Good Nurture Kids

Beyond food…What are you serving your kids at meal time?

2011-09-12T07:50:00.000-07:00

Kids need good nourishment at meal time. Food is the obvious form of nutrition. Things like dark greens, nuts and seeds, good protein sources, and lots of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables come mind. But have you considered what else we are serving our children at meal time that goes beyond food?

Some of us unconsciously are serving up feelings like anger, control, judgment, disrespect, disapproval, fear and dis-ease by doing these things, particularly on a regular basis:

When you force your child to eat against his/her will, especially when high negative emotions are flying
When you yell and show anger about food or anything else during digestion
When you always serve things you know they hate
When you mostly serve non-nutritious food
When you quietly or passive-aggressively show disapproval during meal times
When you talk about unsetting events
When you watch the news or anything besides an occasional uplifting or educational program on TV

On the other hand, you can be serving up love, respect, appreciation, gratitude, honor, ease and peace during meal time with doing the following, particularly when done often:

When you offer them a variety of healthy choices of food to eat
When you allow and encourage them to make their own choices
When you are loving and peaceful during meals – see the goodness in them, in the food, in your lives
When you bless your food, in preparation, before & while eating
When you offer nutritious food in creative ways – make it fun
When you offer living food (with higher vibrations)
When you model eating nutritious food in a peaceful and loving way
When you communicate love, appreciation and gratitude towards one another during the meal
When you allow them to eat when they are truly hungry, even if that means not at meal time

Inexpensive Things to Do with Kids this Summer

2011-05-04T12:17:00.001-07:00

The weather is getting warmer! We're itching to get outside (and maybe from all the pollen too!). As we start planning our summer fun remember to keep the kids engaged in nature. Summer is about exploring nature - our roots. Here are some fun nature activities you can do with your kids this summer.

Picnic - alot!
Grow a Garden
Make a Fairy Garden
Track Animal Prints
Go on a Herb Walk
Make a Flower Bouquet
Go Nature Treasure Hunting
Camp in the Backyard
Camp in the Wild
Explore the Night Sky - identify constellations
Track the Lunar Cycle - make a chart, view the sky every night
Go to a Beach, Creek and/or River
Make Crafts with Nature
Make a Bird Haven - build a house, get a bird bath, make a feeder
Make Paint with Flowers and Crushed Rocks and then Make Nature Paintings
Make a Natural Shelter in the Woods
Explore Patterns in Nature – use a camera, microscope, magnifying glass
Make Rock Pets
Balance Rocks
Make and Use a Solar Oven
Go Canoeing
Take a lot of Hikes
Fly a Kite - Make a Kite
Track Shadows - over the course of a few hours
Listen to Bird Songs - What birds are singing?
Look for Bugs - identify them
Make Clay/Mud sculptures
Make Flower Art - pick flowers, flatten & dry them in a book, glue to canvas
Host a Treasure Hunt - hand out paper with animals, plants, insects to find
Summer Taste Contest - blindfold kids and have them identify summer fruits/veggies
Draw Art in the Mud, Sand, or Dirt
Have Contest to See Who Can Put on a Frozen T-Shirt First (wet t-shirt, fold, freeze, try to wear).
Have Fruit Bobbing Contests (not just apples)

Any more good ideas out there? I'd love to hear some. :)

Brussels Sprouts Please!

2011-04-08T19:49:00.000-07:00

Ok kids (and adults), it's time to give Brussels Sprouts a try. Believe it or not, my daughter was first exposed to Brussels Sprouts on a cartoon show. (It amazes me the vegetables I have YET to introduce to her... I'll be on a mission now to expose the fruit and vegetable world!)

So after seeing those green little veggies on Olivia, she said... "Mom, what are Brussels Sprouts?" Knowing she was a huge fan of raw food and cabbage, I said "They are like little baby cabbages". Then she immediately asked to go to the store and buy them. So we did.

We brought them home and she looked at them with a smile. She immediately bit into one and was thrilled! They did taste like baby cabbages! And how fun they were too. Eat them in balls or peel them and eat the leaves one at a time! That was two days ago. Since then, she's asked for them over and over again.

The lesson? Continue to introduce new foods to your children. Just because you don't eat them or don't think they would like them is no reason to leave it out of the equation. You'd be surprise what kids will like (especially the more foods they are exposed to). Give them the benefit of the doubt and make it fun. Kids gravitate toward raw foods, so try raw versions first. Cooking vegetables can spoil the whole experience for kids.

So give those little green balls of nutrition a try! You just might like it!

