Do you know that your children face a host of health risks when you feed them Chicken McNuggets? Their favorite fast food snack contains disturbing additives you’d never imagine putting on your child’s plate.

Following reports on the possible health risks of its ingredients, McDonald’s China claims in a Bloomberg report that additives in its chicken McNuggets are “harmless.”

What’s in your McNuggets?

General Hospital of Armed Police Forces nutritionist Liu Qingchun says that “the chemical is toxic to some extent.” But McDonald’s China insists that their use of tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) meets Chinese food safety standards.

Bloomberg adds that McNuggets served in the United States “also contain tertiary butylhydroquinone, a petroleum-based product, and dimethylpolysiloxane, an anti-foaming agent used in cosmetics and other goods.”

Are these two food additives really safe to eat? Natural health expert Dr. Joseph Mercola helps you decide.

What These Additives Really Are

“TBHQ is a synthetic chemical with antioxidant properties, commonly used as a food stabilizer. It prevents oxidation of fats and oils, thereby extending shelf life of processed foods,” Dr. Mercola reveals, giving a list of processed foods TBHQ is usually used for:

• Vegetable oils
• Baked goods
• Flavoring and spices
• Margarine
• Cereals and grains
• Snack foods like potato chips

This additive is also found in varnishes, lacquers, resins, oil field additives, and pesticide products. It is commonly used in cosmetics and perfumes to reduce the evaporation rate and improve stability.

“The good news is that it is not suspected to be a persistent toxin, meaning your body is probably able to eliminate it so that it does not bioaccumulate,” says Dr. Mercola.

Dimethylpolysiloxane hasn’t undergone any significant safety studies yet.

Watch What Your Children Eat!

Dr. Mercola asserts that fast food and other processed foods will adversely affect your children’s health. “Ideally, you’ll want to consume as much whole, raw, organic, and/or locally grown foods as possible,” he says.

Paired with good eating choices and lifestyle, a quality natural supplement will boost your children’s health and mental development. This powerful combination brings them closer to optimal health.

Rich in DHA and other omega-3 fats, a natural krill oil supplement supports growth and enhances brain power.* It enables learning and concentration through their development years, helping them do better in school.*

Discover more articles on children’s food safety and optimal health in this blog.

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*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

The problem with pesticide exposure is that a majority of the side effects do NOT occur immediately. This delayed response makes pesticides a bigger threat to your children.

Natural health expert Dr. Joseph Mercola asserts that scientific literature has already established “convincing associations” between pesticide exposure and neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and muscular sclerosis. There are more insidious effects that may afflict children.

Pesticide Exposure and ADHD

A Pediatrics study discovered disturbing links between some of the most commonly used pesticides and a significantly increased risk of ADHD symptoms among children.

The urine of 1,139 children between the ages of 8 and 15 was tested for six pesticide metabolites. The result: 119 of these children were diagnosed with ADHD.

Other findings show that children with a tenfold increase in metabolites from the pesticide Malathion – found in head lice treatments – were 55% more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD.

Reduce Your Children’s Pesticide Exposure Now!

The U.S. News & World Report reveals five tips to reduce your children’s pesticide exposure:

1. Buy organic fruits and vegetables. If they’re not organic, many fruits and vegetables are most likely grown using pesticides. Some examples are celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, and blueberries.
2. Detoxify your lawn. Make sure your lawn care service does NOT use the organophosphate pesticide trichlorfon.
3. Clean out your shed. Look into your old garden shed and remove the pesticide diazinon (sold under brand names Diazinon or Spectracide). This has long been banned from residential use.
4. Use natural cures for a lice infection. Malathion is a neurotoxin used for treatment of head lice. Do not put any of this on your child’s head!
5. Check the pest control policy of your child’s school. Encourage your school district to move to Integrated Pest Management, which uses less toxic alternatives.

Ensuring Your Child’s Health

Dr. Mercola provides additional recommendations for your children’s well-being.

“Remember that processed foods are made with a variety of chemicals, and should be avoided as much as possible. Children already diagnosed with ADHD, in most cases, need to eliminate processed foods entirely,” he says.

Dr. Mercola also suggests using only natural cleaning products and toiletries at home.

You can also boost your children’s overall health with a natural krill oil supplement. Rich in DHA and other omega-3 fats, krill oil supports growth and brain power.* It enables learning and concentration in school, helping children through their rapid development years.*

Read more articles on child safety and optimal health in this blog.

