Sugar and the Effects on Our Body

The average American consumes 2 to 3 pounds of sugar a week!! I know for me with my favorite mochas and soft drink daily I consume much more.  Why should I care? I crave these little delightful things every day!  Thinking to myself one won’t hurt a day, I see others drinking it all the time or if I stop drinking them I may not be able to go back to them.  BUT on the other hand when I drink more water and less sugary drinks I feel tons better the next day.  I have more energy, more drive and defiantly can think more clearly.  

Our lovely little tastes so good friend sugar has side effects too. These can age you skin, depress your immune system, weight gain (not loss) and it is the drug of choice to fuel cancel cells into multiplication!  In Dr. Nancy Appleton’s book “Lick The Sugar Habit” she lists 76 ways it can ruin your health. I’m not going to list all 76 but let me highlight the top 10 that stood out to me:

1. It feeds cancer cells and has been connected with the development of cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostate, rectum, pancreas, lung, gallbladder and stomach.

2. It can cause autoimmune diseases such as: arthritis, asthma, multiple sclerosis.

3. It greatly assists the uncontrolled growth of Candida yeast infections.

4. It can increase the size of your liver by making your liver cells divide and it can increase the amount of liver fat.

5. It can increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney such as the formation of kidney stones.

6. It can increase your risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

7. It can cause hormonal imbalances such as: increasing estrogen in men, exacerbating PMS, and decreasing growth hormone.

8. Your body changes it into 2 to 5 times more fat in the bloodstream than it does starch.

9. It has the potential of inducing abnormal metabolic processes in a normal healthy individual and to promote chronic degenerative diseases.

10. It upsets the mineral relationships in your body causing chromium and copper deficiencies and interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.

IF this doesn’t make you think a little bit about what you put into your body and your child’s I don’t know what will.  Kick up your cardio and weights and put your body back into balance. Try new things to help you cut back on your sugar intake.  I was surprised how much I craved certain foods when I started to cut back.  I had to play a mind game to decrease my consumption.  Why our bodies crave certain foods will be the next blog topic. To help the general public understand which consumable products are high in sugar, the glycemic index was created.

Superfoods

Do you eat enough of these “superfoods”? Didn’t know we had super hero foods for oour bodies but hey if it gives me energy and I need tons of that right now it’s worth a shot.  How many do you eat?

1. apricots
2. avocados
3. raspberries
4. tomatoes
5. cantaloupe melon
6. cranberry juice
7. raisins
8. figs
9. lemons & limes
10. onions
11. artichokes
12. ginger
13. broccoli
14. spinach
15. bok choy
16. pumpkin or squash
17. garlic
18. arugula
19. wheat germ/oatmeal
20. quinoa
21. nuts and peanuts
22. lentils
23. yogurt and skim milk
24. salmon and shrimps

So far nope on #s  1,3,5,6,8,11,12,15,18 (whats that?), and not so much of 24.

How about you?  I think I can add more to this list.  Where’s chocolate?????

Breakfast and School Mornings

School morning are so much fun!! Can you see me smiling yet? Lets see, wake up the oldest at 5am so she can either go back to sleep (I swear she is just testing us to see if we will get up at 4:30 or 5am to wake her up) or she will open her eyes and lay there in bed until 5:30 or 6am.  Depending on what friends are up she can text or face time.  If you live around us chances are your teen daughter is talking to ours so early in the morning.  How much can you have to talk about?  You just woke up!!

9 times out of 10, once I am awake and moving around I am up for the day.  Regardless if I want to be or not, hard for me to go back to sleep because my mind already has 20 things I need to get done before 8am.  Which brings me to my next challenge, breakfast!! Here is what I know they don’t want, oldest: anything NOT healthy.  I have resorted to McDonald’s (on very special mornings), chocolate chip muffins, cinnamon rolls, cookie crisp cereal and Pedisure.  Now it is not a guarantee that she will eat but every now and then at 5am she will ask me for coffee and bacon.  I make her what she thinks she wants and out the door she goes for school without eating.

Now our 6-year-old, she will eat a little more variety such as pancakes, waffles, and other cereals but her bus comes at 8am.  I don’t want to fill her up to much or she won’t eat lunch.  Her lunch is at 10:50am that is only 2 and a half hours after she gets to school.  THey go until 3:40pm so she needs to eat all of her lunch to make it through the day.  Who thought of these crazy lunch schedules?

