2012年9月23日 星期日

Healthy Breakfast Tips For Kids


Breakfast is the biggest and most important meal of the day. You need to make sure that your kids take in a proper breakfast to be able to give them the right amount of energy that they need for the entire day. When your kids sleep during the night, the body uses up the energy that is stored in the cells and a correct breakfast will allow the body to recharge and get a jump start for the rest of the day. Aside from this, studies prove that children who eat a good breakfast perform better in school and grow faster as well. Don't think that giving your kids just anything will do, there are certain things that are needed to ensure that your child's body is fueled properly.

There are four things that you will need to make sure to include in your child's breakfast: grains, protein, fruits and vegetables and dairy. Grains can be found in the form of cereals, bread and the like. These are the most needed by the body as you will see if you check out the kid's food pyramid. Next are proteins which you will find in meat, different kinds of beans and eggs. Fruits and vegetables should of several different varieties as much as possible. Finally, dairy can be gotten from different sources like milk, cheese and yogurt.

Getting all these in the breakfast of your kids does not have to be so difficult. A bowl of oatmeal topped with fruits served with a glass of milk can easily meet all of these. Good combination's for fruits on oatmeal will include strawberries or an assortment of berries like blueberries and raspberries. Pancakes which are a well loved breakfast by many kids can be made better by making use of whole wheat flour, include bananas and walnuts in your batter for a serving of fruit and protein. Even a good old grilled cheese sandwich can be a nutritious breakfast.

Add some ham to this for some protein and make use of whole wheat bread for some grains. Serve this with any type of fruit. Smoothies can bring bursts of energy and give your child a good head start for sure. Try an assortment of fruits and yogurt. This can easily be paired with any other breakfast food and can be drunk on the go too.




Try to plan your kids' meals ahead of time as much as possible so that you have time to put together a healthy breakfast for kids.





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Home Remedies For Heartburn - Use Your Diet and Eating Habits As Home Remedy For Heartburn


As people are getting hungrier the meals are becoming larger, as a result, heartburn is becoming a major problem for many people and is a condition, affecting people from all across the globe.

A lot of people are unsure what to do when this condition affects them and usually the first choice involves taking antacid tablets for want of another better solution.

Some home remedies for heartburn may include the following:

- Be aware of the size of your meal and cut down where appropriate. Ridding excess food that you don't need can relieve the onset and symptoms of heartburn.

- Ensure your meals contain foods that appear across the healthy food pyramid. Decide on a few new menus and use cookbooks to inspire healthier and nutritious options. You will find it can be quite easy to prepare and consume food that not only tastes great, but which is also healthy for you.

- Get everyone in your family onboard or eat your meals with people that are also trying to improve their health.

Making small but noticeable changes is extremely important and you will find it easier to apply home remedies for heartburn that work effectively. It is the convenience of fast foods and pre packaged varieties that have led to an increase in this condition in the first place. There are hundreds of products added to supermarket shelves each year and it is understandable why people opt for these quick and convenient options. Extra acids are added to these foods to increase the flavour so if you suffer from heartburn regularly then it may be time to switch from 'convenient' to 'healthy' for your own benefit and that of your family.

If you can make some small changes and add some alternative healthier food options to your plate, then you may have found some of the very best home remedies for heartburn. Foods that are high in mineral content can be extremely effective in neutralizing stomach acid.

When I was young, I thought my mother was making me eat my vegetables before my meat because she was being mean, however now I know that this was not the case. It is important to revert back to the natural products and foods we remember as kids and doing so will ensure you won't need to look for any more home remedies for heartburn, because heartburn will be a thing of the past.

If you have had a slip up and eaten something you shouldn't have, then it would be useful in this instance to use some of the commercial remedies such as antacid tablets. A better idea to try first however, are a couple of other home remedies for heartburn. Having a glass of water straight after you meal could dilute the concentration of acid in the stomach. Chewing some gum may also work, as saliva could do the same trick as the water. 




Home Remedy For Heartburn?

How to really cure your Heartburn?

Use just 2 simple grocery items!

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Pyramid Vs Plate


As far as I can tell, the biggest difference between the food pyramid and the food plate is-- nothing, just kidding! It seems that on the food plate there are less grains to eat. And, I do have to say that although food plate is a nice icon considering most of us eat our food off of a plate, it is nowhere as romantic as food pyramid. Think about it. Roll them over your tongue a couple of times. Now, which one connotes more romance? Food pyramid hounds down.

So, it seems less grains and more whole grains, at least half your servings of grains should be whole. However, it doesn't really say how much grains you should eat. For that matter, the new food plate guide doesn't say how much fruit or vegetables you should eat. It simply states that half your plate should be fruits and vegetables. Great! Now I know exactly what and how much I am supposed to eat. But wait, whose plate am I using? What size is my plate? How many plates a day? At least with the food pyramid we were given explicit instructions: serving sizes and amounts per day. Now what are we to do? Please help, I am American, I don't like to do things on my own! I need to be guided, to be led if you will. You can check out the government's site and read past the beginning pages, in all fairness, they do give guidelines on portion sizes, etc.

Seriously, the government is just trying to help. Tongue in cheek. And as educated adults, we know what to eat. We know what is good for us and what isn't. If we're trying to lose weight, we need to eat less and move more. If we want to be healthy/ier, we need to eat less processed foods and more natural foods.

Looking at the Choose My Plate, did you know that 100% real fruit juice is considered a serving? As is 100% real vegetable juice. So, don't mix in anything, just get out the ol' blender and whir away at any fruit or vegetable you don't want to sink your teeth into! It works for me and cabbage. Choose My Plate also states there are five subgroups for veggies (which for the life of me I can't find on their site), such as legumes versus starchy veggies. Beans and peas are mature forms of legumes, and they are similar to meats, poultry and fish. Good news for our vegan and vegetarian friends because they do count as a substitute for those. Also, good news for meat eaters and veg's alike, they are also good sources of dietary fiber and nutrients. They swing either way, it's a win/win situation. Meat eaters, the recommendation is to eat at least 8 ounces of cooked fish per week. Sorry sushi and sashimi lovers!

Everyone needs dairy, and I don't know why. I am sure that when we were hunter/gatherers we didn't sit around milking cows or goats for that matter. But as we evolve, so does our knowledge and dairy is good. Period. However, low or non-fat dairy is highly recommended. All fluid milks count, which is good to know for us cereal eaters. Yet, there are a few favorites, sadly, that have no calcium value: cream cheese, cream and butter. Good news though, ice cream is a good source of calcium, but loaded in solid fats and added sugars. There's always a downside.

Lastly, my friends and fellow conscious healthy food eaters-oils. They are not a food group, but they do provide essential nutrients. Foods that are naturally high in oils: nuts, olives, some fish and avocados. Avocados, this is what the Greeks meant when they coined the term "ambrosia," food of the gods. A hint on olives, my son loved black olives, I say loved because one day he ate three cans and became incredibly ill, I guess it was all that oil. So, enjoy your healthy foods, but remember everything in moderation.




Helpful news and good fun, check out my site at http://www.beautiesgate.com





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2012年9月22日 星期六

Dejunking Junk Foods


If you thought there was a way to make that Twinkie you're snarfing a little less dangerous, I have a short answer for you-no. If this is a little too close for comfort, how about pizza? You like pizza, don't you?

I don't think I've met anyone who doesn't love pizza (if you're the one in the over 50,000 subscribers here that doesn't, please don't email me and let me know). I'll take your word for it!;-) For the rest of us humans, pizza is a part of our own personal food pyramid. We order it on Fridays or another night of the week when we've blown our prep time for making dinner-any of this sound familiar? Anyone feeling guilty yet?

It's not my intention to ratchet up guilt-I'll leave that to your mother. My intention is to bring you over to the healthy side of pizza and to leave that yucky old take-out stuff to the cretins who know no different. YOU can have your pizza and eat it, too! And, it can be a healthy food!

You've already heard me spout about lycopene, the wonderfully potent phytochemical found in tomato sauce. So it goes without saying, that the sauce is already quite healthy. And calcium? Well, a nice low-fat mozzarella is full of it-just go easy. The crust? Now let me tell you white flour and water makes....play doh. You want THAT in your colon for the next 50 years? I have a solution to that one...keep reading.

That leaves the toppings. Pepperoni and sausage aren't exactly the poster children of good health, so top your pizza with tons of veggies, fresh basil, some ground turkey seasoned with fennel and oregano...you get the picture, it can be done.

