A New Year, New Commitments, New Results: Tip Three

My dear friends,

Today is a new day in the new year. What are you going to do differently? "The diets that have enabled the world's longest-living peoples to live such healthy lives are very high in whole grains and other healthful carbohydrates." --John Robbins. This is one of the quotes I used in my book, "Healthy Living with Diabetes: One Small Step at a Time" (http://www.economicwellnessworks.com/). The fact is that due to unprecedented numbers of children at unhealthy weights, for the first time in history, American children born today will lives shorter lives than our generation. We must act to change this. NO MATTER WHAT. So, here's TIP THREE for your new year, new commitments and new results: Use "The Nancy Rule" for buying breads and pastas: 1) 4 or more grams of dietary fiber per serving or per slice and 2) the first ingredient includes the word "WHOLE".

You can help Growing Healthy Kids increase the impact of its educational programs by joining us at A FUSION OF FASHION AND FUN February 1st at Vero Beach's exclusive Windsor Beach Club. With the collaboration of two amazing designers, Ella Chabot and Barbara Petrillo, and sponsors including Disney's Vero Beach Resort, Tom Nelson at Merrill Lynch, Staples, Blue Ribbon Pet Grooming, Publix Supermarkets, Jetson's, Senegence, and Don's Import Auto Service, we have a great afternoon planned for you! You will be able to purchase affordable and stunning new collections, including the new Growing Healthy Kids Get Shot by Ella designs! Purchase tickets at www.irculture.com/gala.cfm. Hurry, because there are only a limited number of seats available for this first annual event. Become part of our movement to prevent obesity-related diseases in children. Help us halt and reverse childhood obesity, because failure is not an option. STAY TUNED for Tip Four...

Growing Healthy Kids - improving the health - and lives - of America's children, one child and one garden at a time.

To your perfect health,
Nancy Heinrich
Founder, Growing Healthy Kids

Growing Healthy Kids: A New Year, New Commitments, New Results: Tip Two

Growing Healthy Kids: A New Year, New Commitments, New Results: Tip Two: "My dear friends, I love a good piece of cake once in a while, don't you? There's nothing wrong with a little sugar. The problem is too muc..."

A New Year, New Commitments, New Results: Tip Two

My dear friends,

I love a good piece of cake once in a while, don't you? There's nothing wrong with a little sugar. The problem is too much sugar.

While it used to be simple to figure out which foods have a lot of sugar, there are a lot more names for sugar than there used to be. We just have to be smarter about what we eat. Here's the bottom line: whatever you call sugar, it has 4 calories a gram and zero nutritional value ("empty calories"). Do you (and your kids?) need to get to a healthier weight?? Do you have diabetes in your family?? Then this tip is for you. Tip Two: EAT LESS SUGAR.

Here's a few names for sugar:
molasses
honey
lactose (the sugar found in milk)
fructose (the sugar found in fruit and some veggies)
agave nectar
corn syrup
high fructose corn syrup
maple syrup
table sugar

You can help Growing Healthy Kids reach more adults and kids expand the reach of our education programs to halt and reverse childhood obesity. Our first event - A Fusion of Fashion and Fun - will be held on Tuesday, February 1, 2011 in Vero Beach, Florida. Who do you know who would love to purchase a ticket to this great event and support our movement to prevent obesity-related diseases (such as diabetes and high blood pressure) in children? Go to http://www.irculture.com/gala.cfm. Simply scroll down to the bottom to buy tickets. And stay tuned for Tip Three...

For more information about Growing Healthy Kids, go to httt://http://www.growinghealthykids.me/. Together, we can halt and prevent childhood obesity!

To your perfect health.
Nancy Heinrich
Founder, Growing Healthy Kids

PS -- Instead of having cookies in the house for an afterschool snack, leave a dish of grape tomatoes (that's what's in the photo at the top next to your tip!). They taste good and they're good for you! Remember, with small changes like this, you can ensure that your kids will develop good eating habits for the rest of their life.

A New Year, New Commitments, New Results: Tip One

My dear friends,

Growing Healthy Kids is a movement to educate Americans about reversing and preventing childhood obesity. Act boldly and BE the solution. Since today IS the first day of your life as well as the first day of 2011, make the new commitment to get new results. So here is Tip One for _______'s (fill in your name) A New Year, New Commitments, New Results: Make one SMART health goal every week in 2011. What is a SMART health goal, you ask? It is a goal that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-Specific. As an example, I'll share my own SMART health goal for Week 1: I will weigh myself on Monday 1/3/2011 and Thursday 1/6/2011 at 6 AM and record my weights in my logbook. If I gained any weight while I was on my family vacation last week, then I will commit to eat smaller portions at dinner on Monday through Friday this week. Now, make your first SMART health goal for 2011, write it down, and tell someone what it is so you have an accountability partner!

