Red, yellow, blue…all the primary colors are beautiful to look at…but not in our foods. You may be surprised to discover the following synthetic dyes in your foods:

–Pillsbury Grands! Flaky Layers Honey Butter Biscuits & Betty Crocker Supermoist Carrot Cake contain Red 40
–Edy’s Take the Cake Ice Cream & Sara Lee Signature Colletions Andes Chocolate Mint Cream Pie contain Red 3
–Vlasic Kosher Dill Spears & Yoplait Key Lime Yogurts contain Yellow 5

The use of synthetic dyes and food colorings has drastically increased over the last 5 years. The safety of these dyes used in food is not exactly known, leaving it up to the consumer to make an educated decision.

Helping your child thrive in school may be as easy as sitting down for a family meal. From better grades to improved health, nutrition and social skills, family meals help children to succeed in school, extracurricular activities, sports and life skills. Being prepared with a weekly meal plan or family calendar, a shopping-list and some new healthy cookbooks and recipes, family meals don’t have to be elaborate or time consuming to be beneficial.

Here are some family recipes ideas to experiment with! And be sure to let the kids help you in the shopping, preparation and cooking (safety first, of course!).

DID YOU KNOW…..

That looking great isn’t just about working out? Believe it or not but eighty percent of it has to do with your nutrition, ten percent with training and 10 percent with genetics. Do you eat something before and after your workouts? Do you know that you have a forty-five minute window to replace the carbohydrates and protein you lost during your workout? Make sure that before a workout you have a carbohydrate (starchy), protein and fat and after your workout a protein and carbohydrate (starchy). Carbohydrates are your main fuel source and you need protein to repair and rebuild those muscle fibers that were damaged while working out. Without fueling before and after your workout you might as well forget working out! Like I tell many of my clients it’s like a car when you’re out of gas you can’t get anywhere. Everyone wants to see results from their workouts so make sure you’re fueled properly.

Try this low carb, vegetarian alternative noodle recipe using House Shirataki Tofu Noodles or Miracle Noodles, or 100% whole wheat pastas for a high fiber option….

Full of crunch and flavor.

Ingredients:
• 4 cups noodles
• 1/2 cup carrots, cut into thin half moons
• 1/2 cup cauliflower
• 1/2 sweet onion, diced
• 1/2 cup red cabbage, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup raw Sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon Tamari, divided
• 1 10 oz. package silken soft tofu
• 2 tablespoons Brown Rice Vinegar
• 1 cup parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup water

Did you know?
Most persons should drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water or other fluids each day.

Steps to take
Put 48 to 64 ounces of water in a pitcher or two. Drink this water and/or pour out the amount of water that equals other fluids you drink throughout the day. Are you getting enough fluids?

You probably know that gluten is going to be present in wheat bread, cereals, and pasta. But, it’s not always so obvious. Many processed food products, certain medications, vitamins, even some cosmetics and lotions can contain gluten. For the rookie gluten-free dieter, it can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, knowing what to look for when label reading can help you steer clear of unwanted gluten.

Did you know?
Fat-free and reduced fat foods are not calorie free. Some of these products may have as many calories as their regular counterparts.

Steps to take
Read food labels. Find out the number of calories the food item has per serving.

Artificial sweeteners are sugar substitutes. As sugar consumption in the United States has increased, so has the consumption of artificial sweeteners. Commonly used sweeteners include:

• Aspartame (Equal, Nutrasweet) is about 200 times sweeter than sugar. After consuming this product people have reported experiencing everything from headaches to brain and mood disorders, depression, anxiety, hyperactivity, and memory loss among many other symptoms.
• Cyclamate (Sucaryl) is 30 to 50 times sweeter than sugar. Banned in the US since 1969, it is still used in some non-US markets.
• Saccharin (Sweet ‘n Low) is 350 times sweeter than sugar and is used in many dietetic foods and as a sugar substitute.
• Acesulfame Potassium (Ace K, Sunnett, Sweet One) is 200 times sweeter than sugar and is widely used around the world. Two rat studies suggest that this sweetener causes cancer.
• Sucralose (Splenda) is 600 times sweeter than sugar.

Secrets of the physical game.

Okay, so you may not get $4500 for this deal, but you will get a lifetime of happiness.

Is it time for you to take a small action step towards trading in your old, fuel guzzling, poor performing vehicle?

Whether you realize it or not, that multimillion dollar body can perform like a Ferrari with just one quick turn of the ignition. That’s all it takes to get your tires rolling and move your body into the right direction.

Here is a list of choices you can start with – pick one!

Did you know?
“Brain freeze” is a sudden headache from eating or drinking something very cold, such as ice cream or a snow cone.

Steps to take
To prevent “brain freeze,” keep the cold item away from the roof of your mouth. Warm the item in front of the mouth for a few seconds.