ALLIANCE FOR A HEALTHIER GENERATION APPROVES OUR LESSON PLANS!

We received some exciting news recently -- our lesson plans have been approved by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, which was founded by the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation to combat childhood obesity. Specifically, we can say: “The Alliance for a Healthier Generation has approved the ChrisSare4Kids.com lesson plans to be included in the Healthy Schools Resource Database used by schools enrolled in their Healthy Schools Program.”
We feel very gratified that our concept has received such prestigious recognition. Much of the credit goes to our education consultant, Heather Kahn, who has a multiple-subject clear Crosscultural, Language, and Academic Development (CLAD) credential with a multicultural emphasis, as well as a bachelor’s degree in biology. A proud mother of two sons, Heather has used many of her teaching strategies, lesson plans, and activities featured on ChrisSare4Kids.com at home and hopes to inspire a healthy lifestyle and eco-awareness with her children and other families. Visit our website and use these materials at home and at school for your family's health. Together, we can build a healthier generation.

COOL SUMMER SALADS

This summer I have enjoyed having family and friends over and making salads filled with fresh fruit, such as mangos, papaya, avocado, pears, grapefruit and oranges, along with walnuts or pecans and grilled chicken or grilled salmon.
Add raspberry or lemon vinaigrette and you have a powerful meal packed with nutrients including Vitamin C, beta-carotene, potassium, zinc and more. Instead of lettuce, I use spinach leaves combined with other greens. You can add shredded carrots and low-fat cheese if you like.
This salad, with its Omega 3’s and beta-carotene, is also great for your hair and skin. Papaya has Vitamin K, which is necessary for normal blood clotting and helps your body absorb calcium, which especially important for people at risk for osteoporosis. Raspberry is full of fiber and Vitamin C. Enjoy summer’s bounty. It not only tastes good, but it’s good for you.

June 2010

Summer is here and hopefully that gives us more time to spend with our families. In addition to reading outdoors under a shady tree with my grandsons, we’ll also be playing soccer, baseball and basketball and just running around. Boys are full of energy! My oldest grandson is taking swimming lessons, which I have to admit makes me very nervous. My little grandson is taking his first steps! We really enjoy taking the time to watch a sunset together, eating outdoors, and listening to each member tell a story about their day. Tucking my grandsons in bed at night is the perfect time for a make-believe story, cuddling and tenderness … they bring me so much joy.

Here are some summer tips!

• Remember heat slows the metabolism so you need fewer calories. Also alternate your cardio workout with swimming; you will enjoy the change and enjoy doing it with your family. This is also a great time to rev up your metabolism twice a day. Try doing half of your cardio in morning and the other half in the evening. It’s a great way to keep your metabolism charged.
  
• Good nutrition is key! Eat for fuel.
  
• Stay hydrated. I cannot stress how important it is to drink water and lots of it. Your skin will glow!
  
• Exercise properly to avoid heat exhaustion and remember to rest more often -- along with staying hydrated.
  
• Now is the time for biking, hiking and many outdoor activities. Consider modifying your routine and work out outdoors.
  
• Sunscreen. I can’t stress enough how important it is to use your sunscreen and spread it on liberally. Using too little is like diluting it and leaves you unprotected. Also, if swimming, reapply each time you get out of water. If you’re working up a sweat, you also need to reapply your sunscreen.
  
• Add a little extra salt to replace sodium lost in perspiration. Eat more nutrient-rich foods like fruits and vegetables. They supply water and potassium.
  
• For protein, try eating more fish, soy and lentils.
  
• For a refreshing drink, have water with fresh orange slices, fresh strawberries, fresh mint, and crushed ice. Your family will enjoy it all summer long.
  

DON’T BASH VEGGIES

Hidden vegetables! Sneak in those vegetables so your kids don’t notice! What kind of message is that to give to our children? A very wrong one. The kind of message that will prevent children from developing healthy attitudes toward food and life.
Children learn what they live. They learn from the examples their parents set. Fathers who won’t eat vegetables have sons who won’t eat vegetables. Mothers with eating issues often have daughters will eating issues.

