Improving children's health

I am seeing so many parents posting about their little ones being sick.  Sickness is everywhere. Influenza, stomach bugs, strep, ear infections.....having a sick kiddo is no fun.

Part of our job as parents and grandparents is protecting our children and keeping them healthy. Part of keeping them healthy is feeding them good food and supplemental nutrition which is always important, but especially during these winter months.

Here are my top tips for keeping kids healthy...

Limit Sugar Intake: Read labels, choose healthier snacks, opt for fruit sweetened treats. Cut the juice!  Keep in mind that store bought fruit juices have little to no nutritional benefits and are basically sugar water. Stick to water.  Add some flavor by adding real fruit to the water.

Sun:  Get your littles out in the sun when possible. Vitamin D supplementation is awesome too.

Gut Health: Littles need a healthy gut and microbiome just as adults do. Up to 80% of our immune systems are in our gut. Adults and kids should be using a probiotic for immune health and overall wellness. If your child has been on antibiotics in the past year, a probiotic is crucial for restoring gut health.

Vitamins: Unless your children eat a perfect low sugar, all organic, veggie filled diet, vitamin supplementation is highly beneficial. You can do this by adding kids multivitamins to bridge the gaps.  Opt for a kids multi that has methylfolate NOT folic acid and is not loaded with sugar. Gummies are not a good choice.

I was SO happy this new product came out because it's a 2 in 1 multivitamin/probiotic combo. Methylated, non GMO and nothing artificial. It truly is a secret weapon for helping keep kids healthy.  Children's XFactor from Plexus is a MUST HAVE.  It's clean, it's not filled with sugar and kids love the taste. 

Don't skip breakfast

Eating breakfast within an hour of waking seems to be common sense, but some of us might do it after a commute to the office or even after arriving at the office.  Or we may be part of the 10-30% of people who skip breakfast entirely.We all have our excuses why we don’t eat breakfast immediately after waking.  We may be pressed for time or we’re just not hungry.  But the benefits of eating breakfast within the first hour of waking are really great. If you can do so, every day it’d be a productive and happy one.

This is what will happen when you eat breakfast after an hour of waking:

1.  When you eat within one hour of waking your blood sugar and insulin levels become regulated and you kick-start your metabolism.

If you’re looking to lose weight or even maintain your weight eating breakfast within the first hour allows the body to immediately regulate insulin and blood sugar levels and kick-start your metabolism. When your blood sugar and insulin levels are regulated the body has the necessary energy resources to power you throughout your day.

When you sleep your metabolism naturally slows down because your body has fewer requirements. By eating breakfast within the first hour of waking you give your metabolism a jump start by initiating thermogenesis (the metabolic process of digesting and transporting food). To keep your metabolism running at full capacity you must eat frequent meals, beginning with eating breakfast within the first hour of waking.

2.  When you don’t eat breakfast within one hour of waking you may be more likely to eat low-nutrient, high-calorie foods out of hunger.

I’m sure you have experienced a time when you didn’t eat breakfast within the first hour of waking up and waited to eat until lunch time.  Most likely during lunch you consumed high-calorie and low-nutrient foods.  The benefit of eating breakfast within an hour of waking is that it helps you eat sensibly throughout your day.

When you eat breakfast within an hour of waking you ward off hunger pangs which in turn combats overeating throughout your day.

3.  Studies have found eating within one hour of waking improves your mood and cognition for the day.

Some research suggests eating within an hour of waking improves your mood by feeding your brain immediately.  Thus in turn, allows for improved clarity, memory and cognitive ability.

Think of skipping breakfast as running a car low on gas.  The car is low on energy and it doesn’t perform efficiently.  Food is fuel for your body. By fueling your body within an hour of waking it prevents you from feeling tired and irritable throughout your day.

Conclusion:

Eating within the first hour of waking can be hard. We may be strapped for time or not hungry at all.  But when you make the choice to eat breakfast within the first hour of waking you set your mind and body up for a successful and energetic day.

* Article from Lifehack.org 

Is Food Enough?

Dr. Mark Hyman: " ‘Can I get all the nutrients I need from food?' a patient will occasionally ask. On the surface, this makes sense. After all, if you are eating a whole, fresh, unprocessed foods diet, shouldn’t you be able to get an abundant supply of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients?

Unfortunately, things aren’t that easy. We cannot get away from the need for nutritional supplements. Even with a perfect diet, the combination of many things—including our depleted soils, the storage and transportation of our food, genetic alterations of traditional heirloom species, and the increased stress and nutritional demands resulting from a toxic environment—make it impossible for us to get the vitamins and minerals we need solely from the foods we eat.

