CrazyBusy Mama! (Dot Calm)

If I could shout a clarion call to all parents in the civilized world, it would be this (if you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you could probably say it with me): “READ FOOD PACKAGING LABELS!”

When shopping, it’s easy to take the smooth road and toss things in our carts without even glancing at the label, especially if we’re tired, money’s tight, or if our kids are with us. I know how that is – that used to be me. But when we take the time to learn about what major food manufacturers are putting in the foods we buy and the effects those ingredients have on our health (immediate and future), we suddenly begin to see that reading labels is no longer a chore…it’s our right and our responsibility. We must understand and own the fact that good health is our right and no one’s responsibility but our own.

What really makes my blood boil is when unhealthy packaged foods are marketed to our children with flashy packaging, cartoon-type drawings, and promises of treats. This kind of unscrupulous, unethical marketing has been going on for decades, but I’m hoping the day will come – and soon – when the majority of parents become wise to it.

My husband and I were grocery shopping the other day, and while he was looking for the ingredients he needed to make chili, a huge sign advertising a product called LunchMakers by Armour caught my eye. LunchMakers are a Lunchables-type product, and were being sold for just 88 cents each. (Interestingly, I couldn’t find a link on the Armour site to view the nutritional information for LunchMakers. File that under “things that make you go hmm.”)

Wow. What a great deal, huh? Sure, if someone wants to fill their child full of “food grade” garbage, including a cancer-causing chemical that’s been banned in Europe (see below).

Here, in all it’s non-glory, is the too-long ingredients list from the back of the package (so long that it had to be printed in a very tiny font just to make it all fit on the label). I’ve said before…I’ll say it again: If the ingredients list on a package contains more than just a handful of items, put the item back on the shelf and walk away. You may see some things on the list that you recognize (flour, milk, etc.), but the rest is little more than preservatives, fillers, flavor enhancers, non-nutritive sweeteners, artificial sweeteners, and the like. Yuck.

So, here we go. The ingredients every parent should definitely be concerned about are in bold font. Maybe I should have hired a speed reader to read this in a video for you (it would have at least made it entertaining):

LunchMakers by Armour “Pepperoni Flavored Sausage Pizza Kit” Ingredients

Pizza Crust: Enriched bleached wheat flour (flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, corn oil, yeast, sugar, salt, calcium proprionate, guar gum, xantham gum, food starch, monoglycerides.

Pizza Sauce: Water, tomato paste, high fructose corn syrup, salt, spices, soybean oil, modified food starch, citric acid, sodium benzoate (preservative), garlic powder, xantham gum, onion powder.

Low-moisture, Part-skim Mozzerella Cheese: Pasteurized part-skim milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes, anti-caking agent (cellulose), natamycin (preservative).

Pepperoni Flavored Sausage: Pork, mechanically separated turkey, corn syrup, pepperoni [pork, beef, salt, contains 2% or less of beef, dextrose, flavorings, lactic acid starter culture, oleoresin of paprika, sodium nitrite, BHA, BHT, citric acid], salt, water, contains 2% or less of beef, dextrose, oleoresin of paprika, flavorings, modified food starch, potassium lactate, smoke flavoring, sodium diacetate, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite, BHA, BHT, citric acid.

Then it lists the ingredients of the included Nestle’ Crunch Bar, which I’m not going to copy here since it’s not the issue (though it could be, as it does contain sugar…but letting kids eat candy during the school day is another topic for another time). Following are the highlighted questionable ingredients — and why you should question them:

Sugar. Ahh, sugar. It’s in almost everything we purchase. It’s really not in that high of a dose in this package (9 grams total, and that includes the mini candy bar), but because we should limit the amounts of sugar our kids eat, especially during the school day when even a slight blood sugar crash could affect learning, I’m mentioning it here.

Calcium propionate. Calcium propionate (I’ll call it CP) is a preservative that’s included in breads for its mold-inhibiting activities. It’s not added for the calcium – calcium can be included in other ways. Many children, often with undiagnosed food allergies, have negative behavioral reactions to calcium propionate. If your child often seems “off the wall” after eating foods containing CP, look for preservative-free breads (and, because whey powder usually contains CP, make sure your bread is also whey and whey powder-free).

Food starch, modified food starch, flavorings, cheese cultures, and enzymes. According to the site Truth in Labeling, these ingredients “sometimes or always contain or create monosodium glutamate.” (Click here for a very informative list of hidden sources of MSG that you can print out and take to the grocery store next time you go.)

