The Diet Solution by Peggy J. Hughes

Author:Peggy J. Hughes [Hughes, Peggy J. ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Self-Improvement, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Publisher: Deseret Book Company
Published: 2011-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

6

The Diet Solution for all ages

“Each of us has agency; each is free to choose. Nothing can free us spiritually more than obedience—obedience to the laws, to the Lord. Nothing is more liberating spiritually than the worthiness which is maintained, and at times perhaps must be reclaimed, through repentance. We need to keep the Word of Wisdom (that is the key to revelation, to treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures).”

—Boyd K. Packer

Children

One of the major worries of health experts is the growing number of overweight and obese children. And because overweight children tend to become overweight adults, the problem can mean a lifetime of poor health. Children need the same nutrients as adults, just in smaller sized servings. A study cited in the journal Pediatrics found that only one percent of American children get all the nutrients recommended in the Food Guide Pyramid. At the same time, the number of overweight children in the United States has gone from 5 percent to 11 percent over the last decade.34

Ask your pediatrician about your child’s nutritional needs, but remember that you are the example for good or bad eating habits. The food guidelines in the Word of Wisdom were meant to make children healthier. Introduce your children to a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. That way, if they do not like one kind, chances are you can find substitutes that provide the same vitamins and other nutrients. For example, if they will not eat sweet potatoes, carrots will do just fine. I have included in appendixes A and B a list of fruits and vegetables and their vitamins. Get children used to whole grains as soon as your doctor says they are ready. Children over six years old need three servings of milk a day. If they are under two they need whole milk. Children also need more grains and vegetables than they are getting. (Think the middle range of the Food Guide Pyramid. They do not need a lot of meat. Two servings of protein a day is right for them. Too often a hot dog is a typical meat for a child. A small, two-ounce hot dog has four teaspoons of fat. That’s 16 grams of fat. They do not need other high-fat foods or a lot of sugar either. Get children into the habit of drinking plenty of water, especially after they come in from play. Better still, send them out to play with a water bottle.

On the following page is the USDA’s new Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children ages two to six.

Children are notorious for their eating likes and dislikes—ranging from not wanting foods to touch each other on the plate to rejecting or accepting certain foods based on color. Younger children especially like to have their food “dressed up.” The more appealing you make the meal look, the more likely you are to get them to eat it. There is much you can do to influence your children’s eating habits and make their meals and snacks enjoyable and healthy.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.