Happy Halloween!!

 

 

 

Oh boy!!!!! Candy, candy, candy everywhere!!!  Who doesn't like a piece of candy???? Let's face it, Halloween isn't just for the kiddies......it's for all of us!!!!  I know when you check your kids candy, that you secretly hide the piece you really want behind your back!!!  We all do it and as far as I'm concerned.......it is our right!!!!   As a Registered Dietitian, people always question we......"Do you let your kids trick-or-treat??"   Then its always followed up with, "But you don't let them eat the candy, right??" What kind of mother would I be if I didn't let my kids eat candy......my answer.....a horrible one!!!!  As I always say.....there is a place for everything in our lives and candy is no different.  Just eat it in MODERATION!!!  What I typically do is leave the candy accumulated from our 3 hour hike in a bowl on the counter for 2 days.  Then, I put it away....out of visual contact....usually in a tied up grocery bag and I then divvy it out....2 pieces (the little guys) daily for 1 week per child.  Whatever remains after this is then saved to take to our future movie theater trips......money saved ladies!!!  Candy can last for quite some time....just like the Cheese and Meat gift packs on the holidays!!!!!

 

My advice, don't stress over your kids or yourself for that matter eating candy.  Everyone should enjoy!!!  Trust me, all of you that do not let your kids eat candy (unless of course there is a medical reason).... your kids are going over their friends homes who can eat candy and are eating them out of house and home!!!!  I know this to be true because I grew up with 2 of them.........and trust me....they ate candy or whatever other sweets they could get a hold every chance they could get!!!!  So just relax and enjoy Halloween and all the goodies it has to offer.  Dare I say...use this fun holiday to teach your kids moderation!!!! It will last a lifetime!!!!!



EXTRA!! EXTRA!! HAVE YOU HEARD THE NEWS.....DARK CHOCOLATE IS ACTUALLY GOOD FOR YOU??

Forget about Valentines Day, Halloween, or break-ups!!!!!   I hereby declare Dark Chocolate a yummy treat to consume all year round with absolutely no guilt involved!!!!  Why should our kids have all the fun?? We should too!!!   It's so funny because I don't know about your house, but in my house.....when I buy dark chocolate...my kids want no part of it.....it's as if it was only made for all of us "big kids"  because mine just do not like the way it looks!!  Sweet justice!!!!   Don't ask me why, perhaps its the more bitter taste than what kids are used to...I don't know...all I do know is that I hope it lasts for a long time!!

Here's the skinny on Dark Chocolate.....it's like everything else in this wonderful world...you can enjoy it, BUT ONLY IN MODERATION.  I know you must be sick of hearing it.....but it is so true!  Now lets get to the learning part..So what's so good about Dark Chocolate???  It all starts with this little tiny seed from the cocoa tree and this little tiny seed is packed full of antioxidants......YES... the same stuff found in fruits and vegetables!!!  However, you have to buy the good stuff, not the milky looking chocolate bars that our kids love.  Make sure it contains 70-85% cocoa.   Now, I am not advocating consuming a Willy Wonka size bar at all.....but a nice small piece isn't going to hurt you at all!!!  In fact, as I tell many clients, the more you deny your taste buds a dance.....the more restricted you feel and then you end up binging!!   Remember though, Dark Chocolate does contain small amounts of sugar, but the darker the bar, the less sugar it will contain.

Some studies in very prestigious journals have toted that Dark Chocolate may actually help to lower High Blood Pressure in small amounts.   WOW!!  You are probably wondering how, right?? Well cocoa contains a compound called phenols that are known to lower blood pressure. 

O.K.......now just do me a favor.....remember what I said......only enjoy a small amount and don't replace your usual healthy stuff with Dark Chocolate......just make a wiser choice when you are at the chocolate store or are craving something rich and delicious!!! Enjoy!!!

Garlic...An Immune System

Warrior!!

 

 

 

It's that time of year again....the leaves are turning beautiful colors, there is a chill in the air, the stores are loaded with Thanksgiving and Halloween goodies and yes......our noses are running!! Now is the time to take stock of all of our cold remedies and our tissue supply in our cabinets!!!  Not a good thought!  But did you also ever think of also adding more garlic to your repertoire of seasonal preventative measures????  I bet you didn't!! 

 

When we think of garlic, most of us think "stinky breath",  "can't kiss you now!!", and keeps the vampire away in movies!!!   But lets replace this thought with.....garlic may help prevent colds and disease!!!!

 

Yes!!! You heard me right.....and why wouldn't we do everything we can to help boost our immune systems??  Garlic has been used as a delicious additive to our favorite food dishes for generations, but did you know that it has also been used in medicinal ways for thousands upon thousands of years??  So right now you might be asking yourself....What makes garlic so great other than making me run for my mouthwash!!   Well, we have spoken about free radicals in the past......you know, those nasty little foreign visitors that enter our bodies and increase our risk of developing diseases such as Cancer, Heart Disease, and Alzheimer Disease.  Well, I'm here to tell you that garlic is rich in antioxidants (the warriors that help to destroy free radicals) and may actually help prevent or at the very least reduce your risk of developing these diseases.  In addition, it may also prevent you and your family from getting the common cold!!  The average child can catch up to 6 and 12 colds per year and the average adult can catch between 2 and 3 cold per year.  That's alot of tissues and medications!!!  Studies have shown that people who consumed more garlic in their diet or took a garlic supplement were less likely to develop colds, or if they did develop a cold, their symptoms went away faster.  Garlic actually boosts your immune system!! Allicin is one of the immune boosting nutrients naturally found in garlic.  So again, I stress.....what we put in our mouths on a daily basis can effect our and our families health!!!!  Tired of missing work because you or your children are sick...tired of missing parties or girl's/boy's night out because you or your children are sick.....then think about what you are putting in your bodies every day!!!!  Eat CLEANER!!!!

 

So add garlic to all of your sauces, pasta dishes, chicken dishes, salads and so on!!! You may get bad breath....but your immune system will be pumped for the winter!!!!