DEVELOPING GOOD FOOD HABITS AND CHOICES IN CHILDREN

In today’s hectic life most of the times we as parents not only forget about our diet and health but also forget that this is the same attitude that we develop for our children’s diet and health. Creating an environment and example where your kids can follow you and make healthy nutritional choices is one of the most important steps you must take to ensure the health of your child as a kid and as an adult.

Here are some tips for getting children to eat healthy food and form wise nutritional habits.

1.        Avoid guilt feeding: Most parents tend to allow children to get away with eating junk foods in order to make amends for the guilt of not spending enough qualitative and quantitative time with them. Remember your kids learn by your examples and when you can develop in them an attitude to choose healthily they will love you even more for that when they grow up to be healthy adults.

2.      Everything is “OK” when we are kids: NO- our health is determined from a very young age. Deficiencies and disorders start building from a very young age and therefore by building a healthy and supportive environment at a young age can make you inculcate a positive relationship with healthy food which will last a lifetime.

3.      Avoid placing restrictions on food: Do not just restrict a food without reasoning with your child. Instead of banning foods, talk about all the healthy, nutritional options there are and encourage your family to chose fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and low-fat dairy, while avoiding heavily processed, low-quality junk foods. Moderation is always the key so keep certain foods like fries or burgers (restricted on other days) for just once a week or fortnight so that kids don’t feel like being deprived of any food.

4.      Keep healthy food at hand: Children will eat whatever is available and even parents may end up giving their kids whatever is handy in case of a busy day. Keep fruits in a bowl on the counter where it’s accessible. Remember, your child can only choose foods that you stock in the house. Stock up on khakhras, popcorn, home-made baked chivdas instead of chips and creamy biscuits. Have healthy snacks yourself too. Your actions speak louder than your screaming or anything you will ever tell them.

5.      Don't label foods as "good" or "bad”: Instead relate foods to the things your child cares about, such as sports or doing well in class. Let your child know that protein rich foods such as chicken, eggs, pulses, nuts and calcium rich foods in dairy products like milk or curd give them strength for sports. The vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegetables will make them look beautiful. Also eating a healthy breakfast is important to help them be focused in class. Do not enforce a choice upon a child- explain it them- they will understand.

6.      Praise healthy choices: Show your child how proud you are when they choose healthily.

7.       Don't keep scolding about unhealthy choices: When children insist on or choose fatty, fried, unhealthy foods, redirect them by suggesting a healthier option. Instead of regular potato chips, offer baked tortilla/ sweet potato chips or khakhra. If your child wants candy/sweets, try dipping fresh fruits in a little honey/ chocolate sauce or keep naturally sweet dried fruits like dates at home for quick snacks. Instead of buying French fries, try roasting cut up potatoes in the oven and then toss them in just a bit of oil.

8.      Do not use junk food as a reward: This could create weight problems in later life and wrong association of foods. Instead, reward your child with something fun -- perhaps a trip to the park/ library or a game together.

9.      Have at least one meal as a family: Children who eat dinners at the table with their parents have better nutrition, are less likely to have meals in front of the television and learn the importance of meal times being a pure activity.

10.   Prepare plates with the kids: Put the right portion of each item on everyone's dinner plate along with your kids. This way your children will learn to recognize healthy portion sizes.

11.     Give the kids some control: Ask your children to take few bites of all the foods on their plate and give each one a marking, such as 1, 2, 3 or 4. When healthy foods -- especially certain vegetables -- get high marks, serve them more often. Offer the items your children don't like less frequently or try and make them in a different way. This lets your child participate in decision-making and he feels his views matter too.

12.    Consult your pediatrician regarding serious matters: Always talk with your child's doctor before making any significant changes in the type of foods your child eats. Never diagnose your child as eating too less or being too fat by yourself as there are many parameters you may not be able to judge.

