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Serve Your Kids With Super Foods

I have always believed that a great foundation is of paramount importance to having a healthy life by which begins by eating the right food. Thus, being a first time dad to a three year old made me wonder about the food she deserves.

When you hear the words “super foods”, many people assume that kids won’t like whatever the super food is. We tend to think of super foods as unpleasant tasting, or the sort of thing you have to eat to be healthy. But really, almost any healthy food can be a super food, and they can be made appealing to children. However, there are some super foods that may really help children’s health. Here are some of these super foods, and how to serve them to kids.

1. Berries

With their high antioxidant and vitamin content, berries are considered super foods. Blueberries in particular are touted as healthy for kids – they’re said to improve immunity and brain function, and to promote eye health. If your kids are not fond of blueberries out of hand, try freezing them. Here are some other ideas:

* Blend blueberries with a little water or natural apple juice and freeze them into popsicles or in ice cube trays. You can use the cubes in smoothies.

* Blend them with yogurt.

* Make a mixed-berry smoothie that includes blueberries. Frozen berries do well in smoothies. Add yogurt, milk, or whatever else you’d like to the smoothie (you can freeze smoothies into popsicles, too).

2. Turkey

Many people don’t know that turkey is considered by many to be a super food. With its lean protein, B vitamins, zinc, and potassium, turkey is considered a healthy food for kids. Whole, cooked turkey is best; turkey that’s been processed into lunchmeat or other items contains a lot of things besides turkey – and some of them may not be so healthy. Serve turkey to kids:

* As meatloaf or meatballs (ground turkey is available in grocery stores)

* In a turkey salad

* Sliced as a sandwich

* Rolled in breadcrumbs and baked into turkey nuggets

3. Leafy Greens

Broccoli, spinach, kale, and so forth are not foods associated with children! If your kids turn up their noses at these vegetables cooked, try broccoli raw with dip. For spinach, kale, and other greens, here are some things to try.

* Mince greens and use as a pizza topping, or add them to meatloaf or meatballs.

* Make a green smoothie with leafy greens, chunked apple, and natural apple juice. You can make green popsicles with this mixture too.

* Use a blender to puree raw greens into spaghetti, pasta, or pizza sauces.

4. Chia

Chia seeds are not only nutritious, but are reputed to help stabilize blood sugar, which can be very helpful for growing little ones. Chia seeds have almost no taste and are very tiny and tender, so they can be sneaked into lots of foods. Here …

How Not to Cheat on Your Diet Plan

It may surprise you to find that 36% of women are cheaters, when it comes to their diet! Research of 2,000 dieting women showed these results and while they are not that shocking, it does prove to be a good reminder that some weight loss habits are not so good. If any of this sounds like what you are dealing with, here are some tips from the women surveyed.

In 40% of the cases, the dieter was tempted to eat something forbidden by their partners. If your spouse or close friend is sitting there enjoying a box of candy the chances are better than even that you will partake as well. The best solution is to have your friend or loved one on board and barring that you can try brushing your teeth or chewing gum to avoid the tempting treats.

Restaurants were the key downfall of 25% of those surveyed. All your intentions generally take a vacation when you are eating out, who wants a mere salad? When you are dieting, you may want to keep the eating out to a bare minimum instead of a weekly occurrence. This will help your waist and your wallet at the same time. This also allows you to enjoy the experience and have whatever you want off the menu.

Every woman who participated in this study had tried to lose weight about eight times. That is not a large number considering most people have tried many diet plans. Nevertheless, you do have to ask whether the anxiety about cheating on your diet played a part in this.

Eating healthy is not a temporary occurrence. You can find many wonderful guidelines pertaining to eating healthy, but no rules. The main thing to dieting is that you must burn more calories than you consume whether this is for a day, week, month or even a year.

It does not mean you have failed your diet should you slip up and over eat, cheat by eating a couple of things you should not or an extravagant meal eaten at a restaurant.

A good 50% of the women polled admitted that they had lied about food they had consumed. Lying about it only reinforced feelings of guilt and secrecy. Try finding a friend you can talk to instead of lying about your bad day. This should be someone who will cheer you on and not judge you or make you feel worse than you already do.

The above tips are just a few helpful ideas when you feel like cheating on your diet plan. You can use as many or few of them as you like but keep in mind that if you do slip up the battle is not over. Start your diet plan over again the next day. The only way you fail is if you give up the diet entirely.

