Children are a product of their environment and the habits you teach them today will stay with them tomorrow. They look to us to lead by example; fuelling our own bodies with the same healthy foods we encourage them to eat is the first step in creating good nutritional habits. With that said, over the weekend I spent some time at a gymnastics competition which really shed an some light to the nutrition of young athletes. These little human acrobats, train for many hours each week to condition their bodies to be able to compete. As a child participating in these physically demanding sports, their small recovering bodies require the assistance of fruits and vegetables (micro-nutrition) in order to restore energy levels, repair damaged tissues and to prevent injury or even illness. Knowing all of this, I felt concerned when I saw the spread of foods available to these small gymnasts: a choice of grilled cheese, high-sodium soups and sweets, with a very sparse selection of fruits and vegetables. This lead me to the observation that the adults providing foods for these athletes are truly miseducated on what good nutrition really is.
After going home and doing some research about the health of children, what I came across were some very alarming predictions:
- 1 in 3 children born in the U.S. in the year 2000 is predicted to develop type 2 diabetes
- By age 12, an estimated 70% of children will have the beginning stages of hardening of the arteries, leading directly to heart disease
- Today’s generation of children may be the first in two centuries to actually live shorter lives than their parents
These predictions are a cry for change and reinforce the recognition that we as adults have to implement change and educate ourselves on the importance of whole food nutrition. By taking initiative, we can change these predictions, directly impacting the health of our future generations.
Take your children grocery shopping, allow them to get involved in meal planning and preparation. By doing so you are creating a platform to help educate your children on making those better food choices. Of course providing whole foods for your children is very important but just like adults it can be very challenging to consume the recommend daily servings of fruits and vegetables. There are options to help overcome this challenge, using a high quality children’s supplement. One in particular I recommend is prepared using a variety of 17 organic, non GMO fruits, vegetables and grains, this whole food based addition to a child’s diet can help to bridge that gap between food and daily nutrition, necessary to protect a child’s health.
Currently in the midst of a children’s study, these supplements are available for children for free. If you are interested in getting your child involved, please contact me for more information: nudemushroom@gmail.com
For access to the studies referenced in this post, please see this link for more information: http://www.childrenshealthstudy.com/juiceplus_childrenshealth_child.html
For more information of the nutritional requirements of athletes, please watch this video: http://thebeavers.net/oxidative-stress-and-athletic-performance-david-phillips-md/
This article is a great reminder of the importance and impact of good food/nutrition or what the lack of it has on our children’s health and wellbeing. I am always saddened when I see what children are sent to school with to eat for their lunches. Continued education for parents and children about how good food choices impacts both their physical wellbeing and their capacity to learn is a must.
M
This is so true!! Having the proper nutrition to fuel young brains is key to taking the most out of the learning environment. Studies have linked improper nutrition to diagnosis such as ADHD. Luckily, some schools have started to monitor children’s lunches, making sure they packed with nutrient dense foods:)