I have recently started playing soccer…..again. Soccer was my high school sport and it was something I loved. It is a game I have enjoyed watching through my adult years and have never ‘found the time’ to get back into it. What with having babies and managing their schedules I, like many mother’s out there, put myself on the back burner. This year, I determined to make a change, I was heading back onto the soccer pitch and playing the game I loved so much.

My first practice was interesting, the snow hadn’t melted yet so it was an indoor practice. When I arrived I was greeted by a number of nice women my age and older (it’s a +35 league). As we all began getting ready and preparing to practice I noticed something that alarmed me. I noticed a number of braces on knees, extra padding and clearly marked lines where knee surgery had been performed. I sat quietly, lacing my soccer boots and tried my hardest not to stare. I was unsuccessful. I couldn’t believe the number of wounds and aches and pains I saw. I was scared. I hadn’t expected this. I’m not sure why but when I signed up, it was the 14 year old girl that went through the paper work and whilst preparing to attend my first practice I think she was again at the helm.

We headed into the gym and practice began. I was quick to realise that the 14 year old girl wasn’t as she once was. I was out of breath and hurting in places that hadn’t felt pain in quite some time. I was checking the clock, praying for it to move at the speed of light so practice would end. It didn’t happen but I refused to stop. I could do this. Practice finally ended and home we went. I had that feeling that I longed for, that post work out or post full day of skiing feeling. The feeling you get when you’ve exhausted yourself physically and when you’ve pushed boundaries. I felt great.

Waking up the next morning was another experience I didn’t expect. I HURT EVERYWHERE. I could hardly walk. Where was that 14 year old girl I remember so well. Strangely she felt 41 and terribly out of shape. The 14 year old girl inside could feel the pregnancies, the way her body had changed and that things just weren’t as she remembered. It took days to feel somewhat normal again and the Rub A-535 deep heat didn’t leave my sight. I soaked in the bath with epsom salts praying for some relief. I took Advil, hoping that the inflamation would decrease. I quickly realised that I was no longer that 14 year old girl who could run circles around the other players, rather I was a mother of three who has sat on the sidelines cheering and preferring the schedules of her children rather than that of my own. This rude awakening made me realise that I needed to get back on that pitch, that I needed to improve my level of fitness if I wanted to live the life I dream about. I recognised that it wasn’t going to happen over night but that it was going to happen one painful muscle move at a time.

Last Sunday I had my first outdoor practice and another thing I’ve learned as a 41 year old player is that the things that mattered to my 14 year old self no longer matter. Things like: how I looked in my uniform, matching shoes, socks, shirt and shorts, which teenage boy was on the stands watching, etc. As a 41 year old, mother of three playing what matters is: how close is the portaloo, monitoring the amount of fluid in take whilst playing to avoid countless portaloo breaks, how my ankles feel, how supportive my bra and underpants are and sadly whether your legs are acceptable to be revealed to unknowing public. How life can change on a dime.

I’m happy to report that I am sticking with my soccer. I can’t wait for the first game and I’m excited to have my family on the sidelines cheering for me. No longer looking for the teenage boy cheering me on but rather smiling at my 43 year old husband, the father of my three smiling children who will be sitting alongside him, cheering like their mother has cheered for them and will continue to do so for years to come. I can’t wait to get out there……. I just have to make sure that the calf muscle I pulled during our outdoor practice is fully healed. Sports at 41 vs 14……who would have thought.

Susan xo

Image by Better The World

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is also the month when the annual “Run for the Cure” takes place in an effort to raise money for the fight against breast cancer.

I am of course going to be a participant in this year’s event. I feel obligated to participate in the 5 km walk/run since being diagnosed with primary breast cancer last year for the second time in my young life. I feel I must do my part to try and stop this disease from destroying the lives of more wonderful, beautiful, precious individuals who did nothing to deserve their diagnosis.

Though I must admit I am beginning to feel somewhat unsure about my actual motive for running this year. At first I convinced myself that I was running to raise money for a cure. However the more I seem to think about my reasons for running, the more I question if this is truly just a fundraising effort or is there some deeply buried, underlying reason I have chosen to register as a participant.

