Healthy Kids Pediatrics is hosting an art contest looking for colorful, imaginative drawings from kids about

"How I live a healthy lifestyle."

The contest is open to anyone ages 12 and under.  Winners will be chosen based on the following age categories:

 Ages 5 and under

6 - 8

9 - 12

Please use 8 1/2 x 11 size paper.

Contest deadline is July 31, 2014

1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place winners in each category will be announced on the Healthy Kids Pediatrics Facebook page and in Natural Awakenings social media. .

**By entering the contest the parent will be allowing Healthy Kids Pediatrics to publish winner's first name and age in the September Natural Awakenings magazine along with their artwork and display in the office.

Write your name, age, address and phone number on the back of your 8x11½ paper and mail it to:

Healthy Kids Pediatrics

Attn: Art Contest

4851 Legacy Dr., Suite 601

Frisco, TX 75034

Or you may email it to Info@healthykidspediatrics.com.

Contest deadline is July, 31, 2014.

One winner from each category will win a healthy prize which will include any of the following: supplements, Dr. Bain's book, Healthy Living DVD 3-pack.

I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you a little about our Physician Assistant, Amy Speer.  She has been a welcome addition to the Healthy Kids Pediatrics team. Her skills, training and expertise are a natural complement to what I desire to accomplish through Functional Medicine while allowing us to extend more personalized care to all our patients.

Amy graduated with a Bachelor of Science in PA Studies from UTMB Galveston, is NCCPA certified and is currently studying for her Boards in Functional Medicine. Working in many medical environments including Family Practice, has given Amy the opportunity to work with a large variety of patients.

Amy shares that prior to her joining the staff at Healthy Kids Pediatrics her two children were patients of Dr. Bain's. She felt led to join Healthy Kids Pediatrics after I found the root of her son's underlying health concerns, made some changes to his treatment plan which made such improvement in her son's medical concerns. Always, the learner, she recognized that joining the staff would also complement what she was already learning through her Functional Medical courses and allow her to put that knowledge to good work assisting our patients to achieve wellness and good health. We found that our philosophies were very much the same and the rest is history. 

Amy enjoys working out, cooking, crafting, reading and learning about all of the interesting things that come up over the course of the day like essential oils, homeopathy, etc.

Here is a salad recipe that the husband of our Practice Administrator, Eileen Kranzberg, has made for the Healthy Kids Pediatrics staff. 

They call it Denny's Salad.

Denny's Salad 

Spring mix lettuce

Thinly sliced purple onion

Diced Braeburn apple

Golden raisins

Goat Cheese crumbles

Sliced Strawberries

Chopped walnuts or almonds

Meat (optional) or cooked salmon (can be placed on salad after tossing)

Toss salad

Dressing:

Olive oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Lemon juice

Honey

Pepper

Mix to taste

Switching to natural cleaning options can save time, money, and reduce chemical exposure.

Here at Healthy Kids Pediatrics we use Young Living's Thieves Cleaner in non-patient areas.  It is a mixture of Clove, lemon, cinnamon, Eucalyptus and rosemary.  We share the solution proportions below.Remember to always keep your cleaning solutions, even natural ones, out of reach of children and pets because some mixtures could become toxic if taken internally or an irritant to the skin.

In the mean-time we asked our patients on Facebook for their tips for easy, natural cleaning.

General Household Cleaners

Dr. Bronner's peppermint Castile liquid soap, lemon essential oil and oregano essential oil all mixed in water and a glass spray bottle

Vinegar and water with essential oils (different kinds depending on mood and purpose) in a spray bottle.

Thieves household cleaner (By Young Living).

Vinegar & hot water in a spray bottle & baking soda!

Also diffusing Young Living Essential Oil, Thieves to clean the AIR of germs and viruses!!! IPurification and Thieves are two that work wonderfully.

Straight vinegar for kitchen and bath.

Baking soda and peroxide for bleaching ceramic sink.

Laundry

Laundry detergent is , baking soda, Castile soap and essential oil.

Baking soda added to laundry for a boost of cleaning power.

Mopping Solution
Borax (about a cup), a little bit of dish soap, hot water and about 5 drops of essential oil (lemon, cinnamon or thieves).

Carpet

Baking soda with essential oils as carpet freshener before vacuuming.

Dishwasher

To clean your dishwasher effortlessly, fill a dishwasher safe bowl or jar with 2 cups of vinegar and set on the top rack of the dishwasher. Run through on a hot cycle with no other dishes in the dishwasher to clean and remove the musty odor.

As mentioned above, here at Healthy Kids Pediatrics, we use Young Living's Thieves Cleaner in non-patient areas.

The solution is 30:1

NOTE: 30 to 1 means 30 parts water and 1 part Thieves Cleaner. Always test a hidden area on fabrics, upholstery or carpets.

Hand Cleaner: (1 to 1) 1/2 cup cleaner to 1/2 cup water

Floors: 1 capful cleaner to 6.25 cups water

Fabrics, Carpet spotting: 1 capful cleaner to 2 cups water - Test a small hidden area to test for colorfastness before using.

Carpet: 1 capful cleaner to 6.25 cups water - Test a small hidden area to test for colorfastness before using.

Glass: 1 capful cleaner to 5 quarts water

Proportions don't have to be exact. Use more or less as needed.

Do you have any other natural cleaning tips?  We'd love for you to share them in the comments!

Dr. Bain of Healthy Kids Peditrics in Frisco, TX recommends the following books for healthy eating and healthy living.

1. Eat Healthy, Feel Great By William Sears, MD, Martha Sears, RN From the creators of the acclaimed Sears Parenting Library comes a handbook that gives kids the tools to make their own wise food choices. Includes quick and easy recipes.
2. Let's Get Real About Eating By Laura Kopec, ND, MHNE, CNC  Finally, a book that breaks down everything we've heard and gets straight to the fundamentals of what we eat and how we feel. This book will not only open your eyes to what we eat, how it is grown, manufactured, and packaged but also the impact it has on our health, and then goes one step further and actually tells us what we can do about it. Whether you're ready to take baby steps or make major changes, this book tells you how- plain and simple.

3. Eat Like a Dinosaur by Paleo Parents Don't be fooled by the ever-increasing volume of processed gluten-free goodies on your grocery store shelf! In a world of mass manufactured food products, getting back to basics and cooking real food with and for your children is the most important thing you can do for your family's health and well-being. It can be overwhelming when thinking about where to begin, but with tasty kid-approved recipes, lunch boxes and projects that will steer your child toward meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts and healthy fats, Eat Like a Dinosaurwill help you make this positive shift.

4. Special Needs Kids Eat Right by Judy Converse, MPH, RD, LD Any parent of a child with autism, Asperger's, ADHD, sensory processing disorder, or other developmental disabilities knows that special-needs kids often have food sensitivities and can be very fussy eaters. Plus, they've been told to avoid such common ingredients as gluten and casein, making it even harder to give them the balanced, healthy meals all children need.
   
   Now, Judy Converse, a registered, licensed dietitian, offers new advice and guidance on how to use food as an essential tool for development.