Child Health
‘I’m hungry Nanny. What can I have to eat? I’m starving! I’ve hardly eaten anything all day.’
Familiar words at the end of the day when you collect them from school perhaps? Hum!
Then we go through the same ritual every time. Have an apple, an orange, a banana maybe. No, they want cake, crisps, chocolate and fizzy drinks. But why do they want them? Because we have allowed it. Ever watch them all pour into the local shop after school and queue at the sweet counter? But who gives them the money? We do!
Well I’m alarmed. Jamie Oliver you tried but there is still so much work to do.
This generation has the most appalling eating habits. OK I stand corrected, not all but I’m sure 75% of them fit into that category.
We truly are what we eat, isn’t that obvious? I read a book about that 40 years ago. Haven’t we learnt anything yet?
With the massive consumption of processed food, sugary drinks cakes and biscuits, no wonder we are in a health crisis.
I heard something shocking the other day. That this next generation may be the first generation whose parents outlive them.
W-H-A-T?
Also that the NHS is crumbling under the weight of chronic disease, largely driven by diet and lifestyle factors. And, the World Health Organisation regards childhood obesity as one of the most serious global public health challenges for the 21st century.
Well, I decided to take notice and do some research of my own. I have recently been travelling and was astounded as I observed the breakfast buffet. Only to witness the number of kids allowed to stuff themselves with cakes, donuts, croissants and sugary cereals. That was the first meal of the day!
I then decided to interview 10 children. With their parents permission of course. Aged between 7years and 10years I asked them what they had eaten that day. All had eaten far too much sugar, processed food, fat and very little fruit and veg.
Unfortunately I have to blame the parents. Education begins with them. Children will eat what they are allowed to eat, and I think if more parents took notice of the effects that junk food would have long term on their children, they might think more carefully about what they were doing to them.
Research has concluded that most children’s cereals fuel child obesity but when you look at the label and the sugar content it doesn’t take a genius to work that one out now does it? There’s no doubt that all these sugary cereals are one of the reasons many children are becoming obese, which will in many cases lead to diabetes in adult life.
This past year I have studied nutrition and holistic medicine for a variety of reasons and these are just a few of the many dozens of facts that I have discovered. I say FACTS because the proof is there.
1) Most children’s breakfast cereals are full,of sugar and have very little real nutritious value.
2) Cows very often are pumped with antibiotics leading to antibiotic resistant bacteria and it is a myth that cow’s milk is good for human consumption put out by the dairy industry. Instead of promoting bone health, animal protein in dairy products can have a calcium-leaching effect. Actually cow’s milk is not good for our children at all and milk made from nuts is far more nutritious.
3) Red meat is often toxic. If the animal had a disease, perhaps even cancerous cells we are eating the disease.
4) Chicken is worse with the majority of chickens being farmed in overcrowded conditions, fed large amounts of antibiotics and drugs to fatten them up and keep them alive until they will bring the best price at market.
5) Microwave meals and processed meals have virtually no nutritious value. They ????
6) Cakes. Have you ever baked a cake? Would you really sit and eat a cup of margarine, white flour, sugar and egg. So why eat it when it has been baked? We don’t need all these cakes and they are killing our children.
7) The fast food chains in spite of what they might say in their marketing paraphernalia all produce cheap, over processed food with little nutritional content.
8) Fizzy drinks and cartons of fruit juice are full of sugar and. Children should be encouraged to drink more water.
And so the list goes on.
Now you’re probably thinking, well what do I eat? What do I give my children? Actually it’s easy enough to do your own research and they say don’t believe everything you find on the internet. On the contrary, don’t believe everything the media and the marketing companies tell you who are simply out to get rich on your ignorance.
A plant based diet is nutritious, full of calcium, protein and nutrients. Children will like and consequently eat what they have been allowed to get used to.
A small plate with chopped cucumber, celery, carrot sticks, sliced apple and pear will go down a treat if that is what they have been accustomed to. We are the ones who introduced a packet of crisps and a chocolate bar snack.
Now we really know all this stuff if we are honest, so what are we doing to our children? Let’s make a real effort to educate them and in doing so protect them. And when I hear, that’s alright but fruit and veg is expensive and processed food is cheaper.’ That’s rubbish!
It all depends where we shop. I actually know how expensive take-a-way meals are and after a platter of fish and chips for the family. A Chinese or pizza night, I am reminded how many meals I could have prepared with that amount of money.
And what really matters? The packet of cigarettes that you bought this morning – that would have bought plenty of fruit and veg. With a little thought, planning and wisdom we all have the power to build a better future for our children.
So me included, let’s think more carefully about what we say yes to when our children say they are hungry.
A bag of crisps or a piece of fruit?
You decide!
Chat soon.
Anna
