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SINGING IN THE RAIN

Singing in the rain is a song I believe everyone knows. I came to wonder the other day what was Arthur Freed thinking of when he wrote that song?  Very few people even like the rain and on rainy days so many people complain about it and are in a bad mood. Once while I lived in NYC I asked a taxi driver how many people who came in his cab complained about the rain and he said that every one of them did. So then I came to wonder for few years now why do people do not like rain? 

Is it because you get wet? Well use an umbrella and dress accordingly, it is only weather and it is very important for our planet. It is all about the way we choose to look at it, our mind can control our mood and we can make our mood better so easily, and here I would like to talk just a little about that in this post. 🙂

Almost all children love the rain, they love splashing around and it seems exciting to them. They dress according to the weather as most of them have mothers or fathers who make sure they do so. So if we are dressing our children for kindergarden or school with rain gear it only makes sense to do the same for ourselves. We might like the rain more that way because we will stay dry. Most parents usually are cursing the rain and are running especially late when it rains. Why in the world is that? To me it is only a state of mind. We don’t have to find the rain boring just because every one else does. Someone once said if you find something boring it is just because you are boring, boring is just a state in your own mind and it is up to you how to control your own mind.

-Rain is one of the most wonderful thing that happen to our earth and our air, taking a walk in the rain makes me always want to breath deeper as the air feel so good, fresh and clean plus the smell is just so lovely and the sound of it is so very relaxing. 

– Trees and other plants get water and we can grow vegetables and fruit. 

– It cools down our planet. 

– It is therapeutic, the sound of the rain falling down can make us relax if we only allow it to. Maybe especially when you are at home or work you can light one or two candles and if you are lucky enough you can see see the rain pounding your window.

– I usually make a special dinner or lunch, something warm and shooting. 

– Take your kids outside dressed for the weather, in rain proof boots and rain coats, let them jump in puddles and walk in the park. Usually kids’ first instinct is to be happy to play out in the rain. Especially if they have rain boots on so they can walk in the puddles. My sons love it and it makes them so happy and when we come home they seem very satisfied! I run them a warm bath massage coconut oil into their skin after and give them a little cup of tea then at 8 they go to sleep and sleep very well. 

So if you think about it maybe it is time to change your ideas about rain. I know there are many people who like the rain and enjoy it like I do but they are not many that is for sure. Our mind is a powerful tool and we should use it wisely. Rainy days might be come your new favorite if you only like to. 

I bought my sons the other day two little umbrellas to add to to their rainy days outfit and they are SO HAPPY about it and they feel grown up and proud to have their own umbrella. Plus it is their favorite thing to do with me is to go out and play in the park. My boyfriend is less happy to go out and play in the rain but after each time he joins us he usually feels more happy to be home after and relax. 

Writing this makes me excited for the next rainy day or even waiting for snow. Seeing smiles on my sons like that reminds me of my childhood out and about making adventures with all kinds of weather conditions and feeling like a child again is a wonderful thing. Life seems more easy when we enjoy the little things. When I am facing some sort of crisis or life is giving me obstacles it is usually these kind of little simple things in life that cheer me up. I hope you give it a try.

love JM.

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Gluten free letter from Tania

A letter from my wonderful friend Tania Beltrano. Her wonderful message does not need any explanation her lovely words says it all. I hope you find this useful and helpful.
love JM

I am a mum to one. Yes, I wrote mum ( I am Candian). She is a wonderful teen of almost 15. Love of my life and very easy to mother.  Always has and always will be,  well one could hope😝 Anyways, the one thing that many could consider as “not so easy” concerning my daughter is her gluten-free diet, a way of life for us since 2010. And no, we didn’t happen upon this journey to be trendy or follow some fad diet. We were actually forced to adopt it. My daughter from the age of around 5 would complainweekly about stomach pain. I’d have her try to pinpoint the exact location of the pain and ask her age-appropriate questions about how it felt,  such as; “do you feel like throwing up, or do you feel as if a sharp object has pierced you?” A bit much for a 5-year-old to answer but she’d usually answer that it was a combination of both. So in other words, if your kid ever feels like throwing up a sharp object you may want to consider getting him/her tested for Celiacdisease….

Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disorder and the positive aspect of this disorder is that you can keep the unpleasant symptoms of it at bay but ONLY if you follow a gluten-free diet to a T. I’m talking nada, zip, zero, NIENTE gluten. Cross contamination is real and if you are a person who suffers from not only Celiac but a sensitivity to the protein called gluten as well,  then you really need to be careful. It is taxing and quite sad, as a gluten sensitive person who consumes even a minuscule amount can become violently ill within a matter of seconds. My daughter does not suffer the allergy so gluten does not affect her in this way. What happened to her was that from when we discovered it and stopped gluten completely her body began a period of reparation. Within a year of cutting out the gluten that was poisoning her system, she underwent a massive growth spurt. The girl grew and a lot!

The peculiar thing about this ordeal was that her father and I had brought her to various doctors concerning these stomach aches but they were largely be dismissed as a common childhood ailment. In 2007, we moved to a new neighborhood and the new pediatrician we chose was originally from Greece. When my daughter had her annual physical, I explained that she had experienced persistent stomach pains since early childhood. Without skipping a beat the doctor asked if I’d heard about a condition called Celiac disease. Ce..li..a – what? Any ailment ending with the word disease concerning your child is enough to place you on the verge of a massive panic attack. She then went on to explain it in layman’s terms to me. She said the reason I’d hadn’t heard of it and it was never mentioned to me by any North American doctors was because it was still relatively unknown here.  This disease is recognized in Europe, especially in western Europe’s Mediterranean countries, like Italy,  where the rate is quite high. I am guessing my daughter has a genetic disposition to it since my parents are Italian.People with celiac disease carry one or both of the HLA DQ2 and DQ8 genes. Anyways, h ere is a quick dictionary explanation of Celiac:

” a hereditary digestive disorder involving intolerance to gluten, usually occurring in young children, characterized by marked abdominal distention, malnutrition, wasting, and the passage of large, fatty,malodorous stools.“ 

The doctor explained that a quick blood test could determine if my daughter suffered from it but for total accuracy and to rule it out completely she’d need a biopsy of her small intestine.  We went ahead with the procedure and she had her blood drawn and a week after received a call from the doctor telling me that she had tested positive for Celiac. Next step was the “feared” biopsy and she’d have to consume gluten until after testing was done.

The biopsy date arrived and I almost fainted in the room with her. Let me tell you, it is no fun watching your 8 yr old child go under anesthesia. Her father and I were pretty scared and she was freaking out. The look on her face when she went under was enough to traumatize anyone. Weeks passed and it was determined beyond a reasonable doubt that my child had Celiac disease. Now what? Meet with a nutritionist. Change our entire lifestyle. In theory, it was easy enough. The doctor explained that her levels would be normalized through a strict, no gluten diet. Cut out wheat, oats, barley, rye, bulgar, etc….simple enough? Not so fast. This was an 8 yr old child in a classroom filled with cupcake eating kids celebrating birthdays every month. Also, gluten-free alternatives oftentimes have triple the amount of sugar. Not to mention freakin’ expensive or the fact that I was constantly forced to travel with my alternatives, such as pasta, bread etc. That sucker gluten is hidden in almost everything. Want licorice?  My daughter and I absolutelyadore it but almost every brand of it contains gluten. Those hard to pronounce, gross, chemical ingredients such as Avena sativa Cyclodextrin, that we shouldn’t be consuming anyways,  yep gluten.

The one thing that saved me from an epic meltdown ( God sure does work in mysterious ways) was that about 6 months prior to this diagnosis I’d taken an online course concerning nutrition. Funny thing,  thesame one Johanna attended, although we still had yet to meet.  Luckily, I had grown up eating well. Mostly organic and natural due to the fact that my parents were Italian so they settled in Canada armed with a knack and love for gardening and fresh, delicious homemade food.  We had a large garden in our yard containing all the good stuff – tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant you name it. We had fruit trees – peaches, apricots, cherries, figs. Ahh, now I am feeling nostalgic, but I digress. We ate clean and had a tasty homecooked meal prepared by my mother’s beautiful hands every evening; dinnertime was family time. In any case, other than knowing I ate well growing up I still had no clue as to what every vegetable or protein’s function and purpose was. Simply put, why we eat what we eat? The course I took helped, as it simplified this gluten-free endeavor without overwhelming me.