High fructose corn syrup. A cheap sweetener, usually only included because it’s so inexpensive, that is being increasingly implicated in a growing (no pun intended) epidemic of childhood obesity and diabetes. Why is it used in so many of our food products? As mentioned in the article referenced in this paragraph, HFCS is about six times sweeter than sugar and costs about half as much.

Mechanically separated turkey. I’m including this in the list just because it’s gross. Mechanically separated meat isn’t cut up by sharp machines on a conveyor belt, it’s meat that is separated from the bones by being pressed – mechanically – through a sieve under high pressure. Imagine the meat your child is going to consume being pressed through tiny holes like paste. That’s disturbing and creates a disgusting mental picture. You may also remember the Mad Cow scare from several years ago. The UK banned mechanically-separated beef from being sold to consumers because the meat often contained portions of the cow’s spinal cord, which is where the Mad Cow virus was typically found. I don’t know – I’ll leave this one up to you, but I’m staying away from mechanically-separated meat of any kind. (What happened to the days when Grandma used to boil the bones to remove the extra meat in order to make soup? These big companies can’t do that?)

Sodium nitrite. Sodium nitrite is a dangerous chemical once in danger of being banned – decades ago – by the USDA. The meat industry, of course, convinced them otherwise (another example of how money talks). Sodium nitrite is used to stabilize the color in processed meats, like hotdogs. When eaten, it turns to nitrosamines, highly carcinogenic (cancer-causing) chemicals that have been implicated in cancers such as pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, and leukemia. Cancer rates in the U.S. skyrocketed after the addition of sodium nitrite to our food supply.

BHA and BHT. According to About.com, “Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and the related compound butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are phenolic compounds that are often added to foods to preserve fats.”

BHA has been found to be positively carcinogenic, and BHT possibly carcinogenic. BHA, identified as a known carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, has been banned in Europe but not here in the US. I find the fact that it has not been banned here, quite honestly and simply, pathetic.

Smoke flavoring may also have a toxic effect on the body.

The amounts of dangerous additives in this package are small enough to not really cause any noticeable harm if eaten just once (unless your child is severely allergic to one or more of the chemicals/additives present). What is alarming to me is the seriously high number of unhealthy and/or dangerous substances crammed into this one package. And if a child is fed this garbage on a regular basis, these chemicals and additives WILL build up in his body and – very likely – cause serious health problems later. (Some sooner than later.)

It’s like playing Russian Roulette with our children’s health.

Besides all of these unnecessary additives, you’ll notice the amount of sodium in this one small package is very high at 550 milligrams. According to the Mayo Clinic, that’s one-half to one-third of the recommended daily limit of sodium intake for children, depending on the child’s age and size. A steady diet of high sodium foods like this could put any child on the path to developing hypertension (high blood pressure).

Obviously, we can’t avoid every dangerous additive in our food supply. But with diligence and knowledge we can significantly decrease our families’ exposure to it. Study up and spend some time on Google learning about the additives mentioned above.

After all, knowledge is power. The more we know, the less of these “foods” we’ll buy, and perhaps then these big manufacturers will begin to change the way their products are made. Like I said…money talks.

By the way, a friend of mine had a great suggestion if your child likes this type of lunch: “Small cookie cutters do a great job of mimicking the meat in the package. And you can get fun designs in the cutter that Lunchables and the like will NEVER have.” (Thanks to Eric Ehrman for that idea.) It’s also a fun way to get your kids involved with making their own lunches.

Comments welcome!

©2010 Sally Dinius
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Sally Dinius is writer-in-chief here at CrazyBusyMama.com, a blog created to inspire and motivate busy mamas everywhere to feel healthy, fit, and in control of their lives. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sdinius, and come join the CrazyBusy Mama Facebook page by clicking here.

By Deanna Adler

“It’s a lifestyle not a diet.”

Have you heard those words before? Actually, have you heard them so many times that they don’t even mean much anymore? I know; me, too. When I struggled with a weight problem, I heard this so often that eventually, I just tuned it out. I had failed at “making it a lifestyle” so many times that I didn’t even give it a second thought. It hadn’t worked for me and I wasn’t listening.