Don't Be Fooled, Food Dyes Affect Children

2011-04-01T06:04:00.000-07:00

It's April Fool's Day, but don't be fooled by thinking artificial food colorings are not harmful to our kids just because the FDA has decided thus far not to put "warning labels" on their products. Numerous studies suggest that food dyes and food colorings negatively impact the health of our children, and adults. When at the market, find foods that have natural, plant colorings instead of the synthetic number-coded colorings. Or better yet, choose colorful whole food! Think RED STRAWBERRY, ORANGE ORANGES, GREEN SNAP PEAS, BLUE BERRIES, YELLOW BANANAS... Nature is very colorful on her own, when you stick to "nature's food".

Here are some related food coloring and food dye articles:

Scientists Warn: Food Colors Damage Kids
A recent study reported in the journal Prescrire International found that artificial food dyes are linked to an increased incidence of hyperactivity in children. Scientists studied 297 children who were representative of the general population to conclude that food colors increase hyperactivity in children, not just children who are sensitive to them.
... In another study published in the Journal of Pediatrics, the dye tartrazine was linked to behavioural disturbances in normal children. Still more research from doctors at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom found that food dyes have a significant impact on the behaviour of normal children and boost the levels of hyperactivity. These doctors also recommended that these additives be removed from children’s diets.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/scientists-warn-food-colors-damage-kids.html

Artificial Food Coloring Dangers

Artificial food coloring ingredients (food dye) contain plenty of chemicals. Many are derived from highly toxic sources and can cause many different diseases, disorders, and mutations in humans. Although it seems unlikely that a trivial amount of food coloring in a piece of a candy you eat (like liquorice) would have any harmful effect on you, you would be wrong, because it does.

Super Moon Sat. March 19th!

2011-03-18T11:44:00.000-07:00

Here is a great little video to share with the kids and then get outside at "moon rise" tomorrow (Sat) night to experience the first super moon since 1983!

Diet Instead of Drugs, May Help Kids with ADHD

2011-03-12T06:04:00.000-08:00

It is now being learned, that a high percentage of children diagnosed with ADHD are simply experiencing a hypersensivity to food. Remove the reactive food and you remove the cause of "dis-ease", and find a sense of "ease" again.

Here is an excerpt of a great article by NPR regarding the study.

Kids with ADHD can be restless and difficult to handle. Many of them are treated with drugs, but a new study says food may be the key. Published in The Lancet journal, the study suggests that with a very restrictive diet, kids with ADHD could experience a significant reduction in symptoms.
The study's lead author, Dr. Lidy Pelsser of the ADHD Research Centre in the Netherlands, writes in The Lancet that the disorder is triggered in many cases by external factors — and those can be treated through changes to one's environment. ...
According to Pelsser, 64 percent of children diagnosed with ADHD are actually experiencing a hypersensitivity to food. Researchers determined that by starting kids on a very elaborate diet, then restricting it over a few weeks' time. ...
But diet is not the solution for all children with ADHD, Pelsser cautions.
"In all children, we should start with diet research," she says. If a child's behavior doesn't change, then drugs may still be necessary. "But now we are giving them all drugs, and I think that's a huge mistake," she says. ...

"We have got good news — that food is the main cause of ADHD," she says. "We've got bad news — that we have to train physicians to monitor this procedure because it cannot be done by a physician who is not trained."

[Read full NPR Article: Study: Diet May Help ADHD Kids More Than Drugs: 3/12/11]

Read the study in The Lancet

Feeding Kids Salads

2011-03-06T10:40:00.000-08:00

Give kids a chance to like fresh, living foods. Beyond the regular finger foods of carrot and celery sticks, expose them to tasty salads. It's ok. Let them play with their food. The other night I served my 6-year-old some rice pasta and marinara sauce along with a small bowel of cabbage, carrot, and cilantro salad (no dressing). After only 2 bites of the pasta, she literally pushed her bowl aside and grabbed her bowl of salad. Gobbled it down and had 2 more helpings! This is now one of her favorites! "I could sing my mouth is so happy!" she told me.

So how do you get kids to like living salads?

Expose them to the salad at high-hungry times (after physical activities, snack times, before meals). So what if they fill up before dinner... it's the best thing they can eat!
Eat living salads yourself, and often (do as I do, not as I say)
Make games of it: "Are you a rabbit?? Here's your munchy, crunchy meal!"
Ask them intriguing questions: "Can you tell the difference between the red and green cabbage?"
Constant exposure pays off. It may take 1 or 250 times before they'll try it, but persistence pays off, especially when they are hungry. It becomes a "known factor" to them. So keep it visible!
Be Creative and let them gravitate towards their natural instincts to eat living food.

