Eczema, tantrums, and cavities, Oh My!

Halloween is just 10 days away! If you're like me, the thought of all that candy going into those trick or treat bags, then into our kids hands, and ultimately their mouths is a bit "scary"!

Several studies have found that milk (lactose is a sugar) and other beverages are the two main sources of sugar in children, with candy being the third highest contributor. Nancy Appleton, PhD, wrote a light-hearted book entitled Lick The Sugar Habit. In it, she reports on the medical research concerning the effects of refined sugar on the body. Here are those specifically related to children:

• Sugar can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children.
• Sugar can cause a rapid rise of adrenaline levels in children.
• Sugar can cause drowsiness and decreased activity in children.
• Sugar can contribute to eczema in children.
• Sugar can adversely affect school children's grades and cause learning disorders.
• Sugar can worsen the symptoms of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
• In juvenile rehabilitation camps, when children were put on a low sugar diet, there was a 44% drop in antisocial behavior.

Oh, and don't forget about the cavities.

Now, don't think I am being a party-pooper. I love a party just as much as anyone, maybe even more, but there are alternatives. How about considering some of these treats this year as an alternative to passing out candy:

• Temporary tattoos
• Silly Bandz
• Mini Play Dough packs
• Stickers
• Pencils
• Fancy erasers
• Pencil toppers
• Crayons
• Coins (pennies, nickels, dimes)
• Small novelty toys
• Bouncy balls
• “Slime”
• Miniature magnifying glasses
• Glow Necklaces or bracelets
• Glow-sticks
• Spider rings
• Plastic vampire teeth
• Tiny decks of cards
• Bubbles
• Hot Chocolate packs
• Microwave Popcorn

I was in the Dollar Tree today and they have all kinds of great non-candy treats. Another of my personal favorites is the Free Jr. Frosty coupons available from Wendy's. You can get a book of 10 coupons for $1.  Yes, I know the Frosty has sugar, BUT the Jr. size is so small the sugar equivalent is to about 2 of the Fun Size Snickers bars. AND 90% of all treat book sales to the Foundation. And in Wendy’s Wonderful Kids markets, all of the proceeds are used specifically to fund grants to support Wendy’s Wonderful Kids adoption recruiters. Since the fundraiser began in 1992, it has generated millions of dollars for the Foundation, and all donations go to help out the communities in which the money was originally raised.

Another cool thing you can check out to limit kids candy consumption is the Halloween Candy Buy Back.  This is a program generally sponsored by dentists where they "buy" back kids' Halloween candy and send it to soldiers stationed overseas. Some dentists pay up to $1 per pound and others pay with goody bags that include prizes and coupons.

A family that eats together...

...is just plain healthier

Well, its that time of year again, we'll all be heading back to school in the next couple of weeks.  You may be headed into a whirl-wind of driving here and there, homework, science projects, football games and more. With the back-to-school hustle and bustle of extra-curricular activities, it can be difficult to squeeze it all in, much less think about having a healthy dinner together as a family.

It's important to realize that family dinners make families healthy. According to a new Columbia University survey, teenagers who eat with their families at least five times a week are more likely to get better grades in school and much less likely to have substance abuse problems.The same study also found that having family dinners five or more times a week meant teens were 42 percent less likely to drink alcohol, 59 percent less likely to smoke cigarettes, and 66 percent less likely to try marijuana. Other studies indicate that children who have structured dinners with their families at least 3 times per week are 25 percent less likely to struggle with obesity.

The most important key to having family dinners even on school nights is having a meal plan. This will simplify both food shopping and meal preparation, and help save money too.  Go a step further by cooking large batches and then freezing them for future use.  This makes the most of time spent in the kitchen.   For instance, Tuesday is always spaghetti night at our house. I make enough for at least 2 or 3 weeks when I'm in the kitchen and freeze part for the next week.  I do the same with meat loaf and chili.

