As an alternative to sandwiches or salads, or as accompanying side items, here are some additional wholesome, lunch bag-friendly options. Keep the three basic building blocks (smart proteins, fiber-rich carbs, and a calcium rich food) in mind to put together a winning a la carte lunch. -Finger-friendly or cut up fresh fruit—fresh strawberries or blackberries, […]
Building the Best Lunch To keep your children’s bodies and brains in peak performance mode and to safeguard against the ravages of unhealthy foods, be sure your child powers up with a nutritious lunch. The three basic building blocks for the best lunches include: Healthy protein Fiber-rich carbs, to include at least one serving of […]
Here are some of the studies I reviewed relating to children’s health: In a study involving 312 middle school students, those with the highest fitness levels had the best grades and scored higher on standardized tests. (I have no doubt that the quickest and most powerful way to improve academic performance is with school-based exercise […]
As a mother of 4, I know that getting kids to eat their veggies can be a challenge. Here are some tips that have proved effective in my household. Go stealth. Shred veggies (or buy them already shredded) carrots, zucchini, cabbage, broccoli, etc. and add to meatloaf, spaghetti sauce, lasagna, and baked goods like muffins Add canned pumpkin or […]
Those well-deserved darlings of the healthy fat world strike again. This time in an eye-opening study that looked at how omega 3 fats taken in the form of a daily supplement affects kids’ behavior. For this well-conducted, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial (the only type of study that can prove cause and effect), researchers gave 100 […]
As a mother of 4, I know that getting kids to eat their veggies can be a challenge. Here are some tips that have proved effective in my household. Go Stealth. Shred veggies (or buy them already shredded) carrots, zucchini, cabbage, broccoli, etc. and add to meatloaf, spaghetti sauce, lasagna, and baked goods like muffins […]
In a study involving 559 teens, the more fructose (a component of sugary foods and beverages) they consumed, the higher their blood pressure and fasting blood sugar, and the lower their HDL (good) cholesterol. These finding were most marked in teens with excess belly fat. (Journal of Nutrition, February 2012) In a study that sought […]
Cardiovascular researchers recently presented some alarming and ominous scientific findings that should be a huge wake up call for all of us, especially parents. For the report, scientists evaluated the presence of seven cardiovascular risk factors in a representative sample of 5,547 American teens between the ages of 12 and 19. The data was particularly […]
•In a group of overweight, previously sedentary school-age children who engaged in a 3 month study that included 40 minutes of vigorous physical activity after each school day – intelligence scores increased an average of 3.8 points with measurable improvements in math skills and enhanced activities in areas of the brain involved with complex thinking […]
In a study that included 479 school age children followed for 30 months, those with the lowest vitamin D levels at the beginning of the study gained weight more rapidly and accumulated dramatically more belly fat (the most dangerous type) than the children with a normal vitamin D status. ( American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, November, […]