To make an, “oh, so long story” short,  I will just leave you with this. My daughter is now in her teens and fits in just well with everyone else. Her levels have normalized completely. She is a tall, strong, badass soccer goalkeeper that plays 15 hrs a week on 2 different winning teams. Also, being that we are rooted in 3 countries – living in the USA but we travel yearly to both Canada and Italy, I have to say that we’ve found Italy as very advanced in their knowledge of Celiac. We can dine at restaurants where I have yet to experience a server that has a look of confusion on his or her face when “senza glutine per favore”  is mentioned.  They seem to have a vast knowledge of this disease and the intricate food preparation that goes along with it.

Vancouver, BC is another place with fantastic knowledge and such variety of gluten-free cuisine. I think this has to do with the mindful, healthy, hippy culture of this great city. In any case, it is a relatively simple place to visit if you have Celiac and want to eat well. I must admit though, in my observation, NYC has the most options but maybe because we live here and have learned to navigate our way through the gluten-free fortress.

I wrote this article in hopes that you can gather some useful information. Whether you have a child that is suffering from stomach pains or a lot of temper tantrums, anger issues etc. My daughter has a very calm character but I remember back in her gluten days after a day of quite a few carbs containing wheat she’d have temper tantrums, unexplainable ones that seemed to pop up out of the blue. Those subsided altogether once she was no longer being

“gluten-ed”. Or maybe you just want to test out a different eating lifestyle for yourself or your family and would like some basic information to see if it’s for you.

Below I have listed some of our favorite companies that make gluten-free products and quite a few are from Italy. Also, I don’t have celiac but follow a gluten-free diet to support my daughter. I can honestly admit I do feel lighter and my skin has cleared up.

Pasta 

Romo

La Veneziana (personal Favorite and Italian)

Bonaturae

Ancient Harvest

Flour 

Bob’s Redmill

Whole line devoted to various products 

Schar (My favourite and Italian), Glutino

Pamela’s Products

We are discovering new ones daily and our local health food store has a large variety of products.

Also, if you live in Nyc, the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University Medical Center is excellent.

 

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HEALTHY AND DELICIOUS BANANA PANCAKES

Yes, this is healthy pancakes – you have read the title correctly!! I was so excited when I first tried these as it sounded way too good to be true. Then when I tasted them I realized they were simply delicious and easy to prepare. On some Sunday mornings, I love to prepare brunch (a healthy version) and include these in it. They are also a  perfect dessert or even as a mid-week breakfast option or afternoon/after school snack. I enjoy them cold as well. They are super easy to bring to work as a healthy treat in the afternoon with a cup of tea 🙂 

Anyway, you may use them as you’d like of course. They do include eggs and I believe some of my readers do not consume eggs, so I will try to find an egg-free recipe that is also super tasty.

My recipe will feed 4 people. I made this for my family, so if you are making for less you may cut down on ingredients.

I take two organic (soft) bananas, peel and mash them well with a fork.

Next, I take three eggs, break them in a glass first as I am so clumsy and I often mix some of the eggshells in with the egg 🙂 In this way, I can take the shells out before I blend them in with the rest. I whip all this together very well with a fork.

I add two tablespoons of oatmeal or quinoa meal, plus a couple dashes of cinnamon for an extra lovely taste.

Mix well together and voila!! Preparation complete.

Heat your pan well. I add about a half teaspoon of coconut oil so the pancakes don’t get too stuck in my pan and it will be easier to flip them,  plus they bring a yummy taste to the pancakes.  

I make mine rather small. You may play around and do it the way you prefer. I can promise an excellent smell throughout your house. Might feel as if  Christmas is arriving. I suggest lighting a candle while you enjoy this meal and feel free to add some of your favorite fruit into it as well. I usually use blueberry 🙂 

I hope you and your family enjoy them.

