3 Kids and Us

5 Best Snack Foods to Keep Your Family Healthy

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Keeping your family fit and healthy is a challenge. It’s not that easy maintaining a healthy lifestyle all year round because people, especially kids, are drawn to processed and sugary foods.  Anything that’s green and fresh is often considered unpalatable because of the influence of tempting food commercials.

As a responsible family member, your job is to make sure that everyone at home gets the essential nutrients he or she needs to ward off sickness and diseases like flu, obesity, and diabetes. Providing healthy and nutritious snacks is an excellent strategy to promote health in your family.

In this article, we’ve prepared a list of the best snack foods that are sure to delight everyone. These snacks guarantee that your family eats right without the dangers of processed carbs and sugar. Read on.


  1. Banana Nut Oatmeal

Nothing is healthier in the morning than a bowl of oatmeal. Oatmeal is a wholegrain which is a healthy source of fiber that lowers bad cholesterol (LDL). If you find oatmeal a bland choice for snacks, mix it with sliced bananas, chopped walnuts, and a teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

Bananas help lower your risk for developing asthma and are a good source of vitamin C. Walnuts support brain health by improving cognitive function. Lastly, ground cinnamon contains anti-inflammatory properties that relieve allergies.


  1. Apple Slices with Organic Peanut Butter

Do your kids hate apples? Apples are extremely beneficial since they’re rich in polyphenols, plant chemicals that work as antioxidants to fight off free radicals in the body. Polyphenols offer protection from heart disease  and certain cancers.

To make apples super tasty, the trick is to add a spread of organic peanut butter on each slice. This isn’t only a yummy snack treat, but also provides added protein and potassium.


  1. Strawberry Almond Smoothie

Here’s an easy to make, delicious snack that’ll satisfy your family’s mid-morning or afternoon cravings: Strawberry almond smoothie. Consuming smoothies is a creative way to incorporate fruits into your daily diet. Adults and kids love smoothies since they’re cold and creamy.

To prepare strawberry almond smoothie, simply blend strawberries, almond milk, sugar, and tofu. You can use Splenda as a sugar substitute. Adjust your sweetness preference. Strawberries and almond milk promote a healthier brain and nervous system while tofu provides all eight essential amino acids.


  1. Frozen Yogurt Blueberry Bites

If anyone in your family is a sweet tooth, he or she will absolutely love frozen yogurt blueberry bites. These deliciously sweet and sour treats can be the best substitute for any unhealthy dessert. Loaded with calcium, antioxidants, and fiber, you can pop as many as you want in your mouth without the guilt of gaining weight.

You only need 10 minutes to prepare these frozen yogurt blueberry bites. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Prepare a bowl of blueberries and a bowl of Greek yogurt. Poke each blueberry with a toothpick and dip it into the Greek yogurt. Place each dipped blueberry on the sheet. Once you’re done, freeze the dipped blueberries for about an hour.


  1. Celery with Peanut Butter and Raisins

Kids love calling this snack treat Ants on a Log. Adding a spread of peanut butter and raisin on a celery stick is a great way to have fun with this versatile vegetable. Because celery contains vitamins such as A, C, E, and B6, it lowers cholesterol levels, promotes healthy joints, and calms the nerves.

The addition of peanut butter and raisins add taste to the celery and provides your family with protein, potassium, and iron.

Conclusion

An effective way to help family members gain healthy eating practices is to provide them with nutritious and delicious snack foods. Snacking for children and adults is an important element of a healthy lifestyle. You can be as creative as you want when preparing snack treats. Don’t be afraid to mix and match fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Why You Should Encourage Your Kids to Play Sports

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With kids today spending so much time hunched over tablets, Gameboys and computers, it can be a constant battle to ensure that they are getting enough physical activity.  One thing that many parents do is to enroll their children in organized sports.  Whether your child ends up playing varsity football like Mack Prioleau or simply develops a lifelong appreciation for an active lifestyle, there are many benefits that come from encouraging your kids to participate in sports. Here are just a few.

Cardiovascular and Muscle Strength

An obvious benefit that comes with being involved in sports is the impact on the overall health of your kids.  A generation ago, kids would have been outside running around for hours every day.  Now, they spend very little time engaged in active play, which makes the time spent play sports even more important.  No matter what sport they enjoy, they will spend time developing their cardiovascular health and muscle strength as a result of running, jumping, hitting or swimming.

Coordination and Flexibility

While studies have shown that computer games can contribute to the development of fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination, there is no substitute for sports as a way to bring these skills into the real world.  In addition to developing fine motor skills, sports also encourage the development of gross motor skills that can only come from moving your body through space. And no matter what sport your child enjoys, flexibility and mobility will benefit as well.

