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Childhood Obesity

Childhood Obesity - Are You Damaging Your Child?

A Guide to Childhood Obesity” has all the information you need...
Take a look at what’s inside


CONTENTS
How to Diagnose Obesity
Epidemic Proportions
Why is This Happening
Are You Damaging Your Children
Getting Started
Meal Planning
Ordering From a Menu
Using Labels to Eat Healthy
Get Moving
A Family Affair
Is Surgery an Option
Where Does it Hurt
Is Counseling in Order
How to Keep It Off
Ten Tips to Cut Fat


How to Diagnose Obesity

How can you tell if Your Child is Obese?

In the past, obesity was regarded as an "adult" problem, and children were often regarded as safe from the ill effects of being a little "plump". The general rule most parents seemed to follow was that their children would outgrow any weight problems, and eventually their bodies would become more "normal" once adolescence was reached. However, obesity in children today is a fully acknowledged problem, and a growing health hazard that threatens to make the next generation's weight problems make our own seem mild by comparison. To help protect your child from this, you have to be able to diagnose the problem early. Standards of obesity differ from adults to children, so know what to watch out for.

What is Obesity?

Obesity isn't just being overweight. A person can have more body mass than is recommended for his or her height and bone structure yet still be healthy, IF the excess mass is more muscle tissue and healthy internal organs than anything else. Obesity, rather, is when a person's percentage of body fat is much higher than it should be. This usually manifests as being overweight; however, it is actually also possible for a person to have correct physical proportions yet still suffer from mild obesity simply because most of that mass is actually flab. More often than not though, obesity is easy enough to spot because the people suffering from it are flabby and rotund.

Common Causes of Obesity

One of the simplest causes of obesity is, ironically, rooted in a parent's misplaced love for their child. No one wants their kids to be undernourished; yet in a mistaken effort to overcompensate, sometimes parents wind up feeding their children a ton of healthy food. The problem here is that children need a certain amount of nutrition every day to grow up healthy; anything beyond this limit is stored in their bodies as excess weight. Another common factor leading to obesity in kids is the sheer amount of unhealthy junk food around the world today. Given their often-busy schedules, parents usually let their children gorge on fast food or take-out. While these comprise meals in the sense that they keep people from starving, these types of meals are loaded with empty calories that children's bodies are unable to fully process and again, wind up storing the excess as fat.

Symptoms of Obesity in Children

Obese children are often referred to as "chubby". The best way to determine if your child is suffering from obesity is to call a child-specialist doctor and have him diagnose your child. Now, children actually naturally have higher levels of fat than adults, what is often referred to in layman's terms as "baby fat", and this is perfectly natural. However, obesity is often accompanied by several other factors: chronic hunger, lethargy, and poor physical coordination.

While these are things that people can attribute to almost any child, a kid suffering from obesity will take it to extremes beyond the norm. Yes, kids are naturally always hungry, lazy, and clumsy, but if your kid takes these to extremes and happens to be carrying a lot of extra "baby fat" around, odds are he or she may be suffering from obesity. If you think this is applicable, call a doctor and get your kid a medical check up.

Effects of Obesity

If you think that obesity in children isn't really a major problem, you're wrong. In recent studies conducted in the US alone, 15-25 percent of children in most of the different states were diagnosed with obesity. Of those numbers, around one in every three children actually had a severe enough obesity problem that they were already starting to exhibit the early symptoms of obesity-related sicknesses that traditionally only manifest in adults, like diabetes and heart conditions.

So, this is another set of symptoms you as a parent should watch out for. If your child is already starting to suffer mild chest pains, shortness of breath, and rapid exhaustion which are usually associated with obese adults, you shouldn't hesitate to call a doctor and determine whether it might be time to put your kid on a healthier diet and lifestyle. It's never too early to start - as a matter of fact, the earlier you start the better because those lessons will stay with your child for life.

 
Epidemic Proportions
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Children's Obesity: Getting out of Hand Globally!

As we discussed, obesity, is a common problem among a lot of the world's adults. However, the past several years since the turn of the millennium have seen the rise of a new problem that is rapidly growing into proportions that can be compared to an epidemic. That problem is child obesity.

While people have always picked on fat kids as the "odd man out", these days the number of children who are suffering from obesity are increasing worldwide. There are many reasons for this, chief among them the large number of junk food and fast food globally available which are high in calories but low in actual nutritional value. Kids who gorge on cheese burgers and fries constantly at school often wind up with weight problems, for example. Added to this factor is the busy lifestyle of most modern day adults, so they are unable to supervise their children and make sure that they are eating properly.

Most people who HAVE heard about this problem usually think that it is restricted to richer countries, and that third world countries have little or no problem with obesity. Again, they are wrong. Granted, the tendency of children to be obese is higher in fully industrialized nations, but even in third world countries the number of children suffering obesity has been shown to be over double the number of ones suffering from malnutrition.

As a basic benchmark, studies conducted in the United States by world health officials showed that 15 to 25 percent of the children in various stats were suffering from obesity. This makes it an average of 20% or one in every 5 kids. Of that 20% average, one third were already starting to exhibit early symptoms of obesity related diseases normally found only in middle aged adults, like diabetes, excess fat in the blood stream, and heart problems. Studies in some European countries likewise yielded similar results.

A good percentage of Asian children also suffer from obesity, though at a smaller 10 to 15 percent average. This is believed to be because of the general lifestyle in those countries, as well as the increased heat and humidity of the tropical climates. Questioning these obese children regarding their dietary intake showed that they mostly subsisted on western-based fast food, as well as being fond of snacks like ice cream and potato chips. The children who were not suffering from obesity usually followed whatever local diets were available, which varied widely from country to country in Asia.

Even impoverished parts of the globe like South America and Africa have their share of obese children. However, what surprised a special World Health Organization taskforce set to monitor children's obesity was that the number of children in third world countries who suffered obesity was actually double that of children suffering malnutrition; 6% were obese as compared to only 3% malnourished. The blame for this seems to be a predilection of those same countries to feed kids - something which is a worthwhile goal. However, most parents and social workers in those areas placed more emphasis on volume of food and neglected the quality of nutrition given by what they were feeding the kids. Granted, it's better than starving, but the end result was that a number of children wound up getting fed diets which were high in calories but low in actual nutritional value.

