How to Prepare Healthy and Tasty School Lunches – A never ending Challenge!

Every mother knows the dreading feeling of coming up with a healthy and tasty school lunch kids actually enjoy to eat.

Are you going from turkey sandwich to tuna sandwich and ham and cheese? How can you possibly come up with new ideas for a tasty and imaginative lunch everyday?

A nutritious school lunch should include all the very important building blocks for your children to grow on.  Pack some kind of whole grains, lean protein, vegetables and fruits. Whole grains are vital for energy and slow sugar digestion. By supplying your kid’s lunch bag with 100% whole grains and not whole wheat or white flour you guarantee a slow rise in blood sugar and a longer satiety level. Children need to supply they brains with complex carbohydrates during the day, what you think is healthy for you, like a low carb diet, is not at all healthy for your growing kids.

What is a lean protein? A lean protein is a some kind of meat, fish, chicken or vegetarian option that doesn’t contain more than 8-12% fat.

Great lunch options for lean protein are:

• Eggs: Hot days are over and you could without a doubt pack a nice egg lunch. Try some deviled eggs with low fat mayo or hummus or avocado base. Egg salad wraps are a welcoming treat for any child.
• Dairy: I’m not a big fan of dairy, but children love cheese. If the cheese is natural and without any antibiotics and hormones – why not? You can include cheese once in a while in their lunch boxes without any worries.
• Fish: Tuna is not the best choice for children because of its high mercury content. Choose a fish lower on the food chain for its lower mercury content, the smaller the fish the lower it is on the food chain. Simply poach the fish, let it cool and prepare as fish salad, like you wood a tuna salad. Find some healthy and low mercury fish options here.
• Chicken: Natural grilled whole chickens are very healthy for children and they need the low fat protein to grow and play. Think of chicken wraps, chicken strips for dipping, chicken kebabs and chicken salads.
• Lean Meats: Lean natural deli meats are a little more expensive, but what’s more important then the health of your children? Depending on their age, you wont need more than 2-3 slices of deli meats. Choose turkey, ham and chicken. Sunday is a great day to hang out with family and talk about the next week. Plan the lunch menus together. Older children can also help in the kitchen with the preparations. Try a tasty home made chicken noodle soup for the colder days.  Canned soups are very low on nutrients and contain way to much sodium and too little lean protein and vegetables. Take the time to prepare your soups at home. Cook the noodle separately from the chicken soup to prevent it from going soggy. Let them add the cold noodles to the warm soup at lunch for a tasty and nutritious meal for any autumn day.
• Beans: Beans are a wonderful addition to any lunch box. Bean dips, bean soups or even mixed bean salads are tasty, colorful and fun for children all ages.

Vegetables are loaded with vitamins. Even better than any vegetables are raw vegetables for their high enzyme and high vitamin and mineral content.  Think of cucumber slices with bean dip or hummus. Tomato, cucumber, pepper slices in wraps and sandwiches. Instead of carrot sticks or baby carrots try carrots chips. Just cut carrots on an angle 2-3 mm thin. Children love to be surprised and it keeps them trying new foods.

Cater to the adventurous mind of your child. Keep them guessing – What did mom make me today? Once or twice a week pack them their favorite snack or make them a tasty and healthy oatmeal cookie from scratch. Show them how important they are. Show your children how important health is. They wont understand now, but they will appreciate it later in life.

Children love sweet foods. You wont have any problems convincing them to eat some ripe cut up fruits. Children love little bites, cut the apple in discs instead of slices for a change. Core the apple and slice in little discs. To keep the apple from turning brown, squeeze some orange or pineapple juice over them and serve it with fresh natural yogurt sweetened with some honey. Fruit kebabs are also to much fun to pass down. Stay away from fruit cups in syrup or jello. Always choose fresh fruit over canned and juice boxes.

Have a great school year and see school lunches as an adventure and challenge not a chore, even thou it can seem as a never ending task! Smile – and challenge yourself! What can you come up with next?

Do you have any tips or questions? I would love to hear from you!

Stay Healthy and have a great school year!

Monika Baechler

P.S. Explore new recipes with your children and let them make suggestions for lunch ideas.

What every Mother ought to know about Danger-Foods to small Children!

Peanut butter: Children can be allergic to peanuts or develop reactions like skin disorders. Don’t give peanut butter to small children under 2. Peanuts are heavily sprayed with chemicals and are grown on land saturated with synthetic fertilizers and it might also have a carcinogenic fungus aflatoxin. Only use organic peanut products sparingly or avoid all together to be safe.

