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by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff  Image by insatiablemunch via Flickr.com "Ugh, you have got to be kidding! Please don't make me eat that!" Teenagers can be some of the pickiest eaters on the planet. But are they really being picky or are they just exercising their newly discovered freedoms? For some, it might actually be both. So, how do you get teens to eat healthier foods? As a mom with a full house, it's tricky finding things everyone will agree on, including toddlers and teens - two of the pickiest age groups, in my experience. If you want to increase healthy eating habits in teens, you'll likely need to make some adjustments.
Pack interesting, yet healthy lunches. If you pack your teen a lunch that contains her least favorite veggies, expect her to toss or trade it. This may mean she ends up with vending machine goodies or fast food. Neither is likely to be a healthy choice. Instead, always pack her favorite fruits, grains, veggies, and more. Use tasty, but healthy sides and dips to accent the main course. Opt for fat free ranch dressing if your teen likes to dip his veggies. Use fat free yogurt as a fruit dip. Spreadable fruit is a healthier option than jellies and jams. Let her choose from a list of suggested items. This helps ensure she likes what she is eating. Remember to have her pick options from each food group to keep the meals balanced. Always have healthy snacks in plain view. Leave sliced fruits, veggies, and healthy dips out on the counter near snack times. Teens are likely to grab and much if something is right there. Unsalted mixed nuts, carob chips, low-fat cheese and whole grain crackers, and dried fruits are also easy and tempting. If you leave out snacks like this, your teens may not even think about the other stuff that's unhealthy. They'll already be full from the healthy options. After a while, they can become so accustomed to this, that similar healthy eating options may be second nature. Don't have unhealthy options around. If access to unhealthy choices is unavailable, teens are more likely to choose healthy eating habits. In this case, they may be doing it because they have no other choice. But it also can create a subconscious pattern that stays with them. If they aren't accustomed to unhealthy foods, they are less likely to crave them. You can't control what is available at their friend's houses. But creating a habit consisting of mainly nutritious options assists in developing healthy eating habits for life. Talk about your own struggles. You may think your teens aren't listening and they may roll their eyes at you when you tell them certain things. But they definitely hear you and they listen more than you think they do. They just may not want you to know that information. Tell your teens about the mistakes you made as a teen regarding healthy eating habits. Explain how you solved those issues and the differences that occurred because of the lifestyle changes. Watch movies surrounding nutrition issues. Sometimes teens may need to see the damages unhealthy eating can cause. Scientific videos, as well as dramatic life stories are helpful in this area. Both the technical and lifestyle aspect are needed to illustrate the point fully. When your teen sees the impact that healthy eating habits can make on his life as a whole, it will become easier to make positive choices. Teaching your teen about healthy eating habits is not always about lecturing. It's ore about proactive consistency and allowing the freedom to make mistakes and learn from them. Talk to your teen's doctor about proper dietary habits.
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by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff  Image by amseaman via Flickr.com When you have a baby, the first thing you might do before the homecoming may be to sanitize everything in the house. But that may not be the best practice and could even lead to health risks, according to research. Can a house with kids be too clean? How much cleaning is too much?
Is Sanitizing a Good Thing? Do Germs Have Hidden Benefits? Sanitizing is is obviously a good idea when known viruses are around, such as the flu. However, WebMD states that too much sanitizing can actually kill the germs that help build a child's immune system. These germs are a necessary component to teaching our children's bodies to build immunity. If we kill them off, kids can be more prone to allergies and other illnesses. Dangers of Household Chemicals WebMD also reports that common household chemicals, like chlorine bleach, can actually be more harmful than some of the germs you're trying to kill with them. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health, if you can smell the chlorine bleach, exposure levels may be too high to be safe. So, the next time you want your house to smell fresh and clean from bleach or other chemical cleaners, think again for the safety of the kids and yourself. Healthy Cleaning Habits Washing hands often has long been known to help prevent the spread of infection. This is still true. Use sanitizers and antibacterial soaps sparingly. Using them too often can actually cause certain bacterias to build up a resistance. Then, when you actually do need the extra protection, it may not be as effective. Plain soap and water does the trick for general use throughout the day. Oh, and if your baby drops a couple Cheerios on the floor and pops them in her mouth afterward, don't panic. She'll most likely be just fine. Now, just because you don't need to sanitize as much does not mean you should just let the messes pile up. However, letting your child play in the dirt is most likely not going to harm him or her. It may even be a good thing. A fair balance between too much cleaning and not enough is recommended. So, the next time you go on a crazy house cleaning spree, remember not to overdo it with the sanitizing. Some things just do not need to be cleaned in that way. Alternative Cleaning Solutions You may now be thinking what to clean with if not bleach. Some alternative household cleaners include vinegar and water, lemon juice, and diluted thyme oil. By using natural household cleaners, you are helping save the environment and possibly the health of your child. Keeping your bathroom germ-free is possible without the harmful ingredients in chlorine bleach and other common household cleaners. *I originally published this via Yahoo Contributor Network  Most children cringe when they hear the words, "Eat it. It's good for you." I've got some recipes that will change your children's thoughts of what healthy means.
