Health Specialist » food

Pesticides Cause For Concern?

Health Specialist — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 08:06:27 +0000

Many people are, in my opinion, rightly concerned about pesticides. 31,000 tons of pesticides are sprayed on UK land each year. Farm workers may have direct, intense contact with pesticides, but the general population are also exposed to pesticides via residues in and on food, pesticides in the air, as a result of spraying in fields, pesticides applied to road sides to control weeds, and even pesticide contamination of drinking water. As well as the active ingredients there are also likely to be chemicals used to help the stickiness and consistency of the pesticide.

PAN UK formerly the Pesticide Trust cites studies that have shown

93 of non-organic oranges analysed contained pesticide residues
78 of apples analysed contained pesticide residues
43 of all fruit and vegetables analysed had detectable levels of pesticides
50 of lettuce contained residues from 7 or more chemical
71 of cereal bars with residues
83 of oily fish showed pesticide residues

Looking at the health risks of pesticides is difficult because many of the risks may be long term and these can be difficult to establish. There is also the problem of pesticide interaction, and the interaction of pesticides with other chemicals encountered in the environment. We just do not know enough to be certain that these chemicals are safe for us, but harmful to pests.

There are two basic types of pesticides

Organochlorides kill pests by attacking their central nervous systems. Linked to cancer, birth defects and genetic changes in animals. They are fat-soluble and stored in body fat. They are far more persistent than organophosphates.

Organophosphates interfere with nerve conduction in pests. They are the most common pesticide used today. They are water-soluble and break down rapidly.

Governments control the use of pesticides through legislation, and there are various lists of banned and restricted pesticides. Since 1993 the EU has been implementing a programme to establish harmonised Maximum Residue Levels MRLs for pesticide residues in foodstuffs sold in the EU. Once the level is agreed for a pesticide, EU member states are obliged to incorporate these MRLs into their national legislation within 12 months.

How effective is pesticide policing?

Investigations continually show that illegal and dangerous pesticides are appearing in food. This appears to be from two sources illegal use of pesticides in a country, and also the use of pesticides that are legal or unpoliced in the country where the food is grown. In 1996 a UK investigation by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food showed that over 4 of the milk supply contained amounts of lindane above the maximum recommended levels, and in 2 samples DDT was detected even though it has been banned for over 10 years. The Food Magazine, Issue 34, 1996

There are likely to be commonly used pesticides that will prove eventually to be harmful. This has happened repeatedly with problems only being scientifically pinpointed after many years of use. There is no reason to feel confident that governments have identified and banned all harmful pesticides. Surely it is better to ere on the side of safety and buy properly certified organic products?

Pesticides, Can we avoid them?

Can taking too much ginseng cause sleeping difficulties?

Health Specialist — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 06:37:36 +0000

While ginseng can be very relaxing, however, it is not the perfect herb. The risks are just as debated as the benefits are, but it is worth knowing about them before you take any ginseng so that you can be cautious if you need to be.

To start off with, there are some people who would be best to stay away from ginseng altogether anyone with a blood-related condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure, people with plant allergies, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and children. People with a plant allergy may find that ginseng makes them feel short of breath or swell up, and children should be kept away from ginseng because its effects on their developing bodies are not yet known. If you really want to take ginseng, it will probably be alright, but you absolutely must consult a doctor first.

The biggest controversy about the risks of ginseng surrounds a condition known as Ginseng Abuse Syndrome, discovered by a Dr. Siegel. He claims that taking too much ginseng can cause difficulty sleeping, all-over swelling and tense muscles. Ginseng producers and herbal enthusiasts hotly dispute these findings, but all the same, it is best to stick to the guidelines on your ginseng packet and not exceed the recommended daily dose.

As herbal supplements are not tightly regulated, it is also worth considering that what youre buying may not even be ginseng at all, or might have been contaminated somehow there have been many cases of herbal supplements accidentally getting contaminated with poisonous metals. To avoid getting fake or tainted ginseng, you should only buy from a shop you trust, not from street dealers, and avoid anything that seems suspiciously cheap or comes in unclear packaging. If in doubt, walk away over all, it is best to cheap to the larger health store chains for this kind of thing.

