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Health and Wellness for My Entire Family – How I Don’t Get Left Behind

This post was created in partnership with GSK.

When I became a mom of four, life always felt like I was going a million miles a minute. I tried to carve out time for myself here and there, but I sometimes thought that the days of feeling really healthy and fit might be behind me.

Today I am healthier now than I have ever been in my life. It’s pretty wild to think that after having four kids and at age 37 I have really found balance when it comes to leading a healthy lifestyle, getting daily exercise and really nailing the healthy eating habits thing.

I must say, I am pretty proud of myself.

I have always had a fairly healthy lifestyle, but after struggling for years with digestive issues, it became really obvious that I needed to make it a constant focus daily. Adapting intuitive eating habits partnered with focusing on nutrition-packed food for fuel… it was like everything fell into place.

When it comes to exercise, that too has fallen into place … finally!

I was never a joiner and definitely had zero interest in any team sports. I would exercise here and there, but it never really became something that I’d look forward to or set goals towards.

Last fall I tried CrossFit, (something I thought I’d never do because it looked too intense), but it has not only been the perfect fit for me in terms of pure joy when working out, but I have also joined a fitness community and conquered my social anxiety surrounding fitness.

To have these two extremely important wellness pieces fall into place while parenting four kids, running my own business and balancing it all during a time in the world that is already chaotic is a feat in itself is kind of amazing.

What is my secret? Drop the perfection and put my own and my kids’ health and mental health before everything else, as well as having organization in place so that there is space for wellness and selfcare.

Keeping my kids’ wellness front of mind and organized has been a system I have developed over the years and seems to really work. We have “expectation guidelines” pasted to our fridge. This includes everything from manners and daily personal hygiene to how we treat each other as a family. I have also split yearly wellness check-ups into seasons. Late winter is eye check-ups, late spring is yearly physicals and the fall is the dentist followed by vaccinations for flu and a check of when other vaccinations may be needed for myself or the kids in the coming year.

Which brings it back to me. While taking care of everyone else, us adults can tend to fall through the cracks. This includes our own wellness check-ups and adult vaccinations, because they are not just for our kids, so talk to your doctor about what might be recommended. For more information on what vaccinations may be right for you at what age and for a customizable vaccination tracker, visit vaccinateforlife.ca.

Because here’s the thing… in a world where we’ve felt like things have been shaken up a lot, life’s real priorities have floated to the surface. Forget the material things or the superficial life before 2020, what really matters most is our mental health, our physical health and the deep connection we have with the people in our life.

Take good care of yourself.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by GSK. While compensation was provided, all opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not necessarily indicative of the opinions of GSK. This post will not be monitored by GSK. If you need to report an adverse event for any GSK product, please call 1-800-387-7374.

How My Skin Care Has Evolved After Becoming A Mother

Before having kids, I never truly appreciated the most sacred room in our home… the bathroom. Once you become a mother, you become very aware of this room. After spending your day caring for everyone else, it is a luxury to go and have a hot bath, or shower.

When I first became a mom, I would strap my newborn into his bouncy chair while quickly and wildly washing in the shower. All the while, I’d constantly peek my head out to make sure he was okay (which he always was).

Those were the days when I would feel this pang of guilt each time I took a bit of time for myself. Fast forward six years and four kids later, the guilt is long gone. Now it’s just a matter of finding the time, and I make sure I carve it out for myself daily.

Something else that has also evolved over the years is my skin care routine. Before kids, I would shower daily and put myself first. But once I became a mother, I let my self-care routine slide.

As the years went by, and I got a little older, I knew that I needed to give my skin the attention it needed. This also included ditching products that were not right for my skin, or my family’s.

From facials, to exfoliating scrubs, I have tried it all. But in the end, I have found that a great routine, great products, and some good rest are all that my skin needs.

One product that I love for my skin is simply Dial® ADVANCED Bar Soap. Not only is the smell incredible, but it also contains vitamin E and aloe to leave my skin feeling healthy and soft. It lathers like a dream, too, thanks to its new “Lather Pocket” design.

Another reason I have switched to this soap is the shape and size. I always felt like was replacing my soaps so often before, but Dial® ADVANCED Bar Soap is 25% larger than other Dial® soap bars and it has a great ergonomic shape.

Dial® has also a great line of body washes, which I also love! These body washes include Dial® Silk and Magnolia with Silk Protein, which literally feels like silk as you wash, Dial® Soothing Care with Collagen, which is so soft on my skin, and my personal favorite: Dial® Miracle Oil™ Coconut Oil body wash; the smell reminds me of being on a beach vacation.