Keep your children safe and…

Stay Healthy!

Monika Baechler

Some Parents ought to be slapped!

Enough is enough. When will parents realize that they are responsible for the health of their children and their grandchildren. Stop feeding your kids fast foods, Take-Outs and microwave oven meals! All I hear is whining and complaining from parents who say that they don’t have time, money or the know-how to prepare a homemade meal? Really, that is your excuse? Isn’t it just laziness? North Americans watch three, four or five shows at night and during the day and it adds up to 13 years in one’s lifetime. The weekends are mostly reserved for TV and food, they sit around on the weekends doing nothing. How is it possible that there is no time to care for our children’s health or your own health for that matter?

You are the parents and you only make the decision what to feed your kids. Not the other way around. “But I feel so guilty if I don’t take her/him to McDonald’s for lunch”. Is that your final answer? You feel guilty? Don’t you think you should feel actually guilty for taking your child there in the first place? I do get it, It’s so much easier, faster and more convenient to drive up and let them eat what they want. At least they leave you alone for a while. Right?

What about, “I’m just not a great cook! I have no idea how to prepare a nutritious meal from scratch!” This answer is unacceptable as well, with all the different cooking shows out there and youtube videos you can not be serious. Better yet, ask your neighbor, your friend, your mom or aunt to teach you. It is so simple to take action and responsibility. If your mother didn’t teach you how to cook homemade meals – shame on her too. Don’t make the same mistake.

Would you let your kids eat from a garbage pile? Why not? You’re already feeding your children dead food. You heard me “DEAD FOOD”. There is nothing nourishing in a burger with fries. It has been processed, poisoned and killed. Oh, excuse me, you are feeding your kids the chicken nuggets with apples and milk. Well of course, that does sounds much better! The nuggets are all leftover garbage meat (if you actually can call it meat), filled with poison like antibiotics and other medicine, shaped in a neat little shape and then fried in hot, rancid, carcinogenic oil bath. The apples are soaked in chlorine so they don’t turn brown and the milk is filled with lots and lots of more chemicals, antibiotics and hormones to really make sure that your kids get the daily toxin and poison requirement of the day. There you have it! The perfect meal for your precious little one, a child you brought into this world  whom you promised to take care of with all your strength and means.

Whole foods are simple, inexpensive, wholesome and a necessity to our and our children’s health. Period.

Whole foods are simple, inexpensive, wholesome and a necessity to our and our children’s health. Period. Most behavior problems arise from malnutrition and deficiencies. What about learning difficulties or social problems. Even allergies like asthma will be gone by providing our children with home made foods from whole foods, the way mother nature made them. (not your local fast food chain)Now you can argue with me about this topic all you want, and if you do argue with me, that means that you are feeding your children manufactured crap and you are trying to defend your actions and thoughts.

The only right thing to do here is to acknowledge your mistakes and work towards a healthier and more nutritious home for your kids and family.

With that said, I do believe that mothers can make a change if they are organized and are taught how to do it right. Why do I say Mothers? Well, Mom is the Head of the household. She buys the food, brings it home and cooks the food (zapping it in the microwave). Not only does the Mother buy the groceries but she also budgets the food money (sometimes anyway).

Every time you’re thinking about the next meal, I want you to have one thought: Would Monika approve of this meal I’m about give my family? If the answer is “no” or “maybe not”, I want you to rethink your menu. Wholesome meals are very easy to prepare, they sometimes take less time and money then ordering from your local pizza delivery place. Think about it! Sometimes I spend less then $20 on three days of groceries. Vegetables, whole grains and fruits are not more expensive than manufactured crap that comes in a box. Take out all the processed foods off your grocery list and only add whole grains like millet, brown rice and whole wheat pasta (there is more), vegetables and fruits. Your bill will be much, much less.

Eating healthy, nutritious home cooked meals is less expensive

This morning for example: it was fast, delicious and inexpensive

Breakfast Banana Smoothie with dates

• 2 bananas
• 2 cups almond milk
• 3 dates
• 2 tbsp silken tofu
• add 2 servings of green+ (green food supplement)

blend everything until smooth, done! The boys gobble it up in seconds, and I mean seconds!

Grain and vegetables dishes and fruit dessert are not only feeding the mind and body, they also feed the soul. If you feed your children’s soul, you will experience a more balanced family life without frustration and conflicts. Some kids are very angry and troubled because of malnutrition, deficiencies and toxic livers. Whole grains and vegetables will balance hormones and toxic blood from over acidity.

