Consider these three facts:

1.    Although the economy has slowed down in recent months, this does not change the fact that people still need to eat. The difference between now and this time last year is that people are looking for options that better suit their own economic needs or ones that will at least placate their fears of overspending. Either way, the vending machine is one obvious answer to the question of where to get relatively inexpensive food.

2.    People who have made a commitment to maintaining a healthy lifestyle are not likely to sacrifice this commitment even in the toughest of economic situations. If a person has decided, for example, that he or she will only eat organic foods, then he or she is most likely not going to consider any other option unless it is as a last resort.

3.    The organic food industry has been booming over the last couple of decades. It has experienced rapid growth especially in the last few years as more and more people learn about the dangers posed by the residual chemicals found on many types of fresh fruit and vegetables. The slowdown in growth that it is now experiencing is directly linked to the slowdown of the overall economy. Thus, as economic conditions improve once again, the organic food industry will likely be one area that is sure to pick up right where it left off.

YoNaturals vending has become successful by building on the concept that people want healthy food in convenient forms. This was true before Wall Street took a nose dive, and it is still true now. In fact, it could be argued that in these economic conditions people are demanding more of the convenience that our healthy vending machines are able to provide to working adults. Faced with an economic situation that demands sacrifice, health-conscious adults are turning to the vending machines that are chock full of organic and natural food options. And when you consider that even in the worst of conditions, health food vending machines are still doing well, you can only be optimistic about the enormous growth potential that will come with future economic upswings.

If health food vending is an industry that you want to invest in, then visit YoNaturals today to find out more about how to get started.

In fact, just last year, the Kaiser Family Foundation released a report concerning these very advertisements. Within the context of the study, the researchers logged over 1600 hours of children’s television that was shown on thirteen different channels (including both broadcast and cable favorites) during 2005 and 2006. Then, the scientists classified the programming by determining which one of three age groups it was intended for. Next, the scientists were able to identify almost 9000 food and drinks ads (including PSAs) that were targeted directly at children. Through these methods, the scientists determined that, in total, kids ages 2 to 7 watched an average of 12 food ads per day, children ages 8 to 12 years saw an average of 21 ads per day, and teens logged around 17 ads per day. It doesn’t take a mathematician to quickly realize that this adds up to many, many hours of food advertising over the course of a year, all of it directed towards children.

To no one’s surprise, the study also indicated that very few of these advertisements were intended to encourage children to eat fruits, veggies, and other healthy foods. In fact, almost a third of these ads were for candies and unhealthy snack foods, another third was dedicated to promoting sugary cereals, and about ten percent of surveyed food ads were for fast food restaurants. For the sake of comparison, it’s worth noting that the air time for fruits, vegetables, and dairy products were all in the single digits percentage-wise. That said, unless you plan on keeping your child locked inside of your house for the rest of his or her life, then there’s not much that you can do to keep your kid from seeing at least a few of these commercials every now and then.

However, it is also worth noting that just because your child watches the ad doesn’t mean that he or she has to become totally subject to its influence. As a parent, there are many things that you can do to counteract the influence of these ads. Start by inviting your child into the kitchen to help you plan out and prepare family meals. Teach him or her the value of a well-balanced diet and how to incorporate fruits and vegetables into your family’s mealtime. Prepare healthy snack foods for your children, and try to resist the temptation of quick and easy junk food. Finally, encourage your kids to keep up their healthy habits even when they are away from home by choosing snacks from YoNaturals health food vending machines. As a parent, you may not be able to stop the ads, but you can certainly try to counteract the influence. Do it both for their health and your own peace of mind.

Despite the good intentions of the people pushing for these bans and restrictions, many parents are still miffed about what they perceive as unnecessary government interference into their lives. In fact, parents, educators, and administrators who are pushing for these bans would do well to remember that one of the most essential aspects of gaining support for a new movement is educating people about the dangers and lasting effects of the status quo. In this particular case, those dangers present themselves in the forms of childhood obesity and the many health problems associated with poor dietary habits.

