Child's Play

Do you want your child to eat less junk food? Possibly dealing with a child who’s developed an unhealthy eating disorder? Try sitting down to a family meal say researchers in studies recently published.

Following the analysis of more than 15 studies that examined childhood obesity, eating disorders, and family meals, physicians discovered that sitting down to a family meal three or more times a week resulted in a 12% reduction in the odds that he or she would develop an eating disorder. Frequent family meals also led to a 20% reduction in the likelihood of a child’s eating junk food and a 24% increase in their eating healthier foods.

If attempting to sit down for dinner every evening, try taking a seat and starting off your day over breakfast.

You can easily plan these healthy meal times ahead of time. Reserve Sunday afternoon or a slow evening during the week to prep healthy meals so you aren’t in a scramble after arriving home figuring out what to make for dinner!

Wanting to have a healthy burger for dinner or maybe even two? Here is a recipe for grilled tuna burgers that are high in protein, low in fat and under 200 calories. These Tuna Burgers are a great tasting way to get your protein needs filled, while still being healthy and letting you eat some great tasting food.

Ingredients:

• 450 Grams of Tuna
• 40 Grams of chopped onion (1/2 small onion)
• 1 large carrot (shredded)
• 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic
• 4 egg whites
• 20 grams of chopped chives
• 40 grams of bread crumbs
• Spices to taste

Cooking Instructions : Mix all the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. If you like spices you can add chili or paprika here as well. Split ingredients into four patties. Take a tray and cover with a non-stick piece of baking paper. Spray the paper lightly with low fat cooking spray. Grill patties on both sides until brown.

Serving Suggestions : serve the tuna patties in the traditional style with a roll and trimmings or with rice and vegetables.

Nutritional Information : Protein: 35 grams per burger. Carbs: 15 grams per burger. Fat: 1.2 grams per burger a great total of around 200 calories per burger Pattie so eat healthy and enjoy.

For all you’re other Nutritional Supplements shop www.i-Supplements.com, Your Portal to Fitness & Well-Being.

Tired of the same old pizza on the weekends? Here is a make it yourself recipe that will have you eating healthy and getting your protein too.

Smoky Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Ingredients :

• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 14oz whole wheat pizza crust 12” around
• 12oz grilled chicken strips
• ¾ cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

Directions: Pre heat oven to 450 degrees. Spread barbecue sauce over pizza crust. Place chicken strips on to crust and spread more barbecue sauce over chicken strips. Top with onion and mozzarella cheese. Put in oven for 12 to 15 min wait for cheese to melt and pizza crust to be crisp.

Nutrition Facts:

• 276 calories in 3 slices
• 21g Protein
• 33g Carbs
• 7g fat (3.5g sat fat)
• 1.5g fiber
• 209mg calcium

Make sure and check out www.i-Supplements.com for all your health supplement needs.

As we start another new year off let not forget about our children’s daily health needs. www.i-Supplements.com not only carries nutrition supplements for adults but, we have a great line of Children’s Nutritional Supplements available at great prices too.

From birth to your child’s teenage years, overall health is one of the most important things that you can help teach. Taking a daily multivitamin & mineral supplement along with proper nutrition and a healthy diet is a great start. This is something that when started young will follow them on through adulthood. Too many bad habits are formed as children and then increased as we become adults.

From pills to great tasting liquid vitamins and chewable supplements, i-Supplements.com has a great selection of Children’s Nutritional Supplements. You are sure to be able to find something to fit the individual needs of your special child.

While you’re shopping for your children, make sure a browse our great variety of All Natural Multivitamins & Minerals for yourself too. i-Supplements.com, Your Portal to Fitness & Wellbeing.

Why is physical fitness so important for kids?