What our children learn at a very young age stays with them for life. That’s why parents need to nurture their young children in healthy ways. Parents are always the first and best teachers, and when parents don’t eat and enjoy a variety of healthy foods, their children don’t either.

When parents try to hide vegetables as purees camouflaged in pasta sauce or mixed with other foods, sure you might get your child to consume a serving of vegetables, but you might also create a lifelong aversion to vegetables. In my family, we enjoy eating a variety of vegetables. Just as my daughter grew up eating and enjoying healthy foods, so do my grandchildren today. We also know what those foods do for us and why we need them.

As the epidemic of childhood obesity worsens, wise parents provide their children with healthy foods, healthy activities and practical knowledge to make good choices. Don’t make healthy eating into an ordeal. Many healthy foods are very tasty—in fact, far better than the junk-food alternatives. Try small portions of healthy foods—just a few slices of apple or orange, a stalk of baby broccoli, carrot sticks, organic strawberries or blueberries, for example.

Have meals as a family. Eating together leads to better nutrition as well as stronger family bonds. Do physical activities together—walking, hiking, or bicycling. Playing games outdoors just for fun is a great way to get moving. Allow time in your yard or in the park for tag and just running free. You’ll all have a great time together. Health is a family matter, and it’s the best gift you can give your children.

Sesame Street

I recently visited the set of Sesame Street and met cookie monster! Enjoy this video with your children and then learn more about healthy eating at chrissare4kids.com.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

So most of you have made your New Year’s resolution to lose weight and become more fit. Now what? Where to start? You can make your lifestyle change easy by eating more super foods! What are the super foods? They are foods with more nutrients. To show you how easy it is to include them, check out my children’s and family site chrissare4kids.com. You and your family will learn together just how important super foods can be for weight management and and how much healthier you will feel.

Some favorite super foods
Turkey
Spinach
Wild salmon
Tomatoes
Blueberries
Kiwi
Pumpkin
Broccoli
Beans
Oatmeal
Oranges

TO YOUR OPTIMUM HEALTH IN 2010 AND MANY YEARS TO COME!

OATMEAL & SUPERFOODS

Even during the hectic holiday season, you need to make time for your health. Start each day with a healthy breakfast, and eat highly nutritious superfoods every day.

SENSATIONAL BREAKFAST
Here’s a fabulous breakfast that will keep you satisfied until lunch.
Prepare one serving of McCann’s Steel-Cut Irish Oatmeal as the package indicates, adding:
A dash of cinnamon (This helps keep your blood glucose levels even throughout the day, and is great for diabetics)
1 tablespoon of wheat germ (full of antioxidants and Vitamin E)
Top with:
A handful of walnuts (full of Omega 3s)
¼ cup of blueberries (a superfood highest in antioxidants and provides fiber and vitamins)

This is naturally sweet, but you can sweeten with sugar substitute if you wish. You just need a small serving to derive the benefits of all the nutrients.

TOP SUPERFOODS TO EAT DAILY
SPINACH—The dark leafy green has an exceptional nutrient profile, including Vitamin C, folate, thiamin, riboflavin, Vitamin B6, magnesium and zinc. It has three key carotenoids—beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin.

BLUEBERRIES—This tiny treat scores at the top of the antioxidant chart. Its powerful antioxidants help prevent cell damage, and thus help protect against heart disease, cancer and possibly mental decline. Blueberries also have fiber, Vitamins C and E and potassium.

SALMON—Wild salmon is a top source of Omega 3 fatty acids and protein. It also has B vitamins, potassium and selenium.

KIWI--This superfood can help prevent heart disease and protect your eyesight. With Vitamins C and E, it helps keep your immune system strong, which is vital with so many viruses going around. It also provides potassium, magnesium and lutein.

To get through the holidays, I remember these simple lifestyle changes to keep me healthy and satisfied. For more practical advice geared to the holidays, see “Lose Weight and Improve Your Mood” and “De-Stressing Tips,” both in my Family Nutrition section.

One more motivator: Have your lab work done in 30 days or so and see if your cholesterol, triglyceride and glucose levels have changed for the better. It’s a great incentive to get you through the holidays!

Be well. Happy, healthy holidays to you and your families!