HEALTHY EATING FOR CHILDREN

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There’s a range of food sources of Omega 3 essential fatty acids available for anyone who is interested in increasing their intake of the Omega 3 fats. For anyone not yet familiar with the Omega3 fatty acids these are important fats that your body cannot do without.

Over the last few decades research has shown that most of us in the US eat too little of the Omega 3 fats, and this is having a negative health impacts, and many scientists consider that this is contributing to the rise of some lifestyle diseases, particularly heart disease.

And unfortunately your body is unable to produce Omega 3 fatty acids itself, and so your only source is found in your diet.

The principal source of Omega 3 essential fatty acids is fish. Fish, and in particular the oil from fish, is very high in the Omega 3 fats and is in fact the best source of Omega 3. But not the only one.

There’s a range of other Omega 3 sources available, and vegetarians and vegans who do not eat fish may well need to find another source.

It’s perfectly possible to find a range of Omega 3 food sources. Unfortunately most of them are relatively low in those all-important essential fatty acids.

50 or more years ago beef and eggs in particular were higher in Omega3, however modern farming practices, and in particular the trend towards feeding our cattle and chickens with grain and corn has led to a significant reduction in the amount of the Omega 3 fats found in beef and eggs.

There’s a range of other Omega 3 sources as well, mainly plant-based. Flax, chia and some other seeds contain these fatty acids, as well as various nuts and vegetables. However many people are less aware that there are different types of Omega 3 fats, and one of the less important types, called ALA, is the type found in plant based sources.

DHA and EPA are the most important Omega 3 fats, it is these which are found in beef and eggs as well as fish.

Of course the best Omega 3 source is fish oil supplements. These are small capsules containing fish oil, and do not have any of the downsides of eating fish. Unfortunately fish is very expensive, and it is difficult to get children to eat fish, and so taking fish oil capsules is cost-effective and simpler.

So if you’re looking for different sources of Omega 3 fatty acids we hope that this has enlightened you a little more on what to look for. Don’t rely on beef and eggs for significant amounts of DHA and EPA, don’t rely on plant based sources for any DHA and EPA and choose a high quality brand of fish oil supplements to take daily.

Note that not all fish oil supplements are high quality. To find out which are click.

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Folks that go through bowel irregularity might possibly feel unpleasant. Your stomach would possibly be painful and plenty of different feelings. This is when you can question what do you do for bowel obstruction. There are some steps you can certainly try. There are many of reasons you might be constipated.

Altering Your Meals are What to Do Regarding Bowel Problems

Consequently, among the first things you can certainly do when you begin questioning what to do for constipation is that you can certainly observe your diet. There are certain things in which the natural way bind you up. One of those things which is binding are milk products. If this describes a thing you experience often, you can easily adjust simply how much dairy products you consume. For anyone who keep finding things to do as you question what to do to find relief for constipation will find that you can incorporate fiber in your daily diet. Things that have dietary fiber included will probably loosen your feces. Whole grain products and vegatables and fruits are things you can easily consume which can help you to have a bowel movement.

Something that will we’ve discovered when we were questioning what you can do for constipation is that you simply can certainly take in fruit juice. Many of you recognize what happens if you drink excessive juice. You won’t ever need to ponder how to proceed for constipation as juice can certainly be your single most important thing to loosen up the bowels.

Medication Another Choice With What Do You Do For Bowel Obstruction

Many people which have pondered what do you do for bowel problems have experimented with the powders which stand as soluble fiber powders or perhaps the pills. They have got over the counter drugs which can help to unbind you as well. Nevertheless, the only problem here is typically they lead to other unwanted effects you could possibly be unable to pay for as you could be in public, but whenever you try out juice and you are still left thinking where to start for constipation, then you might try out this.

Generally while you try to go to have a bowel movement, you could be pressing way too much. You can easily in fact injure yourself. A thing we have uncovered whenever we were pondering what to do regarding bowel problems is which we had to simply settle down and give up trying so hard. In which may be a specific thing which can certainly help tremendously.