Have you ever heard a familiar song on the radio and suddenly realized that you had never really heard the words before? Maybe it meant something totally different than what you had thought? That’s what happened to me with this phrase. I finally tuned in to “It’s a lifestyle, not a diet,” and it’s my hope that slowing down and breaking it down will allow you to apply it to your own life, too.

When it finally made sense, here’s what it allowed me to do:

1) Stop my “DIET” thinking and find a healthy way of eating that I could maintain forever.

• No more drastic measures like cutting whole food groups or following ridiculous food plans. Have you done the cabbage soup or grapefruit diets? Wow! I was left either insatiably craving the villain foods or being so sick of allowable foods that I couldn’t endure anymore. Those plans set me up for failure.
• No more concoctions of pills or other remedies that were just downright unhealthy.

2) Make peace with the fact that I needed to be on food defense forever. Just as an alcoholic needs to have rules around alcohol, I needed rules around food. At first, I didn’t like that one bit. I wanted to eat what everyone else ate and not think about it, but the reality was that I had an unhealthy relationship with food. When I came face to face with what was going on, my obsessive thoughts about food weren’t normal in any way. I had to come to a place of acceptance that my behaviors weren’t just going to go away and I needed to deal with them on an ongoing basis.

3) Get to the bottom of why food was so satisfying and comforting to me in the first place. I can assure you, if you have a weight problem like I had, you’re not there simply because you like food. The problem is that you get too much pleasure from food. Period. You must figure this out and change it.

Writing these things here may sound simplistic but I assure you, they will require time, effort and persistence to resolve.

If you are someone who struggles with extra weight, I encourage you to read this old catchphrase again, “It’s a lifestyle, not a diet.” Slow down and ask yourself what that means to you. Do you believe it? Can it work for you? What does it look like in your life?

Becoming healthy is a complicated effort and I hope you’ll get in touch with me if you have questions, ideas, or a need for support. You can email me at deanna@deannaadler.com.

Remember, the only limit to what is possible is what you choose to believe.

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Deanna Adler is a weight loss coach and motivational speaker who works with women all across the country to battle the weight issues that so many of us face. With a wonderful husband, three great kids and a personal 125 pound weight loss story, she has one hand clutching God and the other wading through the trials of life. Deanna can offer you encouragement, Godly perspective and insight that can help you become free of the chains that have bound you for too long. Visit her website at www.deannaadler.com to read her personal weight loss story and more information about coaching/speaking.

In yesterday’s post, we talked about the importance of reading the labels on the prepackaged foods we buy for our kids’ sack lunches. Keeping a vigilant eye out for ingredients like MSG, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners now can positively affect the quality of life our children have later.

Today, I’d like to share with you something else you can do to ensure your kids have healthier lunches, and that’s taking common sandwiches that you and I have grown up on and switching the ingredients a little to make them more nutritious for this generation.

The first tip, and this applies to every sandwich you ever make: Stop using white bread! We’ll talk more about the dangers of white bread — and other things made with white flour — in a future blog post.

Now…sandwiches. We’ll start with good ol’ PB&J!

You may remember from yesterday’s post that not all peanut butters are created equal. Some are healthier than others — just read the labels. Besides choosing healthier peanut butter, think about dropping the sweet jelly from the sandwich altogether and replacing it with sliced bananas. If you’ve never had a peanut butter and banana sandwich, or even heard of it, you’re in for a treat.

First, toast two pieces of bread…whole wheat or multi-grain, of course (if your child likes multi-grain). Spread one piece with peanut butter, and top with thin banana slices. Finish with the other piece of toast and cut in half diagonally. Yummy and healthy!

Next, we’re going to tackle two other perennial sandwiches: tuna salad and egg salad. We’re not going to change them much…we’re just going to trim down one ingredient and add another.

For the tuna salad, make sure you’re using tuna packed in water. I prefer albacore tuna, but the kind of tuna you use really depends on personal preference.

After flaking it into a bowl, add some mayonnaise. However, only use half the amount you usually do. Now, make up that other half with plain, low-fat yogurt. Add a little sea salt and ground black pepper for flavor, if you’d like (I also like to add a small amount of dried dill). By switching out half of the mayo for low-fat yogurt, you’re giving your child fewer calories and fat. They’re also getting calcium and good cultures from the yogurt.

