9.26.2012

Dear Mom, They Are Talking About Me: A Reminder for Parents of their Super Powers


Superman: the oldest and most famous
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Do the math. In 2030, our children will be adults, which is when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention projects that every U.S. state may have adult obesity rates above 44% and thirty-nine states are projected to surpass 50%. With familiar faces put to the statistics, as parents, we must recognize the import of the choices we are making now and accept the responsibility for the lessons we are teaching our children, as they will determine whether, as adults, they fall to the obesity epidemic.

If only it were as easy as making one choice, but a healthy lifestyle is a hundred choices made every day, which provide constant temptation and perpetual chances for redemption; it is limiting television and choosing playing outside over the computer; it is buying healthy foods over junk and learning to prepare them. And most importantly, for parents, it is making sure that you are leading by example.
An unhealthy lifestyle is much like quitting smoking; it is easiest to quit if you never start. Thus parents of newborns have the greatest advantage, because from their child's first bites, they can teach them just how delicious healthy foods can be and create positive habits with salt and sugar; they can establish physical activity as a fundamental part of each day simply by modeling the behavior and establish firm limits and attitudes toward the role of television and other electronic entertainment.
But parents of all ages need to realize the power of their own actions, as children work on the "monkey see, monkey do" principal vs "do as I say don't do as I do." As New York dietician Keith Ayoob stated in a 2010 USA Today article he "never sees children who have better eating habits than their parents" and the same holds true for physical activity, as a study from Oregon State University found that the children of parents who are not home or do not spend time with their children spend an average of an additional thirty minutes per day doing sedentary activities. That may not sound like a big deal, until you realize in one week, it adds up to 3.5 hours or about 196 hours in a year.
The Oregon State study also found that children most likely to engage in active play were those whose parents played with them, but a study from National Jewish Health proved a direct correlation between parent and child activity levels. Researchers asked study parents to take an additional 2,000 steps per day, and on the days that this occurred, their children averaged 2,100 additional steps, but on the days that mom and dad fell short, so, too, did their children. Parents need to realize that their influence will diminish as children age and spend less time with them, so use that time to be active together and teach children that activity is fun.
All of this is not to say that every parent must be an athlete to raise healthy children. Parental support, whether taking children to an activity or watching them participate, provides children with the encouragement that they need to get out and active. With no scientific backing to support the findings, I discovered with my teenage daughter that volunteering together at athletic events, such as a local 10k, or standing on course to cheer, shaped her perception of how enjoyable being active can be.
Thus when parents feel powerless about changing the world in which their children live, what they must remember is that they alone have the single greatest ability to affect positive change within their child, but they must choose to use their super-powers for good.

Super-Power Steps

1. If you are not an active family with eating habits that need improvement, make your first step toward a healthier path involving your children, making buy-in more likely.

2. Start small. To safely introduce exercise to anyone who may not be accustomed to it, you need to start with the basics. Make it your goal to take a walk after dinner each night and increase the length of your walk by 10% each week. (Need inspiration? Check out our post on getting the whole family walking.)

3. Take it easy. One of the easiest ways to improve your family's health is to eat together. Turn the television off, leave the cell phone and computers in another room, and tune in to what your children have to say. With busy schedules, every night may not be possible, but establish a routine and use these nights to try out healthy meals, involving even the smallest chefs in their preparation.

4. Ask for help. Whether you need cooking instruction or inspiration for getting active, there are plenty of resources, so do not let a question mark derail your goals. Ask your pediatrician, fitness instructor, a healthy neighbor, or post a question here!

5. Talk the talk. Being active and healthy is not the same as being "athletic," a word that intimidates many children and adults. So toss out "competition," "sports," or other words that reference specific skills or abilities, if they do not work for your family and focus on fun.

6. Grow your power. Research has shown that a parent's perception of health and their belief in their own ability to make a difference play a large role in determining how healthy their family is, so congratulate yourself on reading this article and make it your goal to spend five minutes per day reading a piece or finding a new recipe. It will turn the wait in the carpool line into a productive and empowering time that will make a positive difference.

