A Guide to Healthier Kids

My motivation to improve my diet is thinking about my kids future. I want to stage a strong healthier future for my child, so she looks back and realize just how much I wanted her to be healthy, safe and happy. Health professionals in America have declared child obesity a national epidemic. About nine million kids are affected. As a matter of fact the pediatric population as a whole is getting fatter, the fatter are now getting super-obese. Obese children are at a high risk of being obese adult. Hence, it is important to me as a mother to protect the future of my child. Believe it or not, image is everything. Not only is being lean and healthy a necessity for your child, it eliminates health risk such as insulin resistance, high blood pressure, elevated blood lips – these are risk associated with obesity.

Overweight kids are on a fast track to cardiovascular disease and diabetes, diseases that we usually associate with middle-aged adults. Pediatricians are alarmed at the rapid rise in the incidence of type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents. Recent reports reveal that up to 40 percent of children with newly diagnosed diabetes have type 2 diabetes, the type closely associated with obesity. In addition to physical health problems, the overweight child also experiences emotional and social problems.

Children are more inclined to eating fast food, packaged meals, pizza, French fries, Harmburgers, chips, candy bar, etc. They have no taste whatsoever for fruits, vegetables, salads, etc. Furthermore, portion sizes have increased drastically, leading to children consuming more food that before.

Why do I care about all this facts, because I want to make changes now. I feel like as a mother, I need to constantly re-evaluate my decisions and actions when it comes to health, life and lifestyle. I need to establish a meal pattern that is healthy for my child. I need to establish a daily routine exercise for my little one, so she not only eats everyday but active as well. I've got to watch the portioning, the nutritional contents of foods. I've got to stay away from canned and packaged meals and instead stick to vegetables and fruits. I've to be a healthy mom as well, so my child can see through me, the need for a healthy lifestyle.

Can you share your healthy lifestyle with me. Little things you do at home to make your family healthier and safer?