Summertime With Hood Calorie Countdown

This post was sponsored by Hood as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

When it comes to the summer months and those hot days spent outdoors, we not only enjoy starting our days out with the varieties available from Hood Calorie Countdown, but also making cold treats that the kids can enjoy as well. See, since we started drinking the Hood Calorie Countdown dairy beverages in my house, I found that the selections were a great alternative to the traditional milk and chocolate milk beverages that we had enjoyed. This is because we can get the dairy beverages that offer lower sugar and calorie contents than others we might have gone with in the past. Where with the Hood Calorie Countdown Whole, we get 33% fewer calories, 75% fewer carbs, and 75% less sugar per cup than traditional whole milk. Or where with the Hood Calorie Countdown Chocolate, which happens to be a favorite with my kids, we get 56% fewer calories, 67% fewer carbs, and 75% less sugar than traditional chocolate milk.

Along with those facts that come with making the switch a simple one, I also found that my entire family can appreciate that we can enjoy the dairy beverages from Hood Calorie Countdown in place of the traditional milk, without sacrificing the flavor. This is because the drinks from the Hood Calorie Countdown selection are made from ultra-filtered milk with water, cream, along with other ingredients to give us that delicious and creamy taste minus all of the calories, sugar and carbs. And I can appreciate that when it comes to the Hood Calorie Countdown, that it is made with milk from farms where the farmers pledge to not use any artificial growth hormones. Making it not only a tasty choice to go with but a healthy one all around.

Then when it comes to enjoying the flavors, such as the Hood Calorie Countdown Chocolate, on those hot summer days or during cookouts, we found that the kids can enjoy it frozen! To make these pops, we simply fill the frozen ice pop molds with the Hood Calorie Countdown Chocolate, place them in the freezer for at least 5 hours, then take them out to enjoy and cool down with. Giving the kids a delicious, low calorie, low sugar, and low carbohydrate treat that is made from their favorite chocolate dairy beverage!


And right now, be sure to get your coupon and save $0.75 on your next purchase of Hood Calorie Countdown by going here: http://bit.ly/2DMWamF

Summer Camp Considerations: Can My Child Still Go If They Have a Severe Allergy?

Now that summer is right around the corner, families are starting to think ahead to sending their child off to day camp or sleep-away camp. This is considered to be a rite of passage for many kids. But parents who have children with severe allergies -- to peanut products or plants, for example -- might wonder whether it's even safe to send their child to summer camp. The good news is that it can be done, provided that you conduct some thorough research and take ample precautions. Here's how to make sure the summer camp experience will be a healthy and happy one for your child.

Make sure their records are up-to-date

With so many staff members at any given camp, the best source of information for them will be your child's medical records. At this point, camp staff is likely used to consulting allergy records, as 4% of children under the age of 18 have known food allergies. But you'll need to make absolutely sure that the medical records and prescription information you provide are accurate and clear. You should also go over meal information and camp activities in detail with key staff members -- and get everything in writing -- to ensure that your expectations will be met every step of the way.

Ask about training protocols

When your child is away at camp (particularly if it's in a remote area), you'll need to depend on knowledgeable staff members as the first line of defense in the event of an allergic reaction. Although up to 65% of all ER episodes can be treated in urgent care facilities, an allergic reaction can be a true medical emergency. Therefore, you'll need to assess whether the camp you've chosen is truly up to that task. Any well-run facility should have very specific protocols in place for dealing with allergies and you should absolutely ask what these protocols are. You need to know for certain that these situations are handled as recommended by experts and that you will be notified along every step of the way. You need to know that all staff members are properly trained and will know when to call 911 in case of an attack -- even with medication on-hand.

Visit your doctor beforehand

Although nearly six out of 10 households report that at least one of the residents has gone camping, things become a bit more complicated when you need to bring medication along. To alleviate the possibility of running out of medications or being caught without the right kind, it's important for families to visit their designated doctors well in advance to ensure the camper has everything they need before going off to camp. Considering how difficult many families have found it to find and buy EpiPens at their local pharmacies, you should prioritize this and take care of it ASAP. Since many camps will accept only the EpiPen brand due to differences in training, you may not be able to get away with a generic brand here. Your doctor may be able to provide an EpiPen sample until your prescription is able to be filled, but that won't do when it's time to head off to camp. So give yourself plenty of time to get what your child needs.

It's understandable that you may have concerns about sending your child away to summer camp, regardless of whether or not there are health issues at play. But by planning ahead and asking a lot of questions, you can gain valuable peace of mind and know your child is in excellent hands this season.

Natural Bath Oils To Help Your Kids Sleep

Any mom will know that getting your little ones to sleep can sometimes be problematic. This can have a knock-on effect to how you are feeling, in fact, a survey showed that moms of young children reported feeling tired 14 days out of every month. With every additional child in the house, the probability of not getting enough sleep rose by 50%. No wonder everyone is exhausted. Using natural oils in a bath before bed can help you and your little ones to get more sleep. Even better, these three oils are really good for the skin: natural healing that is great for the whole family.

 

 

Lavender Oil

Lavender oil is a really gentle essential oil. Because it is chemical-free, it is perfect for helping you to get to sleep, certainly no hangover feeling the next day! Clinical studies on people with insomnia showed that the use of lavender oil as a sleep aid did indeed improve sleep by 2.5 points on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. It is also excellent for the skin, as a natural antibacterial oil - particularly good for those grubby little monkeys. Lavender has anti inflammatory qualities, great for tired muscles and growing pains. Put a few drops into the bath and your children will be relaxed before bedtime, with soft and beautifully clean skin.

 

Chamomile Oil

 

Chamomile is a natural sedative, it calms the body, slows the heart rate and helps give an overall feeling of relaxation. Roman chamomile has a pleasant fruity smell. It is often used in aromatherapy to relieve stress, as well as help you to sleep better. Chamomile is often used for soothing the skin, and particularly good for eczema. It is so gentle that it’s perfect to help protect baby’s soft and fragile skin. You can also put a few drops of oil in the bath to help relieve and itchy, dry or irritated patches too. Such a good all-rounder.

 

Valerian Oil

 

Like chamomile, valerian is often taken in a tea to help promote good sleep. A few drops of oil in the bath will do the same thing. It can also help the whole family look after their skin. For parents, valerian has been shown to help prevent wrinkles and dryness. For little ones it helps promote healing - it can be used to treat cuts. It also helps with dry patches, giving skin a nice, even tone. 

 

Natural oils that can help everyone sleep better, and give you great looking skin at the same time! These should be a staple in everyone’s bathroom cupboard, good for the whole family.