Healthy Halloween Treat

2010-10-29T07:34:00.000-07:00

- From RawMom.com

If you don't want to give sugary 'treats' to the little angels and goblins knocking at your door - why not have some fun with your kids making these cute little guys.

Ingredients are per 'pumpkin'

1 clementine
12x12 square cling wrap
1" clear tape
scraps of felt, cut for eyes , nose, mouth, or googly eyes:)
twist tie
silk ivy leaf
green floral tape
glue, if not using self stick felt or googly eyes

Preparation:

1. Wrap clementine in cling film and twist tightly.
2. Secure at top with clear tape.
3. Cover clear tape with green floral tape, snip to desired length.
4. Attach ivy leaf to twist tie with floral tape, cover entire length of tie with tape.
5. Twist leaf/tie around stem as desired.
6. Apply face as desired.

Note: choose self-stick felt for really little children. This is a great one to have the kids make with you...they create the cutest faces!

(Thanks to RawMom.com for this great idea. Click here for some other fun Halloween treats).

GM Foods Dangerous to Children

2010-10-07T19:33:00.000-07:00

Excerpts from Mercola.com.

“Swapping genes between organisms can produce unknown toxic effects and allergies that are most likely to affect children.”

--Vyvyan Howard, expert in infant toxico-pathology at Liverpool University Hospital, United Kingdom

An FAO/WHO task force on GM food said that “Attention should be paid to the particular physiological characteristics and metabolic requirements of specific population subgroups, such as infants [and] children.”

In practice, GM safety assessments ignore them.

In fact, industry-funded studies often use mature animals instead of the more sensitive young ones, in order to mask results. Biologist David Schubert warns:

“Since children are the most likely to be adversely effected by toxins and other dietary problems, if the GM food is given to them without proper testing, they will be the experimental animals. If there are problems, we will probably never know because the cause will not be traceable and many diseases take a very long time to develop.”

To learn more about the health dangers of GMOs, and what you can do to help end the genetic engineering of our food supply, visit www.ResponsibleTechnology.org.

To learn how to choose healthier non-GMO brands, visit www.NonGMOShoppingGuide.com.

{Read Full Article}

Motherhood: The Skill Builder

2010-08-30T08:01:00.001-07:00

Staying at home to be a mother/father doesn't mean we have to loose our mental sharpness in the world. It is skill building time and allows challenges and opportunities to grow in ways only parenthood can provide.

Here's an excerpt from a great article by Joanne Stern, "Does Motherhood Make You Stupid?"

Motherhood is a powerful training ground for leadership skills. The good news is that every day at home with your kids you are given multiple opportunities to practice being a better leader—IF you notice these opportunities and train yourself to take advantage of them. At home you’re in an environment where you won’t get fired if you screw up. And you get instant results because you can immediately see how well your strategies work with your kids by how they respond to you. Parenting is, arguably, like getting an alternate MBA. So instead of merely slogging through each day putting out fires, squashing conflicts and completing menial jobs until exhaustion overtakes you, open your mind to a higher goal. At home you are the CEO of a small business, and the lessons you learn there not only make you smarter, but they also transfer to your office, making you a more valuable manager at work.

Let’s take just three of the important leadership skills you can strengthen with your kids that will make you a better mom at home and a better manager in your workplace.

1. Building trust

A work environment where people trust each other is essential for people to do their best and most creative work. Otherwise employees are reluctant to offer their greatest ideas or to do more than they’re asked, for fear of making a mistake and being judged. Mindful moms can strengthen their skill of trust building at home.

Create a safe haven for your kids to share their problems and their fears, and then treat their feelings with sensitivity, compassion and respect. Make it easy for your kids to tell you the truth, knowing that it takes great courage to fess up. These are basic guidelines for developing a positive relationship with people in any environment.

Here’s an example. Let’s say your six-year-old sneaks a forbidden cookie from the jar. Rather than accusing him of a misbehavior or theft, let him know up front that you saw him take it, but that you understand how tempting it must have been. You can teach him to tell the truth by taking away his chance to lie about it. It’s okay to impose a consequence, but focus on how much you value and appreciate his honesty. Everyone benefits because you develop a fair, genuine, honest environment at home, and you feel more confident to apply the same principles at work.

Read the whole article:
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/does-motherhood-make-you-stupid.html

Neophobics: Picky Eaters

2010-08-20T06:38:00.000-07:00

This is an excellent article about how even our best intentions, modeling, and exposures can still be met by our little Neophobics (Picky Eaters). Patience and keeping on our path are still worthwhile pursuits. Hang in there and you'll be quietly high-fiving too!

Neophobia 101: When picky eaters confound Ethicureanish intentions.