For egg salad, I like to use two parts mayonnaise and one part plain, low-fat yogurt. The only reason for this is that plain yogurt, while good for you, doesn’t taste like anything. Tuna has a strong enough flavor on its own to make up for it, but hardboiled eggs don’t. If you’d like, you can still use half mayo and half yogurt like we did for the tuna sandwich, above, but add a little sea salt for flavor. (One variation: my kids like bacon bits added to their egg salad. True, bacon bits have their own issues, but adding them once in a while is fine. Everything in moderation, right?)

To add a little more nutritional value to tuna and egg salad, I like to toss in some chopped celery. It adds crunch and much-needed fiber.

Finally, we’re going to look at one more sandwich that has a somewhat unhealthy reputation: the ham sandwich.

We don’t eat ham a whole lot around here, but when we do, I prefer to give my family my made-over version, instead of the typical ham and cheese variety.

It’s simply made with lean ham, honey mustard, a peeled and sliced apple, thinly sliced cheese (if any is used at all), and lettuce — the darker green, the more nutrients it contains. Spread each slice of bread (toasted is best) with 1-2 tablespoons of honey mustard. If you don’t want to use that much, just put it on one slice of bread or use mayo or plain, low-fat yogurt on the other slice.

Place two or three slices of ham on top of the honey mustard. Top with sliced apple, cheese (or leave it off — it’s just as good or better without cheese), lettuce, and remaining slice of bread. It’s very good, and has become a new family favorite.

Enjoy!

©2010 Sally Dinius
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Sally Dinius is writer-in-chief here at CrazyBusyMama.com, a blog created to inspire and motivate busy mamas everywhere to feel healthy, fit, and in control of their lives. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sdinius, and come join the CrazyBusy Mama Facebook page by clicking here.

By Mellisa McJunkin

It’s no secret we all need energy and I think it would be safe to say, we could all use more of it. Many things can leave us seriously energy deficient; lack of sleep, lack of proper nutrients, sickness, disease, not to mention the treatments for many diseases. That aside, here are five secrets to having an abundance of energy all day long.

I like to use acronyms to learn and remember things, so for learning these secrets let’s use the acronym S.H.A.P.E.

Secret #1 – Sleep – Deep, Deep Sleep
We all know we need about 7 or 8 hours of good, quality sleep. But there is an element to sleep this is often overlooked. It is not necessarily the number of hours we sleep but the time frame in which we sleep. Our bodies secrete a natural sleep hormone called melatonin which causes you to sleep in such a way that not only let’s your mind rest, but also helps your body heal, repair and rejuvenate. This hormone begins to kick in at about 10:00pm and tapers off at 2:00am. Which means the secret you get your best sleep from 10:00pm to 6:00am.

Secret #2 – Hydration
No, I am not taking about hydrating with a pot of coffee. The first thing you should do when you wake up in the morning is drink a tall (12-16 oz.) glass of water. I often add a spoonful of stevia and lemon juice as well. Since you have been a sleep for several hours, your body wakes up in a state of dehydration. Water will not only refresh your mind and body, it will also help expel viruses and toxins. So it’s important to drink plenty of water through out the day as well.

Secret #3 – Air
Breathing is good, I do it all the time you say. But most of us don’t take in enough deep, cleansing breaths. Deep breaths through the nose and out through the mouth not only infuses you with life giving oxygen, you are also expelling build ups of harmful carbon dioxide. Also, many diseases proliferate in an oxygen deficient environment, so an abundance of oxygen will not only give you more energy, but it will also keep disease from running rampant.

Secret #4 – Protein
Sugar and caffeine may give you a high for awhile. But you now what they say, “What goes up, must come down.” Protein on the other hand gives your body what it needs for sustainable energy. It burns slow and steady giving you an even boost in energy. The fastest and most convenient form of protein I have found is in protein powder. You can add it to water, milk, or even oatmeal or plain yogurt. Eating almonds or cottage cheese are also fast and easy too. Ideally you should consume a small amount of protein at every meal and snack time for your energy to last.

Secret #5 – Exercise
Most people resist the exercise routine for a number of reasons. Some say it’s too hard or they don’t enough time. But you don’t have make it complicated to make it work for the objective at hand; More energy. Walking or even bouncing on a rebounder for 15 – 20 minutes in the morning and again in the afternoon can increase your blood flood and oxygen levels enough to boost your energy all the way until bed time. Sweating a bit is also beneficial too because it helps release toxins as well.

Most of us know all this stuff, so I guess you could say these really aren’t secrets. The real secret is in consistency. Follow these steps and it won’t be long before you will find yourself waking up before your alarm, with an abundance of energy and mental clarity that will last all day.

