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Please note: By the following list, I am not suggesting that we have total control over our own health or even  that Christians are always healthy. My purpose is to provide the motivation you need to be the best you can be and leave the rest to God.

1. Our bodies, if we are Christians, are temples of the Holy Spirit. We should keep them in good repair inside and out.

2. If we cultivate health in our lives, we can live longer and with a better quality of life with the ultimate goal of living for God and doing great things for Him.

3. Our children will most likely emulate what we do rather than what we say, so our level of health will impact their health and that of their children.

4. Health is a gift God has given us through bodies that have the ability to heal themselves and food that nourishes us. We should treasure this gift and not squander it needlessly.

5. Living a balanced, healthy life is cheaper than depending on doctors, medicines and hospitals to restore us to health. As the old saying goes, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

6. Making healthy food and exercise choices gives us energy to face all the stresses (good or bad) in life.

7. Healthy people demonstrate to others what God's best for us is, therefore being witnesses for Him in a disease-ridden world.


Jennifer Self is a disciple of Jesus Christ who loves following His plan for her life as a wife to the most wonderful man in the world and mama to four little blessings. Her days are filled with spending time with her man, homeschooling, preparing reasonably healthy meals and keeping the dust bunnies and the clutter monster at bay with a little blogging mixed in. After her family has been taken care of, she dabbles in her other passions of reading, health and music. She blogs about her life, her Heavenly Father, marriage, parenting and home at www.joyeverafter.blogspot.com.

Children always look forward to summer. School is out, the weather is warmer and running around outside with their friends becomes a daily activity. Families also spend more time in the great outdoors during these months. Camping, hiking, bike riding and outdoor sports are popular summer time activities.

Spending more time outdoors increases the likely hood that your child will come across poisonous plants, bugs, or even lice that can cause her to itch. What is Poison Oak and Poison Ivy? How can you fight head lice and prevent it from spreading to your whole family? The Healthy Moms Magazine and Tec Labs want you and your family to enjoy the outdoors this summer and stay itch free.

Poison Oak, poison ivy, poison sumac and other members of the Rhus family grow in all portions of the North American continent (except Nevada, Alaska, and Hawaii) at elevations below 4,000 feet with a rainfall above eight inches per year. Once your child's skin touches the oil from the plant (called urushiol) it binds to the skin within 10-20 minutes. The rash that appears is the skin's natural reaction to this oil. It can begin within a few hours after contact or start three to five days later.

The rash begins with itchiness and swelling, followed by a reddish inflammation of tiny pimples. Blisters then form and a clear fluid oozes from the blisters. This fluid then hardens to a yellowish crust. Left untreated it can last up to three to five weeks.

There is no cure for poison ivy or poison oak once it begins, although you can treat the symptoms. Make sure your child avoids contact the plant oil if possible, and be sure to wash the area with original Tecnu Outdoor Skin Cleanser or Technu Extreme Poison Ivy Scrub to remove the rash-causing urushiol oil. Minor itching, pain, oozing and swelling can be relieved with over the counter, anti-itch treatments that contain zinc acetate, diphenhydramine hydrochloride, or hydro cortisone like Calagel Medicated Anti-itch Gel or Corticool 1% Hydro cortisone Gel. In severe cases, a physician can prescribe antihistamine creams, tablets or shots. (Information provided courtesy of Tec Laboratories, Inc.)

Head lice infestations are more common during the school year due to the fact that children tend to share items such as hats, combs and brushes. Your child may also come across head lice during the summer months as well.

How do you know if your child has head lice? The tell tale sign is an itchy head. Scratching the itch could lead to sores on the scalp or around the neck and ears. Severe cases may cause swollen lymph glands. Other signs may include eggs and, in some cases live lice in the hair, loss of sleep, shortened attention span and depression. The infestation shouldn't spread to the rest of your family as long as you don't share personal items used on your child's head and you clean everything thoroughly.

