BLAME MY MOMMIE. Utterance of an obese 12year old

 

This morning, a 12year old boy told me to blame his mom for his weight problem. Having to wear clothes that are almost the same size with his father’s was the breaking point for his mother who brought him to our weight management clinic. He blamed his mother for always making him finish everything on his plate and rewarding him with chocolates.  According to him, his nick name –Biggy originated from his mum, and for him to keep up with the name he would just eat and eat to stay big. 

Poor woman, I could tell the pain in her tears while her massive son talked. Who wouldn’t say that she is a good mother and that she loves her child? The pediatrician had examined him and told her that the reason for her son’s weight problem was lifestyle and poor dietary habit. There is hope for this massive talking 12 year old, but can some one tell him to shut up so that mummy can hold back the tears? (I thought)

OK. I know that there are many parents who are doing the same things that this mother is being blamed for. Perhaps your own child is not obese yet or may never be, here is my candid advice.

 1.      Avoid using food as a reward. Chocolates, candies, ice cream and some pastries are usually used to reward children. They basically become more desirable than other foods 

2.      Encourage your child to eat breakfast regularly. Studies show that breakfast eaters tend to be slimmer than people who skip breakfast. 

3.      Do not force your child to eat everything on his or her plate. Remember, tinny tummies hold little food. It is better to give them little meals at regular intervals. 

4.      Get your children involved in meal preparation. Allow them to join you in preparing healthy meals, they are more likely to eat something they made or participated in making. 

5.      Children do not focus on health as a priority, talk to your child about the benefits of eating well and taking care of their bodies. 

6.      Model the right behaviour. Do not expect your child to eat vegetables when you don’t. If your child is gaining too much weight, it is unlikely that the rest of the family is having a healthy diet. Take a look at what the whole family is eating and encourage a healthy balanced diet for everyone. This means

-         Eating breakfast regularly

-         Eating fewer fatty foods such as French fries and other fried foods

-         Cutting down on sweets, cakes and other carbonated drinks

-         Eating more fruits and vegetables

-         Selecting wholegrain varieties often.  

7.   Finally, remember that sometimes to say No to your child is a show of love. 

Having any challenge in your child’s nutrition? 

What else can parents do to help an obese child?

Please share in the comment area below.

YOUR ANTIDOTE TO AGING.

Last night, my four year old son asked me to help him become 10years old. Having closed his eyes for about 2 minutes imagining that he was 10years old and hoping to rise up as a 1o year old by the time he opened his eyes. 

Very funny, I thought. I know many including me, who will rather imagine that they look as young as 30 or maybe 25 by the time they are 60years. While I pity the young man because he got disappointed at the end of the day, I saw hope for anyone whose imagination is contrary to the boy's own.

Aging can be described as a natural process that everyone must go through. It is what happens to our bodies’ overtime. It starts from the day we were born and continues until when we die. However, its ugly effects are only felt when we start hitting middle age. No one would love to see damaged skin complexions or visible lines on their faces, and many would do anything possible to halt aging or at least the unsightly effects of aging. The aging process may vary in individuals, some may age faster then others due to some factors, but the end result is, everyone will surely get to it some day.

Some may say that maintaining a constant supply of the magical Human Growth hormones (HGH) will mean enjoying a youthful life forever. Thank you Mr. Science, but how many can afford to submit themselves to an HGH replacement Therapy continuously, is it not pricey? What about side effects, are there none? While I wait for someone to lecture me on the HGH Replacement therapy, here is your antidote to aging.

They may actually represent a modern- day source of youthfulness, reduce the risk of some cancers, heart disease, strokes, cataracts and the ultimate- slow the aging process. They protect important cell components by neutralizing the free radicals. The antidote is called ANTIOXIDANT. Eating a diet rich in antioxidant vitamins may be the best way to improving your health and slowing down the aging process. Include antioxidant rich foods in your diet. Here are some examples.

1. Fruits

Citrus fruit and juices (oranges, grapefruits), Berries (strawberries, blackberry, blueberry etc),  carrots, kiwi, pineapple.

2. Vegetables

Raw cabbage, spinach, chili pepper, green peppers, tomatoes ginger, parsley, broccoli etc.

3. Dried fruits

Dates, prunes, apricots.

4. Cereals

Barley, millet, oats, corn.

4. Nuts and seeds

Hazel nuts, walnuts, peanuts, pecans, sunflower seeds.

5. Others

Egg yolk, liver, red beans, pinto beans

Finally, this is another reason to drink green tea.

FEEDING YOUR FACE- Tips to prevent pimples

Certainly you have heard or have been told that you are what you eat, what you take into your body can make or mar you health wise. Similarly, your skin is what it eats.  The food you consume has a big effect on what your skin look like. There is indeed no wisdom in spending fortunes on beauty products alone without feeding your skin with the right foods.

The reality is that many adults suffer from pimple problem, although it is supposed to be a teen crisis. Like most ailments, food plays a very important role in triggering, preventing and of course curing or reducing the incidence of pimples. Staying away from sugar which causes inflammation and aggravates breakouts can be a sure step to lessen or stop pimple rampage on your face. More so, you need a good supply of nutrients, oxygen and removal of metabolic wastes for you to have a problem free skin. Here are some important tips.

