Living the life of a vegetarian may be difficult to impose
especially among children, it would be very easy for children to be attracted
to the idea of eating junk foods or prefer the less healthy food options and it
would be very smart if parents will be able to teach their kids to eat their
veggies without dealing with remorse.
Childhood obesity rates have more than tripled since 1980.
In fact, a report from the 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination
Survey (NHANES) indicated that an estimated 17 percent of children and
adolescents between the ages of 2-19 years are obese. Given these dismal
statistics we should all be inspired to find a solution to this problem.
Health
risk of childhood obesity
Risk of
cardiovascular disease; such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
In a population-based sample of 5- to 17-year-olds.
Risk of prediabetes ; a condition in which blood
glucose levels indicate a high risk for development of diabetes.
Risk of
bone and joint poblems ; sleep apnea, and social and psychological
problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem.
Children who are obese are likely to be obese as adults
and more at risk for adult health problems such as heart disease, type 2
diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.
Association with increased risk for many types
of cancer, including cancer of the breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus,
kidney, pancreas, gall bladder, thyroid, ovary, cervix, and prostate, as well
as multiple myeloma and Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Well, a vegan diet may be just the answer that we are
searching for. Introducing your child to a vegan diet will do several things.
First, it will let your child know that their nutritional health is important
to you which will make it even more important to him or her. Secondly, it will
motivate your child to foster his or her own happiness through fitness and
nutrition. However, most importantly, it will promote healthy eating habits.
Instilling healthy eating habits in your child at an early age will benefit
them immensely throughout the course of their life, namely by lowering their
risk of contracting deadly diseases and helping them manage their weight. It
isn't difficult to do. It just takes a bit of creativity.
Here
are a few suggestions :
Make their favorite dishes healthier. For
instance, make a smoothie substituting cow's milk with soy yogurt and/or almond
milk and sweeten it with a little agave nectar instead of refined sugar. Or
make tacos using Boca crumbles or prepare some spaghetti substituting ground
beef or turkey with vegan sausage;
Lead by example. Your child looks up to you and
will follow your lead;
Know the different vegan recipes that kids will
surely love. Cereals and other whole foods can easily become a kid's favorite
especially if you will just try to go out of your way to know how it can be
prepared in the most appetizing way.
Take advantage of colorful meat substitutes.
Creating eye-candy dishes will surely make it difficult for kids to refuse
eating their veggies. Definitely, aside from green there are other attractive
and delectable fruits and vegetables that your kids will love.
Cook together to encourage eating less processed
foods and to lower the intake of sugar and saturated fat;
Encourage your child to drink more water by
limiting the amount of sugar-sweetened drinks brought for the home; and the
last tip is probably the most important as children are notorious snackers.
Keep the house well-stocked with healthy,
natural snacks rather than junk food. Natural foods such as fruits, vegetables
and whole grains are in harmony with our bodies so the cells of our bodies
crave and need them for fuel. Meanwhile, caffeine, processed and
sugar-sweetened foods put twice the strain on our bodies. Why? Because the body
sees these foods as imposters so it sets out to eliminate them. However, in
doing so the body overcompensates and ultimately craves more of the food in an
effort to regain the energy lost. Worst than that, the body is not able to eliminate
these foods so it stores them into fat deposits. So while natural foods giveth
the body energy, processed foods taketh that energy away.
Allow them to socialize with other vegans. Bring
them along when you meet with your other vegan friends, Aside from realizing
that there are other people who consider the vegan diet, this will also open a
chance for them to met children of the same age bracket who shares the same
kind of healthy lifestyle
Approaching the issue of childhood obesity is not about all
the pandemic stuff or the wars against it or even the obsession and worrying of
parents. Its about healthy living and teaching your child to foster within
themselves an unfettered determination to be happy and be in a good-feeling
place at all cost. This can easily be achieved through a vegan lifestyle.
Recommended Best Vegan Introduction Guide Books For Parents To Their Children
“Wonderfully illustrated and inspiring for children of all ages, author Ruby Roth has tackled the complex moral and ethical issue of choosing to be a vegetarian, distilling it into a compassionate and informative snapshot of the emotional lives of animals in their natural state. That's Why We Don't Eat Animals is a timely reminder to look inside our hearts and reconsider the choices we make-and their impact on our fellow creatures and the well-being of the planet.”
“Vegan Is Love beautifully conveys compelling reasons to reevaluate the food we eat, clothes we wear, and entertainment we choose. Best of all, it offers children ways they can be part of the solution today.”
Raising vegan children in today's society is much easier when you can draw from
the experiences of other parents. Filled with advice gleaned through interviews
with hundreds of vegan families, this book promises parent-tested answers to
your most pressing questions.
Topics covered include: Transitioning children to a vegan diet, school and daycare dilemmas, nutrition and health, social situations, mixed marriages, traveling, instilling compassion in children, and more!
Topics covered include: Transitioning children to a vegan diet, school and daycare dilemmas, nutrition and health, social situations, mixed marriages, traveling, instilling compassion in children, and more!
"Ultimate guide for fit, healthy families . . . required reading for every
parent--whether vegetarian or not!"
With nutrient-rich recipes for everything from breads to spreads, enticing
entrées to delectable desserts, you'll meet and even exceed your child's dietary
requirements. These veggie meals will smooth an infant's transition to solid
foods or soothe the most finicky teen palate. In addition to nutritional needs,
you'll learn to address the social and emotional aspects of vegetarianism,
including:
- Helping your child cope with pressure to conform to a standard diet
- Ensuring that school officials, caregivers, and relatives abide by your child's dietary wishes
- Dining out in nonvegetarian restaurants and celebrating traditional, meat-eating holidays
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