After you treat your infested child for the next 10 days check him daily for eggs. If there is evidence of new eggs or newly hatched lice, repeat the treatment. Head checking should then become part of routine hygiene. A family head lice check once a week is a great idea. You'll need an egg removal comb, a magnifying glass and lots of light. Working through a small section at a time, comb through each person's hair, from the root down. If any live eggs are found, begin treatment immediately.

The Healthy Moms Magazine and Tec Labs are giving away a summer survival kit to one lucky reader. This survival kit includes: one tube of Licefreee Everyday Gentle 2 in 1 Conditioning Shampoo with Tea Tree Oil, Tecnu Outdoor Skin Cleanser, and StaphAseptic First Aid Antiseptic/ Pain Relieving Gel.

In order to enter first like Keeping Kids Lice Free on Facebook or follow Tec Labs on Twitter. After that all you need to do is leave us a comment. This contest is open to US residents only and the last day to enter is July 10, 2011 at midnight PST.

For extra entries:
Subscribe to our Healthy Living Newsletter

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E mail the link to our site or this contest to a friend (make sure you BCC talbertcascia @ yahoo dot com so I have proof of the e mail)

Become a Fan of The Healthy Moms Magazine on Facebook

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Add The Healthy Moms Magazine to your blogroll.

Blog about this contest. Make sure you include a link back.

For every entry including extra entries please leave a separate comment. Winners will be chosen randomly from the comments and e mails that I receive. The contest ends on June 27, 2011 midnight PST and is open to anyone in the US. Please leave your e mail address in your comments. All comments without e mail addresses will be disqualified.

*Disclosure: I received a Licefree Everyday Gentle 2 in 1 Conditioning Shampoo with Tea Tree Oil, Tecnu Outdoor Skin Cleanser, and StaphAseptic First Aid Antiseptic/ Pain Relieving Gel to give away to one lucky reader in exchange for this article. All facts presented are courtesy of Tec Labs Inc.



About This Author

Cascia Talbert is a busy blogger, publisher, freelance writer, online merchant and mother of five children living in The Pacific Northwest. With a B.A. in history and law and a passion for writing and staying healthy, she started The Healthy Moms Magazine in 2007. The Healthy Moms Magazine is currently ranked the top health blog for moms and features several health expert writers and mom bloggers. Ms. Talbert believes that if mothers are well educated on health issues and how to stay healthy, they can pass that information down to their children and reverse the childhood obesity statistics in the U.S.

Ms. Talbert is a featured health blogger at Wellsphere.com and her articles can also be found on ezinearticles.com. She also runs the Healthy Moms Social Network on Ning, manages Mom's Natural Health and Wellness Shop, and is on the Social Media Advisory Board for America's Wellness Challenge.

We all know how challenging and time consuming it can be to get sunscreen on our kids during the hot summer months. Most bottled sunscreens are oily, and my kids hate putting it on their faces. With five very active kids spray-on sunscreens do not last very long in my household and most of it just gets wasted.

When I learned about Go!screen I was eager to try it out on my busy, squirmy little ones.

Go!screen is a brush-on mineral powder sunscreen that's fun to use and completely natural. This innovative formula was developed by a chemist mom as a toxin-free solution to the daily sunscreen battle with her kids. The natural PowderBlock Zinc formula clings to your skin, creating an instant, physical barrier from the sun's harmful rays. Go!screen is toxin-free and formulated for sensitive skin, so you can feel good about using it on your whole family.


Annie Fernandez and Sara Hillman, the creators of Go!screen are two moms from San Francisco, CA who love be outdoors with their families. Their vision was to create natural, fun sun care products to encourage outdoor play with a healthy informed relationship with the sun. Annie Fernandez, a trained chemist and mom of three, started the company in 2007. She came up with a formula that provides high quality sun protection with the least toxins possible. Annie teamed up with design specialist and mom, Sara Hillman to help design and market this great product.