Related links:
Latest Medical Insanity: Insecticides for Your Head
How to Buy Organic Without Breaking the Bank

Soft drinks are popular among children. In a study published by the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, children “strongly liked” the taste of soft drinks and they are more likely to drink them at least five times in a week.

The Dangers of Drinking Soft Drinks

What you don’t know is that soft drinks are filled with ingredients that won’t do any good for your kid’s health. “One can of soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar, 150 calories, 30 to 55 mg of caffeine, and is loaded with artificial food colors and sulphites. The diet varieties are also problematic as they are filled with harmful artificial sweeteners like aspartame,” explains Dr. Mercola.

Because of its high sugar and caloric content, drinking soda has been linked to increased risk of the following conditions:

• Obesity
• Osteoporosis
• Tooth decay
• Heart disease

Better Alternatives to Soda: Pure Water, Natural Foods and Krill Oil

If your child has become hooked to drinking soft drinks during or after every meal, one of the first things you could do is to stop drinking sodas yourself. Parents like you actually serve as a role model for your kid’s drinking and eating habits.

Dr. Mercola also has these recommendations:

• Encourage your child to stop the habit by replacing soda with pure, clean water as much as possible.
• Offer natural, organic foods to your kid. Get him or her to eat a lot of fruits, vegetables and other nutritious foods.
• Support his or her diet with a Krill oil supplement, which is rich in Omega-3 fats that help your child’s brain health.

Now, if you’re really keen on giving your child the most optimal health possible, why don’t you start by refraining from buying and drinking soft drinks today? In addition, it might be a good idea to enrich your kid’s diet with pure water, unprocessed foods and krill oil supplements that will provide him or her with essential nutrients.

Related Links:

• Parents Strongest Influence on How Much Soda Kids Drink
• The Real Dangers of Soda to You and Your Children

These days, the quest for a healthy, sound diet for children seems to be in the same, if not less, importance as sticking to one’s limited family budget. Add to this the common misconception: eating healthy, they say, is nothing but a huge burden to the pockets.

Top natural health expert Dr. Joseph Mercola, however, disagrees. He asserts that it is possible for your family to eat healthy for the same or less of the budget you allot for everyday processed foods, and that there are surefire ways to keep “healthy eating” within your budget range.

Eating Organic Costs You the Same, If Not Less
Your kid’s health isn’t necessarily costly.

“Although organic food has a reputation for being outrageously expensive – and indeed, it has much room for improvement price-wise – there are many times when it is actually less expensive than commercially grown food if you just check labels and sales,” Dr. Mercola reveals.

Dr. Mercola takes off from the research on costs of organic whole foods of neuropathic practitioner Colleen Huber, which cites at least three organic food-buying groups in the Phoenix area with organic produce at only around $1.00 per pound.

Aside from noticing that the cost for a week’s worth of organic whole food groceries for a three-member family is about the same as for the “cheap” processed food, the research also shares that it might be wise to also grow one’s one own organic garden to save up on costs for a healthy, child-friendly menu.

The Budget Savvy’s Take at Healthy Eating
Dr. Mercola shares some more tips for healthy eating for the kids and family without breaking the bank:

• Plan your meals ahead. If you plan ahead of time, you get exactly what you need and prevent buying too much and promoting wastage.
• Buy whole foods that you can whip up into meals. You can actually have greater savings with this rather than foods that are pre-cut or already prepared in a box. There’s the nutritional value, too; would you jeopardize your kid’s health with MSG, carcinogens, or artificial sweeteners in processed and factory-made products?
• Ditch the junk food, please! Potato chips, cookies, soda, and other junk foods could be really tasty and appealing. But they’re expensive, too, and they spell many troubles for your kid’s health.
• Take lots of fresh veggies. Canned vegetables, as you may guess, would cost you more.
• Shop smart. Take only what you need; don’t buy on a whim or a mere instinct. Check your pantry to avoid duplicating food items.

Healthy Food Choices for Your Kids and Family
Dr. Mercola believes that healthy food choices do a lot for your children’s optimal health. Aside from having vital nutrients found in vegetables, fruits, and other organic foods, their diet should include omega-3 fats like DHA found in krill oil.

This DHA in krill oil, for instance, helps benefit your children with a healthy brain function, increased focus and concentration, positive moods, and normal social development.