The past couple of days I have been on a mission to find new things to feed the kids in the morning so they will have something in their tummies before they walk out the door.  Both of them are famous for not wanting to eat in the morning.  I don’t want to feed them full of sugar but like myself they are not breakfast eaters.  I guess I could give them foods other than breakfast. Since it is the most important meal of the day, breakfast helps the body the rest of the day regulate calories and so forth.  I grew up famous for skipping breakfast, it wasn’t important to me but I want to set a good example for the kids.  Maybe healthy milkshakes in the morning?  Can you make healthy hot chocolate for our cold winter mornings?

The other day we were at the store and D picked Almond Milk to try.  It comes in flavors evidently and I turned to D and said if it is healthy and comes in different flavors it might not be good.  I was thinking back to all the times my mom tried to hide healthy food to make it taste good.  I was wrong!! THey have improved healthy foods taste, the vanilla almond milk is so good!! You should try it!

Enjoy~

Foods Used To Detox Body Naturally

Cleanse your body, protect it from disease, and enhance your health system by detoxing with these supportive foods.  I have been wondering what can I eat to help my body cleanse itself naturally instead of through a detox program.

BLOOD
What does it do? The blood is a specialized bodily fluid that supplies substances and nutrients, such as sugar, oxygen, and hormones to our cells. It carries waste away from the cells and contains clotting agents. It is the circulatory system that holds the high-speed highways of the blood for transport.
Supportive foods – Blood building and circulatory supporting foods include dark green leafy vegetables such as dandelion greens, kale, collard greens, spinach, arugula and broccoli; also garlic, fresh ginger root, cayenne pepper, and protein-rich foods, apricots, beans, wheat germ, and tofu.

LYMPH
What does it do? As a part of the immune system, lymph nodes are located throughout the body and hold precious cells of the immune system. It’s important to keep your lymph nodes healthy to reduce the risk of colds and flus.
Supportive foods – Foods that support lymph node function include clean proteins such as wild-caught fish and grass-fed beef, citrus fruits, crimini mushrooms, turnip greens, spinach, and kale, garlic, parsley, carrots, asparagus, strawberries, and tomatoes.

LIVER
What does it do? Besides being the second-largest organ in the body (second to our skin), the liver processes virtually every transaction in the body – sorting, packaging, storing and using nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. This is one organ you’ll definitely want to nurture.
Supportive foods – There are two main detoxification pathways of the liver—eat foods that nurture those systems, and you’ll receive support in return. Foods include beets, leafy greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, olive oil, flax seed oil, citrus fruits, garlic, cabbage, green tea, avocadoes, and artichokes.

GALLBLADDER
What does it do? The gallbladder’s main function is to act as a place of safe-keeping for bile, the green substance the liver produces. When signaled to do so, the gallbladder releases bile to digest fats and cholesterols.
Supportive foods – Specific nutrients help to maintain the quality and integrity of the bile for digestion – without them, the bile become thick, sluggish, and coagulated, causing gall stones. Foods which help maintain integrity include beets, apples, cucumber, Swiss chard, dandelion greens, lemon, flax seed oil, and sweet potato.

PANCREAS
What does it do? The pancreas manufactures and secretes the enzymes necessary for digestion, including those that help digest proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
Supportive foods – Foods that support the pancreas include anti-inflammatory foods and foods that help maintain healthy blood sugar, including blueberries, cherries, broccoli, garlic, grapes, spinach, kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and tofu.

KIDNEYS
What do they do? The main function of the kidneys is to filter and clean the blood. They also regulate blood pressure, minerals (including potassium, sodium, chloride, calcium, and phosphorous), and acidity levels within the body.
Supportive foods – Foods that support kidney health include anti-inflammatory foods and foods which support mineral balance, including parsley, bell peppers, cabbage, cauliflower, apples, garlic, onions, cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, cherries, grapes, fish and olive oil.