Impact of fresh, healthy foods on children's learning and behavior

2010-08-17T16:44:00.000-07:00

What happens when you change the food within a school from processed, standard American diet foods to a healthy, vegetarian meals? Watch this amazing 5 year study in an Appleton Wisconsin school.

5 New Food Categories Linked to ADHD

2010-07-30T08:22:00.000-07:00

Does the typical Western Diet diet increase the risk of ADHD? According to a new study from Perth's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research it does. Food additives have long been a known link, but the culprits have broadened to include:

Fast Food
Processed Meats
Red Meat
High Fat Dairy Products
Sweets

Wendy Oddy, Associate Professor at the institute explains, "a Western dietary pattern may indicate the adolescent has a less optimal fatty acid profile, whereas a diet higher in omega-3 fatty acids is thought to hold benefits for mental health and optimal brain function. It also may be that the Western dietary pattern doesn’t provide enough essential micronutrients that are needed for brain function, particularly attention and concentration, or that a Western diet might contain more colours, flavours and additives that have been linked to an increase in ADHD symptoms. It may also be that impulsivity, which is a characteristic of ADHD, leads to poor dietary choices such as quick snacks when hungry."

Source: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/5-foods-linked-to-adhd.html?page=2

Vaccine-Nation

2010-07-11T19:09:00.001-07:00

Are you a parent who has questions or concerns about vaccines? You are not alone. The number of mandatory vaccinations is on the rise. I think there are very valid points on both sides of the issue. Parents needs to educate themselves on what has been going on in the world of vaccinations. I think it is far better to make this crucial decision armed with information. Check out the video below for new insights on vaccinations:

http://www.vaccinenation.net/

Healthy Lunch Ideas

2010-03-03T10:39:00.000-08:00

Here are some great ideas for your child's lunch box for nut-free schools.

Main Entree

Sides of Fruit & Veggies

Other Sides

Bagel – Whole Grain, with Sun Butter or Cream Cheese

Beans – Black, Chickpeas, Kidney, Lima, Pinto…

Black Bean & Corn Salad in Lettuce Wrap

Cheese Sticks or Slices (Dairy, Rice, or Soy)

Chicken, Meat, or Tofu Bites

Chicken Salad with Celery, Lettuce & Tomatoes

Cold Fish

Cool Quinoa Salad (with Beans and/or Veggies)

Cool Rice Salad (with Beans and/or Veggies)

Egg, hard boiled (shelled)

Left-Overs (can make great lunches)

Lettuce Burritos/Wraps (Filled with Dates, Julienned Veggies or Fruit like Mango or Carrots)

Meat or Veggie Loaf, Slice (Warm or Cold)

Oatmeal with Sesame Seeds in Thermos

Pasta & Sauce Warmed and in a Thermos

Pasta Salad – with Whole Grain Pasta, Rice Pasta, or Quinoa with Veggies and/or Beans

Pizza – melt cheese on pita or tortilla with some small chopped veggies of choice, cut to triangles, pack chilled.

Quesadillas – Wheat, Rice, or Corn tortilla w/ cheese, chilled

Rice & Beans – Warmed in a Thermos

Rice Cakes with Sun Butter

Salads – as creative as you want to be (just be nut-free)!

Sandwiches – Make them on Whole Grain Bread, Rice Bread, Sprouted Bread, Pita Pockets, Tortillas, or in Lettuce Wraps

Avocado & Cheese or Sprouts

Avocado & Tomato

Cheese/Rice Cheese

Cheese & Lettuce

Deli Meat/Tofu, Lettuce, Cheese

Deli ‘Meat’, Lettuce, Tomatoes & Sprouts

Egg (omelet-style), cheese

Hummus and Bell Pepper

Hummus and Veggies

Hummus, Sprouts, Bell Peppers

Left-Over Meat, Tofu, or Veggies

Sun Butter, Sun Butter & Banana, Sun Butter and Jelly/Jam

Sun Butter & Agave or Honey

Stir-Fry – Left-Over, Cold or Warmed in Thermos

Slice of Quiche with Veggies (optional, in tortilla triangles)

Soups or Stews in Soup Thermos

Spaghetti Squash & Marinara Sauce - warmed in thermos

Tofu – cubes, strips, wedges

Tortilla Spiral Sandwiches (Wheat, Corn or Rice Tortillas)

Vegetable Salad with their Favorites Sliced Up

Yogurt in a Cup

Apple Sauce

Apples Slices

Apricots

Asparagus Spears

Avocados (Halves, Sliced, Diced)

Bananas (Fresh or Dried Chips)

Beets – steamed, raw

Bell Pepper Slices – Any Color!

