Healthy Vending in Schools by YoNaturals

Zinc in the Classroom by Yo Naturals

August 6, 2008 · Filed under YoNaturals Healthy Vending in Schools · Tagged Student Health, Yo Naturals

Author: Louanne Cox

Zinc is a vital mineral that we use in nearly every cell in our body. It is known to help with our immune system, wound healing, enzyme production. It also helps with controlling blood sugar levels and reproductive health among other things. It is also essential for our children to perform well in the classroom.

A Chinese study of children aged between 6 and 9 found that the children who had sufficient zinc out performed the children who did not have enough zinc. They performed better in the tasks that measured attention, perception, memory, reasoning and motor and spatial skills. Especially outstanding were how much better they were in the perception, memory and reasoning skills required to do well within a school curriculum.

Another study was conducted to look at the links between zinc and mental sharpness, this time in North Dakota. This study examined seventh graders and was a blind study with some of the group receiving plain fruit juice and some receiving fruit juice with added zinc. The results showed that the children with extra zinc had better memory recall and longer attention spans that the ones without the zinc.

Zinc is required for so many biological functions including growth and development that it has always been important to ensure that your children get enough of it. Now it appears that if you want an “A” grader then it is even more important.

Giving a supplement to a child is one way, although there are cautions against children being on zinc supplements long term, so we need to look to their diet.

Zinc sources are found in popcorn and peanuts, both snacks that children seem to like. Popping some whole wheat crackers or granola bars into their lunch boxes are also a great way of ensuring that their zinc levels are kept up.

Other sources of zinc include red meat, poultry, beans, nuts, dairy products, whole grains and some seafood. Getting your children used to eating trail mix (a mix of nuts, seeds and dried fruit) as a snack will help as nuts are a great source of zinc.

I remember years ago small cartons of milk were given to all the primary school students; obviously we were before our time in the thinking! I used to love being milk monitor because if there were any cartons left over you would get first dibs on them! Yo Naturals offers organic milk in some of their vending machines, so milk is back in school. This is a great way to fill up on zinc without having any nasty pesticides at the same time.

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YoNaturals California: School Food Risks!

July 31, 2008 · Filed under YoNaturals Healthy Vending in Schools · Tagged YoNaturals California: School Food Risks!

Jessica Vachal wrote this article for YoNaturals Vending in California.

Healthy eating in school can definitely be tough, especially if there are not lunches prepared for the occasion. Just think about it, a lot of schools these days have cafeterias that serve more Pizza Hut than steamed vegetables, and even if they have both available, where do you think your kid is going to go with your hard-earned lunch money clutched in his hand? Packing a lunch for your child to take to lunch is a very important tactic in fighting the growing epidemic of childhood obesity, but teaching your children how to make good food choices on their own is also very important, as your kids are going to need to make their own lunches eventually, and if they don’t know the difference between a beneficial carrot and a not-so-beneficial Cheeto, then you could be in for some troubles with your child’s health.

Packing that lunch is a good idea for a start, of course, because it will not only save you money, but it will also show them that a good lunch ought to consist of that sandwich, those carrots, that banana and maybe that cookie for a treat, along with some water or maybe milk bought at the cafeteria. Of course, we at Yo Naturals know that your child is still going to want nothing more than for you to give him lunch money so that he too can buy Taco Bell at the lunch counter, but if you stand strong and inform him that lunches like that cannot be eaten every day, then maybe he will save the begging for one day a week.

Of course it’s hard with how busy everyone’s schedules are nowadays, to try to get up extra-early to make your child his lunch, and make sure that it gets into his backpack. Of course there’s the added question of whether or not said lunch was actually consumed at school and not just thrown away, so ensuring that your child recognizes the importance of the food that you give to him is also a key component of teaching healthy eating.