Am I just throwing the majority of my spare time into raising money for a cause because it is so near and dear to my heart? As I began to dissect the motivation behind my decision to run, I began to see that not only was I running for a cure, but in doing so I was in fact running from cancer!

I am becoming very, very skilled at running from cancer. Having been the winner of my first race against cancer in 2001, I felt very confident that I had an advantage. I had become the master at pouring all of my extra time and energy into activities that allowed me turn my back on issues surrounding my own diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.

It was becoming seemingly clearer that I had been training for this “run” for the past 12 months, only I had never even laced up a pair of running shoes. The training I had been doing was all mental and much, much harder than the physical act of training for a marathon. I had spent the last 12 months running away from cancer! I trained like a tri-athlete, becoming much faster and stronger with every session.

I spent just under a year training my mind to run away from my reality and the possibilities that coincide with a cancer diagnosis. I was now becoming the best, my pace was remarkable, my stamina was outstanding and then I “hit the wall” so to speak. The reality of my entire experience with cancer finally caught up to me and was challenging me like never before. I began to realize that I could no longer hold this pace and leave my reality in the dust. It was something I knew had to be faced head-on or I would begin to fall to the back of the pack and risk losing the race of my life.

Each day I work towards facing my fears and dealing with issues head-on even if it means that I may not cross the finish-line in 1st place.

I know that people all around me are athletes, training for their own “races” as they journey through their lives. Each of us has our own race to run; some longer than others, some completely uphill, others along a more smooth and winding road, and some unfortunately will fall out of the race much earlier than anticipated after struggling for every small, hard-fought step.

Remember those who fought hard in the race; remember those who could not keep the pace.

Jennifer Davin Lindgren.

Image by Changents

The other day, my kids and I were watching a show on the Discovery Channel about trolling for crabs.

We watched as cages were hauled aboard almost empty…because there just aren’t as many left as there used to be. Still, as the fishermen piled what they did catch into a heap, my 6 year old daughter asked why they were doing that to the crabs. “So mean!” she thought. I explained that they would take the crabs to a supermarket so people could buy them.

The look on my daughters face was shock as she had a huge “Ah-ha” moment.
“So THAT’S where they come from!!!” she exclaimed with horror.

The two points that come from this story are:
A. Kids need to be taught the ‘big picture’ if they are going to help change it.
B. Our oceans are in trouble.

For the sake of this ‘go green’ article, I simply would like to talk a little about our water supply on this planet in general.

The state of the earth is directly linked to the state of our health as a population. As pollution and toxicity rise in our environment, so does sickness and disease…in direct proportion actually.

‘Going Green’ is more than avoiding chemicals in your shampoo, or cleaning with vinegar…although those things do help on a personal level. To me, going green has planetary and educational implications as well. Water is our planet’s greatest resource and our body’s greatest need. Both our bodies and the earth are made of over 70% water and it’s one area in which we can truly make a difference.

The fact that only 1% of the earth’s water is drinkable, and the rest of it is too salty or too polluted for us to use is worrisome.

Did you know that there are a couple ‘floating dumps’ of plastic bigger that the state of Texas floating in the middle of the Pacific ocean? It’s disgusting and much of it is plastic water bottles.

A large percentage of bottled water is just filtered tap water…except you get added plasticides in it for the price. The price, by the way, of bottle water is more than gasoline when you figure it out by the gallon. So in terms of our health and the planet, it doesn’t make any sense to use them.

In terms of our personal health, most of us are dehydrated, leaving our normally juicy, plum-like cells, prune-like and oxygen-deprived instead. If we don’t flush out toxins and keep our cells hydrated through water consumption, our long-term health will be jeopardized. By simply drinking enough (chemical free, mineralized, ph correct) water, we can stay healthy and vital longer.

Hydration affects everything in our bodies from detoxification and prevention of disease, to weight loss, energy, and mental health. I urge you to show your kids how tasty water can be and give them water instead of juice or soda next time they are thirsty. If you explain to them how good it is for their bodies and that they can alternate with juice next time, they will probably be okay with it.

In terms of the planet, our oceans are in trouble, not only because of but largely due to water bottle use. By simply eliminating plastic water bottles from our lives, we can make a huge impact on the future of our green earth.