To ensure that this is the diet that finally succeeds you of course need to …

Healthy Diet Strategies

There is a common misconception about eating. Most people would think that depriving their selves with the food that they like to eat is good for the body. There are also some who thinks that maintaining a very thin body is healthy. The truth is a healthy person feels great about himself. If you will deprive yourself of the food that you like, would you think you will feel good? If you would keep your body unrealistically thin and slim, do you think you can get the proper nutrition? A healthy diet comprises of the food that will improve your health. These are food that will prevent you from getting sick especially those chronic diseases that can also be harmful for your family.

A healthy diet should be planned. It is not enough for you to know the nutritious foods. You should also need to know the combination of food that will help you achieve a well balanced meal. Here are tips that will help you achieve a healthy diet.

You cannot change overnight. If you have been used to eating food that are not really healthy, you cannot take it out of your system right away. You have to do it slowly. It is just important to establish your eating habits first so that you can gradually build tolerance.

Aside from eating the healthy food that your body needs, you should also constantly exercise. This will help you burn more fat and calories. Regular physical activity would also be good for the body for proper blood circulation.

Do not suppress your craving for food. You can still enjoy your favorite food provided you take them in moderation. Try to discipline yourself so that you will not end up eating a whole bunch of what must not be included with your diet.

Aside from making sure that you have a healthy diet, you should also ensure that you know how to eat your food. You should know how to properly chew your food so as to avoid stress. You should learn how to make eating an enjoyable activity every time.

Excessive sugar intake would be dangerous especially for diabetics and people with other illnesses. You should limit the intake of food with high sugar content like sodas, chocolates and other sweets. Too much intake of these foods will increase your weight.

Increase your fiber intake which can be found in vegetables like beans and legumes. This will help you lower the cholesterol level.

Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. By doing so, you will get all the nutrients and minerals that you need to keep your body strong.

Do not limit yourself with just a certain variety of food. You have to expand your choices. There is a wide variety of food that you can choose from. Pick your choices wisely.

Use a good supplement such as a working fat binder pill.

It is not recommended to totally cut down on calories. You just have to …

Are Vitamins Really Worth the Cost?

I try to eat healthy. I also try to exercise. Did I mention I try to eat healthy? Yeah…sometimes it just doesn’t seem to work out though. I WANT to eat healthy, it’s just so much hassle! Going to the store for fresh fruits and vegetables, and lean meats; lugging them all the way to my house, cleaning and preparing them, then cooking ‘s exhausting!

I know that my body needs the nutrients from all that fresh food, I know it fundamentally. And usually I’m pretty good at sometimes I just don’t have the time to mess with the whole thing.

My solutions used to be simple. When I couldn’t prepare good healthy food for myself I would be sure to take my vitamins! I used to keep a bottle of a good multivitamin handy for those times when I found myself not eating all that healthy of foods.

The problem was, well actually there were two problems. The first problem is that those vitamins are incredibly expensive! Like over 10 dollars for a tiny little bottle of a simple multivitamin. And forget it if you needed to supplement some other vitamin as well!

The second problem is that I have never really been sure if those vitamins actually DO anything. Are they really all that helpful? Am I just wasting my money?

It seems that every year Americans spend over 2 billion dollars on vitamins. And doing a little research, I discovered that no one is really sure if vitamins actually DO anything….I’m talking about doctors here, I’m talking about government scientists, I’m talking about the people who’s job it is to KNOW about this stuff. They all have no clue!

Oh sure, some say “yes” vitamins are good for you, and some say “No” they are not good for you, and some say “we don’t really know”. But the average, I guess you would say the consensus, just isn’t able to say one way or the other!

There is ONE area that is more definitive. Studies show that people who are definitely vitamin deficient SHOULD take vitamins, and they are clearly helpful for those people.

But there’s no consensus on whether vitamins actually help prevent disease.

But you shouldn’t listen to me, because I am absolutely NOT a doctor and have absolutely no training or education in this background area. So do your own research before deciding to start or quit taking vitamins. Me? Oh, I’ll probably keep taking them…after all, I’ve got that big jar just sitting in my medicine cabinet!

