Mealtime Matters

Experts everywhere agree that it is important for family members to eat at least one meal a day together as a family. If possible, work around the family members’ schedule to be able to set aside a certain time to eat together.

Mealtimes are special moments when stories are shared and family memories are formed. Sharing meals helps cement family relationships and encourages bonding. Good mealtime experiences nourish the mind, body and soul.

Benefits of sharing a meal

According to university studies, families who eat together also stick together. Experts say that the beneficial impact of family mealtime has been demonstrated for children of all ages: better grades, healthier eating habits, closer relationships to parents and siblings, ability to resist negative peer pressure, and resilience in the face of life's problems.

Here are 10 benefits to eating meals together as a family.

1. Children can learn to share, be polite and respect others through the mini lessons of table manners (when we say “please” and “thank you,” for example).
2. Family conversations help build confidence in young children. Eating together also encourages adult-child communication skills such as listening patiently to each other and expressing one’s opinion in a respectful manner. Furthermore, children who often hear adult conversation improve their vocabulary, reading test scores and speaking skills.
3. Family meals can also help keep children and teenagers from developing eating disorders. Conversations slow down meals, which helps the body digest food more efficiently.
4. A study at the University of Minnesota found that young girls who frequently eat with their families have better grades and fewer depressive symptoms.
5. Studies report that family meals are strongly related to the development of adolescent mental health and stability. Additionally, more than a decade of research by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University has found that when kids eat dinner more often with their families, they are less likely to smoke, drink or use drugs.
6. Mealtimes provide a setting for moral and intellectual discussion where family values are shared. A sense of belonging and mutual trust is fostered when adults and children eat together and enjoy each other’s company.
7. Having meals together also boosts emotional health. Laughter often happens at the dinner table. Mealtimes allow adults and children to express their feelings freely.
8. When a meal is prepared at home, it will more likely be balanced and nutritious, which is better for everyone.
9. When children help with meals, they learn skills such as shopping, setting the table, preparing food, serving food and cleaning up. Family meals can foster family traditions.
10. Finally, family mealtimes help the members get along better. Each member becomes updated about the others’ lives and is able to help each other get through difficult challenges.

Sources:
womensforum.com
weekly.dailytrust.com
sharethetable.com
poweroffamilymeals.com

Show Your Kids You Love Them Through Food

Show your kids your love by helping them build healthy nutrition habits that they will bring with them into adulthood.

Loving your children means wanting and doing the best for them, and this is primarily true when health is the issue. Parents encourage children to eat healthy so they will develop healthy eating patterns for life. Their eating habits now can affect the state of their health today and in the future.

Children, especially younger ones, will eat mostly what’s available at home. It is also true that they follow role models, and that’s you! It’s very important for parents to be conscious of what they buy, what they cook and serve, and what they eat themselves. Consider these 5 guidelines on how to encourage healthy eating among children.

1. Have regular family meals. Make it a family ritual where you catch up with each other. Grab this chance, too, to introduce kids to new foods and to show them how to eat healthy. It’s best to do this daily, possibly dinner, but if that’s difficult, you can have Sunday lunch together. Parents, avoid lectures and arguments during mealtimes. Keep the atmosphere calm and congenial.
2. Be a role model by eating healthy yourself. What they see you eat is the key here. So make sure you choose the healthy food options. Show them, too, that you are conscious of portion sizes and tell them why overeating isn’t healthy.
3. Avoid battles over food. Don’t use food as a bribe or a prize, or give them something every time they eat healthy. Rather, limit the food choices at home and allow them some control over what they eat by letting them choose from what’s available. Let them decide, too, when to eat and when to stop eating, but make sure you are able to establish a schedule for meals and snacks.
4. Involve kids in the process. You can do this by asking their help when planning meals, bringing them to market or the grocery, or by asking them to help out in the kitchen. Show your appreciation about the good choices they made, or how they helped buy or cook the food. When kids are involved, it helps prepare them to make good decisions on their own about the foods they want to eat. And this usually leads to a lifetime of healthier choices.
5. Stock up on healthy foods. Always include fruits and vegetables into your daily meals—remember to aim for at least 5 servings a day. And keep healthy snacks available at all times: cut-up carrot sticks or celery sticks, yogurt, whole-grain crackers/bread and cheese, nuts, whole-grain cereal, milk, juices, etc. Limit purchase of unhealthy chips, cookies and candy—but don’t ban them entirely so your kids don’t feel deprived.

