Your Mouth Says A Lot About Your Health! Tips for Keeping a Healthy Smile

Looking healthy and happy isn’t just what is on the inside, it’s how you perceive yourself on the outside. People can say a lot about how they feel based on what they wear or how they are wearing it. I remember when I took my first organic chemistry class and I asked my professor if he had any advice for the first exam and he said "Dress the part. Come in here looking like the professional you want to be and own it." At the time, I thought it was odd, but I did it anyways and maybe it did help. I came to my exam business casual instead of shorts and flip-flops and felt confident, happy, and healthy. But sometimes it’s just having a clean bright smile that’s enough to make someone think how happy and healthy you truly are. Your mouth says a lot about your health. You don’t need to be reaching for the whitening kits or having teeth replaced just yet. It’s easy to get a healthy smile by just changing a few habits and ensuring you have good dental care. With that in mind, I thought I would share some top tips to help you maintain that perfect natural smile.

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Keep up with a regular brushing routine

Brushing your teeth is something we possibly take for granted. We might not even think about the whole process that forms part of our morning or evening routine. But regular brushing for a decent amount of time is proven to reduce plaque and keep those teeth pearly white. Our teeth and mouths get put under a lot of pressure, and more food and drink these days has the power to harm or stain our teeth. So ensuring you keep on top of brushing will be the key to ensuring your mouth stays healthy and happy. The natural way. And many dental professionals have told me that you cannot brush too often, but you can brush too hard! So make sure to keep the pressure soft.

Lose the Gym & Still Get Fit and Strong

f you're looking for a way to improve your general wellbeing and to lose weight you might be considering a gym membership. Some people just don't like the gym though and feel time spent there can be intimidating. There are so many ways to workout from home it would be silly not to thoroughly research that option too. Here are some ideas to kick-start a new keep-fit without the gym regime...

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Join a local team

Whether you love to kick a soccer ball around or simply love to run track, team-sport is one sure way to get the adrenaline pumping. Not only will you increase your heart rate, release endorphins and get the blood pumping; you'll also make new friends. A competitive edge can be a real motivator to getting fit so joining a team is potentially a great way to lose weight. And if you are a parent, this is a great way to be a role model to your children by participating in activity!

Gluten-Free Party Mix with Glutino Salted Caramel Covered Pretzels

This is such a busy time of year for me between school & getting the kids to soccer games that it is always good to have a quick snack on hand that is always tasty.  This is so incredibly easy to make and once you try the Glutino Salted Covered Pretzels, I imagine it will be hard for you to put any other sweet into the mix because it is one of the best GF pretzels and GF sweet snacks I have ever had.
 In fact, the reason why the bag looks a bit wrinkled in the picture is because I couldn't keep my kiddos away from these.  The sweet & salty of the salted caramel with the savory party mix is a wonderful combination.  Put this mix in a couple of snack size ziplock bags and if hanger hits in your family, you'll be well prepared.

Fun Saturday Night Snack

One of the best Christmas gifts we received this year was a Bella brand air-popped popcorn maker.  It is so easy to use and the kids think it is hilarious watching the popcorn fly out of the machine.  You can melt the butter or margarine on top while the popcorn is cooking.  I am so happy with the money we are saving too!  I bought a bag of white kernels for $1.39 at the store and can easily make 15 "bags" worth of popcorn with that.  Popcorn is a great snack, with only an average of 31 calories per cup of air-popped popcorn!  Thanks Russ & Cindy for the wonderful Christmas gift!  The family has enjoyed it so much and I would suggest this as a gift for anyone looking to get something fun or thoughtful for others!

Easy Banana Bites for Kids

My wonderful interns have been working on Healthy Kids Snacks this year.  I had the opportunity to see two of my interns make Banana Bites and was impressed by how simple the treat was to make, but also how perfect the snack is for teaching kids how to use utensils.  I admit that I don't let my kids use knives as much as I should, but making the Banana Bites gives them the opportunity to use a plastic knife and also gives me the opportunity to become a little more comfortable with it as well.  It is SO important to let your children become comfortable with making food by themselves and using utensils.  This is the perfect treat for them.

Ingredients:

• One half of a Banana
• One graham cracker in a Ziplock bag
• One plastic knife

Have the kids start by mashing the graham cracker in the Ziplock bag until the graham cracker is fine crumbs (they think that is really fun).  Then, have them use the plastic knife to cut the banana in to small slices.  Take the banana slices and drop them in the plastic bag & lightly shake the crumbs over the bananas.  Take them out of the bag and you have delicious Banana Bites!

A great way to make a fun snack, teaching skills, and making sure your kids are getting their fruit in!