Berries of All Kinds (Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Strawberries…)

Broccoli Florets, Spears

Cantaloupe – Sliced

Carrot Sticks

Cauliflower Florets

Celery Sticks

Cherries

Cherry Tomatoes

Corn (on Cob or Kernels)

Cucumber Rounds or Sticks

Dates (Pitted)

Dried Fruit

Dried Fruit Slices

Fruit Cups (Fresh Is Best)

Green Beans

Kale (try wrapped around a date, really!)

Kiwi

Jicama Slices

Mangoes

Melons – of all kinds, sliced or cubed

Olives

Oranges

Papayas

Peaches

Peas

Pineapple

Pumpkin (slices, steamed)

Raisins

Snap Peas/Sugar Peas

Soy Beans / Edamame

Spinach

Sprouts

Squashes (steamed or raw, rounds, sticks)

Sweet Potatoes (Cooked, Cubed)

Watermelon – Sliced

Yellow Squash – Rounds or Sticks

Zucchini – Rounds or Sticks

Arrowroot Cookies (Mel Del)

Banana Bread

Buckwheat Cereal/Crackers

Carrot Muffins

Crackers (Whole Grain, Rice, Etc.)

Dried Apricots

Dried Apple Chips

Dried Banana Chips

Dried Root Veggie Chips

Freeze-Dried Fruits & Veggies

Glutino Pretzels (Gluten Free)

Granola (Nut-Free)

Guacamole Dip

Hummus Dip

Manna Bread (Nut-Free)

Muffins

Pirate Booty

Pita Bites

Rice Cakes

Rice Crackers

Rice Tortillas, sliced in triangles

Seeds, Sunflower or Pumpkin

Sun Butter Dip

Sun Butter/Agave/Salt Dip

Trail Mix (Nut-Free)

Veggie Booty

Veggie Chips

Whole Grain Breads (Nut-Free)

Whole Grain Cereals

Whole Grain Crackers

Zucchini Bread

About Nut Free Schools

2010-03-03T10:37:00.001-08:00

If your school is NUT-FREE, it means that you cannot bring any food items that contain peanuts or tree nuts (including: almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, chestnuts, filberts/hazel nuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts/pignolias, pistachios, and walnuts). Please be sure to read your product labels very carefully as this also includes food products that have been processed in a facility that processes nuts. Please also be aware that ingredients can change from time to time in a product, so be safe and read it before bringing it. Some of the items to look for are:

baked goods
candy
cereals
chocolate

crackers
cookies
energy bars
granola bars
trail mixes

desserts
marinades
sauces
sweets

Food Alternatives

An excellent alternative to the easy and healthy peanut butter is Sun Butter. Click "Sun Butter"* to learn more or to buy online. In Colorado, I've found it at King Soopers, Vitamin Cottage/Natural Grocers, Sprouts, and Whole Foods. In addition, if there are Milk or Soy allergies, there are some great rice milks and cheese out there. Our favorite for cheese sandwiches, or even to melt for mac n' cheese is Galaxy Nutritional Foods' Rice American Flavor cheese.

*If your child isn't fond of the flavor of Sun Butter, you can pep it up by mixing in some Agave (or honey) and celtic sea salt. Mix to your child's liking! We do this straight in the jar!

www.sunbutter.com
Nut-Free Sunflower Seed Butter

Helping Kids Eat Healthy

2010-03-03T10:27:00.000-08:00

This is probably one of the most important and valuable gift you can give your child -- the power to eat healthy, including lots of veggies. Without health, all our other life dreams are more challenging to attain. The rewards of teaching this skill are well worth the effort. Below is a list of ideas that may help you in your quest to a healthier family. I am thankful to Dr. William Sears and many brilliant moms for many of these suggestions.

1. Discuss why it’s important. No child will ever embrace the idea of an apple instead of potato chips for a snack unless you start to educate them as to why they need to make that choice.

Fruits, vegetables and grains are “grow foods,” as Dr. Sears points out. Grow foods build healthy bodies. Factory foods don’t grow.

2. Motivate them. Ask them questions that would motivate them to eat healthier. For example, ask them how much more they think they’ll grow (for example, how much taller?). Then ask them what would be the best building materials to help them grow into the body they imagine. Do they want to fill their growing bodies with junk food, or do they want to fill it with nutrient-dense “grow” foods like broccoli, carrots, and apples?

3. Surround kids with healthy food. Keep only the foods that you want your family to eat in the house. Why tempt anyone with unhealthy foods? The first point of power is shopping right.

Healthy foods are primarily organic, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain foods, legumes, nuts and seeds. If including meats and dairy, organic and free-range are best.

4. Have healthy snacks easily available. Since healthy food isn’t always as easy to grab as a bag or box of junk food, take a little time to prepare for the quick and healthy snack for later.

