Unhealthy Snacks

I do believe that healthy snacking is an important part of eating a balanced diet.  Eating a healthy snack, like fruit or low fat yogurt, between meals helps to keep you feeling satisfied throughout the day and helps you not to over eat at meal time.

However, unhealthy snacks can cause spikes in your blood sugar, leaving you with that afternoon "crash". Here is a list of a few snacks to avoid:

1. Doughnuts. High in sugar, trans-fats, and calories doughnuts are not only bad for your waistline, but bad for your energy levels as well. The high sugar content is likely to end in a midday crash. If you crave a doughnut, try a piece of whole-grain toast with 1 TBSP all natural peanut butter.
2. Soft Drinks. There just isn't anything nutritious about soda, whether it's diet or regular. Don't be fooled because the drink is diet - there is nothing healthy about them and in fact diet drinks can actually make you add on extra pounds!  Instead of a soda, try some sparkling water with lemon, unsweetened tea, or just plain water.
3.  French Fries: Actually anything fried - from chicken to potatoes to vegetables - should be avoided. Deep-fried foods contain trans fats that are bad for your body. If you want finger foods, opt for carrot sticks, low-fat mozzarella cheese sticks, or grapes.
4. Chips: Chips of any kind are usually fried so are therefore high in fat and salt.  Instead of chips opt for healthier choices like cut up fruits and veges, apple slices, or a hand full of almonds.  This way you still get the crunch without all the calories.

How to Get Your Kids to Eat More Fruits and Veges

I feel pretty lucky.  My kids will eat steamed broccoli and carrots at dinner without a fuss.  Now don’t get me wrong, given the choice, French fries would trump the veges any night of the week.  But when it comes to getting them to branch out and try a larger variety of fruits and veges it’s not always an easy job.  So I tried to think of a more creative way to squeeze those important foods into their diet and for me it was  - The Juicer.

First off I will begin by stating that yes a juicer is a pain to put together and to clean.  But every time I start to feel overwhelmed about the entire process I take a look at all of the different fruits and veges I am getting into my kids with no fussing - and the added bonus is that they always ask for more.

I don’t have a secret recipe.  I actually call my juicing technique – The Kitchen Sink.  I try to make sure my refrigerator is stocked full of a large variety of apples, pears, grapes, lemons, grapefruits, carrots, and leafy greens like spinach and kale.  

I find the most effective way to juice is to wash all of your fruits and veges and cut them up into the appropriate size for your juicer before you begin.  Have them all ready to go and then juice away.  The secret I have found is to make sure you include a lot of familiar tasting fruits in with the more “exotic” ones.  For instance, my kids would rarely eat grapefruit, kale or lemons on their own but when juiced with apples, oranges, and grapes, they don’t even know realize they are getting all of the other foods as well.  

My typical juice recipe: 1 red apple, 1 green apple, ½ grapefruit, ½ lemon, large bunch of grapes, large orange, large bunch of spinach or kale, large bunch of salad greens,  3-4 stalks of celery, 2-3 large carrots, 1 pear.  You do not have to use so many different fruits but I figure if I am going to the trouble of getting the juicer out, I want to get the most out of it.  Although I wish I had the time to do this every day, I usually juice for my family 3-4 times a week.  Once you get into the habit, it’s not so daunting, and when I think about all the benefits my family is getting I feel it is worth all of the effort.

UnHealthy Snacks to Avoid

I do believe that healthy snacking is an important part of eating a balanced diet.  Eating a healthy snack, like fruit or low fat yogurt, between meals helps to keep you feeling satisfied throughout the day and helps you not to over eat at meal time.

However, unhealthy snacks can cause spikes in your blood sugar, leaving you with that afternoon "crash". Here is a list of some snacks to avoid:

1. Doughnuts. High in sugar, trans-fats, and calories doughnuts are not only bad for your waistline, but bad for your energy levels as well. The high sugar content is likely to end in a midday crash. If you crave a doughnut, try a piece of whole-grain bread with 1 TBSP all natural peanut butter.
2. Soft Drinks. There just isn't anything nutritious about soda, whether it's diet or regular. Don't be fooled because the drink is diet - there is nothing healthy about them and in fact diet drinks can actually help make you add on extra pounds!  Instead of a soda, try some sparkling water with lemon or lime slices- you'll get the carbonation without all the empty calories.
3.  French Fries: Actually anything fried - from chicken to potatoes to vegetables - should be avoided. Deep-fried foods contain trans fats that are bad for your body. If you want finger foods, opt for carrot sticks, low-fat mozzarella cheese sticks, or grapes.
4. Chips: Chips of any kind are usually fried so are therefore high in fat and salt.  Instead of chips opt for healthier choices like cut up fruits and veges, apple slices, or a hand full of almonds.  This way you still get the crunch without all the calories.

