Healthy Snacks for your Children

Young children have high energy needs and small stomachs, so they will need frequent snacks in between meals, however do not give them snacks a short time before a meal or they may not have apetite.  Make sure they provide good nutrition.  Good choices are fruits and fruit juices, raw vegetable sticks, cereal, yogurt and soup.  

Fungal Infections

Fungal infections of the skin are common in the feet, groin, scalp or nails.  Ideal conditions for fungi to grow are warm and moist areas of the skin such as between the toes, the area under the breasts and in the groin.  To prevent fungal infections:

  Keep the feet clean and dry.
  Wear thongs in public pools and shower
  Wear shoes that allow your feet to breathe
  Wear cotton socks to absorb sweat 
  Keep the groin clean and dry
  Wear cotton underwear
  Avoid tight pants and pantyhose
  Don't share hats, combs or brushes

Your Nutrition

Because our cells are being constantly renewed, their quality is affected by our nutrient intake.  Nutrients also help cells to provide energy, fight against disease and support the immune system.  Eat more fresh organic fruits, raw organic vegetables, steamed or stir-fried organic vegetables, salads with extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar, lean organic meats and organic nuts such as peanuts, almonds and cashews. 

PMS - Premenstrual Syndrome

PMS occurs 6 to 10 days before the menstrual cycle begins.  More than 150 emotional and physical symptoms associated with PMS.  Emotional symptoms include anger and irritability, sadness, poor concentration, aggression, sudden bouts of crying and fatigue.  Physical symptoms include headaches, backaches, breast tenderness, water retention and bloating, diarrhea or constipation, food cravings, dizziness or fainting, clumsiness, increased appetite. 

Most symptoms generally improve when menstrual bleeding begins.  Exercise may help reduce the symptoms.  Try relaxation techniques such as yoga and deep breathing.  Eliminate tobacco, alcohol and caffeine.  Reduce salt in your diet to help limit bloating. 

Natural Laxatives

  Flaxseeds - Ground seeds in a coffee grinder.  Then in a blender add grounded seeds and mix with oranges, apples, and grapefruit.  Take 3 Tbsp of flaxseeds per day with equal amounts of fruits. 

  Fiber - Add some raw bran to your bowl of cereal.  Make sure to gradually incorporate fiber to your diet as your body needs time to adjust to higher levels of fiber.

  Sauerkraut juice - It helps with constipation.  But take it moderately as it has high amounts of salt. 

  Spinach, okra, Spanish onions and escarole - Eat spinach and escarole raw in salads.  Or you can boil them and drink their juice.  Roasted Spanish onions are delicious, try having them before going to bed.  Jumbos are a good way to incorporate okra in your diet.

  Beets - Have a couple of small fresh beets in the morning.  It will help with your digestive tract functioning. 

  Olive oil -  Another wonderful natural laxative.  Take one Tbsp after breakfast and another one after dinner.

Blisters Problems?

Ususally blisters are the result of constant or repeated friction against the skin.  So avoid shoes that are too tight or too loose to minimize friction.  Protect your hands by wearing gloves when doing heavy jobs.  What to do with blisters?

  When the blister is small, protect it with a loose bandage from further rubbing. 

  When the blister is small and in a weight bearing area, protect it with a doughnut-shaped moleskin pad, leaving the area open over the blister. 

  When the blister is larger than let's say 1 inch across,  it is generally best to drain the fluid.  Sterilize a needle with rubbing alcohol and gently puncture the blister at the edge.  Then press the blister to drain the fluid through the hole.  Then whash the area well with soap and water.  An because it becomes an open wound, apply a bandage if exposing the area to unhygienic conditions to avoid infection.

Loss of Nutritional Content in Foods 

Fried foods   The temperature and amount of time the food is fried will decrease the nutritional value left in your food. 

Frozen foods   It depends whether the foods were cooked before they were frozen.  In many cases, consider the fact that the best quality and better looking foods are sold fresh while the foods with lesser quality are processed for frozen foods.

Canned goods  The cooking and sterilization process have and impact in the vitamin and mineral potency losses. 

Dehydrated foods   The nutritional content will be retained for the most part, however consider that, in many instances, lower quality foods are used for this process since their quality cannot be distinguished once it is processed.

Note on Vitamin E   Cereal products and particularly rice may lose up to 70% of vitamin E.  Except for the 100% or whole grain type flour, white and wheat flours may lose up to 90% of its vitamin E content.