Perhaps the most surprising part of the studies was from Chile, Mexico, and some Middle Eastern countries like Egypt and Israel. The figures of child obesity in these countries showed that anything from an average of 25 to 33% of children was suffering from obesity. Note, however, that obesity is defined not simply as being FAT, but having unhealthily high percentages of fat compared to muscle tissue. Some of the children diagnosed looked to be the right weight for their age! The reasons for this were again due to diets in those countries. Food in those countries is heavily buried in spices, as well as using fatty, high cholesterol meat. In the US, Europe, and Asia, health awareness among adults leads them to avoid these foods, yet in these countries the children were actually weaned on them, giving their children the highest percentage of child obesity on the globe.

The irony of this last part is not lost on the World Health Organization, who now acknowledges that children globally should start learning to watch what they eat. Various drives are being planned to emphasize not simply the feeding and care of children, but ensuring their health through proper diets and nutrition.

Why is This Happening
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Why Child Obesity is Skyrocketing

A decade ago, child obesity was a rare occurrence; being fat and overweight was strictly an "adult" problem, with overweight kids being a relative rarity. However, recent studies by the World Health Organization have shown that as much as an average of 15% of the world's children are suffering obesity, and 5% of them are already starting to show early signs of obesity related diseases normally thought to be reserved for the middle aged. To be able to fight this problem, we should look at the leading causes of child obesity.

Exercise; Or Lack Thereof

Earlier generations thrived on exercise; children's idea of playing was mostly rough housing, with kids playing sports like football or basketball, running all over the neighborhood, wrestling on lawns, wheeling around on bikes, skates, or skateboards. Even our smaller toys were physical in nature like tops, yoyos, wooden swords or guns. Everything we used to amuse ourselves usually required physical strain and sweat. Sure, we came home with bruises and scrapes sometimes, but they faded quickly and we went on to become healthier and stronger.

Kids in the current generation are actually suffering from way too much cosseting. Toys should be "safe", sports kept at a minimum of roughness and injury. "Violent" toys are "bad". Hooray. End result? The kids don't get enough exercise at a point in their lives when their activity levels determine how their bodies will be formed for the rest of their lives. The next generations are all couch potatoes in training at this rate. Then we throw in the easy availability of video games and TV... and, you get the picture.

Easy Availability of Junk food

The next culprit down the line is one that we all know and love to hate. Or hate to love. Junk food. I'm talking about potato chips, ice cream, greasy cheeseburgers, overstuffed pizzas, and everything else related to them. While indulging in them on occasion is okay, no one in their right mind would want to live on a constant diet of junk food. Unfortunately, instead of the old family tradition of packing your kid a healthy lunch to take to school, too many modern day parents just give their kids some cash to buy lunch at the cafeteria. These kids wind up overloading on junk food, since you're not there to watch what they eat. Remember, you can FORCE your kids to eat right, but when you're not around they will always gravitate towards the donuts, burritos, and chips...

Busy Parental Schedules

This is something that is difficult to avoid sometimes, but any responsible parent should take time out to cook a right meal for their kids. The sad part about most modern parents is either a total lack of culinary skills, lack of nutritional knowledge, or most commonly just not enough time to cook, ending in that same result of eating fast food and take out ranging from Chinese or Mexican to pizza and soft drinks.

While take out food is great for parties, living on them is definitely not a good idea. And for those who don't opt for takeout, they settle for "quick and easy" meals like instant noodles, microwaveable mystery meat, and canned stuff like corned beef. Oh yes, very nutritious...

Grease, Salt, and Sugar Everywhere!

We all know that these three factors are yummy but bad for us if we take too much. Unfortunately, consider the environment of your average school kid these days - vending machines and convenience stores allow your kid to grab a quick candy bar at any time, or a bag of chips, soft drink, or hot dog. While our kids may only still be eating only three regular meals a day, they are probably snatching a quick bite or drink every break they get, as well as before and after school. This is especially true for kids because snacks are habit-forming, and kids are psychologically more prone to developing habits than adults. These little snacks can amount to the calorific value of a fourth or even fifth meal a day, AND they're composed almost completely of all those wonderful empty calories with absolutely no nutritional value whatsoever! Oh Joy! The end result? Our kids wind up getting called Lardo or Godzilla or something equally grotesque by their peers. Save your kid the agony, and start teaching him or her to watch what he or she eats.

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Are You Damaging Your Children?
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If your child is fat, yes, it is at least partially your fault.

The title may not be very appealing, but it's true and a fact. Yes, we are going to lecture you on WHY your kid may have an obesity problem. "But", you may say, "He's not fat, just big boned!” Semantics.

If your child has an obesity problem, it's your responsibility to deal with it. Your child can't because he or she doesn't have the experience yet to deal with things that traditionally, was a problem for middle aged couch potatoes with too much time on their hands and ample supplies of beer and pizza. These days obesity is affecting kids as much as adults. So, if you want to fix it, first you've got to know what you're doing wrong. Here are the most common reasons why some parents let their kids slip into the quicksand of obesity (and they sink faster too, because of all that weight...)

Fix YOUR diet first!

Simple fact here: your child will eat whatever you do. Your child will be weaned on whatever food you have around the house. Therefore, if you're not eating right, then your child's first transition from mother's milk to solid food may wind up being donuts and burritos. Off to a rather bad start in life there, aren't we? And yes, SOME parents may try the rather sad approach of continuing to eat unhealthy but insisting that their kids eat vegetables, fruit, and other healthy options. News flash here: if you don't eat your vegetables, what makes you think your child will? He or she will just follow your example, or be a smart aleck and say "But you don't eat carrots, Dad. Why should I?

Junk food, take out, and instant stuff are SNACKS, not meals

Connected to point number one is point number two; Junk food! There's absolutely nothing wrong with snacking on the occasional pizza, burger, microwaveable popcorn, or take out Chinese food. They taste yummy! However, living on them exclusively is a surefire way to an early grave. Unfortunately, there are far too many households that subsist on steady diets of instant meals. And even if you have regular meals at home, remember that your kid has an allowance, which he will most likely spend on cheap snacks like junk food. Main reason? He wants a new video game, so he skips meals to save up for it and lives on potato chips at school. It happens. The solution? Cut back on your kid's allowance and start packing him healthier lunches for school.

Learn to Cook, and cook right!

It isn't enough to simply cook for your household. Learn things like proper nutrition and good, healthy recipes that you can cook for your family to make sure that they get healthier. You may not be able to monitor your kid's meals at school, but you can at least ensure that 2 out of his 3 meals a day are done right. Better than zero out of three...

