Nutrition Advice

You can do practical things to improve your health and your child’s. Here is some health and nutrition advice that is based on sound science.

“You’re just not yourself when you’re hungry,” says the Snickers commercial. Your decisions, actions, and attitudes may be affected if you’re hungry or malnourished.

It has been found by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in research studies that children have improved brain function and memory when they are well hydrated and fed. 

Many parents may recall their children’s meltdowns while waiting for a bottle because of insufficient nourishment.

A healthy diet must contain a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains. It’s also wise to keep sugary drinks to a minimum.

Targets for your child’s age, gender, and level of activity can be determined by parents using tools. A daily serving of one food high in vitamin A (such as spinach or broccoli) and one food high in vitamin C (such as citrus fruits or vegetables) is recommended for each child.

We can’t expect our children to follow our lead if we aren’t an example to them. Parents must be positive role models for their children. According to a study conducted in 2007, children’s eating habits are heavily influenced by the people who care for them the most.

Distracted children should not be allowed to eat in their rooms or near the television, which is why parents should not allow this.

Some children find it more difficult to eat vegetables than fruits. Parents can only keep trying and putting the veggie in front of their children repeatedly in the hopes that it will eventually work.

Before a youngster even tastes a new dish, it may take as many as 16 times. If they don’t like it, let them try it, but don’t make them eat the whole thing. 

You shouldn’t reward children for eating their vegetables with sweets, as this will teach them to ignore their body’s hunger signals. 

Instead of using food as an incentive, parents can use stickers or other non-food objects. Forcing meals on children has not been shown to positively affect studies.

Trying new vegetable preparations may be beneficial. For example, some children prefer raw carrots to cooked ones. Fresh, rather than frozen or canned, may also make a difference for some families.  Use them as snacks or breakfast additions and have them readily available.

Make meal preparation a family affair by letting your kids help; it’s a great opportunity for them to learn about how ingredients interact and for you to spend quality time together. 

Look at the list of ingredients on the packaging of your food. For cereals, listing whole grains first and sugars last is preferable. 

Instilling excellent habits in children early on will have a long-term benefit. As long as you keep trying to work with them, your efforts will pay off.

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