Healthy Choices – Page 4

It is generally understood that from conception to the first five to seven years of life (some argument here) a child’s brain is like a computer that readily accepts ‘downloads’ without any conscious effort on their part.

To understand the impact of the above statement, all a person needs to do is consider their own ‘default’ mechanisms. Example: under stressful situation what is his or her automatic reaction – run to the fridge, go full on silent treatment toward others, throw something, etc?

Parental Responsibility/Opportunity/Duty?

Responsibilty – Parents want the best for their children. They want them to find their place in this world and to be content, happy, well-adjusted in life – in their careers, and personal relationships.
Opportunity – Parents know the importance of the formative years. This is where a knowledgable parent takes advantage, and seizes the moment to build ‘character traits’ within the subconscious of their offspring, nurturing their individuality, personality, and intellect.
Duty – Parents are expected to ‘rear’ their children into productive members of society. Is there a nation on earth that welcomes deviant behaviour in its citizens? Obviously not. To the contrary, a country can only benefit from a responsible, law-abiding population.

Nutrition and Making Healthy Choices

Parents are in a unique place…

They can educate their children on merits of nutrition

They can provide them with nutritious meals, controlled snacks, necessary intermittent fasting intervals (refering to time needed between meals for metabolic health reasons)

Establish patterns of activity, exercise, sports, and so forth as a way of life; sitting around in front of TV screen/computer/mobile devices is not the best way to ‘pass time’ away

Ultimately… parents are the primary programmers of their child’s developing brain. The old adage of ‘do as I say, not as I do’ should give every parent of moment of reflection. Children are far more likely to ‘download’ your responses, your means of dealing with pressure, your choices, and etc. by what they witness you doing.

So, when it comes to making healthy food choices, help your growing child establish healthy patterns by first establishing your own. You might be able to give an impressive lecture on nutrition and the dangers of ‘added sugar’, but if your go-to response in times of stress is a bag of Oreos or a pint of Haagen-Dazs…

Then don’t be surprised if your child doesn’t make healthy food choices when hanging out with his or her friends.

Thanks for the visit.

Suzanne Rightley is a children’s author. She writes for independent readers between the ages of 7-15. Her genres include: mystery (7-9) detective (12+) sports-themed (12+) and health awareness (10-14).

For parents and teachers who look to educate kids in matters of health – Suzanne’s Granola Brea Series addresses issues of obesity, diabetes, dementia, and other metabolic diseases associated with poor lifestyles, including nutrition. Children learn about importance of making healthy choices as they laugh along with a 12-year-old health-nut… one hilarious incident after another.

After all… eating healthy isn’t always an easy thing to do… in our junk-food, overly processed world!

Visit Granola Brea’s Page on Suzanne Rightley‘s official website: Granola Brea Health-Nut

If we educate our children on merits of healthy food today, they will change nutritional expectations tomorrow.

Ask a 10-year-old who Ralph Nader is… and you’ll probably draw a blank stare. In fact, many thirty-somethings might not have a clue, unless they had studied his life’s efforts in school.

I recently heard an interview with Dr. Robert Lustig, who has, and continues to direct much of his energy toward changing the current perception of nutrition, and the root causes of many, if not most, metabolic diseases today.

In the interview… and I’m paraphrasing from memory, so that’s like two strikes against me…lol…

Dr. Lustig pragmatically, and wisely, stated (and I must agree) that his efforts, and the efforts of others, who hold similiar beliefs (based on scientific fact, btw), may not be the ones to actually effect the change, that he himself… and by extenstion… me, and many others… may not achieve his/our goals, dreams, visions, etc. in his/our lifetimes.

(Just being realistic, I suppose.)

So, on the one hand…, my realistic side, agrees. Some things may feel as difficult as ‘climbing Mt. Everest’, but we ought not allow the difficulties to hold us back. If it’s the right thing to do… then ‘go for it’.

So thank you Dr. Lustig and everyone else!

Thankfully, many people, down through the pages of history, have endeavored to do just that… go for it! And, future generations are thankful, whether they know it or not.

On the other hand, my hopeful side and… I dare say…, the hopeful side of anyone who endeavors to make their lifes’ work to improve quality of life…, is to see, with our own eyes, those changes come to pass, within our lifetimes.

If we, those of us who want nutritional lifestyle changes, didn’t hope… didn’t expect to see those changes to begin… “like, yesterday”, to coin a popular phrase… would we put in the effort today?

On that note, I submit the work of Ralph Nader. Mr. Nader saw the need to confront the huge automotive industry and demand that seatbelts be, not an option, but a necessary part of every vehicle manufactured — just as important as, let’s say, the engine.

He wrote a book, he formed groups, becames a spokesman, etcetera, etcetera.

And… guess what — no internet, cell phones, twitter — no, none of that. No violent protests. Just hard, dedicated work. Think Phil Donahue interviews here, as an example… lol.

My point here… is to say, that it is possible to begin the efforts of change, and see it to its fruition. Mr. Nader saw the fruits of his labor. He undoubtedly drove a car, right off the lot, fully equipped with safety-minded seat belts.

To that end… I throw my efforts, into that huge visionary pot.

The food guide is not accurate.
Added sugar is killing us.
Healthy-saturated fats, such as butter and beef tallow, are not the bad guys – heavily-refined seed oils, aka, vegetables oils are the real killers.

Much of what is sold in our supermarkets should be tossed in the trash.

Processed foods are potentially toxic and are the leading cause of many diseases, including Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, Dementia, Insulin Resistance, several types of Cancer, and Cardiovascular Disease.

Children today, will be the adults of tomorrow.

We may begin the change now. We may hope to see those changes become reality tomorrow, but the truth of the matter is… that it does take time.

Hopefully… They will grow up and live within the framework of our vision for healthy-nutritional lifestyles.

Granola Brea, Health-nut Books, written by Suzanne Rightley, is part of an effort for change. Kids who read these books today, will grow up with the facts, they will question what it is they are eating, and begin making right choices, expecting nothing less for their health and their future health.

The Granola Brea Books, available now on Amazon

Book 1 Granola Brea Confessions of a Health-nut

Book 2 Granola Brea Spotlight on a Health-nut

Tag: Healthy Choices

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