Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Let's Have Healthy Children!

Many of the questions I am asked concerning children are:

* How do I get my children to eat vegetables?
* With a new baby, what do I first feed him and when?
* How do I treat my child with this disorder (irritable bowl syndrome-IBS, skin rashes, constipation, ADD, hyperactivity, and more)
* What are some healthy snacks?
* How do I get my children to eat beans, whole grains, raw foods?

Here’s some suggestions to be carefully considered:

* The first foods for a baby are extremely important in setting their eating habits for life – really! If you start a child with processed rice cereal, fruit juices and baby foods, your child will not get a good taste for wholesome foods. Instead, get a baby food grinder (and take it every where you go) and grind up lightly cooked vegetables, cooked whole grains, raw fruits, and cooked beans. Introducing them to a baby in that order is best too. As you do this, your child’s taste will already be accustomed to wholesome foods. This is most of the battle right here.
* As you continue to feed your child these basic foods for the majority of his/her diet, most of the disorders will be non-existent. Remember why we are supposed to eat foods: To provide nourishment for the body! If we do not give the body nourishing foods, the body will react in disorder and dysfunction. On the other hand, if we eat foods high in nutrition, our body will have the nutrients to heal and strengthen itself.
* There are many great healthy snacks that are convenient too. Just get out of the “goldfish and fruitloops” mindset. Great snacks include mini carrot sticks, fresh cut apples, raisins, raw nuts and trail mixes (for older toddlers), popcorn (do not use micro-waved popcorn as the structure of the grain is altered and unhealthy), whole grain crackers, rice cakes, granola, granola bars, and more. These and others are all high in nutrition and fiber, as opposed to the unhealthy carbs, sugars, fats, and calories that most children’s snacks are. And again, your child will acquire the taste for good wholesome foods and enjoy eating them.

Eating a good nutritious diet and being healthy is mostly just a matter a better food choices. Choose to eat and to provide your children the foods that are high in nutrition and fiber, much of which are raw and whole. The health benefits are well worth it!

To your best health,
Erleen Tilton

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Having a Healthy Heart!

Having a healthy heart is just a matter of making smart heart food choices as well as getting a good amount of excercise daily. Here are some good healthy heart food suggestions:

* Note the foods given on the last post - Ten of the Worst Foods to Avoid - and avoid them!
* Eat dried beans and peas, whole grains, raw fruits and vegetables as your main diet.
* Eat soy products (tofu, soy milk) which are good for the heart.
* Think green - celery, broccoli, spinach, kale, leavy greens, fresh herbs are all good for the heart.
* Eat cold-water fish such as salmon, tuna, and cod.
* For good fats, use cold pressed olive oil and safflower oil, plus raw nuts, flax seeds and avocados.
* Don't eat sodium chloride (salt)! Eat an unprocessed high mineral sea salt such as Real Salt.
* When you eat out - make these same good food choices. It's possible to eat well always!

Have a healthy heart by choosing heart smart foods - and remember to exercise daily too!

To your best health,
Erleen

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Ten of the Worst Foods to Avoid

There are two distinctive types of foods: 1) those that work with the body to build, nourish, and energize, and 2) those that work against the body and clog, pollute, and toxify.

So what are some of the foods that work against the body? Here are ten of the worst:

1) Soda Drinks: One can of soda contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar, has 150 calories, is filled with artificial food colors and additives, and sometimes 30 to 55 mg of caffeine. The active ingredient in soda is phosphoric acid. Its pH is 2.8 - which is highly acidic - and will dissolve a nail in about 4 days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis. Soda consumption is also linked to obesity, tooth ceday and heart disease. Drinks don't need to be sweetened or fizzy to quench the thirst, once you drink good pure water, you'll feel tons better.

2) Pork: This meat is full of fat, food colorings, preservatives, nitrates, and salt - very difficult for the body to digest. These all produce only negative effects on the body.

3) Shellfish: Most of these are ocean floor feeders consuming mostly dead matter, debris, and toxic chemicals that settle. Shrimp are a partial exception because they do swim and feed on live plants.

4) Trans Fats: Trans fats occur naturally in meat and dairy products. However, most of the trans fats consumed today are man-made hydrogenated (shortening or margarine) or partial hydrogenated plant oils which raises the blood cholesterol and clogs the arteries. Partial hydrogenation changes a fat's molecular structure, which raises its melting point and reduces racidity, which is why most chips and other processed foods are made with partially hydrogenated oils - trans fats!

5) Fried Foods: Doughnuts, French fries, fried chicken and fish, chips, etc. not only usually contain the trans fats, but the high temperature of the oil used to fry them create carcinogens (cancer causing agents), producing large amounts of damaging free radicals in the body.

6) Junk Foods: Foods that are highly processed (white flour, white sugar) are high in calories, poor carbs, fats, salt, yet are deplete in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Avoid the fast food restaurants, and prepared food isles in the grocery stores and choose simple wholesome food creations instead.

