Mommy is Still Mommy
Andrea Nugent’s path in battling epilepsy and cancer has led her to running a nonprofit group and writing a children’s book. The Jamaican born author has published her first children’s book, “Mommy is Still Mommy: Cancer can’t change that!
“Mommy is Still Mommy: Cancer Can’t Change That” is the latest children’s book quickly becoming a favorite among cancer patients, hospitals and treatment centers. This vividly captivating children’s book simplifies the effects of cancer treatment and changes the way it impacts your family. It will touch the hearts of your children as it cleverly tackles the topic of cancer treatment effects. “Mommy is Still Mommy” written by Andrea Nugent, a single mom and Stage 3 Breast Cancer Survivor, is a must-have for all families dealing with cancer.
Whether newly diagnosed, or facing a reoccurrence, parenting through a diagnosis can prove quite challenging. It is important to open up healthy lines of communication with young children when dealing with cancer. Nugent states, “Not only is this book a conversation starter, it also empowers mothers and helps to remind them that no matter what, they are still the same person, still mom, still strong, and still beautiful.”
“Mommy is Still Mommy: Cancer Can’t Change That” can be purchased through all the major online retailers such as Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, Authorhouse, and Books a Million. More information can be found about the book through www.andreanugent.com or by following the latest news and updates about the book on twitter @MomisStillMom.
Related articles:
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/breast-cancer-survivor
http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-204_162-10006851-13.html
HqO Sample Campaign **CLOSED**
Hello all and thank you for checking us out. We hope that you like what you see. And as a token of our appreciation, please use Coupon Code HqO12 for 20% off your purchase at http://www.hqoshop.com/.
The HqO Complimentary Sample Campaign has come to a close (for now), but please check back with us here, @Twitter, or Facebook to learn of more great offers AND to be inspired to live a healthy life. Please know that we will have another campaign soon. And in the meantime…
~Live Healthy. Look Healthy.
PLEASE READ – HqO Sample Campaign Update
We’ve stated this before on our Facebook page, and we will say it again – THANK YOU!!!! We are delighted with the overwhelming response to our latest campaign. It is our pleasure to introduce HqO to so many of you who have an appreciation for organic skin care. With such a wonderful interest, there are a lot of questions and concerns that we would like to be clear on, and we’d like to answer a few here.
1) The sample is absolutely FREE, there is NO SHIPPING CHARGE. Although the sign up link says ‘Billing Information’, you are NOT required to include credit card info or any payment information.
2) Our campaign ran until October 1, 2012; 11:59pm. When we posted the offer, it was OFFICIALLY ran through Facebook, our Blog, and 3 approved blogger. The interesting part of all of this is that many of you received word from other unofficial freebie sites, we did not solicit these companies for advertising. HOWEVER, we appreciate their effort since we would not have been introduced to so many of you. For that, we are grateful.
3) The GOOD NEWS – if you registered after October 1, 2012; 11:59pm you will still receive a sample from us during our next campaign before the end of year – WE PROMISE. Your interest in our small company is extremely important to us.
4) Presently, we only ship within the continental US. But take heart! Please stay in touch with us – we are a small company with BIG PLANS.
If you have any further questions, feel free to email us info@hqoshop.com , FB, or give us a call at 888-440-1609. In the meantime,
~Live Healthy. Look Healthy.
New H4HA Campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness
We first learned of Hairless 4 Her Awareness in the wonderful world of Social Media earlier this year. The passion and creativity of Turquoise Johnson both impressed and touched us so much so that we feel her organization should be applauded for their efforts.
The last time we talked you were gearing up for your new campaign. How did it go and how has your organization changed since then?
Minnie Riperton (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
It seems like such a long time ago since we last talked because so much a has happened. We Launched “SAVE THE WOMEN NOT THE BOOBIES” this past July. We never do things in this organization that does not mean something. In July 1979, Minnie Riperton lost her battle with Breast Cancer; it was very important for me to release the pictures during that month in honor of her and who she was as a wife and mother. The name of this campaign came from me volunteering and consistently hearing “Save the Boobies”, “Save The TaTa’s”, and I would get frustrated because the women I knew who passed from breast cancer would have given their breast for their life. Its 2012 we can buy breasts.
I remember the campaign being eye-catching and eye-opening. Do you feel it was well received?
In everything that people do there is always a start to their finish line. And I think those first photos were the beginning to what has yet happened for the organization. Many people had their opinions, but I always knew that in my heart this organization was/is destined to help people understand the realistic side of Breast Cancer.
