Friday, March 23, 2007

Children And Vitamins: Get Them Off To A Healthy Start

Someday, the children that we know will be running the world.Yes, all the little boys and girls who are now playing withballs and frogs, dolls and blocks will someday be thepoliticians, business executives, law enforcement officials,teachers, and, most important, parents. Thats why its socritical to teach them the right things now. Proper nutritionand a healthy lifestyle are a couple of those things. Achilds educational lessons about nutrition are the foundationof good health as an adult. Physical growth and mentaldevelopment are dependent on a child having not only adequatenutrients, but also the proper ones. It is the adults role whether it be a parent or other family member, teacher, orfriend to educate children on proper nutrition. After all,neither the body nor the brain can function adequately withoutthe right nutrients; and when our new leaders makeworld-changing decisions, its imperative that their bodies andminds are as sharp and strong as possible. Discount vitaminscan help accomplish this.Much time and effort is put into nourishing newborn babies withthe most nutritious foods available - from formula and breastmilk to fortified cereals and baby foods. This concern isjustified given the amount of growth a baby is expected to doin his or her first 12 months. (Healthy babies should doubletheir birth weights by 6 months of age and triple them by 12months of age.) Then they become toddlers and develop mindsand tastes of their own. Suddenly, the only foods allowed toenter into their mouths are chicken nuggets and chocolate chipcookies. Forget the four food groups theyve just beenreduced to two; and a balanced diet on two food groups (and noteven good ones) is like a balanced table on two legs it justdoesnt work. Parents do their best to teach their littleones that peas and applesauce are more important in their dietsthan crackers and fruit snacks, but it becomes a battle ofwills. Eventually, it becomes a compromise (sometimes known asa bribe). Okay, little Sammy. If you want that piece ofchocolate cake, you must eat all of the green beans on yourplate.Just when parents think theyve got a handle on the whole dietand nutrition thing with their little ones, the toddlers becomestudents and go off to school for one or two meals a day. Thismeans an introduction to hot lunch and cafeteria food. Sure,school menus are regulated by certain government guidelines,but when ketchup and salsa are classified as vegetables, howmuch faith can be had in the nutritional value of a schoollunch? So, well-intending parents send their kids with sacklunches full of the four main food groups. The saying goesthat you can take a kid to the cafeteria, but you cant keephim from trading his apple for a candy bar.Then they become teenagers and dont want their lunches fromhome or from the school. Theyd rather enjoy open campus andventure over to whatever fast food establishment is nearby ifone hasnt set up operations right on campus. Fast food menusare high in saturated fat and simple carbohydrates and very lowin nutritional value. Want to confuse a fast food employee?Ask him how to get a single serving of vegetables off therestaurants menu.While adults cannot necessarily control what the children intheir lives eat when not under their direct supervision, theycan still have a major influence over the choices that theymake and they can provide those children with discount vitaminsto fill in the nutritional blanks that their daily diets create.There are many varieties of childrens daily vitamins fromwhich to choose, but all of them offer many of the nutrientsthat are lacking in our everyday foods.For infants and toddlers, there are vitamin drops availablefrom a number of sources. These drops provide multiplevitamins, but are concentrated in vitamin D. Vitamin D helpsin the absorption of calcium and is critical to the developmentof strong bones and teeth. As children get older, they are ableto graduate to the fun and fruity chewable multi-vitamins.These are available in sugar-free, vitamins-plus-minerals,extra vitamin C, extra calcium, and other versions.By purchasing discount vitamins online, not only can parentsprovide their children with the freshest vitamins available(due to the fast turnover of inventory caused by large salesvolume), but they can also save money for the many other thingsthat their kids need, like braces and summer camp and college.Additionally, there is much research and information to befound online regarding childrens nutrition, vitaminsupplements, and some of the major dietary issues facing kidstoday.When researching vitamins and nutrition for children, it is amost convenient time to do the same for oneself. While adultsare no longer growing and developing, proper nutrition is stillvital for maintaining proper organ function, preventing disease,and for staying energized. Additionally, consuming the rightnutrients can also slow the signs of aging and help keep adultsfeeling like children themselves. Besides, grown-up diets areoften more nutritionally void than those of their kids. Hecticschedules and a lack of healthy convenience foods are majorcontributing factors.The very most important reason adults should consider their ownhealth and nutrition as much as their childrens is that kidslearn by example. The whole do as I say, not as I doapproach to teaching children values and good habits doesnt govery far. The best way to teach a child about nutrition anddiet is to show him. When children see adults taking theirvitamins everyday, chances are that the children will followsuit and want to do the same. Couple this with an explanationof how vitamins help kids grow up big and strong (and helpadults stay that way), and children will soon be reminding theparents to take their vitamins.Solid and complete nutrition is the foundation of a childsdevelopment. Not only does adequate nourishment ensure ahealthy body, but it also helps in mental development.Children who receive proper nutrition not only grow up healthyand strong, but they also learn better and develop strongercognitive thinking skills. Eating balanced meals and takingmultivitamins are not things that children learn to do on theirown. They are dependent on the adults in their lives to teachthem and show them. By example, children learn about healthylifestyles and how to take care of their bodies. Adults canteach children by establishing their own healthy routines, suchas eating right and taking discount vitamins daily. This is agreat opportunity to do something for oneself and help the kidsat the same time.About The Author: By a freelance writer for VitaNet Healthfoods, http://vitanetonline.com/ , who sells quality vitaminsand herbs with a wide selection of Discount Vitamins:http://vitanetonline.com/ that are in stock and ready to ship.Please link to this site when using article.

