Filed under: Exercise Today, my oldest child begins first grade. I can't tell you how sad and happy this makes me. I'm sad because I realize my first baby boy is truly on his way to growing up. School has him now; I don't. I can't help but predict he will need me less and less as he takes on the world in his own independent way. This makes me happy too. I am eager to see how he fares on his own, how he develops, grows, and soars. And I must admit, I am pretty thrilled about having five mornings per week all to myself -- my youngest little boy begins school today too. On Friday, we went to six-year-old Joey's elementary school for a meet-the-teacher event. Joey was right at home. He sat at his assigned desk, did a little drawing, and snuggled up in a pile of pillows in the reading corner. I felt right at home too, after reading a parent memo about public school physical education. Fitness has become an everyday ritual for me. Along with eating right, it's my weapon for staying healthy and keeping cancer far away. I want this same ritual for my boys. It looks like Joey will get to embrace this way of life not only at home but while in the care of his teacher too. "On May 15, 2007 Florida Governor Charlie Crist signed legislation that will ensure that public school elementary kids receive at least 150 minutes of physical education each week," read the memo. "Students will be participating in daily activity time in addition to their physical education class to meet this requirement." Joey's teacher said the class will be dancing in class and doing exercise videos too. No more 40 minutes per week of PE class. I love it. Not only will lifetime fitness be encouraged in the classroom, a little exercise during the school day will do Joey's body a lot of good. According to an article in the September 2007 issue of Woman's Day magazine, classroom fitness activities can prevent weight gain and can even improve grades. Researchers are East Carolina University found that children who did 10-minute bursts of activity -- such as jogging or jumping in place -- throughout the day were more likely to focus on schoolwork and follow classroom rules. The most improvement was detected among kids who were at first the least attentive. Researchers also found that teacher-led activities were easily incorporated into the classroom setting, without increasing the teacher's workload. I'm sad my boys are growing up and away from me. But they are headed for environments that foster health and wellness. And that makes me happy.

Filed under: All Cancers , Environment , Diets , Stress Reduction , Exercise , Nutrition , Vitamins and nutrients , Worthy Wisdom

Filed under: Breast Cancer , Products In 1967, when Beverly Hlavka was 12 years old, her mother Naomi Poppe Kopke was diagnosed with breast cancer and given six months to live. She remembers how helpless she felt wanting to help her mother and not knowing what to do. Earlier this year, Beverly lost a friend, Holly Elizabeth Remmers to breast cancer. Again, she had felt helpless because she did not know what to do for her friend as her friend struggled to survive cancer. This is when Beverly decided to create a way to help others help women facing breast cancer. Based on the Pay it Forward concept, made famous with the book and movie, she has launched Gift it Forward. "If people have done nice things for you, don't give it back, Gift it Forward. This project is a way for people to give money to a cause, receive a fantastic piece of fabric art in return and help women diagnosed with breast cancer." From the money raised, individual women with breast cancer will receive a new mastectomy bra; visit to a wellness retreat; new wig; facial, massage, manicure or pedicure at a day spa; tank of gas to get to chemotherapy; some pretty jewelry; new outfit or makeup; phone card to call the grandkids or anything that puts a smile on her face. Beverly's intention in Gift it Forward is to help women with the issues that surround keeping a positive attitude, self-esteem and concentrating on the idea of wellness instead of the disease of cancer. She includes instructions on how to make a fabric postcard and how to start a Gift it Forward project of your own. For more information, visit Gift it Forward . Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Breast Cancer , Prevention , Products , Cancer Survivors When I first discovered Bella Lucce, I cannot say if I was more impressed with the quality of the bath and beauty products or Lela Barker, the woman behind the company. First, Lela's sister is diagnosed with breast cancer, and based on research, Lela begins making natural bath and beauty products in her kitchen to keep her sister safe from chemicals that might threaten to increase risk of breast cancer recurrence. She shares the bath and beauty products of her hobby with her women friends. Several years later, Lela, a young mother of two small children, is facing a divorce. Needing to find a way to earn an income to support her and her children, and wanting to be a stay-at-home mom, she turns her bath and beauty product hobby into a business. The success of Bella Lucce has been phenomenal on a worldwide scale because the quality of the products are luxurious and affordable. Lela is socially conscious and gives back to the indigenous communities where