| Childhood obesity is making the papers. The numbers | | | | holistic? Often, children who struggle more than a few |
| are up. Is it any wonder?By: Nan Andrews AmishPhys | | | | pounds, have other things going on, that if they are not |
| ed classes are not funded in many public schools, they | | | | addressed, will make this an uphill battle. They may be |
| are ineffective in many others. Fat is the last legal bias. | | | | deficient in a nutrient. Vitamin C is a common |
| Kids make fun of anyone different, and the fat kid is | | | | deficiency with kids who crave sugar for example, |
| fair game. Heaven help the fat kid in a shorts, where | | | | potassium is often lacking in kids who like salt. Kids |
| the fat can hang out for all to see. Bullies will take aim | | | | who have had lots of antibiotics may not have good |
| and not let up. | | | | intestinal flora and need acidophilous, bifidus. Kids who |
| Kids spend hours in front of computers, and their | | | | seem to be eating all the time and are always hungry, |
| neighborhoods are unsafe.Here are some strategies | | | | may have something more severe going on. Sugar |
| for growing strong, healthy, mentally and emotionally | | | | addictions, wheat allergies, pre-diabetes, or even a |
| stable kids.Emotionally1. Acknowledge that you know | | | | parasite.11. If you have an overweight child and have |
| that it hurts when kids make fun of them because of | | | | other children who are not in the same space, having a |
| how they look. Help them build emotional intelligence by | | | | family meeting where the entire family decides how |
| acknowledging how they do feel, and help them build | | | | they will help each other address EACH of family |
| empathy for others who are different and also made | | | | members issues helps. Calling out the fat child's issues |
| fun of.2. Acknowledge that you know that there are | | | | is humiliating, but if the family helps one child with |
| kids who eat worse than they do, and who do not | | | | spelling mastery and another child with food, it all evens |
| have the struggle they have with weight. The | | | | out and engenders family (team) spirit. If the family |
| message is that you appreciate it may not be fair and | | | | decides that to help the child struggling with food that |
| that getting healthy is not easy, and it is not necesarily | | | | there will be no Oreos in the house, the support is |
| their fault, but that they still are responsible for doing | | | | strong. |
| what they can to manage it. Watching a skinny minny | | | | Give them an edge12. Go for the organic. Skip the |
| eat cookies and milk shakes and sandwiches and | | | | Costco and Wallmart specials. Kids who are |
| french fries and never gain a pound is discouraging as | | | | overweight are sensitive to stuff other kids are not. |
| you eat your lettuce, carrots and lean chicken or | | | | Organic foods will have less additives, less hormones |
| tuna.Food and Diet | | | | (designed to help cattle and chicken GAIN weight), less |
| 3. If the kid is eating alot of junk food, see if you can | | | | genetically modified foods to be allergic too, less |
| modify these habits. Junk food stacks the deck | | | | chemicals to create immune responses to. Organic |
| against kids, because the processed white sugar, the | | | | produce tastes better too, and it might be less of |
| processed white flour and the food additives are | | | | struggle to get a child to snack on cherry tomatoes |
| DESIGNED to be addictive and DESIGNED to increase | | | | that melt in your mouth than on tomatoes that taste |
| appetite. Deprivation is not the key, but choosing treat | | | | like cardboard.13. Grow other kid strengths. If they are |
| foods wisely helps. Give them messages like their | | | | great at spelling, encourage them to compete in the |
| body is their temple, they need to treat it well. Offer | | | | spelling bee. If they are musically inclined, find them |
| metaphors like would they put lard in a sports car. No, | | | | places to sing, play. If computers or video games are |
| they would put the best fuel in it they could afford. | | | | their thing, help them get very good at these skills, so |
| Bodies are like that.4. Invite overweight kids to shop | | | | they will have confidence from these other |
| with you, and teach them to read labels. Have them | | | | perspectives.14. Be empathetic about their looks. |
| become the experts, so they have the tools to | | | | Appreciate that a plea from an overweight child to |
| choose wisely and or splurge, but understand the | | | | "blend in" or "fit in" is more charged than a plea from a |
| meaning of the splurge.5. Invite (as opposed to force | | | | child who is more mainstream looking. Help them |