Green Tea

Green Tea is considered a disease fighting food. Green tea contains polyphenols, a group of chemical substances found in plants, that may protect our bodies against a number of cancers. Green tea has also been proven effective against stroke, digestive problems, and heart disease.

My favorite is type of green tea is Chai spiced green tea. There are several brands available but I really like Bigelow and it is easy to find in most supermarkets.

Green Tea can also be used externally to make your skin glow, heal blemishes, cuts, and rashes, soothe strained or tired eyes, fight body odor, and more. For more information see the complete article:

https://www.bigelowtea.com/health/tea-and-beauty/green-tea-for-health-and-beauty.aspx

Foods Good For Your Digestive System

I have many friends that complain about digestive problems. I believe there are many foods that can aid in digestive health and cleanse your body naturally. First, know that approximately 40% of your diet should be fruits and vegetables. Here is a list to help:

broccoli

cauliflower

onions & garlic

artichokes

beets

red and green vegetables

brown rice

sweet potatoes

lemons

oranges

apples

tomatoes

green tea

**lemon water **(highly recommend starting your day with a large glass of water with lemon)

What to Feed Your Kids for Lunch

If your kids are like mine, they live for Pizza Fridays! So I try to make sure that for the most part, they are eating a healthy lunch through-out the week.

If your kids buy school lunch, go over the menu with them in the morning and discuss what food options they have. One rule in our house is that they must have a fruit or vege with every meal. So where I may give on the chicken nuggets, we have agreed that they will also eat the oranges.


If your kids bring a sack lunch you have more control over what they eat. When I pack lunches for my boys I usually either give them lean ham or turkey deli meat rolled up, a cheese stick, grapes, 100% juice box, cheddar bunnies or pretzels.


Another item my kids love for lunch is "home-made" lunchables. I buy a Hormel All Natural Ham and cut it up in cubes, add cheese cubes and healthy whole grain crackers and you have the healthy version of a lunchable. Then you can add grapes and 100% juice box or low-fat milk and they have a good healthy lunch to get them through the rest of the day.

picture from keetsa.com

Healthy Drink Choices

Here is a great list of 4 healthy drink choices from Dr. Weil:

1. Green tea: Green tea is a potent source of catechins - healthy antioxidants which can inhibit cancer cell activity and help boost immunity. Replace your morning coffee with a cup of tea for a healthier wake-up.

2. Cranberry juice: Cranberries are a rich source of vitamin C and contain a substance that hinders the attachment of bacteria to bladder walls, which can help prevent urinary tract infections. Instead of cranberry juice cocktail, opt for unsweetened cranberry juice concentrate and dilute with water or sparkling water.

3. Red wine: The antioxidant activity of red wine has been linked to heart health benefits, reduced stress, and even preserving memory. If you enjoy an occasional drink, limit your intake to 1-2 glasses a day. If you don't drink, don't start - there are other ways to get antioxidants in your diet, including fresh, whole fruits and vegetables.

4. Pure, filtered water: Staying well hydrated is essential to optimal health and overall functioning. Drink as much as you want throughout the day, and in the warmer months, be sure to drink water.

Here is the link to the entire article:

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/TIP03406/Four-Healthy-Drinks.html

Healthy Kids Drinks for Back to School

If your kids take a sack lunch to school you have a little more control over what they are eating and drinking.

What your kids are drinking at school is as important as what they are eating. If you pack a juice box in their lunch, make sure they only drink 100% juice. I know it can cost a little more but if you are not buying 100% juice your kids are getting tons of artificial ingredients and sugar packed into one little box.

Most juice boxes contain:

*Only 10% real fruit juice
*High-fructose corn syrup
*Only 20% of recommended daily value of Vitamin C

My two favorite brands are Juicy Juice and Minute Maid 100% Juice. I have found both at Target and Market Street.

