Babymoon in Italy and Spain!!

Makoto and I were in Italy and Spain for the last little while on our BABYMOON! :)  We figure this is the easiest way to travel with a child :P 

Once we found out we were pregnant, one of the first things on our to do list was to plan our babymoon.  Historically, the term "babymoon" referred to the time where you enjoy your newborn baby but it is now often used to describe the vacation many new parents take BEFORE the baby is born to enjoy some time together and rest before the many sleepless nights ahead of them!

We have both always wanted to go to Spain so Barcelona was an easy choice.  It's hard to go to Europe and not visit at least one other beautiful country so we decided on Italy (really...so I can gorge on nutella (my #1 pregnancy craving) and so Makoto can stuff his face with fresh gnocchi).  We finally decided on Venice, Florence and Barcelona.


A major highlight of our trip was being joined by our good friends Mendel and Haruka in Venice for an international double date :).  They also just became engaged so we had lots to celebrate!!  What a gorgeous and romantic city!  

Makoto and I are both big fans of renaissance art, fresco painting, obsessed with the history of the Medici family and big Brunelleschi and Michaelangelo fans so Florence was an awesome leg of our trip.  We tried to take in as much art and architecture as possible,

We climbed to the top of the Duomo for the amazing views of Florence (Brunelleschi and his team used over 4 million bricks just to finished the top of the dome.....how he designed and engineered this in the 15th century is pure genius) and lit a candle for our baby.....

We hung out at the Bobali Gardens...one of our fave places in Florence....

Spain was a first for both of us and we just took in as much Gaudi as we possibly could! 

And were able to take a quick day trip to Sitges...highly, HIGHLY recommended!

One day we will go back to Spain and I'll be able to taste every single one of these Spanish wines and cavas but for now, iced herbal teas are my champagne:

We had such a lovely, relaxing and romantic time away :)  We feel refreshed and are now nesting and getting ready for our baby! 

Before you go away for your babymoon, make sure that:
1.  You and your baby are in good health
2.  It's ideal to travel in your 2nd trimester
3.  Make sure there are no breakouts of viruses, such as Rubella, that can harm your baby in the place you want to travel.
4.  Check the location of local hospitals in the area that you will be staying at so you feel secure about having an emergency place to go to juuuuuuuuuuuuust in case.
5.  Take it easy and enjoy yourself!!!

HAPPY BABYMOONING!!

:)
Aileen Lim-Trotter

A Wonderful Blessing!!!

Makoto and I have some amazing news.....we're having a baby!!!!!  YAAAAAAaaaAaAAYYY!!!

We went for our ultrasound today which revealed that our baby is healthy....the best news ever :)  This is a picture of our ultrasound....our baby is sucking it's thumb....or trying to karate chop my womb :)

I've been lucky to have a great pregnancy so far (knock on wood) and we are over the moon with joy!! 

Lot's of pregnancy blogging to come!!  Hope everyone is enjoying this amazing weather!!

Top 5 Reasons to Embark on a Cleanse/Detox

Spring Clean Your Body!
Top 5 Reasons to Embark on a Cleanse/Detox

Spring is a great time to reset your body by introducing healthy habits. As animals, we have a tendency to gravitate toward lighter foods in the warmer months, and a cleanse during this transitional time of year works with our natural inclinations.

But... why should you detox? What benefits are there to doing a cleanse? Isn't this just a passing fad? Here is a quick list of reasons in support of giving your body an opportunity to cleanse.

Top 5 Reasons to Embark on a Cleanse

1. Support your liver and kidneys - a proper cleanse cooperates with your elimination organs to strengthen their function
   
   
2. Determine food sensitivities - common foods that may be unknown allergens/intolerances can trigger negative reactions; a cleanse works as a "trial" period to see your body functioning at its baseline, with a post-detox "reintro" phase to determine dietary sensitivities
   
   
3. Decrease exposure to toxins - on a cleanse, it is important to be cognisant of the types of foods you are introducing to your body, minimizing toxin intake (organic foods, whole chemical-free foods)
   
   
4. Improve cravings - a structured cleanse gives you an opportunity to commit to stepping back from unhealthy eating habits, and reset your psychological attachments to foods
   
   
5. Feel better! - by feeding your body cleaner fuel, your body will optimize it's function

If you need assistance embarking on a safe cleanse that works to target your specific health concerns, please visit our website www.zen-tai.com for more information.

