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Keeping kids healthy

Kayla Kiley | Cadillac News
Keri Clous and 3-year-old son Kameryn make a healthy snack called �Granola Almond Rollups.� Since changing the eating habits of her family, she has noticed a difference in her son�s behavior.

By Kayla Kiley, Cadillac News

CADILLAC — When Keri Clous of Cadillac goes to the grocery store, she peruses past the sugary sweets and fatty foods.

Why? She believes in good nutrition — and that is something she’s teaching her kids.

“As parents, we have the biggest impact on our kids,” Clous said. “We are the ones who buy their food, and we are the ones who cook it on the stove.

“Kids carry on the habits their parents have taught them, so teaching children about eating healthy is really important.”

Once she and her family made the change to eating healthy foods, Clous said she will “never go back.”

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“I see families that are so unhealthy — they’re tired and have headaches and aches in their bodies,” Clous said. “I’m completely convinced that eating healthy helps with those problems.”

Seeing firsthand what eating healthy has done for her 7-year-old son, Kaleb, Clous said she’s “amazed” at the difference in her son’s behavior.

“When Kaleb eats sugar, candy or drinks pop, he becomes irritable and easily angered,” she said. “After he started eating healthier, he didn’t have the ups and downs. Now he has a lot more energy and is wanting to do more. And my kids hardly get sick anymore.”

While it may be more expensive to eat healthier, Clous doesn’t mind forking over more dough for good-for-you foods.

“When I’m buying apples verses a bag of chips, I’m OK with spending the money because it’s something that’s good for the body,” she said. “We’re so aware of our (outside) appearance, but what about our insides? Our bodies have to digest the foods, so I’m OK with spending money on foods that are going in our bodies.”

The transition from bad foods to healthier foods can be made simpler if the child is not offered any bad options, according to Clous.

“In constantly offering healthy foods — if good foods are there and bad ones aren’t — the kids are going to choose the healthy option,” Clous said. “There are times they can have bad foods, but those are ‘special times.’”

While we live in a world where fast foods seem to be a quick and easy choice, Clous believes healthy foods can be fast, too.

“It doesn’t take long to put carrots in a bag with peanut butter,” she said. “Having things ready for the kids is important. That way, it can be a quick snack, or go right into their lunch boxes.”

And if a child does not want to eat certain foods, Clous said, “puree it and put it in a fruit smoothie — stick it in things where they don’t see it.”

Clous also believes that getting kids involved with cooking or growing their own gardens will help them to choose healthier lifestyles.

Eating healthy is no longer just about weight management.

If you have a child that doesn’t need to worry about her weight but she chows down on foods like chips and chocolate, she could be suffering consequences underneath her skin.

Think about a 9-year-old child with high blood pressure — what is that going to do to her organs over time?

Teaching kids about proper nutrition can be a lifelong lesson, and it’s up to parents to start this type of education early.

“Kids model their eating habits after their parents,” said Julie Miller, a registered dietician at Cadillac Mercy Hospital. “So, it’s important for kids to learn to eat a variety of good-for-you foods.”

It’s a lot of pressure on parents, but it’s their job.

To find out why it’s important for kids to eat healthy and ways to help them make healthier choices, follow Miller’s advice:

THE PARENTS’ ROLE

Even if you’re not eating healthy foods yourself, you need to provide good foods for your kids. You have to override your own choices and do what’s best for your children. Most kids will eat apples, applesauce, grapes, carrots, celery, green beans and tomato slices, among others. Parents have to put these foods on their own plates too. Even if you don’t eat the foods, it’s necessary to show your kids that these foods are important.

If you don’t provide proper foods, how is the child to make up for the lack of good nutrients? They will probably add more fat or salt. The focus should be on preventing problems early in life, because teaching good eating habits early can prevent a lot of psychosocial and health problems down the line.

It’s okay to say, “no.” It can be hard for parents to tell their children “no” when the kids go to grandma’s or other peoples’ houses and are told “yes!” Parents need to send the message to other people that care for the child about the child’s structured eating times and foods.

