Protect Your Family From The Winter Cold With Redoxon® Multivitamins [closed]

As the festive season approaches with all its social events, shopping and entertaining, we often find our systems need a boost to make sure we're in a fit condition to enjoy it all.

To stay healthy we're trying to eat nutritious, vitamin-rich foods and to get outside to enjoy the beautiful autumn countryside with lots of walks and cycling.

But we parents live in fear of the kids coming down with coughs, colds and the dreaded 'puke bug'.  I am already giving Caitlin and Ieuan daily probiotics and slathering them in anti-bacterial hand gel but there's always the chance that they will come home with something virulent that we'll all get.

So we've been trying new Redoxon® Triple Action effervescent tablets, which contain high strength vitamin D to help support the immune system, vitamin C to help us to feel energised and zinc to help maintain our skin.

Why is Vitamin D important?

Our bodies need vitamin D to absorb calcium and promote bone growth. Too little vitamin D results in soft bones in children (rickets) and fragile, misshapen bones in adults.  Vitamin D is also needed for other important body functions and a lack of it has been linked to breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, depression, weight gain, and other maladies.

Read on for a fabulous giveaway ......

Redoxon® is the leading immune brand in the UK with over 80 years' experience of helping to keep families' immune systems on top form.

There's Redoxon® Triple Action for when you need a bit of extra help and Redoxon® Every Day Immune support for day to day support.

Caitlin and Ieuan have been trying the Triple Action formula in the form of gummies for children.

NEW Redoxon® Triple Action effervescent tablets

When you need a bit of extra help, Redoxon® Triple Action is a combination of high strength vitamin C, D and zinc to support your immune system.

Why use Redoxon® Triple Action?

• Top up of vitamin D even when there is less sunlight. During the summer months, vitamin D is mainly formed in the skin through UV-B sunlight, and functions to help support the immune system
• Vitamin C can help you release your energy
• Your skin is the body’s first line of defence. Zinc can help maintain your skin

The effervescent tablets are for adults and children over 12 years of age. Simply dissolve 1 tablet per day in a glass of water to make a refreshing orange drink. Available in packs of 10 at a RRP of £3.80.

New Look Redoxon® Every Day Immune Support for day to day support

Even though you may not feel it, your immune system works 24 hours a day and that is why you need to take care of it. When you have a busy lifestyle, sometimes it can be good to have extra support.

Redoxon® Every Day is a daily multivitamin for children and adults, providing day to day support for the immune system. The effervescent tablets contain vitamins (A, B6, B12, C, D and folic acid) and minerals (zinc, iron, copper and selenium).

Why use Redoxon® Every Day?

• Vitamin A, vitamin C and zinc help maintain the skin
• Vitamin C, iron, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 help reduce tiredness and fatigue
• Vitamins (C, A, D, B6, B12 and folic acid) and minerals (zinc, iron, copper and selenium) help support your immune system – your body’s natural protector

Children over 12 years of age and adults: Dissolve 1 tablet per day in a glass of water to make a refreshing orange drink. Children 6-12 years old: Half a tablet per day. Redoxon® Every Day come in packs of 15 (RRP £5.00) and 30 (RRP £9.50).

These make a lovely, refreshing orangey drink with no chemical after-taste.  It dissolves easily and I wasn't left with powder at the bottom of the glass.

New Redoxon® Triple Action gummies

• 3 tasty fun flavours (orange, strawberry and papaya)

Per gummy:-

• Vitamin C 30mg
• Vitamin D 5μg
• Zinc 2.5mg

Suitable for children 4 years and older: • Children 4-8 years: 2 gummies per day • Children 9-13 years: 3 gummies per day • Adults and teenagers over 14 years: 4 gummies per day Come in packs of 25 at a RRP of £2.49.

The kids like the taste and texture of these and, unlike some of the vitamins we've tried, I've had no protests from Ieuan at all!

Redoxon® products are available at a range of stores including Boots, Sainsbury’s, Superdrug, Tesco, and Waitrose.

It's good to know that we are taking care of our immune systems - and hopefully warding off Mr Puke!

If you would like to try Redoxon® for yourself and win some lovely goodies and a shopping voucher, why not enter my giveaway?