INTESTINES
What do they do? Both the small and large intestines work with the absorption and elimination processes of our food and its nutrients. Keeping our digestive system healthy also keeps other systems healthy, such as our lymph and blood.
Supportive foods – Healthy intestines require a healthy balance of good bacteria and proper elimination, enabling this system to do its job. Supportive foods include insoluble and soluble fibers such as flax seeds, beans, green leafy vegetables, oats, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and more. Probiotic rich foods such as yogurt, kefir, kombucha and other fermented foods are also extremely useful.

Please note: Eating a healthy, balanced, clean diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables, clean proteins, anti-inflammatory fats, fiber, and more will also keep your body happy and healthy!

Please also note: None of the information provided is meant to treat or diagnose disease or ailments. Always consult your doctor before starting a new dietary or exercise regime.

Woman and Supplements and Weight Training

I have to admit I never have taken supplements while I weight trained except for the yummy protein drinks D would make when we got home sometimes.  I never asked questions as to why I was drinking this but I see so many times D make his own pre-workout and post workout drinks.  They smell good I think but I have no idea if women should drink those things too.  I use to laugh at some of the guys that would drink those pre-workout drinks because they would be so wired, often I would hear “it makes my hair itch” I would think is that really worth it? So I did my own investigating into this subject to find out some basics of women and weight training.  Even if it is a little weight what we women should know.

First take your B vitamins!! This is huge for us girls!  We  need to pay careful attention to our nutrition plan for proper performance and recovery. I know for most busy moms we just get in there, get it done and wait for our results.  So much more to this!! While getting enough calories and rest are crucial factors, women should consider whether their food intake is also supplying adequate vitamins and minerals to support their training program. The role of vitamins, also known as antioxidants, involves fighting off damaging free radicals which can increase during exercise. B vitamins also play important roles in immunity and energy metabolism.  See this is why we need to watch our B’s, they deplete in us the fastest.

Here is a break down of vitamins we need and why:

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant that prevents damage to cells. During physical activity such as weight training, cell damaging free radicals increases. Therefore, it is especially important for weightlifting women to consume vitamin A to protect the body’s cells from damage and disease. Ideal sources of vitamin A is found in red, orange, deep yellow and some green vegetables such as carrots, tomatoes, spinach and broccoli.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C protects the body from infection, aids in healing and aids in producing collagen. Collagen is the connective tissue that connects muscle to bone. Collagen is improved during weight training, therefore adequate vitamin C in the weight training woman’s diet can assist in this building and strengthening process. Citrus fruits along with strawberries and sweet potatoes are excellent sources. Vitamin C also plays a critical role in aiding in the absorption of iron and folate, which are important nutrients for preventing anemia.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant powerhouse that works in conjunction with Vitamin C to heal the body and protect it from some chronic diseases. The body requires adequate rest and recuperation from weight training exercises, which causes micro tears in the muscle. Excellent sources of vitamin E include nuts, vegetable oils, wheat germ, and whole grains. Dietary incorporation of vitamin E assists in repairing the micro tears in the muscle during rest periods from weight training.

B Vitamins 

B vitamins, also known as energy vitamins, are essential for an active woman. Active women, including those who do weight training, may deplete B vitamins more quickly than inactive women, leading to fatigue, sluggishness, and even anemia. Most B vitamins are found in protein rich foods such as chicken, fish, pork, nuts and dairy products. They are also found in enriched bread and cereals and whole grains. Not only does B vitamin folate prevent a specific type of anemia, but is critical for women of childbearing age as it prevents birth defects.

Branched Chain Amino Acids (in weight training supplements)

 

According to “The Female Training Bible” at Bodybuilding.com, women may benefit from the use of branched chain amino acid, or BCAA supplements. These supplements contain specific amino acids–the building blocks of muscle–that may enhance protein synthesis, which may lead to increased muscle mass, according to Bodybuilding.com. BCAA supplements are to be taken during exercise so that the amino acids can halt muscle breakdown, which is a natural result of working out. Bodybuilding.com also points out that BCAA supplements can give you an energy boost without having to rely on sugar-laden energy drinks. BCAA supplements do not contain sugars and are unlikely to contribute to fat gain.

