Party food doesn’t have to be fattening. There are a number of festive, delicious-and healthful-dishes you can serve at parties and get-togethers. For instance, dishes prepared with California raisins are tangy, flavorful and provide numerous health benefits. California raisins are loaded with vitamins, minerals, powerful anti-oxidants, potassium, vitamin B6, and they are also fat- and cholesterol-free. Here is a sampling of easy-to-prepare dishes perfect for a party.

• Dinner Parties-Liven up your next gathering with Sweet and Spicy Jerk Chicken.

• Cocktail Parties-Raisins, Red Onions and Wine-seared Scallops are easy to make, full of flavor and always a crowd-pleaser.

Getting hungry? Try this recipe for Tropical Shrimp Cocktail:

Tropical Shrimp Cocktail

Dressing

Juice of one lime

Juice of one orange

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small jalapeno pepper; seeded, deveined and minced

2 tablespoons finely diced red onion

Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Shrimp Salad

16 large cooked, peeled and deveined prawns (size 16/20)

1/3 cup California golden raisins

1 cup diced fresh pineapple

1 ripe mango, diced

1 firm-ripe avocado, diced

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped mint

Lime wedges; for garnish

Dressing

Whisk ingredients together and season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until needed.

Shrimp Salad

In a medium mixing bowl, toss the prawns with 2 tablespoons of the dressing to coat and set aside. Add remaining salad ingredients except for lime wedges to the bowl and toss with remaining dressing. Cover and chill well.

Divide the chilled fruit mixture among 4 stemmed cocktail glasses or small bowls. Top with the prawns (4 or more per serving) and garnish with wedges of lime.

Salad ingredients should be prepared up to 1 hour in advance and refrigerated until ready to serve.

Serves: 4

Nutrition Facts (per serving):

Calories 240 (44% from fat); Total Fat 14g (sat 1g, mono 6g, poly 1g); Cholesterol 45mg; Protein 7g; Carbohydrates 33g; Fiber 7g; Iron 2mg; Sodium 55mg; Calcium 38mg.

Serve this Tropical Shrimp Cocktail as a refreshing starter or main course.

When I was in my early 20′s, I read Adele Davis’s book, “Let’s Eat Right To Keep fit.” I learned from her that “you are what you eat.” I also learned that our babies are what we eat while we are pregnant, and then are what they eat once they are born. If you nurse your babies, then they continue to be what you eat as long as you are nursing them. My bible during my first pregnancy over 38 years ago was “Let’s Have Healthy Children,” also by Adele Davis. I started to follow her guidelines way before getting pregnant, knowing that my health had a big effect on my baby’s health.

There is much more information about good nutrition available today, and I want to encourage anyone who wants to have healthy children to start early in learning about and implementing a healthy way of eating. Educating yourself regarding good nutrition is a major part of good parenting. However, a good rule of thumb is, if they didn’t eat it 200 years ago, don’t eat it now! This means no fast food, no packaged food – including sodas, cakes and candies – no preservatives, no fruits and vegetables grown with pesticides or artificial fertilizers, or animals grown with hormones and fed food grown with pesticides. It also means no smoking or drinking. It means no caffeine. If you want healthy children, you need to put pure, clean organic food into your body before you get pregnant and continue throughout your pregnancy. Of course, then you want to continue to feed yourself and your family clean food once your children are born.

If you are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant, you have a wonderful opportunity to lay a strong foundation of health for your child. Why not start now feeding yourself well and learning all you can about creating healthy children? You are going to be a parent the whole rest of your life. You can do so much to make your parenting experience a joyful one by taking responsibility for your own physical and emotional health before getting pregnant. If you have not been disciplined enough to eat well before getting pregnant, perhaps the idea of eating well for your child will be enough to motivate you.

It’s not as hard as you might think. It really doesn’t take much more time to eat well than to eat junk. And the payoff is huge. Not only were my three babies healthy, they were calm. They slept well and were happy children, who learned easily and did well in school. The only time they were hyperactive ? actually bouncing off walls! ? was after returning from birthday parties where they had ice cream, cake and sodas.