The giveaway 

Redoxon® are kindly giving one of my lucky readers a lovely goody box containing plenty of Redoxon to try along with a winter support kit containing a scented candle, hot chocolate and a mug, winter socks and a 2017 diary to help you get the family organised.  Not only that but there's a £50 Tesco voucher to stock up on some healthy food too (or some mince pies....).

Entry is via the Rafflecopter widget.  UK entries only and the usual terms and conditions apply which can be viewed on my Competitions Page, where you can view my other current giveaways.

The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on Sunday 4th December.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

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A Better Way To Find Black Friday Weekend Bargains

Brace yourselves because Friday 25th November marks the start of Black Friday Weekend.

Ah, Black Friday.  Three words that conjure up visions of amazing deals, frequent confusion and occasional brawls in supermarkets.

No wonder then, that many of us would prefer to beat the battles in the stores this November, and find the best deals online with our feet up in the comfort of our own home.

This isn't without its frustrations either though because online home shopping often involves trudging through a thousand websites with fifty tabs open whilst you look through items you don’t want before you get any seriously good deals.

It's at this point that you find out your item has sold out in your size or your colour choice isn't available.

Or, even worse, the retailer's website crashes completely so you don't know if you have actually bought anything.

But I've discovered a website that brings all the sales across the internet in one convenient place with the aim of saving time and money, and keeping your stress levels manageable.

Lovethesales.com  brings together all the sales from over 500 of the top brands and retailers across the UK for you to choose from including fashion, homeware, electronics, outdoor and a kid’s section, making finding those hidden gems so much easier.

You can search the sales in your tailored sizes so you won’t be disappointed and can also sign up for sale alerts for your favourite brands so you never miss a sale again.

If you’re looking to find something a bit warmer over the Black Friday weekend, then the UGG sale  is a great place to start for warm, fashionable shoes and accessories from this world renowned brand.

These gorgeous gloves  feature a snug wool  lining and come in purple, grey, brown & black, a perfect Christmas present to tick off the list (and we bloggers do love a list, don't we?).

Classic 2point gloves, was £125 now £49. 61% off

Sticking with the warm theme, there’s nothing like updating old and tired coats for new and vibrant colours. In the coats & jackets sale you’ll find plenty of durable winter coats that will brighten up any outfit while keeping the chills at bay.

The Barbour sale mixes cool quilted jackets with waterproof winter coats, like this zip up waterproof parka.

Barbour waterproof parka, was £199 now £140, 30% off

Whether you’re getting your Christmas shopping done early, or stocking up for change of season clothing, this is a great way to shop the sales and avoid a shopping center meltdown!


*collaborative post

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Starting Your Nest Egg Late in the Shadow of Brexit

The Brexit vote reverberated loudly across Britain. We are still dealing with the aftermath of the shock of it all. Everyone was affected in some way but it seems none were more immediately affected by Brexit than those who have already retired.

Declining value in savings

As part of their savings strategy, many retirees had IRAs (Individual Retirement Accounts) and savings in the pound. Post-Brexit, they have seen their portfolios decrease in value when the pound fell after the Brexit vote. The decline in the value of the pound has largely levelled off at the moment, but the overall value of the currency has not rebounded. The consequence of this is many retirees holding IRAs that will likely not see growth for quite some time.

What if you’re behind on your retirement savings? How can you catch up in the shadow of Brexit when your time is getting short? Don’t despair: there are steps you can take to get your retirement back on track.

Protect what you have

No one can say for certain what Britain’s economic future will look like. No government exit plan has yet been unveiled. Those who have already retired or have begun a savings portfolio need to first take steps to protect the investments they have. The best way to do that is to diversify your portfolio. This includes investments in economies outside of Britain.

Increase your savings

You’ll need to put aside as much as you can if you’ve gotten behind on your retirement savings. You can calculate how much you can expect from your state pension and how much you’ll need to spend each year to maintain the lifestyle you want.

Once you have your figures in hand, look at how much you’re saving each month, then find a way to increase it by as much as you possibly can.

If your employer offers a pension plan, increase your contributions each month. If it is a plan that includes employer matching contributions, you need to put as much as possible into this fund.

Clear your debts

It is just common sense that your money will go further if you don’t have a pile of debts to pay on each month. One way to help catch up if you’re behind on your retirement savings is to pay off your debts as quickly as possible, then take the funds you would normally pay out to debts and add them to your retirement savings.