But how do you get clean water without buying it? There are a few ways….

The first and best way is to find a natural spring or artesian well near you. They are usually tested regularly and come from far enough down that they are pure, full of minerals and at a healthy pH level. Check http://www.findaspring.com/ to locate the one nearest you. You’ll be surprised how many there are!

The next best option is to get a good filter in your house and use stainless steel or glass bottles when you go out. Look for a system that removes contaminants but keeps the minerals, and leaves your water with a pH between 6.5 and 8.5.

Asking around, I find that many people use reverse osmosis. There are pros and cons to that. Reverse Osmosis takes most contaminants out of your water but it also removes minerals and brings down the ph level. If you use an r.o. system, be sure you add a remineralizer to it to that your water contains the beneficial nutrient it naturally should.

Water from the tap is usually acidic. If you find that your water is on the acidic side (pH lower than 6.5) you may want to use an ionizer to bring up the pH level. The optimal drinking water pH is between 6.5 and 8.5…on the slightly alkaline side of neutral. Ionizers are a little costly but they last forever and make a huge difference in the taste and quality of your water.

There are many other types water systems and I don’t want to go into the details of them all. The main thing to remember is that whatever system you choose, remember you are doing good not only for you body by drinking more water, but making a difference in our beautiful planet’s future.

Cheers!

Rebecca.

The Local Farmers Markets 

Image by North Shore Dish

Whether you live in the outback or in the city, there is always somewhere to buy organic, homegrown produce. I was in Sydney last weekend visiting my sister when we stopped by the Hawkesbury Harvest Farmer’s & Fine Food Market which is held on the 2nd Saturday of each month. 

Image by Native Food & Wine

Before we even parked the car, it was obvious that this was the place to be early on a Saturday morning. The place was buzzing with foodies eager to grab their favourite ingredients that were not only organic, homemade or a rare find, but inexpensive! Everything from olives and breads to oysters and berries were available. The smell of freshly brewed coffee was tormenting as the queue was far too long for our limited visit. Note to self – arrive early next time!

As we were on our way to mum’s for breakfast, we stopped by for some fresh country bacon which sizzled on the barbeque to perfection I might add.  My sister ’accidentally on purpose’ purchased a cherry pie aswell while I couldn’t resist the pull of the craft stall…who doesn’t want faux grass covered bunnies? Mock if you will, but come Easter, my table will look fab! 

Image by Farm.org.au

Farmers markets are like gold nuggets in big cities. Being a city dweller, unable to spend days driving from farm to farm to track down my favourite honey or cheese, I love the concept of farmers bringing their produce to us. In sincere appreciation of our Aussie farmers, I say thank you!

If you have never been, I would encourage you to frequent them as part of your food buying routine. The quality cannot be compared to many supermarkets. 

Image by Everleigh Farmers Market

,Here are some farmers markets that are worth the visit: 

Sydney: 

Hawkesbury Harvest Farmer & Fine Food 

Everleigh Farmers Markets 

Northside Produce Markets 

Melbourne: 

Collingwood Children’s Farm 

Ceres Farmers Market

Grab your family and/or friends and head out this Saturday morning to a local farmers market in your city. Don’t forget to take an environmentally friendly shopping bag as some markets don’t supply bags and could potentially frown upon plastic bags.

Enjoy!

Michaela.

Image by Getty/The Bergman Group.

Sometimes ignorance can be bliss.

In the last 12 months (as I get older), I’m looking to reset, and reboot areas of my life, and the life of my family. stagnant, thoughtless, purposeless repetition….avoid, avoid, avoid!

Education has been at the centre of this process. And the internet has been a boon.

Between thestoryofstuff and Food inc. and many other books and documentaries, I’m severely challenged by the knowledge of what the global consumer economy is doing to humanity and the planet. Driven by price, and price alone……the land of $20 DVD players, $1000 cars, cheap sushi, Big Macs etc……

So let’s consume…..differently.

