OliveBaby.ca

Coconut Flour - A Great Grain-Free alternative!

2012-03-01T08:08:00.003-08:00

Recently I have been experimenting in my baking again, trying to make things healthier as always, and I'm addicted to using coconut flour. My GAPS-friendly colleagues at Integra Naturopathics in Calgary are always sharing Grain-free recipes, so last night I baked a Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Banana Bread that is really amazing. It's Gluten Free because it contains no grains, and there is no added fat in this recipe (except from the eggs)and it is rich and moist. It's also low in sugar. I've adapted it slightly by adding extra coconut flakes. This recipe is very high in both protein and fiber, so it makes a perfect snack! This is really great for kids as a snack to take to school, as it's nutritious and filling! Check out the fiber comparison of various flours:Comparison of fibre content of various flours:Coconut Flour 39%Wheat Bran 27%Oat Bran 16%Rye Flour 15%Soya Flour 14%Wheat Flour 13%Corn Meal 11%Buckwheat Flour 8%Enriched White Flour 3%This morning I had a slice after my workout with a tablespoon of natural Peanut Butter and I feel SO satisfied! Recipe Ingredients:• 3 bananas, mashed • 8 eggs • 1/2 c. almond or rice milk • 1/4 c. honey • 1/2 tsp. almond extract • 1 c. coconut flour • ½ cup shredded coconut• 1 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder • 1/2 tsp. unrefined sea salt • 1 1/2 oz. unsweetened baker's chocolate • optional: 15 drops vanilla stevia Recipe Instructions:Whisk together eggs, banana, milk, honey and almond extract in a big bowl. Stir together dry ingredients in a smaller bowl, breaking up any lumps, and add to egg mixture, stirring well. Chop chocolate and stevia in a small food processor to desired size and add to batter until combined. Pour into a large, well-greased loaf pan and bake at 350 for about an hour, until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then remove to rack to cool completely before slicing.

Breast Feeding Support - I can help!

2011-10-18T11:51:00.001-07:00

Breast Feeding is one of my favorite topics, one which is much talked about among nursing moms, but as I'm now realizing, not talked enough about among pregnant women! Case and point - My Sister-in-Law had a beautiful baby boy 6 days ago. There was much preparation leading up to the event - all steps were taken to have an ideal healthy pregnancy and a well-planned home birth. I remember a couple weeks ago having dinner at her house and asking 'so, are you ready for nursing?', and the reply was something along the lines of 'oh, yeah, that won't be an issue, I just have to prepare for labor and the rest will be fine'. In case you're wondering, i'm writing this blog post with her blessing:)
Anyway, in the last 6 days the nursing has not been easy. My sister-in-law had indeed read about nursing and what to expect,viewed videos online, but reality is often quite different, and without the right guidance and support, nursing can be a REAL issue. I have been to her house most days since his birth, working on latch. If you've never nursed, you may be thinking 'it's easy, it's natural'...think again! If you ask my sister-in-law, she'll tell you that the experience has not been easy, and not one that naturally fell into place. We are constantly trouble shooting with baby, and have made great progress, but it continues to be something that is worked at diligently at EVERY feed. We are working on increasing milk supply, increasing his interest in nursing, and of course LATCH (the most important element). It's like learning to drive a car - there are various elements that need to be learned at the same time to make it all come together! Mom and baby are still getting to know each other and figure out how it all fits . She is being persistent. She knows how important it is for him to get breast milk. Many women would certainly give up in the face of such incredible stress, especially during an already stressful period of having a newborn at home, and healing from labor. I am now realizing that when i hear a patient tell me they didn't nurse because 'it didn't work' or 'baby didn't want it' or 'baby was too hungry' or 'i didn't make enough milk', these are all just situations where mum didn't get the right support (I realize there are certain situations were mum truly couldn't nurse, so please don't take offense to my statements). As a mother and naturopath, I have decided through this experience that I will devote myself to helping women nurse. I too am guilty at focusing my appointments on pregnancy and birth, but not discussing enough about nursing, which is actually often the most draining element! Being such a close part of this experience with my sister-in-law has taught me a valuable lesson and has fed an inner passion to further help mother and babies!
I was asked to write this post by my sister-in-law because of her difficult experience, and her hope is that it can help other women obtain adequate support in nursing, if they need it (and to know that I can help!).

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

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New Product Launched!

2011-09-19T14:42:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited to announce the launch of our new product - Olive Baby Bottom Cleaner.
I have been using it for over 3 years on my own diaper table and have finally gotten a chance to bottle it! It a spray that can be applied to baby's bottom with each diaper change - either with conventional wipes (for soothing and extra intense cleaning) OR with cloth wipes to reduce waste and save money. The gentle ingredients are safe to use on even irritated baby bottoms. As always, no essential oils, fragrances or chemicals were used. It's great for travelling - the bottle fits easily into purses or diaper bags, and can be used as a hand cleanser in a pinch! You can also pre-moisten paper-towel or cloth wipes and take with you in a ziploc.
I love this product and I hope you do too!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Follow us on facebook: www.facebook.com/olivebaby
Follow us on Twitter: @olivebaby

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Busy Schedule, Going with it!

2011-08-22T11:11:00.001-07:00

I know people are following my food intro schedule for Clara, so I'm finding time for updating, but it's tough! Our life is certainly hectic to say the least - 2 self-employed people, 3 kids, and my husbands 'part-time' life as a triathlete!
Anyway, because life is so busy I am not stressing about how much or how fast we intro, but focusing more on the quality of food. There have been days that I don't give any solids - I have allowed her bowels to catch up with the newness of solid food, which has been a good approach. Clara isn't 100% into food yet, which is normal. Most of her nutrition still comes from breast milk, which is how it should be still!
So since i've last written I've tried grating some frozen liver into her sweet potato (at the last stage of cooking before using the hand held mixer). The first day she didn't take to it much, but after a couple days of not having it she took it no problem. Liver is great for the iron that babies start to need more of at 6 months, but on days that she's not having that I throw a few leaves of organic baby spinach into her purees, an egg yolk or some green peas. I personally can't stand liver - not the taste OR the smell, but I realize it's nutritional value! I'm so surprised that a baby tolerates it! She loves avocado with banana, mango or blueberries, but i'm trying to hold back on the sweets in preference for developing her other tastes (in particular leafy greens!). When peaches were in season I let her share my peach (no skin, but she's use her gums to work on it - she LOVED the flavor). I also let her suck on a watermelon slice. Giving food in this manner is more 'baby led weaning' as it's not in puree form but more in it's natural state. I'm still cautious about choking so i don't allow many foods in this form. Clara seems to grab at the things that she 'shouldn't' be having yet - breads in particular, so i pull those away from her, which goes against baby led weaning! So I would say all is well, and we're going with it! Another update soon!

On a side note, I'm so happy to see all the recent weight-loss success stories in my patients. I love it when eating clean becomes a way of life for people and pounds start to melt away! These life changes is what I live for as a Naturopath!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

New Product Coming Soon!

2011-08-05T13:43:00.001-07:00

I'm really excited to be working on a new addition to the Olive Baby line of products! It seems I do my best work in my post-partum period - I think I'm inspired by my own babies! I'm hoping to have it ready to go in the coming weeks...stay posted!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Baby Food Intro Books and Baby Led Weaning

2011-08-05T13:40:00.000-07:00

So here's part 2 of my food introduction with Clara. So as I was saying, we're doing things differently. It's part Weston-Price Foundation, part Baby-led weaning...but don't get overwhelmed by the terms and theories, there's a large portion that's just plain intuitive!
So if you're overwhelmed and not sure where to start, definitely visit a few websites such as http://www.westonaprice.org/and http://nourishedkitchen.com/ to find out the basic thoughts on this approach.
My patients probably know that my favorite book for children's nutrition is 'Whole Foods for Children' by Jude Blereau. I love this book because it discusses the importance of healthy fats being introduced into the diet from day one. Many other resources just recommend veggie or fruit purees without any added fats - when you think that breast milk is nearly 50% fat, it makes sense that we include healthy fats in foods as well. Babies need it for their developing adrenal glands and brain. The book takes you through food introduction into the toddler years and beyond. It discusses soaking grains (making them more digestible) and fermenting (developing healthy gut bacteria). I also like the fact that the emphasis early on is veggies, meat and fruit, then later on the gluten-free grains like quinoa, amaranth etc.
Looking back my middle child already had a healthy intro to foods than my first child - we did veggies and fruits first, and left grains till later, but I wish I had done more fats and nourishing foods like egg yolks, liver and broths! When I look back on my last pregnancy, I'm convinced that the reason it was my best (felt the best, great energy throughtout) was that I ate LOTS of healthy fats in my diet - it became by 'Aha' moment with my last pregnancy. I'm talking about avocado, raw nuts/seeds, nut butters, fish oils, lots of flax seeds, coconut oil and olive oil. Those around me couldn't believe my energy levels. Even post-partum I've had more energy than I've ever had with the other kids. So eat your fats!!
Yesterday Clara didn't get any solids (part of baby led weaning is not stressing about food intro since baby is still getting most of their nutrients from milk - it needs to be laid-back and enjoyable, not forced). I need to go to the farmer's market and get more veggies for her - I want her experience with veggies to be positive, so it means getting the sweetest, freshest in-season veggies. Today I put some banana slices in her tray, but they just slipped out of her hands! So I finally gave in and mashed them! I also pulled her carrot/apple/coconut oil puree out of the freezer and gave her that. I'll try to post more shortly but I think this is a good start for resources!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Baby Food Intro - 3rd time around!

