Healthy Bite 017 - Begging for Broccoli

Ever have trouble getting your kids to eat healthier? Nah! Me neither. My kids BEG me to let them eat Broccoli! In today’s episode I’ll share some simple strategies and tips for helping you get your kids to eat better, feel better and set them up for a future of good health. Begging for Broccoli Ok. So it’s not entirely true. My kids don’t actually BEG me to give them broccoli. But I will say, they probably eat healthier than most kids their age. This episode could be interesting and I almost feel like whispering because my boys are actually in the studio here with me today listening to all of this – so I’d rather NOT give ALL my secrets away! However, I will give a couple of tips that will be helpful for you. First I’d like to briefly talk about why this is SO important and dear to my heart. I love my children and I’m sure you love your children too. And like me, you want them to grow up to be strong, confident, caring individuals that go on to share their gifts with the world. And the obvious answer to the question of why would you want to make sure your kids eat healthy, is that you want all of those things for them. But here is the reality. The number of overweight children ages 6–19 has more than tripled since 1980. Given current trends, one out of three children born in the year 2000 will develop diabetes over the course of a lifetime. Yet many chronic diseases could be prevented, delayed, or alleviated, through simple lifestyle changes. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimates that eliminating three risk factors – poor diet, inactivity, and smoking – would prevent: 80% of heart attack and stroke, 80% of type 2 diabetes, and 40% of cancer. In regards to autoimmune diseases, Virginia T. Ladd, President and Executive Director of the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, stated: Quote, "With the rapid increase in autoimmune diseases, it clearly suggests that environmental factors are at play due to the significant increase in these diseases. Genes do not change in such a short period of time." End quote. I think you get the picture. So here are my top 3 strategies for starting kids on a healthier diet: 1) Keep it simple – start with one or two things at a time. I started by cutting out all the sugary cereals and looking for cereals with less than 6g of sugar per serving. And introduce one new vegetable per meal – they can help you pick something out at the grocery store. You might even let them help prepare it. Try adding a small amount to their plate and before they can leave the table or enjoy seconds or have a dessert, they have to eat it all. It’s a small amount to begin with! 2) Don’t give up. My kids argued and didn’t always eat what I gave them. Now they try anything I give them at least once. The important thing is NOT TO GIVE UP. Often times it’s an acquired taste or a certain way you prepare it the 5th time around. And before I tell you the last strategy I have to tell a quick story about when my oldest son Cooper ... So my third strategy is: 3) Take an honest look at YOUR relationship and attitude toward healthy eating, especially when it comes to vegetables. For your kid’s sake. If you’re not already, start experimenting and STOP lamenting over eating healthy. They will adopt your attitude. If you want to learn how to make cooking healthy SUPER SIMPLE and delicious, please contact me or visit my website and click on “schedule now”. I host Healthy 101 Cooking class at Twin Ponds Integrative Center in Breinigsville, PA. Check my website for dates and times or set up a party with your friends! Until next time: Keep it simple. Be Healthy.