Trail Mix Here's what I throw into this hearty trail mix I make for my kids. You'll need a gallon-sized storage bag for this. Freezer bags work best because they hold heavier ingredients. 1. 1 large bag of Pecans 2. 1 small bag of peanuts (Add more if peanuts are favored in your house. We prefer other nuts more.) 3. 1 medium bag of cashews 4. one-half bag of pretzels 5. one-half bag of dried cranberries 6. one bag of sunflower nuts (without the shells) 7. one bag of pumpkin nuts/seeds (without the shells) 8. one bag of spicy sesame sticks 9. one half bag of carob chips (like chocolate chips, but way less sugar) 10. one half bag of butterscotch carob chips 11. one half bag of yogurt covered raisins 12. one small bag dried banana chips You can also add any dried fruit or nut that your kids like to personalize it. Just throw all the ingredients into the storage bag and shake. This makes for an easy and healthy snack to send to school with your child for snack time, works as an after school snack, and is also great for nature walks and camping. This is a versatile snack that is packed with protein, carbs, and fruits for superb energy and also for making sure your child gets those fruits in. Be careful. This can be an addicting snack. Once you make it, they'll ask for it again and again. Self-Serve Tray This is something that should be kept around every day. For this one, you should purchase a chips and salsa tray that has two salsa compartments, although we won't use it for chips and salsa. It works well for this snack. Here's what you need: 1. raw celery 2. raw carrots 3. grapes 4. cheddar and/or mozzarella cheese brick 5. plain yogurt 6. fat free ranch dressing 7. raw broccoli florets 8. raw cauliflower florets 9. raw sugar snap peas or snow peas 10. raw string beans 11. smashed or blended strawberries (just a few for flavoring) 12. sliced honeydew melon 13. sliced watermelon 14. sliced apples Cut up all the vegetables and slice the cheese. Arrange it all around the sides of the tray. In a separate dish, pour in some yogurt (slightly under enough to fill one of the dipping sections of your tray) and mix in the smashed strawberries. Now pour the mixture into one of the dipping sections of the tray. Next, pour some fat free ranch into the other dipping section of your tray. The yogurt mixture is for dipping the fruits. The ranch section is for dipping the vegetables. When the kids home from school, set out this tray. It's also a good thing to have out during dinner preparation. Many people get hungry while dinner is being made and tend to snack because the aromas of the food make them hungry. At least this way, the snack will be healthy. For a funny family activity, you could challenge family members to see who is brave enough to dip the veggies in the fruit dip and the fruit into the ranch. This can be hilarious and gets the family interacting with each other. Easy Smoothies All you need is a blender, some orange or lime sherbet, and 3 of your child's favorite fruits. Toss it all into the blender. Blend for about 2 minutes and there you go. The sherbet provides the thick, frozen consistency needed and the fruit provides the nutrition. Pita Pocket O' Fun My kids love this. You'll need an open pita pocket for each kid. Just supply an array of fruits and trail mix or an array of vegetables and meat. Let your child select what they want and pack it in. Just remember that when using the meat, the child must have vegetables. They can't choose just meat. Kids enjoy this one because they get to choose what they want. Make Up Your Own Now that you have an idea of the types of snacks kids enjoy, you may be thinking up your own ideas. Go ahead and experiment. Kids love variety, so it's important to try new things often. If you don't give your kids new and different options often enough, they will become picky eaters. Now, put all those creative ideas to use and start snacking. Your kids are sure to be hungry after school, so that's the best time to try new ideas. If you come up with a really good one, be sure to write your own article and share the link in the comments section. *I originally published this via Yahoo Contributor Network
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Lyn Lomasi is founder and owner of the Brand Shamans network. She is your brand healing, soul healing, marketing & content superhero to the rescue! Running a network of websites, tackling deadlines single-handedly, and coaching fellow writers, brands, & entrepreneurs to be thought leaders is her top priority.
While rescuing civilians from boring content and brands, this awesomely crazy family conquers the world, managing Intent-sive Nature while going on Upstream Parenting adventures & lessons, sometimes in an RV. They strive to cuddle with lions and giraffes. Until then, they settle for rescue dogs and cats. By supporting us, you support a single parent, healer, and minority small business that donates to and/or stands for several causes, including homeless pets, homeless people, trans youth, equality, helping starving artists, and more! A portion of all proceeds from our all-inclusive store, Intent-sive Nature goes toward worthy causes. For guidance in the world of freelance writing or for advice on her specialty topics, Ask Lyn. Archives
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