They're not made of glass unless you build them that way

Aside from their diets, another common problem with the way some parents raise their kids is the different (I say softer) moral standards of the current generation. Remember when we were kids? We rode bikes and skateboards when bored, went into impromptu boxing matches with our buddies, we played ball games in the street. We spent time in the sun! But with all the annoying media blitzes these days spreading ideas like "safer sports policies" and "the dangers" of more traditional forms of playing" or "airborne disease scares", not to mention "serial killers on the loose", what do we wind up letting our children do? Video games and TV. Period. We keep them locked up inside the house where they happily vegetate in virtual worlds feeling neither wind, rain, nor sunshine on their faces. Did YOU die when your mom told you to get in out of the rain and you continued to play in the streets? I didn’t think so. So they won't either. Let them get some exercise!!!

Teach them self-discipline don't "discipline" them

Lastly, some parents still adhere to the old “whack/nag 'em if they won't listen" policy. Despite earlier admonishments that your kids aren't made out of glass, it does not mean trying to nag your child endlessly or beat him into going on a diet or fixing themselves up. Why? Because they'll just wind up eating even more junk food when you're not looking. Rebellion is a natural instinct for anyone who feels oppressed after all.

So, what to do? Instill a sense of self worth and self pride in your child. Teach your kid to value him or herself, and to actually take pride in their accomplishments. Naturally, this includes their appearance and weight. If you make them go on a diet, they won't. If you make them WANT to go on a diet... you get the picture. The sense of self worth and self-discipline you teach them now can make all the difference with how they turn out for the rest of their lives.


Getting Started
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9 Steps to Get You Started in Tackling Childhood Obesity

If any of your kids suffer from childhood obesity, singling out his problems would only work to his and your disadvantage. At his age, your child still doesn’t have the maturity to understand and accept weight loss needs and goals. Furthermore, medical professionals do not advocate strict dieting for children either. If you want to help your child overcome his weight problems early on, the whole family must be prepared to tackle it together…immediately.

Step #1

As it always is with solving problems, there is no better time to find a solution than doing so now. Delays will only increase the risk of having your child’s weight problems worsen. If you want to help your child, you need to take action without delay!

Step #2

Discuss with your partner how to best introduce changes to the family’s lifestyle and eating habits. Do not underestimate your child’s intelligence. If you are not careful, it would be easy for your other kids to catch on with what you’re doing and blame their sibling for causing all these changes in their lives.

It’s very important that you introduce changes gradually and emphasize its benefits for the whole family. It is crucial that all of your kids, even the one struggling with weight problems, don’t realize what really triggered these changes.

If you or your partner has health problems, you can use this reason instead to explain the changes you make. You can also express how you wouldn’t want your kids to suffer the same health problems when they reach your age, and that’s why you’re training them this early to have good eating habits and a healthy lifestyle.

Step #3

Make a chart of the food you commonly eat everyday. Consult a nutritionist or a physician and show this chart. She or he will let you know what you’re doing right and what you should change for everyone’s betterment.

Step #4

Parents are the first and best role models children could ever have. If you have decided upon the changes, be prepared to follow them to the letter. If you can’t, don’t expect your kids to do otherwise.

Step #5

Subject your fridge and pantry to spring cleaning. Gradually replace unhealthy foods with healthy but nonetheless delicious alternatives. Do it one by one so your kids wouldn’t feel completely deprived from it. Taking away all their favorite goodies in one instance will only make them crave it more. And do leave some of the “fun stuff” behind. They’re not altogether bad to consume if you can monitor your child’s intake of it.

Step #6

Revise your meals. Start with breakfast. Instead of piling on the butter and honey for pancakes, give them healthier substitutes. Make the effort to search for fruits that would appeal to your kids’ taste buds. Move on to lunch and dinner when your kids have adjusted to eating healthy breakfasts.

Step #7

Don’t allow your kids to get used to having snacks any time they want. This is one of the major causes for them to overeat and develop weight problems. Work out a timetable for them. They’ll soon catch up as to when they can expect treats and snacks and they’ll automatically adjust their activities around your schedule.

Snacks should include at least two food groups for variety and better health benefits. You’ll find a lot of simple and easy recipes on the Internet to make snacks for your kids more fun and delicious without going over your budget.

Step #8

Discourage your children from eating when watching TV. If they are completely engrossed with what they’re watching, they wouldn’t notice the amount of food they’re eating and this could also lead to weight problems. If they want to eat, have them eat at the dining table, preferably with you or other members of the family. Eating is a great way to bond together, after all!

Step #9

Make small but significant changes to your lifestyle. To increase physical activity for your kids, assign them to tackle simple household tasks and emphasize the need for being responsible. Use sports and other physical activities as a way for the whole family to exercise together as well.

With these steps, you’ll be right on your way to helping not only your children but everyone in the family as well.



Meal Planning
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Quick and Simple Meal Planning Tips for Families

Most people today grew up having their meals lovingly prepared by their parents. That changed, of course, when they moved out of the family home and started living independently or building their own family. Meal planning is essential if you wish to ensure good health for all members of the family. But don’t worry because meal planning isn’t necessarily synonymous with elaborate cooking preparations. As you can see with the following tips, simple and easy can still lead to healthier living.

Quick and Simple Meal Planning Tips for Families

Tip #1 The Right Ingredients

A quick formula for choosing the right ingredients for your family meals would consist of fifty percent fruits and vegetables, twenty-five percent each of grains and proteins, and a serving of low-fat yogurt or milk here or there.

Reduce use of fatty substances in your cooking. If you are stir-frying or sautéing food, including one-half teaspoon of fat is already more than adequate. Reduce use of dressing as well when making salads. Use more unsaturated fats than saturated. Better yet, consider low-fat and fat-free alternatives.

Increase intake of fiber. Besides being healthy, it also makes you feel fuller and less inclined to eat between meals. Lastly, learn the different herbs, spices, and healthy flavorings you can use to make simple meals look, smell, and taste better.

Tip #2 Preparing for Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It is one way of starting your day properly, giving you the energy you need for the work ahead and prevent you from going on a binge in the afternoon.

Here are a few simple and quick suggestions for preparing breakfast for the family: whole grain bread and grilled low-fat cheese for a sandwich; omelet made up of low-fat cheese, legumes, and chopped vegetables, together with a slice of whole grain bread; low-fat yogurt or milk together with a serving of pancake and applesauce; low-fat granola or any other health or cereal bar together with a serving of low-fat yogurt and fruit juice.

