Disaster Strikes!

On occasions I’ve bought the children a treat and it’s interesting that I would get bothered that they were eating it. They weren’t eating it in the way I had planned. (Imagine that). For instance, I was thinking it was okay to buy this treat because they'd be spreading it out over many days at lunch or something. I realized I can’t get mad when I give them the bag of chips and 15 min later they’ve mauled the bag until every last crumb is eaten and the bag is in shreds on the ground. I had envisioned that they’d eat one chip at a time and not too many. What kid has that kind of self control (what adult does for that matter)?  Do we think they won’t over eat on the junk? Should we rethink the items we buy and bring into the house? I hear moms all the time say I wish we ate better. If that really is the desire then that is something that can be achieved by being more aware at the grocery store. The children can’t eat it if I don’t buy it. Works not only with junk food but with good foods as well. They can’t eat healthy grains and leafy vegetables if I don’t have them in the house. Just some "food" for thought. Haha. HOW-TO-SHOP WISELY (post coming soon on your favorite blog...It's Just Good 4 U.)

They EAT what I BUY!!

One thing I’ve been thinking about in regards to children’s nutrition, especially with young children, is that they eat what I buy. I'm not talking about all the time because we visit family, etc.  But a majority of time (which is what really matters) is my children eat what I buy and fix.  If I’m concerned that my children aren’t getting the right foods then wouldn’t it be my job to PURCHASE the right foods.  I'm the one at the grocery store bringing the food into the house. I mentioned this to my sister when she was complaining that all her kids want to eat is junk food.  (I probably would to if that's what was in the house.)  I asked her who brings the junk food into the house.  She answered sheepishly, "I do." Hmm... Interesting.  I've been there.  I didn't like some of the things that my kids were eating until it dawned on me that they wouldn't be able to eat it if I DIDN'T BUY IT.  Revolutionary idea, I know.  At least it was to me!!! 

My cute little picky eaters!!

I am the mother of 4 children. Let me introduce my children (obviously their nicknames).  Spanky is 9 years old, Portamus Prime is 7, Bubbles Pat is 4 and Tallyoop is 2. I have 2 extremely picky eaters out of the 4. The frustrating thing is the 2 picky ones rub off onto my good eaters. Pretty soon I have 4 kids that won’t eat anything I fix without taking drastic measures. In past years I wouldn’t have called myself an extreme healthnut by any stretch of the word. We ate like most Americans with some minor changes. I did use whole wheat flour when I baked, real butter, and fructose sugar. I tried to buy things that were lower in sugar and never really bought a lot of sugar cereals. I did pretty well with not taking my kids out to fastfood.  I wanted to give you an introduction to my family and the challenges that I've faced with feeding my children.  Their health has been my motivating factor.  The diversity with each of their eating habits and needs made it easier to test my methods.  You probably have similar eaters. 

EXTREMELY PICKY  --Spanky by far is my pickiest eater and has presented the most challenges.  She tolerates only a handful of foods all of which are only relatively good for her.  She has the most disgusting gag reflex you've ever seen.  Anything that felt wierd in her mouth ended up back on her plate. YUMMY for the rest of us! As Spanky became pickier, I became worried about her health. She became thin and sickly. She just simply refused to eat unless it was something she liked and she was the type to starve rather than just eat something. I took her to the doctor and was told to add ice cream and butter to her meals. That seemed a bit ridiculous so I decided I’d do some research and find something that might work instead.  I have found some great alternatives that have proven quite successful with Spanky.   She eventually gained some weight so the doctor was pleased with that (I didn’t tell them my secret, for all he knew I’d given her the butter and ice cream for every meal).  I was told years ago that Spanky would eventually grow out of her picky eating habits. I found comfort in that but the years went by and there had only been small improvements. I knew it was time to make a change!!   I'm happy to report that after months of using my techniques she is more open to a variety of foods.  (More exciting research and info available soon) Just a preview of what's in store.  My family will attest to how amazing this sounds.  Spanky ate beets from our garden and asked for MORE at dinner the other night.  Whoah double take! I felt so happy.  My crowning moment.  My methods were working...

FOOD SENSITIVE, NOT PICKY--Portamus Prime is my 2nd child. He’s always been a great eater. However, he is allergic to milk and some forms of wheat. He has drastic blood sugar problems when he doesn’t eat a balance diet. He’s on the larger side. He’s not fat just bigger than kids his age. He’s tall and big boned. He’s a foot taller than most of the kids in his class at school. My worry with his health is that he eats for comfort. He’s constantly eating. I’ve read numerous books to help me understand some of his behavioral problems with food. Through good nutrition I’ve been able to help him maintain his weight (without gaining), decrease blood sugar spikes, and provide substitutes for his allergies.