Kids need to stay at the table to eat during meal time. Set a time: 10 minutes is what’s recommended by child experts. Children need to know “this is eating time.” It helps children get themselves into a schedule. If they choose not to eat, they might not have anything to eat. Be a good role model.

In a study looking at how daughters model after their mothers, it showed the daughters mimicked how and what their mothers ate; daughter also were body conscious, just like their mothers. This shows that parents are a main role model for how a child learns how to eat. You don’t have to be physically fit, but avoid junk foods and choose healthier foods. Don’t value thinness. Eating healthy is a good thing no matter what your body size.

In a two-parent household, studies have shown that fathers have the most influence on their kids’ eating choices. In single-parent homes, the single parent has the most impact on their kids’ eating habits.

Even if don’t have a lot of land, do deck gardening with kids — they love it. Or bring them to the farmers market to learn about the different foods and how they are grown.

WHAT KIDS NEED

Does the vitamin take the place? Probably not — but it doesn’t hurt. A pediatric vitamin is a good idea if a child doesn’t like certain fruits and vegetables. But remember, fruits and veggies have multiple vitamins and nutrients, while some vitamins only offer one nutrient. Fresh produce is always better than the pill.

The major nutrients that children need above adults is calcium for bone growth for vitamin D, because that’s how calcium moves into the bone.

Kids need more iron, because they’re replacing red blood cells more quickly than adults.

Protein is something kids need a little bit of at each meal for growth reasons and cell replication — and it helps us feel full. Children’s movements tend to be more rapid compared to adults, so it’s imperative children receive enough protein to keep up with their activity level. Protein is also essential to the body’s defense mechanism — white blood cells contain protein.

Kids under 8-years-old need about 1 to 2 ounces of protein per meal — which is the equivalent to about 1/3 the size of a computer mouse. If you give a child a hamburger, and he only eats 1/3 of it, that’s fine. The child could also get their protein from a tablespoon of peanut butter — meat is not the only source of protein.

While fiber is not often mentioned, it’s very important. Fiber helps Gastrointestinal track and helps prevent certain types of cancer — and it helps us regulate our appetites. Young children need 11 grams of fiber per day.

Plant-based foods are low in fat and high in antioxidants. And more and more research on cancers is showing that plant-based diets are good for a lot of reasons.

If the child is growing, she’s doing OK. You see stunted growth in children who aren’t getting enough protein through foods like fish, nuts, meat, eggs and even cheese.

Watch out for mercury in some foods. In a child, mercury can cause brain development issues — kids could develop neuromuscular disorders or mental retardation. Mercury accumulates in our bodies and we cannot get rid of the poison. Children under 6 years old should avoid eating seafoods like shark, swordfish, golden bass, king macro, halibut and wild and farmed salmon. Choose light canned tuna over white tuna, and canned salmon is a good choice. Before preparing the fish, help toxins move out of the flesh by first packing the fish in water. Fish is healthy, so you shouldn’t avoid it. Mercury wouldn’t cause death, but could definitely interfere with the quality of life.

Even if your kids turn their noses to most vegetables, most kids like potatoes. Enhance your child’s ability to get the nutrients from the potato by cooking the potato with its skin. This way, the potato retains nutrients. The potato with skin has potassium, vitamin C and iron. You can make your own french fries from potatoes by cutting them like french fries, drizzling olive oil on them and baking at 450 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

If a child is having problems digesting foods, they may be eating too much fiber. Children need the equivalent of 5 grams of fiber plus their age, while adults need 30 grams. The intestinal track is not long enough to handle too much fiber. The child may also need to drink more water; for kids older than 2, water helps digest foods.

Too much sugar can lead to body fat accumulation. So, even though a soda or juice may not have fat, too much of the sugary drink can cause the body to create fat.

GOOD EATING HABITS

A lot of parents don’t realize they can set rules and expectations about eating — just like they can about behavior and school work.

