Healthy Living Blog

People have been making juice for centuries. Commercial fruit juices have eliminated the need for us to juice fruits and vegetables by hand. But in light of concerns about pesticides, preservatives and other issues with mass-produced food, juicing has experienced a resurgence in popularity.

Benefits of Juicing

By making your own juice, you control what goes into it. There are no hidden ingredients that may cause allergic reactions, and if you grow your own fruit or buy organic, you can ensure that there are no pesticides or growth hormones present. You can take comfort in knowing that your juice is just juice, and nothing more.

Breakfast is truly the most important meal of the day. It gives us the energy we need to get going, wakes up our metabolism and provides valuable nutrition. Sadly, it is also the most skipped meal of the day.

Sometimes it seems that there's just not enough time in the mornings to eat. We have to make up the bed, get ready for work, get the kids ready for school, and perhaps do some morning chores. But it's very important that we eat a good breakfast.

Preparing a nutritionally complete breakfast doesn't have to take a long time. Here are five power breakfast ideas that can fit into any schedule.

1.  Cereal with low-fat milk, sliced bananas and raisins - Eating cold cereal is a quick and easy way to include fiber, carbohydrates and dairy in your morning meal. Add some freshly sliced bananas and a handful of raisins, and you've also taken care of one of your daily servings of fruit. There's no cooking required, and cereal is nice and filling.

2.  Whole-grain waffles topped with fresh strawberries and yogurt - Waffles are a breakfast favorite, and you no longer have to drag out the waffle iron to make them. Frozen whole-grain waffles are nutritious and delicious, and you can warm them up in the toaster in a snap. Instead of syrup, add yogurt and fresh sliced strawberries to make a well-rounded meal.

For most of us, house cleaning is an activity that comes with exposure to a cocktail of chemicals. Household cleaners contain things like bleach and ammonia that we all know the dangers of, as well as chemicals with complex names that we may never have heard of. These chemicals might kill germs and leave our homes bright, shiny and sweetly scented, but they can also be hazardous to our health.

But we can keep our houses clean without using chemicals. There are many natural substances and methods we can use to clean without exposing ourselves, our families and our guests to potential health hazards. Here are a few of them:

* Invest in some quality microfiber cloths. They cost more than rags cut from old t-shirts, but they can be washed and reused over and over again. A wet microfiber cloth removes dust just as well as that expensive furniture polish, leaves no build-up, and can be used on a variety of surfaces.

When your child comes home from school, does he make a beeline for the cookie jar? Kids need food between meals to nourish their growing bodies. But processed foods laden with sugar are not the best choice for them. They need a snack that offers vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.

Keeping healthy snack options on hand will help your child get the nutrition he needs while satisfying his hunger. Here are some ideas:

* Raisins - Individual serving size boxes of raisins are great for snacking. They have that sweet taste that kids crave, and they provide nutrients such as iron, vitamin A, vitamin C and the B vitamins.

During the first months of life, a baby needs lots of tender loving care. Mothers carefully measure formula, learn the signs that it's time for a diaper change, and develop soothing bedtime routines. They also carefully select the products they use, from diapers to baby powder to toys. But did you know that some of the leading brands of baby products contain harsh chemicals that could be harmful to your baby?

Dangerous chemicals are bad for people of all ages. But babies are particularly susceptible to their ill effects. Toxins such as phthalates and flame retardants can impair brain development, cause reproductive defects and damage the immune system. Other unnatural ingredients can irritate the skin or cause allergic reactions.

Many of the chemicals that are cause for concern are not regulated. Certain types of phthalates are banned from use in children's products in the European Union, but they may be used in the United States and other countries. Lead is also banned in many countries. But imported products could contain banned ingredients, and there are many hazardous chemicals that can legally be used in baby products.