Downsizing can help

One strategy many people use is to plan to include the value of their homes as part of their retirement. Take a critical look at your home. Do you really need that much space in retirement? If not, consider selling it. Or converting all or part of it into rental property. Renting will give you an additional income in retirement.

With the final stages of Brexit still on the horizon and the continued uncertainty of the repercussions of that historic vote, the best course of action for the people of Britain is simple: don’t panic. Guard your savings through diversifying your portfolio. The rest of the best advice falls along a simple line of reasoning: use some common sense measures and you can weather this Brexit storm.

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Christmas Gift Ideas For 7 Year Old Ieuan - Ideas Please!

At the supermarket on Saturday I gave Ieuan my phone and instructed him to take pictures of the kind of thing that he might like Santa to bring him.

I was hoping that he would pick 'things to play with' rather than 'things to interact with'.  He spends far too much time in the world of Minecraft creating huge, palatial buildings which randomly burn down at regular intervals.

The wailing is enough to send you to the gin cupboard, but I console myself that he might become an architect and design me a nice maximum security home for my twilight years.

But lots of toys seem unsophisticated when compared to online games,  and unlikely to hold Ieuan's interest for more than two minutes.

I'm sure lots of parents are currently scratching their heads wondering how to get their offspring off the sofa and actually mobile in the fresh air - or at least away from a screen for a while.

Ieuan's list consisted of Star Wars and Minecraft figures but I am determined to broaden his interests and reduce his screen time!

So what to get?  Are you facing a similar quandry?

Here are some suggestions that might be suitable for Ieuan's age group 7+ - although heaven knows, they're all different!

- Tickets for something like Lego Land or the Harry Potter tour.  You may find online discounts or be able to use Clubcard vouchers.

- Music CDs - must confess I am unsure of the musical taste of 7 year old boys!

- Board games like Operation or Mousetrap

- Science kit toys

- Unusual outdoor toys like rockets, kites or giant flying discs etc

- Lego or Meccano

- Remote control car

- Metal detector

- Watch / stopwatch / pedometer

- Simple camera

- Accessories for a bicycle - bell / horn / new cycle helmet / lights

- Encyclopedia or a history book (Horrible Histories, books on Ancient Egypt)

- Set of classic boys' own stories

- Football / rugby / sports equipment

- Musical instrument such as a guitar or basic keyboard

(unfortunately Ieuan wants to be a rock drummer so I'll be stalling on that one for as long as possible).

We're at that awkward age where the existence of Santa is occasionally called into question (of course he exists!) so I don't want to let him choose his own presents.  We're still telling him he needs to get his skates on and write a list for Santa to work from.

What have you got on your boys' Christmas lists this year (for Santa to deliver obviously)?

I'd love to hear some inspiring ideas.

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Smoking - Over 65,000 Babies STILL Put At Risk By Expectant Mums Each Year In England

Despite multiple health warnings and advice from the NHS, over 1 in 10 expectant mothers in England admit to smoking whilst pregnant - that’s over 65,000 based on average maternities per year.

Blackpool has the most alarming figures, with 26% or over 1 in 4 women smoking whilst pregnant. Stoke-on-Trent came second, with nearly 1 in 5 women smoking whilst pregnant (19.10%), with Liverpool closely behind at 16%.

However, the capital is setting a great example, with only 4.9% of pregnant mothers smoking. This is less than half of the national target of 11%.

Other low smoking towns include Birmingham and Reading. Research analysed by Vapourlites.com, has found that just over 12% of pregnant women are smokers at their first midwife appointment, with this only dropping by 1.9% to 10.6% at the time of birth.

Despite the health warnings, only a fraction of mums-to-be cut the habit. Amanda Sandford from the Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) said: “Smoking during pregnancy reduces foetal growth and increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth and cot deaths. Although there has been significant progress in reducing the rates of smoking during pregnancy it’s vital that work continues to ensure that pregnant women who smoke are offered support to quit.”

And the jury's still out on whether or not vaping carries equal risks to health

A map of pregnant mums-to-be who smoke illustrates the staggering numbers, and difference in some of the UK’s major cities.

