This whole Health Care Debate has me in a tizzy.  The question becomes even when we have health care for all, are we looking at the fine print,  and more importantly, what is the real issue here.  Much of this issue is the state of our health in the nation.  Juvenile diabetes is up, Up, UP!!  Why you say,… well just take a walk into one of your weekly birthday celebrations.    It is not enough for the children to run around and have little piece of cake.  But now they must be provided with soda, juice, and goody bags full of sweets.  No parent would ever deny a child more soda if they are thirsty, especially if it would make them look bad to other parents (do you know what is in a can of soda?)… and you know, these kids get thirsty.  I guess water is hardly an option anymore unless the child specifically asks for it.  Even at family celebrations, it is only polite to be serving cake, ice cream, and pastries for dessert.  Dessert is taken to the next level and the snacks on the shelf in the grocery store qualify for the same category as desserts when I grew up.  Parents profess to be aware, but when it comes to this celebration and that celebration we give in… it seems like every day!!  I do not claim to be perfect… far from it.    All I am saying is there is a lot of talk among parents agreeing on this but when it comes to focusing on your own children and family, it is hard to adjust.   That is when the health of our children gets worse, and worse. 

Get Informed -

Google It:

http://www.state.nj.us/health/fhs/shapingnj/partners.shtml

http://www.whale.to/v/sugar_q.html

http://www.facebook.com/SmartHabitsFans#!/SmartHabitsFans?v=wall

Get Cerebral:

http://www.techjackal.net/other/2010/04/22/sugar-is-not-so-sweet-for-your-health/

http://www.nature.com/oby/journal/v10/n6/full/oby200266a.html

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63J69U20100420

http://www.princeton.edu/pr/news/02/q2/0620-hoebel.htm

http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2008/12/12/2008-12-12_sugar_as_addictive_as_cocaine_heroin_stu.html

Here’s the recipe I talked about during the first podcast discussion for Lose Weight the Natural Way and Keep It Off.

This is a very easy substitute for cooked oatmeal at breakfast. It is especially nice in the warmer weather when hot cereal may not be as appealing. Children may enjoy being involved in putting their own bowls together the night before and more likely to be open to something new if they have selected their own ingredients. Of course if many people will be eating it, it may be more convenient to make one bigger batch (and let the children add toppings the next morning). And if you don’t have all the ingredients, don’t let that stop you — you can improvise and use whatever you have on hand.

Homemade Muesli

Ingredients:

Organic rolled oats, enough to fill a cereal bowl
A few raisins, dried cherries, or cranberries
A few almonds (slivered or whole, and other nuts can be substituted as desired)
Cinnamon (in amount that suits your taste)
Shredded unsweetened coconut (for taste, if desired, and healthy fat)
Enough milk of your choice* to cover oats (cow’s, goat’s, almond, rice, hemp)
Ground flax seed** to add in the morning provides healthy fatty acids

Instructions:

1. Combine ingredients of your choice in a cereal bowl. Cover and place in refrigerator, allowing muesli to soak overnight.
2. To serve, add more milk as needed and more fruit if desired (pieces of chopped up apple or berries are both good). Top with ground flax seeds.

* If you don’t drink milk, apple juice can be substituted

** It is best to buy flax as whole seeds in vacuum-sealed bags that can be found in a health food store, as they will be the freshest and have the least chance of going rancid. Store in the freezer and grind small batches in a coffee grinder as needed. Enough to last a week or two can be made at one time and stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator. Ground flax can also be added to salads, sprinkled on other cereals, yogurt or inside any kind of nut butter sandwiches (which is a great way to add it to a child’s diet).

Beth Baldino, MSW, CHHC, Health Counselor, www.consciouswellness.net, beth@consciouswellness.net, (973) 979-6951

August 2009, Beth Baldino speaking about weight loss.

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Detailed information on Beth in our Contributers Section

Green vegetables are the foods most missing in our diets. Learning to cook and eat greens is essential to creating health. Nutritionally, leafy greens like kale are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and vitamins A, C, E and K. They are full of fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other micronutrients and phyto-chemicals.

This is a very easy way to prepare kale and great for introducing it to someone who is not a big vegetable eater (and of course, children). Prepared in this manner it can be eaten plain as a side dish, over a grain, in a salad, or as a snack like chips.

Shopping Tips: Look for kale with firm, deeply-colored leaves and moist, hardy stems. Leaves should look fresh and be free of browning, yellowing or small holes. Heads with smaller-sized leaves may be more tender and have a milder flavor.

Preparation: Cut off stem, and wash leaves thoroughly. Cut the leaves into bite-size pieces.

If your oven doesn’t have a timer, you might want to use an egg timer. This recipe has to be watched carefully to prevent burning.

Roasted Crispy Kale

Ingredients:

1 bunch of kale
About a 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of olive oil
Sea salt (or spice such as curry or cumin if preferred)

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2) Spread bite-size pieces of kale out on cookie sheet (you may need two depending on size of head)
3) Pour a little olive oil over leaves (use a ½ to 1 whole tablespoon per sheet).
4) Add a little salt or seasoning if desired
5) Use hands to toss kale to spread oil evenly over leaves.
6) Bake for 5 minutes until pieces on the edge start to turn a bit brown. Watch carefully as leaves can burn quickly.
7) Remove and toss the pieces around, then return to oven and bake another 5 minutes.
Remove and serve.

Beth Baldino, MSW, CHHC, Health Counselor, www.consciouswellness.net, beth@consciouswellness.net, (973)979-6951