http://www.facebook.com/TheHealthyHappyChildProject/posts/460696480672616
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Eating, outside the box
Cooking a healthy, home cooked meal in our world is the ultimate expression of family love these days. It requires two precious things hard to come by: time and attention. I use to think whipping up one of those frozen pasta meals and adding chicken was healthy. Then I learned better.
Flip that package of Stoufer's over and take a peek at the paragraph of ingredients- I bet you only know what 20% of them are. I'm with ya. We don't know what the other 80% are because they aren't food; they are products or chemical concoctions. As I've said somewhere else on this blog, your body doesn't necessarily recognize these things as food because, well, they're not. It's not sure what to do with these processed versions because its not what the body expects. The RDAs of vitamins and minerals look good, but all that stuff has been artificially put back in. It's not in natural forms or ratios.
I think one of our greatest downfalls as modern humans is the belief we might be wiser than nature. Now, I am in awe of our abilities to learn, invent, and modify. We are highly intelligent beings, but are we humble enough to use these things only where appropriate? I don't know. Sucking out all the natural vitamins and enzymes from a piece of fruit, processing the fruit, molding it back together with man made nutrients seems arrogant. (Pointing finger at myself at this moment) And how dumb to believe that fat free milk is healthier than its purer full fat form? I personally feel nature rules. The closer it is to how it came from its source, the healthier it is. I am sure there are exceptions, but a general rule in my book.
Finally, the point of this commentary is this experiment: Pick a day and feed your family three meals and snacks without opening a box or container. Three meals made purely from real foods. Spices and maybe condiments are an exception made up to you. If this feels overwhelming, stop and think. Meats, fresh vegetables, and fruits are abundant. You're just not use to cooking that way. You can do it and it doesn't need to be elaborate.
Maybe one meal is enough of a challenge at first. Fine. It's a step in a healthier direction nonetheless.
Best of luck y'all.
Flip that package of Stoufer's over and take a peek at the paragraph of ingredients- I bet you only know what 20% of them are. I'm with ya. We don't know what the other 80% are because they aren't food; they are products or chemical concoctions. As I've said somewhere else on this blog, your body doesn't necessarily recognize these things as food because, well, they're not. It's not sure what to do with these processed versions because its not what the body expects. The RDAs of vitamins and minerals look good, but all that stuff has been artificially put back in. It's not in natural forms or ratios.
I think one of our greatest downfalls as modern humans is the belief we might be wiser than nature. Now, I am in awe of our abilities to learn, invent, and modify. We are highly intelligent beings, but are we humble enough to use these things only where appropriate? I don't know. Sucking out all the natural vitamins and enzymes from a piece of fruit, processing the fruit, molding it back together with man made nutrients seems arrogant. (Pointing finger at myself at this moment) And how dumb to believe that fat free milk is healthier than its purer full fat form? I personally feel nature rules. The closer it is to how it came from its source, the healthier it is. I am sure there are exceptions, but a general rule in my book.
Finally, the point of this commentary is this experiment: Pick a day and feed your family three meals and snacks without opening a box or container. Three meals made purely from real foods. Spices and maybe condiments are an exception made up to you. If this feels overwhelming, stop and think. Meats, fresh vegetables, and fruits are abundant. You're just not use to cooking that way. You can do it and it doesn't need to be elaborate.
Maybe one meal is enough of a challenge at first. Fine. It's a step in a healthier direction nonetheless.
Best of luck y'all.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Busy Meals and Saving Money
I wanted so badly to call Dominos tonight. A hot Gluten free Hawaiian pizza would have hit the spot and man, I'm just tired. I resisted. I want to save money and eat a bit healthier tonight. Check back tomorrow for which urge is stronger then.
I looked in our pantry and the fridge. The hamburgers I'd laid out weren't thawed and I don't like the texture of burger done in the microwave. I almost made that call to Dominos- but then I said every meal doesn't have to be awesome! Just eat.
Well, it was awesome...quick meal idea loaded with awesomeness...