One more thought. If you’re still using dairy products, make sure you are only choosing organic whole milk. Organic means without any antibiotics or hormones given to the cows. Just to be clear, dairy is not a necessary food group. Not even for children – specially not for children. Milk is mucus forming and very hard to digest for little tummies. Children get many ear infections because of milk products as well as other allergic symptoms, but that is a topic for another blog.

Today I would like to leave you with this:

“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.” Buddha

Stay Healthy!

Monika Baechler

P.S. Your pediatrician got 6 hours of Nutrition Education and I studied Nutrition and Asian Nutrition since 1999, who are you going to trust? Think about it!

Strawberry-Banana-Apple Smoothie

Start your day with a delicious fruit smoothie!

It’s fast, easy and oh so good for you! Children in particular love anything that can be “consumed” with a straw, it’s a fact! Drinking smoothies is also sweet, why would you start your day with a horrible bitter black liquid that turns your stomach acidic? Just wondering sometimes about the choices people make.

Now to our fruity glass of deliciousness. What you will need for this particular recipe is:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 4-7 strawberries
• 1 small cup of organic apple sauce
• some organic soy milk (original, not sweetened)

Put everything in the blender and mix. You can even add raspberries or leave the applesauce and add instead some frozen peaches. It’s all up to you. This recipe is just a suggestion because everybody has their own favorite fruits, milks and juices they like to add. No matter what you put in your smoothie it’s going to be a delight every time you drink it.

Now go and make yourself a nice fruity smoothie! Enjoy.

Monika Baechler

What Everybody Ought to Know About Nordic Walking

The History of Nordic Walking

The use of the walking poles is as old as Methuselah.  Why people started to use them is unknown. Was it because as human beings aged they developed rounded shoulders and sunken chest and became afraid of falling over, so needed an extra support when walking?

Fact is, that in prehistoric times, sheppards and pilgrims used one or two sticks to make it easier to walk on uneven surfaces. Unloading the joints and extra stability were some of the early benefits of walking with sticks. On long treks, walks in the mountains or hills, the walking pole found its rightful place in walking.

Another forerunner of Nordic Walking was the use of the poles in the training methods of the cross country skiers in summer time. This application of training is written in literature as ‘pole training’ and has been used since the beginning of the 20th century.  After the fall of the iron curtain in Germany, trainers from the west compared their training methods to those of the Eastern bloc and it revealed that the Eastern bloc trainers had also been using this training method for several years. Their training with poles in summer was important in order not to lose coordination and muscle power of the arms and trunk over the summer.

Nordic Walking is one of the fastest growing recreational fitness sports in the world and has its roots in the early 1930s in Finland as an off season training method of the competitive crosscountry skiers. Development of Nordic Walking in its present form as a recreational physical activity for all started in early 1980 in Finland, and in 1997 the first official Nordic Walker poles were introduced to the public by one of the world’s largest pole manufacturers, Exel plc. The estimated population of Nordic Walkers at the end of the year 2007 was over 7 million.

Nordic Walking for Fitness and Cardio

Nordic Walking is fitness walking with specially designed Nordic Walking poles to engage the upper body during walking. It offers a very efficient, aerobic and easy way to improve your physical condition irrespective of age, sex or physical condition.

Nordic Walking can be up to 46% more efficient than regular walking (Cooper Institute Research 2000) depending on the intensity of the exercise.

The science behind Nordic Walking

There is a lot of scientific evidence about the benefits of Nordic Walking. INWA collects worldwide research concerning Nordic Walking and also consults actively with scientists, institutions and universities about new research projects. If you are interested in Nordic Walking studies or you are planning Nordic Walking related research project, please contact the INWA office.

General benefits of Nordic Walking are:

• Heart rate is higher than in regular walking (at the same speed) and calorie burn is increased
• Energy consumption increases when using poles by an average of approximately 20% compared with ordinary walking
• Reduces muscle tension and pain in the neck and shoulder region
• The mobility of the neck and spine may increase
• The muscles most actively involved are the forearm extensor and flexor muscles the rear part of the shoulder muscles, the large pectoral muscles and the broad back muscles.
• Does not aggravate joint and knee problems; may reduce load on knees
• Can improve cardiorespiratory fitness and improve muscular endurance
• Poles are a safety factor on slippery surfaces
• Is a fun and safe activity

As of 2009,  approximately 8 – 10 Million people do Nordic Walking on a weekly basis.

