Natural Health and Wellness

Ok kids (and adults), it's time to give Brussels Sprouts a try. Believe it or not, my daughter was first exposed to Brussels Sprouts on a cartoon show. (It amazes me the vegetables I have YET to introduce to her... I'll be on a mission now to expose the fruit and vegetable world!) So after seeing those green little veggies on Olivia , she said... "Mom, what are Brussels Sprouts?" Knowing she was a huge fan of raw food and cabbage, I said "They are like little baby cabbages". Then she immediately asked to go to the store and buy them. So we did. We brought them home and she looked at them with a smile. She immediately bit into one and was thrilled! They did taste like baby cabbages! And how fun they were too. Eat them in balls or peel them and eat the leaves one at a time! That was two days ago. Since then, she's asked for them over and over again. The lesson? Continue to introduce new foods to your children. Just because you don't eat them or don...

Give kids a chance to like fresh, living foods. Beyond the regular finger foods of carrot and celery sticks, expose them to tasty salads. It's ok. Let them play with their food. The other night I served my 6-year-old some rice pasta and marinara sauce along with a small bowel of cabbage, carrot, and cilantro salad (no dressing). After only 2 bites of the pasta, she literally pushed her bowl aside and grabbed her bowl of salad. Gobbled it down and had 2 more helpings! This is now one of her favorites! "I could sing my mouth is so happy!" she told me. So how do you get kids to like more raw fruits, vegetables and salads? Expose them to the salad at high-hungry times (after physical activities, snack times, before meals). So what if they fill up before dinner... it's the best thing they can eat! Eat living salads yourself, and often (do as I do, not as I say) Make games of it: "Are you a rabbit?? Here's your munchy, crunchy meal!" Ask them intriguing quest...

Is there something wrong with this image? This is a great Care2 article by Delia Quigley. Learn why you should ditch the milk. Here's an excerpt: A recent article in the New York Times disclosed that the F.D.A. has questioned the illegal levels of antibiotics in commercial milk, while the dairy industry refuses to allow testing. Reporter William Newman wrote that despite the Food and Drug Administrations intention to begin testing for antibiotics in milk, sometime this month, the dairy industry claims that testing “could force farmers to needlessly dump millions of gallons of milk while they waited for test results.” ... ... milk from cows treated with rBGH contains more antibiotics, bovine growth hormone, more pus, and something even more dangerous, Insulin-Like Growth Factor or IGF-1, one of the most powerful growth hormones in the human body and naturally present in cows’ milk. The concern is over the presence of rBGH in a dairy cow’s blood, because it is known to stimulate ...

Want or need to boost your energy? Besides... getting enough sleep (going to bed and getting up at consistent times), drinking plenty of water throughout the day (at least every two hours), maintaining a balanced, whole-food, plant-based diet with regular feedings - but not too much, avoiding excess stimulants (like caffeine and sugar) here are some other helpful energy boosters! (Whew, as if all the above wasn't enough, right?) Goji Berries High on my list of amazing super foods, goji berries pack a healthy punch as being one of the most nutritionally dense foods in the world, and they make a great snack! They contain a healthy balance and dose of both macro- and micro-nutrients, including a high-quality, plant-based complete protein content containing 18 amino acids (and all 8 essential amino acids) along with a rich source of antioxidants (including carotenes, beta-carotene, and zeaxanthin - great for eye health). Goji berries also contain up to 21 trace minerals, like zinc, ir...

I love this entertaining and certainly thought provoking video. Chocolate, Cheese, Meat, and Sugar: Physically Addictive Foods Neal Barnard MD discusses the science behind food additions. Willpower is not to blame: chocolate, cheese, meat, and sugar release opiate-like substances. Dr. Barnard also discusses how industry, aided by government, exploits these natural cravings, pushing us to eat more and more unhealthy foods. A plant-based (vegan) diet is the solution to avoid many of these problems. Neal Barnard is the founder of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM).

We all need protein as it is an important building material for our cells. As parents, we are generally concerned about how much protein our children are getting and where they getting their protein from (especially if our kids eat little or no meat and dairy). Even though there is still much controversy over how much protein we need for health, experts have drastically lowered the out-dated requirements made under faulty influences and inaccurate study observations. The reality is: it is virtually impossible to not get enough protein in your diet if you are eating a diet of natural, unrefined foods. Currently experts are saying you need 2.5 – 10% of your calories as protein, preferably plant-based. The World Health Organization recommends you get 5% of your calories as protein (and 6% for pregnant women). Coincidentally, mother’s milk is 5.5% protein. Here are some tips to make sure you and your little ones are getting the right amount and right source of protein. Contrary to popular ...