Physical fitness and exercise are essential for children in today’s world. The phrase, “My child is a couch potato,” is all too common in this country. Childhood obesity is on a fast incline with troubling results including health problems that are usually associated with adults. The combination of too much television and not enough physical activity can lead to serious concerns that include:

· Diabetes
· High Blood Pressure
· High Cholesterol
· Painful Joint Conditions
· Child Gallstones

The number of overweight children has more than doubled in the past 30 years. Obesity prevention should start at home with a proper example of healthy living. Parents should plan fun kids activities and workouts so that the child is exercising enough. So, how much exercise is enough? According to the 2009 dietary guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services, all children 2 years and older should get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise on most, preferably all, days of the week. Statistics show that 30 percent of children aged 6 to 18 are overweight, with 15 percent of them being obese. Sports training along with physical education play a key role in children’s fitness. Kids fitness does not have to limited to team sports like baseball and soccer. Parents can help their children improve self-esteem and body image with individual activities like:

· Swimming
· Bicycling
· Karate
· Aerobics
· Dance
· Weight Training
· Kick Boxing

Healthy kids equal happy kids. Staying active and healthy eating is the solution to this growing problem that has plagued America for the last 15 years. Feeding your children with healthy recipes at an early age will help increase energy and focus at school and in other healthy extra curricular activities. Regular physical activity over months and years produces long-term health benefits and reduces the risk of many diseases. The average kid in the United States spends around 24 hours a week watching television. The introduction of fitness DVDs to your child is a great way to spark interest and excitement for them at home or at the gym. A kid’s personal trainer is another new concept that is being used to help with this alarming problem. Trainers have the ability to help teach healthy habits to kids and also provide them with a fitness foundation that will allow the child to make healthy decisions.

The Team at i-Supplements.com

Browse our easy to use online catalog now at www.i-Supplements.com!

Teaching Kids to Effectively Exercise

Unlike adults, most kids are not interested in organized or supervised exercise programs. Children prefer activities that are typically considered free play. If you plan to set a regular exercise program for children understand that they do require education and motivation to participate in a regular routine.
Here are a few tips on teaching and motivating children to exercise:
1.    Clear Training Objectives: If you are organizing a regular routine workout with children, set clear training objectives in a simple to understand manner.
2.    Use concise instruction with precise demonstration: Show and tell is a simple but effective way to communicate the information.
3.    Attentive Supervision: Many children lack confidence in their exercise abilities and appreciate adult supervision and encouragement. A qualified instructor can provide great motivation for young exercisers.
4.    Appropriate Assistance: Strength training is often difficult for young exercisers. Provide a little manual assistance to guide them to a successful exercise experience.
5.    One Task at a Time: Give children only one task at a time to ensure they do not become confused. This increases the probability they will progress successfully through the exercise session.
6.    Gradual Progression: Take small steps with young exercisers. Do not introduce a new task until the first one is mastered. Better to have young exercisers learn the correct way to exercise than to un-learn the wrong way.
7.    Positive Reinforcement: Increase a child’s self-confidence and satisfaction with exercise by giving them encouraging comments, personal compliments or a pat on the shoulder. Telling children they are doing a good job is one of the best ways to keep them doing a good job.
8.    Specific Feedback: Positive reinforcement is much more meaningful when delivered with specific feedback. Giving a reason for your comment increases the value of the statement.
9.    Careful Questioning: Children may be reluctant to give information that could be useful in selecting the right exercises. Try to ask questions that require more than a yes and no answer.
10.    Pre- and Post-Exercise Dialogue: Spend some time before and after an exercise session in an enthusiastic conversation with the children. It will give you insight into what makes them tick.

The Team at i-Supplements.com

Browse our easy to use online catalog today at www.i-Supplements.com

Setting New Nutritional Marketing Standards for Kids

The federal government is headed in exactly the right direction with the new draft nutritional standards proposed recently for foods that are specifically marketed to children. If adopted, the landscape of kids food advertising would shift dramatically in favor of foods that promote health, and away from foods that promote obesity and disease. If these standards are adopted, it would be one of the most significant developments in this area in over 30 years.

Food Marketers, and their self-regulatory body, the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative, should adopt these standards on a voluntary basis. Rather than trying to weaken these standards, we hope that the industry sees these recommendations as a wake-up call, and soon phases out the discredited practice of marketing junk food to kids alltogether.

