The Incredible Green Bean

Green beans - one of the most kid-friendly green vegetables out there.  Unlike broccoli, spinach, zucchini, green beans are relatively low on the "ick-factor" when it comes to most children and many veggie-averse adults.  You may find yourself eating them quite often because it seems to keep everyone happy.  The really good news is that green beans pack an enormous nutritional punch and they taste good.  This data from the George Mateljan Foundation shows that they provide numerous health benefits including:

• Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
• Cardiovascular health support
• Bone health promotion

Carotenoids in GREEN beans?
Recent studies have confirmed the presence of lutein, beta-caroten, violaxanthin, and neoxanthin in green beans. In some cases, the presence of these carotenoids in green beans is comparable to their presence in other carotenoid-rick vegetables like carrots and tomatoes.  The only reason we don't see these carotenoids is because of the concentrated chlorophyll content of green beans and the amazing shades of green that it provides.

Fresh, frozen or canned - Just Eat Them!
Fresh green beans are the best, but sometimes that they are not accessable.  Frozen is the second best option, as research shows that when first frozen and then cooked, retention of some B vitamins in green beans (like B6 and B2) can be as high as 90%.  Recent studies have shown that canned green beans - on average - lose about a third of their phenolic compounds during the canning process.  They lose B vitamins as well, but in the case of some B vitamins like folic acid, as little as 10%.

Antioxidant Capacity
Research comparing the overall antioxidant capacity of green beans to other foods in the pea and bean families has found green beans to come out on top, even though green beans are not always highest in their concentration of specific antioxidant nutrients like phenolic acids or vitamin C.  Researchers now know the list of antioxidant flavonoids found in green beans is not limited to quercetin and kaemferol, but also includes flavonoids like catechins, epicatechins, and procyanidins.  The antioxidant carotenoids in green beans are diverse, and include lutein, beta-carotene, violaxanthin, and neoxanthin, as mentioned above.

Bone Health
Green beans may be a particularly helpful food for providing us with the mineral silicon.  This mineral, while less well known than minerals like calcium and magnesium, is very important for bone health and for healthy formation of connective tissue.  Green beans have recently been shown to stack up quite well against other commonly-eaten foods as a good source of absorbable silicon.

Grow Green Beans and Healthy Kids

As I have mentioned many times, getting your kids in on the act of growing some of the fruits and veggies that your family eats is a great way to get them to actually EAT more fruits and veggies.  Green beans just happen to be a very easy and fun veggie to grow.  Check in your area for the right time to plant, but with a little TLC, you and your kids will probably have more green beans than you could ever eat - Perfect, share the extras with your neighbors!

WHAT'S FOR DINNER?
There are many ways to enjoy green beans, but I especially enjoy this quick and intensely flavored green bean saute.  Don't forget to toss some fresh green beans (I prefer them blanched - dunked in boiling water for a couple of minutes and then dunked in ice water to stop cooking) into your salad for a delicious flavor, beautiful color, and a really great crunch.  They are also a great roasted in the oven or as an addition to a crudite platter, raw or blanched.

Herb Garden Green Beans
Servings:  4

1 lb. fresh or frozen and thawed green beans
1 T olive oil
1/2 onion or 1 shallot, finely diced
2 T fresh herbs, any variety
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat a medium saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add the olive oil and saute the onion or shallot for a few minutes until onions are slightly caramelized on edges.  Add green beans and toss with onions and olive oil.  If using fresh beans, add 1/4 cup of water and cover to allow beans to steam for about 4-5 minutes.  If using previously frozen beans, saute for 3 to 4 minutes until beans are hot and still bright green.  Add the fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately.

Here's to fresh, fast, and fantastic food!

High Sodium and Low Potassium Diet - A Deadly Combination

You know that feeling when you wake up in the morning and your tongue feels like sand paper and your normally thin fingers feel a bit like sausages...  Whatever you ate for dinner or even earlier in the previous day was very high in sodium and now you are paying for it.  It is obvious in this scenario that you had too much sodium, but do you know how much sodium you really consume on a normal basis?  Given the amount of processed foods and restaurant foods that most people consume in a normal week, you are more than likely over the recommended 1,500 to 2,300 mg.  Now you add in the fact that most people also do not get the recommended potassium because they are coming up short in the fruits and vegetables category and you have a recipe for disaster.  Here is a great article from the National Council on Strength and Fitness on the risk of a high sodium / low potassium diet.

