Snacking is often blamed for weight gain, but snacking properly can help save you from unwanted calories. Here are ideas for healthy snacking.

What Are Snacks?

Snacks are like mini meals that help us get through the day. They don’t need to be heavy or they can have the opposite effect. Eating at regular intervals helps increase metabolism, which is what is needed to help burn unwanted fat from the body. Your metabolism needs to be stoked constantly so that it can run at top speed.

All too often, we choose the wrong kind of snacks to eat. A sufficient snack is around 150 calories. Eating two or three snacks a day plus meals equals six smaller servings instead of three larger ones. When you eat more often, you don’t need to eat as much to reach a feeling of fullness.

Foods to Try for Snacking

Most snacks are usually high in fat, salt or sugar, which are full of empty calories, which results in you being hungry again in an hour or so, because your snack had no nutritional value. Also, empty calories will stick to your waistline.

The ideal snack should be filling and leave you with more energy. The way to achieve that is to choose high protein, low carbohydrate snacks. The protein helps to fight cravings and also builds muscle.

The carbohydrate factor in your food keeps blood sugar steady. Too much sugar will give you an energy boost, but it will be short-lived. In about thirty minutes, you will come crashing down and craving another sweet snack.

Complex carbohydrates take longer to digest and therefore keep the blood sugar at optimum levels throughout the day. Without cravings, you are thinking less about sugar and more about your daily activities. You can eat satisfying foods and smaller meals without feeling deprived.

Here are some examples of high protein, low carb snacks. Some are contained in one food but others require food combining:

* Nuts – nuts are a good source of protein. They contain fats, but they are unsaturated fats that the body can use. Try a serving or two of almonds or pistachios for a snack.

* Cheese – did you know that cheese contains protein? Eat it with a small apple for the right amount of protein, carbs and sweetness to keep you satisfied until your next meal.

* Low-fat yogurt – Yogurt contains protein and calcium. Top with a bit of granola or bran to add carbs.

* Boiled eggs – A boiled egg provides protein. Mix it with mayonnaise and add a whole wheat pita for a quick snack. To keep the portion size small, use one egg, a tablespoon of mayonnaise and half a pita.

Are you looking to gain a bit of energy in the middle of your morning without adding unwanted pounds? Try these high protein, low carb snacks for a start.

Avocado is the delicious green fruit that is used to make guacamole dip. It can be sliced up and eaten in salad or on a sandwich. They have many uses, including medicinal purposes.

It is believed that the avocado originated in Peru. This small dark green-skinned fruit resembles a large egg on the outside and has a creamy center that can be eaten alone or mixed to make dips, chopped to make salsa or chutney and cooked.

As much as the avocado is good to eat, it is also good for other purposes. The entire plant, including leaves, bark, seed, rind and fruit flesh is used to make different natural remedies. Some are still used today by people living in Peru and also Guatemala.

The Bark

This part of the avocado tree is used to prepare medicinal treatments. If you have a cough, it can be used to help stop it. Also, bark is used to alleviate many digestive ailments.

The Fruit

The best way to get nutrition from the avocado is to eat it. Some people have issues with eating one because of its reported high fat content. The avocado does contain fat, but it is monounsaturated fats, which are good fats.

Consuming avocados on a regular basis can lead to better heart health and circulation, improved skin appearance, cancer protection and also help for PMS sufferers. It is best eaten raw for the greatest amount of nutrients.

It can also be used to help stimulate hair growth. Scoop out the pulp from the rind and mix it up. Applying pulp to the head can stimulate dormant follicles to grow more hair.

Using the fruit in a poultice can be used to heal pus-filled wounds. It is cool to the touch so it can be used to soothe damaged skin.

The Leaves

The leaves of an avocado tree are helpful, too. They can be used to treat diarrhea, get rid of excess gas and also to stop bloating. For people with high uric acid levels, gout is a painful condition that can result. Using the leaves to fight digestive distress can stop gout before it starts.

The Seeds

Oil can be obtained from the seed of the avocado and can be used on the skin to smooth it out. A protein found in avocados helps stimulate the production of collagen. By using oil on the face, it can help smooth out wrinkles and keep the skin plump and toned.

Vegetarians also want ways that they can stay healthy when they don’t have a lot of time to prepare a meal. Here are some ideas for quick vegetarian lunch ideas.