Now for recipes. If you think pizza needs to be difficult, get over yourself! Pizza is easy...it only look intimidating when you watch the guy at the pizzaria tossing the dough. No one says you have to TOSS the dough. All he's doing is getting the gluten (in the wheat) to stretch-it's a form of kneading, LOL. If you're smart, you'll merely knead it on the counter. If you have children with relatively clean hands, you can get your kids to do it or if your children's hands are completely untrustworthy (like my son's), you'll want to use your Cuisinart or other reasonable facsimile thereof.

Here are the recipes and this time I mean it:

Kneadless Pizza Dough

Makes 2 crusts-size depends on thickness of crust

1 cup warm water

2 teaspoons honey

2 teaspoons yeast

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

In a measuring cup, add yeast, warm water and 1 teaspoon of the honey. Mix well and let sit for 5 minutes.

In the meantime, in a food processor bowl, add flour, oil, salt and remaining honey. Pulse to blend. Now keep the food processor running, and slowly add the yeasty water through the feed tube. Let the machine run for about a minute (this is the fake kneading part). Dough should be smooth when it's done, if not, add more flour or more water depending. Now let that dough rest about 5 minutes. You'd need a good 5 minute rest too, if you were violently spinning around a food processor for a minute.

Divide the dough in half and roll out and use according to your recipe.

Per serving: 110 Calories; 3g Total Fat; 4g Protein; 2g Dietary Fiber; 19g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 180mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Fat.

Roasted Garlic Pizza Sauce

Makes enough for two crusts

1 bulb roasted garlic - squeeze roasted garlic to taste (see recipe below)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 (28-oz.) can plum tomatoes

1 teaspoon honey

Salt and pepper to taste

In a saucepan, crush tomatoes with a potato masher, add remaining ingredients and bring to a low boil. Let simmer on low for about 20 minutes.

Per serving: 13 Calories; 1g Total Fat; trace Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; trace Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch).

How to Make Roasted Garlic

1 head garlic - slice off top to expose garlic. Remove any excess, papery peel.

1 teaspoon olive oil

Slice off the tip top of the garlic head to expose garlic. Don't slice too much off!

Sit the garlic on it's root end in a casserole dish. Drizzle olive oil on the top. Cover with a lid.

Bake about an hour at 375 degrees. The heavenly scent of roasted garlic will waft all over the house. Let cool.

When you want to use it, pick it up and squeeze the soft, buttery contents out into whatever you're making-pizza sauce, garlic bread, mashed potatoes, whatever. Not good with chocolate.

Per serving: 44 Calories; 5g Total Fat; trace Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 1mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1 Fat.




Leanne Ely
~ The Dinner Diva ~
http://www.savingdinner.com
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Dieting For Children


It is hard to see so many children literally overburdening their bodies at such young ages by being obese. These kids cannot run, jump or play with other children because their bodies just will not allow them to do so. Dieting is a necessity for these kids despite our best efforts to insulate them from the self-esteem problems that often go together with obesity.

If you have a child that is well outside the average weight range for his or her age, you are the one who must take the necessary steps to make certain that they shed those excess pounds in order to live a life that is as close to normal as possible. The first thing you have to do however is talk to your child's doctor about the best possible course of action to look after the health of your child.

Put quite bluntly however, if you do not make the effort to help your child to shed those pounds you are placing the health of your child at risk. We do not let our children play in the street, we do not let them run around with guns, why on Earth would we permit them to commit suicide by chocolate? If you have a child that is obese, the following advice should assist you and them with their dieting.

First of all, do not make food a punishment or a reward. Food is part of the difficulty with your children and you should not use it against them. Instead, introduce them to healthy alternatives. Do not keep junk food in the house and do not let them purchase lunch at school. Pack their lunches for school so that you know what they are eating. If you do not give them junk food to take away and they cannot have it when at home, they will be better off.

Include healthy snacks into your family's eating routine rather than junk food. Fresh fruit, chopped vegetables, nuts, and frozen yogurt are good healthy snacks for your children. When in doubt, check with the food pyramid but watch calories in the process. You want your kids to eat a well balanced diet and stop eating junk food and sweets.

Cut out the juices and pop. This may be a huge ordeal in your house but the greatest gift you can offer your child is a deep and long-lasting liking of water. Water works to make their stomachs feel full and keeps them hydrated for the additional exercises you should be introducing into their routines.

Have them take dance lessons, take up a sport, or simply get out and run around the yard. The worst thing you can do is to allow your children to become comatose television, computer, or video game zombies. Get them out of the house and get them active. This helps in two ways. First of all, they are not stuffing their faces if they are outside playing and having a good time. Second, they are burning calories as they play which is a huge bonus in the dieting process of your children.

As your child begins to lose weight, you should begin to see a very profound difference in not only the way he or she bears his or herself but also in his or her interaction with others. Your child will notice a renewed self-confidence as the pounds come off and the teasing at school stops.

If you are at a complete loss as to how to help your child take the weight off there are camps that are intended expressly to deal with weight problems and building self-esteem in children aged 7-19. A camp may be just the answer you are looking for. Another thing to consider is to lead by example. If you do not eat junk food, if you are active, and if you do not engage in emotional over-eating your child will not be learning those behaviours from you or having them reinforced by you.




Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with why can't I lose weight. If you have an interest in losing weight, please go over to our website now at Why Can't I Lose Weight?





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Niche Markets in the Food Service Industry


You could pretty much sum up the restaurant scene in America in one sentence: Hamburgers are dead; and beef itself is losing some appeal. The kind of restaurant that is making a name for itself these days is the one that gets a cult following rather than marketing to a general broad appeal. Consider this as an open letter to the food service managers of America. For pity's sake, do something different!

We might as well face it: only the young care about general appeal any more. A ten year old kid is the most conservative diner you could imagine. Take them to any restaurant offering a menu of wonders and delights, and they'll head straight for the hot dog. No chili, no cheese, just ketchup, thank you. Pizza parlors are about as exciting as their culinary explorations get, but they'd better offer plain pepperoni or there's going to be trouble.

But the grown-ups think in terms mostly of ethnic categories. And speaking of ethnicity, Mexican, Italian, and Chinese are fine... but isn't it time that we acknowledged that there's more than three countries that make food? Treat yourself to a Mediterranean restaurant some time and you'll get a feel for what you've been missing. Falafel, hummus, baba ganoush, fresh wet green tea leaves, sweetening with honey instead of sugar, and ways to cook lamb you've never thought of. Pita bread baked fresh on the premises, so it shows up at your table in a puffed-up balloon and slowly deflates to the flat pancake shape.

America, the melting pot of international culture, and yet unless you're in one of the five biggest cities you're out of luck finding international foods outside of pizzas, and tacos. the bowl of chop suey if you're lucky. South American cuisine that is farther south than Mexico is unheard of. An Argentinian or Brazilian restaurant perhaps? And when's the last time you found a Russian deli outside of New York? America has made two gains in Russian cuisine - Pirozhki and Baklava, and Baklava is more Baltic than Russian. I bet if you're a typical American, you've never seen Shashlyk. It's a Russian-style shish-kebab usually made with marinated lamb and some favorably sweet grilled onions. How hard is that to make? To take another example, France gets praised for it's wonderful cultural food, but by reputation only. Let's see a few more French restaurants and perhaps we'll get a chance to see what all the fuss is about.

America has a hard time dealing with it's own native cultural diversity, it seems. You get cheese curds in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and in the rest of the States cheese is yellow and in the form of flat slices. Cajun cuisine got rave reviews on all of the cooking shows on Food network, but the craze seems to have come and gone without more than a few Cajun-themed restaurants popping up. Nobody east of Utah seems to have heard of a Denver omelet, nobody west of New England seems able to understand how to cook a lobster. I guess Indian cuisine within driving distance is a faint hope when you can't even get all of America into one food court.

And as if the lack of international diversity and interstate diversity weren't enough, it seems that even the methods of preparing food are stuck in a rut. Why must all chicken be breaded and deep-fat fried? Travel the planet if you have to, but find a place serving broasted chicken and grab a plate of that. There, now, wasn't it nice to have chicken that isn't drowning in grease for a change?

Consider the other food varieties largely missing from the American plate. Did you know pasta can be made from something besides wheat, bread can actually be something besides bleached and white, pickles aren't always sliced and sour, and they've invented varieties of pepper which can be served whole besides the Jalepeno? That kielbasa sausage tastes just as good on a bun as a hot dog? That sweeteners can be based on something besides corn? That you can put condiments on a sandwich that aren't yellow and red? That tortillas can be made from something besides bleached wheat flour? Listen, if only I never have to look at another "French fry" as long as I live, it will be too soon; enough with the damn deep-fried potatoes already!