It is no secret that the typical American diet contains too many processed foods, while at the same time not nearly enough fruits and vegetables. This consumption imbalance has led to a diet high in salt and often insufficient in potassium. Recently reported by the CDC, this dietary practice is extremely detrimental to physical health. The study data conducted by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Emory University and Harvard University was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (2011). According to the CDC, Americans who consume a diet high in sodium and low in potassium have a 50% increased risk of death from any cause, and about twice the risk of death from heart attacks.

The study used a nationally representative sample, analyzing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The first of its kind, this study provided a much more precise look at mineral content consumption across the population than previous studies. According to Elena Kuklina, M.D., Ph.D., an investigator on the study and a nutritional epidemiologist with CDC's Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, "the study's findings are particularly troubling because U.S. adults consume an average of 3,300 milligrams of sodium per day, more than twice the current recommended limit for most Americans. This study provides further evidence to support current public health recommendations to reduce sodium levels in processed foods, given that nearly 80% of people's sodium intake comes from packaged and restaurant foods. Increasing potassium intake may have additional health benefits.

Although the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends healthy individuals consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium, 50% of Americans are recommended to limit intake of sodium to 1,500 milligrams per day. The dietary guidelines suggest people 51 and older, African Americans, and those with high blood pressure, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease all consume 1,500 mg or less of sodium per day. In addition, the guidelines recommend that people choose more potassium-rich foods, advising 4,700 milligrams of potassium per day

The main form of sodium consumed in the diet expectedly is in the form of salt (sodium chloride), but many people are surprised to find out more than 75% of their intake is in the form of processed and restaurant foods. To the contrary, potassium exists naturally in many fresh foods including fruits, vegetables, and legumes as well as fish and nuts. Considering the American diet, it should be of little surprise that the common staples such as cheese, processed meats, breads, soups, frozen foods, fast foods, and pastries tend to have much more sodium than potassium. Whereas naturally occurring foods such as spinach, grapes, blackberries, carrots, white potatoes and citrus fruits have less sodium and more potassium.

Findings indicate the top 20 individual food sources of sodium in the American diet, based on the frequency of consumption and sodium content:

1.    Meat pizza

2.    White bread

3.    Processed cheese

4.    Hot dogs

5.    Spaghetti w/sauce

6.    Ham

7.    Catsup (ketchup)

8.    Cooked rice (the way it’s seasoned, as plain rice contains no sodium at all)

9.    White roll

10.  Flour (wheat) tortilla

11.  Salty snacks/corn chips

12.  Whole milk

13.  Cheese pizza

14.  Noodle soups

15.  Eggs (whole/fried/scrambled)

16.  Macaroni w/cheese

17.  Milk, 2%

18.  French fries

19.  Creamy salad dressings

20.  Potato chips

Individuals who consume lower amounts of sodium and higher amounts of potassium benefit from improved blood pressure and reduced risk for developing CAD and kidney disease. But this may not be as easy as it sounds. In the same way weight loss is difficult for many people, reducing salt may be equally challenging and at the root of both problems, according to a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (2011), sits the hypothalamus. A team of researchers from the Duke Medical Center and Australian scientists from the University of Melbourne and Florey Neuroscience Institute have found that the same gene linked to drug addiction is associated with the natural instinct to seek salt in rats.

The research team found that when rats exuded an elevated sodium appetite, a region of the hypothalamus became susceptible to dopamine, the same neurotransmitter associated with drug use and addiction. According to the researchers, since dopamine serves as the brain’s reward currency, when salt is depleted the hypothalamus pursues the “instinctive need” for reward, which drives the animal to gratify the need and, in this case, consume salt. The researchers were able to detect the genes that were turned on prior to salt consumption and turned off upon ingestion, even before absorption of the nutrient occurred. This suggests the completion of the quest was enough to trigger response in the hypothalamus. Although this information does not directly correlate to a specific salt intake, it does suggest that one’s salt appetite is instinctively driven which may explain tendencies in food selection.