Oh course, we wouldn’t be having this conversation if I would just get off my behind and cook healthy foods and exercise more regularly. Did I mention that I TRY to eat healthy? Really I do!…

Immune System Boosting Food Groups – Top Five

Our immune system is the most influential factor in determining our health. It continually interacts with the external environment, protecting us from all microorganisms, bacteria, viruses, funghi, yeasts, foreign proteins and cancer cells. In Chinese Medicine the immune system is related to the concept of wei qi, or “protective qi.” During the day wei qi circulates through the muscles and skin, opening and closing the pores and fighting off disease due to climate changes and microorganisms. At night it travels deep within the organs of the body. This protective qi is acquired from the air we breathe and the food we eat. In Western medicine we interpret a similar concept that immune system function is affected by the body’s ability to use oxygen and absorb nutrients.

A healthy diet is therefore essential to a strong immune system and specific foods can bolster immunity.

Here are five foods that can keep the body armed for life.

1 – Zinc rich foods – to reinforce insufficiency – Zinc deficiency is common among Americans, especially among those who do not consume red meat. The mineral zinc is vital to the development of white blood cells, which destroy invading pathogens. A 3 oz. serving of beef provides about 30% or the daily value for zinc. If you are not a red meat eater, try poultry, pork, oysters, yogurt or milk. If you are a vegan, cooked leafy greens, beans, legumes, wheat germ, nuts and seeds all contain zinc.

2 – Orange colored fruits and vegetables – to bolster the front line Your skin plays a key role in the immune system by protecting the body from outside elements. To stay effective the skin needs Vitamin A since it is important in the production of connective tissue and is crucial in fighting disease. A great way to get Vitamin A is from foods that contain beta-carotene, the precursor to this vitamin. Foods that are rich in beta-carotene are orange in color, such as sweet potatoes, carrots, winter squash, pumpkin and cantaloupe.

3 – Mushrooms – to activate white blood cells – Traditionally various cultures have utilized the immune boosting quality of mushrooms. Recent research shows that mushrooms increase the production and action of white blood cells, which help fight infection. A variety of mushrooms, from the common button to shitake and maitake mushrooms, can now be found in local supermarkets and are easily incorporated into our cooking. The Chinese ganoderma (ling zhi) mushroom is considered powerful in enhancing immunity and has a strong anti-tumor effect.

4 – Tea – to fight the wreckage – When the immune system fights pathogens, free radicals are formed, which can damage cells and their DNA. Ultimately, this can lead to advancing the aging process and pre-disposing the body toward chronic diseases such as cancer. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with antioxidants and very beneficial in fighting free radical damage. Green and black tea are rich in polyphenols, antioxidants that are extremely …

Foods That Strengthen and Energize

When my mother passed away four months after discovering she had a brain tumor, I knew I had to take ownership of my own health. Since then I have been on what I call a “health and longevity” journey discovering foods that lift my spirits, give me energy, and at the same time help me lose unwanted fat. I am more aware now than before about what I eat and question every food, every meal I eat while noting my body’s reaction.

When the body has too many toxins it becomes compromised. This causes the body to become more susceptible to various infections, complications, and in some cases to cancer. That is why it is so important to take action and explore the ways to nourish our bodies for strength and vitality.

I have been on this journey for five years, and I feel GREAT. Following are my discoveries:

Salads. A diet made of fresh leafy green raw vegetables, raw nuts, sprouts and a little fruit is not only nutritious, but helps put the body into an alkaline environment. The body needs a good balance of both acid and alkaline levels. Bodies that are more acidic than alkaline can increase the risks for disease and other ailments of the body.

Cruciferous Vegetables. If raw vegetables are unappealing, then lightly steam or blanch vegetables to preserve live enzymes. Preserving live enzymes and vitamins will help to digest food, and force you to chew them. Chewing raw vegetables produces 4 times the serotonin and helps you to relax. The best vegetables to cook are cruciferous vegetables because they don’t breakdown as easily at low temperatures, and still maintain its nutrients. According to various sources, the top 3 are broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.

Vegetable Juice. I feel fantastic every time I have a glass of fresh vegetable juice. It gives me energy and keeps me from wanting sweets. Drinking vegetable juice is the best way to get live enzymes. I recommend investing in a high powered juicer to make your own juice. A can of V8 will not produce the same benefits because it contains a lot of sodium. See for yourself when reading the label. Juicing only takes a few minutes of your time, but will produce an abundance of live enzymes that will be easily absorbed and reach down to the cellular levels within 15 minutes of consuming. Consider juicing vegetables that are not eaten often such as green cabbage, celery, carrots, beets, etc.

