What Is Wrong With Children Today, In My Opinion, Part One

Many parents are already addicted to the salt, sugar, caffeine, and artificial flavors of all the prepackaged and fast foods that have flooded the general population and they in turn feed it to their children. Doing so virtually ruins any chance they have of ever enjoying the wonderful benefits and flavors of natural foods.

There was a time when parents understood that it was important to feed children real food. Today, thanks to marketing, laziness, and social brainwashing, our children are suffering. Almost from infancy, they are filled with empty, and unnecessary calories. Crying must mean hunger right? Plug up the mouth and stop the noise. Put the babies to bed sucking on a bottle, by doing this you as a parent create an emotional imprint, it becomes a form of 'self' soothing with food. It's no wonder so many people are triggered to run to food when life is unfair, or they are under stress, they have been programed from the crib. Feeding them in your arms, and then laying them down, and letting them cry a little has a different imprint. They were comforted and fed by someone. Now it is time to be alone and it is okay, any fear that may be causing distress can be soothed by remaining close to your baby. Lullabies were created for this purpose, a soft voice, a soft pat on the back, or a rub let's them know you are there. Anything, other than more food.

Candy, crackers, chips, cookies are all used to stop a child from fussing by many parents. Again, it is emotional imprinting, and it revolves around eating, only now it is also 'rewarding' unacceptable behavior with food. Unacceptable behavior should have an unpleasant consequence, not a bribe from parents. Candy, crackers, chips, cookies are also used as a reward for a job well done by many parents Why? A child should receive praise for a job well done. It really is all they want from you.

No wonder there is rampant lack of self control in children today, make no mistake here, I am not saying this is the only reason for a lack of self control.

I do find it interesting though that we never heard of ADD/ADHD or juvenile diabetes, and childhood obesity when parents did not have all the processed foods to feed the children. Sure there were always a few 'chunky' kids who were usually stuffing their faces with something, but as far as the majority of the population, kids were lean and toned and they had energy to run and play. Goodness knows that today, as a society, we can not blame the parents. No, that would be politically incorrect I'm sure. The sad truth is, and always has been that it starts at the home.

My children did not eat super sweet foods and never candy. They occasionally had chips, crackers, or cookies (always homemade with oats, fruits or nuts), as a treat/snack, not as part of the meal (or as a 'reward' if they ate). They had julienne vegetable sticks and sliced fruit with their sandwich and they ate them. Why? It is all that I would give them. This way of eating has been proven to keep blood sugar balanced and energy levels up. I knew one day they would venture into the world beyond my protection. I was IMPRINTING GOOD HABITS, and I only had a few short years to do it. People were always justifying wanting to feed the junk foods to my kids, completely dismissing the fact that my kids were not 'feeling' deprived. My kids would scrape off the frosting from birthday cakes, their choice, it was too sweet, and to them it was gross. Why? Because I stood firm in my commitment to develop in them a desire for real food, and to this day, they acknowledge how bad they feel when they make poor choices of food, and how much better they feel when they eat the way Mom fed them.

Part Two: I will address 'possible' solutions to turn kids around when it appears to be too late.

We must begin at the beginning. In the beginning was a garden and everything needed to sustain life was within the Garden. I am a grandparent, I want my children's children to know the lessons and not repeat the mistakes. I see them, I talk to them, I tell the stories.

I have a website and a new t-shirt line to help raise awareness of how critical REAL FOOD is. Your support enables a voice to be heard all across the world. http://eatingrainbows.net/eating_rainbows_t-shirts.

Original article

No Child Is Born To Be Fat

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. How much more stubborn are humans than horses? Natural selection has kept the balance in every area except humanity. Survival of the fittest, that is nature's way. There is no weak link allowed in nature, disease kills the weak, and makes any survivors that much stronger or resistant. Humans once endured the same hardships as every other life form does in nature. Humans however, developed systems to avoid 'natural' selection. In doing so, they also allowed the regeneration of weak DNA, resulting in chronic health issues passed from one generation to the next. Life is now sustained regardless of physical condition. To complicate the situation further, they have added excessive creature comforts, and the masses have taken full advantage.

