It's a hectic world.  Stress, diet and the fast pace of modern life all have an impact on your health.  You may have the anxiety of a strenuous career, a demanding family, and the hope of having some real quality time to yourself.  This all leads to challenges in having a healthy balance with your food intake. 
 
If you are like millions of Americans, you've also tried time and again to lose weight and you're still at it.  While there are a number of reasons for the lack of success, one of the most common causes is HUNGER!  In a world of empty calories and endless temptations, it's all too easy to give in to cravings. 
 
The National Institute of Health estimates that 25% - 30% of the calories we eat every day come from SNACKS.  Many of these calories are empty and unfulfilling -- leaving you wanting more.  Snacking itself isn't the problem.  In fact, frequent snacks can keep our metabolism revving at top speed, but you need your snacks to be healthy, not hollow.  So the next time you get the munchies, at least reach for foods made from whole grains and seeds.  Some refining processes strip away parts of the grain along with about 25% of the grain's protein and at least 17 key nutrients.  "Whole grain" means that all three parts of the grain (and all its nutritional value) are left intact.  Raw nuts, especially almonds, macadamians and walnuts, are very nutritious.  Walnuts may reduce the risk for breast cancer, according to research recently presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.  They are also rich in Omega-3 fats, which we all know are the good ones that we should strive to get.
 
Other good snack choices with ingredients that really satisfy you are fresh fruits and veggies.  Try to choose organic foods, if possible.  Organic products use ingredients grown without the use of conventional pesticides or artificial fertilizers.  They are also minimally processed and free of artificial food additives.  Here is a tip to help you select the healthiest produce.  The numbers used on the produce tells how it was grown.  If the first of the numbers is a 4, it is conventionally grown with pesticides, etc.  If the first number is a 9, it is organically grown.  If the first number is an 8, it is a genetically engineered product.....do you really want to eat that?