Lead

Believe it or not, you impart a legacy of health to your children that goes well beyond the genes you give them. You also pass along health beliefs and model health-related choices. Here are 5 tips that will set your kids up on a path towards a healthy life.


1. Instill a sense of wonder about the body.


Many adults fear and distrust their bodies. They believe that the body is fragile, and illness is just around the corner. The myth that you will catch a cold if you go outside without a coat persists. Your kids are listening when you look in the mirror and say to no one in particular, “I’m so fat.”


The truth is your body is the most miraculous mechanical system on the planet. Cuts heal without a single thought or action on your part. Your immune system is your own personal homeland security system, protecting you from bacterial and viral terrorists. Yes, illness is part of the human condition. And we have powerful treatments that add to your body’s own ability to heal. Look at your body’s ability to battle illnesses, such as the common cold. This alone offers concrete evidence of your body’s resiliency.


Comment on your child’s amazing body. “Wow, that cut healed in no time!” or “You have such strong fast legs” or “Look at what your hands have been able to draw.” Remind your child how great it is to have eyes and kidneys and hearts that work so well.


2. Become a student of the human body with your child.


Your kids will come to you with questions about how their bodies work. It can be uncomfortable for both you and your child when you don’t have the answers. This discomfort can teach children that they should avoid questions about how their bodies work, which may, in part, explain why parents themselves are reluctant to ask doctors embarrassing questions.


Remember, no one has all the answers. That’s why your doctor participates in continuing medical education. Your child can remind you of the joy of discovery. Together you can look for answers. I mentioned to my son that bones make blood and he asked, “What about creatures with exoskeletons?” I said, “What an interesting question. Let’s get on the Internet and see what we can find out.” Have a child-appropriate book about the body available and learn and use anatomically correct words. Maybe you can have a family contest to come up with the coolest medical term.


3. Teach your kids to listen to their bodies.


Often it feels as if adults are rewarded for ignoring or overcoming the signals from their bodies. The “hero” who comes to work with the flu or the mom who ignores her need for food or sleep. Health is maintained when you know the signals that suggest your body is out of balance and respond in a timely manner when your body indicates it needs something.


Help your kids identify when they’re cold or hungry or tired. You can say even to an infant, “You look hot, so I’m taking off the blanket.” Give your child some experience regulating his external environment like taking on and off sweaters. Educate your children that pain is there to keep them safe. Say, “Owies are no fun, but they’re there to keep you from burning yourself on the stove or cutting yourself with a knife. That’s how your body reminds you to be careful.”


4. Model healthy eating habits.


Childhood obesity is a growing problem. Talk with your kids about good food choices and bad ones. Encourage them to ask themselves, “What kind of food is my body hungry for right now?’ and “Am I full?” even if there’s still food on the plate. Pay attention to see if your child is a “grazer” or a 3-squares-a-day kid and set an eating schedule that reflects their style. Decide whether it’s OK to indulge in unhealthy food choices now and then. When I inquired about the nutritional value of my son’s snack of donuts, he said, “It’s health food for the soul!”


5. Reward health rather than illness.


Some of my best childhood memories come from times when I was sick. In an effort to ease my pain, my mother unwittingly rewarded illness by lavishing attention on me, delivering endless bowls of ice cream and playing games with me. Who wouldn’t want to be sick!


Instead, lavish attention on your kids when they’re well. While you don’t want to punish your kids for being sick, consider which privileges of health should be withdrawn during sick days.


When you instill in your children a sense of pride, wonder and respect for their bodies, you have given them the foundation of health.

Read more

A recent study says that the number of babies born to obese mothers who die in infancy has gone up seventeen percent. Women who are obese could have many complications when they are pregnant. Other studies have found that there is an association with birth defects and being obese. Some of these birth defects include heart problems and limb problems.

Another health problem from being obese that could affect the mother is gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is developed during pregnancy. Just like Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, the glucose, which is what happens to your food when it is broken down, will stay in your blood stream and not go to your cells to be converted into energy. However, with most women, once you have the baby you are no longer diabetic. But you are at a higher risk of getting it if you become pregnant again in the future.

It is not safe for a woman to lose weight when she is pregnant. So the best time to get to a healthier weight is before you become pregnant. There are many things you can do to help yourself become healthier.

