Helen Thomas asked:


Last week, I wrote to you about the dangers of using Statin drugs to lower cholesterol in high-risk children (”The Answer to Childhood Obesity? Ayurveda! NOT Statin Drugs”), and because I’m devoted to helping our children achieve balance and health in their lives, this week, I’m continuing my three-part series on the topic of childhood obesity. 

 

CHILDHOOD OBESITY IS NOT JUST A “FAT” OR “LAZY” PROBLEM!

 

I’ve encountered so many people who look at an overweight child and immediately begin pointing fingers at them, labeling them as “fat” or “lazy.” Then they turn to the parents and accuse them of letting their children eat too much junk food or of not encouraging their children to be more active. What better example of this stereotype is there than the infamous glutton “Augustus Gloop” and his mother, a woman who proudly supports his overeating, in the popular Willy Wonka movies?

 

AUGUSTUS GLOOP AND OTHER OVERWEIGHT CHILDREN NEED TO HAVE THEIR DOSHAS CHECKED!

 

Even the most active children with proactive parents can struggle in the fight to reach and maintain a healthy weight. Rather than shame children or stuff them with “diet” foods (or worse, drugs and chemicals), we should employ safe, natural Ayurvedic methods to gently guide them toward a healthier lifestyle.

The first step on this path is determining your child’s dosha.

 

“DOSHA” WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR CHILD’S GOVERNING LIFE FORCE?

 

A “dosha” – as many of you already know – is a Sanskrit word translated as “governing principle.” Everything in nature is composed of the five glorious elements of air (known as “Ant” in Ayurveda), space, fire, water, and earth. Combinations of these elements with three forces (doshas) to keep them in the right relationship with each other, dictate all functions of the body, mind and universal consciousness. There are three doshas: vata, pitta, and kapha, and knowing which dosha is predominant in your child will give you a more effective way of responding to his or her physical, nutritional, spiritual and emotional needs.

Here’s a quick and handy list you can use to determine which dosha your beautiful and unique child possesses:

 

THE VATA CHILD:

? Busy, busy, busy!

? Active imagination and happy to be lost in fantasy

? Naptime = “No! I don’t wanna!”

? “Ants in the Pants” – fidgety and always moving

? Eat lots of small meals

? Will “hide” but rarely “seek”: like to participate but feel intimidated by lead roles

  

THE PITTA CHILD:

? Creative!

? Follow the leader: like to play in groups and lead the games

? Eat good meals and will get cranky if they’re late

? Prone to rashes and food allergies and sensitivities

? Temper, temper: get frustrated easily but will forget it fast and move on the next enterprise

? Play hard, nap hard

? A “model employee”: like to do important jobs and do them right!

  

THE KAPHA CHILD:

? Participate joyfully!

? “I’m not ‘It’!”: observers rather than leaders

? Memory masters: will remember every fact and repeat them if you ask

? “I’d rather be playing”: napping takes a backseat to fun

? Very contented overall

? Watch out for imbalance: can become very possessive of Mom, Dad and his or her belongings

 

NOW YOU KNOW YOUR CHILD’S DOSHA. THE NEXT STEP?
 DIAGNOSE THEIR WEIGHT PROBLEM!



Diane

William Winch asked:


Childhood obesity is now a major problem in the USA.  It is more difficult than ever for children to lose weight. We have fast food restaurants at every corner, new snack foods arriving at grocery stores every week and computers and video games to make even the most active child lead a sedentary life. Did I mention poor nutrition in the schools due to the administrations getting kickbacks from snack food vendors? It is no wonder more than half of American kids now are overweight, and half of those kids are obese!

Just because there does not look like any light at the end of the tunnel does not mean you have to give up hope. Your child is depending on you to guide them in the right direction. What will their lives be like in 10 years if they are left to their own devices about eating and exercise? Although it is great for children to learn how to make their own decisions, the consequences later on in life could be distastrous.

Here are 7 Healthy Child Obesity Solution Tips you can implement now to ensure the health of your child, and help them lose weight before it is too late.