One challenge for vegetarians is getting enough protein in their diet. When meat is absent, it is more important to choose food staples that will provide enough to sustain the body’s daily needs.

Lunch can be hard to come by, especially on a busy schedule. Many resort to fast food choices or skipping lunch in favor of a snack from the vending machine. Even though these options may be technically vegetarian, they can contain a lot of excess calories and fat that no one needs.

Here are some tips for preparing quick vegetarian meals.

Plan ahead – Make sure that your pantry is stocked with all the staples that you need to make as many different meals as you need to provide lunch for the entire week.

Prepare food – If you can get it ready ahead of time, prepare whatever needs to be cooked so it will cut down on what you have to do to get ready each day. This can include chopping vegetables, making pizza crusts or tortillas, slicing fruit, cooking beans or rice.

Following are some quick lunch ideas, both hot and cold:

Cold Lunch Ideas

* Veggie sub – A foot long sub can be made on Sunday and cut up in three or four pieces for lunchtime meals. Try Portobello mushrooms, peppers, lettuce, tomatoes and a low-calorie mayonnaise. Carry the mayonnaise in a small container to be applied just before you eat.

* Pasta salad – Pasta makes a filling and quick meal anytime. Try whole wheat pasta to maximize your intake of whole grains. Add, black and/or green olives, celery, mushrooms, pimento, parmesan cheese and toss with Italian dressing for a zesty quick lunch. Spoon it into lunch-size containers for easy transport. Since it is made cold, you can eat it on the run.

* Hummus and chips – You may want something light one day for lunch. You can buy hummus or make your own. Grind your own chickpeas; add healthy oil and flavoring to get just the taste you want. Toast pita chips ahead of time and store them in an airtight container for up to a week. Place a few in a snack bag to eat with your hummus dip.

Hot Lunch Ideas

* Vegetable soup – A pot of soup can be prepared on Sunday and eaten during the week. Any leftovers can be frozen for another time. Soup can be heated up in minutes in a microwave.

* Vegetable pizza – Create personal pan pizzas ahead of time and freeze them until you need them. Top with your favorite veggies. For better results, prebake the crusts before freezing.

Vegetarian lunches don’t have to be complicated or full of fat. .

Teeth help us to chew food and also shape our face, but keeping them looking great takes work and the right foods. Teeth are covered with hard enamel to protect the soft material beneath. Bacteria can erode that enamel.

Bacteria are present in the mouth at all times. These bacteria can form a yellowish film on the teeth called plaque. It sticks to the teeth and discolors them. Daily brushing can limit the amount of plaque that settles on the teeth. Some plaques can move below the gum line leading to gingivitis, which is inflammation of the gums.

While sugary snacks are usually our first choice, the sugars in these snacks can affect the health of our teeth.

When the sugars break down, they can attract the bacteria in the plaque and form acids. It is the acid that breaks down the hard enamel, and once the enamel is gone, it doesn’t restore itself. Loss of enamel can lead to sensitive teeth, being affected by heat and cold touching them. It can also eventually result in tooth loss.

How to Snack Smarter

Most of us love the taste of sweets, but they aren’t so good to our teeth. To protect the teeth and keep them strong, here are some tips to snacking smarter:

* Choose sugar wisely – While it is all right to snack several times a day, choosing a sugary snack each time can hurt the teeth. Try limiting sugar for after dinner.

* Limit the fat – Too much fat in your snacks is not good for your body and also not good for your teeth.

* Brush your teeth – After a sugary snack, the acids that form can stay active for almost half an hour after you are finished eating. That is 20 minutes that your teeth are under attack. Brushing with fluoride toothpaste can stop the activity of the acid right away. Brush at least twice a day and after sugary snacks.

* Choose a different category of snacks – If you’ve ever eaten sugar then you know that it starts a vicious cycle. You will want more sugar after the blood sugar spike wears off. High fiber snacks are more filling and also healthier for the body.

Here are some examples of healthier snacks:

* Fruit – Apples, berries, oranges, pineapples, tomatoes
* Raw vegetables – Celery, carrots, broccoli, cucumbers
* Grains – Popcorn, bagels, oats
* Dairy – Cheeses, low-fat milk
* Nuts and seeds

Cutting down on sugary snacks may be the key to protecting your teeth well into your later years. This article gives you examples of better, healthier choices for your teeth and your body.

