Bring Back Family Dinners!

By Allison Brooks

This is the 21st Century! Home of the overworked, underpaid, tired and in dire need of "me" time. Parents, children, husbands, wives and extended family are become isolated from each other, due to disparate schedules, after school activities, work and a myriad of other reasons. These days, people go to the nearest drive thru and eat on the run, order takeout and plop down on the counter, or use convenience and processed foods to prepare some semblance of a meal.

Family dynamics may have changed in the past 50 years, but the inherent desire to hold the family together still remains important. Circumstances might indicate that the concept of family is disintegrating and that may be the case for some people. The simple fact is that we are human and we need each other. A way that we can keep our family units strong and together is to sit together and to eat together. We need to nourish not only our bodies, but also our minds, spirits and souls.

Research has shown that families that make the time to have dinner together are happier, stronger and better prepared to negotiate life's difficulties. Eating together is a mutually beneficial experience for adults and children. Sitting and enjoying a meal together promotes open communication, better appetites and a more positive outlook on life. This is why many RD’s and nurses recommend a family meal at least once a day. Not only in the home but facilities like nursing homes and cancer facilities ask families to visit to have a meal together. Since the idea of a short life-expectancy can make one feel isolated, a family meal makes them feel closer and more at peace.

If you have not engaged in this practice, there is no better time than now. Getting everyone together to eat without distractions is going to take inner strength and resilience, but once you overcome the objections and excuses, your loved ones will start coming around. In fact, your family might even look forward to the family meal time.

There are both extrinsic and intrinsic benefits for eating together. Decide today that you will make the time and a lovingly prepared meal for your family. Everyone will thank you.

5 Tips for Balancing Hormones Naturally

Nicole Jardim is a certified women's holistic health coach specializing in the treatment of hormonal imbalances that cause conditions like PMS, fibroids, infertility and endometriosis.

1. Avoid caffeine (coffee, soda and other “energy” drinks):

Caffeine increases estrogen levels. Studies have shown that drinking just two cups of coffee a day boosts levels of estradiol, a natural estrogen. Every woman has a natural, individualized ratio of estrogen and progesterone that surges and recedes to make up her unique menstrual cycle. When estrogen is too high and progesterone is too low, it tends to irritate the nervous system causing anxiety, irritability and insomnia. On the flip side, progesterone is a natural diuretic, sleep aid, anti-anxiety compound, and metabolism stimulator. It acts like Valium.

2. Avoid dairy products: So here’s the scoop - most dairy in the US comes from factory farms, where cows are fed products not natural to their diet, such as grain, corn and soy. Some are injected with bioengineered hormones that forces the cows to produce more milk than their bodies normally would. This over-stimulation of the cow’s udder causes it to become infected, thus requiring antibiotics. As a result, these added hormones and antibiotics reside in the milk, which interfere with the female hormonal system - most notably changing the way hormones are metabolized in the bowel and ultimately changing our hormonal levels. 

Nicole & her God child

3. Choose organic fish and meat when possible: Non-organic animals are fed estrogenic steroids to fatten them up. When we eat these foods, the estrogenic compounds are passed into our blood stream causing a rise in estrogen levels. This ultimately leads to estrogen dominance. Estrogen dominance has been linked to some unpleasant conditions such as migraines, PMS, fibroids, ovarian cysts, infertility, weight gain and irregular periods.

4. Eat full fat products (skip fat-free products): Low-fat diets are one of the main reasons so many women have hormonal imbalances. We know this may sound crazy since we’ve been told for years to cut out fat but fat is your friend! We’re not condoning over-consumption of fat or cholesterol by any means but guess what? Your hormones are made out of cholesterol. If you don’t eat enough cholesterol, your body can’t make hormones. If you are not eating sufficient amounts of fat and cholesterol, you could be exacerbating your hormonal imbalance. Natural, healthy fats include olive oil, coconut oil, butter, avocados, nuts, seeds, and fish.

5. Stop the stress: Okay, we know that this isn’t entirely possible but you sure need to try. Here’s why: studies have shown that stress affects the endocrine system in such a way that it throws off our hormonal balance, which can literally stop ovulation from happening. Therefore, it is important to find ways to lessen the load and start having some FUN! Try yoga, guided meditations or an exercise routine that you actually like.

Nicole is a women’s holistic health counselor specializing in the treatment of hormonal imbalances through food and lifestyle modification. Her latest program is called Fix Your Period – 8 Weeks to Better Periods in 2012.  Go to www.fixyourperiod.com for all the details. You can contact her at nicole@thehealthyelements.com or visit her website at www.thehealthyelements.com.

What is Sage Spoonfuls?

LLD is proud to introduce our families to our new friend Sage Spoonfuls founder Liza Huber. You may know the busy mother of three from the NBC daytime drama Passions. She also had the honor of being Miss Golden Globe in the year 2000. Her mother is Emmy-Award winning Susan Lucci of "All My Children". I invite you to get to know Liza-she’s great!

Liza and her family

It is always so interesting to hear everyone’s story on how they got started. What inspired you?

My children were, and continue to be, my inspiration for Sage Spoonfuls.  I first had the idea 5 years ago when my oldest was born and I started making his baby food.  There were no products on the market that made it easy for moms.  Then, when my second son came 2 months early and spent 6 weeks in the NICU, I knew I wouldn’t go back to work in the traditional sense for a while so I could be home with him.  That was when I decided to pursue and develop my idea for Sage Spoonfuls, because I could work from home.  When I was pregnant with our third baby, our daughter Hayden, I was on bed rest for the second half of my pregnancy.  That is when I finished my book and pulled it all together.  Royce was the initial inspiration, Brendan was the decision to pursue it and Hayden was the catalyst to get it all pulled together! 