He adds that the more you patronize organic food, the more you could help create a demand and thus drive down its prices. This, accordingly, will make “healthy eating” participate more competitively in the market.

But how does this eating habit eventually affect your kids’ health? The answer is distressing. Several studies have shown that consuming a lot of junk and fast food can actually result in malnourishment. Sadly, it can also make kids more moody and angry than usual and at risk of experiencing behavioral problems as they are growing up.

Eating Junk & Fast Food May Lead to Poor Anger Management in Children

Over the years, medical experts have stressed the importance of good nutrition in the early years of your child’s life. Eating a healthy diet loaded with nutrients like omega-3 fats and protein is essential to his or her optimal health and brain development. It can also help your child manage his or her anger issues and prevent hyperactivity and aggression.

Unfortunately, unhealthy foods – junk and fast food – have become a common staple of your kids’ daily diet. They are devoid of nutrients such as omega-3 fats, protein, iron, B vitamins and zinc that are all crucial for children’s brain development and optimal nourishment. Appallingly, such foods are made of preservatives, pesticides, chemicals and artificial colorings that may be harmful to the health of your young ones.

Junk and fast foods also contain a lot of sugar, which can cause children to experience abrupt mood swings and severe anger management issues. There is evidence that children are more likely to exhibit violent behaviors (breaking rules and getting into fights) when their diet consists of nutrient-deficient foods. In addition, eating a lot of sugary junk food contributes to obesity, which may lead to feelings of frustration and lack of self esteem in children.

Guide Your Children toward Healthy Food Choices

In support of your kids’ nutrition, Dr. Joseph Mercola encourages parents like you to teach your children the value of eating real, whole foods. This is a sound alternative to letting them eat potato chips and the like, which not only give them instant, temporary gratification but malnourishment in the long run.

Dr. Mercola believes that healthy meals will help your children become smarter and stronger. His recommendation is to provide them a diet that has a lot of vegetables, fruits, and other raw, organic foods that are loaded with essential nutrients. Naturopathic practitioners like Colleen Huber also suggest giving kids delicious but healthy treats like sashimi, chicken soup, and apples.

Some of the more important nutrients that should be included in your children’s diet are omega-3 fats like DHA, which are found in krill oil. DHA helps:

• Support healthy brain function
• Promote positive moods
• Increase ability to concentrate and focus
• Encourage appropriate behavior
• Sustain normal social development

To make sure that you are children are getting all these benefits, you need to carefully guide them in their diet. Providing them with healthy meals is fundamental to their optimal brain development and will help them control their anger when dealing with different situations. After all, it is your responsibility as parents to ensure that they take a step towards good health every day.

Nutrition experts like Dr. Joseph Mercola say that junk foods do not provide ample nutritional benefits for children. With the help of positive marketing campaigns, junk food may trick you into thinking that it is very advantageous for your family. The fact that it’s tasty, ready-to-eat and oftentimes cheap make it quite a tempting food option, doesn’t it? What’s more: eating junk food also gives your kid a feeling of instant pleasure. So, at first glance, it may seem that you’re giving your child a favor or a reward by giving in to his or her food cravings.

Dangers of Eating Junk Foods

But what you don’t truly understand is that, when it comes down to nutrition, junk foods are not healthful at all. They contain certain ingredients that only endanger the fitness and well-being of your children.

Majority of junk foods consist of high levels of sugar, which according to book author Nancy Appleton, can ruin your children’s health by:

• Increasing their risk of childhood obesity
• Weakening their immune system
• Causing a rapid rise of adrenaline in children, making them hyperactive
• Impairing their ability to concentrate and focus
• Inducing anxiety and crankiness in children

These are just a few of the numerous detrimental effects of sugar on one’s health. Other risks of high sugar consumption include poor eyesight and gastrointestinal tract problems, among many others.

Aside from sugar, junk foods are packed with chemicals, artificial flavors, toxic substances and extra calories that will only do the body harm. Consuming excessive amounts of these foods can make your growing children more prone to develop disease.

Junk Foods vs. Healthy Meals

Dr. Mercola notes that junk food is “not something to give to children, whose bodies are still developing and in great need of nutrients.” That’s why, he encourages parents like you to help your children avoid junk food.

His recommendation is to switch to eating healthy foods. This means giving preference to whole meals that are fortified with essential nutrients instead of processed, junk foods. Getting your kids to eat organic foods rich in nutrients such as omega-3 fats will help support your children’s brain development, increase their ability to concentrate on lessons, and boost their immune system against disease.