If this has become a while since you have had a bowel movement though, you could be really asking what you should do for constipation. By this time, you are very uneasy. Such things happen to a lot of individuals and whenever it continues a long time, you should see your medical doctor. They can easily prescribe what’s named suppositories. While no one wants to need to make use of these, whenever you are considering what do you do for constipation, this may become your last option. These are inserted into your butt which appears sort of awkward to say the least. Nevertheless, it appears to do just the tip if you are in investigation of how to proceed for bowel problems.

These are the things you can do. Some individuals merely take in oily foods too, for if you do not eat them typically enough, they reverse your bowels. These are just among the things you can try.

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Before searching for medicine for constipation, you’ll want to determine if your small child really is constipated. Exactly what are the indications of baby constipation? The following clues can tell you if your kid must have more dietary fiber in her diet regime.

• She’s got infrequent bowel movements, particularly when she hasn’t got one in the previous few days and feels uncomfortable when passing stools.
• She gets dry and tough stools.
• She’s got extremely liquid stools in her diaper. You could get this as diarrhea but actually; liquid stools can easily move past hard stools in the lower bowel and might end up in your child’s underwear or baby diaper.

What then could you do for your child to help with constipation? Is there a ideal medication for bowel problems? Here are a few things you can do to aid your child have good bowel movements once again.

1. Prevent offering her way too many food items, which have binding effect like bananas, cooked carrots or squash. Dairy products, that are eaten in big amounts, can also cause constipation. To your little one, you may provide her 2 to 3 regular helpings of dairy products like cheese, milk, ice cream or yogurt. Moderation could be a treatment for bowel obstruction.

2. Increase the dietary fiber consumption of your kid. It is more challenging to find and allow your kid have non-prescription medicine for constipation. You can as well avoid constipation and keep your toddler’s digestion healthy by showing her to eat fiber loaded foods. Vegetables and fruit known to be rich in fiber are prunes, broccoli, pears, beans and peas.

3. In order to keep your toddler’s feces soft, rehydrate her. Normal water is one of the finest treatment for bowel problems. There are also alternative liquids that will help her relieve bowel obstruction but you will find limits to a toddler’s ingestion or otherwise they’ll ruin their teeth or ruin her appetite. Prune or apple juice can be given up to 4 oz daily. Take note of the quantity of her wet baby diapers to see if she’s adequately hydrated. She ought to have 4 to 5 wet diapers every day or, if she’s potty-trained, need to urinate at least once within 5-6 hours duration.

4. Boost your toddler’s physical exercise. Persuade her to crawl, stroll or cruise in order to let her blood flow into all her body body parts. Excellent physical exercise can also be an additional treatment for bowel problems.

5. Massage your child’s abdomen. Massage can also be a good medicine for irregularity. Calculate around 3 finger-widths just underneath her navel and put on mild yet firm tension utilizing your tips of the fingers. Press there till you sense a particular firmness or mass. Keep light and constant tension around the area for 3 minutes.

Last but not least, don’t pressure your son or daughter to potty train before she’s ready. Forcing him / her to utilize the restroom can simply make her scared or even resentful and could steer her to keep her bowel movements. Search for the clues that your kid is ready to be toilet trained to avoid toilet anxiety, which could also result in bowel obstruction.

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Fruit smoothies that you can easily make at home in your home smoothie maker are packed with all the vital nutrients that are found in the complete fruit. They also contain both soluble and insoluble fibre which are so important for the health of our digestion. Most children love fruit juices, but juice is only a part of the fruit. Even fresh juice, made in a fruit juice press in your own kitchen will never take the place of all the nutrients found in the whole fruit goodness in fruit smoothies.

It can sometimes be quite hard to make the required changes to our eating patterns in order to get a more healthy diet. It is harder still for our children to start making more healthy eating choices as they often learn their eating habits from the adults they live with. Kids very often get back from school starving hungry and in need of a sugar ‘fix’ in order to get enough energy to go off to play with friends or to other after school activities. The biscuit tin is far more likely to be reached for than the fruit bowl is and fizzy drinks are more likely to be chosen than a more healthy option.

Smoothies have become big business with many top names now selling branded smoothies in the high street. Smoothies bought ready-made have a lot of nutritious ingredients, however, they will never be as fresh as the ones you can make for yourself at home. A fruit smoothie, made in a home smoothie maker for a fraction of the cost of a store bought version, will not only be packed with vitamins, trace minerals and those vital antioxidants so beneficial in protecting our bodies from the effects of free-radicals, but will also contain two very important types of fibre, soluble and insoluble fibre.

