About Me

My photo
Admit it. Most nursing bras are kind of industrial-looking. At least that is what I thought when I was shopping around for a nursing bra. I also found that while breastfeeding is natural and wonderful, it is also difficult and complex and sometimes it really hurts! The best advice I could find was to use warm compresses before nursing and cold compresses afterwards. But nobody could give me any tips for how to make the whole compress thing practical or COMFORTABLE! So, my design was patented and Nizo Wear was born. I firgured while I was at it I should make them pretty as well. Nizo Wear makes nursing bras that are de both functional and pretty. Lace and rhinestones, playful prints, shapely lines, all designed to help you feel stylish and good again.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Breast Cancer Prevention: How to reduce your risk


Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month we decided to share some tips on how to reduce your breast cancer risk. (yes, breastfeeding is one of the four tips recommended!) I was shocked when I read one person will die of breast cancer every 13 minutes in the United States. But what is striking about this particular disease is that we have the ability to monitor for it in ways we don't necessarily with other types of cancer. Share this info and help save a life!

Get regular check-ups and do self-exams to make sure you're staying healthy! If you catch breast cancer early enough, the survival rates are very high.

(The following habits are provided by Mayo Clinic) Breast cancer prevention starts with healthy habits — such as limiting the amount of alcohol you drink and staying physically active. Understand what you can do to prevent breast cancer.
If you're concerned about breast cancer, you may be wondering if there are steps you can take toward breast cancer prevention. Understand the lifestyle factors that may affect your risk of breast cancer and what you can do to stay healthy.

What can I do to reduce my risk of breast cancer?
Breast cancer prevention begins with various factors you can control. For example:

Limit alcohol. The more alcohol you drink, the greater your risk of developing breast cancer. If you choose to drink alcohol — including beer, wine or liquor — limit yourself to no more than one drink a day.

Control your weight. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of breast cancer. This is especially true if obesity occurs later in life, particularly after menopause.

Get plenty of physical activity. Being physically active can help you maintain a healthy weight, which, in turn, helps prevent breast cancer. For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity (think brisk walking or swimming) or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity (such as running), in addition to strength training exercises at least twice a week. If you're just starting a physical activity program, start slowly and build intensity gradually.

Breast-feed. Breast-feeding may also play a role in breast cancer prevention. The longer you breast-feed, the greater the protective effect

Discontinue hormone therapy. Long-term combination hormone therapy increases the risk of breast cancer. If you're taking hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms, ask your doctor about other options. You may be able to manage your symptoms with non-hormonal therapies, such as physical activity. If you decide that the benefits of short-term hormone therapy outweigh the risks, consider using the lowest dose that's effective for your symptoms, and plan to use it only temporarily.

Can a healthy diet prevent breast cancer?
Research shows that eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables doesn't offer direct protection from breast cancer. In addition, a recent study of dietary fat and breast cancer showed only a slight decrease in the risk of invasive breast cancer for women who ate a low-fat diet. However, eating a healthy diet may decrease your risk of other diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke. A healthy diet can also help you maintain a healthy weight — a key factor in breast cancer prevention.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Shocking breastfeeding interview


Interview with model and author Tara Moss on breastfeeding:

Hello! I came across this lovely interview with model and author Tara Moss who lives in Australia. What caught my eye, and shocked me, was learning that Australia’s breastfeeding rate is only 14% at 6months!

Tara was clearly as shocked as I am because she has teamed up with Unicef to help raise those rates. This is a great article that talks about our cultures ambivalence towards breastfeeding, especially in public. This is supported by the fact that we feel we have to create cover-ups and new laws to make it ok for a woman to breastfeed in public.

They also touch on the subject that society has no problem seeing breasts in an ad to sell a product. But when a mother breastfeeds her baby in public there is an uproar. Which, I thought raised a really great point that I do not often think about.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the interview.

Peace,
Nicole

http://blogs.abc.net.au/nsw/2011/10/tara-moss-advocate-for-breastfeeding.html#

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Resources for family friendly activities in Madison WI

photo from Madisonloveskids.com

Hello! I was just introduced to a new website that lists hundreds of resources for families who either live in Madison, Wisconsin or who will be visiting. This is a great one-stop website for either Wisconsinites looking for something to do or for those of you planning a trip to Wisconsin and are not sure what to do with your children.

MadisonMamas.com includes resources for pregnancy, groups, classes, activities, fitness, services, dining and shopping. They also showcase local events, specials, books, project ideas, recipes, décor, new products and much more. Each listing has a short description and link to the business's website.

Another amazing website I love that lists many local events is Madisonloveskids.com . This website has wonderful up-to-date information and best of all, witty writings! Check it out!!

Have any other sites we should all know about? Share them with us....

Nicole