Sources:
Kidshealth.org
Kaboose.com

Moneywise Advice: Grow your own vegetables and herbs

There is something romantic about harvesting produce from your own garden and actually using them in your kitchen to whip up fresh and nourishing meals for the family. But aside from the satisfaction, you also get to save some money and you can be absolutely sure that your veggies and herbs are fresh and pesticide-free.

Whether you have a big yard or a small space with little pots and containers, you can grow your own veggies and herbs! Your family can enjoy fresh, nutritious and wholesome foods all the time. Here are some basic guidelines to follow.

Plan your garden. This involves deciding on a spot, selecting the crops you want to grow, and creating a garden layout. Choose the sunniest part of your yard or garden space. If you have limited space, buy some containers and place them on a sunny patio, deck or lanai.

Next, choose your crop based on the eating habits of your family. Your aim is to get as much of the veggies and herb requirements from your own patch. Choose crops that can grow in our hot and humid weather. You can get tips from the sales people at the store where you intend to buy your seeds and plants.

Some suggestions include kangkong, calamansi, tomatoes, patola, ampalaya, lemongrass, basil, eggplants, string beans, kamote, chilis, okra, rosemary, oregano, mint, sage, and many more.

Prepare your soil. This is an important part of gardening. Add organic humus (compost, peat moss, well rotted/processed manure) to your existing soil. You can buy soil and organic fertilizers at seedling banks and plant stores. Make sure that the containers for your soil can drain it well. You also need to remove small rocks and stones. Work your soil before planting by plowing while it’s wet, but not too wet that it forms a ball. Water your garden thoroughly the day before you intend to plant.

Plant your vegetables and herbs. Mark a separate space for the herbs, or put them in individual containers. If you are working with plots, plant tall crops on the north side so they will not shade the rest of the crops. Plant the medium sized crops at the center, and the low growing crops at the south end.

Build trellises or set stakes for climbing plants. You also need to establish your pathway early on. When sowing your seeds, be wary of the depth and spaces in between as these are very important (seed packets indicate these). If you are using plants, dig a small hole slightly wider and deeper than the root of the plant. Gently loosen out the roots with your hand then water the plant thoroughly before planting it in the garden. Make the soil firm around the plant, making sure that there is good soil-root contact.

If planting seeds, distribute them evenly when planting. Large seeds can be placed individually in the row, but plant extra seeds in each row for failed germination. Cover the seeds with fine soil and pack the soil over the seeds to ensure good moisture contact. Then water lightly using a gentle spray. Make sure to keep the soil moist until seedlings shoot up.

Here are some additional tips:

• Give your plants extra water during dry periods.
• Eliminate pests and bugs early. But don’t use pesticides once the plants bear fruits.
• Regularly pool out weeds because these can rob your plants of water, light and root space.

Sources:

www.thegardenhelper.com

www.humeseeds.com

How to feast the healthy way

We all need to watch what we eat the whole year through, and not only during the holidays. But during this special time of the year, all attempts at healthy eating are conveniently forgotten. We over-indulge in food and promise to pay for it at the gym next year.

However, lavish parties and bountiful buffets are no excuse to stop eating healthy. Keep these tips in mind as you celebrate Christmas and New Year with your loved ones.

1. When at a party, concentrate on socializing and making new acquaintances. Have fun with people and don't think too much about the food.
2. Check out your food options and come up with a plan that will allow you to try the foods you really like. For example, you can opt for the salads, chicken breast, steamed veggies, water instead of soda, fresh fruits, plain potatoes and plain rice. You can also plan to get small portions of the dishes that you like.
3. Don't arrive at parties on an empty stomach. You can eat a light meal like cereal, oatmeal, fruits, nuts or salad before you leave the house.High-protein foods like chicken and cottage cheese will actually help you eat less later.
4. For potluck parties, bring a healthy dish.
5. Don't drink too much and stay away from tempting snacks.
6. Eat slowly. Take small bites, chew slowly and savor your food.
7. Leave the table after you have eaten. Don't linger by the buffet table to avoid the temptation of getting seconds.
8. If possible, do a light activity after eating. Offer to help with the dishes, clear the table or take a walk.
9. Limit your kids' intake of sodas, sweets and cakes.
10. If you're hosting the party, offer non-alcoholic beverages and healthier options like veggie dishes, fresh fruits and healthy salads. Use low-calorie and fat-free ingredients like salad dressings, milk and oil.
11. When choosing your drink, opt for teas, juices or plain water instead of diet sodas or alcoholic beverages.
12. Be realistic. Don't even try to diet during the holidays. Just aim to maintain your present weight and you're good.
13. Don't stop exercising. Now is the time to get your body moving.
14. Don't be afraid to say no. You don't have to say yes to everyone who offers you food and drink. If you're not hungry, don't eat.
15. Ease bloatedness and other tummy troubles by eating fiber-rich foods like yogurt or wholegrain cereals. After feasting on hams, queso de bola and other rich holiday dishes, give your stomach a break by snacking on fresh fruits or veggie sticks, wholegrain cereals, or a cup of healthy yogurt!