| or punish) overweight kids to try various foods that | | | | choose clothes that are flattering and really fit them |
| might help them eat less junk. For example, fresh fruits. | | | | well. Make sure that they have clothes they can move |
| A burrito with filling protein like beans, as opposed to | | | | in which are not uncomfortable. (I knew one teen who |
| totally empty calories. Nuts as opposed to chips. Baby | | | | hated to walk until she got some shorts and slacks |
| carrots, even.Exercise | | | | that did not chafe, for example. Then she walked |
| 6. For most overweight kids the best way to assist | | | | everywhere, because the pants were not rubbing a |
| them is to crank up their metabolism. Exercise is the | | | | hole in her thigh!) Make sure they find clothes which |
| best way to do this. Fit kids get bullied less. Fit, strong | | | | are age appropriate, and have enough style that they |
| kids rarely get bullied. Fit, self confident, strong kids with | | | | are not the butt of more bullying because of their |
| an exceptional physical skill never get bullied. If the kid | | | | clothes. This will cost more than you would prefer, |
| has rhythm, get them into dance, t'ai chi, akido. If they | | | | since most larger sizes cost extra, and alterations are |
| have two left feet, have them try kick boxing or | | | | always on top. Know a good place to get stuff altered |
| wrestling. If they like team stuff, soccer is great and | | | | too, so if you have to buy a larger size to |
| there are teams available for all skills and all genders. If | | | | accomodate a larger tummy the rest of the garment |
| they are particularly "round" and have lots of soft baby | | | | is not so big there is room for Aunt Matilda in there too. |
| fat, try swimming, they will float better than any of their | | | | Here is where you can REALLY help your child fit it. |
| thinner buddies. Weight lifting for boys can be a win.7. | | | | By buying slightly better quality, fabrics that do not |
| Martial arts is always a win. It builds discipline, muscle, | | | | show fat bulges for example, or a garment that is |
| aerobic capacity and confidence. Choose according | | | | made really well and hangs great, will make your child |
| the child's capabilities, or try what their friends or | | | | look smaller than they are. Good undergarments count |
| geographic locality has available. Kids who know | | | | too, especially for girls. Find a way to make them feel |
| martial arts know how to breath, they know how to | | | | special with accessories for example, or shoes.15. |
| focus, they have strength both internal and external. | | | | Back to basics, they are not alone. Let them know, |
| They do not get bullied.8. Health is the best revenge. | | | | that they are beautiful inside. Appreciate all the unique |
| So use every opportunity to be active with your child. | | | | and special things that they are. Give messages of |
| Walk to the video store. Walk with them to talk about | | | | beauty often. Compliment best features, extra efforts, |
| what is up at school. Put music on and dance. Have | | | | exercise and food victories. Take them to movies like |
| exercise options in the house, like rebounders, | | | | Shrek, Harry Potter and others where there are |
| trampolines, swings for the younger ones, jungle gyms, | | | | heroes who are not all stick thin. Show them art |
| etc. | | | | depicting ancient cultures when thin was not so in. |
| Special Programs9. If your child is significantly heavy, | | | | (Botticelli, Rubens, african tribes for example). Give |
| consider summer camps designed to do all of the | | | | them unconditional love and acceptance regardless of |
| above with lots of other kids struggling with the same. | | | | their success or failure in any of these areas.16. Be |
| Not all camps are the same, so check them out. But | | | | spiritual.Nan Andrews Amish, the Business Healthcare |
| an 8 year old who spend 4 weeks being healthy and | | | | Contrarian is the founder of Big Picture Healthcare a |
| active during the summer, loses as little as 10 pounds, | | | | strategy consulting firm which provides expertise in |
| grows 2 inches has a great way to start back to | | | | consumer directed healthcare, healthcare marketing, |
| school in the fall. They are stronger, leaner, more | | | | and strategies to decrease benefit costs by 20-30% |
| confident, tan and met tons of new friends.10. If your | | | | while improving talent management. Nan offers |
| child is significantly heavy, consider working with a | | | | Management Consulting, Facilitation, Workshops. |
| naturopath, homeopath or holistic nutrition person. Why | | | | Contact her at or (650)560-9800. |