Discipline and perseverance

As children gain skills in their chosen sport, there will come a time when they want to continue to improve their abilities but they find that it no longer comes as easily or naturally as the basic skills did.  This means that children learn that in order to improve, they must be prepared to put in the effort to practice.  They will also learn that this comes with sacrifice – in order to practice, there will be times when the child will have to make a choice between practicing and another activity.  They also learn that even though not everything may come easily, there are small improvements that they can observe and build on every day, thus teaching the value of perseverance and patience. The sense of accomplishment that they can enjoy as they achieve their goals will reinforce the value of hard work.

Sportsmanship

Whether your child plays a team sport or an individual sport, they will need to internalize the norms of good sportsmanship, which include values of fair play, the importance of following rules, of working with others, and of being both gracious winners and losers. The ritual of players shaking hands and saying “good game” after a competitive match underscores everything that is good about sportsmanship and models positive values that your child can take into adulthood.

These are just some of the many ways that your child can benefit from involvement in sports!

How to Make Yourself Look Younger

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Every day, you get a day older unfortunately. This means that you may also be after some tips to, at least on the surface, stop Father Time and his ravaging effects. Below are some of the options available to you, which includes Ultherapy.

  1. Botox

Botox can do a whole lot of things for you, including:

  • Erase glabellar wrinkles and frown lines, so you stop looking angry.
  • Get rid of those wrinkles on your forehead. You only need between 10 and 20 units, and you won’t have wrinkles for around four months!
  • Lessen crow’s feet and wrinkles. In fact, the FDA has approved it for this.
  • Help to lift your brows, opening up your eyes and making you look more awake.
  • Fill those vertical lines around your mouth.

  1. Obagi

Obagi created ELASTIderm, which also helps to treat crow’s feet around your eyes. This works particularly well in combination with Botox. Obagi Clear, meanwhile, helps to address the  bags under your eyes.

  1. Ultherapy

Generally considered to be the best way to get rid of nasty crow’s feet, Ultherapy is one of the latest therapies around. Best of all, you use it as a standalone treatment, which means you don’t have to get Botox as well, nor do you have to invest in ELASTIderm.

Ultherapy also works really well if you want to lift your brows and open up your eyes. Furthermore, it has been shown to help improve the thin lines around your mouth as well. Also, the FDA has approved Ultherapy to help with sagging skin around the neck area.

  1. Juvederm Ultra Plus

Juvederm Voluma has been approved by the FDA for filling your temples. Results last about two years. Juvederm Ultra XC, meanwhile, helps you to fill the hollow bags under your eyes. It can also be used to plump your lips up, and looks incredibly natural. It can even be used to tighten up the skin on your hands.

  1. Latisse

Latisse, another FDA approved tool, will help you to develop beautiful lashes. It has been clinically proven to make your lashes longer, thicker, and darker in between eight and 16 weeks.

  1. Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers work really well on the lines around your mouth, and even more so if used in combination with Botox. They can also benefit you if you want your hands to rejuvenate.

  1. CoolSculpting

CoolSculpting is the perfect procedure if you want to get rid of fatty bulges. It effectively freezes all those stubborn bulgy areas. It takes just an hour to complete, and you will be ready to get back to your daily life straight away. In fact, you could do it during your lunch break. And the results last a long time as well!

Put together, all of these therapies could easily take decades off your look. Best of all, none of them are classed as surgical procedures, which means you won’t have to take time out of your life in order to recover. At most, you could have a little bit of bruising for a few days, but that is all.

10 Tips on How to Prevent Obesity in Your Child

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Did you know that Trust for America’s Health estimates that by the year 2030, 44% of Americans will likely be obese? Also, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention expects that 42% of Americans will have Body Mass Index levels indicating they are overweight. Further, given that 42% to 63% of overweight high school kids are likely to be obese as adults, as a concerned parent, you would want to learn how to prevent obesity in your kids. Childhood is the perfect time to inculcate healthy eating and exercise habits so that they can avoid obesity and the common medical issues that accompany it into adulthood.

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Causes of Obesity in Kids

To raise healthy kids and potentially fit adults, you must first understand the root causes of obesity. Accordingly, you can work out how to prevent the condition in your family. Results of a study established in the International Journal of Preventive Medicine reveal that kids are most likely to be overweight because of various issues that range from genetic propensity and unhealthy habits to environmental factors.