If they buy school lunch encourage them to buy low-fat milk or bottled water and discourage sodas of all kinds.

Changing What You Drink May Result in a Flatter Belly!

What?

A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that around 37 percent of our total daily liquid calories come from sugar-sweetened drinks. And here's the really crazy part: Those beverages have a bigger impact on our waistlines than anything else we eat.

You may be drinking up to 400 extra calories a day!!!

Here are drinks to go easy on:

1. Whole Milk: Go for the skim or fat free varieties.

2. Sweetened Tea: Unsweetened tea is a great beverage to sip but when you start loading up on the sugar you are loading up on the calories. The super plus about tea - studies have found that compounds in green tea known as catechins rev your metabolism for up to 24 hours—meaning it actually helps you burn more calories. So drink the tea but skip the sugar and the artificial sweeteners - add a splash of lemon instead.

3. Alcohol: Most wines ring in between 100 and 120 calories a glass. A frozen Margarita has appx. 180 calories (all carbs) for a 4 oz serving. Considering the average margarita glass holds 12 oz you're looking at 540 calories. A 12oz. beer has from 75-200+ calories depending on the make. Oh - so sad!

4. Diet Soda: You think because it has "diet" in the label that it is OK to drink but new research from Purdue University suggests that drinking these artificially sweetened beverages can alter with the brain's ability to measure caloric intake. Drink them often enough and you may actually start to crave sweets more, eat more, and GAIN more weight.

What should You Drink?

1. Water (the old fashioned plain and simple kind)

2. Tea (unsweetened, of course)

3. Coffee (unsweetened of course - skim or fat free milk, avoid any kind of whipped cream, chocolate shavings and syrups - they can add up to 200+ calories.

Some info from womenshealthmag.com Article - Think Before You Drink 7/21/2009

Image from: recipes.lovetoknow.com

Instead of Drinking Diet Soda

It is a myth that if you want to lose weight you should drink diet soda. I have even seen "experts" on diet and exercise promote this idea as a "revolutionary" weight loss idea. Let me first start by saying...I used to be a diet coke junkie. Every once and a while my husband and I still reminisce about the good old days of frosty, diet sodas with little ice chips floating around the glass on a hot Texas day...mmmm...but I digress...

Research shows that people who drink diet drinks on a regular basis may be more likely to gain weight and develop metabolic syndrome, a condition that includes having excess belly fat, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and insulin resistance. The artificial sweeteners in diets sodas interfere with signals in the brain that help your body judge how may calories you have already ingested and make it difficult for your body to determine how much you really need to eat. Not to mention that studies also show that sodas can cause erosion of tooth enamel. (Women's Day Mag April 2009).

So - what to drink - choose better alternatives: water, unsweetened iced tea, green or black tea, low fat milk, and small amounts of 100% fruit juice.

Health and Diet Sodas

Eat This Not That

I am starting this section to help give us better food and drink choices. I will periodically add to this topic when I find great healthier food choices I want to share. The first up in this section is:


Diet Soda
I want to start this topic by first saying that I used to be a soda drinker. I drank cokes as a kid and switched to diet drinks as a teenager. It was not until I was diagnosed with cancer when I was 36 that I decided to give up all soft drinks and artificial sweeteners.

In an article in the January 2009 edition of Prevention Magazine it is stated that in a 2008 study, researchers linked drinking just one diet soda a day with metabolic syndrome – the collection of symptoms including belly fat that puts you at high risk for heart disease and diabetes. Researchers are not sure if it’s an ingredient in diet soda or the drinker’s eating habits that caused the association.

My play on the topic…cut out the sodas altogether, regular and diet. Artificial sweeteners are just not a good thing. Although they have been approved by the FDA as safe to consume, we still need to keep in mind that by adding artificial sweeteners to our food and drink, we are still eating something that has no nutritional value and does not function like food in our systems. Remember our goal is for food just to be food.

Smarter Sub: Water, Unsweetened Iced Tea, Flavored Seltzer Water (make sure to read the label, you never know what is in a product until you read the list of ingredients), 100% Fruit Juice (small amounts), Green & Black Teas, fat-free or low-fat milk .

If you can’t stop “cold turkey”, consider decreasing the amount you drink gradually. Remember, every step you can take towards a healthier diet, is a step in the right direction. Instead of sweeteners try light vanilla soy milk in your coffee and tea.