In this issue of Real Foods News:

It's a Tie!
Family Make-Over
October Savings

Recent entries on my Healthy Living Blog:

The Power of Belief
Tibetan Singing Bowls
Uplifting Movies

[If the links in this newsletter aren't "live" just highlight them, hit "Control C" (or right click) to copy, click on your browser window, then "Control V" (or right click) to paste.

Thank you to everyone who went to the Real Foods website and voted for our new coffee name.

Unbelievably, it was a tie between "Blanco Bliss" and "Sacred Grounds." Let's break the tie with a run-off vote.

Please go to www.real-foods.net/coffee-vote.html and vote... again... Please.

Results on Monday, October 30th. Thanks.

Tips for a Healthy Family Makeover

With the holidays nearly upon us (already?) many folks are starting to worry about possible weight gains.

It's always a good time to make positive lifestyle changes, so you may want to ask yourself:

Did your family have a long day at work and school?

No doubt you are exhausted and can't wait for dinner to get on the table... so you've picked something up on the way home or open a pre-packaged meal to heat up in the microwave.

Maybe after (or even during) dinner everyone will sit down to relax in front of the TV. Maybe you still have some work to catch up on and need to battle your kids for time with the computer.

Does this sound like a typical weeknight in your home?

It is for many families. Like them you may feel that your family could improve in overall health and fitness, but with each day flying by it's easy to get distracted and simply keep following the same routine over and over.

Is Your Family Healthy?

It is never going to get easier, so why not take a moment to determine just how healthy your family is. Start by using a BMI calculator to determine if anyone in your family is overweight.

Is anyone overweight?

Examine your eating habits. Does your family eat out or buy fast foods more than once a week? How many sugar filled soft drinks does your family drink in a day? How many meals have fruits or vegetables included and what kind of snacks are they eating on a regular basis?

Since many people who are overweight are not eating too much it is often an indication that they are not ACTIVE enough.

How active is your family? Do you drive everywhere? Watch more than 2-4 hours of TV per day? Does anyone engage in fitness or sports programs?

Even if no one is overweight you may correctly feel your family is not FIT. So what can you do?

Small Changes - Big Difference

You don't need a major makeover to start increasing your family's health and well being. Some steps to a healthier lifestyle simply require a bit of forethought and planning.

- Sit down for meals as a family. Eating together without the TV or stereo on not only helps you develop an awareness of what and how much everyone is eating, but also builds family bonds with conversation during the meal. Start with at least one meal per week and build to at least one meal per day together.

- Replace soft drinks and other high sugar drinks with herbal teas and water. For the little ones drinking juice, try diluting that "concentrated sugar" with some water. The amount of sugar (up to 13 teaspoons) in a soft drink is not only calorie filled but sap energy as well. Not having soft drinks or sugar laden fruit punches in the home at all will help everyone develop new habits.

- Reduce TV time AND computer, video games and other sedentary activities. Having other activities such as board games, outdoor play, household chores and organized sports or programs helps children to develop better self-esteem and create bonds with peers and family members.

- Offer healthy alternatives. Setting out a bowl of baby carrots or raw pecans is as easy as a bowl of chips and dip. Buying a jump rope or bike as a gift is as easy as choosing a new computer game or video. Joining friends for a game of soccer or learning a new dance is as fun as instant messaging or hanging at the convenience store.

- Start small. It's better to make a few gradual changes than to expect everyone to stick to a new routine. Making diet and activity changes means you and your children need to plan alternatives or else you will become frustrated and slip back into old habits. Your efforts to set a good example can set your children up for a lifetime of better health!

Allergies and Asthma

With no rain here all summer, nothing grew and nothing bloomed, so most people's allergies were great; that is, non-existant.

Well, it finally rained, and we're all grateful, but everything that didn't bloom in June, July, and August, is blooming NOW.

Garlic, ginger, horseradish (or wasabi) and mustard tend to clear your sinuses and so help to prevent the accumulation of mucus in the lungs.

This will be helpful to most everyone, but especially those with asthma.

Licorice has the tendency to reduce inflammation in the airways and expel the mucus from the lungs (anyone with cardiac issues should be careful about using licorice).

Bromelain, the digestive enzyme from pineapples, dissolves mucus.

These are all edibles you can make sure to put into your diet when you need to reduce sinus drainage. Of course, it also helps to reduce your dairy intake if you already have a mucus issue.

There are also lots of good formulas out there.

Native Remedies uses a combination of herbal and homeopathic ingredients in their proven formulas, and they're having a special for the rest of this month.

I've been given permission to send you a coupon for 20% off your entire purchase with them for the rest of the month of October.

(This coupon is also good for their line of pet products at Pet Alive)

There is also a lot of good info on that site.

Please use it with my blessings :-)

Sherri And the Gang at Real Foods Market
http://www.real-foods.net

Real Foods. Make Life Better.

Real Foods Market & Cafe
410 Fourth St
Blanco, Texas 78606
(830) 833-2483

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