Ham Alfredo Pasta
Here's the simple directions:
Ham
GF pasta
Alfredo sauce
A veggie for a side
I quick cooked a ham steak in a skillet as my pasta boiled. Meanwhile I let little guy pick a vegetable. It's always brussel sprouts and then zapped in the microwave. Toss the chopped ham, sauce, and pasta together. Boom. Dinner.
Not ideal. But not too shabby.
Do your best y'all. Later.
I looked in our pantry and the fridge. The hamburgers I'd laid out weren't thawed and I don't like the texture of burger done in the microwave. I almost made that call to Dominos- but then I said every meal doesn't have to be awesome! Just eat.
Well, it was awesome...quick meal idea loaded with awesomeness...
Ham Alfredo Pasta
Here's the simple directions:
Ham
GF pasta
Alfredo sauce
A veggie for a side
I quick cooked a ham steak in a skillet as my pasta boiled. Meanwhile I let little guy pick a vegetable. It's always brussel sprouts and then zapped in the microwave. Toss the chopped ham, sauce, and pasta together. Boom. Dinner.
Not ideal. But not too shabby.
Do your best y'all. Later.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Spring Into Playing...Outside
There's nothing like the first couple of days when the weather begins to turn in the right direction. Your spirits are lifted and you swear you'll never take another sunny day for granted. Embrace that enthusiasm by playing this cool little game with your kids. After a time or two, they'll easily be able to play SKULLIES on their own and with friends.
Watch this neat video for the simple rules...
Watch this neat video for the simple rules...
Have fun!
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Yoga for Yours
Could your children benefit from practicing yoga at home?
I've tinkered with yoga myself. I've yet to attend a formal class, but have a book of poses and a DVD to follow. Every now and then I get an urge to do it- usually when I'm feeling tense or stressed. It seems to cure me every time.
Thanks to us parents and our culture, kids live a pretty stressful life these days too. In every facet of school there's pressure to perform in testing. I even have to administer a state test to my P.E. students- Good Grief. (Note: I understand why it's required, but it doesn't really encourage the concept of fitness through fun.)
Then in order to better our kids and give them opportunity to play, we drive them to an assortment of practices four days a week. We encourage them to pick one sport or activity at age 7 to focus on earning a scholarship. But do your homework as we carpool to the soccer tournament because you've gotta keep your grades up. Pressure. Pressure. Pressure.
All these things are done by us with the best of intentions. We love them and want for them to be successful. But maybe we are putting too much on them. Maybe time spent at home exploring a variety of activities in a relaxed environment two nights a week would be better than private lessons with a pitching coach.
Yoga is known for its calming, relaxing, focus enhancing effects. My son is five and tends to be high strung. He's a natural worrier with a tender heart. I believe he might benefit from a couple informal home yoga sessions per week.
Perhaps your family too could use a few minutes to just be. Ten minutes of simple poses just might make a world of difference!
Later y'all.
I've tinkered with yoga myself. I've yet to attend a formal class, but have a book of poses and a DVD to follow. Every now and then I get an urge to do it- usually when I'm feeling tense or stressed. It seems to cure me every time.
Thanks to us parents and our culture, kids live a pretty stressful life these days too. In every facet of school there's pressure to perform in testing. I even have to administer a state test to my P.E. students- Good Grief. (Note: I understand why it's required, but it doesn't really encourage the concept of fitness through fun.)
Then in order to better our kids and give them opportunity to play, we drive them to an assortment of practices four days a week. We encourage them to pick one sport or activity at age 7 to focus on earning a scholarship. But do your homework as we carpool to the soccer tournament because you've gotta keep your grades up. Pressure. Pressure. Pressure.
All these things are done by us with the best of intentions. We love them and want for them to be successful. But maybe we are putting too much on them. Maybe time spent at home exploring a variety of activities in a relaxed environment two nights a week would be better than private lessons with a pitching coach.
Yoga is known for its calming, relaxing, focus enhancing effects. My son is five and tends to be high strung. He's a natural worrier with a tender heart. I believe he might benefit from a couple informal home yoga sessions per week.
Perhaps your family too could use a few minutes to just be. Ten minutes of simple poses just might make a world of difference!
