Online Punch

Stores sold an amazing 1.000.000.000 pounds of unpopped kernels and shipped out over two hundred and forty-five million pounds internationally in the year 2000, meaning it’s unsurprising that popcorn is one of America’s favorite treats. So let us steer you to the Popcorn Factory, the country’s foremost provider of popcorn favors, tins of popcorn, popcorn balls, gourmet popcorn and delicious samplers, sending out more than one million pounds of this delectable foodstuff annually. All their products are even certified kosher.

Available in all your favorite flavors and a variety of presentations, the Factory can supply you with all the popcorn you want. They’ve maintained their quality ever since 1979. To make sure of quality they first identify the best corn from America. Then, pure corn oil pops the corn and the flavorings can infuse right into the core of the popcorn. They then seal it up and send it out without delay - while it’s still fresh. Do you want a 6 gallon tin, filled to the brim with popcorn? The Factory are ready for you. So if you have a staff function to cater for - or merely want to stock up enough to cater for movie night for a few weeks - you know who to talk to. Plain, as you’d expect, and buttered - but you can also find them available in banana cream pie or white chocolate raspberry.

And if these don’t suit your needs? Don’t dismay - smaller tins and boxes are also possibilities. As with many gift ideas, these can be embellished to reflect the occasion. They offer further customization choices - an amusing image, your name, or a personal message. Some customers are sure of a taste preference and thus simply buy a single large box. You might alternatively purchase a sampler or even an assortment. If you desire larger helpings, but want to keep that arrangement, you can order a tower. Comprising several packs placed on top of each other and fastened together, they can be ordered as premade combos or you can instead fill them with your favorite flavors.

You can get popcorn in virtually any flavor you might want from the Popcorn Factory. Order them for use as presents or as treats. We’re sure that you can already see the gift-giving possibilities.

Picture, for a moment, how huge 1.000.000.000 pounds of unprepared kernels would be — and if you remember that that’s a single year’s domestic retail purchases alone, suddenly it becomes apparent exactly how many of your personal friends enjoy their popcorn. As a result, upwards of 1.000.000 pounds come from the Popcorn Factory, ready prepared as popcorn balls, gourmet popcorn, tins of popcorn and popcorn favors, every year. And in case you weren’t certain, it is kosher certified.

Considering their thirty years of experience, you can be sure you’re in good hands, whichever variety you’re craving. The process starts using American grown corn carefully screened to make sure of the ideal level of flavor. When you use corn oil, that taste’s kept while you pop the kernels, allowing other flavorings to be added. They then seal it up and ship it out without delay — while it’s still fresh.

Have you ever wanted a 6 gallon tin, full of popcorn? The Factory are ready for you. There’s enough in one of these to last you and your friends for several movies or supply a group of employees. Plain, as you’d expect, and buttered — but you can also find them offered in white chocolate raspberry or banana cream pie. If the large tins are beyond your budget, or if you’re merely thinking about some other deal, the Popcorn Factory also offers their mouth-watering treats in boxes and tins. Designed to say “thank you”, to celebrate any special occasion, or to send a message, they make excellent gifts. If none of these will quite do, there’s always getting the package personalized with a relevant picture, witty note, or simply the recipient’s name.

Know what you’re after? You can simply place a significant order. You could instead choose a sampler or maybe an assortment. Should you need larger helpings, while keeping that mix of flavors, you might assemble a tower. And while they offer predesigned towers, you can also specify the contents of each box in a custom tower. You can buy popcorn in almost any flavor you might want from them. And with their decoration we promise you they make excellent gifts. Surely you can think of lots of gift-giving ideas.

A brown rice fast is one of the easiest forms of fasting for many people because it provides constant nutrients, detoxifies the body gently (thereby causing fewer detox side effects) and doesn’t involve fasting from food as a juice fast can.

