Review of The Gorgeous Buddy Box from The Blurt Foundation

I have bored everyone for quite a while with the devastion caused by the death of my best friend, but, as I mentioned in my previous post, a few good things came out of it too, not least the kindness of others. Many of my friends came through with all kinds of offers of help and support and it amazed me how thoughtful and understanding everyone was when I needed them most. Although, it shouldn't have done, because friends are amazing. One particular act of kindness made me smile so much, though, I've decided to give it a post of its own. Introducing the Buddy Box, from the mental health charity The Blurt Foundation. It's a hug in a box! 

Smoking - How I Nailed Giving Up with No Substitutes

I am proud to say that my husband has finally managed to give up smoking and the amazing part is, there was virtually no trauma involved! I've always known him as a smoker and I've always accepted it as part of life. As a non-smoker, I've never felt able to judge something I haven't experienced, so I never questioned it. I remember when he first admitted he was a smoker, on our first date. He was clearly embarrassed about it, but it never really bothered me. There have been massive advantages to him giving up smoking though, not least to our bank balance and you won't believe how he did it. This guest post, in his own words, explains it all.

20 Ways to Encourage Children to be More Active

We all know how important it is to encourage our children to be active, and the summer sunshine makes it all the more obvious, but not all children appreciate it. This might be open to a bit of a 'nature versus nurture' debate, but, in my opinion, all children are different and this aspect is no exception. There are some children who would prefer to be indoors, probably, shock, horror, on their playstations. So, I've made a list of 20 ways to encourage your child to get outside and be more active. I've tried to include different age groups in this, as it does get harder as they get older, but some ideas will overlap anyway. 

How to Support Someone Who is Unhappy with Their Weight

I suspect this post may meet with some controversy due to the subject matter. There are some people (thin people) who believe that losing weight is as simple as eating less and that anyone who is overweight is simply greedy. However, as a former thin person, I can confirm this isn't always the case. I put on weight due to a combination of health issues, some that cause me to hang on to weight, and the worst one, which is a pain illness making most forms of exercise impossible. I never thought I'd say I miss jogging! The point of this post is that a lot of people are unhappy with their weight and it can take many attempts to be successful in losing it, but here's how to help by not making the situation any worse. 

50 Thoughts Insomniacs Have Almost Every Night

Tick, tick, tick goes the clock, every second mocking you and your inability to drop off. You have tried everything; hot drinks, reading, blackout blinds, but nothing works. However tired you feel during the day, you know that the second your head hits the pillow, your eyes will flatly refuse to close and your brain will churn over all sorts of stuff, preventing you from accessing the much needed shut-eye you crave. If this is you, you may recognise some of the below. A comprehensive list of the common thoughts insomniacs dwell on pretty much every night. If I've missed any out, feel free to add your own in the comments. No one knows why this stuff suddenly matters, perhaps that's a mystery to ponder in the early hours too! 

Alternative Chocolate-Free Easter Gift Ideas

It's not uncommon these days to find people who are lactose, or dairy, intolerant, but there are also other reasons not to buy chocolate eggs for Easter. Maybe there are other health issues that might make chocolate a bad idea, or perhaps you would prefer to avoid it, simply to promote a better diet, or just because chocolate eggs can be a bit samey and unimaginative. Whatever the reason, there are lots of other options, which will last a lot longer and are more interesting too. I originally planned this gift guide for children, but there are a few ideas that would be suitable for adults too. This post is totally unsponsored, but does contain some affilate links to products I liked on Amazon.

It's National Bed Month! #ReclaimYourMattress and Your Health!

We are a family of allergy sufferers. We snuffle our way through summer, and then, when the heating comes on, some of us even sneeze our way through winter! This winter has been particularly snuffly, and we have suspected many different culprits for the itchy eyes and endless sneezing. Dust, heating, winter bugs, but it was only recently I turned my attention to the beds. I invested in anti-allergy pillows, but they didn't seem to make much difference. I have, however, just found out a wealth of facinating, and, in some cases, a little bit gross, facts about mattresses. In case you were also unaware, your mattress is not the innocent bed-bystander that it would seem.

6 Easy Toning Exercises that don't Require Effort!

Many of us know we should probably exercise more. To be healthy and, in some cases, to tidy up our jiggly bits. I'm not saying you shouldn't embrace your jiggly bits, you should, unless you'd rather not, in which case, exercise is the answer! However it can be a little repetitive and, therefore, very, very dull, particularly toning, which helps to target those problem areas that other exercise won't. With busy lives, it's not always easy to find the time to have a proper exercise regime, so I've come up with some ideas to inject a little toning into your life. They won't turn you into a supermodel, but they might help a bit. As with all exercise, don't overdo it, and consult a professional if you are not sure, as I am definitely not one of those.

Living With a Back Condition

I'm contributing my own post to our Hidden Illness series today. Something I've been wondering about doing for a while. A lot of the subjects I blog about begin with the same thought; 'Do other people feel this way?' I started this blog because I wanted to offer support to other parents by not being perfect. Because, to be a parent, you don't have to be perfect, you just have to try. You won't always get it right, but you do your best, and your children exist safe in the knowledge that you love them enough to always give them your all, even if sometimes it's a bit wonky or soggy in the middle...

Remedies for the Common Cold

I have a cold. And like anyone else cursed with the evil ailment, I can think about nothing else. So I might as well blog about it, because I have reached that stage of desperation, where I will try pretty much ANYTHING to be able to taste things again. To be able to speak like a normal person, who doesn't sound like they have their head jammed in a pumpkin. Most importantly, though, what I would really like, right now, more than anything else in the world, just for a little while at least, is to not look like Gollum. There is really nothing I don't want to complain about right now, and I am not alone. So, whether you have a cold yourself, or are tolerating a snuffling, moaning whingebag of your own, this post may just help you out!