Ref: International Nordic Walking Federation, Founded in Finland 2000

ANWA, American Nordic Walking Association

Mayonnaise Free Tuna Salad

I was trying to figure out what to put in my starving stomach.

Wondering around in my kitchen I found a jar of roasted eggplants, which I neglected for a while. Since eggplant dip is very low in fat and has no nonsense put into it, I thought I give it a try in my tuna salad.

This is what you will need:

• 1 can of tuna in water, drained (of course you knew that!)
• 4-5 black Spanish olives, pitted
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1 stalk celery
• herbs or salt free seasoning
• some garlic salt to taste
• 2-3 tablespoons of roasted eggplant dip

Just mix everything together. You can even add a green salad or more vegetables. Add black olives to taste, but remember that about 4-5 olives have 1g of fat. This tuna recipe is very low fat but creamy and delicious because of the added eggplant. Even if you don’t like eggplant, you should give it a try!

Why not wrap it up in a whole wheat tortilla and take it to work or give it to the kids for lunch. Kids like anything in a wrap, specially tuna salad!

I hope you enjoy this recipe, I know I did.

Once a week or so I will try to post one lean-mean recipe, so keep an eye out for that.

Bon Appetit!

The 101 on caring for kids if they get the Flu

Quite frankly, it is a scary thought but if my family can get through it so can you. Sunday a week ago my 5 year old told me his throat hurt, which scared the poop out of me. Since it was just two days after helloween I wasn’t alarmed, because they sometimes scream so much while trick or treating that they do develop a soar throat. Well, we were not so lucky. Sunday evening he got a fever and I knew we had a flu case on our hands. Monday came and with the morning came also the cough and higher fever. His fever lasted about three days with some normal temperature in between. The highest temperature we measured was 101.3. My 5 year old complained about aches and pains, head ache, lungs hurting when he coughs, runny nose, fever, stuffy nose, night sweats, shivers, chills, fatigue, watery eyes, sleepiness and so on…

On Friday it seamed like he reached a plateau and just to be sure I took him to the doctor to check out his lungs. The doctor gave us an ok and sent us home to rest. He told us to keep him hydrated and resting. It wasn’t until the 7th day until his cough subsided a bit and he started acting like a five year old again.

My 9 year old had similar symptoms but closer to what I experienced. He also started with a soar throat and cough but he complained about severe leg pains and muscle weakness. Runny nose from almost the onset of symptoms and high level of fatigue. We all had clear runny nose, fever, chills, cough and muscle pain with severe head aches for about two days.

What you should have at home to get through the flu with your children:

• Echinacea Elder Tea, Herbal Tea, Traditionally used to fight off colds, flus, and infections, especially of the respiratory tract
• Ginger Lemon Tea, Herbal Tea, Great with honey for little upset tummies or big tummies, ginger is also a great anti viral, anti bacterial
• Olbas Oil, Olbas Oil is a traditional Swiss herbal medicinal remedy containing a unique mixture of essential oils, all carefully selected and 100% pure, put on chest and back
• Nasa Mist, Saline Spray, Specially Designed for Babies and Children, Allergy and Sinus Relief
• Organic Lemon, for hot lemon and honey tea, reliefs cough and sore throat

Keep them hydrated and warm, even if they have a fever. A lot of children in the hospital are there because of dehydration, keep them drinking tea and water all day! It’s important not to give them fever reducing medicine, fever is needed to produce anti bodies. A fever above 103 and 104 is dangerous and should be seen by a doctor. Also help the children breath easier with some vapor bath made with eucalyptus and menthol with lavender.

What is Homeopathy and how can it help us with the H1N1

Homeopathy uses all natural ingredients to stimulate and assist the body’s natural ability to heal. For over 200 years, physicians and homeopathic specialists have used homeopathic treatments. Homeopathy is a “holistic” remedy, which seeks to treats the whole person. Homeopathy takes a different approach from conventional medicine in diagnosing, classifying, and treating medical problems. The term homeopathy comes from the Greek words homeo, meaning similar, and pathos, meaning suffering or disease. In classical homeopathic treatment, we strive to include all aspects of the patients health into their prescribed remedy.

Key concepts of homeopathy include:

• Homeopathic practitioners select remedies according to a total picture of the patient, including not only symptoms but lifestyle, emotional and mental states, and other factors.
• Homeopathy seeks to stimulate the body’s defense mechanisms and processes so as to prevent or treat illness.
• Treatment in homeopathy is very personal (tailored to each person).
• Homeopathy believes the body can heal itself, however our lifestyles and negative habits prevents our bodies from doing so.

