Halloween is right around the corner and it can be tough deciding which treats to give out to all those trick-or-treaters. Candy full of processed sugars and fats is a tough sell to those of us who lead healthy, active lifestyles. Here are some great alternatives to traditional candy to pass out this Halloween that are sure to please:
Glow sticks Glow sticks are a sou
rce of fun for kids and adults alike – and perfect for Halloween evening so the boys and ghouls can light their way! And best of all there are many different styles to choose from. There are glow sticks, glow bracelets and even glow necklaces that can provide children with fun options. And they are most likely going to be added to whatever the kids’ costumes which adds a little fun and can be used for safety as well.
Stickers / Temporary Tatoos What kid doesn’t love stickers? And today there are so many to choose from that you could offer a number of different options. You could have Halloween themed stickers, cartoons, sports or any other theme that kids can love. You could also offer temporary tattoos, always a hit with kids! Sheets of stickers are available at the dollar tree and other discount stores.
Sugar Free Chewing Gum If you really like the candy tradition at Halloween but do not want to give dentists in the area a lot of work, you can always offer children sugar free chewing gum. Just make sure the gum is approved by the American Dental Association. There are many different flavors available and you can buy sugar free chewing gum in bulk at places like Costco or Target.
Bubbles 
You can find Halloween-themed mini-bubbles at party supply stores or even dollar stores! Who doesn’t have fun blowing bubbles?
Play-Doh This Halloween why not give out mini-packs of Play-doh? Kids love to play with it and mold it into ghost, goblins and all sorts of creatures. Just be aware when giving it out to smaller children; Play-doh may look delicious but it’s not a treat to be eaten!
Super Bouncy Balls These fun balls come in a variety of colors, textures, and themes. Not only do these balls bounce sky-high but they’ll be sure to send your trick-or-treaters soaring with fun! These can be found in bulk at any party supply store.
Crayons What kid doesn’t love to draw up some devilish fun?! You can find small boxes of crayons (3 to a pack) at party supply stores or other major retailers.
“Blood pressure” is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood. If this pressure rises and stays high over time, it can damage the body in many ways. High blood pressure (HBP), a condition leading to heart disease, heart failure and stroke, affects 1 in 3 Americans and often symptoms are noticeably absent. Regular doctor visits as well as a healthy active lifestyle can help moderate HBP.(1)
Broccoli
proteins) that direct the creation of receptors for LDL (bad) cholesterol. With more LDL-receptors, liver cells are able to clear more LDL-cholesterol from the body.
have increased, and of course it brings the advent of a busy holiday season from Halloween to New Years’ Eve. Chances are that after that long summer vacation, you’ve been slacking on your fitness routine and healthy diet regimen. The good news is you don’t have to wait until New Years’ Day to make a resolution to get back on track. September is the perfect opportunity to begin anew and get yourself in shape so you’ll be looking great in that Halloween costume and in those Christmas party duds!
carbohydrates like wheat, rye and barley. The properties that allow gluten (the Latin word for glue) to give texture and hold together bread or cake are the same properties that cause the body’s inability to absorb nutrients through your digestive tract. This indigestible gluten triggers the immune system to attack the finger-like surface projections called villi in the lining of your small intestine. Over the course of time, the damage to the small intestine worsens and prevents the absorption of essential nutrients such as iron or calcium which begins the array of health troubles such as anemia or osteoporosis.[2] Eventually as the mucosal lining of the intestinal tract breaks down, the wall of the intestines become vulnerable and will perforate allowing food particles into the bloodstream. The body then produces antibodies in the blood to fight off the unwanted particles. This sets off an allergic reaction to almost everything you consume and exhausts your adrenal glands and ultimately your immune system.
of such troubles. According to a January 2000 study by the Journal of Pediatrics which screened 1200 children from 6 months to 20 years old, found that the prevalence of gluten sensitivity ranged from 1 in 57 to 1 in 33 children.[4] Recently, a new blood test for gluten intolerance has bumped those numbers up to 35 – 50+ percent of our entire population!
Sailors and Airmen to help them improve endurance as well as get those Physical Fitness Test (PFT) scores up? Technical Sgt Phillip Davis was an airman stationed in Okinawa, “…the methods that people use to train for these [physical fitness] tests are not preparing them for combat operations. The past few years have made it painfully obvious that the traditional type of training used by the majority of our armed forces is not adequate to prepare our forces for the dangers they must face….Since I began training with kettlebells I have easily maxed out every military PT test I have taken”. 
Kettlebell training here in the west began with Pavel Tsatsouline (a former Soviet Special Forces physical training instructor) and his 2001 book “The Russian Kettlebell Challenge”. Pavel is also utilized by the US Marine Corps, the Secret Service and Navy SEALs in physical training.
u!” is the old slogan used by the brewing company. Once upon a time in the emerald isles Guinness was give to post-op patients based on the notion that Guinness was fortified with iron as well as give to expectant mothers because of its’ nutritional value. (Neither of these are true!). A recent University of Wisconsin study did confirm however that it reduced clotting in narrow arteries.
ew hails from Colorado, the Mecca of microbrews. The best part? It’s gluten-free and low in calories! Tread Lightly Ale is a well-balanced gluten-free ale beer made from sorghum, corn extract, orange peel, hops, and yeast. It’s a bright and light bodied craft beer with a refreshing taste and doesn’t have the after taste of other sorghum-based beers
This low-calorie, low-carb ale hails exclusively from the Pajottenland region of Belgium. Lambic ale differs from traditional ales because it is produced by spontaneous fermentation exposing it to wild yeasts and bacteria native to the Senne Valley, Belgium. This process gives the ale its distinctive flavor which is dry and cidery.
This pale wheat ale is perfect for those Dads who hate the bitterness of hoppy bears. Often paired with a fresh lemon or orange slice, Sunshine Wheat is lighter than full-bodied heffeweizens (that’s the common name used when referring to wheat beers) with hints of coriander, orange peel and tones of apple and honey.
For all those Dads who love a hoppy beer, try Bison IPA, an organic beer hailing from Berkeley, CA. This IPA uses sustainably produced raw ingredients; the hops and malt used to make this beer are free of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, and thus the raw materials used to make the beer contribute to less environmental pollution. It’s available in 6 packs, 22oz bottles and kegs. In 12 oz you’ll get:
The better way to gain all the health benefits of probiotics is through nutritional supplements containing a broad spectrum of ‘good bacteria’. Probiotics are bacteria that help maintain the natural balance of organisms (microflora) in the intestines and are a great addition to your diet as they help boost your immune system, enhance digestion, improve vitamin absorption, diarrhea prevention, reduce the risk of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), cancer-protective effects, increase nutrient absorption, reduce allergy response, reduce candidia yeast, parasites, and other intestinal infections.
d in these drinks is not much better for us than a soda. As an informed consumer the labels of these sports drinks show that a 20 oz. bottle of Gatorade contains 35 grams of sugar – that’s the same amount as a regular Coke (35 grams of sugar in 12 oz.).
The first thing to consider in buying a protein supplement is the source of the protein. If it’s from unfermented soy, stay away from it. Unfermented soy can lead to an overproduction of estrogen and contains isoflavones (geinstein) that block the absorption of essential nutrients in your digestive tract. Dr. Joseph Mercola, a natural health leader, warns about the dangers of consuming unfermented soy. You can learn more through his article linking unfermented soy to brain damage and breast cancer, by clicking 