Happy Spring!!

A Tip to Help You Sleep Better



Sometimes I watch Rambo while he's sleeping and envy how simple it is for him to fall asleep and have a nice deep slumber...anywhere and anytime. He has never once had a bad night's rest in the past 4 years since we brought him home at 7 weeks old (Rambo just turned 4 on the 15th!). I credit this to good controlled nutrition, regular exercise and, let's face it, the dog has a great life with little to worry about! I'm sure we would all sleep wonderfully if we had the same routine as him!

Another thing I realized is that he is never on the computer. It's a bit scary how much time Makoto and I spend on the computer. We are on it all day long at the clinic then often use our computers at home for other projects, reading our fave blogs, watching UFC youtube vids (Makoto) and watching Korean dramas (me! In my defense....it helps me to practice my Korean :):):)).


We also noticed that the days we are on the computer the longest are the days we have bad sleeps. This may be due to the fact that computers emit blue light which tricks our brain into thinking that it's daytime. Consequently, it screws with our melatonin (natural sleep hormone) production so that you don't feel sleepy when you're suppose to. Case in point - have you ever noticed how going on the computer when you have insomnia never really helps you to fall asleep?

Try to stop using your computer several hours before bedtime. Make it a ritual to wind down an hour before you plan to fall asleep with calming activities like reading in bed instead (using a soft light....or even better, a candle since fire emits red light which doesn't affect our melatonin production....and it's romantic), having a warm bath with epsom salts, listening to relaxing music or having pillow talk with your spouse (but no talk about work allowed).


Sweet dreams :)

March Madness and NBA Basketball People: A Lesson On Focus

March Madness has kicked off for another year making basketball fans all over the world very happy. 

I am not a basketball fanatic but I sure do love cheering (gooOOOoOOOOO Raptors!!) and will go to games with Makoto when his favorite teams are in town (he is not a Raptors fan).

Over the holidays, our very generous friends treated us to a game and we were lucky to sit courtside.....Makoto was over the moon :)  I have to be honest.....I usually go to watch sports with Makoto so that I can hang out with the other girlfriends/wives/partners who *happily* accompanied their boyfriend/husband/partner to the game.  I love drinking wine and eating nachos while catching up aaaaand being surrounded by excited sports fans :)  But during this particular game, I suddenly became very aware of my munching and crunching, wine sipping and chatter....I felt that I was interrupting the NBA basketball people (what do you call them?  basketballers?  basketball players?).  It was amazing to see them doing what they love to do so up close and personal....lots of sweat.....and it was neat to finally hear what the heck they say to each other during the game....lots of swear words.  Then it dawned on me that these NBA basketball people are super lean focus machines!  They easily tuned out the chatter, crazy music, anti-fans talking smack....and certainly my munching, crunching, sipping and chatter. 

March has been madness for us.  From worrying about beautiful Japan (I am completely inspired but not surprised by the absolute grace and class at how the Japanese people are handling the devastation of the earthquake and tsunami), the clinic being super busy, getting ready to pay our taxes (ugh), seminars, launching Spring/Summer products for Sprout Botanicals, to hosting baby shower/birthday parties.....and why I chose now to plan the re-pointing of the brick on our house is beyond me.  I am starting to feel scattered and definitely need to take a lesson on focus from the NBA basketball people. 

