Are you tired of eating junk food all the time? Have you found yourself craving something, but couldn’t quite put your finger on what, and that craving still hasn’t been satisfied despite everything you’ve eaten? It’s time to put some healthy foods into your diet!

Throw out all the junk food. I hear all the gasps out there. Junk food is exactly what it’s called—junk. It’s bad on your body and it’s terrible on your teeth. So get rid of it. Go through your cabinets and throw out every single piece of junk food you’ve got—potato chips, candy, ice cream, snack cakes. Get rid of it all!

Replace sodas with 100% fruit juice and/or water. Not only are most sodas loaded with caffeine, but they’re full of empty calories too. Get rid of that junk! Buy a 24-pack of bottled water instead. Stock your fridge with fruit juice, too, for those times when you want something with a little flavor.

Add one new vegetable to your diet every third meal. Most families these days only get one good meal a day—dinner. And if you don’t cook then that means your children are only getting one good hot meal at school. Shame on you! Start cooking dinner every night and include one new vegetable every three days. This way, you’re slowly adding in vegetables and your family won’t be overwhelmed with the change.

Introduce fresh fruits. Now that your cabinet is cleared of junk food, you should replace all that with fresh fruit. Apples and bananas are, of course, most popular among kids. Kiwi, cantaloupe, honeydew melon and watermelon are among other favorites. Grapes and peaches are terrific fresh fruit for on the go.

With just a few small, subtle changes over time, you can create a healthier diet for you and your family!

Depression seems to be something that a large number of Americans are dealing with lately. But do you know the early warning signs of depression? Could you spot them in someone else if you needed to? Here are some signs of depression to be alert for:

1. Extreme moodiness – Mood swings are normal for some people. However, someone who is depressed may experience a huge range of varying emotions. They may be happy and laughing one minute and crying or screaming at you the next.

2. Anger – Depression has been known to cause great anger in its victims. If someone seems to be unable to control their anger, it could be a sign that they are dealing with something much greater than anger.

3. Risk taking – Depression causes some people to take risks unnecessarily. These are often life-and-death situations, where the person puts their life in immediate danger.

4. Uninterested in normal activities – When a person is fighting depression they tend to pull away from things they once enjoyed. They no longer enjoy doing the simple things, let along hobbies or any other extracurricular activities they once enjoyed.

5. Low self-esteem – Depression sufferers usually tend to be those who have extreme low self-esteem. These feelings of unworthiness and loneliness feed into their depressive state.

6. Contemplating suicide – Thoughts of taking their own life often comes up in conversation. It has been said many times that those who talk about suicide rarely follow through with it. But you should always be cautious if you hear someone who seems to be depressed mentioning death.

Fear is a powerful emotion that controls so many people. You can remove that fear from your mind and life, though. Start by using meditation techniques.

If you aren’t familiar with meditation, it is just a simple way to harness your mind and energy so that you can focus it on more positive, productive things. Fear has a way of scattering your thoughts, so meditating can be extremely helpful in alleviating fear.

First, it is important to remember when meditating to focus on anything that is calm and peaceful to you. The purpose of meditating is to bring your thoughts under subjection. Focusing on something that makes you feel calm will help you do this.

Second, practice saying positive affirmations as you meditate. Repeating these positive affirmations helps you focus on the good things again. It focuses your attention on the things that make you feel happy and peaceful. It distracts you from thinking about the things that cause fear in your mind.

Third, allow yourself to be placed in fearful situations for a small amount of time. By placing yourself in that situation where you feel afraid, you help yourself to see that there is actually nothing to be afraid of.

Finally, visualize yourself in a fearful situation. Imagine yourself being calm through the entire thing. Place yourself in that place in your mind. Go there and find out exactly what makes you so afraid. As you begin to feel that fear rising, start to imagine yourself being calm. Focus on that calming image, if you have to.

Fear is a powerful force and you are the only one who can overcome it.

Do you experience joy in your life every day? Are you able to find joy and happiness in all the little things in your life? Or do you constantly seek for more and more? Finding joy and happiness every day will lead to a peaceful, contented way of living. When you can do this, you’ll experience more joy and happiness than you ever thought possible.

Try these tips if you are struggling:

Focus on your life – Sometimes we get wrapped up in what everyone else has. Don’t allow yourself to watch other people and become jealous over their good fortune. We all have equal opportunity and your life is what you make it. So make it a joyful one.

Focus on all the things most important to you – Forget about all the stuff that makes you feel stressed. Stop worrying about everything that is beyond your control. Now start focusing on all the things that mean the world to you—family, friends, work, church, community.

Enjoy special moments with your loved ones – We all know how fast time passes. One minute we’re newlyweds, the next we’re in a retirement home. Why waste any of those precious moments not experiencing joy and happiness? Enjoy every moment you have with your friends and family.

Revel in the tiny things you’d ordinarily overlook – Nothing compares to a quiet morning on the front porch swing with birds tweeting. Or a walk through the woods with your digital camera around your neck. Remember to soak up these wonderful moments as often as possible and feel the joy that comes from them.