Show your skin some lovin’ with these basic skincare tips

Aside from being the first thing that other people may notice about us, our skin has many functions. In fact, there can be no emphasizing the important role our skin plays in our bodies. It is our largest organ, covering everything else as a huge waterproof envelope does, and as such, is our first defense against germs. Skin also controls the body’s temperature, so we sweat when it is hot, and shiver and get goosebumps when it is too cold. An important component of the skin is the pigment called melanin, which not only gives us our color, but also helps protect us from the harmful UV rays of the sun.

These are the reasons why meticulous skin care is not merely a matter of vanity, but an important health routine too. There are now many skin care products that are coming out in the market today: some for whitening the complexion, others for getting a youthful glow, and there are also others for eradicating skin imperfections. But nothing beats the basics, and healthy skin simply needs care and consideration. Here, we give simple tips for getting skin-tastic!

1. Keep it clean. Make sure that you cleanse your skin gently and thoroughly, and that goes not just for your face, but the skin all over your body. As with the products you use for your facial wash, make sure that the soap you use for hand scrubbing and bathing also has a mild formulation.
2. Be gentle. Even though a hot bath sounds like a relaxing idea, you have to make sure that your water is not too hot. This robs skin of its natural oils and leaves it dry. Exfoliants help to scrub away dead skin cells, but you have to remember that they are not meant for everyday use. Excessive exfoliation can irritate your skin.
3. Keep away from irritants. Many experts advocate using natural items that are found in your pantry as masks, peels, or scrubs. These are fine and dandy, however, you should check for allergic reactions by dabbing a dollop of the product on a small area of your arm. Soaps and creams with strong perfumes, or unregistered products that have not been approved by your country’s drug agency can cause allergic reactions or worse, so you should be wary of these too.
4. Moisturize and hydrate. Dry skin is itchy, flaky, unsightly, and irritating. So you would do best to avoid its triggers, such as using strong soaps or applying too much alcohol, and dry weather conditions. Dry skin can also be caused by excessive alcohol intake, so drink moderately! Several glasses of H20 helps keep the skin healthy by flushing out toxins. With inadequate amounts of water circulating through the body, toxins can build up and escape through skin pores. This contributes to acne. Therefore, by flushing the body internally with water, acne breakouts are less likely to occur.
5. Stamp out smoking. Cigarette smoking contributes 4000 toxins to the body and is taken by the bloodstream directly to the skin, leading to wrinkles, skin discoloration, and acne. In fact, the British Medical Journal published in 1985 states that smokers can be identified easily by the appearance of the skin. So if you want to look younger and healthier, think twice before lighting up!
6. Eat right. Feed your face right with nutrients such as Vitamin E, for youthful, glowing skin, found in nuts, seeds, and egg yolk; Vitamin C, which eliminates free radicals in the body that destroy collagen and elastin, found in citrus fruits and green leafies; and Vitamin A, which is necessary for the repair of skin tissue, found in low-fat yoghurt and other dairy products.
7. Slather on sunscreen. Sunscreen isn’t just for the beach! Even on cloudy days, the sun’s harmful UV rays can still get to you. So before you head out, reach for a trusty bottle with at least an spf of 30, and remember to reapply after two hours of sun exposure.
8. Trust only a pro. Never try anything drastic, such as a facial or wart treatments, without consulting a reputable dermatologist. A dermatologist can recommend the best treatment for skin problems such as acne or scars that will work best with your skin type. Before having any skin work done, insist on a consultation with the establishment’s dermatologist. It may be more expensive or time-consuming to do so, but it is the best way to save your skin from damage.

Get some shut eye. The term beauty sleep is not just an empty promise. Skin repairs itself when you are at rest, so make sure to catch enough Zs. On the graveyard shift? No problem. Experts say that as long as you get eight hours of sleep a day, regardless whether it is in the daytime or night time, you can still get the full benefits of snoozing.