Fresh-You Nutrition, Fitness, and Wellness

Eat FOOD! 4 Rules to Help You Do It!

2012-05-26T19:16:00.001-07:00

Food Rules by Michael Pollan is an awesome book! Read it today, and take a taste NOW!

Pollan's book now has an illustrated edition by Maira Kalman :)

It can lead anyone in the right direction toward nutritional health if they follow just ONE of the 64 rules described in the book! The first section of the book states to EAT FOOD!

I've chosen a few RULES for you to think about as you grocery shop, prepare food, and EAT this weekend!

#3 Avoid food products containing ingredients that no ordinary human would keep in the pantry.

Companies add preservatives to make foods last longer, make old foods look fresher, and who knows the long term safety for humans, so let's not be the Guinea pigs!

#4 Avoid high fructose corn syrup.

HFCS is basically only in highly processed food. Avoiding it will help you steer clear of lots of unhealthy stuff. Companies are catching on. Watch out if a product brags "No HFCS"; it has likely replaced it with some other form of sugar! Better that you don't see HFCS anywhere on the package.

by Maira Kalman

#12 Shop in the peripheries of the supermarket and stay out of the middle.

The majority of grocery stores are set up so that the fruits, veggies, meat, and dairy are all around the edges, while the processed foods fill the aisles all through the center of the store.

#19 If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't.

One more way to avoid processed food! Just pick the "rule" that is easiest for you to remember, or makes the most sense to you :)

by Maira Kalman

COMMENT: If you're going to try out one of these or another rule, tell me that you're going to, and then tell us how it goes! Good luck! I'm happy for you that you will soon be feeling better than you have in a long time!

Fun Fruits! from Convenient Costco :)

2012-05-24T15:00:00.000-07:00

Certainly, it's best to eat fresh, local, and organic fruits and veggies! Of course, there isn't always enough time to make that possible. SO here are some products that can help you EAT YOUR VEGGIES and FRUIT on the go! Wondering why you SHOULD? Click HERE!

EAT these PRODUCTS to fit in MORE fruits and VEGGIES!!

More Fruit (less meat ~ more fruits and veggies)! Plus, be more attractive to the opposite sex, and more!

More Berries!

More Fiber!

More Costco Cool Stuff! (here are some other Costco items)!

NAKED juice is delicious, convenient, and contains some really cool ingredients!

...but expensive...buy on SALE at Costco!

Mighty MANGO is splendid! Mango, apple, orange, banana, and lemon.

GREEN Machine is another yummy one! Apple, mango, pineapple, banana, kiwi, spirulina, brocoli, spinach, barley grass, wheat grass, parsley, ginger, green algae, "odorless" garlic.

BERRY Blast is awesome! Apple, banana, strawberry, blackberry, raspberry.

Nature's Child Berry Squeezers (SPONGE BOB!)

...I don't really like Bob, but these treats are 100% fruit!

JUST berries and apples!

These are super for kids -- portable, yummy, bright, and fun!

Costco has a super price -- way less expensive than anywhere on the internet!

When on sale, they are only 50 cents each!

V8 FUSION

Strawberry Banana contains the juice of 10 veggies and fruits: sweet potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, beets, white grapes, oranges, apples, strawberries, bananas.

Pomegranate Blueberry contains the juice of 8 fruits and veggies: sweet potatoes, purple carrots, tomatoes, carrots, apples, white grapes, pomegranates, blueberries.

Better VALUE than Naked ... buy on SALE at Costco!

...more juice for half the price, doesn't require refrigeration.

Wyman's Fresh Frozen Wild Blueberries -- these are SUPER SWEET!

Delicious in muffins, smoothies, yogurt, or in a bowl on their own, any time!

Try a 3-Ingredient Super SHAKE!

Chocolate Berry Kiss Muffins (substitute blueberries for raspberries :)!

Looking for other FRUITY ideas? Try one of these...

3-Ingredient Fruit Salsa or Nectarine Garden Salad -- thank you Jenny!

Feel free to share helpful tips, suggestions, questions,

concerns, anything you like!, in a COMMENT below :)

3-Ingredient Fruit Salsa!

2012-05-21T18:58:00.000-07:00

FRUIT -- the world's natural sweetness!

See why it's so great -- starting with its FIBERY goodness!!

This weekend my friend, Jenny, introduced me to this delicious FRUIT SALSA!

She tried it first with sweetener, but decided (even being the sugar-lover that she is) that it's great even without the added sweetener!

Tupperware Fruit Salsa

1 Apple
3 Kiwis
8 Strawberries

Simply chop everything up and enjoy! I used my mini food chopper, or you could use your
Tupperware Chopper if you have one!

Great on yogurt, cottage cheese, toast, your favorite chips or crackers, or these:

Food Should Taste Good Multigrain Tortilla Chips

These most simply have 3 grams of fiber per serving, making them a better choice than usual tortilla chips. They still should be considered a treat, but when you're having this special treat, you'll be getting some fiber and other nutrients too! These are made with a variety of nutritious ingredients, including flaxseed (unfortunately the seeds are whole making their omega-3 fats unabsorbable), quinoa and brown rice (healthy gluten-free grain alternatives), oats, sunflower and sesame seeds! Check out the Nutrition Facts and Ingredients.

It looks like Food Should Taste Good have tons of AWESOME products! I want to try them ALL!! Here is the website! I've also tried the Sweet Potato Chips -- yummy!

COMING SOON: some more fruit yummies!

COMMENTS: Where have you found this brand of chips and snacks? I got these at Costco, and the Sweet Potato Chips at Heinen's.

Win a Vita-Mix Bender!

2012-05-16T18:37:00.000-07:00

Here is your chance to win a Vita-Mix! Plus, visit my very favorite healthy dessert blog!

A Vita-Mix is a really fancy, expensive, blender that will basically liquify any combination of ingredients!

Use it to make:

Dr Oz's Green Drink

Laraballs

Blissful Baked Bean Dip

3-Ingredient Super Shake

Creamy and Refreshing Carrot Soup

Chocolaty Goodness

Creamy OJ

OR just about any smoothie you can dream up!

Banana, peanut butter, and flaxseed is delicious!

Ok, so go to Chocolate Covered Katie (one of my favorite websites!) and do any of the listed "entries" and be sure to leave a post there saying what you did. Good luck!

COMMENTS: Do you like blog freebies? Do you enter and try to win? What's the best prize you ever tried for, or offered?!

Tasty Tofu?! YES! Hubby-Approved!!

2012-05-12T17:58:00.004-07:00

One of the first meals I started regularly making when I really began cooking about a decade ago. I am not sure what even made me think to try tofu! ...though a discussion of SOY is coming SOON!