It’s all about inculcating habits gradually from childhood and it is not something that we can develop overnight as adults. Everything around us is tempting our kids to indulge in foods that may not be healthy. Peer pressure, aluring advertisements and a need to be accepted as someone belonging to the junk food generation is a very serious matter. Therefore making your kids “food smart” and setting examples for your children to make a healthy choice most of the times can protect them for a lifetime from diseases.

HEALTHY DIET FOR THE WINTER COLD

Every mile is two in winter, just like our metabolism which slows down in winters. So winter days are cold, when you want to warm up fast with a bowl of mom’s creamy soup or stew. But there also is no excuse to throw all your healthy eating habits out the window just because it's dark and cold outside!

Some instructions for winter:

1. Eat high-quality carbohydratesListen to your cravings because the "feel-good" brain chemicals start to decline. Your cravings for carbohydrate-loaded comfort foods are your body's cries for more of these hormones. But when choosing carbohydrates opt for nutritious whole grains and choose high-quality carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and whole breads/rotis/brown rice.
2. Go seasonalWinter can also be as amazing as summer with it’s produce such as pomegranates, cranberries, oranges, sweetlime, pineapples, purple/black grapes, carrots, which will not only add colour but nutrition into your meals.
3. Include Vitamin D rich foodsVitamin D can be found in fortified dairy products, fortified breakfast cereals, fatty fish, and egg yolks.
4. Nourish your cold with probiotics and vitamin CProbiotics (as found in yogurt with active culture) may shorten your cold episode by almost two days. So keep on eating those "friendly" bugs!Vitamin C can be got from citrus fruits, amla (gooseberry), capsicum, guava and hot chillis.

The common cold is caused by any of a number of viruses that can involve the upper respiratory tract. As your body fights the attacking virus, you get the symptoms of a cold, including nasal congestion, sneezing and sniffles. Colds are very common every winter, but your best remedies are right in your kitchen. In fact, you can strengthen your immune system's infection-fighting ability by eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly and getting enough rest. Good nutrition is also essential for recovering from a cold, and you can reduce the duration of one and also decrease the aggravating side effects such as stuffy nose and sore throat simply by eating right.

Here’s are some tips:

• Fill up on nutrient-rich healthy diet to build your immune system and fight inflammation during a cold.
• Drink plenty of cold and hot liquids. Water, tea, fruit juice, or broth based soups. When you have cold, liquids thin and loosen mucus and help get it moving out of your body. Also a hot chicken or a clear vegetable soup helps move viruses and germs out of your system.
• Avoid excess of caffeine. The diuretic effect of caffeine in fluids like coffee, tea, and soda drinks make them less helpful than water or decaffeinated beverages when you have a cold.
• If you have diarrhea symptoms, eat low fibre foods such as white bread, white rice or noodles, creamed cereals, ripe bananas, steamed apple or pear without skins, eggs, mashed or baked potatoes without the skin.
• Eat fibre and protein rich foods to avoid constipation which can make you feel sluggish.
• Eat small frequent meals spread fairly evenly throughout the day (consisting of comlex carbohydartes and proteins to keep blood sugar levels steady.
• Keep yourself hydrated by taking water, light or green tea, juices, and soups. Avoid excess of sodas or alcohol as they are dehydrating and can affect the absorption of vitamin D and iron.
• Having a teaspoon of ginger juice or powder with honey about 2-3 times a day is a great remedy for your cold and building up your immunity.
• Adding black pepper powder and garlic in foods are also beneficial.
• Amla as juice or chutneys are a great source of vitamin C.
• Warm milk with jaggery and kesar is a great healer of colds.
• Exercise for about 30 minutes a day as this also helps to keep the metabolism of our body running well.

So the bottom line is this- Don’t let the winter cold slug you down. Pep up and energize yourself by getting maximum benefit from the tool box which is right in your kitchen and have an energy filled winter season.

CALMING DIET FOR HYPERACTIVE KIDS

Consumption of certain foods such as processed food and foods high in sugar contribute to symptoms of hyperactivity for certain children. While diet does not cause hyperactivity, it can play a major role in symptoms of hyperactivity and some simple dietary changes may help improve behavior and make life a lot easier for child and parent alike.

