Trans Fats

They went from Junk Food to Real Food and now swear by it. One boy was 16 and always “starving.”  The other was an overweight college kid.  And they have a dad with Type 2 diabetes.  Mom thought she was feeding her family good food but after a dinner with me, she realized Jello and other processed foods she was serving were counter-nourishing her family. Her turnaround story is brilliant. A first bit of advice is, “You can’t tell them. You must show them.”  If you want to be inspired and learn how overnight everyone of them voluntarily bought into her changes, listen to Vickie Peaire tell her story.  Go to www. BetterFoodChoicesRadio.com (date: Jan 27, 2012) and listen or find it on iTunes, Podcast, Better Food Choices.  You will be SO glad your did!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Save money and Win a Case of Classic Macaroni and Cheese by Annie’s Homegrown.  Go to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes before Sunday night.

“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.

Is butter healthier than margarine? Don't feel alone if you are not sure.  Some think butter is healthier because it is more natural. Some say margarine is better for you since it has less fat. The problem with margarine is how the fats used are processed.  We don't recommend any.  Butter, used in moderation, especially that sourced from healthier fed dairy cows, is our choice.  Healthy fats such as the premier kind, olive oil, is wonderful and better for cooking.  Flaxseed oil is good one but turns rancid easily so keep it refrigerated, sealed, and do not use it for cooking. Good fats are your friends.  Enjoy them.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

 - Idea for this blog came from "Good, bad, ugly fats. But do consumers know which are which?"  www.nutrainingredients-usa.com.

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

"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.