There's no magic pill when it comes to our children's health.  Luckily, science and tradition have given us a wealth of insight into how our children are wired so that we can help them heal!  Today, our friend Robin Green returns to the show to discuss how we can read our kids in order to help them heal better.

Topics discussed:

• Why so many kids get sick so often
• Common health warning signs
• The Unwellness Gap
• Chinese Medicine: The Five Elements
• The Wellness Wheel

Robin Green is a licensed acupuncturist, herbalist, and leading expert in pediatric acupuncture.  She helps parents whose children suffer from chronic illnesses learn to use the ancient wisdom of Chinese Medicine to help their children heal safely and naturally from ailments like asthma, allergies, and eczema.  Her kids' health blog, kidsloveacupuncture.com, reaches over 1 million readers annually, and her new book, Heal Your Child from the Inside Out, is a terrific resource for parents who want to learn how to help their kids heal.

In today's episode, we talk about how to raise healthy eaters. Plus, we'll share some tips about how you can get a picky eater to try new things. 

Dr. Orleana Kerek is a pediatric doctor from the UK. She has four kids ages 7, 5, and two 3 year old twins.

When she  was working as a doctor in the UK (before I had kids of her own) she would see so many kids who ate a poor diet.

While she offered her most “expert” advice, still she realized that implementing the changes in our lifestyle are not as simple as she once thought they’d be, especially after having kids herself.

Orlena would make healthy meals and lots of vegetables and she would see uneaten plates –just like her patients experienced!

This led to her research on how to actually get kids to eat vegetables and has written a book on this very subject and developed a whole course on raising healthy eaters.

On her website, Snotty-Noses.com, she offers expert advice, books, and her course on healthy eating.

Connect with Dr. Orlena Kerek on her website.

Check out her books:

• Crunch: Put a Stop to Picky Eating and Help your Kids Love Vegetables

• Feeding Toddlers

• Healthy Eating For Children Course

In today’s podcast we are talking about 5 things we can do before mealtime to set it up to be successful. Happier, drama-free meal times where everyone looks forward to spending time together is what we are aiming for.

Sarah Bester (CNP) is a Family Nutritionist and Picky Eating Coach who helps busy moms to end the cycle of picky eating and take-out dinners, so their families can eat more real, healthy food!

As a certified nutritionist, with an expertise in feeding and healthy habit development, Sarah knows the importance of raising healthy eaters.  As a mom “in the trenches” with two young kids, she also knows first hand how challenging it can be to actually get a meal on the table (and the frustration that follows when kids refuse to eat it!)  Through easy to follow steps, and simple strategies, she provides moms with the tools to quickly and easily feed their families.  Her mission is to prove to parents that their kids can learn to love a wide variety of food (yep, even veggies!) and that mealtime can be fun, not a battle. 

Sarah is inspiring healthy habits and happy, drama-less mealtimes for families everywhere. Download her Quick Guide to Adventurous Eating to discover 5 simple strategies to get your picky eater to accept more variety (includes 5 recipes!).

Make sure to visit her website: www.sarahbester.com

In today’s podcast we are talking about 5 things we can do before mealtime to set it up to be successful. Happier, drama-free meal times where everyone looks forward to spending time together is what we are aiming for.

Sarah Bester (CNP) is a Family Nutritionist and Picky Eating Coach who helps busy moms to end the cycle of picky eating and take-out dinners, so their families can eat more real, healthy food!

As a certified nutritionist, with an expertise in feeding and healthy habit development, Sarah knows the importance of raising healthy eaters.  As a mom “in the trenches” with two young kids, she also knows first hand how challenging it can be to actually get a meal on the table (and the frustration that follows when kids refuse to eat it!)  Through easy to follow steps, and simple strategies, she provides moms with the tools to quickly and easily feed their families.  Her mission is to prove to parents that their kids can learn to love a wide variety of food (yep, even veggies!) and that mealtime can be fun, not a battle. 

Sarah is inspiring healthy habits and happy, drama-less mealtimes for families everywhere. Download her Quick Guide to Adventurous Eating to discover 5 simple strategies to get your picky eater to accept more variety (includes 5 recipes!).

Make sure to visit her website: www.sarahbester.com

Cooking for our families can be a lot easier than it seems when you take some of our shortcuts, ditch the mom-guilt, and start thinking “happy thoughts” when the food gets to the table.

Many of us struggle to consistently make fresh food for our families due to busy schedules, grocery store and product overwhelm, and selecting the wrong recipes for our families. 