she takes what is needed to make Bella Lucce products. Lela employs who she calls, "an amazing group of inspiring women." I find Lela to be an amazing and inspiring woman. On the Bella Lucce website, Lela writes informative articles explaining antioxidants and a how-to bath and beauty product labels guide. Because identifying bath and beauty products that contain significant antioxidants in the formula can be a challenge, according to Lela, women need to educate themselves what to look for and she offers an overview of antioxidants to watch for in Antioxidants Explained . The article Labels 101 is an essential primer for women who want to learn the basics on how to decipher bath and beauty product labels. In addition, Lela wrote an article called The Dreaded Chicken Skin and The Keys to Healthy Summer Skin . Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Breast Cancer , Prevention , Non-toxic alternatives , Products Five years ago, Mimi Barker, a young woman in her 20s, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her younger sister Lela, intent on understanding how her young sister could develop breast cancer, began researching possible breast cancer causes. What she found prompted her into reading ingredient labels of all the beauty and bath care products in her bathroom, and she was stunned to find most had the paraben ingredient researchers were suggesting increased breast cancer risks for women. Lela advised Mimi to get rid of everything that contained paraben, and she did the same. Faced with the reality that the market did not offer many appealing natural and organic personal beauty care products, Lela began making her own in her kitchen. She shared what she made with her sister and her friends. Lela found she enjoyed creating soaps, bath salts and lotions that rivaled the commercial products in aroma and texture. While still a hobby, Lela found herself faced with a divorce, two small girls to care for and a desire to remain at home to be for them. With her two young daughters pitching in, the hobby became a business -- Bella Luccè . Today, Bella Luccè is known world-wide for organic-infused, luxury-kissed personal beauty care products, and reasonably priced. According to her company website, Lela maintains "a commitment to responsible sourcing of ingredients and donating back to indigenous communities around the world. She is proud to report that the lion's share of Bella Luccè products are still handmade in the company's bustling warehouse by an amazing group of inspiring women she's happy to be working alongside." Lela counts a long list of both women and men as customers, including celebrities Adam Levine, Bill Clinton, Colin Firth, George Clooney, Jamie Foxx, Johnny Depp, Leonardo Dicaprio, and Kiefer Sutherland, Beyonce Knowles, Britney Spears, Cate Blanchett, Charlize Theron, Gwen Stefani, Hillary Duff, Lindsay Lohan, Kate Winslet, Jennifer Garner, Paris Hilton, The Pussycat Dolls, Rosario Dawson, Fergie of The Black Eyed Peas, Sharon Stone and Sheryl Crow. Bella Luccè's bath and body products are featured in luxe spas, salons and natural wellness centers in 38 states and nine countries -- from Los Angeles to Dubai. Lela blogs The Buzz , and recently announced participation in a special fundraiser in connection with Lance Armstrong's LiveStrong Foundation by sending a wonderful basket of spa luxuries for a silent auction as part of the New Jersey's Parrotbeach team. In addition, at the Bella Luccè website, Lela has published articles including The Keys to Healthy Summer Skin . Lela does not exaggerate when she describes her line of products as decadently natural and utterly luscious. Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Breast Cancer , Alternative Therapies , Prevention , Celebrity fundraisers , Celebrity news Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott announced that the government has contributed a $10 million dollar grant towards the new Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre at Melbourne's Austin Hospital. Olivia Newton-John, a breast cancer survivor, believes in the need for a wellness center where cancer patients can find support, connect with other cancer patients, practice tai chi, do yoga, or receive a massage. "Whatever spiritual belief you have, the mind has a very important role in healing. So if it is meditation, if it is prayer, if it is chanting -- whatever you believe -- as long as it is something you feel strongly about that can keep you in a positive spirit," Newton-John said. The estimated cost for the new center is $50 million dollars in total. Olivia Newton-John has contributed $2 million dollars to the building fund, and can now add another $10 million dollars from the government grant. Olivia states that the total funds raised to date is about $25 million dollars, and she hopes work can begin in building the new center as early as 2008. In the meantime, another project that reflects Olivia Newton-John's mind-body perspective on healing is the Gaia Retreat & Spa , located in Byron Bay near Bangalow, with its own sustainable organic vegetable and herb garden, orchard, and rainforest regeneration program. The Gaia Retreat & Spa describes itself as a place guests can renew, refresh, and restore mind, body and soul. Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments