How can we help our kids learn through nutrition? Part 3

I'm back again. Okay we have covered the importance of protein and whole grains. Now we are going to talk about the "v" word; it is the most important and the hardest to condense so bare with me. At the end of this series I'm going to write a summary, meal suggestions, and how to combine these foods.

Vegetables provide many of the vitamins and minerals ours kids need for good health, and they provide fiber to get rid of the toxins that we have talked about. Vegetables also contain many antioxidants which are extremely important but to explain how they are important, I first need to explain what free radicals are.

Free radicals are a natural by-product of the body's process of turning food into energy. Excess free radicals are a problem because they attack the body itself, damaging key cellular molecules such as DNA. Cells with damaged DNA may be more prone to developing cancer. Free radical activity has also been linked to premature aging, heart disease, arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and more. An excess of free radicals can be caused by stress, infections, eating fried foods, environmental pollutants, and more. It is impossible to avoid many of these things, so most of us are producing far too many free radicals for the normal body processes to cope with. This is where antioxidants come into to play; they help the body to get rid of the extra free radicals and protect our cells.

You might be thinking, "...but what does this have to do with helping my child learn". I'm almost there. The brain is very vulnerable to free radical damage because its turn over rate of cells (die-off and replacement) is almost zero, unlike that of our other organs. So, we really need these cells to be protected because they aren't replaced. Remember, antioxidants help the body get rid of the extra free radicals and protect our cells.

Fruits and vegetables are our best source of antioxidants. Our children need three servings of vegetables daily. To get three servings in, we just have 1 serving at lunch, and 2 servings at dinner. Lunch is usually a raw vegetable like carrots, broccoli, celery, sugar snap peas, belle peppers, or salad. At dinnertime we usually just have a double serving of one veggie like sweet potatoes, salad, cooked broccoli, asparagus, or squash. I know it's not easy, but teaching them to eat vegetables while they're young, will have a lasting impact on their lives. What we teach them now not only benefits them now, but might just be what prevents them from suffering with disease later in life.

One way that will help get our children to eat vegetables is eating them ourselves. They can follow our example. Think of creative ways to get them to eat vegetables. Educate them on the importance of eating their veggies. If this is new to your children, I wouldn't be afraid to offer incentives like stickers, extra time doing this or that, etc... I know some may disagree, but I have tried this, and it works. I also have my kids eat at least half of their veggies before the rest of their food that way I don't hear, "I'm too full". I grind up veggies in my chopper and then "sneak" them into other foods like any tomato based sauce, meatloaf, hamburgers, soups or anywhere else you feel it would work.

Check out this statistic: "People who consumed two or more vegetables per day had a 35 to 40 percent decrease in the decline in thinking ability over six years. That's the equivalent of being five years younger in age."

If you have any questions or would like to set up a consultation, email me at askmichelleabouthealth@yahoo.com

Recipe: The Great Pumpkin Cookie

The Great Pumpkin Cookie by Valory (my daughter)
High in fiber which will slow down the absorption of the sugar.
A great source of vit A which is an antioxidant.
½ cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 ¼ cups pumpkin
1 ½ whole grain flour (wheat, oat, spelt)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ cups oatmeal, uncooked
1 cup raisins or chopped nuts (optional)

1. Mix butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl
2. Add eggs and pumpkin to sugar mixture. Mix
3. Mix in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
4. Stir in oatmeal and raisins.
5. Drop a spoonful of dough on a greased cookie sheet.
6. Use your fingers to press and shape into a pumpkin if you want.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies

What do I do with all this candy?

That is what I always ask myself at this time of the year? Here are some ideas to think about. I usually let my kids have a couple of pieces and I'll have one myself. Then I will get some healthy snacks or candies and trade with them. I have also traded the unhealthy candy for $, like 10 cents a piece then we can go to the dollar store or garage sales which my kids love. You could trade for special activities or special time with mom or dad. I think you get the idea, here. Or you could just throw it all away (which I still end up doing with some) but this approach is more gentle and fun for the kids. One idea that I have heard of is taking the old candy and making wreaths out of them or making streamer (garland) for Christmas. Just remember if it is in view you and your loved ones will eat it.

How can we help our kids learn through nutrition? Part 2

Okay we’ve talked about the importance of protein, especially for breakfast. Another food that’s just as important to include are whole grains. The problem here is we often substitute whole grain, (which our children’s growing bodies desperately need) with refined wheat flour which is not only void of nutritional value but also quite unhealthy.

Whole grain is all three parts of the grain (germ, endosperm, and bran). Refined flour is what it’s called after the whole grain is refined and only one part of the grain is left (endosperm). It is unhealthy for our children because the refining process removes all essential nutrients like vitamins, fiber, and protein (yes, there really is protein in whole grain just not enough to use it as our only source). Some of the vitamins that are removed are the B-vitamins. B vitamin deficiency can manifest in a multitude of ways such as depression, lack of energy, irritability, anemia, light sensitivity, dry skin, and memory loss. Wow, these symptoms could really make it hard on our kids to learn!!!

The fiber that is removed is what helps stabilize our blood sugar level, and when our blood sugar level rises too high or drops too low, this can cause our children to have a hard time focusing, hyperactivity, and fatigue. Fiber also allows the body to get rid of toxins; by getting rid of these toxins, it will drastically lower the risk of diseases such as cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and other increasingly common diseases. God put these nutrients in our grains because we need them! Refining them out only serves to make them last longer on the grocery store shelves.

