Whole Grains and Fiber

In the grocery store many boxes and packages now display "whole-grains" in large, eye catching print. So why are whole-grains so important to your diet and why should you eat them?

Whole-grains are processed through a process called refining;therefore, the bran and germ is still attached. White flour and white rice have had these two pieces removed. Bran and germ hold important nutrients. Although nutrients are added back into white flour and white rice,they do not have the same quality of nutrition as whole-grains.

Whole-grain have good nutrients such as, B vitamins, iron, selenium, potassium, magnesium, and antioxidants. Certain whole wheat products may hold large amounts of fiber. Fiber, usually located in the bran, helps to control hunger, lower cholesterol and maintain digestive health.

Experts recommend the consumption 20-30 grams of fiber per day but most Americans only consume half that amount. Experts recommend you replace 1/2 the grains you eat with whole-grain to fix the problem. Wheat and oats are good alternatives but can also try quinoa, bulgur, and barley.

There are numerous others ways to improve your fiber intake. Eat high-fiber cereal in the morning (In today's market there are more options besides just bran cereals.). Make your next sandwich using whole-grain bread. For burritos ans wraps use whole-wheat tortillas with a side of brown rice. Try whole-wheat pasta; if you don't like the texture, mix whole-wheat pasta with regular. For a quick snack, make yourself a whole-wheat bagel topped with peanut butter. If you like to eat yogurt for snake, add some granola. For your home-cooked meals, exchange half the white flour from the recipe with whole-wheat flour.

It's now easier than ever to put more fiber in your diet. Just a few changes to your life can help you become a healthier person.

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Family Dinner

Eating together needs to be part of a schedule, it helps keep the family together. Studies have shown eating around the table actually benefits the kids. Children who eat at the table do better in school, have fewer behavioral problems, are less likely to take drugs or drink, often enjoy being able to talk to adults, get to understand the family along with the traditions, and help to create traditions centered around meals.

Often meals eaten around the table are higher in nutrition. Clean up after the meal is also faster because everything is together at one time. Meals actually cost less per serving because it's made in family portions.

Family members who are always busy get to spend time with their family because they take time out to share the meal. Family dinners should be scheduled as a priority in everyone’s calendar. Dinner together doesn't have to take place every night. Try scheduling dinner at least 4 times a week. Plan and shop for the meals as a family. Decide when each meal will be served. Children should be allowed to choose how much they want on their plates. They know how hungry they are. Even if the meal is cooked quickly take your time at the table try sitting there for at least 30 minutes. Turn off all televisions and phones so there is nothing to distract from family time. Don't scold or criticize at the table because it will make dinner more of a chore than a choice. If your family is stuck on what to talk about try asking for one "high" and one "low" from everyone's day.

Children constantly face pressure. It may be something at school church, or an after-school activity. You should be there when they need help otherwise they will turn to alternatives to "help" solve their problem. This is the first step to being a better parent. It doesn’t cost a lot of money or require anything special. All your family wants is a little more of your time.

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Want Your Kid's to Succeed in Life? Eat Breakfast

Do you want to boost your kid's brain power? Give them steady energy? Improve their behavior? It's simple. All you have to do is feed them breakfast!

Children who have breakfast in the morning are absent from school less often than kids who skip breakfast. Breakfast supplies much needed energy. It also reduces the amount of aggressive behavior your child exhibits. Children who eat breakfast often have a better attitude towards school, which may help to get them out of the house in the morning. Test scores and grades improve significantly. The child ca pay more attention to the board because they don't have to listen to their grumbling stomachs. Children who eat breakfast receive more fiber, vitamin C, calcium, and folic acid in their diets. These nutrients are extremely important because they cannot be made up in other meals during the day. Eating Breakfast also improves weight management for the rest of you child's life.

Put breakfast in your routine. Set your alarm a few minutes earlier so there is time for breakfast. To save time, set out clothes and prepare backpacks the night before. Don't allow your child to play video games, go on the computer, or watch TV before school. Try foods that can be ready quickly such as fresh or canned fruit, milk, yogurt, string cheese, hard-boild eggs, whole-grain cereal, or instant oatmeal. If your child does not have a big appetite try breakfast bars. Children pay close attention to their parents. If you don't eat in the morning they won't want to either. Add breakfast to your morning routine. To help make mornings swifter try making a weekly breakfast menu and make sure the foods are within easy reach for the mornings your running late.

Try building breakfasts full of protein and good carbohydrates. Try whole-grain instead of sugar covered anything. In the morning avoid breakfast pastries, sugary cereals, donuts, soda,chips, and fruit drinks by themselves. These types of food can mess with your child's blood pressure. Try feeding kids whole-grain toast, english muffins, waffles topped with peanut butter, breakfast burritos, tacos, or pita pockets stuffed with scrambled eggs and salsa. You can also try whole-grain cereals with nuts and berries, or yogurt topped with granola and fresh or dried fruit.

Make sure your child gets plenty of good fats. Scientists say the brain is composed of 60% fat; therefore, fat is essential for healthy brain growth and performance. DHA is extremely important especially in younger children. Up to 93% of the omega-3 fats in a child's brain consist of DHA. DHA is the part of the brain that does complex thinking. It is also important for nerve cells in your child's eyes ergo it affects your child's vision. Foods that naturally contain DHA include: mackerel, herring, salmon, tuna, sardines, and algae. Although these are probably not on your child's list of favorite foods, your child needs DHA. Small amounts can be found in flaxseed and walnuts but these do not do much to support your child. How much DHA does your child need? According to the National Institutes of Health, children should consume 150 milligrams of DHA per day but most children only receive 20 mg. Concerned parents should ask their family pediatrician about supplements to bridge the nutritional gap.