2011-08-03T12:37:00.001-07:00

So my third child Clara is 5.5months old and is REALLY interested in foods - grabbing at anything that comes within reach of her little body. It's been 5 years since my first child had solids introduced into his diet, and i'm certainly doing things differently this time around. As a 'new' mom I fell into the trap of introducing grains as a first food, but after several years of experience, research and experimentation I'm doing things differently. The enzymes to properly break down grains (amylase) are not developed until closer to 10 months, and gluten is one of the tougher ones to break down so that one can be save for closer to 12 months.
My patients know that I'm now recommending 'nourishing foods' be introduced first - these include a big focus on healthy fats, veggies and organic meats. It's very similar to the recommendations of the Weston Price foundation.
So examples of Clara's first foods will be sweet potato with egg yolks or coconut oil, avocado, various veggies with added fats and liver (we have a frozen organic liver which we will be grating into various foods for a source of iron, vitamin A, zinc and various other vitamins). I will be updating my progess as I go, and will share my experience if I can.
Today I let Clara sample a puree of organic carrots with touch of apple, and a warm egg yolk mixed in (soft boil an egg and scoop out the runny yolk). She gobbled it up. A note about egg yolks - unlike the protein-rich whites which are not recommended until 1 year of age, the yolk is high in essential fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K). VERY good for the brain development in children!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Stubborn Cradle Cap

2011-06-23T14:26:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to share this tip for treating really stubborn cases of cradle cap. Normally I just recommend applying Olive Baby Body Butter after bath time, but if the scalp is REALLY scaly I recommend putting a thin layer of olive oil all over the scalp and covering for 30 min. with an infant hat. Remove the hat and comb through with a fine-tooth comb. This REALLY works well!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

My New Inspiration!

2011-03-14T10:06:00.000-07:00

It's funny how things happen. I recently had my third child - a baby girl named Clara, just 4 weeks ago today. My boys are now ages 5 and 3, so with Clara I'm back in the newborn stage - constant feeding, sleeping and pooping. It's amazing how we can forget how needy babies are at this stage, even if we've done it before! So what I've discovered during this stage is my renewed passion for SAFE baby skin care. When I look at Clara's fragile infant skin I realize how easily it can be irritated. Heat, cold, water, thrush and moisture can all cause rashes and irritations. Since Clara was born in the winter, we're dealing with a cold and dry climate, and I have been protecting her skin religiously with Olive Baby products. We bath with the Head to Toe Body Wash and I'm loving how gentle and non-drying it is on her skin, and that she smells like 'herself', not like a perfumed baby soap after her bath. While she's warm and moist after her bath I rub Olive Baby Body Butter all over her body, with a special focus on the diaper area which is exposed to constant moisture. Her skin looks great and she has not had any diaper rashes (knock on wood!). I like that I can put it on her face, even on her eyelids because there's nothing in the product that could irritate her. She really seems to enjoy the process of the massage as well - it relaxes her and helps with any digestive troubles like gassiness. I've had people comment about how lovely she smells and how soft her skin is. I'm pleased to say that she doesn't smell like anything other than the sweet smell of honey from the beeswax in the Olive Baby products. Anyway, being back at this stage has motivated me to continue making and expanding the Olive Baby line into the future! I'm excited to reach as many moms as I can to share this natural approach to baby skin care!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

In the final 'stretch'!

2011-01-20T13:42:00.000-08:00

It's been a little while since my last post - i have been busy at home, work, and the final stages of my pregnancy (2 weeks till my due date). It's funny, part of my inspiration for making my Olive Baby products is my own children and family, and now that we will have a new addition shortly, my inspiration has grown to a new level. I'm so happy to see children having this wonderful option for skin care without the concerns of reactions!
I must confess - as my belly has been growing, I have been religiously slathering on the Olive Baby Body Butter after EVERY shower. I don't feel right without it. It's become a joke in my family because my belly is always moisturized. My kids actually ask to do it for me - they know the ritual! It has certainly brought me comfort and improved the appearance of the stretching skin.
I have also noticed that this winter has been a particularly dry one. We seem to have an active tube of lip-saver in most rooms of the house - my kids have had very dry/cracking lips and rough patches around their mouths from the cold, so I slather the balm on their faces before we venture outdoors. We usually apply it before bed as well - they know the drill!
Ok, that's all for now. I will try to update again shortly!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Cinnamon Buns

2010-12-09T12:57:00.000-08:00

I recently came across a cinnamon bun recipe in a magazine, and tailored it to up the fiber. These came out great, and were even gobbled up by my husband who supposedly 'doesn't like cinnamon buns'. Kids LOVED them, and they are low in sugar, so they make a great snack. You can even play around with the type of flour you use - next time i'll try spelt and buckwheat I think. These are great to have on a cold day!

Cinnamon Buns

Dough:
2.5 cups Whole Wheat flour
1 cup whole oats
¼ cup ground flax seeds
1 TBSP baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup cold butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup almond milk (or other milk alternative)

Filling:
¼ cup brown sugar
4 TBSP melted butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup raisins or mix of chopped dried fruit
½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

Mix dry ingredients together. Cut in cold butter until crumbly. Add milk (may need to add a few more TBSP. if it’s too dry). Transfer to floured surface. Knead with floured hands gently until it’s pliable. With a floured rolling pin (or hands) work into a 10x16 inch rectangle. Spread the topping over entire surface except a 1 inch border along the length. Roll into a long log, sealing the seam. With serrated knife cut into 1 inch rolls. Transfer each roll (lay flat) to a buttered 8 inch square pan. Bake at 400 for 40 min.

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Busy Time of Year

2010-12-06T15:40:00.001-08:00

I've been meaning to blog but the last few weeks have seemed particularly busy, so I've been putting it off! I thin part of stress management is prioritizing, so I've had to put my time and energy elsewhere, even though I've had many great ideas for blog topics.
My own life right now is really hectic - we just put our house on the market, and between a pregnancy and 2 small kids life seems really busy right now. It's been a reminder for me to take extra good care of myself. One of the things I've managed to do during this hectic time is to make sure i'm still exercising - even just 30 min. three days a week seems to keep me feeling good. There are days when getting out for a walk seems like the bottom of my priority list, but once I get out there I'm really thankful for doing it - the fresh air and natural daylight is immediately uplifting. I am also careful to make sure i'm meeting my nutritional needs, at least 80% of the time. Every day I think about my veggie intake, healthy fats, and protein for energy. Knock on wood, I'm surprised how great I'm feeling, even as I enter my eighth month of pregnancy.
As as a side note, at the clinic we recently obtained a pregnancy pillow which we use for massage and chiropractic work on pregnant women. I have had a massage in it, and it was heaven to lay face down. Last week I had my first chiropractic adjustment in it, and once again it made the experience so much better. Even just laying down on it seemed to relieve some of the tight muscles in my lower back, and Dr. Sarah was able to access my trigger points more effectively. I encourage any pregnant woman to come it and try it out, it's fabulous.
Ok, that's it for now, I hope everyone is managing their stress during this busy time, and remember to not over-book yourselves to get the most out of your holidays! Read our December newsletter for more tips on stress management this holiday season!

Dr. Anna Falkowski, HBSc, ND
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive Baby at the Baby/Toddler Show

2010-10-19T11:26:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was the Baby & Toddler expo at the Molson Centre - I just wanted to thank everyone that stopped by to say hello at our booth! It was lots of fun, and it was great to get feedback from mom's that we met at last years event and have been using the Olive Baby products for the past year. Lots of great stories were shared!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Baby& Toddler Show this weekend!

2010-10-12T12:18:00.000-07:00

If you're in the Barrie area this weekend, come and visit us at the Baby & Toddler expo at the Molson Centre (October 16 & 17). There will be great entertainment for the kids, lots of giveaways and much more. This is a fun way to spend a few hours on the weekend with the whole family. Olive baby will have a booth, and we will have a great sale on several products ONLY this weekend as a show special. Come try our samples and pick up our newsletter!
I hope to see you all there!

For more show info visit:
http://www.mbmshows.com/baby_toddler_expo.html

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Mark Your Calendar - Open House!

2010-09-27T05:13:00.000-07:00

I wanted to welcome you all to our Open House this Friday October 1st at Vitality for Life Health Center in Barrie. It will take place from 4-7pm and there will be lots of great giveaways and prizes.
I have made up 6 Olive Baby Gift Baskets that will be raffled off, and the first 50 guests will receive a FREE Olive Baby Lip-Saver!
We will also have free massages, food, kids loot bags (full of great stuff), body composition analysis, blood pressure screening, supplement sampling and more!
Don't miss this exciting event if you are from the area!!

Location:
Vitality for Life Health Center
560 Bryne dr. Barrie, ON
www.vitalityforlife.ca

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Picking your own Apples & Plums

2010-09-08T05:07:00.000-07:00

Every fall we enjoy going to our local apple orchard as a family to pick apples. The boys love running in the orchard and sampling the different varieties. This season our favorite local organic orchard didn't have a crop, so they are closed for the season. Boy, you take these things for granted until they're gone! Anyway, we went on a quest for another orchard - we had to drive somewhat further, but we found the perfect orchard in the collingwood area, near the rolling hills of the scenic caves. It's called Oaklane Orchards, owned by a lovely couple that was very happy to help us out (it was a rainy and windy day, and we were the only ones brave enough to pick our own!). We were also pleasantly surprised to see that they had pear and plum trees.

We picked a bunch of plums - as you can see by this picture of my little guy, the boys enjoyed themselves despite the weather! When we got home I made several jars of plum jam, and it was quite tasty! (I added 1/2 tsp of cloves, which I think makes it extra yummy). Anyway, for anyone in the area in the same predicament, here is the contact info for the farm we went to:
Oaklane Orchards, RR 2 Clarksburg, ON N0H 1J0, Clarksburg
phone: 519-599-5841
email: oaklane@georgian.net

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

My Farmer's Market Inspiration

2010-08-16T05:08:00.001-07:00

Saturday morning we headed to the farmer's market before our busy weekend had started. I was inspired by all the beautiful colors of veggies, fruits and flowers that were available this time of year. After talking to some of the farmers about their favorites, I packed up a variety of new veggies that I hadn't tried before. Part of healthy eating is exploring new flavors, keeping an open mind and not being intimidated by new things. If you have never cooked something before, ask! I received lots of tips on the farmer's favorite way of preparing some of these varieties.

As you can see from the pictures, I went home with blue potatoes, pattypan squash, golden beets, a rainbow of various other larger beets, red lettuce, turnip, a rainbow of carrots, a variety of plums (from Niagara)and our favorite local honey (Lavender Hills).