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Mellisa McJunkin has been a health and fitness lifestyle coach for more than a decade. She has a passion for researching and writing about many different health and wellness issues. Visit with her at her blog for more tips and free gifts at http://extremehealth.digi-info-broker.com/blog.

By Deanna Adler

If the current trend continues, by the year 2015, 75% of Americans will be morbidly obese. That means that in the very near future, there will be significantly more people extremely overweight than those who are not. Obesity and obesity-related medical conditions are on the rise and have reached epidemic proportions. What has happened? Why do we have such a problem?

Today, there are so many diet plans, diet pills and other quick fixes that a solution seems daunting and complicated. Yet even with all these “solutions,” obesity is still a problem that plagues so many of us. Why do so many of us struggle with it? Why has “losing weight” been on our goal list year after year after year? Why can’t we get a handle on this issue?

When it comes right down to it, most of us know what it takes to lose weight. The basics are easy: Eat less and move more. It sounds simple enough; so why isn’t it working? What are we missing? Why aren’t we getting this?

The problem is that we are missing an absolutely essential part of the equation. The missing piece is the emotional attachment we have created with food. This is often the most difficult part to deal with because the connection between our emotions and food may not be immediately clear. Some of us may not even feel that we have emotional issues to look for, but the simple truth is, food comforts us, tastes good and makes us feel too good. THAT is the real problem. If food didn’t fill a genuine need, we would be able to “eat less and move more” and be free of our weight problems.

Food is serving a great purpose for us. That’s why it’s so hard to permanently limit our intake and follow healthy guidelines. But here’s the good news, the news that brings freedom, the news that is the key to untangling the mess we’re in: Food by itself is not powerful; the power comes from the emotion we connect to it. This is essentially why we’re only successful on a new diet program for a few weeks or months. We can give up food for a temporary period, but we can’t do it for a long period of time until we take the power away from it and separate it from our emotions.

The key to tackling a weight problem once and for all is figuring out the relationship you have created between food and feelings. Why do you eat too much or too often? How does food make you feel? Why is it so satisfying? When you answer these questions you can determine what purpose food is serving and begin to break that dependency.

It sounds simpler than it is. It takes ambition and trust to start asking the questions and searching for the answer. You may even be surprised where that path takes you. In my own experience, I was amazed at the connections that were revealed when I simply asked the questions and pushed through my typical “I don’t know” answers. When I began realizing what was really going on, I could take the steps to handle the emotions in healthier ways.

What is going on with you? Are you willing to start asking the questions and dealing with the answers? Are you ready to take the power away from food and start developing healthy habits that will allow you to achieve your weight loss goals? Check out my website at www.deannaadler.com for my whole story and extra encouragement. Believe me, if this is something I can do, you can do it, too. The only limit to what is possible is what you choose to believe.

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Deanna Adler is a weight loss coach and motivational speaker who works with women all across the country to battle the weight issues that so many of us face. With a wonderful husband, three great kids and a personal 125 pound weight loss story, she has one hand clutching God and the other wading through the trials of life. Deanna can offer you encouragement, Godly perspective and insight that can help you become free of the chains that have bound you for too long. Visit her website at www.deannaadler.com to read her personal weight loss story and more information about coaching/speaking.

By Michelle Armstrong

In February of 2005, my son came down with a mysterious illness that caused him to have fistulas exiting his body. For three years we moved from state to state in search of a diagnosis, which finally came in 2008. The causes of his problems were Crohn’s and Perianal Diseases. Over the course of 33 years, my family has been deeply involved in the alternative medicine movement. My son was raised on both soy and organic milk and I processed his baby food myself. I rarely battled anything other than an occasional virus but he struggled with mysterious fevers that had no other symptoms. Sometimes, as the saying goes, “life comes at you fast” and you have to roll with the punches and when the fistula’s appeared, I knew I needed to act quickly.

Never a family to give up, my mother and I worked on finding some natural solutions while we were seeing specialists in Indiana. It took a little over a year, but we found the winning combination (which I will go over later). After we left Tennessee and moved to Seattle, we met Micah’s new Gastroenterologist who was very impressed with his care. After more tests and an exploratory surgery, he concluded that the only sign of Crohn’s Disease in my son’s body was the Perianal Disease (chronic fistulas which form from the intestinal tract and exit the body). Through much prayer to God for guidance, He opened door after door to show us the right supplements for Micah’s healing.