Once they note that nuts and dried fruit are better for them than skittles, maybe they’ll think a little bit more if they decide to use loose change for the vending machines on campus. If you’re really lucky, your child’s school will boast vending machines that house healthy snacks, maybe even trail mix packs missing those pesky m-n-m’s instead of just candy bars and chips. If your child knows what he should be eating, he’ll be more prone to at least be aware of his options, even if he chooses to still get that candy bar. Healthy eating from Yo Naturals in California.

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Cooking Methods Can Make or Break Foods’ Healthful Qualities

July 26, 2008 · Filed under YoNaturals Healthy Vending in Schools · Tagged Cooking Methods Can Make or Break Foods' Healthful Qual

Author: Matthew McArdle

Not only are fruits and vegetables delicious, they are also among the most nutritious foods you can choose to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle. But beyond simply filling your diet with these foods, which are overflowing with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, you can maximize their healthy benefits by making the most of the way you choose to prepare, store, and cook them.

For example, slicing correctly can make or break the healthful benefits of garlic, which has been shown in clinical trials to prevent platelets from clumping, in turn keeping arteries free of clots and reducing the risk of heart attack. Studies have shown the anti-clotting properties of garlic (and onions, too) to be linked to thiosulfinates, which are the chemical compounds that are responsible for garlic’s trademark smell.

To test this phenomenon, researchers at the University of Wisconsin at Madison prepared garlic in several different ways to determine how well each cooking method affected the release of thiosulfinates. Using four pounds of garlic and crushing half of it, the scientists allowed the garlic to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes and then cooked samples from each batch either in a microwave, in boiling water, or in a 400-degree oven for up to 20 minutes. The researchers then analyzed how each batch of garlic affected platelets’ clotting abilities.

In all cases, the garlic that was cooked whole showed almost no anti-clumping abilities, but the garlic that was lightly crushed showed a significant ability to reduce platelet clotting. The reason, the team said, is that thiosulfinates do not form until the garlic is cut or crushed because the action breaks the cells and causes the compound to be released.

Cooking methods can also enhance the benefits of fruits and vegetables. When vegetables are boiled in water, essential vitamins such as vitamin C, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, and folate (which are water-soluble), oftentimes leach out into the water and you end up losing out on their beneficial qualities unless you drink the water in which they were boiled. In fact, studies have shown that produce loses an average of 55 percent of vitamin C and 66 percent of thiamin when it is boiled in water.

To minimize nutrient loss, you should stream vegetables whenever possible, which minimizes contact with water and leads to brighter colors, fresher flavors, and an overall healthier meal. A study from Denmark showed that broccoli retains 83 to 100 percent of its vitamin C when lightly steamed, as opposed to as little as 45 percent after it is boiled for five minutes.

So even though you may be trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle by choosing to eat fruits and vegetables, you may be losing out on much of their healthful qualities through inefficient cooking techniques. Simply altering your methods can lead to a huge difference in nutrition!

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The Importance Of Vitamin E by YoNaturals of California

July 19, 2008 · Filed under YoNaturals Healthy Vending in Schools · Tagged The Importance Of Vitamin E by YoNaturals of California

Author: Lisa Arnold

Vitamin E is one of the most vital and popular supplements. It is also an essential and powerful antioxidant. People cannot live without it. Vitamin E also promotes the health of the heart and health of the respiratory system. It also aids with circulation among other things. Vitamin E is fat-soluble, and it protects vitamin A and essential fatty acids from deteriorating in the body, and it helps with the breaking down of body tissues.

Vitamin E is also known to defend cells against free radicals which are known to damage cells which can result in cardiovascular disease and cancer. Vitamin E also play a key role in the proper functioning of the immune function, it helps to repair DNA. Vitamin E has other benefits as well including diminishing the signs of aging, supporting normal cell functioning and protecting the skin. Studies have also proved that Vitamin E aid the heart as well.

Vitamin E comes in eight different forms. The best form is the natural mixed tocopherols. This type of Vitamin E is found in foods such as spinach, pine nuts, sun-dried tomatoes, peanut butter, papaya, mango, green leafy vegetables, avocados, tomatoes, vegetable oils, fortified cereals and various nuts.