The old adage of “buy cheap, buy twice” has never been truer. Not only has this definition of false economy endured, its essence is now amplified. If you buy cheap, not only will you buy twice, three times etc., but ultimately you will pay in other ways…pollution, illness. These back-end costs are infinitely worse and are past your own lifespan, but onto the lives of your children and grandchildren, their health, well-being……

Buy BETTER, Buy LESS
Better quality the first time……less trips to the returns department, less testing of the warranty policy, less time wasted, better quality consumer goods….less line-up time, car time, internet price checking time, emotional expenditure…..

Buy ORGANIC, Buy LESS
Have you looked at how much organic chicken/beef is? It’s more per lb/kg. So simply…..EAT LESS! COOK SLOWER….

I have bought Wagyu beef a couple of times. Crazy stuff…..so expensive, and so rich, that you can’t eat a lot of it…..so you buy cheaper cuts, cook it slowly (you can’t barbecue it anyway, it will all melt away), and eat less of it…..

Now, less meat? Hmmmm. It’s happening naturally, but I’m not going to be vegetarian…unless it’s medically prescribed….call it weakness or short sightedness…but I like red meat.

Having said that a few trips to Real Food Daily in Santa Monica, opened my mind and palate up to the reality of really tasty and filling vegetarian meals……so tofu steaks….sure! Now if I can only figure how to use less salt when I eat vegetarian….

And true to form…..each of us, everyday, doing something a little bit different, will lead to….incremental exponentialism of course!

Let the snowballing begin.

Philip.

Here at thefamilyroom we are unashamed Oliver fans.

I love how he simply breaks down cooking myths and techniques while sharing scrummy recipes that we really can cook at home. It’s real, it’s easy and every recipe of his that I’ve tried has been an absolute hit with the family.

Here’s a snippet of ‘man’ cooking to whet your appetites for our Men In The Kitchen series.

For more great Jamie Oliver videos click here

“I go running when I have to. When the ice cream truck is doing sixty.”

You know those moments, when something flicks your switch, you feel fully alive, you momentarily forget you are a grown-up, you throw your head back and start laughing hysterically, you fall asleep smiling because you feel incredibly blessed, you dive into a breaking wave in the ocean! It is these moments of glee, without-a-second-thought, on any given day… we, put simply, are Celebrating The Everyday! And when it happens, it reminds us that we have ’still got it’ -got what? That spark, that passion, the joy, the shine, we have each other, life is wonderous…. let’s say it’s like ‘magic’.

Life is full, and let’s admit, what happens the majority of the time is not so ‘magic’. Morning breath, rush hour, longs days at the office, raising kids, forgotten library bags, running errands, shopping lists, bad-hair days, walking the dog, scrubbing the floor, baskets of ironing, balancing the cheque book. Leading our preoccupied, predictable lives, and somewhere in all the day-after-dayness we can forget to even notice the ‘magic’ has dissappeared.

We all want to live with a touch of magic dont we? I sure do! I believe the magic is often more simple and real than we figure. It is not what the media portrays or what the unatainable images in the glossy magazines reflect. Rather it is choosing to find, to share, to engage, to create and embrace moments of magic in the middle of everyday life! Let’s not miss it!

Five little ways to bring some magic into everyday life….c’mon let the fun in and capture the specialness with me:

1. Remain a student. Love to learn. Don’t graduate from being goofy, ever. Like I did, take a yoga class or salsa dance class. Go on, get awkward, take yourself somewhere out of your comfort zone! Stretch some muscles, laugh out loud while doing it, this could be some kind of wonderful you forgot you could have, it was for me! Fitness and movement and adventure is fun and exhilarating. Take a ‘leap of faith’ and drag your family and friends along with you! Learn a new recipe, plant a herb garden. Take your children indoor rock climbing, fishing, go-carting. Commit to learning new things, trying new things. Do you order the same dish when you go to a restaurant, deviate from your usual modus operandi. You don’t have to always do what you have always done. Give yourself and others permission to grow and learn. Celebrate new things, new tastes, new adventures and new experiences everyday.

2. Life’s not a crystal glass of Veuve Clicquot everyday! But why not whip out those special linen napkins, the special china dinner set that you have safely packed away. Don’t save things in pristine glory. Too often we save things only for ’special occasions’ but why not decorate your ordinary days with a little bit a magic. Because sometimes ‘later’ becomes ‘never’. I dare you, use your good china tea set, and do it as often as possible. Set the table for meal time with a little extra thought, pick a fresh flower from the garden, make mealtime inviting for your family and friends. It might just create some magic. For me, I never save my special bottles of perfume for the odd date or special nights out, on purpose I use them every day!