In fact, researchers are continually publishing information on the rising rates of childhood obesity in America and documenting the fact that it has now reached epidemic levels in this nation. And in relation to that increase of childhood obesity, some scientists are even predicting that this generation of children will be the first to have shorter life expectancies than their parents. Since 1974, the number of overweight children has grown by leaps and bounds. Children ages 6 to 11 have experienced a growth in numbers equal to a 382% increase, while children ages 12 to 19 have fared slightly better with an increase of 258%.

As new publications continue to document these increase in obesity among America’s children, the obstacles to enacting a ban will fade away, and many schools will join the ones that have already banned the sale of unhealthy snacks and sugary soft drinks on their campuses. However, the many parents who rely on vending machines to provide an after school snack for their child or provide a needed energy boost during a school break should not worry too much about the loss of these unhealthy snacks and sodas. Schools recognize this issues, and some schools have already introduced healthier options (like YoNaturals healthy vending machines) to replace the ones that they are taking away. As YoNaturals has proven, you do not have to sacrifice health for convenience. In this day and age, you can have the best of both worlds.

In Vietnam’s Bac Ninh Province, a supplemental feeding program at three schools which provided children two additional milk servings per day were shown to have a marked impact on children’s height and weight after only six months.  This is promising news in a nation with some of the poorest overall child nutrition rates.

Vietnam’s youngest citizens pay a price for nutrition shortfalls, including reduced physical stature.  The average Vietnamese fifteen year old is ten to fourteen centimeters shorter in height than the world average, according to the World Health Organization.  Compared to the Japanese, Vietnamese adults grow up to be, on average, ten centimeters shorter.  One Vietnamese nutrition expert noted that part of this difference is linked to the fact that, after World War II, the Japanese government put into place a program ensuring that children received extra milk rations at their schools.  Benefiting children during prime growth years, the supplemental program reaped results most apparent to those older Japanese who grew up in less enlightened and economically harsher times.

Vietnam would like to go forward with a similar public health strategy country-wide, but is lacking in necessary resources.  Their pilot program, reported on in the Vietnamese press, took place in only one of that country’s many provinces, and over a limited period.  Other provinces and jurisdictions, including that which encompasses Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), are also troubled by poor child nutrition but are unable to find funding to start or supplement school feeding programs.  This is understandably troubling to Vietnamese parents.

Are there lessons in this to be pondered by our own school and public health officials?

Certainly, proper nutrition can make a real difference in one’s early years, and this is the premise upon which the YoNaturals School Healthy Vending program is based.  Even in a land of plenty, American kids too often find themselves with few snack choices beyond ubiquitous junk foods.  A childhood of poor snack choices may too easily result in young bodies receiving less than optimal amounts of key nutrients, with a price to be paid in reduced stature and an ever-growing list of documented health concerns.

YoNaturals vending and its one-hundred plus varieties of healthy food and drink options, along with distributors placing healthy vending machines within easy reach of our school children, are making a vital difference in communities.

One lucky school at a time.

Lifestyle changes are essential for not just the adults but also the children. In fact, they are more important for the children because their eating habits are molded during childhood, so the earlier you can institute changes that will allow your entire family to eat healthier, the easier it will be to undo any damage you have already done to the eating habits of your children. The longer you wait to make changes, the more difficult it will be for the children to know, understand, and be willing to change. Children follow the things they are taught for the most part, so if you serve good, wholesome meals from the time they are old enough to eat regular food, they will not know any differently and thus will develop a taste for nutritious foods. On the other hand, if you develop the habit of allowing your young ones to eat fast foods or processed foods, they will prefer those over good, wholesome, nutritious foods.

The choices you make for your family is the most important part of your job as a mother. Children rely on you to provide them with the things they need to grow into healthy adults, and that begins with good nutrition. Contrary to popular opinion, children do not need more calories than adults unless they are extremely active, and they definitely do not need the extra sugar. Many people have been misled by things our ancestors believed concerning the dietary needs of children, but one problem with that line of thinking is the lifestyles children led in the early 20th century. In addition, there were processed foods nor was there fast food until the middle of the century, so parents knew what was going into the foods they fed their families. YoNaturals is making to effort to encourage parents to prepare natural and organic foods instead of processed and fast foods that contain empty calories.