My hubby who doesn't like tofu ... thinks this is delicious!!!

Rich and Tasty Tofu Stir Fry

1 c white wine
3 T soy sauce (or to taste)
1 T garlic, minced
½ t ginger
Cayenne pepper (to taste)
1 lb package tofu, EXTRA-FIRM
2 T sesame oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
2 c broccoli, chopped
16 oz bag spinach
1 c cashews CLICK HERE to find out about why nuts are wonderful!
2.5 c uncooked brown rice (prepare)

Dry tofu with paper towels and carefully squeeze to drain as much water as possible. Chop tofu in ½-inch cubes. Heat skillet or wok. Bring wine, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and pepper to boil. Add tofu, cover, and simmer about 15-20 minutes, until tofu well-soaked with sauce; stir occasionally. I don't usually get it to crisp, but if you do, I bet that would be tasty! Remove tofu and remaining broth from skillet. Heat oil in skillet and cook vegetables over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes, until crisp-tender. Add tofu, remaining broth, and cashews. Heat together. Serve over brown rice.

You could probably use any type of veggies for this -- the sauce flavors are so tasty -- they make anything really yummy -- like tofu!!

BONUS HINT about tofu: Firm is for savory dishes, and silken is for smoothies and desserts!

Reversing can be disastrous! Ask my brother, ...once, around the time I started making this recipe, I tried making a smoothie with the firm -- no matter how many pieces or varieties of fruit I added, I could not get rid of the unpleasant taste! I think he avoided trying new foods for a long time after that experience!

As for stir-fry, you simply need the firmness to hold shape!

Read 5 BIG Reasons to Make Your Meat Portions Small!

Coming soon: Benefits of Soy; Soy and Cancer, and Milk Comparisons!

COMMENTS: How do you like your soy? How are you spending Mother's Day?

Fabulous Fiber, PLUS Apricot Crinkler Cookies/Muffins!

2012-05-11T20:00:00.002-07:00

Nearly EVERY super food I will ever mention FILLS US with FIBER!

Oh my goodness, the average American only takes in about 10 grams of of fiber each day! It is recommended (and you'll soon see why!) that women eat AT LEAST 25 grams, and men eat AT LEAST 38 grams PER day! Since you're here reading, hopefully trying to get healthy, I bet you're number is probably higher than average, but WE all could benefit from MORE fiber! Here is why!

Excluding the chocolate chips and vanilla,

Apricot Crinkler Cookies' ingredients are all fiber-full! (recipe below)

FIVE FIBER FUNCTIONS!

1. CHOLESTEROL REDUCTION for heart health! TWO mechanisms: fiber binds to BILE released when you eat, so your body needs to make more bile which is made out of cholesterol. Secondly, fiber binds to ingested cholesterol as it travels through the digestive tract, and both are ultimately removed as WASTE.

2. REGULARITY -- I won't go on about this ... you understand. Eat fiber = have happy poop :)

3. WEIGHT LOSS -- low-calorie, high-volume foods make you feel full sooner, and longer!

One study says that women only eat a certain volume of food, regardless of the total calories. On average, women eat 3 pounds of food per day. If you eat 3 lb of lettuce you will consume a small fraction of the calories that you would if you had consumed 3 lb of steak or cheese.

4. Slows ABSORPTION -- improves blood SUGAR control, AND provides sustained ENERGY!

5. Cancer PROTECTION -- it's in all of us; the key is to slowing/stopping the chain of events that spurs cancer development, fiber helps with this! One way, for example, is by moving waste through the digestive system quickly, so that its cells are exposed to the toxins in the waste for less time. The Cancer Project provides a nice explanation of how fiber may help prevent various forms of cancer.

Plus, fiber sources UNDOUBTEDLY provide abundant vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, healthy protein, fat, and of course, carbs!

As well as LITTLE to NO saturated or trans fat, cholesterol, harmful substances such as nitrates, hormones, antibiotics...

Fruitful Fiber SOURCES!

Whole Grains

For pasta, couscous, orzo, bread products, etc, look for 100% WHOLE
AVOID the word ENRICHED in ingredients list
Of course, plenty of grains have super-short one-ingredient lists: quinoa, wild rice, brown rice, farro, barley, and more!

Fruits, Veggies, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds

Fresh, frozen, dried, freeze dried
No sugar added
Avoid salt
Avoid added chemicals, hydrogenated oils (refried beans ... Trader Joe's makes a great version without it!), ...I'm still working on dried beans ... so I used canned, still, often.
Fresh, Local, and Organic, is always optimal! CLICK here for a great way to get your hands on some!

TRY THESE FOR A QUICK FIBER BOOST!!

Apricot Crinkler Cookies (or Muffins)!

1 c unsweetened, dried, apricots

1 c walnuts, ground

1 c bran

1 c banana, blended or mashed (2 bananas)

1/4 c chia seeds

1/4 c chocolate chips

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Stir everything up in a bowl until well blended. For muffins, fill muffin tin (or silicone pan -- awesome!) and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, or until nicely browned. For cookies, flatten little scoops on a cookie sheet, as shown and described below. You don't have to worry about anything in here cooking enough -- you could eat the whole bowl of dough raw!~

Enlisting help is fun AND it makes them more willing to try new things!

My awesome silicone cookie sheet (you need a metal one below it for support)! This is how you make "cookies"; just spread some dough/batter into a small cookie shape. I flatten out spoonfuls. Small is good if you love all the crackle-y edges like me :)

For muffins, you can fill as high as you like -- they won't change shape during baking. I fill them some shallowly sometimes for more of a cookie :)

Don't worry, this is before they went in the oven -- she just wanted to try the mitts! Finished product is shown above! We ate them all up first thing in the morning!

COMMENTS: What is your favorite fiber source?

YOU Did It! Rewards That Won't Fill Your Tummy!

2012-05-09T20:02:00.001-07:00

Reward YOURSELF, and YOUR kids, with non-food-related prizes!

Food is a delightful part of life to be enjoyed and celebrated! However, it doesn't have to be the only reward in our lives. It's not that I don't ever use edible rewards, it's just that there are other ways. By using non-food rewards, we can reduce the strong focus of food in our lives.

Often achieving whatever it is you're rewarding yourself for, weight loss or athletic performance success, for example, IS enough of a reward. Still sometimes, early on and even after a long time (when burnout threatens), rewards can hit the spot to keep us going! Rewards can be an effective way to encourage positive behavior in ourselves, as well as in children.