Wash and cut up fruits and veggies and keep them in an accessible place in the refrigerator.
Have containers with trail mix, nuts, dried fruit, etc. that either you or your child can get to easily.
Leave a ‘nibble tray’ on the table with healthy snacks for your child (and you) to snack on. See handout on healthy snacks.

5. Be a role model. Kids learn much more by what you do than by what you say. Be a good role-model and eat healthy foods yourself. You can’t expect your child to eat healthy when you are eating (whether openly or discreet) junk food.

6. Time it right. Serve vegetables & salads first at dinner time, when kids are hungriest. Offer the least nutritious (filler) foods last, when they are more full.

7. Give your child power & involve them. Let them make some decisions. Ask your kids to tell you which foods they want in the house for healthy snacks. While shopping or meal planning, give them a choice between healthy food “A” & healthy food” B”. (Do you want broccoli or carrots tonight?) Let them help you prepare & plan healthy meals, as they’ll be more likely to eat it if they’ve invested time into the food.

8. Make healthy foods visually appealing. When presenting snacks or meals, make them fun and appealing. Make veggie art by placing the produce in funny faces, pictures, or shapes. Give them fun names. Be creative!

9. Tailor the taste! Once they decide to try the healthy food, help them enjoy it! Give them dips for veggies that they’ll love. Put something they are still acquiring a taste for mixed in with a bunch of other healthy foods they do like. Sometimes, you can sweeten the healthy choice with cinnamon, agave, raisins, or honey.

10. It’s ok to play. Parents many times tell kids not to play with their food. However, sometimes “playing” with food is the best way to get it in their bellies. Make stories at the table with the food as the characters. Say “don’t eat me!”, and they’ll be very tempted to do just that! And when they do, continue the dialogue all the way to the belly (“It’s dark in here! What is that gooey thing next to me? I’m lonely!”). Or maybe the peas are little airplanes coming in for a landing. Ok. These games to depend on your child’s age. Mine is 4.

11. Have regular family meals. Family meals are a comforting ritual for both parents and kids. It allows for predictability, family time, and nourishment. Try to serve nutritious food at a time that everyone can be there, even if this means a later dinner. Kids who take part in regular family meals also tend to eat more fruits and vegetables, are less likely to snack on unhealthy foods. Let this environment be peaceful and calm, this is not a time for lectures.

12. Avoid battles over food. If you need to lecture your kids about something, save it until after meal or snack time. Let healthy foods be digested peacefully.

13. Expose kids to where their food comes from. Sometimes all it takes is a little education for children to see the value of nutritious whole foods. If they see the difference between food growing organically out of the ground vs. chemicals being mixed together and put in a bag, I think we’d know what they would choose. Especially when we refer back to “why” is healthy food important.

a. Grow your own fruits and veggies. This gives them not only an excellent education as how food grows, but they are more likely to eat foods that they’ve grown and cared for.

b. Go to local farms or farmer’s markets. This is a fun and informative way to show your children where foods come from and the people who grow them.

c. Read the ingredients. Reading the ingredients on food products can expose children to what they are really eating… chemicals or food?

14. Try something new. Try new fruits and vegetables – don’t assume your kids won’t like them. Sometimes a child needs to be exposed to a new food 14 times before they’ll eat it. Be creative on how you introduce it. Someone once said, play a game and blind fold your child and see if they can describe, as detailed as possible, what it is they are eating. They can even make up their own name for it.

15. Allow the occasional junk food. Occasionally allow your child to choose a “moderate junk food” for snack. Chronic deprivation will often backfire. Of course, make sure they aren’t going overboard on the type of junk food they choose. Avoid super sugary foods and trans-fat.

16. Be sneaky. If other attempts to incorporate healthy food and veggies fail, you can resort to being sneaky! Hide fruits, veggies and other healthy foods in other foods. Put fruit and even small amounts of veggies in fruit smoothies. Put finely shredded veggies (carrots, zucchini, bell peppers, etc.) in marinara sauces, casseroles, pastas, burritos, etc. Put veggies in soups and puree.

17. Be Patient. Avoid creating any disharmony about the new and improved menu items. You may hear some complaints. When kids know the plan, and it is a fair plan, they usually come around. Keep your goal in focus: to have your kids embrace these healthier food choices and smarter ways of eating, for a lifetime. You may want to make rapid changes, but children many times need their change in baby steps.

18. Supplement with whole food concentrates. Kid’s eating habits can be erratic. They can be picky. And let’s face it, they don’t always eat a large variety of fruits and vegetables, even with our best efforts. That’s why it’s good to know you can bridge the gap between what your kids should eat and what they do eat by giving them a high quality, well researched, whole food supplement containing a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.

