It's summer so why not cave and eat that ice cream cone, strawberry shortcake, drink lots of ice cold pink lemonade?  After all, its hot out and don't you deserve some sugar fun?  I would agree that an occasional summer treat is in order.  My choice is real, not dyed green, mint chocolate chip ice cream.  However, I don't want to play with fire, the diabetes and debilitating related diseases consequences.  Problem is, sugar is not just in treats.  It is a dominant player in processed foods such as ketchup and flavored yogurts.  How much should you have?  Woman, about 6 teaspoons a day.  Children, about 4 teaspoons daily. Sound reasonable?  Note: 4 grams of sugar equals 1 teaspoon.  BBQ sauce (1/2 cup) has 33 grams = more than 8 teaspoons of sugar.  A fat-free fruit yogurt may have 47 grams – almost 12 teaspoons of sugar.  And that delicious pink (dyed) lemonade?  1 cup contains 25 grams or over 6 teaspoons, more than you daily limit.  How many of you drink just one cup on a hot day?  Get my point?  So how do your humble your sugar cravings?  Be aware and eat less.  By the way, protein is known to diminish your desire for sweets.  Eat nuts, seeds, cheese, slices of meat or hummus to manage your sugar intake.  Then once in awhile, have that ice cream cone!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Another sweepstakes prize combination: Win a Case of 6 oz. (large) bags of Pizza Veggie Stix with the generous addition of the Veggie Tales DVD, "The Princess and the Pop Star."  Go to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes.  Enter more than once to up your odds!

It’s real simple.  Follow these directions, write a comment and you’ll receive some free Kid Kritics Approved cookies!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Congratulations to Tiffany from Alabama!  She won the case of Kid Kritics Approved Chocolate Energy Bars by Greens+.  When asked how she was, "I'm good now!"  This was followed by many thanks.  Soon a case will arrive at her doorstep.

If you love cookies, enter to win a case of Sugar-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies by Joseph's Lite Cookies.  They are both diabetic and kid-friendly.  Go to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes right now. Enter more than once to up your odds!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Quite frankly, I don’t know anyone who is not aging, me included!  It really starts in your 30s.  Bernat Meltzer, MD, author and wellness expert ,will clue in to what you should do in your thirties, forties, fifties to minimize and manage aging and its health consequences.  Tune in on Friday, June 3rd at Noon EDT for 30 minutes of invaluable advice that’s free!  Go to www.BetterFoodChoicesRadio.com or look for this interview later on iTunes: Better Food Choices.  It’s a podcast  – convenient! 

… for the health of families,
ellen

"Most kids don’t come close to getting enough exercise daily and don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables: 62% of 1,630 parents with children ages 5 to 10 say their kids eat junk food one to four days a week. Only 14% of parents say their kids eat at least five fruits and vegetables a day.These results shed light on the reasons for the childhood obesity epidemic. About a third of children in the USA are overweight, which puts them at higher risk for type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and other health problems."*

We know you care.  That's why we have the Kid Kritics program so you can serve you family healthier foods they will like!  Lean on it to up your kid's 
consumption of fruits and vegetables and to down their odds of being overweight and sick.  By the way, hundreds of YMCA children are Kid Kritics!

Come see us at the Boca Raton, FL. YMCA "Healthy Kids Day" event this Saturday! Or, find one in your neighborhood and have some fun with your  kids!

                    … for the health of your family,
                    ellen and sally

* Hellmich, Nanci, "Survey: Kids Lack Exercise, Healthful Foods", USA Today, www.usatoday.com/health, 4/13/11.