Stocking Your Cupboards With Healthy Stuff

Do you want you and your kids to get super-healthy? Throw out all of the crap in your fridge that is not good for you and the kids and replace it with healthy stuff.

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 to have during a cleanse.

• 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))

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

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

• Mushrooms

• 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

• 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.

Surviving Long Car Rides With An Infant

Taking a long car ride with a baby can be a challenge. However there are ways to make a long trip easier on both you and the infant.

First off, make a promise to yourself that you will not be racing in a disorganized upsetting fashion just to get the trip over with so you and the baby can relax. Instead make frequent stops so you can get out and stretch your legs, go to the bathroom and relax a bit. It is also nice to give the baby a bit of fresh air and take him or her for a little stroll near the car.

If the child is older than play a little game of some sort to tire the baby out during one of your pitstops. However be careful what you feed the baby to avoid upset stomachs and accidents.

If you have a child that bores easily then it is a good idea to bring along toys and books that you can reveal every now and then. If you have a trip of five hours then go to the Dollar store and buy four new surprises that you can reveal to the baby so that he or she is always amused.

If your budget is bigger then get a portable DVD player. All kids love to watch television. Simply put a great DVD in the player and then bring it along on any road trip. Most babies love watching their favorite DVD again and again.

Many babies are very entertained by music. Play a little children's music and even sing along to keep the little tyke amused.

You also might want to consider timing you're driving so that the majority of the time spent in the care is during when the baby might want to take a nap.

If you are really lucky you might have one of those babies that just fall asleep once a car starts moving. If you are one of those people you are really fortunate.

Are you breast feeding and worried about how and when you will be able to feed the babies or how you will save your breast milk? Technology comes to the rescue again. You can now make car adapters for breast pumps. This means you can pump your breast milk and put in a bottle and continue driving onwards if you must.

Remember it is better to take your time when you travel with a baby. It is imperative that you stay organized and do things right just simply because you are carrying such precious cargo.