So this week I will be trying lots of new recipes, but also really keeping it simple. On saturday we were heading out to a BBQ, and I was bringing a salad. I made the salad from the red lettuce, red onion, peppers, cucumber and the golden beets (these I peeled and boiled in a salted water like you would a potato - they were tender in about 10 minutes or so, but a larger beet would take longer). I cooled the beets, sliced them and put them on the salad. They looked beautiful! I also ate the rest of them while they were still warm with a pat of butter - the flavor was amazing. My little guy shared them with me.
I made a simple dressing for the salad - olive oil, balsamic, salt, pepper, honey.
It tasted great and looked colorful. I look forward to more fresh produce today!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Making your own fermented Pickles

2010-08-10T11:24:00.000-07:00

As many of you know I'm a fan of fermentation for reasons I've already explained in previous posts. Recently I made several batches of traditional Polish pickles, which happen to be fermented! So my old family recipe actually has many health benefits, which is awesome.
Here's what you need:
1 basket of baby cucumbers
6 or so long stems of dill
6 or so cloves of garlic
whole black pepper
water
Pickling salt

This will make approximately 3 large jars. Prepare your brine stove-top. Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the jars you'll be using, and add approximately 2 Tbsp salt for every jar you'll be using (the saltier the brine, the slower the fermentation but less likely chance of molding). Bring to a boil and then take off stove.
Wash your cucumbers. Into the bottom of each jar put 2 slices garlic cloves, a few pepper kernels, and if like spice, some dried chili peppers. Next put 2 whole dill stems (just fold them to fit them into the jar), and stuff the jar with as many pickles as possible (they can't be loose or they'll float to the top, causing molding).
Top each jar with enough hot brine to cover the pickles by at least 1/2". Cover and store put aside in a warm part of the kitchen, but away from sunlight. Let sit at least 5 days, and transfer into the fridge once the pickles are as tangy as you like them! They seem to get better every day, and make a wonderful snack!
For more details, this is a link to a great site on fermenting!

http://www.wildfermentation.com/resources.php?page=pickles

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Make your own Organic Yogurt!

2010-08-10T11:01:00.000-07:00

Since reading the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle I've been inspired to hit the kitchen more than normal! I have had this yogurt recipe for months but finally just decided to try it. Patients often complain about the cost of organic dairy products, so this ones a sure hit for those watching their pocket books. I made this recipe yesterday and had my home-made organic plain yogurt with granola for breakfast this morning. It was yummy. It tastes the same, just a bit more liquid than the store bought stuff (but they often use fillers or gelling agents to thicken it).
Here's what you need:
2 L of organic milk (2%)
1/3 cup plain organic yogurt (as a starter)
cooking thermometer
crockpot
ice

Set your crockpot on low or medium to warm it up while you prepare your milk.
Warm the milk in a large pot on your stove-top up to 185 degrees (stir constantly so it doesn't burn), then pour into a glass bowl, which you'll immerse into a sink full of cold/icy water. Cool the milk to 110 degrees (takes about 5 minutes).
Pour the milk and 1/3 cup yogurt into your crockpot, stir, cover, wrap your crockpot in a towel and UNPLUG it. Wait 8 hrs, then stir the contents. It's technically ready to be moved to the fridge, but you can wait 2 more hours or so to thicken it up (it will get more tangy the longer you wait). Transfer to opaque containers, and move to your fridge. It's ready to eat once it's cooled!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Body Butter for Pregnancy Stretch Marks!

2010-07-21T05:06:00.000-07:00

I had a pregnant patient tell me the other day that she's been using Olive Baby Body Butter for her pregnant belly morning and night, and she feels it's been helping prevent the itching and stretch marks associated with a rapidly expanding belly. I was happy to hear to moms are thinking about using it themselves as well as their kids!
Body Butter is infused with large amounts of calendula, and we know calendula helps heal damaged skin, decreases inflammation and itching, and restores skin's integrity.
So lather it on those growing bellies!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Eggless French Toast

2010-07-19T10:20:00.000-07:00

On the weekends when we get a chance to have a nice breakfast I try to make something like gluten-free egg-free pancakes, but I wanted something different this past sunday. My 4 year old Jordi is sensitive to eggs, so we avoid using them. At first I thought french toast would be impossible, but then I found a simple recipe that doesn't require using eggs, and it was delicious!
For the liquid ingredients, blend the following in a food processor or hand blender:
1 ripe banana
2-3 oz. of almond milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla

soak your bread in this mixture and cook like you normally would your french toast, just don't turn your heat up too high because the banana sugars tend to burn quickly!

Enjoy!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Maternal Vitamin D levels

2010-07-12T17:53:00.000-07:00

I was just reading an interesting in the Integrated Health Care Practitioners Journal about Vitamin D levels in women who are pregnant or nursing. They estimate that pregnant women at latitudes similar to those of southern Canada are roughly 42% deficient at the time of delivery.
Studies show that "higher levels of maternal vitamin D have been associated with improved fertility, lower risk of gestational diabetes, lower risk of cesarean section and improved birth outcomes such as birth weight and early growth"
In infants studies show that higher levels of supplementation can help reduce the risk of adult diseases, as well as the risk of Type I Diabetes.

All great reasons to continue with the vitamin D!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Ear Infections and Food Sensitivities

2010-06-28T10:57:00.000-07:00

As Naturopaths we have always preached the links between children's diets and the prevalence of ear infections. I typically recommend an IgG food allergy test for my pediatric patients who come to me with a history of recurrent ear infections, eczema, asthma or lowered immunity in general. It's always nice to read a study that supports the link between underlying food sensitivities (typically cow's milk, wheat, dairy, peanut, corn or sugar) This one comes from a clinical journal called the 'Annals of Allergy'. Here are the findings in summary:

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of the present study was to examine the prevalence of food allergy in patients with recurrent serous otitis media. METHODS. A total of 104 unselected patients (age range 1.5 to 9 years, mean 4.6 years) with recurrent serous otitis media were evaluated for food allergy by means of skin prick testing, specific IgE tests, and food challenge. Patients who were allergic to food(s) underwent an exclusion diet of the specific offending food(s) for a period of 16 weeks. A non-double blinded food challenge was performed with the suspected offending food(s). Their middle ear effusion was monitored and assessed by tympanometry (Welch Allyn Model 23600) during the pre-elimination, elimination and challenge diet phases. RESULTS. There was a significant statistical association, by chi-square analysis, between food allergy and recurrent serous otitis media in 81/104 patients (78%). The elimination diet led to a significant amelioration of serous otitis media in 70/81 (86%) patients as assessed by clinical evaluation and tympanometry. The challenge diet with the suspected offending food(s) provoked a recurrence of serous otitis media in 66/70 patients (94%). CONCLUSIONS. The possibility of food allergy should be considered in all pediatric patients with recurrent serous otitis media and a diligent search for the putative food allergen made for proper diagnostic and therapeutic intervention.

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Fish Oils for Kids

2010-06-23T05:01:00.000-07:00

I often get the question 'what fish oil should my child be taking'? It depends. As a general rule, I recommend a high DHA fish oil to children under the age of two because of it's positive effects on the developing brain. After that, I often switch them to a blend of EPA and DHA, as DHA alone 'may' affect their mood/behaviour. That being said, there ARE situation where I would pick a different type of oil for a unique situation or specific complaints, and that is why it is often best to discuss your child's needs with your Naturopath!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Healthy Skin from the Inside!

2010-06-16T04:48:00.000-07:00

We talk a lot about treating skin topically, but not as much about what affects skin health from the inside. There are some key nutritional factors that affect the health of your child's skin.
We know that getting adequate healthy fats is a great start to nourish dry and sensitive skin. Some great options are:
-Avocado
-Salmon
-Raw Almonds
-Flax seeds and Flax oil
-Omega 3 Fatty Acids (a micro-distilled fish oil)

Children have a high demand for good fats because of their developing brains and adrenal glands, so make sure they are not eating a low-fat diet!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Gluten-free Egg-free Rhubarb pie!

2010-05-24T16:05:00.000-07:00

This weekend we dropped into Barrie Hill Farms and picked up some beautiful fresh asparagus, but I also grabbed some rhubarb to make dessert. I wasn't sure what I was going to make and sort of winged it. I stewed the rhubarb in a touch of water, 1/2 cup of strawberries and a few Tbsp. of sugar. About 20 min (it fell apart at this point).
I then proceeded to make up a recipe for a gluten-free egg-free tart crust. Here's what I used:
1.5 cups all-purposed gluten-free flour (a blend of rice, tapioca, buckwheat, chickpea and arrowroot flour).
1/2 tsp xantham gum
2 Tbsp sugar
6 Tbsp cold butter
5 Tbsp cold water
1/2 tsp salt

I used a butter knife to crumble the butter into the dry ingredients, and eventually it became crumbly. I transferred it into a glass pie plate and packed down the dough to form the tart.
I baked the crust for 20 minutes at 375, then poured in the rhubarb mixture. Bake for 20 minutes more. Let cool before serving. Turned out delicious!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Body Butter smells 'Bee'-utiful!

2010-05-19T04:22:00.000-07:00

I have recently switched the beeswax that I put in the Olive Baby Body Butter to a Canadian Premium unrefined beewax and it has made a huge difference in the smell of the product. This beeswax gives off a beautiful sweet smell reminiscent of honey. This new beeswax is a higher grade product, and well worth it based on the results and feedback I've been getting at the clinic!
It's an added incentive to slather it all over my babe!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.

Naturopathic Doctor & Founder

Olive Baby

www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Delicious Detox Dinner!

2010-05-10T05:59:00.000-07:00

This weekend with the nasty weather we had it put me in the mood for cooking! For dinner I made 2 of the recipes from Carol Morley's new book 'Delicious Detox'. We made the 'Quinoa Tabouleh' and 'Mango & Mung Bean salad'. Both were delicious - the layering of flavors was amazing, and is sure to please every family member. I also baked a batch of gluten-free egg-free banana muffins (inspired by my son Jordi, who we recently diagnosed as being sensitive to both eggs and gluten using the IgG food allergy test). Looks like i'll be using more of Carol's recipes since they're all good options for Jordi as well as the rest of the family!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

The Simple things are pretty amazing

2010-05-05T09:55:00.000-07:00

As per my recent blog about fermenting foods, Last week I bought a large Daikon Radish at the farmer's market and did the same fermenting technique as the cabbage (see prior post for recipe). It turned out great. Over the last 3 weeks I've tried to eat a little fermented food daily (just a few tablespoons does the trick - a sprinkling on a salad, or as a side/condiment with dinner). I can't BELIEVE what a difference it makes in digestion and feeling 'well' in general. I even hide it in the kids food. I'm a firm believer and now understand why fermented foods became so important in various cultures. I'm not sure why we haven't adapted it into the North American culture?

As a side note, I've started making the 'healthy popsicles' for the kids again. With the warm weather it makes a nice post-dinner treat, while giving them lots of nutrients. See old post for recipe!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Where does your food come from?

