Parent Discipline Tips for Sassy Attitude, Smart-Mouth Kids

My oldest child was the poster child for strong willed. She freely (and proudly I suspect) admits this. All my kids have smart mouths and sassy attitudes--even as adults. Happily, they're learning to put attitude to healthier uses (besides just driving parents crazy). Got sassypants children? Here are attitude taming tips from a 25-year mom of four.

* Understand the source. Kids who act like wise guys usually are smart. They're clever and inquisitive. Gifted kids question everything, says Rhode Island Advisory Board on Gifted and Talented Education. So it stands to reason the first people they'll question are mom and dad.
Parent Discipline Tips for Sassy Attitude, Smart-Mouth Kids

Quit Letting People Take Advantage of You, Manipulate You

I've always let people take advantage of me. I've been embarrassingly easy to manipulate. I have what IFS Growth Patterns calls "people pleaser pattern" personality. It stems from low self-esteem and an over-active conscience. I'm an empath. I can't divorce others' pain from mine. This weird melange has destroyed my mental health and ruined relationships. But I'm not letting it anymore. To heal, I'm getting out of the passenger seat and taking over the wheel of my life. This heals relationships, too. Here's how.   Quit Letting People Take Advantage of You, Manipulate You

Health Problems I Lost After Losing Weight

I've lost 71 pounds gained. I didn't crash-diet. I cut fat, transfat, sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, starch and meat. Happily, losing weight lost health problems too.

High LDL Cholesterol: My low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol wasn't dangerously high, but it was getting there. Losing just 20 pounds got it down. I hadn't even started seriously dieting yet. What worked was cutting transfat and hydrogenated fat, eating less fat overall and switching to olive oil for cooking. Taking Omega-3 helps. I changed to light olive oil margarine and mayonnaise, nonfat milk and yogurt. I cut dairy, spreads and fat-based condiments. 90 percent of my protein intake is fish, chicken breast and lamb. I rarely eat beef or pork.  Health Problems I Lost After Losing Weight

Blogging Helps Teens with Social Problems, APA Says

Parents, are you worried about the amount of time your teen spends in online chat? Don't despair. A new study released by the American Psychological Association finds that blogging and online interaction can actually help teenagers process anxiety and cope better with social interaction. Here are facts about teen social blogging and emotional benefits.

I frequently write about negatives in youth online presence. I'm concerned that excessive texting and Facebook interaction is making kids unable to relate face-to-face. I think the healthy solution is balance. If kids only "socialize" from behind a screen, when they don't talk, only text, that's dangerous. And the "who with" is as important as the "how much." For the most part, kids should interact with agemates, not adults online. If you wouldn't let your kid go somewhere with someone, you shouldn't let him hang out online with them either.

When kids are equally social, online and off, then blogging and social networking seem to be positive. Adults, this advice is for us, too. I've had many positive experiences from blogging and Facebook. The former is part of how I earn my living. And the latter has enabled me to boost confidence and extend my comfort zone. Read more about how  Blogging Helps Teens with Social Problems

Antidepressant Food Swaps to Beat Depression, Boost Mood

I struggled with postpartum depression with all my children. Then I lost two stillborn babies and spiraled into major mood problems. I took the antidepressant Paxil which caused weight gain. Instead of improving, my depression became crippling. I quit antidepressants, but had gained 100 pounds and incurred numerous related health issues. I've since lost 68 pounds, reduced health problems and learned to treat depression naturally. Here are food swaps to eat and drink your way to a better mood.Read more
 

Natural Weight Loss Supplements, Fat Burners Help Me Diet Feel Better

I put on 100 pounds after losing two babies and taking an antidepressent. I started dieting a few years ago but took about six months to get serious. I began counting calories in earnest and weeding out junk food out. Then I tried some herbal weight loss supplements that have really boosted the weight loss. I've shaved off 100 pounds. I've waited to recommend them to see if they really work and they do. If you're trying to lose weight here, are diet supplements to help.


