“Hooked on chicken nuggets: Girl, 17, who has eaten nothing else since age TWO rushed to hospital after collapsing.” *

Apparently this teenager has never eaten fruit or vegetables.  Now she is in hospital with  swollen veins in her tongue, has anemia and has been warned that she was killing herself.

You say, no way this can happen.  I say, “Yes Way.”  Too many times I have has parents tell me, “My son/daughter will only eat chicken nuggets so that’s what I give him or her.  They refuse to eat anything else.”  I simply look at them and wonder who’s the boss.  Moms and dads, you have to guide your children away from the wrong decisions and to the right ones.  Sometimes that is easier said than done, yet, the alternative can be deadly.

Keep in mind you may be working against addictions.  Unfortunately, ingredients put in some foods are purposely habit forming.  Take charge now and avoid disaster later.  I am using strong words.  Don’t underestimate the consequences.  Steer your kids into making better food choices today and tomorrow.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

P. S. Please pray for this girl.

* This is a report from the U.K.

Prepare your womb with good eating habits before you are pregnant.  When you test positive for pregnancy you are already at least 2 weeks along.  So stop with the smoking, drinking and drugs well before you conceive to give your baby his or her best odds. Also, Dr. Keri Batiskov  says no raw fish or meat (sushi), deli meats, fast foods, unpasteurized milk and soft cheeses, artificial additives, fake sugars, fish with mercury, sodas… AND YES to fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, good fats, eggs,dairy and WATER!  "Eat from the earth."  Definitely take supplements per your doctor's recommendations, especially folic acid, and hold off on herbal supplements during your pregnancy.  Take the time to listen to more from Dr. Batiskov, go to www.BetterFoodChoicesRadio.com or iTunes ("Better Food Choices".

… for the health of your family,|
ellen

We are starting a Did You Know series.  This first one is a whopper.  It is reported that Chicken McNuggets are 50% chicken and 50% "corn derivatives, sugars, leavening agents and completely synthetic ingredients.  Two include: dimethylpolysiloxane anti-foaming agent made of silicone, and, tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) "a chemical preservative so deadly that just five grams can kill you."  Holy smokes.  Well, you say, there aren't  5 grams of TBHA in a serving.  That's no excuse.  Every bit adds up. How many times a week do your kids eat Chicken McNuggets?  How many weeks a year?  PLEASE, take a stand for your children and vote NO with your pocketbook…

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Win a Case of 6oz. bags of Pizza Veggie Sticks and the DVD, "The Princess and the Pop Star" by Veggie Tales.  This Veggie Stix & Veggie Tales sweepstakes series is more than half way over.  Don't miss out.  Go to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes today.  Enter more than once to up your odds!

SOURCE:  "The Chicken Which Should be Banned," posted by Dr. Mercola, www.Mercola.com, 11/8/2010

    Sugar Cane Crystals (not bleached)

Some restaurants and packaged food companies are “bowing to consumer concerns about HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) and replacing the sweetener with sugar…. It’s so hard. It’s in everything.” True. From ketchup to oyster crackers, HFCS has been the sweetener of choice for decades. Finally, many are waking up to the reality this needs to stop due to the research associating it with cancer and more. Sugar cane crystals are still sugar but are at least less processed. This change will up their prices since part of the appeal of HFCS was how cheap it was as an ingredient. Still, this is a good move and you can thank those who spoke up and said, “We don’t want it.” Keep speaking out…

… for the health of your family,
ellen

* Katy McLaughlin, “Sweet Revenge, Chefs Pour on the Sugar,” Wall Street Journal, 7/6 11, p. D1.

Food companies are jumping on the appeal of  sugar and salt flavor combinations.  This flavor profile is a recipe for obesity… and other illnesses.  Outsmart them and don’t buy such products they will sell in stores and at fast-food restaurants.  Instead, stick to fresh foods and season them yourself with a little sea sale or sugar. 

… for the health of families,
ellen and sally

Please fill in this blank: “It’s easier to ____________________ than figure out what to feed my kids every day.”  Answer in a comment or email your response to ellen@KidKritics.com.  We will chose one and send the “author” a signed copy of our new book after it is finished and hot off the press!  We look forward to hearing from you… more than one fill-in is encouraged!

… for the health of your family,
ellen and sally

If your kids’ feet are not touching the floor or a rung on their chair or stool while eating, odds are, they squirm and are picky eaters.  This has been noted by Dr. Bob Sears.  There is a relationship between being able to focus on your food and the sense of being anchored.  Some kids stand on one leg and lean into their chair or stool to avoid the dangle.  From the day they sit to eat, make sure your childrens’  feet are not hanging loose in your home or at restaurants.  Please help them out and make the needed adjustments.  (For more information on Picky Eaters, go to www.KidKritics.com and download this radio show)

… for the health of your family,
ellen and sally

… for the health of your family,
ellen and sally

Thanks to Radha Marcum, Editor-in Chief from Delicious Magazine, we now know how to find your local Farmers Market. Go to www.LocalHarvest.org.  Save money and get fresh produce filled with rich nutrients that will taste better than what has been harvested and shipped from mega miles away.  That’s not all.  Find great restaurants, Grocery co-ops and CSAs (Community Shared Agriculture – be sure to look into this deal!)  This is the way to go.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

IMPORTANT: you do not need to feel deprived of delicious meals in or out of the home if you can not eat wheat, rye or barley – and oats.  There are lots of other grains to enjoy – quinoa is one!   Google Gluten-Free recipes and check those on www.CeliacCentral.org.  And, if you are going out to eat, Carrabba’s and Legal Seafood have Gluten-Free menu sections.  Fill up on vegetable, fruit, meat, bean, nuts, seeds and herbs – and be healthy!

… for the health of families,
ellen and sally