How To Raise Athletes Not Couch Potatoes ::

How To Raise Athletes Not Couch Potatoes
by author Cory Holly, DN

Children are 10 pounds heavier today at age 10 than they were a decade ago. This weight is not functional muscle; it’s excess body fat caused by the combination of poor nutrition and inactivity, increasing the risk of almost every disease and leading to an early grave.

Did you know that one of the single best measures for a long and healthy life is a trim waistline? Keeping kids lean, fit and well-nourished until they reach the age of accountability is a major feat in this modern era.

Obesity has little to do with genetics (nature). In spite of a person’s metabolic predisposition, environment and lifestyle still override every other known factor. We know that overweight kids almost always have overweight parents. But take a close look at what they eat and then count the number of times they’ve been to the gym in the last month. Excess adipose tissue affects more than how we look or how fast we can run. And it’s more than just a reserve of surplus energy. Excess body fat is deadly.

Nutrition Counts

If allowed to choose without fear of reprimand, most kids would not select a glass of fresh carrot juice, green vegetables, a turkey breast or brown rice. Instead, they tend to zero in on commercial cereals (breakfast candy), packaged noodle soups, soft drinks and finger foods like pizza pops, french fries and sweets. Their world of nutrition is ruled by taste and texture rather than by culinary art and biochemical science.

Poor nutrition negatively affects children emotionally, mentally, socially and physiologically. Without optimum amounts of essential micronutrients, including B-complex vitamins, vitamins C and E, zinc, magnesium and chromium, young people become apathetic, moody and lose enthusiasm. Food allergies and food sensitivities are also to blame.

Our kids eat hundreds of kilograms of white flour, white rice and sucrose every year. That’s enough processed high-glycemic carbohydrates to destroy anyone’s insulin metabolism! Decades of reactive hypoglycemia sets up children for prescription and recreational drug abuse and dependency. By middle age it leads to the development of Syndrome X (characterized by a cluster of health problems, including insulin resistance and one or more of the following: glucose intolerance, obesity, high cholesterol, high triglycerides and high blood pressure).

And don’t think because children are young, food quality doesn’t matter. Over time, oxidizing burgers and ice cream damage them on the inside. Instead of "burning it off," it burns them out.

Important dietary supplements and sports nutrition products for kids include: essential fatty acids (especially omega-3), a multiple vitamin/mineral complex, additional antioxidants, meal replacements, whey protein, L-glutamine, friendly bacteria (probiotics) and energy sport bars (sugar-free and with no hydrogenates).

Kids Need To Be Active

Encourage children to go outside in the fresh air as much as possible. Up to age three or four, the best physical activity is natural movement, achieved through running, chasing balls, playing tag, digging, climbing and spending time at the park. When the time comes, teach your child how to ride a bicycle. Introduce in-line skating and skateboarding or buy your kids a foot-scooter. Emphasize safety and prevention of injury.

Swimming is excellent, although most public pools are too heavily chlorinated (so compensate with extra vitamin E and CoQ₁₀). Dance lessons and gymnastics teach rhythm, neuromuscular balance and improve coordination. I also recommend martial arts programs for children of all ages, as well as community sport and games.

As your children develop interest, expose them to a wide variety of seasonal sports. Let them drop out after a couple of sessions if they don’t care for the experience, but encourage them to hang in there once committed. Communicate with them. Don’t force or pressure them into something for your benefit or ego. Not all kids gravitate towards organized sports but all kids should move their bodies daily and learn the basic fundamentals of exercise management. It’s no less essential than reading, writing and arithmetic.

Should Youngsters Lift Weights?

Dr Avery Faigenbaum, PhD, of the University of Massachusetts in Boston, says seven- to 12-year-old kids can increase their strength by up to 40 percent if they follow an eight- to 12-week program of strength training. Such activity is of particular benefit to pre-adolescent girls, who can increase bone-mineral density and build up their bone bank to help prevent osteoporosis.

The American College of Sports Medicine officially endorses weight-training for children, but recommends adult instruction and supervision; proper warm-up and cool-down; a medical exam if there are any existing health conditions; one to three sets of six to 15 reps, two to three times weekly on non-consecutive days; avoidance of maximal, heavy lifting and emphasis on technique and safety, not the amount of weight.

If children live in a health-conscious environment, there is a good chance that they will be influenced in a positive way. Example is everything.

Cory Holly specializes in clinical sports nutrition, product formulation and lectures across Canada on topics related to health and human performance.

Source: alive #215, September 2000

Optimum Bone Health
Healthy kids rarely sit still! They are continuously on the move--and for good reason: they have bone to build. Bone is living tissue that continually renews and regenerates itself throughout the entire lifespan..

Kids First
Living a healthy life in North American society can be like fighting a battle, and the best weapon in this battle is knowledge. Kids need to be brought up knowing which foods are best for them and why: organic fruits and vegetables and whole grains because they provide the nutrients necessary for proper growth.

Healthy Snacking
Children need snacks. In their school lunches and when they come home in the afternoon famished, they need healthy, tasty treats.

Natural Sweets for School Treats
It's back to school this month, which means kids will need healthy, tasty foods to keep their energy up and provide the nutrients their growing bodies need.

Teen Tanks Need Heavy Fuel
Teenagers need lots of calories each day to keep up their energy for sports and activities and still have some left over for building muscles and bones. The common tendency is to resort to fast and convenient foods that are cheap and abundant. Too often good nutrition gives way to the stimulation of salt, sugar and additives.

Combating The Childhood Obesity Crisis
Kids and youth are eating worse and exercising less. Something has got to change. In his 29 years as a physical education teacher, David Lively has seen "big" changes in his students. Frightening ones.

