July 2019 Newsletter
July Video Tip Clip: Sweet Treat
Kristin serves up a delicious low-carb dessert recipe to provide some sweet relief when cravings threaten to derail your diet. Click the picture above to view the video!
Dodgeball 4 Life
Researchers from Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia recently claimed that Dodgeball teaches students to dehumanize one another, and is more of a tool for bullying and oppression, than a game. If you follow our Facebook page, you may have seen my commentary attached to the original Fox News article on June 6th.
Kristin and I have two little boys, Caleb and Parker. At 5 and 3 years of age they’re just beginning to explore organized sports. They participated in indoor t-ball early this past spring, have just now begun outdoor soccer, and will be trying out wrestling this fall. I fully expect plenty of participation medals…and at this early stage of athletics, that’s fine. I also have little-to-no problem with not keeping score…at this early stage.
That being said, I believe keeping score is healthy for children. Knowing that you tried your hardest and still lost builds character. Arnold Schwarzenegger once said “Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.” Knowing that you lost because you DIDN’T try your hardest teaches an even more valuable lesson! Our 30th President, Calvin Coolidge said “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” So if our children didn’t give it everything they had, lose, then learn to persist…to try harder next time…then we are grooming them for a successful and fulfilling life. If we coddle them and pretend there’s no such thing as winners or losers, we’re doing them a disservice.
All sports present participants with a challenge that must be overcome. For a marathon runner, it is the obvious 26.2 mile run. For our Huskers, it’s the defensive line between them and the end-zone. In Dodgeball, it’s the almost poetically simple task of working with your team to systematically eliminate your competition…on the literal other side of a line. The parallels that can be drawn between this game and the real life experiences our children will face as adults are incredibly easy to see. Want your business to dominate the market? You take out your competition! Heck, turn on the Discovery Channel and you’ll see African lions attacking their prey in a similarly coordinated attack. If even a pride of cats can figure out the benefits of teamwork…surely we can see value in it as well!
Your children (and ours) will all be faced with adversity in school, business and life. Will they be prepared to overcome it, or will they surrender in defeat? It’s up to you.
IT. IS. UP. TO. YOU!
Yours in health,
Robert Kennedy
President & CEO
We think you’re the best! If the feeling is mutual, please tell the world!
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Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint
Ingredients
1 pound (453g) peeled, seedless watermelon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 small (27g) red onion, very thinly sliced
3 tablespoons (44 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest, finely grated
2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
Black pepper, to taste
3 cups (2 ounces/57g) arugula or baby spinach
1/3 cup (38g) crumbled feta cheese
4 tablespoons (5g) torn fresh mint leaves
Directions
Cut the watermelon into 1-inch cubes. Sprinkle with salt and place in an even layer in a large zip-top plastic bag. Press out as much air as possible and lie the watermelon flat in the freezer. Place a few items on top to weigh the fruit down (such as bags of frozen vegetables). Freeze for 2 hours.
Meanwhile, soak the sliced red onions in a large bowl of ice water. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, zest and honey. Slowly whisk in the oil and season with pepper.
Remove the watermelon from the bag and transfer to a large serving bowl. Drain the red onions, pat them dry and add them to the bowl. Add the arugula and dressing; toss to coat. Sprinkle the cheese and mint over the top of the salad and serve immediately.
Nutrition Information
Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 2 cups
Per serving: Calories: 132; Total Fat: 10g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 6g; Cholesterol: 11mg; Sodium: 410mg; Carbohydrate: 15g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 14g; Protein: 3g
This recipe courtesy of: MyFitnessPal & Healthy Nibbles and Bits