Archive for the ‘healthy eating’ Category

Kids eating healthy

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

Kids Eating Healthy

Fast food is a big part of modern life these days,
making it very hard to teach a child how he or she
should eat healthy.  The cheapest and easiest foods
are those that are normally the least healthy.  If
you give your child the choice between healthy food
and junk food, you normally won’t like the results.

Even though it isn’t possible to get a child to like
all healthy foods, there are some ways to get your
child to try and hopefully like at least a few of
them.  You can be as creative as you like, as getting
kids to eat healthy foods can be a little harder than
you may think.

-  Sneak the healthy food in.  Even though it would
be great if your kid understood the importance of
fruits and vegetables, this isn’t always possible.
If you can’t get them to eat good food willingly,
there are ways to sneak them in, such as making
muffins out of bananas or apples, or pizza with
spinach on it.

-  Call fruits and vegetables by funny names.  You
can refer to broccoli as “trees”, making them
more fun to eat.  There are many different names
you can call fruits and vegetables, even making up
your own if you prefer.  Most kids prefer to eat
foods that sound fun.

-  Make the foods taste better. Ranch dressing is
great for broccoli, while peanut butter is a great
topping for celery.  There are several combinations
for vegetables that can make them taste much
better.  You can let your child pick a topping
for a vegetable, even if it’s something you wouldn’t
normally like yourself.

-  Dress the vegetables up.  Just as much as calling
them names help kids eat healthy foods, making them
look funny also helps.  You can do this by making
funny designs on the plate, or setting them up to
look like people.  Although some parents don’t like
their kids playing with their food, sometimes it
helps to get them to eat healthier.

There are several ways to make your kids eat
healthier, but to make them enjoy it also has to
be fun as well.  This isn’t always an easy task,
because kids normally don’t like foods that are
good for them.  It can however, be done with a bit
of creativity.  Hopefully, doing this will help
your child develop a love of healthy foods for the
rest of their lives.

Eating for a healthy heart

Monday, July 12th, 2010

Eating For A Healthy Heart

Bad cholesterol or a bad diet is something we all
experience at some point in time. It’s impossible
to eat healthy our whole lives, even though we may
try hard to do it. Eating healthy for your heart
is something everyone should try to do, especially
when it comes to restoring health and reducing
heart attacks.

Your heart and food
We know these things for sure – a diet high in
saturated fats will help raise your cholesterol,
which is a risk factor for heart disease. People
that are obese are more prone to heart disease. A
diet high in sodium may elevate your blood pressure,
leading to inflammation and even heart disease.

To help prevent heart disease and improve your health,
put the tips below to good use.

Eat plenty of fish
Herring, sardines, and salmon are all excellent sources
of Omega 3 essential fatty acids. Other fish are great
to, although Omega 3 may help to get your cholesterol
down to a healthier level.

Choosing healthy fats and oils
Saturated fat will increase the risk of heart disease.
It’s found in meat, butter, and even coconut oil. You
should avoid them until your cholesterol levels are
down and you are at a healthy weight. Even those
that love red meats can enjoy seafood and nuts for
their main sources of protein.

Monounsaturated fats such as olive oils will help
you to protect your heart. Olive oil is an ideal
choice for cooking, dressing, or even as a dipping
sauce.

Plenty of fiber
Fiber can help you control your cholesterol. You
can find fiber in whole grain products to help
control sugar absorption as well, which will help
you keep your digestive system healthy.

Choosing carbohydrates
Eating for your heart involves staying away from
sugary foods such as candy, cookies, cakes, and
pastries. Eating a lot of sugar isn’t good for
your heart disease at all. Healthy carbohydrates
involve whole grain breads, whole grain pasta, brown
rice, and a lot of vegetables. You should make
fruits and vegetables the main aspect of your diet.

Healthy cooking methods
Stir frying and sauteing with olive oil or canola
oil are both great methods, as you shouldn’t dip
your food in batter and fry it anymore. If you
cook chicken, remove the skin and bake it in the
oven in foil.