The Team at i-Supplements.com

Browse our easy to use online catalog at www.i-Supplements.com

Oh, where do I start! The benefits of breastfeeding are practically countless. There are benefits to baby and mom, as well as, to society. Babies who are breastfed grow just as they are supposed to since the breastmilk has the perfect combination of fat, sugar, protein, and water. It also gives the newborn much needed antibodies that help protect it from bacteria and viruses. These same antibodies also protect it from developing other infectious diseases and greatly cuts down on infant hospitalizations. Breastfed babies also score slightly higher on IQ tests when compared to their formula fed counterparts. They also have less incidence of SIDS. Studies have proven that when an infant is breastfed, that as an adult, it is less likely to develop diabetes, lymphoma, leukemia, be overweight or obese, or have high cholesterol or asthma. Breastmilk is tolerated and digested better than formula, its always the right temperature, and it is the most natural and complete food available. Formula is a good second, but it will never be able to match the perfection of the real thing!

For the mother, producing breastmilk requires extra calories, therefore using the calories for milk production instead of fat storage which helps get some of the pregnancy weight gain off. It also helps the uterus get back to its original size faster, while cutting down on excess bleeding. It decreases the risk of ovarian and breast cancers, and it may decrease the incidence of hip fractures and osteoporosis after menopause. It is convenient, sanitary, and FREE! Immediate gratification for the infant anywhere you are, no measuring formula, cleaning dirty bottles and nipples, or making sure everything is sanitary; and best of all it’s free. No running out of formula in the middle of the night, or worrying about the temperature being just right. It also creates a bond between mom and baby that cannot be explained. I personally breastfed all three of my kids for the first year, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world!

From a societal standpoint, breastfeeding lowers healthcare costs and workplace absenteeism (since there is less sick visits and hospitalization for the infant), which increases workplace productivity. It also creates less trash and plastic waste from formula cans, bottles, nipples, and other supplies needed to make formula, so it is much better for the environment. It promotes family bonding and shows a commitment of dedication from mom to baby saying, “I’m doing everything I can to give you the best start possible!”

Julie Riggs MED RD LD

Take a minute and picture a new and improved you, a happy, healthy and fit individual. Just think and believe that image isn’t too hard for you to achieve. We here at http://www.i-supplements.com want to help turn your goals into a reality. Don’t hesitate to call 800-244-4116 to make the change is in your future, and let us help you get there.

1. Provide A Healthy Breakfast Every Day.
It is important for the health and the growth of your child that they have a healthy breakfast every morning. By taking the time to provide them with the right foods every morning, they will have a more energized day and, over time, will learn to make healthier choices.

Every breakfast should consist of healthy carbohydrates, low fat or lean proteins, and healthy fats. Here are some great foods to build meals from:

PROTEINS CARBOHYDRATES FATS
Chicken Fruits Olive Oil
Turkey Vegtables EFA’s
Eggs Beans Avocado
Fish Brown Rice (no white) Low Fat Cheese
Low Fat Cottage Cheese Whole Wheat Pasta Nuts
Lean Beef Sweet Potatoes Natural Peanut Butter
Whey Protein Powder Whole Grain Breads
A few examples of a healthy breakfast:

Egg White Omelette: made with 1 whole egg and 2 egg whites, filled with chopped veggies, salsa, and low fat shredded cheese. You can also add some chopped up turkey sausage in the omelette which is what I do for my 2 kids.