WOWBUTTER- A peanut butter replacement product

3 million Americans report being allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, or both.  We have all seen the horrible stories of children with peanut allergies having allergic reactions and losing their lives due to accidents involving exposure to peanuts.  People with severe peanut allergies can exhibit symptoms such as inflammation, itching, hives, swelling, and in some cases, anaphylaxis in which the air passages are blocked and the circulatory system can collapse leading to death if not treated immediately.  Some school systems have made peanut-free zones in their cafeterias, or have eliminated peanut products completely from their schools.  WOWBUTTER is a peanut free, gluten free, tree nut free, and dairy free product that is a peanut butter replacement product.  One of my co-workers son's (who is 3 years old) loves this product so much that he asks for a spoonful of it at night as a snack.  I do not have a peanut allergy and love traditional peanut butter, so it was difficult for me to have an unbiased opinion, but I thought it was just okay.  However, if  I had a peanut allergy or if my kid's schools were peanut-free zones, I do think this would be a decent alternative if placed on some bread with some jelly or banana slices.  It certainly maintained the smooth, creamy texture of regular peanut butter.  And from all of the sampling of the product, the kids who tried the WOWBUTTER were happy with it, but the adults were stuck in their ways of regular peanut butter.  The really cool thing is that on the website, you can request a free sample for your daycare, school, or camp.  There is also a lot of resources for speaking to school boards about peanut allergies and allergy facts in general.  Thank you WOWBUTTER for letting my review panel and I sample your products!  I am glad you are such a great advocate for people with peanut allergies!

MojoMilk Probiotic Chocolate Milk Review

Kids are gross.  I love my own kids, but they are also pretty gross sometimes.  A lot of the "gross" comes from things that all kids should be doing:  sharing toys, playing outside, learning/exploring insects, etc.  But with the sharing and playing can come some sickness as well.  That is why I am always interested in learning more about products for children that contain probiotics.  When I came across MojoMilk, I had to have my kids try it.  Especially because it is a chocolate milk mix.  MojoMilk contains more than 10 times the amount of probiotics than most yogurts.  It also has 60% less calories than the leading chocolate milk mixes.  But most of all, it supports a healthy immune system and promotes a healthy digestive system.  If you go to http://www.mojomilk.com, you can register for a free sample.  Four out of Six of the kids that tried MojoMilk really liked it and would have it again.  That's good for me!

Peter Rabbit Organics Review by Actual Children & Giveaway!

Working in a childhood & adolescent weight management center, I am always on the lookout for healthy snacks to recommend to families that actually taste good.  AND being someone who fancies a Starbucks every once in a while, I was curious about the Peter Rabbit Organic Products that I would see whenever I would go inside the coffee shop.  I was hesitant about trying these because after working as a clinical dietitian for so long, I was worried that anything "blended" would be...well...icky.  So, I decided the best way to test these treats was to give them to actual children.  I tested them on kids ages 4, 6, 6, and 10.  They tried the following flavors:

• Strawberry and Banana
• Apple and Grape
• Mango, Banana and Orange
• Sweet Potato, Corn and Apple
• Carrot, Squash and Apple
• Pea, Spinach and Apple

It turns out that all four kids thought that the flavors were awesome!  Except for one flavor (the sweet potato, corn, and apple):

The most raved about flavor was the Pea, Spinach, and Apple!  I was told to go and buy more of those pronto!  There are so many benefits to these snacks besides their kid-approved taste:

• These products are ORGANIC
• They are BPA-free & easy to transport, use, and cap for later use!  These snacks are a perfect addition to a day out, a long car ride, or school & sports team snacks.
• There are 100% fruit and vegetable, with no added sugar or preservatives
• They are high in Vitamin C, between 70-85 calories each (a perfect snack), 0 grams of fat, and between 1.5-2 grams of fiber!
• You can find them all over the place:  Starbucks, Whole Foods, www.amazon.com...Just to name a few!!

And thanks so much to Peter Rabbit Organics, YOU have a chance to try them too by entering the giveaway! The grand prize winner will receive a 12-pack of these Peter Rabbit Organic treats in the six flavors mentioned above.  GOOD LUCK!



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Go Green Lunch Box Review & Giveaway

I have never been excited to show off a lunch box before I received my "Prepster" lunch box from Go Green Lunch Box !  It is the Burberry of lunchboxes!  These lunchboxes come with a 5-compartment container that, after several shakes, does not leak.  This container allows for adequate portion control, which is essential for optimal nutrition.  It also contains a stainless steel water bottle & the lunch box is BPA-free.

 

 There are so many amazing options available for patterns!  I had so many compliments on the "Prepster" pattern.  It is a true fit for a lady who enjoys fashion.