If you still don’t have enough time to make the previously mentioned recipes, don’t worry because there are more options available to you. What’s important is not to miss breakfast since doing so would only lead to direr consequences.

Consider the following breakfast options, all of which you can prepare in a jiffy: low-fat cheese and bagel together with one banana; one small low-fat muffin and yogurt; one low-fat, high-fiber and high-protein cereal bar.

Tip #3 Preparing for Lunch

The next “big” meal for the day is lunch. It’s better to miss dinner than lunch because you still have time in the afternoon and night to digest what you’ve eaten. If you have enough time to prepare for a bagged lunch, do so because homemade lunches are usually still healthier – and more affordable – than what you can get outside.

Simple lunch fare could be made up of the following: salad with yogurt dressing and vegetable soup (even canned would do); low-fat yogurt, peanut butter cookies, fresh fruit, and turkey sandwich; apple, baby carrots, wheat crackers, and vegetarian chili.

If you are going to include poultry, dairy, fish, or meat in your homemade lunches, make sure to pack them in insulated lunch bags to keep them fresh.

Tip #4 Preparing for Dinner

Many people choose to skip dinner because this meal is not that easy to digest and especially if you plan to sleep right after eating. But skipping dinner isn’t a necessity. You can still serve dinner for the family, but just make sure it’s lighter than lunch.

Pasta is one of the favorite dishes included in dinner. You can still prepare it for dinner, provided that you use healthy noodles and don’t allow them to drown too much in pasta sauce.

If you wish to serve rice, that’s okay, too, but use brown instead of white rice because it’s healthier.

Grill or broil meat rather than frying them. Better yet, serve less meat but serve more vegetables and fish.

Desserts are still okay. Even ice cream and cakes are acceptable, but just make sure to limit their servings and to include them in your meal preparations only a few times a week. If there’s a need for dessert, experiment with fruits instead!


Ordering From a Menu
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Tips for Choosing Where and How to Eat Out while Staying Healthy

Studies show that restaurants have enjoyed 67% increase in their earnings in 2007 compared to what they earned ten years ago. Either they’ve found a way to charge consumers triple the worth of their dishes or Americans are just eating out more and more. Most probably, it’s the latter, and although eating out occasionally is fun, it does pose a danger to one’s health.

Restaurant Bills Can Still Give You a Clean Bill of Health

It’s all a matter of choosing the right place and making the right orders. Restaurants and even fast food joints are paying attention to the demand for healthier food options, but it’s still up to you if you’re going to choose those healthier alternatives or not.

Here’s how to choose where to eat out and how to order.

Tip #1 Look for a salad bar This will allow you to satiate yourself with healthy servings of salad while reducing intake on meats and desserts.

Tip #2 Check the menu if they offer high-fiber and low-fat alternatives for their regular items

Tip #3 Inquire if you can have normally fried items grilled, baked, or boiled, instead and without any use of added fat. Restaurants are usually more flexible than fast food joints when it comes to cooking options so don’t expect your request to be constantly approved.

Tip #4 You have more chances of eating healthily in seafood restaurants. Most of their items are baked, broiled, or poached – and even if they aren’t, you can usually have them cooked according to your preferences without much trouble.

Tip #5 Go ethnic. Many exotic eateries serve low-fat fish but watch out for the portion size!

Suggested Fast Food Joints for Healthy Living

Eating in a fast food joint is almost unavoidable, especially considering the hectic pace of life nowadays. So if you need to eat in one, we won’t stop you but we’ll point out the right direction instead.

Subway – Around ten sandwiches in their menus contain only 6 grams of fat or less. There are also various salad and wrap items for those with above-average worries about their weight. Subway is no doubt one of the healthiest brands in the fast food business.

Taco Bell – although their green onions did make people sick in the past, many as a healthy lifesaver in the fast food industry now consider Taco Bell. Cheese and sauces for all their menu items can be replaced with fiesta salsa, adding only 5 calories and zero fat to its content. Not bad at all, isn’t it?

Wendy’s – This fast food joint has one of the best salad options available. Mix and match to your heart’s content! Just make sure not to use too much of their dressings since that would defeat the whole purpose of healthy eating.

O’Naturals – With branches in New Hampshire, Maine, Portland, and Boston, O’Naturals introduces fast food clientele to healthy meals that are free from antibiotics, hormones, and preservatives, and made up of wild buffalo and salmon. O’Naturals even work actively with their supplying farmers to ensure the quality and health quotient of their food.

Organic to Go – Its menu is presently seventy percent organic already, but Organic to Go’s CEO is aiming to serve completely organic dishes in the future. Their branches are located in Los Angeles and Seattle.

Panera Bread – Among the healthy ingredients they use to make their sandwiches include whole grain breads and unbleached flour. They also serve salads and soups. Panera Bread has branches in thirty-six states.

Pret a Manger – An imported restaurant from Britain, Pret a Manger only has branches in New York City. Too bad for the rest of America, though. The place serves a wonderful but healthy variety of pre-packaged soups, salads, and sandwiches for people constantly on the go. All food items are free from artificial ingredients and some are even locally sourced. Drinks are organic.

Bette Burger – Another currently exclusive New York fast food joint, Bette Burger serves veggie chili, fresh juices, low-fat and air-baked fries, and all-organic meat and poultry dishes.

Burgerville – This joint also serves beef that’s hormone and antibiotic-free. It has branches in Oregon and Washington.

Topz – This healthy eatery has branches in Texas, Michigan, and California. Its menu includes a healthy selection of salads, chili, fries, and reduced-fat, lean-meat burgers.


Using Labels to Eat Healthy
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How to Use Labels to Eat Healthy and Perform Risk-Free Grocery Shopping

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States worked hand in hand to improve food safety for the public. The result was the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act, approved and implemented in 1990, and it ensures that consumers have all the necessary information regarding food products. The government did its job. Now, it’s up to you to use that information to safeguard the health of your family.

6 Key Elements of Food Labels

Common Name of the Product – The law is pretty clear when it specified the need for including the common name of food products. This basically requires manufacturers to label their products as they are. If they’re selling cheese, they need to make sure that consumers explicitly understand they’re selling cheese so as not to mislead anyone.

Name and Address of Manufacturer – This is mainly used for after-sales customer service needs.

Net Contents – this should include weight as well as count or measure of the product.

