Archive for the Category »Kids health and fitness «

Five Healthy Eating Guidelines

30 Apr 2010 by admin


What to eat and when to eat? This is a question that baffles most of us. We have a natural desire to be healthy and look better. But for this we need to follow certain healthy eating guidelines. Most of the health experts are unanimous on one fact that our diet should be balanced consist of variety of nutrients and should be in moderation.

So, here are five healthy eating guidelines for you. Follow these while enjoying your foods and you will be pleased to see the difference in you.

Start the Day with a Healthy Breakfast: Starting the day with a healthy breakfast is absolutely essential. Often we skip breakfast because we need to rush to our work or school. And there are some people who think skipping a breakfast is a good measure to control weight. But on the contrary a good breakfast gives you the energy to start the day on a positive note. It also prevents you from starving till lunch. Most importantly, it keeps you away from snacking because the more you starve, the more you eat. And that ultimately leads to weight gain. Ideally your breakfast should contain at least three food groups. For instance, a bowl of whole grain cereal with milk and some blueberries or eggs can be eaten.

Spoil Yourself with Variety of Foods:You should focus on healthy eating diets that consist of all the five food groups in variation. Whole grain foods like bread and cereals are compulsory. Your diet should have a combination of fruits, vegetable and dairy products like milk, cheese, yogurt etc. If you are a non-vegetarian choose between meat, fish or poultry products for proteins. For vegetarians – soya beans, grams, nuts or seeds are good source of proteins.

Eating on Regular Intervals does Help: Gone are the days when eating three square meals was the norm. Most of the studies have proved that your healthy eating guidelines make it essential for you to have five to six meals per day. Each of these meals should be evenly spaced out throughout the day so that your body is not starved at any point of time. This regulates the metabolism in the body and also provides you with constant source of energy.

Snack it out in a Balanced Way: Some of us think that having snacks in between meals doesn’t fall under healthy eating guidelines. That is a wrong notion. You can always eat snacks, but in moderation. So one day if you eat snacks that are high in fat, salt or sugar, the next day try to eat foods that have less of these. Don’t feel guilty while eating pies, chocolates, chips or ice-creams. Eating these sometimes is not harmful, but over-indulgence is.

Constant Hydration is Necessary: Keep your body hydrated throughout the day by having plenty of water. Water flushes out the toxins from the body, is good for nutrition and skin. Water is a source of oxygen to the body and helps in burning out the fat to provide us with constant energy. Drinking at least eight glasses of water daily is recommended.

So, follow these five healthy eating guidelines and you are going to benefit a lot. But make sure that you enjoy eating your food. After all, you can reap the benefits of these healthy eating diets only if you have fun eating them.

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Precautions For Kids’ Health Problems

29 Apr 2010 by admin

A great deal has been written about how to build a healthy kid by giving him the right kind of diet and supplements. However, there are other aspects to consider as well when talking about a kid’s health problem. And that starts with the basics of parenting and then goes forward. Let us see how.

  • Consumption of alcohol during pregnancy may cause the fetus to develop a syndrome called Fetus alcohol syndrome, in which there may be physical, mental and behavioral problems.

  • Child having Fetus Alcohol Syndrome

  • Always place the child on his back when sleeping. This is a precautionary step to avoid suffocation of the child.
  • Breast feeding a baby, if viable, ensures that it is receiving all the required nutrients. It protects the child from acquiring any form of bacterial infections.
  • Growing children need lots of encouragement from you. Give the kid compliments on doing an activity that is difficult for him/her. This will give him/her a moral boost and help to achieve new goals.

  • Encouraging Kids Gives Them Boost

  • Physical exercise is a must for growing kids. Encourage them to play outside for sometime daily. Doing this will build character, and will not leave him an introvert. It also allows him to show off his skills as a sportsman.
  • To avoid concussion, or any such major damages, make sure that your child wears a helmet and his protection gear at all times while riding or skate boarding.
  • Impart the importance of brushing and maintaining healthy gums at all times. Bring him into a routine of brushing at least twice daily. A regular visit to a dentist is important, to ensure your child’s dental health.

