Author: Joshua Zelesnick

Here are some ways to add instant health to your daily diet.  Try some or all of these super foods to start your day off and end your day off great.  You may already have some of these foods in your diet, and good for you, but try some of the others too, and while you’re at it give some of what may be your least favorite foods another chance.  Your health is worth it.

1. Sweet potatoes:  If only Thanksgiving could be once a week.  The sweet potato is a nutritional all-star and one o the best vegetables you can eat.  Sweet potatoes are loaded with carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.

2. Grape tomatoes:  Okay, so we all had a scare with tomatoes a little while ago, but as it turns out it was not the tomatoes that had the salmonella.  So go out and buy them!  They’re packed with vitamin C and vitamin A, and you also get fiber, phytochemicals, and a lot of flavor.

3. Fat free or 1 percent milk and yogurt:  Ditch whole milk and whole milk yogurt and turn to fat-free alternatives.  If you can’t make the giant leap, start off with two percent milk, then move on to one percent, then try fat-free.  These low-fat dairy products are an excellent source of calcium, vitamins, and protein with little or no artery-clogging fat or cholesterol.

4. Broccoli:  It’s so good for us!  True it’s really green and it may not be the most appealing vegetable, especially for kids, but give it another try.  Steam it, add it to a stir fry, and melt a little cheese on it.  Broccoli has lots of vitamin C, carotenoids, and folic acid.

5. Wild Salmon:  The omega-3 fats in fatty fish like salmon can help reduce the risk of sudden-death heart attacks.  Salmon that is caught in the wild has less PCB contamination than farm-raised salmon.

6. Crisp breads:  Whole-grain rye crackers, like Wasa, Rye Krisp, and Ryvita, are loaded with fiber and are often fat-free.

7. Microwaveable or ten minute brown rice:  If you can’t decide on a side dish, why not choose brown rice?  Brown rice contains fiber, magnesium, vitamins E and B-6, copper, zinc and phytochemicals.

8. Citrus fruit:  Yum!  Yum!  Citrus fruits taste great and are rich in vitamin C, folic acid, and fiber.

9. Butternut squash:  Doesn’t it just sound good?  Every half-cup has five grams of fiber and loads of vitamins A and C.

10. Spinach and kale:  Both are packed with vitamins A, C, and K, folate, potassium, magnesium, iron, lutein, and phytochemicals. 

Add these foods to your diet and see if you feel and look better in a month.  Your taste buds will be happy too.  Cheers to happy and healthy eating.

In 2007, concerns were raised over obesity ranking as the top 3^rd children’s health concern. In 2008, it tops the chart as the number one health concern facing children today. The list, released by the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health, asked parents to evaluate 20 different health problems for children in their community. The results, according to many health care professionals, are not that surprising.

In the year 2007, the top 2 health concerns were drug abuse by teens, with 39% of the vote and smoking, with 40%. While obesity was still a major problem, it ranked just below drug abuse and smoking, receiving just 34% of the vote. This year’s list, however, shows something entirely different. Obesity is now the biggest health concern parents have for their children, receiving 35% of the vote, with drug abuse and smoking coming in at a close second and third.

What is perhaps equally concerning are the presence of three new items on the list: bullying, ADD, and environmental toxins. While there is no definitive link between these items and obesity, some studies suggest that there is a possible connection between ADHD and obesity. In addition, children with obesity may be more likely to experience bullying from their peers. What this says about the current state of children’s health in this country is simple: it is vital to begin focusing on a healthier lifestyle for our children as well as for ourselves. Doing so may not only reduce the risk of medical conditions such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, but it may also improve the overall happiness and quality of life for both children and adults.

It isn’t hard to understand why obesity is such a problem for children in today’s society. Just take a look at the advertisements currently being marketed toward children and you’ll be surprised to find an astonishing amount of unhealthy practices being glorified. Children are giving up playing outside in favor of spending time playing video games or surfing the internet. While these activities are fine to an extent, a lifestyle built around fast-food and video games inevitably fails to lead to a healthy, active future.

In addition, with the prevalence of fast-food and the overwhelming presence of candy bars, pop, and chips, it isn’t hard to see why so many young people struggle with their weight. Schools contribute to the problem as well, with high-calorie lunches being marketed toward kids. With companies like YoNaturals working to build a healthier future, perhaps we can look forward to a year when obesity will no longer be at the top of the list for children’s health concerns.

Article by Bethany Cox for YoNaturals.com