• The State of Our Nutrition
• Top Stressors:  Family, Work & Finances
• Common Characteristics of Strong Families

The State of Our Nutrition

The United States Department of Agriculture recently announced a new food pyramid.  It is recommended that Americans eat 3-5 servings of vegetables and 2-4 servings of fruits EVERY DAY . 

Even the most health-conscious eaters have trouble meeting these guidelines.  It's no wonder the American Medical Association now recommends that all adults take a multi-vitamin.  Choose brands that promise freshness, high potency and high rates of absorbability.  Most store brands are heavily marketed but short on absorbable nutrition.  Learn more about brands we recommend . 

Researchers have found that insufficient diets as well as a lack of nutrients found in fruits and vegetables today may be causing damage to DNA .  Such insufficient nutrition has the same effect on the body as exposures to toxins – it causes cell damage that may lead to cancer and other modern disease.

The poor are at higher risk of bad nutrition.  U.S.D.A. studies show that Americans with the lowest incomes eat as much as more well-to-do people but their diets are lower in vitamins.

Read Fast Food Nation : The Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric Schlosser.

Rent the movie, Super Size Me starring Morgan Spurlock.  See what happens when one man goes on a fast-food-only diet.  There's only one short scene to fast-forward if children are watching (when the girlfriend talks about the decline of their love life).   Otherwise, even young children can understand that fast food is not healthy.  It's shocking to see how much sugar Morgan consumed in one month (piled on a table).

Pesticides on our fruits and vegetables compound the nutritional problem.  Even if you do get your required amount of fruits and vegetables, you're also getting a cocktail of pesticides.

Children are at particular risk for pesticide exposure on foods.  According to the EPA, pesticides may block normal absorption, my affect the excretory system, and could impact “critical periods” in human development. 

To reduce exposure to pesticides from foods, WASH your fruits and vegetables, PEEL & TRIM (outer leaves), and SELECT A VARIETY of foods to reduce your exposure to a single pesticide.

Buy ORGANIC or at your local FARMER'S MARKET.  Many local farmers resist using pesticides.  They may not be certified as Organic but they usually have a sign that indicates their growing philosophy (Natural, No Pesticides, etc.)

The following produce consistently rates high in pesticides, so buy ORGANIC for:  apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, grapes (imported), nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, red raspberries, spinach, and strawberries.

These fruits and vegetables rate the lowest for pesticides:  asparagus, avocados, bananas, broccoli, cauliflower, corn (sweet), kiwi, mangos, onions, papaya, pineapples, peas (sweet).

Visit the Environmental Working Group website for more information about the state of Pesticides in Produce.

Visit the Children's Health Environmental Coalition site.  We highly recommend their book, "Household Detective - Potecting Your Children From Toxins At Home."

Top Stressors: Family, Work & Finances

 The top stressors for adults are:  Family , Work and Finances .  This site offers resources to help in these areas and suggests options for improving your family's financial situation (see What Are Your Options? ).

Family

For information on family relationships, see Common Characteristics of Strong Families.

If the health of a family member causes stress that could be lessened by a healthier home environment, improved nutrition or additional family income, visit our Online Presentation or request information about Joining our Improve Home Health Team .  We teach health-conscious people to earn income from home without financial risk.

Work & Finances

The major stressors related to finances are credit card debt, household debt, lack of personal savings, cost of health care, raising children, education costs, inability to buy or afford a house, and feeling unprepared for retirement.

The major work stressors are relations (with boss, peers), feeling unappreciated, working outside your field or interest, working more hours for less money, and the feeling of not getting ahead.  See What Are Your Options?

There is an epidemic in our culture called “Affluenza” (nick-named by de Graff, Wann and Naylor, 2001) that is described as:  “A painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety, and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more.”

Even children have this disease and marketers purposefully target young children knowing they will pester parents to purchase a product (it's called the “nag-factor”).  We're fighting an uneven battle against billion-dollar advertising budgets.  All we have to arm ourselves in information and common sense.

“There are two kinds of people in this world:  those who understand interest and those who don't.  Those who understand it receive it; those who don't, pay it.”  -Unknown

Average credit card debt is between $9,000 and $11,000.

Major credit card companies spend over $500 billion combined each year in advertising.

 More people filed for bankruptcy in 2003 than graduated from college (1.7 million filed in 2003; 24% by people under 25).

 On average, 42% of Americans' income goes to paying interest.

Work & Finances:  What Are Your Options?

Reduce your expenses.  Look for any area of your life you can trim back and use that money to pay extra on your principal every month.

Get a raise in your salary.  Perhaps taking night classes will help prepare you for a better career.

Get a second job.  This is often what people choose to do but it causes tremendous stress on a household and particularly on the children as parents are away longer hours.

Take risks with your investments.  Not a good idea.

Start a traditional business (with major start-up costs)

Or…

Get information on a risk-free opportunity to supplement your family's income by joining our team:  Work from home. Pick your hours.  Spend more time with your kids.  Be healthy.  Help others.  Learn More!

Common Characteristics of Strong Families

Numerous studies have identified common traits of strong families.  Since “Family” is one of the three major stressors for adults, taking inspiration from strong families is another way to Improve Home Health.  The traits of strong families include*:

• A sense of appreciation among family members.  This includes feeling good about the family members and what they do for each other.  Successful families will at times focus on one member of the family for appreciation.
•  Spending time together.  Strong families schedule and enjoy time together.
•  Good communication and good listening skills.  They deal openly and constructively with conflict when it occurs.
•  Commitment to each other and the family unit.  The happiness and welfare of family members is valued.
•  Commitment to a set of values and spiritual concerns, particularly religious activities.
•  The ability to deal with problems and crises in a direct and positive way; the ability to rally around one another in times of need.
•  The ability to care for physical and emotional needs of family members.
•  Flexibility in family roles and the ability to ask for and receive help from others.
•  Setting goals as a family and developing plans for reaching those goals, including helping individual family members set and reach realistic personal goals.

 *From an article by Jay D. Schvaneveldt, Utah State University titled, “Identifying Family Strengths in U.S. ” based on research by Dr. Nick Stinnett at the University of Nebraska .