The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and the pools are open. It's summer! But as the school year comes to an end, parents know they'll soon hear the pitter patter of little feet scampering through the house again. Or worse yet, "I'm bored!” Don't worry. These tips will keep your little ones happy, healthy and entertained all summer long!
Get Growin'
Plant a garden. Homegrown produce saves you money and is less likely to have food safety issues. Kids will enjoy digging, watering and running outside each day to check on the progress.
Try this all summer long! Add your freshly grown fruits and veggies to a delicious Reliv smoothie!
Get Thinkin'
School's out, but you can still challenge your kids with some at-home critical thinking activities.
Try this at the pool! For those days when the kids wake you up and they're already in their swimsuits, dive into hands-on . Get together various objects from around the house, and ask kids to predict which ones will sink and which will float. Ask them why. Then toss them in!
Grab containers of various sizes and shapes and a measuring cup. Then ask kids how many cups they think each one will take to fill. These activities teach lessons in counting, measurement and the conservation of volume.
Try this on a rainy day! Mix half a box of cornstarch with enough water so the consistency should be like clay (not too powdery, but not too wet). Now pick up the goop and squeeze it - it's crumbly. Hold it loosely - it oozes through your fingers. This teaches kids about various states of matter.
Get Cookin'
Ask your young one to be your sous chef for the day. Spending time together in the kitchen provides the perfect opportunity to talk about nutrition and how various types of foods contribute to our health, growth and overall well-being.
Try this in the kitchen! For a sweet snack, make homemade fudgesicles, adding a scoop of Chocolate Reliv Now® for Kids for a nutritional boost.
Get Shakin'
Reliv Now for Kids goes beyond ordinary children's nutritional supplements to deliver key nutrients essential to the development of a child's brain, eyes and nervous system. And the addition of LunaRich healthy soy powder makes Reliv Now for Kids better than ever. LunaRich provides ten times as much lunasin as ordinary soy powders, for optimal cellular health. Give your kids a healthy start with Reliv Now for Kids!
It’s no secret the number of people with type 2 diabetes is sharply rising. Yet people are often shocked when they’re diagnosed with the complicated disease. By paying attention to some warning bells, especially symptoms of metabolic syndrome, people can take action to prevent or at least delay the onset of diabetes.
Metabolic syndrome is not one disease but a constellation of factors that come together. Based on criteria from the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, people have metabolic syndrome if they have three or more of these factors:
- Larger waist circumference of 35 inches or more in women, and 40 inches or more in men (the “apple shape”)
- Elevated triglycerides: 150 mg/dL or higher
- Low HDL (“good”) cholesterol: less than 40 mg/dL in men; less than 50 mg/dL in women
- High blood pressure: 130/85 mm Hg or higher
- Elevated fasting glucose: 100 mg/dL or higher
Having metabolic syndrome puts people at much greater risk for developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as well as kidney disease and other problems.
Lifestyle Guide to Fight Metabolic Syndrome
Lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise, are the cornerstone of treating metabolic syndrome. Here’s your guide to putting up a fight against metabolic syndrome and ultimately, diabetes.
Lose weight.
Yes, we’ve all heard that one before but weight is often the mothership of all metabolic syndrome factors. Losing just 5-10 percent of your weight improves blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and cholesterol, putting a major dent in metabolic syndrome factors and helping you lose the dangerous “apple” shape formed by belly fat accumulation. To get weight loss started, reduce portion size of foods to decrease calories you consume and exercise at least 30 minutes most days of the week.
Lower blood pressure.
As we mentioned, weight loss gives you a jump on that goal. You should also follow the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet developed by the National Institutes of Health, or similar diets that are low in salt — which means less than 1 teaspoon per day — and low in saturated fats. Up your intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, poultry, fish and nuts, as well.
Improve cholesterol.
Replace saturated fats with monounsaturated fats (canola, olive, and peanut oils) and polyunsaturated fats (corn, soybean, and sunflower oils). Eat fatty fish twice per week to make sure you’re getting enough Omega-3. And follow the DASH diet to further improve triglyceride and cholesterol levels.
Lower blood sugar.
Elevated blood sugar can wreak silent havoc on your body for years before the damage becomes apparent — or you’re diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. To lower blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity, exercise regularly and lose weight. And add more whole grains, nuts, and legumes such as beans or peas to improve blood sugar levels.
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