Try and add these discoveries to your existing diet and enjoy the health benefits.…

Before you go out and try the best pizza in the world, you should know that there are several different types. You may have heard of California style, New York style, Hawaiian pizza, and Neapolitan. But what is the difference between these pizza styles? This article will cover the differences between these styles and why you should try them all! After all, pizza is one of the most popular foods in the world! You can also learn more through the pizza menu Bridgeport CT.

Neapolitan pizza

The first time you visit a Neapolitan pizza restaurant, you’ll be delighted by the delicious variety of toppings you’ll find. While a Margherita pizza may be perfectly acceptable, opt for the four seasons pizza if you’re in the mood for a gourmet treat. Traditionally, four different kinds of toppings are placed on a single crust, often topped with Italian salami, mushrooms, black olives, and artichokes. These ingredients make a Neapolitan pizza taste authentic to its Italian heritage.

New York-style pizza

A hand-tossed, wide, thin crust is characteristic of New York-style pizza. Typically sold in slices to take home, New York-style pizza is crisp along the outer edge and soft beneath the toppings. The thin, soft crust is easily folded into half, making it easy to eat and carry on the go. A typical slice of New York-style pizza is approximately four inches in diameter. 

A thin, cracker-like crust is the hallmark of St. Louis pizza. This style of pizza is made without yeast and uses Provel cheese. This pizza is traditionally cut into rectangles or squares. The sauce is a spicy blend of Italian herbs. You can’t miss St. Louis pizza at a party, whether you’re bringing friends or ordering for two. No matter what the occasion, you’ll love St. Louis pizza.

Hawaiian pizza

The Hawaiian pizza is a specialty pie with ham and pineapple layered on the pizza crust. This unique pizza was created in Ontario, Canada, in the early 1960s by Greek immigrant Sam Panopoulos, who served it at his satellite restaurant. Although the dish has a long and storied history, the pizza is still famous among pizza lovers. However, the toppings have also caused controversy over the years. While many people don’t consider fruit a good pizza topping, Gordon Ramsey has chomped down two bites to raise money for charity. Likewise, the president of Iceland has spoken out against banning pineapple on pizza.

French bread pizza

Whether you’re an avid fan of classic Italian food or just looking for a new type of pizza, a French bread pizza will satisfy your appetite. You can find a large loaf of soft French bread in the bakery section of a grocery store. This type of bread has a better crust than a crisp French baguette. Then you top the base with sauce, cheese, and toppings. This delicious treat can be frozen or enjoyed straight from the oven.

Detroit pizza

It seems like no matter what you do; you can’t beat a Detroit pizza. …

Who Else Wants to Stop Overeating?

The answer to the title question is, of course, obvious: you do! You and me and many other people. Can you? Luckily, the answer is a definite “Yes.” Is there some ‘secret’ you’ve never heard before? Is there a miracle plan? No, but there are commonsense ways to stop overeating that you can adopt.

One reason people overeat is to compensate for anxiety. Decrease the guilt, shame, and frustration and there is less incentive to overcome negative emotions by gorging on food.

Self-Help To Reduce Negative Emotions

There are a dozen self-help methods for improving your skills in that area. (Yes, they are learned skills. Emotions are not “just there;” they have causes. You can change them.) Here are a few:

When you feel that urge to eat again – even if you’re not really hungry and may even feel full – take ten seconds to stop and think. Take a few slow, deep breaths. Have a glass of water while you do. Think about the event or person that caused your negative emotion.

Weigh consciously whether you really HAVE to experience that bad feeling, or whether there’s another way to evaluate the experience. For example, you may be a teen girl who was just taunted about your appearance. You reach for food to ease the hurt. But do you really have to care so much about what others think, especially if they’re cruel?

Easy Ways to Change Bad Habits

Another simple technique for reducing binge eating episodes – in amount and duration – is simply to slow down. Instead of wolfing down everything within reach, take your time. Let your body catch up with your brain, which will send signals that your anxiety has lessened as you eat.

There is a time lag between the intake of food and the hormonal changes it produces inside us. Giving your brain and body time to synchronize helps reduce the amount of food you want. Stretch that time longer and longer.

Then stretch the periods between eating a little longer. Not too long, though. In general, for overeaters, it’s better to eat smaller amounts more frequently than huge meals three or four times a day.

