The young daughters of President-Elect Barack Obama will be eating lunches that are healthy and organic at their new school Sidwell-Friends. The lunch menu should be the envy of school cafeterias nationwide. Not only is the food nutritious, it’s stuff kids will actually eat and enjoy. The Obamas are known for eating a lean diet, so it’s possible the quality of food their daughters would be served during the day played a part in their decision.
Sasha Obama, the younger daughter, attends the lower school, where menu items this week included:
- Snacks like zucchini bread or apples and cheese
- French Dip with Au Jus
Encouraging youth sports is obviously a good thing for a number of reasons. It not only helps keep your kids fit, but they are put in social situations that help build character.
The benefits may be long lasting for young ladies who take part in weight-bearing activities (running, tennis, volleyball, etc.). A new study shows that older women who participated in weight-bearing activities in their youth now have stronger bones than those who didn’t.
There’s a squabble brewing in U.S. governmental agencies over the recommendations for fish consumption by children and pregnant women. The Food and Drug Administration wants to reconsider the government recommendation for expecting moms and children to limit their fish intake, due to harmful levels of mercury.
But now there’s a proposal to encourage eating fish for its health benefits, and that has some folks with the Environmental Protection Agency challenging the validity of these new recommendations.
“Please secure your own oxygen mask prior to assisting children or others.” Most of us have heard a flight attendant recite these words as part of their safety spiel prior to departure. Before anyone starts to argue that this is just one more thing the airlines have wrong, I am going to tell you why these words are exactly on target, both in the air and in your every day life.
According to the airlines, if the cabin loses pressure, you will have a mere 18 seconds of “useful consciousness”. If one does lose consciousness due to depressurization, they have three to seven minutes in which to be revived before suffering any lasting consequences. So it is safer for the child traveling with you to lose consciousness momentarily while you ensure your own ability to revive and continue caring for the child, than for you to ensure he or she remains conscious at the risk that you lose consciousness, leaving the child unable to revive you.
Being a kid is tough. You’re dealing with puberty and peer pressure. It can all be so overwhelming. And sometimes those pressures can manifest themselves as anger.
Parents know all too well how kids can huff and puff, slam doors, or fight with siblings as an outlet for their frustrations. To compound things, overweight kids may be more susceptible to bullying, which in turn can make them more volatile.
Now, researchers have found that the best way to ease anger is by exercise. Exercise is known to help improve mood and reduce hostility in adults, so why not with kids? And if children are happier and calmer, they are sure to be less hostile.
“It may help children control their anger, and that might be because they’re in a better mood because they don’t get angry as much,” says Dr. Catherine L. Davis of the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, the lead researcher on the study.
The proof came in two of three controlled groups of kids who were given 20 minutes of daily exercise, or 40 minutes of exercise for 10 to 15 weeks. The more a child’s fitness increased, the greater his or her anger was reduced.
Obesity rates for children are out of control. About a third of American children are overweight and one-fifth are obese.
I think most people are aware of this news, since it’s been reported for quite some time. But if you need even more convincing of the gravity of the situation, check this out: doctors are finding that obese children (as young as 10) have the arteries of 45-year-olds! There have also been other heart abnormalities found that greatly raise their risk of heart disease.
Dr. Geetha Raghuveer, of Children’s Hospital in Kansas City, and her colleagues used painless ultrasound tests to measure the thickness of the wall of a major neck artery in 70 children, ages 10 to 16. Almost all had abnormal cholesterol and many were obese.
The kids’ “vascular age” was about 30 years older than their actual age, Raghuveer said.
So, next time you see a young kid who is “chubby,” don’t just think it’s baby fat. Some will turn out OK (actor Jerry O’Connell, above, is one famous example), but as this study shows, they could be compromising their future health.
Soccer star. Underwear model. Now chef? Yep, that’s right. David Beckham has just launched his own line of healthy and nutritious food, targeting children, in collaboration with food manufacturer GO3.
His line of yummy and kid-friendly eats include things like fish sticks, wraps, pasta dishes and omelets. But rather than being laden with trans-fats, nutrient-void grains and artificial additives like most kids’ fare, these frozen entrees have nutritious ingredients like real vegetables, omega-3 fatty acids, and whole grains stealthily packed into each bite.
Obesity is a problem in our country and sadly it is effecting many children. There are numerous complications associated with obesity, including diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and depression. Due to this increased obesity occurrence in children, many have become dependent on medication to help control the severity of these health complications.
A recent study found some shocking results regarding children and medication use:
- The number of children taking drugs to treat chronic conditions increased across all treatment classes evaluated
- In use of blood pressure medications, lipid-lowering agents, diabetes drugs, and antidepressants, prevalence for youths 15-19 was at least two times greater than in 10- to 14-year-olds and three times greater than in youngsters 5 to 9
- Overall, girls took more blood pressure medication, even though boys are more likely to have hypertension
- Children more than doubled their use of type 2 diabetes medications between 2002 and 2005, with girls 10-14 showing a 166% increase
- The largest increases in high blood pressure treatments were seen in teens 15 to 19
Physical fitness should be a part of everyone’s life and I strongly believe that it should be taught at a young age. Most kids grow up playing sports and are very active, but they do not know the importance of what they are doing. We start teaching our kids math, reading, and writing at young ages; why not throw some physical fitness knowledge at them, too?
Students take Physical Education in school, but why stop there? Here is a question for you: Why are kids given recess during grade school? Recess has been proven to increase classroom management, alertness, on-task behavior, and reduce fidgeting. How do you feel when you have been cooped up in an office all day or in the car on a long road trip? Honestly, I would feel tired and exhausted. Well, our kids feel the same way by being cooped up in the classroom all day and that is where the importance of Physical Education and recess come into play.
With Halloween coming up this Friday, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about this holiday and provide a few tips. First off, candy (like most things) is OK in moderation, but it would probably be best for you and your waistline if you leave the eating candy in the bowl. However, since I am big on healthy nutrition being a lifestyle rather then a diet I think it would be beneficial for you and your children if you provided the neighborhood kids with some healthier Halloween treats. Below are a few fun healthy treats you may want to buy or make and hand out this Friday night.
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