Micah had testing at Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tennessee which revealed infection in his intestines. Prior to and during this time, he had Crohn’s episodes (cramping and diarrhea) that put him in isolation for hours at a time. The episodes finally stopped a little over a year ago. So, while we continue to work on what he needs in order to solve the slow healing process he is going through with the chronic fistulas, we will continue with the combination he currently takes to keep the Crohn’s away.

We are firm believers that the body heals from the inside-out. Micah’s Seattle Children’s doctors are in agreement with us on this ideology. When there are issues that cause complications in other areas of the body, we must look at what the body is lacking. Crohn’s (IBD, or Irritable Bowel Disease) is an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack the intestines. As a result, a lot of important nutrients are lost due to inflammation. Protein is one nutrient that is important to increase in the diet of a Crohn’s patient. Also, I would like to add that we have been on vegan diets as well as vegetarian and still managed to get more than enough protein in our bodies. So, it is not at all impossible to live either lifestyle and still have healing take place in your body if either are preferred.

Another important nutrient that is extremely important to add is Omega 3 (this was per his Gastroenterologist at Seattle Children’s Hospital). Micah currently takes 1000mg of this daily. This supplement also includes EPA and DHA. Now, one thing with taking supplements is we always need to know what is okay to take and what isn’t. Just because it is natural does not mean it is without side effects. Fish oil (Omega 3) lowers blood pressure. So, if you are already on medication to lower blood pressure, you’ll want to discuss this with your physician before adding this to your daily diet regime.

Micah also takes Daily Essential Enzymes (Source Naturals is my favorite and an award-winning supplement). I am a HUGE fan of adding enzymes to a person’s diet for regulating the digestive system. These healed my gall bladder within a year’s time and I still have my gall bladder today. We take two each, daily. Micah also takes two Kyo-Dophilus brand probiotic supplements per day (we prefer this brand because it is high in probiotic cells, the more the merrier — 1.5 billion in this brand). These also aid in regulation of the digestive system as well as fight infection, which is a key aid to healing Crohn’s.

A good multi-vitamin is also a very good thing to find. We struggle with this because most over-the-counter vitamins are not as nutritional as they look. Sugar, dyes and other preservatives are used in the manufacturing and preservation of vitamins. So, I just recommend something that avoids sugar and preservatives that are not natural. This may come at a higher cost but is easier on the stomach. Micah has always had issues in this area and we continue to test different brands of vitamins in an effort to find one that is not expensive yet tolerable.

And last but not least, Green Magma (Barley Grass). Now, we had to remove these from Micah’s diet because they affected his seasonal allergies in Washington. We are waiting for his body to adapt to the allergens that are natural to this area. Once he adapts, he should be able to return to these. We have noticed no difference so far. He has been off of these for two weeks. Green Magma is Barley Grass Juice Powder in a tablet form. Six per day is a good amount to take. Barley grass is full of high levels of vitamin B1, calcium, iron, carotene and vitamin B12. It is an excellent source of enzymes. Because Micah already takes Essential Enzymes, I believe he will be okay without this.

One last thing before I wrap this up is this: “Where do I find supplements that won’t break my purse straps?” Well, I have three places I highly suggest: Swanson Vitamins, Puritan, and Vitamin Shoppe. I placed these in order from best bargains to good bargains to, “Hey, I’m out and where is the cheapest place to find these in my neighborhood now?” Make certain you fill out the forms for each place so you will receive emails with discounts as well as “Like” them on Facebook (always a great way to find “hidden” bargains only announced on their pages).

I hope this information has been helpful to you and encourage you to do extensive research before modifying the intake of supplements, herbs or medications in your daily diet. As I mentioned before, it has taken us several years to find the right combination. And although it is “spot on” for Micah, it may take variations for you or your loved one (we are all “uniquely and wonderfully” made). Exercise caution, use wisdom and ask questions. Thanks, and here’s to good health!
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Michelle Armstrong is a freelance writer and single mother who resides in Seattle, Washington. She holds a B.A. in Liberal Studies and History from the University of Indianapolis. She has had experience with health supplements and nutrition for 33 years. She welcomes any questions and strives to help others who are seeking alternative methods of healing. You may contact her at perettirocks@yahoo.com.