It’s not a good idea to force your child to eat everything on his or her plate. Kids self-regulate very well. It’s when we become adults that we lose that. Kids should never be forced to do that. When children are forced to finish their plates, they’re not learning how to recognize hunger/fullness and we’re forcing our own values on them.

It could lead to lots of psychological problems from never knowing for sure when they are full to continuing to finish their plate, which could lead to obesity.

People should have set meal and snack times. Don’t have sporadic snacks — it’s better to know your snack times are at say, 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Children should stay at the table during meal times.

If people are hungry or thirsty between meal and snack times, eat raw veggies and drink water. We need to get away from eating all day long.

Limit eating to the kitchen area. As a society, food has migrated to places other than the kitchen; eating in front of the TV, computer or in the car is a place where poor eating habits are formed. People tend to eat more when their mind is not on their food.

Watch pop and sweetened beverages, and limit those to special occasions. Watching sweet drinks is something people hear over and over again, but it’s really important for the child’s health — and it’s better for their teeth, too.

Encourage children to eat slowly, chew well and put utensils down between bites — this way, they will better recognize feelings of fullness verses hungry.

The Vagus nerve at the top of the stomach takes 20 minutes to send the message to the brain that the stomach is full. Something fun to do with kids 8-years-old or older: Set a timer for 20 minutes and try to make their plate last that long. Once 20 minutes is reached, the stomach has extended enough to push that nerve.

Don’t use food as a reward.

For more information on the right food choices for kids, visit www.zip4tweens.com or www.MyPyramid.gov.

kkiley@cadillacnews.com | 775-NEWS (6397)

Your Local Connection

GRANOLA ALMOND ROLLUPS

Watch Keri Clous make these rollups online.

This breakfast, lunch or hearty snack wraps protein, antioxidants, and fiber into one yummy package.

1/4 cup apple juice

3/4 cup almond butter

1/4 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Pinch salt

2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds

1/4 cup dried blueberries

1/4 cup raisins

8 whole wheat tortillas

2 1/2 tablespoons honey

Combine apple juice, honey, 1/4 cup almond butter (pack the rest), cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and heat until the almond butter is soft and ingredients are mixed. Place oats in a bowl and pour in the mix. Combine. Spread on a rimmed, ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees. Gently stir every 5 minutes until the oats turn golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir in nuts and dried fruit. Cool completely and pack in a zipper-lock bag. To go, wrap each roll tightly in foil.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY SHAKE

1 cup nut soy or rice milk

4-5 raw almonds

1 cup frozen raspberries

2-3 tablespoons agave nectar, or other natural sweetener

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa

dash vanilla (optional)

Blend in blender until smooth and creamy. Adjust sweetener to taste. This yummy shake is a nutritional powerhouse. Great for breakfast or a treat, and it’s quick to make, too. We use organic raspberries and raw cocoa powder.

BANANA SPLIT SANDWICH

2 sliced sprouted grain toast (like Ezekial Bread), or whole wheat bread

1 Tablespoon raw honey

1-2 Tablespoons almond or peanut butter

1/2 banana

cinnamon

Toast bread and spread with honey and nut butter, add slices of banana and sprinkle with cinnamon. Eat as open-faced toast or sandwich. Great for breakfast, or in kid’s lunch box.

EASY ROASTED SWEET POTATOES

2 large sweet potatoes

1-2 tablespoons soy margarine

Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

Preheat oven to 400 and put soy margarine in 9x13 in pan. Melt butter in oven while you wash and cut sweet potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Toss into melted butter and sprinkle lightly with the seasoned salt. Roast 35-45 minutes, stirring once or twice, until potatoes start to get browned and caramelized. Sprinkle again with seasoned salt, if needed. and serve! This is a great side dish for dinner, or a tasty snack. May want to double the recipe, they go fast!

PEANUT BUTTER FRUIT DIP

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup unsweetened orange juice concentrate, thawed

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt

Using electric mixer, beat together all ingredients until fluffy. Cover; chill. Serve with assorted fresh fruits.

Recipes courtesy of Keri Clous, Melissa Kendell and Julie Miller.

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