* Green tea: I take a combination-pill "Mega-T." I've used other similar products. It's not the name brand that matters but the ingredients. This is a caffeine product with guarana. If you have trouble with caffeine, don't take the full amount. This supplement helps burn fat by quelling hunger pains.


* Acai: Mega-T has acai too. The acai works great as a system cleanse. Without being graphic, let's just say it purges me and keeps me regular!


* Resveratol: This is an antioxidant and along with being a system cleanse, it does seem to help ward off infection. I struggle with allergies, but I've not gotten sick nor had a flu shot since taking it.


* Berry blends: Different manufacturers use various berry and fruit combinations: blueberry, bilberry, cranberry, raspberry, capsicum. I've used most all types and they each work as antioxidants.


* Yerba mate leaf: I've tried green tea blends without yerba mate and they don't seem to work as well to lose weight.


* Uva-Ursi leaf: I'm not sure exactly what this herb does, but I know that I have been luck losing weight when I use supplement that contain it.


* Hoodia gordonii cactus: This supplement has been touted for nearly a decade. I was reluctant to try it because I thought it might be a scam. But it does help with weight loss.


* Coconut oil and CLA fat burner

* Garcinia cambogia appetite suppressant

* Raspberry ketones fat burner

* White kidney bean and cinnamon to neutralize carbs and sugar

* Fruit and vegetable supplement: There are many varieties on the market. My favorite is Sundown Whole Food Multi. It's got all the letter vitamins, plus blends of green food, probiotics, omega, digestive enzymes, herb, fruit, vegetable and mushroom blend. It's the cheapest compared to Vita-Life, Alive or Your Life.

At first, I felt a little shaky and irritable taking the green tea extract guarana. But I've gotten used to it and don't notice any of those symptoms. I use the supplement three times daily, taking the last dose about six hours before bed so I don't have trouble sleeping. I also don't drink as much coffee when I'm using this product.

Tips for Dealing with Cyberbullies, Bullying Behavior

Recently, I experienced cyberbullying via Facebook. It was traumatizing. I was embarrassed that at 48, I let a person get to me like that. But some good came out it. I learned valuable, first-hand lessons about dealing with bullies.

Understand bully behavior. Some bullies torment for for fun. They're overtly hateful and cruel. Mental illness may be involved. This kind is rare. Your garden variety bully is more covert. He's a coward, a crowd-follower. He may capable of niceness, but if his pack is bullying, he'll join in. Alone, he'd won't dare, unless he can do it secretly. He may bully when anxious or stressed. He's basically weak-minded, unprincipled, and lacking in coping skills and self-discipline. His response to trouble is self-pity, projection and punishing others.  Tips for Dealing with Cyberbullies, Bullying Behavior

Drugfree Coping Tips for Menopause Hot Flashes, Night Sweats

Surviving menopause isn't for sissies. Next to menstruation and childbirth, it's the most life-altering event women experience. Hot flashes, night sweats, confusion, heart palpitations, anxiety, depression--I'm juggling them all. From one sister-warrior to another, here are drugfree coping strategies for hot flashes and night sweats.   Drugfree Coping Tips for Menopause Hot Flashes, Night Sweats

Living with Active Addiction: Staying Healthy Amid Chaos

Living with addiction in any form-- alcohol, religious, rage, money, sex, overeating, smoking--is miserable. I've played codependent to many. Addiction is cunning, baffling and powerful. I've made every mistake in the book (and invented some). Most of my dysfunctional coping mechanisms were learned in childhood and I'm working to recover from them. Here's what to expect in codependent recovery.  Living with Active Addiction: Staying Healthy Amid Chaos

How Crash Diets Damage Psychological Health

One of the biggest diet mistakes is food deprivation. That sounds like an oxymoron. Obviously, to lose weight, you have to cut back. But the key is how, where and how much. Excessive deprivation is dangerous, physically, psychologically and emotionally. Here's how it's affected me. How Crash Diets Damage Psychological Health