It is very funny you should mention that. I had the name of the campaign for months in my head but I didn’t know how to release it. I happen to be on the phone with a friend of mine, Ms. Vanessa Freeman. We were going back and forth about how to get this message out to the world in such a way that people would understand. So at the same time we both said “Caution Tape!”. But my next thought was I can’t use yellow caution it would not make sense. So we got it made and still after I ordered this tape I still had no idea it would work until the morning of the shoot. Myself and my production team cast the models. I wanted models that would understand the message we were sending and also we wanted beautiful women that looked different from one another. Some of the models were thin, short, tall, and plus size – it didn’t matter to us at all.
What do you want the public to take away from H4HA with the new push?
I just want this push to put this organization in a category of its own. What is happening with this organization is something totality different from any other cancer campaign that we have seen. We want people to see that we have our own way of sending out a message that has not been done before.
We truly admire the work you are doing through H4HA. How can we and others help the Cause?
To help, everyone must promote Breast Cancer Awareness outside of October. Volunteer with other local Breast Cancer organizations in your area. If women are 35 and older get your mammogram, yes there have been stories that the mammogram didn’t see the lump, but still go and get it. Also continue to support H4HA,Inc and what we are trying to do.
What are your top 3 beauty tips for those going through chemotherapy?
Eye shadow can always enhance beauty, natural skin tone colors with a little pop is a great idea. Eyelashes can also take away from the fact that there are no eyebrows. Last but not least, a nice lipstick or lip gloss is also great, more colorful. Lipsticks are in style now.
Related articles
- breast cancer is a deadly disease, not a party with cheesy cupcakes (donnapeach.com)
- What New Moms and Moms-to-Be Need to Know about Breast Cancer (babyzone.com)
- High glycemic load diet linked to higher breast cancer risk (foodconsumer.org)
Yes, Juicing is for Everyone
Smoothie og kaffe (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
After completing a round of antibiotics and eating absolutely everything I’ve wanted for the past several months, I decided it was time to detox my body. But first let me say it wasn’t that cut and dry-my body was definitely giving me clues that it was time to do something. I began to feel sluggish, couldn’t get up in the morning, my joints hurts, my skin was looking drab, and my hair started breaking and shedding. Not a good look.
So on last Wednesday, after visiting the best chiropractor in Buckhead, I trekked over to Arden’s Garden. I’ve been threatening to try their 2-Day Detox and decided that ‘today was the day’. As I opened the door, the persistent fragrance of wheatgrass filled my nostrils. If you haven’t had a shot of wheatgrass, you should try it. I ordered my organic smoothie of blueberries, mango, and peaches, with a splash of ginger and grabbed the 2-gallon set of Citrus 2-Day Detox. Oh, I almost forgot, I also purchased a bottle of Beware of Pear. I had no idea of the cleansing effects of pear juice, but I know now!
The plan – start that afternoon with my smoothie and end the day with the first glass of 2-day detox and plenty of purified water in between. That night I went to bed with an excruciating headache. I didn’t take anything for it though, I just willed myself to relax and rest. I did get up a couple of times to use the bathroom, but for the most part I slept ok and woke up refreshed. This surprised me, I thought I would wake up feeling groggy and tired.
So on Thursday, I drank 16oz every 2 hours or so at work again with water in between. And if you’re thinking I had to go to the restroom a lot, you’re absolutely right. Man, I thought I wouldn’t stop going. But I did feel good, and I wasn’t hungry-another pleasant surprise. One thing that wasn’t so pleasant is that food smells were very intense; I didn’t expect that at all. So for lunch, I took a slow walk around outside-the weather was gorgeous. A slow walk because during a detox or fast, you don’t to exert too much energy. You could become light-headed and have a fainting spell. When I got home, I just took it easy (as easy as I could with 2 boys and a hubby) and continued with the juice. No headache.
Friday posed a special issue, I forgot that we had a colleague coming in from out of town. Lunch was unavoidable. Thankfully, there was chicken soup on the menu. So I had that and a garden salad. The rest of the day went on without a hitch. I felt fine and decided to add Saturday morning/afternoon to the plan-along with more pear juice. And because my boys are fighting colds, I gave them an ounce of the citrus detox mixed with the pear juice along with their vitamins-good stuff.
Overall, I feel really good and will incorporate a juice fast in my life on a regular basis. I guess I should also mention that I lost about 6lbs in 2.5 days. But this is just water weight, and I do not recommend this as a viable way to lose weight.At LH2, we promote healthy living. If your goal is to lose weight, please consider lifestyle changes in food choices and exercise.
~Live Healthy. Look Healthy.
