Don’t you love snacks? Who doesn’t? The problem is the type of snacks that we eat and the times that we eat them.

Now let’s be honest, do we really need someone to tell us what is right and wrong about the foods we eat?? YES!!!! Although we were all taught about the good and bad foods, it is always a good reminder to be told about them again!!

You must know by now, that my favorite word is ‘moderation’. It works when it comes to snack time too. The best snack for our bodies are fruits and vegetables. It is easy to cut up some orange wedges, for example, and place on counter or your refridgerator for an easy snack. Dried fruit is a great snack for those on the’go’. I like to have cut up vegetables available with dressing or yogurt to dip them into. These are all snacks that we know are healthy and good for us, but how many of us truly eat them regularly??

The newest snacks on the market are the ‘100 calorie snacks’.. You know which ones I’m talking about.. the ones that have 10 mini chocolate chip cookies in them that are thin as paper and just leave you wanting more. I’ve tried them and have not been satisfied at all, actually I wanted to eat 3 of those little bags, but that would defeat the purpose of the ‘100 calorie snack’ bag..

Nuts are a snack food that are very satisfying.. you can have almonds, cashews, etc and they are delicious and good for you. Your body needs ‘fats’ to function on as well, and nuts /grains are a great source with out the guilty feelings attached. Sunflowers seeds are also a great snack and are great in yogurt or over your salads. Pretzels are great snacks too and not as bad as potatoe chips. But again, my favorite word – moderation is key…

As I mentioned before, we need to eat at least 5 meals a day and those meals consist of snacks. After a healthy breakfast, you can have fruit, or nuts or crackers with cheese, or cheese stix, etc to hold you over until lunch and then the same in between lunch and dinner. It is not difficult to do, but will take some training. With some practice and dedication you will be able to experiment with different snack foods and enjoy your snack time.

Until next time,

Dr. Mommy

Remember growing up and having your mommy ask those famous words, ‘Did you eat all your veggies?’ I certainly do, but did she really know why veggies were so important?

We have been taught to have a variety of servings of fruits and vegetables daily, but why??

Well, did you know that fruits and vegetables are very high in antioxidants?? Yes, that word again… antioxidants!

Antioxidants are not produced by our bodies but are necessary to remove toxins. Our bodies are attacked by toxins on a daily basis. From the moment we wake up we are bombarded with toxins; from the air that we breathe to the foods that we eat. These toxins age us continuously and we must ingest antioxidants to slow down this process.

Antioxidants fight the free radical produced by the toxins and keep us healthy. Antioxidants have been known to help with the aging process, and various other health concerns such as joint pain, cardiovascular disease, gum disease, skin irritations and so much more.

These wonderful little ’soldiers’ better known as antioxidants are found in fruits and vegetables and for those who do not consume enough of these wonderful foods, there are also many other products on the market today….

So, have you eaten your veggies or fruits today to help attack those terrible toxins??? If not, what are you waiting for??

Until next time,
~Dr. Mommy