We finally have had a few warm sunny days up here so I was able to try Go!screen out on my kids. I love the fact that the product goes on quickly and there is no sticky mess. My son also has sensitive skin so it is reassuring to know that this product will not cause him to break out.

SPF 30 is just the right amount of protection for all my kids including my little six month old. With over 300+ applications in each tube Go!screen lasts all summer long. For more information on how to purchase Go!screen please visit ILoveGoScreen.com.

*Disclosure: I received a tube of Go!screen in exchange for this review. All opinions are accurate and 100% mine.

About This Author


Cascia Talbert is a busy blogger, publisher, freelance writer, online merchant and mother of five children, living in The Pacific Northwest. With a B.A. in history and law and a passion for writing and staying healthy, she started The Healthy Moms Magazine in 2007. The Healthy Moms Magazine is currently ranked the top health blog for moms and features several health expert writers and mom bloggers. Ms. Talbert believes that if mothers are well educated on health issues and how to stay healthy, they can pass that information down to their children and reverse the childhood obesity statistics in the U.S.

Ms. Talbert is a featured health blogger at Wellsphere.com and her articles can also be found on ezinearticles.com. She also runs the Healthy Moms Social Network on Ning, manages Mom's Natural Health and Wellness Shop, and is on the Social Media Advisory Board for America's Wellness Challenge.

You spoke your mind and here at The Healthy Moms Magazine we answered. YOU the readers are what makes this site The Number One Health Blog for Moms.

You wanted a cleaner look, an updated design with less advertising and more focus on the articles. This new look is sharp, clean and easy to read. Thank you so much for all your feedback!

We will also offer more content on the topics important to moms. Every week look for fresh material from our talented bloggers and wonderful editor on everything ranging from the latest health news and opinion, nutrition, beauty, and frugal living. We will also continue to bring the hottest health and wellness giveaways and product reviews.

How do you like the new site? We value your feedback and will continue to make changes to the layout and design based on your preferences.

Please take a few minutes to click on the links and leave us your comments!

Now that the school year is over and it is nice outside your kids will want to spend more time enjoying the great outdoors and less time at home. If your subdivision is like mine on beautiful summer days the neighborhood kids gather together to play outside. If your children want to play with their friends out in the neighborhood but you need to stay in the house how do you make sure that your kids are safe?

Growing up in a small town in Wisconsin my parents never worried about heavy traffic, or stranger danger. I remember all the long, hot summers playing outside with the neighborhood kids. I would play down the street, at the park or in my own yard with my little friends. My parents would call me in for dinner and then I would do the same thing the following day.

In today's world parents need to be more aware of their children's safety. How well do you really know your neighbors? Since 1960 the population in the US has increased 41% and along with that the crime rate has also increased. There were 1,887.2 reported crimes per 100,000 people in the US in 1960. By the year 2000 that number increased to 4,249.4. (source: http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/uscrime.htm) By enforcing simple rules you should not have to worry about your childrens' safety this summer.

1. Know where your kids are at all times. Ask these questions before she leaves the house, where are you going and who are you going to be with?
2. If your child is elementary school age make sure you can see him from a window in your home. If not ask him to play closer to your yard.
3. Make sure your kids look both ways before they cross the street.
4. Teach young children the importance of "stranger danger." If your child is approached by someone they don't know and that person seems frightening tell your child to yell as loud as he can these words, "Stop, stay away, leave me alone!"
5. If your child is old enough to tell time enforce a reasonable curfew. For younger children, when you want her to come home walk directly over to where she is playing instead of yelling for her.

Following these simple steps will help you feel confident in the security of your children while they enjoy their summer vacation.



About This Author

Cascia Talbert is a busy blogger, publisher, freelance writer, online merchant and mother of five children living in The Pacific Northwest. With a B.A. in history and law and a passion for writing and staying healthy, she started The Healthy Moms Magazine in 2007. The Healthy Moms Magazine is currently ranked the top health blog for moms and features several health expert writers and mom bloggers. Ms. Talbert believes that if mothers are well educated on health issues and how to stay healthy, they can pass that information down to their children and reverse the childhood obesity statistics in the U.S.