The Importance of Shape

Health Specialist — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 17:42:21 +0000

You may think you know when you look in the mirror, or you may be too busy trying to cover up unshapely areas to really see yourself as you are. Do you know how much fat youre carrying, compared to how much muscle? Do you know where you tend to gain weightupper body, lower body or around the middle? Until you know the answers to these questions, you are not ready to make your personal plan for losing weight and keeping it off. Understanding your body is the first step to reaching your best personal shape. As someone who teaches both doctors and the public about obesity, I believe weight loss has been overemphasized and body shape underemphasized. You have probably read about the Body-Mass Index BMI, which is a weight-to-height ratio. If your BMI is greater than 25, you are considered overweight in the U.S., and if it is greater than 30 you are obese. This ratio has been a powerful way for scientists to document the obesity epidemic in this country and its effects on health and disease. However, when it comes to you as an individual, it can be misleading. A football player can be considered overweight on the BMI scale, but if the extra weight being carried is muscle, he is not really fat. A thin woman can have a normal BMI, yet still be over-fat. So shape counts.

Shapes are personal and go beyond the usual apple and pear. Women can have three typical body shapesupper body fat, lower body fat and both upper and lower body fat. Men usually only get upper body fat. The upper body stores fat in times of stress and some people can lose and gain weight rapidly in the upper body. The lower body fat in women responds to female hormones such as estrogen and progesterone and stores fat for breastfeeding a newborn baby. Women who have both upper and lower body fat will lose their upper body fat first. Women with more upper body fat tend to have more muscle than women with lower body fat and will need more protein in their diet to help control their hunger. Losing weight is harder if you have lower body fat rather than upper body fat, but the medical benefits of losing your upper body fat are greater. Losing weight around your neck, face, chest and waist usually goes along with losing fat on the inside as well. So as you look better, you are also improving your health tremendously.

Finally, there are two more body shapes to consider The shape you can change and the shape you cant change. It is important to know the difference and work on the shape you can change, while adjusting your wardrobe and attitudes to the shape you cannot change. Due to low metabolism, many women with lower body fat cant lose weight just by cutting calories. These lower body-fat cells are resistant to both exercise and diet. Only a personalized program can help make sure you get enough protein to control cravings and build or maintain lean muscle.

Diabetes Type 1 and Type 2 Weight Loss Nutrition

Health Specialist — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 09:12:54 +0000

If you have diabetes you have to be very careful about what you eat. You need to take extra care in managing your blood glucose levels. You can do this by eating healthy, watching your diet, taking medication prescribed by a physician and getting proper exercise.

What foods should you eat? There is a food pyramid for people with diabetes. The Diabetes Food Pyramid divides food into six groups. At the top of the list is fats sweets and alcohol. Since this is the smallest group this tells you to eat very little from this section. The next group is milk, meat, meat substitutes and other proteins. On the pyramid 2 to 3 servings of milk is suggested and 4 to 6oz of meatprotein is mentioned. Then you have your vegetables and fruits. Veggies choose at least 3-5 servings per day and fruits choose at least 2-4 servings a day. The last group which you should eat the most of is breads grains and other starches. You can check with your doctor to get a copy of the diabetes food pyramid to learn more about the correct servings and portion sizes for you.

What is Type 1 Diabetes? This type of diabetes was previously known as juvenile diabetes and is typically diagnosed in children and young adults. The body does not produce insulin. What is insulin? It is a hormone needed to convert starches, sugar glucose and other foods into energy. Energy is needed for daily life activities. Type I Diabetes is a chronic condition with no cure, but the outlook for people living with this disease is far better than it was 20 years ago. There has been much advancement in medicine, research and patient education reducing disabling complications and extended the expectancies of life to those without diabetes. In other words people with diabetes 1 can live just as long as people without diabetes with the proper treatment and educating themselves on this disease.

What is Type 2 Diabetes? With type 2 the body does not produce enough insulin or the cell just simply ignores the insulin. Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes. You need insulin in order for the body to be able to use sugar. The basic fuel for your cells is sugar. Insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. When glucose does not go into the cells but builds up in the blood instead it can cause problems. The problems it can cause are over time high glucose levels could hurt your heart, kidneys, nerves and eyes. What are the most common symptoms for adults with Type II Diabetes? The answer is fatigue, blurred vision, thirst and excessive urination. Do you think you may be diabetic? Check with your doctor. With type II diabetes minor weight loss can greatly improve your blood glucose levels.