In my many years of counseling, I’ve often worked with parents who were struggling with their children’s behavior problems. Of course not all behavior problems are nutritional, but you might be surprised how many problems have their cause in poor nutrition. I’ve often wondered why so many people are careful to put the right octane in their gas tank but put the wrong fuel into their bodies ? and then wonder why there is so much illness, learning disabilities, and so on.

I want to tell you a little story about the power of food. We had a 6 month old golden retriever puppy who was dying of irritable bowel syndrome. He had constant diarrhea and was getting thinner and thinner by the day. We had been giving him the very best quality kibble and it wasn’t working. Fortunately we learned about raw food for dogs. Within two meals of raw food, he was completely healthy! Here I had been studying nutrition for so many years and it had never occurred to me that a dog’s natural diet is raw food! Wow, what a lesson!

Baby boomer health is a big issue for today’s seniors. Fortunately the focus isn’t so much on which of the many ailments people will be stricken with and how soon. With all of the advances that have been made in the field of medical science, people are living longer and they’re spending their later years healthier, too. That’s why much of the talk about Baby boomer health revolves around keeping mentally and physically fit.

Perhaps that’s because the one thing that has set the Baby boomer generation apart since its beginning has been the focus on the self. As this generation grows older past behaviors that may have been considered selfish or self-indulgent are being replaced with behavior that’s focused on self-preservation. And that’s a truly beneficial change, especially when you consider the impact that this generation has had on trends.

Which senior health issues matter most?

With a lifetime of focusing on the self, today’s Baby boomers place much emphasis on maintaining a youthful appearance. Fortunately they are smart enough to understand that looking and feeling good are totally within their control. That may even explain why so many older people have finally started replacing their bad habits with good ones such as regular exercise and a healthy diet. Eating right and exercising can help the body perform optimally and perhaps even more importantly, it may help reduce or eliminate the need for costly prescription medication.

Another Baby boomer health issue that has grown enormously popular is anti-aging. Baby boomers realize that they cannot stop the clock from ticking but they’re also not willing to sit back and do nothing about it either. That quest for eternal youth is what’s fueling the market for new products that promise to stop or reverse the effects of aging. Baby boomers are buying up nutritional supplements, creams, lotions, ointments, elixirs, spa treatments and more almost as fast as these products come to market. It’s a billion-dollar industry that shows no signs of slowing.

Baby boomers know too that many of their worn out body parts can be replaced, but unfortunately the costs of replacement surgery is high. Interestingly, figuring out how they’re going to afford to pay for all of the surgeries, the prescription medications and the anti-aging products that they’ve been led to believe they need is another of the big Baby boomer health issues seniors are facing. It’s easy to lose track of the fact that the quest for eternal youth and longevity is coming at a very high cost for many.

What’s the answer?

While science and technology can do a lot to enhance Baby boomer health, there’s a lot you can do without having to resort to such extreme and expensive measures. For example, you can reap tremendous rewards just by making the right choices when it comes to diet and exercise. But even protecting yourself against the sun’s damaging rays, quitting smoking and reducing stress can takes years off your appearance. So don’t wait any longer. Start taking better care of yourself today!

Everyone’s going gaga over the latest diet craze being hyped by the media or the newest workout program to hit the fitness scene. New weight loss pills are being introduced one after another and have flooded the market competing for sales. People everywhere seem to be in that “lose the excess pounds” psyche: “Thin is sexy!”. “Lean is hot!”. “Rip those biceps.” “Flaunt your abs.”

Back in the 80′s, Olivia Newton-John popularized the song “Let’s Get Physical” which promoted fitness and about the same time, physical fitness videos by celebrities flooded the market such as the legendary Jane Fonda Aerobics Videos. Even John Travolta’s dance movie, “Staying Alive” capitalized on the fact that the then-emerging star was being mentored by no less than Sylvester Stallone for his physical fitness program to fit the role to a “T”.

In today’s world where survival of the fittest becomes the name of the game, being overweight is considered absolutely unsexy. The message is clear as you see it on tv, billboards, and magazines. Has everyone gone self-conscious? Let’s face it. It’s not just about vanity or feeling good about yourself. It’s about living a healthy lifestyle. The universal need to look and feel sexually desirable just comes secondary. Whether you like it or not, being overweight is unattractive and can pose serious consequences in one’s health condition.