7) High Fat Milk Products: Ice creams, shakes, freezes, cheesecakes, sour cream, and butter may taste good, but are all very high in calories, fat, and cholesterol and are hard on the arteries. Studies also show that countries that consume the highest amounts of milk, also have the highest cases of osteoporosis. We do need calcium but better sources of calcium come from vegetable sources.

8) Artificial Sweeteners: These are often chosen as to avoid using sugar. However, artificial sweeteners are much worse being toxic to the system, creating emotional and nervous disorders, and are proven to cause cancer.

9) Caffeine: Caffeine is a stimulant which is addictive which is why it is added to many drinks, and why caffeinated drinks are marketed so heavily. It causes headaches, nervousness, chronic fatigue, insomnia and more. The more chemical stimulation the body receives, the less it functions on its own.

10) Alcohol: Alcohol is absorbed directly into the blood stream from the stomach and slows down the physical and mental capacities in the body.

This is actually a list of the most common daily consumed foods in America, yet they need to be avoided like the plague if you would like to attain your desired weight and great health.

There are many, many wonderful foods that work with your body to build, nourish and energize you. To learn all about these foods, how to prepare them, and about living a healthy lifestyle all in 3 days with a professional trainer, see http://erleentilton.com/healthretreat2.htm. It's an experience you won't forget!

To Your Best Health,
Erleen Tilton

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Conquer the Colds and Flu!

It's cold and flu season again and it's no fun being miserable with a cold or the flu! However, colds and flu don't just grab you - they really come as nature's way of cleaning house if your body is in need of it. So you can do either one of 2 things: 1) sit back and relax and thank nature for saving your life when sicknesses do come, or 2) you can take the precautions to do the house cleaning and immunity building yourself so you don't get sick.

My daughter once approached me and said, "Mom, why does everyone get sick but you?" Well, that was a great observance from a growing child, but the truth of the matter is that if you eat well, and boost your immune system during cold and flu season, you will most likely avoid most sicknesses. Here's a few tips, foods, and supplements that work well for me:

1) During the holidays, most people double up on junk foods which are clogging and polluting to the body. If you don't get sick during the holidays, you will often get sick afterwards - again, it's a natural way for the body to cleanse. Just remember this: the more polluted your body is, the more cleansing is needed - or the longer the sickness lasts. If you can remember to eat mostly cleansing foods during the holidays, and afterwards follow a good cleansing program, you will be steps ahead.

2) Good cleansing foods include raw fruits (especially apples), raw vegetables, fruit and vegetable juices - preferably raw, especially fresh orange juice or green juices, lightly steamed vegetables, baked potatoes and squashes, vegetable and whole grain soups, and herbal cleansing teas.

3) Some of my favorite immune booster foods and products include:
* Emergen-C - 2000 mg. vitamin C packets, a must for colds, sinus, sore throat, etc.
* Fresh garlic - virus fighting, best to use fresh in green salads and main dishes once or twice daily, but it can also be taken in capsule form.
* Natrol Ultimate Antioxidant - greatest immune builder, I take 2-4 capsules daily when colds and flues are threatening.
* Echinacea with Golden Seal & Vitamin C - I have found this Oregon's Wild Harvest brand to be one of the most effective antibiotic/cleanser to fight colds, earaches, sore throat, etc. Do not take acidophilus at the same time as an antibiotic cleanses all bacteria.
* Probiotics: my favorite is UAS Labs, DDS-PLUS Acidophilus with Bifidus - a must for the flu, putting live bacteria in the intestines, and even in the colon if needed. This is also a must to take following a session of taking any kind of anti-biotics (medicinal, herbal) to build back the healthy bacteria.

Just think of it. You really don't have to suffer with sicknesses through the winter months. Get smart! Eat smart! Build your system and feel great instead!

To your best health,
Erleen

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Slow Down and Value Life!

When you stop and think about it, almost everything is geared towards speed! Our days seem to revolve around things that are fast - fast cars, fast freeways, fast computers, fast food, even get rich quick schemes, quick loss weight gimicks - everything is done in a fast, fast way, and we are yet trying to make things even faster. Why?

Time is valuable, yes! But value is also valueable! So think about this: if anything that is time saving is a loss of value, is it really of worth or benefit to you in the long run.

Does it help to have a fast car, if you are continually getting speeding tickets?

Does a quick weight loss program benefit you if it is not permanent?

Is fast food really worth eating if it contains no nutritive value, which deficiencies will eventually create disorders and cause you to put on weight?

Think about what you value most. Time is important, so where will you spend your time this year?

Will you be spending more time in front of the television or will you spend more time working out?

Will you be spending more time frantically fighting traffic, shopping, and picking up fast foods, or will you be creating good healthy menus at home?

Will you be reading romance novels, comics, movie star magazines, or will you be seeking education to improve your self, your family, and your health?

Time is valuable! But if you will slow down and place a higher value on your health, you will be able to accomplish much more than with any time saving technique or device!

I have a gift for you for the new year. It is "Your Weight, Your Health, Your Choice" audio program. Just click on this link to receive it: http://www.livingahealthylifestyle.com/congrats2.htm

May you enjoy the best of health throughout this coming year and always!

To your best health,
Erleen Tilton