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Boosting breakfast!

So let’s begin with the most important meal of the day- yes we mothers are right -breakfast!

It is estimated that people with mobility impairments must exert 7x’s the energy to accomplish the same physical tasks as an able-bodied person, so it’s vital to properly fuel your child’s body every morning.

Now before pouring out a big bowl of processed cereal for breakfast to help give them their morning boost of energy – wait!!

This type of morning meal is loaded with sugar and refined carbohydrates that can contribute to weight gain, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and low immunity. While this breakfast option may provide a quick boost of energy, it will just as quickly lead to an energy crash and leave your child feeling tired and sluggish.

What is more beneficial is a quick & easy food source that also sustains energy – smoothies are the perfect answer!

These delicious shakes only take 5 minutes to make, and you and your family will never get bored of eating them because you can add or mix any of your favorite fruits into them.

Smoothies are not only high in complex carbohydrates to keep your child going all morning, but they’re also packed with muscle-building protein and immune boosting nutrients. On top of all these tasty health benefits, smoothies are also high in fiber which can help move things along and avoid constipation issues.

Beyond just being a healthy breakfast option, smoothies also make a great meal replacement option.  Smoothies are easy to drink, making them an excellent choice for individuals who difficulty chewing or swallowing.  Smoothies contain protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals, making them a well-balanced, nutrient dense meal.  All you need are the following ingredients and a counter top or hand blender.

Enjoy!

 

Chocolate Avocado Smoothie

Smoothie avocado.jpg

Ingredients:

  • 1 small            avocado
  • 1 ripe               banana
  • 1/2 cup           unsweetened chocolate almond milk
  • 1/4 cup           hemp hearts
  • 3 tbsp              cocoa powder
  • 1 tbsp               honey

Directions:   Combine all ingredients in blender and buzz until smooth in consistency (add more milk if desired). Enjoy!

 

Pineapple Spinach Smoothie

Smoothie pineapple.jpg

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup               chopped pineapple
  • 1 ripe              banana
  • 1 cup               baby spinach leaves
  • 1/2 cup           plain Greek Yogurt
  • 3/4 cup          unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tsp                chia seeds

Directions:  Combine all ingredients in blender and buzz until smooth in consistency. Enjoy!

 

Strawberry Coconut Smoothie

glass of strawberry smoothie isolated on white

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup               fresh or frozen strawberries
  • 1 cup               coconut milk (canned)
  • 1/2                   banana
  • 1 handful         spinach
  • 1 scoop            protein powder
  • 1 tsp                 chia seeds

Directions:  Combine all ingredients in blender and buzz until smooth in consistency. Enjoy!

 

Grounded Earth Protein Smoothie

Grounded Earth Protein Smoothie

Ingredients: 

  • ½                    banana
  • 1 ½ cup          unsweetened vanilla almond milk (can substitute rice milk)
  • 2 tsp                almond butter
  • ½ cup             dates (pitted)
  • ½ tsp              spirulina powder (can substitute greens or sea vegetable powder)
  • 1 tsp                oat bran

Directions:   Combine all ingredients in blender and buzz until smooth in consistency. Enjoy!

*Spirulina is a nutrient dense algae that can be found in your local health food store and it doesn’t taste bad – I promise! Recipe generously provided by Lisa Kapp.

 

Joanne Smith

www.fruitfulelements.com

Joanne Smith is a Certified Nutritional Practitioner.  She is the co-author of Eat Well, Live Well with Spinal Cord Injury & Other Neurological Conditions.

If you would like to have a private appointment with her to talk about your child’s nutrition problems, you may contact her at:  joanne@neurocorephysiotherapy.com

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Clean your house naturally… an ABSOLUTE MUST when you have a child with CP!​​​​​​​

One of the most important problems your child with cerebral palsy (CP) is challenged with is ‘respiratory difficulties’.  Poor respiration has serious consequences on your child’s overall health and well-being.

The cleaner your home is, the more respiration problems you may trigger in your child with CP, because of toxic cleaning products made from petroleum-based chemicals.

The Dr. Mercola site, which is the second most visited Natural Medecine site in the world, proposes these easy suggestions to use safe household cleaning products:

‘You can reduce your chemical exposure by eliminating chemicals in your home, and using only natural cleaning products that are plant based. They are more expensive, but usually more concentrated, and worth it because they are safe.

Another alternative is to make your own natural cleaning products. Using homemade natural cleaning products maks “cents,” because it is cheaper, healthier and non-toxic, and it is fun.

All you need is: 

  • Baking soda
  • White vinegar
  • Borax
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Liquid castile soap
  • Organic essential oils (optional)
  • Mixing bowls
  • Spray bottles
  • Micro fiber cloths

Baking soda is great to scrub your bath and kitchen. 

  • Put it in a glass grated cheese container with a stainless steel top that has holes in it, and just sprinkle the baking soda on the surfaces and scrub. You may add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to this. Lavender and tea tree oil have anti-bacterial qualities.
  •  Can also be used as a fabric softener in your laundry.

