LA Moms' Top OB Recommendations

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In a place as huge as LA, choosing an OB can be overwhelming. I talked to power moms in all parts of LA to find out the local top docs. I'm over on CBS Los Angeles with the list: LA Moms' Top OB Recommendations

Vacation For an Hour at Pure Blu Spa

I'm on CBS Los Angeles with Vacation For an Hour at Pure Blu Spa in Newport Beach.

Invisalign Straight Talk

I had heard of Invisalign. Having worn braces in 7th grade and still having the results "hold" plus, having kids who are too young for braces didn't cause me to pay much attention to Invisalign. Actually, I was fairly skeptical and figured they were some sort of fad that would soon be proven "not to work." I blissfully led my parallel life to Invisalign. I was invited to an event in 2009 but was unable to attend. Finally, I was able to attend an event last month in Laguna Beach and was told to invite my friends. Yay! So, I rounded up 4 of my good buddies and we went for girls night. Some great food and drinks and an amazing presentation later...I am a believer.

Invisalign is totally legitimate. It works for teens (some pre-teens are even able to use the aligners) and adults. Even people in retirement have benefited from Invisalign. I learned that the treatment typically takes a year. That you are given your treatment plan at the beginning and switch out your "aligners" (invisible trays that are molded to your teeth) every two weeks or so. You take the trays out to eat and brush your teeth. For those moms who remembers themselves or others fishing out retainers from the trash can at school...Invisalign Teen comes with 6 free replacements! If you think you would like to learn more about Invisalign, visit Invisalign and you can also search for a local provider. If you would like to see some of the photos from the Straight Talk event, visit my Facebook page:  Facebook.com/ElizabethTraded and click on the photos. For moms who want to get more info on teeth straightening from other moms, I'd like to recommend momsonbraces.org

Here is an overview on the product: Invisalign takes a modern approach to straightening teeth,using a custom-made series of aligners created for you and only you. These aligners are made of smooth, comfortable and virtually invisible plastic that you simply wear over your teeth. Wearing the aligners will gradually and gently shift your teeth into place, based on the exact movements your dentist or orthodontist plans out for you. There are no metal brackets to attach and no wires to tighten. You simply pop in a new set of aligners approximately every two weeks, until your treatment is complete and you achieve the confident smile that you’ve always wanted. The best part about the whole process is that most people won’t even know you’re straightening your teeth.

Disclosure: I attended at Straight Talk event hosted by Invisalign and received a gift bag and prizes. The thoughts and opinions expressed about the product in this post are my own. Invisalign Disclosure Statement

Random Review-Tween Bling

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I was at the pre-Oscar gifting suite, well, back just before the Oscars. There was a lot of stuff to look at, lots of people to meet and samples kindly offered to me. One sample that I’ve been meaning to review, just because it catches my fancy, is Tween Bling. I’m not a tween, nor do I have a tween. But let’s put that aside. The company, Smart Mom Jewelry, started out with baby teething products. Particularly pendants made of food-safe, phthalate-free, federally-approved silicone. So mom can wear a cute pendant and baby can grab it and teeth on it. Brilliant! One of my key rules for reviews: Must do more than one thing. I don’t have any teething people in the house at the moment, nor tweens, but there are really no rules. I like camo so I selected the camo heart Tween Bling. It’s soft, flexible, you can fiddle around with it, twirl it, whatever a tween (or adult blogger) MIGHT do with Tween Bling. Even stick it in your mouth…Not that I’m there on that, but if I were a tween girl…Maybe. The major feature of all the Smart Mom Jewelry is the safety of the “breakaway clasp”. If the necklace gets yanked, it pops open and off. Tween Bling is dishwasher safe and federally approved. It’s fun for tweens and yes, I do believe this mom can get away with wearing it too.

National CPR Week June 1-7

Heart attacks. I know too many people who have died from a heart attack. My father the physician would say “myocardial infarction” and sometimes I say that too, because I am smart and might want to make sure you know I’m smart. I’m from Boston and NO, I don’t have the accent, but if you say “myocardial infarction” with a Boston accent—it adds to the awfulness in a twisted humor way. I also know too many people who know too many people who have died from a HEART ATTACK. Heart Disease is still the #1 killer in the US.

We are at the tail end of National CPR Week. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t learn Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation AKA CPR. It could save a life. My mother the nurse was skiing in Vermont last year and saw a skier down and as she was going past she sensed something was wrong. She stopped below and yelled to another skier above to check on the downed skier. He needed CPR, the guy started on him, my mother fought her way up the hill, calling the ski patrol and joined in the chest compressions. Sadly, my mother later found out the man died, but both my mother and that other random skier KNEW CPR. Do you?

Did you know that nearly 300,000 out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests occur annually, and four out of five cardiac arrests happen at home? That means the life you save with CPR is most likely to be someone you know and really care about. GoRedForWomen.org which is part of The American Heart Association is asking women (and men) everywhere to watch the Official Hands-Only CPR instructional video to learn how to save a life. I have also inserted the video here:

In closing I would like to encourage everyone, men and women, to familiarize yourself with the signs of a heart attack. The symptoms for women can vary from those of men. It is therefore extremely important to know what you can do to keep yourself healthy, reduce your risk and of course recognize if you are having a cardiac episode. As you look through the site you will realize that you are never too young to have a heart attack. Go learn your hands only CPR! Much love and much health to all my readers, I heart you!!!