Much like monitoring calories is relevant for weight loss, monitoring daily sodium intake is relevant for appropriate intakes. The CDC suggests choosing foods like fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, and unprocessed or minimally processed fish, meat or poultry, low-fat milk or plain yogurt. Additionally, when eating out it is helpful for at-risk populations to review the nutritional information on restaurant websites and when shopping to read the nutrition labels of foods before purchasing to ensure lower intakes are consumed. Many people just do not know what is in the food they consume. Taking the steps to control salt and increase potassium in the diet can go a long way to improve health over a life span.

List of Potassium Content of Foods

Foods with Potassium	Serving Size	Potassium (mg)
Almond	2 oz (57 g)	412
Apricots, dried	10 halves	407
Artichoke	1 cup	595 *
Avocados, raw	1 ounce	180
Bananas, raw	1 cup	594 *
Beans, baked	1 cup	752 *
Beans, Kidney	1 cup	713 *
Beans, Lima	1 cup	955 *
Beans, Pinto	1 cup	800 *
Beets, cooked	1 cup	519 *
Black-eyed peas(lobia)	1 cup	690 *
Brazil nuts	2 oz (57 g)	340
Brussel sprouts, cooked	1 cup	504 *
Cantaloupe	1 cup	494
Carrot Juice	1 cup	689 *
Chickpeas	1 cup	477
Dates, dry	5 dates	271
Figs, dry	2 figs	271
Kiwi fruit, raw	1 medium	252
Lentils	1 cup	731 *
Melons, honeydew	1 cup	461
Milk, fat free or skim	1 cup	407
Nectarine	1 nectarine	288
Orange juice	1 cup	496
Orange	1 orange	237
Pears(fresh)	1 pear	208
Peanuts dry roasted, unsalted	2 oz (57 g)	374
Potato, baked	1 potato	1081 *
Prune juice	1 cup	707
Prune, dried	1 cup	828 *
Raisin	1 cup	1089 *
Spinach, cooked	1 cup	839 *
Tomato canned sauce	1 cup	909 *
Tomato Juice	1 cup	535 *
Winter squash	1 cup	896 *
Yogurt plain, skim milk	8 ounces	579 *

Source: USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 15

Fighting Sugar Cravings

We have all been there - It is 4pm and you have been sitting for way too long, your tired and you have a massive craving for something sweet.  You could cave and have that candy bar and soda, but you will again be starving and feel terrible in a short period of time, or you could follow some of the recommendations in the article by Wendy C. Fries of WebMD below to tame those cravings and positively effect your health and the rest of your day.

Does that morning Danish leave you craving another treat two hours later?  Do you grab a candy bar to cope with your afternoon slump -- and then reach for a cola to get out of your post-slump slump?

If you have found that munching sugary snacks just makes you crave more sugary snacks, you are not alone.  Eating lots of simple carbohydrates -- without the backup of protein or fats -- can quickly satisfy hunger and give your body a short-term energy boost, but they almost as quickly leave you famished again and craving more.

Why do we crave sugar?

There are many reasons why we go for the sweet things.

That appetite may be hardwired.  "Sweet is the first taste humans prefer from birth," says Christine Gerbstandt, MD, RD, a dietitian and American Dietetic Association (ADA) spokeswoman.  Carbohydrates stimulate the release of the feel-good brain chemical serotonin.  Sugar is a carbohydrate, but carbohydrates come in other forms, too, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

The taste of sugar also releases endorphins that calm and relax us, and offer a natural "high", says Susan Moores, MS, RD, a registered dietition and nutrition consultant in St. Paul, Minn.

Sweets just tastes good, too.  And that preference gets reinforced by rewarding ourselves with sweet treats, which can make you crave it even more.  With all that going for it, why wouldn't we crave sugar?

The problem comes not when we indulge in a sweet treat now and then, but when we over-consume, something that is easy to do when sugar is added to many processed foods, including bread, yogurt, juices, and sauces.  And Americans do over-consume, averaging about 22 teaspoons of added sugars per day, according to the American Heart Association, which recommends limiting added sugars to about 6 teaspoons per day for women and 9 for men.