Ingredient List – All ingredients used for making the food product should be listed in its label. Ingredients with greatest importance and weight should be listed first.

Serving Size – This is where the manufacturer tells you what amount of food would make up one serving.

Nutrition Facts – Food labels must include details about the type and quantity of every nutrient provided.

Other Things to Understand about Food Labels

Servings per Package or One Container – Sometimes, food products contain more than one serving. If so, the label must be indicated just how many servings are included, and this will also let you know how many people could eat from the same package.

Calories and Calories from Fat - This is usually placed on the left side of food labels. Pay attention to this because if your calorie intake is more than the amount of calories you burn then you could be in danger of gaining weight. This category also includes the amount of calories provided by fat. Take note of this if you wish to limit your intake of fats and you have high cholesterol levels.

Percent Daily Value – Food labels also let you know if one serving of a certain product will already match the daily intake needed for a particular ingredient or substance. Be aware that most labels base the percent daily value on adult requirements. You might need to calculate things slightly different for your kids.

The Difference between “Use By” and “Best Before” – Any food item with a “used by” date should not be eaten past the given deadline. These foods normally go bad after their allotted time, and refrigerating it won’t do them any good. For food products with “Best Before” labels, they may be eaten safely after the provided deadline but only if their packaging had remained sealed and intact and they have been stored properly.

Problem Ingredients – These are the ingredients that you don’t want to see too much of in your food labels. They include but are not limited to the following:

Bulking Ingredients – Although not necessarily dangerous, they tend to make you pay more for less. These ingredients are used to “bulk out” food products and make them seem greater in quantity than how they really are. These include water and various types of protein. Water is, however, sometimes excluded from the ingredient list.

Fats – More particularly, be on the lookout for trans and hydrogenated fats. The latter is a product of oil subjected to excessively high heating temperature. Trans fats are by-products of hydrogenated fats and they are present whenever their sources of origin are, regardless of whether or not they’re included in the list.

The European Food Safety Authority reported how trans fats pose a greater liability to our health than saturated fats. If you want to stay safe, staying away from food products with trans fats is one of the best things to do.

Added Sugars – This includes a large group of various items like glucose, brown sugar, maltose, and corn syrup. Too much of them can place you in danger of obesity. They are found mostly in highly processed food items like fruit-flavored yogurt, pre-packaged pizzas, soda drinks, and even cereal bars and biscuits!

Added Salt – Too much salt - sodium or sodium chloride would mean the same – could lead to heart problems and hypertension.

Artificial Sweetener – This is utilized as substitute ingredients for added sugars but they nonetheless pose several health risks as well.

As none of the information here resembles quantum physics, you should not have any problems remembering them and consequently protecting your family from food hazards.

Get Moving
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6 Steps to Get Your Kids Moving Actively and Healthily

Ohio is one of only two states in America that do not offer standard physical education classes for its students. But even if you don’t live in Ohio, you might be surprised with just what physical education programs entail exactly for your kids. If the school isn’t doing its job of keeping your child physically fit then it’s important for you to take up the responsibility yourself.

The Real Deal about Physical Fitness for Kids

As parents, you should be aware that exercise is greatly essential even for kids. You don’t need to wait for your kids to become overweight before teaching them how to combat excess pounds with physical activities. Rather, it’s your job to teach them the need for regular physical activities to prevent weight and other health problems from occurring.

Kids who are physically fit are not only healthier but also more able to handle stress, sleep better, and feel more confident.

6 Steps to Get Your Kids Moving Actively and Healthily

Step 1 Evaluating Your Child’s Physical Education Program in School

You’ll be surprised to learn that actual and active physical education programs are oftentimes offered only to students with promising futures as an athlete. As for the rest, they are subjected to more class work and less physical activities. If your child isn’t getting what he needs then it’s up to you to give him that instead.

Step 2 Understanding the Fundamentals of Physical Fitness

Kids and adults need to focus on three main objectives if they want to become physically fit.

Endurance – Being physically fit means being able to last long and perform physical activities with more ease. Endurance or longevity has a lot to do with how a person breathes. Aerobic exercises can help you breathe better and strengthen your heart. In time, kids performing endurance exercises regularly will learn to expend less oxygen while performing physical activities.

Strength – Kids would also benefit from strengthening their bones and muscles. The great thing about strength exercises is that they’re easy to incorporate with a lot of games kids commonly play.

Flexibility – It’s equally important for kids to work on making their body flexible or limber. This would make them move more easily and reduce movement-related accidents. Stretching exercises usually do the trick for flexibility.

Step 3 Understanding the Numbers of Physical Fitness

When exercising, you basically need to burn more calories than what you’ve eaten. Kids have it slightly easier than adults; at their age, diet is almost unnecessary since they need to eat a lot to keep growing. They still need to exercise though and in order to ensure that they’re not storing unwanted fats in their bodies.

According to the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NAPSE), toddlers need approximately half an hour of planned physical activity and one hour of unstructured physical activity everyday. For preschoolers, one hour daily for both types of activities is required. And for kids in school, at least one hour of physical activity is needed daily, but this may be broken up into several segments.

Step 4 Devising a Physical Education Program for Your Kids

Determine what you can supplement for the gaps in the school’s physical education program. Physical activities may include performing chores. Picking apples from your trees could be considered as a form of stretching exercise. Carrying laundry baskets to and fro could do as strength exercises while endurance exercises could be taken care of by asking your child to go up and down the stairs for whatever reason you can come up with.

Step 5 Getting Involved in Sports

Of course, all work and no play would be the death of your kid. Consider having your family take up a sport. Badminton is, for instance, for all ages and less dangerous and demanding than basketball or football.

Step 6 Involving Social Interactions with Physical Activities

Lastly, your child might appreciate your efforts more if he’s given the time to hang out with kids his age while performing physical activities. Enrolling him in a sports clinic or a summer camp are both good options.

Last but not the least; don’t forget to take your child’s preferences into consideration. His input is valuable because it could increase the chances of successes for your goals.

A Family Affair
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6 Tips for Family-Oriented Physical Fitness Activities: A Family that Exercises Together Stays Together

Divorce and broken families are more common today than in previous decades. Numbers for childhood obesity and heart problems for adults are also on the rise. Every family has to face these challenges at one point in time, but you can kill two birds with one stone if you use physical fitness activities to make family members bond together.