2010-04-26T04:31:00.000-07:00

This weekend I finally got the opportunity to watch the movie 'Food Inc.' I've been wanting to see it for a LONG time and CBC finally aired it, and it's now available for viewing on their website (for those of you interested). It was an eye-opening depiction of the actual sources of our food - especially animal products. It exposes North America's industrialized food system and its effect on our environment, health, economy and workers' rights. It made me cringe. On Saturday morning my husband and I were inspired to go to our local farmers market, which we haven't attended in a long time.
The farmer's market experience was amazing - we actually saw the people who grow/make our food and had the opportunity to speak to them about their process. These local and environmentally responsible food sources not only taste better but are more nutritious because they are not mass-produced. My son talked to the bee-keeper who gathered our honey. Another lovely lady shared her process for baking the gluten-free brownies I purchased for my son. Another farmer was passionate about the different varieties of breads him and his wife baked for that day. It was a wonderful opportunity to pick the 'best' of what was available (each vendor had his specialty after-all). We vowed to do this on a regular basis and buy as much as we can from these local sources - not just for the health of the community but the health of our family as well. The food was enjoyed by all!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Fermenting to Heal the Gut!

2010-04-19T05:32:00.001-07:00

Recently my (Polish) friend Carol and I were talking about how we remember our mothers fermenting things like cabbage and sour milk in jars on the kitchen counter-top. We couldn't recall exactly how they did it, so I had to do a little investigating. I've always been interested in trying it because of all the wonderful health benefits to fermenting (the various lactic acid bacteria that ferment your food are wonderful for restoring a healthy gut flora, which as a Naturopath I know to be the foundation for good health and a healthy immune system).
I tried a very easy recipe for fermenting cabbage. Shred 1/2 to 3/4 of a cabbage (i used red) into a glass bowl. Sprinkle with 2 TBSP pickling salt (not iodized, which kill the bacteria). Pound the cabbage slightly to release the juices. Place into clean mason jars (pack it in tight). Cover with filtered water, leaving 1 inch at the top. Close the jars and let sit 4-7 days on your counter. Be careful opening the lid once fermentation has taken place because it will fizzle over and the lid may pop off from the gases! Eat a few TBSP/day, or add a few TBSP of the liquid into your fruit smoothies (great way to get the kids to eat it). This is a powerful probiotic, and wonderful for kids suffering from ear infection, allergies, or those who have taken Antibiotics and now have a disrupted gut flora.
Here's a couple websites for more info!
http://www.rawmom.com/raw-mom-blog/archives/1079
http://www.healingcrow.com/ferfun/ferfun.html

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

I love getting emails like this!

2010-03-30T10:53:00.000-07:00

It's always nice to get feedback from people using the Olive Baby products. This one made my day today:

"I just wanted to write you to tell you that you have a fantastic product. My little guy had really bad cradle cap and baby acne and nothing I tried seemed to work. Then I remembered that I won an Olive Baby prize back from a baby show and thought that I would give it a try. I was AMAZED!It cleared up quickly and absorbed nicely. I still put some on his face for when we're outside to keep his skin moisturized. Thanks for the wonderful and natural product. "

Thanks for your feedback C.F.!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Olive Baby Spring/Summer Newsletter is Here!

2010-03-18T11:07:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already signed up for our Spring newsletter, you can do so now on the bottom right hand side of the Olive Baby homepage (www.olivebaby.ca).
You don't want to miss our upcoming issue which which contains the following articles:
-Staying Healthy on Vacation
-Onion Poultice instructions
-Benefits of Olive Oil
-Facts about Calendula
-The Fertility Anti-Nutrient

Happy reading!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Yummy Banana Bread

2010-03-09T15:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was in the mood for baking, so the kids and I made this delicious and healthier version of Banana Bread. I love that it has tonnes of fiber (from the flax seeds) and is not overly sweet or dense. There were several steps that the kids were able to help with, like mashing the bananas and mixing it all up, which was fun for them, and not overly messy for me! I've done both the egg and egg-free version, and don't notice a real difference, so it's a great recipe for kids with egg/dairy allergies.

Anna's Banana Bread
3 or 4 ripe bananas – mash with fork
1/3 cup melted butter
¾ cup brown sugar
1 egg (OR 1 TBSP oil & 1 TBSP water)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 ½ cup whole wheat flour (or alternative flour like rye, spelt, barley or kamut)
3/4 - 1 cup ground flax seed
Optional:
½ cup raisins
½ cup chopped walnuts or almonds

*if you find batter too dry, you can add applesauce, soymilk or water

Preheat oven to 350 F. With wooden spoon mix butter, sugar, egg, vanilla and salt into mashed bananas. Add flour, baking soda and any of the optional ingredients, mix. Pour batter into 4x8 inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper. I like to sprinkle whole flax seeds and/or raw sunflower seeds on top. Bake 1 hr. Cool before slicing. Enjoy!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Fun for the Kids, Great workout for you!

2010-03-09T15:18:00.001-08:00

This past weekend was such a beautiful and sunny one that we realized the snow will soon be gone. We took advantage of it by getting outdoors and enjoying some last minute tobogganing at our favorite hill! As I was climbing the hill after each run, dragging the sled (with 4 year old attached), I realized what a great workout I was getting. My heart was pumping, my legs and gluts were burning and I was sweating! I was thinking that it would make for a great 'Biggest Loser' challenge - how many times can you make it up an icy hill dragging a 50 pound child on a sled! Anyway, for those of you struggling to find time for exercise, get outside with your kids and get creative. There's many activities like toboganning that serve double purpose - the kids are having a great time and you're getting your daily exercise. Climb the monkey bars, chase a soccer ball, play tag, ride a bike, run with the stroller. It's all the little things that add up!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Roasted Beet Salad

2010-03-06T05:42:00.000-08:00

I know, I'm Polish and therefore should eat a LOT of beets. I do love them, but I leave the cooking part to my mom - I just find them too difficult to peel. That being said, i recently discovered a very easy way to make them, and I think it's going to open the beet horizon for me! Beets are so good for you - they are full of iron and are considered a 'liver' food, which supports the liver in detoxification.
So here's what I did - wash them and place them on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet (cut off the greens first of course). Drizzle in olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt,pepper, and rosemary (optional). cover with the foil to create a sealed pouch. Bake at 400 for 1 hour or until tender. Let them cool, then put on some rubber gloves and push the peels off (or use a knife if they're not falling off). Cut them into wedges, and put in a bowl with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss. This can marinate for a few days and you can use as needed. I was using them for lunch for 3 days straight - I served them over a bed of organic baby spinach, a handful of raw sunflower seeds, and a TBSP of goat cheese. DELICIOUS!!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Delicious Quinoa Chocolate Cake

2010-02-22T04:55:00.001-08:00

This weekend we were all craving something a little chocolatey, and I came across a great recipe from the Planet Organic cookbook. This turned out to be a really moist chocolate cake and was a hit with the kids.
Chocolate Quinoa Cake

This healthy cake brings together the chocolate of the Mayan empire with the protein-rich Quinoa of the Aztecs to create a rich, yet delicate treat.
Ingredients:

1 cup Quinoa, rinsed
2 cups Apple cider or juice
3/4 cup Butter
2/3 cup Fair trade cocoa powder
3/4 cup Rice syrup
3/4 cup Pure honey
1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups soy milk
3 Eggs
2 cups Quinoa flour
1 cup Unbleached white flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Sea salt
1/3 cup Hazelnuts, toasted and ground fine

*I substituted the rice syrup/honey with ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup honey and ¼ cup agave syrup. I also used 3 cups dark rye flour instead of the quinoa flour and white flour. You could use any variation of flours (spelt, kamut, rice etc). I also used pecans instead of hazelnuts.
Method

Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare quinoa by rinsing under water for one minute. Drain. In a medium-sized sauce pan, bring the apple juice to a boil and add quinoa. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered for 20 minutes or until all juice is absorbed and quinoa is soft. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and set aside.

In a mixer, cream butter, cocoa, rice syrup, honey and vanilla. Add eggs and mix until combined. Combine flours, baking powder, salt and nuts and add alternately with milk, stirring by hand until well combined. Fold in cooled quinoa and spread batter into a greased or lined baking pan.

Bake 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool completely before icing. Use the Chocolate Glaze recipe on page 21 for an added touch of flavour.

Yields 10 servings.

Enjoy!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Discounted Cloth Diapers in Barrie & Chickaboo!

2010-02-20T16:02:00.001-08:00

Yesterday while shopping at Lotus Natural Living Boutique on Dunlop st. in Barrie I noticed that
all of the Happy Heinys Cloth diapers were 40% off! This is a great deal - Denise (the owner) wants them all gone to make shelf space. There is a great selection of prints and colors. They're fabulous for any mom of young children or as a gift for someone expecting.
While you're in the store, check out the Chickaboo line of organic baby clothes - they were created by another friend and colleague of mine, and the 'yoga baby' prints are especially adorable.
Happy shopping!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

'Cheesy' Popcorn

2010-02-18T11:51:00.000-08:00

The other day I made some popcorn as a snack for my kids. They asked if I could make it 'cheesy' (they've tried smartfood brand in the past and loved it, but of course it's really not that healthy for you). My naturopathic solution was to add 2 Tbsp of nutritional yeast sprinkled overtop of the popcorn. This is a trick I learned from a nutrition professor several years back, and it's really a tasty treat. Nutritional yeast (not the leavening yeast you use in baking) has a nutty/cheesy flavor and is packed full of vitamin B12, minerals and protein. This makes for a great supplement for individuals on a vegan diet which can be low on B12.
Anyway, my kids loved it, and I was happy that they had a healthy boost from their snack!
Nutritional yeast can be found in the health food section of your grocery store.

Dr. Anna Falkowski, HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Onion Poultice for Earaches!

2010-02-15T05:53:00.001-08:00

This weekend my 4 year old got his first earache. He was complaining of the pain, and it was coming at intense intervals every few minutes. I didn't have my otoscope at home but assumed it was an ear infection. I started to give him a botanical tincture that I keep at home, but I also wanted to get at the pain quickly. An onion poultice is something I commonly recommend, but had never had to use on my own kids! I was amazed at the results. After one treatment, the pain in his left ear never returned. Later that evening the right ear started to hurt. My son was in tears. I did the poultice over that ear right before bed, and again, it never returned and he slept through the night. I was reminded about the healing power of nature. Normally, antibiotics would have been advised, and anytime you can avoid them, it's best to do so!