Ms. Talbert is a featured health blogger at Wellsphere.com and her articles can also be found on ezinearticles.com. She also runs the Healthy Moms Social Network on Ning, manages Mom's Natural Health and Wellness Shop, and is on the Social Media Advisory Board for America's Wellness Challenge.

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The Cooking Channel and Good Housekeeping are searching for a healthy host for a new upcoming television show. They are looking for someone who believes in a healthy conscious lifestyle, is an excellent cook with something to teach, is a mom raising kids while maintaining a healthy lifestyle and who may have struggled with their weight in the past and has a charismatic personality to host their own cooking show. If you think you meet the above criteria you might have what it takes to be the next Cooking Channel Star.


To apply for the position all you need to do is e mail cookinghealthyhost@gmail.com with the following information:

1.Name
2. Contact information-phone, e-mail
3. Occupation
4. City where you live
5. Photo of yourself
6. Cooking background or information on how often you cook, etc.
7. Story about your weight loss or struggles with weight and how you have managed to keep a healthy lifestyle
8. Television experience
9. Any relevant video if you have it.

Maybe YOU will be their next star!


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Vitamin A plays play an important role in vision, bone growth, reproduction, cell division, and cell differentiation. This amazing vitamin promotes healthy surface linings of the eyes and the respiratory, urinary, and intestinal tracts. When those linings break down, it becomes easier for bacteria to enter the body and cause infection. Vitamin A also helps the skin and mucous membranes function as a barrier to bacteria and viruses.

Vitamin A can be classified in two different categories depending on whether the food source is an animal or a plant.

Vitamin A found in foods that come from animals is called preformed vitamin A and it is absorbed in the form of retinal. You can get retinal from these foods; liver, whole milk, and some fortified food products.

Vitamin A that is found in colorful fruits and vegetables is called pro vitamin A carotenoid. They can be made into retinal in the body. In the United States, approximately 26% of vitamin A consumed by men and 34% of vitamin A consumed by women is in the form of provitamin A carotenoids. Common provitamin A carotenoids found in foods that come from plants are beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin. Among these, beta-carotene is most efficiently made into retinal.

You need retinal in order to maintain your skin and repair it from damage. If you don't eat enough fruits and vegetables, which are loaded with Vitamin A, you will probably notice that your skin appears dry and flaky.

Recent studies concluded that Vitamin A applied to the skin in a topical form can help reduce lines and wrinkles, control acne, and relieve psoriasis. Using Vitamin A along with Vitamin C as a cream for your face can reverse skin alterations induced by aging.

Derma e, award winning natural body care has a complete line of skin care products containing Vitamin A. Cleanse, tone, exfoliate and treat your wrinkles naturally with Vitamin A. I invite you to save up to 20% off regular retail prices on Derma e products at Mom's Natural Health and Wellness Shop.

Vitamin A Glycolic Cleanser 9.99 (regular price 11.50)
Vitamin A Glycolic Toner 6 oz 9.99 (regular price 11.50)
Vitamin A Glycolic Facial Scrub 9.99 (regular price 11.50)
Vitamin A and Green Tea Creme 16.99 (regular price 19.50)
Vitamin A Retinyl Palmitate Wrinkle Treatment Creme 10.99 (regular price 12.50)
Vitamin A Retinyl Palmitate Wrinkle Treatment Gel 10.99 (regular price 12.50)

I have oily skin but now that I am well into my thirties I am noticing the typical signs of aging on my skin. I have fine lines and wrinkles around my eyes, mouth and on my forehead. Most anti-aging creams are greasy and contain heavy oils meant to moisturize your skin. If I use them it just makes the oil on my skin worse and I break out. Derma e's Vitamin A line is perfect for women with my skin type. They are light, refreshing, do not contain harsh chemicals and will not clog your pours. After using them for a few weeks have noticed a reduction in the appearance of the lines and wrinkles on my face.