Foods can also help calm hyperactive kids. It is also recommend taking a look at the foods your kids are eating to find out why certain foods make them hyper, cranky or irritable. Find out which foods should be avoided and which foods you should incorporate into their daily diet as many times it will differ from child to child.

Kids that eat excessive amounts of foods high in sugar or refined carbs, such as white rice, white flour products can experience a drop in blood glucose which can affect their mood. These foods can trigger the release of the “fight or flight” hormones that make us fidgety, irritable, and anxious.

While sugar may be a concern, the type of sugar consumed may be more important than the amount. High fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose should be avoided in a diet for hyperactive children. In addition, one should attempt to reduce total sugar consumption. Avoid sugary drinks, candy and highly sweetened processed food products.

Artificial flavors, colors and preservatives present in many convenience and prepackaged foods have also been known to contribute to hyperactivity. When preparing a diet to help hyperactive children, food should be prepared from fresh foods whenever possible and the amount of ready/convenience food consumed should be reduced.

Adequate amounts of high quality protein should be eaten at every meal, particularly breakfast. Protein aids in maintaining a steady blood sugar level and prevents the ups and downs of mood swings that may contribute to hyperactivity. In addition, protein provides support for brain function important for all children but particularly those who have difficulty maintaining attention. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids may provide some benefit to increase brain functioning, stabilize mood and improve hand to eye coordination in children. It is important to ensure overall nutrition and provide for dietary deficiencies such as zinc, B vitamins and iron that may play a part in hyperactivity.

Calming food choices: It is recommend you incorporate these foods into your children’s diet:

1.       Cut fresh veggies (baby carrots, cucumber sticks, bell pepper strips,
broccoli/cauliflower florets, etc.) – serve along with a “healthy dip” like hummus, raita, low-fat salad dressing, low fat cheese or paneer dip, peanut butter or salsa.

2.       Low-fat yogurt or low fat cottage cheese– plain sweetened with blended fruit or fruit juice is best.

3.       Nuts or seeds – almonds, cashews, walnuts, peanuts, etc. Don’t forget about sunflower seeds and toasted pumpkin seeds. Try roasted chana or soy nuts.

4.       Fresh, frozen or dried fruit – serve cut up in an interesting cup or bowl. Even better, create a “healthful” fruit/yogurt sundae by alternating layers of fruit with low-fat yogurt and granola.

5.       Reduced-fat cheese – you can now find an amazing array of cheeses made from 2% milk in lots of kid friendly packaging.

6.       Whole grain crackers, cheese, peanut butter, almond nut butter, hummus, salsa, or spreadable fruit/fruit pulp.

7.       Healthy cereals – dry or with skim or low-fat milk. To select a healthy cereal, be sure you see the word “whole” as the first word in the ingredients list.

8.       Snack picks for kids include instant oatmeal, home made granola bars/chikki using honey/jaggery nuts or channa, air-popped popcorn, hard-boiled eggs, tortilla chips or khakhra, fruit smoothies with wheat germ and dark chocolate.

The Sweet Craving: If you’re looking to satisfy your child’s sweet tooth try fresh fruit smoothies, or light ice cream topped with berries. Homemade “healthy” cookies are all good alternatives to store bought pastries and candy. The worst choices here would be donuts, pastries, cupcakes, cake, candy (especially those with lots of food dye, sugary kids’ cereals, Pancakes (waffles [white flour-based]), soda and other sugar fortified beverages (fruit drinks, sports drinks) and white bagels.

Calming nighttime snacks: Before bed, children should always avoid caffeinated beverages, candy, high-sugar fruit juice and ice-cream. Healthy nighttime snacks includes low-fat milk/ curd, soy products, peanut butter, and cheeses.

THE CHICKENPOX DIET

A Chicken Pox diet is something that is often overlooked, but is a crucial element to cure Chicken Pox fast. There are certain foods, that when consumed, can speed up the recovery from the Chicken Pox.

