Heart-Healthy Family Fitness

Get Your Kids Moving and Check Some Chores Off Your List! With 1-in-3 kids being overweight or obese, staying active is more important than ever to American families. When you think about activities to get children moving, don’t forget to spread the love with chores — from dusting to mowing to walking the dog. Your kids may not exactly thank you, but their hearts will! Here... Read More

Making the Most of Your Workout

Looking for a way to burn more calories in less time with your workout? The fitness community is talking about High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC). HIIT is effective, fun, and growing in popularity and experts forecast that this trend will stick around. HIIT is designed for any level of fitness and results happen quickly! The... Read More

Reignite Your Sex Life After Baby: 10 Back-To-Sex-Tips For New Moms

Gulp! Your doctor has given you the “all clear” to resume sexual activity after birthing your baby. Now you just need the libido, the energy, and a good night’s sleep to go with it and maybe sex would sound remotely interesting again. To alleviate some of the worries that you may have about sex after pregnancy, here are ten no-pressure, back-to-sex tips for new... Read More

Exercise Your Right to Defy Gravity

Do you want to defy gravity and present a youthful physique, year after year? Maybe there’s another option aside from plastic surgery and good skincare, like practicing a few lunges. Okay, more than a few… but perhaps doing specific exercises to sculpt the body can impact the aging process. Heading into mid-life, women are greeted with the rude inevitabilities of gravity, including... Read More

Cosmetic Surgery: Reality vs. Myth

Cosmetic surgery is becoming an ever larger part of our culture. From reality television shows to magazine covers and documentaries, the public has never been more aware of the many ways that cosmetic surgery can impact patients from head to toe. Do you know fact vs. fiction on the following misconceptions about cosmetic surgery? Cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery are one and... Read More

Pregnancy Fitness Myths, Truths, & Tips

Exercise during pregnancy is not only imperative to keep a mom-to-be physically and emotional healthy, but it can also benefit the child’s lifelong health. According to research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine, exercise during pregnancy has a distinct molecular consequence on the unborn baby that essentially allows the child to be more fit. Other studies have... Read More

The Baby Blues: Can a Postpartum Doula Help?

Despite the season of red and green and your newfound world of all things pink and blue, you’ve got the blues… the baby blues. How can you focus on delivering holiday cheer when you are depressed? Corey Engmann never considered hiring a postpartum doula until she learned she was expecting twins. Feeling overwhelmed and worried about how she would handle two babies, along with... Read More

November is American Diabetes Month

Over 29 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes. In honor of American Diabetes Month in November, Orlando Family Magazine is pleased to support the American Diabetes Association’s mission: To prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by it. To participate in American Diabetes Month, visit Diabetes.org/ADM. Ambassador Spotlights Jeff... Read More

Holistic Veterinary Medicine for Fido and Fluffy

Holistic veterinary medicine is becoming an increasingly popular choice among pet owners who are willing to entertain alternative treatments for illnesses that strike their beloved fur ball, such as diabetes, stress, pain, arthritis, and other ailments. Holistic care is defined by Webster-Merriam Dictionary as: “relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather... Read More

Em‘brace’ Your Child’s First Orthodontic Visit

Just when you think you’ve mastered the tooth fairy’s visitation schedule, you realize that your child may need to see the orthodontist. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends an orthodontic screening at age 7. “By this age, several permanent teeth in most children have erupted, allowing an orthodontist to effectively evaluate orthodontic conditions,” explains... Read More

Local Dad Champions Healthy Snacking

Central Florida schools spent the summer preparing to comply with the new federal mandate that requires pre-set limits on the amount of calories, sugar, fat, and sodium contained in food items available for students to purchase from vending machines, a la carte food lines, school stores, and fundraisers. Part of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, the “Smart Snacks in School”... Read More

Special Update on Special Needs

Autism Diagnosis is Rising? According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 1-in-68 children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a group of developmental disabilities that can cause significant social, communication, and behavioral challenges. The number of U.S. children with ASD has soared approximately 30% in the past 2 years. ASD is almost 5 times more common... Read More

Tips for Healthy, Happy Travel

Using discretion and common sense, I eat and drink whatever I like when I’m on the road. By following these basic guidelines, I never once suffered from Tehran Tummy or Delhi Belly.   Take precautions on the flight. Long flights are dehydrating. I ask for “two orange juices with no ice” every chance I get. Eat lightly, stay hydrated, skip coffee or alcohol,... Read More

Certified Midwives Deliver In-Home or In-Hospital Birth Options

When Shauna Nobile became pregnant with her son Miles, now 3, she decided to pursue a natural homebirth with a midwife. The Port St. Lucie teacher had recently watched The Business of Being Born, a documentary comparing various childbirth methods, and, despite having received fertility treatment from an obstetrician, she sought care from Angela Love, a Treasure Coast certified... Read More

Early Learning is for a Lifetime

The academic success of early learners depends on their level of readiness to participate in rigorous kindergarten programs, according to experts at Orange County Public Schools (OCPS). When young students reach kindergarten, they will be challenged on a daily basis in all academic areas. In fact, some experts call kindergarten the “new first grade.” That’s why children who... Read More

Sustain a Health Lifestyle with Sustainable Agriculture

    Sustainable agriculture, as defined by SustainableTable.org, is the production of food, fiber, or other plant or animal products using farming techniques that protect the environment, public health, human communities, and animal welfare. In other words, sustainable agriculture produces healthier food without compromising future generations’ ability to do the same.... Read More

The Change: Female vs. Male Menopause

The Change: Female vs. Male Menopause It is commonly known that females undergo a “change” in hormones with a typical onset that occurs later in life. This transformation usually ensues rapidly and may continue over the course of a few years. Recently, scientific interest surrounding the possibility of a male form of menopause has increased. Could men experience similar “changes?”... Read More

Eat up! Natural Remedies for Common Pregnancy Ailments

Glowing skin, doubled cup-size, and shiny hair are all commonly touted as side effects of pregnancy. There are some pregnancy symptoms, however, that are less celebrated, such as heartburn, nausea, and constipation…the things no one likes to talk about! The good news is that there are simple, natural remedies for such pregnancy ailments and you can find them at the grocery store. Constipation Your... Read More

What Are You Really Serving at the Holiday Table?

Holiday celebrations typically center on family and, of course, the family meal. You worry about how the food will look and taste, but you should also be concerned about the safety of food preparation to avoid illness. Will unexpected guests like salmonella, staph, campylobacter, e.coli, and other unwanted bacteria find their way to your dinner table this year? Food borne illnesses... Read More

The Buzz on Mom and Booze

Whether it’s at a weekend barbecue or a mommy’s night out with girlfriends, many of us like to relax with an occasional glass of wine, beer, or other alcoholic beverage. Drinking in moderation ─ one drink per day of 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor ─ for women (who aren’t pregnant) can be part of a healthy lifestyle. Some research... Read More

PetSaver CPR & First Aid

Following an appointment at the pet groomers, Sue Carpenter expected to see her freshly trimmed, 5-pound poodle, Raven, playfully wagging her tail. But, within minutes of arriving to pick her up, the dog collapsed on the floor. Sue frantically jumped into her car with the lifeless pup and sped toward the animal hospital. An employee of the groomers attempted to revive Raven while... Read More