Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Making our own beauty products: MNO


What a fun Moms Night Out! Thanks to Natalie for organizing and to Amy Fromm of Interlaken Soak Company for teaching us about ingredients to watch out for in our beauty and cleansing products and about healthy alternatives. We had a lively, interactive discussion and went home with custom-made body oil and a cute sampler of Amy's "Muskoka Bliss" Soothing Balm.

Thanks to everyone for coming out and to St. Elmo's Coffee Pub for hosting!

Members: look forward to our MNO on Reiki on February 8 at Food Matters!

Monday, January 24, 2011

"Special Diets" talk sheds light on diets and community




If anyone attending our January meeting had ever felt alone in his or her quest to eat well on a restricted diet, that isolation was put to rest last Thursday night. In a room packed full of folks working hard to figure out the healthiest diets for them and for their children, Cheryl Harris of Harris Whole Health described her own health journey and outlined several reasons to avoid certain foods.

Cheryl discussed about the Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) diet and the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) in addition to a more general talk about why people have problems with gluten, dairy and other foods and how to get tested. In this interactive talk, Cheryl combined research, personal experience and clinical wisdom.

Thank you to Cheryl for taking the time to share this information with us, for bringing so many wonderful books, and for donating a free gluten-free living class!

We also wish to thank the following businesses for their donations of door prizes:

Melissa Diane Smith, author of Going Against the Grain for a copy of her new book, Gluten Free Throughout the Year

Nancy Tringali Piho, author of My Two-Year-Old Eats Octopus, for a copy of her book

Mary Rand Hess, author of The Day I Met the Nuts for a copy of this children’s book (about discovering and living with food allergies)

Choices by Shawn restaurant for a $25 gift certificate (including many gluten-free choices)

Monica Corrado of Simply Being Well for a bean and grain chart and two essential oil misters.

Jessica Haney, founder and co-leader of the chapter, for a copy of Healthier Without Wheat by Dr. Stephen Wangen

And a special thanks also to all the people who brought yummy snacks to this meeting:
Marybeth, Sylvia (those delicious GF brownies!), Leigha, and Christy (homemade red sauerkraut!)

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Arlington/Alexandria Chapter turns two!


Happy Birthday to our chapter! We are two years old!

The Arlington/Alexandria Chapter of Holistic Moms Network was launched January 22, 2009. Thank you to all the attendees of our January 2011 meeting for commemorating this anniversary. Pictured here is founder and co-leader Jessica Haney holding her lovely gift of tulips with co-leader Leigha S.(holding the delicious gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, sugar-free cake she made!) and new co-leader (in process) Mary H.

Thank you all for your service, thanks to the many volunteers who have kept the chapter going, and thanks to Michelle D., who just completed her year as co-leader.

Friday, January 7, 2011

January meeting 1/20: Special Diets

  • Why do people go gluten-free or dairy-free?
  • What is the latest research on food allergies and sensitivities?
  • How do you know you or your children might have food sensitivities?
  • What is celiac disease vs. gluten intolerance? Casein intolerance vs. lactose intolerance?
  • How can conditions like ADD/ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, and sensory processing disorders be influenced by the food we eat?

On January 20, Cheryl Harris of Harris Whole Health will address these questions and in an interactive talk. Come learn about the whys behind special diets of all kinds and some of the hows, including the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) and the Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) diet.


Holistic Moms Network Arlington/Alexandria Meeting

Special Diets: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free and more

Thursday, January 20

7-9 p.m.

716 S. Glebe Rd., Arlington, VA 22204 in AUMC church*

Meetings are open to members and first-time visitors to our chapter. Children are always welcome to attend

*HMN is not affiliated with any church, but our host church does accept donations of items for its food pantry.