Teenagers, Nutrition, and Keeping the Bugs Away Naturally

Topics Mentioned:

Introduction (00:00 -04:27):

Emily gave birth to healthy baby girl last week! In her absence, Janet is joined by Lindsay McFarland, the communications director for Goodness Me!. Lindsay is the mother of two young teens/preteens, and gives some great insights from her quest to help them live healthy, happy lives!

First Segment: Trending Topics (04:27 – 26:05):Teen Mental Health and Nutrition – The Link is Important!

Thanks to more research on the microbiome, we know that what we eat is closely related to our emotions and mental well-being. This is not only for adults; younger people can suffer mentally with a poor diet!In fact, one study found that teens who ate a low-quality diet had an 80 percent higher risk of depressionin comparison to those who ate a higher quality, whole-foods diet. Janet and Lindsay talk about the challenges of getting teens to eat healthy, and how to set good examples that will last a lifetime!

Link to article: https://health.usnews.com/health-care/for-better/articles/2018-05-10/how-nutrition-affects-teens-mental-health

The subject of cell phones comes up often when we talk about our kids, but what about parents’ use of cell phones? How does that impact family life? A new study shows they can disrupt the natural connection between parent and child, AND lower parents’ enjoyment of their kids. Lindsay shares how she tries to create balance. Be sure you protect this most fundamental of relationships!

Link to the study: http://www.psypost.org/2018/05/smartphones-can-prevent-parents-cultivating-feelings-connection-children-51198

Audience Questions

Second Segment: Audience Questions (27:41 - 40:49)

Josh asks, “I love spending as much time outdoors as I can during the warmer months but I’m often scared back indoors from the biting bugs. Is there a natural way to deter mosquitoes, ticks, black flies and the like without putting harsh chemicals on my skin and clothes?”

It’s a complicated answer, because government standards call for chemicals like DEET being in all products that can be labelled “insect repellant.” But you shouldn’t have to put chemicals on your skin every time you enjoy the outdoors! Here are some things you can do to keep the bites away:

Wear long pants and socks when hiking in the woods or long grass
Do a visual check after being outside (this includes on children and pets, too!)
Dry your clothes on high heat to kill anything that won’t let go.
Properly remove ticks when they latch on. Use a pair of fine-tipped tweezers to pull them out, and thoroughly disinfect and wash the bite. Don’t use peppermint essential oil directly on the tick – while it could work at having the tick remove itself, it could also induce the tick to vomit, expelling any parasites into your skin.
Have any ticks found on you tested for Lyme disease. The majority of them aren’t infected, but it’s safe to put the specimen in a baggy and have it checked by a professional – you could be helping someone else in the future!
Take 1-2 Allimax garlic extract capsules daily as a supplement during the summer. Allimax users report that insects like mosquitos don’t bite them when they use it – even if everyone else there is being bitten.
Use Shoosha Outdoor Spray before going outside; it’s made with certified organic essential oils like Lemongrass, Eucalyptus, Geranium, Cedarwood, Peppermint & Geranium to repel mosquitos & black flies. You can also make your own! Here’s a recipe for a spray from Awaken My Senses’ aromatherapist Colleen Hague:

Awaken My Senses’ Outdoor EO Spray

120ml distilled water
20 drops of peppermint essential oil
15 drops of lemongrass essential oil
15 drop cedarwood essential oil
20 drops Rose Geranium
10 drops Eucalyptus Lemon
10 drops Thyme

Blend the essential oils together and add the distilled water. Pour into a spray bottle. Shake before applying, and apply as often as needed.

Application: it can be sprayed on the skin, on clothing, hats etc. The above dilution is for teens to adults. For children or elderly, cut the amount of essential oils in half or use 240 ml distilled water. It will need to be reapplied every 30 - 40 minutes. Being water based it will not sustain the oils, but it also keeps the oils from passing through the skin's barrier.

THIS SHOULD NOT BE APPLICED TO BABYS. They can spray the baby carriage/stroller, but not directly on the baby or the babies clothing.

It can be applied on dogs. Spray the bottoms of the feet, up the legs and the underbelly. You can spray around the neck, but stay clear of the face and nose. Dilutions for dogs: Large dogs - use the recipe above, Medium size dogs - cut the recipe in half, Small dogs - cut it again in half.

CAUTION: Eucalyptus Lemon is very effective for ticks, however it does contain a high amount of Camphor. I purchase one that has less than 15% Camphor, so it is safe to use. Some commercial brands will be much higher, so be aware of that!

Recipe (40:49 - 43:06):Lindsay’s Breakfast Wraps

Lindsay says, “I base it from the recipe from the Egg Crepe recipe on Pg 29 of Grain Free Goodness by Sandy Pomeroy. A lot of what I use depends on what’s in my refrigerator – it’s fun to make it up as I go along!

Before getting the egg crepe started, take a skillet out and melt a good amount of butter in it, around 2 tbsp. Toss in whatever veggies you happen to have in the fridge— sliced mushrooms, asparagus cut into bite sized pieces, cubed ham, chopped peppers, diced onions… whatever suits you! Fry them up for a couple of minutes until tender.

While the vegetable mixture is cooking away, I’ll make the egg crepe (it only takes a couple of minutes)

To assemble: Put the egg crepe on the plate, spread the veggie mixture down the center, top with some grated cheese & roll it up.

The kids can then top with their choice of salsa, a bit more cheese and full-fat sour cream (it’s gotta be full-fat, that’s the yummiest!).