Here are some examples for YOU:

1. Buy yourself FLOWERS, or go pick some from your yard or the wild!

2. Buy a new BOOK, audiobook, or magazine, or borrow something cool from the library!

3. Get a MASSAGE from a salon, your partner/spouse, or have your kids climb all over your back! Plus, this thing is totally AWESOME! Homedics Percussion Massager

4. Get a home FACIAL cream and use it!, or cook a sweet potato, remove skin, mash potato, stir in a 1/4 c plain yogurt, and when cool enough, apply to your face to SMOOTH and MOISTURIZE!

5. Go to a MOVIE at the theatre, or get one from the library!

For your KIDS:

1. Take them to a NEW playground.

2. Find a CRAFT of whatever they desire (robot, zebra, fairy) and make it with them ...use an image search, and you'll be sure to find an idea that you can do with what you have in your home!

3. Let them CHOOSE a video or show to watch, or an electronic game to play, like Wii or something on the computer.

4. Let them stay up "past their BEDTIME" to do something fun, like play dress up with you!

5. Allow them to invite a friend to come over for a PLAY DATE.

COMMENTS: How do you treat yourself? Your kids?

Savory Cheese Substitute (Dairy and Soy-Free)!

2012-05-08T19:35:00.002-07:00

Rip Esselstyn wrote the Engine 2 Diet, and he, like his dad (one of the two main research physicians of Forks Over Knives), has cut out all animal products from his diet, and is feeling great and teaching many other people who they can do it too!

Looking for some BIG Reasons to Make Your Meat Portions Small??! Click HERE!

One nutritious food he recommends is NUTRITIONAL YEAST!

Rip uses it for a pizza topping, on lasagna, salads, steamed broccoli and cauliflower, and even popcorn, because of its cheesy flavor!

Here are some of the reasons why I think NUTRITIONAL YEAST is SUPER!

1. Sugar-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free! ...there is also NO fat or cholesterol.

2. Nutty, cheesy, creamy FLAVOR, so it can be a great CHEESE SUBSTITUTE! -- Delicious on popcorn!

3. Unlike baker's yeast, it's dead, so it won't cause yeast infections (candida).

4. High in B-vitamins, especially B12 which is normally only found in meat, poultry, fish, and dairy.

5. Jammed with non-meat protein!

6. Plus, it's another fabulous source of FIBER! ...you can't get enough of this stuff (fiber) with so many benefits ...just be sure you are staying well hydrated!

Add it to any savory dish for an additional nutritional punch!

Start by throwing some into Mac and Cheese, Anna's popcorn, Chicken Artichoke Casserole, or Confetti Mashed Potatoes!

COMMENTS: Have you begun eating less meat? How is it going? Noticing any changes? Think you can stick with it? Have any ideas for how you will use nutritional yeast? Please share!

Trying a TRI?! Tips for Triathlon Training

2012-05-07T07:32:00.001-07:00

Here are 3 BASIC Elements of TRIATHLON Training SUCCESS!

Hey Clevelanders, you can sign up for the Cleveland Triathlon -- it's August 5th -- so plenty of time to get prepared! It's downtown, so you race race through the city! It is part of a series and is associated with USA Triathlon Association. There are races of increasing distances, so you can pick your best fit!

If you want to head out to Fairport Harbor, Ohio, there is an AWESOME race on July 22. It's run by Lake Metroparks, beautifully run, and with a very minimal registration fee, saving you $$$$!! Formerly, the Pirate Triathlon! The 20th Annual Lake Metroparks Lighthouse Triathlon is sure to be a great experience for you!
That's great that you signed up for a tri! You'll love it!!

1. Since you have some time, I would try to train for a race or 2 (5 or 10k) over the next few months. Click HERE to find a RACE and a TRAINING PLAN. Run 3 or so times per week.

2. Simultaneously, over the next few months, go for one bike ride each week (begin with 20 minutes, or less if that's all you can manage, and work up to 45-60 min).

You'll also want to RUN AFTER your bike rides, as often as you can, to get the feel of running after riding -- your legs will be HEAVY. Little tri-lingo for you: this is called a BRICK (a bike-run). So, save one of your runs (from your running plan) for after your weekly bike ride. Alternatively, you could just run 1-2 miles after your bike ride, and this would be in addition to your running plan.

3. If you can also get in one swim each week that'd be great. Once Lake Erie warms up, swimming THERE for as many of your weekly swims as possible will be very beneficial. OPEN WATER swimming is very different from the pool! But no worries, triathlons are awesome! Like with the bike training, you can set a duration of time, perhaps working up to 30 minute sessions. Just keep moving.

One note of advice: Try to keep your body as close to the surface as possible. Though, I am 99% certain that whomever you are, reading this article, YOU could probably give ME advice about swimming technique, and I would gladly appreciate it! Please leave a COMMENT if you have a clue that might help others, AND me!

And DONE! It's really a fun, well-rounded exercise!

For the record, the order is SWIM, BIKE, and then RUN -- in order of decreasing danger!

...drown, fall off your bike, trip....with any luck, none of this will happen! :) Good luck!

To find a race in YOUR AREA, go to www.active.com where there are loads of events listed which are held all over the country! There are other sites, but this was one of the first to increase the popularity of the triathlon event for people of all ages and levels of fitness! The site also has informative articles on a variety of training and other sport-related articles, from injury prevention to strength training!

Keep in mind THESE TRAINING TIPS (they apply to more than just running!), plus some GREAT reasons to SIGN UP (for a triathlon or a running race!)!

COMMENTS: Please SHARE your SWIMMING TIPS!!!!!

Chia Seeds -- Energy Food of the Aztecs!

2012-05-06T19:44:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not! You've probably already had chia in your house!

It's the same stuff that grows as a CHIA PET!

Actually, CHIA SEEDS are good for more than growing a window pet!

They are SUPER NUTRITIOUS!

They have been used for hundreds of years by the Aztecs as their primary energy source; with the Mayans as well, so much that the word "chia" means STRENGTH in Mayan!

Why are CHIA SEEDS SO Awesome?

1. Load of OMEGA-3 -- anti-inflammatory, pain reduction Among other benefits!
You find omega-3 in few plant foods besides flaxseed and walnuts.

2. Awesome non-meat, gluten-free, complete source of PROTEIN! Why would you want non-meat protein? Why would you want gluten-free protein? Here are some other non-meat sources of protein and PROTEIN BENEFITS

3. Soluble FIBER -- really helpful for BLOOD SUGAR control, weight loss (increases the volume of food by 9x while only adding minimal calories...see note on GEL below), sustained energy (Aztecs used as primary energy source!) -- it keeps you going strong for a long, long time!

4. Lots of antioxidants (quantity comparable with blueberries!), protecting it's omega-3 fats (#1) from oxidative damage (avoid rancidity -- yucky!, AND destructive to awesome health benefits!). Plus, the antioxidants protect YOUR BODY from free radical damage! More HERE on antioxidants and chia seeds!