For reasons that I have my own opinions of, the medical community has educated the masses that heredity is to blame, and to a degree it is. The actual truth, is the diet of the parents and what they are feeding the children is the 'heritage' that is being passed along. Over feeding, or poorly feeding anything, does not make for a healthy life. Human, animal or plant. It has been proven over and over. Education is not working, you can find the information everywhere and most of it is free. I teach classes and my classroom is empty. I've heard all the excuses.

A human child's body needs specialized calories (energy), it needs specialized nutrients, (a variety of foods, not just starches and sugars). It needs water, not soda, not powdered mixes, and not 'juice drinks'. It needs to run and play in the outdoors. They need to get dirty, they need to get scraped and scratched (to build the immune system). The highly marketed 'fear' of germs 'campaign' that has saturated the airwaves for decades, and the unnecessary food products consumed (also marketed for generations), have parents believing a sterile environment is good for kids. At the same time, they think they can 'grow' a healthy body with artificial food and a vitamin pill.

Everything involving childhood obesity is connected to overfeeding or poorly feeding and a lack of activity, especially the outdoor kind. A healthy, muscular, body requires the 'nutrients' to build one. A healthy body starts with the immune system, (white blood cells that locate and destroy anything abnormal) nothing to fight=failure to function (autoimmune disorder). A healthy body mass requires protein, no protein for building muscle= fat. Muscle won't develop if there is no physical activity. Carrying around fat, will build muscle in the areas supporting the weight. Look at any fat/obese person who is still able to walk and check out the calf muscles. Next ask the ones on 'disability' and riding scooters if it is because they blew out their knees, or backs carrying the extra weight. 100% will say yes, to one or both conditions. Finally, there is no getting around it, calories that are not used are stored, as fat, period.

I am here to help parents, if your child is 1-10 years old, it is not too late. If they are 5-10 years already, the self esteem alone, will be so worth the effort.They will thank you in the end, that I promise. For more information or to schedule a consultation please visit. http://eatingrainbows.net/consultationsclassescookbooks

Original article

What's Wrong With Kids Today, In My Opinion - Part Two

In Part One, I exposed several ways that parents have perhaps unknowingly contributed to the health issues facing our kids today. If you have not read it, please do so before you read this.

Today in America our children are plagued with chronic health conditions including Colds, Allergies, Asthma, Ear Infections and Tooth Decay. As well as, Behavior/Learning Disorders like ADD/ADHD, and Eating Disorders, primarily Anorexia, Bulimia, Diabetes and Obesity. All linked to processed foods and poor nutrition while parents are not being accountable.

If you are dealing with a child who has become addicted to processed foods, it will be like doing a drug rehab. I am sorry, but that is the sad truth. Children are like sponges and even when you squeeze out as much as you can, they will still hold the imprinting unless they are left to 'dry out'. Information can only do so much. Action must follow. That means that you, as a parent can no longer continue to provide the poor choices. It also means that they will sneak over to a friends house and get it anyway (depending upon age). They will be surrounded by it everywhere, and your home should be the sanctuary. As the authority, it is up to you to eat the same foods that you are expecting them to eat. Don't fool yourself into thinking you can hide it from them either. Just like kids find the loaded gun, the booze, or the drugs that some parents think they so cleverly hide or lock up. They will find the snack stash.

If you are somehow under the delusion that it is 'bad parenting' to deny a child what it wants, you need to get help first. No child will starve itself, and missing a meal due to stubbornness won't kill them. You are not being cruel, and CPS will not come banging at your door. Parents often create picky eaters by giving them the option to be picky, in the first place. No child under the age of 6 should be choosing in the foods they eat. Parents should be noting which 'good food' they enjoy and serving it to them, as a portion of the entire meal.