How to stop sugar cravings:  8 tips to use right now

Give in a little.  Eat a bit of what you are craving, maybe a small cookie or a fun-size candy bar, suggests Kerry Neville, MS, RD, a registered dietition and ADA spokeswoman.  Enjoying a little of what you love can help you steer clear of feeling denied.  Try to stick to 150-calorie threshold, Neville says.


Combine foods.  If the idea of stopping at a cookie or a baby candy bar seems impossible, you can still fill yourself up and satisfy a sugar craving, too.  "I like combining the craving food with a healthful one," Neville says.  "I love chocolate, for example, so sometimes I will dip a banana in chocolate sauce and that gives me what I am craving, or I will mix some almonds with chocolate chips."  As a beneficial bonus, you will satisfy a craving and get healthy nutrients from those good-for-you foods.


Go cold turkey.  Cutting out all simple sugars works for some people, although "the initial 48 to 72 hours are tough," Gerbstandt says.  Some people find that going cold turkey helps their cravings diminish after a few days; others find they may still crave sugar but over time are able to train their taste buds to be satisfied with less.


Grab some gum.  If you want to avoid giving in to a sugar craving completely, try chewing a stick of gum, says nutrition advisor Dave Grotto, RD, LDN.  "Research has shown that chewing gum can reduce food cravings," Grotto says.

Reach for fruit.  Keep fruit handy when sugar cravings hit.  You will get fiber and nutrients along with some sweetness.  And stock up on foods like nuts, seeds, and dried fruits, says certified addiction specialist Judy Chambers, LCSW, CAS.  "Have them handy so you reach for them instead of reaching for the old sugary something."


Get up and go.  When a sugar craving hits, walk away.  "Take a walk around the block or do something to change the scenery," to take your mind off the food you are craving, Neville suggests.


Choose quality over quantity.  "If you need a sugar splurge, pick a wonderful, decadent sugary food," Moores says.  But keep it small.  For example, choose a perfect dark chocolate truffle instead of a king-sized candy bar, then "savor every bit --slowly," Moores says.  Grotto agrees.  "Don't swear off favorites --you will only come back for greater portions.  Learn to incorporate small amounts in the diet but concentrate on filling your stomach with less sugary and healthier options."


Eat regularly.  Waiting too long between meals may set you up to choose sugary, fatty foods that cut your hunger, Moores says.  Instead, eating every three to five hours can help keep blood sugar stable and help you "avoid irrational eating behaviors," Grotto says.  Your best bet?  "Choose protein, fiber-rich foods like whole grains and produce," Moores says.

Get Support

Many people turn to sweet foods when they are stressed, depressed, or angry.  But food does not solve emotional issues.  Consider whether emotions are involved in your sugar cravings and whether you need help to find other solutions to those emotional problems.

Most importantly, go easy on yourself.  It may take time to get a handle on your sugar cravings.  It is difficult to shift any system -- whether it's the world economy or your eating," Chambers says.

Here are some great snacks that incorporate some sweet with some protein, good fat, and other important nutrients:

• Apple with a tablespoon of peanut butter
• Whole grain tortilla with a little peanut butter and banana slices
• Peaches and cottage cheese
• Nonfat plain yogurt with berries and a little granola
• Make trail mix with low-fat, low-sugar granola, dried fruit, nuts and 60% cocoa chocolate chips
• Whole grain crackers, low-fat cheese and a pear
• Banana on a stick dipped in chocolate sauce, rolled in crushed nuts and frozen
• Small scoop of low-fat frozen yogurt with fresh fruit and some crushed nuts
• Strawberries dipped in chocolate "cream" (see recipe below)

Strawberries and Chocolate “Cream”

Servings:  2

Ingredients

·        3 T non-fat Greek yogurt

·        2 T cocoa powder

·        1 T maple syrup

·        2 T Truvia or other natural stevia sweetener

·        1 pint strawberries

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, cocoa, syrup and truvia until smooth.  If cocoa powder is lumpy, sift before adding to yogurt.  If mixture is too stiff, add 1 tablespoon of yogurt at a time until desired consistency is achieved.  Place mixture into two small dipping cups, place cups on plates, and surround with strawberries.  Dip and enjoy!