Later y'all.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Pretty Healthy Muffins
I can't do justice in describing how yummy my kitchen smells right now. What's the smell? Read on, you'll be glad you did.
It's rainy today and I've had a hankering for muffins the past few days. Great time to experiment. I'm not a veteran cook; really began cooking a little over a year ago when we went paleoish or real food. My baking skills are even less developed.
But I've been experimenting here and there with lots of guidance using other people's recipes found online. Today I made banana, cranberry, blueberry muffins. My friend, Ms. G.F. Bisquick, made it simple.
In the future I hope to learn to bake totally from scratch, but this feels like an accomplishment right now. And the naturally sweet blend of flavors make me want to do them every week!
Here's the how to:
Preheat oven 375 degrees
Gather: 1 1/4 cups Gluten Free Bisquick, 1 egg beaten, 3 tablespoons melted butter, 3 tsp vanilla,2 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp brown cane sugar, 7 tbsp milk, 1 ripened mashed banana, handful dried cranberries & blueberries. Muffin tin and liners.
Mix all the above ingredients with a fork until well blended. Batter will be a thick, sticky consistency. Fill the lined muffin tins to just below the top. Bake for 15 minutes. The tops will be slightly browning. Remove and let sit for 5 minutes and then cool out of the pan.
This makes 5 regular sized muffins. I made the first batch to test- after trying I immediately made a second batch to freeze. They won't last long, for sure.
It's rainy today and I've had a hankering for muffins the past few days. Great time to experiment. I'm not a veteran cook; really began cooking a little over a year ago when we went paleoish or real food. My baking skills are even less developed.
But I've been experimenting here and there with lots of guidance using other people's recipes found online. Today I made banana, cranberry, blueberry muffins. My friend, Ms. G.F. Bisquick, made it simple.
In the future I hope to learn to bake totally from scratch, but this feels like an accomplishment right now. And the naturally sweet blend of flavors make me want to do them every week!
Here's the how to:
Preheat oven 375 degrees
Gather: 1 1/4 cups Gluten Free Bisquick, 1 egg beaten, 3 tablespoons melted butter, 3 tsp vanilla,2 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp brown cane sugar, 7 tbsp milk, 1 ripened mashed banana, handful dried cranberries & blueberries. Muffin tin and liners.
Mix all the above ingredients with a fork until well blended. Batter will be a thick, sticky consistency. Fill the lined muffin tins to just below the top. Bake for 15 minutes. The tops will be slightly browning. Remove and let sit for 5 minutes and then cool out of the pan.
This makes 5 regular sized muffins. I made the first batch to test- after trying I immediately made a second batch to freeze. They won't last long, for sure.
Hope y'all enjoy.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Grab a Shovel Junior
Okay. I know this has little to do with fitness or nutrition, but it's definitely something that contributes to the total wellbeing of your child...CHORES. Sometimes I baby my baby too much and don't ask enough of him too. But I want him to be a capable, confident man. Capable, confident men don't just wake up that way. They are created by parents who empowered them by asking them to do for themselves and for the family. (Insert your little princess here if needed. Princesses are not cute past age 6 or so in my opinion- laughing on the inside begins here)
If you begin really early, like as soon as they can walk, he or she will never know the difference. Up to about age 4 or so, small chores can be worked into the routine without much trouble as well. Make a big deal about how they are growing up and are able to do things. As they progress in age and you ask nothing of them, you might encounter more resistance. But I teach kids age 5 to 10 and in general they are all pretty eager to help when asked. Maybe it's time to reflect on whether or not your child is learning the value of pitching in or just how to do the menial tasks of life. If you don't teach them, who will?
Here are some ideas to kick around.
Just remember, if you lean towards the perfectionist side of life, accept that most things won't be up to par at first. Give mostly positive, honest feedback. Little by little help them to do things better, but don't overly critique if they're giving an honest effort.
Later y'all.