Author: Brenda Coxe

When we make good choices in our food selections we not only maintain good healthy but we also keep our bodies trim and fit. That doesn’t mean food alone helps us do that, but it certainly helps. Good nutrition builds healthy bones, boosts the metabolism and keeps the immune system running in top condition to fight off all the diseases that attempt to enter the body. Without good nutrition to keep the immune system running properly we would have many more illnesses among the populace than we do. We cannot continue to fill our bodies with empty calories and hope to maintain good health throughout our lives. When we are young and full of energy it’s easier to fight off illnesses, but as we become older the immune system weakens if we don’t eat healthy and exercise in order to make sure it stays strong.

Eating foods that are healthy also helps us keep our energy level high, and with that we can exercise in order to ascertain we maintain our metabolism in high form to burn the calories we consume. In order to maintain current weight we must burn the same amount of calories we consume, and if a person is eating healthy foods and not consuming more than they burn, they will maintain a healthy weight and their metabolism will remain in top shape. Keep in mind that even if you stay within a certain calorie range, foods that contain an over abundance of sugar may still cause you to gain weight if you do not exercise to burn them off. It’s more difficult to burn calories from sugar than those from protein, for instance.

With the higher energy level, boost in metabolism and immune system in top condition there is little reason to wonder why eating healthy foods is so essential. The foods we eat make our bodies what they are and control every function our bodies perform. Children are especially susceptible to poor eating habits, so YoNaturals Healthy Vending is attempting to provide them with healthier choices by substituting healthy and organic snacks in their vending machines instead of candies, cakes, and cookies. Giving children the opportunity to make healthy choices means they have a better chance to grow into an adult who will also make healthy choices in the foods he or she eats.

Unhealthy eating habits also cause a breakdown in the immune system thus causing more loss of time from school or work. Only by eating the foods that are healthy for us will be able to create a body that is healthy and energetic. Even foods we once believed were healthy such as white rice, white bread, and pasta (without the sauce) have since been found to be unhealthy carbohydrates that turn into sugar once they enter the body. Nutritionists have found that healthy carbohydrates are those that come from whole grains such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole wheat pasta and other whole grain wheat products.

Even when the problem is obvious many people fail to see it. They have a compromised immune system and low energy but don’t connect it to the foods they eat. Whether it’s lack of knowledge or an attempt to run from the truth is difficult to assess, but there is little doubt among the experts that poor eating habits affect the health of everyone. If we look around we can see that overweight adults are not only less active but suffer from issues such as back problems, arthritis, heart problems, diabetes, and much more. Overweight people, adults and children, have more colds and viral infections than those who are of normal weight and eat healthy.

The problem of eating unhealthy foods has to be addressed with the entire populace if we are ever going to have children with healthy eating habits. Parents must learn to keep the junk food out of the house and limit the amount of sweets they allow children to have. If we remember the days when foods were prepared from scratch, there were very few children suffering for ADD and ADHD, so the key must lie in either the excess sugar or the preservatives in processed foods. Healthy Student Vending is making an effort to curb the problem by filling their vending machines in schools with healthy and organic snacks and natural juices instead of soft drinks. They are hopeful that in time children will learn to prefer natural and organic snacks over those loaded with sugar.

It truly is amazing how much of an impact eating well can have on your overall life outside of your meals. Just think about it – when you are hungry you tend to be crotchety and grumpy, everything tends to look worse because you are not feeling in tip-top shape, and that leads to no good for anyone. This comes about from either eating too little, or eating too much sugar and foods that will not last very long and keep you feeling full throughout the day, or those long hours after lunch. This tends to be an issue with people – they want to lose weight or fit into smaller jeans, and so they skip breakfast and they wander through the day hungry and upset at tiny things that normally would never have bothered them. Or, they eat a big breakfast because they are told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and to “make up” for it, they eat little to no lunch. It is truly a vicious cycle and it will end well for no one.

After all, when you are full and contented you are able to focus more fully on the tasks at hand and you are more chipper and in a better mood all throughout the day. Now, of course the opposite can be said for if you over eat – going to any extreme when it comes to diet and eating is never a good idea. The fact is, your body needs balance to be contented and this relates to the food put into your body just as much as it does to the exercised you put your body through and the love you feel in your heart and how hard you work for your brain. The entire human body works together as a single unit, and giving yourself proper fuel is what keeps that machine working together at its optimum potential.