Childhood Obesity Solution Tips #1: Turn Off The TV & Computer

87 percent of children watch between 2 and 6 hours of television every single day. Their break time from that is spent sitting in front of a computer. Remember when there were no such things? An overweight child was rare, and the only time a child was sedentary aside from sleeping was when they were engrossed in a book. Limiting the use of the tv and computer will force your children to be more physically active, and they will lose weight. Want an added bonus? It will limit the amount of foul language and violence your child could be exposed to.

Childhood Obesity Solution Tips #2: Retire From Being Their Chauffeur

Making your children walk to school or anywhere else they need to go will not only help drop their pounds, but it will also teach them the value of time. A generation ago, most self-respecting parents would laugh at their child’s suggestion to drive them to school, let alone to soccer practice, ballet lessons or the mall. The damage done from lack of activity is putting children at risk in more ways than their ballooning weight. Where has the fun of bicycle riding and walking with friends gone?

Childhood Obesity Solution Tips #3: Bring Brown Bagging Back

Until your child’s school cafeteria can offer something more nutritious than pizza and chicken fingers, take the extra time to pack their lunch for them. Having your child bring his or her lunch from home can ensure that they are eating well. What happens when you give your child $2 for lunch in the cafeteria? They will spend it all on large french fries, a can of Pepsi and an ice cream sandwich. When you provide no other alternative than for your child to eat proper nutrition, their bodies will lose weight.

Childhood Obesity Solution Tips #4: Send Them To Bed Earlier

Inadequate sleep has a negative impact on a child’s performance in school, on their emotional and social welfare, and increases their risk of being overweight. Make sure they get at least 8 hours of sleep, and more importantly, send them to bed without a snack! Eating before you rest all night will sabotage any person’s weight loss efforts because your body has to work while you sleep to digest the food you eat. This results in a tired feeling when you wake up in the morning that could last for hours into the morning.

Childhood Obesity Solution Tips #5: Stop Allowing Them To Drink Sugar

Drink sugar? What exactly does that mean? It means soda pop, sports drinks and fruit drinks that are packed with sugars. Children get most of their calories from beverages, when they would be better off getting them from fresh fruit and other healthy solid foods. Take a look at the orange juice label. You will be shocked to learn that it is mainly sugar. I know what you are thinking. You yourself grew up drinking these things and you were not a fat child, right? The difference is that now serving sizes and portions are almost double what they used to be, and they are consumed more frequently.

Childhood Obesity Solution Tips #6: Sign Them Up For Something

Our bodies are meant to move, not to sit for hours and hours in front of a TV or computer screen. When your child participates in an activity after school that they enjoy, they will not even miss the couch. Not everyone is good at sports, but almost everyone has an aptitude for some physical activity. They get exposed to different things…martial arts, snowboarding, music lessons, dancing, gymnastics, roller skating, and rock climbing are all just as effective as football and soccer for building healthy bodies.

Childhood Obesity Solution Tips #7: Provide Proper Nutrition

There is nothing better than to start your children’s day off with proper nutrition, and encourage them to make healthy food choices throughout the day. Do not take them to McDonalds just because you do not want to cook something. This is where they will learn habits that will continue into their adult lives. I lost 70 pounds when I began drinking a soy protein shake with fruit every morning instead of eating a fatty breakfast or nothing at all. I have kept my weight off for 15 years because of the proper nutrition I chose to eat. A child who learns this will grow up to be a happy adult. Trust me!

Following the 7 Childhood Obesity Solution Tips listed above will not only help your child lose weight and keep it off for good, but it will also eliminate the word obesity from your family’s vocabulary. What is most important, however, is having the kind of mindset that allows you to want a better life for your child. Technology is great, but it is being abused and our children are suffering physically because of it. Have the courage to make the small daily changes in your child’s life now when it matters the most.



Tara

Rich Jammes asked:


Obesity is when a person is carrying too much fat for their height and ***. Obesity can happen when you eat more calories than you actually burn off over a period of time.

Childhood obesity is a major health problem worldwide and is increasing by the day. In the UK alone an estimated one in four 11 to 15 year olds are overweight or obese – and the problem is growing every year. This is becoming a serious health problem for young people.