In the brown rice diet detox program, you only consume brown rice for five to seven days. You don’t have to worry about being hungry or getting low blood sugar. It’s acceptable to flavour your rice with Bragg’s Amino Acids or miso, similar to soy sauce but much better as it simply contains natural sodium. A little miso with ginger and garlic will spice up your brown rice diet. Other seasoning herbs are also acceptable, however, be sure not to overdo it. For a little spiciness, add chilli pepper pepper. You can also use a little agave nectar, maple syrup or brown rice syrup for a sweet alternative. Only do this once a day, if at all.

In order to sustain stable blood sugar levels, eat 5 small portions of brown rice daily. For convenience, you can cook one or two day’s worth of rice at one time. Here’s a recipe for how to cook brown rice.

Be sure to have three to four quarts of water throughout the day. Include herbal teas as well. Peppermint is a great tea for digestion tea, red clover tea will promote detoxification and a laxative tea at night before bed will keep your colon moving.

Besides the fact that Fannie May is an easily recognizable name all over the nation recently, the business had simple origins. This gourmet chocolate company began trading in 1920 in Chicago, and during almost a century of trading it has grown into one of the nation’s favorite sweet shops.

Fannie May’s talent of combining cocoa, sugar and other quality ingredients in the perfect manner made them so popular they grew to about 48 shops in just 15 years. During wartime food shortages, the doors of the chocolate shops were temporarily closed, because they resolved not to cut back on the quality of any of their recipes. A range of these traditional recipes are even being made use of and sold today.

Almost as wonderful as their scrumptious chocolates are the beautifully designed boxes they come in. Remember to ask for a decorative presentation box when the chocolate is for a gift, it will add a perfect finishing touch. How much you spend is wholly up to you, from simply one perfect chocolate to a hamper loaded with each flavor of chocolate truffle, praline and even gourmet pretzels. It is simple to buy a carefully chosen assortment from the web site or you can customize the order with specific centers to make sure everyone has plenty of their particular favorites. Unlike most of its competition, Fannie May is proud to have multiple franchises across the country and worldwide. This makes it feasible for you to send these delicious chocolates anywhere in the country and worldwide without ever having to leave your desk. While there are a few delivery restrictions during the warmest summer months, Fannie May can ship presents three hundred and sixty five days a year and always guarantee the standard of the products when they arrive. Special dietary requirements aren’t an obstacle. Fannie May’s have diet friendly chocolate and other goodies besides. Should you want large amounts of gift boxes or special gifts for a wedding feast, Fannie May have a assortment to choose from. Pick up the telephone or send them an e-mail for more details. It’s easy to see why Fannies May’s products are such a success story. So, the most difficult task will be choosing from the large range of alternatives on the website. With every sweet treat you can think of from truffles to caramels to select from, you are guaranteed to find exactly the perfect gift!

According to a previous article new regulations governing the manufacturing business of nutritional supplements in the United states. These new rules look to be admirable to manufacturers. Unfortunately, the like is not true with regard to European producers. In Western Europe, the nutritional supplement industry is fearful of governing bodies going too far and growing into a roadblock to allowing mass to bask in beneficial products.

While American manufacturing businesses regard the new good manufacturing practice rules and the enhanced purpose of the FDA as a positive development that will weed out the less than desirable manufactures of shady nutritional supplements, Europeans fear the over regulations could lead to the EFSA spurning about 4,ooo products due to requirements of scientific data.

The difficulty here, is that many nutritional supplement manufacturing businesses learn creative paths to hedge the ordinances. In all honesty, this author considers that the FDA has lately embarked into spheres unmeritorious of regulations, but that is an argument for another day. Still, the idea of truth in labeling is valid. Makers should clearly state what is in their products so consumers can make educated decisions.

In 2009, advisories were released pertaining bodybuilding supplements containing steroid hormones and steroid-like components. These products are commonly referred to as pro-steroids and are very popular amongst even the most casual of bodybuilding aficionados. In general, regulators found these muscle building supplements contained unapproved or banned drugs.

The moral of the story is that you need to purchase products from dependable manufacturers and understand the ingredients. Ordinances assist, but individuals must do your part to become an educated consumer.