Nutrition for Today's Children
For parents and children, September is much like New Year's. The start of the school year presents new challenges, adventures and opportunities. It's time for your children to hit the books again. It's also a perfect time to brush up on your healthy shopping habits.

Struggling at School?
Too often we label a child or teen with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), then prescribe Ritalin, a nervous-system stimulating drug th.

Nutritious Nibbles for Kids
It's that time of the year again. When our precious children head back to school, good whole food nutrition throughout the entire year will give them the essential building blocks for the brain to function well and for the whole body to stay alert and alive.

Healthy Snacks for Kids
With the abundance of commercially processed, high sugar and brightly coloured foods available, it can be hard to teach kids about more natural, satisfying options. When preparing healthy snacks it's key to consider nutritional value along with fun presentation.

School's In: Time to Eat Right!
Quick September Snacks When kids are active it can be hard to get them to stop and eat, and if they do, you certainly want to make the most of the opportunity.

Winning The Food Fight
Do your children refuse to eat their vegetables? Do they prefer sugary foods and drinks to fresh produce and whole-grain breads and pastas? If so, you're not alone. Many parents are frustrated by having to compete with slick advertising campaigns luring their children toward the next sugary treat or fast-food snack..

Cereal Killers Lurking in Your Home?
Let's examine a child's typical breakfast: Processed breakfast cereal (sugar) with milk (more sugar), toast and jam (even more sugar), served with a glass of fruit juice (still more sugar). All carbohydrates break down into sugars in the body.

Omega-3s and Children
Omega-3 fats are polyunsaturated fats that protect against heart disease, have anti-inflammatory properties, aid in proper retinal and brain development, and improve focus and behaviour in children.

Managing the Munchies
With an increasing incidence of type 2 diabetes in young people-so much so they don't even bother calling it "adult onset anymore-it's clear that eating habits play a major role in our health. But for many teens, snacking on high-sugar, high-fat food is as much a part of life as homework or driving lessons.

When Food is Love
Although parents find it tempting to use junk food as rewards, this "food is love mentality can create a whole host of problems and set a child up for an eating disorder later in life.

Not Milk?
The best food for babies is their mothers' milk; it is perfectly adapted to their needs. For adults, however, lactose intolerance is just one reason to look for an alternative to cows' milk.

Nag Me Not
In 2000 the Canadian Medical Association Journal reported that children are increasingly choosing to watch TV, surf the Internet, and play video games instead of staying active with sports and outdoor play. Today the average Canadian child sits in front of a screen three to five hours a day.

Bone Health for Children
By the time you are in your early 20s, you have reached your peak in bone mass development. After this age you can expect a slow and steady decline to occur each year.

Soy Beverage
As parents, we want to provide our children with the best food possible. However, kids are sometimes put off by the taste and appearance of healthy foods. Some children, for example, don't like the taste of certain soy-based beverages.

School Lunch Recipes Your Kids Will Love
With a little preplanning and experimentation, packing healthy school lunches doesn't have to be a chore. The key is to focus on the foods your children eat willingly.

Proper Protein Portions
Parents with sport-oriented children want to be involved and informed in both their child's athletic activities and nutritional need. One of their common questions is about protein, which plays a vital role in children's development as well as in their performance.

You Can Have Healthy Children
A young mother, in her mid-20s and grossly overweight, was pulling a four-wheeled cart behind her. In the cart was an obese six-year-old child. The young boy, sitting cross-legged, was eating a mound of pretzels and potato chips piled high in his lap.

Nutrition Tips for Healthy Vegetarian Kids
Parents who eat vegetarian diets are often nutrition savvy, but there are different nutritional requirements for children and adults. Most importantly, children have higher metabolic rates and energy requirements.

Lead by Example
Raising healthy children isn't just about giving them a vitamin pill with dinner. It's about creating a family life that promotes and sustains health for all. While a holistic diet is the cornerstone of a natural lifestyle, other elements such as fresh air and exercise are also important. When parents eat a balanced natural foods diet, they provide their children with the foundation for future health.

We're Pregnant! Now What?
"How do I ensure a healthy pregnancy? You can have a healthy pregnancy by eating a healthy, well-balanced diet augmented with the right supplements for baby and maternal health, making sure exercise is part of your weekly routine, and maintaining a healthy weight.

Teach Your Children Well
There are certain well-researched health and nutritional truths that can improve your children's health and overall well-being. Once implemented in your household, the following practices will optimize your children's health and wellness, both physically and mentally.

Baby Food Basics
New parents want to make the best choices for their children. Proper nutrition and good eating habits should be established at a very young age and affect a child's health for a lifetime.

Healthy Lunches
Are you sometimes faced with the decision between taking a chance on a slice of pizza or picking up a corner-store burrito to stuff into your kid's lunch bag? Instead of relying on those fast-food lunches loaded with calories and fat, here's how you can pack a healthy on-the-go lunch in just minutes.

Eating Well-For Two
The earliest weeks of pregnancy are a critical time for fetal development. In fact, you'll need to start taking care of yourself before you even conceive in order to have the healthiest pregnancy possible. Nutrition will be key to helping you keep your growing baby healthy and safe while inside the womb.

What's for Lunch?
Encourage your children to take part in selecting the foods they want to find in their lunchboxes.

Sugar and Your Child
Many parents realize that sugar is not their friend when it comes to raising happy, healthy children. Childhood obesity and the accompanying health hazard of childhood diabetes are serious health concerns.

Food Additives and Hyperactivity
If you take your children grocery shopping, you know the draw of brightly packaged food. It doesn't stop there: inside the packaging you'll often find additives and colouring to enhance flavour and fun.

The Organic Picnic
Eating alfresco surrounded by nature makes us realize how much we need to take care of our precious planet. We can start by packing an organic picnic—its positive impact can go much further than just the foods we choose.