Insoluble fibre is the sort we all know helps to regulate our bowel movements and prevents constipation that can lead to piles (haemorrhoids) by making our stools softer and bulkier. What you may not know is that insoluble fibre has also been proven to help prevent more serious health problems in the longer term, such as colon cancer.

You may never have heard of soluble fibre and if so, you may not be aware that it has a lowering effect on cholesterol levels and it can also be helpful in regulating blood sugar levels. If you suffer from mid-afternoon ’slump’ when you are often tempted to reach for the biscuit tin or a chocolate bar, whizzing up a healthy fruit smoothie will not only cure the problem but will have other beneficial effects too!

It is very important to get our children to start making healthy choices in their diet when they are still young. If you have a smoothie blender, this will also be something that children enjoy as they really like helping to make fruit smoothies which can protect us from many diet related health problems in later life.

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For close to half a century, fats have been linked to weight gain, obesity, heart disease, and high cholesterol.

Food manufacturers and processors have attempted to play their part by producing “low fat foods – but “low fat” does not mean “no fat”.

However, it is not fair to bad-mouth all fats. Some fats, such as unsaturated fats reduce the risk of chronic disease, aid in nutrient absorption, muscle growth and are key to overall health.

Trans fats and saturated fats- the bad fats, lead to heart disease, high cholesterol and obesity.

Good fats – essential for body and organ functioning and general well being:

The body uses fats and fatty acids to build cell membranes and performing key functions in the brain, eyes, and lungs.

Some of the functions include:

• Brain – Fats compose 60% of the brain and are essential to brain function, including learning abilities, memory retention and moods. They are also integral to fetal brain development.
• Cells – Fatty acids help your cells stay moveable and flexible, as well as being responsible for building cell membranes.
• Heart – 60% of our heart’s energy comes from burning fats.
• Nerves – Fats compose the material that insulates and protects the nerves.
• Lungs – Saturated fats, enables the lungs to work and keeps them from collapsing.
• Eyes – Fats are essential to eye function.
• Digestion – Fats in a meal slow down the digestion process so the body has more time to absorb nutrients. Fats help provide a constant level of energy. Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) can only be absorbed if fat is present.
• Organs – Fats cushion and protect your internal organs.
• Immune System –Some fats ease inflammation, helping your metabolism and immune system stay healthy and functioning.

Good Fats and Bad Fats

Monounsaturated fats – Good

• Are liquid at room temperature and turn cloudy when kept in refrigerator.
• Primary sources are plant oils like canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil. Other good sources are avocados; nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans; and seeds such as pumpkin and sesame seeds.
• People following traditional Mediterranean diets, which are very high in foods containing monounsaturated fats like olive oil, tend to have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

Polyunsaturated fats – Good

• Are liquid at room temperatures as well as at cold temperatures
• Primary sources are sunflower, corn, soybean, and flaxseed oils, and also foods such as walnuts, flax seeds, and fish especially salmon.
• This fat family includes the Omega-3 group of fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory and your body can’t make. In addition, Omega-3 fats are found in very few foods. Research is showing that Omega-3 reduces Cardiovascular disease, treats and prevents liver cancer, reduces depression

Saturated fat – Bad. To be avoided

• Are usually solid at room temperature and have a high melting point
• Primary sources are animal products including red meat and whole milk dairy products. Other sources are tropical vegetable oils such as coconut oil, palm oil and foods made with these oils. Poultry and fish contain saturated fat, but less than red meat.
• Saturated fat raises low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad”) cholesterol that increases your risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).
• It is unnecessary to eat saturated fat sources since our bodies can produce all the saturated fat that we need when we consume enough of the good fats.