5. Here are just SOME of the other nutrients: CALCIUM, POTASSIUM, MAGNESIUM, IRON, and ZINC!

GEL = Combine 1 part seeds and 9 parts water, and SOAK for at least 10 min. Add to any food that blends with liquid, such as oatmeal.

Recipes to Try!

CHIA FRESCA: add chia to 100% fruit juice or add chia to water and a bit of lemon or lime juice! A Mexican tradition!

Plus, 7 fresh-you recipes with chia seeds!

4-Ingredient Chocolaty Goodness

Choco-Peanut Crunch Laraballs

Chocolate Oatmeal

Chocolate Raspberry Kiss Muffins

Healthy Mexican Lasagna

Hearty Turkey Meatloaf

3-Ingredient Super Shake

BONUS CHIA USE: Better Baking Breadcrumbs! Use them in every dish!

COMMENTS: Did you ever have a chia pet growing up? I don't remember ever doing it! Did you ever do a funny one, like Garfield? I see there are still a lot of options to choose from!

Super Recipe Website!!!

2012-05-02T21:08:00.001-07:00

Looking for a great place to find the perfect recipe?

I have been coming to www.allrecipes.com for years!

Image is from www.readydesigns.com (they have a great review on the allrecipes app)

It's fabulous for at least 5 reasons

1. All Recipes has a whole range of categories to choose from, but really a basic ingredient or dish search works well! You can search thousands of recipes to find just what you are looking for, even when maybe you don't even know WHAT you are looking for! You can search FOR one or MORE ingredients, and you can also choose to EXCLUDE recipes containing one or MORE ingredients.

2. A lot of other people apparently use All Recipes because there are lots of RATINGS, thousands for some recipes! You can of course look at the SCORE, but you can also note the NUMBER of ratings. A really bad recipe isn't likely to be used very many times.

3. People write REVIEWS on the recipes on All Recipes, SO if you care to, you can read through the reviews and take bits and pieces of everyone's comments to make the PERFECT recipe for YOU!

4. Besides great recipes, All Recipes also has a lot of lessons (often through videos) for a variety of basic cooking techniques.

5. They even have a great app you can put on your phone, so you can pick a great recipe in the grocery store parking lot!

Click on this link to find a great review of the APP! by readydesigns.com!

The tortillas on the page that I linked to look pretty awesome! I want to try those SOON!
...with whole wheat flour and perhaps coconut oil :)

Plus, you can always go to my my recipe pages! RECIPES and PRINTABLE RECIPES

WHAT RECIPE DID YOU FIND THERE? OR WHAT RECIPE WEBSITE DO YOU LOVE?

Want to Look More Attractive to the Opposite Sex?!

2012-05-01T12:35:00.002-07:00

A Surprising Benefit of Vegetables, Plus More on Veggie Awesome-ness!

A RAINBOW of beautiful, bright, and bold colors!
The more COLORFUL, the more BENEFICIAL!
PHYTOCHEMICALS are a wide variety substances found in plants.
They WORK TOGETHER to help our BODIES
Via antioxidants, cancer protection, anti-aging, and more!

COMING SOON: Specifics on phytochemicals and COLOR in a future post!

VEGGIES are SUPER for WEIGHT LOSS

There are many reasons for weight loss associated with fruit and veggie intake!
More FIBER and WATER: these fill you up -- so you won't eat as much!
And keep you FULL longer -- so you won't eat as often!

Here are a couple of cool visuals from the CDC:

Compare a serving of corn chips to fresh produce and you can have
strawberries, an apple, carrots and a low-fat dip for the same number of calories!!

If you read much ww.fresh-you.com,
you know I love dates, AND think they are super nutritious,
TRY LARABALLS and Peanut Butter COOKIES!!
...but they are also calorie-dense :)

Check out this comparison of dried fruit to fresh:
1/4 c raisins and 1 whole cup grapes have the same number of calories.

For a bit more on weight loss:

Wonder about Wheat and Weight Loss?

Something else you might find interesting:
5 Big Reasons to Make Your Meat Portions Small

Plus a pamphlet from the CDC called
"How to use fruits and vegetables to manage your weight."

LOOKING HEALTHIER and MORE ATTRACTIVE

THIS IS SO COOL!
Eating 3 more veggie servings for 6 weeks
resulted in this lovely GLOW shown in photo below on the right!
And according to one study
that glow results in INCREASED perceived HEALTHINESS
and ATTRACTIVENESS to the opposite sex!
(in facial skin)

Photo courtesy of the study carried out at University of St Andrews' School of Psychology.

It has to do with CAROTENOIDS... the pigment that makes carrots orange,
among many other bright colored produce!
Look for MORE on PHYTOCHEMICALS (Carotenoids are one of hundreds!) in a future post!

HEALTHY BLOOD PRESSURE

More veggies = more potassium = LOWER blood pressure! Read on...

High blood pressure is a "silent killer"since there are no symptoms...

up to HALF of Americans with the condition DON'T even know it!

Hypertension (high blood pressure) is disastrous to our bodies! It causes all sorts of problems including: damage to our EYES, ARTERIES, HEART, BRAIN (dementia, cognitive impairment, and stroke), KIDNEYS, sexual dysfunction (in males AND FEMALES), and more!

For a nice summary with details of these changes from the Mayo Clinic click here.

What is ONE easy way to lower our blood pressure?

There are many things one can do, including changes in LIFESTYLE and OTHER DIET changes, but today, let's talk POTASSIUM -- the MORE you consume, the lower your blood pressure will be! It blunts the hypertensive effect of sodium!

Besides bananas, the MAJORITY OF ALL fruits and vegetables are rich sources of POTASSIUM!

If you have kidney problems, please consult your doctor before making a change in your diet, as potassium levels need be monitored closely with such conditions.

Here is a link to a great summary of one study done at St Andrews Medical School in London.
Here is a link to an abstract of another study done at University of Navarra in Pamploma, Spain.

(They found a high fruit and veggie intake was associated with lower BP.)

Want Fresh, Local, and Organic Veggies all through the Growing Season?! Check this out!!!

COMMENTS: Why do you eat your veggies SPECIFICALLY? Just curious! Something your mom always said? News report?

Yummy Starbucks Snack!!!

2012-04-28T19:15:00.002-07:00

Just a quick tip for your next stop at Starbucks! Peeled Snacks Much-ado-about-Mango!

Dried mango slices -- Y U M !!!

Click here for a recipe with another product from Peeled
Nut-Free Gluten-Free No-Bake Crusty Apple Pie

Y U M !!!