American cuisine draws a heavy dose of criticism abroad, and for good reason. We simply do not offer substantial variety. The usually noble American ethic of being practical and down-to-Earth takes on an edge when you ask for something besides fried cow. What, are you some kind of elitist? Fried potatoes not good enough for you, you want fried mushrooms or zucchini instead, eh? Yeah, you must be an Imperialist to be making demands like that! No, actually, we're not Imperialist, we just saw that food pyramid that the USDA put out and thought that it might make a good idea to support it.

Of course, the food industry feels a huge economic impact. Cost measures are everywhere; it's difficult to get Americans to try something new, tough to find a supplier that offers a diverse stock who is also economical, and especially hard to hire trained staff that knows how to make dishes not usually found in the average homogenized restaurant. But with a small amount of effort, this can all be overcome. And the reward potential is outstanding. The restaurant business being competitive as it is, the one best way to draw a customer base is to offer something unique that you can't get anywhere else.

Because you don't want to be just another grill. You want to be that fantastic place that people drive miles out of the way to get to and tell all their friends about. You want to be the kind of place that serves the food people get an irresistible craving for. Irresistible cravings, after all, aren't just a matter of taste - nutritionists have indicated that they're your bodies way of telling you that you need certain nutrients that only the craved-for food can provide. But most of all, you want to be recognized as the food service manager with an edge, somebody who thinks out of the box and makes their business crazy successful by being better than all the others.




Freelance writer for over eleven years.

Chef Pants Restaurant Linens





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Back-To-School Nutrition Tips for a Healthy Breakfast


The thought of providing a variety of health-promoting, kid-approved foods throughout the school year can certainly feel overwhelming!

There's breakfast to consider, then snacks, lunch, more snacks, dinner, maybe another snack. Those kids can seem like bottomless pits at times!!

I'd like to chunk this subject of kids' school days nutrition down into simple tips and strategies so we can feel less overwhelmed.

Let's consider breakfast.

The average North American breakfast typically revolves around some type of refined, processed grain - like cereal, toast or bread, bagels, quick-cooked oatmeal, and a variety of pastries.

If we were to discuss the negative consequences of this single food choice alone, this would be a very lengthy article! Suffice it to say, there is an ever-increasing number of health professionals who agree that grains are not a requirement for optimal function.

That's right. According to experts who study our healthier ancestors and our genetic connections, we do not 'need' grains. Especially cereal-type grains. Amongst other physiological ramifications of consuming grains, inflammation is one of the biggest problems that results. The more refined, the worse it is. It's a horrible way to start the day!

So, what's a parent to do? Certainly 'whole' grains are an improvement over toxic refined grains. Better yet, choose more ancient grains, sprouted, soaked or fermented grains.

So far, I'm not really making your life any easier, am I?

Sorry about that - just wanted to make sure you're aware of the consequences of grain-centered meals. You certainly don't get this message if you depend upon sources like the food pyramid, do you? Money apparently speaks louder than health.

Let's get back to breakfast.

Here's a hierarchy of improvements to consider making:

1) If you can eliminate refined grains, that would be the ideal option.

2) If elimination isn't a realistic option right now, at least reduce the consumption of refined, processed grains.

3) Upgrade your choices of grains when possible - at the very least, start with whole grains, and make sure there's no high fructose corn syrup. Look for high fiber content and low sugar. No artificial sweeteners, colors or flavors. Whenever possible, upgrade even further by choosing the sprouted, fermented or soaked traditional grains.

But, THE most important thing to focus on with breakfast is to create a BALANCED meal.

In order to provide the raw materials for optimal brain function, balanced emotions and mood regulation, and maximized physical performance, we need some healthy protein, natural fats, fresh fiber from vegetables and fruit, and some pure water as the drink of choice.

I discuss these and the 5 basic food groups that our kids require for optimal health & performance in many of my articles, books and menus. I place these foods in something I call the Circle of Health. It's simple and clear enough that kids, too, can learn how to make healthy choices and structure health-promoting meals and snacks. I think it's important that they understand the importance of the choices they're making. It's a mom thing!

Speaking of being a mom, I understand the temptation of serving cereal for breakfast. Kids love it. It's cheap (or can be). It's quick, easy and convenient. What's not to love?

I also understand that it might not be realistic for you to completely eliminate these types of foods from your kitchen. That's OK - there are still ways we can add better health to this meal.

If you're serving grains for breakfast, you can dramatically improve the overall health value of that meal by ADDING some fresh fruit, and a REAL food source of protein (that often comes with its own natural source of fat).

Need an example?

Let's say your kids are still having cereal for breakfast. Without even getting into the quality of the cereal or the quality and source of the milk, an immediate and simple improvement to that meal would be to start them off with fresh fruit first.

Then, give them something with protein and natural fats, like a whole egg or a handful of raw nuts. If you can swing it, there are some excellent clean breakfast meats that lack the toxic chemicals and nitrites/nitrates... or you can just serve a bit of protein left over from last night's dinner.

I like to think of it as "diluting" the negative effects of the grains!

You know what you'll notice as you add protein, natural fats and fresh fiber (fruit & veggies)? Your kids will have more (balanced) energy, better focus, more balanced moods, greater performance... and a number of other overall health improvements, just by ADDING some things.

Just imagine what you'd see if you started to reduce some of the toxic things from their diets!

That's a topic for another discussion! Baby steps!




Dr. Colleen Trombley-VanHoogstraat ("Dr Mom Online") is a leading expert in Natural Health & Wellness. Her unique perspective and scientific understanding of Wellness, as well as her popular and engaging approach, provides simple solutions and transformational results for families seeking better overall health. To discover her popular strategy for teaching, and living, the fundamentals of better nutrition, go to
better nutrition and healthy food





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2012年9月21日 星期五

Picky Eater Kid Nutritional Guidelines


Although many children are picky eaters at some stage in their lives, the experts say not to worry. Unless you are feeding him or her chips and cookies three times each day, these children will most likely meet their weekly nutritional quotas.

However, if you are concerned about their developmental progress, make an appointment with their pediatrician for confirmation. In the meantime, you may want to include a multivitamin in your child's daily diet to balance his intake of nutrients.

Instead of looking at what types of food your child is eating meal-by-meal or even day-by-day, round out the picture by looking at your child's diet week-by-week.

Most children do not eat a balanced diet every day, but over the course of a week or so, their diet will usually fall within healthy eating guidelines. This perspective can help provide you with the total nutrient intake and you will probably feel much better after discovering that they really are eating more nutritional foods overall.

Here are some nutritional guidelines that can help you when looking at your child's dietary needs:

• Children need between 24-28 grams of protein a day, which can be found in just two servings of cheese, beef, chicken, fish, eggs, yogurt, dried beans, milk, or peanut butter

• Approximately 800 mg of calcium (3-4 servings) are needed daily, which can be found in macaroni and cheese, yogurt, orange juice, or a glass of milk

• Children need at least 5 mcg of Vitamin D, which is available in a glass of milk or by playing outside in the sunshine for a few minutes every day

• The requisite 5 mg of iron can be found in lean meats, poultry, fish, legumes, or whole grains

• Vitamin A (500 mcg) can be readily found in vegetables, including carrots and sweet potatoes

• Likewise, Vitamin C (45 mg) can found in fruits such as blueberries, strawberries, oranges, and cantaloupes

Of course, whenever in doubt, the Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children ([http://www.usda.gov/cnpp/KidsPyra/]) remains the standard for nutritional eating for children between the ages of 2 and 6. This includes Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta (6 servings a day); Vegetables (3 servings a day); Fruits (2 servings a day); Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese (2 servings a day); Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts (2 servings a day); Fats, Oils, and Sweets (use sparingly).

Snack Time

Snacks will typically not ruin your child's appetite an hour or so before dinner because he or she has a small stomach. Because your child may not receive enough nutrients during dinner, snacks should be viewed as an important time to meet those needs, especially if they are offered at a regularly scheduled “snack time.”

However, beware of snacks that provide little more than calories such as chips, candy, and sodas. Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, says, “If you are going to offer snacks, make sure they are supplementing meals, not sabotaging them.”

Here some healthy snack food suggestions:

• Graham Crackers

• Popcorn

• Pretzels

• Milk

• Cheese

• Yogurt

• Hard Cooked Eggs

• Fruit

• Raw Vegetables

• Crackers, Rice Cakes, Celery with Peanut Butter

• Applesauce

• Dried or Canned Fruit

• Low-fat Pudding

• Animal Crackers

• Home-made trail mix made from dried fruit, nuts and dry cereal

• Bread Sticks

• Baked Chips and Salsa

• Dry Cereal




Learn step-by-step how to successfully cope with Picky Eaters with Help There is a Picky Eater in The House! Full of Proven Strategies and Great Picky Eater Recipes that are Guaranteed to Help. [http://www.mypickyeater.com]





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Fitness and Healthy Eating Guide!


