Decoding Food Labels
Whether you're concerned about cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes or simply losing weight, you want to eat a healthy diet and focus on foods that are high in vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients and balanced in fats, carbs, proteins.
Gluten-Free Holidays
If you’re the parent of a celiac child, who must keep your child on a gluten-free diet, you have to be extra careful during the holidays to ensure Aunt Sally doesn’t slip little Mikey a chocolate chip cookie.
What Should I Eat, Coach?
One year ago, the Wellborn family from Plano needed help. Eleven-year-old Brecken was growing broader faster than he was growing taller and some of the kids at school were beginning to tease. Additionally, the Wellborns suspected that 13-year-old Makenna, a competitive gymnast, needed more protein in her diet to get her through her intense schedule of practices. “We were going through a period of poor eating habits,” recalls mom Pam Wellborn, “and we wanted to nip it in the bud.”
Candida: Restoring Balance with Ayurveda
Candida albicans is a yeast-like fungus that lives in the mouth and throat, the intestinal tract and the genital tract. Normally, the population of candida is in healthy balance with other intestinal flora. However, sometimes its population explodes because of various factors such as an improper diet, bursts of intense stress or ongoing low-grade stress that isn't managed effectively combined with poor sleep/exercise routines or antibiotics or oral contraceptives.
10 Smart Reasons to Use Fish Oil
We are in the grip of an omega-3 fish oil wave. Every day, more studies are published showing just how important this nutrient is to us. Last week, it was children with concentration problems; this week, it is children with autism.
The Dangers of Artificial Sweeteners
Back to school time often means thinking about what to put in your child’s lunchbox. If you’re like most parents, you’re probably concerned about the increasing rate of childhood diabetes and obesity.
Hot Java! What Is Sustainable Coffee?
Gourmet coffee lovers have been seeing a few new terms in the local premium coffee shop as they file past the seasonal retail displays of roasted, whole bean bagged coffees. Phrases include ”eco-friendly,” “organic,” “shade-grown,” “fair trade” and “certified sustainable.” Most often those beans seem to the casual buyer to be simply more expensive than the corporate mega-brands. But these few phrases represent far more benefits than at first glance, including economic and social gains for the growing regions and farmers, harvesters and processors of green coffee beans at the local level.
The Rise of Eco-Parenting
An article about organic foods, organic clothing, cloth diapering and chemical-free toiletries as it matters to parents. Written by an author in the UK, but affecting parents worldwide.
7 Reasons To Eat Organic
Organically grown fruit and vegetables are not covered in a cocktail of chemicals. Even after washing, a conventionally grown apple may have 20 chemicals on its skin. Conventionally grown fruit and vegetables contain more water and fewer vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants than organically grown produce. Even processed organic food is better for you, as manufacturers are banned from using many of the most harmful additives such as hydrogenated fat, MSG and artificial flavorings and colorings.
Is Farmed Salmon Safe to Eat?
The American Heart Association recommends eating fish/salmon and their products to prevent heart disease. On the other hand, recent media reports indicate that some fish and farmed salmon contain toxic substances. There is an obvious discrepancy in the limit set by various health agencies. So don't give up fish and salmon completely. It is a known fact that fish and salmon offer benefits in heart health. The benefits to heart health may outweigh the risk of getting cancer from eating farmed salmon. Choose a variety of fish and include them in a healthy well-balanced diet.
Is Fish Still Safe to Eat?
Fish and shellfish contain high-quality protein and other essential nutrients, are low in saturated fat and contain omega-3 fatty acids. A well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fish and shellfish can contribute to heart health and children's proper growth and development. However, nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury. For most people, the risk from mercury by eating fish and shellfish is not a health concern. Yet, some fish and shellfish contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn baby or young child's developing nervous system.
The Family That Eats Together Stays Together
You often hear that families should eat together. What evidence is there that this is a good thing? A recent study suggests that family meals might increase adolescents’ well-being. Middle school (n=1608) and high school (n=3074) students, ages 11 to 18, completed surveys. The frequency of family meals, level of family connectedness, academic performance, substance use, self-esteem, depressions, suicidal thoughts and suicidal attempts were assessed.
Is Your Microwave Oven Safe?
Inside your microwave oven, an electron tube called a magnetron produces the microwaves, which bounce around inside the oven’s metal interior until they are absorbed by food. The microwaves cause water molecules in the food to vibrate, producing heat that cooks the food. Since the microwave energy is changed to heat as soon as it is absorbed by food, it cannot make food radioactive or “contaminated.”
The best and the worst non-organic produce picks
All parents want the best for their children, and nutrition is no exception. The organic movement has introduced consumers to the delights of chemical-free food as well as the dangers of the pesticides and herbicides used on conventionally grown food. And while many of us have a sense of these dangers, details are still relatively hard to find.
You Genetically Altered My What?!?
What I found eventually amazed me. Those special numbers are telling you if your fruit was grown by chemical fertilizers, organically grown or genetically modified.
Family Dinner at the Table: Reconsidering an Endangered Ritual
With work schedules, lessons and sports practices pulling family members in all directions just as the day should be winding down, it’s no wonder fewer families are finding the time to eat together. Yet at the same time, it’s encouraging to know that many others are making great efforts to keep this ritual alive.
Use Your Veggies! Keep Greens From Going to Waste
In order to help reduce our waste, try these storage tips, recipes and other ideas for getting the most out of our organic veggie booty – and specifically, from greens and broccoli.
Speed up gardening with baby veggies
Planting a garden is a rite of spring. Having your child participate will foster a bond with all things natural. But plants grow slowly, and children are impatient. A compromise can be made by raising baby veggies.
Keep Insects and Pests Out Without Using Chemicals
Keeping insects and other pests out of your home can sometimes be a chore. In the warm months of the year, pests are so persistent. They just keep coming back.
