By the end of 2009, the world wiill reach a historic milestone: Half of the fish and shellfish we consume will be raised by humans instead of being caught in the wild.

So how exactly does this affect those of us who enjoy eating fish?

We'll be exposed to a whole different kind of fish than the ones that swim wild. Farm raised fish have eaten unused poultry trimmings, been vaccinated, consumed antibiotics, and have been selected for certain genetic traits.

There has been a lot of talk recently regarding the lack of vitamin D in our diets. Fortunately, it's pretty easy to get the vitamin D you need without putting in much effort.

First, lets talk about vitamin D and why it's so important. Vitamin D's major function is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, which helps to keep bones strong. Recent research has also stated that Vitamin D may provide protection against osteoporosis, high blood pressure, cancer, as well as autoimmune diseases such as MS. Good stuff this Vitamin D, huh?

The problem is that Vitamin D deficiency is becoming epidemic in this country. Why? Lack of sunlight. Most of us, myself included, are "sun-phobic". We have all become so paranoid about skin cancer so we slather ourselves in spf 5000 or whatever sunscreen the second we step foot outdoors on an even remotely sunny day.

Now lets talk about children. Talk about a Vitamin D deficiency! It is estimated that 70% of American children are Vitamin D deficient. 70 percent!!! Now that's what I call an epidemic.

We're all trying to be good responsible parents and not let our kids get any sun but I think we've gotten a bit carried away in the sunscreen department. I know up until recently my two kids couldn't put one foot out the door without me practically drowning them in sunscreen. 

How are we supposed to protect ourselves against skin cancer but also get the recommended amount of Vitamin D? The answer is moderation. We as humans are SUPPOSED to get some sun. We are supposed to tan. We're just not supposed to burn. You can get the recommended dosage of 200 IUs of Vitamin D per day by spending as little as 10-20 minutes per day in the sun WITHOUT sunscreen.

It's back to school time and everyone's busy gathering school supplies, shopping for school clothes and getting organized. But have you thought about what your kids are eating at school? Many schools serve our children food that is not exactly nutritious. Here are some steps you can take to try to improve the quality of our kids meals at school:

1. Request a copy of your school district's wellness policy.

Since 2006, it is mandatory that all schools provide a wellness policy detailing their plans on nutrition, physical activity, and meal programs. Request a copy of this document and read it thoroughly.

2. Increase awareness.

Meet with the school board, teachers, and administrators in your community and share your concerns regarding meal plans. Contact other parents who may be unaware of what is being served at school. You could even start a grassroots organization with other parents to get the word out about improving school food quality.

3. Eat lunch a your child's school.

It might sound like kind of a weird thing to do but how else will you find out firsthand what your kids are actually eating at school? Ask yourself if this is how you would eat. Is this what you feed your kids at home?

4. Get the word out.

People need to be informed about what is going on at schools in their community! Let's get some energy behind this very important issue. Here are some ways to spread the word:

• Write to legislators
• Use social media like Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook to build awareness on nutrition in schools
• Contact local media
• Create an online community about the topic of nutritious school lunch programs

 5. Volunteer

Get involved in your local school. The school lunch reform movement is a HUGE undertaking. Schools need our help. Offer to teach a cooking class or plant a garden. Build relationships with teachers and administrators. Share your ideas about incorporating nutritional education materials into the curriculum.

Let's help our kids build and maintain clean eating habits. It's essential that we build future leaders who are healthy, happy and strong!

Ask any centenarian and they will tell you their secret to long life. It has to do with taking care of their body, mind, and soul. In today’s society that can be a challenge with the rising cost of health care. Learn to protect your health before you need a doctor.

Healthcare is a big issue in this country. Many people are uninsured or under-insured.  Prescription costs have gone through the roof as well. It becomes increasingly harder to get the treatment one needs to keep on living.

One way to foster the idea of longevity is to prevent illness before it starts. We all were at one time reasonably healthy. The gist is to protect our health by maintaining that level of good feeling in our bodies.

