Kelly Bonanno

Your soulful coach for wellness, clean beauty & eco lifestyle Savvy | Sexy | Beautiful | Healthy | You

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6 Health Benefits Of Eating Apples

Have you been apple picking yet this fall? Apples are quite possibly the perfect food. Super healthy and absolutely delicious! I’m partial to fujis and pink ladies. While at a friend’s house, my son recently discovered how much he likes a baked apple. Just a fresh apple, baked – no sugar or anything added to make it unhealthy. I’ll have to do that for him.

One important note about apples: stay away from conventionally grown. They are on the Dirty Dozen list because they are heavily doused with pesticides. Go for organic and always give all fruits and vegetables a thorough washing before you eat them because they can have parasites that cause illness.

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An apple a day may actually keep the doctor away 😉

  • Quercetin found in red apples boost your immune system and may even help curb allergies
  • The flavonols in apples cut your risk of cancer
  • Apples have disease fighting antioxidants that help repair and prevent oxidation damage during cell activity
  • They are loaded with pectin, a soluble fiber. When in the intestine, soluble fiber binds with fat so it helps keep your weight and cholesterol in check
  • They are a good source of vitamins C & A and they contain a good amount of phytonutrients
  • According to the British Medical Journal, eating at least 2 servings each week helps slash your chance of developing type 2 diabetes by 23%

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The Scary 7: 7 Ingredients To Keep Out Of Your Kid’s Lunches

Healthy Child Healthy World & Naturally Savvy are on a mission to get parents to send their kids to school with healthier lunches! I’m joining that mission & you should too. Keep the ‘Scary 7’ ingredients out of your child’s lunches and you’ll be on the right track. Frankly, NO meal for children or adults should contain any of these unhealthy ingredients.

Check out their free eBook,  “Label Lessons: UNJUNK Your Kids Lunch Box!” Learn more about healthy eating and help raise $$$ while raising awareness with one click ~ just share this! Post it on your Facebook & Google + wall, Tweet it and all that good stuff. Leave a message in the comments letting us know what your kids favorite healthy lunch meal is.

 

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3 Healthy Alternatives to Kids’ Favorite Foods

When was the last time your child asked you for a plate of steamed vegetable? Never, right?! If they’re like most kids they’re begging for cookies, cheeseburgers, pizza, candy, etc… right?!

Providing our kids with a healthy diet is a constant battle for parents. Our culture is obsessed with junk food, and spends more than 110 billion dollars on fast food every year. Over 30 percent of children in America under age 17 are overweight. Kids are the target market for all the junk food out there. We don’t want to deprive them of the foods they love, but it’s our job to make sure they’re getting proper nutrition. Many of their favorite foods are unhealthy, but fortunately there are some delicious alternatives. Read on to learn about my picks …

1. Healthy pancakes.

Love to make pancakes every Sunday morning? Look for a mix that’s made with organic stone ground whole grain flour, pure raw evaporated cane juice or pure raw sugar, and aluminum-free leavening. I make them even healthier by adding ground flax seeds and wheat germ. (My kids don’t even notice.) The recipe calls for oil, so opt for a healthy option like grape seed oil, then top with a little 100 percent pure maple syrup. My kids love them! Try Bob’s Red Mill buttermilk pancake and waffle mix or organic seven-grain pancake mix from Nuts.com… Read entire article at Parent Society. 

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Do You Know Where To Get Your Vitamin B12?

Guest Post by Mishka Thomas

There are many popular dietary B12 sources, mostly animal-based products. Upon researching these food sources, you have probably read about vitamin-fortified breakfast cereals on many mainstream lists and supermarkets. But are cereals actually a health-smart way to fight off vitamin B12 deficiency and other lack in nutrients?

Do you suffer from anxiety? A vitamin B12 deficiency could be the cause.

Breakfast cereals are not a healthy food at all – and this holds true whether you are taking about vitamin B12-fortified varieties or not. The highly processed grains in the cereals immediately break down to sugar in your body and stimulate production of insulin. It may also be interesting for you to know that children and infants do not fare well consuming these breakfast staples that are deceptively marketed as healthy and beneficial.

So what B12 sources should you stick to? Natural ones, of course!

• Fish and Seafood Certain types of seafood provide good amounts of B12.  Be sure to buy your fish from clean sources so you can avoid eating contaminated fish. This is the result of industrial processes that have already contaminated the oceans and seas with toxins like mercury. The jury is out on whether or not he risks linked to mercury-laced seafood outweigh any potential health benefit. Extra caution is necessary if you are pregnant or have a growing family. Methyl mercury is highly toxic to the developing brains and nervous function of infants and children. Do your best to find uncontaminated fish.

•Chicken This is another natural B12 source. However, stick with organic chicken because conventionally raised chicken may contain antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.

•Beef and Beef Liver Keep in mind, though, that grass-fed beef is highly preferable to the grain-fed kind. Besides, it tastes better.

•Milk Raw milk is a good bet, especially if you are able to get Certified Grade A milk that is guaranteed clean and produced under government watch. Otherwise, make sure it’s organic.

• Eggs These are not only rich in vitamin B12, but also considered among the healthiest all- around foods in the world. My first choice would food-eggsbe to buy your eggs from a free-range pasture farm. If this is not possible, buy free-range organic eggs from the grocery. What you should avoid are omega-3 added eggs, which are actually less healthy than regular egg varieties.

• Pork While it is another natural source of vitamin B12, pork is not highly recommended. Pigs are scavengers in nature, and they will consume almost anything. This makes them susceptible to parasites and retroviruses, which have quite a huge chance of making it into pork-based food supplies. There is simply no assurance they these viruses have been killed even if you have efficiently cooked the meat. If you consume pork, your safest bet is the meat of organically fed pigs. It is also crucial that you avoid eating sausage, bacon, and other processed pork treats.

How about if you’re a vegetarian or vegan? You may want to consider a  B12 supplement. This will help you keep your B12 in a positive balance and give your tissues sufficient B12 for their requirements. Even if you eat meat and eggs, you may still be deficient. A deficiency in B12 levels can cause problems including extreme fatigue, dementia and permanent damage to nervous tissue if left untreated. Symptoms can be vague so so ask your doctor to give you a simple blood test to check your levels, particularly if you are experiencing inexplicable fatigue.

It is important that you source your supplement from a reliable manufacturer. You should take note that a B12 supplement should be free of sugar, wheat, starch, yeast, salt, gluten, eggs, soy, dairy, stimulants and artificial flavors and colors. Vitamin B12 deficiency is a real and serious threat that you should guard yourself against.

About the Author
Mishka Thomas is a health blogger who reviews new and emerging supplements on the market
and features wellness trends and developments. She favors vitamin B12 and its host of benefits for
individuals young and old.