Expect tears and fits, whatever the child is use to doing, in order to get the 'reward' (food) from parents in the past. If you are easily embarrassed, grow up! If they throw a fit take them aside and deal with it. This is your child, disciplining your child is good parenting. Discipline does not mean punishment. It is defined as an activity, exercise, or a regimen that develops or improves a skill; training. I left an entire cart of groceries in the store, apologized to the people who had to put all the food back, plopped my sons who would not stop arguing into the car and went home. That night, we had peanut butter sandwiches and green beans. I told them we could have been having meatloaf (their favorite), but they would not behave, so it had to stay at the store. The next trip to the store they remained quiet and were very excited to know that meatloaf would be dinner this time.

An excellent activity for getting kids to eat real food, is allowing the child to prepare part of the meal. Discuss the importance of the food and why it is necessary to eat it. How does it help the body grow? Why does it help keep illness away? Make the food into fun shapes or funny faces on the plate. When they are eating something they claim to not like, watch the child, the gag reflex can not be faked. You can see it at the bottom of the neck, the muscle will push food back up. Never force the food to be eaten, encourage and experiment with it.

Many 'overeating' habits are formed by parent forcing kids to eat, or finishing everything on their plates, often with a bribe of dessert (imprinting). This is not necessary, just don't 'reward' a child who will not eat real food, with a snack food later. Always give small portions on a big plate. This forms a mental thought process of perhaps not having enough to eat. If the meal is not finished and not being hungry is the reason. Let them leave the table. Put the plate in the fridge. If 'hunger' arrives later, and a snack is requested take the left over food from the meal and offer it a second time. If they are suddenly not hungry again, dispose of the food, in front of them. and Inform them that there will be no more food that night, then let them go to bed without eating. By morning they will most likely eat a better breakfast. Stay strong, do not be an enabler.

Enabler: one who enables another to persist in self-destructive behavior by criticizing or rescuing.

We must begin at the beginning. In the beginning was a garden and everything needed to sustain life was within the Garden. I am a grandparent, I want my children's children to know the lessons and not repeat the mistakes. I see them, I talk to them, I tell the stories.

I have a website and a new t-shirt line to help raise awareness of how critical REAL FOOD is. Your support enables a voice to be heard all across the world. http://eatingrainbows.net/eating_rainbows_t-shirts.

Original article

Causes of Childhood Obesity and How to Avoid Them

-One of the more prominent causes of childhood obesity is good old mom and dad.

Yes, it's true our children learn a good part of all their behavior and develop future habits from their parents, relatives and friends, especially when they are very young. Their eating habits are no different, in fact healthy eating habits or the lack thereof, more than any other behavior...starts at home.

-If you allow your children to dictate the rules, the results will not be good.

They certainly will not always do as you ask, but monkey see, monkey do. If fruits and vegetables and other healthy foods are a staple in the home, they'll pick up on it. That's not to say we need to eliminate all the goodies, we all need those from time to time. We just need the basic framework to be in place

Other Causes of Obesity

Unhealthy eating habits learned at a young age, while certainly a root cause of obesity for some kids, is not the sole cause for many others. Physical inactivity is also a large contributor in many children. Video games and obesity unfortunately can often go hand-in-hand.

With all the unbelievably realistic video games, movies, and constant new additions in electronic devices, it can be tough to get off the couch, for adults as well as for the kids.

How to Escape the Effects of Childhood Obesity

Well, number one of course is to set a good example. They learn from you, so do your best to show them the importance of physical activities, and how much fun they can be. Take the family biking, camping or hiking or even just a walk. Any number of fun physical activities should be a regular part of the family routine.

While it's true that many children are picky eaters, they learn from us what is healthy and what they should be eating. To avoid the causes of childhood obesity, the rules of healthy eating and the importance of a balanced healthy diet must start young, and the sooner the better.

If your child is overweight, let them know they are loved and appreciated no matter what. If they eat healthy and continue to be physically active, they'll grow up healthy and happy and the weight will usually stabilize. If not, it's all the more important our kids know that they have our acceptance and approval.

Where to Start?

-Again, show them how much fun being physically active can be, the key word being "fun". Children should get a minimum of 1 hour of physical activity each and every day. Shut off the computer and take them to the park or ball field if you have to!

-Limit television and computer time, it's really a must these days.

-Make sure to provide a balanced healthy diet for the family, and keep plenty of healthy snacks on hand so when they do get hungry, and you know they will, the right stuff is available and handy. A bowl of apples, oranges and believe it or not, even carrot sticks will disappear fast when young stomachs growl.

