Author Archives: Simi Family Dentist

Many of you know that I have started taking classes at YogaWorks in Westlake Village (let me know if you want a free pass to try it out for a week). While I’m really enjoying the variety of classes, I’m not going to lie – the sculpting class I’m taking leaves me wiped! 

After my work out I try to hydrate as much as possible.  Water, of course, is the preferred choice. But at times, I have also chosen to drink Coconut Water which is very hydrating and loaded with vitamins and minerals.

Well, today after class, I was feeling particularly exhausted so I stopped at Lassen’s on the way home hoping to find a magical elixir so pick me up.  This caught my eye so I thought I’d try it for fun.

Organic Mamma Chia. This drink is load with Chia Seeds. That’s right Chia, as in Chia Pets.

Apparently, Chia seeds, an ancient grain, were revered by both the Mayans and Aztecs for their amazing energy and natural healing powers. Chia seeds were a main component of both the Aztec and Maya diets, and played a prominent role in religious ceremonies. One tablespoon of the seeds was considered capable of sustaining a warrior for 24 hours.

Today, chia is the force behind famous long distance runners who use it for powerful stamina. As described in the New York Times bestselling book, Born to Run by Christopher McDougall:

“In terms of nutritional content, a tablespoon of chia is like a smoothie made from salmon, spinach, and human growth hormone. As tiny as those seeds are, they’re superpacked with Omega-3s, protein, calcium, iron, zinc, fiber and antioxidants. If you had to pick just one desert-island food, you couldn’t do much better than chia, at least if you were interested in building muscle, lowering cholesterol, and reducing your risk of heart disease; after a few months on the chia diet, you could probably swim home.”

I choose the raspberry passion flavor and gotta say, I liked it!  It is weird to drink becaue the seeds are a little “slimy” but it is reminiscent of those drinks with boba in them.  Strange but yummy.  Now, it’s too soon to tell if it lives up to it’s claim as a “Vitality Beverage” but I will likely purchase and drink this again.

Here are the statistics that sold me. This bottle had:

So, there it is. I drank something WEIRD today…and I liked it!

My boys got these personalized video messages from Santa and LOVED it!  This is quite impressive. You plug in their names and even a photo and then Santa will email you a video.  AND IT’S FREE!

YOU MUST DO THIS TODAY!!!!

CLICK HERE: FREE SANTA VIDEO

ABC Bible Verse Flash Cards: Plant the seeds, reap the rewards

These make great stocking stuffers for young kids. My friend Michelle developed these to teach her young girls bible verses and the alphabet at the same time. They came out great! Find them on Etsy.com. They are priced at $9.95.

I found this on another website and had my son read it to me, and my other son, so that we could have a discussion not just about how to avoid bullying…but also how to NOT BE a bully and how to HELP someone who is being bullied.  Make sure to take the time to give your child this practical life skill.

(For more info for teachers and parents click here.)

For Kids

What is a bully? 

 A bully is a person who purposely tries to hurt others by:

 · Making them feel uncomfortable.
· Hurting them by kicking, hitting, pushing, tripping, etc.
· Name-calling.
· Spreading nasty rumors.

 The bully hurts the other person over and over.

 The person being bullied feels that he or she can do nothing to stop it:

 · He or she might feel smaller or weaker than the bully.
· He or she might feel outnumbered by the bully and the bully’s friends.
· He or she might feel there is no help:
· No one to talk to.
· No one is standing up for him or her.
· He or she often feels very sad, but does not know how to change the situation.

Bullies can be BOYS or GIRLS!!

 Who do bullies pick on?

 · Often, bullies are bigger kids, so they pick on:
· Kids they feel are smaller.
· Kids they think won’t stand up to them.
· Kids that have few friends to stand up for them.

Why do bullies do what they do? 

· Sometimes they think that they will win or get what they want.
· Sometimes they want to impress or entertain their friends.
· Sometimes they enjoy feeling power over someone because sometimes they are being bullied by someone else!
· Sometimes they do not even realize that they are hurting the other person.

 What to do if someone is bullying you:

 · Tell someone you trust about it. If it is easier for you, write that person a note instead!! (People you might want to tell are: parents, teachers, the principal, playground safeties, or older friends).
· If the person you told cannot help you or does not do anything, find someone else! Never keep being bullied a secret!
· Try not to let the bully see you are upset. (Bullies are looking for signs that you are upset and they may do it more).
· Avoid areas where the bully feels comfortable picking on you (for example, places where teachers cannot see you – such as corners of the playground, lonely corridors, and behind large furniture in the classroom.
· Try to surround yourself with friends and people who will stand up for you.

 What to do if you see someone who is being bullied: 

· Get friends together and TALK to the bully. Let the bullies in your school know that bullying is not accepted at your school.
· Don’t cheer the bully on or stand around to watch. (The bully might like the attention, and pick on the kid even more).
· If you see someone being bullied, find someone to help stop it. (Get another friend, a teacher, a playground safety, a principal).
· Be nice to, include, and get to know the people who are being bullied: You may find they are similar to you!!
· Try to make friends with the bully too- show them other ways to interact with others. (They don’t need to bully others to be accepted or cool).

Here in Simi Valley, there is a beautiful senior living communtiy called Vintage Simi Hills.  What I’m most impressed by is that they offer a specialized memory care program / neighborhood for Alzheimer’s and other dementia and cognitive challenges.  The community is designed to reduce stress and to promote comfort for both your aging loved one and you.

If you think you may be needing to look into this opportunity in the near future, click on the link above or call Jodi Boscarino for more info at 805-583-3500.

Early on in my son’s life, we could tell that he seemed to be overly sensitive to the stimulation around him. But we weren’t sure what that meant or if anything needed to be addressed, so we didn’t.

Then when he started pre-school, I mentioned his peculiar behavior  to the pre-school director who listened attentively and then mentioned that my child might be having Sensory Integration issues and recommended a book called “Out of Sync Child” by Carol Kranowitz.

Sure enough, reading this book was eye-opening.  It felt like they were writing about my son!  The information I learned helped me help my child in his early years.

As he got older, the way his brain organized and integrated  sensory input seemed to be changing.  So now, through his occupational  therapy program, we are doing Therapeutic Listening  and I have been seeing great results.

If your child has sensory integration issues, Asperger’s or Autism, I would recommend you ask your therapist about Therapeutic Listening.

To learn more about any of the content above, click on the links.  There is so much help out there!  I hope this info points you in the right direction.