The lunchboxes come with a Stainless Steel water bottle, but as you can see, other options can fit in the lunchbox as well!

 

 

The lunchboxes also come with a white dry-erase board, so you can leave messages for your kids, other loved ones, or for yourself.

This lunchbox is Eco-friendly & is a true money saver.  Making a lunch is a lot less expensive than eating out and it also enables you to ensure the choices are good for you & your loved ones.  Thank you so much to Go Green Lunch Box for allowing me to review your trendy & environmentally friendly lunchbox at no cost.  All opinions are 100% my own & thankfully, YOU have a chance to win one of these for yourself!!

Flatout Review & Do Good Donation!

Feed your body:

I have always been a HUGE fan of Flatout wraps because they are high fiber/low calorie/taste awesome alternatives to bread.  This is important for me, as a Mom who needs to keep my children entertained when I pack their lunch every day.  These wraps are PERFECT for the Halloween season.  Last night we had another family over & made pumpkin-face pizzas with the new Hungry Girl Flatout Foldit Flatbread for the kids & for the adults, Honey-Wheat Flatouts.  It was a blast!  Flatout has some incredibly spooky ideas for Halloween treats on their facebook page including Spooky Snake Bites, Creepy Crawlies, Goblin Grabbers & Yummy Mummies just to name a few.  They are quick and easy to make for a super fun addition to your Halloween festivities!  Check out these recipes at:  Flatout Halloween Recipes

Feed your soul:

Flatout Cares! Do Good Donations in October

“Helping others is important to us at Flatout. Knowing that one in six Americans go hungry every day, we recently donated 20,000 lbs. of our new Hungry Girl Foldit® Flatbread to food banks across the country. 

Tell us about a Flatout fabulous organization that you support and how it could benefit from a “Flatout Do Good Donation.” Now through Nov. 5, 2011, we’ll pick one great cause a week and donate $1,000 plus Flatout products to help make a difference. No purchase necessary.

For more details and how to enter, visit www.facebook.com/FlatoutBread now through November 6.

·     Tell us in 200 words or less about an organization that you support that can benefit from a Do Good Donation of $1,000 and Flatout product

·     We’ll pick one winner each week and donate to the nominated organization

Thank you Flatout for providing me samples of your products at no-cost for my review.  All opinions are 100% my own.

                                                

Brothers-All-Natural Healthy Snacks

I think the kids and I might have a new favorite snack! Brothers-All-Natural were kind enough to send me their Fruit Crisps for a review.  Since I work out of a childhood & adolescent weight management clinic, I am always keeping my eyes out for healthy snacks to recommend to kids and their families.  The Fruit Crisps are 100% freeze dried & come in 7 flavors:  apple, apple cinnamon, pear, banana, strawberry & banana, and pineapple.  There is no sugar added to these tasty snacks and I think they are an excellent choice for on-the-go and in-the-lunchbox!  Check them out at Brothers-All-Natural to find a store that sells them near you.  I was happy to see they were available at many retailers where I live.

Here is my youngest daughter taking a snack break after school.  She LOVED them!

I tried the Apple Cinnamon Fruit Crisps and they were delicious!  My husband tried the Banana Fruit Crisps and he thought they had just the right amount of sweetness.  My daughters wanted more of the Fruit Crisps and for only 35-60 calories per Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Fruit Crisps, you can bet this snack will not spoil their dinner.  In fact, if I had one suggestion for Brothers-All-Natural, I would suggest at least 100-150 calorie packs of the snacks.  Give them a "Like" on Facebook & in all honesty, these snacks are great & I am putting them on my FAVORITES list!

Delicious Fire Ants on a Log

Sometimes taking a traditional snack like Ants on a Log and transforming it into something a little more exciting, such as Fire Ants on a Log, can make eating a healthy snack a little more enticing to your kids.  If you have ever been bitten by a Fire Ant, chances are you will never forget the burning and swelling that accompanies the pain.  And if your child has been bitten, I am sure they would have no greater pleasure than pretending the Fire Ants on the log are real, and therefore reciprocating attack on the little suckers by consuming them in a delicious peanut butter and celery environment.

Fire Ants on a Log are nutritious because the celery contains insoluble fiber, which helps...ahem...bulk your stool and keep you regular.  The peanut butter (of course, I prefer natural peanut butter) is a healthy source of monounsaturated fats, in which studies have shown helps to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.  The Craisins...well they are very high in sugar, but a good choice to give the snack some sweetness that is enjoyable to children.  As long as they are not sitting down and eating log after log in their vengeful fury, then enjoying this snack in moderation (such as one whole celery stick as a log for a serving) is a super fun and super easy way to get some fiber and protein into your kids' snack time.