Model Healthy Eating For Your Children

Our children today are so programmed to have bad eating habits especially from all the TV commercials. Watching the TV, they'll see the kids playing and having a good time while they eat that super sugary cereal. On top of that, if you buy that particular brand, you get a toy in the box. So, when they go to the grocery store, they're drawn to it. "Mom, I want this kind!" they say, with excitement. But, we as parents need to be aware that much of it is marketing!

By teaching your children healthy eating habits you can keep them at a healthy weight. Also, the eating habits your children learn when they are young will help them maintain a healthy lifestyle when they are adults.Make a wide variety of healthy foods available in the house. This will help your children learn how to make healthy food choices.

Top tips to promote healthy childhood eating

• Have regular family meals. Knowing dinner is served at approximately the same time every night and that the entire family will be sitting down together is comforting, which also enhances appetite, and provides a perfect opportunity for your children to share what's on their minds. Breakfast is another great time for a family meal, especially since kids who eat breakfast tend to do better in school.

• Cook more meals at home. Eating home cooked meals is healthier for the whole family and sets a great example for kids about the importance of food. Restaurant meals tend to have more fat, sugar and salt. Save dining out for special occasions.

• Get kids involved. Children enjoy helping adults grocery shop, selecting what goes in their lunch box, and preparing dinner. It's also a chance for you to teach them about the nutritional values of different foods, and (for older children) how to read food labels.

• Make a variety of healthy foods available and keep your pantry free of empty calorie snacks. Keep plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grain snacks and healthful beverages (filtered water, milk, herbal tea, occasional fruit juice) around and easily accessible so kids become used to reaching for healthy snacks when they're hungry instead of empty calorie snacks like soda, chips, or cookies.

• Let them choose. Don't make mealtimes a battleground by insisting a child clean the plate, and never use food as a reward or bribe.

Source for top tips:http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_eating_children_teens.htm

This is a great book! In this book Dr Colbert talks about dropping the diet and making health a lifestyle. Dr Colbert talks about overcoming hidden obstacles to weight loss, how to design a meal plan and much more. What's keeping you from loosing weight? Take the quiz at www.thecandodiet.com

Super Foods

 

Fiber is found in plant foods and helps in digestion and waste removal, as well as lowering blood cholesterol levels and reducing the speed of absorption of glucose coming from food. The American Dietetic Association (ADA) recommends an intake of 20 to 35 grams of fiber per day.

An apple day keeps diabetes away? Recent research found that eating apples (peel included) can help control diabetes. This is because apple peels contain quercetin, a flavonoid that acts as an antioxidant.

  Oranges are versatile. It's a color, it's a fruit and it's oh so good for you. Renowned for its high levels of vitamin C, oranges are also a source of many other phytonutrients that can help you control diabetes, including flavonoids, carotenoids, terpines, pectins and glutathione. Fancy medical jargon doesn't impress you?

Then consider this: Oranges are also a fantastic source of fiber, which keeps blood sugar levels under control, making it a great snack for people with diabetes. Additionally, fructose, the natural fruit sugar in oranges, can help to keep blood sugar levels from going too high after eating.

Carrots have the highest level of vitamin A of any vegetable and are full of carotenoids, antioxidant compounds that can help protect the heart and balance your insulin levels. These benefits, plus fiber, equal a helpful tool in controlling diabetes and fighting off disease. Now, what's up, doc?

Eat your asparagus because it's an excellent source of glutathione, the antioxidant compound that can help keep your blood sugar stable. Plus, as a green vegetable, asparagus contains fiber and vitamin B2 (riboflavin).

One fish, two fish...good for you fish. Your finned friends help protect your heart, and their omega-3 fatty acids help balance your blood sugar levels. In one study published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, researchers found that regular fish eating decreased the risk of heart disease in women with diabetes as much as 64 percent.

Nutty buddies. Nuts are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which don't negatively affect glycemic control, unlike the saturated fats found in meats and cheeses. Omega-3s also contribute to keeping your heart healthy by decreasing triglyceride levels in the blood, reducing the risk of fatal cardiac events and keeping your diabetes under control.