Baking soda and apple cider 

  • Clean the tub and the drain 

Vinegar can clean almost anything in your house

  • You can add liquid castile soap, essential oil (optional), and filtered water, then clean floors, windows, bath, kitchen, etc.
  • In the laundry, use vinegar in the wash cycle to prevent fabrics from fading.
  • Vinegar can also be used as a fabric softener.

Never use dryer sheets — they are toxic too.

  •  Use vinager to clean windows.

Commercial window cleaners contain butyl cellosolve — a toxic ingredient that is not listed on the labels, so vinegar and water is much safer. Use a micro fabric cloth, not newspaper, which contains toxic dyes.

Borax

  • is a good laundry booster and cleaner (it can even remove mold) — and is safe and non-toxic. You may make your own cloth detergent by mixing 1 cup of natural soap flakes, ½ cup of borax and ½ cup of pure washing soda.

Hydrogen peroxide

  • is a disinfectant, and is safer to use than chlorine bleach for disinfecting and whitening. Lemon juice is also a natural whitener.

Liquid Castile Soaps

  • can be found in health food stores and are safer than commercial liquid cleaning products.

Organic essential oils may be used in homemade cleaning products depending on your personal preference and tolerance to these scents. Never use synthetic fragrances or air cleaners.

Making your own natural cleaning products is rewarding and fun, and you can use the natural scents that you prefer while ensuring that your home is safe from dangerous chemicals that are harmful to your CP child, and your entire family’s, health.’

Do not overlook the importance of keeping your house free of chemicals as much as possible.  Just switching to these simple safe cleaning tips may bring significant improvement to your CP child’s health and happiness, in only a few short days.

Source: http://www.mercola.com/

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Inclusive Technology wins Queen’s Award for Enterprise

Inclusive Technology is among a select list of 249 companies announced as award winners by Her Majesty The Queen on the occasion of her 90th birthday on 21 April 2016.

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are made annually and are only given for the highest levels of excellence demonstrated in one of three categories: Innovation, International Trade, and Sustainable Development.

Inclusive Award’s award is in the International Trade category and reflects the growing importance of its online which have significantly boosted its overseas sales. These include HelpKidzLearn, a series of accessible games, activities and tools designed specifically for young children and those with learning difficulties, and ChooseIt! Maker 3, which allows teachers to create individual learning activities personalized to each child.

The company also sells a wide range of accessible software and hardware.

Inclusive develops accessible software aimed at children who perhaps can only make a single voluntary movement, and we provide the alternative keyboards, joysticks, rollerballs, switches and touch screens these learners may need.  We are also expert in eye gaze technology, which is increasingly important in our field.

In 2014/15 Inclusive had customers in 59 overseas countries. While Europe is still responsible for over half of its overseas sales this falls to under a quarter when it comes to its online services. Here it is the US and other English-speaking countries – Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa – that dominate. In Europe the company has 21 dealers in 14 countries who it is working with to get the HelpKidzLearn website into local languages. So far these include Catalan, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Swedish.

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‘Special families’ exploring a co-housing concept

© 2016 the Naples Daily News , Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

NAPLES, Fla. —Terry and Debby Kays, Naples, Florida, want to develop what they call “cohousing,” where families live side by side in a community they run with a shared mission of caring for loved ones with autism or other disabilities. The concept is for safe, affordable and financially sustainable long-term housing.

The Kays operate a local non-profit advocacy group called Adonis Autism.

The planned name is Osprey Village, and the Kays are searching for families to join them.

“What we need to do is support these families,” Terry Kays said.

The couple knows firsthand the predicament of families with a child or adult child with a disability.

Debby Kays has a son, Walter, 23, who has autism. He is living with them at home again in North Naples after an unsuccessful try at a local group home.

The idea of Osprey Village is similar to senior communities with supportive services, Terry Kays said.

“Cohousing is self-organized and a self-financed group of families that come together to develop a supportive community,” he said. “It is family driven.”

There are about 130 family-run housing communities around the country similar to the Osprey Village concept but none in Southwest Florida or the region, Terry Kays said.

The communities can be designed in many different ways but an overriding principle is that families decide the structure.

He envisions the cost for each family at roughly $200,000 to $250,000 but much of that depends on the cost of land. A minimum of seven acres is needed but 10 acres is more ideal.

A key layout feature is a cluster of single family homes, townhomes or a combination with a pedestrian corridor for safety.

Henning put some concepts on paper for Osprey Village with townhouses and a community center for families to consider the possibilities.

The architect interested in the project suggested a community center or “common house” is for shared activities, classrooms and other services. The common house would offer respite to families by sharing tasks, according to a brochure for the community.

“A lot of parents are single parents and have to work,” Debby Kays said.

Since the Kays started working on Osprey Village, they have 6 families interested in participating in the project.

“We need 20,” Kays said. “That is our goal.”

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