Gadgets Teens Want for Christmas

Here is a rundown of the top gadgets that every teenager is going to want for Christmas this year.
If your kid does not have an iPod yet its time. Every kid in the world has one by now so it is time for you to get with the program so your kid is not so uncool! Music is important to children and a real must-have. You can choose from many varieties and with different size, capacity and price ranges so there is no reason that your child should not own one. They are cheap now.
Also big on a teen's wish list is a laptop or notebook. It is best if the laptop has enough power to play games. It is also a good idea to supplement this gift include external hard drives so that your child has space to store videos, photos and music. Yet another good addition to your child's wish list of software is a pair of headphones. This is a gift for yourself as well as it helps keep your home peaceful.
Most kids secretly want a Nintendo DS. It is a dual screen handheld game console with the bottom one being a touch screen. It has a built in microphone and a WiFi connection to interact with each other within short range. This is also not a very expensive gadget to own. Teens also like the Game-boy Advance which is similar to the Nintendo entertainment system but more complicated.
You might also want to investigate getting your kid a PS3/ With its crazy advanced technology, Giga-bit Ethernet and a pre-installed hard disk drive, this is any teens most sought after toy. Other than playing those top of the line games you can also watch movies on DVD. I must admit once I got my son one of these I became really fascinated with playing games on it.
If you really want to make a kid's Christmas a great one get him or her cell phone. This is another gadget that teens want badly. And those who already managed a device want a better model that has internet capabilities and can take pictures. Make sure that it has a keyboard because not only are teens crazy about texting each other but it is also a lot cheaper if they text rather than make phone calls. So the cell phone is the cheaper choice to make if you are planning to buy your teenager just one gadget.
Kids also love digital cameras, but ultimately you could get away with getting them a cell phone with a digital camera in it and save some money!

The Ultimate Healthy Cupboard

Do you want to eat healthier in the New Year? After you have eaten everything that you have now in your cupboard consider replacing them with these foods which are alkaline and healthier for both you and your kids.
Here is an idea of what should be on your new grocery list –
• Irish steel-cut oats. Oats do contain some gluten, but for most people they are quite tolerable and they are okay for most kids with asthma to have.

• Mixed-grain hot cereals. Be sure they’re gluten- and sugar-free—and this means no honey or maple syrup

• Rice cakes. Stay away from the ones with too much sodium or funky flavorings (like sour cream and onion rice cakes!)

• Flax crackers

• Gluten-free bread. There are many delicious alternatives to the usual bread you buy. Try some sprouted breads, as they are easier to digest and are less processed.

• Sweet potatoes, yams

• Grains: brown or wild rice, millet, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, corn.

• Nuts: almonds, walnuts, cashews, soy nuts, macadamia nuts, filberts, etc.

• Seeds: sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, hemp, flax. Flaxseeds must be freshly ground rather than eaten whole, otherwise you won't get full nutritional benefit.

• Nut or seed butters: almond butter, tahini, cashew butter, peanut butter (all unsweetened)

• Vegan butter

• Vegan mayonnaise

• Nondairy protein powder (soy, hemp or orris root-based)

• Beans and legumes: black beans, lentils, chickpeas, lima beans, adzuki beans, black-eyed peas, edamame, and fava beans. Dried ones are best

• Tofu

• Tempeh

• Fake meats: burgers, sausage patties, “meat crumbles,” “chicken” patties. Make sure all are gluten-free.
• Artichoke, rice, or quinoa pasta

• Pasta sauce

• Vegetables: kale, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, eggplant, collard greens, squash of all kinds, tomatoes, etc.

• Mushrooms: shiitake, hen of the woods, portobello. Grilled, they make a great main dish and are almost as good as a steak

• Salad: arugula, radicchio, endive, mixed greens, peppers, avocado, tomato, radish,

• Fruits: apples, raspberries, cherries, peaches, blueberries, goji berries; frozen fruits for smoothies

• Citrus and exotic fruits lemons, limes, and unsweetened pomegranate juice for sparkling-water cocktails

• Herbal teas such as mint, chamomile and fennel.

• Nondairy milk, such as rice, almond, hemp, or soy milk (unsweetened)

• Healthy sweeteners: xylitol, agave nectar, and stevia for smoothies, milks, cereals and baked goods.

• Extra-virgin olive oil, expeller-pressed organic canola, high-oleic versions of sunflower and safflower oils, walnut oil, and flaxseed oil (the last is good to pour over things like salad or baked yam, but not to cook with).

• Seasonings: garlic, ginger, tamari; Himalayan crystal or Celtic sea salt. Regular table salt is bleached and stripped of minerals

• Flours to cook or bake with: bean, pea, soy, potato, buckwheat, tapioca, nut and seed, arrowroot, and rice. There are also prepackaged flour mixes that cater to the gluten-free shopper.

• Popcorn

• Corn chips

• Guacamole

• Hummus

• Soy cheese (rennet-free)

• Frozen spinach, broccoli, and cauliflower to throw into smoothies . . . you won’t even taste it!

• Vegetarian stock for cooking
Try some prepared foods from health food stores. They are often very tasty and nutritious too.