So remember if you have diabetes please be under a doctors care. Watch what you eat. Limit your sweets, fats and alcohol. You can still eat good tasting foods and there are many diabetic food recipes on the internet. Get on a doctor approved exercise program and keep track of your glucose levels. Learn all you can about your condition so you can take control of it instead of the disease controlling you.

The Quality Of Hospital Food

Health Specialist — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:58:54 +0000

In this article I write about the quality, or lack of it, in the food that is served in some of the UK hospitals. My nan has recently died in hospital which has been very upsetting for my family. She was hit by one of the famous hospital bugs and became very weak. She was in need of some decent food which would have helped to build up her strength. What she received was basically so poor and tasteless that she found it hard to eat.

Despite many attempts by various members of the family to pursuade her to eat more, she could not stomach it and kept saying that it the food had no taste and that it was disgusting. I have to admit that it was not exactly tempting when I saw what was being dished out.

In the UK we are very lucky in the standard of our hospitals when you compare it to many other countries in the world. Our country is very rich but a lot of this cash is being wasted on certain projects. Surely people in our hospitals deserve a much higher standard of food, food which they can look forward to eat.

I have recently watched a program about how Jamie Oliver is trying to improve the standard of food in schools throughout the UK. This is a very worthwhile project and as a father of two children myself, I am more than aware that the canteen food served in most schools is not up to scratch. At the schools where my own children attend, the parents have the option of paying for these meals or they can make their child a packed lunch. We choose the packed lunch option.

In hospitals there is no such option. I would have loved to have been able to cook some food for my nan, which I could then have taken to her when I visited. I would have also liked to have taken some cleaning products as the place could have done with some tender loving care as well as a lick of paint.

A message to Jamie Oliver, you are doing a sterling job but please could you turn your attention to the hospitals next!

A message to Tony Blair, stop wasting money killing our troops in Iraq and start looking after your own!

I am not trying to say that my nan would have survived if the standard of food had been better in the hospital where she spent her final days. What I am trying to say is that I hope it improves in a big way before I have to spend any time there.

How to Prevent Cancer with Proper Diet and Supplements

Health Specialist — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:32:15 +0000

By epidemiological studies and by direct trials, much evidence has by now been gathered about the cancer prevention effects of certain diet measures, of specific food sources and of specific supplements of natural substances.

GENERAL DIET ADVICES

A diet with the aim of preventing cancer is generally the same as a diet to prevent heart disease and other diseases. Here are the general diet advices

- Avoid or reduce the amount of food that are industrially processed, artificially made or heavily fried.

- Eat fish at least every second day. Also eat seafood and fouls.

- Do not eat very much red meat.

- Eat 5 fruits or vegetables each day. Each piece should be of the size of an apple or carrot. They should be raw or carefully boiled so that the nutrients are not washed out.

- Eat full corn bread, full corn cereals, peas, beans and potatoes.

- Eat just a moderate amount of fat.

. Ideally most fat you eat, should be of the type mono-unsaturated. You also need some poly-unsaturated fat of the types omega-3, and omega 6, but not too much of omega-6. The consumption of saturated fat should be moderate.

- In order to achieve right fat balance, much of the fat supply should come from a blending of sources like olive, olive oil, canola oil, nuts, nut oil, sunflower, sunflower oil, fish and fish oil.

- Use only a moderate amount of soy oil and corn oil in the diet. Only using such oil types will give you too muchmuch poly-unsaturated fat of the omega-6-type.

- Use just a very moderate amount of fat sources like butter, coconut oil and palm oil. A high consumption of these fat sources gives you too much saturated fat.

- Avoid altogether fat that has been chemically altered, giving so-called trans-fat. This type of fat is often found in margarine, cookies, snacks, fast food and other pre-made food.

- Consume just a very moderate amount of sugar, refined flour or refined cereals.

- Consume just a moderate consumption of tranquilizers and stimulants like alcohol and caffeine.

- Use just a moderate amount of salt in the food. However, in warm weather and by hard physical work, you will need more salt.