This is a simple traditional remedy for earaches due to inner ear infections or even swimmer’s ear. The onion can help kill the infection while the heat is soothing an provides instant relief for children complaining of an earache.

Instructions:

Cut an onion in half. Heat a little olive oil in a pan and place the onion (cut side down) on the olive oil. Cover with a lid. Heat over medium heat for a few minutes until the onion is heated through and becomes softer. Place the onion in a clean dishcloth, and cool for just a minute so that it will not burn the skin. Have your child lay down and place the onion over their ear firmly for 10 minutes. Some of the oil will seep through. The oil is healing. The onion fumes will enter the ear and soothe the ear drum.

Dr. Anna Falkowski, HBSc, ND

Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive Baby for After-Sun Care

2010-02-09T12:42:00.000-08:00

On our recent trip to Cuba I was sure to pack a jar of Olive Baby Body Butter. It came in handy for the whole family. We used to for the chaffing my son got after wearing wet shorts all day at the beach, to help soothe red skin after too much sun, and to help stop the itching of the bug bites we all got on our legs. I also used it for the dry skin we got after too much exposure to sand and ocean water!
I had read somewhere that moisturizing your hands stops the transmission of bacteria that you may come into contact with (they prefer dry skin), so I was sure to moisturize during our travelling days where the airplane air is particulary drying.
Now that we're back, our tans are becoming dry and itchy, and I'm finding that a little bit of Body Butter after showering helps stop the skin from peeling.
I've had patients take it on holidays as well and said it worked as a multi-purpose skin soother.

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Transitions for Kids

2010-02-06T10:55:00.000-08:00

We recently got back from a family vacation in Cuba and decided that when we return we would transition our son Lucian (almost 2 years old) to his big boy bed. Being away from home for a week and sleeping in a new environment (sharing a bed with me) got Lucian out of his old routine, and allowed a better window for making change. He had no issue with his new toddler bed, and has slept in it for both night and naps. It's been great!
It doesn't have to be a whole week away, you can use a weekend trip or a trip to the cottage to make new habits for your kids, and create an easier transition for them. These opportunities can be used to try new foods, new routines, or to take away old habits that you may be trying to change. It will make things easier for the whole family!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Clean House or Play time?

2010-01-26T13:56:00.000-08:00

For the last 3 weeks I've been out of a dishwasher. It conveniently broke down right in the middle of our 2 week cleanse. Not fun. I have been patiently waiting to have it fixed, but in the meantime I'm doing it all by hand. I'd forgotten how many dishes you can accumulate in a day, and having 2 kids of course creates even more mess. How did women do it back in the days before modern conveniences? How did they get the meals cooked, dishes done, house cleaned, kids clothed and still have time to do their hair and makeup? Wow!
Recently I felt like I was always at the sink trying to catch up with all the mess, thinking about how hard it is to maintain cleanliness and still have time to 'play'. I had to surrender and leave the dishes till the night, which of course cuts into 'me' time, but something had to give. Over the last few years I have struggled with the fact that my house is not as organized and 'clean' as I'd like to have it, but having 2 high-spirited and energetic children makes it nearly impossible to keep up with all the mess. It still creates a certain anxiety when I scramble to clean up when someone is 'popping over' for a visit, but I 've decided that at this season of my life my kids are more important, and I want them to feel like they can 'play'. So to all you moms who feel they're not 'getting it all done', let the guilt go, let the toys takeover your house and realize that soon enough you'll be missing those little 'messes'!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Fun & Yummy snack for kids

2010-01-26T13:53:00.000-08:00

Ok, so this one was an idea from another mum & patient. Cut a banana into slices and put a dallop of peanut butter (all natural) or almond butter on each slice and top with a single raisin. Takes a little bit of work but it looks great and the kids gobbled up about 3 bananas between them. This is a great mid-afternoon snack when their energy is crashing - high in potassium, magnesium and protein!
Enjoy!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

New year, New beginnings

2010-01-18T05:16:00.001-08:00

It's been a while since I posted on this blog, as i've been busy blogging on my clinics blog daily over the past 2 weeks. I have been doing a 2 week cleanse to bring in the new year, and have chronicled my journey (and that of my family) on my other blog in case anyone is interested in making some changes in their own diet or their family's diet:
http://vflbarrie.blogspot.com/2010_01_01_archive.html
As my kids are getting older I'm realizing how much they look to us for guidance with their own health and wellness, and it's important to decide what you want to model for your kids. Some simple healthy changes in diet and attitude can make a big difference in your kid's health. My older son asked many questions during my cleanse, and I did my best to answer them in a way that he could understand. When he would offer me a bite of his cookie or hot chocolate I would explain to him that 'mommy is giving her body a break from sugar because sugar can make us sick'. Or when he would ask 'what's a cleanse' I tried to explain that it's a way for us to 'clean our bodies on the inside by not putting in anymore garbage'. The way I explain the immune system to him (our white blood cells) is by calling them our 'soldiers'. I ask him 'what do you think your soldiers need to be strong so that they can fight the bad bacteria?'. He would reply 'they need rest, good food, vitamins and water'. It's amazing how instinctively kids already know what to do, we just need to support those ideas by confirming them! They don't always gravitate towards what's right (a cookie is still more appealing than brocolli!) but at least you can question them when they make too many bad choices to get them back on track.
Through my own experience, I would encourage parents to have more health related conversations with their kids. We are seeing more kids suffering from adult diseases than ever before, and it's largely lifestyle and dietary based, so they changes need to start with us!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

My Weekend in Nature!

2009-12-21T10:14:00.000-08:00

Yes, it was a cold weekend in Barrie, but it was also very beatufil with all the snow. After being inspired by an episode of Bear Grylls (man vs. wild) on friday night, we decided to have our own family adventure out in the snowy woods! We dressed warm, brought a sled and packed a backpack full of warm tea and snacks. We hiked out into the woods on the Simcoe County trails, and made a fun game out of it for the kids. My four year old loves to pretend to be Bear Grylls, so he was picking up sticks and dried leaves along the way to make a fire and roast his 'cariboo':)
We actually did go off the path a little way and made a lovely fire! It was amazing to experience that with our kids, who were thrilled. We had our warm tea and snacks, and everyone was in great spirits. A lady that works for the Simcoe Trail system even took our picture, stating that they were trying to promote more families getting outdoors, and that our little scene would make a lovely picture for their website! http://www.simcoecountytrails.net/
I too try to promote families getting more active together (especially in nature), so it made my day as well.
Having the sled was great because when the snow got too deep or the kids got tired, we just pulled them along in it. It was a great day, and the kids crashed for a nap when we got home! It was a great start to the holiday season!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Nature Deficit Disorder

2009-12-10T14:02:00.000-08:00

I have been meaning to blog about this since the OAND convention, but just didn't have the time. Last night I had the privelage of talking the Barrie's Holistic Mom & Dad's group. The discussion was about 'Boosting your Child's Immunity', and I mentioned how many factors are involved in immunity. One of which was 'fresh air'. Getting outside into fresh air and sunlight are so important on many different levels - mood regulation, better sleep, oxygenation and of course immunity.
'Nature deficit disorder' is a term coined by Richard Louv which describes our children's lack of outdoor play, which is responsible for many behavioral disorders that we're now seeing in adolescents. Our children are finding an increased number of indoor activities - television, internet, video games - and are not participating in as many outdoor, unorganized activities as they have in the past. They are disconnected from the environment, and from nature. This is becoming a problem on so many levels for our children, that it's time to make some changes. Encourage kids to walk to school, to play outside, to engage in outdoor sports, and to go 'explore' (within your comfort level). As a family, it's important to engage in these activities together to role model them for your kids - take weekend hikes, go tobogganing, go to the playground, go camping, whatever is in season!
Limit time spent indoors and set guidelines about TV and computer use. The whole family will benefit!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive Baby reviewed in Mompreneur Magazine!

2009-11-19T14:46:00.000-08:00

I'm very excited that Olive Baby products were reviewed by the editor of Mompreneur Magazine in their Holiday edition (December). Mompreneur Magazine can be found in Indigo and Chapters Bookstores across Canada, so hopefully it increases awareness to parents who have children (or other family members) with skin sensitivities! This is the first time Olive Baby has received any kind of media attention, so i'm very excited about it!
You can check it out in their online version, page 47 of the 'current issue'
http://www.themompreneur.com/

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

What a weekend! Where do I begin...

2009-11-17T11:35:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I attended the annual OAND convention, where David Suzuki and many other wonderful speakers shared with us the huge impacts that the environment is having on our health (or ill-health). I have always known that as a Naturopath it was my role to teach respect for the environment, but now more than ever I realize that Naturopaths need to be ambassadors for environmental health issues. There was so much grim information given, but I think it'll take me a few weeks to sort through all my thoughts and figure out a 'user-friendly' way to share it with my patients and the public.
One surprising finding was to hear that high fructose corn syrup is a huge source of mercury! Who knew! Apparently many of the major players like Coca-cola, Heinz, Kraft and Quaker are still using it in their food products for lack of a better source of cheap sugar. The Obama government is pushing to have these companies find alternatives by 2012 (don't hold your breath)!
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/136879.php

Another eye-opener was to hear how dangerous cell phone use was to the brain - I mean, i've always known it, but to see Brain images of cell phone users made it real, and to hear how particularly devastating it is for children was a shocker. After hearing their research, i'm keeping my kids far away from any cell phones (including mine) until they are MUCH older. In many countries they're banning cell phone use to kids under 12 (some 18), so it seems in north America we're a little behind!
http://www.livescience.com/technology/091112-cell-phone-brain.html

Luckily, I also learned that there's things we CAN do to protect ourselves, and that's something I'll have to write a few patient hand-outs about.

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.OliveBaby.ca

The Dreaded Fever!

