Tips for Healthy Kids, Naturally – I’m Trying!

Whole Foods shot me this article about healthy kids. Normally I don’t post them but this one seemed simple and to the point without a lot of "markety" advice, if you know what I mean. So I decided to post here for other moms and interject my 2 cents just to keep it interesting. (You know by now I can’t just do a plain old "guest" post) ;~P

Keeping kids and teens healthy can be a challenge during the busy school year. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say that nearly 22 million school days are lost annually due to the common cold alone. Fortunately, there are some simple, and natural, things parents can do to help kids stay healthy and energized for all their activities.

Ok let’s hear them. I’m totally ready to see what I’m doing wrong!

Hygiene. The CDC says that the single most important thing you can do to keep from getting sick is to wash your hands. When there’s not sink and soap around, use natural hand sanitizers—wipes or gel—with 100 percent pure essential oils.

*sigh* I’m trying. I got the bathroom hand thing down pat, but I have to admit I slack on the pre-meal washing and the before bed washing.

Nutrition. Growing bodies and brains need fiber and nutrients to stay healthy. A child’s health can suffer from too few of these good things and too many sugary, highly processed foods.

The USDA Food Guide Pyramid recommends nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day. One serving size of fruits and veggies for children equals one of the following:

• 1/2 cup juice
• 1 cup raw leafy salad greens
• 1/2 cup chopped raw, canned or cooked fruit or other vegetable

Essential fatty acids, particularly omega-3s, are crucial for development and health of the brain, heart, nervous system, tissues, skin and immune system, especially for school-age children. DHA can be found in fatty cold-water fish like salmon, mackerel and tuna, and in DHA-enriched products like eggs and milk.

phew! That’s a lot of things for a mom to shove into a picky fickle toddler! My strategy is to shoot for a fruit with breakfast and at least 1 fruit and veggie with lunch and dinner. That’s getting me 5 servings there. Hmmmmm at least one snacks a fruit, that’s 6 and ummm one serving of juice is 7. Close enough right? ;~P

As for the fish, I don’t know about you but if it’s not breaded he’s not eating it. I’m not sure fish and toddler’s go hand and hand and I’ve tried, A LOT! As for the eggs and milk, that’s not a problem!

What about nutritional supplements? If kids and teens are actually eating nine servings of colorful fruits and veggies—plus foods containing all the other recommended daily nutrients—every day, then they probably don’t need them. But with picky eaters, tight schedules, food allergies and more, they don’t often get what they need. In these cases, supplements might be a good idea. But be careful. While it’s easy to find a fun and fruity multivitamin that kids don’t mind taking each day, it’s the nutrients they need, not loads of sugar or artificial colors and flavors.

Come ON! how much sugar can really be in a little kids multivitamin? We recently moved to the gummy ones and the toddler and I enjoy our "treat" every morning after breakfast (when we remember).

Rest. Rest, relaxation and sleep are key for handling stress. While moderate stress is normal, the demands of school life can cause stress overload for youngsters and adolescents—and their parents and teachers! Be sure to schedule in downtime and allow for adequate sleep when you’re planning the week.

Kids need more sleep than you might think.

• 3–6 years old: 10 3/4–12 hours per day
• 7–12 years old: 10–11 hours per day
• 12–18 years old: 8¼–9½ hours per day

This one we are good. Bed time at 8PM he normally wakes up at 6:30 and a 2 hour nap. That’s more then enough. Now if mom could just follow suit we’d be fine!

Stomachaches, nervousness, trouble sleeping, anger flares or infections may be signs of stress. Fortunately, there are plenty of safe, effective ways to handle it. Breathing deep, exercising, stretching, physical play and homeopathic remedies may help. If you would like to know more about natural ways to help your kids stay healthy, the Whole Body Team Members at Whole Foods Market are well educated about all of the products they offer and are happy to answer questions.

You can also visit WholeFoodsMarket.com for educational podcasts and more
information.
Courtesy of Family Features
Source: Whole Foods

There it is, the "markety" advice. Overall, though there some good basic info and sometimes I think we just have to be reminded what were are shooting for as parents. My strategy is to do the best I can with what I got! :~)