For most Americans healthy eating is not about eating adequately. If anything, it is just the opposite - we eat too much! Healthy eating menu will keep you fit only when you eat the right foods in the right quantity at the right time.

For many people, maintaining a desirable weight and body fat % can only be achieved through an integrated program of nutrition and healthy food chart or balancing energy intake with energy expenditure. If you're overweight, shedding pounds often results in reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and other diseases. Even small weight losses can have significant health benefits

So let's take a look at what serving sizes of food are right for us and what are these 'right quantities'.

• Ensure you are eating at least 3 servings from each of the five food groups.

• Eating food that is high in fiber i.e. grains, fruits and vegetables are good for you. Apart from giving wholesome nutrients, it ensures you are not constipated.

• Combine your food with low-fat milk and low cholesterol cooking oil. Always prefer to use healthy veggies recipes.

• Make dramatic reductions in the quantum of salt and sugar (even sugar substitutes are dangerous because they serve to confuse the body due their 'emptiness'.)

• If you must, then drink in moderation

• Eating all your healthy meals including healthy eating breakfast is essential and have them on time Everytime.

• Eating tiny meals (fruits or nuts or sandwich) every two hours and reducing the portion sizes of your lunch and dinner is ideal.

• Eat and chew slowly concentrating on your food. Savor its flavor and taste.

• Using portion control plates and portion control scooper is smarter than using normal plates (except of course, when you have guests at the dining table). Use portion control plates for all your family members including your kids because portion control plates are about eating the right quantities of all foods.

• Unless you have taken less than the recommended quantum of healthy eating food, don't go for seconds.

• Bake, broil or grill food instead of frying.

• Obtain the bulk of your protein from vegetables rather than meats. And when it comes to meats, select fresh lean meat cuts from your local butcher.

Fitness:

Physical fitness was part of the human evolutionary process. For tens of thousands of years, traveling meant either walking or running from place to place. Humans hunted game for their food. Hunting in turn required tremendous stamina and energy. The level of physical fitness and healthy eating tips meant that our ancestors stayed healthy and strong. Today, we don't even manually sharpen a pencil or move to switch on the lights. Everything is either automatically operated or remotely controlled. And what has been the result of all this automation and finger-tip technology? Our physical body has so degraded due to lack of exercise and fitness that it has resulted in serious health problems. In short, the advancement in science and technology was and is being used for the wrong purposes. This is not to say that we should begin hunting or ditch the car and start running again (though quite frankly, the latter would not be a bad idea). Instead, we need to ensure we have a certain minimum level of physical activity such as:

• Strollers and prams are okay but also let your infant roam around the house - let it use its arms and legs as much as possible

• Make sure your kids get to play outside for no less than one hour each day. Try and join them in their games.

• Plan weekly family outings such as rough terrain biking, swimming in the sea, badminton, baseball, tennis, and so on. Even hula hoops are good.

• If you have a jogging track nearby take your family for a jog thrice a week.

• Make physical activity a part of the family fun activities.

So let's take a look at what foods are right for us and what are these 'right quantities'.?




Click for Food pyramid for kids and Healthy breakfast recipes

Ed Stephens started life as a Scientist and this passion has evolved into a focus on making a difference to people's lives, leveraging proven science based solutions. First with the emphasis on providing a one-stop diabetes solution store for the prevention & management of Type 2 diabetes.





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Balanced Diet For Children


While developing a balanced diet for children is not hard, you do have to keep in mind that what works for adults does not work for kids. Children in general are much more active than adults and since they are still growing, they need to eat foods that are highly nutritious. Children develop life long eating habits when they are young as well, so presenting the correct food groups is very important. If a child learns how to eat correctly when they are young, they are twice as likely to eat healthy as they become an adult.

How Nutrition Can Affect Growth

Protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals contribute to different aspects of development including proper bone and teeth growth. It is estimated that approximately 96% of children do not consume the correct amount of these foods as recommended by the food pyramid. This can lead to a host of health problems that could range from dental problems such as cavities and gum disease to bones that are weak and brittle. Iron is also absorbed from these foods and is needed for proper cell transportation of oxygen. For children to develop properly and be healthy, foods from all food groups should be included every day.

How Nutrition Affects Education

Recent studies have shown that children who lack the proper diet often have lower test scores. Improper nutrition is also directly linked to aggressive behavior and problem with attention in class. In order to provide your child with the tools needed to obtain a proper education, you must include a healthy diet.

What Makes a Child's Diet Healthy?

Children need to have foods that are a good source of energy for their daily activities. Each of the major foods groups should be included in a child's daily diet plan. Include starches like bread or pasta, fruits and vegetables, meats and protein sources, and dairy products, such as milk. Fat is another of the food groups but this should include essential fatty acids like those in fish. If you follow the food pyramid, it will explain exactly how many servings of each food group are recommended.

What Your Child is Missing if they Don't Eat These Foods

Your child could be lacking in vitamins A, C, and D if they do not consume the proper quantities of nutritional foods that contain essential vitamins and minerals that are necessary for growth. These vitamins are used for bodily processes that occur in the brain, blood and skeletal structure.




Lose-11-Pounds.com have a FREE report Lose Weight Without Starving Yourself which can be downloaded Here.





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2012年9月20日 星期四

Healthy Weight Kids


Many parents wonder whether their children are the right weight or not, and this can often be a main concern. Everybody wants to have a healthy child; the only problem is that there are some misconceptions when it comes to healthy weight and kids. A lot of the time parents tend to think that a child with healthy weight is one who looks well proportioned. If their child is too skinny they think that their child is underfed, if their child is chubby then they may think that their child will soon be obese. In truth, healthy weight for kids will actually depend on factors such as age, body mass index, nutrition and the calories that they take in daily.

Age can be very important when trying to gauge whether or not your child is on the right track in terms of having healthy weight. There are certain brackets where children of different ages should fall into. Try and check with your child's health care provider to see whether or not your child falls into the right weight category for his or her age. If your kid is in the right bracket then there is no need to worry that your child might be too heavy or too light. Children grow at different paces and your chubby preschooler may be weighing right and the same could go for your lanky teenager.

If you are really concerned about the exact weight of your child then you could have his or her body mass index calculated. Body mass index is a measurement for the fat content in the body of your child. This can be a good indicator of weight problems for children most especially for those who are obese or over weight.

Of course nutrition and the amount of calories that are consumed daily by your kids play a vital role in terms of having healthy weight kids. Children should consume anywhere from 2000 to 2200 calories daily depending on the activities that they perform. This does not mean that you need to count every single calorie that they take in or that will be included in what you cook. Providing your children with a healthy and nutritious diet is one of the best ways to make sure that they stay within a healthy weight range. Just make sure that the meals you provide have a balanced amount of the things that your children need to stay healthy and energized.

The food pyramid can help you find out what foods your kids need best. Try to keep it mind and follow this as you prepare meals for your kids. Also, remember that eating should be fun for your kids as well. By providing them with fun and nutritious food you can be sure that they eat right and weigh right at the same time.




Remember that having healthy weight kids is not something impossible; before you jump to conclusions whether or not your child does have a healthy weight remember to take into consideration all the factors.





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54 Yoga Inspired Fun Family Activities For Summer - How to Play, Relax and Grow Together


Hooray! The long lazy days of summer have arrived. After having successfully completed another school year you can't wait to spend time doing nothing. It is important to allow kids unstructured time to renew, refresh and come to know themselves. However, more often than not, sometime during the next few months children will utter the words, "I'm bored. There's nothing to do!" (add whiny voice as appropriate). Here are some suggestions to keep kids active mentally and physically which also nurture them emotionally. Remember summer is a wonderful time to build relationships by spending time playing, doing, and growing together.