In an issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, Harvard researchers published findings that women who eat five or more servings of nuts per week greatly reduced their chances of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Bean there, done that. Beans are fairly inexpensive, full of vitamins and minerals, loaded with fiber, good for the heart and very filling. If that's not enough, these members of the legume family also contain several phytonutrients that have a blood sugar normalizing effect.

Soy-onara, diabetes. These lovely legume-family members are a complete source of protein, but soybeans also provide phytoestrogens, isoflavones and saponins that can help balance your blood sugar. Soy also benefits kidney function (diabetes is a leading cause of kidney disease) and boosts "good" HDL cholesterol

Green tea has phytonutrients such as catechins and tannins that can help to lower blood sugars. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently reported that the green tea catechin epigallocatechin gallate, could also enhance the action of insulin and affect the primary way glucose is absorbed. Plus, research suggests that green tea catechins may reduce the amount of glucose that passes through the intestine and into the bloodstream, benefiting diabetics by preventing blood-sugar spikes when tea is had with meals.

 When it comes to losing weight, the more you know, the more you lose.

Source: http://www.ediets.com/

Wishing much health and wellness in 2010!

Grean Tea

Green Tea is a great weight loss aide.Green tea is a healthy, refreshing drink that provides a wide range of health benefits. The benefits of green tea have been known about for a long time and history shows green tea has been harvested in China for over 4000 years.If you are a beginner consider trying a Jasmine green tea or maybe an organic Sencha green tea.

Green tea is bursting with antioxidants, particularly ‘catechins’. Catechins have been shown to be effective in improving health, slowing down the ageing process and fighting viruses by destroying dangerous free radicals present in our bodies. Regularly drinking green tea can strengthen the bodies resistance against these free radicals and other damaged cells that may otherwise lead to heart disease or cancer.

High quality, fresh green tea consists of approximately 40% antioxidants, we need about 4 cups of green tea a day to provide our bodies with the optimum level of antioxidants it needs to recover and repair.

 

Below is a list of the main health benefits of green tea.

Green tea can:

■Help you lose weight

■Lower cholesterols

■Strengthen your immune system and repair damaged cells/fight free radicals

■Prevent heart and cardiovascular problems/disease

■Reduce high blood pressure

■Improve the condition of your skin

■Improve your digestive system and ensure your colon/bowel is kept healthy/regular

■Prevent tooth decay and gum disease

■Lower blood sugar and assist with the treatment of diabetes

■Fight against cancer

 

For more information on Green Tea visit: http://www.organicfacts.net/

 

Wishing you much health and wellness in 2010!

Thanks for following!

LENTIL TOFU SALAD

When your salad gets boring, try this refreshing vegetarian salad that is packed with protein.

Ingredients:

3 cups lentil beans, canned, rinsed thoroughly

2 garlic cloves, flattened with the side of a knife

2 red bell peppers

10 ounces smoked tofu

8 cups fresh baby spinach

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

3 tsp. balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

Bring the lentils and garlic to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce the heat and then simmer until the lentils are soft, about 25 minutes. Remove the garlic and drain.

While the lentils are cooking, remove the seeds from the peppers and cut them into quarters. Next, place the peppers, skin side up, under a broiler and cooking until the skins are completely black. Allow them to cool for 6 to 8 minutes, and then remove the skins and slice them into strips. Cut tofu into cubes.

To prepare the salad, mix together the lentils, pepper, spinach, and tofu in a serving bowl. Finish by drizzling the oil and balsamic vinegar over the salad; toss to coat. Serve.

Nutrition Facts per Serving

(Serves 4):

Calories: 380
Total Fat: 11 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 500 mg
Total Carbohydrates: 41 g
Fiber: 19 g
Protein: 24 g

Do You Know Your BMI?

What is BMI? BMI (Body Mass Index) is a statistical measure aimed to find the "fitness" of a person according to that person's weight and height. Review the chart to determine your BMI.

BMI chart colors and numbers - what do they mean?