How does the treatment work?

Typically, in homeopathy, patients have a lengthy first visit, during which the provider takes an in-depth assessment of the patient. This is used to guide the selection of one or more homeopathic remedies. During follow up visits, patients report how they are responding to the remedy or remedies, which help the practitioner, make decisions about further treatment. In classical homeopathy, only one remedy will be given at any time.

Why are homeopathic remedies great alternatives?

• No known side effects
• No medications interaction
• Very effective
• Homeopathic remedies will stimulate your own bodies natural ability to heal plus it will strengthen your immune system
• Remedies are all-natural
• Homeopathy is highly affordable, comparied to a lifetime of drugs and surgeries

Who can safely use Homeopathy?

Homeopathy is versatile and is used for any illness, everybody can use it. Even safe during pregnancy and on infants without side effects. The remedies are pretty inexpensive plus homeopathy has the potential to  save you money by reducing prescriptions.

What are homeopathic remedies?

Most of the homeopathic remedies are derived from all natural substances. A homeopathic remedy is prepared by diluting the substance in a series of steps. You can get homeopathic remedies sold in liquid, pellet, as well as tablets.

Xylitol for Diabetics – What is Xylitol?

During WWII Finland was suffering from an acute sugar shortage. With no domestic supply of sugar, the Finns searched for an alternative. It was then, when Finnish scientists rediscovered xylitol, a low-calorie sugar made from birch bark. It was first  manufactured in 1891  in Germany but got kind of lost after that.

By the 1960′s, xylitol was being used in Germany, Switzerland, the Soviet Union, and Japan as a preferred sweetener in diabetics. It has been relatively unknown in the U.S. and Australia, primarily because cheap supplies of cane sugar made the more expensive xylitol less economically viable.

Xylitol tastes and looks exactly like sugar, but those are the only similarities. Sugar destroys our health and body and xylitol heals and repairs it. Not only has xylitol no aftertaste but it also builds immunity, protects us against chronic degenerative diseases, plus it has anti-aging benefits.

The body makes xylitol in small amounts in the body naturally and has no toxic levels. You might feel small discomfort when you start first taking it until your body gets used to the higher levels of xylitol. People sometimes complain about diarrhea or some cramping at the beginning.

Xylitol has 40% less calories and 75% fewer carbs than sugar, plus xylitol is absorbed slower into the body than sugar. We metabolise xylitol slower, which results in a small change in insulin levels. Xylitol is a Diabetics best friend for breakfasts and desserts as well as sweets.

But did you know, that xylitol:

• has a low glycemic index of 7
• releases a steady energy flow
• has very little effect on blood sugar
• reduces your carbohydrate cravings
• improves dental health
• it is very alkaline

Xylitol is found in fibrous vegetables and fruit, as well as in corn and various hardwood trees like birch. The body itself produces up to 15 grams daily from other foods during normal metabolism. Xylitol is the only form of sugar that does not promote and feed dangerous bacteria and fungi and it is approved by USFDA and World Health Organization.

Xylitol has been used in the dental field for over sixty years to help promote oral health and the prevention of disease caused by bacteria.

• Inhibits plaque and dental cavities up to 80%.
• Retards demineralization of tooth enamel.
• Re-mineralization of tooth enamel.
• Increase saliva production.
• Protects saliva proteins.
• Reduces infections in the mouth.

Xylitol benefits in the dental field are unlimited and is used in lots of gums and toothpastes.

reference: xylitol canada

Game: Can you taste the ingredients?

My nine year old son asked me, mommy, what’s in this? This question started a brand new game we play at times. The kids try to taste the ingredients of their lunch or dinner. It gives them some kind of control and assures them, that it’s not some kind of mystery food.

The boys help me all the time preparing food in the kitchen, they can chop and wash the ingredients. Even the 5 year old can help with things, I usually give him plastic knife for cutting mushrooms or tomatoes. Children are more likely to eat what they make themselves. I know dinner will obviously take a little more time preparing, but it’s really worth your time. Children will remember times like these for ever, I usually take pictures of the kids cooking with me and we remember what we cooked that day!

Sometimes the children tell me what they would like to put in the dish. Salads are always fun for kids, the colors are great and children love the crunchy stuff!

So, just have fun in the kitchen and your kids will too.

Monika

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