icarewear -It Takes a Village

A few years ago we sponsored Thobelile - a young girl from a carepoint in Swaziland.

One in two people in Swaziland have aids. Swaziland is dying because it's people are dying. What if I could make a difference beyond just sponsoring our little girl?

What if we could create a line of shirts that people could buy and 50% of the profits would go to help kids in Swaziland have clean water, clothes, food - you know the necessities of life - the stuff we take for granted.

Check it out - We've opened a little on-line store at cafepress.com

It takes a village to raise a child - what if you don't have a village?
What if we created a village one person at a time?
What if each person that purchased a shirt helped create that village?

This is our hope. Together we can make a difference!

OCD - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

MAYO CLINIC DEFINITION: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a type of anxiety disorder in which you have unreasonable thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead you to engage in repetitive behaviors (compulsions). With obsessive-compulsive disorder, you may realize that your obsessions aren't reasonable, and you may try to ignore them or stop them. But that only increases your distress and anxiety. Ultimately, you feel driven to perform compulsive acts in an effort to ease your distress.

Up until a few years ago OCD was something I had heard about but hadn't really experienced. The last two weeks I spent with my sister in Hawaii. Her son Ben has OCD. Ben is 14 years old and in grade 8.

Ben is incredibly smart. He is a whiz at all things computer and game related. It's scary how much that boy knows. If you're not careful - he will snatch your computer and do amazing things with it that you never knew it could do.

Aside from his amazing brilliance - he battles everyday with not wanting to touch the door knob, jumping over sections in the house, using his knuckles on the computer keyboard (instead of his fingertips), and just plain avoiding touching things he decides are untouchable.

It's hard to understand and it's even harder I am sure to watch on a day to day basis. School is just about out and he can hardly wait. At the end of July he'll be starting a new school - Waimea Canyon - this could trigger some unwanted behaviors - we'll just have to wait and see.

If you think about it - pray for Ben - for the transition and coping mechanisms - for his parents who want the best for their son and as they battle OCD with him. Much patience, courage and consistency is needed for everyone to stay happy and healthy.

Visit www.bullersinkauai.blogspot.com

Personal Healthcare Journal

New video

FUN and INEXPENSIVE ACTIVITES

One of the best ways to help our parents remain independent is to help them stay active.

Great activities that are not only fun but are inexpensive, and help us stay mobile and feel 16 again:

• walking
• cycling
• running
• tennis
• swimming
• golfing
• yoga
• pilates
• gardening
• fishing
• aerobics
• hiking
• walking

Mother's day and father's day is coming up. Maybe your mom or dad needs a new pair of walking or running shoes. Perhaps a new club for their set or some gardening gloves. Either way - you can't go wrong.

THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM - Susan Boyle

EMBED-Susan Boyle Stuns Crowd with Epic Singing - Watch more free videos

MOTHER'S DAY

Mother's Day is May 10.

What will you buy your mom?

Take a few seconds and fill out our survey to the right.

Remember to pour heaps of love on you mom everyday - don't wait till mother's day to let her know how much you care.

7 BENEFITS OF REGULAR EXERCISE

I love spring. For me it's the newness of life and the promise of summer to come.

Signs of new life are showing all around. Tulips and daffodils are emerging, robins are hopping looking for worms, buds are forming on the trees and the grass is starting to turn green.

Whether you spend time walking the dog, going for a jog, or gardening you are going to feel better, combat chronic disease and help you manage your weight.

According to the Mayo Clinic there are 7 benefits of regular exercise. They include:

1. Improves your mood
   
2. Combats chronic disease
3. Helps you manage your weight
   
4. Strengthens your heart and lungs
5. Promotes better sleep
6. Can put the spark back in your sex life
7. Can be - gasp - fun!
   

So... phone up a friend and go for a walk. Walk to the grocery store, post office or to the coffee shop to catch up.

CRAVING A BETTER SLEEP?

If you're craving a better sleep - it may be time to eliminate snacking before bed.

As a kid growing up I remember my dad eating a bowl of Rice Krispies before he went to bed. Having a bowl of cereal is quick, easy and quite satisfying. On lazy days when we don't feel like making supper I have to confess we've been known to bring out the cereal boxes.

I'm not a snacker so cutting out snacks after supper isn't hard for me. Did you know that if you've already consumed your daily calorie intake you're not doing yourself any favors. In fact eating before bed can be disruptive to your sleep schedule. Thida Ith, a registered dietitian and corporate communications and promotions manager for Dietitians of Canada states that "it's a bit difficult to digest before you go to sleep." When your body is busy digesting - it's not resting.

Think back to when your mom wanted you to eat your breakfast, not trade your lunch at school and eat a good supper. Three square meals a day is still where it's at. Eating just till you are full helps you feel satisfied. When you feel satisfied you tend not to snack or overeat. A settled tummy just might be the ticket to a better sleep.