Back to School Health Tips, Part 2

To continue from last time, I have some more specific suggestions I've seen work in our practice, to help your family "raise the nutritional bar".

To teach your kids how to make the best food choices (this also works for grown-ups!), keep it real simple. We teach that your primary daily food choices should come from foods that "God grows": foods that can be grown in a garden, in an orchard or raised on a farm. Kids seem to get this concept pretty quickly. Let's not complicate it at this point by mentioning all the genetically modified crops, irradiated meat, hormones, steroids, antibiotics, pesticides, etc. that are regularly used in our conventional food industry! They may never eat again if you tell them all that now!

I think the first step just really needs to be REAL food. After you've accomplished that, then you can work on investing in the cleanest and most nutritious sources of that food that you can get your hands on (organic, fresh, local, seasonal, grass-fed vs. grain-fed beef & bison, free-range chicken and eggs, etc.)

Next, we work on empowering kids by teaching them to make healthy choices even when you're not around. In our family, we teach our kids to choose a healthy protein source first - like the 'clean' meats we purchase, organic free-range eggs, almonds, nut butters and limited organic yogurt and cheese. When they're not with us, &/or we're not in control of the food choices available, we usually don't expect to see the cleanest versions of these proteins made available. We don't sweat it too much... we know they eat amazingly well most other times! I do try to steer our kids away from conventional meats as much as possible - some health experts say that the muscle tissue that comprises meat really has an affinity for all the toxins (steroids, antibiotics, radiation, hormones, etc.).... and you can't exactly wash this out of the meat!

The very next nutritious choice to make is vegetables. That was plural! Our kids are asked to choose at least 2 veggie sources with their meals and snacks.

Next is fruit.

Finally, once they've done a great job filling up with the healthiest foods, then they can choose a starchy food. In our meals at home, we don't have a whole lot of these. But when they're at a friends house or a party, at least they understand that all the crackers, breads, potatoes, rice, etc. doesn't come before protein, veggies and fruit.

Of course, this doesn't account for all the sugary foods, snack foods, junk foods and 'treats'. Those have no place on the optimal health list! I understand that they do have a place on the real life list though! Just remember, all choices have consequences!

We never say never. We just make sure the top of the list has been completed first.... and we don't use sweets, junk or other fake foods as bribery. Kids need to understand the importance, and the lifelong benefits of choosing healthy foods. The reward is lifetime wellness, NOT toxic junk that harms them in the long run. If you want to splurge on sweets, like we certainly do from time to time, let's not confuse that with a choice that moves us toward health. And let's certainly not call it a 'treat' if it's actually harmful to our health! It's perfectly OK to CHOOSE a less-than-ideal food. Just be clear about it with yourself, and especially with your children.

Remember:

1) As much as you possibly can, provide real foods for your kids (food that is grown or raised). Then work on purchasing/growing the cleanest sources possible.

2) The hierarchy of healthy choices: protein, vegetables, fruit then starch.