You can help Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. reach more adults and children with our education programs to halt and reverse childhood obesity. Our first annual event - A Fusion of Fashion and Fun - will be held on Tuesday, February 1, 2011 in Vero Beach, Florida. Who do you know who will purchase a ticket to this great event and become part of our movement to prevent obesity-related diseases (like diabetes and high blood pressure) in children? Go to http://www.irculture.com/gala.cfm and scroll to the bottom to purchase tickets.

For more information about Growing Healthy Kids, Inc., click on http://www.growinghealthykids.me/.

To your perfect health.
Nancy Heinrich
Founder, Growing Healthy Kids

PS - The first ten people to share their 2011 week one SMART health goal in the "Comment" section below will receive a copy of the new Growing Healthy Kids e-book, "Tips for Growing Healthy Kids - and Families."

Happy New Year!

Paradise Greetings,

As 2010 comes to a close and everyone readies themselves for the celebrations of ringing in 2011, I want to wish each and every one of you the best for the New Year!

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of the Growing Healthy Kids adventures in Indian River County, Florida and beyond. We have accomplished so much this year and the best is yet to come!

Be well, stay safe, and enjoy your loved ones. We'll connect again in 2011 and continue our adventure of Growing Healthy Kids, one child and one garden at a time!!

To your perfect health.
Nancy Heinrich
Founder, Growing Healthy Kids

Family TIme

Paradise Greetings from the Chilly North,

I am writing from my mother's home, where our family has gathered in celebration. We will be leaving soon for a day of walking in the forest between Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky. Last night while enjoying a family dinner of shrimp and steak fajitas, guacamole, and homemade salsa with the jalapenos and tomatoes I brought up from the garden in Vero Beach picked before this week's freeze, we cooked up our family outing for today.

The snow that fell on Christmas Eve melted a little bit yesterday while we took a walk at Mount St. Francis. At the end of our walk, my sister-in-law, Inger, spotted a bluebird, then two, then three and finally four. We all stopped in amazement as we admired their brilliant colors against the nakedness of the tree limbs and the white snow. Treasured moments!

When I awoke this morning, I felt the muscles I had exercised yesterday while enjoying an extended workout with my son, my brother and his family visiting from Denmark, and my 15 year old nephew from Bloomingon at the beautiful YMCA facility in New Albany, Indiana. While we have enjoyed indulging in cookies my mother baked in preparation for this family gathering, our family knows the importance of regular physical exercise, even at holiday times. Whether it is a family exercise morning at the Y or a walk in the forest, physical activity can be incorporated into family reunions and celebrations.

2010 has been an exciting year for Growing Healthy Kids. This is a contemplative week of transition for me and for our work to halt and reverse childhood obesity. Make regular physical activity a part of your family's resolutions for the New Year.

To your perfect health!

Nancy Heinrich
Founder, Growing Healthy Kids

School Lunches

Paradise Greetings,

A couple of days ago, MSNBC had a story about a woman who is eating a school lunch every day to make a point. A very good point. She is on a mission to raise awareness about what America is feeding its future leaders. Right away the story had my attention. Now I invite you to give her your attention. Presenting Mrs. Q, my new best friend.

From time to time, I invite my readers to have lunch at an elementary school. Every time I visit an elementary school at mealtime, I stop by the cafeteria to take a look at what the kids' choices are and then I am reminded why almost every day for the past 10 years I have made my son's lunch.

Our health is determined in large part by what we eat: "You are what you eat." "Let food be your medicine." If you eat more food (input) than you need (output), you will gain weight. If you eat more salt than your body can handle, you greatly increase your risk of developing high blood pressure, which can easily kill you if undetected and/or uncontrolled. You know where I'm going with this.

The more you know, the better choices you can make. Check out Mrs. Q's observations about what America's schools are feeding our most valuable resource: http://www.fedupwithschoollunch.blogspot.com/. Then call the school principal at your neighborhood school and make a lunch date. Be part of the solution.

Growing Healthy Kids - improving the health and lives of America's children, one garden and one child at a time.

To your perfect health,
Nancy Heinrich
Founder, Growing Healthy Kids