Sugar is in many of the foods we eat, even the all-natural ones. Since everyone doesn’t eat a lot of it, why are so many children addicted to it?

Sugar is a natural sweetener found in nature. Pure cane sugar has a sweet taste, but is not as sweet as table sugar. The refining process increases the sweetness.

There are also many different forms of sugar in use in food production today. Any label ingredient that ends in “-ose,” or “-ase” can be a form of sugar.

The Effects of Sugar

The body uses sugars as a way of gauging insulin production. Steady blood sugar stops cravings. There are sugars in breads and other carbohydrate foods that level off insulin production.

Simple sugars, such as those in candy bars, sweetened cereals, cookies and other refined processed foods can spike the blood sugar. When it spikes, too much insulin is released into the bloodstream. You get a burst of energy but it can’t be sustained.

The blood sugar drops and you get very tired. To replenish the sugar stores, more sugar is needed. Often we reach for what is readily available, such as another sweet snack.

The Effect of Sugar on Children

You can tell if your child is addicted to sugar if they will eat nothing but sweets. If they don’t get a sweet treat, they will throw a tantrum or cry. These can be signs of sugar withdrawal. Just like anything else that can become an addiction, the body goes through a process when it is absent.

There is an important point to understand: a child reacts differently to sugar than an adult. This all has to do with the amount of sugar they are eating. A toddler may be able to eat solid food, but their portions are smaller than an adult.

We often don’t take this in account. For an adult, drinking a soda can make you more alert due to the sugar and caffeine. For a child, that same level of sugar in their body would be the equivalent of an adult drinking six sodas. The overload can lead to hyperactivity, which is what parents describe as kids going crazy after sweets.

Consider the long-term effects of even one soda a day; for example, it can lead to an addiction of sweets. Going cold turkey with your child can lead to the behavior that makes up withdrawal symptoms.

One solution can be to substitute processed sugar with natural sugars in fruits and vegetables. There is also a sweet taste to carrots, berries, bananas and many citrus fruits. Starting a child on them now can increase their love of nutritious foods and help to stop the sugar addiction.

Sweets spike our blood sugar and give us a rush. If you are tired, eating sugar can not only taste good, but also provide the needed energy, at least for about an hour or so. The downside is that in order to achieve the same high again, you need more sugar.

The Facts

There are misconceptions about sugar. In the body, sugar is all right in moderation, as are all foods. It’s when we eat too much sugar that we have a problem. If you are trying to lose weight, a sweet tooth can derail you.

Ways to Tame the Sweet Tooth

You can lose the sweet tooth without going cold turkey, which often increases our cravings for the thing that we are trying to avoid. Don’t think of it as avoiding sugar, but as trying to increase the presence of something else.

* Cut your sugar in half – If you are used to having a double scoop of ice cream, take a single scoop in a bowl instead of on a cone. Track your snacks. If you eat sugar more than once a day, cut back to once a day as a start.

* Include protein at each meal – It is a fact that protein cuts down on cravings and also keeps the munchies at bay. Eat a boiled egg at breakfast or a slice of cheese.

* Increase your fiber intake – Fiber cleans out the digestive system and also keeps you feeling full. It is hard to crave sweets with a full stomach. Try whole grain breads for sandwiches, oatmeal for breakfast, and add more vegetables.

* Opt for natural sugars – Eating fruits that are sweet not only gives you that sweet taste, but also nutrients such as vitamin A and C. For a sweeter taste, try dried fruit where the effects are concentrated. Watch out for added sugar, though. You may want to invest in your own dehydrator.

* Eat before you go out – This is a trick that works. Eat a small snack or protein or a salad before going out to dinner with friends or to a party. It will cut down on grazing on sweet fare.

* Reward yourself without food – Sometimes we reward ourselves with food for promotions and celebrations. Instead, go shopping. A reward won’t increase your sweet tooth or your waistline.

You can tame and even lose that sweet tooth without going cold turkey. Take a little time and a few steps to get it done right.

Inflammation occurs when the tissues of the body are affected by injury or infection. They become irritated to the point that they cause pain. Learn how to help get rid of the pain of inflammation by changing your diet.

Eating certain foods can also increase inflammation that is already present in the body. Many foods these days are processed for longer shelf life. Added fats seem to make the food taste better even though it doesn’t make it better for you.