Hog roasts have been around for hundreds of years but they may well be at their most fashionable right now. At special feasts in medieval times the host would roast a whole hog to dish up to his invitees as it was one of the most brilliant and brilliant things you could do. It was only the very prosperous and prestigious who could afford to do this, and consequently only a select few got to experience it. But now in 2009 hog roasts are yet more popular then they were back in the medieval times and anyone can now experience them. There is no better way of feeding numerous greedy people then having a hog roast at your event, so when you are next hosting a vast party you should consider it as a possible actionThe method used today has very little deviations to the method employed almost a thousand years ago. Using a gas cooker and a mechanism to turn the spit rather than a fire pit and a manual spit turning system, these are the small difference between the two methods.The results are a sight which few men or women can refuse, both methods develop the same beautifully roasted hog, dripping with flavour and covered in golden brown crackling.A hog roast will turn your event into a day that no one will forget in a hurry, so whether you’re having a medieval themed banquet or just holding a birthday party remember to keep hog roasts in mind.

Xylose is one of the 8 essential nutrients known as a glyconutrient. The others are:

• Mannose

• Glucose

• Galactose

• Xylose

• Fuctos (not fructose)

• N-acetylglucosamine

• N-acetylneuramic acid

• N-acetylgalactosamine

Xylose is a saccharide used by the body in cellular communication. It is absorbed into the blood stream through the walls of the small intestine. It is then carried to the liver and metabolized. Other tissues and organs make use of it, for example the kidneys, muscles and fat. A certain amount is excreted in the urine when there is more than the body can use.

Xylose helps the body’s immune system fight against infections, disease and toxins. It also helps the digestive tract and enables the body to absorb more nutrients, by helping the growth of “friendly flora” in the intestines. This also helps to strengthen the immune system.

Scientists are studying this important glyconutrient intently, as part of the research known as Glycobiology. Only during the last 10 years has research been done into this vital set of nutrients. They are part of the complex food group known as carbohydrates. Due to their complexity the carbohydrate food group has been neglected for many years.

It was thought that carbohydrates and sugars were the main culprits in obesity but now we are discovering the enormous benefits to the body of certain carbohydrate group. As well as being the main source of energy to the body other facts are emerging about this food group.

With the advent of technologies like the electron microscope scientists have been able to unlock the various components of Carbohydrates and research into the different elements of the glyconutrients. Glyconutrients have been found to not only aid the body in its fight against disease and toxins but to have healing properties as well.

The research all began with the examination of the ancient healing plant the Aloe Vera. This plant has been known for centuries for its healing properties and medicinal worth. During the last decade scientists have managed to minutely examine and analyze the ingredients in the plant that have enabled it to be so medicinally beneficial. As they go deeper into glycobiology more will be discovered about glyconutrients like Xylose.

Mannatech has been a leader in this research and has developed a whole line of nutritional supplements using glyconutrients. One of the most important of these is Ambrotose. This supplement is used widely to ensure that we get enough of these glyconutrients and enable us to improve our health and lead a fuller life.

Note: Glyconutrients are not intended to heal, treat, or cure any disease.

Zach Thompson works internationally as a Glyconutritional Consultant. He lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of rural Virginia. He serves primarily the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, & New Zealand. His clients range from professional athletes and actresses to those with auto-immune disease & children with Learning Disabilities. He uses exclusively Pharmaceutical-Grade Glyconutritonals. The consumption of Organic & chemical-free foods along with a low-glycemic diet plan is an integral part of of his client’s path to wellness. You can get more information at: http://www.myglyconutrientstore.com

The story of creation begins with water. Water is an essential nutrient in our diet, but many people fail to address this important component of health. While part of the problem can be addressed by consuming foods such as fruits and vegetables that are naturally rich with water, taking in additional water is also important.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Genesis 1:1-2

An amazing discovery was made in 2003. Lurking far below the surface of the ocean, an unusual squid was sighted with 20-foot long tentacles. It is estimated that only a very small percentage of the planet has been explored, and most of that is under water! We constantly hear about the “secrets of the deep” - the amazing life forms that the ocean displays to us, but we forget about the magic of our own bodies. Water is essential for health and nutrition. A co-worker asked me the other day, “How much water should I be taking?”