Thank you for your passion in helping shape children’s lives. I hope this information has been empowering to you. Please feel free to contact me with any comments or questions. I would love to hear from you!

Great Spiritual Experiments for Kids (Part 2)

2009-03-04T09:21:00.000-08:00

Here's Part 2 of Shannon's Spiritual Experiements with kids.

This one covers the

Power of Habits
Power of Intention and Focus
Power of Perspective & Awareness

I would even recommend taking the Habit Experiment further.

Negative Habits: If you are dealing with breaking a negative habit (and don't have the power to break the think string (or rope as we sometimes have), demonstrate with the kids that they can unravel it bit by bit until there are only a bunch of small strings that can easily be broken). This demonstrates that we can break a large negative habits by taking consistent small small steps until the the habit is completely unraveled.

Postive Habits: Likewise, if we want to build positive and healthy habits, show kids how to make a rope by taking a bunch of thin strings (weak habits) and braiding them together (to make a strong rope/habit over time). Keep increasing it until it is so strong they it won't break. This demonstrates the power of a healthy habit that has had a lot of focus, attention, and time on to build.

Great Spiritual Experiments for Kids (Part 1)

2009-03-04T09:10:00.000-08:00

Thanks Shannon for making these videos of Spiritual Experiments for kids! These experiments cover the concepts of

Universal Life Essence, Life & Death
Negative vs. positive thinking, unhealthy food clogging minds,
What we choose to lean on people, leaning on God/Spirit
Opening our minds to God/Spirit to let the best of ourselves come out

As my own daughter has been curious about the concept of death, I think your ice-cube experiment is excellent. In fact, I'm hoping to make a video to elaborate on it further. Beginning with a large bowl of water that represents all life (God, Universe, Earth, All People, All Animals, Everything...). Then have the child take some of the water out of the large bowl and put it in an ice-cube tray. Once they are formed, we could call that birth of our bodies or our form here. (But we are still made up of the the same life essence, and still connected). Then, as you show in your experiment, we are put back into the bowl and melt back into all life essence, and experience "death" of form. But we are still all together, as we always were. :)

Healthy Hiker & Teacher

2008-03-05T21:35:00.000-08:00

Today my daughter and I went for a hike. We started at the parking lot (of course) and made our way toward the lake. It took us about an hour to go what should have been ten minutes. First I wanted to push ahead, as the lake was where I was focused on going. But seeing how much fun she was having along the stream on the way there, I couldn't help but melt into her magic of presence. We 'fished' with sticks and string, tossed pebbles into the water, sang, and just gazed at the little life on the ground. On the way to the lake, I opened a snack bag with carrot strings and spinach leaves. She rolled them up and said enthusiastically "a burrito!". What a great idea! So at the top of the hill overlooking the lake, I pulled out an avocado and finished the burrito. We both loved it.

It took us another 3 hours (4 total) to finish our hike around the lake (at normal adult pace it would take 30 minutes). Here is what my little teacher and hike taught me today:

1) We start and finish life in the same place (in this case, the parking lot). We signed up to go for a hike, not to hurry back to the parking lot. Enjoy this moment now, not the end or what exciting thing could be next - like the promise of a beautiful lake or slimy newt. I found myself many times wanting to move us forward in our hike (as any parent of a toddler knows), but each time I relaxed into her/our moment, I saw the beauty of it was more powerful than what I thought was next. Toddlers treat us to presence.

2) In the middle of the hustle and bustle world serenity resides (inside). The lake was that to us today. We all have this peaceful place inside of us if we let ourselves in.

3) When you are hungry, especially with true hunger from active bodies, nothing sounds better than fresh food. I always find it the easiest to encourage raw and healthy foods to my daughter when we are active and really hungry. It has been in these moments she found a love for raw kale, and now today a spinach wrapped burrito (with carrots and avocados inside). I had some other things in my bag, but that's what she wanted and created.

4) You can make "Snow Angels" in the dirt... Dirt Angels. ;)

5) Even if you are looking for a newt, a slug will do. And watching a slug for a half hour really brings the pace of your world to calm level!

6) There is nothing greater than loving the ones you love now.

Transitioning Kids to Living Foods

2008-02-28T12:27:00.000-08:00

It is hard enough to get adults to eat enough fruits and vegetables, especially high-quality, raw ones. But anyone with a child knows that the task is much more challenging. Many parents worry about their toddlers who seem to eat very little. When they do eat, the foods of choice are not usually naturally colorful, fresh produce in large variety. And getting a school-aged child or teenager who is always on the go (and pressured by peers and the giant food marketing industry) to eat well seems like a very uphill battle. None-the-less, the value of fresh, raw fruits and vegetables and other naturally raw, nutritional foods are vital for not only the body, but for those growing minds and spirits too.