-Eat meals at home and as a family as often as you can, where you can guide their food choices to healthy ones.

-Don't allow foods or snacks of any kind when watching TV. If the kids need a snack, eat it in the kitchen, a habit that will serve them well in the future. Never use food as punishment for your child's bad behavior, or as a reward for good behavior, it sends the wrong message.

-Avoid all sugary drinks if possible, encourage water as the drink of choice. It will save their teeth, their waistlines, and your pocketbook...not to mention their health!

The habits that are formed by our kids as children, will follow them throughout their lives, try to make them healthy habits.

Remember that 70% of all overweight or obese adolescents will become overweight or obese adults!

http://www.health-stories.org/balanced-diet-for-kids.html deals with a wide range of health and fitness issues, from obesity and
a balanced diet for kids -to a simple, healthy eating plan we can all feel good about.

*Copyright: You may freely republish this article provided the text, author credit, the active links and this notice remain intact.

Original article

5 Things Everyone Needs to Know About Helping Young People With ADHD

Sometimes it is hard to know where to start when supporting young people with complex needs, including those who have Attention Deficit Disorders. When my colleague Jo Steer, a Clinical Psychologist, and I sat down together to reflect on our years of working with young people, and their families and schools, we realized that all our 'success stories' had a few common themes. Those times when things worked best, we had dealt with the complexity by providing support from multiple directions. They were also the times when we took the 'onus' of making changes from the shoulders of young person and shared the responsibility for success between all of those on board - teachers, parents, professionals AND the young person.

The 5 'secret success' elements we identified will not surprise you, and in fact many people use these strategies every day. However we found that once we put them down in writing, they helped us to create a format for designing our support packages. When working with families and schools, we now make sure that we had at least one action point in each of these areas.

Understanding is the key: Providing support to young people is all about forming positive relationships, and relationships will struggle without understanding. It is important that adults learn about ADHD and also how it impacts on the young person as an individual.

Adapt the environment: ADD/ ADHD impacts on many areas of function, and often creates a very real disability for a young person. Changes to expectations and support need to be made in order to enable engagement, participation and learning. There are many effective ways to structure the environment and tasks in order to provide scaffolding and maximize performance.

Teach skills: Sometimes we get stuck dealing with problems and crises and overlook opportunities to teach skills that can make a real difference in day to day life. Skills can also enhance self-esteem and protect against the experiences of repeated 'failure' that are unfortunately all too common for kids with ADHD.

Make the young person an active partner: The direct involvement and participation of the young person is often what leads to real and sustained progress. This is particularly essential during the teenage years and ensures that individuals learn life-long skills in helping themselves.

Consider changes to the system: Strategies that work well for kids with ADD/ ADHD often work really well for all young people, and therefore implementing changes across the family, school or sports club is very likely to have benefits for all!

In upcoming Article I will share some more strategies as we look at each of these 5 areas in a little more detail.

Kate Horstmann is an occupational therapist working in the Evolve Behavior Support Team, Disability Services Queensland, Australia. She has over ten years' experience of working with children and adolescents with a range of difficulties including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, autism and developmental disorders.

Original article

Why Should If Care If My Child Is Fat, Overweight, Or Obese? What's The Difference?

How can we help our kids lose weight? Is it important that they slim down? Yes! It is vital that we "cut our kids down to size!" Extra calories are creating more than plump cheeks and chubby bodies. Unneeded calories are jeopardizing our children's health. Instead of worrying only about how to pay for college, add weight reduction as an important responsibility in the stewardship of your child's future.

Statistics show that overweight or obese children typically grow up to be overweight or obese adults or raise overweight or obese children who grow up to be...well, you get the idea. Part of the problem is certainly heredity. Our children may be born with an inner metabolism that predisposes them to weight issues. However, the eating habits they develop as children are often more to blame than their inherited tendency to be overweight.