  • Genetic Factors: Your kids’ individual genetic makeup and the traits they inherit from their parents can affect their propensity to gain weight. They may also inherently have a slower metabolism that results in their body storing fat instead of expending it to get energy. How the body stores fat is yet another factor that genes control.
  • Unhealthy Eating Habits: While genes do play a significant role, your kids’ diet can also affect their weight. Too many sugary foods and beverages and other high-energy items can cause weight gain when kids are consuming more calories than they burn with physical activity.
  • Lack of Adequate Playtime: If your children are spending too much time in front of the television or with other devices like tablets and computers, they could start to gain weight. Eating unhealthy snacks in front of the television and the influence of advertisements that encourage the consumption of sugary foods can also add to the problem.
  • Environment at Home: The typical meals that you cook and serve at home are the first lessons you can give your child on how to prevent obesity. If you regularly exercise and watch what you eat, your child will also pick up the same habits.
  • Accessibility to Parks and Playgrounds: If your neighborhood or community does not have any parks where your kids can play, they may be forced to spend time indoors and consequently, gain weight.

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Tip No. 1 – Protect Your Kids from Obesity Before Birth

Interestingly, you can start caring for your kids’ health even before they are born. Studies have shown that maintaining an optimum weight all through your adult years ensures that you have fitter children. You must also gain only the prescribed weight during your pregnancy and keep a careful watch on your diet and exercise regimens. The precautions you take will help you avoid gestational diabetes and prevent the possibility of diabetes in your kids when they become adults. Work with your doctor and request for a diet program that will help you keep your weight down. Also, ask about any other information on how to prevent obesity.

Additional Tips to Prevent Obesity

Here are some ideas on how to prevent obesity in your kids. Keep them in mind when planning their meals.

  1. Watch Their Diet: Restrict the amount of sugary and high-energy foods that they consume and substitute them with low-fat dairy products, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and healthy fats and carbohydrates. Make sure they get adequate protein in their diet.
  2. Watch the Portion Sizes: Serve appropriate portions, but don’t allow overeating.
  3. Have Fixed Family Mealtimes: Get the whole family to be present at dinner. This time is great for bonding with the kids and encouraging healthy eating habits.
  4. Keep Them Hydrated: Encourage them to drink lots of water and restrict a number of sugary beverages they consume.
  5. Encourage the Right Kind of Snacking: Growing kids get hungry all the time so keep healthy snacks handy like fruit and salads with tasty dips like hummus.
  6. Restrict the Time They Spend with Devices: Restrict the time they spend playing video games and watching television. When working out strategies on how to prevent obesity, include encouraging them to play outdoor games and stay active.
  7. Help Them Stay Active: Take them to parks and playgrounds, so they play. You could also encourage them to take part in sports. This approach will need you to make the extra effort and drive them to and from practice, but your kids’ health will thank you for it.
  8. Join Them: Nothing excites kids more than their parents joining them in games and some rough and tumble. Use this fun time to create closer bonds with your kids.

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Tip No. 10 – Get Expert Help to Protect Your Kids from Obesity

The habits you teach your children on how to prevent obesity will help them remain fit and healthy all through their lives. They are likely to continue to follow the lessons even when they are eating in the school cafeteria or out with friends. If, despite your best efforts, you still think your kids are gaining more weight than they should, consult your pediatrician for directions on how to help them.

Under the supervision of your kids’ medical care practitioner, you could consult an expert dietitian for tips on how to prevent obesity in your children. And, create the perfect diet plan that is optimum for the whole family. Such fitness experts will take into consideration your kids’ likes, dislikes, and their lifestyles. They can also prescribe the right exercise regimens that will help your children attain their optimum weight levels and maintain them all through adulthood. The steps you take today will ensure the lifelong health of your children.

How to Help Your Child with Sports Injuries this Season

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If your kids love to take an active part in sports, that’s awesome! Playing games encourages the development of discipline, team spirit, and sportsmanship. Above all and most important, it cuts back on the time kids spend with devices. However, playing sports carries the very real possibility of injuries. While acute sports injuries are commonplace, chronic injuries can affect the growing musculoskeletal structure of a child’s body.

In the year 2012 alone, more than 1.3 million kids reported to the emergency room with sports injuries ranging from ankle sprains, ligament tears, and head trauma, among others. As a parent, you must do the best you can to protect your kids from such injuries. And, since they are unavoidable, use the best treatments possible to help them recover quickly and get back in the game, one of them being PRP treatment for sports injuries.

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Prevention is Better than Cure

Avoiding getting sports injuries is always preferable than treating them and going through the long and sometimes, difficult rehabilitation process. So, what you can do to help prepare your kids for playing sports?

