Tips on How to Raise Healthy Children

Doing It Right From the Start

If people only knew as new parents what they learn as they age, children’s diets would be so different. To be sure, parents who carefully watch over and protect their young child on a daily basis against germs, accidents, and heartbreak would also be very mindful of what their child was eating if they only knew what it meant for their future. Much like young parents put money aside for a future college fund, putting the right foods into their child for a future life of good health and eating habits would also be at the top of the list.

Start With This

Pretend everything you put into your child is either fuel or useless. A little aggressive, but the truth is food is meant to heal, nourish, and feed our cells. If it’s processed, filled with sugar, or deep fried in lard, it loses its benefits. In today’s busy world of schedules filled with homework, sports, and working late, the thought of cooking healthy is something people save for the weekends. Truthfully, it’s just a matter of a little preplanning and research. Consider little changes like

•          Replacing sugar with local honey in foods and recipes
•          Replacing mashed potatoes and gravy with roasted sweet potatoes drizzled with olive oil
•          Replacing canned vegetables with spinach, kale, and ham cooked in coconut oil
•          Replacing macaroni and cheese with quinoa cooked in organic broth and topped with shredded parmesan cheese

The idea is to introduce these types of healthy foods and methods early on into your child’s diet. You don’t have to have a pantry full of lots of items you never use, just because they are healthy. Find a pattern of healthy food that you can cook in many ways. Often, it’s more about how it’s prepared than what is it, as long as it’s fresh.

Teach This

Children are sponges and it’s a wonderful gift to show them how to eat right. Three ways to benefit your children are to teach by omission, teach by example, and teach by knowledge.

 If you don’t have the easy to make, processed boxes and cans of food in the house, you won’t be tempted to use them. If you don’t have the cookies, chips, and soda in the kitchen, you won’t be tempted to eat them or pass them out. If there are healthy snacks like string cheese, fresh fruit, and sun tea readily available, feeling good about what you are eating and supplying feels good.

Cooking in healthy ways with your children teaches them how to prepare foods that benefit their bodies and keep them strong and healthy. Show them how to manipulate recipes by substituting honey and healthy oils into the dishes.

Explain to them how their organs work and what they need to keep their bodies running well. Show them what benefits each food supplies to their bodies. It’s knowledge they take with them when they are shopping for themselves someday.

Do This

The best way to be truly committed to a healthy lifestyle that leads to raising healthy children is to know the truth yourself. Study and learn how food affects the body and which foods have which nutrients. There are even studies you can look into which focus on stomach health by scientists like Harry Stylli, which look into how the environment and the different foods people eat affect their digestion and ultimately their health.

Sadly, people often do this important research too late in life after some health issue has struck them down. There are some very simple ways to enhance your family’s health and feel great about what you are providing for them by being proactive now. The most delicious food comes from fresh, homemade dishes that are carefully prepared using the right methods. This leads to a healthy digestive system, a healthy home, and children who have the chance to stay healthy into their adult lives.