In today’s podcast, Stacie and I talk about how to simplify cooking for our families with a genuine conversation around what it’s really like and tips to make it happen at your house.

Stacie Billis is a food editor, recipe developer and the Author of Make it Easy: 120 Mix-and-Match Recipes to Cook from Scratch. She has a Master’s degree in child development who is absolutely as geeky and hungry as that makes her sound. Stacie is always ready to eat delicious food and loves sharing her healthy eats with her family—most of the time.

Some of the things Stacie and I discuss:

• How she began a food blog and why
• How she chose the topic for her book: Make it Easy
• What Mix-and-Match recipes mean
• Tips for cooking from scratch when you are short on time
• How to select the right recipes for you cooking skills and family tastes
• Discuss picky eaters
• How to stop being a short order cook
• Tips to get kids to try new foods
• Her family’s favorite meals and the ones in her regular rotation
• What she makes when she doesn’t feel like cooking
• …and much more.

Stacie’s Cookbook:

• Make it Easy: 120 Mix-and-Match Recipes to Cook from Scratch

Some of the things we discussed on the show:

• Recipes Stacie’s Blog
• Baby Feeding Guide (Introducing Solids)

Have you wanted to start a new exercise program but don’t know where to begin? How about staying motivated to actually work out?

In today’s podcast, Kelly and Laura will talk about the importance of putting ourselves (parents) first and some of the ways they stay motivated to make exercise happen.

Let’s face it, we are all busy and usually the gym is the last thing that actually gets done in our to-do list. It’s time to put yourself first and get moving!

New to exercise? No problem. You’ll love Kelly’s tips for finding a workout that is right for you.

 The secret to staying motivated? Well, you’ll have to hear the podcast to find out!

Imagine yourself having coffee (or a glass of wine) with a couple of girlfriends discussing the not-so-fun moments of parenting that make you feel like a sh*tty parent.

In today’s humor-filled podcast Laura talks to two TODAY show producers about the need for more humor in the toughest job on the planet: being a parent.

Our guests, Alicia Ybarbo and Mary Ann Zoellner are Emmy Award–winning producers at NBC’s TODAY show. They are the coauthors of Sh*tty Mom: The Parenting Guide for the Rest of Us and Today’s Moms: Essentials for Surviving Baby’s First Year.

Alicia and Mary Ann have a terrific personality and you’ll instantly feel like they are your girlfriends from way back!

We also define the term “sh*tty mom” and what it means to be one. By the way, Laura is totally happy to be part of Alicia and Mary’s sh*tty mom club.

Their First book: Sh*tty Mom: The Parenting Guide for the Rest of Us was a New York Times best seller and this second book: The Sh*tty Mom for All seasons really brings home how fun (and temporary) being a Sh*tty Mom can be.

Some of the things we discussed on the show:

• Sh*tty Mom: The Parenting Guide for the Rest of US (Book 1)
• Sh*tty Mom for all Seasons (Book 2)
• Today’s Moms: The Essentials for Surviving the Baby’s First Year

Sh*tty Mom’s Blog & Website and Social Channels:

• https://shttymom.com
• https://twitter.com/shttymom
• https://www.instagram.com/shttymom/
• https://www.pinterest.com/shttymom/
• https://www.facebook.com/ShttyMom/

Final Note: Buy their books. They are a terrific fun read and just the type of book you’ll want to pass around to other girlfriends.

In today's episdoe we discuss how to cook healthier meals for the whole family. Plus, Aviva shares how she cooks fresh and real foods to help with disease prevention. 

In today’s Podcast, my friend Aviva Goldfarb is back on the show to talk about her newest cookbook The Six O’Clock Scramble Meal Planner: A Year of Quick, Delicious Meals to Help You Prevent and Manage Diabetes as well as great tips on how to cook fresh meals for the entire family.

I’m excited for today’s podcast because you’ll get to hear how I chat with my friends, about food, life, and cooking real food.

Aviva is a family dinner expert and the founder of The Six O'Clock Scramble. She is a Today Show contributor and frequently appears in media such as The Katie Show, The Washington Post, O Magazine, Real Simple, Working Mother, Prevention and more. 

Aviva is the author of three cookbooks: The Six O'Clock Scramble Cookbook and SOS! The Six O'Clock Scramble to the Rescue: Earth Friendly, Kid-Pleasing Meals for Busy Families, and her newest cookbook: The Six O’Clock Scramble Meal Planner: A Year of Quick, Delicious Meals to Help You Prevent and Manage Diabetes. She is a mother of two and great at all things dinner!