Here's to fresh, fast, and fantastic food!

From Mouths of Babes

As we all know, kids say the funniest things.  Lately I have heard some truly entertaining comments from kids regarding healthy foods. 

One evening when we were having a fiesta salad for dinner, Will said, “Mom, I can feel the food going straight to my muscles – see?”  He of course then raised his arms in the perfect muscle man pose. 

At lunch on Saturday as he was munching on a turkey wrap, tomatoes and figs, he said “Mom, can I have one giant piece of spinach – I want to be really strong today?”  He proceeded to eat a pile of baby spinach leave (I did not have just one giant one). 

One evening this week, we were having penne with kale, cauliflower, and chicken sausage, and we were discussing how kale was similar to spinach and that it also made you really strong.  Will said, “Mom, I love this kale – do I look like a strong man (i.e. a circus strong man)?”  He then continued on with, “This cauliflower looks like shrimp, could you add shrimp to this the next time you make it?”

Earlier this week, I spent some time with the 2 and 4 year old daughters of a client teaching them about being fit and healthy and all the important things that healthy food does for their bodies.  I just recently started working with them to get their daughters to eat a more varied diet and more fruits, vegetables and whole grains.  They have adopted the rule that everyone is required to try a single “no thank you” bite of everything on the plate.  The 4 year old has been trying many different fruits and vegetables lately and found that she really enjoys green peas.  She told me today, “When I get my special treat I am going to have green peas”.  She also told me that she threw up broccoli because she did not like it, but hey you win some and you lose some.

The point in me sharing all of these great quotes is to stress the importance of talking with your kids about the food they are eating or not eating in many cases.    Children want to be strong, smart, and independent beings.  If we empower them with information they will most likely use it in the right way.  No, Will did not decide overnight that spinach was his favorite vegetable because it makes him strong; however after many, many, many discussions about the benefits of spinach and many other foods, that is now his conclusion.

Take the opportunity to get your entire family interested in the food that you are eating.  Take a trip to the market or the farmers market and explore.  Start out by talking about all of the different colors, textures, smells, and tastes.  Trust me when I say that they cannot help but be interested in fruits and vegetables this time of the year – they are gorgeous! 

Do you feel at a loss for the nutrition information of the foods you are eating, and so you are not talking with your kids?  Do you think that your kids would be more receptive to this type of information from someone other than you?  Contact me to come into your home and spend some time with your kids learning about being fit and healthy.  It is a fun and interactive presentation where they get to use their artistic abilities to show how much they have learned about filling a healthy, well-balance plate.  This presentation also works great with larger classrooms or organizations.  In a time when the obesity rates for children are hovering in the high teens and 20s and rapidly rising, it is critical that we start educating early on being healthy and fit for life.  Visit my website to learn more…

WHAT'S FOR DINNER?
Almost all kids love chicken nuggets.  In fact, most adults love chicken nuggets, they just may not eat them because they know that they are generally little fried bits of mashed-up chicken parts and other stuff.  Well, here is a great recipe for some delicious and nutritious baked nuggets.  They are crunchy, juicy, and perfectly dippable - all the key ingredients of a kid-approved nugget.  The crushed cereal coating is made of 7 different whole grains and is combined with the lean proteins of egg and boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  They are great for dipping or delicious on top of a big fresh salad.  Don't forget to serve with lots of raw fresh veggies...

Crunchalicious Chicken Nuggets

Servings:  4

Ingredients

·        4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 2-3” cubes (can substitute cod)

·        4 cups Kashi 7 Whole Grain Flakes

·        Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

·        1 t garlic powder

·        1 cup whole wheat flour

·        2 eggs

·        Ketchup or honey mustard, for dipping

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and spray to sheet pans with olive oil cooking spray.  Place the crushed cereal on one dinner plate and mix in the salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Place the whole wheat flour on another dinner plate.  On a third dinner plate, crack the eggs and scramble vigorously with a fork or whisk.  To prepare nuggets, place a quarter of the chicken cubes in the flour and toss to coat.  Shake to remove any excess flour and move the flour coated chicken to the egg plate.  Toss to coat in egg.  Transfer the flour and egg coated chicken to the crushed cereal plate and toss to coat.  Place the cereal coated chicken cubes on the sheet pan and repeat with remaining chicken.  Make sure chicken cubes are spread out evenly on sheet pans.  Bake chicken in oven until golden and firm to touch (about 15 to 20 minutes), turning once to crisp on all sides.  Serve with ketchup or honey mustard for dipping and lots of raw veggies.

