Beverage Alternatives to Diet Soda

It is a common misconception that diet sodas will help people lose weight. While the drinks may not contain sugar, the sugar substitute is not much better. In fact, it can lead some to think that they might not be contributing to obesity by drinking a diet soda. Forbes Living TV offers some beverage alternatives which are better for us.

Drink water. It is a natural hydrator. It is usually free or sold in bottles at a very low price. It is portable, can be recapped to prevent spilling when moving and can be flavored.

Sugar-free juices are another good alternative. Some contain extra vitamins and minerals to improve overall health. And most do not cost too much. They are usually sold in boxes or small cartons.

Green tea comes in a several forms and different taste varieties to please most taste buds. Drink it cold from a can or bottle, or make it hot and add honey to naturally sweeten it up.

Sparkling flavored water will give carbonated beverage lovers the bubbly they desire with no added artificial ingredients. Tonic water flavored with strawberry slices and lemon or lime adds flavor and zip to the drink.

As the weather becomes cooler and heaters come on, familykenkel recommends readers stay hydrated all year long.  Kick the diet soda addiction out in the cold with the above ideas or tell us yours.

Best Super Foods of Fall

Look no further than the local farmer’s market, organic market or super market for the best super foods of fall that Forbes Living TV is pleased to share.

Apples, without doubt, are a terrific super food rich in vitamins and fiber. No matter which variety you like, they are plentiful this time of year.

Brussels sprouts may be on the avoid list of veggies but roasted with a little garlic, a spritz of olive oil and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, they are truly divine. They are also chock full of iron.

Pears, if you please, can be eaten as it, baked or roasted. They are juicy and sweet and supply a good amount of vitamin C.

Cauliflower is an inexpensive vegetable which can be steamed, broiled or mashed up to make a healthier “mashed potato” dish. It has qualities which can lower cholesterol, prevent cancer and contains a lot of Vitamin C.

Squash has a thicker skin than its summer cousins so it is sweeter and can be stored longer. They are in abundance in the produce section right now. Sprinkle some ginger and cinnamon on it.

Pumpkin is a popular winter squash that is full of fiber, potassium and Vitamin B. Buy a ripe one, slice it and roast it. Cool and cut into cubes to peel. familykenkel loves it in soup and smoothies. You can also buy canned pumpkin and use it the same way if wanting to take the easy way out. Enjoy the super fruits and veggies of fall!

Good Habits for Working Out

Many people work out to feel better, get healthy, and gain more strength. And it doesn’t really matter if it’s a one hour power workout in the gym or a ten minute video done in the living room. It just feels good. familykenkel shares some good habits for people who work out – alone or with others.

Hungry? Grab a protein snack on the way to the gym or from the fridge if working out at home. Don’t ignore grumbling stomachs. Exercising on an empty belly can breakdown muscle tissue – which is counteractive to why people workout in the first place. One good habit to keep in mind is the closer to workout time you are – the more simple the meal or snack. Eat a banana, a piece of cheese and some fruit. Even a small bowl of cereal will give you added fuel to start and finish the workout.

Using the equipment at the gym? Take your own sanitizing hand wipes or spray and bring your own water bottle. Wipe or spray the handles, knocks and anything else your hands touch before using the machine. Dry it well with a paper towel. No one wants to put their hands on someone else’s sweat. Make your own flavored water at home with water, lemon, lime, mint, and orange slices, add ice, cover and shake. Avoid using the water fountains.

In a rush to get to spin class on time? Leave a little earlier and avoid speeding to the class.

If working out at home, familykenkel learned the hard way to move free weights out of the way when done using them. One accidental toe stubbing resulted in a week’s worth of limping. Choose a time when no one is home to work out. Or carve time out for yourself by taking a power walk around the area. This is your time. Make it work for you.

Information on the New Flu Vaccine

It is that time of year when health professionals are urging the public to get the flu vaccine. familykenkel shares information about what’s new with the flu vaccine this year.

Young children can get the ouchless vaccine via nasal spray. Seniors are encouraged to get an updated flu/pneumonia vaccine this year. One hundred children died from the flu last year and most of them were no vaccinated. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that approximately 24,000 people passed away last year from flu-related issues. The new Flu Mist Nasal Spray is recommended for children between ages two and eight. The mist can be also be used for anyone up to age 49 and not pregnant. Seniors over age 65 should also get the pneumonia shots – which should be given six months apart.

familykenkel knows there are other forms of the vaccine to ask the doctor about:

the regular shot; an egg-free shot for those allergic to eggs; a high-dose shot just for those 65 and older whose immune systems may need an extra boost; and a tiny-needle shot that just penetrates the skin. Don’t wait until flu season is in full swing (January to February) to get vaccinated.  Call the doctor to see if the vaccine is available and get it now. Prevention is the key to staying healthy and well this year.