I want to share my success with these wonderful products with one lucky reader. I am giving away a jar of Derma e's Vitamin A and Green Tea Creme. All you need to do is leave a comment to enter.

We are also offering an additional 10% off new customer orders on everything in our store. Visit Moms Natural Health and Wellness Shop and use code Deal10 at the checkout. Make sure you visit us on Facebook so you don't miss out on future discounts and coupons.

Please leave us a comment to enter to win a jar of Derma e's award winning Vitamin A and Green Tea Creme.

For extra entries:
Subscribe to our Healthy Living Newsletter

Follow Me on Twitter

Subscribe to The Healthy Moms Magazine

Follow This blog with Google Friend Connect

Digg This Contest

Tweet This Contest

Stumble the Contest

E mail the link to our site or this contest to a friend (make sure you BCC talbertcascia @ yahoo dot com so I have proof of the e mail)

Become a Fan of The Healthy Moms Magazine on Facebook

Join our Blog Frog Community

Add The Healthy Moms Magazine to your blogroll.

Blog about this contest. Make sure you include a link back.

For every entry including extra entries please leave a separate comment. Winners will be chosen randomly from the comments and e mails that I receive. The contest ends on June 27, 2011 midnight PST and is open to anyone in the US. Please leave your e mail address in your comments. All comments without e mail addresses will be disqualified.



About This Author

Cascia Talbert is a busy blogger, publisher, freelance writer, online merchant and mother of five children living in The Pacific Northwest. With a B.A. in history and law and a passion for writing and staying healthy, she started The Healthy Moms Magazine in 2007. The Healthy Moms Magazine is currently ranked the top health blog for moms and features several health expert writers and mom bloggers. Ms. Talbert believes that if mothers are well educated on health issues and how to stay healthy, they can pass that information down to their children and reverse the childhood obesity statistics in the U.S.

Ms. Talbert is a featured health blogger at Wellsphere.com and her articles can also be found on ezinearticles.com. She also runs the Healthy Moms Social Network on Ning, manages Mom's Natural Health and Wellness Shop, and is on the Social Media Advisory Board for America's Wellness Challenge.





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Now that The Healthy Moms Magazine is well into our fourth year in publication we are looking for opinions from you, our loyal readers. How are we doing? What can we do better? This is your blog and we want to make sure we are bringing YOU the best information on health, nutrition and fitness.

Before we launch our new design and buttons we want to know what else we can do to make this website better. Reader feedback is very important. Please take the time to fill out this simple survey so we can continue to be "The Number One Health Blog for Moms."



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If you have trouble viewing the complete survey please Click Here for the direct link.

You and your family are exposed to thousands of germs and viruses every single day. Wouldn't it be great if there was a natural product on the market that could easily reduce your risk of getting sick from those bugs? Well, now there is.

Swype is a naturally formulated gel designed to keep the skin at the entrance to your nose clean while adding a layer of defense. The ingredients in Swype kill over 99.9% of 25 viruses which cause colds and flu. The best part is this awesome product was developed by a physician.

Dr. Kent C New, MD, developed Swype to help his children who were often catching colds or getting the flu - resulting in them having to miss school. Swype is also designed to help prevent the spread of these illnesses.

Rhinoviruses are the most common causes of colds. Rhino means nose, which is where these viruses enter your body. Keeping your nostrils clean will prevent the virus inside your nose from entering your body and getting you sick. It only takes 1/10,000th of the amount of virus inside the nose to cause a cold than it does outside the nose.

Swype is 98% natural and safe to use for all ages. You can find the complete list of ingredients on their website SwypeForHealth.com. For maximum effectiveness Swype should be used three times a day especially when traveling by airplanes or trains, going to school, work, or shopping, or if someone comes home sick.