To combat inflammation, we take medications. The most popular drugs on the market to fight inflammation are NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). While they are helpful, if you are eating foods that increase inflammation, you are working against yourself.

Here is a brief list of foods that promote inflammation in the body:

* Trans fats
* Saturated fats
* Processed meats (luncheon meat, hot dogs, etc.)
* Processed baked goods (cookies, cakes, donuts, etc.)
* Pre-sweetened cereal
* Candy

If you suffer from an inflammatory process in your body (such as arthritis), eating certain foods can possibly make your situation worse. You take NSAIDs more often to fight to the pain. Unfortunately, taking too many of these drugs can have side effects, including ulcers and an irritable bowel due to the level of pain relievers in your system.

Foods that Help Stop Inflammation

Before you reach for more pain relievers, consider other changes that you can make to help relieve inflammation. Examine your diet. Seek to include foods that will work to stop the inflammation process in your tissues and joints.

Here are a few categories of foods that will help your body:

* Omega 3 fatty acids – These are found in healthy oils and cold water fish. Try cooking with olive oil. It is a great source for fatty acids that not only help reduce inflammation but also improve cardiovascular health. Use it in salad dressings and also to cook meals. Salmon is a cold water fish that is full of fatty acids. Try eating fish at least twice a week. .

* Protein – Look for lean sources of protein such as chicken, turkey and pork. Even better still are non-animal sources of protein like nuts, which provide you with good fats, and legumes and beans, which provide high sources of protein without animal fats.

* Carbohydrates (including vegetables) – Try whole grain breads. If you are used to eating oatmeal, try other grains like quinoa, barley and bulgur. Vegetables also contain carbohydrates: broccoli, cauliflower and spinach. If there is any inflammation, avoid tomatoes, eggplant and potatoes. These are known to increase inflammation.

If you are suffering from inflammation, try changing what you eat as a way of reducing the pain that you feel.

Avocado is the delicious green fruit that is used to make guacamole dip. It can be sliced up and eaten in salad or on a sandwich. They have many uses, including medicinal purposes.

It is believed that the avocado originated in Peru. This small dark green-skinned fruit resembles a large egg on the outside and has a creamy center that can be eaten alone or mixed to make dips, chopped to make salsa or chutney and cooked.

As much as the avocado is good to eat, it is also good for other purposes. The entire plant, including leaves, bark, seed, rind and fruit flesh is used to make different natural remedies. Some are still used today by people living in Peru and also Guatemala.

The Bark

This part of the avocado tree is used to prepare medicinal treatments. If you have a cough, it can be used to help stop it. Also, bark is used to alleviate many digestive ailments.

The Fruit

The best way to get nutrition from the avocado is to eat it. Some people have issues with eating one because of its reported high fat content. The avocado does contain fat, but it is monounsaturated fats, which are good fats.

Consuming avocados on a regular basis can lead to better heart health and circulation, improved skin appearance, cancer protection and also help for PMS sufferers. It is best eaten raw for the greatest amount of nutrients.

It can also be used to help stimulate hair growth. Scoop out the pulp from the rind and mix it up. Applying pulp to the head can stimulate dormant follicles to grow more hair.

Using the fruit in a poultice can be used to heal pus-filled wounds. It is cool to the touch so it can be used to soothe damaged skin.

The Leaves

The leaves of an avocado tree are helpful, too. They can be used to treat diarrhea, get rid of excess gas and also to stop bloating. For people with high uric acid levels, gout is a painful condition that can result. Using the leaves to fight digestive distress can stop gout before it starts.

The Seeds

Oil can be obtained from the seed of the avocado and can be used on the skin to smooth it out. A protein found in avocados helps stimulate the production of collagen. By using oil on the face, it can help smooth out wrinkles and keep the skin plump and toned.

hese days, almost everyone is trying to become healthier, but some of the choices that are being offered are anything but healthy. Here, we will discuss artificial sweeteners and why they are not as good as they may seem.

What Are Artificial Sweeteners?

Artificial sweeteners are chemical compounds that are used instead of sugar in diet foods, soft drinks, candy, cakes, and cookies. They are fat free and taste sweet, and some are even three or four times sweeter than sugar.