More than 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water (less than one percent of that water is suitable for human consumption). In excess of 75% of the human body is water. A coincidence? Maybe. When you measure your body fat, the amount of fat is called “fat mass” and the amount of remaining mass is called “lean mass.” Many people mistake lean mass for muscle - in reality, the majority of that lean mass is water and skeletal tissue - typically less 1/8th is actual muscle mass!

In the human body, water lubricates joints and organs. It maintains muscle tone. Water keeps skin soft. Water regulates body temperature, filters out impurities, and keeps the brain working properly. Water transports nutrients to and from cells. While the human body can store energy as glycogen, fat, and tissue, it cannot “store” water - the body uses its own water supply and expects a constant resupply of fresh water to function. Water is critical in moving nutrients into and out of a cell, an action known as the “ion pump”. When you take in the improper balance of sodium and potassium or do not drink adequate water, your body will increase a hormone and try to “retain” water by keeping your kidneys from filtering it. Ironically, one of the best ways to stop retaining water is to drink more water!

While humans can survive without food for several weeks (documented cases have shown lengths of up to two months), we can only survive a few days without water. Thirst is a signal that your body needs to be re-hydrated, but by the time you are thirsty it’s already too late. Just a fraction of a percentage drop of your body’s water supply can result into huge performance decreases. Even slight dehydration can be critical. In the recent sports season, a few deaths resulted from dehydration.

Contrary to popular belief, “chugging” a gallon of water is not going to provide your body with the water it needs. When too much water floods your system at once, your body will pass most of it on to your bladder, and only absorb a slight amount. Weight in the stomach is a signal for digestive processes to begin, and a number of biological chemicals enter your stomach and change the pH balance. This can result in indigestion and stomach pain. The best way to take water is to steadily sip it throughout the day. You should also eat plenty of fruits and vegetables - most of the produce you eat is filled with water, and the body can process this water very efficiently.

So - how much water? There are a million theories and equations. I’ve heard to drink “eight cups a day,” which is better than nothing, but how can every adult, with so much variety of size, shape, metabolism, exercise habits, etc, require the exact same amount of water? Then there is the complicated equation that involves computing your basal metabolic rate and energy expenditure. I had to throw that one out, too - who wants to run a computer program every day just to figure out their water needs? I just prefer to drink like a fish and then I’m done with it. Just kidding.

What I’ve found is two ways for computing water intake that both work incredibly well. The first is a little too vague for some people to follow, but very effective - it is recommended by nutritionist Will Brink. Will says to drink enough water to have two or three absolutely clear urinations per day. If you do not have these clear urinations, then either you are not drinking enough water, are not eating healthily or have some type of infection or other illness. For a normal, healthy adult, two or three clear urinations is a great “ruler.” If you do not have these, then increase your water intake until it happens.

If that is a little too general or explicit for you, another way is to take your weight and divide it in half. This is a “baseline” amount of ounces to drink every day. For every cup that you drink that is not water, drink a cup that is water. For every bout of exercise, drink a cup before and after, and one extra cup for every hour that you exercised (round up!). That’s it. Let’s take me as an example.

If I weighed in at 200 pounds, 200 / 2 = 100 ounces of water, or about 12 cups.

Let’s say I also ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes. One cup before, one cup for the exercise, and one cup after is three cups total. 12 + 3 = 15 cups.

I drank two cups of coffee, so I should have two extra cups of water. 15 + 2 = 17.

That’s it - today’s water requirement for me is 17 cups! And I have no problem getting those in - I have an extra large mason jar that holds about 64 ounces. I fill these up and keep them full all day long. I sip them constantly. I probably end up drinking between one to two gallons today because I love my coffee and my exercise.