 

 Womans Multivitamin

You might think that all women’s multivitamins are the same, but according to the Bodybuilding.com article “Strong, Sexy And Shapely: A Supplement Program For Women,” that’s not the case. The article explains that women’s multivitamins contain higher concentrations of certain nutrients, including vitamin D, calcium and iron. Bodybuilding.com explains that vitamin D and calcium help promote stronger bones, which may reduce the risk of injury that comes with intense weight training. In addition, the extra iron helps to replace that which is lost in the blood during your menstrual cycle. The supplement program also suggests that multivitamins may help strengthen your immune system.

Soy Protein 

One constant in the world of fitness and muscle-building nutrition, whether you are male or female, is the importance of protein. Protein contains the amino acids that help build your muscles and may also help you feel full. According to the health and nutrition website HealthCastle.com, soy protein may have benefits that extend beyond muscle-building. The website notes that soy protein contains calcium and iron, which Bodybuilding.com noted were important for women. In addition, soy protein contains fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and B vitamins. In addition, HealthCastle.com says that research indicates adding 47g of soy protein to your daily diet may help reduce cholesterol levels. The website also suggests soy may help build stronger bones.

Best to build lean muscle and not bulk up like the guys do. Here are some recommendations I have come across:

Whey Protein Isolate

Whey protein isolate is beneficial for women because it is the leanest form of protein supplement available. Whey protein isolate contains minimal fat and carbohydrates, which makes it lower in calories than whey protein concentrate. Whey protein isolate is rich in amino acids and can help support muscle recovery and growth.

Meal Replacement Powders

While male bodybuilders often rely on high-calorie weight gainers to gain muscle mass, these supplements may not be appropriate for women because they provide 1,000 calories or more per serving. Meal replacement powders, however, are lower in calories — usually about 200 to 300 per serving — and can be more appropriate for muscle-building in women. In addition to protein, meal replacement powders often contain essential fatty acids, which research from the October 2010 issue of the “Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition” found can improve muscle growth and fat loss

Low Carb Protein Bars

Although protein bars can be helpful for muscle gain due to the high protein content, many contain high levels of sugar and fat, which may lead to fat gain. However, there are low-carbohydrate protein bars that may be more appropriate for women, especially those who are trying to retain muscle while dieting. Although carbohydrates do not make you fat, low-carbohydrate protein bars tend to be lower in calories than other bars while still providing protein, which can help you build muscle and keep fat at bay

Why should women use protein supplements if they weight train? Derived from milk, whey features the highest biological value of any protein, meaning it absorbs and is used by your body better than other proteins. The key to benefiting from whey protein is consuming the right amount of it because too much can lead to weight gain. Before trying whey protein supplements, women should consult their doctor.

If you are like me and like to browse in the store sometimes it can be overwhelming if you didn’t do your research before to figure out what kind of protein you want. Or you can just use some of your husbands like I do. I did drink a lot of protein shakes when I was pregnant with Baby A.  To help her build her muscles and I did not gain a lot of weight in my pregnancy either.

A little protein lingo here I had to borrow from Livestrong site to explain the 3 types of protein we would find in a store.You can find three main types of whey supplements at any fitness or supplement store, including whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolates and whey protein blends. WPC formulas are inexpensive and contain up to 90 percent protein by weight. WPI supplements contain at least 90 percent protein by weight, making them a purer form of the protein. Whey protein blends contains a mixture of both WPC and WPI for a cost-effective alternative to WPI formulas. Women who are lactose-intolerant may want to choose a WPI formula due to the lower levels of fat and lactose found in it.

Using a Whey Protein supplement in your diet will give you results it can give them to you in a positive way or a negative way.  This little gem called whey protein supplements can help you get a leaner body, your results will greatly improve by following a consistent exercise regimen. Cardio exercise, such as jogging and biking, can help burn fat for a leaner appearance. Resistance training, such as lifting weights or yoga, can increase muscle development and strength. If you consume whey protein while not working out regularly, you are at an increased risk of weight gain

*****Before trying any of these please consult your medical doctor***

Pumpkin Do You Like It?

Fall is right around the corner, and some season foods are pumpkin, apples, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, beets, grapes, cranberries, leek, butternut squash, fennel, walnuts and quince.  Now I haven’t cooked with over half of these fall foods but I am willing to try this year.  Cooking.com has some yummy recipes for these fall in season foods, saves on your grocery bill too.  Here is a link to their site with recipes on it.  http://www.cookinglight.com/food/in-season/fall-produce-00400000051656/

 

I was wondering all the benefits that pumpkin can bring to our table and our bodies.  I love the smell of pumpkin in our home when I cooked with it around the holidays.  OF course pumpkin pie but I also made some yummy pumpkin squares that might have been good for us also.  Let’s see how we benefited when we ate our favorite pie.