You might be thinking yeah but they enrich it or add back in those nutrients (check your bread label – bleached, enriched flour?). Yes, but… they only add back three B-vitamins, but you lose the fiber, magnesium, vitamins E and B-6, copper, zinc, and who-knows-what phytochemicals that are in the whole grain.

Good sources of whole grain can be found in bread, cereal, tortillas, muffin, crackers, rice, and pasta. You have to be careful when shopping for them, because some of the labels can be misleading. To be sure you are really getting whole grain you need to look at the ingredients. The very first ingredient should say whole wheat (grain) not “bleached” or even “unbleached” “enriched” wheat flour or “enriched flour”. You also should check the grams of dietary fiber; it should read 2 g or more per slice for bread and 4 or more for cereals. Watch out for labels that say whole grain, multi-grain, or 100% wheat; this does not mean it is all whole grain. Look for labels that read 100% whole wheat (grain). I like “Nature’s Own” Bread (available at many grocery stores). You might shop at a health food store for some items like pasta and crackers. Try whole grain brown rice pastas, the taste and texture are like the semolina white pasta that most of us are use to. I like to use whole grain spelt, barley, and/or oat flour in recipes. This way my family gets more variety of grains.

Michelle

How can we help our kids learn through nutrition? Part 1

Don’t forget to start with breakfast, and be sure to include protein. Our children need protein especially in the morning. Protein will provide their bodies with sustained energy and the amino acids that are essential to create neurotransmitters in the brain. In other words, without protein our kids can’t think straight. Protein will also balance blood sugar levels, which will help keep hyperactivity, daydreaming, and losing focus at bay. Protein is essential for a child that has been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD.

Here are some good protein sources and serving sizes that work well for breakfast: yogurt (I like “Yokids” by StonyField because it is lower in sugar and doesn’t have all the “junk” in it), 10 almonds, 1egg, 2 TBS peanut butter, 1/3 cup of sunflower seeds or other nuts, or high protein cereals like Ezekiel. Of course meat is also a good protein source. I don’t know about you but I don’t have the time or the desire to cook in the morning. If your kids don’t like nuts, you could try sneaking them into their diet by grinding them in the blender and then adding them to oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, cookie recipes, or into smoothies.

Speaking of smoothies, they can be an easy and fun way to get quality nutrients into our kids’ diet. The base to the smoothies we like to make is usually frozen bananas that have been slightly thawed and a small amount of milk. The bananas give the smoothies an ice cream like consistency. Next, I will add yogurt or protein powder as our protein source. Finally, just add what ever sounds good maybe blueberries, strawberries, pineapple, kiwi, peaches, etc… Be creative and let the kids help. Makenna, my 5 year old, loves to watch the “tornado” in the blender. Valory, my 10 year old, likes to invent new smoothie recipes. Caleb, my 8 year old, enjoys just throwing the fruit in and watching as it’s being destroyed.

Just adding protein to your family’s diet in the morning could make a noticeable difference – give it a try for a couple of weeks and see if it makes a difference for your family as it has for mine.

Michelle

Great tasting cookie recipe that is high in protein, fiber, and omega-3

My family loves these cookies. They are easy, a little messy, and so good for you. They are packed full of protein, fiber, and omega-3. Protein is so important. It helps balance our blood sugar levels and it is necessary for the neurotransmitters in our brain to send signals. I'll be talking about that more in my next posting. The fiber helps keep us clean on the inside, and getting rid of those toxins can prevent diseases. Omega-3 is one of the Essential Fatty Acids that the body must have to be and stay healthy. It is good for the skin, hair, heart, brain, and joints. It can also lower cholesterol, reduce blood pressure, and reduce the risk of blood clot formation.

Yummy Maple Cookies
2 ½ cups ground walnuts (or almonds)
2/3 cup oat flour (just about any flour would work here)
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup milled flaxseed (high in fiber)
½ cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup chocolate chips, carob chips, raisins, or cranberries
Optional- I prefer nothing extra

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cookie sheet.
Combine all ingredients, form balls, and flatten on cookie sheet.
Bake 10-15 minutes. 1 dozen

Simple treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

I just recently read an amazing statistic about carpal tunnel syndrome. Here’s what it said, “Many people undergo surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome when vitamin B-6 cures 97% of these people.” Wow! I have to admit that I would have been very skeptical if I had not had some personal experience helping people in this area. My husband use to suffer terribly with carpal tunnel syndrome (from construction work), and of course he waited until it got so bad that he could barely move before he would take help (typical stubborn man!, but I love him). I put him on a regimen that included B-6, and it didn’t take long for him to recover. B vitamins are essential in nerve function. B-6 improves tissue oxygenation and is a diuretic (so drink lots of water). You’ll need to get a good quality supplement for this to work, not the cheap supplements that you find at Walmart. There are other helpful things to do naturally for pain relief like capsicum or arnica. Heat and cold therapy can work well to manage pain and speed up healing, just alternate hot and cold treatments. There are also acupressure points and exercises that will help with carpal tunnel syndrome. Email me if you would like more detailed information like dosages and instructions for acupressure points and exercises.

I hope this helps.

Michelle

click here for a good quality B supplement

click here for a good quality B-6 supplement

you would need both of these