Sunday, December 23, 2012

Recipes: Kid and Mama friendly hors d'oeuvres


by Claire C. McKiernan



Whether you are entertaining or want to bring something along on your holiday visit, here are three easy, healthy appetizers that kids will enjoy making and eating.




          Stuffed Dates
Pitted whole dates
Cheddar cheese cubes or walnut halves
Kids can break shelled walnuts in half and place one in each date, or cut up cheddar cheese cubes to stuff into dates. (If you buy the cheese already in cubes, they still need to be cut in half.)

Celery Boats (healthier version of ants on a log)
4-6 Celery stalks (cut in halves or thirds)
2 small mashed Bananas, or one large
6 Tblspns Peanut Butter
Nuts, seeds, and/or raisins (such as slivered almonds, walnut pieces, sunflower seeds, etc.)
Mix bananas and peanut butter, spread into celery “boat” and press nuts, seeds, and/or raisins gently on top so they stick.

Fruit Dip
4 oz. regular or reduced-fat cream cheese (half package)
1.5 - 2 cups Greek yogurt (plain or vanilla, 0% fat)
1 tsp lemon zest
1/8 – 1/4 cup honey (according to taste)
Mix and serve with chunks of fresh apples, melons, grapes, firm pears, and/or pineapple. For a different flavor, substitute ½ tsp. cinnamon for the lemon zest. 

News from the WBWC Board


By Kaaren Haldeman

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from the WBWC board! We met on December 3 to round out a year of hard work that included assembling a talented group of members to tackle some very complex and important issues. Rather than a laundry list of items that have been accomplished (you can look back to newsletters of board meetings past), the board would simply like you to know that we, together with Maureen and Brianna, have worked diligently to improve the health of our organization now and prepare for our next steps in the coming year. It has been a pleasure to serve a medical home that inspires women to take an active and equal part in their health care, including pregnancy and birth, and it is our greatest hope that this choice will exist here at WBWC for many years to come. Thank you to each staff member who helps make us who we are and provides the kind of care we so passionately defend. Our warmest wishes to you and your loved ones; may the warmth of the season bring you great joy. See you in the New Year! 

Thimerosal-Free Flu Shots Available!


Reminder:
Thimerosal-Free flu shots are available at Women’s Birth & Wellness Center for patients.  During pregnancy you want to minimize the amount of foreign agents (especially mercury) in your body.

Help the WBWC with Goodshop To-Go


Women’s Birth & Wellness Center receives funds when you search or buy items through Good Search and/or Good Shop.  Please consider setting Good Search as your computer home page or download the browser add on.  All you have to do is type Women’s Birth and Wellness Center in the box when it asks.  We get donations when you make a purchase through Amazon, Vistaprint, Staples, Target, Quill, Orbitz, Land’s End, etc.  You can also find coupons on the site.  Below is a list of some of the most popular retailers and a link to add the Goodsearch Browser.  Thanks for helping support Women’s Birth & Wellness Center as you search and shop!

www.goodsearch.com/goodto-go/womens-birth-and-wellness-center

Massage and Acupuncture Gift Certificates Available!


Pick up gift certificates
at the boutique or call:
 Nicole (massage) 919-699-0980 or Kim (acupuncture) 919-971-3934

Free Workshop: Healthy Mama, Healthy Baby



What: Healthy Mama, Healthy Baby Workshop

Where: WBWC

When: January 15, 2013 at 6 pm

Who: Leah Gibbons


         Want to feel great during pregnancy and have the healthiest pregnancy and baby possible? Join Leah Gibbons, MS, CHHC, for this FREE workshop. Learn what the best food and lifestyle choices are for you during this important time in your life and your baby’s life as well as how to implement them. Please RSVP to Leah at leahgibbons@fullpotentialhw.com or 919-869-7424. 

          Hello! I am Leah Gibbons, MS, Certified Holistic Health Coach. I am excited to be connected to the Women’s Birth and Wellness Center and to be able to help support you in being as healthy as possible and having the healthiest pregnancy and baby possible! I recently moved here with my family—my husband, Brandon; my three daughters, Anlon (6), Nylah (3) and Riell (2); and our dog, Haley. All three of my children were born with a midwife. All of my pregnancies and births were amazing. I was always very healthy and felt great. My births were relatively fast and easy. My children are healthy, smart, fun, engaging, and beautiful. It is my sincere desire to help all women and children have wonderful pregnancies and births and be as healthy as possible. Keep reading to find out how I do that, how you can attend a free Healthy Mama, Healthy Baby workshop, and how to get a free health coaching session with me.
          I am a Certified Holistic Health Coach. What is a health coach? In a nutshell, I look at how all areas of your life work together to create your overall health. I work with my clients to create a happy, healthy life in a way that is flexible, fun and sustainable. I guide my clients to find the food and lifestyle choices that best support them so they can be optimally healthy. I also help my clients make gradual, lifelong changes that enable them to reach their current and future health goals. This is important in any phase of one’s life but especially important during pregnancy, when nutrition and lifestyle choices form the basis for the health of child and mother and dramatically impact how birth and recovery will go.
I work with women, couples, and families from preconception and pregnancy through postpartum, early childhood, and beyond to help women, children, and families be as healthy, happy, and balanced as possible. I support my clients in making positive changes that are based on their unique needs, lifestyle, personal preferences, and background. I use a personalized, holistic approach that is based on my clients’ needs.
To learn more about my approach, education, training, and experience, please visit my website, http://www.fullpotentialhw.com. To summarize my education, training, and experience, I have a BS in Biology and Anthropology from Vanderbilt University, a MS in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Tennessee, and a certification in Holistic Health Coaching from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. I have been health coaching since 2004 and was mentored for years by a naturopath, physician, psychiatrist, chemist, and gourmet chef. My diverse education, training, and experience allow me to take broader, more holistic approach to health and wellness and effectively support others in achieving their goals.
When I became pregnant with my first child, I wanted her to have the best start in life possible. I learned everything about how to have the healthiest pregnancy, birth, baby, and recovery possible. I spent countless hours investigating, researching, reading, interviewing experts, etc. I learned all of the details of what to do and what not to do to have the healthiest baby possible. There is a lot to know! But don’t worry! I have condensed everything I learned into a program that anyone wanting to become pregnant or already pregnant can participate in. During the program, you will learn and incorporate into your life everything you need in order to have the healthiest outcomes for yourself and your baby.
I know firsthand the importance of healthy nutrition and lifestyle during pregnancy and postpartum, for both child and mother. For babies, what occurs when they are in utero profoundly impacts the rest of their lives. And you have a lot of control over that! You can take steps right now that will give your baby the best possible start in life. You can create a legacy of health and happiness for your entire family. Here’s how:
Step 1: Come to a FREE workshop I am giving on January 15 at 6PM--Healthy Mama, Healthy Baby. You will meet other soon-to-be moms, enjoy some tasty and healthy treats, have fun, and learn the basics of good nutrition during pregnancy. While there, if you have any specific questions, you can ask them. And we can chat a bit about Step 2.
Step 2: Schedule a FREE health coaching session with me, so we can talk about your specific situation, goals, and how we can work together to achieve those goals.
Step 3: Take part in either a group or individual Healthy Mama, Healthy Baby program where you will learn everything you need to know in order to have the healthiest pregnancy and baby possible!
          Get in touch with me today to save your spot at the workshop or schedule your free coaching session.
          In good health,
          Leah
          leahgibbons@fullpotentialhw.com
          919-869-7424



Boutique News

January 1st and 2nd -- Closed for inventory
Come in and see what's on sale in January!