Make sure to feed your kids healthy snacks and meals during the day too. Their test scores and grades will improve in no time.

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Tips for Sleeping

Do you have a hard time concentration? Are you grouchy or anxious in the morning? Although there symptoms can be connected to numerous maladies but most likely you are suffering from sleep deprivation. Other signs of sleep deprivation include having a hard time walking in the morning, falling asleep as soon as or very shortly after your head hits the pillow, having difficulty with memory, falling asleep during work, feeling moody, irritable, depressed or anxious.

Lack of sleep affects your body. Your production of protein is harmed. Protein helps cell growth which repairs damage done by ultraviolet rays. Less hormones are released during sleep which effects growth, energy, and the proper control of metabolic and endocrine functions.

There are a few tips to help cure sleep deprivation. Avoid naps. Although they may make you feel better during the day, naps can disrupt your internal clock and make it harder to sleep at night. Develop a bedtime schedule. Before going to bed try doing some relaxing rituals such as taking a bath. Make sure to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. Your mind will soon learn to be ready for bed when you are. Make sure to give yourself at least 15 minutes to fall asleep. If you wake up at night and cannot fall back asleep go into another room and do something relaxing for a while until you feel ready to sleep. Don't do something that stimulates your mind before sleep. Watching TV or doing work will wake your mind up. Exercise improves your sleep but you should exercise in the morning and never later than 3 hours before sleeping. Try spending time in the sun. Sun exposure creates hormones that help you sleep. Don't drink caffeine or alcohol before going to bed. Alcohol may help you to fall asleep but it will wake you up in the middle of the night when you receive your withdrawal from it. Do not eat meals right before bed. Eat at least two hours before sleeping.

These tips are designed to give a better nights sleep. Adults typically require 7 to 8 hours of sleep but some people may be able to function on less. If you feel refreshed and don't feel sleepy then you are getting the needed amount of sleep.

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Organic: Is it Good or Bad

Organic Farming was created as a way to preserve a crop's life cycle. In conventional farming the farmers apply chemicals to promote plant growth, spray insecticides to reduce pests and disease and use herbicides to manage the weeds. On the other side of the spectrum organic farming is all natural. Farming use natural fertilizers like manure and compost to feed plants, they use beneficial insects and birds, reproductive disruption or traps to reduce pests, and they rotate crops, turn the soil, hand pick weeds or put down mulch to prevent pesky weeds.

So, why should we eat organic? According to a report by "The Organic Center" organic fruits and vegetables deliver more nutrients per average serving than conventional crops. They contain more protective phytonutrients such as polyphenols and antioxidants pigments. The pesticides that are on most conventional crops linger on the produce in the market but they too small to cause known health problems, yet the effects over extended periods of time have not been studied. Children, infants, pregnant woman, and elderly people may be more vulnerable to these pesticides.

If you're "going green" organic foods can greatly decrease your carbon footprint. Organic farming is both environmentally friendly (reduces the amount of water and soil needed) and it reduces the pollution put into the atmosphere (most pollution that comes from farming comes from the pesticides). Because most organic foods are grown locally, there is less pollution from transport trains and trucks.

Many people complain about the cost of organic foods but in reality there is more work that goes into the food. The growing process is mostly done by hand which means there needs to be more workers ergo higher prices. To keep from damaging you checkbook buy crops when they are in season and try comparison shopping. Organic foods that are in season will have the most nutrients and be of the highest quality. When crops are in season try freezing the extras to that you can enjoy your favorite fruits and veggies all year long.

Make sure to get what you want when you are shopping. Products that are certified as at least 95% organic may display the USDA green and white organic seal. When a product says it is 100% organic there is no synthetic ingredients in it. If something says it is "made with organic ingredients" it has at least 70% organic ingredients and will never have the USDA seal. If the food contains less than 70% organic ingredients it cannot say the word organic on it. Products that have natural ingredients are not the same as products with organic ingredients. Natural means that they were processed not grown with the least amount of chemicals possible.

Remember to always wash your produce before consumption and enjoy your fruits and vegetables.

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Improving Health with Functional Foods

Functional foods have unique elements that improve the natural health functioning in your body. You may already eat functional foods if you spread cholesterol reducing margarine on your toast, drink calcium-fortified orange juice, scramble DHA-enhanced eggs, eat cold-water fish, eat whole fruit, or eat vegetables.

Mom use to always say, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. She may not have known about functional food but she was headed down the right path.

Natural occurring Functional Foods are separated into: carotenoids, fatty acids, flavonoids, probiotics, phytoestrogens, and soy protein.

Carotenoids: Carrots, pumpkin, and sweet potato all neutralize free radicals that attack cells, and boosts antioxidant defenses. Spinach, kale, collards and eggs it is believed contribute to healthy eyes. Tomatoes, watermelon, and pink grapefruit may help with maintaining a healthy prostate.

Fatty Acids: Walnuts, flaxseed, salmon, tuna, anchovies, and mackerel may help keep the heart, brain and eyes healthy.

Flavonoids: Green tea, chocolate, apples, grapes and onions may keep your heart healthy while it boosts your antioxidant defenses.

Probiotics: Some yogurts and other cultured dairy products may improve your healthy gut and your immune system

Phytoestrogens: Soy beans and soy based foods may help keep bones healthy and may contribute to a healthy menopause.

Soy Protein: soy beans and soy based food may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

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