First they are loaded with vitamin A, high in fiber and low in calories.  Already looking good for this house this fall, might have to move them from the porch to our pantry.  Have you ever scooped out the seeds in a pumpkin, do you know the benefits of those little gems? You can look up recipes for roasted pumpkin seeds that are fresh when you take the time to get them out of the pumpkin.  One plus is those little gems promote prostate health! They have omega-3 fats in them, full of zinc, protection of our bones, anti-inflammatory benefits especially in arthritis, rich source of protein, monounsaturated fats and healthful minerals, those seeds also promote lowering of cholesterol and also a good source of iron and copper.

Pumpkin (canned or fresh)  contains powerful antioxidants aka carotenoids that can help protect our cells from free radical damage we get from outside influences or the other foods we put into our body.  Some of the other health benefits are pumpkins pack a powerful punch of Vit C, potassium which can help prevent heart disease and keep blood pressures at healthy levels.  Vit E is another benefit that keeps our body in check by alleviating symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, eye health and certain types of breast disease. diabetes protection (lower blood sugar by improving insulin resistance and suppressing onset of diabetes), and can inhibit the growth of cancers in the breast, lung, colon, and central nervous system.

For us girls wanting a glowing complexion, pumpkin has tons of nutrients that make our skin glow. From facial treatments and moisturizers, to invigorating body treatments and wraps,  pumpkin and pumpkin extracts can be used in a variety of indulgent  treatments at the spa–or even at home!  Pumpkin nourishes tired or dry skin instantly, giving you a healthy glow anytime your skin needs a boost!  Colder weather can make your skin especially dehydrated, and the brisk fall and winter breeze certainly doesn’t help.  You’ll also find pumpkin treatments in many anti-aging therapies, but you can still enjoy it as a basic skin soother and moisturizer.  Pumpkin peels can also help with breakouts and acne problems.  The nutrients can help soothe and reduce inflammation naturally, helping skin recover from acne-related damage.  Gotta work from the inside out, meaning we can have an extra slice of pumpkin pie I am defiantly going to look for homemade masks we can do here and see if it really works!!  Had to include a mask recipe:

At-Home Pumpkin Facial

 

The natural healing properties of fruits and vegetables continue on into fall and winter, and there’s no better time to take advantage of all the benefits of pumpkin for your skin. Ready to indulge in a calorie-free treat?  Here’s how to make your own pumpkin facial treatment at home:

 

What you need:

2 teaspoons canned pumpkin

½ teaspoon honey

½ teaspoon milk

¼ teaspoon cinnamon spice

 

How to make your own pumpkin masque:

Mix together ingredients into a paste, and brush onto freshly cleansed skin.  Let it dry for 15-20 minutes, and then rinse off with warm spring water.  Use a pumpkin-infused moisturizer for an immediate glow!

 

There are so many good tasting recipes for pumpkin.  I have seen granola bars, soups, breads, muffins, use in salads (seeds),   desserts and snacks.

 

Red Dye 40

You can truly tell a difference when you feed your 3-year-old healthy foods.  I cut out red dye foods, no fruit chew snacks and gave him more fruits, vegetables and proteins.  Now I have to admit I gave him the occasional M&M (his favorite even though red dye is in it) and vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup and whip cream.  But none the less I have noticed a huge difference in attitude and over all well-being.  He has not been a “wild” or “running around uncontrollably” this past week and a half.  Cutting out just some of the un-necessary items that also saves on my grocery budget has helped both of us.