  • Make sure your children have all the protective gear they needincluding knee guards, elbow pads, helmets, and shoes with proper grips, to name a few. Talk to the coach for information on the right kind of gear that can help prevent sports injuries.
  • While your kids might have a particular interest in a specific sport, having them play different games can help lower the risk of chronic injuries. Think baseball, soccer, lacrosse, football, and basketball.
  • Talk to the coach about having your kids practice a range of different movementsso that repetitive motions don’t stress a particular joint.
  • If your children are playing a single sport all through the season, make sure you get them physical therapy to prepare their bodies before the start of the season.
  • Before the academic year begins, kids go through the preseason physicals to assess their fitness levels. Depending on the sport they’ll play, request your pediatrician to take a close look at their muscles and joints. For instance, if your child has been preparing to pitch in a baseball game, have her shoulder muscles examined thoroughly. But, if she’s on the cheerleading squad, you’ll need to pay particular attention to her lower back and core muscles.
  • Talk to your kids about the importance of warming up their muscles before playing a game to prevent sports injuries. Warming up can include dynamic and static exercises such as touching the toes, jumping, stretching, and other moves that help loosen the muscles.
  • Insist that your kids get complete rest and adequate sleep so they can recover from the stress of the sport.
  • Consult with the pediatrician and coach andwork out a healthy, balanced diet plan that includes lots of nutritious foods including lean protein, fruits, and vegetables. Make sure your child eats regular meals and takes adequate fluids to remain hydrated.
  • Explain to your kids that they must carefully follow the instructions and guidelines that their coach outlines. Ensure that they understand the importance of safety when playing.

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Watch Your Child Carefully

An important factor to keep in mind is that kids become so engrossed and focused on playing that they may overlook any sports injuries they get on the field. As a parent, you must keep a sharp lookout for any signs that indicate your child is hurt. These symptoms can include swelling of the joints, pain, and soreness even after resting well and consistent pain while playing or when at home. If you notice your child limping or indicating that the joints are “giving way,” get medical attention immediately.

Caring for Your Child

If you think your child is hurt, consult the primary care physician right away. In case your child needs specialized treatment, she will refer you to the best sports injuries doctor or orthopedist that can help you. Here are the typical treatment steps you might have to follow;

  • Avoid letting your children play until the injury has healed completely. This factor is especially important if they have limited movement in any joint. When you see them walking or using a shoulder normally, you’ll know that they are ready to go back to playing.
  • If they insist on continuing to exercise, check with the doctor for movements that will not stress the injury further. Get a trainer to supervise the workouts.
  • Make sure your kids gets the right nutrition that will help them heal faster.
  • Help your child do all the exercises that the therapist recommends. These movements will help restore the complete range of motion and functioning of the injured joint or ligament.
  • Your orthopedist might give your kids weight training exercises to do or any other workouts that can help build endurance but don’t aggravate the injured joint. Assist them in every way you can.
  • With your doctor’s recommendations, you can do your bit at home by applying hot and cold packs, compression wrapping, and keeping the injured joint immobile and elevated.

Dealing with Major Injuries

Given the young age of your kids and the fact that they’re still growing, most doctors will not recommend invasive measures to treat sports injuries that can alter their tissues and anatomy. Unless the damage is very severe, doctors prefer to avoid surgery that often involves long rehabilitation and the need to stay away from sports. Add to that is the possibility that the surgery could go wrong and cause permanent disability. As a last resort before surgery, your orthopedist might ask you to consider getting PRP treatment for sports injuries.

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What is PRP Therapy?

PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) therapy is a minimally invasive treatment that can help your kids recover from their injuries without the use of foreign implants and chemical injections like cortisone. The PRP serum is created from a small sample of the patient’s blood and has no additives save for epinephrine that is an anti-allergic medication. After creating the serum, doctors insert it into the affected area where it sets off a healing cascade. PRP contains a concentration of mesenchymal stem cells, growth factors, cytokines, and other healing agents that are a natural part of the body’s regenerative systems.

Patients typically report seeing a marked improvement in the pain and ease of movement within a few weeks of getting the treatment.  Considering that many top athletes of the world like Tiger Woods, Rafael Nadal, Hines Ward, and others have used the therapy with amazing results, you can rest assured that it is safe for your kids also.

To help your kids with sports injuries, you might want to opt for natural treatments that are not only highly effective but also unlikely to cause any permanent changes that may affect their future growth and normal living. PRP therapy can shorten the recovery period significantly and have your kids back in the game in no time.

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We left our home in Sydney, Australia many moons ago in May 2012 and, other than a brief stint back in Perth for Christmas and a wedding in early 2014, we have been travelling the world nomadically ever since, running a business from our laptops and we’re here to show you how to do it!