The type of water to drink is the subject of much debate. I prefer filtered tap water because of the potential for harmful agents in “raw” tap water - although many health gurus recommend tap water due to the fact that they provide plenty of vitamins and minerals. Keep in mind that if you drink too much non-filtered water, you may increase your chances of acquiring kidney stones if there are many foreign materials that your body has to filter out. When you look at a water filter before you toss it out, that is exactly what your body’s filter - the kidneys - would have had to process as well. Distilled water is also an option.

Now go out and drink some water!

Jeremy Likness is an International Health Coach and motivational speaker. After losing 65 pounds of fat, he discovered his true vision to coach thousands around the world to better health. A Certified Fitness Trainer and Specialist in Performance Nutrition, Jeremy is the author of the internationally-selling e-Book, Lose Fat, Not Faith and the companion 5-CD set. Jeremy has been published in major online publications including Tom Venuto’s Fitness Renaissance and Bodybuilding.com. Jeremy’s approach is unique because he focuses on fitness from the inside out. Visit Jeremy online at Natural Physiques.

Are you one of the more than 1 million men in America who know they have some type of prostate problem? Then, this encouraging information is for you.

I remember when I first found out that I had the beginnings of prostate enlargement. Visions of restricted urination, cancer, surgery and eventually death, haunted me.

Research indicates that 1 in 3 men past the age of 40 will develop prostate problems. The American Cancer Society projects that over a quarter of a million men will die from Prostate cancer in the USA this year. Further statistics indicate that;

* One in six men will get prostate in his life.

* An American man dies every 18 minutes from prostate cancer - The second leading cause of male cancer in the United States.

* The chance of getting prostate cancer is one in three if you have just one close relative (father, brother) with the disease. The risk if five fold if you have two close relatives. With three, it is an almost certain (97%) that you’ll get prostate cancer.

** American Cancer Society.

Enlargement of the prostate gland is known as “benign-hypertrophy”. If not prevented or treated, many times it becomes infected which is “Prostatitus”.

Research has shown that the prostate has the highest zinc content of any tissue in the body. Zinc is that one ingredient in the diet that helps prevent benign-hypertrophy or the enlargement of the prostate.

Excess cadmium is as enemy of zinc, which is required in large amounts by the prostate gland. High sugar and flour-rich foods in large amounts result in Zinc loss and cadium retention. Diet is very important. Smoking cigarettes increases cadium intake and lowers zinc levels in the prostate. The lack of sufficient good clean drinking water also inhibits the flushing out of bacteria population.

One can stop smoking and one can intake more water. But, the real kicker is the needed increase in zinc and other nutrients. We can certainly up the amount of vegetables we eat which will help, but the truth is, our food supply is so deficient in nutrients, that we cannot consume enough food to meet the demand. That is where good physician formulated natural supplements come in. I was lucky. I knew a doctor personally who formulates these supplements; and they worked for me.

But, there are several sources for these good nutrients. Some designer supplements are better than others. You will have to look around and evaluate them and chose the best. Make sure that they include Zinc Picolinate, Saw Palmetto Extract, Pygeum Africanum and preferably in a good Azyme base. Take sufficient quantities and start early, age 20 would be great!

Mr. Ramsey’s product is found at:
http://www.physician-formulated-natural-supplements.com/prostate.html

Hormonal changes during pregnancy, and quite normal fat gain often makes many women feel unattractive and sometimes quite depressed. Many women still believe that “eating for two” is the way to go during pregnancy. I am sorry if I disappoint some of you, but this really is not the case. If a woman eats to satisfy her appetite, her weight will usually increase by about 3.5kg (8lb) in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy and then by about 0.5kg (1lb) a week until the end of the pregnancy. The total weight gain during pregnancy will be about 12.5kg (27lb). Gaining too much weight during pregnancy can raise blood pressure and increases the risk of becoming obese (very overweight) in the future. Although women should not restrict their food intake or go on slimming diets when pregnant, there is no need to increase food intakes significantly until late pregnancy. Incidentally, those who do gain weight over and above what is normal are the ones who struggle most with post-pregnancy weight loss, and fatigue.

