Most parents try to ensure that their kids are not eating massive amounts of sugar. It can make it incredibly hard for kids to maintain a healthy body weight…a HUGE problem in this country and in many parts of the world (obesity epidemic). It also makes it hard to stay well. Sugar knocks out your immune system whenever you eat it for up to a couple hours. This is like leaving the front door wide open and this is also why so many kids get sick this time of year. They are more likely to be eating candy, cookies, and other celebrations foods. Thus it is obvious to most parents that we need to keep an eye on sugar intake.

It is getting harder and harder to do this though. Sugar isn’t just in candy, cookies, and cakes. Sugar can also be in ketchup, bread, and fruit juice. Which brings us to drinks. Many drinks marketed to kids are loaded with huge amounts of sugar. Single serving juice boxes and pouches, soda, and freezy type drinks sold at gas stations and fast food eateries all come to mind. We instinctively guess that there is sugar lurking in these types of drinks but how much sugar there actually is can be shocking.

The video below from Brita shines a light on the issue. Most parents would never allow their kids to eat that much sugar and yet they may actually be letting them drink it. GULP.

What do you think? Exaggeration or right on the money?

This post is sponsored by Brita.

In real food circles you will hear all sorts of varying opinions about supplementation. Some claim that if your diet is healthy enough you will never need to supplement. Others (like myself) feel that supplements can close some nutritional gaps and fix deficiencies and are therefore beneficial. I think the key thing to remember is that supplementing with various vitamins and minerals does not excuse us from trying to eat as healthy and as nourishing as possible. It merely gives us an edge in a world where soil is nutritionally depleted, farming practices are shady, and foods are less nutritious than they used to be. I choose to tackle the issue of nutritional deficiencies from both sides…healthy, nutrient dense foods that are grown as responsibly as possible AND nutritional supplementation.

With the  above  mentioned challenges it is easier than you might think to be missing some key nutrients from your diet, even if you think you eat pretty healthy. If you are eating the SAD (Standard American Diet) than the news is even worse. Here are 5 common nutrients that many of us miss and steps we can take to fix these deficiencies.

Calcium –  We don’t just need calcium when our bones are growing. We need it throughout our lives to keep our bones strong. A huge part of this is exercise and strength training, which many people make less time for as they get older.  We can get some calcium from dairy products as all the magazine ads for milk would have us believe but we do not need low fat dairy and we probably consume too much milk/dairy.  Try getting most of your calcium from leafy greens (spinach, collards) vegetables (broccoili), nuts, and seeds.

Magnesium – Calcium and magnesium actually go together like peas and carrots so if you are deficient in one than you are likely deficient in the other because they work as a team to build strong bones and flexible muscles. A magnesium deficiency can actually cause all sorts of problems. In fact,  it regulates more than 325 enzymes in the body and the most vital of those are ones that help to produce, transport, store, and utilize energy. You can get it from leafy greens and veggies, nuts, and seeds (just like calcium). Because absorption can be problematic a supplement is never a bad idea and a topical oil is also very handy.

Vitamin B12 – Many of us are B12 deficient…some studies have shown about 40% of us have below optimal levels. It is tied directly to the health of our nervous system as well as red blood cell production. Those at greatest risk are plant based diet supporters because B12 can ONLY be  found in animal products. This is probably why anemia is so common among vegans. The best sources are clams, fish, and liver meats. Because a leaky gut can make it hard for even meat eaters to get enough B12, a supplement may be in order.

Vitamin D – This all important vitamin helps with bone health, immunity, and it lowers our risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Very few foods in nature contain Vitamin D though. The best sources would be fatty fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel. Small amounts are in beef liver and eggs yolks. Other than that your best bets are lots of regular sunshine, a 600 IU a day pill, and/or cod  liver oil.

Vitamin E – This one is a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals and reduces risk of certain cancers but because of the fat phobia that exists many are missing out. Good sources include nuts and seeds, nut butters, leafy greens, broccoili, red bell peppers, and seafood.

It’s a good idea to think about nutritional deficiencies when doing your meal plans so you can try and tackle them to the best of your ability and make sure certain foods appear each week. I would also not be afraid to close some gaps with supplements if you feel inclined. It is easier than ever to access supplements in your local  health food stores or you can buy vitamins online from Golden Glow or other reputable sources. Most of us agree that our health is our wealth so making sure we have all our nutritional Ts crossed with a good diet first, then with a little outside help, just makes good sense.

Many people struggle with meal plans. They sound great in theory but forming one, shopping, and sticking to it…well that can be a whole different thing. If you do struggle with this you might enjoy a little meal planing advice. This week ONLY you can get the ebook for Plan It, Don’t Panic: Everything You Need to Successfully Create and Use a Meal Plan for only .99 cents!!

• Find the method of meal planning that will best suit your family and situation best
• Tweak and perfect your meal planning style with unique tips and strategies
• Make it easier to work around special diets
• Become a more savvy grocery shopper and never go to the store without a genius plan in place
• Learn how leftovers and batch cooking can become your best friends in the kitchen
• Learn how to store your recipes, easily find your favorites, plan for hectic times, and even what to do when you mess up…

Enjoy!

The bundle of the week is a subject near and dear to me…paleo foods! Paleo forever changed the way I eat and view a healthy diet because paleo fixed so many nagging health issues for me, many of which I didn’t even realize were a problem until they were gone. For instance, bloating. I never realized how much bloat I was carrying around while on a diet that incorporated grains and I never realized how amazingly energetic I wasn’t feeling. Paleo and primal foods have been a game changer for me and I love sharing that with others.

Before paleo I thought I was incredibly fit and energetic going to my daily cardio classes followed by either a run on the treadmill or some weight machines. I ended up with adrenal fatigue though because my diet wasn’t supporting my activity level. Today I went to my local CrossFit box and worked out for a solid hour…jumping rope, running, and lifting heavy weights. Officially we did “1-800 Grace” which is one rope climb, an 800 meter run, and 30 Clean & Jerks with a 95 lb bar. Today was actually a pretty easy day all things considered. Pre-paleo I never would have been able to do any of that. I wouldn’t have had the strength or the endurance. Pick up almost 100 pounds from the floor and throw it over my head??? 30 times??? After a half mile sprint??? No way.

But that was pre-paleo. Post paleo I simply call it Monday.

But I digress, this long winded explanation of why I love paleo was just supposed to be an intro to this week’s bundle of the week. I think you can guess the theme…

You get all 5 of these books for only $7.40! They are:

The Paleo Miracle – It features people who have healed from a serious health problem all with paleo…things like diabetes, ADHD, heart disease, Crohn’s, etc.

The Paleo Snack Recipe Book – 75 paleo snack recipes.

Eating Out and Traveling on the Paleo Diet – Traveling while on any special diet is hard but this book provides some great ideas and tips.

Toadally Primal Smoothies – Paleo and primal smoothies..over 150 of them! I liek the wide variety. Coconut egg nog and vanilla almond cappuccino? Here I come!

Paleo Ice Cream – 31 ice cream like flavors that are paleo friendly.

Enjoy!!

I love this graphic about the benefits of juicing. If you are facing a health crisis it is one of the fastest ways, in my opinion, to get the healing started. It also addresses the difference between the cheaper centrifugal juicers and cold press juicers (preferred) and why we would do better to juice at home instead of buying the pasteurized stuff in stores. Enjoy!

by BELLA NutriPro