Getting kids to eat healthy

Okay, so this post isn't specifically about Ayurveda. But getting kids to eat their veggies can be tough whether you are living the Ayurvedic lifestyle or not. So what's the trick?

Well, for those of you who are new parents, please see my post on "Making your own baby food". Giving our kids REAL food, instead of the yucky manufactured stuff is the first step. We can't expect our kids to enjoy good healthy food if we start them out with nothing but the processed stuff. Think of it as "culture shock".

Just remember, the funny faces your baby makes don't mean he/she doesn't like what you are giving them. It's just your child getting used to new textures and flavors. You'll know if they truly don't like something because they will either cry, or they won't open their mouth. But if it's just the funny faces, and they keep opening their mouths for more, keep going. You have to get them used to different foods.

That said, if your kids are older and you need to find creative ways to get them to eat their veggies and other healthy foods, here are a few ideas.

• When making rice, mix the rice with half white and half brown. The kids will never know the difference, and you'll feel better knowing they are at least getting some whole grains.


• Make your saturday morning pancakes with whole wheat pastry flour. (See my post on pancakes for an easy, "from scratch" recipe. Your kids will love them!


• Serving a meal with sauce, such as spagetti? Steam a few pieces of veggies, put them through the blender, and add them to the sauce. Your kids won't be able to tell the difference.


• Put some steamed veggies through the blender with a little butter and milk. I loved this growing up. My grandmother always did this for me. It worked every time. It was like a thick and tasty veggie soup.

All in all, you just have to NOT give your kids a choice. Because, given a choice, they will ALWAYS go for the junkfood. As a parent, it's up to you to make sure they make healthy choices. Lessons that will last a lifetime.

Natural First Aid for Spider Bites

It's definitely summer. The spiders are out in force in my house. I've never been able to stop it, and I don't want to spray a ton of chemicals in my home to kill them either. I did a little research on natural first aid and here's what I found:

• Clean the wound with soap and water. Then apply a natural "antibiotic" ointment.


• Add 8-10 drops of tea tree oil to a quart of ice water. Soak a clean cotton cloth or cotton ball in the mixture and apply as a compress for 15 minutes up to 4 times a day.

Echinacea is effective for wounds and stings. Take 250-500 mg every two to three hours for the first day, then three or four times daily until the swelling subsides — up to five days.

Apply fresh Aloe Vera to the bite if you have access to an aloe plant.

Try to identify the spider that bit you. The only truly dangerous spiders are black widows and brown recluses. If one of those has bit you, seek medical treatment immediately.

Enjoy a "spider-bite-free" summer!

Flower Power!

While Bach Flower Remedies are effective, the nice part is, you don't have to see a doctor to find the flower essence that is right for you.

The methodology behind Bach Flower Remedies is that all illness is first an emotional/mental state. When we find ourselves in a particular, unhealthy state of being, this will eventual manifest as illness in the body. There is a Bach Flower Remedy for every conceivable mental state. You can even use them for your pets!

After having my baby, I used the Walnut Remedy to aid in the large life transition that having a baby brings. I'm happy to report, I did not get sick, even with the severe lack of sleep (which usually always makes me sick).

There are many web sites that sell these remedies. Your local health food store most likely carries them. Give them a try! There's nothing like adding a little "flower power" to your day.

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Make your own baby food

It always amazes me how much money people will spend on all those jars of baby food every week. Not only is the food inside those jars barely passable as food, but it's expensive! You spend all that money, and your baby just isn't getting the natural nutrition that regular, healthy food can provide.

Not convinced? Consider this:

• The government allows a certain amount of rat feces to be present in baby food. (you can find the legal amounts in reports at your local library)


• They boil the food to death to sterilize it, cooking out all the natural vitamins and minerals, and then add them back in with the bottled version.


• While organic baby food is better, it still goes through the same processes of manufacturing, and still as an allotment for rat feces.


• Babies tend to eat much more of the jar food simply because their little bodies are trying to get the nutrients they need. So they get more empty calories, contributing to the raise in childhood obesity.

So if that has you convinced at last, here is the solution. Make your own baby food! It's cheap, easy, quick and healthy. Here's what you do.

1. Steam a bag of veggies like you would for your own dinner.


2. Put them in a bowl (for hand blender) or blender.


3. Blend with enough distilled water to achieve the consistency of baby food.


4. That's it!

If you want fruit, simply peel, and run through the blender with distilled water.

If you have a hand blender, the cleanup is even easier. If you really want to go the healthier route, try buying organic fruits veggies. And if your Ayurvedic practitioner has prescribed dosha specific food for your baby, use those fruits and veggies.

It's so easy!

Note:Babies need a chance to get used to this food if they are just starting to eat, or have been eating the jarred stuff. If they make funny faces, it does NOT mean they don't like it. It's just their natural reaction to new flavors and textures. You know your baby doesn't like something when he won't open his mouth, or cries when you give him a certain food. But if he/she is only making funny faces, and continues to open their mouth for more food, then continue to give it to them. After a while, the funny faces will disappear.

Mangosteen

Lately, I've been noticing an "up and coming" fruit that seems to be gaining popularity, and thought I would look into it. It's called Mangosteen.

The Latin name of the mangosteen is Garcinia mangostana L. The genus Garcinia is named in honor of Laurent Garcin, a French 18th century explorer and plant collector. Linnaeus, the "L" after the species name mangostana, honored his work by naming the genus Garcinia after him.

This amazing fruit comes in many different forms, and there are numerous claims to it's nutritional value. Personally, I've tried the juice called "Xango", and it did seem to give me a lot of energy for a week or so. Then the effects wore off. But the nutritional value seemed to be very good.

If you have a Trader Joe's in your area, I highly recommend the Trader Joe's brand "Freeze dried tropical Mangosteen". They freeze dry the pit along with the fruit. Boy are they good! (And no added sugar, just the fruit!)

These little treats will fit in nicely with the Ayurvedic diet and lifestyle. They are easy on the digestion, and make a wonderfully natural, sweet snack. Give them a try and let me know how you like them!

Personal Alchemy Naturals  offers botanical bath salts, ritual massage oils, healing balms and body creams.
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