What is not always known about artificial sweeteners is that they are created in the laboratory using chemical processes, some of which use highly toxic substances that can remain in the final product. Because of these processes, there are side effects from long-term use of chemical sweeteners. For instance, with NutraSweet (aspartame), some possible side effects include headaches, seizures, chest pains, hallucinations and even tumors; tumors have been shown to occur in laboratory animals.

Another artificial sweetener you might want to avoid is Splenda (sucralose). It is supposed to be made from sugar. Splenda has the potential to enlarge the kidneys, cause dizziness, rashes, night sweats, weight gain and nausea.

As consuming all of these artificial sweeteners in drinks, snacks and adding them to food dishes can result in more harm to your body, eliminate as many of them as you can from your diet.

How They Trick the Body

Here is another surprising fact about artificial sweeteners. The body gets a taste of sweetness on the tongue when you eat or drink something that contains an artificial sweetener. It expects a burst of sugar but gets a non-sugar substitute. Since the body doesn’t register it as sugar, it continues to crave the sweetness.

This cycle can result in eating more foods that contain these sugar substitutes in an effort to quench the sweet craving. What happens is that you take in more calories and see weight gain if this gets out of control. So, eating sugar-free snacks doesn’t always mean calorie-free and you could be doing more harm than good to your body.

Back to Sugar

Sugar is sweet and contains calories, but it is all right to use it in moderation. In fact, many of the artificial sweeteners are sweeter tasting than sugar. By using sugar, you are adapting to a milder sweetness that you will be able to taste in foods without needing to add more.

Stick with unsweetened foods so that you can measure the amount of sugar you are adding, if you need to add any. Natural is usually better for the body because it is used to processing it.

If you are you using artificial sweeteners, do read about some of the side effects and how you can still have sweetness, but in a more natural way.

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is a condition that is characterized by hyperactivity, attention deficits and irritability. Drugs have been used to help control the symptoms in children, but dietary changes can also be beneficial.

Dr. Feingold, a pediatrician and allergist, developed The Feingold diet in the 1960s and 1970s.  He noticed that many people who were sensitive to chemicals and other environmental agents were also having trouble with foods. Many of the foods we eat are not all natural. They contain chemical additives to add coloring, flavor, texture and shelf life. At the time, no one knew for sure what was in these additives.

Some of Dr. Feingold’s patients who suffered from chemical sensitivities were also suffering from ADHD. He noticed that the diet he developed for these sensitivities also effected changes in the children with ADHD and he was able to help many of them.

First, let us say that the Feingold diet is not a cure-all. While it did help many people with ADHD, it did not help all of them, but, changes in diet have been proved to affect the body in different ways, so it could be worth the time to see if it does change or reduce symptoms in your ADHD child.

The Feingold Diet

The main function of the diet is to return to a simple eating plan. Dr. Feingold recommends removing food additives, artificial sweeteners and aspirin compounds from the diet. ADHD children showed marked improvement in their behavior due to these changes.

The first step is to eliminate artificial sweeteners, coloring, preservatives, and other additives. Here are some examples:

* BHA and BHT

* All artificial colorings (they say “red dye,” “yellow dye” and “blue dye,” but many are made from petroleum products)

* Artificial flavorings (some are made from synthetic chemicals)

* Artificial sweeteners (the chemical process used to produce them involves using hazardous substances such as chlorine); aspartame is eliminated completely

* Other food additives (nitrites and nitrates are found in hot dogs and lunch meats)

* Salicylates (related to aspirin, these derivatives are found in perfumes, medicines and solvents) – many fruits and some spices and condiments contain salicylate derivatives

You will have to read a lot of food labels to find out what to eliminate. This doesn’t mean that you have to give up all of your convenience foods, but taking more time to see which ones are more organic in nature will mean healthier meals for the entire family, not just the one suffering from ADHD.

Observe your child for several weeks. If his behavior improves even over the medicine he may be taking, then it is very likely that there was something in his diet that he was sensitive to. Now, you can add back in one banned food a week to find out the actual culprit that was causing his sensitivity.

In the off chance that your child’s behavior doesn’t change, try eliminating other foods such as high-fructose corn syrup and MSG. Stick with fresh fruits, vegetables and lean meats. Re-evaluate any changes.

The Feingold diet has been shown to help many children suffering from ADHD. Ask your doctor about using the diet in conjunction with your child’s medication to improve his behavior.