I've re-prioritized, trimmed down my to-do list, put certain projects on hold and have decided to give my undivided attention to the top three items on my list instead of trying to juggle a dozen projects at once.  I feel less overwhelmed and happier to increase the quality of both my work life and home life :)

Spring is finally here :)  It's a great time to de-clutter your life, re-prioritize your to-do list and focus on what's most important to you.

Thoughts and prayers for Japan

It's been one week since the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan. I must admit it has been difficult to focus thinking of all the tragedy, lives lost and destruction that is happening in Eastern Japan.

Aileen and I would like to thank everyone who called/emailed/inquired to ensure that our family in Japan is safe (they are safe, but scared, as massive aftershocks continue on a regular basis).

Please keep Japan in your prayers and thoughts.

P.S. www.globalmedic.ca is a trustworthy charity if you wish to also provide financial support to help the rescue and recovery operations.

Tips on Aging Gracefully

My dear wife recently turned thirty, finally joining the 30-something club. She had been looking forward to the momentous birthday for sometime, eagerly looking to turn the big three-oh.

I think most of my friends and colleagues who are well into their 30s or 40s thought it was endearing at how excited she was to step into the beginning of her fourth decade; meanwhile, the rest of us are all starting to sweat a little as we approach our next "big" birthday.

There are definitely physical changes that we notice as we get deeper into our thirties. Strange little cues from our body telling us that it is actually mortal, and, at least physically, we are past our peak.

For the first time, you notice you have to put in more effort to get the same outcome. To run or play sports as hard as you did in your teens and twenties, you have to monitor and tweak your diet, hit the gym regularly and keep an eye on your stress levels to maintain your lung capacity and strength. In your earlier years, a Big Mac meal and an exercise routine that only worked your thumbs on Nintendo would do to keep you running around for hours. Keep in mind that most professional athletes retire in their mid- to late- thirties.

And what is up with hair as we age? Sure, hair loss is well-known as well as a random influx of white hairs; but, in a weird type of second coming of puberty, random hair growth pops up in new places...but all the wrong places! Eyebrows, back, nostrils...ears?? Come on, give us a break.

Of course, we also start to notice the development of fine lines and wrinkles on our face, random new aches and pains, and start keeping count of our daily sodium or fibre or protein or whatever it might be to balance out your genetic predispositions.

Going to the doctor may mean a prescription for your ailments or the start of regularly scheduled and highly undesirable testing method (mammograms, prostate exams, colonoscopies).

The one thing I have noticed from patients in my practice, who teach me something new and inspire me on a daily basis, is how to age gracefully. I can almost guarantee that any patient whose date of birth surprises me incorporates exercise very regularly. The majority of the time this is accompanied by a relatively healthy diet. I use these extraordinary people as models for prevention for others and now, for myself.

Rules to live by as all of us human beings age together in unison...at the same speed, but at different paces:

1. Know your genetic susceptibilities, and take extra precautions to thwart them.
2. EXERCISE!! This means at age-relative high intensities and activities that are enjoyable to you, at least 3x/week, with other moderate daily exercise in-between.
3. A diet chock-full of naturally occurring anti-aging whole foods and deplete of pro-inflammatory (re: processed) foods.
4. Maintain a balanced life, and keep an eye on your stress levels (big-time age-accelerators).
5. Got a nagging problem...GET IT CHECKED OUT! (yes, guys, I'm talking to you)
6. Be cautious about settling for prescription medication that may be avoidable by lifestyle/diet modifications (see #2-#4). Once you get on the medication bandwagon, it's difficult to get out. Make sure to talk to your family doc or a licensed naturopath to make a fully informed decision that works for you.
7. Always keep an eye on your piss and poops...they are great indicators of what is going on inside your body.
8. Don't forget the basics: Get a good sleep and drink water regularly.
9. Roll with the punches of Father Time; acceptance of aging and finding humour in it definitely helps ease the inevitable.

Oh, and always keep in mind that although aging may be noticeable in physical decline, boy is it made up for in expanding knowledge and experience.

The ear hairs sure don't make me look forward to getting older, but wisdom certainly is appealing.