3. Spread the love. Lightening the burden for someone else is the most rewarding thing you or I could ever do. I have discovered that volunteering is the biggest heart-swell, warm-fuzzy thing I can do. And it isn’t hard. It just takes a little extra thought and a little practice, and before long you can reach beyond your own life and share some of that magic. Give away a basket of groceries, cook an extra meal, hold someone’s hand, donate clothes to the charity store, buy a box of cookies from the kids fundraising in your neighbourhood, water someone’s garden, sit and listen to an elderly person tell their story. It is by spending oneself, you become rich. Volunteering can be some kind of magic too. I recall the words of Booker T. Washington “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”

4. Grow gratitude. Journalling is something I love to do, the exercise of putting feelings into words is magic for me. I like writing my gratitude lists and writing out my prayers, and thankfully God can read my handwriting! But journaling can often be intimidating and all too time consuming. But why not introduce ‘deliberate conversations’ with your children and loved ones. Maybe once a week or at quiet times, like bedtime… take the moment to prompt the question “What are you grateful for?” or ask yourself like I do, “What am I grateful for today?” …whatever it might be. Chose to be thankful and celebrate the wins, to notice the postive things, to say them out loud, it will do your heart some good! You will see the magic in each other’s eyes.

5. Be Serious about fun. Be intentional about fun stuff, plan it, prioritise it. Most games are online on the computer, but I love the tradition of games nights! Old fashion fun around the table with a pack of UNO cards, Balderdash, Monopoly, Scrabble, Billionaire, preferably anything that is rowdy and boisterous. One of our fun family traditions, is watching the dvd ‘National Lampoons Christmas Vacation” ..we quote lines from that movie all year round. Laughing together somehow quietly ties little strings that connect our hearts. Goofing around is wonderful and laughter is like medicine. Smiles glowing on friend’s faces is one of the most beautiful sights in the world. Togetherness and laughter, bring those two elements together and you have magic. Even more magic when you have great snacks on the table along with!

So don’t lose the magic in the grind of daily life. Surely it is the magic moments we all remember and cherish and replay in our memories forever. Maybe you have long given up on the magic in life, or with your family or in your business? I have been there and felt that same ‘hemmed in’ feeling. But with a few conscious decisions, to let the fun in, everyday and suddenly you will feel free as a bird again, you can get a glimpse of the magic once more, and before long people are asking you “Why are you so cheery?”.

In Los Angeles where I live, the month of June in California the weather each day starts of hazy and overcast. The locals call it “June gloom” …I guess life’s like that, it is was you call it! Instead I like to say “its just cloudy with a chance of wonderful.”

Friends, may you feel the magic, chase the ice cream truck, share in rip-roaring laughter, embrace gratitude, set the table with the special silverware, hug your loved ones a little tighter and longer just because its magic, it really is. And in the beautiful words of Maya Angelou “Love life, engage in it, give it all you’ve got. Love it with a passion, because life truly does give back, many times over, what you put into it.”

Carpe diem!

A good friend recently stayed with us who happens to be a vegan. This made me a little nervous, as I was completely unsure of what to cook for the week. Thankfully she had a plethora of vegan recipes under her belt to share with us carnivores.

The recipe below is a breakfast she made for us and, I have to say, is fantastic!

It is a three-part recipe that doesn’t take as long as it suggests.

Ingredients
Oats (quick or traditional)
Soy Milk
SLAPS (nut mix of Sesame, Linseed, Almonds, Papita and Sunflower)
Maple Syrup (honey can be used a substitute)
Kiwi Fruit
Strawberries
1 large can of pears including juice
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
1 cup of raw cashews

Directions:

Part 1 – SLAPS
Choose your quantities of the above-mentioned nuts/seeds and grind into a rough powder. My friend uses a coffee grinder for the perfect result…her 2 year old loves it and has affectionately named it DIRT. Freeze whatever you don’t use for optimum shelf life.

