The first question that always comes u

Healthy Meal Plans For Looking And Feeling Your Best!

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It’s a very complicated food world out there. Many of you have emailed me… confused… angry… scared… unsure how to make the right food choices. You tell me you want to lose weight, have clearer skin, and the energy to do the things you love to do. You know that eating healthy whole foods will help you achieve your goals, but don’t know where to start. There’s so much information about food being thrown at you, it’s hard to know what to believe and what really works. Whether you want to fit into your old size again or wish you had the energy to chase your kids at the park… I want to empower you and help you succeed.  As a reader of this blog, you’re on the right path. I’m showing you how to become the smartest consumers out there. I want you to be in charge of your health, and the health of your families. I want to show you why you may be struggling with your weight and what really works. I want to show you how to stop being hijacked by all the processed foods out there that look be

Are You a Healthy Snacker?

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We have become a snacking nation, but that doesn’t mean everyone snacks healthfully. Snacking on high calorie foods with few nutrients can lead to weight gain and unhealthy eating habits. And mindlessly munching on a bag of chips (yes, even veggie chips!) in front of the TV at night is not a healthy habit either. So how can you tell if you’re a healthy snacker? See how you answer the following 5 questions. 1. Are you having a snack or a treat? A snack is a mini meal that provides nutrients you may not be getting enough of during regular meals, such as fiber, calcium, vitamin D and potassium. A treat is a food that provides very little (if any) nutrition, but contains a lot of calories such as a doughnut or bag of potato chips. To become a healthy snacker: Think before eating. If it’s a snack, then enjoy it! If it’s a treat, ask yourself if you really need it and if not, swap it for a healthier choice.   2.Do you really need the snack? Snacks shouldn’t be eaten just for the sake

Happy 5th NERFday Mazen

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This weekend we celebrated Mazen’s 5th birthday with a visit from his grandparents and a pool party with a dozen friends. Grammie and Pea arrived on Sunday morning and we had a little time to snuggle before heading to the party. I hosted Mazen’s first four birthdays at my house, and this year we wanted to try something new. ACAC offers great party packs that include a theme, cupcakes, balloons, goodie bags, lemonade, tablecloths, set up, clean up and an on-site person to help with all the logistics. And of course a whole waterpark for playing! (They have indoor options in the Big Room too.) I loved being able to show up and not have to stress about the party logistics! Our team member, Carter, did a great job keeping the party going. The goodie bags were so cute too! My mom also brought some animal squirter  favors that they kids loved. Mazen’s theme was NERF (he is really into all things NERF but a little young to have the ‘official’ NERF party that ACAC offers. We did a gre

Homebound All Day

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Good morning! These two adorable boys were both up to school yesterday morning, which left me homebound all day long. We dropped my car off for detailing on Monday night, so I had no means of leaving the house. And, for some reason, I had some anxiety about this fact. I love being home and can totally be a homebody at times, but the thought of not being able to leave at all kind of stressed me out. Ha! I had my best pug friend with me all day, so we made the best of it. Once the (human) boys left for the day, I walked Murphy and then broke into my breakfast, which was my usual overnight oats + protein combination with a big scoop of sunflower butter and half of an iced coffee from the day before. After breakfast, I got right to work. I usually work in my office, but I moved myself downstairs to the living room, so that I had the TV for some background noise. Around 11:00 AM, I finally got my act together to go running. I definitely waited too long because, holy hell, it