Start with a daily exercise routine. Find a plan that includes weight training to build lean muscle and cardio exercises to help burn fat. Lean muscle is created when you lift a lower amount of weight for more repetitions. Exercise has more benefits than just helping you to lose weight. Exercise helps to improve your mood. When you exercise, your brain releases certain chemicals that can leave you happier. Exercise can also help you to have more energy and sleep better. When looking for an exercise program, make sure it is one that you can continue, if your doctor says it is okay, when you are pregnant. Exercising while pregnant can ease back pain, lower blood pressure, reduce swelling, and improve post-partum moods.

The saying, “You are what you eat” is very important when you are trying to lose weight. For many years we have been told that to lose weight we must cut out all fat. But new studies are finding that we need fats in our body for it to function properly and not all fats are bad. Omega-3 fatty acid is considered one of the good fats. They have been found to reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and joint pain.

Omega-3s also deliver more oxygen to your blood stream. It is not naturally produced in the body, but you can find Omega-3s in fish and other organ meats. It is recommended that we eat one to two servings of fish a week to get appropriate levels of Omega-3. The problem is that most Americans are not eating enough fish in their diet. The solution is to take a supplement with fish oil in it. The good news is that many prenatal vitamins are starting to include fish oil in their vitamins.

Another weight loss tip is to drink plenty of water. Water is the most important liquid you can put into your body. When people are looking to lose weight they should drink about a gallon of water a day. Water will help you to flush the burned fat cells from your body. Make sure you are drinking water and not diet sodas, fruit juice, and sports drinks.

It is important to get in the best shape you can be in before you become pregnant. The health of the mother really affects the health of the baby.

Read more

It is alarming to note that more and more people are getting obese these days. Studies have found that obesity is primarily caused by people’s increasing and uncontrolled appetite for food.

However, most of the food sold in the market nowadays is processed; almost all the essential nutrients are replaced by substances that contribute to the accumulation of harmful fats.

Thus, as long as people take in more processed food, more and more cases of obesity would be reported. In the United States alone, it is estimated that seven out of ten kids under 12 can be categorized as obese.

The figure in the global scale can even be depressing, because the trend in food production tends to be inclined more towards food processing.

Moreover, so many different and innovative procedures and diet-activity programs are being introduced nowadays to curtail the problem pertaining to excessive weight.

Ear stapling

During the first half of 2006, many weight loss aficionados tried the wonders of ear stapling, which, as sources claim, significantly helps one to lose weight. Many figure-conscious individuals in the United States have flocked to clinics and shops offering ear-stapling services.

What is ear stapling? Ear stapling is the process when a staple is inserted in the ear, at the area near the acupuncture point for the stomach. The area is on the cartilage near the hole of the ear.

The process is almost like ear piercing and acupuncture. The stapling procedure would hurt like an ordinary ear piercing.

Many people who have tried the procedure claim that ear stapling really works. Most of the ear stapling recipients report losing a few pounds within only two to three weeks.

From the anecdotal evidence, it appears ear stapling is truly an effective measure for weight loss. That may give credence to the procedure, but not formal test yet has proved its effectiveness.

How ear stapling works and dangers posed

Since the ear staple is placed near the pressure point that is linked to the stomach, people assert that the procedure triggers a significant loss in appetite.

There are reported cases, however, that indicate a direct physical effect. There are reports that since the staple is put in the ear cartilage, it causes pain when the person opens the mouth and chew food.

If the appetite is not lessened, the pain caused by the chewing activity makes people not want to take in food anymore. Thus, the person with an ear staple would drastically lessen food consumption.

Another potential problem would arise from infection. Since ear stapling creates a wound, improper handling and unhygienic procedure would certainly lead to accumulation of bacteria and other microorganisms in the small wound.

The problem of infection can be serious and even fatal if the would remains untreated. Thus, the weight loss regimen becomes a trigger for other medical condition.

Experts warn people against jumping into the bandwagon. They recommend that obese people simply follow normal eating and exercise programs instead of relying heavily on such non-conventional weight-loss strategies.

People should also be wary of who would perform the simple stapling operation since the ear area is very sensitive and some other pressure points might be pricked, causing adverse body reactions.

Do not perform the activity by yourself or ask a friend to do it for you. If you can’t resist trying it out, at least seek help from medical practitioners who are experts in piercing or creating minor wounding activities.

Do not compromise your overall health by just hoping to yield results from a minor procedure that is not yet tested to help reduce weight.

Read more