Remember, 200 calories per mini-meal consumed in six meals per day is only 1,200 calories. That’s a healthy low-calorie diet (provided it’s made up of healthy food, of course).

Get Help For Zero Cost

One way to reduce overeating that costs nothing is to start sharing meals with others who are trying to stop too.

As we said, one thing that drives us to overeat is negative emotions. Sometimes, those are simply the result of loneliness, feeling unwanted or undesirable, etc. So, one way to combat that is to eat with a friend having the same problem or join a support group and share outings.

Keep in mind, though, that those are not occasions to simply ‘pig out’ with people who have your same eating disorder. Sure, misery loves company, but …

Driver Safety: Good Health and the Comfort of Driving Gloves

We take it for granted that we can jump into our family sedan and automatically become a good driver. Fact is, most of us cannot drive to save ourselves. We don’t realize the important relationship between good health and driver safety. For example, like a drug, fatigue behind the wheel can kill you. The knowledgeable motorist will check his physical condition before taking the wheel.

Driving a car can make demands on a driver. He/She must be in just as good health as the automobile. Now, don’t worry, you don’t have to have a body like Vin Diesel in “Fast Five”. But, a minimum standard of well-being in body and mind is essential. If you are thinking of driving 200 miles and the car is a bit dodgy, you might say, “well, not sure if the car will make it, steering’s been a bit shaky lately”. On the other hand, if YOU were in the same condition as the car, you would not think twice about getting behind the wheel.

If you are tired, upset, got a headache or the flu and dosed up with antihistamines or tranquilizers, then you are a mobile timebomb! You are an accident waiting to happen! You have put your driving skills to the ultimate test and you’re gonna lose!

But, if you enjoy a state of good health with clear vision and you are able to buckle your seatbelt by yourself, then the threat on the road to yourself, your passengers and other motorists is greatly diminished. Not many of us collapse at the wheel because of a killer disease, but the threat to road safety from minor complaints is something very real and we must be judgmental enough to be able to calculate our condition.

Basically, the requirements by law as far as fitness is concerned is only that you are able to read the 6 inch letters at the end of the office and are able to fill out the application form. It is entirely our own responsibility to assess our own health as we would the road-worthiness of our car.

Now, here is a general rule of how to combat a sudden illness while driving:

1. Heart Attack – if you should ever be unlucky or unhealthy enough or just plain too old to drive, and have a heart attack while driving, generally you are not going to die straight away! Pull over to the side of the road and don’t drive for 3 months.

2. Migraine – if you feel a migraine coming on while driving, symptoms can be nausea and double vision, then stop immediately. Take off your leather driving gloves, sit down on the grass verge in the lotus position and practice deep meditation with forefingers and thumbs touching.

3. Anxiety Attack – if you feel an anxiety attack coming on while driving, you may suffer from memory loss, so pull over immediately and make sure you have …

Eating Healthy Is Not Enough

Eating healthy is obviously very important for weight loss and becoming healthier overall. However, a lot of people overemphasize the importance of a diet plan, but under-emphasize the importance of exercise in this process. Working out is imperative for not only weight loss but also overall health.

First of all, in regards to dropping pounds, without expending calories you will not lose weight. This is because the formula for losing weight is simply taking in fewer calories than you are expending. A calorie is merely a measure of energy. The metabolism is what burns this energy, and the higher your metabolic rate is, the more calories you will burn.

The problem is, a healthy diet only raises your metabolism so much. The other part of the equation is exercise. This works because it increases blood circulation, which in turn causes all the nutrients you are taking in through foods to get absorbed by the body.

Without proper blood flow, your body does not get all the nutrients, and in turn your whole digestive process breaks down. The less efficiently your body is able to digest its’ foods, the more the metabolism slows down. This is obviously a very simplified explanation. The important thing you need to remember is that exercise raises the metabolism.

The problem is, many people do not like exercise. One of the biggest reasons is that they pick activities they do not like. Examples include slow jogging on the treadmill for hours, or mindlessly lifting dumbbells. Basically, these strategies are boring, and therefore many people often give up on their exercise regime before they start seeing progress.

The solution is to pick something you enjoy doing. For just about everyone, this involves playing a sport. This will encourage you stay active, and you will actually start looking forward to your daily workout more. People who play sports often see better progress than those who do not, simply because it gives them something to look forward to.…