Adults often don't know the basics of good nutrition which will lead to a lifetime of weight management. (This is why most adults are also overweight.) Many of us were raised by parents ("or parents who were raised by parents") who lived through the Great Depression of the 1930's. The memory of bread lines and inadequate food supply has haunted their memories and they have developed attitudes about making sure they, and their children, get enough to eat.

After World War II when goods and foods, and the money to buy them, became abundant for so many people, there was an understandable desire to "live the good life". Women went to work leaving little time for food preparation... and the ready-made-meals industry was born! It wasn't until high-tech medical tools for research were developed in the late 50's and 60's that scientists began to uncover the relationship between what we eat and our health. (Remember the "damn the egg" move of the 60's? The relationship between eggs and cholesterol became routine conversation.)

It took several decades, however, for over-consumption of fats, sugar, sodium, and calories to deliver the brunt of their effect. We became a nation of obese people with heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. We are now in the "enlightenment" phase. We see the damage excess food habits and sedentary lifestyles have produced.

Start today to educate yourself and your children as to the problem (obesity is making us sick), and the solution (exercise and eating the right foods at the right times and in the right amounts). Our health as a family and as a nation depend on it!

Sue Bristol, R.N. says: "lose weight and lower your BMI"

Here's the "Secret Weight Loss Diet" that virtually EVERY successful dieter uses. (Whether or not they are even aware of it!)

Click Here to get your Free e-book, which will give you the "Weight Loss Secret" You don't need to be overweight: how to lose weight

There is One Correct Diet

Original article

The Psychological Effects of Obesity and Bullying in Children

An obese child is more likely to be bullied than a normal weight child, declares Dr. Julie C. Lumeny, researcher in a 2004 study of boys and girls who fit the definition of obese, which is a category step heavier than the overweight category. She determined that it made no difference at all if an obese child was black, white or Hispanic, or male or female. Rich or poor, or A and B students alike are bullied if they are obese by 1.2 times more than normal weight kids.

We must try to have a basic understanding of what these young people have to bear in order to change this condition in homes and schools. Yes, some of the bullying comes from the home, as ignorance in parents and siblings persists.

As a result of just being obese, a child may feel depressed, anxious, socially isolated with low self-esteem and forced into functioning at a lower level. But, couple these disastrous conditions with intense emotions felt as a result of bullying of all kinds: bullying is for him/her a daily endurance of name-calling, teasing, ganging up, humiliation and ignoring. Victims without a doubt, they become perpetrators in order to defend themselves: this is one more layer of hardship for them as now they are not only offensive but defensive. They should feel safe and secure at home and in the school-yard, yet both can be battlegrounds. And sometimes, even the most dedicated of helping hands can be detrimental if they are showing, nationally, pictures of obese children with unflattering labels across their bodies.

It is not new information that overweight children are at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and high blood pressure, high cholesterol, dyslipidemia and type 2 diabetes, compared with normal weight children. Also easy to believe is that an overweight child advances into adulthood carrying his obesity with him. A conclusion made by a Colorado State University Extension study is: Obesity beginning before 8 years old and continuing into adulthood may be more severe than in childhood.

There have been a good number of interventions mentioned in the literature that may change the picture for obese children's lives:

Address this issue at individual and community levels.Change the negative perception of obesity by peers. Future research should evaluate ways to modify these negative behaviors.Doctors should incorporate bullying history into their regular check-up history and physical.Doctors can open the conversation by asking the child if he has been bullied at home, school or on the playground, and then following up on the information he has attained from the childRegistered Nurses can put the bullying history of the child in his chart.Doctors, Health Care Personnel, Parents, Siblings, and Teachers can be empathetic with the obese child and cease reinforcing the bad feelings.

We are a nation of fat people. Can we not stop this trend of fatness by starting with the OB nurse in the Obstetrics Ward of the Hospital? Here is an opportunity for all of us to have knowledge of what happens to our young ones as they face the world, to help them instead of hindering them. I say the OB nurse should have it in her/his teaching routine for new mothers--right at the very beginning of the lives of our babies--the mothers should be taught, along with all the other useful and necessary subjects, how not to feed their child too much or too often, that a healthy child is not necessarily a fat child. They can be taught how a healthy new baby looks and acts and what the mothers can look forward to as a future for their babies if they do not take charge in their kitchens and households to produce wonderful normal weight teenagers who walk uprightly into adulthood.