If you begin really early, like as soon as they can walk, he or she will never know the difference. Up to about age 4 or so, small chores can be worked into the routine without much trouble as well. Make a big deal about how they are growing up and are able to do things. As they progress in age and you ask nothing of them, you might encounter more resistance. But I teach kids age 5 to 10 and in general they are all pretty eager to help when asked. Maybe it's time to reflect on whether or not your child is learning the value of pitching in or just how to do the menial tasks of life. If you don't teach them, who will?
Here are some ideas to kick around.
- Putting away his/her own dinner plate and cup. As they get older, have them put everyone's at the sink.
- Putting the silverware up after being washed
- Carrying folded laundry to the appropriate room
- Bringing grocery bags in from the car
- Wiping the bathroom sink and counter down
- Sweeping the porch or sidewalk
- Picking up sticks in the yard
- Riding on the mower as you cut grass- PC police beware- I don't care if this is "too dangerous" in your opinion
- Assisting you in meal preparation
- Removing sheets from beds and putting in the laundry hamper
Just remember, if you lean towards the perfectionist side of life, accept that most things won't be up to par at first. Give mostly positive, honest feedback. Little by little help them to do things better, but don't overly critique if they're giving an honest effort.
Later y'all.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Majority of kids with ADHD face mental health woes as adults, study shows
My child doesn't have ADHD, so I cannot speak from the place of such a parent. I have opinions, theories derived from experience as a teacher and just as a parent. My opinions and theories may tick you off. If we disagree, I respectfully disagree. Many ADHD cases, in my opinion, are the result of poor diet and lack of physical activity opportunities. Not all, but we could save many kids the devastating effects of drugs and labeling through modification.
My son began PreK at the public school system in which I work. Before the first day of school, I already knew that I would be sending his lunch daily due to our choice to limit his exposure to grains, dyes and sugar. Breakfast is offered free, so I looked over the monthly menu. Well, it took about 10 seconds for the next decision; breakfast would be on us as well. The choices were basically chicken biscuit or Trix cereal. Ummm, no thank you. Even with the stamp "Smart Choice" on Trix, Cocoa Pebbles, etc. I decline the freebie. It wouldn't cost me a dime, but it would cost a bit of my child's health, behavior, and ability to focus at school. So, my little buddy totes two lunch bags to school. Dork. Healthy, well-behaved, focused dork. Good trade off in my book.
See, I've witnessed the aftermath of allowing him to eat the Standard American Diet. I'm not being snotty, but I am a food snob because what you eat matters. Little Dude eats Fruity Loopies, Little Dude has emotional breakdowns. Little Dude drinks Kool Aid, Little Dude is as ADHD as they come. If he has extra sugar beyond his normal allowance, he's worse than a crack head looking for his next hit. He begins craving it. Begging for it. It takes a day or two of reminding him we limit for our health, not because I enjoy saying no. He's not the same kid when eating lots of highly processed food. "Healthy Stamp" or not. I don't need a big, corporate funded campaign telling me that its fine to feed him tablespoons of sugar just because it surrounded by whole grains. Oh, how I loathe the term whole grains now. Marketing genius.
Do you think that maybe the diet we are providing our kids affects their behavior, academic success, and general health indicators? In my opinion, yes. I walk through the school cafeteria and look at my students' lunches. The school provided lunches now look to be making more of an effort to be "healthy" by general standards. But I've got beef with the Food Guide Pyramid or My Plate in case you haven't noticed. LOL. The home prepared lunches are the show stopper though. Your average kid has a processed ham sandwich on white wheat bread, chips, fruity gummies, desert, and juice box that's about 25% actual juice.
Let's break it down:
Ham
Bread
Doritos
Angry Birds Gummies
Cookies
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-57572360/majority-of-kids-with-adhd-face-mental-health-woes-as-adults-study-shows/
My son began PreK at the public school system in which I work. Before the first day of school, I already knew that I would be sending his lunch daily due to our choice to limit his exposure to grains, dyes and sugar. Breakfast is offered free, so I looked over the monthly menu. Well, it took about 10 seconds for the next decision; breakfast would be on us as well. The choices were basically chicken biscuit or Trix cereal. Ummm, no thank you. Even with the stamp "Smart Choice" on Trix, Cocoa Pebbles, etc. I decline the freebie. It wouldn't cost me a dime, but it would cost a bit of my child's health, behavior, and ability to focus at school. So, my little buddy totes two lunch bags to school. Dork. Healthy, well-behaved, focused dork. Good trade off in my book.