2009-11-05T11:25:00.000-08:00

This week i've been seeing an increased number of sick kids coming to the clinic. With many childhood illnesses, one of the most common symptoms is fever. I know this is a huge concern for parents, but fevers are one of the most feared and misunderstood mechanisms in the body. I encourage parents to think of fevers as a good thing. They are your child’s tool at fighting infection! It raises their internal temperature to help kill the virus or bacteria, and usually only last a day or two. It is a natural and protective mechanism, and is more frightening than harmful. Parents oftern run for the tylenol prematurely, feeling like suppressing the fever is 'treating' the illness. This is not the case. We WANT the child to have a fever, and we want to manage it within a ‘comfort zone’ that is age appropriate. We don’t want to suppress a fever, but rather keep the child comfortable by offering lots of fluids, a cool cloth, a luke-warm bath or the appropriate supplements to support them. Contact your Naturopath when your child has a fever, as they will provide you with the guidance and support you may feel you need while managing the fever!
Kids may lose their appetite during a fever. Don’t push solids, just ensure plenty of liquids. Helpful herbal teas for fever include chamomile, red clover, rosemary and peppermint. We lose heat through the skin, so dress your child appropriately to their temperature. Call your doctor if your child’s fever lasts more than 3 days or has concerning symptoms of lethargy, changes in behavior, stiff neck, difficulty breathing, constant vomiting/diarrhea, has developed a rash, is inconsolable or has a fever above:

Infants under 3 months: fever over 38.5 C (101.4 F)

3 months – 2 years old: fever over 39 C (103 F)

Over 2 years old: fever over 40 C (104 F)

Note: Teething rarely causes a fever above 38.5 C (101.4 F).

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

H1N1 - the theme of my day!

2009-10-27T14:30:00.000-07:00

So today seemed to be all about the H1N1 virus- on the news (of course) and at the clinic everyone was talking about it. The media is certainly scaring people because we don't have many details about why certain populations are getting sick, and why it can hit so quickly. Nor do we know much about the H1N1 vaccine and it's side effects. I had several patients call today about their homeopathic flu shot, and people are also taking home the Guna-Flu homeopathic flu treatment. I'm still advising people to stay healthy - practise good hygiene, sleep well, eat well, stay hydrated, avoid sugars, and support their immune system (many ways to do this). Don't forget to wipe down your door knobs, telephones and keyboards at home (tea tree oil or CleanEssentials Natural Cleaning spray is great for this). I'm still treating this like the seasonal flu, just doing the flu prevention a little earlier into the season than normal. Remember, get facts from various sources, don't just accept what you hear on your local news channel or the radio! Media tends to dramatize things, but the facts usually haven't changed!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.OliveBaby.ca

Picture from the Baby & Toddler Expo!

2009-10-19T05:33:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of the Olive Baby booth from the expo. My sons came to visit me after the Toopy & Binoo Show (it's tough to compete with those characters)!

Our First Big Show!

2009-10-19T05:06:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was the Baby & toddler Expo in Barrie, which was my first big show for Olive Baby. It's definitely a LONG weekend, but it was also really fun. I really enjoyed talking to all the moms that were changing over to natural products for their babies, and had great conversations with many of you who have already tried Olive Baby products (and have given me such great feedback!). I also enjoyed meeting the various vendors that are trying to make parenting a little bit easier with their eco-friendly ideas and innovative products. It was nice to see some local companies out there, and the mom-preneurs with their awesome business ideas coming to life! It was quite inspirational!
Here's some worth mentioning:
I enjoyed speaking to Gina and Tony who have recently started a website offering eco-friendly products for baby and family. Their website is www.barebabyearth.com, and each of their products has been tested by them before being accepted on their site - many didn't make it!
I also loved the products made by Jennifer at www.going-ga-ga.com
She makes beautiful wooden letters and signs for babies, kids and families.
At www.babyparka.ca you can find a very unique product that is ideal for barrie - a warm parka that fits over your baby carrier to keep baby warm during the cold winter months!

We all need some ideas with Christmas right around the corner!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Baby & Toddler Expo Oct 17 & 18

2009-10-15T10:47:00.000-07:00

Come visit the Olive Baby booth this saturday and sunday at the Barrie Baby & Toddler Expo at the Molson Centre! We will have amazing specials on all Olive Baby products and gift baskets made up with the entire set of Olive Baby products at a great discount. These gift baskets are ready to take to baby showers or make amazing Christmas gifts for any parent! This event will be fun for the kids as well, with live performances by Toopy & Binoo. Hope to see you all there!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Healthy & Easy Dinner for a busy day!

2009-10-05T05:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a fun but busy day for our family, but I wanted to make sure we sat down to a healthy sunday night dinner (saturday we were at a birthday party and the kids didn't eat a lot the good stuff - it's all about balance!).
I knew we would be out of the house in the afternoon and wouldn't be home until dinner time, so it meant I had to do some quick prep work during their afternoon nap. I cut a butternut squash in half and placed it cut side up in a large lasagna dish. I sprinkled with nutmeg and cinnamon, a pinch of salt and drizzled with olive oil. In the same dish I put a few sweet potatoes cut in half, cut side down. I set my oven on 'delay cook', so it would start about 45 min. before we came home. Cook this for 45 min. at 400C - you can add a pat of butter and a little brown sugar if you like. When we got home I quickly boiled a small pot of brussel sprouts (cut in half) until tender. This was served as is - very tasty. For protein, I cut a corner - I used pre-frozen turkey meatballs and warmed them up in my home-made tomato sauce. All in all, it was a great dinner, and I was happy that the little guys ate some orange and green veggies! It was quick and easy, it just took a little planning!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

Healthy Lunches - All you can do is try!

2009-09-30T05:02:00.000-07:00

My older son Jordi started junior kindergarden this september, and it's definitely changed our routine around the house. I'm definitely feeling the faster pace - he's never been in daycare, so having to stick to a formalized schedule in the mornings is a new thing at our house. I try to make most of his lunch the night before, and then package it up the next morning so it's all fresh. As a Naturopath, of course I feel that nutrition is key to Jordi having a good day at school! BUT, I'm also learning i can't control everything. At Jordi's school they have two nutrition breaks instead of one lunch, so I never know what he'll grab out of his lunch bag at either break. I try to put a variety of snacks in there - fruit, veggies, muffins, crackers, yogurt, sandwiches etc. However, at the end of the day, I'm finding that there's a lot of the food left untouched, and it's usually the more 'tempting' foods (ie. granola bar) that are missing! It's been a frustrating experience. Yesterday I'm pleased to say he ate everything for the first time! Here's the winning combination of the day: organic yogurt box, cut up strawberries and raspberries, granola bar and half of a muesli bagel with cream cheese! So I've decided that every day won't be a winner in the nutrition department, but all you can do is keep trying!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

H1N1 Flu Prevention & Kids

2009-09-28T09:47:00.000-07:00

One of the hot topics this season is of course the swine flu and what we need to do to avoid getting it. One of the things I tell my patients is that we need to look at the H1N1 virus like all other flu virus' and practise good prevention. The only real difference is the popultion it seems to hit more, which is the middle age instead of young and old (but anyone can get it). To date, symptoms have been for the most part mild, so the fear we were experiencing several months ago was probably blown out of proportion. One of the interesting facts that has come to light in a recent Canadian study is that individuals who have gotten the flu shot in previous seasons may be at higher risk for getting the H1N1 form of the flu! And of course Health Canada is now promoting the H1N1 flu vaccine as well as the basic flu shot later into the season. Again, what will studies show in the future? For generally healthy individuals, I have some basics I would suggest to protect your little ones and your family in general:
1. Good hygiene - wash your hands several times a day with soap and water.
2. Moisturize! studies have shown that moisturized hands are less likely to spread germs!
3. Eat well, avoid sugars
4. Stay well hydrated - your mucus membranes are your first line of defense against virus'
5. Make sure you immune system is strong - if you get sick often, see your Naturopath to discuss the MANY options for a strong immune system
6. Vitamin D - studies are showing it may be the vitamin of choice for flu-prevention!

In addition, I highly recommend one of the many homeopathic options for flu-prevention. Children are prime candidates for this type of approach because they respond very well to homeopathic remedies, which are a gentle, safe and natural way to increase the immune response. Guna-Flu, Gripp-Heel and Engystol are just a few of the remedies we offer at the clinic for prevention and treatment of the flu. These come in a gargle, tablet or flu-shot form.
Speak to your ND about the option that would be right for you!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Good-bye Sunshine, Hello Vitamin D

2009-09-23T05:11:00.000-07:00

As we move into autumn, one of the most important supplements for Canadians to consider is Vitamin D. While we may replenish our vitamin D levels through diet (salmon, tuna, tofu, dairy, sesame seeds, almonds) and fortified foods (soy milk, almond milk), the amount now recommended by public health groups such as the Canadian Cancer Society make it much more difficult to do so through diet alone.

In 2007 the Canadian Cancer Society recommended that adults take five times more than the government guideline. It recommended that adults with white skin take 1,000 International Units (IU) a day in the fall and winter as a cancer-prevention step while those with darker skin should supplement with at least 1,000 IU year round. The Canadian Paediatric Society recommended that pregnant women take 10 times the amount as suggested by Canada's Food Guide.

Vitamin D is proving to have multiple benefits for young and old:
-powerful immune booster
-protective against heart disease and cancer
-mood regulation (seasonal affective disorder) & memory
-proper bone mineralization/development

Canada is also investigating how vitamin D levels may be protective against the Swine Flu:
“How vitamin D might protect against influenza infection is not fully understood. However new research suggests that vitamin D induces the production of antimicrobial substances in the body that possess neutralizing activity against a variety of infectious agents including influenza virus (Doss, 2009).”

I recommend Vitamin D supplementation to most patients these days, in higher doses than were once acceptable. I would strongly advise everyone speak to their naturopath about the appropriate dose for you and your family!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.OliveBaby.ca

Head-to-Toe Body Wash now available!

2009-09-14T18:15:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to let you know that Olive Baby Head-to-Toe Body Wash is now available at Vitality for Life Health Center and online at www.olivebaby.ca (as well as our other retail locations - please check the website for info).
Olive Baby Head-to-Toe Body Wash is a 100% natural olive oil Castile Soap (unlike other soaps which often use nut or seed oils) . This gentle hypo-allergenic formula uses olive oil to nourish the skin – no harmful additives or chemicals. Our foamer bottle produces a rich lather leaving skin clean and soft. Wonderful for individuals with sensitive skin and allergies who find commercial cleansers too irritating and drying. Ideal for the entire family!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Final week of fundraising for Walk-a-thon!

2009-09-10T13:04:00.000-07:00

Help Support Emmanuel's Wish Walk-a-thon!