Keep hydrated. ‘water no get enemy’ is a popular song by a legend Nigerian musician, to this I’ll add, water is a peace maker who strive to ensure that your delicate cells do not battle with toxins that are not meant to be in your body. No one will dispute the role good hydration plays in keeping the skin looking healthy and even young. Keep your skin cells happy through drinking water. You can also improve hydration by eating watermelon.

Eat fiber rich foods. It is common knowledge that chronic constipation as well as foods rich in starches, sugar and unhealthy fats can trigger pimples. Think fiber rich foods like whole grains. The magnesium and B vitamins contained in them will help with the regeneration of your skin cells.

Load the antioxidants.  Ever wondered why vitamin E is often included in skin care products?  Vitamin E is an antioxidant; they are known to play a vital role in reversing the effects of aging and may even help prevent skin cancer. If you are desirous of a clear and flexible facial skin that is free from acne, eat antioxidant rich foods like avocado, tomatoes, garlic, walnuts, carrots and cabbage etc.

Soy milk is better. Studies have shown a correlation between milk and acne. It contains hormones that are inflammatory, stimulate oil glands, and lead to clogged pores. Try substituting milk with soy milk and other non dairy calcium rich foods like salmon, tofu, sardines, spinach, okra, collard greens, white beans, peas etc.

Eat Selenium rich foods. The mineral selenium plays a key role in the health of the skin cells by protecting against damage by the sun. Dietary selenium comes from nuts, cereals, meat, fish and eggs with Brazil nut the richest dietary source.

Drink green tea. This makes the list not just for its antioxidant property, also because of its wealth in anti-inflammatory chemical called catechins, which helps to combat free radicals and prevent fine lines.

Which other foods have you fed your face with? Please share in the comment section below.

TIPS: EATING THE FRUITS

Of all the foods available to us, fruits are the most attractive, delicious and enjoyable. Yes!  They are loaded with a lot of vitamins and nutrients, but the question is, do you benefit from them all? Just like you wear your pants correctly, you also need to eat your fruits in the right way so as to get maximum benefits from them. 

Natural Hygienists have known for a long time that fruits do not combine well with other foods. This simply tells us that they need to be treated specially. Unlike other foods, fruits do not stay long in the stomach; they contain simple sugars that require no digestion. Hence, if you eat fruit after a meal, the fruit sugar will stay for too long in the stomach and ferment. This is one of the reasons for digestive problem and subsequent hatred for certain fruits. Now see how and when to eat the fruits.

• Eat fruits alone with no other foods.

• Eat fruits in an empty stomach, or at least 15-20minutes to 1 hour before the main meal.

• Do not mix acid fruits with sweet fruits. For example, do not mix pineapple or grapefruit with banana.

• Eat Melons alone, especially if you have a history of digestive problems. Melons are 90 percent liquid and leave the stomach quickly if not delayed and fermented by combining with other foods.

• Do not combine fruits with any vegetables except lettuce and celery

Note please:  Respect these tips even if your life of imprudent eating defy all food combining rules.

The difference between "sugar free" and "sugar added" revealed

SOURCE ~American Diabetes Wholesale

Sugar free items or no sugar added items remove the processed sugar (sugar, corn syrup, brown rice syrup, molasses, etc.) and replace it will a slower digesting carbohydrate known as “sugar alcohol”. Some familiar names of sugar alcohols are sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol and lactitol. 

Most of them end in “ol” just like alcohol. These sugar alcohols will still have an impact on your blood sugar, however, because they digest more slowly you may see less of a spike. The “regular” cookie has sugar and flour, etc. and the sugar free cookie will have sugar alcohol, flour, etc. Sugar alcohol is not as sweet as sugar, therefore, artificial sweeteners are used to enhance the sweetness.

It’s important to remember that there is an affect on your glucose levels from these foods so please discourage yourself from overeating them. Many of us forget that “free” may not mean “free of everything”! There are still calories (and the majority of us do not need the encouragement to eat more. 

“No sugar added” foods just means the sugar is replaced with sugar alcohol but the product contains a natural sugar (fruit sugar or fructose or milk sugar or lactose) so it cannot be called sugar free. When you shop for cookies, candy or ice cream that is “sugar free or no sugar added” please be careful to read the label and look at the total carbohydrates. Then remind yourself that it still turns into sugar and not to overeat! If you are not convinced of it’s affect on your glucose levels, then simply check your blood sugar before and 2 hours after your meal. 

Do this with the “real” cookie and the “sugar free” cookie. Notice the difference and make your informed decision. Diabetes is a very individualized disease which is why testing blood glucose levels is encouraged. You may find that you like the taste of regular jam as opposed to sugar free jam – so you can use 1 teaspoon instead of 1 tablespoon of it. However, if you like adding a bit more jam to your food then you may benefit from using the sugar free jam since there are fewer total carbohydrates in it. You have choices. Make the right one for you.