What is your favorite simple recipe that you recommend to busy moms?

As a mom, my motto is “Sanity lies in preparation”.  That is the idea behind Sage Spoonfuls.  All baby food recipes are simple, but the key to making it easy is by preparing the foods in bulk and storing in Sage Spoonfuls jars in the freezer.  This way, you always have a stock of fresh, delicious and healthy baby food available.  All you need is 1 hour every 2 weeks, minimal effort for maximum benefit!

Tell us about your book!

I had so much fun writing my book and I am really excited about the finished product.  Sage Spoonfuls – Simple Recipes, Healthy Meals, Happy Babies is full of recipes, information and ideas from one busy, on-the-go mom to another!  My book includes everything you need to know about introducing and feeding your baby solids, including bonus family favorite recipes the entire family, babies and toddlers included, can enjoy together!  Moms will also find the most up-to-date information on food allergies, nutrition, foods to avoid, infant CPR, organics, finger foods, and much more!  There is even a journal section after each age group to keep track of your baby’s favorite foods.  My book is pediatrician recommended and filled with delicious, simple recipes and hundreds of yummy combinations to fit every baby’s needs.   Plus, it is full of fun commentary and beautiful photos to keep you excited about giving your baby the healthiest start to life!

If moms are looking for a last minute gift for their parent friends, what do you recommend?

Sage Spoonfuls of course! Click here to shop now!

Eating Healthy

This week we really wanted to look into the phenomenon that has been sweeping the nation. Eating Healthy! We interviewed one of our favorite mothers of four who also happens to be a health consultant know as Nutrimommy by her dedicated followers on her blog. See what Anne has to say about eating healthy!

LLD: We love how creative you are in making fruits and vegetables into tasty treats that your four children love, and are extremely healthy. Can you give our moms out there some tips on making healthy, easy-to-make snacks for the little ones? Or even, what is one of your favorite healthy snacks to make for your kids?

Anne: Focus on vegetables as snacks. One of our favorites is the peanut butter cucumber caterpillar, but even plain cut carrots, celery and pepper to dip in hummus or black bean spread is simple, easy and tasty.

LLD: More often than we like, we’re learning about new foods or ingredients that could cause health problems. We all want to keep our families healthy, but when does it stop! In your opinion, what are the most important things to avoid in a healthy diet?

Anne: Avoid anything processed. By eliminating processed foods, you will avoid all preservatives, coloring and artificial sweeteners without having to ciphon through lists of which are or are not especially hazardous. They are all bad and none stand up to completely fresh foods with a few packaged but not processed items, like puffed corn thins, rice cakes or a very plain chip.

LLD: Many parents think that it would be very hard to follow a primarily vegan diet with growing children that are already picky eaters. You say so honestly in your blog that life does get in the way sometimes, and you can’t always avoid animal products or milk or butter. Do you have some advice for parents that want to try a more vegetarian or vegan diet but aren’t sure how to bring their kids on board?

Anne: Mostly, make it delicious and involve children in the shopping and cooking processes. My children love to chop, grind and blend so they are more amenable to the end result. They are also really involved in which farms we buy food from and they have developed a general understanding of what grows when and where. And, do not forget to make the food visually appealing. After all, first impressions matter.

LLD: We were fascinated by your blog from May 1st of this year about genetically modified corn. With the recent health revolution sweeping the nation, more people are concerned about what is going into their food. For those of you that don’t know, agribusiness today is inserting a BT toxin, or synthetic bug spray, into corn so that it has its own bug repellent. But what happens once you eat this corn with the bug spray in it? No one knows! The FDA is not researching or testing the effects of these genetically modified substitutes, but there are many claims that this is harmful to the human body, and additionally to the environment. Could you comment on the suspected health problems associated with genetically modified foods, and how important it is to find natural fruits and vegetables to feed your family?

Anne: While the claims against genetically modified foods include many illnesses from cancer and superviruses to infertility, the risk of fatal food allergies is one of the most studies and flagrant examples of the downside of GMOs. Bringing cod fish genes into potatoes or brazil nut into soy has clearly caused death and a rash of odd soy allergies heretofore unseen. http://www.nutrimommy.com/search/label/GM%20foods

LLD: When shopping for organic foods, it can get overwhelming visiting a Whole Foods where there are aisles and aisles of various brands and “all-natural” claims on packaging. How do you know where to start and when is it worth paying the extra couple dollars for the organic label?

Anne: Sometimes the organic label is meaningless. At your local farm stand you can always ask about growing practices and you will find many fruits and vegetables are unsprayed, sprayed with only organic products or very lightly sprayed unlike large agribusiness produce. In the packaged food realm, it is best to lean organic whenever possible, for snacks and crackers, and be especially diligent when the product has corn or soy. There is a whole profitable and growing market of organic junk food which should be avoided based on fat, salt and sugar content regardless of the source of the food. It is preferable to aim for sprouted nuts or raw snacks like kale chips rather than oily chips and floury crackers regardless of the organic label.

Thanks for all the great advice Anne! Check our her blog at http://www.nutrimommy.com/.

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