Love JM

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PUMPKIN QUINOA

We are at the height of Pumpkin season again and I don’t know if it is just me but I feel like we are still at the beginning of September. Somehow we are in November, and the cold will be arriving any day now. I find the below recipe so warm, tasty and satisfying and great as a side dish on your dinner table, or also as a healthy meal on its own. The smell that travels through your home when you bake pumpkin is very lovely. Just this alone is worth trying out this super easy to prepare meal.

You take one big pumpkin or squash, whichever seems more interesting to you. Anything from the gourd family will work well in this recipe. There is not really a big difference in them nutritionally speaking. 

I wash the skin first because oftentimes they will have some dirt on them especially when you buy them fresh and organic. 

Cut them in half (please just be careful and make sure you have a sharp good knife on this mission.)

Scoop out the seeds and the middle part of each side and place in a form facing down and then pour a glass of water over them and bake for 40 minutes.

In the meantime you can make the quinoa –  you can find the recipe HERE. Make it with the organic coconut milk, so when your quinoa is ready you just have to add the coconut milk and simmer for just a minute or two. Then turn off the heat and let it sit until the pumpkin is ready. 

When the pumpkin is ready, you take out and place it face up on a plate and scoop out the meat. Very easy to scoop because by baking it becomes soft and nice.

Place it in a form and mix it up with the pumpkin and then bake for about 5 minutes. It is now ready to serve. If you enjoy cinnamon as much as me then you can also add a little of it when you mix the quinoa and pumpkin together.

I truly hope you like this recipe and don’t forget to tag us on Instagram or Facebook. I would love to see the outcome 🙂

Love JM

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FEW FAV THINGS IN NYC

The first thing I do when I land in one of my favorite cities, NYC,  is head over to Juice Press. I stock up on their amazing health juices, shots and other wonderful products to boost my health and recover quickly from airplane air, cabin pressure and little to no sleep. Their high-quality products are heavenly and they only use organic fruits and vegetables.

Some of you who have been following myInstagram account, my personal one @johannamaggy, may have seen the video from my prior trip to Nyc. In it, I was drinking something incredibly spicy and forcing all my friends to do it as well. I am crying laughing when I see their reactions. That particular shot, which is called REHAB, has pure juiced ginger, cayenne pepper, and lime. It for sure sounds a lot more innocent than it actually is. Your mouth is burning, eyes widen, and your digestive system is instantly stronger as this elixir helps reduce inflammation. I also feel my circulation go for a run and so much better within seconds of taking it. I stand a bit taller and am clearer after it. I try to start my days with that shot and follow up with my favorite green juice, SOUL GARDEN. Back home, I have my own juice maker so I make it myself but while I am in Nyc I treat myself and take advantage of all their many locations throughout the city.  Whether I am on long or short trips, I do try and keep my immune system strong and hydrated.

Just in case you are wondering, this is not an advertisement for them. Juice Press is just a place I honestly have loved since they opened their first location on 1st avenue and 1st street many years ago. Fast forward to today and they have many locations all over the city. Truly makes it simple for you to get a health boost anywhere you are. My favorite post work out drink is a super smoothie called SUPER DETOX which is tasty and served cold. It is really refreshing.

My super green favorites are SOUL GARDEN. It has simple greens and anti-aging properties. I like the ingredients and I prefer my green juice without fruit.

Every now and then, I will buy a DIRTY DETOX. I find the ingredients very interesting – filtered water, lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne powder, activated charcoal, and probiotics.

E3life is another super healthy shot I love. It contains a blue-green alga from Klamath Lake in Oregon. This is a very powerful formula and absolutely loaded with superfood. Over 65 vitamins, minerals, amino and essential fatty acids. 

One thing I know for sure is when you suffer from jet lag or travel with kids, eating well in the days before flying and then the first days after will make a huge difference. Keeping active is also good and that is another reason why I love going to Nyc. You can easily move around the city and walk a lot. At Juice Press you may also grab a super healthy lunch as they have many different meals to take home or to work with you. I often buy their soups as they are one of my favorite items.

