Healthy Eating for Children - Changing Your Family's Eating Habits

       

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

     Healthy eating means eating a variety 

of foods from all food groups. It means 

choosing fewer foods that have lots of 

fats and sugar. But it does not mean that 

your child cannot eat desserts or other 

treats now and then.

     With a little planning, you can create 

a structure that gives your child (and you) 

the freedom to make healthy eating choices. 

Think of this as planning not just for the kids but for everyone in your family.

First steps

     Set up a regular snack and meal schedule. Kids need to eat at least every 3 

to 4 hours. Most children do well with three meals and two or three snacks a 

day.

     Eat meals together as a family as often as possible.

     Start with small, easy-to-achieve changes, such as offering more fruits and 

vegetables at meals and snacks.

     Look at your portion sizes. Remember that younger children may eat smaller 

amounts than adults. Although paying attention to portion sizes is important 

(especially ofless nutritious foods), it is up to your child to decide how much 

food he or she needs to eat at a meal to feel full.

     Slowly cut down on soda pop and other high-sugar drinks. Serve water to 

quench thirst. You can encourage your child to drink more water and fewer 

sugar-sweetened drinks by keeping cold water on hand in the refrigerator.

     At meals, serve milk. (Children under 12 months of age should not drink 

cow's milk.) Most children need whole milk between 1 and 2 years of age. But 

your doctor may recommend 2% milk if your child is overweight or if there is a 

family history of obesity, high blood pressure, or heart disease. Over the age of 

2, servefat-free or low-fat milk.

     Consider meeting with a registered dietitian for help with meal and snack 

planning (nutritional counseling).

     When trying new foods at a meal, be sure to also include a food that your 

child likes. Don't be discouraged if it takes several tries before your child 

actually eats a new food. It may take as many as 15 times or more before 

your child will try a new food.

     Even though your child may not eat the food, it is important to keep serving 

it so that your child can see other family members enjoying it. Also, your child 

should not think that meals are going to be planned only around his or her food 

preferences. Remember, you are in charge of deciding which foods are served 

at meal and snacks.

     If you are feeling out of control over your own eating habits or weight, your 

child may be learning some poor eating habits from you. See a registered 

dietitian, your doctor, or a mental health professional experienced with eating 

problems, if needed. For more information, see the topics Healthy Eating and  

Weight Management.

 Encourage healthy choices

    Help your child learn to make healthy food and lifestyle choices by 

following these steps:

     Be a good role model. Practice the eating and exercise habits you'd like 

your children to have. Your example is your child's most powerful learning tool.

    Increase active time. Make physical activity a part of your family's daily life. 

Set limits on your child's daily TV and computer time to no more than 2 hours 

a day. Experts recommend no TV for children under 2 years.

    Eat breakfast. Having breakfast with your child can help start a lifelong 

healthy habit.

    Involve your child in meal planning and grocery shopping. When your child 

is old enough, teach him or her about food preparation, cooking and food 

safety and, later, how to use food label information . While giving your child 

a role in decision making, remember that you have the final say in food planning.

    Involve your child in cooking. Children enjoy helping out, and they learn 

easily with hands-on experience. They can also use other skills, such as math, 

when counting or measuring ingredients.

Some Teens Risk Health to Build Muscle

                    

By: Salynn Boyles,

WebMD Health Nows

     Nov. 19, 2012 -- The quest for six-pack abs 

and a ripped physique may be leading some teens  

especially boys -- in an unhealthy direction, a new 

study suggests.

     Nearly 2,800 middle school and high school students answered 

questions about what they did to build muscle size or tone. Exercise was, 

far and away, the most common thing boys and girls reported doing.

     However, some teens reported a risky behavior: Almost 6% of boys 

and 4.6% of girls said they had used steroids.

     Media images of muscle-bound, "ripped" guys may be giving teen 

boys unrealistic ideas about how their bodies should look, in the same 

way ultra-thin fashion models do for teen girls, says researcher Marla 

Eisenberg, ScD, MPH, of the University of Minnesota.