SPECIFIC FOODS AND DRINKS TO USE

Generally plants, fruits and spices with a strong colour or a strong taste have cancer preventing effects because of the contents of bioflavonoid and other anti-oxidants.

Broccoli, cabbage, mustard, kale, and cauliflower are vegetables with proven strong cancer preventing effects, probably due to the content of indole-3-carbinole.

Onion and garlic are also thought to help prevent cancer.

Whole grain and bread made of whole grain will help prevent colon cancer because of the fibre content and possibly also because of the vitamins and minerals contained.

Red peppers give a protecting effect against prostate cancer.

Eating fish, and especially fat fish, some times each week also have a protecting effect against prostate cancer.

Evidence points to the conclusion that green tea can help prevent cancer. However studies so far undertaken do not sort out all other variables that may give the same result.

Some studies have indicated that drinking coffee reduces the incidence of cancer, but others studies have thrown doubt upon these results.

SUPPLEMENTS OF VITAMINS AND OTHER SUBSTANCES

Her are listed the most important cancer preventing effects suggested by results from recent projects. However, research is going on, and these results are not yet complete or absolutely certain.

These substances give general cancer prevention effects Sulforaphanes found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables.

Colo-rectal cancer These substances help protect against colo-rectal cancer Vitamin B-6 pyridoxine, Folic acid folate in combination with other B-vitamins, Selenium, Indol-3-carbinol from cruciferous vegetables, Genistein from soy, and possibly also vitamin D. Alfa-tocoferol a kind of Vitamin E may help, but project results are not conclusive jet.

Gastric cancer Substances that may help prevent gastric cancer, and even help cure changes that can evolve into gastric cancer are Vitamin C, Beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, Alfa-tocoferol a kind of Vitamin E, Indol-3-carbinol from cruciferous vegetables, Genistein from soy.

Breast Cancer The incidence of breast cancer can be lowered by Folic acid folate, Vitamin B-6 pyridoxine, Selenium, and possibly vitamin D.

Prostate Cancer These substances may help protect against Prostate cancer Selenium and Alfa-tocoferol a kind of Vitamin E. A long study is under way, but the results from the study are not conclusive yet.

Bladder cancer The chance of getting bladder cancer is possibly lowered by alfa-tocoferol a kind of Vitamin E.

Lung cancer Substances that gives protection against Lung Cancer are Isoflavones from soy. Indol-3-carbinol from broccoli and other crusiferous vegetables, Genistein from soy and possibly Vitamin D.

Results from research projects suggest that supplements added to the diet to prevent cancer should contain many working substances derived from natural sources, and that it is not wise to use heavy doses of just one substance.

NUTRIENTS THAT MAY HAVE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT

Beta-carotene and vitamin A supplements may increase the chance for heavy smokers of getting lung cancer and other cancers caused by smoking, according to results from epidemiologic studies.

However, these vitamins in the food doe not increase this risk. It is not clear what effect beta-carotene have on lung cancer in combination with other supplements or by non-smokers. The results from these studies are also controversial.

Vitamin E supplements seem to protect against Cancer, but heavy vitamin E amounts may in fact increase the chance of getting heart problems and stroke.

REFERENCES

You can read more about food supplements and cancer prevention at these sites

The Cancer Project

National Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Restaurant Survival 4 Kids

Health Specialist — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:52:27 +0000

Weight loss can still be achieved even when dining out and busy schedules. With a little planning ahead you and your child can make healthy choices and lose weight.

Follow these tips when dining out to ensure you are on track with your weight loss goals

&61623; Avoid restaurants that give huge portions, like buffets. Huge portions mean huge calories and weight gain. Ask yourself ahead of time is it really worth it? And will I really be able to resist the extra food once I am there?

&61623; To decrease portion size, choose an appetizer as your main meal, or split an entre with another family member. This is a great way to save money too!

&61623; Ask how the food is prepared, and whether substitutions can be made. Many restaurants offer a vegetable of the day, which can be substituted in place of extra bread or potatoes. Just make sure the vegetable is not french fries!

&61623; Request that sauces and dressings be served on the side. A standard serving ladle of regular salad dressing can contain up to 250 calories and 30 grams of fat!