  • Washing Hands Rises Cleanliness in Kids

  • Unclean hands often lead to illness. Therefore, make it a daily habit to check on the cleanliness of your child’s hands. Washing his hands after coming back from outside, or before and after food is important. Your child needs to be explained about its importance.
  • The next point is about food habits. It is important that you follow a healthy eating pattern at home. In doing so you train your child to eat healthy and stay fit. Help him choose the right kind of nutritious food and prepare a special meal for him few times a week. That way, your child will not be bored of eating the mundane food items daily.
  • Be aware of the allergies or illnesses that your child is prone to. Overlooking such matters may be hazardous. Discuss with your pediatrician for solutions to these problems.

    • Pets Can Make Kids More Responsible

  • And last but not the least, if your child is eager for a pet, and you have the convenience, then let him have one. A pet can not only be a companion for your child, but also teach him responsibilities. This is also an important part of character building.
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Are Vitamin Supplements for Kids Safe

29 Apr 2010 by admin

A vitamin is a group of organic substances that should be taken in small quantity, and is essential for certain body functions.

vitamin

Vitamin Supplement

In the modern world, it is common for any individual to suffer from vitamin deficiency. It is primarily due to the deteriorating condition of food quality available today. This type of deficiency is more common amongst kids, as they are very choosy about their food. It is impossible to feed a child with all types vitamin rich vegetables and fruits. To overcome this condition, many parents are giving vitamin supplements to their kids. However, it must be understood, that every child may have a different requirement in terms of vitamins. So, it is unwise to follow example of a friend or neighbor and start giving your kid a vitamin that he/she does not need.

Now are vitamin supplements for kids safe? This question arises in the minds of the parents. How to decide if a kid is deficient or not? What are the different vitamins available, and what purpose do they serve? All these questions are valid and need to be answered. So let’s have a look.

There are in total 6 basic categories in vitamin. All of them have different functions when taken individually or in combination, and available from different sources. The names, basic functions and source for each are:

  • Vitamin A: Improves eyesight and maintains healthy skin tone.
  • Source: Eggs, milk, fruits and vegetables
  • Vitamin B1, B2, B6, B12: Energy generation and assists in red blood cells formation.
  • Source: Whole grains, fish, leafy vegetables and dairy products
  • Vitamin C: Strengthens muscles and gums. Heals wounds, and also shields against infections
  • Source: Citrus fruits, tomatoes, broccoli cabbage etc.
  • Vitamin D: Helps in calcium absorption by the bones, strengthens teeth and bones
  • Source: Fish, egg yolk and dairy products
  • Vitamin E: Formation of red blood cells, and protection of the lungs
  • Source: Whole grains, leafy vegetables, egg yolk, nuts etc
  • Vitamin K: Helps in blood clotting in case of injuries
  • Source: Leafy vegetables and dairy product

Looking at the list makes one thing clear that, not all children are eager to drink their share of milk and eat their vegetables. That is where vitamin supplements help. They fill up the gap that is left in the daily vitamin need of the body, and are safe. However, excess intake of vitamins may cause vitamin toxicity, which is harmful for kids. Therefore, when giving your child any supplements, you should read the recommended dosage on the label of the pack. In case your kid is allergic to any form of supplements, then it becomes mandatory for you to consult your physician.

It is important to be aware of the quality of the supplements while buying them. Research a little into the types available in the market before purchasing. To make it fun for your children, you make choose to buy vitamins that are chewable, rather than buying capsules and liquid. Some are also available in the flavors of lollipops or gummy bears.