If you want to help your children become more intelligent and stronger and to achieve optimal health, avoiding junk foods is one healthy option that you can consider.

Extracted from shrimp-like crustaceans, krill oil chiefly contains Omega-3 fats, also known as “essential fatty acids” that your body needs for optimal function. Two types of omega-3 fats – docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) – play a significant role in supporting your child’s mental and overall health.

Unlike other supplements that help your body in producing certain nutrients, krill oil efficiently supplies you with omega-3 fats because your system cannot create them on its own.

Health Benefits of Omega 3s in Krill Oil

Several studies have found that omega 3-fats deliver many health benefits. High levels of these nutrients help:

• Boost your child’s brain development, making him or her smarter
• Support a healthy heart and cardiovascular system
• Prevent the development of cancers (i.e. liver and prostate cancers)
• Protect the body against inflammation
• Relieve depression

Antarctic Krill Oil Is One of the Highest Quality Sources of Omega-3 Fats

Omega-3 fats are naturally derived from marine sources like fish and fish oils. Unfortunately, however, because of widespread pollution in the oceans, fish is not guaranteed completely safe for consumption.

Dr. Joseph Mercola suggests that you use a high quality omega-3 supplement like Antarctic krill oil, an all-natural and stable source of omega-3 fats. Compared to fish oil that is highly perishable, krill oil’s effects last longer inside your body.

One good example of Antarctic krill formula is Kids’ Krill, which is fortified with omega-3 components like DHA, one of the main building blocks of the brain. DHA provides support for different aspects of your child’s health:

• Better cognitive function
• Improved ability to concentrate and focus
• Enhanced muscle function and coordination
• Appropriate behavior
• Normal social development
• Positive mental outlook

In addition to DHA, Kids‘ Krill comes with antioxidants that will boost your child’s defenses against disease.

On the whole, this krill oil supplement will not only aid your child to become more intelligent but to turn out healthier as well. Regular intake of it will surely produce more effective results to your child’s health.

Krill Oil and Other Natural Strategies Will Help Your Child Gain Optimal Health

Taking high quality krill oil is just one of the many strategies by which your child can be stronger and smarter. Encouraging your child to eat a nutritious diet, get regular exercise and enough sleep will help him or her obtain optimal health.

Do you want to know more about krill oil and health? Read this site for more useful information.

The reality is, inspite of the many positive claims on flu vaccine, its safety and effectiveness is still under much scrutiny in the health field.

One staunch advocate against swine flu vaccine is top natural health expert, Dr. Joseph Mercola. He says that it is more important for you to protect your children from flu vaccines than from the influenza itself.

Dr. Mercola urges that you know the facts first before getting a flu shot. Gathering enough data on it is necessary to avoid putting your child at risk.

To help you understand it even more, here’s a list of ten facts that you should know about swine flu vaccine:

1. Multi-dose vials of both seasonal and injectable H1N1 swine flu vaccines have mercury, a known neurotoxin.
    
2. Swine flu vaccine has not been known as safe to give to all pregnant women, children and adults, especially if they are chronically ill or sick at the time of vaccination.
    
3. Some swine flu vaccines contain an ingredient called Formaldehyde – exposure to which has been shown to increase your risk of developing certain cancers.
    
4. H1N1 swine flu vaccines have not been evaluated for its ability to cause cancer, damage genes or impair fertility.
    
5. After swine flu vaccination in 1976, there was an increased risk of developing Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), a potentially fatal inflammation of the nerves.
    
6. GBS and brain inflammation have been reported after seasonal influenza vaccination.
    
7. It has not been determined yet whether H1N1 swine flu vaccines can harm the fetus if given to a pregnant woman.
    
8. One H1N1 swine flu vaccine manufacturer product insert states that immune response and safety was only evaluated “in 31 children between the ages of 6-26 months.”
    
9. The live virus nasal spray H1N1 swine flu vaccine is not recommended for pregnant women, children under age two or anyone with a history of asthma.
    
10. The H1N1 swine flu influenza has not been associated with more serious disease or more deaths than seasonal influenza strains that have circulated in the past few decades.

Notice that these facts generally demonstrate the potential dangers of swine flu vaccine. They expose the premature vaccine tests that have been done, the lethal properties and ingredients of the vaccines themselves and their side effects and potential hazards to our health.