Children require lots of energy food as they are growing up therefore, wide range nutritious diet is essential for their development. However, if they take in more energy – in the form of food – than they use up, the extra energy is stored in their bodies as fat; as a result we have overweight or obese children. The risk of health problems increases the more overweight a person becomes

Research shows that obesity can cause psychological distress to children. A child that is Obese or overweight is often tease about his or her appearance and this affects confidence and self-esteem and If the condition is not carefully managed can lead to isolation and depression.

Causes of Obesity:

Research indicated that children are more likely to be Obese if their parents are obese. It is not clear whether this is because of genetic factors which the child inherits from the parents.

Poor nutrition and exercise level have undesirable effects on a child now and later in life and un prevented child hood obesity could led to a wide range of health and social problems eg type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease.

It is very easy this day for children to become overweight for the following reasons:

• Readily available High-calorie foods, such as fast food and confectionery

• Lack of regular exercise – Children no longer walk or cycle to school

• Television and computer games

Prevention and Management

• Obesity requires a range of coordinated plans to improve diet and activity levels in the early years. You CAN develop a healthy eating and exercise routine for your child

• You CAN motivate your child to get off the couch and get back to riding his bike again.

• You CAN change your approach to food and exercise, and change how your child sees them too

• And you don’t have to take your child to an expensive health farm to get results

To learn which fat burning foods you need to eat to begin losing weight, visit these Useful links below.

Childhood Obesity

Guide for Parents to help Teenagers loss weight

Fat Loss 4Idiots

Winners Diet Plans



April

Karin Manning asked:


The prevalence of obesity in minors is increasing in the United States. Childhood obesity is rounded at a critical stage as approximately 15.3% of children aged between 6 and 11 and 15.5% of adolescents ages 12 to 19 are overweight, and an additional 15% children and 14.9% adolescents are at risk for overweight.

Childhood obesity is on the rise and the victims are all at risk to developing Type II Diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and other obesity-related diseases at a very young age. So early in their development stage and their life expectancy already becomes predetermined limited. And at their short lifespan their memories are crammed with insults, bullying, and destruction of self-esteem. What could be the reason for their mishap?

The reason for this is two-fold. First is the genetic-factor adding to the vulnerability for childhood obesity and second and most notably, the passing-down of poor lifestyle and eating habits.

Sorry to say but the current age is made up of digital generation kids spellbound by inactive indoor entertainment and fast food convenience. Surrounded by computers, video games, and the television, children are hard to pull from the couch to have a healthy and worthwhile physical activity outdoors. And even when they eat it’s difficult to keep them from sweet and fat-saturated snacks impossible for them to burn-off.

Finally when they go to school the bad custom is enforced ever more as virtually all kids do the same. The result, widespread childhood obesity. So what should the parent do?

Not to be obese themselves is one. Yet childhood obesity is such a serious condition that efforts of providing a good example through proper nutrition and efficient exercise at home still requires established guidelines that will help parents and school-systems make significant changes against the problem.

These weight-health guidelines are crucial to educate all children about the perils and reality of childhood obesity and encourage them to participate in all efforts dealing with the issue. Encouragement of children to eating healthy foods and getting plenty of exercise shall produce results rather than futile if the health measures are imposed. Parents need to ensure their children about the importance of choosing healthy habits. Yet, they also need to make the assurance that such healthy alternatives are available.

Concerned individuals should keep with the USDA The Prescription for Change And Healthy School Nutrition Environments. School canteen meals should comply with nutritional standards and guidelines, while providing plenty of food choices and introducing new foods to keep the menu healthy and interesting; additional vending machines and packaged snacks should represent the 5-major food groups in the Food Guide Pyramid; students should have designated mid-day lunch periods at a healthy environment; and all decisions made by the school-system regarding student consumption should be based on nutritional goals and guidelines, and not on profit.

Efforts should also include education and information on healthy eating habits as well as active school activity programs for students from Kindergarten through Grade 12.



Ryan