Here is a list by YoNaturals of California of other foods rich in Vitamin E include:

· Vegetable oils such as Corn, canola, sunflower and sesame

· Nuts including almonds, walnuts and peanuts

· Legumes and grains such as corn, lentils, wheat, rice oats and chickpeas

· Wheat germ oil

The daily recommend allowance of Vitamin E is 30 IU, but top researchers believe the body needs more Vitamin E to remain healthy. Some top researchers recommend that the average healthy woman take 400 IU a day, and they recommend that the average healthy man take 600 IU a day. The recommended daily allowance suitable for children aged one to three is 200 and for children aged four to eight is 300 and for children and teens aged nine to eighteen it is at least 600 IU.

For it to work best, Vitamin E should be taken with meals because it is more absorbable that way. Vitamin E should be taken in natural or organic form. Synthetic Vitamin E should be avoided because it does not contain enough nutrients to do any good. Synthetic Vitamin E is less effective which makes it necessary to take more Vitamin E supplements for it to be as effective as vitamin E from natural foods. Liquid Vitamin E supplements which contain natural vitamin E will be more effective than pill-form supplements, but it is recommend that the daily allowances of Vitamin E come from foods rich in Vitamin E.

Vitamin E deficiencies are rare and mostly occur in premature babies and with people who cannot absorb fats. Mostly Vitamin E deficiencies are of a neurological nature which results from damaged nerves.

Vitamin E should be included in the diet because it will benefit overall health; also consuming foods which are rich in vitamin E will help to promote a healthy heart, healthy cells and healthy skin. Before starting any vitamin regimen it is strongly advised that a doctor be consulted so the proper doses can be determined. We hope you enjoyed this information from YoNaturals in San Diego, California!

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YoNaturals California Business: Let There Be Choices!

July 14, 2008 · Filed under YoNaturals Healthy Vending in Schools · Tagged YoNaturals California Business: Let There Be Choices!

My heart breaks when I see a child (or anyone really) who is too overweight to engage in fun and play and to simply feel healthy and happy. We’re all supposed to have energy to run and play and still be able to tackle the day with enough brain power to at least keep moving forward. And yes, I do mean kids and adults alike. It’s not natural to need a nap every day at 4pm unless we get a dose of coffee or a piece of pastry.

However, the truth is that the train has run furiously off the tracks and it’s time to take back control. Taking care of and providing for a family leaves little time for researching what it is we should and should not eat and feed to our families, especially when there’s so much confusing information out there. Thus we go for what we see, for what is in front of us. Which neighborhood is healthier- the one with the farmers’ market, health food store and smoothie shop or the one with a fast-food joint and liquor store on every corner?

Obviously consumer demand is a dominant factor dictating what goes where, but if the only options we have are unhealthy and addictive (selling sugary, caffeinated, chemical-laden snacks to kids inside their schools will hopefully become a thing of the past), then that is what we’ll take. And no matter how bad they make us feel, we’ll still take more. Unless we have choices! And choices are what unhealthy vendors have tried to avoid; with their incredibly financial weight, they have force schools to do their bidding. But YoNaturals is profitable too, so schools no longer have a reason to go with junk food.

We seem to have a somewhat innate ability to understand to some degree what we should and should not eat, but if it takes more effort, time and money to eat healthfully, the likelihood is low that we’ll pursue that route. While it may take a pretty well-trained child to have the maturity to choose a raw carrot over a cookie, it simply takes an aware child to choose say, a Clif Bar over a cookie. And guess where those are? In a YoZone from YoNaturals California Business! Because that Clif bar tastes good, is affordable, available and doesn’t set off an inner Tasmanian Devil like many of the cookies I’ve met in my day.