Busy moms should keep one tube in their purse or diaper bag and one tube in the car. You can purchase Swype at SwypeForHealth.com.

*Discosure: I received two tubes of Swype gel Nuance Health in exchange for this review. All opinions are accurate and 100% mine.



About This Author

Cascia Talbert is a busy blogger, publisher, freelance writer, online merchant and mother of five children living in The Pacific Northwest. With a B.A. in history and law and a passion for writing and staying healthy, she started The Healthy Moms Magazine in 2007. The Healthy Moms Magazine is currently ranked the top health blog for moms and features several health expert writers and mom bloggers. Ms. Talbert believes that if mothers are well educated on health issues and how to stay healthy, they can pass that information down to their children and reverse the childhood obesity statistics in the U.S.

Ms. Talbert is a featured health blogger at Wellsphere.com and her articles can also be found on ezinearticles.com. She also runs the Healthy Moms Social Network on Ning, manages Mom's Natural Health and Wellness Shop, and is on the Social Media Advisory Board for America's Wellness Challenge.





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Now that summer is finally here I want to share the importance of taking care of your skin when you are pregnant. Sunscreen helps protect your skin from UV rays and can prevent skin cancer. If a pregnant woman gets a sunburn it can cause blotches on the skin, called Chloasma. This is also refered to the "mask of pregnancy" because it gives some women brown marks around their eyes, nose and cheeks. Spending time in the sun can cause this condition to be worse. Sunscreen with a SPF of at least 15 should help prevent this. After delivery these marks will fade. If you are developing Chloasma you can cover it up with a good foundation.

Below are other skin problems caused by pregnancy hormones.

Acne. Some women may notice that their face will break out more during pregnancy. To treat these breakouts, simply wash your face a few times a day with a mild cleanser. You could also purchase a good water based cover-up too. If you are seeing a dermatologist make certain you let him or her know that you are pregnant. Some drugs used to treat acne may lead to sever birth defects.

Linea nigra. Many women will see a faint line appear from their belly button down to the pubic hair during pregnancy. This will fade after delivery.

Red palms and spider veins. You may develop red, itchy palms and tiny red veins branching out under the skin of your face or legs. This too will fade after delivery.

Skin tags. Your body is growing rapidly. Due to this growth you might notice little flaps of skin on your breasts, neck, or armpits. They will not go away after delivery but they can be easily removed by a doctor.

Stretch marks. As your belly and breasts grow your skin may develop tiny purple or red lines. This happens when your skin stretches to make room for the growing baby. Don't bother spending money on "miracle creams" that claim to make stretch marks disappear. There isn't much you can do to prevent this. Just make sure you are watching your weight and after the baby is born some of these will fade.

It is very important to take care of your skin during pregnancy. I hope these tips helped and you learned a little more about your changing body. Good luck with your pregnancy and new baby!

Visit Mom's Natural Health and Wellness Shop for more information on all natural skin care products safe to use during pregnancy.



About This Author

Cascia Talbert is a busy blogger, publisher, freelance writer, online merchant and mother of five children living in The Pacific Northwest. With a B.A. in history and law and a passion for writing and staying healthy, she started The Healthy Moms Magazine in 2007. The Healthy Moms Magazine is currently ranked the top health blog for moms and features several health expert writers and mom bloggers. Ms. Talbert believes that if mothers are well educated on health issues and how to stay healthy, they can pass that information down to their children and reverse the childhood obesity statistics in the U.S.

Ms. Talbert is a featured health blogger at Wellsphere.com and her articles can also be found on ezinearticles.com. She also runs the Healthy Moms Social Network on Ning, manages Mom's Natural Health and Wellness Shop, and is on the Social Media Advisory Board for America's Wellness Challenge.


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The average BBQ meal contains 3,500 calories, but don’t let that stop you from hitting up a slew of BBQs, backyard cookouts, and pool parties this summer. Even though BBQs can be packed with fattening foods, there's usually a ton of delicious, good-for-you food choices there, too.

