Okay, if you’re anything like me, you’ve managed to sneak a few candy items out of your child’s candy bag.  My mistake-number-one was transferring the goodies from Katie’s bag to the “candy drawer.”  Easy access for all! Daddy admitted that he has already snuck several candies…  When I asked him why, he said, “Better me than her…”  This morning, before breakfast mind you, Katie had a chair pushed across the room so she could have a piece of candy from the goody drawer.

Mommy:  Kate, you can’t have a candy treat for breakfast.  It’s not healthy for you.

Kate:  (Holding a Sponge Bob candy, with all the drama a three year old can muster)  But Sponge Bob says crab patties are good for you!

Mommy: (Contemplating…) (Contemplating s'more...)  Oh, s#*t, you got me on that one!

So, I let the little critter have candy before breakfast—I know, crazy!  But we’re back at it—tomorrow.  I am back in the healthy game, doing the grocery shopping thing.  I’ve found a few products that I love and will keep in my kitchen to help with our family’s “healthy quest.”  First off, I love almonds, and almond butter is YUMMY delicious—if you haven’t tried it, I suggest you do.  Also, it has been noted that if you are trying to lose weight, almonds can actually help you lose more weight than dieting alone… 

Another product that I just gotta have is bilberry (with lutein).  This supplement has been emerging of lately to take care of your eyes—which is why I originally bought this supplement.  At the age of 40 (okay, 41) your eyes start to do weird things, so I was all over the bilberry/lutein bandwagon.  But there was a side effect that I wasn’t expecting… ENERGY!  I’m like a sleepaholic—I can sleep anywhere, anytime…  As I’ve been improving my eating habits, I’ve noticed I have more and more energy, but Bilberry with lutein gave me a boost that I noticed the first day I took it. 

Over the last few years, I’ve tried many supplements, and if they make me tired or irritable, I stop taking them.  But what a nice surprise—the bilberry blend is good for me and it gives me a little pep.  Why would bilberry give me energy?  Hmmm…not sure.  I tried to find out—this is what I learned: Recent scientific discoveries link the bilberry fruit to therapeutic properties in blood vessel-related disorders, and it boosts the physiological processes that results in the improved integrity of capillary walls when you take it.  

Currently, it is being used to treat vascular and blood disorders, and is also a main ingredient in the treatment of many visual problems. Additionally, it has been proven effective for varicose veins, thrombosis, diabetes, macular degeneration, and angina. With all of these side effects, I’m keeping bilberry in my health arsenal!

BTW. I pick up most of my supplements from Walmart—it’s kind of a crapshoot wherever you pick up your supplements, since they are not regulated, so I tend to go with a cheaper brand that has been tested for quality—I read a lot of labels.  In the case of bilberry with lutein, I think mine cost about 6 dollars—maybe a tad more or less.