You can start right now. If you don’t need a doctor in your current health state, let that be ground zero. Work your way up to a healthier body, mind, and soul from this point forward. Here are a few tips to help you do just that.

1.       Get regular checkups. These are included in most healthcare plans. A dental visit every six months including one set of bitewing x-rays is almost always covered. A yearly physical has a modest or sometimes no co-pay at all depending on your insurance carrier. Even a yearly eye exam has a negligible cost. If you can afford the health insurance, use it to maintain or elevate the status quo.

 

2.       Get regular exercise. This pops up a lot, but it is a major factor in living longer. Fresh air and sunlight especially provide Vitamin D to the body. Stretching those muscles even for thirty minutes a day stimulates the metabolism. You don’t have to join a gym. Housework, gardening, riding your bicycle, or mowing the lawn are all forms of exercise.

 

3.       Play a few games. The newest medicine for your brain is neurobics. It trains your brain to create new synaptic pathways and prevents degeneration. Playing crossword games, Sudoku, cards, chess, backgammon, speed games, word searches, and memory games all keep those neurons in tip top shape.

 

4.       Drink plenty of water. If you don’t like water, add some flavoring like a Crystal Light stick to change the taste. Our bodies are made up of water for the most part. Drinking a glass of water can ease a headache and also help with weight loss. A body that is hydrated properly runs better.

 

5.       Take time out for yourself. It could be morning meditation, going on a walk, going to church, taking a scenic drive, listening to music, or any activity you choose as long as it cultivates your inner soul. Time to renew the mind aids in the body’s renewal.

No one knows how long they will walk this earth. The one thing we don’t want to do is shorten those days due to an unhealthy body. Take care of yourself today in order to see many tomorrows.

Healing Herbs for Common Conditions

The medicines that we have today are a miraculous gift. Healing is a miraculous gift. The medicines we use came from humble beginnings. Their precursors were herbs and medicinal plants that had served civilizations for thousands of years. Many of these herbs are still in use today.

What do we do when we have a cut, scrape, or a headache? We reach for the medicine cabinet. That is all well and good but some medicinal treatments are not all they are cracked up to be. People have turned back to their roots (no pun intended!) and started using herbs to treat common bodily ailments.

One reason for this reawakening is the lack of side effects on our bodies. Many herbs act like medicines and should be taken carefully, but the ingredients are all natural. We don’t have to be worried about getting blood work done every three months for any evidence of harmful side effects on our system. Most herbs are relatively easy to find and don’t cost as much as brand name medicines.

Healing herbs work with the body and not against it. The effects of the cure may not be immediate but the herbs are effective. We see some of the not so great effects of medicines like antibiotics all over the news. Our body’s invaders are becoming resistant to certain antibiotics because we use them so frequently. This is not great news when you are trying to fight an infection.

Healing herbs can be eaten, placed in a poultice, steeped for tea, ground into powder, or made into a cream. Some herbs are used as they are to speed the body’s healing process. Here are just a few of the more popular ones you may or may not have heard of.

•            Cinnamon - lowers blood sugar and cholesterol
•            Ginger - prevents motion sickness and nausea
•            Turmeric - helps with arthritis pain
•            St. John’s Wort - creates a stable mood in mildly depressed people
•            Garlic - lowers blood pressure and risks of some cancers
•            Red yeast rice - lowers cholesterol

Except for the St. John’s Wort and red yeast rice, we have most of these items on our kitchen shelves. Adding a little to your food each day can assist with these conditions without even causing an upheaval in your routine. Other helpful substances include: apple cider vinegar and Aloe Vera.

All natural herbal formulas are a milder alternative to some mainstream medications. Before using any type of herbs for medicinal purposes consult your doctor. The last thing you want is a drug interaction with something you are currently taking. Treat all herbs as medicines and do your research before beginning an herbal supplement routine in order to get the most from them.