Post Thanksgiving Workouts to Trim The Fat

For all of you that celebrated a greener Thanksgiving by following the 100 mile diet but perhaps consumed the entire 100 mile radius, here are a few great tips to shed those extra calories:

• Eat smaller meals throughout the day
  

• Drink extra water (10-12 glasses a day)
  

• For those on a regular exercise routine, time to increase the intensity

• For those not on a regular exercise routine, here are some beginner cardio blasts

• Last but not least, burn off those calories the old fashion way- Black Friday Shopping!
  

A Taste of the Nation: Regional Thanksgiving Recipes

Following the 100 mile diet, a radius large enough to reach beyond a big city and small enough to feel truly local, we've found great recipes for each region based on their local ingredients:

• Pacific Northwest
• Southern
• New England
• Midwest
• Southwest
• California
  

Time to give thanks and see what's cookin' across America! Happy Thanksgiving!

Think Local, Eat Local: Ways to Have A Healthier, Greener Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has long been an American tradition of good eating and giving thanks. But somewhere between football, parades, and take-outs, traditions got reworked to adapt to our lives. This Thanksgiving, why not start a new tradition of having an ECO-friendly Thanksgiving by thinking locally and eating locally.

Thinking locally and eating locally can help us eat healthier by consuming less processed foods. Locally grown fruits and vegetables are easily accessible at farmers markets thus helping us sample a wider variety of fresh food at its nutritional peak. Supporting local farmers market can also help the environment by cutting oil and gas on food shipped across country, creating a smaller carbon footprint. Celebrating Thanksgiving by eating local harvest can give us tastier, fresher food and give thanks to local farmers- killing two birds with one stone!

What's Hot This Season: Google Flu Trends

Another yet interesting tool Google launched this week may prove helpful for moms this upcoming season. Google Flu Trends can help cautious moms decide when to keep their kids in or when and where to get those last minute flu shots.

Google Flu Trends uses data collected from searches from each state and tracks this information accordingly. This program, created with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, can detect flu outbreaks up to 2 weeks faster than traditional methods. Putting this aggregated information into graphs and maps, Google hopes it can provide early warnings of flu outbreaks in the near future... An interesting tool not just for epidemiologists but for overprotective moms as well!

Ways to Go Green Spending Your Greens

The extra spending during the holidays can make our wallets tighter. But with a few smart tips (or reminders), it's easy to save and go green on spending the greens!

• Recycle! And that means not just the end product but buying recycled goods as well
• Consume less
• Stay conscious (locally, socially, environmentally)
• Buy fair trade
• Give to non-profits and charities ...'tis the season!

Honeydew Skin Care Gives Expectant Moms 'A Leg Up'

The latest in lush all-natural skin care is getting even better. Honeydew Skin Care is expanding its line of prenatal pampering currently available at Nordstrom.com!

Available mid-November, just in time for the holidays, will be A Leg Up foot lotion for those swollen pregnancy tootsies. This all-natural lotion is formulated with cucumber and aloe, with a hint of mint – perfect for those times when pregnancy takes a toll on those over worked soles. A Leg Up is a lightweight foot lotion that cools and detoxifies tired and swollen feet during pregnancy. All-natural plant extracts help reduce swelling, encourage fluid draining, and stimulate circulation.

Proudly made in the USA, Honeydew Skin Care is committed to using natural ingredients free of irritants such as parabens, petrolatum, synthetic colors, dyes and fragrances. Already available at Nordstrom online are Balmy Mommy, a convenient take anywhere belly balm that replenishes elasticity using 10 soothing moisturizers, and Bun in the Oven, a lightly scented belly butter formulated to moisturize, soothe and guard against stretch marks.

The Glow-Getter: Tips to Beat Dry, Winter Skin

The winter season around the corner can bring a misery of sniffles and other illnesses, as well as wreak havoc on healthy skin. The low humidity in cold winters can pull moisture from the air, causing skin to experience what is known as the winter itch . But with a few easy tips, skin can remain glowing even in the dead of winter:

• avoid sugar
• drink plenty of water
  
• load up on Essential Fatty Acids
• remember your vitamins and minerals
• exfoliate dead skin cells
• apply sunscreen
  
• humidify with indoor plants
• moisturize skin often (especially after bathing)
• exercise
  

Your Garden Variety : The Many Benefits of Quercetin

With colder weather here, many are taking precautionary measures in preventing the flu by doubling up on vitamin C. But a better way in fighting off those sniffles is with your fall fruit...and veggie! Your everyday apple and onion may prove to be your best defense against the flu, allergies, asthma, fatigue, pain, and even aid in the prevention of cancer and heart disease.

Quercetin, the flavanoid found in apples and onions, may boost the immune system and fend off illnesses. If apples and onion aren't your favorite, other popular fruits and veggies high in quercetin are: broccoli, red grapes, citrus fruits, organically grown tomatoes, raspberry, cranberry, leafy green vegetables- all which should be easily accessible! This season, try to keep your medicine cabinet shut and eat your way to a healthier you.