Simply put, the evidence shows we cannot get away from the need for nutritional supplements."

Quality health supplements are essential to our health!

Nutritional Cleansing through diet

Diet detoxes, juice cleanses and body purifying diets have become very popular in recent years. While there are a host of benefits to cleaning up your diet and focusing on healthier foods, many diet detoxes or cleanses are unsafe and unhealthy. Health professionals warn that these types of products can be dangerous (especially if followed for a longer period of time). They can lead to muscle breakdown, electrolyte imbalances and nutrient deficiencies.   Additionally, much of the weight lost on these programs is water weight, not fat. Once you discontinue the cleanse and go back to normal eating, it's common to regain the weight that was lost.   Instead of following a cleanse program to lose weight, clean up your diet, be active and ditch bad habits.

Fill up on fiber-rich foods. Fruits and vegetables are two food groups that are a key part to a cleansing and healthy diet. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. All of these qualities are important for a healthy and cleansing diet.

• Include one to two servings of a fiber-rich fruit or a vegetable at each meal. This will help you meet the minimum guidelines of five to nine servings daily.  The number of servings will vary based on your age and weight; however, including more fruits and vegetables can help increase the amount of nutrients you can consume from them.
• One serving of fruit is generally one small piece of fruit or about 1/2 cup chopped.   One serving of vegetables is 1 cup or 2 cups leafy greens.
• One of the attractive qualities of over-the-counter diet cleanses is that they are often high in fiber. They can clean you out from the inside out; however, adding a lot of fruits and vegetables can provide you with adequate natural fiber for the same cleansing benefits.
• Focus on the most high-fiber fruits and vegetables. Include at least one serving of one of these fibrous foods at each meal: cauliflower, broccoli, artichokes, Brussels sprouts, berries (like raspberries, blueberries or blackberries), apples, or pears. 

 

Eat dark greens daily. Dark, leafy green vegetables are filled with a huge amount of beneficial nutrients. Eating at least one to two servings of these types of foods each day can help support your nutritional cleanse by providing a lot of fiber, antioxidants and other nutrients. They even been touted to be one of the best "cancer-fighting" foods.

• Dark greens can be eaten raw or cooked. Try: kale, mustard greens, spinach, collard greens, bok choy, or Swiss chard.
• Dark greens contain a huge variety of nutrients including: Vitamins A, K, C, and E. In addition they contain a significant amount of folate (which is important for DNA replication and repair) and carotenoids (an antioxidant thought to prevent cancer).
• Eat dark greens mixed with scrambled eggs, saute them with a little olive oil and garlic for a nutritious side dish or use them in salads.

 Eat unprocessed, whole grains. 100% whole grains are another great nutrient-rich food group. They contain protein, vitamins and are also a good source of fiber.  If you're interested in a cleanse and improving your diet, switch your grain choices to 100% whole grain.

• Whole grains provide you with a host of benefits. Choose grains that have gone through the least amount of processing and contain little additives. For example, instead of a whole wheat couscous with a seasoning packet, choose to prepare plain whole wheat couscous and add your own seasonings at home.
• Other examples of unprocessed whole grains include: 100% whole wheat pasta, 100% whole wheat bread, brown rice, quinoa and oats.
• Skip refined, processed grains. Some grains, like refined or processed grains, add little nutritional benefit to your diet. They can be higher in calories, lower in nutrients and promote constipation (as they are lower in fiber). Switch out grains like white bread, white rice or plain pasta for whole grains.

Choose lean protein at each meal. Many nutritional cleanses focus mainly on fruits and vegetables. Although this has many benefits, it's important to also include sources of lean protein at each meal.

• Protein is filling and keeps you feeling satisfied longer compared to foods like fruits, vegetables or whole grains. In addition, it's important to help maintain your metabolism and muscle mass.
• One serving of lean protein is about 3-4 ounces. Include one serving at each meal or snack. Examples include: 4 ounces of poultry or lean beef, two eggs, 1 ounce of low-fat cheese, 1/2 cup of low-fat dairy or 1/2 cup of legumes (like beans or lentils).
• Include a variety of protein sources throughout your day and week. In addition, keep red meat to a maximum of one serving weekly.
• In general, women need 46 g of protein daily and men need 56 g daily. However, this amount may be different depending on your age, gender and activity level.
• Although protein is important, don't go overboard. You'll be able to meet your daily recommendations with just a few servings daily. If you're interested in a cleanse and a healthy diet, you should emphasize fruits and vegetables.

