Tag Archives: stress reduction

Food as Fun or Function?

While we have an entire blog dedicated to FOOD here at Families.com, I know for a fact that food and nutrition is such a huge parenting issue. So many families wrestle with picky eaters, meal times, and how to make food and family fit together better. I was talking with a parent recently who was having some struggles and couldn’t understand why since the family focus was purely on food as fuel—it was all about nutrition and building strong “body machines.” I couldn’t help but think that maybe a little more fun might make things go smoother… We bring with … Continue reading →

What Can Happen to a Child Who Eats Nothing But Peanut Butter and Jelly?

Many parents fuss over the eating habits of their children—especially first-time parents. From the time our children are born, we worry about whether they are getting enough milk, enough of the right vitamins and minerals, and worrying, worrying, worrying over their eating habits. Many a toddler goes through hunger strikes and eats nothing but cereal or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for what seems like months at a time. What happens to these kids? What is the worst that can happen? Maybe a little seasoned perspective will put your mind at ease… The chances that your rigid eater will eat … Continue reading →

Healthy Foods You May Not Eat

Foods that are staples in other parts of the world may not be on your nutrition radar here. Let’s look at a few foods that you may be ignoring! Cabbage is an amazing cancer-fighter. Certain compounds in cabbage can actually detoxify cancer cells and interfere with the formation of cancerous substances. Other cruciferous veggies (like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and turnips) can help protect your body against certain types of stroke, several kinds of cancer, diabetes, and cognitive impairment. Sweet potatoes are full of antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin B6. Lentils (and other legumes, like … Continue reading →

Natural Sugars vs. Added Sugars

Do you have a sweet tooth? I sure do! But… there’s a long history in my family of diabetes. I do worry about how much sugar I get in my diet — both added sugar and natural sugar. Naturally sweet produce like fruits and some veggies (sweet potatoes, carrots, etc) make up a big part of my diet. There is a big difference between natural sugars and added sugars. The sugars in fruits and vegetables certainly aren’t as dangerous as added sugars. In fact, nutrition experts say that natural sugars don’t raise your diabetes risk the same way added sugars … Continue reading →

Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease with a Good Meal

You like to eat, right? For many people, a good meal with friends or family is one of life’s finest pleasures. There are some meals that can help reduce your risk of heart disease — ensuring that you will be around for many meals with friends and family to come. Cut back on salt. Too much salt can put you on the path to high blood pressure. High blood pressure is key in causing heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Check the sodium content of packaged foods like frozen dinners, canned soups, and snack foods. Limit your intake to 1500 … Continue reading →

Inflammation and Your Appetite

Are you suffering from inflammation? Inflammation is a condition where your immune system is kicked into overdrive by stress, lack of exercise, an unhealthy diet, or exposure to toxins. Your body wants to fight something off. Inflammation can lead to weight gain, arthritis, and heart disease. Why? In a healthy, normal weight person, the body produces a hormone called leptin to control appetite and metabolism. When body fat increases, leptin levels rise to tell the brain to decrease appetite and speed up metabolism. In an obese person, the body isn’t getting the message from leptin — it may not be … Continue reading →

What to Eat for Healthy Teeth

You can help keep your teeth healthy from the inside out — certain diet choices can help keep your choppers strong and shiny. Here are some tips to help protect your mouth against decay, disease, and more! Sugar isn’t the only thing that’s bad for your teeth — carbs can be just as damaging. After all, carbohydrates break down into simple sugars in your body. In your mouth, sugars are converted into plaque. That doesn’t mean you have to give up carbs! Just try to eat them only at mealtimes. Carbs are kind of sticky, so they tend to adhere … Continue reading →

Foods that Help Reduce Colds and the Flu

My 3-year-old daughter just came down with her first cold of the winter season. Technically, winter doesn’t officially begin until December 22nd and she had a horrible bought of the flu in early November so I’m hoping this latest round of fever, sore, throat and the sniffles is not a sign of things to come. Making matters worse is the fact that my daughter refuses to take oral medication. She will make herself throw up if a drop of medicine comes anywhere near her lips. (Any prescribed medication is administered via shots—an agonizing process to say the least.) Which means … Continue reading →

Making Healthy Choices at the Thanksgiving Dinner Table

For many people who watch what they eat on a daily basis Thanksgiving is the one day of the year that they throw caution to the wind and devour whatever their stomachs desire. Not my sister-in-law. In fact, she won’t eat a bite of turkey (or ham) today. Rather, she’ll fill her plate with samples of all of the fabulous side dishes that surround the sliced up bird. It’s not because she’s a vegetarian; rather she believes that she’s doing her body good by skipping the meat dishes and eating the lower calorie menu options. (To each her own I … Continue reading →

Helping Kids Learn How Eating Poorly Can Make Them Sick

We teach our children to wash their hands to combat germs and bugs; and they learn that if they eat too much candy they might get a stomach ache—but many of us parents don’t even fully understand how our diet can affect the way we feel physically so we may not be passing that on to our children. Did you know that a change in your diet could make you feel like you have a cold or the flu? Too much dairy, for example (cheese, milk, etc.) can make some people have a stuffed up nose and congestion. Too much … Continue reading →