If you like to stop for a little break and do something just for you, I would highly recommend taking a yoga class at Kula Yoga Project. I absolutely love that place and by the moment I enter the place I feel peace. It is just me and my practice for the next hour or two. In my opinion, each and every single teacher I have worked with are highly qualified. While teaching they walk around the room and correct every person in the class and with their gentle hands help to provide a deeper stretch. I leave each class feeling recharged and at ease and after just two to three classes I notice a difference in my body and feel even stronger than before. They have three different locations in the city and one in Williamsburg, Soho and Tribeca. For more information go to www.kulayogaproject.com.

A lovely little place for a super healthy lunch is a small local spot called Sauyen Micro. A Japaneserestaurant with an extensive menu. I believe anyone can find something suitable for their needs here. There is something really special about this place that keeps me coming back over and over again, plus the food is excellent; especially on windy and cold winter days, it just feels cozy to sit and look out the window.

Le Pain Quotidien is another classic option. The avocado toast is delicious here and they often offer a lunch combo – soup with half avocado toast. Or I will order their seasonal special which is usually very good and during the Fall they offer a seasonal salad with roasted pumpkin.

Nyc is a wonderful place where everyone can find something to do at every age. The activities and options are endless and even the playgrounds for children are so much fun. I actually enjoy them as much as my sons do. There are a few favorites and the classic ones are the playgrounds at Central Park and also Bleecker street. The Bleecker street one has a certain charm and feels cozy and welcoming to everyone. On the Hudson River, there are two great ones and especially nice when the weather is warm as the river gives off a lovely breeze. Another just off Jane street which has great water games. The kids can run and splash around, just make sure to bring an extra set of clothes and a plastic bag with you. Also, if you walk down by the river you will find another park with many different games, a soft Causas De La Perdida De Ereccion ground and also big water area for the kids to splash, play and cool off in.

I hope you will enjoy these places if you travel to NYC. Or you can try to make your juices at home with your own juicer. Buy organic vegetables and fruit for your homemade raw juices. 

Taking good care of our health daily and before it is too late is a long-term investment and should be done more often, it is never too late to start. If you make juices, please feel free to tag us showcasing them. And you can also share your recipes, as we do love learning about new ones 🙂

Love JM

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ON OUR OWN, WE CAN GET FAR, BUT TOGETHER WE GO EVEN FURTHER

Iceland has been quite a popular destination over the past few years. One of the many reasons why is because our Icelandic men did very well playing football during summer of 2016. The Icelanders became famous for their Viking clap, HUH!!! Then again our Icelandic dudes did so well last Monday night playing against Kosovo that our team secured their place in Russia and are will now compete in their first World Cup! The first thing I would like to say is BRAVO!!! A team hailing from a nation that’s population is only 334,252.

It truly is amazing how so many Icelandic people are good at sports that require teamwork such as soccer. Speaking to my dear friend Tinna Gunnarsdottir, my childhood friend from Iceland, she mentioned how important it is to young Icelandic children to be good at sports. How most have dreams to reach professional levels at soccer, handball, basketball, swimming or dance. In that sense by practising sports and activities these children gain a “never give up” mentality. Generally speaking, our society as a whole is resilient. We totally support our children and our neighbours in their endeavours. If you watch children play sports and practice in Iceland, you will find almost every parent watching and supporting their children.

Now that I have lived abroad almost 12 years now when I look back at my roots, my family and upbringing I see that Icelandic people are really good at standing together. We must survive long, dark winters and windy, rainy Fall. Sometimes even during Spring and Summer, we must have strong hearts, faith and real teamwork.

Icelandic children attend a daycare, of some sort, at an early age. From around, one year or one year and a half generally speaking. Both parents usually work or study but in-between school or work they pick up their own children. They dedicate time to their children between the everyday hustle and bustle. You rarely see fulltime live-in Nannies’ in Iceland or really any Scandanivan home for that matter. You would never see a mother and her child’s nanny walking together with just one child and the nanny pushing the stroller instead of the mother.

Life passes quickly. So it is important that within each phase to be there present with the right mind and attitude. Children grow up so fast and as they get older they want as much independence as possible. They actually don’t want to be seen in public too much with their parents anymore  🙂

Please do not misunderstand me, I want to be very clear and state that I have nothing at all against nannies or babysitters. They are angels to every single parent or busy household especially to children that do not have grandparents or a family member that lives close by to provide a much-needed hand from time to time, or to cover some hours before work is done.