Instead of frying your fish you should always bake
it. Steaming your vegetables can help maintain the
most nutrients. You should use cream sauces or lots
of butter anymore either. When you eat vegetables,
try squeezing lemon juice on them or using your
favorite seasonings.

As you make the proper changes to your diet, keep in
mind that it takes time for them to become habits.
Eating healthy is always great for your body and your
lifestyle, especially when it comes to your heart and
the prevention of heart disease.

Tips for healthy eating

Monday, May 24th, 2010

Tips For Healthy Eating

Healthy eating is a way of balancing the food you
eat to keep your body in great health. With healthy
eating, you’ll have energy all day, get the vitamins
and minerals you need, stay strong for activities
you enjoy, and maintain a healthy weight.

Below, you’ll find tips designed to help you with
healthy eating.

1. Don’t skip any meals
Eating 3 meals with snacks in between is the ideal
way to maintain both energy and a healthy weight.
When you skip meals and get hungry, you’re more
than likely to choose foods that aren’t very good
for you.

If you are eating away from home, take food with
you or know where you can buy healthy food from.

2. Learn about how to prepare foods
Instead of deep frying, try grilling, stir frying,
microwaving, baking, and even boiling. You should
also try fresh or even dried herbs and spices to
add flavor to your food. Before you eat any type
of meat, be sure to trim the fat and skin off of
it.

3. Avoid a lot of sugar
Drinks that contain sugar are a major source of
empty energy. What this means, is that the drinks
contain a lot of energy that your body may not
need, and it doesn’t contain any vitamins or
minerals. If you plan to drink sugary drinks,
don’t go overboard – limit yourself to 1 a day.

4. Avoid thinking about diets
There are no good food nor any bad foods. All
food can be a part of a healthy diet, when eaten
in moderation. You don’t need to buy any low
carb, fat free, or even diet foods, as these foods
normally have lots of other added ingredients
to replaces the carbohydrates or fat.

Kids eating healthy

Monday, May 24th, 2010

Kids Eating Healthy

Fast food is a big part of modern life these days,
making it very hard to teach a child how he or she
should eat healthy. The cheapest and easiest foods
are those that are normally the least healthy. If
you give your child the choice between healthy food
and junk food, you normally won’t like the results.

Even though it isn’t possible to get a child to like
all healthy foods, there are some ways to get your
child to try and hopefully like at least a few of
them. You can be as creative as you like, as getting
kids to eat healthy foods can be a little harder than
you may think.

- Sneak the healthy food in. Even though it would
be great if your kid understood the importance of
fruits and vegetables, this isn’t always possible.
If you can’t get them to eat good food willingly,
there are ways to sneak them in, such as making
muffins out of bananas or apples, or pizza with
spinach on it.

- Call fruits and vegetables by funny names. You
can refer to broccoli as “trees”, making them
more fun to eat. There are many different names
you can call fruits and vegetables, even making up
your own if you prefer. Most kids prefer to eat
foods that sound fun.

- Make the foods taste better. Ranch dressing is
great for broccoli, while peanut butter is a great
topping for celery. There are several combinations
for vegetables that can make them taste much
better. You can let your child pick a topping
for a vegetable, even if it’s something you wouldn’t
normally like yourself.

- Dress the vegetables up. Just as much as calling
them names help kids eat healthy foods, making them
look funny also helps. You can do this by making
funny designs on the plate, or setting them up to
look like people. Although some parents don’t like
their kids playing with their food, sometimes it
helps to get them to eat healthier.

There are several ways to make your kids eat
healthier, but to make them enjoy it also has to
be fun as well. This isn’t always an easy task,
because kids normally don’t like foods that are
good for them. It can however, be done with a bit
of creativity. Hopefully, doing this will help
your child develop a love of healthy foods for the
rest of their lives.