Why did I pick Red Dye 40 to pick on these past couple of weeks? Some “experts” state it causes hyperactivity in children.  I can say I have seen some proof to this in my ex’s oldest son.  I once fed him a bag of Doritos and he was so wild afterwards.  He hadn’t had any red dye in a while and in a moment of weakness I gave him one on the way to a family get together.  Boy was I sorry I gave in, he was completely uncontrollable.  Like he had a switch turn on in his head and couldn’t be stopped.  You could see him want to stop his behavior but just couldn’t.  With my 3-year-old he has the same tendencies with behavior and food sensitivities.  Some of the effects this dye has been labeled to cause is memory and attention difficulties, hyperactivity, temper tantrums (those are always fun), impulsivity in young ages.  It does not mean your child can not have it ever again in his/her life.  In such a young age it is often because of a sensory processing disorder, keep in mind kids are still developing at young ages.  They do not pop out fully developed into the world.

A little about Red Dye 40 that I found on some websites: Artificial colors are common food additives and unfortunately, we live in a world where it is nearly impossible to find food without 10-20 food additives that we know nothing about .  That is scary to think our foods we feed ourselves and our kids have so many unknowns in them!! Some say it is an allergy to the dye itself and not only affects our kids about adults too.  Besides altering moods it can bring on headache and stomach-ache in adults.  Who knew While looking for information I came across some blogs dedicated to this pesky dye and it is a hot topic.

 

Here are some common foods that have red dye 40 in them, keep in mind not all foods have to be red in color for it to be in them.  Read the labels and as always educate yourself first before making up your mind. Doritos, Twinkies, chocolate cake mix, vanilla frosting, croissants and even non-organic red apples, M&Ms, colored goldfish crackers, bubble gum, Kool-Aid, and cough syrups.

For us I have noticed  huge change in my childs behavior when cutting back on this red dye 40, he is calmer and thus happier because he isn’t getting into trouble for bouncing off furniture and can focus on listening.  We can do more fun things that he likes to do on a regular basis because he is having fun without being wired.

As always educate yourself before making changes in your household.  Enjoy~

New Day A New Way

It is funny how sugar is a word a 3 year old knows and wants and can say clearly.  I need sugar mommy has been the sentence of the week lately.  I say nope you don’t need sugar, the lip comes out and the pouty eyes.  Just doesn’t work like it use to.  But what is ironic is I want sugar products too but tell myself nope I don’t need sugar either.

Today is the first day back to hitting exercise hard.  I have technically cleared myself after 5 weeks of giving birth to our new bundle of joy.  Part of me wants to get back into the routine the other part remembers the soreness I felt each day and questioning why I put my body through this.  My beloved has started my training/exercise in a simple back to basic fashion and I am sure I will feel it tomorrow morning.

The other day I was crazy, I actually flew with our newborn 4 times in one day.  Yes, I did it, and she was wonderful.  I went to California to pick up my son (3-year-old) and fly back with him to where we live.  It was a very long day, 6am flight out and returned home at 11pm the same day.  On my last flight I noticed a couple that had a 4 week old son that was going to fly on our flight.  I sat there watching my 3-year-old and noticed that this new mom was staring at me.  I smiled at first and when she didn’t smile back I realized she was staring at my body not my face.  I have been blessed after all 3 of my kids for my body to return back to a fairly small size in under 4 weeks.  I know I have been blessed in this way and apparently she didn’t think to highly of me.  But what made me really smile, she was stuffing her mouth full of not just one or two slices of airport pizza but three.  I was sitting there thinking your husband is enjoying a salad and a slice of pizza you have 3 slices and a huge dark cola.  Hello0ooo….. Please don’t look at me like that.  I was no better in a way because I had just finished my $7.00 cheeseburger from Wendy’s.  But it is airport food and there is not a whole lot to choose from.  Breastfeeding is a huge plus on burning those calories too.

Today marks my change in diet and exercise plans…. Oh joy, can’t wait….. NO more mochas, no more of a lot of my pregnancy guilty pleasures..

Kids and Diets

Kids and weight loss, there’s a headline I have seen tons of press on lately.  I recently saw a post on my Facebook wall about a 14-year-old losing close to 40 pounds this summer. Headed back to school a whole new person! Really? First of all 40 pounds? Second of all summer has been only in session for a little over a month!