We hope these ten facts will help you decide whether or not to get your child vaccinated. Of course, if you really want to protect your child, you would know better than to subject your child to the health risks of swine flu vaccine. Making appropriate lifestyle and dietary choices sounds like an attractive idea that you may want to consider right now.

Should you want additional information on how to naturally avoid swine flu without the flu shot, visit this site for more relevant articles and tips on kids’ health.

The Lowdown on Swine Flu Vaccine

Typically when a situation like this comes around, the recommendation of most health agencies is to use a vaccine that will help your body fight against the flu. But because no vaccine has been proven safe and effective yet to prevent H1N1 virus, they looked into hygiene issues that may affect your health. For example, the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urged you to take everyday precautionary measures to help prevent the spread such as washing your hands regularly and avoiding close contact with those who are sick.

Meanwhile, natural health experts like Dr. Joseph Mercola say that swine flu vaccine is not the solution – it contains chemicals and nanoparticles that may be toxic for your health rather than protective. Their point of view is based on the results of past studies, which have discovered that ingredients of swine flu vaccine may increase your risk of cancer, brain disorders and Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) to name a few.

Stay away from Vaccines, Get Vitamin D to Prevent Illnesses

Dr. Mercola strongly believes that you don’t have to get a flu shot to avoid getting sick. You can strengthen your immune system by naturally optimizing your Vitamin D levels. Here are the reasons why:

1. Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that may relieve your pain, boost your immune system, reduce the risk of cancer, prevent multiple sclerosis, and help you avoid infections of ALL kinds.
    
2. Over 85% of Americans are suffering from Vitamin D deficiency, a condition Dr. Mercola believes to be the likely cause of the seasonal flu.
    
3. Getting Vitamin D through regular sun exposure is the least expensive action that you can take yet will benefit your health in many ways.

Dr. Mercola warns though to monitor your Vitamin D levels all the time to make sure that you only obtain therapeutic, non-toxic levels. A physician can administer a blood test that will measure your levels of Vitamin D.

Other preventive, natural strategies that he recommends include getting enough rest and exercise and taking a high quality source of animal-based omega 3 fats like krill oil.

Are you considering getting a flu shot for you and your kid? Read through Kidskrill.com to help you make a conscientious choice.

Also known as 2009 H1N1, swine flu is a new type of influenza virus that spreads from person-to-person and has affected many people worldwide. Symptoms of swine flu include fever, chills, sore throat, cough, runny or stuffy nose, headache, body aches and fatigue.

Currently, there are ongoing cases of human infection of swine flu in the United States. These have sparked panic and alarm for everyone, especially for those in schools as these places “provide the perfect environment for its [swine flu] spread,” notes the UK-based Health Protection Agency (HPA).

Practice Good Hygiene to Prevent Swine Flu

To protect your kids and yourself from swine flu, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)   has advised you to take these precautionary methods:

1. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, or with an alcohol-based hand rub.
2. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth to prevent germs from spreading.
3. Avoid close contact with sick people.
4. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue every time you cough or sneeze.

Fight Swine Flu and Other Illnesses with These Practical Health Tips

Aside from observing these proper hygiene practices, top nutrition expert, Dr. Joseph Mercola, reveals his other “secrets” for preventing flu and other illnesses:

1. Get enough sunshine to get optimal Vitamin D levels
2. Eat right for your nutritional type
3. Avoid having sugar in your diet
4. Include a high quality krill oil in your daily diet
5. Consume garlic often
6. Exercise regularly
7. Get adequate sleep
8. Address your emotional stress

Dr. Mercola recommends that you and your kids follow these simple dietary and lifestyle tips to boost the body’s defense against swine flu and other types of diseases. Getting high levels of Vitamin D is an important aspect of his recommendation as he strongly believes that this nutrient keeps your body strong against heart disease, multiple sclerosis, and other debilitating conditions. Meanwhile, he also advises that your kids consume Kids’ Krill Oil, which combines the health benefits of omega-3 fats and the protection of antioxidants.

Guide Your Kids towards Optimal Health

Make sure your kids practice good hygiene and observe these natural health tips to keep them healthy and less vulnerable against any type of sickness. That way, you don’t have to worry whenever they go to school because their body is prepared to resist infection to begin with.

Do you want to learn more about how to protect child’s health? Browse our other articles for useful tips from Dr. Mercola.