Serious About Wanting To Improve Your Familys Healthy Eating Lifestyles?

Dr. Christine Wood, M.D, a practicing pediatrician in Encinitas, California, is the author of How to Get Kids to Eat Great & Love It!, offers some sound advice about developing healthy eating lifestyles for your family.

Here's what Dr. Wood has to say. Today almost one out of three children in the United States is either overweight or borderline overweight and is likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, Dr. Wood warns that these obese children may not live longer than their parents ? a depressing thought!

What's causing this trend? Simply stated, Dr. Wood suggested too many calories and too little activity, although it is more complex than that. The mainstream media is marketing fast food and sedentary activities to our children. Consequently, here are some of their unhealthy options:

* Easy access to fast food for stressed out parents.

* Schools offer sodas and candies in their vending machines.

* Children are increasingly exposed to inexpensive, processed food choices.

* Since the introduction of cable TV and remote controls, Game Boy, home personal computers, among other things, more sedentary options are available than ever before.

* Food companies are taking advantage of the time children spend in front by marketing directly to them.

The bottomline, obviously, is that our children are not getting the nutrition and exercise they need. So, what are parents to do? Dr. Wood offers the following suggestions:

* Examine the foods that are brought into the home for their nutritional value.

* Understand how to read nutrition labels.

* Set limits on media and sedentary activities. Encourage family interaction: Does your child really need to have a TV and/or PC in his room?

* Decide, as a family project, the healthy menus and healthy choices of restaurant to frequent.

* Become actively informed in your child's school so that the PTA and School Board may learn about your concerns regarding food choices.

If we don't make some changes, the trends of today predict that our young children will be at high risk for obesity and obesity-related health risks like heart attacks, strokes, asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

Encouraging good eating habits and physical lifestyle in our children starts with us, the parents. This includes introducing a quality nutritional supplement program with vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids that are necessary protection for our children as they face more nutritional and environmental challenges than ever before.

Remember: When you are maximizing your family's health potential, we everyone wins. When you don't, we all lose.

© Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required. Email: eagibbs@ureach.com.

Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW, Management Consultant and Trainer, conducts seminars, lectures, and writes articles on his theme: "... helping you maximize your potential." For more information and a free health assessment, go to http://eagibbs.usana.com.

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Food Selection for Gastric Bypass Patients

Dieters who dejectedly complain they are figuratively "stuck" with their... Read More

Go Nuts!

Nuts of all kinds (I am talking peanuts, cashews etc)... Read More

Did You Start Your Life With Enough Probiotics?

Why does disease begin in the digestive tract? Your digestive... Read More

Three Steps to Preparing your Body for Summer

Summer is not too far away. It is almost time... Read More

Fluoride Debate Continues

The debate regarding Fluoride continues to rage, is it good... Read More

Sports Nutrition Made Simple

Following these simple nutrition guidelines will allow you to lose... Read More

Whats The Truth About Fat?

When I hear the word fat I usually think of... Read More

Mangos: Treat Your Skin and Your Taste Buds

Mango is my favorite fruit next to pineapples. They're sweet,... Read More

Antioxidants - Your Best Defense Against Disease and Aging

Studies support the benefits of eating a diet rich in... Read More

What You Should Know About

I don't understand people sometimes. You know, there is a... Read More

The No 1 Reason Why Most Diets Fail & What to Do About It

How many times have you tried to diet/lose weight in... Read More

The Virtues of Water

Did you know that much of our dry skin comes... Read More

The Truth About the Meat You Eat

There are so many topics to discuss which affect our... Read More

The Crucial Role of the Salt in Our Health

Salt is vital for our health. Right now, you have... Read More

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)

Essential Fatty Acids are oils, omega-3 and omega-6, that you... Read More

Tips to Avoid Trans Fats Hidden In Food

Recently, trans fats have risen to the forefront of the... Read More

Is Chocolate A New Health Food?

Could it be possible that our beloved chocolate may actually... Read More

Avoiding High Cholesterol Foods

Cholesterol finds its way into our bodies in two main... Read More

What To Eat When You Are Sick

Did you know that the food you eat when you... Read More

What Would You Think if I said that You could Overdose on Water?

You would probably think that I was writing a lot... Read More

Vitamin and Mineral Facts

Vitamins & Minerals are essential to sustain life. Its what... Read More

Balanced Diet: Know More on Healthy and Nutritional Balanced Diet!

In this fast paced world, good nutrition may sound very... Read More

Functional Foods Are Becoming More Popular...

Established in 1989 by Stephen DeFelice, "Foundation for Innovation in... Read More

Starbucks and Children Health Risks

Do you know the risks to daily intakes of Starbucks... Read More

4 Important Facts You Should Know About Whey Protein

Are you concerned about taking care of your body before... Read More

Eating to Gain Mass

This is usually the forgotten element of most mass programs.... Read More

Avoiding Nutritionally Deficient Foods After Gastric Bypass

After WLS we must concentrate on eating nutrient rich food.... Read More

What is the Cause?

The question most people think they need an answer to... Read More

Good Fats Prevent Chronic Disease

Essential fatty acids are the number one recommendation for anyone... Read More

Power of Oatmeal

Come on, guys and gals. Those Trix are for kids.And... Read More

Pineapples: The Healing Fruit Of The Tropics (Includes A Recipe For Pina-Banana Orange Smoothie)

For a natural and tasty way to improve your health... Read More

Omega 3s: Using Our Heads to Nourish Our Brains

We sometimes hear about ways that we can take care... Read More

The Benefits Of Drinking Herbal Teas

Herbal teas have long been known to have medicinal benefits... Read More