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Schools are Responsible Too

July 7, 2008 · Filed under School Healthy Vending · Tagged schools are responsible, YoNaturals vending business

Ever heard the old proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child”? In today’s fast paced society this seems more necessary than ever. Even though some experts say that for the first time in many years child obesity in America is staying level, it is still alarmingly high. Most studies show somewhere between 20 to 35% of children ages 6 to 11 suffer from obesity. While most of us know the long term effect of obesity in children, we don’t all have a simple answer.

That’s where it takes a village comes into play. Schools in America are fighting the academic challenge and foregoing structured physical education programs in elementary schools. Parents are working more and finding high costs of fuel and food giving them less to feed their families on. What this can mean for children is meals that are fast, unhealthy and an overall lack of physical activity.

Parents need to be educated on the importance of balanced meals, family exercise programs and the health concerns with obesity. Schools need to start placing an emphasis on true physical education and nutrition awareness. Empowering students to make healthy choices and to educate their parents in the process will have long lasting effects. Research has shown that children who were physically active tend to grow up to be physically active adults.

Let’s face it; children spend the majority of their time split between school and home. If both places worked together and supported one another children would have the support and education needed to fight the battle of the bulge.
Contributed by Mindy Fullerton for YoNaturals vending business

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Super Sizing Our Kids

July 2, 2008 · Filed under School Healthy Vending · Tagged Super Sizing Our Kids

Personal story contributed by: Bennett Winterstein

The last time I took my children to the dentist, the doctor approached me, after cleaning my 16 years-olds teeth, shaking her head and unevenly exclaiming through a thick Japanese accent, “no more coke, no more coke!” I stared at my daughter in horror. My shocked and wide-eyed daughter blurted abruptly, “No, Mommy, I don’t do drugs!” It dawned on me finally so I attempted a clarification, “Do you mean no more Coca-Cola, no more soda pop?” “Yes, no more coke!” the doctor replied. Upon taking a deep breath of relief, I informed the doctor that I thoroughly agreed. She definitely needs to stop drinking so much soda. How to accomplish this? How to control what our teens are consuming in disproportionate amounts? I don’t even keep soda in the house!
Wow, I thought providing healthy alternatives and keeping certain items out of the house was enough but it’s not even close. The problem is much more immense than that. We hear about the alarming rise of obesity in children and we see more overweight teens than ever. The news reports that teen junk food and soda consumption has more than tripled in the last 30 years.
We hear of teenagers with clogged arteries. What? Teenagers?
How could they possibly build up that much plaque from fatty foods in such a short time? Let’s dissect it logically, if one eats junk food every day since they were little children going to McDonald’s for their Happy Meals, what’s the result after several years?
The most prominent area of concern is the media. Commercials, advertising and peer pressure. It is popular to hit the convenience store after school and buy chips, candy and soda. If breakfast consisted of cupcakes and lunch was chicken nuggets, the only hope left would be dinner. Today, however, the family dinner is becoming obsolete. With half our households being run by single parents and the rest by double plus income parents; the stark conclusion is that there just isn’t time to make a proper nutritious dinner. The solution for many is fast food. Fast food with its well-documented contents of ridiculously high fat and sodium is the recipe for heart problems, cancer and stroke.
Teens today have more access to junk food than ever before. For one reason, many kids are home alone after school so if they have a few bucks, they’re off to buy a quick fix. Many teens do have those few bucks because over-worked, unavailable parents may use money to assuage their guilt for not being there. Another bane, of course, is the advertisement saturated media. Invading television, the internet, magazines and billboards these erroneous and misleading ads provide the teen consciousness with unhealthy ideals of immediate gratification.
Last, not at all least, and critically problematic: vending machines and fast food vendors in schools. What a profit for the big corporations! What a mistake for our kids! As long as these companies are allowed in schools, we will lose the fight for healthier teens. Unhealthy teens grow into unhealthy adults. The battle has begun and must continue to educate children about the fallaciousness of advertisements and advocate for the removal of vending machines and fast food in schools. Otherwise, the next generation will be short-lived.

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