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