a peek inside the fishbowl

Awhile back someone tweeted out the fact that she couldn’t get her kids to clip their nails, and that their claws talons finger and toenails were starting to destroy furniture, poke holes in socks, and hurt people. It was time.

She asked: What’s a mom to do? And I had something to share.

(Note: I will not reveal whether we have done this ourselves, but I will say that I’ve read that some families out there resort to doing this in order to convince their children to succumb to regular nail clipping.)

No doubt you’re wondering, WHAT IS IT. WHAT IS THIS DISGUSTING SECRET YOU ARE SO HESITANT TO SHARE. Well, I can’t believe I’ve even saying it, but I will tell you:

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O sodium.
How I love to hate you.

Many Fishies will understand how thrilled I am that Sodium 101 has become my newest blog patron. The people behind this initiative are doing great work to raise awareness of this issue, and I happen to think they are pretty darn cool.

As a parent I take a special interest in what my family is eating. It is my job to read labels and make smarter, healthier choices. I think it’s really important that I take responsibility for my family’s health and do my part to establish great habits early on. That means (among many things): limiting screen time, increasing the amount of outdoor activity we get everyday, and learning about the food we eat. And not just about how to make better choices, but how to prepare meals and how to enjoy them together as a family too.

We’re not perfect, but we do our best. That’s all anyone can ask, right? And education is a big piece of this puzzle. That’s where Sodium 101 comes in. Sodium 101 is an ongoing campaign brought to you by the Canadian Stroke Network. There are a number of great resources on the Sodium 101 website that I bet you’d find really interesting and useful. I did.

For example:

  • Info about children and sodium. (Speaking of which, do you know how much sodium is too much for little kids?)
  • Info about how to read the nutrition panel on processed foods. Did you know that the % Daily Value listed for sodium is actually calculated based on an unhealthy target daily sodium intake of 2,400 mg?
  • And here’s the coolest thing, Sodium 101 recently launched their own app to help folks like me stay within our daily recommended sodium intake.  You can read more about the app here. (I love the salt shaker – you have to try it.) Tracking the food you eat can be a real eye-opener. Even if you can’t commit to tracking your food for the long haul, it’s worth doing for at least a couple of days. I bet you will learn a thing or two. I did!

The indisputable fact is that too much sodium has an impact on our health, and we are consuming more than ever before. It’s time to take control. Are you with me? :)

Anyway, yes! Thank you Sodium 101, for the work you are doing and for becoming a part of the Fishbowl family. It is appreciated.

02 May, 2011

Reno post #006: paralysis

By andrea tomkins in Home/reno

I need to ask a very important question, something I need to figure out before we go much farther along in this process. Is it better to renovate for what our life is like now, or for resale 20 years from now? Thoughts? Comments? HELP!

Archives


  • Jeanie Maennling: I spent many wonderful days visiting my cousins and Uncle Herb and aunt Eleanor at the Farm in the 1950's. Mycousin Skippy (Sharon) and I got into l
  • alex: For a classic Canadian treat for valentine day , try a BeaverTail (a fried dough pastry) there its yummy
  • Juliet Luiz: I was at this park today and saw the foundation and historical sign which got me curious and let me to your blog post! Great information:) too bad t
  • Rowyn Tape: Hello, I was sitting at Easter dinner with my grandmother and she was telling me this story. She is Herbert Lytles daughter who eventually bought the
  • Bernie: I freeze ball sizes of bread dough for beavertails each winter season.Easy to thaw, roll out and fry. Best winter treat!
  • Jen_nifer: I feel very much the same about my SUP. Floating with snacks is fantastic! When I go on water with some current, I make sure that I paddle into the cu
  • sam: Great article. This is very insightful. Thanks for sharing

The Obligatory Blurb

My name is Andrea and I live in Ottawa with my husband Mark and our dog Sunny who is kind of a big deal on Instagram. During the day I work as a freelance writer. I am a longtime Ottawa blogger and I've occupied this little corner of the WWW since 1999. The Fishbowl is my whiteboard, water cooler, and journal, all rolled into one. I'm passionate about healthy living, arts and culture, travel, great gear, good food, and sharing the best of Ottawa. I also love vegetables, photography, gadgets, and great design.

If you're so inclined, you can read more about me here.

I've deactivated the commenting function as well as my contact form so if you want to get in touch, please drop me a line at quietfish@gmail.com. Thank you!

 


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