PICKY EATER with FOOD SENSITIVITY--Bubbles Pat is my 4 year old. Variety with this kid is hard. He’ll eat his vegetables only if you play games or bribe him and usually he’ll gag the whole time. It’s quite a sight to see. It was easier when he was younger but luckily I had established some good eating habits while he was very young. He has many allergies. I’ve had to really watch for food sensitivities. He breaks out with rashes easily. He doesn’t mind that he’s drinking rice milk or gluten free foods. I’ve been able to give him more nutrients because he hasn’t always been aware. He didn’t notice for a long time that I was sneaking things into his yogurt, applesauce, peanut butter and whatever else. I remember the day when he caught me as I was sticking my head into the fridge with his applesauce. I thought I was too sneaky but he caught me. I didn’t even try to hide it after that. He was too smart and so I explained what I was doing and the good it was having on his body. Now he reminds me to put them in if I forget.

GREAT EATER, NOT PICKY, NO FOOD SENSITIVITY--Tallyoop is my 2 year old baby. She was picky from birth but has grown into my good eater. In fact she’ll eat everything I eat. I never worry about her getting nutrients. She loves cucumbers a lot, vegetables, beans, soup and just about anything. She has so much variety in her diet. It’s so refreshing. Of course, the other kids’ attitudes are gradually wearing off on her. She’ll say she doesn’t like something just because of the other kids. Having this kind of eater was helpful while testing my methods.

As you can see I’ve had a challenge on my hands to get 4 very different children the adequate nutrition and eating habits that will help each one grow and develop. I’ll be sharing with you some of the ways I’ve been able to take on what seemed like the impossible for me only a year ago. Keep reading to find out how!!!!

Know what they eat

How will you know if you or your children are getting adequate nutrition if you don't keep track? I have notebooks and notebooks from the past year of food journals. Whenever anyone asks me how to start making changes with their eating habits, I tell them to start with a food journal. Just eat normally for a week writing everything down that you eat and an estimate of how many servings. This might be quite shocking because most of us don't realize what we are eating let alone our children. This will give you an idea of what vitamins and minerals are lacking from your family's diet. Most families eat the same thing over and over again. For children who are picky eaters this is most likely the case. I know families that have the same meal every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc. Variety is something that we don't see very often in our eating. This lack of variety attributes to deficiency. When deficiencies occur over long periods of time our bodies become weakened resulting in sickness and disease. (More details given in my book... available soon).

So tip of the day. KEEP A FOOD JOURNAL FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR CHILDREN.


Sample of how I set it up!!


DAY___________________________    


Brief Description of day (Here's where I put things like--it was a crazy day, we were out alot or we had a party or we spent the day moving...aka NOT SO GOOD with EATING TODAY)_________________________________________________________________________


Breakfast________________________________________
Snack____________________________________________
Lunch___________________________________________
Snack__________________________________________
Dinner__________________________________________
Snack__________________________________________

This is just a basic idea to get you started.  I will add more description later.  The main thing is write it down.

Their chance for a healthy future.

I'm on a mission.

This past year I made a complete 180 with my health. I started the year being out of shape, sickly, weak, and depressed. My children suffered from allergies and violent mood swings. In 2009 I decided to take control of my life and make some drastic changes for myself and my children. My mission worked, I feel incredible, I'm in shape, I can exercise again. My children are healthier with less allergies and mood swings. I did this all through good food and supplements.

I am motivated to continue this mission for my children.

I’m a busy mother of 4. I work as a Math Teacher at a local University. I know what its like to feel busy and stressed on a day to day basis. But I also, just like you, want what’s best for my children. I want them to have every chance possible for a future free of sickness and disease. I want them to love good food and have good eating habits. I want them to have the knowledge as well so they can take care of themselves someday. I’m not perfect. There are always improvements that can be made as I grow and evolve as a mother. I don’t worry as much anymore because I know that I am giving my children the nutrients they need on a daily basis so they can have a healthy future.

My hope with this blog is to help my reader know that healthy eating and living is possible. Line upon line. I will share with you my secret recipes and knowledge with the hope that you will have a desire to share this with your families. I know if you experiment with some of my methods I'll be sharing with you, you will notice a difference in you and your children's lives. We're all on a mission together. Our children's future depends on it. Let 2010 be your year to tackle your health and help your children as well. Follow my blog often, learn my secrets, and look for my book coming shortly. Til my next post!!