This means that you, parents, are in charge, even though you allow your children to have their say. You do the shopping, you pay for it and you have the control over who eats what! If you have a preventive way of thinking, the bad stuff never occurs and you do not have to rehabilitate it. This is one thing you cannot grow into gradually: you have to be prepared to meet it before it takes over your life.

Margaret Heaps is a native born Californian who sees life as not long enough to fit everything in. She has grass roots in Petaluma, California and Nicasio, California, where her great grandfather bought land from gold that he mined in the Gold Rush of 1848 and created a high yield dairy farm. With this background legacy, she married and raised six boys, went back to school and became a registered nurse; this was her profession for many years. Now that she has retired, her energy level still high, she has undertaken to build and market a new website:
http://bloodcirculationhealth.com/

Shop all day and all night on the internet. No hurry! We can serve you. Make the above URL work for you, and we will introduce you to a variety of physical fitness equipment at a reasonable price. See our exercise bicycles, wobble boards, punching bags for kids and adults, weight lifting iron, jumping ropes, Pilates, charts showing the muscles of the body, home gyms and much more.

Original article

The Nutrition of Our Little Girls

Recently I had the privilege of interviewing revered metabolic guru - Dr. David Barker. The same Dr. Barker who presented to the medical world decades ago - the "Barker Theory" - now accepted as medical fact. The Barker theory explains how low birth weight children are at a greater risk of coronary heart disease. Dr. Barker's research is centered on the effects of a mother's nutritional status on the gestational development of the fetus - through later life.

Sensitivity to insulin is established in the developing fetus. Beta cells are the pancreatic cells that produce insulin. The nutritional status of the mother strongly influences the baby's own beta cell production. Women that are malnourished - which yes includes too thin & obese - their developing offspring do not produce enough beta cells to protect them metabolically throughout life. Thanks to Dr. Barker - we are realizing just how much of a baby's fetal exposure to malnutrition is a potential setup for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, asthma, osteoporosis, ADD, high blood pressure...many of our current chronic plagues.

Here is where we need to take this much more seriously. Yes, obviously prenatal health is important - stop smoking, stop drinking, take our prenatal vitamins, exercise, eat properly. However Dr. Barker's resounding research is showing us albeit important its just a tiny piece of the puzzle. Healthy embryonic development feeds on the mother's lifetime of nutritional history. We are not just what we eat - we are what our mother's ate as well. When we feed our little girls - we are determining the metabolic destiny of our grandchildren & yes our great grandchildren. Babies feed on the mother's lifetime of nutritional quality.

We often talk flippantly about we are genetically doomed for heart disease, cancer, diabetes - when in fact does that really make sense. Charles Darwin was a pretty smart guy - does it make sense a gene for heart disease is naturally selected - no of course not. It would not make us the survival of the fittest. However, what is very probable - is a compromised metabolic start during gestation.

Now let's put this research together with the disgraceful & nonsensical state of our children's health. The childhood obesity rates have tripled over the last 25 years. If it continues - over 70% of the adult population will be obese. Diabetes rates are growing exponentially. We now know factually how this will affect the health of the children of these obese kids. Focusing on prenatal health simply is not enough to protect the health of future generations. We have to be far more proactive with our children's health - not just for them but for the metabolic legacy being etched.

However, just thought I would mention this is not that proverbial "get out of jail for free card. We cannot blame of health status on our mother's - yes it can predispose us to a much tougher time fighting chronic illnesses - but we are not helpless. What it does mean is those of us at a metabolic disadvantage - yes we have to try harder & be more vigilant.

My wish for you today & every day - may you get at least 60 minutes of exercise!