Just a reminder that the Walk-a-thon will take place next weekend, so this is the last week for donations! Please help support this worthy cause:

Emmanuel's wish will be hosting a 5km walk-a-thon in Barrie to help raise money for a project they're working on in Haiti. I love the work they do and have decided to make Olive Baby a supporter of the Emmanuel's wish foundation, so I will be doing the 5km walk as well. I am asking everyone to help support this wonderful cause, which has a strong focus on impoverished children, by donating any amount of money for this event. To donate and for more details please go to:

http://www.olivebaby.ca/walkathon.php

Thank you for your support and generosity in advance!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Apple Picking

2009-09-09T10:59:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we decided to go apple picking as a family. We're lucky to be close to a wonderful organic apple farm called 'Avalon' in Barrie. As a naturopath I think it's really important to teach your kids where food comes from and connect to how it grows and what it looks like when it's fresh. My kids loved the experience. They were just so happy to run up and down the aisles and pick their own apples right off the tree. The smell was glorious and the apples were still warm from the sunshine. I felt deeply happy being there and felt a sense of peace watching my children running and playing and getting along! It's amazing what happens when they are in an open space and the normal rules don't apply - it's like their behavioural issues just disappeared, which makes me realize that it's often just the boundaries that we create for them because of the spaces we live in. I think kids really need to be outdoors more, connecting with nature and learning about their environment.
It was a perfect day, and we've been enjoying our apples ever since. I highly recommend this experience for a family outing.
We'll definitely go back for the next varieties around Thanksgiving!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Probiotics may reduce cold and 'flu symptoms for children

2009-08-27T14:29:00.000-07:00

Another study is showing the benefits of using probiotics in children!
A daily supplement of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains may reduce the incidence of cold and 'flu-like symptoms in children by 50 per cent, says a new study from Danisco.

A combination of the two strains was linked to reductions in fever incidence by 73 per cent, a reduction in the occurrence of runny noses by 59 per cent, and drop in the incidence of coughing by 62 per cent, according to findings published in Pediatrics.

“Daily probiotic dietary supplementation during the winter months was a safe effective way to reduce episodes of fever, rhinorrhea, and cough, the cumulative duration of those symptoms, the incidence of antibiotic prescriptions, and the number of missed school days attributable to illness,” wrote the authors, led by Gregory Leyer from the Department of Research and Development for Danisco in Madison.

For the complete study click here.

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive baby is a line of 100% natural baby skin care products. Formulated by a Naturopathic doctor (and mother) with sensitive skin in mind. Olive oil is nature’s perfect skin moisturizer and is the foundation for our products.

COMING SOON!...I'm very excited

2009-08-21T08:51:00.000-07:00

Over the last few months I've been working on a body wash, and needless to say this has been one of the toughest yet rewarding projects. Soap is really tricky because most of them contain foaming agents (which are chemicals AND they dry out skin), thickening agents and of course perfumes or essential oils to mask the smell of the actual soap. I have finally decided on a completely pure Castile soap that's actually made with 100% olive oil (unlike most other soaps that use coconut oil or other seed/nut oils). The soap is normally a very watery consistency (although EXTREMELY potent), so I also set out to find the perfect bottle for it. I was very happy to discover that it worked amazingly in a foamer bottle, which takes the liquid and converts it into a beautiful soft foam simply by adding air. Brilliant! I've been using this soap around the house and on my kids, and i'm very happy with the results. It's gentle on the skin and leaves it very soft - I don't hesitate bathing my kids daily (and we all know they need it in the summer!). The best part is that it's suitable for 'Head-to-Toe' use. I wash my kids hair with it and it comes out shiny and clean. I use it myself as a face wash, and the results are great - it removes make-up without drying the skin. Also makes makes an excellent hand soap. I can't wait to share it with everyone. I should have the labelling done and the soap bottled in the next week or so! Stay tuned!

Dr. Anna Falkowsk HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Yummy Breakfast Idea!

2009-08-17T18:35:00.000-07:00

Recently I came across a raw muesli recipe and decided to give it a try. This is such a simple and flexible breakfast option, and best of all - the kids LOVED it! There are no exact measurements in this recipe - use as much or as little of each ingredient as you like. These are all just options, so play with the recipe based on what works for your family. I purchased all my ingredients at the Bulk Barn, which allows you buy just what you need. Here are some options for your muesli:
-Spelt flakes
-raw cashews
-raw almonds
-raw sunflower seeds
-raw pumpkin seeds
-dried apricots
-dried goji berries
-dates
-raisins
-coconut flakes
-dried cranberries
If you don't like big pieces, briefly chop the fruit/nuts in a food processor. Place all ingredients in a large glass jar or tupperware and keep in a dry and cool environment. To serve, use some of the your muesli mixture and add seasonal fresh fruit (I like peaches, blueberries and raspberries). Add almond milk or soy milk. This was such a hit for both my kids, and what a wonderful way to start the day! This is a great nutritious snack for kids going off to school!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.OliveBaby.ca
-

Help Support Emmanuel's Wish Walk-a-thon!

2009-08-13T11:06:00.000-07:00

Emmanuel's wish will be hosting a 5km walk-a-thon in Barrie to help raise money for a project they're working on in Haiti. I love the work they do and have decided to make Olive Baby a supporter of the Emmanuel's wish foundation, so I will be doing the 5km walk as well. I am asking everyone to help support this wonderful cause, which has a strong focus on impoverished children, by donating any amount of money for this event. To donate and for more details please go to:

http://www.olivebaby.ca/walkathon.php

Thank you for your support and generosity in advance!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Fun & Healthy Chips & Dip for Kids!

2009-08-10T04:40:00.000-07:00

As most moms know, kids like anything you can dip. The other day my 3 year old asked for salsa and corn chips (which he'd had the previous weekend at our friends house). I decided to make it more nutritious and more like a 'meal' by adding a few extra ingredients. I diced up an avocado, and added 1/2 cup of black beans into a bowl. I covered these with a mild salsa (this one had tomatoes and corn), and then gave them a gentle stir. I served the dip with organic blue corn chips. The kids LOVED it, and couldn't get enough (even my 18 month old was in on the dipping!).
This is such a great snack - the avocado is full of brain-healthy omega-3 fats and magnesium, the black beans are a good source of folic acid, b-vitamins and fiber, and the salsa is full of lycopene. The chips had a decent amount of fiber in them as well, and are far better than potato chips or crackers.
I'm definitely going to pull this recipe out again for a quick and easy naturopathic snack!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.OliveBaby.ca

Green Smoothies - so healthy & tasty!

2009-07-26T10:17:00.000-07:00

I was recently on a wonderful website that discussed how we can eat a more 'raw' diet, which as a naturopath I have always viewed as the gold standard of 'healthy'. Eating raw is a challenge because most of us are not set up for a completely raw lifestyle (dehydrators, juicers, top of the line blenders etc). However, everyone of us has the ability to get creative and have SOME raw foods daily. My recent discovery has made it easy for even the kids to get more raw AND green food into their diet. I'm actually REALLY surprised at how this worked out. So on the recommendation of the website, I asked took my 3 year old into our garden, and asked him to help me pick some 'greens' for a 'garden smoothie' we were going to make. I asked him what we should put in it, and he started taking me around the garden, picking leaves of kale, swiss chard, spinach, beet tops and parsely. By the time we were done we had a bowl full of 'greens'. He then asked if HE could wash them, and put them in the blender. My experiment was working, he was completely involved and so far excited about the 'swamp water smoothie' we were about to make. We put all the greens into the blender, added one banana and some frozen strawberries, and topped it up with soymilk. He blended it until the entire thing was smooth, and I was surprised to see that it actually wasn't even green in color (I was expecting it to look a little awful). Then, the biggest hurdle - would he like it? YES! He said it was delicious (and it was!). I couldn't believe that it didn't taste 'green'. It as amazing. Between the 2 of us we drank the entire thing, which would have easily counted as a days worth of veggies! I was ecstatic. We have done the same thing 3 days in a row now. It's fun, it's tasty, and it's healthy. We now make them for my 1 year old and husband as well. Everyone is on board. I challenge everyone to try it and see how good it actually tastes! There's no real recipe, just experiment with what you have!
The websites I'm recommending for more great ideas like this one are:
www.rawmom.com
www.therawdivas.com

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.OliveBaby.ca

Natural sunscreen and your child

2009-07-22T04:34:00.000-07:00

The other day I was playing outside with the kids and had to apply sunscreen on them (this summer I haven't had to do that too often with all the cloudy days!). My boys know the drill by now, and even the little one is very patient as I apply to the cream to all his exposed areas (I still try to cover up most of his skin with a long sleeved shirt and a hat). As I watched him licking the sunscreen off his arms, I once again realized the importance of WHAT it is you're putting on their skin! Sunscreen can be particularly laden with chemicals, so it's important to find one with minimally invasive ingredients. You can now find them in the health food section of your local grocery store most of the time, and health food stores certainly carry a good selection.
Naturally occurring mineral sun blockers include zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which create a barrier to the suns rays.
Chemicals such as PABA absorb UV rays, but have proven too harsh and most manufacturers have stopped using it.
It's still best to avoid excessive use of sunscreens, and avoiding the sun during peak hours and covering up are the best options, but if you must use it, choose one that is mineral based, hypo-allergenic, paraben-free and natural!
For after-sun skin care, dry and irritated skin can be treated with Olive Baby Skin-saver or Body Butter! For dry lips apply our Lip-saver.
Enjoy the great outdoors!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Children and routine

2009-07-14T18:13:00.000-07:00

I recently came back from a one week family holiday, and as always made some realizations about my kids! We stayed at a cottage where the surroundings were brand new, lots of new activities and people to meet, and of course a change in the day to day routine. I quickly noticed that my toddler was becoming overstimulated - he became rather hyperactive and cranky, and at night had difficulty falling asleep. A change in routine, and even a holiday, can be stressful for kids. I learned from first-hand experience that it's best to maintain some routine for the kids, and often the best place to start is with naps. Once we got our kids back on their regular napping schedule they were able to handle all the new activities with ease, and it really helped them settle at the end of the day as well. Over-tired children are not only cranky, but they don't sleep well at night. The other thing to remember is to offer regular snacks. Busy children that are having fun on the beach will often ignore the natural hunger signals. The drop in blood sugar can leave them irritable. Having nutritious and easy snacks with you is a great idea. Some suggestions:
-cut up fruit or veggies
-almond butter on rice crackers
-granola bars (watch the sugar content)
-trail mix (make your own)
-whole grain crackers and cheese
-bean dip (hummus)
-fruit smoothies (made with almond or soy milk and fruit)

So even on holidays, resist the temptation to just 'let go' of it all, and try to keep some order for the health of the kids!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.OliveBaby.ca

Roseola and your child

2009-07-02T13:23:00.000-07:00

Recently I've seen an increasing number of cases of roseola in children at the clinic, and it's always a situation that causes parents extreme stress. This common and harmless childhood viral infection is funny because we can't confirm a roseola infection until the rash comes out at the end of the symptomatic period (usually 3 days of mild-high fever, flu-like symptoms, lethargy, decreased appetite). During those 3 days of symptoms, parents are usually frustrated and worried at not knowing what is wrong with the child, and I often see medical doctors prescribing antibiotics 'just in case' (they too don't know it's roseola, and often assume it's another infection). Once the rash comes out, we can confirm that in fact it was roseola. There is no 'cure' for roseola - you don't need antibiotics or other medications. The most important thing is to keep your child comfortable, drinking lots of liquids even if they are not hungry, and manage the fever appropriately (speak to your Naturopath or health care provider if you are concerned).
The rash itself should not cause your child any discomfort, but as always, use only natural skin care products on their skin.