The treats of this post are just mangoes -- NO sugar or anything else added!

Thinly sliced into fun little slivers that my kiddos and I all LOVED!

A bit pricey at $2 for one bag, but if your other options are:
a 410-calorie Double Chocolate Brownie for the same price,
or even the more sneaky 8-Grain Muffin or the Apple Bran Muffin for 350 calories,
or how about the Banana Loaf Bread Slice for 490 cals! (Healthy Recipe COMING SOON!)
or a Blueberry Scone for 460!
spending $2 on something so nutritious sounds pretty darn good!

MANGO Benefits coming soon -- there are SO many!

BONUS fact: There are over fifty mango varieties -- different colors and sizes!

For a quick tasty coffee at home try this: Pumpkin Pie Spice Latte

Or if you want to pack a snack to take to Starbucks
or anyplace else you're off to on the run
Try Laraballs!!! (very easy to make and PORTABLE!)

COMMENTS: Did you eat mangoes as a kid? Do you remember the first time you tried it? Ever eat the skin? If not, DON'T!

Fresh, Local, and Organic, Oh My!

2012-04-27T13:52:00.004-07:00

What is CSA anyway?

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a program or agreement between farmers and customers. Customers buy "shares" in the farm, paying up-front, and then collect fresh produce weekly during the growing season. CUSTOMERS and FARMERS both can SAVE money by eliminating a middleman.

Since this arrangement is beneficial to everyone, it's become very popular. There are currently over 4000 FARMS across the country that are listed in Local Harvest's database -- the website has a very detailed search to find the farm that is right for you! You can search for everything from CSAs, to Farmer's Markets, to Co-ops and more! Click HERE to check out Local Harvest!

TOP 6 Reasons to Participate in CSA!

1. ORGANIC veggies -- VERY OFTEN ORGANIC, sometimes unofficially labeled as such, since such certification is expensive, too expensive for some small farms. Another post coming regarding "organic"!

2. Support LOCAL business! ...give the farmers the start-up cash they need to get their farm growing early in the season!

3. Try NEW foods and recipes! (I'll share the recipes as usual!) You will probably receive items that you are unfamiliar with, or at least don't regularly purchase!
Please share your recipes and ideas on fresh-you.com as you try new veggies!

4. Children's FARM VISIT (and adults really -- it's nice to see where your food comes from!) -- for kids, they'll be more likely to eat what they know more about, are involved with, etc. Click HERE for more TIPS for FEEDING Picky Eaters!

5. Great VALUE for awesome QUALITY (I'm hoping!) ...as discussed above -- no middleman, organic, fresh picked veggies!!

6. SAVE time AND money! -- you don't have to spend time in the grocery store picking out the best produce...also avoid buying "extra" foods at the grocery store that you don't need, ...and your health probably could also do without!

Specifics, based on what I have found here in Cleveland! THIS IS MY FIRST TIME!

I found this photo from someone who signed up with Geauga Family Farms last year.

This was a weekly pick-up stash from last September -- looks pretty good to me!

Oh, the rainbow!! Thanks for the photo from www.lifelynstyle.com!

GEAUGA FAMILY FARMS

There are 10 family farms involved, so if something goes wrong with one of them, we won't be stuck.
They farm organic vegetables, though the fruits that we'll get will be primarily conventional (non-organic).
There are many pick-up locations to choose from; the closest one to my home is St Noel's on Chardon Road in Willoughby, Ohio. Here is a link to more information, including sorts of produce that come when, and the pick-up locations available.
The cost seems reasonable -- you can check out this pricing where I signed up, as an example!

Remember to search www.localharvest.org to find a farm near you!!!

GEAUGA FAMILY FARMS

Half - $425 for 20 weeks

Full - $700 for 20 weeks, more variety, quantity, better deal!

Share with a neighbors and/or friends...a "Full" divided 3 ways costs only $11.66 per week!

Geauga Family Farm payments are due on MAY 1st!

COMING SOON: Grow YOUR OWN Garden!, Questions Answered about ORGANIC Produce, Benefits of MORE Veggies

Quick! Pick a Race, and Grab a Training Schedule!

2012-04-25T19:06:00.000-07:00

Ok, so what now?

Find a RACE!

Run for the Grapes, 2010, 5K, in Geneva, OH

Click here -- active.com -- for a search anywhere and also including other activities, such as triathlons!
Search a keyword, sport, location, distance, date, and more!

Click here -- Runner's World -- for a RACE FINDER for anywhere in the world!
Mostly bigger races will be listed on the Runner's World website (awesome magazine to subscribe to if you're looking for some interesting reading about "all things running" and inspiration! ...here is a link to two free issues!)

Click here -- Run Ohio -- to find a race in Ohio! (only the current month is available online or you can subscribe for $10 per year).

Towpath Marathon, 2011

Click here for Achilles Racing -- Cleveland's new Running Organization! (formerly Cleveland Plays)

Click here -- Hermes Road Racing -- for mostly Cleveland Races!

TRAINING Programs!

Hal Higdon has well written PROGRAMS for many distances (5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon, and more!), as well as levels of skill: beginner, intermediate, and advanced.

Really though, an advanced athlete could complete a "beginner" or novice training and find success. The level of difficulty often relates to the total mileage. In addition to running more miles, intensity increases with increase in pace, speed, number of repeats, etc.

Another great site for TRAINING tips, recommended training paces, and running calculator (to tell you what time you might expect at a race) is discussed HERE -- Wonder How Fast You'll Run?!

Here are my FIVE TRAINING TIPS for SUCCESS!

Click here to find out all about Athlinks -- a RESULTS website -- you can keep track over time, your progress over the course of the MANY races in your future!

Click here to read about the REASONS to run (Benefits of training for/running) a RACE!

My kindergartner said "Mom, I bet this is your favorite homework ever!"

...she also came up with the "I like to run." all on her own, bless her heart :)

COMMENTS: Have you ever run a race? Have you started to participate in a new sport for the first time as an adult? I am thrilled for a friend of mine who is really enjoying tennis -- it's all new to her! So fun and exciting!

5 QUICK Tips for 5k-Training Success!

2012-04-24T13:02:00.000-07:00

YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here I ran a 1-mile race with my daughter who was 3 years old!

Running an exercise that's easy to do with your kids!

REMEMBER!
1. Start off EASY -- it's perfectly acceptable to WALK when you need to; you can even plan out your walking!
See Jeff Galloway's Marathon: You Can Do It!

2. It's great to have a PARTNER -- you'll know he or she is counting on you, so you will show up! Plus, it's so fun to chat and laugh along the way -- miles and minutes go by and before your know it, you're done!