First, it’s important to understand that Chicken Pox is a VIRUS.  When suffering from Chicken Pox, your body is put under a lot of stress and is working extremely hard to try to fight off this virus from the body.  It only makes sense to have a good Chicken Pox Diet to give your body what it needs and support it in fighting off this virus.

What your Chicken Pox Diet needs to be made up of is good nutrients, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and easy to digest foods.

Some important points for a chicken pox diet:

1.       Serve your child foods which are easily digestible. During this time the patient is unable to digest food properly and thus, easily digestible food like kichri, plain rice and dal, curd etc are advised.

2.       Remember to give your child plenty of water and fruit juices but avoid citric fruit juices such as lemon juice, orange juice or sweetlime juice as they have the tendency to increase the irritation of oral lesions. The diet must also include fluids like coconut water,vegetable soup etc. Fluid diet helps the nutrients to be observed faster. During this disease the ability to absorb nutrients by the body is also lost.

3.       It is recommended to take natural juices. Make sure everything is organic and natural.  Stay away from preservatives and juices added with chemicals.

4.       Blisters appear inside the mouth and throat as well. Thus, one should avoid intake of spicy, oily and crunchy food. It might make the blisters burst and burn more. Bursting of the blisters leads to increasing spreading it in the whole body.

5.       Include easily digestable fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon, kiwi, oranges, blueberries, spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, wheat grass and sprouts in the diet. Star foods for chicken pox are almond, apricot, beetroot, blackcurrant, blueberry, butternut squash, cantaloupe melon, carrot, cashew nut, cinnamon, citrus fruits, egg, garlic, ginger, guava, kiwi fruit, mango, oats, onion, papaya, parsley, pumpkin seed, raspberry, strawberry, sunflower seed, sweet potato, tofu, walnut.

6.       Chicken pox can leave scars, especially if your child scratches the spots a great deal. Supplying your child with foods rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C and flavonoids will help in the healing of skin tissue and the mucous membranes often damaged by the virus.

7.       Some children get chicken pox in their throats. If this is the case with your child, try giving her fresh fruit juice ice pops, which can be very comforting. Cool treats such as ice candies, ice cream, and frozen juices are favourites among kids with hot, itchy rashes.

8.       You can use any fruits or fruit juices for this but blackcurrants are particularly good as they are full of both vitamin C, which helps to fight the infection and repair the skin, and anthocyanins, phytonutrients that multiply vitamin C's antioxidant power as well as having anti-inflammatory properties.

9.       During the illness prepare meals that are rich in nutrients and low in sugar, saturated fat and salt. Do not be tempted to give your child sweets, chocolate or sugar-laden yoghurts in an attempt to get them to eat something. Sick children rarely want to eat and enticing them to eat such foods will only further suppress their immune systems. Once your child starts to feel better, complement the drinks by offering comforting soups and broths. Include plenty of garlic, which contains antiviral substances. Nuts and seeds offered as snacks or as part of a meal are a good source of energy and are rich in essential fatty acids, zinc and B-vitamins, all of which aid the healing process.

10.   If there is no clear history of lactose (milk sugar) intolerance, eliminating dairy products from the diet is not required. These foods often constitute a major source of the child's daily caloric intake, and are important sources of dietary calcium; eliminating them may result in malnutrition.

11.   Include Zinc, magnesium and calcium supplements in your diet (as per your physicians advice) to enhance the immune system. Enhanced immune system help in quick cure.

12.   The diet should include coriander and carrot soup. Chop one carrot and one cup of chopped coriander leaves and boil it in two cups of water. Strain the water and drink it as soup once everyday.

13.   It is okay to consume chicken during chicken pox and is often recommended as chicken contains several types of healthy proteins which boost the immune system. You can make a chiken soup or broth and also add shredded chicken to it.