Dr. Anna Falkowski
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.OliveBaby.ca

The Disappearing Male Documentary

2009-06-30T11:42:00.000-07:00

I recently watched the documentary 'The Disappearing Male' on CBC...it discussed how certain chemicals called endocrine disruptors are affecting fertility rates in people, especially male fertility. These chemicals are found in many cosmetic items and household products, including plastics. As a mother and health care professional, it really hit home. This is another reason to be cautious of what you are putting on your skin. I highly recommend watching it at www.cbc.ca

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Nutritious Popsicles!

2009-06-30T11:38:00.000-07:00

I was making a smoothie today and decided to do some 'healthy' popsicles for the kids. I blended together a banana, some frozen mixed berries and soymilk. I poured it into the popsicle trays, and tomorrow we'll see how they go over! I think next time i'll add some greens to it to make it even more nutritious - I don't think they'll notice. Sometimes it's about getting creative with things you may already do, to make them kid friendly.

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Founder & Naturopathic Doctor
Olive Baby
www.olivebaby.ca

Kid Friendly Carrot Soup

2009-06-18T19:43:00.000-07:00

Last night I needed to make a quick meal, and I was craving some soup. I saw a bag of organic carrots in the fridge, so I went with the 'carrot' theme. I made a really tastey Carrot Soup, and it was super simple. Kid's liked it too:

2 lb bag of organic carrots, peeled
pinch of curry
pinch of turmeric
pinch of cumin
1/2 cup of soy/almond/rice milk (whatever you have)
salt & pepper

Put the carrots and spices in a pot and add just enough water to almost cover them. Simmer until tender (about 20 min). Puree with a hand blender. Add the milk alternative and a splash of Bragg's liquid seasoning (optional). Blend again and adjust the salt to taste. Serve on it's own or with a dallop of plain yogurt or some crisp bread.

Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Founder & Naturopathic Doctor
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive Baby Body Butter for Eczema!

2009-06-08T05:32:00.000-07:00

I have recently had several patients approach me with their stories of how our Body Butter (and Skin-saver) has helped treat eczema patches on their babies cheeks and back. Although eczema is linked to food allergies and asthma (both hyper-active immune responses), we know that what we put on the skin also makes a difference. Since olive oil is the base for our products, this is a wonderful moisturizer for the dry and itchy patches associated with eczema, and the calendula is very healing to the skin, which will help with the inflammation. I even had a patient comment that her husband used it on his hands which were itchy from eczema, and found relief immediately. This is a wonderfully natural and gentle therapy for eczema. Keep the feedback coming!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
www.OliveBaby.ca
Naturally Gentle & Simple

Sun Safety for Kids

2009-05-04T05:16:00.000-07:00

As you're getting out into the sunshine, here are some basics to protect your little ones sensitive skin this summer!

1. COVER UP - children less than 1 year of age should be covered up from the sun in long sleeves and pants, and a sun hat of course. Children under 6 months of age should not wear sunscreen - they are very sensitive to absorbing anything at this age.

2. AVOID the sun during the peak hours of 11am-4pm.

3. SLAP on a wide brimmed sun hat - something that will cover their ears and back of neck.

4. SLOP on a safe sunscreen (look for natural options from the health food store, or buy online)! Apply it 20 minutes before sun exposure and every 2 hrs during the day (more frequently if your child is swimming or sweating).

For after-sun care, try our Olive Baby Body Butter to soothe their delicate skin from wind, heat and sun...a natural and gentle approach!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
www.OliveBaby.ca
Naturally Gentle & Simple

RONA Ladies Night

2009-04-16T11:59:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that we will have a Vitality for Life / Olive Baby booth at Rona tonight for Ladies Night. There will be vendors from local businesses, all pertaining to women. Come support us and enjoy the Olive Baby specials (tonight only!).

Dr. Anna Falkowski
Naturopathic Doctor & Clinic Director
www.vitalityforlife.ca

Helping Babies around the World

2009-04-16T10:23:00.001-07:00

Skin care products are a luxury, but food and shelter are a necessity. At Olive Baby we believe that every child deserves to be loved, nourished and safe.

We would like to help fulfill this vision by donating 1% of every sale to Emmanuel's Wish Foundation, and honest and hard-working foundation where 100% of every donation reaches the cause.

We are specifically working at supporting a South African Baby Home - a transitional home where babies come temporarily while the foundation works towards finding them a 'forever' home, permanent foster placements, or rehabilitation with their birth families where possible. It is a very exciting project that has had much success over the years.

You too can make a difference!

For more information or to make a donation, please visit www.emmanuelswish.org

Dr. Anna Falkowski
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
www.OliveBaby.ca

Skin-Saver favoured by health-conscious moms

2009-04-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

We're glad to hear that mom's across the country are concerned with what they put on their babies and families skin. These concerns are rightly founded, as we are hearing more and more that many of the common additives, fragrances and preservatives are causing sensitivities, rashes, and even long-term health-related issues. More than ever, we need to look to nature to provide us with simple, gentle and natural options for skin care. Olive Baby Skin-Saver is a wonderful option for sensitive skin in need of TLC! The olive oil base is gentle and moisturizing, while the calendula heals and soothes. The natural beeswax helps create a protective barrier on the most sensitive areas. Ideal for soothing an irritated bottom, patches of eczema, and on areas exposed to the elements (wonderful on the face before going into the cold or windy outdoors). Gentle enough for baby, but wonderful for the entire family!

Dr. Anna Falkowski
Naturopathic Doctor & Founder
www.olivebaby.ca

Olive Baby Products Now Available

2009-04-15T12:53:00.002-07:00

We've officially launched our natural line of skin-care products - Olive Baby! They are currently available online and at our clinic - Vitality for Life Health Center. Stay tuned for our list of retailers, as our products will be available at other clinics and boutiques shortly!

Dr. Anna Falkowski
Naturopathic Doctor and Founder
www.olivebaby.ca
Naturally Gentle & Simple

Welcome!

2009-04-15T12:53:00.001-07:00

Welcome to OliveBaby.ca's blog. We'll keep you up to date with the latest our company has to offer.

OliveBaby.ca

Coconut Flour - A Great Grain-Free alternative!

Breast Feeding Support - I can help!

New Product Launched!

Busy Schedule, Going with it!

New Product Coming Soon!

Baby Food Intro Books and Baby Led Weaning

Baby Food Intro - 3rd time around!

Stubborn Cradle Cap

My New Inspiration!

In the final 'stretch'!

Cinnamon Buns

Busy Time of Year

Olive Baby at the Baby/Toddler Show

Baby& Toddler Show this weekend!

Mark Your Calendar - Open House!

Picking your own Apples & Plums

My Farmer's Market Inspiration

Making your own fermented Pickles

Make your own Organic Yogurt!

Body Butter for Pregnancy Stretch Marks!

Eggless French Toast

Maternal Vitamin D levels

Ear Infections and Food Sensitivities

Fish Oils for Kids

Healthy Skin from the Inside!

Gluten-free Egg-free Rhubarb pie!

Body Butter smells 'Bee'-utiful!

Delicious Detox Dinner!

The Simple things are pretty amazing

Where does your food come from?

Fermenting to Heal the Gut!

I love getting emails like this!

Olive Baby Spring/Summer Newsletter is Here!

Yummy Banana Bread

Fun for the Kids, Great workout for you!

Roasted Beet Salad

Delicious Quinoa Chocolate Cake

Discounted Cloth Diapers in Barrie & Chickaboo!

'Cheesy' Popcorn

Onion Poultice for Earaches!

Olive Baby for After-Sun Care

Transitions for Kids

Clean House or Play time?

Fun & Yummy snack for kids

New year, New beginnings

My Weekend in Nature!

Nature Deficit Disorder

Olive Baby reviewed in Mompreneur Magazine!

What a weekend! Where do I begin...

The Dreaded Fever!

H1N1 - the theme of my day!

Picture from the Baby & Toddler Expo!

Our First Big Show!

Baby & Toddler Expo Oct 17 & 18

Healthy & Easy Dinner for a busy day!

Healthy Lunches - All you can do is try!

H1N1 Flu Prevention & Kids

Good-bye Sunshine, Hello Vitamin D

Head-to-Toe Body Wash now available!

Final week of fundraising for Walk-a-thon!

Help Support Emmanuel's Wish Walk-a-thon!

Apple Picking

Probiotics may reduce cold and 'flu symptoms for children

Another study is showing the benefits of using probiotics in children! A daily supplement of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains may reduce the incidence of cold and 'flu-like symptoms in children by 50 per cent, says a new study from Danisco.

COMING SOON!...I'm very excited

Yummy Breakfast Idea!

Help Support Emmanuel's Wish Walk-a-thon!

Fun & Healthy Chips & Dip for Kids!

Green Smoothies - so healthy & tasty!

Natural sunscreen and your child

Children and routine

Roseola and your child

The Disappearing Male Documentary

Nutritious Popsicles!

Kid Friendly Carrot Soup

Olive Baby Body Butter for Eczema!

Sun Safety for Kids

RONA Ladies Night

Helping Babies around the World

Another study is showing the benefits of using probiotics in children!
A daily supplement of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains may reduce the incidence of cold and 'flu-like symptoms in children by 50 per cent, says a new study from Danisco.