Liquid Assets

It is hard to walk through the market or convenience store, or any retail store for that matter without being bombarded by mini-cooler cases filled with beverages promising everything from boosting your immune system, to giving you energy and now helping you relax.  All of these beverages seem to have two important things in common, they are not regulated from an effectiveness standpoint and they are almost always filled with empty calories, i.e. added sugar.  Are there really any beverages out there providing real benefits other than hydration and can they do it without loads of empty calories?

Sports drinks don’t make you run faster or jump higher – it merely replenishes fluids and nutrients you lose while sweating.  But there are beverages that really do have a training effect.  Sip water as you workout (dehydration can slow you down), and try these other drinks for real results:

Cherry Juice

Endurance athletes who drank cherry juice before running a marathon felt less pain afterward than those who did not.  Phytochemicals in the drink appear to ease inflammation.  You might even give cherry juice a try the next time you are fighting a headache or any inflammation for that matter.  It is best to sip the juice every day for a week leading up to (as well as the day of) any athletic event like a race.  The recommended amount is 2 ½ cups (20 oz.)

Fat-Free Milk

The protein in the milk helps repair muscles you have exerted.  The calcium and vitamin D strengthen bones and may help you lose more fat.  It is best to sip right after strength-training.  The recommended amount is 2 – 4 cups (16 – 32 oz.)

Green Tea

The caffeine in green tea will help you work out longer.  You will also shed more fat, thanks to compounds called catechins, which increase fat burn, especially during aerobic exercise.  It is best to sip green tea daily, including right before a workout.  The recommended amount is 3 – 4 cups (24 – 32 oz.)

Ginger Lemonade

Ginger, which contains anti-inflammatory compounds, has been found to ease postworkout muscle soreness by up to 25%.  It is best to sip it daily.  Add ½ teaspoon grated ginger to 8 oz. of lemonade.

Resource:  Prevention Magazine July 2011

WHAT’S FOR DINNER

This combination of ingredients might catch you a little off-guard, however it turned out to be one of my favorite pasta dishes ever (and it was super quick and easy). 

Penne with Kale, Cauliflower, and Chicken Sausage

Servings:  8

1 lb. whole grain penne pasta

1 24 oz. jar good marinara sauce (I like Muir Glen or Newman’s Own Cabernet Marinara)

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

½ bunch of kale, chopped into bite-size pieces

5 links chicken sausage ( I used some made with chicken thigh meat, spinach and asiago cheese)

1 T fresh basil leaves, chopped (optional)

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Sauté chicken sausage in a medium sauté pan, browning both sides.  Add a glug of white wine or chicken stock to the pan, cover loosely, and let cook on low until fully cooked.  Remove from pan.  In the same pan, drizzle a little olive oil and sauté kale until wilted.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Remove kale from pan.  Add marinara sauce to same pan and warm.  Cook penne pasta according to package directions in a large stock pot.  In the last 4 minutes of the pasta cooking time, add the cauliflower florets.  Drain pasta and cauliflower and return to pan.  Add sausage and kale to penne and cauliflower, pour sauce over the pasta mixture, add fresh basil, and toss gently.  Top each serving with a little grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Here's to fresh, fast, and fantastic food!

Raising Fit ad Healthy Kids

First of all, I apoligize for going so long without a blog post.  We just returned from a week of vacation in beautiful New England and I definitely took a break from my computer.  It was a nice break and I am of course back and excited to share more information on healthy family living. 

As I was hiking up the side of a mountain in the Mount Washington area of New Hampshire with three generations of Taylors (yes, we had Grandma and Grandpa, the three Taylor boys and their wives and seven kids between the ages of 7 months and 8 years old), it made me think about what makes fit and healthy kids.  Aside from sweet Eden who is only 7 months old, the other children, including Grayson and Brett who are only two, all trekked some if not all of this 3 mile round trip adventure up and down a mountain.  At times, I was walking at a very quick pace to keep up with the older kiddos as they practically bound down the mountain.

