living

Help Kids Stay Fit with the T-Fal ActiFry and Healthy Cooking for Healthy Kids Program

March 18, 2015 by Kathryn 39 Comments

Teaching kids about healthy eating is important, but it can also be challenging! As much as my boys enjoy raw vegetables and fresh fruit, they also like fries, burgers and sweet desserts. Finding a balance between the healthy food and the junk is a constant job in this house! T-Fal Canada understands that teaching kids about proper nutrition can be a challenge, and that’s why the company is relaunching last year’s Healthy Cooking for Healthy Kids program. Packed with handy resources for eating well and staying active, it’s a great way to get kids excited about healthy living.

One of my favourite aspects of this program is the fact that it encourages physical activity as well as good eating. I was shocked to learn that only 7% of Canada’s youth meet the guideline of 60 minutes of physical activity per day. By keeping track of activities and offering fun rewards, the website provides fun solutions to get kids excited to move! [Read more…]

Try These 3 Ways to Minimize Stress During the Holidays #ONatural

December 12, 2014 by Kathryn 58 Comments

As much fun as the holiday season is for families, it can also be stressful and not just for adults. I’ve noticed that for the last week or so my boys have had shorter tempers than usual as they prepare for Christmas concerts at school, rush around to their final activities before the holiday break and create crafts, cards and gifts for loved ones. And honestly, I have just as much trouble staying mellow lately. Between cleaning the house for the holidays, planning visits from family and friends and cooking up treats, I feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day. But I do have a few simple methods for minimizing stress, and these are my top three!

Aromatherapy

There’s nothing better than a soothing scent to help minimize stress. My personal favourite aroma when in the mood for relaxation is lavender but since it is the holiday season, I tend to favour more festive relaxation at this time of year! Vanilla, cinnamon and orange are all aromatherapy oils that are used to help reduce stress, and all are also common aromas during Christmas! When the entire household is feeling irritable, I’ll combine a few drops each of vanilla and cinnamon essential oil in a diffuser to fill the whole house with the peaceful, soothing scent. And when I just need a bit of balance myself, rubbing a drop of essential oil on my neck just behind my ears lets me enjoy the benefits of the aroma all day long. [Read more…]

A Quick Apple Cheddar Panini on Dempster’s Zero Bread Makes the Perfect Lunch

February 27, 2014 by Kathryn 68 Comments

If there is one food I absolutely adore, it’s the sandwich. The versatility of a sandwich makes it the perfect food in my eyes and I could eat a sandwich for every meal and be completely happy. Bacon and egg sandwiches make a great breakfast. Everyone loves a tuna salad sandwich at lunch. And a hearty chicken club is dinner at its best. In the mood for dessert? Hello peanut butter and jam!

But eating all that bread really isn’t necessarily the healthiest choice, especially with the added fat and sugar that some breads contain. So when I was given the chance to whip up a sandwich with new Dempster’s Zero 100% whole wheat bread, I couldn’t resist. This latest offering from Dempster’s is a 100% whole wheat bread that contains zero added sugar and fat with all of the great Dempster’s taste. I grabbed a loaf at the store and headed to the kitchen to whip up something tasty.

With a healthier bread to work with, I had two options. I could take advantage of the lower fat and sugar content by making something especially decadent. Or I could make a healthy sandwich that would now be even healthier thanks to Dempster’s Zero. I decided to go with the healthy option by creating a delicious and satisfying Apple Cheddar Panini. [Read more…]

Take the Never Say Dieting Oath with Multi-Grain Cheerios and Create a #WorldWithoutDieting-Giveaway

February 24, 2014 by Kathryn 154 Comments

At 33 years old, I am outgoing, self-confident and comfortable with my appearance. But I wasn’t always that way. The high school years are a hard time for many girls and I was no exception. I obsessed over my body, convinced myself I was too fat dozens of times and tried pretty much every fad diet I came across. It was mainly a manifestation of low self-esteem that had nothing to do with my body at all, but it took me many years and a lot of mistakes to grow into the woman I am today.

While I know that raising my two boys will have its own challenges, I also know that they won’t be exposed to the pressures of dieting as badly as the average teenage girl is, and so any low self-esteem issues they have likely won’t manifest in that manner. But I also have three beautiful little nieces and the idea that they might one day go through something similar is so scary to me. After all, a recent study by Multi-Grain Cheerios of young women between 10-17 years of age found that three in five women have been on a diet, 52% of girls get their information about dieting and nutrition from family members and one in five girls under 18 is currently dieting.

teenager kathryn lavallee — Me in Grade 12, with my naturally chubby cheeks and far too little self-confidence.

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Karma Wellness Water Naturally Energizes for Healthy Living

February 22, 2014 by Kathryn 67 Comments

I’ve been on a mission to live a little better this year, from eating healthier to getting more exercise. And one of the simplest and most effective ways I’ve found to improve my health is to get enough liquid every day. I’m pretty good about staying properly hydrated, but there are times when I just don’t want another glass of water. Water enriched with vitamins has become popular for just this reason, since it combines hydration with great flavour and added health benefits. But after reading the labels, I’ve found that some brands have questionable nutritional value and sometimes even artificial sweeteners, something I avoid with a passion.

Karma Wellness Water sounded like just the product I needed. Sweetened naturally with stevia and a touch of cane sugar, it contained just 20 calories per bottle with five tempting flavours to choose from. I loved the low calories, fruit flavours and natural ingredients that Karma Wellness Water featured. But it wasn’t until I received a few bottles to review that I saw how different this new beverage really is.

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