9.17.2012

New [School] Year's Resolutions

As a child on New Year's Eve, perhaps you were allowed to watch the ball drop, but with only the babysitter there to celebrate, it was not the most memorable holiday.  On the other hand, the start of school was filled with the smell of fresh notebooks, crayons with sharp tips, and new shoes that you knew could make you run faster.  There were pictures taken, mom cried, and out of pure excitement [and terror] you did not sleep for a whole night.
We all love beginnings and parents need a clean slate more than anyone, but perhaps when looking for the opportunity to start afresh with our families, we should follow our children's calendar.  So, this year, as the mornings get chillier and nights fill with homework, think about establishing a new schedule and menu that make this school year the healthiest yet.
-A good start: each new day is a part of that healthy year, so start each morning with a healthy breakfast.  Remove reasons not to eat by making breakfast convenient and to your child's taste, so that both of you have a better start.  Cereal in a baggie with a yogurt to go, whole wheat bread with peanut butter, or a serving of almonds and a banana; if they have time, let them opt for oatmeal with fresh fruit, and keep it fresh with a variety of their favorite frozen fruits for a new combo every morning.  Regardless of the choice, limit the sugar (be reasonable, if it needs a sprinkle, then help them choose the proper amount and do not lose the breakfast battle over food that lacks taste) and opt for fiber and protein, which will fill them up and stay with them.
-Do not just sandwich lunch between breakfast and dinner: Most kids are hungry by lunch and the fight over vegetables is mainly to test mom's sanity, so give them their most nutritious meal when they are ready to eat and you are not there to negotiate.  A bowl of their favorite fruits, a whole wheat wrap filled with avocado, cheese, turkey, and cucumber, veggies with hummus instead of dressing (have you tried Trader Joe's hummus?), or, my son's favorite, left-overs.  Lunch is a social time, so keep foods simple and neat and your kids healthy and full.
-Stock simple snacks: kids are starving when they get home and have miles to go before dinner, making snack one of the most important meals of the day.  Keep you fridge stocked with healthy, quick options that you and your kids select together, because there is no need to argue over choices when all are good.  Consider cups of yogurt with berries tossed on top for the ride to the soccer field or an apple with almond butter.
-Easy does it: Take the dinner pressure off by making sure that your family has eaten well throughout the day and make dinner a lighter, simpler meal.  Stock up on all you need for multiple go-to dinners that are just as easy as the drive-thru, but pack a healthy and tasty punch.  This blog is filled with easy and healthy recipes, but my favorite involves the three best words I get to say in the day "make your own."  Set out whole wheat wraps, your favorite hummus, fresh spinach, cabbage, tomato, avocado, left-over grilled chicken, Greek yogurt dip, or other favorites, and let your kids build their own wrap, which they can heat or enjoy cold; nothing is more nutritious or filling.  If your family always looks for dessert, then establish fruit as the new sweet treat.  Mix your favorites together in yogurt and freeze into popsicles or just enjoy pre-sliced chunks.
-Make sure that they are ready for bed: School-age children need 10-11 hours of sleep per night, but the first step in a bedtime routine starts the minute they wake up with taking every opportunity to get them moving; whether you walk around the block, ride bikes, chase the frisbee, or shoot baskets, get children outside and active.  In the evening, establish a routine and stick to it for a firmly set (i.e. no negotiating) bedtime that will allow them the rest that they need.     

9.04.2012

Why do you buy organic?

To learn more about the study released today visit CNN or
watch a video from the Today Show.
The Annals of Internal Medicine have given consumers a question to ponder: to buy organic or no?  Unfortunately, an easy answer is not to be found, as each individual's answer can only be found in the answer to another question: why do you buy organic?
The new research found that organic food contains no more vitamins or minerals than conventionally grown food, so if looking for a nutritional boost in the additional money you spend to buy organic, you may not find it.  But it may not exist at all due to farming practices whose goals focus more on size, mass production and greater resistance to pests than on nutrition.  In fact, the Kushi Institute found a 27% decline in the amount of calcium found in foods between 1975 and 1997, along with a 37% reduction in iron levels; both of which are vital to the growth and development on little bodies (see full article in Scientific American).    
For those buying organic for fewer pesticides, the study found that organic food had a 30% lower risk of contamination from pesticide residue.  The US Department of Agriculture states that in 2010, 59% of conventional produce has detectable amounts of pesticides even after proper washing.  The long term effects of the consumptions of pesticides at these levels on children have yet to be sufficiently studied, and the only studies conducted on the benefits of an organic diet have been shorter than two years, so long term benefits are unproven.  If you are buying organic to limit the pesticides you consume, consider the Environmental Protection Group's app that lists the clean and dirty foods for a grocery store reference on when to safely buy organic.
There are other benefits to organic farming that may guide you to purchase strictly organic, but regardless of your reasons, what is most important is to make the healthiest and most informed choices for your family.  Because though the above may be a pessimistic view on our nation's produce, my refrigerator is stocked with fresh, organic produce because I want to limit my family's exposure to pesticides to the degree that I can.  What is your choice?