Don't forget healthy fats. Though you may be tempted to avoid anything labeled "fat" when trying to lose weight, fat is actually an essential part of our diet — they are good for your mental health and mood; reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer; reduce fatigue; and help keep you mentally sharp.  Fats should be consumed in moderation, and certain types of fat should be avoided.  Focus on monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (like those found in avocados, nuts, olives, fatty fish, soy, and tofu) and avoid trans fat (found in commercially baked goods like cookies, pastries, cakes, muffins, and hamburger buns; packaged snack foods like crackers, microwave popcorn, candy, and chips; fried foods; pre-mixed products like cake mix, pancake mix, or chocolate milk; and anything with partially hydrogenated oil).

• There is a debate about whether or not saturated fat falls into the category of good or bad fat. Consider eating a moderate amount of saturated fats (found in meat and dairy) from high-quality sources.
• It is recommended a person eat three to nine servings of healthy fats per day.
• One serving size is equivalent to: 1 teaspoon oil (olive, peanut, sesame, walnut, etc.); 1/2 tablespoon nut butter (natural, with no added sugars); 2 tablespoons or 1 ounce of avocado; eight black olives; 10 green olives; seven almonds; six cashews; nine peanuts; four halves of walnuts.
• Try eating two 6-ounce servings of fatty fish per week.
• Make avocados, nuts, and olives staples of your diet.

Ditch processed foods. Decrease your consumption of highly processed foods. These particular foods are generally higher in sodium, sugar, fat and overall calories.  Including these on a regular basis may slow or prohibit weight loss.

• There is a wide range of food processing. Avoid foods that are highly refined and highly processed such as: candy and sweets; processed meats like bologna, sausage or bacon; snack cakes and pastries; cereals; frozen meals; chips or crackers.
• Foods that are minimally processed, but still considered a healthy addition to your diet include: frozen fruits and vegetables without added seasonings, bagged lettuce, pre-washed/pre-cut fruits and vegetables, canned beans and vegetables without added seasonings and 100% whole grains without added seasonings.
• Highly processed foods may also contain added preservatives, artificial flavorings, colorings or textural flavorings.
• Skip the foods with added sugars, sodium or that are highly processed. Stick to minimally processed foods whenever possible. Highly processed foods will not promote a nutritionally cleansing diet and again may slow your weight loss.

Drink a lot of fluids. One very important part of a health diet and a nutritional cleanse is ensuring that you consume an adequate amount of clear, sugar-free, caffeine-free fluids. Your body needs adequate amounts each day to stay hydrated and function properly.

• Your body relies on adequate hydration for a variety of things including: body temperature control, circulation, bowel function and flushing out wastes and toxins from your body. 
• A general rule of thumb is to drink 1/2 your weight in ounces of water daily; however, if you're trying to cleanse your body and improve your diet, drinking more than that might be helpful. The exact amount of fluid you need daily depends on your age, weight, gender and activity level.
• Pure water is the obvious choice to keep you hydrated^.
• Avoid all alcohol, sugary beverages and caffeine. If you're doing a nutritional cleanse, focus only on clear fluids. Ditch the alcohol, sugary/sweetened beverages and caffeinated beverages.

 *Article from WikiHow.com

How to stick to New Years resolutions

This is the year that you’re going to stick to New Years resolutions, right? Whether you normally last two weeks or two months, on average only 8% of people stick to their New Years resolutions. If you want to be part of the sliver of people that keep their resolutions, you need more than just willpower – you need a strategy!

5 Ways to Stick to Your New Years Resolutions

1. Put it on paper. Writing down your goals makes them harder to break. Don’t just think of a goal – write it down!  Set both short term and long terms goals and give them a date.  Don't leave them open ended.  When you achieve even the smallest of goals, make sure to celebrate! 
2.  Create daily reminders. Post your goals where you can see them every day. Put a sticky note on the bathroom mirror, the fridge, by the front door – or in multiple areas!
3. Schedule periodic reminders. Put reminders in your phone, on your calendar or schedule encouraging emails to send to yourself automatically at points throughout the year to motivate you.
4. Get a buddy. Share you resolutions with your friends, family or even your entire social media following. This will help keep you accountable and you’ll likely get additional support from others.
5. Pencil in some “Me Time.” Take time to do things that you enjoy like getting a massage, catching up with an old friend over coffee, or a date-night with your partner. This will help keep you balanced and less stressed.

Here’s to another year of healthy resolutions! Following these 5 suggestions will make your New Years resolutions more successful than years past. Now, get to it!