We all need space and time. Most families need to work a lot in order to cover the cost of bills and they don’t have time to pick-up their children from school or daycare. That is usually where the grandparents can come in to help. If we are not so fortunate to have them around we are going to need other kinds of angels to help us. Unfortunately, I am one of those people that live so far away from my sons’ lovely grandparents and actually have to rely on a babysitter, which whom I love. She helps us out when we are in need, stuck at work and so on.

A busy family life also brings the family much closer. It changes the point of view of the situation, at least I found that out when my older son became a big brother at 17 months old. He had to mature a bit quicker and be patient while I tended his little brother, but this is life! And this is also love. When my little one went down for his naps, my eldest and I got some very special together time.

Keeping the family close and cozy and being nice to each other. Keeping respect for our partner   (which can be challenging 🙂 ) and trying to understand them instead of judging. If we are in a position where we have to argue or fight it can be useful and helpful to wait until the kids are sleeping to have a moment just for adults.

A family is made with love so why is it often difficult to maintain it? The team starts in a family and grows with us into our adult lives. I believe teaching our children good teamwork within a family and outside of the family can really help them reach far. Help our neighbours and set a good example for our children. The Scandinavian way of raising children is becoming one of worldwide interest. Denmark is an excellent example the specialists say. I believe that at the end of the day it is all about learning and spreading knowledge, togetherwe will win!

Love JM

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FALL AND SOUP SEASON

Fall arrives with it’s lovely, cool, crisp fresh air and this is when the worlds most beautiful colors hit our trees. It changes the mood in nature, our local parks, and mountains. We also start to crave more filling food and maybe something warm. Despite all the beauty of Fall it also brings the flu season with it.

I try to do my best to prevent my family members from being stuck in bed coughing with red noses because my job then becomes one of a full-time nurse. I believe one of the best ways to prevent this is to eat well and take extra good care of ourselves. One of the first things I do is start to consume my ginger  water recipe. I keep bottles of it in my fridge and heat it up, as needed, throughout the day.

Another thing I do is prepare vegetable and chicken stock. Grandmothers’ (often right ) rule is to make chicken stock and they have been doing it for ages because ( healthy raised ) chickens run around easily and are quick on their feet. Various people state that by drinking broth loaded with vegetables, some chicken legs or a whole chicken it can help to keep us strong and healthy as well as boost our immune system. Keep us energetic on our feet just like a chicken!

SO simple, but please note this is the quick way to make it,  not a super chef’s recipe. I just do it in the late afternoon while I am writing, doing laundry or playing with my dudes. Bring a big pot of water to a boil, filling it almost to the brim. When the water is boiling,  I lower the heat to a simmer and throw all my ingredients in. See below:

1 whole white onion

1 large stock of celery

5 carrots

2 fresh potatoes

Small bunch parsley

1or 2 bay leaves, depending on your taste.

If you have any herbs you especially like, don’t hesitate to throw them in as well.

If you would like to make chicken instead of vegetable broth you would follow the same recipe as above but just add chicken into the pot this time.

Another tip, to keep you feeling your best is that I’d like to encourage all of you to experience all the Fall season has to offer. Go outside for long walks and look at this season’s beautiful nature. In Iceland, we don’t just hide at home when the cold weather arrives. We take the opportunity to go hiking and walking as this helps to keep our immune system strong. Teach and train our bodies how to deal with the cold air. I personally don’t overdress as soon as the fresh air arrives. Icelandic people, well Scandinavians in general,  also believe that by staying strong and embracing the cold it can actually help the body and we might get less sick during the winter. Once you return home,  you can always just boil up a cop of good herbal tea and take a hot bath. Our mind is powerful, so if we worry too much about getting sick and spend the day overthinking it, we may also be more likely to catch a cold. Not sure if you guys think this makes sense but I have been pretty successful in not getting sick. It could all just be luck but somehow I don’t think so 🙂

I sometimes get busted by Italian grandmothers reminding me that my sons are not dressed well enough for the cold and that they need another jacket or a scarf.  I have never seen so many people wearing scarves as I do here in Italy. Honestly,  I never knew a scarf was so important but now I  have found a balance. I am slowly becoming a scarf person after living here for almost 6 years. While out in the park with my sons I encourage them to run around and play to keep warm. When I was young and complained about being cold, my grandfather and father would tell me to either go build something outdoors or play. Not to just be still and complain but do something about it:) To me, this brings back a beautiful memory of me playing outdoors with my father in the cold air.