14.   Avoid junk or fried foods.

15.   Home cooked foods are recommended for an individual with chicken pox.

16.   The foods must also be soft and easy to swallow.

These guidelines of chicken pox diet will help quick recovery and healing of the symptoms and scars. When you put these powerful foods into your Chicken Pox diet, you will notice a huge boost in energy and your body will be able to cleanse itself from the toxins and fight off the virus faster.

Myths And Facts Of Dieting

Dieting Myths Cleared

Diet Tips are meant to help you lose weight but only if taken from a professional. Before following any kind of “Diet Tip”  you should know the facts about it. We've all heard many dieting myths and, unfortunately, believed most of them. From food restriction to fending off fat, these are a few dieting myths straightened if you want to follow healthy Diet Tips

1. If I drastically cut calories, I'll lose weight faster.

When you extremely cut down on your caloric intake, you are actually sending your body into a "starvation mode". Your body will think you are “starving” and hence slow down your metabolism and store fats in order to maintain weight.

2. The stricter the diet, the better it will work.

The stricter a diet is ;completely eliminating entire food groups; eating just one food (e.g. cabbage soup diet); the less effective it will be in the end. You are actually depriving your body of particular nutrients in turn making yourself prone to deficiency diseases. You'll also get tired of the allowed food and when you feel really deprived, you're likely to call it quits altogether.

3. I should get rid of my favorite less-than-healthful foods.

By treating yourself to your old favorites now and again, you'll stay motivated and you'll be less likely to give in to a binge. Just make sure you get back on track after your treat. Moderation is the key to successful, long-term weight loss.

4. Eating late at night will cause me to gain weight.

All things considered, it sometimes doesn't really matter when you eat, only how many calories you eat and burn in a day. Whether you're eating in the morning or at midnight your body will turn any extra calories into fat. Therefore late night snacking on junk foods like chips or chocolates are actually the reason for weight gain. In fact, eating a light snack like fruits or yoghurt or skimmed milk before bed may help you to follow your diet better, sleep better and avoid weight gain which can only be because the body’s metabolism is lower in the latter part of the day.

5.      I shouldn't eat/snack between meals.

On the contrary, eating a small, healthful snack between meals will help keep your blood sugar in control and keep your metabolism running. You'll also avoid getting too hungry so you don't over-eat at your next meal. In reality, you can snack even when you're trying to lose weight, especially if you lead an active lifestyle. What you need to watch out for are the snacks you eat. Cookies, potato chips, and cakes are not healthy snacks, and you should avoid them as much as possible. Instead, snack on fruits, tuna and crackers, yogurt, vegetables, rice cakes, granola bars, and boiled peanuts.

6. Fat is bad.

Everybody needs to include some fat in their diet. We need it to help absorption of some vitamins; plus, it makes dishes more satisfying and palatable. Some fats are even good for you, like omega-3 fatty acids, which are found predominantly in nuts, fish, olive oil.

7. Dairy is a “No-No” when on healthy diets.

With ways to include and availabilityof non- and low-fat varieties of most dairy products, working dairy into your diet is a definite "Yes-Yes". We need the calcium rich dairy products to help bone and heart health. Also eating enough calcium gives our weight loss efforts a good boost.

8. Drinking a lot of water can help me lose weight.

Drinking water in and of itself will not lead to weight loss. Of course, water is key to a healthy lifestyle and drinking enough has tons of benefits; but when people lose weight due to drinking water, it's most likely because they're substituting if for high-calorie juices and sodas.

9.      Always go for the salad when you eat out because it's the healthiest thing on the menu.

Unfortunately, always going for that salad when you're eating out is not a sure bet that you're going to lose all that weight. How come? Have you looked at what most salads consist of? Most salads today come with extras like mayonnaise, croutons, ham, chicken, cheese, eggs, and bacon. And don't forget the salad dressings. Most salads are served drenched in high-calorie dressings. You might think your salad is healthy, but think again. This isn't to say you shouldn't order salad anymore when you eat out! Far from it. What you need to do is make sure the salad you order is low in calories. It needs to have lots of leafy green vegetables and make sure it has lean proteins like salmon, black beans, grilled chicken (without the skin), shrimp, tuna, and chickpeas. Order your salad without any fried or crispy ingredients and have the salad dressing on the side.