Trans Fats – The Worst. No Trans fat is healthy

• Trans fats are created by heating liquid vegetable oils in the presence of hydrogen gas, a process called hydrogenation.
• Partially hydrogenating vegetable oils makes them more stable and less likely to spoil, can be transported easily and can withstand repeated heating, which is very good for food manufacturers – and very bad for you.
• Primary sources of trans fat are vegetable shortenings, some margarines, snack foods (potato and tortilla chips, candy, microwave popcorn), fried foods (French fries, fried chicken, taco shells), baked goods (cakes, cookies, muffins, crackers, bread), and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
• Trans fat raises low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad” cholesterol) that increases your risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), and cancer. It also lowers HDL, or good cholesterol. No amount of trans fat is healthy.

Fat Tips

A simple way to approach fats is to replace the saturated and trans fat in your diet with healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, and to increase your intake of Omega-3 fatty acids. This is done by:

• Dress your own salad. Commercial salad dressings are often high in saturated fat, unhealthy chemicals, and made with inferior, overly-processed, damaged oils. Create your own dressings with high-quality, cold-pressed olive oil, flaxseed oil or sesame oil and your favorite herbs.

• What’s better: butter or margarine? Both have good and bad points. With margarine, choose the soft-tub versions, and make sure the product has zero grams trans fats and no partially hydrogenated oils. Regardless of whether you choose butter or margarine, use it in moderation and avoid adding it to other foods. Olive oil is a healthier substitute.
• The meat of the matter. Beef, pork, lamb, and dairy products are high in saturated fat. Reduce your consumption of these foods. When you do eat them, choose low-fat milk and lower-fat cheeses like mozzarella whenever possible; enjoy full-fat dairy in moderation. Go for lean cuts of meat, and stick to white meat, which has less saturated fat.
• Don’t go no-fat, go good fat. If you are concerned about your weight or heart health, rather than avoiding fat in your diet, try replacing all the bad fats with good fats. This might mean replacing some of the meat you eat with beans and legumes, and using vegetable oils rather than tropical oils, which tend to contain more saturated fats.
• Ask what type of oil your food is cooked in. When eating out, ask your server or counter person what type of oil they use in their cooking. If it’s partially-hydrogenated oil, run the other way. Otherwise, see if you can request your food to be prepared using olive oil, which most restaurants have in stock. Also put fried foods, biscuits and other baked foods on the “skip list”.
• When shopping, read the labels and watch out for “partially hydrogenated oil” in the ingredients. Even if the food claims to be trans fat free, this ingredient (hydrogenated oil) tells you that the product is a trans fat suspect.

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Obesity in children if not prevented or treated will lead to obesity in adults that is why being at an average body weight through childhood is important. Diets have to become a way of life and have to be one that can be sustained for a life time. It should not be a strained or forced diet. Some techniques to prevent and treat obesity are the following:

• Caloric intake must be reduced.
• Physical exercise and activity has to become a part of the process.
• Parents have to become role models and eat healthy and be involved in an exercise program. Children must see the genuine commitment.

Parents with obese children applying the above principals should not expect to see results overnight. It is a gradual process which has to be maintained.

Today, with more processed, packaged and fast foods more children are becoming overweight. This overweight syndrome leads to obesity, illness and medical complications.

Further suggestions to lead a healthier life style and prevent medical issues moving through the growth stages are:

Healthy Eating

1. Ensure a good breakfast is eaten in the morning. After 10-12 hours of not eating, the body is in a starved state. Cereals (sugar free) high in fiber with a banana; yogurt; boiled egg with whole grain bread and a slice of low fat cheese; fruit and a few choices.

2. Eating between meals should be discouraged. If it must be done, snacking on a banana or an apple is suggested.

3. Food should never be used as a reward.

4. Food to quiet children. Whether you are at church, theater show or a social function, try to use creative means to get their interest rather than by providing snacks.

5. Treats. A treat as the name implies is only a treat and is only given once in a while. It should not become a scheduled meal.

Children need to become part of the meals preparation process. Parents should know what pleases their pallet and what does not. However, children’s likes should still be on the healthy side.

Avoid processed and fried foods, snacks such as potato chips, sweet pastries, chocolate etc. Rather, include bananas, apples, oranges, fruit salad; tuna whole wheat sandwich etc.

If parents lead by example and apply healthy eating habits for their children at an early age it would become way of life. On the other hand if parents do not eat healthy or exercise, such careless principles would be passed on to their children and would be their situation for life.

Parents play your part and be a good role model.

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