See, I've witnessed the aftermath of allowing him to eat the Standard American Diet. I'm not being snotty, but I am a food snob because what you eat matters. Little Dude eats Fruity Loopies, Little Dude has emotional breakdowns. Little Dude drinks Kool Aid, Little Dude is as ADHD as they come. If he has extra sugar beyond his normal allowance, he's worse than a crack head looking for his next hit. He begins craving it. Begging for it. It takes a day or two of reminding him we limit for our health, not because I enjoy saying no. He's not the same kid when eating lots of highly processed food. "Healthy Stamp" or not. I don't need a big, corporate funded campaign telling me that its fine to feed him tablespoons of sugar just because it surrounded by whole grains. Oh, how I loathe the term whole grains now. Marketing genius.
Do you think that maybe the diet we are providing our kids affects their behavior, academic success, and general health indicators? In my opinion, yes. I walk through the school cafeteria and look at my students' lunches. The school provided lunches now look to be making more of an effort to be "healthy" by general standards. But I've got beef with the Food Guide Pyramid or My Plate in case you haven't noticed. LOL. The home prepared lunches are the show stopper though. Your average kid has a processed ham sandwich on white wheat bread, chips, fruity gummies, desert, and juice box that's about 25% actual juice.
Let's break it down:
Ham
Bread
UNBLEACHED ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, SUGAR, FIBER (MAY CONTAIN SOY, OAT, COTTONSEED, AND/OR CELLULOSE), WHEAT GLUTEN, YEAST, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF EACH OF THE FOLLOWING: CALCIUM SULFATE, SOY FLOUR, SALT, CALCIUM CARBONATE, SOYBEAN OIL, CULTURED WHEAT FLOUR, DOUGH CONDITIONERS (CONTAINS ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING: SODIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE, CALCIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE, MONOGLYCERIDES, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, CALCIUM PEROXIDE, CALCIUM IODATE, DATEM, ETHOXYLATED MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, AZODICARBONAMIDE, ENZYMES, ASCORBIC ACID), VINEGAR, GUAR GUM, CITRIC ACID, AMMONIUM SULFATE, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM CITRATE, SOY LECITHIN, NIACIN, IRON (FERROUS SULFATE), THIAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID, NATAMYCIN (TO RETARD SPOILAGE), 102111
Doritos
Angry Birds Gummies
Cookies
ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID), SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS (SUGAR, CHOCOLATE, DEXTROSE, COCOA BUTTER, SOY LECITHIN - AN EMULSIFIER), SUGAR, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, LEAVENING (BAKING SODA, AMMONIUM PHOSPHATE), SALT, WHEY (FROM MILK), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, CARAMEL COLOR.
Capri Sun
Ingredients: WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CITRIC ACID, SUCRALOSE (SPLENDA(R) BRAND SWEETENER), NATURAL FLAVOR.
First off, do you see how much sugar, corn syrup, and other sweeteners are in that lunch? What is that doing to a body? Your body handles sugar as toxic waste- it's working it's butt off to get it out of the bloodstream. When that sugar high goes south an hour later, how's your child's ability to learn going to be?
I don't know how to pronounce most of those chemicals, flavorings, whatevers. And I don't know exactly what most of them are right off hand. Lastly, I don't know what they do to a growing human mind and body. Neither does the company making your child's gummies. But the evidence ain't looking good. Honestly, they don't care as long as you buy it.
Finally, children are being given controlled substances that are hardcore drugs to settle them down. Many ADHD drugs are AMPHETAMINES. Folks, drugs are serious business. Business built on a model of profit. Billions of dollars of profit. Drugs should be the last resort. Period.
Follow the link to see a story written today on this topic. Have a great day and keep on loving your kids. Later y'all.
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