3. LISTEN to your body -- if you are very sore, don't be afraid to take an extra day off. Schedules are great for keeping you on track, but consider them a GUIDELINE. It's ok to miss a day!

4. CROSS-TRAINING is your friend. You can increase fitness with another non-running activity to prevent boredom, as well as localized fatigue. You use different muscles to swim than you do to run!

5. Please don't go TOO fast, TOO long, or run TOO much mileage per week!

The key to improving is to KEEP running! If you do too much too fast you'll get HURT, and if you're lucky enough NOT to get hurt, you might not LIKE what you're doing because it'll be too HARD ... so you might quit, or just suffer through it! I WANT YOU TO ENJOY IMPROVING YOUR HEALTH!

Be patient. You will improve. Just keep at it and you'll keep reaping all the benefits from this post: Top 10 Reasons to Run a 5k!

If you want to track your progress FROM the beginning -- check out this post about a fun gadget and website! ...it's all about the capabilities of GPS!

MORE to come: links to training programs - key elements - find a race!

COMMENTS: Signed up yet? Tell everyone about it -- you're more likely to COMPLETE your goal if you do!

Top 10 Reasons to Run a 5k!

2012-04-23T19:05:00.003-07:00

Ever consider running a 5k?

Here are my Top 10 Reasons to Try It!

Having a GOAL to strive for keeps you MOTIVATED to keep exercising!
Preparing for and completing a race will give you a new CONFIDENCE that you can do ANYTHING!
HEALTH benefits are numerous!
HAPPINESS -- exercise is AT LEAST as effective as prescription anti-depressant drugs!
Little GEAR -- just need a pair of shoes and a comfortable outfit!
No gym membership necessary, no gym class schedules to try to coordinate with your own busy schedule, no driving necessary (save on time and gas!).
FRESH AIR!
Over the course of a training program, you can listen to the audio of a BOOK you've been hoping to read, or a podcast season you enjoy!
An opportunity to DONATE to a cause you believe in!
Get a cool t-shirt, and for bigger races, party at after the finish line!
BONUS! Once in SHAPE, you can PLAY a SPORT you LOVE -- without getting injured!

HERE ARE SOME TRAINING TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND!

COMING SOON ... training plans, sites to find races to register for and run!

COMMENTS: What race are you going to sign up for?

Better Baking Breadcrumbs!

2012-04-20T19:14:00.004-07:00

How will you try this Healthy Breading /Breadcrumb Alternative!?

In Equal Parts:

Parmesan cheese
Chia seeds
Wheat germ
Flaxseed, ground

You could also add ground almonds, or any nut!, or some wheat bran, or some nutritional yeast!

Use this on anything you want to bread or as a topping to any casserole or other baked item.

Sprinkle it over veggies you are baking or anything at all!

It's the perfect alternative to traditional breadcrumbs, which are ENRICHED, filled with salt and other preservatives, and perhaps sugar.

If you prefer Italian flavored breading, just add whatever spices you fancy!

PARMESAN cheese -- is lower in total and saturated fat than most other cheeses!

CHIA seeds -- are superfoods for so many reasons, high in protein and fiber, as well as many vitamins and minerals, and they are high in omega-3 fats!

WHEAT germ -- this is basically the "embryo" of the grain -- so it's gotta have all the good stuff -- great source of iron and zinc, and one of the very best sources of folic acid, the nutrient so important for women of child-bearing age to get plenty of, to avoid birth defects, fiber, and phytochemicals that work as antioxidants!

Always (once opened) store in refrigerator in tightly sealed container to avoid rancidity.

Flaxseeds additionally provide fiber and omega-3 fats!

Try it this weekend, and instead of giving your family empty calories, you can give them all the extra nutrients that the above ingredients provide!

COMMENTS: What dishes do you use breading for? Can you think of any good uses for Better Baking Breadcrumbs?

Why All the Fuss about Coffee Being "Bad" for Us?

2012-04-19T06:57:00.002-07:00

Coffee and Caffeine are GOOD for us! Read about BENEFITS of Coffee and CAFFEINE!

Just watch out for the following!

1. We should drink it EARLY in the day, and by early afternoon at the latest, SO we can SLEEP!
Caffeine has a half life of six hours, so that's how long it takes to get out of your system, regardless of the amount you take in.

So count back 6 or 7 hours from your bed time and that's the latest you should take in caffeine. The longer it's our of your system before bed the better :) Also, if you take a BIRTH CONTROL PILL or on an ANTIBIOTIC, both prolong the time caffeine stays in your system. See #4 below for more on drug interactions.

2. The ADD-INs! -- these can all take away from the health benefits described above!

SATURATED fat from cream
Excess SUGARS from flavorings and sweeteners
Excess calories from fat and sugar may cause WEIGHT GAIN
ARTIFICIAL sweeteners in diet drinks ...look for another post on this!

Try PUMPKIN PIE SPICE Spice Latte OR DARK Chocolate Mint Coffee

3. Lastly, TOO MUCH caffeine can give us the jitters, make us irritable, headache, increased heart rate, hyperactivity.

KNOW and LISTEN to your body!
If you don't feel right, try less! TIPS to REDUCE YOUR INTAKE!

4. Drug INTERACTIONS -- there are many of these!

If you take a medication, PLEASE BE SURE that there is no harmful interaction between it and caffeine. Be sure to click on the link and then select the green Interactions Tab in the middle of this WebMD page.
Be sure to discuss interactions with your doctor -- Remember, caffeine is a drug.

Your body tries to break down drugs (caffeine is a drug), so when you consume more than one, there is competition. In some cases, the caffeine stays in your system longer, in order to break down the medication appropriately. In other cases, your body may choose the caffeine over the drug, decreasing the effectiveness of your medication.

IF you've taken all of these factors into account, and coffee/caffeine seem to be your friend, then note that the health benefits are sometimes related to surprisingly high quantities of coffee! Not that you have to consume 7 cups a day, but if you like to and have no harmful effects, your health benefits may also increase!

COMMENTS: Are you enjoying spring? We were outside all afternoon yesterday until nearly bedtime!!

Top 3 Bountiful Benefits of Coffee and Caffeine!

2012-04-18T19:54:00.001-07:00

"There is certainly much more good news than bad news in terms of health!" says Frank Hu of Harvard School of Health.

See 5 Coffee Tricks to get these benefits AND a good night's sleep!

1. For starters, your HEALTH!

Coffee may help prevent:
Diabetes
Some Cancers
Dementia
Parkinson's, stroke, heart rhythm problems, and more!

You can read a bit more about the studies HERE!

For the above health benefits, not all mechanisms are determined. Interestingly, decaf coffee often appears to be as effective and regular!

So something other than caffeine must be doing the job!

