At my 5 year old daughter’s well-visit appointment, her doctor told me that I should be a proud mom for providing healthy nutrition for my daughter and keeping her away from the new epidemic called obesity in children.
In the effort to make our kids grow well, we often tend to feed food with a high fat and sugar content ignoring other nutrients needed for overall growth and development. I have 2 desi friends who’s kids age, 2 and 7, have been asked to go on a diet because they are terribly overweight and cannot perform simple physical tasks without getting tired.
How do you focus on providing, healthy nutrition, exercise, outdoor activities, etc. for your children so they can grow well?
Yes, they are. But surprisingly our desi buddies are not too far behind!
This mom I know adds 1 tsp sugar to 6 oz of baby’s milk 4 times a day. Then she also adds sugar to fresh juices. And then she complains that her baby doesn’t sleep at night and can’t stand up because he can’t handle his weight.
I once saw this desi lady give her 14 month old a milk bottle filled with pepsi.
I was so outraged!
I dont have kids but I do know one thing…a healthy lifestyle starts from the begining. Whatever you teach your kids now will carry on with them for the rest of their lives.
That's true Angel Eyes. Good eating habits begin from a very young age. I have also seen mom's filling bottles with sodas. Not surprised.
Arshad...the funny part is most of these crazy eating habits are getting common is desi families.
There's this friend of mine who has never given her 5 year old any veggies because she has assumed that she will not like them. My older one asks for veggies and dips (cut up cucumbers, carrots, brocolli, celery) for an afternoon snack because I offered those to her early in her life. Now she has developed the taste. Hopefully the younger one will follow.
When I was in Pakistan visiting, a relative warmed some milk for my son and she asked if I wanted to put some sugar in it!! I had never done that before and she told me it helps to do that??? !!! helps in what way? I dunno.
on geo they showed a program called paalna, was good, and the guests were saying that if u introduce sugar into childs diet at a very early stage then ofcourse they wod want sugary things....was also saying how cereals have sugars added .. so obviously kid develops taste for it.... also the guests made comment of how the parents always complain that their child doesnt eat...or he only wants sweets....well if u give him/her sweets before dinner time then ofcourse at time of dinner they wont want to eat...and who is it that brings the sweets in the house in first instance???!!!
Buy healthy stuff, when you don't have fatty sugary stuff at home, your kids won't eat 'em.
I have a tough situation with my boyz....eldest is the one with feeding aversion so he needs hi-cal supplements like instant breakfast...which is "chocolate milk" as far as younger 2 are concerned :( They eat pretty healthy and so they do get dessert - chocolate milk or a cookie if they eat their dinner all up. Of course, they love chicken nuggets and fries, pizza and ice cream but i think on the whole, at least the younger 2 eat pretty healthy. There really isnt a good excuse to have an obese child IMO but I could be wring here - I hate to be judgemental about these things because I was certainly judged a number of times on the opposite side of the issue!
I have a tough situation with my boyz....eldest is the one with feeding aversion so he needs hi-cal supplements like instant breakfast...which is "chocolate milk" as far as younger 2 are concerned :( They eat pretty healthy and so they do get dessert - chocolate milk or a cookie if they eat their dinner all up. Of course, they love chicken nuggets and fries, pizza and ice cream but i think on the whole, at least the younger 2 eat pretty healthy. There really isnt a good excuse to have an obese child IMO but I could be wring here - I hate to be judgemental about these things because I was certainly judged a number of times on the opposite side of the issue!
Have you tried the duocal powder to sprinkle on foods for your taste aversive son. its supposed to be tasteless and adds a lot of calories.
Niksik its Duocal. One thing is are your daughters allergic to any food.If not then adding like nestle breakfast with maybe some milk powder/heavy cream in milk if you want to icrease their caloric intake..depending on what goal you have in mind. Pediasure is also good of taking "with ’ other food rather then going the Duocal way in the beginning. http://www.allegromedical.com/dietary-supplements-c522/duocal-powder-p190357.html
basically its made up of cocunut (as far as I remember)
But again ask your Doctor/dietician before you want to try it just to be on the safe side. I did ask my dietician before I started using it with my child.
Yes, my older daughter takes Pediasure whenever she slacks off on her total calories for the day, per her doctors recommendations. It is wonderful and she loves it. She doesn't have any known allergies so I guess I'll try out the duo cal also. She did take the Nestle breakfast for a while, but now she eats egg and toast and milk for breakfast so I'm happy!
Yes, my older daughter takes Pediasure whenever she slacks off on her total calories for the day, per her doctors recommendations. It is wonderful and she loves it. She doesn't have any known allergies so I guess I'll try out the duo cal also. She did take the Nestle breakfast for a while, but now she eats egg and toast and milk for breakfast so I'm happy!
Niksik what I was trying to say was go the natural food route BEFORE you want to try Duocal. I was suggesting it to Mamaof three's food aversive child not for you know a healthy child:)
As it is indicated in the website Indications for Duocal Powder:
Disorders of protein and amino acid metabolism
Protein restricted diets
Electrolyte restricted diets
High Energy Diets
Failure to thrive
*]Other conditions where extra calories are required
Thank you Ask...yes we have used duocal. (and Nestle Additions, Benecalorie, olive oil, instant bfast) anything to add extra "good" calories I've used!
PS...Hooray Niksik! Way to go with the eggs and toast for bfast!!!
I wanna voice a concern that you need to let children be children. While I am all for healthy food and snacks and I also for banana split and warm soft choclate chip cookies. Balancing it out is the key, usually kids have enough will to burn it all out if given the opertunity.
