Whole Grains
Whole grains are the nutritious foods that have sustained humanity since ancient times. Whole grains offer variety to the diet and provide healthy bulk (fiber) allowing you to feel full and satisfied. Whole grains do not include refined cereals. Nope. They may be tasty but the nutritional value of two simply do not compare. Whole grains help the body to stay in balance warding off diabetes and heart problems.

Whole grains:
brown rice
buckwheat
bulgur (cracked wheat)
oatmeal
popcorn

Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals:
whole wheat cereal flakes
muesli

whole grain barley
whole grain cornmeal
whole rye
whole wheat bread
whole wheat crackers
whole wheat pasta
whole wheat sandwich buns and rolls
whole wheat tortillas
wild rice

Less common whole grains:
amaranth
millet
quinoa
sorghum
triticale

Refined grains:
cornbread*
corn tortillas*
couscous*
crackers*
flour tortillas*
grits
noodles*

Pasta*
spaghetti
macaroni

pitas*
pretzels

Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals
corn flakes

white bread
white sandwich buns and rolls
white rice.
*Most of these products are made from refined grains. Some are made from whole grains. Check the ingredient list for the words “whole grain” or “whole wheat” to decide if they are made from a whole grain. Some foods are made from a mixture of whole and refined grains.

Some grain products contain significant amounts of bran. Bran provides fiber, which is important for health. However, products with added bran or bran alone (e.g., oat bran) are not necessarily whole grain products.

Add the Power of Whole Grains to Your Diet
According to a recent study teens and young adults were at risk for developing health problems because of the low daily amount of whole grain consumption.

One of the easiest ways to put whole grains in your diet, is to shop for them so you can cook up whole grains to eat for breakfast and/or dinner. It will save you money, time and your health.

Leptin
The fatty tissue in our body serve necessary functions. One of which is to secrete hormones that regulate our appetite and metabolism. Leptin is an important adipose derived hormone. Leptin is critical in controlling the appetite. Leptin resistance is a factor in obesity. According to a published study by the University of Florida a link between overconsumption of high fructose corn syrup exerts a dampening effect on the bodies ability to respond to the important communication this substance provides within the body.

UF researchers found that rats became resistant to leptin after being fed a diet high in fructose for six months. Although there were no visible signs this change was occurring, the fructose-fed rats gained considerably more weight than rats that never ate fructose when both groups were switched to a high-fat diet.

Typically, leptin resistance develops with obesity, but this study showed that high dietary fructose causes a “silent” leptin resistance, Shapiro said. It develops undetected, but when the high-fat diet is introduced it causes greater than expected obesity.

Tips for Healthy Eating
1. If buying packaged food, read the labels and avoid products that contain high fructose corn syrup.
2. Avoid eating in between meals.
3. Eating whole foods provide a steady release of energy so that cravings are reduced.
4. Eat only when hungry.
5. Avoid eating after 6pm – 7pm.
6. Shop around for exercise dvd’s you enjoy so you can make exercise a regular habit.

full article here

Tools: requires a blender
Almonds: pre-soak in water for 2 days. Or soak overnight, the soaking process increases digestibility.

3 cups water
3/4 cup of pre-soaked and peeled almonds
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Combine 2 cups of water and the almonds in the blender. Blend for approximately 1 minute. Strain through fine cheesecloth into quart size bowl or jar.

Pour the strained pulp back into the blender and puree with 1 cup of water. Strain into your first batch of almond milk. The leftover pulp can be discarded or can be used as a subtle addition a burger mix or a sauce…be creative.

Mix in the maple syrup and vanilla and stir well. Refrigerate, should last for 2-3 days. Enjoy.

recipe adapted from Veggie Life

No need to be overwhelmed with packing the kid’s lunches. Packing a healthy lunch doesn’t require one to be a dietitian or a nutritionist it just takes label reading and a little planning. You will save money and build your young one’s health.

One of the challenges of the mid-day meal is that if it is too heavy it interferes with mental work. After all, nodding off in the classroom will lead to other problems. Have the children start off with a healthy breakfast of a whole grain cereal, such as steel cut oats. It’s good for mom and dad too. The oats have plenty of fiber and b-vitamins which are excellent for the nervous system, the brain and emotional stability. Add a protein shake for extra nutrition. Eating a nutritious breakfast cuts down on cravings and will enable you to make it to lunch time with out feeling famished.

Less Healthy Lunch Options
For lunch avoid processed meats, the salt, the sugar, the additives, the source of the meat itself all lend it to be not a great choice. Avoid white bread and sugary snacks. Avoid items with artificial colors. Repeatedly these substances, although labeled by the FDA as “generally recognized as safe” , have been implicated in aggravating hyperactivity and mood disorders. One last thing to avoid are sugary drinks. Young people are developing diabetes at an astounding rate and even fruit juice has been implicated as a factor. Consider diluting fruit juice with mineral water for a tasty lunch beverage.

Healthier Lunch Options
Prepare sandwiches made with whole grain bread. Use a tasty home made spread. It is cheaper and you have better control over the quality of the ingredients. And of course nothing can substitute for the love you put into it. Slice veggies like carrots, celery, broccoli and cauliflower with a dip. Use delicious nut butters for sandwich spreads. Bean burgers are very easy to make and are tasty alternatives to meat as are grain burgers. Adding a few nuts and seeds or a home made trail mix to the lunch box is tasty and nutritious too.

Grapefruit may have a slightly bitter taste and some people prefer to eat it sprinkled with a small amount of sugar on top. A research studies of, well, rats with their testicles removed demonstrated grapefruit pulp to have a protective antioxidant effect and a reduction of bone loss. (Nutrition, 2008, June 30). Research shows that a grapefruit a day may help those with hepatitis C.

At least one of the flavanoids compounds in grapefruit demonstrated an ability to inhibit tumor activity and provide a protective against cancer.

Caution
According to research study carried in Poland, “grapefruit contains active bioflavonoids that may change bioavailability of many medications and raise its concentrations above toxic levels.” If you are on medications you should check if grapefruit or grapefruit juice will produce any harmful reactions.

Yet another study is confirming that adolescents who skip breakfast have a higher risk of being overweight.

“There’s a pretty significant inverse association between how frequently kids report eating breakfast and how much weight they gain over time, and we took into account other dietary factors and physical activity,” said Mark Pereira, co-author of the study, published in the March issue of Pediatrics.

“It’s interesting to note that the kids who eat breakfast on a daily basis overall have a much better diet and are more physically active,” Pereira said.

Added Dr. Peter Richel, chief of pediatrics at Northern Westchester Hospital Center in Mount Kisco, N.Y.: “Grandma and Mom are right. When we skip breakfast, especially in the teenage years, then kids tend to snack and graze.”

More than one-third of teens aged 12 to 19 are now overweight or at risk of becoming overweight. And over the past two decades, the proportion of children who are overweight has doubled; among teens, the proportion has tripled, according to background information with the study.

An estimated 12 percent to 34 percent of children and adolescents skip breakfast on a regular basis, a number that increases with age. Previous studies have linked breakfast skipping with a greater tendency to gain weight.

More than 2,000 adolescents were followed for five years. Participants completed detailed surveys on their eating patterns and also provided information on their height, weight, body-mass index and physical activity.

The more often a person ate breakfast, the less likely he or she was to be overweight or obese.

“This really shows that we have the potential to improve energy balance and weight control with healthy breakfast consumption. We’re not talking pop-tarts.”