Part 2 – Pear Cream
In a blender, combine the pears, juice, cashews and vanilla. Blend until you have created a frothy crème…this should not be grainy. If you think you’ve blended enough, give it another wiz and that should do it. You can refrigerate this for a maximum of 3 days.

Part 3 – Porridge & Fruit
Cook your porridge in a saucepan with equal parts soy milk and water to get your preferred consistency. Chop up the fruit.

Fill your bowl to half with the porridge and dust generously with the SLAPS mix. Add the desired amount of fruit, drizzle with maple syrup then pour the pear crème on top.

This wholesome breakfast will charge your batteries for whatever the day holds! Enjoy.

Michaela.

You know your daughter is becoming a teenager when she asks if joining you on a cycle ride is going to result in her having ‘big legs’.

I chuckled to myself and explained that she would not turn into a freak of nature after a nice cruise on our mountain bikes. The idea was to join the riverside path that runs for nine kilometres inland, taking us into pretty mountain biking territory.

Spring is here and we had (or rather I had) decided it was time to get the girls out on their mountain bikes. To be frank, I suspect they would have been happy sitting in their pyjamas playing on their Nintendo DSi’s all day.

The sun was out, and I am sure somewhere there were birds singing.

My eldest decided that she was going to look cool and trendy on her bike, so instead of her biking clothes she turned up in the hallway dressed in what can only be described as ‘avant garde’. I asked her to get changed, for whilst the sun was shining, it is still quite cold here in Barcelona and a backless top would have led to hypothermia. She hesitated and explained that the sequin top was really pretty. Which it was, I had to agree.

After encouraging her to step out onto the balcony to see just how ‘warm’ it was, she agreed and then returned looking like a throwback to the 80s circa Flash Dance time. I explained that whilst on the right track with regards to fending off the cold, her pink woolly leg-warmers would probably get covered in chain oil.

After what seemed like an eon, she returned looking like a pro cyclist.

I smiled, happy to see her looking the part and asked where her younger sister was.

“She’s in the bathroom – I think she wants to shave her legs,” she said.

I ran to the bathroom to find her sat upon the toilet, seat down, with one of my disposable razors by her side, half a can of shaving foam on her legs (and her feet) with her bike helmet already perched at a jaunty angle upon her head.

“What are you doing??” I said. “You don’t need to shave your legs honey.”

“But you do papa,” she said.

She’s right. I have shaved my legs ever since I started racing bikes and have never stopped. Perhaps one day I will stop but certainly not whilst I am still cycling. I had some explaining to do.

Eventually, after cleaning up all the shaving foam and getting her into her biking gear we set off into the bright spring sunshine.

We had a lovely ride. It was not too strenuous and it was nice to get out. Whilst we were cycling we talked about how we could design more ‘fashionable’ cycling gear for girls. We also discussed the pros and cons of shaving, which somehow turned into a discussion on fish and their sleep patterns, but that is another story and has nothing at all to do with family bike rides.

The moral of this story? Spring is here, take advantage of it and get outside. Oh and hide your shaving kit from your nine-year-old daughters.

Ted

The following advice, given by Dr. Oz, makes a lot of sense and is important for all to know.

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat.In a global epidemic of this nature, it’s almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is. 
        


While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu): 
        
 

 1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications). 
        
 

 2. “Hands-off-the-face” approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat or bathe.) 
     
 

 3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine or Hydrogen Peroxide if you don’t trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don’t underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method. 
        


4. Similar to 3 above,*clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water, or hydrogen peroxide. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose softly once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.* 
        



5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption. 
                 


6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea,coffee,etc) as you can.*Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction.They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.
 

Another Bit of Info to share:

The following signs may be seen in a swine flu patient taking a turn for the worst. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control says patients showing these symptoms should seek medical care immediately.

CHILDREN: Fast or troubled breathing; skin turning bluish; not drinking enough fluids; being unusually hard to wake up or not interacting; being so irritable that the child doesn’t want to be held, flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough; fever with a rash.

ADULTS: Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath; pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen; severe or persistent vomiting; sudden dizziness; confusion.

Source: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control.