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

Nick Mutt asked:


Child obesity is one of the alarming situations in most of the countries in the world. Obesity among children can lead to several health problems. So it is always advisable for parents to take action against child obesity before it’s too late. You must carefully monitor what your children eat. The aim should be right food, right quantities; junk food to be restricted or chucked out completely.

Fitness trainers say that the number of obese and overweight children coming in for weight reduction programs is on the rise. In this article you will find some useful dietary guidelines to overcome child obesity.

1. Salads are good to replace snacks. Include fruits and vegetables in salad your child love to eat.

2. Fruits and vegetables must be included in diet. Vegetable soups can be served in breakfast.

3. Milk shakes are healthy substitutes for colas. Try not to keep cakes, chocolates and sweets at home.

Encourage your child to take an active part in sports and outdoor games. To lose all the flab accumulated by eating, sleeping and watching TV, your child needs some intensive weight reduction program. If the family members have high BP or diabetes related to obesity, children should be encouraged more so to lose the flab so that those diseases don’t bother them. Strict diet of vegetable soup and fruits must be given, and chocolates, soft drinks, etc., to be completely banned.

Lifestyle measures to combat child obesity:

1. Limit time spent in front of the TV

2. Eat healthy food. Try fruit salads and vegetable soups.

3. Baked foods are a better alternative to fried stuff

4. Try sweets cooked in milk rather than oil or ghee

5. Include more pulses and vegetables in your diet

6. Cut out red meat; try seafood

7. Fix regular times for meals

8. Snack on fruits and fruit juices

9. Go outside and play more. Try jogging at least two or three times a week. Cycling is also a good option.

Parents, teachers or fitness experts can only guide the kids but the initiative and motivation should come from kids. What they need is correct guidance and ideal role models. Parents and teachers should play these roles and the results will be excellent, for everybody to see.

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.

Copyright © Nick Mutt, All Rights Reserved. If you want to use this article on your website or in your ezine, make all the urls (links) active.

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Javier