The Culprit in Your Pantry

If your child is hyperactive and just can’t sit still, the culprit may be in your pantry.  Yes it’s true that many factors play into hyperactivity but a recent study showed a link between artificial food coloring and children’s behavior.  Children aged 10 below, who were put under observation, displayed a significant increase in hyperactivity after consuming food additives, such as allura red (red #40) and tartrazine (yellow #5).

According to William Sears, M. D., coauthor of the Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood, more than all other organs, the growing brain is affected by what you eat.  He also warns that food coloring is not just a junk food.  Most otherwise nutritious flavored yogurts contain artificial flavors.

So steer clear of food dye and artificial flavorings.  Scan nutrition labels the next you shop for food.  Giving your kid the right foods may keep keep him calmer.

A Hearty Lunch After The Traffic

Hubs and I were stuck in heavy traffic yesterday after our meeting with some bank officials, so we decided to stop by a nearby mall  to have lunch.  While still deciding on where to eat and what to have, we happened to pass by an electronic shop.  Hubs couldn’t resist the temptation to check the store.  Everything was on sale – laptops, DVD players, plasma tvs, cellphones and even the XBox my son wanted so much.  I wondered why they are still on sale at this time, is it because of the economic crisis that we are still experiencing and only a few people are shopping?  But someone’s gonna be real happy this Christmas because of the new XBox. 

After purchasing the XBox, we went to a small Italian restaurant, Volare.  We ordered for all-meat pizza and Spaghetti Vongole.  Both were yummy but what I really enjoyed was the freshly-baked bread with their olive oil-balsamic vinegar dip.  The oil-vinegar combo was just right, and the Parmesan cheese made it perfect.  I am definitely going to search online for this recipe.  I ate too much but I don’t feel as guilty because of the olive oil.