Image credit: Vapourlites.com

It's a shame that the rest of the UK was not included in this research to get a fuller picture. I suspect, however, that it would be equally grim reading.

Smokers will argue that smoking is an addiction and it is well documented how difficult it is to quit, but surely, for the sake of your unborn baby's health, you'd try to quit, wouldn't you?  And ideally before you conceived.

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Research Finds 50% of Kids Aged 11 Own a Mobile, But a Quarter of Parents Regret It

Almost daily, on our walk home from school, Caitlin and Ieuan will mention mobile phones. Already, even though they are only in years 4 and 3, some of their friends have their own phones.

We have told our kids that the jury is still out on the potential harmful effects of mobile phone usage on young brains and that we will make a decision when Caitlin goes to secondary school a year before Ieuan, meaning two separate school runs to two different schools.

But, I do have some sympathy with parents who have given their kids a phone.  Some children walk to school unaccompanied.  Still others attend breakfast club and / or after school club because their parents work.

As a stay at home mum, I recognise that I am in the privileged position of being able to take my kids back and forth to school but I can see that the need to know your child is safe when you're not around is an extremely strong reason to cave in and buy one for them.

In fact, recent research carried out by the Nationwide Building Society discovered that half of British children will own a mobile phone by the age of ELEVEN.

The study of 2,000 parents shows the average child will receive a phone worth £120 on their eleventh birthday, and will then spend two hours every day glued to the device.

But four in 10 parents end up regretting giving their youngster a phone at such a young age – as by their teenage years the child is transfixed by the likes of social media, texts, and computer games.

Incredibly, researchers found one in 20 children will own a mobile handset by the age of SIX as parents give in to primary school peer pressure.

Owning a mobile phone comes at a price for parents – in addition to the £120 upfront fee, mums and dads will be expected to replace the phone at least twice due to it being lost, stolen or damaged.

The study, which considers mobile phone ownership amongst children, reveals two thirds of parents will allow their child to have internet access on their device as soon as they get it.

And 28 per cent of kids are then allowed to use their phone all day without any supervision from an adult – despite 46 per cent have access to social media channels.

A third of parents fear their children spend far too much time on their phone – with one in eight kids spending more than four hours a day chatting to mates and playing games.

According to the data, one in 10 children will use their mobile during the school day, and 12 per cent will log in to their phone as soon as they get home from school.

Just 10 per cent of children can wait until after dinner before checking their phone.

That’s on top of the £163 parents spend on securing a new mobile phone deal or device for themselves.

Just one in six parents will limit their child’s phone usage to emergencies only – with many admitting their child uses their phone for a range of activities.

Six in 10 children use their phone to play popular computer games, while 54 per cent will watch videos on the likes of YouTube and other social media channels.

More than half of youngsters will spend much of their time surfing the internet, and 49 per cent regularly listen to music.

But many parents purchase a phone for their children because they want them contactable at all times – 55 per cent want the flexibility to stay in touch and more than a third cite safety fears as a reason for getting a handset for their children.

Unfortunately, the research discovered that purchasing a phone only ADDS to the worry parents have.

A fifth of parents are concerned their child’s phone has now led to them not enjoying enough quality time with the family, and 16 per cent are concerned their child is missing out on face-to-face interactions with others.

One in five mums and dads understandably worry about how much they are having to spend on phone calls, apps, music and games.

As a result, two thirds of parents control how long their child spend on their phone by limiting their credit (42 per cent), confiscating the device in the evenings (21 per cent) and introducing strict rules on phone use (16 per cent).

So not only do you need to fund the cost of the phone but you'd be pretty daft not to talk out mobile phone insurance as well.

The problem is that once your child has a phone, monitoring what they get up to on it is well nigh impossible - at least without some kind of additional monitoring software or limiting their credit.

I am still in two minds when it comes to mobile phones for kids but for many parents like me, I suspect that we're fighting a losing battle when it comes to the ever-growing intrusion of mobile technology into our lives.

Where do you stand on mobile phones for kids?

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How To Stay Healthy In The Office

Much has been written these days about the dangers of spending too long sitting down.  You may even have heard it said that "sitting is the new smoking".

Sitting for too long is said to cause the following:-

*obesity
*increased blood pressure
*high blood sugar
*excess body fat around the waist
*abnormal cholesterol levels

You get the general picture.  I'm sure you've seen pictures of state-of-the-art standing desks where you literally stand in front of your desktop to work, or even desks where you can walk and exercise at the same time.