I hope you will enjoy this weekend and do something fun with your family or friends.

Love JM

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ACTION AGAINST HUNGER

Today I would like to talk to you about an issue that most believe isn’t relevant anymore. This is still an extremely current disease and does not receive the attention it deserves: Malnutrition. 

Malnutrition is a disease that affects the most vulnerable, such as the elderly, pregnant and lactating women and, above of all, children. Although It can be prevented and treated, malnutrition is still the main cause of death for 3 million children every year.

There is little awareness of what is referred to when we discuss malnutrition, this is why I intend to share with you what I have personally discovered. 

There exist two types of malnutrition in children. The first is represented by chronic, or “stunting” malnutrition, the result of a prolonged deprivation of basic nutrients, especially within the first 1,000 days of a child’s life. These beginning days are essential to his/her future development. Chronic malnutrition, in fact, causes irreversible damages to intellectual and physical development, weakens the immune system’s response to disease and reduces cognitive abilities. There are currently 154 million children worldwide under the age of 5 who suffer from this disease. This figure left me deeply upset. 

I also found out that the second type of malnutrition in children, acute, or “wasting” malnutrition, develops very fast, within days or few weeks. It is usually detected by measuring a child’s upper arm’s circumference with a bracelet called “MUAC”. When I saw how tiny a child’s arm can get, my heart broke. It’s a disturbing image. 

Acute malnutrition is often caused by a combination of a scarcity of nutrients and infection or disease caused by contaminated water. Acute malnutrition can be “moderate” or “severe”, which is the deadliest form. All over the world, 52million children under 5 years of age suffer from acute malnutrition. When they told me that this figure means one child out of 12, I couldn’t believe it!

Even though Africa is the continent with the highest percentage of malnourished children, the highest number of sick children is in Asia, with 27 million malnourished children in South-East Asia alone.

As if the situation wasn’t tragic enough, there is a detail that makes it truly unacceptable: solutions to cure malnutrition do exist, they’re very effective and also cheap. 

In 1993 Azione Contro la Fame (Action against Hunger) was the first humanitarian organization to successfully test a special formula of therapeutic milk in Rwanda. It is very easy to digest and rich in nutrients. It is also able to treat severely malnourished children. Four years later, in Chad, Azione Contro la Fame Azione once again successfully experimented the first ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUFT): a highly nutritious pasty food made essentially of peanuts with the addition of a vitamin, mineral complex and hydrogenated vegetable fat. This formula can also be used practically outside hospitals, without water and need of refrigeration and preparation. 

This ready-to-use therapeutic food is a life-saver for children especially since it is extremely simple to use and cheap for families. It has transformed the way malnutrition is treated.

In fact, a package of therapeutic food only costs 25 cents and in many cases, a child needs only two packages per day between a period of 4 to 8 weeks to make him or her healthy again. It’s incredible to see the pictures of children before and after the treatment. 

And yet only 20% of malnourished children over the world are granted access to this treatment.

 To put it lightly, this is completely unacceptable and the reason why on World Food Day (October 16th), I will support Azione Contro la Fame, a global humanitarian organization that takes decisive action against malnutrition. You too can support us by downloading the #inaccettabile campaign Facebook cover at this link and help us spread the message that dying from hunger is unacceptable. 

If you’d like, you can also make a donation:

IBAN: IT38A0335901600100000103078  
azionecontrolafame.it

Love JM

Posted on

WHERE THERE’S A WILL, THERE’S A WAY

Many people ask me how do I get my sons’ to eat vegetables. People say, “oh wow,  lucky you! Your sons eat healthy food, my child/children just don’t want to eat this kind of food.

Children eat what they are told and taught to eat and most importantly what they see us eat. First food after breast milk is also very important such as fresh living foods, vegetables, and fruits instead of these factory made puddings and processed foods.