Have family members set summer goals. For example: list of books you want to read, things you want to do, places to visit, skills you need to learn.
Take your child to the library and sign up for a summer reading program.
Have your child help put together a first aid kit that can go with you on your many summer outings.
Give your child an inexpensive camera and let them take pictures of all the fun activities you do over the summer. Create a scrapbook of memories.
Practice pranayama by blowing bubbles or dandelion heads.
Pack a picnic and enjoy eating outdoors.
Watch a baseball/football/soccer/beach volleyball game together. Talk about the rules and how they are important.
See how many places in your home (not including books) where your child can find words to read.
Make paper airplanes and practice airplane pose (Warrior III with arms out to the side).
Plant a garden and enjoy tending it throughout the season.
Visit a local museum or art gallery.
Sketch or paint outdoors: clouds, night sky, trees, a favourite view, an interesting building...let your imagination and creativity soar.
Lie on the grass and look at the clouds. Make up stories about the shapes you see.
Colour mandalas. Go for a walk and find mandalas in your neighbourhood (flowers, signs, art, stepping stones, etc).
Learn geography while watching the World Cup. Find participating countries on a map.
Teach your child their personal information: phone number, address, etc. Practice each day.
Can your children tell time? Teach them how to read an analog clock with yoga eyes.
Check out a book of jokes or riddles. Share one over dinner each day.
Create an indoor or outdoor miniature golf course. Play a round or two.
Grab a broomstick and hold a limbo contest. Back-bends open the heart and invigorate the body.
Add food coloring to a dollop of shaving cream. Let your child use it as finger paint.
Make homemade ice-cream. Practice two scoops partner pose.
Help your child write a letter or card to a relative or friend telling about summer events.
Fly a kite. Practice triangle pose (sometimes called kite pose).
Have a pillow fight.
Enjoy face painting and then perform face yoga in the mirror and laugh at your funny faces.
Read under the stars. Take a blanket and book outside and read with your child by flashlight.
At dinner have each family member say something nice about every person at the table.
Make puppets out of a paper bag, an old sock or a stick. Put on a puppet show.
Cut out pictures from several magazines. Have your child write a story about them.
Give your child a bucket of water and some paint brushes. Let her "paint" the sidewalk, fence, house, etc.
Find out when the sun sets and rises in your area. Learn how to do Sun Salutations.
Look at the stars with your child. Make up new constellations together.
Find a local kiddie pool, beach or fountain and go wadding.
Play alphabet games with your child. List countries, animals, cars or yoga poses in alphabetical order.
Build a fort inside or out using blankets, sheets, boxes, tables, chairs and other items found around the house.
Meditate upon the breeze as it ruffles the leaves of your favourite tree.
Create a treasure/scavenger hunt and help your kids follow the clues for a fun reward.
Play hopscotch.
Choose a new recipe. Have fun cooking with your child.
Cut out pictures of healthy foods from weekly grocery ads.
Discuss the Food Pyramid. Have your child use the pictures from the above activity and make a chart of nutritious choices.
Look at family photos. Share stories and remember wonderful moments together.
Play with a hula hoop and discover hoop yoga.
Make musical instruments from things around your house. Have a concert.
Play a card game with your child; Crazy 8s, War, Rummy, Old Maid, Go Fish, Snap all build memory, hand-eye coordination & math skills.
Collect bugs and do insect poses such as locust, spider, inchworm, bumble bee lips, etc.
Fill water guns, buckets and water balloons and have a water fight.
Camp out in the back yard.
Create amazing sidewalk art with sidewalk chalk and a little water.
Help out at the local SPCA. Learn how to do downward dog pose, cat pose, rabbit pose and other poses for animals at the shelter.
Visit an orchard or u-pick farm.
Build sandcastles.
Feed the ducks at the local pond. Enjoy a great hip opening exercise by walking like a duck.




Author of Once Upon a Pose: A Guide to Yoga Adventure Stories for Children, Donna Freeman is a yoga instructor, teacher, mother of four, and honey to 1. She has been doing yoga since 1997 and teaching it since 2002. Passionate about yoga for kids and teens, she loves showing parents and teachers how to share the joy of yoga with children of all ages. Visit http://www.yogainmyschool.com/ for all you ever wanted to know about yoga for kids and teens. You can also access THE PET STORE, a FREE download and the easiest, most effective way to teach kids yoga.





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Cooking For The Kids


Welcome to the world of picky eaters! You have kids. They turn their noses up at everything from peas to oatmeal. There are two main goals when it comes to cooking for kids. First, you want to cook what they like to eat, or at least what they will eat. This means searching through your vast library of cooking ideas to satisfy their hunger. Second, you want them to eat healthy meals. They learn about the food pyramid in school, but getting them to live it at home can be a challenge.

Sitting at the table ordering them to eat their vegetables may sometimes be effective, but that doesn't mean it will be fun for you or them. You can add some perennial favorites to health filled ideas. Try putting peanut butter on celery sticks. This works with cream cheese, too. Use cucumber chips and ranch dip instead of potato chips. You get a vegetable in their system and they are getting a treat at snack time. The same holds true for melon and cantaloupes. These make excellent snacks and are a much-needed fruit in these important diets for little ones.

You know you can't eat macaroni and cheese at every meal, but meals don't have to be complicated either. There are easy recipes for dinner kids will love. We do a lot of mixin's. We put chicken or turkey in the spaghetti sauce. We add tuna and a vegetable to the mac and cheese. Cheez Wiz R on a vegetable seems to induce my kids to eat their veggies. The result is quick and easy recipes that the kids love to chow down.

The other thing to remember is that while we like the idea of easy cooking, it must be more than easy dinner recipes. We should plan healthy easy recipes. When it comes to fruits and vegetables, always go for fresh ingredients. If you can't get fresh, use frozen. There are fewer additives in frozen fruits and vegetable. The water or juices that carry the sugar and preservative are used in frozen product. They make a healthier choice in you easy recipes for dinner.

Boldly go where no kid has gone before in your kitchen. Try new foods. This is especially a good idea if you will do some cooking with kids. They are more likely to try what they helped cook. It also affords you some great family time. If you do some easy cooking with kids, neither you nor they will get bored with the process and they will be willing to try some new foods and different flavors. This will add a fresh look to some quick and easy recipes and offer your family some great meals.

Work on the main things. You need healthy easy recipes. Great cooking ideas usually make great dinners. You need budget friendly and kid approved meals. This may take you a little effort in rewriting what you use for a cooking book, but it definitely has some long term benefits. Using easy dinner recipes and crock pot cooking will save you time, money, and exasperation.. You want meals that are kid friendly and easy on the budget. Make it fun. Make it healthy. Keep it easy. It is worth the rewards.




Chris & Michelle Grimbilas both have backgrounds in teaching and education. Cooking is one of the things they both enjoy. They have five children who have shared the kitchen with them over the years. You can get more great easy cooking ideas at their Creative Cookery website. You'll find more cooking ideas,real resources that will help you in the kitchen, and best of all FREE GIFTS! Get software that shows you how to cook almost anything! Get free dessert recipes! Claim your gifts today at the Creative Cookery!





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2012年9月19日 星期三

Type 2 Diabetes Food List - Recommended and Forbidden Foods For Diabetics


There is nothing in this world that has the impact that food does. At the heart of every celebration lays food. First dates typically revolve around food. Mothers are always trying to make their kids all their food. We need it to stay alive and enjoy it so much that millions of us are overweight, and millions of us now have to watch we eat pretty carefully because we have developed type 2 diabetes.

Doctors, dietitians, and other health care professionals will tell you that there are two main things that make for a healthy body - eating right and getting enough exercise. If you are like me, and like I was when I was first diagnosed with diabetes, you probably want easy answers. You wish you could just get a big magic list labeled "Type 2 Diabetes Food List - Forbidden and Recommended Foods for Diabetics." Well, for the most part, there is no easy magic bullet that will keep your diabetes in check, and it is definitely important to eat a variety of healthy foods every day and get exercise every day as well.

That being said, we can have a bit of a guide that can serve as a kind of a list of forbidden and recommended foods for diabetics. That list, really, is the diabetic food pyramid put out by the American Diabetes Association. The pyramid divides foods into six categories. At the top - as close to forbidden as possible - are the fats, oils, and sweets. Just like the regular ADA food pyramid, the top area is to be limited. That means that cakes, cookies, doughnuts, and so on are on the forbidden list.

Down on the bottom two levels are grains, vegetables, and fruits. Just like the regular food pyramid, the diabetes food pyramid puts the "best" foods at the bottom. That means that grains, fruits, and vegetables are the recommended part of the list.




Type 2 Diabetes





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What Is Healthy Food for Children?


Some of you might think that eating a well-balanced diet for adults is considered healthy food for children as well. This is not entirely true. Although there is nothing really wrong with kids eating a nutritious adult meal, kids require a specific nutritional profile to fully address their growth and development needs. It is vital to cook healthy food for children not only to supply their specific nutritional requirements, but also to provide a solid foundation for proper nutrition that lasts well into adulthood.

The Four Food Groups

Back in the day, I grew up in a family where healthy food for children consists of the four major food groups and the food pyramid. My parents educated us on the value of proper nutrition at a very young age. We used to have milk and cereal for breakfast, meat and vegetables for lunch and dinner, and fruits in between and after meals. Junk food was rare and we were asked to eat healthy alternatives instead.

The same is true today. Healthy food for children still follows the same philosophy: grains, dairy, meat, fruits, and vegetables. Kids should never fall into a food rut. It is important to experiment with new flavors each month. Cooking healthy food for children should include a variety of food flavors. As soon as kids can eat hard food, try to mix new food pairings that will entice their palate and appetite. A variation of flavor in healthy food for children can help open their minds to the wonders of healthy eating. This will become an invaluable skill as they grow older.