My first run-in with exercise was quite unfortunate. I was in the fifth grade and participating in my school’s “Jump Rope for Heart” campaign (a great program that continues to this day). I’d gotten a few pledges from my parents and people at my church, which meant the longer I jumped, the more they’d pay. Easy enough.

I never was the strongest kid in my class. Okay, scratch that: I was the class wimp. (Classmates loved breaking through my spot in a Red Rover line because I was such an easy target.)  I didn’t have a “strong constitution,” as my English ancestors would’ve said, and couldn’t keep up with the others. After 10-20 minutes of jumping over that flipping piece of overgrown twine, I began to get lightheaded. In fact, I had tunnel vision and almost passed out. (Looking back, it’s obvious that I was dehydrated…besides being a weakling.)

I want to talk today about preparing to exercise…beginning with that necessity of life: water.

You’ve probably heard that if you want to build muscle, you need to eat more protein. Protein, after all, is the building block of muscle. But did you know that your muscles are also 73% water? I never knew that until recently. If you want to build muscle by working out, drink water. Cindy Whitmarsh of ExerciseTV recommends drinking 90 ounces of water per day. That’s around five 16.3 ouncers. That may seem like a lot of water, but trust me: If you’re working out like you should, drinking that much will come easily.

Also, if you want to give your body the right fuel for your workouts, you need to stay away from junk food. I’m not a nutritionist, so I’m not going to tell you exactly what you should eat — you can find that information yourself just by doing a Google search. But I will tell you that when I eat too much sugar, I feel weak and even sick to my stomach. Also, and maybe this is because I have fibromyalgia, my body will start to ache shortly after eating sugar-laden “food.” (A side note on my fibromyalgia, which I’ll cover in more depth in a future post: Since I’ve begun working out, my flare-ups have pretty much been non-existent.)

When I eat right, which includes whole wheat or whole grains, dark green veggies, protein, small amounts of fruit (fruit is good for you, but is still full of fructose, or “fruit sugar”), etc., I feel stronger and have more endurance for my workouts. Try eating better — you’ll find you have more energy for your daily tasks, as well.

Also, if you’re serious about working out, stay away from alcohol, especially if you’re training for a race. Because it’s a depressant, it affects your brain’s and body’s ability to do normal tasks. One little glass of wine can slow you down and inhibit your endurance for four days.

The last one should be obvious: Get the sleep you need. My mother has told me for years (she’s always reading the latest research) that the sleep you get before midnight counts twice as much as the sleep you get after. I don’t know why that is, but I know my body sure feels it if I make it a habit of not hitting the hay until 1 or 2 in the morning.

Sometimes I work out late at night after my three year-old is asleep. That’s really not the best time to exercise. For one, if I do several ExerciseTV workouts in a row (10-20 minutes each on average), I can pretty much plan on being awake for at least another hour or two afterward. Because exercise gets your heart rate up and your adrenaline flowing, it’s a great way to begin your day, but not such a great way to end it like that.  If late at night really is your best time for working out, then do what works for you. Otherwise, try switching it to sometime earlier in the day. You might find you’ll sleep better, too.

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I’m guilty. Guilty of turning to convenience foods to fill my grumbling tummy during the course of a long afternoon working on my laptop. Guilty of feeding similar convenience foods to my family because I’m too tired to make the extra effort to cook something healthy. Guilty of turning to antacids because I’ve spent the day eating the wrong things.

Are you guilty, too? And do you feel yourself lagging after a so-called “snack” of chips or a candy bar? Or perhaps you turned to an energy bar — although a Snickers bar is healthier than certain varieties of those. (Stop! That doesn’t mean you get to run out and buy a Snickers candy bar because it’s “healthy.” Nice try, though. )

What is the secret to a long and healthy life? (Besides having a positive attitude and good genes, that is.) The secret is that we must eat the best possible food for our bodies.

As you well know, all foods are not created equal: Those created by the Creator are obviously preferable to those “created” in a factory or processing plant. One type of food enhances your life; the other can make you downright sick.

Did you know that choosing and eating the right foods may help increase your life expectancy as well as the quality of your life right now? It’s true.

Here are ten of the top power packed foods designed to give you energy, vitality, and all around good health!

1. Beans – Yes, beans. The musical fruit. If they give you gas, take precautions before you eat them.  Soaking them first can help. You can also purchase Beano to help head the gas off at the pass (I’d be lying if I said no pun was intended).