Of course, children, just like anyone else,  have different taste. Some like broccoli and others carrots or zucchini. If your child will not eat broccoli it does not necessarily mean he has to have pasta or bread as an alternative.

I suggest that you don’t give up. Keep trying and hang in there busy mamma. Try other vegetables;  I know they may cry or want to leave the table and so on  (been there, done that) but you must try to set rules.  If they don’t eat what is for dinner there is nothing else so, at some point, they will have to come and eat what’s already been prepared.

Find other recipes try different ingredients for soups or try homemade veggie burgers. I make vegetable burgers ( I will share the recipe soon) I make a lot and freeze it. It is easy to just pull this out, heat up and make some side dish such as roasted sweet potatoes and carrots. Steam vegetables and then blend them. Chop down the burger, put it in the bowl and pour your vegetable cream over it.

I do know this is all much easier said than done. Believe me, because I am right there with you in a sweaty kitchen trying to make my sons tasty healthy food while telling them they must eat and like it 🙂

One day I read a quote from a very funny comedy mamma on Instagram and she said: “ we are not our children’s’ friends, we are their parents and we have to raise them well so they will become nice, intelligent people and not assholes!”

This made me laugh but also makes great sense!

My mother and grandmothers say the rule in the house is love. Children need this so if they don’t eat their vegetables or the dinner that was prepared for them then they just don’t eat. In this way, they will learn to eat the dinner and lunch that their loving mother worked so hard to prepare. This will also teach them respect for food because it is precious.

I have seen children eating salads. I saw one at a  festival in Ibiza a bunch of children 4-7 years old with a big plate of crunchy fresh salad and they seemed to enjoy it very much. I thought wow, everything is possible they must have been raised well. They also had such a beautiful light in their eyes and they spoke to each other like adults. This is rare to see in cities.

When my boyfriend and I eat lots of salad our kids also want to have it. Our children eat what we eat. They want what they see the adults or the children around them eating. If they are hungry they will eat what is on the table. My children were often snacking too much between meals. My sons use to come to the kitchen and say they were hungry and I would often give them something. Trying to buy some peace and quiet in the house but then when dinner was finally ready they would not be hungry and did not want to sit and eat. So in a sense, I did buy some earlier peace but now I had made another mess.

Well, of course, they did not want to sit still and eat their dinner with us. Until I told them to wait, no snacking after 4 – 4.30pm. Just play and wait patiently and the food will arrive later. All of the sudden dinner time became a peaceful event and they ate all the food on the plate. Sebastian stared at me and said, ” brava mamma e Buono”  🙂 AHAHA

Many of you have been asking me about the diet I feed my sons; are we vegetarian? What is the rule, the system?

Well, I don’t make a lot of rules when it comes to food, even though there are some things you will never see me or us eat such as Macdonalds or other shabby fast food. No coke or other sodas and absolutely not for my sons. I am lucky because I never even liked that stuff. Also, no processed meat of any kind.

Dairy is a delicate and popular topic and about 4 years ago I stopped it completely. I don’t consume dairy products and I feel so much better. My digestion improved a great deal and bloated stomach happens very rarely now. My skin took a U-turn in transformation. I swear I have fewer wrinkles, my skin is clearer and my eyes are less puffy. I do have one or two exceptions – Pizza that is one of my favorite foods and what is a pizza without cheese? If I visit to Puglia I might also taste their burrata.

It takes time to understand our bodies and all I can really tell you is to just try. See how it works for you. We are all different and if you are curious to make a change in your health take some foods out for a while and see how you feel.

When it comes to our children, my sons have never had dairy and I am not planning to give them any. They are very healthy at the moment and my doctor says they are in good health and that they are receiving all their calcium needs from green vegetables and seeds, such as chia. My sons are mostly vegetarian at the moment with some occasional fresh fish especially when we are in Iceland. I choose their food carefully as what children eat the first years of their lives sets the tone of their health during adulthood.It is also about the quality of the products we buy. I am constantly repeating to my friends, family, and clients that they need to read labels and understand ingredients. Sometimes we want to save money in the wrong category.

Now it’s a new season so a very good time to change for a new beginning. Think twice on your next grocery trip 🙂

love JM

Photos by @mamafedona