Check out Red Light, Green Light, Eat Right’s top cookout tips :

1. Drink water. When you get dehydrated, not only does your energy drop (not ideal at a party), but you also become more likely to eat when you're just thirsty and make not-so-smart food decisions. Remember to drink before your thirsty; by the time you are feeling thirsty, you are already past the point of being adequately hydrated.

2. The “Grill” of Victory- Grilling makes practically everything taste great, and it keeps added fat to a minimum. As long as the food isn't drowned in oil beforehand, you're pretty much good to go. Grill lean protein, fruit, and veggies. Some best on-the-grill bets include: fish, veggie burgers and bison, fat-free franks, and grilled chicken breast. Then go condiment crazy with these low-cal choices, such as, ketchup, pickles, salsa, mustard, and hot sauce. Foil packs and skewers are also good ways to secure smaller bits of lean protein and veggies.
The best type of meat to consume is sustainably raised, ie: pasture-raised, grass-fed beef, and free-range. When the animals are raised in their natural environment (roaming in the pasture, feeding off the grass, exposed to the sun) they are the healthiest and therefore have more nutrients and are better for us. By consuming sustainably raised animals you will also be avoiding the negative effects of excess hormones and antibiotics. This plus the moral and environmental considerations makes this one of the most important steps toward eating healthier and more sustainably. For fish, look for wild or organic farm-raised fish. Try to minimize swordfish and tuna, which have a higher concentration of mercury, and focus on fish like cod or salmon, which are higher in healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

3. Slender Side Dishes- Pair your choice of lean protein with crisp veggies and salad. Try corn on the cob, asparagus and onions, which are awesome when grilled, and they'll fill you up. Also, remember to avoid mayo-laden side dishes, such as cole slaw, macaroni salad, and potato salad. Even a relatively demure 2/3-cup serving of ordinary potato salad can have close to 20 grams of fat... which makes eating it especially silly considering how many other fun things there are to chew. But slaw can be saved! If you can get to a sink, rinse your coleslaw (until the water runs clear) to wash calories and fat grams down the drain. 


4. Find guilt-free frozen treats. Stick to fruit pops and fruit bars instead of standard ice cream treats. You get the cool refreshment without the extra fat.

5. Alter you cooking methods. The temperature at which you cook your meat and the way you eat it — i.e., well-done, rare, medium-rare, etc. — is also extremely important to focus on. You should avoid cooking your meat at a very high temperature over long periods of time. Hazards with overcooking meats at high temperatures include an increased risk of cancers due to chemicals called HCAs. Try cooking the meats medium-rare and removing any blackened or charred pieces, the worst parts for you. You can cook the meat partially in the oven before putting it on the grill to cut down cooking time, which gives the HCAs less time to form. Or cook smaller pieces, which cook more quickly.

Although it’s fine to splurge on occasion, go out of your way to use these tips at your next summer feast.



About this author



Joanna Dolgoff, M.D. is a Pediatrician, Child Obesity Expert, and Author of Red Light, Green Light, Eat Right (Rodale, 2009). Dr. Dolgoff’s child and adolescent weight loss program (http://www.DrDolgoff.com) has been featured on WABC News, WNBC News, Fox 5 Morning Show, My9 News, and WPIX News. She has also filmed pieces with The Today Show and Extra, is an official blogger for the Huffington Post, and is the official doctor for Camp Shane, the nation’s largest weight loss camp. Children from 45 different states are losing weight with Dr. Dolgoff’s online weight loss program (http://www.DrDolgoff.com).
Dr. Dolgoff attended Princeton University and the NYU School of Medicine and completed her Pediatric Residency at the Columbia Presbyterian Children’s Hospital of New York. She is a Board-Certified Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a former certified fitness instructor. Dr. Dolgoff resides in Roslyn, NY with her husband and two children, ages 4 and 7.