Here are a few basic steps to begin the transition:

1. Transition Slowly. Slowly remove the more toxic & processed foods from their diet;

2. Replace processed foods with organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds;

3. Put healthy snack trays out in an accessible place for your child. Some items might include: raw nuts, raisins, broccoli trees, carrot sticks, dried fruit, sliced fruit (these can't stay out too long, however without oxidizing).

4. Be a good example yourself. All the pushing, coaxing, and words in the world won’t come close to your own action of eating healthier. One of the best steps is to be a good role model yourself.

For example, I never asked my 3-year-old to eat Kale before. She saw me munching on these big, raw, green leaves for many weeks. After a long morning of play, I was munching on one and had yet to give her a snack. She said, "Mommy, I want that!" I gave her the rest of my kale (two-thirds remaining) and she ate the entire thing! Ever since then, she likes kale. Strawberries on the other hand, I've asked her 100 times if she wants them... a big NO. We all have our tastes, but I think if we allow kids to be curious about food and give them a chance to approach it before pushing it on them, they just may be more willing to try it.

5. Supplement their diet with a high quality, whole food supplement that they will actually eat. It is best to avoid synthetic supplements.

The Vegan Child: If your child is on a vegan diet, make sure you are giving him/her a good source of B12. Dr. Gabriel Cousens' has recently said this regarding vegan and raw food diets:

"Consistent research over the last decade has shown that vegans and live food people of all ages and sexes have a much higher risk of becoming B-12 deficient. This does not mean that everyone becomes B-12 deficient. This deficiency is particularly true with newborn babies, especially babies of vegan live-food nursing mothers who are not using B-12 supplementation." Read More...

Healthy Treat Ideas For Kids

2008-02-28T12:26:00.001-08:00

Kids of all ages love raw vegetables when served with tasty dips. These may include hummus, veggie dips, whole milk yogurt, nut or seed butters, healthy salad dressings and more!

Apples - (wedges, diced or whole)
Asparagus – (spears, steamed)
Bananas - (peeled, whole or sliced)
Bell peppers (all colors - sliced long)
Berries (all kinds!) (fresh or frozen)
Broccoli – (florets, steamed or raw)
Carrots – (sticks or rounds, steamed or raw)
Cauliflower – (florets)
Celery – (sticks with or without nut or seed butter)
Cherry tomatoes – (whole or sliced)
Cucumber – (sticks and rounds)
Green beans – (ends removed, steamed or raw)
Jicama – (slices and sticks)
Mushrooms – (small whole, cube large)
Napa cabbage –(leaves)
Peas (raw, frozen, or steamed)
Radishes – (whole or slice sides, “petals”)
Raisins - (just they way the are)
Sugar snap/Snow peas – (whole, slivers)
Sweet Potatoes/Yams – (sticks, rounds)
Yellow squash – (sticks and rounds)
Zucchini – (sticks and rounds)

Want a fun meal with your kids!
Try healthier pizza!
Use a whole wheat pita bread for the crust. Put fresh tomatoe sauce and veggies to top. Cook like a pizza! To make them smile even more, make the veggies into a face! Olives for the eyes, brocolli hair, red bell pepper for a mouth, a mushroom for the nose. For more veggies, ground up some of their favorites and put that on top of the tomotoe base before making a face. Of course, for those who can tolerate cheese, add that too!

What Experts Are Saying About Children's Health

2008-02-28T12:17:00.000-08:00

Why should we be concerned about children's health? Check out wht some experts are saying, and then know we can be a positve force in making a healthy change for our kids and ourselves!

The US Surgeon General now ranks being overweight and obesity as the #1 public health concern. The disease consequences of obesity are greater than those of any infectious disease epidemic.

Dr. William Sears: “We are eating factory processed nutrition which is genetically unknown food to our bodies.”

Experts say: Approximately 70% of disease is directly related to what we eat and drink.

Dr. David Katz: “This generation of kids growing up today will be the first generation to have a shorter life span than their parents.”

Cancer kills more children than any other disease.
Gale encyclopedia of Children & adolescents, 1998.

Children at the age of 3 have fatty deposits in their arteries.
Bogalusa Heart Study

By age 12, 70% of all American children have developed beginning stages of hardening of the arteries.
Bogalusa Heart Study.

Less than 7% of children and adolescents consume the recommended 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables per day.
Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine 1996.

Dr. David Katz: “Children today will experience more chronic degenerative disease as a result of their poor eating habits than from cigarettes, alcohol and drugs combined.”