Helping Your Child To Be Healthy

Help A Kid Out!

Look out parents; you may be a culprit to the increasing obesity rate in children. Believe it or not the foods you keep in your fridge and cupboards may be your child's worst enemy.

Staggering Facts about Obesity

The obesity rate continues to rise. An article published in the London Associated Press this week claims that nearly half of the Children in North America will be overweight by 2010. Also stated in the article, China faces the same obesity epidemic at a lesser magnitude and Dr. Philip James, Chairman of the International Obesity Task Force, states “they're being bombarded like they are in the West to eat all the wrong foods.” James implies the marketing of junk foods is out of control in North America and now in China . Children are reeled in by the junk food advertisements and ask you, the parents, to buy the products for them. These products sit on the shelves of your fridge and cupboards just waiting for hunger to strike your children, and when it does all that processed junk food with little nutrient value will be stored as fat.

The Junk Foods

Chips, cookies, donuts, pop, hot dogs and don't forget the white bun, all are processed or refined. A processed food contains many chemicals that contribute to the foods color, texture, and flavor, with added preservatives and sweeteners. All these fillers leave little room for the food to contain any useful nutrients. Refined foods are those deadly sweets containing refined sugars such as candies, syrup and packaged snacks. These foods have little nutrient value and can be high in calories not to mention the beating your liver takes from those nasty chemical fillers. Stay away from these foods! Your healthy food choices should be in their most natural form.

The Healthy Foods

Choosing the right kind of proteins, carbohydrates and fats are essential to good health. Choose carbohydrates that are low on the glycemic index. These carbohydrates which are ultimately broken down into sugar, take a longer time to enter the blood stream thus keeping your insulin levels more stable. Stable insulin levels will keep the fat off your waistline. Provide a wide variety of lean protein sources, preferably organic grass fed and hormone free. Avoid Trans fats and saturated fats. Reach for unsaturated fats; these help reduce cholesterol and risk of heart disease.

Good Carbohydrate Choices

•  Broccoli, Red Peppers, Tomatoes, Carrots, Beans, Lentils

•  White/Red Potatoes, Brown Rice, Unsweetened Oatmeal, Fresh Fruit

Good Protein Choices

•  Lean Beef, Chicken , Turkey , Tilapia, Eggs, Salmon, Cottage Cheese

Good Fat Choices

•  Wild Salmon oil capsules or liquid, Olive oil (recommend for cooking)

•  Nuts (except peanuts) are a good source of fat, Flax seed oil

Be the Leader

The best way to teach and train your child to eat healthier is to lead by example. Incorporate the smarter food choices into your diet and your child will follow. Start by stocking your shelves with healthier food choices. Show your child that you are taking a healthier lunch to work and encourage them to do so; avoiding that awful cafeteria food.

Your healthier food choices will not only improve your vitality but your child's as well. The next time hunger strikes your child you can be content that you are not contributing to the obesity rate.

Healthy Snack Recipe

½ cup of Cottage Cheese (Low fat)

Handful of sunflower seeds

¼ sliced apple

¼ tsp cinnamon

Mix and enjoy!

Jeremy Hudson, CSCS