Shira Litwack
Medical Fitness Professional, Lifestyle & Weight Management Coach, Fitness & Nutrition for chronic illness recovery,
Radio Talk Show Host/Producer bestinhealthradio - Listen to interview with Dr. Barker!
http://www.bestinhealthradio.com/
http://www.fitfan4fun.com/

Original article

Simple Steps to Prevent Childhood Obesity

There are simple factors in every parent's control that can reduce the chance of childhood obesity. In society today, approximately one in five children will be labeled as obese. Obesity is defined as an excess amount of body fat, measured as a percentage of total body weight. A child is considered obese when their body weight is 20% higher than the average weight of children of the same age. It is imperative that parents realize how their choices impact the chances of their children developing obesity.

The main contributing factors to childhood obesity are lack of physical activity and high calorie intake, as well as the variety of foods consumed. The recent emphasis on technology as well as convenience, high calorie meals have had a detrimental effect on child health. Furthermore, one of the worst physical effects of childhood obesity is the susceptibility to diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and early onset of heart disease.

Obesity has negative effects on emotional health as well. Society today labels those that are obese as lazy or unmotivated. These stigmas contribute to the increasing onset of depression, anxiety, and low self esteem in children. These factors then affect the social health of children as well, as there can be a lack in the development of relationships and acceptance from their peers.

In this technological age, it is easy for children to develop a lack of physical activity. Both computer usages as well as the increase in video gaming systems are the major technological factors in childhood obesity. It is easy for parents to use these as ways to keep their children busy. While there have been recent advancements in gaming that involve total body interaction, the comparison of these games to actual physical activity such as sports or dancing shows a minimal amount of calories burned. The largest impact that parents can have on these factors is managing the amount of time spent on all screens within the home, forcing children to find alternative methods of entertainment.

Parents do have control over several factors that contribute to obesity. The eating habits of children can be controlled, as parents need to resist the urge to provide the quick, convenience meals such as fast food and high-calorie, low nutritional snacks. A higher consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains may reduce the risk of obesity in children. Parents should provide healthy beverages to their children as well, such as reduced sugar juices, skim milk, and water, as opposed to high sugar liquids such as carbonated soda pops and sugar-based beverage mixes.

Parents can also provide a variety of physical activities for youngsters. A creative mind can create unique activities that require participation and motion. Some examples of such activities are outdoor play, such as games like tag or hide and seeks, and indoor play such as fort-building, balloon play, or dancing to upbeat music.

A parents control over meal choices, activities, and daily routine may be the solution to the widespread childhood obesity seen within society today.

For more information and resources, please visit http://moms-probs-odds-and-jobs.blogspot.com/

Original article

Childhood Obesity - An Overview of The Cause

I was eating lunch at my favorite restaurant and noticed a flyer on the wall discussing how to combat the problem of obesity in this country. The flyer was supposed to help motivate readers to find out how to change their diets for the better. The reality is most people are stuck in a place of comfort and change is very difficult. The real concern for our society is how obesity is effecting our youth. Children get less time to play outside with their classmates, have more games each year that motivate them to get on the computer and seem to be more driven by the latest technology. It is amazing to see the growing cases of diabetes among our youth. According to statistics from the American Diabetes Association, 1 in 400 children have a diagnosis of diabetes, which adds to a host of complications their young bodies have to deal with if the disease is not managed properly. Many more go undiagnosed, which is even more frightening. The question is how did we get this way and what will we do to change it? It is really important to pay attention to diet and exercise to help combat and prevent this disease. Simple sugars are high on the typical American diet and cause sugar spikes in our bloodstream. I can honestly say I remember eating two doughnuts, a cup of orange juice and feeling the shakes. Those rev ups followed by a sluggish crash was what people used to call a sugar rush. Trust me when I say I don't do that anymore.

I am so glad so many larger cities have community centers and youth programs. Most of my friends have youngsters very involved with softball, football, basketball, Irish dancing and other neat activities but is it enough? I would dare say no and why, you ask? Simply if the youngster is eating poorly, even if they are getting one to two days of exercise, it will not satisfy the body's need to burn off the junk and does not even begin to answer the issue of poor "body fuel". We truly are what we eat and our body cannot do much with a burger and fries dinner... ever notice how hungry you get an hour later? There is a reason. I had someone once tell me if it is mushy in your mouth, it is dead. They body needs enzymes and other live food items for fuel. The next time you pull up to the gas station to get gas, think about your body and give it a little high octane.