Be Wary of the Fast Food Habit

Some parents find it hard to cook healthy food for children due to their demanding schedule. The best way to save time is to prepare simple, delicious, and nutritious meals. You can get recipe ideas from books, magazines, and even online. Try meal planning to save time and energy in deciding what to cook for the coming weeks. Try not to reward kids with fast food, and don't let it be your default meal due to a busy schedule. I'm not suggesting that you should never eat fast food again. The important thing to remember is that fast food can be a tempting excuse not to cook healthy food for children.

Invite Kids in the Kitchen

What better way to entice your kids to eat healthy than to invite them in the kitchen. The next time you're cooking healthy food for children, ask them to help you wash, stir, or prepare the ingredients. Cooking healthy food for children is a great way to bond with your kids, while teaching them simple cooking techniques, proper nutrition, and food appreciation. There's a higher chance for kids to eat new foods that are healthy when they are involved in the preparation.




Katherine Trillin is a freelance writer and novelist. Her struggles with weight loss and drastic changes in health and lifestyle led her to start a health and fitness website called HealthAdventurer.com [http://blog.healthadventurer.com]. The goal of Health Adventurer is to bring reliable, basic health and fitness information to those looking for answers regarding weight loss, diet and other health issues

Katherine Trillin

Health Adventurer [http://blog.healthadventurer.com]





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Fast Food to Organic Diet - What's the Happy Medium?


I know one of my biggest weaknesses is fast food. There are days when nothing sounds better than a burger dripping with sauce and a huge coke. I just have to be somewhat frazzled by five o'clock and I can easily talk myself and my three eager kids into it. But I do know on some level, after I've downed my fix, that fast food isn't exactly the wisest choice when it comes to my health and the health of my family. So what's the big deal? Well I assume we all would like to live longer and look younger especially since we're always in search of that pill that keeps us as spry as a twenty-one year old but have the wisdom of an old tribal master. And it may be more obtainable than we think -- starting with...

Reducing Our Intake of Toxic food. So perhaps not all fast food is toxic, we are being offered other choices -- presumably healthier choices than deep-fried options. But in general, fast food is clogged with fat, salt and sugar. It has no or low fiber -- and if we consult our food pyramid, we know the necessity of our daily fiber. And it is also very limited in the amount of important nutrients. Note I said to reduce our intake of fast food, not eliminate it. So be realistic about it.

Know Nutritional Facts about Food. It's important to educate ourselves so we know what kinds of food are good for our bodies, and what we should stay away from. If health and vigor are important to us, we must research the nutritional facts of the foods we eat. If we want to go beyond just eliminating the bad, and instead actually adding in the healthiest kinds of food -- we can go even one more step...

Eat Organically. So maybe you just let out an audible sigh -- but let's go over some of the key points of organic foods: They have no pesticides -- meaning you're not eating foods with small amounts of poison. We're only at the tip of the iceberg as far as the long-reaching effects of pesticides. Organic foods also contain more of the good stuff we need -- more antioxidants. And why are antioxidants supposed to be so good? Studies have shown that antioxidants likely decrease the risk of cancer and heart disease. Still, you may be ready to take even one more step...

Organic Gardening. There are a lot of people that do organic gardening and they don't even know it. By definition it's the growing of fruits and vegetables using only natural methods. In essence, it means there are no artificial chemicals used to fertilize, control weeds and control pests.

So we've gone from one extreme to the other -- fast food to organic gardening. Maybe you fall somewhere in between, but it's never too late to start incorporating even healthier habits into our lives.




Jaycee Fox is a writer. She lives in Arizona with her husband and three children. Visit her blog, www.jayceefox.blogspot.com, to see what she's written.





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The Importance of Feeding Young Children the Right Foods


We have all heard doctors and nutritionist talk about the importance of getting a well balanced diet. How many of us believe that we are eating correctly? What about our children? Why is it so important for a child to eat healthy food?

Whatever we eat affects every cell in our body. Eating healthy helps us to grow and develop correctly. When you look at the children in underdeveloped countries who have a very poor diet, most of them are extremely thin with very large bellies. Many of these children do not make it to adolescence.

A typical diet should supply all the nutrients, minerals, and vitamins needed for proper growth and development. Proper nutrition carries its greatest influence during infancy to childhood, when the body is actively growing. There are many wonderful books available on nutrition. Your pediatrician should have literature on what to feed your baby as they develop from birth to childhood. If you are vegetarian, be cautious about placing your infant and young children on a strict vegetarian diet. Do your research.

Food contains carbohydrates (bread, cereal, rice, pasta, potatoes), protein (meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, nuts, milk, cheese), lipids (fats, oils), vitamins, minerals and water. All six of these nutrient groups are found in foods in varying amounts. A healthy diet may supply all the essential nutrients and calories for typical growth and development during childhood.

At least half of all calories consumed should come from carbohydrates. High carbohydrate food produces fuel and provide energy for the brain. Carbohydrates can be stored in the muscles and released as needed for energy.

Protein should be 10 to 15% of the total calories consumed. Protein provides amino acids which help with new tissue, hormones, enzymes, and antibodies. It also proceeds nitrogen, which helps to keep tissue healthy. Generally speaking, animal protein is higher in essential amino acids then plant protein. A lack of protein in the diet, especially during infancy, can lead to a reduction in growth rate and muscle depletion.

Lipids (or fats) are another important source of energy. They are also involved in the maintenance and well being of membranes, hormones and cellular signals. Fats produce energy, give food its taste, and make us feel full. Fats are also what generally cause us to gain weight, have cholesterol problems, and can cause blockage in the arteries. Infants require a higher percentage of fat calories then older children.

Vitamins stimulate metabolic reactions without being used up. Fresh food contains vitamins naturally, while they are added to processed foods. If a child is eating a well-balanced diet, they should not require vitamin supplements. Consult with your pediatrician before giving your child vitamin supplements.

We all need various minerals to ensure appropriate body functioning. Minerals such as calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, help with the formation of bones, teeth and for normal muscle contraction. Potassium, chloride, and sodium maintain the body's fluid balance. Having a mineral deficiency, even in the minerals which you only need a minute amount of, can cause some major health problems. Talk with your pediatrician if you think your child may suffer from a mineral deficiency.

Water is essential for life. It is important in the prevention of constipation and dehydration. Water transports nutrients to and waste products from cells, helps to regulate the bodies temperature and is involved in metabolic reactions.

Fiber, although not listed as one of the essential nutrients, is important in your daily diet. Fiber, in the proper amounts, helps to keep your gastrointestinal track healthy.

You can find more detailed information on the Food Pyramid by visiting

www.mypyramid.gov There are also some very interesting website for kids that will help them make the right choices in eating.




Wendy Greif is a mother and graduate of USF in Special Education. She has taught children with various disabilities in both South Carolina and Florida. Mrs. Greif operates an informational website for parents and caregivers of children and/or adults with special needs ([http://www.specialneedschildrenandadults.com]).





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2012年9月18日 星期二

Helping Kids Appreciate A Healthy Meal


Most may remember when classroom bulletin boards displayed the food pyramid. The pyramid - there was only one. One size fit all. Everyone needed to follow the same nutritional guidelines. Everyone was supposed to merely look at the pyramid to figure out how many servings were needed each day.

Almost all would agree that it is a good thing that obsolete food pyramid has almost all but been forgotten! It may have taken a while, but the idea that not all people need the same food intake finally caught on. Nor are children expected to follow the same nutritional guidelines as the adults.

If you're hoping we'll show you the "kid's guidelines" there unfortunately isn't a set guideline. The amount of food from each food group that each person should eat to maintain a healthy lifestyle is dependent on their age, sex and physical activity level. One size doesn't fit all. You can go to mypyramid.gov to type in some variables to get an idea of how much from each food category to eat each day.

Keep in mind balance is the name of the game. Make sure your kids are eating fruits and vegetables, dairy, meats and beans and grains each day. Then top it off with water, fresh air and exercise. To help you get started, below you will find a couple of healthy meals for kids.

This turkey avocado sandwich wrap uses kid-friendly ingredients for a healthful lunch or snack.

INGREDIENTS:

o Whole wheat tortillas

o 1 avocado mashed

o Sliced deli turkey

o Shredded carrots

o Shredded lettuce

o Shredded Monterey jack cheese

PREPARATION:

Assemble wraps in the following order: Spread mashed avocado on tortilla; Sprinkle shredded carrots and lettuce on avocado; Lay on slices of deli turkey; Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

Additionally, you won't get any looks of disappointment if you inform the kids you're making chicken nuggets for dinner. This kid favorite is delicious in the low-fat, oven-baked version. For easy clean-up and maximum crispiness, lay a sheet of foil on a cookie sheet; and, then place a wire rack on top of the foil.