&61623; If you are hungry, choose a lower-fat appetizer, side salad or soup to prevent over-eating the bread or your meal. You can even request that the bread or crackers not be brought to your table at all.

&61623; Once you are full, request that the leftover food be removed from the table to prevent ongoing nibbling. Or even ask for the box as soon as your meal arrives and portion it right away.

Select items that are

&61623; Steamed
&61623; Broiled
&61623; Roasted
&61623; Poached
&61623; Cooked in tomato sauce
&61623; Served au jus

Avoid items that are cooked in or contain large amounts of

&61623; Butter or cream sauces
&61623; Gravy
&61623; Au gratin or scalloped mixtures
&61623; Cheese sauce
&61623; Fried foods

7 Top Foods to Include in your Kids Diet

Health Specialist — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:23:51 +0000

Here is a list of the top 7 healthiest foods to feed your kid and why its so healthy

1. Oatmeal A fabulous breakfast food, full of B vitamins, iron, zinc and calcium. Old-fashioned oatmeal offers plenty of carbohydrate for quick energy and high fiber. Add berries and honey to make it a delicious perfect food for those fast-paced school day mornings!

2. Yogurt Kick your child’s dairy consumption up a notch and include yogurt on the menu. A great source of calcium, yogurt is easier to digest than regular milk, and the cultures check the label to make sure they’re in there! are very beneficial to good colon health. Watch it on the sugar content though. A great idea is to buy plain yogurt and sweeten it yourself with fresh fruit!

3. Broccoli it is one of the best vegetables for anyone, especially growing kids. It has loads of calcium, potassium, beta-carotene and a wide variety of the B vitamins. If your child is not a fan of plain vegetables include broccoli in a casserole or put a little shredded cheese on top to add flavor.

4. Protein One size does not fit all when it comes to protein. The fact is that growing kids need protein to keep growing. How you’re going to give it to them can vary widely, according to your preferences. Good choices include legumes, beans combined with a grain to make a complete protein, soy products like tofu, eggs or lean meat, fish or poultry.

5. Whole Grains The best nutrition is found in whole grains. Brown rice and whole wheat bread are a quantum leap over their white counterparts and offer necessary fiber, minerals and vitamins. Choose grain products with the words whole, unbleached and intact or ground.

6. Nut Butters Peanut butter and other nut butters are great fast and easy foods for kids. Kids need fat it’s a good fat if it doesn’t have hydrogenated oils mixed in it and they need the protein. Try spreading almond or sunflower seed butter on crackers, toast or celery sticks for a quick and nutritious snack.

7. Fresh Fruit My personal choice would be cantaloupe in the melon department. Vitamin C, beta-carotene, bits and pieces of B vitamins and trace minerals and calcium fill every juicy bite. Any in season fresh fruit is sure to be packed with healthy goodness!

5 Easy Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

Health Specialist — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 03:18:15 +0000

1 Dont Skip Breakfast

The morning meal jump starts your metabolism and helps to prevent bingeing later in the day. A cup of coffee does not count the caffeine and added sugar may give you a bit of energy and suppress your appetite for a little while it is sure to back fire into severe hunger and you will be more likely to overeat later. Breakfast should include complex carbohydrates like whole grain granola or oatmeal, along with some protein and fat low-fat yogurt or milk, will keep your energy levels even and hunger in check.

2 Eat more often

Get into the habit of eating every three to four hours or at least four times a day. Eating frequently stabilizes blood sugar, when blood sugar drops too low you want to eata lot. By keeping your blood sugar stable you can control your appetite and keep you metabolic rate high. When you go many hours without eating your body will compensate by slowing down to conserve energythis effect hurts your weight loss efforts.

3 Eat protein at every meal

Protein will help to reduce your appetite, it takes more energy and time to digest, in effect you feel full longer than eating carbohydrates alone. Research shows that eating more protein can help you lose weight without cutting calories. Try these protein possibilities turkey on whole wheat; hummus and pita; vegetarian chili; fruit and nuts; or protein snack bars that contain 12 or more grams of protein.

4 Hold off on snacking

Many of us grab a snack for quick energy when we are feeling tired. But do not confuse true hunger with fatigue. If you are feeling tired go for a 15-20 minute brisk walk. This will raise your heart rate and give you a boost of energy. Follow it up with a large glass of cool water. If you are truly hungry have a protein and complex carbohydrate rich snack like; whole wheat crackers and peanut butter or cheese.

