Healthy Eating Habits Begin in Childhood

Children’s minds and bodies develop fast and to do this they need to have a nutritious diet. This does not mean to say that they need to eat in a radically different way from adults. However they should be encouraged to eat in a healthy way so that they can develop mentally and physically. The 5 food groups should be taken into consideration; grains, vegetables and fruits, milk and dairy, protein foods and of course certain types of fats.

When you think of grains, like rice and bread, you should consider choosing whole grains like brown rice and brown bread as opposed to refined foods. These foods are high in fiber and will release a lot of energy. It is important for your child to get at least 4 servings of these grains per day. The largest amount should be consumed at breakfast. This is because your child will be able to get the energy they need to be fully active throughout the day. Plus the fiber will keep them full and discourage junk food snacking in between meals. It will also boost their metabolism and help them to digest their food and not store it as excess fat.

Vegetables and fruits are a very important part of your child’s diet. They provide essential vitamins and minerals needed for optimum mental and physical development. Many kids just do not like veggies as such, but do not let this deter you. You can try veggie dishes like broccoli cheese or zucchini bread. Celery boats are fun veggie snacks that can tempt even the most hardened vegetable hater. Tomatoes can be slipped into many dishes without being noticed.

Fruits are a good alternative and you can usually find a few that your child will like. Start fruits and veggies when the children are young and you will have better luck as they get older that there will be some that they like. Fruits can be used as a replacement to candies and sweet junk food.

Dairy products are an essential part of a child’s diet. They get calcium, protein and vitamins from these products. Milk, yogurt and cheese are examples of this food group. A way to mix fruits and yogurt is to make nutritious and delicious summer shakes by mixing your favorite fruits with yogurt, splendor and a little milk. You can create a low cal highly nutritious drink for your kids.

Protein is very important for growing and developing children. This can be obtained from meat, pulses, nuts, eggs and fish and dairy products. Protein should be served at each main meal. It is also a good source of iron which is very important for the proper development of your child and to release energy.

If you work on your child’s healthy eating habits from the very beginning you will find that they will grow into strong healthy adults and not suffer from weight problems. Remember healthy eating habits instilled into your children today will sow the seeds for a lifetime of healthy eating habits.

A Soda a Day Keeps Your Weight on the Rise

Never underestimate the power of junk food and in particular soda. Just one small 12 oz can of soda has as much as 42 grams of sugar and a 32oz soda from the fast food joint will give you a whopping 400 calories from the drink alone. Now this is just empty calories as it is common knowledge that soda has absolutely no nutrition.

This can give rise to a whole lot of weight gain. The reason for this is because when you drink calories your body does not really tell you that it is full, therefore you are not usually aware that you have taken in so many calories with just one drink. As well as giving you extra weight the extra sugar and overload of calories puts a strain on your digestive system and can put you at considerable risk for diabetes.

So what should we do? After all sodas area way of life for many of us! A good alternative is to take just one soda a day and make it a diet one. Not all diet sodas taste bad; in fact some of them are surprisingly good. Of course drinking more water is always a good idea. It will fill you up and satisfy your thirst better than any soda can do. Try it for a week and you will find that you will drop some pounds and also feel better.

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In Search of Youth

Many people have the erroneous belief that once they reach the age of 40 they are starting on the downward spiral of life and as Groucho Marx would say “washed up.” Because of these fears they desperately start to search for ways to hold onto and regain their fading youth. Anyone who is over 40 has been there. You wake up one morning and look into the mirror and say to yourself “wow I am getting old!”

Panic starts to grip you and you wonder what to do? You feel that your life is slipping way from you and you are just standing there helplessly watching it happen.

It is at this point in time that you need to think what to do. The solution is not to panic but to find a way out. Now no matter what you do you cannot turn back the clock and look and feel like a 20 year old. It is just not possible but you can take steps to look and feel younger.

Your 3 best options for finding your lost youth are…

Take care of your health: This is a number one priority. Wear and tear will obviously take their toll and you can expect to have arthritis and joint problems. However you can keep things from getting out of hand by leading a healthy lifestyle. Eating right and taking daily exercise will help you to stay healthy. Passive exercise like walking and swimming can help you to do this but this sort of exercise needs to be done on a regular daily basis.

Have a positive attitude: this is another critical aspect of keeping young. A negative attitude will lead to dangerous mental states like depression and is the cause of many underlying health problems. This comes from within and it is important to work on this aspect of your life if you want to enjoy your life and keep in good health.

Keep your mind and body alert: do not just hide away. It is important to get out and about every day. Find small errands that will force you to go out of the house and mingle with other people on a daily basis. If you do not do this you will find that you can develop fears about going out and this can lead to mental problems that can be very detrimental to your mental and physical wellbeing.

Keep your mind alert by keeping it active. You can do this by reading, not just newspapers but any literature. Joining clubs and societies are often good, because you meet people with similar interests to you. Online games like chess can keep you mentally alert.