Related articles
- The Diet That Works (gofitaustralia.wordpress.com)
- Thirsty Thursday: Antioxidant Supreme (news.health.com)
- 3 Simple, Natural Ways for Detoxing Your Body (naturalsociety.com)
- Juicing makes a splash at hotels (cnn.com)
Iron Deficiency, Anemia and Your Oral Health
You would be surprised how much your teeth reveal about your health and how your dentist can be pivotal in pointing out serious illness based on what they see in your checkup. Ailments such as diabetes, osteoporosis, and even heart disease can be indicated by high rates of periodontal disease, tooth loss, pericoronitis. Another ailment your dentist can spot is iron deficiency. An iron deficiency does not just affect your teeth; it can also affect your mouth and throat. In advanced cases, iron deficiency can lead to anemia.
Iron is a mineral and an essential part of our cells. “The major reason we need it is that it helps to transport oxygen throughout the body,” says Paul Thomas, EdD, RD, in an article for WebMD. Iron performs this function by being part of the component hemoglobin. A lack of iron means your body cannot produce enough healthy red blood cells. Without enough red blood cells, the oxygenation of your body becomes compromised and less efficient. This lack of red blood cells is called anemia.
Iron has other important functions in the body. “Iron is also necessary to maintain healthy cells, skin, hair, and nails,” says Elaine Chottiner, MD, clinical assistant professor and director of General Hematology Clinics at the University of Michigan Medical Center.[1]
When iron is deficient in the body, dentists often see sores at the corners of the mouth, reduced sized of taste buds, sore tongues, and scarring of the throat and esophagus. Your dentist may ask if you are experiencing these common iron deficiency symptoms:
- Burning sensation in the mouth and tongue
- Fungal infections in the mouth
- Tongue redness and swelling
- Oral sores and pale oral tissues[2]
If this deficiency progresses to anemia, the patient will likely also suffer from fatigue and a compromised immune system. As the body acts as a whole, any part that suffers affects more than just that localized area. A compromised immune system allows for you to get sick faster and easier than when you are at optimal health. For example, skipping your nightly flossing due to fatigue allows bacteria buildup on the teeth and gums. Bacteria leads to illness – which your compromised immune system is not able to fight effectively.
Your mouth – and whole body – will thank you for making sure your iron levels stay high. Fortunately it is easy to get an abundance of iron from food. In fact, now you have a good reason to eat chocolate! “Chocolate is showing more and more health benefits and dark chocolate is coming into vogue,” states an article on the website HealthAliciousNess. “In the case of iron it is pure cocoa powder without any cocoa fat, milk, or sugar that provides the most iron with 36mg in a 100g serving, or 200% of the DV. That is 1.8mg of iron per tablespoon of cocoa powder, or 10% of the DV. Unsweetened baking chocolate provides 17.4mg per 100g (97% DV), or 23mg (128% DV) per grated cup. Most sweetened milk chocolates will provide around 2.4mg per 100g (13% DV), or 1mg (6% DV) of iron in an average 1.5 ounce bar.”[3] Other iron packed foods include liver, shellfish and caviar. There are many vegetarian and vegan options for iron as well, including: roasted pumpkin, sesame and squash seeds; tahini, sunflower seeds, dried apricots, lentils, whole wheat bread, spinach, broccoli and tofu.
With such a wide variety of delicious iron-rich foods available, it is easy to get the iron you need for optimal dental health. Take the time to include iron-rich foods in your meals to stave off iron deficiency and anemia. Your mouth and your dentist will thank you.
Guest Author: Atlanta Dental Spa is the premiere place in Atlanta for General and Cosmetic Dentistry. Our doctors are world-class, award-winning dentists who apply their industry-leading expertise in a relaxing spa like environment. 3189 Maple Dr NE Atlanta, GA 30305 | 404-816-2230.
Great Things to Come
Good day World! It’s been a minute (ok, several minutes) since the last time I checked in with you; and trust me when I say that I’ve missed this wonderful outlet called blogging.
I have decided that today, September 1st, is a day of new beginnings. I’m so excited about the new season and all of its possibilities. So much so, I think that this is a great time to reassess our goals and re-focus our energy. I don’t know about you, but with so much going on with family, work, life, business it can be fairly easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of activity. Being pulled in too many directions can cause us to sometimes feel shiftless, as if we’re going nowhere fast. So I say let’s take a closer look at our activities and really try to determine where they are taking us. If there is no clear path or direction to which these activities take us, then some changes should be considered. Don’t be intimidated by the task, change is good.
In the meantime,
~Live Healthy. Look Healthy.