But how many businesses can afford to supply these to their staff?  And what can you do when your job involves sitting down all day at a computer?  Perhaps you work in a call centre or have an office role.

Not only does sitting for too long come with all the long-term risks mentioned above, sitting in a chair which does not properly support your back can give you problems and then there's the general fatigue and lack of mental alertness which a lack of fresh air brings.

Add in tired, gritty eyes and possible dehydration if there's no fresh water to hand or you don't get time for a cuppa and it's a recipe for poor health.

So what can you do to not only curb the effects of sitting all day, but stay healthy when you work in an office?

Here are some simple tips to try.

Have a healthy breakfast

Start the day with a healthy breakfast with some slow release carbs (e.g. porridge) or some protein (poached egg on toast).  Sugary cereal will do nothing to keep you feeling full for very long.

Snack wisely

Try to avoid the usual sugary sweets, biscuits and cakes.  On the other hand, don't be a total misery and always refuse the doughnuts and cupcakes the birthday boys and girls might offer.  You don't have to eat all of it (no, I've never managed that either) and don't forget to return the favour.  You don't have to buy one for yourself (once again, I've never managed that either).

You could bring some fruit, cubed cheese or some almonds to snack on which should keep you going till lunch.

Drink plenty of water

I appreciate this is incredibly basic advice but how many of us actually do it?  Mainlining on constant caffeine will leave you twitchy, hungry and dehydrated.

Take a break from the screen

Protect your eyes by taking regular screen breaks roughly every 20 minutes of so. This can be something simple like gazing out of the window for a few minutes.  If you're questioned you can say you're just refining your mastery strategy for business domination.

Get up and walk around

My physio says that sitting in one position for longer than 45 minutes is asking for trouble - and he should know because he's a football referee as well.

Do back exercises at home

You don't need a fully equipped gym - just a well padded exercise mat and about 15 minutes.  You can find some very simple, but effective back exercises on the NHS's website. Bear in mind that you need to do these consistently, even (and this is key) if your back feels OK.

Invest in some back support

You can get back support cushions, wrist and foot rests.  If you have problems talk to your HR department to see if there is anything they can supply.

Clean Your Desk

Yes I know.  It's not your job but since your keyboard, mouse and phone harbor germs, viruses and bacteria, frankly, I was quite happy to give my desk a weekly once-over with disinfecting wipes - particularly the phone!

There's something immensely satisfying about it too because you can go through your filing trays and sort out that 'wodge' of post you've been avoiding at the same time.

Wash Your Hands

It never fails to astound me how many people seem to have no clue what a toilet flush does.  I'm assuming these people just have a hole in the ground at home or a bucket.  Washing your hands is vital - and slathering your hands in hand-sanitizer is a good idea too.

Wash your own cup

I've worked in offices where mugs were just dumped in bowl of lukewarm soapy water and left to 'soak' overnight.  Your first morning cuppa would have the unmistakeable 'tang' of industrial washing up liquid and probably a colleague's lipstick.  Washing your own cup (even taking it home!) is a good idea.

And let's not even think about the microwave.  The same people who are toilet flush-averse seem to struggle with the idea that covering food means no baked bean or pasta sauce explosion.  Yeuch.

Ask about Health & Safety Training

Lots of businesses these days train staff in-house to take on vital roles such as first-aiders and fire wardens. There is also a growing need for workplace health & safety experts, ideally located in-house as part of the management team, so that the working conditions of the staff can be consistently monitored and adapted as the business grows.

Whilst workplace health and safety is often outsourced, it is possible to study for a NEBOSH Health & Safety Qualification online. (NEBOSH = National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health) and you may find that your company is willing to help you take your career down this route. You could suggest a provider such as Sheilds NEBOSH Training UK

It is up to your employer to ensure that you work in as safe an environment as possible.  Your employer has a duty of care towards you.  An employment contract is a two-way agreement.

But sometimes, life being what it is, it is just sensible to make sure that we are looking after ourselves properly and speaking up when we see things that aren't right or are likely to endanger our colleagues.

You spend most of your waking hours at work.  Make sure this time isn't negatively affecting your health.

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