Teach Your Children Well :: Children and Parenting

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Teach Your Children Well
by author Joey Shulman, DC, RNCP

The once popular Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young song “Teach your children well” seemed to resonate with the consciousness of an entire nation. It seemed to eloquently identify what is truly important in our lives–the health and happiness of our younger generation.

As a new parent of a very busy 20-month old, I admit to the continual self-questioning of whether I am raising my child correctly. I have quickly realized that there is no single right way to raise kids. Moms and dads make mistakes. It’s part of the process of parenthood. But they can learn from those mistakes to find the most suitable parenting style. Following my instincts and staying consistent seem to be the best ways for me.

However, 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.

Help Them Maintain a Healthy Body Weight

The number of overweight and obese children has risen dramatically. Therefore, it’s a good idea for parents to keep a watchful eye on their children’s weight. That might be difficult because if there’s one thing children loathe, it’s being told what to do. Putting your children on an overly restrictive diet could be met with some resistance. Restricting calories or limiting snacks often results in feelings of deprivation and future food binges. The key is not to just cut calories but to switch to options that are calorie light, fibre filled, and nutrient dense.

A recent study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine supported this idea. Researchers divided a group of obese adolescents into two groups. One group was put on a diet with a reduced glycemic load. That group derived approximately 50 percent of their total daily calories from low-glycemic carbohydrates and had more fat in their diets (approximately 35 percent) than the other group. Calories were not restricted, and these subjects were told to eat when they felt hungry and to eat until they felt full. The other group was put on a reduced-fat diet. That group derived approximately 60 percent of their total daily calories from regular carbohydrates, and the amount of fat in their diets was reduced to approximately 30 percent of their daily intake. Calories were restricted to approximately 250 to 500 fewer calories depending on body weight. For both groups, the remainder of their daily calories was derived from protein.

The results of this preliminary study found that subjects on the diet with a reduced glycemic load significantly reduced their body mass index (BMI) and fat mass compared to those on the reduced-fat diet. In addition, those on the diet with a reduced glycemic load tended to show more insulin control. This study suggests that improved nutrition, not caloric restriction, is the most successful predictor of weight loss for adolescents.

Go for Colour

Nature is very wise and gives us clues about the health benefits of various foods. In terms of produce, the more colourful a fruit or vegetable, the healthier it is for us. The pigment of the skin or flesh of produce comprises plant nutrients called phytochemicals. These chemicals offer a multitude of disease-preventing and health-promoting effects. Unfortunately, there is very little variety and colour in the fruits and vegetables that are being eaten by children and adults. Children’s four favourite fruits and vegetables (which account for 50 percent of intake) are potatoes, tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, and onion.

When filling up your children’s plate, think of colour. Load up their plates with green (broccoli, peas, spinach), purple (blueberries), red (tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries) and orange (sweet potatoes, carrots). A neat trick is to try to appeal to children’s natural instincts for play. Try making meals fun by displaying food in a fun way, accompanying fruits and vegetables with healthy dips or spreads, or even serving them with a little dark chocolate sprinkled over top. Making homemade popsicles with a greens-drink powder (made of fruits and vegetables) mixed with natural juice, or pureeing vegetables into a tomato sauce and drizzling over pasta are also very good kid-friendly options.

Feed Their Brains

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Joey Shulman, DC, RNCP, is author of Winning the Food Fight: Every Parentâ€™s Guide to Raising a Healthy, Happy Child (Wiley, 2003) and The Natural Makeover Diet (Wiley, 2005). www.drjoey.com

Source: alive #287, September 2006

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