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Important Nutritional Activities For Kids

28 Apr 2010 by admin

It is very essential for all kids to develop healthy food habits. This not only keeps them fit and enhances their growth and development, but also keeps a number of diseases at bay. There are various nutrition activities that can introduce kids to healthy nutritional foods and balanced eating habits. These are simple, yet creative. But most importantly, the fun elements and the joy of learning in these nutrition activities keep the kids interested and in the process develop their knowledge about healthy foods.

nutrition

Nutrition Activities

Let us see some of the important nutrition activities for kids that can be used:

  • Learning through Alphabets: The first of the nutrition activities is learning through alphabets. For example: We can introduce the letter “A” to the kids and give example of “Apple”. We can follow this by making the kids color the apple in their drawing books, showing a real apple to them, create paper cuttings of the apples, coloring them and gifting the kids.
  • Building Food Pyramid: On a large flip chart a triangle can be drawn and divided as per the standard food pyramid with all the five essential food groups. We can label each section with the name of the food group with recommended daily servings. Now the kids can be instructed to cut out pictures of food from magazines. The kids can then be asked to paste the food items according to their respective groups on the chart. They can also use food sticker for this purpose.
  • Necklaces out of Cereals:The next in the list of nutrition activities can be the use of cereals to create necklaces. The kids can be asked to place looped cereals through a yarn and make a necklace. This activity also enhances the motor skills of the kids.
  • Creating Stamps: For this nutrition activity, some interesting shapes out of firm vegetables like potatoes, carrots, eggplants etc. can be cut out. Now the kids can be provided with newspapers or white flip charts and some paints of different colors in containers. They need to dip the cut out vegetables into the container and stamp it on the charts provided to them.
  • Learning to Cook:This nutrition activity is surely going to bring a smile on the kids’ faces. To begin this, first a small amount of milk can be mixed with food colors. Then the kids can be provided a clean small brush and asked to paint a piece of bread with the mixture. But it has to be monitored that the breads don’t get too much wet. Then the bread can be toasted in the oven and the kid can be served with a topping of butter.

So we see that some simple, yet creative nutrition activities can be very much educative, interesting and fun for the kids. If you want to introduce your kids to healthy nutritional foods and balanced eating habits, then just follow these important nutrition activities for kids. You will be pleased to see the positive results!

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How to Keep Track of Kid’s Health and Fitness?

26 Apr 2010 by admin

“Health is Wealth”- this adage still holds true despite changing times. And when it comes to your little one’s health, it becomes a maxim. Being a parent it is obvious that your kid’s health fitness is your primary concern. Your kid’s health problems can even frustrate you. This situation can be avoided if you remain cautious about your child’s health beforehand. How? Here we talk about certain parenting practices that will help you keep track of your kid’s health and fitness.

You should take your child to health care centers for regular check-ups. The pediatrician will diagnose problems, if any, and treat them. He will also educate you about common health problems of children and suggest measures to ensure your kid’s healthy condition. If your kid is under regular check-ups, the chances of him/her falling ill are less.

Lack of healthy diet can affect your kid’s health and fitness. Always ensure that your child is taking nutritious food in right quantity. But do not force your child to eat when he/she refuses. The loss of appetite could be due to health reasons. Take your child to a pediatrician, instead of battling with him/her regularly over food.

Your kid’s healthy life depends a lot on his/her weight. Do not neglect the matter if you find your child is underweight. Do not just assume that only a rich diet will help your kid to gain proper weight. Your kid may be suffering from a genetic disorder called celiac disease. Take your little one to a pediatrician for diagnosis.

Being overweight is equally harmful for your kid’s health and fitness. It could develop into full blown problems such as diabetes pretty early in life. If you find your kid is gaining extra weight, make him/her do physical exercise. For best results, combine physical exercise with proper diet. Consult a nutrition expert and have a diet chart made.

You should ensure that your little one is getting proper sleep. Eight to nine hours sleep everyday is essential to keep your kid healthy and fit. If your kid suffers from sleep deprivation, try to find out the reason behind it. It may happen that your kid is suffering from anxiety disorder or depression. There could be physical reasons as well. Talk to your little one and try to get to the bottom of the problem.

If you find your kid is not taking interests in any activity, do not ignore. It is very rare to find a healthy and fit kid sitting idly all the time. Try to detect the problem by observing his/her behaviors. This would give you indications if your kid is upset, scared, or angry. However, if you can not make out the problem on your own, consult a physician or a psychiatrist.

As you have seen, a little effort on your part goes a long way to keep your kid healthy and fit. Create a checklist of the necessary tasks and follow them for your kid’s health and fitness. Happy parenting!

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