Original article

School Lunch Police?

We all want our kids to eat the best food for them. For some parents, it's the school lunch program. For others, it's a carefully planned lunch they make themselves. But it's always your choice.

Right?

Maybe not. Recently, in North Carolina, a four-year-old's lunch was taken from them (confiscated) by an adult from the school. Apparently, the turkey and cheese sandwich, potato chips, banana and apple juice box did not conform to the USDA guidelines for a healthy meal.

These guidelines require that a sack lunch from home must contain one serving of meat, one serving of milk, one serving of grain and two servings of either fruit or vegetables.

What did the girl eat instead? Processed chicken nuggets.

As a nutritionist, there are several problems I have with this. First, it is my opinion that if a child brings in a lunch, that's their property and no one can take that away. As parents, it is our right to feed our children the best foods possible.

Secondly, the guidelines take no consideration at all to the numerous health problems found in our schools. It also takes into no consideration the poor quality foods served in most schools.

School districts are allowed to serve greasy pepperoni as a meat. This product has very little quality protein and very high levels of unhealthy fat, salt and preservatives. This can lead to high cholesterol and high blood pressure when eaten often. It's not the only meat served during the week; hot dogs and hamburgers are not high on the health list either.

An excellent meat substitute is tofu, a vegetable based protein that takes on the flavor of what it is cooked with. It can be crumbled in a salad or made into seasoned cubes for finger food. Hummus is also a great vegetable protein made from flavorful chickpea. Dipping veggie sticks or 100% whole grain crackers tastes great.

The next guideline really distresses me. Milk is a low quality food, just barely above white sugar on the nutrition scale. It is a fast growing allergy and a potential cause and exasperator of ADHD. Most children do not digest milk properly, because most of us stop producing the lactase enzyme require to digest milk at about 4 years old. Add to that, the milk served in schools is 2% or skim milk. The healthy calcium and Vitamin D that makes raw milk healthy is destroyed and removed during the pasteurization and homogenization process. Vitamin D is a fat based vitamin and cannot exist in milk without the fat portion. Finally, a Harvard Medical study is now linking factory farmed milk, the stuff your kids are drinking, to hormone dependent cancer. The dangerously high estrone sulfate found in these milk products are linked to cancers of the breast, colon and lymph.

The serving of grain may injure children with gluten intolerance or Celiac's disease. As many as 1 in 33 children are thought to have Celiac's disease and 1 in 3 are gluten intolerant. Symptoms of these diseases are unexplained weight gain or loss, hyperactivity and digestive issues like gas, loose bowel and constipation.

Also, financially distressed schools may choose unhealthy and cheap processed white flour products for their grains rather than healthy 100% whole grains. White flour products are known to raise blood sugar and insulin levels, starting a cycle that leads to Type II Diabetes.

The chemical preservatives found in white flour products and hormone remnants and pesticide residues found in milk also interact with medications for ADHD, allergies and antibiotics. It can negate the medications entirely or make them more aggressive. Several studies have been conducted linking chemical residues to ADHD.

Two servings of fruits and vegetables are good, unless one starts to count a teaspoon of pizza sauce as a vegetable. And that is how the government gets away with serving greasy, pepperoni pizza on a white, sugary crust to your child and calls it complete nutrition.

Is it any wonder that our children cannot recognize what fruits and vegetables look like anymore? Or that over half are overweight? Or that ADHD is now the top problem our schools are facing?

The 'unhealthy' lunch that was taken away from the four-year-old was much healthier than the foods served in the cafeteria. I would improve that lunch with 100% whole grain bread, a cup of organic yogurt with fruit and skip the cheese.

Christina Major is the Naturopathic Doctor and Holistic Nutritionist of Crystal Holistic Health Consulting. Crystal Holistic Health helps people, especially women, who have Type II Diabetes, High Cholesterol and High Blood Pressure lower their numbers, get off medication and increase their energy so they can save money, take back control of their lives and improve the health and happiness of their families. You can get a free report on health at http://www.crystalholistichealth.com/!

Original article