Aviva was a previous guest in our show and shared her insights in our previous podcast:

Time Saving Tips to Make Meal Making Easier. 

 Some of the things we discussed on the show:

• 7 Mistakes Parents are Making in the Kitchen
• Kids Eating Toxic Levels of Sugar
• How to Cook Beans in the Slow Cooker

 Aviva’s Newest Cookbook on Cooking for Diabetes and Disease Prevention:

• The Six O’Clock Scramble Meal Planner: A Year of Quick, Delicious Meals to Help You Prevent and Manage Diabetes

Aviva’s Website: The Six O’Clock Scramble

In today's episode, Amie shares her story of how Clean Eating and Detox saved her life and shares simple tips and swaps to help you live a cleaner lifestyle.

Things discussed in the podcast: 

• Amie's story from chronic to wellness
• What detox really meals
• Easy swaps to detox your pantry
• Clean eating defined
• How to live clean at home...and more!

Amie Valpone, HHC, AADP is the Editor-in-Chief of www.TheHealthyApple.com; she is a Manhattan Celebrity Chef, Culinary Nutritionist, Professional Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, Writer and Motivational Speaker specializing in simple gluten-free, soy-free and dairy-free ‘Clean Eating’ recipes. 

Amie recently healed herself from a decade of chronic pain including Lyme Disease, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Hypothyroidism, Adrenal Fatigue, Leaky Gut, Heavy Metals and many others. She exhausted dozens of doctors around the country including the best specialists at the Mayo Clinic.

Amie lives in NYC where she cooks for a variety of clients including celebrities and people with busy lifestyles who enjoy healthy, organic, whole foods.

Her work appears on Martha Stewart, ABC News, Fox News Health, WebMD, The Huffington Post, The Food Network, Glamour Magazine, Clean Eating Magazine, SELF Magazine, Prevention Magazine, PBS and many others.

Amie's first cookbook, 'Eating Clean: The 21-Day Plan to Detox, Fight Inflammation & Reset Your Body’ will be in stores nationwide March 8, 2016.

Visit Amie at TheHealthyApple.com

In today's episode, Liz shares her personal health journey along with helpful tips and ideas that we can all learn from and implement into our own healthy lifestyles. 

Liz Della Croce is the creator and author of The Lemon Bowl, a healthy food blog. Since 2010, Liz has been creating delicious recipes using real ingredients with an emphasis on seasonality.

Liz has appeared live on the TODAY Show and tapes regular cooking segments for her local NBC and ABC affiliate stations.  Liz’s recipes and food photography have been featured in various publications including Shape Magazine, Food Network blog, Real Simple, The Cooking Channel, TODAY Food and more.   

Through healthy eating and regular exercise, Liz has successfully achieved a personal weight loss milestone and has a passion for helping others reach similar goals. In 2013, Liz launched Healthy Habits, a feature on The Lemon Bowl where her loyal readers and growing audience can find practical advice, resources and information on creating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Liz graduated from Boston University with a degree in Hospitality Administration and a minor in Marketing Management.  

She and her husband reside in Grand Rapids, MI along with their two young boys.

Connect with Liz directly on Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook.

Liz’s Suggested Recipes: 

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

Slow Cooker Lebanese Green Beans and Beef

Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry

Middle Eastern Salad with Lemon and Mint

Chocolate Orange Protein Smoothie

In today's episode, we discuss practical ways to get kids to actually eat their vegetables. Dr. Orlena has done lots of research to find the best ways to help kids be open to trying more veggies and she's sharing lots of practical ideas with us that she's learned through the years as a mom and a doctor.

Dr. Orleana Kerek is a pediatric doctor from the UK. She has four kids ages 7, 5, and two 3 year old twins.

When she was working as a doctor in the UK (before I had kids of her own) she would see so many kids who ate a poor diet. Most of them had constipation.

She used to do the “chip test and ask what their favorite vegetable was and if they answered “chips”; she was pretty sure that they didn’t eat enough vegetables. She used to think “I won’t have a child like that, mine will eat everything and be really healthy.” But as you can all imagine, parenthood changes everything.

Once she had kids she realized that it wasn’t so easy. She’d make healthy meals and lots of vegetables and she would see uneaten plates. 

This led to her research on how to actually get kids to eat vegetables and has written a book on this very subject. I love the title, it’s called “Crunch: put a stop to picky eating and help your kids love veggies!”

She also offers a lot of resources on her personal website, snotty noses.com.

Connect with Dr. Orlena Kerek on her website.

Check out her book: Crunch: Put a Stop to Picky Eating and Help your Kids Love Vegetables