Infancy and early toddler hood are the
times when parents seem to worry the most about nutritional deficiencies
and fussy eating
-- after all there is so much crucial development going on in the brain,
and no way to reason with such a small child about the importance of
various foods & nutrients.
And children can be so stubborn and intractable about what, when, and
how much to eat that even
parents of older children are sometimes driven to distraction by
the pickiness and strange preferences of their kids.
Most of us have heard by now the admonition to
"give them a multivitamin, offer a variety of food choices, and
then don't worry about it." ( Some variance of the "you
must try at least 1 bite" rule is usually tacked onto this
approach by parents and caregivers.)
As sound as this advice is, we know too
that as our children become older, their innate biologically driven
sense about what their bodies need may become supplanted by a taste
for junk food, desires for "comfort food", and by aversions
that are fueled more by overactive imaginations than by biology
("I won't eat that -- it looks funny!")
With this in mind, we offer the following
selection of information to help you make sound choices and to help
you confidently negotiate your way through the Food Wars...
Useful information about snack nutrition.
Find out what "healthy" snacks and beverages are not and
what
foods are good to keep on hand for which age groups. Other
helpful strategies include packing a healthy dinner to go for a child
who is picked up late from daycare, followed by a snack later at home
(to avoid junky snacks killing the appetite for a healthy meal).
Does your baby reach for
food at the dinner table? Is he or she still hungry after regular
feedings? These may be signs that your baby is ready to start eating
some solid food. Read more...
This is an
important read for all parents and caregivers. Explains how to
prevent choking (including what items and foods are choking hazards) and
what to do if your child may be choking.
Trying to get your
toddler to eat a more balanced range of foods? Worried because
your little one has an eating pattern different from your friend's
child, or than what your older children had at this age? Then
this article should be a great help -- helpful tips, expert advice,
and soothing reassurance for parents of children aged older baby
through early preschool.
Here's a great little article dealing with that
challenge that almost all parents face: eating out with children!
Excellent tips offered by the Northern County Psychiatric Associates
of Baltimore, MD-- people who clearly know what makes us crazy.
By now you've heard this weight-loss
mantra many times: Eat less, exercise more. It's a simple concept that
many find difficult to put into practice. Every day, you find yourself
in all kinds of situations in which it's difficult to eat less.
And who has time to exercise? It seems you can barely get through a
normal day, running kids to school, putting in long hours at your job,
getting dinner together and tossing in a load of laundry. Exercise?
Haven't you done enough already?
Read More...
This site helps
you answer the question: What is an eating disorder? It talks
about the ways of thinking and acting toward food and the body that can
lead to bad health and emotional upset. It also talks to kids about what
to do when they think a friend has an eating disorder.
For information about the disease
of compulsive overeating and for help in finding a support group for
recovery, visit the OA website.
Contact Information
Great information to help young
people and adults make good choices about nutrition, including serving
size, vitamins, healthy cooking,
weight control, and more.