Coffee is the LARGEST source of ANTIOXIDANTS for Americans!
Of course that is among people who drink it!

Antioxidants are cool! Click HERE and/or HERE to review how they work and/or HERE to also find sources of oxidation!

Plus, coffee contains vitamins and minerals that our bodies need, such as calcium, magnesium, chromium, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid (the last two are b-vitamins).

2. Caffeine is good for your ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE!

It delays the use of glycogen during endurance exercise by increasing your body's use of fat for energy! Is that awesome or what!? Save up the really perfect fuel (glycogen) for when you are more tired, and use up that junk fuel (fat) that we want to get rid of anyway!

It also makes physical activity "seem" easier, mentally! SO cool! Who doesn't want their workout to appear to be as easy as possible?!

It may also increase testosterone which is important for strength, gaining muscle, and decreasing fat.

3. Caffeine is also known to improve MENTAL PERFORMANCE by increasing:

ALERTNESS
Focus
Concentration
Energy
Efficiency
Vigor
Clear-headedness

Here are some tasty ways to have coffee: PUMPKIN PIE LATTE or Dark Chocolate Mint Coffee!

SO what's SO "bad" about coffee/caffeine? Click HERE to find out!

COMMENTS: Have you always enjoyed coffee? Or did you have to get used to the taste like me? They say it may be one of those "acquired tastes". Now I love it!

Five Coffee Tricks!

2012-04-17T20:35:00.001-07:00

Benefits of Caffeine...there are many...here are three LOADED benefits!

Looking for a little caffeine boost that won't keep you up all night?

1. Try DECAFFEINATED coffee. Not much of a trick, but DID YOU KNOW that there are about 20mg of caffeine in a cup of decaf? Plus, try spicing it up with #4!

CAFFEINE CONTENT

15-30mg -- Green tea, Special Dark Bar, DECAF Coffee
40-70mg -- Black tea, colas, Mountain Dew, espresso
FDA limits amount of caffeine in pop to 71mg and Mountain Dew has this maximal level
100-200mg -- Coffee

Note: drink for drink, coffee has more caffeine than espresso! Ounce for ounce, espresso leads!

2. ALTER YOUR INTAKE -- try any COMBINATION of regular and decaf.

For example, 1/2 and 1/2, a quarter regular, or a quarter decaf.

3. If you're anything like me, and the simple THOUGHT of coffee gives you energy,

then try this SWITCH-A-ROO.

Fill a regular tin of coffee with decaffeinated coffee. Just a little mental trick; you'll see a container of "regular" every time you use it!

If you like to drink several cups of coffee, your body can take in the caffeine a bit more SLOWLY, and enjoy your cup(s) over a longer period of time.

4. Now for the FLAVOR trick!

My favorite Keurig flavor is LIMITED EDITION PUMPKIN SPICE -- Yum!!

Now all you have to do is sprinkle a little PUMPKIN PIE SPICE and stir it in with a scoop of instant coffee and hit the HOT WATER button on your Keurig coffee machine! Save yourself the 50 cents of a K-cup!

Add a little 1% Organic milk and viola!

CREAMY PUMPKIN PIE LATTE

5. To make it more like an actual latte (don't be too mad at me coffee connoisseurs!...remember, I try to make things simple, fast, healthy), add 4 oz milk to your mug before you add 4 oz hot water from the Keurig Brewer. You will probably then want to warm your drink in the microwave for about 45 sec., and enjoy!

COMMENTS: Do you like instant or regular? Decaf or regular? Flavored or regular? Single cup or a pot? At home or out? Black or creamy? I suppose I could go on forever with these!

Spicy Vodka Pasta -- Healthy Version

2012-04-16T18:00:00.002-07:00

This is SO fast, HEALTHY, and delicious! It is such a simple recipe that one of the chefs who claims to have invented the dish, prepared it table-side in the 70s in a New York City!

When my hubby and I began dating, HE was the COOK between the two of us! This was the first dish he prepared for me, and we ate it countless times in the almost 2 years that we dated before we got married! Such warm fuzzy memories!

Over the years, I have gradually converted the recipe from NOT VERY healthy, to quite the opposite! So here you go -- the HEALTHY VERSION!

Spicy Vodka Pasta

¼ c extra virgin olive oil
1 T garlic, minced
½ t crushed red pepper (to taste)
28 oz can crushed tomatoes in puree
1 lb pasta, Barilla Plus
Salt
2 T vodka
1 c half and half, or 1.5 c whole milk for less fat, or you can try some Greek yogurt, organic is a great option for whatever you choose!

In pan large enough to hold all ingredients, combine oil, garlic, and pepper, stirring to coat with oil. Cook over moderate heat just until garlic turns golden but does not brown, 2 or 3 min. Add crushed tomatoes. Stir to blend, and simmer, uncovered, until sauce begins to thicken, about 15 minutes (the longer the better). Meanwhile, prepare pasta with 2 T salt (my husband says this is important, though I sometimes skip it). Drain pasta, add to sauce, and toss. Add vodka; toss again. Add cream and toss once more. Cover, reduce heat to low, let rest for a few minutes so pasta can absorb sauce (again the longer the better). This dish is even better when you eat it as leftovers!

COMMENTS: Do you remember the first meal you ever ate with your partner? On our first date, Mike introduced me to Indian food! It was amazing! Isn't it fun to discover a new food you've never had before? So exciting!

9 MORE Super Baby Foods that Don't Come in a Jar! (Part 2)

2012-04-15T19:02:00.000-07:00

First, there is NO rush with infants eating food, new foods, etc. They have their WHOLE life, so take your time!

Traditionally, and definitely in the beginning, foods are best introduced to babies INDIVIDUALLY. Space a few days to one week between the introduction of each new foods to distinguish reactions to one food or another.

Be CHOOSY about what you feed your child.

You have a huge opportunity here! You can shape and mold your child’s TASTE preferences so that she prefers healthy foods! This AMAZING GIFT to your child will last her whole life!

Here is a discussing taste in the context of PICKY eaters; specifically there is an article linked there that interestingly discusses the up-sides of “liking” foods.

Here is a link to my TOP 5 QUICK and EASY BABY FOODS! And now for another 9!

~ Canned PUMPKIN puree -- seasonally, this comes on sale, best time to buy, since it’ll last forever! Plus, you can look for deals on amazon for the smaller organic cans. Also, seasonally, you can MAKE IT FROM SCRATCH, but here, I am really going for the very EASIEST options that are also really HEALTHY choices.
Another post to come about making baby food from scratch.

You can divide the pumpkin puree into smaller portions and freeze it -- here is a post on how silicone cupcake pans can help with FREEZING.