How true is it that for every pound you lose, the more sexually desirable you become? Though there are people who prefer sexual partners who are on the voluptous side, a great number still prefer having the right curves and bulges at the right places. However, being sexually attractive is not the only goal we need to consider. Whether you are a man or a woman, you are responsible to always keep your body in good condition, if not in perfect shape. Losing weight can improve the sexual health of both men and women. The couple becomes more aware of each others new size. Their sexual senses have become more attuned to the sexual stimuli which they receive and therefore increases their sexual pleasure. By having slimmer bodies, both the man and the woman becomes comfortable with their bodies and they tend to enjoy each other better when it comes to their sexual activities, as compared to overweight couples. It is no longer just a physical thing, it becomes an emotional factor.

Obesity and Infertility

It is believed that obesity could greatly affect male sexual health concerning infertility. According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS),”overweight men are significantly more likely to be infertile than normal-weight men, and that for every 20-pound body weight gain in men there is a ten per cent increase in infertility.” Though statistics show that women are more prone to obesity that men, still, this clearly shows that men should also take care of their weight for their health’s sake.

On the other hand, obese women are particularly susceptible to increase in blood pressure than their male counterparts. There is also higher risk of cancers such as postmenopausal breast cancer and endometrial cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Body Image and Healthy Weight

For all its worth, men and women alike should maintain an ideal body weight and image. Body image is the way we project ourselves and how we perceive and imagine the response of others. It is not inborn, therefore, we can do something about it. Healthy weight is the size which a person achieves based on the goal initially set in accordance with the person’s physical condition as determined by a medical professional.
People try to find sensible and sustainable ways to achieve and maintain a healthy weight on a long term basis. Maintain a healthy diet, exercise regularly, lead a vice-free lifestyle, and all the good things in life will be added unto you as well.

Concerned about your kid’s coughing? A warmer climate and lots of good clean air will help. Get a place near the beach with the help of a Florida mortgage refinance loan and start breathing fresh air.

How soon is now?

If your kid has weak lungs and is frequently exposed to allergens, you need a place where the air is always fresh and cool. Now is the best time to get a place near the beach in Florida. Lots of sunshine and fresh sea breeze will help improve your kid’s health. Deep breathing exercises to cleanse his lungs are important, but if he’s inhaling polluted air, he might as well stop breathing. The ideal place where he can get the freshest air all the time is a home away from heavy traffic and harmful gas emissions. A little cottage or apartment near the beach will lead him on the path to complete recovery.

Florida house developers are eager to dispose of new houses and many homeowners are looking for buyers for their soon-to-be repossessed homes. It would be accurate to say that there is no time like now to shop around with a Florida mortgage refinance loan. Check out the seaside properties and get a feel of the real estate market in Florida. Mortgage refinance companies also have online sites for you to look through. You can compare their offerings and find out if they can approve a loan to match the price of your targeted house.

A big family affair

Relocating as always is a big family affair. Everybody has to prepare for the event. Plans like when to go, documents to prepare, what to do before calling the movers, and what to take along or discard are just a few of the million things to do before you leave for Florida. You also have to explain to your kid why he has to leave his friends behind.

You can come up with ideas to make your finances less worrisome. Perhaps you can sell your present home or rent it out. The extra money can pay for the new home in Florida. Mortgage refinance assayers are available all the time to evaluate the property you are putting up for equity and this will be real quick and painless. Discuss the details of your plans with your family before you leave for Florida. Mortgage refinance company agents will also tell you that it won’t be long before the company will reach the loan decision. See your kid’s doctor and tell him about the move. Ask for a referral for a Florida-based pediatrician and request a copy of your kid’s medical records for the new doctor.

Making it in Florida

Before you have settled down, take your kid to see his new doctor. Bring along the referral and all relevant medical records. This visit will acquaint your child with his new physician and the unfamiliar environment. Don’t forget, however, to ask the doctor for lung strengthening exercises for your child, which can be done at home.

With new places to see and interesting things to do, you and your family will forget you are there for your child’s health. It will be a grand holiday year in and year out. Before you know it, your kid will have healthy, robust lungs. Your decision for a Florida mortgage refinance loan will have served you well.