My 11-year-old once came home in second grade telling me she was on a diet with her friends.  The only problem was their idea of a diet wasn’t healthy eating it was not eating lunch at all! Now at 11 years old she is learning about all kinds of fad diets at her dads house and sharing what she learns with me.  I try to teach her over and over healthy eating will do more good than a fad diet will.  Where our 13-year-old just eats like a bird, staples in her diet are chips, soft drink and nutella.  Beginning to think that no matter how much you lead by example in the eating department kids will sway to what friends eat every time.  We have had Nutella in our house for over a year, and it wasn’t until recently when P went to a friend’s house and she made them Nutella sandwiches did she love it! It was like a new item on the grocery store shelves.  So to all the parents when you have your kids friends as guests, get them to try new things!! They may love it and it may become the hottest new food in their lives!

Back to dieting craze that is about to take hold on a lot of our younger generation.  I see it this way, parents use to be the ones that would stand in front of a mirror and complain about their bodies.  Kids would see this, some would develop eating disorders (experts opinions) and some would choose healthier foods after listening to their parents.  Fast forward to now, children and obesity are sky rocketing and more press and attention is being focused on it.  Kids don’t see this press as eating healthier, they see it as something is wrong with them and the easiest way to lose pounds is look it up on their electronics and stop eating.  Electronics and physical activity don’t go hand in hand last I checked.  Not even Wii games get them up and moving much.  To bad you can’t have an app on the iPod that is interactive like the Wii.  I read on a popular teen weight loss site the following:

Motto to say to yourself everyday: You have to move it to lose it!

I have never in my life counted calories until I took a nutrition class.  To me fresh fruit and veg’s with high fiber foods would help me maintain or lose weight.  Cut my sugary foods way down or out or fast foods.  Sodas can make a huge difference in weight gain or loss and diet sodas forget them too!  On this site it costs $23.95 to order their weight loss program.  I know enough about the internet you can find information out for free with a little research.  And that is something these kids love to do is sit on the internet.

Why can’t we offer a nutrition class in school? Teach them about eating right, finances and life choices? I didn’t think that was too much to offer kids when those are life skills they need.  If parents are modeling it then how can they teach it? Dieting is going to be getting a lot more press now because I think kids are going to go for the unhealthy dieting crazes and health risks will be even higher.  Please take a minute to talk to your kids about these fad diets and to come to you if they want to lose weight.  Have open communication before unhealthy habits start.

Cost of Eating Healthy

How many times have you read or listened to how obese our nation is getting?  Seems to be getting to a new high on the news and who knows maybe enough people will make it a hug topic that it will overshadow the presidential elections.  That’s a little big on an overall vision but if the president’s wife is going to make commercials on kids channels about eating healthy then goodness make it more affordable for the kids to eat this way!

People are talking about it enough to bring attention to this subject that USA Today did an article about the government helping by lowering prices on nutritious foods.  With the food pyramids overhaul in 2010 it is estimated that the now daily recommended servings would add another two to three hundred dollars to households food bills.  It is estimated over 49 million Americans pick food based on cost not nutritional value to feed themselves and their families.  At least 15 percent of them want to eat more nutritionally but can’t and some on food stamps can’t eat healthy either.  The government has food stamps on a limited program even though they promote health on TV.

Here is what our government recommends for us to eat more of with a growing cost:

Adding 700 milligrams of daily potassium, the average gap seen in the study, would cost $1.04 a day and $380 a year

Getting to a higher standard, the U.S. Dietary Reference Intake of 4,700 milligrams of potassium daily, which is recommended by the U.S. Institute of Medicine, would cost an additional $2.82 a day or $1,030 a year

For every 1% increase in calories from added sugar, food costs fell about 7 cents; for saturated fat, they dropped even more, about 28 cents for every 1% increase in daily calories.

Increasing added sugar and saturated fat will actually help you spend less, unfortunately.

This is a subject that defiently needs some light shed on it and more media coverage on.  Many people want to choose better choices at the store but can’t due to pocket-book.  Feeding a family of 5 to 7 people is not easy on a healthy budget.  Milk prices alone are almost $4.00 a gallon.  If I want hormone free, anti-biotic free milk I am looking at over $4.00 for half a gallon.  I recently read on Foodstamps people can buy fruit and vegetable seeds or plants.  I guess that is the new way for families to afford fruit and vegetables, grow your own garden.  Guess I will have to learn pesticide free gardening next. Me and bugs don’t mix so this should be interesting.

Have you found changing your lifestyle to healthier options has added to your grocery expense?  Coupons for other products have off set our expenses so we can get fresh fruits and vegetables.