LATE PREGNANCY
The estimated averaged requirement for energy (EAR) increases during the last three months of pregnancy by an average of 800kJ (200kcal) per day… equivalent to 2 oatcakes with ricotta cheese and fruit spread and 2 dried figs - a snack like this would provide extra iron and calcium too - 2 vital nutrients to increase during these latter stages!
At this time a woman’s energy expenditure from physical activity is usually reduced.

So what can you do to lose any unwanted pounds gained during pregnancy?

For new mums!
The most natural, safest and easiest way to lose weight after giving birth is to breastfeed! Breastfeeding can burn up to 500 calories a day (the equivalent of a good workout) so helps drop excess pounds and enables many women to get back to their pre-pregnancy weight without too much effort.

Breastfeeding not only gives your baby the best possible start in life, but it also gives you added incentive to eat healthily and sensibly. Breast milk is not only the perfect food for your baby; it is also your baby’s main protection against disease and infection. Baby’s first milk or “colostrum” provides vital IgA antibodies (the first-line defence antibodies) received in the first 24-48 hours of life! These are not found in formula milks. Naturally the health of the mother is paramount in passing on healthy immunity to the child. Many protective antibodies are “anti-allergenic” protecting the baby against developing food allergies, asthma, eczema and other allergic conditions. Breast milk has the perfect fat and protein profile for the baby, and nutrients such as iron and manganese are much more absorbable in breast milk than they are in formula milks. Furthermore, only breast milk contains chromium (essential for controlling blood sugar levels), selenium (an important antioxidant), and normal levels of essential fatty acids (EFAs), which are vital for the baby’s brain development. Lastly, breast-feeding helps to establish a protective bacterial population in the infant’s digestive tract - yes, those “friendly bacteria” we hear so much about!

During the early weeks of motherhood… breastfeeding, regular daily walks, and “intelligent” eating is the way to go.

N.B. DO NOT DIET WHILE BREAST FEEDING

Fat cells contain toxins and nasty “residues” of foods eaten in previous years! Losing weight too quickly releases these stored toxins into the bloodstream. Often the liver cannot clear them quickly enough, and for breast-feeding Mums, these can easily be transported into breast milk. Remember you’ll gradually lose weight quite naturally if you can breast feed. Dieting only reduces the nutrient quality of your breast milk, reduces the level of sugar in the blood and the level of certain brain chemicals. This leads to binge eating and mood changes - so DO NOT diet, especially while breastfeeding!

You must look after yourself…
In order to give your baby the best start in life, the first consideration has to be the food you eat. It is important to have an adequate intake of nutrients, particularly the B vitamins, zinc and EFAs. Foods such as oily fish, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, avocados, almonds etc. contain all these types of nutrients making them excellent snack foods or additions to salads, soups and stir-fries. The quest to cut down on calories by avoiding all fatty foods generally results in a deficiency of EFAs, which are vital to the body’s metabolism.

Suggested meals and eating times for pregnant or breast-feeding Mums:

7-8am - Breakfast (Oat porridge with soya milk, chopped banana + pumpkin seeds or ground linseeds)
10-11am - Snack (a pear and 6-8 almonds)
1-2pm - Light Lunch (Small baked sweet potato with tuna, tomato, avocado and salad)
4-5pm - Snack (fresh fruit, rice cakes and fruit spread)
7-8pm - Evening meal (poached fish or grilled chicken, salad, steamed veg & brown rice)

Other snacks (nut and seed mix, fresh fruit, raw crudités and ricotta dip)

N.B. Try almond or rice milk occasionally on homemade cereal. Use Tahini (sesame seed spread) or almond butter on breads & crackers, pure fruit spreads instead of jams, and use cold flax seed oil (rich in omega-3 fats) daily. Other beneficial oils include olive oil for cooking, and using cold walnut oil and pumpkin seed oil on salads, rice and vegetables.

In terms of portion sizes, work more to your natural appetite, and begin to better recognise TRUE hunger signals. If you think of hunger on a scale of 1-10, only eat when feeling about 2/3, and STOP when you feel satisfied, around 7-8. This “appetite scale” is a key tool and one I often use when helping people with weight problems and “emotional” eating - i.e. eating to fill an emotional void, rather than purely for fuelling reasons!