Is Breakfast Really the Most Important Meal of the Day

Ever since we were small, our parents told us that breakfast “fuels the day”. But a study is out which basically turns the mom mantra on its head. Familykenkel wonders if breakfast is really the most important meal of the day.

People who are following a weight loss program are told to have breakfast since it reportedly kicks up metabolism and curbs hunger throughout the day. Breakfast is also a meal which is sharpens cognitive processes. The study, which was conducted for weight loss research, focused more on whether eating breakfast or not helped patients lose weight. The results found were that eating breakfast didn’t seem to make any difference at all.

However, Familykenkel believes that positive, steady weight loss can be obtained when we eat a healthy, proportional meal. Our bodies need food for strength and to stay healthy. Skipping breakfast only makes us feel more tired and cranky until we take a break to eat. And other studies have shown that eating a well-balanced breakfast helped people keep unwanted pounds off longer than those who skipped the morning meal. So go ahead and have some breakfast. It fuels the body and the brain for the day.

Where Working Parents Have it Best

There are working parents all over the world. And there are some cities where being a working better is much better than others. Familykenkel reviews where these places are and what makes them so great.

What makes some places better than others for moms and dads who work?

An affordable cost of living,  an affordable cost of child care, quality of the school system, and the percentage of households with children. Another factor might be how long the average commute is.  Some of the top U.S. cities for working parents are: Gilbert, Arizona which is south of Phoenix, Plano, Texas which is an hour from Dallas, Chandler, Arizona, Freemont and Irvine, California, Garland, Texas, El Paso, Texas, Lexington, Kentucky, Chesapeake, Virginia, Mesa and Scottsdale. Arizona, Chula Vista, California and Laredo, Texas.

Familykenkel notes that many of the best places for working parents are in Texasand Arizona. Their cities offer excellent school systems, good career opportunities, relatively short commutes, a large percentage of households with children  and affordable child care.  These are all qualities that many working moms and dads long for and can’t find where they currently live.  This is when ingenuity kicks in and parents find a way to make it work no matter where the family is homesteaded. 

Checks Out Apps to Zap Cyber-Bullies

School is back in session around the country and with it comes the cyber-bullies who think they can hide behind social media accounts and unaware adults. So what can kids who are being bullied and their parents do? Familykenkel shares information on the latest technology and apps which has the power to stop cyber-bullies.

The pain of a child who is being harassed, threatened and bullied online by classmates or other kids now has the opportunity and power to put and end to it. New technology is available and is a good deterrent against online bullying.

But first, nearly 15 percent of students in the 9^thto 12^th grades have experienced cyber bullying, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. These kids are twice as likely to commit suicide too.

A smart phone app just released called STOP It gives children the option to take a screenshot of a harassing post, picture or text, and send it anonymously to a trusted adult. This is a very popular feature among teens who want to help but fear retaliation.

We Heart It is a site which allows users to post photos but allows no comments. It is also very popular with teens because of the no commenting feature. For parents who want to know when a cyber-bully posts something negative about their child, there is Metlife’s Defender identity protection program, which offers a service that monitors a child’s online accounts for abusive content and sends alerts to their parents.Familykenkel believes this is a good solution for parents who are a little behind on all the social platforms around.

Children and parents should also know what to do if a cyber-bully is present in their lives:

• Take a screenshot of the image, text message or social post. Be sure to get the user’s name and date the threat is posted or sent.
• Block the bully’s phone number, unfriend them on Facebook, block them on Twitter and Instagram.
• Report bullies, including those under age 18, to the website, their parents and the school.
• Kids should feel comfortable to tell an adult. Any adult they know whom they think will help: a parent, an aunt or uncle, a teacher, school counselor, religious leader like a pastor or rabbi, coach, or after-school mentor to name quite a few.

It takes courage to report someone who is cyber-bullying. When parents and kids do it together, it is less scary.

Why a Little Jogging and Running is Good for Us

A new study is out which implies that most people should run for at least a few minutes every day. It doesn’t have to be a fast run. But a little jog for a few minutes can apparently add 3 years to our life.

Are you wondering what we’re wondering? If we start jogging/running for a few minutes every day, will we eventually work harder so we can enter our first marathon race? Or do we just want to add a little jog to our daily walk and let that do? We at Familykenkel focus every day to make our lives and yours a little healthier. So where does that leave us on the question of how much running must we do of we do not like to run or jog?

The current U.S. guidelines for physical activity call for 75 minutes per week as a minimum of running or other vigorous workout, and 30 minutes of moderate intensity. But people who do less than that still receive the health benefits, according to this new study. The research mentions that people who ran less than an hour per week reduced their death risk as much as runners who put in three hours or more weekly of the super cardio exercise.Familykenkel suggests start out walking at a brisk pace and when it is comfortable, add 2 minutes of jogging and then go back to walking briskly. This is a good way to enjoy daily exercise. It also works well when we need to get out of the house for a little “me time”.