It's back to school time- that means increased exposure to cold, no matter who you are. If you have kids in school, they will be coming home with homework, drama, and all the little bugs they picked up along the way. If you don't have children in school, you will also be exposed- at the mall, at the supermarket, you name it.
What can you do about it? Proper diet and exercise is proven to help with immunity, but there are some supplements you might also want to consider:
Vitamin D- There have been many studies recently touting the many benefits of supplementation with vitamin D. Taking 500-1,000 IU per day can help boost your immunity. You can get Vitamin D from sun exposure, but many people are deficient- residents of Arizona have among the lowest levels of Vitamin D. Why? The sun is out there and blazing, but people are staying inside, or are covering up with sunscreen and layers of clothing due to risk of skin cancer.
Probiotics- 80% of your immunity comes from a healthy intestinal tract. Taking a daily probiotic can help maintain that gut health by lining the intestines with beneficial bacteria- and by not leaving any space for bacteria which might bring illness or damage. Yogurt and kombucha are great sources of probiotics, but not in the amount you'll get from a probiotic supplement. You'll want to find a supplement with multiple strains for the best protection.
Fish oil- It's been known for a while that fish oil is anti-inflammatory, but more recent studies have shown that oil high in EPA and DHA enhance which blood cell activity, boosting the immune system. As a bonus, the oils help with brain developement in young children.
Multivitamin- In a perfect world, we would get all of our nutrients from food. These days, fruits and vegetables are picked before they are ripe, endure long travel, and therefore have somewhat reduced benefits. Supporting your local farm economy by participating in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) can help maximize the nutrients on your plate. Taking a multivitamin is like insurance for your diet- it just helps cover your bases.
Enjoy the weather while you can- and eat your veggies!
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Monday, August 10, 2015
The Hot Dog Double Standard
If you're reading this blog, chances are that you're already conscious of what you feed your children. Long gone are the days of ordering from the hot dog and pizza kids' menus at local restaurants (those menus are still prevalent, we just choose to ignore them). You might have changed your shopping list to include more organic items. And the mere thought of putting soda in a baby bottle... well... hold on for a second- I need to take a couple of deep breaths after that one.
But what about you?
It's so important to you that your children don't consume so many pesticides, hormones, sugar, and artificial colors, but what about you?
I recently spoke with a mother who related a story about eating a hot dog and drinking a soda while she had ordered a halibut sandwich for her son (nearly 2 years old). We were laughing about how that is so backwards as compared to how we were raised- the good food is for the adults and the kids get "kid food". In fact, I remember being at a nice party where a mother was giving her child an expensive (and healthy) item from the "adult table" and overhearing someone say that the food was being "wasted on kids".
The issue, as I see it, is two-fold:
First, if your health ideals are so important when preparing or ordering meals for your child, why don't you deserve the same consideration? If you choose to feed your child only organic food, that shows that you see value in that lifestyle choice. What about you? Why don't you deserve the best? Ok- aks yourself this- if I believe that organic carrots are better for my child, aren't they also better for me? My child desrves healthy food, but doesn't he/she also deserve a healthy parent?
The second issue concerns modeling. Never thought you would be a model? Your child watches everything you do. At these tender young ages, you represent everything they want to do and everything they want to be. If you are eating steel cut oats with flax meal, chia seeds, and blueberries, they want the same breakfast (they will also want your bowl and your spoon). If you have a hot dog and a soda, guess what? Your average toddler sleeps 13 1/2 hours per day (counting overnight and naps). That gives you plenty of time to guzzle your soda and eat your hot dog without little fingers grabbing and big eyes peering. Of course, if you choose to use naptime to overload your body with sugar and preservatives, please see problem #1 again.
Moral of the story? As always, "treat your body like it belongs to someone you love" (copied off a sign post at Whole Foods). "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."- Michael Pollen. Stock your kitchen with healthy foods, serve them to your kids- and eat with them too.
But what about you?
It's so important to you that your children don't consume so many pesticides, hormones, sugar, and artificial colors, but what about you?
I recently spoke with a mother who related a story about eating a hot dog and drinking a soda while she had ordered a halibut sandwich for her son (nearly 2 years old). We were laughing about how that is so backwards as compared to how we were raised- the good food is for the adults and the kids get "kid food". In fact, I remember being at a nice party where a mother was giving her child an expensive (and healthy) item from the "adult table" and overhearing someone say that the food was being "wasted on kids".
The issue, as I see it, is two-fold:
First, if your health ideals are so important when preparing or ordering meals for your child, why don't you deserve the same consideration? If you choose to feed your child only organic food, that shows that you see value in that lifestyle choice. What about you? Why don't you deserve the best? Ok- aks yourself this- if I believe that organic carrots are better for my child, aren't they also better for me? My child desrves healthy food, but doesn't he/she also deserve a healthy parent?
The second issue concerns modeling. Never thought you would be a model? Your child watches everything you do. At these tender young ages, you represent everything they want to do and everything they want to be. If you are eating steel cut oats with flax meal, chia seeds, and blueberries, they want the same breakfast (they will also want your bowl and your spoon). If you have a hot dog and a soda, guess what? Your average toddler sleeps 13 1/2 hours per day (counting overnight and naps). That gives you plenty of time to guzzle your soda and eat your hot dog without little fingers grabbing and big eyes peering. Of course, if you choose to use naptime to overload your body with sugar and preservatives, please see problem #1 again.
Moral of the story? As always, "treat your body like it belongs to someone you love" (copied off a sign post at Whole Foods). "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."- Michael Pollen. Stock your kitchen with healthy foods, serve them to your kids- and eat with them too.
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