So what is the key to fit and healthy kids?  While it is not out of reach for anyone, it definitely takes some effort given the current state of health.  Today's kids are the first in history who will live less time than their parents.  Not surprising, the primary reason for this is obesity which is linked to all sorts of health issues.  Childhood and teenage obesity rates have been rising at an unbelievable pace over that past three decades, and the fatter you are, the sicker you are more likely to become.  According to a study conducted by Weight Watchers International, Inc. and the American Health Foundation, 25 percent of American children are now officially overweight.  This is more than double what it was 30 years ago and the numbers have risen with each successive study.

While fast food is a big part of this problem,  according to Ken Reed, Director of the Center for the Advancement of Physical Education, lack of exercise is the main offender.  "Over the last 25 years, caloric intake in toddlers and young kids has gone up three to four percent, but the level of physical activity has dropped nearly 20 to 25 percent."  While we must stay focused on getting our families to eat healthier, we have to at the same time find ways to get more activity and exercise.

Kids need about 90 minutes of daily exercise to avoid most heart disease risk factors, according to a study published in The Lancet in 2006.  Since kids should sleep 10 hours, spend most of their day in school, and according to the Academy of Pediatrics, spend an average of five and one half hours a day in front of the tv, game, or computer, we probably don't need a study to tell us that we have an up hill battle fitting more activity into a day and beating obesity.

While this sounds like quite a gloomy outlook, instead of discouraging, it actually gets me excited.  To think that such a major health issue has a "cure" within our reach.  We don't need some scientist somewhere to find a cure for us, it is completely in our control.  Here are some important steps to building fit and healthy kids:

No bottles before bed.  A large number of recent studies show infant obesity rates as high as 44 percent in some demographics, which have been linked in part to sending infants to bed with a bottle.  Not only is the child getting more calories, it is creating a learned response to eat before bed.  A very difficult habit to reverse.  Infants of course should have some body fat, but an obese infant is more than twice as likely to grow into an obese adolescent, who is more than twice as likely to become an obese adult.

Make your toddler toddle.  The 90 minute guideline is for school-aged children, but it is recommended that younger children get even more.  Infants should be encouraged to move as much as possible because it develops motor skills that will help them throughout their life.  Toddlers should have at least 30 minutes of planned activity per day and 60 minutes of free play, where they are allowed to move and roam as they like.  Preschool-age kids should get at least 60 minutes of planned activity and 60 minutes of free play. 

Fight for recess.  As school budgets dwindle and because results are based on test scores, "optional" classes like recess are being cut.  I would argue that recess is one of the most important classes your child has.  According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), it's not just how much children exercise that counts but how long they exercise for that is important.  Kids should not exercise for prolonged periods of time.  They benefit far more from short bursts of exercise throughout the day.

Juice is not for breakfast anymore.  The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that many children get most of their calories from beverages, when they would be better off getting them from whole fruit and other healthful solid foods.  Most come from soda, but juice can fly under the radar, masquarading as a health food.  Take a look at an orange juice label.  A former icon of a nutritious breakfast, and still praised in some less-enlightened cultures, is mainly sugar.  The refining process has leeched most of its useful ingredients and all of the fiber, turning a wonderfully healthful food, an orange, into little more than a morning sugar rush.

Say NO to the Cafeteria, unless your cafeteria is run by Revolution Foods or another healthful in-school lunch program.  Having your children bring their lunch to school can ensure that they are eating well.  School cafeterias have been getting progressively worse.  Did you know that the average cost of the lunch that they are serving your child in school is about $1, aside from the fact that it is mostly processed food and meets the minimum requirements where the minimum requirements are far too minimal.  Parents have banded together in many communities to change their school's nutritional structure.  Let your school know that minimum standards are not ok when we are trying to build fit and healthy kids.