Once you have figured out your BMI chart score discover what the chart indicates your body shape to be.
•Underweight = 12 - 18
•Normal healthy weight = 18 -24
•Overweight = 25-29
•Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

For more information on (BMI) visit www.bodyshapingtips.com/body_mass/bmi_chart/

Importance of detoxifying our body

No matter how careful we are, toxins from the outside will find its way to our body. And that's not the only bad news; the worse news is that it's stays inside our body far longer than we could want. It's a vicious cycle how the more toxins there are in our body, the more our organs fail to work at getting rid of them because its presence. And that is precisely why body cleansing is important.Body cleansing, which is also known as detoxification, is a person's alternative to getting rid of the toxins that have accumulated in the body, therefore causing possible problems.If the organs are clean and free from toxins, then they are healthy as well, which translates to the rest of our body being healthy. Your organs live longer, which means you'll be less prone to diseases. You won't easily be taken down by allergies, or even complications from medical ailments because the insides of your body are working very well. Body cleansing is, indeed, something that you should look into. I detoxify every four months using Whole Body Cleanse. Download the free cleanse smart guide. www.enzymatictherapy.com

Wishing you much health and wellness in 2010.

Wheat Grass

Did you know that wheatgrass is one of the most potently healthy substances on earth? Wheat grass juice helps your body to build red blood cells which carry oxygen to every cell. By increasing the oxygenation in the body you can help offset smog and carbon monoxide and increase your endurance during physical exercise.Wheatgrass has more vitamin C than oranges and twice the vitamin A as carrots! It also contains 19 amino acids, the building blocks of protein. How can wheatgrass benefit your health? Wheatgrass builds blood, cleanses the body, has amino acids and helps fight and protect against illness. I just recently had a wheatgrass smoothie that was very delicious and now going to make part of my daily diet. Here are some recipes for wheatgrass smoothies.

Orange-grass                                           

•2 oranges

•2 large carrots

•3-inch round wheatgrass

Applegrass

•3 medium apples
•3-inch round wheatgrass
•water as needed

Wheatgrass Whirl
•2 oranges
•1 banana
•½ cup fresh berries
•2-inch round wheatgrass
•1-2 cups ice cubes

Wishing you much Health and Wellness in 2010!!








                                     

Your Health and Stress

Modern life is full of hassles, deadlines, frustrations, and demands. For many people, stress is so commonplace that it has become a way of life.When you’re stressed over a busy schedule, an argument with a friend, a traffic jam, or a mountain of bills, your body reacts just as strongly as if you were facing a life-or-death situation.Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems. Try some of these tips to help you relieve stress.

1. Pray or meditate daily
2. Go get a massage
3. Light candles and enjoy soothing music
4. Take a deep breath

http://www.myoptumhealth.com/

Benefit of Organic

The benefit of organic food can have a far reaching effect on you. What is organic? The term "organic" refers specifically to how something is grown. Organic farmers refrain from using chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Organic meat and dairy products are derived from animals that are fed only organic grain and not given antibiotics. When weighing the options between purchasing conventional and organic consumers generally assume that all food they eat is safe regardless of price. Unfortunately this is not the case. The Enviromental Working Group (EWG) released a study called Forbidden Fruit. The the  most contaminated non organic foods (in order) were: strawberries, red/green peppers, spinach, cherries, peaches, cantaloupe, celery, apples, blackberries and green peas. Download your free copy of shoppers guide to pesticides at www.foodnews.org  If you are in search for meaningful nutrition and tired of looking for healthy foods in the grocery stores, you may want to try a health food store like Trader Joes and The Whole Food Store. If you think shopping organic is to expensive here are some tips that will help you.

• Have a plan before you get to the store- set a budget
• Focus on those areas where organic makes the most sense for you
• Rethink meat-by reducing your meat intake you improve your diet and save money
• Clip coupons-I am a fan of coupons and coupons can help save a lot
  

Weight Loss

Weight loss not only makes you feel and look better it influences your future health. With a healthy diet and exercise you can minimize your chances for high blood pressure and stroke and diabetes. Weight loss takes a lot of hard work but you have to be commited. Before you start your weight loss find out what your BMI (body mass index) is. See how it compares to a healthy weight. Start keeping track of what you eat each day and how much exercise you get. Think about weight loss as a life style change because you are making a commitment to your health.

• Get support

• Commit to a plan and stick to it

• Loose weight slowly

• Stay motivated and keep track