10.   You'll lose weight if you start eating organic foods.

While organic food is the healthier choice over non-organic food, it doesn't mean you'll lose weight just by eating completely organic foods. According to studies, organic foods are certainly more nutritious than their non-organic counterpart since they don't have any of the harmful chemicals (e.g., pesticides, preservatives, hormones). But in terms of weight loss, organic foods don't have fewer calories than non-organic foods. Of course, it's still a good idea (and a healthy one too) to eat organic foods as much as possible. Just know that choosing them over non-organic foods won't benefit you in terms of weight loss.

11.   You can lose weight by eating foods that have the words "fat-free", "non-fat", or 'low fat" on their labels.

If you're conscious about weight gain, it's understandable to look for products labeled "non-fat", "low fat", or "fat free" when you're shopping. However, remember that food products with any of these labels aren't necessary low in calories or free of calories. Just because a food item is labeled "fat free" doesn't mean it's "calorie free". If you look closely on their labels, they may have the same amounts, if not more, of calories as the regular products. It's because these products have added sugar, flour, or starch thickeners in order to enhance their taste and texture. Sure, you may not get calories from the fat, but you're getting them from the other ingredients. Make sure you look at the calories per serving on the label before putting any food item in your shopping bag.

LOVE YOUR BODY….IT’S YOUR’S.

When we think of losing weight we must always understand one thing: learn to feel good about yourself; about your body. The better you feel about yourself the more you can support yourself and the easier it will be for you to attain your goal. When you decide to lose weight, you need to be your own best friend, because no one else knows you better than “you”.

Let’s remind ourselves about the many reasons for loving our body.

ü  Your body is a gift to help you fulfill your dreams. Honor it. Respect it. Fuel it.

ü  Make a list of all the things your body lets you do. Read it and you will see that you can add to it often.

ü  Remember your body is the instrument of your life, not just an ornament.

ü  Think about all the people you admire or contributed to your life, your community, or the world. Consider whether their appearance was important to their success and accomplishments.

ü  Walk with your head held high; with pride and confidence in yourself as a person.

ü  Don’t let your weight or shape keep you from activities that you enjoy.

ü  Wear comfortable clothes that you like, that express your personal style, that feel good to your body and not just what’s in trend.

ü  Count your blessings, not your blemishes.

ü  Think about all the things you could accomplish with the time and energy you currently spend worrying about your body and appearance.

ü  Be a friend and supporter to your body, not its enemy.

ü  Consider this: your skin replaces itself once a month, your stomach lining every five days, your liver every six weeks, and your skeleton every three months. Your body is extraordinary--begin to respect and appreciate it.

ü  Every morning when you wake up, thank your body for resting and rejuvenating itself so you can enjoy the day.

ü  Every evening when you go to bed, tell your body how much you appreciate what it has allowed you to do throughout the day.

ü  Find a method of exercise that you enjoy and do it regularly. Don’t exercise to lose weight or to fight your body. Do it to make your body healthy and strong and because it makes you feel good. Exercise for Fun and Fitness.

ü  Think back to a time in your life when you felt good about your body. Tell yourself you can feel like that again, even in this body at this age.

ü  Eat when you are hungry. Rest when you are tired. Surround yourself with people that remind you of your inner strength and beauty.

ü  Keep a list of positive things about yourself--without mentioning your appearance. Add to it!

ü  Put a sign on your cupboard and mirror saying, “I’m beautiful inside and out.”

ü  Choose to find the beauty in the world and in yourself.

ü  Start saying to yourself, “Life is too short to waste my time hating my body this way”, and believe in it.

The next time when you weigh yourself on the scale; don’t weigh your Self-Esteem. It’s what’s inside that counts!