6 Tips for Family-Oriented Physical Fitness Activities: A Family that Exercises Together Stays Together

Tip #1 Make Use of Resources at Home

If you’re lucky enough to have a swimming pool at home, make it a routine for the whole family to have a swimming race and get-together once a week. Swimming is one of the best physical fitness activities there is because it combines exercises for flexibility and endurance. With the help of some props, it can also work as strength exercise as well.

If you have a huge yard, make use of it. Cleaning the yard, picking fruits, plants, and flowers, and other common gardening chores can be more fun if it’s done as a family. You can also install a DIY basketball court and have weekly matches, pitting parents against siblings or some other match-up. You already have the necessary space for physical activity so all you need to do now is explore your imagination. And let’s not forget that exercising at home is definitely less expensive than doing it outside.

Tip #2 Go Park Hopping

If everyone in the family is a nature-lover in some way or another, then consider spending a weekend morning touring the numerous wildlife and nature parks the United States is blessed with. Parks are naturally enormous and require extensive walking. Going to them will not only help the whole family burn calories but give yourselves precious quality time together.

Tip #3 Take Advantage of Community Affairs

This is especially true if you don’t live in the city. There are numerous events going on around you, and it’s time to start paying attention to them. If there are any events that require family members to join as a team and perform physical tasks, do so! Of course, you might have to consult with your kids first and ensure that the activity’s up to their standards of “cool”.

Tip #4 Multi-Purpose Walking

Do you go to church together? Is the mall near your house? If there are places that your family often visits together, consider ditching the family van and using your feet instead. Walking will exercise your bodies and give the family a chance to chat with each other as well.

Tip #5 Choosing a Sport

A sport is another activity that all members of the family could participate in. Of course, make sure that you take into consideration handicaps or limitations that anyone in the family may have.

Badminton is a great sport because it demands only good reflexes from its players. Height and strength are usually negligible in this sport. Golf is also a family-friendly sport since the only strenuous thing about it is the need to walk great distances from hole to hole.

Jogging or plain walking is also excellent and allows you to explore almost all kinds of areas. You can even do it inside the Mall of America if you wish. Just make sure you walk long enough to burn the calories you need to get rid of.

For families with adventurous spirits, you could take up rowing and explore the countless bodies of waters in the country. This sport is especially good in developing harmonious relationships between family members. But if your family’s not that fond of water then consider hiking instead. Hiking is especially good if you wish to have some “alone time” for your family. It’s hard not to be since you’re up on a mountain and surrounded only with wildlife.

Tip #6 Go to the Gym

A lot of people are disinclined to enroll in a gym or health and fitness club because they think they’ll lack the discipline to regularly visit the gym and exercise. Of course, if you’re going to enroll as a family, you all have better chances of making use of your membership and attaining your physical fitness goals.

In the end, what’s important is to choose the activity that will be easy for all of you to stick to. And don’t forget to make a schedule that suits everyone in the family.

Is Surgery an Option

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Is Surgery an Option for Children?

Before, it was only for adults. Now it’s gaining popularity for children. An operation that shrinks the stomach size in order to help in losing weight is being done both to adults and children. Questions then arise whether this procedure is safe and advisable for the young.

Obesity is a problem in the United States. It looks like in order to remedy it – drastic surgery has become an option. Pediatricians report that parents of obese children turn to the procedure in order to solve obesity.

Most popular is the gastric bypass surgery. It shrinks the stomach from let’s say a size of a football down to the size of an egg. It may have side effects in the long run for the child but right now, that is still unknown. However, because childhood obesity seems to be reaching new heights, some doctors and their families see surgery as an option and a solution.

Studies have been conducted on the procedure, however researchers have not yet determined how old and what specific weight should the child be before he goes into surgery. They also haven’t clearly defined whether surgery for obesity interferes with the bone-building calcium of the child.

In a recently conducted survey, most minors who go through gastric bypass are 15 to 17 years old. At that age, peak bone mass takes place. Since childhood obesity is pervasive, 15 percent of the young are already obese or severely overweight. That is why a solution is needed as soon as possible.

Doctors confirm that surgery for obese children has high demand. It even boosts up because of the procedures performed by famous patients like Carnie Wilson, a pop singer who weighed 300 pounds and dropped down to 148 when she was 31.

But there are still some doctors who find the thought of subjecting children to gastric bypass surgery as too extreme. Thing is, there are children who tried to do the healthy lifestyle – exercising and dieting to no avail. They might have changed their habits. Sadly, there is still no sign of improvement whatsoever. You cannot blame them if they think that surgery is the only alternative after they have done what they think is crucial.

Ideally, before the procedure takes place, the patients should have reached maximum growth. Families must also be informed regarding the consequences of surgery that includes gallstones and malnutrition. After the procedure, the child will restrict his eating behavior. If not, he will only vomit and feel more uncomfortable than he already is.

For young girls, the question in their minds after the surgery is whether motherhood might be ruled out. Doctors assure the girls that this was unfounded so there is no side effect on the possibility of not being able to bear a child after going through the surgery.

The most common kind of gastric bypass is the bariatic surgery where a small stomach pouch is stitched to the upper portion of the stomach. The intestine is then directed to the pouch. The portion of the small intestine is bypassed and absorbs the nutrients. The operation leads to weight loss because it reduces the individual’s nutrient absorption as well as food intake.

Gastric bypass surgery is said to be a safe form of stapling the stomach that bypasses the small intestine in reducing what the stomach is capable of taking in.

Some parents and doctors see surgery for obesity as a last resort. It was a lose-lose situation because obese children are prone to diabetes, heart disease and other disorders related to weight problems.

However, it is suggested that one knows the facts regarding gastric surgery. In order to save a generation of children whose lives are endangered, this may be the solution.

But before one can resort to this, it is best that treatment be done before the cure. Therefore, the Government has already set a target in stopping the rise of obesity among children who are below the age of 11 before the year 2010. From the looks of it, that sounds like a really good idea for children and adults alike.

Where Does it Hurt
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It Hurts – Inside

Being overweight may have an effect in children – inside. It depends on how their parents handle and perceive the situation but we all live in a culture wherein it is hard for obese children to grow up.

The following are findings on conducted research from the issues that are connected to the issue:

1. Overweight children have lower self-esteem compared to those who are not overweight. But this does not mean that they are emotionally disturbed or seriously depressed.

2. Overweight children with low self-esteem turn out to have parents who taunt and tease them regarding their weight. This adds more to the pain they feel inside and affects their self-esteem as a whole.