5 Consume enough for your bodys needs

Eating too little slows your bodys metabolism the same way eating to infrequently does. If you want to lose weight, do not slash your calories too drastically. Instead, cut out some of the extras in your diet things like soda, juice, packaged goods or candy. Processed foods tend to be high in fat and calories and low in vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Secret Parenting Tips on How to Teach Your Kid to be Healthy

Health Specialist — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 16:58:03 +0000

As parents, I think we can agree that when it comes to encouraging kids to make healthy choices, it’s not an easy task. So what’s a parent to do?

It begins by creating healthy choices without being too obvious about it. After all, for many kids if you say the word healthy, they’ll turn up their nose in disgust! It isn’t uncommon for kids to push aside healthy options for the “fun” food, which is heavily promoted through television.

“If I don’t buy the food they like, they won’t eat anything!” is a common myth among parents. The reality is if they get hungry enough, they will eat. You have never heard of a child starving to death because his mother refused to feed him junk food, have you?

Children will choose to eat healthy food. It’s a process that takes time and creativity. There are plenty of healthy foods that your kids can learn to enjoy. Its simply a matter of making gradual changes and allowing their taste buds to adjust to the changes. Kids are used to eating foods high sodium and fat, and need to adjust to eating new healthier foods. This process takes awhile. Making small changes to the normal routine is key.

Follow these tips to help your child make healthy choices that will last a lifetime.

1 Have healthy foods ready and easy to grab in the kitchen.
Stock your kitchen with fruits, vegetables, complex starches, yogurt and lean protein. By default you are changing your childs food choices simply because your are limiting the availability of junk food and increasing the availability of healthy foods.

Kids need an after school snack. I remember my Mom always having pre-portioned snacks ready for us and as kids my sister and I always looked forward to our after school snack of the day, it was a treat and a way for our family to bond. Try having these healthy and easy snacks ready for your kids. A smoothie with yogurt and fruit, baked tortilla chips and salsa, sliced apple with peanut butter, string cheese and crackers, yogurt with granola or salt-less pretzels with peanuts.

2 Put your kids in charge of packing their own lunch.
Make a rule that when your kid enters 5th grade they are responsible for making their own lunch and can pack anything they want as long as they pack food from all of the food groups.

This was the strategy that my Mother used. By the time my sister and I were in the 5th grade the anticipation of “being in charge” of our own lunch made us really want to do it. It was a win-win because we felt grown-up and Mom didnt have to pack lunch!

3 Involve your children in making the grocery-shopping list.
Explain that they are allowed to choose one “treat” and beside that they have to choose their fruit, yogurt, bread, cereal and type of lunchmeat they want. And they can use these foods to pack their own lunch!

On the refrigerator we always had a pad of paper with the grocery list. I remember being able to write down one treat I wanted every week as well as what flavored yogurt, lunchmeat and fruit that I wanted for my school lunch. I was given the responsibility of making food decisions for myself, which definitely helped me develop into a responsible adult.

4 Make physical activity a part of your familys routine
Be active yourself and share your activity with your kids. You can play with them, such as football, cycling, skating, and swimming or take family walks and hikes. Being more active as a family will improve physical and emotional health. Help your kids to find activities that they enjoy by showing them different possibilities.

During the summer it was a tradition for my family to go for a bike ride every Friday night after dinner. We would sing songs and plan games together; sometimes we would be having so much fun that we would be out riding until 11pm. I also remember my parents using it as a disciplinary tactic, if we didnt clean our rooms that week we would not be able to ride out bike in the street with them.

5 Have your entire family take part in preparingplanning family meals.
The more your kids can participate in family meals, the better choices they will be willing to make. Healthy eating is a family project and everyone should get involved. You can begin by choosing one night a week where the entire family can come together and prepare and eat together.

Before our bike rides on Friday we would have a family dinner night. Often the meal of choice was pizza. Together we would make a homemade pizza with pepperoni and vegetables that we would strategically place on the pizza. Sometimes we would create a model of our house, we each were able to make our bedrooms and come together as a family to the living room and kitchen.