Family dinners don't have to be home-cooked 3 course meals.  Having take-out at home and sitting down at the table together for 20-30 minutes can make a difference. On Wednesday nights, we typically have our family dinner at Subway on the way home from church. We go in and sit down to eat and usually have a lot of laughs. There is always benefit to having a structured schedule on school nights.

Start the year off right, plan ahead and stay healthy! 

Fatter Future...

... for our kids

3 of 4 American's will be overweight by 2020, America is leading the way as the fattest country in the world. Parents, YOU are the example for your children!! Obesity is the foundation of over 35 diseases and at least 12 forms of cancer!

Upcoming Event to benefit the Dream Machine

I am a founding member of a small networking group in Lake City called B.A.N.G. We are a group of home-based and direct sales business owners working together to promote each other and build a community of local support.

Together we are sponsoring a fund raising event for the Christmas Dream Machine. I have been unable to find much online information about the Dream Machine, so I thought I would try to educate you all on what the Dream Machine does. It's really an awesome organization!

Christmas has always been known as a time for giving and ensuring that over 900 children will have a truly Merry Christmas is what the Dream Machine is all about. A local non profit organization designed to help children, the Dream Machine receives donations from individuals and sponsors and gives Christmas to needy children in the area who would otherwise not have Christmas. "I started the Dream Machine in 1989, the same year my father was tragically killed in a car accident.” Meally Jenkins,the Founder and CEO of the Dream Machine, said. “My parents always taught me to give.”

The families receiving the toys must show a need for help. They must be the working disadvantaged or prove that they are unable to work due to a disability. Once they are determined to be eligible, the child's name along with their wish list are displayed on a paper ornament on the Christmas tree. Individuals who wish to donate then pick a child’s name off the tree, purchase gifts and bring the unwrapped gifts back with the paper ornament. A few days before Christmas the parents pick up the gifts to take home and wrap, that way the children will never know that the parents didn't actually buy the toys.

The most popular gift every year for girls and boys are bicycles.

Jenkins, and her volunteers, devote countless hours during the holiday season to the Dream Machine, as well as the preparation time and effort spent throughout the year. The first year of operation about 360 children were helped. In recent years, over 900 children have received Christmas presents because of the Dream Machine efforts.

Without the support of the community and corporate sponsors the Dream Machine would be just that, a dream and the 900+ children would have had a less than joyful Christmas.

B.A.N.G. is proud to be able to provide a contribution to this organization, helping those in need provide a joyful Christmas to their children! Come out on October 9th and get a jump start on your holiday shopping and support the Dream Machine!

Event Details:

Gifts big and small!

Get a jump start on your holiday shopping!

Over $250 in prizes to be raffled!

Gourmet boxed lunches available from My Personal Chef, Gerald Hoyt!

Featuring:
BeautiControl, Jenna Greene
Dove Chocolates, Christine Pesta
FirstFitness International, Amy Polk
Mary Kay Cosmetics, Pam Hess
Pampered Chef, Shannon Morris
S & J Jewels & Treasures. Sandy Castiaux & Joan McPherson
Stampin’ Up, Michelle Givvines
Tealightful Treasures, Barbie Hoyt
Soaps by Design, Donna Hyde & Terry Rogers
Willow House & Creative Memories, Aurora Argueta
& more!

Saturday, October 9 · 9:00am - 3:00pm
Bethel UMC Fellowship Hall,
4843 S US Highway 441
Lake City, FL

Upcoming Event - TONIGHT - Macclenny, FL

At FirstFitness we are Transforming Lives, Restoring Hope and Fulfilling Dreams!!

We are currently on a mission to raise awareness about diabetes and obesity! Join us tonight in Macclenny to learn more.

Also learn about the best weight loss program in America! With personal consulting and support along the way.

...I lost 10.5 pounds in 10 days and went on to lose 22 pounds in 1 month and have kept it off since May 2009. I have gone from a tight size 11 to a slim size 4 and I FEEL great! I have more energy than ever!

These are proven health and wellness products with money back guarantee.

A wonderful business opportunity as well.

Come and find out for yourself!

Get the training, tools, and strategies to accelerate your journey to successful health and financial freedom. RSVP here!

