September 12, 2018 @ 12:27 PM
by Glenda Feilen
Brains Need Nutrition
Eating a healthy breakfast as a family is a perfect time to bond and spend quality time together before school. Unfortunately, morning schedules don’t always make this possible. Even if mornings are rushed it is super important to get good nutrition in kid’s bellies.
Sugared cereal and sweetened juice just don’t cut it when it comes to nutrition that will help their brains function all morning until lunch rolls around. A NUPLUS/VITASHAKE, which fills in all the nutritional gaps, is a winning combination of nutrients that will help kids and adults feel satisfied until lunch.
If they want dry cereal that actually has nutrition try NUPUFFS. They are filled with NuPlus and come in Chocolate and Apple Cinnamon. Just pour them in a bowl like you would one of those sugar-filled unhealthy cereals and add whatever you usually put on it – and YUM! Also a delicious cocoa or fruit SUNBAR might make a good addition for a kid who is running out the door to finish his breakfast.
Kids like warm tea! CALLI is also something kids find delicious for breakfast. Martial arts experts drank if for mental clarity!
Make sure backpacks fit well
Make sure your child’s backpack has padding on the shoulder straps that can be loosened and tightened to ensure a snug fit depending on the contents. Make sure the backpack is always worn with both straps over both shoulders, not one slung over one arm, which adds to the pressure on that arm. A load of books with a laptop can weigh as much as 30 pounds. That can cause shoulder, neck, and back strain for young people, and affect their posture.
Pack a Healthy Snack
If you are packing snacks for your kids, here is a perfect opportunity to include at least one fruit and veggie. Smart snacks include fresh fruit (apple, pear, and bananas, carrots.) SUNBARS, & NUPUFFS make tasty and healthy choices added to a lunch. My grandson loves a chocolate SunBar in his lunch.
Kids who eat foods high in added sugars tend to eat fewer healthy foods that are good for their heart. FORTUNE DELIGHT provides antioxidants and a good energy pickup for the rest of the day as well as being refreshing.
Develop Good Homework & Study Habits
For both lunch or after school snack a great choice is apple cinnamon, cheese or cocoa NuPuffs or chocolate, fruit, oatmeal raisin SunBars. They are filling and delicious!
Each 12-ounce soft drink contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar and 150 calories. Drinking just one can of soda a day increases a child's risk of obesity by 60%. Choose a healthier option such as a big ice cold glass of Fortune Delight. It will help any child be ready to hit the homework of after school activity with energy to spare. Establish a household rule that the TV and other electronic distractions stay off during homework time.
Don’t Allow Creaky Hinges
Incorporating sports and exercise into your children’s daily routine is a must! If possible, enroll kids in after school activities when possible. My kids took dancing, gymnastics, cheer, tumbling, and a few other things and they tell me they are so grateful. It not only kept them from being idle and getting into any kind of trouble, it was physically good for them and gave them confidence. Usually if parents engage in physical activity, their kids will follow along.
Today answering and sending texts on the phone seems to be the major activity for school kids even in elementary school. Beware – many side affects can occur. It is suggested that ADD is being caused by too much phone and computer use at a young age.
Bedtimes Should be Taken Seriously on School Nights
It’s vital for children and teens to get to bed so they get enough quality sleep. Pediatricians recommend that children age 6 to 12 get 9 to 12 hours of sleep a night, and that teens get 8 to 10 hours a night.
Getting enough sleep is so critical for a child to be successful in school. Children who do not get enough sleep have difficulty concentrating and learning no matter their age. (This is the same for adults!)
Insufficient sleep is associated with lower academic achievement in middle school, high school and college, as well as higher rates of absenteeism and tardiness.
•Power off the devices. “Good sleep means all devices should be turned off an hour before bedtime,” says Andrea Hoopes, MD, a Kaiser Permanente Washington pediatrician. This gives their brains time to unplug from the stimulation and the light from phones and computers. Reading a book can help kids relax right before bedtime.
•Pull the shades if the clock says it’s bedtime, but it’s still light out. Light can interfere with a child’s sleep. Darkening shades can block out light and help your child drift off to sleep more easily
•A lot of people don’t realize that a NUPLUS or VITASHAKE at bedtimes will help you sleep like a baby, especially for kids who use as their excuse for not wanting to go to bed as being hungry. Also they have nutrients for growing and healing as they sleep which can prevent leg cramps and sleep problems.
Stay in tune with your child’s mood
Make sure you engage in real conversations about what’s going on at and after school. Instead of asking, “How was school?” which practically invites the non-answer “fine.” Try to probe a bit more. Ask about specific classes, what the teachers are like, and if your child has made any new friends this year. If things aren’t going well for adolescents, a BEAUTY PEARL every morning might just be the answer to help balance those unruly hormones.
And…of course, big people need a good breakfast, healthy snacks, nutritious lunches, exercise, and enough sleep.