Dietary advise for all Mums
Watch your sugars!
Sugar is a major culprit in weight gain and obesity. Being hooked on sugar and sugary foods is easily passed on to children and a recipe for developing blood sugar and energy imbalances, behavioural and weight problems. Biscuits, cakes, chocolate bars, processed foods and low-fat foods contain the most “hidden” sugars. Read food labels carefully, and try and get you and your children used to more natural foods and natural sugars. Natural sweetness is present in many fresh foods. Try doing taste tests with the children, identifying different flavours and degrees of “sweetness” in fruit and vegetables, dried figs, apricots and raisins. Use honey used in cooking or drizzled on plain yogurt! Eat up to 4 pieces of fruit a day and encourage your children to do the same. Fruit such as bananas, apples, pears and berries in the summer are great snack foods to have between meals. Get out of the habit of giving sweets or sweet food as treats. This only becomes a learned habit and one, which you were probably taught as a child! Sweet things soon become something we turn to when feeling low or depressed, or something we often reward ourselves with. Try also not to use high fat and sugary snacks to fight boredom. Engage the children in a game, or take a trip to the park.

Healthy snack foods
It is OK to snack, providing a) that you are hungry and b) the foods that you snack on are nutritious. There are some good examples below! Protein foods eaten as snacks tend to fire up the metabolism more effectively than carbohydrate dense foods such as bread, biscuits, scones, flapjacks and cake. These are not the best foods for maintaining energy levels or burning fat due to the disruptive effect they have on blood sugar levels, and the ease at which excess is eventually stored in fat cells as FAT! Slow-releasing carbohydrates (fresh vegetables and wholegrains, and low-sugar fruits) and protein foods better balance blood sugar, promote energy and help to burn fat.

Here are some perfect examples of small snacks and meals to give you energy and kick-start the metabolism:

An apple or pear and a palmful of almonds
Other fresh fruit with a handful of pumpkin or sunflower seeds
2 oatcakes with mashed avocado, or Tahini spread
A tuna or poached salmon salad
Aduki bean and chickpea salad with lettuce and tomatoes
Vegetable crudités and hummus
A bowl of chunky homemade vegetable soup
Stir-fry tofu or chicken and vegetables

Feeding children healthy snack foods is critical to develop good eating habits. It also means that if you are tempted to finish off leftovers, at least they will be healthy leftovers!

Great snack foods for the children (and Mum!):
Mini rice cakes thinly spread with almond butter or pure fruit spread.
A few strawberries, pieces of pear or some grapes.
Carrot sticks and cherry tomatoes.
Popcorn - instead of crisps - use olive oil over high heat. Sprinkle some whole corn kernels into a pan. Cover and wait for the popping to finish. Empty pan immediately to avoid burning.
Yogurt lollies - Mix fruit juice concentrate with natural yogurt to desired taste and freeze in lolly moulds.

With children, it is better to give a couple of alternatives for snacks or foods at meal times, rather than saying “What would you like? Offer them an apple or a banana when they come in from school or nursery. Children need your authority (not your lack of willpower!). Lay the lunch or dinner table with 2 or 3 choices of things they can eat, and use lots of colours and shapes.

Children’s health and vitality largely comes from the food they eat. By teaching your children to eat healthy, nutritious foods, you will also be teaching or re-training yourself to understand how diet can make all the difference when it comes to looking and feeling your best!

Dietary advice for Mums
Eat regularly, 4-5 times a day.
Eat 4-5 pieces of fruit a day.
Keep sugars and refined carbohydrates to an absolute minimum.

Avoid carbohydrate-dense foods such as bread, scones, biscuits etc. during the day.
Snack on fresh fruit, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, an avocado etc. All these foods keep blood sugar levels stable, reduce sweet cravings, and nuts and seeds contain EFA’s. Remember, EFA’s are essential for normal metabolic functioning and remove stored fat from fat cells.
Try and eat fish as a main meal at least 3 times a week.
Drink at least 2 litres (3 pints) of filtered tap water a day.

