Healthy Hiker & Teacher

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

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

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

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.”