Eggs in a Nest: Tear a circle out in the middle of a piece of whole grain bread. Put the bread in a skillet and crack the egg in the middle of the bread where the hole is and cook. This is my kids favorite breakfast meal. Add a few pieces of turkey sausage on the side and you have a great tasting healthy breakfast.
2. Don’t Drink the Calories and Sugars.
As a parent, we are so tempted to grab the quick juice boxes and sodas, but these types of drinks add lots of unnecessary calories and everyday that are void of any nutritional value. In addition, it is speculated that many of the ingredients in these products are chemically causing our children to eat more and crave sugar. Many of these products today are loaded with sugars especially soda’s and juices.
Replace calorie and sugar filled drinks with good old fashion H2O, you can never go wrong with water. We drink at least 1 gallon of crystal light a day at home, there are so many tasty flavors to choose from you can make a different flavor pitcher everyday of the week.
3. Put The Healthy Stuff Up Front.
Take a lesson from the grocery store. The grocery stores always put the tasty stuff up front in our reach because they know we are more likely to buy it then. Keep a variety of healthy foods at the front of the refrigerator so the kids can grab them when they want a snack.

Here are some healthy options:

• • Cottage Cheese w/ Fruit & Nuts: some low-fat cottage cheese with fresh fruit and some raw unsweetened almonds.
  • Fruit Smoothie: mix your favorite whey protein with some low-fat milk, some frozen blueberries, strawberries or a banana with some EFA’s.

4. Have Frozen Fruit For Snacks.
If your kids like frozen treats, you can likely make a big hit with some frozen fruits. Freezing things like grapes, bananas, melons, and all sorts of berries can be a great treat. Serve up some frozen strawberries topped with low-fat Cool Whip. Another tip is to dip and then freeze. Start by placing the fruit on a toothpick and then lightly dip the fruits in a low-fat Jell-O Chocolate pudding. Freeze and serve! I love to put Crystal Light in ice cube trays and freeze them with toothpicks in them and its like a little popsickle and its sugar free.
5. Let Them Snack.
Kids like to snack and as parents we should encourage them to snack, but as we allow them the ability to snack we must also provide healthy options! Options like whole grain cereals with low-fat milk, whole grain bread, fruits, and low-fat cheese sticks.

6. Limit The Availability Of Junk Food.
To limit the availability of junk food, you must always provide your kids with several healthy options. Always have the healthy choices within reach. The more you can do to keep the junk out of the house or out of reach the better, but don’t start things out by forbidding any foods. It is best if you simply limit the bad foods you have in your house.
7. Make It At Home.
As Americans, we are eating out way too much. When dining out at restaurants, we tend to eat too much and eat more of the foods we shouldn’t be eating. A majority of the time the foods we eat, even when we are away from home, should be the foods we make in our home. Prepare sandwiches, salads, and homemade soups to have on hand as regular snacks between meals.

Here are some healthy dinner options:

Chicken Wrap: boiled, steamed or grilled chicken, wrapped in a whole grain soft tortilla with peppers and tomatoes sautéed in olive oil, red or black beans, and a little shredded cheese and avocado.
Chicken Salad: boiled, steamed or grilled chicken, tossed in a salad with fresh veggies and a dressing on the side for dipping. Make salads more interesting by adding fruits like grapes, sections of mandarin orange, chunks of pineapple, and sliced peaches.
Kabobs: chicken, beef, or shrimp grilled to perfection with your choice of veggies. Place your kabobs over some brown rice and some beans.
8. Always Have A Fresh Fruit Bowl In Arms Reach.
In place of a cookie jar, always keep a bowl of fresh fruit on the kitchen table or counter top so the kids are likely to reach for a healthy snack instead of grabbing something they don’t need.

9. Don’t Make Them ‘Clean’ Their Plate.
Don’t force your child to eat everything on their plate if they are no longer hungry. It is one thing if you think your child just doesn’t want to take the time to eat and completely another if you are threatening to punish them if they don’t eat everything. A child’s appetite will vary, based on activity and growth spurts. Sometimes they will have less of an appetite and at other times they will eat extra to make up.
10. Get Outside!
Limit the time that the family spends indoors watching TV and playing video games, and get more active! It is important to plan fun activities with the family like taking them to the park to play some sports as a family, taking a walk, or going on a family camping trip for some hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, and fishing. If it’s a day you and the family must stay inside remember to exercise you mind as well, there is nothing wrong with sitting as a family in the living room and everyone reading a good book.Every parent should remember that old saying “If you are what you eat” then so are your kid’s.