Don’t eat late, especially not a high fat, high calorie meal.
Eat a large bowl of fresh salad everyday.
Cut right back on tea and coffee and avoid all together if breast-feeding.

Suggested meals and eating times if you want to lose weight:

7-8am - Breakfast (Chopped apple & pear, live plain yogurt + 1 dessert spoon of seeds)
10-11am - Snack (2 oatcakes with Tahini spread)
1-2pm - Light Lunch (large salad with tuna, tomato and avocado)
4-5pm - Snack (1-2 pieces of fruit)
7-8pm - Evening meal (steamed or grilled fish, tofu or chicken, salad, steamed veg & 1 tbsp. wholegrain or basmati rice)
Other snacks (peaches, raw carrot, olives, celery and tomato)

N.B. Try soya or goat’s milk on cereal. Use dairy-free spreads such as Vitaquell margarine or Tahini (sesame seed spread) on bread & crackers, pure fruit spreads instead of jams, and try flax seed oil (rich in omega-3 fats), sesame oil, or walnut oil on salads, rice and vegetables.

Some exercise advice when you’ve found your “me time”!!!
Exercise (coupled with a healthy eating regime) makes all the difference when trying to regain pre-pregnancy, or simply an ideal weight and shape. Exercising regularly can be difficult with babies and young children… BUT, it is not impossible!

Keeping fit and toned creates a happier person, a happier Mum, and happier children. Surely that’s incentive enough! Staying active with energetic children is easy, and at the same time it’s helping keep the metabolic rate active. However, to really burn excess fat, it’s necessary to literally “train” the body to do this. Regular cardiovascular exercise that significantly raises the heart rate has to be a major consideration when wanting to lose weight. The sooner you can start a regular programme of aerobic activity the better.

Brisk or power walking, jogging, steady cycling, mountain biking, aerobics classes, step classes or swimming are great examples of cardiovascular activities that are particularly effective at teaching the body to better burn body fat. Try these exercises for 30 minutes 3-4 times a week if possible. It is important to take time out for yourself, so don’t feel guilty about doing this. Husbands, partners, parents, friends etc. can watch the kids while you go for a 30 minute brisk walk, a gym workout, a swim, or continue with your favourite exercise class.
Alternatively, crches nowadays are very accessible and a ‘haven’ for many busy Mums. They can be very useful, and a great opportunity for your child to begin interacting with other young children.

Sitting at home is a recipe for eating too much so try and spend as much time being active with your children. Weather permitting, spend time in the garden or park, go walking, and involve yourself and your child in activities such as throwing and catching a ball, swimming or tennis.

Pelvic floor exercises - essential after giving birth!
Try and perform some “pelvic floor” strengthening exercises. These can be done literally anywhere and at any time of the day. The pelvic floor muscles become weakened after pregnancy so need to be worked in order to avoid embarrassing “leaking”!
The easiest way to do this is to imagine you’re desperately trying to stop the flow of urine. Squeeze the muscles upwards, HOLD for 30 seconds, and then release. Complete this exercise up to 20 times, twice a day if you feel these muscles have become weak.
It is also important to re-strengthen weak abdominal muscles. Abdominal curls are one of the best exercises to tone and flatten the abdomen, so try and do a couple of sets after your 30 minute aerobic sessions. With any exercise, perform the movements slowly and in a controlled way, working to the point of “muscular fatigue” (i.e. the last few are hurting!).

Tips to remember
* Be active as much as possible
* Take time out for yourself
* Try and routinely do 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 3-4 times a week
* Cut out sugar and sugary foods
* Get used to naturally sweetened foods such as figs and grapes, and raw vegetables such as carrots and tomatoes
* Replace desserts with fresh fruit or have a salad starter instead
* Avoid carbohydrate dense foods throughout the day
* Drink part fruit juice and part water to increase fluid intake
* If you’re a new Mum, remember breast is best for natural weight loss!

Lucy-Ann Prideaux MSc BSc RNutr
Registered Nutritionist