Beans of all kinds (kidney, navy, lentils, chickpeas, pinto, northern) are high in protein. Because beans are plant protein, they contain very little fat, carbs, or calories.  If fiber is a problem in your diet, eating a healthy portion of beans each day can keep your digestive system healthy.

2. Oatmeal – Oatmeal is coming into popularity as a food that lowers blood cholesterol.  You can make it yourself with rolled oats or eat the instant kind if you are in a hurry (try not to do the latter too often, as those packets tend to be full of sugar).  Oatmeal is a filling grain that also provides much needed fiber to keep hunger at bay and your blood sugar constant. I like to top my oatmeal with cinnamon, a teaspoonful of ground flax seeds, and a small handful of walnuts or pecans.

3. Fruits – Fruits are filled with powerful antioxidants such as Vitamins C and A.  Antioxidants are like little superheros fighting free radical damage in the body, thereby reducing the risk of cancer.  Berries such as blueberries and grapes have the highest amount of antioxidants. However, you’ll want to choose an array of fruits in a wide variety of colors for maximum health.  The antioxidants found in fruit boost the immune system to fight the effects of aging in the body. In the words of Charles Dickens’ Oliver, “Please, sir, I want some more.”

4. Allium foods – This class of foods includes garlic, onions, leeks and shallots.  Never mind what they do to your breath — this is a powerful family of bulbs! Garlic, for one, is known for lowering cholesterol and fighting illness.  Allium vegetables healp guard the body against the risk of cancer and many other ailments.  They also help lower blood pressure and prevent blood clots.  Eating these power packed vegetables in their natural state — especially garlic — increases their health benefits.  

5. Salmon – Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids reduces the risk of heart disease and other conditions like atherosclerosis.  Wild salmon is a fatty fish but it contains good fats that have been shown to improve health not only in adults but in children, as well.  Salmon is also rich in protein.

6. Flaxseed – Like salmon, Flaxseed contains omega-3 , omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids.  You get a lot of power to fight high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes with this seed.  Ground flax seed can be added to fruit smoothies, sprinkled in yogurt, eaten with cereal (like oatmeal, as I’d mentioned above), or added to pancake mix, to name just a few uses.

7. Peppers – My sister, an RN, once told me that the more colorful your diet is, the more healthy you’ll be. Peppers are a great way to add some of that healthy color to your diet.  The vibrant colors of peppers tell you that they’re full of many of the good things your body needs. For example, they contain antioxidants like beta-carotene and Vitamin C.

Peppers come in many varieties, so there’s something for everyone. As far as “heat,” they range from mild and sweet to so hot you’ll want to call the fire department.  All peppers contain a substance called capsaicin. Capsaicin has anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties,  and lowers the risk of cancer and heart disease. Peppers are excellent in salads and many other dishes.

8. Nuts and seeds – Peanuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, and pistachios are all providers of good fats and protein, and even help to lower cholesterol. Toss a handful into a salad or finely crush them to use as a coating on chicken instead of higher carb bread crumbs. Keep a bowl of almonds around for some healthy snacking. 

9. Açai –  I’ll admit I don’t know a lot about acai (pronounced something like ah-SIGH-ee), but this berry has been given quite a bit of press lately.  Apparently, it’s rich in antioxidants and increases energy, so I guess that means you can get more done and look and feel better while doing it! You can get acai juice and supplements in your health food store. Be wary, though, about clicking on online ads for acai — some of those ads are scams (though the above link is not).

10. Yogurt –  In my opinion, the best thing about yogurt is that it contains friendly bacteria to help promote a healthy digestive system. Yogurt contains calcium, Vitamin B, and protein.  If you don’t drink milk, yogurt is an alternative to get your calcium in to build strong bones and teeth.  Lowfat or fat free yogurt is best. (Yes, you can eat yogurt if you’re lactose-intolerant.) Make sure the kind you buy states on the label that it contains “live, active cultures.”

If you’re not a fan of yogurt, the beneficial bacteria your body needs (a.k.a. probiotics), can also be taken in caplet form.

Here’s a bonus tip: Drink your water. A lack of energy can also be caused by dehydration. Keep a bottle or glass of water within reach while you’re working.

Building a better, healthier body — and being a more productive work-at-home mom — begins with what you eat.  Try some of the super foods mentioned above to get that energy you’re needing.

What kinds of snacks do you eat to keep yourself going during the mid-day slump?
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