I’m not the only one using the Dial® ADVANCED Bar Soap; my husband and four kids love it too.

A fresh new take on bar soap!

With new lather pockets, Dial® ADVANCED Bar Soap provides a moisture-rich lather. This advanced formula is non-drying and contains Aloe and Vitamin E, that leaves your skin feeling healthy and soft. Learn more here!

Disclosure: This post was brought to you by Henkel Consumer Goods Canada via Mode Media Canada. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions or Henkel Consumer Goods Canada.

Six family members, six skin types: how I care for each member

Caring for six different people’s skin can sometimes feel like a full-time job. Although each of us are members of one family, we have very unique skin types with entirely different needs.

Being a mom to four young kids has taken its toll on my body, especially my skin. Not only do I try to pamper my body’s skin after all of the stretching it has gone through during my pregnancies, but I find that my hands can get very dry, especially during the winter.

I spend a lot of my day washing dishes, bathing kids and washing my hands, especially during cold and flu season. Pair that with the dry winter air, and it creates a perfect storm for dry hands. As a consequence my hands can get rough, sore and chapped.

I’m not the only member of our family that can get dry, chapped skin at this time of year. My 6-year-old son, Holden, has very sensitive skin. His lips and face get very dry and chapped from both from the cold air while he’s playing outside, and from his attempts to moisturize his lips by licking them.

Mia, one of my 18-month-old twins has had extremely dry, sensitive skin from the moment she was born. In fact, if I don’t moisturize her skin daily, it can become so dry, it feels rough to touch.

Mia’s twin, Everly, and their 5-year-old sister, Beau, each have olive skin that doesn’t get as dry as their siblings’. They take after their Dad, who also has this type of skin.

So how do I care for all of these unique skin types? I recently switched our family over to Vaseline’s skin care line, which includes a variety of lotions, created for a variety of skin types and needs.

Here is the best part, not only do Vaseline® skin care products give you instant relief and softer skin, but each lotion contains micro-droplets of their Vaseline® Jelly that heal from within.

So, which products do I use, and what family members do I use them on?

For my hands, I love Vaseline’s new Intensive Care Repairing Serum. Not only does it repair my severely dry skin, it also smells incredible. I have started to protect my hands more by wearing gloves while I wash dishes, and I keep this non-greasy moisturizer on my desk so I can moisturize my hands throughout the day, while working. In just a couple of days, I’ve experienced some much-needed relief from my sore, dry, cracked hands.

For my body, I am obsessed with Vaseline’s Intensive Care Cocoa Radiant Lotion. This non-greasy lotion not only brings out your skin’s natural glow, but the cocoa smell makes me feel like I am on vacation.

For Holden’s chapped face, we use our family’s number one, go-to product for years: Vaseline’s Original Petroleum Jelly. He typically applies the jelly before bed each night, and by the morning, the redness on his face has cleared up.

For Mia’s dry skin (as well as the rest of our family), I give her daily massages using Vaseline’s Intensive Care Advanced Repair lotion. This unscented and non-greasy lotion is rich and heals very dry skin.

When I massage Mia, she suddenly goes very still, which is rare for a toddler her age. Mia’s body relaxes and her breathing slows each time I apply this lotion on her skin, while giving her legs a feet a little rub. I always apply Mia’s moisturizer after her bath in the evening, and then I dress her in cozy pajamas for the night. Her skin has never been so soft!

Vaseline not only creates tried and true products that our whole family loves, but has also started to give back in an effort called The Healing Project. Here’s how it works:

1 Vaseline purchase = 1 Donation Towards Healing – the purchase of any Vaseline® product will support the partnership with Direct Relief to deliver dermatological care, medical supplies, and Vaseline® Jelly to those living in crisis and disaster.

Disclaimer: Vaseline® donates a portion of the proceeds towards The Healing Project up to a maximum of $100,000.

Taking care of our family’s different skin types doesn’t have to be a full time job. Now that we know which product works best for each member, I can’t see any of us suffering from dry skin any time soon. That’s the healing power of Vaseline.

Vaseline® believes that with deep-healing moisture you can transform dry skin into healthy-looking skin. We know this because we are one of the original skin experts, helping to safely heal dry skin for over 140 years in North America. Today, micro-droplets of our Vaseline® Jelly can be found in all Vaseline® products. Vaseline® doesn’t just make skin feel soft and smooth instantly, but absorbs deeply into dry skin and moisturizes to heal it from within. For more information about our product offering and The Healing Project, visit www.vaseline.ca.

Disclosure: This post was brought to you by Vaseline via Mode Media Canada. While product samples and compensation were provided, all opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not necessarily indicative of the opinions of positions of Vaseline.