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

How To Keep Fit In The Workplace

You can participate in exercises at work to help yourself. Someexercises you can do while working are: Ankle rotation, backstretches, and tightening and relaxing the abdominal muscles. 1. A foundation for fitnessYou can contribute to your fitnessby using a healthy diet and exercise plan. You do not have tostart a fad, crash diet or spend hours daily at the gym. Tostay fit, cut fatty foods and high sugar foods from your diet,snack on greens and fruits and take long walks every few days.Many people can maintain a healthy body by eating salad forlunch and taking a refreshing jog every other day. 2. Prevent Obesity Anybody can become obese by for example neglecting themselves.Financial concerns usually takes priority over physicalfitness. If you often find yourself pressed for time because ofa large project or a looming deadline, there are a few simpleexercises you can do right in your cubicle to keep your musclesflexible and your joints strong. 3. What you should do Rotate your ankles to help blood circulation and to loosenmuscles and joints. Stretch your back often to help preventachy back problems. Tighten and relax your abdominal muscles togive your tummy some workout. You can do this in many placesbecause they're discreetly tightening and relaxing muscles. 4. Work Exercises Abs: Sit on the edge of chair, arms extending in front. Keepingback straight, contract the abs and slowly lower torso towardsback of chair. Hold 2-3 seconds and repeat. Curls: Cross arms over chest and sit up straight. Contract absand curl shoulder towards hips, pulling abs in. Hold for 2seconds and repeat. Standing Hip Flexion: Stand with abs in, spine straight. Liftleg up until level with hip. Hold for 2 seconds, repeat otherside. Leg Lift: In same starting position as above, lift left legstraight out to the side a few inches off the floor. Hold for 2seconds, repeat on the other side.About The Author: For more great fitness related articles andresources check out http://weknowfitness.info

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Recipe

Smelts in Tomato and Garlic Sauce Greek Mediterranean StyleIngredients:2 pounds sea smelts4 large fresh ripe grated tomatoes teaspoon sea salt1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper3 medium crushed garlic cloves 2 bay leaves cup dry white wine1 cup flourCooking directionsAdd salt and pepper to sea smelts. Place flour in bowl and mix in the smelts so they are lightly coated. Place olive oil in a frying pan and preheat until hot. Place smelts into frying pan, one at a time and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Then add tomatoes, garlic, and bay leaves and cook for a total of 20 minutes. Add wine five minutes before ready. Remove bay leaves and serve over rice or potatoes.