3. The amount of overweight is a predictor of how much self-esteem the person has. This means that children and teenagers who see themselves as overweight tend to be unhappy regarding their weight. Some children may be seriously overweight and some may be just a couple of pounds overweight, but the latter would think that they already have a serious problem.

4. The connection between self-esteem and weight is more apparent to girls than it is boys. Girls are really affected by their weight and notice the problem more than the boys.

5. Recent studies of overweight children show that obese African American children aged 5 to 10 year olds have lower self-esteem compared to those who are older.

Obesity has increased over the past twenty years. This time, it is not only adults experiencing the problem, but children as well. Obesity is considered to be a government problem as well because this leads to type 2 diabetes, hypertension, some forms of cancer, asthma, atherosclerosis and mellitus.

Obesity is also a risk factor for hyperresponsiveness. According to recently conducted studies, there is an increase in the chest wall mass and abdominal malfunction in obese people because they have low residual capacity. This lung volume determines how much airway goes in. Because of obesity issues, there might be a possibility that the capacity of air going in is reduced.

Obese people also breathe at a frequency higher than the norm. These maybe smaller tidal volumes in substantial standards compared to those who are not obese. This results in the bronchodilatory effect that strains the obese person’s response to airway.

Therefore, we come to a conclusion that obesity affects the lungs and airway. In children, obesity affects the growth of the lungs. Most of them have reduced pulmonary function because of their smaller lungs. Weight loss improves the function of their lungs but it still does not improve the airway responsiveness. Therefore, this is consistent to the conclusion that obesity does affect the airway function.

The low-level chronic system serves as the trigger to inflammation. This is defined as the presence of leukocytes that circulate. These are the cytokine receptors, cytokines and chemokines. The inflammation originates in the adipose tissue and the diseases that are commonly connected to obesity such as type 2 diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis correlate with the inflammation in the chronic system.

Adipose tissue has adiponectin, leptin and plasminogen which all contribute to the hyperresponsiveness in the airway. Interestingly enough, these are controlled even after the body mass index and the leptin levels have increased and have been met. These are evident in asthmatic children compared to children who do not have asthma.

Not only do obese children have problems regarding their health, they also have to think of the side effects of their appearance on a social level. Children can be mean and the endless fat jokes have dire effects on a child’s self-esteem.

They say that words do not hurt us. That adage can be wrong because it hurts the child. Therefore, in summary, the best thing to do for a parent of an obese child is to help him lose the excess weight. Not only will he have more self-esteem, he will also be less prone to the dangers that come with obesity.

That being the case, both the parent and the child will have fewer concerns about weight issues, self-esteem, social problems and possibility of health risks. It is always better to prevent obesity to begin with than having to deal with it when it becomes a problem.

Is Counseling in Order
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Is Counseling an Option?

15 percent of patients aged 6 to 19 are said to be obese or overweight. This is confirmed by the definition set by the percentile growth charts. The surveys and guidelines suggest that physicians and doctors discuss how to control weight with their patients whenever they visit. However, it still shows that the treatment is low.

Demographic, coding and data has been collected from National Ambulatory Care Survey as well as from the National Hospital Ambulatory Care Survey. It shows that most patients received the diagnosis of excess weight gain, morbid obesity and obesity. These are from pediatricians – which means children are going through obese problems very early on in their lives.

Children who are aged 6 to 11 have more possibility to be diagnosed with obesity than those who are older than that age range. Blood pressure screening is common in children with obesity compared to those who are not diagnosed with obesity, but the difference is significant.

Counseling Enters the Picture

Here is where dietetic counseling visits have become a step towards a solution. Whenever the patient visits, he gets counseling from his pediatrician. If he chooses to do so, he can also get exercise counseling. Most pediatricians, compared to physicians and general practitioners, provide diet and exercise counseling.
Younger children are more likely to get diet counseling. White children are more likely to get the counseling than black children.

The study also shows that race and insurance status influence the rates of counseling on diet and exercise.

Because of the increased occurrence of obesity, diagnosis and counseling rates also increase. The researchers suggest that more programs should be developed to target the methods that will help in handling the obesity problem. They also suggest that race and insurance discrepancies should be made equal, therefore making anyone of any race and of any financial state to receive as much counseling needed.

Purpose of Counseling

Counseling is made available to obese patients in order for them to realize that they are putting themselves at risk.

But this is not to say that there aren’t any barriers in counseling method. There are still some situations that affect the availability of these counseling sessions.

1. Lack of Time
2. Lack of Patient Demand and Expectations
3. Lack of Reimbursement and Compensation

Therefore, pharmacists have indicated that they sometimes counsel their obese patients in situations where they are comfortable in counseling them regarding obesity management. They also noticed that the strategies conducted in obesity management are somewhat effective in losing weight. However, these steps were neutral when it comes to regaining back the confidence that was lost during the whole obese phase.

Pharmacists who have the experience on indicating what level of obesity can be controlled with or without medications also take into account the significant views on these obesity management strategies. Most of them believe that the problem can be solved through medication.

Some pharmacists believe that the lack of privacy is also a barrier because the less confident do not resort to counseling. At least by creating awareness among the pharmacists and the patients, they will be able to overcome the barriers that were mentioned.

Because of the problem of obesity in the United States, it is important to note that this is now the first concern of the government. Smoking now comes in as a second. Obesity is a risk factor for mortality and morbidity. Those who are obese are more prone to chronic diseases such as dyslipidemia, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea, gallbladder, gastroesophageal and reflux diseases, to name a few.

The lack of willpower in most patients is said to be the main root of the problem. Obesity can be solved if they can change their lifestyle. Overweight and obesity begins due to the lack of discipline and willpower. Drug therapy is a suggested solution but this doesn’t work on most obese people.

Obese patients more often than not inter-act with community pharmacists to get their prescriptions and over-the-counter products for their conditions. Pharmacists are identified to be the most accessible member of health practitioners assisting the patients in their health concerns. Therefore, it is their responsibility to know the very best for their patients.


How To Keep It Off
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How To Keep the Weight Off

It should be pretty clear to you now that obesity in the United States has increased. It is alarming to note that even children are now experiencing the problem. Children between the ages of 2 to 17 are already at risk of health-related issues because they are obese or overweight.

Most clinics offer a program to inform the obese children and their parents the issues concerning childhood obesity.

1. There are assessment clinics with a team of clinicians who have expert knowledge on how to evaluate and determine the levels of childhood obesity. They are also there to serve as counselors for the children when it comes to the medical issues that are associated with their obesity.