INGREDIENTS:

o skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut in 1-2 inch squares

o non-fat or low-fat buttermilk

o flour for dredging

o finely chopped corn flakes for dredging

o salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 375. Prepare three large bowls for dredging chicken - 1 with flour seasoned with salt and pepper, 1 with buttermilk, and 1 with crushed corn flakes. Prepare baking pan by laying a sheet of foil over a cookie sheet; and then place a wire rack on top of the foil. Season chicken with salt and cut into 1-2 inch pieces.

Drag chicken pieces in flour. Shake off excess flour and coat with buttermilk. Next, generously coat chicken with corn flakes, and place on rack of your baking pan. Bake nuggets for 15 minutes. These keep well for the next day's lunch box so make plenty!

The next time you reach into the pantry or freezer to grab something quick to prepare for dinner, take a good scrutinizing look at the ingredients. The idea is not to serve food that is adequate but instead food that is healthy. Keep in mind that not all of your kids may require the same portions of food.




For Weekly Breakfast & Lunch Menus Created Just For Kids - Log Onto http://www.kidapprovedmeals.com





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Finding Healthy Eating Recipes Your Kids Will Like


Your kids are probably the most important thing in your life. That's the way it should be. One thing you want to do raising them is preparing them to be as healthy as they can be. Along the way you need to remain creative to keep them from getting bored with their food. Today there are more opportunities than ever to find qualified sources for good healthy eating recipes that may bring renewed enthusiasm to them when eating.

Looking for Healthy Eating Recipes Online

Today online there are many resources in the area of recipes. Among those you will find many sources such as recipe swapping online communities, many books for reasonable prices, government suggestions related to some study, and if you look hard enough you might even find a random recipe generating web page. This hasn't been proven, but likely exists somewhere.

Not all recipes are the same though. Some taste great but are packed with saturated fats that may linger in some ways when your children are old. Finding healthy eating recipes for the kids in your family might prove a little more challenging.

The Eating Pyramids May Help

There are a several food pyramids that suggest healthy eating balance among different food groups. The USDA offers MyPyramid.gov with resources that somewhat help plan what is needed for food intake based on your childrens age, gender, and activity levels.

The faculty at Harvard's School of Public Health offers some guidelines to medical professionals that claim to be more in tune to health needs. They definitely distinguish between good and bad fats, as well as suggest more carbohydrates from whole grains. Reading more on this may help you better decide on healthy eating recipes that your children will like.

The Importance of Diet in Physical Fitness

Physical fitness comes from eating well, exercising well within it, and then resting as well. Without these three put together, there will be an imbalance. Too much food without burning it may leave healthy eating recipes useless. Finding the balance between diet and energy burning will indeed help you raise healthier kids as a result.

Kids Have Always Been Picky

In your search for new healthy eating recipes that your children will like, keep in mind that their tastes will change along the way. And taste is what it's all about. Paying more attention to what they like and don't like over years will give you a second sense about what healthy eating they will eat. Often sweeter tastes in the early years go well.

Healthy eating recipes that will fill these years well may be better when the sweet taste comes from fruits. Over the years, use your sense when looking for innovative ways to keep your children eating healthy. It doesn't hurt to look for recipes that might bring new ideas into your own cooking.

One place to look towards healthy eating recipes your children may enjoy is where you are now reading. You should also find more tips on what makes things healthier, and years down the road you can sit back and appreciate the outcomes in your children.




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Special Vitamin Needs For Children - Do Kids Really Have Different Nutritional Needs Than Adults?


Encouraging both children and adults to eat a healthy and well balanced diet has always been advised by nutritionists the world over. In fact teaching children to make the right food choices is in their best interest as they will retain these good habits even as they grow older. However, most children today don't know how to make the right food choices simply because their parents aren't aware of what the 'right' food choices are.

The essential vitamins and minerals required for a child's growth are all found in healthy foods like fruits,vegetables,lean meat and dairy products. However most often children pass up such healthy options for the more unhealthy junk food that is so readily available these days just because it tastes better.

For a child, consuming ice cream,candy,pizza,fizzy drinks and drive through fast food sounds much more appealing than the drab health foods they should be eating.

In the food pyramid junk fatty foods form just a tiny percentage and should be consumed only in small quantities. Yet we find many children eating such unhealthy foods at every meal or in between as snacks.

The main reason why children today suffer from obesity and weight problems is because they are consuming unhealthy and processed foods which hardly supply the daily recommended doses of vitamins and minerals . As a result they end up with vitamin deficiencies because the body is able to process only a few on its own and the rest of the nutrients have to be supplied through healthy nutritious food.

During the growing phase , a child needs a lot of Vitamin D. It is essential to the development of healthy teeth and bones. However because of unhealthy food habits diseases such as Rickets which was once thought to be under control have resurfaced. Its symptoms include a thin brittle skull and bones that are soft and deformed. If a child suffers from Rickets their teeth may not grow properly and other bones in the body such as the joints and ribs may experience abnormal growth. Thus, the entire skeletal system is adversely effected.

Many parents are unaware that a problem might exist because deficiencies in other vitamins do not produce such obvious effects. Vitamins provide the backbone for proper bodily functions including vision,growth hormones, production of red blood corpuscles and aid in the proper development of the immune, circulatory and digestive systems as well.

It is high time we paid attention to the kind of food our kids eat. Try and introduce more vitamin enriched foods into their diet. Also try and encourage your child to take a vitamin supplement that will be beneficial to them. These supplements are readily available to chew or swallow and not only do they taste good they also help in their growth and development.




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2012年9月17日 星期一

Kids Parties Build Self-Esteem


If you have kids in your life--whether they're your own or not isn't as important to the question--then you should take some time thinking of ways to build their self-confidence and sense of self-worth. One of the easiest and hands-down most enjoyable ways to have a positive impact on the next generation is to celebrate their very existence.

Put this on your To-Do list immediately: make time for throwing a party just to celebrate these kids. Put it this way: you've already made memories in their minds of what type of influence you've had. How's that going so far? Maybe you're one of those parents or aunts or uncles, whatever, that's already doing that. Great! You still need to read this, because the chances are that these young folk in your life could use some of your creative attention.

To Build Their Self-Confidence and Self-Esteem

Think of that as the bold goal of these parties. Don't wait for a birthday, don't wait for a holiday to force the agenda. This party is best thrown on a quiet, nothing's-going-on sort of every-day. Think of it as a sneak attack of self-confidence, guerrilla warfare on low self-esteem and timidity. The goal of this party is to make a memory that they can chew on in years to come, and pay it forward.

In other words: love the kids in your life just because. They thrive on it, as if Vitamin-Random-Party-Just-Because-I-Exist should be part of the Food Pyramid or on nutritional guides.

You got it so far?
1) Throw a party for the kids in your life;
2) Just to build their self-confidence and show them that someone notices and cares about them;
3) Kids thrive on random parties to celebrate them.

Alright, here are a few ideas:

If you really want to build self-esteem into a kid's life, then do a bit of digging. You'll need to do some clandestine research--without being a creep about it--and try to find something they love to do. If you aren't the parent, then talk to the parents and the party can be a great time for the parents to get involved. After all, it would be sort of stalker-ish otherwise.

Some ideas might look like: the child loves miniature golf but never gets to go, or the child loves airplanes and you know a Cessna pilot that can share the cockpit for a flight. Perhaps it's as simple as a love for animals.

What you'll want to do is try to book the venue to have the party there. "Joe" loves cars so you book tickets to a local racetrack, and throw a tailgate party when you get there. Or, "Sarah" loves to fish with her fly fishing set but just can't seem to get out there. Take some picnic supplies and some of her friends and caravan to the nearest fishing hole.

Remember, the goal and center of the "just-because-we-care" party is the child(ren), so do a bit of research and run with it. Knowing they're loved on a consistent basis can be as simple or extravagant as you like. This party's mostly an excuse to enjoy the kids in your life while you can, building memories they'll cherish and this builds their self-confidence.




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Kids Wooden Pretend Play Kitchens Teach Valuable Life Skills


Doctors of psychology have found through both experience and practice that play is the natural state of expression for children. Not video games or reading, but actual play: playing house, playing trucks, playing make believe. That's why having a kids wooden pretend kitchen is a great addition to any toy room for young children. Here, children can learn, play, imagine, and simply enjoy themselves with these beautifully crafted replicas of real kitchenware.

Whether they're pretending to be mom and dad making dinner, famous chefs catering to the cultural elite, or perhaps something more fantastic all together, this kitchen play set is the perfect setting to help inspire and engage young minds. Bake imaginary cakes, cook dinner, or even set up an easy bake oven to add to the realism. The possibilities are endless when kids play with the Wooden pretend play kitchen.