~ Trader Joe's Fat-Free REFRIED BEANS -- any can that has NO hydrogenated oils in the ingredients list is great -- and this is one product I know fits the bill!

~ Egg YOLKS (free-range, organic is best!); you can try egg whites later since they are more difficult to digest.

~ COTTAGE CHEESE (although expensive, organic is ideal, and if you’re just buying it for your baby, it will go a long way, so it’s a small expense!)

~ UNsweetened APPLESAUCE-- adding a little cinnamon is nice! Best to start fruits after LOTS of veggies, since babies are VERY likely to enjoy sweet fruit, especially after veggies!

~ Any HEALTHY recipe you make -- PUREED!

Once several foods have been introduced, after a few months of eating table foods, around 12 months or so, AND IF you (the parents) aren’t particularly susceptible to allergies, you can make simple recipes, my recipes often have few ingredients, and if all goes well, you’ll know your baby is ok with all the foods in the recipe.

This will help your baby to become familiar with and enjoy a variety of FLAVORS, flavors which you would like to serve him or her in the FUTURE! Who wants to make separate meals for each child? Not me! I like to figure out ONE HEALTHY MEAL and have everyone eat that!

A food processor, even a small one, is a super useful investment for anyone who wants to eat a healthy and delicious diet, and especially when you have a LITTLE one!

You can blend up any meal: pasta with sauces, chicken and rice dishes, casseroles, even eggplant parmesan!

You could try Easy Eggplant Parm blended with pasta!

Or Chicken Artichoke Casserole!

~ HUMMUS -- here is a SIMPLE RECIPE; go easy on the garlic at first, then add more with each batch, because your baby will get used to this very healthy food for life!

In light of “taking your time with table foods” as discussed above, you can hold off on the SWEETS for a long time! By doing this, rather than neglecting them of a happy childhood, YOU are doing them a FAVOR! They don’t even know what they are missing, I promise!

This is harder to get away with when feeding children who have an older sibling, since they see what their older siblings enjoy.

On the other side, if you teach the FIRST-BORN good habits, he will likely teach his younger siblings what he has learned, both verbally and by example.

Here are 2 early desserts! SO healthy, they could be eaten daily for breakfast ;)

~ TRADER JOE’S FROZEN MANGO (love this stuff!) and frozen pineapple make FABULOUS SORBET!!, frozen dark tart cherries or peaches from Gordon Food Service are other tasty options, and of course anything fresh will blend to a mash quickly and be eaten in a flash by your little one!

Thanks to www.binging-for-food.blogspot.com for this photo!

~ Chocolate chip COOKIE DOUGH! ...minus the chocolate chips!

COMMENTS: What are your favorite foods to feed your baby? Do you (the adult) ever eat baby food? I LOVE baby food peaches :)

HEALTHY Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough!

2012-04-15T18:31:00.002-07:00

A recipe revisited, and SIMPLIFIED!!!

SO healthy you can feed an infant!!

I've already posted about this, but you know how I like to simplify!

Many thanks to Chocolate Covered Katie for an oh so creative and delicious recipe! So, I just simplified a bit...

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
30 dates, pitted
1/4 c milk, organic, especially if feeding an infant, and yes you can!...they would only have a small portion of this small amount of milk, still they should be at least approaching 12 months to have cow's milk.
Tbsp vanilla
1-2 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips (omit for babies!!)

Blend all but the chips in a food processor until smooth. Wrap edges with a towel at first to avoid leaks. Once smooth, stir in chips with a spoon, and enjoy!

You can even drop a scoop in a microwaveable bowl and cook for 60-75 sec to enjoy a warm chocolate chip cookie in a snap!

Here is a post about my FAVORITE blog, Chocolate Covered Katie!

Plus, this is even a great dip with some Brown Rice Crackers or some Whole Wheat Pretzels!

COMMENTS: Do you like your cookies warm or at room temp?

A Happy Parent is a HEALTHY Parent!

2012-04-14T19:35:00.000-07:00

While this isn't a parenting website, it IS about being healthy and happy. When my kids behave, I feel HEALTHIER and HAPPIER!!

Remember my post about a parenting webinar? Since it also included some great parenting books, here is the link: FREE HELP WITH PARENTING! Amy McCready of Positive Parenting Solutions presented, and it was hosted by the amazing 100 Days of Real Food. I hope some of you took the opportunity to watch and participate!

While there are certainly other factors involved (more sleep on my part for example), my kids have been behaving beautifully! Amy McCready had a lot of advice, and more than that, she discussed the WHYS of children's misbehavior. Everything is based on Adlerian Psychology.

In this post, I'll simply discuss the CAUSE of children's behavior AND one SOLUTION (Positive Parenting Solutions has many).

The cause is simple, and consistent! The cause of ALL misbehavior is a child's need for BELONGING and SIGNIFICANCE. Amy says that if a child misbehaves, you should imagine that he or she has a BIG SIGN on his or her chest that says "I want to belong and feel significant, but I don't know how!"

She says this is the root of every tantrum, argument between siblings, and other misbehavior.

Amy's first SOLUTION is called "Mind, Body, and Soul" Time. The prescription is 10 minutes per session, 2 sessions per day, per child. There are only a few stipulations:

a) you must spend the time one-on-one with each child

b) you need to give this child your complete attention, be "emotionally available", available to them in "mind, body, and soul"

c) do whatever they want - play, color, walk, build, talk,...

d) label the time as your "special time" for example, with a start and finish

In my ways of moderation, I would say you could try to do this for one session a day, or even in moments whenever you can, or once a week! The MORE the BETTER, but the main idea is that giving your kids simple ONE-ON-ONE time gives them the sense of belonging and significance that they NEED, and CRAVE.

If you give them that, your payback will be GREAT! You won't believe the CHANGES!

I've only just learned specifically about this "MIND, BODY, AND SOUL" TOOL this afternoon as I was completing "Session 1" offered for a free trial at this link: VIDEOS, ARTICLES, AND OTHER INTERACTIVES FREE for 14-DAYS.

The positive changes in my kids I think have been happening gradually, and in some ways immediately, after participating in the webinar last month.

Currently, she is offering a FREE ON-DEMAND WEBINAR (I think like the one I watched, but probably without live Q&A), so you can hear first hand all of her well spoken explanations.

I'll end with a quick quote from Amy that may entice you:

"We’ll talk a lot about behavior in the course – good and bad. We’ll teach you how to get more of the positive behaviors you want – cooperation, listening the first time, independence, sibling harmony, self-sufficiency and more. And – we’ll teach you how to get less of the annoying, frustrating, maddening behaviors you don’t want!"

COMMENTS: Do you get sick of repeating? What helpful techniques and tricks have you found that work?