2. There are family-based programs that focus on the changes in the lifestyle of the families of the patients in order for them to improve their nutrition and to increase the physical activity for better health.

3. There is a focus on how to create sensitive and healthy surroundings which increases the opportunities for physical activities. Some clinics also offer nutritious food and supports healthy choices and lifestyles.

Important Facts Regarding Childhood and Adolescent Obesity

According to the studies conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics, 19 percent of children in the United States aged 6 to 11 are overweight. 17 percent of children aged 12 to 19 are considered overweight. Most of these youngsters are already overweight 15 years ago that means they were already going through some health problems when they were children.

Year after year, there is an increase in both ages and sexes. The individuals who are obese most likely remain to still be obese, as they get older.

What is Obesity?

Obesity is defined as the total accumulation of body fat. Childhood obesity is apparent when the height and weight of the child are measured together. A child or a teenager is considered to be obese if he or she goes over the ideal weight.

Overweight is defined as the body size increase alongside an accumulation of body fat that is considered to be excess. There is no uniform standard separating obesity and being overweight. Research studies show that these overweight children and teenagers may grow up and still be overweight, making them overweight adults.

What makes children and teenagers overweight?

Here are the factors contributing to the problem of obesity.

1. Food is always available. Most of the time, this is the high-calorie snack food.

2. The attitude of parents toward food is also a factor. Sometimes, an obese parent not only gives the ‘obese’ gene to their child but they also influence them on what their children eat through what they eat themselves.

3. There is an increase in eating out. Fast food is not healthy when done regularly.

4. Some parents use food as a reward. Sometimes they use this to change the behavior of the child.

5. The child does not get enough exercise. Instead, he spends a lot of his time watching TV and snacking.

6. The lack of information is also a factor. Not knowing healthy food from junk food is a major factor.

Weight Management

So before it becomes a problem, it is best that the parent knows how to handle weight management early on. Prevention is better than cure. At least when doing this, the goal for the treatment is to maintain the ideal weight, as they grow taller. The weight reduction management is strongly recommended for formerly obese children and adolescents.

The next step is to know how to keep those excess pounds off.

1. Slow down weight gain as much as possible. Decrease the amount of juice intake to 4 ounces every day. Limit the high-calorie foods like puddings, desserts and ice cream.

2. If possible maintain a base weight. If the child is still growing, there must be a noticeable decrease in weight.

3. There must be a high intake of fruits, grains and vegetables.

4. An adolescent must have the same calorie count as that of an adult. He or she must also maintain his or her energy level. As much as possible, it helps to burn the excess pounds off. This is referred to as meeting the energy balance.

 

Ten Tips to Cut Fat
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How can you help your family to eat better?

Try these ten steps

Step One

Serve less meat and more vegetables and potatoes. Studies show that leafy and green vegetables are the best. However, if most of your family members dislike them, give them a good serving of grilled tomatoes, tinned sweet corn or frozen peas instead. Boiled carrots and baked beans are good too. Serve potatoes but do not fry them.

Step Two

If you and your family like those easy to cook and instant meals, such as chicken nuggets, always check the box when you go shopping. Read the label and make sure that they contain less fat. This is very important because there are some brands that have twice the fat compared to others.

Step Three

Cook at least two stews every week. You can chop up chicken fillet and toss in lots of carrots, mushrooms, potatoes, parsnips and tomatoes in a large saucepan. You can add stock cubes. Cover this with water. Set it over high heat and wait for 40 minutes. Before you serve the stew, remember to chop broccoli and add cups of frozen vegetables. Not only is this delicious, it is also healthy.

Step Four

If you have a deep-fat fryer, get rid of it as soon as possible. Deep-fried food is really damaging. It is also poisonous. The less frying, the better. But in some cases wherein you must really fry, use light oil. Do not use this often. You can also use those fat-sprays. If you wish to cook fries, use low-fat oven. Serve these oily foods once a week. If your children are used to this lifestyle, then they will also be prone to less fat.

Step Five

Serve fruit. For breakfast, always have a chopped fresh fruit there on the table for everyone to eat. If your children like cereal, chop bananas for them. For dinner, you can have pineapple chunks in the stew. You can also have fruits for desserts. Indulge them with low-fat ice cream. If you want something different to drink for a change, squeeze oranges and add diet 7-Up to the concoction. You can make eating fruits a lot of fun for your children by being creative.

Step Six

Serve homemade soup at least once a week. Here is your chance to toss in those leafy green vegetables without your children noticing that they are already eating it. You can serve these with garlic bread or crispy rolls.

Step Seven

Buy those low-fat dairy products. Whichever you use, always switch to low fat. Butter, milk, soft drinks. Instead of ice cream, get yogurt.

Step Eight

It is quite indulgent but try to get out of buying chocolate and cookies whenever you go shopping. You can have plain biscuits for your children. Or if you want you can cook those low-fat cakes yourself. If you are going to buy soft drinks, get those low-fat kinds as well.

Step Nine

When eating out it is important to remember that it helps to still be health conscious even though you are outside your own dining table. It may seem to be enjoyable and delicious but restaurant meals have a side effect on the waistline - the portions may be larger than what you normally would eat, therefore it results in overeating.

Plus, restaurant foods use more chemicals and fats when prepared. The combination of these mentioned factors should encourage dieters and waist watchers to be more aware on what to choose on the menu.

Therefore, avoid fried, crispy, sautéed and stuffed food because these are high in calories and fat. It is also important to steer clear of sodium foods like those that are smoked, pickled or dipped in sauce.

Look for steamed, baked, broiled, grilled, poached and roasted foods. If you are not sure of what you are getting yourself into, it is your right as the customer to ask how the dish was prepared. Foods that are prepared with olive, corn and canola oil are your best choices.

Step Ten

When eating at fast food establishments, one must not forget to eat healthy. Avoid jumbo cheeseburgers, tacos, potato chips, French fries, fried chicken and Danish. However, you can eat small bagel, hamburger with tomato and lettuce, baked potato with vegetables, baked potato chips, low fat milk, juice, pretzels, chicken fajita pitas and grilled chicken.

 

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DISCLAIMER: This information is not presented as being from a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only.  The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.  Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.

Since natural and/or dietary supplements are not FDA approved they must be accompanied by a two-part disclaimer on the product label: that the statement has not been evaluated by FDA and that the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease."

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