Holiday Hidden Eggs

Easter Sunday is quickly approaching, and children from all over are anticipating belly-filling festivities staged just about everywhere, from egg hunts in Grandma's backyard to an egg roll on the White House lawn.

According to the National Confectioners Association, Easter is second only to Halloween in holiday confectionery sales, estimating that U.S. Candy might come in small packages covered in spring pastels, but a glance at the nutritional information reveals the potential danger. A 17-gram Reese's Peanut Butter Egg is 90 calories, a 42-gram package of marshmallow Peeps totals 140 calories, and one-quarter of a 5-ounce Palmer hollow milk chocolate bunny contains 180 calories.

Doctors, dietitians and exercise gurus agree that little kids -- and some big ones, too -- can indulge their cravings if they follow basic limitations.

Your Babies Development

If you are a mother to a newborn baby, or soon to be a mother, you probably have many questions about the benefits of breastfeeding and how to do so. Learn some useful tips here on breastfeeding that will help you through in providing this most important and best nutrition for your baby.

Smoking during pregnancy can cause serious problems including miscarriage, complications during labor, premature birth and stillbirth. Pregnant women who smoke are strongly advised to stop smoking for the health of both mother and baby. Many women who quit smoking during pregnancy go on to stay smoke-free after their baby is born. Seek help from your health care professional if you find it difficult to quit smoking.

The first year of your child’s development is one of the most dynamic and interesting periods. The magnitude of changes that occur is huge and intense. However, each baby has his own pace so it is important to recognize your baby’s development so you can encourage him and help where you can. Every stage of your child’s development should be supported and encouraged to enhance his mental capacity.

Garden your way to be Energetic

Tending your garden can make you feel energetic and happier, say experts.

Besides feeling younger, energetic and happier, gardeners are also more likely to be organized and optimistic than non-gardeners, say experts.

A regular spot of gardening gives the over-50s more of a "zest for life" than those who don't have an inclination for it, reported citing researchers.

Researchers from two universities in Texas analyzed about 300 people over 50, dividing them into gardeners and non- gardeners. They found that 71 per cent of gardeners said they did not "feel old" compared with 57 per cent of non-gardeners.

The gardeners also felt more energetic, got more exercise and were shown to be more mentally active. There were also higher scores for "life satisfaction" among gardeners while they were also more likely to eat fresh fruit and vegetables.

Excess Fructose May lead to Diabetes, Obesity and Other Health Conditions

More and more people have become aware of the dangers of excessive fructose in diet. Dietary fructose is present primarily in added dietary sugars, honey, and fruit. Americans most frequently ingest fructose from sucrose, a disaccharide containing 50% fructose and 50% glucose bonded together, and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a mixture of free fructose and free glucose, usually in a 55/45 proportion.

With the introduction of HFCS in the 1970s, an increased intake of fructose has occurred and obesity rates have risen simultaneously. There is also increasing evidence that fructose may play a role in hypertension and renal disease. Dr. Johnson and Dr. Nakagawa recommend that low protein diets include an attempt to restrict added sugars containing fructose.