Parents can also use a wooden pretend kitchen to teach children some basic facts. What are the different measuring units like cups, tea spoons, table spoons, and ounces? Provide them with play measuring tools and teach them what it means. This valuable knowledge will be with them all of their life. Once learning becomes a part of play, it is more likely to stick with them forever.

Kids wooden pretend play kitchen can also be used to instruct children on proper nutrition. Join them in their own safe area and describe the food pyramid, the importance of vegetables and fruits, and other important rules for healthy living. A lifetime of wellness begins in the kitchen with nutritious eating habits and what better place to get kids engaged in the learning process in their very own "me size" replica of the real kitchen?

There are a number of different sized play kitchens available, so there's sure to be a model that fits whatever space is set aside for the young ones. Don't hesitate: these classic play sets will be in your children's memories forever. Not only do they provide the perfect environment for play, but the wooden pretend play kitchen can also be a valuable instruction tool for parents as well. Allow your children the opportunity to experience this one of a kind gift and order today.




Written by Stacey Gifford, CEO of LittlePeoplesCove.com.

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Nutritious Art Activities For Kids


Artwork and Crafting may enhance the creativity of the children. From here they will be able to discover new ideas and employ them on their art or craft activities. Toddlers and preschoolers are the most to enjoy art period. These activities may lead to a lot of opportunities to learn certain topics. Nutrition can be discussed during art activities and through this you can impose on how to have goodp and balanced eating habits.

Do the food pyramid out of a huge piece of card board; make a triangle divide it into 5 food groups, including the fats as well as the sweets section. Label each portion with the recommended daily allowance of foods. Let the kids do the tearing of images from magazines or utilize food stickers and place them on the corresponding food group.

Cereals would do a great art project such as necklace. Find the looped ones and place them together using a yarn and form a necklace. The motor skills of the child would develop through this. You could also use vegetables for stamping. Cut potatoes, apples, radishes or carrots in your desired shapes and sizes. Dip them on your preferred paint and stamp them on paper.

Create a healthy snack using a celery stalk smeared with peanut butter and sprinkled with raisins. Simple and yet already an artwork because you made some bugs placed on a log. You can also make a colorful art piece out of bread, milk and some food coloring. Let your child play with the toasted bread and food coloring to create a vivid masterpiece. Don't make the bread to wet because it will turn soggy.




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2012年9月16日 星期日

Creative Ways on How to Pack Vitamins in a Kid's Meal


Kids are picky when it comes to food and it is usually difficult for parents to get them to eat the nutritious food that they should have been eating. Resourceful parents resort to different ways to get their kinds to eat nutritious food and one way of doing this is by packing their meal with a variety of nutritious food. Some parents also make their kids feel as if they were given a choice on the matter even if in fact the choices that are laid out is all packed with vitamins and minerals that is essential for their overall health.

Another trick is by packing their lunch boxes of dinners with different kinds of foods everyday so kids would not get bored with the monotony of eating the same kind of food everyday. And adding something extra even if it is fruits like an apple or an orange would be an added touch. You can also include junk food sometimes, but a balanced diet should always be kept in mind. You don't want your kids to eat junk food for lunch.

There are also different nutrients to consider when packing you kid's meal and the food pyramid would really be a helpful guide for everyday considerations. And you should know that the food that is your kid's favorites are usually the ones that are on top and therefore should be the least ingested into their bodies. You should also realize that offering your kids a variety of selections from the same category would help a lot.

For example, your kid would surely need carbohydrates, and if your kid really detests eating rice, then offer him pasta instead. There is no harm in doing this and both of you would end up happier with the least frustration on both your part. Being sensitive to your kid's needs even if it seems unreasonable sometimes would help him listen to you more and perhaps eat anything you pack for him in the future.

Here are some guides on what you can pack in your kids lunch box, always include fruits or vegetables in their food. There are many ways to present this like putting creams on the strawberry of even cutting the fruits attractively so your child would be entranced and eat the nutritious food, it would not become monotonous for your child when you do this. You also have a lot of fruits and vegetables to choose from so that your child would not be bored.

Another thing you can do is to juice the fruits when you ran out of ideas. This way your child would still get the vitamins and minerals from foods without having to eat it and this would also be convenient if your kid is in a hurry to finish lunch. There are other ways and tricks for you to pack vitamins into a kid's meal, all you need to do is to be creative and your kid would even appreciate it.

The food kids eat when they are young would also be their food preference in the future when they are older so it is of utmost importance that they already have the habit of eating the right kinds of food even when they are still young. And parents are the ones responsible for ensuring that they do develop these good habits in eating. Kids should also be aware about different vitamins and nutrition found in their food so that eating right when they are older would be easier for them in the future.

Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR'S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.




Charlene J. Nuble

For All the things you need to know about vitamins, please go to: Vitamins for Kids [http://www.dailyvitamins.org/]





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Controlling Diabetes With Diet - Menu Planning With The Food Pyramid


If you are diabetic, in theory there is nothing that stops you from doing everything you used to do before you had diabetes. But in practice, you will have to make some lifestyle adjustments to manage your disease well such as controlling diabetes with a good diet.

In controlling diabetes with diet, one should keep in mind that there is more to treatment success than whipping the pantry into shape. The first is keeping a consistent watch on where your glucose levels are. Next is to find some ways to come up with a good diet and eventually help you control your diabetes.

Start at Home

Even though you are the one with the diabetes diagnosis, your whole family needs to make some adjustments to living with the disease. A healthful lifestyle matched with a good diet that promotes good blood glucose control is the best defense against diabetic complications. And the good news is that it is a great prescription for everyone around you as well.

Do not try to go it alone. The changes that diabetes brings to the dinner table can be positive ones for the entire family, particularly if your diet before now has been less than stellar.

Exercise is also a healthy choice for the whole family, both physically and on a psychological level - the family that plays together stays together.

Also, while kids should be able to enjoy the occasional treat that is not regularly on your meal plan, such as cookies or jellybeans, stocking up on junk food is not healthy for you or them. You do not need the temptation and they will be better off with more balanced fare. Limit treats to special occasions like birthdays or Halloween.

Start Out Slowly

Try limiting restaurant food to once a week and encouraging healthier menu choices. Instead of mandating "no junk food" off the bat, allow one selection of their choosing to be kept in a cabinet you do not frequent. Above all, work to provide lots of healthy, fresh, and good-tasting alternatives so the change is perceived as a positive one.

If your family members have a favorite food that is a no-no for you, only keep it on hand if you are sure it would not be calling you from the cupboard. Remember, you are not an ogre for requesting that Lucky Charms, Moon Pies, and potato chips be kept out of the pantry. No matter what degree of pouting and resistance you face from your spouse or children, stand firm. Bypassing these treats would not harm their health; having them could very well hurt yours.

Menu Planning

A meeting with a registered dietitian is an absolute must for anyone with diabetes. A good health expert will explain the mysteries of exchanges and carbohydrate counting to you and will work with you to create a meal plan that works with your lifestyle.

Parents cooking for a child with type 1 diabetes will have a whole different set of concerns and dietary issues than, for example, an adult with type 2 who wants to learn how to eat for better control when he is out on the road.

Whether you are using carbohydrate counting or exchanges, your doctor will try to spread out your carbohydrate intake more or less evenly throughout the day to promote blood glucose balance. Again, your dietitian will work with you to come up with an appropriate amount of exchanges or carbohydrate grams, protein, and fat intake. He may also suggest other dietary guidelines based on your health history, such as low sodium if you have hypertension.

Diabetes Food Pyramid

Controlling diabetes will be a lot easier if you have a good diet to follow. And the most important guide you need to facilitate this is to know the diabetes food pyramid.

It is important to include a variety of vegetables, grains, fruits, and other nutrient-dense foods in your diet. Health experts suggest a slightly modified version of the recommended food pyramid as guideline for daily servings. The only difference is that starchy vegetables are moved out of the vegetable portion and down into the breads at the base of the pyramid with the rest of the starchy-heavy foods.

The general guideline should be:

1. Breads, legumes, grains, and starchy foods intake should be 6 to 11 servings

2. Non-starchy vegetables: 3 to 5 servings

3. Fruits: 2 to 4 servings

4. Milk and yogurt: 2 to 3 servings

5. Meat and meat substitutes (proteins): 2 to 3 servings

6. Fats and sweets: Use sparingly

So the next time you plan your diet, keep in mind that your goal is not to eliminate the disease. As you go along, you will learn how to control diabetes with a good diet. It is more of keeping the culprits away from your kitchen so you can stay healthy and live longer.




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