In between covering amazingly fashionable events and interviewing brilliant celebrities, I was lucky to get on the calendar of Ms. N. Renee Webb – CEO of Aspire Online Media. I met Ms. Webb almost 2 years ago after meeting on, of all places, Facebook. I was just launching my skincare company, and she was establishing the AOM brand. Today, Aspire Online Media has exceeded all expectations and has expanded in scope reaching 18-34 year olds everywhere.
It was the most recent issue of The Imprint that inspired us to reach out to Ms. Webb so that LH2 readers could get a peek into the mind of this genius young woman. In to Out living is our motto and The Imprint embodies this concept to a ‘T’.
How long have you been publishing The Imprint? And where did the inspiration for Aspire Online Media (AOM) come from? 
I have…
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My New Best Friend
I don’t know what it is about turning 30 something, but it seems like everything is going south. My skin, my hair, my body, my memory – I mean really! And quite frankly, I’m a little upset about it. Or more truthfully – scared. For me, it’s a constant battle inside my head reminding myself that people can still accomplish some extraordinary things, even after 30 35 (ahem). Just last night I saw this video that touched me deeply and inspired me to do better. And not only to do better, but to be more consistent.
One of the issues that I’ve struggled with for the past couple of years is lower back pain. I’ve been to the doctor several times, the best chiropractor in the Atlanta, and the best massage therapist too. And I have found that they all work TOGETHER. Now my doctor (like most) is an expert at treating symptoms with muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatories. These are fine because while you’re in pain you still have to be functional. Work doesn’t stop, husband and kids don’t stop, and we have to keep living. Next, going to Dr. Jordan Lunday opened my eyes to the world of chiropractic care. True chiropractic care involves not only your bones, but also muscles. After all, our muscles are attached to our bones. How can you treat one without the other? Which leads me to Renel Jenkins, my fantastic friend and massage therapist.
In seeing these key people for the treatment of my lower back issues I’ve learned so much. Like the number of muscles that affect the condition of the back (hips, glutes, hamstrings and quads). The stretching of these muscles go along way in relieving back tension. And don’t get me started on core strength. You absolutely can not maintain solid back muscles without adequate core strength. Then consider this, how do you work? How is your workstation set up? Are you hunched over most of your day? In your car stuck in traffic for long stretches of time?
So who is my best friend? And what do they have to do with all of this? My friend is 
actually called a foam roller. Or as I like to say, the poor woman’s massage therapist. My chiropractor told me about this simple piece of equipment several years ago, and I finally got myself up and bought one. And let me tell you, it’s changed my life. Even with consistent medical/chiropractic care and massage therapy I still had this nagging remnant of pain. But when I bought my buddy here, it was the icing on the cake – NO MORE PAIN. I have included my foam roller into my exercise routine as it loosens knots in the legs, thighs, back and arms and adjusts your spine. All of that for about $15, and you may find one in Ross for even cheaper.
So, if you have lower back pain and want some relief, go ahead and buy one. I dare you. The roller comes with an illustrated exercise sheet or just simply go to YouTube and search for foam roller exercises. The exercises are not hard either. But you can’t be lazy and must be able to take a little pain. Those knots do hurt when pressure is applied.
If you’ve experienced any of this tell us about. In the meantime…
~Live Healthy. Look Healthy.
Related articles
- Foam Roller- a great torture device (changeyourchoices.wordpress.com)
A Taste of Heaven
You probably have figured out by now that I’m a sucker for a good snack. Every time I get a taste of something phenomenal I just have to share it – all good things are meant to share (to a certain degree). So my newest obsession was introduced to me by one of my partners in crime, The Young Jedi Knight himself. I can always tell when he has had a profound experience – his eyes light up, his speech speeds up and there’s a pep in his step. When I see these 3 things, I sit up and pay attention.
One day after lunch YJK walks in and starts to describe what has to be the BEST doughnuts in Atlanta. Nope, not Krispy Kreme and 
certainly not Dunkin Donuts. These doughnuts are cakey, not doughy. They have substance, yet still light. I mean, have you ever tasted something so good that you closed your eyes so that you could focus on each morsel, not wanting to miss a bit of flavor? Yes, these doughnuts taste like Sunday afternoon at Grandma’s house.
The cute little doughnut shop I’m raving over is called Sarah Donuts, a family-owned business whose expertise is definitely baking delectable treats. There are several flavors to choose from, including the sainted red velvet doughnut – YUM!
So the next time you’re in the mood for something fantastic, trot over to Jimmy Carter Blvd, right next to Five Guys to get a taste of heaven at Sarah Donuts. And although it’s hard to stop at one, please try to resist. We still have maintain those washboard abs.
~Live Healthy. Look Healthy.
Live Healthy, Look Healthy 