     “If you look back to the '70s or even the '80s it was pretty unusual 

to see a man without a shirt on in an ad or on TV,” she says. “Now 

they are everywhere and they all emphasize the muscular look.”

     Eisenberg recommends that pediatricians and other health 

professionals ask their teen patients about what they're doing to 

build muscle to check if their strategies are healthy or not.

     “Of course, exercise is a good thing,” she says. “But when the 

emphasis shifts away from health and toward getting a particular look 

or body type, this might point to body image concerns.”

Muscle-Building Activities Common

     The risks are real. It's not uncommon for teens to show up in the 

ER as a result of over-training or using steroids to build muscle, says 

ER doctor Robert Glatter, MD, of New York's Lenox Hill Hospital.

     The new survey, published online today and appearing in the 

December issue of Pediatrics, is the first to examine muscle-building 

behaviors among teens.

‘Proof Not Necessarily in the Mirror’

     Just as with adults, there are healthy and unhealthy ways for teens 

to build muscle, says pediatric sports doctor Chris G. Koutures, MD, 

of Anaheim, Calif.

     Koutures recommends eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruits 

and vegetables, as well as protein for building muscle and strength.

     The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages the use of sports 

supplements.

     And, as with any supplement, it is not always clear if what is listed 

on the label is really what is in the bottle or jar.

     “I tell my patients the focus should be on how they feel, not how 

they look,” he says. “If they are getting faster and stronger, and they 

are able to work harder, then what they are doing is working. The 

proof isn’t necessarily in the mirror.”

Why You Should Consider Buying HGH Supplements To Build Muscle Quicker

   

By Aldington Houston

 Just about every male wants to build muscle quicker. We want to have bigger biceps, stronger arms, stronger legs, and just about everything in between. If there is a magic pill that can help us build our muscle quicker, we're usually interested. You should consider buying 

in if you want to build muscle quicker 

because it is a human growth hormone 

that is naturally made inside your body. 

The growth hormone is actually excreted by 

one of your pituitary glands, so it is something that is very natural 

and the body is used to this hormone. Taking increases the supply of 

this hormone, resulting in more muscle growth and at a quicker rate. 

They can make you substantially stronger, can give your body what it 

needs to increase your energy, muscle, metabolism, memory, sexual 

performance, bone health, and more. HGH supplements have been 

proven to provide a wide variety of benefits and they are definitely 

something that you should look into if you want to build muscle 

quicker and become a better person.

Build muscle faster and become stronger

     HGH supplements are the safest way to build muscle quickly and 

become stronger. You can Buy HGH Supplements online and you can 

have them shipped to your home so that you can start taking them 

immediately. It's the easiest and most straightforward way to increase 

your muscle mass and start becoming a much larger person. You will 

also notice your mood increase, you will feel better about yourself and 

you will be excited for the day. Building muscle faster and becoming 

stronger is definitely something that you want to do, especially if you 

value your health and well-being.

Improve your mood and be happier every day

     Just about everyone could use a pick me up supplement. Did you 

know that can actually improve your mood and allow you to be 

happier every day? If you Buy HGH, you will notice a sudden 

improvement in your thoughts, your happiness, and your day-to-day 

interactions. You will feel better talking to people, you will feel happy 

with your life, and you will be excited for what's to come. Muscle 

building is something that every man needs to experience at some 

point in their life.

Lose weight and get into the best shape of your life

     HGH supplements can help you shed weight off your body and 

start getting into better shape. If you have gained some fat and you 

want to lose this weight, can encourage you to build muscle and 

workout harder, so that you lose the weight quicker. It's an effective 

supplement that can be very useful when you have gained too much 

weight and you are trying to get back to what you originally were. 

Similarly, if you are obese, HGH supplements can give you that extra 

energy and excitement, which is so important to losing weight and 

getting a grip on your weight loss strategy. HGH supplements are 

effective in their low-cost, so it is affordable to purchase them.

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