Enforce TV and game limits.  Do you remember reading earlier that the average kids spends 5 1/2 hours in front of TV, games and computer screens?  UGH!  We could probably surmise that this time increases in relation to body mass index.  That is a lot of hours not moving!  Even if you monitor your child's content so that it is 100% education (if that is even possible), it is important that you enforce time limits for sitting still.  Not only is sitting still for long periods of time bad for you, but it more importantly creates a habit. 

Make a habit of exercise.  While we are discussing habitual behavior, exercise is one habit you want to develop in your children.  While you are structuring their day, add an exercise period.  No, I don't mean that you need to write an exercise program for them, however you do need to make sure that the time to get moving is on the schedule.  We want them to get use to the feeling that this is something they should be doing daily.

Assign chores.  Children should learn to do the same work around the house that they see you doing for them.  Weeding, sweeping, raking leaves, and doing laundry are all calorie-burning activities that add up little by little.  In fact, by getting them involved at a young age when they love helping out and being a contributing member of the family, may just decrease or eliminate the complaining when they get older.

Stop drinking soda.  Perhaps you have not heard this enough, but soda accounts for more calories consumed than any other food.  Teenagers in America get an estimated 13% of their calories from soda, making it nearly impossible to eat a balanced diet.

Try some sports.  Not all kids are great at sports, but almost everyone has an aptitude at some physical activity.  Start your child young by allowing them to experiment with different sports.  The more sports that they try, the easier it will be for you to see which ones they excel at and which they don't.  They get exposed to different things and people, they get some exercise, and, in the end, you will probably find something they will be good at - or at least decent - which will help their self-esteem as they develop.  Keep in mind that sports don't just mean team or traditional sports.  Martial arts, snowboarding, swimming, dance, and rock climbing are all just as effective as football and soccer for building healthy bodies.

Get outside!  When we grow up some of us will be inside people and some of us will be outside people.  As kids, however, we should all get some exposure to the great outdoors.  There are endless number of outdoor activities you can choose from, but the simples, hiking, is one of the best activities you can do with your kids.  It is great exercise, especially if you live around hills or mountains, which will ensure that your intensity will be high.  It builds motor skills because you walk on rocks and trees, etc.  It is also a learning tool because you will encounter the natural world and, most likely, develop an interest in the way it works.  It does not take having Yosemite or Mount Washington in your backyard, just get out there and enjoy the physical activity as well as the time with your family.

Growing fit and healthy kids is a combination of eating healthy, getting plenty of sleep and get enough physical activity.  If you are having difficulty in achieving success in any or all of these areas, contact me or visit my website.  I specialize in building healthy families on any schedule.  Having an insane schedule does not have to keep your family from being healthy and fit anymore. 

Are you looking for a keynote speaker for a back-to-school event, PTO meeting, etc?  Anytime is the right time to make the transition to a healthier lifestyle, but back-to-school time is a common time for families to make the committment.  Please contact me for more information on speaking engagements.

Resources:  "12 Steps to Having Fit and Healthy Kids" by Steve Edwards

WHAT'S FOR DINNER
It's a friday night during the summer, we want fun, quick, and easy!!!  Tonight we are making a very healthy and delicious pizza.  Your options for crust, sauce, and toppings are endless.  You can get whole wheat crust from many local pizzerias or the market such as Whole Foods.  You can also get pre-cooked whole wheat crusts at the market, but any whole grain pita bread, tortilla or even English muffins will make a great crust.  A good bottled or fresh marinara or pesto are my favorite choices, but let your imagination run wild.  There are very few veggies out their that would not work great on a pizza, especially if they are grilled or sauteed.  Try to steer clear of all of the processed and high-fat, high-sodium meat toppings, but a little bit for flavor might be just what your crew needs.  Sweet Italian turkey or pork sausage, canadian bacon or even a little prociutto add tons of flavor.  To really up the nutritional punch of your pizza, start with a good low-sugar, low-fat marinara sauce, make a layer of baby spinach leaves, a layer of thinly sliced tomatoes before adding a little of your favorite meat or other toppings.  Top the pizza with a little part-skim mozzarella and maybe even a small amount of feta or other highly-flavored cheese for an extra boost of flavor.  If you add all these veggies to your pizza then you might not need to serve it with a salad, but certainly the salad tastes great with pizza and adds bulk so you won't need to eat quite so much pizza.