Episode 196: How to Get Your Kids to Bed, Effortlessly, Using Process Improvement; Sleep Better and Reduce Stress Using Bullet Journaling and Digital Minimalism

We’re finally re-releasing one of our favourite past episodes! In this pre-pandemic-shutdown episode, Dr. Lisa talks with process improvement consultant (and mom of almost 3) Nicole North of Whiteboard Consulting about how process improvement makes your life easier and reduces mom stress – from getting your kids to bed at night and out of the house in the morning to keep track of all of the important and mundane things that are stuck in your head.

In this episode, we cover:

  • How Nicole made going to bed fun for her step-daughter
  • The importance of off-loading mom burden and increase your kid’s responsibility
  • How creating checklists makes routines like getting out of the house with your kids in the morning way less of a nightmare
  • The wonders of bullet journaling for creating the world’s best to-do list to keep track of your grocery list, your daily health habits, appointments, personal goals, meeting notes, and everything else in your life
  • How bullet journaling reduces your mental workload and stress level as a busy mama
  • The difference between using a computer or phone versus using a paper journal
  • How to maximize your kid’s naptime and not waste your time on email
  • The benefits of practicing digital minimalism on your stress level and sleep quality

Today’s Mama Must Haves:

Dr. Lisa loves her Costco membership for stocking up on toilet paper, organic produce and healthy food staples like chia and hemp seed.

Nicole loves to reduce the messiness of kids’ activities with Melissa and Doug Water Wow! Mess-Free Reusable Colouring Flip Pads and Crayola Color Wonder Mess Free Markers and Paint.

How to Find Nicole North/Whiteboard Consulting:

Find Nicole and Ruth of Whiteboard Consulting on Instagram @whiteboardconsult

Here is the link to Nicole and Ruth’s podcast “At The Whiteboard”

Here is Nicole’s blog post on “How I Used a Process Map to Make a Kid Go To Bed”.

FREE online courses from Whiteboard Consulting:

Here is Nicole and Ruth’s free online course: “Show Your Inbox Who is Boss”.

Here is Nicole and Ruth’s free online course: “Bullet Journaling: The Ultimate Organizational Hack”

Thank you for joining us today! 

Have any comments, suggestions or burning questions? Email us or connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. We’d love you to subscribe, leave us a review and a 5 star rating if you enjoyed this episode.

Please tell your perimenopausal mama friends about us, too!

Episode 110: Tracking Your Signs and Symptoms: How To Be In the Know

In today’s episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni discuss the importance of tracking signs and symptoms you experience, such as: migraines, periods, bloating, food intake, sleep habits and water intake. They cover different technology and apps, in addition to old-school methods like paper calendars and journals, rubber bands and gold stars, so you can really see what is going on with your health and foster healthy habits. If you can track it, you can attack it!

In this episode, we cover:

  • Oura ring to track sleep, heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), body temperature
  • Apps like MyFitnessPal and Cronometer, plus food journal or Excel spreadsheet to record food intake and track macronutrients 
  • Apps like Period Tracker and MyFLO, plus period tracking sheets to record your cycle and other signs and symptoms like basal body temperature, cervical fluid, and PMS
  • Staying hydrated with simple methods using rubber bands and gold stars or tracking habits with a bullet journal
    • For more information about bullet journaling, see Episode 11

Today’s Mama Must Have:

Dr. Lisa is a big fan of her cordless handheld vacuum to allow Stuart to help clean up around the house.

Dr. Toni is grateful for hydrotherapy techniques like wet sock treatment, neti pots and steam inhalation, as well as homeopathy to manage symptoms and support immune function while she and Frankie recovered from Covid. 

Thank you for joining us today!

Email us or connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. We’d love you to subscribe, leave us a review and a 5-star rating if you enjoyed this episode. You can also support us by visiting our Patreon page.

Please tell your perimenopausal mama friends about us, too!

Stay safe and healthy everyone!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this presentation is not meant to replace treatment with a licensed health care practitioner. It is for informational purposes only. Consult with a Naturopathic Doctor or other licensed health care professional to determine which treatments are safe for you.

Episode 102: Top “Mama Must-Haves” from the First 100 Episodes

In this episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni review their favourite “Mama Must-Have” recommendations from the past 100 episodes. These tips and products make their lives easier and are great ways for you and your family to stay healthy and happy. They include our favourite foods, drinks, books, essential oils, body care products, apps and more! You can use for ideas of things to add to your holiday wish list.

  • Hella Hydrating Facial Serum with rosehips and hyaluronic acid from Joyous Health
    • Shared on Episode 78 with Joy McCarthy
    • Can use with cool Jade roller
  • Essential oils
    • Shared on Episode 93 with Barbara Rempel
    • Lavender in bath and diluted in fractionated coconut oil on bottoms of feet to relax kids at night 
    • Grapefruit, lemon, wild orange for reducing stress and increasing energy
    • Peppermint topically for muscle tension
    • Eucalyptus or easy air in steam inhalations or shower, diluted topically on bottoms of feet and chest 
  • Insight timer app, Ten Percent Happier app – Ted Lasso and Taming Anxiety challenges
  • 10 minute Path to Presence Meditation
    • Shared on Episode 95 with Fran Watson – download for free her
  • Bullet journal for stress reduction
  • Our favourite supplements include: 
    • Magnesium – for more info, see Episode 83
    • Vitamin D – for more info, see Episode 97  
    • Ashwagandha, melatonin, passionflower, GABA, 5-HTP, mitochondrial antioxidants like MitoAMP
  • Zonli weighted blanket, sleep mask, Soundscreen white noise machine for sleep support
  • Hydrotherapy – cold showers and wet sock treatment for energy, immune and circulation support
  • Designs for Health Paleo protein powder with almond or oat milk for sugar free hot chocolate
  • Smoothie bowls for kids with Smart Sweets gummy bears
  • Other easy recipes: 
  • Dwarf Stars pumpkin seed butter cups (sugar free), Giddy Yoyo chocolate; zazubean, Aussie carob co.
  • Crunchy snacks: Lesser Evil power curls, plantain chips, Beanitos black bean and pinto bean tortilla chips
  • Book: Beyond The Label by Dr. Christina Bjorndal 

You can find our Top Ten Mama Must Haves List at perimenopausalmamas.com and by supporting us at patreon.com/perimenopausalmamaspodcast

Today’s Mama Must Have:

Dr. Lisa is a big fan of her hand held massager to release tight shoulder and back muscles. 

Dr. Toni is excited to watch the recently released documentary The Business of Birth Control by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein, who also created The Business of Being Born and Weed the People. 

Email us or connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. We’d love you to subscribe, leave us a review and a 5-star rating if you enjoyed this episode.

Please tell your perimenopausal mama friends about us, too!

Stay safe and healthy everyone!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this presentation is not meant to replace treatment with a licensed health care practitioner. It is for informational purposes only. Consult with a Naturopathic Doctor or other licensed health care professional to determine which treatments are safe for you.