As we settle into our new way of life, it can be easy to 'spiral down the negative plug hole". 

It's important to keep our spirits.

Many of us are now at home with our kids all day. Suddenly I find myself responsible for my children's education. And I have no clue how to homeschool!

In this episode Dr Orlena chats to Karyn Tripp, an experienced homeschooler. Karyn shares her experience to help us enjoy this time and make sure our kids continue to learn.

 Homeschooling Resources from Karyn

Check out the website: Teach Beside Me

Karyn's podcast is ""Called to Homeschool".

Dr Orlena Author Bio

Dr Orlena is a health coach. She helps busy mums go from "I can't lose weight" to feeling fit and fabulous. Find out more about her here.

I have to confess, I don't normally do podcasts about crafting. But these are extraordinary times. So many of us have our kids at home 24/7. My kids are definitely getting more screen time than normal but I also want them to do different things. Such as crafting and nurturing their creative sides.

Maggy from Red Ted Art Makes Crafts for Kids Easy

I'm thrilled to welcome Maggy from Red Ted Art to talk to us about how to help our kids enjoy crafts and for it to be easy on us parents!

Top Advice for Encouraging Kids to Start Crafting

1. Lower your expectations. It's not going to be "pinterest perfect". Changes are it will be messy. Sadly it's not going to give you a side line in "homemade kid's crafts" on etsy. But remember it's about having fun and being creative. 
2. A small project is fine. Maggy's "paper helicopters" only take 10 minutes.
3. Get back into the routine when you stop.
4. Try different things such as knitting and sowing.
5. Get started yourself. Kids can join in later.

Red...

We've been in lock down since last Friday. Today I want to share some tips and thoughts to help you if you're facing lock down with kids. It's not as bad as it sounds, I promise you!

Lock Down Happened Quickly

Last week was a strange week here in Spain. On Wednesday we were told all interschool activities would be cancelled. On Thursday they announce that schools here in Catalunya would be closed the following day.

Friday was our first day of no school but we were allowed out to do other things. I went to my Tai Chi class.

On Saturday the central Spanish government announced a state of emergency. We're no longer allowed out of our houses except to walk dogs, buy foods and for emergencies.

(On a side note, I don't understand why people have the idea that dogs need walking more than humans!)

A Period of Adjusting to Lock Down

It's a big difference in our lives. We're not used to having 4 kids stuck at home. And the kids aren't used to having to do homework and live in a confined...

It's a jungle out there if you want to start reading about healthy eating and living. Today I'm sharing my favourite healthy eating and living resources.

I've included affiliate links to help you find the resources. Links go to amazon.com. 

Top Nutrition Resources

1. Dr Michael Mosley.

Dr Mosley has written loads of books including "the Fast Diet", The 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet", "The Clever Guts Diet".

I love that he writes in an interesting way. He presents both sides of a controversial area.

A great place to start reading about nutrition.

I also love his "Clever Guts Recipe book".

2. The Diet Myth by Prof Tim Spector.

Another interesting and well-written book. Dis-spells a lot of those "myths" and controversy about nutrition. 

3. The Obesity Code by Dr Jason Fung

Explains how carbohydrates and insulin are big contributors to weight gain. A great read if you're interested in knowing more than the basics.

4. Eat Fat Get Thin by Dr Mark Hyman

An in depth look at fat...

Dr Sally Norton a consultant surgeon and weight loss expert. She explains why women put on weight during the menopause and how to lose weight in a sustainable way.

Many Things Contribute to Weight Gain After Menopause

It’s quite a controversial issue. There’s no good medical evidence that shows that menopause causes weight gain. There are some studies that say women don’t put on weight during the menopause.

But the reality is that many people do put on fat and weight at about the same time as they go through the menopause.

Lower Oestrogen Levels At Menopause Increase Fat Mass

The drop in oestrogen at the time of menopause causes an increase of fat mass. At the same time, bone and muscle mass can decrease. So it’s easy to see why medically we don’t “gain weight”. We gain fat, and lose bone and muscle mass which can result in being the same weight.

The change in fat distribution is a problem. We don’t want more weight around...

Hands up who has cravings? Those all encompassing thoughts that consume you until you go out of your way to please them.

Cravings can be smaller, such as not starting work until you’ve had a coffee.

Or larger. When you drive half way across town to find a specific food.

Either way, cravings are addictions. Our brains are addicted to the dopamine rush we get when we satisfy the craving.

For me, caffeine is my weakness. My brain is addicted to the rush of caffeine I get when I drink my daily coffee.

Cravings are Like Habits Gone Wrong

Our brains love efficiency and create habits so we don’t have to think. We do things on autopilot. This autopilot is another way of describing habits. Habits are things we do without having to think about it. Such as brushing our teeth, driving to work, drinking coffee.

How Do Habits Work?

Habits are driven by a neurotransmitter called dopamine. That’s the “reward” we get. Dopamine makes us feel good. Dopamine is great...