Also tonight:

"The Lady in the Red Pants Interview" -- a frank, in-depth interview by Dr. Eileen Silva, who trains medical doctors in integrative medicine, as she interviews my friendDiane Miller, an amazing lady who has gone through 2 failed gastric bypass surgeries to "finishing the journey" with FirstFitness and keeping the weight off for nine years going from a size 22 to a size 4!

You don't want to miss this! Everyone struggles and it is often difficult to understand obesity, Diane and her husband Charles have recently been moved to reach out to others and share this battle to help fight obesity.

Listen in with us from Crystal River Seafood in Macclenny or dial 702-473-3463, and enter code: 832670# at 8:00 pm eastern.

RSVP here.

Catching Up: Mission 2 Honduras...

...I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power. - Ephesians 3:7

I have been thinking for weeks what this post would be like and its just so much to wrap my head (and my heart) around.

It's so hard to describe a trip like this where people will really get a sense of what it was like.

Imagine 20 or more women and a few fellas aging from sixteen to sixty-something, teachers, students, homemakers, accountants, clerical administrators, business owners, all joined together by the bond of Christ, in a land where very few of us knew the spoken language.

A land with little electricity and no indoor plumbing.

A land with few paved roads.

Imagine communicating solely through the love of Christ.

Imagine a land where the people love one another above all else and are hungry, starving for the message of hope, love, peace and redemption that you are carrying in your heart.

Imagine having the opportunity to give a child who came to school with no shoes on her feet not just one pair of new shoes, but two.

Imagine a land where the husband labors in the fields all day for about five dollars or less a day, the wife cooks a simple meal from scratch on an open fire and does the laundry out back with a wash board, and the children wander the mountainsides, sometimes miles to and from school on their own.

Imagine hearing a young girl, 10 or 11 years old say, "thank you for showing us attention and making us feel special".

Imagine seeing a young man, 16 or 17 stopped on the side of the road reading the Bible you just gave him.

Imagine knowing that even though you have lived all of your life in sin, God would give you this blessing and use you to build His Kingdom!!

This trip was all of these things and so much more....

"Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ" -- Ephesians 3:8

Lead by Example...

"You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."-- 1 Corinthians 6:20

Did you know that one third of all children ages 2-19 are overweight or obese? Most of these children will become diabetic. (ABC News) This means our children can expect a shorter life span than that of their parents. It's time we reverse these statistics! It starts with us as parents. Educate your children; create healthy eating habits from the start; lead by example!

Here are some tips for creating a healthy eating environment for children from Dr. Mercola:

"Ultimately, teaching your child the importance of healthy foods and exercise is the key to maintaining health. With that in mind, here are some tips to foster a healthy view of food and self-esteem in your child.

• Lead by example and seek to maintain optimal body weight for yourself and your spouse
• Refrain from making jokes about your child’s weight, even if no harm is intended
• Explain the health risks of being overweight to your child, but avoid comparing your overweight child to other children, including thinner siblings
• Cook healthy meals for your family, and let your child be involved in making dinner, but avoid making your child eat different food than the rest of the family
• Encourage your child to make healthy food choices and praise them when they do instead of putting your child down about weight or eating habits
• Instead of using food as a reward or punishment, have healthy snacks available at all times, and explain to your child the benefits they’ll get from eating these fresh, whole foods

Creating health is actually quite simple when you get right down to it. It’s a matter of returning to the basics of whole, fresh, organically-grown foods packed with all the nutrients your body needs. Team that with exercise and proper sleep, and you have the recipe for growing an optimally healthy child."

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Dr. Mercola has made significant milestones in his mission to bring people practical solutions to their health problems. A New York Times Best Selling Author, Dr. Mercola was also voted the 2009 Ultimate Wellness Game Changer by the Huffington Post, and has been featured in TIME magazine, LATimes, CNN,Fox News, ABC News with Peter Jennings, Today Show, CBS’s Washington Unplugged with Sharyl Attkisson, and other major media resources. Mercola.com