This is also why you need to make sure that you get plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet, since your body uses food like theses more readily than over-processed fast foods and junk foods. Keeping your body working at its optimum capacity is what keeps you feeling happy and contented in your mind, keeps your head working quickly and efficiently, keeps your mood elevated and keep you happy all around. If you’re lucky enough to have a YoNaturals healthy vending machine in your workplace then your task is made much simpler as you will have their organic fruit juices and snacks to choose from. Yet even if you are not lucky enough to have such options, you can still pack yourself apples and carrot sticks to munch on, rather than French fries. Stick with this kind of eating for even a week, and you are sure to see a difference in your mood. That happiness, rest assured, will keep you coming back to healthy and nutritious fruits and vegetables all day long!

You teach your children that they should eat fruits and vegetables every day. You ensure that their dinners and breakfasts involve as many of the major food groups as they can, and you always have apples and oranges available as a midday snack when your kids return home from school. The push to eat healthfully is stronger than ever today, as children are suffering from an extreme rise in obesity and are beginning to suffer problems like diabetes that, in another age, used to be a disease for middle-aged adults. The push for healthy eating should, therefore, be stronger now than ever, and your whole family will be happier for you having taken the step to teach and encourage healthful eating within your home.

Have fresh fruits in whole-grain oatmeal in the morning and your children – as well as the adults in the household- will be getting a very nutritious and filling meal on not a lot of calories, that will keep them going for their busy mornings. Cut up some tomatoes in scrambled eggs, and vegetables as well as proteins will have been ingested by your family to give them the energy they need to concentrate in school and do well on their tests and in their study groups. The same can be said for you adults, who will be able to face those early-morning meetings with more energy than a standard cup of coffee could ever provide.

Eating well does not have to be hard, but it often seems to be a very scary prospect for individuals, who seem to fear that they will not be able to eat all the healthy foods that they are encouraged to ingest every day, in the quantities that they are encouraged to eat. However, the fact of the matter is, is that eating healthfully does not have to be hard and it does not have to be stressful in the least bit. Adding a little bit of fruits and vegetables to your everyday meals is all it takes to ensure that you will be eating all the right nutrients that will help your body to exist and function to the best of it abilities.

Also, should you just not have time one day to make yourself a healthy lunch, or even a healthy breakfast for that matter, you can cross your fingers that your children – or even your workplace – may offer you the convenience of YoNaturals vending machines. Stocking organic fruit juices and organic snacks, the foods you find in these vending machines is a far cry from the junk foods that is generally found in the world of vending machines lunches and vending machine eating in general. So if you have to spend some cash, but still want to eat healthy, make sure you do it at a YoNaturals vending machine.

It cannot be denied that more and more Americans are getting heavier by the year. We seem to be wholly unable to stop gaining weight, let alone start losing some. The key here is to change the way that weal look at food, and think about how we feed our bodies. Eating several small meals throughout the day is commonly seen to be much more effective in aiding weight loss and maintaining general overall health than eating three “square” meals a day. This style of eating also makes the thought of going organic much less daunting.

After all, surely everyone can handle the thought of buying organic, raw almonds to munch on as a midmorning snack or to sprinkle in your bowl of organic oatmeal in the morning. Surely we can see five organic bananas to last the entire week as a kick-start to the workweek mornings with your daily cup of coffee. A loaf of bread made from organic wheat – large enough to last the week and then some – is surely seen as a possible purchase when paired with organic lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, and cheese as a healthy and filling lunch that you can every day?

Changing the way we look at food and think about how we feast is definitely imperative to stem the obesity epidemic that is seizing America , and integrating more organic foods into our diets will also serve to make us healthier in ways we cannot see, but can surely feel. Keeping the pesticides associated with conventionally-farmed foods out of our bodies will do wonders in keeping us healthy and feeling great.

So see what you can do about making some small changes in what you buy at the grocery store and how much food you buy for the week. You will benefit your body and the rest of the world in going organic and eating a little less at each meal. Help YoNaturals make the planet a better place to live.